Image submitted by Ed Sproles

Dollie's drawing (charcoal or pastel) of two cats and a dog. Ed writes:

I tried to photograph a drawing that we have by Dollie, the result is attached.  the drawing is in very bad shape.  The white areas are places where the paper has been eaten away by insects.  Her signature is clearly visible in the lower right.

"Lawrence Street at High Street in Montgomery.  Nellie Beach and Alexander Franklin Dix lived here before building a home on Finley Ave.  'Aunt Dollie' was the sister of Albert Sidney (Bert) Dix.  The High School faced west on Lawrence Street, the present site of the Montgomery Public Library"

The lettering on the school across the street reads: CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

This house is no longer there, but this would have been the south side of 206 High Street.  The photographer is facing northwest. 

I remember going into the building that was the school.  It was later used as the Montgomery Museum.  On visits there in the 1950's, I recall being amused that it was spelled "MVSEVM".  RDW
 

The writing style a century ago, was quite different from today's.  While I found many of the sentences awkward and difficult to read, I tried to copy verbatim except for an occasional word that was misspelled by today's conventions. 

The column widths and words per line in the facsimile below, are only approximations of the originals.

  At the conclusion, he told briefly of the decision of Miss “Dollie” Dix, to devote the remainder of her life to mission work among the Chinese in California, and called on Miss Dix for any words of farewell she might desire to speak. 

  The young lady came forward and with perfect confidence and great tenderness, spoke of her love for the people of God, here that she was about to leave and of the growth of the missionary impulse and conviction that were carrying her far away to labor for the Master – to win souls for Him, in distant California.  She concluded with a most appropriate passage from the letter of the Great Missionary to the Gentiles containing the words,  “For to me to live is Christ, to die is gain.”  It was most effective and affecting.  Then opportunity was given the good byes were said and soon the brave young girl was borne away to her chosen field of labor at Fresno California.

  Miss Mary Belle Dix so generally know as “Miss Dollie,” was born in Midway Ala. , June 14, 1871.  She was baptized at Union Springs in 1884 by Rev. J.S. Dill.  She was graduated from Cox College , LaGrange Ga., in 1889.  From that time until 1896 she engaged in teaching.  Her health failed and she joined her relatives in Montgomery, becoming a member of the First Baptist Church.  Soon her strength was somewhat renewed and she became an active and useful worker in the church, Sunday School, and the Young Peoples Union, and, latterly especially among the Chinese of Montgomery.  No one in this church made his or her life count for more according to opportunity than she did.  The story of her conversion, her consecration to this work, and her gradual preparation for it is full of interest.

  From very early life she cherished a desire to become a missionary to the Chinese.  This was due largely under God, to her association with Miss Sallie E. Stein, who boarded in the home of Rev. A. F. Dix when she was a pupil at Mary Sharpe College, Winchester Tenn.  Prof. Dix then had the chair of Greek and Latin in that institution.  Miss Stein was even then an ardent missionary in spirit and finally received appointment as a missionary to Canton, China, while an inmate of Prof. Dix’s home.  She sailed with Rev. E.Z. Simmons and wife, it will be remembered, in 1879, leaving her widowed mother in the care of her brothers.  After ten years work in China under the Southern Board, Miss Stein was called home by the death of her brother.  Later she received an appointment from a Northern Board and went to Fresno, Cali- fornia, to labor among the Chinese

   Miss Dollie dates her conversion back to her tenth year.  There is a story of peculiar interest and pathos told about it, illustrative of the mysterious ways in which God works “His wonders to perform.”  The family were living at the time in Stevenson, Ala., a seemingly “God-forsaken town.”  There was no regular preaching there.  A letter came from a volunteer evangelist making an appointment for a meeting there – a young man who had seen the methods of some famous evangelist elsewhere and wanted to try them there.  He came, tried all the new ways, made no impression, as it seemed, and gave the town up.  On the last night he asked all who had been benefited to raise the hand.  One little hand was raised –  it was little Dollie’s.  “I was a busy woman in those days, “says the mother – “had nine children of my own at home, half a dozen boarders, and was teaching in the primary department of the college of which Mr. Dix had charge – much of the time I even had no servant.  I was veritable Martha, wondering why the evangelist came there and why nothing was accomplished, and paying no heed that my little Mary had ‘chosen the good part’!  How short-sighted we are, and how far God sees!”

   Are there not many to whom this touching and inspiring story will come with kindling power and who will remember sympathetically and prayerfully the “little Mary” of this devoted Mother and Godly father “the good part” she has chosen – the work of imparting the word of life to these benighted children of the Orient whom God has brought to our shores?

Geo. B. Eager , Her Pastor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1)  In the passage above that contains the words "appointment from a Northern Board and went to Fresno, Cali-fornia to labor among the Chinese there,” the page was torn on one side and along the bottom.  Ed and I inferred the letters in red, based on the preceding lines and the bits and pieces of words that are readable.  I think the "Boards", refer to the Southern and Northern Baptist mission boards.  RDW

2)  There is no date with this article, but I found a link to a page about the  “Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1897 in Montgomery” http://www.mindspring.com/~mchs/herald/yelfev.htm in which Dr. George B. Eager is mentioned.  Dollie is listed in the 1898 Montgomery City Directory, but not the 1899 directory.  Checking a perpetual calendar, http://www.wiskit.com/calendar.html , I found that February 18, fell on a Sunday, in 1900.  In another article below, “The End or the Beginning?”, has a reference to the article above, and mentions the Alabama Baptist issue date of March 1, 1900.   RDW 

 
Baptist Chinese Mission
Fresno, Cal.
June 19,1900

My dear Papa,

My conscience hurts me for not writing to you last week as I had promised myself and wrote Mama I would do.  But I let one thing and another put it off till Sat. night, because we have no school or prayer meeting that night and I am usually lonesome and at a loss as how to spend the evening.  Sat. afternoon (from the selfish wish to escape the loneliness here) I went visiting, first in Chinatown, where I was given my supper (crackers, salmon, apricot pie, cake, apricots, and such delicious tea , which I drank with a China spoon) and entertained part of the time by the children’s singing “At the Cross” and “I Will Follow Jesus”, right before the idol shelf where a taper was burning constantly.

Then I went to the Cloyds, who buried their sweet baby last Sunday, and found there a site characteristic of this country – a family camping in the corral, (Mr. Cloyd keeps a horse feed and sale stable) who had come all the way from Phoenix, Arizona, and thirteen fine horses and mules with them; were going to settle in Hanford.

Then I came home, thinking “Now I’ll start my letter”.  As I drew near I saw there was some commotion, even the neighbors staring at the mission and did not wonder when I found Miss Stein, trying to ride a wheel with Chin Sing to help her.  She wanted us all to stay in sight for propriety’s sake.  So I watched her and Lota till after eight, when Chin Sing went home leaving the wheel in the school room.

That was too much temptation for Mrs. Schonecke and me; so we tried to learn to mount in the school room and wasted an hour at it.  The wheel is to stay here all the week and I should like to ride, but have no one to teach me.  Chin Sing will teach Miss Stein while I teach, evenings.  If we dressed like Chinese women, it would be easier to learn.

Miss Stein has often asked me to tell you about our prayer meetings, because as a general thing, each one present takes some part in the meeting. As I was accustomed to that, or at least to its being understood to be desirable, in our young peoples meetings, it did not strike me as being as wonderful as she thought it would, so I have forgotten to write of it.  Then the inordinate conceit of each Chinaman makes it easier for him to talk.  To my mind the good of it all depends on what they say and the spirit in which they say it; and of that I cannot judge, because I do not understand them.

And I seem no nearer to understanding the language than I was three months ago.  I summoned courage to ask Miss Stein for her dictionary the other day, and after the worry of finding it and the cautions concerning its use which had prevented my asking for it sooner.  I got it , and in spite of her assurance that I could not learn to use it without help, have found the characters for the first two verses of the 14th of John.  I got the boys to pronounce them for me.  I have little heart to study though because of the lack of competent direction and the fear of learning wrong so as to make it the harder for me when I have a chance to learn aright.  But this, too, is in the Lord’s hands and I will try to use the means at hand, hoping He will give larger opportunities in good time.

Your paper about the salvation of the heathen, was read with much interest.  Is there any way to determine what the word “perish” means , as used in Rom. 2-12?  And what did Jesus mean when He said  “If ye were blind ye should have no sin”. John 9:41.  As anyone, who was not an imbecile, truly “blind”?  If any are, surely, the poor, uneducated, among the Chinese, are so!  I thought of that verse Sat. afternoon when that Chinese woman was clapping her hands while her children sang “I Would Follow Jesus” (Salvation Army teaching) , with that idol in sight.  She says she believes in Jesus, but believes the idols too!  And will not give them up though her husband and children wish to.

Certainly our duty is plain, to obey the Lord’s command; but it makes my blood run cold to present the light and have it refused.

I am not sure that I understand to what you refer in your letter as “the establishment of (Christ’s) reign over the lives, activities, and fortunes of men.”  Do you mean that nations will keep their present modes of government after Christ’s coming, except that they will be gradually purged from wickedness?  Or do you think this purging will be accomplished under the administration of the Sprit before Christ’s coming?

And in speaking of the several orders of being “present at the transfiguration” do you include the three apostles?  Should Moses and Elias be considered different “orders”?  If so, in what’s the difference?  That one died, while the other was translated?  And how should that affect their condition?

I hope you will write as fully to me on subjects as the “flowing of the ink” will possibly allow; for here I have little to stimulate thought, and almost nothing to gain information from. ( I hear a fire bell; it rings nearly every day now, since it’s so dry.  The fire department must be efficient as I never hear of the fire so suppose they are not serious.)

The only thoughtful educated person I have met in this neighborhood is old Mr. Cooper, who is a Spiritualist.  He is from Boston, as I imagine I should have guessed if no one had told me.  I have had only one extended conversation with him.

I am sorry if I gave up the creosote too soon – a month after I reached here seemed a long time to me.  I still crave it sometimes after eating (feel the need of its aid to digestion) but otherwise do not miss it.  Soon after receiving your last letter, Mr. Schonecke got me ½ gal. port wine (for 25 cts) and I have taken nearly a quart; take it about ten in the morning.  I got port because the doctors had ordered it for several “run down” ladies here, so I supposed it would be best for me.  I know you would  prefer a sour wine, but I do not need acids as you do.  My blood is thin enough!   I getting along very well “baching”, but fear I’ll never be Yankee enough to really prefer it as women here do.  Since the chance for a mountain trip this summer includes cooking for myself, it is well I have this experience now.  I should like for many reasons to try the mountains; but can stay here independently if the money for the trip is hard to get.  I wish I could send you some apricots; they are fine now.  They have no taste of a peach to me now.  The only ripe peaches for about two weeks yet are the tasteless varieties.

If you have cause to be glad of association with Dr. Eager, how much more have I!  May God bless him in every way.

I received a nice letter from cousin A. Dix Liddle last week, asking for information about this mission for his, the Des Moines B.Y.P.U.

I’ve written a long letter as usual!

Your loving daughter,

Dollie 
 

Then I went to the Cloyds,... 

... trying to ride a wheel...

If we dressed like Chinese women,... 

And I seem no nearer to understanding the language than I was three months ago. [March, 1900]

I am sorry if I gave up the creosote too soon ... 

... I have taken nearly a quart [of port wine]; take it about ten in the morning

I received a nice letter from cousin A. Dix Liddle...

In Moma Nelle's things, I found an old letter she had saved.  It was postmarked "Aug. 25, 1900, Glennville, Cal" and addressed to "Misses Nellie and Ruth Dix, Knoxville, Georgia."  The letter is from "Aunt Dollie".  Among other things, Dollie writes that she is "anxious to hear how you like your new home.  I know you miss your Butler playmates...".

I think this could mean that the ASD family moved from Butler to Knoxville, Ga. (not Perry?) sometime in 1900. This could also mean that Will Allie was born in Knoxville???

Martha Whigham Picardy, on September 26, 2001, found the book The First 150 Years, Montgomery's First Baptist Church, 1829-1979 by Lee N. Allen.  Under the chapter of  "Licenses and Ordinations", on page 149, Martha found the following passage:

In the latter years of the nineteenth century several members of the church were called into vocational Christian service and were licensed or ordained, or both, by First Baptist. Mary Belle Dix, better known as Dollie, departed in February 1918* to work among the Chinese of California as a missionary. The daughter of the Rev. A. F. Dix, a New York-born minister and educator who had retired and moved to Montgomery, she had become a member of the church in 1896. She served as her brothers had in Sunday School and BYPU [Baptist Young Peoples Union]. Always of frail constitution, she died shortly after leaving. 

Alexander Franklin Dix Jr.
Son Of
Rev A F & Nellie Beach Dix
Aug 20 1874 - Sept.13, 1899
 

Faithful unto death

Born
June 14 1871
Died
Dec 20 1901
Thy Will Be Done
 

The names Dollie and Allie engraved in the corners of the cement border around the marble marker. 

Martha Picardy found a book at the Samford University Library titled "The First 150 Years of the First Baptist Church of Montgomery".  In it was a reference  to "Mary Belle Dix (Dollie), daughter of Alexander Franklin Dix Sr."  I had incorrectly assumed that the "Mary" buried with Alexander Franklin Dix Jr., was his wife (we never found anything on AFD Jr.'s wife).  Martha also found in the Alabama State Archives microfilm, under "Dix" and "Clippings", the inscription from the gravestone above with the missing segments.  Thanks to Martha for making this connection!

During a telephone conversation with Charles Cousins, one of "Dimple's" descendants, he recalled that "Dollie" had married  a Mr. McRae who joined the Merchant Marine.  We'd never heard this before!!!??? This apparent conflict was resolved when we learned from Annie Goulding Dix Meiers (99 years old and the sole surviving child of Lell and Annie Stakely Dix), that Lell's second daughter's name and nickname being the same as Lell's sister, Mary Belle "Dollie" Dix.    We now realize that Charles was speaking of Lell's daughter -- NOT his sister, who we knew died as a young woman, and had never married.

The following newspaper articles and obituaries were copied from Nellie's scrapbook.    Submited by Ed Sproles  Transcribed by Russell Dix Whigham, January 26, 2003. Again, the column widths and words per line are only approximations of the originals.