JennieGCaldwell.txt

-n -n -n [BLANK_AUDIO] Evening, Jenny Gale Caldwell, P.O. Box 82, Wadsall, Kentucky, 40810 606 558 3491. This being done for the Kentucky Historical Society, 1205 Eastern Standard Time just May the 14th, 1994 in Harlan, Kentucky. [BLANK_AUDIO] Okay, this is on the dead side. His parents were Shady and Lauren Caldwell. His father was, they called him, [BLANK_AUDIO] About 1950, there was a delegation came from Oklahoma to see my grandfather. We don't, the ones that remember don't remember what it was about. So then, years after that about 51 or 52, my grandfather went to Kentucky. And he met supposedly a chief that was supposed to be in his camp. [BLANK_AUDIO] We have one uncle living and he can't remember the trial that my grandfather was from, but they used to know the name. [COUGH] That's about- >> Okay, well, in terms of your Native American heritage, your grandfather was full-blooded? >> No, no one ever talked about it. I only want it's really interesting. So- >> Why did no one talk about it? >> Do you suppose that it was something that they knew that they would look down on? >> No, no, no, just nobody interested, I mean, my grandfather was, but as far as any of the kids being- >> Disregulated against? >> No, no, no. >> So what were your grandparents, they went on the mother's side? >> The milkman, Susie Simpson, they're from the same area of Carl Fieltson's fort. Her dad was Joe Cowell. And I think he was one that the land was granted to. But that grandmother looked like a lot of Cherokee at heart. >> So you had Indians on both sides? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And your, how many brothers, your parents' names? What were your parents' names? >> Robert and Ella Cowell. >> And, well, let's see, your mother was- >> Her mother, her mother was Cowell and Mary Simpson. >> Okay. >> And then my mom married Cowell. >> Okay, so it came back around the third. So that would have been, how many brothers and sisters? >> I had four sisters and two brothers. One died when he was efforts and that made three brothers. >> Okay. How many, how many, what were your brothers? >> Sister. >> Luton and Joyce was the boys. And my oldest sister is Janice. My next one is Jerry. And then there's twins, along with Lisa and Tracey. >> And what was her name? >> Jerry. >> What did your close number with your mom do? >> Mom was just housewife. Dad was a co-owner, a locker, store clerk, just whatever. >> What was it like growing up? >> Yeah, you grew up and you're about my age. >> 42. >> Okay. What was it like growing up? Did you all ever move off to move out of the region and come back? >> Oh yeah, we lived in Chicago. >> For how long? >> Not long, thank God. About a year. About a year. >> What year was that? >> I see the twins were about one. >> It was about 59, 60, so what was it like? >> You didn't like it? >> No. >> What did you like about it? >> No mountains, no trees. >> Just big buildings. >> Yeah. >> What kind of work did your dad do? Was he trying to find work in there? >> Well, yeah, he worked there and then we took us up there. He went driving. I don't remember what to do. >> You didn't know? >> I don't remember. >> But you all moved back? >> Yeah. >> How did you remember your experience there in school and everything? Was it good then? Mercifully brief. >> We don't have that many memories of it. >> Well, no, not really. >> There for a year now you moved back. >> Yeah, back home, yeah. >> Well, what was it like going up there in the cold fields in the 50s? >> I got my degree from now and then for three hours. >> Personally, I had a good life. No, well, yeah, they were hard, but that was just the way we lived. You didn't know where everybody else, not from here, so where we're poor, you know, it was just the way of life. You lived it and accepted it. So you weren't necessarily, so you could say that you grew up for when you're by and large? >> Oh, yeah, but I didn't know it. >> Right, you graduated last year. >> Yeah. >> All your brothers and sisters graduated? >> No, I was first. No, I'm sorry. I had one brother graduated. >> You and one brother? >> And then the two girls, the twins, yeah. >> They graduated. >> Yeah, the last four of us graduated. >> So you only had one that didn't? >> No, there's two. Two sisters and a brother that didn't. >> Mm-hmm. >> Now, so did you marry him? >> No. >> Have kids? >> I have one son. >> And his name is? >> Benjamin. >> Benjamin. >> And what kind of work do you have? >> Well, just not anything. I've been a policeman, a bit of bartender. I've worked in a back casting. >> What's that? >> Perth. I do crafts. >> What are you doing right now? >> Right now I'm a pork store clerk. >> Okay. What do you see for the future for you as you're held yourself? >> I think so. >> Okay. He's about ready to move on his own. What's he going to do? Is he going to go to school? Is he still in school? >> Well, he's in school, but he's home now. He's diabetic. He's pretty bad, you know, so. >> Well, will he be able to do that? >> Not if I have anything to do with it. >> Well, let me have this person remember. In terms of healthcare, how has the healthcare been here in the mountains for say some moments since they were diabetic? Has he had the medicine medications that he used to readily available? >> Oh, yeah. >> And he even had the money to get it. >> Yeah. >> I know. >> So everybody's been helpful in that. >> Oh, yeah. >> And he's had good medical care. >> Well, for the town of Harlem, yeah. >> Yeah. >> Well, how much advice do I have here? Not for Harlem, but just for Seattle. >> Yeah. >> Excellent, good, fair, poor. >> Fair. >> Fair. >> Yeah. Could have been better. >> Could have been better. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> What do you see in the future for the Harlem County Board of Empatigalism? >> Well, I think it's going to grow, you know, where the factories will try to get the factories here. >> Right. >> I think it'll, you know, be good. >> So you see, you see them things as picking up? >> Oh, yeah. >> Now, in terms of the black land, as I understand it, one of the reasons now it was formed was to fight stereotypes and to educate the kids in Harlem County about this subculture. >> Uh-huh. >> People that have lived here forever. >> Uh-huh. >> So how has that experience been for you? Has it been a, have people readily accepted you? >> Oh, yeah. Well, the reason I joined is I just wanted to learn from myself, you know, I've always wanted to know. And the kids really learned it, you know, like, they really would, like, I think they would like to have it as part of their study and school, you know. >> As part of their subject. >> Yeah. >> Uh, they do like it. >> Yeah, they do. >> It is, it is. >> I do. >> It is, I do. >> That you bring that up. Uh, what do you see for the future of this world? Are you going to get bigger? Are you going to try to take on more of a larger scope? >> I would like to see it bigger. I think we have to, we have to learn more about the culture so we can tell people that we get interested in it. >> Right, the more you're not going to get bigger until you all learn more. >> I don't think so. >> But by and large, then what I'm seeing here is there's a process of awareness, self-awareness, people with a learning experience, finding out about their culture, who they are, and where they're from. >> Uh-huh. >> That's, that's what's happening. That's, that's the main reason. >> Yeah, that's, she looks me. >> Yeah. >> She looks me. >> Yeah. >> I think, I think it is. I think the more we learn, the more we can tell people and, and the more people, you know, if we can answer your questions, you know. >> Uh, if you could sum up your life here in Oregon, all of it, then this world, what you're doing here, and you're here, what's it been like? One statement, you know, it's your chance to tell the truth. >> Hey. >> It's not been bad. You know, it could have been a lot worse. Hi. With my parents, we got what we needed. >> Are they still living? >> No. >> No. >> Uh, I've been one always just accept things, you know, the way they are, and there's, you can't cry, or me cry about it, but you can't, you know, just the part of life you accept it. So, and all, it's been good, you know. [BLANK_AUDIO]