Boswell, James Beryl; Davis, Jeannette Boswell

Great Depression Survivors: Lulu V. and Big Jim Boswell : Times That Killed Men's Souls

This book is an attempt to show two real life people, who happened to be our mom and dad as survivors of the Great Depression. The book portrays that they were typical of the Great Generation. They reflected the honest hardworking Protestant Ethic of that time. Their values and religious beliefs were of those days. The book mainly focuses on Lulu Van Boswell as her children, friends, and grandchildren remember her. Though Lulu and Jim had only some grade school education they were intelligent, loving, made and kept friends, and lived happily in the context of poverty exemplifying that what you are is more important than what you have. Lulu was compassionate, friendly, very religious, and considerate. Jim was a very strong man with an iron will. He was very just and could not tolerate injustice. He was a helper and defender of the poor. He would literally give you the shirt off his back. They made sure that their three children had a place to live, food, medical care, education, and clothing. All three children became professionals and two earned graduate degrees. Both Lulu and Jim were proud people who did not like handouts andearned their living by the sweat of their brows. Though they were the typical Blue Collar people they had the fortitude, courage, and beliefs to become true survivors of the Great Depression. It is hoped that the people of that generation will remember those days and that this generation will research, understand, and emulate people like Lulu V. and Big Jim Boswell. They lived at Boswells Corner in Virginia.