come
up her back and it was badly burned. She was confined to her bed on her
stomach for months. Soon after the accident it was discovered she was pregnant
with her first child, Walter, and she gave birth to him in this position.Stories of Jane Ward Yearwood
Jane Ward Yearwood, in 1869 was the victim of a fiery accident. She and her husband John were living in her family home on Spadra Creek. This was a two story log house with dog trot built around 1828 when he father purchased the land. As Jane was cooking at the fireplace one day her flannel petticoats brushed through the fire and burst into flames. It was her custom to tie her apron in a knot around her waist and she found it impossible to get the burning garments off. She ran from the house, down the front path, through the gate, and a few yards down the road to the creek. There she fell into the water, quenching the flames. She drug herself near the bank and lost consciousness.
Sometime later a young apprentice to the local doctor
came by the house. In the road in front of her house he saw one of Jane's
braids burned from her head in flight to the creek. Knowing that a serious
accident had occurred he began a search for Jane. He eventually found her
partially in, partially out of the creek. He administered to her immediately.
The flames had come
up her back and it was badly burned. She was confined to her bed on her
stomach for months. Soon after the accident it was discovered she was pregnant
with her first child, Walter, and she gave birth to him in this position.
This was told to me by my great aunt Ethel Lena Yearwood Griffin, daughter of Jane Yearwood and sister to Walter, Robert, and Lucy. She remembered seeing her mother's back and there were no pores there only scar tissue.
Aunt Lucy Yearwood, married Charles Walton, a man who worked in the mines at Clarksville and came home to tell her mother of the event. Jane, thinking Charles was not suitable for Lucy's husband, pulled the buggy whip from its post on the buggy and beat Charles with it. Don't know why he was unsuitable but soon after Charles and Lucy went to Colorado where he again worked in the mining field. You can see this grandmother was a spunky lady.
This story was related to me by Lucy Yearwood Sallis my mother.
Dawn Sallis Cowan