After reading Judy's transcripts of her grandpa, I was going back through some of my papers and found the following that I want to share with all of you. First a little background. My great grandparents were James Marion Brewer and Emeline Weeks on grandpas side (William Carroll Brewer), and William Francis Neel and Mary Matilda Hodges on grandmas side (Lula Elizabeth Neel).( Bill and Luler,as they were called by those that knew them,) were both born in Marshall. What follows is a recollection as told by grandmas sister Cora's son, to his daughter and is about grandma and grandpa Neel. "The family was very large. When dad died at age 45 Mom (Cora) was left with 11 children to raise alone. They were 7 or 8 kids all under the age of 8, and they were poor tenant farmers. Sometimes they'd be very low on food supplies so they'd all pile into their old hauling wagon and head for grandpa Neel's place to survive, more or less. They also did this at Christmas and other holidays. It would take several hours (all day I believe), but my dad and all the kids was so happy when they got to their grandparents place. He said they had so much fun playing with all the animals and running through the brush. They live in a hilly place. He was always intrigued when his grandpa Neel called his pigs in. He'd go out to the front yard, clap his hands around his mouth and yell S-U-U-U-U-W-E-E-E-E-e, S-U-U-U-W-E-E-E-eeeee and pigs would come flying down out of those hills from every which a way." "Another memory he had about his grandpa's is that they always had a smokehouse full of meat. Some laying, some stacked. Also he said his grandpa used to make something called Hogshead which consisted of all unused parts of the pig cut into small pieces, pressed together in a loaf type of thing. They would just cut some off and eat. He said being at grandpa Neel's was the happiest memory of his life. When they would leave for home their wagon would be loaded down with smoked meats, fresh vegetables, canned fruit, etc. He loved that trip" "He was the oldest boy and had to work hard in the fields. He started holding a plow at age 6 and he said he'd get so tired he'd fall asleep and his father would have to come and pull his hands from the plow because the horse would be pulling him along. He was only able to complete 4th grade as he had to help farm. A taste of early Searcy County life. For those familiar with the area the BLM records for the Neel home was 120 acres , Sec 31, Township 15-N, Range 16-W, Fract. Sect, N, 5th principal Meridian, Searcy Co. I was fortunate to be able to visit there in 1960 and it was still occupied by my great uncle and aunt Thomas Wesley and Taccoah (Parks) Neel. I believe they lived there until their deaths in 1970 and 1971. It may still be occupied by family. In 1960 they still drew the water from the well in the front yard, and used an outhouse. And it was definitely a "hilly place" Of course being young I wasn't into family history then. Wish I could go back and find the answers I'm looking for now. Anyone on the list know anyone from these families? Arlene Robinson