Gen 2: Josephine (the housewife)

The youngest daughter of Abigail and Joseph, Josephine is the one most like her mother in temperament and most like her father in appearance. Not one for university or schooling, Josephine always wanted to be a housewife, to have children and live for her husband and family. Her dream comes true when her high school sweetheart Nash proposes to her right before he leaves to serve in WWI. Josephine hates to see him go, and restlessly waits for him to return. 

Once he does, their wedding soon follows, and perhaps Josephine is in a bit too much hurry to see the changes in her beloved, or perhaps she does not want to see? The two move to a small apartment in Britechester, which Josephine hates but endures because she knows it's temporary. 

For someone who has a love for all things beautiful and an interest in interior design, the dated and small apartment is a challenge, but as Nash gets his first real job he makes up for her sacrifice by allowing her to build and construct their first home. It's really more than they can afford, but Nash is not afraid to borrow money and soon Josephine finds herself pregnant with their first child, Thomas.  

Tragedy strikes as she miscarries the next child. Heartbroken she feels useless as a woman. The next pregnancy goes well, however, and she manages to give birth to two healthy baby girls, Grace and Hazel, and soon she is pregnant again. For a while everything looks perfect for the family. 

But the depression hits the young family hard as Nash loses his job as an investor, and the bank demands they pay their loan back, this at the same time as their fourth child is born. Selling everything they own the family moves first to San Myshuno and the worst apartment Josephine has ever seen, and then west to Chestnut Ridge to an even worse shed. No electricity, no running water, not even a toilet in the house but a shared outhouse and bathhouse! And in the middle of this filth and poverty, Josephine gives birth to their fifth child. 

Her sister comes to the rescue and saves the family from their despair by offering them a house to live in and work to do. Josephine becomes a farmers wife, a position she never wanted, but which is far superior to the alternative. Until finally one day her husband tells her the words she's been longing to hear. "I've got a job!" This time it's real and the family relocates to Oasis Springs although Thomas is deeply unhappy about it. Wanting her eldest son to be happy, Josephine agrees to let him stay with Anna in Chestnut Ridge. 

As WW2 breaks out, Thomas ages up to adult, and enlist in the war. Josephine is heartbroken and terrified to loose her son. She makes her sister promise to protect him and watch over him, even though she knows it's futile.

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