RUSK LIBRARY STUDY CLUB
Mary Hassell, area native, tells her life story
BY BETTY TOWNSEND

The Rusk Library Study Club met Tuesday. Nov. 13, in the fellowship hall of the Presbyterian Church.

Presenter for this month's meeting was Mary Hassell who gave a brief history of her life, as the course of study for this year is "My Life up Until Now."

Mary Morgan Hassell was born at Lynches Chapel, the oldest of four children.

The family lived on a farm and Mary and her siblings learned to work in the field, milk cows and all the other work that made small farms productive during the post depression and wartime era. She related that her Christian parents taught their children respect and the value of work.

Though they didn't have a lot of material things, they always knew they were loved.

They didn't go on vacations, but occasionally went to the river to fish. Mrs. Hassell attended Alto High School and worked summers at Indian Mound Nursery.

After graduation she was employed by International Harvester in Alto. A young man named Leahmon just home from the war began coming in the store to see Mary and they married two years later.

He had just gotten started in the poultry business and together, they built a profitable chicken farm consisting of several houses, both broiler and layers. They were in the egg producing business for a number of years, while also rearing a family of three daughters and a son. When Sonny, the youngest, developed a lung condition which made him very ill, they gave up the poultry business. The sickness was proven to be caused by the dust from the chicken houses.

Leahmon then sold and bought timber and Mary kept the books for this business. Leahmon suffered ill health for several years and died almost two years ago.

Mary has nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Two of her daughters live in the Rusk area. She states she has had a very happy life and has lived in the same location in the Beulah community for 55 years.

Following a short inspirational reading, the meeting adjourned.