Who Was Gladys?
Do you like mysteries and puzzles? I do. As a child, I saved any babysitting money to buy many Nancy Drew books, which I still own. Even now, reading or watching a mystery and guessing “who done it” is one of my favorite past times.
But 5 years ago, I encountered a puzzle that I am still trying to piece together. The story has more twists and turns and missing clues aplenty than an Agatha Christie plot. When I reached a few dead ends this week, instead of screaming in frustration, the idea occurred to me that by sharing this tale, perhaps one of you might possess some knowledge or insight to complete the puzzle. Come journey with me.
The mystery began with a group wedding picture, sent to me by a newly found Wood cousin while researching my family’s genealogy and history. Immediately, my eyes zeroed in on the toddler sitting in the middle of the front row—my dad—who always liked to be the center of attention. Don looked about 3 or 4 years old. Born in 1915, I reasoned the wedding occurred either in 1918 or 1919.
Next, my eyes moved to the picture’s right-hand side where my great
grandfather, Darwin DeWitt Wood, stood. Big, broad-shouldered, impeccably dressed, and the only man wearing a bow tie, he commanded attention wherever he went. None of my 5 siblings knew what my great grandparents looked like until I began visiting my Wood 2nd cousins, whom I never met before. . Luckily, cousin Carol still lived in Lyons village and possessed several photos. For the first time, I saw my great grandparents. She helped me contact other cousins, and I asked for any relevant heirloom family photos, letters, or documents. As a result, the wedding picture arrived electronically, sent by cousin Tim, who lived in Alabama.
Amazingly, we all heard the story of how Darwin lived in Goldfield, Iowa and sold the farm sometime in the early 1900s. He then moved across the Midwest to Lyons, Michigan—a tiny village east of Ionia. Dad often told the story about his grandparents coming by train, bringing with them their 4 sons, 2 daughters, and respective spouses. In addition, the train carried all their household goods, farm equipment, horses, and livestock. Word spread quickly throughout the rural community and a crowd gathered to watch the train arrive. The first person stepping off the train was Darwin, wearing a large buffalo coat that made him look regal and formidable.
However, no Wood relative knew why the Iowa farm was sold, how our great grandparents heard about the available Ionia County farm land, or when they arrived in Lyons.
Back to the wedding picture. The next person who caught my eye was my grandmother Myrtle, standing left of Darwin. Grandpa Clinton stood behind her looking very serious, even though he was a kind, gentle man with a devilish sense of humor.
On the picture’s left side sat my great grandmother Hope, arms folded and looking somewhat stern. I recognized several great aunts and uncles, but didn’t know anyone else—including the bride and groom.
Then my eyes suddenly stopped roving, drawn to the young girl sitting in the front row, with her left arm leisurely stretched across her lap. Like all the other girls, she wore a white, starched cotton dress. But what starkly set her apart was that she was black. “Oh, my word,” I thought. “Who was she and how did she come to be in this wedding picture?” I became excited, sensing a wondrous story.
So I immediately called my Dad’s favorite and oldest living cousin and asked about the wedding picture and the black girl. DeEtte didn’t know who the bride and groom were, where the picture was taken, or when the wedding occurred. But she did know about the girl. “Her name is Gladys and she helped with household chores and took care of Hope, who suffered from dropsy and could barely walk. She then ran away because Darwin often yelled at her.” DeEtte thought Darwin and Hope brought Gladys with them from Iowa. Somehow, that did not feel right.
So who was Gladys and how did she come to live in a community that was all-white? The mystery began…
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