A TEENAGER REMEMBERS CECIL KILGORE by Ron McKeever

Of all the aunts and uncles in the Kilgore clan, Cecil is the one that I remember most as a teenager.  When we moved from West Virginia back to the farm, I was 15 and Glenn was 14.  Cecil had all kinds of jobs he needed help with since his boys were small so we cut bushes, picked up trash or whatever was need and one of the perks was, watching wrestling on Saturday night.

 

During school days, it was not uncommon for him to come by the school at Winston County High for Glenn and I to go fight some fire somewhere since he was the Forest Ranger.  I will never forget us dragging the runners off the truck and hem driving that tractor wide open to join in the fire fighting.  We would follow by back-lighting so the fires would meet away from the plowed furrow he made.  We did all that for $3.00 per day and was happy to get it.  

Often, we would climb the rickety wooden fire tower to watch for the outbreak of fires.  Cell phones were unknown and often, Cecil would stop by a telephone line and hang his wires on it and was able to talk.  We spent many Saturdays cutting the grass and clearing limbs from around the towers in case a fire broke out and burned the wooden structures down.  

Cecil was a hard worker and he demanded hard work from us.  An extra thrill was to crawl on his motorcycle with him and soar up the highway.  Helmets were unknown.  On some of the Saturdays, we would follow the woods where trees had been cut and gather pine cones for the state.  Back then, the government was paying farmers not to grow cotton but plant pine seedlings in their feels so our job was to get the cones for the seeds....all for $3.00 per day.  We usually spent $1.00 of it for two pairs of cheap cotton gloves (which lasted only for the day), spend another dollar of it for our lunch so we actually worked for $1.00 per day but was glad to get it. 

When we started the Reunion at the old place, Cecil and I would talk about those 4 years when I was a teenager.  I don't think he every understood since his mind was always on what the task consisted of and how to get it done.  When he was in his eighties and me in my sixties, he still worked the stew out of me cleaning up and getting ready for the reunion.  Everything had to be exact, even where the front porch plywood board were installed.  I will go to my grave remembering those days of yore and thank God that he placed me in this family.

A TEENAGER REMEMBERS LORENE KILGORE MCKLEROY by Ron McKeever

I started sharing some thoughts several months ago about remembering different aunts and uncles of the Kilgores.  When I came to mama (Lois), I sorta hesitated since Mom was so dear to her children and I just could not seem to go any further so I will not write anything about her and press on.  

When the Kilgore cousins would descend on the Kilgore farmhouse on weekends, Lorene was already gone out into the world to make her mark.  It was only when we moved back from West Virginia that we began to make contact with them as a family.  

I remember a gang of giggling girls but Ordis arranged to carry us to an air show since he was employed at Hayes Aircraft in Birmingham.  I never forgot the thrill of seeing the different antics of the flying machines and mentioned to him several times how much I appreciated it.  Lorene was always laughing.  Her, mama and Ruth were together more since their sisters were older and married first.  

When they lived in Florida and we started the Kilgore Cousins Reunions, when I would go up on Friday to help get things set up, Lorene would always be at Mom's and every time, she would hug my neck until it hurt.  I feel very fortunate to be included into the Kilgore heritage and realize that I have a burden to live up to the love and joy I have received.......Ronnie

2016 KILGORE COUSINS REUNION

On the even numbered years, the descendants of Virge and Sarah Kilgore get together in Nauvoo, Alabama for their Kilgore Cousins Reunion.  This year’s reunion was on Saturday,

May 28 and took place on the old farm of Virge and Sarah Kilgore where they raised 9 children in a small farm house.  

Having the reunion on the old farm requires a lot of work because no one lives there.  It isn’t the same as having a reunion in an established location such as a church, a community center, or in a park.  The acreage is made up of the house which is all boarded up, two barns which are deteriorating from age and the elements, an outhouse built by daddy and Ron McKeever just for the reunions, and two large fields which are there for nature to take its course—fire ant hills, sage grass, scrubby bushes, and wild thistles.  For the last four years the field behind the old house has been attended to on a regular basis.  Until this year, my brother, Ricky has been mowing the front field and around the barns.   The back field is somewhat wild, but has  been bush hogged once is a while.  That field has a deer stand on the edge of it build my cousin, Jimmy Kilgore, who comes to hunt there during season.  

First of April 2016

A month prior to our reunion, I took a day picking up fallen limbs and twigs that were scattered all over the ground, knowing that this would have to be done first. There was no reason to wait closer to reunion time to do it. There was already a pile of limbs laid out where we have had campfires over the years.  So on top of what was already there, all I collected this day mounted up to a huge and taller pile limbs. By the end of the day, it was evident that the pile of limbs might be too big for our needed campfire.

First & Middle  of May 2016

I made two trips in my wife’s 1994 Pathfinder, hauling a large table, 8 folding chairs, two card tables, a life-size chess set, carpet squares for the board, a structured framework for a parachute tent, some tarps, and a generator.  I placed all this in the upper cottage of Mother’s with the exception of the generator.   While at mother’s, and using Daddy’s truck, I  hauled concrete blocks over to Granny’s place.  I surrounded the large limb pile with the blocks in order to ease my mind about containing that huge campfire. Late in the afteroon, I also went to a Double Springs grocery story and bought all the needed carbonated drinks and water for the reunion. Gateway was having a special on drinks and water which my cousin, Patricia Phelps let me know while I was at mother’s.  We stored the drinks in the front bedroom of mother’s.  Smart move to get those drinks.

May 23, 2016

My cousins, Jimmy and Jerry Kilgore, brothers who live in the “Shoals” area, came down to help me get the grounds ready on the Monday prior to the reunion.  We had two riding mowers available for our cutting grass around the old house and barns and in the field behind the house.  It took around 3 hours to cut the large acreage. The day went very smoothly.  Jerry and I used the riding mowers, and Jimmy used his weed eater to trim up everything around the old house.  We completed our task by 10 am.

One special thing that we did was cut a walking path through the lower field, creating a maze. One entrance  and one exit were cut into the field, with a lot of dead-end paths through the large field.  After Jimmy and Jerry left for home, I decided that the big old barn should be cleaned up before the small sweet gum bushes surrounded it took over. I spend the rest of the day doing just that. 

I should mention that on this same day, my cousin, Ron McKeever came from his home in Gardendale, Alabama to clean up the road trash along Winston County Road 21.  This is the road that goes through the Kilgore land to the Winston-Walker County line.  It is heavily traveled because it is a connecting road from highway 195 (Poplar Springs) to highway 5 (Nauvoo).  Travelers  use this road as a garbage dumping location as they discard bottles, cans and paper goods from their vehicles.  This was not a small task, and it took Ron all morning and a part of the afternoon to pick up all that trash.   Needless to say, Monday, May 23 was a very productive day.

Friday, May 27, 2016

Jimmy Kilgore and his friend, Mark McBrayer met me at the old farm to set up all the needed things for the gathering— large, heavy wooden tables assembled, chairs hauled,  the registration and welcome canopy and table set up, the generator placed, and  the parachute tent assembled.  We also set up gateway posts for the maze’s entrance and exit. 

Starting very early, these tasks were completed in record time, allowing Jimmy and Mark to arrive back home by 10 am. After Jimmy and Mark left, I walked to mother’s place and my sister, Rebecca was there loading up all the drinks and water which I had purchased a few weeks ago.  Rebecca was taking the drinks to be iced down overnight.  This was a big job.  

My mother, Pat, and I returned to the old farm to do some work—putting table cloths over the old wooden tables.  This required cleaning the tables first and then putting duck tape on them so the cloths would stay on the tables.  By lunch time, my brother Ricky, his wife, Pat, and their daughter, Holly came to set up the different games and activities which had been planned—horseshoes, volleyball and badminton, ring toss,  etc.  

One major task that Holly, Ricky’s Pat, and I did after lunch was stringing out the fence border of orange netting to separate the parking, the greeting area, and the activities area.  Stakes, plastic fencing, and pinwheels were used to divide the field located behind the old house.

With the fencing, a path was created that would direct everyone to the canopy where they would register, receive name tags, and donate for the flower fund and the reunion expenses.  B late mid-afternoon, my brother, Mik and his wife, Linda arrived.  Mike helped place the signs for parking and any other finishing touches needed.  It was a full day, and all was accomplished.  It was a family affair.

After dinner, I returned to Granny’s place after dark to camp out that night on the grounds because of all the equipment that was laid out for the taking.  I first attempted to sleep in the parachute tent, but it was too warm to be comfortable.  With my sleeping bag in hand, I moved to the front porch of the old house.  Not long after retiring, I small rain shower came in.  It reminded of my childhood days when I recalled the rain hitting the tin roof of the old house.  There is nothing like it.  I rested the night.

Saturday, May 28, 2016 Daytime

The day has arrived.  I got up early to set out the road direction signs on highway 195 and highway 5 as well as the entrance into the old farm itself.  Then I went to mother’s for breakfast.  After breakfast I returned to Granny’s to set up the sound system, all the registration materials and opened up all the chairs for use.  People began arriving around 11:00 am.  My sister arrived with all the iced-down drinks. Slowly, but surely by lunch time, around 12:45 pm we had approximately 60 people present. They came from all over the country, especially the McKleroy's from Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana. The persons who traveled the furtherest were Katie and Patrick Connell, daughter and son-in-law of Ricky and Pat Kilgore.  They live in Ohio, just outside the Detroit area.  There is no way, I can list everyone attending, but the oldest person present was my mother, Beatrice Kilgore.

 She will be 92 years old in December of this year.  It had been a while since any of the Chadwick Family (Ruby Kilgore Chadwick descendants) had attended which made it very special when Nelda Chadwick Schultz and her husband, Ken traveled from their in Gulf Shores, Alabama to attend our family gathering.  Also, the daughter of Billy Chadwick, Rachel Chadwick Tilley and husband, Mark and 5 children attended this year traveling up from their home in Camden, Alabama.  Their baby, Shepard Tilley at 5 months old, was the youngest one present.  All in all, everyone had a wonderful time.  The weather was perfect.  Our cousin, Joe McKeever from Louisiana, had a special table from where he drew caricatures of  those sitting across from him.  The activities provided interest for all ages present, and the food was the best.  The snow cone matching provided and manned by Ricky Kilgore's wife, Pat was a wonderful plus to a warm and sunny Alabama day.  

Here are some photos that capture the setting for the reunion.

During an afternoon break all the major equipment (including the fence border) was taken down by my brothers and their wives, my wife, and especially the two son-in-laws of Ricky Kilgore, Chris Prince and Patrick Connell.  

Saturday, May 28, 2016 Nighttime 
What was to follow after this break was a nighttime wiener roast and sharing time around the campfire.  My brothers, Mike and Ricky talked it over and felt it would not be good to use the huge piled- up limbs surrounded by concrete blocks as  the campfire.  Instead, their plan was to use a small campfire off to the side with some old logs that were at mother’s.  They took daddy’s truck to haul the small logs, and set up a much smaller campfire, using some of the concrete blocks.  

The evening was on.  The campfire was perfect.   James Phelps had brought his grill and cooked all the hamburgers and wieners for the evening. Chips and condiments were provided.  The food was good.  The watermelon cut up into small  wedge slices by the two “Pats” made for a perfect touch.  We also had a lot of dessert left from the noon meal.  The campfire was used to roast marshmallows.

  

Afterward, I had different objects on display and we used them to bring up memories from our past—a dutch oven, a piece of tin, a quilt, an old time iron, a chamber pot, a churn, and other items.  When it got dark, we concluded.  We packed up all the garbage, leftover drinks, and mosquito lamp poles, and food in the dark, using flashlights and the car lights to help us see.  All was removed with the exception of the heavy wooden tables.

Monday, June 6, 2016

A week after the reunion, I returned to Nauvoo to visit mother.  The last reunion task was to take down the heavy wooden tables.  There was no way I could do it by myself.  I also had the task of cutting the grass again on the old farm because it had been two weeks ago that it had been cut.  I had talked to Patricia Phelps the previous day about her husband helping, but in doing so, I found out that James still works in Birmingham and could not.  Her two grandsons, Jon and Josh could possible help, but they were scheduled to make a trip to Cullman.  In the middle of my grass cutting, a truck came into sight, and it was Jon and Josh.  They had come to help put up the tables.  It was great to see them, and I was so appreciative of their help.  They were heading out to Cullman, but came to help before the made the trip.  It didn’t take any time with their help to move the tables into storage, to be used in two years (May 2018) for our next Kilgore Cousins Reunion.  I look forward to it!

FINANCIAL REPORT FOR 2016 REUNION

SUPPLIES FROM LOWE’S

                10 ft. X 25 Ft. Black  Sheeting $10.90

   Adhesive                                                                 7.50

PVC tubing and fittings                                            53.09

Citronella                                                                  9.97

Canopy Tent                                                         145.26

SUPPLIES FROM DOLLAR TREE

                7 Pinwheels                                                              7.00

2 Posterboards                                                          2.00

1 Glue Stick                                                              1.00

SUPPLIES FROM HOME DEPOT

                5 Sets of Stakes                                                        26.58

Orange Safety Fence                                               29.97

    Flat Black Spray Paint                                                 3.87

SUPPLIES FROM DOLLAR GENERAL

                Water Colors                                                              1.80

Tape ( most tapes was furnished)                                               1.00

DRINKS FROM GATEWAY FOODS                                          43.60

PAPER GOODS & CONDIMENTS FROM PUBLIX                      48.93

TOTAL EXPENSES     $392.47

RECEIVED FROM REUNION DONATIONS                             $245.00

DIFFERENCE                                                                         $147. 47 (cost of the canopy)

KILGORE FAMILY WORK ETHIC by Johnny Kilgore

“What a person is” and “what a person does” may become the primary barometer in defining an individual.   When we meet a stranger, we usually ask, “What do you do?” This is an informal way of asking one’s profession or what  kind of work they’re in.  A response to that question can be answered in many ways, depending on how, or how much a  person wishes to disclose.  For example, if someone were to ask me what I do, I can offer multiple responses—I’m retired; I’m a minister; I’m an associate pastor; I’m a Minister of Music; I’m a church choir director; I’m a worship leader in a local church;  etc.   All these responses are true, but do they truly define who I am?

Reflecting back on the Kilgore ancestry, and specifically to our patriarch. Papa Kilgore, many of us  might describe him  in differing roles —a farmer, a planter, a business man, a peddler, a blacksmith, a lumber man, a well digger,  a father, a grandfather, etc.  But no matter the role we ascribe to him, there is one common trait that stand outs.   It is a trait that Papa Kilgore also instilled in his children  

And what is that trait?   It is his strong work ethic.  There was no laziness with Papa Kilgore.  My father, Cecil Kilgore was a “chip off the old block”.  Daddy could always find work to do even to the point of pulling up Johnson grass by hand, stalk by stalk.  

For the most part, I only know of Papa Kilgore’s life through the stories told by those older than I.  I was 5 years old when he died in December, 1949.  But I did see and experience first hand, the work ethic he instilled into my father, who in turn, instilled into me and my siblings.  You’ve heard the saying, “If you don’t work, you don’t eat.”  Work is rewarding, satisfying, and is more than “a means to an end.”  It is a way of life.  It is honorable.  It is who we are.  Do your best.  Give your best.  I think of my aunts and uncle, and they too, were a reflection of that strong work ethic.  

My mother is ninety years of age, and she too, exemplifies a strong work ethic.  She never slows down.  Some months ago, I painted the outside windows to her house.  But before I could paint the windows, the attached storm windows  had to be taken down.  Mother wanted all the window panes cleaned at the same time.   After taking the storm windows  down and placing them on the front porch, my mother cleaned every storm window as I stood on a ladder and painted the outside windows.  This made for a very long two days.  She never quit.  Truly, truly amazing!

Maybe a strong work ethic is a generational thing, but I think not.  I believe it is just a part of who we are.  I am proud to be a hard-working Kilgore.  How about you?

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, 2015 by Johnny Kilgore

On this day, June 21 there will be more daylight than on any other day of the year.  It is fitting that Father’s Day and the “longest day of the year” co-exists.    The sun rises and sets each day, consistent in its role.  The sun is reliable and effective in providing warmth, light, and beauty to our lives, as well as providing order in our universe.    Fathers provide similar roles in our personal lives—consistency, warmth, order, dependability, and direction.  But most of all they provide love.  

I pay tribute to my father, Cecil Kilgore—father to Johnny, Mike, Rebecca and Ricky.  Daddy was a great man, and I don’t think I realized how great, until after his death in 2012.  He is now gone to Glory, leaving behind the best of memories, as well as an appreciation of what it means to be a father. 

Just like my father, the “Kilgore Cousins” clan has many fathers who were and are terrific men.  I use both the past and present tense verbs because many are  living examples of what it means to be a “daddy”, while others are in Heaven right now.   Whether married into the family or naturally born, the fathers within our family have all been cut by the same cloth.  I have the fondest remembrances of the men who were fathers of all our cousins.  It is great to be a part of such a distinguished group.

I share some personal photos.  I regret that I cannot post a photo of all extended family Kilgore fathers (Kilgores, Gordon, Sherer, McKeever, Spain, Chadwick, McKleroy),  but I do not have access to such a large array of pictures that  would allow me to do so.  Happy Father's Day!

John Wesley Kilgore, Patriarch of the Family
Father of nine children

Cecil W. Kilgore, youngest son of Papa Kilgore
Father of four children

Johnny W. Kilgore, oldest child of Cecil Kilgore
Father of two children

MEMORIES OF RUTH KILGORE SPAIN by Ron McKeever

The memories of Ruth go back into the early '40s when the Spains and McKeevers would camp out on Clear Creek.  Mom and Ruth were almost like twins...probably due to the Spain's four and McKeever's six kids.  I remember when they lived up near Poplar Springs old school location, and Ted was off working, and I went up or was carried up to spend the night with them.  The highway was a block in front of their house, and Gypsies were bad to roam the countryside back then.  The night I was there resulted in Ruth firing a 22 rifle through the door because she heard a racket outside.  It was reported at the garage in Poplar Springs that you had better never walk past Ruth's house at night unless you were singing real loud, or you could get shot. 

 
When we moved to West Virginia in 1947, we always came back to Alabama as soon as school was out, and Pop would come when the mines shut down in July for vacation.  That gave the kids lots of time to be entertained.  Camping out all night on Clear Creek was a high point of the vacation.  We never had to worry about animals or varmits with ten kids running loose.  Ruth kept us entertained with ghost stories.  

When we moved back to Alabama, the Spains had moved to Guntersville and it was my privilege to escort Granny Kilgore up there during the summer as soon as the crops were ripening.  She was afraid of bridges, and to get to Guntersville from Double Springs, you had to cross the mile-long Arab causeway.  Granny always wanted me to get the bus driver to let us off and we would walk across.  Even if we did (which we never did) we would have been a couple of miles from the Spains house. 

 
Ruth was always laughing, telling jokes or wanting to hear them.She was a delightful person and I have fond memories of visiting with them when they moved to Graysville as Forest Ranger for ABC company.  I was honored to conduct both hers and Ted's funerals.  What sweet memories! ! !

KILGORE MEDICAL HISTORY & DUPUYTREN'S DISEASE by Johnny Kilgore

Almost all of my blogspots focus on memories of our relatives—parents, grandparents,  aunts, uncles, and cousins.    Remembering the “good old days”  is the main  reason for the “Kilgore Cousins” blog.  This particular posting has a different twist, and at the same time, centers on a subject that is a part of the Kilgore family heritage.

During the Fall 2014, my wife, Pat and I went to Orange Beach, Alabama with a wonderful group of people from our church.  During our time there, Pat and I visited  in the home of our cousins, Ken and Nelda Schultz of Gulf Shores, Alabama.  We had a wonderful meal and sat around and talked about family.  During the conversation, Nelda  mentioned to me the possibility of using our Kilgore Cousins blog and FB site to acquire data on the different diseases, illnesses, and causes of death that runs in our  family ancestry…in other words,  chronicle the Kilgore medical history. 

As you know, when we go to the doctor’s office, one of the multiple forms we usually have to fill out is our medical history.  I believe Nelda’s idea  carries merit.  Therefore, at some point in the future, with the help of Nelda and her daughter, Heidi,   we plan  to make inquiry from all the relatives to see if we can make inroads to documenting just that—the medical history of Virge and Sarah Kilgore and their descendants.  It will be a rather large undertaking.  It is difficult to retrieve family information such as this because we tend to be very private people—a trait that our grandparents exemplified.  Certainly there is the right to privacy in matters such as this, but  any information may be helpful to our children down the road. 

Let me give you a perfect example of what I’m talking about.  There is a disease that is a part of the male members of the Kilgore family’s genetics that has already made its presence known in my father, Cecil Kilgore, my brothers, Mike and Ricky Kilgore, and my cousins, Herbert, Jimmy, and Jerry Kilgore.  My personal physician is even keeping a close look on me because I have the early signs of the same hereditary disease.  Needless to say, I’m very concerned.  It could possible affect my playing the piano if it were to show its ugly head in full force. But right now, I’m fine.   

What is this disease?  It is called Dupuytren’s Contractor, or Dupuytren’s Disease, or sometimes Celtic Hand Disease.  My daddy had a severe case of Dupuytren’s.  My two brothers have had hand surgery because of the severity of the disease.  That is also true of my cousins, Herbert and Jimmy Kilgore.  If you wish to know more you can connect to the following link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dupuytren's_contracture

You can “Google” search, or “bing” to find  additional information on the subject.  This may be the first time you have every heard of the disease.  We Kilgore’s tend to not talk about what ails us.  It seems to be a part of our DNA.  My brother, Mike was the first one to educate me personally about Dupuytren’s Disease.  I wasn’t even aware that my daddy had the same thing.  Although the use of his hand was greatly hampered, he compensated in a way that allowed him to function.  I’m grateful that I know about Dupuytrn’s because that awareness  will help to determine and explain future directions in treating it.  I’m sure that can be true of other tendencies that are part of our medical makeup.  Think about it, and we will see what unfolds in the months ahead in acquiring family information such as this. I would to hear what you think of this idea.  Any input would be greatly appreciated.