Grandma's House

We are finally moved out of our first house. We bought it in May/June of 2006 and officially close today, November 29, 2016. We lived there for 10 years. That house will hold a lot of special memories and thankfully due to social media and smart phones, most of them are well documented.

Today I posted a picture of my paternal Great Grandmother's dining room table full of guests. I asked if anyone knew more about the occasion and her house in general,  like who built it and when. My Great Aunt Bette commented with wonderful detail. Her parents were guests at that table.

"Bo or I took the photo on Thanksgiving 1966. The housebuilding was a family affair. It was built approx.1962-63.Willie Belle and Rufus tore down and salvaged lumber from Larence Phillip's old house. Charles (Nall) hauled framing lumber from Seymour,Tx. to get it started. Rufus and Bo handmixed cement for the footing Bo laid the blocks and did most of the work in building it (on weekends) as he worked fulltime at Safeway. Charles built the cabinets in a shop in Seymour and hauled them up. Bo installed them. I'm sure George helped hang sheetrock and did other jobs as he could Bo remembers when it was finished that the only bill was $600 at Jones Lumber."

In the photo: My great grandmother, Willie Belle, is standing, my great grandpa, Rufus, is seated at the head of the table, my great uncle Larry is seated with his back to camera, to his right is my great uncle George, and across the table are Mr. and Mrs. Brock (the in-laws of my great uncle Bo and parents of Bette.)

 Charles was my grandfather,  the eldest son of Rufus and Willie Belle. For more about this family's transition from Texas to Arkansas  (where this house was built) check out my earlier post The Big Move. 

Gratitude

Today's photo challenge prompt is 'Gratitude'. It seems like a lot of my blog posts are revolving around the recent family collection I was given by my mother. Among the items she gave me was this little note card.



She and I read it and when she saw the name YOUNG, she said "Oh, so that's Grandma Bondell's mom" - After coming home and looking at clues from my genealogy photo album and my online tree I deduced she was referring to Grandma Bondell's step-mom's mom. I wrote more about Grandma Bondell's life here. The only thing I know about 'Grandma Young' is that her name was "Nettie Young" I seriously doubt YOUNG was her maiden name. I'm not certain as to what year she was born or even where she was born. Her daughter, 'Grandma Thompson' was born about 1898 in OK.

I'm really hoping someone reads this and can help me fill in this branch of my tree. I've searched and searched for her grandson Kemo Young and can't find any records with that name.

I have a picture of 'Grandma Young' that I have shared before, but I'll share it again. She is pictured far left, then there's her daughter, Grandma Thompson, her step-daughter, Grandma Bondell, her son Leroy and his daughter, my aunt, Diane. Circa 1957-8





In writing this blog it stirred up a few emotions that I want to address.

This is going to get a little personal. If that makes you uncomfortable, I'm sorry. But this is my blog and I just feel like this is as good a time as any to set the record straight about some things that I have kept to myself for far too long. The only person who really knows and believes how I feel is my husband. He all too often witnesses the emotional baggage and turmoil and frustration that still lingers today.

As a genealogist - I feel like what I'm about to say is important. Genealogy isn't just bare facts. Or it shouldn't be. There are stories, emotions, and real people behind all the dates and pictures.

I really dislike the term "step" when referring to a non-biological parent. I only do so here because this is a genealogy blog and I don't want to confuse anyone about lineage. I came from a blended family. My parents divorced before I was a year old and my mother remarried before I was 2. I have a step-dad and step-grandparents, and step- aunts and uncles and cousins and I even had step-great grandparents. They were my family from the time I was one year old. I never felt like I was less a part of their family and I never felt like they were less a part of me. The fact that I felt these things were hard for my bio-dad's family to handle. Blended families and divorces are ugly and hard. Strong deep seeded emotions are felt across the board. Hearts break. Tears fall. Jaws clench. And as hard as you try the kids are left in the middle feeling stuck. Sometimes in moments where you lack self-control or forget to think about the consequences, you intentionally place those kids in the middle. You want them to feel the things you feel and see people the way you see them, but that's wrong and even worse than wrong, it's unhealthy and can causes a kind of pain you would never knowingly cause your child to feel. People do the best they can and just like so many aspects of parenting - the mistakes you make along the way aren't really known until the damage is done. But for the record, My step-dad was my dad and I cringe a little inside when I put that word in front. But that doesn't take away at all from the love I have for my bio-dad. I also cringe when I put that word in front. They're my dads. Period. It wasn't a choice I made yet time and time again, even now,  I'm expected to justify my love and affection or apologize for it... To both sides. So - I kind of stay away. I love everyone. I really do. I cherish a lot of great memories. But, I'm tired of trying to fit into everyone's mold of who they think I should be and who they think deserves my love or appreciation more. I'm tired of offending people with Facebook posts because I've expressed feelings about one side and the other side saw it and thinks that I left them or theirs out. I'm tired of wondering did I accidentally say the wrong thing, or mention the wrong person to the wrong side of the family? So I rarely attend family functions. I've adopted my in-laws as family. I feel like they've adopted me. I'm allowed to feel things without having to justify, or explain. or apologize. I can breathe and not overthink every thing I might say or feel. But honestly - even with great in-laws, I feel alone but its so much emptier than the word alone conveys.

In recent years I've been called ungrateful and evil because I've offended people with the feelings I have toward the opposite side of my family. I'm neither. But in an effort to somehow right a perceived wrong I want to tell you about my dad, Steve.

I have many fond memories of my step-dad. When I was young he worked second shift at Franklin Electric. I remember he would come home late at night. I don't know if I was already up or if I would sneak out of bed when he came home, but I can remember sitting on the couch in the living room just the two of us eating a midnight snack. I remember a time when he would bring me gifts from McDonald's when they were having a promotion with the Shirt Tales. I think he got me every single one of them. We played a lot of card games. He taught me how to play crazy 8's, and 5 card draw. He was always a talker. He tried his best to have meaningful conversations with me and to encourage me. He would do his best to console me when fights would break out between me and my mom. He was always willing to help me any time I needed it. He bought me my first car and it was a lemon. I will fully 100% own the term ungrateful when it comes to how I reacted to that car. But with all the unconditional love of a parent, he quickly got rid of that car and bought me a late 80's model Mustang. I deserved to wait another year without a car after the fit I threw, but you see, he loved me like a dad and wanted me to have a car when I was 16. When my husband and I bought this house, he worked nearly every single day helping to re-do the inside. He painted the ceiling, and bedrooms, he put in linoleum in the bathrooms and he later added a railing around my porch. When our water heater busted he quickly came running with his soldering iron and fixed the leak. He was always my go-to man. You see, he was the child of divorced parents too. His situation wasn't exactly like mine, though. He didn't see his bio-dad on a regular basis and I think he felt he did a better job step-parenting than what he received. He tried. He tried hard with me. When I was in high school he eventually quit work at Franklin and went to work at Swepco. He took classes and tests and worked his way up to Supervisor. I remember a lot of discussions during that time period were how he wanted a better life for me. He always remarked about my intelligence and he could see me throwing a good future away with the choices I was determined to make. Hind sight is 20-20. He was right.

When I was very young I remember getting in trouble from my Mammy when I would talk about Steve and I would slip and refer to him as Dad. That hurt me a lot. It made me feel like I was somehow an ungrateful child because I would dare to love someone who had loved me. That caused me to carry a burden of guilt that I still feel today. No matter what choice I make - someone is going to be hurt because of me and my feelings. Its an impossible situation.

I'm now grown and married and have my own blended family. My husband is the step-dad to two of my children. In their case a judge told them they weren't allowed to call my husband dad. I was even threatened with having my custody removed if I didn't verbally remind them that he wasn't. That is such a terrible thing to do. The experience of having divorced parents is hard enough for a child. Let them receive, express, and give as much love as they can. Don't censor it people! Because the shoe is now on the other foot, I experience the struggles and emotions now that my mom went through on some level. My children idolize their dad's side of the family. But I'm fortunate enough to understand where that comes from. It still hurts. A lot. But I understand it. Because I was the child of divorced parents I can do a better job in some areas, but its hard, in-spite of knowing exactly what my children are feeling.

So in closing, I just want to say Thank You to all the STEP  parents out there. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for hanging in there when you don't feel appreciated. Thank you for trying your best to understand.

Until Next Time,
Becky

Tools From Grandma's Kitchen

Today's Instagram challenge set out by @genealogyphoto  is 'tool'. The first thing I think of when I hear the word 'tool' is hammers, drills, chisels, axes - and things like that. I have not been fortunate enough to inherit any of those things from my grandfathers. But I recently mentioned in another post that my Mom gave me several items that belonged to my great grandmother, Bondell Melson. Among those items were several kitchen utensils. These are the tools I will be writing about. There were several items that I was well aware of their use - -like ladles, tea strainers and infusers, funnels, juicers etc. But a few items were unique and I wanted to share them with you.

First up is this Swedish fish scaler. How my great grandparents got it or where is beyond me. Did they use it? How often? They lived in the Ozark region of Arkansas most all their life, as far as I know. We do have several places to catch fish, mostly ponds, and rivers. The pointy end of this tool would have been used to gut the fish and the serrated portion to scrap off scales.








If you look really closely and tilt it just so you can make out the words ROSTFRITT STAL (Translates - Stainless Steel)  ESKILSTUNA SWEDEN ( is a city in Sweden).

Next up is this spoon and the item I will be sharing on Instagram. It's clearly marked on the handle what it was used for. Its made from aluminum and online research suggests its from the 1940's/50's Back then you didn't buy your ice cream at the store. In fact, it wasn't until this time frame that the household refrigerator even became a thing. Ice cream would've been hand turned, soft, and eaten right away. Often times the community would get together for ice cream socials. I'm not sure the thin aluminum of this scoop would hold up to most of our hard high fat content ice cream today. My sister-in-law wrote about her memories surrounding her great grandparents and how they hand turned their ice cream when she was growing up as part of her recipe prompt yesterday.

Notice how the spoon also says it was for shortening. During that time period shortening or lard would've been used on a regular basis for making everything from pie crusts, biscuits, or frying a batch of chicken. It most likely would've sat on the counter top to be readily available for daily use.

Did the circular opening at the end also serve as a bottle opener?

I can't find hard evidence of what this next item was used for - or if it even had a specific purpose at all. It's about 10" long, possibly hand carved, and I would describe it as a spatula. Was it used to scrape out butter from a churn? Was it hand carved at all? How old is it?



And last but not least is this sifter. The reason I'm including it is because it's unique in my opinion. I've often seen the hand sifters that either have a trigger built into the handle or a hand crank on the side, I've even seen the kind that you just shake up and down to sift but this one has a little decorative loop at the end of the handle that you pivot left and right to scrape or sift your flour. On the side it also has measurements of two cups - full or one cup. One source suggests this is from the 1930's and calls it a primitive hand sifter. That struck me as a little excessive.

I look forward to seeing what everyone else posts today. Yesterday was a lot of fun as well. I've been enjoying sharing this with you and I hope you've enjoyed reading.

If you enjoy family history, I again encourage you to check out my sister-in-law's blog over at Days of Our Lives each time I post. We often blog together and its always fun to see how the same topic can turn out two completely different takes.

Until Next Time,
Becky

Recipes - The Gift That Gives For Generations

Don't you just love the gifts from grandmothers and great grandmothers that give for years to come. Today's photo challenge/prompt is recipe. I have the handwritten recipe for chocolate gravy that my great grandmother gave me that I talk and post about often, that is a treasure of mine. I'll probably pass it down to my son, because he is very comfortable in the kitchen and loves Chocolate Gravy - my girls don't care for it.

I recently asked for and was given hand written recipes from my maternal grandmother, Grandma Reba, one of which is the featured picture for today's prompt on Instagram. And one from her mother-in-law my great Grandma Bondell. Ashley will most likely get Grandma's buttermilk pie recipe because it's her FAVORITE pie ever!

I also have a few cook books that Mammy gave me before she passed away.  Written on the front cover of one of them that was so worn from use, she wrote me a little note. That cover has now completely fallen off because I have turned to this cook book several times since. These cookbooks were compiled by several of our area churches and the Women's Auxiliary and have recipes from Mammy, my Grandma Nall, and several of the ladies I remember from New Sulphur church.

Mammy and I would often watch Anne of Green Gables on AETN when it would air. Since she had me every other weekend for 12 years she saw herself as my Marilla Cuthbert and I was her Anne with an E.

Throughout this book there are recipes she has marked "good", "best", or "I like" beside and thought I'd include them as well.


Chocolate Pie by Sue Nall (Mammy)

1 1/2 c. milk
2 egg yolks
3/4 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. flour
dash of salt
4 level Tbsp. cocoa
2 tsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine milk and egg yolks and stir over heat. When hot, add a mixture of sugar, flour, salt and cocoa, stirring all the time. When thick, remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Stir and pour into baked pie shell.



In the same book she has the following pie crust recipe circled with "I like" written beside it.

Pie Crust

by Norma Brockman (She and her husband were close friends of my grandparents. They would host deer meat dinners and things like that at their "chicken house" and the Deacons and their wives would attend)

4 c. flour
1 1/3 c. Crisco
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt

Mix together:

1 beaten egg
1/2 c. cold water
1 Tbsp. vinegar

Pour this mixture over first mixture and mix well. Cover and let chill 30 minutes before rolling. Makes about 5 crusts to be used now or to freeze and use later. Roll and but in foil pie pans. Put in Zip Lock bags to keep in freezer until needed.



The following pie crust recipe is marked "good".


Never Fail Pie Crust
by Midge Elington

3 c. flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. Crisco
1 egg
5 Tbsp. cold water
1 Tbsp vinegar

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Mix in Crisco. Beat egg with water and vinegar, thenmix into first mixture until a large ball is formed.

This will make 4 single crusts or 2 double crusts.



The following is my Daddy's favorite! Made by Grandma Nall

Egg Custard
by Willie Nall (Grandma Nall)

3 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
nutmeg and butter

Beat eggs, do not over beat. Add sugar, milk and vanilla, mixing well. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle top with nutmeg and butter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. Place pan of water in bottom of oven.

I can remember Mammy making the following. In her old cook book it is circled.

Orange Fluff
by Maggie Bagwell

1 large carton cottage cheese
1 box Cool Whip
1 box orange Jell-O
1 can Mandarin orange slices

Mix all together and serve.

Note: Can change last two items to whatever you want. (I think I remember her using green jell-o but I can't remember any specific fruit...it may be b/c she didn't use any I just can't remember.)

The following recipe is circled and marked "good".

Enchilada Dinner
by Wanda Meeks

2 pkg. hamburger
1 medium onion
1 can mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can mild enchilada sauce
1 can green chilies
1 large can milk
1 pkg. Fritos
Cheddar cheese

Brown meat and drain, chop onion. Mix together in bowl crush Frito in bottom of oblong cake pan and pour ingredients over the Fritos. (Spoon mixture over the Fritos until covered.) Sprinkle grated Cheddar cheese over the top. Bake at 475 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes.



Chuck Wagon Beans
by Willie Nall (Grandma Nall)

2 c. pinto beans
1 large onion
1 hot pepper
1 lb. hamburger meat
2 or 3 Tbsp. chili powder
salt to taste

Cook beans until tender, adding enough water to make good soup. Add other ingredients and simmer until meat and onion are done and bean soup is fairly thick. If pressure cooker is used cooking time will be much less.


Graham Cracker Roll
by Sue Nall (Mammy)

48 graham crackers
1 box dates
1 pkg. miniature marshmallows
2 c. broken pecans
1 can condensed milk

Mix all ingredients well. Form into 2 rolls and roll in graham cracker crumbs. Place in waxed paper and chill. When chilled thoroughly, slice and serve.

Homemade Rolls
by Willie Nall (Grandma Nall)

1 pkg. dry yeast
1/2 c. warm water
2 tsp. sugar
1 c. warm water
2 c. scalded buttermilk
2 Tbsp. shortening
4 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
flour

Put yeast in 1/2 cup warm water with 2 teaspoons sugar. Let set for a few minutes. Then add 1 cup warm water and enough flour to make good batter. Let set until it rises and is bubbly. Then add warm buttermilk, shortening, sugar and salt and enough flour for stiff dough. Mix well. Put into large greased bowl and let rise until double in size. Punch down and kneed until dough feels elastic. Make into rolls and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

If you don't have any buttermilk on hand, the following recipe for rolls was circled.

Favorite Rolls
by Lucille Johnson

2 c. real warm water
2 pkg. dry yeast
2/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. shortening
6 c. flour

Mix together. Cover and put in refrigerator overnight as soon as made. Take out and roll out like biscuits to 1/4-inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter and fold in half. Put lots of butter in pan and cover the roll in butter on both sides. Let rise. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. (I can remember Mammy using this recipe to teach me how to make rolls.)

The following recipe for cobbler has "good" written beside it.

Quick & Easy Peach Cobbler
by Lila Ruth Roles

1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2/3 c. milk
1 qt. sliced fresh or canned peaches
2 tsp. cornstarch
3 Tbsp. apricot Jell-O

Melt butter in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, and milk in mixing bowl; mix well. Pour melted butter over sugar mixture. DO NOT STIR. Arrange peach slices evenly in baking pan. Add cornstarch and apricot Jell-O to peach juice and pour over peaches. Bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until done.

The following recipe for sugar cookies is marked "Very good. Makes lots".

Sugar Cookies

by Blanche Bradshaw (I remember she was always affectionately called 'Granny Blanche' - and was one of the more senior members of our congregation)

1 c. shortening
1 c. oleo
1 c. white sugar
1 c. powdered sugar
4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
small amount almond extract

Mix together and roll into balls. Flatten with glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees about 12 minutes. May sprinkle with sugar and flatten with hand.

The following recipe for sheet cake has a check mark by it and the page is stained to show it must of been used often.

Cinnamon Chocolate Sheet Cake 

by Sue Taylor

2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa
1/2 c. shortening
1 stick margarine
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 c. water
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix sugar and flour together. Mix cocoa, shortening, margarine and water, bring to a rapid boil. Pour over flour sugar mixture. Beat until smooth; add other ingredients. Bake in oblong pan 30 to 40 minutes at 350 degree. Make frosting 5 minutes before cake is done.

Icing:
1/4 c. cocoa
1/3 milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick margarine
1 box powdered sugar
1 c. nuts

Bring to a boil: milk, margarine, and cocoa. Remove from heat and add add sugar, nuts and vanilla. Ice cake immediately, while still hot.


The following recipe for cobble is marked "very very good"   It is also my go-to cobbler recipe. I sometimes substitute the flour, salt & baking powder for 1 cup self-rising flour. And if I'm using store bought canned fruit I don't add the 1/2-3/4 cup sugar.

Country Cobbler
by Shirley Spurlock

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. milk
2 c. fruit of your choice (blueberries, blackberries, peaches, strawberries)
1/2 to 3/4 c. sugar

Combine butter, 1 cup sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, milk; blend well. Pour into a deep, 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Combine 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar (depending on sweetness desired) with berries. Pour over batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes.


Oatmeal Cake
by Sue Nall (Mammy)

1 1/4 c. boiling water
1. c. oats
1 stick margarine
1 c brown butter
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda

Pour boiling water over oats and let stand. Cream sugars, eggs and margarine thoroughly. Beat well and stir in vanilla. Sift dry ingredients, add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Bake at 350 degrees until done.

Icing:
1 c. Pet milk
1 c. sugar
3 egg yolks
1/4 stick oleo
1 c. chopped pecans
1 1/2 c. angel coconut

Combine milk, sugar, egg yolk, butter and vanilla in pan. Cook over medium heat until thick. Add pecans and coconut. Beat until smooth and spread on cake.

The following recipe was hand written on an index card and taped to a plate as a present to me one year for Christmas from Grandma Nall. (I posted it in yesterday's blog as well)

Chocolate Gravy

3 cups of milk
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Add dry ingredients together. Pour into milk and cook over slow heat until thick. If too thick add a little more milk. Real good on a cold day with hot biscuits and butter. If larger amount is needed double recipe.

My FAVORITE thing that Grandma Nall made was her Mincemeat Pie. YUMMY!! Recipe follows:

Pear Mincemeat
by Willie Nall (pg 31 of "Cook Book; Favorite Recipes From Our Best Cooks")
Fun Fact: This is a pie filling - a dessert. Because of the name 'mincemeat' the people who put the cook book together placed it under the heading: Main dishes - Egg, Casserole, Cheese, Pasta. Since I'm the only one in my family who cares for this, and while I'm not above doing so, I don't usually make entire pies just for myself; I have used it as an add-in to a warm bowl of oatmeal or on my pancakes. 

7lbs pears, cut up, not peeled
1 orange, not peeled, cut up
2 lemons, not peeled, cut up
2lb raisins, 1/2 ground, 1/2 whole
5 c. sugar
3/4 c. vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
2 lb oleo (this must be a typo - I think it should read 2 Tbsp)

Cook 30 minutes and seal in hot jars.

I wanted the above recipe for years and when I finally got it, I was so disappointed. It wasn't going to be an easy thing to make. I was discouraged and resigned myself to the fact that I would never again be able to taste one of my Grandma's mincemeat pies... Then a few years ago my son went to help my father-in-law move from his farm in Southwest City, Missouri, and he came home with an ice cream bucket full of wild plums. The urge to recreate another childhood memory of Grandma Nall and how she would make me plum jelly from the wild plums that grew in my daddy's fence row, overcame me and I plunged feet first into home canning. After that batch of jelly was a success and a few others to follow I broke out her recipe and canned 7 pint jars of mincemeat. I only have one jar left. So next year - I'll need to can some more.



Other memories of recipes I have are the fact that my Mammy would always snip out little recipes here and there that she found in magazines, newspapers, or even coupon flyers. She had a drawer in her kitchen that was loaded down with these snippets. I mean the drawer would hardly open!!  She loved to cook and try new things. I even have a recording she made for her mother where she talks about learning how to make peach cobbler in a crock-pot. It must've been when crock-pots were fairly knew.

My Mammy lived in Arkansas and her mother lived in Texas. Because of Grandma Jones' arthritis and failing eye-sight they would mail each other audio tapes instead of letters.

To have a listen click here.The crock pot story starts at about 1:25

Do you have any family recipes? Even if it's not handwritten is there a dish that you remember an ancestor making? I'd love for you to share them. I'm a bit like my Mammy when it comes to food. I love it. I enjoy trying new things and have a love for anything "old".

Also - if you read in the comments - @travelgenee is wanting old recipe's to use for a future blogging challenge of her own. Check out her post here.

1/06/2019

My cousin Angie Eagle shared this recipe from Grandma Nall from one of her cook books

Weathered Memories

I am still working on the post to go with yesterday's Instagram challenge but I thought I'd take a quick break to work on today's. It should be short and sweet.

Today the prompt set out by Genealogy Girl Talks is weathered and I have the perfect thing for this.




In 2014 my Uncle Mike and Aunt Lynn gifted me one of my most treasured heirlooms. My great grandfather's old wood cook stove. And for Christmas that  year, my husband had it restored. It sits on my back porch and I use it often. Turns out, according to my great aunt Dena, her dad purchased it from a store still in Farmington today, called Chicken Hollar, in the 70's because he didn't like the way gas made his biscuits taste. He passed away when I was only 4 and I don't have many memories of him at all. In fact, I really only have one, and I'm not sure if it's a real memory or something I think I remember because I was told about it so often. But I think I remember him being really sick with oxygen on and sitting in a chair as soon as you walk in the door. When I walked in he would invite me to come sit on his lap and he would say "There's my girl with the golden curls."

I was able to find the specs for his little stove online here. I really need to find a way to print this off.

Anyway - I have one specific memory attached this little wood stove and I tell it often, but just in case my children are anything like me, and end up forgetting my little repeated stories, I thought I'd write it down for them.

My grandmother, Mammy, wanted to start a tradition of having back-to-school camp outs with all nine of her grandchildren. I'm not sure we ever did it more than once. But regardless that one time was really fun and a memory I cherish.

My Mammy's house sat on the top of a hill and below it to the East they had a pond that I would fish in every chance I got and below the pond was the field where we set up camp. My grandpa, Bampy, brought in the flat bed semi trucks we used for hauling hay so we wouldn't have to sleep on the ground that most likely would've been covered in cow patties. They also brought in this wood cook stove. That night we had fried taters, and in the morning Mammy and my great grandmother, Grandma Nall, made us biscuits, sausage, eggs, hot chocolate and chocolate gravy.

Here is the recipe in Grandma Nall's handwriting. She gave this to me one year as a Christmas gift, taped to a little plate she had picked up at  Life Ministries, in Prairie Grove, where she volunteered. In case you have trouble with that first measurement it reads: 3 cups milk.

During that camping trip I remember when the sun started to set you could hear the big bull frog at the pond and how the boys went to catch it hoping for frog-legs. We sat around the fire, sang songs, told stories. I remember how cold it got at night despite the fact that it was August and how I loved falling asleep under the stars.

I would love it if my cousins would share their memories of this trip or any other memories they have.

Below are a few pictures of the cook stove after it was refurbished and a few of the meals I've cooked on it.

Even though I think there's room for improvement, I really do enjoy Facebook's feature to search through your old posts. In going back trying to find pictures to share I was able to come across the status updates that display the learning curve involved when obtaining the skill to cook on one of these things!

January 6, 2015

Goodness me, who knew there was such an art to getting a hot fire burning in a wood cook stove!! I've spent the past hour or so trying get a good fire going to no avail.... then I finally found my damper and I made a make shift chimney out of Laney's old dry erase board.... the white board is actually thin sheet metal. Now maybe with any luck I'll get this baby hot enough to cook a meatloaf in for supper. Maybe even boil the potatoes on it for our mashed potatoes. Wish me luck!

Same day, different post:

After fiddling with my stove all day without it getting hot enough to boil a pot of water, I think the consensus is that it's too cold outside to get my stove hot enough and my wood may be damp. It feels dry because it's so cold, but it may have moisture locked in it. I'm getting far too much smoke and not enough heat. I'm getting good coals and the occasional steady flame but its just not heating it all around. I'm nearly certain I'm burning oak, so the type of wood I'm using shouldn't be the problem. Also my flue may not be tall enough to draw the smoke.
Trial error, live and learn. I look forward to trying again on a warmer day.

Feb 15, 2015

Since I've been having so much trouble sleeping through the night... this time when I woke up, I decided to start a fire in the old wood cook stove. It feels pretty HOT... so hot it burns my hands to open/close the oven door... so I whipped up some drop biscuits in my old muffin tin and put Mam's cast iron skillet on the burners to warm up... fixing to head outside to make sausage gravy to go with those biscuits... wish me luck!

Feb 16, 2015

I think I decided my wood-stove problem was impatience. I don't think I let the fire burn long enough to burn the cold off the stove and I wasn't confident enough in my fire to close off the fire box door and keep all the burners on. Once I did that it got good and warm/hot - even on really cold days. I think I'm still going to look at Lowes for a better flu to draw the smoke up over the house, if for no other reason than I'm tired of smelling and breathing in smoke.

I eventually got the hang of it, but it does produce quite a bit of smoke at first before the fire really catches.

Anyway - I hope you've enjoyed this little part if my history. If you're a Nall cousin and  you have a memory associated with this stove, please oh please share it. Or any memory of Grandpa Nall. I've heard he was a gruff man.

If you're just stopping by  - I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time,
Becky.

P.S. Don't forget to stop by Days of Our Lives where my sister-in-law is blogging along side me.

Again - I have to love FB. Today in my "memories" a post showed up that had a few memories of Grandpa Nall. I'm going to place them here so they're easier accessed:

My Uncle Mike remembers, when he was 11 grandpa had him digging up stumps and Mike kept breaking the handle's so grandpa got Mike a rock bar said you can't tear this up well guess want he bent it in two days. He still has it to this day.

My dad's first cousin Angie shared this memory: Becky, I was pretty young when he passed. Not as young as you, I think I was 11. Most of my memories include watching the men working cows while we sat on the fence. One memory I have makes me laugh now but it wasn't funny then for me or Tracie. We were spending the night, and I think I was 4 or 5. We were getting ready for bed and I thought Tracie tripped me. (I now realize that I tripped on the bed but geez I was 4!) I cried and told on her. Papa spanked her. (Justice in my mind at the time) But hey, just proves Tracie McCoy is tough-she took a spanking from the Nall patriarch! It was the razor strap that used to hang in the bathroom. I don't think she stayed over there with me much after that!! I don't blame her.

Ancestor - What I Remember, What I've Been Told, And What I Have Found

I recently came across an Instagram photo challenge offered up by @genealogyphoto and since my sister-in-law over at Days of Our Lives has been trying to get me to start blogging again, I figured I would combine the two. So with each photo I post on Instagram I intend to come over here and type out a little something. While writing yesterday's post and linking stories to various ancestors mentioned, I realized I didn't have a post about my great grandmother, Bondell Bynum. She married my great grandfather Obie Zearl Melson on 04 Dec 1933. They are the parents of my maternal grandfather, Leroy.

The picture below is how I best remember her. This would've been taken in 1983 for their 50th wedding anniversary. I was only three at the time. Grandma only lived another 6 years after this picture was taken and not much changed about her in that time frame. The little crocheted dolls hanging behind her really stand out to me. There's not a lot I remember but two things that I remember most are her sitting in her chair crocheting and stacked beside that chair were always piles of TV guides. She would always do the crossword in the back and I would always take two consecutive issues and double check her answers. I remember her kitchen and the way it smelled. I remember the deep freeze pictured behind her and how it held Little Debbie snack cakes. I remember she always grew a garden. I remember her home seemed simple. I remember she was always doing something. Even if it was just crocheting while watching a TV program. I remember she had a finger that always stayed bent. I never knew why and just assumed it was arthritis but turns out it had been cut so badly it "drew up" and healed that way.

I remember her death was my first experience of losing someone close to me.



Since I don't have many detailed memories I put out a request to family to see what they remembered. My mom was the first to respond saying that my Dad, Steve, loved grandma's home cooked food. She said if you were to ever show up around meal time, grandma would be happy to feed you a home cooked meal. I can remember dad telling of how he was amazed by her watermelon rind jelly. He didn't know you could make jelly out of such a thing.

Mom also shared,

"We ran around with them a lot and spent lots of nights. She would take us to the grocery store and ask what we wanted. We always said SpaghettiOs® and a jar of pimento cheese. When we ran around she took a water jug and kept a plastic fold up cup for our drink. I have her sewing bench. She taught us how to knit, crochet and embroider."

When I told the story last year of my mom falling on broken glass when she was about 3, I believe it was Grandma Bondell's house that my Aunt Diane ran to.  They lived in Oark, Johnson County, Arkansas. Going back and reading that story reminded me of a conversation I had with my Great Uncle Tooter one time. He spoke fondly of Grandma Bondell and said she worked hard - physically - in the fields and garden. He really admired her. I always remembered thinking grandma towered over my great grandpa OZ. It may have just been that he was hunched over in his old age because looking at the above picture she is taller but not as tall as I imagined. It's funny the way a young mind remembers things.

My Aunt Diane said "Granny made the sweetest tea on earth in a white ceramic pitcher." and her daughter, my cousin, Christy, remembers playing with the fake horses her family would bring back to give Grandma from their vacations and sitting in the sun-room listening to wind-chimes, she also remembered the crocheted dolls saying "She had a doll toilet paper holder that was crocheted. I always played with it."

Now for the facts. Grandma Bondell was born 14 Dec 1918 in the community of Spadra, Johnson County, AR. She was the second child born to Kinchen Leroy Bynum and Ludia Belle Moore. Her older sister, Beatrice was just a year older than her. When Bondell was not yet two years old her mother died during complications giving birth to a baby girl that also didn't make it. They both died 02 Sept 1920 Sebastian County, Arkansas. Kinchen eventually remarried when Grandma was five. My grandma Reba thinks that before that, Beatrice and Bondell were raised by their grandmother Minnie Ora Moore. Kinchen's second wife was named Margaret. I'm not certain of her maiden name because her mother was always called Grandma Young, but Kinchen and Margaret's marriage license gives Margaret's last name as Welch, and in the 1930 census when they were living in Tulsa, Margaret said her age at her first marriage was 19 meaning she would've had to have gotten married sometime around 1917. I suspect Kinchen was her second marriage in 1923.

Here are a few pictures of Beatrice and Bondell when they were young.



And below is a picture of Grandma with her childhood friend Blanche Blaylock in Fort Smith 1928 and a portrait of just her when she was younger.

According to the 1920 and 1930 census records, Grandma grew up the daughter of a furniture man, and a beautician. In 1917, on his WWI draft registration, Kinchen gave his place of employment at the Ballman Cummings Furniture Company. On the 1920 census, Kinchen's employment is given as a laborer for a furniture factory and in 1930 living in Tulsa he's a shipping clerk at a furniture factory.

As stated earlier, Bondell married O.Z. Melson 04 Dec 1933 and her sister Beatrice married Dennis Vaught a few weeks later on Christmas Day.

I'm not sure what led to the next moment in Bondell's life but weeks after she and her sister married and left home, Kinchen filed for a divorce on 13 Jan 1934 it was granted a month later 12 February.

An interesting fact is that Grandma Bondell's marriage license said she 18. She was really only 14.



After a year and a half of marriage Bondell gave birth to a daughter, Betty June, born Tuesday, 6 Aug 1935. News made way to her dad Kinchen and on Saturday he was on his way to go see his first grandchild. Little did anyone know that tragedy would strike. Below is a transcription of the news article.

"Roy. K. Bynum of Hagerville, a farmer, 42 years old, was killed instantly last Saturday morning about eight o’clock, when a lumber truck ran over him on the Hagarville road about eight miles northeast of here.
Injuries suffered by Bynum included a fractured skull, broken neck, crushed chest and internal injuries, any of which would have caused death, Dr. James M. Kolb of this city, Johnson County Coroner, said the accident was unavoidable.
Dr. Kolb said he learned that Bynum had attempted to climb aboard the moving truck, when he fell and was crushed by the wheels. Two other men also boarded the truck, but escaped injury.
The driver, Carlton Hixon of Russelville, employed by the Birkhead Company, said he saw Bynum and the two other men as he passed, but did not know they attempted to get on the truck. He said he heard and felt a bump and stopped as he believed a tire might have gone flat or some part was broken. It was then that he discovered Bynum.
The body of Bynum was brought here by the Griffin Funeral Home.
Funeral services were conducted Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock at the Lone Pine Cemetery. Rev. L.C. Tedford, pastor of the First Baptist Church of this city, officiated. Burial was made in Lone Pine Cemetery, with Griffin Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Bynum is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Beatrice Vaught and Mrs. Bondell Melson, both of Oark; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Bynum of Hagarville; one sister Mrs. Tom King, of Huntsville; and two brothers, Sidney Bynum of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and John Bynum of Oklahoma.
Pallbearers were Hebert Bean, Allie King, Benson Frost, Everett Pttts, H.P. Johnson, and H.F. Blackburn.”

The newspapers sure didn't leave much to the imagination back then. I was really surprised at the details given.

A year and a half later Bondell gave birth to my grandpa Leroy. He and Betty June are the only children I am aware of Bondell and OZ having.

Here is a set of school pictures of the two taken in 1947:



The 1940 census shows that Grandma Bondell completed one year of High School while Grandpa OZ only made it to 6th grade. Grandpa grew up in a very rural area, whereas Grandma lived closer to big cities like Fort Smith and Tulsa. I wonder if she was very "country" at all before she became married.

Even though her father and step-mother divorced, Bondell remained close to Margaret. I even have copies of a few "generational photos" that have Margaret and her mother in them.

Below is one of those pictures. On the far left is Margaret's mother, Nettie Young, then Margaret, Grandma Bondell, Grandpa Leroy, and my Aunt Diane circa 1957.
 

Sometime after the death of Kinchen, Margaret married a man named Earl Thompson. Whenever my family refers to "Grandma Thompson" they're speaking of Margaret.

When her children were young Bondell would work in the fields, milk cows, and cut pulpwood. Grandma Reba also shared a story of when my Aunt Michelle was a baby,

"We lived on the mountain (near Oark) and it came a deep snow. They couldn't get to work and couldn't get Shell's formula so Papa milked the cow every morning and brought it to us and we didn't buy formula again."

Grandma Bondell and Grandpa OZ also raised chickens for Tyson. Mom recalls they had about 3 or 4 houses when they lived in the Baptist Ford community near Greenland. Grandma Reba (Bondell's daughter-in-law) shared that Bondell also worked at Priebe and Sons, a chicken processing plant, in Clarksville up until they closed in January 1962. She and my Grandpa Leroy would ride to work together.

Northwest Arkansas Times - Newspapers.com

After they lost their job, a friend of my Grandpa Leroy's helped him get a job at the University farm and they all moved to Prairie Grove. Grandpa Leroy and his parents lived right next door to each other all my childhood, up until Grandma Bondell passed away. Later on Grandpa OZ remarried and moved about 10 miiles away to Strickler, AR with his second wife, Virginia. The old house place is still there. I should go and take pictures when the weather cools down so I don't have to worry about snakes or wasps. It's not in the best shape and will be gone before we know it.

I'll close with Grandma's obituary and include a picture of a few of us from the day of the funeral.

The Graphic, Clarksville, Arkansas, Wednesday, 5 April 1989
Mrs. Bondell Melson, age 70, of Prairie Grove died March 29, 1989 at her home.
She was a former resident of Johnson County and a Protestant.
Surviving are her husband, O.Z. Melson; one son, Leroy Melson of Prairie Grove; one daughter Betty June Young of Fayetteville; one sister, Beatrice Vaught of Clarksville; three grandchildren, Diane Walls of Hot Springs, Reine Moore of Siloam Springs and Michelle Smith of Prairie Grove; and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 30, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Amos Pledger officiating. Burial was in Oark Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Vince Walls, Steve Moore, Willie Smith, Stanley Vaught, Harold Hyler and Alfred Bently.”

Left to Right: My mom, Reine, her sisters Michelle and Diane. My cousin Brad, me, Christy and Preston.

Did I forget to mention that my sister-in-law is joining me in this challenge. I am so excited about that. While she's not on Instagram, yet, she is adding a little bit of her own style to this challenge by having clever little themes. She's done Salvation Sunday, Medical Monday, and yesterday Tracts of Land Tuesday. She is a great writer and so clever. Be sure to click over there and check it out!

A Prompt and My View

I have been terrible about blogging this year. I have discovered I prefer researching over writing. I've never been a confident writer but I am a fairly good researcher. My sister-in-law (who I envy when it comes to writing skills) has convinced me that what's most important is that the information is "out there". She has recently started writing short blog posts and that coupled with an Instagram genealogy #photoaday challenge I came across, has given me the idea to combine the two. For each photo challenge, I will TRY to write a short blog posts with a little more detail to accompany it.

Here is a photo of the challenge:

Here's my Instagram photo for today #MyView:

My favorite view inside my home is this little hutch given to me by my mother-in-law. The shelves are loaded down with family memorabilia from both my side and my husband's. In this post I hope to briefly lists a few of the items on this shelf and who they belong to. I won't go over all of them because a few items will be featured in more detail later this month as a challenge all of their own. The idea to display these things in this manner came from my mom. I have always envied her decorative style. I am more plain Jane, reserved, frugal, and have a hard time spending money if something isn't functional or meaningful. I had always noticed a little hutch area in her home that sat opposite the dinning room table. It housed several antique items and I always assumed they were flea market finds. It wasn't until she recently told me she had items belonging to my great grandmother, and that I was welcome to have them that I found out they had belonged to family. I went to her house to pick up  my loot and she started to unload her hutch. I felt a weird combination of emotions. I was overjoyed to be offered these items, yet I also felt awkward because I was told I could take anything I wanted. I wanted it all. I was going to leave her poor hutch completely bare. I was able to hold back and I only took what I felt I could display.


On the top shelf I have two canning funnels (one belonging to my great grandmother Willie Belle, and one from my great grandmother, Bondell). There's a citrus juicer, and large ladle that also belonged to Bondell. A prescription bottle (with the label still legible) belonging to my grandmother, Sue -- inside are matches. The prescribing doctor is also the doctor who delivered me, Dr. Billy Puckett.  Hanging from the shelf is a little stainless steel tea strainer. The coffee pot and stackable food carrier are not family heirlooms. They're just items I picked up at an auction and being made of stainless steel, they seemed to fit in.

Next shelf is a ceramic tea pot, an apron that belonged to my husband's grandmother, Jessie Bates, a few pieces of embroidery that Bondell had sewn, a tea cup and saucer belonging to Grandma Bondell's step-mother, Margaret. Bondell's mother died when she was very young so her step-mother was the only mother she really knew. There is an old mail scale and an enamelware bowl and an old Eagle oil can from 1923 that belonged to Bondell. She herself was born in 1918 so I wonder what the story is behind this little can. Did it belong to family before her? Or was it something she purchased?

Next shelf is an old ATLAS canning jar - with glass lid and rubber seal that belonged to my husband's paternal grandmother, Audrey. A sifter, belonging to my great-grandma Bondell as well as an old deep fryer basket filled with various utensils. A prescription for 'No Sprout' - I think this was used to keep stored root vegetables from sprouting. Can anyone verify? A biscuit and doughnut cutter and an old tin recipe holder. Stacked behind it are several cookbooks - mostly Microwave - that have Jessie's handwriting here and there beside a few recipes. And a spiral index card notebook with several handwritten recipes. Most are in my mother-in-law's handwriting but there's one or two that I think are Jessie's. And a few torn out pages from magazines and newspapers that had recipes --especially doughnuts. And a tea towel my sister-in-law made me the year we did Homemade Christmas. It has recipes from various family members printed on it.

I love this idea of displaying family heirlooms. Do you display any family heirlooms in your home? Do people know who or where they came from?


Here's a photo of my mom, her dad, his mom Grandma Bondell, and her step-mom Grandma Margaret Thompson... the baby is me.

Until next time (hopefully tomorrow),
Becky