I was born on the Charlie Womble farm in Edgecombe County on September 5, 1923, the first child of Lucille Taylor Williams and Charlie Thomas Williams. Mother was only sixteen years old when I was born; she was 17 on September 29, l923.

Daddy soon bought a farm in Wilson County near Sugar Hill. C. T., Margaret, J.D., Rachel and Phillip were all born while we lived there. "Pa", Daddy's father, lived with us. One of the things I remember about him was that he bought me a gold locket that I really wanted. According to things Mother said, I think he sort of spoiled me. I also remember that Pa was sick for a long time and was in bed a lot. Mother cared for him during that time. He died on July 5, l931 when I was eight years old. Rachel was born on June 27, 1931 just a few days before he died. Rachel lived to be only two years old. She had bronchial pneumonia and died on August 1, 1933. Phillip was born on August 31 of that year. These must have been hard years for Mother and Daddy.

I remember the depression years. Daddy did not have money to buy license and gas for the car. He parked the car, took off the wheels and tires, and used them to make a "Hoover Cart". This cart was pulled by a mule, and was our only transportation for several years. I'm sure some people didn't even have a cart, so we considered ourselves lucky.

My first years of school were spent at Town Creek School. I had never been away from Mother and Daddy, so I was not very excited about starting to school. Being the first child in the family, I had to ride the bus alone. Mary and Lawrence Williams rode the same bus that I did, but they got off in the afternoon before me. I was afraid I wouldn't get off at the right place. Finally, Daddy decided it would be better for him to pick me up in the afternoon. I wasn't ready for school yet, so I had to repeat the first grade. I was glad when C.T. got old enough to start to school. Of course, that was three years later. The Model T school bus that we rode had curtains instead of windows. When the weather was warm, we would roll the curtains up so that we could get fresh air. When the weather was cold, we would snap the curtains down to keep warm. We had warm clothes to wear. Mother always made me wear a toboggan and long cotton stockings in the winter time.

We didn't get to "go to town" very often when I was growing up. We had a fish man that came through our neighborhood once a week. He came the same day each week--Friday, I think. We looked forward to his arrival. Mother would give each of us an egg or two, and we would trade them for BB bats, Mary Janes, and Bit-of-Honey candies. Daddy would usually buy "a mess" of fish for supper. We would have a good supper that night--fried fish and corn bread. If there was enough ice justify from lunch we would have iced tea. We didn't have a refrigerator, so the ice that was justify over from lunch had to be wrapped in a bag and put in a cool place, in hopes that it would keep. If the weather was real hot, the ice would melt by supper time.

I have lots of memories of the years we lived at the Aunt Lizzina place. This farm was located in Edgecombe County, off Highway 43, not far from West Edgecombe. The house was beside the railroad tracks. Oliver and Glenn were both born while we were living there. I remember more about Glenn's birth because of the circumstances. He was born in Memorial Hospital in Rocky Mount. Prior to that time, the children had been born at home. I also remember that Mother and Glenn came home from the hospital on an ambulance. I had had an appendectomy that year and was still under the doctor's care. Aunt Emma Mears came to stay with us to do the cooking and care for mother and Glenn. My best memories of the good times that Margaret and I had playing together were while we lived there. The front porch was not used much because it faced the railroad. There was a side door that we used to enter the house. Margaret and I used the porch for our playhouse. We spent many hours cutting paper dolls and doll clothes. I remember C. T. teaching me to ride a bicycle. It took a long time and many falls, but I finally learned. C.T. was a good teacher, but learning to ride a bicycle was not easy for me. From this farm, we moved to a house right near West Edgecombe School. This was the Calhoun farm. I remember one afternoon, Daddy sent C.T. and me to the back field to replant corn. I would finish a row and C.T. would be lagging behind on his. I didn't understand why he couldn't keep up with me. All he would say was that he didn't feel well. Finally, I decided we had better start to the house. Before we could get there, C. T. said Daddy would have to come for him because his side was hurting. Daddy came and took him directly to the Sanitorium Hospital. He had to have his appendix removed immediately. He had not had time to bathe or change his clothes. When they picked up his clothes to bring him home, some seed corn fell all over the hospital room.

Another thing I remember is going with Mother to Upper Town Creek Primitive Baptist Church. I especially remember what they called quarterly meetings. They would be held in May and August. At these meetings, lunch was served on the church grounds. Mother would spread her lunch with Aunt Betsy Williams, Cousin Alice Williford, and Mama Taylor. There would be lots of people at these gatherings, and there would be lots of good food, too.

I had finished high school and was working in Tarboro when Shirley was born. It was during World War II and Daddy couldn't find help to stay with Mother. The man I worked for agreed for me to have a week off from work to help at home. Shirley was born in April and |I was to get married in November. I washed diapers (there were no disposable ones), took care of the other children, and did the cooking that week. Uncle Marion Coley thought that I would change my mind about getting married after that week. I didn't. David and I were married in November, 1944, and I continued to work in Tarboro until July, 1945. At that time I went to Laredo, Texas to live. I was there when World War II ended. I came home shortly after that, but missed seeing C.T. He had just justify for Italy with the Occupation Forces.

GROWING UP

BY CHARLES ELLIS

It may seem odd to some people to have aunts and uncles as young as themselves, but not to me. I had three that were about the same age as I was and one much younger. We had a lot of good times together as children growing up.

I remember Nancy as the jealous one. She would sit and rock and make a hissing noise if Mammy would hold any of the other children or grandchildren.

Shirley was the one who had to be Lash Larue when we played cowboys and indians. If she wasn't, she wouldn't play.

Milton was just a little older, but he liked to play with us. We used bricks and bottles to play cars and trucks.

Don is younger than many of the grandchildren. He was Mammy's baby and could do no wrong. Some of the older children were always getting the blame for things he did.

Eddie Wade was the second grandchild and was only four months younger than I was. We played together and stayed in trouble. Many a time, we would play store--each taking turns being the customer or Sam Pitt (the local store owner). We once turned the kerosene tank on and took a bath under the faucet. Once, while staying at his house, Aunt Margaret bent over to check her biscuits in the oven, and I bit her! (She didn't sit down for a couple of hours.)

I'm sure that most young children have their hero (or heroine)--a sports star or movie actress or some other famous person. Mine is a special young lady--one of C.T. and Lucille's other grandchildren. It makes no difference whether she feels good or bad; if you need her, she is always willing to help. She has something going on for the children at all times. In the 30 odd years that I've known her, we have had cross words only twice (both times my fault). By now, you may have guessed. My heroine is my younger sister, Audrey Lynn Edmundson.

[Charles D. Ellis was born on August 22, 1947. He is the oldest child of Audrey Cleo Williams and David Exum Ellis and the oldest grandchild of Charlie and Lucille Williams.]