Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Sunday, March 7, 1926

We are about half way through Grandma's gap in diary writing, so here is some more from the family history.

"During this time Guy, (her brother) was in Ashkum, publishing his paper, as a bachelor at first, doing his own cooking and housework, and even his own mending and embroidering in his spare time. Then he married Nellie Schneipp, and they set up housekeeping, with the consent of her parents, but after a short time it was learned that Nellie had tuberculosis, so her father forced their separation and took Nellie and the rest of the family to Lamar, Missouri where she was bedfast until her death. It was for Nellie that Guy had purchased the little piano which he gave to me upon Nellie's death, and on which I learned to play and used for many years. My first teacher was a neighbor girl in Irvington when I was eight."

So now we know where Grandma got her piano. But it seems sad the way Nellie's father took her away from her husband Guy when she got sick.

2 comments:

  1. Most of Ruth's brothers were married more than once. Uncle Guy had 3 wives,total. I wonder if his 1st wife would have been better off if she hadn't been taken away and put to bed. I guess that's about all that could be done back then.

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  2. Even today, if you are diagnosed with tuburculosis, the local health department must be notified. You are then asked to stay home and if you absolutely must go out (say to the Dr's office) you are asked to wear a mask. TB is contagious and rather than the germs stay in the air for awhile rather than dropping quickly to the ground. It is also very slow growing, so it may take years before you develop the disease after being exposed. We do have drugs now to treat it though -- that is the good news.

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