Sisters Step Up

 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 13  (Mar 29-April 4)

Prompt: Sisters

#52ancestors

 

 In 1923, Myrtle Olive "Ollie" (Parker) Lamb learned that her younger sister, Nellie Pearl (Parker) Taylor had passed away during the recurrence of the flu from 1918-1920. Nellie left behind her husband and three of her four children.  Maxine had died at 5 years of age the year before.

 Ollie stated in her account of her life's journey "Then lost our Dear Sister Nellie in July 1923 which left 3 Motherless children which God said to me as each time before, take the little babe. But, Oh, what a burden it seemed but I have always tried to obey the masters voice. Each of these little ones had as kind, patient, loving, self-sacrificing, and God fearing Mother as I ever saw. This sinful world was no place for them."

The 3 motherless children were Eloise Anita, age 9, Robert Linley, age 3, and Mary Marjorie, age less than 1.  Ollie and Leeland Lamb took Mary Taylor in and raised her as if she were their own child.   

Ollie and Nellie's sister, Kitty took Eloise for the next 3 years. When Eloise was about 12, she went to live with her Father's sister, Viola Spurgeon Johannsen for several years before she spent a year with James and Delphia Parker. She then joined her Father in Medicine Lodge, KS.

 Robert was raised by his Father's sister, Viola Taylor Spurgeon Johannsen.  For a few years, Eloise and Robert were together with their Aunt Viola.

The Spanish Flu claimed these 3 children's mother but her sisters and sister in law stepped in to take care of them and make sure they had the best possible start in life.

* The 1918 Influenza pandemic also known as the Spanish flu or the Great Influenza epidemic broke out in 1918 in Kansas and lasted through 1920 with cases in 1921 and a major reoccurance in early 1922.  It is generally accepted that there were between 25 and 50 million deaths. There are other estimates that go up to 100 million deaths world wide. If you had family members who died between 1918 and 1922 especially young adults, it is possible that they died from the flu. 

Myrtle Olive Parker Lamb's Life Journey...