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home		Ruth and Beth, I was just showing my brother, Jack Ollis, the Milstead Web Site. When he saw the photo of Jack Shaw he immediately knew him and said that they had gone to school together. Grady Shaw used to cut his hair.... Where is Jack Shaw now? My Brother said there were five Jack's in the same Class... The teacher was Mrs Lackey... Jack just said that one day they got into trouble and the teacher did not know which "Jack" was responsible. She proceeded to paddle all five of them... Jack had put a book in his pants and when he bent over the teacher got so tickled that she could not paddle him.... Prentis Ollis Visit Porterdale: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~fcgs/porterdale/index.htm
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from Jerry Mills		Beth......Here's a copy of the message that I sent earlier to your mother. Based on what she had said in the Porterdale post, I quickly ran an got that picture to see if by any chance she was one of the graduates. Wow! Glad she was. Too bad I didn't know where your mom was before my mother passed on. Wouldn't it have been fantastic to see them get together after so many, many, years. Dad gum, it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. There may be another picture somewhere, I will have to look around. I have more Porterdale pictures that I will be sending to Prentis as soon as I can get them all together. I'm really glad that you are doing the Milstead pages. I don't have any pictures of Milstead but I do have a few insignificant memories. My High School years were in Conyers and so many of my friends were from Milstead. I haven't read all your Milstead pages yet, but was wondering if you had contacted Frank Smith. He seems to be well known for his Milstead history. I think he even wrote a book about Mistead too. I really don't even know if he is still alive. I know his son Gary. He was in my High School class. It's great to have been connected here this way. I look forward to sharing our memories. I wrote a short tale of my Porterdale memories on the Porterdale Web pages. It tells a little about me and my mom which may be of interest to your mother also. Let's communicate, Jerry Mills.
from Janice Crouse		Beth, somewhere I have a picture of our 8th grade class from Milstead going on our 8th grade class trip -- lots of people would want to see that picture, I'll bet. We are all standing beside the school bus getting ready to leave -- mother and daddy let me travel via train from Wilmore down to Atlanta where Mama Shaw and Daddy Shaw picked me up and I went on the trip with Jack and the class that I had been a part of. Mother and daddy were really good about things like that -- they worked hard to let me do the things that they could let me do . ~Janice (Shaw) Crouse
from Kay Piper		I LOVE your Milstead website. My dad’s sister lived just above Milstead so when I would visit their farm in the summers we would sometimes visit the Milstead pool. Keep up the good work! Kay Piper
from Frank Robinson		I looked at your picture in the 60's, but I was already a teenager, or maybe even in the service already by then. I remember Jackie Shaw, and his older brother - the one who looked most like Grady and always wore a Fedora hat...can't remember his name though...is he your Dad? Yes, your Grandfather's barbershop was a neat place; he had this huge "shoe shiner's chair", but I had never seen anyone actually shining shoes there...but when the place was full, it served as just another "waiting" chair; all us kids used to like to get to sit in the shoe shine chair...it was higher than the rest. If you were really lucky, you'd get to wait in the "2nd barber chair"; I don't remember there ever being a 2nd barber there, but there was another chair, just in case, I guess. Back before the days of "indoor bathrooms" in Milstead, men would come in on Saturdays, and pay Mr. Grady a quarter, and he'd give them some towels, and they would go downstairs in the barbershop and enjoy a hot shower. If you have been to the new "Little John's" cafe in Conyers, out on 138, you've no doubt seen all the pictures he has decoupaged (sp?) onto his tables. I think he got those from Jerry Moon, who runs that little antique store just across the Yellow River bridge on Ga 20. Frank (Robinson) ~March 24, 2004
from Terry Shaw		From the Rockdale Citizen Letters to the Editor: Date: 2004-02-12 Fond memories of Milstead To the editor: Some of my favorite childhood memories open off the Conyers end of the porch at the Milstead Community Center. That’s where Grady Shaw - Daddy Shaw to me – operated his barber shop in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s. (He had another shop, long before my time, on the hill near the school. That shop burned.) I spent most of each year anticipating a summer week with my grandparents in Milstead. From a young age I would hike myself up and down in the spare white barber chair and listen to Daddy Shaw regale his customers or just me with hilarious (and often self-deprecating) tales. Like the time James and Charles nearly drowned skinny dipping in the Yellow River. Or the time he dozed on the train from Atlanta, woke thinking he had slept past the station in Conyers, and jumped off – to find he was still west of Snapfinger Creek. The shop was a fascinating place. There were pictures of dogs playing pool or poker on the walls. I sometimes employed the shoeshine stand to earn a dime for an ice cream cone or a comic book at the drug store down the street. There was a spotless mirrored wall of cabinets behind the two chairs. Dub Doyle, Uncle James and other locals drank 6-ounce Cokes slushy with ice flakes and ate Tom’s Peanuts while Daddy Shaw lathered a face, stropped his razor or shaped a head of hair. And Daddy Shaw talked while his hands worked their magic. I was proud that he proclaimed mine the perfect head for a “flattop.” Unfortunately, I have no photos of the interior of that shop. It has occurred to me that there must be a number of “first haircut” photos taken there by proud daddies. Grady Shaw died in July of 1965, shortly before the community center and all of Milstead was auctioned off by Callaway Mills. I wonder what happened to the barber chairs and the shoeshine stand. If any of your readers have pictures or memories of my grandfather or his shop, I would love to know about them. I may be reached at [email protected]. Terrell Shaw Rome
from Ruth Shaw		Alice and Ruel Barnett lived next door to Mama and Daddy Shaw - between them and the Baptist Church. Alice's mother, Mrs. Blankenship lived with them. We called her Mammy Blankenship. After Mrs. Blankenship and Ruel died, Alice's sister and her husband lived there with Alice (or Alice with them). Her sister and husband were Red and Ruth Stewart. They had a daughter Ruby Lee, also. It was a big house. ~ Ruth Shaw, 4/9/2004
		I did finally remember a few other names of people on the Covered Dish picture. Dan Norton is the man standing in front of Charles (79) in the large picture. His wife, Violet Norton is in the bottom right portion of the picture. Dan and Violet had one child, a daughter named Debbie. Violet is from Texas and met Dan while he was stationed in Texas in WWII. She moved back to Milstead with him after the war. A very attractive girl with long red hair. Her mother moved back and lived with them. (I will probably remember her name in a day or two...since it took that long to remember Violet and Dan's names. <smile>) We called her Mrs. ...?..... and she was a part of the town and the church there as long as she lived. She died as an elderly lady in the mid-1990s. She is the lady in the white dress (has on glasses) in the center front of the large picture. ~ Ruth Shaw, April 10, 2004 Ruth's web page
		Albert Moody is also standing in the foreground. He is a Porterdale native, who was working in the Calloway Mills Office at this time and member of the Methodist Church. BTW. he is also a brother of Raymond Moody, the doctor who wrote the book about near death experiences. They grew up on Hazel Street in Porterdale also ... a part of the struggling but talented and dignified Christian families working extremely hard to get an education and to survive in the aftermath of the devastation of the War Between The States. I will have to go back to the picture to further identify Albert Moody. ~Ruth Shaw, April 10, 2004
from Galen Foster		Hi Beth, First I would like to say the Mistead web site is great and brings back so many good memories. You don't know me but I grew up in Milstead. Terry and I were childhood friends your dad and my dad went in the Marines together in WWII. Your mom and my mom were good friends and loved each other. I was born on the 17th of March and Terry on the 22nd.Terry and I made contact a month or so ago. He emailed me yesterday about the site. Anyway I would like to get some pictures together of my dad and myself for the Milstead Military Heroes. I made contact with your Mom yesterday. My Mom talked about her often. They were really good friends. In the picture of the covered dish dinner #14 I believe is Keefer ( Skeeter) Wilson. #34 is Yovonne Day. Again thanks for the Memories. Galen Foster (April 11, 2004)
from Larry and Biegun Hancock		Hello, I am Biegun, Aurence’s wife.He loved your site and wanted me to thank you for paying tribute to his old stomping grounds. He enjoyed the trip down memory lane. He lived in both Conyers and Milstead (Milstead the last four years before he went into the Marines). Before moving to Milstead he lived in Porterdale. His mother worked in the Milstead mill for many years. Thanks for putting a link on your site. You might want to put Larry “Aurence” Hancock instead of Aurence (Larry took Aurence for a creative name from his first name, Lawrence) as people might want to know who he is since he was a part of the community, especially since he will have his art in the Smithsonian on 091 – nice for visitors to DC to be able to go by and see a piece of a one-time resident’s work. It will be there for 30 years. Thanks for paying tribute to Galen. I wrote a short story about one of his fire-fights in Nam for a helicopter book, Spinning Tales. Galen was infantry but it was a Huey that came for his men. ~ Beigun, April 14, 2004
from Leslie Hayes		Thanks for your Milstead web site. Many of my relatives lived in Milstead and worked at the mill. My grandparents were Lonnie Waters and Minnie Lorene Miles Waters. My grandfather came to Milstead in 1915. My great grandfather was James Monroe Miles who also worked at the mill. Other relatives include Annie Ruth and Frank Cotton. My mother and her sister were born in the house next to the pool. They attended Milstead Baptist Church. My grandfather, Lonnie Miles worked with Frank Smith. He helped get birth certificates for the residents of Milstead. I am looking forward to reading more about my family history. ~Leslie Hayes, Conyers, Georgia
from Wendell Broadwell		I enjoyed looking at your website. I grew up outside Conyers but I went to school with a lot of those people like Frankie Robinson. My uncle, Owen Shaw, and my aunt, Betsy Lunsford, both worked at and retired from the mill in Milstead. My grandmother, Rebecca Shaw, and my aunt, Lucy Hix, both retired from the mill in Porterdale. ~ Wendell Broadwell Wendell S. Broadwell's Web Space
from Judy Hammonds Bond		Thank you so much for such a wonderful website on Milstead. My memories of Milstead began during the early 1950's. My Grandfather Tilley Wilson was the Butcher at Mr. Bob Elliott's Company Store. I remember the summers in front of the store, seeing Mr. Beeler Foster and others sitting on the steps passing the day away with their stories of their past. Charles Connell and Billy Johnson had made go-carts (no motors) to ride down the long hill beside the store. Taking a chance with my life, I would jump on with them and go for a wild ride. It's Good thing my Daddy didn't find out about it! ~~ Judy Hammonds Bond (May 14, 2004)
from Peggy Norton Nixon		In the covered dish picture, 04 is Edmond Norton,05 is Robbie Norton,16 is Howard Norton,21 may be Charlie Rich,39 may be Preston Tribble, 82 may be Horace Moody, 83 is Fred Norton. 71 is Jean Slocuum. Also the Softball night picture, the middle lady with the white shirt is Robbie Norton. This is a great site. I really have enjoyed it. ~ Peggy Norton Nixon (July 14, 2004)
from Robin Treadwell		My family is from Milstead. My parents were Ruby and Luther Treadwell...both deceased now. My sister is the former Joe Ann Mathis, now Joe Ann Carter. Her father was Stumpy Mathis. Ruth and Red Stewart were my grandparents and Ruel and Alice Barnett were my great aunt and uncle. This is a wonderful website and I am so glad to find it. It is exciting to see pictures of friends and family members on the site. Thanks for the memories. ~ Robin Treadwell (July 17, 2004 guestbook entry)
from Olin R. Ramey, Jr.		My Dad Olin Sr. ran the Dinky. I attended Milstead school under Mr. C. J. Hicks, Mrs. Lackey, Mrs. Sitton. Class mates: Jackie Shaw, Jackie Hanson. Bobby Ford, Jack Byrd and some I have not thought of in 50 yrs. ~ Dick Ramey July 28, 2004
from Galen Foster		Hi Beth, I am sending you some pictures. Life was so simple in the 50's. Several weekends during the summer we would go on a picnic. We would go over to the golf course and go down in the woods. The Dinky tracks ran through the woods there. Also there were several trestles there with a stream running under them. We would have a picnic there and spend the entire afternoon playing in the water and on the rocks where the water ran over them. So simple but so much fun. In the pictures are my Dad and Mom my brother Ronnie and my cousin Gene Foster. I am also sending a picture of my Uncle Beeler Foster which was taken inside the club house at the golf course. He operated the golf course for many years. I thought you might enjoy them. Take care, Galen (September 6, 2004)