Southwest Sierra #97 – Mary E.

Mary E. ~ Mary Elizabeth (Straughn) (Murphy) Godfrey was “Col.” Straughn’s sister and is my great-great-great-great grandmother. I have decided to continue with her story this week. My branch of the family discovered the writings of Daniel Thomason only recently (around 2017). Daniel explains his sources in the introduction to his writings:

“The following text is a thumbnail sketch of the life of a fascinating lady who lived in a most exciting period of our country’s history. The information comes from her own recollections as told to her granddaughter, Irene Bell-Schmitt “Dottie” and from the recollections of Mary E’s own daughter, Martha Murphy-Hayes. Since the mid 1920s thru 1960 the information was left in fragmentary notes and sketches by my grandmother, “Dottie”. Often bits of seemingly unimportant subjects were in the margins, inserted in areas of unrelated text and the deciphering of the material seemed sometimeshopeless. I have had the good fortune to have assistance from my mother, Mary Elizabeth Schmitt-Thomason, she is the keeper of all the notes and letters that were left by my grandmother and great-great grandmother.

Mary Elizabeth Straughn lived a happy childhood on her maternal grandparent’s farm in Greencastle, Indiana. Her mother Sarah Ann (King) died from complications of childbirth on June 5, 1843. (Mary E. was five days old) Her father Moses Straughn gave to Sarah’s parents, Mary Elizabeth and her older brother John William [The Col.] to be raised. There she and her brother grew up learning horsemanship, candle making; she dressmaking and he, wagon making. She was 5’ 8” tall and had black hair. She was sinewy and of stalwart stature. It was said that at the age of 16 she could shoulder a sack of grain and carry it from the granary to the barn like a man. Their farmhouse was built from logs, with an open-fire stove in the center of the kitchen. Mary E. was an independent person and was able to travel alone when quite young.

Her father remarried on September 8, 1844 to Elizabeth C. Wisehart, the first cousin of his first wife Sarah Ann King. He returned with his new wife to Kentucky to raise a new family. [The Straughn, King and Wisehart families all hailed from Kentucky]

At first Mary E. enjoyed her visits to her father’s and step-mother’s place, [in Kentucky] and as she was so very fond of her brother, he saw to it that the children were well entertained. The Straughn place was a large old home and there were a few negro slaves there to help keep it up. There were 5 children from this second marriage. When Mary E. was 16 years old in the Fall of 1859, she made a trip alone to visit her father and half brothers and sisters. On the 3rd day of her stay, there was a large gathering of neighbors in the evening time. Mary E. had planned to return to Indiana on the following day. She visited for a while with the company then excused herself and went upstairs to go to bed. As she closed her door, she heard the voices of the crowd down below rise, all seeming to talk at once. Suspicious, she decided to wait and see what this was all about. In the next room, the floor around the big chimney was not sealed tight so she lay down on her stomach and listened to every word being said. She had lain there for about ten minutes when she got up off the floor and started down the stairs in a rage. The stairs led directly to the sitting room where the company was gathered. Her father was leading the so-called meeting. He stopped short when he saw her standing so defiantly. He began to reprimand her,when she silenced him with, “Don’t you dare speak to me you ***** slave trader. You have the carriage ready to take me off this estate at sun-up, I never want to hear of or speak to you again.” With this she fairly flew up the stairs to her room.

In the morning, when the carriage was ready, she said to George, the colored house man, “I want you tell me the truth about my father. I was always told that he was honest and a horse and cattle dealer on the River. Is it true that he deals in the sale of Negroes?” “Oh Missy Mary, I can’t answer that question for you, I’d get beaten nearly to death if I said anything” “You have nothing to fear. You have answered my question very well. I just wanted to see what you would say.” “Please Missus Mary, don’t give me away” “Have no fear, you will be cared for. Tell my father nothing.”

Nothing was ever said, but shortly after, Moses Straughn and family moved to Missouri. After Moses Straughn’s death in 1861, Mary Elizabeth and her grandparents made one final visit to the Straughn estate, where George was still working.”

To be continued next week.