|
a.
|
Continued: I remember my Grandfather Walter Alexander Hester fondly. All the children and grandchildren called him "Papa".
Papa was a neat and articulate man. All his farm tools were kept in order. I remember a statement he made about leaving the gardening rake laying on the ground with the tines turned up. He showed me how by leaving the rake with the tines turned up I could step on it and get hurt.
He also made a remark that I didn't figure out till I had children of my own. I used to follow Papa around and pester him to build a bird house or a swing. Papa was an excellent builder and could build almost anything, I thought. He said, "Martha Ann, when you step in my footsteps behind me, it gives me a headache." For the life of me, I tried to understand how stepping in Papa's footsteps could give him a headache. I would try desperately not to step in his footsteps as I continued to follow him around so he wouldn't have a headache. Not until I had my own children, did I realize the wisdom of his words.
Papa built the house for his family using some of the wood from an old stage coach inn that was located near the present site of his new home. The wood he used is still evident in the rooms of the house today. My Uncle Morris Hester bought the house and removed all of the wall paper to expose the beautiful wood boards.
The family lived in this inn before they moved into their new house. My mother told me about a horse hair couch that was in the front room of the inn.
In his new house, Papa installed carbide lights with a tank located underground at the front of the house to hold the carbide. This was a luxury during those times in history as most people only used lanterns and candles.
I can also remember a windmill that was located on top of the house. The windmill was used to charge the battery that operated the radio. On Saturday nights the family would sit close to the radio to hear "The Grand Old Opry" show that was performed and sent by radio waves from Nashville, Tennessee.
Papa was a gentle but firm man who attended worship on a regular basis as long as his health permitted. He was a devoted father and a loving husband. And to me, he was an inspiration and a wonderful grandpa.
.................by: Martha Ann Glasgow, daughter of Ima Lois (Hester) & Kemper Talmage Glasgow, Jr., granddaughter of Walter Alexander & Jesse Florence (Hooper) Hester.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I remember Mama and Papa Hester as both being gentle and quite spoken. Papa never seemed to be in a hurry yet I never remember him being late for anything. I recall him setting on the front porch dressed and ready to leave for church services while everyone else was trying to get ready.
When Wayne shipped out the the South Pacific in World War II, Ola took me to live with Mama and Papa until the end of the war. I was about 6 months old when he left. My oldest memories are about Papa.
One was hearing him talking to the mule while he was plowing above the apple orchard. I left the front yard crossed the gravel road and went up the hill to watch him. I spent some time sitting in the shade of a tree watching him plow. When I returned to the house to get a glass of water, everyone was in a panic. It seems they were afraid that I had gone down to the creek and drowned. Mama fussed at my mother for spanking me. I still remember the spanking after nearly 60 years. Not that it hurt that bad, just trying to understand why I was getting a spanking for going to watch Papa.
Another early memory of Papa was riding with him in the wagon to Belgreen to have corn ground into corn meal. We spent some time before leaving in the corn crib shelling the corn with a hand cranked device. I hope that my "helping" didn't slow him down too much. In his characteristic way, he gave me the impression that I was a great help.
In their latter years they would come to Florida to spend the coldest part of the winter with us. I would not trade anything for that time with the two of them.
.................by: Carl Keith Black, son of Ola Pearl (Hester) & Wayne Willis Black, grandson of Walter Alexander & Jesse Florence (Hooper) Hester.
------------------------------------
1930 U. S. Federal Census, Belgreen, Franklin Co., Alabama
Walter A Hester 48 1881 Alabama Head
Jessie F Hester 45 1884 Wife
Cloris R Hester 20 1909 Son
W Florence Hester 18 1911 Dau
O Pearl Hester 15 1914 Dau
W Odel Hester 12 1917 Dau
Eva R Hester 9 1920 Dau
Irma L Hester 6 1923 Dau
Marce L Hester 4 1926 Son
Effie M Hester 1 1928 Dau
Mary L Hooper 51 1878 Alabama Sister-in-law
---------------------------------------------
Walter Alexander Hester, 83, Belgreen, died Monday night, July 27, 1964, at 11:05 p.m. in a Russellville Hospital.
He was a life-long resident of Franklin County and a retired farmer. He was a member of the Church of Christ at Belgreen, Alabama.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon at 2 p.m. from the Belgreen Church of Christ with Raymond Harville and Charles Maples officiating. Burial will be Belgreen Cemetery with Spry Funeral Home directing.
Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Jessie Hester; five daughters, Mrs. Robert Holcomb, Jackson, Mississippi, Mrs. Wayne Black, Ocala, Florida, Mrs. Kemper Glasgow, Jr., Bear Creek, Alabama, Mrs Clayton Kirkley, and Mrs. Hubert Bragwell both of Russellville; four sons, Foy B. Hester, Tuscumbia, Clovis R. Hester, Macon, Georgia, Odell, Warner Robins, Georgia, Morris Hester, Tuscumbia, one brother, W. G. Hester, Booneville, Mississippi; two sisters, Mrs. Edgar Britton, Leedy, Oklahoma, Mrs. Jim Britton, Belgreen; 18 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.
|
