Cowpens memories - swimming at Rainbow Lake

 

Another great memory from my childhood,  we would go to Rainbow Lake to swim.  I am not sure what happened to this place! I read that it was closed for improvements in 1967 but then the county decided to NOT reopen it.   

Cowpens Memories... 1982 photo of Potter's General Store

I remember this place just like it is still open , but sadly it is just  a memory now.  So glad they did not tear the building down and it has been converted to loft homes for rent.  I bought a Christmas present for my wife there - believe it or not - it was an old fashioned "sifter" for flour. Hahaha 

 

Memories of my mother and father

Seems my parents are always on my mind, missing them is  a reality of life on earth.  My niece April Wyatt sent this photo she took many years ago now.  My dad (Gene ) and mom (Martha)  are enjoying Heaven together and I would not want it any other way.   Dad passed away  on  July 12, 2018 (8 years ago) and Mom passed away Dec 17, 2023 (almost 3 years ago)   

Click to view /read their obituary online... 

 Rev Gene Franklin    and 

 Martha Rice Franklin   
 

nothing quite like good memories, are there?

 Good memories... from their family vacation to Maui in  2009:

Uncle Kelsea Baggett with his son Dan Baggett.   

Kelsea passed on to glory in 2017 and we do miss him.  

10 year anniversary for Pastor Joshua Franklin( our son)

 Our son Joshua became senior pastor 10 years ago 

at Open Door Baptist in Greensburg PA 

Elden Fay Richardson circa 1912

 

This picture is from the about  1912  

Elmer Richardson and Elden Fay Richardson (father and son)

Elden was Cindy's Grandfather  - and father of  Winnifred Richardson Baggett.

 

one our favorite places to visit

 We met in college in TN and really enjoyed going to Cloudland Canyon with friends.   We have been back to visit the state park several times since moving to Georgia in 2007. Oh, and this is one my favorite pics from our youth! (My, how time flies)

 

Down Memory Lane

Those were the days!  Such a cute picture of cousins Carl Baggett and Rhonda Baggett.  

 

Pine Bluff Video - Times they are a-changing

 

 

 My wife grew up in Pine Bluff, AR and it was a thriving town back in the 1970's when we met at college. Things sure have changed over the years. I knew many of her family moved out of the city , but we did not realize the sad state of Pine Bluff now. Until we watched this video by Peter Santenello

remembering those who died for our country "Hymn to the Fallen"

Remembering two mother's in Heaven

 Since it was Mother's Day this month, I am remembering these two sisters who were such good mothers. This is a photo I took and I think  this was the last time they got to see each other in person. Mom's sister, Aunt Louise and my mother, Martha - taken outside Aunt Louise's home in  Jefferson City, TN.  I will always remember how long they hugged and cried to be together again! 

Now they are in Heaven together.  O Happy Day!  

Louise Rice McDaniel & Martha Rice Franklin 

Finally got the blog post done - click link to view - Congrats to Natalie!

  https://franklybaggs.blogspot.com/2026/05/natalie-graduates-from-bju-on-may-8th.html

Family cars - memories over the years 1980's decade

Well our Belvedere was on it's last legs by 1982. A friend from church had swapped out the V6 (slant six) engine with a good used V8 engine. This kept us going until we were able to purchase a brand new Plymouth Reliant K Car Station Wagon in 1982.  I think this is the only brand new vehicle we ever bought.  We took many trips to Houston(Pasadena) TX, and Pine Bluff AR and Cowpens SC over the  years. I remember one Christmas we drove from Pine Bluff AR to Cowpens SC after Christmas with a car full of toys, so many that we had to make a trip back to Cowpens to bring home the toys from my parents.  

 Our next vehicle (used) was a 1986 Plymouth Reliant K car sedan, yes I used to love Plymouths! I am not sure what year we bought this , but probably around 1990.  The only issue was the fuel sensor , it seemed to go out when it got too hot, since it was on top of the engine, and we carried an extra sensor in our glove box.. I can literally say we drove this one until it died as the transmission went out before we traded it in for another vehicle.  So I used our new car to push the old car over the main street bridge in Jacksonville, to turn it into the dealer. hahaha 

Family cars - memories over the years 1960's decade

 

Ford Falcon 1964

The first car that I drove was a 1964 Ford Falcon.  Favorite memories:  we use to pick up other family or friends to ride to church with us. One Sunday after church we drove home in a downpour and my dad drove through a large puddle of water and the water splashed all of us in the back seat (as the floorboard was rusted out) LOL!  Second memory, the gear shift was not working and if you stopped at a light or stop sign, you had to shift all the gears to get back to first gear. So being my smart self, I turned the corner too fast in downtown Cowpens, on the road going to Cowpens High. Too fast because if you slowed down too much, you had to stop completely and shift the gears to proceed.  But the Cowpens policeman did not like that explanation when he pulled me over, but thankfully he only gave me a warning. Oops  

Plymouth Belvedere 1964 

The second car I drove was our 1964  Plymouth Belvedere...We bought it used, but when I left to go to college, my parents decided I needed a car and allowed me to drive to college in Tennessee (all four  years) . They eventually signed the title over to me and this was our first car as a family (when Cindy and I got married in  1977)  Memories abound:  1st memory - Cindy's brother Sam stuffed tissue in the carburator so it would not start when we were leaving for our honeymoon. Being a mechanic, he was quick to repair it. hahaha I guess he paid us back by painting the car in AR one year.   This car had a slant six motor and was a very faithful car until we bought  a car in 1982.  (more to come)  

Have a Merry Cowpens Christmas 2025 !

 

Merry Christmas to all!  

WW II 1944-1946 - Dad served his country in the U S Navy

 Thanks you, Dad, for your service to our country in WW II , U S NAVY, 1944-1946!

Gene Franklin is pictured on the last row,  6th from the left. 

Happy Thanksgiving Day 2025

 

"never be ashamed of your tears"

 

Cowpens Calvary Baptist celebrates 60 years Oct 12 2025

 Cowpens Calvary Baptist Church was founded (planted) by my parents,  Rev. Gene and Martha Franklin in 1965.  My sister Deborah and  I  were  one of the founding members. This Oct 12th, will be the 60th anniversary Homecoming Day service.  

The church's 3rd pastor will be preaching, Pastor Jeff Jones.  The current location is at 451 Pleasant Valley Rd Spartanburg, SC 29307  (click to view map)

Good old southern sayings

 A most unusual "Southern Saying" is "Big ears in the cornfield"  

I have to admit , I had never heard this saying until after our children were born.  On one of our visits to my wife's family in Arkansas, we were talking about some issue (cannot remember that issue now) and Cindy's mom (Winnie Baggett) would remind us to be quiet because there were "big ears in the cornfield".

Meaning that our kids were around and be careful what you say (and what they hear)!   I have used this expression over and over since then.   

Musings from my life in South Carolina

After my first year of college, my Aunt Earline was able to help me get a job at the cotton mill in Chesnee, SC.  I worked three summers there, after my freshman, sophomore and junior years of college.  My first summer there was in the first room of the mill , putting cotton into the bins to start the process of producing yarn.  This is where I first heard the southern saying " I feel like I have been rode hard and put away wet!".  Our mechanic at the mill was called the "fixer" and he would drop by to visit with me and rest awhile.  Many days he would use this expression and I would smile or laugh - even though I had never heard that expression before and had no earthly idea what it meant. HaHaHa I just pretended I did and carried on...  Well , later that year  I was back at college in Chattanooga and was at my job at the Chattanooga Public Library.  I repeated this expresstion to the security guard and he just smiled and said , "do you know what that means?" I honestly admitted that I did not, so he explained the meaning, that it was bad for the horse's health if you rode the horse and then put the horse in the stable without wiping him down (all the sweat) first.  To read more about this phrase click here...