I know there was earlier evidence form George Romney's wife, but here is more from the man himself. (I don't know how to imbed MSNBC Video but here is the link:)
From the archives: Mitt Romney’s father defends his success A sidewalk encounter with George Romney from 1967. NBC’s Brian Williams reports.
Transciprt:
GEORGE ROMNEY: I've been poor. I worked from the time I was 12. My parents were driven out of old Mexico when i was only 5. My people were revolutionary refugees. They had to be fed by the United States government and housed by the United States government . I know what poverty is. I've been up through it.
George Romney is indeed a man to be admired. I doubt he is perfect, but there is no denying that he did accomplish a lot, but note what he said and what he did not say. He said he was poor, he was. He said he worked hard, he did. He was trying to relate that he was not always wealthy, not always privileged, an argument he had the right to make. But nowhere does he say it was in spite of the Government, nowhere does he say he did it independently. And in fact he almost proudly states that the Government helped him. He almost seems to be saying, that look what a little boost from the Government can do for somebody like him. The Government made an investment in him and he succeeded.
That is a Democratic Philosophy if I ever heard one.
I imagine George Romney would have been extremely proud of someone like Javier Castro and his mom.