Offhand, the only North American writers I can think of who have come from a background of rural poverty and gone on to write about it have been Negroes.

A Black Plastic Button and a Yellow Yoyo handmade limited edition folio of 20 copies printed and illustrated by Charles Pachter Toronto 1968
The Mysterious Naked Man. His mother Grace Reese was only 15 years of age when Nowlan was born and Alden Nowlan soon left the family leaving Alden and her younger daughter Harriet to the care of their paternal grandmother. Various Persons Named Kevin O’Brien.