Voices of Stafford

John has lived in Stafford all his life except for his service in the US Navy during WW II. While born in Widewater as the youngest of four, he soon moved to live with another family in the Ruby area after his mother died. His family was later asked to relocate from what is now Quantico. He walked three miles one way to meet the school bus. John tells of the difficult times in rural Stafford during the great depression and the war years. There was no electricity, drinking water was carried by hand from a distant spring and rain water was used to wash clothes. Schools were segregated and work was scarce but John worked at a Fredericksburg Hotel until he joined the Navy. While working for local farmers, he learned much about agriculture as it was practiced when the population of the county was less than 10,000. Later he worked at the power plant on the Quantico Marine Base. His strong faith and work ethic have kept him going to this day. He lives with his wife in the Hartwood area. (55 minutes)