The Carroll Family -- Compiled by Beulah Carroll Moore, December 1968

Transcribed by Elmer V. Moore July 1999 from a hand written copy

“We were never able to get much information about our mother's family and this is all we have:

Jessie Alphus Mitchell born August 1829 in Raleigh, North Carolina and must have been about 41 years old when he came to Louisiana, as he came during 1870. Now where and what year he married is Unknown to us but he married Elizabeth Eiland who was born in Tuscaloosa Alabama [known as bible country in those days]. Elizabeth Eiland was born March 17, 1831.

They had five children and we know the second child, our mother, was born on March 1, 1857 near Kilmichael, Mississippi, known then as Choctaw country. So, by this Grandpa Mitchel must have lived a while in Mississippi five children was: Susan, M. Annette, William, Martha, and Joseph. I have asked Uncle Billy's children about this last child, Joseph, and none of them ever heard of him. Could have died as a child and name may have been Jasper. They came to Louisiana in 1870. I never saw Grandpa and saw Grandma one time that I can remember. She died at age 74 and Grandpa was 66 when he died. (Ed. Note-- Gege was confused about the order of births. Census records show Joseph born 1851, Susannah 1854, Missouri Annette, Gege's mother 1857, William 1860 and last Martha 1866.]

Mrs. George Eiland was Mamma's sister, Martha. We knew them and Aunt Martha visited us [A. J. Moore family] when we lived on "Moore's Ranch" on Lee Street, Alexandria and she lived in Bunkie, Louisiana. We visited quite a bit and she lived many years. I think she was still living in 1940. Uncle Billy, Momma's brother, was still living in early 1950--some of his children are living in Lecompte, Louisiana. Mrs. Eva Guy, at this time 1968 and Mrs. Harrison Williams and some others of Uncle Billy's children and grandchildren are now living in Forest Hill, La. Mrs. Williams was Nettie Mitchell, they have a large nursery at Forest Hill and she is a dear person my first cousin. Alphus Eiland, a second cousin, is living in Bunkie now, 1968.

Loise said there was a Negro woman named "Otonse" who worked for Mamma when they were living at Belliveau. There may not be such a place now but Papa lived near Grand Coteau. Annie told me that Papa used to sell eggs and vegetables to the Sisters at Grand Coteau. She said he told her all about the Sisters when he went there. I have visited the Convent there and walked on the same porch Papa walked on. It is quite an old place and some of it, at the time I was there was the original building. I have a picture of an azalea tree that was 125 years old at that time in 1940.

Thomas R. Carroll [Brother to Absalom Carroll, Beulah Carroll Moore's father] wrote this about his mother's family:

A great many years ago back in the bogs of Ireland lived a young man by the name of John Rutledge, he married a young lady, I do not know her name; they like my father's family came to Baltimore, Maryland and raised a large family. Their oldest daughter, Farirraba, married a man by the name of Jesse Stephens. They also moved to South Carolina, and were blessed with a baby girl named, Farirraba and she became my grand mother, because she married a young man by the name of Thomas Strain.

After this couple, Farirraba Stephens and Thomas Strain married they moved to Alabama. There they had three little girls and one boy. Vicy the oldest and "Mary and Elizabeth" twins and William, the youngest a boy.

The War of 1812 came on, and in 1813 there was an extra call for soldiers and Thomas Strain answered the call, serving under General Jackson. He died in Mobile, Alabama in 1814 with measles. He was German extraction, so you see there is a little Dutch extraction in our veins -- we are three fourths Irish and one-forth Dutch. My what a combination.

The Strain widow moved from Alabama to Mississippi with her four children. Vicy married a man by the name of Perry Powell, she lived to be ninety years old. Mary Strain married a man named John Edward Carroll. These are my mother and father. Elizabeth Strain, Mary Strain's twin sister married John Fell.

My parents raised ten children to be grown: Elinor, Harriett, Thomas, Susannah, Martha, Fairraba, Absalom, John, Hannah and Ardelissia.

Loise Carroll Perry [Beulah Carroll Moore's sister] added this:

My grandfather, John Edward Carroll, died at the age of 62 years. My grandmother, Mary strain Carroll died in her 89th year.

Absalom Washington Carroll son of above mentioned was my father, he was born near Ellisville, Mississippi, November 6, 1847. His parents moved here a few years when the Civil War broke out. His brother, Thomas Robinson Carroll, fought in this war under Captain Sam Haas.

At the age of 27 my father married Missouri Annette Mitchel, who was born March 1, 1857. To this union eight children were born -- five boys and three girls. Three boys died early in life. My mother’s people were of Irish stock on both her father and mother families.

Sisters and brothers of my father A.W. Carroll: Martha Carroll Herring, Fairraba Carroll Hargrove, Susannah Carroll Wilkerson Herring, John E. Carroll --all were born near Ellisville, Miss. in Jones County. Elinor E. Carroll Welch, Harriet Carroll Galpin [Aunt Sid], Thomas R. Carroll born near Williamsburg, Miss., Lauderdale County, Hannah Carroll Welch [Aunt Puss], Ardelissia Graves Carroll, born near Vernon, Louisiana, Jackson Parish.

"A few facts about the Carroll Family" as written for us by our Uncle Thomas Robinson Carroll:

Many years ago in Cork, Ireland there was a young man by the name of Absalom Carroll, who with his young wife came to the United States, landing at Baltimore, Maryland. From there they moved to South Carolina here they had five sons born to them. Absaolum Carroll and his wife both died leaving these five little boys, whose names were; Britten, Absolum, John, James and Moses. The Carroll family was very poor, so the boys were given to different families to raise.

Absalom was given to a family in Collington District, South Carolina. He lived with them until he was twenty-one years old. About this time George Washington was made Chief Commander of the Army of Revolutionary War and Absalom Carroll served under General Washington until the close of the war and was honorably discharged.

He then returned to his old home in South Colleton District. He married but his wife lived only a short time, he married a second time, but again this wife died shortly after marriage. Again he married the third time and this union was blessed with a baby girl, which they named Susannah soon the mother died. In due time Absalom married the fourth wife her name was Elinor Robinson and this marriage was blessed with daughter named Mary. Susannah Carroll, Absalom's first daughter, married a man named Thomas Williams. His second daughter, Mary, married a man by the name of Edward Harper. Absalom had other children in this order; Benjamin, Sarah, John Edward, Martha, Moses, James and Absalom. [The boy named John Edward Carroll was my grandfather--Beulah Carroll Moore]

Absalom decided to move farther south, so he and his sons in law, Tom Williams and Edward Harper moved to Jones County, Mississippi on Bougehomner, an Indian name meaning "Red Bayou". It was here that Benjamin Carroll married Hulda Harper, a minister’s daughter. Harriett Carroll married Daniel McDonald, Sarah Carroll Married Samuel Clark, and John Edward Carroll married Mary Strain. John Edward and Mary Strain were A.W. Carroll's parents. Moses died when a boy, James Carroll married Mary Clark, Martha Carroll married Allen Hargrove and young Absalom married a young lady not known to the writer. [Uncle Tom]

We claim a right of citizenship in America, we are a strain of patriots, my Great grandfather Carroll served in the Revolutionary War under General Washington was honorably discharged, married four times raised ten children and died at the good old age of ninety years. My great grandfather Strain, served in the War of 1812 and died in Mobile Alabama serving under General Jackson.

My great grandfather Carroll never saw but one of his brothers after they were separated, this was Britten Carroll -- they were old men. Absalom Carroll was going from Mississippi to South Carolina to close up his business and on his way met this brother, Britten. They happened to stop at same house to spend the night.

This is a copy from the history of the Carroll family as told to Thomas Robinson Carroll.

This part of the Carroll Family [history] I [Beulah Carroll Moore] am adding because to me it is interesting:

A. W. Carroll and M.A. Mitchell were married October 25, 1874 in St. Landry Parish [as it was known then] of State of Louisiana by John O'Quinn, a minister of the Gospel. I do not know what denomination he was, either Baptist or Methodist. I remember being told that Mamma was a Baptist and of course Papa was Methodist. Papa was 27 years old and Mamma was 17 when they were married. Be that as it may, to this marriage they were given eight children in this order: J.A. Carroll born February 18, 1876 at Science Hill near Glenmora at Grandpa's homestead. Thomas W. Carroll, born June 14, 1877, same place as brother J.A. Annie Carroll, born March 13, 1879 also at Science Hill. Jasper Carroll, born January 25, 1881, I presume at Science Hill. William Linus Carroll, born July 3, 1882 in Bellevue, Louisiana. Rupert A. Carroll, born April 11, 1885 in Bellevue, Nettie Loise Carroll, born November 3, 1887 in Bellevue, this was near Opelousas and the Dr. who delivered her, I'm sure was same for Linus and Rupert, Dr. Daly or Daily. Beulah Carroll, born May 23, 1890 in Rapides Parish, Lecompte, La. The Dr. forgot to introduce himself to me -- so I do not know who he was, may have been a mid-wife, anyway, I got here.

Deaths of Papa and Mamma's children: Johnie A. Carroll died January 28, 1887, Jasper Carroll died December 4, 1882 and Thomas W. Carroll died August 17, 1877. These three brothers are all buried some where near Sunset, Louisiana. Before grandma Carroll died she took me with her to visit her son, Uncle Thomas Carroll, who lived near Opelousas. I was very small, preschool age and the only thing I remember about it was standing between Grandma and Uncle Tom and the three graves were there with some sort of markers. They stood there and talked, I just remember the graves and standing there. I remember Annie [sister] telling me that Johnnie died of diphtheria, what Thomas and Jasper had I do not know -- all of them were very young. Johnnie was 11 and the other two few months.

Next death of children was Linus who died April 25, 1943, Easter Sunday in early morning. His death was caused by T.B. After Linus Rupert followed soon from heart failure, June 5, 1945. Annie after a long illness died January 31, 1957. A very bad heart and she never had but one kidney. I think she had kidney trouble also. She had many troubles, but I think her heart was very bad.

Loise did nor live very long after Annie died. She had many things wrong but the main illness was cancer -- on August 9, 1962 she died. I am the only one left in our family and I've been here a long time. I believe if you live a happy calm life and do not hate getting old, you live longer. God has blessed me so very much; a wonderful husband, children, a home -- not too much illness, anyway so far I can take what is sent for me to endure. The hardest thing I have to endure is loneliness.

Now I'll add another bit of information although it isn't complete. Linus was first of the children to be married. W. Linus Carroll and Mary Ione Jones were married August 28, 1903 at the Methodist Church in Lecompte. I do not know the preachers name. Annie Carroll married a widower, Stephen A. Pittman November 24, 1903. They went to Opelousas, La. why they went there I never knew. Rupert A. Carroll and Maude Marie Ping were married June 21, 1908. They were married at John Brewer's home [by] Bro. Robert Harper [a Methodist minister] on Sunday afternoon. Bro married Nettie Loise Carroll and William Leger Perry July 6, 1910 in Woodworth, La., in Linus and “Soddies” home. Killen [ a Baptist minister]. Beulah Carroll and Alvah Joseph Moore married June 17, 1911 at St Francis Xavier Cathedral Rectory by Fr. Menard, Rector at that time. We were also married from Linus and "Soddie's" home. They lived in Pineville then and "Soddie" had some friends in and we had a lovely wedding supper, like no one but "Soddie" could cook. [ Ed. Note: "Soddie" was a nickname for Mary Ione Jones Carroll, I never learned how it started --E.V. Moore]

Now I will name the children that were born to each of us, - - -. To Linus and Mary Carroll a girl Flossie Ione Carroll was born December 1904. "Soddie" went to her sister's house, Emms Garvier who lived at Loyd's Bridge. The Dr. who delivered her was most Likely Dr. Ned Luckett -- I do not know. Eldridge Linus Carroll was born February 8, 1906. "Esh" was born in Woodworth, La., and Dr. Leigh was the company Doctor at that time. I remember "Soddie" saying that she had a dream about "Esh's" name, even how to spell it.

Next were Annie's children: Beuford Alexander Pittman -- born at Lecompte on July 22, 1906. Either old Dr. Everrett or Dr. Henry delivered him as they were the two Drs. in Lecompte. Vivian Ora Pittman, born September 7, 1908. Dr. Leigh delivered her. She was a very small child, I think she weighed less than three pounds.

The next child to marry was Rupert and the children born to Rupert and Maude were: A stillborn girl in 1909. I do not know too much about this except Papa met the train at Longleaf and got the body and had it buried in the Paul's Cemetery around Longleaf or Forest Hill. [Rupert and Maude were living at Luddington when this baby was born] I have visited one Pails Cemetery and failed to find Grandma Carroll's grave. There are two Paul Cemeteries there and I will find it if possible. Grandma and our Aunt Lissie buried the child. Rupert Francis Carroll born April 4, 1910 in Elizabeth, La. Dr. Branch delivered him. William Donald Carroll, May 21, 1914, Elizabeth, La., Dr. Branch. Kenneth Louis Carroll, September 2, 1916, Oakdale, La., Dr. Hargrove delivered. Mary Kathleen Carroll, April 22, 1918, Oakdale, La., Dr. Matthew Hargrove.

W. Ledger and N. Loise Perry's children were next: Carroll Ledger Perry born June 27, 1911 at Woodworth, La. Dr. C.W. Brewster, company Dr., delivered him. Reginald C. Perry born February 2, 1913 at Woodworth, La., Dr. Brewster delivered. James Brenard Perry, born February 27, 1915 at Meridian , La., Dr. Talbot, company Dr., delivered.

Next was Alvah J. Moore and Beulah Elaine Carroll's children: Beulah Lucille Moore, born April 24, 1912, Woodworth, La., Dr. C.W. Brewster delivered early Wednesday morning 7:15. Fr. Schoofer and Edith Moore were Godparents. Aline Cecelia Moore born June 7, 1916, Woodworth, La., and Dr Joseph Sydney Gardner delivered early Wednesday morning about 7:30. Baptized by Fr. DeVrant, Mr. & Mrs. John Lawless were Godparents. Alvah Joseph Moore, Jr., born January 5, 1918, Woodworth , La. Saturday 3:30 PM and was Daddy mad at us for stopping important repairs at the mill. Also it was summer weather at noon and by the time you arrived it was snowing like fury. Elmer Vincent Moore, born March 29, 1920, Woodworth, La., Monday morning at 9:AM. Dr. George Mason Graham delivered and was also Elmer's Godfather. Mrs. Souards, Godmother, baptized by Fr. Beckers. Jane Carroll Moore, born October 1, 1924 Woodworth, La., early Wednesday morning, 2:AM. Company Dr. Garrison delivered -- Baptized by Fr. Plauche, John Cole Hutsmeyer and Beulah Moore were Godparents.

Jane Carroll Moore Ward wrote the following:

"This [story] is taken from some papers that I found and kept that Mother had handwritten sometime shortly before she had to go to the nursing home. She wrote on both sides of the paper and in between the lines and down the sides of the pages. Several years ago I made copies of the original to give to all of you, but found that they were not very legible, so I decided to transcribe them so all of you could enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed it. - - - "

BEULAH ELAINE CARROLL MOORE (GEGE) [written sometime in the 80's]

My father was born near Ellisville, Mississippi November 6, 1847. He was named Absolum Washington Carroll and his parents moved to Louisiana when he was a very small boy, just a few years before the Civil War. Where they lived at this time, I do not know, but I'm sure somewhere near Grand Coteau. I do know that Granddad John Edward Carroll bought 80 acres of land near Glenmora. Forty acres are still on the books at Ville Platte and Opelousas as belonging to him, I guess by now the State has it. Anyway, at the age of 27 Papa married Missouri Antoinette Mitchell, who was 17 when they married. She was the daughter of Jessie Alphus Mitchell and Elizabeth Eiland. Grandpa Mitchel was born in Raleigh North Carolina. Grandma Mitchel was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Mama was born near Kilmichael, Mississippi, March 1, 1857. They lived at a place called Bellevue. A minister named John O’Quinn married papa and Mama October 26, 1874. They had 8 children, 5 boys and 3 girls. Three boys had died before I was born. The three boys who died are buried at Sunset near Opelousas. When I was a very small child, my Grandma Carroll and Uncle Tom Carroll visited their graves and took me along.

I was born in Lecompte on a beautiful day in May (26/1890 or 91). Because I was such a pretty baby, Papa and Mama named me Beulah. A Hebrew Name meaning peace, joy and happiness. See!!! Mama died when I was two years old, and she was 35. The oldest child was my sister Annie and she was 11 years old. Papa kept us together and very soon his mother and sister came to live with us as his father had died. I remember Grandma when I was about four, everyone had measles. I wasn't very sick, so I was allowed to wear my Sunday dress and sit on the bed and play with paper dolls. When I look back to that time and remember Aline [daughter] with measles. She wasn't sick much and what a time I had keeping the room dark and her quite, because all the rest had it bad. Just like me!

Papa was so good to all of us, he played games with us and did all he could to raise us to be good citizens. He went with us to places he approved of. We played shadow pictures and games with sticks. We lived on the Brewer place. I don't remember much that took place there except Ralph Brewer [ she mentions "haircut" and "mad" and being "so little". I gather she remembered having her hair cut and it probably made her angry.]

The first time I remember seeing Linus, Rupert and Loise, was at Brewers where I also started to school. I remember Annie scaring us with tales of old rawhide and bloody bones and an old speckled white woman.

We moved to Mathew's place and lived there until I was 10 years old. We worked in the fields. Papa made a fan for our table to use in the summer.

Annie worked at a dress shop [Mrs. Hank], Linus drove a bread truck for Adams Bakery, Papa and Rupert worked the place with mules. [At this point Mother wrote between the lines of her original writing and it is difficult to read. Best I can tell she was remembering incidents that occurred at that time such as, playing croquet, saving money for clothes, playing cards on Saturday night, and peddlers coming by and a hat costing $3.00 and seeing a meteorite that looked like a pine knot on fire]. Buggy Nixon house was the next place, then Annie's house. Papa and Linus moved to Boyce and lived there 3 years. Linus moved to Woodworth with Papa and Rupert.

HIGH SCHOOL - PAPA - HALLEY'S COMET

Papa worked as Justice of the Peace and I washed and ironed for 7 people (.75). I worked in afternoons for a seamstress, Mrs. Barnett and got 15 cents hour sewing on bottom basting threads and etc. At home I cooked and cleaned house.

I finished high school and took State Exam for teaching school and got a 2nd class certificate. I always wanted to be a nurse but Papa refused to let me take training, so I taught nine months at school. Before I finished school I was going with a man, Carl Davidson. I had met him at Elizabeth. He was a graduate from the University of Mississippi at Oxford and was a druggist. He gave me the watch that Tiny has now. We were engaged to be married. He wanted to be a Dr. and after enrolling in Tulane we started drifting apart. I had met Al Moore before I ever finished high school. He and Linus were good friends also Papa knew him. He was engaged to a schoolteacher, Elinor Compton, so when I was teaching I'd come to Woodworth and spend weekends with Loise and Perry and go to dances with Al. We were just pals passing the time away at that time. After this we dated very often. This was before I started teaching.

One time I waited for him to go to the mill so we could go on to the dance. It was late but we went, then Al took notice. After that we dated all the time. I left school near Woodworth and finished the term at Bethel School.

I forgot to tell you, when Loise and Perry were married, I was bridesmaid and Al was best man. That was a long time before we started dating. They were married June or July of 1910.

Valley Jones and Grover Hess was a couple that Al and I went with. A barber, Mr. J. Tucker had a few horses and buggies and Al always had the same horse and buggy that we went riding in, so we called it ours. When school was out I went back to Annie's. She lived in our house on Lee Street only then it belonged to Linus. I would get on the train at Woodworth and get off at Annadale and walk around Horseshoe Drive to the old house. That was about the last of April, so Al and I Kept up a correspondence, so I "hooked" him into driving from Woodworth to the house on Lee Street. I thought it was about 7 miles. {actually more like 20 miles] Al left Woodworth sometime Sunday morning and drove all morning and got to Annie's about 2:00 PM burned up and hot. The sun was shining down real good. He wanted me to drive back to Woodworth [but] Annie said NO. I think Al was tired of being by himself, so he proposed to me that day and asked me to be his "little" wife. We laughed at that afterwards because I was as large as he was. Al weighed 137 and I weighed 136. I had a lot to think about, his religion etc. So I wrote the next day and said yes. He went to Linus and Soddies to ask for me. [ask for hand in marriage]

I wrote to Linus, by that time May was about gone. Ole Linus was glad because he thought so much of Al. Did he rag me! So Al came one Sunday in June and brought me the engagement ring. The next Saturday was June 17, 1911. We were married by Fr. Menard at St Frances Cathedral Rectory, in the parlor. Soddie had a nice reception with just a few of her friends. After that we went to New Orleans to Al's mothers home on our honeymoon. It was the first time I'd been out of Rapides Parish and my oh my, the things I saw at the zoo! Its best not to tell all you know!

We came back to Woodworth and had to board until a house was vacant. Then we set up housekeeping. First breakfast! Then on Friday I cooked chicken for dinner after 6:00 PM. I was used to living by a Jewish family and at 6 their fast was over. Of course, I knew nothing about Al's religion [Roman Catholic], but I found out right then.

The first Christmas we had a lot of young people in for dinner with cake and eggnog. The next Christmas was my first Christmas with a tree as well as our baby's. She was born April 24, 1912 on a Wednesday at 9:15 AM. Al named her then showed her the big world. Dr. Brewster was the Doctor. We called her Lady Bug, she was 9 months old and her first Christmas, my what a tree! We had candles to light it. I still had some of the original decorations after I moved to Wettermark Street.

Later I was very sick and had a major operation and Tete stayed with Linus and Soddie. Then 4 years, one month and 14 days later, Aline was born. Our tragedy queen. [She was a] very small baby girl and was in good health for 6 months. After that [it] was a hard pull for 3 years to see if she would live. She was born June 7, 1916 7 AM Wednesday. Dr. S. J. Gardner was our Doctor. He and Al named Aline over their breakfast. Al didn't show Aline the big world --she showed him. She liked Aunt Mary's [domestic] pipe and the grocery boy. I remember Aline meeting him at the door naked and then she ran down the street with Aunt Mary after her.

Nineteen months later, on a hot day on January 5, 1918, a Saturday the temperature was around 80 degrees. There was a breakdown at the mill. The Mill had to be ready to go by Monday, so Daddy told me not to bother him with anything, such as another baby. But about 2:00 PM sent for him -- by 3 PM he had a son named A. J. Jr., by Dr. Dillon. The weather turned from summer weather in just minutes it was sleeting then snowing. My what a change in temperature. To think our first son waited for a snowstorm to knock on our door!

Two years, two months and twenty-four days later, another knock at the door came on a Monday morning at 9:AM March 29, 1920. Another little boy came to live with us. Dr. Mason Graham was our Dr. at this time. Daddy named this little boy Elmer Vincent, he was so different from the other three children. He had blue, blue eyes and gold hair and it was A.J. looking at his little brother and said "what a tiny baby" so the name stuck.

We thought we had it made two girls and two boys, so we had a picture made of them. I curled the girl’s hair and Aline practiced in front of the mirror on whether to look sad or glad. She had the Coca Cola look when we got the picture back. Daddy played ‘bear’ and rode the children on his back. We had Mr. Rabbit at Easter and I saw Mrs. Rabbit about the egg coloring until I had a few little ones that liked to do it themselves.

We bought a car, a Chalmers, and had it before Tiny was born. Then we got another seven passenger Chalmers. We could put about fourteen children in it by putting a board across the little seats. We could go to Hot Wells and picnic and swim. [Note by E.V.M. -- The seven passenger Chalmers automobile had a front seat -- bench style, the back seat the same; however between the front and back seats there were two small seats that folded down into the floor when not in use. It was across these seats that the board was placed thus allowing for additional passengers. Fourteen passengers had to be all small children.]

Four years seven months later a little girl came around, so we took her in and I named her Jane Carroll. She was very small, but knew everything. She would take care of Tiny real good. Tiny was always afraid of the dark. Tiny saved Carroll from drowning before we moved from Woodworth.

In 1913 Al bought 10 acres of land on Lee Street [then the Jefferson Highway] shortly after Linus [did the same] and swapped his ten acres for ours. [They swapped] so all his [Linus] land would be on the same side of the road. He already had 15 acres with a small house on it. We bought the house that came with the ten acres swapped with Linus. We rented it and the land to farmers until the fall of 1926, October 14. [evm note -- the mill at Woodworth "cut out" and closed on October 14, 1926] We moved into our own house. It wasn't much to look at but it was ours. So we farmed the place. The boys did a lot of chores. We had two mules, five head of cattle, Chickens and hives of honeybees. Once three of the children, Aline, A.J. and Tiny, were picking cotton [in Uncle Perry's field] and having a good time. At the same time in the same field an old Negro man and his children were picking cotton. His children got to playing too and he pulled up a cotton stalk and laid it on his children. My three came running to the house like greased lightning. I don't think they ever went back.

The children attended school at Providence Academy & Menard. Tete finished at Providence and Aline, A.J. and Tiny left the private schools and attended public school, Central Grammar and Bolton High Schools. Carroll finished at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral School and won a scholarship in music.

Daddy tried raising rabbits, Carroll told him how to determine boy from girl. We had a man by name of Mello Bordelon who was a character. He farmed our place for 3 years. The boys went to town with him in a wagon and sold watermelons. I think as a family we did a lot of living. One time when Daddy was working at the creosote plant I took lunch to him at twelve o'clock and then we all hurried up to the picture show so we could get in before one o'clock for fifteen cents. Of course we had to sit way up in the "buzzard roost" [upper balcony]. He used to take the children to the football games and Carroll and I stayed in the car.

[Carroll’s note -- Here mother mentioned several events that stood out in her mind, and I'm sure she meant to write about them later. The events she mentioned were: Man and hat on the floor; Leon's car caught on fire, gave him Daddy's coat to put it out. I was grabbing anything just so the house didn't catch on fire; tree house; cave; radio; Mr. Milady gave the boys a pony, they had him for 3 years; Tiny with gun to kill a rattle snake; birds in the fireplace; and A.J. going to Maddox store after a loaf of bread and gypsy or Negro woman followed him home.]

After a while we all began to grow up, finished high school, Aline went to nursing school, and the boys went to work and then to war. They all got married and started families of their own. Daddy retired October 1947 and worked around the house. He and I sold bulbs and he was sick a lot. Our last Christmas all together was 1952. Daddy was very sick.

So ends my life story.”

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