Hello,

Here are a few of my memories of growing up in the 1940's in the restaurant Mom and Dad operated in New Canton.

Omer Megehe and Edna Yelton met, probably in the summer of 1918, at the Kinderhook picnic. I recall when Mom told me about it, she said it turned out to be a dark day in her life. But, who's to say...57 years of marriage and eight children later, certainly not me. Something must have been going for them, or perhaps it was just Dad's easy going ways and little patience from both.

Most of my memories start with the little house in Whipporwill Hollow. Of course I thought it was "big" then, but I can't even imagine how a family of ten lived in such a tiny house. The one bedroom I remember, had it seems nothing but beds ( 2 or 3?) in what must have been a very small room. The kitchen and living room were somewhat larger, but not much, with I am told a small bedroom off the kitchen. We had electricity then, when most rural people did not. There was a well that we drew water from. Mom had her garden where she worked (and probably some kids too) and raised most of the food we ate. It must have been a hard life for her but those were hard times for many people because of the depression era. I believe Dad worked for the WPA and had a few odd jobs. There was very little extra money, so everybody pulled together and just made do with what they had. I was just five when we moved, but I have many happy memories of the "hollow". Of course, I didn't know we were poor!

In 1941 Mom and Dad were loaned two thousand dollars by Milford Bess who was married to Ruth at that time. With this money they bought the restaurant in town. I am sure Milford had a great deal to do with all of this because Mom and Dad came to hold him in the highest regard. However, after the war he and Ruth were divorced much to their dismay. Thinking back, this must have been quite a venture for a family with few resources, to attempt. It was probably a case of just having a little nerve plus "what you don't know won't hurt you". In any case they moved forward and we all came to town and from then on life was a new learning experience for everyone. Bud and I were just 3 and 5 years old, and I'm sure we were underfoot a lot. I remember tasting the different flavors of soda pop for the first time. What a kids paradise....soda, ice cream, candy. We were the envy of all the kids I'm sure. Mom kept a tight rein on us though, most of the time anyway. For a long time I was too small to be of any help, but Doris and Polly got their turns in the kitchen. Seems that the dishes were never done. My turn came later, but I guess I lucked out because by that time Mom had acquired the most work saving appliance of all, a dishwasher. What a dream, all those mountains of coffee cups and dishes washed in a few minutes. For a long time she had a wringer washer and Monday was wash day, Tuesday you ironed. She finally acquired a mangle iron that could be used while sitting. Some good things have come to pass and one of them has to be permanent press. On the list of worst chores had to be ironing. Most of us had a job, but there was still time for fun. Mom kept her garden for several years, but not as big because she had less time for it. We lived at the restaurant with the beds upstairs. Mom and Dad opened the restaurant at 6:30 in the morning and stayed open until 10:00 or 10:30 at night.

Mom's kitchen proved to be a meeting for most of the customers. Most times when someone came in, the crowd was in the kitchen so that is where they headed. Many, many visiting hours were spent in Molly's Kitchen. In the days before school lunches, the kids came in for lunch and Mom would have stacks of hamburgers ready for them. Customers were served a "plate lunch" for 65 cents noon and evening. Of course they had their regular customers that never failed to come in for Mom's home cooking. She was a plain cook but a good one and had plenty of compliments, plus her pies were the very best. I don't think anyone ever went away hungry. Everything was made from scratch, no pre-packaging in those days. When she fried chickens she would go or send on of us kids down the street to the poultry house for chickens. She would cut their heads off with an ax, and of course the chicken would, as they say, run around with his head off, then it was scalded, feathers plucked, cleaned and ready for the skillet. I have helped do that, but can't even imagine doing it today. Just think of it, every time you wanted fried chicken you had to do all that. Kind of makes you appreciate Colonel Sanders doesn't it? We just didn't have all the convenience foods and everything was prepared by hand. It did take a lot more time. Ronnie hunted and fished so much too, it seemed we always had something good to eat, like lots of ducks and geese, fish, whatever was in season. Mom always made sure to save the feathers from the birds for pillows. Nothing was wasted in those days.

New Canton was a thriving community back in the forties. There was usually a couple of restaurants, one or more grocery stores, two hotels, a blacksmith shop, and of course a tavern or two. Then, there was Tipton's Barber Shop. It was part of the restaurant building and right next door. A lot of memories are connected with the barber shop, because it was usually a source of reliable information which Bob never failed to come next door and pass on, along with the latest jokes. We had some good times with Bob. There was also a movie theater that ran movies on Wednesday and the weekends. Cost of a movie was 15 and 25 cents. Everyone loved the movies. The stars were great back then, movies in black and white, and "Movietone News" with news of the war, and usually a western serial for the little and "big" kids. Movies then were different. They may seen corny by todays standards but they had a story with a point and most often a happy ending. They always made us feel good. We loved them, and of course the stars. There were no TV's until well after the war, then it was pretty much the end of the movie theaters, especially for the small towns. After the war things pretty much started to change a lot.

On December 7, 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor which put our country into World War II. Jimmy and Virgil soon left to do their part along with many others. It is hard to explain about the war years, especially after Korea and Viet Nam. Everyone was sorry it happened but at the same time knew that we had no choice and were committed and willing to do their part toward the war effort. Everything was rationed or recycled. We saved everything from gum wrappers to string. Nothing was wasted that might go toward the war effort. Maybe it was easier for folks back then, because the depression was still only a memory away when times were so hard that everyone was used to saving. We had ration stamps for many, many food items, and a lot of the staples. Everything was in short supply. Since Mom and Dad had the restaurant business we were allowed more rations so we probably were luckier then most. We stayed glued to the radio for any news of the war. No one knew where their sons or daughters were. There was alot of secrecy concerning the war. When anyone received letters from the boys overseas, it would be a small photo copy "V-Letter" with words cut or blacked out. So everyone, especially parents worried and waited praying that they were safe. Sometimes we would have what they called "black-outs". Every light in every town in a designated area would be turned off for a period of time. It was a test just in case enemy planes might attack the United States, and that would make areas harder to see from the air. Fortunately that never happened here, but there were very many cities in Europe where they were not so lucky. Can you imagine a blackout now? Back in those days we hardly ever saw planes, and I can remember running outside to look when we heard one fly over. Can you imagine when we saw a jet for the first time, and that wasn't until after the war. Brings to mind Dad telling me when he was a boy and saw his first car. He was in Kinderhook with his Dad when everyone heard this great noise, looking down the road they saw not one but five cars coming into town. Dad said he remembered saying, "I hope I live long enough to get to ride in one of them someday". I guess they weren't just a passing fancy as some people thought at the time.

While the war raged in Europe, life went on all across the country, we worked and waited and did our part. Everyday was pretty much the same in the restaurant. Mom cooked and did all the chores connected with the business. We all had our chores to do. We had a good time visiting and joking with the customers and friends. I remember the salesmen that always came by, the breadman, the soda pop man, and all the others that were there day to day. They always managed to spend at least an hour or more in Mom's kitchen. I used to wonder how they could have so much extra time on their routes to spend visiting, but I suspect now they planned it out that way so they could spend time where they enjoyed it...at Molly and Omers. The restaurant was closed only on a few holidays each year. Thanksgiving and Christmas usually brought big family dinners at tables put together in the restaurant. Sometimes one of the "regulars" would show up and Mom would feed them, so I guess they were never really closed. Those were times that I am sure many of you will always remember. I would like to mention some of the people who passed through our lives in those years. Early on were the men from the CCC Camp located just north of town. Many came in, in their uniforms, laughing playing the juke box, eating and having a good time. They were gone shortly after the war started. Mom and Dad had many faithful customers...especially Charlie Fisher and Earl Barley. A little lady I remember we called "Jenny Wren" that I loved to listen to. Kate Smith was there every afternoon for a Pepsi. A bus driver named George who used to stop and tap dance for us. Then another bus driver we called "Montana" that Polly has a big crush on. Oh yes, Cackle Pulliam who was sober as a judge through the week, but weekends we all got to listen to his songs about "Mabel". Can't forget the Minton or Wallace brothers, or Skinner Evans. Hannibal had a circuit riding preacher named Rev. Golden, who called himself "The Old Ridge Runner". Sometimes on his way back from his "circuit" he would stop to see "Maw Maw and Paw Paw" (as he would call Mom and Dad) and have an ice cream cone. He was a large jolly man and he loved to laugh and visit. We all looked forward to seeing him. So many people to remember, wish I could tell about all of them.

I can still see Dad sitting in his chair by the front window or on his haunches whistling at some new shelves he has just built...even though Mom said that's the last thing we needed. Dad loved to play the fiddle, and everyone loved to hear him. He had several friends who regularly came in and played music with him, like Elmer Ward, ( who had the brightest blue eyes), who usually played the banjo. Those were some good times listening to all the music. If I close my eyes and listen, I can still hear the "Orange Blossom Special" as only Dad could play it. Music was a big part of those years, if it wasn't Dad on the fiddle or banjo, we had the Juke Box going. Many times someone from out of town would come in and say they heard Dad played fiddle and would like to join in. Finally as the years passed and he grew older, his hearing grew worse and he slowly played less and less. He really enjoyed it though and had told me that his first fiddle when he was young was made from a cigar box. We really missed his music in those later years.

The war was finally over in 1945 and our brothers Jimmy and Virgil came home safe, and for that we were thankful. Many did not and it was so sad for their families. Soon after the war things began to change especially when television came around. Eventually we got a TV and of course sat around and stared at it just like today, but sometimes we had to use our imagination because the reception was so bad, but we were used to that because with the radio days you acquired a great imagination. I remember so many times when we all sat around the radio listening to all the shows in the evening and of course we had the afternoon "soaps" too.

Our world seemed somehow to be less complicated in those days, and I feel fortunate to have lived through those times. It was a quieter time where everybody counted on their friends and helped each other out. There have been a lot of changes an I am glad to have seen them, but I still miss those days past, and if I could have one wish, it would not be for wealth, but to go back and spend one day with Mom, Dad and our family at Megehe's Cafe.

Thanks for listening!
Libby (Megehe) Main Davis

The photo above was taken March 1950.
Behind the counter is Omer and Edna Megehe.
Sitting l-r, Earl Barley, Orie Veech, Skinner Evans, and Diech Smith.