Serving Barnwell County and its neighbors since 1852
Sometime in the late 1940’s, Barnwell’s nurse Evelyn Morris made a beeline to Mockie Holland’s Esso station on Main Street. Rolling her car window down, she explained her haste.
“Now, Mockie, there are worlds of trucks in front of my house. Those men are saying they are going to chop down my beautiful oak tree to build a sidewalk. Mockie, please come help me!”
According to our daddy, he closed his place of business and drove directly to Marlboro Avenue.
This magnificent oak tree is mighty handsome when viewed from the corner of Marlboro Avenue and Nightingale Street in Barnwell.
Sure nuff, the highway department was well represented. Our daddy, being a tall, healthy man appeared to be a tower of strength whose reputation of fairness to all, preceded him. After talking with the head man in charge, it was decided, mutually, that Evelyn’s oak tree would remain as was. Instead of the sidewalk being one straight shot, an attractive half-moon design would allow this beautiful oak a little room” to breathe.”
This little story has a happy ending because today, this beautiful tree thrives at 9438 Marlboro Avenue, with thanks to our daddy, Mockie Holland, whose persuasiveness preserved a priceless landmark: Evelyn’s oak!
P.S. When I emailed the forementioned article to the son of the late Monroe and Evelyn Morris, Winston’s response was thusly: “Can’t thank you enough for the beautiful pictures and the cute article. That oak tree looks the same as it did 80 years ago! I climbed every inch of it numerous times. Can’t thank you enough for sharing!”
Our friend Winston Morris took time to impart some of his vivid memories while growing up in barnwell: “Mr. Mockie, will you please give me two dollars’ worth of regular Esso gas? I see that it has gone up to $.18 a gallon, so that’s all I can afford right now.” And he would say something like, “That’s ok sweetheart, we’ll take care of it.”
And one of the boys would head out and pump the gas, and clean the windshields, check the tires and, if asked, sweep out the front floorboards and clean the rear window if needed. “Thank you, Mr. Mockie” as we drove two blocks down the street to “Morris and Peeples Drugs.”
Here’s hoping that you, too, will be kind enough to impart some of your tales of Barnwell in writing long before “the fat lady sings!”
