Category: Smithwick

My Friends, SmithwickLeave a comment

The Gift of the Anvil

lewisotr

This mini-anvil was recently given to me by a friend. “Punk” had my brother, Kenny dig it out of the barn a few weeks ago so he could bring it to me. It has become a “prize possession” to me. This little anvil only weighs slightly over 25 lbs. I’m not sure if it at one time was part of a vise or was somehow mounted on something. DL “Punk” Turner and his brother GH “Son” Turner farmed and ranched down on Cow Creek here in Burnet & Travis Counties all of thier lives. We lost son just over 4 … Continue reading The Gift of the Anvil

Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, Smithwick, The Early DaysLeave a comment

1960s Trucking

lewisotr

Hauling things were much different back when I was young. Many ranchers and cowboys had a set of sideboards they’d put on the back of their pickup and then a horse and sometimes two would be loaded in the back. I can remember how unstable a 1/2 ton truck was with that much weight swaying back and forth and the high center of gravity. Many of the old-timers weren’t very accomplished drivers, either. While we did that some I think of something now that seems much more risky. Hauling a JD 450 loader in the back of a 5 yd. … Continue reading 1960s Trucking

SmithwickLeave a comment

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

lewisotr

It was brought to my attention some time ago 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 just … Continue reading The Mystery of the Death of So Many Children From One Family

Cecil Lewis, Smithwick, The Early Days2 Comments

My Dad And Melvin Had Been Life Long Friends

lewisotr

Melvin Heine and my dad, Cecil Lewis were just about as close as friends get. They were at one or the other’s house for coffee almost every morning. Whatever Melvin owned, my Dad was welcome to use and the same the other way. That also went for Cecil’s two sons. Melvin and his wife never had children. When Melvin needed help hauling hay, building fence or whatever, Cecil was more than happy to volunteer my bother and me. That’s the way friends were. It didn’t set right with me that hot summer day that Melvin thought we weren’t working hard … Continue reading My Dad And Melvin Had Been Life Long Friends

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

It Was The Day Before I Turned 16 Years Old

lewisotr

The 1960s were most definitely a different time than now when it comes to the horsepower of trucks. Today our trucks operate with 400 to 600 horsepower. Back then the common range was 180 to 250 HP. We still hauled equally heavy loads over the same roads as today. Trucks were used much longer and maintained must less than by today’s standards. It was common when we were hauling a heavy dozer in hillier areas for me to go ahead in a pickup to assist. When we knew there was a grade too steep coming up, Kenny would pull over, … Continue reading It Was The Day Before I Turned 16 Years Old