After losing both parents and a brother to yellow fever at the age of 16, she supported her five remaining siblings by working as a schoolteacher in Memphis, Tennessee.
Setelah kehilangan orang tuanya dan satu adik akibat demam kuning di usia 16 tahun, dia menopang hidup 5 saudaranya yang tersisa dengan bekerja sebagai guru sekolah di Memphis, Tennessee.