North, South Carolina Memories

1. Had a sign as you entered North declaring it to be a bird sanctuary. My mother’s maiden name was Byrd so we thought that was humorous.
2. 2. Butchering Hogs

1. 1. Community event
2. 2. Large black pots with fires beneath used to render the fat and cook intestines to be used for sausage casings
3. 3. Had large frame to hang pig so it could be split open down the stomach.
4. 4. Cousin Johnny would shoot pig with .22 rifle and slit jugular vein.
5. 5. Some would blow up pig bladder like a balloon.

1. 3. Chicken House

1. 1. The Byrds had a rather large chicken house.
2. 2. When you entered it was fairly dark with strong rays of sunlight coming through the cracks. As soon as you entered, the chickens were everywhere flying and running about with lots of cackling and feathers filling the air.

1. 4. Killing chickens

1. 1. Cousin Johnny Young liked to kill chickens.
2. 2. Would catch it, grab it by the head, and swing it around over his head until he succeeded in wringing the head off.
3. 3. Chicken would run with head off for some time – just like the expression.

1. 5. Water Well Drilling Rig

1. 1. Granddaddy Byrd was a water well digger part time. Had all sorts of drilling bits, etc on trailer, along with 55 gallon oil drums.
2. 2. We would walk on the barrells like circus acts

1. 6. There was a pomegranate tree in the yard

1. 1. Never saw another one anywhere.
2. 2. My Grandfather Byrd parked his pickup under the tree

1. 7. Can remember riding in the truck with my Grandfather Byrd.

1. 1. Truck had an electric starter switch which was located on the floor next to the accelerator pedal. You actuated the switch with your heel while working the gas pedal with the toes of the same foot, maybe it was vice versa. When it would not start, he would go to the front and use a hand crank to start it.
2. 2. He told me a story about a Model T having such low compression in the engine that you could make a spark plug for it using a corn cob with a piece of wire running through its center.

1. 8. Pet Calf

1. 1. Grandmother Byrd had a pet calf that would follow her around like a dog. She called it “Calf.”

1. 9. Infected Finger

1. 1. Sat in the dirt cutting out animals using paper scissors. Finger blistered. Blister popped. Became infected and swollen. Doctor had to lance it to drain it. Still have the scar on right forefinger.

1. 10. Large Policeman

1. 1. North had at least one policeman, probably only one. He was very fat.
2. 2. Grandmother Byrd would threaten Jody by saying she was going to get the policeman

1. 11. Shorty

1. 1. Share cropper who ran farm near town for the Byrds
2. 2. Was about 5’4″ or so.
3. 3. Would literally take off his hat with both hands when my Grandmother approached him.
4. 4. Was so obsequious that he made me very uncomfortable.
5. 5. Plowed with a mule

1. 12. SugarCane

1. 1. Went to farm where sugar cane was grown
2. 2. When split there was a pulpy substance inside that was very sweet
3. 3. Saw a sugar can press where a mule walked round and round turning machinery that squeezed sweet juice from the sugar cane thrown into it

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