*Magnify*
SPONSORED LINKS
Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/books/item_id/865259-My-Sporadic-Journal/day/12-13-2018
Rated: 13+ · Book · Other · #865259
A sporadic account of my reaction to life.
Over the years I have sporadically attempted to keep a journal. Each attempt has failed miserably. I think they expired because I established rules that were too ridgid for them. So, this attempt will bring with it very few rules.


** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **



There are many incredibly kind and thoughtful people in WDC. One of them is zwisis. Out of the blue she sent me this flower gift. It reminds me of the Bluebonnets of Texas. Thanks, Sarah. And, I must not forget the very talented katherine76 who created the flower...thank you.

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **



Well, it appears that my blog is going to the dogs. It aslo seems as if folks have gotten me pegged as a dog lover....they're right. Our very own Anyea has gifted me with this Valentine card. Now I ask you, "How sweet is that?" Thanks, Anyea *Heart*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **




I have been fortunate to encounter many generous and kind people during my tenure in WDC. Debi Wharton is one of them. She gifted me with the following sig. It shows how sensitive and caring she is. It also shows that she read some my entries. She'll never know how much I appreciate the gift and the attention to my blog.

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **





December 13, 2018 at 10:25am
December 13, 2018 at 10:25am
#947379
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **

         Her name is Para Lee England and she is my great aunt. She was born before the turn of the Twentieth Century and has been long gone for over a half-century by now. I’ve always been captivated by her photograph. She was a total mystery to me. I had only that one image and no details other than her name and the fact she was my grandaunt or my grandmother’s sister.
         I have long been captivated by the photograph. She presents a natural beauty which is often lost in those old photos. This one has long been one of my favorites. Recently, I determined to write about Para—to attempt to bring some life to the still image on the photograph which has for so long captivated me.
         I found her first mentioned in the 1900 US Census. She is shown as the two year old daughter of Benjamin and Mollie England, my great grandparents. She is listed as Para L England, possibly the last time I would see the spelling in that form. As I attempted to track her through the records, I was conscious of the variations of her name. There was Para Lee, Clara Lee, Kara Lee, Dora Lee and just plain Lee. Once you get used to the name scrambling it gets easier to follow.
         I discovered her listed on a cemetery site, where her life was condensed into two dates as bookends for her life—1898-1952. Very little else was provided, except for the name of her husband. Oscar Lee Whitmore had married her in 1933 and she was listed as Para Lee Bolles-Whitmore—strange. Now where did that name “Bolles” come from.
         Well, a little more digging and I discovered a first marriage to Edward Marcus Bolles, in 1922. Interestingly, that marriage record informed me Para Lee was six years Edward’s senior. I rarely find an older wife in first marriages. Just as interesting was that he was eighteen and she was twenty-four--seems to fit the photograph. The photo shows a young family with a less than one-year-old child. That would make her about twenty-five in the photo and Edward near nineteen. Something was not right about that. That couple seems to be much closer in age and perhaps both in their early twenties.
         That photograph had to be not of Edward and Para Lee, but rather Oscar and Para Lee. But that did not work either, for Para Lee and Oscar were married in 1933, which would make the couple in the photo to be in their mid-thirty’s, and that just did not appear to be the case. Again, something was not right. So, I continued to dig until I discovered a new marriage certificate for Oscar to Ethel Haskett. Eureka! The photo is not of Oscar and Para Lee but rather Oscar and Edith.
         My image of Para Lee was destroyed. Another name had usurped her in the photograph. A stranger had taken her place. I felt betrayed and strangely wanted my fantasy of Para Lee back. I found it difficult to to transition my attachment to Para Lee over to Edith, even though the beauty of the image was rightfully hers. Fortunately, my disappointment was only momentary—a fleeting attachment. I recovered as I reminded myself this is not the first time a certainty in my family history turned out to be other than what it was thought to be. It happens with some frequency, in fact. The only difference is I usually haven’t formed an attachment to the person like I did with Para Lee. But that’s what happens when we pick up the gauntlet and the challenge to unravel the myriad mysteries of our family history. I have over 4,500 ancestors in my family tree. There are many more mysteries to solve and so little time to do it.



** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


© Copyright 2018 PlannerDan (UN: planner at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
PlannerDan has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.

Log in to Leave Feedback
Username:
Password: <Show>
Not a Member?
Signup right now, for free!
All accounts include:
*Bullet* FREE Email @Writing.Com!
*Bullet* FREE Portfolio Services!
Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/books/item_id/865259-My-Sporadic-Journal/day/12-13-2018