November 2007 Interview with Wallace Hart Beckner By Isabelle Chewning [Items enclosed in brackets [ ] are editorial notes inserted for clarification] [Tape 3, Side A] Isabelle Chewning: You had mentioned Mr. Whipple’s equipment dealership in Brownsburg? Wallace Beckner: Yes I’m not sure exactly where it was located; it may have been where the antique shop [Old South Antiques] is today. I remember Mr. Supinger having that first and then later Carl Swope had it. But my father bought a double row corn planter with the fertilizer boxes on it, which was a real step because most of the farmers were still furrowing out a row for the planter, and had one-row horse planter that planted the corn and you covered it. So -- in fact he had plenty inquiries of people wanting to borrow it when he got through with the planting his corn each year. Isabelle Chewning: And who did he buy it from? Wallace Beckner: From Mr. Whipple in Brownsburg. Isabelle Chewning: And that was Fred’s father who had the equipment dealership? Wallace Beckner: Right yeah and I think he sold maybe grain binders then too, to cut your wheat and barley and rye and so forth, oats, and which would cut it and kick out sheaves and then you stacked them. Shocked them together and then spread one out and put it on top and that protected it from the rain, the rain would shed off it. Of course where John Layton Whitesell lives, Mr. Whitesell had an undertaking business there, which later was where the Post Office was. And of course they were related to the Mileys, which had a undertaking business over at Decatur. And to my knowledge would be that’s when it moved from there to where John Layton and Virginia [Whitesell] live now [2664 Brownsburg Turnpike]. But my aunt that I mentioned earlier, I remember they took care of the burial there, the funeral and so forth. Which reminds me of another story of not in Brownsburg but in the community. A Mr. W.A. McCurdy lived at Rockbridge Baths and he was the I guess you would say unassigned funeral director. He would record in his diary which we read, “So-and-so passed away today and I went up and helped lay him out.” Then he would record “Went to Lexington with a team of horses to get a casket.” and the next day he’d say, “Buried Mr. So-and-so or Miss So-and-so.” A lot of children died in infancy then, and in 1928 he recorded, “Used automobile hearse today.” That was the first time that they’d used a motor vehicle for a burial. They’d always been done by horse and wagon in those days. Of course the Bosworth’s had a store. Dr. [Tom] Bosworth’s family had the store up there, which was the Post Office, too. Where [Catharine] Gilliam lives now, you know, the white building [2707 Brownsburg Turnpike]. Later that was the barber shop and pool hall. That was another place to talk about your neighbors and play tricks on them and so forth. Isabelle Chewning: Did you ever shoot pool in the pool hall? Wallace Beckner: No, I never had time. Isabelle Chewning: Well two jobs, I guess you didn’t have much time, did you! Not much loafing you were doing. Wallace Beckner: No, I pretty much stayed busy. Of course the Huffman’s store -- filling station which is still there, that was great to be able to on a rainy day to pull up there and pump your gas without standing out in the rain. Isabelle Chewning: Oh because they had a covered area. Wallace Beckner: They had a covered area. And of course, in those days when you said pump the gas, you stood there with a long handle and you pumped it until you got however many gallon up in the glass tank up above it. And it would read 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and I think it went up to 10 gallons. And so you pumped out how much gallons you wanted and then it flowed into your car by gravity then. Isabelle Chewning: Do you remember what the price of gas was? Wallace Beckner: I can remember when it was 21 cents and that was in the mid ‘30s that I remember that was the price of gas. So of course during the war you had -- gas was rationed and you’d get three gallons, I think it was three gallons a month for your car, and you’d get a gallon if you had a washing machine that had a gas motor on it, because there wasn’t any electricity in the area, in our area then. We’d just take a few old chickens to the store and buy a gallon of gas and so that’s the way you paid for it, your merchandise. Either that, or local stores would handle cured meat, particularly hams or side meat -- well we’d call it bacon today but it was side meat that was cured. The stores would buy it and then people would come in and buy it from them to pay for your sugar and your salt. On a rare occasion you’d get 10 cents worth of cheese which was a slice of cheese cut off of a, what they call cracker barrel cheese now, which was a round. It was round with a hole down in the center of it and you’d put it down over the knife which was in the center with a handle on it. And you’d pull that knife down and slice off 10 cents or so forth. In those days then either you’d use what you’d made so-called macaroni or would buy some macaroni and have macaroni and cheese. But that was a rare occasion; that was luxury time. Of course the farm store was where Mr. Barnes’s house is now [8 Hays Creek Road] and there was a building back of it that you came out through a door into that, and that’s where they stored a lot of feed, fertilizer and so forth. And the other merchandise was in the what was the basement there then. Of course that later became another doctor’s office. Of course where Ag Patterson lives [2744 Brownsburg Turnpike] was built by the community for a doctor’s office. That was a community project. In those days communities did their own thing, they didn’t have to get permission from county commissioners or committees and so forth, to do anything. If you could afford it then everybody jumped in and did what was best for the community. Of course Mr. [Harvey] Matheney lived there in a kind of, I guess you’d say it looked like an old-time prairie schooner as they called it, except it was almost a little house, a real small little house with wagon wheels underneath it and that’s where he lived and he repaired shoes and so forth for people, children and so forth. And of course Buck Potter had his blacksmith shop up the end [2610 Brownsburg Turnpike]. It was always fascinating to go up there and watch him, what he could do by heating iron. The iron rim would get loose on a buggy or a wagon and so forth and he would shrink it and then get it real hot and put it back on the wooden spokes and so forth because then when it cooled it would draw in, shrink up enough and that would keep it tight on there. Now John Runkle lives out here [1054 Dry Hollow Road], has the local -- well he’s kind of semi-retired now -- automobile shop. When he was a teenager he lived where the Reid’s live now [Sleepy Hollow at 2645 Sterrett Road] and all day long he would run between Carwell’s Garage up to Buck Potter’s and stop and shoot the breeze a little bit with each one of them. And everybody would say “Grasshopper’s [John Runkle] wore out three cars and he hadn’t got out of sight of Brownsburg!” But I guess that’s how he learned to be a mechanic and to fix things. Isabelle Chewning: I wonder how he got the name “Grasshopper”. Wallace Beckner: I don’t know how he got that name, I don’t know. But he had it in school and then when he opened up a garage up there, it may still be on a shield on the front of his pickup truck, that had grasshopper. It’s sort of like “Weasel” [Ralph Wayne] Reese has his name on his. Isabelle Chewning: Right. Wallace Beckner: We used to say during the war when you traveled by Greyhound bus and you’d go in a bus station, in the rest rooms were all these signs, written on the walls, “Kilroy was here” and so forth. And that’s when the slogan started, “Fools name are like their faces, always seen in public places.” We kidded Weasel about that when he put it on his. Isabelle Chewning: Anything else we haven’t covered yet that you have in your notes? Wallace Beckner: I think we’ve about covered it. I see it now, being an older person, the lack of concern in helping one another in the community. You know, if someone got sick the community would take care of them. If somebody’s house burned down, the community took care of it. And now you really don’t know half of your neighbors, with the transient world that we live in. And this goes even beyond just a normal living. When I grew up, the families in the churches which was just predominantly at that time time Presbyterian, you could look back in the history and Grandfather did this and so forth and so on and they were families, generation after generation. Now you can go into any of these local churches and probably 80% of them originated in a different denomination and in a different community and so forth. In many cases a different state, and so forth. And this has been some good advantages and disadvantages. But the churches and the schools were the total center of life. Like we used to have at the ball park at Bustleburg in the summer, you’d have softball leagues, and everybody -- the bank would have a team, Ed Patterson’s machinery place would have a team. Everybody would have a team, and you’d have 8 or 10 teams all the young people were playing, and it was a good community sport. And now that particular thing is dead because you couldn’t get a softball team. First of all the young people don’t have time for it, and secondly they’re not interested. So life has changed, and you’ve got to throw out as best you can the bad parts, the weakness parts, and try to build on the other parts. But we hear so much about in Rockbridge County our young people have to go elsewhere to get jobs. But if you look back at the history, and I’ve done a lot of historical research within our own church and so forth. Like my dad, he had two brothers, there were the three of them, and he stayed on the farm. The other two brothers had to leave Rockbridge County to get work then, too. That was back in the early ‘20s, so it really hasn’t changed that much. Isabelle Chewning: History does repeat itself. Wallace Beckner: And as I said I go around the community, young people my age and that were older and so forth and they -- very few of them stayed here in the community, because there weren’t that many farms and the farms couldn’t support but one family or two. So they went elsewhere. History really does repeat itself. It’s almost amusing. When we get in these discussions in the county today and they say “We don’t have industry to hold our young people here.” Which is true, but we never did. You’re an example. Isabelle Chewning: I’m an example, right. Wallace Beckner: And so if everybody stayed here it, then it would be a commune instead of a rural community. Because the houses would be on top of each other if everybody stayed here in the county that grew up here. I guess that’s enough of my sounding off for one day. Isabelle Chewning: Well, Mr. Beckner – Wallace – Wallace Beckner: Yeah, thank you! Isabelle Chewning: I’ve appreciated your time so much. You had a lot of great memories, and some good stories. Wallace Beckner: As time has gone on, well this is probably typical as you get older. You start thinking -- they say you can always remember what you did as a child, but you can’t remember what you did five minutes ago. So we like to go back as we get older, and reminisce in various ways, whether it be reading history or digging or telling stories and sharing stories. But you think of them as the good old days. At that time you thought they weren’t good days. It’s sort of like when you were 12 years old you couldn’t wait to be a teenager which was 13, or you got old enough to vote or to drive a car and so forth. So we go back to history now and we look at the enjoyable things and the fun things and we forget about the unpleasant things, so that’s what keeps life lively. My philosophy is if you can’t tease and laugh, then you can’t live. [Laugh] Isabelle Chewning: That’s a good philosophy I think, a good philosophy. Thank you so much! [End of Tape 3, Side A] Wallace Beckner Index A Alfalfa · 19 Allen, Bill · 24, 53 Armentrout, Frank Fertilizer Agent · 29 Armentrout, William · 4 Automobiles 1926 Model T Ford · 57 Model A · 11 Model T · 32 Ayres, Janis Wade · 6 B Bailey, Dr. Brownsburg Doctor · 2, 54 Baker Brothers Equipment · 46 Bare, Ada · 33 Bare, Claude · 33, 58 Bare, Tom · 45 Barter System · 61 Beard, Ruth Wade · 34 Beckner, Bernice · 5, 18 Beckner, Frances Hart Death in 1985 · 47 Mother · 3 Beckner, Jimmy · 10, 42 Beckner, Lula Shaver · 39 Dunsmore Business College · 41 Engagement · 41 Flora McDonald · 41 Music Teacher · 42 Teacher at Beverly Manor · 41 Beckner, Mary Frances · 5, 18 Beckner, Wallace Hart "Bunny" · 1 Army · 21 Bethesda Presbyterian Church · 13 Birth · 1 Brownsburg School 3rd Grade · 8 Democratic Judge at Polls · 58 Deployment in WWII · 40 Farm Bureau · 44 Farm Chores · 25 Farming · 43 Hampden-Sydney College · 35 High School Graduation in 1943 · 17 Lee's Carpets · 36 Marriage in 1951 · 42 School · 8 School Board Member · 59 Beckner, Wally · 42 Beckner, William Grandfather · 3 Beckner, William III · 5, 40 82nd Airborne · 23 DuPont · 22 Hampden-Sydney College · 22 Valedictorian · 18 Beckner, William Walter Brownsburg Academy · 16 Death in 1956 · 47 Democratic Judge at Polls · 58 Father · 3 Handicap · 16 Polio · 3 Teacher · 4, 16 Bethesda Presbyterian Church Bible School · 13 Electricity · 24 Blacksmithing Taught in School · 19 Blackwell Family · 3 Borden Grant · 4 Bosworth, Tom Brownsburg Doctor · 47 Bosworth’s Store · 60 Brown, Jim · 51 Brownsburg Barber Shop · 6 Cannery · 11 Doctors · 2 Doctor's House · 2, 61 Farm Store · 61 Pool Hall · 60 Saturday Night · 6 Shoe Repair Shop · 15 Stores · 51 Undertaker · 60 Brownsburg School Animal Science Class · 19 Bus · 11 Football Team · 17 Home Economics · 15 Shop Class · 19 Vocational Agriculture and Shop · 8 Building Practices Circa 1800 · 5 Bustleburg Ball Park · 62 C Camp Briar Hills · 55 Campbell, Dr. Brownsburg Doctor · 2 Cannery · 11, 32 Carr, Ed Bethesda Caretaker · 14 Carwell’s Garage · 62 Chestnut Blight · 56 Chickens · 27 The Gaps · 27 Chittum Family · 44 Christmas · 57 Church of the Nazarene · 54 Cisterns · 25 Conner Family · 3 County Fair · 20 D Decatur · 28 Depression Era · 14 Dry Hollow Road · 3 Dunlap, Halsted School Board · 59 F Farm Store · 61 Farming Alfalfa · 19 Butchering · 33 Cattle Drives to Highland County · 32 Chickens · 27 Combine purchase in 1954 · 44 Combining Grain · 45 Corn Planter · 60 Crops · 29 Fertilizer · 29 First tractor in 1946 · 44 Grain Sales · 31 Granaries · 31 Veal Calves · 31 Fauber, Bennie · 26 Fulwider, Mr. Mail Carrier · 12 Future Farmers of America · 20 G Gardening · 32 Glover, Dr. Veterinarian · 28 Grandview · 13 H Harness, Mr. Bethesda Minister · 20 Hays Creek Mill · 30 Heffelfinger, Jen · 15 School Music Advocate · 42 Horses Charlie · 26 Farm Work · 30 Horse Trading on Court Day · 31 Huffman, Emerson · 54 Huffman’s Filling Station · 61 Hunting · 54 Hurricane Camille · 53 Hutcheson Family · 34 Hutcheson, Robert Steele · 34 I Irby, Mr. Superintendent of Schools · 8 K Kaye, Floyd Superintendent of Schools · 42, 59 Kennan, Dr. Raphine Doctor · 2 Kirkpatrick, Robert Borden Grant Deed · 4 L Layman, Mr. · 20 Agriculture Teacher · 15, 19 Leach, Dr. · 54 Lee's Carpets · 36 Lipscomb, Bruce Alexander, Sr.. · 59 Lunsford, Al Teacher · 49 M Mast, Wilma · 42 Mast's Mill Rockridge Baths · 30 Matheney, Harvey · 61 Shoe Repair · 15 McClung, Mote · 7 McClung, Sally Reid · 7 McClung’s Mill · 30 McCurdy, Fred · 31 McCurdy, Mr. Fertilizer Agent · 29 McCurdy, W. A. · 28 Rockbridge Baths Funeral Director · 60 McElwee Chapel · 9, 13 Evangelistic Services · 24 McLaughlin, Sam · 55 Miley Family Decatur Undertakers · 60 Mills · 30 Mohler, Betty Jean · 11 Mohler, Henry · 11 Mohler, Jake · 44 Mohler, Nell Wade · 11 Montgomery, Miss Teacher · 49 Morris, Mamie · 53 N New Providence Presbyterian Church Bible School · 13 Youth Group · 13 Nye, Bernice Wade · 34 O Oak Hill School · 8 P Patterson, Bruce · 12 Clerk of Court · 58 Patterson, Ed · 12, 27, 44 Patterson, Frank · 20, 51 School Bus Driver · 12 Patterson, Mrs. J.K. Math Teacher · 48 Uncle Remus · 49 Peters, Carrie · 50 Polio "White Swelling" · 3 Poole, Mary Frances Wade · 35 Poole, Roscoe · 35 Potter, Buck Blacksmith · 61 Practical Jokes · 54 R Railroad Depot · 28 Ralston, Dr. Bethesda Pastor · 14 Raphine Train Depot · 31 Rees, Frank Fertilizer Agent · 29 Reese, Carl "Big Eye" · 45 Combine operator · 44 Reese, Ralph Wayne "Weasel" · 62 Roads, Paved Raphine · 31 Runkle Family · 3, 5, 33 Runkle, Bobby · 5 Runkle, John · 5, 62 "Grasshopper" · 62 Runkle, Russ · 5 Rural Electrification Act · 24 S Samples, Mr. Superintendent of Lexington Schools · 42 Sandridge, Charlie · 55 School Bus · 12 Serenading · 57 Shorter Catechism · 10 Slusser, Bruce · 45, 55, 57 Slusser, George · 58 Killed in WWII · 58 Slusser, Harry · 58 Slusser, Hugh · 58 Slusser, Mary Belle · 57 Softball · 62 Springs (Water) · 25 Steele, Lorene McCurdy · 27, 55 Sterrett, Madison McClung Sr. · 43, 48 Sterrett, Mc · 8, 26, 48 Dairy Farming · 26 Stuart, Bob · 8 Stuart, Boyd · 8 Supinger, Ocie Telephone Operator · 55 Supinger’s Store · 6, 51 Swisher Family · 3 Swisher, Henry · 11 Swisher, John · 11 Swope, Carl · 51 Swope’s Store · 51 T Tannery Tanning Bark · 28 Tolley, Clarence · 23 Tolley, Fred · 23 Tractor John Deere B · 46 Trimmer, Osie · 18, 50 Principal · 17 Troxell, Clint · 7 U Uncle Remus · 49 V Veterinary Work · 28 W Wade Family · 3, 34 Wade, Bud · 6, 27, 34, 54 Barber · 6 School Bus · 13 Wade, Harold Miller at McClung's Mill · 30 Wade, John · 12 Wade, Kite · 12, 27, 34 Horse Trader · 34 School Bus · 13 Wade, Ott · 12 Wade’s Mill · 30 Wade’s Store (Bustleburg) · 27 Walthall, Dr. New Providence Minister · 58 Ward, Elizabeth First Grade Teacher · 9 Watson, Miss Home Economics Teacher · 15 Whipple, Fred · 6, 51, 55 Whipple, Mollie Sue Hull · 49 Whipple’s Farm Equipment Dealership · 60 Whipple's Store · 51 White, Mr. · 52 Whitesell, Virginia Wade · 34 Whitmore, Billy School Board · 59 Williams, Dr. Brownsburg Doctor · 2 Williams, Mrs. 3rd Grade Teacher · 10 Wiseman, Carl · 27 Woody, Lynn Agriculture Teacher · 19 World War II · 2, 17 Deferments · 21 Hiroshima and Nagasaki · 21 Occupation of Japan · 22 Radio · 23 Rationing · 17, 61 Z Zigler, Mr. Agriculture Teacher · 19