Visiting Neighbors
My grandparents were Norman and Oakley Clark. They farmed the Ardery Place on Lexington Road. Daddy Norman's dad JR Clark tenant farmed that land too. A Clark lived and farmed on that land from 1868-1981. My granddad grew up there. Lucy and family were neighbors. The Clark's never owned the land. The farm is now called the Bradyleigh farm, and it's the one with the spring house near the road. Like Mrs Lucy they were farmers who loved the land and its history. They loved sharing stories and local lore of the town that was once called Monterey.
Long story short my grandmother Oakley loved and hated Mrs Lucy Snell. She loved her because she was a lifelong neighbor, and friend prone to visiting, and she enjoyed swapping stories and farming hacks, but she hated her too because according to grandmother Lucy was too pretty and down right feisty! Grandmother said, "That Snell women can talk the hind legs off a mule!" Yes, Mrs Lucy could talk. So could Oakley Clark! As a child I loved to sit and listen to those two women talk!
Grandmother made a point of having some sweet bread ready for just such visits, but when she'd see Lucy driving up the drive she'd say, "Well, there goes my day, looks like I will be visiting with that Snell girl today!" My grandmother enjoyed every minute of visiting with Mrs Lucy, but she always got a little jealous if Daddy Norman came in while they were having their visit, because 14 years older, he had known Lucy as a child, and he often called her "Lucy girl" and Mrs Lucy called him "Norman" but she only ever called Mokey (our nickname for Oakley) "Mrs Clark". Mokey would say, "Mrs Clark, my foot! I'm not more than 5 or 6 years older than that woman!" Lucy Snell's visits were a fun part of my childhood.
Posted by Pam Clark Lotz
Friday September 2, 2016 at 12:20 am
