Proud Wesleyan Female College women alumni Esther and Molly.

Sisters in life and in college, Esther and Molly were always close. Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Georgia Class of 1898 they were quite the renegade pair. They were afforded the luxury of coming from a family of wealth and they’d made there way to college from rural Georgia to the then, “Big City” of Macon, Georgia.

They both had proper manners and thick southern accents. They were both women with a keen sense of humor and soon after arrival at Wesleyan, chemistry and astronomy took hold of their imaginations and they studied hard. At the top of their class for their chosen fields they were popular throughout the college and leaders with the incoming classes mentoring other young women scholars.

Esther was science smart and had been since she was young. Always showing an interest in all thing science, her father especially pushed her to follow the path of education. Molly showed an interest in the universe beyond. Her parents thought she was a foolish dreamer but they’d allowed it at the urging of Esther. Their parents were unusual that they wanted their daughters to follow the education route to their happiness instead of the expected marriage and family. If marriage and children came, they said, so be it.

Incidentally Molly did end up having a family but not before she opened up her own small planetarium in the really Big City. Here parents had financed the operation. They’d considered it a whim of hers never realizing that it would teach children around the really Big City about the universe beyond. Molly had become a teacher to many and her parents couldn’t be more surprised that their little investment had paid off and had become the region’s pride, interesting college universities and primary schools for it’s teachings.

Esther became a chemist, working in pharmacology research and development. She was at the top of her field for years, developing drugs to help children and adults live better lives. In some cases, when she was really lucky, she was involved in developing drugs that saved lives. She loved her job and her life and she was a woman to be reckoned with in the corporate arena of big pharma. She was responsible for creating a friendly workplace for women; demanding the same “luxuries” afforded men like equal pay and a non-hostile workplace. She could not and would not be ignored by the higher ups and she made life for the women behind her easier.

When Esther and Molly met up on the day this picture was taken at an alumni visit and college celebration they didn’t attend so they could see each other – they played bridge weekly and had coffee numerous times a month over pastries at a local sweet shop now that they were retired. They thought it would be fun to see their old college and the young women of this day.

To look at them with their roller-styled hair and their sensible shoes and their best hats you would never know that they helped pave the way for young career women in the 1900s throughout the southeast. Esther and Molly had visited Wesleyan College without knowing they were being honored for the perseverance for the rights of all women.

Esther and Molly left the ceremony that day and reminisced about their days at Wesleyan. They laughed. Then they drank a lot of coffee and played a quick game a bridge.

Written by Julia Roberts, Kidneys and Eyes

It is 1922. It is Summer.

And they are at a lake in Wisconsin. There are a lot of lakes in Wisconsin.

They are best friends. And have been since they were pigtailed girls.

Sarah on the left. Mary Elizabeth on the right.

Just out of high school and moving on to college. Both of them.

Three parents not pleased. One supportive and happy.

One a teacher, one a writer. They would become.

A young man took this picture. On the boat going nowhere.

Sarah mildly amused. Mary E. preparing a snack.

Bread and cheese. They would share with the young man.

Who one would marry years later. After college and careers were started.

One set off to see the world. One raised babies that would set off to see the world.

Because they had an “Aunt.” Who lived everywhere.

Traveling girl would return to her friend. And they would pick up where they left off.

Reminiscing about the days on the lake in Wisconsin. They laughed.

They shared the world stories. As if they were both traveling.

One never feeling tied down. And one feeling she had roots.

They gave each other the best. Of each life they had.

Written by Julia Roberts, Kidneys and Eyes

Emily and Victoria were the only girls in their family of 5 children. They are standing in front of the house their maternal Granddaddy, Floyd,  built with his hands and the hands of  his brothers and their sons. Floyd chose the wood himself, oversaw each and every building detail, and had an entire hand on every plank of wood.

The girls loved the house and everything around the house. The way the brick walkway was like a maze that lead to the back and the long winding road that welcomed visitors. They liked to play under the house in the back where they could fit when they were little. They loved to pull each other in a wagon Granddaddy made for them on the porch. They loved the sounds the floors made when people walked.

The girls spent hours running in and out of the two front doors. The door to the left entered into the parlor. The entrance to the parlor was built specifically so men, who used the parlor frequently, could sneak in and out to smoke cigars on the porch. The door facing the steps was the official front door and there were exactly 64 steps between the official front door and the back door, unless it was 43. It all depended on if the girls were running, skipping or walking little quiet baby steps so they could sneak up on their Mama.

The house had a 2nd story and the steps started to the right as you entered the official front door. The girls used to count the steps; the wide, loud steps. Trying to match the rhyme they counted the steps. There were 2 sets of 20 with a landing. The landing always served as a resting stop while the girls caught their breath through their giggles, then they would go again..

One, two,

Buckle my shoe;

Three, four,

Knock at the door;

Five, six,

Pick up sticks;

Seven, eight,

Lay them straight:

Nine, ten,

A big fat hen;

Eleven, twelve,

Dig and delve;

Thirteen, fourteen,

Maids a-courting;

Fifteen, sixteen,

Maids in the kitchen;

Seventeen, eighteen,

Maids a-waiting

Nineteen, twenty,

My plate’s empty.

They would always add their own little rhyme like Granddaddy taught them when they hit the landing or the top…

Twenty-one, twenty-two,

I love you!

Written by Julia Roberts, Kidneys and Eyes

As with any annual gathering of William’s family, a photo around a family gravestone marked another year. This year, 1915, is just 6 years past Good Ole Billy’s death. Reunions were held on the third Saturday every August and involved manual labor as well as an evening of quilting for the ladies and cards and liquor for the men folk.

The morning of the gatherings family members who lived near would converge on the land their ancestors were born and raised on and buried in and they would prepare it for over 200 visitors. On the day this picture was taken it was overcast with patches of sun to keep the air just warm enough to be comfortable.

On the left, crouched down is young Walter, cousin to Pearl, sitting. Pearl and Walter were very close and spent nearly every waking hour together even though she was 2 years younger. They’d formed a special bond when Pearl’s mother died and Walter’s mother helped raise the only child of her sister. During her formative years Pearl spent an enormous amount of time with Walter’s family, especially during harvesting seasons. They were “close as siblings without the fighting,” as Walter’s mother said.

Summers involved days wandering around the land chasing butterflies and frogs and visits to a nearby store for a piece of candy as a treat once a week. Treats were a luxury bought by the pennies Pearl’s Daddy, Claude – the harvesting farmer – would provide. “Guilt Pennies,” as Pearl and Walter used to call the money that fell into their little waiting hands from Claude, who eagerly gave them coins.

On particularly profitable weeks when Claude was feeling generous – and particularly absent – Walter and Pearl would each get a nickle.  They would buy a Coca-Cola and a candy bar and split equally never worrying about germs. They would chant, joking with each other, “Circle, circle, dot, dot, now you have your cootie shot!”

There were days that they spent reading the tombstones in the family plot and retelling stories of dead relatives they’d heard from the women in the family while making quilts. The quilts were made for marrying couples in the family and one day both Walter and Pearl would receive one, but not because they married each other. While there were a few stories of kissing cousins, Walter and Pearl never thought of each other that way.

Except maybe that one summer when Walter saved Pearl’s life because then Pearl really did love him more. Walter and Pearl, then 9 and 7, were playing down river soaking wet as most water adventures ended up and Pearl fell. Walter was at least four horse lengths ahead of her and she fell so quickly and quietly that Walter didn’t know what happened and when he turned around she was gone. Walter saw the splashing of water and he raised each leg in the water as high as he could to get to her. When he pulled her up she was gasping for air as he noticed a trail of blood in the water as it moved away from her body.

Not wanting to alarm his cousin he remained calm but was panicking on the inside. His was breathing heavy and his heart was racing. At least a mile from home and her leg bleeding from an open wound he moved fast. He whisked her out of the water and held pressure on her leg, all the while she was screaming. He removed his suspenders to tie his shirt around her leg and he picked her up leaving the boots she was holding in her right hand before she went under.

Walter talked to Pearl the entire way home to help distract her from the pain of the wound and her fear of the blood. He walked with a determined swiftness while he carried Pearl home to his mother. His mother took Pearl from Walter’s arms and he ran to collect Claude from the fields instinctively knowing Pearl would want her Daddy around her at a time like this.

It was a long recovery but eventually Pearl’s leg healed. Pearl had a long bumpy scar to remember how Walter had carried and protected her that day. She never thought about the scar as ugly or looked at it and thought about the pain. She thought about what the scar meant; she’d survived because of Walter.

Through the years, well into adulthood Pearl and Walter remained close. “One Mile,” she used to say to him as he passed her at family reunions on the family plot, “I had to carry you, you had no boots!” Walter would say to her each time, knowing that on that summer day he’d done something very, very good.

Written by Julia Roberts, Kidneys and Eyes

“Irish Twins” (but not from Ireland) Nora and Opal, born to immigrant parents 10 months apart in the same year in 1901. Nora, with striking dark eyes that could pierce through the toughest of rules her father set for her, she was the free spirit. Her sister, as equally exotic-looking was more withdrawn, was into a world of caring for two younger brothers.

Their mother had been ill during most of their adolescent life, bedridden with exhaustion. She’d taken ill before they reached their teen years and died when they were 20 and 21 respectively.

Their mother, though, was a fine and capable woman who learned English so quickly that other family members joked that she learned it on the way over on the boat. Immigrating to the United States, well before the girls were born, had taken a toll on many people who were starting over and the girl’s parents were no exception. They started with very few personal belongings and a distant relative willing to help them upon their arrival. Nora and Opal (American names chosen carefully) were hardworking girls who learned about work ethic from their parents.

Nora worked sewing clothes in a factory not suited for people. Humans shouldn’t work in a factory like this but the inbred work ethic and the desire to help provide for the family kept her focused. Never one to complain, while she worked she would dream about a different life. A life of travel and education. New adventures.

Opal cared for her mother with the same desire to help the family but with less dreams for herself for the future. She lived in the present. She didn’t spend hours thinking about faraway places like Nora. She used to think “as far away as the next day” Nora would tease her.

Nora and Opal were as close as sisters could be and spent their lives as best friends. Nora was happy to follow her husband out west and Opal’s life near her father and brothers meant family members were always in and out of the home she built with her husband.

Half a country apart meant they didn’t see each other regularly and they required long and frequent letters to stay in touch, with the letters taking so long to get to each other sometimes it felt as a season has passed while they each waited for a reply. Each letter from both sisters began with My Dearest Sister and Friend and ended with Loving you as only a sister can and will.

Written by Julia Roberts, Kidneys and Eyes