Generations on the Porch – Martha Jane Pettway Family Legacy Postcard

Some family photographs hold more than memories. They capture generations of love, strength, and the everyday moments that become part of a family's legacy.

One of those treasured photographs features my great-grandmother, Martha Jane Pettway, whom I called Grandma, standing on the porch of her Gee's Bend home alongside her daughter, Plummer T. Pettway, whom we affectionately called Ainee Tee.

Both women are holding babies, with other young children gathered around them. It's a beautiful glimpse into a family where generations were growing up together, sometimes closer in age than people might imagine.

Paired with Grandma's Housetop with Medallion quilt, this keepsake brings together two important parts of her legacy: the family she raised and the artistry she created.

History Behind the Piece

The family photograph featured on this postcard was taken by Arthur Rothstein in 1937, capturing Grandma and Ainee Tee on the porch of the family's log cabin home in Gee's Bend, Alabama.

What makes this photograph especially meaningful is the family story behind it.

Ainee Tee was already married when this photograph was taken. Some of the children gathered around them were hers, while others were Grandma's own children. In fact, my grandmother hadn't even been born yet.

That one detail says so much about our family's dynamics. Grandma was still having and raising children of her own while her older children were already married and raising families of their own. Multiple generations were growing up alongside one another, sharing family connections that continue through their descendants today.

Grandma and her husband, Little Pettway, whom I called Papa, raised thirteen children together, along with many of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The postcard also features Grandma's Housetop with Medallion quilt, showcasing the bold geometric designs and creative traditions that have made Gee's Bend quilting internationally recognized.

And that quilting tradition is far from finished. At least five generations of Grandma's descendants are carrying her artistry forward, with family members living and creating around the world.

The photograph captures one moment in our family's history, while the quilt represents an artistic tradition that remains alive through the generations.

About This Keepsake

Originally created for the 4th Annual Airing of the Quilts Festival, Legacy on the Porch is a commemorative postcard honoring Martha Jane Pettway's life, family, and quilting heritage.

The design brings together a treasured 1937 Arthur Rothstein photograph of Grandma, Ainee Tee, and their children with an image of Grandma's Housetop with Medallion quilt.

The reverse features a biographical tribute honoring Grandma's contributions to quilting, civil rights, and community improvement alongside Papa.

This keepsake offers a personal look at the family behind the quilts, sharing a story of motherhood, multigenerational family life, and the artistry that continues through Grandma's descendants.

Whether mailed to someone special, framed, collected, or given as a gift, it's a meaningful way to share a piece of our family's living Gee's Bend heritage.

Product Details

• Product: Individual commemorative heritage postcard
• Title: Legacy on the Porch
• Featured Ancestor: Martha Jane Pettway
• Featured Family Member: Plummer T. Pettway (Ainee Tee)
• Featured Quilt: Housetop with Medallion, by Martha Jane Pettway
• Featured Artwork: 1937 Arthur Rothstein family photograph and quilt image
• Historical Focus: Gee's Bend family history, multigenerational family life, quilting artistry, and community contributions
• Reverse: Biographical tribute and family history
• Collection: Gee's Bend Quilters Legacy Collection
• Originally Created For: 4th Annual Airing of the Quilts Festival
• Format: Functional, mailable postcard
• Quantity: One individual postcard
• Price: $5.00

From My Family to Yours

For more than 30 years, I've dedicated myself to researching and preserving my family's history, including the stories of the Pettway, Bendolph, Miller, and Young families of Gee's Bend.

As Grandma's great-granddaughter, photographs like this are especially meaningful to me because they reveal the family relationships and everyday experiences that don't always make it into historical accounts.

Knowing that this photograph was taken by Arthur Rothstein in 1937 connects our family's personal memories to a broader historical record while keeping the people and relationships at the center of the story.

When I look at this photograph, I see Grandma and Ainee Tee surrounded by children from two generations of our family. I know that my grandmother hadn't even been born yet, and that detail helps tell the story of how our family grew and how generations overlapped.

These are the stories I want to preserve alongside the beautiful quilts our ancestors created.

Through Sweet Martha's Family Farmacy, I'm honored to share our family's history in our own voices, celebrating the women who shaped our lives and the descendants who are carrying their traditions forward today.

Heritage Note

The quilting traditions of Gee's Bend are more than a chapter in history. They are a living family heritage, carried forward by descendants who continue to create and share their artistry around the world.

Martha Jane Pettway's legacy lives through the generations of family she raised, the quilts she created, and the descendants who continue her quilting traditions today.

Legacy on the Porch honors Grandma, Ainee Tee, the children gathered around them, and the extraordinary family connections that continue across generations.

Our family. Our stories. Our voices. Our living legacy.