FORM A Circumstances of Interview
NAME OF WORKER Ruby E. Wilson ADDRESS North Platte
DATE Nov. 9, 1938 SUBJECT Folklore
1. Name and address of informant Mrs. P'Etta Baker, 32 W. 3rd N. Platte
2. Date and time of interview Nov. 9, 1938 9 A.M.
3. Place of interview Front porch of her home, failed to be invited in.
4. Name and address of person, if any, who put you in touch with informant
5. Name and address of person, if any, accompanying you
6. Description of room, house, surroundings, etc. An old house, that was new when North Platte was young, before the corners of little old porch are 2 tall pine trees for which Mrs. Baker obviously feels great affection. Spoke of planting them when they were very small and of watching them grow. {Begin note}{Begin handwritten}C15 - Nebr.{End handwritten}{End note}
{Begin page}FORM B Personal History of Informant
NAME OF WORKER Ruby E. Wilson ADDRESS N. Platte
DATE Oct. 9, 1938 SUBJECT Folklore
NAME AND ADDRESS OF INFORMANT Mrs. P'Etta Baker, 321 W. 3rd
1. Ancestry
2. Place and date of birth
3. Family
4. [Place?] lived in, with dates
5. Education, with dates
6. Occupations and accomplishments, with dates
7. Special skills and interests
8. Community and religious activities Is on special honor list of Eastern Star and B.A. R.
9. Description of informant Very small and quite frail. White hair knotted on tip and held with lavendar combs matching the lavendar buttons down front of plain gray dress of rough shirting, gathered at waist and sleeves with 1 inch band at neck and wrists. Black and white check apron gingham, [?] apron gathered on band.
10. Other points gained in interview "Aunty" Baker is the oldest surviving Civil War widow in Lincoln [?] Was an early settler but is unable to recall instances and being frail I did not press her for her formal history, which either she {Begin deleted text}resents{End deleted text} {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}resented{End handwritten}{End inserted text} or was forgetful of. I hope to {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}#{End handwritten}{End inserted text} obtain a story from her son whom I've been unable to contact as yet.
NAME OF WORKER Ruby E. Wilson ADDRESS N. Platte
DATE Nov. 9, 1938 SUBJECT Folklore
NAME AND ADDRESS OF INFORMANT Mrs. P'Etta Baker, 321 W. 3rd.
I came here 63 years ago the 1st of last {Begin deleted text}months{End deleted text} {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}month{End handwritten}{End inserted text}. I arrived in this beautiful city at 2 o'clock in the morning Oct. 1, 1875. There was nothing here to speak of but land and cattle. If you got off of [Front?] Street you were lost. If you wanted to take a nice walk you could {Begin deleted text}to{End deleted text} {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}go{End handwritten}{End inserted text} to see the new court house which they were just erecting. The sand was shoe top deep.
I've seen these pine trees grow. They were just little things when we put them out.
My husband was a Civil War veteran and there was an arrangement for them to homestead. That was the reason we came.
My husband died in 1908 or 1909. I've lived here with my {Begin deleted text}sons{End deleted text} {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}son{End handwritten}{End inserted text} since. I think the children now demand more and know more than they used to. A boy 10 years old can tell you more than his great grandmother ever thought about knowing.