Gold Star Mother's and Family Day

 This past Sunday, Sept. 27th, was Gold Star Mother's and Family Day.  The name was changed from just Gold Star Mother's Day to and Family Day in 2011.

Gold Star Mothers Inc.

The American Gold Star Mothers Inc. was formed in the United States shortly after World War I to provide support for mothers who lost sons or daughters in the war. The name came from the custom of families of servicemen hanging a banner called a Service Flag in the window of their homes. The Service Flag had a star for each family member in the United States Armed Forces. 

Living servicemen were represented by a blue star, and those who had lost their lives were represented by a gold star. On the last Sunday in September, Gold Star Mother's Day is observed in the U.S. in their honor.[

The Gold Star Mothers was founded by Grace Darling Seibold of Washington, D.C.

Our Gold Star Mother's

Most of our Gold Star Mother's stories have been lost through the years or more likely, never were told. If we are fortunate we might come across some memories as we look through the archives of The Crittenden Press. Here are two interesting articles about two of our Gold Star Mothers and how they handled their grief and channeled it into something for the betterment of their communities.

Dec. 1936 – Death Claims County's Gold Star Mother. Mrs. W. H. Ordway, 75, died at her home in the Crayne community. Mrs. Ordway had been for many years a resident of the Crayne community and was well and favorably known throughout Crittenden County.

She bore the distinction of being the first gold Star Mother in the county during the world war; her son, Ellis B. Ordway, was the first Crittenden Countian to be killed on foreign battlefields shortly after he was detailed over seas. He died in France, July 26, 1918 of wounds received in action.. Some years later, on March 28, 1924 the local post of the American Legion was named in his honor. His body was returned to the United States in March 1921, and was buried with military honors at the Crayne Cemetery.

Mrs. Ordway was popular in her community and was always lending her efforts to the betterment of the community and giving freely of time and effort in all matters that would benefit or serve to enhance civic betterment and improvement, by doing so she was honoring the memory of her son who gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country.

Mrs. Julia Long and her husband, William Ordway, are also buried in the Crayne cemetery.

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From an article written in 1980 from The Crittenden Press.

Christmas was a bleak holiday for the George and Hattie Winn family in 1944. Their youngest son, Harold, was killed in France that year in World War II, July 13, 1944. The family had no reason to celebrate. “I was grief-sticken; I felt as if my whole world had tumbled in, I was on the verge of insanity,” Mrs. Hattie Winn, said, Harold was my baby.

Mrs. Winn went into seclusion for a year after Harold's death, comforted only by a gardenia grown from a cutting he gave her when she visited him at Camp Wheeler in Georgia.

On their way to dinner at the Officers' Club one night Lt. Winn picked three gardenia sprigs for her to wear. Mrs. Winn wrapped them in a napkin and brought them back to Kentucky to plant. From only a sprig it flourished and grew. She cherished the plant and the memories it held for her and her son.

Harold was soon assigned over seas. He wrote her from the trenches of France, “Mother, I don't want to be selfish, but I wish I could be home again between clean sheets.” A short time later he was killed.

During the sad days when news was received of her son's death the gardenias were neglected and the cherished gardenias died. This grieved Mrs. Winn and she thought of that bush back in Georgia from whence the blooms came. She wrote her son's commanding officer, and was first afraid to mail it afraid he would consider her just a silly sentimental woman. Finally, she did mail the letter asking for another cutting. But realizing the importance of the plant, the commanding officer of Camp Wheeler sent her the entire plant instead, with his “Kindest personal regards.”

The Gardenia Bush was four feet tall and necessitated the buying of a small greenhouse. Even with such careful sending the plant lived only two years. With a greenhouse on hand, friends suggested the purchase of pot flowers. When Mother's Day rolled around, people asked to buy her flowers and with this, Mrs. Winn became a florist. She said that the new flower business has given me a new lease on life. I always loved flowers, Mrs. Winn said, and the beauty of them and the pleasure they gave to other people, helped me with my grief, and I found didn't feel sorry for myself anymore.

Mrs. Hattie Winn died in 1984 and is buried at Mapleview cemetery.

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I think all our Gold Star Mother's from World War I and World War II are gone now, we will never know their own stories of grief of the loss of the son or daughter, but it's nice to think and remember them on their special day, Gold Star Mother's Day, the last Sunday in the month of September.

Spanning Our Past III

 

Spanning Our Past III

This article is another collection of some of those interesting tidbits that I have saved. Not enough information for an individual article on each item, but definitely some informative and fun information from yesteryear. From the archives of The Crittenden Press comes these interesting stories.

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May 1 8, 1951 – Cherokee Indian Tribe Visit Marion

On May 11th, a party of nine, including four ancestors, of the original Cherokee Indian Tribe, stopped in Marion on a tour retracing the "Trail of Tears" made by 17,000 of their ancestors 113 years ago at which time 4,000 of their tribe lost their lives.

Chief McKinley Ross, descendant of Captain John Ross, an Indian leader, presented Mayor L. D. Chipps with a peace pipe in a ceremony from the Courthouse lawn with this message.  "As Chief of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation, I  bring you greetings from my people.  113 years ago 17,000 of my ancestors passed through Marion on a march to Exile.  Today three other tribal leaders and myself are retracing that Trail of Tears.

We left our Carolina Mountain homes two days ago on the Trail of Tears journey that carry us through Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas and to its end in Oklahoma.  We are retracing this historic trail in the hope the people of America may learn of a forgotten page in history.

Other Cherokee descendants besides Chief Ross in the party and wearing authentic native costumes, were Leroy Wahnetah, Joe Washington and Rev. Arsesn Thompson, the first Cherokee Educationalist.

The tour is sponsored by the Cherokee Historical Association.

Attending the Welcome luncheon at the Marion Cafe besides the Cherokee party were: Mayor and Mrs. L. D. Chipps, John Quertermous, Ben Clement, Daisy Franklin, Pauline Guess, Grace Paris, Mrs. T. C. Gilland, R. P. Davidson, N. S. Hollingsworth and Neil Guess.  

The traveling guests were presented with souvenirs of Fluorspar by Ben Clement and other favors from the down town stores.

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July 20, 1961 - McDonald's Park

Cruce McDonald and wife, Gustava, and daughter, Sandra, were hosts to a Crittenden County officers' Picnic July 7, at their park located on the north side of Little Piney Creek in a beautiful level spot hemmed in by a steep hill and the winding creek. The land is fairly level, populated with stately old trees and carpeted with green grass pleasingly kept. This park is located on the McDonald Farm and is known all around as the McDonald Park.

There were over 85 people that attended the picnic. Those who were present sincerely hope that the event will be repeated again where friends and neighbors may gather together and discuss the problems of the day and ways and means of making the community better.

There are numerous facilities for picnickers pleasure including an outdoor cooker, lights, a small shelter house and some seats. The park is located just off the Old Flynns Ferry Road

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Sandra McDonald Belt, shares with us that her father, Cruce, created the park, and the facilities. With large rocks located in the area and a large metal screen, he built the large outdoor cooking pit, also built the small shelter and provided picnic tables for the visitors. He also provided the electricity so the park would be useable at night. He also kept the grounds in top shape by mowing and cleaning.

The beautiful little park was well known and people from miles around came to use the park for family reunions, church gatherings, and just simple picnics with the family. At the time the Riding Clubs of both Marion and Fredonia were a big thing and they would have trail rides to the park. Most would ride their horse to the park and they would even stay all night, preparing their night and morning meals on the open fire pit. Their horses were well cared for also with the fresh water from the creek that ran close to the park.

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September 17, 1964 - Marion's “Tookie” Holloman and his '57 Chevy

Labor Day weekend was a big day for drag race fans from throughout the nation as they gathered at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the National Hot Rod Associations Championship Drag Races. Marion's “Tookie” Holloman took his share of the top honors as he won the C Class Modified Production and was runner-up in the Street Classes Eliminator races. The '57 Chevy has a souped-up '63 Chevrolet engine with more than 400 hp.

The Moore business Forms press operator has won seven races with the car and plans to enter in more competitions in weeks to come. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Ray Holloman, North Main Street, Marion.

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September 9, 1965 – Holloman's Chevy Fails At Indy Race Monday

Allen “Tookie” Holloman and Danny McKinney's '57 Chevy “Just didn't get going good” in Monday's national Stockcar Elimination Races at Indianapolis.

The car owned by he two Marion Men, had been undefeated all season going into Monday's Labor Day classic at the Speedway.

Tookie said “another tenth of a second and I believe I could have won, I just couldn't get the car's usual performance Labor Day, he added too, that a change in the car's gear ratio made before the day's competition may have been responsible for a slower performance.

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July 11, 1963- Hardin's Knob Fire Tower Near Completion

Crittenden County's third fire tower is nearing completion on Hardin's Knob north of Salem. The steel structure is 37 feet high at the floor of the tower platform.

During fire seasons the tower will serve as a lookout point over thousands of acres of Crittenden and Livingston County woodlands. Atop the knob is on of the highest points in either county.

To gain access to point where the structure was erected at three-fourth mile road was cut into the side of the hill. County Fire guard, Luther Lynch, said that he spent about 100 hours dozing the road. The road is very steep and winding. Sites along the trail would, however, make ideal picnic spots. The view from the tower covers several counties.

The dozer and trucks used to haul the rock used in surfacing the road are Army and Air Force surplus the state got at Fort Campbell. The land lies on property owned by J. L. Gregory and leased to the state.

Fire guards from other counties helped Lynch with the road and tower construction. The tower was approved last year following a local meeting sponsored by D. H. Postlethweight. Local enthusiasm displayed at the meeting was a great help in securing the tower said Postlethweight. Postlethweight, a local attorney and landowner, has done much to promote forest conservation and tree farms in Crittenden County.

Lynch said that a man got mighty lonely working all day long on the old D-7 dozer in area where he saw almost no one all day long. To pass the time as he worked Lynch composed a poem about the dozer and its job cutting the road up an almost impassable trail. Just for fun about half way up the newly blazed trail Lynch wrote in large letters on one of the hillside rocks “Do Not Feed The Bears.” The sign was Lynch's way of giving visitors to the hillside a chuckle.

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