WOMEN FACED HARDSHIP - MRS. LARKIN (ETHEL PEARCE) HAYLEY - Coke Co, TX Contributed by Jo Collier November 19, 2004 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/txfiles.htm *********************************************************************** Centennial Edition - Coke County Rustler - The Robert Lee Observer - Bronte Enterprise - Observer/Enterprise, Coke County, TX - July 21, 1989 WOMEN FACED HARDSHIPS Many Hardships Endured by Pioneer Women of the Area (Editor's note: The following information was contained in a letter which Mrs. Hayley wrote to Mrs. Jessie Yarbrough, and is a part of her historical collection heretofore unpublished. The Enterprise expresses appreciation to Mrs. Yarbrough for allowing us to run it for the first time in this historical edition.) (Mrs. Yarbrough's note: Mrs. Larkin Hayley (Ethel Pearce Hayley) related the story of her birth. She was born in the isolated Pearce home near the line of Runnels and Coke Counties, not far from Old Fort Chadbourne which is a prominent spot in the History of Coke County, on March 2, 1880, just two weeks after Runnels County was organized and nine years before Coke County was organized. Mrs. Hayley lived most of her life in Coke County.) Before daybreak on March 1, 1880, Mr. H. D. Pearce bid goodby to his wife and three small children and started in his wagon for Coffees Store at Walthall (then called Picketville) for supplies and on to Paint Rock to bring back a mid-wife, for the Pearces were expecting a visit from the stork in a few weeks. At sunup the wind began to blow, and soon a notorious sand storm of that day was raging. The wind and sand rocked and beat the little shack all day. Late in the afternoon a wild sow with her litter sought refuge in the human abode. The ten-year-old son shot into the bunch. The sow departed immediately leaving behind a dead pig. The pioneer mother, ever on the alert for fresh meat for her family, skinned, salted, and put away this meat. Soon the lean-to cook room blew away, scattering utensils as far as a half mile away. The living room, more substantially built, withstood the storm, but the ducking roof began to rip away. Mrs. Pearce overturned a water barrel, climbed upon it to nail the roof. Just as she thought it nailed securely, a harder gust of wind ripped away all of the roof. Sand poured into the house. (This, by-the-way, was when there was no plowed ground.) As the mother put her sleepy children to bed, she realized that the stork has decided to hasten his visit; and realizing that must depend upon herself for assistance, she made ready as best she could in the dark, for the kerosene lantern would not stay lighted in the storm. About midnight the storm ceased--in answer to her prayer no doubt. A great calm came upon the land. The stars came out in all their glory and lighted up every corner of the roofless room. About 3 a.m. the first white child born in the new county made her arrival. She was myself, Ethel Anna Pearce. Because of her bravery and experience in waiting on her sick neighbors in Paint Rock and Brownwood, my wonderful mother was able to care for herself at this time. She wrapped her new-born babe and rested until daybreak--then her 10-year- old son was awakened and sent a mile away to where an old German and his son were camped, improving their land. He was told to take his wagon and bring some women from the nearest neighbors five miles distant. Upon his arrival there and telling of this errand, one of the women became hysterical, for she, too, was expecting a visit from the stork soon, and she would not permit the other women to leave her.-- Yes, they were forgiven, for three weeks later my mother carried her new baby and watched through the long hours of night at the bedside of the same dying young mother, who was not strong enough to endure these pioneer hardships. Mother helped prepare the bodies for burial. When the German had returned with no help, my mother said to him, "Mr. Nulan, the storm that nearly blew away my home also blew in a little baby girl." He said in broken English, "My Gott, Mine Gott, I am an old man; my children are all grown; if there is anything I can do for you, command me." Mother replied, "Please nail the roof over my head and help the children to gather the scattered contents of the kitchen." An old bachelor, Major G. W. Perryman, from Washington, D C., had just arrived in the new county, (later he became the first county judge of Coke County). Hearing of the dilemma, he walked five miles to offer his assistance. Arriving, he walked the dirt floor, exclaiming, "Well!Well!Well!, apparently as helpless as the new born babe. Finally he said, "I know what I can do, I'll go to the next neighbor and bring her if I have to carry her and the children on my back." This neighbor lived 10 miles away. Away went the major, and late in the afternoon a young mother came horseback while the Major stayed with her children. Mr. Pearce returned about sundown on March 2, and no doubt was greatly relieved to find that the baby had arrived and all was well, for he had been unable to secure the services of a mid-wife, and was planning to take his family in the wagon to Coleman, where there was a doctor. Mr. Hayley moved to Coke County in 1889. He served as postmaster 24 years and at Norton 15 years. He operated a drug store in Bronte where Margarets Flowers and Gifts is now located. He died in June 1949. Mr. and Mrs. Hayley were married at the Pearce Hotel in Ballinger June 28, 1899. The hotel was owned by her father, H. L. Pearce, who helped organize Runnels County. They lived in Robert Lee three months after their marriage, then moved to Bronte and lived there 27 years. Mrs. Hayley spent a year setting type by hand for the Coke County Rustler, now Robert Lee Observer, which was edited by her brother, the late Hubert Pearce. She died in October, 1955. Permission granted by The Observer/Enterprise for publication in the Coke County TXGenWeb Archives.