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MATTIE BEASLEY

February 9, 2013. From Carolyn Beasley Meiggs daughter of Mattie Beasley.
Part of Mom's family spelled their last name Cayton (Uncle Charlie for one) or Caton (Mom did). My Grandmother is on the pictures that say Mattie (Mama) Cayton. Her name was Martha Jane Morrisette Cayton - nicknamed Mattie. They named Mom Mattie after her nickname. Photo's from Mattie Beasley album.

Trip to Mackey Island. Jim Vandergrift, Leon Doxey, Mr. Simmons, Phillip May, Charles Cayton, Mattie (Mama) Cayton, Dora Fisk
Mackey Island. Phillip, Mattie (Mama) Cayton, Louise Doxey, Cousin Hattie Bamford.
Brother "Charlie" Caton

Mattie Caton, Cousin Phillip May (Same House)

Mattie Beasley - When we first moved to Mackey's Island all our furniture was piled in the yard. Mr Knapp came by and asked, "Where is all the furniture going to be put? The house was so small. The ben grass was higher than our knees. It had not been cut all summer. Mama loved her flowers so she began to cut the grass with her scissors. It took her all winter to get it cut, but when spring came she began to put out flowers. That summer she had a yard full of all kinds blooming. Mrs. Knapp saw what she had done and made a talk at the PTA meeting about how Mama's efforts had paid off.

Mackey Island. Ralph Beasley
Ralph Beasley 1927

Jane Brumley - Mamie would have been Mamie Waterman. Her husband was Arthur Waterman. They were long time caretakers for the Knapps & great friends of my parents. They played cards every week & visited back & forth frequently. That is how I got to spend so much time as a youngster over at Mackays. Later, after leaving Mackays, they lived in their house which, while remodeled, is house adjacent on the north side of the cemetery. Owned now by the Meltons. They had one son Arthur Burnley Waterman who is deceased. He had a daughter but I lost trace of her many years ago. I think she moved out of the area.

Mamie & Arthur also had, I believe, a house assigned to them over at Mackays. However, I never remember them staying in it. They always stayed in the "big house" but did not have their personal furniture there. Just their clothes, books etc... There was a large wing for "servants" & that is where they had their stuff. Actually, they had the run of the house when the Knapps were not there. And there were sleeping quarters in the boat house too. I knew where the liquor was stored too. It was behind the paneling & there was a certain place to push & out came the bar. I learned how to do that. Mamie & Arthur let me play opening it. I was a very spoiled little girl.

Mattie and Ralph lived in the house assigned to Mamie and Arthur. Ralph worked for Knapp and met Mattie there.

Mattie Caton (Cayton) Beasley Photo Album.

1949 William Wesley Beasley, Lulie Virginia Waterman Beasley. "Papa Billy", "Mama Lulie".
1949 Ralph Beasley, Ruth Litchfield, Lulie & Billy Beasley, Martha Carolyn Beasley
1949 Lulie & Mattie
1949 Mattie, Anne Howard, ?innie Moss
1949 Mary Ann Moss, Carolyn, Marion Moss
Carolyn
Mattie, Ralph with Ruth & Jim Miller. Skyline Drive Fall 52. Also Jane Miller & Carolyn Beasley
Joyce Litchfield, Carolyn Beasley, Ruth Litchfield, Lulie Beasley, Ralph & Mattie Beasley. Williamsburg '52