Georgia:  Chattooga County:  Malissa Ann Mayo Foster Biography

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This file was contributed by:
Michelle Doss
http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00028.html#0006861
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Life story

This story is entitled "Lissia" and was written around 1891 in Chattooga Co, 
GA from the family planataion known as "Foster's Store" near Lyerly,GA. 
Written by Malissa Mayo Foster.


Malissa Ann Mayo was born in 1843 to Racheal Brooks & Micajah Mayo of Floyd 
Co,GA. She was raised on a large plantation in the Northwest Geaorgia 
mountains.

Lissia loved nature. She loved to listen to the song of the birds. and the 
noise of the brook. Even the patter of the rain on the roof was music to her 
ears.She was the queen of her daddy's heart and pet of all the darkies on the 
platation. 

The first recollection she had of her mother, was the Sunday's when dressed 
with a long white apron, she would seat herself at her mother's feet. She 
would then listen to the sweet voice read the word of God. Then they would 
sing.It was her delight, to accompany her mother to Mt Zion Church.

One day , she met with great dissappointment. Her sister and friends were 
going to cross the Coosa in batteaux. and go to church. They had promised 
Lissia, she could join them. But when the time came, they left her. She 
started after them. Soon she was missed from home. Her father summoned his 
slaves and those of the adjoining farmers. 

In the meantime, she found a shady nook on the bank of a creek. She sat down 
and cried and then began to look for amusement. She decked her black hair 
with pretty wildflowers. She wandered to the creek and threw handful's of 
flowers into the water and watched them go downstream. She finally found the 
road that led her home. All were glad for her safe return and no reproof was 
given..

Often she would go to hunt wild plums, gather flowers and hear the 
mockingbird's sing. Occasionally , she was allowed to go with the cook and 
the smaller negroes. . The depth and the width of the Coosa was wonderful. 
..... She loved to send her childish voice across the water and have it come 
back. She never returned without her apron full of mussel shells to be used 
as hymn books in the children's grove meeting. Lissia was given a deserted 
cabin, on the platation as a playhouse. She had little negroes for servants 
and and had her doll Polly Brooks. 

One frosty morning, she was up with the sun.. Gathering her little servants, 
she marched them to the playhouse. She told her servants to take the cedar 
tubs and go to the river. They cried with cold, but she would be obeyed.
One bright morning, she started to school. The bird's sang joyously. The 
fragrant hawthorne blossoms filled the air. Before long, she was distracted . 
Then, she was sure to leave her bonnet under an egiantine bush or a wild rose 
vine. She could never pass them without stopping.

She must learn to work, so a spinning wheel was brought out. A basket was 
filled high with cotton and she was tasked to two cuts a day. A cut was 120 
threads wound on the wheel that would strike aresounding whack, when turned 
120 times. The little girl would sing gayly while spinning. 

Her father often took her squirrel hunting. He would take his rifle and two 
dogs. They would set off for the bottom of the river ,where squirrels would 
find a cozy home in the hickorynut trees. Often Lissia would see one in the 
fork of a tree, peeping at her with bright eyes and clap her little hands and 
laugh aloud , frightening him away. Her father never would shoot one of the 
pretty creatures while she was with him.

Arriving at the city, they would make their purchases at Rueben Norton's. 
There were his three handsome sons that displayed the goods in an attractive 
manner . The showcase was a wonder for Lissia. So many beautiful things!!!

MIcajah Mayo had two horses Bay Tom and Black Tom. He rode them to town on 
business two to three times a week. He never forgot to buy Lissia a dainty. 
She would tie a red ribbon on his finger to remind him. It was on one of 
these trips , that he was stricken with apploplexy. He was past human aid. 
That night the Angel of Death came for him. This was her first sorrow. Then 
two months later , her mother was called to cross the river of death. She was 
beside herself in grief. Lissia and her sister went to live with an older 
sister, Sarah Adeline Mayo Foster.

Time brought healing and soon she began to regain her cheerfulness. Then 
school returned. At fifteen she was to stand before a large audience and 
recite her first composition,:"Female Education." Round after round of 
applause followed. Lissia was beautiful that night. She wore a soft white 
dress with a blue sash. A beautiful crown of white ribbon resting on her 
hair.

Soon a tall and handsome K R Foster would come to woo her. His eyes were 
blue. When she looked into them , she realized a joy that was never on land 
or sea. She heard his endearing words, from a true heart.

At sixteen, she was made a happy bride, but unfitted for the duties that 
awaited her. She commenced to keeping house , as she did when she was a child 
in her playhouse. K R , who had always lived on a farm patiently taught her . 
Not long after their marriage, he was called to serve. He joined the 21rst 
Georgia Regiment to fight for the bonny sunny south. With aching hearts and 
wet eyes they bayed each other goodbye. With a broken , "God be with you," he 
was gone........ 

She was determined to be brave. She was so lonely. She wrote long letters to 
her loved one. His furloughs were few and far between. They were much like 
visits from an Angel.~~~~ Then came a time when the letters ceased. After 
awhile , she recieved a letter saying that her husband was dead . He had been 
shot through the heart, while defending the flag! Lissia broke down 
completely when she learned the bitter truth. She who had always looked on 
the bright side, could see only darkness. How could she bear to live without 
her love? He was more than life to her. But like the helpless child she was, 
she went to the Father who never fails to hear the distressed cry of his 
children. . It was then she heard the words of her mother's favorite song, 
"As thy days demand , shall thy strength ever be."

A few days later another letter came. With sparkling eyes, flushed cheeks and 
a beating heart, she tore it open. She recognized the familiar handwriting. 
He wrote that he had been shot, but his belt buckle saved his life. He was 
now a prisoner at Ft Delaware. The words were like the glowing wine of 
renewed life to the repining wife. After nine months, the War between the 
States broke. K R Foster was released and turned home joyfully to Lissia.

Malissa(Lissia) and K R Foster set out to make a success of their life, 
following the war. Malissa gave birth to fourteen children . Captain Foster 
and Malissa established a community outside of Lyerly,GA called Foster's 
Store on the Chattooga River. Eight of their children proceeded them in 
death. Capt Foster was awarded the Southern Cross of Honor in 1909. Malissa 
was the president of the Epworth League- a women's missionary society. Capt 
Foster was described as a typical southern gentleman and a natural farmer. 
Malissa loved romatic stories and often while working would ask her 
daughters, to tell her a love story. Malissa was described as an "Angelo on 
Earth". They met their Heavenly Father in 1901(Malissa) and 1909 (Capt. 
Foster).

This story was written by Malissa Ann Mayo Foster and paraphrased by their 
ggggranddaughter, Michelle K Doss. The original article was featured in ,"The 
Sunny South" a literary journal out of Atlanta,GA. Malissa and Capt Foster 
were the parents of Eugene E Foster .