Friday, December 21, 2012

A Single Step in Line




I feared Grover
when I was small.
Traveling a dirt road
across the Knob,
Mother would sometimes
slow to a stop and say,"Teri, help yourself to the dipper
 while I carry Grover his supper."

The dipper, 
a dimpled, tin
water ladle,
was slung 'cross a line on a willow
that hung near icy water 
weeping forth
from a slick and mossy rock.
My mother's arms, laden with loaves
and foil-covered dishes,
both steered and nudged
me toward the perennial spring,
a generational point of harbor.

Later, without mother,
I would ride the white mare
bareback over the road 
in an effort to locate the cousins. 
Passing by,
I'd mark Grover's solitary trek
a twisted grape stick in hand. 

Once, before he died, 
I stopped at the spring
to fill a jug of water. 
Grover,
still as his stump, sat
in overalls that were 
soiled and ragged, 
Resting upon his palms, 
his hoary head was
obscured by scraggly white hair.
Cradling, Lily, my newborn, 
I walked over the blacktop
to place and leave
a basket at his feet.


That afternoon
I carried the coveted water
to Aunt Ruthie, 
my last maternal link
there in the hollow. 
"What's Grover's story?" I asked her.
"How long was Grover homeless?"

"Why sis," 
She replied
" When your mama
weren't more than a chap, 
Our mama would walk her
over the way 
to carry that poor man a
parcel of vittles. 
He sure loved her
apple stacks."
I'm ninety-six this year 
So I reckon Grover's lived there
nigh always.  Anyway, since the fever
wiped out most-a his folks."

" Ruthie, 
every Sunday 
Mom always cooked 
extra for Grover, but
I never asked her, 
where does he live, 
where does he sleep?"

My aunt's thin hand
stretched like a paw 
and clasped my own. 
"Merciful heavens, girl!
Your mama had heart. 
Grover sleeps where he lives
The ground is his bed. 
In winter he cleaves 
to the sides of the hill.
This old earth shelters that man."



© Teresa Price
4/2009, revised 12/2012c
*poetic license w/ Aunt Ruthie's story

Piney Knob Baptist Church Cemetery:


Robertson, George F. September 26, 1849 December 11, 1932
Robertson, Theodocia S. May 1, 1861 November 9, 1943

Robertson, Zack C. c1889 c1975

Robertson, Grover July 10, 1891 September 17, 1988





1910 census

Name:
Grove H Roberson
[Grover H]
Age in 1910:
19
Birth Year:
abt 1891
[1891]
Birthplace:
North Carolina
Home in 1910:
Morgan, Rutherford, North Carolina
Race:
White
Gender:
Male
Relation to Head of House:
Son
Marital Status:
Single
Father's Name:
George F Roberson
Father's Birthplace:
North Carolina
Mother's Name:
Theodocia Roberson
Mother's Birthplace:
North Carolina
Neighbors:
Household Members:





1940 census  (Is this the same person?)

Name:
Grover Roberson
Respondent:
Yes
Age:
43
Estimated Birth Year:
abt 1897
Gender:
Male
Race:
White
Birthplace:
North Carolina
Marital Status:
Single
Relation to Head of House:
Head
Home in 1940:
Chimney Rock, Rutherford, North Carolina
Farm:
Yes
Inferred Residence in 1935:
Chimney Rock, Rutherford, North Carolina
Residence in 1935:
Same House
Resident on farm in 1935:
Yes
Sheet Number:
12B
Number of Household in Order of Visitation:
205
Occupation:
Farmer
House Owned or Rented:
Owned
Value of Home or Monthly Rental if Rented:
3000
Attended School or College:
No
Highest Grade Completed:
College, 1st year
Class of Worker:
Working on own account
Weeks Worked in 1939:
48
Income:
0
Income Other Sources:
Yes
Neighbors:
Household Members:

NameAge
Grover Roberson43




1920 Census:  (Ruth is Francis R, age 12)


Name:
Fred A Mcentire
Age:
40
Birth Year:
abt 1880
Birthplace:
North Carolina
Home in 1920:
High Shoals, Rutherford, North Carolina
Race:
White
Gender:
Male
Relation to Head of House:
Head
Marital Status:
Married
Spouse's Name:
Maggie Mcentire
Father's Birthplace:
North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:
North Carolina
Home owned:
Rent
Able to read:
No
Able to Write:
No
Neighbors:
Household Members:



* Noreen McEntire died in childhood.  She is buried near her Grandfather, Nelson Morgan Breeden in a cemetery in Gaffney, SC.

1930 census:


Name:
Fred A Mcentire
Gender:
Male
Birth Year:
abt 1883
Birthplace:
North Carolina
Race:
White
Home in 1930:
Morgan, Rutherford, North Carolina
Marital Status:
Married
Relation to Head of House:
Head
Spouse's Name:
Maggie A Mcentire
Father's Birthplace:
North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:
North Carolina
Occupation:

Education:

Military Service:

Rent/home value:

Age at first marriage:

Parents' birthplace:
*
Neighbors:
Household Members:





1910 Census



Name:
Ruth F Mcentire
Age in 1910:
2
Birth Year:
abt 1908
[1908]
Birthplace:
North Carolina
Home in 1910:
Polkville, Cleveland, North Carolina
Race:
White
Gender:
Female
Relation to Head of House:
Daughter
Marital Status:
Single
Father's Name:
Fred A Mcentire
Father's Birthplace:
North Carolina
Mother's Name:
Maggie A Mcentire
Mother's Birthplace:
Tennessee
Neighbors:
Household Members:




1930 census:


Name:
Ruth Atchley
Gender:
Female
Birth Year:
abt 1909
Birthplace:
North Carolina
Race:
White
Home in 1930:
Morgan, Rutherford, North Carolina
View Map
Marital Status:
Married
Relation to Head of House:
Wife
Spouse's Name:
Horace Atchley
Father's Birthplace:
North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:
North Carolina
Occupation:

Education:

Military Service:

Rent/home value:

Age at first marriage:

Parents' birthplace:
*
Neighbors:
Household Members:





1940 census

Name:
Ruth Atchley
Respondent:
Yes
Age:
31
Estimated Birth Year:
abt 1909
Gender:
Female
Race:
White
Birthplace:
North Carolina
Marital Status:
Married
Relation to Head of House:
Wife
Home in 1940:
Golden Valley, Rutherford, North Carolina
View Map
Street:
Cave Creek Mountain Road
Inferred Residence in 1935:
Rural, Rutherford, North Carolina
Residence in 1935:
Rural, Rutherford, North Carolina
Resident on farm in 1935:
Yes
Sheet Number:
1B
Attended School or College:
No
Highest Grade Completed:
High School, 2nd year
Weeks Worked in 1939:
0
Income:
0
Income Other Sources:
No
Neighbors:
Household Members:




Frances Ruth Atchley
1909 - 2008
Ruth (McEntire) Atchley, age 99, of Union Mills, N.C., died Wednesday, June 25, 2008, at Brian Center East in Hickory, N.C. A native of Cherokee County, SC She was a homemaker and member of Shingle Hollow Congregational Holiness. . She was the daughter of the late Fred McEntire and the late Margaret (Breden) McEntire and the widow of the late Horace Earl Atchley. 
Source: http://www.arrangeonline.com/Obituary/obituary.asp?obituaryid=69645093&info=vs


No comments:

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Total Pageviews