Bedford Came to Help When Great Grandma's House Caught Fire
Barbara Smith
In 1959, my family home which belonged to my great grandma caught on fire. My great grandmother and my mother and my dad along with 12 children were living in the home. Everything we owned from top of the foundation was in our home. I get upset when I talk about this. My baby sister was upstairs. She was crying. We thought she was saying "frog." Mom sent somebody up there to see. She was about two years old. The rest of us left without a fight. We went out, grabbed each other’s hands and took the pictures. And we hollered “FIRE!” Momma told us to get across the road. But I stuck with her. I was 13 years old. She had a trunk because she thought it was full of important papers. But it was my grandma’s trunk with her junk. I had to tow that trunk on my knees because I couldn't push it. We got the trunk across the road. Momma was going back to the house because she had to get the till that my daddy just bought. And she went behind the house to get the till. She ran behind the house. The house fell. Oh, I thought the house fell on Momma. I was running back up there to her when a man caught me to hold me back. And then this lady that lives up on the hill came to me and say “where's Bessie?” And I told her "Up there!" She went up there and saw Momma had gotten to the coal bin and was all covered in smoke. If it had not been for her I would have lost my momma. But we lived in her home for a while. And then we got another home and had a better life - mom and dad and the kids.
The kids have all grown and left home. We had some good people. We have a good community giving up things and helping. I want to thank Bedford for coming together and giving and helping on the day when somebody’s house catches on fire. Everybody comes out - that’s what makes Bedford.
Barbara was born in born in Bedford County and has lived here most of her life with brief stints in New Jersey and Roanoke. She has worked in many capacities including as a dietician at Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
The kids have all grown and left home. We had some good people. We have a good community giving up things and helping. I want to thank Bedford for coming together and giving and helping on the day when somebody’s house catches on fire. Everybody comes out - that’s what makes Bedford.
Barbara was born in born in Bedford County and has lived here most of her life with brief stints in New Jersey and Roanoke. She has worked in many capacities including as a dietician at Roanoke Memorial Hospital.