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                                 CHAPTER TEN
                       A BIRTHDAY & A NEW HOSS  

   The month of December was spent getting ready for Frances’ wedding to Thomas
Wright. She wanted to get married at home and invite all the kinfolk plus the whole
Wright clan. She had heard so many times from Mama about the big celebration Pappy
and Ann put on when her Aunt Amy and Uncle John got married. It became her favorite
bedtime story. Frances wanted a wedding just like that one. Becky and I both told her that
we were hardly old enough back then to remember all the details, but we would do our
best to get her married off in style. 
   Becky, Mary, Elizabeth, and Sarah were busy as bees making new curtains for the
parlor and sewing a beautiful new white dress for Frances and brand new dresses for
themselves. The day after Christmas in 1818, me and the boys dug a big pit out back, built
a big fire in it and, when it burnt down to good roasting coals, started slowly roasting the
two pigs we’d butchered early that morning. Becky and the girls were in the kitchen
preparing all sorts of bread and cake. I had gone over to Golden Grove and talked to our
new young preacher, John Salter, about performing the wedding services. He agreed.
   Early the next morning people began coming across the creek in droves. Must’ve been
over fifty people there for the wedding. As they came up on the porch, most of the
menfolk were asking, “Theo, what you got that big ditch doin’ out there with a bridge
‘cross it?” I answered, “Y’all have to ask Young G. and William; they know a lot more
‘bout it than I do.” Young G. and William were in ‘hog heaven’ when most of the men
and boys wanted to go down to the creek and see the dam.  
   After everyone had feasted on roast pig, creamed corn, butter beans, mashed potatoes,
peas, cornbread and fresh baked rolls, they sat out under the trees or on one of the
porches, visited and carried on their individual conversations. Young G. and Elizabeth
Wright, Thomas Wright’s fourteen-year old sister, wandered off down to the creek after
dinner. I’m sure he just wanted to show her the dam, even though me and everyone else
could see that he was smitten with that pretty little gal from the time he helped her down
from the Wright’s carriage early that morning. Can’t say that I blame him though; she is
mighty well filled out and mature for a fourteen-year old.
   At around two o’clock, I rang the dinner bell several times and asked all of ‘em to
gather up around the front porch for the wedding ceremony. Preacher Salter had set up a
make-shift pulpit just outside the parlor door. As he started the service it was easy to see,
from all his stuttering and stammering, that this was his first wedding. He got ‘em married
up, and they left later that afternoon for their new home up on Turkey Creek.
     In the year 1819, our crops flourished, whether from the rotation of crops or from
Young’s watering system, we didn’t know. I’m sure it was from a combination of the two.
I thought we’d never get the cotton picked. We had to use the water system only twice
that year, but it worked perfectly. During a drought of about four weeks without a drop of
rain, we didn’t lose a single plant.
   On a beautiful early October Sunday afternoon in the fall of that year, William, Mary,
Becky, Sarah, Young G., and I were sitting on the front porch, and the younger children
were playing in the leaves out under the trees. We were all enjoying the spectacular
display of color presented by the many varieties of fall leaves down through the Rocky
Creek valley. Becky was in the middle of explaining why the deep yellow-golden color of
the large hickories was her favorite, when out of the blue Mary said, “Me and William are
gonna have another baby ‘bout next April or May.” 
   After we expressed our surprise and pleasure, William said, “If it’s a girl, Mama, we’re
gonna name her Rebecca, after you, and if it’s a boy, Papa, we’ll name him William
Theophilus after you and me.” My response was, “I’m honored, but please don’t call him
Theo! There’s too many of them in the Goodwin family already.” Sarah chimed in, “I
know what I’ll call him. ‘Willie T.’ I think that would be a nice name.”
      On April 15, 1820, Mary gave birth to another son, William Theophilus, and he was
immediately referred to as little Willie T. by everyone except his mother. She preferred
‘William’.
   We just about had to tie Young G. down that spring and summer to get any work out
of him. It seems every Saturday morning, he was up before day, saddling his horse and, as
he put it, “Is going up to Turkey Creek to see Frances and Thomas.” 
   Later that summer, I purposely went out to the barn as he was getting ready to leave
and told him, “Young, me and ya mama both know you haven’t taken that much of a
liking to your sister Frances and your brother-in-law Thomas. Why don’t you just admit
that the only reason we can’t keep you home on Saturdays is ‘cause you been sparking
that cute little sister of Tom’s?” 
   Young said, “Well, Papa, I’ll admit she does come over to see her brother eva’ time
I’m up there. We sho’ do like each other, but you know she’s only fifteen. That’s a little
too young for me right now.” I quickly informed him, “You’re only eighteen, so I hope
y’all younguns don’t get any serious notions about getting hitched or nothin’.” Young
said, “Don’t worry ‘bout that, Papa. I ain’t ready to get myself tied down to nobody yet.”
I continued with, “Well, me and your mama feel like we raised you proper, so don’t you
put yo’self in no compromisin’ position, if you know what I mean.”  
   Young settled into the saddle and started out the barn door. It seemed to take a few
strides of his horse before he realized what I meant. He looked back over his shoulder
with a red face and yelled, “Ah, Papa, you ain’t gotta worry ‘bout nothin’ like that”.  
   Our daughter, Elizabeth, along toward the end of the summer, told Young G. that she
wanted to go up and visit Frances and Thomas. He saddled a horse for her and they rode
up together. When they got there, William Andrews, youngest of Gray Andrews’ fourteen
younguns, was there on the front porch talking and visiting with Tom. He had come over
from Georgia to visit one of his older sisters up on Turkey Creek. William was only
twenty-one when his papa died in 1813 and has been living on their original land and
supporting his mother since then. He is twenty-seven, only about five feet six, and sports a
thick, bright red beard under a balding head of equally red hair. 
   Elizabeth stayed for seven days, and William came by every single day she was there.
He caught her up on the latest news from his sisters, Martha and Temperance, and
brothers-in- law, Young and David. When she and Young G. were ready to leave, William
asked Elizabeth’s permission to call on her down at our place. According to Young G.,
Elizabeth’s face lit up like a bright spring morning as she blushed and replied, “Why,
William, I couldn’t think of anything more delightful.” 
   William was there like clockwork on every first Friday afternoon of the month for
almost a year. He would sleep up at William and Mary’s and leave for Georgia bright and
early on Sunday morning. Becky and I were beginning to wonder if he would ever get up
the nerve to ask for her hand in marriage.

   We had another abundant crop in 1820. After the crops were in and sold, I was
summoned to appear in an open court of records in Edgefield on the 5th of October. I
rode over early that morning, went into Judge Thompson’s office and asked, “Waddy,
what’s this all about?” He answered, “It’s nothing to worry about, the gova’ment just
wants to keep up with the livelihood of it’s war pensioners to see if they still need the
money. You do still need the pension, don’t you”? My reply, “Sho’ I do.”
   Waddy continued, “When I call you up front I’ll ask you to briefly tell me what you
own, what it’s worth and don’t fudge, but certainly don’t brag. Our Clerk of Court,
Matthew Mims, will be writing down everything, but don’t fret, I’ll prepare the statement
for the gova’ment and foward it to Washington City.” 
   When court was called in session, Waddy called me up front, swore me in and asked,
“Mr. Goodwin, you don’t own any land, do you”?  I said, “No.” Then Waddy said, “In
your own words, Mr. Goodwin, tell the court what your present financial status is.”  
   I cleared my throat and started with a rundown of the things I did own outright.  I then
told him, “You know things have gotten a lot harder on the family since my boys started
getting married and moving out. My Negro man, Coot, died a few years back, and his
wife, Pansy, died purty soon after. The only help I have living with us now is Young G.
and Thomas Jefferson. One of ‘em is nineteen, and the other is almost fourteen. The only
two daughters I got left at home are Sarah, seventeen, and Elizabeth, twenty-two. Both of
these girls being grown, work chiefly for themselves. Becky is getting on in years and
can’t work as hard as she used to.” I purposely didn’t mention William, even though he’s
doing the bulk of the farm work, because he really doesn’t live with us.  I concluded, “In
short, Judge, I could sure use the money.” 
   After court we went back over to Waddy’s office and sat down. After several minutes
of silence, except for the loud scratching of his quill, he handed me the paper and said,
“Read this and see what you think of it. If you agree with what it says, sign it at the
bottom.” 
   I carefully read it and felt it grossly under valued my financial status, but, remembering
Judge Thompson’s statement that the top priority would be need, I signed it. As I handed
it back to the judge, I said, “Don’t you ever let Becky see this under any circumstances,
‘cause I don’t think she would appreciate us callin’ her an infirmed old wife.” He nodded
in agreement, as he burst out laughing.  
   Elizabeth and William Andrews were married over in Hancock County at his mother’s
place on October 24, 1820. William and Elizabeth now live with Martha Andrews,
William’s mother.  They sent us a long letter the first week in January and gave us the
good news that they were expecting their first baby this coming summer. Elizabeth wrote,
“If it’s a boy we’ve decided to name him Wyche, after our great grandma’s family, and if
it’s a girl, we’re gonna name her, Rebecca, after you, Mama.”
   I was especially happy to hear from them. In the letter they told us about Young and
David’s journey through the Indian Territory and on to the new land in Alabama. They
wrote, “We don’t want to tell you too much, ‘cause Martha said in her last letter Young
was preparing a long letter for you, telling you every detail about the trip and their new
home. Y’all should be getting it anyday now. We got ours last week. We wrote them right
after me and Elizabeth got married. Martha and Temperance were very happy to know
that they had another Goodwin in the family.”
   In January, 1821, we planned a surprise Sunday birthday get-together dinner for Sarah,
our youngest daughter. She was eighteen years old on January 3rd, this year. Sarah has
shot up like a bean sprout over the last few years. I’m five feet ten, and she’s almost as tall
as me. She’s got her mama’s pretty blue-green eyes and the same long brunette hair. 
Julius has always told us that Sarah was our smartest in book learning. She finished up her
schooling last June and has been helping Julius teach the beginning younguns over at The
Aquilla Miles School. 
   Sarah has loved horses since she was old enough to walk. When she was only two, I
would get her up in the saddle with me on old Sugarfoot and ride all over the pasture.
Since she was ten, she absolutely refused to ride in the carriage to church or school or
anywhere else for that matter. For the last several years she’s made sure that Charcoal,
William’s horse, gets plenty of exercise. She gets up early on Saturday mornings, saddles
Charcoal, and rides for hours. 
   William came over for breakfast early on Saturday morning, the day before the birthday
dinner. We finished eating and were relaxing in a couple of rockers out on the front porch
with our feet propped on the railing. As we watched Sarah aboard Charcoal, her hair
flowing behind her, gallop across the yard, through the creek and out of sight, I asked
William, “You don’t mind Sarah riding Charcoal, do you?” He answered, “Of course not,
he needs the exercise. The only thing that bothers me is, whether or not you’ve noticed it,
that youngun has grown into a good-looking young woman, and I worry about her
gallivantin’ all over the county on that purty hoss. She don’t even worry about lookin’ like
a lady. She’s never even tried that side-saddle Mama bought her a few years back.  She
claims it’s too sissy and not comfortable.”
   I assured William that I’d have a talk with her but also told him, “Nothing I say or do is
gonna keep her off that hoss, and you know as well as I do, she ain’t gonna use no fancy
side-saddle.”
   Sarah has worked as hard as Young G. and T.J. over the past few years. In fact, when
it comes to picking cotton, she’s better than either one of them. She’s also a big help to
Becky when it comes to washing clothes and cooking. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her
complain about any job her mother or I have asked her to do. It’s for those reasons and
the fact that we love her to pieces, that I rode over to John Bledsoe’s place last Tuesday
and bought her that big, two-year old gelding she fell in love with the last time we were
over there. It’s a big horse with a light tan coat and long, flowing blond mane. I told John
to let his daughter Emily ride it over Sunday morning when they come. I took the
side-saddle over with me. This just might encourage Sarah to use it.
   After breakfast on Sunday morning, Sarah, dressed in her old riding britches and an old
faded out blouse, said, “Since it’s not preaching Sunday, I think I’ll go for a little ride.”
Becky thinking quickly, replied, “No, Sarah, your Papa invited your Uncle John and Aunt
Sarah over to spend the day with us, and I’m gonna need your help in the kitchen.” Sarah
said, “All right”, even though you could see the disappointment on her face.
   William, Mary, and their children came over early and had breakfast with us. Young,
William and I were out on the front porch watching T.J., John M., and Simpson playing
out under the trees. Harriet, who thought she was grown at age ten, was in the kitchen
with Becky, Mary, Sarah and Willie T. Willie T. was just begining to walk and could say a
few words. Sarah had fallen in love with that little nephew and made sure that one of his
first words was “Saywuh”. 
   About mid-morning, T.J. yelled from down by the creek, “Yonder they come.” From
the porch we saw John and Sarah Bledsoe’s carriage crossing the creek accompanied by
two riders on horseback. Bud, their youngest son, age eighteen, was on John’s big bay
mare and Emily, age twenty, was on the young gelding with the side-saddle. She was
pretty as any picture I’ve ever seen, prancing that beautiful horse across the creek and up
the hill under the huge trees.
   As soon as they got to the house, Sarah was out the front door and in the yard,
chattering with Emily and admiring the horse. When everyone finally came out to greet
them, I got their attention by tapping my pocket knife on the porch banister. In a loud
voice I said, “Sarah, since you turned eighteen two weeks ago, we decided to give you a
belated birthday dinner and invite all the family over. They’ll all be here after while.” Sarah
blushed and replied, “Aw, Papa, y’all didn’t have to do that.” 
   Emily, still sitting on the horse, could hold it in no longer and burst out with, “Sarah,
this hoss is yours! Uncle Theo bought it for your birthday.” At that, Sarah let out a scream
and when Emily joined in, I swear you could’ve heard them over at Golden Grove. When
they finally calmed down, and Sarah finished hugging me and her mama, Emily jumped off
the horse and handed the reins to her. 
   Sarah looked at the saddle and then turned and looked straight at me and William up
on the porch and said, “I done told y’all I can’t ride in that fancy little thing.” With that
she tore off around the house and came back with my old saddle and saddle blanket
thrown across her shoulder. John’s mouth dropped open in shock as he muttered, “My
God, that’s a strong gal; that thing must weigh fifty pounds.” Sarah changed the saddles,
mounted, and took off across the creek and into the unplowed field. We all watched as she
put the young gelding through it’s paces. John still had a look of amazement on his face
when he said, “Not only is she strong as an ox, she handles a hoss as well as anybody I’ve
eva’ seen.” 
   When she rode back up to the house, T.J. was right there to take the reins asking, “Can
I ride ‘im to the barn and unsaddle ‘im, Sarah, can I, huh?” Sarah said, “Yeah, you can
even walk him some out in the pasture to cool him off, but make sure you don’t run him
anymore.” With that, T.J. was on the horse and gone in a flash. Sarah walked up on the
porch, grinning from ear to ear with, “All a’ y’all gotta help me come up with a name for
‘im.” Becky said, “I ain’t worried ‘bout no horse name right now. I’m worried ‘bout all
this company a’coming, and the only daughter I got at home being dressed like a field
hand. Sarah, get yo’self in the house, get cleaned up and put on a decent Sunday dress.”
   As Sarah disappeared into the house we were surprised to see Harris, his wife, Mary,
and their two children, pull up in the yard in their four passenger carriage. They knew
nothing of our planned birthday dinner. As we went out into the yard to meet them, Harris
said, “What’s going on, did somebody die or something?” I laughed and said, “No, we’re
just throwing a little birthday dinner for your sister, Sarah. What in the world are y’all
doing over in this neck of the woods? Y’all must’ve left yesterday to get over here from
the other side of Laurens County.” Mary answered, “No, we drove down to Mama and
Papa’s place over on Red Bank Creek Friday. We decided to get up early this mornin’ to
come over and spend a few days with y’all.” Becky said, “Well, we’re just tickled to
death. Y’all couldn’t have picked a better time. We expect the whole clan ‘fore dinner, so
y’all will get to see eva’body.”
   Wiley, Amy, their daughter, Caroline, and Amy’s fourteen-year old sister, Judy, who
they have custody of, were the next to arrive. All the other children of Bartlett and Lydia
are grown and married now and are out on their own. We get to see Wiley on a regular
basis. He rides over the ridge from his place, Bartlett’s old house east of here, about once
a week for a short visit. 
   Julius, Margaret, and their children were the next to arrive. Julius joined the South
Carolina Militia when he turned eighteen, back in 1802. Since then he has gradually
worked his way up through the ranks. We were all excited when told us that he had finally
been promoted to the rank of general after five years as a Colonel. With his brains and
education I knew he would do well. 
   Young G. would be twenty next June, so Julius got him and me over on the west porch
and was telling us what a benefit it would be to Young G. if he would join the Edgefield
branch of the militia. Julius said, “With the schoolin’ you have behind you and that
ingenious, innovative brain you have, I could get you a commission as a lieutenant to start
with.” After Julius explained to me the meaning of an ingenious, innovative brain, I said,
“Young, sounds like a good idea to me. It sho’ has put Julius in good standin’ around the
county.”  Young G. asked, “Would that mean I’d have to ‘sir’ you all the time, Julius?”
Julius replied, “Sure you would, but only when we are on musters or at the militia
meetings.” 
   About that time, Young stood up, looked across the yard and saw Frances and Tom’s
carriage coming up the hill, with Tom’s sister, Elizabeth, and one-year old baby, Henry
Thomas, with them. As he took off toward the front yard, he yelled back over his sholder,
“I’ll join, bring me the papers. I’ll sign ‘em.” We hardly laid eyes on him the rest of the
day.
   Becky and all the women folk were in the process of setting the tables on the west
porch when we saw two more carriages crossing the creek. Both were loaded with
younguns. In the first one was Gillie and Buck Forrest. They now have four children, Jeff,
Elza, Ellen, and Rebecca, six months. Little Rebecca was dead to the world when they got
here, but that didn’t keep Becky from taking her and sitting down to rock and talk baby
talk to her newest namesake. In the next carriage was Charity and Dempsey Hatcher, with
their children, Jackson, Elizabeth, Rebecca and Little Dempsey. 
   When Sarah started ringing the dinner bell, there was a mad rush of younguns headed
for the west porch. Mary had earlier threatened them with a razor strop if they didn’t stay
outta the way while she and the other women tried to get dinner on the table. William told
Mary, “Don’t be too hard on ‘em, I know how they feel. It’s been a long time since
breakfast. My belly’s ‘bout to beat the hell out’n my backbone.” 
   Mary quickly popped him on the head and said, “You know better than to talk like that
‘round these younguns.” In defense, William said, “I was just using one of Pappy’s old
sayings.” I corrected him saying, “It’s ‘beat my backbone to death’, but according to the
way my stomach feels, I think your’s sounds better.” Mary said, “We got it on the table a
little later than we expected to, but we ain’t gonna let y’all starve. All a’ y’all git on ‘round
there to the table right now.”
   Julius was always good with words, so I got him alone and asked him to sorta eulogize
this special day for us and then say the blessing. When we all finally got seated we
couldn’t hear a thing for the noise coming from the younguns’ table on the far end of the
porch. 
   Julius picked up the large wooden spoon out of the black-eyed peas, tapped the juice
off on the side of the bowl, beat loudly on the table and said, “You children down there be
quiet now, and listen.” He cleared his throat and continued, “Our purpose for this
assembling of our beloved family is two fold. First and foremost is to again be together as
a family unit, reminiscing days gone by, and experiencing the everlasting love that holds us
together regardless of circumstances or distances. Secondly, but by no means less
important, is to honor our beautiful sister, Sarah, on her eighteenth birthday.” Julius, then
said the blessing, and everyone started helping their plates.
   It was ‘round two o’clock that afternoon as I was finishing up my second dish of peach
cobbler, when I noticed the thick layer of black clouds beginning to roll over the ridge
from the west. Knowing this was always the direction from which we always got our
worst winter storms, I said, “I don’t wanta disturb y’all but we’re in for some bad weather
after while. Y’all better get out there in the yard and round up the younguns and get ‘em
up here on the porch.” Wiley said, “Papa, it’s only about a thirty minute ride to our place,
so me, Amy, Judy and Caroline are gonna take off. We’ll beat the storm. The way it’s
moving, I figure it’s ‘bout an hour or so off.” He continued, “If the rest of y’all are smart,
you’ll stay here with William and Papa tonight, ‘cause that looks like the makings of a
pretty bad storm.”
   Wiley was just about right on his timing. ‘Bout two hours later the bottom fell out. All
the menfolk and children were on the porch watching the rain, when Young G. said, “If it
keeps up like this, the creek’s gonna be over the dam in no time. You reckon Wiley and
them beat it home?” I answered, “Yeah, they prob’ly beat it by an hour.”
   Becky and Mary were in the kitchen, figuring the sleeping arrangments for everyone.
Between our place and William and Mary’s, we bedded down thirty-eight people that
night. The next morning after everyone finished breakfast and were ready to leave, T.J.
came up with a great idea. He said, “You know, this has been so much fun, I think we
oughta do it eva’ year.” everyone agreed, so Becky said, “We’ll do it.”
   After all the company was gone, Sarah informed us that she had decided to name her
new horse Hickory, because his color reminded her of the hickory leaves when they had
completely turned and started to fall.

CHAPTER ELEVEN                                                                                                             BACK