Annie Belle Hundley Barnes
1874-1962
Taken from a letter  from Maurice Barnes, dated 29 June 1977 to his sister, Garnette Barnes Biggers. Edited as necessary.

Mama knew each of her children like the palm of her hand and she would only occasionally use it to correct one of us.  More often for me it may have been a thin leather strap that hung by the kitchen more to intimidate than  actual  for use!

She was nine years younger than Papa.  Prior to their marriage when she was about 20 years old, she went to Washington, D.C. where she had an uncle and cousins in the house painting business. She found a job as a seamstress about two blocks from the Capitol and worked for a Mrs. Green.  After Mama and Papa were married, she continued sewing for outside families as well as taking care of other chores in connection with the farm and family.  

I was the first to express a desire to "go away to school."  After some thought and consultation with Uncle Jim Hundley, Mr. Eugene Fallin, etc. she said yes and I went in September 1923 to a technical school in Maryland.  After awhile I was both discouraged and homesick and wrote to Mama, what I don't remember but it must have been blue.  She read the words and between the lines.  I received her reply and the only part I remember well was, "Son, if you can't make it, come on home."  Throughout my life whenever I was in a difficult situation I thought of those words and kept at the task.

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