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| Wheeler House, Lawrence County, Alabama (Library of Congress, 1935). Link here. |
Many thanks to William Myers, Mary Davy, Sally Young and Sue Davis for their ongoing research collaboration; specifically to William for providing a scan of the original document, and in turn many thanks to Peter Binckley and Patricia D'Arcy "Trish" Binckley (1951-2007), at the source.]
When we got back to Knoxville that Fall, a friend of ours, Colonel Lockett, Commandant of Cadets at the University, told us that the famous General Joe Wheeler of Alabama had written him that he wanted a governess for his children. And would I like it? General Wheeler had been on the staff of Grandmother's brother General Joseph E. Johnston at the beginning of the Civil War [not accurate, but they served together later in the war], being just out of West Point. Uncle Joe was very fond of him. So of course I went to Alabama. They had their own station on the railroad, Wheeler Station. They were a delightful family and I spent a happy Winter with them.
As everyone knows, the General was a cavalry officer, and all the family rode as a matter of course. Each had his or her own saddle horse. The General had two. Mrs. Wheeler's was a magnificent white horse named Sam. He was extremely gentle with women and children, but he wouldn't let a man get on his back. I think the General found out after he'd had him for some time that he'd killed a man or two previously. He was delightfully gaited and had a fast pace as easy as a rocking chair.
I was amazed at the riding of those children. They were little centaurs. To be sure, they had ridden from babyhood. The youngest, Carrie, was two years old and I often saw them put her on Sam's back and hold her there. There were always one or two horses saddled and hitched at the gate, so anyone could jump on whenever they felt like it. The horses were so glad to get away, that they always broke into a gallop the minute they felt anyone of their back. The family [never] rode any way except at a gallop anyhow. They took me riding of course. I loved horses and loved to ride when I had a chance, which had not been often. Among such superb riders, I was the merest amateur, but I could at least stay on a horse's back.
One day Joe had invited me to ride with him and we were on a dirt road running close beside the railroad track for a considerable distance. Suddenly we heard a train coming. I knew it would frighten our horses, so close to them. So I asked Joe what we should do with the horses. He replied at once "Head them into the fence." As the train roared past right behind them, the horses plunged in terror, but we kept their heads to the fence and in a moment the train was gone, and everything serene again. And Joe was only seven years old! I had no idea what to do, myself. But he knew.
Mrs. Wheeler was a very handsome woman, tall and blonde, large blue eyes, fair hair and the most exquisite complexion I have ever seen -- very fair with lovely color in her cheeks. She used to wear a plae blue house jacket that was very becoming. The General adored her. Her father, Colonel Jones and her brother owned the adjoining plantations and were often at the house, of course. Her brother was twenty years older than she, and they were the only children. So she had always been petted and indulged by both of them. And her husband and children carried on the tradition. I don't suppose that she ever had an ungratified wish in her life.
The General was small and dark, and very quick and active in his movements. Some years later, when the General was in Congress, one of the doorman at the Capitol, a Scotchman, always referred to him as "the little gentleman who aye rins when he walks."
The eldest child, Lucy, always called Birdie, was very competent though just entering her teens. She attended to the housekeeping and carried the keys. The second daughter, Annie, was about twelve. She and I were great chums. Julia was nine and we rather left her out as too young, to her great indignation. Carrie was the lordliest baby I ever saw. She was like a reigning princess. A tall young darkey man named June was Carrie's personal servant, toted her around on his shoulder and waited on her hand and foot all day. She had a nurse, too who dressed her, put her to bed, etc.
It was intensely interesting to hear the General talk about the Civil War. He forgot everything else and was living it over again. It probably meant more to him than to any of the other generals, because he was so young -- the youngest general in the Confederate army. He became a brigadier when still in his twenties.
There was a small schoolhouse in a corner of the grounds where the children and I spent our days. But we had time to ride a great deal. In those days all women rode sidesaddle and wore long riding skirts. In these days of universal cross saddle riding, it seems almost a miracle that women could ride well -- or at all -- in that lopsided manner. But those Wheeler girls! I remember once when Annie and I were out riding, galloping as usual, the surcingle holding Annie's saddle on became unfastened somehow. But she never halted for it, just galloped right on, balancing herself on that loose saddle with the ends of the surcingle flapping on either side, and sitting sideways at that!
She and I thought we'd like to try riding astride, just to see what it was like. Of course, we kept it a dark secret -- it would have shocked everybody. But one night we sallied forth on men's saddles and had a glorious ride. She wore a pair of the General's trousers and I had made myself a pair. Nobody ever knew about it.
The friendship begun then has lasted all our lives to this day. The Wheelers are my earliest and most valued friends since Mia died. She was my very first friend.
[Ellen/Nellie/Nella Fontaine Binckley (September 1, 1860-April 27, 1951). Family names and dates were whimsically tweaked by their owners during their lifetime, adding mystery and sometimes causing confusion. For Binckley's "Artist's Life," I'm opting for the full artist's signature name, Nella Fontaine Binckley.
Grandmother = Jane Johnston Mitchell/Michel (1811-1892).
Uncle Joe = Joseph Eggleston Johnston (1807-1891).
Colonel Lockett = Samuel Henry Lockett (1837-1891). His papers are here.
Joe Wheeler (1836-1906) and Daniella Ellen Jones Wheeler (1841-1896), daughter of Richard Jones (1793-1883). Their children: Lucy Louise "Birdie" Wheeler (1866-1924); Annie Early Wheeler (1868-1955); Ella Wheeler (1869-1871); Julia Knox Hull Wheeler (1870-1959); Joseph Wheeler (1872-1938); Caroline Peyton "Carrie" Wheeler (1877-1953); and Thomas Harrison Wheeler (1881-1898).
For more on Annie Early Wheeler, see Dear Mrs. Wheeler here. Nella apparently made at least one poster featuring her in Red Cross uniform.
For more on Pond Spring, Hillsboro, Alabama, see this link.
Mia = Euphemia/Mia Alberta Suverkrop (circa 1859-1939).]
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