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Note: He was born in a railroad section house, then lived in the old family house at 115 Broad St., then on the corner of Fletcher St. for years. When he married Wilma, they lived with Mamaw from April 1939 to September 1939 on Westview Dr in Atlanta, then bought the house at 430 Kimmeridge Dr, East Point, Ga. Now numbered 2918 this remained the Surls residence until 1995. He was baptised in 1925. He graduated from Cedartown Highschool in 1928, then did odd jobs, hoboed, operated an ice plant, was a short order cook in a cafe, worked in a grocery store, worked in a dye mill (United States Finishing Company), worked in a filling station, delivered groceries, was in the National Guard for 7 years, went to work for Motor Parts & Supply Co on Octobeer 3, 1933, worked there until 1961 when they were bought out by Perrin Auto Supply, continued in same job until June 1975, retired because of age and health, kept grandson, Gene, at home while Becky worked. Service Record: serial number 34832892, classification job 1736 heavy tank crewman, served cadre armor instructor on all track laying vehicles and all wheel vehicles and taught concurrent subjects. Contributed to the tank training manuals. Held rank of Sargeant 2 years. Had 7 1/2 years National Guard service, earned rank of Sargeant at end of each 3 years term. Inducted into Army December 1943 and discharged Nov 22, 1945. Training camp was at Ft Knox, Kentucky Armored School. He was in the largest company in history of US Army, designated as "Service Company C", 2nd Regiment Tank Training Battalion averaged 725 enlisted men and 45 officers. There was no immediate commanding officer, it operated as an individual unit, responsible only to Plans and Training. He had 2 promotions in same number of months, from Private to Corporal to Sargeant. He was discharged at Ft Knox, Kentucky.
INFORMATION FROM BECKY VESSELL AS TOLD TO HER BY JOE P SURLS SR When I was little, Daddy used to tell me stories of when he was little, and Papa and Mama would take them on the train over to Alabama to see their grandparents. He spoke of Grandpa Britt who was tall and quiet, with ice-blue eyes. Daddy said that all the cousins would be running around yelling and cutting up. The women would try to make them behave, but as with most kids, they ignored them. He said Grandpa Britt would sit on the porch and watch them awhile, and then when they finally got out of hand, he would get up, walk down the steps and just LOOK at them. IMMEDIATELY everyone would stop, shut up, and start behaving. Daddy said he never remembered Grandpa Britt striking anyone, that just seeing him stare at you with those ice-blue eyes was enough. I asked him why he had that effect when all the kids knew he wouldn't hurt them? He thought a minute, and said he wasn't really sure, except that you knew you wanted that man to think well of you, and more than anything else, you didn't want him mad at you. He said the girls wore feed sacks with only slits cut in the sides and top for arms and neck, maybe a rope for a belt, and no underwear, and of course, no shoes. He said Uncle Marion would usually take the older boys squirrel hunting for stew for supper, but the middle group of kids would run off in the woods to go "flying". When I asked him what he meant by going "flying", Daddy just laughed and with a sparkle in his eye, he told me about "flying." He said what you did was look for a sapling that was not too big, but not too small. Then, several of the kids would climb up the tree to the top, then another would climb up, then another, and so on until the tree was weighted down at the top and bent over to the ground. The kids on the ground would grab hold of the tree and help hold it down while the foolhardy soul who was to "fly" would grab hold of the tree trunk and hold on with a bear hug. The others would let go and POW! Of course, the tree would flip back and forth before it would finally straighten out and whoever was "flying" looked a lot like Olive Oyle in the cartoons, but it sure was fun!! And Daddy would laught until tears rolled down his cheeks. I, of course, never really believed him, because I could never quite see my Daddy pulling such a stunt, he was always so very careful of our safety, he would certainly never let any of us do anything like that. Then Mother, Mildred, Cora, Gene and I went to Alabama, to Jackson Gap, in search of family history. We went to Rock Springs Church and cemetery, and in an old house behind the cemetery, we met Jessie Milner Vines, Aunt Lula's daughter. She was so excited to see us, she grabbed me by the arm and said over and over, "Oh, you're Joe P's daughter! Oh, you're Joe P's daughter!" Then she grinned and said "I well remember him visiting, and we'd all go "a'flying" in the trees!" Well, it's a good thing I didn't have false teeth, because I'd have dropped them then and there. When we got home and I told Daddy about it, he just laughed and said, "Of course we did! Would I tell you a lie?", and laughed some more.
MASONIC HISTORY OF JOSEPH PLEAS SURLS SR, INFO TAKEN FROM HIS BIBLE
Entered Apprentice October 18, 1935 Fellow Craft December 20, 1935 Master Mason February 6, 1936 Caledonia #121 F&AM Cedartown, Georgia Raised by W P Surls Mark Master Paster Master Most Excellent Master Royal Arch Mason Thanksgiving Day 1943 Courtesy of East Point Royal Arch Chapter Located at Hapeville, Georgia Adoniram Chapter #41 Cedartown, Georgia Knight of Red Cross March 14, 1946 Knights of Malta March 21, 1946 Knights Templar April 11, 1946 Rome Commandry #8 Rome, Georgia Created a Noble of Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of Mystic Shrine in Yaarab Temple Atlanta, Georgia May 15, 1946 Raised William J Surls to Master Mason January 13, 1962 in Blue Mountain Lodge #38 Faud A M, Dahlonega, Georgia Certificate of Good Standing to East Point Lodge #288 With Dues Paid to December 31, 1977 on March 1, 1977 for Purpose of Transfer of Membership Dated March 10, 1977 Petition to East Point Lodge #288 F&AM on March 15, 1977 and Affiliated with East Point Lodge #288 on April 19, 1977 Crispin Surls acted as Senior Deacon at this Affiliation.
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