Bertie County NcArchives History .....Tales From  Bertie County  uk
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Beth Dixon bethdix@comcast.net  August 27, 2009, 10:59 am

TALES TOLD TO ME BY MY MOTHER WHEN I WAS A CHILD 
by Nova Asbell Leicester 

[Given to Beth Dixon by Jim Williams, ca 2005. Mrs. Leicester was his aunt] 
 

I am now 70 years old and as I look around me and try to think of someone who
can set me straight on the stories I have been told, there seems to be no one to
whom I can go for correction or information. Most all have slipped away, and I
know even if I live to be very old, time is very short for me. Let that be as it
may be, I thought I would write down a few things before it was too late. 
John Downing Castellow lived on the new road, had a small farm and reared a set
of children sometime a good while before the Civil War Between the States, 1861.
It seems to me his wife was a Todd, but I am not sure. 
On the road between Greens Cross and Sandy Point lived a family just across
Turkey Swamp whose names were Love. One of John Downing's boys named Jim married
the daughter of the Love family named Hester. Jim went to live with Hester in
her home and they had a large family. By the time the boys in the family were
grown, the war broke out and part of the boys and their father had to go and
fight. Jim was killed and some of the boys were taken prisoners, but as I
understand, the younger boy who was named Jimmy for his father, survived. He
came back, married a girl and lived somewhere on the Bull Hill road or not too
far from Askewville. 
There were three girls of the Hester Love Castellow family, Mattie, Roxanna Jane
& Barbara. 
There was a school teacher who lived down the road between Greens Cross and
Sandy Point whose name was Duncan Cale. He was the son of Charney Cale and
lived, I think, in his old home place. He had some slaves at one time and I
remember Mother telling about the slave living in his little house in the yard.
He was very religious and could often be heard singing and praying. The boys
would slip out and hide so they thought he would not know they were there. One
night they did that and he was saying "Take it out of the ram's horn, and put it
in the golden trumpet, to thee, oh Lord my Godlum". They, being rude like most
boys, said "You old rascal". He began to sing again, but this time he was
singing to them without saying anything to them. He sang, "Behave-yer,
behaver-yer is all I do require". They then ran off and left the old slave alone
to worship as he saw fit. 
Duncan Cale's wife was named Harriet and I think she was the daughter of Lichey
Hoggard. They had several sons died in the war. One, named Bill, married a woman
named Mary and lived in Windsor. They had a daughter named Lizzie of whom I just
can remember Mother taking me to see and her mother just before her mother died.
Mother would take sweet potatoes and things from the garden to her. Aunt Mary
stayed in the bed and her daughter, Lizzie, looked out for her and never
married. She did not live very long after Aunt Mary died. 
There was another son named Dancy. He became a preacher and married Hester Love
Castellow's daughter, Mattie. He bought a place belonging to Mr. Aaron Phelps
once owned by the Suises, remodeled it and lived there for some 15 or 16 years. 
Frank Cale was born to Duncan and Harriet Cale on February 21, 1854. He married
Roxanna Jane Castellow, daughter of Hester Love Castellow. Their first son, John
L. Cale was born September 7, 1876. A daughter was born October 19, 1878,
Josephine (which was my mother). A son, William Franklin, was born July 21, 1881. 
They bought a place and built a home on land adjoining his brother, Dancy's
land, now owned by Jessie Sanderlin. Franklin and Jane lived in a 4-room house
with a big kitchen in the yard. The house had two large front rooms with
fireplaces and an entry in the back, a big front porch with plenty of oak trees
for shade. With their little farm and good garden, they were very happy till one
day in July 1884, Jane was taken sick. I am not sure, but I think it had to do
with childbirth or of that nature. They had the doctor and he thought it would
do good if they would lance her arm and take some blood. Josephine being 5 and
too small to remember details, said she could remember seeing the doctor come
from the room with a gourd full of blood. She was soon told her mother was dead.
She began to cry! One of the neighbors who came in to help, told her not to cry.
If she wouldn't cry, she would give her a dip of snuff. She was given the snuff
and continued to use it, but it did not help her problem much. She and her two
brothers, John & Frank, were soon taken to her Uncle Dancy's home so her Aunt
Mattie could take care of them. Aunt Mattie had 4 children of her own; Jane,
John, Willie and Vashtye. However, she did the best she could. Jane being a
little older than Josephine, was alot of help to her keeping her mind off her
mother and the loss of her home. She was just getting use to staying with her
aunt and uncle, when her daddy came in and announced he was to be married and
that they would all go home again. So on October, 19, 1884 (only 3 months after
her mother died) Franklin Cale married Josephine Sanderlin, whom he had never
seen till after his wife had died. However, his land joined the land on one side
of John Sanderlin. His sister came from East Lake to visit her brother and a
wedding was soon planned. 
The last daughter of Hester Love Castellow married Daniel Jones from Hertford
County, and he came and lived with them in her home. Hester soon had her a home
to herself because with the family beginning to increase, Daniel and Barbara
built them a house just at the front of the old home and moved in. Hester, being
quite independent, was all right in her house and all went well until there was
to be another child added to the family. This time they decided to have a
doctor! Hester did not like that one bit! Hadn't she delivered every one of the
others without trouble! Not only her daughter's children, but many children in
the neighborhood. As she was told she was not needed, she got up and went out
quickly in a huff, I guess. Anyway, the ground was slick on the back side of the
house and she slipped and fell breaking her hip. As far as I know she never
walked again but lived a long time confined to her bed in her house. 
Franklin Cale married, took his family home and tried to start all over again.
His new wife was raised at East Lake, N.C., where the most of the people she
knew fished for a living. She could tie nets, hang them and do most any of the
work pertaining to fishing. So Franklin bought nets, got a boat and started to
fish in the spring for herring down the Cashie River. He sold what he could,
fresh, corned some and dried the rest. 
The family began to increase. Josephine the wife, soon called on Josephine the
daughter, to nurse her babies and look after the little ones while she did alot
of chores including taking in sewing. When time and age came around for school,
there seemed to be no time for little Josephine. 
There was a schoolhouse at Sandy Point. Like other neighborhood schools, there
was only one teacher for all seven grades. Reading, Riting, Rithmatic and
Spelling were taught with authority. 
When the subject came up about school, Josephine was told one day she could go,
but right now she was needed at home to baby sit. She was promised a new dress
if she did well. When all promises seemed to fail, little Josephine would be
permitted to go to school a few days and then her stepmother would tell her if
she would stay home and look after the children, she would make her a dress, for
she really needed one. The only one she had, had to be washed and ironed on the
days she was home to be worn when she chanced to go again. But by nightfall on
the day she was hired to tend the children, there would be some scolding for
something, and the announcement that there would be no dress for punishment. All
in all she did learn to read, write, spell and do some arithmetic, but she had
such little chance to go and so little to wear, she gave up at an early age to
succumb to her plight. 
Day school was held in the winter months at the little schoolhouse but Sunday
School was held each Sunday evening. Although Franklin was a member at Greens
Cross Church, they went to Sunday School at the Sandy Point schoolhouse alot of
the time. 
Not far from where the Cale's lived, there had been a small plantation owned by
Soloman Asbell who had died and left a part of the land to a son named Alonza
Asbell, who married Christine Farmer and raised a large family of 5 boys and 6
girls; Tom, Leigh, Henry, Nathaniel & George -- Ann, Elizer, Emmie, Jane, Joe &
Bet (Elizabeth). It seemed Alonza died and most of the children married and went
to establish their own homes leaving Christine (Kiddy), her daughter (Bet) and
the two younger boys (Nathaniel and George) home. The farm had gone down with no
one to manage and surely Christine did not know how to go about doing much with
two young boys, and one of them crippled with rheumatism since he was a child.
He would cry and not be able to walk or use his hands very well. This left only
Nathaniel and an old steer to do what little they could with only Bet to help out. 
By going to Sunday school and the little bit of day school, Josephine chanced to
meet Nathaniel (Nat) as he was called. He was shy and not quite up to average
dress and 
manner, but he was very kind and understanding to her. He seemed to want to help
her in any way he could by carrying her dinner pail and if she chanced to have a
book to be carried. John claimed the books were his and what time there was to
study, it always seemed he had to have them. Grandpa thought they both could use
the one set of books which consisted of Reading, the blue back speller, some
math and, of course, spelling the "speller bee". 
The paths were muddy and bad most of the time, making it hard to travel. Nat had
a since of humor. Josephine asked him how he came down that muddy path and not
get his shoes muddy? He said he just turned to a spider and hopped over the mud.
By this time, Josephine had not only her older brother and younger brother John
& Frank, but yet another half brother, Dance and half sister named Lizzie plus
Mr. Todd. 
The major amusement for the young people in the community was to get together
and square dance. They had no one to show them steps or style, but they liked to
shuffle around by the music. Someone would blow the breathharp or play a fiddle.
All the gang joined in to "sing and play" they called it. There would be a
quilting and wood-cutting or corn-shucking in the afternoon and a sugar-stew at
night with everyone joining in to play. Sometimes Josephine and John would
chance to go if all was well at home. Most every boy and girl in the
neighborhood would be there and all would have a good time together. After the
party, a great crowd would walk home together, boys with their special girl. 
Franklin had a sister named Millie Jane Thomas. She had a number of girls; among
them, was one named Hattie. John would walk with her and Nat with Josephine.
Jane had a boyfriend named Ike Piland. All in all, there would be a long trail
of boys and girls going along the path together. 
In the wintertime when people were not too busy farming, there would be alot of
these (sprees as they called them) going on. 
Sometime about now, there came a man to the home and asked if there might be a
chance of getting some work. He had no home and few relatives, if any. Frank was 
very busy and the boys were not big enough to help much, so he put the man to
work. His name was Jack Todd. He had little if any learning, but he could plow,
chop wood, do most any work around the place, so he stayed for a while. But as
the family grew, money was short, so Franklin decided he could use the money
better some other way and told Jack he could go, but Jack refused to go. He had
found himself a home and he was not about to give it up now. He would just stay
on anyway. So he did. He chopped wood, mended fences, hoed ground and anything
there was to do. 
One day while he was in the woods splitting wood, Josephine thought she would
scare him a bit, so she slipped up behind him just as he threw back his maul to
split the wood and struck her on the head. The blood flew; scared him so bad he
thought he had killed her. He took her in his arms and ran to the house as fast
as he could. He washed her face and head and said how sorry he was, but of
course there was no 
doctor and she was just scolded for such act. 
Another time, Josephine and John were under the shelter playing and John went up
the loft knocking a cotton plow point down hitting Josephine on the head,
cutting a large gash. Again, there was no medical attention. 
One day Josephine was playing in the field with John. He crossed the ditch and
she tried to follow him but she fell in and got all wet. She was so frightened,
she cried and said, "I don't know whether to go to Uncle Dancy's or go to the
plum trees, for she knew she would be punished if she went to her home all wet
from top to bottom. John laughed at her for he was not wet nor cared if she was. 
Nathaniel's sisters had to card and spin before they were married and they had a
set amount to be done by bedtime. One time they were invited to a spree and
their mother didn't want them to go until they had finished their work. Somehow
they did go and told why they were late. One of the neighbors sent their mother
a broach of thread already spun just to make her feel ashamed. 
Nathaniel and Josephine saw as much of one another as possible and became quite
fond of each other. Nat was a grown man by now and felt he had a right to his
own life, so he arranged to have some logs cut and built a one-room log house
with a fireplace. He bought a bed, had six chairs made and a table, bought a
pot, a spider with a long handle and legs, a few more things necessary for
cooking in the fireplace and he was ready to ask Josephine to be his wife. 
Now she was raised in a house that had lathes and plaster on the walls, a good
tight floor and a warm place to sleep. However, it takes young people to venture
into the unknown, so when Nat proposed, she accepted at the age of 18. She could
see no reason they could not live on what they had and do without the rest.
Plans were made for the wedding. She must have a new dress at least. With so
many children in the family and other things to be done, her stepmother had no
time for that. However, Josephine had a mighty good colored friend (Jennie
Heckstall) who had been kind to her in many ways since her mother died, so if
her Pa would buy the cloth, she would ask Jennie if she would make her a dress.
She could sew just as good as Mama could, she was sure. Pa was sure she would
make the dress so he bought the cloth. It was a real pretty blue, had some wool
and a little silkish look. Now, if she just could get Jennie to make it. Well
Jennie said she would and the work began. Only thing was, it needed a little
trimmings; some white buttons, but there was none. Jennie said, "I'll make
some." So she did. She cut them out of pasteboard and covered them with white
silk cloth. They made the dress look real pretty and it fitted real nice. For a
girl of 18, Josephine would be real dressed up. 
The wedding date was set for the night of January 6, 1897. She must invite all
her friends and get the whole house in order, lamps oiled and trimmed. Mr. Todd
saw to it that there were plenty of logs on the fire in the fireplace. 
Nathaniel asked Mr. George Harden to come and perform the ceremony. So before a
house full of friends and kin, they were married. There was no money for a trip, 
so right to their new home they went; one room, bed, chest, table & chairs, and
a few things to cook with and a few dishes. A big fire in the fireplace made it
look much more cheery. So their married life began. 
Winter was not but just begun, so there were snows, rain and all that goes with
winter. It seemed a little cramped in one room, but they were determined to make
the best of it. The house was new and kept out the rain real good. If the wind
blew too cold, they would hang a bedquilt on the wall over behind the bed to
keep the wind from coming through the cracks between the logs. But the house was
covered with handmade boards and though rain could not get in, somehow if it
snowed and the wind blew at the same time, the snow would sift thru the cracks
and everything in the room would have snow on it. So if they looked for snow at
night, they would bring in plenty of wood for fire in the morning, put a hoe
under the bed and Josephine would wear her bonnet to bed. Nat would rake the
snow to the fireplace with the hoe the next morning, get the fire going real
good, then Josephine would jump out of bed, get dressed real quick, then finish
sweeping the snow off everything. 
They had had no time to dig a well yet, so they fetched water from Nathaniel's
mother's house. Josephine thought with water to be brought so far, while there
was plenty of snow, it would be a good time to melt snow in the pot on the fire
and scrub the floor. So they brought in snow to fill the pot only to find when
it had melted they had only a little bit of water. It took many pots of snow
before there was enough water to scrub with, but they finally made it with a hoe
and rag. 
A well was soon dug and a shelf placed just outside the front door to put the
wooden bucket on with its coconut hull dipper. Of course, there was a bucket
near the fireplace for cooking use and a gourd to dip the water from it with.
Such was the water sisturn for the home. There was a wooden keel for hand and
foot washing and the soap was made at home from lye, water and grease. Only a
small bar for special face care and company was bought when the eggs were taken
to the store for trade. Coffee, sugar, snuff and tobacco took most of the egg
money and little else was bought, just what it seemed had to be had. 
Spring soon began to appear, longer days, birds singing, flowers about to
appear. Jonquils seemed to be the first to say, "Spring is Here". There were
also apple blossoms and all seemed to take on new life. 
"Nat", that is what Josephine had learned to call him, was busy getting ready to
plant corn. His steer seemed more frisky now that it was warmer. One day they
thought it might be wise to try to catch them some herring fish, to salt away
for the coming days, so they took off one afternoon to try their luck. Mr.
Robert Phelps lived near Ellis's store by the creek. He owned both boat and net
and always made Nat welcome to use it. It seemed to be the best way to go about
getting their fish. Nat hitched the steer to the cart. Josephine "Jo" as he
called her, and he road through the woods to Mr. Phelps, got the net, went down
the creek, tied the steer to a tree, got in the boat, rounded a few bends in the
creek and put down for a strike. They did not wait long before the fish began to
run. Two, three, five at a catch. 
They were having fun. Nat was dipping the fish up and Jo was putting them in the
bag. All out of the blue, it began to thunder. More fish ran in the net, almost
as many as could be lifted in the boat. More thunder and more fish, but they
knew it was going to rain. They fished as as long as they dared to stay, then
hurried for the landing, loaded the fish and net in the cart and made it to Mr.
Roberts just in time. He was so kind as to have the gate open for them. They
drove right up to the shelter, tied the steer and ran to the house. By the time
they hit the porch, the rain was coming down, and come down it did until the
trash in the yard washed toward the ditch which overflowed and ran down toward
the creek. There was no let-up in the rain till well after dark. Mr. Robert
invited them to spend the night, but they had all the fish to clean and must get
home as soon as possible to start. With no ice, they must get salt on them
tonight. Mr. Robert told them if they must go, he would give them some long
litewood splinters to make a torch for light to drive by. The splinters were
lighted and Jo was to hold them for light so Nat could drive. The Steer was
anxious to get home, so they were on their way. The path was rough -- around
stumps, roots, mud holes -- up and down and around. All in all, it was hard to
keep the steer straight at any time. Now he was going so fast they could hardly
stay in the cart. Nat would pull the lines as tight as he could and say, "Jo,
hold the light a little higher". Jo tried so hard to hold on with one hand and
hold the torch a 
little higher for more light, but the steer got faster. All in all, they feared
for their lives for surely he would turn the cart over and pour both of them in
a mud hole. 
The good Lord was looking out for them. They held on someway and managed to get
home without being turned over, but surely in much less time than it took them
to go. 
It took a big part of the night to clean and salt the fish. It was a weary
couple of young people who went to bed in the wee hours of the morning, making
them sleep a little later the next day. Josephine was washing the breakfast
dishes when she heard Nat call! She went out to see what he wanted. Nat said, "I
know now what was wrong with the steer last night". She ask, "What?". He said,
"Come and I will show you". The long fat litewood splinters they were using for
a torch was dropping hot tar down on the old steer's back, burning his rump with
every drop. There on his back was where the tar had dropped and the more tar
that dropped the more he was burned. The more he was burned, the faster he went.
So indeed they were thankful for their fish but more thankful to be alive. 
You live to learn. 
Life and changes were going on in the community. Uncle Dancy's daughter had
married Ike Piland and was living with his people between Sandy Point and Cashie
River. Uncle Dance got a call to a church in Potecasi and had moved the rest of
his family with him there. Pa bought the place Uncle Dance owned and moved his
family over there. 
Uncle John Cale got a mail route and took a corresponding course in vocal music.
He taught singing in schools from time to time about the country, but did most
of his teaching at home. Frank got a job in town and tried to work and go to
school to 
prepare himself to be a preacher. 
Fishing the pound nets proved to be good business for Pa. Mr. Todd did the home
chores and early plowing and planting of the corn and cotton. Pa and the boys
fished. Mama (Josephine, his wife) and the girls mended nets, dried the fish and
a lot of other things. So there was money to paint the house (a colonial
A-framed two story with 2 shed rooms, hall, dining room and kitchen in the el
with a big back and front porch painted white with green trimming, windows and
doors and painted woodwork inside the pretty wallaper everywhere that was not
plastered. There were pretty, large fireplaces in each of the two front rooms.
The setting room was where Mama and Pa slept. (A dresser in the front corner, a
lamp stand by the window, a white iron high headed bed in the corner next to the
hall.) The bedposts were topped with brass knobs. On the right side of the
fireplace in the corner was a 
lounge, big high back rockers were in the front of the fireplace. The door was
in the other corner, opening into the hall right by the stairs closet. The
parlor had paint on the woodwork, floral wallpaper on the walls, matting covered
the floor from wall to wall. There was the family organ, the graphophone with
its shiny horn on a pretty table, two settees and some large comfortable chairs,
another table with the parlor lamp on it and the picture album on the bottom
shelf. Mr. Todd had one of the shed rooms for himself, the other shed room and
the two rooms upstairs were shared by the rest of them. 
There must have been as much as an acre of land fenced in for the yard and lot.
Not far from the house on the right side on the sunset way, there was a well
with a wooden curb, a tall sweep and a pole with the bucket attached with which
to draw the water. There was a trough to water the team with, a block for which
to place the water bucket on while you drew water, several large oak trees stood
around to keep it shady and cool. A good distance beyond the well was the barn
shelters and stalls. On the right, not too far from the well, stood the fish
house. After the fish had been washed and salted a day, they were taken out of
the salt, washed again, put on reeds and hung up to dry. The reed was stuck
through the fish, as many as could be put on them, then put on racks made for
them. A smoke was made from hickory wood down on the ground to smoke them till
they were dry. They then were taken down and sold for 2 cents a piece. The
process would then start all over again. Fishing would last from early March
through May. Then the nets were taken up, mended and tared, and hung up for
another year. The farm work carried on till harvest. 
As Pa (grandpa) got able, he bought more equipment and eventually a gas motor
boat to help out with the fishing, a nice horse and big old buggy for the family. 
John soon married and took his bride, "Miss Charlie Revel" from somewhere near
Murfreesboro, home with him. They could have a room upstairs but needed a
kitchen, so a kitchen and dining room was built just out in front of the kitchen
to the house. 
Frank married Virginia Harrell and moved to Richmond to further his education
and preach. 
The Asbell clan was pretty well settled by now. Elizer married Charles Phelps
and they lived near Harden Mill with a crowd of children, Levenea Elizabeth,
(Aunt Em as she was called) married William Mizell and lived near the Harden
Mill also. Marinda Ann married Thadeus Mizell and lived at the place now known
as the Ann Place. Jane married Joe Conner and lived almost in front of her
mother across the land. Tom Bill married Katie Mizell. She died and he then
married her sister Bettie and lived where Aline Sanderlin, his daughter, now
lives. Leigh married Cenie Miller and lived near the Harden Mill. Jim Henry
married Lucy Lawrence and lived not far from the mill road. George married a
widow named Gullian Connor and lived in Windsor where she could help him take
care of the Baptist church, about the only thing he could do with the rheumatism
always taking him down. 
Elizabeth lived at home with her mother (known as Kitty) fell in love with Lee's
wife's brother, Guss Miller. She spent lots of nights and weekends at her
brothers home and to her dismay, found she was to have a child and her lover had
decided to leave the county to seek work and did not return for a long time
leaving poor Bet (as she was called) to have her child and raise her as best she
could. The little girl's name was Ellen. 
About this time or to be exact, on October 18, 1897, Josephine presented
Nathaniel with a beautiful little girl. How happy they were to have this
addition to their family. But their joy was short lived. On November 13, 1897,
they awakened to find their girl had smothered sleeping between her parents and
only 1 month old. She had gotten the mother's breast over her nose, cutting off
her chance to breath. What a comotion this caused. 
There was so much to do and so little will to do anything. Josephine was almost
overcome with both grief and guilt for it was her breast over the child's nose.
Nat had to get Mr. White to make a casket. The ladies of the neighborhood came
in to bathe and dress the baby, do the chores and comfort Josephine as best as
they could. At that time, the preacher did not live in the community, so a
deacon was usually asked to come to the home and read some scripture, have a
prayer, then all would follow a little farm wagon carrying the casket. The kind
neighbors having already dug the grave the morning before, would put the casket
away while the family and everyone waited. They would fill the grave and pack
the dirt nice and smooth. If there were any flowers, they would very reverently
lay them in place. No one was in a hurry to leave. There was such an atmosphere
of love and respect, you could feel it. No one had very much to share but was
always willing to do anything they could to help a neighbor in grief and trouble. 
Nat and Josephine were very downhearted and Mama Kiddy was too. Bet, with a
child, and no one to help her out on the farm; there seemed to be nothing left
for her to do but to sell the farm in order to have something to live on. She
spoke to the family about it. Everyone seemed to be very well settled except
Nat. Why did he not buy the place and let her and Bet stay right there as they
were, but Nat had no money with which to buy the farm. What could he do? 
Ann had a boy named Stark who was Nat's nephew. Stark did some work at 
Harden's mill and some carpenter's work. He had married Sara Mizell, the oldest 
girl of John & Pernicia Mizell. They lived at the mill in Mr. Harden's house.
They would like to have a home. Nat asked Stark about both of them buying the
farm together for $500, ($250) each. He was willing, so they bought the farm and
divided it. Mamma Kiddy, Bet and Ellen lived in the old home as usual. Stark was
to move where Nat & Josephine lived, and Nat built a two-room frame house on his
half of the farm. A little kitchen was built in the yard, also out buildings. On
March 4, 1899, there was born to Nat & Josephine another little girl. The first
girl had been named Hattie Jane for Josephine's mother, but now the second one
would just have a name not especially for anyone, so they called her Eva Leigh
Asbell. Before Eva was 2, she had a sister born February 11, 1901 named Julia
Revel Asbell. 
About this time or a little before, there came news among the neighbors there
was to be a mill down by the river. Already there were strange men calling on
the people asking if they would like to sell their timber land. Now money was
very scarce and land was cheap so when they would offer to buy a person's woods
land for five hundred dollars, that sounded like a lot of money to them. So
people sold their land, timber and all for a very small amount of money. True to
the talk there was goings on down by the river. A firm from Norfolk came down by
boat and put up a big steam sawmill. There was a big ban saw, dry kills and the
whole works ready to cut and ship back to Norfolk the vast amount of timber the
buyers had bought. 
Now the lumber was shipped by barge, pulled by tug boats, but the logs had to be
gotten out of the woods. A railroad track was laid and a train brought with alot
of cars to take the logs from the woods to the mill. The railroad track came
through the Asbell field and was laid right on the line between Stark Mizell and
Nathaniel Asbell's field and on up in the big woods as it was called at that time. 
People began to get jobs at the mill, others took contract to cut logs and would
hire men to do the sawing. Now the company had to have cross ties to put under
the railroad tracks, so a man would contract the job to get the ties hewn. Never
before had there been so many opportunities to work. But the people were not
used to public work and knew nothing about what they should be paid, so again
they were taken in. Eighty cents a day from 6 in the morning till 6 in the PM
was the wages offered and people took it, only too glad to have some way to make
a little. 
Nat & Stark had borrowed the money to pay for the farm, five hundred dollars
($500). That was $250 a piece. Making a living with a steer and plow was hard
enough, but to get $250, you just knew it would take a lifetime. 
Nat got him a job at the mill and so did Jim Henry, Nat's brother. Nat had a
long way to go, but Jim Henry had two more miles. Both of them had to walk and
be there by 6 o'clock and work hard after they got there. They caught boards off
the chain that came from the saw. 
One morning Nat was awakened by Jim Henry saying, "Wake up, it's time to go to
work". Nat got up and looked at the clock and saw it was only 2 AM. He asked Jim
Henry what he was going so early for. Jim Henry had looked at his clock wrong 
somehow and so afraid he would be late, had breakfast, took his dinner pale and
walked the 2 miles to Nat's house. 
The little bit of farming was left for Josephine and what help she could get
once in a while. Nat worked to try to pay for the place. Times for them were
still hard. They were expecting another child. So Nat got Aunt Jane's son,
Leigh, to come and dig the peanuts that fall. On October 7, 1903, a son was born
to them and they named him Charnie for great grandfather Charnie Cale and
Franklin for Josephine's father. They were so very proud to have a son and were
sure the good Lord had heard their prayers for a son. So much so, Josephine
sometimes called him Samuel for Samuel of Hanna who prayed in the temple for a
son. He had white hair and blue eyes and like most boys was very energetic. Mama
Kiddy (Papa's mama) said she could see his white head running around the house
from where she lived. There was an old gander in the yard, too. She did not know
which was the busiest running around, Charnie or the old gander. However, about
the time Charnie was 2 1/2, Mammie Kiddy died leaving Bet and Ellen alone and
without funds to live on. Uncle Haywood Johnson hired Bet for a farm hand and
she took Ellen and moved to the Shade Place (Whit and Gar's home) so she could
work for Mr. Johnson, leaving the old home empty. 
I don't know why, but Josephine (my mother) felt like if it were possible for
her mother-in-law, she would come back after she had died. So Josephine looked
for every sign of her that might be. Now we know people don't return from the
dead, but she thought she would! 
One day Josephine was going to Aunt Jane Conner's and had to pass the old house,
all empty except a few peanut vines that Cousin Stark stored in it. Just as
Josephine was passing and looking with all expectations, sure enough she heard
her coming toward the door. Josephine was more frightened than she had ever been
and would have run for her dear life, but she had the children with her and
dared not tell them how frightened she was. So she tried to act as natural as
possible. When she looked back to see Kiddy standing in the door and expecting
her to speak to her, she saw a white faced calf which had been in the field and
gone into the house to get him a mess of pea vines. On hearing someone coming,
he expected to be chased out so he ran to the door. When no one bothered him, he
just stopped and stood looking as they passed. I think what caused Josephine to
be so sure the dead could return was an incident that took place not too long
after her own mother died. Her daddy had remarried and took them all home. It
was now winter time. Little Frank & Josephine were sleeping together and
Josephine felt responsible for keeping both of them wrapped up even though she
was only 6 years old. She waked up and began to pull the quilts up over them
both when she looked up and could see her mother standing by the bed in a white
long sleeve gown, buttoned around the wrist. The moon shone through the window
and she saw the white pearl buttons so very plain. She quickly lay down to let
her mother tuck her in, but she did not wrap them up. She turned and went out of
the room through the door. Now she was frightened and pulled the quilts up over
her head. When morning came, she ran and asked her stepmother why she had so
frightened her in the night. Her stepmother protested she had not frightened her
for she had not been in the room all night and to make it 
more clear, she said she had worn a black garment to sleep in and not a white
gown. Even though it could have been a dream, Josephine always believed that was
her own mother come to see about her little children. 
Charnie grew to be a little boy very quickly and was soon able to climb on top
of anything in the house. Nathaniel was still trying to farm and work at the
mill, hoping someday to pay for the farm and maybe build some on to the small
house, only 2 rooms now with a kitchen in the yard. 
When Charnie was four years old on October 16, 1907, there was a little girl
born to Nat and Josephine. They cast around for a name and after some thought,
Nat said once he had a cousin named Nova. You did not hear that name much, so
they named the baby Nova Catherine Asbell. The weather was soon cold. The house
was very open with cracks in the floor, no heat but an open fireplace, kitchen
away from the house out in the yard with cracks in it that the snow could come
through and decorate every bottle, pan and dish. There was no heat in it except
a cast iron cook stove. So the baby grew very sick and the doctor was sent for.
He came on his horse and buggy with his little black bag. When he had examined
her, he said the baby had pneumonia. Her feet were greased with taller and also
her chest and between the shoulder blades. A warm wool flannel cloth was placed
on her chest. Some tallow was melted in a spoon, good and warm, and poured down
the mouth and throat. Some red medicine was to be given 3 times a day to keep
the fever down. She was to be kept indoors for at least a week and not carried
to the kitchen through the cold. A fire was to be kept in the fireplace at all
times. Josephine had no cradle nor crib, so she put a pillow in a rocking chair,
placed the baby on the pillow and left Julia to rock the baby while she went to
the kitchen to cook. Not but a little while later, she heard the baby crying,
also Julia. Both were crying and calling Mama. She ran to see what was wrong.
Julia, in her enthusiasm, had rocked the baby too hard and turned the chair over
pouring the baby out on the floor. Mama could fix all things, so this was no
exception. Soon the whole arrangement was back in place and Mama back to her
cooking. Julia had been sickly herself and when she spiked a fever, she would
have convulsions. She also had to be under the doctor's care and take red
medicine. Charnie had some breaking out on his skin and they took him to the
doctor. So you see, paying so many doctor bills was hard on the family income
which was not much to begin with. 
Eva was 8 years old when Nova was born. Julia was 6. Mama would help Eva get the
pot on and put the meat in for her and leave her to go about dinner when there
was a child sick. Nova began to walk the next fall which put her about one year
old. The winter came on again and the pneumonia with it. Mama said Nova learned
to walk, then got sick and had to learn to walk all over again. 
Papa could not pay any principle on the place, but he was determined to keep the
interest paid. He paid that once each year. The way he did that was to save a
dollar at the time, put it in the clock and keep it till he could get enough to
pay the whole interest for the year. So you see, it was closely guarded. But one
day, Papa looked in the clock and there was no money in there, not even a
dollar. No one could even imagine where the money was which caused quite a stir.
Money was not seen 
around the house enough for the children to even realize what it was. Mama was
busy as usual with the chores. While making the bed, she spread a quilt out and
saw something flip. Then she saw what it was; the dollar bills that had been
missing out of the clock. The children were called in and questioned. Charnie
said he had gotten him a chair and took the money out of the clock and put it
between the feather bed and mattress, not even knowing what he was going to do
with it. However, he was dealt with and the money returned to the clock, not to
be bothered again. Having been the baby, Charnie 4 years older than me, I was
special to all the family and knew it. I would sit in Papa's lap and he would
read to me. I played with Charnie and tried to do the things he did. I begged
Julia to play dolls with me and nurse the puppies Papa raised to hunt with. I'd
pet the pigs, run after the biddies, go to sleep in the old big carriage which
they would place under a tree for shade while the others chopped peanuts. I've
made a many string of beeds on a wild onion with persimmon blossoms while the
family would pull fodder. Mama would put several ties right together on a stalk
of corn so I could have shade. I would play doll with the premature ears of corn
with their pretty silks hanging down, make frog houses by putting my bare foot
in the loose dirt and packing it tight on my foot till I could slip it out and
leave a little shelter-like hole in the ground. 
Once in a while I would be sick and have a fever. A few times I had a fit from
the fever. So when I would come down with a fever, Mama would go get two pickled
herrings, split them open and bind them to the bottom of my feet. They told her
it would cause my fever to come down. If I had the headache, Mama would take a
plant called tansey and put it in vinegar, place it between folds of a brown
paper and tie it on my forehead with a cloth. It smelled so good and felt so
cool. Sure enough I would go to sleep and when I would wake up, I would feel
better. 
Charnie and I would play under the house. We would dig some shallow hole for our
house, make a lot for the horses, make us a farm with rows in it, and set little
bits of weeds for our crop. We'd make a well and use an umbrella rib for the
sweep and quinine bottle for the bucket. But when we tried to snitch enough
water to fill our well, we usually wold get caught because we were not to play
with water cause we would surely spill it and get wet and muddy too, if let
alone. Hide and seek was a favorite game in the field among the Japan peas
(soybeans) and always when Papa would flush the fresh ground with the plow,
Buddy (Charnie) would let me ride his back while he was on his knees like a
horse. He would get frisky and rare up and dump me off in the freshly plowed
ground. We had a little cart made from a wooden box mounted on wheels that were
sawed off the end of a log. We woud play with it, then haul wood to the porch,
especially stove wood for the kitchen. It was real nice to haul cantaloupes and
watermelons. 
I learned to plow by holding on to the plow handles while Charnie pulled it. We
could tend the corners of the field where Papa could not reach with a horse and
plow. We planted gardens, raised potatoes, and once had a whole bushel of sweet
potatoes. 
You should have seen me when I went to school. Having pneumonia when I was small
left me subject to taking cold. Mama took no chance in keeping me warm 
since she knew the schoolhouse would be cold. An old wood heater stood in the
center of that large room. It was fired with pine wood cut in four-foot lengths.
There was no one to cut the wood except the boys of the school with an old ax
that was just as round and dull as could be. School did not start till the last
of October. We had only six months a year and had to wait until the crops were
out of the field to start. 
When it got cold, I was dressed with long undersuits from wrist to ankles,
homemade panties over them and black rubbed cotton stockings fastened to
supporters, pinned to a body, a homemade slip of yellow cottons, an all-wool red
flannel homemade slip, a gingham dress, a heavy sweater with separate head that
tied under the throat with a wide band, and heavy tan leather shoes with
overshoes, which in those days were called rubbers, book bag and dinner pail,
and an umbrella, if it was raining. The desks were arranged to face the rearend
of the room which had a blackboard, a table and a chair for the teacher. The
space around the heater had four long benches around every side where the
children could come at intervals and warm for a while, then go back to their
desk and let someone else go. 
About six feet of the floor at the end of the building was a foot higher than
the rest of the floor. This was called a rostrum. When we had our morning
devotion, the teacher would read some scripture and we would repeat the Lord's
Prayer, then the whole school would stand in a group on the rostrum and sing,
"School songs" as we called them. Some of these were, "America", "Star Spangled
Banner", "Old Folks At Home", "America the Beautiful", "My Old Kentucky Home",
and "The Old North State". When the teacher heard a lesson, all the class would
come and sit on a long bench in front of the rostrum. The teacher could allow
only about 15 to 20 minutes to each lesson heard. She heard lessons all day, for
there were 7 grades to be heard. It was amazing how much a teacher could get
across under such circumstances. She had to have order, and almost always did,
even though there was a great number of big boys to be dealt with. Parents
played a big hand in helping with discipline. Most parents would have it
understood that if the child got a whipping at school, there would be one for
him when he got home. So most of the time, all respected the teacher and obeyed
her wishes. 
We had a 15 minute recess in mid morning, one hour at lunch and 15 minutes in
the afternoon. Fox and war, baseball, tag and a lot of other games were enjoyed
by all. Most of the time the teacher was included. Most children deeply loved
the teacher and wanted to please her if they could. It took 1 1/2 sessions to
make a grade causing the children to be much older when they finished the 7th
grade. 
A group of children walked along together to and from school. We had to be home
by a certain time to give an account of where we were wasting time. Once, I
remember we stopped along the road and trapped and caught a big old bull frog
under the bridge which was quite an adventure for us. Two of the boys took the
frog to Cousin Neppie Cobb so she could enjoy frog legs while the rest of us
hurried on home explaing where we had been. 
On pretty days, we ate our lunch in the yard. There was sausage, sweet potatoes,
and apple jacks but some brought their bucket packed with pickled herring and
cornbread. We had no water system, only a bucket of water brought by the
students from a neighbor's house, with a long handle dipper. You can imagine the
fish bones on the dipper hand and biscuit crumbs in the bottom of the bucket.
Finally, the teacher thought it would be more sanitary to drink from the running
water in the ditch nearby. So we did with no ill effect. But of course that was
before the days of pesticides or poisons. 
I was very active in the day, so when night came and I was in bed with Mama, I
felt so very safe and secure. My sister, Julia, was very afraid of thunder
clouds and wind. She would cry and beg Mama to come and sleep with her when the
wind would blow or there would be bad weather of any kind. Mama would get me to
sleep, which didn't take long, then she would go to Julia. One night there came
an unusual wind storm. The wind blew all night long and sometime in the wee
hours of the morning, there was a great slam waking everyone in the house. Rain
came down and the wind blew too hard to carry a lantern, much less a lamp, so
they must wait till day. When it was light enough to see, the kitchen which
stood a little way from the house had been blown over off the blocks making it
impossible to cook a meal till it could be gotten back into place. However, with
alot of neighbors and willingness to all work together, soon the thing was back
on its blocks. The trouble did not end there. Imagine how many dishes, bottles,
jars and other things were broken, including Mama's old bowl and pitcher. What a
mess! But it was not so bad it could not be cleaned up by someone like my Mama
who had enough willpower to take care of any situation. 
Broken pieces were picked up and swept out with the straw broom. The shuck srub
broom was brought out, some lye put in water in the wooden tub, alot of muscle
power, and some rinsing and wiping. All was clean now except for the drying
which was helped out by a fire in the wood cookstove. In a little white, one
could smell the good odor of ham, biscuits, grits, eggs and the coffee which was
always boiled in a black iron kettle. It smelled so good. Everyone began to
gather around the table before the floor was quite dry or the last cup of coffee
poured. Food never tasted so good now that the storm was gone and everything was
quiet. 
As the children grew larger, they could help more, thus reducing the hiring on
the farm. With Papa working at the mill, he decided he could afford to add some
much needed rooms to the house. Cousin Stark was called in to estimate what was
needed. The regular cart was taken off the wheel bed and a long rail cart put
on. Trips and trips were made to Harden Mill to get lumber for the rooms to be
added, a three-room el which it was called. Once the lumber was hauled, it had
to be plained by hand. That was, what had to be plained. The rest could go
rough. There was a kitchen, dining room, a bedroom joined to the living room and
a porch all the way down. While in the making, I thought it a wonderful place to
play, especially with all the pretty blocks. With the sleepers in place and only
a few planks thrown across them, I was sure it would be fun to run up and down
on the planks. Mama came and caught me and was about to get me. I fell across a
sleeper hurting my side some, but not too much; just enough to save me from the
switch she 
had after me. 
The rooms were finished and the family could spread out a little. Now the old
kitchen could be moved to the barnyard for a packhouse. The neighbors were
invited, logs were cut and brought to the yard, blocks were removed from one
side, the logs placed under the kitchen. Alot of men scotched their feet placing
their hands on the building, all pushing together. It began to move. In the like
manner, the old kitchen was put in it's place along side the other barnyard
buildings and served for a packhouse many years. 
I guess I was 7 or 8 years old and always happy to have someone to come play
with me. There came three children over to our house from the Hill Castellow
farm. They had just moved there and were in search for someone to play with
them. Having lost their mother by childbirth and daddy being at work, gave them
time to roam around a little. It was the Leicester children, Grady, Bill and
Blanche. Of course, we were soon at play. Among other things, we took the
plowline off the bridle and played with it to jump rope, tug of war and finally,
we got the idea to make a swing. Now the overhead on the front porch had never
been sealed, so with the joist in view, we got the idea it would be a great
thing to have a swing on the front porch. Grady could climb up in a chair and
reach the joist, throw the rope over and tie it good. So he did, and now we had
a swing with which we played for a while. The time soon went by and the children
returned home. When Papa saw that the plowline was gone off his bridle, he
dismounted the swing to replace his gear. But it was not long before I had a
nice long chain swing on a limb in the elm tree in which I spent many hours
playing, sometimes swinging as high as the chain would let me go and sometimes
right slow, singing all the songs I knew. Then, I would turn around and around
till the chain was tight, then let it go real fast. I always played with Charnie
(my brother) when he was around. So many times, he was not there or wanted to
ride his bicycle or something. I played doll alot. I did not have very many
dolls, but what I did have were old fashioned china head, hands & feet with
sawdust stuffed bodies, about 6 to 7 inches tall. These we called little doll. I
played as if they were real people doing the things that we did. A small shoe
box was made into a buggy all loaded in and a trip to church having service with
singing and preaching and then the serving of bread and wine. I'd load up,
return home and do the chores, cook, feed chickens, pigs and milk the cow. The
corner of the hall would serve as the home with make believe furniture, yard and
field, while a corner in the next room would serve as the church. Most anything
could be used for pews and pulpit furniture. I had only one big doll that I
played mother and baby with, and she was not a sleepy doll. So I wanted a sleepy
doll, one that her eyes would really open and shut. 
Aunt Bet Asbell (Papa's sister) came to help pick cotton one fall. I was too
small at that time to do much picking cotton, but I stayed out there where they
were, made a dog fennel house and anything else I could amuse myself with.
Finally I began to pick cotton, but having no bag to put it in, I put it in Aunt
Bet's bag. She praised me and I liked that. When Christmas came, Aunt Bet gave
me a pretty sleepy doll. She was china with eyes that would open and shut, real
eyelashes and curly hair. Oh! she was a real dream. I did not play with her
alot, for fear I would break her. 
One night I had her down in the floor with my other dolls and after playing a
while, I wanted somebody to play with me. So I begged my sister Julia to come
play with me. There was an old chest there and she had taken the lid off of it
because the hinges were gone. She had set one end on the floor and the other end
on the chest. 
She pretended she was going to lie down on it, but it slipped off, fell on my
dolls and crushed my sleepy doll all to pieces. Needless to say, I cried myself
to sleep. I never had another one until Grady gave me one on the Christmas tree
at the church many years later. 
My brother thought it was fun to mess me up, but I loved to play with him. I
would endure most anything to be able to play with him. We had a plank wall
around the yard and a gate at the path. He would get a long board, poke it
through the fence next to the top board, which was about shoulder high, because
he was so much heavier than I was, he sat on the short end and put me on the
long end. I thought it so nice to see-saw, but he would not go up and down but a
few times before he would jerk the plank sidwise nearly throwing me off and
scare me so bad. By that time, he was ready to do some other trick on me if he
could. 
We went to church and Sunday school. Papa would drive old Mary the red colt that
he raised which seemed like one of us, hitched to the cart. Mama and Papa would
place a board across the cart from rail to rail, put a quilt on it and sit on
that. A little wooden box was placed in the front corner for me. A quilt was
spread in the rear of the cart on the floor. Eva, Julia & Charnie would sit on
that. We only had preaching once each month, Sunday school every Sunday if it
was not bad weather and prayer meeting Sunday night. Each second Sunday of
September brought the revival. At 2:30 pm and 7 at night, neighbors and friends
from miles around came to visit and worship. Company came and ate supper most
every evening. Some spent the night. There was always room for however many
decided to come. There was no far notice, but whoever came was made welcome.
Vegetables, ham, pies and cakes were cooked in the morning. If need be, hot
biscuits, preserves, pickles, eggs, and anything else was prepared for supper.
The best dishes, table cloths and all the better things were brought and used.
Among the host of guests was the regular minister who spent at least one night.
When beds began to run short, they took the feather bed off the regular bed, put
a quilt down on the floor and the feather bed down on it making a good place to
sleep leaving the mattress on the stead to be used also for extra. 
The church was always packed. There was no air conditioning and no fan except
those powered by elbow grease. It would get so hot the preacher would drink
water from the old blue pitcher and glass which was set on a stand by the pulpit
stand. A few old men sat by the window which was raised so they could spit
tobacco juice out or watch out for their horse tied to a tree. 
There was good singing with most everyone taking part. The old pump organ played
as loud as Miss Maud could get it to go. Mr. Daniel Castellow would lead the
singing. My daddy would sing tenor. No man was willing to go in without his coat
on. They were just that reverent. Most men wore blue serge suits both winter and
summer. 
The preachers could paint "Hell" as a terrible burning pit, full of fire and
brimstone, that the worm never died, the Savior who had given his life to keep
you from going to such a place because he loved you so. If you would only trust
him, he was begging you to come to him and avoid such a place. It was when I was
10 years old that I began to be upset and could not sleep. As always, Charnie
would try to scare me and not understanding, I would say I wanted to die before
the judgement. He would say that didn't make any difference, I would be alive
just the same. I know now neither of us quite understood, but the Lord was
working with me. It was that fall (September) that I came forward and accepted
Jesus as my Savior not fully understanding all about the plan of salvation, but
I had faith that Jesus would fix it and he did. I had to try to learn how to go
about being a Christian and I'm still learning, but that was a start in the
right direction. 
There must have been a dozen of us all to be baptized. All the girls were my age
and some boys. We were to have preaching for the last service of the series on
Sunday morning at eleven o'clock, Sunday school at 10. The candidates were to
meet by the river at 9 and have the baptizing, be dressed and back to the church
in time for service. The third Sunday in September was real cool so early in the
morning. Papa had asked Mr. Bill Evans if he would take his Model T and carry us
all, then he would not have to drive the horse and cart. The time went by and
Mr. Evans did not come, so Papa hitched the horse to the cart and loaded us up
hurrying as fast as he could. We were almost to the road when we met Mr. Evans.
He transferred us to the car, but had to turn around, go back and unhitch the
horse and start again. Well, we were late. They were gathered on the river's
edge and were singing when we arrived. I was ushered in the line being last to
arrive and first on the line to go out in the water. We all joined hands and
waded out as far as was safe. I don't remember having ever been in the water
before or ever having seen a baptismal service before. The preacher took me and
put me under the water without explaining I was not to breathe. Needless to say,
I got strangled. Some kind man, I can't remember who, took us up the hill, all
dripping wet, in a cart to the Hoggard Mill to the home of Mr. Tom Lawrence. We
had our dry clothing there where they so graciously provided for us to change.
We went back to the church for Sunday school, preaching service, the right hand
of fellowship and the Lord's supper all in one morning because there would be no
more preaching till the next third Sunday which would be in October. 
In the early spring, there was much to be done. One worked with what few tools
was available and all the rest in manpower. Every hedgerow was trimmed down with
a bryer hook. Ditches were cleaned out with a hand shovel, stalks cut with a
weeding hoe, picked up by hand and burned. Around each patch of land was plowed
with a horse and turn plow and hauled off with a dirt scoop pulled by a team and
filled and emptied by hand. Stables and hog pens were hoed up and the manure
hauled to the field by cart. Hoe and shovel was used to spread over the field
after it was dumped in little piles. I remember one time when the field was
dotted with such piles of dirt or manure. All of us children were put out to
spread it as evenly over the field as we could. My two older sisters were
supervising and doing most of the work. They were tired and sat down on the
piles nearby to rest. Charnie and I, not 
having done very much and still wanting to play every minute we could, decided
to run from pile to pile turning somersaults on each pile we came to. Charnie, 4
years older than me and much stronger, could outdo me a long way, but being
determined as usual, I tried to do just as he did, running as fast as I could,
putting my head down on the pile and flipping over. But one time, I struck too
hard and I could hear my neck crack, then there was pain. I was sure my neck was
broken. I ran to Eva, my oldest sister, and told her I thought my neck was
broken, but she rubbed it a little and told me she didn't think there was much
damage done. Maybe so or maybe not. Sometimes I think such rough play could have
caused some of my aches and pains now that I am old. I had a nice lengthly child
playtime, but the time soon came when I was to learn the saying, "Everybody
works at our house". It was very true. There were chores for each one in the
morning from washing dishes, helping prepare breakfast, setting the table,
making beds, sweeping floors, milking, feeding chickens and many other things
while Charnie helped Papa feed the team and pigs before breakfast. The team were
to water and hitch to the plow for work as soon as breakfast was over. Papa
always had the field work planned and each one was told what he was expected to
do. Once all the stalks, briers and bushes were burned and dirt spread, the
field was ready to plow. Papa and Charnie used the only 2 team, a mule for
Charnie and a horse for Papa, each with a plow. There was an old homemade guana
sower the girls would fill the guano and push by hand up and down the rows to
spread the guano. I was to stay by the bag of guano, fill the pail and fill the
sower when they came by. The thing was heavy and hard to hold up and push. So
Julia would go up one row and back down the other. Then she would rest and Eva
would go while I kept the hoper full from the bag, in the pail, to the sower.
Charnie would plow the first furrow, Pap the second. Thus a piece of ground
would be ready to be planted. 
Tobacco beds were sewed February 14 each year. The weeds had to be kept out of
that by picking them out by hand. When tobacco setting time came, the rows were
made up, plants pulled up, a drag was pulled over the top of the row to smooth
it off, then there was a measuring stick made out of the forked limb. The prongs
of limbs were stretched to measure 36 inches. The top of it that come to one
piece was used for a handle that turned around and round making a mark in the
ground where the plant was to be dropped by hand. If it was dry, someone came
along with a bucket of water and put just a little water in the hole where the
plant was being set, taking nearly the whole family to carry one row. Most every
evening late, Charnie and I were given a shovel apiece and sent in different
directions to clean the loose dirt out of the little water furrows my daddy had
cut through the rows, so if by chance it rained, the water would be able to make
its way to the big ditch to keep the crop from drowning. There was firewood and
litewood to be gotten in for the fireplace as long as it was cool. There was
always stovewood to be brought in each night, water to be brought for the
kitchen and a bucket full on the table in the back porch. Mama would bring the
lamps to the back porch, trim the wicks, wash the globes and fill their bowls
with oil. All this was done before supper which made it about dark when the
stock was tended to and we were ready to eat. If it was cool, we would kindle a
little fire in the fireplace. If it was hot, we would fill an old pan or pot
with wood, pile trash, put a few rags in it and light a fire to it. We'd smother
it nearly out just so it would smoke to keep the mosquitos away and all sit
around the 
backyard to catch what breeze there was till time for bed which was not too long. 
About once each month, Papa would stop work early enough to shuck some corn. If
it was winter, it was carried in the living room and after supper, each one
would get a pan and shell the ears of corn, put it in a bag till we had about a
bushel. This had to be done on Thursday night. Friday was mill day. So Papa
would hitch the horse to the cart, take the corn and go to Harden mill to have
his corn ground into meal. If it was warm, sometimes he would borrow Mr.
Harden's boat and go out in the mill pond fishing. Once in a great while, he
would let me go with him. There was a great quantity of fish in the pond, perch,
bass, jack and most kinds of fresh water fish. Sometimes we would fish from the
edge of the shore. I remember he took Charnie and me one time. We could see the
fish in their little beds if the water was real clear. It was a thrill to see
him pop on my worm and go flying out in deeper water before you could bring him
in. I guess that is where I learned to like to fish. Charnie and I would rig up
a pole and go fishing in the old big ditch because we didn't get to go to the
pond very often. However hard we tried, we could not find anything to bite in
the ditch. There were only little minnows running around, too little to bite.
Once Papa let me go herring fishing with him in the creek to catch fish in the
skim net, but I only had the privilege of putting the herrings in the bag after
he had caught them. 
My sister, Eva, loved flowers. She would let me go with her about the
neighborhood and different people would give us flowers of all kinds. Papa had
the whole yard fenced in so the team could eat the grass, but he put a wire
across one corner of the yard to keep the team out so we could have our flowers.
Aunt Hatty Hyman, a colored lady, gave Eva some rose bushes, pink & white. They
were monthly roses and did bloom so pretty all summer. Then on the fence we had
a white running rose mixed with a red rambler which made a pretty scene when in
bloom. There was the lilac bush which bloomed early in the spring and smelled so
good, all kinds of flocks, zinnas, touch-me-nots, sweet williams, four o'clocks,
dalias and many more. In late evening when we could get the time, you could find
us working in our flower garden which we had to dig and manure with lot manure.
They would grow and bloom real well. 
I remember one time our school was to have commencement. All the schools in the
county would meet in Windsor at the courthouse, have spelling bee's,
resitations, speeches, and entertainment in the morning part of the day. Then in
the afternoon, they would have jumping, running, sack races, potato races and
all kinds of contest between the schools. The big part was the parade. Every
school had its own banner. Two boys carried it, holding it up high. Ours was
Greens Cross School. All the girls wore white sailor suits or they were called
mittie blouse suits with white shoes. All boys wore white shirts and dark pants.
There were no drums to beat nor music of any kind, only the leader would say
Hep! Hep! and all would step together with each school in the county grouped
together. This made a long procession. I needed shoes to wear, so Eva and I
walked to Windsor (4 miles) to buy me some. They were canvas, but made with one
strap and called "Mary Janes". They cost a dollar, but it was a must because we
would not miss it for anything. 
We were very happy and so secure. We had plenty to eat, enough to wear to keep
warm; no one needed much more. We all in the neighborhood were on the same
level. We certainly did not go any place else to see anyone who was different.
We went to all the services that were held at the church and what little
entertainment the one-room school had to offer. We visited neighbors, took care
of one another in sickness and sorrow in a very simple but sincere way. 
My daddy took a paper called the "Tri-Weekly Journal". He began to read the news
from that and tell us he was afraid that there was going to be war. We had no
idea what that would incur or what it would be like to have war. Each week, he
would read more and each time he spoke of it, he seemed a little more disturbed.
I was nearly eleven when it finally came. Julia and Eva, my sisters, were just
about grown, and all of a sudden, there came a call for all to sign up in a
certain age level. So there was alot of excitement. Most of our boys had only a
7th grade education, and most of them were farmers. They had never been anywhere
much nor known anything except the routine of our own little world. But sign up
they did, and before we knew it, they were being called to serve our country in
the war. We were indeed in war in 1918. 
As the draft board called the boys a few at a time, they made ready to leave and
go to training camps. There was quite a stir. The Red Cross Chapter got to work,
headed by Mrs. Judge Winston, who was so very patriotic. She gave her front lawn
to be plowed and planted to help out in material to win the war. Knitting
classes were organized. Socks, sweaters and other garments were made for the
soldiers. Everyone donated as much time as was needed for helping to roll
bandages or packing go-away kits. Anything that could be of help was done with
great pride. When the day came for them to leave, there would be a great throng
of people to wave them good-bye, and Mrs. Judge Winston personally kissed each
boy good-bye. There would be a good-bye service held at the church and each boy
was to come to the front, stand in a line before the pulpit, and each man, woman
and child came forward, shook hands with them and prayer was offered for their
safety and their return. The boys took part in the prayer if they wished. Tears
were shed. The boys were hugged and sent off with prayers for all. 
After they were gone to various camps, it was real news when one would get a
card from some of them. It was told and spread around. Everyone was interested
to hear. There were prayers for the boys at each church service, but especially
on Wednesday night or Sunday night, whichever the prayer meeting was planned.
There was no lack of a crowd, for the little church would be filled with
mothers, fathers, kinfolks and sweethearts. 
Kahki was to be worn by the soldiers, so kahki was worn by nearly everyone.
Hats, skirts, dresses, shirts, pants; everyone went patriotic. I remember I had
a hat made just like the soldiers and alot of others did. 
People began to go to Norfolk to work in plants to make amunition. They worked
in the shipyard, built crates; anything to win the war. Everybody wanted to help
and most everybody did in some way. Our little world began to expand. No more were 
we a little corner of the world, shut off from everyone else. Things began to
change. There were alot of people before now that had been born, lived and died
right here in Bertie County who never went out of it. I remember I was a right
big girl before I went out of the county, and that was to Plymouth. Thirty-five
to fifty cents a day was all one could make doing farm work, chopping, etc. But
now, they were paying $1.00. Boy that was good when you could get a whole dollar
for putting in tobacco, or a cent a pound for picking cotton My sister, Eva,
could pick 150 pounds and that was $1.50. Tobacco was selling for 15 cents now.
My daddy and Mr. Daniel Castellow decided to build a barn and plant some
tobacco. So build a barn, they did. They hewed logs, knotched them up and built
a barn. They made a fire arch and put flues in it. We all had to help. The
cracks had to be stopped to keep the heat in. They dug a hole, put water in it
and made up mud. We got old pans, pots or anything that would hold mud and went
to work trying to fill each crack. Dr. Daniel's children were all grown. There
was Jordan who would have gone to war, but he had an accident at the
neighborhood sawmill that put his eye out. So he couldn't go even though he
wanted to. There was Dannie, who was not quite old enough and Raleigh who was
two years older than me. Then there was their sister, Lillie, who was just a
little older than my sister, Eva. We all had a time putting that mud in the
cracks of that barn. We finally finished and it was ready when time came to put
in tobacco. We all did this, sharing the time to stay with the barn. I think it
was about this time my daddy finally finished paying the $250 for the place. 
The war went on. Winter came and the influenza broke out in the camps. Alot of
soldiers died with pneumonia. Some came home on leave and spread it across the
county. Nearly every neighborhood reported cases, so in a matter of weeks, it go
to be an epidemic. Every family in the community was being struck by it. 
Dr. Daniel Castellow's family were all down but Jordan. Mama sent my daddy to
see what we could do. He did not know not to go into the home where everyone was
sick. So he went in to try to help out. They needed food, so Jordan caught an
old hen, big old Buff Aubinton. Papa took it home for Mama to cook for them. By
the time she had it ready to take to them, Papa was sick with a fever, so Mama
sent Julia to take the great dish of chicken. She went in also. Needless to say,
within a few days, we were all sick. We could hear of people dying that we knew.
There were hardly enough well people to tend to the sick much less go to a
funeral, but our family made it through with no loss of life. We were indeed
glad to see the spring come once more. 
Food was rationed. Having always lived primarily on what we raised, we did not
know much difference except for sugar and flour. Some people planted their own
wheat, harvested it with a hand scythe, rode the grain out with horses, took it
to the mill and had it ground into flour, but we did not. 
You were not patriotic if you used anything that the soldiers needed. We had
plenty of cornmeal made at home and Mama made egg bread with milk. We had our
own cows, plenty of homemade butter, grits and fried ham for breakfast which was
not bad. My daddy liked his coffee sweet and to sweeten it with honey or
molassas did not fit his taste, but he did not complain because we were to make
some sacrifice for 
the boys. 
The boys were soon shipped to France in cattle ships, freight boats or anything
that would carry them. Letters, and picture cards came to the people and every
one was shared and talked about. Never before had we even heard of anyone in our
community going so far. 
Summer passed and fall set in. One day we were gathering corn by hand in the
field. There had been a little news that the war would soon be over. All at
once, we could hear whistles blowing and church bells ringing. Each mill in town
was blowing their whistle. Eva jumped up and down and said the war was over. We
all began to run to the house. You could hear the neighbors hollering, "The war
is over". This November day would not ever be forgotten. Everyone was to give
thanks and praise the Lord for we had not lost a boy in battle. In a little
while, the boys began to come home, one at a time. Everyone was greeted as if he
were our own son. When all were home, they began to plan a big celebration in
town. There was a big homecoming parade with all the trimmings. Two submarine
chasers were brought up Cashie River. A blimp was brought to fly overhead. A
stand was built at the courthouse for the dignitaries. Every plan was made to
give the boys a welcome home. A band was summoned. The whole thing went off with
a bang. Carts, buggies and a few Model T's lined the road going to town. All in
all, it was a great day to be remembered. There was a long parade of soldiers in
uniforms, a band and jeeps. Speeches were made in the stands while flags flew
everywhere. Boys were meeting their girl friends and starting where they left
off. Before long, there were alot of marriages. 
My sister, Eva was to go to Uncle Frank Cale's and go to high school the next
year, starting in September. She went and stayed till Christmas, then came home
by boat across Albemarle sound. Uncle Frank lived in Tyner. He brought her to
Edenton, but since there was no bridge, she had to come across by boat. Someone
met her at Avoca. Well, it turned out mighty cold and the sound froze over, so
the boats could not go. At the time, we had a little train that came to Windsor
from Ahoskie. So Eva had to take the train to Ahoskie, then to Suffolk and back
to Sunbury, then to Tyner. Her stay did not last long. I think it was March when
she came home pack and package and announced that she was to be married soon. 
The following December, Julia, my other sister, was married leaving only me of
the girls and my brother, Charnie. We became very close. We went places
together, worked in the fields together and told our heart secrets to each
other. But in 1926, he felt the little farm did not make enough for us, so he
took what Papa gave him, bought a Model T and went to work on wages. He found a
place to board and came home only to have me wash his clothes. It was no secret
that Charnie was the favorite child and was expected to have more than the rest
of the children, but it caused no problem except to spoil him some. He loved
biscuit and fried ham, sausage and eggs, but no vegetables, please. So he got
whatever he wanted to eat at home with no questions about it. It was a different
story where he was boarding. When he found fried hog jaws and cornbread in his
lunchbox, he got upset and came back home for Mama and me to cook for him,
thinking it would all be free. 
But Mama told him I had to get up at 4 o'clock in the morning to prepare his
breakfast and lunch and he was to give me $2.00 each week. Well, that did not go
over very well either. But when Mama spoke, she meant it and that was that. He
had to report to Gatland's mill at 6 o'clock, taking the train or handcar out to
where they were to work on the railroad. 
Papa and I tended the farm by ourselves that year. Mama had long been unable to
work in the fields. We plowed, chopped, tended the tobacco, took it out and put
it in with what help Papa hired, which was not much. When we took the dry
tobacco out of the barn, I had to climb the poles and get it down while Papa
took the sticks, carried them outside to the cart and placed them in until the
cart was full. Then we would go to the packhouse and unload it, then back again.
Needless to say, when the year was over, Charnie had had enough of being away
from home, so he sold his Model T, got Papa to buy one so he could drive it, let
Papa gas it and keep it up. No, I was not allowed to drive nor did Papa. Ony
Charnie was to drive it, take us to church and Papa to town. The rest of the
time was his, with some restrictions. By this time, he had quite a few girls and
I had a few dates now and then. Mama grew more feeble all the time. More and
more of the housework fell on me. I had had to stop school on that account. 
The church was the center of everything in the community. We had BYPU on Sunday
nights. Of course, the regular preaching was now first Sunday evening and third
Sunday morning. There was always Sunday school each Sunday morning. Training
union, as it is called now, was on Sunday nights for a while, but the pastor
having to serve four churches, could not be with us each time so we changed it
to Wednesday night. For as long as Mr. George Burch stayed here, we had it
Wednesday nights. We had a good crowd and a social once in a while. There seemed
to always be something to go to. We enjoyed the service and the get-together,
too. I had a primary Sunday school class which I enjoyed working with. We also
had picincs and parties for them. 
There was the annual picnic held for all four churches when everybody got to
know the ones from other churches. There was always plenty to eat and a big
wooden tub full of lemonade with a square block of ice in it dipped with an old
fashioned dipper. Just step up and have your cup filled as many times as you like. 
Then there was the spring fish fry which everybody enjoyed. We would get a
truckload with a flat bottom for as many as could be seated and go down to the
Capehart's fishery. What a time we would have. The whole crowd was like one big
family. 
Charlie and Bessie Mizell lived just across the field. We were great friends.
But after their father, Cousin Stark died, they had to move to Suffolk in order
to make a living. I missed them greatly. Their cousin, Howard had died with
appendicitis. Clyde Lawrence had died when we all had the measles. A few more
moved away. Julia and Myrtle, whom I had been in school with were about to
graduate. I had only one year of high school. Now they had made the other three.
I had met Grady. He had been away alot of the time working in various places. We
had kept in touch 
while he was away. He had been deprived of a family most of his life. He wanted
us to get married and set up a home. So having nearly all the responsibility of
the housework at home, I did not know how to leave. I was between the two. With
many tears and much prayer, I decided to try to bring myself to make a decision
which was far from easy. While Julia and Myrtle were planning to graduate, I was
planning to be married. Thinking Grady had prepared a place for me, we set the
date for May 8, 1929. He gave me a small diamond and I tried to collect a few
necessary things. However, when he came for me, we were married at the home of
Miss Lucille Mizell and his friend took us to Plymouth to live. I found he had
only arranged for me to stay where he was boarding, and I was to find a place to
live and get things together to begin to keep house. Never had I been to
Plymouth but once before and that was when I was a child. The lady whose house
we were to board in was an elderly widow woman with four sons, all working
except one who was too young. She needed help to do all the washing and ironing
by hand for all those boys who dressed for work, then dressed to go out at
night. She also had a big garden and now two extra boarders. She saw the chance
to get help and have Grady pay for it. So the very next morning, Grady went to
work and I was presented a few pairs of pants to cut off and hem. The next day,
I was to help with the family washing, scrubbing on a board by hand. I would
hardly be finished by the afternoon in time to take a pan bath and freshen up
before Grady arrived from work. Not that I minded helping out, but I could see
she was using me for extra help and Grady paying her board for me which made me
very unhappy. I just as well have been across the state because we had no way to
travel, so there I was, stuck. I hated to complain but knew I was being taken in. 
Many a tear did I shed. I knew no one, and he was gone from dawn until late in
the evening. But the good Lord was with me and helped me to find a friend who
took us in until I could find us some rooms to put our few things in and call it
home for nearly a year until Grady lost his job and we came home.



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