The topic this week is "Same Name". There are many sons and daughters, nieces and nephews in my family history who share the same name as their fathers, uncles, grandfathers, grandmothers, aunts, and the list goes on. There are many named Elizabeth, Catherine, Thomas, Amos, James, John, Isaiah and Frances. So carrying on the name of an ancestor is very common in my family. But I want to focus on my name - Rickie/Rickey Dean Springer. My first name was not a family name but I believe was a name that my mother liked and since it carried on the tradition of each of her children's names beginning with an "R", that was the name given to me. As for the spelling, well, as I was growing up, my parents told me that my name was spelled Rickey. So, I used that name for many years, until it was time to get my driver's license. Well, when we pulled out my Birth Certificate, my first name was spelled Rickie! SURPRISE!!! But this story is going to be about my middle name - Dean. I was told that my middle name came from my aunt, Modena. I want to share a bit about her story and why I am so proud to be named after her!
Modena Prue Springer was born March 3, 1925 in Ellis County, Texas, the 7th child and 3rd daughter of Minnie (Ramer) and Aubrey Springer. I don't know where her first name came from, but Prue was the middle name of Minnie's youngest sister, Johnnie Prue Ramer! So, middle names seem very important in this family!
Aubrey and Minnie, and their family went to the Methodist Church. I have been able to find only one photo of Modena with her family, and that is when she is about 2 years old.
Here are two of Modena and George Henry.
Modena excelled at being a Girl Scout.
She excelled in music and her school studies.
Modena was loved by many people in and around Midlothian. Here is a story from Modena's oldest sister, May Ruth about their family.
One more story from May Ruth tells about a new house, sleeping arrangements and a real bathroom!
In the late winter of 1937, the area where Aubrey and Minnie lived was struck with an awful epidemic. Here are May Ruth's words describing the events of February, 1937.
In addition to May Ruth's words, here are Modena's words describing the events just before her death.
The post card, to Delton Springer, my dad, who was living in Dallas at the time of the epidemic. Here is what it says:
As May Ruth said, Modena died on Wednesday, March 3rd.
Here is the obituary from the Dallas Morning News on February 5, 1937.
The article reads:
There were many tributes written about Modena to her parents. The most touching to me is the letter from The Grammer School and Her Teachers.
All of the items you see here, and many more, were preserved in a Scrapbook. I don't know if Modena started it, or if was created by Minnie, Modena's mother. Lots of school papers, some photos and many cards and letters of condolence are included in the book. Some years afterward, Aubrey and Minnie's house caught fire. After getting all of her children to safety, Minnie went back in the house to rescue some important items. Three of these items were this Scrapbook, Modena's Autograph Book and Modena's Diary. Minnie carried the scars the rest of her life from the burns she received rescuing these.
So, even though Modena lived only 11 years and 10 months, she impacted her world in an amazing way. I am very proud to be named after this awesome young woman!
'Til next time!
#52Ancestors
Modena Prue Springer was born March 3, 1925 in Ellis County, Texas, the 7th child and 3rd daughter of Minnie (Ramer) and Aubrey Springer. I don't know where her first name came from, but Prue was the middle name of Minnie's youngest sister, Johnnie Prue Ramer! So, middle names seem very important in this family!
Aubrey and Minnie, and their family went to the Methodist Church. I have been able to find only one photo of Modena with her family, and that is when she is about 2 years old.
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| (Front) George Henry, Modena, Buford, Janella, Delton. (Back) Johnnie Prue Ramer (I think), May Ruth, Aubrey, Minnie holding Shirley (I think), Grandma Ella (Busby) Springer, Raymond and Louise Springer (I think) |
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| Modena is seated on the front row, second from the left. |
Modena was loved by many people in and around Midlothian. Here is a story from Modena's oldest sister, May Ruth about their family.
"Another thing I always remember and we are grateful for – all our family was musically talented in some way or other. Modena played in the Sunday School class when she wasn’t even 12 years old without any music at all – but played by ear.
And Mother always played the piano at church. So, she kind of organized a family band. As they were growing up, Buford or Delton wanted a violin and the other wanted a guitar, Modena or Mother on the piano, and Ramer played the trumpet."
"After I got into high school, back in about 1928, Daddy bought a place right north of town, just the first farm right out of Midlothian, like you were going to Dallas, right by the railroad tracks that run through it. And Daddy bought it and we built a new house. That was something along about 1926, 27 or 28. But anyway, we were always real proud of this house! It was brand new and we three girls, Modena, and Janella and I, slept in one bedroom and Mother and Daddy in the other bedroom. And they built a little sleeping porch on the back of the house, for the 4 boys. And the 4 boys slept out on the sleeping porch and that’s the way we were. Eventually, he made a room for a bathroom, but we didn’t have water or electricity or anything at that time. But finally we got a bathroom in there! I got to live in the new house about 4 years before I married."
"I want to tell about my little sister, Modena. I married in 1932, as you know. And my baby sister was just about 4 or 5 years old when I married. So, I never got to be with her very much when she was little. But I remember that I had been married about 4 or 5 years whenever she passed away. George Henry, the youngest brother, just above her, got sick one night – in the night – and they found out he had Spinal Meningitis. And at that time, everybody was quarantined. The family couldn’t get out and go anywhere and nobody could go in to see the family. They did hire a nurse out of Waxahachie to come and stay with George Henry. The Doctor had requested that Daddy get a nurse and put with George Henry. Well, during the 2nd or 3rd night, Modena got sick and they discovered she had Spinal Meningitis, but she died before morning. We [May Ruth and Willis] lived in Dallas at that time and I know that we went down there. But the Doctors had already warned anybody not to go into the house or them not to leave the house because it was a very contagious disease. Well, I don’t know how long – it was after we buried Modena – that Mother came down with it – Spinal Meningitis – herself. Well, of course everybody was just so scared that Mother wouldn’t get over it, because Modena had died with it and George Henry had got over it. But they gave Mother I don’t know how many shots to keep her from “going on”, too. So, Mother lived after getting over it. But I remember going to Modena’s funeral. When we came down from Dallas to be with them, they wouldn’t let us go in the house. They wouldn’t let us hug and kiss mother. We couldn’t even get close to Mother and Daddy or the family. Even when they buried Modena, we all had to stay away from the family down at the cemetery. They were off to one side and the rest of the family and friends were off on the other side. We couldn’t get anywhere close to them because we might could take it, too. I was never so hurt in my life. Billy was just a small child at that time, too – he was about 3 or 4 years old."
The post card, to Delton Springer, my dad, who was living in Dallas at the time of the epidemic. Here is what it says:
"Monday [March 1, 1937]
Dear Delton, George has spinal meningitis. He is pretty bad. Dr. Van has gone to Dallas for the serium, It is in epidemic form. Dr. Tenery has been here, too. We have to get a trained nurse. She sits up 20 hours and $7. a day. We can't go to school! Buford is keeping up the mill. Daddy and mother are in the room with him now. He had too much fluid on his spine. Will let you know about him! Love, Modena"
As May Ruth said, Modena died on Wednesday, March 3rd.
"Springer, Midlothian, Texas, February 4 - Modena Springer, 12 died at her home Wednesday. Funeral Services were held at 2 p.m. Thursday. She is survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey Springer; two sisters, Mrs. Willis Noles and Miss Janella Springer, and four brothers, Ramer, Delton, Buford and George Henry, of Midlothian."
SOURCE: Deaths; Date: Friday, February 5, 1937
Paper: Dallas Morning News (Dallas, Texas) Section: II Page: Eight
(c) Copyright, 2003, The Dallas Morning NewsSource: GenealogyBank.com
From the local paper, here is the news article about Modena's death:
"Child of Well Known Local Family
Falls Victim To Malady Threatening Vicinity
SCHOOL GIRL EXPIRES AFTER BRIEF ILLNESS
MODENA SPRINGER SUCCUMBS AS RESULT OF MENINGITIS ATTACK
Modena Prue Springer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey Springer died Wednesday morning, February 3, at 1 o'clock, following a brief illness of meningitis.
A private funeral was held Thursday at one o'clock at Midlothian Cemetery. Rev. J. W. Chisolm, pastor of the Methodist Church conducted the services.
Modena was born March 3, 1925 at the Springer home place three miles east of Midlothian. She leaves her mother and father, two sisters, Mrs. Willis Noles of Dallas and Janella Springer of Midlothian and four brothers, Ramer and Delton of Dallas, Buford and George Henry of Midlothian.
Modena was a member of the six-the (sic) grade, and an active member of the 4H Club. She was also devoted in all Sunday School activities, being the pianist for the Junior department of the Methodist Sunday School, of which church she has been a member for several years.
Modena's illiness (sic) was very brief, having lasted for a trifle over twelve hours. She contracted the meningitis late Tuesday evening and died early Wednesday morning. Her brother, George Henry, took the disease Monday February 21, and it is believed he will recover."
'Til next time!
#52Ancestors
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