The recent post of the three-generation photo prompted an observation that we have quite a string of generations of firstborn daughters in the family. By “firstborn daughter” I mean “firstborn child who is a daughter,” not just the first daughter born in the family. The string is at least six generations long. It could be longer, but I don’t have any information about Sarah Hammell’s mother’s mother’s family. (The grandmother’s maiden name was Mary Fellows, for what it’s worth. And she, too, could have been the firstborn in her family. I just don’t have any information one way or the other.)
What is known starts with Martha Ann (Bucy) Rine, Sarah’s mother, who was the firstborn in her family. If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you may remember her, sitting in front of a house smoking a pipe.
Her daughter Sarah Mellisa (Rine) Hammell was the firstborn in her family. You’ve seen a lot of Sarah in these posts, of course.
Sarah’s daughter was Addie (Hammell) McClain, who was the firstborn in her family. She was Grandma to many of the readers here.
Addie’s daughter Florence (McClain) Wright (my mother) was the firstborn in her family.
Florence’s daughter (and my sister) Donna (Wright) Chittick was the firstborn in her family.
Finally, Donna’s daughter Anna (Chittick) Major was the firstborn in her family. But there it ends. Her firstborn was a boy, and the string of firstborn daughters was finished.
Here are some three- and four-generation photos of these firstborn daughters over the years. I’ve tried to put them in chronological order, but I don’t have dates for all of them so I may not have gotten them all right.
Did you notice?….when Donna entered the scene, the rest finally sport some smiles. Know some of that is “expected in portraits” ….but the stern, matronly look of Grandma Hammel certainly changed in the picture with Donna!! ” Wa La”! Thanks, Lloyd, Great review of a unique run!!
Great photos and I loved that factoid about 6 generations of oldest daughters. But the last one was not definitely not 85. I was born in 87 and I was old enough to remember when Christina was born. Maybe 92 or 93 maybe 94? because I think Christina is younger than Theresa.
Thanks so much, Karen! I’ll make that correction.
Thank you very much, Lloyd!!! Quite the history lesson!
In the 5th picture, I suspect the pained look on my face is because I was told to hold still and it looks like either Grandma or Great-Grandma was holding my left hand.
I have a copy of that last photo in my photo album, but no date. However, it looks to be late 92 because Christina was born July 92, and the photos that are after this one in my album are all before she turned one. I do remember Grandpa half seriously and half jokingly telling me that I had ruined the tradition when Timothy was born.
Thank you, Annie. I didn’t have a birth year for Christina at hand. (I really don’t know what I was thinking saying 1985 originally. That makes no sense.) Anyway, I’ll make a second correction to show the year as 1992.