The Tea PartyThe teaI enjoyed riding to town with my granddad in the spring wagon pulled by Ole Belle. Hitching posts were in the Stiefelmeyer block. Then there were the days he and Belle would pick me up in the wagon and we would go in the wooded area and load pinestraw onto the wagon. My job, well I didn’t weigh that much, but it was enough so that when I’d stomp on the straw it would pack it so that he could continue putting more on the load.
I can remember a couple things a dime would buy – like a loaf of bread or a gallon of gas.
Our grocery list was just staple items. Maybe 50 pound bag flour or sugar sometimes as Mother was always making homemade bread and rolls. With a garden we had canned goods including kraut. Raised our own beef, pork and chickens. Had delicious smoked meat from granddad’s smoke house. Then there was the well for water just out side the washhouse (at my grandparents).
In the twenties my mother and her sister had another sister arrive. She was 10 when I was born so I always thought of her as a big sister. It was her tea set we would use for the “tea party”.
My mother departed this earth at age 89. Her sister in Atlanta is nearing her 96th birthday. The other sister lives here in Cullman. At 81 she thinks nothing of taking her tractor and bushhogging areas she can’t get to with her lawnmower.
As I write this I’m thinking of how we are in the middle of another week. My, but it seems time is hastily passing. Does that tell us something?
Such must not have been the case in the time of our grandparents. My grandparents on both sides of the family came from Germany (Rackl and Dahlke). I can recall my Mother’s father telling how on a boat trip to Germany in 1911 he met Mr. Kress. He suggested my grandfather move to Cullman, when he learned due to health problems my grandfather was advised to change climate. People had been known to move to Cullman for their health. Mr. Kress offered to sell him some land.
Having been to Baltimore, Maryland, I can imagine how hard the moving was on the family. They moved in 1914. Here there were only dirt roads and means of transportation was mule and wagon later a spring wagon. Knowing nothing about farming, he did well and raised food for the family too. I can remember seeing pictures of the hogs they slaughtered. They had a smoke house he built, made their own sausage. Mother and her sister were 8 and 6 years old. Their small house was remodeled by Mr. Gasser and was made into an attractive 2-story house. Beautifully cut rocks were used for the front porch columns. The barn, which was recently torn down had the traditional foundation which was exposed using stacked rocks.
These structures were on property just north of Cullman Regional Medical Center. Granddad of course had his vineyard. I can remember the 8’ high chicken wire, around the garden and vineyard to keep the chickens from flying over and getting in the garden.
How my dad’s folks came to this area is interesting.
My great grandfather Mr. John Dahlke and Mr. Albert Look had jobs in Columbus, Ohio, having come from Germany in 1885. Two years later they read a paper written by Col. Cullman, stating that land would be given at no charge and that one wouldn’t have to work hard in Cullman Colony. Eggs could be picked up off the ground. Deer and wild turkey were plentiful. Meat could be had by killing them. The offer was so enticing that they gave up their jobs and moved their families to Cullman. Dahlkes had 2 children. Looks 1 child.
Upon arriving in Cullman, a house was rented. They had to go (50 miles) to Huntsville, Al. to put in claim to homestead land. They had to hire a surveyor to locate the 320 acres they were given. They broke a straw to see which 160 acres each would have. This was south of town in Bremen area.
In one week’s time they had cut the trees and built a 20’ X 30’ log house. Both families lived in this house until another one was built ½ mile down the road. Both were charter members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. It is known that at times they walked to church.
Dahlkes had 8 more children. Looks had three more children.
My grandfather was Charley. He married a Emma Mitchifelder from Hanceville. The Mitchifelders left Germany in 1886. They had 5 small children at the time (later they had 3 more). My grandmother and a sister lived to be 100. Two others lived to be 93 and 97.
My being the oldest of 6 children, I was a daddy’s girl. Numerous times when I was young he would take me with him to visit his parents for a few days in Trussville, Al. (They moved from Gadsden to Trussville when my dad was 12.) During our visit dad would assist his dad with whatever he was doing. I’m told, I would get up on the kitchen counter and clean out grandma’s cabinets that she couldn’t reach. I remember better the day it got stormy and grandma took me to the stairwell, where we sat and prayed.
We never departed without a kiss and some produce from her garden.
My grandparents were all very hard working folks – “Work never killed anyone!” As children and having to work on the farm, we often thought otherwise.
