Family
Missy | November 30, 2008
Many of you know that my grandmother recently passed away. While I was in Ohio, I found some old heirlooms, such as my great-grandmother’s McGuffey Reader, my grandfather’s German hymnal that was given to him on his confirmation, and copies of Evangeline and The Scarlet Letter that date to maybe the early 1900’s. My aunt had collected old photos and I brought some home to scan. Here are a few:
The Long family at their home. The Longs were my great, great-grandparents through the female line, and possibly the only sliver of non-German in my heritage. Look at that beautiful dog! Many of the photos reveal that I come from dog people. Dog-owning people, I mean, not that the sliver of non-Germans are half-man, half-dog.
My great, great-grandfather Long. That, sir, is a damn fine bull.
I think the woman in the middle is my great, great-grandmother Eibling. The clothes throughout these photos are what most fascinate me.
My great-grandparents, Jacob and Iva (Long) Eibling.
Jacob (right) and his brother-in-law John, who was married to Iva’s sister Maggie. (I think I got this right.) I also come from farmers, if that wasn’t obvious by now.
Jacob and my grandmother on the left. The caption said, “Where I helped tile. North 40.” I Googled ’tile’, which revealed some sort of agricultural drainage process.
My grandmother, on the far right with white hair and a light dress, in a class photo c. early 1920’s.
My grandpa and grandma Borger. He was in the WWII Glider Infantry.
I’m told my grandpa was a proud man (not to mention, he had a strong German work ethic). I think these photos of his tractor and his car reveal as much. He died in 1983 and my memory of him consists mostly of his impenetrable German accent and his terrorizing us kids with his dentures. (I’m also told that great-grandma Borger spoke no English but that grandma Borger yelled at my grandpa whenever he muttered in German.)
Not the best photo. But, I just learned that my grandma used to chop the heads off the chickens. Somehow, I am not surprised by this.
My mother with some of her cousins, Charlie, Jim, Bill, and another Jim. I love this photo because of the squalling Jims.
