Category: Smithwick

Crazy Times, Smithwick, The Early DaysLeave a comment

The Stolen Beer Caper

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Big Jimmy grew up across the highway at Smithwick, Texas from our Grandmother. Maw-Maw is what we called her, until in later years we called her Nonie, as she was called by many of her nieces and nephews. Nonie was derived from Leona, by her little brother years earlier. Jimmy helped Kenny & me haul hay and with other work around the place as we grew up. After getting his commercial driver’s license he started driving a dump truck for our Dad on weekends and after school. Since Kenny always had a girlfriend and became occupied with her, Jimmy and … Continue reading The Stolen Beer Caper

Crazy Times, Kenny Lewis, My Friends, Smithwick, The Early DaysLeave a comment

Hay Hauling – Smithwick Style

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At 15 cents per bale, three young boys could make a fortune hauling hay or so we thought. Our Dad furnished the pickup, a 55 Chevy ¾ ton with a 4 speed and a 6 cylinder engine. But we had to pay for gas, which was cheap – $.30 per gal and flat repairs, which was a big unknown. We kept several spare tires around just in case. That’s what you did back in those days. Kenny was the driver, the pusher, the big boss man of the bunch. That left big Jimmy Palmer and me to load the hay … Continue reading Hay Hauling – Smithwick Style

My Friends, Smithwick, The Early DaysLeave a comment

Big Jim’s Ride

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Jim and Hanna put Jimmy in his first vehicle, a “53” Chevrolet 1/2 ton step-side pickup. It was a red color, with a few dents all around it, but it was solid. (This is about the best photo I could find to replicate that old pickup) He drove that old pickup for a few years before he bought Wallace Herberts gold “65” Impala. (This is a close resemblance to his Impala) I would say he wasn’t real easy on a vehicle, but he was always able to keep them going. That’s probable a good testament to how well built vehicles … Continue reading Big Jim’s Ride

Another Daily Happening, Crazy Times, My Friends, Smithwick, The Early DaysLeave a comment

The Gift

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Some of my best memories growing up was hauling hay and doing the hard work. I’m not sure why those are my best memories, but they are. A few years ago when Madeline and I turned 60, our kids along with Kenny and Carol threw us a grand party out at Kenny’s place on Cow Creek. Jimmy Palmer brought me one of the best gifts I could have received. It was his hay hook that had hung in his barn for all these years. He wanted me to have it to remind me of the time that when he got … Continue reading The Gift

My Friends, Smithwick, The History of Texas4 Comments

Big Jim, The Best Friend A Feller Could Ask For

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When Jim Cox married Hanna and moved her and her young son, Jimmy Palmer to Smithwick, life would never be the same. He was 9 years old, putting him a 1/2 year older than Kenny and 3 older than me. They moved into Jim’s house that was across the highway from my Grandmother, Nonie. Since we spent most of the summers there with her and every weekend until we moved back from our years at Jollyville, we were together much of the time. Jimmy was as big for his age as I was small for mine. Kenny, having a strong … Continue reading Big Jim, The Best Friend A Feller Could Ask For

Amazing Things, Smithwick, The Early Days2 Comments

How Great Is The Internet !

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While looking through a box of old papers and memorabilia, my brother sent me a photo of a card and it’s envelope that was addressed to our grandfather in 1938 at an Austin address. We knew he spent a long duration in the hospital back then due to a ruptured appendix. We surmised that perhaps St. David’s Hospital was at 205 Caney St. in its early years. I knew we had a conversation on another FB group a while back about the old St. David’s, complete with photos. So that pretty well eliminated it being on Caney St. in 1938. … Continue reading How Great Is The Internet !

Smithwick, The Early DaysLeave a comment

Some History Of Driver’s License In Texas

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Below is a copy of the driver’s license of my Great Grandfather, Francis (Frank) P. Lewis. He would have obtained his in the very early days after they started to issue them, February 26, 1936 with it becoming a requirement on April 1, 1936. I guess he couldn’t fathom paying a $200 fine for not having it. A Younger Frank Lewis Below Is An Older Frank P. Lewis just prior to his passing in 1956. This is a copy of a DL of my Grandfather, Andrew Theron Lewis. He died in 1958. This is a copy of a DL of … Continue reading Some History Of Driver’s License In Texas

Amazing Things, SmithwickLeave a comment

The Mystery of the Death of So Many Children From One Family

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It was brought to my attention some time back that in the Smithwick Cemetery there are the graves of 6 children that died during a very short period of time. They all died within 4 years. I found several oddities about this. If they had all died at the same time, perhaps the plague or a house fire may have been the cause. But they died in groups of 2. A boy 8 and a boy 4 died on the same day, Feb. 9, 1859. Three years later a little girl 5 and a little boy almost 4 died three … Continue reading The Mystery of the Death of So Many Children From One Family

Amazing Things, SmithwickLeave a comment

I Ran Across Something I Think Is Remarkable

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We currently have a professional cemetery headstone restorationist doing some work on the very old and damaged headstones at the Smithwick Cemetery. He remarked that a certain group of the stones in old section were different from anything he had ever run across. When you rub on it becomes slick, even seemly an oily feel to it. The white stone is delicate enough that scratching it with a thumbnail will erode it. He said he had never seen anything like it before. I remarked that felt like soapstone. As the fellow continued to work on the various headstones, I found … Continue reading I Ran Across Something I Think Is Remarkable