Moses Petty and Indy (Endy) Bates Barnfield, with children Adell, Nina and Loyd

This is a postcard sent by Indy (Endy) Anna Barnfield to her parents, Thomas and Sarah Elizabeth Ward Bates. It reads "to my dear old father and mother." The postcard is a photograph of Petty Moses and Indy (Endy) Barnfield with their children, Adell, Nina and Loyd, taken in about 1920.

Endy Anna bates Barnfield came by train to Vernon, Texas in 1904. Her parents, Thomas F. and Sarah Elizabeth Bates, came to Texas for the birth of their grandchildren in 1906 and 1908. Both of those children died the year they were born.

In 1910, Nina Elizabeth was born and the Bates grandparents were here for her birth; however, they never got to come again. After Nina came Loyd Harrison in 1912. Adele was born in 1915, and Hester Lee was born in 1918, and John Bunion (J.B.) was born in 1924. Hester Lee is 97 and still active in 2015.

Petty Moses and Indy (Endy) Bates Barfield

Petty and Indy Bates Barfield with their children showing their new car. Indy is the daughter of  Thomas and Sarah Elizabeth Ward Bates. She is the sister of Lem Bates. Indy married Mr. Barfield at the age of 14 and she only knew him for a few weeks when he came through Georgia. They married on December 26, 1904. They left for Texas and she never returned to Georgia except for only two different occasions. She always wrote letters beginning with Dear Old Maw and shared about her life in Texas. She never returned for her parent's funerals.  She escaped her poor Georgia farm life. A cousin kept some of the letters in an old shoebox.  We found out that she sent money back to Georgia to help to pay off their farm loan.  

Indy (Endy) Bates Barfield

Indy (Endy) Bates Barfield was born in 1890. She is the daughter of Sarah Elizabeth Ward-Bates (Big Granny) and Thomas F. Bates. Indy married Petty Barfield in 1904 at the Cobb County Courthouse and left for Vernon Texas. Free from the poverty level of her family's rural farm life, she only returned to Georgia one time. However, she kept in touch with  her Georgia family sharing glimpses of her life with letters and pictures to her mother.  In this picture, found in Lillie Bates (wife of Lem Bates) personal belongings after her death, Indy wanted her mother to see her new $35 pearl necklace.  Looks like she did quite well for herself.