Mary Ellen Awrey

Black-and-white photo of Mary Ellen Awrey standing with a group of people on a wooden fence outdoors. The people are dressed in early 20th-century attire, and trees are visible in the background.
Coverage Dates: 1910 to 1916
County: Wellington
Township: Erin
Lot: Hillsburgh
Gender: Female
Year of Birth: 1893
Year of Death: 1983
Ethnicity: English
Religion: Presbyterian
Occupation: Drugstore clerk
Relationships:
Mother: Mrs. Edwin Awrey (widow)
Sisters: Ivy, Myrtle
Uncle: Dr Allan Gibson
Aunt: Harriet Gibson
Archive: Wellington County Museum and Archives
Posted on Rural Diary Archive: Yes
Age During Diary: 16-22
Coverage: 6 years

Biography: 

Sixteen-year-old “Nell” moves off the farm when her father dies and into town with her well-to-do Aunt Harriet and Uncle Allan (a doctor). The move eases her mother’s responsibilities and gives Nell new opportunities. Nell loves living in town and embraces the social life of a teen. Amidst girlfriends and male admirers, she sings in the choir, picks berries, quilts for the WFMS and enjoys baseball. Long drives and walks with “beaus” abound. While working in her uncle’s dispensary, she develops an interest in photography and her photos enhance the diary.