Effie was the grandmother I never knew.
The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 was probably the most devastating epidemic in world history, killing an estimated 675,000 Americans. Effie was one of these victims.
The winter of 1919 was bitterly cold. Effie and her husband, Garrie, lived on a farm in Lick Creek Valley, Arkansas. Their oldest daughter, Ruby, was attending school at the Academy in the nearby town of Magazine. Effie was concerned about Ruby becoming sick and decided that it would be best for her to live in town with Grandmother Kenedy for the duration of the bad weather.
Despite her efforts, word was sent that Ruby was very ill, with what they believed to be pneumonia. Garrie put a cover over the wagon, piled in lots of quilts and prepared it for the trip to Magazine to pick up Ruby. The whole family made the trip, unaware that Ruby did not have pneumonia, but had been striken with this extremely contagious and deadly strain of influenza (sometimes called Spanish flu).
After arriving, Effie and Garrie became ill immediately and were not able to make the trip back home. As was typical, this strain could strike suddenly, leaving the victim too weak to walk within hours, and often death within a few days. Sadly, this is what happened to Effie. She was only 28 years of age.
Family lore is that right before she died, Effie looked up and said "there's Papa", referring to her deceased father, Benjamin F. Kenedy. Because of this, I believe a loved comes to greet you when you die.
Effie was survived by her husband, William Garrett "Garrie" Van Allen, her four children (Ruby, Reba, Charles and Retha), her mother, Martha Jane Kenedy and her siblings (Icephena, Ivah, Lester, Ernest, Pearl and Opha). She was preceeded in death by her young son, Harry, her father, Benjamin Franklin Kenedy and baby brother, Claude.
I am the daughter of Charles. He was only two years old when his mother died. He said that it always bothered him that he couldn't remember what she looked like or what her voice sounded like. I am sure that he knows now.
I also wish that I could have known her. I often wonder what her life was like. I do know that she and all of her siblings played musical instruments. Their house was filled with singing and dancing.
Effie was around 12 years old in the top picture. She told her mother that she didn't want to wear little girl dresses anymore. So, her mother made this more grown-up style for her.
Epitath on her marker: "Gone to a bright home, where grief cannot come."
The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 was probably the most devastating epidemic in world history, killing an estimated 675,000 Americans. Effie was one of these victims.
The winter of 1919 was bitterly cold. Effie and her husband, Garrie, lived on a farm in Lick Creek Valley, Arkansas. Their oldest daughter, Ruby, was attending school at the Academy in the nearby town of Magazine. Effie was concerned about Ruby becoming sick and decided that it would be best for her to live in town with Grandmother Kenedy for the duration of the bad weather.
Despite her efforts, word was sent that Ruby was very ill, with what they believed to be pneumonia. Garrie put a cover over the wagon, piled in lots of quilts and prepared it for the trip to Magazine to pick up Ruby. The whole family made the trip, unaware that Ruby did not have pneumonia, but had been striken with this extremely contagious and deadly strain of influenza (sometimes called Spanish flu).
After arriving, Effie and Garrie became ill immediately and were not able to make the trip back home. As was typical, this strain could strike suddenly, leaving the victim too weak to walk within hours, and often death within a few days. Sadly, this is what happened to Effie. She was only 28 years of age.
Family lore is that right before she died, Effie looked up and said "there's Papa", referring to her deceased father, Benjamin F. Kenedy. Because of this, I believe a loved comes to greet you when you die.
Effie was survived by her husband, William Garrett "Garrie" Van Allen, her four children (Ruby, Reba, Charles and Retha), her mother, Martha Jane Kenedy and her siblings (Icephena, Ivah, Lester, Ernest, Pearl and Opha). She was preceeded in death by her young son, Harry, her father, Benjamin Franklin Kenedy and baby brother, Claude.
I am the daughter of Charles. He was only two years old when his mother died. He said that it always bothered him that he couldn't remember what she looked like or what her voice sounded like. I am sure that he knows now.
I also wish that I could have known her. I often wonder what her life was like. I do know that she and all of her siblings played musical instruments. Their house was filled with singing and dancing.
Effie was around 12 years old in the top picture. She told her mother that she didn't want to wear little girl dresses anymore. So, her mother made this more grown-up style for her.
Epitath on her marker: "Gone to a bright home, where grief cannot come."
Effie was the grandmother I never knew.
The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 was probably the most devastating epidemic in world history, killing an estimated 675,000 Americans. Effie was one of these victims.
The winter of 1919 was bitterly cold. Effie and her husband, Garrie, lived on a farm in Lick Creek Valley, Arkansas. Their oldest daughter, Ruby, was attending school at the Academy in the nearby town of Magazine. Effie was concerned about Ruby becoming sick and decided that it would be best for her to live in town with Grandmother Kenedy for the duration of the bad weather.
Despite her efforts, word was sent that Ruby was very ill, with what they believed to be pneumonia. Garrie put a cover over the wagon, piled in lots of quilts and prepared it for the trip to Magazine to pick up Ruby. The whole family made the trip, unaware that Ruby did not have pneumonia, but had been striken with this extremely contagious and deadly strain of influenza (sometimes called Spanish flu).
After arriving, Effie and Garrie became ill immediately and were not able to make the trip back home. As was typical, this strain could strike suddenly, leaving the victim too weak to walk within hours, and often death within a few days. Sadly, this is what happened to Effie. She was only 28 years of age.
Family lore is that right before she died, Effie looked up and said "there's Papa", referring to her deceased father, Benjamin F. Kenedy. Because of this, I believe a loved comes to greet you when you die.
Effie was survived by her husband, William Garrett "Garrie" Van Allen, her four children (Ruby, Reba, Charles and Retha), her mother, Martha Jane Kenedy and her siblings (Icephena, Ivah, Lester, Ernest, Pearl and Opha). She was preceeded in death by her young son, Harry, her father, Benjamin Franklin Kenedy and baby brother, Claude.
I am the daughter of Charles. He was only two years old when his mother died. He said that it always bothered him that he couldn't remember what she looked like or what her voice sounded like. I am sure that he knows now.
I also wish that I could have known her. I often wonder what her life was like. I do know that she and all of her siblings played musical instruments. Their house was filled with singing and dancing.
Effie was around 12 years old in the top picture. She told her mother that she didn't want to wear little girl dresses anymore. So, her mother made this more grown-up style for her.
Epitath on her marker: "Gone to a bright home, where grief cannot come."
The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 was probably the most devastating epidemic in world history, killing an estimated 675,000 Americans. Effie was one of these victims.
The winter of 1919 was bitterly cold. Effie and her husband, Garrie, lived on a farm in Lick Creek Valley, Arkansas. Their oldest daughter, Ruby, was attending school at the Academy in the nearby town of Magazine. Effie was concerned about Ruby becoming sick and decided that it would be best for her to live in town with Grandmother Kenedy for the duration of the bad weather.
Despite her efforts, word was sent that Ruby was very ill, with what they believed to be pneumonia. Garrie put a cover over the wagon, piled in lots of quilts and prepared it for the trip to Magazine to pick up Ruby. The whole family made the trip, unaware that Ruby did not have pneumonia, but had been striken with this extremely contagious and deadly strain of influenza (sometimes called Spanish flu).
After arriving, Effie and Garrie became ill immediately and were not able to make the trip back home. As was typical, this strain could strike suddenly, leaving the victim too weak to walk within hours, and often death within a few days. Sadly, this is what happened to Effie. She was only 28 years of age.
Family lore is that right before she died, Effie looked up and said "there's Papa", referring to her deceased father, Benjamin F. Kenedy. Because of this, I believe a loved comes to greet you when you die.
Effie was survived by her husband, William Garrett "Garrie" Van Allen, her four children (Ruby, Reba, Charles and Retha), her mother, Martha Jane Kenedy and her siblings (Icephena, Ivah, Lester, Ernest, Pearl and Opha). She was preceeded in death by her young son, Harry, her father, Benjamin Franklin Kenedy and baby brother, Claude.
I am the daughter of Charles. He was only two years old when his mother died. He said that it always bothered him that he couldn't remember what she looked like or what her voice sounded like. I am sure that he knows now.
I also wish that I could have known her. I often wonder what her life was like. I do know that she and all of her siblings played musical instruments. Their house was filled with singing and dancing.
Effie was around 12 years old in the top picture. She told her mother that she didn't want to wear little girl dresses anymore. So, her mother made this more grown-up style for her.
Epitath on her marker: "Gone to a bright home, where grief cannot come."
Gravesite Details
A special thanks to Tammie Gunter for making the much needed improvements to my Grandmother's pictures.
Family Members
Siblings
