Richard Plunkett Cannon died two weeks after grandma was born. In order to breast feed Elise she stayed with Jack Cannon's sister Elizabeth "Betty" Cannon Forrester. Betty had just weaned her child so she took Elise in and breastfed her. Elise is listed in the Forrester household in the 1910 census. They did not list her last name so researchers often think this is a Forrester child listed.

Elise had three older siblings, Emma A. was the oldest, second Gracie Katherine and third Orin Pete. The photo above was published in the Hickman County Times before grandma died. Someone gave grandma the clipping. I have no idea who has the original photo.

Grandma's name was pronounced L-ease all my life. I never thought about her name being pronounced wrong until my granddaughter was named Ally Elise.

Grandma attended Nunnelly School. She said she went in the front door and out the back. She attended first grade and part of second grade. Elise could not read or write but she made her way in the world without it. Her children and some of her grandchildren attended Nunnelly school with all having Miss Grace Thompson as a teacher.

I often tried to determine where grandma's believes came from. Sometimes I wonder if she was related to the Salem witches, others seem to come from Native American and still others seemed to come from just plain harsh country living. She was very superstitious, made lye soap, and told real ghost stories. She knew the wild berries and roots which could be used from eating to medication. And she was scared to death of doctor's. I only know of one time during my life she saw a doctor before she was hospitalized just before her death. In 1971 she was accidentally cut in the top of her head. I am talking so bad she was literally bleeding to death before our eyes. It took Mom and Uncle Henry to get her in the car because she refused to go to the doctor.

Grandma worked hard, loved her family and was independent until the day she died. Her favorite color was pink as is mine and my granddaughters, Ally Elise. She told interesting stories and had interesting believes. I will include her stories on my family stories page.

The following pages are Henry Melvin and Elise Cannon Howell's family.

 

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