July in Manassas

Dear Family Members: I hope that some one besides Lauri and I are reading this---anyway, while in Manassa for Pioneer Days in July, I attended the Enoch M. and Margret Jamima Reese Rogers reunion. It was well attended by representatives of all their children with the exception of Aunt Texy Rogers Weimer. While there a handout was presented by the reunion committee of some family histories and funeral remarks made by Winfred S. Haynie. He was married to Cloe Rogers Haynie, the daughter of G. Wayne and Berneice Jackson Rogers. They had been compiled by Donald L. Haynie from the personal files and notes of his father Winfred S. Haynie.
As I read through them, I found his remarks given at Grandpa George E. Smith's funeral, also a couple of writings by Madge about Grandma May Smith. I compiled the two articles written by Madge, and edited the dates that she had used about the George E. and May Smith family. I used existing dates from church records and family genealogy records when corrections were necessary.
With regard to Grandpa Smiths broken and crushed leg--I was only about 9 years old when Grandpa died, but well remember how his leg looked. I watched Grandma and Madge change the bandages sometimes twice a day on it. Several times it seemed you could see the silver plates holding his leg together. I know that his health from the effects of the broken leg and from having malaria that he contacted while serving his mission, was truly a heavy cross to bear. However, I remember he was always cheerful around me and always greeted me with a smile and a kiss and a hug. And it was expected that he received the same from all the family that visited him each time. I remember him sitting in his big high-backed overstuffed chair, with his foot on a stool. He was usually dressed in a long sleeve shirt with bib overalls. In the top pocket of the overalls was a pocket watch attached with a braided leather watch fob. He usually had some small change in his other pocket to give out to the grand kids 'to go to the store and buy some penny candy'.
When Grandpa died, I spent most of the evenings and nights with Grandma. We listened to the radio for entrainment. But mostly, we played marbles (on her braided rugs), and checkers, and some card games. There was always her famous homemade bread, served with cream and sugar, big sugar cookies, or fresh strawberries, or raspberries, or cooked rhubarb with cinnamon and sugar also served with cream. And her homemade beans, cooked slowly on that old wood burning stove are un-equaled in taste. It is fun to remember being at Grandpa and Grandma Smith's home.