Breedlove Family History & Genealogy

When my father (Norman Odell Breedlove) was growing up in 1940's rural Oklahoma, he was always looking for ways to amuse himself. Even if it meant doing something that he knew his parents would not like. More often than not, his antics had ended in some sort of trouble and the certainty of punishment.

One summer day, as Dad was looking for something to do. He sat down in his father's chair and looked around the room until his eyes came to rest on the tabacco tin that always sat next to the chair. He lifted the lid off the tin and inhaled. He loved the smell of the tobacco that Grandpa used. Then he had an idea. He grabbed a small pouch of tobacco, some cigarette papers and a small book of matches.

He ran to the out-house where he opened the door and slipped inside without being seen. His daddy had often told him to try and act more grown up, so he was going to roll a cigarette and smoke it, just like a grown-up.

He had seen his father do the same thing many times, but as Dad tried, he seemed to make a mess. He had tobacco all over his face and clothes. Finally, he made what looked like a cigarette. He careuflly struck a match and held it against the end of his creation. He took a deep puff, on the other end. Oh my Gosh! His throat burned like nothing he had ever experienced before. Then, his lungs felt as if they had been set on fire. He began choking and coughing uncontrollabley, and his eyes began to itch from the smoke. Just about the time he was able to control the coughing, he heard the back screen door slam shut and his dad caling his name. He stomped out the cigarette and just as he shoved the matchbook into his back pocket, Grandpa opened the out-house door. Dad was caught and escorted to the barn for his punishment.

"So you think smoking is fun?" Grandpa asked. "Well son, I am going to set your britches on fire."

Before Dad could explain, Grandpa had already began spaning him. But as he did, the matches in Dad's pocket lit and his pants began to smoke. Grandpa's eyes opened wide and he let out a small scream. He began to roll Dad on the groun, to put out the fire. Then he began to apogize for hitting him so hard. It was a long time before Dad told Grandpa about the matches that had been in his pocket. It was also a long time between spankings.