The Howell Homestead

Dear Diary,

Thought I'd post a page from the digital scrapbook of family history that I've been working on these past 4 months.  This is a photograph of the home my grandmother was born in, her father as well.  It is no longer in the family and I will be taking a trip out to Dutchess County, New York in late May to see if I can find it.

I was thinking the other day about all the history my grandmother witnessed during her long life.  She was born in 1890 and died in 1988.  During that time she saw two presidents assassinated - McKinley and Kennedy; five wars - Spanish American, WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam; and 2 great depressions - 1896 and 1929.  She started her youth riding in a horse and buggy, then saw the introduction of the automobile, flew in the first cross-country flight on PanAmerican airlines and then lived to see a man walk on the moon!  She was 30 years old when women got the right to vote and she never missed an election after that.

We all live through historical events but I can't help but think her generation saw such revolutionary change that it is mind boggling.  At the end of her life she told me she was ready to go, she'd seen enough.  I can understand that sentiment.