Johnnie Remembers Life at Big Otter & Davis Mill

Johnnie's Descendents

Johnnie tells the story of going to an auction in the old Model 'T' truck that belonged to the mill owner at Davis Mill and that it rained so hard the auction was canceled. On the way home their was a service station at an intersection, and they had to stop on the road because it was flooded. It seems that while they waited for the water to go down that the underground gas tanks came up through the ground and floated away with the flood waters.

He also told of driving this old truck himself. It seems the owner would take him to town with him to pick up supplies and then asked Johnnie if he wanted to drive. He told Johnnie to drive the truck while he slept.

He also remembers Paul losing his finger in the mill. It seems Paul was in the mill without anyone knowing it, and was playing with some spools that his Mama had used to wind thread on. When he wrapped the string around one of the wheels in the mill it caught his finger and would have pulled him into the shaft too if he had not braced his foot against a 2x4. When PaPa noticed his bleeding finger and asked what had happened he said he had hurt his finger but it would be all right. PaPa told him he had to go to the doctor and so they when to a Dr. Rucker (In Moneta) and had the flap of skin pulled over what was left of his finger and was sewed up. He stated that PaPa gave them a good talking to and they were not allowed in the mill again.

He also told of PaPa getting a piece of metal thrown into his arm from one of the shafts in the mill. He was about 12 at the time and had to run to the house to get MaMa and tell her PaPa's arm was bleeding. He said MaMa grabbed a part of an old sheet or something and ran with him back to the mill.  When she saw the wound she told PaPa he had to go to the doctor. He was reluctant, but upon her insisting went to Dr. Rucker to have a couple stitches taken in his arm.

He was too young to remember it, but was told by PaPa and GrandPa about how the big mill wheel for the mill at Big Otter arrived in pieces and had to be assembled in place because it was too heavy to be put together and then placed in location.

Another story relates as to how he got his first bicycle and car. It seems that he gathered and sold fish bait. He let Katherline keep his money for him. One day he asked her if he had enough for a bicycle and she said she thought so. With that information he ordered a bicycle for Montgomery Ward (a blue one). Of course it came in a box and had to be assembled. Johnnie said that PaPa helped him  put the handle bars and peddles on the bicycle. He was able to ride it around selling more fish bait until he saved enough to buy his first Model 'T' . He was about 16 at this time. He said he stayed up late at night getting bait and then sold it during the day.

After getting this car he asked his girlfriend one Sunday if she would like to ride to Bedford. She said yes and they went on their way. It seems that on the way home someone followed them and continued to blow and blow the horn to get them to pull over. Johnnie stated he was hesitant to do so, but finally did and the man driving an old beat up car told him him that he had hit him and damaged his car and he wanted $50.00 for the damage. Johnnie stated he did not have 50 cents. He asked the man to follow him home to Cloverdale. He said I guess he thought I was going to get him the money, but I was really going to get PaPa and Paul. Paul would beat him up if necessary. Upon getting home he told PaPa what the man claimed and that his car was not damaged, so how could he have hit this man. Apparently the man realizing he could get no money left, but Johnnie was required to lock his car in the garage until the issue could be resolved. On Monday Johnnie was taken to the magistrate by his father and the magistrate stated that this man had been doing this to a lot of young people and they had been trying to catch him. Johnnie stated that he had never had a permit before this but they decided he should get one. Whether it was then or later I don't know but the magistrate was responsible for issuing the permits in that day, so when Johnnie went to get his he was asked by the magistrate if he had driven as many as 500 miles. Johnnie stated he did not know because the Model 'T''s did not have an odometer, but that he had driven the mill truck and other cars often and he thought he probably had. The magistrate agreed and he got his permit for 50 cents.