Our Life in the early 1950s

Clifton Mill no. 2 built in 1889

read about the history of the Clifton mills at this link 

After four weeks, we found a mill house to rent. Gene worked in the mill in Clifton for many years after we married.  We didn’t have much but we were so happy to have a place of our own. In the summer of 1952, we bought us a Frigidaire. Boy, were we thrilled! We had been using block ice to keep things cold. 

1947 Frigidaire

Then mama (Ethel Allen)  bought us a beautiful dinette suite. The color was gold and we loved it! I want to add what a good cook Gene’s mom (Mattie Bell) was while we lived with her . She would cook a good meal and then make a cobbler or a fried pie. She really did spoil me. 

Mattie Bell with Martha and Deborah - 1953 

           

 I joined Central Baptist Church where Gene had been going for a long time. He led the singing and after a while they needed a pianist so I began playing.  I was glad to do what I could for the Lord.  Gene was also a deacon, Sunday school teacher, Supt, R.A. Director and for some time cleaned the church, and he got some pay for this. 

            I taught Sunday school and had the G.A.’s. When we were first married I was shy and stayed that way for a long time. But I learned from the Linder’s, Robin’s, Coleman’s, Mosses, Reynolds’ and others through the years.

Our life as Mr and Mrs begins...

After our wedding,  we enjoyed a  meal that my mama cooked. She cooked a lot of food for everyone to eat including several  meats, vegetables, and desserts. She was such a good cook! She went to a lot of trouble because she loved us.

         After the meal,  we left for Asheville, N.C.  Doris and J.D. went with us because he did not have a car. We stayed at the Biltmore motel Saturday night. They asked us if we wanted a room together and when we giggled they knew better. The next day was Sunday,  and we visited a church in Asheville. Then we went on to Gatlinburg, TN. For a long time Gatlinburg has been a place where everybody wants to go for their honeymoon.  It seemed like such a long ways from home, since there was no interstate yet and we had to travel over the mountain roads.  The roads were two lane roads back then too so traveling took longer.   I also remember traveling home through Newport TN and my new husband bought me a dress there.  I was real happy that he did this for me.   We traveled back to my home in NC and I remember that my folks were glad to see us back!   

        
           Later that week we went to Clifton SC where Gene lived and we stayed with  his mom for a month.  When we would be sitting in the living room, Patsy and Judy, who were living at their Grandma’s, would peek through the keyhole to see what we were doing. Judy traveled with us to visit my mom and dad a few times in NC too. She has told this story through the years: “When we went to bed I would be between them, but I would wake up on the other side of the bed.”