The Weird Side of Genealogy

Okay, I'm not going to try to explain these two pictures. Apparently the clan was having more fun than a barrel of monkeys that day.

The first photo is my grandfather Hodge in the barrel. I can't tell if his mother is preparing to go fishing or threatening him with some implement of corporeal punishment. The second is of his sister, my Aunt Fay of the previous post, inside the barrel and holding an unknown child on the lip of it. All I can say is they had weird ideas of photo composition.

Speaking of weird - I have added 3 more extremely weird heirlooms to my stash. Promise you won't think I'm as weird for latching onto them as my Aunt Fay was for having them in her cedar chest in the first place. But first, let me describe some of the other weird items in my possession.

The least weird of the bunch would be a locket that contains a lock of my great-grandmother Frankum's hair. Having the lock of hair doesn't sound so odd until I tell you that I paid in excess of $125 for the privilege of owning it. There was some heavy bidding opposition at the annual family reunion auction and I was prepared to go even higher.

Tucked away is a glass bottle containing toothbrushes that were used by my great-grandfather Hodge. Also in my possession is the glass bottle he would have used for his tooth powder.

My great-great-grandmother Mobley was hard of hearing in her old age. I know that because I have the old lady's ear trumpet. Another artifact that belonged to her is a big, slightly bent spoon that she used as a backscratcher.

And now, the drumroll please. I now am the owner of the weirdest of the weird family heirlooms.

1) My great-grandmother Hodge's gallstones, and
2) My great-aunt Fay's kidney stone, and
3) My great uncle Tryon's collection of pepper seeds.

I don't know why they kept them. But they are all mine now. Hodge cousins, eat your hearts out.

LSW