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Thursday, September 6, 2018

Annette Robinson Carlton, 75, Reflects on Her Life, 1980s

From Elderly Black Farm Women…As Keepers of the Community and the Culture by Iris Carlton-LaNey, assistant professor of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte when the book was published in 1989. The booklet has photos of the author and the ten North Carolina women from Warsaw and Magnolia, N.C. You can see the entire booklet online at https://library.digitalnc.org/cdm/pageflip/collection/booklets/id/25901/type/compoundobject/filename/print/page/download/start/9/pftype/pdf

Annette Robinson Carlton, recorded when she was 75. Born September 30, 1913. Mrs. Carlton lives quietly with her husband (age 79) in their farm house. She was very active in her church and held the position of church secretary for 19 years. She has always been an avid reader and continues to read widely.

I moved over here on this farm when I married. I was 16 years old. I moved in that ole house with Galloway (husband) and his mama, Miss Clockle. She was nice to me. His sister Annie Liza was pretty nice too. They knew Galloway had married a little young girl, and they were right nice. Sis Emma (sister-in-law) was real good to me. But she had a house full of children and she didn't have much time. But she was real nice. She'd talk to me and tell me things. She'd teach me how to do things, too. Miss Clockie would teach me too . . . the little that she knew. 

We didn't start farming until Willie (oldest child) was a good big boy . . . about 7 years old. Galloway was working out to Warsaw. I’ve worked just like a man on this farm. Galloway would hire a lot of people to help, but you'd have to work along with them. I'd have to come to the house and cook and then go back to the field with the help and work until night . . . sometimes way in the night When we barned tobacco that could be work way into the night I didn't get a chance to rest. We've never had nothing but ole ragged fences. The cows would get out during the night and we'd have to get up and get them in. Lord have mercy. Willie and C. P. (oldest sons) . . . them boys worked. My last three children worked too, but nothing like the first two. I'd have to fed them boys, too, ‘cause they could eat I'd have to get up before day and cook them breakfast and fed them and then get myself ready to go to the field whenever they want. Them boys worked so hard. When they'd saw wood, I'd pull the cross saw while one rested and then go to the other side and pull while the other boy rested. I worked right along side them two boys. I'd try to say things to them so they wouldn't feel so bad and encourage them to do the work that their daddy had told them to do before he went to the store. 

I grew up along with them two boys. I'd try to have fun with them too. Sometimes when we got an ole car, they'd be playing music on the radio and I'd go out in the yard and dance with them. 

On Sunday evening after we went to church, come home and fix our little dinner. We'd just have another church almost ... it wasn't church, but we'd go to one another s house, me, Her, and Allie Bethel (sister-in-law). We'd walk up and down the road just talkin' about church and one thing and the other . . . just have ourselves a good time walkin' the road and talking with one another. We'd go down to Mr. Henry's (brother-in-law) ‘cause you know Mr. Henry always loved to have fun. 

At some time during the fall if the jersemoak (Jerusalem oak--a weedy North American plant having lobed leaves and a characteristic odor suggestive of turpentine) seeds were plentiful, we'd break them and put them on a sheet and beat them out. We'd sell them. I believe they used them for medicine. The money went for the whole family. Usually we'd carry them to Sanderson's (a general store) and he'd buy them. 

It was tough, but I raised my children. I'm so proud of my children. I ain't got a bad one in the bunch. I've always tried to help my children to get a good education and make something of themselves. We sent them to college somehow . . . well they sent themselves, but we did what we could to help them. Willie comes out here to see about us just about every day. When the children come in, it just gives me a lift, I’ve got some good children. . .sweet children.

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