oral histories Archives - Appalachian History

You won’t let her rest in peace, fussing about her all the time

Ruth died on the operating table. Ellen Fridley returned to Big Ridge, riding on the train with her daughter in a coffin in the baggage car.

boy lies on his back while june bug crawls over him

June 19, 2019 Childrens games

The June beetle – capturing a living music box

June beetles made a sweet sound while flying around. The method to acquire this living music box was to fasten a long thread to one of the bug’s hind legs.

Mrs. Josh Calahan with her home canned goods, Barbourville, KY 1940

June 11, 2019 Farmers/farming / Kentucky / Tobacco industry

The place I was raised up

Raised a big garden and we’d put it up. And he’d grow a cane patch and make molasses. And we had an orchard there.

June 10, 2019 Animals / Farmers/farming / Kentucky / Oral histories

We got by, I guess

Now if a widow’s left, why they draw a lot of welfare and stuff like that, but there wasn’t nothing like that then. She seen a hard time.

checkerboard and laughing mouth illustration

May 25, 2019 Alabama / Oral histories / Politics

He is still laughing over that checkers game

After their wedding, the Driskill’s settled on a farm & lived there till 1912, when they came to Ft Payne & bought out Jim Malone Restaurant.

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