This is Day 18 of the A to Z April Challenge. My theme is women with unusual names although
I must cheat now and then or I’ll have a name and no story.
is for Reefa Enis Baugher. She was my third cousin once removed. Her parents were Mary Byrd Duff and James Asa Baugher. She descended through the numerous Baughers and Ruckers that had lived in the Beldor/Sandy Bottom area of Rockingham County, Virginia since the early 1800s. Reefa was the fourth of six children, the first and last of whom died shortly after birth.
But little Reefa was not long for the world either. She was born in July 1899, and she died
fourteen years later in November 1913.
 |
| 3 Generations about 1905 Left to Right: Reefa, Grandma Mary Duff, Ruby, Mary Byrd Duff Baugher, Brinton, and Bernice |
Untimely death darkened the Baugher doorstep far too many
times: her father in 1905, her mother in
1915, leaving behind 3 minor children.
Run Right over to the A to Z April Challenge for some
Roaring good Reads.
©
2014, Wendy Mathias. All rights reserved.
Life was so perilous and short back then. No antibiotics and health care.
ReplyDeleteSo true. It's a wonder anybody made it!
DeleteIt's sad that she died so young. What an interesting name, though!
ReplyDeleteYeah, it has a bit of that ol' Cheech and Chong vibe to it though ;-)
DeleteSo Sad. There is a small graveyard in the little ghost town I once lived in. The old headstones mark too many little children, many siblings who died months apart.
ReplyDelete( Going along with the above- Reefa for today 4/20- coincidental?)
Happy A-Z Saturday!
I actually like walking through cemeteries, and I especially like children's tombstones for the beauty and sweetness, but I am always overcome with sadness at the same time.
DeleteThey all look miserable in that picture and it seems as if they had many reasons to feel that way. How sad to have so many die in their family in such a short period of time.
ReplyDeleteKathy M.
I have to wonder what became of the 3 other children after the parents died.
DeleteAn unusual name. Sadly, many children lived short lives. It's pretty amazing to have the photo, in all likely hood the only one of Reefa. Her siblings had intersting names, too.
ReplyDeleteMy Letter 'R'...Rags to Riches
Sue CollectInTexasGal
AtoZ LoneStar Quilting Bee
I have seen one other photo in which Reefa was older, probably not long before her death.
DeleteThat's a nice and unusual name , but such a sad tragic fate.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed a sad story.
DeleteReefa, a 'rare' name. It is fortunate that you have a photo where you can identify her & that you help that little girl to live on.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm glad the various descendents in that family posted a picture on Ancestry.
DeleteThis one is so sad...
ReplyDelete:-(
DeleteHow sad! Do you know what Reefa's cause of death was?
ReplyDeleteI don't -- wish I did, but she's not a close enough family member for me to have researched thoroughly by the AtoZ Challenge.
Delete