Why & How Could They?

I have one picture of myself while I was in the Texarkana Baptist Orphanage, its a group picture. Just so happens I posted it on the internet and the daughter of one of the girls in the picture happens to find it. Also I have a picture of my mother, Elizabeth Carter Davis.

Since that time I have talked with Jo Ann Clark on the phone and we have exchanges a few e-mails. But Joann also has brothers and a sister in this picture, Gale Clark, Dale Clark, and Jimmy Don Clark.

I to have a brother in the picture. I believe he is setting on the arm of the couch but I can't be positive. Hopefully in a couple of days I will know for sure.

But Joann and her brothers and sister suffered somewhat the same fate a I. Their mother died and their father put them in this orphan home. As for me, my mother, brother, and sister died in a house fire about one mile west of Cotton Plant, Arkansas in late 1948, 30 days later my brother and myself were in the orphan home. My sister Dixie Jo lived with a family at Cotton Plant for about 6 months, them she to was put in the orphan home.

But how can a father put there children in an orphan home? I fail to understand that. I understand hard times, but giving up your very own children, I can't understand that.

Which as for my birth father, he had already threw away one set of children. When his first wife died, he gave away all 6 children by that marriage, the youngest 6 months old. Them with us he does the very same thing.

I don't know about Joann's father, but my birth father loved to drink and chase women. I feel sure we children would have been in his way after our mother died. So the way I see it, he got us out of his way so he could enjoy his favorite pastime.

I feel like they are many others out there who have had this happen to them. I really wonder how you feel about it. I had an opportunity to see my birth father when I was a teenager, but I refused. I had no feeling for him. I did not care to lay my eyes on him. The man and woman who raised me from age 5 where my father and mother. They were the ones who held me when I was sick, they were the ones who put food in my mouth, clothes on my back. I have never regretted refusing to see that man, because he is not my father, most any man can father children, but it take more than that to be a father.

The only one that I have ever really missed in my mother. She died trying to save my brother. See she was fixing to start the evening meal. She started a fire in the wood cook stove. My oldest brother E W was off somewhere riding his bicycle. Dixie Jo was setting on the front porch with me. Betty Sue and Bobby Dean were in the house/ For some reason the coal oil exploded. there was speculation and my birth father had gasoline in it instead of coal oil, but that's another story. When it blew up mother grabbed up Betty Sue and took her to the front porch. He told Dixie to take me and Betty Sue and go stand by the fence in the yard. She went back in after Bobby Dean, but Betty Sue run back in the house after her. After which I believe there was another explosion.

When help got there it was to late, least it was from mother and Bobby Dean. They did get Betty Sue out, but she was in critical condition. They took her to Little Rock, but shortly after arriving she died. In 1948 they could not help a person near as much as they can today.

I suppose I should say mother was with child at this time. they were all buried on one casket and put in one grave. They're buried at White Church Cemetery down south of Brinkley. Back in the early 90's when I found out where they were buried the wife and I went up there. It was quite a feeling after all these years to stand at the grace of my mother who was with child, my sister, and my brother.

I might add, I met my mothers last living brother in the early 90's, along with many cousins, nephews and nieces. That was a great event. According to some of them, my birth father would not tell them what he did with us.

But, how can fathers give up their children? Does it haunt them ever day for the rest to their life? I surely believe it would have me if I had ever gave up my daughter.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tent of wickedness."
Psalms 84:10