Migration Study
Time is a great story teller – Irish Proverb…
My story really begins through the bonds and lives that were shared together by all of my ancestors. They are the reason I exist, but there are 4 people in particular that have shared, loved and inspired me throughout my life and continue on even through death; my paternal and maternal grandparents.
If you really think about the journey that one makes to find that someone out there that God has handpicked for you it is quite an astonishing feat even if they have no concept of what will conspire from it all. My first story is of a young man named Herman, my maternal grandfather, who was born and raised in the north and of a southern young lady named Mamie, my maternal grandmother. Herman had an artistic spirit and a knack for making his way at whatever he set his mind to. When he was 24years old he set out on a journey to see the United States. He started along the east coast and made his way down south to Alabama where his Aunt Minnie and Uncle Herb resided. He was very fond of his aunt and uncle so he stayed on a bit to visit. My family have always been devout Christians and worshiped together every Sunday, but one particular Sunday was profound for Herman, this was the day that he was introduced to Mamie Ellen Fallon and he was smitten at first glance. So instead of moving on and seeing the rest of the United States he decided to pursue this enchanting young woman and marry her. She was a school teacher which took her away from Birmingham, where her family and Herman lived, so their main source of communication and courting was through letters. On occasion they would make the trip back and forth to see one another in person, but their relationship really bloomed through the carefully crafted and romantic correspondence between the two of them. Herman would speak of times of past relating their love to knights and fair damsels, wanting to carry her off to a life made for just the two of them. Needless to say their courtship did not last long and 6 short months after their first meeting they wed. Soon after they began to build a life together and 7 years later they gave birth to a daughter, my mother, Jean Ellen in 1943. They lived down south for a couple years, but soon made their way back north to the Great Lakes where Herman’s first started. He was an artist and carpenter and she was an educator, I guess a precursor to my own future.
My second story involves a chance meeting between Beatrice (Bea) and Frederick (Fred); two young people growing up in northern Ohio. Beatrice, my paternal grandmother, and Frederick, my paternal grandfather through fate and a little divine providence got introduced at the Fulton County Fair in 1938. The meeting was innocent and they were both very young. Fred had just graduated from high school earlier that year at the age of 16 and was working for the phone company delivering messages to individuals. Bea, having a green thumb and artistic drive, participated in 4H and was presenting in one of the buildings Fred happened to be in where they met and the spark ignited. As fate would have it they also found out that their parents knew each other as well. Fred’s father, Harold was a chiropractor (& the county coroner) and Bea’s mother, Bessie was a patient of his and came into his office for treatment frequently. They admired from a far though for a while, despite it all, because Fred went out looking for adventure and eventually took a job at an orange grove in Florida for 9 months while Bea stayed on in high school. It did not last long though and Fred returned still love-struck by Beatrice and their courtship picked up again. In 1940 Beatrice graduated from high school and made preparations to attend Ohio State University that fall. Fred had many offers from several other prestigious colleges, but chose to follow his heart and Bea to OSU. Their time there did not last long and they were married in 1942. They never finished their degrees, but they did go on to make a life together. Bea and Fred both had careers. She worked for the Michigan State government doing several odd jobs here and there until she earned the position as a social worker in the south-eastern part of the state. Fred too applied himself going back to a chiropractic college and getting his degree and license to practice, just like his father and so many of our other relatives on his side of the family. Over the span of 13 years Fred and Bea gave birth to 3 strapping and handsome young sons, my father, Brian Frederick was their eldest, born in 1943.
Their lives and dedication to each other and to our family are an inspiration to me. Their strong will, creative and artistic spirits, and unwavering love that they gave shines through to each of us daily. Reminding us of all of what has transpired throughout life up to this point. My personal art work, which I am titling “Inspiration”, is a personal look into an emotional and happy part of my life. It is a multimedia piece which symbolizes and depicts the journey that my family has taken; my grandfather’s letters, stamps, graduation photos and representation of domestic life and family. In addition I also did a companion piece that depicts earlier times I am titling “Sacrifice”; a time when both sets of grandparents were still young children. It portrays the sacrifice that their parents and all service men have made to keep our country free so that we may experience our own stories. I included correspondence from one of my great grandfathers from WWI while he was stationed in France. There are also pieces of earth and texture, stamps, war time pamphlets, newspaper articles, and photographs of my great uncle Harold and my own father who all selflessly served our country.
My story really begins through the bonds and lives that were shared together by all of my ancestors. They are the reason I exist, but there are 4 people in particular that have shared, loved and inspired me throughout my life and continue on even through death; my paternal and maternal grandparents.
If you really think about the journey that one makes to find that someone out there that God has handpicked for you it is quite an astonishing feat even if they have no concept of what will conspire from it all. My first story is of a young man named Herman, my maternal grandfather, who was born and raised in the north and of a southern young lady named Mamie, my maternal grandmother. Herman had an artistic spirit and a knack for making his way at whatever he set his mind to. When he was 24years old he set out on a journey to see the United States. He started along the east coast and made his way down south to Alabama where his Aunt Minnie and Uncle Herb resided. He was very fond of his aunt and uncle so he stayed on a bit to visit. My family have always been devout Christians and worshiped together every Sunday, but one particular Sunday was profound for Herman, this was the day that he was introduced to Mamie Ellen Fallon and he was smitten at first glance. So instead of moving on and seeing the rest of the United States he decided to pursue this enchanting young woman and marry her. She was a school teacher which took her away from Birmingham, where her family and Herman lived, so their main source of communication and courting was through letters. On occasion they would make the trip back and forth to see one another in person, but their relationship really bloomed through the carefully crafted and romantic correspondence between the two of them. Herman would speak of times of past relating their love to knights and fair damsels, wanting to carry her off to a life made for just the two of them. Needless to say their courtship did not last long and 6 short months after their first meeting they wed. Soon after they began to build a life together and 7 years later they gave birth to a daughter, my mother, Jean Ellen in 1943. They lived down south for a couple years, but soon made their way back north to the Great Lakes where Herman’s first started. He was an artist and carpenter and she was an educator, I guess a precursor to my own future.
My second story involves a chance meeting between Beatrice (Bea) and Frederick (Fred); two young people growing up in northern Ohio. Beatrice, my paternal grandmother, and Frederick, my paternal grandfather through fate and a little divine providence got introduced at the Fulton County Fair in 1938. The meeting was innocent and they were both very young. Fred had just graduated from high school earlier that year at the age of 16 and was working for the phone company delivering messages to individuals. Bea, having a green thumb and artistic drive, participated in 4H and was presenting in one of the buildings Fred happened to be in where they met and the spark ignited. As fate would have it they also found out that their parents knew each other as well. Fred’s father, Harold was a chiropractor (& the county coroner) and Bea’s mother, Bessie was a patient of his and came into his office for treatment frequently. They admired from a far though for a while, despite it all, because Fred went out looking for adventure and eventually took a job at an orange grove in Florida for 9 months while Bea stayed on in high school. It did not last long though and Fred returned still love-struck by Beatrice and their courtship picked up again. In 1940 Beatrice graduated from high school and made preparations to attend Ohio State University that fall. Fred had many offers from several other prestigious colleges, but chose to follow his heart and Bea to OSU. Their time there did not last long and they were married in 1942. They never finished their degrees, but they did go on to make a life together. Bea and Fred both had careers. She worked for the Michigan State government doing several odd jobs here and there until she earned the position as a social worker in the south-eastern part of the state. Fred too applied himself going back to a chiropractic college and getting his degree and license to practice, just like his father and so many of our other relatives on his side of the family. Over the span of 13 years Fred and Bea gave birth to 3 strapping and handsome young sons, my father, Brian Frederick was their eldest, born in 1943.
Their lives and dedication to each other and to our family are an inspiration to me. Their strong will, creative and artistic spirits, and unwavering love that they gave shines through to each of us daily. Reminding us of all of what has transpired throughout life up to this point. My personal art work, which I am titling “Inspiration”, is a personal look into an emotional and happy part of my life. It is a multimedia piece which symbolizes and depicts the journey that my family has taken; my grandfather’s letters, stamps, graduation photos and representation of domestic life and family. In addition I also did a companion piece that depicts earlier times I am titling “Sacrifice”; a time when both sets of grandparents were still young children. It portrays the sacrifice that their parents and all service men have made to keep our country free so that we may experience our own stories. I included correspondence from one of my great grandfathers from WWI while he was stationed in France. There are also pieces of earth and texture, stamps, war time pamphlets, newspaper articles, and photographs of my great uncle Harold and my own father who all selflessly served our country.