"Farmers grew crops and families" by Susie Sansom-Piper

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS, PART 5

Farmers grew crops and families

by Susie Sansom-Piper

Rockdale Reporter - March 6, 2008

Several well known blacks lived south, southeast and southwest of the city limits during

earlier days.

The families considered themselves Rockdalians because of the nearness to the

incorporated town.

The Phil Palmer Farm

South of the city limits in the 30s and 40s, Phil Palmer operated a vegetable farm.

On weekends, he would gather his seasonal crops, greens, sweet potatoes, watermelons and

more and bring them “into town” to be sold.

His only transportation was a small wagon and two mules. At the time, the city limits

ended near the Old Isaacs-Loewenstein home, now a lawyer’s office).

The Phil Palmer farm was in the area now occupied by Brookshire Brothers a shopping

center, the Dairy Queen, Kountry Inn, Chamber of Commerce, and other small businesses.

The Wallace Richards Farm

Wallace Richards, his wife Lula, and their eight children, sons Ike, Dick, Jack, Little

Wallace and Andrew lived about one mile south of the city limits.

Farm life was the same for all in the area, growing cotton, corn, peas, potatoes,

peanuts, and raising hogs, chickens and cattle.

This land was on the north side of what is now US 79 traveling west towards Thorndale.

After reaching adulthood, son Ike built a home on the south side of the highway, and

Rena, a sister of Wallace, built a home nearby. This was near present day Rockdale

Federal Credit Union.

Wallace’s daughter, Jennie, became a well known gospel singer, but died at an early age.

Ike, was one of the last breed of the original railroad workers with the Missouri Pacific

Railroad Company. New developments of farm land in the area prompted him to move his home

to Roberts Street in the city, where he remained until his death.

With the coming of Alcoa, Wallace sold his farm, and the company built a large housing

development.

The land first housed Rockdale’s only Drive-In Theatre, and is now a shopping center and

the sites of the former Wal-Mart and HEB buildings.

Ned Malone Community

Ned Malone, a farmer, and his wife, Mariah founded a community two miles southeast of the

city limits on what is now FM 487.

It consisted of a small group of farmers, the McKinneys, Dykes, and brothers Dick and

Ernest Richards, a farmer and railroad worker.

Josephine McKinney, known as “Miz” Josie, a very fair skinned lady, is vividly remembered

for her elaborate dressing, her long hair which she displayed in a bun, and her beautiful

horse and buggy she proudly road to Rockdale.

She was considered a “living matriarch” in this community. These farmers raised cotton,

corn, sweet potatoes, fruit trees, and peanuts.

A large tank on the farm was often used as a baptismal pool for local and surrounding

churches.

The descendants of the Ned Malone family (children of Jack Richards) still occupy this

settlement.

Sand Hill-Stephen Chapel Communities

Between the Ned Malone Community, present day Praesel Addition, and Richards Providence

was another small settlement known as Sand Hill-Stephen Chapel.

This was said to be located on a road leading to the present-day Alcoa plant.

Pioneer Settlers included Preston Moultrie, the Johnsons, Waltons, Allens, Maloys and

Banks.

“Grandpa Walton” according to his late granddaughter, Para L. Bacy-Timmes, paid for the

building of the Stephen Chapel Church.

The church also served as a school in the Ned Malone and Sand-Hill Stephen Chapel

Communities.

“This is where I began my schooling and my first book was called “Will and Mae”, and the

second was “Dick and Jane”, Bacy-Timmes said.

This church also served as a school. Inez Cook was the first teacher and later Lurline

McKinney, daughter of Josephine and Henry McKinney, taught school there.

Residents of this community were also farmers. In the early 30s, many of these residents

moved to Rockdale, and the community decayed and now no longer exists.

Farmland in this area is now Alcoa Property.

The ‘Isaacs House,’ now the Marvin Farek Law Offices, dates from 1896 when it stood on

the edge of Rockdale. South and west of the home during the Great Depression, was the

Phil Palmer Farm.

Photo by Mike Brown

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