Gold Is Not For The Foolish

Today marks what would've been my maternal great grandparents Newell and Zula Stepp's 96th Anniversary  --  April Fools Day. What an odd day to get married. He was 26. She was 19.

A few years ago I stumbled across an article in the Madison County Record about their Golden Anniversary and as they described what Grandma wore, I knew I had the picture to go with it.



My cousin, Carmel, the Mrs. Vernon Sitton from the article, recalls that the story goes that at this Anniversary celebration is the first time their children saw them kiss.

Marriage often isn't about the mushy displays of affection. It's about having a partner you can depend on in sickness and in health. Who will do the hard part of life with you as well as the easy.

Three years ago my grandmother gave me a letter that Grandma Zula had written to Newell while he was in the VA hospital sick with gall-stones.

I will spell things exactly as she did. As you read it remember her accent. And it will make perfect sense. I love that it is written phonetically or using "dialect writing". It makes it come alive and is much more special.

June 3, 1955

Dear Newell, I will ancher your card we got yesterday. Was Glad to her from you and you war better this leves us all just fine and hope you the same. Wish you could see the chickins som of tham ways over 4 lb Miller said we wood sell tham som tims next week. Well John ploud this corn tuesday and wensday mornin then we went up hom me tooter boby doug and Elzada plowed the corn by the orchid but we hant going to plant the others for we hant got time. John plowed the Big corn up thar with his team while Boby (can't read because of folds and fading) corn grown. John is workin in his hay now me and the kids have been bizy most all the time dug and reba went home to tend the thangs. Me tooter wasked then we hoed peanuts and millans Bobby ploud both the gardens tusday Art said for me to try to get the Acord boys to bale the hay I gess will if I can for John said he sure wood had his hands full with both crops to plow do you have eny idy how long you will haft to stay Joe Wilama and Don come up and stad a while last nite and Jean opal and ther kids come up too we need another rane jjohn throd up 4 sweet potato riges and we put out som but thout we wate for it to ? to set the rest. Did Virgle and Loice come to see you and Sherlie thay sad thay was the kids wants to come down thar to see you but we can't come now till we sell the chickins maby Bill and Argie can brang us when thay come home thay will come after them Will thay let kids come up thar Gye said thay wooden. Reba said 1 of the heffers come in up home with a little calf. I'll try t get john to plow the corn across the creek some time next week. I got (... can't read much of this line because its on a fold....) thay said thay was ame to write you so I gess you herd from them well today hant nothin excite to write about so I hush and got feed the chickens so tack care of your self and we doo the best we can about the crops and rasin chickins. Don't no yet whether I put back or not the kids said Hi Dad and they wood luft to see you that goes for mom to so ancher soon love to you from mama and kids."

The Stepp's observed a total of 64 years of marriage before Grandpa passed in 1987.




They lived a remarkable life and raised six remarkable children to carry on their legacy. May we remember them and in doing so, love each other well in sickeness and in health. In the good times and the bad. When it's easy and most especially when it's not.

Until next time,
Becky Drake

Heritage Part 3

This week I wanted to add the next entries in the cemetery book that are my direct line ancestors, my 2nd great grandparents, James William and Clara Inda EVANS ACORD.

On page 22 under Evans Cemetery

ACORD, Clara I.                                                                           18 Aug 1882      02 April 1949

Peggy Harmon Stepp furnished the following: "Clara India "Indie" Evans was born Aug 18, 1882 about 2 miles south of Spoke Plant, AR near the Little Mulberry River. Indie's parents were Josiah and Jane Conner Evans.

Indie first married [John] Ginger Holland who operated a ferry crossing the Arkansas River. They were married only a few months. There were no children born in this marriage. Later Indie married James William "Jim" Acord. They were the parents of 6 children. Jim died when the oldest child was 12 years old. Indie managed to raise the children on her own. Indie and her oldest child, Zula worked for neighbors to earn a little money. They raised most of their food and gathered many wild greens and herbs. They grew cane to make molasses. They put up kraut and molasses in 60 gallon barrels. Indie's nephew, Ode Eldridge would come in the fall with his family to help cut the wood for winter.

Indie was a midwife, taught by her mother who was half Indian. She would travel many miles thru all kinds of weather to deliver a baby.

Later in her life she moved in with her son John and his family. their house was on the same home place property. When Indie got sick she went to her daughters at Fayetteville where she died April 2, 1949"

THE MADISON COUNTY RECORD, Huntsville, Arkansas, Thursday, 7 April 1949

"Mrs. Clara India Acord, 66, of Little Mulberry, died April 2 at 4 p.m. at the home of a nephew in Fayetteville. The widow of the late Jim Acord, she had been ill for about eight years.

Survivors are two sons, John of Spoke Plant and Joe of Pettigrew; two daughteres, Mrs. Zula Stepp of Spoke Plant and Mrs. Equilla Carr of Fatetteville; 19 grandchildren and a brother, Jody Evans of Fayetteville.

Funeral Services were held Monday, April 4 at 2 p.m. at the Evans cemetery conducted by the Rev. Albert Hoskins. Arrangements were under the direction of the Nelson-Savage Funeral Home.

Directly following this entry, on page 23

ACORD, James W.                                                                       18 July 1881     28 Jul 1915

Peggy Harmon Stepp wrote the following: "James William Acord was born July 18, 1881 to John Turner and Sarah Zulema Kosier Acord.

James "Jim" married Clara India "Indie" Evans.

Jim and Indie lived in the Acord Hollow the first few years of their marriage.  Later they moved, about 1906 to the Evans place on Little Mulberry. 

Jim and Indie were the parents of  Zula Jane, Lou Annie, Minie, John Thomas, Joshua "Joe" Charles and Effie Equilla Acord.

Jim was a farmer and timber worker.

Jim was a strong man. One Sunday afternoon there were several young men over visiting. They were lifting. Jim felt something pull in his stomach. A few days later Jim died at the age of 34."

Jim Acord and Clara India Evans were the parents of:

1. Zula Jane married Newell McKinley Stepp, Sr.; both buried in Evans Cemetery.
2. Louanna buried in Evans Cemetery.
3. Minnie Myrtle married Roy Betnar; both buried in the Evans Cemetery. 
4. John Thomas married Elzada Griffith; both buried in the Oark Cemetery. 
5. Joe S. married Wilma Vae Combs; both buried in the Yale Cemetery.
6. Effie Equilla married #1 Hoyt Karr and #2 Omer Clark 

 

 

 Jim & Indie Acord with their girls: Zula (standing), Minnie (in Jim's lap) and baby Lou Annie (in Indie's lap). Lou Annie died not long after this was taken. This picture has been mistakenly labeled and shared many other places as John Turner and Sarah Zulema Acord with children. This picture was hanging in Effie's (Aunt Dood) and was given to Connie Betnar (Minnie Myrtle's son) and now belongs to his daughter Ann.

 

 

 

 

Heritage

This past weekend I went to visit my maternal grandmother. While I was there we talked gardens, chickens, snakes, wild hogs, and tall tales. She sent me home with loads of veggies from her garden and she also sent me home with her copy of the Evans Cemetery Book (On loan, of course!). She said it was a gift to her from her youngest brother, Dwight and his wife, Peggy. He told her he remembered my Grandma and Grandpa buying him and their brother Tooter a rod and reel one year when they were young boys and he just wanted to give her something too.

This book was compiled by Doris Evans and Jimmie Dewberry in March of 2002. To them, I am grateful they chose to share their research, and to Grandma I am thankful she trusted me enough to loan me this genealogical treasure. Just in skimming it, I have found new tidbits of information that I didn't know before. I hope to share a few of the entries pertaining to my direct line ancestors a little at a time.

The first entry I came to was my great grandmother Zula STEPP.

Roma Lynn Jakson Stepp, Zua's daughter-in-law, wrote the following: "Born Sept 6, 1903 to James & India Evans Acord at the headwaters of Acord Hollow near the [Little] Mulberry River. She married Newell McKinley Stepp,Sr. April 1, 1923. They had 7 children. 6 lived to be grown, 1 died about 2 weeks old. 

Zula was a midwife in her earlier years. She delivered 2 of her daughter-in-laws when they were born. She was the jolliest person around & a great story teller. She was the best, most wonderful wife, mother, grandmother & mother-in-law ever lived. She was an outdoors person. She liked gardening, canning her veggies & could make the best biscuits of anyone around.

One of her favorite sayings was, "The Bible don't say, woe beyond for the sinners, it says "Woe beyond for the hypocrites."   

She died at 91 years old." 

Another daughter-in-law of Zula, Peggy Harmon Stepp wrote the following: "Zula Jane Acord, the oldest of six children was born to James William Acord and Clara India Evans on 9-6-1903. At the time the family resided in the Acord Hollow area in Northern Johnson County, AR. When Zula was three or four years old the family moved in with her grandmother "Grannie Jane", on the Evans place just below the Evans Cemetery.

Zula and her brothers and sisters walked about two miles to the Spoke Plant school. 

Her father died when Zula was 12 years old leaving her to help her mother care for her brothers and sisters. Together they worked for neighbors in the fields to earn a living. 

On 4-1-1923 Zula married Newell McKinley STEPP. The ceremony was performed by Newell's brother, William "Bill" Stepp. 

Zula and Newell were the parents of 7 children, Merle Iris, twins Artist James and ARgie Jane, Rebecca India, Minnie Pearl, Newell McKinley Jr. and Dwight Douglas. Minnie Pearl died just a few days after birth. She is buried in the Evans Cemetery. In 1937 Zula's sister Minnie "Pud" Betnar died leaving two small sons, Clyde and Connie. Zula took the boys in keeping them several years. Newell and Zula raised all their children at Spoke Plant.

Zula was the perfect picture of a "fun grandma". She was "Grandma Stepp" to many, many children, many of them being no relation. If you ever needed a baby sitter you could always go to Grandma Stepp. She would meet you on the porch with a smile on her face, her apron on and lots of good food on the table. 

Zula was a hard worker, but always had time for fun. She would always laugh and say, "If you can drive, I can ride it." When she was in her 80's she would still jump behind the kids on their three wheelers and ride off with her dress tail blowing in the wind.

After Newell died Zula moved in with her youngest son, Dwight and his family. Later Zula resided at Countryside Manor Nursing Home. She won the hearts of many employees and new friends. There she became "Grandma Stepp" to even more people. She died July 6, 1993 at Countryside Manor in Lamar, AR."

Her obituary follows:

 THE GRAPHIC, Clarksville, Arkansas, Wednesday, 14 July 1993

Zula Jane Stepp, 89, of  Pettigrew, died Tuesday, July 6, 1993 at Countryside Manor in Clarksville.

Daughter of the late Jim and Inda Evans Acord, she was born Sept. 6, 1903, in Johnson County. Mrs. Stepp was a homemaker and a Pentecostal.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Newell McKinley Stepp Sr., and by a daughter, Minnie Pearl Stepp. 

Survivors include three daughters, Merle Denzer of Gentry, Argie Benson of Bakersfield, Calif., ad Reba Melson of Prairie Grove; three sons, Art and Tooter Stepp, both of Pettigrew, and Dwight Stepp of Batson; one niece Connie Betnar; one nephew, Clyde Betnar; 18 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren. 

Graveside services were held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Evans Cemetery near Pettigrew, with Rev. Bill Gregory officiating. Burial was under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home. 

Pallbearers were Greg, Danny and James Stepp, Tony Benson, Tim Denzer, and Paul Vickers. 

 Honorary pallbearers were Ronald Denzer, David and Keith Stepp, Clyde Benson, Corky Pool, Rickey Wages, Keith Stepp, Dr. Don Pennington and Clifton Hill."

Newell and Zula Stepp after duck hunting.