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| Era, age 16 |
Era Amanda Nethery was born June 22, 1893, the fifth child and second surviving daughter of Charles and Amanda Nethery. The third child and first daughter, Dollye Helena, only lived five days after her birth on February 3, 1890.
Era attended the Milam school all ten years required in those days. In a taped conversation with grandson Bob Wood, when asked what her favorite subject was she replied, "I always liked geometry pretty good." It was during this conversation that she related the "sneezing powder" incident instigated by her younger brother Oneil. Recalling the incident, all those years later, brought out her infectious laugh that I remember to this day.
Another memory shared from her teen years was a trip to Beaumont with her Daddy and sister Carrie and cousin Annie Speights, to see a circus. She remembered seeing "a three legged man, a little man and the tallest man in the world". When asked what her father thought about it she said, "He thought it was something. He really did enjoy it!"
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| Conrad Mason, 1940, New Mexico |
When she was 18 years old Era married Napolean Bonaparte Mason, Jr. on December 18, 1911. Their first son Cleon Napolean was born a year later on December 10, 1912. Two years later Charles Conrad was born on November 6, 1914. Their first daughter, Dollie Louise arrived February 3, 1917. Second daughter, Thelma O'Neil was added to the family on November 27, 1919. Seven years later, youngest son , Roy Hugh was born on April 26, 1926.
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| Thelma Mason Ware |
The family lived on a farm purchased from Pole's brother Robert Mason, when he moved his family to West Texas in 1913. It was a true family farm with little outside help. Cotton and field corn were their main crops. Cleon recalled his mother getting a "big bang from hatching baby chicks in an incubator.
Like her mother and sisters, Era was an extraordinary cook. I can recall a table full of delicious food always awaiting our arrival, even if it was only the two of us coming for a visit!
Tragedy visited the Mason home in the late 30's when son Conrad contracted tuberculosis. After a
short stay in a sanitarium in Southwest Texas, he was moved to another in New Mexico. He finally died from his disease in 1945, at the age of 31.
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| Pole and Era Roy, Louise and Cleon, early 40's |
Era was widowed on April 3, 1959 and continued to live in the house that had been her home more than forty years. My husband Bob, "Bobby", spent three summers with his grandmother, "Nannie", so I asked him to share one of his favorite stories told to him during those days.
My grandmother and I were in her kitchen one morning. She walked over and looked out the window and laughed out loud.
"What's so funny, Nannie?", I said.
"When your PaPa and I were early married, my Daddy would drive his cows down the old road riding his mule and stop by for coffee most mornings. One morning, a woman, from Cat Holler stopped to visit with me while I was by the road washing sheets in the big washpots."
"The woman said she had a bad pain in her mouth and could I look and see what's the matter. It was a bad jaw tooth and I asked her what she wanted me to do and she said, 'Take it out!' So I got a pair of pliers and proceeded to pull the tooth!"
Nannie then told me how she got a piece of wood and carved a false tooth to fill in the hole! She said the woman left for town with a big smile on her face and said, 'Thank you so much, Miz Era!'
She laughed and laughed about that story.
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| "Nannie" in her kitchen, 1970 |
Sadly a stroke robbed Era of that memorable laugh and her speech in 1973. She passed away on October 26, 1974, at the age of 81. She is buried in the Milam Cemetary next to Pole and Conrad.
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