In My Wildest Dreams...And More
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Granny told us many stories of her youth, how her mother died early in life, leaving her to care for her younger brothers, Henry, who later owned and operated a foundry in Keysville, Virginia; Walker, Jeff, Chap and John, also sisters Eula, Pattie, Carrie and another sister who died as an infant from a fire in the family fireplace. Then as granny said, along came a handsome, stately young man from a few miles up the road, Luther Elder, bringing her a pound of Brazil nuts for a Christmas gift. I can still hear her chuckle as she related that story to us. Anyway, it had its lasting rewards: a beautiful marriage, which spanned over six decades, culminating into a family of five daughters, Mary, Leona, Emma, Eula, Florine, Janie and Norma Lee, and four boys, Elbert, Henry, Corbin and Len, also living to enjoy their many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
When my mother, Mary, the eldest of granddaddy’s and granny’s daughters, was 15, my dad, Watson Lewellyn Marston (Watt), the son of Robert and Mary Palmer Elder Marston, from the Hat Creek community of adjoining Campbell County, some 18 or 20 miles away, came by horse and buggy all the way to Rolling Hill to meet Mary through a mutual friend, Bernard Elder. Watt, already 25 and not willing to continue driving his horse and buggy that distance over dirt and muddy roads in all kinds of weather, soon proposed to Mary. She being only 15 and legally underage for marriage in
Dad often laughed as he told us the story of how granddaddy Elder greeted them upon their return home. Dad said granddaddy didn’t even speak to them and as daddy phrased it, “he just walked around with his lip poked out.” Daddy in his usual wit said to him, “If you don’t take that lip in you will step on it.” That broke the ice, helping to create a bond of life-long friendship, always helping each other, with daddy turning to granddaddy for advice and fatherly wisdom in many areas of his life.
Daddy and mama then moved to the tobacco farm at Hat Creek, which he jointly owned with his sister and brother-in-law, Cornelia and Dick Elder. Daddy had already built a two or three room house which is still standing today after weathering some 85 years, its boards still sound because as daddy said, he “kiln” dried the timbers before building it. He was already using his exact and thorough, and sometimes, maybe,’ the hardest way of accomplishing a task - and I thought in growing up, it was a characteristic he had just acquired to practice on us!! His philosophy - “Do it well or not at all.”
The first of their, eventually eleven children, Pauline (Polly) was born there at Hat Creek, two years later Evelyn was born there, also. After several years at Hat Creek, daddy sold his portion of the farm to Uncle Dick and purchased a farm at Rolling Hill from a black man by the name of Billy King. I wish I knew more about him, only as a child I remember our farm was referred to as the “Billy King farm.” It was located a few miles across Bear Creek from Mama’s birthplace. She was back home at last. The story goes, that Billy King was burned out by some jealous people of his own race-- stable, horses and all. He must have been very prosperous to have owned such a fine, fertile farm.
Daddy and mama, Polly and Evelyn moved into a house consisting of a log room, a shed room on two sides and a front porch in between. There I, Ruth, was born in that log room,
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About the Book
I have written of experiences and the many changes during my 84 years of God-Given life!
Today’s generation cannot imaging living without electricity, studying by dimly lighted oil lamps, having to use out-door toilets, walking miles to a two room in wintery, snowy weather, and making wood fires after arrival.
With no means of transportation except by horse-drawn buggy or wagon, evenings around the family fireplace, the fire aglow, popping corn in a wire popper and playing games, reading and listening to adults tell stories of their by-gone days-all are precious memories to me.
By only dim lamp lights and in the room of family gale, we were able to get our homework done - probably an impossibility for today’s generation.
I hope my book reveals to this present generation and all posterity that the appreciation and values of life are learned from hard work and perseverance and that family-love and togetherness, even in humble surroundings, take precedence over much materialism.
About the Author
Today, November, 1999, as I, Ruth Marston Carwile, stand on the brink of another year, another century and yes, another millennium and also my eightieth birthday, I will try to portray to you, my readers, some of the changes which I have witnessed over the span of those years:
I, like every young person, hoped and dreamed of a prosperous fulfilling life, but in my wildest dreams and youthful imagery could never have foreseen the dramatic changes in scientific and medical technology, social and economic development and in every phase of life, as I have seen transpire over the past 50 years. I once had a Sunday School teacher who, in her mind, would explain in metaphor, how all inventions, discoveries, etc. are made possible for us. She said they are as apples already on a tree which God lowers, within reach of man, giving him the ability to attain them, and the natural gifts and talents to develop them, in His own Providential time and way.
If that be true, never before in history has God been so busy “lowering apples” nor has He given mankind so much knowledge, skill and ability to develop them as in the past 50 years. Even today, when we are so blessed as never before with modern conveniences, technology, etc., each new day brings newness on the horizon, with much of the old becoming obsolete. After so many changes, the carnal mind tells me that there cannot be many more “apples” left on the tree to be developed, but the Spiritual instincts ring out loud and clear - “My Father worketh still and so do I” John 5:17!! Please follow me now as I reflect on these ever changing times.