March is Women's History Month and my cousin, Sara Campbell (Remembering Those Who Came Before Us) challenged me to post 31 mini blogs about our female ancestors. Lisa Alzo at The Accidental Genealogist has compiled some prompts to make blogging about female ancestors a little easier.
Women's History Month: March 2 — Post a photo of one of your female ancestors. Who is in the photo? When was it taken? Why did you select this photo?
This photo of Lucinda Walker Beadle was
likely taken just before she died in 1887. I love the hat! There is a matching photo of
her husband, Elwood Beadle, Sr., that was probably taken at the same time.
Lucinda was born to Samuel Walker and Margaret Nighman in
Summit County, Ohio, the youngest of ten children. In the 1870 census, she is
living with her widowed mother in Springfield, Allen County, Indiana. At 24,
she was likely considered an old maid, a spinster. In the same year, Elwood
Beadle was living in Lauderdale County, Alabama with his wife Mary Ann and
their four children, the youngest born in May in Ohio. Two years later, Lucy
and Elwood would marry on 29 Dec 1872. Their marriage license was issued in
Wayne, Allen County, Indiana. So how did it happen that in such a short period
of time Lucy and Elwood would meet and marry?
Elwood’s first wife, Mary Ann McCalla Beadle, died in early
1871 leaving him alone to raise their four children. Perhaps there were no
eligible women living in his immediate area or he felt more comfortable seeking
a wife in his old home. At any rate, sometime in 1872, he returned to visit
family in Allen County, Indiana. His sister Amy, four years his senior, was the wife of Samuel Walker, Lucinda’s brother. He must have encountered Lucinda
while visiting with Amy and Samuel. Perhaps Amy arranged the meeting.
There is no evidence to indicate whether theirs was a love match or one
of convenience, but Elwood and Lucinda were married and returned to Alabama
where they had six children in addition to the older children. Lucinda died
just short of her 41st birthday and is buried in Lauderdale County,
Alabama.
Would LOVE to see the picture of Elwood Beadle Sr. and any other information or life stories you have of Elwood and Lucinda or their ancestors. I have read part of Elwood's life history from Elwood Jr.'s life story, but we don't really have pictures and I would love to share. Vicky Beadle Hopper
ReplyDeleteVicky,
DeleteThe photo of Elwood is attached to my public tree on Ancestry, Brewer Eady Family Tree. There is also a copy of an ad he placed in the Florence newspaper in Jul 1871 offering his painting and carpentry services which was a cool thing to find.