Gus, the Rawleigh Man and His Memories
as told to Elberta Willis September 20, 1988
When Gus Howell started selling products for the
Rawleigh Co. backin l934, little did he dream that he'd be making this his career. He covered the Tri-County Area for the next 45 years, and few people there are, who doesn't know the "Rawleigh Man" and remember his pie fillings, linament, ointments and flavorings. Anything the housewife needed from the kitchen to first - aid. Gus who will be 90 years of age on November 13, was born in a 4 room log cabin at the head of Rebels Creek to David and Laura McNeil Howell, one of 9 children. Only one sister survives. He married Viola Sparks in 1920 on February 29. They didn't have a family so they devoted all their love to each other. After 67 years of married bliss, Viola passed away in December of l987. Gus still has in his possession a rocking chair he bought when they started
housekeeping 67 years ago. Also, a china closet that he bought at Tom English's store in Spruce Pine. Some more of his early memories are walking across the mountain from Rebels Creek to Bandana where he attended school 6 months a year. He went to 6th grade. He reads well and has "a very good memory. He remembers his father hauling produce by wagon to Marion. It took 2 days to go down, one day to sell his produce, load up with wares to deliver to local merchants in the mountains and two days to come back home. They camped on the mountain on both trips. He remembers as a boy, he and others would walk from Boonford to Spruce Pine, via the CC&O Railroad which was in its infancy at that time. He was on hand to see the first locomotive pass through Spruce Pine, in 1910, engineered by Claude Morgan of Erwin, Tennessee. The depot, or train station as some prefer, was yet to be built. He is one of the few citizens left who can tell us what Spruce Pine looked like years ago. Gus, who lives alone, still maintains his home, drives his car and makes a garden. He is a member of and attends Rebels Creek Baptist Church. He says clean living and faith in God has given him his many years.
as told to Elberta Willis September 20, 1988
When Gus Howell started selling products for the
Rawleigh Co. backin l934, little did he dream that he'd be making this his career. He covered the Tri-County Area for the next 45 years, and few people there are, who doesn't know the "Rawleigh Man" and remember his pie fillings, linament, ointments and flavorings. Anything the housewife needed from the kitchen to first - aid. Gus who will be 90 years of age on November 13, was born in a 4 room log cabin at the head of Rebels Creek to David and Laura McNeil Howell, one of 9 children. Only one sister survives. He married Viola Sparks in 1920 on February 29. They didn't have a family so they devoted all their love to each other. After 67 years of married bliss, Viola passed away in December of l987. Gus still has in his possession a rocking chair he bought when they started
housekeeping 67 years ago. Also, a china closet that he bought at Tom English's store in Spruce Pine. Some more of his early memories are walking across the mountain from Rebels Creek to Bandana where he attended school 6 months a year. He went to 6th grade. He reads well and has "a very good memory. He remembers his father hauling produce by wagon to Marion. It took 2 days to go down, one day to sell his produce, load up with wares to deliver to local merchants in the mountains and two days to come back home. They camped on the mountain on both trips. He remembers as a boy, he and others would walk from Boonford to Spruce Pine, via the CC&O Railroad which was in its infancy at that time. He was on hand to see the first locomotive pass through Spruce Pine, in 1910, engineered by Claude Morgan of Erwin, Tennessee. The depot, or train station as some prefer, was yet to be built. He is one of the few citizens left who can tell us what Spruce Pine looked like years ago. Gus, who lives alone, still maintains his home, drives his car and makes a garden. He is a member of and attends Rebels Creek Baptist Church. He says clean living and faith in God has given him his many years.
Gus, the Rawleigh Man and His Memories
as told to Elberta Willis September 20, 1988
When Gus Howell started selling products for the
Rawleigh Co. backin l934, little did he dream that he'd be making this his career. He covered the Tri-County Area for the next 45 years, and few people there are, who doesn't know the "Rawleigh Man" and remember his pie fillings, linament, ointments and flavorings. Anything the housewife needed from the kitchen to first - aid. Gus who will be 90 years of age on November 13, was born in a 4 room log cabin at the head of Rebels Creek to David and Laura McNeil Howell, one of 9 children. Only one sister survives. He married Viola Sparks in 1920 on February 29. They didn't have a family so they devoted all their love to each other. After 67 years of married bliss, Viola passed away in December of l987. Gus still has in his possession a rocking chair he bought when they started
housekeeping 67 years ago. Also, a china closet that he bought at Tom English's store in Spruce Pine. Some more of his early memories are walking across the mountain from Rebels Creek to Bandana where he attended school 6 months a year. He went to 6th grade. He reads well and has "a very good memory. He remembers his father hauling produce by wagon to Marion. It took 2 days to go down, one day to sell his produce, load up with wares to deliver to local merchants in the mountains and two days to come back home. They camped on the mountain on both trips. He remembers as a boy, he and others would walk from Boonford to Spruce Pine, via the CC&O Railroad which was in its infancy at that time. He was on hand to see the first locomotive pass through Spruce Pine, in 1910, engineered by Claude Morgan of Erwin, Tennessee. The depot, or train station as some prefer, was yet to be built. He is one of the few citizens left who can tell us what Spruce Pine looked like years ago. Gus, who lives alone, still maintains his home, drives his car and makes a garden. He is a member of and attends Rebels Creek Baptist Church. He says clean living and faith in God has given him his many years.
as told to Elberta Willis September 20, 1988
When Gus Howell started selling products for the
Rawleigh Co. backin l934, little did he dream that he'd be making this his career. He covered the Tri-County Area for the next 45 years, and few people there are, who doesn't know the "Rawleigh Man" and remember his pie fillings, linament, ointments and flavorings. Anything the housewife needed from the kitchen to first - aid. Gus who will be 90 years of age on November 13, was born in a 4 room log cabin at the head of Rebels Creek to David and Laura McNeil Howell, one of 9 children. Only one sister survives. He married Viola Sparks in 1920 on February 29. They didn't have a family so they devoted all their love to each other. After 67 years of married bliss, Viola passed away in December of l987. Gus still has in his possession a rocking chair he bought when they started
housekeeping 67 years ago. Also, a china closet that he bought at Tom English's store in Spruce Pine. Some more of his early memories are walking across the mountain from Rebels Creek to Bandana where he attended school 6 months a year. He went to 6th grade. He reads well and has "a very good memory. He remembers his father hauling produce by wagon to Marion. It took 2 days to go down, one day to sell his produce, load up with wares to deliver to local merchants in the mountains and two days to come back home. They camped on the mountain on both trips. He remembers as a boy, he and others would walk from Boonford to Spruce Pine, via the CC&O Railroad which was in its infancy at that time. He was on hand to see the first locomotive pass through Spruce Pine, in 1910, engineered by Claude Morgan of Erwin, Tennessee. The depot, or train station as some prefer, was yet to be built. He is one of the few citizens left who can tell us what Spruce Pine looked like years ago. Gus, who lives alone, still maintains his home, drives his car and makes a garden. He is a member of and attends Rebels Creek Baptist Church. He says clean living and faith in God has given him his many years.
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