Tope Family Page

    Harry and Mable had furniture but no house and no work. So the Topes moved to Earle putting their furniture in Statlers house. Harry began looking for work in all of the small towns and even in Memphis. January of 1929 began with not much hope, Charles, age 2, had a case of pneumonia, Harry had no work, the family had no place to call home, and then on January 6, Delores was born. Rejoice! At least I do.
    Information came from Lilbourn that work might be had there, so Harry and Mabel decided to go back there with the family and be with old friends and familiar surroundings. The day they arrived in Lilbourn, Harry received a call from Mr. Brenner to come to Parkin to work in his grocery store at $37.50 a week. The family rushed back to Parkin and he began his 13 years working for Mr. Fred Brenner.
    The Depression began to be felt in that part of Arkansas by March of 1929. Harry had attended meat-cutting school in Memphis, but did not like being away, so he quit and learned the trade by trial and error as he worked. As the Depression really hit he was cut from $37.50 a week to $27.50 and before the year was out to $17.50. To complicate matters, he and Mabel had sold their Bell Telephone Stock in December 1928, and paid all they could on a new Model A Ford. Even so they owed $125.00 on it and even at $25.00 a month, and $17.50 a week income, it was difficult to pay for the car. Besides that it was a LEMON!
    1940 brought more change, this time for the better Mr. Brenner sold the business to Harry by letting Harry assume his outstanding business debts. and paying monthly for the fixtures. The bank loaned Harry the money for the stock and Tope's Food Market came into existence, with the building being leased. World War II hit in December 1941 and all of the debts were cleared off in 22 months. As the new stock of groceries would arrive customers would almost clear the shelves in one day, especially all of the rationed items.
    During those years from l929-1940, Aunt Effie, Mabel's sister, came to live with the family. She and Mabel shared the housework. In the winter they would quilt, especially in the Minnie House where they had a large attic. Harry put a swing up there and the children could literally swing from the rafters while Mammaw and Aunt Effie would quilt. (Delores says the swing was just for her.) Harriet was born in 1935 and in that same year the moved to the house they built on the highway east of Parkin. The land was purchased from Mr. Frazier. Payments on the house were $17.50 a month, this was still while Harry was making only $17.50 a week, although as the depression eased his 'salary' was very slowly increased. The Lord provided and the house was paid off in less than 15 years. They had a garden, orchard, chickens, cows, and the convenience of water at the neighbors, until a well was dug and later the water line extended.
    At the close of World War II, Harry put in a frozen food locker with 240 boxes. It was the first frozen food locker in the area and was a boon to business because this was before the days of home freezers. Business was so good that Vernon Paul leased the building out from under Harry. After checking with a lawyer, Harry then sold the business to Mr. Paul for $28,000. He and Mabel moved down the street to another location. It was not the best in Parkin and they were discouraged, so they sold out and moved to Sikeston, Missouri, in 1947. Later, Vernon Paul offered Harry $100.00 a week to return to Parkin and run the business, but he thought it best to leave well enough alone. Eventually Mr. Paul lost the business.
    Thus endeth the early history of Harry and Mabel. The rest of us who are living know, and can write for ourselves what has followed since 1947.