LEE COUNTY PUBUC LIBRARY 3 1032 00537999 1 A Train Bins Through It Stories and Memories as told by The People of Lee County Georgia Lee County Chamber of Commerce Have you ever been a passenger on a train that wound its way down through the country through numerous small towns and wondered about the people who live there? Many people today fly from one destination to another, and although it is much faster, they fail to see the country. Lee County has a railroad track that goes from the northern border, south of Americus, to the southern tip, which is the entrance to Albany. Smithville is located at a junction of two railroads. The very reason Leesburg exists today is because the people moved in the 1870s from the county seat of Starksville, on what is now GA. Hwy 195, and relocated where the new railroad was built in Lee County. The town was first called Wootens Station and later renamed Leesburg. The railroad was at the time the most common form of transportation. If you ever wondered what life was like in those rural areas and small towns you passed through, you will get a taste of it when you read the stories in A TRAIN RUNS THROUGH IT. You will get a glimpse of the attitudes, the life-styles and the experiences of people in Lee County- some of which are funny, some tragic, and (continued on back flap) 975.094 TRA A train runs through it LEE COUNTY LIBRARY LEESBURG, GA Farmers Exchange 1910 A Train Russ Through it Stories and Memories' . / I as told by Thi people of Lee County j ) Georgia r Edited By: Opal Cannon Patricia Tharp From Materials Collected by: The Lee County Chamber of Commerce Book Committee Leesburg, GA 31763 J,, 'J Jv ''ftA J'v.l'*' ' Text Copyright 2004 by Lee County Chamber of Commerce 0-9761817-0-3 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED No Part of this book my be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any other information storage or retrieved system, without the specific permission, in writing, from the Lee County Chamber of Commerce, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, or broad- cast. For Further information please contact Lee County Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 439 Leesburg, GA 31763 This Book is dedicated to the people of Lee County who lived here in the past; Those who live here now, and for future generations to come T^ble of Contents Part I: Hard Times, Sad Times Ration Coupons of World War II-1 My Childhood Days in Lee County-1 The Hobo2 The Airplane-3 I Was the Third Child-3 The Black Line-5 Reflections on the Yesteryears of Lee County-7 The Day the Tharp House Burned- 8 A Farewell Salute-10 Tuesdays-10 Sad Christmas Tales-11 Cats Can Tell On You- 12 Tears of a Blind Man-12 A Special Glow-13 The Flood of 1926-14 What a Difference Time Makes-14 Legend of My Parents: Eddie and Webster Simmons-16 Depression Times in Lee County-17 Memories of a Leesburg Girl During Early World War II (1941 - 1944)-19 Raging Creek-21 The Flood of 1994- 22 Mamas Rescue from the Flood of 1994- 23 Flood of94 Smithville- 24 Memories of a Dirt Road In Lee County- 24 Swimming and Tubing In the Creeks- 25 Mama Was Quite a Gal- 26 vi Depression Times-27 Childhood Days of Mattie Arnold Rivers-28 Part II: School Days The Day I Ran Away From School-31 How Times Have Changed-32 The Blue Chevrolet Corvair-32 High School Happenings-33 Playing Hooky on April Fools Day- 34 How LCHS Became the Trojans-35 Some Favorites-25 Lavems School Prank- 36 Fishing Begins.. .Fishing Ends- 36 Old Friendships Never Die- 37 Berry Bad Trouble- 38 First Grade Experience- 39 Boys Will Be Boys and We Paid For It- 39 Hands In His Pockets- 40 A Smart Move-41 Class Reunion- 41 School Memories- 42 Smithville Elementary School: A Rich Start- 44 A Time Capsule- 47 A Special Person- 48 Wow! What a Trip!- 49 Rain Will Tell On You- 49 Fire At the McAfee Hotel- 50 A Tricky Finger-51 Part III: Local Happenings Rain Showers- 53 Charles Speedy Dean- 53 Crotwells Hospitality- 55 Family Stories I Heard or Lived As a Child- 55 vii Fun Times-56 Horse Riding- 57 A Power Couple- 58 My Grandmother Marie- 58 The Duck Hunt-59 A Grandmothers Tale- 60 My Early Days in Leesburg- 61 More Fun Than Work- 64 The Fourth of July- 64 Leesburg First Television- 65 The Scatterbrain Club- 65 Mossy Dell- 66 Farmers Exchange- 66 Playtime in Leesburg- 67 Memories of Lee County- 68 My Memories of Growing Up in Leesburg- 71 Ralph and Katy- 72 World War II- 73 Going to See the Train- 74 Smithville Garden Club- 75 Trick or Treat in Leesburg- 76 Kissin Dont Last But Cookin Do- 76 The Father and the Holy Ghost- 77 World War II- 78 Mrs. Cros Walk in the Post Office- 78 Fun at Mossy Dell- 79 Our Days on the Muckalee - A Tribute to my Dad- 79 Century- 82 The Ole Swimming Hole- 83 Summer of 1942 to the Summer of 1951- 83 U.S. Mail Delivery-86 Happy Memories of Growing Up In Leesburg- 87 In My Younger Days- 89 The Lee County Boys Chorus- 89 My Memories of Growing up in Leesburg- 90 viii Smithville.. .In the Good Ole Days- 93 My Early Days- 94 The Old Days- 95 Unforgettable Lee Countian - Guy Turner- 96 Square Dance Days- 98 Boy Scout Leader- 99 Felicias Place-100 My Granddaddy-101 Goodwin and Katybel Hall-102 Willmar Plantation-104 A Flood of Fish-105 Growing up in Lee County The Dixie Flyer-107 Elizabeth Allen Neloms - Affectionately known as Mima and Miss Sis- 107 I Remember When-109 Growing up on Main Street.. .Leesburg- 111 Special People-113 A Sister Named M-114 The Firefighter Found Em-114 Andys Antics-115 Im Going to Marry Her-116 But She Lived and Lived and Lived-117 Living in Leesburg, Georgia-118 In Remembering-119 My Years in Leesburg-121 The Old Oak Tree Still Stands-126 Riding On the Mail Route-127 My Home Town- 127 The Chez Nous Club-129 Sunday Dinner Time-131 Making Friends While Growing up on Main Street Leesburg in 1930s and 1940sExcerpts from the journal of Mrs. Leah Marie King McGee- 131 Deal Me In-134 The Dear Sweet Lady and Her Special Gift-135 Four Years as a Soda Jerk-136 My Memories Growing up in Lee County-139 IX Years Can Tell-144 Rabbits and Cub Scouts-145 The Big Haunted House-145 All Stewed Up- 146 My Home Town- 146 Saturday Nights in Leesburg-147 The Mill Pond-148 Memories of Lee County-148 Lee Countys Whiteout-149 My Mothers Stories-150 Fun In the Fifties-152 Childhood Memories on Longview Farm-152 In the Past-155 The Wheelbarrow Ride-155 Yank and his Austin Healey-156 Train Stops-156 Hunting Days in Lee County-156 The Yearly Easter Egg Hunt at Grammys-158 Happy Days at Philema-160 Wisteria on Highway 19 South-161 Neighborly Love in Leesburg-162 A Day at Sara Anns Camp-163 Hungry for Home Cookin-165 The Rolling Store-166 Growing Up In Lee - 166 Family Pride-171 The Camping Trip-171 I Remember-172 Sweet Sixteen-173 Playing Softball Games-173 Peanut Shaking Day-174 Skating on Ice in Leesburg-175 Working at the Peach Shed-175 Saturday Night Square Dances-176 Our Christmas Tree-177 x From Denmark to Lee County-177 Winnie and R.J-178 The Hero - Almost-179 Another Car Pushing Story-180 Annie Jessups Cafe-180 Culture Shock-181 A Crabby Lady-182 A Unique Little Lady-182 Democratic National Convention-184 Remembrances of the Ranew Family of Lee County-185 Mr. Jack and Miss Amelia-186 Part IV: Church Life The Bell That Didnt Ring-189 Cant Back Out-189 The Lost Buffalo-190 Somebody Stole My Sermon-191 My F irst Church-192 Church in Leesburg-192 Looking For a Church-193 Leesburg Presbyterian-194 The Lords Acre-196 Part V: It Really Happened? Broad, Charlie and Red-198 The Unwelcomed Visitor-199 A Flounder in the Kinchafoonee- 200 Tall Betsy- 201 Ghosts and Apparitions- 202 Big River Dan Green and Little River Dan Green- 203 The Strawberry Train- 203 A School Teacher Goes to Hollywood- 204 xi One Long Taxi Ride- 205 Jail Bird My First Tech-Georgia Football Game- 206 School Bus Trip- 207 Nora Moreland Allen- 208 A Hair Raising Episode with Two Cousins- 211 The Manure Pile- 212 Lee County Postcard- 214 Mrs. Kate Profit- 215 A Grandmothers Last Gift- 216 Hospitality, Two Rabbits and More- 216 A Chance Meeting An Old Friend- 217 The Game- 218 The Cat and the Flashlight- 218 Lee County Car Tag Number- 219 A Skunky Story- 220 Dead Give Away- 220 Hey, Bill.. .Give me a Push- 221 My Hijack Journey to Jordan- 222 The Dummy Incident- 225 A Close Call- 226 One Bad Fishing Trip- 227 We Got a Whippin!- 228 Funny Incidents in Leesburg- 229 Driving Lesson- 230 The Luckiest Man Around- 230 The Talking Dog- 231 Do Bees Laugh?- 232 Hit by a Car-232 The Teller of Tales- 233 Bad Eye to the Rescue- 235 The Cemetery- 235 The Ghost in the Tree- 236 xii An Embarrassing Moment- 237 Skinny Dipping- 238 Hollywood Comes to Lee County - Twice- 238 Where Theres Smoke Theres Fire- 241 A Corny Tale- 242 Fortune Teller- 243 Fish Flavored Ice Cream- 243 Lee County Cool Cats- 243 Sears Roebuck Toilet Paper- 244 Asleep at the Midtown Mall Carnival- 244 Bully Bags a Big One- 245 Project Committee an d Staff Committee of Story Collectors Co-Chairpersons: Opal Cannon and Patricia Tharp Secretary: Ashley King Committee: Bobby Clay, Flossie Bolden, Lilly Smith, Gladys Thrift, Ann Young, Ethelind Cannon, Martha Neff, Jackie Bowling, Alice Ann Holton, Sylvia Turner Peterson, Judy Powell, Elizabeth Young, Patricia Blackshear McDaniel, Patricia Tharp, Page Tharp, Opal Cannon, Martha Dye, Lula Willis, Shirley Gibbs, Gwen Seanor, Mattie Rivers, Becky Belcher, Ashley King Without the cooperation of those who graciously shared their stories, this book could have never been printed. We sincerely appreciate those who took the time and effort to support this project. The Committee would like to give a special thanks to Ashley King of the Lee County Chamber of Commerce for her efforts in assisting the Commit- tee with the production of this book. The Committee would also like to thank Mack Morrell for submitting the title of this book. The Committee extends a special thanks to Phil Maxfield for the design of the front and back covers. xiv Preface A Train Runs Through It.. For more than fifty years we have listened with interest to peoples stories of their lives in Lee County. Included in these accounts were unique events, unusual circumstances, and many joyous experiences as well as near tragedies. They are incidents, which are typical of life, some which are funny, some that are sad, some you will find hard to believe, but all are interesting and amusing. We listened to these stories through the years and came to realize that history was being lived out and shared orally by Lee Countians. Due to the rapid growth in this county, with hundreds of new people moving here, we wanted the newcomers to know something of the anecdotal history of Lee Countys people. We also knew that this would provide a written history of the oral stories that have been handed down through several generations to read and enjoy. Many of these incidents touched the lives of a large number of Lee County people through the years. We appreciate all those who shared their stories to make this effort possible. It has been like a trip down memory lane and we hope you have that same feeling as you read and reminisce about the days gone by. This anecdotal history provides a different view of the history of Lee County people. Opal Cannon Patricia Tharp xv Introducbi ion LEE COUNTY, created by the legislature in 1836, and its Communities... In the beginning, Lee County extended from its present southern boundary, north to include Macon County, thence from the Flint River west to the Chattahoochee River and its boundary with Alabama. The people, of which this book is about, live or did live in the countys various districts of Leesburg, Smithville, Palmyra, Chokee, and Redbone. Some may have descended from non-existent, or ghost areas known as Webster, the first county seat Sumterville, Chehaw, Cherokee, Pender Town, Renwick Sneed, Century, Whitsett, Adams, Station, orNeyami, or Starksville, the county seat from 1842 to 1872. Starksville was a wide-open town, most men toting pistols and at one time..led nationwide the number of homicides for its size, said to be exceeded by only Cripple Creek, Colorado. LEESBURG The City of Leesburg, the county seat, formerly Wooten Station, came into existence with the move from Starksville in 1872 and with the coming of the railroad, first the Southwestern, then the Central of Georgia, and now the Southern. Existing businesses were moved, including the Love Hotel. One of the first buildings was the depot, which still stands, and at the present time, there are plans to repair it for the future office of the County Chamber of Commerce. Primary are all county government functions including the Courthouse, Jail, DEFACS, Library, and all county schools of excellence. Situated on both federal and state highways, it is of course, the hub of the county. xvi SMITHVILLE The City of Smithville, chartered in 1862, began as a railroad center. At one time it was called Branchville and Renwick, later named in honor of the early pioneers and prominent Smith Family. As the rail traffic increased to various cities, the need for passenger comfort and other needs increased, thus creating the McAfee Hotel, which was later destroyed by fire. It was a prominent landmark, having nationwide reputation for service and meals. It served as the eating-place for railroad travelers who had their food requests wired ahead of their arrival. Three stories tall, it had some twenty-five rooms for guests and was famous for its chicken pies. Smithville is located sixteen miles from Dawson, thirteen miles from Americus, and thirteen miles north of Leesburg. Smithville is primarily a residential and agricultural area. It is also the location of McCleskey Mills, Inc. PALMYRA The Palmyra community existed long before its neighbor, Albany; in fact, Albany was founded by many of the residents of Palmyra. There is no town left there today, no schools, post office, businesses are long gone, but its culture still remains. With some agriculture, it is now recognized as one of the countys affluent residential areas. CHOREE Chokee, an Indian name, is in the northeast section of the county. It is located near Leslie and DeSoto. At one time, it was on of the most populated and thriving areas in southwest Georgia. Today, there are no municipal functions, but it remains an important rural and farming area. With the Flint River on one side, many families came from this area. XVII REDBONE Redbone, whose name origin has long been debated, is in the southeastern portion of the county, and also borders the Flint River. Its roadways connect with Cordele, Ashbum, and Albany. Though schools no longer exist, it houses its own fire station and voting precinct. Though the real Chehaw and the Chehaw monument is elsewhere, the majority of Chehaw Park is in Lee County and Redbone district. Many years ago, it was one of the location settings of two major film production starring popular Hollywood stars. Redbone is heavily populated and one of the fastest growing residential areas in the county. Page Tharp xviii The renowned poet, Frank Lebby Stanton, loved Lee County and his many friends here. It was this love that led him to write a number of poems dedicated to the people of Lee. The following is one of those poems. OLD TIMES IN LEE By Frank L. Stanton September 29, 1922 Lee County Journal Max and me were talking about the good old times in Lee, Where the folks are just as happy as the Lord would have em be, An I asked him bout the fellers that I knew long years before, At the old Pine Box headquarters, down at Burtonss Grocery Store. An Max says: Theyre all a living cept it may be two or three, For they are might slow a dyin in them Cotton lands of Lee! An the good times that youre talkin bout there havin of em still, An the Whippoowills are singin long the road to Wells Mill. The cotton fields are shinin just as wonderful and white, Like the Lord had snowed em over from the heavens in the night! An the com is just a wavin of its green and twinkling blades! An the wind is whistlin thru it like it called the old Brigades! The same green hills and valleys where you seen the soft stars beam! The men the same fine fellers, an the women like a dream! The same sweet bells a ringin from the steeples standin high, Their happy hallelujahs to the windows o the sky. Come down, says Max, an see us an them sane old skies Oblue! Im purty sure the whippoowill have got a song fer you. An as fer them mockingbirds, why bless your soul they sing Like winter dreamd forever of the kisses o the spring. Thats jest the way he talked it, that evening there with me. Till I felt my eyes a mistin and my heart went back to Lee, An I sorter felt a dreamin of the old sweet skies an bright, An the meadows said Good Momin, when the darkness said Goodnight. |javJ ~fi imes Ration Coupons of World War II During World War II we had ration coupons for sugar, coffee and other things that were hard to get. One Sunday our family was going to Sylvester, Georgia to see my grandparents. We had a flat tire between Albany and Sylvester on Highway 82. My mother (Mrs. John M. Oliver, Sr.) had our coupon book in her purse. While Daddy was changing the tire, Mama got something from her purse and pulled the coupon book out and did not know it. It dropped on the ground. No one saw the book. The next day she missed the book and we looked everywhere, but no book. About three days later, we received our coupon book in the mail. We had the flat tire in front of a house, and the woman that lived there found the coupon book and mailed it to us. Our address and name was on the coupon book. What an honest lady! Needless to say we were all very happy. Alaouida (Oliver-Jones) Murphy My Childhood Days in Lee County I feel that growing up on a Lee county farm during the Depression and World War II defined my life and made me the person that I am today. There were a lot of things that we didnt have, but there were so many things that we did have. As children we didnt have video games, but we had hopscotch, marbles, jump rope, and stick-frog. We didnt have television, but we had a radio with wonderful programs that encouraged us to use our imaginations. We didnt have a swimming pool, but we had a creek with a swimming hole. We had beautiful woods where we could play cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, and Tarzan. We had friends, both black and white, who helped raise us. One special memory that I have is of the many stories about ghosts and other things that Bull Nelson told us. He could entertain us for hours with his stories. Since we lived so far from Leesburg we were always at the end of the school bus route and had a long ride twice a day. When the dirt roads were wet the bus would sometimes slide into the ditch and someone would have to come pull us out. If the weather was cold, some of the boys would scout around for wood to build a bonfire to warm us while we waited. One year it happened so often that the boys began to bring fat lightard from home to make the fire easier to build. Saturday was our day for going into town, and we children would each be given a nickel or a dime a piece to spend any way we wanted to. We could waste away hours going up and down the aisles of the Kress store trying to decide how to spend it. That provided great lessons on how to make good decisions, and how to handle the bad decisions that we made when we spent our money foolishly. I am proud to have been bom and to have grown up in Lee County with wonderful parents who taught us great values. Carolyn Clay Daniel The Hobo One day we were out cutting stove wood, and a stranger walked into the yard and wanted to split some stove wood from the slabs. He was one of many who roamed the country in those days, during the latter days of the Great Depression. He wanted to work for something to eat in return, and this was no scam. Back then; men like this were really hungry and willing to work for anything to eat. Many even wore such ragged and tattered clothing that they couldnt possible stay warm. Most of them were referred to as tramps or hobos and had either walked from the city or hopped a freight train for transportation. I remember many times when my mother would hardly have enough food in the house for our next meal but she would always go and find something for these men to eat. There were times when she wouldnt have 2 anything except some meal, so she would fry him a hoecake of combread, and if we had it, she would give him a glass of milk to go with it. By the way, writing this about the hobos and the hoecake reminds me to explain something. Thats the very reason a combread pancake is often called a hoecake - because the hobos ate them so much. Virgil A. Booker The Airplane One day during World War II, my mother and I were in the kitchen and we heard an airplane, which was not unusual, since Turner Field was in Albany, Georgia. This plane sounded different. I looked out the kitchen window and I told my mother someone was throwing something out of the plane, but I looked again and realized the plane was falling apart. What we were seeing was the wings and tail. My Dad and some men were in a field across a creek from where the plane fell. They waded in the creek (alligators were in the creek) but could not reach it because of the fire. They could hear the men screaming in the plane but could not help. It was a very sad time for us all. Alaoudia Oliver-Jones Murphy I Was the Third Child I was bom 87 years ago in Crisp County, Ga. At an early age my parents Quinn and Minnie Lee Smith moved to Lee County. My father was a farmer and a fisherman. My mother was a housewife. She died when I was about eight years old. There were four of us girls and one boy. After mothers death, we soon learned that we had to look after one another. We had to work in the fields to help Daddy. We worked hard during the day and had our chores to do at home afterward. We lived in the country, 3 and, of course, back then we had none of the modem conveniences that we have today. There were no indoor bathrooms, no running water, no electricity, and no washing machines or clothes dryers. Back then clothes were washed in a wash pot. We had a scrubbing board to clean them and we hung them out to dry on a clothesline. When it came time to iron them, we had to heat a flat iron on the wood stove or in the fireplace. We didnt have too many close neighbors; so, we children had to entertain ourselves. We girls would take dog fennels (weeds) and make believe they were girl dolls. We used sticks for boy dolls and wed tie rags around corncobs for dresses. We also played on Tom Walkers. These were tin cans with wires tied through them. We would hold on to these wires and walk on them. We would also roll each other in old tires, play drop the handkerchief, and play hide and seek. Sometimes we would go into the woods, find little pine trees, bend them over, get on them and bounce up and down. One time my Daddy gave us a dollar a piece to buy something. We went into Mr. Stovalls store and found two big beautiful dolls for one dollar each. We bought them, and when we came out of the store Daddy said that he didnt want us to spend the whole dollar on a doll. So, we went back in and told Miss Adelaid that Daddy wouldnt let us spend the dollar on dolls. She couldnt understand why, and neither could we. We found some, though and got much smaller ones for $.25 each. My education was limited since we had to work on the farm, but we attended school whenever we could. We rode in a Model T Bus, with no glass windows, just curtains attached to open windows. Our school had only one room, where several grades were taught. On June 28, 1932, I married Dock Breeden. We married at the courthouse in Leesburg. Soon after we were married, we went to the drugstore to get an ice cream. He gave it to me and said, Are you going to kiss me? I told him that I would but to wait until I finished my ice cream! We lived out on the Harris place in Philema not very far from my mother-in-laws house. Every Saturday she would go into Albany, but never wanted us to go. She wanted us to stay at home with our children. Well, one Saturday I had had enough; so, I told my sister, Lee, who had married a Breeden, also, that we were going to Leesburg TOO! 4 She thought, I was out of it, but I had a plan. My husband had an old Model T Ford, and he had made a small trailer to haul his stuff. Since I knew how to drive, I figured out how we could all go to Leesburg. My sister and I hooked that trailer up to the Model T, put my two boys (at that time) and Lee and her two girls in the trailer. She tied the girls hair up with diapers to keep the wind from blowing, and away we went to Leesburg: Model T, trailer, children and all. We just wouldnt be outdone! During the 1940s we moved to Leesburg. My husband went to work for John Robert Green and worked there for many years. Dock and I had eight children (seven of whom are still living). All have been successful in their work. I have 13 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. In the 1940s I j oined the First Baptist Church of Leesburg, which I still attend. I am perhaps one of the oldest members. I went to work at the Lee County High School Lunchroom in 1961 and retired in 1987. Since my husband died in 1967, my children and their wives have looked after me. I am very fortunate to have my son, Billy and daughter-in- law, Joy, living in their house which is next to mine. Sally Smith Breeden The Black Line Back then, everyone in the whole county knew of the Black Line. In 1943, my family and I moved to what was known as the old Laramore Place, owned by Mr. A. W. Barrett, Sr. This farm was twelve miles in the country on a dirt road off St. 195 and off the New York road. It consisted of 1200 acres, a main house, and nine tenant houses, all in a straight line or row, all painted a dark green, and all occupied by the labor force of black people. The nine row houses was the Black Line. The main house was located on the far end, and my sister and I walked the !4 mile to meet the school bus. After we moved there, my father, Leon Varner, who was the farm overseer and manager, bought a number of mules from Mr. Charlie Cannon, 5 his mule bam being located about where the NAPA store is today. The labor force each chose a mule for his or her own plowing. I ended up with an old mule named Emma. She was too old to do much work, so I had her for my own personal mule to ride. Naturally, I soon became friends with all the labor people, and I had a special friend named Milas Lockett who was about two years older than me. We went all over the farm, hunting with his little dog named Brownie. There were a lot of deep ditches on the place, dug years before to drain the fields. In those ditches were holes where opossums and other animals slept, and also snakes. If Brownie barked there was something in the hole. Milas would poke his hand and arm in a hole to reach whatever might be in there. He never got bitten by a snake. We had dove shoots each season and would invite the Barrett Family and others to shoot. I learned to shoot at the age of thirteen. Every other Saturday was payday, and my mother would cook up a steak dinner for the Barretts who would come up to the place. This included Gilbert and Alva Barrett and Mr. A. W. Barrett. On every 4th of July we would have a big bar- b-que for the labor force, pork and plenty of Brunswick stew. We had a big tmck and Joe Lofton would drive the truck to Albany on Saturdays and take the labor force, which would sit in chairs on the back tmck body. They would return on Saturday night, but a few of the men would get drunk and not make it back. My father would meet the train at Philema on Sunday and Monday mornings to pick up those who had been injail. About the end of WWII, my father made a real good cotton crop, and we moved to Leesburg. On the farm, I had nothing to do, such as getting firewood and other chores. This was done by Uncle Spence and Aunt Willie, our dear colored friends. Once in Leesburg, I had to go to work doing such things. Remembering the days out on the Laramore Place, I have many fond memories, never to be forgotten. Jack Varner 6 Reflections on the Yester Years of Lee County My four brothers, three sisters and I grew up on a sharecroppers farm with our parents. My brothers didnt have an opportunity to attend school because they had to work in the fields. We girls milked the cows and put them out to pasture. We drew water from the well to wash clothes and to feed the farm animals. We gathered wood to cook our food and boil our clothes. Can you imagine boiling clothes in a big black pot? We walked about 5 miles to school each way. There was no school bus and our parents didnt own a car; besides that they were busy working on the farm with the boys. The school building was a little prayer house. School was tough, but structured. Back then the teacher could discipline the children, using yardsticks, rulers and even switches from the woods with no repercussions. Respect for property and for elders and for self was enforced. Childrens moral values were encouraged. Lifetime friendships were formed. The house we lived in was constructed of wood. There were cracks in the floor and board windows that opened from the inside used to keep flies out during the day and mosquitoes out during the night. We didnt have all the luxuries that we have today. For lights we used flambos, a bottle with kerosene and a wick. We used outhouses, outdoor bathrooms. To scrub the floors we used a homemade mop stuffed with com shucks. Our clothes were scrubbed on a washboard. Our detergents were home made soap made from Lye and grease. If you had a rag, it was made from com shucks. We would go in the field, pull some straw, wrap it with twine and sweep the floor. Quilting was a pastime. Mothers would come together and quilt a quilt in one day. We didnt have to worry about what to wear. You may have had a school outfit and a Sunday dress. We were never hungry because we grew practically everything we ate. Dad would take the shelled com to a mill and have it ground into meal. Sugar cane was used for syrup. My brothers got so many spankings in the cane patch, because they would hide and instead of stripping the cane, they would be chewing the cane. Sweet potatoes were harvested, banked in a hole in the ground for preservation. Everyone looked forward to hog killing time, making sausages, souse meat, but we 7 children like to roast liver over the coals and cook sweet potatoes in the ashes. Meat would be dispersed to all the neighbors; chickens off the yard would be our deli. Sometimes our parents would bring home fish. To keep it from spoiling we would put it in a wooden bucket and let the bucket down into the well. Lillie Smith The Day the Tharp House Burned It was a cold, winter morning on Main Street, Leesburg, 1918. Pauline and T.C. Tharp, my mama and daddy, were having breakfast before daddy got ready to go to work at the State Bank of Leesburg, where he was a cashier. A knock was heard at the kitchen door, and mama went to see who it was. Opening the door, there stood Will Berryhill, gingerbread colored black man who was respected by both white and black races. Will was walking to town from his home in Cats Alley, one of the two colored sections of Leesburg. Mama said, Good morning Will, what can I do for you? Will tipped his hat and politely said, Miss Paw....lean (the way he pronounced her name), can Ize speaks to Mr. Tharp..s? Certainly Will, just a minute, Ill get Mr. Tharp for you. Mama went back into the dining room, and said, Mr. Tharp, (from the day she first met my daddy til his dying day, she called him Mr. Tharp, as that was the way she first met him and with respect for him), Will Berryhill wants to speak to you. Daddy, in no particular hurry, went to the door.. Good Morning Will, what brings you here? Will, very nonchalantly and showing little concern, said, Mr. Tharp..s, Yo House is on fire! Well, this begins the rest of the story. Daddy went to the bedroom, getting his two 38 Smith and Wesson pistols, went outside and shot all twelve rounds into the air to draw attention to all within hearing distance. Mama ran to the phone and called Central. For those who dont know, Central was the place and person who directed all calls to and from the central office. The person on duty recognized her voice immediately, as there were only twenty 8 some odd phones in town. What can I do for you Miss Pauline? Mama said, I want to report a house on fire. Very well, replied the operator, whose house is it? Mama said, ITS MY HOUSE...THATS WHOSE HOUSE. Things didnt stop there, as the fire/hose truck had a wheel to run off near the old Hines house, the two-story house on the comer, later called the gingerbread house that had recently burned. That ended the Volunteer Fire Department for that call and so it did for their house; it burned down. Daddy had just put on a new, wooden roof, the shingles being treated with some form of creosote for longer life. This made the fire spread faster, together with the fact that most wood was high in fat-lightwood content. Fortunately, most contents were saved with the help of neighbors and high school boys just coming to school. Also, it was fortunate that they had a place to move into; the dwelling next door was mamas parents. Mama and daddy were grateful to all who helped, and especially to the Albany Fire Department who sent a track at the request of the Mayor. Of course, it was too late, but to travel on dirt roads to another town was impressive. People can do strange and almost impossible things in times of excitement, such as fire. Mr. Ticky Forrester, a small person of stature and two other men, removed mamas heavy upright piano from the house, and for some reason, they carried it all the way over to the other side of the street, across a fifteen foot deep sewer construction ditch, the first sewer line on Main Street. Then too, Mr. Willis Rutland was seen carrying out of the burning house, of all things, an armful of stove/firewood. Page Tharp Vintage Car 9 A Farewell Salute Daddy, Paul Stamps, had worked for the Central of Georgia Railroad for many years. He worked in the office, which was located in Albany, Georgia. Most of the employees of the railroad were in the office regularly and knew daddy well. These men were like a fraternity, they cared for one another. He was sick and in and out of the hospital in both Albany and Savannah, Georgia most of his last year and a half. He was in the Central of Georgia Hospital in Savannah most of his last year and he died there at the young age of 53. His funeral was held in Leesburg Baptist Church. He was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery in Albany, Georgia. To get to the highway going to Albany from the church, you had to cross the railroad, which the Central of Georgia Trains traveled several times daily. As the funeral procession got to the railroad, before crossing it, we had to stop due to the train coming through town. As they rolled into town, they passed through slowly blowing their train whistle all through town with a final farewell salute to one of their comrades as they said goodbye to one of their own. Paula Stamps Smith Tuesdays My Aunt, Sara Foster, passed away on Easter Sunday in 1992. We had her funeral the following Tuesday. My Mother, Maggie Stocks, passed away on Saturday, the next week. We had her funeral on Tuesday at Thundering Springs Cemetery in Lee County. Soon after the two funerals, I was going through some of my mothers possessions. I soon discovered a book that was entitled Dont Cry Past Tuesday. A Baptist minister wrote it to his daughter. The daughter knew that her father was dying; so, the fathers message in this book was to his daughter. 10 He knew that she would grieve for him, but wanted her to try not to grieve past Tuesday. I think he was trying to tell his daughter that it is humanly impossible not to grieve, but not to let grief consume her. This was certainly a message that I felt applied to me. After finding this book, somehow I believe my mother was trying to convey those very thoughts to me during my grief in the loss of her and my aunt in such a short time, so close together. Later, a dear family member obtained a copy of this book and donated it to the library at Central Baptist Church in Albany. This donation was made in memory of my mother, Maggie Lee Stocks. Sandra Stocks Sad Christmas Tales It was Christmas Day 1932, with the depression in full swing, when something happened that would be of little consequence today. We were not the poorest people in town, but our parents had to watch how every penny was spent, especially for Christmas presents. They gave my sister a white scarf, her only present, and she thanked them for it. The question came as to the rest of the present, which she didnt understand. Then the awful truth came out. They had put a $ 10.00 bill inside the present, and she had thrown the Christmas paper with the bill in the fireplace and it had burned up. She was heartbroken, and all were in tears for that was a lot of money in those days. A sad thing to happen to such nice people, and at Christmas time. Christmas Day, 1936, was sad because our whole family, mama, daddy, and I were all bedridden with the flu, and my sister, fourteen years my senior, had to come home to help. She didnt have time to get a Christmas tree, so the only thing available was a six-foot pine tree limb, which she stood up in the comer and decorated the best she could. I cant recall if there were any presents at all, but the main thing was to try to get well. Page Tharp 11 Cats Can Tell On You During the depression years, we lived between Hwy 19 and the railroad tracks. Many men passing through came from the highway and the freight trains to our back door. They asked for food. Daddy and I teased Mama about how these men knew that she never refused to give them some food, usually a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a glass of milk or tea. We really wondered how these drifters knew that our house was a good place to stop. Many years later I learned that here were signs in front and back yards telling these men that a generous woman lives in this house. The sign was a curled up cat in a circle! Gwen Johnson Seanor Tears of a Blind Man Early B. Duncan was the husband of our maid, Genie. Genie worked for us many years. Upon her death, Early was alone. He had friends and neighbors, however, who helped to care for him. Early was blind as a result of a gunshot wound while playing a skins game. He also had a large goiter and tried to conceal it with a white handkerchief. A leg had been amputated and he had to use crutches. Our family would always give them presents at Christmas. After Genies death, we continued to remember Early, especially on Christmas Eve. Every year, he could be found sitting in a chair waiting for us to deliver his gifts. It seemed as though he knew the very sound of our cars engine. As we approached him, Mama would say, Early B. He would reply, Yea, Maam, Merry Christmas Mrs. Tharp. Mama would answer, We have some gifts for you. After receiving them, he would always say, Thank you, and Merry Christmas. He would then turn away, reach in his pocket, pull out a clean handkerchief, and wipe his eyes. As Mama would get back into the car, I could see the tears well up in her eyes. Back then, being the eighteen year-old boy, and not yet a man, it 12 was hard not to cry tears of joy. Why? Because I had just witnessed the Christmas Spirit through the eyes of a blind man. Tommy Tharp A Special Glow When I learned that a dear friend and schoolmate, Charles Rhodes, had a terminal illness, I called my friend and his relative, Nancy, and asked her if we might meet and visit with him at his home in Lee County. We arrived after lunch and visited with Charles and his wife, Marinel. We recalled and swapped stories of our school days and growing up in Lee County. We shared many laughs and a few tears. Charles was in good spirits and seemed to enjoy our visit. As Nancy and I were about to leave, Charles asked us to wait a few minutes. He left the room and returned with a plastic milk container full of coins. He explained to us that he started saving his loose change in January, and then in December, he would give it to his children for Christmas. What he said and did next was just so breathtaking. Charles turned toward me and handed me the container of coins. He remarked that we was aware that I had just lost my house and nearly all of my possessions the previous year in a tornado that touch down on Stocks Dairy Rd. He then said he thought I could put the coins to good use. I assured him that I would do just that. I gave him a big hug and thanked him for his concern. Even though he was seriously ill, he was thinking of my loss. I will always remember that special day, that special act of kindness and that special friendship. On the way back to Albany, I remarked to my friend Nancy that I was going to save the coins until I could locate the special item to put in my new home that I had purchased after the tornado. One afternoon, while I was visiting with my cousin, Steve Stocks, he showed me an old Stocks Dairy milk bottle that he had taken to a light fixture store and had it made into a lamp. I knew right then and there that the lamp would be how I would use the coins that Charles gave to me. I took one of my Stocks dairy milk bottles to the store and had it made into a lamp. They sprayed the inside of 13 the bottle with white paint and installed the wiring for the lamp. The lamp truly looks like a bottle of milk right out of the past from Stocks Dairy. I placed the lamp on a very visible shelf over my kitchen sink. When you come through my back entrance, one of the first things that will catch your eye is the lamp. Sometimes I will leave the lamp on at night for a night-light. The glow from the lamp lights up the entire kitchen and my large den. The glow from the lamp brings to mind many pleasant memories of Charles, his amusing, dry sense of humor and his thoughtfulness. My Special Lamp also brings to my mind the words of the songs You Light Up My Life and This Little Light of Mine. Sandra Stocks The Flood of 1926 During the flood of 1926, my mom had to drive my Dad to the railroad trestle over the Kinchafoonee Creek. He would walk across it because the water was over the bridge. Someone would pick him up and take him to work at Hodges Builders Supply Company. We would pick him up in the afternoon when he was brought back to the trestle. Gwen Johnson Seanor What a Difference Time Makes I was bom in Lee County in 1912. We lived at the Starr Farm for about fourteen years. When I started school, my sister, brother, and I walked to Philema. There werent many students in our school. We only had one teacher. I cant recall any students, except the Crews and us. The owner of the train that ran from Cordele to Albany each day offered the student who did not miss a day in school for a year, a prize of $5.00 (big money). I won, so my daddy opened me a savings account in the Bank of Oakfield, since it 14 was just across the river from the farm. The only way we could get to Oakfield was by ferry. But you guessed it. The bank did not make it, so there went my money. After a few years, more children came into our area, so the county consolidated the schools. We were brought to Red Bone by bus. Our school was a three-room house. We had all classes from the 1st through the 11th grade, if there were students for each class. Today, the school house is part of the home that the missionary lives in when he is on furlough. Thundering Springs was our church, which was a one-room building. The children had their Sunday School classes under a tree during the summer and in a car during the winter. The county built a new school house, that is now the church. How time changes things! We moved to Ellaville in 1925 and in 1931, Joe and I married. I came back to Lee County, then. I inherited a big family when I married. There were four brothers-in-law and their families, and a sister-in-law, and my mother-in-law, plus all the workers at the dairy and on the farm. There was never a dull moment. We saw each other nearly every day. Everybody was busy as bees. Each family had their own little home. What a wonderful life we all had! Can you imagine not having a phone? The one at the Farm was the only phone in the area. We owned the line coming from Albany. Of course, we had to maintain the lines and keep them up. There wasnt a crew to put up your line and maintain them, like we have now. Today, if you come out to Stocks Dairy Road, it is nothing like it was. There are beautiful homes on each side of the road. All roads are named and Lee County has ambulance services and fire stations in each community. Time moves on and things change. Today it is like living in town. The Big House was the name we gave the old home place. It burned and a few years later, a tornado came through and destroyed some of the new homes, but they were later rebuilt however, nothing is the same, and nothing is left but fond memories and I am beginning to miss my memory! I was in Leesburg at the Health Center waiting to get a flu shot. Two men were talking. It was just before elections that year. I didnt know them. They were talking about the changes in Red Bone and the county as 15 a whole. One of them made the statement that he wished that the ones who were responsible for the changes would go back from where they came. He said that he had been in Lee County for 20 years and he liked things as they were. I wanted to tell him that I had lived in Lee County all my life, except for about 14 years, and we have to change for growth. I am proud of Lee County and what it has accomplished since 1912. Sara Stocks Legend of My Parents; Eddie and Webster Simmons My father and mother, along with their children were all raised in Lee County. My father and mother were hard working parents; they worked from sun up until sun down. I had fifteen sisters and brothers. We were raised on the farm in Lee County; Eddie Lee, Daisy Lee Robert, Ceasar, Rogers, Paul, Thomas, Hazel, Soloman, Charles, Eddeye, Marvin, Fatima, Zelema, Flossie, William. We had to work hard for a living. We did have a decent place to live, although we had no light, heat, nor running water, and we lived in a two-room house with a kitchen. We had to work hard, plowing mules from sun up to sun down. We raised our own food so we never went hungry. We had hogs, cows, and chickens. We did survive. We had some good days as well as bad ones, but the good Lord took care of us. My mother was a doctor to us all. We did not even know there was a town doctor. My mother took in washing and ironing from different people. She cooked for people to help send my sisters to college. My older brother had to stop school for the rest us to go to school. We had to walk to school in the rain and cold. We did come a long way, but we were depending on the Lord. He blessed them to live a long life. My father died at the age of 105 and my mother, 84. We were all blessed. Marvin Simmons 16 Depression Times in Lee County In 1928, Estoria Tripp married Warren Spillers and moved to Lee County. They operated a store/filling station on Muckalee Creek, south of where the present bridge crosses the Muckalee on GA Hwy 195. Warren worked as a mechanic in Leesburg, and Estoria operated the store and took care of the house. They later built a store in Starksville. Dr. and Mrs. Statham were good friends of the Spillers and spent most Sunday afternoons out in the country with them. Dr. Statham was nicknamed Booze, and his with Nooze. If Nooze saw a chicken or something else the Spillers had that she wanted, Mrs. Spillers gave it to her. Mrs. Spillers was pregnant and Dr. Statham suggested that she stay off her feet, but with the store to run, two cows to take care of and two other children to care for, she could not do this. On a Sunday and one of the worst days of the year, January 19, 1936, after a tornado had destroyed houses and property all around, then followed by an ice storm, Mrs. Spillers gave birth to twins. She knew that morning that her baby was coming that day, so she called Dr. Statham to come out to the house. At 11:00, one baby was bom and at 11:30 a second baby was bom. Neither Mrs. Spillers nor Dr. Statham knew in advance that she would have twins. She had purchased one dozen new diapers for a baby. Dr. Statham got so excited when he realized two babies were there. He laid one baby in each arm of Mrs. Spillers and told her to rest while he went back to town to get Nooze. When he returned with her, she had brought Mrs. Spillers lots of dresses that had belonged to her little girl. They were beautiful, with lots of lace inserts and four or five feet long. Nooze was so excited over the twin and immediately wanted to name them. She suggested they name them Booze and Nooze, but Mrs. Spillers did not want to use those names. She said a Mrs. Gant suggested they be named Ray and Faye. That pleased the parents so that was what they were named. Mrs. Spillers remembers that in the old days children were bom at home. All four of her children, Jewell, George Warren Jr, Raye and Faye, were bom at home with doctors coming to the house. During the depression we had hard times. We always had plenty to eat, but there were lots of people who went hungry. People had to use what 17 resources were available and spend money very wisely. Ms. Spillers said they made and served so much milk gravy in those days that she thought she never wanted to taste it again. Some families would have vegetable gardens to help feed the family. She said they seldom had a roast; they would go down to Longs grocery and buy a big soup bone. Often times the bone would have considerable meat on it that could be roasted, or made into stew beef, or a good pot of soup. One day many years later, when the Spillers had moved into Leesburg, the Long Grocery store caught on fire. It was close to the Spillers home so water was sprayed on their house to keep it from catching fire. Jewel Durr, a daughter remembers carrying clothes over to Miss Annie Longs porch for safekeeping. Mrs. Spillers says they were not a deprived family. They owned a car, which they purchased from Mr. Tic Forrester. After Mrs. Spillers had four children, Warren did most of the shopping. Jewel remembers paying twenty-five cents for two and one half yards of fabric. The Spillers were persuaded to move to Poulan at one time. They were told that there was a cotton mill down there and that they would do more business there. That was a bad move, though, as the mill workers wanted to buy everything on credit and the Spillers could not collect it from them. They decided to come back to Lee County after losing a great deal of money. Warren enjoyed fishing and they would often invite friends and have a fish fry on the creek. As more people got cars, they were able to do more visiting and sometimes the ladies in Leesburg would just take a pleasure ride in the afternoons and come out to get a Coca-Cola at the Spillers store. The Spillers store stocked a basic line of groceries, sold gas and even had a slot machine in the store. They very busiest day of the year would be when the Black churches held baptizing in the Muckalee Creek near their store. Since the store was right there on the banks of the creek, it was convenient for business. Sometime the candidates for baptism would get so excited and start shouting and would sometimes tumble into the creek. Many times the Spillers would have to call Dawson, the Nehi Bottling Co., 18 and ask them to send out another truck with drinks because they would sell out. The Fox family from Dawson owned a farm beyond the creek. Oftentimes they would stop on their way to the farm and load up on grocery supplies. It was always good to have people stop by and share the news. The Spillers also lived near the creek. When heavy rains came the creeks would rise and flood the area. It was not uncommon to see alligators in the creek. Times were hard and there were none of todays modern conveniences, but people enjoyed life. There were fewer distraction and families spent more time together trying to eke out a living. Maybe the saying is true, that happiness is homemade. Mrs. Estoria Spillers Memories of A Leesburg Girl During Early World War II1941-1944 On December 7, 1941 after Sunday dinner (I was 14 years old), I walked across the street to visit with Sara McBride. We were listening to the radio and discussing The Saturday Night Hit Parade and suddenly the announcement of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor came on. There was no way we could understand the gravity of this report, but we were in tears. Our country was in terrible danger! Shortly after, the county practiced blackout drills and issued security plans. People were named to act as air raid wardens and meetings were held to keep us informed since we were at war with Japan. We learned that many things would be rationed. Some things were gasoline, shoes, metal goods, canned goods, sugar, and shortenings. Men who were 18-39 years old were required to register at the draft board for military duty. During the next years a lot of people and many junior and senior students helped to register all persons in the county. Tables were set up at the Long Farm, Miller Lumber Mill, Chokee, Red Bone, Palmyra, and Smithville 19 areas for this purpose. At this time many citizens of our county could not read or write. Patriotism was high as people bought war bonds; collected scrap metal for munitions and conserved on gasoline, house gas, and electricity. Some of the girls who were naturally blond offered some of the tresses to be used for making bombsights. Young people tried to accept the food (sugar), gasoline and clothing shortages in their social lives. We no longer could go out of town to play athletic games because we had to conserve gas and tires. We walked to prom parties and hamburger-hot dog gatherings. We also walked to the Coxwell restaurant (Miss Jewel and Mabel) to dance to the juke organ. Once in a blue moon we could scramble up enough rationed sugar for a chum of ice cream or chocolate fudge. Even the 1944 Senior class trip was cancelled; the money we have saved for four long years was used instead for outside water fountains for the north and south ends of the school. None of us will forget those years because we realized how much God blessed over military men and women and our country. Ann King Young Leah King, Peanut Youngblood, Page Tharp, Harry Lee, Jimmy King, Ann King 20 Raging Creek The flood of 94 is like a suitcase filled with bittersweet memories, but hindsight packs a touch of humor. Obviously the min and rubble, sweat and tears, and loss of personal items comprise the bitter compartment. Fortunately, this part of our bag has somehow become unzipped and emptied out over the years. The sweet section; however, is filled to capacity with memories of our Lords guidance and strength through the flood and rebuilding, and the love and help we received from our family, friends and volunteers. Because of their love, hard work, and generosity, we were able to rebuild our home and lives. These memories are locked in the case never to be forgotten. As we travel along with our bags at our side, bits of humor can be found tucked in the pockets. During the midst of the waters rising inside our home, we had the presence of mind to carry a few choice items to the attic. While the creek (alias raging river) was scurrying to enter our home, the decision was made to put things up high for safekeeping. I remember carefully raising the window blinds exactly half way. No sense being untidy during a flood. What was I thinking? I asked myself many days later. The water receded and left its muddy signature about six inches above the blinds that I had so carefully evened out throughout the house. Another decision turned out to be just as fruitless. I decided I should put the food we had been preparing for family and friends into containers neatly in the refrigerator. Well, with the electrical power cut off, you can draw your own conclusion of how the refrigerator and its contents faired. One sniff would confirm it. As mentioned earlier, during the actual flood, a few things were hauled to the attic. Some were tucked away in Eds pockets. As the water continued to rise, it became necessary to think of a way to get out. Taking an axe to the attic proved to be an outstanding idea. After we managed our ascent onto the roof via the hole in the attic, I planted myself firmly near the top, held on tight, and sang my heart out. This was to let the roaring water know that the Lord was on our side. Eddie gingerly paced back and forth atop the house. He was keeping me calm and checking on some men in a small boat that were trapped in some trees in our front yard. A bit later, the 21 men were taken to safety by another boat and we waited our turn. By the next morning, the rescue workers were able to see well enough to return to get us. The boat slid onto the edge of the roof as if it were a sandy beach. We stepped right in, strapped on a life vest, and headed to safety. At the end of our ride we were able to hug awaiting friends and reach for those diet cokes nestled in Eds pockets. Its amazing how refreshing even hot drinks can make you feel. To this day there are still a couple of two liter bottles of diet coke in our attic. You never know when you may need one. Ten years later, our suitcase is still filled with sweet memories of Gods love, family and friends, love and kindnesses, and hope. Well carry it with us always. The Cowarts The Flood of 1994 One beautiful sunshine afternoon I was watching television when I heard a knock on my front door! I went to the door and what did I see! A man was there and told me I had to get out of the house immediately. He told me to get in his truck. I did, of course! He took me to his home, not telling me why or anything. Nothing was mentioned about water or flood coming! I noticed my front yard was two or three inches in water. The word Flood was never mentioned. My husband came to get me later telling of all the water everywhere. We could not get to our house, so we had to go a different route to Albany. We could not get in our house for two or three days. Of course we lost all that was in the house. I cant begin to express how wonderful the people in Leesburg and Lee County were. They were so thoughtful and generous to us. However, they were to all who were damaged by this terrible flood. Words cant express what the people here did at this awful time! I have tried to work in different organizations, not for my own pleasure, but to serve the people who were so wonderful to us during this 22 horrible time. May God bless all of you and may each of you stay as wonderful as you are! Grace Rhodes Mamas Rescue from the Flood of 1994 After watching the news about the flood, I knew the waters would flow behind Palmyra Nursing home. My mother, Louise Ranew, was a resident there. I called my sister, Velma, and she said that mama was okay. I couldnt convince her otherwise, so I called my brother, Richard, and told him to go and get mama. He and Lois, my sister-in-law did go and when they got there, mamas room had flooded and they had all the patients outside in front of the home. Every emergency vehicle was there to take them to the top floor of Palmyra Hospital. I had cleared it with the Director of Nurses, Ms. Mercer, for a medical van to bring mama to Smithville (emergency vehicles were allowed to go over the bridges). When she arrived in Smithville, a medical supply company out of Americus had brought a hospital bed, sheets, and all the supplies they thought I would need to have at her arrival. (I had contacted them previously). Mama arrived on a stretcher. All the family was there and she just looked around and said, Are we having a family reunion? She was so happy, not worried about a thing! We were frantic, but this really turned out to be a blessing to Buster and me, having her with us. My needs were met under such circumstances. There were angels all around us. We could not leave mama alone, so Kathy, Dick and Ivy delivered what we needed from Americus. I remember Sheila Cannon and her little boys coming in with two big red apples for Mama and me. So many other people came to help during this trying time. The nursing home reopened in December 1994 and mama moved back. She remained there until her death, just two days before her ninety- fifth birthday. Janell Ranew Larkin 23 Flood of94 Smithville On a July day in 1974 Buster and I were both out mowing our lawn. All of a sudden my Snapper just sank. The floodwaters from the Mill Pond had saturated the edge of our yard. Fortunately, the waters were headed east, not in our direction. It was announced on television that the bridge on North Slappey Drive had been closed because water had gotten out of the banks of the Kinchafoonee Creek. The sun was shining in Smithville though, but my Snapper wouldnt go! We then walked to the back yard and to our surprise, discovered that the Mill Pond had flooded and the railroad tracks behind our house had washed up and were hanging in trees! We then decided to investigate and lo and behold- we soon learned that every road and bridge in Smithville was closed. We also found out that Fowlers Nursery, which is one-half mile north of us, lost everything. The big tall nursery plants, which were planted in huge large pots, were floating across Highway 19, heading east! What a sight! Janell Ranew Larkin Memories of a Dirt Road in Lee County From age five to about thirteen; we lived on a dirt road in north Lee County. This road is now paved and is known as Hwy 118, may have been 118 back then, but nobody knew it. I remember walking that road a lot, from our house to nine bridges at Muckalee Creek to fish at night with my dad and people that lived on that road. We would build a big fire to keep Bobcats and other critters away. I walked that road picking blackberries along the ditches, we would sell berries to get a little change and go to Mr. Charlie Dennards store. For fifteen cents we could get a five-penny wheel cookie, a slice of hoop cheese and an RC Cola. Pretty good deal. I remember working in the peanut fields and watching for the Rolling Store to come down the dirt road. I hoped I had enough money to get a cold drink. 24 I remember dad cooking a hog on an open pit that we dug. We would stay up all night and we cooked with oak wood. We would turn that hog about midnight and eat the ribs that were ready. The motor grader from the county road department would come by about every two weeks. I would jump on the back and ride to the store. The ice truck came about once a week. I would jump on the back and ride down the road eating fresh ice chips. I remember when the nights were hot and we would sleep with the doors and windows open. We had no worries or fear. People who lived on that dirt road were all good people. It seems to me they always tried to help each other. I remember hog killing day at Mr. Erics farm up the road. Everybody worked all day and went home with fresh meat that night. Fried tenderloin, homemade biscuits and cane syrup for supper was good eating. I guess life seemed pretty simple back then. A good way to live. When people around that area asked Hows your mamma nem or yall come to see us, they meant it. It was a good dirt road to live on. Tom Usry Swimming and Tubing in the Creeks Since I lived in the country on the Lee/Terrell line, I had a lot of friends from Terrell County and I also worked at Stevens Industries in Dawson, Georgia. For one form of entertainment we liked to go to the Hollis Bridge; it was on Prison Farm Road, which is now know as the Piney Wood Road. There was an old steel bridge there and a lot of rapids. On Sunday afternoons wed take our inner tubes and get on them, and float down the Kinchafoonee Creek. Wed go swimming too, and thats where we all went on Saturday afternoons also. Everything would go smoothly until someone inevitably would holler snake! When that happened, everybody would come out of the water. It just so happened that one day when we were floating down the creek in our tubes we saw a snake in the water. When that snake was spotted, there was a stampede! All of the boys beat that snake, 25 dragged him up on the bank and beat him even more. That snake was in the wrong place at the wrong time! We soon found another place to go swimming, especially since the creek was kind of snakey. This was known as Mossy Dell. This was the place where the people from Leesburg went to swim. Folks from Redbone went to swim there, also. The Chicks from Leesburg would go there to go swimming. Mossy Dell had a big rock from where you could jump into the water. The guys would put some rocks there and make a dam to pool the water and put watermelons in the water in the morning whey theyd get there, and by lunchtime that afternoon, the watermelons would be ice cold. Wed swim all afternoon and eat those watermelons. That was some of the best fun wed have down at Mossy Dell. There water was so cold that we didnt find any snakes there! Jackie McCorkle Mama Was Quite a Gal There were three things mama loved in the world; going fishing, first, going to picture shows, second, and going to see the Doctor. Before I started school mama would take me with her to most everything except the Doctors office, then she would leave me with one of my nannies. Mama loved to fish and people would send her word when the fish were biting. The trips I remember most were on Chokee Creek about a mile before the Clays house in Lee County. To get to the creek you had to drive down hill for about a half mile on a narrow dirt road. Mama had a model T Ford. It had two-foot pedals, one you mashed down to go forward, and the other to go backwards. The forward gear was always the first to wear out as you used it the most. We fished most of the day and caught a lot of fish. We started back home going up the long hill, about one third the way up the front gear went bad and the car would no go forward. I said, Mama what are we going to do, she said, Dont worry son we will back up the hill. In fact we had to back all the way home! Mama was quite a gal. Billy Ferguson 26 Depression Times Bom in Lee County and growing up the great depression was coming down. I can remember the John Mays family straggling to maintain a livelihood for our family. Several of our families worked with us as wage earner sharing crops. This arrangement was responsible for John Mays to have an interest in a larger farm operation. Schooling during this time for black children was evolving in the rural areas from schooling in churches to abandoned white school buildings where as in the towns Leesburg and Smithville and Rosenwall Fund built schoolhouses for black children. As I remember the rural white children got buses and transported to school. In 1930 I walked to Chokee School that was a two-room schoolhouse. I never went to a church that housed a school. I attended high schools in Albany and Cordele, Georgia during the mechanization increase of farming. This was during WWII. Lee County was taking part in the massive economy and social changes. My parents were active in the up grading of education opportunities. After High School I entered the Armed Forces as an airman. On my return, I was civic minded and became very interested in the upgrading of education for black students. In 1994, the Lee County, Smithville Chokee District commissioner moved out of the count leaving his office open. I ran and became the first black commissioner in Lee County. This put Lee County on its way to equal opportunities for everyone in Lee County. James Mays 27 Childhood Days of Mattie Arnold Rivers I was bom and raised by the late Mattie and Charlie Arnold of Leesburg, Georgia. I have nine siblings, five brothers and four sisters. Two brothers and one sister are deceased. I attended and graduated from Lee County High School. Mr. Anderson was the Principal at the time. I also attended Albany Beauty School, where I became a beautician. While growing up in Lee County with my parents and siblings, we all worked hard in the fields and cleaning house, trying to make ends meet. As I became older and finished school, I married Major Rivers Sr. and to this union two sons were bom, Major Jr. (Betty) and Thomas (Dorothy). I have three grandchildren, Aundrey, Ramone, and Nikki and two great grand children, Indy and Destinee. For years I had my own business as a beautician working out of my home. Later in life I worked at M & M Mars and Lee County Manufacturing until I retired. I am a member of the Jordan Grove Baptist Church on Oakfield Plantation where Reverend Calhoun is the pastor. Often I look back over my life and think about how good God has been to me and where he brought me from and is still blessing me. I have met a lot of people in the county, the Cannons, Stovalls, Turners, Rhodes, and many more. I can remember when we knew every family that lived in the county. Lee County has really grown and I think that it is wonderful. We have nice schools, churches, stores, and businesses. We are adjusting to growing pains. I remember catching the train for a twenty-five cent ride to Albany but I had to catch the bus to come back because it was cheaper to ride the bus. We road the train to impress people, we wanted them to think we came from a big city. I remember candy costing five cents and drinks were ten cents. We really worked hard for our allowance, which was twenty-five cents a week. I dare not tell you how old I am. My health is beginning to fail but I am still able to drive. I still enjoy cooking and traveling. I dont go as much because of health reasons, but I really enjoy cooking for my children. Sunday dinners are special at my house. We eat too much and talk about old times. 28 Many of my classmates are deceased but there are some still living; Lula Willis, Lula Mary Marshall, Timmy Sneed, Lucy Mosley, Grace Waters, and Doris Smith just to name a few. I wont ever forget when my children gave me a birthday celebration when I turned seventy. My family came home from far and near. After the celebration we all sat around and joked. I told them the only thing missing was John, my make believe friend! Mattie Rivers 29 Lee County Graduating Class of 1950 The Day I Ran Away From School My first two weeks of school in the first grade at Lee County Elementary in 1958 were going just fine, but by the third week I decided school wasnt for me. My older sister Judy and I would wait by the road each morning for the school bus to come by and pick us up for school. As soon as those two big doors would open that was my cue to break and run. Around the house Id go with Mama hot on my trail in her housecoat trying to catch me. I feel sure my sister was embarrassed by my actions as she took her seat. Our bus driver, Lawrence Breeden was no doubt laughing as he pulled away. Mama would end up driving me to school. This happened a few times until one morning I really got brave and before Mama could drive away I decided to run away from school. Mrs. Martha Powell, my first grade teacher, was holding my arm and I was kicking her lower legs and finally managed to break free. Down the road I ran as fast as my legs would carry me past the Leesburg United Methodist Church all the way to the railroad track and would you believe a train was coming. Im sure Mama thought I would be run over by the train but our Principal, Mr. Bacon, assured her that I would stop. As soon as the train passed across the track, I ran around the comer to the left to Otis Hill Chevrolet where my daddy, Alton Turner, Sr. worked. I ran through the door straight to my Daddy and told him I needed a Coca-Cola. He got the Coke for me and after that my Mama and Mr. Bacon showed up and I got something else. You guessed it, a spanking from Mr. Bacon. After that little episode, Mrs. Powell, Mr. Bacon, and I became good friends and I never ran away again. Buddy Alton Turner, Jr. 31 How Times Have Changed In the late 1930s a knock was heard on the classroom door in the Leesburg School. When the teacher went to the door she heard this You tell----her mama says she better get herself back home and make up her bed! Needless to say she did. During recess one day in the early 1940s a teacher in Leesburg asked an elementary student to go to town and buy her an ice cream cone. He did, but on the way back the ice cream fell off the cone. It didnt look too bad after it was put back together and scraped off the trunk of a tree! The first lunchroom at the Leesburg two story school was in the basement underneath the auditorium. Everyone sat on benches and the highlight of lunch was to sit on a bench with some agreeable people and accidentally turn over the bench. As I remember, it was kind of dark and noisy down there! Before television, listening to the World Series on the radio was BIG STUFF. Somehow we seemed to often end up in the upstairs library for study hall or research about that time. Neal Posey The Blue Chevrolet Corvair In 1961 the road I lived on was being prepared for paving. I was a cheerleader for Lee County High School, and I was running late for the basketball game; so my Daddy told me I could take the car (Blue Chevrolet Corvair). I drove down the driveway and began my journey up the soggy red clay hill and guess what? I got stuck right in the middle of the road. I began blowing the horn hoping Daddy would hear me and come help me. Later on I found out he heard the hom and asked my Mama, I wonder who that is blowing the hom? Well, I finally decided he wasnt coming, so I 32 took off my red tennis shoes and white socks and began my walk back home. Needless to say, I had red mud up to my knees. When I got back to the house, Daddy took the tractor back and pulled the car out of the mud. After I scrubbed my feet and legs, Daddy took me to Leesburg to the game. I made it by half time. Betty Cooper Johnson High School Happenings One of the big things we did in high school was skipping! I wasnt able to do it very well, and my friends had pretty bad luck with it also. The first time we decided to skip school, we went over to J.s house. Everything was nice and quiet, and the phone rang. It was the day we ordered invitations, caps, and gowns for graduation. The school was calling to see about J. He hadnt made it to school, and they were trying to find out sizes so they could order his cap and gown. Here we were hiding out in J.s house. His parents were not there, so we were just hanging out, trying to watch television. We soon figured out that since they were calling his house, it wouldnt be long before they would be calling my house, and also would be calling a couple of other guys houses. We then figured that the best thing for us to do would be to come up with a good excuse to get us back into school. Well, when J. was young, he lived on a ranch and had a lot of cows. We came up with a story about how the cows got out of the fence and J. and a few other guys were helping to get the cows back into the pasture. That got us back in school and off the hook! Since everybody believed that story, we felt brave enough to try to skip again. This time we decided to get a cooler of drinks, snacks, and head down to the creek for swimming, laying out, fishing, and just having a guys day out Well, we forgot one thing.. .sunscreen, and of course a couple of boys got blistered. One of the guys happened to be M.P. His dad drove a school bus and his mother was a teacher. M.P. had to figure a way to get back to school, catch the bus, and get home and explain how he got sunburned during the day. Needless to say, we got busted on that account! M. and a 33 couple of the other guys got in trouble. I didnt get caught because I had my own vehicle. I dropped some guys off at school, and then I headed home. Nobody ever found out about it; I dont think. Jackie McCorkle Playing Hooky on April Fools Day It used to be a favorite thing for high school students to play pranks on one another on April 1. One group of seniors at Lee County High School skipped school and spent the day at Radium Springs on April fools Day in 1952. The prank was exciting for them until they returned to school and found Mr. John W. Bennett, the Principal, was not amused by the incident. Mr. Bennett called a meeting of the faculty after school to discuss the matter. The group who played hooky asked Ed Forrester, one member of the group, to go to the faculty meeting to represent them. Mr. Bennett would always stand before the teachers in faculty meeting and would buckle his knees, back and forth, all during the time he was standing there. The meeting was held in the auditorium of the school. Most young people would probably have been intimidated to stand before the faculty, but Ed just seemed to be eager to speak. As he stood before the group, he began buckling his knees back and forth repeatedly and every teacher knew whom he was imitating. None of us could keep a straight face. He pleaded with the faculty to please go easy on the group, that they just wanted to have some fun. Maybe the real April fools joke was on the school officials, because the teachers voted to just reprimand those students and not to punish them. Opal R. Cannon 34 How LCHS Became the Trojans The first year of the Leesburg-Smithville school consolidation occurred in the fall of 1947 and this, of course, brought on a few changes for both schools, namely: School colors: LHS was purple and gold, SHS was blue and gold Nicknames: LHS had none. SHS, unknown. The senior class of the new LCHS, The Class of 48", was then given the task of settling these hot issues. All members of the four high school classes were asked to submit their nicknames and colors with the three top entries of both categories, which would be decided in a run off vote. Among my nicknames were Trojans, after the Southern Cal (or USC), who had this great fight song called Fight On! And it would be played, which was played often on the old CBS Radio Football Round Up that lasted all Saturday afternoon during the season. And another reason was the fact that no other high school in SOWEGA had that nickname. As for the new red and white colors, that combination won by a landslide vote. Bill Cromartie Some Favorites When we were in high school, Birdie Lou Long was our Home Economics teacher. When she and her husband, Pete, moved out of town, a young girl just out of college moved to Leesburg and became our new teacher. She was a good teacher who taught us a lot about manners, cooking and personal hygiene, and you name it! She was so young and we wanted to think she was one of us. We had fun but we had respect for her, too. She was Opal Rogers. One day she came to my house, and I introduced her to Mama. Opal had been teaching us that the older person is always presented first when making introductions. Ill never forget this because she told me later that it was a perfect introduction. I guess Opal thought we were learning from her teaching. We certainly did learn a lot from her and had fun, too. 35 Other favorite teachers were Mrs. Jim Crotwell, Mrs. Flora Lacey, Birdie Lou Long, Mr. L.I. Pridgeon, and, of course, Opal Rogers who is now Opal Rogers Cannon. Betty Jean Ranew Clements LaVerns School Prank A dear friend of mine, LaVem Williamson Stewart, was really good at throwing her voice. When we were in school, Mr. Frank Long was one of the teachers in Leesburg High School. Several of us got together and talked LaVem into throwing her voice and calling Frankie T! When he got to his desk, he would then run to the door, open it and look up and down the hall. Seeing no one, he would return to have the same thing done again. All of us kids got a big kick out of it, but needless to say he did not. He never did find out who was doing this because we certainly did not ever tell! Flora Coxwell Hartley Fishing Begins.....Fishing Ends All of the senior boys in the 1947 Leesburg High School graduating class, the last class to graduate from there, being four in number, decided to go fishing for catfish in the Kinchafoonee Creek, hopefully to sell and make a little extra spending money. From then on it was consolidated Lee County High School. The question of a business name arose, and it was decided to use the first letter of the last name of each, being the SOFT Company, for Sanford, Odom, Faircloth, and Tharp. There was some concern however, as to who would buy a SOFT fish. With a borrowed boat and three paddles, we put out our first trotline. (A line that is stretched from one side of the creek to the other, with small lines and hooks tied thereon) Two of the fishermen went back late that 36 afternoon to bait the hooks, and they were reminded to be sure to put weights on the line so all would sink to the bottom of the creek. We arose early the next morning to go and see what we had caught. All of us paddled up the creek to the trotline. As we got closer and looking up the creek, all we saw was a line above the water with hooks just dangling on top of the water. Damn, someone said, You idiots forgot to put on the line weight. The only fish we could have caught would be a flying fish and they are two hundred miles away in the Gulf of Mexico. In disgust, and having nothing else to do, we decided to race back to the landing, and everyone using all paddles to go as fast as we could; some on the right side of the boat and some on the left side, but the main driver was in the rear of the boat. Looking ahead, we saw a large Cyprus tree right in the middle of the creek, and it was agreed that we would go either on the left or right side of the tree, leaving this up to the rear seat paddler. Faster and faster we went, still saying, Watch out for the big tree in the middle! WHAM, BLAM, DAMN, AND GOOD LORD SAM, we burst that tree right in the middle, knocking Bill, in the front of the boat, into the water, casting all fishing equipment into the creek, bursting a hole in the front of the borrowed boat. This ended forever the SOFT fishing company! Finally getting to our landing, you could hear.. I told you to paddle on the left side.no you didnt, you said that right side..no idiot, I was paddling on the right side, you were on the left.. .right.. .left.. .right.. .left. It didnt matter; it was the man in the rear who did the steering. That man was last seen running to the car. Page Tharp Old Friendships Never Die During our teenage years, drugs were not a factor in Leesburg. About the worst thing for us was slipping behind the gym to smoke a Camel or Lucky Strike cigarette, as several of the boys and girls would sometimes do. Having fun in those days was the teenagers in our group piling in Edgar Stamps old Ford. He was the first one in our group to have a car. He 37 usually had his girlfriend at that time, Betty Jean Ranew, along with his sister Paula, Lucy Ann Bowles, Luther Breeden and Jack Vamer, riding with him to Albany to get a Coke and French fries. We, during those years just enjoyed being together. We would play basketball or whatever, just to be together. Our basketball coach was Mrs. Evie Stamps, who was a star basketball player when she was in high school. She coached us (girls) until it was said she could do it no longer because she was not a teacher. It was then that Mr. Leonard Pridgen began coaching both boys and girls teams. Mrs. Stamps was also instrumental in helping us get the first annual for our school. Looking back over the years I realize that over fifty years have passed since we were teenagers, just looking for a way to have a good time. Over fifty years have passed since that time, and today we are still a close group! Lucy Ann Bowles Stocks Cowart Berry Bad Trouble Little red berries from shrubs can get second grade boys in trouble. It was my first year of teaching back in 1950.1 was a second grade teacher at the Lee County Elementary School. There was only one second grade, and my son was in my room. Only a few pupils, however, knew that I was his mother because he NEVER called me Mama while in school. During recess the first week of school, my son and two friends tossed berries at a group of teachers. So during that first week three little boys got spankings and had to stay after school to do some extra work! These three (men now) still laugh because they thought they were safe with the teachers son. They were: Larry Guillbeau, Buddy Nesbit, and Lawrence Turner. Gwendolyn Johnson Seanor 38 First Grade Experience When I entered the first grade in the Lee County School System on September 1,1954,1 did so under the watchful eye of my mother and teacher, Mrs. Martha Powell. Mrs. Powell had the daunting task of teaching not only her own daughter, but also forty-two other first graders. All the students, including myself, were eager to learn to read and write; a feat Mrs. Powell accomplished without the help of an aide or assistant. When I was asked what it was like to have my mother as a my teacher, I would reply, I love my mother, but all that Mrs. Powell says is, Be quiet, sit down, dont do that! Judy Powell Boys Will Be Boys and We Paid For It Norman Breeden, Merritt Ranew, and I (and sometimes others) enjoyed rabbit hunting. One night, several of us decided to go rabbit hunting, which was illegal, but was accepted back then. No rabbits seemed to be out that night, however, and since we didnt want to go right home, we decided to ride to Smithville. Mind you we were devilish, but harmless. We would never hurt anyone. We were just playing around. We spotted some streetlights and thought that this would be fun, so we shot out a couple of them. We then rode over to Leslie and went to their gym. A few of the boys who played on the Leslie basketball team were there practicing. And we played on the Leesburg basketball team and played against them. Soon we decided to leave, and, we decided to shoot out more streetlights, after all, no rabbits were to be found. Right after that the law got after us. So we headed down some back roads, hid behind some trees and bushes, cut our lights off, and watched the law whiz by us. We learned later that if we had gone down the main highway we would have been caught because they had a roadblock set up for us. We were Seniors that year and would you know...our teacher pulled us out of class one day and sent us to Leslie to sell ads for out school annual. 39 Guess What? The Leslie ball players recognized us, and reported us. While we were in the school parking lot the GBI came up and asked if we were the ones who had shot out the lights. We confessed, were fined and were told to go to Smithville and take care of the damage we had done there. He said that it would save him a trip to our houses. We did just as we were told and certainly learned a BIG LESSON from this. Ronny Pug Stamps Hands in His Pockets There once was a boy who always walked around with his hands in his pocket. Everywhere he went he would have his hands in his pocket. When he was out on the playground, going to lunch or just walking in the classroom, he would have his hands in his pockets. His teacher was always telling him to take his hands out of his pockets. She explained to him, if he ever tripped or lost his balance he would not be able to keep himself from falling down. The boy continued to walk around with his hands in his pockets day after day. The teacher would remind him occasionally to take his hands out of his pockets. She wanted to break him of this habit so that he would not injure himself in the event that he would fall on the concrete, tiled floor. Finally one day as the boy was walking form his desk to the pencil sharpener, he did just as his teacher had warned. Someones book bag strap was hanging in the aisle, and he tripped. With hands in the pocket, he couldnt get them out fast enough to break his fall; there was a big splat! The room was totally silent until several students asked, Are you okay? and the boys said, Yes. Then there was a room full of laughter. He might not have been hurt physically, but his pride must have been bruised just a little bit. Lula B. Willis 40 A Smart Move When I was a senior at Lee County High School, on occasion I was allowed to take the family car (the famous Blue Chevrolet Corvair) if we had cheerleading practice after school. After practice, I would get in the car and the only gear that was working was reverse and I panicked. It just so happened that the boys had basketball practice and were still in the gym. I went in and asked for help. Tommy Cannon came out and tried all the gears, but he had no success either. Mr. Otis Hill owned the Chevrolet dealership in Leesburg and Daddy always purchased his vehicles there; so I knew Mr. Otis would help me. After much discussion with Tommy and the other boys, they decided the only way to get the car to the shop was to drive it in reverse from the gym, down Highway 19 to the shop, and that is exactly what Tommy did. Most people that heard about this ordeal, thought it was a smart move. Betty Cooper Johnson Class Reunion Several classmates who graduated from Lee County High School met one afternoon to plan their forty-fifth class reunion. Each one agreed to work on a project. My project was to call and make arrangements for our reunion dinner. I said that I would call several restaurants to find out how much it would cost to reserve a room, and if they could accommodate our group. One of my classmates suggested Austins, which at that time was located on Slappey Drive in Albany. As soon as I arrived at my house, I picked up the Albany telephone directory and dialed the number for Austins. A lady soon answered, This is Austins. I inquired as to a vacant room in her establishment that could take care of about twenty-two people. After a long pause she quietly replied, This is Austins Mortuary! I replied quickly, Thank you, but I believe that the classmates would prefer a different place for our reunion. Of course I had dialed the wrong number. Nevertheless, 41 I finally contacted Austins Restaurant, where we had our reunion and a fun time was had by all. Sandra Stocks School Memories I was standing on the platform of a metro station in Paris some years ago, and I could translate all the signs from the French. In the seventies, I wandered into an undergraduate course at Scotlands Edinburgh University where my supervising professor was leading a class in Latin translations and although it had been a lifetime since I had studied Latin, I could keep up with teen-agers just out of high school. I had never forgotten entirely the teaching of Mrs. Crotwell and Mrs. Lacy. The quality of our education in those seemingly primitive pre- electronic days is something I not only recall but also treasure. I recall so vividly the now archaic teaching methods, which gave us such a good preparation for college and life and I am grateful, for it was not just attention to subject matter, but disciplining our minds and our behavior that was so important. Oh, we moaned and groaned, but nobody really paid us much attention! I remember that I did not want to read The Last Days of Pompeii and Mrs. Helen Crotwell thought I should. When I rebelled, she kept me in at lunchtime and recess until I plowed my way through that difficult book. Lee County education provided me with the basic foundation to learn, eventually, three university degrees and I am most appreciative. When my brother Charles, now a retired corporation executive in Orlando, and my sister, Mary Emily, now living in Albany after years of moving over the country as an Air Force wife, get together we often fondly reminisce about our days in Lee County concerning the school, the people and dozens of odds and ends: basketball games, school buses, etc. They are, indeed, fond recollections. The first time I recall being in Lee County, I was about six or seven years old. Mama and Daddy said that on Sunday we would go from our home in Terrell County to see somebody, a friend or relative, in New York. This was before the days of air travel and I worried about how we could go 42 to New York on Sunday and be back for school on Monday. Mama told me not to worry about it: we would be gone just that day. New York turned out to be a farm on the north end of Lee County, and we made it there and back in less than a day! Ive often wondered how, in those days, a small country child would have known that New York was a long way away. Sue Bailes SUPERINTENDENT H. T. KEARSE 43 Smithville Elementary School: A Rich Start Really, we wanted for nothing, those of us who attended Smithville Elementary School. I was privileged to go there the last six years it was in session. As I look back on that time, I see that it was very good and very rich. Our first grade class went on an excursion. WewenttoAmericusand rode the train back to Smithville. My little sister Florence went with us. She and I sat with Mrs. McLendon. Most of the way we could see our car on Highway 19 keeping up with the train. My mother Florence and my other little sister Laura had helped haul us to the depot and would be in Smithville to pick us up. Almost every holiday was an occasion for a party. We had many wonderful, happy, well-behaved parties in our classroom and candies and cupcakes to take home. If you brought an apple or an orange to eat at recess, you could take it to the kitchen and one of the ladies would cut it in two for you. I always had a snack for recess. Usually, I had something wrapped in wax paper. Thats probably why the smell of wax paper is so pleasant to me. It brings back happy memories. Recess was my favorite part of school. It seems that everyday we had wonderful rolls that the lunchroom ladies made. The smell of those rolls cooking would waft through the school and make us all hungry. Our lunches were large and delicious. There was butter and syrup for the rolls, often peanut butter cookies, which I loved. Lunch was a quarter during the last few years of the school. I think it was just twenty cents when I first started. You could have second servings if you raised your hand when Mrs. Comer came in the lunchroom with a big pot of whatever it was. Occasionally, we would have chocolate milk instead of regular milk. I much preferred the chocolate. Hopscotch and jump rope were ever-popular games for the girls at recess. Girls and boys together would have huge games of chase, which included going to jail if you were caught and even having a jailer to keep you in. Yo-yos and tops had their seasons of popularity, as well as jacks, which were called jackstones. We often played softball on the grass across the road to the south of the school. The bases were large spots where the grass was worn away. They held water after a rain. They got wider as our 44 playing season went on; this made for some controversial calls. If you hit the ball into the briers you were pretty much guaranteed a home run because it would take the outfielders a while to find it. For a long time we would have a hindcatcher who stood behind the batter and threw the ball back to the pitcher if it hadnt been hit. It was a position of courtesy and merely helped move the game along. After a few seasons, it came to our knowledge that the catcher was actually a member of the outfield team. It was less stressful when we just had a hindcatcher. A bell with a long chain pull called us to order and released us morning and afternoon and to and from recess. Mr. Herrington, our school janitor, rang that bell. Occasionally, he would let one of us ring it. It was a thrill and a privilege to do that. I am pleased to have rung that bell myself. From the library windows, we could see the grooves the chain had made over the years in the granite entrance over the front doors. Mr. Herrington would go to the store sometime during each day. He would take orders for items. You could get a pencil or a small package of Blue Horse notebook paper, an orange, or an apple. These items were only a few cents each. I remember seeing him with a small piece of paper against the wall writing down the orders with a little band of students in a semicircle around him. He was twice as tall as any of us. I believe it was an inconvenience for Mr. Herrington to do this, but he did it anyway. He was quiet and patient, and our school was always very well cared for. The school assembled every morning at the front door, weather permitting. The classes lined up single file on a slab of concrete with the first grade to the far right, second grade to the left, and so on to the seventh grade. The entire school stood on a rectangle about eight feet by ten feet, I estimate, and there was plenty of room to spare. Each morning ceremony included turning to face the flagpole and saying, all of us together, the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag. At that hour of the morning, the sun was very close to the flag in our line of vision. The whole school squinted in unison with our hands over our hearts. Mrs. Melba Chambliss taught private music lessons during school hours to those who wanted to be musical. I took piano. Mrs. Chambliss taught some of the boys to play the guitar. Some people took voice lessons. However, no matter what you took or didnt take, if you were a music student- 45 pupil, or whatever we were called, you sang in Mrs. Chamblisss recitals. We sang in the groups, both large and small. I never was asked to do a solo other than the piano pieces. The only time I remember not really wanting to sing was the year Mrs. Chambliss had me, Verlynn Flournoy, and Sue Miller sing Three Little Maids from School. (I believe this is from Gilbert and Sullivans Mikado, though I may be wrong). As I remember, the title comprised the last five words of the song. The note at which we were supposed to sing the word maids was too, too high for me to even hit briefly, let alone hold it as we were supposed to do in that last phrase. I just had to aim up in the direction of the note. I never hit it. I tried. Though I was not a voice student, the songs Mrs. Chambliss had us leam have often been with me. Many times in the mornings as Ive driven alone through the countryside of our county, the words and melody of Oh, What a Beautiful morning have been very much in line with my feelings. I even sometimes sing the old songs out loud when Im by myself. Im glad Mrs. Chambliss made us sing, even if we werent voice students. The whole school would often go into the auditorium and just sing. They were songs I hadnt heard before I came to school, but songs that became part of me. Our recitals and also our school programs were always at night in the auditorium. They were very well attended. I think the school was really more the social hub of the community than the churches were. The school gathered together all the families, church-goers and non-church-goers, Methodists and Baptists alike. It was at the school that we acquired immunity from polio as we took the sugar cubes with the vaccine dropped onto them on Sunday afternoons. We had a film room upstairs. It had black shades to keep out the afternoon sun. The entire school would sit in rows according to grades and all of us would watch the same things together. I was always happy when we got to do this. After recess and lunch, watching films was my next favorite thing about school. Mrs. May Belle McLendon, my first grade teacher, was very tall. She walked slowly but confidently like a heron among reeds in shallow water. The first word she taught us to read was look. That seems important to me. I think we see what we look for. It was a good way to start reading what the world had written for us. She taught us about plants moving toward 46 the sun. In our classroom, there was a large planter on legs with the bed about three feet above the floor. Coleus was planted in it, the deep red and purple kind. She would turn it from time to time as the plants leaned toward the window. She taught us kindness and fairness, calmness and dignity by her voice and demeanor. Her most important lesson was self-esteem, which came to us through the steady current of her love, which I didnt understand until years later. I remember the last day of school when she called us to the front of the room one by one to get our report cards. She hugged each of us, and she was crying. I thought it was strange. I was so happy to be out for the summer. I didnt understand that she actually loved us. Of all the things from my experience at Smithville Elementary School, the one I would say that has had the steadiest, deepest influence on me was Mrs. McLendons having us memorize and recite together the Twenty-Third Psalm. Many times in my life, day and night, those words have steadied and encouraged me. When I think of myself and the years after that first year of school, and when I think of the rest of that small class, and the rest of the wide world and all its history past and future, it is supremely sweet to me to remember that there was a time and place in the great scheme of things when my friends and I recited in unison in our little first grade VQices The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Really, we wanted for nothing at Smithville Elementary School. Belle Geise Usry A Time Capsule Have you ever wished you could be present when a time capsule is opened? Most people do not get to be here when it is opened, but many have contributed to some, which would not be opened for 100 years. There is a time capsule buried at the Lee Country Primary School, which will be opened on March 26,2012. It was placed there in 1987, the first year the school was in existence. It contains a variety of items pertaining to the students, the faculty and other interesting things. Mr. Buck Stem, who was then with Kimbrell-Stem Funeral Directors, assisted the principal 47 of the school, Mrs. Opal R. Cannon, in the use of preservatives, to assure better quality of the contents when opened. This school was named a national School of Excellence three years later, so none of that information will be included in the capsule, but you might be one of the thousands of students who have attended this school and would like to be present on March 26,2012 when the capsule is opened. Opal R. Cannon A Special Person Back in 1966, while my father was in Vietnam, I was a confused adolescent trying to make sense of my feelings, and I had a difficult time. It was then, in my 7th grade class, I found someone who would listen and help me sort out these emotions. She was a teacher at Lee County Elementary School. She was the person to help me through that difficult time, and she didnt even realize it. It wasnt long before my spirits were lifted, and I began to look forward to learning and being at school. My teacher really cared about her teaching, and about her students. She was passionate about life and her faith in God was ever present. She took time with those who made requests and helped those who needed extra help. She was always encouraging us to do our best. My teacher organized a girls chorus. She invited me to sing in this group. She taught me that music could soothe and bring joy. From that experience, music was, and still is, a blessing to me. It has been the reminder of what really is important in life. I will always be grateful for, not only her efforts in helping with grades and working on songs to perfection, but especially for encouraging me to have a relationship with God. Now, as a mom, wife, and an adult, my teacher from Lee County Elementary School, Mrs. Pat Tharp, continues to be in my life. I am a better mother, wife, and person after having known her. She will always be special to me, and I am forever grateful. Debbie Land Dannheisser 48 Wow! What a trip! Mrs. Carolyn Webb could really plan a trip. This Lee County High Class of 1954 started collecting money and having fundraisers in the sixth grade. Their senior trip was a thirty-day trip across the U.S. to Canada and down the west coast and across the southern states back home. A Life Magazine reporter saw the bus in San Francisco. He interviewed Mrs. Webb, finding out all the details, told her that if she had contacted the magazine, Life would have sent a reporter on the trip and featured the trip in the magazine. One other interesting fact about the trip, there was a famous person- along with other adults. Mrs. Lillian Carter, President Jimmy Carters mother. The next year Mrs. Carolyn Webb planned the 1955 Senior Class trip to New Orleans, down the middle of Florida to Miami, and on a cruise to Cuba, afterwards they were to go back up the east coast of Florida. Mrs. Webb was unable to chaperon this trip; so, Patricia Heath McDaniel and I were chosen to be chaperones. We were fortunate to be able to make this trip, because several months later Cuba was closed to all tourists. Gwen Johnson Seanor Rain Will Tell On You In the late 1930s, Geraldine Coxwell (my cousin) and I were in high school. I couldnt drive but Gerry could. In fact, she was so good that she could have been the first woman NASCAR race driver. Her Dad (Lester Coxwell) had a garage. He fixed up a topless four door Model A for her. The rule was that she could drive around town, but could not drive out of town. We brought some Baby Blue enamel paint, found two paintbrushes and we painted it Baby Blue. I painted characters on the doors: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, and Donald Duck. We named it King Iddy Biddy. We had a great time; so did all our friends. However, one afternoon we were restless. We knew we couldnt get to Albany or even Dawson because someone would tell on us. We then decided that if we drove to Bronwood, nobody would know us: so we did. Had a great time. As we 49 were leaving Bronwood, it started to rain. We had not even noticed the change in the weather. We had never seen such a hard rain. We were about drowned in that topless car! When we got back to Leesburg and our folks found out, we were grounded for weeks. We certainly did learn a lesson from this-It doesntpay to disobey! Gwen Johnson Seanor Fire at the McAfee Hotel The McAfee hotel in Smithville housed several of the schoolteachers, and one afternoon shortly after lunch they were called and told that the McAfee was on fire. Naturally, the teachers turned out classes and left the school. The fire was extinguished but caught up again before the sun rose the next morning and burned flat to the ground. It was an awful big fire, and the only fire fighting equipment in town was a large two-wheel reel with the hose rolled up on it and pulled by two men. The fire alarm system back then was the steady firing of a pistol or shotgun, mill whistle, train whistle or church bell. Virgil A. Booker McAfee Hotel Smithville 50 A Tricky Finger When I was twelve years old, I had an accident on the farm. I cut off the end of my index finger on the right hand at the knuckle. It wasnt really noticeable except when I wanted to have fun with it. We had a substitute teacher at school one day. Her name was Mrs. J. I took that cut-off finger and stuck it in my ear and pretended that it got stuck. Some of the boys, who were aware of my prank, said to Mrs. J., Jackie had gotten his finger caught in his ear! She ran over and said, Oh, Jackie., you know you could damage your eardrums doing that! I then pulled it out and showed her that it was my cut-off finger. We all laughed. Little Mrs. J. was a good sport about it all. Jackie McCorkle 51 Local j-l appenings CENTENNIAL PLANNING COMMITTEE Rain Showers When Sam and Forrest Crotwell arrived in Lee County from South Carolina around 1925 they moved into an old house on the property their father had traded some kind of mill for in Arkansas. Of course there was no electricity or running water so using their ingenuity they chose to shower under the eaves of the house during a big rain. On one such occasion as they were bathing they heard a vehicle driving up. Depending on which one was telling this tale, one of them jumped on the porch and locked the screen door. The other one dove under the house. We would always ask, What happened then? and they would just laugh. Neal Posey Charles Speedy Dean Charles Dean, whose nickname was Speedy, was a druggist who lived in Smithville. He and his wife had no children of their own; so, all the children in town, both black and white were called his adopted children. He called all of them Half Pints. Whenever they would come into his drugstore, he would nearly always give them a quarter and tell them to, Go next door to T.J. Burtons and buy some candy. One day Speedy was behind the pharmacy counter when Waylon Beamon and R.J. Richardson walked into the store. Hey Lover boys, called Speedy. (He called all the men that name). Waylon noticed that a box of baking soda was on the counter and he said, Speedy, what are you doing with that baking soda? Speedy replied: Im putting it in capsules to sell because most people who come in with complaints have just minor ailments so I give them enough baking soda capsules for a week, and then usually they feel better. With that, Waylon said, Well, Speedy, in that case, you better give me some, cause thats what I came in here for! He was really a good druggist and was always so accommodating to all who needed his services. It has been said that if someone needed medicine 53 and was unable to pick it up, he would gladly get into his car and deliver it as quickly as possible. Denise Richardson Bell Old Smithville Drug Store 54 Crotwells Hospitality Back during our high school years, Flora Coxwell, Leah Mercer, and I used to visit our high school friend Caroline Crotwell. The Crotwell home was out in the country. We would have to ride the school bus to get there. That was in itself fun just to get to ride the bus. When we would get there, it was always a trip to their dairy. It was about two miles from the house. When we got there we would then go into the building where a pulley was used to pull us up some of their delicious chocolate milk. This was a BIG TREAT for us. We would spend the night and the next morning we would have breakfast on the porch on a very long table. Mrs. Crotwell would come around and ask if we wanted hominey. This was different to me because we had always called them grits. The whole family liked to play cards. They were the ones who taught us how to play bridge. We had so much fun and the whole family was so gracious to us. We always looked forward to these visits and still remember the good times. Jessie Moreland Lee Family Stories I Heard or Lived As a Child Granddaddy (R.R Clay) made one attempt to drive a car. Daddy (R.A. Clay Sr.) was going from Lee County farm to Decatur home for a visit. He drove his car to Cobb to catch the train, and granddaddy went along to bring the car home. Granddaddy felt sure he could drive. All went well until he attempted to put the car under a shelter next to the bam. He didnt know how to stop the thing. He went all the way through the shelter, scaring some yearlings in the process, and circled the bam until he figured out how to stop the car. Sometime after Mother and Daddy were married, they started to visit Mr. Frank and Miss Carilu Kaylor one Sunday afternoon. When they 55 came to a branch north of the Kaylor home, water was running across the road. Thinking it was not deep; daddy drove into the water and the car drowned out. Not wanting to ruin his Sunday clothes, Daddy took off his pants shoes, waded across the branch, put on his clothes and went to Mr. Kaylors to get help. Mother say in the car until it was on dry land. One of daddys first projects after buying the farm was to see that every tenant house had at least one room that was ceiled. Tongue and grove beaded ceiling was used to enclose the designated area so that the occupants could have a relatively warm place in at least part of the house. Mr. Troutman was our iceman. He worked for Atlantic Ice and Coal Company in Albany and serviced our icebox every other day. He worked his route all day without bringing a lunch and was embarrassed to ask if he might have a cold biscuit or glass of milk to tide hime over until he got home. I dont know of any of his customers who denied his request. Mr. Troutmans brother, Robert Troutman, was a prominent Atlanta lawyer who represented Georgia Power Company among others. Betty and Bobby Clay Fun Times I remember when I was growing up in Leesburg that we really looked forward to going swimming. We didnt have a swimming pool so we had to go to the creek or Mossy Dell. We could walk to the creek but we had to yell to be sure no boys were swimming before we got too close. If some were there, it would give them time to get into their bathing suits before we got there. I have many fond memories of Mossy Dell. We would beg our parents to take us there. If they agreed we would fill the car. Mostly we swam in the shallow part. Everyone said the other part had no bottom and that scared us. Even on the coldest days of winter, groups of us would go there and build a big fire to help keep us warm. I remember wearing long heavy coats and 56 getting as close to the fire as we could and we would still be cold. But we had good times just being together. Once in a while we would find someone who had never been Snipe hunting. We would tell them to bring paper bags and go Snipe hunting with us. It didnt take long for them to realize that they had been fooled, and they were looking for some others to go snipe hunting. Another place where we would gather to have fun was the bridge on 195. The present bridge had replaced the old bridge. It was new so we called it the New Bridge. Almost every weekend we would go there, play the radios and just have a great time under the bridge. I remember when the train would go through Leesburg and throw the mailbag off. It would slow down, but it didnt stop. Someone from the post office would push a cart over to the depot to pick up the mailbag and take it to the post office. The only time the train would stop was to pick up or let off a passenger. Joyce Forrester Vonderaa Horse Riding When I was fourteen years old, we lived on Old Leesburg-Smithville Road about five miles from Leesburg. Daddy,(John Oliver, Sr.) had bought several Tennessee Walking horses from Pat Bryan. My friends Jessie (Moreland) Lee, Flora (Coxwell) Hartley, Leah (King) Young, and Ada Lee (Cook) Carson would come out to ride. One Sunday afternoon I was riding alone. I had ridden a couple of miles toward Leesburg, turned around and decided not to turn in the gate when I got home but to ride on past and go across the creek. The horse had other plans. I was really riding fast and when we got to the gate the horse turned into the gate. I was not expecting him to turn and caught the horse around his neck and swung under his neck with my legs around his neck, underneath. My Mama, Daddy, Dr and Mr. J.H. Douglas were standing in the yard. When they saw what was happening, they began to say, Hold on, Ouida, hold on! Daddy was saying Whoa, Whoa and that horse did Whoa when he got to the bam. I said I would never ride again, but Daddy 57 made me get back on the horse and ride. Im glad he did, riding horses was one of my favorite things to do! Alaoudia Oliver-Jones Murphy A Power Couple One of the original power couples in Lee County in the late 50s and early 60s was Jack and Amelia Bell, affectionately known as Mr. Jack and Miss Amelia. They loved Lee County. Their home was always open for a delicious country meal and Southern hospitality to friends and family. They shared a deep love for the outdoors and preservation of the land. They hunted, fished, and searched and researched Indian artifacts. They passed this love of nature down to their sons, Ernest Linwood Bell III (Lin), Jack Bell Jr., and William Meriwether Bell (Bill). Mr. Jack served his beloved Lee County in many different official capacities; including State Senator of the 10th district 1961-1962, deacon of the First Baptist Church and Chairman of the Lee County Commissioners until his death in 1979. Miss Amelia also worked tirelessly devoting her time to playing the organ in her church for 40 years, teaching Sunday school, working in the library and helping around the schools in Lee County. Miss Amelia was a Bible scholar and had handwritten almost 200 notebooks of Bible notes and studies. Both of these loyal Lee Countians could always be counted on to give generously of their time, talents and money to anyone in need. They loved people and always enjoyed a hearty laugh and a good joke. Their entire life was lived in Neyami on their farm. Mr. Jack was one of the most successful farmers in the area. Ernest Linwood Bell My Grandmother Marie After my Pa died in January 1961,1 was my Maries companion. I was only about four or five years old, house broken. Since I was the youngest and the other grands had outgrown her, I became her time filler. 58 I would always go with her wherever she wanted to go. For me, this was a great adventure whether it was just running errands or any daily activity that involved riding in the car. She had a big black Cadillac with fins on the back and what looked like big boobs on the front grill! This was an awesome car to me and did I like to ride in it! Wed load up and take off sometimes in the summer time, go pick peaches, or maybe gather cat tails and whatever she wanted to do or thought I might want to do. One thing we always had to do was to go to the cemetery and talk to our loved ones who had gone on. As I grew older I thought that was something we just were supposed to do. Marie loved cokes, country stores, and was a wonderful cook. I loved being with my Grandmother whom we all called Marie! Jayne McBride Cannon The Duck Hunt From my earliest memories as a boy, my Uncle Edward Cannon always carried me hunting with him. My first memories were when he purchased a bolt-action 410 shotgun, a case of shells, and he let me keep them at my home. He always included me on all of his hunts whether for doves, quail or duck. I was probably in the seventh grade or in high school when we discovered wood ducks were roosting in a small beaver dam on his farm known to me as the Starr Farm. This pond was very small, with very little open water and overgrown with mayhaw bushes. Wood ducks coming into roost are unstoppable. No matter what is going on once they begin their approach to a pond they are going to land. For a young boy this meant if you could see them on the water, you could in fact return home as a successful great white hunter. We had hunted the pond on one occasion and with much success. Most of the shots made were on ducks that had landed on the water. On the particular afternoon I remember so vividly my uncle invited an older gentleman known to me as Gene Morgan to go with us to the duck pond. Gene carried a double barrel beautiful engraved 20 gauge shotgun for the 59 hunt. I was armored by then with my 12-guage automatic and I remember my uncle also was carrying an automatic. We described the pond to Gene and tried to convince him as to where he should position himself to be able to see the ducks as they landed. Gene seemed to be a little surprised that we intended to shoot the duck on the water and decided to stand outside the pond and shoot the ducks as they approached the pond. The ducks arrived on schedule and proceeded to land in the pond no matter how many times we fired. My uncle and I were very successful and although not all of our shots were on the water, many were. We had recovered many ducks and I was quite excited because of the number we had killed. Gene did not shoot many times and I really felt bad for him. As we re- grouped after the hunt we discovered Gene had only killed two ducks and had only shot four times. All of his shots were on birds high above the tree line and as they barreled into the pond. He was proud of his shots and seemed to really enjoy the hunt. I will always remember Gene, my Uncle, and that hunt. It was my first awakening to the true sport of hunting rather than the killing. Bill Crotwell A Grandmothers Tale My grandmother Bessie Harris Martin, told me that she, my mother Laura Martin, my sister, Joann, the maid and I went to Albany shopping. We always tried to park in front of Rosenbergs, a big department store in downtown that had windows that were decorated so pretty with mannequins that looked so real. While my grandmother and mother shopped, my sister, the maid and I stayed in the car. We entertained ourselves by watching the people go by. When my mother and grandmother returned, Lucy Mae, the maid was so excited to see them! She said Miss Laura, I been watching that lady in the window ever since you been gone, and she aint batted her eyes yet! Jacqueline Martin Bowling 60 My Early Days in Leesburg My memories of growing up in 1940s Leesburg are like a broken strand of beads that have run all over. Some are easily retrieved, some are lost, and some turn up out of the blue. When I was bom in 1940, Pearl Harbor and World War II were yet to happen, and my memories of the war years are of ration stamps for sugar, meat, gasoline, etc. and white margarine in a plastic bag with a yellow button of food coloring inside. My job was to break the button and knead the bag until the margarine looked like butter. There were troop trains coming through town, and constant mention of Turner Field, the strategic air command base in Albany. So much mention, that when I was given a stuffed Scottish terrier in 1944,1 named him Turner Field. The depression of the 30s was over, but during the war we went right on vegetable gardening and chicken raising. The railroad ran behind our house, and tramps still came to the back door for food. My mother, who, it seemed to me, spent her life in the kitchen, always obliged with a hot meal. We had a cow and bird dogs, my father being quite a hunter in those days. My first memory is of wet bird dogs drying before an open fire. We lived in an old house with high ceilings and a fireplace in most rooms. Although the coals were lovely breaking crimson in the night, winters were still frigidly cold and damp. In summer the sound of rain on a tin roof was cozy, but the fans we relied on werent much help in the sticky heat. My father, who owned the drugstore in Leesburg then, brought home the bacon and then rested with the paper and radio, comfortable in his Indian blanket bathrobe. Our mothers were always dressed in high heels and housedresses, so didnt enter into our physical activities. An exception was Mrs. Alice Kearse, who lived on a farm and would wear pants and sensible shoes. Few women contributed monetarily to the household, but Martha Stovall had an avocation she could pursue while sitting on the sofa in her bay window, she crocheted baby clothes and booties, selling them to department stores. I remember my fathers drugstore, the pressed tin ceiling, and the intricacies of the marble and chrome soda fountain, the ten-cent comics, and 61 the five-cent cokes. The sidewalk outside, with chinaberry trees for shade and benches with checkerboards painted on. The Sheriff, Dick Forrester, always teasing me by singing, Who is Sylvia. Mr. Gunters barbershop. Zack Pates Suwannee Store. Playing Cops and Robbers all around town at night. Carving playhouses in Annelle Crotwells private hedge. Downing hundreds of wild yellow plums in summer. Learning to swim in the icy waters of that beautiful place, Mossy Dell. Picking scuppemongs from the arbors at Cabbages, nearby. Going barefoot as much as possible. Listening to the The Shadow and The Cisco Kid on the radio. Mr. Hugh Stovall, loved to fish and brought us fresh bream and perch. His fishing car, and the dog named Brownie who slept in it. Mr. Zack Pate, who always greeted me with Well, Turner, still climbing Fools Hill? and who, in 1953 (the first year of the local television), in response to channel 10s request for favorite programs, threatened to send in One Moment Please. The things that intrigued us: an old wood coffin up a dark flight of stairs over the Farmers Exchange; the tent shows on the vacant lot where the Methodist Church stands now; Rock Hill, where you could find crystal rocks and fossils; exploring old cemeteries; walking the rails; the black and white serial movies in a vacant store near the barber shop (we missed the last episode and never learned the identity of The Rattler); and always, when we could, playing outside at night. My mothers version of the Bogey Man was someone called Raw head Redbone and she invoked him often, but with little success. The best Christmas present of my life had been a green Schwinn bicycle with a headlight, and what was the use of a headlight if you couldnt ride at night? Buddy Yeoman and I risked suffocation to go body sledding in lofty storage bins full of peanut hulls. He was lucky and lived for a while in the most interesting building in town, the brick, Gothic, towered and crenellated old jail on Main Street. The Sheriff and his family lived on the ground floor, and the jail was on the second and third floors. Starksville: a stream at the south foot of the hill called Jennys River, because long ago a carriage had overturned there, and a child named Jenny had drowned. And where the road had been cut through just above, the darker 62 soil of old gravesites was slotted down into the banks. A political rally on the Muckalee with pit barbequed pig cooked on the site. Piano practice, and piano timers, and the way the sound permeated the neighborhood before air conditioning shut the windows and doors. So much happened to change life in the South forever during the 50s. Television came to us in 1953, and most central heat and air conditioning the same decade. Before, it was almost as hot or cold outside as in, and outdoors was more interesting. Now the house is more comfortable by far, and television proves the entertainment. In the 40s, Charles Starkweather and the Texas Tower Shooter hadnt happened yet. But when they did, it was the handwriting on the wall for kids everywhere. More people more cars, more lawsuits, came, and springs that had been summer haven for generations across the South were fenced and posted. Nowadays children are channeled, and too much freedom might result in a neglect charge. It was a childs decade, the 40s, one Peter Pan would have liked, I think. I know we all loved growing up in Lee County. Sylvia Turner Peterson Leesburg Drug Store 63 More Fun than Work We did not have a swimming pool or recreation center in Leesburg when we came along. One day some people decided to build one. This was very exciting to everyone, especially the young people. They did not hire someone to build the pool. The county workers brought in equipment and dug the hole. The teenage boys at school pitched in to help. Some of us who helped were Luther Breeden, Jack Varner, and | The concrete for the bottom was poured, and the sides were concrete blocks. It was then painted with water-proof paint. After the blocks for the sides were finished, there was still a hole on the outside of the pool which had to be filled in. The county workers took a piece of equipment over to push the dirt back around to fill in. The ground was soft and the equipment kept slipping and sliding. The workers then had to get another piece of equipment to pull that one out. I guess they didnt have the chemicals to keep the pool clean, because every few weeks the boys in Leesburg would drain it, scrub it down, and paint it again with the water-proof paint. The city charged a small fee to swim, but they let the boys who helped keep it up, swim free. We were so excited to have a pool in Leesburg that we didnt realize this was hard work. We were glad to do it and had fun while working in it and swimming in it. It was truly more fun than work! Edgar Paul Stamps The Fourth of July On every Fourth of July we all had a big family picnic. Dad was always an expert on barbecue and Brunswick stew. We would have this huge celebration on Kinchafoonee Creek, which had the perfect grounds for a picnic as well as a swimming hole with a beautiful white sandy beach, even better than the ocean beach. We had a long cable stretched across the creek for the people who couldnt swim well enough to swim across alone. A springboard was mounted 64 on the high side of the bank and a hemp rope was tied to a tall tree to swing out on if you were gutsy enough to try it. We also had family fish ffys there, complete with washtubs full of lemonade with half lemon rinds floating in it. Then after we had our big time, the chiggers had their picnic and good time on us for the next few days! Virgil A. Booker Leesburg First Television My Daddy, John R. Green, sold Philco Products. One Day he brought a television home to try it out. It was the first television in Leesburg. It was a table model, so Daddy put it on the buffet in the dining room. Mother and Daddys friends would come to see us every Friday night. The men sat around the dining room table and watched the boxing on television, while the ladies sat in the living room and visited. Mary E. Green The Scatterbrain Club When I was a teenager all of the teens formed a club and we called it The Scatterbrain Club. I think we got the name from a song called scatterbrains. One of my friends thought it came from a dance, but I do believe it was a song. We wore blue jeans with a big red S on the seat of our pants for Scatterbrain. We met in the upstairs of the Old Farmers Exchange Building. We had dances and we would play a crank style phonograph for music. We also used to have good times on the sand banks of the creek. This is where we would all go to play hooky from school on April Fools Day. We thought this was a great hide-away. Everytime we would play hooky we would have to write pages and pages of words for skipping class. We did not have spring holidays like the kids have now. 65 We really did have a lot of fun growing up in Leesburg. It was a privilege. I didnt realize at the time what a good time we had until I grew older and I look back on all this now. We had to make our own fun, as we didnt have much in the way of material things. Elizabeth Young Mossy Dell Many experiences can be told about the swimming place called Mossy Dell. I remember so well when I was growing up that Mrs. Annie Mae Gunter (the local barbers wife) would take a group of us girls and boys to Mossy Dell. We would hop in her car until there would be no more room inside. Others would then stand on the running board, get on the hood, and stand on the back bumpers. On one of our trips, Jimmy King was a passenger on the outside of the car. Another car was making a turn around a curve (dirt road) when Jimmy fell off. He suffered a concussion as a result. After that it was back to town and there was no swimming that day! Gladys McBride Thrift Farmers Exchange The building that currently houses the Lee County Administrator, Board of Commissioners, and other county offices was at one time the home of the Farmers Exchange Store. Mr. J.M. Cannon purchased a farm in Lee County and moved here in 1910 from Bowersville, Georgia, where he had been in business with the father of former Governor Ernest Vandiver. Mr. Cannon was married to Annie Elizabeth Vickery from Hart County, and they had six children who moved here with them: Henry, Charles, Bertha, J.B., Lucille, Hoke, and Edward, who was only six months old. Mr. Cannon later purchased the building on Railroad Street, next door to the Courthouse, and operated a general store there until his death. The inventory included hardware, dry goods, groceries, and later a nice gift 66 shop was added. A large inventory of excellent hardware from Belknap Hardware, from Louisville, Kentucky was always available. Weatherbird shoes, True Temper tools, and Dan River Fabrics as well as Westmoreland Milk glass, American Cut Crystal, and MaLeck Wood products are some brands sold there. Mr. Cannon used the same cost code in this store that he had used in his business in Bowersville. The building had two-stories, with the upstairs divided into offices which were occupied by doctors, lawyers, and other businesses. At one time a doctor had a shocking machine that was left in an office upstairs until the Cannons sold the building. Edward and Charlie were partners with their father, and Bertha later became a partner at Charlies death. Edward, Hoke, Bertha, Opal and Bill, Edwards wife and son, and Eleanor Segars were all employed there. James Cannon worked there on Saturdays. He says the most fun was when the men would gather around the old potbelly stove, chew tobacco and parch peanuts on the heater. The family owned and operated the store continuously until after Edwards death in 1970. Credit was given to farmers to pay as crops were gathered each year. After Edward died, it was leased to Allen Butcher, and later to J.C. Eubanks, who purchased the building in 1981. The Eubanks later sold the building to Lee County to be remodeled to house county offices. Opal R. Cannon Playtime in Leesburg Sometimes I want to go back in time to Leesburg, Georgia when catching fireflies could happily occupy an entire summer evening. Oh, I remember when Mama would let us take her Mason j ars running around the big yard catching all these amazing fireflies. I never understood, why they were called fireflies, but if thats what Mama called them, that was good enough for me. We (my sisters and brother) gathered outside of the big oak trees on Main Street for most of the summer. We buried our bare feet in the sand and amused ourselves by molding the sand over our feet to make toady frog houses. I recall that we would sneak into the house and take spoons and knives out of the kitchen when mama was not looking. 67 These were not your ordinary toady frog houses. We found that a special green moss, which grew on the exposed roots under the big oak trees, made the best rooftop that the toady frog houses could ever have. We would spend hours cutting the moss and spooning out the dirt to make the perfect toady frog houses. It was a magical time and the next morning when we would rush outside to check the toady fog houses, there would be dozens of frogs under the big oak trees. Now the big oak trees are gone, but Mamas house still stands. My brother Frank now lives in Mamas house on Main Street. I bet you could find some spoons and knives buried deep under the ground where the big oak trees stood. Kim Mercer Ellington Memories of Lee County My Dad had the gift of gab. I remember as a child, we were going to Leary to visit an aunt an uncle. We stopped at a store in Dougherty County. As my mother, brother, and I were sitting in the car, my Dad walked up to a truck where this man was sitting that we had never seen. Daddy handed the man a nickel and said, My momma always told me that if I ever found anybody uglier than me to give them a nickel. The man laughed real heartily, but as a youngster, I was so embarrassed. I just knew the man was going to hit Daddy. You just didnt tell someone that they were uglier than you, but he did. Later in life, I realized that was his way of starting a conversation with a stranger. They struck up a conversation that seemed like it lasted for an hour, but probably was 15 minutes. My mother, Carolyn Woods Worthy, worked as a clerk at Coats & Clarks for several years until she got a job at the Lee County Health Department in Leesburg. She worked there until she retired. My Dad, John Gordon Worthy, better known as Jake or J.G., farmed all of his life. We moved to Lee County for him to oversee the Martin Farm, which is now owned by the Griffith Family on Highway 195. 68 When I was growing up in Leesburg, times were so different than today. It was a laid back kind of atmosphere. You knew everybody in the WHOLE county by name. In fact, you knew the family history, who their parents were, who their children were, and where they shopped. All the children that lived in the country rode a bus to school. Mothers family did not have a car to take them to school. Only one or two high school students owned a vehicle. They were the well to do. My graduating class at Lee County High School graduated 32 in 1961. The old elementary school housed grades 1 through 12. We had two schools; the other school was the Training School, presently known as Twin Oaks. On Friday nights, the Rolling Store, came by our house about 10:00. Lucius Worthy, my older brother, would take our money and wait for the Rolling Store at the home of our maid, Bert. He would buy us candy and an orange drink about the size of a two-liter drink now. We played Monopoly and extended the game for several days. We would start a game and we would continue playing way into the night. When we got up the next morning most of the orange drink would be gone. Our dad would have gotten up during the night and consumed most of it. We would be so mad with him. Of course, he always denied drinking most of it. Oh, by the way, if you do not know what a Rolling Store is, Mr. Etheridge drove a vehicle that looked like an old bus. He had customized it with shelves and a chest with ice that cooled the drinks. Our highlight of the week was to come to Leesburg on Saturday night, sit in the truck and watch the large crowd of people visiting on the street in front of the grocery store. Some were loud, intoxicated, and just plain glad to end the week and have a little money to spend. On Sunday afternoon, my brother and I would ride in the back of the truck and Daddy would ride over the farm that he was overseeing or we would ride to a neighbors house just to say hello and stay a short time. But, the real highlight of this day was to end up at the gas station run by Jack Fore. We were able to get a dreamsicle or a soda (grape or small coca-cola) that was so cold that it had ice in the bottle when it was opened, and boy that was good! I remember the first television (TV) in Lee County that I knew about. We used to go to Mr. William Coxwells house on Friday or Saturday night. 69 The screen had so much snow that you could hardly see the characters on screen, but we thought it was a miracle. All the children sat on the floor and we all watched Sid Caesar and Imogene Cocoa (comedians of our day); sometimes Red Skeleton would be on. Oh, what fun that was. They were so funny. Our first TV was many years later. We had an antenna that someone had to go outside and turn to get good reception on a different channel, that is if you wanted to watch one of the other two stations. It was channel 10 (Albany) or Channel 3 and 9 (Columbus). During the school year, when the Baptist or Methodist Church had a revival, the school classes attended at least one service during the week. That was when the revivals were during the day and night, beginning on Monday and ending on Friday. Members from each church supported the other denominations revivals. It seems that we were a much closer community. Now, we hardly know our neighbors. For that reason, growth has not been good for Lee County. All the skeletons stayed in the closet and were not flaunted. Marriage was sacred and everyone knew it. Divorce was frowned upon. Our school was the one on Starksville Street. The old elementary school housed all twelve grades. The gym used by the YMCA was where everyone socialized during the basketball season. The gym would be full of parents and friends. We had track and baseball but no football teams during the school year. Our summers were spent at the City Pool, which was located where the County now has a shop behind the Courthouse. Parents dropped children off and had a wonderful babysitter for the whole afternoon. I remember I would come to town with Mother when she came back to work after lunch and stay until she was ready to go home in the afternoon. To make a trip to Albany was a big deal. We shopped before school started in the fall, at Christmas time, and in the spring for whatever wardrobe you would have for that season. It seemed like it took forever to get to downtown Albany. There were no malls at that time. When the midtown mall came into being, we thought we had hit the big times. 70 You can see that times have really changed. Televisions are in every room of houses, most children have a car by the age of 16, husbands and wives each have a vehicle, mothers work, and there is very little respect from other people or their property. But, I still love Lee County! Old memories are great and we should share them with our family and friends. Helen Worthy Kennedy My Memories of Growing Up in Leesburg My fondest memories of growing up in Leesburg were always during the summer months. I always enjoyed going to the swimming pool and playing with my friends. The pool was located behind the courthouse, and was a popular spot where people would get together. Even if you didnt swim, you could still hang around and listen to the music from the jukebox. Our mode of transportation was walking or riding a bike. I enjoyed riding my bike. This was especially true because right after my 13th birthday, I met a new girl in our neighborhood who had just moved from Atlanta to Leesburg. She had justhadher 11th birthday and could really ride a bicycle. Soon we became friends and would ride around town together, ride out to the fire tower, climb all the way to the top and visit Mrs. Manning. She worked there watching for any fire that might not be controlled. Other days, my friend and I would ride up to the peanut plant, get raw peanuts, and take them to her mother to fry for us. Then, we would sit on the porch munching on the best peanuts ever! My friend turned out to be more than just a friend. This friendship grew into love. We dated for four years, got married, and later moved to Albany. Her name was Marie Rainwater. We have been happily married for many years, have two children, and three grandchildren. We now live in Worth County. Just think what riding bicycles can do! Cecil Stamps 71 Old Hollis Bridge Ralph and Katy Ralph and Katy Singletary came to Lee County in 1969. Ralph drove tanker trucks for a fuel company. Katy was teaching at Lee County Elementary School. They lived in a log house on White Pond off Highway 91 where they enj oyed the live oak trees and wildlife and their big-screened porch. They cleaned out the old swimming pool and Katy painted huge orange flowers over the fresh blue paint. Ralph cleared out the yard and fixed up the place and fished in the lake. Later they had a little garden to keep them supplied with tomatoes and butterbeans and squash. Their house was a favorite gathering place for big family dinners. Ralph changed careers and went to work for a private construction company doing contract work for the DOT. They built bridges all over South Georgia. Later he worked for a company that put up commercial buildings, private structures, and schools, including the new Lee County High school. Katy was also open to change, and jumped at the opportunity to go to the brand new Lee County Primary School in 1987, sorting through shelves and cabinets and carefully packing her treasures. From her book, Its Not Nice to Push the Teacher, Katy writes about the Great Move through the eyes of her school mouse, Sneaky. Katy was proud of that new school. Having no children of her own she gave her life to teaching and proved to be a leader there as well, mentoring younger teachers and encouraging her peers. Upon retiring she left behind many accomplishments: Teacher of the Year, Georgia School of Excellence for her school, yearbook dedication, and National School of Excellence her final year. Mrs. Opal Cannon, Principal, wrote on her evaluations: Katy, your dedication to education, your ability to motivate students, and your adaptability to a changing curriculum was as strong in this, your thirtieth year, as when you were in mid-career. Thundering Springs Baptist Church was the focus of their life of faith. They attended regularly and participated in every part of church life from teaching, to mopping floors, setting up tables, directing Vacation Bible School, encouraging, giving, praying. Katy continued teaching childrens Sunday school classes until 2002, then promptly joined a womens class and actively participated. The caring and commitment of Ralph and Katy Singletary have enriched all; Church, school, and community. If youd like to have an impact on the future of Lee County, consider a suggestion from Katy. Teach children to read and to love their country, then you have strengthened tomorrow. Celeste Edge (with permission of Ralph G. Singletary in Memory of Katy Singletary) World War II I served on a battleship, the U.S.S. New York during WWII, and I was in the First Central Division. I was stationed with five decks below topside, so this is where we spent most of our leisure time. We had a phonograph that played records, 78RPM. In my division, we had a set of twins from Kentucky, Etsel and Drestel. Every time they went on liberty, they would get drunk and buy 73 several hillbilly records. Now most of us did not like or listen to this kind of music, so on our next cruise those records would automatically fall off the ship. JM Rhodes Going to See the Train When we were growing up, on Christmas morning, we would all try to get up before 4:00 AM. This was when the streamline train would come through town. It was a train coming from New York going to Miami. The first person to awaken would get up and call the others around in the neighborhood. It was a very fancy train at the time. The train was called The Seminole. This was something that was fun to do each Christmas morning. Elizabeth Young Leesburg Train Depot 74 Smithville Garden Club On May 18,1948 sixteen women from Smithville met to organize a garden club. They chose to be called the Frank L. Stanton Garden Club because this famous Georgia poet and writer lived for a time in our town during the 1880s. Frank Lebby Stanton was bom in Charleston, South Carolina on February 22,1857. His family soon moved to Savannah, where he became a reporter and feature write for the Savannah Morning News. In 1887 he moved to Smithville and began publishing The Smithville News. Also while in Smithville he met and married Leone Josey. Stanton attracted national attention when he used many of his own poems and verses in The Smithville News. After only a year in Smithville, he was offered a job with The Rome Tribune as night editor. Later he worked for The Atlanta Constitution and wrote a daily column Just From Georgia, for over forty years, which featured his poems and verses. Many of these were put to music. Perhaps the most famous is Mighty Lak a Rose. He was named Georgias first Poet Laureate in 1925. He died two years later in 1927. The by-laws committee for the newly -formed Garden Club group chose Mighty Lak a Rose as its song and the rose as its flower. The club motto became the following words which are engraved on Stantons tombstone in Atlanta: This old world were living in is mighty hard to beat; you get a thorn with every rose, but aint the roses sweet! Many Smithville citizens may not know or remember the contributions made to the town by this group of women. Their first project was to create a triangle park in the center of the business district of Smithville. They later created another park located between the railroad and Main Street adjacent to City Hall. Although changes and improvements have been made, both of these parks still exist today. Other beautification projects included planting dogwoods along residential streets, making improvements in the town cemetery, and purchasing Christmas decorations for the city. They were also instrumental in getting the streets in Smithville paved in the 1950s. They published a Garden Club Cookbook as a fund raising project in 1977, which was dedicated to the organizations sixteen charter members all of whom are now deceased. Claudia McRee Copeland 75 Trick or Treat in Leesburg Some of my fondest memories were those on Halloween when Mama would take us out for a night of trick or treating. We would always start next door at Mr. Ticky and Miss. Thursba Forresters home. He was our congressman and they always had a roll of quarters to drop in our trick or treat bags. On the other side of the Forresters lived Mr. and Mrs. Nelson. We would go to their house next and Mrs. Nelson would always have an apple or an orange for us. After we finished on Main Street, we would cross over the railroad tracks and head to James and Ethelind Cannons home, where she always gave out delicious candy apples. I think she is the one who got me addicted to those delicious apples with the sweetest red candy coating. Back then you didnt have to worry about bad things happening to children. Gone are the days when you had no fear of the dark. War was a card game. Water balloons were the ultimate weapons. Taking drugs meant orange flavored chewable aspirin. Ice cream was considered a basic food group. Older siblings were the worst tormentors, but also the fiercest protectors. If you can remember most or all these, then you can truly say you lived on Main Street in Leesburg, Georgia, wherever you may be. Kim Mercer Ellington Kissin Dont Last But Cookin Do One of my fondest memories of Jack Bell Jr. acting like his Daddy with his ability to joke around begins with this story. Jack and I were married October 18,1970. A few months after that I had a doctors appointment and was not going to be able to cook lunch for him; so, I asked him to eat with his mother, and he said he would. That morning he and Mr. Jack had business at the ASCS office in Leesburg and were there close to lunchtime. He made the comment to someone there about me being gone and not cooking. You have to understand that at this time everyone knew everyone 76 in Lee County and were all friends. One of the ladies that worked there gave Jack a trivet that had a boy and girl kissing with kissin dont last but Cookin do on it and told him to put that in my plate for lunch. He did and when I found it I thought it was a nice gift and said thank you. He just fell out laughing and said it was to remind me that I needed to be home cooking not off somewhere else. As a young wife I didnt get it, but I still have that trivet today as my reminder. Jack was truly dedicated to this family, his country and Lee County. He served three years in Vietnam and came back to become a successful farmer along side his Dad and brothers on their farm at Neyami. Little Jack, as he was known by all that knew him, would tell you he had his parents love of people and nature and knew these woods and creeks like the back of his hand. He shared his garden with everyone for miles around and has three children, Jack Bell III, Denise Bell, and Clifton Drew Bell that are just like him. Denise R. Bell The Father and the Holy Ghost Growing up in Lee County, I lived next door to my grandparents, Reverend Murray Willis and Victoria Willis. My grandfather pastored many churches in the surrounding counties. He was the pastor of Wooden Grove Baptist Church in Leesburg. Every summer in August, we would have revival at our church. The first week of August we would have prayer week. The second week we would have a guest minister or pastor preach our revival. Many people would join the church during the revival. On the third Sunday morning we would all go down to the Kinchafoonee Creek for baptism. The people who were being baptized would wear white clothing and their heads would be covered with a white covering as well. My big Daddy and the deacons would be dressed in white as well. We would park our cars along the highway and walk down to the muddy creek. Big Daddy and the deacons would lead the way, followed by the candidates for baptism and then the congregation would sing Take me to the Water. Candidates were led to the Pastor, he would hold one of his hands in the air and the 77 other over the nose of the person to be baptized. After saying I baptize you in the name of the Father and Holy Ghost, he would put your head under the water for a few seconds. When you came out of the water you were baptized and people were shouting and singing. It was sure comforting to know that it was my grandfather who was baptizing me and I felt safe in his arms. Nothrice Willis Alford World War II I served on a battleship, the U.S.S. New York during WWII, and I was in the First Central Division. I was stationed with five decks below topside, so this is where we spent most of our leisure time. We had a phonograph that played records, 78RPM. In my division, we had a set of twins from Kentucky, Etsel and Drestel. Every time they went on liberty, they would get drunk and buy several hillbilly records. Now most of us did not like or listen to this kind of music, so on our next cruise those records would automatically fall off the ship. JM Rhodes Mrs. Cros Walk to the Post Office Mrs. Cromartie, who was affectionately known as Mrs. Cro was another one of Leesburgs special, sweet ladies. She lived in a big white house on the west side of Highway 19, the fifth house from the post office. On some occasions she would walk to the post office to get her mail, or to mail a letter. One particular day she went into the post office to mail a letter. When she got there, however, she realized that she had walked off without it. When she went back home and got back with it, she said, What you forget in your head, you make it up in your feet! Sometimes I forget to do things and I always think of Mrs. Cro and what she said that day! Gladys McBride Thrift 78 Fun at Mossy Dell I remember when I was a young girl; the only place we had to go swimming in the summer time was Mossy Dell. All of my friends would get up in the morning and start begging our mothers to take us to Mossy Dell after dinner. Usually out of three or four mothers we would get to go to Mossy Dell and swim with the water moccasins. We called the one where we swam The Little Dell and the one with the boil or spring bubbling up, the Big Dell. The snakes were actually lying on the rocks between the Little Dell and Big Dell. It was actually freezing cold water. We would take watermelons and put in the shallow Dell to get cold and then eat the melons. This was a great treat for all of us in our day. We would all dare each other to see who would jump off the rocks in the Big Dell. Mossy Dell is on private property now, but I visited it recently, and it still looks exactly the same now as it did then. A beautiful place, and they did film The Biscuit Eater at the Dell. Elizabeth Young Our Days on the Muckalee A Tribute to My Dad Lee County has many renowned landmarks, but one beautiful, unique, work of nature goes unappreciated every day - the banks of the Muckalee Creek. From early spring, though early summer into fall you can see trickling waterfalls, rocky overhangs, crystal clear pools, flowers and trees of all kinds, sandy banks, beautiful birds, animals, and reptiles just to name a few of Gods nature canvasses. I wish every young person could have had the privilege I had as a young girl enjoying the best that nature had to offer right here at home, fishing the banks of the Muckalee Creek with my dad. This story unfurls many years ago when I was a young girl about twelve years of age. My dad, Perry Kearse, Sr., introduced me to fishing, his favorite hobby, as everyone in Leesburg knew. From then until about the age of eighteen or so, we hardly missed a Saturday boating down the 79 creek. Our day would start early and end late with plenty of fun and adventure in between. My dad was a good fisherman; one of the best, but sometimes we went about it the hard way- like one afternoon, we had set out sethooks and came upon a fairly good size log stretching all the way across the creek. According to daddy, it would be no problem. He told me to hold on, we were going over the logE well, guess what, we went over all right, and upside down, and spilled us and everything in the boat in the creek. It was almost dark and there were long branches hanging over the creek from the banks so that we could reach up and hold on. Our stuff floated and we grabbed what we could, but all I could think of was grabbing a snake or some other creature in the tree branches - but we managed what we could, but all I could think of was grabbing a snake or some other creature in the tree branches - but we managed to get out okay and later retrieved the boat off the bottom, believe it or not. Then, there was the time dad snatched a lure out from a bush and it sailed straight across to the middle of his jaw with hooks embedded and only m e to get it out. Again, the Lord was with us, but daddy had a sore face for a few days. Oh! You may have a hard time believing the following, but every bit of it is true. Again, we were fishing sethook lines, when one evening I pulled on a line and it was so heavy; I told daddy I didnt know what was on it, but if it was a fish, we had a record. Daddy had to help me pull up the line, and to our surprise there was a 75-85 pound turtle on the line with part of a huge catfish on the line, also. We tried to get the turtle off, so we could let it go, but somehow in the struggle, the turtle got daddys whole thumb caught in the comer of its mouth and would not let go. There we were: that huge turtle, daddy, and me, all in the boat. You know I was scared. Now, all we had with us was a pocketknife in the tackle box and the size of the head on this turtle was as big as a watermelon and the skin on the neck tougher than whitleather. Oh, boy, I thought. What were we going to do? I was almost crying worrying that daddys thumb was going to be bitten off. All I could do was to start chopping at the neck of the turtle, hoping it would release the hold on daddys thumb. I chopped and chopped, all the while daddy was holding on to this wrestling turtle that was still alive and kicking and had a death grip on his thumb. You would have had to be 80 there to appreciate this drama. It took me more than an hour to finally get the head chopped off and still the turtle, with head off, wouldnt relinquish daddys thumb. We worked at least another hour before finally getting the thumb free. Hooray! After all that, daddys thumb, thank goodness, was only bruised. Our only reward for all that hard work was a fine turtle stew and a story to tell our grandchildren. Now, dont think all was bad on our trips, because these were rare occurrences. Some days the fish would have the lockjaw, as dad would say, and not cooperate, but we still had lots of fun trying. Ill never forget the afternoon we caught 14 bass while we fished under the rocky overhangs just casting lures or the time we caught 40 crappie out of one hole in a little less than an hour, or the thrill of hanging large redbellys over and under logs with small crayfish, or the time again fishing sethooks, we caught 120 pounds catfish and gigged 96 pair of good old frog legs all in one evening. What an incredible day! My dad had a very generous heart; so dont think all these fish went to waste. We used to have large family fish fries two or three times a month, plus daddy took plates to neighbors and some to the community. Later, when he got sick with cancer and could not fish as much, he developed a hobby of cooking pound cakes, making from 10-20 a week, giving them away as fast as he made then, even sometimes delivering them hot out of the oven. He was from the old school, and just had to be doing something every waking moment. I have yet to this day known anyone as strong or who could put out as much work as he could in one day. He was strong in character, trustworthy as they come, and compassionate. He was a devout man of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and loved everybody. He has been sorely missed by a loving family and especially by yours truly, his fishing partner, but I know well see him one day when we go home to be with the Lord. Daddy and I continued fishing all through the years. In fact, he went with my brother, Perry, a week before he passed away. We fished other places during this time and he fished with other fishermen. One reason is because he could fish every day and I wasnt always available, even though I would have been if I could. One other person he enjoyed fishing with was 81 Tommy Tharp. They worked together at the Post Office and as soon as they got off to go to the creek, rive, or lake, they would go. Im sure he has stories of his own he could relate. One other incident I remember when dad was fishing with Jim Devinney, Lisas dad, and Rev. Kelly Pritchett, they found a huge honeybee hive in a large tree on the bank of Muckalee Creek and started harvesting the pieces of comb and honey, eating some as they worked. Dad bit down on the honeycomb and the bees stung him on the tongue. It started to swell, and by the time he got home, his throat was closing up. We had to rush him to the hospital. Adventure just followed my dad, and he couldnt help it. I have warm and fond memories of my dad and me fishing the banks of the Muckalee Creek, our favorite place of all to fish. God called my fishing partner home, so those days are long gone, but all I have to do is recall one memory after another to relive those adventures for a lifetime. Linda Kearse Kearce Century The train played a very important part in my fathers life, Robert Heath, who became one of Lee Countys most prominent citizens. As a boy he lived at Century, which was a working plantation. His father, Captain Heath, was in the Civil War and lost his left arm two weeks before the war was over. Captain Heath was tax collector of Bibb County before the war. When he heard about good farmland in Lee County he bought his first land north of Leesburg and later sold it to buy Century. Captain Heath chose the name because it was 100 miles from Macon. As a boy my father lived close to the railroad and he rode the train to Leesburg in the mornings and the afternoon to go to school. He would also light the signal lanterns for the train at night. Century had named streets and was comprised of all the land from Lovers Lane Road to the Kinchafoonee Creek and south to the Dougherty County line. My father later went to Gordon Military Institute and Georgia Southwestern University when it was an agricultural school. Robert Heath 82 became a planter as were his father and grandfather before him and also owned the Chevrolet dealership for many years. Patricia Blackshear McDaniel The Ole Swimming Hole We had two swimming holes in Smithville that we could use as we were growing up. This one swimming hole was always a second choice, not only because it was farther away and we had to walk the railroad tracks to get to it, including the trestle above it, but it also wasnt as clean or safe as the other swimming hole. The old millhouse was a plus, though, because it was such an enjoyable place to visit, especially when they were grinding com into meal. A waterwheel powered the millhouse, and many times I went in and ran my hand down into the hot meal as it came out of the rock grinders. There was nothing like grabbing a fist full of hot meal and eating it right then and there. I went up to that pond one day with a friend whose dad operated the mill. We were going to do some fishing. Now this friend fished so much and was so good at it that we all called him Fish. He caught two bream at one time with a pole in each hand, and they were so large that they pulled the boat away from its moors. Its hard to find fish that big these days. In fact, you have to do a days work and go to a lot of expense to find any fish at all. Virgil A. Booker Summer of 1942 to Summer 1951 I moved to Leesburg from Albany with my family after my dad, William Y. Faircloth, a pharmacist, bought the drug store from Don Turner who owned one of the peanut mills. My family consisted of my dad, my mother, Una Lee, my older brother, William and my older sister, Mary 83 Elizabeth. My brother went away to WWII and my sister went away to college. I started school in the seventh grade. We lived in the old King home on Main Street across from the Tharps and the Lees. We didnt own a car so I either walked or rode my bicycle. My classmate and best buddy has always been Page Tharp. We did lots of things together. Some of my other buddies were Harry Lee, George Moreland, Jessie Moreland, Charles Cannon, George Turner and Ann Cannon, who was a very special girlfriend during my high school days. I had a morning newspaper route and delivered the Macon Telegraph, Atlanta Journal, and the Atlanta Constitution to almost everyone in town. I enjoyed my daily contacts with just about everyone. I always stopped by to talk with Mrs. Green while she milked her pet cow; she loved that cow and she had lots of stories to tell me. I picked up lots of gossip on my route. I remember two neighbors were unhappy with each other because one neighbor had chickens and the other neighbor had flowerbeds, or at least tried to have flowerbeds. The neighbor with the flowers decided he had had enough. He built a number of nests for the roaming chickens and became the largest egg seller in Leesburg without owning or feeding the chickens. The owner of the chickens finally penned up the chickens. People would forget about me delivering papers and come out partially dressed. It was funny seeing them trying to cover up and hide behind something. We had a few people in town that would not pay their bills. I think the cost of a week of papers was 35 cents, but I had one guy who would go for six months without paying me. When I did catch him at home, he would reach in his pocket and pull out a crisp $100.00 bill for me to change. Naturally, I didnt have the change. One day when I passed his house and saw that he was at home, I hurried down to the bank and drew out $100.00.1 had the change ready and when he pulled out the $100.00 bill, I grabbed it and handed him the change. He hollered, Dont wrinkle my $ 100; Ive got smaller change inside to pay you. In addition to my paper routes, I worked as a soda jerk in my fathers drug store. We had curb service and people would park on highway 19 out front and blow their hom and we would go out and take their order, go back inside and fill it, and then take a tray out to hang on their car window. Tips were unheard of back then and I remember some tourist giving me a nickel 84 tip one time and I thought how stupid he was. Back then, you got two dips of ice cream for a nickel, in fact everything was a nickel. Cigarettes were 10 cents a package and an ice cream sundae was 15 cents with everything. Times have changed! Dad was always watching to see how many cherries I put on the girls sodas, but I gave extras when I could. Page Tharp worked with me as a soda jerk. We frightened some of the customers when we would throw passes to each other of glasses, cups of ice cream and you name it. I dont think we ever hit anyone. Highway 19 was the only paved road and we had just started getting electricity in Lee County. One of our customers came into the drug store every Saturday to buy one light bulb. After several months of his visits, my dad mentioned to him that he must have a lot of lights at his house. He replied that he only had one socket on a long cord that he moved around the house. Dad said that he couldnt understand why he needed a new bulb each week. Dont you cut the light off during the day and when you go to sleep? He didnt know you could turn the light off; he would put it in a drawer at night. Dad showed him how to unscrew the bulb so it would go off. My graduating class of seniors in 1947 consisted of 6 girls and 4 boys. I bought my first car in 1946, a new Ford. The school principal and I loaded up our two cars and took our whole graduating class on a wonderful trip to New York City and all points in between. It was a great trip and we all returned to Leesburg safe and sound. In 1997, we had out 50th graduation anniversary and everyone showed up except one who was a dentist and could not come. Although our class was small, we had a lot of spirit. After graduation from Leesburg High in 1947,1 went away to Emory at Oxford College. During the summers when I was back in Leesburg, I took a job with the State Department of Agriculture measuring crop acreage. One day I came across 160 acres of tomatoes falling off vines. I checked with the plant company that owned the field and they were not planning to pick them. I checked at the farmers market and found they were selling for twenty-four dollars a bushel. I cut a deal with the owner and Page Tharp and I got in the tomato business. We never worked so hard and never slept so little and ended up the summer with about twenty dollars to split. I had to drop out of school the next semester and make some money. This was my 85 first lesson that a sure thing was not always sure! Thank goodness for Ms. Kate Harris, our Post Mistress who was kind enough to loan me $250.00 for my tuition for the following year or I would not have been able to go back to college. I became a watermelon inspector at Philema and learned a lot about myself. I had to learn to look at the melons and tell how much they weighed, whether they were white heart, hollow heart, or whether they had some disease. The owner of the melons would bet me that I was wrong and since I only made fifteen dollars a day, there were days when I didnt make a cent. After finishing 2 years at Emory at Oxford, I went on to Big Emory in Atlanta. Page Tharp was there and we pledged Sigma Chi Fraternity. I graduated from Emory in 1951 and joined the U.S. Air Force. I spent 24 years in the Air Force and retired in 1974. My wife, Mary and I were married in France and we moved 23 times. I shall always remember my friends and family and all the good times and the good caring people who lived in Leesburg. What a great place to grow up! Spencer Faircloth U.S. Mail Delivery I can remember walking across the railroad tracks to the Post Office to get our mail, when I was a child growing up in the 1960s. Back then the mail came on a train that passed through Leesburg. As the train approached our city like any other city it would slow down and sound its hom. A large sack of mail was thrown from the train onto the ground on the East side of the tracks. Mr. Henry Lewis would then pick up the sack and sling it over his shoulders and carry the mail on his back to the Post Office. There the mail was sorted and placed in boxes or delivered to homes in rural Lee County. I recall Mr. Henry Lewis as being not much larger than the bundle of mail he carried each day. Nothrice Willis Alford 86 Happy Memories of Growing Up In Leesburg There is not one particular story that stands out from my growing up in Leesburg. My story is made up of many, many snapshots of the ten years I was there, from age eight to going away to college at age eighteen, and the times I came back until Mama and Daddy moved to Loganville in 1997. Daddy and Mama (Charles and Bernice Williams) bought the old house, known as the old Nesbitt house, next to the Presbyterian Church when I was eight years old. My snapshots begin there, the summer of 1960. I remember fondly: Riding my bike or walking barefoot on the hot pavement with tar sticking to my feet to go to town to buy fireballs or bubblegum for a penny from one of the three grocery stores: Kearces, Longs or McBrides walking to Faircloths drugstore to buy Archie comic books and to the post office to get our mail. Spending summer mornings at the public swimming pool taking the Red Cross swimming lessons offered there, then going back in the afternoons to swim and play all afternoon. Patti (Grace) and I riding our bicycles all over town. Playing hopscotch, marbles, and jackstones. Spending hours at the library and reading the books I checked out. The summer when I was twelve (I think) when neighborhood kids would come over to my house most days to play croquet in our large front yard. The time when a dance teacher from Albany came for several visits and taught us ballroom dancing in the showroom of the Otis Hill Chevrolet dealership. The summer dances we had in that old building on US 19 (across from the post office and bank). Going to vacation Bible school at the Methodist church, and later being a member and officer of the Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF). The night I had to skip MYF because the Beatles were going to be on Ed Sullivan. The 87 time our MYF performed a play that I had written for the sub district meeting that we hosted. Being a member of the Teen Age Republicans (TARS). Going to cheerleading practice and cheering for our basketball teams. Getting my hair done at Frances Fores beauty shop. That almost every summer a rattlesnake would show up in our yard. And especially the summer day when I was home alone and a large rattlesnake was coiled outside our kitchen door about to strike our dog, Laddie, and how Mr. Elbert Williams came over and shot it. The wonderful teachers that I had in my 12 years in Lee County schools. Especially, Mrs. Graham for teaching us formal table setting, how to make clay pots (in Bruce Robertsons mothers kiln), listening to classical music, plus teaching us the 3 Rs in the 3rd grade; Mrs. Clay for introducing us to art; Mrs. Tharp leading our eight grade chorus, Mrs. Parr and Mrs. Breeden for not only being our cheerleading sponsors, but also being great teachers; and of course, dear Mr. Rivers who made me truly love math. My summer job for three summers after I graduated from high school was at the peanut mill working with Alan Long assisting the peanut inspectors. This was a great summer job because you had most of the summer off then you worked seven days a week about 10 hours a day for about three weeks and then it was time to go back to college. Marrying my wonderful husband David in the Methodist church December 17, 1972. Returning in 1980, 1985, and 1990 for my class of 1970s 10, 15, and 20- year reunions. I believe that Leesburg Georgia was the best place possible to grow up in during the 60s. It will always be special to me. Christy Williams Hand 88 In My Younger Days My father worked at Blue Springs, later called Radium Springs, when he married my mother, who was from Americus, Georgia. I can remember going to Americus to visit my grandparents. The road was not paved at that time. On one trip coming back, we had three flats, but we only had two spares. So as we came through Albany on a rim, going down Broad Street, which was paved with brick. You can imagine what kind of noise this was making! JM Rhodes The Lee County Boys Chorus Teaching eighth grade English for twenty-six years in Lee County gave me memories to cherish for a lifetime. Friendships were formed that have endured through the years. However, the most cherished memories would certainly be those related to organizing and directing the Lee County Boys Chorus. Every performance at the area churches, nursing homes, and civic clubs was special. For several years the chorus enjoyed a day of fellowship on a trip to the Stephen Foster Music Park at White Springs, Florida. The boys were goodwill ambassadors for Lee County and a good public relations tool for the school system. Of course I will never forget that in 1980, as my family and I went into the church for my wifes funeral, the first thing we saw was the chorus boys sitting in the choir loft in tribute. A prized possession is an old scrapbook with pictures of each chorus. Whenever I think of the chorus performances, there is always one that comes to mind. On Sunday night the group gave a concert for the Southern Methodist Church in Albany. After the benediction the boys were 89 lined up at the front of the church members to greet them. Also at the front was the church treasurer who was counting the evening offerings. As he placed the collection into a bank bag, he remarked to the group that he would go lock the bag in his car trunk and return to have refreshments with them in the Fellowship Hall. He took a small pistol out of his pocket and started down the aisle. The boys were astounded and asked why he had a gun at church. He replied, For protection, I never go anywhere without it. If you see me with my pants on, I have my gun. As the old gentleman made his way out of the church, one of the boys remarked to the group, I hope I never see him without his gun. Everyone agreed, had a good laugh, and went to enjoy refreshments and fellowship. Those were the days! Wallace Willis My Memories of Growing up in Leesburg I remember the fun we had with our homemade toys. We made houses out of cardboard boxes, and we played inside them. We cut a door and windows so we could look out. When the boxes got too worn out, we would use the slick side to slide on them in our sock feet. We also made stilts with tin cans attached to either rope or wire so we could walk on them. We never did get very far, but homemade was just fine with us. We made our own rag dolls and also clothes for them. We cut out lots of paper dolls from catalogs and magazines and created our own families using them. We played a lot with Tops, marbles and paddleballs. These were a few of the store bought toys available. I remember going out at night and catching fireflies and putting them in jars with holes punched in the top, hoping they would live forever, but they never did. I remember skating with roller skates that had a strap and key to tighten them. I remember school days, when the girls had to stay on one side of the school ground during lunch and recess and the boys on the other side. I remember selling watermelon and lemonade on the comer where the post office is now. They also had a small carnival on this comer, and we traded rides for pecans. We had plenty of pecans but little money. 90 I remember our Mothers cooking on wood stoves with warmers on them to keep food warm. A lot of people still had iceboxes with ice delivered by the ice man. Milk was delivered to your door by dairy trucks. Sometimes we were allowed to put a note in the empty bottle and get chocolate milk once in awhile. This was a real treat for us kids. I remember the old crank phone on the wall. When it was cranked the operator came on the line and rang the party you wanted. This was one way to keep up with the latest news. We also had victrolas that you had to crank to get music. I remember going to Albany on Saturday afternoons and spending time at Kress and Woolworth stores just looking. Occasionally we would go to the movie. I remember playing basketball on a dirt court in front of the old school building. It housed first through eleventh grade at this time. About a year later, we were excited to have a new gym to play ball in. Once of my years on the team, we had won the necessary games to go to district playoffs. All the girls were excited about playing in the playoffs and spending the night out of town but we lost the game and the coach took us to get our luggage and took us home. We got home after midnight. I remember the pound parties where each person brought a pound of cookies, cakes, potato chips and various other foods. Our dates would come to our house to get us on their bicycles. We would sit on the handlebars and the guys would paddle away to the party. We had to make our own fun, simple pleasure were fine with us. In 1939, Joel and I went to Washington, D.C. and New York Worlds Fair with the senior class. What an exciting trip for high schools students who had never been that far from home before. Back then the senior classes worked to make money for their senior trip. They could choose where they wanted to go and it had to be approved by the school officials. When I was in high school, there was a trucking business called K & L. These big trucks would come through Leesburg. One night they ran into a building and tore up part of it. After that all us kids called the trucks Killum and leave umtrucks. We got a kick out of seeing them and called them Killum and leaveum trucks . 91 On Christmas mornings, we would get up about 2 a.m. and look at our gifts. Usually this was one main gift and a few other things. We got some fruits and nuts in a ladies nylon stocking. This was very different from today when the living room is filled with lots of big expensive toys. After we saw our presents, we would go to see what our friends had gotten. Then at about 3:45 we would go to the railroad tracks to see the train from New York to Miami. I dont know why we did this or how it got started but it was fun to us. Our small town drug store was the place to be. We would meet there after school to find out all the news and to get a nickel ice cream cone. Our small church was a big part of our life also. We were there every time they had something for our age group. I remember in the early forties, my Dad getting a call that the church was on fire. We rushed up there and so did all the Baptists in town. Everybody was crying but there was nothing we could do but watch. This was a sad day for all the people. I remember during World War II when sugar, meat, gas, shoes and other items were rationed. The OPA (Office of Price Administration) told American families that rationing food and other materials was necessary for the war effort and to ensure fair distribution of supplies on the home front. With that announcement Americans entered an era in which consumers needed not only money, but also little books of stamps to buy everyday items from sugar to shoes. Wanda Coxwell and I volunteered to work for the OPA. We had to go to all the businesses and check on the stamps they had collected. That was not all that much work because there were only a few businesses in town. Although nylon hose were not rationed, they were very hard to get. Lots of women had to wear cotton hose and they were baggy at the knees and ankles. I was fortunate because my Dad had a store and I could get more than others. I remember that during the war it was hard to get people to pick cotton and pull stack peanuts (back then it was done by hand) so a group of girls got together and volunteered to pull peanuts. That lasted for one day. I remember when my brother, Joel, and a friend built a shack out of scrap wood. They told my friends and I that we were to keep out, but we 92 were determined to go in. They caught us in there and said for us to get out or they would tear it down with us in it. We didnt believe them but they did tear it down. I got a big nail in my leg and had to go to the Doctor for a tetanus shot. After that we believed what they said. In those days women did not go barelegged. Neither did they wear pants except around the house. Happiness is a timeless thing just because of remembering. Joyce Forrester Vonderaa Smithville...In the Good Ole Days Smithville was a lively little town. Besides the three two-story hotels, which were known as the Johoma, the Simpson and the McAfee, there was also a large dwelling that was converted into Kervins Tavern. Other businesses in town included three filling stations, two garages, one railroad depot, one railroad freight station and a post office that had four mail carriers working rural routes. There was also one bank, one barbershop for whites and one for blacks, one restaurant for blacks and one drugstore, which my Uncle Charlie owned. The drugstore had old-fashioned wrought iron tables and chairs with milk glass tops so the soda drinkers could stop by after school and drink a soda with their girlfriends. My sister Mary was the soda fountain operator. Smithville also had one dry good store, one general merchandise store that carried everything from stove pipe to silk stockings to hats and bananas, one Suwannee store, a livery stable that had, on request, two fancy horse-drawn carriages, one in black and gold and the other in ivory and gold. There was also a lodge hall in town, which served as a courthouse, one icehouse and one warehouse where peanuts were stored until a buyer picked them up. Virgil A. Booker 93 Smithville Postal Service Employees My Early Days We moved to Lee County in 1935 to Philema, Georgia from Dougherty County. The road from Albany was not paved, but one-lane sandy road and you had to get out of the ruts when you met someone. The first place we lived belonged to Mr. Willard Martin; then we moved to the Brown Alley Place. The well was across the road from the house, which had a pitcher pump. You had to prime it to get it started to pump. The house was about five feet off the ground and a porch all the way around it. The kitchen was separated from the house with a walkway from the house to the kitchen. When I started dating, I went to Albany one night to pick up my date, (Grace, my wife now). She lived out off the Newton Road and we went to the Bowling Alley at Lakeworth. They only had duckpin then, which the ball was a little larger than softball. When we started to leave, the car lights would not come on, so I got a taxi to take her home and I got back to town. I had to drive all the way home without any lights. I would pull over and park when I met a car. JM Rhodes 94 The Old Days I remember going to Sunday school at the Leesburg Methodist Church. Although we lived 18 miles in the country, we attended both Sunday morning and evening services. Mrs. Eloise Greene was my teacher. After church we would all get in one car with the Cannons (Uncle Hoke, Aunt Lucille, Martha and Mary), and travel to Terrell County to see Grandpa and Grandma Cook. They had moved to Terrell County from Dougherty County near where Doublegate Country Club is today. Grandma would prepare a huge meal for this crowd, which included the Crews family. She cooked on a wood stove. She made the most delicious Pecan Cake. I wish I had that recipe. The adults would eat first and the children would eat last. My, how times have changed. Children come first now. I can remember once when Bishop Arthur Moore came to our house for dinner. During World War II, we had coupons to buy sugar, gasoline and shoes. I never had enough shoes. Today I have more shoes than Amelda Marcos. As a child we had a horse, which we never rode. Daddy was going to sell the horse to a man. We all cried and the man wouldnt buy the horse. I finally took up horseback riding when I was about thirty-five years old. I had a beautiful horse named Sugarfoot. The whole family would ride in parades on our horses. The family included three daughters, Cookie, Carol and Leigh Ann. After I graduated from Leesburg High School, I attended Georgia Southwestern College where I met Ed Carson, a farmer and baseball player. We enjoyed the Georgia Florida League baseball games. Now we never miss a Braves game on television. If the family gets together for a picnic or cook out, it has to be somewhere I can watch the Braves. I have not mentioned the good times we had with our neighbors. Mama and Daddy would play cards with the Martins or the Rhodes. We didnt have television and not much gasoline to travel. We had fun riding the school bus, which had no heat or air conditioning. We didnt know what that was. There is so much to tell. I taught school for seven years. Then worked in an office for many years before I started to work at a jewelry store. I have worked there for twenty-two years. 95 The things that keep me busy now are the garden club and my work at the jewelry store. I serve on the Magnolia District Board and Garden Clubs of Georgia State Board. I enjoy flower arranging for a church and sometimes I enter flower shows. I have three precious grandchildren, Ryan Peters is a senior at Southland Academy, Carley Blount is a junior and Meg Peters is a freshman. Meg couldnt say grandmother so she called me Bubber. Ada Lee Cook Carson Unforgettable Lee Countian Guy Turner Mr. Guy Turner was bom in the Midwestern United States (Kansas or Iowa) in July 1887. He had served during WWI as a radio operator on a ship. He later joined a religious order of House of David whose members grew long beards and long hair. Probably in the late 1920s, Mr. Turner had acquired an acre of land in a pecan orchard on Palmyra Road near the Longview family farm. This acreage was advertised in a farm magazine and was being sold at a loss because the pecan crops had not been profitable. These were Depression years. There is no actual time known when Mr. Turner came to Lee County but probably the early 1930s. My father, Ulric F. King, was third generation Lee Countian and was the US Mail Carrier on Rt. 2, Leesburg. His route consisted of Palmyra Rd and other parts of Lee County. As my father drove his 79 miles daily, he came to the Palmyra section and stopped at a mailbox. He serviced the box and something big and black climbed over the fence. Daddy thought he was seeing a big bear!! Finally he realized it was a human with long beard and hair. This was his first meeting with Guy Henry Turner. They met there every mail day and chatted. Mr. Guy put up a box, but still met my father everyday except rainy days. He had no transportation, no electricity, and for a long time no well. There were probably a dozen cats, which he fed peanut butter he had placed on a large slab. His cabin was a one-room makeshift house and there was a mattress suspended by ropes from the ceiling. On the floor below the mattress a pull-up door revealed a 96 trap door, which could be opened with a handle (someday when he was about to die he intended to do just that and be buried in the mud basement) He told us this when wed visit with daddy there. He was the only hermit- like person wed ever seen. Horoscope study and correspondence courses by mail took up much of Mr. Turners life. He appeared very intelligent, and daddy took us there often to talk to him. Also, we would take the Sunday newspaper and magazine, plus some food, which he enjoyed. Soon Mr. Turner bought a bicycle, now he could come to Leesburg to vote. Often, if he was in town, daddy would invite him to a late lunch, around two or three in the afternoon. All of our young friends wanted to know whom this man was! Daddy persuaded him to shave his beard, but he just put a band around his long hair and put it under a hat. Much later this man bought a truck, and Im sure this gave him much pleasure. During the early 1940s some of our friends suspected that Mr. Turner might be a spy, but he was daddys friend, so we never let that bother us. When Mr. Turner died in 1980 he was almost ninety-three years old. His sister called my sister, Leah, and asked for advice regarding his funeral. Leah was fond of Mr. Guy, as we learned to call him. Leah called me in Albany and asked, Can we bury Mr. Guy Turner in our cemetery plot. So when youre at the Leesburg Cemetery look at out King graves, which is the first on the left as you enter the Leesburg Cemetery, and there on the northwest comer you will see Mr. Guy Turners grave. Im sure my daddy was pleased. Ann King Young 97 Guy Turner Square Dance Days From the mid-forties to the mid-fifties Square Dances were held in the Lee County High Gym every Saturday night. They were started to fund the construction of the town swimming pool. They were so much fun and people came from surrounding counties to attend. Miss Lorice Cook took the money up at the door and gave you a colored ribbon in case you went outside and would not have to pay again. My mother would sit with her and help. I always suspected she was there to keep her eyes on me. The square dances were our main social life at that time. Most of my friends looked forward to Saturday night and we would 98 come home from college to attend. I had to have a new outfit every time and I would never go with a date so who ever I liked that night could take me home. We had cakewalks and concession stand to make extra money. The local men, L.J. Miller, Mercer Stocks and others would call the dances and we would have round dancing in between with a live band providing the music. Patricia Blackshear Mcdaniel Boy Scout Leader I was Scout Master for Boy Scout Troops for many years and the thing the boys enjoyed most was a trip to Okeefenokee Swamp, Stephen Foster Park out from Fargo. We would take this trip every year during spring break. We had a second- hand bus and it seemed it would break down on the way down. But our good friends, Mr. Otis Hill and Mr. Robert Clay would always send us something to come back in. The first year we camped on Billys Island, which is out from the park, and the only way to get to the island was by boat. On our first trip we camped on Billys Island and we soom learned that we were not the only ones there. A troop from Atlanta was there also. They had a generator with them and this was against the rules. I got the boys together and asked if they could do something about this. In about an hour, they generator spit two or three times. I found out later that the boys had slipped around and put bubble gum in the tank. The generator didnt run anymore while we were there. Each day we would go to a small store just outside the park. It belonged to Lem Griffith. He was a great storyteller, and he would have a good one to tell the boys each day. This is one he told: He was fishing on the Suwannee River one day and he hooked a fish that pulled him into the water. He got to go so fast that his britches caught on fire. Another time he was fishing, he cast out by a big log and the fish struck at the live bait, missed it and swallowed the log. The next day he caught the fish and he got three carloads of sawdust out of it. Another he 99 told he said he won a Liars Contest that year. He had a flat tire; he repaired the tube but didnt have air to put back in it. While he was wondering what to do, a whirl-wind came by and pumped it up. Three years later, the whirlwind was going around in the wheel to keep it up. Another year we were down there, we had the camper in the campground because the water was so high. The coons and pole cats walked around the camp during the day. The boys would track and run down the coons. In fact, they brought two coons back to Leesburg in lard cane. Of course I didnt know about this until later when one night Charles Rhodes and I were in our tent. I woke up during the night with a pole cat in the tent with us. On one of our annual trips Bob Wilson went along with us. He evidently had never had one of my camping breakfast. He remarked one day that my eggs were French fried eggs. JM Rhodes Felicias Place We moved from Dawson to the farm across the creek when I was about 3 years old and became part of the Smithville community. My Mama had five children then; later two more were added. Being an enterprising and talented lady, she decided to open a beauty shop in town. Ladies came from all around to Felicias to be hooked up to a machine that made them look like snakes were growing from their heads. Before long she decided that a shop at home would be the best thing to do. You would think that a beauty shop in the country would be too hard to find, but the ladies were there everyday from early morning until late afternoon. Rarely did we have a day when it was just our family at home. During the summer when we were out of school, the children came with their mothers. We always had playmates while the mothers cut, curled and permed. We played cowboys and Indians, had bike races and roamed the countryside and the sand pits. Luckily, I only remember one or two broken bones. Nobody ate better than we did because the customers would bring whatever needed picking in their garden. While they were getting their hair 100 fixed, they would also shell peas and beans or shuck com. One gallon of buttermilk and a pound of fresh butter every week would pay for a hairdo. Another customer brought eggs or smoked ham. You see what I mean! Of course, whoever was there at mealtime got to eat whatever we had. Mama would fix someones hair all year in exchange for Christmas gifts for her children. I have a painting in my home that was paid for with hairdos. One year several ladies saved the money they would have paid, and Mama used it to buy tickets to Hawaii for her and Daddy. ft was a unique situation in which to grow up. I was grown before I realized that my family had actually been poor. I know that most of the women that came to Felicias were friends that loved Mama the way she loved them, and when I think back to those times I feel loved and rich. Cecilia Gibbs My Granddaddy Thad Gibson served his country proudly, flying eighty missions during World War II. He was awarded ten air medals for outstanding service as well as the Presidential Unit Citation, African Star, and the Distinguished Flying Cross. While he was in the service he met his sweetheart, Mary Rebecca Vest. After dating for a period of time, they were married in April of 1945 on the Air Force Base in Marianna, Florida. Thad Gibson and his family moved to Lee County after the war. He followed suit to all the men who came home from the war lacking knowledge of a trade; he started farming. He became T.C. Kings overseer. His father- in-law, Luther Edwin Vest, became a partner in farming with him in 1951. The families lived together on Lee Street Road. In 1961 Thad and Luther sold the farm and Mary Vest and Luther Vest retired to Florida where they were originally from. During the years farming, Thad had other jobs as well. Forresters Furniture Store was one of the places he worked. He also worked at the local Post Office, where he developed an interest in law. He earned a correspondence degree from La Salle University. In 1959 he took the Georgia Bar Examination and became a lawyer. Over the years he climbed the legal 101 ladder, succeeding John M. Forrester for the Leesburg City Court Judge. He also worked for the Albany law firm Perry, Walters, Langstaff, and Lippitt. He was the attorney for the City of Leesburg, Lee County, and the Lee County School Board of Education. In January of 1976 he became the Workers Compensation Judge. In June of 1981, Thad Wise Gibson was sworn in by Governor George Busbee as Superior Court Judge for the Southwestern Judicial Circuit, which he proudly served for almost twenty years. In 1984,1, Matthew Vest Hyman, was bom. Some of the greatest childhood memories I have are with my grandfather, Thad Gibson. I remember taking walks with him up to the local Suwannee Swifty store to get a small Sprite, and my grandfather would get a black coffee. Thad Gibson was not only my grandfather; he was my friend. He died May 14, 2000 as a result of a series of strokes and a heart attack. He is survived by his wife, Mary Rebecca Gibson, a daughter Rebecca Jane Hyman, a grandchild Matthew Vest Hyman, and two sons Thad Jr. and Charlie. I am proud to say that Thad Wise Gibson was my grandfather. Matthew Vest Hyman Goodwin and Katybel Hall There is no way to express how wonderful it was to be bom and raised in Lee County. My mama and daddy made this possible for my sister, brother, and me. My daddy came to Lee County in December 1934. He had been working on Pineland Plantation in Baker County. He came to oversee and operate a farm located on the comer of Lovers Lane Road and what is now known as Highway 32 East. In February of 1935,1 was bom at home at this location. In the next 3 years my sister and brother came along. Mama made it to Phoebe Putney for their births. My daddy purchased his own farm in 1941. We moved to the farm that is located five miles north of Leesburg, now US 19 North. Of course this was way out in the country at that time. Our house was across the railroad tracks. Many trains passed daily since this was during WWII. Living by the railroad track was interesting during the way and after the war. We saw so 102 much war material being transported by rail. After the war there was always someone walking the tracks or riding the rails. Many of them were looking for work or food. They would come to our house and mama would always feed them or attempted to make things better for them. She seemed always prepared to feed the multitudes if the occasion arose. This was, of course, before mechanical machinery, so this was mostly hand labor. Daddy row cropped peanuts, com and cotton. He was one of the first farmers in this area to grow and ship watermelons by rail. This rail company placed empty boxcars on a sidetrack at Neyami, which got its name by supposedly being half way between New York and Miami. Daddy and his farm help cut the watermelons in the field late in the afternoon, and very early the next morning they would be loaded on a trailer and pulled to the boxcar and packed to be shipped to Detroit. It was always a rash to get the watermelons in Detroit for the Fourth of July. My daddys occupation was farming, but his hobby was fishing the creeks of Lee County in his small fishing boat. It was first propelled by two oars, which were later replaced by a small motor. He was so good at fishing that we ate fried fish often. By the way, his rat terrier dog, named Sister, rode in the boat with him. Mama and daddy were always community minded people. They always seemed to be aware of the needs of others. I was in the first grade when we moved to the farm. This being wartime, a lady drove my school bus. Sometimes a high school student in Leesburg or Smithville drove it. We were picked up on a small bus that probably carried 16 people. I dont remember that we ever had a full bus. This bus came up US 19 to pick us up and then traveled down Crotwell road to Prison Rd. We were then dropped off at school so the bus could get students near the Kinchafoonee Creek and bring them to school. This route was reversed in the afternoon. Much has changed in the last 60 years. I now see dozens of buses going in this area. Later in his life, Daddy served the county by being elected to the Georgia House of Representative and later the Lee County Board of Commissioners until his death. Mama likewise was active in church and the home demonstration club. She had the Girls Auxiliary at the Baptist Church. Just recently someone reminded me that she would take them to the beach on a retreat. In the late 50s and early 60s a trip to the beach was very special. 103 Many things have changed over the last 70 years in Lee County. It was a wonderful place to live and raise a family. In 2004 many more people are here to do the same. Some things never change. Lee County is still a great place to live the good life. I know that being raised in Lee County was a blessing. I wanted to write this as a tribute to my mama and daddy, Kaytbel and Goodwin Hall and my dear husband, Charles Rhodes, who thought that living in Lee County was paradise. Marinel Rhodes Willmar Plantation Willmar Plantation is located in the northern part of Lee County in ChokeeDistrict.lt was originally three farms. These farms were: the Judge Smith Farm, the M.C. Kendrick Farm and the Barrett Farm. The Barrett Farm had been bought from D.C. Jones. In December 1960, Russell Thomas (R.T.) Miller and his wife Erma bought these farms and called it Willmar Plantation. The name Willmar comes from the name of their children, William and Margie. The plantation was later owned and operated by Mr. R.T. Millers son, William, and his wife Pat. William and Pat have four children: Chris, Sally, Tom and Ben. Polled Hereford cattle, com, soybeans, peanuts, wheat and timber were grown on Willmar. Roger E. Peak, Sr. (1960 until March 1989) and Sidney C. Peak (March 1989 until March 1993) managed the plantation for William and Pat Miller until they sold it in 1993. Sidney lived most of his life on Willmar Plantation. He spent much time hunting, fishing, collecting arrowheads, bicycling, playing outside games and swimming in the pit with his brothers (Roger Elvin, John Benjamin and Stanley Tracy), his many cousins and friends. Sidney also enjoyed reading and would sometime write poetry and short stories as well as draw. Later Sidney and I married and had Zachary Clay Peak. Zach would sometimes go fishing at the fishpond on Willmar with Sidney. Once they caught an 8-pound bass. I took a picture of Sidney holding the fish with 104 Zach looking on. We call it our Andy and Opie picture because Sidney and Zach looked a lot like Andy and Opie Taylor from the television show. Once Zach pulled a loose tooth, accidentally dropped the tooth, and it went down the drain of the bathroom sink. Zach was worried that the tooth fairy would not come if the tooth were not put under his pillow that night. He wanted me to get the tooth out of the pipes. I did not know how to disconnect the pipes to get the tooth. I tried to explain that the tooth fairy would understand about the tooth and would come anyway, but Zach did not buy that. Zach sat on the bathroom floor by the sink until his Dad came in from work. He was able to talk his Dad into retrieving the runaway tooth, and the tooth fairy was able to come and get the tooth that night. Willmar Plantation was sold in 1993 to six people. They later divided the farm into two parts and only two of the original six own it now. Part of the plantation is still called Willmar Plantation and the rest is called Lorac Plantation. Carol Ann Clay Peak A Flood of Fish I recall one year we had an unusually wet season in the spring, and it overflowed many of the year-round ponds in the county. The creeks and streams flowed their fish into them when that happened. One of the ponds known as Big Cypress, which was banked on one side by U.S. 19, rose so high and had so many fish in it that people were standing on the sides of the road, raking them out with yard rakes and pitchforks. I wish fish were that plentiful now; maybe I could catch more than I do. Virgil A. Booker 105 Growing up in Lee County My sister, Melody, and I grew up on the family farm in northern Lee County. On our farm we had many sources of water. There is a spring, Chokee Creek, a millpond, and two other ponds. We had lots of fun at these water holes. We would play at the spring with cousins and friends. The water was always chilly. It was a nice place to go to get wet and cool off. One spot in the spring was a little deeper than the rest, being knee deep and it was always the best place to cool off. In more recent years, a wooden bridge has been put across the spring. We have had family picnics there on occasion and the young children would enjoy playing there and getting wet while the older people remembered good times from the past. We used to fish at Chokee Creek. There were two small wooden bridges across the creek. The trees would overlap the road. It was so beautiful down at the creek. We enjoyed fishing from the bridge. An aunt or uncle made a picture of us fishing from the bridge when we were small. Years later I showed the picture to my son, Zach. I asked him if he knew the children. He reply was Yes, that is Mom and that is me. It took me several days to convince Zach that it was his Aunt Melody in the picture and not him. We also would go to the millpond on the farm to fish. The millpond has many large old cypress trees and is sometimes called the gator pond. There was a small aluminum boat down there that different ones would use to fish from or just ride around on the pond. Once while we were down at the pond, several people were out on the boat. My sister and I were fishing from the bank. She was fishing beside a tree with her foot in a cow track when she caught a fish. When we asked her secret about how to catch a fish, she told us you just have to have your foot in a cow track! In the late 1960s the part of New York Road that runs through our farm was dirt. That meant after a rain things got muddy. One time my cousins, Dawn and Dusk were visiting. It had been raining and there was plenty of water in the ditches by the road. Melody and Dusk decided to play in part of the ditch that had lots of water and red clay in it. Luckily, I guess, they had on their swimsuits. When my Dad and Uncle found Melody and 106 Dusk, they were covered with red clay from head to toe. Daddy and Uncle Jim promptly took them to Grannys house to clean them up with the water hose. Zach and I still live on the farm in Grannys house and enjoy the memories of growing up here. Carol Ann Clay Peak The Dixie Flyer About the only excitement we had in Smithville was watching the trains go through town, especially at midnight when the Dixie flyer passed through, headed to Miami, Fla. It usually had about 28 or 30 passenger coaches, plus a post office car and a couple of diners. About all you could see as it passed by, though, was a lighted streak accompanied by a tremendous rumble and punctuated with a cloud of dust. Virgil A. Booker Elizabeth Allen Neloms Affectionately known as Mima and Miss Sis Bom on July 27, 1898 in Lee County, Georgia, to a well-known carpenter in those days, the late Henry Allen, and Fannie White Allen, she was the sibling of thirteen. She had five brothers, Matthew (her twin), Henry, Richard, Fred and Candice Allen and eight sisters, Anna, Mamie, Sarah Jane, Daisy, Katie, Rena, Beatrice, Armelia and Bertha Allen. Elizabeth confessed Christ at an early age and became a member of Jordan Grove Baptist Church. After meeting and marrying the late Deacon John Neloms, she later joined Wooden Grove Baptist church in Leesburg, Georgia where she served as a faithful member, deaconess and Mother of the church until her health started to decline. She only obtained an elementary education before becoming the wife of John Neloms a sharecropper farmer. They had been married for 48 107 years at the time of his death. She was the mother of six children, two boys, John Henry and Ulysses Neloms and four girls, Carrie Bell Collier, Emma Kate Bamum, Ceola N. Floyd and Gussie Lee Rhodes. Living on a farm and working as a sharecropper, John and Elizabeth Neloms, along with their children, worked hard to try and make ends meet. Very rarely, if at all, did they break even at the end of farming season. She was a fast worker especially picking cotton with two rows at a time and would pick out to the end of the field and meet the others almost half way while they were trying to make it to the end with one row. Not only did she work hard in the cotton and peanut fields, she kept her house neat and clean, cooked, washed and ironed for her family as well as washed and ironed for the Boss Man and his family. Of course, the children helped with chores around the house when they became of age. Elizabeth was one of the best cooks in Lee County: she could make the best tasting food on her stove that burned wood (which she was cutting up herself at the age of 90) especially her light and fluffy biscuits, potato pies and cakes. She loved gardening, canning fruits and vegetables, making fruit preserves and quilting. She would make a couple of squares for the quilts at night before going to bed after working hard all day. After making the squares and putting them together for the top during the spring and summer, she would finish quilting them together in the winter months. Most of her family and friends have one of her quilts in their home. She did the gardening and quilting until she reached the age of 91. After Elizabeths health started to decline and with much encouragement from her family, she moved to Jacksonville, Florida in 1992 to live with her oldest granddaughter, Elizabeth Milledge (Walter) Byers. Other grandchildren are Eddie Dean Anderson, Jessie L. Neloms, Bertha F. Elmore, Ceola Neloms, John Neloms, Katie Mae Collier, Leroy (Linda) Collier and Denise (John) Collins. There are 20 great grandchildren and 23 great-great grandchildren. As the only survivor of her siblings, Elizabeth has been so blessed by God that at the age of 105 she is still fairly healthy. She only takes Centrum Silver vitamin and baby aspirin daily. Although she is unable to care for herself or communicate well verbally, Elizabeth still manages to let her un- wants be known. 108 Elizabeth has always been a cheerful and caring person toward others. Her advice to her children and grandchildren was to be kind to others as you go through life because you never know whose help you might need. Dont beg others to do things for you that you can do for yourself. Get a good education; keep busy because an idle mind and idle hands make a lazy man. Elizabeth Sally M. Byars, Granddaughter I Remember When I remember when Main Street was dirt, and road scrapers kept the road smooth. My family lived across from First Baptist Church, but in 1954 things changed. Marvin Griffin was running for Governor and was in a field of eight contenders. Fred Hand was the main opposition. Georgia was under the county unit system at the time, so winning Lee County meant as much as winning Fulton County. The word was put out that if Griffin took Lee County, roads would be paved. Griffin took Lee County, won the Governorship, and appointed his brother as commissioner of the highway department and Leesburg was paved. One summer and early fall, during peanut season, I worked for Cannon Brothers Peanut Company, U.S. Department of Agriculture, pulling peanut samples of the loads that were brought in by the farmers. In the office were Mr. J.B. Cannon, Mr. Lamar Cannon, Mr. Charles Cannon and Mr. Ned Crotwell. There were two U.S. Department of Agriculture Inspectors that graded the samples of peanuts, and I remember only their first names, Bob and Jim. The process went like this: the load was driven onto the scales and weighed, I pulled the sample, the sample was graded (to determine the amount of moisture in the peanut, how many splits, weight of shell to nut, and rocks, dirt, etc.) and if passed, the load was taken to the warehouse to be unloaded and the truck would come back to be weighed again to get the empty weight and thus determine the amount of peanuts in the load. My workstation was above the load in the contraption that could move forward and back and 109 from side to side. The sample was taken by a vacuum tube being extended into the load and the sample being sucked up into a large canister. The sample was then reduced to a smaller sample by a divider, put in a canvas bag and lowered by rope to the inspectors. I noticed one day a certain farmer had a large dog and when he came in with a load, he would get out of the truck for the weigh in, but after he unloaded, and came back for the second weight in, he and the dog would get out of the truck. After seeing this for several loads, I mentioned it to one of the inspectors and he went to Mr. Lamar Cannon to ask, How many times are you going to buy the dog? I guess Mr. Lamar handled the situation tactfully because I never saw the dog anymore. I think the early fifties and sixties was a good time to grow up in Lee County. The school was all in one building; grades 1-12 and I knew people in other grades, older and younger. The class reunion I enjoyed the most included several classes. Lee County had dirt roads and boys could ride and hunt rabbits. You could also go out Hwy 32 toward Dawson to the Kinchafoonee Creek Bridge, then on the bank walk north past James Cannons camp house and enter the creek to wade back down to the bridge. Fly fishing with popping bugs for red belly bream. Many an afternoon was spent doing this with a friend who called me Cuz. He later drank too much and killed himself. I often wonder if we had spent more time fishing if things might have turned out different for him. This was a time for chivalry also. To mention a few instances: John Wheaton was dating Miss Shelia Gates and Tommy Johnson wanted to cut in. John and Tommy got in Johns car, went out Stage Road Ranch Road, stopped, had a fistfight, then we came back to school. Tommy won the fight, John won the girl, and it all happened at lunchtime. Then there was Terry Ross dating Barbara Baker, and Leonard Shaver wanted to cut in. Terry figured Leonard needed something else to think about so Terry ordered from WCKY Cincinnati Ohio (a radio station) 500 baby chicks. Some way they figured out it was Terry who ordered the chickens. Terrys father was a Lt. Col. in the Air Force and flew B-52s out of Turner Field in Albany, Georgia. Col. Ross was not a happy man and neither was Terry. He had to raise 500 chickens. This cut into his dating time. 110 Also, it was a time for mischief: Climbing the water tank to paint Class of ?? on the side, picking up Mr. Barry Bakers little white car and putting it bumper to bumper between the columns in front of the gym, taking a jar of white phosphorus from Chemistry Lab to go fishing with. We dropped it off the bridge into the creek and the resulting explosion ended the fishing trip (glad the bridge is still standing). I believe the statute of limitations has run out in all cases. J.W. Forrester Growing Up on Main Street..,Leesburg Like many others, we did not have far too walk to school, as it was right here on Main Street, the present two story building now standing. After school we played on the dirt street, now State Highway 32, stopping only for an occasional car, truck, or mule-drawn wagon. It was not easy to catch a fly hit baseball when it ricocheted off of electric wires, but we caught them anyway. On our street was the Lee County jailhouse. We lived next door to it, the bottom floor was the residence of the sheriff; the top, the jail. Mr. Jim McBride, Captain Mac, as he was called, and Miss Marie, lived and raised their children there. I can see him now, taking prisoners upstairs and hearing the clank of the steel cell doors. Sometimes it was not a pleasure to live next door to the jail, especially when there was a crazy person locked up who would holler and scream all day and night. Next to the jail was the city water well and elevated tank, which was taken down in 2003. Mr. J. E. Fore, a city employee, would climb the tank, and for some reason, climb on to the top and sit on the steel ball. Once he stood up on the ball. During the summer, once in awhile, the tank would overflow, cascading water from the top overflow pipe to the ground. We would quickly get under it to our delight. At Christmas time, everyone had fireworks and started shooting them days before Christmas. We would build a bonfire on the sidewalk and stay up just as late as our parents would let us. One bad time was when I picked up a firecracker that did not explode and held it close to my sisters face. Ill Yes, it did explode, and off to the doctor we went... hurt fingers, ears, face, and all. I remember the thirty-inch Roman candles shooting colored balls of fire into the air, skyrockets, not those little ones you put in a coke bottle, but those, which looked as large as your arm. Once, Daddy brought in a cedar Christmas tree, the only kind in those days, almost big enough to climb. It was so tall that the top bent over about two feet in the ceiling; he did not bother to cut more off the base. Christmas was also special for the adults, and Mama always had much to eat and a big punchbowl full of eggnog for our neighbors. My Daddy raised twelve children, bom every two years. I was the youngest. After his first wife died, he married my mother. He was a most unusual man... farmer, justice of peace, businessman, and a real character. At one time, he was in business with, and dealt with, horses and mules. We had a bam in back of our house, as well as pasture and bams on the north side of Fourth Street. We always had chickens, ducks, hogs, dogs, cats, goats, mules, horses, pigeons, and whatever else you can name. Many people did not agree with Daddys method of animal training and discipline, but it worked. When one of the horses, and especially Beauty, the Shetland pony, would get out of the pasture, he would shoot them, at a respectable distance with birdshot in his shotgun. They immediately ran back through the gate and into the pasture. Of course, it did not hurt the animal. We lived across from the Kings, Mr. Ulrick, his wife Miss Shirley, Jimmy, Ann, and Leah. Mr. Ulrick would come in from his rural mail route, and for his pleasure, played cards, smoked, and told us of the happenings on his route. If you got close to him, he would grab you and pretend that he was going to bite off your ear. Also living across the street at one time were the Coxwells. Mr. Lesters auto shop was uptown, and everyone remembers his help named Yelp. Our other neighbors were the Tharps, and of course, I played with our colored friends who lived back of us, named Benny Lee, Floyd, and L.C. Sometimes as many as six or more of us boys, each with his own 22 rifle would walk around town, shooting at birds or just about anything. No one seemed to mind, and thank goodness, no one got hurt. Every now and then, someone would shoot the water tank just to hear it ping. 112 No one will ever forget the House That We Built. It was 1939 and there was an empty lot next door to the Kings. A bunch of scrap lumber was available, and on our own, we built a large one-room playhouse. Of course, Jimmy, the oldest, did most of the work. We built the foundation, floor, walls, roof, and doors. One thing we forgot- there were not windows in it, or did we just want to play in the dark? Probably so. Harry Lee Special People Do you remember some special people? Miss Mitt Sanders owned a service station where a bank is today. She knew everyone and everything that happened in town. Aunt Neva? She was the telephone operator when I was in high school. She was a jewel. She knew all our secrets. She would tell our callers where we were, how long we would be gone, when we would be back. She even let me operate the switchboard once but told me I could not listen in on calls. By the way, she was not my aunt, we all just called her that. Mary Dance was one of those teachers who influenced many students. Do you remember the big productions that she had once a year? They were as good as many stage productions I have seen later in life. She is probably why I became a teacher. Another great memory was the baseball team Leesburg had when I was young. My parents and I went to all the games. I cant remember all the players but some were Goat Yeoman, Dick Forrester, Reid Stovall, Hugh Stovall, and Golden Scott. When the team played in Cordele we crossed the Flint River on a ferry. One of my sickest times was after one of the home games, I was so excited at the game (I had a crush on all the players) that I kept eating parched peanuts. Mama always wondered what made me so sick. A follow up on this story, later in my life I married and moved to Fitzgerald. My husband introduced me to Golden Scott at a dance. I gave him a big hug and told him about my crush on him back in those days. He was pleased, but his wife wasnt so pleased. Romantic? 113 Superintendent Pinkney Powell would make a recruiting trip to Milledgeville for new teachers. He would take a few students from the high school with him. We loved to go because he stopped in every town and service station to talk and always got a Coca Cola, crackers or candy. He usually came back with promises of future teachers. Gwen Johnson Seanor A Sister named M My mother, a character in her own right, had two very good friends whose names began with the letter M. When my sister was bom, she wanted to name the baby for one of them, but she could not decide which one and certainly did not want to hurt the feelings of either. So, she named my sister, M for both of them, and that way, no feelings were hurt. Now wasnt that just something my mama would do! Page Tharp The Firefighter Found Em Growing up in Lee County in the 1950s presented young teens, old teens, college students, and others, with state and federal government jobs relating to farming in general, and agriculture. After all, Lee is one of the largest counties in the state of Georgia. One of my jobs one summer was co- managing the forest fire tower, which was located (and still is) across the road from the Leesburg Cemetery. Well, one afternoon, I spotted a heavy column of black smoke rising in the eastern sky, and off I went in an over- sized jeep loaded down with all kinds of fire-fighting equipment, including a good size pressurized water tank. I turned on the blinking red lights, shot over to the Leslie highway, and floor-boarded it, so to speak. Soon after zipping over the Muckalee Creek Bridge, and finally reaching a dirt road off to the right, putting the smoke to my left, I frantically searched for a road or an open field or any opening. I FINALLY came upon one of those little 114 two-path roads, slung a hard left, and was now heading straight towards the red and orange flames and black smoke. Zipping around a curve, what did I spot? On fire were some old auto tires and big pile of general trash. Also there was John Cromartie, Rody Stovall, and Teddy Sparling. My comment: No comment. Bill Cromarite Andys Antics Marthanne and Tony Bruner, life long residents of Lee County have a son named Andy Bruner. Andy is grown now and has a family of his own. He attended Lee County Schools and is now a Civil Engineer in the Atlanta Area. Andy was a very innovative little boy who liked animals and enjoyed the outdoors. He spent lots of time with his grandmother, Greta Stocks. He liked accompanying her while she worked in her yard and watered her flowers. He was a most observant child. One day when the family was busy with other duties, Andy proceeded to do what he had seen his grandmother do on numerous occasions while watering her plants. The only problem was that Andy brought the water hose into the living room and started dousing the entire room. Needless to say, the family was somewhat upset. Andy just figured the inside of the house needed watering as well as the outside. On another occasion Andy really displayed his love of animals. A family that lived near him when he was a child had a dog that had a litter of puppies. Andy took a liking to one of the puppies and brought it back with him to his home. His mother, Marthanne, told him that they could not keep the dog, and that he should take it back to its rightful owners. Andy, being very persistent and cunning, devised a plan to hide the dog at his house. His mother opened the refrigerator door and the dog came tumbling out! The family had to wrap the dog in towels to warm it up. Again his mother told 115 him that the dog had to go back home, but Andy was not finished with his schemes to hide the dog. Andy came up with another creative hiding place. His granddaddy, Ed Stocks, liked to fish and he kept a minnow bucket full of minnows and water under a spigot outside. He kept it ready so he could just pick it up and go whenever he wanted to go fishing. When Andys mother went to the spigot to move the minnow bucket, what did she find- you guessed it; the puppy was there among the minnows. The puppy was all right, but a bit shaken from all the strange hiding places. Andy was finally convinced with a good deal of coaxing from his mother to return the puppy to its mother. Andy, as a grown man, still had a devilish glint in his eye and an impish grin, his mother, Marthanne, says that when Andy retires from his job as a Civil Engineer, he might retire to Lee County or come to visit the home place often. If you see headlines in the Lee County Ledger that reads Andy Bruner to Return to Lee County be sure to hide your water hose and pen up all your dogs. If you can find any hills in Lee County, run for them. Andy is returning!! Sandra Stocks Im Going to Marry Her My Daddy was working as a mechanic for Lester Coxwell, his brother-in-law. They were standing in front of the shop when several of the new teachers walked by the shop. Daddy turned to his brother-in-law and his Dad. He said, See that girl in the dark dress, Im going to marry her. His Dad said, Boy, you must be crazy. Sure enough they were married the next summer in her sisters church in Macon, Georgia. They were both Methodists but were married in a Baptist Church by a Baptist preacher and lived happily ever after. Gwen Johnson Seanor 116 But She Lived and Lived and Lived Bom 1891 in Lee County, a premature baby, so small that a silver dollar would cover her face, and even at five months, weighed only five pounds, BUT SHE LIVED! At an early age she had the dreaded disease called in those days hemorrhagic fever, caused by mosquitoes and the accompanying hemorrhages, not only once, which killed many, but five times BUT SHE LIVED! In later life, while crossing Main Street with food for a neighbor, she was hit by a car, injured and resulted in hospital stay, BUT SHE LIVED! She had lung cancer and surgery, BUT SHE LIVED: Then she had breast cancer and surgery, BUT SHE LIVED: But she really lived to serve her Lord and Savior, and this community with her musical talents. She was the Leesburg Baptist Churchs pianist for sixty-five years, also regularly playing in the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches. In those days, she played for every school baccalaureate, commencement, graduation, wedding and funerals. There were so many that to count would be impossible! Stage plays, musicals, and anything else connected with music my mother played. For all this, she never asked for, charged, or accepted one penny of money, for it was done by the love in her heart. Kimbrell-Stem Funeral Directors, still, after almost more than two decades, place flowers on her birthday in the Baptist Church recalling her service during funerals. Teaching music to others, there would have never been a Dave Mercer band had it not been for her instructions to him. She composed music, both churches and others. Several hymns were submitted to Southern Baptist headquarters; one popular composition was played at her grandsons wedding in Atlanta. She just loved to entertain people, and sometimes Ham it up. Especially fond of ragtime music, she played very difficult pieces such as: Tickled to Death, Kitten on the Keys, and Scott Joplins Maple Leaf Rag. So good with these, we got her on the WALBs Town and County shown when she was eighty years old. They wanted her back, so she played these same tunes again at eighty-five years old. Reading extensively about medicine, she was ahead of her time, and it was this knowledge that helped save the life of her own son, sick with 117 pneumonia. After much other medicines had failed, she prevailed upon Dr. Frank Neil to try the new drug she read about, sulphumilimide. The sulphur drug worked, and the child got well. On a lighter note, Dr. William Field told his office nurse one day to get out his medical books as the Leesburg lady was coming in for an office visit, being certain there would be many questions asked. The love for learning about medicine was given and graciously accepted by her daughter-in-law and grandson. A student of the Bible, she taught Sunday School for many years and was a consultant to pastors. It was along this line that a great love and friendship resulted between her and Rev. Bobby Moye during his Leesburg pastorate. Some saw her other traits as somewhat strange and peculiar, but it was just her nature. Walking to church, school, to town, she would stop along the way and pull up weeds, especially sandspurs and nut grass. She could shoot a shotgun, teaching her son at an early age to shoot. Hearing a noise at night, it was not uncommon for her to get her twenty gauge, double barreled shotgun and flashlight and walk outside around her house. Someone once said after hearing a gunshot that must be her running off a stray dog or killing a wharf rat in her chicken house. At the age of 94, the little premature baby went to join her Lord and Savior in Paradise. BUT SHE LIVES, in the hearts and memories of all who knew and loved her. When that great day arrives for her heavenly entry, perhaps a call will be heard, Pauline Page Tharp, arise, come forth, enter, and once again play the piano for all of us. Page Tharp Living in Leesburg, Georgia We moved to Leesburg from Cordele when I was five years old. My dad was in the Service Station business, and operated the old Waco Pep Station (where the convenient store is now). He later moved to the north end 118 of town. His station was the second one coming in from Smithville. When he retired he sold it. It is now a used car business. We lived in an apartment owned by Mrs. Mary Kimbrough, but later moved to an apartment next to Billy Stovalls. My first friends in town were Barbara Lee, Ann and Charles Cannon, the Stovalls, Pates, and Cromarites. After I entered the first grade, my dad bought the house across the street from the school, which was owned by Mrs. Cawood. We lived there my whole 12 years in school. My mother, Eula, died in 1950 and dad married Frances deVane in 1953. She had a daughter, Phyllisde Vane, and I became her big sister. We went to all the churches in town, however I was baptized in the Leesburg Baptist church, but later became a member of the Leesburg Methodist Church when my dad remarried so that we could all belong to the same church. One of the best things about living in Leesburg was growing up with all the peoplewhere everybody knew everybody. I love them all and think of them often. Many, however, that I grew up with have died or moved away. Even though my dad is gone and weve sold the house, Ill always have ties to Leesburg and Lee County. AFTER ALL, THATS HOME! Eunice Culpepper Vining In Remembering How about my first kiss? All the young kids played in a huge sand box, under a big oak tree beside Mr. Tic Forresters house across from the Pump House in the middle of the street across from the Jail House, water tank and the school, I received my first kiss. We were in the first grade. After a long, long chase, he (James McBride) caught me. How I disliked boys back in those days. How about all the kids who used to play out on Friday nights under the streetlights in the middle of the street. How about the high school 119 dirt basketball court (where the present gym is today). We yelled and cheered for our team just as loud as they do today. How about learning to swim in Mossy Dell and shivering in that cold water. How about piling in one car (few had cars back in those days) to go places. I remember Doug Lewis was always happy to take as many as could pile in his car to special events. How about going to The Black Cat, curb service under the enormous oak tree, large juke box under that tree also, remember? How about those socials or pound parties (everyone brings a pound of cookies, etc) that the Methodist Youth had once a month meeting many times at the Convict Camp on the Leslie Highway. We played games under the lights. Mr. Randall was always kind to let us meet there. Would you believe that high school kids today would play Drop the Handkerchief, Go in and out the Windows, Farmers in the Dell, Dodge ball, etc. We had a great time, all 30 or 35 of us. My parents (Joseph and Helen Johnson) were usually the chaperones. How about learning to dance in the little cafe (Mrs. Jewel Coxwell ran it) in the old Post Office next to the Drug Store. Thinking of dancing, I remember what a great dancer my Dad was. After my husbands death and I came back to Leesburg to live, my Mom would baby-sit with my two sons so that Daddy and I could go to some of the big dances at Radium Springs. Im sure many people who did not know my Dad thought he was out with some young chick. How about when everyone, young and old, went to the great square dances every Saturday night in the gym. Wonderful memories. Saturday nights in Leesburg were exciting when I was a child. We would park up town and watch the people. The stores stayed open until midnight. Also on election days, everyone parked in front of the courthouse and waited around until all the votes were counted. There was much visiting and catching up on news, etc. at this time. Gwen Johnson Seanor 120 My Years in Leesburg We moved to Leesburg in 1957 or 1958, from Indianapolis, Indiana, where my father had been working with a stable of horses owned by a wealthy Italian immigrant. My father had decided to return to his home state and open his own stable. He was from the fourth generation of Wingfields in Rome, Floyd County Georgia, northwest of Atlanta, but it was too cold there in the winter for year-round horse training. He decided to look in South Georgia for a small farm. He bought a portion of Mr. J.B. Cannon, Sr.s land on the Kinchafoonee, which already had some bams and outbuildings. In fact, there is still a Circle C mark made of pebbles in the cement in front of the south bam by the entrance to the old racetrack, and little buffalo was drawn too, while the cement was wet. My father built a blacksmiths forge right away for the farrier and started the surveyors on laying out a quarter mile racetrack. Paddocks were built and haying equipment bought. Mr. Johnny Groover, soil conservationist spent a lot of time showing where watermelons and sweet potatoes would grow best because my father had decided to take produce north in the horse track when he went to the races. My parents, my sister Wendy and I lived in a two-bedroom house we rented from Mr. Ned Crotwell, who was always so nice to us. He dropped by every once in a while with candy and suggested we could have a swing set in the yard. He built on a back porch with plumbing so we could have a washer of our own and told us how to kill cockroaches with little white pills under all the furniture. He put a rotating clothesline in the backyard. My mother always spoke highly of Mr. Ned. My brother Neil was born while we lived in Mr. Neds house and lived his first few years there. Miss Opal Cannon befriended our family right away. On several occasions she had story time at her house. She read to us and then we played and had cookies. We felt she liked us. Later on she was my Sunday school teacher. Miss Betty Cannon, Miss Ethelind Cannon, Miss Elsie Cannon, Mrs. Faircloth, and Miss LaVeme Hinds were such wonderful Sunday school teachers back in those days at the Leesburg United Methodist Church. 121 I went to Sunday school with white gloves, a handkerchief, and a dime or quarter in my white purse to put in the collection basket. Every so often we had covered dish dinners after church or on Sunday night, and I remember the English peas and sliced egg casseroles. One of my best memories is of several summers of Vacation Bible School. It was fun to meet peoples visiting nieces and nephews and cousins. We really learned our Old Testament then, playing out other great stories of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Daniel on flannel boards. We made bulrush baskets, scrolls of prophecy, plaster ten commandment tables, and matchbox shemahs. We even made brick out of clay and chopped straw. We spent a week memorizing scripture and getting ready to get our certificates. Every day there was fruit punch and scalloped vanilla cookies that were stacked in their box like flat discs. From Vacation Bible School we grew up into MYF and Wednesday night ping-pong games (Tommy Rhodes and Bill Cannon were the undisputed champs) and traveling together to conferences in neighboring counties, singing through the dark ride home. I also remember our Sunrise Services on Easter mornings. With what great feeling I was then impressed that the story of Christs resurrection was true! Since all of my happiness in life is founded upon Christianity, I am deeply grateful for this wonderful Christian foundation laid for me in Leesburg. My father took his stable up north for three or four months a year to the races during summer and into fall, and that left Mama to see about the sweet potatoes, watermelons, oats, and hay. Mr. Jim Odom was our overseer. He and his wife, Bessie, and their seven children (Verna, Shelby, Betty, James, Emmy, JoAnn, and Peggy), were my first friends in the world, and very fine friends they were. I was with them many, many sunny days while Mama was in the fields with Mr. Odom. We ran around wildly hollering, climbing, trees, chasing, playing all kinds of games, under the house, in the loft and com crib, laughing, fighting, or flopping down in the long grass to cool off. We were always barefooted and covered in red dirt and sweat, and we ate raw turnips we had pulled up out of the garden and all the pecans we could crack between our teeth. I do remember Mr. Odom getting out his guitar some evenings and Mrs. Odom getting us kids to take turns cranking the ice cream bucket. It took a long, long time to make. I remember eating that homemade vanilla 122 ice cream out of jelly glasses. We would sit on the porch and watch the stars come out as the night deepened. The older kids played night games about ghosts and graveyards, but I was too scared. Peggy always dropped out of the games to come sit by me. A lot of people didnt have television then. I dont know where all the Odoms are now, but some of them came to my mothers funeral and it was a wonderful thing to see them again. Grandma Wingfield would come down from Rome on the Trailways bus during the summer to stay with us and help Mama while Daddy was at the races. She seemed like an ancient lady to me then, but I think she was in her late sixties. She wore a dress and stockings and an apron all day. She had very, very long hair and wore it wound up in plump bun. She wore no makeup, not even lipstick. She was quiet and genteel and serious and always had something to work on. She was a great needlewoman and crocheted with fine cotton. She also sewed clothes by hand, especially baby things; little gowns of air white cloth to keep a little child cool. She always had a handkerchief to wipe us with and cornstarch to dust us. She knew all about prickly heat and mosquito bites and all ordinary sicknesses. Most people back then only had fans to cool off with. How did we stand it? In the evenings, Mama would put us in seersucker pajamas, load us into the car, and drive us down the shady back county roads to cool off. Grandma had her eye out for wild yellow plums along the roadside that she could use for jam. Mr. Crotwells house and yard had a very tall privet hedge in back and both sides, but there was a place to slip through and get to the store next door. Right behind us was the courthouse with its four clocks, none of which was ever right, and a row of storefronts extending north with a few parking places in front. The Cannons had a general store there with wooden floors, rocking chairs, and glass cases, one of which was full of pocketknives. They sold tools and garden supplies. Cast iron pans, Dutch ovens, and combread bakers hung on nails on the support columns. The Kearses operated a grocery to the south. It was long and narrow with the cash register to the left of the entrance and the butcher case in back. There were four or five long rows of jars, cans, boxes, sacks, and plastic bags of things. The vegetables were along the far wall, as I recall. The candy and boxes of pencils, pens, erasers and notebook paper were in the front. I thought it was 123 very strange that we could get things and Mrs. Kearse would write something in her notebook and we could leave without paying, but that was the credit system back then. There were two sizes of candy bars, a five-cent regular and a ten-cent king size, and the same with Coke. There was a small glass bottle of Coke for five cents and a taller, slimmer bottle for ten-cents. I could have one five-cent candy bar a week, but Coke was only for grown ups. The Lee County Jail was right behind the courthouse then, and right behind that was small field with tall, old, broken swings at the east end. Once or twice a traveling fair or circus visited there, does anyone remember that? At the opposite end was a great, wonderful, clean, glimmering swimming pool. It had a high dive, a slide, a baby pool, a shallow end and a deep end. It opened at one oclock, closed at six, and reopened later for night swimming. It cost fifteen cents to get in and I spent every summer afternoon of my life there until I was around fourteen. By then I could swim the length of the pool underwater without coming up for air. The pool had a covered side with picnic tables and the lifeguard stand and a jukebox, but the east side was open and grassy and we laid our towels out so we could sun there. There was sometimes a game of gin rummy if the high school kids came, and we watched their summer romances bloom and fade and wither. At the entrance was a counter where they took our money, signed us in, and sold snacks. I had an extra nickel a day and usually bought five BBBats or some Fleer bubble gum and Mary Janes. However, one day my mother gave me a quarter, and I bought my first Coke and pack of Toms peanuts. I had seen a lot of people tear the peanut pack open with their teeth and pour the peanuts into their Cokes, and I wanted to try. I guess that was the beginning of growing up for me. School was all on one campus, first grade through twelfth, with a building for business classes and a gym where we played basketball and had our dances and PTA Halloween Carnival Miss Opal was the wandering gypsy, wearing an apron with many different colored pockets containing small prizes, and wasnt that where I first tasted homemade fudge? Miss Esther Dobson was the fortune teller with huge gold hoop earrings, and the guest team dressing rooms were draped with black fabric for the House of Horror, where the guides made you smash your hands into bowls of peeled 124 grapes and cold spaghetti-eyeballs and brains, of course. Did you know that down in the girls dressing room in the gym there was a little hole on the outside wall that acted like a pinhole camera? On the opposite wall of the pinhole there formed a perfect, but upside down, image of whatever was happening on the baseball field outside! It was a moving picture, and you could clearly see who was who. I put my thumb over the hole and the wall went dark, so I know what Im saying is true. My teachers were Miss Alice McHan, Mrs. Guillebeau, Mrs. Graham, Mrs. Finney, Mrs. Poole, Mrs. Stewart, Mrs. Mitchum, Mrs. Blackshear, Mrs. Tharp, Mr. Willis, Mrs. DeVivo, and Mr. Houston. They taught me how to read aloud, to answer the multiplication test in three minutes, to bring valentines for every person in class, to use a dictionary. Mrs. Tharp brought us all into the auditorium and taught us to sing Stouthearted Men and Moonlight Bay, and how to behave ourselves on stage. Mr. Willis taught us everything about grammar and that you have to work hard to learn worthwhile things. All these good people left me with enduring examples of integrity and focus. Life is short. One thing I regret is we didnt learn about the history of Lee County or our great state. We didnt learn about the Indians who had lived there or who the early Caucasian settlers were. We didnt hear stories about the rivers or creeks or any particular sites in our county. We didnt take field trips to burial mounds or battlefields then; it just wasnt the most important thing to study in an age of civil rights and rocket science. People come and go so quickly, though, and most often they leave without a trace. When we realized my father was not long for this world, I came back to visit. He and I had a walk over a couple of the fields at home. He had been ill for a long time and the fences were sagging, the underbrush was beginning to creep from the woods onto the clearings. A few of the great old oaks were dying and changing the landscape. It seemed that nature was reclaiming the land. When he was strong, my father kept things orderly and upright, and now it was plain to see that he had been the energy and organizing force on the farm. We talked about it, and he said, Before we were here, there were others who used this land, and before them, and before them, and before. We have used it for a time and others will come and use it after us. So I am glad for stories that catch a glimpse of years gone by. 125 Kim Wingfield Smith The Old Oak Tree Still Stands When I was five years old, my daddy and mother, Keith and Eula Culpepper moved us to Leesburg from Cordele, Ga. Daddy ran the old Waco Pep Service Station, which is now a convenient store. Later Daddy moved his station to the north end of town on Highway 19. When he retired, he sold the station and now it is a used car business. Our first apartment was rented from Ms. Mary Kimbrough. Later we lived by Billy Stovalls before buying our home from Mrs. Cawood. We lived across the street from the school where I attended all twelve years. The back of our property joined the property of Leesburg Baptist Church. I was baptized in that church. At the back of the property were three big beautiful oak trees. The one that is so special to my best friend Irma Stamps, and me was the Old Crooked Oak. We spent many hours playing and climbing that tree. Most children in Leesburg have also played in it throughout the years. It still stands today, just as special and beautiful with its outstretched limbs as ever. My mother died in 1950, and in 1953, Daddy married Frances DeVane of Albany, Ga. I instantly became big sister to Phyllis DeVane. Our family then joined Leesburg United Methodist Church. It was across the street from our house. The big entertainment in Leesburg back then was the ever-popular square dances held on Saturday nights. People from surrounding towns came to these dances. This is where I met Sam Vining, whom I married forty-nine years ago. 126 I no longer live in Leesburg and after Daddy died, we sold our home to First Baptist Church of Leesburg. Even though I no longer live there, there will always be ties to Leesburg and Lee County. After all thats home. Eunice Culpepper Vining Riding on the Mail Route My Granddaddy, J.M Johnson, and his sub, Aunt Ruby Kirkpatrick, would let me ride with them on the mail route. It always amazed me that people were so kind. People would meet them with a kind smile, a little talk, and many times ajar of honey, jelly, apples, a cake, fresh bread, fresh veggies, etc. I wonder if that happens today? Gwen Johnson Seanor My Home Town I grew up in the town of Leesburg back in the 1950s, a time when everyone knew everyone and all of their business. We lived in what was called the old hotel. It was right in the middle of town where the Petro convenience store and the Church of Christ is now located. Actually, I believe that it was a home built by the Calloway family that had been divided into many apartments. It was antebellum style with the veranda running all the way around and white columns in front. At one time I know that five families lived there. We had an apartment on one side. At that time, the buildings right in the heart of Leesburg housed a drug store, the Health Department, a barbershop run by the mayor, a bank, post office, and a grocery store. I remember going to the drug store and buying an ice cream cone for a nickel. After school each day, children who lived in town and had the money to spend (very few did) would go to the drug store and read the comic books and drink a coca cola, which was also a nickel. I always got embarrassed because when Mama sent me to the post office, all the men who sat around the barbershop would speak to us. I 127 imagine that is where a lot of the business of the city and county was conducted in that day. During the summer, all the city children would go swimming in a public pool that was located directly behind the courthouse. Our mamas would send us to the pool with twenty cents for admission and a quarter for snacks and we would stay all day. They never worried that something was going to happen to us, because everyone looked after each other, and we had a local high school boy who served as a lifeguard. I am not sure if they ever had any formal training, but I know that they could swim. If we were supposed to be home at a certain time, all we had to do was watch the clock located on the top of the courthouse. Back then it kept accurate time and a bell rang every hour the number of times for that hour. We could walk all over town and ride our bicycles and because there was so little traffic there was never much danger in being hurt. We also would skate up and down the sidewalks. I remember one summer walking to the pool and meeting the Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Hugh Kearse, walking home for lunch. He stopped and chatted with us about school, what grade we were going to be in next term, etc. This is just one example of how small we were, and the closeness of our community. Since we lived in town, we always had to walk to school. I attended what was known as Lee County High School for twelve years since all twelve grades were on one campus. I have the distinction of being in the first graduating class at Lee County High School that was integrated, back in 1966. During that time, it was called freedom of choice and we had three black girls to come over from the Lee County Training School. Before their arrival, we were given a very serious talk by the principal on how we should act. To our credit, and to my knowledge, there were never any problems with integration in Lee County. We got our first television set when I was in the first grade. I came home from school one day and cartoons were on. I remember thinking how great it was going to be to watch cartoons all the time, but of course, that was not the case. We could only get one channel, Channel 10 in Albany, and that was with the antenna that you had to go outside to adjust. Later, we 128 graduated to the rabbit ears that sat on top of the television. It was many years before we got a color television. We had a telephone, but it was on what was called a party line, meaning that several families shared the same line. You could not receive or get a call if someone else was using the phone, but you could listen in to their conversations if you were very careful not to get caught. It seemed that almost everyone in town was either Baptist or Methodist, and everyone attended church. We were so small and so close, that as a younger girl I joined the GAs at the Baptist Church, even though I was raised in the Methodist Church. When one of the churches held a revival, they had services every morning, and we all would walk from the school to the church to attend, both churches being within walking distance to the school. I always thought while growing up in Leesburg that life was somehow passing me by. I felt that somewhere, or anywhere else, people were really living it up and having a good time doing exciting things that we were not doing. Today, I am so thankful that I had the opportunity and good fortune to grow up in Leesburg, Georgia; we were instilled with Christian values, good manners, and moral integrity. Pam Grace Harris The Chez Nous Club Back in early 1948, Ethelind Cannon, Claudia Chatham, and Nora Allen called a meeting. From this meeting a club was organized for young women between the ages of twenty to thirty. The main purpose was to get together for fun, fellowship, and to work to improve the community. Chez Nous which means among ourselves, was the name chosen by the club members. Among the eighteen charter members were Nora Allen, Claudia Chatham, Ethelind Cannon, Betty (Gunter) Cannon, Myra Heath, Jeannette Long, Annibeth McBride, Grace Rhodes, Gladys Thrift, Hazel Tinsley, and Leah King Mercer. The meetings were held in different homes once a month and each lady would take turns acting as hostess. 129 Later, in the same year the club, with the help of all the residents and businesses in the city, entered a statewide contest. It was a Better Home Town contest sponsored by the Georgia Power Company. There were more than twenty towns in the surrounding districts and Leesburg was judged a second place winner. The prize was a check for $500.00. Working together as well as having fun and fellowship certainly proved that together as a whole community many things were and can be accomplished. Annibeth Woods McBride Chez Nous Club Ethelind Cannon, Annibeth McBride, Nora Allen, Leah Mercer 130 Sunday Dinner Time Back in the days when families got together for Sunday dinners after church, grown ups ate first. The children had to wait until they had finished (not like today!). There was one Sunday that I particularly remember. The Cannon boys, the Coxwell children, Lester, Geraldine, and Wanda and I were in our grandparents backyard. James found a pitchfork and would poke it at my bare feet. He would pause and I would jump back; he did this several times. Finally I said, No. He poked me one more time and the forks of the pitchfork went into the soft flesh between my big toe and the next one. I was pinned to the ground. My screams and yells broke up that Sunday dinner. I dont remember what happened to James. I never asked. Gwen Johnson Seanor Making Friends While Growing up on Main Street Leesburg in 1930s and 1940s (Excerpts from the Journal of Mrs. Leah Marie King McGee) When I was a child living on Main Street in Leesburg in the early 1930s, I remember daddy (Ulric King), who was a postman in Lee County, would sometimes give us a quarter on Saturday to spend how we wanted! At that time my brother Jimmy (we called him Bubba), sister Ann, and I could buy a big sack of candy for a quarter. Silver Bells (candy kisses) were ten for one cent. Baby Ruth, Butterfinger and Snickers candy bars were about ten inches long for five cents. A loaf of bread was a nickel. I always liked pickled pigs feet and would buy one for five cents. The school was right across the street from our house. When I was very small, I would go across the street to meet my brother, Bubba, and my sister, Ann when the school bell would ring and sit on an old iron box, just waiting for them to come out. Bubba would carry me back across the street on his shoulders. The iron box was an old thrown away safe. The jailhouse was right there by the school. The McBrides lived in the bottom part of the 131 building and the jail was upstairs. It looked like an old temple. It had steeple- like structures on top, on all four comers, and was made of red brick, with a porch on 3 sides. James, Gladys, and Sara were their children. The Lees lived across the street in a big two-story house. We thought they were rich. Harry (now living in Albany) was my age. The Coxwells lived next door and their children were Flora and Shirley. The Coxwells house burned down but they moved down the street. Flora and I were always together. Shes two weeks older then me, but she finished school a year before me, because daddy wouldnt let me start when I was five years old, because I was small. I still love her very much. We played marbles a lot when we were young. We always played at Page Tharps because their yard didnt have a lot of grass and it was smooth and easy to shoot. We couldnt play for keeps though; daddy said that was wrong. So at the end of the game, wed divide the marbles back up. We also played softball in the street. When a car or wagon would come by, wed just stop and start over again. I remember one time when we were about ten years old, Flora was the catcher and I was pitching. Harry was batting and swung and hit Flora on her cheek. Boy, she cried, and we got her in the house and put an ice pack on it. She had a black eye for a while. Growing up on Main Street, it seemed we knew everyone in Leesburg. Flora Coxwell was my best friend, Eleanor Seagers was Anns best friend, and Joel Forrester was Bubbas best friend. We really had a wonderful childhood. I remember at Christmas, wed get a lot of fruit and fireworks, and always a new doll. Other kids gifts that I remember from my childhood were tea sets, a wicker rocking chair, and a pearl necklace and bracelet. I dont ever remember having but one bike, and my sister, Ann, and I got it together. We were so proud of it! We didnt get a lot of toys all at once like children do today, but we were happy with what we received. Daddy would always get up on Christmas morning and go across the road to build a big bonfire. We would shoot firecrackers, and rockets, and Roman candles. Kids would come from all over town to play at this little Christmas party, We didnt have a lunchroom at school until I was in high school (early 40s) so we always walked home at lunch and the children who rode 132 the bus would carry their lunch. I dont ever remember getting to eat in the lunchroom. It cost ten cents and was in the basement. There were only eleven grades when I graduated in 1946. There were only eight people in my graduating class. Thats really hard to believe isnt it? There were five girls and three boys. When I was thirteen years old, we moved to the hotel in Leesburg, and lived there for nearly eight years. Many of the teachers boarded with us and Ann and I had to help cook and clean when we were out of school for summer vacation. We learned how to cook, clean, wash clothes, and iron. We had a lot of chores to do. Now, I am so glad we learned to do these things. Its really good for children to know these things, and its important for children to know that these days, too. They must learn respect and responsibility. When we were growing up on Main Street we had so much fun playing outside, especially in the summer when the days were long. We always had to do the dishes after supper, and then we could go out and play. Wed play hide and seek, cops and robbers, hopscotch, Mother May I, and sit on the grass and tell ghost stories, or if we were inside, wed play I spy. I dont know if children play those games anymore. We had a swing on the front porch and Bubba would swing us so high we would almost fall out. Everybody knew everyone back then in Leesburg and we always had a lot of children at our house. We had a place called Mossy Dell, which was a swimming hole in the woods about five miles outside of town. Our daddy taught us to swim very young, so we were never scared of the water. Every summer we would go there and swim and the water was freezing cold. At one place there seemed to be no bottom. The water boiled up and the stream was way underground. Sometimes, on the way to Mossy Dell, we would stop by the fields on the way and help ourselves to a watermelon. We would carry it with us to the swimming hole, and put it in the cold, cold water. After we would swim for a while, we would put old newspaper on the ground, cut the watermelon and eat it. After swimming we would stay cool for hours. There is nothing like good friends and like my daddy always said, All the money in the world cant buy a dear and true friend. And that is 133 true. The friends that I grew up with in Leesburg are true blue friends, and many of them live there to this day. Claire McGee Wright Deal Me In Most small towns, USA, have or had a local place where men would gather to sit, talk, play checkers, or some other form of entertainment. In Leesburg, during the late 30s, 40s and some 50s, it was the Setback card game. A game was always going on in the afternoons right out on the sidewalk, Walnut St., US 19 S, usually between Gunters barbershop and the H.B. Stovall Store. In cold, rain, or bad weather, it was moved into the rear of the Stovall Store. After my high school day was over, and my chores done, I would take off on my bicycle, (mama saying watch the rr and highway) to watch the card game. At times a fourth player would be needed, and I would be allowed to play since I knew the game well. This was all right with my parents, as there was never any betting, and as I would first check with my Daddy who was keeping books for Mr. Buck Stovall. The Game was constant, as some would come and go, and even some men came from out of town, salesmen, friends, et al. Mr. Phil Roberson, called Bull of the Woods and father of Albanys Dr. Roberson, loved the game. The reason he was called Bull of the Woods was because he sold and was the area representative of Bull of the Woods chewing tobacco. If there was any chewing going on, and there was, be sure it was his brand. It would be impossible to recall all the men players, but among them were B.E. Gunter, Phil Roberson, Ed, Dick, and James Forrester, Frank and Hugh Stovall, Goode and Goat Yeoman, Red Allen, Wandell Murphy, Otis and Malcom Cannon, Dewey Mercer, Ulrick King, Steve Duncan, Elash Davis, Buck Stovall, Cassell Harris, Robert Lee, and E.B. Martin (Mr. Martins special saying was all contributions kindly received, and large ones in proportion). My daddy liked the game, but he was usually too busy to stop his work and play. As previously mentioned, he did book work for Mr. Buck 134 Stovall, which was no easy task in itself, as Mr. Buck would often write entries in pencil on the office walls of his business transactions. Not only was it hard to read his writing, but also the walls were full of various notations. At any rate, if someone owed him money, and many did, once on the wall it would not be lost or erased. Open playing of Setback on the sidewalk stopped after there was a minor altercation between two of the players, both being respectful residents of Leesburg. One side lacked two points to go out and win the game, and they bid two spades. The other side lacked only one point to go out and win the game. A player on the one point side said, We win, I have the ace of trumps (spades), and we are out and win. Not so, said the other player who bid two. If I make the bid of two, we are out and win the game. Tempers flew hot, and the bidding player slapped the face of the player with the ace. In the turmoil, everyone jumped up, knocking Mr. Charlie Cannon, a spectator, who was sitting on the end of the bench, to the concrete sidewalk. Cards, table, players, including myself, quickly vanished. Mr. Charlie Cannon was still waving his cane and rendering some choice remarks for the occasion, as he crossed the railroad on his way back to the Farmers Exchange Store. Jumping on my bike, I headed home as fast as I could......laughing all the way. Sometime afterwards, the game was moved down to the American Legion Post, but playing cards on the sidewalks will never be forgotten....Checkers, anyone....? Page Tharp The Dear Sweet Lady and Her Special Gift Miss Annie Long was a frail, sweet little petite lady. Her brother Francis Taylor Long, let her live in two rooms that included the kitchen in the back downstairs of his two story house. Miss Annie enjoyed walking. She always walked to church and everywhere she went. She would walk in the neighborhoods many times. I 135 would go out and talk with her and sometime walk with her. I enjoyed talking with her, for she was a very sweet lonely lady. I visited with her where she lived a couple of times but could stay only a short time. We became good friends. When I became engaged to Billy Smith, Miss Annie walked to my house with a beautiful antique bowl she said had been in her family for years. This was and still is one of my prized possessions. Paula Stamps Smith Four Years as A Soda Jerk April 11,1947.......this will be explained later. All four of my high school years and one summer of college, I worked in the afternoon and some days, in the Faircloth Drug Store, and with my good friend, Spencer, son of Dr. & Mrs. W. Y. Faircloth. Those were the good old days when we had a real, old fashioned marble top soda fountain, iron-back drug store chairs, overhead fans, and a place where just about everybody came sometime during the week. First thing on Saturday mornings we would fill and label bottles with castor oil pumped from a large container, then on to filling cardboard containers with Epsom salts and other medical products. Next, clean the soda fountain, which had its syrup refrigerated compartment, carbonated tanks and dispensers, with the freezer area for ice cream. After sweeping and mopping inside, sweeping the outside sidewalk, we cleaned the windows with Bon Ami (that is French for good friend). Drug stores in those days were not like the ones today. They were just what it says, drug stores. I do remember though, as a child, having fountain curb service. Of course, we sold everything from Hoyts cologne, asthma cigarettes, of all things, to Lydia Pinkhams vegetable compound, as printed on the bottle, especially for women. I wish that I could have saved some of those old bottles and medical remedies accumulated over the years from former drug store owners, such as Turner Drug Store. One old bottle I remember particularly was Dr. Pellmans Pink Pills for Pale People. 136 Speaking of medicine, it was during prior years that a medicine man sideshow came through town, locating to the rear of the present Tax Assessors office and south of the peanut mill office. It had a real, live, full-blooded Indian chief with it, with long black hair down to his waist, fully dressed with bonnet, feather, and all. He would let the children touch his hair, which he claimed had never been washed in his entire life. Who would want to touch thatlThe medicine man in top hat and dress coat, would bellow through his megaphone...Step right up Ladies and Gentlemen, get you elixir of love and lift, (consisting mostly of alcohol) only fifty cents per bottle, get back boy, you are blocking the ladys view, curing most all ailments, internal and external, also such maladies as colds, moles, and pimples on the belly. During WWII, there was a shortage of many things. Remember, Lucky Strike cigarettes red gone to war, being substituted by Lucky Strike green, or was it the other way around. They came out with White House cigarettes, and other brands, and Beechnut chewing gum was precious. Like so, was Coca Cola Syrup, which was replaced on occasion with Major Cola, that was good, but not as good as Coke. As with Coke, we would put the concentrated cola syrup, which was mixed with simple syrup pf sugar and water, into one of the fountain dispensers, then into a glass, add carbonated water and ice, and you had a fountain coke. Everything was made from scratch. One day, the water and sugar simple syrup was forgotten and straight cola concentrate was put into the dispenser. A man from out of town came in and asked for a dope. Even in those days, people still referred to coke as dope. I told him that we only had Major Cola, and he said, All right. I fixed him the drink; not knowing it was only concentrate. He gasped, holding his throat, and saying, Water, water, water. Are you people trying to kill me? All, including Dr. Faircloth, came running to his aid and after all was over, everything was all right. Today it might have meant a lawsuit. At one time, the only public pay phone in town was located in the inside front of the drug store, and many came to use it. I dont know why they would bother to close the booth door, as you could hear everything they said anyway. Especially loud was Mr. Ware Martin, whose voice could be heard almost to Albany. At one time, we rented out books like a small library. We had rental comic books, which young folks would come in, sit on the floor and read. 137 Mr. And Mrs. Cromartie lived just one and one-half blocks from the drug store on Walnut St. and Mr. Cro, as many called him, as well as the family, loved ice cream. The big difference was he wanted it scooped fresh from the chum container at the drug store rather than store bought. He would send Bill or John, or both, to the drug store with a sizeable bowl for the scooped cream. It took a large bowl, as there were children, Martha, Hendricks, Mary, Bill, and John Drew. Seeing them coming in the store door with that big bowl, both Spencer and I would run to the back of the store. Spencer ran some track in school, but his best running time was inside the drug store. Whoever was last getting to the back door had to dip all that ice cream! Dr. Faircloth preferred to smoke Puerto Rico brand cigars which were made right here in Albany. The tobacco shop was located on the second floor, south of Broad St. over about where Goodwill is today. I would go down and pick up a box, and sometimes I would have to wait until they finished it. It was interesting to see them wrap the cigar with the special outer layer and cut the ends off with a special knife. The Puerto Rico resembles the fancy Have-A-Tampa cigar, which, of course, was wrapped in cellophane. One day a man came into the drug store saying that he was in pain up to his neck, and asked for what sounded like a scramblelater. We, nor Dr. Faircloth, could understand what he said or wanted. Finally, Dr. Faircloth said, All right, we will scramble him for sure. Bring castor oil, Epsom salts, milk of magnesia, calomel, caroid and bile salts, black draught, and we will mix all with a glass of fleets phosphate of soda; a super laxative to say the least. He drank it all. I guess it did the job, as he didnt come back! The back of the drug store was the daytime office of many doctors over the years. I got to know them all well, and I went to some even after I was grown. Some of them were Drs. Neil, Fountain, Seymour, Field, and Parrish. Someone said if three of them went into business together, it could be Neill, Field, and Seymour. The doctors office in the rear of the store led to many difficulties, especially on Saturday nights. Times have changed so much since then. There would be fights and injuries often. The only place they knew to come was the drug store because of the office in the rear. 138 At the beginning, the figure of 11,947 mentioned was the total of conservative and educated estimate of our fountain service over those years, consisting of 365 chocolate sodas, 575 banana splits, 920 sundaes, 1,282 black on whites, 2,911 milkshakes, and 5,894 cokes; plain, cherry, or vanilla. Who knows how many ice cream cones! All told, I had an educational and wonderful time working in the drug store, and I still think about those days often. Way back in our younger and real silly teenage days, I would softly say, where only Spencer could hear it, Put a nickel in, take out a dime, Faircloth Drug Store will soon be mine. Spencer would run back and tell his daddy.. .Did you hear what he said? Dr. Faircloth would just laugh. Page Tharp My Memories Growing Up in Lee County My family meant the world to me. Daddy always said, PT Bamum didnt have anything on him. They had a 3-ring circus and he had a 4-ring. School memories will remain with me all my life. I started school in September 1941. My first grade teacher was Mrs. Falba Webb, and Mr. Hardin was principal. My sister and I rode the school bus that had one long bench down the window sides and two down the middle. They werent as long as buses are today. Our school bus patrols were Bobby Miller and Little Jack Usry. They would get off the bus when we got to Smithville with the busy railroad tracks, and wave our driver across. All roads were dirt ones back then, and if it rained, we would be late for school if we slipped in a ditch, which we did very often over the 12 years I was in school. We traveled over the wooden bridges on Highway 118 until 1953 when the new ones were built and the highway was paved between Leslie and Smithville. One of them was very narrow and curved. It was very scary when our bus would be out of alignment, which was often. We held our breath going over it. No more dust, slipping and sliding, until we 139 got off the paved road. The road was finished just before I graduated in 1953. We would take small pieces of scrap metal, such as coat hangers and other items for the war effort. During the war years, I remember large barrels of raisins in our hallway. That was a good treat for each student. Each class would go to get a handful. It was a healthy treat. Sugar, gasoline, and other things were being rationed. We were thankful for our food back then. I remember buying war bonds and saving our dimes to put in booklets for the March of Dimes. Daddy would drive our family to the school Halloween carnival. Most every time, we would go home with Octagon soap on our windows. The carnival was a big project. The teachers, parents, and students worked hard on the fishponds, apple bobbing, Tom Thumb weddings, haunted house and other games. Oh, what fun we had! The gym was always full of people having a good time. In 1948 after I graduated 7th grade in Smithville, we rode the bus on US Highway 19 to Leesburg. It was always fun watching for the tags from all over our country. At that time, it was a main highway from the north to Florida. It helped pass the time if we werent studying, which we did if we were having tests. I remember in the early 50s on our way home to Smithville, we had left Neyami, we came upon an accident where a semi truck loaded with pigs had turned over. They were all over the road: some dead, some alive. Never have I seen so many Georgia State Patrol officers in one place! I have heard Daddy tell the stories when he would carry his brother Jessie up the stairs when he was in high school because he had polio as a child and never walked. He had one sister, Ellen, who is 91 years old and taught high school one year in Smithville. She taught many years in Newnan, Fayetteville, and 33 years in the Atlanta school system. Several of his sisters went to school in Smithville. Daddy only had an 8th grade education, but he was the smartest man I knew. He was a member of the Board of Education. He gave my sister Betty, her diploma in 1950 from Lee County High School. That was his last year on the board. The teachers we had in Lee County High School were the very best any student could ever have. On May 24,2003, my 1953 class held our 50th class reunion at the Retreat at Lake Blackshear State Park. We had five 140 teachers: Mrs. Opal Cannon, Mr. Sherman Hall, Mr. Fred Kight, Mr. Leonard Pridgeon, and Mrs. Carolyn Webb who came to share our special day. It was wonderful seeing all our classmates and teachers sharing many Lee County memories. I also went to the school reunion in April of 1994. Mama was in Magnolia Manor at that time, and was not able to go, but she had memories of Leesburg High School, too. She graduated there in 1930. She played basketball on a dirt court. I have her purple and gold emblem LHS, also her class ring, which Ill always treasure. Mamas brother, Golden Scott also went there. He played baseball where the gym is now at the old high school in the 1920s and 1930s. I have a picture of that team. Some of those classmates on his team were Robert B. Lee, Hugh Stovall, and Dick Forrester. Today, two of our grandchildren are in Lee County schools. During March and April, many farmers burned brush in the woods. New grass was sprouting and sister, so I would go across from our house to look for new wild violets. When I lived in Washington State, she would pick some, wrap them in waxed paper, and mail them to me in many letters. Needless to say, that was always a special memory for us. I still have them in my Bible. I have some in my own yard now. The Lee County Historical Society published a History of Lee County several years ago. I was living in Washington State when I ordered mine. It, too, is a treasure for me. My uncle gave me his book before he died in 1994, so I have one for each of our sons. I hope theyll cherish these books as much as I do. Today, children usually see marbles in flower vases. We entertained each other at home by playing marbles in our front yard. There was no grass then, and we would dig our little holes - make a huge circle, and sister and I were as good as our two little brothers, Johnnie and Larry. When you lived in the country without close neighbors, families were closer, often doing things together, like chores, checkers, marbles, milking cows, feeding hogs, picking peas, butterbeans, com, cucumbers, or taking the vegetables to the canning plant in Leslie. It was work, but we ate well and enjoyed life. Daddy always said he was the richest man in the world. He had his family. He never left our table without telling my mother, I enjoyed my breakfast, dinner, or supper. We took his dinner to the fields a lot of times, or we would ring our dinner bell and he would come home to eat. He ploughed 141 mules a long time during his lifetime. After he bought his first tractor, one with no push button ignition or lights, but a farmer back then never had an air conditioned, radio-equipped tractor, as the later models have. One year, Daddy planted cucumbers for the family to pick. The first money we made, I got to go to FFA/FHA camp at Lake Jackson for a week. Sister will never forgive me for that fun week I had. I know my classmates will remember that week. It was 1951,1 believe. Lee County boys and girls were softball champions up there. We shared cabins with Southwest Dekalb County High School. When we were young, we sat around our fireplace and would shell peanuts for Daddy to plant in the spring. He would choose an ear of com that had straight rows to save for planting. We used a com sheller for getting the dried ear of com shelled for planting. That was not work, because we were a family doing things together. I could drive a tractor before learning to drive a car. During watermelon season, we would help with gathering the melons and go to Cordele State Farmers Market sitting on top of Daddys truck, loaded with watermelons, and we could see no danger in it. Today, you arent supposed to sit in a bed of a pickup. Times do change! We would take melons home with our tractor trailer for our hogs, throw them over the fence and jump over to try to beat the hogs to the hearts of those big, juicy melons. You can imagine what memories I have when my husband and I go to the market in Cordele. We always had a large garden. We had English peas, onions, potatoes, peas, and always sweet potatoes where he stored them after digging. He saved one mule for years... just to plough his sweet potatoes. Mama always had a pan of baked ones for Daddy. When we were older, he planted long rows of butterbeans, peas, green beans, com, and other vegetables. We all picked, shelled, and canned either in jars or at the canning plant in Leslie. Mama would layer her fruit and beans in jars because she wanted them to look pretty. When she died in 1996, those jars were still looking pretty on the top shelf of her kitchen cabinet. We never got to eat those. In November each year, our family would pick pecans. Today, most people dont get on their knees to do that. Under those same trees, I remember 142 Daddy lost many cows that were standing under one of them when lightening struck. That was a terrible experience for Daddy and all of us. My sister and I had chores, and milking cows was one of them. We didnt really like to, but when Daddy said to do something, we did it without complaining for we were helping him. We were sitting in his comcrib door one-day shelling com and our feet were dangling from beneath, a cottonmouth moccasin crawled from beneath, his head was about six inches up looking at us. I dont think either of us had ever moved so quickly. That did it for us shelling com that day. We would feed Daddys hogs when he needed us to do it for him. We really knew how to slop the hogs. I always helped Daddy outside. Sister liked housework. I didnt like to cook, sew, or clean house... still dont, but someone has to do it. One year, I drove the tractor helping Daddy in the oat fields. Later on, I worked in Leslie at the Peanut and Gin Company in the office. I knew more about farming than doing housework. Computers and so many new toys are teaching our children to use their minds and thumbs, but they have missed out on so many good things that teach them how things grow and how to leam to do without and do with what they have. Sure, theyll grow up, but I think we enjoyed what we had without knowing it was hard work. It was wonderful growing up in the country. We loved our family and still do. Our Daddy died in March 1960, Mama in January 1996, and our brother Johnnie in June 2001. Our grandmother lived with us from June 1946 until June 1968 when she died. We always enjoyed her children coming to our house to visit, for it was always a very lively place. They shared stories of them growing up during wartime experiences, work place stories, and jokes. Our house had always been a big, happy place as long as I can remember. When my husband and I moved to Albany in 1965, our children went to Magnolia Elementary. When our oldest son was in 3rd grade, his teacher was Mrs. Lucille Melton. She had been my 3rd and 4th grade teacher in Smithville. You can imagine what a thrill it was for me to have a former teacher teaching one of my sons. Both of our sons started to school in Albany at Magnolia Elementary. I married my husband, Robert, in Macon and we have lived in Savannah, Columbus, Albany, St. Lewis, Missouri, and Kirkland, 143 Washington. We came back to Georgia in 1988, after retirement, but I have never forgotten my love for Lee County where I had a very happy childhood and where I was bom. We have two sons and five grandchildren. My school friends will always be remembered as special people in my life. Our church was in Leslie and we always left home with a car full, but we stopped along the way to pick up our grandmother, aunt, and cousins. We would always get to church on time. Daddy always wanted to be on time for everything we did. Elaine Tucker Douglas Years Can Tell When I was a child about eight years old, an old lady lived in a big house with her little dog. The house and yard were not neatly kept, and looked almost deserted. Miss Mary walked by my house every day on her way to town. She fascinated me. She wore party dresses, bright red smudged lipstick, round red rouge, fluffy hair and high-heeled shoes. Some days she wore the shoes on the wrong feet and some days she wore the shoes on the right feet. This was interesting to me. Being a child, I asked her; Miss Mary, why do you wear your shoes on the wrong feet? She replied I wear them that way so the heels will wear even. This made sense tome. She would always tell me that her dog talked to her. He told her many things. He could even tell time. They would go to town every afternoon because the dog would tell her it was time to get his ice cream cone. I thought Miss Mary and her dog were strange back in those days. Now that I am an old lady and I have a dog, Im not so sure! Gwen Johnson Seanor 144 Rabbits and Cub Scouts When my sons, Lariy and Ken, were Cub Scouts years ago, I decided to be a Den Mother. All the little boys were excited, but we couldnt find another Den Mother, Not wanting to disappoint the boys, the Scout Council decided since I was a teacher and possibly could handle more boys than usual, I ended up with about 12 Cub Scouts. There are many wonderful memories and stories to tell. This one I really remember. We were looking good that afternoon in our Blue Uniforms, even I in mine. This was a little nature study trip. We found an open field with a hedge running along beside it. While really being quiet and attentive and concentrating on the plants we found, I thought the Cubs were learning loads of knowledge about nature. All of a sudden a rabbit jumped out of the low grass, and began to run across the open field. You guessed it, no more nature study that afternoon, as eight little, blue, uniformed boys went after that rabbit, running as fast as their young legs could go. That ended the nature study for that meeting. Such is the life of a Den Mother! Gwen Johnson Seanor The Big Haunted House Growing up in Leesburg, we all knew of the big haunted house in town on Walnut Street. It was a large two-story house worn by weather and age, trimmed in brown. At night it was totally dark, except for a light in one window upstairs. Being young people, we could only imagine all kinds of ghosts living there. We knew this house was owned by a man named Francis T. Long. He lived upstairs. Mr. Long was well educated but very eccentric. The story goes that at one time he taught school at Leesburg High School. It was told when he resigned from teaching there, he said, They didnt need a teacher, they needed a policeman. He was rarely seen, except to walk to the Post Office. 145 Mr. Long and Miss Annie Long are of the family which Crawford W. Long Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia was named. Paula Stamps Smith All Stewed Up Mr. J. B. Cannon boasted that he made the best catfish head stew around. He had a cabin on the creek where he would go fish and relax. One weekend, Charles, Ann, and J.B. invited several of us teenagers to go for a spend the night fling at the cabin on the creek and said that Mr. J.B. would make some of his famous catfish head stew. He had a boat there at the cabin for fishing down the creek. He told us he would furnish the bait and poles, and we could fish from the boat or the creek bank. Of course, the boys went in the boat and the girls fished mostly on the creek bank. Edgar and I were among several teenagers to go. Of course, we were up most of the night talking and giggling until Mr. J.B. told us to go to sleep. We slept on the hard floor, which didnt bother us at all. Being up later the night before did not matter, either. Several of us were up early and ready to go fishing. With our bait and fishing gear, we headed to the creek bank to fish, while Mr. J.B. began his chore of cooking. We had such a good time and Mr. J.B. was a terrific host. Just as he promised, he made that stew. We, as teenagers, did not think the name catfish head stew was too appealing, but we were so excited to be there and had such a good time that we ate it. We either liked it or we told Mr. J.B. it was good. We knew it had to be the best ever made because Mr. J.B. said it was. Paula Stamps Smith My Home Town Living in Leesburg my teen years in the 1940s and 1950s was such an enjoyable time. It was its own little Peyton Place but a wonderful place to be. Everyone knew most everyone. It was a caring town where the people were all friendly. The stores closed at 6:00 p.m. daily, except 146 Wednesdays, when they closed at 1:00 p.m. and Saturday nights until there were no customers. When there were funerals, for respect of that deceased and the family, they closed the hour of the funeral and many times would go to the funeral. They never opened on Sunday. Church services back then were first and third Sundays at Leesburg Methodist Church, Second and fourth Sundays at Leesburg Baptist Church and on the fifth Sunday when there was a fifth Sunday in the month, the service was held at Leesburg Presbyterian Church. Many times wed go to Sunday School at our own church and then go to the church that was having the sermon that day. The big entertainment back then for Leesburg was the high school basketball games. When they were in Leesburg, the gym would be almost packed. The senior plays were always good and supported by the whole town. Then of course there were the Square Dances on Saturday nights. This was a friendly, safe place to live where doors and windows were never locked. To me, this was my ideal town where everyone was important. Paula Stamps Smith Saturday Nights in Leesburg Saturday nights in Leesburg were exciting when I was a child. We would get into the car, go uptown, park and watch the people. The stores stayed open until midnight. On election days everyone parked in front of the courthouse and waited around until all the votes were counted. There was much visiting and catching up on the news, etc during this time. Gwen Johnson Seanor 147 The Mill Pond The Mill Pond was a popular place to swim in Smithville. Teenagers would walk from downtown by way of the railroad track to the pond. Zaida Ivey Poupard, Barbara Sikes Pines, Tommy and Nell Jesup Miller, Joyce Whately Harpe, Carol Calloway, Joan Hatcher Sparlin, and Janell Ranew Larkin were the group who particularly enjoyed going together. One day, Tommy pushed me into the pond, and I couldnt swim. The others who were standing near the bank started yelling, She cant swim! Tommy, realizing this, jumped in to pull me out. By this time though, I had already gotten to the bank doggy paddling. Tommy learned a lesson that day- never throw anybody into the water unless you are sure they know how to swim. Janell Ranew Larkin Memories of Lee County I consider myself blessed to have lived my childhood days in Leesburg, Lee County, Georgia. It will never cease being home to me. My roots are deeply set here. My father and his brother owned a General Store for many years. My father, too, was a Baptist Preacher and as a small child I went with him many times to Antioch Church in Chokee District. The first wedding he performed was that of Miss Eddie Hooks and Mr. Robert Clay, parents of Dr. Bobby Clay, who meant so much to the schools in Lee County in later years. I attended this wedding in the home of Mr. And Mrs. Tom Hooks. I spent many Sunday afternoons with Mrs. E.J. Stocks (Granny Stocks), a member of the Thundering Springs Church where my father also preached for many years. The Stocks family owned a dairy farm in Red Bone District. I followed Granny Stocks around the farm. We had chocolate milk, candy from the store across from her house, and were followed by some sheep. I believe this might have been the only sheep in Lee County at that time. There were also two beautiful dogs on the farm named Major and Colonel. They were gentle and playful. 148 As I grew older my attentions turned to my friends, however, I didnt forget Granny Stocks. When I graduated from Leesburg High School I sent her an invitation. She had someone drive her to town to bring her little girl a gift- a five dollar gold piece. This was a very fine gift back in 1932. The government later recalled these gold pieces, but I never forgot my Sunday afternoons with Granny Stocks. I began first grade in the old Masonic Hall, across the street from our home on Academy Street. We transferred in the second grade to the new building on Main Street. Here I finished all eleven grades. When I check the recent graduation classes, I can hardly believe it. We had only fifteen grads in my class and we never dreamed of a football team, a band, or a nice trip. Im glad the children have these advantages now. I love to see the little park in the center of town and I am so happy to see and appreciate that it is dedicated to Frank Yeoman and Hines Stovall, as I went all eleven years of school with both. I wrote to each of them when they entered Service in WWII and grieved deeply when I heard they were lost. Through the years I kept in contact with Florence Tharp Moye and Sara Coxwell Collier. In out 89th year, I still see Sissy Stovall Lee and we talk over the phone often. In my younger days we would ride down to Albany, that is, if it had not rained. This was a two-lane road and was very slippery when wet. I now live in Albany and I ride up to Leesburg, and I recall and cherish my memories of Lee County. Carol Forrester Kirkland Lee Countys Whiteout My son, David Kessler invited his friend, Vic Moore to spend the weekend with him. They were both in Lee County Elementary School at that time. On Saturday morning Vic was the first one up. He stood by his bed and looked out the window. I over heard him say, David, get up and look out the window. David, in turn, called to me to come look also. We could hardly believe what we saw! A blanket of snow had fallen during the night and everything was covered, every leaf, every tree limb, every blade 149 of grass, the road, houses, all under this beautiful blanket of white snowflakes! Since this was and is today a most unusual sight to see anytime in South Georgia, we were all excited. The boys especially were anxious to get outside and throw snowballs and build a snowman. The cat that we had at that time was a house-porch cat. David and Vic, however, decided to introduce her to the new fallen snow on the ground. This South Georgia cat was certainly unfamiliar with this! It was interesting to watch as she picked up one paw, shook the snow off and would do the other paw the same way! She then went to the back door as quickly as possible, whining for me to let her into the porch. As I let her in, she ran past me, got under a table and stayed there for most of the day. She would not let anyone near her for a long time. There have been other snowfalls in Lee County, but this one was the heaviest. Many families had pictures made in the snow, and used them as Christmas cards. David and Vic are now grown. They will however always remember the day when Lee County had a white out. Maybe the cat did too! Sandra Stocks Alice Long Kearse told the following stories to the Lee County Ledger July 9,1981. My Mothers Stories My maternal grandfather, Oliver Hays, owned land surrounding where Century is now. He sawmilled the timber on the land. The sawmill was there. The railroad put in a siding for him to put his cars on, and they told him to select a name for the stop or station. He said, Well name it Century, because it is 100 miles from Macon. So that is the way Century got its name. Edgar and Clara Long built their home on Longview in 1918 and some of the wood for the house was shipped up here from Florida by railroad over to Century. One of the building contractors was a Mr. Jones from Columbus and he came in on the railroad. My father, Edgar Long, would 150 meet him every Monday morning and take him back to the train stop over there every Friday afternoon for about a year. We had kinfolks in the north and they all came to Smithville to visit. They were all young. They said, Just for the heck of it well take our ice skates and let those old Southerners see what ice skates are like. While they were down here, Wells Mill Pond, which was just north of Smithville, froze over. The boys took their skates and went up there and did some fancy skating on the pond and all of Smithville turned out to see it. In Smithville about 1910 when I was in about the 4th grade, we had a two-seater surrey. Every morning my sister, Rosalie and I and my two brothers, Paul and Charles, would get in and wed pick up some other children along the way. Mr. Salter had a livery stable on the east side of the railroad, the business side, and wed leave the horse there. Wed all get out and walk across the railroad tracks to school. Alice Ann Kearse Holton Long Family Surrey 151 Fun in the Fifties One of my fondest memories of Leesburg is the square dance on Saturday night. The time frame was the 50s and they were held in the Lee County High School Gym. My aunt and uncle, Lorice and Heyward Cook were responsible for bringing this activity to Leesburg, or this is what I always believed to be true. At any rate, Aunt Lorice always took up the money at the door, and Uncle Heyward tried to see that all the boys and girls minded their manners (a hard job sometimes). All of the gang in Albany felt that we had to attend every Saturday night. We usually got together and traveled in one or two cars. Either parents would take us or maybe some often-older guys would drive. It was good, clean fun, and everyone had a great time. I also remember going to Leesburg to the swimming pool. My Aunt Lucilla managed it for a while, so Nan, my sister and I were able to go pretty often. It seemed that the teenagers in Leesburg were always having a fun time, and Nan and I loved to go and be a part of it. Lois Westbrook Childhood Memories on Longview Farm As a young child growing up, some of my most wonderful memories centered around my life as a little girl on the family farm known as Longview My parents, Alice and Grover Kearse, and I lived in the house built in 1918 with my grandparents, Edgar and Clara Long. We all lived in the house until my grandparents passed away when I was about three years old. Our first telephone was a wall phone with a crank on the side. You turned a crank and an operator would come on the line and connect you to whomever you wished to talk. Several others used the same line. That first telephone still hangs in the hall, although no longer in use. I still have memories of the balls of fire, which rolled from it during lightning storms, and how I feared it was going to bum down the house. 152 Around 1955, we got our first private phone lines and our first television. About that same time, Palmyra Road was also paved. I was 14 years old and so thrilled! Just in time for my teenage years! Always at the door to greet me each morning was my cat Cutie Pie, to whom I felt so close. Mother had a wringer washing machine on the back porch and as luck would have it, Cutie Pie chose this to be the nursery for a litter of kittens. My mother was unable to wash clothes for over a week because we could not disturb the new family. Over her lifetime, Cutie Pie had 50 kittens and each was welcomed with love. Longview was, and still is, a working farm. Around 1915, my great grandparents, Judge and Mrs. Henry L. Long, had large pear orchards. The thirty acres of pear trees blooming in the spring were a sight to see. They grew LaConte and Kiefer, pears that they would ship by rail from the Leesburg train station to the markets up North. The railroad was our link to the outside world. I remember leaving on the train from Leesburg with Maxine and Clairose Pate and riding all the way to Annapolis, Maryland to see my nephew Zack at the Naval Academy. The railroad also took my senior class to Washington, D.C. and New York, City. My mother once ordered a pair of Fox Terrier puppies from Fountain Inn, South Carolina, which were shipped here by rail. There was great excitement as we awaited their arrival. When they arrived, mother named them Buttons and Bows. We always looked forward to seeing the Bookmobile as it stopped by the house once a month to allow us to browse into a small array of books. It was good to have the library come to us. My mother was an avid reader and instilled this in me even as a young child. She once said, She had traveled the world and never left her chair. I can still remember the wood burning Home Comfort stove in our kitchen. One day during the hot, humid summer, she was getting ready to cook supper. She suddenly decided that she had taken enough of that heat. She called a store in Albany that sold electric stoves and told them if they could have one delivered in time for her to cook supper, she would buy it. They delivered the stove in time, and we had our first electric stove. Mother and Daddy would have wonderful cookouts about once a month with some friends from Leesburg. They would bring covered dishes and enjoy the food and fellowship. I can still smell the fish and hushpuppies 153 cooking in the old iron wash pot. Dorothy Forrester told me that when she and Jack moved back to Leesburg from Atlanta, someone told her: Dorothy, if you want to go to Alice and Grovers, you will have to learn to bake a cake. She said that she learned that really fast. What a compliment! My parents truly loved their friends. Life on the farm never seemed to be boring. Things to amuse a child were always there, and we learned to make our own entertainment. Under the bam in the soft dirt, I found doodlebugs, and would spend time doodling them out of their holes, citing the saying: Doodlebug, Doodlebug, where have you been? Been to town and back again. If I were lucky, I would get one out of the dirt. I did this for my son Patricks class in the 1980s. A few years ago, one of the girls asked me, You do have to say that to get the bug to come up, dont you? In the 1950s, my friends all came out for a coon hunting party. It was a very cold winter night. Perry Kearse and a friend sent the dogs into the woods to tree the coons. The sounds of the barking and baying dogs treeing coons was excitement we can all remember. All of us boys and girls trying to keep up with the dogs in the woods and cow pastures were a lot of fun. We would return to the house later to roast hot dogs and marshmallows. At about the age of 12, my mother gave my friends and me a prom party. We were all dressed in our Sunday best and stood in the living room. Each of us had a little card with the numbers 1 -10 on it. The boys would ask you for a walk and you would put his name by a number. Mother had placed huge Japanese lanterns hanging from the Oak trees to mark a path. You would walk with the boy through the path and back to the house and have refreshments. Some of the ones who came were Joy Johnson, Sylvia Turner, Glynn Johnson, Max Hardy, and Lady Lee. My father farmed and knew the meaning of hard work and the importance of respect and love for the land. As a grower of peanuts, he was respectfully known to his friends in Lee County as Peanut. He was somewhat of an inventor, and spent many hours designing and building an improved peanut shaker. Down the road from the farm in the back of a pecan orchard lived a hermit named Guy Turner. He always had many cats and was a very 154 intelligent person. When he met you, he would always remember your name and birthday, even if you came back years later. Many young people would come from all around to have him read their horoscope. At times in his life, he rode a bicycle as his only mode of transportation. He also helped at the voting precinct. All the neighbors knew he was all right health-wise if he met the mailman and rolling store. Alice Ann Kearse Holton In the Past In Smithville many years ago the stores used to close at noon every Thursday (as was the custom in many of the rural towns). After closing, the children in town would skate on the sidewalks and the skates were furnished by the Baptist Church. They were also able to skate in the school gym. This was a fun time for the children, and they always looked forward to skating day when they could all get together for some community activity. Zaida Ivey Poupard The Wheelbarrow Ride When World War II ended in 1945, people were celebrating all over Smithville. Willie Smith pushed his brother, Pink Smith, in a wheelbarrow all over town. The children would follow him and after wheeling Pink around, they were given rides too. This was such a wonderful time for all. Zaida Ivey Poupard 155 Yank and His Austin Healey Frank Waddell was the name of my husband, Busters granddaddy. He had the nickname of Yank because he was considered a Yankee from Ohio. He moved to Smithville one day and drove downtown in an Austin Healey automobile. He would drive it downtown and park it. Then, whenever he was nowhere to be seen, teenagers would push it off and hide it. One day Buster was riding around in this little car when all of a sudden as he started across the railroad tracks, it got stuck! His granddaddy just happened to see him and yelled for help and they got him off the tracks just in the nick of time before the train came. Janell Ranew Larkin Train Stops Back many years ago, trains stopped in Smithville. It was a good place to stop for the famous chicken dinners served at the McAfee Hotel. Many times there would be as many as seventy-five dinners called in ahead of time, so that they would be ready by the time the train would arrive. The hotel burned, however, in 1933. We, as a community are known as the Smithville Improvement Group have committed ourselves to bring back those memories that are part of our past. In October 1966 we had our first Chicken Pie Festival, which is now an annual event. By the way, we serve pretty dam good Chicken Pie! Janell Ranew Larkin Hunting Days in Lee County James Cannon loves to share stories about his fox and coon hunting days in Lee County. James father, Henry Cannon, was a hunter and James learned the sport early in life. Foxhounds are necessary in hunting fox, and 156 James had 15 hounds. He can tell you about his favorite dogs with a gleam in his eye. Here is James own story. Frank Bennett was one whom I fox hunted with on many occasions. We would plan a specific place and time to meet and go before daylight. One of us always took our dogs out to the designated place and released them early, before the other one arrived with his dogs. If we let all our dogs out together, they just got too excited and scattered everywhere. On one such occasion we agreed to meet at New York, in the northeastern part of the county. Frank went early and released his dogs, and when I got there I could hear Franks dogs and knew they had already jumped the fox. My dogs could hear them too, and were scrambling to get out of the box and go find the other dogs and join the chase. My dogs took off down the road as fast as they could run. In a short time I heard a strange sound and, with my flashlight found one of his dogs dead in the road. He had collided with one of Franks dogs and it killed my dog. They were running so fast that the dog was killed from the collision. I hunted Trigg breed dogs, while others often hunted Walkers. Each hunter could identify his dog by the sound of his bark. My pride and joy was my two dogs, King and Prince. They were two of the best fox dogs in the United States. I later had another good dog which I named Buddy. One day Frank and I went hunting down below Albany on the Flint River, a good place to find lots of gray fox. King and Prince jumped a fox near the river. Frank and I were enjoying the hunt when we noticed a young puppy I was hunting was staggering like he was drunk. I picked up the dog and put him in the back of the truck. The dog died right there in the truck. Frank was quite knowledgeable about animals and suggested we take him down by the river and see what was wrong with him. Frank cut the dog open and found out his lungs had collapsed, a veterinarian told us the dog had gotten hold of a fungus and it had ruined his lungs. Foxhunters had rather hunt in the daytime so they can watch the dogs run. I often hunted with Griggs Miller, a good friend. We hunted together often and when Griggs died he left me his truck and his dogs. That is where I got King and Prince. Hunting is not like it used to be. Deer became a problem for foxhunters, so now there are places called fox pens where we hunt. There is 157 a place below Albany where they have 300 acres fenced in with high wire to keep the deer out and they hunt coyotes instead of fox. Now the hunters can build a fire in the woods or in a metal drum and sit around to their hearts content and talk about their favorite hound. This sport can get to be expensive, though, with hounds selling for up to $5,000.00. I also enjoyed coon hunting and know lots of stories about these escapades. I remember one time when my good coonhound had a coon up a tree and when the men got to him he would not go to the tree. Usually, he would be trying to climb the tree and bark his lungs out. This puzzled the hunters and we would try to coax the dog to go to the tree. He would go to the tree and jump back and not go back. The hunters shined a light on the ground around the tree and found a huge yellow jacket nest. The dog didnt want any part of that situation. I had some close calls with snakes during his hunting years. I can tell some scary stories of how my friends and I had narrow escapes with rattlesnakes and moccasins. Hunting is a fun hobby and I can entertain you for hours telling about hunting in Lee County. James Cannon The Yearly Easter Egg Hunt at Grommys Every year, the entire Cannon family gathers around the dinner table at my grandmothers, Opal Cannon, who is known to all her grandchildren as Grammy. The parents and older adults always take their precious time eating their dinner, while all the grandchildren chow down and stuff their faces full of food, anticipating the long awaited hunt. Every year this Eggstravaganza, is an event for the whole neighborhood. Grammy always invites the kids from her neighborhood over to hunt with the grandchildren. So many young children, and even the younger adults look forward to the Easter egg hunt. Before the hunt begins, and all the neighborhood kids flock to the front yard, the older people hide the eggs in the front yard. The front yard 158 doesnt have many trees or much shrubbery, so its easier to find eggs there. The front yard has always been reserved for the smaller children who cant hold their own in the back yard with the bigger kids. Considering the youngest grandchild in my family is seventeen now, all of us hunt for our eggs in the back yard, where there is a plethora of little obstacles and hiding places for eggs. When it comes to the back yard hunting, it gets serious. The older weve gotten, the more competitive weve become. In the back yard, the adults hide the eggs, and these are always a bit tougher to find. We wait all year just to spend the twenty minutes of glory, pushing each other, running, hunting, and trying to find the prize egg. A few years ago, my grandmother decided to use an Emu egg as the prize egg because it was green, and it blended in with everything in sight. Whoever finds the prize egg usually wins a sum of twenty dollars. Over the years, I have yet to find the prize egg before either my cousins or my brother. After both yards have been hunted to death, we all unite in the back yard to have our traditional awards ceremony. This is the most exciting part of the hunt, especially for the little ones. Grammy gives everyone a prize every year, whether it is one dollar, five dollars, or ten dollars. The person who finds the prize egg gets ten dollars, and the person who finds the most eggs gets ten. This ceremony used to mean so much more to the grandchildren because we all used to get prizes for certain accomplishments. But, now weve all come to the conclusion that not one of us is particularly special for getting one prize, because we all get prizes. The presentation of the awards is the highlight of the Easter Sunday. My grandmother gives prizes to the little ones first. First, she gives one to the person who found the prize egg in the front yard, and then to the one who found the most. Then comes the funny part. For the little kids who didnt think that they accomplished anything great, my grandmother makes up awards for these young bundles of joy. She gives a prize to the one who works the hardest, runs the fastest, and the one who has the best attitude. This way, everyone gets a prize. This ritual of making up prizes was originated when all of the grandchildren were young, and she wanted all of them to win something. 159 Now, when all of my grandmothers grandkids are grown up, she makes up these prizes, mostly for myself, because I can never seem to find the prize egg or even get the most. Even though last year, my cousin Jenny and I decided we would work together to try and get the most eggs, and then we would split the money prize. Our plan seemed to work until a parent discovered that we were cheating and brought it to everyones attention. After all the trouble, we didnt even have the most eggs; my cousin, Ned did. Every year we continue to have the Easter Egg Hunt ritual in the Cannon family, and as the years have gone by, and grandchildren have gone off to school, they always come back for the Easter Egg Hunt at Grommys house. Lindsey Hunkele Happy Days at Philema We lived at Philema, in Lee County, at two different times when I was a child in the 20s and 30s. My sister, Martha was five years older than me and my sisters Sue and Mary were younger. It was fun having sisters to play with, except when Martha decided to boss. There were eggs to gather, games to play, dolls to dress, play houses to make, paper-dolls to cut out, kittens to feed and best of all rest time when Martha would read to us from the Bobbsey Twins story books. Our house faced the railroad tracks and we always called to each other when we heard the train coming. We would rush to the front yard or front porch to wave at the engineer. Some days he stopped at the depot to take on water from a big pipe for the engine. The train ran from Albany through Philema, over a trestle across the Flint River, and over to Oakfield. In the summer time our family would gather with other people for fish fries on Philema Branch, not far from Philema. My daddy, John Jordan, helped catch the fish, clean them and cook them on the banks of Philema Branch in big iron pots. I liked the bream fish best! There were lots of kids to play with at the fish fries and lots of good food to add to the fish. We enjoyed the swings hanging on long heavy 160 ropes from the tall oak trees. Someone had to push us to get us started because our feet didnt reach the ground. Those were long, happy days at Philema. When school started, it was a long ride on the school bus to Leesburg. The only driver I remember was a Mr. Bullock. The school bus was where I met and learned to love Lucilla long before she married Hoke Cannon. Edward Forrester was the mailman for our area. He delivered it to the depot and we could pitch it up there from Daddys Aunt, Dolly Crews, who was the agent at the depot. Ethelind Cannon Wisteria on Highway 19 South In the spring when flowers begin to bloom, dont miss the beautiful purple wisteria vine about one mile south of Leesburg on Highway 19. The vine has been there for years for local people to enjoy as well as people traveling through Leesburg. The vine has made itself at home and has embraced every bush, tree and reed it has encountered. But wait! The vine is at home because there was a small house there on that roadside that was the home of every ladys handyman, nicknamed Big Head. He was big and strong and loved working in flowers and cutting strawberries. He often carried home cuttings, seeds and trimmings to play in his yard. The wisteria vine is a token of his love of flowers for flower lovers to appreciate and enjoy for years to come. Thanks Big Head or should I say Arthur Willis. Ethelind Cannon 161 Neighborly Love In Leesburg I grew up on Main Street in Leesburg in the late 1960s and 1970s, just across the street from the Elementary School. What a wonderful childhood it was! As I reflect on those days, some of my fondest memories are those involving the love and friendliness of neighbors in Leesburg. Two neighbors made a vivid impact on me, and I still think warmly of them today: Mr. Joseph Johnson and Mrs. Gussie Harris. Mr. Joseph lived right next door and always kept a well-manicured yard. If I were outside when he was cutting his grass, he would always stop, and invite me to ride on the back of the riding lawnmower with him. This was a wonderful treat to me. On particularly special days, he would let me come into his workshop, or hobby room. This area was a garage-like room attached to the back of their house, and to me, it opened up into the most exciting world. There were at least two rooms filled with the most intricate, glass-encased model train displays. Mr. Joseph had built all the displays himself. Houses, forests, lumbetjacks sawing wood, children playing, train stations, and multiple trains- it was an amazing little world, and I felt so excited to be able to see it. What a treat to me as a young girl to be invited in to watch the trains, waiting with anticipation as he turned on the power switch. Another neighbor who inspires warm memories is Mrs. Gussie Harris. She lived down Main Street a block or so and across the road from the Long House. She was a wonderfully kind lady and I can still picture her in my mind today- always dressed neatly and her hair pulled back in a meticulous bun. The memory that stands out is of me and my friend, Sonja Houston (Paulk) playing outside and deciding to go and knock on her door to visit with her. You see, a child knocking on neighbors doors then was no problem, and not considered unusual. Mrs. Gussie Harris certainly never seemed to mind and would always bring the same toy out to the front porch for us to play with. We loved playing with this toy so much, and truthfully, this was our hidden reason for going to visit. The toy was simply a wooden spool and a bowl of water with a bar of soap floating in it. What did we do? Wed sit on the porch and blow soap bubbles with the spool. 162 Both of these memories, of Mr. Joseph and Mrs. Gussie Harris, have a Norman Rockwell-ish sound to them: quaint, homey, and simple. This is only because life in Leesburg at that time, while not perfect, did have simplicity and openness to it, where neighbors were concerned for each other, took time for each other, and were sincerely interested in one another. I think examples like those of Mr. Joseph and Mrs. Gussie Harris are ones that Leesburg should hold onto closely, and strive for always, so that future generations can enjoy that same sense of community as the generations that have gone before. Excerpt from the journal of Ms. Leah Marie (King) McGee Claire McGee Wright A Day at Sara Anns Camp My husband, Sam Arthur, was in the Air Force and we spent some time traveling around. It was during this time that our son, Sam Sanford Arthur was bom. When Sandy was old enough to go along with me, I started working in recreation and park programs, later at the YMCA and the Leesburg swimming pool. When we moved to Baker Village, I had enough room to keep horses, so I decided to start a small day camp for children from the ages of six to twelve. I did this from the late 1960s to 1994. The children would arrive and go the screen house. They called it the scream house. After roll call and talk about the days activities, we would ride the horses and ponies. Other activities would fill in the day: Archery, BB guns and trampoline. Swim time would be before lunch. The children had to bring their own lunches and would eat in the screen room or most anywhere they wanted to, in swings, in the big oak tree on small platforms they had built. Afterward, we would stay in the screen house to do lots of different arts and crafts. Some wanted to make things all day. Others you couldnt drag out for crafts. The afternoon was filled with outdoor games and sportsand sometimes just doing what they wanted to do. The boys would play army and dig foxholes, and get into them. They werent allowed to dig in their well-kept 163 lawns in town. Sometimes they would have a make believe band, using up side down buckets for drums and broomsticks, etc. for other instruments. When pool time came, the boys changed their clothes in a tent. The girls had a metal gazebo yard house where they would change their clothes. We had an outhouse, also. When the children would get out of the pool and go into the house, there would be a stream of water dripping off them on the floor from the back door to the bathroom. It would be a mess! When they stayed longer than necessary, I would have to send someone else in to get them. I couldnt leave the pool to go myself. So, we decided to build an outhouse! The boys always had to use this, but sometimes, the girls could go into the house. Some of these children lived in houses with four or five bathrooms and had never seen an outhouse. They would go in there and giggle and have fun. It was a two-seater! In 1980 Brandy came to live with us. She is our adopted daughter, Brandy Lee Arthur. She always enjoyed camp and was a lot of help to me. About once a week we had a special event. Sometimes, we would walk down to Barbara and Bill Robertsons lake, where two alligators lived. The children would throw marshmallows in the lake and the gators would come up and eat them. Sometimes we would walk on through to the creek and get some real clay to bring back for crafts. Sometimes we would take tubes and put them in the creek at the Slappey Bridge and float down to Elsie and BB Rhodes house. He would always go along with us in a canoe. On the fourth of July we always had a parade. Each child had a flag and would decorate his or her bicycle with red and blue crepe paper. We invited the neighborhood children to join in that day. They would ride Barbie cars, tractors, lawn mowers, or anything that would go. Many of them just marched. The more experienced riders rode the horses and ponies, each carrying a U.S. flag. Brandy would, as she got older, help me with the camp, and she always was up front with the horses to see that they would be well behaved. At the end of the summer, we would load the children on the Rhodes big Pontoon boat, take a lunch and go down the Flint River for a nature study. When we would get to the sand bar, they could swim. Just before it was time to go home, the children could go back swimming. If there were children 164 who could not swim I would teach them, otherwise pool time was playtime. When parents picked them up in the afternoon, many times they would go to sleep on the way home. This outdoor camp was a lot different than sitting at home in air-conditioning and watching T.V. Sara Ann Sanford Arthur Hungry for Home Cookin During World War II, we lived in Portsmouth, Virginia. My father, Eugene Sanford, worked at an ammunition depot. At that particular time, there were four young men from Leesburg who were stationed there. They were in the navy, and whenever their ship would come into port, they would always come to our house. They were Joel Forrester, William Long, Jimmie King, and Arnold Knight. My mama, Sara Hightower Sanford, was an excellent cook, so the four knew that she would always have plenty of good ole southern food ready for them. On one occasion Jimmy happened to have gotten a seventy-two hour pass. We knew he would come to our house as soon as possible. Mama, upon hearing about the pass said, What will I feed him for seventy two hours! (He always had such a hearty appetite). Nevertheless we really enjoyed them, and looked forward to having them visit. After my daddy had a heart attack, he was no longer able to do the work at the ammunition depot. We soon moved back to Leesburg, where my brother Raleigh and I had finished high school and every year in the summer we had visited my grandmother, Mrs. Annie Hightower. In 1946-1959 my daddy became ordinary for Lee County, now known as Probate Judge. He remained in office until his death in August 1957. Sara Ann Sanford Arthur 165 The Rolling Store Everybody who lived in the country was familiar with rolling stores. People didnt go to town very often, so these stores would be driven over the county, selling goods. Among these stores was Lester Etheridges. He would come from Fussells Egg Farm and drive all over Lee County. He had it stocked with staple goods such as eggs (of course) meat, milk, bread, etc. There were candy and soft drinks, too. We looked forward to the times we could see it rolling down the road. We knew that we could buy a coke for ten cents, and if we brought an empty bottle, the coke would only be one nickel. Those were the days! Jimmie Richardson Etheridge Growing Up In Lee It was an honor to stop and remember the good old days and my wonderful family. I have many happy memories of growing up in Leesburg. My mother, Joyce Forrester Vonderaa, who at that time was Joyce DeVivo, taught Home Economics at Lee County High School for many years. I learned many things from her, but my family to this day all tease me because in 19691 won the Lee County High Crisco Award for outstanding student in Home Economics. Well, they like to say that I received this because my Mother was my teacher and gave me the award. I take great pride in smiling and saying, No, I did have to live with my Mother at the same school with me for many years and this meant you had to behave and be the best that you could be but actually when I won this award my Home Economics teacher was Mrs. Martha Usry who actually bestowed this honor upon me and not my Mother. My Mother being the Home Economics teacher did have its advantages. We got to spend a lot of time at the local swimming pool while she worked in the summer at the canning plant. The pool was our famous hangout at that time. I began working at my Grandfathers, Joe Forrester and Uncle Blues Mercantile store on Saturdays when I was a teenager. Now, that I reflect 166 back, I really did not do a lot of work. This was my Grandfathers way of teaching me how to be responsible, but, more so his way of giving me spending money as a teenager. I have fond memories of Uncle Ticky, Uncle Ed and other Forrester members stopping by the store on Saturday afternoons and I, as a female teenager, would always be included in some of their chats. Uncle Ticky would have come home from Washington for a visit, and the talk would be of what was going on in Washington. My Grandmother would always bring us lunch on those Saturdays. I love Lee County and have lived here all my life with the exception of two years in college in Leesburg, Florida, yes, Leesburg, Florida. I love Leesburg so much it was the only place you could live. After two years I married and came back to Leesburg, Georgia and raised my daughter, Jennifer who also graduated from Lee County High School. We owe some thanks for this to Mrs. Opal Cannon who was her principal when she was in first grade. Jennifer cried all the time to go home. Her Daddy, Tommy Jewell, had several meetings with Mrs. Opal before the crying stopped. This same little girl who cried to go home is now finishing up her eighth-year of college with a Masters in Psychology and an RN degree. Change is great but lets not forget the old times because they were wonderful times growing up in a small town! I cant believe I have four generations of Lee County folks on this one page!! Donna DeVivo Jewell Memories from the 50s and 60s Trips to Albany to the dentist, Dr. Ben Martin, and crying all the way from Leesburg to Albany, boy that was a long drive! Leesburg Baptist Church and my family were always there whenever the doors were open. We received pens for perfect attendance in Sunday school and if my memory serves me correctly it was 14 years straight without a Sunday missed. When we went out of town we found a church to attend. We could not mess up our perfect attendance. 167 Playing on the dirt road behind our house with other neighborhood kids. We road our bikes all up and down that dirt road. In those days we could ride the dirt road, starting behind the Fore Service Station all the way past Leland Farms sweet potato plant. Dances, etc. at the American Legion. Being on annual staff and going to Albany to sell ads so we could have an annual. Sneaking off the school campus to go to town to get snacks. Catching lightning bugs with the other neighborhood kids and putting them in jars after we punched holes in the top of the lids. Trips to the fair each year in Albany. My mother being the Home Economics teacher she always have students setting up an FHA booth at the fair. Also, we would enter items in the fair and win ribbons for sewing, etc. The Smithville kids coming to Lee County High to attend school with use. Some of my best friends were Smithville people. Growing up in one of the numerous big, old houses, and sleeping under electric blankets to keep warm and then standing in front of the gas heaters in the mornings getting ready to go to school. Dr. Laurence Crimmins being our family doctor and when my Grandfather was so sick he would even come to the house for visits. Doctors would still on special occasions make house calls. Dr. Crimmins was the best. Frances and Jim Fore when you wanted your hair done. 168 Making up games to occupy us as kids. We had a game where we sat on the front porch steps and watched the cars go by, we would pick a number, say ten, and every tenth car would get to be yours and we would sit for hours and see what type of car we got and whose would be the best. This was possible because we lived on the main street close to town. School spirit and the years when we all went to one school, grades 1-12. Going to Uncle Eds furniture store and dreaming of one day having your own home and furniture and what you would pick to be yours. On special occasions getting to go to Atlanta shopping, boy, was this a treat, from Leesburg to Atlanta. Seeing the kindness that my grandfather, Joe Forrester, gave to the people who would come into his store and need help to receive things in his store, mercantile or groceries. Everyone rallying around to help others in times of happiness or sadness. Walking down the street and saying hello to everyone. You at least knew who they were and most of the time you knew who they were and a lot more about them. Going antiquing out in the county with my Dad, Paul Devivo. He had a knack for knowing what was valuable. Mrs. Pauline Tharp and Mrs. Pat Tharp and all their wonderful music. Singing in the childrens choir at church and not really being able to carry a tune Rev. Bobby Moye and being baptized. Being married by my Uncle Blue in the Baptist Church. 169 Living close to family and really getting to know your aunts, uncles, and cousins being close enough to walk back and forth. The Tarpley house and as kids we thought it was haunted. Climbing the big magnolia tree in my grandparents back yard across from the post office. My grandparents coming from New York on a yearly basis and all the Italian food and sharing this with our friends in Leesburg. One item in particular that they would always bring was Pez candy and we could not get this in Georgia so we always shared that with our friends and they would know our grandparents were here from New York. Having an older brother, Paul to look out for me. Back in those days big brothers were very protective of their little sisters. Also, having two younger sisters to help take care of. I remember Geanie and Frankie Mae helping our family but being the oldest daughter I also helped care for my little sisters, Debbie and Lisa, especially Lisa since she was ten years younger. Riding horses and just visiting in the home of my friend, Connie Cannon. The peanut process plant (Turners I believe) and the smell of peanuts at harvest time and eating good old boiled peanuts. Today is February 14,2004, and I just returned from the dedication of the new Forrester Parkway. I am a Forrester, and this was a great day! Donna Jewell 170 Family Pride 1975 Helen Smith was the first African American to be elected Home Coming Queen Adrian Smith was the first African American to be elected Miss L.C.H.S Kelly Dixson was the first African female to be elected Drum Major (Band) Lillie Smith The Camping Trip I once lived at Willmar Plantation in northern Lee County. It was a large farm with plenty of crops, timber and cows. There was a natural pond somewhere on the farm, which was enlarged by the owners for fishing. My family would occasionally go fishing and camping there. This is how one camping trip went. Someone, probably Dad, decided we needed to go camping: so we put the sleeping bags, food, folding chairs and other camping supplies in the truck and drove to the little tin cabin at the pond. Our two dogs followed us. The dogs were Snoopy and Rex. Snoopy was a Brittany spaniel, and Rex was a gray mutt. Both dogs were very nice. When we got to the pond, Dad cooked hamburgers while Mom and I talked and played with the dogs. We sat in the folding chairs to eat. I was leaning back in the chair. I leaned too far back; the chair fell backwards. The burger I was eating flew out of my hands as I fell. Guess who caught it and ate it? Snoopy did! After the burger incident, everything went ok. Zachary Peak Sidney and Zachary Peak 171 I Remember All the best Lee County swimmers were trained by Sara Ann Arthur at the Leesburg city pool. Pat Tharp and Wallace Willis had what it took to develop a good school chorus. Those choirs were locally famous. Good reasons to remember teachers: First grade beginning experiences - Martha Powell Third grade multiplication tables - Mae McRee Seventh grade parts of speech - Mary Frances McNeil Eight grade sentence diagrams - Wallace Willis Day one in the fifth grade, Mary Lee Clark went to the chalkboard and drew a flower garden. There were four flowerpots, one plant grew like this L, the second plant grew like this O, the third plant grew like this V, and the fourth plant grew like this E. LOVE, what a way to start a school year, what a valuable lesson I have remembered for a lifetime! Educator Excellence - Hobby Clay!!! He always presented himself in such a way that I knew I wanted to follow in the field of education. This year as I retire from my childhood school system, I would like to thank Bobby Clay, his family, and their lifelong commitment to the Lee County School System. One of the most famous stories from the Long household was when little Edward convinced big brother Alan to help him pull their four- wheeled metal pedal rocket up on top of the Long bam. Pivoted on the ridge of a thirty-five foot high tin roof -line, Edward told Alan: You get in first, and Ill follow. Zoom-zoom-zoom!! Edward had to dig rocket nose, vehicle, and Alans body out of the garden soil. Boy how things change, 45 years ago I was horrified to find out my Sunday School teacher (B.S.) smoked when not at church. 172 Watching Lee County go from a stall in growth to a mother ship with a mission. I have always quoted a good friend (Bill Cannon) of mine as saying: Alan, we had the opportunity to grow up in Mayberry. My mothers definition of security: A pocketbook full of money. Remember when H.L.T. toted his social security check in his front shirt pocket until it was dog-eared. Buddy Jenkins Bar-B-Que and pork skins, there has never been any better! Alan Long Sweet Sixteen My brother-in law, Billy Smith, gave daddy a Browning Sweet 16 pump shotgun. Daddy was thrilled to get it, and I was excited about that, too. Daddy let me hunt with that gun a lot. It was the gun to have back then, and daddy knew how much I liked it. He told me that upon his death I was to have the gun. After he died, it was given to me. It was so special to me that I named it Sweet Sixteen. Mama kept it for me because after graduation from high school, I joined the navy. One night a little after midnight I was still away and mama was out of town when our house caught on fire and burned to the ground. The flames consumed my special gun and many, many memoirs. It was a very sad time for my family. Ronny Pug Stamps Playing Softball Games All of us kids in Leesburg got together every afternoon after school in front of the Lee and King houses to choose up sides for softball games. 173 Back then it was just a dirt road, so we would not have to stop the game only once or maybe twice, in order for a car to pass. One afternoon I was playing catcher for my team and Harry Lee was at bat for the other team. I guess I was too close because his bat, hit me on the bone right below my eye. Of course I grabbed my face and let out a scream. I had a knot to come up right then, so I was carried to the hospital. The doctor put me to bed with an ice pack to stay on it twenty-four hours a day for two weeks. Since I was unable to go to school, I went to work with my mother, Jewell Coxwell, who owned and operated the cafe in Leesburg. She put a cot between the dining area and kitchen for me to lie on during the day. After about two weeks however, I was able to return to school and of course my softball games! Flora Coxwell Hartley Peanut Shaking Day Back in the days when they would shake peanuts and stack them on poles, a group of us young girls, Betty Lee, Ann Kearse, Sara McBride, Jessie Moreland, Ann and Leah King, Wanda and Flora Coxwell (please forgive me if I forgot someone) would worry Doug Lewis every time we saw him about letting us shake peanuts for him. After so much nagging, he finally agreed to take us to his farm. He told us to dress accordingly and to bring some lunch and water. He would pick us up in his pick-up truck early on the morning he named. We got ready and were waiting on the comer up town. When he drove up, then we all got in the back of the truck and headed for the peanut field right out of town. Tommy Doug (as we called him) told us we had to work until sun down and he wouldnt be back to get us, or check on us, until then. He said that we would have to make out the best way we could. Being the big- hearted man that he was and one of the sweetest men you would ever want to know, he came after us not too long after lunch. I think maybe we had 174 stacked two poles and started on the third, when he told us to load up and go home, which we were thrilled to do. Much to our surprise he told us to go get a bath and get dressed and that he would pick us up later. He did just that and carried all of us to the White House Restaurant and bought us a fried chicken supper, enjoyed by all! What a wonderful peanut-picking day that turned out to be! Ive never forgotten what a kind gentleman Doug Lewis was! Flora Coxwell Hartley Skating on Ice in Leesburg My parents, Lester and Jewell Coxwell and children, Little Lester, Geraldine, Wanda, Flora and Shirley used to live in the first house to the right on Main Street. To the west of the house was an acre of land owned by daddy and the railroad. He rented half of it for one dollar a year. He used this land for raising pigs. The north end of this land was much lower and held water. During the winter months, this water would freeze over solid all winter. Everyday as soon as school was out, all the children in town headed for the ice. We would play, slide, and called ourselves skating on the ice until dark or until we were called in for supper. We could hardly wait until the next afternoon to get together again. Could you believe it was possible to ice skate in Leesburg?! Flora Coxwell Hartley Working at the Peach Shed My mother, Jewell Coxwell, and her sister-in-law, Mabel Coxwell worked at the Peach Shed in Albany which was located where Giles Building Supply Company on Pine Avenue is now located. 175 One day I asked her if there were a possibility that some of us teenagers could be hired. She said that she would ask her boss. After inquiring she was told that they would hire all the help they could get. The next working day Leah King McGee, Harry Lee, George Turner and I all went to work. The four of us rode in the rumble seat of the coupe car that Mama drove. This wasnt bad as long as the weather was good, but when it rained we would have to close the top, which made it a little crowded. Some nights we had to work until one oclock in the morning, and had to be back early the next morning. The season was short however, so we made out all right. We worked with German prisoners. This was during World War II. They were, however, under military guard. They were allowed to work at the shed, guarded by these military police. After work they would be escorted back to their barracks! Some of them were very young, very nice, and it was enjoyable to work with them. We liked to talk with them, too, hoping to learn some of the German language. Later, we and other employees were transferred to the small peach shed in Lee County on Dawson road. There the workload was much easier, the work crew smaller and we had only one boss, which made our work more enjoyable. Flora Coxwell Hartley Saturday Night Square Dances Everyone in Leesburg and all the towns nearby and far away looked forward to the square dances every Saturday night at the Leesburg school gym. Mose Bone Head Davis from Albany called the dances. In between square dances there would be round dances. It was always a huge crowd every week. I remember when it was time to round dance, the floor would be crowded until my Uncle Bud Joseph Johnson and his daughter, my first cousin, Gwendolyn Johnson Seanor would get on the floor to dance, everyone would stop dancing just to watch them. You have never seen two 176 people as lovely, graceful, and beautiful dance like they did. They would cover the entire gym floor. Everyone enjoyed watching them rather than dance themselves. Flora Coxwell Hartley Our Christmas Tree Christmas is a special time at our house. We begin getting excited right after Thanksgiving. First the treeWe do not buy a tree, rather we have a tradition in our family that goes back to our childhood: we go to the woods! We pile into our truck, ride down (or up) the road until we see a cedar that we think is suitable for our house. We sometimes have to climb over a fence to get one. Once we find it, we cut it down, put it in the pickup, and away we go- back to the house. Decorating the tree is always such fun. We make it a family affair, and all of us help put on the homemade ornaments. These ornaments have always been special because they were made by our children, and some of them belonged to my grandmother. The lights and other decorations are added. When we finish, we always sit around and look at it and enjoy hot chocolate and cookies! As time goes by, we have learned to appreciate even more the many things handed down from our parents. We strive to continue these traditions now and hope that they will be passed on to future generations. Winnie Richardson Beamon From Denmark to Lee County George Larson I was bom in Denmark in 1867. He, with his family came to America in 1879. They came over on the ship (a 70 foot steamer) the Ethiopia. While on board they stayed in the steerage with one hundred beds to a room. Each person had his own spoon and one bowl. Breakfast 177 consisted of oatmeal and syrup. George and his brother, Louis, figured out that if they got in line first and ate fast, they could go back for seconds. After landing in America, they went to Green Bay, Wisconsin, and purchased land, and grew potatoes, peas, raised pigs and cows. Later, they moved to Mississippi. While there my grandfather Elmer was bom. From there they moved to Florida, and at the age of 60, moved to Lee County. It was here in the county that he purchased 850 acres in the northern part of the county. This was during the Depression, and the land was purchased from an insurance company. The land was considered extremely poor; however, he utilized it by raising crops that would improve the land. Grass mixtures and clover were planted in the pastures. He also had a dairy which was in operation for a number of years. Today the land is still occupied by members of the Larsen Family. Harry, my father, Sue, my mother, and I still maintain the land that was purchased by my great-grandfather. I am the fifth generation of Larsens to live on the land. Although George Larson I had lived in four states before he came to Lee County, he said that he settled for Lee County for the remainder of his life because, I like the people, I like the climate, and the taxes are lower. George Larsen Winnie and R.J Winnie and R. J. Richardson were our grandparents. We called them Ma Ma and Pa Pa. They lived in Smithville and were very active in community affairs. Pa Pa was City Clerk Treasurer, owned a seed and fertilizer warehouse and an Insurance Agency. He and Ma Ma worked together. When someones bill was overdue, PaPa would always send her a ridin in her car to collect. She would ride up, blow her hom really loud, and they knew Miss Winnie had come to collect and they better pay up! We lived in Smithville also, and whenever we could, we always liked to visit them. Ma Ma was a very good cook. It didnt matter if we had just gotten up from the table at our house, we had to eat again. She always 178 planted a big garden, and whenever kin folks came, they always looked forward to eating vegetables from her garden. We always liked to eat her cold biscuits and home made jelly! She always had these on hand. She and Pa Pa had many happy years together. They lived in the home that our great grandfather had built and remained there all of their married life. Their yard was well groomed with flowers and shrubs. Their beautiful ferns, camellias, and Irises were used to decorate for many weddings in Smithville. Grandparents are really special, arent they? Denise Richardson Bell Winnie Richardson Beamon The Hero-Almost After playing in various leagues for towns around the southeast, my older brother, Hendrick, had finally decided that he wasnt going to become the next Ted Williams, so in mid-July of 1949, he called it a career as a first baseman, or any other position. But a strange thing happened along his road of retirement. Soon thereafter, he, daddy, my younger brother John, and I went to see the Albany Cardinals play the Cordele Indians (a Cleveland Indian farm team). Pitching for Albany that night was a true-blue phenomenon by the name of Wilmer Mizell, a 6-4, 19 year old wild southpaw, who would go on to win 90 games in the major leagues. Well, Mizell struck out the Cordele first baseman four times, and this prompted a quick phone call the next morning from Daddy Hendrick to the Mr. Howard Lee, the Cordele manager, asking for a try out. Well, Mr. Lee was impressed enough to sign him up, and Hendrick joined the team on July 26, 1949. Now fast forward to August 22, when Cordele was at Cardinal Park in Albany. It was also Fan Appreciation Night and the biggest crowd of the season, 3,046, was on hand, according to The Albany Herald. The Cardinals led 3-0 entering the seventh inning, but Hendrick hit a 3-run, inside the park home run to center field for a 3 all tie. Cordele tallied twice more in the ninth for a 5-3 lead. In the bottom of the ninth, Albany had two runners on base, and two outs. 179 A guy by the name of Russell Rac then blasted a long home run over the left field fence, ending the game, which resulted in a 6-5 score, not in Cordeles nor Hendricks favor. Bill Cromartie Another Car Pushing Story Many years ago, everyone hung around James Cannons filling station on Walnut Street, a good place to meet and shoot pool. Usually, having really nothing else to do, old man N.N. Nelson, City policeman, would be there. We called him Newt. Newt did his policing, if you could call it that, in his own pickup truck. Also, usually around was kinsperson, Elaish Davis, who we called Laish. One day, Laishs pickup would not start, and he asked Newt to give him a push with his pickup. Newt said, No, I am on duty and doing my police work. Shortly, feeling bad about it, Newt got in his truck and began pushing Laishs truck, which was empty at the time. You can guess what happened next. He pushed the empty tmck into Miss Mitts Sanders front porch, causing much damage to the porch and truck. Of course, there we no police investigation or charges made. Newt didnt have any paper to make a report on anyway, or would he have known how, and he sure was not going to charge himself, but might have considered a charge for Laishs leaving an empty truck around! George Moreland Annie Jessups Cafe Annie Jessups Cafe was located on the big curve in Smithville. It was a gathering place for people who liked to sit around the pot-bellied stove, tell jokes and tales. On Saturday nights Roy Gosas band would play for dances there. June Croxton Andrews, Scrap Israel, and Mr. And Mrs. L.J. Miller were always regulars on those nights. Zaida Ivey Poupard 180 Culture Shock In 1957 we moved from Atlanta to Leesburg, and I was totally shocked at the size of the town. I was not very happy because living in a small town everyone seemed to know everyone. I felt so out of place. We moved into an upstairs apartment, right across from the school. Another shock was that everybody went to the same school. Students in Elementary, Jr. High and High School had the same people in classes year to year! Our downstairs neighbors were the Pridgeons. Mr. Pridgeon was Principal of the entire school. The first person who came over to see us was the paperboy (Cecil Stamps), and I was surprised when he asked me to come out and play ball. Well, culture shock set in when he and his friends yelled at me to chunk the ball. After a few seconds of holding the ball, I asked, Do you want me to throw the ball? Laughter set in, and I was sort of embarrassed not knowing what chunk, meant. A few other words I learned from Cecil were wash house because I only knew Laundromat; white bread to me was a loaf of bread, and watcha riding on. This was the most puzzling phrase of all! I never rode on a car in my life, only in one. Cecil turned out to be not only the love of my life, but my best friend. We rode bicycles together, and on weekends, I even helped him deliver the Albany Herald. His mother, who became my MeMa, would drive us on Sunday mornings, with us riding on the hood of her car. We could finish the route a lot faster than riding a bike. I didnt do this but a couple of times because riding on the hood was very tricky. One Sunday morning as we were delivering the papers, MeMa sort of braked a little harder than normal, which resulted in Cecil and me sliding off. At that point MeMa stuck her head out the window and said, I declare! I thought you chiluns were supposed to be holding on! That taught me not to ride on the hood again. Moving to Leesburg was the best thing that ever happened to me, because thats where I met Cecil! Marie Rainwater Stamps 181 A Crabby Lady There was a lady who used to live where the Smithville Post Office is today. It was said that she was just a crabby old lady who did not even like children. Some of us would walk past her house on the other side of the street. She would see us and start yelling at us, as we would walk on by. I think we did it just to see what she would do. Barbara Sikes Pines A Unique Little Lady A good many residents of Lee County have fond memories of my one-of-a-kind, Aunt Greta Stocks. Aunt Greta will always be remembered for being so special, so kind, and so short! She truly enjoyed going to all kinds of different places and special events. She was always on the go, and was willing to stop and pick up others in the neighborhood to go along with her. While I was in high school, I invited several of my girl friends to spend a few days with me at my parents home in Lee County. None of us girls could drive at that time, but we didnt let that bother us. We knew that we could rely on Aunt Greta going somewhere and we would always be welcomed to ride along. She lived just a hop and a skip down the road from our house. We girls kept a vigil to see when she would leave her house and head toward Albany. The girls would let me know that she was backing out of her garage and headed our way. I would run out of our front door in a flash and flag her down. I asked her one day where she was going, and she said that she was on her way to see a Cardinal baseball game in Albany. At that time, the Cardinal team in Albany was a Saint Louis Cardinal Farm Team. I asked Aunt Greta if we girls could ride along. She told us to get into her little car. She was so short that she could barely see over the steering wheel. Now just wrap your minds eye around this picture: You are driving down the road, when you notice a little Henry J car approaching. You do a double take, because the car seems to be driving down the road by itself, full of squirming, giggling teenage girls. Aunt Greta didnt seem to let her car, 182 full of hormone-raging girls, bother her! We were on a mission! Our mission was to see the Boys of Summer in their tight uniforms. It did not matter to us what the score was, or who won the game! Now Aunt Gretas mission was another story. She was a loyal fan that supported her local team and she went to as many of the home games as she could. As normal, well as normal as any group of teenage girls will be, we girls jumped at any chance to see the ball players! One day as we were on our way to the Cardinal game, we drove down the Old Leesburg road in front of what is now the Flea Market. The Flea Market is near what was Watkins Lumber Company. The Watkins family always took good care of their business property. They planted many climbing roses on the fences that encompassed their lumberyard. As we approached the property, Aunt Greta took her eyes off the road for just a second. She told us to look at the beautiful climbing roses on the lumberyard fence. When we looked out the window, we saw something entirely different! We glanced out and instantly slumped down to the floorboard and yelled with our startled voices, Horse! It was too late. The horse at that very moment and the Henry J car collided! Luckily, no one was injured. I couldnt speak for the horse, but he didnt seem to be injured. We did notice, however, that he staggered across the road shaking his head with a stunned expression and glazed eyes. I am pretty sure that he didnt know that he almost became the hood ornament for a Henry J car! We stopped just long enough for him to cross the road! A little thing like running into a horse didnt deter us from our mission of going to the game. Aunt Greta has long ago passed from her earthly home to her heavenly home, but memories of her still linger on in the hearts of many. My fond memories of her are numerous. She will be remembered by me and all who knew her as the short little lady who took a special interest in children, teenagers and the soldiers that were stationed at the Turner Air Force Base in Albany. She would, at various times, bring soldiers into her home and cook them delicious home-cooked meals. When you wrapped your tongue around one of Aunt Gretas homemade biscuits, you felt as if the angels were singing and looking down with envy! I watched her make her famous biscuits one afternoon. She got out a large wooden bowl and poured some flour, shortening and milk into the bowl. She was so adept at 183 this that she didnt even have to measure anything. Her little hands worked that flour so fast that it looked as if there were two tornadoes in the bowl. She could mix and pat out the biscuits as fast as I could open a container of canned ones and get them in the oven. I still have visions of the small room where there was just shelf after shelf of fruits and vegetables that she had canned. She had quart jars filled with beautiful green beans. As a child, what impressed me the most was the many jars of beautiful canned pears that she had made up. She had added all different colors of food coloring to the pears. It was like walking into a small room and seeing a beautiful rainbow sitting on a shelf. I can also remember seeing her sitting on the piano stool as she played the piano for the Thundering Springs Baptist Church. She really had to stretch her short little legs to reach the pedals, but that did not stop her from playing lively and peppy tunes. Her little hands sped over the keys like flashes of lightning. Her legacy as a fine Christian lady lives on through her daughter, Marthanne Bruner. Marthanne strives to see that this legacy lives on through her children and grandchildren. Sandra Stocks Democratic National Convention During the early 1990s I became politically active in the Georgia Association of Educations. I began lobbying state legislators at the state capital and participating in the Political Action Committee at the state level. During my visit to the capital in February 1992 where then presidential candidate Governor Bill Clinton was speaking in the Senate, I decided to run for the position of a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. I gathered up family, friends, and co-workers to travel on a Saturday morning to Camilla, Georgia to vote for me to represent our district. I tied for first place with another schoolteacher from another South Georgia County. My state representative, Ray Holland, came in third place. There were only three delegates selected for Clinton. I was glad that my representative was one of them. He never let me live down the fact that I won over him. Having won the delegate position I contacted the chairperson for the Lee County 184 Democratic Committee, Mrs. Gladys Thrift. She informed me that I was the first person from Lee County to ever be selected as a delegate. The Lee County Democratic Committee helped to fund my trip to the Democratic National Convention in New York City that summer. Also, local residents were generous as well. That was a summer I will always remember. I attended every session from the beginning bell to the ending bell. I voted on all issues before the floor. I represented our district very well. I received lots of television and newspaper coverage from the local, state and national media. I am truly grateful for have the opportunity to serve our county. Nothrice Willis Alford Remembrances of the Ranew Family of Lee County I am Gloria Ranew Parker, daughter of Richard Wilson Ranew and Lois McDowell Ranew. My father was bom in Lee County, although the year is debatable, to Grover Dudley Ranew and Louise McDonald Ranew. Daddy was the fourth child of his parents. Those before him were son, C.D., daughters Velma and Elizabeth, and those after him were daughters Betty Jean and Janelle, and to finish out the group came Merritt and Clifford. Some of my best memories are Christmases, Easters, or any other occasion when we all gathered at Grandmas and Granddaddys. With this many aunts and uncles, imagine the cousins and great aunts and uncles and distant cousins that showed up too! In the summer, or if Easter was late enough, after lunch, we would all load up in the back of Granddaddys pickup and head for the creek. I just recently learned that some of the adults that we trusted didnt even know how to swim! After swimming, Granddaddy would usually find a watermelon, and do his magic thump, to test for ripeness. It seems like he always got it right. Some of my fondest memories came from Grandmas kitchen. For a while in the 1950s, my mother, daddy, my sister, Gail, and I stayed with Grandma and Granddaddy and Uncles Cliff and Merritt. Grandma actually churned her own butter. I remember loving to sit with her while she did this, and she would give me fresh bread, spread with her fresh butter, and add to 185 it a very healthy sprinkling of sugar. Cholesterol city lookout! On summer days Gail and I looked forward to spending the nickel or two that we had been given, and would wait for what seemed like hours for the Rolling Store! What a treat that was, a cinnamon bun, and an orange NEHI! Back to the kitchen wed go happy as larks. All of these things took place at a house in the country called Colonial Plantation. Granddaddy worked for Mr. Farran who owned the farm. The house is no longer there, but the memories from a loving family go deep and are precious to me. I am grateful for a large extended family that knew how to enjoy each other and the simple way of living. Our own immediate family grew by two more when Mama and Daddy added my brothers Michael and Gary to our little group of four. Michael was bom while Grandma and Granddaddy still lived at Colonial in 1957, but Gary was bom in Cordele, and my grandparents had moved to Albany by that time. We all continued to gather together until all the cousins began their own families, Grandma had her stroke, and as in most families, the ties began to stretch. Lee County has changed so much from the childhood that I remember; the red dirt roads, the wooden bridges that I used to pray would hold up as we went down Palmyra Road, and the acres and acres of farmland in southern Lee County. Our family has changed too, mostly for the better, some not so good, but we are still family and I cling to the early memories that go back to the fun times I had as a child in Lee County. Gloria Ranew Parker Mr. Jack and Miss Amelia Mr. Jack and Miss Amelia were two of my favorite people long before I married their son, Jack Bell Jr. They were friends and mentors after that. I learned so much from both of them. When I was a child, Miss Amelia raised laying hens and sold eggs to just about everybody in the county and delivered them most of the time. When Mama needed eggs for a cake to be taken to the church or a special occasion, we always had to get 186 eggs from Miss Amelia because they made it taste better. After I married into the family, she taught me a lot about taking care of children and keeping the home fires burning. We shared lots of hours talking about the entire family and her love of Indian artifacts. Because we lived in the country, we had snakes to come in the yard. I was and am totally scared of them. She would always come with her gun and be my snake killer. She was a marksman shooter. I remember Mr. Jack telling of how he taught her to shoot and took her with him to a turkey shoot at the America Legion in Leesburg one year. They didnt allow women to shoot, but finally agreed and she out shot all of them and won the turkey for best shot! Mr. Jack was always joking around about different things, but he sure taught me a lot about fishing and hunting. He loved to ride around and look at the deer in the fields. We would ride late in the evening and when I would fall asleep, he would hit the brake to wake me up. We loved to go down to the creek or the pond and catch fish and cook them there. These were some of the special times we spent together as a family. Mr. Jack and Miss Amelia loved their family and spent countless hours with them. After Mr. Jack died, Miss Amelia was known for riding her grandchildren all over the county and stopping by the Suwannee Swifty for a cold drink and some candy. She also taught them all how to drive on the dirt roads back to the farm. These two people are truly missed by everyone who knew them. Denise R. Bell 187 Qurd Life Jordan Grove Baptist Church The Bell that Didnt Ring Daddy used to tell this story about a friend of his when they were young boys. The friend decided to raise pigeons, but he had none. Finally, he thought about the pigeons that roosted in the church steeple. He knew they went to roost late in the afternoon, so he climbed up the ladder with his sack to the belfry. He sat patiently waiting for the pigeons and the birds to come to roost. About this time, the sexton who rang the church bell for Wednesday night prayer meeting came slowly into the small room and reached for the bell rope. The young boy knew if the bell rang it would scare all his pigeons away. What to do? He grabbed the rope and held on tightly. The sexton pulled on the rope, nothing happened, he pulled again, nothing happened. Hearing a light noise in the belfry he said, Whos up there? The boy lowered his voice as best he could and answered. Its the Lord. The man left the church with his coat tails flying. He never returned to ring the church bell again! Gwen Johnson Seanor Cant Back Out Leesburg Baptist Church has a special place in our hearts. This is the Church in which our family, Paul & Evie Stamps and five children, Edgar, Paula, Irma, Ronny and Cecil Stamps all attended. I accepted Christ here and Brother Taylor who was the pastor at that time baptized me. Billy Smith, whom I was dating, started attending every Sunday, picked me up and we would go to Sunday School and Church. He would spend the day with our family and we would go to Training Union and Church in the evening. Billy accepted Christ here and G. Ashton Smith, pastor, baptized him. One Sunday evening, our Training Union class put on a play in church. The character Billy played had to ask the character I played to marry him. Billy and I had been dating for months and the two of us were seen together constantly. After that play, Mr. Ticky Forrester, who was also a member there said to me, We heard him ask you to marry him and he cant back 189 out... we are all witnesses! A few months later, on August 20,1950,Billy and I were married in the same church by G. Ashton Smith. Paula Stamps Smith The Lost Buffalo There was a little boy whose mother had died. They had her funeral in the church and buried her in the churchyard cemetery. During the burial ceremony the boy was walking around in the churchyard barefooted, looking down and crying as hard as he could. Everyone was in sympathy for the boy and many bystanders were teary- eyed, thinking how sad it was to be a motherless child. One lady gathered enough courage to take hold of him, hug him, wipe his tears and clean his nose. She told him how much he was loved, how sorry she was that he had lost his mother and that he was going to be all right. The boy yelled out in sobs, I know, Ill know it anywhere I see it, because it has a buffalo on it. The poor little boy was crying because he had lost a Buffalo Nickel. Flossie Bolden Palmyra Baptist Church 190 Somebody Stole My Sermon Many years ago in Leesburg it was customary for all churches to visit the church that had a new minister on the ministers first Sunday night in Leesburg. This was the way the community would welcome the new minister and family and attendance was always good for this occasion. The host church usually provided a reception so the minister could meet everyone and the community could size up the new preacher in town. On one such occasion, Emory Gilbert, Jr., a young minister, had been assigned to the Leesburg-Leslie Charge and was preaching his first Sunday here. Everything went well that Sunday morning at the 11:00 service and the local congregation was looking forward to introducing their new minister to the community at the evening service and reception. Emory left his notes for his evening sermon in the lectern so it would be there that evening when he came to preach. As the crowd gathered for the evening service there was a larger congregation than usual of Methodist, Baptists, and Presbyterians, who were all there to support the new minister. Emory was excited and sang lustily as the service began, but things soon went awry. It was only when he was introduced, stood to preach and reached under the lectern that he realized his notes were gone. It seems that he had a friend who lived in Albany who thought he would have a little fun with Emory. He came up to the Leesburg church that Sunday afternoon and, since in those days no one would have ever dreamed of locking the church on Sunday, he had easy access to the sanctuary, easily found Emorys sermon, and took it with him. Emory was really put on the spot! He tried to go ahead with the sermon he had planned, but kept saying I had my Scripture, but SOMEBODY HAS STOLEN MY SERMON! At first the congregation seemed really concerned, but did not know what to do. Emory preached a little longer, hesitated, and exclaimed again, I did have point number two, but SOMEBODY STOLE MY SERMON. By the time he finished his sermon, it became more and more comical and the congregation was laughing aloud. Emory handled it like a good sport, but on Monday morning he went over to the two houses across from the church and asked the ladies if they happened to see anyone go in the church 191 on Sunday afternoon. They both informed him that a stout new man in a Studebaker car went in the Church on Sunday afternoon. Emory knew immediately from this information that it was a fellow minister friend, Archie Haygood, who was serving the Palmyra Road Methodist Church in Albany. So, onto Albany Emory went, and immediately headed to Haygoods office and told him he just wanted to know if he did it. Haygood just grinned and replied, Thats funny, neither admitting it, nor denying it. Emory saw the notes of his sermon on Haygoods desk, but never mentioned that he saw them. Emory served the Leesburg area several years and was loved by the community, but I bet he never forgot the time SOMEONE STOLE HIS SERMON! Opal R. Cannon My First Church My family were members of the Leesburg Presbyterian Church established in 1872. My parents, Grandparents, sister, grant aunts and uncles were all members there. The membership at the Church was small, we didnt even have a Sunday school; most of the children went to the Methodist Church for Sunday school. We only had church once a month on Sunday afternoon. The church is still there even though they are few in number. They sponsor many projects and help others in a quiet way. Jacqueline Martin Bowling Church In Leesburg I remember as a little girl always going to church. We lived next door to the First Baptist Church. Living so close naturally made it easy for us to just walk across the street. I remember all of the old hymns we used to sing, and one of the choir members who would close his eyes as if he were asleep. I remember my Aunt Ida Murphy who would sometimes play the piano, and Miss Pauline Tharp playing either the organ or piano. 192 I remember as a little child putting my head in my mamas lap during church as she rubbed my forehead and I would play with her beautiful hands. I have always felt so loved by my parents, and my daddy could always make me laugh (even now) because he has always been so funny. I remember one Sunday night my daddy got tickled about something. Then we all got tickled and started laughing. It was so hard not to laugh when you are tickled in church! In the spring of the year we would always have church dinner on the grounds. Everyone would bring a covered dish. Brother Bobby Moye was our minister during some of those years. We, as well as so many people felt very close to him and his family. Theres something so special about a small church. A place where you know all the people, you know your preacher and his family well. The music, simple hymns like Standing on the Promises, Just as I Am etc.- all made for a close-knit family. There was not a lot of formality in our church, just plain ordinary people worshipping together as a church family. It was good. Rosemary Lee Dozier Looking for a Church I have been told that an older man came through Leesburg early one Sunday morning and asked a black gentleman on the street where the Leesburg Baptist Church was located. The black gentleman looked up at the man and told him We dont have a Leesburg Baptist Church, but we have a Forrester Baptist Church and a Cannon Methodist Church. Elizabeth Young 193 Leesburg Presbyterians The Leesburg Presbyterian Church was a central part of our family life for many years. Our grandfather, Albert E. Wheaton, served as a church elder in the 1950s. Our parents, Billy G. Manning and Patricia Lee Wheaton, were married in the small, simple sanctuary in 1961. And, although it was several years before we joined the church as a family, once we did it became a rich source of friendship, fellowship and lasting memories. When the Manning family joined Leesburg Presbyterian Church in the mid 1970s, under the pastorship of Reverend Carson Rhyne, our entire congregation would gather in the front parlor of Mrs. Emma Cromarties home for church meetings. The long-time members, including Mrs. Jennie Hines (our pianist), Mrs. Sara Sanford, Mrs. Lissie Coxwell, Mrs. Laura Martin, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Arthur and Mr. and Mrs. George Thrift, welcomed a number of new members into the church family during those years. A small trailer was added behind the church to serve as a fellowship hall for monthly covered-dish dinners and youth activities. An active membership began to grow. The younger members would fight for turns to tug the long braided rope that hung from the bell tower and ring in the church service. All of our members contributed in various ways, teaching Sunday school cleaning the sanctuary on Saturdays, baking bread for communion or delivering a sermon when our pastor was away. Each year there would be a beautiful candlelight service on Christmas Eve. As we filed out of the church into the cold night air, holding tightly to our candles as we sang the final verse of Silent Night, we knew that surely no church service, not even Midnight Mass at the Vatican, could have been more moving. And while the church service paid a beautiful tribute to the birth of Christ, the activities immediately following were slightly less reverent, the annual Christmas Eve Open House at the Mannings. There was always a procession of headlights filing down Highway 19 toward our house following the service. The men would crowd around the makeshift bar (including the pastor), while my Sunday school teacher mixed the high-test eggnog! You didnt need a drink to be in high spirits. The house was filled with people talking and laughing and hugging. The children, frenzied with anticipation for Santa, ran wild through the house 194 despite occasional warnings from distracted adults. There was food, more food, and in typical Southern fashion, more food. When Mrs. Jennie would take her seat at the underused piano in the living room, children and adults alike would gather round to sing Christmas carols and songs of Santa. A spontaneous caroling expedition would sometimes develop and surprised neighbors would open their doors to find a makeshift choir, rarely on key, warbling, We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Our parents were the quintessential hosts, making everyone feel welcome to stay as long as they wished. And everyone stayed, and stayed, and stayed. But once the final friend was wished a Merry Christmas and waved goodbye, my parents had plenty more work to do. The tables needed clearing, the kitchen cleaned, and the children put to bed so that Santa could assemble the new bicycles and put batteries in the talking, walking baby dolls. Although we may now live at different ends of the country, hold different political views and have different interpretations of key events from our childhood, we all completely concede to the following: (1) we will never be able to recreate the magic of growing up in the congregation of Leesburg Presbyterian Church; (2) we will never be able to throw a Christmas Eve party like our parents did; and, (3) Christmas will never be as close to perfect as it was at 8 Cannon Drive, Leesburg, Georgia. Monica Miller, Veronica Johnson and Mitzi Conners (The Manning Girls) 195 The Lords Acre My Daddy, John Robert Green planted peanuts on the land where the Sanctuary of the Leesburg United Methodist Church is presently located. He called it the Lords Acre. The proceeds from the sell of the peanuts went to the Leesburg Methodist Church. Mary E. Green Leesburg United Methodist Church 196 4 appene J Old Wood Bridge across Kinchafoonee Creek On GA Hwy 32 Broad, Charlie, and Red When I retired from the Carlton Company, I wanted to find something I could do for a hobby, and one that no one would steal or copy. I remembered that as a young farm boy I had used a team of oxen to pull logs out of the woods; so I decided to raise a team of oxen as my hobby. I bought three, Broad, a full-blooded Holstein, Charlie, one-half Holstein and one-half Black Angus, and Red, one-half Guernsey and one half Santa Gertrudis. They were from thirty minutes to four days old when I got them. Everyday the steers were fed natural food, a regular diet of hay (one- third of a bale), crushed com (five gallons) and also pasture grass. I brushed them about once a week with a Curry Comb, and as I combed one, the others would line up for their turn. These very large pets of mine participated in many events and parades in Leesburg, Dublin, Albany, Cuthbert, and Calvary. I made a yoke that I used to steer them during those times; however, they would respond to my voice and do what I asked of them. They were smart too. One night a windstorm blew a tree down, breaking down the pasture gate. Charlie came within two feet of my bedroom window and mooed to wake me up. Broad once leaned over the garden fence and was eating my turnip greens. I spanked him on the leg and he never leaned across the fence again. Red helped me move my fence by pulling up posts, carrying them, and putting them in a pile. Once I showed him how to do the work, he continued to repeat the process. As times changed and my having some health problems, I knew that I could no longer care for them, and I would have to sell them. This was one of the hardest decisions I had ever had to make. After sixteen years of caring for them, I had to say goodbye to Broad, who weighted 3,300 lbs, Charlie, who weighed 3,300 lbs, and Red, who weighted 2,800 lbs. I still miss them and mentally feed them everyday. Raymond (Hoot) Gibson 198 Mr. Hoot Gibson with Broad, Charlie, and Red The Unwelcomed Visitor It was a quiet Sunday morning until my Mama burst into my bedroom screaming, Theres a bird in my room! It took me a little while to wake up and focus in on what she was saying. What? I answered. A bird? Where did it come from? Well, I was in bed, and I heard the glass in the window break. I looked down and there was a hawk lying on the floor. I think it is dead. I threw my housecoat on top of it. Come look at it. We entered her bedroom and the hawk was NOT dead! It had started to move around; so, we took the comforter off the bed and threw it on top of it. Who to call? We certainly couldnt get the thing out by ourselves. Mama called Robby, my brother-in-law to come over and help. By the time he arrived, the hawk had come out from beneath the covers and had lighted on the edge of the beds footboard! Robby took one look, closed the bedroom door, and said No way! Since it was a Sunday, animal control wouldnt be open; so Mama called the Lee County Sheriffs department. They sent a deputy over to 199 help. The deputy came in the back door all cocky and being patronizing to us, So, you have a bird in your bedroom and you cant get it out? No, we answered. He strode all confidently down the hall, and we followed behind cautiously. He cracked open the bedroom door and the hawk was on the footboard, wings spread wide in attack mode and it screeched at him. That deputy slammed the door and took off running down the hall! Thats a hawk in there! he exclaimed. Yes, we know, we told you that already! we exclaimed. Finally, we worked out a plan of attack. Robby and the deputy got the comforter out of the guest room, sprang into the master bedroom, and threw it over the hawk. Then, they wrapped it around him good, and ran it out the back door. We could see its talons fighting and poking out as he was unwrapped in the yard and set free. He circled the yard a couple of times before he went off on his way. We were just all relieved that we were home and able to catch it before it was able to fly through the house and destroy everything in sight. That was one Sunday when we had an unwelcome drop in visitor well never forget. Stephanie Hayes A Flounder in the Kinchafoonee? Would you believe a flounder in the Kinchafoonee? Well, if you had lived in Leesburg back in the 1970s you might really believe it. Yes, it was written up in the Lee Countv Ledger with a picture of the fish and the man who caught it. It happened like this: Roy Johnson had been to Florida on a fishing trip and brought home a nice flounder in his ice chest. Hazel told Roy after a day or two to do something with that flounder or it was going to start smelling. Roy decided to take it with him when he, Ray Spillers, and J.G. Worthy got their boat out to go fishing in the Kinchafoonee Creek. The two fishermen had just settled down in the boat when J.G. hooked a fish. Roy told J.G. to go handle the motor and he would take care of landing the fish. J.G. no sooner got his back turned before Roy slipped the flounder out of the ice chest and replaced the bream on the hook with the 200 big flounder. Needless to say, when J.G. turned around and saw the flounder and Roy getting it into the boat, he jumped up with excitement and started shouting, Roy, do you see what I caught? Looks like a flounder, Roy answered. J.G. became ecstatic and started talking about what people would say when they found out he had caught a flounder in the Kinchafoonee Creek in Leesburg, Georgia. Before Roy could slow J.G. down to tell him what he had done, the joke had gone too far. By this time J.G. wanted them to stop fishing and go right into town and show the fish. Roy didnt know then how to tell J.G. it was a joke, so he just went along with J.G. and took the fish to town to show it to the people. Someone passed word of the incident to the editor of The Lee Countv Ledger and he came over and made a picture of J.G. Worthy with the flounder he caught in the Kinchafoonee Creek. So, you see, there WAS a flounder in the Kinchafoonee Creek, but not for very long! Opal R. Cannon Tall Betsy Early in my childhood, I remember my mom trying to make me be a good little boy by using certain scare tactics. I supposed that worked to some extent when I was smaller but as time went on and I got to be a good- sized boy, I was beginning to get tired of it. Mother would tell us about this fictitious character named Tall Betsy who supposedly lived in the attic. She was said to be a mean, old woman who was tall and ugly and didnt like bad children. We were always threatened with her if we got unruly. After getting to be a big boy, one day Bobby and I persuaded Mom to call Tall Betsy out of the attic and let us see her. To do this, she had to take one of my sisters and dress her up to look like she had always told us Tall Betsy looked, so she took a stick broom to give her some height, put a cloth flour sack over the bristles, pained an ugly face on it and topped it off with an old hat. While my sister held the broom up, she covered herself with an old bedspread fastened to the open end of the flour sack. While Bobby and I waited out in the front hallway, she prepared to make her entrance through the curtain. When she did, Bobby and I simultaneously 201 knocked the lock off the doorway entering the bedroom and made our exit. That was the last time we heard of Tall Betsy. Virgil A. Booker Ghosts and Apparitions I live in the house my great, great grandfather and great grandfather Clay built around 1917. It is located in northern Lee County in Chokee District. My grandfather, Robert A. Clay, Jr., was bom in this house. My great grandmother, Eddye Hooks Clay, comes to visit us often. One night my mother and I were upstairs getting ready for bed when I remembered that I needed something downstairs. So, I went down to retrieve the forgotten item. While there, I turned to look toward the front door, and there stood Granny. This was the first time I saw Granny. Another time I was in my room using the computer. Granny came into the room to visit with me. Often we can smell the chocolate peanut butter fudge that she cooked for her children and grandchildren. My great grandfather Robert A. Clay, Sr. has come to visit a couple of times as well. A friend, Stephanie Hayes, had been out to fix the computer. That day, my granddad, Robert A. Clay, Jr. and cousin, Clay Sheffield had been in and out of the house. As we were getting ready to leave, Stephanie turned to my mom and asked, Carol, why did your dad go home, change clothes and come back? Mom replied, Although he has been in and out of the house, he did not go home to change clothes before coming back in the house. Stephanie thought he had changed from his khaki clothes into a dark suit and was standing at the landing looking out the window checking on the cows. Mom pointed to a picture of my great grandfather and asked if that was whom she saw. Stephanie said it was. Mom told her everything was okay, that it was her grandfather that she had seen, and he was just checking on things. I saw him a couple of weeks later on the staircase. It is always nice to have the great grandparents come to visit. Zachary Peak 202 Big River Dan Green and Little River Dan Green I always did like a good true story and this one is true. The Greens had a big plantation and they traded with the Ferguson Company in Desoto who sold everything from buggy whips to coffins. When Big River Dans first son was bom, he was named after his father. Instead of calling him junior they called him Little River Dan Green. Big River Dan loved chewing tobacco and ate just enough to live. Little River Dan ate like a hog and got as fat as the fat lady in a circus. When Big River Dan died, they bought the smallest coffin for grown people that granddaddy had, as he only weighed 98 pounds. Ten years later when Little River Dan Green died he weighed 595 pounds and granddaddy did not have one big enough for him. They had to get a carpenter to build one big enough to hold him. When a coffin was bought, my granddaddy always gave the family a pint of smelling perfume. Granddaddy gave the Greens a quart for Little River Dan. Back then nobody was embalmed and you couldnt hold them out too long. It took about three days to build a coffin this big. This is a true story but it was always funny to me about Big River Dan and Little River Dan Green. If you cant figure out about the perfume, ask somebody. Billy Ferguson The Strawberry Train During the 1940s there was a train with a boxcar load of strawberries. It derailed, however, somewhere around the Century area. Strawberries were everywhere! Word got around that the berries would be free to those who would go and get them. Needless to say, nearly everybody in Leesburg hurried to Century to get berries. It has been said that most of the lights in town were still on way into the night because so many people were doing what? Cooking up those strawberries!! Annibeth Woods McBride 203 A School Teacher Goes to Hollywood Mrs. Louise Whiting, the Society editor of The Albany Herald for many years used to write in her column about the annual visit of her friend, Maude King Chasen of Hollywood, California to see her friends and relatives in the Albany area. Mrs. Whiting said that Maude enjoyed visiting with guests from back home who came to her famous restaurant, Chasens in West Hollywood. In July of 1978 Opal Cannon, Martha Dye and Barbara Jones took a trip out west and decided to visit Chasens when they were sightseeing in southern California. Shortly after being seated, Opal told the waiter to please tell Mrs. Chasen that some people from Leesburg and Albany, Georgia would like to meet her. Maude came to their table immediately and ordered complimentary drinks as she asked about her friends and the news from home. The group was pleased to see how friendly this small, pretty blonde was and to learn that this glamorous lady used to teach elementary school in Leesburg! She said that she enjoyed teaching there and remembered how students went home for lunch each day. She had to wait for them to get back before resuming class. One of her friends in Leesburg was Opals sister-in-law, Lucille Cannon Crotwell. Although Maude was a popular teacher, she decided to go to New York and to seek a different career. She said that she became a friend of the Don Ameches who introduced her to Dave Chasen. When she and Dave fell in love and married, Maude moved to Hollywood where Dave had owned a restaurant since 1937. His restaurant, Chasens was a favorite hangout for the show business crowd for more than sixty years, and Maude became a best friend of Jane Wyman. During World War II when Dave went into service, he left his Georgia Peach in charge of Chasens. Maude said that Dave was pleased to leam that she had been very successful in running the business in his absence. 204 For many years, Chasens was the favorite place of movie stars to have a special lunch, dinner, or a fabulous Oscar-night party. Jimmy Stewart had his bachelor party there in 1949. Cyd Charisse and Tony Martin had their first date at the original Chasens and their golden wedding anniversary at the new restaurant. When Elizabeth Taylor was making the movie Cleopatra in Rome, she had chili from Chasens flown to her. Chasens was Ronald Reagans favorite restaurant. He proposed to Nancy in Booth Number 2 and entertained former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher there as his guest forty years later. This booth is now in the Reagan library. After the guests from Georgia finished their dinner, Maude showed them her office whose walls were frilled with autographed celebrity photographs. She delighted the guests with anecdotes about many of their favorite movie stars. None of the celebrities was any more fascinating than Maude King, the little school teacher from Leesburg! Martha Dye One Long Taxi Ride A crew consisting of Harry Lee, Charles Cannon, Col. A. A. May, and I decided to go rambling, leaving Leesburg for Columbus, and all the way having a real good time. After staying in Columbus for a while, we decided to go on to Montgomery, Al. and see my brother in law, Wandell Murphy. By this time, we were all having a real, real, good time, if you know what I mean. As time went by, we decided to get a room in a hotel, not wishing to attempt to drive all the way back to Leesburg. It was about that time that Harry and Charles decided, for reasons not to be explained here, that they wanted to go back home right then, I mean right that minute. We said, No its too far; too late! Since it was our car, they decided to see if they could rent a taxicab to take them home. The driver must have been nuts or drunk but agreed to take them and get paid when they got to Leesburg. Now that was a long and expensive trip, but off they went. 205 Some time after, Col. May and I thought about the fact that when they arrived in Leesburg, all would be wondering where we were and why they got home ahead of us. So with Col. May driving we headed on back to Leesburg, at this point not having as quite a good time as before. The taxi must have stopped somewhere along the way as we caught up with them just outside Leesburg; we could see the dome light of the taxi far ahead of us. We agreed not to pass them and to follow and just see what all would happen. They had spent all their money and had none to pay the driver. When they got back to Leesburg, they had to borrow from other friends in order to pay for their ride back home. They got mad because they had no money left and realized that they could have ridden back with us for nothing! They asked us not to say anything about his because they didnt want to be teased and given a hard time by the local hang outs at the restaurant. George Moreland My First Tech-Georgia Football Game This little saga began on Friday afternoon the day after Thanksgiving in 1954. I got a call from Elbert Williams asking me if I wanted to attend the Georgia- Georgia Tech football game in Athens the next day, as he had an extra ticket. I immediately said you betcha! After all, I had never seen a game of any kind in Athens, much less a Tech-Georgia game. But it must be said that Elbert warned me that the weatherman was calling for rain. Ahhh, a little rain never hurt anybody was my reaction. It was a long way from Leesburg to Athens, so Elbert picked me up at 4 oclock a.m. in Mr. Williams four-door Desoto auto. We were making good time, but if you rode with Elbert back in those days, you always made good time. Somewhere way on up the road there suddenly was a bright, orange glow in the east and we both agreed that the weatherman was all wet in his forecast, but not for long. The orange sky suddenly turned a light gray, then a dark gray, followed by rain and lots of it. Then, just outside of Madison, WHAMO! We were rear-ended and in turn knocked into the 206 car in front of us. As it turned out, nobody was hurt but a few cars, including Elberts DeSoto, had a badly bruised grill and trunk. By the time we inched our way to the stadium, parked, and sat through the game, Elbert and I were just as wet as if we had jumped into a swimming pool, Literally! We all had coats and ties on! As for the game, we left early to beat the traffic but we didnt beat it. Both Elbert and I just remained wet throughout, and arrived back in Leesburg about 10 oclock that night, damaged DeSoto and all. Oh, who won the game? Tech, 7-3. Bill Cromartie School Bus Trip My family (Jessie, Harry, Rosemary, and Susan Lee) and the Tharps (Pat, Page, Tommy, Jeffrey) went on a weekend camping trip to Ft. Gaines. Mr. Tharp had renovated a school bus into a camper. Eight of us in one camper made for rather snug quarters. Not wanting to disturb anyone, my mother gently woke Miss Pat up about 1:00AM to get her to show her the outside bathroom facility. Having found it and finding it undesirable, Mother and Miss Pat moved on to find a spot. It was so funny (I think we were all awake by this time) to see Miss Pat leading the way with a flashlight with mother right behind saying Where, Pat, where? Needless to say we laughed about it all the way home. Those were such good times and we enjoyed being together so much. Rosemary Lee Dozier Jail Bird I was bom at the Lee County Prison Camp on Leslie Highway. The present County School Bus Depot is located there today. My father, Jim 207 McBride was the warden of the camp and we lived in a house there on the property. When I was about two years old we moved to the jail, which at that time was located on Main Street. There I lived for many years, after my father became Sheriff-. Later on, after years went by, I was employed at the Post Office. My fellow employees having learned that I had grown up in places of incarceration would tease and named me Jail Bird. These employees back then were W.W. Rivers, who was Postmaster, Thad Gibson, Frank Stovall and Ed Forrester. Later on when I became Postmaster and would attend meetings, the Postal Inspector would introduce me as Jail Bird. Gladys McBride Thrift Old Lee County Jail Nora Moreland Allen When Nora Moreland graduated from Leesburg High School, there were only thirteen students in her senior class. In this small setting, she received the inspiration from her social studies teacher, Miss Mary Dance to work to establish a two party political system in Georgia. Miss Dance, who was a life long Democrat, told her students that voters in the South were being taken for granted by the Democrats because the party had no 208 competition. She stressed that this situation would not improve until Southerners had a true choice between two parties as other states did. This teachers words had a profound effect on Nora who would later help establish Republican parties on the precinct and district level and would represent Georgia in Republican Party affairs on the national level. Nora Moreland Allen realized how important it was to have a goal and to use good organizational skills to help establish a grass roots Republican organization in the state. George Clardy organized the Republican Party in Lee County and became its first president. Nora became its second president. She worked hard to identify Republican voters in Lee County and in the Third District and to get them to the polls. She has not forgotten the disappointment when a Republican candidate for Sheriff of Lee County lost by thirteen votes because a few Republicans did not vote. As chairman of the Third District, Nora set the goal of a Republican primary to be held in each county for the first time. This was not an easy task to accomplish in some of the counties. In Chattahoochee County where no one could be found to hold the Republican primary, two University of Georgia students, who were from that county, were hired to conduct this election even though not a single Republican vote was cast! Nora was still proud that 100% participation had been achieved by all the counties in the Third District. Bo Callaway was especially grateful to her and credits her hard work in his successful election to Congress. Noras organizational skills and hard work were rewarded with new responsibilities as vice-chairman of the Republican Party of Georgia. She remained active in the womens organization, also. Noras highest office in the party was National Republican Committee Woman for four years. She attended both Republican national conventions in Miami. Nora remembers the first time she saw George Bush in Miami in 1968. She considered him quite a hunk with his pretty blue eyes, and he was dressed in blue and white and looked as if he had just come in from sailing. She also saw his wife, Barbara, the Silver Fox. Many times Nora was mistaken for Pat Nixon because of their similar hairstyle, blond hair and coloring. One time at a fundraiser for Nixon, the Secret Service came over to Nora and looked surprised and then said, You know who we thought you were. We wondered how she got away from us. 209 Another night, all of the waitresses in an Atlanta hotel restaurant came over and watched Nora eat breakfast. She asked them what was the matter. They replied, You are Mrs. Nixon, arent you? Nora laughed and said, Mrs. Nixon is in town, but she has probably been in bed for hours! Nora Allen with President Nixon She was mistaken for Betty Ford on other occasions. Once in Atlanta, she had her picture made with Nelson Rockefeller for the Atlanta newspapers. She visited the White House on numerous occasions and gave input in convention and presidential meetings such as when Vice-President Agnew resigned. It was hard to believe that Nora was a little girl from Leesburg rubbing shoulders with so many important people. Wouldnt Miss Dance be proud! Nora admired Richard Nixon because he was so smart and was so disappointed when he resigned. She enjoyed her association with Gerald Ford, however, because he was so natural that Nora felt that she could say anything to him and talk with him as you would to a friend. 210 Because her husband, Red, was going to retire, Nora decided that after four years as National Republican Committee Woman from Georgia, she would not run for her re-election. Nora paid all of her expenses as a Republican leader, but had the use of a WATS line when she was vice- chairman of the state party. Nora says that she loved every minute of her career and it was worth every cent and effort that it cost her. Martha Dye A Hair Raising Episode with Two Cousins A haircut with bangs straight across was the style of my hairdo when I was a little girl. One day while sitting at my Mothers dressing table, I decided to play beauty parlor. All of a sudden I had a brilliant idea-1 would cut my bangs myself because I thought they were too long. With that in mind, I picked up the scissors and whacked away-not in a straight line, but wound up with a lop-sided haircut. I, however, was proud of my accomplishments; not so with my mother! She gasped and ran to the phone for a quick call to her beautician. She told her that we were on our way because of a hair-cutting emergency. When we arrived, I sat down under this contraption that had zillions of wires attached to curlers. I said, I dont want to be electrocuted! (This was long before wireless perms). Nevertheless, I was put in what looked 211 like an electric chair, hooked up to wire curlers, which were then attached to my hair and the power was turned on, and the curling began! After what seemed to be a very long time, they pulled the plug. It seemed to me that I had been fried and I really did smell like fried chicken! All this was of little concern to my mother. She was just satisfied that I no longer had lopsided bangs, but had a head full of Shirley Temple curls. However, instead of the curls, it looked more like pig-tailed corkscrews. With this very unpleasant experience, I finally decided that after all, I liked the new look, so when I got home, I could hardly wait to show my new hair-do to my cousins, Cynthia and Harold. They lived on Stocks Dairy Road and were playing outside with a water hose. I bragged and boasted about my new do. I expected accolades, but what I got was very hair- raising. Harold picked up the hose and turned it on me and my hair-do full force!!! My new perm frizzed up like I had been in a fight with a weed- whacker. I ran home crying, Harold laughing, and Cynthia just ran! I really didnt get too angry with Harold because I guess they were just tired of listening to me and he just decided that would be a way to stop my bragging. This is just one of the many memories that I keep tucked away in the safety box of my mind. I take these precious memories out of my minds box from time to time to polish them up and relish in their glow. I place them very carefully back into their place of remembrance in order that I might retrieve them to brighten my day. As we grow older, we discover our good childhood memories can help us cope and deal with adult trials and tribulations. Sandra Stocks The Manure Pile A common practice each spring was for farmers to clean out their bams and stables and lots of the livestock waste, which had accumulated over the past year. This substance would, in turn, be piled in the appropriate fields before being spread throughout. Well, James Cannon had a huge pile stacked up in a field that was located on the left side of the road, going west 212 towards the Kinchafoonee Creek. Meanwhile, Charles Rhodes, Ed Forrester and Bill Cromartie had borrowed a 34 Ford belonging to Bills grandmother, to ride to the creek to check out the construction of a new steel and concrete bridge being built. On the way back, however, there was a sudden BAM BAM! And they had thrown hard dirt clods against the car. I immediately stopped to see what in the blue-blazes had happened, and there were Billy Crotwell, James Macolly and Jimmy Bowles scrambling to get away. LETS GET EM! shouted one of us. And we did. And to shorten a long story, we did get emall three of them got pitched directly into the pile of ripe manure. They were a mess. That night, Billy Crotwells mother, Lucille, called my mother and the conversation went like this: Mrs. Cro: Oh, hello Lucille, fine, yeah, were all doin fine. Phone: Silence Mrs. Cro: He did WHAT? Phone: Silence Mrs. Cro: You dont mean it! Phone: Silence Mrs. Cro: Why, that the worst thing Fve ever heard of! Phone: Silence Mrs. Cro: Well thanks for callin Lucille, and I sure am sorry. Mrs. Cro wasted no time in scolding Bill. And guess who had a ringside seat behind some bushes directly across the road from the manure pile? It was one, John Drew Cromartie. He recently said, Yeah, I witnessed that entire sordid disaster and I definitely think that the young boys got what they deserved. Some 20 years later, making it the early 1970s, James and Billyplus their lovely wiveswere in Atlanta and along with my lovely wife; the six of us had dinner. Naturally, the old days were brought up, but I was not about to mention the manure story, as I didnt know if their wives knew about it. Well, in no time at all, Billy and James both brought up the fact that I was indeed in on it. 213 Their wives got a real hoot over it, saying things like; I wish I had been there to see it, etc. etc. etc. Bill Cromartie Lee County Postcard I was living on Stocks Dairy Road in October 1993. It was then that I had my own experience and version of Gone with the Wind. A tornado destroyed my home on Halloween night. The force of nature had really played a trick on me that night. After the disaster that night, I moved in with my son David Kessler, who lived on Flowing Well Road. This was a big mistake. He lived alone and his work in Albany requires that he work long hours. Therefore, there was little food in the house, only a jar of peanut butter and a stale loaf of bread. The Philema Road Baptist Church came to the rescue after this tornado. Pews were lined with all kinds of food items. Upon entering the church, we were handed a cardboard box. We were then instructed to pick out what we needed, at no cost whatsoever. This action taken by the church was truly a sermon to me. My church, Central Baptist in Albany presented me with a generous donation. Also, my cousins Sunday School Class sent me a donation. This was truly an act of Christian giving, especially since I was unknown to them. I am so grateful to these churches for their help. What a blessing we have to be able to live in a country where we have the freedom to worship and help others in times like these. Just one year before the tornados struck, my mother passed away. Theyearwas 1992. Afterwards, my son and I went through her possessions. We soon discovered that she had saved every letter and postcard that I had written to her. We then gathered them altogether and stored them in an empty building on our property. A few days after the tornado, my son told me that a lady in Dublin, Georgia had a piece of my mail. She had contacted the Lee County Chamber of Commerce for information concerning my address. My son brought my mail to me soon after that, and there was a letter addressed to me from 214 someone in Dublin. As I opened the letter, a post card that I had written my mother in 1954 while on a Senior Class trip, fell into my lap! Her letter stated that she worked in a manufacturing plant there in Dublin. While outside cleaning the grounds there at the plant, she noticed a post card there up against a fence. She stated that what caught her eye was it was a two-cent post card from Leesburg, Georgia. How could that card be in Dublin! I answered her letter and explained to her that the card was indeed written to my mother those many years ago. The tornado had completely destroyed the building where papers had been stored. Evidently the storm had picked it up and blew it to Dublin. It was so amazing to think that this lady was considerate enough to take the time and make the effort to save this two-cent postcard! The card was still in fair condition. The message was still readable and the card itself was not even tom. How astounding, considering the conditions endured on its journey over to Dublin! I eventually moved to Albany. Sadly in the process of moving I lost the card. However, the memory of the storm and the journey of the card will never be forgotten. Sandra Stocks Mrs. Kate Profit Mrs. Kate Profit was a lady who was not easily defeated by a challenge. She loved nature and didnt do much trimming on trees and shrubs. She had a snake that lived in her well. I am sure more than one lived there. Sometimes as she drew a bucket of water, the snake was in the bucket. She would just let the bucket down again so the snake could get out. She said that snakes help to keep the water clean. She liked animals and raised black and white rabbits. She had good sales on her rabbits, especially around holidays. Sis Flossie Bolden 215 A Grandmothers Last Gift My mother, Jane Tison McRee, died on February 9,2003. Several months after her death, we were packing up some of her things and came across a box of unused cookbooks published by the Smithville Garden Club in 1977. One of her granddaughters said she would like to have one. So I reached into the box and gave her one to take home. That night I got an excited phone call from her. To her surprise when she opened the cookbook she found a note addressed to her from her grandmother written in 1978. The next day we searched the box of cookbooks, and as we had hoped, found two other cookbooks each one addressed to her other two granddaughters and also dated 1978. We assume that mamas intentions were to write a message to each of the girls and give them the cookbook when they were older. She evidently put these three books back in the box with the others and they stayed in there lost and forgotten for over twenty- five years. It has been difficult for us to believe that this was just a coincidence. That out of a whole box of forgotten books, we would randomly pick up a book and give it to the one person for whom it had been intended twenty- five years ago. I guess that coincidence is the only Claudia McRee Copeland Hospitality, Two Rabbits and More During World War II, a cousin, Martha Griffith, was employed as a librarian at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. She had frequent visitors in the library. Among them were four young men stationed at Maxwell: Ramie, Ernie, Smitty and Bill (Bill later became my uncle Bill Hopkins, who married my Aunt Neva). They all soon became friends with Martha. Often she would invite them to her home for some good home cooked meals, which they enjoyed. They liked to visit with Martha and her husband, Griff, any time they had an invitation. 216 These young men soon learned that they were being transferred to Turner Field in Albany, Georgia. When Martha learned this, she immediately told them they would soon have another home to go to in Leesburg for that southern cooking. She, of course, was referring to my Grandmother and Granddaddys house, Bessie and Bob Green. As soon as they were settled at Turner Field, they called my grandparents and told them what cousin Martha had said. Shortly thereafter, the four men were invited up to Leesburg where they became frequent visitors and always looked forward to the good ole home cooking! One day Ramie asked my Mother and Daddy if I could have two male rabbits. They agreed and soon I got them and Daddy built an unlined pen for them. It was soon discovered that someone had made a mistake! I had gotten a male and a female! Before long they began to multiply. There were rabbits, rabbits, and more rabbits! They soon began to dig out of the pen, so I had to help catch them and put them back into the pen. This continued on for a little while, but soon it was evident that I could keep them no longer, so I was willing to give them to Kate Profit. For many years after that when someone wanted a rabbit all they had to do was to go see Kate. Mary E. Green A Chance Meeting An Old Friend I did have a funny experience with one of my friends from Leesburg and it occurred at an EVAC Hospital in France. I was in a Ward with a number of other soldiers and I saw Dick Forrester in a bed across the way, but I wasnt sine who he was. In that deep voice he told me his name and that he was from Albany, Georgia. About that time I recognized him and I said, Youre from Leesburg. He replied, Yeah, that is right but nobody here knows where Leesburg is. I said, Heck, nobody here knows where Albany is. 217 The home my mother was bom in was known as the Byne House, just off Palmyra Road. The home, still standing, has been remodeled with the kitchen and dining room, once separated from the home, now included in the main body of the house. GM Byne Bom 1825 Died 1910 Georgia Byne Bom 1854 Died 1924 Marilu Byne Bom 1890 Gil Barrett The Game Daddy used to tell this story about a very strong willed woman (no names please). Her husband did love to play cards. She disapproved. One Saturday after getting paid, he decided to stop by the GAME and play a little. After losing his entire paycheck, he slowly made his way home. Being late getting home, his wife was waiting at the door. After finding out what had happened (remember these were hard times), she rushed into the closet and grabbed a shotgun. She ran down to the GAME and swept up every penny of her husbands paycheck out of the pot in the middle of the table. Not a man at that table stopped her nor, did they say a word looking into that double-barreled shotgun! Gwen Johnson Seanor The Cat and The Flashlight Charles and I moved into our new bam red house from our old house next door, across the street from the first Baptist Church, August 1978. Not long after that, the Tommy Bryan family bought and moved into the house in back of us. Luke Bryan was 4 or 5 years old and he and Charles became close friends. Luke would come over and borrow nails, or just sit on the stool and watch Charles work, talking all the time. Luke was curious about a hole in 218 the door of a small room where we kept garden tools. Charles told him a cat went in it and had kittens. Luke then asked how the cat could see to find the kittens. Charles, having a good imagination, told him the cat had a little tiny flashlight! Luke was puzzled, so he went home and thought about it. Later he came back and said Mr. Williams, you know a cat cant hold a flashlight! Charles said, Oh, yes, this is how he does it; Charles got down on his all fours and then held his right hand out as if shining the flashlight (Wish I could have seen that). Luke was still baffled, but he went home. When Luke graduated from LCHS, Charles and I gave him a check and a small flashlight with a note that said The cat doesnt need it anymore. Lukes parents said tears came in his eyes when he read the note. We moved to Loganville April 2, 1997 and Charles passed away July 12, 2001 Bernice Williams Lee County Car Tag Number When my father, Sam Stocks, passed away, my Aunt Sara moved in with her sister, my mother, Maggie Lee Stocks. These two people were as different as night and day. Maggie Lee was very domestic, and Sara was very business like. After Sara retired as a buyer for Rosenbergs Department Store, she assumed some of the household duties from my mother. Hating every minute of the domestic scene, Sara would try her best to finish her tasks as quickly as she possibly could. On the other hand, Maggie Lee would take her sweet time and scrub and polish every inch of the house. One day Sara informed me that it was very easy to remember her car tag number, which read MLW- 925. I asked how was this so, and without hesitation she replied, Maggie Lee Wipes From Nine To Five. Sandra Stocks 219 A Skunky Story Endoline was the name of our plantation, which was located in Lee County. One day the workers there were moving irrigation pipes and unearthed a mother skunk with two babies. Mother skunk was killed, but we took the two babies and went to our veterinarian, Dr. Martin, to have them de-skunked. It was not soon enough for Dr. Martin because he got skunked two times during the procedure. One skunk died during the procedure and the other survived. Dr. Martin was pretty distraught over his skunking and said, Dont you ever, ever, bring me anything like that again! We took the one who lived home and named him Waddles. We had to bottle-feed him since he was just a baby. He grew older and soon became another pet and just had run of the house. When startled by someone he didnt know, he would pounce his paws and throw up his tail, ready to spray. (He didnt know he had lost his sprayer) One day an insurance salesman came to our house. I told him that we had a new pet. Waddles was somewhere in the house and I called him (he knew his name). When he came into the room with us the man startled Waddles and Waddles startled him. With that, Waddles put up his line of defense. The man, put his hand over his heart and said, Oh, my gosh! I thought I had been had! Waddles became a television celebrity, a guest on the childrens show, Captain Mercury, which was a local television show with Grady Shadbum as Captain. Barbara Robertson Mercer Dead Give Away Back when we were teenagers, we did not Trick-or-Treat at Halloween as they do today. We were full of mischief and fun. We, meaning the teenagers around town, did not go from house to house. We all met down town after dark at the stores that were closed. We took bars of soap and wrote on the store windows. We took chairs and everything else in 220 front of the store that was not tied down, and put them on telephone poles or some place else away from that store. We played pranks, but never destroyed. There was only one policeman in Leesburg at that time, and no police car. On Halloween night, the policeman would crank the old fire truck, ride around where we were, and chase us. We out ran him on foot everytime. Oh! I think he knew he was not going to stop us. He just wanted to make us think he was after us. I worked at William & Pete Longs grocery store. One year every store was soaped, except Longs Grocery. Those who worked in each store had to wash the windows the next day. Well, I wouldnt let them soap Longs Grocery because I knew I would have to wash the windows. Yes, they put two and two together. You guessed it. They knew I was involved. That was a dead give-away. Edgar Paul Stamps Hey, Bill... Give me a Push James Kilpatrick stopped by the Leesburg train depot to see his daddy who was depot manager and Morse code telegraph operator. The depot, open as they say now 24/7, was a hangout to many, a place to warm around the potbelly stove in the winter, to get a cold drink in summer, to visit, gossip, watch the tickertape, hear the endless sound of the telegraph keyboard, or just to talk to Mr. Kilpatrick. Of course, all talking stopped when a train came through, especially the fast ones like the Dixie Flyer, the Seminole, the Flamingo, and in later years, the Streamliner City of Miami. The train that transported troops through Lee County during World War II was the Southwind. On leaving that day, Jamess car would not start, and since there were no men around to push, he hollered over the street to Bill Davis to give him a push with his car. Bill agreed, but temporarily went back into his store. As Bill Davis did not come with his car for some time, James Kilpatrick, leaving his car in neutral, went back into the depot. In due course, Bill came with his car and drove to the back of Jamess car to push it off. In 221 those days, to jump-start a car usually took pushing only a short distance, maybe 15 to 20 feet. Thinking that James was in his car, Bill began to push Jamess car, and as no signal came to stop, Bill gave it the gas going faster, faster, and faster, pushing an empty car. All ended when Jamess car hit head-on with the big oak tree across from the Forrester filling station, doing extensive damage to its front end. Harry Lee My Hijack Journey to Jordan When I was 13 years old, I went to Frankfurt Germany to visit my sister Carolyn. She and her husband were stationed at Ramstein. I was there for five weeks and had a marvelous time. While there I went on a cruise down the Rhine River, took a motor coach tour of Paris and went to Berlin. After visiting from August 9 to September 6, it was time for me to go back home to Leesburg. On Sunday morning Carolyn and her family were all at the airport to see me off. (I had flown over with a friend, but was returning alone) and after the hugs and goodbyes Carolyn, being the protective sister said to me, Jayne, now dont you get hijacked! There were 39 individuals who boarded Flight 741 at Frankfurt. There were already 102 other passengers and a crew of 10. I was one of the last persons to board, but soon found a place about half way toward the back where I sat next to an elderly woman. The 707 took off and headed west. New York was 8 hours away and Mama and Daddy were to meet me in Atlanta that night. On board, we were just beginning to relax a little from take off. Our pilot came on the intercom and told us wed be passing over Brussels, Belgium. All of a sudden there were two hijackers that ran through the plane. They were nicely dressed and had dark complexions. One was a young man and the other a young woman, and they ran toward the cockpit after wed been in the air about fifteen minutes. 222 The lady announced that she was the new captain and that the plane had been taken over by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. She told us to stay in our seats and with our hands behind our heads and if we cooperated, no one would be harmed. I was petrified and the little German lady I was sitting by kept saying over and over, I thot someting was wrong mit der machine. Nobody told us where we were going or how long it would take us to get there. The real captain Pilot R.D. Woods, had radioed Frankfurt to tell them we were being kidnapped. He could give no destination, but instead of heading to the Atlantic, we were turned toward the Mediterranean. Mama and Daddy were waiting in Atlanta for my plane to arrive. When they found out that I was not on the plane they had expected me to be on, they soon were notified that I was on the plane that had been hijacked and that I was in a hotel. I wasnt. The stewardesses were told that they could keep on serving lunch. The hijackers stayed in the cockpit most of the time, but the man would come out and walk toward us. He had a pistol and would stay in the aisle looking at us, then turn around back toward the cockpit. Our stewardesses said that if we needed to go to the bathroom the hijackers wouldnt mind. When a lot of us got up, the hijackers ordered that not too many leave at the same time. We were all very scared. One woman, traveling with her whole family lost control and became hysterical. She was given a tranquilizer and finally got quiet. We all wondered who the Popular Front of the Liberation of Palestine were. It was a band of commandos (we later found out) that were strongly opposed to Jordanian King Husseins acceptance of U.S. plans for peace talks between Israel and the Arab nations. Terror is the weapon of the guerrillas and they had planned the hijacking very carefully. After about 8 hours in flight, we learned that we were landing on an airstrip outside Amman, Jordan. We were in a desert, where it was very dark. Inside our plane the lights went off and the air- flow stopped. We were tired, hungry, hot and scared. The hijackers soon left the plane and were greeted by their people and five more boarded the plane and had us fill out cards. It was very 223 important that they know our religion. I filled out BAPTIST. As we were filling out these cards, these men were walking the aisles with machine guns and shining flashlights in our face. They wanted to see if any Jews were on board because they were considered the enemy. Another plane, a Swiss Air DC-3 had been hijacked and landed very close to us. Soon some Red Cross workers came on board and said we would be there in the desert for two days. When daylight came, we were fed breakfast, a boiled egg, sweet roll and hot tea. It was the first food since lunch the day before. We never knew why we were there until later we learned they were trying to get people released from prison. There were threats to blow up our planes, too. Soon we were taken to a hotel in Amman and it was there that I met someone who knew where Leesburg was. She was Mrs. Mary Cain, who had taught school at what was then Lee County Training School! Can you imagine that someone that far away knew where Leesburg was? We had much to talk about from then on. There was fighting going on outside of our hotel, a civil war. Jordanian troops blasted their way from house to house searching out Palestinian Commandos. This continued for several days while we remained inside the hotel. On Sunday morning a TWA man called and said for us to be ready to leave at 7:30 a.m.! There was a convoy of buses, escorted by Jordanian and Palestinian Commandos who took us to the airport. I was flown to Cyprus. After some delays I finally arrived in New York, where Daddy and my brother Jim met me. Mama and the others met us when we got to Atlanta. When we all got home, practically everybody in town was there to greet me. It was a big welcome home with family and friends in Leesburg. Jayne McBride Cannon 224 The Dummy Incident This is a true story. On a Saturday afternoon about 1950,1 entered our house from the back porch where I discovered my younger brother John, and his buddy Rody Stovall stuffing a dummy with newspapers. After asking some questions, I discovered that their master plan was to dress it in Mr. Cromarties old hunting and fishing clothes and, under cover of darkness, place it beside the much-traveled Leesburg to Albany highway which ran directly in front of the Cromartie house. Smart! Well, after about two hours of boredom and total failure, IT HAPPENED! Boy, did it ever.. ..A car heading north (to Indiana) came to an abrupt stop, and this man and his wife came running towards the dummy and they were both telling the other dont touch it, it might be hurt, dont touch it, it might be hurt! The man then bellowed out, Ahhh, its only a blank-blank-blank- DUMMY, and with that he stormed the Cromartiess front porch and pounded on the doorbig time! MAN: I want to use your phone to call the police! Mr. Cromartie: Well, Im the Mayor, can I help you? MAN: Come out here and Ill show you! Well, with that, Mr. Cromartie looked down and saw that the dummy had on his old hat, his old shirt, his old pants and his old boots. He was LIVID! SUPER livid! The Indiana couple continued complaining and wanting to call the police over the situation. But Mr. Cro finally sent them on their way and quickly turned his attention in my direction. To say that he was mad would be an understatement. Where were John and Rody all this time? Well, John later said that he was under Judge and Mrs. Feeneys house right next door, and that Rody and gone home. But the story was still very much alive on Monday. It was about four oclock on Monday afternoon and I was walking home from school and as I crossed the train tracks, Dick Forrester, or I should say SHERIFF Dick Forrester, shouted and motioned for me to come there. DRATS, I thought! He is going to give me some kind of court order and I was going to have to face Mr. Cro AGAIN that night with it. DOGGONE IT! That dumb dummy wasnt even my idea and here I am catching all of the grief over it, while John and Rody had escaped 225 unscathed. As I approached the barbershop I saw six or eight men in or around the place and they all wanted to hear all of the details of the Dummy Story. Who got the biggest kick from it? Dick Forrester. My goodness, what a nice man he was and all of us teenagers were crazy about him. Every time I see Ward Bond on TV or in old movies, he reminds me of the good Sheriff! Bill Cromartie A Close Call Life in a small burg, even in the early nineteen-sixties was not totally devoid of excitement. During that period, there were several car wrecks, a few house fires and a couple of train derailments to break the monotony and entertain the towns residents. For most people who bore witness to those events, remembrance has faded over time, but there was one calamity that set the town on its ear and made it laugh for a long time. For me, even forty years after its occurrence, the thought of it still brings on more than a smile. Johns father, Mr. Hopkins, was a distributor for Gulf Oil products and had been in the business for many years. As a natural result of those years of commerce, his company had worn out several vehicles of various types. Most businessmen would have traded or sold the old trucks, Mr. Hopkins put them out-to-pasture in a field behind his house. The field was overgrown with weeds and was waist high in brown straw, all as dry as a chip. One afternoon John and his friend, Jimmy, were playing war in Mr. Hopkins private junkyard, and lobbing cherry bombs at imaginary enemy positions. In the inventory of this junkyard was an old gasoline tanker truck. It was not a huge semi-trailer type, but it was a large four- wheeled truck with a large cylindrical tank on the back. John decided to drop a cherry bomb into it, thinking that it would produce a nice echo effect. He thought, after all, that the truck had been out of service for years and that, surely, there was no gasoline in the tank. It was a good thought, but it was not necessarily so. The tank was full of fumes. 226 Fortunately, John was standing by one side of the tank when the cherry bomb was dropped into an opening on top. The explosion was so powerful that it blew out the back end of the tank. A huge fireball erupted and set the field afire. Several nearby houses suffered broken windows and the loud report rocked the town. A local farmer claimed that he heard the sound at his place, and he lived about four miles out in the country. At that point, except for John and Jimmy, no one knew what had happened, but many could see smoke and flames rising from the field. The two boys fled the scene immediately and hid out in a bamboo thicket next to the Post Office, not knowing what to do. Neither was hurt, but they both received the scare of their lives. Meanwhile, the volunteer fire department came around and put out the grass fire. A short time later, they came out of their hiding place and told Mr. Hopkins what had happened. All was forgiven and things returned to normal. Nelson Forrester One Bad Fishing Trip In our younger days, Lamar Cannon, Bill Odom, and I planned to go down to Steinhatchee, Florida. To fish we needed an outboard motor; we figured wed rent a boat down there. Knowing that James Cannon had a motor like we needed, we decided to ask him to let us borrow it. At first, he was reluctant, but finally said all right if we would take real good care of it. Once in the river, Bill Odom started playing around with the motor, letting it up and down, up and down. The next thing we knew, the motor fell off into the river at its deepest point. There was no retrieving it. Some suggestions were to get some sponge drivers to dive down and maybe get the motor, but they would charge a big amount of money, which we did not have, because we barely had spending money. Our only outlet at this point was to buy another motor. When we got back to Albany, we decided to go to a local finance company for enough money to make a down payment. Lamar and I went in, acting like big shots. One of the first questions asked was where we worked. We told them we did not work; we lived in Leesburg! Out the door we quickly went. 227 I thought of my aunt, who lived in Albany, as a source of a small loan, and we went to see her. There, we met a cousin of mine who had a motor of the same model and make as the one we lost in the river. He saved the day by agreeing to let us buy the motor and pay for it over time. This was a salvation to our dilemma. We took the motor to James, thanked him, and as far as we know, he never knew the difference in the motors. In fact, he might have been better off in the deal, but in any case, it was some experience for us young folks. George Moreland We Got A Whippin! When we was about 13 or 14 years old living in Leesburg we had some exciting times. Ed Forrester, Billy Cromartie, John Cromartie, Bobby Gunter, Rody Stovall and several other boys in town would lay a dummy in the road. We had a rope attached to it so we could make it move. One night about 9:00 at night we laid it across U.S. Hwy 19 in Leesburg. As the cars came by we would make the dummy move, one car slid on brakes and fishtailed on the highway, they hit the dummy and boy did they scream! We tore out running and we went to Mrs. Yeomans house. She always took us in and looked after us. She would turn the lights out and make us all be quiet. These people that hit the dummy looked for the Mayor, who was my Daddy. About 10:30 Mrs. Yeomans let us go home, my dad, Mr. Gunter, was waiting for me to get home. The people were there waiting too. Dad had contacted Mr. Cromartie and he was waiting on Billy and John also. We all had to apologize to the couple at Billys house. When they left and went home, I had to sit and watch Billy and John get a whipping with Mr. Cromarties belt. They yelled after every lick, and naturally, it hurt me also. When I got home my Dad used his belt on me. Needless to say, we never used our dummy trick again. On Halloween we would trick or treat for a short time. Then we would go to the schoolhouse 228 and ring the bell that was located outside of the school. It was big and really made a noise you could hear all over town. Several of the men in town would come after us on the Fire Engine. We always ran behind the gym and bus shop, and into some swampy woods. We hid in the swamp until the men left and then rang the bell some more. They came after us again so into the woods and swamp we would go. They never caught us, but when we got home we always got a whipping. We really enjoyed what we were doing even though we knew the whippings were coming when we got home. Bob Gunter Funny Incidents in Leesburg A Happy Mothers Day My oldest son was reminded at school to do something real nice for me on Mothers Day. He decided to serve me breakfast that morning, much to my surprise. He asked how to make pancakes. I told him where to look in my recipe book and to half the recipe. I stayed in bed at his request and in a few minutes he dashed back into the bedroom with flour on his hands and arms. He asked how in the world do you half an egg? I told him to go ahead and use the whole egg and so he did a very nice job, and I had some delightful pancakes for my breakfast. A Fathers Duty As my husband worked diligently trying to put together a toy he continued to read the instructions. The child looked up and said, Oh, Daddy, you just need to follow the prescriptions and you can do it. 229 The Unknown Voice Many years ago one of the stores in Leesburg put in a loud speaker. Some of the men decided to play a joke on an old man. He was walking down the sidewalk across town in front of the courthouse, not knowing what was being planned for him. As he walked a voice called his name. He looked around and saw no one. In a few minutes he was called again and still not knowing where the voice was coming from he looked straight up and said, Here I is Lord. Jeannette Long Driving Lesson One day I went down to Neyami with Dad to get groceries. Dad let me do the driving. I hadnt been driving very long, and on the way down there, right where the shoulder of the road was the narrowest, some guy decided to pass an 18-wheeler, which I was meeting. Somehow or another, we all three passed in one spot on that narrow road without any of us getting hit. Dad said, Well, son, you surely got us through that one nicely, but you better stop up here and let me go to the bushes for a few minutes. Virgil A. Booker The Luckiest Man Around One of the luckiest people in Leesburg was William Coxwell. He was known to be a survivor. One time he was driving his truck on Palmyra road in Lee Country when he ran off the bridge with his truck, turning over into the creek. When they started looking for him in the creek he was nowhere to be found. Law officers and friends were summoned to assist in the search, wading in the creek, but there was not a trace of William. Many thought he might have drowned. Finally, someone went to his house to check on his 230 wife and found William sitting at the table eating supper. He said he couldnt get his truck out so he just hitched a ride and went on home. On another occasion, William was driving his red car across the railroad tracks in Leesburg when the train hit the car, dragged it down the track and totally destroyed the car. There was hardly enough metal left to identify it as a red car. Everyone thought they would find Williams dead body underneath the wreck, but he had been thrown in a ditch and the motor in his car had flipped straddle of the ditch over him, keeping him perfectly safe. He didnt have a scratch. Back in the days when nobody dared do any plowing in their fields on Sunday, Williams father was behind with his field work; so he took William to a field out beyond where the State Prison is now located and started plowing. They thought no one would ever know they were even back there plowing on Sunday. After awhile, when the tractor had stopped, William told his father that he was hearing chimes ringing, but his father thought it was just Williams imagination. After another minute or two William clearly heard the chimes playing Nearer My God To Thee. He told his father he did not want to stay out there any longer. He was scared to death and came home, only to learn that the Cannon family had given some chimes to the Leesburg Methodist Church and they could be heard at quite a distance. No one knows for sure, but it is speculated that this experience ended Williams plowing on Sunday. William died a few years later, not from an accident, but from a heart attack. Opal R. Cannon The Talking Dog? There was an older widow lady who lived on Walnut Street. She would always tell all the young folks that she was Charlie Chaplins lady friend, among other stories. She also had a small dog named Sambo. She told my brother and sis that the dog could talk. They decided one day that they would try to get Sambo to talk. Well when he wouldnt talk they set Sambo on fire with gasoline. Sambo did survive but never talked. Elizabeth Young 231 Do Bees Laugh? In the late 1920s, Daddy, Mama and I were going to visit my Mamas brothers somewhere between Lumpkin and Fort Gaines. When I asked from the back seat of a Model A Ford, Where are we going, Daddy said, Frog Bottom. About that time Mama screamed, Bee, bee, a bee in the car! (all the windows were down because there was no air conditioner). Daddy said, Ill stop and slowed down. Mama opened the door and jumped out, and lost her balance in the red clay hilly ditch; fell and rolled in the red dust. Daddy finally stopped the car and ran around to help Mama. By that time, I was crying and screaming Mamas dead! Daddy checked Mama and then helped her up, dusted her off as best he could, and helped her back into the car. Then he reassured me Mama was ok. He then started off again. I noticed Mama wasnt very happy and was not saying anything, but Daddy laughed all the way to Frog Bottom! Gwen Johnson Seanor Hit by a Car When I was three years old, my mother Jewell Coxwell, was pregnant with my baby sister Shirley Coxwell Gibbs. Early one morning Mr. Lee (Harry Lees father), walked across the street where we lived to get me, my bucket and shovel to go back across the street where Harry was sitting playing in the sand, as we often did on pretty days. After sitting there together playing for quite a while, a car driven by Dorothy Hall, pulled up next door to put Florence Tharp out. As she pulled out to go home, Harry was facing her and rolled out of the way. Since my back was towards her, I didnt see her. It was then that she ran over me, knocking me unconscious. The kids in the neighborhood ran out, saw me lying there, ran screaming to Mama Floras Dead. Mr. and Mrs. Colin Hall, Dorothys parents, rushed around and took Mother with me in her arms to the hospital. After treatment and recovery, I was sent home to get back to a normal every day life. I just thank God that the shock did not cause Mama to have 232 a miscarriage and lose Shirley for I dont know what I would do without her today. She and I are the only ones left in our family. Flora Coxwell Hartley A Teller of Tales Florence Paul, who married Silas Page, was my grandmother, and had the unusual ability to tell stories and tales as no one I have ever known. In fact, all ages from children to adults were spellbound when she began to talk. She also had some degree of extra-sensory perception, and though a devoted Christian, was close at times to spiritualism. Her younger years were spent at their farm known as the Page Place, located on the south side of the present New York Road. Once while sitting on the porch after supper, she told my grandfather that there was a snake in the house. Nonsense, he said and continued to play his violin. After they retired and were in bed, she again told him of the snake and that it was in the room. Finally getting up, lighting the kerosene lamp, he looked all over, but found no snake. She told him to shine the lamp in the fireplace, and there it was in the chimney, a six-foot long white oak runner. The Page Place house had a large hall all the way through the middle, with rooms on each side. Upstairs, there was a large, open room. One day after leaving her bedroom, she went into the kitchen. On returning the same way, right in the middle of the bedroom door floor was the double barreled shotgun that hung over the doorway. This may not be so unusual except for the fact that the gun was completely disassembled and in dozens of pieces, taking hours to reassemble. It was not there when she first passed by, and was no noise heard whatsoever. Mention was made of the large upstairs room, and it was there that many parties and dances were held. Musicians and bands would come from as far off as Americus, play, and spend the night. It was because of her dancing that she was turned out of the Baptist Church. After getting her membership letter, she put it in her trunk and never rejoined the Baptist Church. 233 Losing the farm for various reasons, they moved to Leesburg. Once while buying groceries at a local store, she lost her wedding band. This created much concern for all and certainly a restless night. Around three in the morning, she sat up in bed and said she knew where the ring was and that she must go there at once. Finally persuading my grandfather to get up, hitch the horse to the buggy, she told him to go to the Ragan Store. Getting out, she walked over hundreds of dirt hoof prints, stopped, telling him to shovel here, right here, in this spot. He did, and there was the ring. She, along with friends, had gone to a picnic at Mossy Dell; a local place for swimming and fun located about five miles east of Leesburg. When a friend on horseback rode up in a hurry, she, before he could say anything, said, My son has been killed. This was true, as several boys had left school, gone to her house, played with a pistol, and one accidentally shot him in the back of the head. Racing back to Leesburg, she found friends looking for the boys. She told them that they need not look further as the boys were hiding in a stump hole out in the old jail pond. Thats where they found them. She then said, You need not look further for the bullet that killed my son. It is on the floor behind the trunk. There it was. Her ability to tell stories was uncanny. She could walk to town, come back, and relate her trip as if it were a major event. Also, she could tell tales, such as Cousin Dora trying to get into the well, and make it funny. It was this gift that mesmerized the minds of children with ghost stories. Scared, the hair would stand up on the back of your neck. If the children came over after supper, on the way back home after dark, they didnt walk.. .they ran. My grandfather having passed away, a major event changed her life when a piano tuner came to town to tune pianos. Within one week, they were married, and moved to Dade City, Florida and it took years for mama to get over this. While living there, she became friends with a woman who was a spiritualist and they attended many seances. They were walking along one day, and the woman told her that the spirit Silas Page, my grandfather, was with them and to tell her that he still had the burned scar on the back of his neck. He did in life, and there was no way this woman could have known this. The woman later moved to California, and wrote my grandmother a letter in which she stated that the spirits were bothering her badly that day, 234 having trouble writing in a straight line, her writing going up and down all over the sheet. She wanted her to know that by the time she got the letter, my mother from Georgia, would be there visiting her and reading the letter at the same time together. After the death of her second husband, grandmother returned to Leesburg to live the rest of her life and tell more interesting tales. Page Tharp The Cemetery My Grandfather, Pitt Martin, told me the following tale: There was a homeless man, who died in the county. He was to be buried in a country cemetery. As the coffin was lowered into the ground, a man in the crowd who could throw his voice (a ventriloquist) said, Let me down easy, boys!! All of a sudden the men dropped the coffin and ran. They had to get the sheriff to make them go back and bury him! Jacqueline Martin Bowling Bad Eye to the Rescue Our neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Burt, had a mean old turkey gobbler that roamed around in our yard from time to time. He would strut around, feathers spread out, and walk like the cock of the walk he was. I was so afraid of that turkey that as a child I didnt even want to go outside and play. However, when I was about eleven or twelve years old, I decided that I was going to go outside and play, provided the turkey was nowhere around. Sure enough, he was out of sight. I then proceeded to go out, and no sooner had I started to play, when HE appeared! He, of course immediately saw me, and jumped up on me before I had time to run back into the house. Naturally I started screaming. 235 We had a pet bulldog that had a black ring around his eye; so we named him Bad Eye. He had been outside also, and had heard my screams. He came running toward me and the turkey, jumped up on him, and got him off me. Of course, then the turkey made a fast run back home! Bad Eye had always been a special pet to me. He was even more, particularly since he had saved me from the turkey attack. Years later, my husband Cecil, and our two sons, Ashley and Lester, and I decided to look for a pet bulldog for our family. Guess what? We found one, owned by a man who lived on Stocks Dairy Road. Yes, he had a black ring around one eye. We decided to buy him and we named him, you guessed it Bad Eye H. Years went by and we bought a boat. Because the dogs meant so much to us we, in honor of them, decided to give it a well-deserved name, Bad Eye I! Shirley Coxwell Gibbs The Ghost in the Tree My stepfather, Jordan Jackson, like to put a ghost in the tree on Halloween. He would make up a ghost, fix a pulley, put it where the ghost could be pulled to the porch from the tree. This made it look as though it was flying. One Halloween night Freddy Montgomerys wife, Dewan brought their children to trick or treat. She was from Thailand, and had never seen a ghost. As she approached the house, she discovered a very dimly lighted porch. Then in a quick flash, Jordan used the pulley to bring the ghost down to the porch. As soon as this happened, Dewan turned around, left her children and ran home. It was said that it took a lot of persuasion for her to go back later on to get her the children! Denise Richardson Bell 236 An Embarrassing Moment When teaching phonics we would play games to get the class motivated. This particular day, we were working on the letter T. We pretended to be cheerleaders on the football field who were cheering for the players. The teachers would call T give me a T and the childs response was supposed to be a word that began with the letter T. Additionally, on this day the Board of Education were taking a tour and would stop into each teachers classroom for awhile to observe and evaluate the effectiveness of the teachers skills. The following lesson took place in front of the Head of the Board: Teacher: T, give me a T! Child: T-tomato! Teacher: T, give me a T! Child: T-top! Teacher: T, give me a T! Child: T-titty! I had never seen anyone turn so red! He just raised his hand and silently left the room. I got warm all over and wished for a hole to open up and swallow me whole. During my tenure with the Lee County School System, I was out 3 times for pregnancy. I think my superintendent thought in his mind that I had learned to do something other than teach. Facing him became very embarrassing! I taught school for 27 years. And through it all, I learned patience, diligence, and endurance for those struggling to understand. Lillie Smith 237 Skinny Dipping There is nothing better on a hot summer afternoon than a cold dip. A group of about four to six of us boys would go down to our favorite spot on the Kinchafoonee Creek, where a little cold fresh water spring had sprung up on the edge of the creek. It was not big enough for swimming but the spring was very deep. The creek was only about three or four feet deep there. We would park the car as close to our blue hole, as we could and walk down about fifty feet or so to the water. We pulled our clothes off and jumped in to cool off. There were tall trees there, so we put a long rope high in one of them, and tied a stick about 18 to 24 inches long at the end of the rope. We would then get on one side of the creek, hold on to the stick and swing across and drop down into that cold spring water we called our blue hole. Most of the time, Jack Varner, Luther Breeden and I would go. Many times there were as many as four to six of us boys, but never any girls. It was too small to swim in, but we had loads of fun swinging and skinny- dipping in that cold water and even swimming up and down that shallow creek. Edgar Paul Stamps Hollywood Comes to Lee County- Twice In 1956 I was having lunch with my parents at our Lee County home, when someone knocked at our front door. My dad tried to get me to answer it, but I did not want anything to interfere with mothers delicious meals. Dad went to the door and was gone from the table for quite a long time. When he returned to his lunch, I asked him who was at the door and what they wanted. He replied, Oh, it was a crew member from a Hollywood Production Company that wants to make a movie on some of the Stocks property. My mother and I dropped our forks and started giving my dad the third degree. We wondered how a crew from Hollywood would just show up, out of the blue, at the front door of our home. My dad explained to us that a production company name Batjac Productions, owned by John Wayne 238 wanted to make a movie from a book written by James Street entitled, Goodbye My Lady. They had located the first film, The Biscuit Eater, also written by Street, which had been partially filmed on different sites in Lee County. With this film in hand, they discovered the Lee County locale. The crew came prepared for the climate and conditions that exist in South Georgia. They came armed with numerous cans of bug spray and a large amount of cream to treat red bug bites. One of the crew members asked to use our phone. He was very surprised that they were just like the ones in Hollywood. They were astonished to learn that we even had indoor plumbing! Hollywood Movie #1- The Biscuit Eater The first time Hollywood came to Lee County was in 1939 to film the movie The Biscuit Eater. It was about two small boys who were given a bad puppy. The puppy just happened to be the runt of a litter of healthy bird dog pups. The boys were devoted to the dog, but as time went by, they discovered he had some bad habits. The Biscuit Eater was an unflattering name that was given to a bird dog who would eat the birds that he was suppose to retrieve. The dog would chase chickens and eat eggs. His name implied he was of no use and had a bad reputation. Sometimes some of these dogs would be destroyed because they could not be retrained. These small boys worked with this dog and before too long he had regained its good reputation. This was the first sound movie made in South Georgia. Some of it was made in Lee County and some of it in Dougherty County. It was made entirely at these two sites. Numerous people from these two sites were used in several scenes. Movie #2- Goodbye My Lady The second time Hollywood came to our area was to film Goodbye My Lady. This movie was also based on the novel written by Street. This was about an odd dog. The nature and habits of this type of dog is uniquely all its own. The dog cleans itself the same way that a cat would clean itself, and he has no fleas. The dog never barked, but when in distress, seemed to moan and shed real tears. This is a very rare breed known as the Basenji breed. It is a very old breed thought to have originated in Africa. 239 It was most intriguing to see how a movie was made. Some local people were also hired as extras and to help with other jobs. The crew came and filmed the last scene first. Many of the scenes were shot at and around Mossy Dell in Lee County. Many Basenji dogs were brought to the set. Each dog was trained to do special tricks. Quail were kept in cages hidden in tall grasses and released just as the dog came near. The movie was shown in Albany, Georgia on April 11, 1956. The price of a ticket for the movie was $ 1.00. Even though these movies were made many years ago, the good story and lessons expressed in the movies hold true today. The movies were rated B and were in black and white, but the good points shown will never grow old. The cast members of Goodbye My Lady were as follows: Phil Harris, Brandon de Wilde, Walter Brennan, and Sidney Portier. I have in my possession both videos and the book, signed by the actors. These items bring back pleasant memories of by-gone days and how fascinating it all was. Sandra Stocks Brandon DeWilde Goodbye My Lady 240 Phil Harris Goodbye My Lady Where Theres Smoke Theres Fire When I was about 12 years old, I decided to see what it was like to smoke. I found me a Prince Albert tobacco can and packed it with rabbit tobacco and hid it in the outdoor privy for later use. One day while I was out there, I remembered where it was hidden and pulled it out, got me a piece of brown paper sack and rolled me a cigarette and started puffing away. About the time I had the place filled with smoke, my dad saw it coming out through the holes and cracks and decided he should investigate. When he came out there, he caught me outright puffing away on my Prince Albert rabbit tobacco cigarette. And my britches instantly got hotter than even the cigarette had it been lit on both sides. Virgil A. Booker 241 A Corny Tale I had a com planter that I loaned to George Moreland so that he could plant bird feed plots. After using it, he returned it and some com seed was left in it. I decided to plant them. Blooming and silking began, as the com stalks grew. On July 11 there were eleven silks, and the next day on July 12 there were twelve silks. When it matured there were four grown ears on the stalk, although normally there are only two. I could have used an acre like that! Raymond (Hoot) Gibson Mr. Hoot with his Com 242 Fortune Teller There was a lady who lived in Smithville named Mrs. Doll Daniel. She was a fortuneteller, or so it was told to us. The children in town would pay her a nickel to get their fortune told. They wanted to know if they would keep the same girl or boyfriend. Do you suppose she was ever right? Anyway, it was good entertainment, especially if you had nothing else to do! Barbara Sikes Pines Fish Flavored Ice Cream The only ice cream we ever got in those days (late 20s and 30s) was a pan of milk flavored with a little vanilla and sugar set out on the back shelf at night to freeze. It would be frozen by morning if the cats didnt lap it up during the night. One night my cousin changed the water in her goldfish bowl and forgot and left it out on the shelf. The next day the water - with the fish in it was frozen solid. She just knew shed killed her fish, but when they thawed out, they just started swimming around again. Virgil A. Booker Lee County Cool Cats Many years ago the Stocks family owned and operated a dairy in the southeastern portion of Lee County. It was located on what is known as Stocks Dairy Road. There were several cats that lived on the property. They would hang out around the dairy on a daily basis. Over time, the cats soon learned when it was time for the cows to be milked. When the milking began, the cats would line up in a row at the bam door. They would never enter the bam but, just sit there waiting very patiently for my Dad to squirt milk toward them. They would then catch it in their mouths in mid-air! 243 These cats were very polite and courteous towards each other in that they never invaded one anothers space. So each time they lined up, they each had their own spot. It was a very comical sight to see and reminds the family of pleasant memories of the Stocks Dairy operations! Sandra Stocks Sears Roebuck Toilet Paper Once Uncle Jeb decided to order some toilet paper from Mr. Sears Roebuck. He didnt have the catalog since he had already used it up, so he just wrote them a letter saying, Please send me six rolls of your toilet paper. Their reply was, Please refer to shipping number of item you wish to order on page 621 of our catalog and we will be glad to fill your order. Uncle Jebs reply was, Dear Mr. Sears Roebuck, if I had your catalog, I wouldnt need your toilet paper. Please send another catalog right away. Virgil A. Booker Asleep at the Midtown Mall Carnival One night we went to Albany and there was a carnival at the Midtown Mall parking area. The guys who worked at the Carnival told us that if we would come back at 11:00 and help break down the equipment, wed each get twenty dollars. That was a lot of money back then. They told us that it would only take about an hour to get the job done. We had to be home at 12:00, so that would not be any problem. Wed make the money and be home in no time. Well, my buddies, Wiley McClendon and two other guys were ready to get the job done at 11:00, after the Carnival closed. The man said that he only needed three boys instead of four. I figured that wouldnt be a problem. I would sit in the car and take a little nap while they made the money. When they got through, wed go home. That sounded fine to me. I leaned back and closed my eyes. It seemed like no time when I heard a tap 244 on the window. It was a policeman. He said, Are you Jackie McCorkle? I said that I was. He then said, Your parents are worried about you. They have already called and had me looking for you. I said, It isnt 12:00 yet! He then said, Boy, dont you know its 5:00 in the morning? I told him that I didnt know it was that late because my friends were tearing down the Carnival. When the cop went over to see what was going on, he called my parents and told them that we were going to be home shortly. My friends had experienced enough of that job, and after about five hours of work, they finally got their twenty dollars. It was a long, long time before my buddies and I got to stay out late again. I dont thin they ever volunteered to tear down another carnival ride! Jackie McCorkle Bully Bags a Big One When people in and around Leesburg talk about deer hunting, one name often enters the conversation. B.T. Eason, better known as Bully has been hunting deer in our area for the past fifty years. Anyone who has ever been to his home on Pinewood Road cant help but notice the hundreds of deer antlers he has in his two carports. You dont become a good deer hunter like Bully without spending many early mornings and late afternoons in the fall deer hunting seasons in Lee County. Ive hunted with this man for over twenty years and he is the most knowledgeable deer hunter anyone could spend time with in the woods. Deer hunting to him is both an art and a science. He studies the feeding habits of deer and the moon phases that affect their movements dining the day. Before every hunt, he bums a small fire to determine the direction of the wind so he will know what particular deer stand will prove most productive. One thing I noticed about his hunting habits is the keen sense of sight he has and how quickly he can spot a deer standing still in heavy woods. 245 Knowing his habit of looking for deer the moment he heads out on a hunt gave me and a couple of his friends an idea to have a little fun with Bully. Charles Rhodes, a County Commissioner, George Gill, a local farmer and Geno Fedelie, a local land owner helped me plan an interesting hunt for Mr. Eason. In the afternoon hunts, we knew he always looked down a particular firebreak on the way to his farm near Bronwood. So, we decided to take an old 8-point deer head I had mounted several years ago and see how good Bullys vision and shooting was one bright fall afternoon. The plan was set and the deer head was mounted on a sawhorse with a fifty-foot rope leading back into the woods. The head was placed just out of the brush, in the firebreak, where you could only see the antlers and part of the head. If Bully saw the deer and shot, Charles Rhodes would pull the rope and make the deer fall. Around 4 oclock in the afternoon, George, Geno, and I met at Bullys house to go hunting. Charles, the bravest of the bunch, was already in the woods with the mounted deer head mounted on the sawhorse. As usual, Bully started a small fire to check the direction of the wind. George and I rode behind Bully and Geno as we all headed toward the Bronwood farm where we each had stands already set up for hunting. Bully drove slowly down Pinewood Road and we kept out fingers crossed that he would look down the firebreak as he usually did each time we went hunting. Everything was in place. As we entered the hunting land, George and I noticed the truck slowing at the firebreak and Geno said Bully immediately spotted the deer. The truck stopped in front of us and Bully said, Look at that buck, Geno, Im going to take a shot. Just as we planned, he fired a shot and Charles pulled on the rope. The deer fell backwards as Bully shouted, I got him. He jumped the fence and ran down to the dead deer. We all started laughing and knowing Bully, we were prepared for a good cussing. He ran to the deer and immediately knew he had been had. When he walked back to the truck parked in the middle of the road, the only thing he could say was damn you all. He took off in his truck and Geno, George, Charles and I laughed for two hours. The amazing thing was the shot Bully made on the deer head. He hit the neck perfectly in the center from a distance of over 100 yards. This is probably the only deer in South Georgia that has been killed twice. I still have the old deer head in storage 246 and everytime I see it, Im reminded of that fall day when Bully bagged a big one. Lee Stanley Leesburgs Centennial Perhaps one of the most memorable experiences of the people and surrounding areas was the 1974 Leesburg Centennial. To accomplish such and endeavor required the participation of all citizens and professional organizations. Among the activities that took place were Beauty Pageants, Fashion Shows, Quilting Parties, Arts and Crafts exhibitions, Rope pullings, Tobacco spitting contests, parades, and numerous other events. The Centennial Committee sponsored a store where costumes and memorabilia of the period could be purchased. It was a fun and exciting time to participate in Leesburgs 100th birthday celebration.Future generations will have the opportunity to open a time capsule, which is buried on the courthouse grounds, to be opened in 2074. Patricia Tharp 247 Index Alford, Nothrice Willis- 77,86,185 Arthur, Sarah Ann-163, 165 Bailes, Sue- 42 Barrett, Gil-217 Beamon, Winnie Richardson-177, 178 Bell, Denise Richardson- 53,76, 178, 187,236 Bell, Lin- 58 Bolden, Flossie-190,215 Booker, Virgil- 2, 50, 64, 83, 93, 105, 107, 201, 230, 241, 243 Bowling, Jacqueline Martin- 60, 192,235 Breeden, Sallie Smith- 3 Byars, Elizabeth-107 Cannon, Ethelind-160,161 Cannon, James-156 Cannon, Jayne Mcbride- 58,222 Cannon, Opal Rogers- 34,47, 66, 191,200,230 Carson, Ada Lee Cook- 95 Clay, Betty Ann Pace- 55 Clay, Bobby- 55 Clements, Betty Jean Ranew- 35 Connors, Mitzi Manning-194 Copeland, Claudia McRee- 75,216 Cowart, Lucy Ann Stocks- 37 Cowart, Eddie- 21 Cowart, Sue- 21 Cromartie, Bill- 35,114,179,206, 212 225 Crotwell, Bill- 59 Daniel, Carolyn Clay-1 Danhessier, Debbie Land- 48 Douglas, Elaine Tucker-139 Dozier, Rosemary Lee-192,207 Dye, Martha- 204,208 Ellington, Kim Mercer- 67,76 Etheridge, Jimmie Richardson-166 Faircloth, Spencer- 83 Ferguson, Billy- 26,203 Forrester, J.W.-109 Forrester, Nelson- 226 Gibbs, Cecilia Raybon-100 Gibbs, Shirely Coxwell- 235 Gibson, Raymond Hoot-198, 242 Green, Mary E- 65, 196,217 Gunter, Bob- 228 Hand, Christie Williams- 87 Harris, Pam Grace-127 Hartley, Flora Coxwell- 36,173, 174, 175, 176,232 Hayes, Stephanie-199 Holton, Alice Ann Kearse-150, 152 Hunkele, Lindsey-158 Hyman, Matthew Vest-101 Jewell, Donna Devivo-41, 166 Johnson, Betty Cooper-32 Johnson, Veronica Manning-194 Kearce, Linda Kearse- 79 Kennedy, Helen Worthy- 68 Kirkland, Carol Forrester-148 Larkin, Janell Ranew-23,24,147, 156 Larsen, George-177 Lee, Harty-lll, 221 Lee, Jessie Moreland-55 Long, Alan-172 Long, Jeanette- 229 Miller, Monica Manning-194 Mays, James- 27 McBride, Annibeth Woods-129, 203 McCorkle, Jackie- 25,33,51,244 McDaniel, Patricia Heath Blackshear- 82,98 Mercer, Barbara Roberson- 220 Moreland, George- 180,205,227 Murphy, Alaoudia Oliver-Jones-1, 3,57 Parker, Gloria Ranew-185 Peak, Carol Ann Clay-104, 106 Peak, Zachary-171, 202 Peterson, Sylvia Turner- 61 Pines, Barbara Sikes- 182,243 Posey, Neal Crotwell- 32,53 Poupard, Zaidalvey-155,180 Powell, Judy- 39 Rhodes, Grace- 22 Rhodes, J.M. Jr.- 73, 78, 89, 94, 99 Rhodes, Marinel Hall-102 Rivers, Mattie Arnold- 28 Seanor, Gwen Johnson- 12, 14, 38, 49, 113, 116, 119, 126, 131, 144, 145, 147, 189, 218, 232 Simmons, Marvin-16 Singletary, Ralph and Katy- 72 Smith, Kim Wingfield-121 Smith, Lilly-7,171,237 Smith, Paula Stamps-9,135,145, 146,189 Spillers, Estoria Tripp-17 Stamps, Cecil- 71 Stamps, Edgar Paul- 64,220,238 Stamps, Marie Rainwater-181 Stamps, Ronnie- 39,173 Stanley, Lee- 245 Stocks, Sandra-10,13,41, 115, 149, 182,211,214,219, 238, 243 Stocks, Sara-14 Tharp, Page- 8,11, 37, 114,117, 134, 136,233 Tharp, Tommy-12 Thrift, Gladys-66,78,207 Turner, Alton-31 Usry, Tom- 24 Usry, Belle Geise- 44 Vamer, Jack- 5 Vining, Eunice Culpepper-118, 126 Vonderaa, Joyce Forrester- 56,90 Westbrook, Lois Crews-152 Williams, Bemice-218 Willis, Lula B.-40,89 Wright, Eva Claire McGee-131, 162 Young, Ann King-19, 26 Young, Elizabeth- 65,74,79,193, 230 The following are some of the ladies and gentlemen who are no longer living, but who helped to improve the quality of life for people in Lee County. This book would be incomplete if their names were not included. Adams, Mrs. Emma Adams, Mrs. JoRene Aired, Mrs. Lois Arnold, Mrs. Irene Arnold, Mrs. Mamie Arnold, Mrs. Mattie Arthur, Mrs. Lily Barber, Dorothy Bass, Mrs. Brownie Bass, Mrs. Mabel Bass, Miss Nettie Mae Beamon, Mrs. Elsie Beauchamp, Mrs. Nell Bell, Mrs. Amelia Bell, Mrs. Dot Bell, Mrs. Leah Bogan, Mrs. Bertha Booker, Mrs. Ethel Bowen, Mrs. Mildred Bradley, Mrs. Matt Bunkley, Mrs. Mary Burton, Mrs. Evelyn Bumey, Mrs. Emma Cadwell, Mrs. Barbara Callaway, Mrs. Florence Campbell, Mrs. Alma Campbell, Mrs. Mary Cannon, Mrs. Annie Cannon, Miss Bertha Cannon, Mrs. Elsie Cannon, Mrs. Florence Cannon, Mrs. Lois Cannon, Mrs. Lucilla Cannon, Mrs. Sheila Cawood, Mrs. Myrtle Chatham, Mrs. Claudia Christie, Mrs. Rosa Clark, Mrs. Annie Laura Clark, Mrs. Mada Clark, Mrs. Mary Lee Clay, Mrs. Eddy Hooks Clayton, Mrs. Annie Bell Coachman, Mrs. Louise Collier, Mrs. Sara Comer, Mrs. Janie Cook, Mrs. Lorice Cooper, Mrs. Eula Covin, Mrs. Pinkie Coxwell, Miss Geraldine Coxwell, Mrs. Jewell Coxwell, Mrs. Lissie Coxwell, Mrs. Mabel Coxwell, Mrs. Wanda Cromartie, Mrs. Mary Emma Crotwell, Mrs. Helen Crotwell, Mrs. Lucille Culler, Mrs. Julia McAfee Dance, Miss Mary Daniel, Mrs. Minnie Jewel Daniel, Mrs. Pearl Davis, Mrs. Grace Dismuke, Mrs. Evelyn Dobson, Ms. Irma Duncan, Mrs, Jeannie Enzor, Mrs. Lula Everett, Mrs. Lula Bell Faircloth, Mrs. Una Feeney, Mrs. Mary Fomby, Mrs. Marie Fore, Mrs. Esther Fore, Mrs. Frances Fore, Mrs. Marie Forrester, Mrs. Beulah Forrester, Mrs. Ethel Forrester, Mrs. Helen Forrester, Mrs. Jewel Forrester, Mrs. Kitty Forrester, Mrs. Lucia Forrester, Mrs. Ethel Forrester, Mrs. Mary Lizzie Forrester, Mrs. Thursba Forrester, Mrs. Virginia Fox, Mrs. Ruth Fussell, Mrs. Jewel Gates, Mrs. Maxine Gillis, Mrs. Rutha Godwin, Mrs. Eula Green, Mrs. Bessie Green, Miss Susie Lee Gunter, Mrs. Annie Mae Hall, Mrs. Annie Mae Hall, Mrs. Katybel Hamilton, Mrs. Johnnie Mae Hardy, Mrs. Kalah Harris, Mrs. Gussie Harris, Miss Kate Hargrove, Mrs. Arva Hayes, Mrs. Bell Heath, Mrs. Blanche Heath, Mrs. Jewel Herrington, Mrs. Clara Hill, Mrs. Verga Hines, Mrs. Jennie Hooks, Mrs. Carrie Hubbard, Mrs. Lila Humphrey, Mrs. Grace Hutton, Mrs. Sandra Maylene Jenkins, Mrs. Maybell Jenkins, Mrs. Mamie Jessup, Mrs. Annie Jessup, Mrs. Louise Jimmerson, Mrs. Febia Johnson, Mrs. Bell Johnson, Mrs. Ellen Johnson, Mrs. Helen Johnson, Mrs. Mary Jordan, Mrs. Mattie (Totsie) Kaylor, Mrs. Carilu Kaylor, Mrs. Mary Kearse, Mrs. Alice Kearse, Mrs. Bessie Kennedy, Mrs. Bonnie Mae Kennedy, Miss Hazel Kennedy, Miss Ruth Kimbrough, Mrs. Mary King, Mrs. Eva King, Mrs. Shirley Kirby, Mrs. Helen Kirkpatrick, Mrs. Ida M Kirkpatrick, Mrs. Ruby Kirkpatrick, Mrs. Virginia Kitchens, Mrs. Jewel Kitchens, Mrs. Sally Kleckley, Mrs. Ethel Knowles, Mrs. Sara Mae Laramore, Mrs. Eva Larsen, Mrs. Christina Lee, Mrs. Blanche Lee, Mrs. Jessie Moreland Lee, Flora (Cissy) Stovall Lee, Mrs. Mary Lewis, Mrs. Fairlella Lewis, Mrs. Lutherine Lindsey, Mrs. Lucy Long, Miss Annie Long, Mrs. Mae Love, Mrs. Jodie Lyon, Mrs. Barbara Manning, Mrs. Edna May, Mrs. Eloise Martin, Mrs. Edith Martin, Mrs. Laura Martin, Mrs. Missouri McBride, Mrs. Marie McCray, Mrs. Elmira McGhee, Mrs. Leah King McRee, Mrs. Jane Mercer, Mrs. Martha Milledge, Mrs. Jobbie Milledge, Mrs. Louise Miller, Mrs. Luna Maude Milton, Mrs. Helen Miller, Mrs. Ruth Mitchell, Mrs. Daisy Moreland, Mrs. Allie Moreland, Mrs. Tommie Moses, Mrs. Ruby Myrick, Mrs. Juanita Nesbit, Mrs. Mary Ella Odom, Mrs. Bessie Peek, Mrs. Lois Phillips, Mrs. Mary Phillips, Mrs. Willie Pitts, Mrs. Lois Powell, Mrs. Martha Powell, Mrs. Willie Price, Mrs. Tearose Profit, Mrs. Profit Radcliff, Mrs. Lola Relifore, Mrs. Lily Mae Rhodes, Mrs. Clara Richardson, Mrs. Winnie Rivers, Mrs. Ethel Roberson, Mrs. Lillie Mae Roberts, Mrs. Thelma Robinson, Mrs. Lily Ann Robinson, Mrs. Lucy Bell Rutlamd, Mrs. Lucibel Samilton, Mrs. Mary Sanders, Mrs. Mitt Sanford, Mrs. Sara Segars, Mrs. Ruth Shell, Mrs. Maureen Singletary, Katy Smith, Mrs. Diane Smith, Mrs. Mae Snider, Mrs. Mary Stamps, Mrs. Evie Stewart, Mrs. Bert Stillwell, Mrs. Mary Reid Stocks, Mrs. Greta Stocks, Mrs. Maggie Lee Stocks, Mrs. Nanelle Stovall, Mrs. Adelaide Stovall, Mrs. Bernice Stuart, Mrs. Clara Styles, Mrs. Winnie Mae Tarpley, Mrs. Annie Teele, Mrs. Maggie Tharp, Mrs. Pauline Tucker, Mrs. Elizabeth Turner, Mrs. Christine Tirmer, Mrs. Eva Tyson, Mrs. Ella Usrey, Mrs. Emma Barber Usry, Mrs. Belle Usry, Mrs. Mary Eva Varner, Mrs. Mary Vest, Mrs. Mary /Ward, Mrs. Agnes Washington, Mrs. Dollie Watson, Mrs. Kate Webb, Mrs. Falba Webster, Mrs. Sis Wheaton, Mrs. Mae Whitsette, Mrs. Lucy Williams, Mrs. Ethel Williams, Mrs. Lucille Willis, Mrs. Irene Willis, Mrs. Victoria Wingfield, Mrs. Norma Woodard, Mrs. Maxine Wright, Mrs. Cora Wright, Mrs. Dora Yeoman, Mrs. Carrie Yeoman, Mrs. Henrietta Young, Mrs. Anna Young, Mrs. Mary Adams, Mr. Furlough Adams, Mr. Louis Allen, Mr. Red Aired, Mr. Homer Alvis, J. K. Ansley, C.C. Arnold, Mr. Charlie Arnold, Mr. Howell Arnold, Mr. Reid Avery, Mr. Dan Sr. Barber, Mr. Frank Bass, Mr. Dan Bass, Mr. Tom Beamon, Mr. Mitchell Beamon, Mr. Ross Beamon, Mr. Wylo Beauchamp, Mr. Mason Bell, Mr. Bill Bell, Mr. Jack Jr. Bell, Mr. Jack Sr. Bell, Mr. Lin E Bell, Mr. Red Bozeman, Mr. Cecil Branch, Mr. E.H. Breeden, Mr. Dock Breeden, Mr. Lawrence Burton, Mr. George Callaway, Mr. Red Campbell, Mr. Lewis Campbell, Mr. Lynn Cannon, Mr. Charlie Cannon, Mr. Edward Cannon, Mr. Charles Cannon, Mr. Henry Cannon, Mr. Hoke Cannon, Mr. J.B. Cannon, Mr. J.M. Cannon, Mr. Malcom Cannon, Mr. Otis Cannon, Mr. Raymond Chambers, Mr. Bill Sr. Clark, Mr. E.A. Clay, Mr. Robert A. Sr. Collier, Mr. John (Jap) Cook, Mr. Heyward Collins, Mr. O.W. Coxwell, Mr. Ernest Cook, Mr. J.L Coxwell, Mr. Lester Jr. Coxwell, Mr. Lester Sr. Coxwell, Mr. McEwen Coxwell, William Covin, Mr. Hawkin Cromartie, Mr. H.L. Crotwell, Mr. Jim Crotwell, Mr. Ned Crotwell, Mr. Sam Culpepper, Mr. Keith Davis, Mr. Bill Davis, Mr. Elash Davis, Mr. John Dobson, Mr. J.S. Dobson, Mr. Pete Duncan, Mr. Early B. Duncan, Mr. Steve Eubanks, Mr. J.C Eubanks, Mr. Mac Everette, Mr. Henry Faircloth, Mr. W.Y Farrand, Mr. Ed Fenney, Judge Gene Fore, Mr. Ernest Fore, Mr. Elmer Forrester, Mr. R.H. (Blue) Forrester, Mr. Ed Forrester, Mr. Edward Forrester, Mr. E.L. (Ticky) Forrester, Mr. Jack Forrester, Mr. James Forrester, Mr. Joe Forrester, Mr. Joel Forrester, Mr. Paul Forrester, Mr. Wallace Fox, Mr. Jonathan Fussell, Mr. Hugh Gardley, Mr. Harry Gates, Mr. John Garrett, Mr. Jack Gibson, Mr. Thad Green, Mr. Bob Green, Mr. John R. Goforth, Mr. Floyd Gunter, Mr. B.E. Godwin, Mr. A.W. Hall, Mr. Colin Hall, Mr. Goodwin Hardy, Mr. Max Hargrove, Mr. Otis Harrington, Mr. Charlie Harris, Mr. Cassell Hayes, Mr. Willie Heath, Mr. Robert Jr. Heath, Mr. Robert Sr. Hightower, Mr. Isom Hill, Mr. Otis Hinds, Mr. Harry Hines, Mr. John Mark Homer, Mr. Gus Hopkins, Mr. Bill Home, Mr. J.P. Jenkins, Mr. Buddy Jimmerson, Mr. Peter Johnson, Mr. Joseph Johnson, Mr. Tom Kearse, Mr. Grover Kearse, Mr. Hugh Kearse, Mr. Perry Sr. Kennedy, Mr. Freddie Kimbrough, Mr. George King, Mr. Ulric King, Mr. Jimmy Kirby, Mr. Red Kirkpatrick, Mr. Cline Kirkpatrick, Mr. James Kirkpatrick, Mr. Marvin Knowles, Mr. Albert (Marcene) Laschober, Mr. Gene Laramore, Big Bill William Lee, Mr. Harry Lee, Mr. Charles Lee. Mr. E.B Lee, Mr. James Lee, Mr. Robert Lewis, Mr. Henry Lockett, Mr. Willie Long, Mr. Frank Long, Mr. W. H. Long, Mr. William Love, Mr. Tom Long, Mr. Clifford Malone, Mr. J.B. Martin, Mr. E.B. Martin, Mr. Gus Martin, Mr. Pitt Martin, Mr. Ware McBride, Mr. J.D. (Capt) McBride, Mr. James McGee, Mr. Lou Mercer, Mr. Dave Mercer, Mr. Dewey May, Mr. Tony McAfee, Mr. Fort Mitchell, Mr. Jim Moreland, Mr. George Sr. Moreland, Mr. Simp Moses, Mr. Yep Murphy, Mr. Wandell Nelson, Mr. L.H. Nelson, Mr. N.N. Nesbit, Mr. Bill Odum, Mr. Jim Pate, Mr. Zack Phillips, Mr. Vernon Poole, Mr. Marlin Powell, Mr. Albert Powell, Mr. Pinkney Powell, Mr. S.J. Price, Mr. Percey Pye, Mr. J.W. Radcliff, Mr. Hoyle Rhodes, Mr. J.M. Sr. Rhodes, Mr. Charles Richardson, Mr. R.J. Rivers, Mr. Joe Rivers, Mr. Johnny Rivers, Mr. Major Rivers, Mr. Rich Rivers, Mr. Wilfred Rutland, Mr. Willis Sadler, Mr. John M. Sr. Sanders, Mr. Gerry Sanford, Mr. Eugene Segars, Mr. Jeff Shaver, Mr. Leonard Shackleford, Mr. Dan Smith, Mr. Buddy Smith, Mr. Charles Smith, Mr. Tom Stamps, Mr. Paul Stephens, Mr. Bo Stocks, Mr. Ed Stocks, Mr. Joe Stocks, Mr. Mercer Stocks, Mr. Jessie Stocks, Mr. Sam Snider, Mr. J.L. Stovall, Mr. Buck Stovall, Mr. Frank Stovall, Mr. Hugh Stovall, Mr. Reid Stovall, Mr. Rody Tarpley, Mr. W.E. Tarpley, Mr. Bill Tharp, Mr. T.C Toole, Mr. Joe Turner, Mr. Don Turner, Mr. George Turner, Mr. Guy Turner, Mr. H.L. (Hank) Usry, Mr. Charles Usry, Mr. Hiram Varner, Mr. Lin Vamum, Mr. J.D. West, Mr. Fred West, Mr. O.C. Wheaton, Mr. Albert Williams, Mr. Charlie Williams, Mr. Charles Williams, Mr. Hershel Williams, Mr. James Willis, Rev. Murray Willis, Mr. Arthur (Big Head) Whitley, Mr. Billy Wingfield, Mr. Jimmy Worthy, Mr. Clote Worthy, Mr. J.G. Yeoman, Mr. Frank (Peck) Yeoman, Mr. Goode Yeoman, Mr. Sol Yeoman, Mr. William (Goat) Leesburg Depot Old Callaway Hotel Old Leesburg High School Wilmar Plantation Leesburg Mercantile Smithville Class of 1923 1977 Big Snow Lee County to Oakfield Graduating Class of 1952 Smithville Baptist Church Smithville Methodist Church Redbone School Philema School Mt. Pleasant School Phillips Grove School Smithville School Macedonia School Public Watering Trough 1915 Oouthern 2^4^05 Fit as a Fiddle Sleep Tight; Dont let the Bed bugs Bite The sweetest meat is next to the bone Straight as A B Martin to his Gourd Straight as an arrow Quick as a wink If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas If the shoe fits, wear it Fast as greased lightning Dont count your chickens before they hatch Make hay while the sun shines Flat as a flounder The early bird gets the worm A stitch in time saves nine Dont cry over spilled milk Beauty is only skin deep A bird in hand is worth two in the bush Study long, study wrong Pretty is as pretty does That apple didnt fall far from the tree If it aint broke dont fix it Full as a tick All that glitters is not gold Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone As the twig is bent, so grows the tree Dont put all your eggs in one basket You dont miss the water till the well runs dry Sharp as a tack Birds of a feather flock together Cant stand the heat, get out of the kitchen Smart as a whip Quick as a wink Busy as a bee Rode hard put up wet Poor as Jobs Turkey Lonesome as a train whistle Finger-licking good Skedaddle (get a move on) Fishing for compliments Out of the frying pan into the fire Ill do that when hell freezes over Ugly as sin Broke to smithereens A month of Sundays Broke as a haint Knee high to a grasshopper Thin as a rail High as a kite Hoppin mad Lost his marbles Living on borrowed time Down the road a piece Raining and the sun shining, devil is whipping his wife Tied to mamas apron strings Fly in the ointment Dead as a door nail Wait till the cows come home Buttermilk sky Down at the mouth (down in the dumps) Smug as a bug in a rug Too hot to handle Squeeze a penny till it hollers (stingy) Goobers, or ground peas (peanuts) Meet yourself coming back Let sleeping dogs lie From here to kingdom come some so wild you will find them hard to believe, but all are interesting and true, according to the writers. In the heart of south and southwest Georgia is the setting for these stories. They will cause you to reflect and reminisce about your own childhoods fondest and most memorable experiences. You can almost hear the sound of the whistle as the Dixie Flyer passes through Leesburg. So get on board and get set for some great entertainment as you follow the tracks down memory lane. ALL ABOARD!