Marilyn's Paternal Grandmother - Laura Belle Pulliam

A proper lady

Marilyn’s Grandmother was Laura Belle Pulliam, born in Washington, Illinois on January 2, 1868. Laura’s father was Thomas Drury Pulliam and her mother was Mary Jane Anderson. At Laura's birth, Thomas was 38 and MaryJane was 37.

In the 1870 US Census Laura was three years old, living with her father Thomas (39), and mother Mary Ann (40). Her older siblings are William (17), David (15), Sarah (14), Lena (11), Charles (9), and John (6). Also living with them was MaryAnn's mother, Mary Jane Anderson Pulliam, age 80. Thomas' occupation is a farmer and their home is in township 2, range 2 of Washington, Illinois.

Laura was eight years old when her Mother, Mary Jane Anderson died on January 22, 1876, at age 45.

The 1880 US Census enumerates Laura as 12 years old, living on Centre Street in Nashville, Washington County, Illinois with her father, Thomas (49), and brothers Charles (19) and John (15). All her other siblings have married and moved away.

I don’t have any stories or records of Laura’s childhood, and the next record I found was a marriage record from August 2, 1889, when she married Lyman Trumball Oglesby in Jefferson, Illinois. Laura was 21 and Lyman was 29 years old.

Lyman and Laura had six children:

Leo Daniel, (1890-1891), Leo only lived thirteen months, and the reason for his death is unknown.

Leonard Earl (1892-1958), married twice and had a daughter from each marriage. He served in World War One and died in Pennsylvania.

Florence May (1896-1980), “Flossie” was a spitfire. I think growing up with four brothers, she needed to be. Flossie married Thomas Moran and they had two sons. Then she married Charles Welch, a widower with five boys. Charles and Flossie had five boys and a girl.

Raymond Lyman (1900-1985), married Dorothy and had two boys and two girls. He worked as a farmer for most of his life.

Earnest Victor (1903-1978), “Uncle Vic” as we knew him, never married and farmed and lived with Laura.

Vernon Ethan (1906-1986), Vernon married Joyce Abroe and they had five children, their daughter, Marilyn is my mother. Vernon was a farmer,

Laura and Lyman began their marriage living in Nashville, Washington County, Illinois. Lyman worked as a farmer there. Flossie and Raymond were born in Pontiac, Illinois. Then they lived in Fern Vally, Palo Alto County, Iowa where Vernon was born.

I estimate this photo was taken sometime in 1907 since baby Vernon was born in December 1906. Lyman is on the left holding Earnest (or Victor as we called him), then Raymond and Flossie. Laura has Vernon on her lap, and Leonard is on the right.

I know from the 1920 US Census, that they have left Iowa and live in Mulligan, Brown County, Minnesota. Lyman is 58 and farming on a farm he rents. Laura is 48, Leonard 27, Ray 18, Victor 16, and Vernon 13.

By 1930, the US Census enumerates Lyman as 70, living in West Union, Todd County, Minnesota. He is working as a farmer on a farm he rents. Laura is 60. Their son Victor Oglesby (26) is living with them, as well as their son Ray (30) and his wife Ruth (21), their daughter Elaine (2), and son Ray (1.)

The 1940 Census shows Lyman is 80, Laura is 68. Their son Victor is 35 and living with them and is engaged in farming. They lived on a farm in Osakis, Douglas County, Minnesota.

Lyman died in 1949, leaving Laura as a widow. Victor continues to live with her and manages the farm.

i temember Laura as a sweet little old woman with white hair. I also remember she lived in a very small house and the living room had a hoya plant that covered one entire wall. Well maybe not the entire wall, but it certainly filled a window.

I reached out to my mother's sister, Barb, the only living person I know who might have memories of Laura. Barb spent many hours with her grandma Laura, as they lived close and her father had shares in the farm with Victor. Barb especially remembered one thrashing season that involved all the neighbors working together. Barb must have been about eight years old and she was wearing shorts. Grandma Laura was adamant that Barb change to long pants because “you can’t have men see your legs!” Laura was a proper lady and had never been seen in pants, only dresses!

Barbie, pictured above remembers how much fun it was to help Laura wash clothes. She remembers sorting the clothes and soaking the whites in the bluing tub. What’s that?

As you use fabric, it loses its fresh look and starts to yellow. The bluing products applied by the manufacturer are eventually washed out of the fabrics.  Adding Mrs. Stewart's® Bluing re-blues the white fabrics, restoring that just-bought brightness.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, bluing was used by everyone who wanted to have bright whites.  A typical laundry setup consisted of three tubs — the wash tub, the rinse tub, and the bluing tub. The bluing tub was filled with cool, clear water and just enough bluing to make the water a light sky-blue color.  Clothes and sheets were washed, rinsed, passed through a wringer, and finally dipped in the bluing tub and hung to dry in the sun.   

Blueing was also used as a hair rinse for white-haired ladies. I remember my Grandmother Mabel having “hair setting” days on Saturdays with neighbor ladies. They would get together, drink coffee, and wash and set each other’s hair so it looked nice for church the next day. I remember the blue rinse in a glass, and a comb was dipped in the glass and combed onto the hair before you put the hairpins, or curlers on. My Grandma Mabel looked very pretty with that blue-white hair! I don’t know if Laura used bluing in her hair, but I do know that it was long, almost to the floor, and she always kept it pinned up in a bun.

Here’s a picture of both sets of my grandparents, Elmer and Mabel Sanstead on the left, then Great-Grandma Laura, and Vernon and Joyce Oglesby. My Grandma Mabel is holding my brother Kenny on his baptism day. And it looks like he was misbehaving, as usual.

Laura died on May 16, 1961, and is buried beside Lyman in the Lakeside Cemetery in Osakis, Minnesota.

Learning from the past can forever alter how you see yourself.

If you still have Grandparents, ask them about their life experiences - and get details! Or, ask your parents to tell you stories about their grandparents.

Sharing stories is one of life’s treasures!