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| Abe Tucker |
The following tale is 100 percent true. That is, it is told and told repeatedly as being the truth. I remember my uncle telling this story, as well as my father. Occasionally, we would have family get-togethers, and the subject of the supernatural would invariably arise. The following story would always be told. I imagine I was a pre-teen during those days. The adults always told stories, and they always frightened me. Now for the story:
My great-great-grandfather was John H. Williamson. Everyone called him, "Mr. John." His wife (second wife; he had been a widower) was Mrs. Elizabeth Williamson. Everyone called her, "Mrs. Liz." or "Liz." She had been a widow.
The Williamsons lived in a time when people still drove horse-drawn wagons. Tractors were more common than motor vehicles, though some families had both. Automobiles weren't quite a rarity, but they were still fairly unique in that part of North Texas.
The couple owned and operated a fair-sized grocery store and gas station within walking distance of the White River. It was located right off the road, west of Highway 73. Everyone traded at their store because it was the nearest place to do business. The only other store was 12 miles away in the small town of April Fields.
In this area, the only other sign of civilization was a "holiness" church. The rest of the land was dotted with farmhouses. The residents of the area, with no exceptions, were farmers. Entire families worked from sunup to sundown to make a living off the land. That, and to raise cattle. Whatever was left over would be canned or sold in April Fields.
In addition to the grocery store, Mr. John ran an automotive shop. He didn't have a great deal of success. Business was almost always slow, but, whenever there was a problem with a tractor or a vehicle, the residents would always call on Mr. John to fix the problem. On the days when he had nothing to do (which were frequent), he worked in the store alongside Mrs. Liz.
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