The Fuller Hill Kids

My life began in the tiny hamlet of Corbett, New York, located in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. The Corbett and Stuart Acid Factory drove its economy in the late 1800s through 1934. The factory produced charcoal, ashes, wood alcohol, and wood acid. At one time, the company was the largest factory of its kind in the world; however, its buildings were in a state of ruins in the late fifties. This area of New York was known for its dairy farms. Most farmers were not rich in monetary ways but were deeply rooted and bonded by family love. I was very fortunate to have been part of this mountain life, and I will never be ashamed of such a wonderful and blessed heritage. I may have been considered poor by many people's standards, but I was rich in ways most people will never experience. This is a true story of my life growing up in the Catskill Mountains during the late 1950s and 1960s. It is hard to believe that I am old enough that most people have forgotten what life was like during my childhood years. So much local history and current events of this era have slipped through the cracks of our busy lives and minds. Deborah L. Gladwell is an adult Bible study teacher and author of adult and children's Christian books. She is happily married to the love of her life and the mother of two grown sons.