In those days, You and Cecil must have really covered for each other. It makes me wonder now why, as a little tyke, I worshiped the ground that both of you walked so much. I suppose ignorance of the facts is always essential to true worship. I suppose that is true because, back in the old days, people worshiped a God of whom they were basically ignorant while knowing only that which had been passed down to them from earlier years and ages. It is sad, but modern man sometimes thinks he is so smart about what is happening in the world and universe that God is no longer essential to his well being; consequently, faith in God by modern man tends to fall by the wayside.

I would like to make a few additional points about my birth home in Coal Fire. This was the house in which I have always wanted to make famous as the place of my birth after I became a rich and famous man (which of course never happened). I was born in the house on June 17, 1941. Mom and Dad were married on July 4, 1936 in Mississippi by a Justice of the Peace. Since they had no place to live, Dad took Mom back up to Birmingham where she lived for about a year with her parents when Cecil was born on April 29, 1937. Meanwhile, Dad was in Coal Fire working and building that beautiful house for his bride. I remember none of this because I wasn’t yet even thought about, but I later heard them talking about it. So, the house with the store in front was built in 1936, Cecil was born in 1937. He brought his bride along with little ole Cecil down to the house in the summer of 1937. After his Daddy died in 1946, my Dad bought the Iverson Ole Place in West Coal Fire from the other siblings. Rather, he bought out the other siblings and traded the house with the store for Uncle Buck’s share, which Uncle Buck later traded for Bunny Bishop’s place in east Coal Fire (with the chicken house and Bunny’s carpentry shop out front). I believe that you are confused. I do not believe that Danny was born in the house that I always wanted to make famous as the place of my birth. I believe that Gent and Robert Earl was living in the Bunny Bishop’s old shop building in front of the house which Bunny built in east Coal Fire and in front of the old chicken house when Danny was born. This was the place where Gent and Robert Earl first lived after they were married. Danny was born in the old shop building, where Bunny use to make his boats, tool handles, and just about everything else that could be made out of wood. I remember this distinctly because this is where I spent many a night with Gent and Robert Earl when Danny was a little tyke just because I loved Gent’s cooking so much, and I loved being with Robert Earl as well. Robert was a fun person to be around especially for a little kid. Big Mama and Uncle Dan Elmore also lived in this house later. Big Mama spent her last days and died in the old shop building. Bunny Bishop built the place in East Coal Fire. Dad built the place in middle Coal Fire that Bunny ended up with after it passed through Uncle Buck’s hands. Uncle Buck didn’t live in it long before he traded Bunny out of his place. The house of which you speak is my birthplace, and it is the house that I always hoped to make famous someday as the place of my birth. It is the house that I always wanted to make famous as the place of my birth after I became a famous scientist It is the house of my earliest and fondest memories in which I lived from 1941 until 1948 when we moved to west Coal Fire. I never liked west Coal Fire because our house down there was built as a temporary dwelling with it eventually becoming a hired hand dwelling. In the late Forties and early fifties, Dad fell on hard times economically. As a result, he had to sale all the building materials that he had already purchased to build his “big house” because he just was never able to afford to do it. He had big plans, but because of the draft (being drafted during the peak of his career) and all the social and economic changes that occurred following the War, especially the increases in labor, material, and cost, his plans never materialized.

I still have fond memories of my first seven years in the house of my birth. I don’t remember the store having ever been operated as a store. It was only operated as a store from 1937 until 1941. I do remember it being mine and Cecil’s play house, particularly on rainy, cold days. I remember Donald Bishop’s Coal Fire Theater that he operated in the old school bus shell behind Annie Davidson. I remember you coming up much of the time to play with Cecil, and I remember Kenneth and Gene coming up to play with me, particularly on rainy, cold days in the store building. The dwelling in the back was warm an cozy too, particularly the double fireplace. The side in Mother and Dad’s room was always so warm and cozy, and the side in mine and Cecil’s room was always so cold and dark. The fact that mine and Cecil’s bedroom was always so cold and dark is the reason that I am still afraid of the dark to this day. Our room had a fireplace it, but I don’t remember there ever being a fire in it. I will never forget the morning that a high speed car ran off the road and clipped the power pole to the right front of the house off at the ground with the live wires hanging in front of our house. This is one of my very earliest memories. I remember staying inside the entire day until it all was cleaned up. I even remember the incident of which you speak when you were throwing rocks at the truck although I don’t remember it in quite the same detail. I hope this adds just a little to your story. In short, I believe you have the place of my birth confused with Bunny Bishop’s shop building where Danny was born and where Gent and Robert Earl lived during the early part of their marriage. I will never forget the corncrib in the back of the house, and reaching up to unlatch the door as a young tyke of about three when a huge, black snake fell across my arm and slithered away. I went running back to the hose for Mama. There were no chickens fed that day, at least not be me. The poor snake was probably more scared than me, since it was likely just a chicken snake. I will never forget the garden in back of the house, Raymond Davidson plowing the garden for mother, particularly when Dad was away at the war. I remember helping Mother (I guess one could call it help) plant the turnip greens, beans, onions, beets, etc.. Of course, I will never forget the outhouse (outdoor toilet) in back and sitting on that cold, cold seat, particularly in the winter time. And best of all, I will never forget all the touch football games that we played west of the house with Raymond Davidson’s King Edward Cigar sign as the boundary. I can just hear Raymond yelling and running towards us when a football hit his sign and wondering how in the world could a little football hurt such a big sign, particularly one thrown or kicked by a little kid. I remember the big snowfall of ’46 when I rode on Dad’s big strong shoulders down the highway to his Dad’s place in west Coal Fire with Cecil, who was older, running along side. These were the first seven years of my life and my fondest memories.

Pete, You rocked Danny in Bunny Bishop’s old shop building that was built in front of his house (later Uncle Buck’s house). I didn’t rock him, but I remember him being rocked either by you, Gent, Robert, or someone else. I don’t believe that Uncle Buck ever lived in our house. He almost promptly traded with Bunny for his place. I remember staying with Virginia and Robert a lot in the old converted shop building. I enjoyed my visits immensely. This shop building is where Bunny built the boats for Reuben Estes’ lake, as well as some for the Tyler McShan lake. You asked above who is living in my Dad’s old house now. I believe Gene Bishop is living there. Anne and Dieter Smith built the house which is now just behind it near the railroad. I know I am not wrong on this one, but Danny was born in Bunny’s old, converted shop building. I can prove it from Mother’s and Dad’s old WWII letters, especially the ones in 1946 just before he got out after Iverson had already Dad. In these last letters, he discussed some of his plans to buy out his siblings and do the trade with Uncle Buck, who subsequently traded with Bunny Bishop. Personally, I think that Bunny came out of that deal with the best end of the stick, but that is only my opinion. I just liked the place of my birth so much.

I will see if I can prove it with the WWII letters and get back to you’

Uncle,
I was told that Mother & Dad lived in the front of Uncle Woodrow’s old store & Uncle Buck and them lived in the back part and I was born there. I don’t remember us living there but that was what I was told. I don’t think we lived there long after I was born. I do remember us living in the small house in front of Uncle Buck where Big Mama & Uncle Dan Elmore later lived. I have a picture of Scott and myself shortly after I was born that Mother said was made in that house (store).