Speakers-William and Inez Mickler, Yolanda Harrell

Audio Quality-Good

Location-Seneca, SC

Cassette 1

Side 1

1:00--Mr. Mickler states that his paternal grandparents were Henry and Mary Mickler. His maternal grandparents were from the Childs family. Inez's grandfather was Jeff Galliard. Mr. Mickler remembers stories told by his grandmother Mary Mickler, who lived in the family home during her elderly years.

4:08--The Mickler family worked on land owned by the Stribling family, while Inez's family worked for the Shirley family.

6:01--Burials/funerals--most of his immediate family is buried at Flat Rock near Walhalla, SC. Inez's family is buried at Oak Grove Cemetery. Mr. Mickler describes the numerous differences in the ways that funerals and burials were carried out when he was younger.

10:22--Marriages--Most people didn't have weddings in the old days. In Mr. Mickler's case, he and his wife appeared before the judge in Walhalla in order to get married. His first wife was Alberta Henderson, who died in 1944. Similarly, Inez had been previously married to a gentleman named Thomas Gray who had been deceased for some time previously. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mickler explain how they met their first spouse.

16:17--Mr. Mickler's father worked in a local sawmill. His mother and grandparents were farmers. Inez's father worked at Bill Adam's hardware store locally; her mother was a cook and domestic worker.

20:10--Mr. Mickler has several family members who moved north for better employment and he himself traveled around several southern states while working with the Ballinger Pavement Company. Inez's father worked at a local hardware store before leaving the home during World War I. He did not return. Her mother worked as a cook for Joy Hicks café locally. This establishment was never segregated; whites and blacks were frequent visitors, and everyone sat wherever they wanted. Most patrons were either railway passengers or employees. Her family rented a home from a local man named Canter McCourtenay.

27:41--Mr. and Mrs. Mickler name their siblings.

29:31--Mr. Mickler states that he had a brother-in-law (Bobby Lee Williams) who was an employee of the local railroad and helped lay the double-track.

31:27--Audio ends.

Cassette 1

Side 2

00:23--The Nimmons family were influential whites in the Seneca area. Mr. Mickler names some of the property and holdings that the family owned. Many blacks worked for this family. Other common jobs available to black men involved landscaping and pressing clubs. Black women were limited mostly to either domestic or laundry related work. Inez states that a good deal of laundry work was done in the Newry community.

5:37--Shopping--there were many country stores in the area where cash or credit could purchase just about anything an individual needed. Most were white owned, though Inez states that a black man named Claude Earle owned a local grocery store.

12:50--Clothing was mostly handmade in Mr. Mickler's home. Inez had white neighbors (Mary Strickland, Mrs. Elrod) who made cloths for her when she was young.

15:24--Most furniture in both families was purchased. However, Mr. Mickler's family had a large handmade dining table that could seat all twelve children along with the rest of the family at once. Some whites occasionally gave furniture to the family from time to time.

19:20--Mr. Mickler discusses the differences in the ways that children behaved when he was a child compared to how they act contemporarily.

22:50--Inez recalls her mother's work as both a cook for Joy Hicks Café, and as a domestic worker for the Woods family locally.

25:09--Mr. Mickler's first job at age 18 was under the federal public works program in Florida. He recalls stories and experiences regarding his time there.

31:48--Audio ends.

Cassette 2

Side 1

00:23-9:07--The Mickler's discuss aspects of local church life such as attending camp meetings and singing conventions, Sunday school, church sponsored social groups, and favorite songs that the choir would sing such as When I Come Out of the Wilderness.

9:10-18:45--Mr. Mickler discusses his experiences with education while at both St Paul's and Richland schools. He recalls teachers, curriculum, lunch breaks, and the common number of children per class. He is unaware if his parents attended school. He did not get to attend school regularly because of the work that had to be accomplished during the farming season.

18:50-31:25--Mr. Mickler talks about his first real job building roads in Florida. He explains the general steps during the construction process. Afterwards, Inez discusses aspects of her education. Her parents did not attend school. She herself attended at night school that was offered at her church. The Micklers discuss reading material that was commonly available when they were children.

31:28--Audio ends.

Cassette 2

Side 2

00:31-10:15--The Micklers recall the homes that they grew up in and the common furniture and quilting items that could be found therein. Mr. Mickler notes that his in-laws the Henderson's were quite well known for making baskets. Mr. Mickler talks at length about the differences in the ways children behaved around adults when he was growing up. One reason many stories from the older folks were not passed along to the younger generation was because often when they came over to visit their peers, children were expected to leave the area and not bother them.

10:22-21:55--Both Mr. and Mrs. Mickler were ill during the flu epidemic of 1917-1918. Inez can recall Dr. Hines of Seneca treating her family. Inez discusses other aspects of childhood memories such as her aunt's quilting. Inez's father left the family after joining the army during World War I. Inez knows little about his service; he lived thereafter in Virginia for many years before dieing in Atlanta, GA. Mr. Mickler states that he had a brother-in-law who he believes died in Europe during World War I.

22:05-31:40--The two again discuss area churches such as St. Paul's and St. James along with the Methodist and Baptist denominations, local ministers, and camp meetings.

31:48--Audio ends.

Cassette 3

Side 1

00:25-11:55--The Micklers discuss their older families' educational opportunities and the differences between black and white schools. Inez was the first in her family to vote. She briefly mentions that several of her family members were members of both the Freemason's and the Order of the Eastern Star. Black/white relations are discussed, along with aspects of how law enforcement discriminated against blacks, lynching incidents they had heard about, the treatment of mulattos and Native Americans, and their knowledge of individuals who passed for white.

12:00-20:50--The two very rarely went to Greenville or Anderson until they were older; their parents never had reason to go. They discuss celebrations and special events in the black community such as July 4th, Christmas, and "box suppers."

20:58-31:20--The Micklers discuss at length the origins and development of the Bruce Hill neighborhood locally as well as recalling the adults that they most liked and admired as children.

31:24--Audio ends.

Cassette 3

Side 2

00:34-10:04--Mr. and Mrs. Mickler talk about happy childhood moments, give thoughts and reflections upon growing up as blacks, and state the fact that they got along with whites. They are also both thankful for the way in which their lives turned out. Inez briefly discusses her nursing career.

10:15--Audio ends.