1535944

[williamstone.FTW]

!BIRTH- She was born May Carpenter, and added Marjorie when she was
14...or 21, depending on when she tells it. Also changed her name from
May to Mae in school, as other children made fun of her.

!Divorced Mills 1930 Brighton, Colo. grounds of cruelty

!per Margie:
Grandmother Elizabeth died two days after John had kidnapped Mae and
Claudie from Belle and taken them to his parents--probably around 1920.
The kids were boarded until Belle got out of the hospital and came
looking for them.
She took Mae with her to Denver and Trinidad for awhile, boarding her
with a woman who was raising a granddaughter. Another time she
boarded with a minister and was forced to repeat lengthy prayers
several times a day.
In Denver, they lived a block or two south of Colfax. On the south side of
Colfax was a convent, where Mae and Claudie often stopped to hear
stories--including some about babies buried in the basement! The school
was a few blocks farther on the south side at Colfax, maybe about
Emerson St.--she went to school there for a year.
Other years she attended McKinley School in Sacramento. (4th-6th
grades). The family often wintered in Sacramento. At this school, she
went by the name Mae Brown, as she had a stepfather named Wilbur
Brown.

!Member Golden Sheaf Chapter No. 111 of Denver, Order of Eastern Star

(Quoting an excerpt from a letter to Debra Pierce (Cohig) from her grandmother, Marjorie Dawson, dated 4 February 1977.)
Now about your Great Grandmother Carpenter. She died in her sleep of heart failure, in Fremont, Nebraska, in 1948. When she was young she used to play house and sew dolls clothes for Char, laura and Myttice's dolls. As she grew older the laughter left her lips. When I was born she was serious and very strict but I know she loved me only I think she was afraid to show it. She was always very slim and stood about 5 ft, 4 or 5 ins. I don't think she ever weighed over 130 lbs. at the most Now my father I can't tell you very much. They were separated when I was less than 8 years old. Claude, my kid brother, wasn't yet 6 years old. One thing even though he deserted us kids, he never once that I ever remember spanked or scolded Claude and I. Now when and where and what he died of I will have to bury my pride and write and ask Tillie because Claude is very ill. I'll do what I can as soon as I can and let you know. Your mother has a picture of Father and Claude on one side and me on the other. It's a post card size. That was taken right affer my parents separated. Also your Mother has a snap shot of my mother when she was older. As far as I can figure out, my mother was born approximately 1882 because she was 30 when I was born in 1912. My father was 5 years younger than my mother. My mother carried herself like a princess even when she was old. When she was younger she had heavy long dark brown hair and brown eyes -- her eyes faded when she got old. My father was slim, a little taller than my mother and considered very handsome. He had very dark wavy hair and brown eyes. He was a carpenter. His father was a very slim tall military appearing man. He had been a cabinet maker and could whittle anything out of a piece of wood. He was all French. My Grandmother Carpenter was darker of skin and short as I am. There is a question of whether she was French also -- or Indian. I favor the Indian because of the texture of my father's hair and high cheek bones. Claude is all French but me? Well, one wouldn\up6 t\plain \fs22 t know what I was unless they could read my mind and heart -- then they'd know without any question that I had Indian blood in me. Now I will have to wait just a few days to get the information out of Grandpa or get him to write himself...
(Quoting an excerpt from a letter to Debra Pierce (Cohig) from her grandmother, Marjorie Dawson, dated 25 Setember 1977.)
Now then, I have something which might help you in finding out abo ut my Father's people. When Arline took that trip north, she visited my brother, Claude. He had a picture and Arline took a picture of it It's on a slide she sent to us. We've looked at them through our view finder and hope your father will be willing to show the slides on his screen sometime soon. This picture shows an elderly couple with three girls and three boys. I didn't know my Father had any brothers but I was named after my three aunts -- Mabel, Maude and Mamie. Two of them are twins but I don't know which two; and I don't know their married names, although I do know one of the girls married a farmer and lived close to Malvern, Iowa.Claude is a sick man but won't stop smoking... Honey, I know you think it very strange that I don't know more about my ancestors but my folks were divorced when I was not quite 8 years old. My father spirited Claude and me away while mother was in the hospital. He took us to his parents who then lived in Malvern, Iowa. We were only there a short time when my Grandmother Carpenter died. I remember her just as looks in this picture, and my Grandfather looks the same also though he did not have a mustache when we were there. My father then left us with a woman who was raising her granddaughter. The daughter's name was Zona but I'm not certain what their last name was. That would have been around 1919. When Mother got out of the hospital and was well enought, she came looking for us and had a hard time before locating us. She took us away from there to Fremont, Nebraska to laura. My older sister, who was married and had a six month old baby girl. Then Mother sent for us from Denver and we were put on a train and sent there. Again we were boarded in a boarding school Then we were sent to Mother in Trinidad and boarded with another woman who had a granddaughter. After that we were sent to Sacramento. You can see we must have been a dazed pair of children. Kids, as a rule arent curious about their ancestors and so I never asked. About 15 I had had it so I carn back to Denver on my own and didn't write to any of my relations for years. When I wanted to know facts, it was too late. I am very sorry, dear, but that's the way it is! My Mother did have a sister, though, who married a man named Guthrie and they lived in Buffalo, New York. That's when I was very young so I can't remember much about her although we did visit them and a man gave me a nickel on the train. It had a buffalo on it; that's why I remember the town. My Father did write one letter to me before he died. He told me I was eligible to join the DAR but he did not state from which side. .

Honey, if I'd known you and Debbie were interested I could have told you a bit about Mother's family. But, I did the Coliver family first, and some of Mother's family were either gone, or not too helpful. Grandmother married William G. Lee after the civil War. His parents brought him north before that, from Virginia, when he was a child -- and I think he had a sister, Mary -- and maybe another sister. Mother wasn't sure, but thought her name was nancy. He was in Illinois when the war broke out, so he fought for the North. After the war, he went back to Virginia, but was disowned by his family there. It was after this that he married our Grandmother. She was 18 and he was 40, according to his war records. He died of a lung ailment when Mother was between one and two years old -- and her uncle and his wife, William and Catherine Guthrie, brought her up. The Guthries at that time were well known in Ilinois. At the time William Ieee's parents brought him north, several states in the area were called "the Ohio Territory" and it is very hard to get any records from any of them. lrrrtly because of fires that destroyed papers and partly because people did not record -- nor leave records of their lives. William Ieee could also have come from Kentucky as at that time, Kentucky was not a state by itself. I could find no record of a William Ieee that wAs close to Robert Ieee -- but if he was disowned, it would not be in the family history. I think we are more apt to be 4th cousins, though Char also thought Robert E. Ieee was Mother's uncle. But I don't think Mother really knew. That we are related I'm sure of, but how close, I could not find out And, I haven't been able to do any more for years. If I have anything that will help Debbie, I'd gladly send it to her, and perhaps she has found out more than I know. I could seldom get any answers from Mother. she didn't seem to think I needed to know... (MY parents) were apart for some time when dad first went to Washington. My cousin, Goldie, on the Cawley side, told me how long Mother, char and laura were at her parents' home after Dad left for Washington, and if she was right, I could not possibly belong to both of them! Also, I was born in a hotel! Now who would take his wife to a hotel for her to have a baby! Well, from what I've heard about dad -- he could have! But Mother herself said I had a nurse and a girl for housekeeping. They did not have that kind of money. Mother told me Char insisted on naming me Myrtice, and the nurse wanted me called Alberta and the maid wanted me called Hazel so Char thinks I was at least 3 months old when I first went to Mother, as I laughed out loud the night I was supposed to have been born, and that my name was Hazel Alberta and that they put the Myrtice on first. another think I remember was that Dee had been back at Grandmother's for at least 3 years. I don't remember how long it was -- but shortly after she came home, she was angry with me and said, "you don't belong in this family anyway" which makes me think she could have heard something at Grandmother's. Char said she was told to go in another bedroom, but she left the door open a little way, and she says she peeked through and a tall, dark man came though carrying a basket, and shortly after, she heard me laugh. Mother told her it was the doctor she waw, but when the doctor came the next day, he was a very different person. I just wish I knew if Char was off on one of her pipe dreams -- or not

(Quoting an excerpt from a letter from Myrtice Collver to her sister, Marjorie Dawson, dated 21 August 1978.)

I remember your grandparents better than I do your Dad. As I remember, your grandmother was a tiny woman with bright brown eyes. She always wore a sunbonnet in the yard. I remember your grandfather as a tall man with high cheekbones, but on the blondish side. le may have had Indian cheekbones, but not any other features of them or the French, either. But I tuess he knew what he was! I remember them as they lived next door to us I don't think your Dad ever even considered Char -- she was only 12 then,..
I don't know of anything against the lees, except that the Southerners could take it wrong as our Grandfather lee fought for the North in the Civil War, and his virginia relatives disowned him.
Now our Grandmother lee (Atkinson) did make biscuits for Jesse James many times, and she said he was not a criminal, but only protecting his own...
Mother thought your Dad was part Mexican but Mexican are the offspring of the Indian and Spanish misture, so it could have been the Indian and not the Mesican at all that she saw in him. He did have a Mexican temper! Yet he was kind at times. Dee always riled him just by looking at him -- but she had the same effect on my Dad. Your Dad may have used Char as an excuse to see Mother, but no one but Char was fooled! He paid more attention to Mother than Dad ever did. And, your Dad never went out without Mother, except to work. He was a good workerand if there was a job to be had, he could get it.
Mother never told me where they lived when I was born except it was in Goldendale. Char only told me about the hotel part last year -- or not too long ago. I imagine the nurse only came in to bathe the baby, etc. before Mother could be up, and Mother always had a girl with her to help with the older children while she was married to my Da~ He was the most helpless man, I've heard. After she married your Dad, she didn't need a girl to help her. He could cook and do most anything. In fact, he delivered you. When Claude was born, he came just as your Dad walked in the back door. Mother had sent me for the nurse at 4:00 p.m. and she had a cake in the oven, and said she would be over later, but never came. I'm sure she didn't know Mother was in labor, and I didn't know to tell her. I had also phoned your Dad to come home, but he was out and whoever I gave the message to, either didn't give it to him or had left before your Dad got back. So he didn't get home until 6:00 p.m., just as Claude arrived. I was under the impression he did send for a doctor, but your Dad gave us some money and told us to go to the store and buy some candy, and then told us that when we came back to go to the neighbors. We did and they gave us something to eat. Dad called us home at 8:00 and were we ever surprised to find we had a baby brother! Mother had told me about it months before and I forgot! I don't think laura and Dee were there, as Char came home when Claude was about 9 months old, and you and I were the only ones there that summer... laura is 3 years and one month older than I--I will be 75 in October so that should make her 78 in September but just yet, she is 77. char was 82 last February and will be 83 next February... 1 think I am 2-1/2 years older than Dee. she is 6 years older than you, so that makes her 72 -- and that must be right as I'm 74, but in a couple of months I'll be 75.
(Quoting an excerpt from a letter from Myrtice Coilver to her sister, Marjorie Dawson, dated \ul 20 November 1983.
I'm afraid I can't help you Out with the Carpenter genealogy. I have never had a picture of your Dad. nd the only picture I have of Mother is the one I had taken off of a picture of her, my Dad, and Char when Car was 3 years old. The one I had framed and sent you. I think I had one of you in my early photograph book -- but that seems to have disappeared.
Now about this Lee family. Our Grandfather was William G. Lee. He was brought to theOhio Territory by his parents and two sisters, as a child. His parents died and he was in Benton, Illinois. When the Civil War broke out, and he fought for the North, so his family been on their records. However I do have his discharge from the Army, which giveshis birth, marriage, etc. He was 40 years old and Grandmother was 18 when they married. Her name was Rebecca Guthrie. I know I won't get into this until after Christmas. I think the "G" in Grandfather lee's name could have been Granville. He and Grandmother had twin boys. One was Granville and the other started with a "G" but Mother could not remember the name. Both had died before Grandmother's pension came through. William G. lee came out of the Civil War with lung trouble. They went to Missouri and lived in a covered wagon, not far from the home of Jesse James' mother and stepfather. William lee died there and was buried near there.
It would be hard to trace any of the Lees in the South to connect any and also when the North marched through the South, they destroyed records, courhouses and about everything.
Now, about the Carpenters. If Debby knows where they lived in census years she could write to the State Census Bureau and could find out that way. I did that with the ColIver family. But don't try to get the early census from New York State -- they would not report in as they were afraid the government was going to tax them. They weren't so dumb!
(Quoting an excerpt from a letter from Laura Garfield to her younger sister, Marjorie Dawson, dated 28 June 1987. Dearest Marjie and Bill:
Just 74 years ago today, the folks put Dee and I on the train from hood River, Oregon headed for Nebraska... Alot of water has run under the bridge since then . . We went to Oakdale to live with Uncle Levi and Aunt Lucy. They lived on a farm. Do you remember them when the folks came to Nebraska? We was there that summer and the winter and on March 1st, 1914, they moved to the Sand hills on to a homestead. Don't know WHY they would want to do that as they had a good farm -- if Levi would have stayed there and farmed it... Anyway, we was there for that summer and in the fall, Levi took Dee to stay with Grandmother to go to school and I or rather Grandmother had found a place for me to work for my room and board and go to school. From that time on, I was on my own. Mother never did send a dime for clothes or anything else and after I went into town, Levi never gave me anything for clothes either... I don't know HOW I got on that subject just remembered the date and side tracked from there. Ha.
June 22, 1991Dearest Marjie:
As usual, I am like an old Cow's tail- always behind! It seems like the time always goes to fast OR I am just to slow. Anyway, here is the letter I promised to write to you. It may not ease the hurt BUT it should give you a better understanding of Mother' 5 actions toward Claude. When Char
was a small girl, mother gave birth to a little boy. He lived 21 days. Then when Char was four years and seven months old, I was born. Then when I was little , Mother gave birth to astill born baby- another boy. Then when Dee was little mother had another Boy and uc livedanly ahout eleven months. That was three boys that she had lost. She used to look at your Dad's little brothers picture (Warren) and wished she could have a boy just like him. Well, finally Claude came along so she had aboy that she wqs proudof and he did look a lotlike Waren.Waren had died when he was a young boy- I would say io 10 or 12. So, after all the disasters with her Boys, she was exceptionally dareful of claude. I dont Ithink she ever realized what she was doing to you... I was so madat her one time when they was staying with us during the winter. Times was hard and we needed fuel. There was a big dead tree that had blown down in our yard and Dat asked Claude to saw some of it up. Atth thattime Claude was 16 or maybe 17. He was working at it and mother went out and made him stop it- "it was just to hard for Claude", but Dat could come home froniwork and then saw wood to keep them warm while they sat and did nothing. Had it been later years, I would 1~ave blown my stack but good but at the time I was a very meek person. Well, in the Spring when Claude went to work so they could have helped us getback on ourfeet, they would move out and leave us holding the bag-usually a big grocery Bill to be paid.. flat usedto say it was well worth it to get rid of them.. Anyway, I hold no Crudge but I cant forget some of the things that went on.We are told to getget and forgive. Well, 1 can forgive hut how can I forget???.
Anyway, that is enough of that. T hope you are feeling better all the time and able to stay up on your feet-as long as you dont overdo. I am fine- not doing much but crocheting and reading.. I only had the one Heart Attack and I sure dont want another one. ha.It wasn't funny... This seems like a nice day out-that is, sunny but I think it is still pretty cool. Bob and one of his Crand son in law laid me the nicest walk from my steps to the Driveway so now I can walk out by myself. They also put up an iron rail for me to steady myself if I need too. It is sure nice. Bob is going in for Curgery the 16th of July. Marge and Don are coming to stay a part of the time with me so I wont have to be here alone and when they have to leave, Certrude and if Lloyd is able to travel by then, he will come too andstay a week or so until gerry and Bob can get back from Stanford