Reflecting on Early Childhood Memories of My Happy Visits

The sketch at the right is of the Griggs homeplace as drawn from the memory of BG Griggs. The sketch was drawn by LeVoid Davis for Lidge Johnson, son of Grace Griggs, youngest daughter of Burrell and Mima Griggs.

The following was written by Clarice Howle Watson Parker. She is the daughter of Teadie Irene Griggs, the eldest child of Burrell and Mima Griggs. It was written as a tribute to the dedication of the monument and pavilion at the old Griggs homestead. (Photo of Teadie, Tom and Baxter Howle, 1916)

We grow up living such busy lives, we seldom take time to convey stories and events that connect us to our past and future generations. Writing down incidents and events that occurred during the early years is one way to insure that our children and grandchildren have a link to their family’s past.

When I was very young, I can’t recall my age at the time, I asked my mother if I could go spend a week with my grandmother and the answer was “no”! Being a determined head strong child, I kept nagging my mom until one day she gave in. I could go, but with the condition that I would have to stay two weeks instead of one. I thought at the time this would be wonderful! (Teadie Irene Griggs standing outside of the old Griggs home with Fumiko Howle, Edith Howle, Janet, Joe and Eva Aguiar).

Everything was wonderful until the end of the first week. I became so home sick I was miserable; my heart ached; I wanted to see my sister Edna Rae so badly, (she was always my guardian angel and I loved her very much). With thirteen months between us, we were almost like twins, and of course I wanted to see my Mama. My mother would not give in and I had to stay another week.

My grandmother, Aunt Grace and Aunt Kate tried real hard to make my last week enjoyable. The lesson I learned from this experience is that my mother meant what she said, regardless. Visiting my grandparents with other grandchildren was a happy time for all of us.

While I was spending my two weeks at my grandparents, early in the morning before anyone was up, I could hear them reading the Bible and discussing the scriptures. This was done before the huge fire place which was in the kitchen area. There was a huge mantle over it which held the big clock, snuff boxes, matches, keys, etc. My grandparents were God fearing people and very active in the Brown Springs Baptist Church. (Teadie Irene Griggs in the left photo)

Grandmother was superintendent of Sunday School and when Edna Rae and I were there together visiting, she would ask us to sing in church. I remember one song, the title was, “You Got to Walk That Lonesome Valley”. I wish I had a recording of that! Edna Rae sang alto and I sang soprano.

On one of my visits I was playing in the front yard one afternoon and a big truck came in the yard with an organ on it. Everyone there came running out so excited! It was unloaded and placed in the living room. Aunt Grace and Aunt Kate were very excited. Both of them could play, but Aunt Grace played better than Aunt Kate. She played at church every Sunday. After supper at night everyone one gathered in the living room and we sang hymns. I guess that is where I found my love for music!

On Grandpa’s farm, there were apple trees, pecan trees, a large grape arbor and a huge cane patch. There was a large fenced in garden with all kinds of vegetables for our meals and for canning. Grandmother’s pantry was filled with all kinds of vegetables, pickles, relishes, preserves, etc. I remember going to the gardens and helping my Grandma gather vegetables for the day’s meal.

Grandpa also grew cotton, corn, tobacco, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, and hay for feed for the mules, cows, and hogs. In the kitchen area there were two big barrels, one for flour and one for corn meal. There was also a big lard can and a long slim table where grandma made bread.

My grandparents boarded a couple of school teachers; they occupied the room off to the side of the front porch. One of the teachers was Mary Bryant from Dovesville, S.C. She was a cousin of Grandma’s. Every morning my grandmother with the help of Aunt Grace and Aunt Kate made lunch for everyone going to school. Looking back now, I wonder how my grandmother did all that work. One thing is sure, every child had chores to do and they were done!

I remember one time Mary Bryant was the only teacher staying there that year and Uncle Bill was having a problem with reading, so she said she would help him, and she did. Every night I remember hearing them in the living room after I was bed. Free tutoring! I also remember that Uncle B.G and Bill were invited to home to Dovesville for a week with her. Grandma packed their bags with their best clothes. (I need to talk to B.G. about this). By the way, Cat Pond School, where we attended was the community school. I still wonder why it was named, “Cat Pond”. Could be that was where stray cats were dropped off.

Before I was old enough to go to school, Grandma would let me go to school with Miss Bryant and stay all day. I remember sitting by her desk in a chair. She would always give me something to keep me busy. I believe Grandpa was a board member of that school. My grandfather was a hard working man. He was a tall, slim man. I can’t recall him ever being stout. Grandmother was a little on the heavy side and as a young child, I loved sitting in her lap as she sang songs to me. Her lap was soft and her arms were loving. I know I was special to her because of her many expressions of love. (Clarice as a young lady in Hartsville in the right photo).

Grandpa was hard on his children in that he wanted them to grow up, get an education and be dependable and respectful to others. In those days so many children had to sacrifice education for labor on the farm. Just about everything that could provide food for families was raised on the farm. Therefore, there was no hired labor, it was provided by the children in the home and neighbors willing to pitch in.

The gardens in the spring and summer were filled with vegetables of all kinds. This provided an abundance of canned goods for the winter. Hogs raised would fill the big smoke house as sausage, ham, cracklins, and backbones would be made and cured. Fat was trimmed from every piece of meat and cooked out to make lard for bread and cooking. Corn provided grits and meal; and field peas grew in the corn field. These were dried to provide food for the table. Butter beans that dried on the vines were gathered for winter meals. Sweet potatoes were planted and harvested and placed in the potato bank for protection from the winter cold.

Cows provided milk and butter. Several dozen chickens made many Sunday dinners very special. Only thing, the children seldom ever had a choice piece. The adults ate first and children last taking the smaller portions, but we never complained. We had grape arbors which grew the biggest, juiciest grapes ever. They made jelly and preserves. I remember Aunt Grace and Aunt Kate slipped around and even made some wine with the grapes. Grandpa never knew about that! Grandpa never allowed onions to be planted anywhere. He said the hogs wouldn’t eat them. Aunt Grace had some in the corner of the garden and Grandpa pulled them up.

Sugar cane provided syrup for the family…molasses. In the winter time turnips and collards were favorite vegetables. Geese, ganders, and guineas gave us feathers for the feather beds we slept on. Our clothes were boiled in an iron pot and came out white as snow. Shirts were starched and pillow cases and table cloths were starched and ironed. Grandmother spent many hours at the sewing machine making everyone’s clothes.

Our water came from a big pump at the edge of the front yard. There was also a pump on the back porch by the kitchen. This was shaded by a very large fig tree. Peanuts were planted and everyone enjoyed them. Pecans from the trees were used in cooking and eating. We ate very healthy. We had all the fruits and vegetables we needed. 4


The Secret I Kept

I cannot recall my age, but I know I had to be able to write. One day when there was no one around the house but my grandmother and me, she said, “I want you to go to the toilet, (out house), with me. I want you to write a letter for me”. So, we went down past the cane patch to the toilet. This was a big “two holer” and she sat on one side and I on the other. She said that she wanted me to write a letter for her and she wanted me to promise not to tell anyone about it. I promised her I would not tell.

The letter was addressed to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. I do not remember the wording but it was about the fact that they were in danger of losing the farm and she was pleading with him to please make it possible for this not to happen. She signed the letter and I addressed it and took it up to the mail box, put the flag up and ran back to the house. This was on the main road above their house. Through the years I have kept this secret, not telling anyone until Pete, Jr. and I were talking and I shared this with him. He asked me to write down all of my memories about my grandparent’s life on their farm. How I wish I had taken the time to write down special sayings, jokes, etc., to share with my family.

My grandparents were hardworking, God fearing people who strived to make life better and worth living. My grandfather walked from his home to the Byerly Hospital where I worked as a nurse and operating room assistant. He was sick and it was early in the morning. I was on night duty at the time. The clinic nurse came to my floor and told me that my grandfather had asked for me, he was in the emergency room.

I went up there and he took my hand and held it. I can’t remember what was said and I didn’t know the seriousness of his condition at the time. I will never forget how his hands felt so gnarled from all of the hard work that he had done all of his life for his family.