fan
Newspaper Vendor
Posts: 2
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Post by fan on Jan 21, 2021 12:50:58 GMT -5
I was wondering since both John Walton Sr. and his brother Ben served in World War One who helped Zeb in the mill while they were gone? Do you think Zeb hired someone or got one of his relatives to help out?
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Post by Johnny on Jan 21, 2021 14:13:24 GMT -5
I suspect if Zeb had the mill running while his sons were off serving in the military, he would work as much as he could on his own. These Appalachian people were very resourceful. For jobs requiring additional labor, he would have hired other men on the mountain, as you were thinking.
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Post by Kyle on Jan 21, 2021 18:02:13 GMT -5
They also didn’t have as many mouths to feed back then.
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Post by Johnny on Jan 21, 2021 22:47:36 GMT -5
They also didn’t have as many mouths to feed back then. Good point. With their children fighting overseas, it was just Zeb & Esther left back home. Zeb & Esther took care of his Mom (Zula) & Dad (Samuel) when they got older, but that was long before he built the white two story house at the foot of the mountain. So while Zeb's children were overseas, they could have got along with the vegetable garden, some chickens, a milk cow or goat and eat any game he caught on the mountain or fish he angled in Drucilla's pond. But if they needed any supplies for themselves or upkeep of the house & barn, he could earn money operating the mill. |
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