Hattie and Lottie

Under the picture of my cute little steampunk angel bracelet is a picture of my grandfathers Aunts...Hattie and Lottie. I really don't know much about them except that Lottie was a bit of an artist and illustrated a book about Lincoln. Keeping in mind this would have been pre 1900, it was a pretty big deal for a woman.

Apparently the women in my family were never the shy retiring type. My Grandmother and Great Aunt both went to high school and College...shocking! My mom, while not graduating, did make it to 11th grade, something unusual for rural kids to do.

I have records of my family on my Grandfathers side and have no indication that either Hattie or Lottie married...spinsters or just independent? I'm hoping they became raging suffragettes demanding the vote and going on hunger strikes. I am hoping they gave a start to the woman's movement and made it possible for me to be allowed to vote...I like that thought.

I have never felt comfortable in the traditional roll of housewife. I bristle at the thought of being referred to as:
the little woman (aint nuttin little about me)
the other half(of what?)
his better half (no matter how true that one is!!!)
spouse(and always the 2nd signature on any document)

And while I did change my name when I married (for personal reasons)I would have much rather us both choosing a new last name...Mr. and Mrs. Insertnamehere. Cool!

So maybe Hattie and Lottie are proud of being a small part of the cyber world, for having their picture on the Internet for all the world to see (even my small little part of it) If they were alive today, maybe they would be publishing their own blog, running a collective of other like minded women with a storefront in some college town, or maybe just making jewelry and selling it on the Internet. Maybe a part of them are.