NOTEBOOK COVER

(of Finch Family History)

Mrs. Finch wrote out her memories in longhand, gathered old family photos and tried her best to accurately record and document her family history.

The Chaffee Historical Society will not produce any copies of the original handwritten documents (except the Dedication Page) prepared by Mrs. Finch, instead we will rely on the family history typed by her daughter, Maxine (Finch) Pepple, from the original documents.

The Chaffee Historical Society, by publishing this family history, again is reminded of how the future of Chaffee was effected by the people and commerce of Rockview.   One cannot study the history of Chaffee, without recognizing the influence of Rockview.

INTRODUCTION

To begin with, I want to say, "I'm not an author.  This is not an autobiography and I'm sure there will be lots of mistakes."  I looked at my calendar and saw this quote which I thought was kinda the way I feel.  "I have to live with myself so, I want to be fit for myself to know."

Why am I writing this?  I look around and see so many of my friends that have been so vibrant, alive, active and happy not many years, months or even days ago.  Now they are concerned about what is happening to themselves.

We might lose our sight, our hearing, the use of our arms or can't walk, but when our minds go it is a disastrous loss.  Our happiness goes regardless of what we once were able to do.  No matter how hard our loved ones try to help we can't remember what we once knew.

I realize I'm living on borrowed time.  I have my faith in my lord to keep me going, but I don't believe He wants me to sit around and waste the precious time He has given me, then wish I hadn't.  I don't worry over what might happen because I know He will see me through it.

I refuse to worry over the past, I can't change it; nor the future because it may not happen; but at least I can do my best to use the present, however long or soon it may be, doing whatever I can to be happy and help others in any way I can so they too, can be happy.

It seems we always think, after it is too late, we should have made notes while our elders are with us.  Is is so much easier to for me to forget than to remember.  So I have decided to put a few things together that I remember.

So here goes with --- "Some Things I Remember in 1992"

“My Grandpa Miller”

       My Grandpa Miller was Andrew Christy Miller (Born 11/29/1857 Died 12/16/1941), second son of Phillip James and Emily Jane Miller. His father was a soldier in the Civil War. He died during his tenure in service from a siege of Chronic Diarrhea at the age of 36.  He is buried in the National Cemetery near Mounds, IL. (#3044, Sec. E.-5 rows from the back)

       His mother Emily Jane Taylor, oldest child of George Washington and Massa Elizabeth Parker Taylor. She was born Aug. 13, 1829. She and Phillip James were married Oct. 27, 1850. They had 3 boys and 2 girls. I can remember how fortunate I was to have known and loved four of them. The little 3-year-old Phillip Henry and their mother died with measles 1-½ years after their father died. Grandpa was just 6 years old. He was raised by a Taylor. I’m not sure whether it was his grandfather or an uncle. What I do remember was that it was not a happy home and that he was out on his own quite young.

       My grandpa was a carpenter, one of the best. Things had to be right. He built lots of houses. Many are still evidence of his work in and around Commerce, MO. He had a beautiful apple orchard. We tended and cared for it like no others around there. People came from miles around to buy loads of apples. He made the best cider because he was so careful just which apples to use. After he was no longer able to do that much, he moved to Commerce near the school. He was janitor of the school as long as he was able.

“My Grandma Miller”

       My Grandma Miller was Mary Elizabeth Spradlin Miller (Born 3/29/1860 Died 2/5/1943), second daughter of David and Miriam Adeline Sanders Spradlin.

       Her father was a farmer and fruit grower. They had twelve children. One died as a baby, but the others all lived long lives. Her mother was an invalid for years before she died. They gave each of their children forty acres of land. Grandpa built their home on top of a hill a short distance from the Commerce-Benton Road. We kids always enjoyed spending time with them. Their youngest daughter was just five years older than I was. They also raised their oldest grandson after their son and daughter-in-law separated. He was one year younger than Aunt Ara. She died in 1936 at the age of 33. Ornon lived to be 88 years old. Aunt Ara never married, but took care of grandma and grandpa until she died from a Cerebral Hemorrhage. My mother took care of them the rest of their lives.

       One incident I remember so well was when grandpa fell while working in his apple orchard. He fell on an apple and broke his hip. That was my first encounter of seeing someone with a broken bone. I was young enough I couldn’t understand why grandpa had to be in bed with all those weights etc. he was crippled so long.

       As for grandma it seems, thinking back, that she was healthy and worked hard. They had seven children, four girls and three boys. A son died in infancy. We loved to hear her call everyone in to eat. She had a bell, but she had a calling voice. She could call them in for quite a distance. Won a hog and husband-calling contest once.

"My Grandpa Belk"

       My Grandpa Belk was Thomas Green Belk (Born 3/28/1850 Died 2/6/1927), son of William and Nancy Belk. We don’t have much information about his parents. We had to rely on census records. Grandpa was born March 28, 1850. He and grandma were married in 1870 when he was 20 and she was 19.

       According to census of 1850 they were both living in Marshall County, Kentucky. They had moved there from Tennessee. In 1870 they were living with his parents in Scott County, MO.

       They had 4 girls and 4 boys. Nancy, Louverna, Frances, Alex, William, Rosie, Joe and Herman. Aunt Nancy married Grandma Miller’s brother, David Spradlin. She died at the age of 32. My daddy was killed in a bridge accident at 41. Aunt Rosie committed suicide when she was 37.  Aunt Louverna and Uncle Tom Raspberry lived across the road from grandpa and grandma. The original houses are still standing.

       Grandpa wanted his pecan trees pruned. Uncle Tom worked on the Section. He told him he would prune them when he got home from work. Grandpa got impatient and decided he would do them himself. He slipped and fell out of the tree. He had internal injuries and died February 6, 1927.

“My Grandma Belk”

       My Grandma Belk (Born 1/15/1851 Died 4/3/1937) was the daughter of Joshua and Elizabeth Ward Trease. She was born in Kentucky January 15, 1851. They had eight children, four girls and four boys. My daddy was no. 5.

       I can remember when they lived in the hills but I was young enough I only remember going to their house. He had quite acreage of land, which was divided with joining farms. My best remembrance is when they lived in Rockview, MO.

       I have compared what I remember with what my cousin Elsie Ware remembers and we both decided we had been deprived of knowing enough about them. She remarked that so many thought they were mean, but she knew them better than the rest of the grandchildren because she lived directly across the street and helped take care of them. I loved both of them but my mother couldn’t get along with them and wouldn’t let us spend as much time with them as I wanted to.  I well remember grandma coming to our house and we went blackberry picking. Had a good time, but I had enough chiggers that I never forgot.

       I knew grandma was blind before she died, but had forgotten how it came about. Elsie told me she had high blood pressure that ran so high it destroyed her sight. That was three years before her death. She once said if her stomach stopped she would die. Elsie said she had a good appetite and loved to eat, but she did get to the place she couldn’t eat and she did die April 3, 1937. She and grandpa are both buried at Belk Cemetery at Rockview, MO.

“My Parents”

       My parents were William Joshua (Born 3/9/1882 Died 10/30/1923) and Fannie Miller Belk (Born 8/25/1887 Died 8/26/1981). They were married March 6, 1907. We couldn’t ask for better parents. I made my appearance February 20, 1908 and Bly was born May 3, 1910. We had a happy home. Lots of love in it.

       We raised plenty of vegetables, hogs, cattle and chickens. We always had a good supply of food because we always canned, preserved, dried and buried food to keep it from one season to the next.

       My Daddy was so easy going, never drank, smoked or cursed.  Mother was quite domineering and wanted her way about things.  He never argued and usually let her have her way in any case rather than have a disturbance.  Guess that's where I inherited my ideas.  Lost out on lots of friendships and good times from it.  She never let me make friends with the kids in Rockview.  Never got to have parties, birthday or any other.  Nor could I attend their parties.  I had lots of friends at school, but there were lots of lonely hours for me at home, more so after daddy died.

       She wouldn't even talk to us about getting married or giving her consent for our wedding.  That's why we had to wait until I was 21.  She wouldn't even go to our wedding.  So we just went to Benton alone and were married.  Came home and had our first meal as Mr. and Mrs. in our own rooms alone.

William Joshua Belk was born March 9, 1882 in Scott County Missouri the son of Thomas Green Belk & Texana Trease Belk. He was a farmer on a farm 11/2 miles east of Rockview, MO. He also worked with the Cotton Belt railroad maintenance crew called “The Section” in times when his farm work allowed it. He died October 30, 1923.

       Fannie Miller Belk was born August 25, 1887 in the Macedonia area of Scott County, Missouri. She was the daughter of Andrew Christy & Mary Elizabeth Spradlin Miller.

       Addie Virginia Belk was born February 20, 1908. Bly Vorbeck Belk was born May 3, 1910.

       I learned quite early to do chores. My earliest remembrance was doing dishes. I had to stand on a box to reach them. Bly was sick a lot which meant I had to do more than woman’s work. I learned to do gardening, milk cows, feed chickens, chop weeds as well as housework. When the vegetables, fruit and whatever else was ready I learned to can, preserve, dry and bury potatoes. Just whatever we needed to do to keep the food we raised fresh to eat until time to grow more. We really worked hard, but when the Depression hit and everyone had to do the best they could, I appreciated what I had learned on that farm.

       When I was thirteen we had a Ford Touring car. It was our first car. Daddy taught me to drive it. He let me drive it past the Unnerstall house and the Marigold crossing over the railroad to the Lux corner to turn around. I knocked down a mailbox, He thought that was funny. My first accident.

       After the death of mother’s youngest sister, Ara Izone Miller she stayed with her parents and took care of them until their deaths. Grandpa Miller died in 1941 and grandma in 1943.

       She lived single for 20 years after dad’s death. On August 24, 1943 she married James Lawrence Hood. He was born January 30, 1875. He was a carpenter and she went back to factory work. They lived in his house on Black Avenue.  She died August 26, 1981, the day after her 94^th birthday.  Fannie & Wm. Belk are both buried in Oakdale Cemetery near Commerce, MO.

“My Daddy”  (William Joshua Belk)

       My Daddy, William Joshua Belk, was the son of Thomas Green Belk and Texana Trease Belk.  He was born March 9, 1882 in Scott County, Missouri.  He was a farmer on a farm 1/2 mile east of Rockview, MO.  He was a quiet easy going person.  Well loved by all who knew him.  He worked with the railroad maintenance crew in times when his farm work allowed it.  He and mother were married March 6, 1907.

       Daddy exchanged work with neighbors in harvest times.  They would go from farm to farm.  When daddy had hay to haul we helped.  When the corn was to be shucked or the wheat had to be shocked to dry until time to thresh we helped.  But when the threshing machine came, the farmers followed from one farm to the next because these were the big days.  You had to cook so much food for all the crew that we had some busy days, getting ready for it and then cleaning up after they left.

He certainly was one of a kind.  It wasn't any wonder we were so devastated when he was taken so young, Oct. 30, 1923.

 

“My Mother”  (Fanny Miller)

       My Mother was Fannie Miller, daughter of Andrew Christy and Mary Elizabeth Spradlin Miller.  She was born August 25, 1887, in the Macedonia area of Scott County, Missouri.  She was a typical farmer's wife, always helping in whatever was to be done.  She loved to work in the fields with daddy.  That's how I learned to cook and do house work at an early age, having to stand on a box to wash dishes.  She didn't like house work, but she was a good manager.

       She had regular customers in Chaffee for whatever she had to sell.  She would load her buggy with milk, butter, cream, eggs, vegetables, chickens and anything they would want.  She'd hitch her horse and go to deliver them.  She would get whatever she needed in the grocery line.  She kept plenty food for us.  She had a rough life taking care of us after daddy died.  She wasn't well and his death shattered her life.

My Mother and Step-Dad

After the death of mother's youngest sister, Ara Izone Miller, she stayed with her parents and took care of them until their deaths.  Grandpa Miller died in 1941 and Grandma in 1943.  She lived single after daddy's death 20 years.  She was very lonely and on August 24, 1943 she married James Lawrence Hood.

He was born January 30, 1875.  He was a carpenter and she went back to factory work.  They lived in his home on Black Avenue.  She continued to live there until her brother-in-law, William Ehlman passed away.  We took care of him and the house was ours after his death.  We repaired it and when we got it ready for sale, she decided to trade houses with us and we moved her into the house at 123 Elliott.  She lived there until her health worsened and we moved her in with us so I could care for her the last two years of her life.  She died August 26, 1981, the day after her 94th birthday.  She was buried in Oakdale Cemetery near Commerce next to my father.

(James Lawrence Hood passed away October 5, 1964 and was buried in Union Park Cemetery in Chaffee beside his first wife.

 

Virginia Belk’s Early Childhood Days

       My parents started me out right. I was born February 20, 1903 and on March 2, 1903 my parents took me to the little church located on the right of the Belk Cemetery.  My family attended this church until the Rockview church was built in 1912.  I was baptized in this church in 1912.  I moved my membership to Chaffee September 15, 1934.

       When I was six years old I started school, September, 1914. Kindergarten was unheard of, instead we had one year in the Primer Class. My first teacher was Miss Clara Peters.Our school was located on top of Felden Hill. The Scherer family lived on the farm adjoining ours. I walked to their house and joined their children and we all went up the hill on a footpath to school. Pupils came from all around to this one room, primer to eighth grade.

       My second grade teacher was Mr. Ray Utnage. He was known as the “teacher that carried a big stick.”

       Mr. Rol Davis taught the 1915-16 term. That year the district was divided, all the pupils whose parents lived in the hilly portion of the district were to go to a new building located in a convenient place for them. This school still stands on a road just off Chaffee-New Hamburg road. The “Town School” was built on the Northeast corner of the last street in Rockview. Mr. Marvin Yeakey was the first teacher there.

       We had two exceptionally rough winters, 1917-1918. We had so much snow, daddy had to walk the way ahead of us and if the drifts were too high he would carry us across. I never missed a day of school and was never tardy.

       The school year was eight months, but when the district ran out of money they closed the school until the next year. This happened when I was in the sixth grade. My parents paid tuition and I stayed with my cousin and her husband. I finished the year.

       The next year Miss Clarissa Zimmerman was my teacher. She and the Hill School teacher, Miss Celia Hatcher boarded with my family.

High School Days

       In September 1921 I started my daily exercises. I walked three miles to school and three miles back home. Once in a while if the weather was bad they would come get me and take me to school. Most of the time I walked.

       I really enjoyed my four years in high school. Mr. C. E. Norvell was our Superintendant and Mr. Phil Hartman our Principal, who was also our class sponsor and was my favorite teacher. He taught Biology. Mr. Merlin Barnes taught history, Miss Leona Neal, English. Eula Ballard taught Latin and History.

       I loved most of my teachers and my classmates were and still are my very best friends. I still say we had the best class ever at Chaffee High School.

       I came from Rockview, Alvena Witt came from Wylie, Oscar from a farm on what is now known as Dooley Road, near the viaduct and the last year Riley came from Delta. After we ate our sack lunch we would get together and visit. One year we had a new girl start, she was from the south. Her name was Grace Lay, kind of citified we thought. She asked the silliest questions, at least we country kids thought so.

       Our Sophomore year was the beginning of the Mogul, we all worked hard and were so proud of the finished product.

Virginia’s Teaching Years

       After graduating from high school, I worked at home all summer. I planned to teach a term and go to college in the summer until I could get enough hours. I had a contract to teach the first four grades in Rockview School. A new room had been added during my high school years, I’m not sure when. I had the primer, 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd grades.

       Some of my pupils had known me all their life. Some of them were almost as big as I was. They thought they would do what they wanted to do. To make a long story short, we did a lot of learning. They soon learned what they were there for. Even so we had a good year. I enjoyed them very much and I still love to see and hear about them.

       My salary was $60 per month. With a lack of experience and no college, I thought that was pretty good. It just wasn’t enough to go to summer college. I was teaching on a County Certificate. They raised my salary to $65.00 for the second term. So I took the test again and started my second term September 1926.

       I was doing fine until the Christmas vacation. I had a bad case of the flu. When vacation time was over, I wasn’t up to par, but I went back to school (my doctor said too soon.)

       The flu settled in my lungs and he said it could develop into pneumonia and possibly t.b. So he gave me “Cod Liver Oil” and Syrup of Hypophosphiates.” I finished the term, but by the time school was out my doctor said no more school, I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. There went my hopes of a teaching career.

       After our girls started to school I helped wherever I was needed. While they were in high school, our house was the stopping off place. We lived just one block from school. We always enjoyed the class they were in. Ours was “Second Home” to them. We had parties and went wherever they wanted to go. I was FHA mother for them, P.T.A. President in 1946-47.

       Miss Stella Shill taught second grade for 24 years. In February she became too ill to teach. Mr. Lewallen wanted me to substitute for her until she was able to come back. I told him I couldn’t because I didn’t have any college. He went to Benton and had my Certificate renewed. I started substituting for her February 21, 1947 and finished the year. She never recovered.

       She received a “Teacher’s Special Certificate February 21, 1947. It stated:

It is hereby certified, that Mrs. Forrest Finch has furnished satisfactory evidence of good moral character, and has, upon examination, attained grades as indicated in the following subjects, Orthography-92, Reading-96, Language Lessons-90, Writing-90, English Grammer-92, Geography-89, Arthimetic-90, U. S. History-94, Civil Government-98, Physiology-88, Agriculture-90, Pedagogy-90, and has obtained the following professional grades based on teaching experience: Teaching Ability, Management, Average-90+, and has furnished satisfactory evidence of having completed four years of high school work.

       Therefore, Authority is hereby given her to teach in the Public School of Scott County for the term ending June 30, 1947, unless this certificate be revoked. Signed O. F. Anderson, County Superintendent.”

“My Family”

       When my father and mother were married, March 6, 1907, they moved into a little house, 1/2 mile east of Rockview, MO.  It belonged to Grandpa Belk.  Daddy farmed and worked with a maintenance crew called "The Section" for the Cotton Belt Railroad, when his farming permitted.  Mostly in the winter.

       He bought the farm for $100 per year as long as either grandpa or grandma lived.  He was a good farmer and had good crops.

       On February 20, 1908, I, Addie Virginia Belk joined them.  As the song says, "Papp and Mama and baby makes three."  I learned quite early to do chores.  My earliest remembrance was doing dishes.  I had to stand on a box to reach them.

       My brother Bly Vorbeck Belk joined us May 3, 1910.  That made for a happy family.  We grew up as all farm kids do.  Bly was an epileptic and was sick a lot.  That meant I had to do more than woman's work.

       Daddy raised all kinds of crops, hogs, cows, chickens, potatoes of both kinds and all kinds of garden vegetables.  I learned to do gardening, milk cows, feed chickens, chop weeds as well as housework.

       When the vegetables, fruit and whatever else was ready, I learned to can, preserve, dry, and bury potatoes.  Just whatever we needed to do to keep the food we raised fresh to eat until time to grow more.  We really worked hard, but when the depression hit and everyone had to do the best they could, I appreciated what I had learned on that farm.

        Mother loved the work on the farm with daddy in preference to housework.  So I had to learn to cook and keep house.  When time came to harvest the crops we would work right out in the field to shock the wheat as he cut it, so it would dry.  We would shuck the corn and throw it in the wagon, we would follow the hay baler to tie the bales.  We would pitch the loose hay up on the wagon and help move it back as they stored it in the barn.. When they hauled the wheat into the barn, we had to pitch the bales back to them.  The wheat dried and was ready to thresh when the machine came by.  That was the big day.  The neighbors helped one another and would follow the machine from farm to farm.  That was the biggest day for cooking.  We cooked and prepared for days.  It took quite a crew to thresh and separate it.  When we were little we enjoyed watching the straw make a big stack in the barnyard.  we usually carried water for them to drink.  What a difference in the harvesting in 1992.  I can remember shocking wheat with Grandpa Belk, following daddy on the binder.

       When I was thirteen we had a Ford Touring car.  It was our first car.  Daddy taught me to drive it.  He let me drive it past the Unnerstall house and to the Marigold crossing over the railroad on to the Lux corner to turn around.  I knocked down a mailbox.  He tho't that was funny.  My first accident.

       I think my third year (in high school) was the saddest. I was a Junior and on October 30, 1923 my daddy took me to school and when he let me out he said he would come get me that evening. He went home and loaded his wagon with wood to take to a man across the Cotton Belt tracks. He had to cross a bridge. From all accounts we decided he had tried the bridge and was walking along beside the wagon and fell when the bridge collapsed with the wagon and wood on top of him. Several hours later a section crew on the railroad found him. He still had the lines in his hands. That afternoon someone called Mr. Norvell and told him to tell me to come home, something had happened to my daddy. That was the longest walk of my four years. He was my faithful standby. It certainly was tragic to lose him. He was only 41 years old and from that time on I had a rough time of it.

       We all worked very hard trying to make it after daddy died, but nothing was the same.

“My One and Only”

       My brother Bly introduced his best friend Forrest Finch to me the night our daddy lay in state.  That was October 30, 1923.  He came to spend time with Bly.  I didn't see him very often.  Just when they would get together.  It sure wasn't love at first sight.  Couldn't have been, I was still in high school and still under mother's Ultimatum.  Never thought he would some day be my One and Only.

       His father was sick a long time.  I never knew him when he was well.  His mother did housework for people in Chaffee.  He couldn't go to high school for he had to help support his family.  He worked anywhere he could.  His father died in 1925.

       He worked for mother and helped Bly after she had to hire help with the farm.  He and Bly rode freight trains and went to Nebraska to help harvest.  They worked wherever they could.  Forrest worked for the Troxel and Colson families several months.  He fed their cattle thru the winter.  When he came back work was still hard to find.

       Forrest and I had been making plans for our future.  We kept them to ourselves, since money was so scarce we didn't do much going, but we enjoyed doing things together.  We had tried to talk to mother about getting married.  Then, you had to have parental consent to get married before 21.  She said she would never give her consent.  I would be 21 in February, so we'd wait until we did not need her consent.   We had set the date for Christmas Eve, and when we had told her of our plans she have us to understand she would have no part in it.  She didn't even want to know when we were going (to get married).

       He went to Rolla and hired out driving a Big Hug truck, hauling dirt to build Bagnell Dam.  On October 22, 1929 he hit something on the road and the truck threw him off and ran over him.  Broke his left shoulder and six ribs on the right side and other injuries.  He was in McFarland Hospital in Rolla three weeks.  Had no use of his arm for a long time.

       When he got out of the hospital he spent some time with his mother and sister and we finished getting everything ready (to get married).  I had bought what furniture I needed with the money they gave me as part of Grandpa Belk's estate put with what I had saved.  I had the dining room of our home made into a kitchen for us.  We seldom used it anyway.  I had a dinette set, a table, chairs, buffet, china closet and kitchen cabinet and oil stove.  I had so much in my hope chest I didn't have to buy anything.

        I had canned plenty food and stocked canned groceries until all we needed was a few groceries.  We didn't torment her about it, but she kept saying she didn't want to have anything to do with it.

       So we got ready and went to Benton, then you didn't have to wait so many days.  We got the license and walked down the hall to the Judges' chambers and were married.  We came back thru Chaffee and got a few groceries.  Came home and cooked our first meal and ate it alone in our apartment.  That was December 24, 1929.  Of course they said it wouldn't last.  But we fooled them.  It lasted 55 years, 10 months, and 14 days.

       We really meant it when we said, "Til Death Do Us Part".

After Forrest got able to work he put out the crops for mother.  We were happy in our apartment which consisted of our kitchen, my bedroom and shared the bath and living room.  We helped with the work on the farm.  We had good crops, but the drought came at the wrong time and the prices was low and it didn't turn out good.

       Forrest went to St. Louis and got a job on construction work.  We were expecting our first little bundle of joy and didn't want to make a big move.  So he worked and we saved all we could.

       On July 5, 1931, our dear little Mary Rose Finch made her arrival.  We were so happy.  We continued to live there until she was 6 months old.  things weren't getting any better, so we moved to Cedar Hill, so we could be with him.  He had found a little soft drink stand that had been closed.  They rented it to him and had it all ready for us.  This was our first temporary home.  We enjoyed it and being so near to his work made our expenses a lot less.  We stayed until the weather got so bad it shut down the roadwork.  We moved back and helped grandpa with his orchard work.  They moved to Commerce and we did the garden and orchard work for them.  We lived there for awhile.  Then we moved to a farm, off the Commerce-Benton road.  Did some farming for a cousin that let us live there.  We were expecting another stork visit.  So we decided not to move until the weather got better.  It didn't so we had a rush trip to the hospital in a bad ice storm.  We made it just in time for our second dear little girl to be born about thirty minutes after we arrived.  She was born March 13, 1933.  Now we had two sweet little girls.  Someone asked Forrest if he was disappointed because she wasn't a boy?  He got them told right quick, that he was well satisfied.

       We named her Vera Maxine Finch.  No parents were ever prouder of their family than we were.  They showed up in the midst of the Great Depression.  While I was in the hospital he made arrangements and moved everything to an apartment he had rented on Helen Ave. right next door from where his mother lived.

       Somehow in childbirth something went bad wrong and within a week after, I began a long drawn-out series of crippling around.  I took lots of medicine and doctored with different doctors, but nothing did what I needed.  Enough liniment to last a lifetime.  Never knew when I started across the room if I could make it or not.  My hip would give way.  No one knew why.  Didn't know what a Chiropractor was  around Chaffee.  This went on until Maxine was 13 years old.

       The Depression was something you don't forget.  If you had something to sell you couldn't get anything for it.  Work was non-existent and if you did anything there wasn't any way you could get anything for it.  Even construction work was down.  Forrest decided to see if the people he had worked for before we were married had anything to do.  He thought maybe he could feed his cattle for him.  The drought and depression had hit them too and they had to sell most of their cattle.  They wanted to help but said they couldn't pay more than $1.00 per day and board.  He accepted it and went out to Nebraska.  He sent most of what he made home for us.  I always canned food and raised garden vegetables and did the best I could.  I had the two little ones so I couldn't do work if it had been available.

       I had mother's sewing machine and sewed clothes for the girls and myself.  We could get feed sacks and make dresses and everything out of them.  I made all of our clothes.  The coats that mother and her sisters were going to throw away I took them apart, cleaned them and used the inside and made coats for them.  We never bought dresses or coats for them until they were almost out of high school.  We just did the best we could.  I was sick quite a lot, but mother was not working either so she stayed part of the time with us.

       I did laundry for other people.  Then it was wash and iron.  Men wore white shirts then and they seemed to like the way I did them.  Didn't make much, but it did help with rent etc.  After Forrest came home from Nebraska we continued doing  the laundry until he could find work.

       We had all the childhood diseases after they started to school.  My daddy never had the red measles.  So they always guarded against them for us.  So of course when the girls got them I gad to get them too.  I was really sick.

       In 1937 Mary Rose started to school.  She always did good work and made good grades.  She caught Scarlet Fever from some of the neighbor kids.  Of course Maxine took it from her.  They were both so sick.  They were quarantined for quite a long time, but they weren't able to get out even after the quarantine was lifted.  They lost so much weight they could hardly walk.  One day I had to go to town and they wanted me to get some candy for them.  When I came in I started to take it to them.  Maxine came to meet me and fell against the wood heater in the bedroom.  She was just the right height to hit the top of the stove.  Caught her under the ear down to her chin .  She threw up her arm and caught it too.  Scared us until we hardly knew what to do.  I grabbed her and Forrest poured Campho-Phenique on it and we let it run down over it.  We couldn't touch it.  We kept it soaked until it began to heal.  We feared her little face would be scarred terrible, but when it healed and the red left there was no scar.  Thanks to Campho-Phenique.  It was a family standby for us.

       In 1936 we bought our first home.  We had been renting and trying to buy it for two or three years, but they wouldn't sell.  It finally sold for back taxes and we got it for $250.00.  We had done a lot of repairs on it while we were renting.  We had to put a new roof on it, but we couldn't do all of it at one time.  We did the worst side first and then the other as soon as we got that paid for.  We were so proud of have one we would own instead of rent.   Many changes and additions have been made, but we did them together.  We learned each time we did something.  I guess our biggest job was when we raised the house and dug and made a full basement under it.  Everyone told us to do it in August as it never rains in August.  Well we had more rain in August than we usually have all year.  One night it rained so hard it washed the dirt from around a big piece of concrete and as it fell into the basement it broke the main line of city water into the house.  The basement was full.

“THE WAR YEARS”

       During the war years Forrest went back to construction work.  He was fortunate that he was an experienced man on driving and moving.  He had worked for Rock Hill Asphalt Co for years.  That was where he met a foreman on the job.  As long as John Clark had work Forrest was sure of work.  They were the best of friends.  Most of their work was road work.

       There were army camps going up everywhere.  Forrest was sent to help build Camp Ellis.  He worked and came home on weekends.  When they rationed gas, tires and whatever, he couldn't make it home every weekend.  We locked up our house and went with him.  We had been going with him when school was out and returned when school started so the girls could go to school.

       Now since rationing was so strict, we stayed with him and they went to school.  The first was Camp Ellis.  He got a 2-room apartment with a farm family in Illiopolis, Ill.  They were a super great couple with three grown boys.  That was about midway between Decatur and Springfield.  We enjoyed the time we spent with them and still keep in touch with them.  All three boys went into service.

       Next they moved Forrest to Macomb, Illinois, another camp.  We found an upstairs apartment with the Lizenbee couple.  They also rented sleeping rooms to family members of the soldiers stationed there.  We met so many new friends.  The Methodist Church wanted to have a vacation Bible School, but (could find) no one to be leader.  They asked me to do it as I seemed to have more time than the others.  It was a big church and we had a real good bible school.  I was glad I had worked in ours when I was home.

       After the camp work was over, we came home and Forrest worked for Rock Hill again.

“THE FRISCO YEARS”

       Evans Ryan had worked with Forrest and instead of Evans going back with Rock Hill, he hired out as a fireman on the Frisco.  Forrest always said he'd never make it as a railroader.  But Evans told him about the railroad situation.  So many of their younger men were gone to service.  They had to hire new men.  Their requirements were so near what the army wanted that they had to lower their education requirements (Forrest didn't get to go to High School and his age was higher.)  So when they raised the age limit and lowered the education requirements he listened to Evans, to at least try out.  They hired him on December 15, 1943.  He made a good firemen and was promoted to Engineer on Sept 5, 1947.  He enjoyed almost thirty years as a Frisco Engineer.

       Each time he had to take his physical he passed. Decided to work until the last of the year (1973) and retire.  They had a new company doctor when he had his examination he told him he had an irregular heartbeat.  Forrest was to be medically removed from service as permanently and totally disabled.  But Forrest elected to take early retirement rather than disablility.

“RETIREMENT”

       Forrest always said he worked harder after he retired than before he retired.  He lived 12 years after he retired.  He received an Honor Certificate for all his years of service to the railroad with no loss to the company.

       When we met with the retirement board man he suggested I take a small cut and retire at the same time as Forrest.  We both enjoyed those 12 years of retirement.  We were glad he had hired out with the Frisco, it gave both of us a good retirement plan.  I had never worked enough quarters for Social Security, I had never worked anywhere except the Drive-In to pay in to social security.

       In retirement, Forrest could do some of the things he had wanted to do, but didn't have time.  He loved to go to the Drive-In and drink coffee and visit with the coffee drinkers.  He really looked forward to being with them.

“THAT FATAL DAY”

       The 7th day of October, 1985 started out to be just another day.  Forrest's buddy, Robert Lilliker called and wanted him to go to Cape with him.  He picked him up and they went by for another friend, Evans Ryan.  The three of them had a nice trip to East Cape.  They came home about noon.  I had his dinner ready and we ate and Forrest said he was going to take his nap and when he got up we would go to get some apples.

       When he woke up we took the buckets and went to Knoll Crest Orchard, out from Jackson.  It was a beautiful day.  They directed him to the place we were to pick up.  He parked under the first tree of our row.  He told me to pick up there and he would go on a few trees further.

       When I got my bucket full I looked around, but didn't see Forrest.  Before I got the next one full a lady came down the next aisle and asked me if I was alone.  I told her my husband was around somewhere probably talking  to someone.  She said, "come go with me".  I never suspected anything.  He had been taking his medicine regularly.  We went over one row and the CPR came over and said how sorry he was, but he was gone before he got to him.

       It hasn't been easy and I miss Forrest every day, but I have no regrets.  We are never ready to give (a loved) one up, but even the shock of sudden death is far easier than to see them so bad for so long and not be able to help.  I just thank Him for taking Forrest before he had pain with it.

       When my father was killed, so young, it was quite a blow.  Mother was young when he died and she had so much added responsibility, all at once.  She was so hardened and blamed everyone.  My brother and I were hurting, too, but she was constantly reminding us of things that wouldn't have been if he had lived.  That went on for years.  I vowed to myself, if anything happens to me, I would do my best not to add to the grief of my family.

       A friend of mine was making suggestions as to what I should do.  She said I just must sell my home and get away from it.  I think that was the dumbest suggestion of all the many I got.  I asked her why.  She said this place is too full of memories.  I told her right quick, that was the reason I would not leave unless it was a have-to case.  If it was God's will I would stay the rest of my days here.

       (This place)... is full of memories, but thank the Lord they are happy ones.  We spent over 50 happy years together here.  I never regretted marrying Forrest, never had a big argument and certainly no thoughts of separation.  We had good years and some not so good.  We didn't always see things the same way, but never anything we couldn't compromise.  I can gladly spend the rest of my days here counting my blessings.  He left me 2 dear daughters, 12 grands, 16 great-grands, and 8 in-laws that anyone would be glad to claim.  I love and enjoyu my family.

Link to:     MAXINE'S DRIVE IN

Link to:     THE THRIFT SHOP

EARLY YEARS OF FIRST METHODIST CHURCH .....Note: While we will not publish Mrs. Finch's recollections of the early Methodist churches in Rockview and Chaffee, her recollections could be valuable for the Methodist historian.   (She did not move her membership to the Chaffee church until 1934 and her early Methodist history therefore must contain much hearsay.  While the Chaffee Historical Society does already have an early Chaffee Methodist history, Mrs. Finch history is a little more detailed with interesting information.   But also refer to Ten Years of Methodism in Chaffee.

Death Notice Published in Southeast Missourian, Dec 31, 2003

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Virginia Finch, 95, of Chaffee died Monday, Dec. 29, 2003, at Chaffee Nursing Center.

She was born Feb. 20,1908, at Rockview, Mo., daughter of William J. and Fannie Miller Belk. She and Forrest Finch were married Dec. 24, 1929. He died Oct. 7, 1985.

Finch taught at Rockview School from 1925 to 1927, and owned Maxine's Drive-In several years. She was a member of First United Methodist Church, taught Sunday School many years, was a district officer with Women's Society of Christian Service, managed the Methodist Thrift Shop many years, and was a volunteer with Chaffee RSVP.

Survivors include two daughters, Mary Rose Pobst and Maxine Pepple of Chaffee; 12 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a brother.

Friends may call at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee after 4 p.m. Friday.

The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Marty Blakey officiating. Burial will be in Cape County Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau.