[CLOUD-L] 100 Years Ago
by Raymond A. Shirley, Sr.
100 years ago Joseph, "Joe" and Mary Helen, "Ellen" Cloud lived in a two
room log cabin nestled at the foot of a mountain in Jeffreys Cove,
Jackson County, Alabama. Ellen cooked their meals in a huge open
fireplace. All of the water they used was carried in buckets from Cloud
Springs located about one quarter mile from their cabin. They slept
with a "thunder jug" setting beside their bed at night. The outhouse
was located between the cabin and the barn.
They had three daughters between the ages of five and nine. Two of
those daughters would die during the great flu epidemic of 1917-18.
They had a three year old son who would be killed on a battlefield in
France on October 16, 1918.
During the winter of 1899-1900, Joe bought the following items:
4 yrds. Flannel . . . . $1.00
10 yrds. Cotton . . . .60
4 yrds. Calico . . . . .25
Shirting material . . .75
Thread . . . . . . . . . .05
1 pr. Overalls . . . . .50
Fruit jar rings . . . . .10
Coffee . . . . . . . . . .25
Baking powders . . .10
2 sacks flour . . . . . 1.20
1 pound of rice . . . .10
Shotgun shells . . . . .45
Bag of sugar . . . . . 2.50
Plow . . . . . . . . . . . 9.00
Plow points . . . . . . 1.00
Harness for mules . 6.55
Mule shoes . . . . . . .40
Cotton seed . . . . . 1.90
File for sharpening .10
Joe splurged a little that year. He spent fifty cents on a facinater
(ladys scarf) for Ellen and fifty cents on two plugs of chewing tobacco
for himself.
(Copied from Joe Clouds ledger)
Those were the good old days.
HAPPY NEW YEAR