Told by the Pioneers - Washington Secretary of State

Told by the Pioneers
sr'E CLAYTON BYRNE
Kitsap County
I was bol'll in ::\Iontgomery, Alabama, in 1848. At the age of 14 I
was married to ::\Ir. Davies, who was ten years older than myself. My
grandmother was afraid that I would marry a Yankee. ~Iy first husband,
Mr. Davies, was a lawyer. We had four children born to us, all
of whom died. Shortlv
•
afterward mv husband died and I was a wid~
•
O'W for ten years when I married John F. Bryne, a contractor and
builder.
Grandfathe1" Killed at the Alamo
My grandfather, mother's father, was Captain Ticknor, and he
wanted to go to Texas and take part in the Mexican war. ~Iy grandmother
violently objected, and he at last promised to go only as far
as New Orleans. He was captain of a military company in Montgomery.
He went on to Texas, however, and lost his life in the battle of
the Alamo. All his men were massacred. Only one man, Shackleford,
came home. They had no water and were stan"ed out, but Colonel
Fanning begged them not to surrender. Shackleford was shot in the
hip and took grandfather's watch and buried it in the field where he
lay in the mesquite brush. It took him two weeks to get a stick big
enough for a crutch, which he had to fashion with a pen knife.
:My grandmother was given, by the Texas government, 9999 acres of
land. This came to my grandmother and two daughters, one of whom
was my mother.
~Iy mother died in 1848 and my father went to California in 1849,
and there became wealthv.
.
When I went with my.'
husband to Carson
City, Nevada, my father gave me a home worth $10,000. It was the
Governor's mansion later.
I brought my black "mammy" with me to the west to help me
bring up my children. She is buried in Redlands. In that city my
second husband built the first apartment house. My husband built me
six fine homes during our married life. He has been dead sixteen
years.
•
After we came to 'Vashington I received $1500 from a settlement
of my land title in the Texas land which was given to my grandmother.
This was the land in one county.
I have one son living. He is 66 years old and lives with me. Recently
all my jewelry and heirlooms in the form of jewelry, was stolen
from my house.