Life's Weaving - Our Family Fabric by Nancy (Hester) Hoke

The Weaving of Lives
in
Our Family Fabric
By Nancy (Hester) Hoke
Daughter of Foy and Lorene (Ezzell) Hester

Bob came from a fairly well-to-do family in the Belgreen area. His parents were William Garrison EZZELL (1857-1942) and Mary Thomas (ALLISON) EZZELL (1863-1946). They were thought to be well-to-do because they had carriages and built a big three story home by Cedar Creek and had had a few slaves in the past (before the Civil War) to work on the place. However, when my grandparents were born there was still talk about the Civil War lingering, for their parents had worked with and beside the slaves. But now all the work had to be done by their large families.

They were not afraid of work and certainly knew how to do heavy labor on their land and made it produce cotton or corn around the nearby creek and on the bottom land.

My grandmother on the other hand was born to Chesley Amos HESTER (March 3, 1855 - January 1, /1944) and Amy Elizabeth (RIKARD) HESTER (August 15,1852 - July 25, 1933). This family had had no slaves and thought themselves well off because they had their own land and a mule to work it and were just "red dirt farmers" as my mother often said.

Every member of the family worked very hard to "make ends meet". I know this because when I was shown pictures of my ancestors, my mother and grandmother, Ruth, would always comment on the hands of the individual. They always made the remark something like "Look at Ma's hands. They look so work worn and torn". And indeed, to me they looked wrinkled and strong and as they had said "work worn".

Photos contributed and article written by Nancy (Hester) Hoke
who owns all property rights.