Coleman Barn March 3, 2002 

My grandfather Isaac Pinion Coleman completed the construction of this barn in 1914.  It was originally built to raise beef cattle in; however, during the 30's and 40's it was turned into a dairy from which the Coleman family sold milk to the CC camps and other government facilities throughout North Ga.  It is constructed of solid oak timbers sawed off the Coleman property.  It took approximately three years to construct.  The silos were added in the 1920's.  The head carpenter was preacher Johnny Hunnicut of the North Ga. area.  I occasionally run across paintings and photographs of the barn in art shows, etc.  It always thrills me to be able to tell the artist or photographers that I now own the barn. Dennis remembers correctly that we did have electric milkers in the1950's;  however, up until that time the Coleman's milked 50-80 cows daily by hand. Bill Coleman

As I walked past the artist, glancing down at his canvas, what a surprise, his paint brush was busily at work; re-creating an old barn, straight out of Wolffork Valley.  How well I knew this barn, the owners lived only a half of a mile from where I grew up.  As a young child I had walked past that barn many, many times.  Ahhh... yes, I even remember the large pine tree to the left of the barn, there was one on the canvas, but probably not the one I remember 60 years ago. 

Memories came flooding back as I remembered going to the Ladies Missionary meeting one summer afternoon at the Coleman’s large two story wooden frame house with my mother.  I couldn’t have been more than six years old at the most.  I thought that preacher would talk forever!  Refreshments were always served by the hostess.  On this particular day so long ago, I cannot remember what they were although often the hostesses of the valley would serve no more than hot pound cake lathered with Gernsey cow’s butter.  I do remember, Miss Goolie getting up and leaving the meeting, wandering back through the house I saw her stop in the dinning room open a cabinet door which was really in those days called a “safe”.   Not the usual vault kind of safe for this generation which hold valuables.  This is probably what the new antique “pie safes” are replicas of.  Safes back in those days held special food items.  Being a young girl full of curosity and bored with hearing all that talk from the preacher man, I jumped immediately to my feet and hurried to see what Miss Goolie was getting out of her safe.  She lifted out a large chunk of yellow cheese, breaking her off a piece and handing one to me.  Ooooohhhh yummy!!  The only kind of cheese we had at our house was white cottage cheese that my mama strained from the buttermilk after churning the butter.

Yes, I remember the owners of the barn on the canvas.  How neatly my fellow artist classmate, Bud was doing his rendition.  I remember all the neat fenced pastures that held many farm animals and how clean this barn was kept by Mr. I.P. Coleman and his sons.   Looking at the painting, I started bubbling out the memories it brought to my mind.  Remembering as a little girl no more than six years of age I walked past the barn on my way to the Wolfork Baptist Church to Bible School, five days each week for two weeks.  It would have been three miles from my house had I not taken a short cut through Cousin Ed Page’s pasture.  I walked all alone, bare foot, wearing only cotton panties and the little flour sack dress made by some kind relative.  I was happy as a lark, no fear for the little one back in 1938. I walked all that distance, carrying a little brown hen egg for my offering.  So carefully I carried that egg, my offering then and the dollars now were/are for the Lord God Almighty’s work.  The mother’s of the valley who gave of their precious time to teach the children within walking distance of the church; would take the egg that each child brought to the general store in Dillard and exchange them for the supplies needed in the school.

Through out my life from then until now, those Bible teachings have lingered a part of my spiritual life.  There I memorized the books of the Old and New Testments, many verses of scripture, sweet beautiful choruses of songs, there’s no doubt in my mind that who I am with my Saviour today, the seed was planted all those many years ago by sweet women who loved their Lord enough to lead little children in the way God would have them do. 

Interesting, today a Coleman grandson is having the old barn renovated and restored to it’s natural habitat.  Precious memories of yesteryear’s charms are treasures worth saving.

Walking around the large barn and looking in the long room I had a flash back of being a young girl and peering in at the cows as they were being milked by the first electric milkers in the area.  There the gentle cows stood so calmly and peacefully chewing their cud.  I wondered back then how could they with those metal thingies pumping milk out of them. 

Photos  2002 by Beverly Guthrie Lougher