Marie Ann Dechaine was born May 5, 1909 in Dickenson, North Dakota to Mary Margaret Favrou and Joseph M. DeChaine. At the age of three, events unknown to Marie even to this day, caused her mother to leave North Dakota and come to Florida. Besides Marie, she brought Marie’s older brother, Buddy, and a younger brother, Vincent, and was pregnant with Gertrude. Five older children were left behind – one child had died in infancy.
They moved to Jacksonville, Florida and were accompanied by a Roman Catholic Priest, Father Arnold John Vanden Heuvel. He helped Grandma acquire a home on a large tract of land on the Little Pottsburg Creek in an area known as Spring Glen on Jacksonville’s Southside – today it is Bartram School. Life was pleasant there, the children had a nanny to take care of them and soon a baby sister was born (Gertrude). It wasn’t unusual to find Marie tagging along behind her big brother, Buddy, who attended Spring Glen School.
About the time Marie started school, Grandma married Charles F. Baxter. She attended the Immaculate Conception School for her first three school years. The school was located in downtown Jacksonville on Ocean Street on the opposite side of the St. Johns River from where they lived. A water taxi transported her and her brothers to and from school.
Grandma had dances at her home every month. Grandma’s friends and their teenage children attended these parties – all enjoyed an evening of fun. Music was supplied by the elders and those children who could play musical instruments. Mama “D” recalls that on one occasion, Grandma got wind that a couple of local “toughs” planned to attend the party. These young men were known to be whiskey drinkers and carousers. Grandma went down the lane to the gate at the entrance to their property. She met the young men and informed them, in no uncertain terms, that no alcohol was permitted at her parties. When Grandma spoke, one listened and it is not certain whether or not they attended the party.
Grandpa Baxter’s sister, Aunt Mame and her husband Uncle Joe, had an adopted daughter, Toledo and Marie, cousins by adoption, were good friends. Toledo’s mother would not let her go out unless she double dated with someone. On one particular night, when Marie was spending the night with Toledo, they double dated. Marie’s date was Red James. The guys went out to Mandarin to get some “moonshine” as liquor was not legally attainable during prohibition. The following does not sound like the Daddy Red we all know, but Mama “D” tells it like this. Red offered her a drink, but she told him she did not drink. He then said, “I’ll pour it down you then.” She replied that if he tried, she would pour it on his new suit. He tried and she spilled it all over him. His ardor cooled momentarily and they drove to the beach where Toledo and friends got out of the car and walked. Marie and Red stayed in the car – on opposite sides, so she says. Red tried the rest of the evening to make up – apparently with no success. He did, however, give her a picture of himself which she still has. Their date was apparently a flop.
One evening, some time later, after the entire family had retired for the night, Red appeared at their door. He asked Grandma, who had gotten up to answer the door, if Marie could go out with him – the answer was no. The two young people stayed in the parlor and talked. On several occasions, Red asked to take Marie to the movies – Grandma agreed on the condition that Marie’s older brother, Buddy, go with them. Grandma told Red about the dances that were held and invited him to come. He came regularly. Thus the courtship of Marie and Red began.
It wasn’t long before their relationship became noticeably serious – so serious in fact that Red began thinking marriage. Grandma became very concerned because of Marie’s young age – 14 years.
In an attempt to cool off the relationship by getting Marie away from Jacksonville and Red, Grandma sought the help of a good friend, Mrs. Vanderpool. Mrs. Vanderpool was one of the co-founders of the School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, Florida. She had a daughter who was a student there. It is not known whether she was deaf or blind or both.
in August of 1924, Mrs. Vanderpool secured a position for Marie at the school. Marie looked a lot older than her 15 years, which made her hiring possible. Marie lived in special quarters provided by the school. She found the work with the young people at the school very rewarding. A young man by the name of Richard Hicks taught her sign language, so she could communicate with the deaf students. The young man was from Jacksonville. Not only was he a deaf mute, but also he was paralyzed from him hips down. in later years, he became very athletic, making good use of the strength developed in his upper body.
The twenty five miles separating the two young people made the situation desperate for them. They wrote every day. On weekends, Red would speed to St. Augustine in his sporty, Model “A”, Roadster. Six months passed and Grandma realized that her plan was not working and made plans for Marie to return home.
In early 1925, Marie returned to Jacksonville, and life for the two young , “star crossed” lovers returned to a more agreeable state. Red remained at the railroad and Marie enrolled in Jones Business College in downtown Jacksonville. She completed two semesters of business courses and left for a job with Wadsworth Howelin Paint Supply Company. She worked there only two months when she and Red chose to elope.
Marie Ann DeChaine (age 16) and Edward Warren James (age 23) were married on October 31, 1925. They chose to elope, because it was the fashionable thing to do in those days and in addition, they would probably not been able to obtain Grandma’s permission. Gertrude knew of the plan, but said nothing to their mother, even though she disliked Red all during the two and old half years he dated Marie. He was too wild and Gertie just knew the marriage wouldn’t last.
Even so, Gertie accompanied her mother shopping that Saturday morning, giving no hint of what was taking place. Red met Marie at her home, gathered her suitcases and the two went to find someone to marry them. A good friend of Reds at the Florida East Coast Railroad, a Mr. Sharrett, who was a Notary Public, performed the wedding ceremony at “high noon”. Mrs. Sharrett stood up for the young couple. Mr. James presented the new Mrs. James a platinum diamond engagement ring and wedding band.
They spent their first night in a room on the second floor of the Ware Hotel in Waygross, Georgia. The next day, Red took his new bride to his mother’s and father’s home in Manor, Georgia. The following Friday, the young couple returned to Jacksonville, Florida. Red had rented an apartment on Jacksonville’s Southside on Gary Street. The apartment for the newly married couple was near the appropriately named Honeymoon Railroad Yard where Red worked. So began the life of Red and Marie, now known as Daddy “Red” and Mama “D”.
Thank you Jennye. This is so great of you to provide.. Also, thanks to Chris who helped Jennye in setting up the site. I so look forward to the next installment.
Love ya,
Uncle Warren