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OUT OF MY MEMORIES As written by Mamie Rachel Sterling-Sinner-Earl
In the year of our Lord 1964 Note: This has been typed by Mary Rachel Sinner-Hendrickson. Mamie, my Grandmother Sinner, was 76 years of age when she penned this compilation, and it was 13 years before her death. Her memories are taken from photocopies in my possession. She wrote this to her grandson and his first wife, Richard David Sinner, Jr., and Diana Rigg-Sinner. Richard David Sinner, Jr. is my brother, and his nickname is Spike. Some words have been corrected, only to allow the reader to more easily read her memories. The feelings she expresses, are still conveyed, as in the original text.
Grandma Sinner’s memories:
“This 9th day of March, I will begin this book, as I have promised you, Diana and Spike, as this day is a bright, sunshiny day. It rained yesterday, so the sky is so clear today in this big city where life is busy, and it seems as there are no end of peoples cars. I guess in this city you could find good and bad, health, sickness, sorrow and worse. Just about any thing you were looking for, you could find. Only one thing you could not find is pure peace, which that can only come from God alone.
You see, Diana, I was born in the year of 1888, the 22nd of June, on a bright summer day. I love the long summer days. There are so many things you can do in summer time. There are gardens you can plant, and flowers that makes it more beautiful. And, how the children love to be out doors, playing in summer. So many more things one can do in summer time.
I remember as I was born in Shelton, Nebraska, a wonderful state. They raise the most beautiful corn, great fields. There were lots of cattle raised there, sheep and other stock. And plenty of snow in winter time. Oh, isn’t it wonderful when you look upon the things God has made. Such a wonderful, beautiful world, and still not to be compared with the great high heavens above us, where some day, Diana, we can all meet again, to live forever with the great father and son, Jesus, that died to save our souls.
I remember in the year of 1892, the Indian territory was opened up for settlers for homestead. It’s now the state of Oklahoma, the state line of Kansas and Oklahoma. There were people gathered, as you see, they were to run into the land, and they stake a flag on the farm, or ground, and it would be theirs. Of course, the first one put the flag on the ground of the farm, it was their land. They called it the “race into the Indian territory”. So, my father, Spikes great grandfather, and my mother’s brother, my Uncle Bill, made the race, so they drove as far as Enid, the town I was raised in, and took some land. They have made a movie show of the race. I hope some day you might see it. The race from the Kansas line into Oklahoma, they came in wagons, buggy carts, horseback, with mules. Well, maybe some of them walked it. Sure was a great time; hundreds of people was in the race, and that was 1892. And now it is filled with city and towns, but I left Oklahoma when I was about 22 years old. We moved to Bakersfield, California. I was married, had 3 children when I came to California, and I have no desire to return to Oklahoma. I love California, I think it is a wonderful state. So, you see, I have lived in California many years.
So, in 1892, we left Nebraska for our new home. My Daddy and uncle had built us a home, so we were going to our Daddy and new home. My Daddy was an Attorney of Law, and he opened up the first land and law office in the town, our home town, Enid, Oklahoma. Them days they had a big platform built by the rail road, and a caplon (editor’s note: this is most likely a cupola) past where there was a big hook on the posts. And, they hung the mail sack on it. And, the passing train would slow down, they would grab the mail sack. My Uncle Billie Gilpin was the first mail man in Enid. He caught the mail sack as they threw it off at the platform, and took it on down at the post office. So, my Daddy and uncle play a part of the first business in the town.
We had no electric. We burned coal oil lamps then. So, we had a iron stove, we called
it the heaten’ stove, had to burn coal in it.
Well, I will go back at time we left home, our home in Nebraska. We went to one of mother’s friends house, and stayed until after Xmas. And well, I remember down the street, 3 or 4 blocks away, was a big church, and there we went Xmas night to the church. And, I guess the reason I have never forgot it, the big Xmas tree, it was beautiful and warm in the church. But, oh my, out doors the ground was covered with snow. So we all went to the Xmas tree; Mother, my Grandma, and us six children, and Mother’s friends, and a big boy about 17 years old. So, it wasn’t so bad going to the church. But, oh my, seeing that beautiful Xmas tree, then leaving the church, and the snow was falling thick and fast, the ground was covered with snow, deep about a foot deep, 12 inc. Excuse the old fishers talk. This boy had taken hold of my sister and my hand, and we ran all the way home. We had mittens on our hands, but we were so cold, felt like we were all frozen. But, we lived through it, ha ha. What a run.
Well, the day came that we were to take the train for a long ride to our new home. Mother and our Grandma, my mother’s mother, and us six children, we made lunches to take with us. We had a big sack of cookies that mother and her friend had baked for us on our journey. So at last we were on the train 3 days and 3 nights. The first night, or day, we had to change cars. We changed in Joplin, Missouri, and when we were changing cars, sister May dropped the big sack of cookies, and it was so embarrassing to Mother, but we saved most of the cookies.
And, so, the porter on the train was a colored man, and when we changed cars, he carried me over to the other car that we was to get on. And oh my, he carried my little brother over, too. And we had never seen a black man before. We were afraid of him, and he kissed us both goodbye. And, during that time, we both learned to love him, even if he was a black man.
So, when we arrived at the end of our journey, we were all so tired, and glad to get off of the train. Then, we met our Daddy and my uncle at the depot, and we rode in the stage home, and my Daddy had bought a little red wagon, and he had it full of popcorn candy and peanuts. Oh, how happy we all were to be at our new home.
I will say goodnight, for now. May God bless you and keep you under the shelter of his wings. Until then. Will write some more.
We had to ride in the stage 3 miles after we got off of the train. Then, after we had looked our new home over, we were surprised to see how warm it was. The sun was shining so bright. We ran down the hill, and there was lots of white sand on our place. So, we had a grand time. We pulled off our shoes and stockings, and having a great time being barefooted, and that was a treat. But, when mother came out and seen us, it was not so nice. She made us all put our shoes on, and that was the end of that fun. But we got used to it. Oh days of childhood, how wonderful they are.
Morning time again, a new day has begun. I wonder if we will put good things into this day, or will we forget this is the day the Lord made, and his eyes see all we do.
I remember when Spike was about 2 years old. We were on the Sacramento River. One day, an old shepherd dog came to our camp. He was crippled in one foot, and he seemed to have a sore mouth. So Butch and Spike, and all gave him the name of Shep. And, how we all loved that dog. He was lovable. So, one day, Spike, sitting on the ground, holding Shep’s head in his lap. I just thought he was loving Shep, then I seen he was looking in his mouth. So, I took time to see what he was doing, and he pulled a fish hook out of the side of Shep’s mouth. And, the dog just was laying there so still while our baby pulled that hook out. Then he held it up and said “See Grandma”. Sure tell that old dog sure loved him for that, and again as little as he was, he looked at Shep’s sore foot, and it was sore from traveling so much. So Spike doctored this foot, and it got well. And, my, how we all loved that old dog. Our baby boy, Spike, was always doing something good. God bless him. We all love him so much.
Well, another morning. It is such a beautiful day after such fires we‘ve been having in the mountains. And, a big rain came then. Always after trouble, it is so peaceful. So we are really enjoying this day.
March 30 ’64: A new day. Will try and write a few more lines. I remember when I was about 5 years old. We had went to visit our Grandma in Kansas on a farm. One of my uncles was about 16, and one was about 10 years old, and oh, I thought they were great big boys, they had a big swing, a rope tied to a great, high tree. And, I remember how Uncle Jim would say “Now hold on tight”, and he would make the swing go so high, we would go way up over in a circle. And oh my, when Mother and Grandmother seen, they slowed him down. But we children was having the time of our life.
I remember we all loved to go down in the cellar, or cave as we called it. Them days, you know it was down under the ground. They keep their butter milk cream, and whatever fruit they had canned to keep it from freezing, or so it wouldn’t spoil in the hot weather, because they had no ice boxes them days.
I remember my mother telling us children when she was a little girl, she was going down to her Uncle John’s home. You see, them days they used to call it a home on the prairie land of Kansas. The people could go out and take a piece of land. They allowed them a 160 acres that was called a homestead. It was not very thickly settled yet. He, Uncle John lived on a homestead a mile from where mother’s home was. So, once they had sent mother over to Uncle Johns for some reason. So as mother was about half mile from home, she seen a big dust storm, or that is what it looked like. So she became frightened, and there was just one big tree between Grandma’s place and Uncle John’s. So, mother hurried and climbed up the tree. And when the storm got where mother was, it was a herd of wild buffalo in a stampede. So, that tree saved mother’s life. God must of had that tree there for mother.”
The end of Grandma Sinner’s written, and shared memories.
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