I recently acquired some documents from my Grandmother's estate. A rather beat-up photograph of the Native woman who sewed the first Alaska state flag was included. "To my Best Pals, Frances Kerns Alaskan Pineapple" is how she signed the front. "Fannie Kerns" is written in pencil on the back. She was a very beautiful and striking woman.
I ran the photo through Photoshop and gently retouched it. Please find it attached as a jpg, and feel free to use it so long as "Courtesy Millie Sorenson" is attached as appropriate. My Grandmother looked for this photo for years, sure that she had it, but it was too buried to find during her lifetime. Fanny looks exactly as she described.
Also in the package was a very sweet card, a pen drawing of a moose and mountains at night dated 1-30-64. It offers a little insight into their friendship, and Frannie's personality. I am happy to donate these items to the Jesse Lee for display when appropriate space becomes available, as well as use of the image for promotional/educational purposes.
Hi Millie,
here hopeing feel a little better this morning. you in my prays at night befor go to bed. is there any thing I cans too for you. be glad to do it. Fran Kerns.
Riddles
Q: if am Athlete gets Athlete's foot, what does an astronant get?
A: missle Toe!
Q: who didn't hang up his clothes when he went to bed?
A: Adam!
Below which is a drawing of a wooden hanger with a fig leaf attached.
Warm regards,
Dorene
4 comments:
I received your e-mail and found it most interesting. Last night I had a computer chat with son Ron. He will be attending the meeting so you might corner him and ask him about how I feel.
At the last meeting you seemed interested in the music to "The Dear Alaska" song. The words were written by Mrs. Clara Goss and Mrs. E.J. Day of Unalaska. The song was first sung by the children of the Jesse Lee Home and as reported in the Kueuit "It never grows old for us for we sing it again and again." Mr. Goss, Clara's husband, was a business man Unalaska. She also taught music in Unalaska. Mrs. Day helped Mrs. Goss with the song, and was a School Teacher in the same village. Years ago the song was in sheet form and sold for 15 Cents plus postage, by writing to Mrs. Charles T. Hatten at the JLH in Seward.
his e-mail is a follow-up from your previous enlightenment!! I have in my possession an old KUEUIT, November 1931. In it is a letter to Mrs. Hatten from Emma McCleery, who was a missionary in the Nome Mission field. She had been there for three years and accompanied some Nome children on there way to the Jesse Lee Home in Seward. The year was 1925 and the ship was the Victoria. Her request was to have an Alaskan flag made. I wonder if this was the same seam-stress that made the first flag that flew over the Home July 9, 1927. It is my understanding that this flag is in the State of Alaska Museum in Juneau. Miss McCleery retired years ago and was living at the Methodist Episcopal Home for the aged in Topeka, Kansas.
She had an interesting collection which she gave to the Oberlin City School in Oberlin, Kansas.
If you desire a copy of this article you will have to send me an E-mail address.
Francis Kerns was my grandmother
Any further information you have would be greatly appreciated
Hi there, do you know if Fannie was ever married? Or do you know the names of her parents? Thank you!
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