Memories on a Texas Farm-Dewey Wells

E.C. Chron was born in a small West Texas farming community 4 miles north of Ralls. With 4 brothers and 1 sister he always had plenty of playmates and a cousin, Dewey who grew up on an adjoining farm. All the kids grew up going barefoot in the summer and always looking for adventure.

During the depression years of the 1930’s times were hard and money was short. On the farm we grew a lot of our food and in the fall of the year our two families would get together and butcher hogs for a winter supply of meat. An important item was a large container of boiling water which the hogs were immersed in (after being killed of course). The hogs were easy to clean after being placed in the hot water for a few minutes.

After the work was done the large container served a dual purpose of being a boat for the boys.

Behind our house was a large lake of water (when it rained). E.C., brother Virgil and cousin Dewey would carry our boat to the lake and launch it and the three of us would get in it and proceed to have a great adventure. Most times the water was home to wild ducks and geese so we became great hunters. We always had slingshots, and I can still see us floating among the ducks shooting rocks at them but seldom hitting one. Most parents these days would be scared to death for their kids to do the things we did. On the farm we made our own games and adventures and did not often go into Ralls, so we did not have a chance to get in trouble.I still own the farm where these things happened and have fond memories of those days about 70 years ago.