A New Shouse In Griffith Branch

Dicey Morris was waiting patiently for the contractions to hit as she drinking cool water on the hot August day, she was visiting a neighbor whom with she was no stranger. The lady and her husband already had three boys and if this child is a boy it will be the fourth, she looked over to the woman in the bed because she took a sharp breath. "Now Stella how far along was that, is the pain gettin getting closer to each other?" Stella looked up to Dicey knowing she was concerned "I don't think it will be much longer now." Dicey had come to Stella when she heard she was about to give birth the house was small built on the side of the hill in a hallow in Jackson Kentucky called Griffith Branch, she and her husband Nathan and their children called this place home. Dicey wasn't a doctor but she had the experience to put the doctors to shame, she had been delivering babies into the world for a good many years. "Well Stella Mae I think we're gonna have to start getting ready." She pulled her sleeves up and washed her hands real good, walked over to the bed and felt Stella's Stomach, she knew the baby was safe and out of danger. Just then Stella's contractions got closer and closer and from experience she knew it was time. "I think we're about to have a baby here any time now." Dicey felt her stomach once more and took a look to see if she was ready. "Stella push and let go." Stella followed her instructions and she felt the baby coming. "Alright Stella catch your breath and do it again." Stella was pushing as hard as she could and the pain was horrible she began to yell as she was pushing. "Alright now Stella catch your breath and do it again" Stella was getting tired but she caught her breath and pushed again. "Stella the baby is coming it's nearly here catch your breath and push!" Stella caught her breath once again and pushed hard, when the baby had arrived it let its voice be heard loud and clear the baby had good strong lungs. "Oh Stella it's a baby boy that's your fourth one ain't it?" Stella's forehead was lined with sweat but the smile of a mother was on her face she raised her arms "Let me have him and bring in Nathan." Dicey went outside of the small cabin where Stella's husband Nathan was waiting with their other children Boyd Roy and Ray. "Nathan come on in, there are two waitin on you." Nathan put the oldest boy in charge of the smaller two and off he went. "What is it a boy or a girl?" The midwife has gotten that question before but she answered him the same way as all the others, "I'll let your wife tell you it was her that carried the baby and it was her that went through the pain to give birth to it." When Nathan walked into the cabin, he looked to the bed and saw his wife and new baby laying in wait for him. He walked over and leaned down over them and asked "Well Stella do we have another boy?" Stella answered in a weak way but happy voice "Yes Nathan it's another boy what are we gonna name him." Dicey had the birth certificate in her hands and looked over at the two of them and plainly said "William Henry T. Shouse is his name I just wrote it down." Nathan could have disagreed but just said "Well my dad's name is William that is just fine with me I guess you named him Henry after your husband and why is the T. in it? Dicey just answered "Stands for Thomas but it wouldn't fit" Nathan was a bit angry about it "I guess you filled it out already didn't you?" Just then Stella pulled on his pants just to get his attention and looked up to him "I'll call him Billy."

This account is nearly as true as I could get it 64 years ago today my dad was born in Jackson Kentucky in a small cabin on the side of the hill in a hollow called Griffith Branch. Happy Birthday Dad. We love you.