Oral History Commons^™

Oral History Interview: Maurice Clark, Maurice Clark

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia Vietnam veterans. At the time of the interview, Maurice Clark was assistant vice president of Huntington Federal (bank?). He discusses: his personal history and his family; his service in Vietnam; contracting malaria in Vietnam; his views on the Vietnamese people; his experience returning to America after the war and his employment; and pursuing a degree at Marshall University.

Oral History Interview: Glen Hager, Glen Hager

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia Vietnam veterans. At the time of the interview, Glen Hager was a staff member of the Veteran's Outreach Center. He discusses: the history, function, and duties of the Center; his service in the Navy during the Vietnam War; alcohol abuse during the war; his interactions with the Vietnamese people; suicide; his discharge from service; enrolling at Marshall University after the war; student protests to the war; his counseling degree; bureaucracies; the relationships between Vietnam veterans and veterans of other wars; and his work with mentally ill patients.

Oral History Interview: Randy Bowles, Randy Bowles

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia Vietnam veterans. Mr. Bowles discuses: duties during the war (including cut and point); his experiences during the war; morale during the war; his views on draft resisters; his experiences after the war (including his employment, which included Galpin's Music Company, K-Mart, a laundry, a post office in Charleston, and as a leather worker); as well as the Vietnam Veterans of America Home and its relationship to other veterans organizations.

Oral History Interview: Roger Sanford, Roger Sanford

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia Vietnam veterans. In this interview, Mr. Sanford discusses: his personal and educational background; his military training; his father's reaction to him going into the war; his travel to Vietnam; his experiences in the war; his experiences after the war; books written about the war; wounded soldiers; veterans committing suicide; drug abuse during and after the war; health problems after the war; and Vietnam veterans in general.

Oral History Interview: David Conley, David Conley

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia Vietnam veterans. Mr. Conley discusses: his views on the Vietnamese people; relations between African-American soldiers and white soldiers; drugs and alcohol in the war; the protest movement; how veterans were treated when they returned home; his views on draft resisters; the effects of Vietnam on his life; other Vietnam veterans; how the Vietnamese treated American soldiers; and a brief mention of Jane Fonda.

Oral History Interview: Frank Samuel Lucente, Frank Samuel Lucente

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia communities, focusing on Ceredo. At the time of the interview, Mr. Frank Lucente was part owner/ operator of Rocco's Restaurant in Ceredo, West Virginia. He discusses: his history with the restaurant; his relationship with the other owner; economics at the time of the interview; organizations (such as Big Brother's, the Jaycees, and the Boys Club); his interest in politics and the Republican Party; government programs; his family; the Vietnam War; politics and government at the time; television and its influence on society; and differences between the time he grew …

0357: Depositions Of Survivors Of Buffalo Creek Flood, Teresa Lynn Justice Et Al., Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

The collection consists of the depositions of the survivors of the Buffalo Creek Flood in 1972, plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the Pittston Coal Company, filed in the U. S. District Court, Southern W. Va., Huntington, W. Va. Includes depositions of children who survived the Buffalo Creek flood of 1972 as well as grade reports of selected children and depositions of scholars Robert J. Lifton and Kai Erikson concerning survivor guilt.

0346: Depositions Of Survivors Of Buffalo Creek Flood, Dennis Prince Et Al., Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

The collection consists of the depositions of the 552 survivors of the Buffalo Creek Flood in 1972, plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the Pittston Coal Company, filed in the U. S. District Court, Southern West Virginia, Huntington, West Virginia.

0303: Lydia Nye Simpson Poffenbarger Papers, 1913, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

`Epitome of the life of `Ossawatomie' John Brown, including the story of his attack on Harper's Ferry and his capture...,' and `Mansion house, Point Pleasant, West Virginia,' (an inventory of furniture and artifacts with a history of the grounds and building).

Oral History Interview: John Sherman Cooper, John Sherman Cooper

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

In OH64-208, Senator John Sherman Cooper discusses his childhood, his education, community life, his political career, his legal career as a circuit judge, running for governor of Kentucky, his military career during World War II, the Marshall Plan, Congress, NATO, the United Nations, Communism, the Vietnam War, and serving as Ambassador to East Germany. He also discusses various political figures including Alban Barkley, Happy Chandler, chief Justice Frederick Vinson, Harry Truman, Joseph McCarthy, Dwight Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson, John F. Kennedy (and his assassination), and Barry Goldwater.

In OH64-208A, Cooper discusses the Vietnam War in depth. The interview also includes sections …

0168: George Hechler Correspondence, 1861-1865, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

This collection is primarily composed of letters from George Hechler to his sister Kate Hechler during his service in the 36th Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War. The letters discuss George’s experience in the Civil War, covering camp life at Parkersburg and Summersville, to the battlefields of Lewisburg, Antietam, Chickamauga and others. All letters include typescript transcriptions of the text in separate folders, and one letter includes a piece of printed ephemera as an enclosure. Also included in this collection are three Civil War era envelopes kept by Kate, a single letter to Kate from Jacob Salat regarding her …

Oral History Interview: James A. Harmon, James A. Harmon

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

James A. Harmon was born in 1890 on his grandfather’s farm outside of Red House, WV. Mr. Harmon reminiscences about his childhood growing up on a 350-acre farm. He earned a sixth grade education at a two-room schoolhouse. When he was 14 years old, Mr. Harmon started his career on the river on the Steamer Calvert. During his interview, Mr. Harmon focuses on his varied jobs on many steamboats. Although he performed well in all of his duties, his greatest passion was engineering. He received his engineer’s license when he was 21 years old. In the audio clip provided, …

0112: Jude Stewart Papers, 1975, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

`Activities of the Church of God in Jesus' Name,' a report on a Pentecostal church in Wyoming County, West Virginia, for the Oral History Collection at Marshall University.

0099: Cabell-Wayne Historical Society Collection, 1880-1973, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

The Cabell-Wayne Historical Society Vertical Files consist of a variety of topics related to the Huntington, Ohio, and Kentucky regions of the United States. The collection covers the time period from the 1880s to the time of the Cabell-Wayne Historical Society's closure in 1974. The boxes were arranged in alphabetical order based on topic.

The bulk of the vertical file collection relates to activities, events, buildings, and personalities of the Cabell County, West Virginia tri-state area of southwestern West Virginia, southeastern Ohio, and eastern Kentucky. The collection includes material related to the Civil War, railroads and transportation in West Virginia, …

Oral History Interview: Irene D. Broh, Irene D. Broh

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

Irene D. Broh was born on November 20, 1880, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Through the influence of her mother, a suffragist who worked with Susan B. Anthony, Mrs. Broh joined the suffrage movement and helped women earn the right to vote. After marrying Ephraim Broh in 1909, she moved to Huntington, WV, where she organized a suffrage club in 1915. Mrs. Broh became the first woman to vote in Cabell County, WV, in 1920. In her interview, Mrs. Broh focuses on her work for women’s suffrage. She describes how she organized her club, the voting facilities in Huntington, and her experience …

Oral History Interview: James G. Matthews, James G. Matthews

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

James G. Matthews was a jack-of-all-trades. He worked as a coal miner for James C. Coal Company, worked for United Fuel Gas Company, the Nickel Plant, and as a mail courier. He also performed as part of a singing quartet. Mr. Matthews was born on May 30, 1902. He grew up on a farm near East Lynn, WV. After the death of his mother, Mr. Matthews attended elementary school on a part-time basis in order to work on the family farm. In the audio clip provided, Mr. Matthews discusses alcohol consumption and moonshine stills in East Lynn. During his interview, …

Oral History Interview: Burl Collins, Burl Collins

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

Burl Collins was born on October 25, 1903. He was raised in McDowell County, West Virginia. When he was 15 years old, he started his first job in a coal mine. He worked in this mine for 33 years. Mr. Collins married and had 11 children, including eight girls and three boys. He discusses the social, economic, and technological changes during his lifetime. In the audio clip provided, Mr. Collins discusses his wedding and marriage.

Oral History Interview: Helena Venturino Howell, Helena Venturino Howell

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

Helena Venturino Howell was born on September 19, 1913. She was the first child of her family to be born in the United States. Her father emigrated from Italy to Brooklyn, New York, at the age of 16. He first worked as a pin boy in a bowling alley and then took a job on the railroad. Her mother immigrated to Williamson, WV, with Mrs. Howell’s older sister in 1912. Mrs. Howell’s family lived in neighborhood in Williamson comprised primarily of Italians. Her family moved to New Boston, OH, when she was a young girl. During her interview, Mrs. Howell …

Oral History Interview: Helen Adams, Helen Adams

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

Helen Adams was born on January 13, 1898, and was raised in Strange Creek, West Virginia. She lived on a farm with her family. She was one of seven children and her parents also raised two other boys who were orphaned. During her interview, Mrs. Adams discusses working on the farm, raising livestock, and preserving food. She discusses going to church and attending social events like box suppers and socials. She also focuses on folk medicine and the uses of alcohol for medicine and recreational purposes.

Oral History Interview: Alice Hall, Alice Hall

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

Alice Hall was born in December 1897 in Cabell County, WV. She lived with her grandfather on a farm in Putnam County, WV, after the death of her parents. During her interview, she discusses quilting and peddling food items in Huntington, WV, with her grandparents, the lack of supplies during World War I, and the rationing of sugar and coffee during World War II. She also focuses on folk medicine, with emphasis on the herbs and barks her uncle used to make medicines. In the audio clip provided, Mrs. Hall discusses food preservation, specifically making apple butter and preserves.

Oral History Interview: Fay Ball, Fay Ball

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

Fay Ball was born on March 28, 1904, in Lincoln County, West Virginia. She was raised on a farm and shared most of the farming responsibilities with her family. Mrs. Ball discusses social interactions within the farming community of Lincoln County, including barn raisings and harvesting. She focuses on entertainment during her childhood and explains styles of popular music and games. In the audio clip provided, Mrs. Ball discusses how to play games like “Blind Man,” “Aunt Me Over,” and “Nay Hide.”

Oral History Interview: Josephine R. Gorby, Josephine R. Gorby

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

Josephine Gorby was born on February 24, 1908. She began her teaching career in a one-room school in Wimmer, McDowell County, WV. In 1931 she began teaching in Lawrence County, OH. Mrs. Gorby’s interview focuses on growing up on a farm near Proctorville, OH, her experiences as an educator, her family’s experience during World War I, and the 1937 flood of the Ohio River and its tributaries. In the audio clip provided, Mrs. Gorby discusses the impact of the 1937 flood on the school house in Athalia, OH. During her interview, she also focuses on the construction and use of …

Oral History Interview: Edward C. Jackson, Edward C. Jackson

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

Edward C. Jackson was born on January 17, 1911, in Canfield, Braxton County, WV. In 1926, he moved to Fenwick, Nicholas County, WV, to pursue jobs in saw mills. In his interview, Mr. Jackson describes in great detail the design and structure of the log home he lived in as a child. He focuses on growing up on a farm and places emphasis on the type of work he did and food preparation and preservation. Mr. Jackson also discusses the tight-knit community in which he was raised. In the audio clip provided, Mr. Jackson discusses working in the lumber industry. …

Oral History Interview: William Allen Cross, William Allen Cross

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

In his interview, William Allen Cross discusses Prohibition and bootlegging in Huntington, West Virginia. Mr. Cross was a theater manager for the Keith Albee Theater (referred to as the State Theater) in Huntington, WV. Although he did not make moonshine, he was a buyer during Prohibition. He discusses how bootleggers sold their whiskey and provides locations for stills. Mr. Cross also focuses on how to make moonshine, whiskey, and wine. He reminiscences about “the Strip” between 10^th and 11^th Streets in Huntington, WV, that served from 1925-1945 as a red-light, gambling, and bootlegging district. In the audio clip …

Oral History Interview: Doris Copley Miller, Doris Copley Miller

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

Doris Copley Miller resided in Wayne and Cabell Counties, West Virginia, for the majority of her life. She discusses the history of Marshall Academy and its progression to college and university status. She also focuses on education in West Virginia. In the audio clip provided, Mrs. Miller discusses teaching in Wayne County, West Virginia. She focuses the decor of her classrooms, the number of students, and the typical school day schedule. She also discusses games and recreation played by her students.

Oral History Interview: Lucy Quarrier, Lucy Quarrier

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

Lucy Quarrier was a renowned weaver and a member of the Southern Highlands Handicraft Guild. During the Depression, representatives from the state of West Virginia chose Mrs. Quarrier to teach rural women how to weave. She was also an accomplished gardener and used her green thumb to create vegetable dyes for her thread and weaving materials. Mrs. Quarrier taught weaving classes and her pupils became known as “The Lucy Quarrier Weavers.” She showcased her talents at arts and crafts festivals and often gave tutorials during the festivals. In her interview, Mrs. Quarrier discusses how she learned to weave. She focuses …

Oral History Interview: William T. Arnold, William T. Arnold

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

William T. Arnold (Bill Arnold), a Native West Virginian, lived the majority of his life in Clay County. Mr. Arnold spent his early childhood on a farm on Galon Mountain. After the death of his father, Mr. Arnold moved with his family to various towns within Clay County. In 1911, when he was eleven years old, Mr. Arnold started his first job in coal mining, working thirteen hours a night as a water dipper. When he was eighteen years old, Mr. Arnold began working as a postman and delivered mail on a route near the New River, between the towns …

Oral History Interview: Forrest Atkinson, Forrest C. Atkinson

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

During his interview, Forrest Atkinson reminisces about growing up on a farm in Cabell County, West Virginia. His father was a tobacco farmer and timber cutter. He focuses on food preservation processes and home entertainment, including music and books. He also focuses on changes in technology during his lifetime. In the audio clip provided, Mr. Atkinson discusses raising and selling tobacco.

Oral History Interview: Frank Brooks, Frank Brooks

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

Frank Brooks was born in Fayette County, WV, but grew up in Carter County, KY, in the early 1900s. He attended a one room school house through the third grade. Mr. Brooks began working in coal mines with his father in Borderland, WV, when he was 13 years old. In the audio clip provided, he discusses his first time in a coal mine. He focuses on how he tried to appear bigger than he was in order to be able to work. In his interview, Mr. Brooks compares and contrasts the labor conditions in the mines before and after unionization. …

Oral History Interview: Charles R. Knightstep, Charles R. Knightstep

0064: Marshall University Oral History Collection

Charles Knightstep was born in Jackson County, WV, but resided in Mason County WV, for the majority of his life. Mr. Knightstep reminiscences about his life growing up on a farm. He describes the process of drying fruits and vegetables and burying apples and potatoes for use during the winter. He explains how his grandmother and mother made lye soap, cottage cheese, and apple butter. He also describes courting his wife and visiting her by horse and buggy. Mr. Knightstep worked for the Kanawha and Michigan railroad beginning in 1915, when he was 15 years old. He describes the changes …