Pocahontas star herald., 1911-08-04
PlTMAN WRITES OF
FAMILY REUNION
Hoxie, Ark, Aug. l, 1911

1leaSe allow me space III Ine her
aid, and / will report a nice trip
back to the old home at Pitman,
Ark. On Tuesday, July lS, 1911,
we started for my old home at
Pltman., Ark. We first went 10
Hardy, ARKANSAS, had lunch and a.
tended to some business. Next we
stopped at Black Rock. With our
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. j. E. Will
son and John and Willie Wilson,
we spent Wednesday evening. The
10th we went over to Hoxie and
visited the hospitable family of A,
M. Ripley. Next we went to Corn
ing and spent the night with l.. V.
Ruff and family. We enjoyed
our visit with them very much.
AT Poplar Bluff, Mo-, on Friday
evening we spent short time with
our old friends, Mr.. and Mrs. Ri.
Redwinc, whom we are always glad
to see. There never was truer friends
than Bob Redwine and the writer.
On Saturday we arrived at Success
where we were met by our half.
brothers, Don and Fred Ruff, who
took us to the old home, five miles
away, where my father was born in
1912 and where the writer was born
in 1869. My mother and grand
mother live in the old house today.
Mother is SO years old ahd grand.
ma will soon be 80. Both are in
good health. We spent almost a
week with these beloved old people,
who have ever stood by US in sick.
ness and trouble, watched over us,
all the long hours, whom we never
found asleep on our arrival home.
No matter what hour we came in,
they were always watching for US.
The relatives and friends of the
writer had arranged family picnic
at the Pitman Ferry and on Tues
day, July 26. there were SO people
gathered for the occasion. We
were glad to be there, at the old
Pltman ferry, in the shade of the
old elm tree, where from 1858 to
1865, tied the old ferry boat. The
marks of the old rope and .chain
still remain on the old tree, but il
almost breaks our heart to know
that the old ferry boat is no more.
Those present at the picnic were:
j. p. Shemwell and wife, G. w.
Davis and wife, Chas. Legate and
wife, Mr.. and Mrs. Bishop Gilbert,
Mrs. Lizzie Ruff, r. L. Ruff and
family, Don Ruff and family, Troy
Ruff and wife, Lem Lavehlin and
family, John Pierce and family,
Jerry Price and family, Ed Wealth
erford and wife and T.. r. Shem-
well. A vote was taken to deter
mine If we should meet there next
year, which was carried unanimous.
Iy. AT that time We hope to have
with us, DR.. and Mrs. III. K. Ruff,
of lIeber Springs, DR.. and Mrs. J.
T. Redwine, X. X. ShemweIl and
family, Lytle Peyton and wife, j.
L. Ruff and family, j, V. Ruff and
family, J. b. Smith and family, G.
&. Seates and family, Carroll Odom
and family, j. A. Spence and fam
lily, Thos. Jones and family, Geo.
Bigger and wife, d. A. Lindsey
and family, r. L. Redwine and
family, J. G. Pitman and family,
and in fact all that are related to
the family. Lets meet about the
Nth to 18th of next July. Every
thing that was good was served,
for both dinner and supper, and lots
of good things carried home.
We parted at $50, and the part
ing was the hardest the writer has
gone through in many days. |
could not say goodbye to anyone,
only in a very light way. Special
thanks are due Bro. Don and Bro.
Troy for conveyance to and from
the railroad station. Trusting we
will all meet again next year, and
with a heart full of love to all,