Halcyon Ruth Ellis Ward
submitted by: Anniston Rae Shumway
SUP CC Chapter 4th Grade Ancestor Awards |
By: Anniston Rae Shumway
Three Peaks Elementary - Overall Winner
Parent: Chandra Shumway
I have grandparents, just like you probably do. I am going to tell you about my great-great-great grandmother Halcyon Ruth Ellis Ward, also known as Hallie. Hallie was born on September 3, 1876. She was born without any hands or fingers; she only had little stubs above the elbows for arms.
When Hallie was one year old, her family joined a wagon train and travelled to Colorado. The journey took about two and a half months, and there were many difficult trials along the way. They ran into great storms, floods, and even quicksand. The quicksand was in the Missouri River, and they lost a wagon team in the sand. They finally made it to Colorado after a long hard journey.
She grew up in Saguache, Colorado. She graduated as valedictorian of her class in 1896. Then she went on to become a teacher but mostly worked as a librarian at the high school. Because she only had her little arms, she needed help from the students to put away the books. The students were always willing to hep her. She always made sure she got the work done.
After she grew up, she date a man named William Ward, and they got engaged. Right about this time, Will started going deaf. He went to the doctor several times and had to get a hearing aid. Both parents were concerned with the engagement because Hallie only had her little arms, and Will couldn't hear well. The parents did not know if the marriage would work. Hallie told her mother that she was going to go through with it no matter what. So, they got married and it all worked out.
Even though Hallie had little arms, she learned to do almost everything that any person could do. Hallie learned to write by taking a pencil in between her chin and shoulder, or little stub, and moving the pencil to make words. She made the most beautiful and detailed quilts. Hallie also learned how to paint and wrote many poems. Her poems and paintings are in a local museum to this day. She didn't let her little arms stop her from accomplishing great things.
There were only three things that Hallie couldn't do. She couldn't drive a car, chop wood, or braid her hair. She probably could've learned how to drive if technology had been more advanced back, then. She loved having her hair tight in a braid, and so every night, her husband would braid it for her. This was a very special time for them and something she look forward to every day. There were many people in her life that were willing to help her because she was such a nice person.
Of all that she accomplished, I believe that she would say her greatest accomplishment was raising her son, named Edmund. She loved her boy and wouldn't let her handicap stop her from taking care of him. She insisted on doing most of the caring for him with little help from others. Sadly, her son died at a young age from an infection. This broke her hear for the rest of her life.
I'm so thankful for an ancestor like Hallie, who was a great example for others. She has taught never to give up and that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.