Making fruitcake with Mama

I recently watched Trisha Yearwood’s Food Network Ugly Christmas Sweater episode and it reminded me of the many times Mama (Fay Lankford) visited me in Virginia for Thanksgiving. She always asked to see any new cookbooks I had and then spent hours paging through them looking for new recipes. Once she found something that looked interesting, we’d turn on the Christmas music and head into the kitchen. Of course, singing was involved while we cooked.

This fruitcake recipe was one we made several times, although I can’t be sure if she found it in one of my cookbooks or had already discovered it at home and wanted to share it with me. After all, we both had some of the same cookbooks. Whatever the case, her handwritten notes dated November 25, 2001 are written beside this recipe in my cookbook so I know we made it together. This recipe comes from the 2000 Taste of Home Annual Recipes cookbook.

Miniature Fruitcakes

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped dates
3/4 cup chopped mixed, candied fruit (about 4 ounces)
2 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Halved candied cherries

In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Combine egg yolks and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Fill greased and floured muffin cups two-thirds full. Cover the muffin tin tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake at 275° for 1 hour. Uncover; top each fruitcake with cherries. Bake 5 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of each cup; remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 1 dozen.

Below is a photo with Mama’s handwritten notes.

It appears she made the adjustment to use the mini-muffin tins which would be nice for a party or gift giving.

Although Mama didn’t include anything in her notes, we would have changed this recipe. I never had walnuts in the house but always had pecans at Thanksgiving time. She also didn’t care for citron so we would have just used candied cherries and pineapple instead of the fruit mix sold in stores. Mama even made a gluten free version for my brother-in-law and nieces. My sister Vanessa remembers the fruits being expensive for Mama’s budget, but she refused to let Vanessa pay for them. Vanessa said Mama was determined to let them taste a good fruitcake. So instead, Vanessa said she’d sneak cash into Mama’s fanny pack. My guess is Mama knew that though—she always knew what was in her fanny pack. I can see her holding the money up when she found it, shaking her head, grinning all the while. The photo at the top is Mama cutting up candied fruit at Vanessa's house. 

My immediate family wouldn’t consider this an heirloom recipe, but I’m sure Vanessa does. It brings back sweet memories for me so I know I do!

Mama as she arrived on her last trip to Virginia

Picture with Santa

I brought home a few old slides last month and one of them happened to be this photo of my sister Jennifer (right) and I (left) with the jolly old elf himself, Santa Claus.

Me (Denise) and my sister Jennifer

The photo would have been taken in the 1960s and if I were a betting person, I’d say it was taken at the Stewart-Lakewood Shopping Center not far from our Atlanta home. Stewart-Lakewood was the home of the big Santa, a local landmark. I have shared photos of the big Santa in the past but since it has been a while, I’ll share again.

We look so excited to me there lol.

Me (standing) and my brother Michael

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a photo of me or any of my siblings with Santa, so it was a treat to discover this one. 

Daisy Lee Holland, Beauty School Graduate

This past spring, I discovered a certificate my Granny, Daisy Lee Shields, received upon her graduation from the Mid-South Beauty College in Chattanooga, Tennessee. At the time, Granny was married to my Granddaddy, Samuel Jackson Holland, so her name was written as Daisy Lee Holland. The date on the certificate is June 19, 1941. 

We have always known Granny was a beautician. I remember visiting one of her beauty shops as a child so that wasn’t news to me, but the certificate does help with telling her story. I previously blogged the little I know of Granny’s career so won’t go into all that detail here but if interested, you can read about here: Daisy Lee Shields, the beautician. 

When researching Edward Finnus Steward, one of Granny’s many husband’s earlier this year, I discovered a couple of beauty shop ads in the Chattanooga Daily Times that were interesting to me. Because the story was about Edward, not Granny, I set them aside though. This certificate gave me a reason to take a second look at the ads. 

In 1938, Granny and Granddaddy rented a home at 1101-A East 14th Street in Chattanooga. She was listed as Daisy Lee S. Holland and he Saml. J. Holland, a truck driver. My guess is the “S” stood for Shields. By the time the 1941 city directory was printed, they had moved to a rental at 1408 Fagan Street in Chattanooga. Granny was listed twice this time—one with Granddaddy, again listed as Saml. J. Holland, a truck driver working at Smith’s Trans. Corp. Granny was listed a second time by herself, as Mrs. Daisy S. Holland, a student living at 1408 Fagan Street. I remember finding this record some time ago and wondering why she was listed as a student. After all, she had a young daughter at a time when women most likely stayed home keeping house. Thanks to the certificate, now I know she was attending the Mid-South Beauty College, taking the Beauty Culture course! 

My Granny, Daisy Lee Shields

Fast forward to November 25, 1941, and the Chattanooga Daily Times published an ad for a Daisy Holland advertising “Guaranteed Croquignole Waves, $2 to $7.50” for the Modern Midget Beauty Shop located at 1445 Central Avenue. Looking at Google Maps, both Fagan Street and East 14th Street are within walking distance of the Central Avenue address. 

On December 17, 1941, Daisy advertised cream oil waves. 

Another ad ran in the Chattanooga Daily Times on February 25, 1942, this one for an “Easter Special.” It listed Daisy as the manager of the Modern Midget Beauty Shoppe.

Granny filed for divorce in March 1942. Two years later, on February 2 and 6, 1944, ads appeared in the Chattanooga Daily Times for the Park Beauty Salon located on East Main Street, featuring Thelma Ridge Dillard and Daisy Holland Mowery. 

February 2, 1944 advertisement

February 6, 1944 advertisement

East Main Street was just blocks away from the other addresses mentioned earlier. Was this my Granny? She had multiple marriages—Holland, Steward (twice), Casbohm, Saylors, and Vest—but Mowery was never one I had heard of. Mama has told me Granny was out of her life for several years when she was a young girl. Was this a secret marriage Mama didn’t know about or is this a different woman. It’s hard to say without documentation to back anything up but certainly something to add to my list of things to watch for. I did find a record in the Chattanooga Daily Times of a Joe Mowery filing for divorce from Daisy H. Mowery in October 1945, but again, is this my Granny or another woman?

 Sometime between late 1947 and 1948, Granny married Edward Steward. On April 13, 1952, an ad “Introducing Daisy Holland Steward, formerly of Daisy’s Beauty Salon” ran in the Chattanooga Daily Times. 

The ads ended during this timeframe, as did Granny’s marriage to Edward in April 1953. Except for the ad referring to Daisy Holland Mowery, I’m fairly certain most of the ads are referring to my Granny. What do you think?

References

• Beauty Aids, Chattanooga Daily Times, Chattanooga, Tennessee, February 25, 1942.
• Chattanooga, Tennessee, City Directory, 1938, 1941.
• Cream Oil Waves, Chattanooga Daily Times, Chattanooga, Tennessee, December 17, 1941.
• Divorce Suits Filed, Chattanooga Daily Times, Chattanooga, Tennessee, February 20, 1947 and November 30, 1947.
• Divorce Suits Filed, Chattanooga Daily Times, March 20, 1942.
• Divorces Granted, Chattanooga Daily Times, Chattanooga, Tennessee, April 26, 1953.
• Guaranteed Croquignole Waves, Chattanooga Daily Times, Chattanooga, Tennessee, November 25, 1941.
• Introducing Daisy Holland Steward advertisement, Chattanooga Daily Times, Chattanooga, Tennessee, April 13, 1952.
• Park Beauty Salon, Chattanooga Daily Times, February 2, 1944.
• U.S. Federal Census, Blackstock, Catoosa County, Georgia, 1950. 

New photo of my Daddy

Last week I shared two photos of my grandma, Floria Burnett Lankford, found while going through my sister’s photo collection. This week I thought it appropriate to share another photo I discovered in her collection—one of my Daddy (Sam Lankford) I have never seen before. He was just a young man at the time. The ballerinas on top of the cabinet are new to me as well so they’re no help in identifying a timeframe but I estimate the early 1950s. It’s too bad you can’t read the label on the 45.

Photos of my grandma, Floria Burnett Lankford

I don’t have many photos of my grandma, Floria Burnett Lankford, so was thrilled when I discovered two while visiting my sister recently. She looks just like I remember her in both photos. Grandma was born in Walton County, Georgia but lived for many years in Greene County, Georgia. I fondly remember the yearly family reunions held at the old home place in Penfield. 

June 1964

Elizabeth Durie

Elizabeth Durie, daughter of George Durie and Mary Elisabeth Taylor, was born 1834 in Inveresk, Midlothian, Scotland. Elizabeth had at least four siblings—James Durie (1824), Agnes Durie (1830), John Durie (1836), and Robert Durie (1839). Her parents had been married for 14 years at the time she was born. Elizabeth is my husband’s 3rd great-aunt with their nearest common relatives being her parents.

In 1851, the Durie family lived at 230 Holm Street in the Civil Parish of Barony, County Lanarkshire, Scotland. At age 17, Elizabeth worked as a milliner.

Elizabeth married John Morris, son of Joseph Morris and Ann Martin, at her parents’ home at 53 Cadogan Street in Blythswood, County Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Scotland on January 31, 1856 . Their marriage (after banns) was solemnized between them according to the banns of the Parish of the United Presbyterian Church. Elizabeth, a spinster, worked as a milliner, her father a storekeeper. John, a bachelor and photographic artist, lived at 49 Mains Street in Glasgow. His father was a shawl weaver and his mother deceased. The ceremony was witnessed by Arch. Robertson and her sister Agnes Durie.

Marriage record for Elizabeth Morris and John Morris (click to enlarge)

Elizabeth and John had five children—Elizabeth Morris, Joseph Morris, Ann Morris, Margaret Morris, and Susan Morris. 

On February 10, 1857 and less than 10 days after Elizabeth and John’s first wedding anniversary, her father died of apoplexy at his Cadogan Street home. George Durie was buried at Southern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow.

Elizabeth’s first child, a daughter they named Elizabeth, was born at 49 Mains Street in the District of Blythswood, County Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Scotland on March 28, 1857. 

Birth record for Elizabeth Morris (click to enlarge)

Their son Joseph was born on December 2, 1858 at 63 Surrey Street in the District of Hutchesontown, County Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Scotland. Sadly, Joseph did not survive infancy and died at home of whooping cough on May 24, 1859. He was buried at Southern Necropolis Cemetery in Glasgow. 

Birth record for Joseph Morris (click to enlarge)

Death record for Joseph Morris (click to enlarge)

Southern Necropolis Cemetery burial record for Joseph Morris (click to enlarge)

The year ended on a happy note though with the birth of a second daughter. Ann was born on December 29, 1859 at their Surrey Street home in Hutchesontown. 

Birth record for Ann Morris (click to enlarge)

Margaret was born in the Surrey Street home on January 4, 1861. The family lived in the same home that year when the census taker came around and found the new addition to the family just three months old. Elizabeth’s husband John was enumerated this year as a book binder and journeyman.  

Birth record for Margaret Morris (click to enlarge)

By the time their daughter Susan was born on August 9, 1864, the family had moved to 66 Carrick Street in Glasgow. On Susan’s birth certificate, Elizabeth was listed as Janet Morris in one column and Elizabeth Morris in another. John was again working as a photographic artist. The paper trail for John ends with Susan’s birth certificate, at least for me so I believe he died sometime after Susan was born and before the 1871 was taken. 

Birth record for Susan Morris (click to enlarge)

In 1871, Elizabeth, daughters Elizabeth, Ann, and Susan, and a sister-in-law named Agnes Devine lived at 19 Maclean Street in the Govan Church district of County Lanarkshire, Scotland. Elizabeth worked as a seamstress. I assume the sister-in-law was actually Elizabeth’s sister Agnes Durie.

By 1881, Elizabeth had moved to a home located at 30 Breadalbane Street in the Kelvin District of Glasgow, County Lanarkshire in Scotland. She lived there the rest of her life. The home apparently belonged to her sister Agnes who was listed as the head of the household that year. Daughter Elizabeth (enumerated as Lizzie, age 22) and Susan (age 16) lived in the home. Elizabeth worked as a ladies cap maker. 

In 1891 and as mentioned above, Elizabeth (age 57) continued to live in the Breadalbane Street home of her sister Agnes. Daughters Elizabeth (age 33) and Susan (age 26) continued to live there as well. All four women worked as white muslin cap makers. 

Elizabeth died at home of a cerebral hemorrhage on May 2, 1897 at age 63. Her daughter Elizabeth was present when she died.

Death record for Elizabeth Durie Morris (click to enlarge)

References

• Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1857-1962 (1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1890, 1893).
• Joseph Morris, Cemetery Records for Southern Necropolis Cemetery, Glasgow, Burial Registers, vols. 3, 6-7 (4 and 5 missing), June 1850-December 1851, September 1853-October 1854, June 1862-July 1865, 1857-1864.
• Scotland Census, 1851, Civil Parish of Barony, County Lanarkshire, Scotland.
• Scotland Census, 1861, Registration District Hutchesontown, Civil Parish Glasgow Govan, County Lanarkshire.
• Scotland Census, 1871, Registration District Govan Church, Civil Parish Govan, County Lanarkshire.
• Scotland Census, 1881, Kelvin District, Glasgow, County Lanarkshire, Scotland.
• Scotland Census, 1891, Registration District Kelvin, Civil Parish Glasgow St. Vincent, County Lanarkshire.
• Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564–1950 (Elizabeth Morris, Ann Morris, Margaret Morris, James Durie).
• Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561–1910 (Elizabeth Durie, John Morris).
• Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561–1910 (George Drury, Elizabeth Tailer).
• Statutory Registers Births 644/10 127, Margaret Morris, National Records of Scotland.
• Statutory Registers Births 644/10 1811, Joseph Morris, National Records of Scotland.
• Statutory Registers Births 644/10 88, Ann Morris, National Records of Scotland.
• Statutory Registers Births 644/5 787, Susan Morris, National Records of Scotland.
• Statutory Registers Births 644/6 1811, Elizabeth Morris, National Records of Scotland.
• Statutory Registers Deaths 644/10 483, Joseph Morris, National Records of Scotland.
• Statutory Registers Deaths 644/9 5518, Elizabeth Morris, National Records of Scotland.
• Statutory Registers Marriages 644/6 28, Elizabeth Durie and John Morris, National Records of Scotland.

Postcards from the past

My sister and I were sitting at the dining room table last week, me on my computer as usual and she working on her stamp collection, when she pulled two postcards out of a box. While showing us the stamps on the postcards, she mentioned not knowing who the writer and recipient were. She also mentioned that our Mama had given them to her. Both postcards were addressed to Mrs. E. F. Steward and signed with initials only—E.F.S. I immediately knew they were written to my Granny, Daisy Lee Shields, by her husband, Edward Finnus Steward, whom was a recent subject of one of my blog posts. 

Both postcards were addressed the same:

Mrs. E. F. Steward
Tunnel Hill Ga.
R.#.1.

Edward was apparently traveling from north Georgia to California in search of work. To the best of my knowledge, Granny never lived in California so I suspect his search was unsuccessful.

8/24/50 Yuma, Arizona

Hello babe O.K. I hope. I’m well and going farther west. I will write again soon. By. E.F.S.

8/25/50 San Diego, Calif.

Dear one, arrived here this morning have looked for work all day. May get a job soon but not for shure as yet. I hope all is well. I will as well get a room in a hotel for the night. I shure hope I can rest. Will try find a place to stay so can hear from you. Don’t worry about me. I will write a letter soon. By for now. Be sweet. E.F.S.

Census records show Granny and Edward lived in Catoosa County, Georgia in April 1950 and Tunnel Hill is part of Catoosa County (and Whitfield County) which tracks with the paper trail. 

It’s always fun to get these small glimpses into our ancestors’ lives.