From: Shirley Ison
Westport
Most of us have heard and watched George Jefferson and Louise ("Weezie"), his wife, riding in a cab to their new home on the East Side in the TV show "The Jeffersons."
Back in 1941 war was going on. Depression was making it hard for many a folk. At 10th Street in Columbus was the Lou Myers farm. The current location of Lowe’s was all a farm — the Lou Myers Farm. Lou lent his truck to bring our family and others to Bartholomew County. We came from Kentucky to work. Eventually my grandparents, the Williams, followed.
They worked there on the farm and lived in housing there on or by the farm. We lived in a shotgun house.
Many men after ending their work day, my aunt Ruth said, went down to the creek and bathed and cooled off. The bridge now honors the "Iron Men of Metz."
I can recall us kids leaning on the fence and calling a certain bird call for the men to come in for a meal. Also, some of us kids walked back across the bridge — probably up to the Western Farm on the road on the other side of bridge. Traffic sure was different then.
Lou lending his truck helped for workers, and also gave several families a new start. In following years, three of my uncles went to war. One was among the first drafted in Bartholomew County.
Dad, after awhile, got a job at (the) Golden (Foundry) and we moved up closer. First to Brook Street, I was told. I was taught to walk there, nearby at Garland Brook. My sister said 10th Street was gravel at the time. Imagine that!
Dad worked hard most of his life, following those mules in the fields, though, ’til the day he died. He hated the country for the most part. Columbus has come full circle. Tractors, modern irrigation and industries. Less physical strength for the way of living.
