OUR MOTHER
The Story of Mary Kellett Cole Stubbs
by Jane Bird Cole Miles (Mary's Daughter)
written c. 1875-1883
[Our Mother] Was born April 14th 1798 at Shapp Fells in Westmoreland Co. England. Her fathers name was Kellet. Her mothers maiden name was Bird. She(her mother) married beneath her station in life and was disowned by her near relatives. The marriage proved unhappy, and after the birth of his children, the wife deserted her husband and children, and lived but a short time after. Thus ended the brief and unhappy life of our grandmother.
The Birds were a family of wealth and position. Mothers ancestors coming from Birds Nest Castle called Brougham Hall, and is situated about 2 miles from Penrith, which is a place of antiquity, its history being traced back three centuries before the Christian era. The chapel is near the "Hall" and dates back to 1393. Appleby is another town of old age in Westmoreland. This is where mother was confirmed. The scenery about these towns is described as being very fine. Shapp is about 10 miles from each of these places, and a late number of the "Century" describes the Fells as one of the most lovely landscapes in England.
Mother was not adopted, but viewed as foster daughter and sister into the family by the name of Farrar. The Farrars were not relatives, but treated mother in every respect as one of their family. Working in the fields during harvest was at the time and is with great extent at the present time, common among all farmers daughters in Scotland and the heart of England. Mother did as the rest did. She has many stories, none that are highly embellished. The place that has left the strongest impression and where she no doubt had the hardest time was some distance from home with relatives of the Farrars. The family consisted of two old maids and a bachelor brother, who was of course fond of ale and spent most of his time at the inn during during winter, sometimes forgetting to go home for days, then mother had to care for the sheep and cattle and in fact had to do all the outdoor work. After taking this about 8 months she ran away from them, and is then that her people were kind to her, they did not send her back although she had to lose her pay because she did not stay her time but the oldest foster brother Joseph was sent to speak the mind of the family and say Mary would not return. From what mother has told me at different times, the Farrars must have been good honest people, strong Churchmen, seeing all the children learned the catechism and were confirmed at a proper age.
Mother must have been a child full of life and fond of all kinds of games, and that she was indulged in these things is evident from her own story. She once told me she attended dancing school and at the end of the term there was a great dance given at the Inn, the parents being invited and she remembered being carried by her brother Joseph that she might not soil her shoes and clothes. She was dressed in white bought for the occasion, this shows they were thrifty well to do people.
I have heard mother often speak of her childhood friends, Debby and Mary Hastwell, Mary went to Liverpool before mother did, and Debby went to Kendal to live. They were friends as long as mother stayed in England. Pa saw them both when he was over, and both are since dead. The Farrars parents brothers and sisters are I believe all dead. Their children were men and women when mother was taken an infant, so if any were living they would be very old. Pa saw two nieces and a nephew as mother called them when he was in England.
This I believe is mothers true history and I will give my reasons. She was brought up in the town where she was born. The people knew the father and the mother. Her fathers parents believe this story, and that she was born to better things that they could give her, and father tried to get possession of her but failed. She had an uncle, once or twice removed, perhaps her great uncle ( I am not positive at this point ) who lived in the vicinity by the name of Bird, he was a Dr. and at the time when mother was ailing she went to him. He received her kindly, acknowledged the relationship, kept her until she was well and offered her a home, but Mother had very keen and rigid sense of justice and said the Farrars gave her a home when she was friendless and helpless and she thought it her duty to stay with them until her time expired.
About this time Mary Hastwell went to Liverpool and never rested until she had mother with her. There she met and married my father, their wedding trip was made to the home of Uncle Bird, where they were cordially received. From this family I got my name Jane being a favorite given name and Bird was added to it. This uncle lived over the borders in Scotland but I could not tell the name of the place. I have heard Mother says the Birds were as much Scotch as English.
While mother and my father were here at this time they received full particulars of mother birth and family. At a subsequent visit Dr. Bird gave my father further accounts in regards to property. Claiming that Lord Braughams family were collateral heirs, that they forcibly and fraudulently gained possession of all papers by entering thriugh an open window.I do not understand that is was ever claimed that mother could inherit title or estate, but that her grandfather or great grandfather being a provident man, having no sons, had laid aside thousands of pounds for the daughters and grand children who would be left without a home when he was gone. This is what he (the uncle) charged ought to be and could be vested from the Brougham family.
At the time of the visit last spoken of my father had shown decided symptoms of consumption. In fact they went to Dr. Bird for advice on his case. It had been announced in the Liverpool papers that Lord Braugham would make the great speech at the celebration of the Princes Docks in Liverpool which was nearly completed and my father armed with all the necessary documents by Uncle Bird and a promise of introduction by prominent members of the St. George's Club, which my father was a member, intending to present himself before the great Lord. My fathers principle object in desiring this meeting was to present a petition in regard to some improvements that were going to affect his business and at the same time he intended to make Mother known to him backed by letters he had received from Scotland. But before the day arrived my father was in his grave.
After the death of my father and a little brother born about this time, mother felt she was going to decline. As soon as she could get some one to take charge of her business, took her two children ( Joseph and myself ) and went to Scotland the usual place for advice. But the uncle assured her rest and change would make her allright and to satisfy her mind said if she was taken away he would look after her children, and if grandfather Cale insisted upon taking possession of Joseph he ( uncle ) would take care of the "little lass." Dr. Bird had an only daughter Mary - I think and only child, who married a Captain Archer in the service of and East Indies Co. When mother made her last visit this daughter was in poor health and had just started a long voyage with her husband hoping to be benefited in health and her father advised mother to return and keep along in business as usual and when the time came for his daughters return he would meet her in Liverpool where her husbands ship was owned.
On her way home mother stopped at Kendal with relatives of my father by the name of Shepphura, and visited her old friend Debby Hastwell who was acquainted with pa. The sister Mary in Liverpool was also acquainted with pa, and as far as I can learn acted as go-between and our folks were soon married, and before uncle Bird came to Liverpool to meet his daughter, Mother was in America and that was the last she ever heard directly about them.
One thing I forgot to speak of mother had a brother but they had known nothing of his whereabouts until I was about 3 weeks old when he surprised her by walking into the house and inquiring for his sister, he had just come from Shapp Fells where he learned the address. His story was that he went to sea, had been to the East Indies,(?), and I do not know where he had not been. But the brother and sister were glad to see each other, he stayed a week ashore, the two sent a present to their father who was at that time still living. When the brother started on another voyage and was never heard from again.
Mother knew very little of the Kellet family, she sent her father something, I think every month, as long as she stayed in the country. I believe he was crippled with rheumatism. Mother said she never heard any against her father, only he tippled. She never heard of uncle or aunts. Her father lived I believe to be 90. My father sent to mothers fathers parents 1lb per week for a number of years. Lord Braugham died some years since his only remaining child and daughter Mary died of consumption in the South of France where the two spent the most of their time the last years of their lives. Lord Braugham died without an heir. The present Master of Bird Nest is a younger brother and goes by a different name I never saw it but once-think it is (?Carnsrighere?) but am not sure None of the family stayed long at the Hall, it used to be said in the neighborhood that no members of the present family could live or die Happy in the "Castle."
Now you may wonder how I know all this. Mother could never get Pa to write to write to the uncle. He thought hunting up ancestors and distant relatives very silly and Mother became sensitive on the subject and seldom referred to it. Before Joseph left home, mother later told me this story and much more that I can not remember, and Joseph gave his word of honor, that as soon as he was able he would go to England and find the uncle if still living for mother never could bear the thought that so good a friend as he had been to her should have reason to think he had been treated with wont of respect. During Pa's Pastoral in Ashtabula.(1869-1870) he sent for me to come to Cleveland and stay with mother two weeks as he was holding meetings nightly and did not like to leave her alone so long. And by the way I remember this as one of my pleasantest home visits. One evening she said she felt impressed that she ought to tell me her early history, and she did so, as near as I can remember it corresponded with what she told Joseph and myself more than 30 years before. She did at the same time gave me a history of my fathers family birth on his fathers and mothers side.
Jane Bird Miles ( my Mother's oldest child )
Transcribed by Mary Lewis (2nd great grandaughter)
