The Emma Ferrer Letters, Part 7: The Battle for Bread

In a letter to Wood dated simply November, Emma writes from Meridian, MS to say she can’t bring the children until December as she’s struggling to find employment. For the first time in these letters, Emma veers from her matter-of-fact letter-writing style and turns slightly metaphorical when she admits she “find(s) the battle for bread a hard one.”

We assume she was drawn to Meridian in particular because she had family there. Her older brother, Benjamin W. Johnson, lived in Meridian with his wife Ida and their family. According to the 1900 US Census and Meridian city directories, Benjamin was in the restaurant business.

Birds-eye view of Meridian from the 1899 Meridian City Directory

The city itself was growing into quite the metropolis. In fact, in the 1899 Meridian City Directory, they called themselves the “Metropolis of the South-West” and claim Meridian is the most prosperous city in the state of Mississippi. Bask in the hope for the future laid out in the directory's introduction:

“New England has held the fort of commercial supremacy, unmerited, long enough. She is losing her powerful grasp day after day, and the South steadily moves onward. The future before this city is brighter than we can elucidate it. All must strive with unanimity of purpose, heart, brain, hand, and money. We heartily invite mechanics, merchants, laborers, manufacturers, capitalists, men of energy, men of brain, especially men of integrity, men of enterprise, who have the manhood to undertake great works and the capacity to carry out the undertakings. Again we say, cordially, “Whoever will, let him come.”

Emma accepted their invitation.  And while Rev. Rencher had doubts about her decision to move, many others clearly shared her enthusiasm. The 1899 directory lists the population in the 4,000 range. By 1904, directories are quoting a populous of over 23,000!

Next week: A very foolish thing
Sources:

• Meridian, Mississippi, City Directory, 1899. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989. Provo, UT, USA
• Year: 1900; Census Place: Meridian Ward 4, Lauderdale, Mississippi; Roll: 815; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 0019; FHL microfilm: 1240815.