By Kristin Finney
Greene Publishing, Inc.
At the age of 88, Ezell Moore has seen Madison grow and change in ways that many people could only imagine. Moore has lived in Madison all of her life since the day she was born. She grew up on a farm in Bethlehem and later moved to a farm in Greenville. “I was on a farm then, and I am still on a farm,” said Moore.
Growing up, Moore attended school in Bethlehem. School there went through the eighth grade. For fun, she and her friends would play ball, jump rope and play hide and seek. She recalled, “We would go to lunch at around noon, and after we got done eating we would shoot marbles until it was time to go back to work.” After eighth grade, Moore went to Madison Training School through the eleventh grade.
Back then, everyone who lived in the same community got water from the same well. Everyone knew everyone and helped one another out when they could. “We had to carry tubs to get water in. When daddy called us, he would blow on his fingers [whistling] for us,” said Moore. As one of 10 siblings, Moore had plenty to do around the house to stay busy. “We had to make our beds, clean the house and help cook.”
Church was a big part of life back then. “We went to church every first and third Sunday, and Sunday School on the second and fourth. We didn’t have church every Sunday back then. I remember asking my daddy for a penny to put in at Sunday School and he would say to me ‘money bit right now.” Which meant that money was tight.
Things have changed a lot in Madison since those days. Moore recalled that back then they did not eat out much at all. “We ate at home. There weren’t many places to go eat back then. Also, girls couldn’t wear pants back then. We had to wear skirts. Even if we were working and worked in pants, we had to have a skirt on over our pants.”
Ezell married Charlie Moore Jr. in 1949. They would have been married for 60 years, but he passed away in June and their anniversary was in July. They had five children: Wanda Moore Williams, Charles Herbert Moore, Ronnie Ladell Moore, Francis Moore Phillips and Kenneth Wayne Moore.
Anyone interested in being interviewed for this article can call 973-4141 and make an appointment with Kristin Finney, or may drop by Greene Publishing, Inc. any day before noon. Those interviewed must have lived in Madison for a large portion of their life, and be able to recall a few things that have changed since that time.
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