Passage from the book "My Life Story as I know it" by Mary Imogene Lee Davis.
Amanda Jane Norman Lee Harris was born Oct 8th 1836 . She was a small woman with black hair olive skin and eyes so dark the pupil and eyes seemed to melt into one. Amanda was Mary Imogene's strength and refuge in her early years, she never found fault or had a cross word for anyone, and died April 25th 1916. Age 79 yrs 6 months and 17 days . She joined the primitive baptist church, about 28 yrs previous to her death. Amanda lived a devoted christian life and a faithful member of her church, which she attended when her health permitted her too. She was held in high esteem by members of her church as well as by all who knew her. On Sept 25, 1856 as Amanda Jane Norman she was married to William C Lee who died December 10, 1888. To this union were born ten children six of whom have already preceeded her. John Marion who died at the age of 26 yrs Thomas Paine who died at the age of 9 months, Neri James who died at the age of 43 yrs old, William J who died at the age of 21 yrs old, Henry A who died at the age of 18 yrs old and Sarah Delana wife of Cyrus E Campbell, who died at the age of 45 yrs old. Amanda is survived by two daughters, Martha Jane wife of Clark Calvert of Marion and Mary Virginia wife of S M May of Herrin Illinois. Also two sons James Oliver of Crab Orchard and Charles B of Marion. She leaves two sisters Matilda Mosely and one other sister. Mary Imogene's first memory of Amanda Lee was when she lived at 508 E Jackson a grey house a block from Mary's house at 508 E Jefferson. In Marion Illinois, Amanda Lee always had a bottle of whiskey and rock candy in her cupboard for colds and coughs. When Geneieve and Mary would go to visit her we always developed a very bad cough and Amanda Lee would give us about a teaspoon of whiskey in hot water, presto we were cured. Amanda Lee was a firm believer in good whiskey for all cures. The day Amanda Lee died April 25, 1916 after a very short illiness the day of her funeral was a terrible day with rain turning to sleet and winds like only southern Illinois gets in the spring. Mary, Genevieve, and Lucille were all in horse and buggies but was put into a covered carriage by Charles Braxton Lee to get the children out of the storm it was a sad day for all three little girls who huddled together. William Carroll Lee married Amanda Jane Norman 25 Sept 1856 in Williamson, Ill. Although Grandma Lee never complained she believed in fate, she had a hard life and very sad since she had borne 10 children and had lost 6 of them during her lifetime. Some years after William Carroll Lee died Amanda remarried a Dr Harris, they lived in a beautiful white two story house in West Frankfort, Ill. my cousin Mabel Lee lived with them a few years and said Dr Harris was a very good husband to grandma and think she deserved some happiness in this life. Amanda Jane Norman Lee married James Thomas Harris 7 Oct 1895 in Williamson County Ill.On Illinois County Marriages J T Harris is listed as being born in the year 1830 and was age 65 at the time of the marriage. She was buried in Maplewood Cemetery beside her son Charles Braxton Lee and wife Louella Tippy Lee.