10 Aug 2015 – The Ditch

The kids always made fun of Alice, my Mother, when she was younger, around 12 years old.  No matter how much Alice tried to be nice and friendly, it didn’t matter.  She was not part of the pack.

One day Alice was walking home from school with her best friend and cousin, Yanetta.   They walked past the homes they normally did each day.  But today was different.  Today there were a group of the girls from school following behind them.  Alice wondered what they wanted.  Perhaps they wanted to be friends, Alice hoped.

The girls finally called Alice who turned to greet them.  The girls were laughing and looking mischievous.  They seemed to be making fun of her.

One of the girls came up to Alice and pushed her.  Alice was hesitant to do anything until the girl pushed her in the ditch with a dead dog!

Alice became angry.  So angry she found the courage to fight back.  The dog must have been there for days because of the odor,  flies and maggots swarming around and on it!  Alice came out of the ditch swinging her fists with accuracy!

The girl who initiated the fight had a bloody nose making the other girls have second thoughts about approaching Alice.  Th girls grabbed their friend and ran in the opposite direction!  They were actually afraid of Alice!

From that day on, Alice and Yanetta looked for fights!  They became the bullies in the neighborhood with their new-found courage!


Between The Dashes

7 Aug 2015 – Introducing The Grandparents

Inell&Melzar Williams

Inell and Melzar Williams

When you start your family tree, start with yourself and gradually move through your tree by adding parents, grandparents and great grandparents. Capture what you know, then search the data bases on Ancestry (ancestry.com) or other genealogy sites for more information.  If you have the ability to visit your home town, you should visit the local library, churches attended by your family, and seek out living members to fill in the blanks.

Between the Dashes was created because I desired more than just the birth and death dates.   When you search the genealogical databases you find lots of information.  One of the challenges is filling in the stories between the dashes.  Who were they?  What were their hobbies?  What did they love to do?  What were some of their challenges?  Between the Dashes will focus on answering some of those questions about my family.  Let’s start with my grandparents.  

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7 Aug 2015 – Introducing The Parents

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Alice and Roland Davis – Sometime After 1957

 

They met in high school.  He came up to her in the cafeteria and said, “Hi, I’m Roland.  I’m on the football team.  What’s your name?”  She responded, “Alice”.

“Nice to meet you.  Do you have a phone at home?  Can I call you sometime?” Roland asked hoping the answers to all his questions were yes!

Alice thought Roland was handsome.  She hoped he really would call.

The year was around 1950.  Both Alice and Roland attended Central High School in Mobile, AL.  Roland was one of the star running backs (or wide receivers – we are researching this).  Everyone that attended Central High’s football games knew that if Roland got the ball, he was going to score a touchdown.  He was always in the local newspaper for his many achievements with football and track.  He was truly a star at Central High! Continue reading