Memories of Moses Jefferson Dutton 1835-1918

Here is a story my mom sent me a few years ago. This is about her Great grandfather, Moses (Blind Dut's father). (Side note: She says all her life she was told he named her...Sarah Jane. I assume it was after his daughter.)

She also says when she was about 5, it was her job to get a stick of ember outta the fireplace and light her grandfather's (Blind Dut) pipe. He was blind and could not see to do it. This took place in Rogers.

Anyways, this is the story she sent me. I hope you enjoy it.....

Her words.......

They still tell this story about Moses, just before he died, in  Benton County, Ark.

They say that everyone was going to the church to pray for rain, but "Granpap" as he was called, was too old and sick to go along. Everybody dressed in as little as they could, and no one had bothered to fix the church roof that had dried out and rotted because it did not look like it was ever going to rain.

Well, someone looked down the road and wondered what that was coming.
As it got closer they could see it was Granpap on his old Donkey, Old Susie. He had on his boots, his long coat and and old blanket that almost drug the ground and an old yellow slicker.

He explained that it just didn't look right for everybody else to be here praying for rain and him laying up at home-----so he got on old Susie and here he was.

The words were hardly out of his mouth when it started to thunder and lightening. Then the rain started to pour down. The people and the kids went into the church, but it leaked and they got wetter than outside. Everyone got soaking wet except for Granpap and Old Susie.

This story was shared with me by Anna Brown on 7 June, 2004
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