Jesse J Carroll

Jesse J. Carroll

By James Carroll

Jesse J. Carroll was born in 1895, the son of an Alabama farmer, Jesse Wesley Carroll Jr. (Babe). Leaving the farm at an early age, he mostly made his living by operating small grocery stores and cafes. In his younger years he also worked in local foundries around Anniston, Al.

In the early 1940's, he went into the termite exterminating business. He treated untold thousands of homes in Alabama and Georgia until his death in 1959.He was married to the former Mana Laney, and together had 8 children, which included 5 boys and three girls

Jesse Carroll was of the Christian faith and was a Baptist.

Once when my dad and I were coming home after working all day, there was a hitch hiker on the highway just passed where we turned onto our street. When we got home, supper was ready, so we sat down to eat. In a little while there was a knock on the door, it was the hitch hiker. He said he knew we were good people because dad waved at him when we turned off. He walked up the street until he saw the truck; he was hungry and wanted some food, so my dad asked him to come in and have a seat. He gave him his place at the end of the table and waited on him until he had all he wanted. The man said he was from Pell City, and was just down on his luck.

HEB: 13:2- Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

If that man was Jesus, I know without doubt that my dad passed the test that day, for he treated that guy as if he was a king.

Below is a picture of Mother and Dad when they were young.

In 1950 when I was helping dad, he told me, 'don't ever bet on other people's tricks'. Now that was good advice, because when someone tries to deceive me, I just keep my mouth shut and let them play the game all by themselves. I am not sure he knew about 'deja vu', but he would have told me not to get suckered into that one. Along about 1946 our dad had a Termite Treatment contract with BF Goodrich Tire and Rubber Company to treat 723 houses in the Silvertown Village of Martha Mills in Thomaston, Georgia. We also had a thousand houses under contract with the Old Mill.

Good Neighbor Help

My Dad was working in Americus Georgia doing Termite Extermination work and every Friday afternoon he would travel home to Anniston, Alabama via US Highway 19 through Silvertown, Georgia.

The General Manager of Martha Mills in Silvertown needed a Termite Exterminator to treat all the houses in the village. The manager asked the Pharmacist at the drugstore on Highway 19 in Silvertown if he knew anyone who did termite work in the area. He told the manager no , but he knows a termite man who drives by every Friday afternoon and he would be glad to flag him down and send him up to see him.

The Pharmacist flagged Dad and told him about the conversation he had with the manager.

When Dad went to the man’s office he made a deal with him that he would treat fifty houses and Orkin would do likewise, then he would make his decision. After they had treated the fifty houses the manager was still undecided so Dad told him that if he would award the contract to him he would do the work for half a cent per square foot less. That is how he got the contract.

That contract was worth a lot more than just 723 houses of Martha Mills, there was another 1000 houses in the Old Mill. The contract with the Old Mill was a little different, Instead of treating all the houses we did them on an 'as needed' basis. On top of that, being the only Exterminator in the Thomaston area was worth a lot more.

Dad was especially happy while driving to Thomaston that spring morning with me and my two brothers, Ralph and Billy, as that was the sixth year of the contract, when all the first year's houses were out from under the warranty. That meant we had fulfilled all the warranty obligations. Any house that we treated from here on would be for full pay just like the first time.

Dad sang 'Momma don't allow no music playing around here' all the way to Thomaston. We worked a half day then went to the movie. To our surprise the cartoon 'Momma don't allow no music playing around here' was playing.

There was a pool room on the square in Thomaston where we ate lunch the next day; we all had scrambled burgers and Cokes that day... Best dog gone burger I had ever eaten before or after. The simplicity of the burgers was what made them so good. Ground beef scrambled with onions and a little Worcestershire Sauce and catsup on a hamburger bun. If you like them spicy hot as I do, just add a little Ground Red Pepper. If I remember how good they were after more than sixty years they must have been good.

Good Advise: If you ever see a flying saucer, tell no human being, no matter if a thousand people see it also.

His motto was: Believe nothing you hear, and half you see.

If Dad thought we were being a little slow doing our chores he would say, "eat yes, sleep yes, work no".

Once in the early 50s Dad was not feeling so good so, off to the doctors office he went. It was not long until he was back with a diagnosis that he had type two diabetes. In those days if you had diabetes you had to give yourself shots of insulin every day. So he played the game for two or three days and then he praised doctor Leyden for curing him. He never metioned diabetes again.

Jesse is buried at Creswell Cemetery in Calhoun County, Alabama. He has three children buried at Creswell Cemetery. Aubie Lee Carroll, Geraldine Carroll Kidd and Ralph Levon Carroll. On 9/20/13 Jesse J. Carroll Jr was added to that list. See picture of Jesse And his brother Robert

Geraldine Carroll Kidd

My early memories of Geraldine was that she helped mother take care of all of us when Dad was working out of town; which was most of the time. She was like an old mother hen to us. One time when Ralph was in the first grade, his teacher was trying to make him mind, and he pitched a fit. When he got home Geraldine told him that if that teacher bothered him again, to jump out the window and come and get her and she would take care of it. He never did have to jump out that window, thank the Lord! That gives you an idea of how much she loved all of us, and how we loved her.

Shonda Rowell

Shonda was Gearldine's youngest daughter!

Like her mother she was vibrant and full of love for her family. We will all miss her . Shonda's sister, Sharlene told a story about her and Shonda sitting on their grandmother Carroll's front porch watching their sister sherry kissing her boyfriend Steven. They decided to go and tell their grandmother as they were sure it was forbidden to do that. Mother Carroll told them they shouldn't be watching that and they should mind their own business.

Aubie Lee Carroll was the first born child of Jesse and Mana Carroll. He died at age two of diphtheria. He is buried at Creswell Cemetery.

Shirley Cambrom

Mrs. Shirley Marie Cambron

The funeral service for Mrs. Shirley Marie Cambron, 75, will be at 2 p.m. on Friday, June 23, 2017 at Golden Springs Baptist Church with Dr. Roland P. Brown officiating. Burial will follow at Forestlawn Gardens. The family will receive friends from noon until 2 p.m. on Friday at the church. Mrs. Cambron passed away on June 21, 2017 at her home surrounded by her loving family. Shirley loved her savior, Jesus Christ. She loved her large family with a passion, and of course, her church family, especially her quilting buddies. Shirley is preceded in death by her parents, Jesse and Mana Carroll; one sister, and three brothers. She is survived by her husband of 36 years, Bill Cambron. She is also survived by her daughter, Cathy (Buster) Fincher; a son, Rusty (Jeana) Hughes; extended family including daughter, Debra (Randy) Brooks and son, Barry (Dess) Cambron; granddaughter, Cary (Mike) Bailey; grandson Josh (Shanda) Hughes; eleven other grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren; a sister, Violet (Bill) Griffith, and a brother, James (Shirley) Carroll. Pallbearers will be grandsons and great grandsons. The family would like to thank AlaCare Hospice for their help during this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to The Gideons International, P.O. Box 140800, Nashville, TN 37214-0800 (www.gideons.org). Online condolences may be made to the family at klbrownmemorychapel.com. K.L. Brown Memory Chapel 620 Golden Springs Road Anniston, AL 36207 (256) 231-2334

Funeral Home

K.L. Brown Memory Chapel

620 Golden Springs Road Anniston, AL 36207

(256) 231-2334

Published in The Anniston Star on June 22, 2017

George and Rosa Laney are the parents of Mana Laney Carroll.

You can see the family resemblance between Mana and Rosa.

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