Books can influence and change the way you see the world. At the Monticello Public Library, there are not only significant books, but there is also a special libararian. Mae Simpson has impacted many people not only through the world of books but also through her life. Here is her story:

Mae Everett Simpson was raised in the 16th Section community east of Monticello. Her father was a pastor and her mother was a housewife. She was the 9th child of 11 children. Mae went to school most of her life in Selma. She went to high school at Drew Central and graduated in 1968. She then moved to Pine Bluff to attend college.

Her freshman year she married a schoolmate, Tommy Simpson. After her first year in college, they moved to South Carolina for two years where Tommy served in the Air Force. In 1970, the couple moved back to Monticello and had their first child.

Mae worked at Burlington for 15 years until the plant closed its doors. She then went back to school in McGehee. In 1985, she graduated from vocational-technical school with an associate secretarial degree.

Though Mae and Tommy had only one child, she parents 13. Mae is a foster parent. They have been fostering for 12 years. At  present, they have three children who have lived with them for six years.

"We lived out [of town] and my husband works in Crossett (where he is a licensed electrician and machinist at Georgia-Pacific). He works graveyard. I would be home by myself all the time. I didn’t like that. So, one of my co-workers suggested I become a foster parent," Mae responded when asked how they began fostering.

They still keep in contact with all of the children they’ve fostered. "I am Mom!" she said. "We are their Mom and Dad."

Mae started working at the the Monticello Public Library soon after she received her secretarial degree. She is the assistant branch manager and holds that title with pride.

"I love the people. There are so many nice people. If I didn’t like the people, it would be hard to stay in the same place for 20 years with all the different personalities you work with," she said.

When asked how what she has seen change in Monticello over the years, she said, "There are more opportunities for minority people. In the past, you wouldn’t have walked through the door of the library and found me behind the desk. It has been a joy to work here. You know, life is nothing without people. I don’t care who they are or the color of their skin. You get them and you mold them. We help them, and we give them opportunities to go to college. It gives them someplace to work, and they learn as they work."

Mae loves the people of Monticello. "There are good people here. They’ll do anything to help you. You know everybody, and that’s good."

Unwilling to simply go to work and return home, Mae is currently on a committee to restore her old school house in Selma. She and several others are worked towards making Selma Junior High School a historical site. The building is used now for banquets and group meetings like the Masons and Eastern Star organization of which Mae is a member. Mae is also an active member of 16th Section Missionary Baptist Church.

Between fostering children, educating young people, working to restore historical buildings, and her active church membership, Mae’s life a book worth reading. Next time you’re in the library, introduce yourself and let Mae know you’re thankful for her life: One Monticello Life.

What is Halloween without ghosts, goblins and haunted houses? Located in the center of Monticello, on Main Street is one of Arkansas’ most reputed haunted houses: the Allen House. Here is its story:

Twins. One definition of twins is counterpart – a person or thing that closely resembles another. This is how you would describe Ruth & Ruby Brown. You might have seen these identical twins around town on Fridays. This is their day to eat lunch at a local restaurant. And most days, they wear the same color. This is by coincidence usually. Not only are Ruby and Ruth twins, they also married brothers! Here is their story: Ruby and Ruth Barrett Brown were born in 1930. They were raised in Warren. Their father was a farmer, and they have two brothers and two sisters. Their father died when they were young. Their mother raised the six children with the help of their grandparents who also farmed. The Brown brothers moved from Cleveland County to Bradley County in 1945. The Browns also farmed. There were five children in their family, four boys and 1 girl. It was at Macedonia Baptist Church that T.H. and Larkin Brown met the twins. "We were at church, and there they were, sitting on the pew," Larkin recalls about the first time he met Ruby and Ruth. "Back in those days, we didn’t date until you were 16. Me and Ruth were 15 at the time." Ruby also said they were all friends until they could start dating. "We rode to school in a taxi. So we went to school together before we dated," she said. Both T.H. and Larkin served in the U.S. Military. T.H. served in China during World War II. Larkin served during the Korean War. But war did not keep these brothers and twins apart for long. After T.H. returned from the war, he finished high school. In 1948, Ruth and T.H. married. One week after Larkin came home from Korea in 1952, Ruby and Larkin were married. Each couple moved frequently, for the mens’ jobs. T.H. attended Chicago Electrical School and worked for Entergy for 42 years. Larkin attended UAM and the UofA and received a B.S. in agriculture. He worked as a county agent in Drew and Chicot counties for 37 years. While the frequent moves kept the twins apart off and on for part of their lives, they wrote letters often. "At least once a week, I know, because I checked the mailbox," Larkin remembered. However, the majority of their lives, the twins have been together. Their days were always together. They each had three children. Not only did the twins marry brothers, but Ruth and Ruby’s younger sister married T.H. and Larkin’s brother. The twins’ youngest sister married the Brown’s brother’s first cousin. They were always together at different occasions. "Our children were more like brothers and sisters than cousins." "It was like we were all one big family." T.H. and Larkin were asked what it was like being married to twins. Larkin said it was "great," because "If I want to go somewhere, all I have to say is, ‘Ruth called,’ and she’d go over there. Then I can go and do what I want to," he said with a grin. T.H. said, "I haven’t been married to anybody else, so I don’t know. All I can say is I got the best looking of the bunch!" Larkin is quick to respond, "That’s the only one that would have you!" Ruby and Ruth drink coffee together every morning. The twins do not do much without the other. They all attend First Baptist Church where the men are deacons and the ladies are on the benevolent committee. They each enjoy their grand children. When asked about being twins, Ruth said, "We have had a good life, good health, and good husbands. We have such a close bond. It is indescribable." Ruby said, "You always have someone to talk to and not be judgemental." So next time you see these counterparts eating out on Fridays, let them know you read their story. Like Ruth said about being twins, "It is such a special life." Indeed! Their twin lives make up our One Monticello Life.

Mr. James Carpenter was born in 1938 and raised in Hamburg by a farmer and housewife. He is the 8th child of nine children. He has four brothers and four sisters. He went to school in Hamburg and managed to march in his high school’s graduation ceremonies, but he lacked a little to get an actual diploma.

After high school, he worked on his father’s farm in Hamburg. He then went to work at P.E. Barnes pallet mill for nine years. He worked for Georgia Pacific for one year and for a while at the Lake Village industries.

“I met my wife in the first part of April 1973,” Mr. Carpenter said. “We married October 1973. We will be married 33 years this October 13. I was 35. I was old enough.”

His wife was 30 years old and had six children from her first husband. On the day of their wedding, her oldest child was 10, and her youngest was four. Today they have 12 grand children and 3 great grand children. When talking about his grandchildren, Mr. Carpenter said, “Actually ten are ‘step,’ but I don’t call them that. I’m the only Pappaw they know. I treat them just like my own.”

Most might remember Mr. Carpenter from his six years at Wal-Mart. It was in 1995 that things changed for him. On his way home from work, he was attacked and beaten by some men. “They thought they was going to get a lot of money,” he said. “They thought they killed me. But I’m still here.”

He spent nine weeks in intensive care at Drew Memorial Hospital and at the University Hospital in Little Rock. He said his brain was damaged, and he had two seizures during that time. After being prescribed seizure medication that he still takes, he related that he has not had a seizure since that time.

After his recovery, he returned to Wal-Mart, but three years later, he was run over in the Wal-Mart parking lot. “He just didn’t see me,” said Mr. Carpenter about the incident. He never returned to work after that.

When asked several questions about his life, this is what he said:

Mr. Carpenter was on his way to the car wash so he could look for change. He said, “If I had not got beat up or ran over, I would worked at Wal-Mart 14 years today and could have retired 3 years ago.”

Mr. Carpenter wanders his way through the streets of Monticello just about every day. He accepts rides when he’s without his shopping cart, and many people have bought quilts from him that his wife makes. If you’ve not seen him or stopped to chat, then you are missing one Monticello life.