by Smith, Alice Doudna.

See previous entry: Little Home Histories, Part 15 -- The Francis Davis House.

Near the Sandy Ridge Road, about two miles East of Barnesville, Ohio (near what is locally called Pigeon Point) my grandfather, Joseph F. Doudna and his wife Belinda Hobson, my grandmother, lived.

The house, a large two story frame stands today, very little changed, I am told from what it was when grandfather bought it from the builder, Joel Dawson.

Joseph F. Doudna (born 12-18-1824; died 12-11-1914), was the son of Hosea and Mary Farmer Doudna. Grandfather and grandmother--John and Sarah (Knowis) Doudna, came from Edgecomb Co. North Carolina in 1804. The oldest child of Joseph F. and Belinda Doudna, was my father, Josiah W.

My Aunt, Ruth S. Hibbs was the youngest--and only child now living. She recalls that the house was bought early in the spring of 1861 and that my father was sent over to plow several fields, before the family moved. She had Scarlet Fever at the time and they were unable to move until she had recovered.

There were two other children, Mary H. (Hoyle) and Edwin F.

The house had five rooms and large halls on each floor. There were open fireplaces on both floors, and a large coal cook stove in the kitchen. There was a nice cellar under the house. The windows were numerous, of small panes of glass. The well was a dug one, from which water was drawn by windlass (and rope.)

Among other farm implements, grandfather had a grain cradle and mower.

My Aunt Ruthie remembers hearing her mother speak of now famous "1859 June Frost." Her mother had been up all night, to sit up with a sick neighbor, and on her return home in the morning, found flower and vegetable gardens stiff with frost.

The first recollections I have of my grandparents, were when they had moved from this house to a smaller one on Sandy Ridge. The children all being married, had left the home for homes of their own. The slat backed rocker that grandmother sat in, is the piece of furniture I remember best of all. (It was similar to the Stanton rockers shown on page 144, Our Ancestors, the Stantons.) This rocker had a soft green pad on the back and a soft cushion to match, made with a deep ruffle around it, falling to the rocker, slashed at the corners, so that it swayed as she rocked. My aim was to sit in this chair when she vacated it.

I remember how the flies were kept off our food, as we sat at a long table at thrashing time. Someone had to stand, and wave to and fro over our heads, a long light weight pole, to which long bright colored paper streamers were attached.

Grandfather raised strawberries, and we were always delighted to help ourselves from the patch.

I have a hammer my father gave me once, and told me to keep it, as he said, "Grandfather Doudna used to use it to make brooms."

Outside the white picket fence which encircled the yard of this cottage home, stood a large horse block, or "Up on block" as we called it. As it was three steps up from the ground, it made a splendid place to mount or dismount from the back of our old sorrel "Bob", or when we came to visit, by buggy or surrey, it was equally useful. Grandfather was always very fond of horses, and took this same "Bob" to care for, years later, when we moved "To Town."

This is the house where grandmother died. Her's was the first funeral I can remember.

Joseph F. Doudna later married Ann Eliza Wilson, and they moved to Pasadena, California, where she died. Grandfather died at the home of my parents in Barnesville, Ohio.

Source: Written by: Alice Doudna Smith, Barnesville, Ohio.

See next entry: Little Home Histories, Part 17 -- Anecdotes of Joseph F. Doudna.

For the table of contents and first entry in this series, please see: Little Home Histories, Part 01 -- Table of Contents and Introduction.

This entry is adapted from Little Home Histories in Our Early Homes, Belmont County, Ohio, which was published in 1942. Its publication was coordinated by Robert D. and Beulah Patten McDonald. This entry has been reedited for inclusion in the Pierian Press Fulltext eBooks database, and is included on the Stratton House Inn Website by special permission. This entry is licensed for use ONLY on this Website. It may be used for educational purposes and personal pleasure under fair-use provisions via this Website. Please note that the Stratton House Inn iteration of this entry does NOT include the subject headings assigned each chapter for use in the Fulltext eBooks database.

DATABASE: Fulltext eBooks: Copyright (c) 2002 The Pierian Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved
ENTRY NUMBER: EBK30013716

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