One Look My Way (#1 - Eternal Love Series)

Part I The Life I Loved.....First Things First

First Things First

 Even though this is supposed to be MY memoirs, I am sure someone is already asking about our family and the Confederacy. So, I will endeavor to tell you what I know.

My Mama’s family name is Jackson. No relation to the General that I know of, but one never knows these things for sure. I am sure if we had lived up North, we would’ve fought for the Union side. Our family is a God-fearing, law abiding family. I don’t know for sure what my Grandpapa’s role was, except that he fought, and his sons and brothers with him, in several battles, none that I can name at the moment, but I’m sure there was an important battle in Alabama.  He didn’t talk much about it, other than he was glad it was resolved. Men like to protect us women so that we don’t have to fret over the horrors they experienced.

My family was very kind to our workers. Others thought we owned slaves, but now that all people are free, I will tell our little secret. They were our friends, and many times the children would all play together. I was closer to Miss Jenny’s daughter Ruby than I was my own brothers and sisters (I will talk more about Ruby later). Anyway, our family did not actually own anyone. We (being our family, not me; I am a generation removed from the War Era) taught all of the workers and their families to read and write. Many believed in the Lord and went to church with us. There was a separate place designated for them to sit, but they went and worshipped just the same. We paid our laborers their wages and they were treated like our family, or better. I am sure people were curious as to why the Jackson side never bought people (they thought our workers were slaves). My guess is that we didn’t have to because they were treated fairly, provided for, and paid well.

From what I understand, the houses built for our farmers were very nice. Most of them were burned or torn down when the South lost the War. Some of these workers chose to move on to other opportunities after the war, but Miss Jenny’s mama, Hattie, stayed with Grandmama and Grandpapa until they died, and then she died. Miss Jenny stayed with Mama and moved with her when she married Papa.

Papa’s family name is Reynolds. The Reynolds side was also very well off. I believe they were similar in convictions to the Jacksons, but no one has ever actually told me if their workers were free or not. Who knows? Every mansion has a few dead bodies in the walls, right? If I remember or learn more, I will be sure to mention it.

Friendship and Trials

Since I mentioned Ruby, I will tell you about our friendship. She was Jenny and Rufus's only child. Ruby was close to two years my senior. She had chocolate colored skin, coal black hair, cropped short, and the brightest smile I've ever seen in my life. She was a true friend, and for the most part, things on our farm (we don't call it a plantation anymore) were without incident.

Darker folks didn't get a fair deal in those days. People blamed a dark man before a white man for anything and everything any ruffian did, whether or not it was true. Someone had robbed a bank, and as sure as I'm writing this, they said it was a dark man that looked like Mr. Rufus. Someone just needed to blame the first person they found, and he was that unfortunate soul. I hope that thief saw his life for it's worth and got right with God. Ruby's daddy was hanged in that no good thief's place, like Jesus died for all of us. He’s with the Lord, and Ruby and I know we’ll see him again.

I remember how he did love to sing gospel songs like “Nobody knows like Jesus” and “Wade in the Water.” He learned these growing up and passed them on to Ruby. We sang them swinging on the tree swing Mr. Rufus made for us in the backyard. After he died, Ruby was really quiet for a while. Then, one day, she and her mama just came right over with cookies and milk for an afternoon gathering, and seemed just fine.

Ruby and I have known each other since I can remember. We were never really introduced per se, but because her mama worked for my mama, we just played together. We laughed, ran through the fields, smelled the fresh hay, and picked flowers together. It was not a good day if we were caught running through the cotton fields in harvest time. We would certainly have our backsides spanked if we were caught then. I never understood that, but that’s just the way life was. I was a bit of a tomboy, and loved playing in the dirt and the mud. Ruby did too, and we got into so much trouble playing in it.  We were never apart. I’m sure she and Miss Jenny went home at night, but I remember her being with me every day. Those were some great times!

As we grew older, and started changing towards womanhood in the way every girl does, we noticed boys and talked about them. I guess I grew out of the mud stage somewhat. This was mostly because Mama said I’d never find a “suitable husband” if I was all dirty all the time.

Ruby, when she was sixteen, met David Williams. David was just the nicest fellow. He was a little lighter colored than Ruby, but if you asked me, he was pure gold. He worked hard for a local farmer and had saved enough money to build his own house. After a few months, they were married. We stayed friends, but it was different from then on out. Oh, sure, we’d have gatherings and drink tea and enjoy some delicious treat or another, but we weren’t together nearly as much as before. I know, though, that she was happy. That’s all I cared about.