Death of an oak late July 2008 .

A beautiful 15 foot oak tree mysteriously decided to die. Don't know if it was the drought, the heat, or it just got tired of the poor sandy soil of Elgin but whatever the reason it bit the dust. Aurevoir little oak tree ! Memorials may be mailed to.......................!

Larry - July 2008

Current mug shots of Larry, July 2008.

Me and Dad 1940

Me and Dad in 1940. This is also the last time we had a Ford.

1956 trip to California

In June 1956 the family embarked on a 1 month car trip to California to celebrate Ruby and Bill's 25th wedding anniversity. We were in a 1953 black Pontiac without air conditioning . A grand time was had by all !! This photo was in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

Gayle the high school pinup

Gayle strikes a high school pinup pose.

Allen Service Station 1958

Me and Dad in front of Allen Service station 1958. The "b" was always leaning. Gas was 3.3 gallons for a $1.00.

My first car

My first car was a 1954 Chevrolet Bel Air with a 3 speed manual transmission. I purchased it my sophmore year in college, 1959 at the grand age of 19, and drove it until I graduated in 1962.

You can trust your car........

"You can trust your car to the man who wears the Star.... the bright red Texaco Star....!!! My first job was an attendant at Dad's Texaco station. The reason I'm pictured in a corn field is because Dad and I won the S.C. state corn contest for 1954 with a yield of 110 bushels per acre !!

Kingstree station

Bill's first Kingstree service station. Believe the name was " West End Service Station". The location was on highway 52 beside B.W. Baker's furniture store which was beside Black River as highway 52 from Charleston entered Kingstree.

Evelyn's wedding 1954 Guys

These are the guys at cousin Evelyn's wedding 1954. Front row : Johnnie Bradham, Larry Allen, Joel Player . Back row : Theodore McClary, Bill Allen, Olin Adams, Richard Bradham, Robert Dukes.

Evelyn's Wedding 1954 Girls

These are the girls at cousin Evelyn's wedding 1954. Front row

: Kitty Player, Betty Allen, Madeline Adams, Sharon McClary, Linda McClary. Back row :Sandra McClary, Jinny Lou McClary, Ruby Allen, Mae Adams, Grace Stevens, and Gayle Allen.

Marsha

Marsha has been my friend since the 70's. She now lives in Jacksonville Florida.

Moma Bessie and Mr. Robert

Mrs. Bessie Duke was Mother's step mother. She's pictured here with her 2nd husband Mr. Robert Dukes. She's the "grand parent" I remember most.

Teresa

Teresa has been a friend since the late 70's. She lives in Columbia.

Grand Dad Bradham

Ruby's Dad Willie Manley Bradham died in 1924.

Kevin

Kevin has been a friend since the late 70's. He has retired and is now living in New Hampshire.

Allen Grandparents

This is Dad's parents, Thomas Eugene Allen, Sr (died 1945), Mary Brunson Allen (died 1959) pictured here with Thomas Eugene Allen, Jr (Uncle Bruiser..died 1987). All Dad's brothers and sisters have passed away.

Leroy

This is my friend Leroy. He and I have been friends since 1989. He and his wife reside in Elgin.

Young Bill

This is William Allen, our Father. This photo was in the early '30's. Ruby and Bill married in 1931. As Bill was born in 1909 he'd have been 100 next year. Unfortunately he left us in 1977. He and Ruby were married 47 years.

The Bradham children (app. 1918)

These are the Bradham children in app. 1918, Grace (bow in hair, corner), Ansel (cap right corner), Mae (high Chair), Richard (next to high chair, left side), Ruby (next to high chair,right side), Salley ( front row in front of Ruby). Willie and Jin weren't born yet. As of July 2008 only Salley survives and she is 90.

Elvis and family

April, 1975. Me holding Kim, Annette to the side and Stephen getting out of the car at the Allen home in Kingstree.

Age of Aquarius

Gayle is a true flower child during the age of aquarius.

Beautiful young ballerina

Daughter Kim is a beautiful young ballerina !

Young Man

Tommy.....?. Tyler.....?. Stephen.....? If you guessed Stephen you'd be right !