Interview with Reba Jeanette Bentley, Kole Bentley, May 16, 2015

Partial Transcript: Um, this interview is with Reba Jeanette Bentley at her home in Payne Gap on May 16th, 2015. Also present is her grandson Kole.

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley talks about where her family was from before moving to Burdine. J. Bentley talks about her siblings. J. Bentley describes her each of her parents' work.

Keywords: Coal loaders; Loaders; No. 2 Bottom (Ky.); No. 2 Bottom Road (Ky.); Payne Gap (Ky.); Pony mines; Truck mines

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Coal miners; Coal miners--Kentucky--Burdine; Coal miners--Kentucky--Jenkins; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Burdine; Families.; Family histories.; Fathers.; Homemakers; Housewives; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); Mothers.; Stay-at-home mothers; Tennessee, Middle

Partial Transcript: And everybody in Number 2 Bottom, they didn't have a backyard. They had a garden in the backyard.

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley talks about what everyone raised in their gardens. J. Bentley talks about cow barns and horses in Burdine as well as the family cow, family chicken lot, and rabbits. J. Bentley and K. Bentley discuss different ways cow's milk was processed and consumed.

Keywords: Butter churns; Chicken Lot Hill; Chicken lots; Cow barns; Garden vegetables; Montgomery Ward Catalogs; No. 2 Bottom (Ky.); No. 2 Bottom Road (Ky.); Processing dairy; Straining milk

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Butter; Chickens.; Churns; Cows.; Dairy barns; Gardening.; Gardens.; Horses.; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); Livestock.; Milking; Montgomery Ward; Pasteurization.; Rabbits.; Vegetables

Partial Transcript: Well you see all this? See, Papaw worked ------(??)--see, I g--uh, acquired all his coal mines--so see this is it, Power Bentley Junior.

Segment Synopsis: K. Bentley shows Komara coal mining equipment, objects, and various belongings he inherited from his grandfather. K. Bentley shows an old check tag, a gift from his daughter. He also talks about the different types of miners' caps he owns.

Keywords: "Turtle shells"; Belt buckles; Check numbers; Check tags; Family inheritance; Hawkbill knives; Historical material; Historical objects; Inheritance; Leather caps; Mine caps; Miners' caps; Mining caps

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Coal miners; Coal miners--Kentucky--Burdine; Coal miners--Kentucky--Jenkins; Coal miners--Kentucky--Letcher County; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Burdine; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Jenkins; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Letcher County; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Did your momma can?

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley discusses how her mother canned vegetables, her father creating a homemade washing machine, and her mother's laundry process.

Keywords: "#3 washtubs"; Pickled vegetables; Pressure canners; Stovetop cooking

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Canning and preserving.; Jenkins (Ky.); Laundry; Letcher County (Ky.); Mothers.; Washing machines

Partial Transcript: Did your house have running water?

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley talks about how their house was the only house in No. 2 Bottom that had running water. J. Bentley talks about everyone having electricity, using outhouses, and the company-provided waste disposal system.

Keywords: "Honey wagons"; Hot water tanks; Housing amenities; No. 2 Bottom (Ky.); No. 2 Bottom Road (Ky.); Running water

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Electricity.; Housing development; Housing.; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); Outhouses.; Plumbing; Power-plants; Waste disposal.

Partial Transcript: But I went to school. There's a company school right beside the, the church and the school is right together, you know, side by side.

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley gives a physical description of the school she attended.

Keywords: Company schools; Indoor bathrooms; Jenkins Independent Schools; Jenkins School

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); School buildings; Schools

Partial Transcript: Do you remember, um, do you remember African American families?

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley and K. Bentley describe where African American families specifically lived in Jenkins. J. Bentley talks about segregation in schools and in social interactions.

Keywords: Community dynamics; Company stores; Dunham (Ky.); Dunham Mountains (Ky.); No. 3 Hill (Ky.); No. 3 Section (Ky.); No. 5 Section (Ky.); Segregated schools; Social dynamics; Social relations

Subjects: African American families; African Americans--Kentucky; African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Segregation--Southern States; African Americans--Social conditions; African Americans.; Burdine (Ky.); Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); McRoberts (Ky.); Race relations.; Segregation; Segregation in education; Segregation in education--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Can you tell me a bit about the company stores?

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley talks about where all the company stores were located. J. Bentley describes the purchasing process at the company stores. She also talks about shopping for groceries, clothes, and purchasing habits in childhood.

Keywords: Baking supplies; Clothes; Clothing; Fabrics; Montgomery Ward catalog; Rec buildings; Recreational buildings; Sales clerks; Scrip; Seamstresses

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Company stores; Consolidation Coal Company; Groceries; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); McRoberts (Ky.); Montgomery Ward; Mothers.; Pineapple sherbet; Shopping.

Partial Transcript: And for Fourth of July, the company would take order for--Daddy would order a gallon of ice cream.

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley talks about family and town celebrations for the Fourth of July.

Keywords: Cantaloupes; Family traditions; Independence Day; RC Cola; Royal Crown Cola; Town celebrations

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Consolidation Coal Company; Fourth of July celebrations; Fourth of July.; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); Watermelons

Partial Transcript: I've got, I've got, uh, an oddly specific question for you.

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley describes the dishes they used growing up. J. Bentley talks about her mother canning green beans and making pickled peaches.

Keywords: Dishes; Green beans; Pickled peaches; Stovetop canning

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Canning and preserving.; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); Tableware

Partial Transcript: What sorts of things would you do for fun when you were younger?

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley talks about turning the family's coal house into a playhouse during summers. J. Bentley talks about playing with dolls and receiving a dolls for Christmas. J. Bentley talks about playing often with other kids in No. 2 Bottom and games they played.

Keywords: Childhood play; Coal houses; Community dynamics; Neighborhood children; No. 2 Bottom (Ky.); No. 2 Bottom Road (Ky.)

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Dolls; Games.; Hopscotch; Jenkins (Ky.); Jump ropes; Letcher County (Ky.); Play.; Playhouses; Rope skipping

Partial Transcript: I saw your Wildcats shirt. I like that.

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley and K. Bentley ask Komara about growing up in rural Pennsylvania and compare rural Pennsylvania to rural Kentucky. They ask Komara about being an archaeologist. They discuss a popular rock point in West Virginia.

Keywords: Rural areas; Rural communities; Zada Komara

Subjects: Archaeologists; Archaeology.; Careers; Growing up; Hiking.; Kentucky; Pennsylvania

Partial Transcript: How about, um, how about chores that you had to do when you were growing up?

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley talks about the types of chores her brothers completed versus the types of chores she and her sisters completed growing up.

Keywords: Dusting; Gender roles; Housework; Washing dishes

Subjects: Brothers and sisters.; Burdine (Ky.); Canning and preserving; Childhood; Chores; Cleaning.; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: She was one of the best cooks ever in this country.

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley talks about the types of food her mother typically made. K. Bentley also talks about other common foods prepared. J. Bentley talks about special occasion food. J. Bentley talks about how her father kept hogs and how her parents prepared the meat.

Keywords: Christmas bonuses; Christmas hams; Christmas meals; Christmas traditions; Hams; Hogs; Holiday foods; Holiday meals; Souse meat

Subjects: Baking.; Burdine (Ky.); Cake.; Christmas.; Consolidation Coal Company; Cooking.; Corn bread; Food.; Fried chicken; Fruit salads; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); Pigs.; Sausages.

Partial Transcript: Do you remember, um, do you remember the company coming around and picking up garbage?

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley describes the company-sponsored garbage disposal system. J. Bentley describes two garbage dump locations. J. Bentley talks about mining on Dunham Hill and by the Consolidation Coal Company.

Keywords: Dunham (Ky.); Dunham Hill (Ky.); Garbage; Garbage cans; Garbage collection; Garbage disposal; Garbage dumps; Garbage trucks

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Burdine; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Jenkins; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Letcher County; Consolidation Coal Company; Garbage disposal units; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: So would you tell me a little bit about how, um, about how Jenkins changed after Consol sold the town and people bought their houses and Bethlehem Steel bought the mineral rights?

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley talks about changes she saw in Jenkins after the Consolidation Coal Company sold the town and Bethlehem Steel bought mineral rights. J. Bentley talks about the uptake in buying and renovating houses.

Keywords: "Consol"; Coal towns; Housing markets; Renovations

Subjects: Bethlehem Steel Company; Burdine (Ky.); Changes & transformations; Company towns; Consolidation Coal Company; Consolidation and merger of corporations; Home repair and improvement; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: He's got a b--another bunch of stuff and he's going to show you.

Segment Synopsis: K. Bentley showcases old mining equipment, some his personal possessions. He talks about uses of the equipment and how coal mining technology has changed and improved over time. J. Bentley and K. Bentley tell stories of children interacting with the mining equipment.

Keywords: "Rescuers"; Cloth caps; David A. Zegeer Coal-Railroad Museum (Ky.); Heavy equipment; Miners lights; Mining caps; Mining equipment; Mining technology; Mining tools; Number four coal shovels; Technological development

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Coal miners; Coal miners--Kentucky--Burdine; Coal miners--Kentucky--Jenkins; Coal miners--Kentucky--Letcher County; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Burdine; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Jenkins; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Letcher County; Coal mines and mining--Technological innovations; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); Self-contained self-rescuer (Mine rescue equipment)

Partial Transcript: Well, I'm going to give her, uh, some of the--

Segment Synopsis: K. Bentley and J. Bentley ask Komara more about her dissertation work. Komara talks about looking for garbage dumps to excavate and wanting to go into a mine. K. Bentley talks about working with women in the mines, his work in the mines, and says he may be able to get Komara into the mines.

Keywords: Cowan (Ky.); Dissertation research; Dissertations; Garbage dumps; Portal 31 Tour; Portal No. 31 Underground Mine Tour (Ky.); Shop Hollow (Ky.); Zada Komara

Subjects: Archaeology.; Education, Higher; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Excavations (Archaeology); Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); Lynch (Ky.); Oral histories.; Sanitary landfills; Whitesburg (Ky.); Women in education--Kentucky--Lexington

Partial Transcript: Can I ask you a question about, um, about traveling?

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley talks about not being able to travel far often because of the culture of walking. J. Bentley remembers a train ride to Jellico, Tennessee in her childhood. She details interactions with the Lakeside District and impressions of East Jenkins.

Keywords: Dry counties; East Jenkins (Ky.); Jellico (Tenn.); Lakeside District (Tenn.); Trains; Traveling

Subjects: Alcohol.; Burdine (Ky.); Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); Liquors; Passenger trains; Railroads; Sex differences; Swimming

Partial Transcript: What are some of the biggest changes you've seen in Jenkins over your lifetime?

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley and K. Bentley talk about new school buildings, church expansion, and new restaurants in Jenkins. They talk about the community in Jenkins today. J. Bentley talks about hopes for the mines to reopen, for people to go back to church, and distaste for government intervention.

Keywords: "Cherry Smash"; Community expansion; Economies; Government interventions; Local economies; Town atmospheres; Town expansion; Town impressions

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Church buildings.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Government policy; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky--Jenkins; Coal trade; Communities.; Drugstores; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); Prisons.; Restaurants; Retirement.; School buildings

Partial Transcript: I will never, I will never make that much money. (Komara laughs)

Segment Synopsis: Komara talks about annual salaries as a contract archaeologist versus as an archaeologist in teaching. Komara and K. Bentley discuss various archaeological and historical sites throughout Kentucky. They discuss further potential sites to explore.

Keywords: "Blow Hole"; Contract archaeology; Eastern Kentucky; Historical sites; Indian Grave Gap (Tenn.)

Subjects: Archaeological sites; Archaeology.; Kentucky; Salaries; Teaching.

Partial Transcript: Jeanette, what, what did you do, um--did you, uh, did you graduate high school?

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley talks about finishing through one year of high school before getting married. J. Bentley talks about her marriage. J. Bentley talks about getting her GED, and her grades.

Keywords: GEDs; Marriages; Palmer Bentley

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Education; Education--Kentucky; GED tests; High school equivalency certificates; High schools; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); Teenage marriage

Partial Transcript: And did you work at home or did you have a job?

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley talks about her work as a homemaker. She talks about gender differences in work expectations. J. Bentley talks about giving birth to her four children, some at home and some at the hospital.

Keywords: Gender roles; Jenkins Community Hospital; Jenkins Hospital

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Careers; Childbirth; Children; Health insurance.; Homemakers; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); Stillbirth.; Work.

Partial Transcript: Well, there--are there any other stories about, um, about Jenkins back in the day that you'd like to tell me?

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley talks about the Ladies Auxiliary in Jenkins. She talks about their fundraising to raise their own building. She talks about other ways the fundraising money was used for the community.

Keywords: Community dynamics; Community service; Community support; Fundraising; Ladies auxiliaries

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Charitable giving; Charities.; Charity.; Cooking; Food; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); Quilting; Women

Partial Transcript: So you still cook a lot, huh?

Segment Synopsis: J. Bentley talks about not being able to cook as much today. She talks about cooking her mother's recipes.

Keywords: Cooking habits; Family recipes

Subjects: Burdine (Ky.); Cooking; Jenkins (Ky.); Letcher County (Ky.); Mothers.; Pies.; Recipes.