The following was written by my mother's Aunt Jane who lived in California.

Holly Clan

The fact that I was asked to write a few words about this family is not the sole purpose. It is I feel that perhaps it will be the only remembered proof that there ever was such a family. Not one has to date distinguished themselves enough to say they left or will leave anything to posterity. The hope I cherish is that the second generation may stand up and be counted.

The Minstrel Show was progressing slowly and rather dully. This was not their afternoon. The jokes were old and oft repeated, and the music not too melodious. The audience was sensing this, and beginning to move restlessly. Only one person seemed engrossed and hopeful – that being the little young lady in the first box. Tastefully attired with a little fur turban with golden hair peeking out, big blue eyes that were full of wonder. She sat enthralled. Shad that been there before and seen the same performance and knew that very soon things would pick up, and the show would be the success- at least for her.

Sure enough, it happened. With the spot trained to the corner of the stage and a roll of the drums, out came two black-faced “End Men”. They sang, they danced and "antidoted" all over the stage. One man seemed to be trying a little harder and performing a little better. In fact, it appeared he was talking and singing just for one – the little young girl in the first box.

To be sure she was prejudiced. She was in love with him and was only waiting for him to profess his love and make her, Mrs. Nelson Cash Holly – for that was his name. She had seen so many performances that she knew his skit by heart.

She really should not have been to the theatre un-escorted as it was not altogether proper before the turn of the century, but she could care less. Recently, she has been orphaned so to speak by the death of her mother, her father having died very early in her life. She had met Nelson through some friends some months ago and from that moment on she knew that only by having his would her life be right again.

Thus, within a few months Nelson marries Sarah Wilson, and it was not without apprehension and a small bit of wonder, as he was twenty years her senior, she being sixteen and he, thirty-six. But he as grown a little tired of show business, as it was not as lucrative as felt deemed his background. A background that to this day is a little vague. There were tales of English peerages and relatives on the Mayflower and some wealth that seemed to have vanished, and this young girl not only was the loveliest woman he had ever seen, but she also had a small inheritance that could well serve to set him up in one business or another.

It was a lovely arrangement. The year was 1896.

From the day of their marriage Nelson never sand or played the piano except for his own amusement and that of his family. I mention this merely because it was truly the only thing he ever did well in his live and only because the musical gift was God given.

Sarah may have been a naive girl when she married, but as the years wore on she grew and developed a very strong personality and retained her emotion through many trials; thus emerging into a matriarch that did the family proud. She and she alone provided the family, love and life and kept the brood together. When she died, her children and grandchildren sorely felt her passing.

Soon after the marriage, Nelson, who was to be known by the name of Cash, moved from Buffalo, NY. Cash was offered a position with the then newly formed National Cash Register Co. to take the product to the Middle West and to introduce the people to the easy method of keeping track of their money. This was a whole new concept for the storekeeper, as he had thus far relied on shoe box, or if he was real prosperous, he had a divided drawer that held his money. He would no longer have to add the bill for merchandise; all he had to do was punch buttons on the front of this mechanical gadget and twist a handle at the side of the machine, and he had his total plus it locked securely his money at all times. This being a practical and needed item there was no reason to hesitate to undertake the project and last but not least Cash had the needed money investment that was necessary to proceed. So off to Des Moines, Iowa went Sarah and Cash, into the supposedly “Indian Country”, with the first franchise to be given to a man from the Register Company.

They moved into a boarding house, a very commodious way of living in that day; Cash set about selling his machine, and was a Drummer in that true sense of the word. Life was very serene and happy for them both. The merchandise was acceptable and very sellable and thus they were making money. Sarah was comfortable and surrounded by people she enjoyed, and all was well. They loved, played and danced and all in all were most happily. The ultimate of their marriage; the news there was to be another member of the family. This news was received joyously as both Sarah and Cash really wanted a family, and this was the start. There were to be four in all.

First we have Elizabeth…

(Note: Elizabeth was my grandmother. If that story was written, I do not have it.)

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