BY RICKEY ROBERTSON
Editor’s note: Rickey Robertson retired from Louisiana State Police and upon his retirement became a historical researcher/writer for Stephen F. Austin State University. Rickey is a proud Peason Ridge Heritage Family member and currently is Pastor of Cold Springs Baptist Church in Anacoco, Louisiana. Rickey has written many articles on the Louisiana Maneuvers of 1941 and speaks to groups on this great historical event that affected our state and nation. He and his wife reside in Peason, Louisiana.
***************************************************************************************************************
As Christmastime approaches, we all can think back to days gone by and of Christmases of past years. In today’s world the Christmas season is a time of hustle and bustle and is so fast paced we often forget the true meaning of Christmas. People are reaching and grabbing and holding on to things they think are precious to them at Christmas. But Christmas that we remember from years ago was a season filled with the thanks for God’s blessings and for family. Does one Christmas stick out in particular? Let’s look at the last Christmas that the homesteaders and sharecroppers of Peason Ridge celebrated on their old home places in 1941.
Beginning in 1940, the US Army held large scale field maneuvers in Louisiana. Due to the success of these maneuvers, the largest field maneuvers ever conducted by the US Army were then scheduled and took place in the Sabine Maneuver Area of Louisiana in 1941. During these maneuvers, the Army found a scarcely populated area known as Peason Ridge that would be excellent for all types of military training. With the building of Camp Polk, the Army decided that further lands would be needed for training purposes. Peason Ridge was the perfect place for an artillery range.
But on Peason Ridge there were 29 homestead families and 35 sharecropper families. These hardy families had actually settled these lands beginning in 1818, and over all these many years filled with many trials, tribulations, and heartache, they had survived. They were self-supporting families who farmed and raised large herds of cattle and livestock. They had corn cribs full of corn, smokehouses full of hams, sausage, and middlin’s of bacon, and the pantry was full of fresh canned fruits and fresh jams and jellies. About the only items these families needed from town were flour, sugar, and coffee. At Christmastime there were always special gatherings and parties at the home places. If you stopped at Mr. Coleman Owers’ home, before you would leave there was a dish pan of parched peanuts that you just had to sample; if you stopped at the Foster Dowden place, before you left you had to get a pocketful of pecans to put in your overall pockets; if you stopped at the Bill Haynes’ place there was always a fresh pie to have a slice of; at the Andrew Bridges’ place if you came by, you could stop and get a good mess of turnip greens and collards in the patch; and at the Robertson place, Aunt Ted (my Grandmother) always had a big pan of biscuits with fresh jelly. The Lord had provided and these folks counted their blessings.
But the Christmas of 1941 would be their last Christmas on their homes. After the 1941 maneuvers, the Army had developed a plan where they would invoke imminent domain on these landowners. But one more Christmas was to be celebrated. At the Bill Haynes’ home place, his family, along with the Robertson, Bridges, Hilton, Westbrook, and Dowden families, and the last black family in Peason, Uncle John and Aunt Viney Love, gathered for one last Christmas. It was a very festive atmosphere, with fresh pies and cakes brought by the ladies, and real homemade eggnog. There were two big dish pans filled with eggnog, with one for the ladies and children, and one was for the men and grown boys. The pan for the men and grown boys had a little extra added to it! All the folks gathered and gave thanks for the Lords Blessings then they had a good meal filled with wonderful desserts and fresh meat. And then the guitars, fiddles, and banjoes were brought out and a lively evening of singing broke out. Why don’t we have good times such as this in today’s world? Children back then didn’t get cars and expensive gifts, only some fruit such as oranges, apples, and some hard candy. The girls got corn shuck dolls and the boys had marbles and sling shots. All these toys were handmade and not store bought. But they had something this world needs right now. And that was happiness!
But this was to be the last Christmas together for these families. By June of 1942, these families had been served by US marshals their eviction paperwork for their own farms. From a time of happiness at Christmas to a time of sorrow, they had to leave a way of life and the land they loved. With Louisiana still not out of the Depression, there was no money for these families to purchase new farms. And to add insult to injury, the US Government did not pay these families anything for one full year. But they survived.
But these families had one last Christmas together that is remembered to this very day. And yes, these people were my family and neighbors, and we have never forgotten this Christmas. We still tell the old stories of our ancestors and keep them alive. Now, as you think about Christmas and the many gifts you will receive, let’s look at the gift that these families gave to our nation. These families gave up a heritage and way of life and all their lands so that we would have FREEDOM.