The following stories were written by Betty Messinger.
All references to 'Dad' and 'Mom' refer to her parents Charles Robert and Ruth Virginia Adams.
Rube Mayfield had one son Jim who was married to Bertha. Jim and Bertha had a son named Clarence. Rube and his son Jim, died on the same day. Rube died, then Jim called his son Clarence to hitch up the wagon to go get a coffin. Before Clarence could get the wagon hitched up Jim had died and Clarence had to go get two coffins.
**The actual days of death are 17 Sept 1931 1:30 p.m. for Rube, and 18 Sept 1931 3:30 a.m. for Jim.
One Saturday, Papa (John Wesley Adams) bought himself a shotgun and Dad and his sister Hazel new school clothes, on Monday Dad came home from school, Uncle Logan (Logan Abbott) and Hazel were skinning a mink. Uncle Logan said,"Where you going G-Boy or Buck?" He called Dad either name. Dad told him he was going home. Uncle Logan said, "You don't have a home boy, it burned." Dad said his sister Hazel and Aunt Berthie Grant got the bedclothes and clothing out but they caught fire and burned too.
**This would have been in about 1922 or 23 since Charles Robert only went through the second grade.
When Dad cooked for him and Papa, (Flora Jane died in 1922) if he burned it or cooked too much he just hid it behind a log nearby. If he burned dinner he'd just go catch Papa some fish. Papa loved fish. Papa was a drinker and a gambler.
Dad roamed the country alone. At age 14, in 1928, he hiked from Parkin, Arkansas to Harrisburg, Arkansas. A man told Dad it was a long way to Harrisburg so Dad slept behind a log. When he woke up with snow on him the town was right over the hill. He was going to Harrisburg to work for Jim Mayfield.
Once at age 16, (1930) Dad was hiking again and night came. He bought a can of beans and and the store owner went home and got some cold biscuits for him, that was his dinner. He went down to a bridge and started a fire but was still freezing. He wanted the sheriff to let him sleep in the jail but it was cold too. So the sheriff told him to go to the train depot and sleep and he would get him a ride to Turrell, Arkansas. The next morning Dad didn't wait for a ride, come daybreak he hopped on a train and rode partway.
Three weeks before Mom and Dad married in 1932, Dad sold a crop for $30.00. Mom kept the money and bought a knit two-tone blue wedding dress with overblouse and underwear for $4.98 and a marriage licence for $3.10. After they were married they had $7.50 left and always kept $7.50 back for a long time. Uncle Willie Summers, Uncle Nelson Betts, Grandaddy Elder, and Papa walked uptown with them to get married.
June 30, 1936 - Mom, Dad, and John Franklin (their son), he was one year old, left Blytheville, Arkansas and headed for Grayridge, Missouri. They hitched a ride to Catron, Missouri. Last ride was with a wagon and team. John Franklin got sick so they stayed a month with Aunt Ethel and Uncle Ellis Dunn in Catron and then went looking for work. Route D was just a dirt road then. John Franklin took his first steps that day. He crawled around chasing some little ducks and Aunt Ethel told him if he'd walk and catch one he could have it. Before night, he walked and caught one and accidentally killed it before anyone could get to him and stop him.
When Mom and Dad left Blytheville they sold all they had for $10.00. Paid $4.00 back rent, spent $1.00 for a suitcase and $1.00 for Mom a pair of shoes and started out.
Flood of 1937 - The Mississippi River overflowed and Mom and Dad lost a lot. Their bible and marriage license were left but mice had chewed the corners off both. E.B. Gee and Mr. Coppage built a big lot to care for stock for people while they were in Red Cross camps. Mr. Gee furnished a big boat to carry stock to safety. 'Jack-leg robbers' were stealing stock and other items because people had to leave them behind. Mom and Dad didn't have to go to the Red Cross camp because they were safe from water.
1937 - Dad (age 23) had maleria, he was so sick he ate only soup. Mom fanned him so much she could fan him and sleep too. He became so skinny they had to wrap rags around his feet to keep his shoes on.
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