Family Secrets Chapter 4 Ilene

Ilene's dad, Uncle Isaac Chapman, in his general store in Olden, Arkansas

He also had another store at Mt. Ida. My cousin told me he has been in this store and that Ike was a clever and successful businessman.

I have more photos of Ilene than any of my grandmother's cousins. I also have a letter of sympathy that she wrote to my grandmother in 1943 when my great grandfather died. Ilene is the youngest. Her sister Eunice has the long hair that was always fascinating to me when looking at Grandma's photos. They lived in Oden, Arkansas.

Ilene with her cousin Hannah

In her letter to my grandmother, Ilene said she had been sick and bed fast for 2 years and 4 months and her sister was caring for her as well as "Fred, who was sick with a skin infection". She said "we practically have a hospital here."I wondered what was wrong with her.

Ilene and her cousin Norvile

My cousin knew what was wrong with Ilene. She had a brain tumor that was inoperable in those days. Fred was Eunice's husband. He recovered because I found a photo of him later.

A lot of the photos have people posing with their cars and near railroad tracks.

This is Ilene with her family on the porch of her childhood home. She also ended her days here under the care of her mother, Kate, in 1948.

My cousin told me that Aunt June lived here later and they had their family reunions here. This house has recently been torn down, but June's grandson owns the property and plans to build another house.

The letter from Ilene