Our family in 1887

So this story will make sense, I will start with my grandparents, 

Earl and Lella Slinkard...

Grandma and Grandpa Slinkard, with my Mom in the middle

The Mom in the picture below is the sister of my Grandpa's mother Ellen. I wanted to learn more. What is the story here?

1887

Claude (standing by his Dad), Alfred Ellis, Maude, Frank, Elizabeth Slinkard Ellis, and baby Mildred.

They went on to have 4 more children! (Ione, Gertrude, Houston, and Henrietta)

I found out that they had two sons (Pelham and Henry) before these four children. They were three and five, dying only a week apart during a diphtheria epidemic. Can you even imagine.

I reached out to the person who posted that picture on Family Search and got an immediate reply from a Vernon Gauntt, but he goes by Casey. He figured out we are 3rd cousins.

Casey and I have the same Great Great Grandparents, Solomon and Laura Slinkard.

Elizabeth is Casey's Great Grandma, and my Great Aunt. 

The sister just under Elizabeth, is Ellen my Great Grandma.

And do you see Laura down a few years on that list?

She had quite the story that made headlines back in the day.

Casey's Great Grandma Elizabeth, (after the death of her first husband), with her new husband Mr W William Hughes, and her youngest daughter Henrietta.

Fast forward many years, and that's Elizabeth Slinkard again, with her five daughters, Maude, Mildred, Ione, Gertrude, and Henrietta.

Cousin Casey has an interesting website with lots of personal stories: Write Me Something Beautiful.

Meet my 3rd cousin Casey in this 10 minute film. It's about an incredible experience he went through shortly after the death of his son.

The Letter from Steven Date on Vimeo.