Document text
August 29, 1939
Mary Jane Sherrill, Spinster
Catawba, N. C.
Ethel Deal, Writer
Dudley W. Crawford, Reviser
Original Names Changed Names
Sane Sherrill Julia Shehan
Topen Creek Tar Creek
East Mambo Eastover
Mts. Horner Mrs. Haynes
Mrs pope Mts. Pores
Mt. Pope Mt. Pores
Statesville Stanton
Charlotte Riverton
Catfish Trout
Alley's Store Allen's Store
Mt. Frye Mt. Fisk
Catawba County Canton County
*'I was born in Canton County and I'm fifty five
years old. My father owned a big farm over on Tar
Creek. We worked on the farm, and that is different
from going out and working by the day for other folks.
I had plenty of chances to git married, but mama
and papa was both old and I had to stay and take care
of them. Now they are dead; I'm old myself and it
pretty hard to gat anybody. I might get married yet,
if I can find the right man; what I mean by right he's
got to support me.
*I got one brother, he ain't never married neither.
He is two years younger than me. No, he don't have no
job; goes out and works by the day, does anything he
can lay his hands to.
"I'm a practical nurse. I goes out and waits on
sick people when they need me. I nursed Mrs. Haynes
at Eastover six years. She was so good to me, as long as
she lived she sent me a dollar every Christmas.
"Seems like I ain't never had nothing. On the
farm could always do something to bring in a lit-
tle money, but in town there just ain't nothing
to do. If I didn't get commodities I reckon I'd
starve to death.
*The way I made a little money on the farm was
in making up a cure for itch and rheumatism. Do
you know what poke berries are? I'll tell you how
to cure rheumatism with them. Take one pint of
berries and dry them, then add three pinta of
whiskey, and drink a teaspoonful before each meal.
It is a good medicine. Then, there's the root,
you wouldn't think it is good for anything. Some
people think it's a disgrace to have the itch. It's
not, it's just another disease. It's a disgrace to
keep it. Just take a half gallon of poke root, and
boil it in an iron pot. When it gets good and strong
wash all over in it.
NI kept house for Mrs. Pore, and the soldiers
brought the itch with them when they come home
from the World War. Mr. Pore had it. He went to
the doctor and he hummed and hawed, told him first
one thing and then another. One day he had the eczema
and the next day he had something else. Finally
one day he just up and said, 'Man you got the itch'.
That made bad matters worse. Mk. Pore come out of
the office roaring like a lion.
knowed all the time he had it. I had seen the
itch before, so I took matters in my own hands. I
went out behind the garden and dug some poke root;
biled it till it was good and strong, and when he
come in that night the kitchen was turned over to
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him for his bath. He got a big tub and put the stuff
in it. ...a about ten minutes you'd thought a wild
horse was turned loose in that kitchen. Such swearing
and bad words you never heard the like. That man was
fitten to be tied. His body rose up in whelps thick
as your finger. I asked him if it hurt; he said, 'hurt
the devil, I'm on fire'. It killed the itch though.
used to sell a lot of herbs to the Herb House
in s‘anton, a colored man that worked on papa's
farm hauled it over there for ma. I have sold some
for as much as eight cents a pound. I saved up all
the money I could get my hands on and at one time
had eight hundred dollars. I thought I would gat
rich quick so I put every dime of it in a creamery
business in Riverton. That thing went busted and I
ain't never got a penny out of it.
°I try not to worry about things though. I always
try to look on the bright side of every thing. I walk
along the street apd I see people crippled and blind,
and I am so thankful that I can walk and see, and I
tell you I believe it's a sin for people to be always
grumbling, they could be a sight worse off than they
are.
°I worked in the sewing room in Trout, but it
was so far, and I couldn't get there regular so I
had to quit. If I could get a couple of rooms in
town for my brother to live in I'd go and cook for
folks. I am not ashamed to do any kind of work that
is honest.
oI didn't get much of a education, mama's health
wasn't good and I had to stay at home with her. The
schools won't graded and I don't have no idea how
far I went, but I had a big geography and two or
three other books. I wouldn't take a pretty for what
little can read and write.
'ties, I belong to the Baptist Church. I Can't go
to church much now because it's too far to walk. I
miss going thoughibecause I was raised up to be a
good ehristian girl. Mama was mighty strict with
me she never would let me go ripping around the
country with the boys.
"This is a locket one of my sweethearts give me
a long time ago. I sometimes wonder where he is ,the
last time I heard anything about him he was still
single.
'Next sunday we Shoham: are going to have a
re -union at Shehans Ford School. Do you think you
can come? We are going to have music and speakings,
and a big picnic dinner. I'll tell you how to find
it. It's ten miles to Allen's store, stop there
and ask the way, it's five miles further. I wait
you to have some of that good dinner.
*Me and my brother is going. I expect to wear
the pretty dress Mrs. Haynes give ma before she
died. It's white crepe with a blue jacket. I have
got a hat to match the jacket, and am going to wear
whits shoes.
*I'm. a Democrat, brother is too .We like the Pres-
ident so good. I hope he don't go out, he is so good
to the poor people. I ain't able to do much work but
our President sees to it that people like me don't
starve. That's what I call a good man.
*Mr. Fisk told me to come back in about two days
and get my commodities, they ain't come in yet, but
I reckon I can get this medicine they give the order
for this morning.
I usually git flour, beans and rice. We ain't
got no cow, but they give us powdered milk; you
just add water to it and it makes the best bread.
What President could do more? I'll always vote for
him.
°I told you how nice every body is to me.This
morning Mr. Allen brought me up here and wouldn't
charge me a cent.
t'.ell got to get going.I'd hate to keep him
waiting. I am glad to give you the story, it helps
to get it out of my system.