Memory Lane - Reidsville, GA (1960's and 70's)

Some of my earliest memories begin in Reidsville.  Larry has some that go back even further back than mine do.  Some of these memories are a little on the amusing side, and they'll be told a little later.  Some aren't quite so amusing, but they don't fall in the realm of classic literary tragedy either.  They'll be told along the way also.  Anyway...

A list of the people (and places) that make Reidsville what it is to me are listed at the bottom of the page.  You can click here to see them.  Also, if I've left anyone out, or if you have stories of your own, please e-mail me here so I can include them.

Reidsville, and Tattnall County, are old.  On December 5, 1801, the Georgia legislature carved and created Tattnall County from Montgomery County.  It was named for Josiah Tattnall (1762-1803), a U.S. Senator and Georgia's 25th Governer.  Tattnall's greatest claim to fame was in being a prominent force in repealing the Yazoo Act.  In 1801, when the county was created, Tattnall County had no towns, so the legislature ordered that county business be conducted at the home of Zacharia Cox who lived at Drake's Ferry on the Ohoopee River.  That seemed to serve the purpose until about 1807 or 1808 when a separate log cabin was built specifically to conduct county business.  Sometime ca.1828, the county bought some land near the center of the county and built its first courthouse.  The original courthouse was replaced ca. 1854, and the ca.1854 courthouse, was in turn, replaced in 1902 with the one pictured at left.  During the 1950s and 1960s, much of the nation was bitten by the "modernization" bug, and Tattnall County was no different.  Under the guise of this movement, local power brokers had this grand old building renovated into this monstrosity in the early 1960s.  Much to the county's credit, they're trying to restore it to it's pre-60s grandure, and the Tattnall Journal is running this blog chronicalling the efforts.

Anyway, in ca.1827 or ca.1828, the Georgia Legislature named a committee of seven men to select a site at the geographical center of the County for a new court house, and subsequently built it ca.1828.  In 1832, the county's first post office was errected near the courthouse, and this newly formed community began calling itself Reidsville in honor of Superior Court Judge, Robert Reid.  There is some small debate over whether it was named for Judge Robert E. Reid or Judge Robert R. Reid (1789-1841).  Regardless, they named it Reidsville, and six years later (1838), Reidsville was given a town charter and officially incorporated. 

Today, Tattnall County is home to the towns of Claxton, Cobbtown, Collins, Glennville, Manassas, Reidsville, and several smaller named communities.  Reidsville sits at the crossroads of Brazell Street (U.S. 280) and Main Street (S.R. 57, S.R. 121).  For a "modern" view, one can see this Google map of current day Reidsville, but for perspective, one can see several Tattnall County historical maps.  The maps are hosted by the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government, and range in date from ca.1822 to 2001.

Currently, Reidsville is home to around 2500 people.  As is typical of small, rural towns anywhere in south Georgia, the folks are friendly; they wave as one drives by.  They always speak and they're always pleasant.  Most will invite you to dinner and all will invite you to Sunday services.  Sadly, it's smack-dab in the middle of the gnat belt of southern Gerogia, and they can make the summers miserable.  However, in the spring, the Azaleas and Dogwoods leading into town from any direction can make Reidsville one of the most picturesque drives anywhere in America.

Reidsville and Tattnall County are home to approximately 35 or 40 churches and several social organizations including the Reidsville Grand Rascals, Lions club, Jaycees, and various other clubs.  Additional points of interest would include the:

• Courthouse - it will be nice to tour after the restoration is complete,
• Alexander Hotel - Originally built in the 1890s, it is Building #82002481 on the National Register of Historical Places.  In 1988, Tattnall County was one of ten recipients of the National Presidential Historic Preservation Awards.  It is currently used as the Welcome Center for the Tattnall County Chamber.
• Nelson Hotel - Built in the early 1900s, it is also on the National Register of Historical Places as Building #01000305.  It is now a bed and breakfast known as "The Painted Lady" and under private ownership.  The proprietors are English, and quite lovely people.  If you need a place to stay while visiting, this is the place!  Give them a call at 912-557-4480.
• Gordonia-Alatamaha State Park - Fishing, golf, and camping are all available.  Contact and reservations information can be had at the Gordonia-Alatamaha of the Georgia Parks website.

Broxton is a small town, but it is strong and vibrant community, and these people know who they are.  A lot of what makes these folks who they are is what they get at Sunday services.  Strangers are often greeted with "I'd like to invite you to church with us" and old friends depart with "I'll see ya Sunday."  They go to church every week and they take the Gospel home with them.  They live it day to day and throughout their lives.  There's nothing pretentious here; when someone here says "God bless you," it's always sincere and always from the heart.  Truely, God and Church are the bindings on Broxton... and this book reads today just as it did a long time ago.

Currently, Broxton has a bunch of churches.  It has three Churches of God (Broxton CoG, CoG by Faith, and Broxton CoG In Christ), two Methodist churches (both named Broxton United Methodist Church) and six Baptist churches (First, Pridgen, Providence, Reedy Branch, Little Zion, and Heritage).  Pictured below are the Baptist (left two) and Methodist (right two) churches that were there when Dad was a kid.

On a recent visit, Dad took me by and showed me both, the Baptist and the Methodist church.  The Baptist church is across the street from the local high school and the Methodist church is across the street from the house Dad was born in.  He said that although both have grown and had additions, the original brick structures are still there and can easily be discerned.  Some pictures are below.

Now, Dad was christened as a Methodist and went to the Methodist church, but I have my suspicions.  I know that what I'm about to say is going to get me e-mail accusing me of everything from complete ignorance to heresy or blasphemy.  However, my Grandfather on Mom's side was a Baptist preacher (Mom was a Baptist) and my Grandmother on Dad's side was a devout Methodist (as Dad was raised to be).  As a result, I've had the good fortune to sit in on the services of both.  As one gets further away from big city influences, the less difference one sees in these two churches.  By the time you get to small town like Broxton, the biggest difference between them is the letters used to spell them out.  These are good Christian people trying to get salvation with a sense of community.  Affiliation here is much more a function of parentage rather than a difference in the words of The Word.  As empirical support, I offer that both churches are on the same side of where the train depot used to be, so neither is on the wrong side of the tracks.  But further, if you don't believe me, simply go to a small, southern town and sit in on a couple of services, preferably, one of each.

Our journey begins on May 07, 1933. 

It seems that as a small child, Dad had a slight speech impediment.  He had a problem saying his "f"s.  He just couldn't get the "f"s out; no matter what he said, if there was an "f" in it, it always came out as "w" instead.  "W"s weren't a problem... just the "f"s.

Well, on the Christmas of his fourth year, Frank and Lou got Dad a Radio Flyer red wagon for Christmas and Frank had put it together for him.  The Christmas presents unwrapped, the kids were off to play.  Cecil took his new red wagon out onto the front porch.  Betty was off crawling around as she was just a toddler.  Thud-thud-thud...  Lou and Mil were off to the kitchen to start Christmas dinner.  Thump-thump-thump...  S.C. and Frank were sitting in the living room solving the problems of the world.  Thump-thud-thump...

"What is that boy doing?"

"I don't know S.C.  Let's go see."

And out through the front door they go.  As they round the door jamb, Cecil is putting the final touches on the new red wagon.  Somehow, he'd found a hatchet and turned the wagon literally into splinters.

"Can we wix my wagon Wank?" said the little boy.

"Son, I'm gonna tan your hide!"

"Now, hold on S. C.  Let's find out why he did it.  Cecil, why did you tear it up?"

"So we could wix it Wank."

"Well, I have to run down to the store and see if I have some glue."

Frank took the splinters down to the store.  On Christmas eve, he had two of them in the store.  When he got to the store, he took those splinters and threw them away.  Then, he got the other wagon and put it together and brought it back to the house.

"Wank, did you wix my wagon?"

"Now, Cecil, I used all the glue I had to put this back together. Don't tear this up again, or I won't be able to fix it."

"Ok Wank."  Dad said he kept the wagon for years after that.

Dad shoots out windows in warehouse...

After a fashion of time... Mom, Dad, Korean War, etc.

On a weekend in June, 2004, Dad and I took an afternoon trip back to Broxton... a trip back in time.

Some of the old houses are shown below.  houses skirted with lattice.  This must be a "modern" invention because Dad is always talking about hiding under the porch.

Listed below are some of the people that Dad often mentions when he tells his stories. 

• Broxton, Ga. - A very small, south Georgia town where everyone knew everyone else.  It could have easily been Mayberry.
• Cecil  (Sankey Cecil Rogers III (Dad)) - A product of the post depression era, the poor lad often had to walk up hill... both ways, barefoot through the snow just to get to school.  Of course, after school, there was always firewood to chop, what with it being so cold and all.  After the spring thaw, there was the push mower grass cutting festival.  As a boy growing up in Broxton in the 30's and 40's, he fished, and hunted, and generally got into lots of trouble...
• S.C.  (Sankey Cecil Rogers Jr.) - S.C. was my Grandfather.  Papa owned the local grocery store.  During the depression, a lot of money didn't exist, especially in rural communities like Broxton.  As a result, Papa took cash when it was available, he barterd with some, and he simply carried others.  It was just the right thing to do.
• Mil  (Mildred B. Rogers) - Mil was my Grandmother. 
• Billy  (Billy Joe Rogers) - Billy was Dad's older brother.  I never knew Uncle Billy.  He died before 1940 at age 7.
• Betty  (Betty Jane Rogers) - Aunt Betty is Dad's little sister.  She's only a couple years younger than Dad.  She currently lives in South Carolina.
• Frank  (Frank Worth Veazey Sr.) - Frank owned the local gas station/garage.  At the time, it seems that it was more of a hardware store, as Frank sold just about everything that Papa didn't sell in the store.
• Lou  (Louise Veazey) - Frank's wife and Mom #2 to Dad.  The Veazey's, Frank and Lou, were S.C. and Mil's best friends.  Mrs. Veazey resides in Broxton.
• Bubba  (Frank Worth Veazey Jr.) - Mr. Frank resides in Broxton and now owns what became (out of the station) the parts store.  As of 2004, "Been there 64 years.  Wal-Mart can't say that!"  Mr. Frank is a few years younger than Dad, and the age difference kept them from being running buddies back then, but with such common ground, they've been friends all of their lives. 
• Anne  (Anne Denton) - Mose Alton's Mom and Mom #3 to Dad.  Mrs. Denton lived across the street from the Baptist Church and beside the school.  She was a school teacher.  The combination of teacher and Mom #3 title gave her some "special" powers.
• "Mose" Alton  (Moses Alton Denton) - Anne Denton's son and one of Dad's boyhood friends. 
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Resources

Credit where it's due...  A special thanks to Lu Veazey and her son, Frank (Bubba) Veazey Jr.  Their kindness in sharing their memories and photos is greatly appreciated.  So was supper; Mr. Frank cooks some of the best fried chicken I've ever eaten.  Also, I'd like to thank Mr. Ed Jackson of the University of Georgia.  He graciously supplied the early maps.  And, of course, I'll never be able to thank Dad enough.

Rogers, Sankey Cecil III (Dad).  "The Never Ending, Ever Incessant, Often Told Collection."

Jackson, Ed.  "Historical Atlas of Georgia Counties."  Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia 
< http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/histcountymaps/>.  (Jun. 2004).

Satilla Regional Library System.  "Broxton Public Library." 
Corner of Church & West.
P.O. Box 513
Broxton, Ga 31519-0513
(912) 359-3887 (Jun. 2004).