May Etheridge

May Etheridge was born May 1, 1879 in the
Town of Rose, Waushara County, WI. Her
parents were Alanson Pease Etheridge and
Emma Spicer.  When she was born the paper
called her a little blacksmith because that
was what her father did.  She was born deaf. 
She was sent to board at the Delavan school
for the deaf. She learned sign language there
because lip reading wasn't taught at that time.
I remember her playing the card game "Authors"
with her, my grandmother and another sister. 
She had a sense of humor and went outside 
with me after dark at a family to scare her
grandson and my brother who were sleeping in
a tent outside. She died in Eau Claire, where
her husband, William and been a butcher.  She
died Dec 22, 1970.