|
Contents
Alabama
Florida
Georgia
Indiana
Louisiana
Missouri
South Carolina
Utah
Washington
Check for
local history books about your town
or search Amazon.com
from here
|
DAVE AND JEANETTE BEVELY,
WATCHMAN A C L RAILROAD
(Florida)
Dave was stopping traffic at the busy
intersection of Iowa Avenue and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. There,
he stood with the round galvanized sign with a handle, and the word "stop"
printed on both sides. He was holding it above his head to warn the on
coming drivers in the automobiles that a train was approaching. The
grinding of brakes on the mighty steel wheels 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 pauses."
All of a sudden it passed, and the dust flew like a whirlwind. He then
waved for the traffic to move on. In a few minutes the Avenue was cleared
of the heavy traffic until time for the next train to pass.
In his courteous way he waved for cars to go and come, seeing to their
safty in passing the grade crossing. After completing his duty, Dave
invited me to his little shed that sits beside the main line. There he
rested himself on two rocks placed on top of one another. On the other
side of the door was a nail keg with a burlap sack on it for a pillow. The
shed was four feet in dimension, with a small stove sitting in the
north-west corner, and 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 side, these he used at night to
stop traffic. On the out side was a pile of wood, cut and ready to burn in
case he needed a fire. He had prepared it for his shift, which was from
three oclock P.M. to eleven oclock P.M. Dave said, "four passenger trains,
and six freight trains passes while I am on duty."
Dave lives in a section house at 34 Lake Wire Drive with his family
consisting his wife Jeanette, age 41,three step children Mildred, age 19,
who takes in washing at home; Minnie Lee, age [?], who does the same; and
Junior, age13. The step-children away from home are Lee Early, age 25-
married and lives in Trilby, Fla. Theodore, age [?], married and has two
children. Theodore lives next door to Dave in house number thirty two.
Dave stated that he was born in Jefferson County, Florida. December 5th,
1886. His father was Fred, and mother Francis Bevely. He said, "that he
has heard his father say he was five years old when freedom was declared.
There were fourteen children in the family- seven boys and seven girls.
The surviving five live in various section of the State. His father
married Julia Fern, after the death of his mother. "My parents were
farmers in Jefferson County. I ran away from home when I was between
twelve and thirteen years old. I strayed away on account of the treatment
I received from my stepmother. Lots of boys stray away from home on that
account. "When I became a man I returned home, and there I married to my
first wife Rosetta Turner, at Monticella, in Jefferson County, 1908. We
separated in later years. I then married my second wide Jeanette Hallman,
in 1932, Lakeland, Florida. We have no children."
"During my first marriage in 1908 I settled in Alauchua County. I worked
on the section gang, on a tramroad. They used wood burners engines. I
received 1.50 per day. I came to Polk County, where I began working at the
Pebbledale Phosphate mine. I averaged on this job around seven dollars a
week. We lived in the quarters built for the workers. After working there
for three years I returned to Jefferson County, and worked on the farm
with my father. Later I went to Morehaven, in Glades County. There I
worked on the extra gang of the Atlantic Coast Line putting 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 headquarters
in Lake Wales, Florida. Here I worked from January to November in 1925.
During this year I left and moved to Lakeland, Florida. Where I have been
ever since during the same kind of work on the section gang. Most of my
work has been in the yard here in Lakeland. This job that I am holding
down now, was given to me when the old man was retired who use to be
watchman here. When on the section gang I received 1.60 a day. Now I make
50.00 a month. I have been at this work little over a year. There has not
been an accident on this crossing since I took it over."
"I have to attend Safty Meetings held
at different places. To be safe yourself you have to learn to make others
safe. All of my luck comes from a good work record. I always wanted to
work well from a kid up."
"My brother Jim, is a watchman at the other crossing on Florida Avenue. We
started in service together, he is forty seven years old. I have another
brother Bee who lives on the farm in Jefferson County."
"I have a good boss-man, our foreman Mr. R.W. Sweat - who heads up the
Railroad Department."
"I never went to school a day in my life. When I left home I could neither
read nor write my name. Now I can read and write anything. How I began, I
would buy paper and envelopes, and had a friend who would do the writting
for me. I wouldn't get any answer for them and when I got wise I found
that he was signing his name to them. I noticed he would get lots of mail
and could tell me things about home. From then on I began to learn to read
and write."
"Yes to my judgement I think a man should have an education. I read a good
deal on this job. You see what I read." Dave arose form his stone seat and
entered his shed, and brought out a few small books. They were as
following: The Bible, The Child's Bible Question Book, The Pocket
Treasury, The Emphazized Gospal of St John, and the Words of Comfort and
Consolation.
"I don't have time to fool with little old joke books. I tries to read
something that will give me consolation to my soul."
In regard to voting Dave said, "no sir; I never voted, never been
interested in voting. Ever since I first heard of colored people having
trouble voting I never fooled with it.
"Yes Sir, I am a member of the Primitive Baptist Church, located on West
Lime Street. Our pastor is Rev. C.B. Bartley, he pastors our church and
one in St. Petersburg, Florida. We hold service twice a month. I have been
a churchman since 1905. I used to be president of the Usher Board, Usher,
and a trustee. I had to give up my church work on account of my job. My
family they attend church regularly. A person could'nt live a better life
under the Sun than a christian life. It's the finest life to live on
earth. This new fashion religion that they have now of days, I don't have
no faith in it. This old fashion religion will hold fast. It will stay
with you."
"This new religion people will go out and get drunk, cuss, and fight, and
go to church and beat you praying. When I was small I would go to church,
and at that time I was considered develish. I remember when I would chunk
stones at the chicken. My mother would take me to the field where they
were picking cotton. I was so small, they had a six pound sack, and had to
pick cotton too. In making me work that kept me out of mischief. I think
that started me off to work and being good."
Dave is five feet and four inches in height, dark brown in complexion, he
was dressed in overalls with a heavy gold chain hanging with an expensive
watch on it. He displayed his watch and stated that it kept correct time.
He stated that he has to have it checked every week by the jeweler. His
old felt hat was black. And his gold teeth in front shined when he smiled.
He has a pleasant personality, and 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
supplies the house." The home on Lake Wire is painted gray with white
trimmings like all the other section houses that line Lake Wire next to
the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. His wife was very pleasant and from
observation she is a good housekeeper. They have two bed rooms, and the
furniture was in very good shape. This day they were very neat in thier
attire.
They stated that their grocery bill was never over $20.00 per month, and
they have everything they want. Dave said, "that he did not eat very much
meat, some times a little bacon, mostly I 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 good. The lawn was
green and well kept. There was a fence in front of the house and it was
painted white. They all seemed to be happy together.
Dave said, "when I get off from work I go home and sleep, when I wake up I
chop wood, and work around the lawn. I hardly have time to do anything
else. I don't play any kind of games, I am too old for that now. I have to
take care of myself so I can make a living for my family. During these
times there is no time for a fellow to fool around."
At this time Dave 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.
Federal Writers' Project
Paul Diggs
Lakeland, Florida
Janurary 13, 1939
Bevely, Dave and Jeanette
34 Lake Wire Drive
Lakeland, Florida
Text from: Library of
Congress, Manuscript Division, WPA Federal Writers' Project Collection
|