Amanda Lee~ A GREAT GRANDMOTHER

My great grandmother was a Woman of Independent Means. She was born September 27, 1837 in the state of Virginia. For sure, she grew up being treated with excessive indulgence. As a teenager, she threw out tradition by driving her own buggy. No doubt, her father gave in to this precocious and head-strong young woman. She grew up to demand that indulgence from all.

Her desire was to care for and cure suffering. The year she was 18, she had been educated in medicine enough to be a Doctor...as much as was required for that day. (Standards and licenses for Doctors wasn't established for another 50 years.)

She was intrigued with stories about Texas and that became her goal. She wanted nothing more than to live in Texas and practice medicine.

Reluctantly, her father arranged for her to join friends on a Wagon Train bound for South Texas. The route took them through Tuscaloosa, Alabama where they encounter a situation that would change her life forever.

A wheel on one wagon needed repair before they could continue. The entire wagon train had to wait. While waiting for the repair, their Wagon Master became ill. The illness dragged on weeks and then months. The stranded Texas bound families began to look for land in that area. It is said that most of them stayed while a few waited to join the next wagon train going to Texas.

During this time, young Amanda spread her wings to check the countryside. She had, of course, brought her personal buggy and horse from Virginia and totally confident to venture out alone. One day, while traveling through the narrow dirt roads in her buggy, she caught the eye of George W. Richards.

Her buggy was a beautiful solid black buggy pulled by a very nice black horse. *

The story goes that on a sunny afternoon Amanda went for a ride. It is said, she was quite a site in her red bonnet, red gloves, and long dress that matched her very sharp looking black buggy. Driving along, around a curve stood three young men ahead. As she approached, she popped her whip which brought her horse to a quick trot. Speechless, they stepped aside and watched until she was out of site.

One of the young men let out a whistle and said, "Goodness gracious, there goes the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. One day, you wait and see, I'm going to marry her."

Her fate was to stay in Alabama forever.

Story to be continued~

June

* As a child, I actually saw her buggy. My cousin Clara and I were children playing around the out buildings at "the old home place." We were exploring and investigating when we opened the door to one of the sheds. There before our eyes appeared an amazing sight.
We were stopped in our tracks as there sat the finest carriage that our young eyes had ever seen.
The BEAUTY of the black buggy was magnified in contrast to the very simple plank shed housing the treasure. I can see it in my memory today. She and I for went to her mother for an answer. Aunt Ida's was in her kitchen. Being so young, we were satisfied with her answer, "Oh, that's Grandma's buggy."