Lydia, Mammy Frances and my mother...

To be close to dad in his last phase of Army Air Corps training, before he left for war, Mom rented a room in an antebellum mansion in Laurinburg-Maxton, North Carolina from Mrs. Lydia Tyson. In North Carolina, mom was on her own. Two women, who became her life-long friends Bea and Moly's pilot husbands were sent to other bases. Mom was frightened and lonely when she got off the train in Laurinburg-Maxton.

Mrs. Lydia Tyson's, the widow of a prominent local banker, contribution to the war effort was to rent one bedroom out of 5 to my mother. My mother was 19 years old.

Mrs. Tyson had her "help". Fred and his wife "Mammy". Fred and Mammy lived in a small house behind the big house. Fred took care of the yard, the garden and the outside of the house, Mammy cooked, did laundry and cleaned. 

Fred in addition to his other duties was Mrs. Tyson's chauffeur. 
Some of Fred's days were taken up driving Mrs. Tyson to the bank (she was still the majority partner) dropping her off at the country club for lunch, taking her to local events, bond rallies, and church. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday, he drove her to church, If Fred was mowing the grass or trimming the hedges and Mrs. Tyson needed to go somewhere, Fred would run back to the little house, slip on a jacket and a tie, put his hat on his head, back the black Packard out of the garage. Fred would drive up next to the house, open the big car's door for Mrs. Tyson and off they'd go.

Fred's wife Mammy was in charge of the house. Mammy's given name was Frances, the same as my mother's Uncle Jim's wife. As mom told me many times, "I liked Mammy Frances much better than my own Aunt Frances."

Mom could only see dad one day a week leaving her 6 days with Mrs. Tyson and Frances. They treated my mother like a daughter, this lonely girl far from home was sheltered by their wings. 

Mrs. Tyson and mom would read books and discuss them, they followed the war news together on a big console radio. They loved poetry, drama, plays and of course, movies. They went to a movie together every week.

When mom was bored she would offer to help Mammy Frances with her housework, getting a stern, "I got this child, you just sit there and talk to me."  One day, by request, mom read to Mammy while she worked. Mammy gave her Langston Huges, W.E.B. Dubois and Zora Hurston to read. Mom read Steinbeck, Hemingway, and Faulkner to Frances in return. 

Mammy Frances and mom listened to music together, it was the first time mom heard the blues, gospel music and the black big bands. Mom liked it. 

Mom would get dressed, white gloves and all, to go shopping with Mrs. Tyson, they rode in the back seat of the Packard, Fred drove. 

Mom would get dressed up to go to the market with Mammy, Mom rode in the backseat, Mammy Frances rode upfront with Fred. When they shopped together Mammy Frances insisted Mom walk a few feet in front of her. "Cuz that's the way it is, Miss Janice."

Mom and Mammy Frances were Roosevelt Democrats, Mrs. Tyson was a Democrat too, but like most Southern Democrats in the 40s, she had her qualms about Mr. Roosevelt. Politics in the Tyson household stayed on the back burner, turned down low.

Both women gave my mother love and companionship when she needed all the support she could get. They knew mom was worried, she only had a few months left with my dad. They became mom's family when she was so far from her own. 

Mrs. Tyson, the genteel Southern lady, prim and proper, the daughter of slave owners and confederates. Mammy Frances, the daughter of slaves. They both treated my mother like she was their own. They held her when she was lonely, they dried her tears and listened to her fears. Mom was their Miss Janice. She belonged to these two childless women. Their daughter.

Mrs. Tyson taught my mother, with Mammy Frances help, how to make Pecan pie, made with pecans Fred shook off the big tree in the yard. 

Mom learned to cook Mrs. Tyson's favorite fried chicken, fried skinless and to cook Mammy's fried chicken with the skin still on. Cream gravy at our house was done Mammy Frances style served at a table set Mrs. Tyson style. We ate Southern buttery breakfasts with potato patties, basted eggs, and thick-cut bacon, our green beans were always cooked with a bit of ham, bacon or pork. 

Best of all, Mammy Frances taught mom the intricacies of cooking North Carolina Wet BBQ. Smokey, sweet, tart, tangy and oh so good. I can close my eyes and taste it. I remember mom fishing around in the bottom of the big, black roasting pan with a fork and finding a piece of pork and saying,  "this is the best part." It was, thanks to Mammy Frances

When Mom came home to North Dakota after dad left for England. She returned with the love of those two Southern ladies in her heart and her eyes. 

Mammy Frances and Mrs. Tyson sent their Miss Janice letters. Cards at Christmas and her birthday for years. My mom answered of course. She sent them my birth announcement. My mother told me later, "If we lived closer, you'd have two more grandmothers."

Mrs. Tyson wrote my grandparents a letter, "Mrs. Franklin If I had a daughter of my own.." it began.

I can't forget Fred, he'd bag up pecans from the big tree every year and send them north to Miss Janice.