The Callans and McClarys, by John Edward Callan - Callanworld

Chapter 21
Dolphin Chaffee Davis
and
MAttie Gough Bustin
Dolphin Chaffee Davis was
born on 12 Dec 1862 in Town
Creek, Alabama. He died on 29
Jan 1928 in Arkansas City, Ks. He
married Mattie Gough Bustin on
22 Apr 1895 in Birmingham,
Alabama. Mattie Gough Bustin
was born on 22 Jun 1868 near
Birmingham, Alabama. She died
on 19 Apr 1936 in Arkansas City,
Kansas.
The following are some of
Aunt Cary’s stories about her
mother and father. (Mama is
Mattie Gough)
“Mama’s Mother ran a
boarding house in Birmingham
and people would stay there and
come in and eat meals and such.
Papa worked for the Louisville
and Nashville Railroad and he
would come into the boarding
house for his meals when he was
in Birmingham. Mama always said
that the only reason he married
her was because he thought she
was the cook. She wasn’t. They
Dolphin Chaffe Davis and
Mattie Gough Davis.
had a Negro woman named
Jerushi that did all the cooking and
took care of the family.”
The couple was married in
~ 83 ~
Birmingham, Alabama, on 22
April 1895. A newspaper clipping,
the text of which is reproduced at
right, told the story of their wedding
day.
Aunt Cary continued:
“When they moved from Birmingham,
Jerushi wanted to go
with them but Mama told her “no,
those Nothern Niggers will kill
you.”
“Grandma Davis was married
before she married Dolphin
Davis. Her first husband was Julius
Stonewall Sweeney. He died
before their first child, Nanelou
was born.
“Grandpa Davis worked for
the railroad after they moved to
The Callans and McClarys
Arkansas City. He was a conductor.
One night he was checking
cars, it was cold and icy and
somehow he fell off the train.
They didn’t find him for two days
and he laid out in the cold for the
two days unable to move. After
that he was never well, he lost part
of his hearing and was not able to
work for the railroad any more.
The Doctor told Mama that he
needed lots of fresh air and such. I
think that is why they moved to the
farm.
“Papa was a peace loving
man and also a well read and
educated man. He read a lot.
Mama always said he wasn’t really
reading, he was just holding the