I vaguely remember the times before moving to the “Uncle Buck” Ginter farm, which my Dad bought in 1940 when I was six years old. It was about 100 acres purchased through an FHA loan for $4,000. It seems that after the Great Depression, the government under FDR’s leadership was beginning to help poorer farm families. However, it must have been a tremendous step for Mom and Dad at that time. They had four children then and three of us were in school.
There was no electricity, no running water, no phones or TV’s, and no modern conveniences what so ever. Mom had a gasoline washing machine and a long zinc bath tub in a small outside washroom used for laundry and baths in the summer. Not having running water is no excuse for not being clean. If a person has enough clean water for a three-gallon tub with washcloth and soap, they can take care of their hygiene needs. Just try telling that to my grandchildren!
I can’t remember back to the time when we had no gardens, fruit trees, wild berries, chickens, meat hogs, horses and milk cows. Everyone raised about two acres of garden. A lot of hard work went into taking care of a garden – plowing with an old horse and plow, chopping the weeds and reaping the harvest. There were enough children to gather in the fruits, vegetables and berries. All farm women canned and preserved but they just didn’t jump into the jar. We had our own milk and eggs. Mom made just about everything from scratch. She churned butter and made cottage cheese. All I remember buying was sugar, flour and meal, tea and coffee.
Every Sunday morning was “chicken plucking” time. Dad would kill 5 or 6 chickens thinking we might have Sunday Company and we usually did. Hunger was not a part of our vocabulary even in the hardest of times. We were fortunate to be raised on a farm.
World War II was declared in 1941. I don’t believe there was a family in Kendal Springs that was not affected. It was certainly a sad time in my young life and now I can imagine the grief parents must have had. All four of “Aunt Nan” Rogers sons were called. Granddaddy Matt’s sons – Ed and Elwood served their country. Uncle Oll’s Raymond and Uncle Ott’s two sons, Hollie and Kenneth, also served. Kenneth was killed along with Larue Jones and Aston Carpenter and maybe others I don’t recall from Kendall Springs. Most all of Uncle Eli’s grandsons served and I can’t remember Uncle Charlie since he left the community earlier.
I spent a lot of time during those war years with Grandma Mary and Granddaddy Matt. They were my inspiration behind my ideals along with my parents. We kept in contact with the service through letters that Mom and Grandma encouraged us to write.
We lived just a short distance from all the Craycraft’s. My older sister, Jane, and my brother, Bobby, spent a great deal of time with Granddaddy and Grandma. I don’t know if we ever wore our welcome out or not, but they always took time for us. We had a “cowpath” through Uncle Bill Ginter’s yard to Uncle Oll’s on to Grandad’s place. A lot of times I strayed toward Aunt Emma’s (I don’t remember Uncle Jim) and her sister Amanda Pendleton. I just loved her cornbread. She always fed me something good and enjoyed all the young folks. I would meander on to Aunt Ella’s and chat awhile. Sometimes it took me a half-day to get to my grandparents (a 15 minute walk). I stayed all night a lot and went to school walking past Uncle Eli’s and through Uncle Ott’s field to Mr. Ellis Carpenter’s store.
I was around eight or nice years old when the REA electric line came through Kendall Springs. Dad had ordered an electric iron, radio and a refrigerator before the electric was inspected. No more lamplights for broken lamps chimneys’.
Mom still cooked for years after that on the old woodstove. She made all our clothes (except boy’s jeans) out of flour sack material and our slips from muslin. We had no more than two pairs of shoes a year. Summers we went barefoot. We wore a lot of hand-me-downs. We were raised materially poor, but spiritually rich. My grandparents were very hard working, kindhearted, patient, temperate, hospitable, loving, and faithful God fearing people. They taught us to treat our neighbors with respect and to pay our debts. They taught by example, which is a great attribute to them. My mother often spoke of the influence of her Mom and Dad and the legacy they left her. Mom loved the Word of the Lord and his Church. She was an excellent Bible student, constantly reading, meditating and applying the eternal truths of God by instructing and admonishing with a meek and quiet spirit. She was a true pillar of the church, along with her parents and others who have gone before. What could be greater legacy?
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