Document text
FederaliVjriters, ruject
Paul Diggs
Lakeland; Florida
Janurary 13 1939
Bevely, Dave ana Jeanette
-7 64 h,ke ire Dfive
Lakeland, Florida
44k2
DA:, AE JI.,ANETTE BIN'4 Al2Cli,a1N A C L
Dave was stopping traffic at the busy intersection of Iowa Avenue
and the Atlantic Coast Lips Railroad, There he st,od with the
Tound galvanized sign with a handle, and the word "atop" printed
on both sides. Be Was bolding it above his bead to warn the on
cowing drivrs in the automobiles that a.train was approaching.
The grinding of brakes on the mighty steel whels could be heard
as the Limited came pounding down the track enroute to Tampa,
Florida, Dave said, "you better step back, this train makes a
plenty of dust when it pases.n All of a sudden it pa seas and the
dust flfs,;i like a whirlwind. Be then waved for the trafric to move
on. In a fe_ minutes the Avenue was cleared of the heavy •traffic
until time for the next train to pass,
In his courteous •way be waved for carL, to gosand .:04121, seeing'
tu their safty in rassing the gra6e crossing. After cowrleting his
duty, Dave invited me t- his little shed that 'sits beside the wain
line, There be rested himself on two rocks plac&I on to of one
another. On the other .side of the door v.is a nail keg with a bur-
ial._ sack on it for riliow, The shed -vis -four fet n dimensions
with a small stove sitting in the northest corneron a water
cooler sitting on a stand in the other corner. There was a delapidated
chair ,covered also with a burlap sack,' Three lantern were on. a
shelf on the west Ades these be use,i at night to stop traffic. On
the out side ,;:as a pile of wood, cut redy, to burn In case he
neee4 a fire, Be had prepared it for X115 shift, which waa from
three oolock P.•,, to eleven ociock iipkd. Dave saidon four passenger
trains 0 and six freight trains I:asses while I am on duty."
Dave lives in a 6ectien howse at 'eel Lake ',Are Drive with his
famiey consist rig his wife Jeanette, age 41„three step children
eildred, age Je), who t-ikes in w:.shing et.homejetinnie Lee, age e0,
who des tee same; and Jionlor,- agelb. The step -children aeey
from home are Lee Early, age 25- married and -lives in Trilby, Fla.
Theodore, age ,'20 married and has two children. Theodore lives
n xt dour to Dave in house number thirty twd.
Dave stated that he as born in Jefferson County, Florida.
December 5th, 1666, His father was Fred and mother Francis
Bevely. He said, 11 that he has heard his father sey he eae five
ye -re old whee freedom was declared. There were fourteen children
in the family- seven boys and seven girls. The surviving five live
in v-rious section of ,the Stets. His father married Julia tern
after the death of his mother. n 4y parents eere farmers in Jeff-
erson County. I ran away from home -when I eas betw n twelve
and thirteen years old. I strayed away on account of the treatment
I received from my ste*mother. Lets of boys stray away frolli.home
on th-t accounts if when I became a men I returned home, and there
married to my first wife Rosetta Turner, at monticeele,en Jeffer-
son County, 1901.8r We separated in. later years. I then merried
my Second we,de Jeanette BiLlman,ln E;62, Lekeland,Florida. e have
no children.'
During.my first marriage ih, 8 I settled in elauchua
Couetye I worked on the section geng, on a tramroad. They used wood
burners eegines. I. received l.5G- irer day. I came to I'olk County,
where
began working at the kebbleuale Pnosi,hiate 4zie. I
.averaged on this job around seven dollars a week, ee lived in the
quarters built for the workers. After working there for three years
I returned to, Jefferson County, ana worked on the f arw with wy
father. Later I went to liorehaven, in Glades County. There I
worked on the extra gang of the Atlantic Coast Line kutting down
railroad rails. Part of the time I cooked for the workers in the
gang. Afterwards I quit the extra gang and went to work on the
section gang with head,uarters,•in LakeWales„ Florida, Here
eorked from January.. to November in 1_925. During this year I left
and moved to Lakeland, Florida. Where I have been ever since
durieg tie saeie kind of work on the section vng. Aost of wy work
has been in the yard hore in Lakeland. This job that I aw holding
down now, was given to me when the old wan as retired who use to
be atC1ijiin here. When on the section gang .I received -1.6G a
day. Now I.make 50.00 a month. I have been at this work .litt e
.over a year, There has not been n accident on this crossing since
I took it Jver.”
I heVe to a,bend Salty tings held ,t different places.
To be safe y,urself you have to learn to make others safe. 11 of
my 1 ck comes from a good work record. I always vented to work well
from a kiu uk 1/
47 brother Jim, is a watchman at the other crossing Al
Floilda Avenue, 1e st.rted in service t getner, he is forty, seven
years old, I have another brother Bee who lives on the fer.i in
Jefierson County."
11 I have a good bosse.man, our foreman er.Ree
4
nee, e up the Railroad Department,"
ft I never went to school a day in ey life. When I left
swea who
borne i could neither read nor write my name. Now I can read. .nd
write any/thing. How I began, I would buy paper end envelopes,
arid hed/h friend who would do the writting for me. I wouldInt
get any answer from them and when I got wise I 1.-ound-that he as
L,ervice'tyJice
signing his ne to them. I noticed be wou.I.i get lots of
ii coUid ,u11 we thinga about Wi'Ae, i''row thou on I ben to
learn to red _nct
Yes to uly judgewent I think a Lion shoUx. 11...ve an education,
I rea a good doal on this job, Y -:u sole .ht I read,H Dave arose
frow his atone t;e_t 4nu entered his shed, and brought out L. fow
swaLl e-oks, Thel- wero us fo iowingt The Bible, The Ch,J.idts Bible
j4Lestion. Books The ..-rocket Treasury, The Ewrhazized Gosi.al of St.
Johnvam the VAmes ..f Cwfort and Consolation,
"1 don't have tiwe to fo. 1 ulth little old j-ke books. .I.
to reo,d sowethihg that give we consolaLion to wy soul
in re&ard t. voting .)ave said, no air; I never ,uted„
tr141114.,
never
L.on interested in voting. 2,ver s nce I first heard of col-
vihg troahio- voting I i.over fooled ith it.
Yes ,ix, I aw
_Locate- )L 5t hiwe
ber of the iriwitive Laktist:Jhurell,
ur ..stor is cv. .B. Bartleythe
stora our c-urch xu ITIAJ in tietorzbulg„ riorld,
I h.,..ve b on a ckxu- chw r since 11) 5. I
bo ent 1 iae Ushar Beard,tsher„ ahu a trastee I
ha_ tive 14. 4y chur h
werr. on ccouit ,sy Jot. ,L4 f.W
iy they
aAenU church regularly. A,,erson.couidint live a better life sneer
,ho 8-..12 than a christian life. It's tho finest life to L.ive on
oarth. Alia new f,shion rigIozu ti..t tdeyiive 11,, of .uy, I
havo no faith in it. This oLd f-shi,11 religion eill hold f,Lst.
IL A._ s -y it you."
11 Alb
„1.4,1
low re igi wii_.. go OUt. .1A t ‘irubkocuss,
to church ,-.11.1 ,r1f14g.
I itou.. to church, anu at thLt tic I c,.41sidex dovillsh,
I rewewbet when. I woula chalk at nea at tie chicken, 4y
tilL1 t, to the fieit whtro Lhey were eiclang CO V.411, 1. is
woLher
so small they had a six p,und sack p and ix,d to kick cotton too,
In making ma work that kept me out of mischief. I think that st-rted
me off to work and being good,"
Dave is five feet .and four inches in height, dark brown in
compiexion, he was dressed, in, overalis with a heavy gold chain
hanging with an eXpensive watch n it. He displayed his ,,atch and
stated that it kept correct time, He stated that he has to h,ve it
checked every wek by the jecler. His old felt hat was black,
And his gold teeth in front s;lined when he smiled, fit has a.
pleasant personplity„ arid good common sense about conditions in
general, Every one in passing appeared to know him. They did not
fail to,speak to Dave,
Dave said, ".that he did not have to pay any rent for his
home. the company .sukplies the _house," The home on Lake Axe is
painted gray withwhite trimings like all the ether section
houses that line. Lake Wire next to ..he Atantic Coast Line hailroad,
His wife was very pie-sant and from observation she is a good
housekeeper They have two bed rooms, and the furniture was in
very good shape. This day they wore very neat in thier attire,.
They stated that their grocery bill was never over
per morith„ and they have everything they want. Dave saim," that
he dia not eat very much meat, some times little bacon; mostly
T like vegetables and no sweets."
There are.about.five more Colored families in this section,
they are surrounded by white people. The exterior appearence was
god„ The lawn was green ansl well kept, There was a fence in front
of the house anci it, ,as painted white, They all seemed to be ham,
together,
Dave said," when I get off from work I go home and sleep,
-6
when I v,al‘e ui) I chop wood, and work arould the lawn, I hardly
have time to do ..11ything else. I 4onet i,lay any kind of gLs.iges,
am too old for that now, I have to take care of myself so I
can mke living- for my family. During these times there is no
.time for a fe.Llow to fool around,"
At this time 3)ave said Well I must get on the job, it is
time. for a train to come through, and with a courteous bow he
said good bye,