Sally Moody
June 1865-Oct. 22, 1927
Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, October 24, 1927, page 1, col. 8
AGED HOUSEMAID LEAVES BEQUEST TO NILES LIBRARY
Sally Moody, Born in Slave Days, Dies at Pawating Hospital
HAD SAVED HER WAGES
Property Valued at Several Thousand Dollars Covered by Will
Sally Moody is dead. She died at Pawating Hospital at 3:15 Saturday afternoon.
This simple announcement conveys very little to the minds of those who were not numbered with the elect of Sally's limited circle of acquaintances, but those who knew Sally and something of the story of her life are reminded that in the passing of this plain unpretentious human soul, a life of faithful services to others, has come to an end, with no one near of her own kin to shed a tear.
But although she lived in obscurity, Sally's memory will be perpetuated for she had acquired considerable means, it is understood, through her careful saving of her wages and through practicing economies, and when her will is read after the funeral services on Wednesday. It is expected an announcement will be made of a bequest to the Niles public library, an institution in which she was deeply interested.
Sally Moody had no known relatives in the north. Little positive information about Sally's early life is known here, aside from the fact that she was born in Tennessee near Memphis about the time that (continue on Page 8) the north and south were preparing to engage in the might struggle that ended in the abolition of slavery. Whether Sally was born in slavery is not positively known but it is presumed that she was. A vague rumor has been current among among those who were more or less interested in Sally that the paternal side of her ancestry could be traced back to one of the proudest and most prominent families of Tennessee. However, that may be the inexorable laws of fate and of the social standards of the white race, aligned her irrevocably with the colored race of her mother. But Sally rebelled in spirit against the unwritten decree with the result that such friends as she made were confined almost exclusively to the white families that she faithfully served.
Sally was brought to Niles from Memphis by the J.D. Milburn family, none of whom now reside here. She came here as a comely young woman of the Octoroon type. She remained here in the service of various Niles families until two years ago when she went to similar service in South Bend. She was taken sick at her lat place of employment early last week. Expressing a wish to be brought back to Niles, which she considered her home, arrangements were made for her at Pawating hospital.
Sally allied herself with the Niles First Methodist church a number of years ago, and the pastor of that church will officiate at the simple service to be held at the Rutherford Funeral Home Wednesday afternoon at 3 o'clock with interment at Silver Brook cemetery.
Sally was a great reader of newspapers. She possessed a remarkable memory. She took a general interest in the important current events of the world, but displayed a special fondness for stories about royalty and about prominent American families. She knew much about their family relationship, the deaths, the notable weddings, even the names of the children.