Family Heirlooms ✿ Moms Hankies

Mom and her Hankies

When Mom passed away Tuesday, November 11th, 2008. 

We had to go through all her personal items. Mom had Southern Charm and all the attributes a Southern Lady has. This is just one of her many etiquettes she kept tradition with .... was Hankies.

She kept them in all her purses and a few coat pockets. A lady always keeps her hankies near by.

Mom had a special drawer in her extra bedroom where she kept dainty items of the day for any occasion in excess and easy access to for times in need.  These are some of those. 

When I think of hankies I think of the movies where Women kept them tucked in the sleeve of a dress, right above the wrist. Tears and Joy where held in hankies. Who came up with the idea if you dropped a hanky right before a guy you liked, it would get his attention?  I think I watched Gone with the Wind to much. 

Silly to think of that now.  

 There were quite a few packets of Lady Hankies. Some where very old and laying in display. I choose these to make a special memory. Already embroidered with flowers from the past.  I took them to a seamstress and had her embroider Moms name Tinnie and the year she passed, 2008. 

Moms Hankie

I gave them to some special ladies in my life. I saved the baby blue one for me. One of her favorite colors as well. I keep in my Bible right at the Book of Matthew which was her favorite Chapter. I do that just so I'm close to her presence everyday in my own special way.  Mom saved them and now I try to get use out of them. 

She saved them for a Special day, but every day is Special to me. 

 Mom called me "Sweet-Pea" and I thought the blue one represented Sweet Peas. 

I'm pretty sure that is not the name of the flower. If someone can tell me, please Leave me a NoTe or Comment. 

I'd just like to call them Sweet Peas. 

The purple one is for my Granddaughter I keep that in a safe place. Little girls love pink and purple. I think the seamtress did this so tenderly with the right font and stitch for colors to coordinate what was already on them. I think Mom would enjoy the special touch I put on them. 

I made this a Family Heirloom. 

Something New from Something Old. 

Thank You for letting me share one of many of my favorite Heirlooms. 

Thank You Mom for these intricate delicate Gifts! 

I enjoy sharing and caring for these. 

Stop by and Enjoy my Blog Sisters post on their 

Family Heirlooms

Jeanne Bryan Insalaco: Everyone has a Story to Tell 

Cathy Meder-Dempsey: Opening Doors in Brick Walls 

Vera Marie Badertscher: Ancestors In Aprons

Karen Beisfeld: Vorfahhrensucher

Schalene Jennings Dagutis: Tangled Roots and Trees

Jacqui Kirkman: Leaves on my Family Tree 

Kendra Schmidt: Trek Thru Time

Linda Stufflebean: Empty Branches on the Family Tree

Election Day! The Grandson of A Slave & Father Theodore Hesburgh - President of Notre Dame.

My Story of our Family's Connection to Father Hesburgh! 

President of Notre Dame

from 1952-1987 

Born & Died

 May 25th, 1917  - February 26th, 2015 

The Grandson of a Slave & a 
Catholic College President

 Our Connection to Father Theodore M. Hesburgh!

Father Hesburgh was Appointed a Charter Member by Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower to be on the 

U. S. Commission on Civil Rights in 1957. He chaired from 1969-1972. 

He interviewed, met and knew my Cousin Aaron Sellers and said

"God Bless You"! 

Just like that Father Hesburgh went down in History with my Family Legacy. 

This is how American History intersected 

with Father Hesburgh and the Ivery's! 

For a long time now; I heard the oral history stories about Cousin Aaron from his Daughter, grandchildren and many family members along with Daddy that he was OUR Civil & Voting Rights Pioneer in our Family. Little details here and there. 
I just hadn't really seen it in black and white with the old typewriter print. 

I come from a fairly large family. Over time I have learned my Family's role in this Country. We might of been Slaves but we made it All the way to the White House. Time and time again! 

My Cousin Brad is a Mayor. He is the nephew of Cousin Aaron. Another Generation! So you see the Apple doesn't fall far from the Ivery Tree. 

Cousin Mayor Brad and Pres. Obama 

Granddaddy Ike died in 1937. Born a Slave but Died a FREE man. I just wonder what he thought of his Grandson Aaron
& Great Grandson Brad ?
I wish I could of asked Cousin Aaron in 2007 so many questions about Granddaddy. I was in such awe when I first met him in 2003. 
Cousin Aaron got to Vote for the 1st African American President. There were 3 Deaths in November. My Mom; age 85 on November 11th, 2008. President Obama's Grandma & Cousin Aaron. November 2nd,2008.

They all got to live to see and Vote! 

Today is Election Day where I live. This is a reminder of WHY I am suppose to VOTE. My family as many others of all Nationalities have DIED and Bleed for our Right to do so. My Cousin Aaron stood his ground after many threats in his small town of Midway where at any moment his Life could of been taken in the still of the night and nobody would of gave a damn.  I will not let what my Cousin Aaron and many in my Family and what Father Hesburgh did for ALL, be in Vain. 

We can look back and this blog post does no Justice on all that went on around the Country. I'm just giving you a glimpse from my perspective on my family and what their involvement in the Civil and Voting Rights Commission lead to. We need to Honor those TODAY and forever more on all that they sacrificed. 


That's ALL the reason I need to know to get up  early and VOTE.  


The Ivery's know what their Civic Duty is to this Country. 

Do you?

Cousin Aaron was a farmer. He owned 240 acres. 

He farmed all his Life. He taught his 2 Daughters Gladys and Annie Pearl. They could handle the farm and a hoe just like their Daddy.
 They are still with us today. I just saw them in Pittsburgh of July 2015 celebrating our 20 years of Remembering our Grandfather Ike Ivery. 
From whom we all descend from. That is our Common Thread. 

Cousin Aaron Sellers Mother
 was Lela B. Ivery Sellers 
she was the Daughter of Ike Ivery 

Mrs. Lela B. Ivery Sellers

She's my Grandma Eddie Lee Ivery Lewis's Sister. 
They have the same Mother Mary Haynes who was married to Ike Ivery in 1875. His 1st of 3 Wives.  Aunt Lela and Grandma Eddie are 2 of his 23 children. That is how we are kin. 

Cousin Aaron was 40 when he was summoned by Tuskegee Institute Professor Charles G. Gomillion out of his fields in 1954 to make a difference in the Lives of Black Folk. 

Professor Gomillion knew of every Negro that was denied the right to Vote in Alabama.  So he sought them out.


This LINK will take you to 
 Interviews of Dr. Charles G. Gomillion  
Housed at the University of Virginia. 

So you can see Dr. Gomillion in person and in voice. What his significance on Civil Rights means. 
They wanted Cousin Aaron Sellers to aid the Citizens of Bullock County, and the State of Alabama on the Right to Vote! 

Cousin Aaron established the 1st Chapter of the NAACP National Association for the Advancement of Colored People at Oak Grove #1 Baptist Church and became it's 1st President!

He was secretly taken to testify on the Voting Rights Commission. He had been threatened over his Land. He had made 6 attempts at trying to Vote and was denied.


Cousin Aaron was always trying to find a way to help OUR People over the decades. So you can imagine all the things living in the deep south all he had to experience in his Lifetime.

My Blog Sister Nicka Smith of Who is Nicka Smith?  Text and asked me; Did I look for my Cousins records yet? I said No....Nicka said; the records are in Public Domain! 
She has a family member over there as well. She had his testimony from the very same Commissioner Storey that Interviewed her family member the Atlas's in New Orleans. 

Random Act of Kindness from a Colleague and Friend! Just for the simple reason she kept up with my Stories & Remembered I had mentioned it to her.

The Ties that Bind Us. 

Hathitrust 

So of course! I was taken aback and astonished and didn't know what to do but Holler and send her way to many texts Thanking her. For some reason I thought they were classified or I would have to pay a gazillions bucks to get them. 

It was 322 pages of Testimony right in my lap for me to read!

Also there is a Transcript of Testimony on how the Committee Members was formed and commissioned to be on the Panel. These 22 pages housed at the University of Michigan are filled with their Nomination Testimony!

 This Link has a Excerpt of Testimony
 of Commission being Formed 

Father Hesburgh understood the racial disparities in the country. They were honored to be on the panel. Father Hesburgh also said after someone mentioned, this should be solved at the local level. He wanted it to be nationwide. Father also suggested they take these issues on as they come. 

Father Hesburgh was very diligent on his intent and his strong views. He never wavered no matter how many times or ways he was asked. He believed All Citizens where Created Equal! 

He said so over many conversations. 

The Men on this Panel I will do further research. It's the Genealogy way!

 I want to put them in perspective and see their Whole Lives. How it became that they had come to this Point in their Life and Career?  It deserves  research. They are part of our collective History and How we are here today with these RIGHTS. 

That's the backdrop of this Story

Now on to the Genealogy Goody Gem!

This photo was in Mary Frances Berry book called 
"And Justice for All"

The United States Commission On Civil Rights And The Continuing Struggle For Freedom In America

Cousin Aaron was on page 10 & 11
 

This was found at 11:45 pm on Sunday. Last minute on Google. Somebody in Heaven was looking out for me.
 I almost gave up. I was so tired. I searched one more time. The photo above is a result of burning the midnight oil just to find that perfect photo of what actually happened that day. The PHOTO brought us right into the Hearing!

Cousin Aaron Sellers 

Names of the Commissioner's

Future Governor of Alabama: Honorable George C. Wallace. 

Cousin Aaron's Testimony

LOOK WHAT HAPPENED

! 

PERMANENT LINK TO THIS BOOK


 322 Pages of Testimony

Genealogical Sketch for Aaron Sellers and True 

Caro, Robert A. The Years of Lyndon Johnson. Cousin Aaron Sellers was interviewed and was mentioned in Mr. Caro's book. 


Thank You for stopping Over....I hope you got out and went to VOTE today! 

Best Regards
November 3rd, 2015.

Daddy's Ties

December is here and it's going fast.

I haven't wrote a Blog Piece all Month. To busy decorating, buying gifts, purchasing plane tickets and getting ready to Celebrate Christmas.

I have a closet that I tend to "Hide" things in for later...

Today I was scrambling looking for wrapping paper and it hit me. 

Daddy's ties bonked me in the head. I have them on a hanger not quite ready to pack in a fancy box full of tissue paper to be a surprise one day for my Descendants. So I took and moved some of his things around and took a good long look and sat with my memories. This is where this Blog piece leads me to, today. 

Family Heirlooms.

I love the 1st Tie. When Daddy would ask me to pick a tie when I was young, that was the one I would always choose. It was from the 70's. The 2nd one, Daddy loved Peppermints. He always kept them in his suit jackets. That's why I kept that one. It reminded me of his favorite candy. Don't they look like peppermints?

Several of Daddy's Ties I kept, 2009. 

When Mommie passed November 11, 2008. Daddy followed her 361 days later November 7th, 2009. He was 91. Born in 1918. 64 years worth of Memories where in the House that Built me. It took us a few years to go through everything and save what we wanted. 

Daddy took Pride in his Suits and Ties. He was always a smart dresser. Very Sharp. We had to go through the tedious task of going through his personal clothing. Daddy had a hall closet that he kept his "Good" clothes in. Fancy suits, ties and shoes and all things for Church. This is one of 2 Suits I haven't let anyone look at. I kept them for my Sons. So they will have a little piece of Pop-Pop for later. 

Daddy's Suit and Ties

No one messed with Daddy's closet. It was for him only. No one else had their belongings in there. It was oddly shaped, very deep with a shelf. There was a slant in the wall. Behind the wall was the stairs to the attic from another bedroom. Which is why it was so narrow. It had a light bulb with a long string hanging from it with a hook on the back of the door. That is where every Saturday night, Daddy hung his "Sundays Best" ready for church on Sunday morning. It was his ritual to have it all laid out with his adornments and accessories like his tie, hankie, pens and change along with his church dues envelope. 

If you knew Daddy his favorite color was black and wine red. 

He had a 1976 Park Avenue Limited Edition Wine Red colored Buick. His pride and joy. That was his "Good Car" especially for Sundays. 

 When it went out of style, Daddy kept it parked in the barn till the day he died. Everyone loved that Buick. We all have our special memories. Later Bobbie would get special antique plates and tags from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania after he cleaned it up. 


So as we took on the lovingly task of going through Daddy's personal clothing we picked out Suits for Nephews. Grandsons and Cousins so they could have something of Remembrance for Daddy. I even drove to Indiana to give a suit and tie to my Cousin Nate who was so fond of Daddy, his Nephew. 

Today all I could of think of was Daddy's Ties hanging on the back door. He had so many of all different colors, and era's. I quickly held them close and smelled them. I knew how Daddy cherished his ties and took care of them. 

For many reasons that day a few years ago, I had to kneel. I was having a moment...


Me and Bettye just stood there and looked at each other. 

We couldn't bear the thought of donating the rest. My Aunt was helping us. She does all the sewing, quilting, crocheting and knitting for this family. She knew we were in distress at the time. 

It's always good to have someone help you for these moments and hold space for you when you are going through this process. Decision making can be hard on what to let go and keep. Aunt Cherry was there for us. 

She suggested to let her keep the rest of Daddy's Ties for now and she would think of something to make as a keepsake for us later.

Well, true to her word. She kept it. She took all the ties we gathered and made something Wonderful. Thank You Aunt Cherry for making us something Special to keep Daddy near. 

She made us Purses out of Daddy's Ties!

My Personal Daddy Tie Purse

Now I know how my Daddy is! He would of got a Grand Kick out of that. Purses made out of his Ties. It tickles me that Daddy knows we didn't waste his Ties. We shared many. Kept many. Made something brand new out of his tie joy. 

I know people think it's silly to keep so much stuff around. My Parents aren't physically here but they are in Spirit. This is my way of comforting myself when I'm in need, longing for them. I can walk around my own home amongst my Parents belongings and touch, feel and be STILL in my memories. 

 Thank You Daddy for letting me show off your tie Goods. You and Mom are sadly missed this time of Year. We know it was your favorite. 

Mom and Daddy 

Daddy's Ties









My Blog Sisters and their Family Heirlooms Stories: 

 Cathy Meder-Dempsey at Opening Doors in Brick Walls
Vera Marie Badertscher at Ancestors in Aprons
Karen Biesfeld at Vorfahrensucher
Schalene Jennings Dagutis at Tangled Roots & Trees 
Jeanne Bryan Insalaco at Everyone has a Story to Tell
Jacqui Kirkman Leaves on my Family Tree
Kendra Schmidt of Trek Thru Time
Linda Stufflebean at Empty Branches on the Family Tree