Roberta R. Brown Carter Interview

By Pat Winter Oakes

July 23, 1988

 

Notes from an interview with Roberta (R.) Brown Carter taken July 23, 1988 at her home in Bridgewater, MA.  Present were Bob and Lois (L.) Winter and Pat (P.) Oakes.

Roberta set out her family in the following manner--3 boys born within 5 years(Harold, 1890), Wilson(Tick), and Fred, then 3 girls in 5 years (Cora­ l900, Dorothy, and Lucy, then in 6 more years--a boy and 2 more girls-­ Arthur, Roberta, and Rebecca. Harold was born in 1890, Cora in 1900 and Roberta in 1910. Their parents were Ella Florence Keene(b. Hansen, 1875-d. Dec.26, 1955) and Elton Armington Brown (b. Aug. 19, 1868--d. 1954, at 86, in Hansen). His parents were from Nantucket--Thomas Richmond Brown and Lucy Lincoln Brown.

Editorial note--Aunt Roberta was a "cahd" and a great character!
P. What did your father do?
R. Well, he had 9 kids, didn't he! He worked on the railroad first.  He worked for Shepherd, the undertaker, he was the first fireman--worked for 15 years with no days offfor sickness. He was not much of a father. I'll say this for the old coot, he always gave ma the paycheck--worked nights. Little Harold died at 9 (son ofHarold and Ruby ?).
R. My grandfather had a garden and we had pigs. Tige and I would take the bladder and tie it up and play ball. Poor Ma--we lived on lima beans, bread, gravy,onions and potatoes.
L. Your mother made wonderful baked beans
R. God, yes! I'd love to have a plate right now! I have wanted a good old fashioned smoked shoulder. They don't taste like they used to
P. What did you do for Christmas?
R. Ma always got us a Christmas present and we'd have an orange. I can't remember if we put out stockings. We'd go down to the woods. One day Tige and I nearly got lost and we had a hard time getting home.
P. How did Tige get his nickname?
R. There was an old man down in Hansen, Ben Livermore, who had a sawing machine. Arthur chased him around the machine and called him Tige. I remember that your Mom  and Florence got up and played on the billiard table at the fire station.

Editorial comment--! I can't read my notes, but this is what I think it says
R. Urann (?) made him (Grampa?) pay alimony. He started the cranberry place. Riffraff got in and stole it away from him.