A Bunch of Rich Kids

Part 2 of 3, Memories of John and Flora McIver Bynum from their son, James Wilder "Jimmie" Bynum:

James Wilder "Jimmie" Bynum

One summer, when Pa was still in school, we lived on Uncle Clinton and Aunt "Rilla" Bynum Lott's farm.  We lived in two railroad boxcars joined together to make us a house.  

Pa built a wagon for me that summer.  He sawed down a sweet gum tree about eight inches in diameter; then sawed off a section for the wheels.  Uncle Clinton bored the holes for the axles with his brace and bit.  

Uncle Gordon, brought me a gopher and Aunt Minnie gave me a goat.  That summer, we also got a setter puppy.  Mildred named him "Bitterweed".  We may have been living in a boxcar, but we were a bunch of rich kids.

We moved to Lone Star in Covington County when I was six or seven years old.  Pa took me with him to the courthouse to get his check.  I will never forget the look on his face when the county Superintendent of Education told him there wasn't any money to pay the teachers.  He had taught at McLain for a year without pay and now it looked like he wouldn't get paid at Lone Star.  

Things really got better for me when Pa bought me a 22 rifle.  I just about lived with that rifle for the next ten years.  

I was real young when we started quail hunting.  He wanted me to experience the joy of hunting and to understand his lifelong love of bird dogs and bob white quail.  I don't believe anyone ever knew more about quail or bird dogs.  

Fall was his favorite time of the year and he always had a new bird dog puppy to train.  He trained 'em and Mildred named 'em.  

Pa really taught me a lot on those hunting trips.  I learned about responsibility, growing up, and life itself.
 

John Bynum with one of his bird dogs, Dixie

In 1936 Pa got a bonus of $1,500 from the Army.  At that time it seemed like a fortune.  By this time, the worst of the depression was over and he was making $150.00 a month teaching school.  With our new found money we bought a 1936 Chevy.  The car was a year old when we bought it but it was like a new one to us.  Originally, it had been green, but was black when we purchased it.  Not long after that, the paint started coming off and it became spotted.  After that, everybody called our 1936 Chevy, "Spot".

Pa was a Baptist and served as a Sunday School teacher his entire life.  He was a Deacon and sang in the choir.  He was also a member of the Rotary Club and the Jefferson Davis County Chamber of Commerce.  (Part 1) and (Part 3)