Remembering...

Tee and Aunt Nina


 

Dear Family Trails readers, 

As we have throughout this first year of our family blog, we continue to honor and remember the ten children of Nancy Antoinette Haynes and Charles Sisson Weaver. We have 2 birthdays to remember for the month of May, and this week, we shall honor Lora Antoinette Weaver Ragsdale, the third child and first daughter.

 Lora, who was affectionately called "Tee", was born May 20, 1891 in Lineville, Alabama. 

There is so much to write about Tee that I have included the article from the Talladega Daily Home in this post and retyped what was written about her. The picture above, though, helps to sum up how much Tee meant to all of her large extended family and her friends. Tee, and her sister, Nina, lived together in Tee's house after both became widows early in each of their married lives. Their home became The Family Home, where Sunday afternoons and holidays were celebrated, and all were welcome there. This picture of Tee and Aunt Nina waving "good-bye" reminds me of so many visits in their house. No matter when we had to leave, Tee and Aunt Nina wished we could stay longer.

"Tee" and "Hubb"

I never knew Hubb. He sounds like an interesting man. Hubb fought in the Spanish American War, and there is a picture of his regiment somewhere in our family archives that I must find!
I wonder if he met Teddy Roosevelt!

The picture below is from the Talladega Daily Home paper. Tee always smiled like that!

The above captions reads:

Lora Weaver Ragsdale was taken by surprise at Wednesday's Talladega City Council meeting when library board president Jake Montgomery announced that the conference room in the new library has been named in her honor for her service to the library. She was also presented with a dozen roses and a silver bowl.

FUNERAL TODAY FOR LORA W. RAGSDALE

Talladega-Funeral services for well-known community member Lora Weaver Ragsdale, 98, of 412 Cherry Street., will be at first Baptist Church with the Rev. Ralph Jernigan officiating. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery. 

Mrs. Ragsdale died Feb. 24 at Talladega Nursing Home. She was a native of Clay County and a resident of Talladega for more that 90 years. She moved to Talladega in 1897, and was educated in the public schools of Talladega and at Judson College in Marion. 

It is believed that as a 12 year old girl, she was the first female to drive a car around the Square in Talladega.

Mrs. Ragsdale was the widow of George W. Ragsdale, a veteran of the Spanish American War. In 1919 she and her husband became partners with her brother, the late Kiser Weaver, in founding and operating Weaver-Ragsdale Dry Goods Store. The Weaver family has operated businesses in the Square for 92 years.

Active in community affairs, Mrs. Ragsdale was a member of the Andrew Jackson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution for 33 years and served for a time as its regent.

among her many civic organizations affiliations were the following: Highland City Study Club, founding president of the Friends of the Library, member and president of the Federated Garden Club, member of Talladega Music Club, and Talladega Historical Society. 

During the 88 years she was a member of First Baptist Church, she accepted a variety of responsibilities including Sunday school teacher, president of the Woman's Missionary Union for 3 two-year terms and chairman of the committee that decorated and refurbished the Thomas Chapel of the church. A member of the Philathea Sunday School Class, Mrs. Ragsdale was active in W.M.U. work in the state, serving on the state W.M.U. Executive Board from 1954 to 1962. For many years she was an officer in District 3 W.M.U. and was a member of the nominating committee of the Southern Baptist Convention W.M.U. in 1959. 

She is survived by three sisters, Lassie Weaver Malone, Ivera Weaver Harper, and Nina Weaver Dodge of Talladega; one brother, Tenison Weaver of Talladega; and several nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be William C. Malone III, Thomas H. Davis, Jr., Dr. S. Louis Armstrong, Jr., William Davenport, Robert Weaver, Thomas DeWine, Robert Owens, Weaver A. Dodge, Charles H. Weaver, and George R. Dodge.

So for today, "good-bye" to all of the readers of Family Trails. If the obituaries and photos of tombstones seem a bit much, hang in there with me just a few more months. I do think we learn so much from them, but I know it can be a bit daunting.