LEARNING ABOUT HOME

LEARNING ABOUT HOME I was born in a house on Cameron Street in Canton , Mississippi, on January 3, 1951. It was owned by my maternal great grandparents, Rev. Walter and Lilly Merriweather. I learned about that Merriweather house's construction history today from mama's brother, Arlander Cyrus Moreland, who has taught me a great many facts about our family history, when in Mississippi. My great-grandfather "Papa," was allowed to work 400 acres of land that was owned by a white man, for $1.50 a year , due to his respect for Papa. That wonderful man, Mr. Laws, also told Papa that if anyone messed with him about that land, he was to come see him about it and them. No one messed with them. They worked in peace and God 's blessings were on their side. They raised 35 bales of cotton, each containing 500 lbs. of cotton in 1945. Mr. Laws had told Papa that he was not to sell the cotton until he told him as the price was a then merely $.29 per pound. About 6 months later, according to my Uncle Arlander, Papa was given the word to sell the 35 bales of cotton, whose price had risen to $.69 a lb. The sale realized enough money for them to build our house on Cameron Street, which big, fine, house was built from the ground. The house had an indoor bathroom replete with accoutrements; 3 or 4 bedrooms, living room, halls, dining room, front and back porch and a kitchen. The costs was $4500. I remember living there as a small child, until age 4, when our family moved from Canton, Mississippi to St. Louis , Missouri, where all 8 of mama and daddy's kids graduated.