Notas |
- Susana and James appear together in the 1860 census, but in 1870 he is living with his son James Louis.
There is no further mention of Susanna, who presumably died between 1860 and 1870.
[ Storie typed here exactly as found in the modern re-typed version received. ]
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I MAUDIE MYRTLE GENTRY TYPE THESE STORIES OF GRANDFATHER BECASUE HE WROTE THEM DOWN IN OLD
PATCHARCOAL AND IT IS FADDING AND WILL SOON BE GONE. THIS OLD TYPE WRITER DOES NOT WORK TO GOOD. I
BORROWED IT FROM MY TEACHER AT SCHOOL, I WILL TYPE THIS JUST AS HE WROTE IT. IF A WORD IS NOT
SPELLED RIGHT I WILL LEAVE IT JUST AS IT IS.
THIS IS JUNE 12th 1927
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JAMES LOUIS GENTRY
THURSDAY JANUARY 22nd 1892
I BRING MY PIN TO THIS PAPER TO LEAVE THIS STORY FOR MY GREAT GREAT GREAT GRAND CHILDREN TO
UNDERSTAND SOME OF HOW IT WAS BEFORE I WAS BORN, AND HOW GREAT WONDERFUL MY MOTHER WAS. SHE
WAS AS PATRIOTIC AS A PERSON COULD BE TO THIS GREAT COUNTRY THE U S A.
SHE WAS NAMED SUSANA HAWKINS BY HER FATHER EDWARD. SHE WAS THE FIRST DAUGHTER BORN TO THE AND
THE LAST CHILD BORN TO THEM FOR 11 YEARS SO SUSANA GOT SOME SPECIAL TRAINING AS SHE GREW UP. SHE
HAD A DREAM WHEN SHE WAS 10 YEARS OLD, AND SAID AN OLD MAN CAME TO HER IN HER DREAM AND SAID SHE
MUST LEARN TO SAFE GUARD HER MFAMILY FOR THEIR WOULD BE TIMES WHEN SHE WOULD NEED TO.
SHE TOLD THIS DREAM TO EDWARD MANY TIMES, AND FINALLY HE SAID DAUGHTER I WILL TEACH YOU AS I WOULD
YOUR BROTHER, TO FIGHT AND SHOOT JUST AS SHARP AS A MAN, AND HE DID.
AND WHEN SUSAN WAS 14 HER FATHER AND MOTHER DECIDED TO TAKE A TRIP INTO THE WEST, WERE VERY FEW
WHITE MEN LIVED. EDWARD HAD A OLDER BROTHER THAT HAD BEEN AFTER HIM TO MOVE WERE HE LIVED AND FILE
ON 160 ACRES. SO THE PLANS WERE ALL MADE AND THE DAY SOON CAME FOR THEM TO TRAVEL WEST. EDWARD
MARY BUCK SUSANA, AND LITTLE BETTY LOADED INTO THEIR BEST WAGON AND THE TRAVELING STARTED. DAY
LIGHT HOURS WERE LONG AND EDWARD MADE SURE THE WAGON WAS ROLLING MOST OF THESE HOURS. ABOUT
THE ONLY TIME THE WAGON STOPPED WAS TO CHANGE HORSES THAT WRE GEING LED AT THE BACK OF THE WAGON
TO THE HARNESS.
NOW BUCK AND SUSANA TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THIS TIME AND PICKED UP THEIR BLACK POWER RIFLES AND WENT
HUNTING FOR FRESH MEAT. THEY BROUGHTBACK EVERY THING FROM RABBITS TO DEAR. SUSANA ALWAYS SEEMED
TO OUT HUNT BUCK, BUT HE TOOK THIS VERY WELL BECAUSE SHE HAD OUT SHOT HIM AS LONG AS HE COULD
REMEMBER. SHE WAS NOT ONE TO BRAG, SO SHE AND HER BROTHER WERE VERY CLOSE AND GOOD FRIENDS. IT
HAD BEEN JUST OVER TO MONTHS 66 DAYS WHEN EDWARD FOUND HIS BROTHER AND FAMILY. THEY LIVED IN A
BEAUTIFUL PLACE 160 ACRES THAT FRONTED ALONG A RIVER ABOUT HALF IN GOOD POLE TIMBER WITH A FEW
SCATTERED HUGE ONE TREES HIS BROTHER DOVER HAWKINS HAD BUILT A LARGE LOG HOUSE, LOTS OF ROOM FOR
YOUR FAMILY TO SAY BROTHER HE SAID, UNTIL WE HAVE TIME TO BUILD ONE FOR YOU.
EVERY ONE WAS VERY HAPPY AND EXCITED TAHT THEY HAD MADE THE LONG JOURNEY AND HAD HAD NO BAD
INCIDENT.
THE EVENING MEAL WAS OF FRESH PORK AND BREAD, OF COURSE GRAVE. THE MEN TALKED OF TOMORROW AFTER
DENNER AND FILING ON LAND FOR EDWARD. THE WOMEN TALKED AOBUT WHAT FINE GARDEN COULD BE GROWN
AND HOW TO CARD BOTH SHEEP AND GOAT WOOL.
FIRST LIGHT CAME SOON ENOUGH AND ALL THE MEN FOLK LEFT TO FIND THE LAND. THE WOMEN WORK FAST
GETTING THE MORNING WORK DONE SO'S THEY COULD SET AND TALK. THEY HAD JUST FINISHED WHEN THEY
HEARD HORSES JUMPING AND RUNNING. MAY DOVER'S WIFE LOOKED OUT TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. OH NO
SHE EXPLAINED NOT AGAIN ITS INDIANS,. THEY HAVE COME TO LOOT THE STOCK THE LAST TIME THEY HIT US THEY
TOOK THE SHEEP AND CHICKENS. THIS TIME THEY ARE DOWN AT THE BARN. WE WILL NOT LET THEM GET AWAY
WITH THIS SAID SUSANA I CAN SHOOT AND I WILL SHE SAID AS SHE RAN AND GRABBED HER RIFLE, AND SHE GETS
WHAT SHE SHOOTS AT SAID HER MOTHER. WE CAN LOAD SIAD THE TOW WOMEN YOU SHOOT THOSE THREE
HOLDING THE HORSES AT THE TROFT. YOU ALL BETTER GET OUT OF HERE SHE SAID SCREAMING OUT OF THE
BARREL WHOLE THAT WAS MADE IN EVERY OPENING IN THE HOUSE. THE JUST LAUGHTED AT THE WOMEN SO
SUSANA TOOK AIM AT ONE OF THE BUCKS AT THE HORSE TROFT, AND DOW HE DROPED. BY NOW THE INDIANS
WERE PUTTING PIGS IN FEED BAGS AND TRYING SHORT PIECES FO RAW HIED BETWEEN THEMAND THROWING THEM
OVER THE HORSES. POP WENT SUSANA'S RIFLE DOWN WENT ANOTHER, FOR THE NEXT 30 MINUTES OR SO SHE
SHOT JUST AS FAST AS THE WOPMEN COULD LOAD AND FINALLY TWO INDIANS RAN AND GRABBED HORSES AND
ROAD THROUGH THEIR FIELD UNTIL THEY WERE OUT OF SITE. THEY DID NOT GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING. SUSANA
AND HER MOTHER WENT OUT TO CHECK EVERYTHING MAY STAYED WITH THE KIDS. SUSANA FOUND SHE HAD
KILLED 10 AND WOUNDED THREE. AND IT WAS SOON DECIDED THEY HAD TO TAKE CARE OF THE WOUNDED. THERE
WAS A EMPTY WOOD SHED NEAR THE HOUSE SO THE TWO OF THEM TOWED ONE INDIAN AT A TIME AND PUT THEM
IN THE WOODSHED. SUSANA INSISTED SHE BE THE ONE TO CARE FO RTYHEM ANDTHE REST OF THE FAMILY
RESPECTED HER WISHES. ONE BY ONE SHE HEELED AND HELPED THEM ON ONE OF THEIR HORSES.
THIS WAS IN THE YEAR 1823 ABOUT 69 YEARS AGO THE INDIAN IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTRY WERE VERY EASY
STIRED UP. IT HAS BEEN TOLD NOW FOR 69 YERAS THAT WHAT SUSANA DONE BY CARING FOR THE THREE
WOUNDED THAT THE INDIANS NEVER EVER BOTHERED THE TWO FAMILIES AGAIN. WHEN THE LAST ONE WAS READY
TO LEAVE SUSANA TELTHERD THE 10 HORSES TOGETHER THAT WAS LEFT AND GAVE THEM TO THE LAST ONE TO
LEAD HOME. NOW TH EMEN HAD LOADED THE WAGON WITH THE BODIES, AND HAD TAKEN THEM DOWN BEHIND THE
BARN TO THE EDGE OF THE CORN FIELD AND LAID THEM OUT, AND STUCK A LANCE IN THE GROUND THAT HAD
RUNNERS BLOWING IN THE WIND. THE BODIES DISAPPEARED THE FIRST NIGHT.
THIS HAS BEEN TOLD TO ME BY MY MOTHER MANY TIMES AND HER SISTER IN LAW MAY ALSO, OF COURSE
SUSANA'S GREAT GRAND FATHER WAS THE HAWKINS THAT DEVELOPED THE NOW FAMOUS RIFLE.
WRITTEN BY JL GENTRY.
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