Interview with Corbin Pennington, March 18, 1979

Partial Transcript: This is an interview with Corbin Pennington for the Oral History Project Frontier Nursing Service by Sadie W. Stidham.

Segment Synopsis: Corbin Pennington is introduced. He talks about growing up in Leslie County, Kentucky, walking to school every day, and describes his community, including homes and businesses.

Keywords: Causey (Ky.); Cows; Elections; Houses; Lunches; Parents; Post offices; Stores; Teachers; Trustees; Walking; World War I

Subjects: Childhood; Country life; Education--Kentucky; Leslie County (Ky.); Rural children; Rural conditions; Rural schools--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Uh, what did you do after you, uh, finished the eighth grade?

Segment Synopsis: Pennington talks about the types of work he did, including logging, farming, and mining. He talks about the wages he earned at his jobs.

Keywords: Death; Government contracts; Moonshine stills; Sawmills; Staves; Walking; Working; World War II

Subjects: Coal mine accidents; Coal miners--Kentucky--Leslie County; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Leslie County; Distilling, Illicit--Kentucky; Logging--Kentucky; Lumber trade.; Traditional farming--Kentucky; Wages.

Partial Transcript: Uh, when and, uh, when were the, the--any good roads built into the community there at Causey?

Segment Synopsis: Pennington talks about the quality of the roads in his community, and talks about when he first saw a car, and when his community got electricity.

Keywords: Automobiles; Cars; Causey (Ky.); Cutshin (Ky.); Radios; Telephones

Subjects: Country life; Rural conditions; Rural electrification--Kentucky; Rural roads; Technological innovations

Partial Transcript: Okay, when, uh, and how were the churches, uh, started up in there?

Segment Synopsis: Pennington talks about the two churches in the area and their relationship with one another. He talks about some of the preachers at the churches.

Keywords: Church of Christ; Church of God; Community; Education; John Baker; Picnics; Preachers; Social activities; Social events

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Church history; Appalachian Region--Social life and customs; Country life; Rural churches

Partial Transcript: Uh, now what, uh, what medical services did you all have before the Frontier Nursing Service?

Segment Synopsis: Pennington talks about the medical care available before the advent of the FNS. He says that most people took care of themselves using herbs, and that the two doctors in the area were miles away. He talks about the churches that performed spiritual healings, and the snake handlers in the church.

Keywords: "Granny women"; Childbirth; Cutshin (Ky.); Distance; Dr. Baker; Dr. Hamilton; Herb doctors; Herbs; Horseback; Medicine; Nurses; Rattlesnakes; Snake handlers; Spiritual healing; Treatments; Wooton (Ky.)

Subjects: Country life; Maternal health services.; Medical care--Appalachian Region; Rural churches; Rural conditions; Rural health services; Traditional medicine

Partial Transcript: Uh, and when, when now was the Frontier Nursing, uh, Service established?

Segment Synopsis: Pennington talks about when the FNS came into the area, the services they offered, and the cost to the patients.

Keywords: Annual fees; Changes; Clinics; Costs; Doctors; Jeeps; Lexington (Ky.); Mary Breckinridge; Medical bills; Medical services; Medicine

Subjects: Frontier Nursing Service, Inc.; Health facilities.; Medical care--Appalachian Region; Nurses; Rural health services

Partial Transcript: How long did you live, uh, in Leslie County?

Segment Synopsis: Pennington says that his ancestors were mostly farmers and came from Virginia. He talks about social activities in town, including playing horseshoes and marbles.

Keywords: Ancestors; Chores; Dances; Duties; Farmers; Gambling; Horseshoes; Marbles; Stores; Virginia; Working

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social life and customs; Families.; Family histories.; Family--history; Genealogy--Appalachian Region; Leslie County (Ky.); Traditional farming--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Alright, can you tell me now about the, uh, floods in Leslie County that you remember about?

Segment Synopsis: Pennington discusses his remembrances of events like World War I, floods in Leslie County, the Great Depression, and World War II. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Brothers; Creeks; Death; Deferment; Flu epidemics; Great Depression; Prices; Stoves; Wages; Working; World War I; World War II

Subjects: Depressions--1929--Kentucky; Floods--Kentucky; Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919; Leslie County (Ky.); Rural roads; Traditional farming--Kentucky; World War, 1914-1918; World War, 1939-1945