Emma Jean Rouse

Today is the 132nd birthday of one of the most important recent ancestors in my family, Emma Rouse (aka Grandma Emma)

Emma Jean Jenkins was born on April 29, 1893 in Hertford, North Carolina. She was the daughter of Berry Jenkins (1867-1932) and Fannie F. Winslow (1875-1954). Her mother married Wright Rouse two years later and Emma was adopted by him.
Grandma Emma had 8 children; Josephus/Joe (1909-1959), Anna (1911-1989), Roy (1914-2006), Irene (1915-1949), Clarence (1918-2006), Ruby (1924-1941), Rufus (1926-2019) and Harriett (1929-2024). The father of Emma's children remains unknown/unconfirmed. Many documents list Wright Rouse or Rufus Rouse as a spouse or the father of her children, however this is assumed to be a placeholder, and the latter a made up name as Wright Rouse was Emma's stepfather and there's no records of a Rufus Rouse from Hertford other than her son. She has no records of being married. The father of her daughters, Anna (my great great grandmother) and Irene, was listed as Elijah Brown on documents but no conclusive record of him has been found as of writing this post.

Emma is the oldest direct ancestor I have any images of on my mother's side and one of the oldest ancestors I've heard first hand stories of. 

From the stories from Harriett and my cousins who had the privilege of knowing her, she was known for her kindness, her religiousness and her sternness. 

Emma had a chronic heart condition that eventually took her life on August 22, 1967 in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. She was 74 years old and was buried in Hertford. 

I wish I was able to provide more than hard facts about Emma but I plan to expand this research by speaking to the cousins who knew her as children.

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