You know, I never expected that digging into my family history would teach me so much about myself. Some of these stories from ancestors pointed me to forgiveness and faith. At first, I thought I was just tracing names and dates. Simple facts.
Instead, I found courage.
I found resilience.
And I found faith.
These stories from ancestors aren’t dry history lessons. They are living reminders of God’s hand moving through generations.
Another thing is these stories helped me feel less alone in my life. Most of my family is gone, but learning about them, I feel less alone.
Wait! Let Me Be Crystal Clear
Countless people in my culture beleive dead ancestors guide them and help them in their lives today. That is counter to scripture and it is a bunch of pagen hooey.
My help comes from the Lord, and the Holy Spirit alone guides me—no one else.
So, as you read my installments about my ancestors and as I express my gratefulness for them, it is not in any way worshipping them or acknowledging them in death.
I had to clarify that. This is why we have to belong to strong churches that teach God’s Word. If we don’t, we begin to fall for the very pagan practices God hates.
Back to my revelation and what I learned about an affair, a messy ancestor and redemption.
A Childhood Marked by Loss
One of the stories that shapes me most is that of my great-grandmother, Ada Drake. She was born in September 1876 in Quindaro, Kansas. Her parents were James and Nancy Drake.
Quindaro was a town known for its abolitionist history. Yet Ada’s own childhood was heavy with loss.
By the time she was just nine years old, her mother had died. Remember that.
She grew up without the steady guidance every girl needs.
Note: If you are a nerdy dork like me who loves history, read about Quindaro here.
A Marriage Filled with Struggles
In 1897, Ada married Charles “Charlie” Edmund Pope. He was the grandson of Wiley and Lucy Pope. I wrote about their amazing story here.
Together, they had six children in fifteen years- one of whom was my amazing grandma, Ethel. I wrote a post and a video about her husband’s dad. Check it out by click either of the links in the previous sentence.
But marriage did not bring peace. Many marriages don’t, do they?
Family stories describe her husband as a handsome, mild-tempered man who was also an alcoholic. My mom said his gray eyes were piercing, but warm and loving.
He was complicated.
Worse, he was unfaithful. One affair even produced a child outside the marriage. I learned about this child in an obituary. Remember that.
Ada endured heartbreak most of us can hardly imagine.
Still, she pressed on.
She raised her children with grit and determination.
She kept going in a world that offered her little comfort.
Can you relate to that – to any of it?
Strength Passed Down
Her story, like so many stories from ancestors, taught me so much.
Ada was resilient. She carried a strength that has echoed down through the years.
Her life was short. She died at only thirty-eight. But her legacy lived on.
I know this because I heard much of her story from her daughter, my grandmother Ethel.
It’s such a gift to live with grandparents. At the time, I had no idea how blessed I was.
Countless times, I heard the stories of how my grandma stepped in to help raise her siblings after Ada’s death.
Just like Ada, my grandmother lost her mother as a child.
That pattern blows my mind! They both essentially grew without their mother’s love.
So sad. Makes me grateful that I had my mom well into my 50s.
At any rate, my grandma’s forced responsibility shaped her into a loving mother and, later, an amazing grandmother to me.
In that way, Ada’s life reached forward into mine. Her strength never died. It multiplied.
A Child from the Infidelity
Another thing to consider is the baby that resulted from Ada’s husband’s infidelity.
They all lived in the Quindaro township where I grew up. Trust me, it’s not a big place. I’m sure Ada had to see the baby that could have resembled her husband often. Similarly, she likely had to see the mother of that baby, too.
How hard would that be? Geesh, these stories from ancestors have blown my mind!
Either way, some redemption occured. How do I know?
Well, my sluething revealed it when I found the obituary for William Pope.
While none of us had heard of him, at least none of us grandchildren, he listed my grandma and her brother John as his half-siblings.
Some peace must have resulted. I like to think it was in part to my grandmother’s strong faith in Jesus. But it could have been William’s. I do not know anything about Him. Still, I do know my grandmother loved and served Jesus her entire life.
That is what peace is about maybe.
Forgetting the past and moving toward a relationship.
What do you think?
One More Soap Opera Component
When I examined census records, I saw that William was 3 years old, living in his grandparents’ home with his 21-year-old mother, Emma. Her marital status was listed as “single,” but she had one child.
At one point, I found another Pope brother’s name on a document as the father, but the other paperwork did not support this. Frankly, I think the brother allowed his name to be listed on the birth record to help his married brother.
I’ll leave that aside, but what I do know is that something unusual was going on there.
I think my family could have been a reality show on the Bravo network. Don’t laugh, I bet you start digging and you will likely find the same. haha
Back to the point of this series. It’s about the stories from ancestors – not The Real Housewives of Quindaor, Kansas.
God’s Hand Through Generations
What a wild ride learning about Ada and the parallels of her life to my grandmas.
Also finding out my grandmother had a brother none of us new about was also interesting.
Saliciousness aside, when I think about Ada, I don’t just see dates on a family tree.
I see God’s hand steadying a woman who lived through difficulty.
I see His faithfulness reaching through time to strengthen her descendants — including me.
Her struggles were real. But so was her perseverance. Psalm 34:18 reminds us: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Ada lived that truth, even if she never spoke it aloud.
Stories from Ancestors Speak Today
Stories from ancestors like Ada remind me that God’s faithfulness does not end with one generation. Even in broken families, He is present.
Scripture tells us the same thing. Behind every name in Matthew 1 or Ruth 4 is a story of God’s covenant love. Deuteronomy 7:9 says: “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations.”
What He began in Ada, He continues in me. What He is doing in me, He will continue in those who come after me.
Lord, thank You for the gift of memory and history. Thank You for Ada’s strength and Grandma Ethel’s love. Help me live faithfully today, honoring those who came before me. May the story You are writing through me bless generations to come. In Jesus’ name, amen.
A Word for You
Maybe your family story isn’t perfect.
Maybe it’s scarred by hardship, brokenness, or unanswered questions.
But take heart. God is still writing a bigger story.
He uses resilience, endurance, and even pain to pass down lessons of faith. Your life — just like Ada’s — can leave shadows of faithfulness that bless generations.
My Prayer…
Lord, thank You for the gift of memory and history.
Thank You for Ada’s strength and Grandma Ethel’s love. Help me live faithfully today, honoring those who came before me. May the story You are writing through me bless generations to come.
I learn forgiveness and am committed to unity. Help me with this, Lord. Ada’s life also taught me about moving forward in grief. Help me with that, too, Lord.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Thanks for reading and letting me share a bit of what I am learning.
