Thursday, February 16, 2006
Way Back Wednesday: Annie Mommand Ennis
My great grandma Annie was born April 18, 1885 on the Washington/Baldwin County line. She was born in her families home, daughter of Erasmus Augustus Ennis and Emma Middleton Haygood. She came from a family of 16 being the second eldest of the family. There was twenty five years from the oldest to the youngest child in the family. She came from a prominent family of the south. The Ennis family going back to the late 1780's also from Baldwin County. Her grandfather was the sheriff of Baldwin County. Growing up in a small town she met my great grandfather and went to school with him throughout her childhood. On Dec 24, 1902, they married in the family home. She married Elton Veal Sr. son of Andrew Jackson Veal and Anna Elizabeth Roberts. She had nine children but lost one to illness as a baby which always caused her great sadness. She named my grandfather Ennis Payne Veal with her namesake, middle name after her sister that she lost around the time of his birth. The loss of her sister also caused her much sadness. She was a good Christian woman who went around in horse and buggy picking up the children in the area on Sunday mornings and taking them to Sunday School where she was the teacher. I remember her better than I remember any of my great grandparents. My early memories were of her big house. Also her german shepherd which was her constant companion and took good care of her, I was scared to death of that dog. We had many wonderful family reunions at her house. They had 18 grandchildren and I was one of 43 great grandchildren so you can just imagine how big those reunions were and how much wonderful food there was. My great grandfather went into a nursing home first, and then years later she went in and they shared a room together. I spent many Sundays as a young boy in the nursing home and visiting all the older people. She had alzheimer's diesease and I remember it's impact on the family. She was 95 when she passed away. I remember her hands and touching them, my great aunt took my hands and put them on hers, she said my mama has beautiful hands hard working hands, loving hands. I will never forget that. I remember her hair like cotton, and her beautiful smile. I remember the room she shared in the nursing home with my great grandfather, I remember her when she didn't know who I was but enjoyed the visits from this little boy who would bring her smiles.
