Sunday, January 26, 2014

Honoring My Cincinnati Matriarch: Getting to Know Granny, My Great-Grandmother Anna Lue Barrow-Heath Part II

I have always wondered what life was life for Granny, her parents, and the many relatives she often spoke of and shared with us all. This post about Granny is Part II and just another piece of her beautiful legacy. If you have not read Part I, then check it out here. I will follow-up more on how she grew up and the life of her parents in another post. My Granny was like no other. She enjoyed any and everything that had to do with her family. Granny was our matriarch and she possessed the patience of Job and the caring spirit a mother has for her children from birth till her last breath. I have always said Granny is the beginning of my genealogy experience as she shared so much with me and I listened.


Anna Lue Barrow-Heath, Cir 1940s Cincinnati, Ohio
Granny was the fourth child born to her parents, the third daughter, and devoted to family. Granny was well known by everyone or at least in my eyes she was as she was the glue that held the Cincinnati families together. Granny was the mother of my maternal grandmother, Jessie Mae Heath, and Jessie Mae was the only child. But only having one child did not stop Granny from loving on all her nieces and nephews. She had that much love for us all. And Granny showed her love to family in many ways, but one way always holds close to everyone's heart and I believe it was Granny's favorite thing to do.


I would have to say Granny's favorite things were her love of God, family, and cooking! Yes, Granny could cook like no other and no other could cook like Granny!!! Oh my, I can smell the fried chicken, ox tails and spaghetti, her famous oven baked barbeque ribs, and did I mention the fried corn!!!! YES INDEED, Granny could make meals that looked to pretty to eat, but you guessed right- we ate everything and savored each and every bite till the plate was clean. Granny put love in her cooking, and that is what made the difference. So you may ask, what is so unique about her cooking? And I will answer and say Granny put her heart and soul in everything she did, and cooking was just another way she shared her love with family.


Granny loved cooking so much that she cooked three meals a day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You see, Granny took care of her man! Granny loved her some Mitchell Heath, and Granddaddy, as we called him, loved him some Anna Lue. The two of them were two peas in a pod and created a home filled with love which spread across generations. And in loving her Mitchell, Granny saw to him being well fed each and every day. It was breakfast with my great-grandparents when I first remembered drinking coffee, and I thought it was the best thing. I even had my own cup, and Granny made sure everyone knew it was indeed my cup. Breakfast consisted of meat, usually sausage or bacon, scrambled eggs, grits, and toast. And Granny's breakfast, well there just wasn't any other like it! Lunch was always some good soup and possibly a good sandwich, but then dinner was like eating at a five star restaurant simply because it was Granny's cooking!


There is one traditional holiday gathering in Granny's lineage that never has changed over the years and has consistently took place through five generations and that is Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was always held in Granny and Granddaddy's home. Granny would begin cooking early in the week, but bet your last dollar the meal was all done, table set, and tea made by early afternoon. There was so much food with enough to feed an army. Yes, I know such a cliché, but it's true! Granny cooked enough for everybody and if someone stopped by just for a quick visit, they left with a plate. That is how much love Granny had and how much she put it in her cooking. Granny showered us all in love, comfort, and with her wisdom. Cooking is not all she mastered, but to me it is the one thing filled with her love and exemplified her love for her family!


Granny's love of cooking and sharing with the family passed onto to her daughter, my grandmother, and in turn to the granddaughters, my mother and her two sisters who continue the Thanksgiving tradition to this day. I'm thinking of the song sang by Tina Turner, 'What's Love Got to Do with It?' and I can honestly say, EVERYTHING!!


Granny, thank you for loving us all and for allowing me to share your amazing journey!


Dante

24 comments:

  1. reading about your great-grandmother's "food for an army" brought back such nice memories of Sunday morning breakfasts from my Grandma Eula! thank you for sharing these warm and beautiful memories of your matriarch!

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    1. Thank you so much Tracey! "Food for an army" is exactly how she cooked. No stranger turned away & enough for everyone! Thanks for reading another piece of Granny's legacy!

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  2. Dante, you making me hungry... I want a plate too!! LOL!! You make it so vivid it feels like I'm looking at the wholel thing happen as I read it. I really loved this and can't wait to her more about your granny...and the love that your grandparents had for each other seemed so special! Really great post!

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    1. Thanks Monique! Stay tuned to learn about Mitchell & Anna's love story!

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  3. Dante, This reminds me of my Greatgrandmother MiMi. She cooked for an army and we went EVERY Thanksgiving until her health started to fail. It would be generations of family there. She only had to kids a daughtet who didnt carry the tradition and a son who was my grandfather and he had 3 sons ( one being my dad) So sadly to say her legacy is dwindling away. Which why Im inspired by this blog and feel the need to refuel the fire. My Mimi passsed away at 99 years old. A month shy of her 100 birthday and boy did we have a party planned. However God called her first and we Celebrated her life a month early! Thanks for sharing your blog about Granny. Im going to your Aunt Sherrys and ask her to make me some fried corn!LOL! !

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    1. Thanks Deneka for sharing your MiMi's story! Granny was the foundation & to this day, Thanksgiving Day is still the tradition where we all get together & honor her & my Great-Grandfather's legacy. Thank you so my head for taking time out to read Granny's story!

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  4. That was nice. Your Granny and my Mom has some of the same characteristics.

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    1. Thanks Minnie! Her spirit lives on through her granddaughters which are my Mom & her two sisters. Thanksgiving family gathering is truly our tradition & we keep growing year by year!

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  5. Oww Dante! I'm glad for your Granny! She is Smiling on you remembering her like that! Mom was the same way! She put her LOVE in every dish, there was always something on the Stove at her house. I'm glad to continue the tradition today. The Women in our Life like Granny have set a fine example. I wish I was up in here kitchen now! Treasure and Pass, you doing a Great Job at that. Loved this piece. It was heartwarming and Good for the Soul!

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    1. Thank you so much True! I'm learning to listen to the Ancestors more & more. I have notes & organized ideas of a post but I'm learning they will let me know what to post & when! Thank you for the constant support!

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  6. Dante, it is soooo good to know that you LOVE your granny. I truly enjoyed reading your story. I just hope my grandchildren and great grandchildren will one day write so eloquently about me. Thanks so much for sharing!!

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    1. Oh thank you so much Miss Mary! I learned to treasure family from the best, my Granny! I am honored to be chosen to honor my Ancestors! THANK YOU for stopping by & learning more about Granny!

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  7. Dante...I applaud you! What a story...I like the part about Anna Lue loving her some Mitchel Heath...that is too cute! Women like her were like glue to the family and families could use more Anna Lues.

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    1. Thank you Delores! I am starting to feel my way with the blog and thru the posts. I can honestly say I am loving the Ancestors and the stories they want told. When I say Anna Lue love her some Mitchell, YES INDEED! They were two peas in a pod! Stay tuned and you will fall in love with their love story! Thank you for taking time out to share in Part II of Granny's legacy!

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  8. Dante, this is such a beautiful tribute to your Granny! I'm sure that she is smiling on you.. Reading your story reminds me of my grandmother. There is nothing like grandma's cooking! it's more than just the food, it's the love that goes into it. :)

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    1. Thank you so much Denise! I learned so much from Granny and she truly was the rock in our family. She had a heart of gold and loved everybody!!!! her legacy lives on through generations of family!

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  9. Thanks dante for this wonderful story. Enjoying reading so much. And Mrs. Anna lue Heath thank you. I'm hungry. :)

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    1. Thank you Paula! She was one awesome and amazing woman full ogf love for EVERYONE!!! As a matter of fact, I am hungry too! LOL

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  10. Dante you did right by your great grandmother. She was an amazing and beautiful woman. Your tribute to her was so beautiful. The love she put into every dish is in your heart and she's smiling on your right now.

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    1. Thanks Bernita! Her love continues through us all! I am here honoring the Ancestors as a result of her love! Thank you for sharing and I am starting to come through my Chambers County records!

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    1. Thanks Sally! And thanks for sharing in her journey! She truly is beautiful and exemplified beauty in all she said and did throughout her life!

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  12. Dante, what a tribute to a wonderful woman! I can remember my own grandmother's home where meals were so important for the gathering of our family ~ aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters. I love the way you write about your family life and the warmth and love of the home. What a treasure for the descendants of your family ancestors!
    Judy

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    1. Thank you so much Judy! Our family is very close and we have so much history. I need to blog more and get it out to the masses. Granny was one of a kind and very special to me! Thank you again for taking time out to spend time with my Ancestors!

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