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From: "Arkley & Kathy" <>
Subject: A History of Harlan County by Mabel Green Condon pg. 103
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 16:25:12 -0800


A History of Harlan County by Mabel Green Condon Copyright 1962, for
sharing only

slaves of the Turner family. Uncle Press Turner was the boss cook and they
had ham, turkey, chicken, and every kind of vegetable on hand with several
kinds of cake, served with egg custard. Ice cream was not made at that time
although a few people built ice-.houses on the river bank, filled them with
sawdust and could keep ice sometimes as late as July. Ice was usually
reserved for the care of the sick. My mother, sister and the other smaller
children were excited because they had never before seen anyone dressed in
all white.
There was a smaller log house at the back of the house which had been used
for slave quarters but now kept furnished for extra guests so the little log
house was fixed up for the honeymoon night. The small children peeped in
after the bride and groom went to their little house and saw them embracing.
The next day the groom took his bride to his father's home where another
feast was prepared. The home place is at the west end of Harlan where their
son, Dr. J. B. Jones, lives now. Mrs. Jones was widowed and is now Mrs.
Gilbert and living at 96 in 1962.
My aunt, Cora Rice, married John Blanton Lewis at her grandfather Rice's in
Tazewell, because her mother was dead. The parents of the groom lived at
Four Mile Farm (now owned by Bryan Whitfield II), and they prepared the
infare for the bride and groom. At that time the Southern Railroad was
building a road from Knoxville to Middlesboro about 1894 and had to tunnel
through the mountain at Cumberland Gap. The road was blocked and the John B.
Lewises arrived two days late for the infare at the Felix Goldwin Lewis
Farm.
Everyone looked forward to a couple producing an heir and if a child was not
born within a year or two the whole countryside was disappointed because a
prolific couple would raise from twelve to fifteen children. If the
firstborn was not a boy there was a little disappointment and very often the
girl was given the name of a rnan-child or her father's name. The baby girl
though proved more comfort and help to the mother as she learned to do
chores around the house.
103

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