Pioneer woman found life difficult in Madera

For The Madera Tribune

Matilda Gilmore Brown, shown here on the left in this 1957 photograph, was the daughter of John Gilmore and Jennie Cunningham Gilmore Mace. Madera pioneers Craig Cunningham and Mrs. George Goucher are shown with her celebrating Old Timer’s Day.

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Elizabeth Evans held the hand of her 4-year-old son, Charles, as she watched her husband march off to war with his friend Russel Perry Mace. John Evans had joined company A of the 11th Regiment of Louisiana Volunteers to serve as Captain Mace’s 2nd Lieutenant. The year was 1846, and the place was New Orleans.

Company A distinguished itself in the Mexican-American War, but Lieutenant Evans died of yellow fever and was buried on Mexican soil. Before his death, however, Evans extracted a promise from his Captain. Mace vowed to care for Elizabeth and young Charles Evans.

When the war was over, Mace returned to New Orleans and married Elizabeth Ann Evans. Had it not been for the discovery of gold in California, the new family might have remained in Louisiana, but as things turned out, Elizabeth and her son Charles, now seven, followed her new husband to the gold fields.