Cummie Barrow
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Cumie Barrow (1882–1942) was the mother of robber Clyde Barrow, one half of the notorious duo Bonnie and Clyde.
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[edit] Early years
Born in central Texas, Cummie was raised in the cotton fields among her several brothers and sisters. At age seventeen, she literally ran into Henry Barrow while working in a cotton field. Barrow, illiterate and from Mississippi (he was born in Florida), "took a liking" to Cummie and the two were married in a tent.
[edit] Hardscrabble
Were the times and the people. Cummie gave birth to seven children in rapid fire order, all while starving to death in the cotton fields. Each child was a new hand.
[edit] Unruly children
Cummie had three daughters and four sons. Three of the sons became acquainted with the Texas Prison System at a young age. Her sons, Clyde and Marvin (Buck) Barrow formed the murderous Barrow gang. Clyde would be 25 and Buck 30 at the time of their deaths. No matter how hard she thumped her Bible, no matter how loud she yelled, she could not control her boys. Clyde and Buck were directly responsible for the deaths of thirteen men, eleven of them law officers. Cummie's skills as a mother cannot be called into play, however, as her three daughters were very attractive and successful in life. Also, in terms of success, her oldest son, Henry (Jack), somehow avoided a life of crime. Clyde's behavior can be blamed on his experiences with the Texas Prison System. It's anyone's guess as to what Buck's excuse was. When Blanche's family offered the newlywed couple a farm and house, Buck turned it down. Tt was said that he didn't want to work.
[edit] Shot
Cummie was shot in a robbery attempt at the family's gas station in 1937. She expired in 1942, Henry lingered until 1957.
