Today I was going through some of my old genealogy files, and I came across what I could call an autobiography written by my grandmother in 1992. She wrote this and submitted it to her JONES cousins for their family history book.
This is her story, in her words:
Winnie Sue Jones (Nall) was born on July 14, 1936, in San Antonio, Texas, to John Arthur Jones and Lurie Myrtle Rutherford Jones. Their fifth child. I have two brothers; Edwin Arthur. and Charles Newton, two sisters: Leona Frances (Chilcoat) and Myrtle Lou (Shaw) and one brother Momma and Daddy's first born, who died at birth. Known only as "Our Baby" and is buried beside my Father in the Truscott Cemetery It's easy for me to give this writing and it starts many years ago I can't remember anything about my Father, I don't even remember how he looked or any kind of an encounter with him, I'm sorry to say. All I've heard has been above and beyond good and fair. A very loyal worker and Husband and father. At all times a dedicated man in all respects by all who speak of him.
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| Edwin, Frances, Charles, Winnie, John Arthur, and baby Myrtle Lou |
My mother is another story I don't remember much except the earliest recollections I have living in Truscott in the house next door to Burton Jones (no relation) over in the south part of town. I can remember playing a lot and swinging in a swing in front of the house and one of the dearest families that lived behind us. This was Carlton Browder and Lois. They had Doris Marie and Opal Jean Browder. I loved to go over to their house. and did on several occasions. But some of the trips I came home much faster than I went over. You see Momma came after me with a "switch" and used it on me. Of course, I had not gotten permission to go and mother wanted us to be good and not bother anyone. It was hard for me because I loved people at a very young age. Then the next memories are of living over in the north part of town in the Oilie Turner home. Where cur neighbors were to the west of us was Mrs. Adcock to the south another dear friend Mary Kathleen Chowning who lived with her grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Mart Chowning_ The John BuEtions • to the east of us was Mrs. Ethel Chilcoat and family - to the north of us was the Charlie McNuses and Mr. and Mrs. Ozzie and Susie Turner. All of whom remember being only the nicest of people. have absolutely no bad memories of my childhood Momma made sure we stayed in Our yard. Of course, there was a white picket fence so there was no trouble with boundary • "stay in the yard"! Meant stay inside the picket fence. The earliest memory of school was I guess in second or third grade. Mrs. Jack Brown was my teacher in fact ALL of our teachers - and I loved her. The people in Truscott were really good and dear people. I can remember Myrtle Lou would cry when she started to school - she wanted mother, but mother went back home, so Mrs. Brown would have me sit with Her (Myrtle) when Charles was having a lesson and have Charles sit with her when I was having a lesson. I don't know how long that went on. I am sure it stopped at some time or another. When my next teacher was Mrs. Lelah Jones - and I was scared to death of her she was just very strict and stern and I didn't quite understand that, was used to a lot of kindness. Truscott was a small place, but people with great heart. So many people the names if I were to start would number a hundred or more. Some more of them were Aunt Idoma Chowning who was substitute teacher a kind compassionate lady always. VBS where everybody seemed to help. Lumber yards gave scrap wood and materials which could be used in craft All the community would donate something. People would donate their time in harmony for all time in harmony for all us kids to have and to learn. Mrs. Irene New - she always played piano while Jimmy and Peggy New and Charles and Winnie Sue sang. Gus Gustaphason was a quaint man. He came to the school system to teach children to learn and learn they did. He roomed in the back room off the porch at our house. He was a very quiet, almost strange, but I really admired him for his teaching ability I guess mother couldn't afford very many tree decorations at Christmas time and I think no lights. That year Mr. Gus brought home all the decoration and electric Christmas lights and gave \hem to me telling me to get mother to put them on our tree and she did, I can't remember if I was in the 6th or 7th grade. Then our school house burned in 1945 and we had to go to school at Benjamin. When I was very young - I remember Uncle Jim and Aunt Lula. We would go to their house for a visit I guess and they would always give momma milk and eggs. Uncle Bill Jones and Aunt Lorene would bring big fish - which momma would can in fruit jars (with the bones in) and we could eat them like sardines, even eat the bones. They had been pressured in the pressure cooker and too, Aunt Lorene always brought peaches or fruit cocktail and angel food cake - and chewing gum, a package for each of us. Then at Christmas time every year, We always got a bushel basket of fruit, mostly grape fruit and oranges. We never really knew but momma thought it was from Uncle Jasper and Aunt Winnie. We went to daily Vacation Bible School every year. I just couldn't wait from one year to the next. We got to sing - make crafts and do Bible drills not to say anything about refreshments every day. It was great. I remember my dear Sunday school teachers Mrs. Frank Brown, who encouraged us as juniors in Sunday school to come every Sunday and be 100% every Sunday - for one year without missing a Sunday We did not know we would be rewarded - we were just learning to be 100% in everything we did for the Lord, I'll never forget she gave me a white BIBI-F and Charles Jones a black BIBLE. We always had Gideon's Testament but this was a real Bible. I was so happy and proud. I remember with very fond memories Bro and Mrs. Claude Harris - was pastor when I joined the First Baptist Church in Truscott as a child. It was a revival in the summer under an old brush Arbor - on the vacant lot next to the Church. I gave my life to Christ and have tried to be a person Christ would not be ashamed to know. In the summer there was always a tent show come to Truscott and set up on the vacant lot across from the Post Office and Bryon Bates Grocery. Mother would take us and go - we'd walk every step of the way knowing if we were good on the way home we could have a snow cone - after the show. We were never lucky enough to get one of those boxes of candy with a prize and maybe 5 pieces of paper wrapped candy. But know our eyes got big when everybody else opened there's - and we could see what they got. Mother was a very good mother to us and I say that from the bottom of my heart. She taught us well to have manners - to study - to learn about God -to respect others and the Ten Commandments. I never realized how hard mothers' life was until I got older. I remember she would iron clothes for the public until early hours in the morning, She canned Peas and chicken or whatever the farmers would bring her on the halves - knowing it would be food for us kids. We always had fried chicken, and biscuits and gravy Momma always had chickens. One time I remember momma raising baby chicks in the bathtub in the house. She put newspapers in the tub and then their food and water of course our bathtub didn't have water in it. In fact, every bath we had in that tub had to be drawn up early in the morning from the tin tank and warmed by the sun, then taken in and we bathed. Then we had to carry it out and put it somewhere outside that needed water. We had peach trees and whatever garden items mamma could raise. Edwin was in the World War II and Frances lived with Brother and Mrs. Strickland in Crowell to help with the income, I guess. It seemed as though Edwin and Frances were never really there. It was always Momma, Charles, Winnie Sue and Myrtle Lou. There were lots of good times at our house. We three could play a lot. Charles always wanted to be a cowboy and Myrtle Lou and I would play dolls - we had to make up our bed and hang up our clothes and keep our room clean and had tc help in the kitchen set the table and wash the dishes and dry them We had to sweep, Charles always had to mop then. I guess Momma would wax the linoleum, and Charles would take turns putting Myrtle and myself on the old blanket all over that floor. After we were through it would shine like new money. If we missed a place Momma would make us go back and do it over, but it seemed fun not work. We would spend lots of late afternoons in the front porch swing Momma would sit in a chair and Charles, Myrtle and I would swing in the porch swing and sing, lots and lots of songs. I guess that was my favorite pastime was singing. Then when Edwin came back from service he and Warren Haynie, Clyde Bullion and somebody else but I can't remember who (along with some girls and I don•, remember them) would play guitar, mandolin, fiddle or what have you and sing. We three Charles and Myrtle and I could go and listen if we would be nice and before long we knew the words to all their songs and could sing as good as they could. A singing home is a very Happy Home, and ours was. I can also remember getting up in the dark, putting on our clothes; Momma got a flash Ight and hurried us down in the cellar, A cloud coning! Boy did we get in a hurry. Once we were safe in there Momma would light the Kerosene lamp which always stayed in there with matches which stayed under the lamp and kept dry. The spider web and the musty smell cf that ole safe haven "the Cellar" I can remember as well as if I were there right no". We kids were scared until Momma would go to the door lift it JP a bit and tell us we could come out nu. be so glad to get back to our own beds. There was always canned goods in the cellar especially Vinson dad had killed. Sausage which Momma made and canned and peaches. Momma canned both plain and pickled peaches (my favorite). It seemed like a lot of nights found us getting ready to go to the cellar and coming back. I learned later in life that was Momma only way tc keep us safe from the storms. I remember gong to the post office every day white Edwin was in service to see if we got a letter some time yes and most times no. I remember so well the postmaster Mr. Tarpley always smiling down at us Mr. Bryon Bates and his wife in the grocery store. Mr. Meyers the Drug store and the café where all the good smells came from - but we were never allowed to go in. Caram's grocery store - where Momma did most of her grocery buying. But for the life of me I could never remember her buying anything. Momma made her own lye soap - Uncle Jim killed the one hog. I can remember, while us kids were at school, thinking it would bother us. But what bothered us more was standing over the wash pot stirring the fat to render for lard. We all had chores - on wash day Momma was boss she ran the sorting and putting in dirty clothes and running them through the wringer. Each one of us kids stood by our tub and rinsed up and down, then with careful supervision put them through the wringer never getting our fingers caught. I'm not sure of the year but Grand Pa Jones (JC) lived with us. Everybody seems to think he was a complaining old man. I never found him so though - he liked his load a certain way. He always cleaned everything even the yard and chicken yard had to be kept clean according to Grandpa Jones. I remember him getting a cake through the mail and it had green frosting. He thought it was ruined and scraped all the frosting off. The rest of the cake was fine. He loved to play dominos; he would say, "Sister when you get through with your work come play me a game of dominoes." And I would. He always beat me though We lived just one block from school and we would come home for dinner. Well, I always wanted to get back as soon as possible, but Momma would make me sit at the table until just enough time to get to school thinking I would learn to eat. But I was more interested in getting back to play. The minute she said I could go, I'd tear out of there and start around by Grandpa's window, where he would be waiting for me. He’d knock on the window with his gold band and motion for me to come to the window. He unlatched the screen and handed me a piece of candy and said, "You better go sister.” Boy I'd travel, got to school though before the bell would ring. When Momma found out he was handing me candy. She must have asked him to stop, because he told me Sister I can't give you any more candy. Grandpa Jones was one of my favorite people. He was quiet and kind but could really look at you quite stern. By the same token. he could smile the nicest smile. Mostly he would just nod his head in approval. I remember Momma and Daddy's first real house was built by Daddy and how Momma talked about their bed and Ed and Frances slept on the bed that slid under their bed about the stove and table and how they didn't have much but she always glowed when she talked about "Our House" Hers and Daddy's first real home. I remember how grandpa bought it for $100 told Myrtle, "Now Sister it is still yours and you get it back when I'm gone." It was at Uncle Jim's house the last knew about it. It had a lot of trunks in it. Things that belonged to Auntie and someone else. I don't remember who. When the school burned, we had to go to school at Benjamin. It was so big and so different for me, anyway. I didn't have much confidence in myself. I was afraid of the men teachers - Mr. Isbon, Mr. Kirk; I had Mrs. Stoner for Home Eco - Mrs. Vera Hahn for English. I just did a turn around. I didn't like school. I was afraid of all the teachers. I didn't feel a part of anything. Lost interest somewhat, I remember on my eighth grade graduation, Someone and we never knew who - bought my Corsage and my first real nylon hose. I felt bad because I didn't know who to thank. I sang a solo the night I graduated "Some Enchanted Evening" and Mrs. Irene New played for me. I still have the program and the words to the song until this day. I have my daily vacation school certificate dated June 1948 and June 1949. The last one dated May 1950. Then in 1951 a perfect attendance for going 9 months to school without being tardy or missing a day was still doing the best I could do. That year my life really took a change. I got really interested in this young Roughen Country Boy - very different to me. Forward, not shy, not bashful - somewhat aggressive - and I never settled back down to school or lessons, oh I got them. They were easy - but I was more interested in him. He asked me one day if would like to make his coffee and wash his clothes and of course I said yes - so I got my engagement ring in February and was 16 in July - and married September 18, On Momma's anniversary. Not realizing how I hurt Momma. She would not say. She only showed me, by being somewhat different to me. Charles Nall and I have been married 40 years this year. We have four grown children; Charles Michael 39 years. Johnny Mark 36, Cathy Marilynne 34, and Jeannie Melinda 32. We have 9 beautiful and healthy grandchildren from 17 years down to 5 years - 4 grandsons and 5 granddaughters. Charles worked on the Beaver Ranch when we first got married. His boss was Bill Ryder. We both had a lot of growing up to do, me more so than he, I couldn't believe all the dirty dishes - and dirty Levi's. I had no washing machine and had to rub them on the rub board. That was different too. Then we moved to Seymour and he went to work in a small grocery store. $40.00 weekly 60 hours - I was lonely and he was busy. So in ‘53 now our first baby was born. Beautiful Baby Boy with golden hair. Then Charles went to work for M-System Super Market - Lots more work, lots more hours, lots more loneliness for me. Then we bought a rundown shack in the South East part of Seymour. Worked on it every possible hour. Finally we had a beautiful home of 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, living room, and a large den. kitchen, and dining room. Where John, Cathy, and Jeannie were all born - all in Seymour Hospital. Charles continued to work long hard hours. We went to church at First Baptist Church for a while and then moved our membership to North East Baptist Mission. Charles still working many hours. And very dedicated to his job. His Mom and Dad lived across the road and needless to say Mike was very spoiled. Then John Boy swallowed a safety pin at 10 months and 28 days old. He had walked everywhere at 8 months. In one week, he would have major surgery to remove that pin which had been drawn down into his lungs - but with God's help and good doctors - John came through really good. It never slowed him down. He is a very strong dedicated worker until this day. Cathy was always our dainty petite daughter - very lady-like in every manner - and Jeannie was born seeming healthy but almost starved to death for 4 months. She could not tolerate any kind of milk or milk substitute- at 5 months they sent her to Dallas Children's Hospital and told us to prepare for her death, which could not. I just asked God to take over, and I gave her to him. I was so tired of seeing her suffer. The doctors at Children's Hospital put her on a meat base - coco cola - rice cereal and pears which she lived on for 2 years. Then finally food, she is well and a very delightful daughter and mother of 3 healthy kids.
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| Jeannie, Cathy, Winnie Sue, Johnny and Mike |
We have moved to Arkansas out on the farm to raise broilers and cattle. It has been work feeding from 24,000 to 40,000 broilers a day by wheelbarrow and manpower. Lots of work. Inside where it was dry - lots of work. By 1978 all of our children were married. All graduated with high honors and have gone to do their thing- Charles and I still have this big workplace. So, we cut down to 24,000 every 9 weeks, but it's lonely. We have a garden and he ventures into a poultry and beef processing plant. Lots more work, so 1977 as we learn to manage a balance of taking care of chickens and running the processing plant. It is busy but it seems to give us a weekly income, as the broilers going out every 8 to 9 weeks didn't do; their pay came all at once. It had to really be spread out. We always got chickens at, on, or near Christmas. Charles B had a severe heart attack in 1984, unable to hold out for any work for 4 years. Finally, he can do some light farm work. He has had to change his entire life because of his health. He checks cattle. Has a few hogs. can't stand much stress but is getting better. Charles had angioplasty in April 1985. Which helped him in his ability to do more? He now has yearly visits to the hospital, but he is doing fairly well with all his problems. He bales the hay, checks cattle, and does his best around home. We are members of New Sulphur Freewill Baptist Church where he has served as deacon for 6 years. A very dedicated Husband, Father, and Deacon to his church. A respected man of the community. and is still just Charles. We live down the road from Charles Mom, Willie Nall. my mother-in-law. whom I love dearly and have been as close as a mom to me.
