Memories of Uncle Harry Waller
Sylvia remembers when one of the small boys of Betty and Harry
died. The child lay in his coffin in the ‘formal sitting room’ in grandpa
Waller’s house. Aunt Betty came downstairs, saw the coffin, and burst out
wailing and lamenting over her dead child. One story is that since Betty and
Harry were cousins, and Betty’s mother had married a cousin, and since there
had been much intermarriage, that both boys died of bad blood. Another story is
that they died of lead poisoning from crib paint. But sister Nancy lives still.
Juanita remembers when Uncle Harry died during Christmas
1947. There were days waiting to find the missing person. Then Uncle Oris came
home, lay down on the floor, and cried like she had never seen him do before.
It was then that Juanita knew Uncle Harry was dead. I remember standing around
the kitchen wood stove in grandfathers home listening to the adults discuss
what was going on. We children took it lightly; including daughter Nancy, until
we knew the terrible truth and Christmas was spoiled. Dad’s cousin Milton
Bailey remembers helping with the search, as did other relatives and neighbors.
And Milton remembers that it was dad’s cousin Buddy Steppe who found the body
down on the Staunton River.
I have only one clear memory of Uncle Harry. As a child of 3
or 4 years I was in need of a pocketknife, or needed to have mine sharpened.
They sent me to where the men were Sunday lounging on tree trunks in the front
yard to ask Uncle Harry for his assistance. I do remember visiting the home
once or twice, but can’t picture how it was or who was there.
Harry and family lived on what is now Windfall Road, not far
from his parents. He would walk over every day, or frequently, to see his
mother and father who lived on what is now Red House Road.
A black man, a drinking partner, murdered Uncle Harry. They
had gone on a binge, drove away out in the boonies, and began to drink and
discuss. The motivation for the murder was given at the trial; uncle had
insulted the black man in a way that he should not have done to a black
drinking pal. The black man shot him. The black man was caught with personal
belongings of Uncle Harry in his possession. He was convicted and sentenced to
a few years; which grieved grandpa for the rest of his life.
Author
Some say that Uncle Harry was “rough”. Here is a copy of a
letter from the governor’s Secretary concerning a pardon for Uncle Harry.
Apparently he was in prison for some crime and a petition for a pardon, which
would mean early release, had been sent to Richmond. I have not found out what
this is all about. I have heard that my Waller uncles were frequently in
trouble and grandpa Waller spent much money helping them out. Maybe this does
not apply to Uncle Oris, and maybe none was as bad as it seems. However,
trouble runs in the family; my son has officially met sheriff Maxey.
I think I can identify the source of the problem. It is in
the genes, or rather the genes inherited from Polly Cooksey who is said to have
been part Indian. Her son, Benjamin Franklin Waller, has the look of a
rebellious young man; it was part of his Indian heritage. When mother Polly
died and father Thomas remarried youngest child Ben went to live with
grandparents Cuthbert and Elizabeth Waller. I guess young Ben was too young to
accept and get along with his new stepmother. He never went back to his parent’s
home and grandfather Cuthbert willed his grandson land. Ben lived on his
grandfather’s land the rest of his life, after returning from cavalry service
in the Civil War.
Margie Waller Walton Author
Left: Benjamin Franklin Waller as a young man. Right: Lewis
Bailey Steppe III at about the same age. I think they have features in common,
like the tight lips and long jawbone. There is no proof yet that Ben was part
American Indian.