The Powers Family
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OUR V.I.P. (VIVIEN INGRAM POWERS)
The Powers' Family History
By Don Henderson
- Pictured above is Paul Powers Sr., Gladys Powers, Lela Pritchett Powers,
Pappy (S. L.) Pritchett, John (Big Daddy) Powers, and Viviien Powers taken
in about 1949 in front of the Hamburger stand in Athens. Big Daddy and Mamma
Powers lived across the street in an apartment. The stand was on highway 31
west, on the right heading toward Malakoff. Mamma Powers was the chief cook and
Pappy Pritchett (Mamma Powers' father) was the chief bottle washer. They served
hamburgers, fries, chili, French fries and were one of the original "fast-food"
establishments. This was during the time when all Texas High Schools had open
campus and were allowed to leave campus for dinner (Noon meals for all of you
Yankees) The hamburger stand was full every day. When Big Daddy and Mamma
Powers retired sometime in the '60's they moved back to Malakoff and lived in
the house next door to Cozette (Auntie) and Joe Barnette. The old stand became
a storage building in the back of Big Daddy's house.
- Big once had a place in Malakoff next to Tanner's Garage. He sold it to
Emmett and Opal Monroe and they later had a place on main street.
- Sometimes in the early days, John (Big Daddy) bought the rights to the
"Calf sandwich" This is now a family secret recipe. This sandwich was a big hit
in Malakoff and Henderson County.
- Big Daddy developed the original "hamburger helper" for his hamburgers. To
spread the hamburger meat farther, he mixed pieces of light bread and eggs into
the hamburger meat and Mamma Powers would then make these into patties for
hamburgers. Mother always said that the reason Mamma Powers was all "humped
over" was because she was always bent over making hamburgers. (Could it have
been osteoporosis?)
- When Big Daddy's stand was in Malakoff, he served Bonnie and Clyde several
times. They would pull up in their car and order hamburgers. Big Daddy would
take them their order( Was this the original "drive in" and Big was the
original car hop?)
- Gladys (my Mother) worked for John Powers when the had his hamburger stand
in Malakoff, She worked there before she married my Dad and then again after my
Dad died.
- Big Daddy loved to fish and so did Pappy Pritchett. Auntie would take Big
fishing after he had retired. He also enjoyed shelling peas, which he did a lot
of.
- Paul Powers married my Mother (Gladys Powers) in 1940 after my Father died
in a car accident in 1939. God gave me a new family, the Powers. I was blessed
with a Brother, Paul (Bubba) Powers Jr. and a sister born in 1941, Vivien
Leigh. Auntie Cozy became my Aunt Cozy. She was always an inspiration to all of
us. Big Daddy was called that because the was "BIG" Big Daddy and Mamma Powers
always treated Vivien and I with an ice cream cone when we visited at the
hamburger stand. Mother, Paul and Vivien lived in Pr. Neches, where Paul worked
for B.F. Goodrich (Later Goodrich/Gulf) rubber company. Paul worked the
"Graveyard" shift (11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.) and would get a "long weekend"
after a week of "graveyard". This is when they traveled from Pt. Neches to
Malakoff and Athens. I lived with my grandparents, Oscar and Grace Henderson,
in Malakoff. Auntie Cozy and Joe Barnette lived in Malakoff, where Joe was the
local barber and part time rancher. During these "long weekend" visits I would
get to go to The Powers' Hamburger Stand and enjoy that ice cream cone.
Understand, this was a big deal. We only got ice cream when, on occasion, we
made "homemade" ice cream or "snow ice cream" when it snowed. Of course now
days, we all have our "Blue Bell" any time we want it. Not to mention, there is
lead in snow.
- On one of these visits we went to a basketball game in Malakoff and saw Joe
Barnette Jr. play. He was a senior in 1947, so this could have been the year
that we saw him play. After the game, Viv had too much "junk" at the game
(peanuts I think) and she got sick. I spent the night at Auntie's and wet her
bed. (Yes I was about 7 or 8 and I was a "bed-wetter" Don't remember staying
there again. Could there be a connection (wet bed)?
- Starting in the late '40's I began to visit with the Powers (Paul, Gladys
(Mother) and Vivien) in Pt. Neches. One of Paul's favorite things to do was to
go to McFaddin's beach on his long weekends. Mother hated the beach, but she
wanted to be with Paul, so she always went. We would stay all day and I got the
worst sunburn of my life during one of these excursions. This is the same time
that I chased a blue balloon in the surf and caught it. The Portuguese Man of
War that I caught stung the hell out of me and I cried for 3 hours. Everyone,
up and down the beach for miles, knew I was hurt. Mother was so upset that I
was hurt. There was a parade of people that came by, each with his own home
remedy for the stings. Cover it with wet sand, pour beer on it, use tobacco
juice, Baking soda and a myriad of other "well-meant" aids that did
nothing to ease the pain. By the next day the pain had subsided. Then there was
the sunburn that I cried about for three days off and on. This special day
introduced me to my elementary Marine science, which I spent almost 40 years
teaching. Bubba also visited during the summer and he and some of his older
friends took a large seine and went out to the sandbar and seined up all of the
Gulf creatures. This was my introduction to stingrays, bonnet head sharks, blue
crabs, croaker and other interesting animals. It would serve me well later when
for more than 30 years I took high students on Galveston field trips to seine
and study marine organisms.
- I only wish I could remember more of the great stories that are related to
this, but alas, much of the good stories are gone with our loved ones. Maybe
some of you could email me with more stories and we could write them down
before they are lost forever.
ebadon@sbcglobal.net
Jimmie Meadows, Pappy's Pritchett's sister in law, sister to
Grandma Pritchett (Alice Atwood)
There are no pictures of Pappy's wife that I have ever seen.
Jpeg
picture of Big Daddy's Stand
Big Daddy, Auntie Cozy, Mamma Powers, Paul
Senior
Paul Sr., Gladys, Mamma Powers, Pappy (Sebe) Pritchett, Big Daddy, Vivien;
July 1949
Jpeg File of this Picture
Jpeg File of this Picture
Inside Powers' Hamburger Stand: Big Daddy, Mamma Powers, Auntie Cozette
July 1951
Paul Senior and Vivien Below a Powers' Hamburger Stand
This one looks different to me. I'm not sure if this is the same one or
not. Does any one know? If you have any comments email me
ebadon@sbcglobal.net
Could this be a hamburger stand that they found on one of their trips?
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