I have to say that my grandparents on both sides managed a middle-class lifestyle. But by “middle-class lifestyle” I mean keep food on the table, clothes and shoes on the kids, doctor bills paid, a sound roof overhead, and maybe manage to get one or two through college.
During the years 1910 to 1945 that was not easy, and it required folks to accept some serious compromises of prior expectations. In neither the 1920s nor the 1930s were two-income families the social norm; my dad grew up in one.
Career paths of children of Mr. Wm Edwd. Kidd of Lovingston VA (father’s people)
Sons: Schooling, then college and law school for Harry Lee Kidd J.D. Schooling, then college and med school for Estes Caskie Kidd M.D. Schooling, then purchase of partnership in bank for Winfred Kidd Daughter: Schooling, then business-school training for Mildred Kidd Money from sale of land to developers, laid out for each of four children, to assure self-sufficiency and career opening at upper-middle-class level (i.e. not retail). Doctor, Lawyer, Banker, senior administrative assistant to Sec’y of Navy. COUNTRY doctor, willing to take payment in kind, cash, barter-of-service. Prospered. Two daughters, college for one. Loved and admired by town; house built to last for 2-3 generations.
Dad’s father: SMALL-TOWN general-practice lawyer, serving poor clients, reluctantly settling for in-kind pay, and not making many billable hours. Wife’s pay as schoolteacher made middle-class life possible but just barely. Two sons: in-state college for one thanks to mother’s job; GI Bill college for younger boy. Disabled in late 1940s by massive stroke, left paralyzed and inarticulate until a second stroke killed him in middle 1950s. Wife and sister-in-law lived on social security next 20 years (two benefit checks). REASON FOR SOCIAL SECURITY. SMALL-TOWN banker, with no insider investment opportunity, until bank was absorbed by larger bank. Never heard my dad or his mom mention cousins. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT aka secretary/stenotypist/phone lady, but eventually gaining personally reserved parking spot and private office in new Pentagon. Prospered. Married late, no kids. Important person during and after War II. Retired with strong Civil Service pension, widow’s benefit as well.
Descendants of John Canterbury (mother’s folks): Five Canterbury boys: I don’t know what Jesse made of himself, or Ernest. Luther did well enough, and I don’t know for sure how, to put Luther Jr., known as cousin Luther to my mom, in a position to go to grad school and wind up high level administration at Kilgore J. C. in Tyler; Robert (Bob) managed to get training enough in bookkeeping and accounting to get him past the CPA test at one time; worked as free-lance accountant and tax preparer. College I don’t know. Charles (my mother’s father): For those interested, that career path ran: Farm boy going to grade school through 8th at time of Spanish-American War, learning readin’ writin’ ‘rithmetic (very Spencerian handwritin’), along with exercises of adding and subtracting via commercial story problems. Farm boy helping farm, planning to do something besides farm, practicing bookkeeping as well as studying what books he came to, getting not hooked but fond enough of books to become lifelong “autodidact.” Around 18, courts and marries Grandmother. Applies for job keeping company store for timber company; job of paymaster added to storekeeper job. Keeps store, pays out wages, collects what workers owe, plays fair with workers but still shows profit. This gets him recommended as teller to Red River National Bank close to farm home. Moves up ladder on performance basis, teller> loan officer> vice-president. My mother’s mother was licensed to teach school; had to quit when she married Granddaddy (weird local board rules). Mom had two brothers, three sisters. Older brother killed c. 1925 falling out of back of pickup truck; younger (baby) brother killed in War II. Second daughter worked full-time after high school, married young to man not physically fit for service (legitimately); fourth girl same, except her draft-exempt husband was defense worker. Other sister, and Mom, got teaching degrees from state colleges.