Jerry Harrison Reed

Michelle looked up the story of how Grandma and Grandpa met at the Old Settlers Picnic. I just realized that this year was the 80th anniversary of their meeting (1929-2009).

Here's the story from Grandpa's history if you don't already have it.

The summer of 1929, when I was seventeen, was a special time for me, I met a life long friend and the young lady that would someday be my wife and the mother of my children.

On this Saturday evening I met a young handsome lad, about my age; for some trivial reason we got into a skuffel and started pushing each other around. It wasn't long before we could see we were evenly matched; we then decided to talk instead and we soon became friends. Marlin Wilson and I had many pleasant times together through out the coming years. Marlin would tell me about his beautiful sisters and wanted me to go with one of them. His choice was Bessie, He said she was the wild one!

One evening I brought Myron and Marlin home from town and we were sitting out in the car talking, mostly about their sisters. Myron had a little trouble with his speech and couldn't say Zelda very good or else I just couldn't understand him and thought he said Sally; From then on she was Sally to me and my family. Soon everyone was calling her by the nickname. As we talked the brothers showed me where the girls rooms were upstairs (as the windows were facing the driveway) and the boys had a room downstairs; parents room was to the West, next to the stairs. They told me their many good things about their wonderful, large family. How their parents would play games with them-- there would be singing, dancing and performing in plays together; All the family could sing really good for their Mother and dad had beautiful voices and would harmonize together; the dad played the harmonica (Mouth harp) and some of the sisters played the piano by ear. There were nine girls in this family (two had died when young) and 4 boys (one had died when baby.) Two babies had died before birth, by accidents to the mother.

Every year in August we would have the "Old Settlers Picnic." It was something to look forward to all year, and we loved it! They would have the merry-go-round, ferris wheel and all kinds of rides-- many games of chance and skill and plenty to eat. Because of rain so many years they decided in 1929 to have the picnic three days- How exciting- three days of fun. We didn't have too much money to spend but it was fun being together with friends and neighbors and family. The rains came on Saturday and many of the people left for their homes, it seemed there were just a few young people around. The rain soon stopped and the moon peeked through the clouds- it was a pleasant evening. Marlin and Myron Wilson- I and Jody and the Wilson Sisters- Eula, Florence, Lennie and Zelda (Sally) Wilson. I told Marlin I wanted a date with her- He wanted me to go with Florence this time. (I wondered why he was trying to keep me from going with Sally???)

Soon after I had my first date with Sally, I was driving my Mother's Essex Sedan. This was a big car-- four doors (it seemed huge after driving a Model T.) We went to a movie in Halstead. One date I had with Sally she had on a long yellow dress and looked so beautiful, her beautiful big brown eyes sparkled in the starts. We were young and happy to be together. I borrowed my brother in laws studabaker (this was a car you could put the top down.) We headed for Halstead and along the way I couldn't keep my eyes off the pretty little gal beside me and off we went into the ditch. It was a good thing the ditches weren't very deep in those days and I could back out. I went with Sally for one and one half years before I put my arm around her-- I was afraid she wouldn't go with me anymore if I rushed things.