THROUGH
MOUNTAIN MISTS
Early Settlers of
Their
Descendants...Their Stories...Their Achievements
Lifting the
Mists of History on Their Way of Life
By: Ethelene Dyer Jones
John Andrew
Wimpey, farmer and merchant
Many still living may remember
going to the
John and Nellie Wimpey store located on Highway 129 South in
Blairsville across
the street from the old
Mr. Wimpey was a small man of
stature,
quiet and unassuming in nature. But he stood tall as a citizen and a
respected
gentleman about town and even throughout the county. He and his wife,
Nellie
Duckworth Wimpey, operated their "town" store in a friendly and
helpful manner. Customers would go to trade and leave feeling that they
had
been treated to the news of the day, warm hospitality and friendly
conversation
as well as a good deal for the purchases they made at the Wimpey store.
John Andrew Wimpey was born
Readers may recognize his
maternal
grandfather as being the famous inventor who received a
Like most boys born in the
mountains in the
late nineteenth century, Johnny Wimpey did not have an easy childhood.
His
father, Jim Wimpey, died when Johnny was six years old. His mother,
known as
Rena Wimpey, died when the lad was fifteen years old. Johnny had two
brothers,
Bill and Virge. The boys' uncle, Jasper Washington Dyer (1843-1913) and
his
wife, Emaline E. Lance Dyer (1843-1915) took the Wimpey boys in after
their
mother died. Johnny worked hard on the farm and leaned to blend with
the
extended family.
Johnny Wimpey had a notable and
dedicated
instructor for his elementary education at the one-teacher school at
Pine Top.
Known as "Bud" Miller, this upright citizen of Choestoe was William
Jasper Miller (1848-1919) whose wife was Jane Malinda Collins
(1861-1931).
Johnny's education was received between obligations on the farm, but he
learned
to "cipher" well, a skill with numbers that would fit him admirably
for his future as a merchant. In fact, his teacher, Mr. Bud Miller, may
have
influenced the young lad toward the mercantile business, for Mr. Miller
operated
a country store at his home, farmed, and taught the short-term sessions
at
John Andrew Wimpey and Nellie
Jane
Duckworth (
Nellie's father, Jack, died of a
gunshot
wound on Christmas Day, 1910, from a "friendly" shooting match.
Nellie saw her father fall over from the shot, a traumatic event in the
life of
the then almost fifteen year old. Just weeks before her sixteenth
birthday,
Nellie married the love of her life, Johnny Wimpey.
At first, Johnny and Nellie
Wimpey farmed
the land. They continued farming after Johnny opened his first store in
1922
located in the Town Creek section of
Then, in 1928, Johnny bought out
Frank
Duckworth's store and it became known as the Johnny Wimpey Store in
Blairsville.
The fact that he bought the
store in town
just prior to the Great Depression was a venture of faith within
itself.
Fortunately, he still had farm acreage he could till which produced
food for
the family in the lean years of the 1930's when people did not have
money to
buy even what they needed at a store. Barter was again the way of
dealing with
the shaky economy. The records show that Johnny and Nellie took as
barter sorghum
syrup for which they allowed 40 cents per gallon in trade; corn was
bartered at
50 to 75 cents per bushel; cured pork was traded at 5 to 7 cents per
pound.
Labor on the farm was no more than 50 cents per day, or, if the farmer
did not
have to provide the noon meal for workers, the day's hard labor was 75
cents,
lunch brought by worker. Johnny would take day labor on his farm as
"trade" for items from his store. With diligence to work and kindness
to customers, the Wimpeys weathered the storm of the Great Depression
and their
store stayed open through the years of World War II and beyond until
Johnny
Wimpey decided it was time for him to retire.
The Wimpeys were active in
Four children were born to John
Andrew and
Nellie Jane Duckworth Wimpey:
Ethel (1913) who married Claude
Rawlins;
Charlie (1914) who married Grapelle Wimpey; Ruby (1917) who married
Howard
Parks; and Charlene (1930) who married Harold Ash. During our high
school
years, their daughter Charlene and I were best friends. My visits in
the Wimpey
home were always met with the motherly care of Nellie who became a
surrogate
mother for me after my own mother died when I was fourteen. It was a
great blow
to me when their daughter and my friend Charlene died of a then
incurable
disease in 1952 at age 22. Ruby Parks is the only one of the four
Wimpey
children surviving at this writing. She recently celebrated her 90th
birthday.
She and Ethel had long careers as teachers and Charlie was a farmer and
cattleman.
John Andrew Wimpey died
c2009 by
Ethelene Dyer
Jones; published April 23, 2009 in The Union Sentinel, Blairsville,
GA.
Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Ethelene Dyer
Jones is a retired educator, freelance wirter,
poet, and historian. She may be reached
at email [email protected]; phone 478-453-8751; or mail 1708
Cedarwood
Road, Milledgeville, GA 31061-2411
Updated May 3,
2009
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