The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-03-15

La
Mrs. Harvey q. Jones', e4z South Law
renee 81. Phone S01B.
Clayton, Ala, March s,s'oS.
Hrs. Harvey e. Jones. Montgomery.
Ny Dear Mrs. Jonss--r am enclosing
you herewith first paper in answer to
you call for history of women of 81
IS In my locality. You can use in any
way you see Mt. have the promise
OF another paper for April, which will
send you. Very truly.
Mrs. B. r. Roberts.
President and Historian, Clayton Chap
ter U. d. G.
The Work OF the Women Of Clayton,
'61-'6Se-First Paper.
Our esteemed and energetic Histo-
rian, Clayton Chapter. U. d. c., has as
signed me task which, IL 1t were not
for its sad memories. would be pleas
ing one-that OF ransacking the corr
ners OF my memory for the purpose OF
recalling something OF the sacrifices
and bravery OF our noble women of
Clayton during the years from 81 to
/ 65. While It would take an inspired
| pen to do Justice to this subject, and
undertake II in fear and trembling
still. In my own feeble way, will at
| tempt the duty assigned me so that
may be reminded sometimes OF how
your mothers and grandmothers bore
| their Affections and priyations during
| that stormy period. VIZ
From the day the clayton Guards
FOLLOWED by others from time to time)
first left the publsc square" filled
with patriotigm, and strong in the
faith that they would whip the Yam
KEGS in thirty days." the true and loyal
women of Clayton babe their husbands,
i sous. br0there and sweethearts Cod
/ speed! and never during the four long
years of that bloody strife aid they
falter in their duty. Clayton furnished
1 no Joan Of Arc or Fiorence Nightingale,
whose deeds have been sung in verse
and prose. but have no doubt the
recording angel would ascribe as much
Icredit or praise to our women, for their
accomplishing sacrifices. as has been
| given those two noble heroines of long
ago. You who were not with us--for
| most Of you were unborn--have no con-
ception OF the privations We then en-
dured.
When the war first begun, we had our
supplies or "st0re-bought things" all
in large quantities, for the Yankee pa
per bag, which is a fine invention OF
later years. was unheard of them. There
were barrels OF -four, two or three bar
reis Of sugar, bags of fifty and one
hundred pounds OF coffee, casks of lard
and bacon. rice and every other neces-
sary article of diet for family use all
laid in for the year. so the first year
Of the war was not so hard on the wo-
men and children; but when this war
progressed. and year after year our men
and boys (for every 16-year-old lad
shouldered his musket and went to the
'front.', still staid away. many having
answered the last roll CALL" the chance
of renewing supplies was all gone, for
ports were closed. and communications
cut off from the outside world. When
the larder became bare. then the brave
| women not only OF Clayton but OF this
whole Southern land. put their shout
ders to the wheel and with the faith
fui slaves, became the bread winners,
economizing in every way Gomez was
4 made from dried okra ana sweet pota-
toes with parched rye, and can bear
witness that Il was not q bad substi-
tnte. The young matrons of this day
will be surprised to learn how we OBJ
tained many things necessary 10
4 comfort, and will scarcely credit me
when tell them how, Tor
long time, we secured that most neees-
sary article, salt. We scraped the
ART floors OF the smoke houses, where
meat. had been hung and dried for
wears. until the earth was almost
he'd Of salt, put that salty earth. which
certainly did look tempting, in hop
per, Just as you do ashes Tor lye' aho
dripped by pouring water on 1t. then
boiled and skinned the dripped wa
fer. and it became white. and wheth-
ar palatable or not answer the pud-
nose But after a while the few re-
nnafnine men took their wagons viii
the negroes and kettles to the bay
at Mobile or lsewhere-and made II
In nice quality and quantities. oul
sugar too, was scarce arucIe, ana
Il Is.ar ,SVzar s.f klaa
svrun we fortunately could make from
cane, The sugar was brown as dried
leaf but was far preferable to the
1 HIon1 sweetening," as syrup was laugh
inrly called. We found, as s.ane pass
ed that we could not have those nne
droves of porkers sent from Kentucky
and Tennessee, so every woman raised
some meat. and the farmer women
near by who owned some land helped
supply the town with bacon and lard
but, all, my! how sparingly we cut
| and measured II.
AS wearing apparel grew scarce. our
mothers learned, as well as taught the
slaves, to weave. and our dresses
rvera woven by our own dear mothers
hands. They spun the thread to weave
into cloth homespun for the girls
dresses and Jeans for the boys and
mem clothes. The leaves OF bushes and
herbs of the earth furnished the dyes
to color our dresses. They made hags
too. of their own silk dressees prefer
ring to wear the homespun. and they
knitted socks and stockings. AS every
other article of wearing apparel grew
scarcer of course our shoes wore out
SO the dainty feet Of our mothers and
children, always before shod in the
finest OF kid, or cloth, were forced &c
wear the leather shop shoes made from
the hides tanned In the old tan yard
which is a land mark Of Clayton yet
Among my most precious--beeaus'
Of the scarcity-and best prizes part