Laura Ann Battreall Hightower
The only child of nomadic parents,the only home she knew for the better part of her earlier childhood was spent traveling around the south in a covered wagon.
She was given into marriage 9 days before her 13th birthday to a man almost twice her age. Of this marriage, 4 children were born. Her first born son died within 24 hours of birth. This marriage was terminated by divorce after 12 years of physical and emotional abuse by a man that always thought of her as a child.
2 years later, at the age of 27, she married my father who was then 51 years old and they began there family of 5 children. Althought the abusive part of her life was over, the hardships were not,and as time passed it became necesary for her to find work outside of the home. A grandmother at age 32, she worked beside her husband in the cotton fields and as a comercial fisherman while never negelecting her duties as a housewife and mother. By the time she was 40, with her growing family and aging husband, she was forced to become the primary breadwinner for her family.
She was a stern disciplinarian and made sure that her children conducted themselves in a manner that was above reproach and were looked up to in the community.
Even through a life of adversity she always remained positive and her most outstanding and memorable characteristic trait was her extreme generosity. For the railroad hobos of the 40's who were down on their lick, there was always a free meal. For her own grown children with families of their own who returned to live in her home, there was always room for everyone even if it meant she would sleep on a pallet on the floor. From her used clothing store, there was always a freepair of shoes or a winter coat for anyone she deemed to be in need and all her charity and goodwill was totally without regard to race or creed and without regard to her own personal needs.
