TRADES AND SALE DAY

      On the first Monday of every month the town merchants sponsored what was called trades and sales day. It was just across the street from the North West Corner of the courthouse.

      Every farmer from miles away come to town for this occasion. They would bring things to sell at the auction. They would bring bicycles, Model T cars, wagons, hay, plows, mules, horses, donkeys, spare lumber , nuts and bolts, cultivaters, cows and any other animal they might want to sell. Also during harvest season the farmers brought some of their produce in for auction.

      I have seen them auction chickens, pocket knives, and some dogs. Hunting dogs back in those days was a big asset to a family. They used them for all types of hunting and to help round up their livestock.

      A man by the name of Jesse Kenneson was the auctioneer. He was a nice guy and also knew a lot of funny saying to keep curiosity high during the auction.

      Jess also did auction for many of the families that started moving away about 1939 when the war was getting started in Europe. They were getting jobs in manufacturing plants building ships and all types of war equipment.

     Starting in about 1939 Jess was kept busy with auctions. Many of the people were moving away to take jobs in the shipyards and other war time jobs. Most of these people sold their belongings for money to move.

TOMMY JONES