This story was written by: Jane Frances Mitchell Oldfather. Granny: Jane Hamilton Mitchell, Grandfather: Thomas Mitchell, Aunt Mamie=Mary Stewart=Jane's sister.
Granny came from Castle Finn, County Donegal in Northern Ireland. She had one brother that later moved to Scotland.
I don't know if there were sisters married in Ireland but Mary, Martha and Margaret came to Philadelphia. Another one whose name I don't know, was married and lived in Three Rivers Michigan.
Her father was Edward Hamilton and he owned a mill which ground the grain farmers brought in.
He was evidently comfortably well off because all the family were educated. Granny spoke of a school master and she was able to help her father in his business when he was alive.
After he died, her mother wanted the son to live at home. One day her mother sent her on a errand, while she was gone her brother and his wifed moved in.
Granny then went to the family lawyer, got her share of the inheritance and at the age of 17 came all by herself over to Philadelphia where her sisters were.
She could sew very well and she soon got work as a seamstress in a doctor's family.
Grandfather was a shoemaker and when they came to Nebraska he made shoes for the cowboys.
He took up a tree claim - later a fire from the railroad burned a lot of it.
Grandmother made many dresses for the citizens in Lexington, Nebraska.
After grandfather died, Granny spent many of her winters with Aunt Mamie. She and I stayed with Uncle Tom and Aunt Lizzie in Lexington.
Granny built a house next door to Aunt Lizzie and Uncle Tom. There we lived when she was in Lexington.
I entered the third grade in town school. I would say I was an average student but the kids loved the stories I wrote for language class.
Nights, all the kids in the neighborhood would get together and play till dark "Run, Sheep, Run" or Beckon, Beckon."
Aunt Lizzie would save enough out of her grocery money each week to take her and I to the "picture show."
One Christmas while Granny was gone, Aunt Lizzie let me go over to Eustis to visit my mother. While I was there Vera got the Small Pox and we were quarantined for two weeks. Vera was a mess but the rest of us got by without getting it.
I don't remember anything unusual about my grade and high school experience till I was a sophomore then I was elected Class President.
I don't remember anything unusual about my Junior year but the next year things began to happen. Aunt Mamie invited Granny and I to come to Washinton D.C. so I had my Senior year at Central High School in Washington D.C.
Aunt Mamie and Eleanor didn't get home as soon as we had to be in Washington for the opening of school - I went to public school - Eleanor went to a private school - so the maid (who was African American) took me to school for a couple of days till I learned how to use the street car and find my way up Massachusetts Avenue.
A friend of the family Katherine Flower guided me in getting used to the school.
Mrs. Holzman helped us get used to living in the city.
I had no trouble fitting into the school system. My basic learning was as good as the other students. I took Latin - the teacher didn't cover much territory.
The English teacher was much like I was used to in Lexington.
Our German teacher was from Herglesburger. She often took us and managed to work with each of us and converse in German.
We had gymnasium - usually marching and exercised but we also had a little artistic dancing with it. I loved that.