Tag Archives: Belle Dora Adams

Harts Creek News 01.05.1923

19 Tuesday Mar 2019

Posted by in Big Harts Creek, Dingess

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A correspondent named “Baby Doll” from Harts Creek in Logan County, West Virginia, offered the following items, which the Logan Banner printed on January 5, 1923:

(Received too late for publication last week.)

Christmas was certainly celebrated in true, old fashioned style here on Harts.

Messrs. Charles Curry and Daniel McCloud are teaching singing school at lower school house on Trace. They have all the voices but the alto, heigh ho.

There is a new arrival at Thomas Baisden’s. Oh no, we didn’t say who, so you need not get mad.

Mr. Charley Mullins was calling on Miss Roxie Mullins last Sunday, but oh gee, he had a black pudding on his nose.

Oh, I forgot. How many yards does it take to make a black pudding? “Haint it the truth.”

Miss Weltha Hensley cranked up her old Ford and went to Washington. Hope she doesn’t forget those—ah, you know what.

Messrs. Randy Baisden and Charley went to town just before Christmas. Wonder what for?

Mr. Elbert Adams was calling on Miss Tilda Baisden Christmas day.

Miss Mattie Carter has decided to be an old maid.

Miss Katie Baisden was calling on the Dingess home the other day.

Mr. Robert Martin, one of our teachers, is planning on attending summer school. We hope that many more will do likewise.

Mrs. Belle Dora Adams was seen going through town smoking her pipe but she did not have any thinking cap on.

Miss Thelma Dingess returned from Rum Creek to spend Christmas with her sister, Mrs. Adams.

The “scruant” officer visits Trace school so often that the teachers are kept busy watching for him.

Poor Anna is lonely since Frank is ill. Cheer up, Anna.

There has been an awful disaster around in Dingess town. Moscoe Dingess got his contract signed and then it was stolen. It was a blue paper, so watch for it. Oh, boy.

Misses Nora and Anna Adams are visiting friends on Hart. They appeared to be disappointed on Christmas day. Wonder why? Ask Everett and Bernie.

Queens Ridge News 05.13.1927

27 Monday Nov 2017

Posted by in Big Harts Creek, Queens Ridge, Spottswood, Whirlwind

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An unknown correspondent from Queens Ridge (Harts Creek) in Logan County, West Virginia, offered the following items, which the Logan Banner printed on May 13, 1927:

Mrs. Paralee Browning and Garnet Mullins of Lower Hoover were the evening guests of Cecil McCloud Sunday.

Ireland and Carl Mullins went up Hoover late Sunday enroute to Troy Town.

Mrs. Belle Dora Adams is going to have a son-in-law, some one said. Gee, the girls will have to quit flirting with Charley.

Lucy McCloud was visiting her aunt Mrs. Garnet Martin here Saturday.

R.L. Martin was renewing old acquaintances on Jonas Branch.

Howard Adams made a business trip to New Orleans. Many tears were shed on account of his own absence.

Whirlwind News 10.29.1926

20 Tuesday Jun 2017

Posted by in Big Harts Creek, Logan, Whirlwind

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An unknown correspondent from Whirlwind in Logan County, West Virginia, offered the following items, which the Logan Banner printed on October 29, 1926:

Roses on my shoulders, slippers on my feet.

I am a lonely damsel from Whirlwind. Don’t you think me sweet?

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bradshaw of Logan are visiting friends of Hoover.

Major Adams and son Howard made a flying trip to Logan Monday.

Anthony Blair of Mud Fork is visiting friends here for a few days.

David Dingess made a flying trip to Logan Friday.

John Haynes was calling on Miss Thelma Dingess Friday evening.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Dingess were the guests of Mrs. David Dingess Sunday.

Mrs. Mollie Mullins of Mud Fork returned home Sunday after a two week visit here.

Miss Olve Adams was the guest of Mrs. Robert Dingess Thursday.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Mason Adams, a fine boy.

Misses Inez and Lucy Dingess were shopping in Whirlwind the latter part of the week.

Everette and Gillis Adams passed through Whirlwind Monday in their Flint enroute to Logan.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Walter Kinser, twin girls.

Sunday school is progressing nicely on Trace, with three teachers, Mrs. Alice Dingess, Mrs. Major Adams, and Mr. Rush Adams.

Mr. and Mrs. Sol Adams made a business trip to Logan Monday.

Buster Blair visits the post office too often. Say, Buster. Has she written you yet?

We are listening for the wedding bells to ring on Trace, especially on the Jonas Branch.

Wonder why Maudie looks so lonesome these days? Cheer up, Maudie. Maybe he won’t forsake you.

Wonder why Tom Workman visits grandma’s so often these days?

Cecil Brumfield has purchased a new car.

Memories Recalled (1946)

25 Monday May 2015

Posted by in Big Harts Creek, Poetry, Spottswood

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This history of early life in Logan County, West Virginia, was written by Howard and Daisy Adams. Howard (1906-1976) and Daisy (b.1915) were children of Major and Belle Dora Adams of Trace Fork of Harts Creek. Titled “The life of pioneers during the latter half of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the 19th century” and written in the late 1960s or early 1970s, their history marks the only known attempt by local people to reconstruct the story of pioneer life. This poem, dedicated to their father, appears at the end of the history. It is dated March 15, 1946.

There by the road stands our dear old home

Where once we did dwell.

With Mother and Dad we would roam

O’er our homestead we loved so well.

We would sit by the fire on a winter night

Talking happy and gay.

Sometimes Dad would read while the fire burns bright,

The Bible, and then, he would pray

That God would watch over his loved ones dear

And our neighbors all around.

We would feel God’s presence near

As we knelt in that circle round.

Mother was a favorite of us all.

Dad loved her very dear.

We did love to hear her call

When the evening time was near.

She could soothe away our worries and frowns

And make us want to smile.

Oh, how I wish we could now sit down

With Mother and Dad for a while.

On January tenth, nineteen and thirty-nine,

I shall never forget that day,

God called our mother, leaving us behind

To worry along on life’s way.

God needed another angel fair

To live in His heavenly domain,

So He took our mother, with her love so rare,

To dwell in that home of fame.

We sure loved our dear old dad,

Though he ruled us with a vim.

He was the best friend we ever had

And we thought the world of him.

I shall never forget that Saturday night,

As the clock was striking nine,

As we sat around the fireside bright

Dad left us behind.

It was on December 16, 1944,

While our friends were standing around,

We had done all we could and could do no more.

The Death Angel of the Lord came down.

He took the breath from our darling dad,

And Dad will suffer no more,

But our hearts will always be lonesome and sad

Until we meet on that golden shore.

The Life of Pioneers 12

18 Monday May 2015

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This history of early life in Logan County, West Virginia, was written by Howard and Daisy Adams. Howard (1906-1976) and Daisy (b.1915) were children of Major and Belle Dora Adams of Trace Fork of Harts Creek. Titled “The life of pioneers during the latter half of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the 19th century” and written in the late 1960s or early 1970s, their history marks the only known attempt by local people to reconstruct the story of pioneer life. This final part of the history includes information regarding sugar-making.

So the time of year for sugar making has arrived. You see, the sugar and syrup supplied on the farm came from big sugar maple trees. This operation began usually in the early spring and lasted about 30 days. First the trees had to be tapped. To do this a large 2 inch auger was used to bore holes at a 45 degree angle downward in the tree or if no auger was available deep cup like notches were cut in the trees with an ax. Then a small auger was used to bore holes slanting upward into the holes made by boring with larger auger or ax. Now a little hollow piece of wood called a spline was needed. To get this elder bushes were used. A piece about a foot long with the ___ removed forming a pipe. This was driven up ___ in the small holes in the tree. he spline extended out from the tree far enough to reach buckets or troughs. The juice from the trees poured out through the splines into the troughs. The troughs were made by cutting down a buckeye or basswood tree about 16 inches in diameter and sawing in block about 3 feet long. These blocks were splint in halves and each half or the flat side chopped or dug out as it was called. A foot adz was used for this operation. These troughs, which held at least 5 gallons were placed under the splines in trees to catch the sap or juice. They usually had 75 to 100 trees tapped. Several large kettles were set in rock and clay furnaces. Also the molasses pan was used, too. The sugar water or juice from the trees was carried and poured in these kettles and the evaporator pan. Fires were built and it was boiled in to syrup and sugar. Boy, this took a lot of work and long hours. I’ve heard Granny tell many times about sugar making time. I have eaten some of this sugar and syrup and it was sure good. Even if the old pioneer lived a hard life I’ll say one thing: He sure had better food than we have now.

The Life of Pioneers 11

22 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by in Big Harts Creek, Timber

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This history of early life in Logan County, West Virginia, was written by Howard and Daisy Adams. Howard (1906-1976) and Daisy (b.1915) were children of Major and Belle Dora Adams of Trace Fork of Harts Creek. Titled “The life of pioneers during the latter half of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the 19th century” and written in the late 1960s or early 1970s, their history marks the only known attempt by local people to reconstruct the story of pioneer life. This part of the history includes information regarding timbering and rafting.

Now the timbering began. The men and boys would go into the forest and cut and saw down big trees. They would cut off the limbs and top the logs off, then peel all the bark off. Now the logs were slipped down the hills into the branch or valley. The next step was to get the logs to the creek. So this was done by hauling with teams of mules, horses, or oxen. Most folks done their hauling with a big ox team. The ox team consisted of from 4 to 8 yoke of oxen. A yoke was a heavy piece of wood carved and shaped to fit the necks of the steers. It was about 5 feet long and had two curved bows on each end called ox bows. They were put up around the oxen’s neck and through holes in the yoke and held in the yoke by a piece of wood called a key. A steeple of iron was installed in the center of the yoke used for hooking the chain and coupling the teams together. Now after the team was driven up and turned around in front of a log, a long chain called a draft chain was hitched around the log or a pair of “grabs” driven in the log and the chain hitched to them.

So the big ox driver cracked his whip and away the trek began toward the creek bank which was where the logs were hauled till enough logs were banked, as it was called, to make a raft when it rained and the creek arose up big enough to float the logs. They were rolled in the creek with cant hooks or log ______.

The logs were floated down near the river and caught by a device called a boom. Here the logs were placed side by side and end to end. Then poles were nailed to the logs by chain dogs. A chain dog was two wedge-shaped pieces of iron fastened together with a chain about one foot long. These wedge-shaped irons were driven into the logs, holding them to the poles.

Now the raft was made. A raft usually was about 20 feet wide and maybe 300 feet long. A gadget called an oar blade was put on each end of the raft. An oar blade was a board about 12 feet long, 12 inches wide, and 1/2 inch thick on one end and two inches thick on the other end. The thick end was nailed on a pole about four inches in diameter and 20 feet long. A ____ was driven in the end of a log on each end of raft. Then the pole blade had a hole drilled in it. Now it was placed on the peg in the log, making it swivel or work on a pivot. Two men run each raft. They had a large cable or rope about 100 feet long used for tying up the raft when they wanted to stop overnight.

Tying a raft up to a tree was a hard job and very dangerous. Many men were drowned at it. The raft was pushed or guided close to the bank of the river and one man would jump off and run along the river bank beside the raft and the other man on the raft would throw the end of the cable out to the man on the bank and he would put the raft around a big tree and tie the raft up. It took quick men who knew their job to do this type of work.

After tying up their raft, a buyer was found and he came and measured their logs and paid them and they walked back home, sometimes 100 miles. When the men got back home from the timber cruise, they paid off their debts and bought a few clothes, coffee, flour, salt, etc. And time marched on.

The Life of Pioneers 10

15 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by in Big Harts Creek

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This history of early life in Logan County, West Virginia, was written by Howard and Daisy Adams. Howard (1906-1976) and Daisy (b.1915) were children of Major and Belle Dora Adams of Trace Fork of Harts Creek. Titled “The life of pioneers during the latter half of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the 19th century” and written in the late 1960s or early 1970s, their history marks the only known attempt by local people to reconstruct the story of pioneer life. This part of the history includes information regarding fall food preparation, the making of molasses, and hunting.

In the late summer and fall months, people were kept busy preparing and putting up or canning food for winter. Vegetables were pickled berries, picked and canned through the summer and fall. Corn and beans were pickled by cooking and putting in a big barrel. Salt was added and a good lid put on the barrel to keep out rats and insects. Boy, these were good in winter. Apples, peaches, pears, cherries, and plums were gathered and canned from the orchard, which had been set out earlier.

Now that good old molasses making took place. First, large stacks of wood were prepared and dried. Now the cane had to be cut and the blades pulled off or stripped and the heads cut off. Now a furnace built and an evaporator pan set on the furnace. A machine with cogs and wheels and a long crooked pole on top with a horse or mule pulling the pole round and round: this was called a cane mill. You see, as the mule went around the stalks of cane were put in between two or three big rollers set close together and the juice squeezed out of the stalks. The juice was caught in a big tub and then transferred to the big pan to be boiled into sorghum. I liked to lick sorghum from a paddle swiped through the molasses pan. Everybody had a good time at “lassy makin’ time,” even though it was hard work.

Cushaws, squashes and pumpkin were gathered into the cellar or crib. Corn gathering was done by pulling corn of the stalks some time it had been cut and shocked up. It was hauled into the crib with mules or horses or cattle.

Now that everything was gathered in, a little pleasure followed. Squirrel , rabbit, quail, pheasant, and coon and possum hunting was done by most all the pioneers. They obtained lots of their meat supply by hunting wild game. Some folks hunted animals for their skins, which were sold, bringing in a little cash.

The Life of Pioneers 8

06 Monday Apr 2015

Posted by in Big Harts Creek, Spottswood

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This history of early life in Logan County, West Virginia, was written by Howard and Daisy Adams. Howard (1906-1976) and Daisy (b.1915) were children of Major and Belle Dora Adams of Trace Fork of Harts Creek. Titled “The life of pioneers during the latter half of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the 19th century” and written in the late 1960s or early 1970s, their history marks the only known attempt by local people to reconstruct the story of pioneer life. This part of the history includes information regarding hogs and the smoke house.

The hogs furnished the main meat supply. Most farmers let their hogs run loose out on the mast as they called it till late fall. Nuts were plentiful in those days. Around the last of November some of the largest hogs were called in and put up in a floored pen with a big trough placed inside the pen so the hogs could be watered and fed often. They were fed plenty of corn till around Christmas. Then they were butchered or killed for meat.

Hog killing time was a lot of fun and good eating. It began with the hogs being well fattened as they called it. Some big kettles were set in a furnace and filled with water, then a fire was built around the kettles to heat the water. Firewood was plentiful and they sure used a lot of it. A large barrel was set down in the ground about 2 feet. The barrel was tilted over to about a 45 degree angle. Next a board platform was made around 6 feet square. It was moved up till it touched the barrel. Now a hog was either shot or hit in the head with a hammer. Either way it was killed neat. A butcher knife was plunged in the hog’s neck, the point of the knife touching the heart. Now after the hog had bled most all of the blood out of it they dragged him up on the platform before the barrel. Now the hot water from the kettles was poured in the scalding barrel, then the hog would be pushed into the barrel by men and rolled over a time or two. Now they changed ends, with the hog scalding the whole hog. Well, the hair was scraped off with big knives. Now he was hanged up about 6 feet on some object. A stick called a gammor stick, which was about 2 feet long and 2 inches in diameter sharp on both ends, it was struck through the _____ of the hind legs of hog. This held him up while the intestines were removed by splitting the hog down his belly. Now some folks come from a long way just to roast the kidneys and _____. Next Mr. Hog was carried to the smoke house, laid on a heavy table and cut up as they called it.

First after the hog was laid on the cutting table its feet and head were cut off neat all the lean meat was cut out for making sausage. A lot of the fat was cut out for rendering lard. Now the 2 hams and 2 shoulders were cut off, leaving 2 big middlings. Now the pieces were carried in the smoke house, salted, and stacked in a big trough that had been made from a large log being chopped or dug out with a tool called a foot adz and axe. This trough was made to hold the pork. Now the meat had to be hung and smoked so a lot of hickory limbs about the size of your big finger and 3 feet long with a fork on the big end, these were tied to form a loop. These loops were slipped over poles laid on the joist in the smoke house. Now the meat had holes cut in it and the meat was hooked to the loop on the joist. Now for smoking: A fire made from green hickory wood was built on the ground under the meat so the smoke filtered up through the meat and it got smoked in the process. After it had been smoked several weeks it was taken down and sprinkled and covered with a mixture of black pepper, sugar, ashes, saltpeter, etc. Now it was again stacked in the big trough and covered up to keep out rats, mice, etc. Boy it was good eatin’.

The smoke house was also used to keep meat, a barrel of flour, a barrel of salt, a can of lard, and I remember we always kept a pair of old scales to weight farm products on. Also the family weighed each other to see who was the heaviest. Boy, this smoke house took a lot of paper and time but it played an important part in the lives of the pioneers.

The Life of Pioneers 7

29 Sunday Mar 2015

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This history of early life in Logan County, West Virginia, was written by Howard and Daisy Adams. Howard (1906-1976) and Daisy (b.1915) were children of Major and Belle Dora Adams of Trace Fork of Harts Creek. Titled “The life of pioneers during the latter half of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the 19th century” and written in the late 1960s or early 1970s, their history marks the only known attempt by local people to reconstruct the story of pioneer life. This part of the history includes information regarding coffee, livestock, and pets.

Coffee in those days came in the green berries split in half so you had to roast the berries then put them in a little machine known as a coffee mill. It had a little crank on top which you turned by hand, grinding the coffee up in small pieces. Now it could be put in the pot, add water, build a fire, and make coffee.

A farmer had to raise a large crop of corn along with grass, some for hay and some for pasture or grazing.

The livestock on a farm consisted of horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, chicken, turkeys, geese, ducks, dogs, cats, etc. The horses were used to ride and pull heavy loads around the farm. Cattle were used for beef, also for hauling big loads. They got milk from the cows too. Sheep were used for mutton. Wool from them supplied much of the family’s clothes. Wool was sheared off the sheep, then it was carded by using two small boards, one foot long, five inches wide, about three fourth of an inch thick. The cards had short stiff wife about 1/2 inch long on one side and one handle on each. The wool was put on the wire side of the cards in small amounts and the cards pulled back and forth over the wool and finally the wool was rolled in a roll about 1 inch in diameter and 2 feet long. Now it was ready for the spinning wheel. The spinning made the thread from the rolls of wool. Then the wool was put in the loom and woven into cloth. Warm winter clothes were made from the woolen cloth. Boy it took a lot of work to produce clothes this way but they were well worth it. The duck and geese furnished meat and feathers. The feathers were used for making pillows and big feather beds to put on the shuck or straw mattress. Boy you sure could sleep well on those beds if it wasn’t for the big old clock striking often and so loud. The chickens and turkeys furnished meat and eggs also. The ducks and geese furnished eggs too. Yes, and the rooster was the alarm clock. The dogs were used as watch dogs for chasing away varmints and running squirrel and rabbit, etc. The cats caught lots of mice and chipmunks.

The Life of Pioneers 6

22 Sunday Mar 2015

Posted by in Big Harts Creek

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This history of early life in Logan County, West Virginia, was written by Howard and Daisy Adams. Howard (1906-1976) and Daisy (b.1915) were children of Major and Belle Dora Adams of Trace Fork of Harts Creek. Titled “The life of pioneers during the latter half of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the 19th century” and written in the late 1960s or early 1970s, their history marks the only known attempt by local people to reconstruct the story of pioneer life. This part of the history includes information regarding garden food and butter-making.

Everyone had a large garden which produced much of the eating of old-timers. Beans, corn, cucumbers, potatoes, beets, melons, pumpkins, squash, onions, mustard, and lettuce, parsnips, were all produced in large quantities. Yes, cabbage, tomatoes, peas, and a lot I’ve forgotten.

Most pioneers had an orchard of apples, pear, peaches, plums from which they got a lot of good eating. These fruits were put up in many ways, especially apples. They were canned, sulfured, dried, and made into apple butter. Making apple butter was done by peeling a lot of apples and slicing them up in small pieces. Then putting them in a big copper or brass kettle which was set in a furnace. To keep the apple butter from sticking or burning in the kettle after a fire was built around it a stir stick was used. To describe a stir stick it was a piece of one by five inch board about 2 feet long with a lot of holes bored in it. A handle was fastened to the top end of the board. The handle was around 8 feet long and was pushed and pulled across and around in the kettle of apples all day long. Apples were added to the big kettle about noon. Then the sugar or molasses was added along with flavor such as vanilla or cinnamon bark which gave the apple butter a good taste. After the sweetening was put in the butter began to flop out everywhere. You had to stir fast and watch out for the flopping butter because if it hit you it burned badly. Boyd I liked to lick those apple butter spoons. Well, enough about apple butter.

We mentioned butter from milk but never told how it was made. The milk from the cow was strained and put in a stone churn size 4 gallon. It was left in the churn until it soured or got thick as they called it. Then it was churned up and down by a churn-dasher: a one by 6 inch circular piece of wood on a handle. After it was churned about 30 minutes butter would form on top of the milk. Then it was dipped off with a spoon and put in a dish, salted, and set up to get cold. So long, butter.