AT THIS POINT, THIS AUTHOR WOULD LIKE TO REPRINT A LETTER received sometime back and which bears printing in its entirety, because of the nature and warm-hearted-ness of its content, it should be witnessed by those members of the family whose grand-mother, aunt, or other relative is Mrs. Josephine Madere Montz. I do
not know Mrs. Montz, personally, but from the letter, she does sound very warm as a grand-mother, and certainly she is a "Montz."  (52)

"From These Roots
Grew Branches, Leaves, and Flowers"

.....I remember when I was very young, Tante Felicie and Octave used to come visit with my mother. They lived at Montz, La., a little section called the "La Crevasse," and we lived about a mile from Reserve, La. This place was called La Crevasse because of the levee broke there once and it was such a terrible flood. We used to be so happy when these aunts came to visit with us. ... Montz Louisiana is a few miles from LaPlace.

....I had six children: Zenon Jr., Edward, Sidney, Inez, who died when she was ten years and 5 months, Jennie and Lynn.  I love my children dearly. They are good children, very tentative to me and I so appreciate them. When we got married in January, it was a nice wedding. Very cold weather. I was dressed in a beautiful blue suit, wide hat with long fluffy feathers. It was the style. I carried a bouquet...It was a pretty wedding, had a reception at the house... many fine gifts. Went to New Orleans, stayed at the Desoto Hotel on the Gulf Coast.... Noney was born two years after, then had Ed sixteen months after, and then was Sid, long after was Inez. Sixteen months after that was Jennie. Seems like I was always pregnant. They were all so young. I used to fix four bottles to feed them but I think the oldest were too old to be taking bottles. Pape Nonne to old colored man, used to rock Noney the baby and we loved him so much. These were happy days when we raised them. When Inez died we took it so hard. ... It was Mastoid ... In my time there was only show-boats and the river. How we use to love to go see the shows. They always paraded during the day. When war-was declared and my four boys went, they all volunteered to go. Sid, Ed, Noney, and Lynn I don't know how it didn't kill us. Papa and I felt  (continued next page)

52  Personal letter received from relative of Josephine
Madere Montz, February, 1975.

Click here to go to next page