Martha And Dodger Kittrell
These pictures of Martha Catherine Smith Kittrell and Diogenes Ballou (Dodger Kittrell) were made in 1938
at their home in Pleasant Shade. Martha was the daughter of Silas and Mary Cornwell Smith. Dodger was the
son of John Bell (Jack) and Julia Ballou Kittrell. Norman Buford Kittrell was Dodgers's twin brother.
Martha died shortly after this picture was made.
Dodger and Martha were prominent citizens of Pleasant Shade for much of their lives. He was
known to be a very likeable and accommodating person. Dodger and Martha are buried on their
home place in the Kittrell Dodger (Dodger Kittrell) Cemetery also shown on this website.
I have a story about Dodger Kittrell and an act of kindness he showed to his neighbor, John Dickerson,
(my grandfather) in about 1915. John was plowing his fields when his mule fell over dead of an apparent
heart attack. (I guess the mule had too much cholesterol like nearly all the Dickersons I know.) Dejected
and downcast, John came back to the house dragging the dead mule's gear and fell across the bed. He had
a wife and five children at that time and had no idea how he was now going to make a crop to support them.
Soon, Dodger Kittrell heard of John's plight and reminded him that he had a number of mules in his pasture
that were not being used and to select one and use it as long as he needed it. John gratefully accepted his
charity and used the mule until he was able to buy another one. John never forgot this favor and held
Dodger in high esteem from that time forward.
Dodger Kittrell
These pictures of Dodger Kittrell were made in about 1939 at his house in Pleasant Shade.
The house originally belonged to his parents, Jack and Julia Ballou Kittrell. A front view of
the house is shown on this website along with his parents and other family members.