Places around Lincoln - Part 1

The next few paragraphs tell more about some of the home places, stores, and mills in and around Lincoln. They are marked on the map (See May 17 post).

Number 13
The Smith Water Mill, located on the branch called Cottrell, (once Pugh), about a half mile west of our house on the Old Goshen Road. The mill was build by Mr. Rozell about the time of the Civil War, was later run by Beavers. We all pronounced the name RAW-ZULL. In my childhood was run by Arthur Smith.

Mr. Arthur and Sarah were Yankees from Pennsylvania. I knew them well. They were staunch Northern Presbyterian who joined the ARP Church. While strong supporters, their ideas often clashed with the more southern philosophy of the other members. It was to this mill that I carried my first "turn of corn." The term "turn" as then used by all, meaning to transform from corn to meal. Old Jude was always my beast of burden. A horse powered sorghum mill with cooking pans were located across the road form the mill. We had our cane processed into molasses here. During the depression molasses was an important food and used liberally by all. The old wooden overshot wheel, powered by a holding pond and race from Cottrell's Spring was replaced in the early 1900's by Mr. Tom Beavers, then owner of the mill. He purchased the mill from Sears-Roebuck in kit form, picked it up in wagons at Brighton near Flintville, hauled it home, assembled it on the spot, breaking his arm in the process. The mill house and wheel are still standing today, having been converted into a residence.

Number 14
Old Williams' Place on the New Hope Road. It was at this place while grandfather and grandmother Marsh lived there (1923-24) that I remember seeing my great grandfather John W. Marsh, just before his death. He had a long white beard reminding me of a sketch of Moses.

John W. Marsh (1835-1923) and wife Sarah Louisiana Davis (1848-1918)

John W. Marsh and his wife Sarah Louisiana Davis

Number 15

Old Jim Stephenson Place. Grandfather Mike and grandmother Lelia Beasley Marsh once lived here. He ran a print shop and I often turned the huge fly wheel while he fed the press. I was fascinated at the wonderful masterpieces that came out of the mouth of this monster. It was here that I saw grand-dad clear a five foot fence, shuck his trousers when a black racer snake went up his pants leg. They moved from here to a tar paper house, that mother and dad built for them on our place above our house.

Michael G. Marsh Property

Number 16

Grandmother Lelia Marsh died here in 1939. She was a good grandmother. They had moved here when grandaddy Mike had a tiff with dad.

Annie Lelia Beasley (1876-1939)

Number 17

Grissom's Store. This was run by old Mr. Grissom, later by his son-in-law Charles Ross Kennedy. It was here that I heard my first prize fight, Jimmy Braddock and Max Smelling, here I had my first Coca Cola, Strawberry Nehi, had my first Baby Ruth, Snickers Bar, put roasted peanuts in a RC Cola, ate a Moon Pie, pitched at the crack, sold our first rick of stove wood we had cut from the wod lot back of the house to buy a stand of lard, made my first phone call on an old wall crank phone, purchased my first gallon of gasoline for 11 cents to go see Helen in our old used Chevy, purchase gasoline here for the 36 Chevy for Helen and I to go to Huntsville to get married in 1941.

When I was in 7th grade in school, located just above the store, on hot September days our teacher, Neb. Jones would send me down to the store to get him a Coke. He averaged four a day. He would proceed to drink the cold icy Coke in front of the class as we sat with parched throats, torture at it's worst.

Number 18
Dad leased this land for cotton for two years.

Number 19
My friend Buddy Shelton lived here.

Number 20
My friend Shirley Bain lived here.

Number 21
My friend Clayton Rutledge lived here.

Number 22
Here dad picked up a bundle of corn tops in the field in 1938 and a copper head snake slithered out. Not sure who was more shocked that day.

Number 23
Got hair cut here by Tommy Jones, the day before Helen and I got married.

Number 24
Charles Ross Kennedy Store. Often walked to this store to catch the school bus to Flintville High School. It, at that time was Towery Store, at the time I was born it was run by Steve Mitchell.

Number 25
Old Horse Shoe ground, where great games were played, lots of tobacco chewing and spitting.

Number 26
Used this lane as a short cut from home to school.