Wednesday, January 10, 2018

52 Ancestors – Week 2 – Favorite Photo


Jessie (Tucker) Agard and Arthur Agard
This prompt was much harder. As many favorite photos popped into my head, I realized I had already posted them on this blog. But I knew the person I wanted to honor. That person is my great-grandmother Jessie (Tucker) Agard. I have written a few posts about Jessie, so readers may remember that she was Ulysses (NY) Town Historian for over twenty years. That was before my time of understanding what that meant. I now realize my desire to preserve history and to document my ancestors probably comes from her genetic influence.

I am the lucky recipient of Jessie’s diaries, started in 1944 up to her death in 1973, as well as her handwritten history of the Jacksonville Community Church, listing its pastors, boards, and members, and a copy of the handwritten and transcribed journal of her grandmother, Adeline Cleveland Hosner who was born in Jacksonville, NY in 1809. Adeline’s journals were edited and published as The Pioneer Clevelands. Jessie’s family can be traced back to the Rev. John Lowthropp. The Rev Lowthropp arrived Boston 18 September 1634, and eventually moved his congregation to Barnstable, MA.

The photo is of Jessie and her husband Arthur Agard on her 90th birthday, January 2, 1966. The photo was taken at a family dinner at her son, Merritt's home on Route 89, Trumansburg, New York, overlooking Cayuga Lake. Merritt and Maude returned from their winter in Florida just for this occasion.

In Jessie’s own words, here is what she wrote in her diary for January 2, 1966:

“This is my Birthday [90 years] Snowing. We are invited to Merritt’s for 5 o’clock dinner, Bill’s family too, and we went with them. Ethel, Margaret, Ken, Millie, Skip, Dianne, Nancy, Martha and Laura H. Merritt and Maude came from Florida to be here for my 90th Birthday.”

The hutch shown in the background of this photo now resides in our home, as does the dishes that are displayed. This photo and Jessie's journal entry brings a lot of memories. Only two of those listed are still alive.

2 comments:

  1. Oh, a photo to be treasured, along with the memories, the dishes, and the hutch!

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  2. I think of them every day and so thankful I can honor my ancestors through genealogy research and featuring them on the blog.

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