Patchwork
Stories of Growing Up in the Depression and Breaking Away
by Barbara Jodry
“Suddenly there it was. The locomotive was a black one-eyed monster coming at me.”
Barbara Randall grew up in the small town of North Haven, Connecticut in a house beside a railroad line. Her father farmed 35 acres of quality farmland and her mother worked the long hours of a farm wife. Barbara and her four brothers shared a childhood where there was always work before play, her father defended their crops from Depression-years hungry unemployed wanderers, and the end of World War II brought big changes. As the town grew from 2,000 people in 1925 to 20,000 people in 1962, it was time to break away to a different life.
Read Barbara’s posthumously-published memoir, a collection of stories, placed just so, to make the pattern of a life, like the artwork of a patchwork quilt.
To purchase Barbara’s memoir for $14.99 plus shipping, click the logo:
Search for Barbara Jodry or the ISBN: 9798993102603
Comments about Patchwork
“[We] love a good story… We think you will agree, this newly published book is special.” — the North Haven Historical Society & Museums
“What a great cover showing the old farm!” — a family member reader
“Sit down and enjoy these memories; you may find many items familiar to you, and you will learn more about our town.” — North Haven Magazine, Issue 42, Winter 2026
“The railroad that ran beside the house made a big impression on my mother’s family.” — Kathryn (Jodry) Justman
“This book is incredibly well written and brought back a lot of great memories of times when life was simpler.” — a long-time North Haven resident
