Christmas Letter 2000

by

Fred McCaleb

I have been seeing or experiencing Christmases since 1916, or a total of 84 of
them. In my young years while growing up the most expensive presents we ever
got was a dozen or two of apples and about that many of oranges. At about the
time I was 6 years old my father bought a little red wagon for my brother and
I. We and the neighboring Hollingsworth cousins tore the wagon up in about a
month. My dad never bought another wagon Christmas present after that. He
allowed we would only tear it to pieces. He did continue buying the fruit and
sometimes 5 or 10 cents worth of peppermint candy. He did that until I was a
grown boy. Thinking back about him, that was all the gifts he could afford. I
don’t recall him ever making over $500 in any one year. It was all he was
able to do was to keep us fed with mostly groceries grown on the farm. For heat
in the winter at Christmas he burned wood cut from his place with a cross cut
saw with me pulling one end of it after I got big enough. When I was 15-17
years old we cleared the trees from about 10 acres of woodland on which to grow
corn. It is a miracle that I didn’t get killed doing that. After spending
spare time clearing each winter we had a log rolling to pile the logs in a big
heap for burning. We must have burned up several thousand dollars worth of
timber at present 2000 AD prices. At a log rolling the neighboring men come in
to help pile the logs and their wifes come to help prepare the meals. They had
a talking, hard working time on those days and got fed bountifully.

After the log rolling and the piles were burned came the plowing of the cleared
field. It was my dad and me for the plowing with a gee whizz plow. The gee
whizz had spring teeth to plow the ground with and the teeth were constantly
swinging back and forth while plowing. Sometimes you received a hard knock on
the leg or ankle with that plow. But I had to take whatever knocks came my way.
I wished I had a mechanical plowing machine to do the work, but machines that
ran on own power were only a pipe dream at that time for us on a poor farm.

We did have a Christmas tree after I was in my teens and maybe before, but I
don’t recollect the before. We would cut a little cedar tree and brace it up
in the front room. My sister Clancy would do the decorating. The decorating was
done with home made decorations at practically no expense. Cut up aluminum foil
and strung popped popcorn around the tree. Throw the cut up aluminum foil on
the sides of the tree and do other cheap things I have forgotten about. The
Christmases were just as merry then as they are now. We didn’t know how poor
we were financially. Everyone in the community was in same shape and didn’t
know the difference. We didn’t know we were disadvantaged by present
standards. My dad’s old farm, which I have today, has yeilded many thousands
of dollars in timber and gas royalty. I regret that my parents and young family
never got any benefits of that. The good timber on your place would sell for
about $200 back in those days. Today mature timber would sell for $100,000.
Money has gradually cheapened and is getting cheaper.
The water for the farm was drawn with a windlass and well bucket
For our water needs. Washed your hands in a common washpan and drank from a
waterbucket with a cheap dipper. Dippers were sometimes made from gourds and
the fanciest costliest dipper was a cedar one. No attention was paid to getting
germs. Sanitation and safety were on a primitive level.
In the 1930s president Roosevelt started dishing out government money to needy
families and the amount of the dish has been getting greater through the 1900s.
The country would be in sad financial shape without the welfare payments.
Farmers with sophisticated equipment are growing the food and grain products.
The mule farmers have vanished. It’s anyone’s guess as to what may happen
in the future if the US has financial reverses. But the politicians say nothing
like that can happen. Let us hope so. My Christmases have been better since I
went to Berry College in 1937 and obtained a starting job at US Steel in
Birmingham, Al. at $90 per month. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Fred and
Bettie Cline McCaleb

Letter of Adcice from Enoch Smith to his Children 1811

by

Fred & Bettie McCaleb

The following letter was written by Enoch Smith (b 21 June
1750,Stafford County, Va) a Revolutionary War soldier and early Kentucky
Surveyor and pioneer, who settled in Montgomery County as early as 1775.
Smith was a son of Henry Smith and Sarah Crosby. According to a history of
Mt. Sterling, Ky., 1792-1819 by Carl M. Boyd Jr. and Hazel Mason Boyd,
Smith who owned 1400 acres in the area, was one of four men who donated
land for the town of Mt. Sterling in 1792. He served as one of the town's
original trustees and helped found Montgomery Academy in Mt. Sterling in
1798. Smith is said to have been a friend of General George Rogers Clark
and Daniel Boone. He was a brother of U.S. Senator Daniel Smith of Tenn. He
married 1. Nancy Belfield Land and 2. Frances Wren(born 16 June 1766,
Fairfax County, Va.) and was the father of by first wife Nancy Smith b 21
Nov 1779,married William Reed, Joseph Smith b 31 May 1781, and married
Margaret Smith, Mary Smith b 18 Mar 1783, m Daniel Smith Lane and Sarah
Smith b 25 May 1786 and had 2 marriages Thomas Jamison and James Hardage
Lane. Children by marriage to Frances Wren were Susan b 1789, d 1848 m
William Ferguson 27 Nov 1807, Anna married Thomas I Garrett, Bettie,
Frances b 17 Dec 1797 m Josiah Ferguson 1812 d 31 Jan 1812, Enoch II m
Sallie Grimes, Sanford m Adeline Cammpbell 26 Feb 1829 and Franklin Smith.
Mrs Franklin is a ggggg grand daughter of Enoch Smith. No Changes have been
made to original text, with the exception of the inclusion of modern
punctuation.
(Bettie Cline McCaleb added the Children and marriages Will book c page82,
Montgomery Co Ky).
To my dear children, I am now 61 years old. I never expect to have
another child. Much of my time has been spent studying the nature and order
of things. Permit me therefore to give you council (sic) which perhaps may
be good and profitable to you when I am gone to the dust nevermore having
the opportunity of doing it.

First as you grow up be careful of your moral character, if this is
lost your usefulness and happiness is also lost. Have respect to the
Scriptures, it is the best of books and contains a fund of instruction and
knowledge. And when you read them do it with --attention; not only read but
think; look to Him that can give you the Spirit that dictated them and then
you can more easily understand them. From them I have got my religious and
political sentiments , with the help of Other Men's opinions which I have
been careful to bring to the Standard. And I now take the scriptures of
the old and new Testament for my rule of faith- and practice and lay aside
all Confessions of faith and religious creeds. They are works of Man and
imperfect. They Shakle Men's minds and when they see into inconsistences
they have been Tought (sic) by them, they cannot shake their fetters and
travel in more pure air.

If Soloman made use of the law of nature to find out who was the
mother of the live Child as mentioned in the first book of Kings 3 chapter
25th verse--surely it is good policies for all legislators to make now laws
inconsistent with the laws of nature. If they do, wil (sic) find them hard
to execute; amendments upon amendments follow, a set of Rapacious Lawyers
wil (sic) rise up among them from interested motives and will lead their
clients through laws; the management of the----and the command of the army
(are) two (sic) much power for any human being to possess. Aristocracy
according to the modern definition of the word is a government in the hands
of Nobles. But this government is more ancient than nobility itself. It was
an instinct created in human nature and it was an Aristocracy that Moses
instituted among the children of Isaac and it appears that the number
seventy composed the (sanctum?) of the Jewish nation.

Some politicians have been for choosing a Senate for life to attach
them to the government. Some think it more safe to have transient
elections. Others have thought that it would answer a better to; find the
choice in familys (sic). Others have gloried much in a good constitution
for a basis in government which may answer a valuable purpose to bad powers
of government divided. Those who are legislative to another, those who are
Judicial to another and those who are Executive to another. But I have
extended my ideas still farther and believe that it is a government that
has its existence in human nature and that self love in this body politic
is the Jenius (sic) that supports it in peace and prosperity, and on the
contrary, individual self love though a species of Aristocracy is the
abandon or destroyer of this government.

If true it would be prudent in the choice of senators to consider
how much property they possess of what kind it is, and what kind of manners
they have. For great men are not always wise, though they have more to
attach them to government than the poor. But if the poor are justly dealt
with they may be divulged on by government. Also for the aristocratical
beast must resemble the face of a calf--a clean beast that chews the cud
with every member of the body--receives nourishment and strength by which
every member is protected and guarded with care. Even as in a natural
Aristocracy every body receives nourishment and strength, every member is
treated with care----his natural rights such as life, liberty and property.

A maze of expense delays and disappointments; and take it for
general rule, Nation that has two (sic) much law,has two (sic) much
property, held by the laws of society, and that nature or natures God
neaver (sic) designed should be so. Instance the Kentucky land law and
Slave law.


I believe there are four kinds of government, three of which have
their existence in human nature and one Divine government that rules and
over rules all things which four governments proclaim the Almighty to be a
holy Lord (See Revelations the 4 chapter 7&8 verses. Ezekiel the first
chapter. Zachariah the 6th chapter 5 verse).

As the first government Parential appears to be the Senior
golvernment and the jenius (Sic) that supports it is natural affection,
like that of a father to his children. If this is lost the foundation is
destroyed and the structure will fall to the ground and through the
Legislature, Executive and Judiciary powers of government are lodged in the
hands of the parent, which makes him resemble the face of a Lyon (sic),
that is, fear. It is right as should be so. As those that are to be
governed are not capable of exercising in their Infantile years their
reason and therefore it is the best government they can conceive.

The parents wish is the best of law to them until they are capable
of a better government and there is not much dainger (sic) of the Parent
abusing his power as long as he has natural affection for his offspring.
If government is executed by one void of natural affection he soon
degenerates into despotism. Power intoxicates him and makes him forget what
manner of man he is.

Though Kingly government has been much practiced, it has no
foundation in nature. Ignorance and wickedness have a natural tendency
when they cohabit together to beget Kings a mongril (sic) offspring, who by
their craft and cunning by which they derive their name, deprive their
subjects of their natural rights and plain diffinition (sic) of Monarchy
seem to be that of a state in which a single person by whatever name he may
be distinguished,is intrusted with the execution of the opportunity of
acquiring the property that is essential in a natural Aristocracy that is
better basis and---to attach and bind Mankind faster to government than
consolidation, metamorphising, altering the nature--thereof can do ;which
wil (sic) find (?)it on a foundation that is not to be found in nature.

Democracy and government in the hands of the people and by some
politicians held up with contempt to the world as having a natural tendency
to disunion and faction. Perhaps this is a natural consequence that flows
from their not being qualified to receive this government as being ignorant
and wicked for knowledge and virtue are the pillars of a Democracy and
whatsoever is reasonable is right in this government. Hence it is a
Democratic heart has the face of man and the jenius (sic) that supports its
reason; therefore in this government every citizen ought to be a well
informed virtuous man and then they may enjoy the government by Christ
himself is appointed(sic) for the Church. (See Matthew the 18 chapter).

Theocracy is a government superintended by God himself,which many
philosophers of Old believed in and the Scriptures abundantly testify of
it--Read Moses' Song, Deutronomy Chapter 22 which is a wonderful effect of
Inspiration no human being could have such exhalted ideas of God without
the assistance of his Spirit.

The man of God describes the dealings of God, providence to that
nation in language wonderfully striking as an Eagle. It stirreth up her
nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth (abroad?) her wings. So the lord
did lead him and there was no strange God with Him, which makes me believe
this Government has the aspect of an Eagle which flies high and by some
called the Heaven (circles?) sometimes out of our sight. So is providence
of Almighty God.

Now dear children, I know now how better to conclude than in the
words of the wise Man Solomon, let us hear the conclusion of the whole
matter. Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of
man his whole interest his whole honor his whole happiness in short his
all. May God bless you all is the prayers of your affectionate Father.
Enoch Smith

Read this book and the book of Nature and become wise.

The way to greatness ought in a natural Aristocracy ought to be kept open
and as plain as the way to market.