Lettie Ann Barrow

Biography of Lettie Ann Barrow (Mama Rooks)
--written by her daughter, Ada Mae Rooks Patrick, 20 March 1977

Lettie Ann Barrow was born 12 January 1887 in Washington County, Florida, to Caroline Taylor (unmarried), daughter of Cary Taylor and Ada Powell.  "My mother died when I was 19 days old.  I was adopted by John Jefferson Barrow (Pa) and Francis Etheline Taylor.  Pa was so happy when he came to get me he wrapped me so tightly in a blanket to keep me from getting cold he nearly smothered me."

Polly Jane Taylor, Mammie, as everyone called her, was Francis' mother, and she lived with us.  Mammie was my own mother's aunt.  Ma told Pa she would not have me, but Mammie told Pa if he wated me she would take care of me.  Mammie looked after me until she died when I was about 16 years old.  I will refer to Francis as Ma in this history as she was the only mother I ever knew.  Ma never wanted children and wasn't able to have any of her own.  When I was born and my mother died, the question arose as to what to do with me.  Pa wanted me as he wanted a child so bad, and I was also a blood relative to Ma.

I went to a one-room school house in Wausau, Florida, but only to the fourth grade.  Pa was my teacher; he was the school teacher for all the children.  We only went to school in the summer and early fall.  Pa made sure I went to school so I could learn to read and write.  He was so proud of me and always showed me a lot of love.  I was raised with my cousins, the Leighs.  They were the children of Ma's sister, Cassie.  Their names were Emma, Jennie, Cora, Bell, Jimmy, John, and Carlie.

I met Johnny Rooks at the home of my cousin, Emma Leigh, who had married William Rooks.  I was 16 years old.  We went together for six and a half months before we were married.  It was during this time I was going with Johnny that Mammie became ill and died.  Johnny and I were married on the 19th of July 1903 at the home of Will Rooks, Johnny's brother.  Only immediate family members were present.  For the first few years of our marriage, we lived in Ebro, Washington County, Florida.  Our only furniture consisted of a table and chairs, stove, bed and dresser.

I was five feet three inches tall and weighed 105 pounds.  I had large blue eyes, fair complexion, and dark brown hair.  Johnny had to teach me to cook as I had never cooked before we were married.

Pa didn't think Johnny was good enough for me; but then, I don't think he would have found anyone who in his eyes was good enough for me.  Johnny had $100 saved when we got married, and that was quite a bit of cash in those days.  We were able to set up housekeeping without anything lacking.

We always had plenty to eat as we raised our own meat, milk, vegetables, and corn.  We also raised sweet potatoes and sugarcane.  We ate some sugar but mostly used syrup.  Johnny and I were happy and had many friends, neighbors, and relatives.  We would get together often for parties and enjoyed square dancing and singing.

Our first child was born at Ebro on 11 June 1904, a daughter, Bertie Idell.  Johnny worked in the turpentine business at the time.  Our next six children were also born in Ebro.  They were Thelma, born 12 November 1905; Wilford L., born 19 September 1907; Dovie Lee, born 19 April 1909; Rupert Eroy, born 19 February 1911; Hebron Elton, born 28 October 1912; and Ada Mae, born 31 March 1914.

We didn't have doctors in those days to deliver our children.  Midwives came to our home, delivered the baby, and stayed to care for mother and child for a week or two.  The midwife who delivered Hebron was a colored woman.  She was the best of all the midwives who helped me.  She saved Hebron's life as he did not breathe when he was born.  She worked with him, putting him alternately in hot and cold water until he started to breath.  "Babe" McKinney Raily, Uncle John McKinney's sister, delivered my other six children.

The first time I ever heard of Latter-day Saint missionaries was when they stopped at a neighbor's home down the road.  Our neighbors had a very sick child.  The missionaries administered to the child, and it soon became well.  This even led our neighbors to listen to the Gospel.  Ma wouldn't let them come to our house and preach to us, but Pa really wanted them to come and preach.  Ma just wouldn't have it.

The first time I ever heard Mormon Elders preach was at Will and Emma Rooks house after Johnny and I were married.  We joined the Church on 19 July 1905 and were baptized in the creek.  Ma was really mad about it, but Pa told me he was glad.

In March 1915, in order to be near the Saints, we sold all we had and left on the train for Utah with our seven children.  We knew nothing about the country or people where we were moving.  Will and his family had already moved out west, so we first went to Vernal, Utah where he and the missionary who had taught us the Gospel lived.  Tom and Archie Rooks, Johnny's brothers, and their families also went with us.  We made some sight, all of us with our children and belongings.  When we got to Utah, we didn't have a job, and the only work available was pitching hay; so Johnny worked for a farmer.  We lived in a two-room house for a short time; then we got a house with three rooms.

Life was so different from what we were accustomed to.  One day I fell down the steps to the kitchen and broke my leg.  Johnny got arthritis in his right arm and couldn't use it.  We had spent about all the money we had saved when someone came to Johnny and told him he should go on Church welfare; that was an insult to his dignity.  We talked it over and decided to go back home to Florida where we had friends, family and work at which we could make a living.  We could also help the Church more in Florida where there weren't many Mormons.

In July 1915, we arrived back in Sink Creek, and a friend let us live in an unfinished house he owned.  In a short time, we bought a house in Jackson County across the Chipola River from Sink Creek.  We went into the turpentine business, a business we stayed in until Johnny died.

While we lived in this home five more children were born to us.  Vera, born 2 September 1916, died with the flu on 27 May 1917.  This was the year of the big flu epidemic during World War I, and it was the first real tragedy to come into our home.  On 30 April 1918, Vida Lee was born and on 2 March 1920, Aubra was born but died at birth.  He was a beautiful baby, perfect in every way.  Clayton Odell was born 17 January 1921.  Pa had died on 6 April 1920, and Ma had since come to live with us.  She fell in love with Clayton and would spend hours playing with him and caring for him.  Glennis Juanita was born on 9 July 1923.  All five children were delivered by Doctor Zebikor or Alliance, Florida.

The missionaries stayed at our home many times and held numerous meetings.  Ma really hated to see them come and never would listen to them.  She did everything in her power to embarrass us.  The Elder's only means of transportation was to walk, and they had to travel many miles between home.  Many times at night we would hear the Elders throw their grips on the porch as they knew they had arrived at a place where they were welcome and could have a bed and something to eat.

Since returning to Florida, we had prospered quite well financially.  We had a car as well as several wagons, buggies, and horses.  In February 1924, Johnny bought Tom's share of the turpentine business, and we moved to Sink Creek where the turpentine still and store were located.  We had an organ which I could play by ear, and I learned to play the songs for cottage meetings held at our house.

Hundreds of Elders stayed with us over the years.  There was a branch of the Church here, and we went to Sunday School and Church.  The Elders would bring their big suitcases, leaving them at our house, and take what they needed in their grips.  We always gave them our best.  Elder Sterling W. Still, an assistant to the Twelve Apostles, stayed in our home many times.  He has always been a good friend.  We had the mission president and Apostles stay with us when they came on Church assignments.  We have had Elders Charles A. Callis, LeGrand Richards, and George F. Richards, all Apostles, stay with us on various occasions.

Johnny's sister, Grady, and her husband, Dan Bozeman, died leaving a family of seven children with no one to take care of them.  Nettie, the oldest, went to live with a family whose name I have forgotten.  Ruby went to live with Dr. Dowling, our family doctor. He had no children but wanted Ruby to raise.  The other five children, Henry, William, Clara Lee, David, and Dicie, came to live with us and became as our own. We loved them very much, and they lived with us until they were grown.  They were just like our own children, especially Clara Lee, David, and Dicie, as they were younger, and we totally raised them.

In January 1932, Ma died.  She was always a staunch Free Will Baptist.  We had her funeral in a little church around the corner from our house and buried her by Pa in Wausau, Florida.

On 8 November 1925, we were blessed with twins, Johnny Odell and Lettie Ethel.  We were so happy with them.  They were special, but our happiness was short-lived.  Johnny Odell died 11 March 1926 of quick pneumonia.  At midnight the day he died, Ethel took sick with the same thing and died the morning of 13 March 1926.  We had two doctors treat her, but there wasn't anything they could do.

Oren Nephi was born 24 November 1927.  We did so love and enjoy him.  Again our faith was tested, and on 2 January 1929 he took sick with quick pneumonia and died.  Never once did we doubt the Gospel or feel bitter towards the Lord.  We knew that He had the power to give and to take away.  On 30 June, 1929, Helen Evelyn was born.  We now looked at her with apprehension, wondering if we would be permitted to have her for very long as we had lost our three children before her.  At this time, I became very will, and the doctors didn't think they would be able to save my life.  I was so sick no one was allowed in the house.  All the children had to be sent away as I couldn't stand even a little noise.  Johnny sat out on the wood pile praying as that was all there was left to do.  Two missionaries came down the road and told Johnny they had been guided there.  They asked Johnny what he needed. He told them he had been praying they would come and give a blessing to heal me.  The missionaries came in and administered to me.  By the next day, I was well enough for my family to come back home.  In a few days, I was well once again.

By 1934, six of our children had married, and we had several grandchildren.  In August 1934, we took our children who were still at home and two of our married daughters, Thelma and Dovie, with their families, and Clara Lee, David, and Dicie, to Salt Lake City to go through the Temple and have our endowments and to be sealed.  We traveled by way of Vernal, Utah, and visited with Archie and his family.  This was the first time we had seen each other since 1915 as Archie and Bell, his wife, had stayed in Utah.  We drove three cars, and they were all loaded.  We didn't know how to drive on mountain roads as none of us had ever driven out west.  Thelma's husband, Judge, was driving our car.  He would get so excited when he saw something interesting, he would say "Un, lookie yonder" and Johnny would say, "You do the driving, and we'll do the looking."  We stayed in a motel in Salt Lake City, and many missionaries we had befriended came to see us all the time we were there.  Elder Still have us a personal tour.  Elder Callis and Sister Callis also helped us. It was a big strain on us to be responsible for so many people.  We returned by way of Wyoming where we would be out of the steep mountains and have to drive on those canyon roads.  I got the chance to do my own mother's (Carolin) Temple work and be sealed to her and Pa.

In 1936, we bought a large house and turpentine place at Thomas' Mill.  We moved there with our family.  This was our first home to have an indoor toilet.  We now only had Vida, Clayton, Juanita, Dicie, and Evelyn living at home as all the rest were married.  This house was closer to Marianna, but we still went to church at Sink Creek.

In September 1938, I went back to Utah with Thelma and Judge, Bertie and Barkley Gause, and their two boys to be sealed in the Temple.  We had a good time, saw such beautiful country as all the leaved had turned hundreds of colors.  I was given my patriarchal blessing by George F. Richards while I was in Utah on 27 September 1938.

I continued to have good health and loved to go places.  Johnny was always good to me.  He always tried to see I had what I wanted.  Our children were all married.  We enjoy having them come and see us and enjoy our grandchildren.  The Lord has been good to us.  My health has remained good, but Johnny's has gotten worse.

In July 1947, I went to Utah again with Juanita and Preacher to have their sealing done.  While we were there we attended many of the activities celebrating the 100th Yea Centennial of the Church [in Utah].  We attended the dedication of the "This is the Place" monument.  There weren't any seats on the hill, just sagebrush and scrub oak.  John and Ada Mae Patrick got me a folding stool to sit on, and I really enjoyed myself.  There were lots of things going on.  John got tickets for the rodeo in Ogden to see Gene Autry, the movie star.  We saw the 24th of July Parade in Salt Lake City, Utah, and we to a rodeo in Price, Utah.

While I was in Utah, Johnny had a slight stroke and his health never was very good afterwards.  I never left him for very long after this time.  He had several strokes the next year, and we did everything for him that could be done.  Johnny died on 10 May 1948.  This was a sad day for me and lonely since we had been so close and happy for 45 years.

My children have all been good to me.  I stayed in the big house for a while, but it seemed so big for one person alone.  Hebron built me a small house between my house and his.  I moved into it for a while, but it was just too small; there wasn't room for the children to come and stay with me.  I moved back into the big house, and my granddaughter, Mildred, her husband, Hat, and their baby came ot live with me and take care of the place.  This was a good time in my life as Mildred and Hat were good company, and they grew such nice gardens.  I just loved gathering the vegetables and preparing them.  They lived with me for several years and then they moved to Rangely, Colorado, where her mother, Dovie, lived.

Through the next few years different children and grandchildren lived with me.  I visited a lot with my children, even spending one winter in Rangely, Colorado, and Utah, as I now had two daughter and two sons in Colorado, and two daughters in Utah. Dovie and Evelyn, Rupert and Wilford and their families were in Rangely, and Thelma and Ada Mae were in Utah.  This was the winter of 1954, and I was still there in June when Archie died.  While there, I had two grandsons born within days of each other.  I saw Queen Elizabeth of England crowned on TV, and I also went to the Salt Lake and Manti Temples several times.

Vida and Lee Johnson and their family lived with me while they were building a new home.  Evelyn and James Frank Ellis and their two children, Terrisa and Jimmy, came back from Rangely, Colorado, and moved in with me.  They soon separated and Evelyn and the children lived with me for several years.  Evelyn worked, and I took care of Terrisa and Jimmy.  They became almost like my own children as taking care of them took much of my time and filled a void in my life.

A very sad thing happened about this time.  My oldest daughter, Bertie, had a very severe stroke and was at death's door for weeks.  It made me sad to see her so helpless.  She was so good to me and was always active in the Church and community.  It will be a wonderful day for her and me when she will be whole and well again.  I have loved all my children so much and wanted to see them happy.

My son Clayton had a tragic accident.  A tree fell on him and severed his spine.  He has been paralyzed from his waist down ever since.  I try to be as much help to him as I can.  He can drive the car, but he can't walk, so I go with him and use my legs to run his errands.  I am glad I could do this for him.

My oldest son, Wilford, died of a heart attack on 4 October 1972.  My health was not such that I felt I could go to his funeral since Rangely, Colorado, was such a long distance from here.  I know Johnny was happy to see him once again.

Except for our five babies who died, I have watched my other eleven children grow up, marry, and have families, except for Thelma who was never blessed with any children.  My children and grandchildren have been a great help and comfort to me in my old age.  Hebron has tried to do for me as his Daddy would have done.

I have become heavier through the years and now wear a size 22 1/2 dress.  My eyes are still crystal blue.  My complexion is smooth and clear without wrinkles, but my hair is snow white.  I keep it fixed as I like to look nice.

My eyesight has started to fail me, and I have cataracts on both eyes.  One eye was worse than the other, and in the fall of 1973 I had a cataract removed from the worst eye; but I didn't receive much sight back.  Three months after this operation, I had an acute attack of gallstones and had to have my gallbladder removed.  Following both operations, I recovered just fine even though I was 86 years old.  I had good care as my children looked after me well.  They never let me stay alone much after this as everyone was afraid I would fall on the stairs.  I visited with my children, staying as long as I liked; then I would go back home; but if no one was with me, Hebron insisted I sleep at his house.  I wasn't happy to go away and sleep, so I moved back into the little house by Hebron's.  He had a telephone put by my bed so if I needed him in the night, I could call, and he could be there in one minute.  I was happy now that I could be alone again.  The place was small, but I could take care of it.

I have had good health for my age.  I am able to go to Church, town, and visit.  I haven't wanted to leave home for very long anymore.  It seems good to just stay home and let the family all come and see me.

In the fall of 1975, my health started to fail.  The sight in my good eye started to get worse. It was getting hard for me to read or write, and I could not see to get around very well.  My stomach started to bother me, and it hurt when I ate some things.  I went to several doctors, but they just didn't seem to do me any good.  I was scheduled to have my other eye operated on in December 1975.  My daughter, Dovie, came to be with me and to take care of me when I came home from the hospital.  She was good to me taking me to the doctors and fixing anything she thought I would like to eat.  She stayed right with me, taking me anyplace I wanted to go.  I didn't want to go much, and this was a change for me since I always had been ready to go anyplace at the drop of a hat.  I just wanted to stay home and nothing seemed to taste good.

To my children Hebron, Dovie, Clayton, Evelyn, Juanita, Vida, and Thelma, with your husbands and wives who tired so hard ot make my life happy and comfortable these last few months, a special thanks.  Bertie, bless your heart, you came when you could and gave me great comfort just to see you there, knowing you would do so much if only you could.

I went back into the hospital on Sunday, March 7, 1976.  My health was gone as I had cancer of the stomach.  My needs were met and all my loved ones gathered around me.  Rupert arrived on the 7th, and I was so glad to see him again.  I had waited for him a long time.  Ada Mae arrived also, and I was happy.  On March 13th all my children and some of my grandchildren came in to see me.  They kept trying to get me to eat or drink something, but I was so tired.  I only wanted to rest and go to sleep.

At 2am 14 March 1976, Lettie Ann Barrow Rooks died in Jackson County Hospital, Marianna, Florida, at the age of 89.  She was buried on the 16 March 1976 at the Sink Creek Cemetery beside her beloved Johnny and five babies.

Mother of 16 children, 32 grandchildren, 82 great-grandchildren, and 6 (thus far) great-great grandchildren.