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- [S106] The Mountain Press, `, 30 Aug 2014.
New book tells story of Sevier County centenarian
A Gatlinburg chronicle
KENNETH BURNS
Marie Maddox and Martha Whaley sign copies of "A Lifetime in Gatlinburg."
Martha Cole Whaley, front row, center, in a rare family photo.
Martha and Dick Whaley, about 1935.
"A Lifetime in Gatlinburg" is published by the History Press.
GATLINBURG —
Is Martha Whaley, 104, Sevier County’s most senior citizen?
“I don’t know of anybody who’s older,” she said.
Whaley is the subject of “A Lifetime in Gatlinburg: Martha Cole Whaley Remembers,” a new book by Gatlinburg-Pittman High School teacher Marie Maddox.
Published by the History Press, “A Lifetime in Gatlinburg” chronicles Whaley’s childhood in the Sugarlands valley, in what is now the Great Smoky Mountains National Park; her family life with husband Dick Whaley, who was Gatlinburg’s first mayor, and their children; and the couple’s work running the Hotel Greystone, which they opened in 1942.
“Her life is tied to the whole history of the town,” said Maddox, a North Carolina native who teaches Latin and journalism at the high school.
Maddox wrote “A Lifetime in Gatlinburg” in Whaley’s voice. “I was born in our family home on April 1, 1910,” the first chapter begins.
“I started writing it in my voice, and I got about six or eight pages in,” Maddox said. Something wasn’t right, she recalled. “It needed to be Martha’s story, in the first person.”
Four years ago, Maddox joined a group that met weekly for breakfast at a pancake house. That’s how she met Whaley.
“I started listening to her friends tell stories about her,” Maddox said. “People said, ‘Martha, you have to write this down.’”
Martha responded, with characteristic dry wit: “I hate to write.”
“I had always wanted to write a book,” Maddox said. “I never knew what about.”
Then, Maddox said, “All of a sudden, it was like God spoke from a cloud: ‘Write a book about Martha.’”
Maddox asked Whaley: “Can I write a book about you?” Whaley responded: “If you ask me questions, I’ll give you answers.”
They met for interviews, and Maddox wrote a manuscript in New Mexico. She printed it out, and Whaley’s daughter, Robin, read it aloud to her mother.
“They loved it,” Maddox said. “So we had a book.”
“I think she did a good job,” Whaley said. “She made me look pretty good.”
On a friend’s recommendation, Maddox submitted the manuscript to the History Press, which is based in Charleston, S.C.
“I sent a cover letter,” Maddox said. “I explained that (Whaley) was 104, and I wanted it published and in her hands while she was still alive to know about it.”
Five days later, Maddox said, she learned her book would be published.
“A Lifetime in Gatlinburg” is illustrated with many photographs. Throughout the book, Maddox has interspersed remembrances and tributes from Whaley’s friends, associates and family members.
Also included are what Maddox calls Whaley’s “most-requested” recipes, like the ones for lemon snowdrops and coconut cream pie.
In concluding chapters, Maddox presents Whaley’s views on topics such as traveling, gardening and aging.
“I think her philosophy of life is simple,” Maddox said. “Eat healthy, exercise, stay interested in things and go to church.”
In her long life, Whaley has seen much change. “Some of it’s good, and some of it isn’t so good,” she said.
Today, she said, “We hardly know our neighbor.” But when she was young, “Everybody helped each other if work had to be done. We all got along and loved each other. The world would be so much better if it was still like that.”
kburns@themountainpress.com
“A Lifetime in Gatlinburg: Martha Cole Whaley Remembers” is available on the web at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and at local outlets including Books-A-Million, the Mountain Lodge, the Little House of Pancakes and Home Federal Bank. Marie Maddox will sign copies on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Old Timer’s Day, Starkeytown Cove, Pigeon Forge. For more information, visit facebook.com/mariemaddoxbook.
- [S112] Census, 1910.
Name: Martha E Cale
Birthplace: Tennessee
Relationship to Head of Household: Daughter
Residence: Civil District 11, Sevier, Tennessee
Marital Status: Single
Race : White
Gender: Female
Immigration Year:
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee
Family Number: 111
Page Number: 7
Household Gender Age Birthplace
SELF Alexander A Cale M 40y Tennessee
WIFE Mary F Cale F 40y Tennessee
SON Walter Cale M 19y Tennessee
DAU Cora Cale F 15y Tennessee
SON Jessie Cale M 14y Tennessee
DAU Maggie Cale F 10y Tennessee
SON Sid Cale M 6y Tennessee
SON Julius Cale M 3y Tennessee
DAU Carra Cale F 2y Tennessee
DAU Martha E Cale F y 0m Tennessee
MOTH Marey J Cale F 69y Tennessee
Ranson F Sims M 63y Tennessee
- [S112] Census, 1920.
Name: Martha Cole
Event Type: Census
Event Year: 1920
Event Place: Civil District 11, Sevier, Tennessee, United States
Gender: Female
Age: 9
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Race (Original): White
Relationship to Head of Household: Daughter
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Daughter
Birth Year (Estimated): 1911
Birthplace: Tennessee
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee
Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
A A Cole Head M 49 Tennessee
Florence Cole Wife F 48 Tennessee
Walter Cole Son M 28 Tennessee
Jessie Cole Son M 24 Tennessee
Sidney Cole Son M 16 Tennessee
Julies Cole Son M 14 Tennessee
Martha Cole Daughter F 9 Tennessee
Lucy Cole Daughter F 6 Tennessee
Mary J Cole Mother F 80 Tennessee
- [S112] Census, 1940.
Name: Martha E Whaley
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1940
Event Place: Civil District 11, Sevier, Tennessee, United States
Gender: Female
Age: 29
Marital Status: Married
Race (Original): White
Race: White
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Wife
Relationship to Head of Household: Wife
Birthplace: Tennessee
Birth Year (Estimated): 1911
Last Place of Residence: Same House
Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
Austin E Whaley Head M 29 Tennessee
Martha E Whaley Wife F 29 Tennessee
Bobby J Whaley Son M 6 Tennessee
Lucy E Cole Sister-in-law F 25 Tennessee
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