|
|
|
||||||||
 |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
MY
PRECIOUS
MAW-MAW
JENNIE KEEFER PENCE
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
JENNIE KEEFER CIRCA 1912
FIVE YEARS
|
FOUR GENERATIONS CIRCA 1967
BACK DOVIE LFT RUBY RT
FRONT JENNIE HOLDIN BABY WENDY
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Jennie was born April 29, 1907 in North Zulch Texas, Madison County, to Caroline Searcy (Keefer) and William Scott Keefer. Jennie and brother Ben were always together. Everyone thought they were twins and called them Bennie and Jennie. They got a job cutting crossties when Jennie was 12 and Bennie 16. Can you imagine a 12 year old girl cutting crossties? Jennie was a strong person, mentaly, physically
and spiritually.
In 1922, Jennie met husband John Pence at her parent's boarding house in Crockett, Texas. Jennie thought John had the prettiest brown eyes and Jennie's eyes of lightest blue lit a flame within John's heart. They were wed that September. To this union seven children were born: John, Floyd, Ruby (my mom), Earl, Mavis, Owcar and Homer Edward.
In 1927, they resided on OSR near Normangee. Earl was a baby. Jennie walked one mile four times a day to the Binghams to nurse their baby, Beth. Beth's mom had no milk and Beth couldn't digest other types of milk. Jennie saved Beth's life.
Jennie gladly gave to others. She served as a mid-wife, delivering many babies in Leon, Madison and Brazos Counties.
In 1932, the Pence family lived in the Hollis community. In 1934, they moved to Plainview. Jennie helped feed many hungry children during this period, for it was the depression era. She could make a meal of anything. She told me they called armadillos "Hoover Hogs." Anyone who ventured by was invited to eat, for Jennie welcomed everyone.
Nineteen thirty- five found Jennie and her brother Ben's families residing near Corsicanna. Both families moved from Corsicanna to George by covered wagons pulled by mules. They traveled old Highway 75, a dirt road at that time. My mom was five years old. She said the trip took several times. The cherished remembrance of Maw-Maw cooking on the ground, sharing tales and singing old songs made Mom's trip special.
I remember Maw-Maw singing ... " Froggie went a courtin' he did ride...ring time biddie machie cumbo... come the hero down the cairo, come the cairo hero...straddle laddle laddle bob a laddle bob a ling tum... ring time biddie machie cumbo"...
Jennie would play tricks on the children. When Uncles Homer and Oscar were young, a tale of a panther attacking persons in the community was rumored. One evening the boys went to feed the cows. Jennie hid in the weeds and began to scream like a panther. Oscar said, "Listen... a... panther...!!!" ...... "Fall in the Weeds!!!!!!!!!!" cried Homer. Oscar shouted, "Fall in the weeds if you want to . I'm outta here.".... And he was.
My Maw-Maw taught me to face reality, to laugh at myself and to always know that Love Never Fails.
by: Dovie
RETURN TO MAIN SITE
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
WILLIAM SCOTT KEEFER
JENNIE'S FATHER
CIRCA EARLY 1900'S
BAPTIST PREACHER/FARMER
BELOW OLD COTTONWOOD SCHOOL
MADISONVILLE, TEXAS
TYPICAL SCHOOLHOUSE OF THIS ERA
PAINTINGS BY DOVIE
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| page created with Easy Designer |