Grandpa - 1892-1976

approx. 1910

This is an early photo of my Grandfather, Samuel - restored. He is the younger of the two men on the right. I named this photo, "Lunchtime at the Coal Mines." Those buckets were lard buckets. No cool lunchboxes for these hardworking Appalachians. 

Back then Grandpa’s family raised pigs and chickens. In the fall when they killed and butchered the pigs the meat was cut up and cured in the smokehouse.  The bits and pieces of skin, and fat they didn't use were then melted over an open fire - the fat strained through cheesecloth and the yummy pork skin were called cracklins, pork rinds, or as we know them today chicharrones. I ate them a lot as a kid and my friends thought they were gross. For a time, the only way we could get them, was if Grandma sent us a package of things we couldn't get in California; such as pork rinds,  and fodder beans. 

A packed lunch would consist of cornbread, or a biscuit, a piece of ham, or bacon. Some were so poor they would have melted bacon grease on their bread portion with some homemade jam. During the Depression, butter was expensive and hard to come by. 

Back to my Grandpa Samuel Webster Young. 

He was born in Feb 1892 to Layton and Alpine Ira (Peak) in Glenmary Tennessee in Scott County. The county is known for having seceded from Tennessee in protest of the state's decision to join the Confederacy during the Civil War, and subsequently forming The Free and Independent State of Scott.

He had 4 other siblings -

Millard Henry - 1888

Grandpa  - 1892

Valanie - 1894 -

Maggie - 1896

Taken in the late 1970's just before his death -  

Millard, Maggie (Addie), and Grandpa. 

Samuel married Nanny Hembree in 1915. This is their wedding photo. 

1917 he registered for the draft during WW1. He worked at the Tennesee Lumber and Coal in Glenmary, Tennessee. No one in our family has been able to find out if he ever served. He was a quiet man and even his 3 sons, didn't know so if he had served he never talked about it. I also am at this time, unable to find any records. Seems at one time, I did find a record asking for a deferment. 

He worked as a coal miner and they had a farm raising pigs and chickens - Somewhere in the 1930's he had to quit and was diagnosed with Black Lung Disease. It aged him fast but he did live to be 84. My Grandma did receive a survivor's benefit after he died. 

Together they raised a family of 9 children. My dad is the young man sitting on the left. He was the youngest boy and 2nd youngest overall. 

Looks like a bit of a smile on Grandpa's face. 

He was a sweet man. Tall, thin, and very strong. Big hands. He didn't talk much in fact, I don't know if I can remember him saying anything to us kids. He was my Dad's hero. 

Here he is with 2 of his grown sons - a couple of years before he passed. My dad is on the right. 

Rest In Peace Grandpa. 

Till we meet again...