As newly elected president of Delta Council, our friend Leroy Percy will put in a heap of mileage presenting his case and the cause of cotton and the cotton-country. And, as with all public speakers. he must be set for questions in the wake of his peroration, questions both loaded and otherwise.
For instance, at a Lions Club luncheon-meeting the other day, when Leroy had finished his talk concerning Delia history and agriculture, someone asked when the first cotton crop was planted In Washington County.
There seemed to be a little uncertainty as to the exact year while the speaker and his audience were trying to get together on same there came a helpful suggestion from the backrow.
"I don't know when it was," said he. "but I know who planted It. It was Brodie Crump!" (Thanks. John Gannon.)
We appreciate having our name brought into such a humorous exchange, in fact it was about the biggest kick we've had since the day in Mrs. Lola Underhill’s sixth-grade history-class, when Beverly Fey said that the B C in 2000 BC stood for Brodie Crump. The fact that little Miss Fey grew to be voted the outstanding senior in the class of 1956 at Greenville High School, gives us even more confidence in her earlier judgments and perspicacity.
We didn't know the man pitched that first cotton crop, in the early eighteen-twenties along the east bank of Lake Washington, but we ran remember his son, grand-daughter, and his great- grandson. He was Mr. Junius Ward of Kentucky, and he died before Old Stuff’s day. His son was also Junius. whose daughter was Mrs. Johnson Erwin, and her son J. Ward Ervin was the old boy's great-grandson and namesake.
There were other Erwin children, Vic, Miss Bessie, and Dudley, all of whom have long since year crossed the bar. As to the year their great grandad dropped the first cotton seed, that should be a matter of record. Washington County was Incorporated in 1827 or '28, but Mr. Ward came to Lake Washington several years prior to that. Before Greenville became the county seat. Princeton on Lake Jackson had said distinction, and was close by the Ward holdings.
Whenever we take to dabbling in local history and folklore, we think about Knox Dugger and a compliment he came up with in the early days of this column.
"I like to read It," he said, "and lots of times it brings tears to my eyes."
Then we would really get on the old days, and old folks we both had known, and happenings in and around Dugger’s blacksmith shop on Blanton Street. There wasn't a spreading chestnut tree. like In Mr. Longfellow's epic poem, but there was a mulberry close by which threw a little shade. And there was a bench to loaf on and watch the sparks flying from the forge, and listen to the anvil-clanging.
One of Knox's best stories was on himself. He had a barter deal with Dr. A. G. Payne, keeping the latter's horse shod and buggy trim, in return for medical attention to his family.
Well, the Duggers were a hearty tribe, and the day came when Knox figured the doctor was way ahead of him. Knox wasn't sick, he said, but he thought up a couple of minor operations on himself and had Dr. Payne perform them just to get the books in balance.
Years afterward, when Knox Dugger had retired from blacksmithing because of his health, he came out to Peacedale and put shoes on the pony. This so Eskrigge, George Shackelford, Maury McGce and the rest of the kids could ride "Billy" out on the nine-foot concrete road where folks could see them.
We shall be missing our old friend Knox Dugger, now that he is gone, but will remember him all the same as if he were still] around.
