Growing Up in Baywood in the 1910’s, ‘20’s, and ‘30’s, Part 1

By CS | June 7, 2012

Submitted by Sylvia Kelly Smith with help from family members

    Most folks of today don’t really know what the word “need” means! A hundred years ago, lots of folks really were in need of a lot of things. Sometimes they were able to get these things– and sometimes they weren’t. Unless they were among the most fortunate, the entire family might have to work really hard just to have a roof over their head, food on the table, and clothes to wear—and that’s just the basics.  

    We will follow one family in particular through some of those days and see some of their heartaches, their toilsome labor, and a little of their everyday lives. We will also see how they worked together to overcome some mighty obstacles to get what they needed.

    This family that we will follow is the family of Samuel Harrell Smith, Sr., and his young bride, Lillie Mae Pennington Smith. They married early in the 1900’s, having known one another’s families all their lives. Like a lot of young ladies of that day, Lillie was only 15 years old when she married. Sam was in his early 20’s. Three of Lillie Mae’s siblings married Smiths, two of whom were Sam’s siblings; another was his cousin. In those days, you married the folks that were in your vicinity because there was normally not a lot of travel to other regions. Roads and modes of transportation were mostly horses, wagons, and buggies over dirt roads. They saw one another at church nearly every Sunday, as well as at other neighborhood functions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lillie May, around 13 years old.

    Sam and Lillie Mae excitedly began their family immediately, having five young children within ten years of their marriage date—four boys and one girl. As with a lot of folks, the young couple lovingly honored their parents, siblings, and grandparents by naming their children with the family’s given names. These children were Seaborn Scott, Tommie, L.D., Sam Jr., and Evelyn (Sis).

    By having their homes near family members, they were all able to help one another out in many ways:  helping with crops, canning, taking care of children, taking care of farm animals, helping with food needs, etc.

    Some of the families near them in those years included the Flenikens, the Morgans, Warners, Kirbys, Kellys, and Jacksons, as well as the Smiths and Penningtons.  

    One of Sam and Lillie Mae’s first big heartaches was the loss of one of their young sons before his fourth birthday. Little Seaborn Scott died just about three months shy of the birth of son #3, L.D. We have learned that Grandma Smith told the story about young Seaborn coming down with an extremely high fever.  When the doctor finally did get to see him, the temperature was around 107 degrees. To cool the baby off, the doctor plunged him into icy water. The shock killed the baby immediately.

    We don’t know the exact cause of young Seaborn’s death, but in those days, doctors were not always available, nor were the medicines that we take for granted today. Oftentimes, deaths that would be easily preventable in modern times took the lives of many family members.  

    The Flu Epidemic of the early ‘20’s claimed the life of Sam, Sr. in March of 1920, leaving Lillie Mae with her four remaining children to raise, feed, clothe, educate, and care for. Lillie had just had her 32nd birthday. She was such a young lady to have so much responsibility to shoulder. One of her brothers, Dr. George Pennington, offered to take them to his home to care for, but Lillie Mae adamantly refused to have them leave their homeplace. Another of her brothers, Naul Pennington, helped her out a lot by helping with whatever needed to be done. Years before, Naul had lost his young wife unexpectedly before their baby was born. He was devastated with this loss. He spent the rest of his life helping others. The nieces and nephews all lovingly refer to him still today as “Uncle Naul.”

    Lillie Mae’s children were ages 12 (Tommie), 10 (L.D.), 8 (Sammie, Jr), and 5 (Evelyn) when their dad died.  (Their grandmother, Pauline Harrell Smith, died just a few months later, so her plans to help them were thwarted.  Did she die from the flu, too, as did many neighbors?  We are not sure of her malady.) This great Flu Epidemic attacked members of most households, with numerous fatalities.

Check out CentralSpeaks.com over the next few weeks to read the rest of the story.