January | 2023 | Discovering Mom

Guest Blogger – CJ Garriott

Gail Martin’s younger sister shared these photos and family memories.

“More rummaging turned up these pictures –This is the farm where we lived when I was a teenager–approximately 1945 to 1951. As you see, I was smitten with snow from the git-go! I got my first camera as a gift somewhere in those years. Note the barn cats in front of the barn.”

A few years ago, CJ went past here on her way to put flowers in the Madison cemetery. The barn was still there.

Family Added Their Memories of the McGhee Farm

Various cousins responded with their memories of the farm. Tim H. remembered that he lived there for the first 2 or 3 years of his life till his parents bought their own farm. “Till I was about 3 I think. That would have been 1942 to 45,” he said. Bob H. commented that he remembered playing in that barn as a kid and helping put hay in it when he got big enough.

The Martin cousins added to that:

Cynthia R. wrote, “The barn was a fun place to explore. Grandpa let me keep the old, dirty, wooden, stirrups I found. I cleaned them up & used them as miniature shadow boxes in my room. We didn’t go inside the barn that often – maybe our parents warned us that it was Grandpa’s stuff.” Her younger sister, Karen K. felt sad that she didn’t remember it.

Their aunt, CJ, explained why Karen might not remember it. She said, “I remember Gail & children coming across and up the little hill behind the barn from the house across the street, which would have been before you were born in 1952. We moved to the oil lease house east of Madison the year before, so you guys could move into the farmhouse after the 1951 flood.”