Interviewer

Patricia Clark

Contributor

Marshall University Special Collections

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Description

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 of Nutall and Devide. In the audio clip provided, Mr. Arnold describes delivering mail on his route during World War I. He discusses his wages and the weight of mail delivered to servicemen. In his interview, Mr. Arnold focuses on his life on the family farms, food preservation and preparation, the price of grocery items, and working with livestock.

Publication Date

Spring 4-1-1974

Type

Text

Keywords

Farm life, coal mines, mining, postal service, World War I, food preservation, food preparation, West Virginia, Clay County

Disciplines

Agriculture | Appalachian Studies | Family, Life Course, and Society | Labor History | Oral History | Place and Environment | Rural Sociology | United States History

Library of Congress Subjects

Arnold, William -- Autobiography. Farm life -- West Virginia -- Oral histories.

Coal mines and mining -- West Virginia -- Oral histories.

World War, 1914-1919 -- West Virginia -- Oral histories.

Clothing and dress -- West Virginia -- Oral histories.

Comments

Interview is included in the Marshall University Oral History Collection. The index number is OH64-81. This interview was conducted by Patricia Clark. 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.

Streaming Media

Oral History Interview: William T. Arnold

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