Reminiscences of the Old Man

[octagon]

The Old Man is almost 91, and is a tall strapping fella of about 200 lbs with bright blue eyes, a ready laugh and a quick witted sense of humor. We became acquainted some years back when he helped me put together a construction project to benefit our local Veterans. We began meeting once a week for coffee and conversation, I found out later he was a Marine Veteran who served in the Pacific theater of WWII.

He was born and raised in Texas hill country along with 9 siblings, before electricity made it's way here, before junipers invaded the countryside and sucked dry the many springs that used to be in abundance. He hauled water from the Guadalupe River for cooking and cleaning, and it is cooking that is the subject of this post, which I thought you fellas might find interesting.

His family raised 10-12 hogs to supplement the food supply, and when the first good freeze would hit the area, him and a brother would take a .22 out to harvest some deer to mix with the pork for sausage. After stuffing the casings his Mom would layer the sausage in the bottom of a 35 lb lard can, and cover it with lard, adding another layer, lard covered and so on. They would put up 3-4 of these cans, and as Mom used the lard up, another layer of sausage rings would appear, and would be cooked for the large family. I had never heard of this method of storage, and thought some of y'all might find it of some interest, as I have. I have grown fond of this old fella, and would not miss our weekly coffee, he is a fountain of local history, and funny as all get out.

[AJMD429]

I read most of the FoxFire books when I was a kid, and though they were more regional, they were a very authentic representation of 'the old ways'. I wish I had bought the series instead of just checking them out of the library.

[plowboy 45]

My Grandmaw did it that way also

[Richardx]

I recently reread The Yearling by Marjorie Rawlings, and that is how they stored various things, sausage and cooked ribs, packed in crocks with grease.
Great book to read or reread after 50 plus years.

[JohndeFresno]

Octagon,

That sausage bit sounds just like what I have read in one of Elmer Keith's books! If you want to read some great nostalgia and some rather detailed but interestingly presented history of how many folks lived in the late 1800's and early 1900's, you might want to get Keith's book, "Hell, I Was There!" [Excuse the expletive, please].

There are just too many strange, interesting, exciting and hilarious accounts to recap here. Right from the start, you will get caught up in a story of Elmer's grandfather, a lawman, who arrested an ornery murderer, got caught in inclement weather while bringing him back to trial, and what happened in a thunderstorm when the varmint cursed and challenged God!

Or - just how ornery Keith was, himself, when he and his brother had to face up to a grammar school tough and what happened to the (poor) fellow.

I sometimes start to thinking that I have had a bit of an interesting life, then realize that I don't know the meaning of "Living Large" when I learn what some other dudes have gone through.

[octagon]

JohndeFresno,
I mostly quit buying new books for myself when I started my family (3 kids) and usually only buy used books. I have only acquired one book by Keith, his book on shotguns, which I found would probably only appeal to hardcore shotgun types. I have read it many times, it tells you every thing you would ever want to know about the subject, an exhaustive study along with quite a few anecdotes that would appeal to most gun guys. I recall he was not accepted for military service, but got a gig that included among other things, test firing for military use some 5000 shotguns!

[vancelw]

The Old Man is almost 91, and is a tall strapping fella of about 200 lbs with bright blue eyes, a ready laugh and a quick witted sense of humor. We became acquainted some years back when he helped me put together a construction project to benefit our local Veterans. We began meeting once a week for coffee and conversation, I found out later he was a Marine Veteran who served in the Pacific theater of WWII.

Not many of those guys left (not to mention how many perished in one of the many D-Days the Marines endured in the Pacific)
I envy your time and conversation with him.
R.V> Burgin is usually at Dallas Market Hall each gun show. I make a point to shake his hand every time I attend. One day, he will not be there and it will be like losing a close friend.

[ollogger]

I can remember my grandma having her crocks full of pork & jars full of canned chicken
bout 1960 she got her first electric ice box & gave up on the crocks


Brad

[Chris83716]

Google confit. You will get more info about this storage method then you ever wanted to know.

Chris

[Gascozark]

I read most of the FoxFire books when I was a kid, and though they were more regional, they were a very authentic representation of 'the old ways'. I wish I had bought the series instead of just checking them out of the library.

They are still available: https://www.lehmans.com/p-8057-the-foxf ... eries.aspx

Fred Manes, the blacksmith who was interviewed in one volume, was a dear old friend of my father. Dad would tell stories about Fred. Some were of his escapades (funny stuff) but he also would talk about his expert skills as a blacksmith.

Tons of good information in those Foxfire books....

[Rusty]

"Hell I was there" can now be downloaded as a PDF file and kept on your computer for free. Someone here posted a link to it a while back.

If anyone has a desire to purchase any of the Foxfire books you might want to contact them and buy direct from them. They can use the money. They operate as a non profit and do a lot of good for the kids in Ga. If you're in the area drop in. They have a museum and a busy schedule of workshops lectures and living history.

[JimT]

I met Apache Jack in 1961 or '62 ... he was over 100 at the time. We had just come out of the Superstition Mountains and had stopped at a store to get something cold to drink. He was sitting in the shade and we struck up a conversation. I really enjoyed time spent with oldtimers who had seen the West when it was young.

I was good friends with Jim Hardy who was born in 1875. He passed in 1978 at 103. I spent quite a lot of time with him. He was the real deal.

From these old guys I learned the value of listening.

Oldtimers may ramble a bit. Be patient. There are truths hidden in a lot of what they have to say ... and they are not gonna be around forever.

[hfcable]

I read most of the FoxFire books when I was a kid, and though they were more regional, they were a very authentic representation of 'the old ways'. I wish I had bought the series instead of just checking them out of the library.

I read them too; passed my copies on to friends and wish I had them back.

Some of my relatives are mentioned and even pictured in those books.

[mikld]

Meeting a man like that was a dream of mine. I had envisioned sitting on the porch sharing a cup of coffee and listening to his wisdom. My Dad had the potential (Okie from depression era, did a hundred things to eke out a living for the family, even working as a gofer in a Cathouse near Stillwater), but he was always "too busy"...

You are blessed to have him in your life...

[Blaine]

In pre WWII days, my peeps cured/smoked pork & canned beef.....

[Merle]

The Old Man is almost 91, and is a tall strapping fella of about 200 lbs with bright blue eyes, a ready laugh and a quick witted sense of humor. We became acquainted some years back when he helped me put together a construction project to benefit our local Veterans. We began meeting once a week for coffee and conversation, I found out later he was a Marine Veteran who served in the Pacific theater of WWII.

He was born and raised in Texas hill country along with 9 siblings, before electricity made it's way here, before junipers invaded the countryside and sucked dry the many springs that used to be in abundance. He hauled water from the Guadalupe River for cooking and cleaning, and it is cooking that is the subject of this post, which I thought you fellas might find interesting.

His family raised 10-12 hogs to supplement the food supply, and when the first good freeze would hit the area, him and a brother would take a .22 out to harvest some deer to mix with the pork for sausage. After stuffing the casings his Mom would layer the sausage in the bottom of a 35 lb lard can, and cover it with lard, adding another layer, lard covered and so on. They would put up 3-4 of these cans, and as Mom used the lard up, another layer of sausage rings would appear, and would be cooked for the large family. I had never heard of this method of storage, and thought some of y'all might find it of some interest, as I have. I have grown fond of this old fella, and would not miss our weekly coffee, he is a fountain of local history, and funny as all get out.

My Grandmother did the same thing, but in 5 gallon stone crocks. She put up both beef & pork. Guess it's a long time Northern & Southern forgotten method from the old days before electricity was common.

[octagon]

This AM's coffee with the Old Man:

His Dad was born 1888 and served with his brother in WWI. They were in the Army and fought in the Argonne Forest, his uncle was killed there, but his father made it back to the states, and settled in the Texas Hill Country in Kerr county before relocating to where the Old Man was born and raised.
His whole family was musical, some (his Dad) playing professionally.

The Old Man served with the Third Marine Division and was 18 when he joined up. He does not talk about his service, but I asked him this morning to tell me about it if he didn't mind, and he was forthcoming with locations, too many for me to remember all. He was in many engagements apparently, but he did mention Guam, and many others, and said his outfit landed at Iwo Jima, but he missed that due to being hospitalized. I asked about this, and while him and some other fellas were unloading big truck tires, a fella pushed one off a truck and broke his foot and some toes. He said he had tried to shoot his own foot a few times but missed (a joke).

He ended up overseas long after the bomb was dropped, due to a shortage of boats to tote everybody back. After most marines had left, he was still there with some other men , as there were still some Japanese that were not convinced, and needed taking care of. While welders tried to outfit an aircraft carrier to get folks back home, the boat caught on fire and delayed things again. When they finally hitched a ride back, him and his buddy played 28 games of checkers in one day tying at 14 each.

After his return, jobs were dang hard to come by, and he says that a real good carpenter, who could cut a roof and build stairs might get an occasional gig for a day at 3 bucks a day.

I occasionally invite the Old Man out for some bass fishing, but he says he is to good looking to fish with the likes of me. After all his help with my Veteran project I told him I believed he had earned his self a cold Shiner. He said he was not sure what that was, but no thanks. I said it was a beer, but he further declined, saying he did not drink. I asked if he had EVER had a drink of beer, and he said no, not ever, or cigarettes, or cigars. I asked him was he a finger shaking Baptist, and he said no, he goes every week to the Methodist Church, but that is more for those folks benefit than his.