Interviewer
Elizabeth Smarr
Files
Download Full Text (1.9 MB)
Description
James A. Harmon was born in 1890 on his grandfather’s farm outside of Red House, WV. Mr. Harmon reminiscences about his childhood growing up on a 350-acre farm. He earned a sixth grade education at a two-room schoolhouse. When he was 14 years old, Mr. Harmon started his career on the river on the Steamer Calvert. During his interview, Mr. Harmon focuses on his varied jobs on many steamboats. Although he performed well in all of his duties, his greatest passion was engineering. He received his engineer’s license when he was 21 years old. In the audio clip provided, Mr. Harmon discusses life on the river, with an emphasis on the boats and jobs he held while employed.
Publication Date
Winter 2-26-1975
Type
Text
Keywords
Steamboats, river life, river careers, railroads, Depression Era: 1929-1945, boatmen, family life, politics and government
Disciplines
American Politics | Appalachian Studies | Labor History | Oral History | Political History | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | United States History
Comments
Interview is included in the Marshall University Oral History Collection. The index number is OH64-113. This interview was conducted by Elizabeth Smarr. 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, OH64-113, Huntington, WV.
Included in
American Politics Commons, Appalachian Studies Commons, Labor History Commons, Oral History Commons, Political History Commons, Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons, United States History Commons
Library of Congress Subjects
Harmon, James A., 1890-1976 -- Autobiography. Pioneer Rivermen -- Oral histories. River boats -- West Virginia -- Oral histories. Family -- West Virginia -- Oral histories.