Granddaddy (second from left) c. 1942

Charles Colin, Granddaddy, Raymond Lewis, Mama, Granny, John Wesley (c. 1942)

During the depression, Granddaddy and John Russell logged catfish out of the Beouf River and traded the fish for can goods, material or clothing.

The Beouf River

Logs floating down the river caught on various objects and sank to the bottom. Catfish (bottom crawlers) hollowed out nests in the sunken logs to lay eggs. Sometimes, the fish weighed as much as a hundred pounds. While pulling them out, the log's jagged edges often cut deep into the flesh of their hands and arms.The wounds left large white scars for the rest of their lives. It was a high price to pay, but Granddaddy loved the river, almost as much as he loved Granny.