Road to Mound Grove

Road to Mound Grove, a memoir, tells the story of Betty Jean's family in rural southeastern Oklahoma during the Great Depression. In challenging times, they move from one house to another along Indian Road until they stumble on a home of their very own. A quiet little girl, Betty Jean attempts to do the right thing, but accidentally discovers trouble.

Betty Jean's family and neighbors lack electricity, running water, and indoor bathrooms. A typical coal oil lamp glows in every home, and water is routinely drawn from a well. She attends school at Mound Grove where Ms. Vergie and Ms. Agnes teach eight grades in two rooms. Although her daddy works from daylight until nearly dark, with President Roosevelt's WPA, building roads and bridges, her family barely makes ends meet. In spite of the harsh conditions, Betty Jean has a life filled with love, laughter, and singing, a life where she learns to make somethin' out of nothin'.

The story of Betty Jean's family will continue in a sequel, Growing Up at Mound Grove, a special place where neighbors' lives are intertwined for generations.