Mom said she read a book with a character named Cean and was inspired to give you that name. I have discovered which book. The attached article is from the time (1934) when she might have read “Lamb in his Bosom”, plus there is an Agatha Christie mystery mentioned on the same page of the Des Moines newspaper.

The Des Moines Register Sunday, September 23, 1934

LAMB IN HIS BOSOM By Caroline Miller Harpers. Too much ill befalls this family, even for backwoods Georgia a century ago. Cean has fifteen children, one delivered by herself alone as a deadly panther enters the door. Some burn to death, one dies In childbirth, one in the Civil war. House-burning, foot chopping, poisoning, death . . . Still Cean marries again!

Did Mom ever live in Sioux City? There was an Elsie McDonald there. Where else did Mom lives besides Unionville, Des Moines, and Brookfield?
One of you older siblings wasn’t born in Des Moines; who and where?

Thank you. I knew that this was the book where Mom found my name. It won the Pulitzer. We know Mom was a reader. She told me that she wanted me to have the name of a strong woman. Cean in the book was incredibly strong. Yes, I’ve read it and so has Cean, Robert’s daughter. Also so “full circle” that I live in Georgia now.

Probably there would be some newspaper articles in Unionville.
Uncle Leon was the sheriff in the 70’s. I was born there. Nancy in Chicago, Robert and Michael in Des Moines, you in Paterson and Bitsy and Lynn in Pompton Plains. Thanks for the skilled sleuthing.

I had a strong hunch I’d found the book.
Yes, you live in Georgia like the Heroine – but you didn’t arrive by Ox Cart.

You’re one of the strongest people I know, big sister.

You and I are the only offspring with no middle name which makes us special I suppose. Except for you and Nancy, all the other children were given family names.