Autobiography of Julia Ann Barr Hamilton
The following is a condensation of a manuscript written by Julia Ann Barr Hamilton. The original lacked periods and commas and many times lacked capital letters. I have added punctuation as I feel it should have occurred, but I have not changed the wording or the spelling except in brackets following the original. They remain as she wrote them. The autobiography ends rather abruptly, and there was at one time a rumor that there was more, but even though many have searched for it, no more has been found. [Leora Atkinson Parsons]
Highland, Calif., Oct. 27, 1924
Dear Children, As you have often requested me to write a history of my life I will try to do so if it pleases my Dear Maker to spare me long enough.
I am the daughter of Andrew Jackson and Nancy Barr nee Knowles. I was born Sept. 4th 1848 in Logan Co., Ill. My first remembrance of my childhood days was very pleasant as I don't remember the sad death of my dear Father which ocured in May after I was 4 in Sept. In that part of the country most all the farmers had a little bunch sheep and at a certain time in the spring they all gathered at the creek, washed their sheep. In May 22, 1852, they gathered for that purpose but something happened, they didn't wash sheep. But Father and another man taken a sane [seine] [and] went in to catch some fish. Father had taken sister Elizabeth and I with him to see them wash sheep. I began crying saying Father would drown. He sent Brother Elijah to take us home which was about a mile. We had just got home [and] told Mother the trouble. Started back. Saw a man coming on Father's horse. He was going to pass, but Mother made him stop. Told him she knew something was the matter with Jackson as that was what she called my father. Father was a good swimmer but taken cramps and the Dr. said he didn't drown but the cramps closed his lungs [and] caused him to smother to death. That was a sad day for the dear ones, but I don't remember only what I have been told about a dear Father. Sister Lizzie was all ways telling me about how her and I played with Father when he was alive. From all I have heard about my father he was a good Christian. He and Mother both belonged to the Presbyterian Church. He was an elder of that Church. The most of Father's people belonged to the Methodist. Mother's belonged to the Presbyterians. Grand Father Knowles was an elder in that church and right here I must say I think he was the best man I ever knew. He went to sleep in the arms of our Blessed Lord soon after the Civil War. I don't remember the year.
Then the school days came. After Father's death the older children didn't go to school much. The boys had to farm, but I think they went to school some. I most always went to school as I wasn't large enough to do anything else. Sister E[lizabeth] had to stay home sometimes to fill quills when Mother had piece cloth in loom that she was in a hurry to finish as she often wove for other people to help with the expences of the family.
One winter I remember it well. It was about the eighth of a mile to the school house. Our pasture fence run past the S.H. [school house] and the snow covered the rail fence stakes and all. We walked all the way on top of the fence in the snow for six weeks I think it was. That was the coldest winter I ever remember of seeing. We had lots of fun of nights playing on top that snow bank. We had a big scoop shovel [and] would pull it up [and] set down in it. Someone give it a shove and away you went. In the winter there they put the running gear of the wag-gon in the barn, put the bed on the sleigh, and used it for going to church, halling [hauling] wood, and anything else they needed. We went to our uncles sometimes spent the night on night and day. After Fathers death the neighbors got together, halled lots of wood up, cut it up, piled it in the yard. Some was large. The boys had to roll it in the fireplace. Then we sure had good fire. Our lamp was made of tin. A plate with a stem in the middle, then a bowl on top with a handle on one side, a little spout on the other. Had lard in it. A wick mad out [of] soft thread about a foot long. Then put it in the little spout, [and] the rest in the bowl. I remember we used to heat the tongs [and] stick them in the lard melt it so it would burn. We also had the snuffers to trim the wick. Had candles to carry about. We always had nuts such as wallnuts, hazel nuts, and chinkey pins [chinquapins] to eat. They were in [a] closet. Had apples in a bed outdoors covered [with dirt] like we used in Texas for sweet potatoes, and they sure was good.
Oct. 28. Good mor. When I was about 8 years old a man by name of John Houchin came from Texas to visit his people. One of his sisters had married one of Father's bro., Uncle James Barr. So they got after him to go see Mother. So he did and they married in Sept.—I think it was. Grand Father Knowles had moved to Texas and Bro Elijah and John wanted to come to Texas. Mother thought by marrying she would be better off as she would have a home to come to, so she did. Now Mother couldn't sell our home there in Ill. on account of the children, so they rented it and sold all the stock but a mule —— and a mare, Bell, and the waggon. After the sale we left our dear home. They packed three bedsteads in a long box, 2 tables, a little round stand table, and the fallen leaf table, and six new chairs is all the furniture we kept. They taken it to train [at] Wanesville and shiped it to Houston. We all got in [the] waggon [and] traveled to St. Louis [where we] crossed the big Miss. River. From there we taken a big boat on the Miss. R. and I think it taken us three weeks to get to New Orleans. The boat used wood to make steam. The boat stopped a few times on road to get wood. One time the boys went on land [and] got some cotton blossoms, the first we ever seen. Finely we arived at New Orleans. Father Houchens taken us up in the city. We saw a lot of monuments. One was Andrew Jacksons. He was on a horse. Looked grand with his cap in his hand and sword by his side. One evening we got on a ship, went out to the mouth of the Miss. River, anchored untill the next morning. When we first saw the city we just saw the spires of churches then other tall things untill finely we came to the landing. Got off the ship, taken a boat to go to Houston. It was so crowded untill we had to set up all night. We small children layed our heads in Mothers and Sister Margret's laps and slept. The moon was shining bright. We could see the fish flying, or jumping, and sail, then light in the watter. Well we got to the chanel near Houston and the watter was so shallow the boat couldent hardly go, and as it was a mail boat thy had to put a skiff out, put mail in it, [and] send it on to Houston, as the mail had to get there on time. Well we arived there sometime in the morning. The waggons hadent got there to take us out Home. Father H. had wrote for his waggons to meet us at Houston. They rented a house for a few days and I think we stayed there three days before the waggons got there. When they came everything was loaded in and we started. The waggons had several yoke oxen to each waggon. I guess they halled some freight as there was 2 wagons and am sure one would have halled all we had. I remember the first night we camped out. There was large trees and the moss was hanging to the ground. We played hide and seek under them. I don't remember how long it taken us to get there but 3 or 4 weeks I think. I think we must [have] left our home [the] last [of] Sept. as it was just after my 8th birthday and Sister Elizabeths 12th birthday was a few says after we arived at our new home. I well remember the night we got there. Father had a daughter liveing about [a] quarter mile off. They blowed the horn for her to come. As I remember, Fathers two sons Wilmian and Wash, also his daughter that was a widow was there, then a Negro woman Jane. The Negro men had drove the wagons to Houston. I saw many new things as the Negro woman done the cooking.
Well let's go to the smokehouse awhile. There was many curious things to see. A great trough in back part full [of] soap. Great big gourds [that] hold half bushel full [of] lard and great big gourds they called the Spanish Gourd. It had big part at each end and was small in middle. It was cleaned out and was used to carry watter to [the] field. Then great long handled gourds, one at each watter bucket and one at the spring, as I don't remember seeing many wells in that country. That was Austin Co. near the line of Washington. Brenham was 18 miles. Well another strange thing I found in the smoke house was glasses made out of horns of cows. A cow's horn [was] sawed off at each end, a wooden bottom [was set] in one end, and they had been used for milk but was now laid away. This was the year 1856 we came to Texas. We was used to fruit, but there was none there but the boys would bring in big buckets of pomgranites of vines, not trees. We would eat them like they was good. Then there was black and red haws and persimmons. They didn't many go to waste around there. We only had biscuits of Sunday mornings as flour was $14 [a] barrel. But those biscuits was the best we ever ate, or at least it seemed so to us, for we had always been having all we wanted to eat. The Negro woman would make the biscuits up in a big wooden tray and cook them in a big skillet which held about 2 doz. biscuits and it taken several skillets full to satisfy that crowd. We all ways had lots [of] good beef as Father had lots [of] cattle, plenty milk, and good butter.
Well, someone started a school but couldent get many books. As I remember we had spelling books, a few arithmetics, and read in the Testaments. Our [school] house was built out [of] logs, halved off flat on one side, other logs sawed off to lay them on. No backs at all and we had to stay much longer than children do these days. We only had a three months school. At recess and noon we girls had our play houses. Brought things from home to play with, our rag dolls—as I never seen a store bought doll untill I was about 12 years old. But we had lots of fun and it was innocent fun. When I started to that school I was in the third reader. Sister Elizy [Elizabeth] had our books, but the children there dident have any. Margaret never went to school after we came to Texas, or Elijah or John.
Well now I come to 1857. Father went up to Bell Co. [and] bought a farm, but before we went up there Sister Margaret married a farmer by name of Allen Peebles. He had a nice farm and two Negroes Robert and Rose. Then they loaded up and started. As I remember we had two big wagons with 4 or 5 yoke oxen to each wagon and had a lot of cattle to drive. Father and Mother didn't go with us as Mother wasent able to travel, and she kept Bro. Edmund with her. Just Bro. Elijah, John, Sister Lizzie and I and the three Negroes and I believe Wilmian Houchen was along. Well the roads were mudy and we sure did travel slow. I think we was a month on the road. A few days before we got to our new home Father overtaken us (he was in a two horse wagon). He told us we had a little sister. He left Mother at the Drs. I don't remember how long it was before Mother got home. Our new home was 2 Rs [rooms], 16x16 feet log house with a 11 foot hall between. Father closed it [the hall] [and] made a room, then there was a porch all the way and they closed up one end of it and made a room to cook in after we got our stove.
I don't think I went to school that year at all. We had a big cow pen, milked 30 cows, gave most milk to hogs. Sold butter at 12½ cts [per] lb. and it was good butter too. What she couldent sell she rendered it up, put it in cans, used for cooking.
We sure was proud of our little sister. She wore a little lace cap trimed with ribon and great long dresses. Her name was Mary Ann. I got a good many spankings on her acount. I would get tired takeing care of her.
Spring come and then summer. There was great preperations for a big camp meeting. All turned out our cows and horses if they had any, went down in Stampeed Creek. There was a fine spring there, [where they] built a big arbor, strawed, and everybody camped. Had a good time. You could hear the shouting untill midnight and sometimes the preacher and good folk that felt like it would stay all night with a mourner, or more talk, pray, and sing and we would get up mornings, go out to prayer at sunrise. Some of the women would stay at camp, get breakfast. One morning it seemed like everything was dead. The preacher preached, called for mourners. No one came. He sat down, called on Grandfather to talk. He got up, tried to sing. He never could cary a tune but he sung all the same. He called for mourners to kneel at seat and right there I found my Savior. Was born again 1858 and it was no guess work for I knew. Bro. John, sister Lizie and Father was all converted at that meeting. I know my precious Mother was happy, but she never made any noise about it, her religion, but lived it and taught it to us children and I thank God for a good Mother and Father, for I know he was good. After the meeting we went home.
Well that fall I went up to Grand Fathers. Went from there to Old Pery near where Moody now is. I think the school lasted 6 months. That was the longest term I ever went in Texas. Nep Horn taught that school. Then I went to one school 3 months taught by a girl. We called her Miss Ellen. I think her last name was Leach. I then [went] another three months. I have forgot the teachers name. Then Father bought a piece [of] land down on [the] Leon River. Built a house. While he was building it the stork visited Mother again. Brought a little boy this time. His name was Marion Francis. After awhile we all moved down there. Rented out the Stampeed farm, but before the year was near out I and little Bro. taken he chills. Father had the shingles. He was sick a long time, told Mother as soon as she could get posesion of the other place to move out there, as it was this hole we was in, Leon Bottom, and the other place was prarie, so another sad day came to us. Father died. That was in the year 1860. There was lots [of] excitement, talk of war nearly everybody that was old enough, joined. I went with Sister Lizzie and her feller to a barbecue at Old Perry. There was lots [of] soldiers, men making speeches, and we had lots good eats.
Sister and Park Stubblefield was married in November, I think it was. The war noise was still rageing. All the boys had to go. Brother Elijah and Sister Margarets husband joined, went to Galveston. Bro. John joined [and] went out on [the] frontier in Comanche Co., His P.O. [post office] was Cora. I don't remember where Park went, but he went. Sister lived with us nearly all the while. Men went to war, the women had to card and spin and weave to get clothes to wear and we had to knit most all our socks and stockings.
The war was still rageing. Men dieing or getting killed, women and children weeping for their loved ones. It was hard to get salt where we lived. (I don't believe I told you where it was. It was Bell Co.) We raised lots [of] wheat so Grand Father and Mother got them a good flour. Went up to—I think it was Young Co.—traded the flour for a load salt, brought it back traded or sold and bought another load flour. As they went after the salt Mother just taken Bro. Edmund with her, left Sister the two little ones and me at home. I don't remember but I think they was gone a month or six weeks. Anyway after she got back, got the other good flour. We all but Sister went to Austin Co. where Sister lived. They sold their flour for cash. I remember Mother (then was mostly all gold and silver I guess as I don't remember seeing paper money). She had it in a pint cup and it seems to me that the cup was over half full. She hid it for awhile up on the plate of the house. We had our house canaled overhead with the carpet Mother had wove in Ill., but she got uneasy about it so she taken it out to the ash house, dug a hole in ashes, hid it there. She didn't tell the children, only Sister. Those two trips taken most of the summer and fall. Just before they began fighting and times got so hard, Mother had some money. She went to [the] store and laid in a lot of groceries and cloth. So we had sugar and Coffey I believe untill the close.
During the war there was no men at home, only a few too old to go or too young. We had a bunch that run together. Mattie Stublefield, Maggie and —— McClain sisters, then Martha McClain, a cousin, and I. Then there was some boys, Lafatte and Bob Blair, Carter Stublefield and Dan McClain, all about 15 or 16 would go with us sometimes. But Bro. Edmond allways went with me if I was going alone. He was about 11 years old. We all had our ponies and saddles and we sure did ride.
We would have lots work to do. We got up about 4 A.M., get breakfast, eat, then we children would take the lantern, it was a poor light just a candle in it, go to cow pen, milk. Mother would wash dishes, clean up and sometimes would be carding rolls so we could spin as soon as we could get ready. Someone would weave and sometimes we [would] have to take our butter and eggs to market. Most time we taken them to the stage stand. Stand left by a family named Haldeman. I think it was where Temple is now. We would take a bucket eggs and one [of] butter, ride horse back. I think it was 8 miles. It sure was tiresome. Sometimes we would go to Akinville, a little town down in the cedar breaks, and when we went there we would take a sack of corn as there was a mill there to grind corn. When we taken wheat we had to take a waggon [and] go about 30 miles. Grand Father and us would generaly go together, take a load, get our flour, shorts and brand [bran], then we had all the flour [we] wanted to use. Grand Father had a reaper and thrasher. He allways cut and thrashed our wheat.
Every night we would all get around the little table, had a candle in middle of table, then we would knit and sew. We had all our every day stockings and socks to knit. It sure was hard times and the light was dim to sew by. Had all our clothes to make by hand, mens coats and pants. Wove the cloth then made the clothes. But we all ways had time to go to church and to see our neighbors. If any of our poor neighbors was sick Mother would take something for them to eat and go see what she could do for them. We was not rich but always had a good liveing. Mother was a good manager. We all had to work hard but I am glad I learned how to work. I most all way had to help in field as Bro. was too young to do all by his self.
There wasn't a Dr. near where we lived, only a few preachers. Didnt have many meetings, no prayer meetings but my dear old mother (she wasent very old then) had Family Prayer and when we had to work late the little children would go to bed. When we got through she would read a Chap. and we would kneel and pray. Lots [of] times I would go to sleep while she was praying. Oh how she would intercede with the Heavenly Father for the absent loved ones and He sure did answer her prayers. They all got home. Two brothers, two bro. in laws and oh what rejoicing there was when we heard the war was over. It was a long hard struggle, Our men suffered so much. Your Papa said he had just parched corn to eat sometimes, but when they got to where there was hogs or chickens they taken them. Of course when the people would come to officers and complain they would have to search camps but didnt find them. They would dig a hole under their beds and bury them. But I dont think I ever would have hunted if I had been one of them if they had left me any thing, for I know the boys were so hungry and sometimes barefooted and thinly clad. We dident live where the bad part was, where both armies came along the people suffered much worse than we did. One party would come along and take, then the other and by the time they got what they wanted there wasent much left.
Meeting my future companion for life—
Your grandmother would go stay with the neighbors, for weeks at [a] time. She come to Grand Father Knowles to visit. Aunt Dullys husband had got his leg broke by his horse stepping in a hole when running stock. He never got able to go to war but would make spinning wheels and do other things for the war widows. As Mother Hamilton was anxious to spin Uncle Jim fixed a wheel, made the legs shorter at [the] back end wheel so she could sit in a little rocker and spin. She would card a bunch of rolls then begin by leaning forward, put roll on spindle then draw the thread and turn rim so as to twist it. As she did that she leaned back, then would rock forward and run thread up on the broach. She enjoyed it so much. Could spin her what we called a yard a day. That was thread enough to fill or make a yard of cloth. Well one evening I was at Grand Fathers and was in [the] room where she was. She was looking in her trunk. She came across a gold ring. She said it was Williams. She told me all about him. Told me to put [the] ring on. I id. It just fit my little finger. She told me to wear it and when Billy came home she would send him to get it. Well we dident know he was near but in a very short time the dogs went to barking. I peeped through a crack in the door and saw the legs of a man walking toward the house. He had on a pair of brown jeans pants and in a second a child came running to the door telling Grand Mother one of her boys had come. Well I forgot all about the ring and we all went to see the soldier boy. After a few minutes talking the mother thought of the ring and began telling about it. I left the room. I never seen him any more for several months. The soldiers were coming home and the people began giving parties to the boys and one night I met him at a party. He wanted to take me home but I told him I had company. He ask[ed] m if that boy dident care could he go home with me. I said it would be all right, but the other fellow said no he brought me there, he would see me home.
I had several beaus but most time it was just one. He seemed to take full posesion. One time Mattie Stubblefield, her fellow Sie Roberts, your Papa and I all went to a big meeting off several miles. Expected to stay all night but then taken a notion to come home after church was over. Part of the way we had no road, just a path through the prairie. Papa and I was in the lead. The moon was shineing pretty and we was very busy talking, makeing plans for the future. Hadent thought about Sie and Mat, [but] when we did we couldent see them. We stopped, waited awhile, they dident come so we rode on home, thought maybe they had got a head, but when we got there they wasent there, but they soon came up. They had lost the path. Guess they was talking of their future plans too. The boys went home, we went to bed. But before the boys left they unsaddled our horses, turned them loose, and we dident kiss them good night either.
Well Bro. Elijah had got home from the war and had come up to visit us. Had spent a few weeks and was talking of going back home (he lived with Sister Margaret in Austin Co., we lived in Bell). He wanted us to marry before he had to go, so Mother went to Belton, got my wedding clothes. The dress was white lawn. Cost $1.00 yard. My second day dress was cashemere, wine colored. It cost I think $2.00 yard. It only taken six yards to make it. Both was made plain. Had waist and full skirt. We had set the day 16 July which was Sunday.
Sunday morning come, a beautiful sunshiney day, July 16, 1865. Bro. Phillips lived about one fourth mile from us on Stampeed Creek. He come up, spoke the words that tied two hearts together untill death did part us.
Well after the words was said, we eat our breakfast about 8:30. No one there but our mothers, Sister Elizabeth, Bro. Elijah, Bro. Edmond, your papas Bro. Bob, and Sie Roberts. Mattie was not well so dident come, but we all decided to go to Grandmother Stublefields that day, so we all got ready, got on our horses, went over there for diner. It was about 10 miles. They lived on a farm, had plenty good things to eat. We had nice diner, stayed untill pretty late, went back home. Spent the next few weeks visiting, going to parties and church of Sundays. Finely we rented a house about 4 miles from Mothers. Now we dident have much furniture. I cooked on a fireplace. Had one skillet and lid, one pot that held about on bucket water, a frying pan, not many dishes. Had a box nailed up in one corner of room for a safe. In the other room had one bedstead. Had two chairs Mother gave us. Had 2 or 3 horses, a sow and 6 little pigs. Papa taken a notion to move so we began to kill and eat those pigs. At first they was very good, but before they was gone I dident like pig meat and dont care for it yet, that is little pigs. Your Papa made saddles, both men and ladys saddles. He would go out in [the] woods, cut down a tree, cut off a forked piece to make the horn, then would take some of the rest, make side board and back. Then take a cow hide, soak it in water till the hair would slip, then scrape all the meat off the other side, paint it yellow and put his initials on it, cover saddle, sew it with a string cut from the hide and when it got dry it would be as transparant as glass. He dident trim them for he dident have money to buy the leather, but could sell all he could make. $3.00 or $4.00 for a tree as they were called before they was riged or had the stirips, gerths, and other things on them. He made a very good living for us then but wouldent count much these days. Mother Hamilton stayed with us most time. Papa made a scaffle [scaffold] in one corner for her bed.
We had to carry our water two miles, only when it rained there was a little branch about half mile off. Papa had 10 ga. keg. He would go to river or branch, fill the keg, put it in saddle, get up behind it and home he would come. One time I hadent washed for two weeks. It had rained and I was going to [the] branch to wash. Papa taken tub and pot, I guess the rub board. Had to take everything on one horse, so he come back to get me and other things. Well I had a seamless sack full clothes, the bucket and soap. He got on horse, I gave the things to him. He rode up to [a] fence. I started to jump on and as I jumped the horse jumped and I set on [the] ground. Got up, went on. Just had the one tub, one bucket, a little pot to wash rinse and boil all those clothes. Oh, yes, he [Papa] brought me a nice diner Mother had fixed for me. He stayed for about an hour, he had to go back to work, and I washed untill about sundown. He came after me. He helped me finish rinseing my clothes then we had to gather up the wet clothes in bottom of sack but dry on top. Went home, hung clothes out. Mother H. had supper ready but I dident want any. I guess I must have been nervous but I dident know anything about nervousness. Then I got sick after I went to bed. Sure was bad for awhile but Mother was a good dr. She treated me and next day I was all right.
Well we got all the little pigs eat and I dont know what we done with the sow. We went over to Mothers, stayed a few days, got a waggon put our little belongings in it, went to Bosque Co. Went to John Panes, Papas sisters husband. They lived on Hams Creek. It was a beautiful place. The valley was surrounded with cedars on little mountains. The little creek was as clear as water could be, and good to drink. There was a very deep hole at head of creek. The said it had no bottom. A story was told of a man by the name of Ham had drownded his self in that hole and that was why they called it Hams Creek.
John had taken up a little valley there, had built a little log house on it and so Papa looked around, found a beautiful valley with the creek on one side, a little mountain covered with cedar on the other. So there we build a little log house. It wasent much too large for the bedstead and a chair or two. Then he went to cutting cedar logs to build a house. It was 16x16. He hughed [hewed] the logs, put it up and Mother H. wanted to weave a piece cloth, so borrowed a loom, but it in the house and wove piece cloth. He hadent got the floor down either and it come a rainy spell. Put the waggon sheet over the loom.
We had a few chickens and got a cow to milk. Made butter, had corn bread most time. Some place Papa would work at home a while then go off and work a while. We dident have lamps or candles part time. Just had grease light. A wick in a saucer or tin plate and grease in it. We dident read much after night.
Well one night the stork made us a visit. Brought us a little girl and she sure was a beauty. The dr. said she had silk hair. He allways called her his silk baby. We called her Fredonia Elizabeth. Her grandmother thought Billys baby was the prettiest and sweetest baby of all her grandchildren because he was her favorite child. As well as I remember she weighed 8 lbs. when she was two weeks old. On Sunday after Fri. we went to see her uncle John and aunt Nan. Stayed all day. Sometimes we would go horse back riding, leave her with her grandmother. She all ways wanted to keep her.
Well we got our house done, stayed there about six months and I was so proud of my home. Papa told me all how he was going to fix to bring the water up to the house on a wire. Not far from [the] house in [the] bed of [the] creek there was two springs opposite each other. He would dig a deep spring and just run the wire down, make it so it would dip up a bucket full and give it a jerk and it would come to [the] house, but we didnt stay there long. Sold out, moved to another place not far off. Stayed there awhile.
We left Bosque Co., went to Mothers in Bell Co., stayed there awhile, went on to southern Texas. Papa got to work for Old Mose, a Negro or mulatto. He was nearly white but had been a slave. He had a nice home and a good old woman. Her name was Rhoda. We all called her Aunt Rhoda. She was very kind to me. I went to make some soap. It wouldnt get thick. I got Aunt R. to come up and look at it. She said it was the wrong time of the moon. Said Child just let it get cold, take grease off and wait till new moon and run the lye down. I will come up show [you how to do] it. I done just like she told me so when the new moon came I run the lye down, sent her word she come up put grease in [and] told me not to stir it only one way. Well we got good soap now. For fear some of the ones that read this may not know what I mean by saying run the lye down I will tell you how we made soap in those days. The men got a log, just a small one. Hollowed it out all along but one end. Put blocks or rocks down a little, not as far apart as trough was long. Made the end that was not hewed out a little higher than the other end. Then made a frame all around trough, put plank on long boards one end in trough the other end on frame. Then put shucks in bottom then ashes. Would put in a few ashes wet them then take a mall pack them untill the hopper was as full as we wanted. It made it a little lower in middle so the water wouldnt run over and just poured water every few hours untill the lye began to run out at the lower end of trough. Put a pot under that end to catch lye, then pour it in big pot untill we got enough, or as much as we wanted. Put in grease set it to boiling. It didnt make hard soap, had to put it in bowl or something else. It sure was good to wash with. If we wanted hard soap we put salt in some of it before we taken it out pot and when it got cold the lye was in bottom, soap on top. Just cut it out and laid it on boards untill it dried. It was handy to use as hand soap.
We was doing very well. Bro. Elijah come down to see us and get a power of attorney from us on my fathers estate in Ill. He was going back there to settle it up and sell the place. We had to go several miles to a justice piece. We left Donia with Aunt Rhoda as we went horse back. We got it fixed up, bro. went back. Papa was fixing to build a frame house, had the foundation laid when Bob came and he got after Papa to go to Arkansas. Tore up again. On the road. Traveled through mud and mud. Finely got to Fanin Co. Your Aunt Sary was comeing to go with us to Ark. so we got a little house, camped in it as we had nothing to keep house with. I sold my bedstead Mother had give me. I think we left the chairs. Guess we left them untill we left for Calif. Papa got job so did Bob. We waited several weeks, I dont remember how long but finealy they got there.
Sarahs family consisted of 5 girls, May, Nan, Donia, Emer, and Genia and she had a man Elic Stone to drive her waggon, or one of them. It had 4 or 6 mules to it. She had another wagon with 2 mares to it. She drove it. She also had several head cattle cows and calves. May and Nan rode horses drove cattle. After a few days, or weeks, Elic and May wanted to marry so Papa and Elic went to county seat got licens and engaged a preacher. That was on Sat. in May, I think. We cooked cakes and pies, baked light bread, fixed everything but meat. I dont know what we was going to so for meat but know what we did do. Late that eve. between sun set and dark some one heard a turkey. As turkeys fly up to roost in a tree just across branch from house and Papa taken gun said we will have turkey for dinner. He went over shot it. It was a fine gobbler. We said the Lord sent it to us and I still think he did as there wasnt very many wild turkeys there then. Well we had turkey and dressing but no cranberry sause as we had never heard of that sause. Well Sunday came bright and perfect. Elic, May, Papa and I taken a ride out to see if we could get some strawberries. Got few.
Well we got back, preacher came, the not was tied, prayer said, diner eat, and the preacher gone. Bob had been working for a man over a few miles from where we lived so he informed us that he was going to get married too. He married a girl named Mattie. I have forgot her sirname. She was a nice sweet girl, but we didnt wait. We started on, got to Red River, crossed over in to Territory. That was the year 1867.
In June I think it was we got to Benton, Ark. Bought a farm. couldent get posesion untill the man gathered his crop. So Papa bought lumber, build a shop. It was right close to a big spring called Corner Spring. We lived in [the] shop.
Papa would work at anything he could get to do. He picked up apples at 50 cts. for an old man by name of Hastings. They was old settlers. Allso Mr. Burrows was old settlers. Our nearest neighbors was Mr. Baker the man we bought [the] place from.
Well Sept. come and the stork came brought us a sweet boy baby, the 12, 1868, but we never did move in our house. Bob wanted to go to Calif. We stayed there untill spring and sold out. Started to travel again, just a two horse waggon. Went up through Missouri. We went up a river named Roaring R. It wasent deep but we had to cross it about a duz. times and its name sure suited it. The boys would tie horses to back of wagon. Papa and I and children slept in wagon. Bob slept on ground. We had a good watch dog. One night he began to growl. Bob raised up. There was a little chunk burning where we had our fire and directly he saw a man trying to crawl up to where the horses was tied. He called Bill get your gun. He already had his. He ask the man what he wanted. He said a chunk of fire. Bob said well you come get it and if you come back here any more to night I will shoot you. Well we never seen or heard of him any more, but the next morning after we started we found the chunk where he had threw it down, so we thought if it hadnt been for the dog we might lost our horses.
We traveled on untill we came to Kansas City. There Bob got in with a family by name of Prat. They were going to Calif. That was the last we seen of him for several years.
Papa got another job and we had to move. I dont know how long we stayed there, but we went from there to Omaha, Neb. Papa got work there for awhile, sold our waggon and team, gave the dog away to a man we thought would be good to him, put all we had, bed dishes, and all, in two trunks. Oh yess we had a grub box and suit case or satchel as we called it. It had the baby clothes and few for Donia in it.
So one morning, the first or second day of July 1869, we started to Calif. on the first through passenger train that went across that way from Omaha to Sacramento. Had a very nice trip except Papa had spell sick head ache. We never had to change cars but one time on the trip. I dont remember the name of the place we changed, but we got in the other train. It seems to me it was Agton we changed it. Well we went through mountains, saw snow, sun shining, but we went through a tunnel all the same in crossing those plains. At that time was dangerous. In one place I remember the train went as fast as it could. I guess they didnt have any one outside. Then in one place we went around the horse shoe bend. We went as slow as could go. Could see both ends [of the] train. They had two engines on in one place. I think that was the place. We had our grub box, had plenty to do us. Papa made Coffey on the stove. That is the way they heated the coaches those days.
Well July 4th 1869, on Sun., we arived in Sacramento Calif. I remember there was so many men howling, this way, this hotel, or another one. We couldent hardly get to the depot and I dont know if they had a waiting room or not, but Papa left me out on porch sitting on one of our trunks with my two little babies. He went to hunt Bob as the last we had heard from him he was in Sac. I dont think he had street or number but in the eastern part as I remember.
It seemed to me Papa was gone several hours. After while he come back, hadnt found Bob. Well we had many a laugh years after at how green we was.
Well we didnt have much money. Just $12 as I remember. We had to go to a hotel. Cost us 50 cts. to get our trunks taken up there. I guess we walked, any way we got there. I changed dresses, cleaned up, felt better. Stayed all night.
Next day the town celebrated the 4th. We did too but oh how. Papa hunting a place to put his little family. Every house that was to be had, it seemed to be so high and wanted the rent in advance. It was more than we had.
But finely he found a house that needed some repair. He could repair it, live in it a while. So now we had to get moved down there.
Then he went bought a little stove, a little grub [food], a water bucket, and a few other things that we just had to have. It seems to me that our little bit of money sure did last. It was like the leven [leaven] we read about. Well, now for a job. For the next day or two he hunted for a job. Offered to work for nothing just for a trial, but no, they wanted a recomendation. He told them where he come from they didnt need any recomendations. Well, he couldnt get anything there, but a man told him out near Davisville on ranch he might get work, so he tied up a suit underwear and a clean shirt in a red handkercheif. He had $3.00. He divided it equal and left me and the babies in a strange land.
Well, the time seemed long while my dear husband was away, but I will try to tell of him. He just had $1.50. Taken 50 cts. to take him to Davisville on train. He went to hotel, stayed all night. Cost him 50 cts. meal, 50 cts. bed, no job. Had to leave his clothes for his bed. Went out next morning, found a job unloading lumber. He carried it on his shoulder all day. At night he got $1.50 and a blistered shoulder. Couldnt carry any more lumber.
But God came or sent a friend to help the needy. His name was Jack Stripling and he was from Mo. too. He told Papa when any one ask him if he could do anything tell them yes. So some one told him out on a ranch he might get a job. Well, he thought a ranch was where they had cattle and stock of all kinds, as that was what Texians called it, so he went, but when he got out there they was threshing wheat. He went to the boss, ask for job. He said no vacant place, but if he would stay untill Monday he would be apt to get a job as some men generally got knocked in head Sat. night (that was Fri.)
This is the end of Julia Ann' s manuscript. If there is more, it has never been discovered among her papers.