Author Archives: sec040121

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About sec040121

Hello....I'm in possession of a priceless collection of memoirs and memorabilia left by my mother, Sara Evans Criss. She was a native and lifelong (88 years!) devotee of our small town, who covered this peculiar and volatile corner of the world for 30 years as the Memphis Commercial Appeal's Greenwood bureau chief, a job that started out with debutantes and high school football and wound up spang in the midst of one of the twentieth century's most enduring social upheavals. This blog is dedicated to her memory and the legacy she left behind, both for her family and her community.

Crisco Connection

Posted on May 2, 2011 by sec040121

“We later moved to a house on Mississippi Avenue, stayed there a short time, and then moved to the ‘Buckeye house,’ which was located next to the Buckeye Cotton Oil Company (later Yazoo Valley Oil Mill). “Buckeye Cotton Oil was … Continue reading →

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Three’s a Crowd

Posted on April 30, 2011 by sec040121

“By the time I came along Mama and Daddy already had two little girls, and I am quite sure everyone but Mama was hoping that this one would be a boy. Mama was probably thinking how much more fun it … Continue reading →

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A Cloud of Witnesses

Posted on April 29, 2011 by sec040121

  “Mama (Jessie May West Evans) was born on October 5, 1895, on a small farm near Durant in Holmes County, Mississippi. Her parents were Thedorene Chavis West and Anderson West. She had an older sister Olive (‘Big’) and a … Continue reading →

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A Strong Start for an April Fool

Posted on April 28, 2011 by sec040121

“Spring has always been my favorite time of year, April my favorite month, so it was appropriate that my story should begin on April 1, 1921, in a small frame house at 1109 Strong Avenue in Greenwood, Mississippi. “I am … Continue reading →

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She was interesting, because she was interested

Posted on April 27, 2011 by sec040121

“She was interesting, because she was interested.” That’s the purloined phrase that my sister used to describe our mother, Sara Evans Criss, to the grandchildren soon after Sara’s death on September 11, 2009. For the past nineteen months, crates and … Continue reading →

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