"My father and uncles talked about my grandfather John Allan all the time. He was larger than life; a Renaissance man living in the South with a 4th grade education. He was a landowner, farmer, blacksmith, distiller and musician who played six instruments. He owned 75 acres when most blacks were sharecroppers. His blacksmith shop was patronized by whites and blacks. His white lightning was the best for miles around. A loving husband, he shot and killed a drunken sheriff who touched my grandmother inappropriately. Still, he was a powerful role model. A carpenter, he taught his sons to be handy. My uncles worked as a team to remodel their respective homes. They did plumbing, electrical work, wallboard and cabinetry. My cousins and I remember them as men who worked hard, brought their money home, respected and loved their wives, and provided decent homes. They were living examples to us. If only we and subsequent generations could do as well.
Douglas Allan Harris