Name: Ray Reed
Community: Wilkesville
Date of Interview: March 21, 1998.
Interviewer: Carrie Wells & Rachel Stapleton, Vinton HS
TAPE LOG
0:00:00: Identification Slate
0:00:11: The early years of Wilkesville, flourished during the wars due to mining, timber, farming
0:01:20: Horse and wagon used to get supplies from the store, mining of iron ore, coal, limestone
0:02:38: Morgan’s Raiders, Ray’s great grandparents had horses stolen, his grandfather shot two of Morgan’s men*
0:03:48: Origin of the Bean Dinner, soldiers returning from war, became a community tradition
0:04:37: First car war a Model A Ford, could buy five gallons of gas for a dollar
0:05:13: Covered bridges
0:06:04: Stores in Wilkesville, Sold mining supplies – carbide, explosives, hand tools, the natural resources were the mainstay of the community, all activity increased during the war, job boom replaced the WPA jobs*
0:08:40: Life on the farm, horses, "no such thing as anything easy on the farm", [detailed]*
0:10:20: He worked in the coal mines after school each day, coal miners made $2.20 per week
0:11:10 Railroad communities, all centered on the raw materials, every village had coal company houses, hauled supplies with horses
0:13:25 Entertainment, fishing, Sunday school, farm work came first, he is 76 years of age
14:00 End
Comments: Great in all respects