Sarah Elizabeth Gleaves Hewgley

Sarah Elizabeth and Nelson Hewgley - the parents

byoungquist1808added this on 17 Nov 2009

byoungquist1808originally submitted this to russell Family Tree on 29 May 2009

Source: 'Bettie' Hewgley Russell: "Our Grandmother was born Sarah Elizabeth Hewgley on September 22, 1887 and died on April 13, 1964. She was born to Nelson Hewgley and Sarah Elizabeth Gleaves Hewgley. Nelson was born in 1851, died in 1928. Sarah was born in 1847 and also died in 1928.

Nelson was a very religious man who rode to church every Sunday on a mule in rain or shine. In the winter he would wrap his feet and ankles in feed sacks, and ride the mule through the snow. If he could not take the mule, he would walk.

Ruby Hewgley Barnes does not remember her grandmother, Sarah Elizabeth, going ...only that... she was ill in the middle and later years of her life. [Ruby is daughter of Tolbert Fanning Hewgley, last son of Sarah & Nelson, and he was married to Virgil Davis].

Sarah became addicted to morphine because of a serious illness. She had broken a hip or leg and was given the morphine during the illness that had resulted from the injury. She would experience terrible, painful withdrawals without it. It was prescribed for her by Dr. Hampton during a serious illness she was suffering from and she became dependent upon it for the rest of her life. Back then, Morphine was not a prescription drug or regulated as it is today. She did not know it was addictive. In all actuality the drug probably saved her life over the long run of things. Life was so tough back then, that to not be able to function, one would die very early.

As long as she had the drug, she was able to function. She could not walk well at all, and the children had to take household items to her in her chair.

Her husband, Nelson, or sometimes the children would go to get the morpine for her. They would ride the mule or walk to the doctor's house. She was to become a very heavy lady, and unable to move about in later years, because of enlarged legs, due to severe & painful edema, particularly around her knees. The family and children and grand children would carry potatoes, beans, etc., to her to peel, break and prepare the beans for drying for winter use. The beans were hung on the outside, side of the house.

She probably suffered from severe arthritis, as well as the possibility of congenital heart failure & circulation problems & possibily Diabetes as well in her older years. All these things cause edema.

Ruby Hewgley (Barnes) who lived adjoining her grandparents would help "Mammy" do this work. At that time, Ruby recalls the family (Tolbert Fanning & Virgil Davis -Hewgley) lived on Hydes Ferry Road (Hwy 12) just beyond where Bull Run Road runs into Hydes Ferry Rd.

Clara Russell (Tarkington) and her mother, Bettie Hewgley- Russell, 9daughter of Nelson & Sarah. lived on the opposite side of the Cumberland River on River Road near Ashland City in and around the community of Lillie Mae.

Bennie Hewgley, son of Nelson & Sarah, and brother to Bettie, also lived on Bull Run Rd. with his wife and family.

This is recalled by Ruby Barnes and Clara Russell Tarkington. They both recalled many instances of her use of the drug and "Mammy" having her spells when she could not get it.

A sister of Sarah E. Gleaves Hewgley had also used the drug, but it was never noted as her being addicted..or even which sister it was.