Tope Family Page

    Harry and Mabel set up house keeping in Lilbourn at the telephone office. This was how Harry became "Daddy Harry," as Emma K. was old enough to know that Harry was not her natural father; and "Daddy Harry" has stuck down through the years, even to the great-grandchildren.
    Shortly after their marriage, both Harry and Mabel were converted at a revival in the Christian Church in Lilbourn. The Baptist church there was very weak and very small and did not have regular services at that time. Mabel's parents remained Primitive Baptists all of their life. Harry's parents became Southern Baptists in Lilbourn. Harry and Mabel, and most of their family became Southern Baptists while living in Parkin, Arkansas.
    The young family moved to Catron in 1923. Harry took over the management of the Ford Store there at the salary of $12.50a week. Mabel was paid $10.00 a week ass clerk. It was also a General Merchandise Store, with groceries. grain and feed, livestock, hardware and even the Post Office was in the store. Harry learned from another postmaster that he could increase his post office income by shipping the eggs parcel post rather than freight train since the postal service paid according to the receipts.
    March 17, 1927, was the beginning of many changes in Harry and Mabel's living. On that date the store burned to the ground. It was a total and great loss for G. W. Ford as the new shipment of spring orders had just arrived. Bill Disbennett was sleeping in the store but was not able to give any warning to the bucket brigade. Apparently the fire was started by lightning and even the rain did not put it out. As soon as possible Mr. Ford opened a new business in a smaller building and then on April 20, 1927, more disaster came. A dam broke and the Mississippi overflowed. The water was 10-12 feet deep in Catron. Delbert and Nellie Statler were living in Catron and the two families had become good friends. Because of the high water, all of the residents moved to higher ground with Mabel and the three children, and Nellie, going to stay with a neighbor. Delbert and Harry stayed in the store to stack up what they could above the water. The excitement of the flood was heightened by the hatching of 180 chickens and a few ducks from an incubator. Harry said they never had such a good hatch, before nor after. Water and ducks mix, the men thought, so the new ducks were put out in the water. New ducks and high water do not mix. The chickens made it for there was a large corn cob pile higher than the water. Delbert and Harry made a runway for the chickens and they enjoyed the 'bridge over troubled water.'
    The water was up for about a month, so after a few days at the neighbors a cousin of Mabel's, Henry "Al" Hart, came and took the family to stay with him and his family. It was a better place, and with family but at night Al would play the banjo and sing "Over the Hill To the Poor House We Go!" Mabel and Nellie would cry and Henry would sing.
    While in Catron, Harry would hide the days receipts each day in 5 different place, rather than take the cash to Lilbourn down the ditch road every day. One day he hid the receipts and the next morning did not miss them as a few customers came in early with near the right change. The small amount in the cash drawer and the steady flow of customers just carried the business that day. He did not remember the 'lost' money bag until he began to balance the books. Several days later and after a 'confession' to Mr. Ford, the money was found buried in the coffee bean barrel.
    Boys and BB's go together. One grocery-man story is that three little boys come in for their weekly visit One little boy is asked what he wants and the reply is that he wants a dime's worth of BB's. The clerk rolls the high stock ladder down the shelves to where the BB's are stocked up on the top shelf. He climbs up the ladder, gets the heavy box of BB's, carries them down the ladder, weighs up the 10 cents worth of BB's and then he takes the heavy box back up the ladder and puts it back in place. After the clerk comes back down the ladder he asks the second little boy what he wants. Boy number Two wants a dime's worth of BB's. The clerk then climbs up the ladder, takes the heavy box, climbs back down the ladder, weighs the 10 cents worth of BB's; and then thinks he will be smart. The third little boy is asked, "Son, do you want a dime's worth of BB's?"
    "No, Sir," replies the little man.
    So the clerk picks up the heavy box of BB's, takes them back up the ladder, places them on' the top shelf, climbs back down, and then asks, "Now, Sonny, what do you want to buy?" "I wants nickel's worth of BB's."
    Back to the family tales. After the fire and the flood, George Ford wanted to builds bigger and better general merchandise store. A Mr. McCord went in with Mr. Ford and they offered Harry one-third interest in the store to operate it. That made good business for all and the new store was opened in August 1927. Things were looking up, but when, George Ford was killed the day after Christmas in 1927 by another robber, the partnership had to be dissolved to settle the estate. Harry and his family were back looking for work.Two of Mabel's brothers, Loy     and Grady, were then living near Parkin, Arkansas, so Harry and the family moved to Parkin and he began work in the Red & White Food Store. There were two partners in business together, and when one was discovered stealing from the other that business folded and Harry was back looking for work. Delbert Statler and his wife, Nellie, had moved to Parkin also, really to Earle, and in the fall of 1928 the needs of both families were shared. Delbert and Nellie had work and a house, but no furniture. (continued)