Grandma Lelia Singleton was most well known for her baking skills, but my memories are of her trying to curl my straight hair. She would spend what seemed an hour making curls and fastening them with "bobby pins". She would keep me still by letting me count the dimes she kept in a ceramic strawberry jar. She would take the hair down, and just shake her head. She couldn't understand why my hair wouldn't curl like her niece's, Phyllis Ann, who had beautiful curly red hair.

My fondest memory is of when she would rock me, and sing a little song, which I would like to know if there are other verses. Perhaps it was her own lullaby. She would sing "Little birdie in the tree, in the tree, in the tree, Little birdie in the tree, sing a song for me. Sing among the roses, sing a sweet song. Little birdie in the tree, sing a song for me." I sang it to my granddaughters long ago, and thought of her.

UPDATE!

Special lady, GeorgiaCA, found Grandma's birdie song online. It came from THE CHARM, a collection of SUNDAY SCHOOL MUSIC, by Phillip Paul Bliss. CHICAGO: PUBLISHED BY ROOT & CADY, 67 Washington Street. Entered according to act of Congress, in the year of 1871, by Root & Cady, in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.

Music and 4 verses featuring a red, white, blue and black bird are included. I actually like Grandma's words better than these for the red bird: Sing about the roses, on the garden wall, sing about the bird swing on the tree top tall
.... chorus.



Telia Singleton
in the 1940 United States Federal Census

Name: Telia Singleton (Lelia)
Respondent: Yes
Age: 45
Estimated birth year: abt 1895
Gender: Male (funny)
Race: White
Birthplace: Kentucky
Marital Status: Widowed
Relation to Head of House: Head
Home in 1940: Eubank, Pulaski, Kentucky
Map of Home in 1940:
Street: Fourth And RR
Inferred Residence in 1935: Eubank, Pulaski, Kentucky
Residence in 1935: Same Place
Sheet Number: 1A
House Owned or Rented: Rented
Value of Home or Monthly Rental if Rented: 10
Attended School or College: No
Highest Grade Completed: Elementary school, 8th grade
Weeks Worked in 1939: 0
Income: 0
Income Other Sources: No
Neighbors: Everett Emerson; E.A.B. Bertram
Household Members:
Name Age
Telia Singleton 45 (Lelia)
Walter Singleton 24
Wallace Singleton 20
Charles Singleton 15
Wilma Singleton 9
L F Walker 53 b.TN section foreman, steam railroad.

I don't know how long Grandma lived at the section house, cooking for Mr. Walker. I remember a family story about her finding a house they could move into. She got the curtains hung, not moving in yet..... and the house burned down that night.

Bluford and Lelia (Singleton) Singleton

In reverse order of birth, Wilma, Charles, Wallace, Walt and mother Lelia (Singleton) Singleton

Grandma Lelia Singleton with sons Walter, Wallace, Charles, and daughter Wilma.

Grandpa and Grandma with Walter, Wallace, and Charles, yet to be born in 1924.

Young Bluford Singleton, cropped from a group photo courtesy of Sandra Davis Ingram.

My grandmothers, Odessa Griffin and Lelia Singleton. 1983

This is the way Grandma always decorated the graves. Her daughter still honors her this way.