The Courier News from Blytheville, Arkansas • Page 7

WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1954 BLYTHEVTLLE (ARK.) COURIER NEWS PAGE SEVEN OSCEOLA NEWS St arr Airs. Ruth. Swansey Descendant Of Two American Presidents If you'd see a 111 ole lady march- Ing down the street waving an American flag and stopped to inquire, "Why all the patriotism?" you might get an answer about like this: Ruth Swansey, am a direct descendant of two of our presidents of the United States, James Madison and Zachary Taylor," and she wouldn't be just talking she actually is. But she surely doesn't go around bragging about it. It fascinated me wnen I heard about it through members of the William Strong Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, so I grabbed my pencil and nickel tablet and set out to learn more about Mrs.

Ruth Swansey, and of all people I ever have interviewed, I do believe she has had the fullest life of anyone I have yet to meet. She was one or 10 children born to Robert Nutter Grady and Margaret Ann Eberle Grady, who were the largest landowners in Crittenden County, Ky. Her mother had inherited part of the 4,000 acres of bounty land granted to Capt. Reuben Taylor for his services during the Revolutionary War. Capt.

Tay- los was the grandfather of Mrs. gwansey's mother. HER RELATIONSHIP with the presidents goes back earlier than with Zachary Taylor. It goes back to James Taylor, the first of the family to emigrate from Carlisle, England, and settle in Virginia in 1650. He homesteaded 1,000 acres of land and began farming in a brand new country.

His son, James, as it is recorded in Virginia Land patent book No. 7, had a Frances, who married Ambrose Madison. Among their children was Col. James Madison, father of James Madison, fourth president of the United States. This gets quite complicated because Zachary Taylor's daughter, Sarah Knox Taylor, married Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederacy.

Mrs. Swansey's mother was an aristocrat from way back, and doted on telling her 10 children of their heritage, and to never let their family background be forgotten. Mrs. Swansey was a frail child and was "missed" and pampered, not only by her parents and nine sisters and brothers, but by her black mammy as well, who, like Mary's lamb, followed the frail little girl to school each day. She was sent the mile to the nearest school either on horseback or in a buggy with the black mammy staying at school all day to tend to little 'Mis' Ruff.

Mrs. Swansey was the youngest of the five girls, and being the sickly one in the bunch, was never allowed to overtax her strength, only to ride horseback which the old family doctor prescribed. BEING BORN on the rolling hills within sight of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and having wealthy parents whose fame for fine thoroughbred Kentucky show horses was known far and wide, the little daughter was a familiar sight from early in the morning until dusk riding over the countryside. The home where Mrs. Swansey grew up was on the banks of the Ohio River, and she recalled steamboat days and the excursions she was taken on.

Packets landed directly in front of her home and she, with her sisters and brothers, spent lots of Mrs. Ruth Swansey also to the family: Jeff Davis happy hours watching the boats landing and the cargo being put aboard by the sleek Negro roustabouts who worked to a song chant. Stories of Daniel Boone, Kit Carson, Abraham Lincoln and Henry Clay were as familiar to Mrs. Swansey as the stories of Superman to this generation. She said she cut her eye teeth on the proposal by Daniel Boone to improve the breed of horses in Kentucky, and the immortal song "My Old Kentucky Home" was sung to her from the time she could remember anything.

AFTER FINISHING high school at Weston, Mrs. Swansey was sent to boarding school at Columbus, where she went for two years. But she had left her sweetheart behind, and getting married to her childhood sweetheart was far more important in a young girl's life than being sent away to boarding school. So she didn't go back the third year but stayed at home where a dressmaker was employed to come to her home and make her trousseau to marry the young man of whom her parents thoroughly approved. For a wedding present her father built them a home on part of his plantation and gave them enough acreage to begin farming.

After a few years of farming, Mr. Swansey decided to go into the livery stable business in Sturgis, buying only thoroughbred horses for his business. Those were the days when a young swain would pay any price to rent a fine buggy with a show horse hitched to it, to -take his lady-love riding on Sunday afternoon. So the farm was sold and the money was invested in buying horses with wide reputations. Having ridden horses all of her life.

Mrs. Swansey was quite an asset to her husband's business, and knew a good buy in horses even better than her husband. While they owned the livery stable, a contest was conducted in Sturgis for the best horseback rider and for the one who could best drive a horse hitched to a buggy. THAT KIND of contest was in the bag for the young wife of John Newton Swansey. When the final day of the contest came, she drove the finest horse in the State of Kentucky, hitched to the most elaborate red plush-lined buggy ever to roll off the assembly line.

The contest took place at the "fairgrounds" and when she drove through the gates the crowd started cheering her and when she passed the judges' box she knew by their expressions that she had won the contest. Her prize was a diamond locket and chain, and when judging took place for the mots graceful horseback rider, she copped first prize in that contest, too. After several years In the livery stable business, Mr. and Mrs. Swansey, with their two young daughters, Rowena and Geneva, moved back to their old home near Weston.

They built a new home on one of the hills on the place and named it "The Green An everlasting spring ran beneath the hill, where they kept their milk and butter, and the main spring had the coldest water for miles around. Mrs. Swansey said she still goes back to that old home just to drink some of the spring water. The older sisters of Mrs. Swansey had moved to Missouri after their marriages, and kept writing back See RUTH SWANSEY on Page 14 STARR GAZING Gold WBUS discovered on this date.

May 1863, near Virginia City, Mont. There are over 60 species of native lilies. I hope you were wise last fall and planted some of the red spider Hies; they com along late in the summer and are beautiful planted with blue ageratum- I wonder how many seniors (or otherwise) know Three Graces" in Greek mythology were sisters and their were Euphrosyne, Aglaia and Thalia! About this time of year it's time to crank up th'e ice cream freezer and enjoy real homemade "boiled cuatard" ice cream. This was the month 130th) that the ice cream freezer was patented back in 1848. and there has never yet been any new gedget that could turn otu ice cream to equal that old afshioned way of freezing it.

I don't know how it happened, but every word beginning with the letter is followed by the letter If you don't believe it, look for yourself. Samuel Dodge summed life up by saying "You may go through this world but 'twill be very slow if you listen to all that is said as you go: you'll be worried and fret- On the Social Mrs. P. D. Johnson's kindergarten class will hold it's "graduating exercises" at the elementary school tomorrow at 10 a.m.

Mrs. Charlisle Little, elementary principal, will present the 27 children with diplomas. A program of skits and songs will be presented by the pupils. Mrs. H.

E. was hostess to her Canasta Club last week with Mrs. John Enochs, Mrs. P. D.

Johnson and Mrs- Welby Young as guests. A dessert course preceded the canasta games. Mrs. E. L.

Taliaferro won high score and Mrs. O. E. Massengill, second. Mrs.

Maude Hudson entered Methodist Hospital in Memphis yesterday. Lt. Bobby Wiliams, stationed at Shaw Air Base, S. spent several days with his mother, Mrs. A.

F. Williams, and family during this week, Mrs'. Braxton Bragg and Mrs. Pays Henderson of Little Rock, were weekend visitors in Osceola. Mr.

and Mrs. Newton Johnson entertained the junior and senior choirs of the Presbyterian Church Saturday at their country home, for a picnic dinner and yard games. Twenty-five attended. Miss Ruth S. Massey of Osceola will present the William Strong Chapter's DAR Good Citizenship, award at Marion High School tomorrow night.

While there, she will be the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Smith A. Johnson. On Friday night, she will present a similar award to Karen Bradley at Oaceola High School- Mr.

and" Mrs. Emmet Dunn and daughter spent Sunday in Martin, with Mr. Dunn's parents, Mr. and Mrs. T.

W. Dunn, who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Godley have as guests Mrs.

Godley's sister, Mrs. Roy M. Brandenburg, and Mr. Brandenburg of Stillwater, Okla. Mrs.

Victor Gherson, the former Miss Cackie Smith, now of Ankroa, Turkey, arrived home last week for a visit with her parents, Mr, and Mrs- J. D. She was met at the airport by her and her sister of Memphis. She plans to be in Osceola for several months. Mrs.

Irma Rose has announced the marriage of her daughter, Martha Jane to J. E. Jacks, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Jacks.

The wedding was solemnized Saturday afternoon in Hernando, Miss. The couple will leave in 15 days for Corpus Christi, Texas, where Mr- Jacks is stationed with the Navy. The Garden Club met yesterday at the home of Mrs. Bruce Ivy. Serving as co-hostesses were Mrs.

William Elias, Mrs. Melvin Speck, Mrs. Dick Fletcher and Mrs. James Farris. The Rev.

A. B- Moore showed a film on Williamsburg. This will be the last meeting until fall. The Junior Garden Club met yesterday afternoon at the home of Sally Walter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.

Bill Walters for a business meeting and installation of after a visit with Mrs. Sy- officers. HISTORIC RECEPTION! Thousands upon thousands who know fine bourbon hail the arrival of Old Crow in its 86 Proof, lighter, milder, lower-priced bottling, as a companion to the traditional Old Crow 100 Proof Bottled in Bond. NOW-TWO GREAT BOTTLINGS! 86 PROOF Celebrated Old Crow lighter, milder and lower priced thin the 100 Proof Bottled in Bond BOTTLED IN BOND 1OO PROOF The most famous of bonded bourbons available at usual CKOW Bourb Stniivht "The Greatest Name in Bourbon" THS OLD CROW DISTILLERY COMPANY, FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY Miss Shirley Cone, daughter of Dr. and Mrs.

George Cone of Osceola, has been selected as one of the six beauties to be featured this year in the University of Tennessee's Yearbook, "The Volunteer." Selected by Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, the six were chosen from 24 photographs of the winners of the fall beauty parade. Miss Barbara Shaneyfelt of Osceola and Miss Dianne Bibb of Truman have been selected to serve as counselors oi" the "big sister" program at Arkansas State College next year. Purpose of the program is to assist freshman girls. Johnny R. Price of Osceola has begun Air Force training at Lackland Air Force base at San Antonio.

He enlisted last week in Memphis. Ben Bijler. Gene Butler and Arch Catchings were in Jonesboro Saturday to compete in the memorial golf tournament at Jonesboro Country Club. Mr. and Mrs.

Park Gibbs Vestal of Knoxville have announced the engagement of their daughter, Miss Jone Vestal, to John Brance, son of Dr. and Mrs. N. B. Ellis of Wilson.

Mr. and Mrs- E. T. Sypert left Sunday for their home in Tulsa. pert's parents, Mr.

and Mrs. C. B. Driver. ted and kept in a stew, for meddlesome must have something to do, for people will talk, you know." What's virtue in man can't be vice in a cat, Little things affect little minds.

When asked what wine he liked to drink. Dionepius replied, "That which belongs to another." The fellow who wants the rewest things is nearest to the gods. Definition of dream of a walking man." Definition of a soul abiding in two bodies." You can tell the ideals of a nation by its especially the roadside ads. I feel ns Louise Driscoll expressed it: "You can't forget a garden, when you have planted seed, when you have watched the weather and know a rose's need." I can't for- get what those cutworms have dona to my summer-flowering to say nothing of how they feasted on my beautiful iris. Uure Life is a spicy mixturt Of things both good and bad, And at sometime all of iu Must be a little sad.

Life hold some for all, And blessings, too, in store, After knowing the heartaches Our blessings will mean more. Smith ALLEN'S MINIATURE GOLF NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS Fun and Relaxation for Entire Family Plenty Of Parking Located On South Highway 61 At CITY LIMITS Specializing I Hot Dogs Cold Drinks BLACK WHITE STORES Save Cool open-weave cotton SPORT SHIR" Wear with or without a tie! Next best thing to air conditioning! Wonderful idea for Father's Day June 20th! Open mesh leno-weave fabric with thousands of tiny air holes to let the breeze in! Fine combed cotton is Sanforized-shrunk. Precision tailored with short sleeves, 2-way collar, 2 pockets, square-cut shirttail White, tan, b'ue, grey, green. Sizes small, medium, large Buy now tt this sata for Ftthff'i Dtf.