This is the second column where the information has come from an audiotaped interview with the late Randolph Norton in 1991.
Born in 1906, he was one of 11 children of Hervie and Olivia Jane (Ailsworth) Norton of “Sandy Bottom,” which became Deltaville in 1909.
He kept a summer home in Deltaville during most of his later life and published one of my favorite books, “Old Days on the Chesapeake and in Deltaville, Virginia.”
Randolph loved Deltaville and talking about his life as a child growing up in Sandy Bottom. He shared several stories. “Momma was a great church goer,” he said. “She was a member of Philippi Christian Church and very active in the Women’s Missionary Society.
“She had gone to church meeting in the family’s horse and buggy. Our horse was named Trixie and she would sometimes get a little wild,” said Randolph. “When Momma was coming back from church down Lover’s Lane, Trixie became a runaway and took off running out of control towards our home. A runaway horse is a horse that has the bit in its mouth but won’t stop.”
“Momma was a little woman. I don’t think she ever weighed more than 115 pounds. She was tough but she was a real lady,” he said. “Trixie went past our barn and tried to go through the gate into the front yard of our house. Our big gateposts weren’t spaced wide enough for the wheels to go through.
“When the wagon hit the gateposts, the wheels jammed between the posts, the horse broke loose from the buggy and Momma flew over the spatter board and hit the ground.” he said.
“Horace and I came running towards her thinking she was hurt. Before we could get to her, she jumped up, picked up her Bible and brushed the dirt off her church dress.
“Go get the horse and put him in the barn,” she calmly said. “She went inside, changed her clothes and made supper. The next day Papa took the buggy in pieces down to the wheel wright and had it fixed. After we got it back, the next Sunday we all rode to church with Trixie and buggy as if nothing had happened.”
“I don’t recall what year it was, but I remember it was past her baby period,” he said. “She was 39 years old when she had me, her ninth. Two more came later.”
In those days, the horse and cow were important to a family. Most everyone on Lover’s Lane had a cow and nobody had a pasture. We had yards but no one had what I would call a real pasture and nobody had a lawn mower. The cow was our lawn mower. I remember before breakfast Papa would say to me, ‘After you milk the cow take her over to Tollie Wright’s place and tie her to a stake to graze. His grass is getting a little tall.’
“Tollie didn’t have a cow. I don’t remember anyone on the lane to have a lawn mower.”
It happened right here is Rivah country!
