The Old Dillard Settlement

June 2002

Once upon a time a boat floating down Buffalo River was an unusual sight (if it wasn't one of the neighbors in an old johnboat, fishing for food and a natural recreation time). Now, it is unusual if you don't see one or more boats. Time has a way of changing things, but I suppose we will continue to flow as the river does. Sometimes it is calm, sometimes rough and dangerous. This is the time of caution, but it continues to go on down the stream in time. "Take head lest we fall" into the danger of that flow. What an interesting life we have.

Thinking of the Buffalo River and the camping facilities, it has a way of drawing folks to its location, and it provides the Church at Mull with visitors and acquaintance. We were happy to have a full house Sunday, and know each and every one of them enjoyed the lessons brought to us by Leon Jr. and Dwight Shipman. We welcome all of you at any time.

In 1991, Harold Miller, grandson of Margaret Selina Dillard, wrote some of his memories of growing up and things about his grandmother and parents.

Once upon a time, he stated, "With respect to my memories of the Grandmother, Mag Dillard: She lived with my Father (her son), Charlie Miller and my mother, Willie Knight Miller, during all the years I was growing up. Off and on Grandma lived in my mother's home all the time my folks were married. My father died in 1949 and Grandma moved next door to my Uncle Lee Ford's home. She died there in 1953 and is buried in the Salinas Garden of Memories, Salinas, California."

Harold continued to give some history of his dad. "My father was never in good health even as a young man. He did however work hard and raised a family of five boys. As a young man in Arkansas, he worked as a miner in the load and zinc mines around Rush. After he married Mother in 1916, he had various labor-type jobs.

One job he had was carrying mail by horseback for the U.S. Postal Service. He worked in the oil fields in Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico during the 'Boom Years' of 1920. At least two times my parents, with the help of Grandma 'Mag' Dillard), ran a Laundry and did ironing and washing for the oil workers.

The family moved a lot, Mother had to work out of home, but Grandmother was always there to take care of home. Everyone liked her. She was very frugal and was always good for a loan to her grandchildren, (provided it was paid back on the promised day).

"She had the reputation of being a good cook with her friends and Dillards in Castroville, Ca. They especially like her 'home made biscuits'.

"She chewed 'Cotton Ball' tobacco, amused everyone with her outspoken 'salty language', and for recreation in her younger years, she enjoyed fishing with aunt Jule on the White and Buffalo River in Arkansas."

Harold wrote other interesting things about the folks, which we are thankful to know.

So, can't you see, the Buffalo had a way of calling to our ancestors, once upon a time, and it still is calling them back now.

I surely have told you of another swing in the woods, where grapevines grew to be strong and securely tied, by nature, up in the tree. Daddy would cut the big vine that we held on to, with our bear hands, and swing as high as ever we could. Our hands would get worn and sore, but we didn't worry about that. We continued to climb that grapevine just as long as it was swinging back and forth. Many times these swings were near the field where the family was working, and the older children had to help the parents, but at rest time, you knew it was their turn for the grapevine. Funny they were not too tired to swing.

Then, about this time of year, we begin to think of the old-time picnic gatherings especially around the 4^th of July. I have been told about that big event in the Lead Hill area and I think it is still a place of gathering with several events of the day. I've heard of the 4^th of July picnic at the old Dillard Ferryboat sight with a fire hose drawn swing which my Grandpa Charlie Davenport dearly loved. As soon as the ride was over, he made for the bushes - to vomit, that is, because it always made him so sick. He enjoyed swinging as much as any child and some of his childish likes was probably why we enjoyed being around him.

Uncle Whit Davenport, Grandpa Charlie's baby brother, made his children swings to enjoy, I am sure, because he would wing the "kids" very high. Dad and Mom were afraid for us to go so high (when they were aware of it), but how thrilling it was for Uncle Whit to do the pushing, don't you agree, Obedia, Odale and Demoia Davenport? Well, just maybe we can get together at the Dillard Reunion the 20^th, 21^st and 22^nd of this month, June, and recall more happy times.

As my wondering went back to how the swing has played such a happy time in our lives, A person asked me, "Do you remember the swing at the river where we swang over the river and dropped down into the water, that is, until some officials thought it unsafe?" This was quite a swing located across from Buffalo Point beach, which used to be our farm before the Government needed it as a National River. Down on this river farm is where I spent a lot of time on the grapevine swing, but my children and tourists enjoyed the over the river swing, not me. Age has a way with our activities, and do you ever wonder how that comes about? I do.

I always thought it would be the nicest thing to have a porch swing like my Aunt Alice Smith, and I think surely, I have talked about that to you. Seeing her sitting in the swing, with her toes touching the floor, giving a slight push to keep the swing gently going, was an important port of my life. As I would walk through the little gate into her picketed fence, her smile was a great thing to see. She had flowers in her flowerbox, most always petunias, and they seemed to welcome you to have a visit just the same as Aunt Alice.

I need not forget to bring your memory back to the swings used in keeping our babies quiet while we did the housework. These swings had a spring close tot he top of the hanging straps. The straps or cords were hung to the ceiling; the seat was made from sturdy cotton material. The child could bounce in it and Mom would come around and often and give it a little push as she talked gently to the baby. This was the baby-sitter, once upon a time. There were no swings, that I heard of, operated by batteries or winding spring, manual work was the order of the days, as we knew it.

As a lady and I were discussing swings, she said, "I would like a swing fixed in my yard if I knew the limb wouldn't break, because I have always loved to swing." So, you see, we don't need to get too old to enjoy the little simple things in life.