Memories of home

by Wilma Lois Robinson Payne

We rented a farm south of Lone Chimney where we raised cotton.  When we had to hoe cotton or pick it, we got to stop and get a pop.  Daddy always chewed “Days Work”.  He just cut off a piece when he wanted a chew.  One day when we were picking cotton, Fred and I thought we should have something to chew also.  We fussed until he gave us a small piece.  Fred challenged me on how fast and good he was at chewing and wanted to know if I was as good as him.  Naturally I had to do everything better than him.  I opened my mouth to show him I was really chewing and naturally all the juice went down my throat.  I became very sick and had to rest under a tree.  Fred had spit his out.

Lone Chimney Memories

by Dora Robinson Stewart

September 5, 2004

Oh yes, I walked there many a time to got Grandpa Keller hisplug chewing tobacco (Days Work) that he would cut off a bit with a knife,  The gas pumps were the kind you filled a reservoir at the top.  The pump was operated manually(not electric but manual).  The pump handle was a lever that was moved back and forth.  They sold a few school supplies, candy, tobacco and had the old pop containers.

Across the street was Euard Davis, father of Carmelita Fuss, had a cream station where we sold our cream and on Saturday would get ice for the “ice box” for the weekend, otherwise the cellar was used for cooling.  There was a garage there also.  Orlive Carter ran it for years.  If I remember correctly,  Wilbur worked for him after WW II.  Rex Carter also worked there as a youth.

The gas station had a few groceries but I can’t remember what.  It also had one of those old “wall telephones”.  Sometimes, in emergencies, different people called for us on it.  If I remember correctly they called when Granddad Fowler got real sick, his last time to stay at his little house in Maramec.

Ben Ramsey ran the station on the east side the road.  Joe Harmer build the one on the west side, seems like he had a garage too.  His didn’t last long.  Ben Ramsey sold his station to Bonnas Keeton.  He had his home attached to the back of the station.