Interview with Granny Baldwin, November 13, 1993

Partial Transcript: --for the Women of Coal Project, Kentucky Historical Society.

Segment Synopsis: Baldwin is asked when and where she was born and her family names and history.

Keywords: Appalachia; Harlan (Ky.)

Subjects: Appalachia; Families.; Genealogy; Kentucky--Rural conditions.

Partial Transcript: You were born in the heart of the Depression.

Segment Synopsis: Baldwin discusses her experiences of rationing during the Depression and the Second World War, as well as her father's job and eventual death in the coal mines.

Keywords: Coal mining; Great Depression; Logging; Mining; Mining accidents; Rationing; Timbering; WW2; WWII; War rationing; World War 2; World War II; World War Two

Subjects: Appalachia; Appalachian Region; Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal mines and mining--Appalachian Region; Depressions--1929--Kentucky; Kentucky--Rural conditions.; World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American

Partial Transcript: When did you, uh, uh--when was the--when did you leave home?

Segment Synopsis: Baldwin discusses her marriage at age 16, her children, keeping her house and other peoples' houses, and her husband's job timbering.

Keywords: Appalachia; Harlan (Ky.)

Subjects: Appalachia; Appalachian Region; Families.; Kentucky--Rural conditions.; Logging; Lumber trade

Partial Transcript: Well, tell me some good s--now we're, now we're to the part of the interview that's the best part actually.

Segment Synopsis: Baldwin discusses working in the fields as a child and her aspirations to get married and have her own home.

Keywords: Appalachia; Harlan (Ky.)

Subjects: Agriculture--Appalachian Region; Appalachia; Appalachian Region; Childhood; Families.; Kentucky--Rural conditions.

Partial Transcript: Tell me some more stories, like the one in the garden.

Segment Synopsis: Baldwin talks about having kids in rural Kentucky in the fifties, dealing with an illegitimate doctor, and her lack of trust in doctors. She also tells a story of a flood that occurred when they moved house.

Keywords: Appalachia; Childbirth; Children; Country doctors; Flooding; Floods; Harlan (Ky.); Illegitimate doctors; Midwives

Subjects: Appalachia; Appalachian Region; Kentucky--Rural conditions.; Medical care--Appalachian Region

Partial Transcript: Now you know, you kinda--since he didn't work in the mines, you're kinda been on the like the, uh, outside looking in, you know, in a way.

Segment Synopsis: Baldwin talks about the differences in technology between when her dad worked and now--that people don't have to do as much hand labor. She also talks about what she would do differently in the coal industry and how it has negatively affected Eastern Kentucky.

Keywords: Appalachia; Black lung; Coal mining; Flooding; Floods; Harlan (Ky.); Mining; Mountaintop removal; Technology changes

Subjects: Appalachia; Appalachian Region; Coal mines and mining--Appalachian Region; Kentucky--Rural conditions.

Partial Transcript: I guess if you had to, if you had to sum up, uh, has it been a--lookin' back, takin' everything into consideration, has it been a good life, a bad life?

Segment Synopsis: Baldwin describes her life as hard but pleasant, and then tells the story of her husband's death from black lung.

Keywords: Appalachia; Black lung; Coal mining; Harlan (Ky.); Mining

Subjects: Appalachia; Appalachian Region; Kentucky--Rural conditions.

Partial Transcript: Was there anything you'd like to, to close out with?

Segment Synopsis: Baldwin wants to let people know that she took her grandson in and gave him a home when his mother wouldn't, and how she wants him to graduate from college.

Keywords: Appalachia; Harlan (Ky.)

Subjects: Appalachia; Appalachian Region; Education; Families.; Kentucky--Rural conditions.