Southwest Sierra #99 – Mary E. “Her Story” Part 3

The following is the first part of a letter that Mary E. wrote to her granddaughter Clara Chesney in 1914. Most of the original spelling and punctuation have been retained, but paragraph breaks have been added. [My comments in square brackets]. Keep in mind that she was born in the 1840s!

439 East 48th Street, Los Angeles Cal

Dear Granddaughter Clara,

I will beg of you to forgive me for the long delay not answering your dear surprise letter. Truly it was a welcome surprise to me in two ways one that you was brave enough to go so far from home and go to school and to think I had a granddaughter liken to my own heart. Have you been stung by the Political bee, as I was, very young?

My grandfather raised me and he was very interested in all the Laws of his country and great and good advisor to all that came and asked for his advise how and who to vote for and I was his daley [daily] companion to all places of business, and to Political speaking and voting places he had trouble in walking around and had to use a cain [cane] being partly Paralyzid [paralyzed] on one side I went along to wait on him and hand hat and cain, and as soon as old enough to drive the horses. [my guess is that as soon as she was old enough, she drove the horses for her grandfather].

The year before Buckhana [Buchanan] was Elected President, [1856 Mary E would have been 13 years old] there was a great Raley [rally] and Prosians [procession] of all kinds floats and 30 couples of men and ladies on horseback in uniforms and I was picked to ride in the rear dressed in black on a black horse a lone Crown on my head a large star in front and a White Sash on representing morning [mourning?] for the state of Texas as it had just bin [been] voted in as a slave state and I was to sing as we marched on to the speaking ground I can only Remember a few words of it as it had bin composed to suit the campaign for that President, and those troubled times.

I will give you what I can remember of it without the tune*: “I dreamt a dream the other night when all a round was still – I dreamt I saw the White horse coming over the hill---” I am sorrow [sorry] I cannot say all of it, but you may think that was a dull and stupid song, but it meant the Republican Victory and Lincoln was Elected for to Protect the Union and Flag, and had to free the slaves. The reason why I give you this past history is to give you a faint idea of how I was getting in very wrong with my own Father and step mother and dear Uncles and Aunties in Kentucky as they had very strong Southern Principles and all owned Slaves and they had no love for Northern Republicans.

* When I read the beginning of this song I automatically hear the tune of the 1936 song about Joe Hill: “I dreamt I saw Joe Hill last night as live as you and me” Perhaps that is the tune borrowed later as is often the case with folk songs.

Mary E’s letter to be continued next week.