Does anyone have any good stories about Grandma and Grandpa Ladd? I never got to meet either of them and I'd love to know more about what they were like.
I remember Grandma Ladd better than Grandpa Ladd. I remember hanging out in her kitchen. I would sit at the table and wonder why there were plates on the wall. As I recall they were white with blue scenes on them. Oh, and I remember eating.
Grandpa used to make me tickle his feet for what seemed like hours! But he'd give me a quarter for it, which I would run down to the little station down from their house and spend it right away. He also play with us by throwing us on the feather bed. We laugh for the longest time. One day (after I was told NOT to) I climbed up on the clothes line to hang from my knees and got stuck. He was real happy about getting me down. Or was it Cathi up there. ummmm? Donna
He got mad at me one time when we went to visit. He sent me and Evona to the store to buy sweet milk, and I had no idea what "sweet" milk was! Dad came to my defense and told him I grew up in the city and never heard it called sweet milk!
I remember Grandma Ladd ALWAYS hanging clothes out on the clothes line. I always thought she shouldn't hang up underwear! One day I got bee stung standing out there watching her I also remember she had the roundest belly, and when she laughed, it just shook up and down. I thought that was cute.
For all of you farter's she farted a lot when she got out of bed! She passed down her whistling abilitiy to me and Sandi. And she always sucked the kitchen matches stuck in snuff. The best story I know is when she couldn't get the washing maching to start, so she called a repair man and when he got there he pluged it in and charged 20 dollars, witch made gramp's made. I also heard the story here about him and women liking him. He was at a bar in Trumann and a man told him he was cheating with his wife, he asked the man his name, and then looked in his black book, and said, "no not me". I think the man said sorry and left!
I'm a little confused about the part where she past down the whistling ability. You mention that she farted alot and then whistled? Or was it that when she farted it sounded like a whistle? And if so, does that mean when you and Sandi fart does that sound like a whistle? I'm thinking if that is the case you probably have a lower whistle than Sandi and perhaps yaw could do a duet at the reunion. We'll place some fans in strategic spots, if you don't mind.
I remember instead of watching TV we watched a lamp. It had a cylinder shaped shade that turned real slow and it had a moving waterfall and the Hamms Beer Bear on it. I don't even know if they had a TV-but they had that lamp and we watched it like it was the coolest thing we had ever seen. I also remember grandma dipped and she took us to JC Penneys in downtown Jonesboro-it had hardwood floors that echoed when you walked and an upstairs with no escalator.-when we were outside you hauled off and spit and grossed me out. She just smiled and dragged us across the street.
On one of my visits to Arkansas I went to Monette and visted with Aunt Tressie Dunivan. She was Grandpa Ladd's sister. She told when Acie was little they were having a revival meeting. These lasted all week. They were in the church when a man came in with a gun looking to shoot his cousin. The cousin grabbed Acie by the galluses and held him up off the ground so the man wouldn't shoot him. He went over to an open window and jumped out of it. Acie was so scared he ran out of the church, around the corner, and smack dab into the man who had the gun. Not a fun day for Acie! (Note: galluses are elastic straps that hold up trouser (suspenders) or the straps on overhauls.
Tressie told me that in those days their father, Henry Asbury, went to Jonesboro (the big city) once a year for certain supplies. It took him a week to get there and back. When he was coming back the metal strap on the wagon wheels would hit rocks on the trail and make a loud sharp crack. The kids could hear that "crack" a full day before he would arrive back in Hilltop.
In the early 90's I went to Hardy to learn as much as I could about the early Ladd's. This is the area that Amy went with her children during the Civil War. It's called Hilltop Community and it's outside of Hardy. Yeah, like a suburb.
I met an elderly woman named Bertha Powell. As I recall her maiden name was Raider. I have a photograph from Hilltop school taken about 1915 with Grandma Ladd as a young teen. He was the only one wearing a tie. Bertha said he was a snappy dresser and always wore ties. Down the road from her is where Henry Asbury and Molly lived. The house had fallen down but I took pictures anyway. Molly was the first postmaster of Hardy and kept the post office in their house.
Bertha Powell remembers Henry as a tall man over 6ft about 6-2. He had broad shoulders and big hands. She loved to hear his prayers in church. He was a kind man every one in the community looked up to him. She said he was a leader of the community and people would come over to his house if there was something important to talk about to get his opinion. He was also the Justice of the Peace and often married people. She said he was very wise man. She said Molly was the best cook she (Bertha) ever ate after.
Grandma didn't chew -she dipped. I also remember a big comb that had something that looked like black crayon on it. I think that's how she kept her hair dark.
I got better than the book. I got the picture! Mom gathered pics from the community in 1976 to put the book together. About 2 months ago the Mayor cleaned out the storage closet and found a box full of pictures....that happened to be all of the pictures sent to the printer for the book!
...also, Grandma Ladd was the first administrator of the Craighead County Nursing home. (didn't have to have fancy degrees back then!) Pretty impressive huh?
Deb I was thinking about that lamp too, but I didn't say anything about it because I was trying to say something about them. Now that I am thinking about it, the only times I remember grandma Ladd walking is when we would ride with Gandpa to pick her up at work. I do remember Dad talking about when she was dying that she was happy, and ready to meet her lord. The thing I remember the most about Grandpa Ladd is that he always gave me one of his old hat to wear, but they were still good, but I remember his smell in the hat, it was a good smell, but it was his, and I know or would recognize it If I had one of his hats right now. Now don't you remember watching Roller Derby and WWF or whatever it was back then, and in the Roller Derby he would always point out our cousin, a big mean girl as I remember it. And do not walk in front of the TV during this time!! Also, he had cable, I never saw or herd of cable until his house, and air conditioning, that I loved!!!, along with the clock that ran on weights on a chain. But most of all, I felt safe, Dad was going to spank me and Gandpa wouldn't let him, I was thinking Go Gramps!!lol
hmmm, guess Grandpa never sent YOU out for sweet milk! The cousins name was Sandy Dunn, (I THINK). I remembered the clock after you mentioned it. As for the lamp...twas I that wrote about that months ago! I also remember the "grown ups" talking about Grandma in the hospital and being a miracle because she stayed alive so long without food or water. Also something about the stomach cancer must have been very painful for a long time. "they" (you know who THEY are, right Cloud?) well, "they" said a preacher came in to see her to be sure she was ready to go, and that she began to speak in tongues, and what ever she said, the preacher began to cry. I guess she made HIM a believer! In all the years of hearing the old folks around here talk, no one, not one person had a bad word to say about her. In fact, when her name was mentioned you knew a very special comment would be made of her. That's pretty special. She DID come from a MEAN bunch of brothers tho.
Speaking of the MEAN Kackly boys, who remembers the story about Grandpa trying to date Grandma, and the trouble he had with her brothers? I think they were the ones that refered to him as "pretty boy" because he dressed nice when he came a courtin'!
Just thought of another one. An old man named Fate Houston that sat around drinking coffee & telling stories at "Ladd's Cafe" told me (and I've heard it from others as well) that Grandpa Ladd was the best car salesman in Jonesboro. He knew the farmers didn't have time to come in a car shop, so if he knew that had a bumper crop coming in, he would drive a brand new cadalac out to the turn row & wait for the farmer to get there on his tractor. Then he would tell them how nice great they would look driving this car. I'm pretty sure most of his cars were sold that way. gotta think outside the box, right?
I head several similar stories about him selling cars and pickups. In 1987 when I first began my search for Gabby I had a Jonesboro phonebook and called every Ladd in there. Keep in mind that I was calling long distance. If I recall everyone I called talked REAL slow with that Arkie drawl. At that time I only knew Asa and Cora's names as well as Gabby's. A typical conversation went like this.
"No, I don't know yer Daddy. (long pause) But I rekulek yer granddaddy. (long pause) Yep, I bought mah first Shivvy from yer granddaddy. (long pause) Thet wuz a reel nahce korr. (long pause) Yeah...it wuz. (long pause) 'Course then he started sellin' Ford pick ups. (long pause) Yeah, he did. (long pause) As matter of fak, (long pause) I bought mah first pick-em-up from yer granddaddy. (long pause) Thet wuz a reel nahce truk. (long pause) Yeah, it was. (long pause) Y'know, ah bleeve he run thet ode foks home overn Trumann or suppin. (long pause) He wuz a reel good mayan...yer granddady...yeah he wuz". Y'know ah don't know much 'bout yer kin...yuh maht wonna call so and so. They'd know more ah'd betcha.
The typical conversation took about 20-30 minutes and nearly all of them went that way. I think my phone bill was like $400 that month. Actually, the breakthrough came via my stepfather who went to school with Gabby. They had a mutual freind named Chuck Vreddingburg who owned a restaurant in Jonesboro. My step dad and I went there so he could have some collared greens. I tried them but didn't care much for them. Chuck came to the table to talk to my step dad and my step dad mentioned to him that I was looking for my father. So he sat down and we talked a little bit. I told him I hadn't seen him since I was 5 years old and he said, "Is that raht, Ahm gonna kick his butt next tahm Ah see heeyum. Well it was something like that anyway. Then he said he thought he had a brother over in Bay and had a restaurant there and I should give that a try. When I got back to Michigan I looked up the number for James Ladd and called it. Aunt Earnie answered and when I asked for Jim she asked who I was. I told her my name and she told me she was my Aunt Earnie and the rest is history. Good stuff!
Disclaimer: the typos are intentional and are merely inserted for regional effect. The author intends no slander or disrespect to local customs, colloquialisms, slang, conventions, ethnologies, folklore, social mores, jargon, habitudes, praxis, articulation, cadence, nor good ole boy euphemisms.
Good Story! That is the way the talk usually went at the cafe. Most of that generation is gone now, so the "slang" isn't nearly as much! I'm pretty sure we talk just like the rest of the world. (well, kind of). I had a hard time understanding some of the old terms too. One time I was "tending" my uncles vegtable stand and someone came in to buy "ro-shneers". I told him if he could find them, I'd sell 'em. He pointed to corn on the cob! What he was trying to say was "roasting ears", but I didn't know what that was either, so it wouldn't have maade it any easier!!!
The other slang that took a minute to soak in was "aw, he's got the big head", or he's home with the hershey squirts, or he's just piddlin around....or he's messin' and gomin' ......hey, I got hundreds of 'em but I won't bore you!
I think it would be cool to write all of these old saying down with a definition of their meaning. The younger folks especially have not likely heard them and might get a kick out of reading them. Is it still cool to say cool?
Now the family has a snapfish account. In this account, we can all post photos and then order prints of them all, just like taking it to the store. I also think you can pick them up at Walgreens from this site.
Post Pictures there so we can all have copies! ---------------------------------------------------------- Photobucket is back in working order, so please put up your pictures so we can all see.
21 comments:
I remember Grandma Ladd better than Grandpa Ladd. I remember hanging out in her kitchen. I would sit at the table and wonder why there were plates on the wall. As I recall they were white with blue scenes on them. Oh, and I remember eating.
Grandpa used to make me tickle his feet for what seemed like hours! But he'd give me a quarter for it, which I would run down to the little station down from their house and spend it right away. He also play with us by throwing us on the feather bed. We laugh for the longest time. One day (after I was told NOT to) I climbed up on the clothes line to hang from my knees and got stuck. He was real happy about getting me down. Or was it Cathi up there. ummmm?
Donna
He got mad at me one time when we went to visit. He sent me and Evona to the store to buy sweet milk, and I had no idea what "sweet" milk was! Dad came to my defense and told him I grew up in the city and never heard it called sweet milk!
I remember Grandma Ladd ALWAYS hanging clothes out on the clothes line. I always thought she shouldn't hang up underwear! One day I got bee stung standing out there watching her I also remember she had the roundest belly, and when she laughed, it just shook up and down. I thought that was cute.
For all of you farter's she farted a lot when she got out of bed! She passed down her whistling abilitiy to me and Sandi. And she always sucked the kitchen matches stuck in snuff. The best story I know is when she couldn't get the washing maching to start, so she called a repair man and when he got there he pluged it in and charged 20 dollars, witch made gramp's made. I also heard the story here about him and women liking him. He was at a bar in Trumann and a man told him he was cheating with his wife, he asked the man his name, and then looked in his black book, and said, "no not me". I think the man said sorry and left!
What a great story!
I'm a little confused about the part where she past down the whistling ability. You mention that she farted alot and then whistled? Or was it that when she farted it sounded like a whistle? And if so, does that mean when you and Sandi fart does that sound like a whistle? I'm thinking if that is the case you probably have a lower whistle than Sandi and perhaps yaw could do a duet at the reunion. We'll place some fans in strategic spots, if you don't mind.
I remember instead of watching TV we watched a lamp. It had a cylinder shaped shade that turned real slow and it had a moving waterfall and the Hamms Beer Bear on it. I don't even know if they had a TV-but they had that lamp and we watched it like it was the coolest thing we had ever seen.
I also remember grandma dipped and she took us to JC Penneys in downtown Jonesboro-it had hardwood floors that echoed when you walked and an upstairs with no escalator.-when we were outside you hauled off and spit and grossed me out. She just smiled and dragged us across the street.
These stories are the best so far. Keep 'em comin pleaseee!
Did I really read that my Grandma chewed????!!!
When does it stop!!!
On one of my visits to Arkansas I went to Monette and visted with Aunt Tressie Dunivan. She was Grandpa Ladd's sister. She told when Acie was little they were having a revival meeting. These lasted all week. They were in the church when a man came in with a gun looking to shoot his cousin. The cousin grabbed Acie by the galluses and held him up off the ground so the man wouldn't shoot him. He went over to an open window and jumped out of it. Acie was so scared he ran out of the church, around the corner, and smack dab into the man who had the gun. Not a fun day for Acie! (Note: galluses are elastic straps that hold up trouser (suspenders) or the straps on overhauls.
Tressie told me that in those days their father, Henry Asbury, went to Jonesboro (the big city) once a year for certain supplies. It took him a week to get there and back. When he was coming back the metal strap on the wagon wheels would hit rocks on the trail and make a loud sharp crack. The kids could hear that "crack" a full day before he would arrive back in Hilltop.
In the early 90's I went to Hardy to learn as much as I could about the early Ladd's. This is the area that Amy went with her children during the Civil War. It's called Hilltop Community and it's outside of Hardy. Yeah, like a suburb.
I met an elderly woman named Bertha Powell. As I recall her maiden name was Raider. I have a photograph from Hilltop school taken about 1915 with Grandma Ladd as a young teen. He was the only one wearing a tie. Bertha said he was a snappy dresser and always wore ties. Down the road from her is where Henry Asbury and Molly lived. The house had fallen down but I took pictures anyway. Molly was the first postmaster of Hardy and kept the post office in their house.
Bertha Powell remembers Henry as a tall man over 6ft about 6-2. He had broad shoulders and big hands. She loved to hear his prayers in church. He was a kind man every one in the community looked up to him. She said he was a leader of the community and people would come over to his house if there was something important to talk about to get his opinion. He was also the Justice of the Peace and often married people. She said he was very wise man. She said Molly was the best cook she (Bertha) ever ate after.
Grandma didn't chew -she dipped.
I also remember a big comb that had something that looked like black crayon on it. I think that's how she kept her hair dark.
Jodi can you see if you have a copy of the bicentenial book? It has a picture of grandma milking a cow in it. Pretty nostalgic.
Hey Debbey,
I happen to have a copy of the book. When I find it I will scan the picture and post it.
Sarah
I got better than the book. I got the picture! Mom gathered pics from the community in 1976 to put the book together. About 2 months ago the Mayor cleaned out the storage closet and found a box full of pictures....that happened to be all of the pictures sent to the printer for the book!
...also, Grandma Ladd was the first administrator of the Craighead County Nursing home. (didn't have to have fancy degrees back then!) Pretty impressive huh?
I have the picture Debbey, I'll try to put it up this weekend.
Deb I was thinking about that lamp too, but I didn't say anything about it because I was trying to say something about them. Now that I am thinking about it, the only times I remember grandma Ladd walking is when we would ride with Gandpa to pick her up at work. I do remember Dad talking about when she was dying that she was happy, and ready to meet her lord. The thing I remember the most about Grandpa Ladd is that he always gave me one of his old hat to wear, but they were still good, but I remember his smell in the hat, it was a good smell, but it was his, and I know or would recognize it If I had one of his hats right now. Now don't you remember watching Roller Derby and WWF or whatever it was back then, and in the Roller Derby he would always point out our cousin, a big mean girl as I remember it. And do not walk in front of the TV during this time!! Also, he had cable, I never saw or herd of cable until his house, and air conditioning, that I loved!!!, along with the clock that ran on weights on a chain. But most of all, I felt safe, Dad was going to spank me and Gandpa wouldn't let him, I was thinking Go Gramps!!lol
hmmm, guess Grandpa never sent YOU out for sweet milk! The cousins name was Sandy Dunn, (I THINK). I remembered the clock after you mentioned it. As for the lamp...twas I that wrote about that months ago!
I also remember the "grown ups" talking about Grandma in the hospital and being a miracle because she stayed alive so long without food or water. Also something about the stomach cancer must have been very painful for a long time. "they" (you know who THEY are, right Cloud?) well, "they" said a preacher came in to see her to be sure she was ready to go, and that she began to speak in tongues, and what ever she said, the preacher began to cry. I guess she made HIM a believer! In all the years of hearing the old folks around here talk, no one, not one person had a bad word to say about her. In fact, when her name was mentioned you knew a very special comment would be made of her. That's pretty special. She DID come from a MEAN bunch of brothers tho.
Speaking of the MEAN Kackly boys, who remembers the story about Grandpa trying to date Grandma, and the trouble he had with her brothers? I think they were the ones that refered to him as "pretty boy" because he dressed nice when he came a courtin'!
Just thought of another one. An old man named Fate Houston that sat around drinking coffee & telling stories at "Ladd's Cafe" told me (and I've heard it from others as well) that Grandpa Ladd was the best car salesman in Jonesboro. He knew the farmers didn't have time to come in a car shop, so if he knew that had a bumper crop coming in, he would drive a brand new cadalac out to the turn row & wait for the farmer to get there on his tractor. Then he would tell them how nice great they would look driving this car. I'm pretty sure most of his cars were sold that way. gotta think outside the box, right?
I head several similar stories about him selling cars and pickups. In 1987 when I first began my search for Gabby I had a Jonesboro phonebook and called every Ladd in there. Keep in mind that I was calling long distance. If I recall everyone I called talked REAL slow with that Arkie drawl. At that time I only knew Asa and Cora's names as well as Gabby's. A typical conversation went like this.
"No, I don't know yer Daddy. (long pause) But I rekulek yer granddaddy. (long pause) Yep, I bought mah first Shivvy from yer granddaddy. (long pause) Thet wuz a reel nahce korr. (long pause) Yeah...it wuz. (long pause) 'Course then he started sellin' Ford pick ups. (long pause) Yeah, he did. (long pause) As matter of fak, (long pause) I bought mah first pick-em-up from yer granddaddy. (long pause) Thet wuz a reel nahce truk. (long pause) Yeah, it was. (long pause) Y'know, ah bleeve he run thet ode foks home overn Trumann or suppin. (long pause) He wuz a reel good mayan...yer granddady...yeah he wuz". Y'know ah don't know much 'bout yer kin...yuh maht wonna call so and so. They'd know more ah'd betcha.
The typical conversation took about 20-30 minutes and nearly all of them went that way. I think my phone bill was like $400 that month. Actually, the breakthrough came via my stepfather who went to school with Gabby. They had a mutual freind named Chuck Vreddingburg who owned a restaurant in Jonesboro. My step dad and I went there so he could have some collared greens. I tried them but didn't care much for them. Chuck came to the table to talk to my step dad and my step dad mentioned to him that I was looking for my father. So he sat down and we talked a little bit. I told him I hadn't seen him since I was 5 years old and he said, "Is that raht, Ahm gonna kick his butt next tahm Ah see heeyum. Well it was something like that anyway. Then he said he thought he had a brother over in Bay and had a restaurant there and I should give that a try. When I got back to Michigan I looked up the number for James Ladd and called it. Aunt Earnie answered and when I asked for Jim she asked who I was. I told her my name and she told me she was my Aunt Earnie and the rest is history. Good stuff!
Disclaimer: the typos are intentional and are merely inserted for regional effect. The author intends no slander or disrespect to local customs, colloquialisms, slang, conventions, ethnologies, folklore, social mores, jargon, habitudes, praxis, articulation, cadence, nor good ole boy euphemisms.
Good Story! That is the way the talk usually went at the cafe. Most of that generation is gone now, so the "slang" isn't nearly as much! I'm pretty sure we talk just like the rest of the world. (well, kind of). I had a hard time understanding some of the old terms too. One time I was "tending" my uncles vegtable stand and someone came in to buy "ro-shneers". I told him if he could find them, I'd sell 'em. He pointed to corn on the cob! What he was trying to say was "roasting ears", but I didn't know what that was either, so it wouldn't have maade it any easier!!!
The other slang that took a minute to soak in was "aw, he's got the big head", or he's home with the hershey squirts, or he's just piddlin around....or he's messin' and gomin' ......hey, I got hundreds of 'em but I won't bore you!
I think it would be cool to write all of these old saying down with a definition of their meaning. The younger folks especially have not likely heard them and might get a kick out of reading them. Is it still cool to say cool?
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