VIRGIL ANDERSON BOWLES born 8 Aug 1888
to Cicero R. Bowles, Jr. & Lona Cheek
in Jackson County Georgia. He had 3
brothers & 4 sisters. Their mother died
1913 & their father died 1918, leaving
the younger children to be raised by
Virgil & his young wife, Aaran E. Curry.
Virgil & Aaran had twins, Pauline and
Eugene born Nov 1909. Virgil's youngest
Sister, Beatrice was born Feb 1909. She
was raised as one of their own. Virgil
owned a farm in Sand Flat which enabled
him to keep his family well fed during
the depression. Virgil's death was the
result of arterio-sclerotic heart
disease. He was 88 yrs old.

HOG KILLING TIME; The first cold day in
the fall or winter, the men in the family
would get together at Virgil & Aaran's
house from before daylight until long
after dark. Wives & kids came also to
help (and to eat the first fresh meat
[other than chicken] since last winter.
The men, usually Virgil, son Eugene,and
Elyfair, the hired man, killed and
dressed the Hog. There were the Chitlin's
(that would be theirr supper). The men
did the first cleaning of these. Then
the women took over washing, turning
and washing some more. Then they boiled
them slow all day and the house smelled
awful!! I managed to be as far away from
the house as I could find. Also,I would
not eat at the table with the rest of the
family as they enjoyed the plates stacked
high with the golden fried chitlins. I
admit, they looked good, but it was hard
enough to eat in the house where the smell
still remains. During the day the men
made sausage that were put in a double
layer of thin white cloth and hung from
the rafters with heavy string in the
smoke house.The hams were heavily salted
and wrapped in the cloth and hung in
the same way. Granddaddy made HOG HEAD
CHEESE which had all kinds if disgusting
parts in it. Grandaddy considered it a
delicacy. This too, was put in the cloth
bags and hung up. A fire was built of
hickory wood in a stove where the smoke
filled the room.I think maybe the wood
was green because the smoke was important
to the taste. The fire was carefully
attended all nigh and the next day.
I'm not sure how long they smoked it.
I do know that it hung in the smoke
house through the hot summer until it
was all gone. All the fat off the hog
was put in the wash pot in the early
morning and cooked all day. This was
carefully attended because this
would be our lard to cook with for
the next year. The meat with the fat
cooked out was Cracklins. These were
great cook in cornbread. In those days,
families worked together and shared the
fruits of their labor. They ate together
on work days and most Sundays. AND,
They TALKED to each other! With progress,
we've lost all that. So sad. SAW


THE FAMILY HISTORY OF the #8- Virgil was
the oldest of 8 children, born the 8th month
(August), the 8th day of 1888 and he was
88 yrs old at his death! SAW