Billee Barton grew up in Oklahoma City surrounded by extended family members. She could walk one direction down the road to a grandparents’ house, or around the block the other way and arrive at her other grandma’s house. Even though life still brought challenges to her family, it was a very idyllic way to grow up. Billee knew her grandparents very well and reminisced about the time spent with them in her later years.
What follows is a remembrance from Billee of the times her grandmother, Bertha Barton, babysat Billee and her little sister, June.
“Grandma Barton would watch us a lot when we were little when our parents went out to dances and such and they didn’t want to take us. Sometimes she would buy us a real sweet chocolate that was like a pyramid shape that was white with a little chocolate dipped on the outside. Sometimes if we spent the night she would open a can of evaporated milk and water it down a little bit and pour it in our glasses and add a little sugar and sometimes even a little cinnamon for our evening treat when we were good.”
Billee and June, c 1925 
June and Billee, c 1923 
June and Billee, c 1927
This makes me think about the times my grandmas tended me. Such sweet memories that I ought to record for future generations as well. What do you remember from when your grandparents tended you?
Billee Kathryn (Barton) Corn was born 1 February 1918, in Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky, to Sidney and Bessie (Stevens) Barton. Billee was my paternal grandmother. Her grandmother, Bertha Barton, is my Great-great-grandmother.
I hope you enjoyed that bit of family history as I did. See you again soon with another story from the past.
Melissa
