Interviewer
Ruby Morrison
Files
Download Full Text (1.2 MB)
Description
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 in the railroad industry from 1915 – 1965. During his interview, Mr. Knightstep also focuses on entertainment, games, and childhood pranks. In the audio clip provided, he describes toys he made as a child. He explains how he made whistles out of paw-paw tree limbs and how to find water using tree limbs.
Publication Date
Fall 10-27-1973
Type
Text
Keywords
Food preservation, food preparation, folk medicine, education, childhood pranks, fishing, floods, 1913, food preservation, fishing, frogging, soap making, social life and customs
Disciplines
Agriculture | Alternative and Complementary Medicine | Appalachian Studies | Education | Labor History | Oral History
Comments
Interview is included in the Marshall University Oral History Collection. The index number is OH64-67. This interview was conducted by Ruby Morrison. MDS exhibit prepared by Jennifer Gehringer, August, 2014.
Rights
Educational use only, no other permissions given. Copyright to this resource is held by the content creator, author, artist or other entity, and is provided here for educational purposes only. It may not be reproduced or distributed in any format without written permission of the copyright owner.
Recommended Citation
Marshall University Special Collections, OH 64-67, Huntington, WV.
Included in
Agriculture Commons, Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons, Appalachian Studies Commons, Education Commons, Labor History Commons, Oral History Commons
Library of Congress Subjects
Knightstep, Charles R., 1900- -- Autobiography. Canning and preserving -- West Virginia -- Oral histories. Floods -- West Virginia -- Oral histories. Community life -- West Virginia -- Oral histories. Child rearing -- West Virginia -- Oral histories. Rural schools -- West Virginia -- Oral histories.