I have so enjoyed the wonderful stories about Shelby County. Please keep them coming. I've always felt it was a special place and has a rich history. I live in Gregg County, Longview. My family, Burns, Harris, Cox moved to Shelby county in the latter 1800's. Another branch Bonner, moved there after the Civil War. The log house Andrew Bonner built is still standing and used. The Bonners are buried in Lone Cedar Cemetary, in fact I have 3 generations there. My gr-gr grandparents had a store and I remember my great grandmother, Alma Cox Bonner talking about the switchboard they ran. My great grandmother Amy Cox was also a mid wife. Alma lived to be a month away from 97. I consider myself blessed to have known her. I spent many nights in that log house, outhouse and all. In fact, I was there watching the old black and white when Nixon resigned. I have to agree the water from the well did have a bit of iron. She had 2 water faucets, one on the dog trot and one in the kitchen, both cold. Baths were taken in a washtub in the kitchen. The old dinner bell was still on the back porch. We knew not to touch it, because it was only used to call neighbors in case of a fire. Some of the strongest memories I have come from there. My favorite time was on cold mornings. I would lie in the bed under about 30 pounds of quilts and listen to my great grandparents, grandparents and parents talk in the kitchen and smell the coffee, eggs, and bacon. My mother remembers when she was small, she would sit on the corn cob mop while greatmamaw would scrub the dog trot to keep it white. Someone has mentioned the cemetary that was kept free from grass, the log house was also like that. We kept the yard "swept". There may have been no grass, but there were lots of roses, a giant magnolia tree and flowers. Great mamaw was a very special lady and I think indicative of the strength of the people of Shelby County. After being released from the hospital with instructions not to even push a broom, she was found in the garden with the hand plow strapped on plowing. After everyone expressed their dismay, she calmly said, "He said not to push a broom, he didn't say anything about a plow." My grandmother remembered her grandmother Mary Bonner ringing the bell and waiting for the men to come in from the fields. Mary was half Cherokee and she would squat on her heels as she would wait. I am very proud of my Shelby County heritage and I think we should all be thankful our ancestors had the good sense to live there. sheila thrash moreland