|
a.
|
Note: 1915 - Ruby Pearl was born to Jonas and Susan (Witcher) Likens on October 27, 1915 in TN. 1920 - 1930 - Ruby at age 15, is living with her mother and father on Walton Avenue in Lafayette. [1930 Macon County TN census]. 1933 - Ruby married Hershell Henry Ford on July 19, 1933. [Macon County Marriage Records] 1933 - Child Harold Dean ,my father, is born on August 25, 1933. Granney had told my mother that she thought getting pregnant was the only way that her parents would ever let her marry. She was 17 at the time and there were many brothers and sisters that needed tending to. 1934 - Child Mable is born on December 30, 1934 in Macon County TN. 1936 - Child Avery Dean is born and dies at birth on April 11, 1936 in Macon County TN. 1937 - Child William Hilman is born on April 27, 1937 in Macon County T 1938 - Some time between April 11, 1936 and July of 1938, Granney and Pa moved to Allen County KY. I remember her telling me they lived there for a short time. 1938 - Child William Hilman dies on July 22, 1938 in Allen County KY at age 9 months. Granney is 4 months pregnant. 1938 - Child Bobby Eugene is born on December 7, 1938 in Allen County TN. 1939 - Child Bobby Eugene dies in Allen County KY about September 1939 at age 9 months. 1940 - Granney and Pa must have moved back to Lafayette between September 1939, when Bobby died and June of 1940. 1940 - Child Shelby Gene is born on June 14, 1940 in Tennessee. 1942 - Child Billy Lee is born on September 4, 1942 in Macon County TN. 1944 - Child Ruth Helen is born on June 22, 1944 in Macon County TN. 1945 - Child Wand Lean is born on December 17, 1945 in Macon County TN. 1947 - Child Wayne Edward is born November 17, 1947 in Macon County TN. 1949 - Child Rose Mary is born on August 28, 1949 1951 - Child William Herschell is born on February 17, 1951 1951 - Child, Wayne Edward dies April 18,1951 in Macon County TN at age 3. 1952 - Child Jackie Wayne is born on February 17, 1952 1954 - Child Linda Sue is born 1955 - Child Charlott Ann is born 1956 - Husband, Hershell Henry Ford dies suddenly of a heart failure on January 20, 1956, in Franklin Indiana. My mother told me that there was never a woman that loved her husband more than Granney did Hershell. She said that for years after his death Granney still talked constantly about their life together. His death was such a horrible shock for her that she turned to drinking to ease the pain. Granney had never worked outside the home, so how were they to survive. I can't imagine the sudden loss of my husband, with small children, and then delivering my child 3 months early. Within a few short months she had lost everything, her husband, her children, her home and her church. When I think of the loss and turmoil that she and the children experienced, it breaks my heart and brings tears to my eyes. So, I don't judge, but only wish that I could have been there to help them. 1956 - Child Martha Lou is born on February 8, 1956 in Franklin Indiana, 19 days after Hershell dies and 3 months premature. 1956 - Due to the inability to grasp the death of her husband, and stop the drinking, the state took the 8 younger children and placed them in the poor house. Eventually they would be placed with 3 of Hershell's cousin's in Hartsville TN. Jessie Likens, Granney's brother, took custody of the baby Martha Lou. They lived in Lafayette TN. 1957 - Child Bobby Gene Ford is born on March 27, 1957 in Macon County TN. 1958 - Child Mary Pearl Ford is born and dies on April 30, 1958 in Macon County TN. 1956 - 1974 - Granney lived with various people and family member 1974 - Unfortunately Granney couldn't find her way to stop drinking until 1974. At that time a person doing God's work came to her and invited her to a Church tent meeting. She decided to go and that night at the tent meeting, Granney felt the spirt of the Lord. She promised the Lord that she would quit drinking and would leave the man she was living with. She went home after the tent meeting and poured out her liquor and told the man she was with that she was leaving. Within a few days Granney and, Billy Lee, her son, moved to a house on the Williams Rd in Lafayette. Her children, brothers, sisters and friends gave her furnishing for the house. 1990?? - Granney suffered from heart failure. She was rushed to St. Thomas hospital in Nashville TN where the doctors performed open heart surgery. She was not expected to live. The doctors told the family that even if she did live she would never know them or have the ability to eat. Her primary doctor left for a weeks vacation and when he returned Granney was setting up in the bed eating dinner. She came home in a few short weeks. She was in a wheel chair after that time primarily due to weakness. Her children Helen, Mable and Billy Lee lived with her at her home in Lafayette and took care of her. 2003 - Ruby Pearl Likens Ford, dies on February 3, 2003 at the age of 88 years of age. She is buried in the Public Cemetery in Lafayette TN . Stories: Granney told me that she and Herschel bought their house on Days Cross Road in Lafayette TN for 75 dollars. She didn't want to move to Indiana and missed her home. She said when they moved to Franklin Indiana, she kept telling him that the first person that came by going toward Tennessee she was going with them. After they arrived to their home, she kept telling him that the first person that came by going back to Tennessee she was going with them, he always replied " Mom put your stuff out you know your not going to leave me". They stayed in Indiana until he died in 1956. My mother told me that there wasn't a woman that could do laundry like Granney. The clothes were always so clean. You have to remember that there was no running water in the house, so this must have been a chore for such a large family. Granney would stay with Mom ma and Daddy at times and Granney would do the laundry. She would do the whites by putting a pot of hot water with bleach on the heating stove and soak the whites until they were bright white. I remember going to Granney's once for Christmas dinner during my life. This was after she moved in the house on the Williams Rd. in Lafayette. I think it was around 1975. I remember we had pot roast with sweet potatoes and gravy. It was delicious until I found out it wasn't beef but ground hog. As I've gotten older, I realize that ground hog was most likely all she could afford and I was glad to have it. Notes: Granney was a short woman approximately 5 ft tall and medium build. In her early years she had long black hair. Her eyes were brown and she had some features of the Cherokee passed to her from her mother. After Hershell died, within a few short years her hair was solid white and this is how I remember her. Around 1950 they lived at Days Cross Roads in Lafayette and were members of Days Cross Roads Church. I started researching my father's ancestry after he passed in 1995. I'm thankful for the short time that I had with Granney discussing times gone by. She still talked about Hershell as he was still the love of her life. I'm sorry for her hard life, but I think there was some enjoyment as I remember her laughter. I think she had salvation now has an eternity with Hershell.
|
