by Donna Swagerty Shreve
wedding 1877 in Kansas
Emma Jane Underwood Swagerty lived briefly during my existence. She died in December of 1945 when I had only lived six weeks. My only chance of making her dates of note come alive is through comments and stories from those who knew her. Hopefully what little I know can bring some sense of who she was.
Emma’s parents were born in England and then migrated to the United States Emma became their second child. From studying her genealogy, I believe her older sister died as a very young girl. Nine children came quickly after her and I am guessing Emma became her mother’s helper at a young age.
Emma married Sampson Clayton Swagerty eight years her senior in 1877 in Riley, Kansas at the age of nineteen. They quickly started their family of ten children within a year of their marriage. Their first-born was delivered in Kansas in 1879. Emma had some type of lung condition and the town doctor told Clay it would be much better for her if they moved to California where there was much better weather. The irony is that Emma lived to the ripe old age of 85 and lived fifteen years past her husband’s passing.
By 1880 the family had sold their farm and moved to Fresno, California. Soon more children were born every two years like clock work. There is a gap of a few years between the oldest son and my grandfather. A boy was born between these two boys and died before his second birthday. Finally by 1905 at age 45, Emma gave birth to her tenth and last child.
During this time, Emma’s oldest daughter came to visit her mother with exciting news. Belle was pregnant with her first child. Emma’s reaction seemed harsh to me as a granddaughter 85 years younger. Emma responded, “Hush, it will be evident soon enough.” It turned out both mother and daughter were pregnant at the same time. Belle said later in her life that her children did not get to experience Emma as a grandmother as Emma was too busy raising her own young ones.
My grandfather told me a story about his mother from his childhood. Grandpa and his younger brother, by two years, got into a lot of mischief. Earlier on this particular day, Elmer and Wilbur had beaten up on a neighbor boy of Russian descent. The boy’s mother came over to the Swagerty house because she felt the fight had not been a fair contest as together the brothers picked on one. Also the injuries to her son were excessive. Emma thanked the neighbor for telling her this story and assured her that she would take care of her boys so it would not happen again.
Elmer and Wilbur returned home in time for dinner with some apprehension. Their mother did not give any indication she was aware of their previous activities for the day. The family had dinner as usual and the two brothers were convinced they were in the clear.
Being Saturday night the boys were instructed to take up the buckets of hot water for the weekly bath. The boys filled the tub and then removed their clothes to take their bath. Just as they were ready to get into the tub, their mother appeared in the doorway with a good size switch in her hand. Emma had known all along and, as promised, took care of her sons so they would not repeat being involved in an unfair fight.
Grandpa told me this story in 1972 as an 82 year old man. He had pride in his voice in his telling about his mother. He related that they actually had no clue about her awareness until she appeared in the doorway. Their father disciplined when needed but this time Emma felt this was her problem to solve.
My mother was introduced to the family at a family gathering. Dad had brought her home from college for a quick visit. Emma wanted to know only a few things about her grandson’s future wife. Could she cook? Could she sew? Could she do needle work and why was she bothering attending college? When Emma got the answers to these questions, she was convinced my father was making a terrible mistake.
In January 1930, Emma’s husband of 52 years died. Emma was now without a provider or purpose. For the next fifteen years, Emma lived three months with each of four of her remaining nine children. My father’s family was one of the hosts for Emma. Dad and his brothers remembered her as someone who quizzed them on their spelling words or times tables. When she wasn’t helping with homework, she would do whatever chore she find to do. Her daughter-in-law, my grand mother, would sometimes hide the broom so Emma would take a break from constant sweeping and sit down. Sitting was for knitting, mending, crochet or tatting. Emma seemed to be incapable of just relaxing.
My dad’s oldest brother Uncle Clem shared a story about Emma’s death. Emma was living with one of her daughter, Helen. Emma was in a bed in fetal position with her hands moving right up to her last breath. It was as if Emma was knitting into her next life. Jack Hunter, another grandson, related how he heard she reached up as she died.
After Emma died, her children gathered to divide up what little she left behind. It is said that two of her daughters fought bitterly over a crocheted Kleenex box cover. I brought up that family story as a cautionary tale with my siblings when we gathered after our mother died. It turns out Mom used her college degree for her career as a teacher and librarian. She turned into an excellent cook and sewed our first home’s window coverings. I am afraid Emma would have been disappointed in me also. I can cook and bake. However, I do not sew but I can knit. I do not croquet or tat. I also attended college and made a career out of something besides household work.
Swagerty-Aldrich Family Web Site 