Ada Myrtle Kissinger (Hall) 1894-1990

Born: 26 April 1894

Place: Ash Flat, Arkansas

Source of Information: Personal Interview 1983 by Annie Carvalho

My grandparents, Chap and Inez Cato, reared me. 

Inez' mother and father, Ada and Ben Hall, lived around the corner from us, and their back yard and ours were connected. I spent a lot of time traveling between our house and Grandma Hall's house and I have a lot of fond memories that I'll share in a later blog.

For now, here is an interview I did in 1983. 

This was put on cassette tape. I still have the tape and need to find a way to transfer it to CD, so the voice is not lost. For now, here is the transcription:

* * *

I went to school in Richwood, Arkansas to 8th grade. I quit to get married. It was a one-room school. 

One time we got into trouble It was wintertime and there was a big old pond outside. We were told not to go to it, and we went anyway and stayed too long. He (the teacher) made us stand up on stage quite a little while!

Grandpa and I were married out in the woods between our house and his. We got married on horseback. I made my dress. It was white linen. The whole bunch was with us. A bunch of 'em got lost. Another couple was to get married with us, but he was wanting to steal her. We waited and waited. Her family found out and wouldn't let her go. It was a judge that married us.

We lived with his (Ben's) folks. His father died and we moved back in with is mother and two brothers until they could get the crops made, and then he built us a house. His father died in October 1912. It was a big house with a side room and a porch, and he finally made an upstairs to it. We stayed there for _____. Inez was born there. We sold it and bought another one on the other side of Ash Flat.

Grandpa (Ben) did farm work and carpenter work.

We first came to California in 1926 with your Ma and Pa (Chap and Inez Cato). We went back to Ash Flat and then came back in 1935. I wouldn't have went back but Inez and your grandpa (Ben) wanted to go. Inez played out and run off and got married. 

After we got to California, he (Ben) farmed. Then he hurt his back to where he couldn't ride a tractor. Then he worked in packing houses.