Friday, July 22, 2011

The Pounding

Several days after his father died, Clifford went to a nearby store in the wagon to get some corn meal ground. He came back with 6 pokes of flour, 1 sack of Daisy Middlings, 1 sack of meal, 10 pounds of sugar, 2 pounds of coffee, one dollar's worth of beans, an envelope of money, and this note:

"Whereas the said Homer Carter met with death in an areplain (sic) and has left a wife and fore (sic) children and they are weakly and left them very dependent and we the people feel it our duty to give her money to help her bar (sic) her many berdens (sic) and sign our name below."

Two sheets of lined paper listed 85 names and their contributions totaling $161.50.  I'm sure the custom of helping neighbors out in time of need by giving a "pounding" (a pound of sugar, flour, coffee, etc.) and the gifts of money made things a little easier for Annie Carter and her children.

Annie died two years later on June 1, 1928, age 37, after a measles epidemic.  The four children stayed on the farm until December, when the place was sold.  Then, they came to Bassett and boarded with various friends and relatives.

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