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These are three stories written by 2 wonderful Christian ladies of Tallahatchie
County Mississippi, and another story about Aunt Sally's father. Folks, this
is "HISTORY". It would be great if everyone in Tallahatchie County would
dig up all of the old writings and put them together in a book, and best
of all, send the to the MSGENWEB project to be put in the archives for
preservation.
I personally knew "Aunt" Sally Brown when I was growing up. I always called
her Aunt Sally, and don't know if she was an aunt or not. Maybe because Uncle
Spencer's sister, Ellie, married my Uncle Henry Staten. These are things Aunt Sally
wrote. Uncle Spencer her husband was a wonderful man. They both were pillars
of the "Paynes Mississippi Community". Loved by everyone. If there was a
project that needed to be done, it got done. Uncle Spencer and Aunt Sally
saw to it. This note is by me-Helen Elizabeth Staten Arnold.
I made one of the biggest boobos I have ever made, and this was put in one of our books. Spencer Brown was Ellie Brown
Statens brother. There was quite an age difference and I grew up thinking Uncle Spencer Brown was Aunt Ellies father. What a boobo. I am sure
all of them would chuckle if they were living or maybe give me a good lashing.
The farm had to be bought on the installment plan. We did some improvement
on the house but before we were able to do much we had to do our part in
building a large country church and a pastorium. It fell to my husband's
lot to be chairman of this community need. There was no money on hand to
do the building - while others warmed by January fires in frigid weather,
he took his farm labor and sawed down trees for lumber to make the church.
His teams dragged the logs down steep rough hillsides, so trucks could haul
them to the saw mill.
We got up that winter, in the cold house at 4 o'clock. I cooked and packed
lunches for the laborers, as well as my husband. Few know, even now how hard
a time we had; 4 o'clock, frigid weather, and that cold kitchen! The kitchen
was so cold, water could not stand over night without freezing. It had to
be brought in fresh from the well across the yard before day, every morning.
We had, along with our neighbors, to pay cash, all along on the buildings.
We paid as we built. Had no debt hanging over the church when it was finished.
Both church and pastorium were financed that way. The community cooperation,
was a beautiful thing to see. All helped Methodist, Episcopalians, Presbyterians
and the Church of Christ neighbors helped this Baptist work. But it was push,
push, push.
Our home roof was leaking, the rusty tin on the roof kept flapping. Our house
had to wait. I wasn't getting any younger. I needed modern conveniences and
a comfortable home if I was ever to have them.But, God has blessed us financially
every since that winter. By 1949 we had a nice farm paid for. All machinery
and livestock paid for. We have a nice bunch of grade Hereford cows, about
200 to help out in farm income. Our farm has yielded good crops. But all
tenant houses were in a pitiful condition. We just had to build eight new
four room houses. We had to dig a new artesian well. The old tin kept getting
rustier on the roof- one time at night a whole strip blew right off the top
of our bedroom during a rain storm. Looked like we would never get to remodeling
that house! How I wished for running water, a bathroom and modern
conveniences!
II. Well, I realized that dream in 1949! We got to that house and made it
completely over. The foundation is concrete entirely around the house, white
asbestos shingles covered out side walls. Front porch enlarged and a new
front improvement. The roof is of asphalt shingles, of a reddish color, new
doors, some windows and all wood work were painted with clear varnish. Five
of the rooms have hard wood floors, three are covered with rubber tile. The
walls of six rooms were sealed with wood pulp plank, a material that is
attractive and insulates as well. The top ceiling of rooms are of flint coat.
We have hot and cold running water in kitchen and bathroom- Gas heat in every
room, electricity, and this year we have a telephone. Now I can talk all
I please, to my good neighbors.
My new back kitchen porch has a concrete floor, aluminum screen and the ceiling
and wood work are painted, natural like the rest of my house. My front and
east porch, has a concrete floor covered with asphalt tile. It is built up
a piece with brick, then in both porches there are 17 brick pillars from
brick work to roof. It has new aluminum screen, and has car siding for ceiling,
painted natural. It contains 589 square feet floor space. We purchased three
new gliders, ten steel porch chairs and two enameled steel tables for it
. Pot flowers are all around it. Just a note here--I remember this beautiful
porch. It was so warm and inviting, and as a nine year old I remember thinking,
"Some day I am going to have a porch like this",Helen Staten Arnold.
III. We also added in 1949-1950 Bath tub commode, lavatory Linen closet,
bath room scales Commode cover and rug 6 new towels 60 gal. Hot water tank
5 florescent lights 1 electric table lamp 1 set door chimes 1 Shelvador
refrigerator 1 automatic Bendix washing machine 1-6 eye, 2 oven, gas cooking
stove. 1 electric pump, 1 pump house, 1 septic tank, 1 gas heater for bath
room, 1 gas lawn mower, 27 Venetian blinds, 1 cabinet (toil p. And paper
towel), 1 cabinet over stove (matches, salt..)1 porch overhead light 15 new
doors, locks and knobs, 5 screen doors, Entire porches, screened with aluminum
screen, 1 fireplace mantle, 3 hearths, tiled, 1 dinner set of dishes, 1 set
silver ware, 1 electric ice cream freezer, 1 hooked rug, 15 crocheted pieces,
2 chair slip covers, 1 sofa slip cover, 1 quilted bed spread, 2 pillow covers
to match, 2 new pillows,1 chenille bed spread, 1 wool blanket, 1 satin covered
feather comforter, 10 sheets, 12 embroidered pillow cases, 1 tray, 1 teapot,
1 book on prayer, 1 hand mirror, 1 nylon comb and brush, 2 pictures, 4 hand
painted plaques, 5 cans wax, 1 kitchen mop, 1 fiber broom, 27 pot flowers,
1- cuttings, 7 new shrubs,10- pkg flower seed, 7 hanging flower pots, 56
bulbs planted, 4 Mahan pecan trees, 1 gricer 2 plastic table clothes, 2 cake
pans, 1 waxer, 2 Stainers, 5 pr. Window curtains, 1 new telephone, 1 telephone
stand, 6 doz. clothes pins, 1 chair upholstered, 25 PCs. Furniture painted,
21 chairs varnished, 3 plastic drapes, 1 pkg insect dust, 1 spray gun, 2
woven bed spreads, 1 rubber porch mat, 6 ash trays, 1 candy container, 1
staple machine, 1 box staples, 8 floors waxed, Yard mowed many times, Yard
cleaned, 34 windows of glass Doors washed 3 times, 4 closets sealed and shelves
added, 4 quilts washed- Hedges pruned, Henhouse cleaned, Chicken yard cleaned,
Made a garden (589 sq feet floor space), porch waxed, 1 medicine cabinet
and mirror Chroninum bath room fixtures. 1 grease tank, 1 three shelve tea
cart with castors.
Home Improvements on the Farm:
New lot fence, 40 acres of pasture grass fertilized, Remodeled 8 four room
tenant houses (32 rooms).
a. 8 new porches
b. new top ceilings
c. 8 houses covered on outside with com. Brick siding
d. New windows where needed and screens
e. 10 new doors
f. 10 hedges and 8 shrubs
g. New floors in each house
h. 9 tenants have cleaned yards
I. 9 tenants have made gardens
j. walls of 8 houses papered
k. 1 tenant a smoke house
l. 2 tenants, made closets for bedrooms
m. 9 tenants had houses sprayed with D.D.T.
n. All (9) have hogs, we vaccinate them.
o. 9 tenants have free pasture for livestock
p. 9 tenants given free land for gardens and truck.
(Negro) 5 tenants have lived with us 15 years each
( ") 2 tenants have lived with us 7 years each
( ") 1 tenants have lived with us 2 years each
(White) 1 tenants have lived with us 7 years each
(" ) 1 tenants have lived with us 2 years each
(" ) 3 tenants have been given 3 water pumps.
All tenants are given itemized statements at settling time and told "a mistake
is never too old to correct". We furnish cash to tenants to make crops. We
carry them to hospitals or give medical care when needed. We pay cash and
wait till end of year for them to pay us. Most of the time they do. Sometimes
we lose it.
Every year we build levees to protect crops.
Every year we buy lots of commercial fertilizer.
Every year we delint and inoculate planting cotton seed.
Every year we plant hay, corn, cotton and gardens.
Every year we hire work, pay cash for extras.
Work at least 10 months (tenants).
Some of our Community Activities '49 and '50.
10 sprays for 10 friend's funerals.
Helped to pay for shingles on outside of church.
Helped to pay for septic tank, well and pump for church.
Helped to bear church expenses.
Helped to give to nine needy families.
Helped with church building for Negro's in hills.
Helped with eight "showers".
Helped clean Poplar Spring Cemetery.
Helped with gifts to eight high school graduates
Talked to two people who later were saved.
Helped in various ways in our local H.D. Club.
The community's interest is "ours."
We want our "yearnings to be less than our earnings".
I divided flowers with people.
Gave shrubs to 7.
Gave vegetables to 8 families.
Gave eggs.
Gave milk to colored people.
Gave away 28 hens to others.
Gave away 10 fryers ever so many baby chickens (50).
This is the end of Aunt Sallies story, hope you enjoyed it. I sure did.
Here is another Yesteryear story:
I call this one Mrs. Mary-because it was written by a lovely lady name Mary.
This was written by a lady in her 80's years ago. It is not known exactly
when she wrote it, but probably just after WWII. Her name was Mary Harper
Worley Carithers. Mr. John Ottinger sent it to me. I have typed it just as
she wrote it. Some words may not be spelled like we do these days, but for
an 80 year old lady, she had a lot on the ball. She did a wonderful job.
Is life worth living? A question long been echoed in the negative. After
you read what I have to say it will still be a wonder. In my 80 years of
living I have acquired a store of knowledge, never learned of books but through
experience, The hard way. I have paid for all I have gotten in this life
and got nothing I did not pay for, for some things I paid an awful price,
nothing free. James Russell Lowel said "Only heaven can be had for the asking".
On the 24th day of June 1871 I was born in an old log house built in the
early 40's. My grand parents both maternal and paternal came from Virginia.
My father from Bedford County Virginia. Grandfather was named George Washington
Worley, Irish decent. His wife was named Mary Elizabeth Cairns, Holland dutch.
They came to Mississippi and settled in Tallahatchie County just half way
between Oakland and Charleston in 1833. They moved in a covered wagon bringing
cows, chicken, and children, stopping on the way to cook and sleep. They
had nine children, seven of them lived to be grown. Four of the boys fought
in the Civil War. Only one lived. My father Charles Thomas. Uncle John was
wounded and came home and died here. Uncle James and George were killed at
Gettysburg, said to be the bloodest battle of the war. The ground was so
covered in blood that the sky was red. Two of the boys, Uncles Reed and Uncle
Harvey did not go.
Both of fathers lived to be very old. I can remember my grandmother was 86
years old. My mothers father was named William Prince of Irish decent. His
wife was Sarah Reola Harper a direct descendent of Pocahuntes, daughter of
Poweto, the Indian Chief. She married John Ralph. Grandmother was very proud
of her Indian family. They came from Harpers Ferry, Virgina 1833, traveled
in a covered wagon too. I think she was a very remarkable woman in many ways.
During the Civil War she carded and spun wool, made clothes on an old loom,
made clothing for her sons in the war. She road through the yankee blockade
and carried them to the places they were stationed-of course she was dressed
in men's clothes and hat. My mother was Anna Frances Prince. I had one brother
older and two younger than I was. When I was not two years old mother had
trouble with her eyes and for a while she thought she would be blind. I was
carried to live with grandma Prince who with all her family that was left
went to Conway Arkansas. A small town thirty miles north of Little Rock.
There I spend most of my childhood, sometimes here and sometimes there just
as they saw fit to leave me. One thing I remember distinctly in 1882 the
year of the big overflow of the Mississippi river. Father told grandmother
to bring or send me home. I was placed in care of the conductor when I left
Little Rock. The train could go no further than Madison, there I was put
on a steamboat and went to Memphis. I did not know anything about the dangers
so I enjoyed the trip on the big boat. The Conductor put me on the train
for Oakland. I was eleven years old and thought I knew when to get off of
the train. When the porter came through the train calling stations, I thought
he said Oakland, when he said Courtland, so I stepped off. I saw my mistake
as the train pulled out. The conductor did too. He wired back to send me
on the next train that night. It was a freight train. I went into the depot
and told the agent my mistake, and my name was Mary Harper Worley the daughter
of Charles Worley. He told me my father went to school to him. His name was
Lem Rainwater. He took me home with him and I was so pleased to play with
his girls. I wanted to spend the night, but he put me on the train to Oakland.
I went to school one year in Oakland and boarded at the dormitory, and roomed
with Sallie Patterson and Epps Parrish, both of them have died. I also went
one year in Charleston. The supertendent was a Presbyterian preacher his
name was Mr. Morrison. One thing that impressed me very much was he prayed
the same prayer in Chapel every morning. Now at the age of 80 I still know
it. Later I went back to Conway and went to school until I was nearly seventeen,
then I married. Of course my parents did not approve of such and early marriage,
but consented so I come home and married John Wesley McCulloch May 3, 1888.
Now that was mistake number one. We lived very happily and July 14, 1889
I had a son John Jr., who still lives. On Sept 1, 1890 his father was killed.
His brother Will was running for sheriff. The whole town and county was in
a terrible fight between prohibition and whiskey. Prohibition won. The result
Will was defeated and John was killed instantly. Whiskey was the direct cause
of his death. Whiskey had been the direct or indirect cause of all the trouble
I have ever had in my entire life, no wonder I abhor the name of it, but
am very patient and sorry for anyone who drinks to the extent of injury.
That was my first great sorrow. I will not dwell on the days, weeks and months
that I grieved and wondered what would be best. I realized how helpless I
was as far as supporting myself and baby. I just trusted God. I did not wait
long. I went to the President of Hendrix College for advice. He told me to
get what money I could and enter College and study for a Missionary to China.
But all my family objected to that, but I went on three years. That was the
best thing I ever did, without the education I got at Hendrix my life would
have been blanker than a stone wall. My father had secured a school for me
nearer home so I could leave the boy with them. I sent him to live with them
my last year in school. The training my parents gave him lasted him all these
years. Before I left school I found that to get a license to teach I had
to have Mississippi history and civil govenrment. I went to Iuka normal and
spent the summer. That fall I took the county examination got a first grade
license and began my career as County school Marm. I taught at three different
places, but I cannot say that I liked it. But I decided it was not my calling-on
Jan. 23, 1901 I married Thomas Edward Carithers. That was mistake number
two. He was a good husband, a good father, and a wonderful step-father for
John who by that time was nearly eleven years old. On December 18, 1904 we
had a son, his name was Floyd, but was always called Pat. Four and one half
years later we had a little girl, we named her for our mothers, Sarah Frances,
but we called her Sister and she is still Sis. About this time we decided
to move to Charleston and have a bakery shop and grocery store. His father
had had one in Grenada when he was a child. We sold our farm and all the
farming equipment and came here early in the fall of 1908 and moved in the
house that Miss Cora Ladd and Mr. & Mrs. El Darby live, we lived there
for 8 mo's then moved up on a hill just North of town. There we lived 14
years. Many times it was a struggle to make ends meet. The children had measles,
mumps, chicken pox, etc. Tom had pneumonia following measles. In addition
to losing work the Dr. bills and drug bills were enormous. During those years
we had many ups and downs, mostly downs. But just as I reached the limit
of human endurance the Lord always took over and things worked out right,
"we know there are no errors in the great eternal plan all things work together
for the good of man."
I had two good neighbors Mrs. Houston on one side and Mrs. Walter Henning
on the other. Together we had thirteen children unlucky number. We had rule
only concerning the children, if they did not behave, quarreled or faught
they were immediately sent home to come back anytime they were willing to
be good. Pat got sent home often, but sister never did. We did fairly well
with the bakery both in Milltown and up on the square until it was burned.
In 1922 we moved to the Lafisco Hotel and ran a small bakery and lunch room
until we took over the hotel. Later when the lumber company failed it was
taken by the hands of the receivers. It was a good place to make money, also
a good place to spend it. The expense was heavy and by this time the children
were in high school. Sister went to university at Oxford. We took Floyd to
Collee in Arkansas in a car. He caught the train and got back home before
John got back. Tom and I sat down and cried, it was a disappointment to us.
Tom said I believer it was Banjamine Franklin who said "one man can take
a horse to water but ten can't make him drink". We ran the hotel 7 years
but after the lumber was all cut and the mill closed down, we went to Durant.
We were there only a few months when it burned down. We knew we were only
there for a short time and we had no insurance. We went from there to Marks
to keep the Marion Hotel in Marks. One year later Tom got sick we took him
to Memphis. The Doctor said he could never be well anymore. He wanted to
come home to spend his remaining days. We rented Mrs. Brooms' house and kept
roomers and boarders for nearly two years. Tom Died in 1931. Then we took
the Stapp house what is now the hotel lived there until Sept. 1938. When
I came to live with Sister in her new house. She had married and had only
one child. After having kept house over 50 years I naturally had to change
my way of living. I have never been away from Sister and now that I am old
and feeble and gray no one else would have me. No one has any time or patience
with old people. Of course my children will not let me want for anything.
That is what is called duty a word I dont like. I have lived through the
Spanish American war and world war I and have lived through world war II
Still here. In 1940 Pat volunteered for the army and was placed in the medical
Corps and trained at Fort Benning, Ga. for 2 years. He also volnteered for
overseas duty. Was placed in the air evacuation transport sqd. Floyd went
to North Africa then to Sicily and Italy where he died June 18, 1945, Waiting
for a ship to come home. The day I received the telegram " I regret to inform
you that your son Pat Carithers died June 18, 1945." My first thought was
just give up and life for me is over but God always tells me what to do.
That death cast a shadow over my life that will never be lifted. George and
Prince have been dead for several years. In 1947, Mike my youngest and favorite
brother died of cancer. No death ever hurt me like seeing him lie for months
and suffer. Perhaps somewhere sometime we will understand. Pat has a friend
J.C. Burke who came last week and brought his wife and three darling little
girls. He said his visit was the love of soldier for another soldiers mother.
He has another friend in La, Roy J. Mensncin. Both of them never forgot me.
It gives me lots of pleasurs to be remembered by Pats' friends who were over
seas in the same outfit with him. I have 3 dear little grand children Wade
Jr, Joe Cariithers and Floyd Mason. Their mother is my only daughter. I have
one grand daughter Pauline Davis. She is the only child of Johns'. She has
a precious little boy my only great grand child. His father J.E. Davis is
in Japan. I love him dearly. I am glad that I have been able to spend my
last days with my children and grand children. No one has ever been better
than John's wife and Wade my daughters husband. I can truthfully say in the
16 years I have known him, he has never given me an unkind word. I have tried
to be good to him and his family, and I sincerely hope I deserve the kindness
that all of them have shown me. I had my 80th birthday last sunday. I may
be as well as one of my age should yet I never feel well. I know according
to God's law I cannot be here many more. I have worked hard but to my sad
regret I have not worked for the Lord as I should, all I can do is trust
in his infinite love and mercy. I pray that he will still guide me all through
my remaining years and at eventide give me perfect light.
***************************************************************************
James Robert Madison Denman was Sallie Lee Denman's father, making him my
great-great grandfather. He was born December 1, 1857 and died in 1940. This
piece is written by James Warren Denman, who was his grandson.
"For the most part, those of us who gather every year for the annual family
reunion are the children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and possibly
even the great-great grandchildren of James Robert Madison Denman. Yet, with
the exception of his immediate children and some of the older grandchildren,
very few of us know much more than the vital statistics about the man in
whose honor we come together each year.
At one time or another we have all possibly heard that he was born in Montgomery
County, MS and on January 12, 1857 to Daniel and Betty Holmes Denman and
that early in childhood his family moved to Tallahatchie County. We know
that he had four brothers and sisters- Martha, Frank, Luther, and Emma-whose
descendants often join us in these reunions. We know, too, that he first
married Ella Pittman about 1878, that they had one child, Mary Ella and that
his wife died soon thereafter.
Subsequently, in 1883 on March 14, he and Virginia Lee Brunson were married
in Charleston, MS by the Reverend Melton. There were eleven children born
of this marriage- Robert, Sallie, Maggie, Lou, Walter, Jim, Joe, Annie, Glynn,
Dan and Martha Virginia_______ of whom are here today along with their
families.
These are some of the facts we know about JRM Denman, but it takes more than
just mere facts to make us remember of know a person. So we have tried to
put together some random information about JRM Denman, The man, as drawn
from the recollections and reminiscences of those who know him best--his
own children-which are both interesting and entertaining. Generally speaking-
most of these early memories concern the Tallahatchie River and the life
and home there, so that's where we'll begin:
It was around 1900 when Mr. Jimmy, as he was know to most people, first came
to the river, having obtained a 160-acre lease from the Lamb-Fish Company.
The area where he chose to make his home was, at that time, pretty much a
wilderness. There had once been a small town called Locopolis very near where
he settled, but northern gunboats had destroyed it during the Civil War.
In 1900 the entire area was a lush thick growth of cane, brush, vines, weeds,
and small trees and abounded in wild game such as wolves, bears panthers,
and all varieties of smaller animals. All that connected the place to any
sort of civilization was a steamboat landing where boats put in from time
to time to leave and pick up supplies for Charleston, Oakland, and surrounding
communities. A road of sorts led from the landing into Charleston. This was
the land Mr. Jimmy chose to settle on, to clear, to build a home on and to
raise a family on.
He had only been there about a year and was slowly getting some of it cleared
when he learned that the land company was planning to sell the land. Having
decided that this was the where he wanted make his home, he made up his mind
and immediately went into action. Using the only means of transportation
available to him at the time-his mule-he rode the twenty-five miles to Oakland
where he contracted to borrow $600.00 to buy the land with. He then rode
back home where he and the mule crossed the river on the ferry. Mounting
the mule once again, he rode all the way to Webb and there, temporarily leaving
the mule, he caught a train into Greenwood where the land company was
located.
There he bought his 160 acres of land for from $4.00 to $6.00 per acre. Having
made the purchase it was home again by the same laborious method of travel
and one can only wonder who was happiest when the trip was over-Mr. Jimmy
or the mule.
Now the proud owner of his own land, he set about making a home and a farm
of it. First, he built a house-in its original form it consisted of two rooms
on one side for living connected by a large hall in the middle of two shed
rooms on the other side. Other rooms were added later, of course, but the
time-being, this was the living quarters for his growing family.
At about the same time he also hired a Negro share-cropper to help with the
clearing and farming. They build a one-room log cabin for the Negro to live
in and started a shed room on the rear of this, but the Negro left so he
never did get a roof built over the shed.
The log house did serve a useful purpose, though, because he later hired
what was know then as a "wages hand"- Instead of actually farming some of
the land himself and getting part of the profits as was the usual practice
then, he simply worked for Mr. Jimmy for a fixed salary, and this wages hand
slept in the extra log house. Because of the lack of space in the main house,
some of the older boys were also sent to sleep in the little house at night-
usually Robert, Walter, Jim and Joe.
Everybody knows what pranks growing boys can pull when no grown-ups are around
to keep them out of mischief and apparently this opportunity of sleeping
away from the main house was full of adventure for these boys. They've been
known to laugh among themselves over the picture they must have made trudging
the maybe 300 yards to the other house every night, the older boys in their
much prized long pants and leather boots and Jim and Joe in their long red
flannel shirts. One of the tongue-in-cheek stories they sometimes chuckle
over among themselves concerns the times when Walter, too, was forced to
do without his boots and don the red flannel shirt because of some mysterious
trouble in keeping the boots dry. Since no explanation has ever been heard
from Walter as to why the boots sometimes turned up wet we're at a loss to
explain why the other boys found his problem so funny.
Apparently that trip from the main house to the little house was as full
of surprises as it was mud-holes, ice or snow. Robert, as the oldest, usually
led the way, carrying the lantern. A favorite trick of the older boys was
to try to run off from Jim and Joe and beat them to the cabin. They really
never got to far ahead because a dark night on that river with no moon showing
and sound of wolves and panthers howling not too far off the path would make
anybody move pretty quickly. Jim and Joe, shirt tails flapping wildly behind
them, usually reached the cabin just in time to have the door slammed in
their faces. They usually had to do a lot of begging, door banging and
name-calling before they could get in and, the way they tell it, the closer
the howls of the wolves and panthers sounded, the louder the yelling and
banging got.
Once inside the fun really got under way with the tussling, scuffling and
pillow-fighting before everyone was settled for the night. And, of course
it was pretty dull night if Robert and the wages hand didn't slip out after
the others had gone to sleep to find a possum and turn it loose in the one
room. With no light in the room it must have been one wild mass of confusion
with that possum running all over the floor, beds, and walls and Walter,
Jim, and Joe taking to the rafters and joists until the other two decided
to relent and turn the possum out.
But life on the river wasn't all fun and pranks by any means. Mr. Jimmy was
a firm believer in hard work and early rising and he had the boys up and
in the fields long before daylight. Usually it was a matter of having to
wait until it was light enough to see the cotton they had to chop.
He was also a hard task master and everyone on the place had his or her assigned chores just as soon as they were old enough. And Mr. Jimmy didn't take it too lightly if anyone happened to forget his job. For instance, when Joe was about ten years old he had a very special job. Whenever the steamboat passed that way, usually at night, it blew for the bridge. When that whistle blew, Joe was supposed to pull all the small boats up on land to keep them from being washed away by the waves from the steamboat. At night, of course, he had to light his way from the house to the landing with a lantern.
Well, ten year olds sleep pretty hard sometimes and one night, Joe failed
to hear either the steamboat whistle or Mr. Jimmy calling him to get up.
Naturally, the boats were washed away. Mr. Jimmy must have used some pretty
strong "measures" to make sure Joe remembered what his job was because about
a week later when the steamboat whistled blew again, Joe jumped out of bed,
grabbed an umbrella from the rack by the door and was probably half-way to
the landing before he woke up enough to realize it was an umbrella instead
of a lantern he was carrying. And he wasn't about to take a chance on letting
those boats get washed away while he took time to go back for a lantern.
It must have taken some doing for him to find his way to the landing and
get all those boats pulled up with all the light he got from that umbrella-
but he managed somehow. Mr. Jimmy's lessons made a lasting impressions. Even
with a family of strong growing boys and girls working 160 acres in those
days was pretty hard business and extra hard business and extra help was
always needed. Mr. Jimmy solved part of this problem for a time by keeping
the county prisoners. They worked out their fines by clearing land and working
on the farm. By that time he had built another room. You might say Mr. Jimmy
was an integrationist, before his time, because he kept all the prisoners,
white and Negro together, in that room which was called the ‘cage'.
But being a hard worker and an early riser weren't Mr. Jimmy's only
idiosyncrasies. He was full of them- and consistent only in his
inconsistencies.
For instance: when he made up his mind to do something, he couldn't wait
to start doing it. After the children were all grown and Joe lived up the
road from him, he used to walk up to Joe's to get a ride into town with him.
But if, for some reason, Joe wasn't ready when he got there, he couldn't
stand to just sit down and wait for him, so he'd start on into town and sometimes
be almost there by the time Joe caught up with him. Maybe that was why in
the early twenties he bought himself a Model-T Ford so he could get where
he wanted to without waiting for anyone or anything. But he never really
got the hang of driving it and could never quite understand why it didn't
respond to his orders the way his old mules did. Once, coming home from town,
he pulled into the garage and absent-mindedly yelled "Whoa!" to stop the
car. Not being as well trained as his mules, that Model- T just kept going
right through the back of the garage and on down toward the river with Mr.
Jimmy excitedly yelling "whoa!" at the top of his voice, over and over. Someone
finally jumped on the funning board and got the message across to him that
he had to mash the brakes before the blasted thing would stop.
He was nothing, if not honest, and demanded honesty from the people he dealt
with, too. In later years he owned and ran a small store-or commissary as
it was called then- where he sold staple goods. He sometimes operated on
a credit basis, but he never forgot who owed him money, no matter how small
the amount. If he were sitting on the front porch of the commissary and saw
someone going by who owed him, even it was just a can of sardines, he would
call out to them just to remind them that they owned a bill to him.
He hated to be in debt to anyone, himself, and was just as strict in paying
what he owed as he expected other people to be about paying him. Once, when
he was getting on up in age, he had a spell of sickness and was unable to
get out of the bed for quite a while. While he was sick, Joe got the barber
in town to come out and shave him, and without Mr. Jimmy knowing it, paid
the barber himself. Well, owing that barber for the shave is probably what
got Mr. Jimmy on his feet again. He worried about it so much that finally
one day before he was really well enough and without telling anyone, he got
up, put on his clothes, and caught the bus into town to pay for that shave.
The bus ride cost 50 cents and the shave only cost 35 cents at the time.
But that was the kind of man Mr. Jimmy was.
This has been a brief glance into the person of James Robert Madison Denman
in an attempt to point out some of the interesting and entertaining highlights
of his and his family's lives. Some of you probably have equally vivid memories
of him that haven't been mentioned here. If so, we hope you will add them
to this collection so that those of us who knew him only slightly or not
at all, can form a better picture in our minds of exactly who and what Mr.
Jimmy Denman really was."
Updater: This page was last updated Monday, 29-Oct-2007 18:17:05 MDT
If you have any suggestions, questions about this page, or have information you would like to add,
please contact
Lela Evans or
Helen Arnold.
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