She was born Lydia Head in South Carolina in 1824 and married James Barker in 1847. Lydia and James worked on their farm in Georgia. Life must have been hard but good for Lydia until something happened to change it all. The Barker family was about to go to church. James was sitting in the yard, his chair leaning back against a tree while he waited for his family and kept an eye on a distant storm. Without warning, a deadly bolt of lightning sizzled from the clouds, striking the tree and and killing James. From that time on, life was not the same for Lydia and her children.
In those days, families lived close together, working their farms and helping each other, but children grow up, making their own lives and often moving away from the home place. Soon, Lydia was alone with the responsibility of handling the farm.
In spite of the hard work, Lydia loved beautiful things. She drew the picture below and mailed it to her granddaughter Mary Edna living in Indian Territory, who would one day become my grandmother. I have it hanging on my wall today. It is a reminder of an ancestor who endured hardship and bereavement but created a thing of beauty.
The spirit of man which is the candle of the Lord, shines brightest when the night is darkest. In that inner glow we see acts of courage and love.
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