My parents were Gilmer James and Louise Smith Hartley. Everyone called my dad “Slick.” How I wish I had found out where that came from! In any case, I remember that Mother and I debated whether to put his nickname on his tombstone when he died in 1985, and I’m happy to say that we decided to do that. Daddy was tall and thin with blue eyes and sandy hair much like his own father, and I inherited his coloring and height. He was witty and intelligent and was a proud graduate of the Cooleemee High School class of 1931. Thanks to Thelma Mauldin, a classmate of his, I have a copy of his graduation picture! He lived off Cherry Hill Road and drove a bus to school—no easy task in those days before roads were paved—but he made a little money that way. At various times, he worked at the mill, at my grandfather’s Esso station uptown, and for Grady Ward’s Pure Oil Company; however, his best job came about when Ingersoll-Rand moved from New York to Mocksville. For the first time, he had benefits such as health insurance and a retirement pension plan, which helped out the family more than they might have imagined. His love of gardening and public service as well as his Christian beliefs defined him as one who loved others and who wanted to help people. In a time when racism was common, he was an uncommon man. He was also gifted with numbers and always had time to help me with my high school math homework. I think he realized that he had a dreamer for a daughter!
Mother was also tall, thin, and very lovely. She had light brown hair and beautiful green eyes. She and Daddy were married in 1936 and rented a house here on Church Street until they built the house where I grew up. The lot that the house was built on belonged to my great-grandfather, so the family on this street continued. She absolutely loved shopping, and I recall many trips to Salisbury with her on her days off from work. It was such a treat to have lunch at the fountain at Woolworth’s. She was also a gifted seamstress who made my clothes until I was in high school. I remember being shocked to find out that she made the fancy little dresses for my Christmas dolls. Her first job was at Christine’s Gift Shop uptown and then at Daniel Furniture Company until a fall caused her to become disabled at age 59. Never interested in public life, she nevertheless supported my father’s ventures into politics and in other leadership roles. He proudly served 14 years on the Mocksville Town Board and as president of the Lion’s Club and also as the treasurer of First Baptist Church for over 30 years. They really were a union of opposites; she was quiet and shy, and he was outgoing and friendly. I am a perfect combination of the two of them; quiet and shy but also devoted to public service and to the good of all.
When I was growing up, I was expected to practice the piano and to make good grades in school! Obviously, I realize now that both of them had as their main goal in life to send me to college, probably because they neither one had that advantage. They never asked me what I wanted to do, and I would not have challenged them anyway. I hope that they knew how much I appreciate all that they did for me, and I do know that they were very proud when I decided to become a teacher. Much of my genealogical work is done in their honor as they both loved family above all except God.
My mother’s uncle, Marsh Dwiggins, and his wife, Belle, also lived on Church Street. I honestly don’t have memories of them, but I have a lot of memories of my aunt and uncle, Katherine and Jim Poole, and my cousin Vivian. Jim was a superb cook, and Katherine worked at Sanford’s Store and then at B. C. Moore’s. Not long ago, an older lady whom I did not know asked me if I used to work at Moore’s, and I told her that that lady was my aunt. Vivian was the cousin I grew up with, and I remember many happy hours spent in the front porch swing at the Smiths’ house.
Thank God for memories. They are the stuff that dreams are made of!