It's not often that I come home from a visit with my father empty handed, and this time was no exception. Although the envelope was small in comparison to trips of the past, the content was quite fascinating. My great grandmother, Emma A. (Anderson) Brown (1886-1967), resided in the Orting, Washington area long after the death of her husband, William W. Brown.
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It gives a different perspective to her life. I really do not know all that much about her "golden years", and this may be a push in the right direction. When she essentially stops making deposits, and starts taking money out... is that when she stopped working? Was this her nest egg? If so, it didn't last until her death, so did she have other accounts, or did she have to turn to other means to survive?
For the second item that caught my attention, I'll have to do a little legal research. I'm sure that the "Legal Genealogist" can help me with this one, and that's exactly where I am going to start. The item in question is a receipt for $5.00, received from Mrs. Emma A. & W.W. Brown of Orting, Wash., by the State of Washington for a "Poll Tax". It's dated 17 May 1921. It does indicate which law is being followed by issuing this tax, so this little mystery shouldn't take too long to unravel.
Both items together give me another *new* slant at my genealogical research; their financial lives. I may never get another item similiar to these, but it certainly is enough to raise a few questions.
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My Grandfather provided the Generator for the small town in he lived in in Oklahoma. It sent my mother on a journey to find the purchase and agreement by the town. Fun stuff.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting! Thanks for sharing. That actually gives me some ideas, too, as my great-grandfather (Emma's husband) worked for the town also. Thanks for reading, and thanks for commenting! ~ Jen
DeleteYou ask an excellent question. No, I've never looked into my ancestors' financial lives, even though I have a "daily account book" from my grandmother. I started to think about this angle just last night, when I heard Gena Ortega's webinar on researching women ancestors. My grandmother managed the family farm for about a dozen years after the death of her husband, from 1921 to 1933, when the Depression hit and the price of cotton plummeted. Gena suggested a site called La Grange, and also the USDA Library, for a woman managing the family farm. I'm excited to try these out, when I get through the first hundred thousand things on my own infernal to-do list! Finances certainly give another angle on relatives!
ReplyDeleteThat to-do list is always in the way, isn't it Mariann?!?! Sounds like my timing on this post was great, even if unintended with Gena's webinar. Sorry I missed it. I'll have to look into those sites you mention, so thanks for that. I will say, I was the only one in the family that was excited by this register book, even if just to have a sample of her handwriting. :-) As always, thanks for reading! ~ Jen
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