Mami T-- Part 14

She was never intimidated by those who were of a different station in life. She always spoke her mind in every situation she was faced with. She was comfortable in her own skin, and knew who she was.

This is something many of us are just beginning to understand about ourselves after years of living and some never do realize who they really are or what their purpose in life is.

Daddy said, "In her later years she wore glasses. She would sometimes walk around in the house moving stuff and muttering." Someone would ask her what she was looking for. And she would answer; "I can’t find my pipe nur my glasses." And they would tell her, "Mami T your glasses are on top of your head and your pipe is in your mouth.?

She died April 17, 1917 at the age of 87 years. I never knew where she had been buried till a few years ago when I had gone up to Holmes County to the funeral service of a close family member. If I had ever heard, I did not remember, and I am sure I would have remembered anything that concerned her!

After the service we drove to a few other cemeteries visiting ancestor’s graves and recalling memories of them. We stopped by the Union Hill Cemetery to visit Uncle John and Uncle Sam McDuffie’s graves. Afterwards I was walking around reading other headstone inscriptions and I stumbled upon her grave-site.

Mami T

I cannot even begin to convey to you how elated I was to find her final resting place; this awesome woman, my gg grandmother who had always been my hero! Her son Tony is buried between her and Caroline, my g grandmother.

William H (Tony) McDuffie

Her story did not end when they laid her body to rest in Union Hill Cemetery in this small piece of earth and placed a headstone on her grave, nor does her story end here. 

Caroline

You might never see her name in a history book, but her story will live on through the pages of time, and she will be remembered by me and my descendants.

I have written her story for them so that they will know about their ancestor. I wish I could tell you so much more about her. But there are still many blank spaces. I wish I had a picture of her to share, but I don’t. I have only the one I carry in my mind, which I formed in my imagination, that comes from daddy’s description of her.

I wish that I could tell many more stories of the things that she said and did, but I can’t they would be made up. I think that I have shared enough so that you can know her too.

She was one of life’s greatest characters!

She had no formal education, but tremendous wisdom! She was a great teacher because she had a good understanding of life and she taught by example of telling, showing and doing. And it was learned by all who knew her except her only son.

She had great courage, and grit, she was never intimidated and spoke her mind freely. She was fiercely loyal to her family, and the glue that held them together.

She was so many things to so many people for so many years. She cast a giant shadow that spanned several generations in a very positive way; by just being herself.  Are you beginning to understand why I think of her as my hero?

It is my hope that I have been able to convey to the reader, the greatness of this tiny Florida pioneer woman who could not read or write; who left her mark X on paper to be witnessed others; who could read and write.

But this was not the only mark she made; she made her mark in the lives of her children, her grandchildren, her great grandchildren, her great, great grandchildren, and the lives of future generations.

She certainly made her mark in my heart! Her genes still flow strong in the bloodline of this family. We bear witness of her life and we rise up, and call her; blessed!