Interview with Mary Wilson Neel, December 1, 1979

Interview Summary

Mary Neel became interested in the FNS through her mother's association with the Washington, D.C. Committee and through her friendship with Marvin Breckinridge Patterson. She spent the summer of 1938 as a courier and until 1941 spent several months each year at the FNS. Neel discusses her experiences as a courier and comments upon living conditions and social life at Wendover. She recalls using donated moonshine to cure an ailing FNS horse and offers many other anecdotes. Neel has been a long-time member of the Washington Committee, and her two daughters served as FNS couriers. Having maintained her contact with Wendover, Neel comments upon changes in the local area and in the operation of the FNS.

Interview Keyword

Philanthropists Benefactors Charity Medical centers--Administration Distilling, illicit Washington (D.C.) Recreation

Interview LC Subject

Rural roads Volunteers Regionalism--Appalachian Region Christmas--Appalachian Region Appalachian Region--Social life and customs Appalachian Region--Social conditions Breckinridge, Mary, 1881-1965 Country life Frontier Nursing Service, Inc. Rural children Rural conditions

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Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.