who I am "family"

I am from a small, distant family, my family has always been very advanced in women’s rights yet, strangely, very patriarchal. My mother’s side offers a Southern family rich in American history from early in the 1700’s. My father’s side offers a Native American side rich with love and care for the wilds of our home lands. Both combine to put me in the seat of eighth generation United States War Veteran. Men of my family have fought in every major war that America has been in. I hold the prestige of the first to battle three times in two wars.
Women in my family have all had post high school education dating as far back as 1880. My grandmother held a bachelors degree from Minot, ND and pursued a life a ranch wife. Never using her education in a profession, the fact that she had it is remarkable for the 1910’s. Before women could vote my Grandmother was more educated than 70% of the voting men in America.
In the last year all the living men in my family have died. Leaving me the lone male in charge of my patriarchal family. At 25 I had survived 3 wars, that I would’ve preferred not to, lost my father, uncle, and grandfather, and was thrust into the care of my sisters, aunt and, mother. All of which are difficult duties to perform while attending school. Yet that is who I am, a man of DUTY. The former elder of my family said, “Without our duties to perform and the challenge we feel to perform these duties... us men are lost”.
So I perform, despite being lost, my duty will find me. It always has.
This is who I am. And who I am from.