Person:Amanda Clouse (1)

Amanda grew up in Rhea's Mill, Arkansas. She had a little education and made several entries in the family bible. She and Otha married and went to Oklahoma to homestead a small farm. Her five children were born there. She worked the farm in Oklahoma with Otha. Life was was often hard and sometimes food was scarce.

Their third child, Velma Louise Stephens, was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas on June 2, 1909. One day while burning the fields, A big old tree caught fire. Amanda got the children to safety, then returned to the tree to get something, but could not get out of harms way. Unfortunately Amanda was crushed by the tree while her five children looked on. They put Amanda in a wooden casket and placed it in their home on the table for a week before burying her. When they buried her, all the children had to stand around the grave. This caused a lot of distress for the children. Especially for Louise, as she heard the casket crack when they started shoveling the dirt in. Elmer Stevens disappeared shortly after that, he would return occasionally to check on the kids. Lorien and Corinne had both left home, while Louise stayed home to take care of her younger brother and sister. Sometimes all they could find to eat were crawdads in the creek. Now and then they would see Amandas parents.

Rhea's Mill was a place in Washington Co., Arkansas, mostly referred to in the Civil War era because of the skirmishes there.--Kittydoc

1. ↑ Clouse Family Bible.
   
2. ↑ Clouse Family Bible.
   
3. ↑ United States. Census Office. 12th census, 1900. 1900 federal census: soundex and population schedules. (Washington, District of Columbia).
4.   Margaret Frazier,. Delayed Velma Louise Stephens Birth Certificate.
5.   Clouse Family Bible.
6.   Clouse Family Bible.

   entries appear to be made mostly by the same person, unlikely they were made at the time of the events.