Life, Love, and Death

Copyright © 2009 by Mary F. Tucker.

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Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

In Loving Memory of My Mother

Vina Mealer James

Life, Love, and Death

Where life, love, and death walk hand in hand.

I walk the paths of life, love, and death. I find myself in the past as a child.

I make my way, through bittersweet memories. Memories alive with mom, who fought very hard to keep her family together.

Memories of countless days when mom had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to prepare a simple meal for her children.

Memories of her prayers that she would live long enough to raise all her children and see them happy and with a family of our own.

I walk through the memories of Death, when we lost a dear brother and mom lost a beloved son. We lived through the pain and sorrow of seeing mom in so much pain from the loss of her child.

Life goes on as we lean on the incredible fortress of God’s love.

As I walk, I’m still in the past. As tired with age. She still stands on the love and grace of God.

A very sad memory, when we were all called to go to her bedside. Still fighting off the thoughts of death, we hover around. The memory of her slipping away from us, to go home to be with her God.

I linger with the memories of the love we had as we grew up. We were very blessed because we were taught to love one another, and to always stay close as a family.

I think back to the more recent past, as I am faced with the thoughts of possible death. I’m not afraid to die, but I’m not ready to leave my family.

I lean on the love and prayers, of family and friends. God is love. I, like my mom, want to live to have grandchildren and be able to enjoy them.

I look back through the sea of memories, good and bad, and I realize that we all walk hand in hand with Life, Love, and Death.

Mary Tucker

Vina Mealer James was the most forgiving person I have ever known, no matter how bad anyone would treat her, she always forgave them. The next time she would see them she showed them as much love as always. She had daughter-in-laws and one son-in-law that treated her worse than you would treat a stray dog. They would come back to her house and she would ask them in and make them feel welcome. She told her children that you have to forgive. She taught us that no malice shall enter heaven. Everybody that was anybody loved her. She never mistreated anyone. I remember that when anyone hitch hiking would stop and say they were hungry, she invited them in and fixed whatever she had that she could fix. Sometimes she would make sure she fixed a bag full to take with them. She said that she would pray that if any of her family were on the road, that somebody would feed them. If she’s not in heaven, we don’t stand a chance, but we know that’s where she is.

Chapter 1

I have asked God to give me the strength and understanding to write this book about my mother, Vina Mealer James. You see, she was a descendent of a Cherokee grandmother. Her mother was half Cherokee. She was a beautiful woman, but as you know back then she was a half-breed. No man wanted to marry her but they wanted to use her and abuse her.

She had three children by someone, my mom and her two brothers never knew who their father was. She did give them her last name of Mealer.

Vennie was my grandmother’s name. She moved in with a man that had lost his wife. He had three children and so did Vennie. His name was Jep Patterson. He needed someone to take care of his children and Vennie needed a place for her and her children to live. I’m sure Jep wanted more than a house keeper, but that was the price she had to pay for a home for her three children.

A few years after Fran’s mom moved in with the Patterson’s, she became very ill. Back then very few people could see a doctor, and if you were a half breed like Fran’s mom you never saw a doctor. Finally after Fran’s mom was about to die, the doctor came by. He checked Vennie, Fran’s mom. He told them that it was her heart and that she didn’t have very long to live.

Fran was only ten years old. Lawson was almost seven and Johnathan was twelve. Fran and Johnathan were expected to do all the work. Jep’s children were older, but they didn’t have to do anything unless they wanted to.

Fran stood by the bed of her dying mother crying and trying to do anything she could to help her or make her comfortable. Although Fran was only ten years old, she carried a heavy burden.

Fran and her brothers had to watch their mother slowly die, and there was nothing they could do but cry. Fran was still expected to do the cooking and cleaning while her mother lay dying. Fran stood by the bed of her mother and cried and ask God to take care of their mom.

Fran had done all the cooking and cleaning since her mother had been so sick and Johnathan did the outside chores, like chopping wood to cook with and the fireplace.

They had one uncle and two aunts and a few cousins. Jep Patterson was not a kind man and he expected them to work for their keep. He never gave Fran or her brothers a kind word. He was cold and hard hearted.

Fran was so small she had to stand on a tub while she did the dishes.

The day Vennie, Fran’s mom died was very cold and snow softly falling. The three children were broken hearted and hugged each other and cried all day. This was very hard for three children to be left homeless and no family that wanted them.

The day of the funeral was very cold and snowing. Fran, Johnathan, and Lawson stood by the grave side with tears running down their cheeks, while Cousins Delia and cousin Pansey were arguing about who would have to take the children. The wind was very cold for an April day in southern Tennessee. The year was 1915.

When they returned to their stepfather’s house, there was plenty of cleaning to be done. Fran stood on her little tub to wash all the dishes that had been left for her. The house was very cold and she tried to hurry with the chores, with tears streaming down her cheeks, so she could warm herself by the fire place in the front room of the old weathered house.

Fran was thinking back to all the many weeks that her mother had been sick. She remembered that afternoon while she and her brothers were standing by their mother’s grave side trying to comfort Lawson. He was the youngest of them, but none of them knew what was in store for them. Fran put her arms around her little brother holding and trying to comfort him while the cousins were still talking about them as if they were not there. Cousin Delia said, There’s no way we can take three more children into our house. I have enough problems with my two and I will not be responsible for someone else’s children. Cousin Pansey was saying I’m certainly not taking them in. I don’t want any children around my house making a mess of everything. Cousin Delia said, Well they will have to make it the best they can, because nobody wants to take in strays and be responsible for them. Johnathan was so upset he turned and ran from the graveyard. There was such a chill in the air.

Fran finally finished her cleaning and went the front room to warm herself. Everyone was very quiet.

The next morning when they all got up, their stepfather, Jep Patterson gathered the three of them together. He said, You know your mother is gone now, and I can’t take care of you any longer. You will have to find another place to stay. I have my own children to look out for and I can’t afford to feed three children that are not even mine. You will have to get out by the end of the week, so that gives you three days to find some place to stay.

Jep was always cold and hard hearted. He was never kind to Fran or the boys.

Johnathan was twelve years old, so he would have to find work for a place to stay. Fran didn’t know what she and Lawson would do. She knew she would never leave him. She would have to find people that would let them both stay and let her work for their keep.

By the end of the week Fran and Lawson had ask around, with the help of Jep, and found a neighbor that needed help with chores until his wife had her baby and was able to take care of the cooking and cleaning. They agreed to keep Fran and Lawson till then.

After this they would be sent from one house to the other, where ever someone needed help with work. Fran was only ten years old but she had to learn how to cook and clean at an early age. She was smart and it kept her mind off her mother and brothers.

For the next few years this was the way Fran and Lawson lived. They never knew when or where they would have to go next. Fran made sure that everyone knew that she would not go anywhere unless Lawson could be with her. He was getting older and could help with the work also. They very seldom heard from Johnathan and this broke Fran’s heart. She did the very best she could to take care of her brother, Lawson.

Some of the homes where they had to go were alright and the families treated them alright. Most of the places were very bad and treated Fran and Lawson like unwanted stray dogs. When someone in the community was very sick or dying or about to have a baby they would get Fran to go slave for them. Fran loved the babies and liked taking care of them, but the cleaning and cooking was very hard on Fran. Fran and Lawson had a much worse childhood than most children can ever imagine.

Fran’s mother had a cousin whose name was Delly. Fran called this cousin Aunt Delly. Aunt Delly had two daughters named Amy and Victoria. They were close to Fran’s age. They hadn’t seen each other since Fran’s mother died. The girls were always good to Fran and her brothers back when they would get to see them, before Vennie died.

When Aunt Delly found out how Fran and Lawson had to live she was really upset. She had always loved the children. Aunt Delly got in touch with Fran and told her that they could stay with her when they needed a place to stay. Fran remembered that when they were young she loved playing with Amy and Victoria when they got a chance to be together, which was very seldom. When they got the letter from Aunt Delly she was so relieved and thankful. She told Lawson that they would go to Aunt Delly’s when they left from the place she was working then.

Fran was a very pretty young girl, and beginning to get attention from men and young boys even though she didn’t want it.

When Mrs. Davis got able to take care of the baby and chores, Fran and Lawson were very glad to get ready to leave and go to Aunt Delly’s. The area where they lived was out in the mountains of and around Copperhill, Tennessee. It was very beautiful and lush with all the beautiful trees and wild mountain flowers. There were beautiful mountain streams everywhere. There was one river that was big enough that everyone had to ride the ferry boat to cross to go into town.

When they finally arrived at Aunt Delly’s they were very tired they had gotten rides with different people who had a horse and wagon. They were very thankful to the people that gave them rides.

Aunt Delly, Amy, and Victoria were really glad to see them. They ran and hugged Fran and Lawson and said they were glad they were there. That was the first time since their mother died that they really felt welcome anywhere. That was three years and very hard years also. Aunt Delly had supper ready and she know Fran and Lawson had to be starving. She put her arm around them and said Come on in children, you must be hungry after walking all day. They went inside and Amy and Victoria showed Fran and Lawson where they would sleep. Fran would sleep in the room with the girls and Lawson had a room all to himself.

Aunt Delly put supper on the table while Fran and Lawson put the few clothes they had where they were to sleep. There were two big beds in the girls’ room. Aunt Delly had a good supper, and Fran and Lawson