Giles Preston Stroup Story

Here are some things I heard from Uncle Lee (Daphna and Margaret's older brother) in 1992 were that Gr-Grandpa Pres was short, chubby and "bald-headed". Grandpa Pres had what is called "night blindness". There are several causes of night-blindness, including cataracts, glaucoma or a vitamin A deficiency. Lee said Grandpa Pres carried a lantern with him everywhere, as he couldn't see after dark, or before dawn. He would make a kind of "whoo-ooopie" call as he walked around. He kind of made the rounds of the neighborhood each morning, cadging breakfasts whenever he could. He also never missed a "hog killing", as he was especially fond of freshly made sausage. He had a little carriage, and a mule. He was a farmer, trader, and peddler. He would go to High Shoals, and trade produce from the farm to the mill hands for old stale bread. He then fed the bread to his hogs on his farm. He timed his trips so that he had dinner (noon meal) at the general store in High Shoals. At the store, the crackers were free, and he bought cheese (called hoop cheese), and soda pop - this was all a big treat. Uncles William and Lee would go and spend the night with him fairly often when they were small boys. He would make them fried fish for breakfast, which Grandpa Pres ate bones and all, and he served the boys coffee.

The information came from my late Uncle (Ivey) Lee Stroupe, from Alexis. Uncle William was William Erley Stroupe, Jr.

Written by Nancy Quesada.