December 7, 2005

I received the following letter from Betty Jenkins of Joshua:

Dear Bouncer, A footnote to your story on the Redfearn Clan.

P.S. Renew me another year. Enjoy the TIPI!

As Betty (Redfearn) Jenkins tells me, she is the oldest daughter of Deck and Vernie Redfearn. I want to apologize for being obviously senile when recalling Redfearn family history. Betty I want to explain my procedure for putting together some of the things that I recall. I have a lap top with all of my supporting documents nearby when I start to getting it together. When I begin writing, I just simply let my mind go back and as the events enter my mind and I quickly type the subject of what pops up.

I knew very well that Betty Jenkins was a Redfearn and that you are a sister to a large group of hard working farmers. Deck and Vernie were a typical local family.

I am glad that you wrote me the letter, because I wouldn’t have known that you were fourteen years old when you played the piano for your Daddy to sing the beautiful old gospel songs that we are so familiar to hear and sing. Also I wouldn’t have known that your brother Glen had a Waylon Jennings voice. Glen, that was not part of my knowledge so I will be careful not to mention this to any one.

I know that a lot of Aubreyites didn’t know or have forgotten as well.

I can also imagine that when the family got together at night for the night meal and family time with the very beautiful baritone, Tennessee Ernie voice that Deck possessed. Combined with Glen’s Waylon Jennings voice, this must have been the best entertainment.

Betty wrote: "I was very proud of both of them."

Betty, when I was growing up with a large group of brothers and sisters in our family, we had a sister, Mary Ann who would strum out in C cord on an old World War II guitar. We made a lot of noise for our neighbors. If we had a piano, we really could have practiced with more dignity.

It was so nice to hear from you, as we most definitely have not forgotten about you and Bill and all the rest of your family. I remember when your family was growing up, they bought school supplies and other items of necessity in the hardware store. In fact it has not been very long ago since one of your daughters came to see us with a couple of her friends.

Your daughter was smiling at us when she asked Jackie and I if we knew who she was, and at that moment I would have to be honest, I was having a problem recognizing her as I do so many times; but it didn’t take long and then I recognized the Jenkins’ smile.

When you wrote that you were fourteen years old when you played the piano for your father and brothers reminded me of the times when we gathered around and spent many happy hours singing; these were the best examples of family togetherness.

You know, Betty and Bill, we didn’t realize how fortunate we were then to be able to spend time with our brothers and sisters and parents with this very rewarding past time.

Three of my singing brothers are already gone on and singing at a different place. Our rewards are many and when we were growing up we thought so little about the great environment we grew up in. I am sure that your family grew up in about the same and similar Tipi as my family and many many more around Aubrey.

We enjoyed a genuine Christian atmosphere and the Redfearn clan was no different. Betty, thanks for your nice letter. I look forward to the letters from people responding to and enhancing the information I have shared and remembered.

Our area is growing so fast now that we may soon approach a large town atmosphere; and that is the reason that so many new arriving people to our community are leaving the large towns and moving to our area.

I wish for a long and extended country living for our great area and may the people continue to be country people. I would like to continue with future stories of the Redfearn clan.

My Uncle Joe Goin was Bill Redfearn’s neighbor on the north side. Uncle Joe married into the Crawley family and at one time there was 640 acres of land that he planted in peanuts and cotton.

That will be my story soon about Bill Redfearn’s family, another hard working family with only an honest outlook on life. Their farm was a nice size spread of top notch land where they farmed corn that reached 10 feet tall.

So Betty and Bill Jenkins, don’t wait so long to write me the next time.

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