|
Tales of D’Feet Dorothy and I had heard about “Uncle Sam” Beahm as being quite a local character during his life in Beahm’s Hollow. Uncle Sam and his wife, Betty Lehew Beahm, lived on a part of the original tract of land settled by pioneer (to Virginia) John Beahm. Their house was made of logs, but larger than what we would call a cabin, and situated a stones’ throw north of the pioneer Beahm cemetery. This property is located at the end of (CR 612) Rocky Branch Rd., on the east side, and part of Kemp Hollow Gun Club owned by attorney Joseph C. Bennet, Jr. of Fairfax, VA. Uncle Sam (great-great-grandson of John Beahm) and Betty lived on this property from shortly after their marriage in 1881 until Betty’s death in 1919, and a year later Sam’s passing in 1920. Sam operated a grist mill on Rocky Branch Creek, the mill being located about half way between the Franklin E. Miller home and Sam’s home. The following information concerning Uncle Sam’s eccentricities was related to us by “Uncle Elmer” Batman (1887-1987), third great-grandson of immigrant John Beahm, during our interview with Elmer in August 1981 when Elmer was 94 years. As a young lad, Elmer sometimes cut grass for Uncle Sam around the mill site using a sickle. One day after finishing the grass cutting, Elmer went to the mill to collect his fee, but Uncle Sam decided to check the grass before payment to Elmer. “Boy you didn’t cut within 20 feet of that tree! What’s your excuse?” Elmer replied, “Uncle Sam, there’s a hornets’ nest low down in that tree and I’m not getting stung for what you ’re paying me.” Now, Uncle Sam almost always went barefoot (even in the wintertime) and his feet were tough as oak tree stumps. Uncle Sam proceeded with stick in hand and knocked the hornets’ nest from the tree and then stomped the hornets to death with his bare feet. “Now boy, get under there and finish your job!” was Uncle Sam’s order to Elmer. Years later, Elmer reasoned that Uncle Sam’s power over hornets could have been because Uncle Sam nipped at a bottle of moonshine that he kept in the feed box at the mill, consuming one-half gallon per day. Another Uncle Sam story that Elmer liked to tell concerned a cold winter Sunday morning when Aunt Betty decided that Uncle Sam should accompany her to church services at Morning Star Lutheran Church. Now, Sam knew that he was expected to wear his boots to church, so he made no complaint about footwear. However, Sam didn’t figure on a foot washing service that Sunday. When the minister pulled Sam’s boot off, a flask fell to the floor and pandemonium prevailed. Betty grabbed Uncle Sam by the ear and led him outside all the while admonishing him for embarrassing her in front of the entire congregation. All the while, Uncle Sam tried to explain that the contents of the flask were for medicinal purposes, to fortify his constitution on the ride home! Uncle Sam was not invited to attend church that winter a second time. Informational Footnotes: 1. Betty Beahm left $100.00 to fence the Pioneer Cemetery in her will. The fence was erected accordingly, but was a home lawn type that has rusted and been knocked over by cattle and the posted have rotted. 2. Samuel D. Beahm & Betty Lehew Beahm had one child, who was born and died January 1, 1882. |