THE SISTERS OF CHARLES SILAS MORTON
Frances Ann Bigelow (Aunt Fannie)
and
Elizabeth Abigail Bigelow (Aunt Betty)
All that I know of these two great-aunts is included in the notes which follow.
M.M.D. Both lived to be over eighty. Aunt Betty, who had been severely burned
as a child, never developed mentally to over ten years. Aunt Fannie took the
place of a grandmother to all of us. Her room was a refuge where I spent many
happy hours and developed an interest in family history. Their room was a
haven and a refuge to me - Aunt Fannie sitting with her back to the fire, read-
ing and telling stories, Aunt Betty in a low chair by her bed which was near
the fire.
Aunt Fannie's Bible, which she gave me before she died, had the obituaries of
her father and mother, as written up in the Christian Observer, pasted in, and
also a letter which I wrote to the Observer's children's page. She delighted
in that letter because I said I had certain items and a little red bucket which
Aunt Fannie gave me hanging up in the closet. I pasted the obits of Aunt
Fannie, Aunt Betty, Mama, Papa, and Charles in that Bible. When we were moving
back to Indian Rock from Lexington that Bible was lost. I tried my best to
locate it. I regret that very much, for from a small child that Bible was part
of my life.
Aunt Fannie remembered their trip to North Carolina to see Grandpa when Papa
was a little boy, and as soon as she found that my husband was name Lucius Polk
Dillon, she brought out a book for me. (Which Mrs. Devereux gave papa. Her
daughter married Bishop Leonidas Polk.)
H.M. Aunt Fannie was one of the most lovable persons I ever knew. She loved
the children just as much as our parents, and every Christmas, after early
rising and getting our stockings from Santa, we would immediately rush upstairs
to see what she had for us - invariably good books.
Top
In talking with Uncle John and Uncle Henry they revealed that Aunt Fannie had a
great influence on their lives, and that while she inspired and encouraged them,
she did not hesitate to discipline them when necessary.
I told my uncles that my mother often spoke about Aunt Fannie to us, and I had
a vague memory of Mother telling me that Aunt Fannie helped them fold newspapers
into tight balls, soak them in gasoline, and toss them to one another on a cold
night. I was a bit horrified at the danger involved. They laughed and told me that
I was partly right. It was string balls that the children threw. Aunt Fannie
collected every scrap of string, tied them together and made tightly-wound balls of
string which she kept in a basket by her chair. When she had collected enough, the
balls were soaked in kerosene, and the young people would go outdoors on a dark
night, and, lighting the balls one at a time, would throw them high in the air and
back and forth to each other. "Inexpensive fireworks", said Uncle John. "They
looked so pretty, especially when a ball would begin to unwind and the burning
string would hang down from the ball." None of them were ever hurt at this past-
time, he assured me.
The following letter, from Betty Biglow to her mother, is especially touching
when you realize that the writer was Aunt Betty who was badly burned later. It is
addressed to Mrs. Judith Biglow, Prince Edward. The spelling and punctuation
are hers.
Prince Edward
May 11, 1833
My Dear Mother,
I want to see you very bad. I wish you would come for I have been looking for you
more than a week I wish you would not keep me looking so long
You say you wonder what I am doing I can tell you mother I card and spin and nit
and read and a great many other little jobs. Grandmother and Grandfather and Aunt
Sally sends their love to you all. You must give my love to Father and Uncle
Charles and Fanny, and my sweet little brother for me, and except a large potion
for yourself. This from your affectionate daughter,
Elizabeth Biglow
Top
