Mrs. Bessie Holsbrook, 37, North Wilkesboro, 1939

Mrs. Bessie Holsbrook, 37; married, resides in North Wilkesboro, N.C. Her children are Shirley, 17; Edna, 14; Graham, 13; Walter, 12; and Cora Bell, 3.

Mr. Holsbrook is a ranger in the new Government National Park and earns $52 a month. They rent a four-room house and 90 acres of land. Fifteen acres is being tended and one-third of the produce is paid as rent. The home is nicely built, fairly well furnished and is kept very clean and neat. There is no electricity, running water or any such necessary facilities. The money Mrs. Holbrook earns from stringing tobacco bags, which amounts to around $10 a month, is spent on food and clothes. They own two cows and around 30 chickens which keep them supplied with milk and eggs. They owe about $300 for hospital bills, and the $10 a month she earns stringing tobacco bags is very helpful in paying of past due hospital bill.

Source: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Daily Historical Pictures and Videos from Facebook.