George Joseph Vining:
An Account of His Life

Chapter Three

We landed 3 miles below Pine Bluff in the year of the "Big Rise" -- 1843 -- and as we thought in the most forlorn, desolate, God-forsaken place imaginable. Mother was not prepared for such a radical change. From life in a big city to that place was too much for her. The change was not only in place, but in people and things, environments -- moral and spiritual. An old frame stone store house surrounded by dense woods, right on the bank of the river 3 miles below Pine Bluff. Just a little patch of land. No well even. I think we cast cut off and crowded into 2 rooms in back part of the store. No conveniences. Nothing homelike, no flowers or shrubbery. No nothing, no neighbors.

Many Negroes, Indians, French, and half breeds -- Americans came in plenty from Pine Bluff, when they found out there was good picking or stealing. Strange to say that I cannot remember a great deal of those days -- it was only a short time, and things went fast. I think it was worse than the pirate we had escaped from, if the situation was bad the people were ten times worse. Law and men --order-- or the rights of others were little respected, they were animals --anomaly-- in character. Hospitable, but treacherous, kind to do you a favor, but would steal the shoes off your feet. The moral law or the principles of it were unknown. Smartness, as trickery was timid --termed--, was a sufficient capital and might was right. A whole book on this part of my life could be written. I cannot remember but few connecting links between myself and the other children at this time -- strange.

My mother and Aunt lived but a short time, I think 2 or 3 months. I think they were actually marked and depressed in the mind, I now know they must have been homesick, then they were suffering with malaria, and I think --I believe they were surrounded with a malarial atmosphere and-- had the fever of the country at that time. I heard afterwards that a prescription had been wrongly filled adding to the trouble, if not the full cause of death of both although they died a month apart. I cannot describe my mother. I have reason to believe she was the very opposite of my Father in nearly everything. She was a blonde -- fair complexion, above the man --median-- in height, good sweet countenance. I think she would love her home, and I know she loved her children and devoted herself to them.

Now the mystery I've before spoken appears. She brought goods with her from England that I should think were worth perhaps $10,000 maybe more. Dry goods, clothing, hats and caps, boots and shoes. Blankets, groceries, ammunition, liquors, wines, whiskey, rum, brandy, etc. etc. etc. in profusion --in proportion--. Well, Pa never had any practical sense, knew less of that business than would a ten year old boy of the present day. Thought everybody was honest, anybody's word was good for a hundred dollar's worth, and many of them got it without any word, just helped themselves , stole. Ma must have been down sick. I know she could have had no voice or choice in the matter -- Pa was always full of drink all the time and tried to fill everybody else -- there was more of liquor drunk for awhile than water, and the gambling was going on at the same time -- people helping themselves and selling to every Tom, Dick and Harry. A little tortoise shell box that you may remember lying on your Mother's bureau was given to me as ours about 20 years after -- I have now given to our dear Reba. It has your grandmother's initials engraved in silver on it.

You know it couldn't last long, nor did it. I do not remember the wind up. I recollect that soon the big store was bare, Mother was dead in buried in her grave and Aunt's a short distance from the house near the bank of the river looking lonely and weird. I and the youngest sister was alone in the house with a half-breed French family name Jennings.

An incident took place that I shall never forget when we were playing down near the river, when Jenning's little boy slipped and fell in. He was probably it little younger than I. He had sunk once or twice and I can yet see the top of his yellow head looking just like a can foam floating out in the river, and I ran out on the roots of an old tree that was caving in and got them by the hair of his head and held him until help came. I think perhaps sister Bessie ran for help. She was two years younger than I. I remember that after they had taken him to the house and resustained --restored-- him that the parents proposed to me that I should give the boy some of my belongings. I do not remember what it was -- some of my clothing and I didn't give it willingly -- but they took it all the same -- soon they, too were gone, and I was by myself.

Pa wanted whiskey and exerted himself excitement and went to Pine Bluff for it. I remember staying one night by myself all night, and many days without a soul to look after me or care for me. I was often hungry, glad to find a crust, old rusty bacon raw, old codfish uncooked that had been thrown away was the menu I lived upon. Even my clothes had disappeared -- we had been well equipped with good costly clothing. Mother brought over lots of English broadcloth -- but all was gone -- to go back a little bit a little.