Bios: J. S. Pipes, Lincoln Parish, LA Submitted by: Dorothy Rinehart Taylor, 111 Racove Drive, West Monroe, LA 71291 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** ************************************************ The Ruston Daily Leader, Monday, April 20, 1981 Page 7 J. S. Pipes - centenarian by Ruth Alexander, Family News Editor Julius Senior Pipes was born April 28, 1881 in a little home on Roughedge Road in what is now Lincoln Parish. This coming weekend there will be a few events marking his 100th birthday anniversary. He was the second son in a family of nine boys and five daughters, children of James Wade Pipes and his wife Mary Priscilla Edmiston Pipes. The Stowe's, the Pipes' and the Roane's were among the earliest settlers in the area, having arrived here before the Colvins populated this northern hill county of Louisiana. J. S. Pipes, or Mr. Red as he is called by his friends and relatives, remembers that he was about five years old when the family moved into the log house near Roughedge Road, which became known as the Pipes family home. Last week, he went back to the house he hasn't been in for the past five or six years. "The steps were made out of wood, and here in the front, I remember, my father spanked me," he said. In walking through the home that is being renovated now, he told of the huge table in the back where the large family used to have their meals. He and his brothers and sisters went to school in an old Railroad building during the first years of his education. "It had a door and a window and was rather drafty," he recalls. Later he went to school at the old school house and went through eighth grade. His spelling book is still in his possession. "We had a real good time in school and I remember especially the box suppers. Mentioning them a real smile creeps into his face and eyes. "What is a box supper? "Well, he went on, the girls brought some pretty wrapped boxes with supper and the boys had to bid for them. The winner then had supper with the girl. It became real interesting when two boys bid for the same box supper." Apparently the boys in those days didn't mind fighting at all. The family went to church at the Epheseus Primitive Baptist Church and for many years they didn't even know that another church was in existence. It was tough living for the huge family, and most of their needs were raised on the farm. Going to Ruston, where they sold their cotton, was a days trip in horse and buggy and going to Monroe even a two days trip. "I remember my grandfather (Jim Pipes) making collars out of cornshucks and using cotton plowlines with material that was spun by my grandmother." "People believed in visiting in those days," Mr. Pipes said, "Today, all they do is making pop calls. When I was young, people came to visit and to talk, for a day, or even two." In a time of no television, no radio, what did the people do for entertainment? "Oh, we had music and dances in the homes. There were fiddlers and guitarists. It was never too cold or too hot for a good dance. "Does he remember the drought of 1896? "Sure, I was 15 years old then and we raised our vegetables in the creek bed. Last year's heat was just like the one in '96" When Red Pipes was 23 years old he married Pinkie Thomason of the Longstraw Community. In 1918 they moved into the present home north of Choudrant on Pipes Road where they reared their two daughters, Grace Pipes, now deceased and Buelah Maxwell, who makes her home with Mr. Pipes. "They were just fixing to get me to serve in World War I, when the war was over, and I was too old for active service in World War II." While living on the farm in Choudrant, that provided almost all the necessities for a living, he raised cotton until the 1940's. He sold the cotton at the old compress in Ruston, getting 5 cents a pound in the beginning and later received up to 20 cents a pound. (Now cotton is sold for 90 cents a pound). He did all the planting and harvesting by himself. First Car In 1924, when he was 43, he purchased his first car, a Ford. In 1929, his wife died on her 49th birthday and he has never remarried. Did he ever do any traveling? We shouldn't have asked that. During the fifties he and daughter Beulah went to Michigan to see his daughter Grace. Well, somewhere, they got the wrong direction and instead of having dinner with his daughter they arrived there shortly before midnight. The mention of Route 66 brings a smile on everyone's face in the family. Other than that, he went to Oklahoma, but returned after six weeks. They didn't offer the right work and the right place to stay, so we came back." After he quite farming, he attended the live stock at the Louisiana Power and Light Company in Sterlington, spending the weekends home and staying in a company owned apartment during the week. When we asked him what his most memorable event was in his long lie, he recalls his childhood and tells how much impressed he was when the oxen pulled logs to a sawmill, especially with the big wheels. Although Mr. Pipes has experienced good health throughout the years, on October 2, 1979 a pacemaker was implanted in his chest. "First he didn't want to hear anything about it," his daughter Beulah said, "but now he is happy with it." The pace maker was implented by Dr. George Smith at Lincoln General Hospital and Mr. Pipes was at that time the oldest known person with a pacemaker in the area. They were told at that time, that he probably is the oldest living person with a pacemaker in the nation "I am planning to wear this one out," Mr. Pipes said with a twinkle in his eyes. Right now, he is looking forward to a fish fry on Saturday, April 25 that is to be given for him at Lake D'Arbonne by the men of the church at Emmanuel Baptist Church. The Pipes are members of Emmanuel. The following day, on Sunday, April 26 there will be a Tea at the Pipes home in Choudrant between the hours of 2 and 4 p.m. this event is to be hosted by his two granddaughters Betty Smith and Carolyn Drive and his niece Freddie Land. It is expected that his six great grandchildren and his only surviving brother, Fred Pipes and his sister, Mrs. Willie Pipes Boy will be present. His brother Fred is 88 and his sister is 92. All reside in Choudrant. On the question of what he enjoys doing most, the answer came very fat, "Nothing." History Whenever someone is about to become a centenarian, it is obvious one looks back into history and wonders, what happened in the U. S. in 1881 and the findings are surprising. Hundred years ago, U. S. President James A. Garfield became the victim of an assassination. Only July 2, he was attacked by Charles J. Guitreau, described as an unbalanced disappointed "Stalwart" office seeker. President Garfield, who was only a few months in office, died September 19, 1881 from wounds. The year marked also the organization of the Red Cross. Booker T. Washington became president became president of Normal and Industrial Institute for Negroes in Tuskegee, Alabama and the population of the U. S. according to 1880 census figures stood at 50,262,000. Paddy Duffy's Cart was the song popular during the year and the readers enjoyed Henry James' books Portrait of a Lady and Washington Square and Joel Chandler Harris' Uncle Remus. Submitters Notes: Pipes buried at Longstraw Cemetery Michael Edward Boyd b. Dec. 2, 1889 d. Dec. 28, 1969 married May 6, 1912 Willie Pipes b. Feb. 12, 1889 d. Nov. 22, 1984 Helen Pipes (baby) (d/o M/M Willis Pipes) b. Mar. 15, 1930 d. May 14, 1931 Julius S. "Red" Pipes b. Apr. 28, 1881 d. June. 9, 1985 Pinkie Tomlison Pipes b. Aug. 3, 1880 d. Aug. 3, 1929 Grace "Sis" Pipes b. Sept. 17, 1904 d. Dec. 30, 1980 Beulah Pipes Maxwell b. Sept. 14, 1906 (living year 2,000) Spencer P. Maxwell b. Jan. 8, 1908 d. Feb. 9, 1970 Wade Hartwell Pipes b. Feb. 23, 1891 d. Feb. 19, 1981 Eliza Allen Pipes b. July 14, 1891 d. Dec. 2m 1983 Walter Pipes (son of J. W. and M. P. Pipes b. Aug. 15, 1859 d. Jan. 9, 1926 Alabama Presbyterian Cemetery - Sibley Louisiana near Choudrant Chic Pipes b. Nov. 2, 1912 d. Jan. 15, 1989 Laverne Pipes b. Jan. 24, 1917 d. June 15, 1978 Lisa Ellen Pipes (dau of Bert Neil and Glenda Norris Pipes) b. June 11, 1961 d. May 19, 1968 Infant daughter of Bert and Glenda Pipes b & died Jan. 3, 1969