JM: What was your mother's maiden name?

Lillian: Matilda Beaulac. She was born in New Hampshire, although her parents were living in Canada at the time. Her mother was visiting relatives in New Hampshire.

JM: Did your mother work when she was a girl?

Lillian: Yes, at the Dwight Mills, too. She was a winder.

JM: Did you know your father's parents?

Lillian: No. They died when they were very young. I think his father was in his 40s when he died.

JM: How old was your father when he died?

Lillian: He was 69. He had a heart attack.

JM: When were you born, Theresa?

Theresa: 1948.

JM: How many years did you know your grandfather?

Theresa: 19 years. He died in 1967.

JM: What do you remember about your grandfather?

Theresa: He liked to laugh and have a good time. He liked to play cards and smoke cigarettes.

JM: Did you go to college?

Theresa: No. I've been working in sales for a company for over 20 years. Before that, I was working in insurance. I also do art - oil painting - on the side.

JM: Did you ever work in a mill?

Theresa: No, but I love mill buildings. I paint pictures of them. In Holyoke, when I was first married, I sewed a lot and made my own curtains. So I would go to the mill stores to buy the fabric. And I used to buy clothing at an old dress factory. There were always mills around. I think it's inspirational to work in those buildings, or to have art shows in them. They have a lot of character.

JM: What do think of the photographs of your grandfather?

Theresa: When I saw the pictures, I thought of how hard he must have worked when he was so young. It's a good thing that they passed laws to outlaw it. I think about the child labor that's going on in other countries, just so Americans can buy fancy rugs or cheap products.

JM: When I saw the photo of your grandfather with the other children, I thought to myself, ‘They might have gotten into a little trouble once in a while, but they looked like decent kids.'

Theresa: They wouldn't have had time to get into trouble then. They were probably too tired. They were working all the time.

Lillian: Your grandfather worked hard when he was just a kid, but when he met my mother and settled down and had a family, it changed his life completely.

Theresa: He was a good craftsman. He did things as close to perfect as he could. He was doing some carpentry work when he had the heart attack. He died with a hammer in his hand.