Married at 12: On The Run To a Better Life

My story is true, but it is not my own. I am telling this story for a woman named Nellie. I met her while participating in a church’s youth ministry in a nursing home. I felt as though I had met a friend upon meeting Nellie. She had a spark in her eyes as she told me the interesting story of her life. I visited her once a week for a year until her death.At times, her story seemed calm and uninteresting, but it always took a turn for either an adventurous, chaotic, or traumatic event. Her story always had me on the edge of my seat while listening intently. It was hard to believe that one woman could live through such a life. Each step of her life seemed to take her on many roads and finally to a better life. Nellie’s story started in 1888 and ended in 1978 at the age of 90. I met her in her final year of life, and she gave me permission to write her story. She was left an orphan shortly after she married at age 12. The story is told in her words and written how I remembered it. Read more