All of my great grandparents had large families. One set had 14 children. Another set had 12 children. Two sets had 6 and one of the Great-greats before them had 12.

Life was not easy for the ladies. Many of the old photographs show weary, severe-looking women who must have dressed up just for the photo, only to go home again to early mornings, late nights, endless laundry, dishes, meals, mending, scrubbing, child-bearing and child-rearing, along with who-knows what else that went along with rural life. In at least one of my ancestral families, the first wife died in childbirth with child number five, and the second wife came along to raise those children and add seven more.

What made them do it? Whatever it was, I’m glad they did. Wife number 2 was my great-grandmother, and her first son was my grandfather.

More later.