Reverend W. T. Truett

I recently found this photo of Granny’s grandfather in some old papers she’d kept. I don’t recall ever seeing it. I’m pretty sure it was taken at Granny’s mother’s house, which was originally W. T.’s house.

Her mother, Gazzie, was W. T.’s oldest daughter. When his wife Amanda was dying she made Gazzie promise to care for her father until he passed away.

Gazzie moved her whole family into the little house that W. T. called home.

Granny said her grandpa was her favorite person. She was very close to him. He had a great influence on her upbringing.

Over the years Granny told me many stories about her grandpa and one of them was about going fishing with him.

She said her mother would send her along with him when he went fishing down on Caney Creek because she was afraid he would pitch over in the lake. Granny told me “I was just a little girl and there’s no way I could have pulled him out if he did pitch in, I reckon momma wanted to keep me out of trouble.”

Might be the fish in the photo were caught on Caney Creek. If you look close he appears to be holding a cane pole along with his walking stick.

Part of the pile of wood behind him looks like kindling for the cookstove. Gazzie still used the stove when I was a girl. She made the best biscuits you ever eat and her sweet potatoes and arsh taters shaped like boats were legendary 🙂 Actually every thing she cooked was good.

pitch verb
1 (also pitch off, pitch out) To thrust, move with vigor.
1886 (in 1938 Taliaferro Carolina Humor 8) They could make no money at home, and they “pitched” vigorously into this new operation, especially the Duck Townsmen. 1864 Joyce CW Letters (Aug 19) the yankeys was about to slip up on us we had to Drop every thing and pitch oute after them we whip them Back over the River. 1896 Fox Last Stetson 186 He pitched right into the feud, as he [ = the preacher] calls hit, ‘n’ the sin o’sheddin’ human blood. 1958 Campbell Tales 101 He met a giant and pitched into fight. 1975 Gainer Speech Mtneer 14 Pitched off (v.), left hurriedly. “When it began to rain, he pitched off from home.”
2 To stagger, fall (as in phrase pitch and stave).
1962 Hall Coll (Hartford TN) I worked at Waterville on a bittin’ machine. I could have stayed there yit if I didn’t have high blood. I pitched an’ staved. He fetched me home. 1971 Granny Women 255 Th’horses would break through th’ice and th’mudholes and just nearly pitch on their heads. 1976 Thompson Touching Home 15 = to fall: “I felt funny and started pitching.” 1989 Landry Smoky Mt Interviews 194 I got out there in the creek, and I went to slipping and a-falling and a-pitching. 1997 Montgomery Coll = to have dizziness, stagger (Brown). 1999 Morgan Gap Creek 78 He was helping me to churn and just pitched forward into the yard.
3 Of a bird: to alight, perch.
C1975 Lunsford It Used to Be 162 “Pitch” means to light or perch, as “that hawk pitched in a dead chestnut.” That is, he flew to a dead chestnut tree and was there on its perch.
4 In Phrase pitch a crop.
1944 Wilson Word-List 48 = to plant a crop.
5 To engage in (a form of unrestrained behavior).
1966 DARE Survey (Brasstown NC ) pitch a fit; (Highlands NC) pitch a drunk. 1972 Cooper NC Mt Folklore 95 pitch a fit = to fuss or rave in anger.

—Dictionary of Southern Appalachian English

Tipper

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