I never knew my great grandmother Hill, as she died within a year of my birth.  I have pictures of her, and stories of her, as my mother was particularly fond of her grandmother.  To me, through photographs of course, she appears a small, frail woman of a sort, of which one would expect a soft gentle voice and quite gracious manner.  My grandfather (her son) told many stories depicting a strong and patient, Christian mother.

However envisioned, be it frail or strong, this fondly remembered ancestor of mine is the center of a some-what trivial yet curious family controversy.   Some would, it seems argue at length as to what actually was this fine Christian woman's name.  Some would say she was known as "Lyd" or "Lyda" or "Lida", so therefore her name was "Lydia."  There ARE some "official" documents stating her name as such.  I have a page of notes she doodled on in her youth on which she wrote repeatedly "Lida Henson."  Some researchers have actually called me on the phone and argued this fact to me as fact.

But alas her children did not believe her name was "Lida," but the controversy continued.  When meeting together to complete her "final arrangements," they couldn't decide what name to engrave on her stone!  They did come to the agreement that her first name was Annie, but as to a middle name, there was debate.   One daughter, who shall remain nameless, wanted to use the name Anna Elizabeth, because she thought it sounded best.  Coming to no agreement, her stone was left at Annie Henson Hill.

I have always stood on the truth of everything my grandfather ever told me.   He was a man of wonderful Christian character, and of most excellent memory.   Up until his death, he could quote to me poetry he memorized in elementary school.   Being a widow, during most of his mother's elderly life, she lived across the street from him, so that he could look after her.  My grandfather certainly knew his own mother's name, but was too wise and reserved to participate in the above mentioned "family disagreement."   He insisted his mother's name was Anna Eliza.

But, as a genealogist, I know that people want DOCUMENTATION.  Since there is no birth certificate, I had none for a long time.  Then I made a discovery.  In the 1910 Miracode Index US Census for Mason County, Kentucky she is listed as the wife of James F. and gave her name and "Anna E".  So for those who still believe that her name was Lydia or some resemblance thereof, here is your DOCUMENTATION to the contrary.  

Undoubtedly there were some, even very close to her that only knew her as Lyda.   Anna is a very common name, and on Salem Ridge where she lived, Eliza was a very common name, so she was forever known as Lyda.

I never knew my great grandmother Hill - but I know her name.