MEMORIES OF JAMES HALE BY PORTIA CLOUD-BANACH

James Hale & Rebecca Woods Hale

1st Row:  ?, Portia Cloud, Tony Cloud 2nd Row:  Alice Hale, ?, Roger Cloud, James Hale, Jr., Freddie Ray

Margaret Hale Jones, Rebecca Woods Hale & Irene Hale Cloud

James Hale and Rebecca Hale lived in a four room house owned by the coal company Papaw worked for.  I don't remember seeing papaw dressed to go to work, probably because we only visited on the weekends.  Mom's sister Margaret Ann would pick up me, or me and mom and take us to visit them on Saturdays.  Margaret Ann would either take them shopping, to the doctor or clean house for them.  Sometimes mom would let me stay over if I had someone to bring me home.  The house had a front porch that was the same size as the house.  There was a livingroom, kitchen,  and  two bedrooms.  In the early 50s one bedroom was for papaw and mamaw and the other bedroom was for all the other children.  There were three small beds in the other bedroom.  I remember the children still at home were Bug (James, Jr.), Tootsie (Alice), Sue (Barbara Sue).  When holidays came around and the other children came home there would be two to each bed and some on rollaway beds or slept on the floor.   The other children were Polly, Irene, Ernest Lee (Unt), Willie,  Chick and Margaret Ann.  There was a well and an outside toilet.       Papaw Hale was a very religious man.  He was always quoting the bible and singing church songs.  I was  his favorite granddaughter, until mom's sister Alice (Tootsie) had her first child, Brenda.  By that time I was a teenager and had moved to Louisville.  Brenda became papaw's special granddaughter.      Papaw said grace before every meal whether there was a full table of people or just him.  Mamow Hale had a coal kitchen cast iron stove.  She or one of mom sisters had papow Hale's breakfast ready for him everyday.  He had very strong beliefs which were taught from early childhood.  His beliefs were, no dancing, no drinking alcohol, no listening to rock & roll music, go to church whenever there were services, follow God's 10 commandments.  As his children grew up and had their own children he would let slide the wearing of shorts and short sleve dresses or shirts (these were sins for women mostly).  There was never to be any dancing in his house, and no watching American Bandstand.  The church taught that dancing was a sin because John the Baptist was ordered beheaded because a dancer requested it of the king.      Papaw's was always happy and singing church songs.  He would teach us the bible by referring to passages that pertained to daily life.  He was always giving one of us a big hug  and telling us how much he loved us.    By us I am referring to his children, grandchildren and his friends.   His answer to all difficulties was that God would take care of everything.       He loved God and going to church.  Papaw's church was on the other side of the railroad tracks from his house.  The singing of the choir could be heard from the front porch of his house.  There were church services on Wednesday night, Saturday night and Sunday morning.  Sunday school classes were before the mid-day sermon and and evening sermon was held again around 7:00.  I went to his church a few times but I liked my church at Dizney better.  On holidays his children usually would come to visit and bring their children.  Those were happy times.  On Easter papaw would gather all his grandchildren that were old enough to go with him to church and bring them along.  After church services there would be an easter egg hunt at the playground just down the railroad tracks.   After the Easter Egg hunt, everyone would go back to the house for a very large meal.  I would think that the older married children gave papow money to cover buying the food for the Sunday meal.      Most of the older men and papow took a siesta.  They found spots on the beds or slept on a lounge chair in the yard.  Chick and Papaw Hale used to take their naps in the front yard.        Chick bought the house that Papaw and Mamaw Hale lived in and gave them the deed in the mid to late 50's.