The Invisible Women in Our History

Hi, I’m Judith Ashley, author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, soul nourishing romantic women’s fiction with light paranormal elements. My stories show you what life could be like if you had a place like The Circle where you are unconditionally accepted, supported and loved. And where, with this support, you make choices to overcome the darkest nights and choose love and light.

This month’s theme is about strong women in literature and history. As you can see by the title to this post, I am focusing on the nameless, faceless, invisible women who made the life I live today possible.

Of course I’d heard of Cromwell. Recently I heard his wife mentioned. Bad of me but I do not remember her name. What I do remember is that over the years Oliver was politicking, his wife ran their estate. Under her management it grew and prospered. So much for the myth that women were incapable of anything of merit such as voting, owning property, etc. 

And actually, while it isn’t given much attention, the running of the house which, in the aristocracy, could mean overseeing 100’s if not thousands of servants fell to the wife as did all aspects of entertaining, etc. Even for the tenant farmers, shopkeepers, etc., the wife ran the house, prepared the meals unless they had help, and when needed, helped with planting, harvesting or whatever needed doing.

On a more personal note on my mother’s side of the family (the Rawson’s), the US linage goes back to the 1600’s. Edward Rawson arrived on the second ship from England so while he wasn’t on the Mayflower, he wasn’t far behind. However many generations later, here I am which speaks to a name and face that isn’t mentioned, his wife. A Mrs. Rawson must have existed but there is no commemorative plaque or tree or park or building with her name on it. (Yes, Edward, who was the 1^st Secretary of the Massachusetts Bay Colony has a commemorative plaque).

Fast forward to Minnesota. My maternal grandparents lived in a small town, Faribault. My grandfather, Ralph, was born there but moved to Seattle after school. My grandmother, Grace, followed. They married and eventually moved to Oregon.

Lots of years, actually about 200, between Edward and Ralph!

While we can trace the family roots back to Edward and from there back to England and from there back to William (1066) and thus Normandy and thus back to Charlemagne, all the celebrated names are male. So while they were conquering, governing, preaching (yes, even an Archbishop of Canterbury on the family tree), who was keeping house, raising the next generation? On our genealogy charts, the wives have names as well as date of birth and date of death and that’s about it. Husbands have a profession or something that they Did like serve in the Wars as well as being an Archbishop.

And how did they get from Massachusetts to Minnesota? No planes, trains or automobiles in the 1700. Walking or perhaps, if one was lucky a wagon or cart.

I looked through at least 50 pictures and couldn't even find one
that showed women or children walking alongside the wagons.

Can you imagine being pregnant and walking a thousand miles?

Can you imagine morning sickness and walking a thousand miles? Oh and at the end of the day, you are cooking over a campfire, managing any children, cleaning up and accepting any amorous attentions your husband might have.

What about giving birth on the trail?

And what if you are a descendant of a family who walked from St. Louis to  Oregon or California, any even longer trip?

Boggles my mind!

Personally, I know I am the daughter of Jean, the granddaughter of Grace, the great granddaughter of Jane. Farther back than that I don’t readily have the names. However, the Rawson family is full of historians and I do have a copy of the family tree going back to Charlemagne. Of course it stops in the late 1800’s but I can fill it in from there.

On my father’s side, I am the granddaughter of Ester. Nothing further back on that side of the family tree. When it comes to aunts and uncles, I can do a bit better – after all I am named for my Aunt Ashley Vivian.

How far back do you know your family’s history?

How much do you know about their lives?

What about your DNA? Are you genetically who you thought you were? I always thought I was Danish as my paternal grandfather emigrated from Denmark between WWI and WWII. However, my DNA shows No Danish but it does show Swedish! And because of that I learned there was an influx of Swedish immigration to Denmark 500 years ago.

Whether you do the research to put names and faces to the women in your family’s past, please consider thanking them for the struggles and challenges they overcame so you could be here now.

Read my Sacred Women’s Circle series to learn more about every day women and the struggles and challenges they overcome to find unconditional love.

My Staying Sane in a Crazy World, provides you with a template to create your Personal Staying Sane Plan to help you through the challenging times.

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