Women Did Not Drink, Gamble Or Swear In Old Days, Says Haden:
Ladonia Had One Church in 1869

J. B. Haden, Sr. Recalls Old Days In Series of Articles Written For The
News, Of Which This Is The Second.  He Says Divorces Were Unknown In Old
Days.
by Joseph B. Haden

The article in last week's paper had to do, in part, with conditions in and around Ben Franklin just
after the close of the Civil War.

      "The country there was heavily timbered, and deer, turkeys and other game abounded.  A few
panthers were killed in that section after I came to know it.
I saw one in the wild stage, but did not stop to form a close acquaintance.  Boys
of eight do not play with cats of that size, nor do they engage them in combat,
except in their imagination.  Wild hogs roamed in the low lands along the River Sulphur, and were
treated like the other animals.
     Nearly everybody had chills.  It was many years afterward that we learned how malaria was
transmitted, and came to know of window screens and door screens and the danger of keeping
company with Madam Anopheles.  Some of my elders said it was difficult for a person to get into
the best circles of society unless he had chills occasionally.
     At the beginning of the year 1869, we removed to Fannin County.  Father bought a little home
about two miles east of Ladonia.  There is now nothing left of the house or the beautiful grove of
trees that surrounded it. Time's obliteration has done its work thoroughly.
     The Featherstone school, here in Ladonia at that time, was a considerable institution.  Pupils
came from many parts of our State, and some Indians from the Indian Territory, came also.  Some
scholarly folk went out from that school. Ladonia had only one church building.  It was the property
of the Cumberland Presbyterians.  They were liberal in allowing other Christians to use their place of
worship.
     The preachers of that day did not preach professionally.  They received no salary.  It is not to be
inferred, however, that they were not worthy of a salary. They were much more than 3.2-parson power,
and they were not political tub-thumpers.  They were sincere men, who had the simple message that
went straight to the hearts of the people.
     A Baptist church was organized at the Day school house, about four and one half miles east from
Ladonia.  It was named Harmony.  Later it was moved to another neighborhood and called New
Harmony; hence the New Harmony community.
     The River Jordan was not available for baptismal purposes so the Baptist folk baptised in our River Sulphur and at other places where there was "much water".  Meanwhile the Methodists and
Presbyterians on dry land seemed no less righteous, and no less worthy of the future rewards.
     We had no railroads.  Cotton was hauled on wagons to Jefferson, Texas, and merchandise was
brought on wagons from that place to Ladonia.  Frequently, a barrel of whiskey was part of this
merchandise, and the amount needed to cheer him along the was the wagoner's perquisite.  About
two weeks were required to make the round trip.
     There were several business houses in Ladonia, though none on the south side of the square.  In
most of these the tradesmen, whatever their line of merchandise, kept whiskey in a barrel, usually
in a back room, to give their customers a drink occasionally.  I think there was little drunkenness.
Boys  and girls did not drink at all.
     Women did not drink, gamble, or swear.  Divorces were unknown; young people married for keeps.
Wives were as pure as virgins and their daughters were modest.  People slept with unlocked doors, and
life and property were safe.
     Were people better and happier then than now?  I do not know.  The past has a way of concealing the
thorns, but the flowers and echoes remain.  There are some old persons, therefore, who would like to
turn back the years and visit, at least for a little while, in that flower-strewn past that seemingly has
no thorns.  They are homesick for the things that are no more.
     They would like to see the faces of those whom they loved in the long ago, and hear again their
sweet, gentle voices.  They would like to sit by a winter fire and dream strange dreams, but in reality
they would like to see and hear.  Nevertheless, they are thankful for the flowers and the echoes.

(to be continued)

 To Part 3
sent in by Kay Haden