| Notes |
- From "The Lammon Tree"
Mary Louise Lammon was Mama's baby sister. Mama said that Mary Lou got a jar of potash (her mother used it to wash clothes with) that was sitting the window and thought that it was milk (it is white like milk). Mary Lou drank the liquid not knowing that it was, indeed, poison. She died a few days later. She is buried in the family plot in Hartford and on her little grave is written: "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. " --Jane Linton
The following is a tribute that Sadie Anne Lammon Johnson wrote at age 12 about her little sister Mary
Lou:
"Again the death angel has visited our community. Mary Lou the little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Lammon passed from this old sinful world into that brighter and better world where all is peace and love. Little Mary Lou was born on the 10th day of March 1906 and died on the 26th day of August 1908 She leaves father, mother, 4 sisters and 2 brothers with hosts of friends and relatives to mourn her loss. Her little life was indeed very short but it was a beautiful ray of sunshine and gladness to her loved ones. Dear little Mary Lou, we miss your sweet smiling face, no soft hands to caress us when we are tired; no little blue eyes peeping from your silken locks; no, not in your cradle nor your little chair. Oh, it is so hard to give you up but the one that ruleth over all things saw it fit to take this tender bird, though it is indeed clear and we must submit to our blessed masters will, though it sometimes seems greater than we can bear. Little Marylou bore her suffering with all patience and perfectly calm unto the last. Papa and Mama's prayers were not answered as we would have had them; their arms were too weak to save her from crossing over the river that we must all cross sooner or later. Dry your tears for your darling is in heaven and we would not call her back to be tempted by Satan's many wicked ways, but continue your prayers that on that bright and cloudless morning you will meet her in that city of gold. Let us console ourselves with the knowledge that whomsoever believeth on him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life. We cannot understand why our precious little ones are taken from us, but we must remember that thy will "Oh Lord" be done and not ours and that he doeth all things well; Little Mary Lou was Laid to rest at Hartford Cemetery on the morning of Aug 27, 1908."
Peaceful be thy silent slumber,
Peaceful in thy grave so low,
Thou no more will join our number,
Thou no more our song shall know,
Yet we hope again to meet thee.
When the day of life is fled
And in heaven with joys to greet thee;
Where no farewell tears are shed.
--Written by her dear sister Sadie"
[Aunt Sadie's dates are not correct. --Jane Atkinson Linton]
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The following note is from a taped interview with Avis Lammon Atkinson. - EBL.
And Mama had one baby that died while we lived there in Bellwood. Her name was Mary Lou. We called her Baby Lou.
EDDIE: Is she buried in Bellwood or Hartford?
AUNT AVIS: She's buried in Hartford. But she drank poison by mistake, thought it was milk, and it was potash. It had rained in a potash can, and she poured it in a little old glass and drank it, and it ate her stomach up.
NANCY: Now, how old was she?
AUNT AVIS: She was a year and a half -- two and a half. No, I believe she was just a year and a half.
ANN: That was sad.
AUNT AVIS: That was -- the only thing I can remember about that baby she was crying so, and I reckon they didn't know how to treat things then. They put her in a sheet, and two people on each side and they would pour water on the sheet and let it run under her to cool her. She was just burning up, you know. I remember that. And I remember Mama walking the floor and patting her, as she'd walk around the corner of the porch. And I remember following her and looking at the baby.
NANCY: Did she know that she had drunk this?
AUNT AVIS: Yeah, yeah.
ANN: As a matter of fact, I think your daddy always thought that he let her drink it and never did get over that, did he?
AUNT AVIS: Yeah, but I didn't want to tell that.
NANCY: Yeah, I remember him talking --
AUNT AVIS: Yeah, he -- the lime was in a can. Mama washed just outside the window, and somebody had broken the window out. So Elmer reached around there and got the can. And he saw that milk in it and poured it in a glass, and then, the baby took the milk and drank it. And Elmer never did get over that.
?
NANCY: How old would was he? Just --
AUNT AVIS: Well, let's see. I had started to school there, and he was two and a half years younger
than me. So he wasn't any older than three.
ANN: Yeah, He was just three or four years old.
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1907 - 1908 (1 year)