Approximately 1934, Milton and Juanita and children moved into an old house (three rooms) south of Lockney, Texas. The house belonged to the father and mother of Dummy Grubbs. It was during this period that Milt worked for the WPA (a government work program). This was not really Milts cup of tea, but it paid $1.00 per day. These were the dust bowl days in West Texas. One time the family watched as the wind blew a combine over on a hen. Milt went out and retrieved the hen, they cleaned it and cooked it and had one good meal from that mishap.

     Juanita always raised a big garden and kept chickens. Milt and Juanita hoed cotton and did anything that they could to make a few dollars.

     Viola had dust pneumonia while the family lived in Lockney. She was in bed for about five weeks. Olive Robbs (her father’s second cousin) brought her a little cup of ice cream every day. It seemed to the other children that she especially enjoyed this treat in their presence, since there was none for them. One day the children were outside playing and they decided to bury Viola in the newly plowed field. She took off all of her clothes so as not to get them dirty, but for some reason her mother was still very upset with her when she found out about this.

1936

     Juanita’s sister, Myrtle came from Cabool, Missouri, to Lockney, Texas, with her husband, Roy Spencer and her two daughters; Pauline and Louise. Juanita had taken her egg money into the store at Lockney to buy two cane bottom chairs for them to sit on. The children sat on cream cans and a bench. As they came out of the store, a car pulled up and out jumped a little woman who started hugging Juanita. This was her sister Myrtle whom she had not seen for several years.

     The two families made plans to go to Branson, Colorado, to a Bloxsom family reunion. This was at Thanksgiving. On the morning that they were leaving, Milt went back into the house to get some matches. He was just in time to catch the wallpaper behind the bed going up in flames. Someone had ignited a match by pulling an iron bed over it. Everyone carried water and put out the fire and then went on to the family reunion in Branson in the two old cars.

     Henry “Hank” Bloxsom, his wife Esthrid lived on a ranch near Branson with their children. At that time, they had two daughters, Berniece and Wanda and also living with them were Esthrid’s children from a previous marriage, Helen, Junior and Charlotte.

     Other family members had gathered for the reunion: Juanita’s sister Rosa, her husband Jess and their boys, Juanita’s brother, Loyd Fee was there with his wife, Bess and their sons, Earnest and Robert. There were also Hank’s siblings; Carl with his wife, Della, Virginia “Virg” and her husband Calvin “Cal”, to name a few. On the night of arrival, fifteen children shared quilts on the floor in the living room. After visiting for several days, Milt, Juanita and children started back to Lockney.

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