Pike County AlArchives Photo Tombstone.....Rushing, Ella Melissa ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ronald Bridges bridgesrd@knology.net March 31, 2006, 9:22 pm Cemetery: Oakwood Cemetery, Troy, Pike Co., AL Name: Ella Melissa Rushing Date Of Photograph: February 20, 2005 Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/pike/photos/tombstones/oakwood/rushing3288gph.jpg Image file size: 32.6 Kb ELLA M. RUSHING JAN. 6, 1874 AUG. 26, 1963 Additional Comments: Ella Melissa Spradley married Joseph Johnston Rushing on 8 Sep 1897 in Ansley, Pike Co., AL. Ella is the daughter of Stephen Anderson Spradley and Avarilla Catherine Castellaw. On April 14, 1996, Foye Rushing Black and I rode in my van to the Rushing family reunion , located in Luverne, AL. Foye revealed to me about her mother’s enjoyment of writing letters to people who had moved from the neighborhood and relatives who did not live in Troy, AL. When people wrote back to her mother, Ella, they would send her different types of handkerchiefs, because everyone knew she was very fond of them. I can still visualize the ritual of the gathering around her bed. As she stood at the side of the bed where she slept, sets of eyes stared at the quilt covered pillow in awe and excitement. She smiled and her wrinkles stretched. Pulling the quilt back, she glanced around at the young guests. The pillow was exposed. It had a little lace at the edge while the rest was crisp from the ironing that morning. The sets of eyes were still focused on the pillow; a few jaws dropped opened to expose some missing teeth by some; and then she rolled the pillow back . They scooted closer. In all its splendor it rested there in its designated place. A black silken cloth change purse. Her hand, which had a red stone ring on one finger, grasped the purse. After spreading the purse’s clasp open, she turned the purse upside-down and the silver and copper coins sprinkled in a fall and bounced softly off the crisp white sheet. Glances exchanged among the guests. A few giggles popped out here and there. We all saw them there on the bed and we knew their power. The ones with the Indian and buffalo on it could buy a drink, or a candy bar, or a bag of peanuts, or even pieces of candy at the store, located down the alley behind her house. The dimes and quarters had even more power. But the three I prized the most had women on one side and eagles on the obverse. They were powerful indeed - with beauty. One was a Walking Liberty half-dollar. The other two were called the Morgan dollar and Peace dollar. If there were enough nickels, dimes, or quarters, she distributed the coins among us. The pennies as she said, "takes care of the odd costs." At times, to my joy, there were not enough small coins to distribute. She would give me, the oldest, one of the powerful beauties to manage to the sadness of the others. Most never knew what they desired at the store, but she always did - a Mounds Bars. Sweet chopped coconut formed into two separate bars and covered with dark chocolate. We all knew her favorite and never forgot. After the dispersal of the coins Great Grandmother Ella Melissa announced the safety instructions about watching for snakes in the alley and crossing the street. Then the rush from the house began. Out the backdoor we fled. Clutching our spending power, we skipped and danced down the alley, while proclaiming to each other our purchasing intentions. I said little. Just as my Great Grandmother, my purchasing intentions were always the same - a Doctor Pepper drink with some type of chocolate candy bar with nuts. Sometimes I would be teased that I never got anything different. I cared little about the teasing. Chocolate and nuts with a Doctor Pepper were great together! The trek down the alley created opportunities to tease, boast, and swap stories. We looked for snakes but never saw one. However, we had to watch for the cars that traveled up and down the street before we crossed. Safely across we entered the store. Immediately we dispersed to our favorite parts of the store. There was the glass counter with candy displayed in boxes. There was the glass jars with candy in them, that sat high up on the glass counters. In the corner against the wall was an ice cream box, containing the pop sickles, ice cream cups, bars, and sandwiches. Besided it a large red cooler sat with sorted drinks standing erect in chilled water. We mingled back and forth, while talking, giggling, bumping, pointing, and always asking what the price was even though we already knew. After our selection we lined up at the cash register in a mass with me at the end. When my turn came to pay, always someone would inquire, "Did you get hers?" I held it up - the Mounds Bars. Our travel back down the alley was even better. We munched and crunched and licked and sipped our goodies every step of the way. We even shared sometimes. Once we arrived at the backyard of the house, she was always standing there with the backdoor open in our anticipated return. We would run to her, hug her, thank her, and laugh with her about our adventures to the store. And we would always tell her we saw no snakes. I wished we had told her just once, we saw a snake. If I had change from one of the powerful beauties, I handed it to her. She never counted it. I loved her for that. I love you Ella Melissa Spradley Rushing for those opportunities to watch for snakes and cars, to choose and buy, to laugh and share, and most of all for the excitement of the gathering around the bed. Written by her Great Grandson, Ronald D. Bridges on 17 April 1999. Gardening varieties of flowers around the house at 1925 West St., Montgomery, AL was one of Ella's hobbies. She was especially fond of a climbing flower called sweetpea. I have a picture of her standing proudly by this variety that was climbing a fence in the backyard. Cultivating small fruit trees, such as plums, figs, and pomegranate, was also one of her favorite activities. I still remember her preparing fig preserves and plum jelly. She also planted several pecan trees in the front yard and backyard on West Street. Gathering and cracking pecans in the fall with her and her daughter Mary Kate, my Grandmother, was a fond memory for me. I remember her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, taking part in this activity also. Written by her Great Grandson Ronald D. Bridges on 2 March 2002. On 9 Mar 2002 Gertrude Porath Parnell informed me that Ella was known to speak her mind about what was right or wrong. One of my favorite cobblers, prepared by Ella, was cantaloupe cobbler. I have not found anyone who knows how to prepare it. Ron Mrs. Ella Rushing Honored On 87th Birthday by family Mrs. Ella Rushing was honored on her 87th birthday at a luncheon given by her daughters, Mrs. Kate Sellers and Mrs. Foye Black, at the home of Mrs. Sellers on West St. Mrs. Ada Lee Porath of Montgomery and Mrs. Zudie Coll, Baton Rouge, La., sisters of the honoree, were present. Other out of town members of the family present were: Mrs. Pauline Smith, Mobile; Mrs. Annie Laura Perry, Milton, Fla.; Richard Reams, Pride, La., and Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Parnell and family. Other members of the family present were: Mrs. Louis O. Black, Mr. and Mrs. D. H. Lackey and family; Mr. and Mrs. Doyle Wyatt and family; Mr. and Mrs. William Ivy and family; Mr. and Mrs. Tommy Ivy and family; Mrs. Sue Williams and Kenneth; and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Porath and family." (1) (1) Published in either the Montgomery Advertiser or Montgomery Journal in January of 1961. The Montgomery Advertiser, Montgomery, AL Aug 27 1963 Rushing, Mrs. Ella M., 89, died Monday at her residence, 1925 West St., Montgomery. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday from the McGehee Funeral Chapel with the Rev. W. H. Swearingen officiating. Burial will be in the Oakwood Cemetery in Troy, McGehee Funeral Home of Troy directing. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Kate Sellers and Mrs. Foye Black, both of Montgomery; two sisters, Mrs. Ada Lee Porath, Montgomery and Mrs. Carrie M. Coll, Baton Rouge, La.; nine grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/pike/photos/tombstones/oakwood/rushing3288gph.txt ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Photo has been resized/compressed for use in the USGenWeb Archives Project ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 8.7 Kb