Friday, March 12

The Creek named Dry Creek

I live in the village/small community called Dry Creek.  The actual creek flows through our community. Oldtimers told me the original Indian name for the creek was “Beautiful Creek” and the English translation got mixed up.

Regardless, this area is my home.  My first ancestors to settle on this creek were Andrew Jackson Wagnon and his wife Nancy, who arrived in the late 1840’s from Georgia.

My Iles ancestors arrived earlier and settled in more northern areas near Sugartown and near Hopewell Church.

John Wagnon, son of Andrew and Nancy, said this of Dry Creek,  “It’s where I was born and it’s where I plan to turn up my toes.”

That says it well.

My dad, who loved to sing and joke, had a variation of Merle Haggard’s classic.

“I’m proud to be a freak from ol Dry Creek

A place where any square can have a ball.

We don’t wear our hair all long and shaggy

Like the hippies up in Sugartown do.”

I’m a freak from ol’ Dry Creek.  It’s a place that owns my heart.