General Notes

Cora Dudley was an extremely active women in the Clubs of the community
including the Home Demonstration club and all church related clubs.  She
however never learned to cook in her entire life and most food presented
to the table was edible but barely.  She would always make a concoction
known as raisin pie which consisted of clabbered carnation milk and
raisins with an amount of sugar added .  This was a horrible dish.  She
was a great believer in the Sears catalog and she often ordered wall
paper from them . The house did not  have walls within the frame
structure so we would first cover the studs with corrugated box sections
then we wall papered that.  Our grandest posession when I lived with them
was a kerosene stove on wich she could burn the food.  She was a totally
non violent person and would never spank us and would rarely if ever
scold us.  She however was totally opposed to my  grandfathers drinking
and would search high and low for his bottle hiding place.  Most always
it was in and under the plants in the front yard or in the trunk or under
the seat of his 36 Ford coupe.  Judd Isom was always of the opinion that
Cora poisioned  Luther to keep him from drinking and that she ultimately
caused his death by cancer.  Again Judd was just trying to be helpful in
clarifing a family situation for me.  Cora did not learn to drive until
she was in her late sixties.  Her son Steve bought for her several cars
over the years with more and more powerful Motors .  On a trip to the
hospital one day a green flash passed me and it was Granny doing about 80
mi. per hr. I latter found out from the distraught passenger in the car
that a truck driver had pissed her off and she had "left him in the
dust".  Troyce Griffin the passenger vowed to never ride with her again.
To avoid rape and other crimes against womanhood Cora always wore a mans
hat to fool the would be attacker.  Recently a daughter who has now
reached 80 was met by me in her car ,the auto was well across the center
line and everyone had to drive aside to miss  her .  My mother was in the
car and I asked her why the were riding over the line.  The explanatioin
was simple "they were driving the speed limit and no one needed to go any
faster".  This proves that Genes are thicker than water.  After the death
of Luther D. ,Cora became a world traveler she went to England to visit
with my uncle Calvin and his wife Joyce and traveled extensively in the
U.S.A. . On one of her quest to Texas she attempted to establish our
family with William Wells who died at the Alamo.  Because of his death
there his family was granted a section of land .  Wells property was
never claimed so to her we became the obvious heirs.  She was not
successful in her claim so I believe I'll try it in my old age.  We could
own downtown San Antonio.  She also visited the west coast in 1957 and
there was some question as to whether she would get back for my wedding.
I have a letter given to me by Troyce and I will make the contents a part
of her story.

                                   July 17, 1957
                                               Dear  Troyce,

               Read your letter sure was glad to hear from you.  Glad you
had a nice trip too,and to Ala!  Well if i could be met by any of them on
a main bus  route  was kinda figuring on stopping over a day or 2 there
myself , , Could be Texas again tho,  had written Ruby,and your letter
explains no answer from her  Also can't hear from Blanche had sent a
letter to Sib to hand to Hubert for her.  Guess shes not home.Well! just
wish you could be along with me too. Yes Grace did go to Texas,think it
was fine for them to go along together, I knew she would never start
alone.  She has not written anything about it but the Texas people have
written me such nice news and how much they enjoyed our Ga. people
visiting Glad you saw Bitian Ida and Jessie I Think of them a lots
especially Ida, was she like you expected her to be?  Well Uncle Francis
Dan Ella in Dallas is another unique person tho I loved being with them
all.  Homecoming at Damascus in 4th Sun most certainly would like to be
there They have a wonderful Pastor and family.  I had sent enlargement of
GG, mother and they have it in the study of the church.  Was putting up
uncle  Francis  one soon and I persuaded ELLA to offer them a beautiful
antique frame(once his own) to put it in. dont know if I told you that
the Gfather Wells was at the Arkansas ferry,he and Davy Crockett spent
the night there at the ferry and went along together to join Sam Houston
in the fight for Texas Freedom.  hope sometimes to to go to the Alamo.
My boys say he was the only Georgian on the Bronze plaque in the Alamo.
Massaqud by mexicans.  I think I saw in the oldest Bible (at
Corrines)from her dads belongings Birth dates from 1775 of the
Ancestors.  The Roe (  or Rae :my note wcf) family meritiorus in
letters.  How I would like to have copies of these things,Idon' know why,
but I adore such old relics and records from early Ancestors     Must be
they wanted the younger generations to apreciate their great effort and
sacrifices oh yes the old peoples class is named The Joanna Sister of
Francis and uncle Andrew.  I urged on of the older relatives to tell my
why?    were all but our own grandmother there in Texas one big family.
He said grandmother Amelia already had her home in Ga. and the others
came to Texas to take up the inheritance.  I think we were about to
forget any kin in Texas.  That's the biggest naution here while -_The
West just drifts along with the majority. they'er afraid to hurt the
negro's fellings and do nothing about segregation.  I ran into all this
negro pushing time I got to El paso and it continues in the west, you
know its a vast Country west of the mississippi (spelled missippi in
original letter) and big.  I see more oil refriners and wells than in
Texas people let their wealth come before anything else in sections I've
seen churches are neglected and Sabbath days are used for clean up and
workdays, makes me appreciate our nice churches and priveleges we have in
our worship.  Plenty of missions needed in our own Western U.S.A. its
been plenty hot most of the time Very pleasant in early A.M.  sure
enjoying hearing from you Call Lola tell her Im thinking of her too as I
write.  I know you are glad of Dixon living near as Atlanta Ill go to
Chicago inOct, Steve and Helen expecting a baby there Why my plans back
thru Texas ,probably Ala. too  Oh yes Blanche in  Summer School Sh's a
busy gal Love always Cora      P S probably start homeward by 1st wk in
Aug. and prepare to attend Billy's wedding have made an allover lace
bright dress to wear (if I like it then)
Letter was mailed from Long Beach, Calif.