Dee Clifford Wakefield

Dee Clifford had a bit of Irish temper and those who knew it had their fun with him. The stories associate with him is one I have often hear told. Someone had drawn him into a discussion about the Wilson Dam project. (This was when Wilson Dam was under construction; shortly thereafter.) They began to tell a lot about the dam and its construction. They were making it much bigger that what it really was. Pretty soon Uncle Dee could take it no longer. He told them they did not know what they were talking about. Then someone said, "Uncle Dee, how come you know so much about building Wilson Dam?" This statement created a further rise in the old Irish temper. He said, "By Jolly (his by-word) I reckon I ought to know. My son Tolbert practically built it." (Tolbert was attending Florence or the University of North Alabama and acquired a part-time job as a water boy. Because of this, Uncle Dee thought he had the inside track on the construction of Wilson Dam.) There were two other things, I am told, that you did not mention unless you wanted a real argument – these were religion and politics. He was what you would call a true Republican from the "Free State of Winston, "and he didn't care who knew it. Even though people liked to kid him, they had great respect for him and went to him for advice on those crafts in which he as skilled. He was skilled in masonry and carpentry.

Quoted from: "A History of the Southern Families of Wakefields who descended from Thomas Wakefield who came to America in 1635" by Wayne E. Wakefield, 1983

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