My Grandmother Cardwell (Granny) Was Remarkable

21. It is time I get back to Granny. She was a remarkable woman who lived a hard and at the same time a happy life.  I saw a picture of her when she was young.  She was tall with upswept hair framing her big eyes, small nose and full lips. Long before my time—learned from tales of family members-- I recount.

At a young age Granny – whose name was Symintha  (commonly called Mint by friends and family)—married Sam Davis. By that marriage she had a daughter, Lily.  As the story goes Sam came to a bad end.

Sam was on his way to the store to buy nails for a project he was working on. On his way he met Fain Minton who invited him to his house.   For some reason never explained to me they had a heated argument.  When the argument  came to blows Sam left the house.  But he tripped going down the steps and fell. Fain running after him saw his advantage.  He picked up the ax near the porch and struck Sam several times.  The hit to the neck, nearly severing  Sam’s head caused death.

Fail Minton was arrested and sent to jail where he served time until 1917. Granny then married James Anderson Cardwell, who was my grandfather.  That story I will continue next.