Originally from the British Isles, both sides of my family found a new life in the American South. The Blaylocks hail from Mississippi: Grandad was from Tupelo and Grammer was from Clarksdale. While on my mom's side, the Suddarth's come from Tennessee; west of Nashville. Several years ago I got to go to both Tennessee and Mississippi on some family "road trips" where we were able to visit history.
After seeing where Grandad Suddarth was born and the Presbyterian church where his father preached on Sundays, not far from the Cumberland River, I realized what humble beginnings he came from. The country there is so beautiful and the people are as kind and inviting as people come. I absolutely loved spending time in the Smokey Mountains, and I couldn't help but wonder if my Grandad was able to enjoy them as a boy, or if he had to work too hard to help his family instead of being able to enjoy the gorgeous landscape that Western Tennessee offers. I do know that both he and his brother, Thomas, served in Korea and WWII, respectively. I also know that they both played football for scholarships to Vanderbuilt and North Carolina, respectively. I am now, and forever will be captivated by stories of people from families without means that are able to persevere, get an education, and try to make a better life. Well, times in the South 80 years ago were nothing short of depressed. Many families were forced to move west to find work, better wages, and opportunity in general. My grandparents were no different. Robert Suddarth moved with his parents to El Paso, TX in hopes of better days. Western Migration was on.
The Blaylocks were no different. Times were tough in Mississippi. The Depression hit hard. I've stared at pictures of my aunts in Mississippi when they were children during those days, and there is something very sad about the poverty you can see all around them. I suppose that is why after my grandparents, Curt & Mary married and started a family in Mississippi, they moved to Texarkana, TX in the early 30's for "a better life." Then, during WWII Curt moved his wife and three children at the time, to Long Beach, California where his sister and brother-in-law, Myrtis & Rufus, had relocated and promised work on the shipping docks, good weather, and "a better life." So, once again, the West was calling.
Well, of course a change of geographic location doesn't solve all of your problems. It doesn't always work these days for people chasing dreams, and it didn't always work then. My ancestors and their lives were no different. Many obstacles, set-backs, and even tragedies found their way into the "Western Dream." After the war, Curt and Mary lost one of their sons in Long Beach to sad disease, work slowed down, and they decided they should move back to Texas where they lived out the rest of their humble lives. Lives that gave birth to many children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who loved them very much.
After relocating to El Paso, Robert married Charlsa Anne Guynes who also came from the south to El Paso. Things didn't turn out the way he had planned as divorce, personal struggles, and the early, shocking deaths of his sister, sister-in-law, and ex-wife tormented him for years to come. He still lives in El Paso with only memories of a childhood in Tennessee. I wonder if he has any regrets. I wonder if the West delivered to him all that it originally promised.
I do know that when I visit the South, I can feel the deep love of family and tradition wherever I travel. The smell of rich soil, the taste of southern cooking, the feelings of lots of smiles and laughter permeate my memories and thoughts. I realize that my roots are deep in the South where people work hard, live hard, and love God. The Salt of the Earth is how I best describe my ancestors. I live my life to make them proud. Southern Pride.
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