Migrant Workers
Section 1: Migration from
Baltimore and Philadelphia
to Maryland, Delaware, and New
Jersey
Laura Petty, a 6 year old berry picker on Jenkins Farm. "I'm just beginnin'.
Licked two boxes yesterday."
Gets 2 [cents] a box. Rock Creek, Md. , 06/07/1909
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-829
Johnnie Yellow, a young Polish berry picker on Bottomley Farm. Says
he is 10 years old and has
gone to Biloxi, Miss. for 9 years with family and has worked there
in winter and here in
summer for three years. He is stunted, being only 39 inches high.
Many of these children are stunted. Rock Creek, Md. , 06/07/1909
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-834
bzak family (Polish) working on Bottomley Farm. They have worked here
3 years and one winter at Avery
Island, La. All work except the very smallest. She hangs aroung the
fields. Begin work about 4 A.M
and work sometimes until sunset. Rock Creek, Md. , 06/07/1909
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-837
A four year old helper in the berry fields. Mother said, "He helps a
little." Rock, Creek, Md. , 06/07/1909
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-842
Jim Waldine, 6 years old, been picking cranberries 2 years. Also Sam
Frohue, 9 years old, been picking 2 years,
could not spell his own name. Theodore Budd's Bog, at Turkeytown, N.J.
This is the fourth week of school in Philadelphia and
the people will stay here 2 weeks more. , 09/27/1910
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-1110
Rose Biodo, Philadelphia, 10 years old. Working 3 summers, minds baby
and carries berries, two pecks at a time.
Whites Bog, Brown Mills, N.J. This is the fourth week of school and
the people expect
to remain here two weeks more., 09/28/1910
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-1123
5 year old Helen and her stepsisters hulling strawberries at Johnson's
Hulling Sta.
Helen is an orphan, who, one month after the death of her widowed mother,
was adopted by the Hope family of Seaford.
This is her 2nd season at Johnson's Hulling Sta. On the day of investigation,
she started working at 6 A.M.,
and at 6 P.M. the same day, Helen was still hulling strawberries. Seaford,
Del. , 05/26/1910
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-1573
3 year old and 2 boys hulling berries at Johnson's Canning Camp. Seaford,
Del. , 05/26/1910
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-1576
Alberta Mc Nadd on Chester Truitt's Farm. Alberta is 5 years old and
has been picking berries since she was 3.
Her mother volunteered the information that she picks from sun-up to
sun-down. Cannon, Del., 05/28/1910
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-1581
Section 2: Migration from Boston
to Cape Cod
Belford Coldos, 8 years old, picking on Weeks' Bog. Falmouth, Mass.
, 09/20/1911
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-2504
Arthur Fernande, said 8 years old, picking cranberries by hand, and
brother Charlie said he was 9 picking with a scoop.
Said they work from 9 till 5. Wareham, Mass. , 09/13/1911
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-2512
Three pickers going home from work. Anne, 7 years old, and brother Vincent
said 11.
Vincent picked last summer. Inez, sister said 6 years old, "and picked
last summer wid me mudder."
Smallest one not quite large enough to get work. Father works in Parker
Mills. Parker Mills, Mass., 09/13/1911
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-2515
Boy who carries barrels. Robert Saunders, 10 years old. Is the son of
the boss. Mother picks too. Falmouth, Mass.
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-2524
Even the tiny one about 5 years old was picking. Some others picking
regularly. Rochester, Mass. , 09/13/1911
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-2536
Camille Carmo, Justine, 7 and 9 years old. The older one picks about
4 pails a day. Youngest was picking also. Rochester, Mass. , 09/13/1911
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-2540
Young pickers on Swift's Bog. All working. Falmouth, Mass. , 09/20/1911
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-2567
Amelia Sousa, 12 years old, picks 22 measures. Balmeda, 4 years old.
Children
said she doesn't pick, but she was picking just the same. Falmouth,
Mass., 09/20/191
NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-2576