Story from Elsie Burton’s Diary
I was born to a nineteen year old girl, Pearl Elizabeth Aldrich Swagerty and a twenty- five year old man, Ernest Elmer Swagerty. They were married during mother’s junior year of high school, consequently she never finished. She told me that while she was holding me during her class graduation exercises she proclaimed me her diploma while the others on stage were merely getting pieces of paper.
September 23, 1915 at 9:00 in the morning, on the cusp of Virgo and Libra, was the time and date that I was born. The event took place in a little house on the property of my maternal grandparents near the small town of Hughson, California. Fortunately, for all concerned I was one of those babies who likes to be cuddled for the grandparents and two teen age aunties were eager to cuddle; so everyone was well satisfied. All but father that is. I was the first born, and in his sight, naturally, I was expected to have been a boy. I don’t think I was ever forgiven for that mistake.
Swagerty-Aldrich Family Web Site 