Guy Hall spent his childhood running through the swamps of Madison.
By Kristin Finney
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Guy Hall was born in Madison, and although he left for a while, he has found his way back to his roots.
He did not go to school, much of his childhood was spent working or doing things for his family. His grandmother died when Hall was only eight years old, and that took a major toll on his childhood.
Hall recalls a Madison quite different from present day. There was very little to do other than play with friends, work or hunt. But he made the best of the situation.
During his childhood he spent his days working and running through the swamps. “I spent a lot of time in the swamps. I was almost always there when I wasn’t working,” he stated. “I liked being alone and not being around other people.”
He enjoyed hunting for rabbits and squirrels. He even recalled hunting a “swamp rat.” He ate everything that he killed, including the “swamp rat.” He recalled, “It tasted real good, like squirrel.”
Though he didn’t spend his afternoons hanging out with friends or playing ball, Hall had plenty to keep him busy. “I worked since I was six years old,” he explained. He worked in the fields and on farms of some local farmers.
Hall served in the Army during World War II and following the war moved to New York for a while. His time in New York did not dampen his desire for the small town though, because he returned home to Madison after a few years.
Later in life, after returning from New York, he worked as a junk man. He and his wife spent the rest of their lives in Madison. While his daily diet now doesn’t consist of much squirrel or “swamp rat,” he hasn’t forgotten his roots or his youth in Madison.
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