Cedar Mountain News for 1-28-21

CEDAR MOUNTAIN NEWS

by Linda Young and Christine Pace

CEDAR MOUNTAIN FIRE RESCUE AUXILIARY

The next meeting of the fire department auxiliary will be Tuesday, February 9th at 7 p. at the fire station in Cedar Mountain. We always need help so if you are bored with just sitting around the house, come on over, check us out and see how you can serve your community. We’d love to have you and your help.

CEDAR MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY CENTER If you have an event or meeting scheduled or need to schedule one, please check with Caroline Chambers regarding reservations. Her number is 828-290-9662 or you can email us at cmcc28718@gmail.com.

CHRISTINE’S CORNER

Now that the Library is closed on Wednesdays, temporarily, I seem to end up in town on Wednesdays! This week though I made a point of doing my in-town running around on Tuesday. I get extra gas points by shopping at Ingles on Tuesday too, so it’s a win-win all around!

It’s a great plan the library has to hold an “Adult Read” program while so much time is spent at home. I signed up for this program, which runs until late February, and have completed 10 books & books on CD's so far. You can still sign up; call (828)884-3151 Monday thru Saturday (except Wednesday) between the hours of 10:30 am-5:00 pm.

Speaking of “books”, I am currently reading a book that has no page numbers! That’s unusual. Even my Bible has page numbers.

“HAPPY LAND”; A BOOK IS COMING

Lately, I have spent more time touching base with relatives I haven’t spoken to in years. One cousin, I contacted mailed me a copy of an interview that a South Carolina middle school published in 1985, after a year of interviewing our grandpa Phillip Jackson Jones. The class asked our grandpa about a true, once-in-a-lifetime event that occurred in Henderson County following the Civil War My grandpa was born in 1896 and grew up where Lake Summit in Tuxedo, NC is now. (My great-great-grandpa, Dr. Levi Jones, owned the land than before it was made into a lake). The story these children wanted to hear about was of the freed slaves who traveled from Mississippi & Georgia & South Carolina following the emancipation, settling in the Tuxedo/Green River area; by this time they numbered just over 350. A “King” was chosen: Robert Montgomery, and Louella, his cousin, was “Queen”. They called their place the “Kingdom of the Happy Land” and there they prospered for almost 40 years, dispersing after the death of their leader and “king” Robert Montgomery.

My grandpa, who lived 96 years, told me heartwarming stories of his experience growing up next door to the ‘Kingdom; when I received the interview of 1985 it brought back many wonderful memories! Now I think I should certainly put my recollections of what my grandpa told me into print. So I have even more reasons to contact my older cousins. (I am the youngest)

If you happen to have heard or read about the Kingdom of the Happy Land please let me know at chris_p_artist@yahoo.com or call me at (828)885-2103. Thank you!

What have YOU dug up during this time of confinement? Let me or Linda know, please! And please, stay well.

Post note: The history of Happy Land can be read at https://mountainx.com/news/community-news/0207happyland-php/

AROUND THE HOUSE – by Linda Young

Not much to say this week so I thought I’d show you the view from my new windows.

Thank you for reading the Cedar Mountain News. Your contributions and comments are encouraged and welcome. We’d like to hear what’s going on if you would like to share. Photos are welcome as well. Please email your news or any questions to Cedarmountainnews@Gmail.com by Monday evening.