Volume 8, Number 8 - Summer 1984


I Was Told
by Vera M. McQueary

After reading the 1983 Progress Edition of the Branson paper, Vera M. McQueary of Illinois wrote the following information.

"My great grandmother was Salina Yates Matlock and I learned a lot of local history from her.

She was raised on White River and told me about the Kimberling Ferry. My great grandpa Matlock’s family came there from either Tennessee or Kentucky and started the ferry. They didn’t like the country so sold out to the Kimberlings and returned to their former home. My great grandpa stayed and married my great grandmother.

Great grandmother’s father and brothers fought on opposite sides in the Civil War. It was brother against brother, and father against some of his own sons.

While the men were away at war, raiders came through at the time the children had measles. ‘Those old carpetbaggers,’ as they were called, took everything. Every blanket, quilt and all, except the clothes they had on. Some clothes were stored in the attic and they wrapped themselves in those.

The carpetbaggers camped in sight of the house that night.

The family had a crippled cow with a calf. The carpetbaggers killed the calf and roasted it over a big bonfire.

The family had a black nanny and all the children called her Nanny. She took care of the children and they loved her and considered her one of the family. When the war was over, government men came to free Nanny. They said that she could stay if my great grandmother’s family would pay her. There was no money to pay her and she was taken away. Nanny was crying as was the family but they took her anyway.

Great grandmother’s grandfather Yates was an Indian and she had great admiration for him. She would tell how he could was so quiet you couldn’t hear him. He was tall and straight as an arrow. I don’t remember what happened to him.

Great grandma’s mother was Mary Heal.

I am from Stone County but I was born in Carroll County, AR. My father was Ira Wesley White of Blue Eye, MO. My sister has traced the Whites and Shahans back as far as 1610 and we have quite a lot of information on them.

EDITOR’ NOTE: Write the secretary for complete address if you would like to correspond with author of this story.

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