My Father
as told by Annie Jackson Martin
written by Debi Martin Smith
My father, Aaron Jackson Sr., lived to be 90 years old.
He and my mother, Melissa, raised 14 children during
the very tough times of the 30’s & 40’s. My parents were
very hard working people and as a young child I just
never knew hard times. My parents saw that we were all
provided for.
top, and this is where the cow stayed as well as the 8-10
work horses used to haul the lumber out of the woods. The
chickens stayed in the top of this barn on straw. Each fall,
before our trek into the woods, Father would slaughter a
couple of hogs and a beef, and that meat would be used
during the winter months.
Father farmed, trapped and worked
in the woods of Northern Maine.
He farmed all kinds of vegetables,
which we harvested and put in bins
in the cellar, and we used them
during the winter months. He
trapped bobcat, black cat, mink
and beaver. The pelts were sold
for additional income. There were
times he was away from home for
two or three days, sleeping in the
woods. Father had everything he
needed in his pack sack and he had
his axe, the most important tool to
him since it was used to get a fire
started and he would sleep on a bed
of Fir and Spruce boughs.
My family lived in the cook camp.
It was Mother’s job to prepare the
three meals a day for the men that
worked under Papa’s supervi