In the Soddy

A Touch of Class in a Soddy
The other pictures have disappeared, but they gave evidence
that, although quite crowded, Mary Elizabeth Ayers Tyler brought
a touch of New England class to her home on the Texas prairie in the 1880's.
It was graced with fine draperies, carpets, china, silver,
piano, and silver candelabras.

This family had white washed the earthen walls to seal out the dust and vermin
what would have come from the sod bricks that the house was made of.

Mary, the eldest daughter was blond. That characteristic was highly prized
by the Indians in their slaves. So anytime Indians were sighted in the area,
Mary was hidden until they had gone away. Mary Elizabeth, often left alone with
the children when the men were off tending the cattle, was known to give the
Indians all the food she had in the house in order to
appease them when they came "to visit."