To write, and to recall my early childhood until the pres ent, is a rewarding experience. I, Larry Craig, was the first born of Samintha Beaver Craig, and a farm boy from Cooper, Texas, Jess Craig. I was born in Ft. Sumner, New Mexico, July 20, 1936, and I immediately became “Larry Baby” to Aunt Jane. My sister, Janie, has done a great job of tracing our childhood days, so there is no need for me to repeat that part of my life. I will just say that my outlook on life sometimes became very bleak with two little sisters always plotting against big brother. All in all, if you…

I am Samintha Beaver Craig, the tenth of eleven children, born to Mikiel Edwin and Samintha Pearson Beaver. I was born May 20, 1911, in Erath County near Hico, Texas. I was given my mother’s name, Samintha. To the family I am known as Sam, and to my friends as Sammie. I have worn my mother’s beautiful name with pride. My father was a dryland farmer, and some years, crop failures came down hard on us. However, we always had plenty to eat since we raised hogs, chickens, and cows at home. My mother was a great cook. Her fried chicken could put Kentucky Colonel’s to shame. I always helped…

On a cold day about 46 years ago, the author of this book was in no condition to be planning any literary endeavor. She was about to become a mother for the second time. I was born on February 21, 1940 in the little West Texas town of Spur. My parents, John and Lois Smith, were living at Girard, Texas where Dad was the principal of Girard High School. My brother, Robert Don, was a little over two years old. Few memories come to mind of my early years. I have vague recollections of certain incidents before the age of five. However, I am not sure if these are genuine…

I was born in Girard, Texas, November 27, 1937, the first of two children of John and Lois. My brother, Daniel Polk Smith, born two years later, will doubtless write his own piece in this book. I will not say much about him, except that he is the superior brother in looks, physique, athletic ability and some other respects, though not all. Girard was a small town (I think my birth increased the population to nineteen), and since there was very little going on there, I was happy to leave at the age of three. We moved to Victoria, Texas. I have only three vivid memories of Victoria: a woman…

I was born October 15, 1908, in the Millerville Community of Erath County, Texas. I remember very little about my birth place because I was only three and a half years old when we moved away from there. I can recall a few things about the house we lived in, for example, our front door had a pretty beveled glass inset with a floral design etched in it. I think the one reason that I remembered that was because Dad always cautioned us not to slam the door for fear that we might break the glass. We had an ell gallery that extended across the front and one side of…

I was born August 28, 1940, to D. Ray and Lee Ella Jones in a little two room house located in the Bloomfield Community near Pilot Point, Texas. Granny and Pa Beaver were present at this blessed event, as were Grandma and Grandpa Jones who lived nearby. My childhood days were spent playing in the woods near our house, riding my bicycle, playing cowboys with friends who lived nearby, and, as I became older, riding my horse Mack. Mack was a special horse, but one that my dad had trouble hand ling, and he bucked off my Uncle Casey a couple of times. They were rough with him when he…

Submitted by Charley B. Jones Lee Ella Beaver was born August 29, 1905 in Erath County, near Hico, Texas, When she was seven years old she moved with her family to Girard, Texas. This move was an experience she never forgot, especially the traveling in a covered wagon and cooking on a campfire. Lee Ella graduated from Girard High School in 1925, and she worked at several jobs until the fall of 1925, when she entered North Texas State Teachers College at Denton, Texas. After attending college for one year she received a teaching certificate and secured a job teaching at the Bloomfield school, near Pilot Point, Texas. After teaching…

Hubbert (Hub) Beaver, the seventh child of Ed and Minnie Beaver, was born in the Millerville Community of Erath County, Texas November 1, 1902. He was our youngest brother, and was at home while we four sisters were growing up. We adored him, even though he was never content unless he had one of us crying and running to Mama to tell on him. He was a happy-go-lucky kid, full of fun and mischief, who liked to hear and repeat little off-color jokes. Hub was a resourceful boy like his brother Charley, always doing something to earn a little money, and he enjoyed buying gifts for us girls. I still…

Charlie was born in Erath County, Texas, September 26, 1900. At the time he was born, our little handicapped brother, Olin, was a year and nine months old. What a traumatic time Mama must have had, a new baby and another one less than two years old who reauired almost constant attention. She told me that while she was pregnant with Charlie, she prayed daily that her new born baby would be a normal baby with no imperfections such as Olin had. It seemed that her prayers were answered as Charlie was born with more independent and intellectual traits than any of her eleven children. He always wanted to do…

I, Olin Hal Beaver, son of Edwin Clay and Bernice Parks Beaver, was born September 10, 1945, in Stamford, Texas. I was named for Amos Olin Beaver, an uncle on my father’s side who died in infancy, and Hal Parks, my only uncle on Mother’s side. One of my earliest experiences that I can recall, was sitting like a little dummy and letting my brother Dennis mix dirt and water and spreading it on me to make me look like a little “tar baby”. While living in Stamford, my dad had several cages of rabbits. All were solid white except one black buck. He got out of his cage and…