It was October 31, 1921. Late. It was the night of a full moon, too. Into a family of 3 children, a little girl was born. She was a tiny thing, but with a big voice. Her grandpa was there for the “birthin’”. He looked into the face of the brand new baby, and said she was an “old soul”. She had probably lived for hundreds of years. She had a shock of red hair, and right out of the womb, she had the “darkest of brown eyes”. He proclaimed that “red hair and brown eyes was a sign of the devil” – she was a witch -- and being born on a full moon verified that thought. He named her Jezebel.
Isn’t that a HORRIBLE tag to place on a beautiful baby girl! Her mama stood up against the older man and reminded him that they were a Christian home and they would NOT be naming a baby Jezebel! He backed down after about 2 days and named my mama “Jessie Beatrice”. She went most of her life as “Jessie B”. Pretty close to Jezebel, if you ask me…
That’s the beginning of the story for my mama: Jessie Beatrice McMahon Adams. A witch. Back in a time in our very recent past when no one thought anything evil about Jessie saying she was a witch. Boy, you go around nowadays saying your Sunday School teacher, or PTA President, or Camp Fire leader, or Cub Scout Den Mother, or even just your favorite hairdresser was a WITCH. Different response all together. Hm-m-m-m…
Paul even joked about the fact that he was probably the only man that could call his mother-in-law “an old witch” and get away with it!!!
But there couldn’t have been a woman further from a witch, or even a bad person. She was love personified. Good, kind, meek, gentle, a wonderful mother, a giving wife, the best of friends. But she’d tell you she was a witch, after all, and once a year she would try to prove it!
She loved Halloween and dressing up as “Witch Hazel”. It was her mission once a year to actually turn into Witch Hazel and see just how many people she could trick! You see – she was good!!! She already had this red hair! Plus, she had red hair pieces that had been made from her own hair that she had weaved into forms when she would cut her hair. She let them fall naturally down her back, and being “real hair”, they were dry from age, so they stuck out down her back.
She had this slinky black skirt that had about 8 gores made into it that would ripple when she turned. She had “lacy leg” hose that I have no idea where she got such an item in the ‘50’s. They were really something else – really lacy legs – but she said all of her spiders weaved them for her. She had an incredible black thigh-length jacket with lots of pockets she had sewn into it to put extra spiders, webbing, candy, or whatever.
She made this fabulous nose out of silly putty and put it on her face, under her glasses, and then coated her face and nose with green face powder. (that she bought at Bluestein’s – who’d a thought!!!) She added a few extra warts for effect, plus spider earrings, necklaces, and other jewelry. Plus she had made this fine witches hat. Out of satin, nonetheless, too
She was so very real looking. And she was GREAT!!!
Then off she would go to Port Arthur public schools. She would pass out candy and let the kids talk to her spiders, and talk to them about being safe on Halloween night. She was a “good witch”, and wanted them to be “good little goblins”, too. She was the best.
This went on every year. All through the 3 of us kids being in school, and after we were grown and had left. She even came out to West Hardin when I was teaching there for a huge Birthday party in her honor. She loved it!
Few people can imagine what it was like for her when her grandchildren were in Port Arthur schools and she was told she couldn’t come to school any more. Halloween had become too real, too scary, and too violent for them to bring a “witch” to school. The school board had spoken.
She was devastated. How could anyone not want Witch Hazel to come and love on the kids and tell them to be safe. She was truly wounded. However, in true Jessie-style, she rebounded quickly. Surely there was someone that would appreciate her venture. And there were – the area nursing homes and facilities welcomed her with open arms. She had a calling once again. For a while she even talked Andrew into dressing up life a cat and being “Felix” along with Hazel. What a pair!!!
Not one to “celebrate” Halloween myself, but…to the one and only Witch Hazel…
Happy Birthday, mama. Words can never express how much we all miss you. You were the greatest mom in the world. Thanks for showing me the way towards motherhood. I can only hope and pray I have influenced my children as much as you did me…
Isn’t that a HORRIBLE tag to place on a beautiful baby girl! Her mama stood up against the older man and reminded him that they were a Christian home and they would NOT be naming a baby Jezebel! He backed down after about 2 days and named my mama “Jessie Beatrice”. She went most of her life as “Jessie B”. Pretty close to Jezebel, if you ask me…
That’s the beginning of the story for my mama: Jessie Beatrice McMahon Adams. A witch. Back in a time in our very recent past when no one thought anything evil about Jessie saying she was a witch. Boy, you go around nowadays saying your Sunday School teacher, or PTA President, or Camp Fire leader, or Cub Scout Den Mother, or even just your favorite hairdresser was a WITCH. Different response all together. Hm-m-m-m…
Paul even joked about the fact that he was probably the only man that could call his mother-in-law “an old witch” and get away with it!!!
But there couldn’t have been a woman further from a witch, or even a bad person. She was love personified. Good, kind, meek, gentle, a wonderful mother, a giving wife, the best of friends. But she’d tell you she was a witch, after all, and once a year she would try to prove it!
She loved Halloween and dressing up as “Witch Hazel”. It was her mission once a year to actually turn into Witch Hazel and see just how many people she could trick! You see – she was good!!! She already had this red hair! Plus, she had red hair pieces that had been made from her own hair that she had weaved into forms when she would cut her hair. She let them fall naturally down her back, and being “real hair”, they were dry from age, so they stuck out down her back.
She had this slinky black skirt that had about 8 gores made into it that would ripple when she turned. She had “lacy leg” hose that I have no idea where she got such an item in the ‘50’s. They were really something else – really lacy legs – but she said all of her spiders weaved them for her. She had an incredible black thigh-length jacket with lots of pockets she had sewn into it to put extra spiders, webbing, candy, or whatever.
She made this fabulous nose out of silly putty and put it on her face, under her glasses, and then coated her face and nose with green face powder. (that she bought at Bluestein’s – who’d a thought!!!) She added a few extra warts for effect, plus spider earrings, necklaces, and other jewelry. Plus she had made this fine witches hat. Out of satin, nonetheless, too
She was so very real looking. And she was GREAT!!!
Then off she would go to Port Arthur public schools. She would pass out candy and let the kids talk to her spiders, and talk to them about being safe on Halloween night. She was a “good witch”, and wanted them to be “good little goblins”, too. She was the best.
This went on every year. All through the 3 of us kids being in school, and after we were grown and had left. She even came out to West Hardin when I was teaching there for a huge Birthday party in her honor. She loved it!
Few people can imagine what it was like for her when her grandchildren were in Port Arthur schools and she was told she couldn’t come to school any more. Halloween had become too real, too scary, and too violent for them to bring a “witch” to school. The school board had spoken.
She was devastated. How could anyone not want Witch Hazel to come and love on the kids and tell them to be safe. She was truly wounded. However, in true Jessie-style, she rebounded quickly. Surely there was someone that would appreciate her venture. And there were – the area nursing homes and facilities welcomed her with open arms. She had a calling once again. For a while she even talked Andrew into dressing up life a cat and being “Felix” along with Hazel. What a pair!!!
Not one to “celebrate” Halloween myself, but…to the one and only Witch Hazel…
Happy Birthday, mama. Words can never express how much we all miss you. You were the greatest mom in the world. Thanks for showing me the way towards motherhood. I can only hope and pray I have influenced my children as much as you did me…
