Courtesy Sandra K.
Gorin,
Gorin Genealogical Publishing
Volume 2 of Barren's Black Roots, (c) Aug 1992). By permission of
the author.
Herbert Lee
Craft “Hambone”
“The Great Love of
God is the greatest love of all ...” This is how I would like
my story to begin,
because it is how
I have lived my life, in the service of God.
“I am Herbert Lee
Craft, known to most people around Cumberland County as “Hambone.”
“I was born Dec.
19, 1907 in a section of Cumberland County known as Noah’s Hollow.
“My mother was
Ethyl Craft, the daughter of Lile Craft. My stepfather was John
Robert Cary. I had three half brothers, Grant Cary, Howard Cary and
Ross Cary and one half sister, Beulah Cary.
“As a child I
remember my mother and grandmother walking with me and my half
brothers and sister, across the fields to go to church. We attended
Mt. Moriah church. We did not have services every Sunday; each
church had a Sunday for worship. Grandmother and Mother would line
us up and we would start across the fields to the church. When the
church house was in sight we would sit down under a tree and dust
off our shoes, so we would look nice upon entering.
“I have enjoyed
music all my life. I play the guitar and banjo, and when I was
younger, I used to play at dances. I love the old songs and still
play and sing “Some of These Days,” “Rock of Ages”, and “Down by the
Riverside,” which I performed on a tape for the Cumberland County
Musical Heritage in 1988.
“When I was young
I worked for Fred Gander and Gene Able at Glasgow, KY. I have never
driven a car, but there was always someone to give me a ride every
day as I traveled the 40 miles each way to work and back.
“I think all the
young people know I love them as I do the older ones, and everyone
takes the time to say hello to “Hambone.”
(Source unknown and undated, photograph included) |