Gleaning Facebook: Summer Camp for Grown-Ups

 Look at the first two days of te 2018 Paddle Georgia event! I may have to do this one. At 71 how likely am I to get a chance at paddling through the hometowns of my daddy and mother, through the swimming hole that figures so prominently in one of the stories I love to tell. Past the Milstead mill where my Daddy, granddaddy and great granddaddy worked not to mention a host of other relatives, past the "Dinky" narrow-gauge tracks. through the fishing hole where Mama Baird took my mama fishing in the twenties, past Porterdale's Osprey Mill where Mama Baird worked and the main Bibb mill where Papa Baird worked. Past the "Rock House" stone formations where my parents courted.

Maybe some of my relatives or friends would join me. If you are not familiar with Paddle Georgia I can sum it up thusly: Summer Camp for Grown-ups and lots of fun!

Mary Whaley: A favorite picture

My great-grandmother Shaw was Minnie Zipora Wood, a twin of Maudie Lenora Wood, and the daughter of Nathan Robert Wood and Mary E. Whaley Wood. I have other pictures of Nathan and Mary but this week my second cousin Annette Winningham has forwarded me two wonderful photos of Nathan and Mary I'd like to share with my family and friends. Click on each picture if you'd like to see it in a higher resolution.

The first is one of my favorite family pictures. I suspect this was taken in Porterdale, Georgia.
If any one knows for sure, please let me know. My great-great-grandmother and her cow:

Mary E. Whaley Wood and her cow.

Mary's husband, Nathan, had enrolled in the First Georgia Cavalry, if I remember correctly, at the age of 16, during the War Between the States. Here he is much later, again probably in Porterdale GA:

Nathan Robert Wood

If you are a descendant of Nathan's son-in-law, Columbus Turner Shaw, I hope you will consider a donation toward the cleaning and renovation of the little Shaw Family Cemetery near Lithonia, Ga. It is in terrible condition. Call or e-mail me and I will put you in touch with our two cousins who have taken charge of the clean-up.

This posted way too fast. I'll correct any errors when I find them.

Time Machine: Graduation May 21, 1943

May 21, 1943

My parents were married very young in 1938. They became parents 10 months later. They made the decision that Charles (Daddy) would finish high school first. By the time he graduated from Poerterdale High School  in 1942 they had two children (Janice and Joan) and a world war was underway. Ruth only had a few credits left and managed to complete those on this date in 1943.

I wish I had recordings or good notes of my Mother telling about this as she did a time or two late in life. Perhaps my siblings can add details? I found this diploma along with Mother's junior high and Daddy's high school diplomas in a box of old letters and papers in 2024. All three were folded in half inside the leather cover below. 

This leather cover has gilt lettering "Porterdale High School Class of 1943" and embossed with "Georgia" and an image of the Georgia state capitol.

Time Machine: Graduation May 29, 1942

My parents were married very young in 1938. They became parents 10 months later. They made the decision that Charles (Daddy) would finish high school first. By the time he graduated from Poerterdale High School on this date in 1942 they had two children (Janice and Joan) and a world war was underway. Ruth only had a few credits left and managed to complete those the next year, 1943.

I wish I had recordings or good notes of my Mother telling about this as she did a time or two late in life. Perhaps my siblings can add details? I found this diploma along with Mother's junior high and high school diplomas in a box of old letters and papers in 2024.

Charles & Ruth Get Married

 Today Sarah Ruth Baird Shaw and Charles Columbus Shaw were married at the bride's home, 45 Hazel Street, Porterdale, Georgia.

Here is a letter to her children Ruth wrote about her courtship and marriage many years later:

August 5, 2017

It was 79 years ago today that I, Sarah Ruth Baird , at age 15, married Charles Columbus Shaw, who  was  the advanced old age of 19. We were both about as ignorant as we were innocent. 

Charles said his innocence was only because his Dad, Grady Columbus Shaw, had convinced his that "any girl who would "let him" would also " let any other boy" so was afraid of disease. So , apparently, he set about to find an "innocent" girl to marry.  

You all have heard the story of Grady and Lillian Shaw coming to Porterdale to visit Lewis Shaw, his wife Celeste and family....Their daughter Clara and I were casual friends and my friend Julia Sellers and i were visiting Clara one Sunday afternoon when Charles and family were there. On the way back to Milstead, Charles said to his mother, "Mama did you see the pretty girl I really like". Mama Shaw told me , much later that she thought Charles  was "taking about Julia" because she though "Julia was so beautiful." 

So Charles kept coming down to Porterdale to visit me and he was there for a Neighbor Pound party!  What in the world is a "Pound Party."  

You have all read about the Civil War devastated South, "after Sherman's March all the way to the Sea?" from which the Southland  did not recover until after World War II!   

In those days...no one was wealthy enough to " host a party." But in my childhood , we could make a pitcher of sweet tea or lemon aid or make some flavor of "Cool Aid"  or some soft drink .  People who came to the party  would bring over bits of cake or cookies or whatever they had to share and get together. 

The hostess would have some games or some "mixers"  to gets the boys and girls  together.  Charles came  down from his home in Milstead (16 miles from Porterdale) the first time he asked me to marry him.   

Most of you have have heard this story that we were walking together. I was 14 and he was 18 and he turned toward n me and said, "Will you marry me?"  My reply was, "I am too young to even think about marriage."  He said, "I do not mean "right now." Could we be engaged?"  That was October 23.   As crazy as it sounds, we always celebrated October 23.  

My teen-age wisdom was ..."My mother and family  are right, I agree...I am too young to get married...BUT, i have already met the man who wants to marry me and who I want to marry and we will just have that many more years to live together." Great "teen age" wisdom?? 

Big mistake. I do not recommend  it.   BUT you sure do have wonderful children when you are a teen-ager.  

 ------------------------

Time Machine: Graduation May 21. 1937

My understanding is that the Porterdale School in 1937 had only first through ninth grades. For the next school year 1937-38, my Mother would ride a bus to attend first Livingston School (near Salem I think?). Later, when she was able to carpool with another Porterdale student, she transferred to Covington High School which was nearer. Soon the Porterdale school would add tenth and eleventh grades and become a high school. First Daddy in 1942, and then Mother in 1943, would finish the classes they needed for their high school diplomas -- after marriage and the births of Janice (1939) and Joan (1941).  All three diplomas are signed by the principal, Maud King, and the Superintendent (H.M.)? Pittman. I wish I had recordings or good notes of my Mother telling about this as she did a time or two late in life. Perhaps my siblings can add details? I found this diploma along with both high school diplomas (see later entries) in a box of old letters and papers in 2024.

Sarah Ruth Baird Circa June 1931

Sarah Ruth Baird (Shaw) This photo was likely taken about 1930 or 1931 probably at the house pictured below. Flowers are in bloom so I will assume this is summer of 1931 when Mother would have been eight. Her father died in 1932.

 

Mother is standing in front of the house on Hazel Street in Porterdale where her family lived when her father died. This photo was taken June 23, 2013.