I did not know her, but these snapshots of Mattie Gibson Shelley are windows onto the landscape of my childhood.

Mattie Shelley, three girls, and boy, out in the country. A tiny cemetery; a fresh grave. Corn fields; a young sweetgum tree.

Mattie Shelley with cat eye glasses and a slight smile, in town. A classic metal porch chair. (Ubiquitous, yet so uncomfortable. There’s a glider on the porch across the street.) Puffy white cloud, a young tree.

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In the 1910 census of Cartersville township, Florence County, South Carolina: Walie Gibson, 36; wife Mary, 39; and children Cora, 15, Ada, 13, Julius, 9, Walter, 7, Joseph, 5, Mattie, 3, and Annie, 10 months.

In the 1920 census of Cartersville township, Florence County, South Carolina: Wallie Gibson, 46; wife Ella, 26; and children Walter, 18, Joseph, 15, Mattie, 12, Annie, 10, Eva, 7, and Willie, 5.

In the 1940 census of Springhill township, Wilson County: farmer Roy Shelley, 44; wife Mattie, 31; and children Marthy Lee, 11, Walter, 9, Lee Roy, 7, William, 4, and Willie, 1.

In the 1950 census of Cross Roads township, Wilson County: farmer Roy Shelley, 53; wife Mattie, 42; children Martha, 21, Walter, 19, Leroy, 17, William, 14, Willie, 11, Dorthy, 7, Bearnice, 5, and James, 3; and granddaughter Bobbie Hardin, 2.

Mattie Gibson Shelley died 1 October 1973 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 13 December 1907 in South Carolina to Wallie Gibson and Mary Anthony; was a widow; lived at 925 Poplar Street; and was buried in Rest Haven Cemetery. Martha Chestnut, 501 Lane Street, was informant.

Photo courtesy of Ancestry user T’Keyah Fleming. Thank you!