My Sister and the President

When my sister, Mary Jo Braswell , was a young child she and my parents lived in Washington, D.C.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was President of the United States when my parents moved to Washington 
and my sister was young. My mother would take her for walks to a park in D.C. and would pass the White House on their way. My mother and father both worked for the government and knew a Gate Guard at the
White House. Sometimes my mother would stop and chat with him on her walk with my sister. During their conversations Mary Jo would play on the lawn. 
One day when my mother walked by the guard called her over and said that the President wanted the little curly haired girl to play as often as she liked on the lawn. So, after that my mother just walked as far as the White House and stopped going to the park. Occasionally, she would look up and see President Roosevelt in an upstairs window watching Mary Jo play on the lawn.

Memories of Nanny (Grandmother Emma Daisy Locke Braswell) Brothers and Sisters

On many occasions my family and I would go to Laurel Mississippi and visit relatives from both sides of my parents families. The stories in this paper will be about my
Dad's Mom's brothers and sisters. Her name was Emma Daisy Locke Braswell. She was born December 29 1891 She had 9 brothers and sisters. I remember some of them and this history is going to tell some of my memories of them and the time I spent with them.
I will go down the list by age of what I remember. The oldest was Alice and I know nothing of her. Next in line is Aunt Maud. She was married to Mallie Mulligan. I remember going out to her place way out in the boonies and her cooking for us and having a great time running around and playing with her chickens. Then my grandmother was next in line born in 1891. Next came Homer born in 1892. He had a place in town and we would go and visit him and his wife. His wife was Anna and she was a fantastic cook. I don't know why I remember that but, I do. Then the next sister was Laura and she was married to Alan Boyd. I only remember she died very young. Aunt Lula was a sweet little lady that lived alone out in the country and she was blind. But, she took care of herself and was a wonderful woman. Emma's next brother was Martin Van Buren Locke and he was married to Hallie Cagle. I don't remember anything about him but met one of his descendents at a Williamson family reunion. Chester Locke was next and married to Annis Tucker. They had a huge farm outside of Laurel and we had a great time when we went out there. One story I remember so well was when we went out and he asked if Jimmy, my brother, and I would like to shoot his twelve gage shotgun. They went ahead and for some reason I followed a little later. When I reached the fence the cows were standing by the fence and I couldn't get them to move. I finally crawled under the fence and hit the cow on the head and she moved and I was able to reach everyone and fire the shotgun. Of course, being only nine or ten it knocked me on my butt. I always liked visiting Uncle Chester and Aunt Annis. Aunt Carrie was married to Lamar Webb. They were a sweet couple and lived in a cute home in Laurel. Aunt Carrie was another great cook and was a kind soul. Aunt Bessie was married to Bill Hall. I don't remember much except she was kind and always had cookies. They had goats and chickens and lived outside of Laurel.

Trains to Grandma Guy's

                              TRAIN TRIPS TO GRANDMA GUY


My father, James Carl Braswell,Sr. worked for the railroad when I was growing up.  So, every summer my brother, Jimmy, and I got on a train in Portsmouth, Virginia or Richmond, Virginia and rode all the way to Laurel, Mississippi. It was a fun trip and we were free to play on the train. The train was the Silver Star, one of the Seaboard Airline Railroads trains.
I remember when Daddy put us on the train he would tell the Conductor to watch over us and he did. We had the run of the train. I remember being able to go into the Engine and being allowed to pull the chain to sound the horn when we came to a crossing. And being able to go in the caboose and ride with the Conductors.
Once we arrived in Laurel Grandma Guy or Uncle Alston would pick us up and we had the summer to run and play with our cousins there. Unfortunately for me all of my cousins were boys. On both sides of  the family. All boys.
We were able to walk down the street and around the corner from my Grandmother's house and get a soda at the little store. We collected bottles and turned them in and used the money to buy the sodas. We were allowed to walk to the public swimming pool and go swimming without adults watching out for us.
Sometimes we would spend the day at Uncle Alston and Aunt Helen's house. There were rules there. We were not allowed to use the front door and could not go in the living room, EVER. It was off limits. I remember one time being there and I was outside playing and the boys disappeared so I went looking for them and when I couldn't find them I went to the front door and rang the bell. Aunt Helen opened the door and let me in but, told me never to come to the front door again.
I remember my cousins had weird food choices. Charlie loved french fries and had them for every meal. Breakfast, lunch, and supper. They ate whatever they wanted and Aunt Helen would cook them whatever they wanted for any meal. They ate whenever they wanted too and I always thought that was so cool. At home we ate what my Mother put on the table or we sat there until it was gone. The cousins had such freedom. At least I thought so at the time.

How my name came to be

Sometimes a name is chosen because a Mom and Dad just like the sound or they choose a name that has a distinctive spelling . My name was chosen for a variety of reasons. My full name is Emma Marie-Ann Braswell. How it came about is kind of strange and caused some hurt feelings, but, it's my name. My Mother also had a name that was chosen for reasons only her parents understood. Let me start at the beginning.

My Father's name is James Carl Braswell born in Laurel, Jones County, Mississippi to Emma Daisy Locke Braswell and Luther Cleveland Braswell. I don't know how he got his name. My Mother's name is Wilda Josephine Guy Braswell, born in Laurel, Jones County, Mississippi. Her parents are Ada Maryloa McKee Guy and Willie Alston Guy. As is easy to see my Mother was named after her parents. Wil from the first three letters of her Father's name and Ada after her Mother. So she became Wilda. I always thought that was kind of strange and interesting. Many years later I saw this name for someone else. Really strange . My parents met and married and lived in Laurel for a time and my sister was actually born in the same bed as my Mother in my Grandmother's home.

When my sister was young my parents moved to Washington, D.C. and lived there for some time. They both worked for the government. My Mother's sister and my Father's brother and their families also lived in Washington. At times they lived in the same apartment building, next to the German Embassy. There's another story about that but, later. My brother Jimmy was born there and then came me about a year and a half later.

So, to get to my name. When I came along my Mother wanted to name me Marie Ann. My Dad's mother lived with my Dad's brother at this time, across the hall from my parents. When I was born discussion arose about my name. My Mom was close to her Sister and took Marie from my Aunts name of Mariette and she liked Ann. But, when my Dad's Mother heard of my name to be she was upset. From the stories I heard from my parents my Grandmother Braswell thought that I should be named after her because my sister was named Mary after my Aunt. So to save the peace according to my Mother they named me Emma Marie-Ann. No one in my family has ever called me Emma. I have always gone by the name Marie from birth to this day. I do love the name Emma for many reasons and I have a Granddaughter named after me and her Great-Great Grandmother.

So, that is how my name came to be.

My Mom and the German Embassy

LIVING NEXT DOOR TO THE GERMAN EMBASSY

My parents, James C. Braswell and Wilda Josephine Guy Braswell, moved to Washington District of Columbia after WWII for work. My aunt, Octavia Mariette Guy, had moved there when she married and had obtained work with the Government. She had written to my parents about work being available there. It was a hard time in the United States and many, many people were without work. So, my parents made the move with their small daughter, Mary Jo. They found employment also with the government and lived in several different apartments there. A few years later my brother, James Carl Braswell, Jr., was born and then I came along.

Before our births my parents lived in an apartment next to the German Embassy with German guards standing outside the huge structure that housed many German Officials. These Guards had to stand outside for many hours a day in Winter and Summer. Washington is very cold in the winter with much snow and ice. My mother felt sorry for the Guards standing out in the cold. In the evening after she arrived home from work and was preparing supper for my father and sister and then my brother she would take coffee down the back stairs of the apartment and give it to the Guards. Her relatives and some neighbors were not happy with her but, she told me later she felt these men were in a bad situation not of their choosing. I have always admired my mother for her decision to help in a small way people who were less fortunate than she.

Mission Update

I am now serving in the Church History Library. It is a very interesting place. So much history on those people who worked so hard to bring the restoration about and all the special papers and books that have been collected over the years.

I have been walking around Temple Square seeing all the sights. It is amazing how much work and how many people are hard at work to keep it clean and beautiful.

Today I had a great day. Received my ticket to General Conference for next weekend. Also, met Julie B.Beck. She is the President of the General Relief Society Board of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was a chance meeting but, very nice. She was very kind and very open.

Monday morning at the Mission Devotional I will have to give my talk. Each missionary gives a talk telling a little about themselves. And my turn is Monday. I have had my talk ready for a while. Got my letter of invitation last week. Will be glad when it’s over.

I am enjoying my mission but miss being able to see my children and grandchildren.

I love my Savior with all my heart and know He is happy with my decisions. I want to serve Him and be an example of Him.

My Childhood

My family moved to Portsmouth Virginia when I was 3 months old . We settled into a small two bedroom home at 60 Green Blvd. (Not sure why I still remember that address.) The neighborhood was full of young families and my parents made friends with other couples in the same situation as ours. Young families with children our age and so we all grew up together.

Three families in particular I remember. The McClellans had 5 children, Peggy, Patsy, Jim, Ron, and Sandra, the Goodrichs one son, Jackie and the Hills 3 children, Paula, Paulette and Paul ,Jr. The McClellans youngest daughter, Sandra or Susie as we called her, was the same age as me and so we became best friends. The four families were in and out of each others homes all the time and no one in those days locked their doors, so we just called out as we entered their homes.

Summers were fun because we lived so close to Virginia Beach. Each Mom took turns taking all the kids to the beach each week. Two Moms in two station wagons would drive the kids out to Virginia Beach and we would play in the waves and build many sandcastles. Picnic lunches eaten and snocones melting were an additional fun aspect of days at the beach.

Life in the 50's and 60's was so much safer and more carefree than today. Nighttime chasing lightening bugs, catching them in mayonnaise jars and setting them on the table in the dark and watching as they flashed all night is a great memory. Nobody had fenced yards so games of baseball in the backyards was always fun and involved most of the neighborhood. We could run the streets til our Mom's called us in for bedtime. Halloween we could go for miles away from home with not too much worry. When I was 11 years old we moved to Richmond, Virginia and continued the easy childhood I had been used to in Portsmouth. New friends but, the same carefree life. Baseball in the backyards, chasing and catching lightening bugs, trick or treating for miles away, walking to school, and sitting on the front porch in the dark telling scary stories.

Illustration 1: Emma Marie-Ann Braswell age 11

I remember babysitting for the neighbors and making some great spending money. I earned a whole 50cents an hour and 75 cents after midnight. Saving for treats at the local soda shop and buying lipstick I wasn't suppose to wear. We would ride the Bus to town and go to the movies and someone's Mom or Dad would pick us up when the movie was over. Almost always a scary movie. When we got a little older we would go to the Sock Hops at school on Friday nights and I remember winning the dance contests doing the Twist. Now I don't dance at all. Less intimidated then I guess. Life was fun and easy as a child and I am grateful my folks let me be a child.