Widow of the Free State of Jones: The Story of Eliza Evans Crabtree During America's Most Troubled Era

By Paulette Wilson

The novel, Widow of the Free State of Jones, is about the courage of one woman who managed to survive the ravages of the Civil War as well as the war within the Free State of Jones County. The book is historical fiction but based on the life of Eliza Evans Crabtree and her husband Haynes, who were the author's great-grandparents. It is the product of many hours of research and remembrance of family stories. Haynes served in the Confederacy and died as a prisoner of war just before the war ended. He joined to please his brothers, not because he believed in slavery. Eliza praised God even when life seemed unmanageable. She took care of the farm aided by a young Confederate deserter. It seemed as if she was fighting against the Union, the Confederacy, and the Free State of Jones at the same time. After losing everything, Eliza and the children moved to Beaver Meadow, Alabama, to be near Murphy Crabtree and his family. She and the children worked until her goal of a boarding house was achieved. The story portrays life at its worst with the horrors of war, racial injustice, and poverty. It also describes life at its best with love and hard work reaping the reward of peace and security.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 4, 2018
• ISBN: 9781640034921

Book preview

Preface

This is a work of historical fiction based on research regarding the lives of Haynes and Eliza Evans Crabtree, my paternal great-grandparents.

As far as I know, the names and dates of the Crabtree names are accurate. I am not sure of the origin of Eliza’s birth; many have assumed that she was born in Jackson County, Alabama, as the daughter of Thomas Evans and Catherine Gross, but I have not found proof of that fact.

Eliza did marry Haynes in 1853 in Mobile, Alabama, and lived in Alabama; Newton County, Mississippi; and Jones County, Mississippi, according to census records. They had five children: Benjamin, Thomas, Elizabeth, Martha Emily, and Allen Ervin, who was my grandfather.

Haynes did join the Thirty-Seventh MS Infantry in 1862 and was imprisoned at Camp Chase, Ohio, when he died just before the war ended in 1865. The incidents that I have recorded about the Civil War and Jones County are historically accurate.

Eliza did return to Mobile County after the Civil War to live in Beaver Meadow, now known as Gulfcrest, Alabama. Haynes’s brother Murphy lived in Beaver Meadow, so I have always assumed that she moved there to find support from her brother-in-law. There was a paper mill there that my father, Bun Colon Crabtree, talked about, and he said that Eliza worked there before he was born.

Eliza died in 1908 and is buried in the Gulfcrest Cemetery.

The Stringers mentioned at Vicksburg are my ancestors on my maternal side. I just thought it would be fun to add them to the story since they were there.

All other characters in the story are products of my imagination. If anyone has facts regarding the Crabtree family, please contact me at [e-mail].

Thank you,

Paulette Crabtree Wilson

1

Eliza

September 1853

Eliza was second guessing her recent decision to marry Haynes Crabtree. Prayer had always been a large part of Eliza’s life, and she had prayed earnestly for God’s guidance. As she tossed and turned the night before her wedding, she knew that she had to trust God in this decision. But she kept thinking, had she made the right decision? Maybe she just had cold feet that she had so often heard happened before a wedding. But she had to live somewhere; her friends were moving. At seventeen, she knew that choices for her in a decent profession were slim. Her friends thought that marrying Haynes was the answer to her problem. She could always go back home she supposed, but she was out of money and wouldn’t dare ask her family for money.

Eliza had ridden in a covered wagon for weeks with friends from her home in Jackson County, Alabama, to live and worked with John and Missouri Tribble in Mobile, Alabama. She loved her friend Ouri (short for Missouri), but why was it that she was old enough to work for them but not old enough to choose her own husband? Although, she did have to admit that Haynes was a tall, dark, and handsome man who seemed to care for her.

Haynes also had a wonderful sense of humor; he found joy at laughing at the little things, but sometimes that humor hurt her feelings. The first time that she saw him, he said, Well aren’t you a young thing? I can imagine you sewing that fine dress about three years ago. As if to say, your dress is old and worn, but you are cute.

Always one for adventure, Eliza decided that her self-pity had to end. Ouri had said over and over, Eliza you won’t find a better man. He is a hard worker and has great plans to build a huge farm in Mississippi. He has picked out a homestead in Newton County, Mississippi, close to where his parents lived before his dad moved to Arkansas in 1840. Besides, you must find a place to live. You know that we are moving again soon. John Tribble is always looking for greener pastures. Although, I myself won’t be sorry to leave this heat and humidity and severe thunderstorms.

Their wedding day was a blur to Eliza. She was a beautiful redhead and had her hair braided up on her head with little white flowers attached. She was so small she looked like she was twelve instead of seventeen. It didn’t take long for people to figure out that she was much more than her stature. She was tough, smart, and determined to make the best of her decision to move to Mobile. She loved the Lord and had never minded hard work. But on this day, she missed her family terribly. She especially missed her two sisters, Nellie and Ellen.

There were so many Crabtree family members that she barely could remember who was related to whom. Haynes had five brothers and four sisters. The oldest was Ervin who performed the wedding and lived in Mobile. Ervin had previously lived in Newton County, Mississippi, as had his parents, Littleton Sr. and Rebecca Cox. Littleton Jr. had married Nancy Busby and was living in Whistler, Alabama, which was about eight miles north of Mobile. His other siblings, Jackson, Alfred, Emma, Murphy, Millay, Eliza, and Louisa, all lived in Mobile or within a short distance of town. Millay had married Archibald Clark in March of 1853.

Murphy Crabtree took an interest in trying to help Eliza adjust to all these people. He told Eliza, You are the prettiest bride that I have ever seen. If you get tired of my young brother, come and live with me and Adeline in Beaver Meadow. It is the prettiest place you ever seen, and you won’t have to ride a wagon for days to get there. Indeed, Beaver Meadow was an idyllic spot, a small town lying beside the M&O Railroad. It had a store, a saw mill, and even a paper mill right beside several beautiful creeks. The creeks were clear, full of fish, and of course a beaver pond.

When Eliza, John, and Ouri arrived at the wedding site, she was in awe. The wedding was held at the home of Haynes’s sister Louisa and her husband Isaac Champenois and was decorated with beautiful roses and greenery. Isaac had a successful wine emporium down on Royal Street, which was a short distance from their home on St. Anthony Street. Their home was across the street from the Mobile City Hospital and was quite a busy location. Isaac was longing for a place in Mississippi, where he could have his own vineyard. He also would like a quieter location.

Contrary to tradition, Haynes came to Eliza before the wedding and asked, Are you sure that you want to go through with this? We have only known each other a short time, but I do care for you. I hope that I can make you happy.

I am not sure of what happiness is, but I have peace that God is in this marriage and will continue to trust Him. Just be aware that I can be difficult to live with, especially when I don’t believe things are being done right in God’s sight.

Haynes laughed and said, I have already figured that out, and I will do my best to walk the straight and narrow. But then he joked, I may have to call for an annulment if you can’t cook, and besides somebody has to pay the $200 bond if the marriage doesn’t work out. And John Tribble is leaving town, so it won’t be him.

The wedding nuptials commenced with plenty of food and wine for everyone. Eliza was concerned that Haynes drank so much wine. But then all his brothers all managed to consume more than their share. Haynes brother Ervin performed the wedding since he was the local Justice of the Peace. Murphy was also a Justice of the Peace, but Ervin was the oldest. So he was the one chosen to read Eliza her rights as Murphy put it.

Eliza was still in shock after spending their wedding night in Louisa’s home. She had never stayed anywhere so grand. Haynes woke up early and said, My darling Eliza, we start our life together today, but don’t be fooled. We won’t see anything like this where we are going.

After saying a quick prayer to ask God how to reply, she said As long as we are together and put God first, we won’t need all this finery.

Haynes, who didn’t have much of a relationship with God, thought to himself, What have I gotten myself into? Is she a holy roller that I will have to walk carefully around? But then he looked at her beautiful face and knew that he could overlook anything if he could see her face every day.

2

Newly Wedded

Haynes had rented a small house on Hamilton Street in the downtown Mobile area. He had been saving his money for their trip to their home in Newton County, Mississippi, but knew that it might be a while before he would have enough. Both Haynes and Eliza were used to the quiet countryside and the contrast with all the traffic was difficult to adjust to. Haynes rode the horse powered omnibus to his job in a cotton mill located in the Crichton area. He also did odd jobs to pick up extra money such as chopping wood and carpentry. It was frowned upon for married women to work outside the home, but Eliza could help with the finances by caring for neighbors’ children. She also had acquired some chickens and sold the eggs at the local grocery.

Eliza soon became a fine cook; she was also a good seamstress. The Crabtree family had started bringing their sewing jobs to her and had recommended her to others in town. She still missed her family back in Jackson County, but she had made the decision to leave. Letters were exchanged between her and her sisters occasionally. It seemed that everyone was going their own way. She and Haynes’s sister Emma, who had married John Padgett, had become especially good friends.

Eliza was starting to get worried that she had not become pregnant after a year of marriage. Even Haynes had made the remark one evening.

Maybe, one day soon, we can see a little one in here, as he patted her stomach. Then he went back to sipping on his scuppernong wine that she had helped him make.

She talked the problem over with Emma who stated, Don’t worry. You will have a little one when God is ready. I believe it has to be hard taking care of a house, garden, and a little one. Emma, who had yet to have a child, seemed content with just her and John.

On a cold wintry day in February 1855, Eliza was mending Haynes’s work clothes. She was thinking, I believe that man could tear a hole in metal, as she worked on patching the knees on his work pants. The house was warm due to the fire in the fireplace, and she was thinking of how good God had been to her to give her a good husband and a comfortable home. Then a thought occurred to her, I have completely forgotten about my monthly. It hasn’t come this month. Maybe, just maybe, she was with child. She wanted to be certain before she told Haynes, but this was hard to keep to herself. She couldn’t wait to talk to Emma.

A few days later, Eliza asked Haynes what he was going to do for the day. He stated, Well, I think that I will put on my good suit and visit Chicago today. Would you like to go?

Eliza was used to his continuous kidding and responded, Well, instead of Chicago, how about I use the horse and buggy and go visit Emma, and you can stay here and take care of your estate?

Haynes laughed and said, Anything for my love, but be sure to take your rifle. You never know when you might meet a big dragon or even a bear.

Eliza replied, You know I don’t have a rifle and wouldn’t know how to shoot anything if I did.

I thought all country girls knew how to shoot, Eliza. We will have to remedy that.

Emma’s house was just a few miles away and their horse Roscoe seemed to know the way by himself. Even their dog, who they named Dog, came along for the visit. The weather in Mobile was apt to change at any time, but right now it was a pleasant day. The city of Mobile had planted Azaleas along Springhill Avenue, and they were starting to bloom. Eliza was reminded of what heaven must look like.

Keeping a secret from Haynes was difficult because Eliza was such an open person that her feelings showed on her face. When he asked her why she was smiling, she just told him, Because I am married to the best man in the world. Why wouldn’t I smile.

Well now that you say it that way, I understand because you did marry a pretty good man, didn’t you? He puffed out his chest as he went out the door to feed the chickens.

But the next morning, the secret came out, Eliza woke up hurrying to the slop jar to vomit. Ever diligent Haynes cried, Oh, my Eliza, don’t be sick. I couldn’t live without you.

Eliza replied, Then, could you live with two of us? I think that I may be expecting.

Immediately, Haynes grinned from ear to ear, Well, if that isn’t the best news since we got that new calf.

Eliza playfully hit him and said, How dare you compare me to a cow, even though that is what I will look like in a few months if we are so blessed as this to be true.

The local midwife visited Eliza once a month and always left her smiling. After her August visit, the midwife Callie said, There is one happy baby in there kicking around just waiting to get out. You just hold on, and God will bless you when it is time.

The summer of 1855 was the hottest that Eliza could remember. As her pregnancy progressed, she became so restless that, sometimes, she couldn’t sleep at night. Haynes would fan her with an old newspaper and wash her face with cold water to try and relieve some of her discomfort. During the day, she canned vegetables, sewed, and kept house. Living in the city was considered dangerous due to the threat of yellow fever. It always seemed worse in the summer. She was comforted by the fact