Despite the protests,
Ma Minnie Ledford ran her kids out of bed early on Sunday morning. She
would not allow anyone to "sleep in" on the Lord's day.
"Rise and shine," she yelled. "Wash up, eat your breakfast
and get ready for Myers Chapel."
"Oh, no!" moaned Ralph. "Can't we stay at home and get
some shut eye?" asked Robert.
Ma frowned and shook her head. That was a definite no.
After a hardy breakfast, Rondy, Ralph, Robert, and Reuben headed to the barn to
milk the cow and feed the livestock. They helped Pa hitch the mules to
the wagon for church.
The girls dragged their feet getting ready. Reba, Robenia, and Rena kept
primping before the mirror. They had their eyes on some boys at church
and wanted to impress them.
"Lands sakes!" said Ma. "You would think you girls
were going to the White House to meet President Hoover. Church will
dismiss before we get there."
Ma carried a poke of flowers to the wagon. She and the girls had made
crepe roses to decorate the graves at church. It was decoration day,
"Reba, get baby Ray from the crib. Get the box of food,
Robenia," added Ma.
Pa helped Ma on the wagon and she cuddled baby Ray as they rode to church.
The narrow road wound through the Matheson Cove and the wagon bounced
over ruts. When it rained, the wagon got stuck in the mud.
Ma kissed her baby and recalled when he was born. The mail carrier, Mr.
Andy Padgett, wondered what she would name her child. After all, she had
given each of her seven children names that began with the letter R.
"What will Mrs. Ledford name her eighth child?" asked Mr. Padgett.
"I guess she will call him Rabbit," he said and laughed.
But Minnie came up with another name beginning with the letter R. She
called him Ray Andrew Ledford. She was proud when her son grew up and
became a preacher. Her oldest son, Rondy, also was called as an ordained
Baptist minister and was pastor of many churches in Clay County, NC.
Now as she held baby Ray, she hummed the hymn, "Jesus loves me this I know
for the Bible tells me so..." The family broke loose singing with
her and they finally made it to church.
Ma's brother, Luther Matheson, was leading the choir with shaped-note music.
The congregation tapped their toes and clapped their hands with the peppy
song, "I'll Fly Away."
Joy filled the little country church. Suddenly, Aunt Mae Hall (Pa's
sister) got happy and shouted all over the church. Her red hair unpinned
from the bun on her head and flowed as she praised the Lord.
It was decoration day. The guest preacher, Dr. George W. Truett,
delivered the sermon. He was a world-renown Baptist preacher born and
reared in Clay County, NC.
Worship service ended around 1:00. Everyone was starved and could hardly
wait to dive into the food spread on tables under the maple trees.
The mountain women outdid themselves cooking. They brought homemade
strawberry cobblers, buttermilk pie, chocolate cake, banana pudding, blackberry
jam, green beans, corn-on-the-cob, fried chicken, pork chops, molasses,
biscuits, cornbread, buttermilk, lemonade, and iced tea.
After lunch they decorated the graves of loved ones. Then folks gathered
in the church for an afternoon of singing gospel songs. Several groups
performed.
As dusk fell, Ma and Pa loaded the sleepy younguns on the wagon and headed to
the Matheson Cove. Whippoorwills resounded on Shewbird Mountain and a
Full Flower Moon glowed on the faces of the Ledford family.
by: Brenda Kay Ledford
