John Henry Poteat

A while back I sent everyone a copy of this photos of John Henry Poteat (my great grandfather) and my Grandmama Bennett (Patie Poteat Bennett) in an email. I also sent a copy to Aunt Lois. This is her reply.

"The pictures of Grandpa Poteat and Mama were not new to me, naturally. Jim had the pictures from way back, of course. Grandpa and Grandma Poteat had this big farm in the "Flatwoods" area, raised cotton, and, of course corn, apple trees, etc., Everything people used to have.

When Grandpa was way past retirement age, they sold the big farm and bought the old Cherokee Springs Hotel (at one time this was a Spa with Natural Springs that people used to visit for treatment purposes, I suppose.) The Spa eventually went out of business and they bought the Hotel, living on the bottom floor, and made two or three apartments out of the top floor which they rented out to teachers who taught at the school there.

I think I told you at one time about Grandpa entertaining me and my baby sister, Evelyn (who died before Jim), by taking us out to the back steps of the hotel where we cracked walnuts gathered from a tree in the big pasture in back of the hotel...Grandpa would tell us scary tales and we always just sat and
listened with our eyes wide open, just waiting for the time when he would yell "got'cha!"...and he never failed to do it. Remember, I told you that he always sang the song, "Jim, Jim, frisky Jim, gotta get a rope and tie him...Jim, Jim, frisky Jim"....all I can remember right now. He always had peppermint stick candy on hand..never out of it. Across the road in front of the hotel there was a small grocery store and Grandpa would go across and play checkers with some fellows in the front of the store...there was always someone ready to play.

Daddy (WG Bennett) had to work every day of the week, including Sunday, so Ruby, then Jim, then me (after I got my driving license) would drive Mama down to Grandma's house to see her. The kitchen was down a big hall on around a bend to the back (and it was always cold in there after the stove cooled off ..it was a big, tall stove with a warming oven over the top where Grandma kept fried chicken and ginger bread..I loved that ginger bread).

Grandpa developed rheumatoid arthritis...and Mama had it...I have it now in both hands. I am sure I have it in my back. I've had cortisone shots in my right shoulder..starting to need another soon, but, heck, I'm still here, as smart aleck and frisky as ever.... must be like my Grandpa Poteat and Mama!!!

Grandpa's got really bad, stayed in one place and eventually his right arm was so bent it finally stayed that way. He was in a lot of pain and the family took turns helping Grandma. I remember my cousin Alice and I staying together at the same time...we enjoyed it because we loved our Grandparents. (poor Grandpa would cry with pain when we had to help Grandma bathe him and dress him) This is just something that families did.

By the way, when Mama was quite young, Grandpa carried her to a fair (or circus..or something like that) and there was a girl who rode two horses at the same time .. horses side by side with the girl with one foot on each (standing up!!)...my Mama!!! I'm sure I have told you this story before."