HNB - 65 Years

 

 

 

HNB - 50 Years

Major & Siblings

Parents - John Jolly Espy, Sr. and Emma Penelope Carroll (Espy)

 Children - Major, John Jr. (Bud John) and Sarah Frances (youngest to oldest)

I studied the picture of J.J. Espy, Sr. and family - the one hanging in our upstairs hall.  It is my guess that that particular picture was made in approximately 1915.  I'm basing that on the dates of birth of the children in the picture.  They are dressed in clothes suitable for hot weather - so a guess would be about the summer of 1915.  J.J, Espy's Sr. was born April 1878.  So he would have been about 37.  - cousin Beverly Espy Dayries, daughter of John Jr. (Bud John)

Major, John Jr., Sarah Frances

New York City - 1911

 

(l-r) Major, Bud John, Sarah Frances

Sarah, Bud John and Major had another sibling, a sister named Josephine.  Unfortunately, Baby Josephine died during a whooping cough epidemic when she was right around 6 months old.  You can read about Josephine here.

If I can find any more photos of the siblings together, I will post them here.

Bearwallow Mountain Hike

At 4,232 ft. above sea level, Bearwallow Mountain stands as the highest peak in the widely-visible Bearwallow Highlands range.  Straddling the Eastern Continental Divide, it makes up part of the Blue Ridge Escarpment as well as the western rim of the Hickory Nut Gorge.  Crowned with a grassy meadow at its summit, the mountain features a nearly 360 degree view that encompasses some of the southern Appalachians highest peaks including Mt. Mitchell in the Black Mountains and Mt. Pisgah in the Great Balsams range.  Its breathtaking vista also includes a birds-eye view of Hickory Nut Gorge, downtown Hendersonville, and the lowlands of South Carolina.  A historic fire lookout tower occupies the summit, as do grazing cattle who call the mountaintop home.  - source

 

 

This morning I led this group up to the peak of Bearwallow Mountain.  Afterwards, we stopped off at Hickory Nut Gap Farm and Cape Fear Seafood.  I purchased some fresh lump crab meat from Cape Fear, and Kade made a delicious ten-egg crab omelet for dinner!  Yes, we do have leftovers!

 

Several months ago Kade and some of her colleagues went out to Hickory Nut Gap Farm.  These are some images Kade took:

 

Return to Courthouse Falls

Hidden deep in the woods between Courthouse Ridge and Brushy Ridge in western Pisgah National Forest, Courthouse Creek makes a dramatic plunge through a narrow chute into a natural amphitheater of bedrock, cascading 45 feet into a cold crisp pool. Courthouse Falls is one of the best kept secrets in the “Land of Waterfalls.” Beautiful for its solitude as well as its picturesque setting, Courthouse Falls is reachable by trail or by forest road. The Summey Cove Trail is a 5-mile round trip that begins north of Balsam Grove on Scenic Highway 215. It crosses Courthouse Creek several times before its final destination at the falls.  

- Meanderthals

This time I also took a dip.  Enjoy my video!

cold!!!

refreshing!!!

getting dressed

 Here's what daredevils do at Courthouse Falls!  Waterfall jumping!

Major's Daughters

Major w/ Marilyn and Mila

Major & Betsy

Major Espy with his niece, Betsy Brannon (Green)

 

Betsy is Wayne Brannon's oldest child.  She's now a widely published LDS (Latter Day Saints) author: http://www.betsybrannongreen.net .  Just today, thanks to cousin Emily Luttrell (Whiteside), I was able to quickly confirm that Betsy is the one with Granddad Major in the above photo. And, after a brief Facebook chat with Betsy, she e-mailed me some of her memories.  What a gift!  Thanks, Betsy!
 

Espy Memories for Major Allen Espy June 24, 2014

 

This is what I can remember now and if I put my mind to it – I might be able to think of some other things.

 

I remember coming in the front door of Aunt Edith and Uncle Major’s grand house with Mila (she had been in charge of me for the morning – I was probably about 5 years old so this was approx. 1963). Marilyn was standing on that gorgeous staircase with a paper cup full of ice in her hand. I remember her shaking it and asking me, “How’s Pawby?” (my imaginary friend). I answered very seriously and it wasn’t until I saw Marilyn wink at Mila that I realized it wasn’t really a serious question!

 

I remember sitting on Gram Vann’s porch (I was probably 10 or 11 so 1968-1969) and Aunt Edith talking about something one of her kids had done. She said she told them if they did it again “the Devil will get you.” I thought it was hilarious but Gram Vann was not amused. She spoke as sharply as I ever heard her in opposition to this form of discipline! Then they started talking about thunderstorms and Aunt Edith said she still got under her bed during storms. I couldn’t believe it but Nana said it was true. Edith was deathly afraid of storms.

 

I remember visiting Aunt Edith right after she had purchased new curtains for the big room that we always came into through the back door on the right side of the main house (if you’re looking at it from the front). I was in my teens by then so maybe 1974-75. The curtains were beautiful. They were off-white with ruffles that were trimmed with green thread (country-style that was popular then). There were a lot of windows and therefore a lot of curtains and I thought they were gorgeous. And Aunt Edith liked them too but she said she’d been in bed for two days because spending so much money had made her physically sick!

 

I remember going to visit Dinah at her parents’ house with Nana and Curt just before her wedding to Mark (won’t try to estimate the date since you know when they got married!). I remember having to step over an electric wire that was around the perimeter of the yard to keep in the dog. Curt and I were terrified of being electrocuted!

 

And I remember going to Mark and Dinah’s wedding. I thought she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen and she was always so kind to us kids.

 

I remember going to see Aunt Edith for the last time. She was living in that back room and looked amazingly good considering all she’d been going through. We were on our way out of town and Nana sent us by to ‘speak’. Aunt Edith was gracious as always, apologizing that she didn’t have anything to serve us even though we had just dropped in on her!

 

And this last one isn’t mine- it’s my father’s and you may already have it. But when my dad was 2 years old (hard to believe but Nana swears it's true) he walked to town to get his haircut and asked the barber to cut it just like Uncle Major’s!! If you don’t have this one already we’ll ask Nana for more details – she can probably tell us the barber’s name, etc..

Mila Edith (Espy) Woods

Dad's youngest sister.

 

 

 

The Abbeville Herald

April 27, 2000

Click here for Mila on Find A Grave.