In the fall, Bluford (Bluf) GREEN would have his sons help him drive mules to the sale barns. Courtney rode a sorrel bald-faced Indian pony in front and the mules would follow single file as Jesse brought up the rear on his horse. They drove them to Stanton NORRIS' barn in Waltonville and to Al FINN's barn in Flora.

Bluford GREEN also drove around the country buying colts in the Spring and selling them in the Fall. Ponies were shipped from the West by train and unloaded in the stockyards in Bluford. They were then auctioned off to the farmers and after much effort could be ridden and trained to work on the farm.

Turkeys were also driven down the road to market in the Fall.

The town of Bluford was named after Bluford GREEN when he was a small boy as his father Wiley GREEN, was justice of the peace. Wiley took consumption after he returned from the Civil War and died at the age of 43. His wife, Minerva, had to raise the children and two grandchildren by herself.

There were lots of blackberries, apples, and wild game on the rail-fence farm. Grandmother GREEN could bake biscuits on her fireplace. The iron skillet had legs on it and sat down in the wood coals. It was the job of one of the girls to keep flies off the table with a tree limb as there were no screens on the windows or doors.

Bluford died when he was 44 with consumption and his wife, Gertrude POOLE GREEN had to raise the children by herself. The children were:

1. Rubie
2. Courtney
3. Jesse
4. Mable
5. Everett

The GREEN farm was east of Bluford and the children attended the Weatherspoon (Screamer) school.

Rubie GREEN PEPPLE remembers riding to school on horseback and on cold days would turn the horse loose and he would go back home.

The boys trapped for hides in the winter to make extra money when they weren't chopping wood for the stoves.

The Bluford and Wiley GREENS are buried in Mt. Olive Cemetery east of Bluford where the old log church still stands.

Source:Facts and Folks A History Of Jefferson County, Illinois - 1978

Submitted by: Misty Flannigan Dec 1, 1997