Manuscripts pertaining to Polk County 
From the Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, 
WPA Federal Writers' Project Collection 1936-1940
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/wpaintro/wpahome.html


Abbin, Jaydy - surnames: Abbin, Atkins, Bryan, Ford, Rodgers, Stokes, White.
Bevely, Dave & Jeanette - surnames: Bevely, Fern, Hallman, Sweat, Turner.
Boyd, John & Rebecca - surnames: Andrews, Bonaker, Boyd, Drane, Dix, Helm,
 Hutch, Livington, Rochelle,
 Rossevelt, Sanders, Stephenson, Sullivan.
Flucher, Patience - surnames: Flucher, Hendrick, Jackson, Johnson, McLeod, Oates,
 Raodes, Riley, Roux, Sullivan.
Gray, Rich & Lula - surnames: Gray
Kellum, Robert & Ruby - surnames: Bells, Bryant, Freeman, Glenn, Kellum, McCarthy, White.
Merryvale, Frank & Ella - surnames: Dolly, Merryvale, Wilkins.
Robinson, Charlies & Lucinda - surnames: Bethune, Bogan, Robinson, Jackson, Williams
Scott, Robert & Rosa Lee - surnames: Bryant, Graham, Jones, Jupiter, Mitchell,
 Scott, Scout, Spanish, Walker, Young.
Stembridge, Will & Julia - surnames: Candy, Conack, Coniber, Daniels, 
Hall, Stembridge.
Threet, Dan & Amelia - surnames: Brown, Derman, Roberson, Rochelle, Threet,
 Williams, Winn
Wimster, C. W. - surnames: French, Lindsay, Lowther, Stevens, Wimster, Wishart.
Wright, John & Susan - surnames: Green, Hawkin, Love, Simpson, Willie, Wright, Write


25983 
February 15, 1938 
J. B. and Birdie Lee Atkins (real names) 
Municipal Trailer Camp 
Tampa, Florida 
Lindsay K. Bryan, writer 
unedited {Begin handwritten} [???] {End handwritten} 
"JAYDY" ABBIN 
FLORIDA ADVENTURE 
On the ragged fringe of the trailer camp an aged and battered flivver coughed and 
whoosed to a stop. It settled
 dejectedly in the sand, with flabby tires and drooping fenders. Attached to its 
rear was a small home-made house
 trailer, or more accurately, a rough tin shanty on wheels. 
The driver, an angular and weathered-beat on man of perhaps 35, in faded blue overalls,
 got out of the car and peered 
here and there under its bottom. Suddenly his long frame straightened so with alacrity.
 He shook a mop of sandy hair 
out of his eyes, threw back his head, and gave lusty [voat?] to the peculiar, half-yodling
 "hoy-o-o-o-pee." yell of 
the Florida cowboy. 
Then, gazing into far space, he song off-key in a robust but [adenoidal?] tonor: 

"I'm a-goin down to Tampa town 
With money in [our?] britches, 
A pint o' likker on each [hip?]- 
Look out, you [sons-o-witches?] 
"Fer I'm a wild-eyed fightin fool, 
an [??] gonna raise some h--l. 
I'm rootin, tootin, cuttin, shootin 
Cowboy from La Belle. 
The [lilting] ditty was sung to a tune something like that of "Dixie." 
Intrigued by the picture and sound effects, the questing writer sniffed a
 possible story and approached the scene. 
As he drew near a woman's voice from inside the trailer quavered in mild
 rebuke of the singer[.?] 
"Jaydy, you hush up singin that nasty song. Fokes all think we're Yankees." 
Jaydy cut short his melody, and grinned amiably as the prowling scribe greeted 
him and revealed that he was looking
 for life histories for a book about southern people. 
"Well I declare!" the trailer its used. "So you write stuff to print in books. 
Well, well: That seems like a [carus?] 
kind-a trade to work at. I never thought uv a body follerin that for a livin.
 I read a book [wunst?]. Hit wuz about a 
man named Robinson [Crusoe?]. That feller shore had his sef a time on that island.
" He laughed and went on: 
"Well, I aint fitten to go in no book, but I wuz born an raised a Floridy Cracker.
 Mostly in the woods and swamps. 
But I ben up Nawth sense last June. Jist got back this fur, thank the good Lord. 
I'm a-headin fur Lee County. My name! Hit's J. D. Abbin." 
He was asked what the initials J. D. stood for, and replied firmly: 
"That's my whole front name, jist J. D. But people calls me Jaydy for short.
 Just my maw one time when I wuz a did if 
J. D. meant some other name. But she said no, she named me jist that, after he uncle, J.D.
 Stokes, [anche?] never had 
no other name. A right many fellers in Floridy's named jist with letters thataway." 
"What did you do up North?" the history-[housed?] queried, as he accepted Jaydy's 
invitation to 'set down' beside him on the rickety running board. 
"[Be?] an the ole woman went off up yonder to [bee?]-trait to git me a job 
in Ole Ham Ford's factory,me bein a jack-leg
 mechanic fun workin round [cars?] an sawmills. Well, I gotta job [nuttin?]
 fur bout six months, but got laid off in 
Dee-cember. So I built us this little ole [piece-a?] trailer, and we lit a 
[shuck?] for Floridy."The story-huntrr suggested the trip north must have been
 a great experience for Jaydy, and asked him how he liked it. He drawled: 
"We kinda liked some uv it. But if I'd a-staid up there I'd a-had to kill a whole 
passal o' niggers. Then Yankee 
niggers haint gotta bitta manners. [Thy?], the black sons-o-buzzards 
all set right down by a white man, in a street 
car or any place. I got arrested twice up there for kickin the tar outa niggers." 
Asked what he had worked at in Florida, Jaydy pondered, as he took a knife from his pocket,
 whetted the long blade on 
his shoe and began whittling a pine stick: "[An?], I reckon I've done near about everthing.
 Never wuz no hand for 
settlin down for long in one place. I spose that's why I always ben pore. 
But by gravy I've had a [heap-o?] fun in 
my time," he chuckled, his blue eyes twinkling[ reminiscently?]. 
"Tell me about your life. I'll bet you've had a lot of adventures," 
wheedled the biography-[beagle?]. 
"Well, "he cackled again, "if you aim to putt me in a book I better leave 
out a lotta things I done, or they'll chunk 
me in the jail house and [throw?] the key away. But if you don't print my right
 name hit'll be all right." This was promised, and he continued[:?] 
"When I was jist a yearlin boy about 10 my famly moved [fum be Soter?]
 County to [Hannertes?] (Manatee) County. Up to 
then we'd ben raisin a few hawgs and cows and doin a little farmin an 
stillin in De [Soter?] and Glades County, on shares, mostly. 
In Mannertee County we herded cows a while, then went sharecroppin down
 on Sawgrass Slough, back Bradentown. Raisin 
tomaters an celery, mostly. But evertime we'd gitta crop good started, 
seemed like, they'd come a freeze, or drouth, 
or blight, or bugs, or sumpun, and kill out near about everthing you had. 
"Parta our twenty acres was pee-yore [nuck?], so deep an soft an dry you could 
stick a hoe hannel down in it clean up 
to the hoe. One fall hit caught a-fire when some cow men set fire to the woods,
 and it tuck us two days an nights to 
cuten it. We had to tote water in buckets fum the well, bout a quarter away. 
"Hit burnt mighty nigh a acre, plus down to hard pan, on the twenty nex to ourn,
 where ole Jim Rolls was farmin. We 
holp him to cuten his, an he help us, but it tuck us an all our famlies to keep it
 fum spreadin any furder. 
"Well, we couldn't hardly make our seed and fertilize a-farmin. So paw an me set us
 up a little still down in the big 
hammock and went to makin shine. We done right good at that, sellin to bootleggers 
in Bradentown an Tampa, but it tuck 
most all we made to pay off the prohibition agents for lettin us run. 
"After we'd ben there bout two years maw died with playgry [(pellagra)?].
 Then paw, the ole billy-goat, went and 
married a neighbor gal ony 14 years old--jist a little fryin-size biddy,
 thout no more sense an a [pond?] gannet. 
An paw goin on 50 year old! He traded her daddy six hawgs an ten gallon-a shine 
fer the pesky brat. After they got 
married he brung her home to live with us in our ole shack. 
"Me an Dery--that wuz my sister, a year youngern me an the ony other 
youngun left--we fussed a plenty at paw for 
doin such a fool thing, but he wouldn't pay us no mind. 
"One time I come home fum takin a load shine to town, and when I got to the
 house I heard a scufflin and a screechin 
inside. I run in, and there was that little huzzy a-beatin on Dory with a [tomater?]
[stumb?]--an Dory too skairt to fight back. 
"I was so mad I jist turnt her over muh knee an spanked her beehind till 
she hollered like a stuck pig. Paw heard er 
and [come?] a-runnin in fum the stable. Then he seen what I wuz doin he retch
 up on a shelf for his pistol and tried 
to shoot me. But I'd done shot up all his [?] shootin at snakes, so he turnt 
to an started to [gimme?] a pistol-snuppin. 
"I fit him back a while, and I reckon I might coulda whupped him; but I jist
 hauled off an knocked him out with a jolt 
on the jaw. When me and Dory gethered up our close an other [plunder?] in a [aragus?]
 sack, and we left home for good. 
"I shore hated to go off fum there, cause I was a-cutin a nice little gal named Birdie 
Lee Rodgers over acrost the 
slough. Her daddy had got religion at a Holy Roller [section?], and he said 
I wuz too no-count fer her. He'd done 
run me off his place with a shotgun, but me and her kep meetin in 
the woods right on till I left. 
"Well, me an Dory walked all the way to [Spadantown?] that night an staid with kin fokes. 
I knowed a [boat?] cap'n 
there that wuz rannin likker in fum Cuby, and he [gimme?] a job on his boat;
 mostly loadin and unloadin hams (sacks) 
[uv?] likker, an [arstanian?] onion [a-lookin?] out for [guvaint?] boats. 
[We?] has us a good fast gas cruiser, and we run ony at night, thout lights.
 But sometimes [them?] coast [gucruers ad?] 
pick us up with their search lights, an then they'd [?] away at us with their
 machine guns an little ole cannons. 
One night a thee-inch shell went smack [thew?] our cabin, an missed my 
bunk ony bout a foot. But they never ketched us.
 I did git pistol-bit one time when we wuz fixin to land some booze an 
a depty sheriff shot at us -- jist a 38 slug thew muh laig. 
"Cap'n Bob paid me good money, but I spent it fast on wimen an gamblin.
 (Here Jaydy lowered his voice cautiously and 
cast a wary eye toward the trailor, from whence came the clatter of 
dishwashing and a woman's low voice humming contentedly). 
"Them Cubian wimen is shore not [?]," he whispered enthusiactically.
 "They'll either love you to death, or stick a 
knife in you if you make em jealous. I reckoleck one little [Spanish?] gal
 I had in [Navather?]--But shucks, I 
better not tell that." And Jady chortled and winked [roguishly?]. 
"Sometimes when likker wuz scared in Havanner we'd snuggle a loada Chinyman 
over on a dark night an putt on ashore 
at some lonesome place on the Floridy coast. One night we fetched over eleven
 head uv [?] at $200 a head. We putt 
em off jist afore day down on Lemon [Hay?]. Cap'n Bob wouldn't go no closter to
 shore'n bout half a mile, cause 
the water wuz shaller. He [made?] them pore Chinks jump overboard an wade ashore 
in about five foot-a water. They 
wuz a big movin van waitin fer em on shore to take em to [?]. Hits a wonder some
 uv em didn't git drownded. 
"I wrote a couple times to Birdie Lee whilst I wuz beatin, but never got no
 hearin fum er, so I figgered on musta 
quit likin me, or either her daddy got the letters an never give em to er. 
"One time we tied our boat up at Fort Myers fora coupla days to git the engine 
fixed, an I decided to hop a train 
an go up to see Birdie Lee. But goin up town I met a bootlegger I knowed, as he 
tole me they wuz a warrant out for 
Cap'n Bob. I got skairt they might want me too, so I high-tailed right outa there,
 an hitch-hiked to Marco. 
"There I run into Virgin White, a feller I usta [cow-bust?] with. Virgin was 
a regle ole woods rat. He wuz fixin to 
go down in the Everglades a--trappin, an he ast me to go in with him. I had around 
[$60?] on me, so I help him buy 
the traps an rations an a tent, an we lit out fer Big Cypress Swamp.
 I figgered that was a good place to hide out 
if they had a warrant for me. 
"Varmints was plenty that winter, an we got a lotta [hidea--?] otter, 
deer, skunk, gator, bear, an one big panther. By spring we had about $400 [wuth?]. 
"We went to Miami an sold em. My share wuz [$197?], an I felt perty rich with 
all that money burnin a hole in muh 
britches pocket. But I hadn't had no fum fer the longest, so I started out lookin
 fer wimmen an likker, an a little 
gamblin. Well, I found plenty-a all uv [?]--specially a big crap game. [I be?]
 John Brunned if I could win a bet in that game, an by [?] I wuz [?], plum broke. 
The Florida adventurer laughed ruefully as he paused and leaned over to pick up a 
fresh piece of whittling timber.
 The back of his [?] neck presented a fascinating study, with its crimson 
and deepley [?] skin, caked in diamond-
shaped patterns like red alligator skin. Such necks are frequent among rural
 Floridians who have lived much of their lives exposed to the sun, wind and weather. 
From the trailor now came busy sounds of sweeping, and the woman's rather sweet 
voice was lifted in an old church hymn. 
Jaydy continued to reflect as he spat out a [quid} the size of a golf ball and
 took a fresh chew from a thick plug. Then he resumed his story. 
"Well, I decided Miami wuzzent no place for a pond hopper like me,
 as I hit the hard road a-walkin nawth. I soon 
thumbed a ride with a feller on a furniture truck goin to Lakeland.
 But we broke a axle some place in the woods 
in Folk County, an I started walkin ahead to calla garage man to tow him in.
 I phoned fer one fum a [fillin?] station, as then kep on walkin west. 
Goin thew the flatwoods a ole Ford coop ketched up with me, an drivin it
 wuz a skinny red-headed woman bout
 40 years old. I thumbed er fore I seen she wuz a woman, but she stopped 
an picked me up any how. We got talkin, 
an I tole er I wuz lookin fer a job. She said she wuz a widdor woman with a 
80-acre farm, an needed a man to 
help run it. Said her ole man had up an died on er a year back, an left er the 
farm an a flock-a kids, an forty 
head-a cattle, an she didn't know how many hangs a-runnin the woods.
 She'd been to town after rations an [? cawn]; an ast me [could?] I hiro out to her. 
"I tole er I didn't love farmin a-tall, workin fum [hin?] till [can't?] an
 a-livin on grits an hawg's vest with the buttons on ("cow belly"). 
Asked what was meany by "from [hin?] till can't," Jaydy explained it meant 
"fum the time you kin [soe?] in the
 mawnin till you can't see at night," and proceeded: 
"But she lent over agin me kinda clost, an said if I'd come an work fer her 
I wouldn't hafta work moren eight 
hours a day, an she'd gimme [$30?] a month an board, with plenty ham, an chicken,
 an pie, an anything else I
 wanted. I reckoned she musta ben kinda bad off fer a man any [noe?], 
the way she kept snugglin up to me in the seat, an me ugly as a skint buzzard. 
"She wuz a homely ole varmit her sef, with her buck teeth, an long nose, an freckly neck.
 But by then I wuz so dad-blamed hongry my belly wuz growin fast to muh backbone,
 an me broke as a jaybird. So I tole er I'd hire out to er fer a while, an maybe longer. 
"By good dusk we got to her farm, bout a mile back fum the road in a hammock. 
She had a good house an stable,
 with a mule, an plenty chickens an some hawgs an cows in the yard pens. 
So I thought I might could stan it a while, any how. 
"As we pulled up to the porch there wuz a [scroochin?], an out poured five
 head-a younguns, all sizes fum knee-
high to a saplin boy about 10--an all their heads so red you coulda lit 
a cigarette on em. When they seen me 
they all run behind the house an pecked at me fum around the corners, 
skairt like. But I started makin funny 
faces at em, an dancin a jig, an they soon made up with me. 
"Well, the ole gal tuck me in an fed me up and bedded me down, an I wuz
 treated like a rich uncle fum then on. 
After bouta week eatin good vittles an bein [?] a plenty, I sez to mysef, sez
 I[:?] "Well, old double-ugly, looks like you done won yo'sef a home, an a famly to boot. 
But, thinks I, this lady's shore-nuff hard up fer a man, takin the likes-a me to raise.' 
"Things rocked along thataway thee-four weeks. But fore long I got to messin up with 
another gal down the road apiece.
 Carried her to a peanut bilin an a coupla frolics, an sich like. But when the widder
 found it out she started
rompin on me an pesterin me to marry her. Well, I looked at them buck teeth, an them 
spindly laigs, an thoughts
 that litter a-kids, an tole er I wuzzent no marryin man. [Made?] but like 
I already had a wife in [?]. 
"But she kep ding-dongin me right on, an said if I'd marry her she'd gimme half 
the farm an stock, an a hunnerd 
dollars to boot. I felt right sorry fer the ole dame, but couldn't stummick marryin her.
 I even swore I had T. B., 
the ketchin kind, an tole er all my famly went crazy soon as they got married, an had 
to be sent to Chattyhoochy. 
But nuthin I said fazed her. I declare, she wuz the hell-bentist woman on gittin
 married I ever seen. 
"Finally she kep hen-peckin me till I got to whur I wuz plum fed up, an couldn't 
stan it no longer. 
So one day I drove her ole flivver to town, makin out I wuz goin for scratch feed, 
an left the car there 
an tuck a train fer Fort [Meade?]. I'd already drawed a month's wagon, an she owed
 me some more, but I never ast her fer it. 
"Back-a Fort Meade I gotta job woods-ridin for a teppentine camp,
 an stuck at that bout a year, kinda hidin 
out agin. When I putt in a year er two [?]; worked as guard on a 
chain gang; made shine fer bout a year; 
cow-hunted some, an done a lotta other things till 1936. 
"Then I heard they wuz makin big money raisin tuck down in Lee County,
 so I went down there an rented me a 
piece-a land an putt in a crop uv tomaters an beans. That year I shore
 made mysef a killin. Cleaned up $2,000
 cash money. 
"Then I met a nize old gal I'd knowed when we wuz youngsters. She wuz a-visitin
 some fokes clost to my farm. 
Well, we found out we liked each other right much yit, so we got married an 
kep on farmin fer a while. I still got her, an a little money, so we aint so
 frightnin bad off. She's got religion--the Holy Roller kind, an she's shore 
a good woman. She's even got me readin the Bible a right smart, too. 
"Next we're a-goin back to Lee County and drive round till we find a little
 farm at jist suits us. Then I'll buy it an settle down--maybe. 
At this point the trailer door opened and a neat, pleasant-faced 
little woman with graying bobbed hair leaned out.
 She placed two spread fingers across her mouth, pursed her lips and 
squirted out a hissing stream of snuff juice
 that hit the ground with a smack. Then she saw us, blushed, and smiled a little sheepishly. 
"Hey, old woman," Jaydy cackled, "this [genman's?] a book writer by trade,
 an he's puttin me in a book. Whaddya think a-that!" 
"Pleased to meet you," she nodded and smiled, "but I hope you won't putt 
me in yer book too, with this ole 
raggedy frock on. I aint had time to do no washin sence we left [Dee-troit?]." 
The dress wuz neat, clean and pretty, if a little faded. The writer asked: "
Are you glad to get back to Florida, Mrs. [Abbin?]?" 
"I shore am proud to be in Floridy agin. I wuz raised heah, an so wuz 
all my kin people. If I'd-a had my 
[crtnors?] we wouldn't a-went off up there. I druther a-staid down here.
 But Jaydy wanted to go." Her brown eyes beamed on him, as she continued[:?] 
"I met some mighty nice fokes up there, but their vittles aint fitten to eat.
 Why, them Yankee storekeepers 
don't even know what grits is, ner turnip greens, ner [haslet?].
 I'm a-cookin a mess-a haslet now. Jady loves it too." 
(Haslet, it was explained, consists of the lungs and liver of a hog,
 made into a kind of stew). 
After a little further conversation, the caller said goodbye to the couple,
 and was cordially invited to 
"come back," and to visit them on their farm when they got settled.
 She walked away, Jaydy called after him: 
"[Say?], misto, I aimed to tell you but I forgot--This here's that
 Birdie Lee I wuz tellin you bout." He patted her arm and grinned proudly. 
AUTHOR'S NOTE.--In twenty years of frequent contact with rural natives of Florida,
 the writer has observed that they are far from consistent in their use of
 native peculiarities of speech. This is probably due to 
most of them having associated for periods with northern people and 
with better educated Floridians. For example, a "Cracker" will sometimes say 
"hit" for "it," and at other times pronounce the word correctly. 
Also, he may either articulate his r's or slur them in using the same 
words at different times. He may at 
times say "muh" or "mah" for "my," or use the word correctly.
 The same inconstany provails in the use of all 
other words and phrases. Therefore, the inconsistencies of speech in
 "Jaydy's" recital as chronicled here 
should be attributed to literal recording instead of careless writing. 

W5994
{Begin handwritten} Life Save and [?] - History - Jeanette Bevely,
 Diggs {End handwritten} 
Federal Writers' Project 
Paul Diggs 
Lakeland, Florida 
Janurary 13, 1939 
Bevely, Dave and Jeanette 
34 Lake Wire Drive 
Lakeland, Florida 
DAVE AND JEANETTE BEVELY, WATCHMAN A C L RAILROAD. 
Dave was stopping traffic at the busy intersection of Iowa Avenue and the Atlantic 
Coast Line Railroad. There, 
he stood with the round galvanized sign with a handle, and the word "stop" printed
 on both sides. He was 
holding it above his head to warn the on coming drivers in the automobiles that
 a train was approaching. The 
grinding of brakes on the mighty steel wheels could be heard as the Limited came 
pounding down the track 
enroute to Tampa, Florida. Dave said, "you better step back, this train makes 
a plenty of dust when it pauses.
" All of a sudden it passed, and the dust flew like a whirlwind. He then waved 
for the traffic to move on. 
In a few minutes the Avenue was cleared of the heavy traffic until time for 
the next train to pass. In his courteous way he waved for cars to go and come, seeing
 to their safty in passing the grade crossing.
 After completing his duty, Dave invited me to his little shed that sits 
beside the main line. There he rested himself on two rocks placed on top of one another.
 On the other side of the door was a nail keg with
 a burlap sack on it for a pillow. The shed was four feet 
in dimension, with a small stove sitting in the 
north-west corner,and a water cooler sitting on a stand in the other corner.
 There was a delapidated chair
 covered also with a burlap sack. Three lantern were on a shelf on the west 
side, these he used at night to 
stop traffic. On the out side was a pile of wood, cut and ready to burn in 
case he needed a fire. He had 
prepared it for his shift, which was from three oclock P.M. to eleven oclock P.M.
 Dave said, "four passenger 
trains, and six freight trains passes while I am on duty." 
Dave lives in a section house at 34 Lake Wire Drive with his family 
consisting his wife Jeanette, age 41,
three step children Mildred, age 19, who takes in washing at home;Minnie 
Lee, age [?], who does the same; 
and Junior, age13. The step-children away from home are Lee Early, 
age 25- married and lives in Trilby, Fla. 
Theodore, age [?], married and has two children. Theodore lives next door 
to Dave in house number thirty two. Dave stated that he was born in Jefferson 
County, Florida. December 5th, 1886. His father was Fred , 
and mother Francis Bevely. He said, "that he has heard his father say 
he was five years old when freedom 
was declared. There were fourteen children in the family- seven boys and
 seven girls. The surviving five live in various section of the State. 
His father married Julia Fern, after the death of his mother. 
"My parents were farmers in Jefferson County. I ran away from home when 
I was between twelve and thirteen years old.
 I strayed away on account of the treatment I received from my stepmother.
 Lots of boys stray away from home on 
that account. "When I became a man I returned home, and there I married
 to my first wife Rosetta Turner, at 
[monticella?],in Jefferson County, 1908. We separated in later years.
 I then married my second wide Jeanette Hallman,in 1932, Lakeland, Florida. 
We have no children." "During my first marriage in 1908 I settled in Alauchua County.
 I worked on the section gang, on a tramroad. They used wood burners engines.
 I received 1.50 per day.
 I came to Folk County, where I began working at the 
Pebbledale Phosphate mine. I averaged on this job around seven dollars a week. 
We lived in the quarters built 
for the workers. After working there for three years I returned
 to Jefferson County, and worked on the farm 
with my father. Later I went to Morehaven, in Glades County.
 There I worked on the extra gang of the Atlantic 
Coast Line putting down railroad rails. Part of the time I cooked for the workers 
in the gang. Afterwards 
I quit the extra gang and went to work on the section gang with
 headquarters in LakeWales, Florida. Here I 
worked from January to November in 1925. During this year I left
 and moved to Lakeland, Florida. Where I
 have been ever since during the same kind of work on the section gang.
 Most of my work has been in the yard here in Lakeland. This job that I
 am holding down now, was given to me when the old man [was?] retired 
who use to be watchman here. When on the section gang I received 1.60 a day. 
Now I make 50.00 a month. I have
 been at this work little over a year. There has not been an accident on 
this crossing since I took it over." "I have to attend Safty
 Meetings held at different places.
 To be safe yourself you have to learn to make others safe.
 All of my luck comes from a good work record. I always wanted 
to work well from a kid up." 
"My brother Jim, is a watchman at the other crossing on Florida Avenue.
 We started in service together, 
he is forty seven years old. I have another brother Bee who lives on the
 farm in Jefferson County." "I have a good boss-man, our foreman Mr.R.W. Sweat - 
who heads up the Railroad Department." "I never went to school a day in my life.
 When I left home I could neither read nor write my name. Now 
I can read and write anything. How I began, I would buy paper and envelopes,
 and had a friend who would do the writting for me. I wouldn't get any answer for 
them and when I got wise I found that he was signing 
his name to them. I noticed he would get lots of mail and could 
tell me things about home. From then on I began to learn to read and write." 
"Yes to my judgement I think a man should have an eduction. I read a good deal
 on this job. You see what I read.
" Dave arose form his stone seat and entered his shed, and brought out a few 
[small?] books. They were as following:
 The Bible, The Child's Bible Question Book, The Pocket Treasury,
 The Emphazized Gospal of St John, and the Words of 
Comfort and Consolation. 
"I don't have time to fool with little old joke books. I tries to read
 something that will give me consolation to my soul." 
In regard to voting Dave said, "no sir; I never voted, never been 
interested in voting. Ever since I first heard 
of colored people having trouble voting I never fooled with it. 
"Yes Sir, I am a member of the Primitive Baptist Church, located on West 
[?] Street. Our pastor is 
Rev. C.B. Bartley,he pastors our church and one in St. Petersburg, Florida. 
We hold service twice a month. I have been a churchman since 1905. I used to be
 president of the Usher Board,Usher, and a trustee. 
I had to give up my church work on account of my job.
 My family they attend church regularly. A person could'nt 
live a better life under [the?] Sun than a christian life.
 It's the finest life to live on earth. 
This new fashion religion that they have now of days,
 I don't have no faith in it. This old fashion 
religion will hold fast. It will stay with you." 
"This new religion people will go out and get drunk,cuss, and fight,
 and go to church [?] [?] you praying. When I was small I would go to church,
 and at that time I was considered develish. I remember when I would 
chunk stones at the chicken. My mother would take me to the field where 
they were picking cotton. I was so small, they had a six pound sack ,
 and had to pick cotton too. 
In making me work that kept me ut of mischief.I think that 
started me off to work and being good." Dave is five feet and four inches in height,
 dark brown in complexion, he was dressed in overalls with a heavy 
gold chain hanging with an expensive watch on it. He displayed his 
watch and stated that it kept correct time. 
He stated that he has to have it checked every week by the jeweler.
 His old felt hat was black. And his gold 
teeth in front shined when he smiled. He has a pleasant personality, 
and good common sense about conditions in general. 
Every on is passing appeared to know him. They did not fail to speak to Dave. 
Dave said, "that he did not have to pay any rent for his home. the company 
supplies the house." The home 
on Lake Wire is painted gray with white trimmings like all 
the other section houses that line Lake Wire next 
to the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. His wife was very pleasant and from 
observation she is a good housekeeper. 
They have two bed rooms, and the furniture was in very good shape. 
This day they were very neat in thier attire. 
They stated that their grocery bill was never over 20.00 per month,
 and they have everything they want. Dave said, 
"that he did not eat very much meat, some times a little bacon, 
mostly I like vegetables and no sweets." There are about five more
 Colored families in this section, they are surrounded by white people. The exterior 
appearence was good. The lawn was green and well kept. There was a fence 
in front of the house and it was painted white. They all seemed to be happy together. 
Dave said, "when I get off from work I go home and sleep, when 
I wake up I chop wood, and work around the lawn. 
I hardly have time to do anything else. I don't play any kind of games,
 I am too old for that now. I have to take 
care of myself so I can make [a?] living for my family.
 During these times there is no time for a fellow to fool 
around." 
At this time Dave said well I must get on the job, it is time for a 
train to come through, and with a courteous
bow he said good bye. 

25996
Federal Writers' Project 
Paul Diggs 
Lakeland, Florida 
March 3, 1939
Boyd, John and Rebecca
827 Missouri Avenue
Lakeland, Florida 
JOHN AND REBECCA BOYD, WELL DIGGER AND FARMER 
In the City of Lakeland, located in the heart of the Citrus development of the State of Florida, there lives a Negro family who has seen Lakeland grow to it's present stage of development. They have maintained their respectability from their pionering period to the present time. The members of the family consist of, John and his wife Rebecca, their son Bryan, and John's two sisters Mary and Mattie. Mattie is the first Negro baby to be born in Lakeland, Florida. John is tall and rawboned. He walks a little bent over, he is dark in complexion, with many gray hairs in his head. John was born in Cario, Georgia, having passed his sixty fifth birthday. His parents were Willis J. and Gabrella Boyd. Rebecca is very small in size, four feet and five inches in height, dark brown in complexion, with gray hairs in her head. They were very congenial and above the average in intelligence. Rebecca said, " I will do the best I can to tell you about our early life, and what I found when I came to Lakeland in [1898?]. I came here from Thomasville, Georgia, where I was born. My parents Bryant and [Cherry Sanders?], were slaves. When I was small I used to hear them talk about slavery time. They said their slave master was Mr. [M.?.] Hutch. They [had?], father said, one hundred and fifty slaves on the plantation. He was considered a good slave master. Father died February [10?], 1895, at the age of seventy years old. My mother died in 1909. Our son Bryant was born in 1884, and I was born October 9,1870. I married John while he was working in Arcadia, Florida, December 12,1900. My parents rented land to farm on in Thomasville, Georgia. They once had one hundred and fifty acres, and called it a three horse farm. There were fifteen children in our family, all of them are deceased except myself. When we came to Lakeland we settled near the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, near Lake Weir. At that time, nearly all the colored people lived in that section. There was about one hundred colored people living in Lakeland at that time. Now I hear them say that we have nearly four thousand colored people in Lakeland . That's jumping up some. They came here from every place."Mattie was busy ironing in the back hallways. Rebecca called her. She came in and sat down." Now Mattie can tell you about herself. Mattie said," it is true that I am considered the first Negro child to be born in Lakeland . My parents were Willis J. and Gabrella Boyd. Willis died January 11, 1903, age 54. Gabrella died July 7, 1901, age 45. I was born May 1, 1886. I remembered the second colored child that was born in Lakeland , Lubenny Sullivan, (whose bible record was seen) was born June 14,1886. She is now living in Philadelphia, married and is known as Mrs. Livington. She has three grown children. I know well the first white child born in Lakeland\, she now lives in Tampa, Florida. Miss Dora Lee Bonaker, who is now Mrs Helm. Congressman, [A.?] J. Drane's son Orcian was born the same month that Miss Dora Lee was born.Where we lived was a wilderness. Pane street was near the depot. At that time Main, Pine, street, and Kentuckey avenue, were the main streets. Most of the business was located on Main street. I was born near Lake Weir along the railroad. Deep sand [trails?] with do [ruts?] in them. [?]. to your knees were the only paths and roadways. The big wheels of the ox-carts cut them like this. This was the only mode of travel then. I use to ride them many days. Slow riding to what we have now. But we thought we were getting there fast. In 1898 I saw soldiers who camped around Lake Weir, Lake Morton, and Lake Hunter. They were on their way to the Spanish American War in Cuba. You remember the sixth of May when the Battleship Maine was sunk in 1898. The soldiers began pouring in the last of April, and it was the last of August before they all left. Those were some exciting times around Lakeland . I remember the colored Tenth [Cavalry?], The Illinois., The Ist [regimen?] from Ohio, and the 77th of New York. All of these were white soldiers. This place was the backing up place from Tampa. As fast as the ships would take them to Cuba they would leave out of Lakeland . Some never did get to go to Cuba, because the Tenth Cavalry had whipped them out under Colonel, Rossevelt. These were some days. Talking about hard times, that was no name for it. I attended Elementary school, only going as far as the sixth grade. At that time they did not have any more grades, until Prof. W.A. Rochelle brought the school up to the eighth grade. I left Lakeland and finished my schooling in Ocala at the Emerson school, going through the High school course. The first colored school located in Lakeland was at Florida Avenue and Main street where the People's Bank Building now stands. When they moved it from there, they held school in the Methodist church one season, and in the Baptist church another, moving sometimes to the Masonic Hall. This was kept up until the first school was located in Morehead at Orange and Ohio Avenue in 1905. I taught in this school seven years, holding a third grade certificate. I have been married, but I divorced my husband. He is alive somewhere. Rebecca said, " Mattie has something to be proud of being the first colored child born in Lakeland and still living to tell about it. I went to school myself. I attended the Hamilton school in Thomasville, Georgia. I went as far as the seventh grade. The school building was built out of logs with only one large room. We had two teachers, and about one hundred and fifty children. At that time we only had three months schooling, way long before the last they gave us six months. This was not long after freedom. We would play jumping the rope, and sometimes baseball, the girls played on one side and the boys on the other. Back there they didn't mix up with the boys.
When I came to Lakeland, I was elected the First President of the Parent Teachers Association. 
We started with twenty members which grew to fifty members when I gave it up.
 I think education is the greatest thing in the world today.
 I don't think there is enough association 
of parents with teachers. Since Prof. Rochelle gave up the principleship we have not
 had the good fellowship with teachers. 
Things are different. We didn't have so many wayward girls during our times.
When I first came here I remembered finding only eight Baptists, twenty five
 A M E Methodists, and five M E Methodists. I didn't know anything about
 Primitive Baptists at that time. That part of the 
Baptists popped up later. I have been a member of the Harmany Baptist 
Church thirty one years. John, 
does not belong to any church. When I was active in church,
 I was President of the B Y P U, teacher of 
the first Bible Class, treasurer of the Sunday School, head of 
the Deaconess Board, and President, once, 
of the Women's Home Missionary Society. I tried to give my soul to my church work.
 I think that the saving of souls has retarded in the last few years.
 I think the cause of the condition is slackness on the part of 
the churches today. Years ago they were better. The Old folks
 don't have any power over the young folks, because they set wrong kind of examples[!?] 
" I had to give up all work when I had this stroke in 1935.
 I had the stroke on my left side. Now you see 
I am able to walk and use my hand. I had all of my teeth pulled out. 
You know bad teeth can poison your whole system. Before I was swepted off of my feet, 
I weighed one hundred and thirty pounds. I suffer mostly 
from "High Blood Pressure" I have to watch my eating very carefully.
Speaking of food- I remembered right after freedom how cheap things were.
 Around 1878 you could get a large 
hog for $1.50; butter 15 a pound; bushel of potatoes 20 bushel of 
corn 25;eggs sold two dozen for 15, and 
you had to carry them eight and ten miles to the next town to sell them.
 A big change now. With this trouble 
I am having, it cost me a great deal for special food that I have to eat.
 I only eat fish, lamb, grits, butter, 
whole wheat bread, and corn bread when it is cooked well. Before I had this 
stroke I could eat anything. 
John and the rest of the family eat most any thing. I worry a great deal at
 times because I am not able to work like I used to. When I was on the farm 
in Georgia I was strong and worked hard. I hoed and picked cotton 
on my fathers farm. We only received 40 a hundred. A hundred pound was a whole 
lot of cotton to pick back there. They didn't have the cultivation like they have now. 
If you made thirty five cents a day you would do better 
than those who worked in domestic service, because they only made
 [$?] 1.00 per week. Some places they would 
only make $ 1.00 a month doing the housework and cooking. 
You sometime had to cook for eight and ten in the family. 
I had my family to feed and look out for. The way the mistress did,
 was to tell you to put a [peck?] of potatoes 
in the stove. When ordered to go to the smoke house, you were told to get 
the odds and ends of the meat to cook 
with the greens. What was left you could give to your children. That's the 
way they made up for their low pay. 
And that's the way the pan came about, I mean servants carrying pans home 
when they finished work. Carrying pans 
home is no new thing. My child would starve if I didn't carry a pan home at night.
 Mistress would give us all the 
old clothes and shoes. After President Grover Cleveland and Harrison, 
times changed and things began to pick up.Sometimes we would get from $2.00 to $ 2.50 a week.
 Things began to get better still after President 
William McKinley's and Theodore Roosevelt's time.
 when we came to Florida we found wages better than we got 
in Georgia. I hav'nt worked out very much. I worked up a good 
laundry business here at home. I would average from $ 4.00 to $15.00 a week 
when times were good.I thought once that this stroke I have came from washing 
a great deal. I was taught when I married John to care for him.
 A women's place was at home. I thought my duty 
way back there was to cook, mend clothes, and keep a good clean house for him.
 I knew [if I?] was away I could 
not do that. I am from the old school. Things are different now.
 Everybody goes, and home takes care of itself.
John followed work in the Phosphate mines from 1900 to 1907 with the "Tiger
 Bay Phosphate Company" they are out of business now. He also railroaded some, 
working here in the Coast Line railroad yard until 1925. On this job 
he would average sometimes $ 100.00 a month. John is a good well digger.
 He makes from $ 5.00 up to $ 100.00 putting in wells and sprinkle systems in the graves. 
He had a call this morning to come out to Colonial drive 
to clean out a well. John farms on our twenty acre farm located 
in the South-West section of Lakeland . It is 
where Old Pa [Dix] lived. You remember the old man who was over a 
hundred years old when he died. That's the place.
 The shack is right on our land. We let a man stay in there now.
 John has'nt done so well with the farm this year.
Bryant works on relief. Mattie and Mary stay at home and help with 
the laundry work. Mattie makes around five 
dollars every week. Work is not so plentiful now, lot of folks do their 
own work at home. I am fond of laundry work. 
What little John and myself accumulated came partly from my laundry work. 
We would put our little bits together 
so we could have something. Once we owned fourteen houses on this street.
 We lost them during the depression. 
All we saved was our home place and the twenty acres. 
Some times, I begin to think that is too much since I have been unable to work.
 Bryant helps me out a lot. 
He is one son who has stuck to his mother. It took lots of money to get me back in shape.
 If it were not for the help from this relief work we could not have pulled through. 
It has been lots of help to us. I have 
tried to get an old age pension, but I hav'nt been able to prove my age.
 About this laundry work around the town, 
I recall when colored women did nearly all of it. Now they have big places 
to do the laundry work, and that 
cuts us down same. A few folks like it the old way. If I were able to vote again
 I would vote for the democrats. I have voted since they allowed women to vote.
 John votes, too. We never had any trouble voting. We felt 
like we had a right to vote paying so much taxes every year.
Since I had this stroke I can't walk very far. I try to walk 
to the stores on Florida Avenue and back again 
to give me exercise. Outside of that I keep busy with light work around the house.
 My biggest fun is working around the flowers and attending to my chickens. 
John usually piddles around the house and yard when he is home.
 Some times he walks up the street and sits on the Knights of
 [Chythian's?] steps on Florida Avenue, and gossips with some of his old cronies.
 When Bryant finishes work he like to dress up and walk down the street, or go to 
the movies. He likes moving pictures. You can see for yourself that Mattie
 and Mary are just plain home folks,they go to church on Sunday's and that's about all. 
I don't go around like I used too, I miss doing the little 
things for folks in the community. When I was active I tried to do
 my best as long as I could. I liked it too, to
 help other. I believe that is the reason the Lord has blessed me 
in my afflictions so far. To the delight of Rebecca, John came home. She said,
 " I am glad you came home while "Professor" is here [."?] 
He shook hands and expressed his appreciation in my calling.
 He shunned his overalls, and washed his face, and hands, 
and returned in a fresh overall and joined in the interview. 
John stated that if you are talking about old time I can tell you 
a few thing, if Rebecca has told you our 
story would be about the same. You know a white man by the name of
 Mr. V.W. Stephenson, who lives at 937 W. 5th street.
 He used to live in a little house on 7th St near the Washington Park. 
Now he was the first man to sell me a lot in this town.
 He was one of the first white men to settle here in 1882 some years before I came.
 I have heard him say that Lakeland was named by Dr. Andrews.
 He aught to know because he was in the meeting when it was named.
 Right after then they layed the [town?] off in 1883 and 1884.
 They call him Judge now, he still owns lots of 
property in the white and colored section. The colored park he deeded 
it to the City to be used for a Negro park. 
I have worked hard trying to have something. I have never made anything easy in my life.
 From the looks of me it look like I have been a good man in my days. 
Since some of the folks have gone back to trucking and farming 
I have been kept busy digging wells and putting in sprinkling systems.
 I guess Rebecca told you about it. I think hard times has run them back to the soil.
 This has slowed me down with my work on my little farm. 
I don't have time to look after it like I aught too. You have a hard time to 
get some one to help you farm here 
in this town. Most of the colored men don't have farming in their bones,
 that's funny most of them came here off 
of the farm and it is hard to get them back to it.I have made pretty good off it at times.
 If nothing more, it has kept me out of the paper sack. We get all the 
fresh vegetables we want. The most I plant is corn, beans, tomatoes, pepper, 
[oats?], onions, squash, collard,[mustards?], and [sometime?] I try my hand at strawberries.
 I have my [land?] cultivated where it raises most anything. 
I have had some whopping good [watermelons?] out there. I happen to have some sandy spots. 
It takes that for watermelons. I do most of my planting by the moon. I don't
 know anything about this new method 
of farming. I [tak'] mine out of the old way of farming. It usually works.
Well when it comes to digging wells I am considered to be the best in this section.
 That bragging [on herself?]. But the white folks say so. They aught to know.
 I have followed it for years. I learned it while working around 
the [Phosphate?] mines. We always had to sink a pipe to get water
 and I worked with [that?] crew. I can usually 
tell by sounding where to find water. All I have to dois to see the [mud?] 
and I can soon tell you if there is good water there. I hardly miss, some 
places I have to dig deeper than others. The best wells are dug thirty 
feet or deeper. You miss all of the top drainage. You know the water
 beneath the surface ran off in section, every 
so many feet. Some people say pump water will make you sick. 
That's because it is nothing deep enough. People 
[pour?] out their dish water, wash water, and some have their
 septic tools to close when the pump is not deep enough.
 That's the reason why. We have to pull up pipes every now and then and clean 
off the points. You have seen them. 
There is is a sharp point on the end, and it gets clogged up some time. 
"Old age is about to get me now, I am not as active as I once was. 
I have lost lots of money fooling with
 property, worries, big doctor bills, and all that works on a fellow pretty badly.
 You have to be a good draft horse to pull the load.
You know conditions are not like they use to be. 
I have seen big changes around here. I honestly think the Government is doing
 all it can to help people and business.But the people must help themselves some too. 
Many people are stuck in these towns. With all of this open country 
they could get out and grow something.That would help to thin them out.
About my religion, I bet Rebecca has been telling you about it.I speck I oughter 
get some kind of religion by this time. You will have to bring in a new flock 
of preachers to save me now. If I didn't see so much maybe 
I would do a little better. I give my share to the church even 
if I don't go. When them big rallies come off, 
they see my money, but they don't see me. I live my life. 
So far I think it has been a pretty good one. 
One thing I am not fed up on lots of false beliefs.
When I had a good car I used to enjoying muself riding around looking at farms.
 If I have a good walk now I am happy." John was called by a white man who knocked at
 the door and this conclude his interview. Rebecca, 
said," I am so glad you had a chance to talk to him, they don't
 let him stay home long. The home of John and Rebecca is located on a very sandy Avenue.
 It is a large ten room weather- boarded house. 
Very well constructed and the exterior is painted white.
 There is a large porch extending across the front 
lower and upper, with large cement pillars. Vines are growing on trellises
 on both sides of the porch.
 Ferns in alrge pots sit on each side of the entrance. There are four wicker
 rocking chairs on the lower porch.
 The upper porch was bare of furnishing. The lawn had a good growth of
 green grass with foliage along the 
side of the fence. Two large ferns were on each side of the entrance.
 The back yard was not so orderly. 
And in out house sat on the north side with a big iron. 
It sitting in the middle of the yard. Mary was
 busy boiling clothes. [??] this [ct.?] wire and chicken yard
 was built on the southside. It was filled 
with chickens. Rebecca was proud of her chickens. Near the chicken 
yard was an in out house and some orange trees. 
Entering the house, you step into a small hallway. There was an old
 [?] in the corner and a stand near the 
door with a calling card dish sitting on pretty embroidered scarf, 
pretty blue and black blocken linoleum was 
on the floor. To the left, on the north side, was a combination
 sitting and dining room. In this room was 
an old time [?], six chairs, one china closet, and sewing machine, large dining
 table, a small table with dishes 
on it in one corner, and brown linoleum was on the floor with a few 
pictures on the wall. 
The room on the south side was a bed room, [consisting?] of a double bed,
 [?] wicker chair, a wash stand, 
clothes were hanging on the wall in the corner, and the floor was covered
 with a light brown rug. 
[?] through a [?] in the hallway you come to another bedroom. [It?] contained 
a double bed, wash stand, and two chairs. The clothes in the room were hanging
 on the wall. The floor covering was a green grass rug. 
The room adjoining this one was a bed room with a double bed,
 a cot, several chairs and a worn grass rug.
 Across from this bed room was a small kitchen that contained an
 old wood stove, and a closet in which there 
were dishes and kitchel utensils. There was no covering on the floor.
 In the back hallway, Mary was busy at her ironing again. 
The steps leading to the second floor were located in the back hallway.
 The rooms on the second floor were 
given over to bed rooms, all neatly furnished and clean. All of the windows
 had good curtains and shades to them. 
The house was ceiled, some of the rooms on the lower floor needed repainting.
 Electric lights was in all of the rooms.
John returned from mission and said, " If I did'nt have good white friends 
I don't know what would happen to me. 
I have always got along swell with them. All of my work is for them. 
I think we have a pretty good town. 
I know all of the old settlers and they will do most anything for me.
 It is how you treat yourself. I always mind my own business, and know how far to go.
 It is a blessing to live to see how things has changed.
 We did'nt have all the good things these children have today.
 I hate to say it in spite of it all they don't 
take advantage of their opportunities. We had to get and git back yonder.
 Again he had a caller, and in bidding the family good bye he said he would like for me to 
see him drill a well some time. Mattie and Rebecca has all 
smiles, and pleased over having their life's happening written up. 

26017 
Federal Writers' Project 
Paul Diggs 
Lakeland, Florida 
February 24, 1939 
Patience Flucher & Family 
118 W. 5th Street 
Lakeland, Florida 
PATIENCE FLUCHER & FAMILY 
Patience lived in North Lakeland , known us "Teaspoon Hill" at 118 W. 5th Street,
 in a ten room two story weather-board house that's unpainted. There are two long
 front porches lower and upper. On the lower porch 
there are few rusty flower pots. A swing and a chair are on the upper porch. 
The house is typical of a few that are located in this part of the colored section.
 There are located in this section lots of old time settlers who owns their homes. 
Patience's family group, with the exception of the two children work out in service. 
The women are in domestic service,and the men do common labor work. 
Patience is not able to work.
 She stays at home and looks out far the generalwelfare of the home. 
Patience's family group consists of three women, three men, and two children.
 Through their employment they 
try to pool their income toward the maintanence of the home. The members of
 the family are very congenial
 towards each other. They are considered to be respectable and conduct themselves with
 respect in the neighborhood. 
Patience said, "I sit near this window all of the time.
 It is too cold to sit there today. I had to get near 
this fire place to keep the wind off of me. I believe this 
is the coldest day we have had this year.
 She was sitting on a small wooden stool between the fire place and the bed.
 On entering the room she was busy 
figureing on a tablet, she immediately put the tablet under a 
[pillow, and?] opened her pocket book and put away her pencil. 
Patience is medium in weight, five feet five inches in height,
 and dark brown in complexion.[She?] wore a light cream color sweater, her dress was blue.
 The shoes were old and [cut?] on the sides.
 All in all her [make?] up was clean. 
The room she occupied was very small. There was an [old?] iron bed 
with clean bedding on it, a rocking chair, 
one chair filled with books, an old time dresser with a clock on it,
 a lamp, several dream books and other trinkets. 
"Well I am trained to talk to goverment people. Lots of white 
ladies have called and they asked me everything 
about my life and that of the family. I know it by heart now.
 I even sent home and got a record of the families 
birth dates. I have them in my Bible." She walked over to the
 dresser and brought forth a small Bible.
 Turning to the section where the family was recorded." Now I can 
tell you when every one was born. 
My brothers, Green Johnson, born 1897; Mark Johnson, born 1901; My sister Eliza Johnson,
 born [?],Green has two children, Lauvina, born 1923, 
and W.J. Born [1906?]. They were all born at Jasper, Florida. 
I was born December 18, [?] at Jasper, Florida. I lived there 
until I was twenty two years old. My parents were Sam and Carrie Johnson. Father died
 January 3, 1936 [t?] the age of sixty six years old. 
Mother died December [?], 1918 at the age of forty two years old,
 my parents were sharecroppers near Jasper. 
I was brought up on the farm. I learned how to work and do lots of things.
 I can do hard work and it don't hurt me.
 I used to hoe and pick cotton. Before I left the farm
 I learned to work for white folks." 
"When I left the farm I went to Manatee, Florida. I remained there until 1930.
 Coming to [Lakeland ?] 
in December of that same year. I have been married twice,
 my first husband was Thomas Roux, we married in Jasper.
 We have been seperated twenty one years. The last [I?] heard of him,
 he was supposed to be living in Manatee, Florida.
 I had a white man to tell me when I was married to Thomas to leave him.
 At that time he was so cruel to me. He said,
 If I stayed I would'nt be fit for any one else while I was young.
 I later married George Fulcher [in?] Manatee.
 I have been seperated from him about fourteen years, I did'nt do any [better?] 
with him. [Men?] back during
 them times had a habit of beating up [women?]. They used to say'you have to
 beat them to make them love you. 
But I was the wrong woman for that. You don't have to beat me to make me love you.
 Since that time I have tried to make it myself through life. The road has been 
pretty hard at times, but I have been able to pull 
through some hard places." "By having my family together, we have [been?] able 
[?] do the best we know how. Eliza works out in service 
only doing days work, [claiming?] that she makes more doing days work.
 Some time she averages around five 
and six dollars a week. Evelyn, works out in service also, [she makes?]
 four dollars a week. My brother Green, 
works on the [hard?] road. Some time that work is not regular.
 Mark works for the City [of?] Lakeland , 
caretaker for the Oak Hill Burial Park. Mark make two dollars 
and fifty cents a day. [Loutina?], 
goes to Washington Park High School, she is in the eighth grade.
 I think W.J. is in the fifth grade. 
That W.J. is some boy. It is hard to keep him home at nights.
 His [??] [whips?] him, he'll go just the same. 
I am glad he is taking up Scouting, maybe that will help to learn him something.
 His teacher said he is [mischievous?] in school. 
It looks like the more you beat him the more he tries to do.
 The other night he started out with the 
Scout Boys and slipped away. His father went to the Park where 
the boys met and there was no W.J. 
The next morning I heard his father asking him how was the Scout meeting.
 He twisted round and round. 
Finally he asked him who made the first Flag in the United States.
 W.J. said, George Washington. 
Everybody down stairs screamed. After W.J. lied and lied, then his father
 told him he was at the Scout Meeting.
 Man, he fell [?], so surprized. Then he tells his father that he
 stole off from the boys and went to the 
basketball Game. Olen is on the N Y A. He recieves a check every 
two weeks for five dollars or more, 
I have never seen his check. He secures [odds?] jobs when off duty,
 and likes to wear good clothes.
 Now and then he gives me something towards the rent and food. 
That's the way we try to live." 
"When I was in Manatee i used to work in the celery field picking celery. 
I made as high as twelve 
dollars and fifty cents a week. When I first came to Lakeland
 I worked out in service and the highest I 
made was eight dollars. The last place I worked was at 
Dr. R.R. Sullivan, who lives at 831 S. Boulevard. 
He was a good man to work for." 
"When I was taken sick I was working for Dr. Sullivan.
 He did everything in his power to cure me. 
His nurse and the Doctor examined me good, took blood test
 and gave me medicine of all kinds and that 
did not do me any good [?] finally gave up. The sore you 
see on my leg started from an itch and 
it would go all over my body. At night I would scratch all over.
 Then it started to spread. All this happened six years ago. I had to stop work
 and come home, I have used every thing that people 
tell me to use, been to root workers. Some of them said that
 I was rooted by some one. Some times I think that my old man had me rooted." 
"I have some one working on me now." Patience reached under the pillow
 and produced a card [stating?]," this is the lady who sends me treatment
 for my leg." Quoted as follows: You can win health, 
Love, Success, and Happiness- Madam Jackson, [Palmister?],
 Mobile, Alabama, R 40, Box 338. Is my wife true? 
Is is best to make a change? Will I have better health?
 Is my sickness natural? Will I travel? 
Am I being watched? Is there a treatment? Should I gamble? How can I succeed in business? 
How can I make my home happy? How can I conquer enemies? How can I marry the one
 I love? How soon can I marry? How can I Make any one love me? Is my investment 
safe? How should I invest my money? Will I win or lose my case? Have I any enemy? 
How can I control my friends? What is the cause of my illness? Are my partner happy? 
AM I in danger? Will I ever have any children? The outcome of the courts? Is my husband
 true? See this palmister at once and have these and many other questions answered
 for you. Look for the large hand on the side of the house. Davis Ave Butler Lane." 
Patience said this is the treatment that I am getting and it is getting me well.
 She sends me treatment every week. The big sore you see is healing slowly,
 it still hurts when I walk or stand on it a long time. When you have tried 
every thing, you have to believe in somebody. Another root worker put me in
 touch with Madame Jackson." During this conversation Olen came into the house and
 came directly to his mother's room. He said, 
"I am cold and the lady said it was too cold to work today.
 I have to go down to the W P A office 
to see the N Y A Supervisor." He went to his room and returned,
 dressed neatly in gray trousers with [spats?]
 on, and a double breasted blue coat with a scarf around his neck.
 "I bought my spats from 
Sears and Roebuck Company, they cost me forty-nine cents, they keep your 
ankles warm, I noticed lots of 
Northern [people?] wearing them around The Tourist Center." 
Patience said, "A white man from Michigan wanted to take him North, 
but he would not go because he wanted 
to stay at home so he could look after me.". 
"I attended school at Jasper, Florida. I only went as far as the fourth grade.
 My first teacher was [Bish?] Riley.
 I will never forget him. Is'nt it funny you never forgot your first teacher. 
[?] went to a little one room school,
 built back in the pines. I will never forget [them?] days. I can see my little 
old wild self running around now.
 The children should be happy now, they have good schools and good teachers.
 The teachers back there did not 
have to know as much as they do now. It was something big to be a teacher then.
 The whole community looked up to him.
 I only wish I had the chance the boys and girls have now. I tell my children 
they better get all the education
 they can while they are young. They will need it when they grow older.
 Now all they have in their heads is a good time.
 I have one girl Evelyn, who won't stay home at night. she has taken to drinking,
 I don't see where she [picked?]
 it up, it don't run in the family; and no one in the house drinks.
 Since they started this [?] business, its hard 
to tell [what?] these fresh girls will do now a days. She had no
 business quitting school. A mother [sees?] hard
 time rearing children now. [You?] talk [?] a home, that is out of
 the question, [busines?] trying to raise the 
[?] children, all I own is this little furniture. "I have decided not
 to worry bout [any?] thing, 
I just sit here and attend to my business and look out of the window,
 and watch people and cars go by." 
"I do worry about going to church, all of the family goes to
 [Bethel A M E?] Church, located [??] 
[Dakot?] Avenue. Since I have been sick I am not [able?] to give to the church,
 I have to [keep what 
few pennies I get?] to buy [aspirin?] tablets and other little
 [medicine?] for my leg. [?] is [???] the rest.
 She tells me all what happen in church when she comes home.
 I see the pastor drive by some times, he never stops.
 When you get sick [everybody?] forgets you. When you have money for the church,
 you are known as a good sister. 
Its'sister this and sister that. Nothing like the olden times. 
Every member of the church would come 
around to see you, and try to help you. You could be dead and buried,
 they would never know anything about it. 
I am not against the church, but I do think that the church is not
 trying to save souls, they are trying to see
 how much money they [can?] raise. That's the way it looks to me.
 Every time I turn around there is some [?] on.
 H!Ha! there [?] be [??] in them [?]." 
Patience seemed to have all of her articles under the pillow,
 she reached again under the [?] 
and brought out [??] of [?] cigarettes, stating, "[parden me?] 
for [smoking?] it [helps?] my nerves. 
Lighting the cigarette she [????] How the [family helps?] her.
 "I have lots of [help?] from [?] girls, 
they do the cooking for me and the [?]. Some are better [?] than others,
 I [can't?] eat very much I only [??],
 fresh buttermilk, use no meat, no acid food, plenty of vegetables,
 and [mighty?] little sweets. 
The rest of the family eats lots of [meats and every?] thing else. 
That boy W.J. can put away some food.
 He runs all day and night, and no wonder he is so hungry when 
he comes home. Some times the girls bring
 good things home from where they work. That's the only time I get a little dessert. [?]
 tried to have a garden to grow some vegetables but the soil 
was too poor, and the men folk too lazy.
 We have'nt tried any more." 
"No, no one votes in our house, my brothers don't think along that line.
 Where we come form a colored man 
better had not look like he wanted to vote, so naturally they do not
 think about such a thing down here." 
Eliza came in from her days work and sat down like she was tired.
 When questioned about her work, she said, 
Mister please let me rest cause I have been through something today.
" Finally she said, "I put out today, 
every time I turned around Ole [?] had something for me to do. 
Believe me she got all the grease out of me today.
 I was happy when the taxi rolled up. Yes they pay my taxi fare. 
We would'nt make very much if they did not pay 
our fare to work. I mostly get two dollars a day at some places.
 I have regular people to go to. I can get
 all the work I want, the white people know me, I happen to put 
out a good days work, so they tell their friends 
and they try to get me to work for them. All I want them to tell
 me what to do, and I do it.
 Every body don't know how to clean a house. You can't take any old 
thing and clean furniture and rugs. 
You have to know how, then you don't have trouble holding down your job.
 My white folks are very nice to me, 
some of them I have been working for nearly three years.
 They stay here the year round. I don't worry about 
working for tourist, I have to live through the summer." 
"We hav to have uniforms. I wear this blue uniform trimmed in white.
 It keeps you from soiling up so many clothes. 
I usually go to my work at 7:30 and I am through my work on one job
 by three oclock. Sometimes they bring me home. 
I like that because you loose lots of time waiting for a taxi, they 
don't come when you call them." 
Eliza said that she had to go to work for herself now. I have a weeks
 washing to put out. The front room of this house is very spacious.
 It has a fire place in the North-East corner, an old [victrola?], 
and dresser sats in the South-East corner. One long bench given by 
some of their white friends, and couple of
 wicker chairs with a wicker table sitting in the center of the room.
 There was no covering on the floor. 
Next to this room was the dining room with a large dining table
 in the middle of the floor. A small stand 
was next to the wall with books and tennis rackets on it. A bango without
 strings was hanging on the wall. 
The steps leading to the second floor are located in the dining room. 
There was a small bed-room next to the dining room which was occupied by Green. 
In it was a double iron bed, one chair, and his clothes hung on nails on the wall. 
There was no covering on this floor. 
The kitchen was very small, the big stove nearly took up all of the floor space. 
Over the stove were shelves for the pots and pans, the dishes were in an old closet. 
The walls were covered with soot from the wood stove. 
The rooms on the second floor were very small, the double beds in them takes 
up nearly all of the floor space. 
In some of them the walls were ceiled. In the hallway sat a sewing machine
 with a few magazines on it, 
"these magazines are given to [?] by the white people 
she works for. The children read them sometime." The house was clean throughout. 
"It [keeps?] me hustling to keep our rent money together.
 I pay my rent to Mr. Oates a white man, 
who is the agent for Rev, [Raodes?] the owner of this house.
 He pastor a Baptist Church in Tampa, Florida.
 We pay three dollars a week rent, and that is to much for this old big house.
 you see for yourself we 
have no conveniences. We have to use that old ramshackle out house,
 and the pump is broken. Our washing is heavy,
 the men have to have clean overalls and that takes lot of water to
 keep them clean. We have to take 
turns when we bathe, there is only tree was tubs out in the back yard.
 I want to put a cover over that bench where I wash. on hot day I have to do all
 of the washing out in the hot sun." 
In the back yard, there was a wire enclosure for the chickens and an old
 [?] hen house. Two large Spaniel dogs 
lay lazily in the yard. They were very friendly. The whole back yard was
 wired in. There was lots of debris 
lying around in the yard. Clothes were hanging on the many clothe
 lines stretched across the yard and flapping in the wind. 
"I wish I could get well, dawned on Patience and as she led me around the house.
 If I had some pull maybe
 I could get into the hospital and have my leg treated. Poor people see's a hard time.
 I have tried to get help for my leg, and all I get is excuses.
 Now you know that sort of disheartens a person. Like I said if I 
was able to work I would'nt worry anybody. I am not a bad woman, 
I just fell into hard luck. When I was out 
in service I gave good service and was well liked. The young people
 don't work the hours we had to when 
I was able to work. Things have changed so rapidly, one can hardly 
keep up with the times." 
"I carry insurance on all the members of the family,
 that is the only way I can look out for the rainy day. 
I carry it with the Industrial Life Insurance Company.
 It costs me One dollar a week. That's for both Sick 
and Accident and Straight Life. It's a good thing to have,
 one never knows when we will get sick, and die." 
"I understand that the speaking at the Auditorium by Madame Mary McLeod 
[Bethane?], was good. I hear it was 
the largest crowd that they ever had in the Auditorium since
 it was built. Olen received a card from his 
Supervisor telling him to be present to the speaking.
 I think it is nice that young people can do 
something worth while. I am proud because Olen [in?] in it. 
I sit on the upstairs porch and watch them boys and girls
 play on the playground some afternoons. 
That's something new for our folks in Lakeland , we did'nt have 
that before we had the W P A, Olen he helps 
around the tennis court at the Tourist Center. I [??] talking about
 Mr. Hendrick, the tennis player. 
Olen is crazy about him, cause he teaches him lots about the game." 
"You asked me what I had to do when I was out in service, I don't
 think that there is much difference, 
the girls now have to do the same [?] of work. [?]
 some have those new [?] things to work with, and 
thats makes it much easier. Where [??] the electric polishers, 
it don't take long to polish floors. 
Some places I had to get down on my knees. [?] used polish mops.
 [?] the electric machines [???] work much 
easier if you are lucky to get [?] in home that has one.
 In small families you have all the work to do from 
cleaning up, to cooking, and washing. I just think a colored man 
is lucky when he marries a colored woman. 
he gets a wife, housekeeper, cook and wash woman. Yet some of 
[??] are not satisfied. If they had to put 
out like some of them white men I bet they would be satisfied." 
"I hardly [??], I would like to go down town sometime [?]
 [window?] shop. That would be about all. 
I have no money to do any-thing with. It would be a big change 
to get out from this place. 
I sit and see the sam e thing every day. It is no easy thing
 to sit down all day [?]. 
You can think of more things to [??] more things not to do.
 Green [??], they like to sit around in 
front of some of the stores and listen to gossip. [?] How I get my [?] news." 
[?] who is [full?] of life said. "I take my [sport?] out in going to movies,
 with my boy friend who takes me twice a week. They have good pictures, I don't
 like cowboy pictures all that shooting 
and running is too much for me. Oh yes, I attend church, I go to nearly
 all the [??] services, but I still like my movies." 
Patience said, "I don't [??] to [?] bout the government,
 but I think this relief business has helped people, 
I know it has helped me. The people [?] never forget [?] Roosevelt.
 He has kept many a door open, 
but I think sometimes people soon forget what you [?] for [?].
 They cry when their ribs [are?] in, 
and as soon as you [?] them out they soon forget.
 That's right I have seen it. I once got a [sack?] of flour 
[?] at the welfare office, and another colored woman had a sack
 much smaller than mine, she fussed something
 terrible because mine was larger than hers. At that time she did'nt 
understand that they gave you 
things according to the size of your family. That's the way it goes. 
I have seen it. [I still?] say 
I am [?] for what they do for my boy [?]. It is God's will and his will,
 willbe [?]." 
"I better be [?] them [?????] on the stove, it is near time for 
the children to come home from school. 
They [hardly?] ever [eat?] much lunch and I know they will be hungry.
 You [?] seen first, I have to take my time walking down the steps.
 I can't put much [?] on my leg and I use the 
[banister?] for [??] down." 
"I think the front door is open, and [if?] you want to know 
any more I will be glad to talk with you.
 Eliza said yes I have [??] to tell you. Goodbye." 

Thank you Odell