Interview with Clarence R. Wells, July 31, 1991

Partial Transcript: This is Clarence Wells being interviewed by Zack Lewton on July 31st, 1991.

Segment Synopsis: Wells talks about his children and their work, and he talks about his wife.

Keywords: Children; Coal mines; Daughters; Fort Knox (Ky.); Lease; Raising children; Sons; Vietnam War; Wife; Working

Subjects: Agriculture--Kentucky; Families.; Farms, small

Partial Transcript: Okay, well I just wanted to hear a little bit about--you talked about what they're doing now, well I was just curious more about when they were little, little kids. Like--well tell me first off, you said four were born over in Lynch, right?

Segment Synopsis: Wells talks about separating from his first wife and marrying his second wife. He talks about his own work. He discusses raising his children by his first wife and sharing the responsibilities with her.

Keywords: Buses; Children; Divorce; Farming; Marriage; Mines; Raising corn; Separation; Transportation; Virginia; Wife; Wives; Working

Subjects: Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Families.; Farms, small; Married life

Partial Transcript: There's a housing project up there now, where we used to live.

Segment Synopsis: Wells talks about buying his house and land. He talks about the coal companies buying land, and about a road getting built near his house. He talks about fixing up the house he bought.

Keywords: Arlington cemetery; Army; Building; Buying land; Children; Coal mines; Crops; Food; Great Depression; Groceries; Horses; Houses; Landscape; Leases; Meat; Money; Mothers; Remodeling; Taxes; Virginia; Washington (D.C.)

Subjects: Agriculture.; Farms, small; Housing; Livestock

Partial Transcript: Tell me about--how'd you meet your first wife?

Segment Synopsis: Wells talks about meeting and marrying both of his wives. He talks about the custody arrangement he had with his first wife. He talks more about his children's education and work. He elaborates on his working and living arrangements and how that led to his divorce. He talks about his children's careers.

Keywords: Boarding houses; Buses; Child support; Children; Coal mines; Custody; Daughters; Death; Divorce; High school; Jobs; Marriage; Sons; Wife; Working

Subjects: Families.; Married life; Parenting

Partial Transcript: Cause I had to take it when I was, uh--it's like I said, I had to go to work and I just--buddy, and I was--what schooling I got I, I was going to school...

Segment Synopsis: Wells talks about growing up in the Great Depression and working multiple jobs as a young boy. He talks about his education, and how education is different from when he went to school. He talks about how technology has advanced in his lifetime.

Keywords: Childhood; Coal mines; Death; Electricity; Family; Fathers; Great Depression; Influenza; Jobs; Lumber yards; Mothers; Mules; Sawmills; Schools; Shoes; Sisters; Stepfathers; Television; Trees; Truck mines; Typhoid fever; Working

Subjects: Coal mines and mining; Depressions--1929; Education; Families.; Farms,small; Technological innovations