Aunt Rachael, A Mother’s Day Tribute
In honor of Mother's Day this past Sunday lets visit again with our special pioneer lady, Rachael Travis and see what she did when two of her children got lost. We know Mother's are special and will do what it takes to love and protect their children. But first a little early history on this special mother.
I don't find much written history on the female's of our county, but this little lady must have made quite an impression on a lot of folks, for there are several stories about her. I would love to have a picture of her to share, but through all the years of my research, I have not found anyone that has a picture, but through the words written, you can picture her in your mind. (Rachael Travis is my 3-great grandmother.)
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Our Aunt Rachael
Her name is Rachael Travis, people called her "Aunt Rachael." She was the daughter of John and Mary Blakeley, born Nov. 5, 1788 in York County, South Carolina. She was thirteen years old the day they crossed the top of the Cumberland Mountains coming to Kentucky. They traveled through an unbroken forest where not a single white person did they behold save those of their own party. The only thing to break the solitude of the journey was the continual change of scenery, the songs of birds, the scream of wild beast and an occasional meeting with the Indians. and she carried a rifle gun on her shoulder most of the way. Already a brave and strong person.
Rachael married James Travis Dec. 1, 1805 and they made their home on the Copperas Spring road (at the cross roads of Blackburn Church Rd. and Copperas Springs rd, where the Mike James home is today. The house is actually built around the old log home.) They were the parents of seven children, and they have many, descendants in Crittenden County today.
In 1820 Rachael commenced the practice of a Midwife and followed this profession nearly sixty years. No doubt she attended more births than anyone else in her day in Western Kentucky. When she was called she went hot or cold, rain or sunshine.
Aunt Rachael, as everyone called her, was a person with remarkable constitution. She had very little sickness during all her life. Her health was so vigorous that, a short time before her death, she could walk anywhere in the neighborhood. Her memory was so noted that she could remember all the incidents of her life, and tell them with an interest that would engage the attention of all that heard her talk. At the age of 91, on March 26th, 1880 she was perfectly resigned to the will of her Master, and expressed her willingness to go to her eternal home and be at peace. She was laid to rest beside her husband, James in the Piney Fork Cemetery, close to where she began her life in Crittenden County.
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Unfamiliar Surroundings
In 1821 James and Rachael Travis, a young married couple of sturdy pioneer stock, moved from their farm in the Copperas Spring community of Crittenden County to another farm near Caseyville, in Union County. They lived in Union County for only one year, and then moved back to Crittenden County, but it was there our story happened. This new territory was unfamiliar to the young children.
The country in 1821 was quite different from what it is today. There were no paved highways, only paths and wagon trails. Most of the country was in forest, with only an occasional field fenced with split rails. There were no stock laws, and what horses, cows and hogs the farmers owned were allowed to 'run out' and graze where they might.
It was a custom every morning to turn the milk cows out of the lot as soon as milking was finished and drive them a short ways from the homestead. Then after half an hour or such a matter, the calves were driven in the opposite direction and in that way cows and calves were kept separated during the day.
On this particular day, the cows and calves had been separated as usual and the family had gone to church. The preacher preached longer than usual, he always preached long, and it was past midday when the Travis family reached home.
The calves that had been driven away in the morning had not stayed away as long as usual and were on a hilltop near the barn when the family arrived.
So while Mrs. Travis prepared dinner, Tressie, age 9, and her brother James Harvey, age 5, were sent to drive the calves farther away. They drove them farther than they intended and before they realized it they were lost in the dense woods.
They kept walking and walking and just before dark came to an abandoned cabin. James Harvey wanted to go in and spend the night, but Tressie had heard stories of escaped Negro slaves that had run away from their masters in the South and were roaming through the forest on their way to Illinois and Indiana, and she was afraid to go in the cabin. So the two children kept walking until they were so tired they could walk no more. Tressie made a pillow of twigs and leaves and they lay down at the foot of a large poplar tree, Tressie with her head on the twigs and James Harvey with his head in Tressie's lap.
The noises of the night kept the sandman away. The owls were hooting and the wolves barking. Once Tressie thought she heard a panther, though she was not sure.
About two o'clock in the morning they heard something walking through the leaves, coming closer and closer, but they did not run. When it came into sight, they saw it was their father's old deer hound, Tray. He had found them.
Tressie thought that if they stayed there until morning Tray would lead them home and as soon as day began to break, they started. But Tray was not ready to go home, he was too busy hunting deer.
The two children followed him over miles and miles of woods until finally they came to a path. Someone was coming on horseback, but Tressie was afraid to call, it might be an escaped slave. The rider was looking to one side of the path and the other and as he neared the young sister and brother they saw that it was Brother Wallace, the minister of their church. Then they yelled to him.
Tressie was helped up behind the preacher and James Harvey put in front and they started for home. Brother Wallace told them that all the country side had been out looking for them, so he fired his gun to let the other searchers know that the lost were found.
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Mother Rachael Was Watching
The three jogged on toward the Travis home and when within a few miles of it they began to hear a trumpet sound, it never ceased until they were within sight of the house. The trumpet sound was made by their father's fox horn, which is made from a cow's horn.
The trumpeter of this horn, was their mother, Rachael, and she was sitting on the comb of the roof of the house. Mrs. Rachael Travis, was a very unusual woman, with exceptional courage and stamina. All night and all day she had sat on the housetop blowing her trumpet and watching for her children.
No one had eaten since breakfast of the previous day, no one had been hungry until now. But now there was great rejoicing and feasting.
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History of Tressie and James Harvey
Theressa Barnett Travis, called Tressie by her family, grew up and married first David Crider. He died in 1850, her second marriage was to John Price. Tressie died March 11, 1904, at the age of 92, and is buried in the James Wheeler Cemetery on Just-A-Mere Road. The Rev. James F. Price, the well-known minister and a historian of Crittenden County was John and Tressie's son.
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James Harvey Travis, known as Harvey, grew up to be a grand old gentleman and the ancestor of many Crittenden County families of today. He first married Mary Brantley, they had nine children, and second married Elizabeth Crowell Ford, a widow, and they had nine children. He died February 28, 1908, at the age of 92, and is buried at the Crowell Cemetery, on Nunn Switch Road.
Rachael's tombstone is located in the old part of Piney Fork Cemetery.
She and her husband James, were charter members of the Piney Fork, CP Church.
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