Butch Takes A Back Road Home

Every so often, when I leave work in the evening, instead of heading straight home, I drive down County Road 400 North, southeast of Darlington…the road I lived on as a youngster. Our old house is no longer there. It caught on fire several years ago and had to be demolished, but I can still picture it in my mind…sitting on top of a hill down the old gravel lane. As I drive slowly down the road, I remember all of the families who lived in my old neighborhood.

My folks, Bill and Millie Dale, were the parents of five children, which included my brothers Gary and Mike, and sisters Julie and Sarah. Dad farmed 140 acres on “halves” from an older couple who owned the land and lived in town. Like most farmers in those days, we lived in the old house rent free. Across the road from us were my uncle and aunt, Lloyd and Ruthie Wells, and my cousins Kendall and John. I spent quite a bit of time over there, as they had a small pond…a great place to fish for sunnies and bluegills, catch turtles and frogs, or just skip rocks on the surface of the water. John was my age, and he had a black and white pony named “Star” and a go-cart his dad had built for him. We also played and made tunnels in his haymow…lots of fun for two little kids!

Just west of us were the Moffits…Sam, Steve, and Minnie May, and their parents Devon and Jean. My parents hired Minnie May to babysit for me and my siblings when they went to someone’s house to play cards. I don’t know how she survived the experience! Next to them was the Wally and Naomi Peebles family, with daughters Sandy and Peggy, and sons Dave and John. Although the boys were older than my brother and me, they often invited us to ride our bikes over there to play baseball in their front lot. Just down the road from the Peebles’ house were the Weliever’s, Dick and Mildred, and their seven children…Charlie, Bob, Betty, Mary Lou, Donna, Nancy, and Susie. There was something always going on at their house!

Across from the Weliever clan was Gene and Carol Smith, and their daughter Sherry…and next door was Bill and Lola Smith, who were Gene’s parents, and directly across from them was another older couple, Damon and Marie Caldwell, whose two children had graduated and were married. Marie was a great cook, and when I helped bale hay for them, I always looked forward to her home-cooked meals! Just east of our house was Forrest and Mary Flaningam, an elderly couple who were very sweet and treated me like a grandson. I liked to help Forrest collect the honey from his many beehives, and he let me sell jars of honey in town for him. Mary was always in poor health, and she would often sit on her front porch swing, admire her beautiful flower garden, and watch the world go by.

Not too far away was John and Gladys Booher and sons Jack and Rodney, who it seemed worked day and night tending to their milk cows, and across from them Orville and Mary Timmons, with my Grandpa and Grandma Dale just down the road. North was Marvin “Slim” and Mary Bush, with their two children, John and Bonnie…then Roy and Neva Coltrain…then the Paddack family, Royden and Geneva, and children Ronnie, Judianne, Barb, and Becky.

In all of these families, except for one, the husband farmed and his wife took care of the household and kids. Several of the men also had part-time jobs to supplement the family income. My Dad sold Funks-G seed corn, measured ground for the USDA, and drove a school bus. All of the neighborhood children worked on the farms and also helped others to earn spending money. If a fellow needed assistance with such things as equipment, crops, animals, etc., he could count on any of his neighbors to help him. Most farmers tended less than 200 acres and raised farm animals. In addition to growing corn, soybeans, oats, wheat, and alfalfa, Dad also raised chickens, beef cattle, sheep, hogs, and even had four milk cows.

All of these families lived in older houses. No one had much money, but they never complained. They lived a good life and were happy. It seems that many people today have everything that money can buy, but are not contented with their lives. The kids back then enjoyed going to school, and most all of them attended Sunday school and church. They respected their parents and their teachers. They knew right from wrong. They knew the value of a dollar, and that saving was a good thing. They knew what hard work was. They knew the importance of family. Yes, our entire neighborhood was like family. We cared about each other.

I feel very fortunate to have grown up in the 1950s and 1960s…and to have had such great neighbors. Many of those children, now in their 60s, 70s, and even 80s, still live in this community, but all of those of the older generation, including mine, are no longer with us. But when I drive down my old road, I can still see them waving at me as I drive by….and I can’t help but smile….

– John “Butch” Dale is a retired teacher and County Sheriff. He has also been the librarian at Darlington the past 32 years, and is a well-known artist and author of local history.