Yesterday, we buried my uncle John Henry Stevens. He loaned me my first car loan. He was a fine, fine man who always cared about me and inquired about what I was up to and asked me all about my business shenanigans. He was always interested, or at least made me feel as if he was. He was such a great example to follow. He never wavered one iota from his faith in God nor his commitment to his family and loved ones. I will miss him. What a fine uncle he was. Thanks Uncle John for all you did for me!
I was at the funeral yesterday at the Pentecostal Church in Livingston Texas, and was told about some old photos in the hallway. I went to see if I knew anyone since my family had been members of this church back in the 30's - 50's before leaving Polk County for Houston. What I found really blew me away. There was an old photo hanging there that was labeled "circa 1915". It was of a "church raising" work day with all the men and women in attendance in the photo. There in the photo was my Grandaddy, grand mother and my mom, who was born in 1916. My mother appears to be 13-14 years old to us, so this photo dated 1915 is more than likely really about 1930, or close to that. Below is a cropped iteration of the larger image. I shot this with my phone. Happy it came out okay.
The man in the black hat holding the ceramic whiskey jug would be my grandfather, Conway McCaghren, my grandmother Tressie to his left (white blouse holding what looks like a broom), and my mom, Clara to his right looking just like she did in several of her childhood photos. I'm so happy to find this photo. It is so special to me because I've never had a photo of my grand dad at this age. I looked like he looked at his age:-) It is amazing really.
Here is grandaddy McCaghren at his shop sharpening a saw in his early 80's. They lived out on Hwy. 146 about 5 miles from Livingston. I now have that anvil you see on that stump. I was gifted that by my cousin Bobby Collins at the funeral of his Mom, my aunt Grace Collins.
This is my grandmother Tressie Renfro McCaghren. She loved her begonias and garden. I have fond memories of their old house with the brown asphalt brick-looking siding and tin roof, the fig trees, the cane patch, the wood shop and the wonderful cooking provided by Grandmother.
I dearly love this picture. Left to right top standing: Clara Walters, Dennis and Teresa Cowan, Nita and Bo Fritz, Sue Walters, Janell Collins, June Dillon (Diane's friend), Aunt Grace Collins, Diane Walters and Uncle Ed Collins. Sitting in the glider was Grandaddy and Grandmother McCaghren. On the ground was Llewel Walters, Jerry Cowan, Galen Walters (me), and Bobby Collins. Only 7 of us are still here today. The Walters' in this photo are my siblings and our mom, and the others are all cousins. A bunch were missing from this photo.
This is the Walters' Family at my Aunt Audrey's home at Christmas, dated January 1959. I would have been 3 years and 11 months old. I'm the squinty eyed little guy setting on my grandfather Walters' lap in the center of the photo. I'd name all of the people in this photo, but I can't:-) I need Diane or cousin Bunky to identify them for me, and then I'll update this photo caption. I know most, but don't want to guess at the few I don't recall.
Llewel, my older brother and me when we lived on Homewood Street in East Houston. I was about 5 here. We shortly hereafter moved out on Mt. Houston Road away from a neighborhood. I've since never liked neighborhoods:-) I'm happy to say that me and Llewel have had a wonderful relationship all of our lives except for the few times he tried to kill me. How could he!? Oh wait, I just remembered why.
