Page One
"My father, James A. Blay of Washington Co MO, was born, Jan. 9, 1858. My mother Mattie Morris was born
in Jersey Co. Ill. Jan, 5, 1866. My father met my mother, while she was baking pies in a hotel in Jersey Co.
Ill they were married in Dec 24th 1880. I was born in Jersey Co. Ill Oct 25 1881, my name Margaretta, I do not
know much of my fathers or mothers life or little things that happened as times went on. My sister Julia Edith was
also born in Jersey Co Ill. Aug, 8, 1883, then 4 yrs later Malvina, was born she was born in Garden City, Kansas Jan. 5-1887
and two years later, a boy was born James W.H.E. also in Garden City Kansas, Mar, 8, 1889, during the time that Malvina was born
they took up a home in Kansas. Then when my oldest brother was a baby Papa went to Denver Colo as his brother Calvin said there was a lot
of work and good pay. So he left my mother and us four children to prove up on the home stead we were their(sic) 1 year. Papa
bought a lot built a one room house on the lot. A lot next door to my Uncle Calvin's, he was married to a lovely woman, her name was
Fanny they had 2 boys one girl. Fred and Len (or Lon), and Nettie, they had a little grocery store, well when the homestead was proved up 1891 when
we left there Father sent for...
Page Two
...us. I remember the train ride (I was ten) it was a long journey for us. At Kansas City, MO we had to change cars. Was a long time in the Depot.
A man came thru with a baby, asked mother if she would mined(sic) it until he got the baby a bottle of milk he didn't come back for the baby so when it was time for us to leave
we had to turn the baby in to the authority. Then I remember how tired we were and running up and down the ile(s) of the car. Then when we got in to the Depot in Denver, We waited for father
to come for us and when when he did, he walked by us several times, didn't know us, but I spyed(sic) him and said Mama there is papa. Uncle Call was with papa; we were starved but Aunt Fannie didn't
ask us if we had had any thing to eat. So when we went to our little house, Mama sent out for some milk and bread. Us children sure went for it. Then remember school we went to on the hill had about a mile
to walk, and our home life was an average life. Papa worked at the Rio Grande Shops as car carpenter work and only got $1.70 a day. Of course every thing in grocery, clothing
and things were according to to(sic) the pay, cheap. I went to school until...
Page Three
...I was in the 8th grade. I was 13 years old, year 1894, Papa wanted me to keep on at school,
but no I thought I knew it all. So quit and went to work for a woman on the hill worked for her a while then quit as I did not like the work there then went
to work for a woman that was expecting, worked for her till she was up and around. My sister Edith was taking care of a baby. I used to go by for her when we had our day off. Then I
got a new job on Capital hill as second girl. There were the Grand-mother, the son and his wife and four children 2 boys, 2 girls. Their names were Bloods, the grand-mother taught
me how to cook (mother would not bother with me enough to learn me how to cook) but I learned the wright(sic) way. I was there 3 years, they didn't want me to leave there, but only had
Sun. off. I had been working of and on for about five years, 1899 when I started to work at the Laundry. Had a chance to work in the laundry. The independence laundry in Denver. Had
3 miles to walk to the car line then was down town, quit(sic) a way. So got a bicycle and it was easier, but when it rained the road was so muddy could hardly walk and lead the
bicycle. They never waited supper for me. And when I got home all I ever had was cold beans, catsup and bread. But it tasted good any way. Mama always took all my money...
Page Four
...gave me one dollar for car are, one time I took five dollars of my pay and bought a pair of new shoes they were ox-blood in color. They were lovely, but when I tried to put them on the next day they were
to(sic) small. So Mama got them, another Sat Edith and I went to Lake-Side spent $5.00 a piece on rides on the Shutes, Science Rail-road and all and every thing we saw, hot dogs and all, of course it was all my fault.
And very near got a licking, Edith was always was(sic) Mama's pet I always had second had clothes, Edith the new dresses, my other sister was about 12 but she didn't go with us. She was going to school. My
oldest brother about 10 years old. Harry was was(sic) 6 yrs old. Frank was just a baby. The two Malvina and Will was going to school. We used to have dancing on Sat Eve but I had to work so late on Sat Eve was so tired
I didn't care wheather(sic) I went or not. Father got the rent of a two storey(sic) house if he (unreadable word) for the house later on they let him take all the partition out and made a lovely dancing floor. We lived
in the lower part of the house for some time, Then when I was about 18, they bought Uncles(sic) Calls store...
Page Five
...lived there at 546 Bryant St. rented the lower part of the big house to a man he had a Pool Hall in the lower
part we gave dances upstairs, I was still working at the laundry. I worked their for six months then later Aug or in Sept 1900 I me the man and only man I ever loved. I went to the dance that night, it was a Mascrade(sic)
given in Denver in Weirs Add', I was late, tired and didn't care weather(sic) I went to the dance or no but went. We were all masked. Some one came up asked for a dance, thought it was a school boy friend so we danced all
Eve. When we unmasked, I looking at a strange man, didn't know what to say. The one I had been dancing with was a perfect stranger. He laughed, then said come less(sic) have a cup of coffee. So had a...
(This next part she wrote at the top of page five)
part of two forgot to mention a few things - It was in 1891 when we got to Denver on Mar 13-1893 Harry E was born he was born in Denver Colo, Frank Elmer was born Denver Colo Aug 20-1899 he was 2 years older then my oldest girl.
Page Six
...sandwich, a piece of pie and coffee. Mother gave the lunches. She had a new boiler for a coffee container. Made all the cakes and pies, and sandwitches(sic). Well that is the say I met my one, and only love my husband. We went together three months then the 10th
of Oct-1900 we were married. We ran of(sic) and got married, his sister & a friend of hers stood up for us. We were married by a Justice of Peice(sic) (Rice). We lived with his sister and father for a while a few weeks.
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