The writer was born at Beckett Mountain near the Faulkner-White County line in 1912, the son of Maggie (Yingling) and Luther G. Presley. A year later the family moved to the Clay area. He was about six years old when the following took place, which he added to his memoirs on July 13, 1988.
By LEISTER E. PRESLEY
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y Aunt Edith Yingling married F.T. Browner on August 12, 1917. This took place some time after that, and I would rather think in 1918: Uncle Tim dearly loved to play baseball, and Aunt Edith did not like him to play. He would slip around and play at times anyway. One time he was in a game and got a “strawberry” on his leg or hip from sliding into base. It needed some attention, and he tried to secretly doctor it. Aunt Edith caught him attending to it and found out about his playing. I do not remember how concerned she was. It was just amusing to me about the situation. vvv
I cannot be very sure as to the time of this, but about 1918: My dad, Luther G. Presley, would teach one or two singing schools somewhere every summer. He was away from home teaching, and they were to have a baseball game, down under the hill from present highway 305 and Dick Adcock’s place. It was probably close to the old school ground. Some of the Yingling girls were going. I do not remember if Aunt Herma, Esther and Connie all went – or just part of them. Anyway, Mother consented for me to go. I cannot remember if [brother] Clarence went also. During the game Bill Armstrong accidentally turned the bat loose and hit Curtis Marsh in the head, knocking him out. I can mostly remember him lying on the ground with his sisters Lena and Marie crying and taking on. It was not a permanent injury, but he carried a big scar all of his life. Of course, when we got home we all reported the situation, and I am not sure that my mother was happy that she let us go.
Leister Presley now lives in Searcy, where he recently observed his 94th birthday. He is an honorary lifetime member of the White County Historical Society. vvv