Grandma Minnie was born to James David and Rhoda Ann Ellis Williams on September 13, 1886 in Sevier County, Arkansas. Her father was from Texas. Her mother was from North Carolina. Grandma had eight siblings. Their family traveled a circuit from Arkansas to Texas to Oklahoma.
Grandma was about twelve years old when this photo was taken. Her clothing and belt were hand-crocheted by her mother. The family was living in Oklahoma at the time.
The family moved back to Texas where Grandma met and married Albert Josiah Hill on April 11, 1907 in Falls County.
Grandma gave birth to thirteen children and raised one step-son. Their names can be found here, Grandma was responsible for the eight girls and Grandpa was responsible for the six boys.
The entire family had to work the cotton farm. Grandma and the younger girls took care of the household chores as well as the animals and garden. They did laundry, cooked, cleaned, gathered eggs, fed chickens, picked vegetables, and other chores associated with farm life.
Grandma worked very hard to make a good life for her family.
Grandpa died February 5, 1942, leaving Grandma to raise the youngest children by herself. The older children who had married helped her out as much as they could.
Grandma broke up housekeeping in her later years. She moved around from one child's house to the other. I remember her coming to live with us.
It was almost bedtime one night when I slipped into her room. She was sitting at the dresser braiding her hair. Mama came in and warned Grandma that I was the "64,000 question kid". Grandma smiled and said let her ask away. I'll send her out at bedtime.
I have to say the questions poured out one after another....Who were your parents? Where did you live? Do you have sisters and brothers? How old are you?....the questions just kept coming out.
Grandma patiently answered each question as she braided her hair. She smiled the entire time. "Why do you do that to your hair?". She smiled and said, "I have been braiding my hair at bedtime ever since I was a little girl. Do you want me to braid your hair?".
Well... the questions came to an abrupt stop! I was the kid with "ants in my pants" and there was absolutely no way I would sit still that long. We said our good nights and I slipped quietly out of her room.
Grandma eventually moved back Falls County and moved in with her widowed daughter-in-law. Grandma died there on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1959. We all lost our Sweetheart.
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