Yalobusha Historical Society Minutes – June 18, 2009
Katrina Estes Hill
The Yalobusha Historical Society held its monthly meeting June 18 in Coffeeville. There were 40 members and guests attending, representing six counties. Society member Sudie Rounsaville Knortz, of Titusville, FL, who was visiting her sister, Betty Miller, was among the attendees.
The opening prayer was spoken by Chaplain John Moorman. President Mike Worsham welcomed everyone, especially the speaker and guests. He talked about the Society’s quarterly publication, THE PIONEER, which is running behind schedule. Mike said he and John Moorman are trying to get it back on schedule soon.
Program Chairman Opal Wright said that the July 16 program will be brought by Woody Jones, of Calhoun City. He is the Farm Loan Manager for the U. S. D. A. Farm Service Agency, covering five counties. He will speak about artifacts and archaeology as related to Grenada Dam. Woody is a Coffeeville native, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Woodrow Jones. He is married to the former Fran Parker, daughter of Martha and the late H. T. Parker. The public is always invited to our meetings.
Opal then introduced the day’s speaker, Katrina Estes Hill, of Louisville. She is a self-described artist/writer/storyteller. She has written three beautifully-illustrated books. She should add poet’ to her resume, as she uses poetry quite effectively in her storytelling)
Katrina is a country girl, a ‘mizippi girl,’ and proud of it. She travels all over the South, entertaining all kinds of groups, such as civic organizations, churches, schools and even family reunions. Her three books, “Fatdaddy’s Watermelon and Other Tales From the Hollow” and for children, “Fatdaddy and Watermelons” and “My Imagination” may be purchased through her website: www.KatrinaEstesHill.com
Katrina kept the audience laughing with her funny stories, all of which involved either her grandparents or Ricky Glen, or all three. Her grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Sullivan, who were known as “Fatdaddy” and “Bubba” to the 13 grandsons and ONE granddaughter, Katrina. She said that some people might think she was pampered and petted, being the only girl, but that was not the case, she said.
Katrina’s main childhood friend was one of her first cousins, Ricky Glen. She said he was closer than a brother, and they spent a lot of time in “Sullivan’s Hollow,” which, according to Katrina, was ten miles from town and a mile off the blacktop road, in Winston County. It was there that she and Ricky Glen spent many a happy and adventuresome day, doing all the things that country kids do. She told of the many ‘big events’ in their lives, such as all-day singings with dinner on the ground, hog killings and buying bologna at the country store. She told about the old two-seater toilets, with their Sears Roebuck catalogs, helping Ricky Glen dig for worms at the old barnyard, going fishing, wading in the creek, catching fireflies etc. All these activities were normal activities for county kids, but Katrina, with her expertise, brought lots of feeling into her stories. There is a lot of homespun humor in her presentation, and her delivery was excellent. We are grateful to Katrina for sharing her memories with us, and for a most entertaining and enjoyable program.
ATTENDING: Katrina E. Hill, Sudie R. Knortz, Betty R. Miller, Peggy Boyett, Hugh Bill and Alice McGuire, Herbert Hayward, Tom Moorman, John Moorman, Joe Moorman, Opal Wright, Billie Rotenberry, Bobby and Bobbie Hutchins, Helen Jones, Lena Jones, Vida Corley, Mary Floyd, Nancy Floyd, Dessie Caulfield, Frances Stewart, Gerry Jones Marshall, Dick and Jackie Weibley, Dave Hovey, Ray Cox, Carl and Mae Vick, Mike Worsham, Jimmie and Francine Pinnix, Thelma Roberts, Vaurice Pittman, Dot Criss, Sarah H. Williams, Margaret Jean Ross, Alice G. Landreth, Pat Brooks and James Person.
Betty R. Miller -662-226-6975
