My maternal great-grandmother - Evelyn Marie Melhoff Amen - passed away when my mother was around my age. One of many things she passed down through the family was an antique engagement ring, which she had given to my mother before she passed in 1985. The ring itself is very dainty -- she must have had some skinny fingers -- to my understanding, it’s made of gold, but so tarnished it looks a lot like silver. The diamond in the middle is a little dull, and the prongs holding it up are crooked. It's plain, but beautiful in its own way.
My great grandmother obtained this ring in 1925 from her first fiance at 18 years old. There weren’t many details she gave about the man to which she was engaged, to my understanding, only the fact that he had fallen through the ice of a frozen lake in South Dakota and drowned before they had the chance to be married. I never had the chance to meet my great grandmother; I haven’t so much as seen a picture of her. From what I understand, she was of second to third-generation German descent and was a fire that never went out, personality-wise. The ring means a lot to my mother, and therefore has a connection to me as well.


 

– Katherine

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more