THE LETTER

I have been doing ancestry for quite a number of years and recently came in contact with a distant cousin named MaryAnn and she had a world of information on the Bealls including a letter dated February 28, 1881. She has a copy of some of the ledger from the store of her ggggrandfather, Thomas Newton Beall, in Irwinton, GA. It was the "Beall Trading Post" and a pre commodity store to the Civil War. I think it was an actual pre war "Walmart" and that is to quote MaryAnn. 
I received the following correspondence in regard to this letter that she (MaryAnn)had obtained in her quest for family information that was written by John B Beall to his brother Augustus Chandler Beall in Texas in 1881. I am working on adding the first page of this letter but in the mean time, does anyone know who has the original letter and who was the Beall Development Co. in Watkinsville, GA. She calls me beallrose because that is the screen name that I use on the internet. Since I have read the letter in its entirety. I think that it could have been typed in the beginning as he was working at a newspaper office. This is very interesting to me as these 2 men were brothers of my great grandfather. Even if it has been revised, it is still important as it pertains to my family which makes me who I am today. Will continue to work on retrieving the first page of the letter but it is mostly about selling the property in Carroll County, GA and enclosing the graves and adding headstones to their graves at the BEALL Cemetery in Carrollton, GA. Have just received an e-mail from MaryAnn with the first page of the letter so everyone can see it in its entirety. Happy reading.
Rhonda Beall Hawkins

Bellarose:

I do not know who has the original letter which would have been handwritten I am sure.  Someone transcribed it at some point.  Since we have been corresponding, I have been going through all my Beall stuff and re-reading things I have obtained through the years.  I am even getting rid of some stuff that I have gotten off the internet since that can always be found again at a later date!   I can't figure out who sent me the copy of the letter.  I've been through one folder and there is mention of the letter in correspondence from both someone named Ed Beall and Jean Jones.  This correspondence was 15 years ago.  It looks to me like someone may have sent the copy of this letter to this Beall Development at some point and they stamped it in.  Then I wonder if this is this Jean Jones' address written at the bottom.   I am going to keep going through stuff and see what I find.  It would seem to me that a descendent of Augustus Chandler Beall would have the original letter.   Zip Codes came into being in 1963/64.  

I have a couple of pages of "In Barrack and Field" copied if you don't have that and would like for me to send. 

Have you ever noticed how many slaves Samuel Beall and Thomas Newton Beall had but no land did they have to speak of?   They hired out their slaves. 

MaryAnn

PILLS AND THE OLD FOLKS

I received an e-mail today from a good friend  that contained a poem that described me to a tee. Instead of a normal breakfast, I have to fill up with pills. I have 2 for high blood pressure, 2 for diabetes, 1 is a fluid pill and another is potassium that your body loses with the fluid pill. I take an 80 milligram aspirin every day plus 66 units of insulin twice a day. I have a pill to take for allergies because if I don't, I develop laryngitis.  I then take prevastatin at bed time for high cholestoral. After all this, then maybe I can have some coffee if I'm lucky. What happened to my bacon and eggs. Lets have sausage and gravy or maybe some waffles. Plus some good old grits with cheese. Unfortunately for me, that is no longer an option. I have to have low calorie diets with no sugar. Had to opt out of all the good stuff well except for maybe once every 2 weeks. Caffeine free diet cokes, sugar free tea, sweeten with Splenda, and all kind of stuff that is probably worse for my body than every day food. I have started to eat more fruit and green leafy vegetables. I have to eat sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. And whole wheat bread, lots of whole wheat bread or rolls. Sometimes I get rye bread but I like pumpernickle the best. No more corn-who can live without corn. This includes creamed corn, corn on the cob, cornmeal, cornflakes, corn syrup, grits, and anything else that contains corn including corn oil. Now it is olive oil and no butter or margarine. Butter substitutes like I Can't Believe It's Not Butter or Promise. How did people get by without this stuff 30 or 40 years ago. Maybe it was because they raised their own food with no preservatives. Everything that they ate with a few exceptions was raised on their farm. What they couldn't raise, they bartered or swapped some item for what they needed.
Oh well life goes on and on and on............

A row of bottles on my shelf, Caused me to analyze myself
One yellow pill I have to pop. Goes to my heart so it won't stop.
A little white one that I take. Goes to my hands so they won't shake.
The blue ones that I use a lot. Tell me I'm happy when I'm not.
The purple pill goes to my brain. And tells me that I have no pain.
The capsules tell me not to wheeze. Or cough or choke or even sneeze..
The red ones, smallest of them all, Go to my blood so I won't fall.
The orange ones, very big and bright. Prevent my leg cramps in the night.
Everyday I have to cringe as I take the insulin in my syringe
Such an array of brilliant pills. Helping to cure all kinds of ills.
But what I'd really like to know....Is what tells each one where to go!

Screaming Panthers

Cougars, panthers. or mountain lions are awesome animals. They use to live as far south as the tip of Florida to the west in California, And from the bottom of South America to Canada being called Pumas, North American Cougars, Mt. Lions and even Catamounts. It has the largest habitat of all the feline species.

But one particular cat used to live in the woods behind our home in Resaca, GA. It has a strange scream in that it sounds like a woman in danger. I was told this by my father-in-law but I just didn't believe it. One night as I lay in bed, I heard a strange sound, so I got up to investigate. Now I was nosey so I went to the front to peep out. At this particular time, the stretch of road where we lived was deserted as no houses were there for about 2 miles. It was a dirt road and my closest neighbor was at that location. All of a sudden, out of the clear blue, I heard a scream like I had never heard before and I ran back to the bed to wake my husband. He raised the window just a little and he could hear this sound. It continued two more times. I had heard that my neighbor's husband was home from service and I and my imagination just knew that they were fighting. I actually thought he was killing her. I did not sleep a wink because I just knew an ambulance would pass at any time to pick up her body and the police to arrest him. By the time it was daylight, I couldn't wait any longer. I got dressed, went out the door and got in the car to investigate. I was just a little leary about knocking on the door and finally got the courage to step up on the porch. When she came to the door, the first thing out of my mouth was. "Are you alright?" Well she said, "Of course, why wouldn't I be?" " I thought you were dead." I said. "That's funny, because I thought you were." "Well it wasn't me," I said. About this time, her husband walked in the door. He had been to town and he just started to laugh at us. "Didn't you know we have a panther in the back woods. And it screams just like a woman. Ha Ha." Boy,!! we never did live that down. Even my children got in on that joke. Never underestimate to power of your imagination. It will get you in trouble every time.

MY DAD'S RADIO (with dancing lessons)

When I was just a young girl growing up in Rome, GA, I loved music. Just any kind of music and I think I get it from my dad. He was a lover of music and he sang all the time. He never forgot the words to the songs and I still remember some of them. He loved the big band era, but he loved modern music like what I consider OLD. Like "The Tennessee Waltz", "Mr. Sandman", "Chattanooga Choo-Choo", or "Till I Waltz Again With You." My favorite was "Chattanooga Shoeshine Boy." And he liked dancing. We had a cabinet in our living room that looked like small drawers but when you pulled on the handles, the doors came open and it was a radio. This radio was beautiful. It sat upon legs so high that my brother and I could crawl under and listen to the music. Of course we listened to other shows besides the music , Hopefully you will remember "The Lone Ranger", "Only the Shadow Knows", "Gunsmoke", and "The Eddie Arnold show". That song at the beginning of the Eddie Arnold show will stick in my mind forever. Just after the news everyday at 12 noon, "Woo, woo, woo duped de doo; woo woo woo dee da do dee, daa da woo, woo, woo duped de doo, singing the cattle song." This may not be exactly how it went or was spelled but I still remember. Little did I know that he was a county singer. But I listened every day until I started to school. Around Christmas time, a program came on with Mrs. Santa Claus. We were so excited that we would sit by the radio and listen for the letters to be read, hoping that one would be ours. My brother, Larry, and I would get so excited when she read our letters that dad would make us be still. He would say, "Calm down or you wont be able to hear." Then she would tell a story about Christmas. I especially liked the one about the shoemaker and the wooden shoes. It's funny how things stick in my mind about different subjects of my growing up years. I wanted to write them down for my children lest I forget.
Along with this particular radio was a record player. If you raised the top, there was a turn table for records. It would play old 78's and 33 1/3's. When you think about playing records in this day and age it is really funny. Most kids now days don't know what a record is much less how to use one. Everything is Cd's and mp3 players. How technology has advanced in the past ten years. But back to the record player, a song came out called "Moon glow." It was the theme from the movie "Picnic." Now I loved to dance and one day while I was dancing, my dad came in from work and said," Let me show you how to dance." I thought," yea, right, you cant show me anything." But to my surprise, he could dance and very well. He had taken ball room dance lessons because a movie star was coming to town for a benefit dance and my mom wanted to go. This was Denice Darcel, a famous French actress, and everyone wanted to see her. Well dad could do the fox trot, the waltz, the 2 step and the jitter bug. When I danced with my dad, it was a sight to behold. It was like Mutt and Jeff standing beside each other. But I can still remember the steps to this day, but my memories of dad dancing will go with me to my grave. I can still see us in my mind and him telling me about a tap step called the flat ball chain and the sugar, sugar. After this, I decided that I wanted to take dancing lessons. I started a class with Clara Ellison of tap, ballet, and acrobat. This was so much fun, but I couldn't keep up with dancing and piano lessons so I had to let one go. I continued playing the piano until I was about 12 and my teacher married my uncle. Then she up and moved to Florida. I kept all this embedded in my mind until I was grown and I began showing my children these same steps. I hope they have wonderful memories of me when they are older like I do about my dad.
My brother, Kenneth, still has this radio cabinet in his home. The radio has long been replaced with wine bottles and is used as a wine cabinet in his kitchen. It has been refinished but it is still a beautiful piece of furniture

CHATTANOOGA SHOESHINE BOY
Have you ever passed the corner of fourth and grand
where a little ball of rhythm runs a shoe shine stand
People gather 'round and they clap their hands
He's a great big bundle of joy.
He pops a boogie-woogie rag, the Chattanooga Shoeshine boy.

Its a wonder that the rag don't tear
the way he makes it pop
You ought to see him fan the air
with his hoppity, hippity, hippity, hippity, hop hop hop.
He charges you a nichol just to shine one shoe
he makes the oldest kind of leather look like new.
You feel as thought you want to dance when he gets through
He's a great big bundle of joy.
He pops a boogie-woogie rag, the Chattanooga Shoeshine Boy.

THE CRYSTAL METH EVOLUTION

     This is a story about the dangers of drugs. In this generation, drugs are used more than drinking or smoking was in my generation. Numerous people are in prisons and rehabilitation for using or selling drugs. Of the ones in prison, even their children become addicted when they are exposed to that environment. Then their children become hooked and it never ends. I have even seen a young man that was used as a guinea pig by his father who experimented with his creations. Now that young man is crazy. Has to take some kind of drug every day to survive. But rehabilitation does not work with many. When they are released, they go back to the same old friends and habits. There is a new program that lasts six months and you stay in jail six months before it starts. The six month period gives you time to dry out and then you start to face up to what you were doing. I have a grandson who is in this program now and I received a letter from him with the following poem enclosed. He did not write the poem but someone in prison did using his past experiences with drugs and alcohol and  hopefully he has learned a lot from it.
      You are never cured, NEVER. You just learn to live with it. You are never cured from alcoholism, because if you take that first drink, you are hooked. The same happens with drugs or pills and it starts all over again. I think it is easier for these generations to become addicted because they had a head start when they were children. Every one runs to the doctor when the children sneeze or cough and get a prescription. These prescriptions have a narcotic in them. It gets in their system and they crave it from childhood. Now don't get me wrong, I know children have to go to the doctor, but we need different medication for children than something that puts them to sleep. Something has to be done before we loose our best grandchildren.  Because who will be our leaders? Who will fight our wars? Who will be our doctors and lawyers? or even politicians?  Who will be our teachers? Or our everyday people as neighbors next door or across the street. There is a cure but it is HARD. Probably the hardest thing  that they have ever done in their lives. There are twelve steps in this program.  I will get them written down when my grandson comes home in March and post them with this article. I had a young friend visit over Christmas break who is off drugs. She said she had been off for over 425 days. She has graduated from the program with a GED and will start college in the spring. She wants to be a journalist. I am sure that her story will be great when she writes it.
    As I ponder what I have written, I hope every one who reads this realizes there is hope for these people. One day at a time, that's all it takes, just one day at a time. They have to wake up each morning and pray to stay away from drugs or pills. Many of our athletics become addicted by an injury and go on medication. Soon the medicine doesn't work and they are looking for something stronger. We can't keep them away from sports so think of some ways to  help them be better protected from these injuries. Lets work together to get our nation "DRUG FREE."

                                    CRYSTAL METH

I destroy homes, I tear families apart, I take your children and that's just a start
I'm more valuable than diamonds, more precious than gold, The sorrow I bring is a sight to behold
If you need me, remember, I'm easily found. I live all around you, in schools and in towns.
I live with the rich, I live with poor. I live down the road or maybe next door.
I'm made in a lab but not like you think,I can even be made at the kitchen sink.
If that scares you to death then maybe it should.
I have many names but the one you know best
I'm sure you've heard of, they call me Crystal Meth.
My power is awesome, just try me you'll see,but if you once do, you'll never break free
Try me once, I may let you go, try me again, and I'll take your soul
When I get you, you'll steal and you'll lie, and do what you have to, just to get "high"
the crimes you commit for my narcotic charms, will be worth the pleasure you'll feel in my arms
You'll lie to your mother and steal from your dad and when you see their tears, you wont feel sad.
Forget all your morals and how you were raised. I'll be your conscience and teach you new ways
I'll take kids from parents and parents from kids, turn you from GOD and even your friends
I'll take everything-your looks and your pride, I'll always be there-right by your side.
I'll take and take until you've no more to give. When I'm finished with you, you'll be lucky to live.
If you try me, be warned-it isn't a game. If given a chance, I'll drive you insane.
Ravage your body-control your mind-I'll own you completely, your soul will be mine
The night snores I give you while lying in bed, the voices you hear from inside your head
the shakes and the sweats, the visions you'll see-I want you to know, these are gifts from me
By then it's to late, you'll know in your heart that you are mine and we'll never part.
For you'll regret you ever tried me (they always do), but they come to me, not I to you
you knew this would happened, many times you were told
but you tested my power, now choose to behold
you could have said no and then walked away, if you could do it all over, now what would you say.
I'll be your master, you'll do as I say, even when I tell you to go to the grave.
Now that we've met, what will you do? Will you try me or not, it's all up to you.
I'll show you more misery than mere words can tell-
or say, "take my hand, I'll escort you to hell." www.facebook.com/rhonda.hawkins.12

MY DAD--NOBLE WILLIAM BEALL continued

     So many stories to tell about my dad that it is hard to know where to start. He was a family oriented man. His job was important in that it took care of his family. He was also a stay-at-home man. As long as I can remember, my dad came home for lunch. When I was young, he walked to work and walked home with lunch in between. A lot of times, my brother and I would meet him on his way home from work. We would wait all day and watch the city clock to make sure we didn't miss the time to go. At about 4:45, we would run to the corner of Fifth avenue and East Second street, stop and watch for cars before crossing the street and then run down the hill to Sixth avenue. From there, after crossing the street, we would go to the corner of East First street and Sixth avenue and walk up East First street to daddy's work. He would be mad if he saw us running. His company garage was on the corner of Eight avenue and Broad street where the new Georgia Power Co. office is located. Usually we would see him coming and we started telling about the things that had happened that day. Sometimes we were good and sometimes not. We had plenty to do at home. Larry's job was to take out the garbage and mine was to wash dishes or sweep the kitchen.
     One of the many things that my dad did with me was see-saw. We lived across the street from the old Neely school and the play ground had swings, see-saws and monkey bars. Dad would push us in the swings and help us walk the monkey bars and then see-saw with him on one side and me and Larry on the other. And he played ball. Any kind of ball, it didn't matter. He was a Georgia Cracker fan back then and Ga Tech. When he was growing up in Atlanta, he became a Tech fan. We  used to go to the B-team games when they had them on Thanksgiving day. One day after my mom died, we went to Rosemary's house and we left from there to go to the game. It snowed on us the whole time. I thought I would freeze to death because I didn't have a blanket. Dad finally decided to leave at the half because of the cold. We listened to it on the radio. After Kenneth started to UGA, then he became a Ga Bulldog.
     Now I can just barely remember my mother having a wringer washing machine. It sat in the hall in the winter time because it was to cold to wash on the back porch. And in the summer time, she set it up on the outside on the porch. Daddy had cut a hole in the hall floor for mother to drain out the water. Now that I am , grown, I think that idea was ingenious. This had happened when I was a little girl, so when we got an automatic washer, I thought it was the greatest thing in the world. It was a front loader and Larry and I would sit in the floor and watch it slosh the water just like watching TV. It sat in the kitchen under the dish cabinet and dad had installed a drain pipe on the wall beside it and the washer pumped the water into this drain. This was great because we didn't have to run the clothes through the wringer and catch our fingers. Our hands didn't even get wet.
     Dad bought this house just before Larry was born in 1945 and I lived there until I got married. It is still standing now but it is used for offices. Sometime in the 1950's, my dad put siding on this house. It was Masonite and it is still on the house. The color was a light sage and it was beautiful. He replaced the wooden porch with a concrete one and had wrought iron pillars instead of the wooden ones. Beside the steps, were hugh slabs of marble and Larry had fallen from one of them and received about 6 stitches. He was forever falling and getting stitches in some place or the other. He even lost two toes cutting grass. They could not save them but he has just enough to keep from having a limp. Plus he didn't have to go in the army. Now in this house was a long hall that went down the middle and my aunt Doris lived with us. She came down this aisle when she got married to Dudley Sheppard in 1951. I was suppose to be in her wedding but I broke my arm and couldn't make it. Continuing with the house, there were 3 rooms and a bath on one side and 4 rooms on the other side. The front room was considered a foyer or a room for coats. We never used it for anything else until dad put in the beauty shop. There were beautiful sliding doors. So heavy that I was about 12 years old before I could close them by myself. There was another set between the living room and the dining room. My bedroom was next to the bathroom and I had it all to myself. Larry and Kenneth shared the other bedroom in the back of the house. Before Kenneth was born, Larry and I shared a room and dad rented out that back room. At one time, my uncle Ed and aunt Beatrice lived there. After their daughter, Jean, was born, they moved in the house with Ma Jones and Pa Jones on the farm that belonged to James Whitehead. But this story is suppose to be about dad but I can't separate all of the things that went on that happened there without telling about all the people involved. Too many stories over too many years.
continued

SNOW CREAM

The snow of January 2011 has arrived. It started about 8:00 last night and has continued today turning into sleet and snow mixed and now a little rain. It will continue to be cold all week with the low to be about 13 degrees on Thursday. NO SCHOOL. Migraine time for me with 2 little ones under foot. Think I will just turn on the TV and let them watch movies and I will take a nap. But I have to answer the phone. Jeff called from Virginia and he hasn't seen any snow. I pray that he doesn't have to travel in this mess. His destination is New York and I don't know where from there.
Well it is story time again and since I had two calls this morning about the recipes for SNOW Cream, I decided that this would be my topic for today since we have about 7 inches outside. It is almost too cold out side to gather the snow. I pulled a trick and sent my great grandson and my husband out to get the snow so I could stay warm. But I made them the snow cream and cooked a big pot of pinto beans to keep us warm.

You will need:
1 can Pet milk or any evaporated milk
2 eggs
a pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
snow, snow, snow about a gallon

Whisk your eggs and sugar together with a little of the Pet milk until the sugar dissolves. Add the rest of the milk with the vanilla and salt. Mix well. Add snow a little at a time until the mixture resembles ice cream. Add more snow until it is thick enough to eat. yum yum