LETTERS
Claude's Thoughts July 9, 2003 1 PM -Every once in a while something happens and I get in the doldrums. I think I figured it out. I have studied people for a long time and noticed that when an event date comes around they will react to it as if it were yesterday. I usually am looking to lift someone's else day. But in the last few years, I noticed that I get down without no apparent reason. Then my cousin sent me a note about the family reunion at Crawford Texas. This is my mother's side the Walter family and my grandmother who was a Plemons. Grandfather came from England and grandmother came from France. A long round about way to get to Texas in the 1870's, The Plemons started or helped start the Shilo Baptist Church just outside of Crawford. It is still a thriving church with many Plemons and Westerfeld's there. The Plemons and Walter family married into the Westerfeld family which became a large part Westerfield. They were from Germany and not related to the Westervelts that I know of unless they all came from Germany originally. But I really doubt that. One of my cousins who has passed away married a Westerfeld girl. A very nice lady who still lives in Crawford I think. I had just visited with the National Plemons family reunion in Missouri. They for the most part looked and acted just like the Walter family. I could see some of the family resemblance. My grandmother was one of the nicest people I ever knew and I got the same treatment from the Plemons family.
But back to where I started from. I found that I miss being around those who I knew growing up. Knowing that will probably never happen again. Mainly because I took myself out of the lake they were padding their canoe. I chose the military as a way of life. It gave me financial security, if you can call $78. a month and a place to sleep and eat security. I like the idea that every once in a while the folks you worked for had to tell you what kind of job you did, And since most people don't like to say any thing bad to anyone, it was for the most part good, I didn't realize until later that every one had something good to say about others on paper. No one wanted to take on negatives. So now that I realize that I miss my child hood. I miss the ones who usually told you the truth about yourself. My brother had told me one time that he always found someone out of his circle to evaluate him. He said, it is easy to get the feeling that you are great. And hard to look in the mirror and see the person that is really there. I haven't found that person to tell me that truth in a while. But God has a way of explaining it too clearly, in ways that I do not always want to hear. But I have learned to listen at least most of the time. One thing I have learned is you can go home to visit and look and listen but you can't get back in that pond. It is not the pond that has changed, it is you, or in my case, me. You see, I am still chasing the dream. I don't have to worry much about having enough to eat, or wasting money on a movie or something else. But I find, I still look for the sale, the discount, the closeout. Too many years having to stand on the side while watching others, because there was no money to spare. Not a penny to waste, I have wasted money before, but it was generally when I thought I was impressing someone, and I didn't. Money only become important if you don't have any. I am not rich, but I don't worry about money any more, I think it was more fun, trying to climb the mountain than standing on the top and looking for another mountain. That is why I am so thankful for the church here. It give me a reason to climb, to find someone to give a helping hand. That is more fun than standing on the side and finding fault with what is happening.
The attachment is about the health of Jean Dorman. She lives in Texarkana. She is a fourth cousin of mine. My brother James and I met her and she is a very fine lady, that had a rough life. But made the best of it. She is facing this fight with courage and faith. Pray for her and others you know are hurting. Claude
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James, Debbie and Family
We just got back from the Clinic. Mom had a brain scan this morning. It showed cancer in the skull. The worst spot is behind her right ear. It is all in the bone but none in the brain it's self. The tumor is pushing on some nerves at the base of her neck and her tongue is numb. She has a pressure feeling behind the ear. We caught it early, and they have already started radiation therapy on the whole head, today. Ten treatments and three weeks off and five more treatments. The left hip and arm will start back on the last five treatments July 21 st. Dr. Morris said she would be tired from this and would lose her hair again in about two weeks. She doesn't mind the hair but hated the part about being tired. She will have to go to the clinic every day, and it is hard to go when you don't feel good. She is taking this all very well and is still laughing some of the time, The radiation treatments have reduced the pain a lot. That's what it is all about ... being as pain free as possible. I have learned so much from Dr. Morris. He has taught me what signs to look for, and it worked as we caught this before it had a chance to cause any pain or damage.
She really loves the hat You and Debbie bought her and so does Julie one of her Therapists. (I will send the picture separately, have to fix the scanner.) She had their picture taken together, Julie is the one with the hat. HA-HA. I had better go she wants fish for lunch. Our Love to all - Susie & Mom
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Dear Warren – I don’t know if you are going to publish any more Branches or not. I’ll give you this information just in case:
Linda Mills Plemons passed away July 13. She was born October 20, 1940. She was the wife of Charles Edward Plemons. He was the son of Rudie Plemons and his father was Walter Plemons. This is on the Joe Doc side. Harold and Charles are cousins. Survivors (besides Charles) are three sons, two daughters, two brothers, one sister, and thirteen grandchildren.
We just got home from Florida on Monday night after a ten day stay. It was hot and humid and rained every day but one. I checked the phone book and found Frank D. Plemmons, in Inverness, Florida, and Frank J. Plemmons, Jr. in Silver Springs, Florida. I found several Plemons’ in the phonebook in Cartersville, Georgia. I’ll have to check again when next we go. Harold’s daughter lives there.
Harold and Horace have gone fishing today. Harold hasn’t been since the second week in June when our grandson was here.
Remember when D.V. Ballentine did the his Elvis impersonation at the reunion? He just recently put out a CD. I just finished listening to it.
Well, I better close. Sincerely – Karen Plemons, Hartselle, Alabama
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Hello Karen, It sure is good to hear from you. Yes, Branches still has a couple of more issues to go before the end. I had planned to stop with the last issue this year. I got a call last night from Ken Plemmons in Michigan asking if I had considered selling advertisements as a way to generate some money to continue publishing. I assured him that the bigger problem was that few people are willing to share articles and information about themselves or their family happenings. That is the real reason for stopping. He is involved with so many works and projects that he does not have the time to take on the job. I had hoped to find someone who could inspire others to contribute before now.
I really want to thank you for your interest and donation of information. Your articles have been invaluable in making the newsletter interesting. Bill Plemmons, from Guntersville, has also been great in keeping us informed about his research. Also, I thought that the article from Marti Plemons, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was great. Bruce L. Plemmons, Ruth Plemons, and others . . . if it wasn’t for people like them, we would have folded long ago. Those personal things are the sort of writings that show that you are willing to relate to other members as if we were all one family.
I was sorry to hear about Linda's passing. She was too young to have left so soon. I really am sorry for Charles sake, too. I know what a shock it would be for me if I lost my wife. We have been together for 39 years. I guess that it is selfish of me to say so, but I hope that I go first. I am seven years older than Rachel, and in a lot worse health, but none of us are promised tomorrow.
I haven't been fishing in many years now. I used to like to go bank fishing with my son when he was little. I think that he enjoyed the picnic lunches more than the fishing. A few years ago, he took me trout fishing in the Tellico River up in the mountains. That was great fun. I think that he gets a kick out of teaching the old man how to fish a new way. It is hard to realize now that he is that old. Now I am enjoying working and playing with my grandsons. It is like a second childhood for me, but the old body just doesn't work the way it used to. They will come to stay a couple of days and it takes me a week to recover.
Thanks for the information and the things that you have done to add to the newsletter. Everyone appreciates it. Your friend – Warren
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Dear Warren;
For some time now I have been trying to find the time to write you to let you know how much that I treasure the PLEMMONS news letter, and I do thank Bruce Plemmons for passing my name and address on to you. First of all please let me inform you and I trace back to Thomas Plemmons (1760) which takes me to my grandfather William Adolph Plemmons of Spring Creek (Madison County) North Carolina.
As I told you on the phone I would like to inform you and your readers that I live in Flat Rock Michigan, and we do have a number of Plemmons/Plemons in the Michigan/Ohio area. We ownand operate a Arabian Horse Training Farm a Dog Training Division as well as a Parking LotSweeping business, as you can see we keep very busy.
The journey to Michigan originally started in Spring Creek North Carolina, my father being Issac Howard Plemmons married Emma Davis the daughter of Swann and Catherine Davis at the time of Mill Ridge section of Hot Springs North Carolina on March 22, 1925. Their first born was a daughter Eulala, but in 1929 the family looking for a better life moved to Marion North Carolina to work in the cotton Mill in that area of the state.
So the family packed up their belongs and made the move to Marion, which included my grandparents Adolph and Della Jane Roberts Plemmons, my parents Howard and Emma with daughter Eulala and my fathers 5 sisters and brothers. Alter they arrived at the Marion they all went to the mill on Monday morning to seek work and were all hired except for the grand mother Della and one sister and brother that were not old enough at the time to work.
While in Marion Howard and Emma had more children, William~ Louise, Ernest and Marie of which Marie passed away at the age of 3 months. But once again my father wanted more, and a cousin of his had moved to the Detroit area, so Howard moved ahead of his family to find work and to find living quarters for his family. So on April 30 of 1943 he sent for Emma and the rest of his family to come to Detroit, so on April 30 1943 Emma left with her four children via train on that evening and arrived on May 1 in the evening and I Kenneth was born on the morning of May 2, 1943. The family stayed in intact until Howard passed away on April 27, 1962. But now we have a second closing to the story, my Mother Emma passed away on July 28th at the age of 99 and 1/2, after a short illness, of which she will be greatly missed by all.
The only one left of the original group that moved to Marion is my aunt Mrs. Viecie Gray, who in fact retired from the mill that they all got employment at back in 1929. and I would like to add that she is alive and well at the age of 97. Aunt Viecie was the guest of honor at the reunion in 2002 at Asheville North Carolina.
At least one time per year I go back to Spring Creek where we came from and then on the Marion to spend some time with aunt Viecie and cousins. The family history and the news letter are of great importance to me, and I would like to do what every I can to keep both alive, what ever I can do please advise.
At this time, I would like to thank Janet Webb, Bruce Plemmons and Joe Plemons for all of their help. Most kind regards, Ken Plemmons