First Super Bowl Game
Not many of us can claim to be the first of anything. However, I filmed the TV commercial at Lake Placid, N.Y. for the 'first' Super Bowl football game in late December 1966 for the game to be played at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on Jan. 15, 1967 between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers. The commercial featured a Ford automobile being driving off a snowy Ski jump and drove away undamaged at the bottom of the jump.

NFL Head Coach Vince Lombardi and his quarterback Bart Starr of the Green Bay Packers won the game over AFL Head Coach Hank Stram with quarterback Len Dawson, by a score of 35 to 10. Bart Starr was voted the most valuable player of the game.

This Sunday, Feb. 4, the XLI (41) super bowl game will be played in Miami. It will be between the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears. I pick the Colts to win. ~Noah
The Belew/Belue Clan
There he stood. Age unknown. The date was 1735. The location was the Carolina Territory. From whence did this man come? That is not known. Many of us have theories. Some believe he emigrated from France. I also believe he came to America from France because he was considered a French Huguenot. At that time, if you had a different religion than Catholic, you were an outcast in France. Renny Belue was his name.

Renny found a wife and became parents of several children. The oldest was named Zachariah, who was born on April 21, 1758. Between the years of 1775 and 1783, Zachariah and father Renny, fought in The American Revolutionary War aka America War of Independence. Renny must have had an education as he was promoted to Lieutenant. Zachariah’s rank was Private. Someway and somehow, Zachariah last name got changed from Belue to Belew. My theory, it was changed by mistake since I believe Zack was unable to read or write.

Renny died in Union County, South Carolina of old age in 1797, however, his burial site has never been found. I looked in all the cemeteries in that area, and was unable to find it. Many times during those years, a field rock was left by the grave as a maker in place of a tombstone.

Where am I going with this story? It’s leading up to my life, beginning in 1926.

After the war, the Carolina Territory had no money to offer soldiers as a bonus for their war effort, but they offered free land, which they had plenty. After Renny died, Zachariah packed up his family and headed to Lawrence County, Tennessee, to accept this bonus free land. It’s difficult to imagine the hardship of traveling from South Carolina to Middle Tennessee, hundreds of miles through the uncharted trail by wagon, mules, horses, or walking, and avoiding the American Indians.

Zachariah Belew and his family arrived in the Leoma area, Lawrence County, in early 1800s. The free land was located east of Leoma. Farm life was about the only way of surviving in those days. A son William was born in 1816. Zachariah’s name is listed on a DAR plaque on the outside wall of the Lawrence County Tennessee Courthouse (near the flagpole) for his war effort. I, Noah H. Belew, was accepted as a member of SAR through Zacharish’s name. Zachariah died on February 9, 1845. He is buried at the Second Creek Cemetery in Lawrence County, Tenn.

William Belew, born in Lawrence County, on July 13, 1816 <> son of Zachariah. He lived and farmed his land east of Leoma. William got married and had a family. They named one of their sons, Jonathan. William died on September 8, 1884, and is buried in a cemetery east of Leoma.

Jonathan Belew, born on June 14, 1841 in Lawrence County, Tenn. He became a farmer on land east of Leoma. He and his wife had a son in 1867 named Robert H. Belew. This was my grandfather. Robert and his wife (my grandmother Matilda ‘Cottrell’ Belew) lived and farmed on land east of Leoma. They had a family and one of their sons was named George Lonnie (Lon) Belew. This was my father.

George Lonnie (Lon) Belew, born on June 22, 1892 married Rettie Mae ‘Hickman’ Belew (my mother), born December 30, 1896. They had six children – four males and two females. I, Noah H. Belew, was the youngest son, born on August 11, 1926. Lon and his family lived on a rocky/hilly farm in the village of Barnesville, Lawrence County. During the Great Depression, it was touch and go in order to survive. This was before tractors. Farming was accomplished with a strong back, mules and hoes.

Rettie Mae ‘Hickman’ Belew was born in Lawrence County, Tenn. She was a mother and housewife and doing a lot of farm work, including milking the cows. She lived to be 90 and died from a stroke on Flag Day, June 14, 1987.

Alonzo Junior Belew was the oldest son. Born to Lon and Rettie on April 18, 1917. Alonzo left home for greener pasture around 1935. He found work in Detroit, Michigan, with an automobile manufacture. He joined the US Army when World War II started. Alonzo died and was buried in Benton, Kentucky on April 7, 1974.

Loyd Virgil Belew, second son of Lon and Rettie. Born on September 21, 1918. Loyd was a farmhand on his daddy’s farm until 1938, when he joined the US Army. After the war, Loyd became a farmer and pursued other jobs until he died in Hohenwald, Tenn. on December 1995. He is buried in Napier, Tenn.

Freda Mae Belew was the first daughter of Lon and Rettie. She was born on May 7, 1921 and died on September 8, 1928. Her death caused from burst appendixes. Freda is buried at the Barnesville Cemetery, Lawrence County.

Claude Monroe Belew, third son of Lon and Rettie. He was born on February 20, 1923. He was a helper on the farm until he went to Michigan in 1940 to find better work. He joined the US Navy when World War II started. He retired from the Navy in 1962. Claude was successful as a self employee until he died on June 10, 2003. Claude is buried in the Barnesville Cemetery, Lawrence County.

Opal ‘Belew’ Scott, second and last daughter of Lon and Rettie. Opal was born on August 3, 1929 and died on June 11, 1991. She is buried in the Barnesville Cemetery, Lawrence County.
Noah H. Belew (that’s me) is the fourth and last son of Lon and Rettie. Born on August 11, 1926 in Lawrence County. My working life: Served 20 years in the USMC and 20 years as a motion picture filmmaker. I am still living at age 80.