Mary Pearl Kuper, Guest at Ellwood
Mother of Mary H.
Mary Pearl Kuper Clore wrote her memoirs around 90 years of age. She wrote , “William Jones bought the land that is now Ellwood and his brother Churchill Jones bought the land that became known as Woodville from the son of Governor Spotswood. Betty Churchill Jones, daughter of William Jones married J. Horace Lacy who was a good friend of William A. Kuper. William A. Kuper bought the Woodville property from the estate of Mrs. Sallie B. Lacy, wife of William Jones Lacy. William A. Kuper deeded Woodville to his son, Dr. Charles Howard Kuper. The Kuper family lived at Woodville, many children, one especially named Mary Pearl Kuper. She was born in 1893 and at that time David Dempsey and his family lived at Ellwood and they had many children.
As a child Mary visited the Dempsey’s and played with the children . There were 12 girls and one boy. They all had chores, and could play when they were done. There was a rope swing that hung from a tall tree. They had dances in the living room and played old maid cards. There were cows to milk, hogs to feed, water to be brought up from the spring . Some washed dishes, some cooked, cleaned and washed clothes. Each was assigned a job. We still had time to play . They made their own molasses, soap and apple butter. The snow was so deep at times you had to walk on the fences. A big wedding 1905, Carrie Dempsey and David Brame.
There was a deaf and dumb boy who worked for the Dempsey’s and one day he went up to one of the bedrooms and shot himself. We girls had to sleep in that room with a big hole in the wall.”