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THE BENNETT FAMILY
(Florida)
In West Augustine, that part of the
town lying west of the San Sebastian River, there is a small section
called "Wildwood Park" composed mainly of small homes, where a majority of
the inhabitants are people connected with the fishing industry, and most
of them Portugese or Italians who speak very little or no English.
The small shops and eating places along the main highway, West King
Street, attract many of the fishermen, and often groups of men congregate
in front of these places of business, dark, swarthy looking men, jabbering
away in their native tongue, probably discussing the happenings of the
day.
To reach West Augustine, one crosses the San Sebastian Bridge, and at this
time the tide was high, the surface of the water so blue and smooth that
the vari-colored advertising posters along the west bank of the river were
clearly reflected on the still water.
On the south side of the bridge the banks of the river are lined with
small docks, shabby looking packing houses and the many shrimp boats that
have their headquarters here; (Many tourists visit this section.) Some of
the boats may be painted in gay colors, while others may be drab and
shabby. Odd and fanciful names painted on the stern, the hugh nets
festooned out to dry against the background of masts, marsh and blue
skies, all a prosaic scene to these fishermen, but one of interest to the
passer-by, and an enchanting one to the many artists who frequent the this
locality and transfer these colorful settings on canvas.
I almost forgot that my objective was an interview, and not merely a jaunt
to enjoy scenery, so hurried on my way, and a little further on met a
mutual acquaintance who offered to introduce me to one of her neighbors,
Mrs. Bennett, who, upon reaching the house, we found on her front porch
sewing.
Mrs. Bennett cordially invited me to sit down, while she continued busily
featherstitching the white collar and cuffs on a tiny dress of red and
white check dimity that she told me was for a little girl living across
the street, a birthday gift.
The Bennett family occupy this white, newly painted, cottage. A cement
walk leads from the paved street to the wide steps: the grassed yard
clean, and at one side near a dividing fence were numerous painted boxes
containing flowering plants.
The home, consisting of five rooms and bath, is well and comfortably
furnished, showing evidence of good judgment in the selection and
arrangement.
I asked Mrs. Bennett if they owned their home, but she replied, "No, we
have rented this house for seven years. We have just not reached the stage
where we felt we could buy; My husband worked for years with his brother,
but is now buying a boat of his own and has it almost paid for. We have
held off, too, until something is done about the harbour and channel, you
knew this is something that is badly needed for at times when the weather
is rough, the channel and sand bars shift and makes crossing the bar very
dangerous. Very strong efforts are being made by local officials and
shrimp dealers to have a channel cut through the south point of North
Beach, and if that goes through, and the boat paid for, why then I am sure
we will buy a home.
Mr. Bennett, now thirty-nine years of
age, was born in Fernandina, Florida, and spent his boyhood there. He
enlisted in the Navy, and at the expiration of a three year enlistment,
returned to his home and entered the fishing industry, coming to St.
Augtine in 1927.
Mr. Bennett is now fishing out of Fernandina, supplying shrimp to the
Brooks Canning Co. located there, and at home with his family only every
two weeks.
"You know my husband is called a lucky fisherman," Mrs. Bennett said, "But
it is not so much luck as it the understanding of the fishing area,
watching closely the migration, and even the speed of the shrimp, this
generally resulting during the height of the season in local waters, of an
average catch of from two-thousand to twenty-five hundred pounds weekly.
At this season of the year around here the shrimp are getting scarce."
About this point in the conversation, the baby girl, just waking from her
mid-morning nap, called to her mother, then joined us out on the front
porch. Matilda will be two years old in July: grey eyed, very light brown
curly hair, and dressed in clean blue checked play dress, she made a very
attractive picture as she played in the sunshine.
Commenting on the child's lovely soft hair and her healthy appearance, her
mother said "Yes, she is a healthy baby, and she has never been sick
except once, when she had a slight temperature while cutting teeth: But,
she laughingly said, "You should have seen her hair when she was a little
baby, it grew every way except the right one, and even the small boy, much
distressed, asked in his prayers "Please, God, do something about
Matilda's hair." (Evidently his prayers had been answered satisfactorily)
and the constant care given had resulted in its present fine texture and
condition.
Asking Mrs. Bennett about her early life, she said, "I am now twenty-eight
years old and I was born at Mayport and lived there until my marriage. My
father was one of the Andreu family that for several generations have made
Mayport their home. My mother died while I was in school, you know they
have only grade school there, so I just completed the eighth grade. My
father wanted me to continue school, but the nearest high school was in
Jacksonville, so at sixteen I married. I have two older children, a girl
of eleven, and a boy just seven, and this one, the baby. The two older
children attend the Catholic Parish School, and as it is such a long walk
from home, they take their lunch with them. We do want the children to
have at least, a high school education, it will mean so much to them as
they grow older, and we want to give them all the advantages our income
will permit, and we hope they will "Be something" when they grow up."
Mrs. Bennett is a member of the Catholic Church, and her husband is a
Baptist, but his work does not permit his attending church very regularly,
and on the Sundays that he is home there are always things to be done and
he likes to spend all the time possible with the family, he is devoted to
the children, and they think there is no one like daddy.
In tones of voice expressing pride and affection, she discussed the care
of children. "Isn't it fascinating," Mrs. Bennett said, "Watching
children's growth, their changing moods and interests, there is always
something new and different. Their growing needs are sometimes a problem,
but I like to sew, and I do the laundry myself, so they are kept clean and
look nice when they go to school and Church. And, too, I see that they
have the proper food for growing children, plenty of vegetables are
included in their meals."
"About politics- Democrats, of course, but we don't take such a very
active part. We are interested in the local government, and, naturally,
concerned in the national government, especially as it relates to
employment, and to harbor improvements or anything that will affect the
shrimping and fishing industry, for this means so much to the town, and
also to other towns on the coasts where the boats dock and have their
headquarters at certain season, shifting with the migration of the fish
and shrimp.
Having visited and spent several months at the little seaport town of
Mayport about thirty-six years ago, and having known several Andreu's and
roomed at the home of one branch of the family, I asked about her own
family and where they lived. "Do you remember the little Catholic Church"
Mrs. Bennett asked, well, we lived right near the church, and it was at my
uncle's that you roomed, on the river front, near the old East Coast
dock." "Do tell me, please, I asked, about Mrs. McCormick, who used to be
postmistress there so many years ago. We all liked her so much and the
railroad crowd used to gather in the store at night, discussing all sorts
of subjects, from the size of fish caught that day, up to important events
of the times." "Why, do you know, Mrs. McCormick is still living at
Mayport and still in charge of the postoffice: she is getting old now and
has some one to help her, but she will probably be right there as long as
she lives, and just as well liked as when you knew her, long before I was
born" was Mrs. Bennett's reply.
Judging from Mrs. Bennett's conversation, one would readily credit her
with having more than a grade school education, and apparently her
ambition, and that of her husband, is to provide a comfortable home for
the family, and a suitable education for the children.
Mrs. Bennett is a woman of small statue, dark brown hair and eyes, nice
features, and a very cheerful manner, and although she is a small woman,
she impresses one as having strength and competence.
As I was leaving, Mrs. Bennett said "You don't know how nice it is to talk
with someone who knew my people, do come again.
A Shrimper's Family
28 Clark Street
February 28, 1939
St. Augustine, Florida
Alberta Johnson
Text from: Library of
Congress, Manuscript Division, WPA Federal Writers' Project Collection
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