Marshall McClung
I recently attended a "pounding" – the first one I had been to in years.
Although quite common in earlier times, today, many people would think you were talking about a fist fight. A pounding is an act of helping someone who is having a difficult time, such as an injury, sickness, house fire (which was the reason for the pounding I attended), or some other misfortune. Poundings were also held for newlyweds, as they began their lives together.
Poundings date back to at least 1882, and are thought to have been started by the Quakers. The name comes from the fact that many items given – such as coffee, grain, flour, meal and sugar – were once sold by the pound. Poundings were sometimes held for a pastor and his family at rural churches.
Often, poundings would be held for needy families at Christmas – especially if they had small children.
Poundings seem to be held primarily by Baptists and Methodists, and are much more common in the south than other parts of the country. The act of taking food to a home where there has been a death in the family is also more common in the south – especially in rural communities. I have heard of people from other parts of the country who have moved to Graham County being surprised by people they didn’t know showing up at the home with food when they had lost a loved one.
Today, showers seemed to have mostly replaced poundings – as there are bridal, baby, housewarming and other showers held.
Marshall McClung is the historical columnist for The Graham Star. He is retired from the U.S. Forest Service and can be reached via email, mcclungs828@gmail.com.