Interview with Malta R. Miller, July 19, 1988

Partial Transcript: Uh, ma'am, can you tell me your whole name?

Segment Synopsis: Miller talks about her ancestry. She talks about growing up on a farm and moving to Auxier. She studied to be a teacher at Berea College and taught for four years. She talks about her family. In 1932, she got married, and then divorced eight years later. They had two children. After her divorce, she lived with her parents and worked in the post office.

Keywords: Ancestry; Berea college; Coal company; Cooking; Divorce; Farmers; Fathers; Grandfathers; Marriage; Mothers; Moving; Parents; Post offices; Retirement; Schools; Teaching

Subjects: Appalachian Region; Appalachians (People)--Kentucky--Social conditions; Childhood; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Auxier; Genealogy; Mining camps

Partial Transcript: Did anybody, um--did you feel bad having had a divorce? Anybody make you feel bad about it or anything?

Segment Synopsis: Miller discusses her divorce and how she was treated. She says that she knew quite a few unhappy couples who stayed married. After her divorce, she had to support herself by making clothes for people in the community. She explains that she wanted a divorce after she discovered her husband was having an affair.

Keywords: Cheating; Children; Conflict; Divorce; Dresses; Fathers; Husbands; Marriage; Material; Mothers; Parents; Remodeling; Sewing; Working

Subjects: Appalachian Region; Appalachians (People)--Kentucky--Social conditions; Families.; Married life; Mining camps.

Partial Transcript: It's real unusual back then for a woman to have to support--

Segment Synopsis: Miller talks about working in a factory in Michigan. She talks about how she enjoys reading and talks about having eye problems. She says that back when she was working not many women worked outside the home, and talks about raising a flower garden. Her house was in a place that didn't get affected by coal dust so she and her mother were able to keep the house really clean.

Keywords: Children; Coal dust; Cooking; Eyes; Factory; Flowers; Gardens; Houses; Michigan; Mothers; Reading; Springs; Washing; Water; Wells; Women; Working

Subjects: Appalachian Region; Appalachians (People)--Kentucky--Social conditions; Families.; Mining camps.; Women--Employment.

Partial Transcript: Did your mother, uh, object to you marrying a miner right at first?

Segment Synopsis: Miller says that her ex-husband worked on the train when she married him, and says that he died of a heart attack. She talks about her relationship with her mother, and her parents' relationship. She talks about Christmas, and her grandmother. She talks about the birth control that was available to her grandmother and mother.

Keywords: Bible; Birth control; Childhood; Christmas; Death; Dresses; Fathers; Gifts; Grandmothers; Husbands; Marriage; Mothers; Old Christmas; Parents; Presents; Schools; Socks; Trains; Wool; Worry

Subjects: Appalachian Region; Appalachians (People)--Kentucky--Social conditions; Christmas--Appalachian Region; Families.