Photo courtesy of Western Carolina University Southern Appalachian Digital Collections
Cataloochee: Sarah Parton
This photograph of Mrs. Sarah Parton of Cataloochee was taken in 1936, when she was 74 years old. Behind her are “shuck” beans, strung on the wall for winter food. The photograph notes that Parton had 4 bushels of these beans, 3 bushels of soup beans, and 1 bushel of pickle beans. The photograph was made by Charles S. Grossman (1900-1972). An architect by trade, Grossman worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps, but spent most of his time on historic preservation projects for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In the 1930s, he began an inventory of existing structures in the park, cataloguing more than 1,500 buildings. Grossman favored an “open-air museum” approach to historic preservation, collections of preserved buildings without occupants. He thought that much could be learned about pioneer life from studying its material culture.
— Southern Appalachian Digital Collections
I love the photo of Sarah. I like all the details like the necklace she has on, her shoes, the thing she is holding in her hand, and what looks like a pair of shoes behind her in the corner. Also interesting is the broken window pane and of course the leather britches on the wall. To see the photo in great detail go to this page and click on the photo to enlarge it. By using your scroll feature you can make it really large and pull it around with your mouse to look at it closely.
In addition to the details of the photo, I love the notes that were shared about the amount of beans she had put up for winter. My what promise those beans held for her and her family! The promise of good eating for sure, but also insurance against hunger which was always prowling around the door in those days.
I’m so thankful to live in a time that hunger isn’t as prevalent, at least not in the United States. I’m also thankful and pleased that my family continues the practice of growing and putting up food that Sarah Parton observed back in 1936.
Last night’s video: Sharing Updates about Cookbook, Garden, Miss Cindy, and More!
Subscribe for FREE and get a daily dose of Appalachia in your inbox
I was pondering why the woman in the photograph looks so familiar, and suddenly realized: she looks like me. Took me a minute to see it because I dress differently, but honestly, we could be sisters. And I’m not quite 74 yet, but I could throw a rock and hit it from here.
I noticed the lady’s shoes the first thing, then her eyes. I couldn’t figure out if her eyes were closed or if she was blind or what. What do you think about her eyes, Tipper? When I first saw her shoes, it made me feel so sorry for her. I bet she was a pretty young woman at one time & age & hard work had taken a toll. I am enjoying your cookbook so much & can’t wait to give the second I bought to my best friend for her birthday. After 3 yrs of Covid fears, she & I are going to Maggie Valley the first 2 weeks of September-Lord willing. We will celebrate mine & her birthdays while in the mountains. At our age it is a long drive from Mississippi. Still praying for Miss Cindy & you & your entire family.
Do you have Italian ancestry ? I was raised in Appalachia but have a strong Italian upbringing. You look like my aunt.
Trabay-not that I know of 🙂
Tipper enjoyed the video, got our copy of the book today and it is great. It is one Jim had you sign for me on the 1st. Thank for doing that. Due to age and medical issues may not be able to get to the Bryson City area again. We both went to High School with Jim.
Truly my heart goes out to Miss Cindy, and I pray the Lord will walk with her through this. That little lady was a jewel, and her hard life was evident. I have done many of those leather britches, and my friend Mary calls them shucky beans. I can remember seeing those who seemed to work hard with no let up, and time seemed not good to them. My favorite thing about Appalachia is that so very many believe and talk about a true and living God who cares for us. He is a part of our lives daily.
God bless you friends of Appalachia
My Grandma Hutchins (nee Tabor) was born a year before Mrs. Parton and not too very far away in Brushy Creek in Swain County. I was under school age when she passed, just after WWII. She left that part of the country because her husband died when he was 40 (of ‘consumption’ or tuberculosis). She sent her 3 youngest (including my Pa) to the Baptist Orphanage at Thomasville. The 3 oldest were just teenagers but fended for themselves or were married. I don’t know of any photographs that remain of my grandparents farm on the Little Tennessee. In fact, I don’t know where it was although I do have a deed description taken from microfilm at the NC State Archives. Had my grandpa lived, I have little doubt that a photo taken of them on their place would have looked much like that of Mrs. Parton.
In addition to all already said about the photograph, I was struck by the width of the boards on the walls. The one below the window must be all of 20″ wide while some at the door look to be 12-16″ wide, all of American chestnut, no doubt. I’m glad the gentlemen urged the NPS to leave buildings. I’ve been educated by seeing some of them both in their construction and what I learned about how living in them must have been.
God’s Blessings to all and especially to Miss Cindy.
I wanted to say more but I have an appointment to go to so I will just say the picture made me think of my Grandmothers and looking at that handle she was holding in one hand I wondered if the other hand might be holding the “dasher” (I think that is what it was called) that fit on the end of the handle and my Grandmothers’ would insert that in a churn and sit and make butter.
I so enjoy photos like this one. I wonder what she was thinking when this was taken, who was there with her, who was watching. I love it when I find a new photo of an ancestor, knowing one day I will get to meet them. On your last video you mentioned ways we could support Celebrating Appalachia. I know you also had a link to products on Amazon you endorsed. I’ve looked for the link but can’t seem to find it. I need a whisk. Thanks in advance.
Prayers your way…
Tipper – I find the Appalachian ways and people, the music, the history so pleasant and a comfort. Thank you for bringing it to us right regular.
Tipper, is that leather britches? hanging on the wall in picture? what
my family called something similar looking, God bless you and your family in Jesus name
Norman-it is 🙂
Like most women of that time, Sarah looks much older than 74. My mammy dressed like that with her apron and ‘head rag’ being an accessory to every outfit. I noticed Sarah’s shoes are not the high-block heel style I see in pictures of women during the 30s and 40s.
We finally got some rain here in KY. It had been over two weeks since we had any more than a sprinkle. I’m hoping my garden will show an improvement after the good soaking and I can put up as many beans as Sarah did.
In the past for many people including my family and others like us, a garden was a necessity not like today when for most of us it is more like a hobby or just the thing to do. Without a garden and putting food up, we would have went hungry. We along with the neighbors would plant 1-2 acre gardens along with a large field of corn for animal feed. I have a fence around my little garden and am trying something else this year around my green beans, stringing strong 80lb test monofilament fishing line around them. The idea is the deer will not see the line and will walk into it and be scared away. We will see. Corrie, my aunt once put beer out for slugs. She was suppose to bury the bottles until the neck was barely out of the ground and the slugs would crawl in the bottle, instead she put it in pans and lids, anything that might hold a little beer, she had all of the birds and squirrels in her backyard drunk. My uncle liked to sit in the backyard and he would laugh when telling about how the birds were singing and the squirrels running into trees or falling off the limbs. My aunt was embarrassed to buy the beer since neither of them were drinkers. I am so sorry to hear that the pain for Miss Cindy is getting worse. I continue to pray for her and her family.
This is about deer. If nothing has changed I think SC has the longest continuous season ( mid August- Jan. 1st) and largest limit than any of the other states for deer. I was told last week by my friend that plants the 30,000 sweet potatoes each year at a statewide meeting of farmers it was told by a DNR officer that it was being discussed of making the deer hunters kill and tag a number of does before they could legally kill a buck because many of the hunters won’t kill the does. The doe population was out of control. There was going to have to be changes made because of the damage being being done by the deer.
Randy, we call them “government goats.” Too many deer can be a pain. They were introduced into Edgefield County in 1950. Hunters were delighted. Man, I loved venison, and lived in a hunter’s paradise for 39 years.
Gene , I think the deer were brought into Greenville County in the 1970’s. I know people would go to Abbeville county and the surrounding areas to hunt. To be honest the sale of hunting license to deer hunters and lesser extent for turkey is the DNR’s bread and butter. I know of no one that hunts small game anymore.
That picture was taken in the depths of the Depression but I’m guessing it had little impact in Cataloochee because their lifeway was self-sufficiency. Those beans demonstrate that. I’m a bit envious of their independence, so different from the most of us now. Even there though the long arm of government was going to uproot them. And the picture itself is of a way of life that was passing even then. Makes me think of the old song “The Old Country Church On the Hill” that has the words “I would like to go back”. Yes, I know us ‘mature’ folks tend to do that and younger folks don’t understand. But they will, if time lasts. It would be a sad day if they never did.
Oh I wish I could sit and talk to her! Ask about her children, her garden. Cataloochee is a beautiful place. We go now and reflect on the beauty and quiet. She lived and worked hard to do so. I appreciate my washing machine and the many things that make my life easier, but when I see pictures like Mrs. Patrons’ I truly long for old ways. Her life is on her face and her porch. Tipper, please continue to honor Appalachian life and the people who lived and are living it.
Looking at her, I see an old cedar tree that has survived many a storm, yet there she stands!
I am looking forward to canning for the first time, from my own garden if it goes well and if not from the farmers markets.
I think Sarah Parton was a wonderful lady! You can see life had its way with her and it had been a struggle for life and survival! It’s written all over her and the little dwelling from shoddy clothing and a face of wear over time, her tiny body worn down by work and hard times and of course the broken window pane on a humble dwelling. I bet Sarah could’ve out done us all in her younger days and was still a force to be reckoned with well into her 70’s. I hope she had a long and peaceful life filled with love and good things. Tipper, there are plenty of hungry people right now and right here in these mountains. They may be TOO RICH for food stamps and TOO POOR to buy groceries. Many people suffer in shame and solitude because they are proud. Many more have all but given up because life has beat them continuously blow after blow. Call or stop by your local food banks. You’ll be shocked by what you see and hear. Just cause our bellies are full ain’t no sign others are in bad shape. God bless us all in the so called land of plenty. May our eyes never stop seeing the hidden people in pain and suffering and especially children or handicapped or animals who cannot speak for themselves. I find the most interesting thing is none of the people who could benefit from a garden seem interested in learning or keeping one. I think there’s a lot more sorry and lazy suckers than is being told…
This photo makes me oh-so-thankful for the modern conveniences we now have! Of course I’m “deeper” than that, but that was my First thought.
My paternal great grandfather Pappy was born in 1878 and lived to be 91 years old. I was age 7 when Pappy passed away. This allowed me the grand opportunity to be with him daily on the farm and in his work shop. My observations are clear and I recall so much about how he carried out his daily work as a farmer. He took me everywhere with him. Only the last year, he was in the house and Mammy, who was born in 1885 passed only a year before. Mammy lived to be age 83. She also had a brief time being cared for at home on the farm.
I have so much to tell of my memories of helping both of them! Some day I will write about this experience.
My favorite things to do with Pappy were to to walk the fence rows, count the cows, feed all farm animals, help in the shop where virtually everything was hand made for use on the farm. I still have some of Pappy’s tools. The most scary thing on the farm was the white stallion. I recall Pappy galloping around on this steed, but he was very careful to watch me around him, Pappy lost a brother to a stallion who literally bit his brother around his skull and killed him.
My favorite things to do with Mammy were first, tending the chickens !!! I absolutely loved the chicken yard right outside the kitchen back door. Once there was a snake in the hen house! We of course had to butcher, pluck, save feathers for making pillows & beds. The geese were crazy honkers and peacocks were elite birds. I can still see & smell the kitchen and see Mammy in her long dress and apron cooking at the wood cook stove. My favorite were the fried pies! But, I liked everything Mammy prepared.
I was the 1st great grandchild, so I was taken in jus as their own little girl, they raised 8 , the oldest my grandfather Pa who lived to age 104! That is another story for another time. I’ve just told the tip of the iceberg!
Blessings!
Allison, my Granddaddy Kirby was born in 1888 and died in 1971 when I was 17 years old. We lived beside of him and Grandmother. Like you, I have many, many good memories of the time I spent with him and his mule Kate on the land he once farmed. I would spend every minute I could with him until my daddy came home from work. He was healthy as a horse until Grandmother died in 1968 and then he went down quick. He lived with us during the last 3 years of his life. The last words I ever heard him say that you could understand was him trying to pray during the middle of the night begging God to let him die. I have a lot of tools he owned, the most precious one being a broke blade Old Hickory style butcher knife he always carried in the pants leg pocket of his overalls. Memories like these we have are worth more than any amount of money.
Wouldn’t you love to have been able to talk to her?! She had to have been a walking history book. And, the knowledge she could have shared about gardening and putting that food up!!! And about the mountains around her!!!
Good Morning. The depression years were certainly a time of hunger, but it looks like Sarah had a bounty of beans.
By enlarging the photo Sarah was a beautiful woman. Do you think that was her best dress since she had the necklace on? Sarah maybe a relative of Dolly’s!
Continued prayers for all the family.
A picture tells a story with no words. Thank you for sharing it with us and for pointing out some details we might have missed. I’m thankful too we are from a land of plenty, but we should never forget the ways of our people. One never knows when we might have to face hardships like they did. Better to keep up with some of their ways especially in the ways of food preservation.
You know what she must have endured and the work she put in to feed her family is amazing. The ‘now’ generation has NO idea what they went through and don’t seem to care. But, I won’t go on that rant. Loved the update on what’s going on in your neck of the woods. I just sliced, or mandolined. I should say 6 gallons of cucumbers to preserve (sweet pickles) and 3 gallons of crook-neck squash to pickle with Vidalia onions. Goodness at the gallons of vinegar I’m gonna use. Hate to hear of Ms Cindy’s pain escalating and am praying for something to help her with it. We just have no idea what a cancer patient goes through. My Mother did it twice and it is no fun for all concerned. God Bless Matt and you guys and praying for all of you. Give Granny my best.
My father worked in the CCC. He worked on the Pokagon State Park in Indiana. A few years ago we visited the Park just to remind ourselves of the life our father had during the depression. My dad would have been 20 years old in 1936. The CCC boys would work and the money they made was sent home to help feed their folks. He enlisted in the army on January 16, 1942. He did not get married until after the war. He had 7 children who loved him very much. He spent his whole life caring for his family. I really love this picture you posted Tipper.