The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1912-03-29

"A News carrier called at her home to
deliver the evening paper, which she
read regularly he found her sitting
in chair at her home at ia Braasch
avenue. She had apparently fallen
asleep and the boy after endeavorlng
to wake her, called in the neighbors.
physician was summoned and he de.
clared that life was extinct. She is
survived by nephew, Burt Mitchell,
"A sister Francis of Dallas, and niece
living at Sioux City
Sadie Dubois was born IN Kentucky.
fifty-siX years ago. She came with
her parents to Norfolk in 1878 and
was married to Mr.. Dubois. She
moved to Sioux City but came back
to Norfolk Everyone knew Sadie.
Mr.. and Mrs. George Gordon, Sadie's
parents, were the first Colored PEG.
pie of this city, and they were very
desirable citizens.
Her father, George Gordon. was
born in Kentucky and died in Norfolk
on Dee. s. 1884. The mother died in
June 1904 OF the five daughters
Mary the mother of Bert Mitchell.
Jane, Sadie, Ella, and F'rances-o
Frances survives. The husband of
Sadie died some years ago.
In the carly days when the Gordons
first came to Norfolk, the German
pioneers welcomed the first Colored
children to the German school Here
Burt Mitchell, the son of Mary Cor
don . I'rnprps EDrdn,, onJ Cndi, r,r
don were taught the German Ian.
guage, which they mastered, much to
the surprise and pleasure of the Ger.
man instructor. George Gordon had
been cook for the army Of the north
during the war and he earned his liv-
ing later as a cook
John Oesterling built small frame
structure which he intended to use
for a harness shop and this building,
which stands on the corner of Second
street and Braasch avenue, became
the home of the Gordons.
Pet Dog it With Her.
1t was in this old home that Sadie
passed her last days, meeting death
(Which she often declared she was
never dlIdlu 10 lleeID WIN only
pet dog as a companion.
Sadie was very fond of pets and
few years ago attracted attention in
defense of two lambs which follow
ed her about the streets of Norfolk.
a number of poems were written and
printed in The News, regarding the
incident.
When Sadie returned from Sioux
City, after her husband had died, she
made her living by washing and cook
ing. She never failed TO be represent
ed at the funeral of a Norfolk pioneer
by a pretty bunch of flowers on
which was always attached a card,
From Sadie In this way Sadie paid
tribute to her "old friends" as she
called them.
Saved Many a Maynard Girl. I
Sadie was kind hearted to a degree.
She cheWed snuff in the old fashioned
southern way and she boosted often
that she was "blacker in the face (,
than any other niger" but notwith-
standing her blackness, her many acts
in rescuing girls from lives of shame
made her white" Sadie on many
occasions acted as protector to girls
brought 20 Norfolk for a hayward
career. On number of occasions
she brought these girls from houses
of i'll repute to her home on Braasch
avenue. The girls on most occasions |
We're without funds and Sadie sent
them to their parents in other towns
and cities with a word of advice, pay
ing railroad fare on the installmenr !
plan to local railroad agents who !
were always ready to trust" her for
the payment.
she often borrowed money from |
me TO buy a ticket for some girl who !
Was broke says Norfolk business !
man. Sadie often paid a small |
amount down on these tickets and the !
rest came i'm amounts ranging from ,
30 cents to 81 a week or a month !
Once she nursed a young boy who was
stabbed at resort and saw to it that
he had plenty of good advice and as
sisted him TO his home after he re-
covered.
AT one time Sadie was a picker of
medlclnal flowers and her name Is
recorded among these pickers in
record book in an Ohio institution.
''Her Spirit So White"
John Brennan of Sioux City found"
Sadie in 1886 and discovered some of |
the samaritan work she was doing in |
that city. On Sept "a, 1887, Mr.. Bren-
nan found Sadie at some missionary
work on the levee and in telling of
the great assistance she was giving
women who were down and out" he
wrote this poem of tribute to Sadie |
and printed it in Sioux City paper:
Like a true woman instinctively hui |
man,
Cared for the wretch who had fallen
so low,
Tenderly cared her and clearly pre-
pared her,
To start or the jorney to regions
light
This is why Sadie to me is a lady.
Black as a raven with spirit so white,
In ending his poem he said:
When at the moment the sentence is
given,
Eternity woe or eternity joys,