Reflections

Boyd Street Memories Include Many Familiar Neighbors

By Charles Cooper

Hello everyone, hope you’re having a good week.  This week thanks to Jim, Jo, and Gay, we have the rest of the Boyd Street list.  What I’m doing is mentioning the names of people I may have failed to list before.  In the Walter and Willie Mae Beck family, I failed to mention Bobby.

Further down the Harvey Poindexter family with daughters Faye and Linda and Harvey’s brother, Arthur.  Across the street Mrs. Shepard with daughters Willie Ruth, and Jessie Bounds and son, Randy.  

Next Door Chester Shoemake and Bessie and children, Mickey, Tommy. and Lily Ruth.  At The Bruners I failed to mention youngest son, Billy.  After the untimely death of Ray Bruner, Rosie married Arthur Poindexter.  

Then Cleve and Anna Lou Peacock and children, Jimmy and Gay.  Across the street at Fred and Fannie Lou Champion I failed to mention their son, Roger. When they moved, his sister, Dovie Burk and husband, Milton and children, Kenneth Donna, and Jody moved in.  I had mentioned the Dolphus Stewart family but failed to mention children, Nell, Joyce. Charles (Sonny) and Carolyn.  

Across the street from us, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Peacock, Jim’s grandparents. with son, Buddy, wife Handel, and daughter, Emma Lee.  Across the street from them, Vernon and Frances Crews, children Pat, Sylvia and Mike.  

Then Bo and Margie Green and children, Murray. Louise, Charles, Jamie, Patti, and Sammie.  Then Slim and Ruth Bryan and children, David, Vivian, and Watt.  Then the Roland McCullar family with children, Sue and Scottie.  

Then Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Jones with son, Doyle Lindsey and daughter, Kate and husband Ed and son, Robert Ed.  Boyd Street dead ends there at Jones Street but I’ll include Raymond and Tom Strange who lived across the street with their Mother.  

The response to all this has been positive and there was entirely too many people to include in one column.  I would like to add that four families had mills by their houses. They were Walter Beck, Harvey Poindexter. Cleve Peacock, and Raymond Strange.  All of these small family owned businesses have passed into history.  

These columns are dedicated to all of the people mentioned in these columns. Another family I’ve mentioned in several columns was the Martins who were Papa Badley’s neighbors for many years.  

Last week the last member of that family, Mozelle-Martin-Tillman died.  I knew Mozelle and her first husband, Ralph Ward when I was a kid.  They all attended Palestine Church and were respected members of that community.  

My condolences to the family.  When Mother and I bought the house on Jones Street Miss Dovie Burk would walk from her house to visit her.  I’m happy to see that Miss Dovie is still with us and I have to tell her how much those visits meant to Mother, and it shows how strong the old Boyd Street ties were.

Nannie and Papa Badley were right at home because not only did there all their old friends from the country come visit,  but they also made so many new friends right there on Boyd Street.  I’m sure that many of you out there have fond memories of by gone neighborhoods and I would urge you to share them with us.  Since starting this column nine years ago I’ve heard from people all over the United States and they all share that love of being from Water Valley.  

My email address is charlescooper3616@sbcglobal.net or write me at P.O. Box 613189 Memphis, Tn 38101 and have a great week.