December 2009
3 posts
George Carpenter
The auto industry was a beacon of hope to George Carpenter and his parents when he was growing up in Wayne, Mich. during the 1930s. His father worked as a farmer as well as for Ford and General Motors in an attempt to provide for the family.
The Carpenter family was divided religiously. Carpenter’s mother was a Christian and frequently took her children to church. His father however, didn’t...
Mary Jane Havens
Mary Jane Havens spent her childhood years on a farm in Litchfield, Mich. Her main responsibility was to separate the milk from the cream and prepare it for sale. However, farm life involves a lot of responsibility. She also helped with planting, harvest, meal preparation and taking care of her siblings.
Her local community was made up almost entirely of Christians and she remembers a higher...
Dave Burns
Hardship was no stranger to Dave Burns and his family in the 1940s when he was growing up in rural Jonesville, Mich. Because of the depression, his father had difficulty finding work. He remembers how hard it was for his parents when the family was forced to move from their own home to an Uncle’s basement. Still, due to the diligence of his parents, Burns never went hungry.
The great...