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FL-12
November 22, 1938
Ed Moore (white)
Venus, Florida
(Squatter farmer)
Barbara Berry Darsey, writer
Stetson Kennedy, revise

HENRY and ROSA MADDOX

The home of Henry and Rosa Maddox is in one of the most isolated
spots in the squatter region. After following the highway some three
miles from the village, one must travel along a tortuous dirt "grade"
for six or seven miles. An abrupt turn eastward on a dim woods' trail leads
over the prairie to a dense bayhead. Following the bayhead's curve, the
trail ends suddenly where the bayhead makes a horseshoe bend. A narrow
foot path leads around the bend to an opening in the swamp, marked by a
blaze upon a small bay tree. Bordering the swamp are pools of stagnant
water and growths of cattails and arrowheads.

From the blazed tree a narrow path of logs and planks laid in the
mud leads into the heart of the swamp, and ends in a raised clearing. The
clearing is hemmed in on all sides by a tangle of underbrush, vines, and
palms. In the center of the clearing stands the Maddox home, a rude pal-
metto-thatched shelter raised upon four tall poles.

Henry and Rosa were both at home, and extended a pleasant greeting.
Henry stated that we would have to sit upon benches
outside the shelter, as the bed, a trunk, and a bench holding bowl and
pitcher left no room for seats inside the shelter.

"We try to keep our home neat and clean so as to keep down the flies
and ants," said Henry. "We are careful about fires and waste paper, for
even the swamp here can catch fire in very dry weather. We keep all our
waste paper in this old tin and we burn all our food scraps. There are
naturally lots of insects here and we have to fight them all the time.

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