Redwood Valley, Ca.

When we moved from Thornton, Ar. back to California in late 1954, ended up in Redwood Valley. It is less than 10 miles from Calpella. We were back with friends and family. We had about as much family out west as we had back in Arkansas.

In the surrounding area we had , Uncle Presley and Aunt Jessie May, Aunt Rosie and her husband Uncle Frank Dorey, their oldest daughter Jeanette and her husband James Wright, and all the kids of said families. Also we had James and Sybil Gatling and Sybil's parents, the Snirleys from Arkansas that were long time friends of the family.

Down the road about 60 miles was mom's baby brother, Uncle Henry, his wife Hazel and family.

Everyone works in the sawmills or timber business except Uncle Henry. He was a mechanic at a Ford dealership.

My brother Wilson and his wife Georgie May, my sister Juanita and her two daughters were also there. With mom, dad, brothers Bob and George and myself the only one of our family not there was my sister Vivian.

In the early 50's if you took all the Arkies and Okies out of California, the state could have shut down.

We lived in Redwood Valley about 2 and 1/2 years before my dad became ill. It was the happiest time of my life. I had mom, a healthy dad and I was just getting old enough that I can really remember my life and not just "bits and pieces".