Aug. 1, 2004

from David Coon:

Marianne, I can't remember all the bills in Japan. When you had to buy something off base if the price tag had 100 yen it was about one dollar in US money. Brian could remember more because he spent more time off base.

I remember Book. He walked with a limp and he often would ask Papa for money.

from Aunt Jane:

Marianne, so glad you are enjoying the e-mails. The "envelope" from your Daddy mailed 9-24-43 is a mystery, and you have probably got the correct answer to the whereabouts of the contents. Coon4, thanks for your contribution as to the value of the Japanese money. Marianne, you also asked how long Easter worked for us, which was around 40 years. She and Book came here with Gran and Granddaddy when they moved from Lorman to Port Gibson in 1928. She had been sick several years before she died in 1971.

Martha, you asked where Malcolm and I were born, and you really need to know that. I remember the day Gran died someone asked me who that baby picture was that hangs over the fireplace in the living room. It had always been there, but I had never thought to ask who the baby was. Now we will never know. Malcolm's Mother and Daddy were living in Perth, MS, at the time of Malcolm's birth, but Mrs. Montgomery came to the house that was "home" to her, the house that Aunt Lena was living in when she died, to give birth to Malcolm, and her Mother took care of her until she was able to go back to Perth. I was born below Lorman, MS. I guess Easter took care of Mother. We didn't have any telephones and no close neighbors, so Daddy rang the farm bell, which is in our yard now, to notify everyone around of my birth.

Question: Who broke her arm riding a horse her Daddy had told her not to ride?

Answer: Jane. It must have been in 1939, give or take a few years. My pony, Pretty Girl, had a colt, named Annie. She had not been "broken" and Daddy told me not to ride her. I can't believe I didn't mind Daddy, because I always did, but this time I didn't. Was at my neighbor's house, about one mile from our house, and had gotten off the horse to close the gate. I didn't have a saddle, and when I jumped on the horse, she started running, and as I threw my leg over her back, she cut and I fell over the other side of her. I heard my arm crack, and was afraid to come home and tell Daddy. He was real sweet and took me to Dr. Hays, our dentist who had the only X-ray machine in town. Dr. Hays confirmed it was my shoulder broken, and recommend that we go to Vicksburg to the hospital. Since it was my shoulder, they had to strap it to my chest and I had to wear it that way for 6 weeks. Thus the penalty for not obeying my Daddy.

from Marianne Granier:

Did Gran and MaMa have a doctor to deliver their babies or did they have midwives? Did Easter assist in your delivery? How much did ya'll weigh? I know Dad was a big baby, around 9 or 10 lbs.

I have never heard of Perth, MS, in my life. Where is it & what were MaMa & PaPa doing there?

from Emmett Roan:

Marianne, we have your Dad's birth announcement that MaMa Myrtie gave to your Uncle Bud and Aunt Lena. It states Malcolm, Jr., born on October 30, 1924, weighed 9 pounds.

Gerald was born on November 22, 1928, and weighed 7 pounds.

John, Jr., says that he remembers hearing that his Mother drove up to Peyton and brought Aunt Beulah Sorrels down to assist when your Dad was born. You know Aunt Beulah and Grandmother Clara were sisters. Dr. Barron was most likely there for the event.

And back to the setting hens, my sister reminded me today that our Mother always marked the eggs with a pencil all the way around. Sometimes another hen would get on the nest with the setting hen and lay an egg so alien egg was easily identified. Grace says she thinks 15 eggs made a "setting".

I am enjoying all the stories. Terrific idea, Martha.