The prompt from Amy this week is "Storm". After a very busy week, preparing and holding a Moving Sale here in Moncks Corner, South Carolina in anticipation of our move back to Texas, I decided to look into the details of Hurricane Carla, back in 1961. I was only 8 years old at the time and don't remember
much about it, except that it was a very bad storm. According to Wikipedia, "it was the most severe landfalling Atlantic hurricanes in the United States based on size and intensity for total points on the Hurricane Severity Index[16]."
It's path took it through Galveston, Texas and it was a devastating storm. At that time, another of my great aunts (or is it grand aunt? - I am never quite sure) lived in Galveston.
Aunt Bernice, was one of my favorite "aunts". She was born Sadie Bernice Ramer on November 4, 1902 in Mountain Peak, Ellis County, Texas, to John "Henry" and Nancy Jane "Jennie" (Ferguson) Ramer. She was the fourth of six children and was a younger sister to my dad's mother, Minnie May (Ramer) Springer. Here is a photo of Bernice as a child:
Here she is with her older siblings and parents:
Bernice finished high school and attended Trinity University in Waxahachie, Ellis County, Texas. I believe she graduated from Trinity, but I am still looking for proof of that. On September 2, 1922, she earned her Teachers Temporary Certificate for First Grade. It was recorded in Ellis County on September 30, 1922 and on January 25, 1925 in Wilbarger County, Texas.
I am not sure of the year of this photo, but it is awesome because it has several of our family members. In the photo are 2 teachers we know, Ernest Ramer (Bernice's older brother) and Bernice. Students include Johnnie Prue Ramer (Bernice's younger sister), Grady Ramer (Bernice's younger brother) and May Ruth Springer (Bernice's niece). Ramer Springer, Bernice's nephew and May Ruth's older brother, may also be in the picture, or maybe he was absent that day.
May Ruth shared a story with me about Ramer not wanting to go to first grade without her, since they were very close. So, my grandfather, Aubrey Springer paid for May Ruth to start school a year early, just so Ramer would not have to go to school alone!
On June 8, 1925, Bernice married a young man named Jim Pillow.
January 3, 1927, Jim died in Jackson County, Oklahoma. I am still searching for more details of his death and why he was in Oklahoma. The 1930 census finds Bernice, a widow, living with her parents, age 22 and a teacher in the public school. About 1932, Bernice married Hubbard "Shirley" Wright, who lived in Galveston.
I remember Bernice and Shirley coming to Fort Worth to visit. I don't remember ever hearing about the damage to their home from Hurricane Carla, but I am sure there was some. After the hurricane, I am sure there was a lot of rebuilding to do and a lot of uncertainty. Sadly, Shirley died the same year as Hurricane Carla on Christmas Eve. Not long after that, Bernice moved to Fort Worth to be nearer her siblings. That's when I really got to know her. There is more to Bernice's story, but that will have to wait for another time.
I'll be back next week!
| Rank | Hurricane | Year | Intensity | Size | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carla | 1961 | 17 | 25 | 42 |
It's path took it through Galveston, Texas and it was a devastating storm. At that time, another of my great aunts (or is it grand aunt? - I am never quite sure) lived in Galveston.
Aunt Bernice, was one of my favorite "aunts". She was born Sadie Bernice Ramer on November 4, 1902 in Mountain Peak, Ellis County, Texas, to John "Henry" and Nancy Jane "Jennie" (Ferguson) Ramer. She was the fourth of six children and was a younger sister to my dad's mother, Minnie May (Ramer) Springer. Here is a photo of Bernice as a child:
 |
| Bernice is the youngest. |
 |
| Bernice, her siblings and cousin Sadie Hamm, who was visiting from Tennessee. Bernice is the one without a head covering. |
I am not sure of the year of this photo, but it is awesome because it has several of our family members. In the photo are 2 teachers we know, Ernest Ramer (Bernice's older brother) and Bernice. Students include Johnnie Prue Ramer (Bernice's younger sister), Grady Ramer (Bernice's younger brother) and May Ruth Springer (Bernice's niece). Ramer Springer, Bernice's nephew and May Ruth's older brother, may also be in the picture, or maybe he was absent that day.
 |
| Bernice is on the back row in the middle |
May Ruth shared a story with me about Ramer not wanting to go to first grade without her, since they were very close. So, my grandfather, Aubrey Springer paid for May Ruth to start school a year early, just so Ramer would not have to go to school alone!
On June 8, 1925, Bernice married a young man named Jim Pillow.
January 3, 1927, Jim died in Jackson County, Oklahoma. I am still searching for more details of his death and why he was in Oklahoma. The 1930 census finds Bernice, a widow, living with her parents, age 22 and a teacher in the public school. About 1932, Bernice married Hubbard "Shirley" Wright, who lived in Galveston.
I remember Bernice and Shirley coming to Fort Worth to visit. I don't remember ever hearing about the damage to their home from Hurricane Carla, but I am sure there was some. After the hurricane, I am sure there was a lot of rebuilding to do and a lot of uncertainty. Sadly, Shirley died the same year as Hurricane Carla on Christmas Eve. Not long after that, Bernice moved to Fort Worth to be nearer her siblings. That's when I really got to know her. There is more to Bernice's story, but that will have to wait for another time.
I'll be back next week!
#52Ancestors
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