Memories
Pudge Irwin Gerald Masters "Home" by Mrs. Ordie Garner
I remember Grandpa living with us until he passed away when I was 12 years old. He was the one that gave me my nickname "Pudge." I've been told I was a chubby baby and he started calling me "Pudgy," a name that has stuck with me all my life.
He would give Gerald and me each a nickel when we would be going to town. We shopped long and hard to get the most candy for our money.
We played and worked together or at least I thought it was work then. We shelled seed corn together. When he shucked the hog corn he had a big box he would put the biggest and nicest ears in. Before corn planting time, it was my job to climb in the box and hand the ears of corn to Grandpa. He would "nub" the ears, that is shell the little grains off the ends of the ear or any that weren't any good. I would shell the rest to use as seed corn. I liked to play croquest. He played that game with me. As he got older and weaker, I couldn't understand then why he wouldn't want to play as often as I did.
He liked to hunt. He told us many hunting stories. He taught my mother to shoot a 22 rifle. He also taught her to squirrel hunt. As he got older they took many short squirrel hunts together and usually brought back some squirrels.
He liked to visit the neighbors and was known as "Uncle Jim" to many in the community. I can still see where he always sat in our little country church. I never heard him use any ugly words and I think he tried to set a good example for his family and friends.
In looking back, I can see where he had many heartaches during his life. He lost 2 wives and 3 children. When he lost his only daughter he had to give up his home and live with his children. He never complained and lived each day as it came.
Pudge Irwin
Granddaughter
August 2000
Time passes and memories fade after sixty years. I had the opportunity to be a part of my Grandfather's life for eight and a half years. After he lost his wife, son and daughter, he came to make his home with my father and mother before I was born. There are many fond memories of him that time and paper cannot record all of them.
My Grandfather was born, raised and lived in the Sycamore community for all his life. There was a school, 1-8 grades and a Methodist Church. The way of life was farming and he enjoyed all parts of farming. I remember the fruit trees: apples, peaches, plums and pears. Many lasted for years after his passing and was enjoyed by all the family.
He was a blacksmith by trade. The horse drawn wagon Dad used, he made along with hoes and many tools we used on the farm. It was a pleasure to turn the blower on the old forge while he made or repaired things.
Grandpa like to hunt and fish. He taught my Mother to hunt and bought her a 22 caliber rifle, which I still have. He taught me to shoot the rifle, but more than that he taught me gun safety. As a boy growing up, I followed in his footsteps while hunting. Every time I wanted to go hunting when there was work to do, Dad would finally give in and say "OK son, go on, you are just like my Dad, Jim Masters." I was like grandpa, for hunting was always more important than work any time.
One of the first things I remember and had trouble understanding was why both friends and family called him Uncle Jim. I always was asking Mom why "Uncle Jim" when he was my Grandpa. No amount of explaining at that time could convince me any different.
My Dad Elmer and my Uncle Virgil had nicknames. They called my Dad "Jeff" after the funny paper cartoon "Mutt and Jeff." A Mr. Fox, a tall man when Dad was a boy, started the nickname and they called each other Mutt and Jeff. Uncle Virgil was shortened to Virge. My Grandfather never used the nicknames. He always addressed them by Virgil and Elmer.
Grandpa was one of the first to get a telephone in our community. He bought six shares of the Elizabethtown, Cedar Creek, and Pitts Point Telephone Company at $2.50 per share on April 12, 1906. The phone company was founded on February 23, 1906 and his certificate was #3. He also was one of the first to get the "Courier Journal" newspaper. It was made available through the mail carrier. The news was always a day old but in those days time was not that important. I suppose that is why I enjoy the paper so much.
He always had a very sharp pocket knife and would let me play with it. The only time he fussed at me was when I tried to cut rocks with it. I still have a scar on one of my fingers from that knife. Grandpa gave me my first knife and told me to take care of it and be sure not to plant it for it would not come up and grow more knives. You guessed it, I planted it and then he found an old knife and gave it to me.
Grandpa like to go to town and vist all the merchant's, the judge, sheriff, banker and etc. He was often chosen to serve on the jury and done some work for the bank in our community. This was a way to get a few dollars and he enjoyed doing this. Many people believed in his judgment and wisdom.
If grandpa was alive today, he would be a champion for equal rights. His father served in the Union Army during the Civil War and Lincoln was one of his idols. He never failed to vote and the Republicans were his choice.
Church was very much a part of his life. Sycamore Church was on the Methodist circuit and we had church two times a month. He always invited the preacher to our house for dinner. Mom never cared and always had a good meal on the table for them. Often times, the preacher had to travel a long ways and stayed with us over night. He and Grandpa always got their Bibles out to study together. This was never to argue but to be better informed of its contents and meaning; always to find the truth of the Bible's teaching. One time they decided to go over to church early and took me before Mom gave me a bath and changed my clothes. That was the only time my Mother ever had words with him. He and the preacher just laughed it off.
December of 1940 was a bad year for all the family. The flu bug put all of us in the bed before Christmas. Mom and Dad was not able to go to town and buy toys and fruit and etc. for Christmas. We did not have Christmas as usual. But on December 27, 1940, Grandpa died and added to all the turmoil of that December. I never regret and will never forget that time of my growing up. We did not have Christmas but I have all the good memories of a wonderful Grandfather. He was laid to rest by his wife at the Sycamore Cemetery where his Father and Mother and also his Grandfather and Grandmother are buried.
A chapter of my life closed that day but I feel it made me a better person for having a loving and caring Grandfather in the early years of my life.
Gerald L. Masters
Grandson
August 2000
Many years ago, there was a family who lived in Hardin County eight miles north of Elizabethtown near a little country church called Sycamore. Their names were Alfred and Sally Masters.
To them were born several children. There names were Alice, James, Annie, John, Lizzie, Henry, and Leila.
They attended this little country church and spent many happy years together.
Later in life, the children began to marry and seek homes of their own.
Then one day John decided to marry. In 1891, he was married to Lena Fox. This left James lowly so in 1892 he was married to Rebecca Hazel Day. Because she was so small they called her "Tiny." Then later she went by the name "Tina."
The two brothers John and James decided to buy some land together. Tho there were no buildings on this place, it left them to build their home. They worked very hard cutting logs and building the house and other buildings which they needed.
Due to John and Lena expecting a child, this left James to move in first. In 1893, a son was born to John and Lena. They named him Fenley. Then they moved too in their new home. The brothers were back together again, as they had worked and played as children through the years.
Then came James and Tina's son the same year. They named him Charlie. He passed away in 1898. They decided to sell their interest in the farm to John and seek another, in which they did.
In 1895, another child was born to John and Lena. They named her Katherine but as the years passed by everyone called her Kate. In 1898, Horace was born to them. Kate and Horace were the two children that were born to them in their new home that John had helped to build.
Then they decided to move, after they left another daughter was born to them. They named her Mary Ellen.
John sold the farm to another brother Henry.
In 1905, Henry was married to Maggie Kilgus. They moved into the log home. This made three brothers living in the same house.
Three children were born here to Henry and Maggie. In 1906, Pearl was born and passed away in 1906. In 1908, Roman and in 1909, Sudie Blanch. To forget the past, they also moved away. In 1912, Herbert was born to them.
Henry then sold the place back to James, who was first to live in the new home. James now had more children too. In 1896, Bessie was born. In 1898, Virgil and in 1901, Elmer.
In 1910, Horace and Alice Williams moved in the old home. Alice papered the wall with newspapers, as they were dated 1913 that was the end of the year they left.
In 1917, Clint Bailey and wife lived there.
In 1918, Virgil decided to marry. He was married to Gertrude Cofer. They bought the furniture from Mr. Bailey and they too went to live in the log house. In 1919, Hazel was born. They spent four years spoiling her. In 1923, their son Alton was born. Five more years they spent spoiling both of them. That made nine happy years for them at the old log home.
Their hearts were sad, very sad, when the time come for them to move, but they moved to a home that is now their own. In 1933, another son Ralph ws born to them.
In 1927, Elmer was married to Mildred Sherrard. They bought the old home and moved in it.
This making two more brothers starting in the same house again. As they were the sons of James, he was very grateful that they too could live in the house he once helped build.
In 1928, Wilma Lois was born to Elmer and Mildred. In 1932, a son Gerald. In 1943, another daughter Brenda. They spent seventeen happy years here, as I am writing this. I must say happy years for I live just over the hill from them. There were romps, water fighting and even egg throwing but all in fun.
Then came the time when the old home would be taken by the government. It sadened everyone. The farms joining this place were taken, but somehow, the old home was left again.
In 1944, Elmer and Mildred built a new house and moved to it, this leaving the old home vacant.
In 1946, it was rented to Sgt. Paul Miller.
In 1947, Wilma Lois was married to Louie Irwin. They lived there two happy years. Wilma Lois was the granddaughter of James.
As they moved away, many tears were shed by their neighbor. This left the old home empty for nine long years.
There may have been a few sad moments spent here, but there has been much happiness, and it was still a house that people loved.
In 1956, Elmer sold the old home to Alvin and Edna Cowley. Alvin was the grandson of John and the son of Kate. So the old home was moved into once more. They too have moved away but still own it.
As I come to the end of my story, this verse goes to each one, who lived here in the house that I have painted.
The load may have been heavy, while trying their burdens to meet,
with faith and the help of each other, the blessing were laid at their feet.You see, there has been much happiness, many a tear has been shed adieu.
God has left a place of remembrance in the house that was built just for you.Written by Mrs. Ordie Garner
October 18, 1958