52 Ancestors Week 2: Reflecting Upon Grandma Jessie Mae and The Cross





The Cross in front of New Covenant Christian Worship Center
Photo Taken by Patrice Hopkins, November 2016

As I am learning day by day along my Christian walk and every day walk of life I am reminded of the cross I must bear and would not be the person I am today without it! This picture to the left is of the wooden cross which stands in front of the church where I currently serve as pastor in Hollywood, Maryland. This photo was taken by Patrice Hopkins, a church member and avid photographer with a keen eye. But what the image reminds me of is it's symbolism and pure meaning of faith. Faith is and has been a big part of my life since I can remember and I owe my upbringing to and involvement in church to my family. And for that, I am forever grateful for the Ancestors.



For many, a fond memory is Mom's cooking, Mom's nurturing, the family dinners and playing with cousins. It could also be family travels and meeting new family members you may only see once and never again or even seeing new places. But for me, one memory that stands out is the cross. The cross represents a symbol of faith, perseverance, troubles, accomplishments, and triumphs. The cross also reminds me of my Christian journey which aligns with my purpose in life and the Ancestors.

I refer to my Ancestors a lot and I thank them a lot because I feel chosen and set apart by them in every aspect of my family's history and my research journey, but more importantly because of my faith and commitment to serve others. Service to others comes naturally and I feel it has been passed down from generation to generation in my family. My Mother serves others to the full extent and she ask for nothing in return because that is a part of her makeup, her bloodline, and her persona. Her siblings also serve others and without question, and that all was passed down from the generation before them through my Grandmother, Jessie Mae. Grandmomma still is remembered to this day as the community mother, the faithful church member, and the apple of our eye as the family's matriarch. She lived a full life and in her life's work, service to others was at the center of her core.

So what does the cross and Grandma Jessie Mae have in common? Well for me, EVERYTHING! The cross is a representation of my faith in God and a reminder of the cross I bear daily spiritually, physically, and in remembrance of the Ancestors. My mother ensured I was involved in our family's church and that is because my Grandma Jessie Mae ensure her children were raised in the church. Many may not understand and that's ok, but church is a part of our makeup and a big part of our faith in God and knowing through him all things are possible if you only believe! Thank you Grandmomma for always reminding us to trust God in EVERYTHING!

This week my family and I celebrated our matriarch's 89th birthday by remembering her spirit, her tenacity, and her love for her family. Grandma Jessie Mae was born February 19, 1929 and every year since her passing, my mother and her sisters commemorate her birthday celebration with her favorite foods, fun conversation, and cherishing the memories by retelling the many funny stories we all remember. It is one of our favorite times of the year as we are reminded of the love in our family and our faith in God. It is the cross we bear and our cup is running over!

I'm grateful for this time of remembrance and for being reminded to continue my journey as it is the cross I must bear.

Humbly submitted,

Dante' Eubanks

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