Evelyn Duvall Meek's Genealogy and Historical Books

Evelyn Duvall Meek

Evelyn is married to Walter Meek who is my Father's first cousin.  She has written several books about the places she has lived.  I would classify these books as Genealogy/Family History books.  As you read, you will find yourself caught up in the story.  Evelyn is a wonderful writer!

Evelyn's Woodville Story

Evelyn's Woodville story tells about how her family was struggling financially, often times not having enough to eat when they were living in Comanche, Oklahoma. She tells about their decision to move to California.  She also describes the trip from OK to CA and some of the experiences she had.  She tells the reader how her family moved into "Dewey Meek's Camp".  The Meek Camp was in the town of Woodville, CA.  It was a cotton laborer's settlement where people came and went depending on the work available in the fields.  Woodville is also where one of the Farm Labor Camps is located.

There are several other families mentioned in the book as well as the Duvall family.  This is a wonderful book that gives one a good idea of how the "Okies" had to live when they first came to California.

Evelyn's Poplar Story

From 1947 When we came to Poplar from Woodville to 1950

Evelyn's Poplar story describes the family's move from Woodville to Poplar.  She tells of living in a tent because they had to save money to buy the materials to build a house.  She talks about how life was in Poplar where many families were living in tents.  The reader learns about the bars and the churches in Poplar as well as the various families living there.  She mentions the Bunches, the Poseys, the Fred Smith family (my Grandma, Grandpa, Mother, Aunts and Uncles), the Kaisers, etc.  She describes the town and the culture of Poplar, CA to a tee.  This book is wonderful for anyone who has roots that go back to the central valley of California.                                              

                                              

Evelyn's Poplar and Boron Story

A True Story about the Duvall and Meek Families from 1950 to 1967

In the Poplar and Boron story, Evelyn tells the reader about how her Father finally got their house built and how excited she was about it. She tells about her rigid Christian upbringing, more about the people in Poplar, and having to work in the cotton fields.  She and Walter Meek got married and started having babies.  She talks about Ola Findley Meek and Wesley Meek (my Uncle).  Evelyn provides the reader with a lot of Poplar history and information about the families living there at that time as well as her own family.  She tells about the move to Boron, CA and what her life was like there while raising her children.  In this book she tells how my Mother and Father met and mentions my sister and me.  She describes my sister and me as...."They were beautiful, sweet little girls".
This is a great genealogy/history book!

                                                 

 

At this point and time, Evelyn and I are working with the LDS Family History Library-Donations, to donate her books so they will be available to everyone online for research.

I found these books to be invaluable.  While reading them, it took me right back to my childhood in Poplar, CA, how we lived and the people we knew.  Thank you cousin Evelyn!