Week 9 Females

This week for 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks the focus is on females. I have found females in the U.S. tend to disappear, it is sometimes difficult to find their maiden names. I love the Icelandic research, finding females is much easier with their naming system. I love the Scots who tend to insert the maiden name in almost every record. I still have a few other countries to learn how to conquer their record systems but in my limited knowledge the U.S. is on the bottom for keeping track of female ancestors.

The women in my family tree were amazing warriors.

The women who traveled away from their homelands, and their families, to make a new uncertain life were incredibly brave. So many questions come to mind with each family. How was the decision made to uproot everything and begin again? What was that trip like? How did they decide where to settle?

Elisabet Pjetursdottir (1839-1911) is my husbands great grandmother. She was truly an amazing pioneer of Mountain, North Dakota. Her story is recounted in part in the above book. She was born in Iceland and died in North Dakota, U.S. Here is a snip from the story that must have been written by Gudny Thorfinnsdottir, Elisabet’s daughter. This is only a segment of the hardships she faced with grace and dignity in order to build a better life for her descendants. In Iceland the family was separated, living on different farms. When they first arrived they were still separated with two left behind in Iceland. Eventually they were all able to live together in their own home. The celebration must have been very joyous.

In the spring of their arrival they purchased a small property covered in timber. Elisabet helped her husband cut the trees to build their log cabin. They must have been a good team, they cleared enough land for a small garden and a small cabin. Eventually they added chickens, sheep and a cow to their farm and in a few years were able to move to a larger property.

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The women who lost so many babies to uncertain medical conditions, pandemics, accidents that probably wouldn’t happen today and yet they carry on with their lives are so very strong.

My 2nd great grandmother, Martha Jane Lewark (1830-1923), comes to mind when dealing with medical adversities. According to records I have found Martha and her husband Alexander Minson (1832-1922) had 10 children. Twins who died at birth, they would have been their first children. I have this from a relatives family bible. The next two children both died in 1863. I have scarlet fever listed as the cause of death, this is also from a relatives family bible. They were 5 and 3 years old. Their next child was my great grandmother who was born in 1863. My great grandmother was born in February, her brother and sister died in June and August. I can’t imagine taking care of an infant while simultaneously taking care of two children with a very contagious disease. The grief from the death of one child would be hard to bear, but she had lost four in 9 years. To add to her grief according to the same relative records she had one more child who died. James was born in 1864 and died in 1865. I am not sure why he died. The photo is Martha Jane and her husband Alex and their surviving children, Alice is my great grandmother.

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The women who found the strength to fight for the rights I now have and at times am still fighting to retain are definitely my heroes.

My grandmother Nettie Myrtle Smith (1883-1952) was according to my mom a wonderful, caring, humorous woman who died too soon. She was also a warrior. My great grandfather was injured in a mining accident when my grandmother was in high school. Myrtle quit school to work in the miner’s store and did first aid for the mine workers. She also worked for a photographer and I think that may be why we have some awesome photos. Best of all she was a suffragette. I found Nettie Myrtle Smith in one of the photos in this video.

I would bet all of us have a few amazing women stories in our trees. Have you looked up your ancestors yet? Happy Women’s History Month!