For FD:
My Dad has recently started sharing his stories, he sent me this:
I dont remember any fo my Grand fathers from either side My gG F on my dads side was named Benton Grandmother Lillian My mothers side my G F was named James his wife no idea. James died in an asyslum. From what I have heard he was a large land owner and two of mothers brother had him committed and took his land. That would be Wesly and Cleve Patterrson. I barely recall some old man staying at our house at one time and believe that to have been James Patterson. My Grandmother on my mothers side was a Younger. In the 1870s and 1880s many people from this area went to Kansas including James and his wife.. Aunt Nellie and my Mom often said they left in the midle of the night and came home. Mom was not born when they were In Kansas Nellie was and she recalled many things and left a tape which I have never heard but I am sure it is embellished.
Mom graduated from the 8 th grade Dad went to the 6th grade. Mom played the Piano and Dad the fiddle. They lost one child if the flue season. My G. F on my dads side and his daughter died the same day. Daughter waas Edna. Edna was pg most women tha were pg died in the flue of l918 19 Because Edna died first her husband had no right to the estate. GM Lillian raised Ednas child which would be Glen Donalsons motherGrnad mother Lillian came into this country on horse back from Ky she was a Randolph. She lived in a cabin iin the woods on the goat farm. She told me that an Indian came back there for many years and once offered to trade a pile of beaver skins as tall as his rifle for a pinch of salt.
Dad told me the in the W.P. A. days he had a fellow come to work for him that was rather old. This fellow related to dad that he was to ride with the Youners and Daltons the day they were shot up in Coffeeville Ks. but could not catch his horse. Dad asked him what brought him to Illinis and he said he had friends here. By that time most of the Youngers that had gone to Ks. had returned. Histroy will show that there was a large imigration from this area to Ks and then an imigration back to this area
All of us biys attened Moccasin school at one time it was a 2 yr. high school, Wallace graduated from Cowden HighSchool the rest of us from Bc
When I started to school there was two room 1 -4 and 5- 8. The next year there was only one room 1-8 We stared after Labor Day and was out by the last of April. 8 months of school We damn sure walked to school
Brother Ray was the sissy of our family . We called him Sally , and he would just cuss us. Dan 7 I tied him up in 90 ft of rope and put him on a cart and sent him down the hill,, fell off and broke his collar bone. He really wasnt anything but a rope mummy
I was an A student in grade school and a C student in high school and a #3.21 on 4 in college. College was tough for me in English composition the rest not so bad.
I left H S at Christmas 12/21 51 and joined the Navy I was in Great Lakes on Christmas and didnt know why some guy were bawlling. I was on The uss Amphion for a short period of time put in achit every day to te transferreed went from there to the MTB Sqquadron 1 from there to the Uss Alagash all were excellent duty except amphion. I was rated by the time I got to Allagash made e5 on it I put in a chit to get out early in 1954 and got out early to go to school but didnt go untill fall of 55
Wallace, James ,Wayne,Dan, Ray , Garry. WALLACE jAMES WW2 Ray Wayne Peace time Day Garry Korea
Married Nov 25 1955 Every thing went off with out a hitch except Sam Sparks Suit wasnt back from the cleaners Married In Matton, Ill by Rev Kindig, Ur mother worked at the telephone office and I got the G I bill $135 a month the trailer rent was $5.00 a wk. had to go outside to shower later bought a different tailer that had a shower. The first one only had a stool and sink. 27 ft. long the second one had a shower and all modern it also was 27 ft long . I had a scholorship and tution was $120 a year.
I dont know how man sister and brothers my mom had they did not get along. Dad had one brother and one sister Edna and Frank.
I remember the day the Japs attacked Pearl Harbor, I remember the day F>D. R. died . I reember the day Truman fired McarthurnI reember the day W.W. 2 ended It was a cause for big celebration More ramblings to follow some time . questions that u always wanted to know but were afraid to ask maybe u should still be afraid ! Dad
I remember my Great Grandmother Lillian, the one he said lived in a cabin. They had a 96th birthday party when I was 3 or younger. I also have it on video where they took it with the old projector style camera and it has been converted to cd.
There was still an old log cabin behind my grandparent's house. The hired hand lived in it. My Mom always called him "Old Dirty Tom" and I sort of remember him but I was supposed to stay away from him. I recall that I addressed him by my mom's "nickname" and my mom was terrible embarassed.