Good Friday, Resurrection Sunday, and Atheist Day (published 4-12-2024; article #464)

7/17/2018 photo by James Coleman on Unsplash. Free to use under the Unsplash License.

Introduction

What do Good Friday and Easter have to do with April Fools' Day? This article—from the better-two-weeks-late-than-never backlog—answers the question. Always finish the good that you start.

Good Friday was on March 29th, followed by Easter Sunday. April Fools' Day was the day after Easter. For decades, I have called April Fools' Day Atheist Day. I prefer Resurrection Sunday over Easter.

Since 1900, Resurrection Sunday has fallen on March 31st seven times—in 1907, 1918, 1929, 1991, 2002, 2013, and this year. Resurrection Sunday falls on March 31st again in 2086. Also, since 1900, Resurrection Sunday and April Fools' Day have both been on April 1st five times—in 1923, 1934, 1945, 1956, and 2018. The next convergence will be in 2029. Source: “Easter Dates from 1600 to 2099,” United States Census Bureau, last revision 10/8/2021.

This 103rd entry, under the Life (such as it is) topic section, focuses on the recent occasion when Atheist Day followed Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. I hope that you are encouraged by this brief entry.

Good Friday

Why is it called Good Friday when Jesus died? It was and is good news! “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NIV). God, the eternal Word, became God the Son to save humanity from sin and give us everlasting life (John 1:1-5,14).

Gospel (Greek, εὐαγγέλιον) means “good news.” The historical record of Jesus' vicarious suffering, crucifixion, and death is found in the Gospel of Mark, chapters 14-15; Matthew, chapters 26-27; Luke, chapters 22-23; and John, chapters 13-19. The pericopes begin with the plot against Jesus and conclude with Jesus' burial. To say that reading the inspired and historical record is spiritually and emotionally overwhelming is an understatement. The record both saddens and inspires a believer's spirit! God suffered and died for me! He sacrificed himself for us all! He died for you too, dear reader.

Sufficient evidence concludes that Jesus was crucified on either Friday, April 7, AD 30, or on Friday, April 3, AD 33. It is beyond the scope of this brief article to explain the reasoning. Instead, the following two sources are suggested: “Dating Jesus’ death: April 3, AD 33,” Evidence Unseen, by James M. Rochford, 8/23/2017, and “April 3, AD 33: Why We Believe We Can Know the Exact Date Jesus Died,” First Things, by Andreas J. Kostenberger, 4/3/2014.

Resurrection Sunday (Easter)

This section begins with the historical fact of Jesus' resurrection. It adds a brief commentary about the childish and ungodly worldview of the White House.

The Historical Fact

The historical record of Jesus' resurrection on Sunday, the first day of the week, is found in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 16; Matthew, chapter 28; Luke, chapter 24; and John, chapters 20-21. The statement “It's Good Friday, but Sunday is coming!” is true. Jesus arose! Indeed, Jesus arose! The Christian's certain hope is in our risen Lord and Savior. All who are in Christ will rise from the dead and live with him everlastingly! (See 1 Corinthians 15:20-26.)

Adequate grounds establish that Jesus rose from the dead on either Sunday, April 9, AD 30, or on Sunday, April 5, AD 33. (See the two previously referenced sources.)

Annually, why does Easter (Resurrection Sunday) fall on different Sundays? In AD 325, the Council of Nicaea established that Easter would be observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon that occurred on or after March 21st (the ecclesiastical equinox).

The resurrection of Christ is celebrated annually on Easter, weekly on Sundays, and every day! The apostle Paul's inspired words have always motivated me. He proclaimed, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, NIV). All that I can say is, “Amen, brother Paul!”

The Ungodly Worldview of the White House

The ungodly worldview of the White House seems childish in contrast to the historical and inspiring truth of Jesus' resurrection. This subsection comments briefly on the White House's childish politics.

According to “Statement from President Joe Biden on Easter,” The White House, 3/31/2024, someone must have written a nice remark for the president; however, the name “Jesus,” the title “Christ,” nor the word “resurrection” appear in any of the following two web pages: “White House Announces Theme and Activities for the 2024 Easter Egg Roll,” The White House, 3/28/2024, and “White House Easter Egg Roll 2024: April 1, 2024,” White House Information. Do the Easter Bunny and Easter eggs trump the resurrection of Christ? “Come on, man! Get real!”

Sadly, the White House proclaimed that Resurrection Sunday (3/31/2024) was “Transgender Day of Visibility,” according to “A Proclamation on Transgender Day of Visibility, 2024,” The White House, 3/29/2024. Initially, I was shocked when I heard the news! I was not the only one. See “Conservatives shell long-standing White House Easter egg contest,” NBC News, by Elyse Perlmutter-Gumbiner & Alexandra Marquez, 3/31/2024. Apparently, “Transgender Day of Visibility” always falls on March 31st, which happened to be Easter Sunday this year. See “Fact Check: Transgender Day of Visibility falls annually on March 31, not always at Easter,” Reuters, by Reuters Fact Check, 3/29/2024. By the way, what is “transgender?” It is a biological impossibility! God created two and only two genders, male and female (Gen. 1:27).

Mr. President, “Don't talk the talk if you can't walk the walk.” Your lip service to the triumphant resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, does not condone or approve of your advocacy of an ungodly worldview. This article prays for your soul's salvation, Mr. President.

Atheist (April Fools') Day

This year, the day after Resurrection Sunday was April Fools' Day. The day has been observed for centuries, but its origin is not known. Source: “April Fools' Day,” Encyclopedia Britannica, by the Editors, last updated 4/1/2024.

The story is told about an atheist. He thought that he knew that God did not exist. To a Christian, he complained that Christians have two holidays, Christmas and Easter, but that atheists have no holiday. Pithily, the believer replied, “You have April Fools’ Day!”

Psalms 14:1 and 53:1 both state in the New International Version (NIV) translation, “The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'” In the original Hebrew, “fool” refers to the morally deficient. An atheist affirms in error that God does not exist. That is his moral deficiency, even if he follows biblical morality. That type of fool is not the same as in Jesus' statement in Matthew 5:22. “Fool,” in the original Greek, is an expression of condemnation. Jesus did not prohibit righteous judgment of someone's foolishness (John 7:24). Rather, he warned that we cannot usurp God's role by condemning someone for his evil deeds.

Apparently, Atheist Day is on March 23rd annually. See “Atheist Day – March 23, 2024,” National Today. Oops! This year, I missed the celebration on Saturday, 3/23/2024! I wish that I could have crashed a local atheist group's party! I could have helped them.

Conclusion

I am merely one former poor beggar who found the Bread of Life. I am filled. I try to share the Bread that gives everlasting life.

More complete statements on this topic are found in the articles from 4/2/2021 and from 5/1/2022, under the section “4/1, Friday: National Atheists' Day.”

The ongoing Christian Evidences series answers the question of God's existence in the following three articles: 11/4/2022 by the moral argument, 11/16/2022 by the teleological argument, and 11/26/2022 by the cosmological argument.

So, what do Good Friday and Easter have to do with April Fools' Day? The wise know. Those who search with an open mind can know. The unwise cannot know.

If you are searching and open-minded, please use the Contact Form to email me if you would like to talk further. I would be glad to share the Bread of Life (John 6:35-40).

The 4-8-2024 Solar Eclipse that Fizzled! (published 4-8-2024; article #463)

Introduction

Turning the page from the previous article today, this is a quick commentary about today's solar eclipse that fizzled.

As I start to write, the time is after 5 PM. The sun just broke through the clouds! It's so ironic!

The Hype

For weeks, practically every media outlet has built up the hype about the partial solar eclipse that happened earlier today. I became tired of it.

As an example, this article references “Watch Live: The Great American Eclipse has started! If you miss it, you're going to have to wait at least two decades to get another chance to see one in the U.S.” WBIR-TV, by Tom Barclay, 4/8/2024. The first two paragraphs are as follows:

Today is the day! A partial solar eclipse will pass over East Tennessee!

If you miss it, you're going to have to wait at least two decades to get another chance to see one in the U.S., because the next total solar eclipse in the contiguous U.S. will be in 2044!

Several school systems let out early, so children could be home, to watch the eclipse. Special glasses, made in China, were being sold or given away. Eclipse-watching venues were held. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman's school system let out early. She arrived home, with two pair of special glasses.

The partial eclipse was supposed to be at its maximum, 88%, about 3:07 PM. The eclipse started at 1:49 PM. It ended at 4:23 PM.

The Fizzle

The clouds fizzled out the hype! The sky was completely cloudy, until just after 5 PM. My “long-suffering” wife took the following photograph at 3 PM, on the dot.

She was facing southwest, looking up. That's a nice view of the power lines! That corner of the gutter doesn't need to be cleaned out, by the way.

I joined my wife. A light drizzle was falling. Molly was resting in her basement condominium. We went back inside, to dust, sweep, and vacuum.

Conclusion

How many folks were disappointed by the media hype that fizzled? I was not one of them. Will there be a new malady, called Eclipse Hype Syndrome (EHS)? Will pharmaceutical companies invent a pill to treat EHS?

Don't buy into media hype, y'all! Don't swallow their pill!

House Mountain Hike #189, 4-7-2024: Where's the Solar Eclipse? (published 4-8-2024; article #462)

Introduction

Where was the solar eclipse? Yesterday afternoon, on Sunday, 4/7/2024, I hiked House Mountain for the 189th time. I expected to see a solar eclipse! Where was it?

What? Was I a day late? I reckon so. The solar eclipse was today. (Source: “2024 Total Eclipse: Where & When,” NASA, last updated 4/6/2024.) Local and national media have been abuzz about the eclipse for days and weeks on end. Today, the weather is cloudy. The sun is being eclipsed by the clouds.

Let's get back to yesterday's hike! Unlike today, the sky was clear, blue, and sunny. The temperature was in the 60s Fahrenheit.

The Hike (including 3 Photographs)

I started hiking up the west trail at 1:59 PM. One of these days, I may buy a trail camera that I can strap to a hiking cap. To record an entire hike would be interesting.

Having hiked up the four lower switchbacks, I started up the six upper switchbacks. I passed one group going up. A couple of groups went by, as they hiked down. After thirty-four minutes, I reached the west bluff. Two groups were already there, so I didn't take any photographs.

Heading east along the ridge trail, I decided to photograph what's left of the old two-seater outhouse. The location is just off the ridge trail and near the Picnic Rock. I took the following photograph at 2:58 PM.

The door was open, but I would not go in there if I were you! The seats are gone, and the holes have been sealed with concrete. The old outhouse is just below and east of where the fire tower once stood.

The fire tower was taken down several decades ago. It was built in 1958, according to the inscription on a concrete foundation.

At 3:07 PM, I took the above photograph. The view looks northeast. One of the five concrete foundations is visible, in the center of the shot. How old is the large tree, which is to the left in the image? The cellphone tower is visible, farther back and centered in the frame. The old outhouse (not visible in the photograph) is down and to the right of the view.

After hiking the short distance east and down, I returned to the ridge trail. The Picnic Rock is just east of where the fire tower once stood.

I took the above photograph at 3:28 PM, just before I recorded the addendum to the podcast episode (in the next section).

That's not my jacket. Someone left it behind. The redbud blooms, in the left of the image, were pleasing to the eye. Several redbud trees were still in bloom.

Years ago, I nicknamed the rock outcropping Picnic Rock. It looks like a giant picnic table. What else would you call it? I am open to suggestions.

The Podcast on “Picnic Rock”

I decided to record an episode of Appalachian Irishman - Podcasts (YouTube). Ad-libbing, I ran off at the mouth for about four and a half minutes. The episode is House Mountain Hike 189, 4-7-2024: Where's the Solar Eclipse? (published 4-8-2024; episode 27).

I acted as though I'd thought that the solar eclipse was that day. I was a day early! The addendum includes serious comments, about the passing of my wife's Aunt Mona, a younger brother's upcoming birthday, and my deceased mother-in-law's birthday.

Conclusion

At 3:30 PM, I left the Picnic Rock, to hike west and down the west trail. I met a few hikers. At 4:34 PM, I touching the sign post, which is near the covered picnic table, to mark the end of my hike. Two hours and thirty-five minutes in the woods is better than not having hiked!

When I arrived, the upper parking lot was full. I'd found a location on the shoulder of Hogskin Road, to park my 2006 Frontier. He asked me to photograph him. I did so, at 4:40 PM.

If you read this article, Carol Sue, I can hear you! “That's not Mike's 'Delta Saloon, Suicide Table' cap!” I know, Sis.! In the 10/26/2023 article, I'd promised to wear it, on each House Mountain hike. By habit, I took my older cap that has on it the stick figure of a hiker being struck by lightning. I didn't want to drive back home, change caps, and return to hike. I'll do better next time!

This article is being published after the solar eclipse, still behind the clouds, was supposed to be at its climax. It was anticlimactic. The sky, already darkened by thick clouds, became a little darker. The next article today will be about the eclipse hype that fizzled.

Knox Horizon Compete Auto Care: Phil Williams Got to Meet Me! (published 4-3-2024; article #461)

Sunday, 8/17/2025, update: With regret, Knox Horizon Complete Auto Care is scheduled to close and go out of business on Friday, 8/29/2025. The owners, managers, and employees became like family to us. My wife and I will miss them, and we wish them well.

Introduction

Greetings to each international, national, and local reader! This article, the 102nd under the “Life (such as it is)” topic section, should be informative and humorous, especially for the local audience.

How many people does it take to replace a dining area light fixture? The conclusion answers the question!

This entry brings to mind the essay on 11/13/2023, which highly recommended Knox Horizon Complete Auto Care. I continue to commend those fine folks!

I'll share the story about how our 2012 Nissan Sentra became ill and how Knox Horizon Complete Auto Care made her well again. (Yes, our car is a she, and our truck is a he.) For further humor, I'll throw in a quick story about the rental car's outpatient visit on my father-in-law's 86th birthday.

Our Car's Sickness

On Wednesday, 3/20/2024, while returning from work, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman noticed that the car was riding roughly at times. After she returned, I test-drove the car for about ten minutes. The ride was smooth, but the RPM (revolutions per minute) increased at slower speeds. I watched the tachometer spin up and heard the engine rev. I was not racing! The yellow “service engine soon” light was on.

I tinkered around the engine. I didn't see, smell, or feel any problems. One of these days, I may purchase a code reader.

On the next day, my wife drove our 2006 Nissan Frontier to and from work. By phone, Knox Horizon Complete Auto Care and I arranged a service appointment for the following Monday. A friendly human always answers your call at Knox Horizon Complete Auto Care! I had hoped to get the car in sooner, but they have enough business to keep them jumping.

Afterward, on the same day, I arranged a rental car at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. (To reach the helpful local folks, press the star (*) key! You will bypass the robot.) My sister-in-law, who lives nearby with her father, took me to the car rental place. Thank you, “favorite” sister-in-law!

On Friday of that week, my wife drove the rental, a blue 2024 Toyota Corolla, to and from work. The quick story about the rental is in the next section.

The Rental Car's Outpatient Visit

Arriving home that Friday, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman told me that the rental car's tire pressure warning light was on. After allowing the tires to cool, I checked three tires. Each was overinflated. I reduced the air pressure. I assumed that the fourth tire (left rear) would be overinflated and that the overinflation had triggered the dashboard light. I was wrong! The left rear tire was under 20 PSI (pounds per square inch). Using the air compressor, I inflated the tire to the proper PSI.

The next morning, Saturday, the left rear tire pressure was still correct. Later, however, after my wife visited her folks and bought groceries, the tire pressure was low again. I felt along the tread and the outer sidewall. I felt around the inner sidewall, but I didn't feel any foreign objects.

The next day, Palm Sunday, was my father-in-law's 86th birthday. The family gathered early that afternoon. Before joining the festivities, my call to Enterprise Rent-A-Car arranged a trip to Firestone, near the car rental location. I switched from my truck to the rental car at my father-in-law's house. (My wife had arrived in the rental before me.) Before leaving, I greeted everyone and wished my father-in-law a happy birthday.

Quickly, Firestone found the metal lodged inside the inner sidewall and replaced the tire. I rejoined the family gathering. My father-in-law enjoyed his birthday, especially the humor that was found inside the rental car's left rear tire!

Our Car's Recovery

Monday

On Monday, 3/25/2024, I managed to drive our car to Knox Horizon Complete Auto Care for the 9:30 AM appointment. The car shook a few times initially, but the RPM didn't rev up. The interstate ride was smooth. An employee took the following photograph of our car once she was in the service bay. (The hood latch was popped, but the hood wasn't raised yet.) I was able to download the image and include it in this article.

What was the illness? Our car needed a tune-up! A cylinder was misfiring at times. She also got an oil and filter change. Our car wouldn't be ready until the next day.

I recalled the tune-up mistake that I'd made, over four decades ago, on my 1976 Mustang Cobra II. The car, including two photographs, is mentioned in the 8/14/2022 short story Cars & Trucks: “The Significance of the Passage of Time.”

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, vehicles were not computerized. You could tune up your own vehicle. The price of parts was reasonable. I had replaced the spark plugs and the plug wires. While test-driving my Cobra, I felt shaking and had a rough ride. I had not connected two plug wires to the right spark plugs. Correcting that mistake smoothed out the ride, and my Cobra purred again!

A reader asks, “Who is Phil Williams? How did he get to meet you?” Graciously, my “favorite” sister-in-law came to get me and drove me back home. Thanks again, “favorite” sister-in-law!

I was standing near the front entrance door, behind one of the large glass windows, looking for my sister-in-law's arrival. I noticed a man, a few years older than me, get out of a white pickup truck. Once he came inside, I realized that I'd heard him earlier that morning on “The Phil Show,” NewsTalk 98.7 | WOKI-FM! That was Phil Williams!

This article nicknames Phil Williams “the Mouth of the South.” His personality and gift of gab are similar to another “Mouth of the South”—Jerry Clower (9/28/1926-8/24/1998). Phil Williams, I'm glad that you got to meet me! A longer conversation, with cups of strong coffee, would be interesting. Remember, sir, the adage, “Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning!” On that Monday morning, the red sky brought rain the next day.

Would you like to hear Jerry Clower? I enjoyed watching and listening to “A Conversation With; 137; Jerry Clower,” 3/24/1975, Mississippi Public Broadcasting, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress). It's just over 29 minutes in length. Jerry Clower affirmed his biblical worldview and Christian lifestyle, as he shared his life and career stories. In the 1970s, Jerry Clower spoke at a Baptist Youth Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. As a teenager, I laughed at his humor and was moved by his Christian testimony.

A Rainy Tuesday

The next day, Tuesday, our 2012 Nissan Sentra was healthy again. After work, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman arrived home. The rental car took us to get our car at Knox Horizon Complete Auto Care. She was tuned up and purring again!

Only two-tenths of a mile separate Knox Horizon Complete Auto Care and the Enterprise Rent-A-Car location. I drove the rental that short distance, while my wife followed, driving our car. Having returned the rental, I drove us home in our car.

A reader asks, “After your wife arrived home, why didn't you turn in the rental, walk two tenths of a mile, and get the car? Why did your wife have to help?” That's a good question. It was raining fairly steadily. I don't like to walk with an umbrella over my head. I didn't want to take another shower!

Don't Be Too Nosy!

Another reader asks, “How much did you have to pay, just for the tune-up, in parts and labor?” The answer is, “Well, don’t be too nosy!”

As Dad (Earl Ferrell, 9/17/1927-1/25/2008) used to say, “A dollar ain't worth much these days.” Inflation has only worsened.

I found a website called “Official Data.” In 1974, I assume that parts for a tune-up (spark plugs, intake manifold gasket set, and ignition coils) cost about $60. That may be a high estimate. The website calculated that $60 in parts in 1974 would cost $499.73 in 2024. That's an increase of a whopping 732.88%! Knox Horizon Complete Auto Care charged less than the current average cost for tune-up parts. Their labor cost, given the inflationary “a dollar ain't worth much these days” understanding, is reasonable.

Conclusion

As in the 11/13/2023 article, this entry highly recommends Knox Horizon Complete Auto Care! The job will be done right, on time, and at a reasonable cost. Moreover, I just like those fine folks! After all, if they can put up with Phil Williams and me at the same time, they have to be good!

So, how many people does it take to replace a dining area light fixture? Three: “favorite” sister-in-law, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman, and me. Earlier today, we got the job done in about three hours. Well, my father-in-law offered sage advice and used his electrical circuit tester. The green wire is the ground wire!

To my “favorite” sister-in-law, I'll close by saying, “I'm glad that we replaced the light fixture that hangs above the dining room table! One good turn deserves another! That's family.”

American Legion Post 21 in Historic Rogersville, Tennessee (published 3-18-2024; article #460)

Introduction

Have you ever been inside an M4A3 Sherman tank? This Appalachian Irishman has! I will explain in the childhood memories section, farther below.

“You might as well come in and stay for a while,” as Appalachian folks often say when someone drops by. The last two articles focused on areas within walking distance on East Main Street in historic Rogersville, Tennessee. The article from 3/2/2024 was about Burton's Service Station. The 3/13/2024 article was about Brown's Corner. (Seeking help from others, I'm still trying to learn how the area got its name. Lord willing, I hope to publish an article, if I find out.) This article, the 31st entry in the Appalachia - northeast Tennessee topic section, finishes a trifecta and focuses on a third location on East Main Street in my hometown.

The distance from the former Burton's Service Station (remodeled and under new ownership) to the American Legion is about three-tenths of a mile, or about a six-minute walk. Let's take a virtual walk, going east from Burton's Service Station to the American Legion. The roadside park (with the white oak tree and the monument) is along the way.

This article highlights the American Legion Post 21 and the M4A3 Sherman Tank. I will share childhood memories about the tank and the restoration of the tank in 2006.

American Legion Post 21

The majestic American Legion Post 21 has a commanding and dominant presence. The building rests atop the hill, east of where the off-ramp from Highway 11W (the bypass) meets East Main Street (old Highway 11W). Access is on American Legion Road.

American Legion Post 21, Google Maps Street View, Image Capture February 2024. Downloaded on 3/15/2024 by M. Fearghail.

From “Hawkins County War Memorial,” American Legion, 4/26/2018, we understand that the American Legion Post 21 was chartered in 1921. Two buildings, before the current location, had served the members. The current building was erected in 1949, especially to honor World War II veterans.

The 2018 article, cited previously, emphasized the need to preserve the building. Post members had sponsored a “Save Our American Legion Post 21 Benefit” fund. The article includes an image of the cornerstone, which reads “Hawkins County War Memorial.” Years ago, I saw and touched the cornerstone. I thanked God for the service of countless veterans. Their number includes many from Hawkins County, several of whom were and are my relatives.

All veterans, deceased and living, deserve the respect, admiration, and appreciation of all Americans. This article honors all veterans. Thank you for your service.

The M4A3 Sherman Tank

The M4A3 Sherman tank is visible in the above image. It is to the right (or south) of the American Legion Post 21. Sherman tanks and the soldiers who manned them were crucial to victory during World War II. For further reading, please consider the following two articles:

“M4 Sherman: 'Blunder' or 'Wonder' Weapon? The American-built Sherman medium tank was admittedly inferior to its German opponents. Yet, how did it help win the war in Northwest Europe?” Warfare History Network, Early Fall 2012 (Volume 11, No. 7), by Blaine Taylor

“The Sherman M4A3 Medium Tank.” The Sherman Tank Site: the place for all things Sherman Tank (undated), by Jon T.

As the caption below the next image states, I took the photograph on 6/24/2006, a Saturday afternoon. Dad (Earl Ferrell, 9/17/1927-1/25/2008) was still living and doing fairly well. Other family members and I had visited my father. I had learned that an Eagle Scout project had restored the Sherman tank. I stopped to take the photograph on my way back home.

Photograph by M. Fearghail on Saturday afternoon, 6/24/2006. The American Legion building in Rogersville, Tennessee, is behind and to the north (left) of the Sherman tank. The turret and gun barrel point to a corner of the building. The name on the tank is “Old Hickory.” The view looks east.

Back on 9/12/2006, I had considered writing an article titled “A Good Scout.” I never put down my thoughts into words until now. An article, if it's worth writing, is better late than never, even if it is written over seventeen years later!

Childhood Memories

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a lifelong friend and his family lived in a house in the subdivision that is just south of and behind the American Legion Post 21. My friend and I are the same age. We still keep in touch. His mother and my mother (Betty Lou Wood Ferrell, 11/24/1932-12/27/2000) were friends.

Sometimes, during visits with my friend, we would walk the fairly short distance to the American Legion to explore the Sherman tank. We climbed onto the tank and up to the turret. We eased down the turret hatch into the crew compartment. Being of grade school age and body size, with youthful flexibility, we soon realized that moving around in the crew compartment was not easy!

A five-man crew operated Sherman tanks. The crew included the commander, the gunner, the loader, the driver, and the assistant driver/hull gunner. The crew compartment has two levels. The upper level was for the commander, the gunner, and the loader. The commander sat or stood behind the gun barrel and the gunner. The gunner sat immediately behind the gun barrel. The loader sat to the left of the gunner. The lower level was for the driver, who took the left seat, and for the assistant driver/hull gunner, who had the right seat. An excellent video description is seen on “Inside the 'Easy 8' Sherman Tank - Examining the Roles of a Tank Crew,” National Museum of Military Vehicles (YouTube), 2/4/2024. The nineteen-minute episode includes timestamps. The video from inside the crew compartment starts at the five-minute and thirty-second mark. It's worth watching.

My friend and I imagined that we, with three invisible crew members, fought tank battles against the Germans! The thick glass, encased in metal on the outside top of the turret, was cracked in several places, certainly from enemy fire. The tank exterior had numerous dings, dents, and marks, surely from enemy projectiles. That tank had seen its share of combat in World War II.

On many occasions, my friend and I paused our imaginary battles and wondered if any soldiers had died in that tank. Our imaginary battles became somber thoughts, at least for a while.

One visit to the Sherman tank included a real battle! My friend and I had lowered ourselves into the crew compartment. We encountered an angry swarm of waspers! They had nested inside the tank. Bounding out and off the tank quickly, we were not stung too many times! The waspers won that battle. Eventually, we returned, didn't find any waspers, and continued our imaginary battles. The good guys always won those battles.

My friend and his family moved to a nearby town at the beginning of our freshman year in high school. We still got together and kept in touch, but our visits to the Sherman tank had ended.

The Tank Restored in 2006

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Sherman tank was holding up well enough, despite weathering, rust, and slight deterioration. As I stated previously, I took the above photograph on 6/24/2006. I had learned that an Eagle Scout project had restored the Sherman tank. Dad kept issues of The Rogersville Review for us to read when we visited. We enjoyed reading the newspapers. For several years, I have kept an online and paper delivery subscription to The Rogersville Review. My wife and I like to keep up with the news from my hometown. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman also has family ties to Rogersville. Online editions of the newspaper are available by subscription only.

If you disable private browsing, however, you may be able to read, without the cost of a subscription, “Tank restored thanks to teen,” The Rogersville Review, by Bill Grubb, 6/14/2006. The article was published ten days before I had photographed the tank.

In summary, the 6/14/2006 article indicates that the M4A3 Sherman tank had been “standing guard” beside the American Legion Post 21 for fifty-four years. It began its guard duty in 1952. The tank had been on a two-year “leave of absence” while an Eagle Scout (named in the article) restored the tank for his Eagle Scout project. The restoration project also honored “a member of the Tennessee National Guard” who was killed during service in Iraq.

Conclusion

Since we parked our vehicles at the old Burton's Service Station, we might as well walk back there. Before leaving the American Legion and the Sherman tank, we pause at the “Hawkins County War Memorial” cornerstone, touch it, and lift up silent prayers to God for the sacrifices of all the soldiers who have served or are serving this nation.

The roadside park (with the white oak tree and the monument) is along the way. We stop to relax for a while at the picnic table under the shade of that oak tree.

Don't you wish that Burton's Service Station was still open? I would like to walk in and buy a glass-bottled Coke and a snack for 25 cents.

I have enjoyed our virtual walk. On the next visit to my hometown, will I walk from the old Burton's Store to the American Legion? We will see. You may see me resting near that old oak tree. I will wave if you honk at me!

Brown's Corner, in Historic Rogersville, Tennessee (published 3-13-2024; article #459)

Introduction

Why is it called Brown's Corner? Welcome, dear reader, to the 30th article in the Appalachia - northeast Tennessee topic section. I hope to fill the section with more articles. The most recent article from 3/2/2024 was about Burton's Service Station in my hometown, historic Rogersville, Tennessee. The article remembered and honored Mr. and Mrs. Burton, shared memories, and told a couple of funny stories.

Hawkins County natives, for decades before my birth and to this day, have called the junction near the building, which was once Burton's Service Station, Brown's Corner. Writing the most recent article got me wondering how Brown's Corner got its name.

As far as I know, Brown's Corner includes the small triangular roadside park, where East Main Street and Highway 70 intersect. The roadside park is within walking distance of where Burton's Service Station once was. (The building still stands.) Brown's Corner probably encompasses more of the surrounding area. I assume that it is named after a person or family with the common last name of Brown.

This article shares what I learned about Brown's Corner. I still can't figure out how it got its name. The conclusion asks for comments from readers who know the answer.

Brown's Corner: What I Can Find Out

Well, I didn't find out much about how Brown's Corner was named. I did find out more about the roadside park, especially about the white oak tree and the monument.

The White Oak Tree

The Tennessee Urban Forestry Council (TUFC) includes the program “Landmark, Historic, and Heritage Tree Registry.” Scrolling down to “Landmark and Historic Trees,” and then selecting “East TN” finds (on the top row, third entry from the left) “The Old Stagecoach Oak” (East TN, Hawkins County, Landmark and Historic Trees). TUFC, Project, Category, East TN, shows the date of that entry (third from the top) as 2/6/2023. There is no mention of the author(s).

The following photograph is included in the 2/6/2023 entry (“The Old Stagecoach Oak”). The caption (above the photograph) reads, “Historic Tree, 2021 • Nominated by Tom Simpson • Photo by Tom Simpson.”

I would like to thank Tom Simpson, whom I have not met, for taking the above photograph. His photograph looks west. He was standing near East Main Street, near where Highway 70 turns north. The remodeled building, which was once Burton's Service Station, is in the background.

A picnic table is beside the large oak tree. My parents took us boys on picnics at that roadside park back in the 1960s and 1970s. At times, Papaw and Granny Wood, my mother's parents, were with us. We gathered there for a few birthday parties. I recall that at least one of them was mine. Back then, the large white oak tree in the above image was smaller. It provided excellent shade from the hot summer sun.

The above-referenced 2/6/2023 entry states that the “large white oak is over 15 feet in circumference and 77 feet tall. The confluence of the roads limits its total crown spread to 58 feet; although, foresters have estimated its age as around 240 years.” (Bold font used for emphasis.)

The tree sprouted, naturally or by being planting, sometime around 1783. If that tree could talk, what stories would it tell?

The Monument

Also, the previously cited 2/6/2023 entry, “The Old Stagecoach Oak,” states that the “granite monument” (visible to the west, or left, of the white oak tree), “… was erected in 1934 by the U.S. Department of Coast and Geological Survey as one of only five Zero Milestones in the United States.” (Bold text used for emphasis.)

My research could not verify that only five Zero Milestones were built. The cited article may assume incorrectly only five, since images of five markers are included in “Auto Trails: Lee Highway,” Varner Guides: American Roads (undated) under the section “Zero Milestones on the Lee Highway.” One image is the Zero Milestone at the junction of East Main Street and Highway 70 in Rogersville. The undated Auto Trails article states that this Zero Milestone “… is made of local Tennessee marble.” (Bold lettering is used for emphasis.)

Lord willing, my next trip to my hometown will include a stop at that roadside park. I want to see for myself if the monument is made of granite or marble! Decades have passed since I have seen it up close. I don't recall if the monument is granite or marble.

Additionally, the 2/6/2023 entry states, “The monument … also commemorates North Carolina Senator Benjamin Hawkins, for whom Hawkins County was named (upper East TN was part of North Carolina until 1796), and John Carter, one of the area’s first settlers and for whom the valley, Carter Valley, is named.” To correct in kindness the unknown author, the area is called Carter's Valley (in the possessive case).

Further, the 2/6/2023 entry “The Old Stagecoach Oak” states, “The monument also marks the original route of 'The Old East Tennessee Stagecoach Line' that ran through the county from 1825 until 1855.” The entry indicates that the stagecoach line of 111 miles connected Abington, Virginia, to Knoxville, Tennessee. During those 30 years, did my great, great, great paternal grandfather, John Ferrell (born 1780), or any of his immediate family members, travel on that stagecoach line? I wonder.

Lastly of note, the 2/6/2023 entry, going farther back in time, indicates that buffalo and elk migration started the trail, which The Old East Tennessee Stagecoach Line and old Highway 11W followed. Surely, Native Americans and their settlements followed that initial big game trail. The trail follows what is now known as the Holston River. The entry indicates that the Native American name for the later-named Holston River is Hogohegee, meaning “water of many islands.”

Following water, animals start trails. In time, humans turn the trails into roads. Life-giving water is the source of the trails.

Conclusion

This article has shared what I could learn about Brown's Corner. I still can't figure out how it got its name. Do you, dear reader, know how Brown's Corner got its name? If you know, you are welcome to comment below this article or email me using the Contact Form on the right side of this website. I would like to know.

Life-giving water brings to mind the Gospel of John, Chapter 7. The pericope is the context of the Festival of Tabernacles, when Jesus taught publicly at the temple courts. Verses 37 and 38, in the New International Version (NIV), read as follows:

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

The inspired apostle John, in the next verse, explains that Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit, which believers would receive after his glorification. This is a vivid picture of believers filled with the Holy Spirit, who, as streams of living water, share the love and grace of Jesus with all who are thirsty!

If you are thirsty spiritually, dear reader, please accept Jesus' free offer to come to Him and drink! If your thirst, dear reader, is already quenched by the Holy Spirit, I trust that the ”rivers of living water” are flowing from within you to all who are thirsty!

Burton's Service Station, Rogersville, Tennessee: Memories and a Couple of Funny Stories (published 3-2-2024; article #458)

Image shared on 2/26/2024 by a member of the Facebook group “Hawkins Conversations and Stories.” An unknown photographer took the original black-and-white photograph, probably in the 1960s. The view looks northwest. To the left and behind the photographer is East Main Street, Rogersville, TN. To the photographer's right is Highway 70. The gasoline pumps are not visible.

Introduction

On this second day of meteorological spring, we know the news, local, state, national, and international. It is usually disheartening. Let us step back to a simpler time. May we remember and be encouraged!

This article, the 29th entry in the Appalachia - northeast Tennessee topic section and the 101st in the heritage section, remembers Burton's Service Station in my hometown. Mr. and Mrs. Burton are remembered and honored. I share memories of their service station from childhood to young adulthood. I even tell a couple of funny stories.

The inspiration for this article came from The Rogersville Review, Midweek edition, 2/21/2024. My wife and I received the newspaper by mail late last week. It includes Mrs. Frances Lea Burton's obituary.

Memories: Mr. and Mrs. Burton

The 1960s and 1970s were a simpler time, at least for a boy growing up in northeast Tennessee. Burton's Service Station is an example of those simpler times. Joe and Frances Burton, husband and wife, owned and operated Burton's Service Station for 35 years.

The online obituary for Mrs. Burton, who passed away recently, is found at Frances Lea Burton (8/5/1926 - 2/15/2024, age 97), Broome Funeral Home, Inc. (Broome Funeral Home served us when my mother and father passed away in December 2000 and January 2008.) I remember Mrs. Burton as a congenial, southern lady, who always had a pleasant smile and a kind word. Her bright eyes even seemed to smile.

I couldn't recall when Mr. Burton passed. I knew that it was several years ago. Having found his online obituary at James Joe Burton (11/7/1918 - 3/27/2000, age 81), Find a Grave, I realized that Mr. Burton had passed while my mother was still in the hospital. Dad and I must have talked about Mr. Burton's passing, but I don't recall the conversation. From the obituary, I learned that Mr. Burton volunteered for the army in June 1940. As a first sergeant during World War II, he served five years in Europe. I remember Mr. Burton as a mild-mannered and honest businessman. He was good-natured and friendly. He would help you in any way that he could.

The obituaries for Mr. and Mrs. Burton indicate that they were Christians. Their legacies include their store and, most importantly, their Christian lives. This article honors their legacies.

Memories: Burton's Service Station

Burton's Service Station in Rogersville, Tennessee, was a few yards northwest of the junction where East Main Street meets Highway 70. The building, renovated with several changes, is still standing. The triangular junction near the store has a small, grassy park, where folks can still picnic. As a child, my mother and father took us boys there for many picnics. We could walk across Highway 70 to Burton's Service Station.

Other family members and I were with my father several times when he stopped at Burton's Service Station. Sometimes, it was just to fill up the car or truck with Gulf gasoline. Pulling up to one of the two or three pumps crossed a black hose that triggered a ding, so the attendant could know that someone wanted fuel. The pump would ding and flip up the number for each gallon that the attendant pumped. A gallon of gasoline cost a few cents on the dollar back then. The attendant or even Joe Burton himself would check the tire pressure and the oil level and clean the windshield. In later years, you pumped your own gasoline, noticed how many gallons you pumped, go inside, and tell Mr. Burton or his wife how many gallons you were buying. It was an honor system.

As a child, entering the store through either of the two front entrance doors was an adventure! The hardwood floor creaked in a few places. I liked to watch Joe Burton or his wife ring up my father's purchases on the manual cash register. The numbers clicked up from somewhere inside the machine! The register drawer opened and closed with a distinct ringing sound.

Between the two front entrance doors were the coolers with lids that opened from the top. They were filled with all types of Pet ice cream and soft drinks in glass bottles. The drink cooler had a bottle cap opener on it. Summer visits usually included a stick of ice cream and a Coke! Both may have cost my father a quarter.

Several rows of shelves on the side and back walls were filled with all sorts of groceries. I recall several types of canned goods, bread, flour, sugar, and so forth. I think that sliced bologna (“baloney”) was available to make and eat a sandwich at the store. That was fast food back then! Near the cash register, a man could find various brands of cigars, cigarettes, and chewing tobacco (“chawin' bakker”). Snuff was also sold, especially for the women. Dad bought his cigarettes and Red Man chewing tobacco.

In the fall and winter, an old wood-burning stove kept the store warm. It was always good to come in and stand by the stove to warm up. Near that stove was an old rocking chair. I remember her as Granny Burton. In my early childhood years, I often saw Granny Burton sitting and rocking in that chair. She liked to converse with customers. She may have given me free candy at times!

The second floor, above the store, may have been apartments. On the west side of the building, a steep stairway led up to that level. I think that the Burtons rented out the one or two upstairs apartments. I don't recall going up to the second floor. Renters parked their vehicles near the outside stairway.

Attached to the east of the store was the garage with two bays and outside entrances. The door from inside the store to the garage required a steep step or two down. The smell of oil and grease filled the air. The garage was always kept clean. I remember an employee, probably in his 20s, who was the mechanic.

To the east of the garage was the outside entrance to the bathroom. I remember using the one at the front of the store. The Burtons always kept it clean. There may have been another bathroom, for women, around to the side. The bathroom wasn't heated or cooled. Using the bathroom on a cold day could be a chilling experience!

In the mid-1970s, once I could drive, I bought gas for my parents' car at Burton's Service Station. In 1978, after high school graduation, I filled up my first two cars (a 1973 Ford Maverick, which I had only a few months, and a 1976 Ford Mustang Cobra II) at the station. The mechanic did some minor service work on both vehicles, as I recall.

Modern service stations are usually nice enough. They, however, do not have the charm and character of those old service stations and stores. Remembering Burton's Service Station was a trip down memory lane. I hope that you enjoyed the trip!

A Couple of Funny Stories

I have to share a couple of funny stories! They remain vividly in my memory.

The first story is from my childhood in grade school. My parents were renting the old Livesay farmhouse. It was just off and northwest of Dead Man's Curve (as it may still be called) on what is now old Highway 11W in east Hawkins County.

A black rotary phone hung on the living room wall near the black-and-white television and beside the door that led to the first-floor bedroom. (Three bedrooms were upstairs.) Dad must have been at work, either drilling a water well or setting a pump. Mom may have been in the kitchen or outside.

I had my chance! The phone number for Burton's Service Station was written on a list of phone numbers. I dialed the store. Mr. Joe Burton answered. In my best effort to sound like a grown man from around those parts, I asked, “Do you have Sir Walter Raleigh in a can?” (Sir Walter Raleigh was a type of tobacco.) Mr. Burton, thinking that a man wanted to do business with him, replied, “Yes, we do.” Folks from these parts already know what I was doing! I replied, “You'd better let him out!” Quickly, I hung up the phone!

Back in that day, mischievous young'uns like me could get into trouble quickly. Business owners, neighbors, family members, and other parents had a spy network! For days, I sweated, thinking that Mr. Burton would have recognized my voice, despite my effort to disguise it, and tell my father, who would take a belt to my backside. Luckily for my behind, I was never found out! To this day, I regret tricking the kind and gentle Mr. Burton.

The other story is from my senior year in high school (1977-1978). In January 1978, it snowed every Wednesday. I know this, because on Wednesdays after school I had a part-time job inserting the middle section into the main section of The Rogersville Review. The old printing press conveyed the middle sections to me. The main sections were already printed and folded. I caught and inserted the middle sections into the main sections. I drove my parents' car to work and back. When work ended, usually after 9 PM, the snow was already falling. I managed to drive home safely in the snow. School was closed due to snow for the entire month of January, which pushed graduation into June.

The six of us (my parents and us four boys) were living in the newly constructed home in the Striggersville community (a rural area northeast of Rogersville). Two buddies, Bill and Randy, also high school seniors, lived with their families a couple of cow fields apart. From the house, they were about 1.75 miles farther east, which was a long walk or a bicycle ride. We all lived in the county.

Randy was dating a young lady, also in high school. She lived with her family in a house in town that was several yards west of the Rogersville High School (which is now the Rogersville Middle School).

In January 1978, Randy and his girlfriend talked by phone. Apparently, the challenge was made and accepted. Randy would walk the approximately three miles from his house to her house along the snow-covered roads. He would place a highway construction marker in her front yard to prove that he had been there. (At the time, the Highway 11W four-lane was under construction. Small orange marker flags were everywhere.)

Randy called Bill and me. We accepted his offer to hike to town with him. The weather was cold and cloudy. I dressed warmly and told my mother that I was going to walk to Randy's house. Dad must have been at work. I met Bill at Randy's house. Randy already had a marker flag.

The three-mile hike to town, heading west, took us past Burton's Service Station. We were sufficiently warm and motivated. We kept going. Passing the high school, we reached the yard of Randy's girlfriend. We saw her looking out a window. Her parents may not have been at home. We weren't invited in. Randy placed the flag in the yard. We waved to his girlfriend in triumph!

On our return hike of another approximately three miles, heading east, the weather turned colder. A strong and cold wind started blowing into our faces. I pulled my ski mask down to cover my face. The ski mask around my nose and mouth froze. We were freezing as we hiked.

Burton's Service Station was still open. The warmth of that old wood-burning stove hastened our steps as we trudged through new snow that was covering old snow.

Mr. and Mrs. Burton were surprised to see three known high school boys in our frozen conditions walk into their store! They encouraged us to get near that stove quickly! Mrs. Burton may even have served us free hot chocolate. Once sufficiently warmed, the three of us thanked the Burtons for rescuing us from our own youthful stupidity.

The hike back to Randy's house was easy enough. The warm wood stove in the basement warmed Bill and me sufficiently for our hikes back to our homes. In total, I guess that I hiked about nine and a half miles on that very cold and snowy day.

Dad was back once I returned home. I told my parents the complete and honest story, especially how Mr. and Mrs. Burton had saved us from freezing to death! As a high school senior, I was too old for a spanking. Mom was amazed that I had endured the ordeal. Dad simply said, “Well, I hope that you've learned your lesson, son.” I had.

Conclusion

Yes, the current local, state, national, and international news is disheartening. I hope that this step back to a simpler time has been encouraging.

The recent passing of Mrs. Burton brought back good memories. Writing this article is my way of honoring Mr. and Mrs. Burton. Their legacies include Burton's Service Station and, most importantly, their Christian lifestyles. Don't you wish, dear reader, that all people would live such lifestyles? The current news would not be so disappointing.

I wonder if heaven will include some old country stores. I would enjoy sitting around in rocking chairs talking with the Burtons, my parents, and so many others, who are already enjoying everlasting life. We would not need a wood-burning stove to warm us in cold weather. The Son will warm us with his eternal love.