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Note: Whatever each of us is, we are what our ancestors passed on to us. None of them pass on more than our parents. My father, James Mayo Violette was born 11 February 1907 in Logan Co KY, just north of Keysburg. The day was captured in a photograph of "The Arrival of Rex from his royal barge" at Mardi Gras parade at the foot of Canal Street in New Orleans LA. The Daily Picayune wrote, "...Never was there a better day." An only child, he was just two years old when his father, James L. Violette "Jim" died 05 Mar 1909. I was told my grandfather took ill after a cold, rainy night ride on horseback from what may have been a possum hunter's club or Black Patch organization meeting. My grandmother, Nellie Lilburn Herndon Violette took her toddler to live a short time with her parents, Richard Thomas Herndon and Mattie Ada Scott Herndon. Her eldest sister had recently died and her parents were raising two semi-orphaned sons, Herndon Page and Thelbert Page. The boys loved their grandfather and re-told his favorite stories many times over the years. In the 2 May 1910 Logan County Kentucky Census, James Mayo Violette is listed as "Violet, James M." He and his mother were living near Keysburg with her parents as were his cousins Herndon Page and Richard T. (Jim) Page. My dad lost touch with his Violette cousins and kin, but had family and friends surrounding him. The Herndons were as plentiful as they were prominent in Logan County. In addition to the Herndons, James and Pages already mentioned, there also were the Ayers, Cowans, Gills and others. Mayo's grandfather, Richard Thomas Herndon augured a small hole into the heart a tree in his front yard, placed a lock of each of his grandson's hair in and plugged the hole to ward off illness. Dad and his cousins attended school at Keysburg. Dad remembered there was a fence row that served as the toilet for the smaller children, boys on one side and girls on the other. I have a photo of the Keysburg School from that time, but my father or his cousins are not pictured. My father's formal education ended after the third grade. On a particularly hot summer day, his mother decided my dad was old enough to run an errand for her. She gave him a quarter and told him to fetch a bottle of peroxide from the store in Keysburg. She instructed him to be especially careful and not drop the the bottle. On his way to the store, he passed the creek where his buddies were enjoying a swim. When they invited him to join them, he declined explaining his mission. He shook of their "momma's boy" chides and went straight to the store in quick stride. On his way back, the exercise, sun and prospect of fun finally got to him when he reached the swimmers. Remembering his mother's instructions, he carefully placed his purchase on a high rock where it would be safe while he enjoyed the cool water. He let the time get away from him and the sun went to work on the tightly capped bottle. It exploded with a boom and his fate was sealed. He never forgot having to explain his actions, but reminded his mother that he'd remembered her instructions. After all, he had not dropped the bottle! My father explained that the snows of the late Novembers and Decembers of his youth would stay on the ground until Spring of the next year. There would be thaws and the snow would melt to the point it would be all but gone in the open fields but still deep in the drifts and shadows. Such remnants were said to be "waiting for more snow to come". For the most part, winters in the first part of the 20th century were consistently, bitterly cold (see attached). He joined his neighbors on the Red River which froze to a depth of several feet to harvest ice. They lined their wagons with straw, cut the ice into blocks with saws and packed it into underground ice houses. Starting with a layer of straw at the bottom and around the walls, layer upon layer of ice was packed in with layers of straw in-between and on top. Once full, each family's ice house would still have ice for their use through the end of the next summer. His sister in-law Myrtle Mallory Rager always referred to him by the nickname "Major"; he in turn called her "Doc". When something ended unexpectedly, he would exclaim, "That's all she wrote!" http://www.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/ifa_image.cgi?IN=035272&PN=121&SEC=Kentucky&CD=955 Violet, Mayo found in the 1920 Census: Age: 12 Gender: M Race: W Birthplace: KY State: Kentucky County: LOGAN Locale: OLMSTEAD Series: T625 Roll: 588 Part: 1 Page: 108B http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp James VIOLETTE Birth Date: 11 Feb 1907 Death Date: 2 Sep 1989 Social Security Number: 404-52-3755 State or Territory Where Number Was Issued: Kentucky Death Residence Localities ZIP Code: 42220 Localities: Britmark, Todd, Kentucky Carl, Todd, Kentucky Claymour, Todd, Kentucky Elkton, Todd, Kentucky Kirkmansville, Todd, Kentucky Mount Tabor, Todd, Kentucky Pea Ridge, Todd, Kentucky Tabernacle, Todd, Kentucky Tress Shop, Todd, Kentucky There was to be a dance at the Community House in Elkton and Mayo's friends planned to attend. Mayo wanted to visit Clyo at her parent's home north of Elkton. After Albert, Gene, William Shumate drove him there in their car, it started snowing. Mayo left early and walked three miles to Elkton to find dance had been cancelled and the Shumates were gone. He walked on to from Elkton to the McIntosh place past Daysville in the snow. He remembered that no cars met or passed him that night. Before his graveside service, his granddaughter and great-grandchildren led the procession bearing his remains.
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