The Red Flannel Rag

This picture was taken shortly before Banks Shifflett died in 1921. He is holding Vernie Shifflett, his granddaughter --the oldest child of John Austin and Molly Crawford Shifflett.

On Sunday afternoons in the summer months, Dad would load us into the car

and cross Little North Mountain to pick up Grandma Molly. We would ride down

through Hopkins Gap and stop at Gertie Shoemaker’s general store at the lower end.

Dad would buy a hunk of strong cheese, a dozen slices of bologna, bread, crackers, and a

little bottle of coke for each person. With our picnic in hand, he drove us through the

Allegheny Mountains to Feedstone Mountain. These were great times for store bought

treats but also for memorable history lessons.

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