She was born in Whitfield County, Georgia. Her family lived in several locations in Whitfield and adjacent Murray County. Her father wanted to be a farmer but there was little available farmland in northwest Georgia. He knew of the rich blacklands in central Texas and decided to move there.
In January of 1889, the family, in two wagons, joined several others on a two month trek to the blacklands of McLennan County in central Texas. The Reeds settled in the Moody area but both of Cora's parents died before she reached adulthood. She and her younger siblings lived with various older siblings until they grew up.
She married Bud Chaney in 1900 and had nine children. Her husband was a drinker and, at least later in their marriage, he was very difficult to live with. He went after Cora with a butcher knife at least once. Bud died in 1936. Cora did not have much income.
Her son Claude was working at American Desk Manufacturing and helped support the family. James attempted to enlist in the CCC but was told that he wasn't eligible because the family was not on "relief." Somehow, James manage to eventually be accepted and he worked in the CCC for six months. He then joined the army.
Cora had a falling out with her sister, Alice, which lasted forty years. This arose from an unpleasant family dispute. Their sister Hattie was involved in a bitter divorce and custody battle with her first husband, Tom McBride. Cora sided with Tom and stole the child, Annie Bird, for him. Alice never forgave her and died in 1943 still nursing the grudge. (--NO CRYSTAL STAIR by Johnnie Faye Patterson Allen, Fort Worth, TX, 1990.)
Cora worked at whatever jobs she could find until she obtained employment at the Veterans Hospital where she worked until she was 65. She retired with a Social Security pension and lived a rather quiet life being visited by her children and grandchildren who also assisted her financially from time to time. Eventually, she had an apartment in the Jonathan Moore Homes, a federally subsidized housing project. Two of her daughters also lived in the project. Inez was there for many years until her death. Beatrice lived there for several years.
She was usually called "Big Ma" by her children and grandchildren.
Cora dipped snuff, usually Garrett's brand that came in a small glass tumbler with a lid. She always had an empty coffee can with paper in the bottom next to her chair. Always pleased to see her family, she would often exclaim, "Oh, my God!" when they arrived. In later life she developed diabetes that led to some problems with her feet. After a short stay in the hospital and a nursing home, she died in 1968. She was buried along side Bud in the Moody cemetery.
In January of 1889, the family, in two wagons, joined several others on a two month trek to the blacklands of McLennan County in central Texas. The Reeds settled in the Moody area but both of Cora's parents died before she reached adulthood. She and her younger siblings lived with various older siblings until they grew up.
She married Bud Chaney in 1900 and had nine children. Her husband was a drinker and, at least later in their marriage, he was very difficult to live with. He went after Cora with a butcher knife at least once. Bud died in 1936. Cora did not have much income.
Her son Claude was working at American Desk Manufacturing and helped support the family. James attempted to enlist in the CCC but was told that he wasn't eligible because the family was not on "relief." Somehow, James manage to eventually be accepted and he worked in the CCC for six months. He then joined the army.
Cora had a falling out with her sister, Alice, which lasted forty years. This arose from an unpleasant family dispute. Their sister Hattie was involved in a bitter divorce and custody battle with her first husband, Tom McBride. Cora sided with Tom and stole the child, Annie Bird, for him. Alice never forgave her and died in 1943 still nursing the grudge. (--NO CRYSTAL STAIR by Johnnie Faye Patterson Allen, Fort Worth, TX, 1990.)
Cora worked at whatever jobs she could find until she obtained employment at the Veterans Hospital where she worked until she was 65. She retired with a Social Security pension and lived a rather quiet life being visited by her children and grandchildren who also assisted her financially from time to time. Eventually, she had an apartment in the Jonathan Moore Homes, a federally subsidized housing project. Two of her daughters also lived in the project. Inez was there for many years until her death. Beatrice lived there for several years.
She was usually called "Big Ma" by her children and grandchildren.
Cora dipped snuff, usually Garrett's brand that came in a small glass tumbler with a lid. She always had an empty coffee can with paper in the bottom next to her chair. Always pleased to see her family, she would often exclaim, "Oh, my God!" when they arrived. In later life she developed diabetes that led to some problems with her feet. After a short stay in the hospital and a nursing home, she died in 1968. She was buried along side Bud in the Moody cemetery.
She was born in Whitfield County, Georgia. Her family lived in several locations in Whitfield and adjacent Murray County. Her father wanted to be a farmer but there was little available farmland in northwest Georgia. He knew of the rich blacklands in central Texas and decided to move there.
In January of 1889, the family, in two wagons, joined several others on a two month trek to the blacklands of McLennan County in central Texas. The Reeds settled in the Moody area but both of Cora's parents died before she reached adulthood. She and her younger siblings lived with various older siblings until they grew up.
She married Bud Chaney in 1900 and had nine children. Her husband was a drinker and, at least later in their marriage, he was very difficult to live with. He went after Cora with a butcher knife at least once. Bud died in 1936. Cora did not have much income.
Her son Claude was working at American Desk Manufacturing and helped support the family. James attempted to enlist in the CCC but was told that he wasn't eligible because the family was not on "relief." Somehow, James manage to eventually be accepted and he worked in the CCC for six months. He then joined the army.
Cora had a falling out with her sister, Alice, which lasted forty years. This arose from an unpleasant family dispute. Their sister Hattie was involved in a bitter divorce and custody battle with her first husband, Tom McBride. Cora sided with Tom and stole the child, Annie Bird, for him. Alice never forgave her and died in 1943 still nursing the grudge. (--NO CRYSTAL STAIR by Johnnie Faye Patterson Allen, Fort Worth, TX, 1990.)
Cora worked at whatever jobs she could find until she obtained employment at the Veterans Hospital where she worked until she was 65. She retired with a Social Security pension and lived a rather quiet life being visited by her children and grandchildren who also assisted her financially from time to time. Eventually, she had an apartment in the Jonathan Moore Homes, a federally subsidized housing project. Two of her daughters also lived in the project. Inez was there for many years until her death. Beatrice lived there for several years.
She was usually called "Big Ma" by her children and grandchildren.
Cora dipped snuff, usually Garrett's brand that came in a small glass tumbler with a lid. She always had an empty coffee can with paper in the bottom next to her chair. Always pleased to see her family, she would often exclaim, "Oh, my God!" when they arrived. In later life she developed diabetes that led to some problems with her feet. After a short stay in the hospital and a nursing home, she died in 1968. She was buried along side Bud in the Moody cemetery.
In January of 1889, the family, in two wagons, joined several others on a two month trek to the blacklands of McLennan County in central Texas. The Reeds settled in the Moody area but both of Cora's parents died before she reached adulthood. She and her younger siblings lived with various older siblings until they grew up.
She married Bud Chaney in 1900 and had nine children. Her husband was a drinker and, at least later in their marriage, he was very difficult to live with. He went after Cora with a butcher knife at least once. Bud died in 1936. Cora did not have much income.
Her son Claude was working at American Desk Manufacturing and helped support the family. James attempted to enlist in the CCC but was told that he wasn't eligible because the family was not on "relief." Somehow, James manage to eventually be accepted and he worked in the CCC for six months. He then joined the army.
Cora had a falling out with her sister, Alice, which lasted forty years. This arose from an unpleasant family dispute. Their sister Hattie was involved in a bitter divorce and custody battle with her first husband, Tom McBride. Cora sided with Tom and stole the child, Annie Bird, for him. Alice never forgave her and died in 1943 still nursing the grudge. (--NO CRYSTAL STAIR by Johnnie Faye Patterson Allen, Fort Worth, TX, 1990.)
Cora worked at whatever jobs she could find until she obtained employment at the Veterans Hospital where she worked until she was 65. She retired with a Social Security pension and lived a rather quiet life being visited by her children and grandchildren who also assisted her financially from time to time. Eventually, she had an apartment in the Jonathan Moore Homes, a federally subsidized housing project. Two of her daughters also lived in the project. Inez was there for many years until her death. Beatrice lived there for several years.
She was usually called "Big Ma" by her children and grandchildren.
Cora dipped snuff, usually Garrett's brand that came in a small glass tumbler with a lid. She always had an empty coffee can with paper in the bottom next to her chair. Always pleased to see her family, she would often exclaim, "Oh, my God!" when they arrived. In later life she developed diabetes that led to some problems with her feet. After a short stay in the hospital and a nursing home, she died in 1968. She was buried along side Bud in the Moody cemetery.
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