MIDDLE GEORGIA COLLEGE
COCHRAN, GEORGIA
31004
May 22, 1980
Mr. Joe Taylor
RANDALL CORPORATION
P. O. Box *****
Houston, Texas 77079
Dear Joe,
I really appreciate the personal information in your last letter. It seems we have a very similar background. My father worked as a supervisor in a Cotton Mill and I am sure I have been referred to as a "lint head" on ocassions. Very few of the Bracewells before my rememberance graduated from high school and I was the first to go off to college. Dad always told me it was the way up. Wouldn't you know I would pick the teaching profession. It took me from 1954 to 1962 to get my BS and that would probably not have been possible except for the generosity of my wife's (Betty) Daddy who helped us through the last two years at the University of GA. In that 8 years, I threw in one year in Atlanta, thinking I wanted to be a TV repair man; two years at Middle Georgia College where I now teach; getting married, working two years, six months in the Army, and then back to school at GA. Incidentally, I spent two weeks at a U. S. Army Reserve Camp at Fort McCellan, Ala.in 1961 and also considered it a waste of time.
You and I also have something in common with our wives. Mine is a city girl and if I insisted on the country, that's the only thing I can think of that may lead to divorce.
By the way, I teach geology. I was not a geology major, but was the only one on faculty that had any background in geology so when they wanted to offer the first two courses, primarily for non-science majors to get 10 hours of a lab science, I was elected. I have throughly enjoyed teaching the courses but I don't believe I would enjoy field geology.
We moved to Cochran in 1967. It is a small town, 5-6,000, and is the county seat of Bleckley County. This is home to me because I grew up in Dodge County, Eastman, GA, which is just south of Cochran. Laurens County is to the east of us about 20 miles, and it is only 30 miles to Dublin, the County Seat. I am positioned perfectly for searching out my family.
I have received two letters this week from Charles Heath. Thanks for sending my name to him. He seems like our kind of people. He sent me a wealth of information on census records and has made some valuable suggestions on further research. He paid you a nice compliment by saying his wife refers to you as the "good looking cousin".
Betty and I bought a colonial style house that was three years old when we moved here in 1967. Thank goodness we did not wait to buy. Don't believe I could swing it now. Anyway, I want you to know that you and your family are welcome anytime. May be a little crowded after all that "Texas space" but we would be happy to have you whenever you decide to come this way. Maybe some day I can load up the family and attend one of the Bracewell Reunion you have. Will put that into my long range plans.
I am teaching an evening class in Eastman this quarter and its time for me to head that way. Will close and look forward to your next letter.
Sincerely,
(signed) Ronnie
Copied from the original (as written) by Mildred Powell
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