Bertha Lena Clark was born Nov. 13, 1909 on the Ballenger Rd. property that her father,
James Thomas Clark, was farming. He rented the farm from George Manning and his wife,
Mary Ligon Manning, Jim's aunt. Bertha's mother was Susan Evelyn Fisher Clark. Her father
died in June of 1913 and her mother later remarried Harrison Lee Douglas, a Civil War veteran.
Bertha was raised on Hogan's Creek Rd. This picture was taken in front of my grandmother's
home on Hogan's Creek sometime between 1924 and 1925. Bertha married Loda Elvis Hunt
(b.Oct. 5, 1905, d. April 2, 1991) on July 4, 1926. Loda's parents were Daniel Abner Hunt and
Amanda Eula Mae Haines Hunt of Hogan's Creek. Bertha and Loda were later divorced and Bertha
later remarried an Elvin Smith. She moved to Detroit, Mich. and during the 2nd World War she
went to work for Chrysler making Jeeps. She retired from Chrysler back in the mid to late 1970's
and lived in Mo. for many years. She moved back to Carthage where she died May 20, 1995. She is
buried in Smith County Memorial Gardens, in Carthage. She had three sons by her first husband and
they are living in Smith Co.
Some of Susan Clark Douglas's grandchildren were born in this house. Her second husband, Harrison
Lee Douglas passed away here in 1927 as did her mother, Sarah Jane Violett Fisher, wife of Enoch
Fisher, in July of 1936.
I think the house was typical for the period. One large room to sleep in and an attached kitchen at the
back where the family could usually be found in the evening, around a large plank table. Water came
from a nearby spring and when the spring started to dry up in late summer, from the well at the old
Hogan's Creek School. Wash water came from Hogan's Creek. Water was hauled from the creek to
a large cast iron pot set on the lawn. A large fire was built under the pot and clothes were set to boil.
Clothes were then dried on the fences surrounding the vegetable garden.
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