Uncle Hollis Barters Cane Syrup



William and Lena Ward Smith Family
At the funeral of Uncle Mickey Broome

 My grandfather, William Smith, passed away a few months before my daddy, Billy, was born.  He was the youngest.  Grandpa Smith asked his eldest son, Hollis, (the one on the left) who was just 18 years old to care for the family when he was gone.  Their mother died from cancer when Billy was just a year old. 

This is just one of the many stories which defines the tough stock of a Georgia mountain family in the late 1920s.  Theirs is the story of brothers and sisters caring and loving their younger siblings in a time of a Great Depression.

Daddy often told about carrying cane syrup and cornbread to school for lunch in a lard bucket. This was all the food they had at that time; but, one family had even less than they did.   They didn't have syrup only the cornbread.   The children went home from school one day and told Uncle Hollis how this family didn't have anything to eat.

Uncle Hollis didn't want to embarrass the folks by giving them what might be mistaken for a handout.   Southern folks, especially mountain folks, are a proud people and Uncle Hollis respected this.

Uncle Hollis carried jars of cane syrup that he had made in the fall over to this family.   Instead of giving it to them, he asked if he could supply them in syrup in exchange for their help in preparing his fields for planting in the spring. (This is an example of the barter system in place during the lean times.)  The gentlemen said he would be glad to help him by breaking-up the field in the spring and that the syrup was fair payment.

Winter warmed into spring, and Uncle Hollis had forgotten about the deal with his neighbor. One day after spring arrived, the neighbor and his sons were out in Uncle Hollis' field, breaking-up the ground and getting it ready for plowing and planting.  

Mountain people knew how to help each other and allow a person to retain his/her dignity.   Uncle Hollis was certainly a very smart and caring man.



Making syrup: Uncle Hollis  (the little boy is my dad, Billy) With Uncle Buford and Uncle Clyde


Uncle Hollis passed away in 1966; he was like a grandfather to me.   I still miss him.

He has been gone a long time, but his legacy lives on.

Cousin Barbara whose dad was my Uncle Clyde, another younger sibling who looked up to his older brother, said, "I think that Uncle Hollis and Aunt Emma did such a wonderful job of raising their siblings after they were left orphaned, and they instilled such good family values into their lives.   But I can say one thing for sure, my dad (Clyde) never lost his taste for cornbread and home made cane syrup.   That remained a staple for him his entire life, and would go to great lengths to find the "real" stuff when he could find it.. He also loved cornbread and milk or fresh buttermilk.

Uncle Hollis, Uncle Clyde, and Uncle Buford (the young boys) My dad is the youngest one.
Uncle Clyde remembered that the horse's name was Rhody.  This picture was made in the 1930s.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for men and women like Uncle Hollis, Aunt Emma, Aunt Zadie, and Uncle Clarence who were not afraid to rise to the challenge of taking care of their younger brothers and sisters.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  A family, whose faith in God and His son Jesus, can do all things through Christ from whom they receive their strength.   This family gave their faith as the foundation for being able to keep this family together.



He Wore Prisoner's Pajamas, A Sister's Faith

One never knows how history will touch the future.

It was the winter of 1968, I was a nineteen year old working in the office of the local furniture factory. My office manager and boss was Mildred Hill. One day she came in with a map of Vietnam and pointed to an area on the map where the helicopter carrying her brother, Ben Purcell, had been shot down. He was declared missing in action.



Vietnam, 1968



Mildred confided in us that she knew, without a doubt, he was alive. She had dreamed the night before that he had come to her wearing the pajama like clothing and crude sandals of the Viet Cong. He sat down on the edge of her bed. He revealed to her in this dream that he was alive, and things were going to be okay. Mildred never gave up hope and kept the faith that he would one day return home.

With the dedication of Anne Purcell, Colonel Purcell's wife, his status was changed from Missing in Action to Prisoner of War.

For five years Mildred wrote letters, made phone calls, made a trip with Anne  to the Geneva Convention to seek information about her brother. She and Anne never gave up hope. The only assurance Mildred had was her dream in 1968. She would never give in to the fear that he might be lost.

In March, 1973, five years after his capture, the war in Vietnam was over. POWs were being released and among them, Colonel Ben Purcell. He had been a prisoner of war for five years with 58 months in solitary confinement. He had tried to escape on two different occasions. He was interrogated, tortured, and yet, he stood firm against the Viet Cong.

There was a local parade for our hometown hero. One of the most memorable moments is when every employee of Schnadig Furniture Company, Cornelia, Georgia came out to the highway to welcome home our hero, Ben Purcell.

There is no way to convey to you the pride of knowing this soldier had returned home. There were lots of tears that day for our hero. His sister, Mildred, never gave up hope and her positive attitude and faith kept people praying for this MIA /POW soldier we didn't know except through her reports.

Mildred had worked long and hard to get information about her brother, Ben, and now here he was alive and well waving to all of us from the back of a convertible.

Patriotism runs in deep in Habersham County. During this time period, many of the young men with whom I graduated high school were serving in Vietnam. We have the names of our heroes who didn't make it home engraved on a monument outside the courthouse in Clarkesville. Their names are also engraved on a polished black granite wall in Washington, D.C.

I was honored on 11-11-11 to sit at the table with Colonel Ben Purcell and his lovely wife, Anne. I related this story of the faith her sister-in-law had for his return. Anne gave me permission to tell this story of hope and the faith she and Mildred Hill had for Colonel Purcell's return.



Colonel Ben and Anne Purcell





Colonel and Anne Purcell have written a book, Love and Duty.  .  Each tell a story of the faith each had for his return.



It is me again, Lord, thanking you for the men and women who dedicate themselves to protecting our great nation and her people. We thank you for faithful family members who never give up hope and put their faith in You. We thank You for the lesson that began in 1968 to never give up hope and always keep the faith.

A little Georgia Wisdom: Take a moment to remember the sacrifices of men and women who served or who are now serving in our armed forces. Attend a Veteran's Day celebration or attend a memorial service to remember those who gave the ultimate price so we can remain a free nation. Shake hands with a veteran and tell him or her how much he or she is appreciated. God bless them all.