I Have Fought a Good Fight

Karen Elaine Montgomery

June 26, 1959 — February 01, 2014

Karen Elaine Montgomery was born to Frazier and Ella Ruth (Wagner) Porter on June 26, 1959. Karen attended elementary and high school in the San Diego area. After attending the local community college, Karen entered into one of the many employments of her adult life. Karen was employed as a librarian assistant, bus driver, cashier, teacher's aide, store manager, seamstress, and quilter. In 1983, Karen gave birth to Monae, the first of her five children. In 1984, Karen gave her life to the Lord and was introduced to her husband not long afterwards. After 9 months of courtship they were married in 1988. To this union four children were born: Nika, Raquel, Karin and Carnell, III. Karen and Carnell started their married life in Allensworth, CA. Karen was very active in the community, serving as board president of the water company and the school district. She worked real hard to secure funding and food for the residents of Allensworth. After 16 years in Allensworth, Karen and family moved to Bakersfield in 2004.

In Bakersfield she touched so very many lives, working and teaching classes at To Quilt & Sew and other places in the city. She easily made many friends and really enjoyed going to the quilting shows, whether locally or out of town. "T-shirt quilts were her specialty and many happy customers enjoyed the precision she employed when making a quilt. The Francisco Family enjoyed raffling her quilts to help support their children who attended college. Karen was a member of the Church of God, ELS where she attended church in San Diego, Los Angeles and finally Bakersfield. Karen served in many positions, but was best-known as unofficial 'supervisor' of the kitchen. Karen was diagnosed with cancer in 2008. After a double mastectomy the cancer returned in 2012. She continued fighting until 2014, when the cancer reached the brain! At that point she told us, "I have fought a good fight. I am ready to go be with the Lord. Jesus has been talking with me, telling me that he is on his way to get me and I am ready to go!" Karen peacefully went to be with her Lord on February 1, 2014. She is survived by her husband of 25 years, 5 children, 2 grandchildren, 3 brothers, a foster father and family, a host of family members, church members, and close friends.

She was remembered in Bakersfield on Friday night at Basham and Saturday morning at Calvary Bible Church. She was interred in San Diego on February 12, 2014. Please send cards, letters, and gifts to her daughter, Nika L. Walton, P.O. Box 785, Bakersfield, CA. 93302.

Board Approves Allensworth Bypass

At their November 7^th meeting, the California High Speed Rail (CHSR) Authority adopted the staff recommendation for the Fresno to Bakersfield alignment, which includes the Allensworth bypass.  Unlike the BNSF (Burlington North Santa Fe) Alternative through Allensworth, the Allensworth Bypass does not impact Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park or the Allensworth Ecological Reserve. Both the park and reserve are Section 4(f) properties, which are protected by the Federal HighwayAdministration.

On October 10^th the CHSR Authority issued a request for qualifications to companies interested in bidding on the 60-mile Fresno-Allensworth section of the rail line. This is the second section of the rail line and will run from the south end of Fresno to the Tulare-Kern county line just south of the community of Allensworth and Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park. 

Contractors have until December 6th to submit their qualifications, then only contractors that the CHSR Authority deems qualified are able to bid on the contact for the Fresno-Allensworth section.

The phrase “Ignorance of the law is no excuse” may not apply

In a community that is comprised of mostly migrant farm workers “the phrase ‘ignorance of the law is no excuse’ may not apply…” Kayode and Denise Karada told the Visalia Times-Delta. “A large percentage of our residents are migrant farm workers who do not possess knowledge of county code requirements.” They went on to say, “in lieu of enforcement with a ‘big stick’ applicable enforcement agencies need to seize every available opportunity to reach out and educate.”

Because most of the Allensworth residents are low income families there is no tax base, which causes the community to depend on the services of county agencies and nonprofits like the ones that attend the United Way of Tulare County’s recent Community Building Initiative. The roundtable gave representatives from the disadvantaged communities of Allensworth, Alpaugh, Richgrove and Woodville an opportunity to let the agencies and nonprofits know what kind of issues their communities face.

Karada told the Visalia Times-Delta that Allensworth’s greatest needs are “adequate potable water supply, safety, substandard housing, sewage and wastewater management, affordable health care, code education and compliance.” Karada went on to say “utilizing these assets and resources in a collaborative way paves the way to our common goal – a better, healthier and prosperous Allensworth.”



Stephen Hill, Sr.

Midge Williams



No, that’s not English. It’s Midge Williams, granddaughter of Joshua Singleton owner of the Singletons Grocery Store in Allensworth, singing Lazy Bones in Japanese. She recorded this song while touring China and Japan.

Born in 1915 Virginia “Midge” Louise Williams lived in Allensworth until she moved to Berkeley, California in 1929. She began her career with the Williams Quartette; Midge and her three brothers, John Lewis Jr., Robert, and Charles.

After touring the Far East Williams returned to the United States and performed with jazz greats like Fats Waller, Glen Miller, and Louis Armstrong. Her own band, Midge Williams and her Jazz Jesters, performed at the Apollo Theater and the Savoy Ball Room.

Midge Williams passed away in 1952from tuberculosis.

You can read more about her career on Wikipedia and you can purchase her music on Amazon. You can also hear more samples of her songs on YouTube.



Stephen Hill, Sr.