Grace Emaline Rees ^4,5,6

  General Notes:

In the city of Danville, Ill, you will find a history of the only settlers of Ver. Co. These records are preserved in the city library where my insatiable curiosity led me to uncover the astonishing fact that my demise had occured at the time of my birth.
There it was in black & whte, Thomas C. Rees, his wife Jane, three sons and an infant daughter, deceased. I pinched myself to see if I was dreaming could it be that for [86] years I had been circulating among a and of angels instead of down to earth people. I decided that somewhere along the road there had been a terrible mistake for here at the age of 86 I was still going strong and very much alive.
I commenced (began) bxxxxx to mxxx some of the events of my long life which came before me vividly as I proceeded. It was no effort to remember the former sxxx xxx xx, my father's xxxx home, the grounds so famous for the many varities of fruit trees and the shady back yard with the big swing.
When I was old enough to go to school my teacher was always supplied with apples as my father had bins of all kins of them stored in the cellar which was dug at a short distance from the house and which kept them from freezing thru the long cold winters xxxx. A portion of the back yard was divided into rooms and served as my play house. It was religiously swept daily and furniture was of my own construction with bricks and wood.
Many happy hrs were spent here and under the grape harbor with my kittens. [which I insisted on dressing] My father, who was a cabinent maker, supplied me with a doll buggy whose wheels were the round wooden xxxx cut from the fancy brackets of that day. I insisted on dressing my kittens up and taking them for a ride in the little buggy but they struggled for release so that my mother instinct had to be content to hold them in my arms & eat grapes.
A real thrill to me as a little girl was a ride in the country in the cool fo the day. Father would hitch up the horses to the spring wagon and with a lunch we would drive past the farms with the many animals in the fields. I loved animals and the little baby colt across our back fence was assured of a drink of water every day from my little tin cup. I will never forget my happy childhood days so full of healthful activity and contentment.
My toys were usually of [my] the home made type as [we] my father was not rich in material thins but I realize now I had things money could not buy.
Every Sunday found me sitting with my father & mother in the little Friends church [on] situtated but a short distance from our home. However the S.S. (Sunday School) was my favorite part of the church for there I enjoyed the colored charts and stories about the Bible along with the other children of my age.
The years passed and [I lxxxed] finally I was old enough to start to school. I loved it from the start but I'm afraid my shielded life at home had not prepared me for rough times ahead.
[The children] In our little town the children who lived on Smoky Row had come up the hard way and were well trained in the art of combat.
My heart had been broked several times especially when the beautiful silk ribbon ties on my new red toboggan leaving big holes in the yxxx and leaving it unfit to wear. Also the time whn a girl much larger than I ripped the pleatings from my little wool princess. [My sister had] so they hung down to the ground. I had to tried to keep out of their way for I knew I was no match for them however I am afraid the desire for revenge kept alive in my hear so when about 10 years of age after an especially disturbing incident I felt I had been down trodden long enough, I felt I was old enough to put up a good fight myself.
After school was out I waited on the corner for the girl to show her I was a good fighter too, but [my] the enemy got in a few good licks which blacked one of my eyes and also ruffled me up a bit so I left the scene leaving behind my new geography which I never saw again. Needles to say I had learned my lesson.
[I think I knew very early in my school life what I wanted to do when I grew up for most of my time was spent teaching school. my xxxx dolls were my pupils each one having its own note books made by the teacher and each lesson carefully written by me.
I think I knew what I wanted to be...

(Handwritten by Grace, and transcribed by her grandson Robert F. Harrold II)

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June 1972 - obituary for Grace E. Rees Harrold

Grace Rees Harrold, 92, descendant of a pioneer Ridgefarm family, died in Presbyterian hospital, Whittier, Calif., Tuesday, June 6, 1972, 10:30 am., where she had broken a hip ten days ago.

Born July 24, 1879 in Ridgefarm, she was the daughter of Clarkson and Jane Mendenhall Rees, whose families had settled in Vermilion County in 1830. She married Frank Harrold, May 31, 1903. He preceded her in death in 1945.

Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Mariam Clements, Hoopeston; Mrs. Margaret Brady, Huntington Harbor, California; Mrs. Betty Wilson, Santa Fe Springs, California; nine grand-children and seven great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Harrold graduated from Ridgefarm high school 77 years ago and at the time of her death was one of the oldest living graduates. She attended alumni association meetings here until three years ago and was an honorary president of the association.

She taught school in Vermilion County after her marriage while she and her husband also operated a store in Ridgefarm for many years.

After her husband's death, Mrs. Harrold moved to Danville and worked at Block and Kuhl as well as the Parisian. She moved to Whittier 17 years ago.

At the age of 85, a book entitled "A Journey Through The New Testament" which she authored, was published.

She was a member of the First United Methodist church of Whittier, and attended regulary until the last year.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete at the Hamilton Funeral home, Hoopeston,. Burial will be in Crown Hill cemetary, Ridgefarm.

  Noted events in her life were:

• Fact 1: Fact 1, Jul 24, 1879. possible birth date

Grace married Frank R. Harrold, son of Marion Alexander Harrold and Mary Louisa McFarland, on May 31, 1903 in Ridgefarm, Illinois.⁵ (Frank R. Harrold was born on Mar 22, 1876 in Lakeview Hospital, Ridgefarm, Illinois ⁵ and died on Aug 31, 1945 in Danville, Illinois ⁵.)