A Daughter’s Promise; A Story Of Margarete Peebles.
“Man can never be a woman’s equal in the spirit of selfless service with which nature has endowed her.
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How long would you honor a promise; a promise you made as an innocent child? A promise that would shape your life until the day you died.
Before you toss out an answer, let me tell you a story. A story of a woman who I met for the last time when I was a small boy; that woman was my great aunt Margarete Peebles.
Margarete Peebles was the second child of a hard working couple, Dudley Peebles II and Mary Julia Davis Peebles of Winona, Mississippi. Margarete had an older brother named Dudley Jr, he was my grandfather.
Childhood home of Margarete Peebles and her family.
Dudley was two years older than Margarete. Margarete and her brother Dudley were very close. Margarete spent all of her free time playing with her older brother.
Dudley Guilford Peebles III and his sister Margarete Peebles in Winona, Mississippi
Dudley Guilford Peebles III and Margarete Peebles, brother & sister.
,,,,,,,and here is where the story begins.
Margarete had always wanted a baby sister to play with. Margarete in her early years, believed that the stork delivered little babies upon request. You see, Margarete had seen a photo, in a school book, of a stork holding a little baby on a rooftop. The stork was standing next to the chimney; so Margarete figured that if she left a note by the fireplace asking for a baby sister, a baby would be there in the morning.
Now Margarete’s older brother Dudley was not believing this baby/stork connection; so he told Margarete that there would be no baby in the morning. Margarete dismissed her older brother and went to bed. As you may have guessed, there was no baby waiting by the fireplace in the morning. Margarete was very disappointed and no longer believed in stork deliveries.
Margarete continued to ask her mother time and time again for a baby sister. It would be a few more years and at age 12 Margarete got her wish. Margarete was taken by her father and brother Dudley, now 14 years old, to the hospital. Margarete’s mother gave birth to a baby girl. Margarete was allowed to name the baby girl. Margarete had picked out a name for her baby sister many years before. Margarete named her baby sister Bobby Nell.
Bobby Nell Peebles
Bobby Nell Peebles
Bobby Nell Peebles was born June 27, 1923 in Quito, Mississippi. Big sister Margarete was the happiest girl in the world. Margarete did everything for her little sister Bobby Nell. Bobby Nell was the love of her life.
Bobby Nell Peebles and her dogs.
Soon, life reveals that Bobby Nell does not speak or crawl like other babies. As Margarete introduces her baby sister to the community, children point and laugh at her baby sister. Adults talk behind their hands when they see her baby sister. This bewilders Margarete and she cannot understand the treatment that Bobby Nell receives from the community.
Bobby Nell Peebles
What Margarete did not know was that Bobby Nell was born with severe Down Syndrome, a genetic disorder. In Margarete’s time, the condition was called Mongolism. This condition did not affect Margarete’s love for her baby sister. Margarete took it upon herself to teach Bobby Nell to talk/communicate, to walk and together they enjoyed life as any sisters would.
A few years later, Margarete’s mother, Mary Julia, told Margarete that there would come a time when she would be too old to care for anyone and was worried about Bobby Nell’s welfare. Margarete made a promise to her mother Mary Julia that she would always take care of her sister and never leave her side.
Margarete Peebles kept her promise to her mother Mary Julia. Bobby Nell never left her side.
Bobby Nell had a comfortable life with her big sister. As Bobby Nell grew older, people became educated about this genetic disorder. Bobby Nell had many friends that came to spend time with her and Bobby Nell went with Margarete everywhere. Margarete had a nanny watch Bobby Nell at their home when Margarete went to work.
Margarete Peebles Family
“Yes, that’s me in the suit, at about 5 years of age. Only the second time in my life that I’ve ever worn a suit. My father who was taking the photo didn’t give me much choice.”
Bobby Nell Peebles died on January 15, 1991. Bobby Nell made it to 67 years of age. Big sister Margarete was at her side.
Bobby Nell Peebles at 60 years of age.
Margarete kept her promise to her mother.
Margarete Peebles, Bobby Nell Peebles and their mother Mary Julia Davis Peebles
Margarete Peebles did have a love once in her life, a young man; early in her youth. But Margarete had a responsibility, a stronger love in her life. Men in Margarete’s time were no different from men today; they don’t want to share a responsibility like the one Margarete came with. I’m sure there are men in this world who would have, but Margarete never met one.
Margarete Peebles at Mississippi State University
Margarete Peebles was employed by Mississippi State University as a librarian, for 50 years. Margarete and Bobby Nell’s home was just off campus. Margarete helped write and edit a book called,
“A History Of Mississippi Libraries” details from the late 1800’s to 1975.
Margarete Peebles also wrote a children’s book called, “The Special Gift By Margarete Peebles”. The book is targeted at young children who have siblings with Down Syndrome. This is no ISBN number for it, it was not produced in large quantities. It’s hard to find copies of the book. I did my best to create a PDF file of the book. You may find it of use or know someone who might like it.
I found a letter from Margarete written to my mother Helen last month. I’ve had the letter for years, never read it. It came to me in a bag of documents that was given to me upon my mother’s death. This letter was written after the first Christmas that Margarete found herself alone. This letter opened my eyes to a life of joy, pain, loneliness, love lost and found optimism at a time most needed. I don’t think Margarete or Helen would mind if you read it.
Margarete Peebles died on January 31, 2000.
Margarete Peebles is buried alongside her family in Winona, Mississippi.
Thank you for reading,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
John Dudley Corley
June 2, 2020