| Five months have passed since Mrs. Johnson wrote to Judge Wood on behalf of an ailing Emma. Now, on August 20th, although rain beat down in Meridian, things were looking much sunnier for the Ferrer family! |
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Emma writes to report that she’s secured a new job as a housekeeper in Quitman, MS. Quitman (of Clarke County – not to be confused with Quitman County, MS), is about 24 miles south of Meridian and about 20 miles closer to Melvin, AL. Beyond halving the distance to her mother’s house, we’re unsure what drew Emma to Quitman. The town was significantly smaller than Meridian and far less established. The Encyclopedia of Mississippi History described it as having, “two churches, a good school, an express office, a telegraph office, a newspaper, a bank, eleven stores, and a large saw mill.” Quite a difference from the “metropolis of the South” (as Meridian described itself). However, it must’ve had the one thing she needed the most: a good-paying job.
For herself … and for Olin! |
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Emma notes that she needs Olin, Vella, and Powell right away, as Olin is set to begin work on 1 Sep. The plight of the child laborer was discussed in a previous post. While it’s likely that Olin would be working for a private family/farm, the Mississippi Lumber Company was the biggest employer in town, employing about 300 men in 1900. Businesses such as this frequently hired young men to act as runners or gophers.
While we can only speculate, Olin’s future employment might be a clue. By 1910 when the next census was taken, Emma and 3 of her children (Ruth, Annie Mae, and Powell) had relocated again, this time to Grenada, MS where Emma took on boarders. That year Olin, now 22, worked 220 miles south in Perry, MS as a “planerman” at a saw mill. |
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