Interview with Minnie Stidham, May 5, 1980

Interview Summary

Minnie Stidham was born in Leslie County at Daley in 1910. Her family took produce from their farm twelve miles on horseback to sell in the mining camps in order to have money for necessities, and her mother spun wool from her own sheep. Her father sold baskets and ax handles that he made during the winter. Stidham gathered serviceberries and birch sap and states that the rivers and streams were heavily fished. She also talks about the grain mill, the sawmill, and the blacksmith's shop. When she was young, her father told Bible stories to the family in the evening, and neighbors visited for bean stringings or for dinner and reading aloud. Stidham discusses graveyard services, revival meetings, courting, a mountain marriage, and "chivarees" after weddings. Women would take gingerbread and cakes to town on election day, and if the candidates did not butheir goods, they would not vote. Stidham never saw Mary Breckinridge but recalls when she came to Leslie County. Nearly all of Stidham's ten children were delivered by "granny" midwives, her only experience with the FNS being one hospital examination. She and her husband eventually moved to Laurel County so that their sons could farm instead of having to work in the mines. Stidham concludes with mention of some happenings she attributes to ghosts or "haints."

Interview Keyword

"Granny" midwives Blacksmith's shop Born at Daley Discusses grain mill Doctors Election day Family Gathering birch sap Graveyard services Leslie County in 1910 Sawmills Schools Tales of ghosts and "haints"

Interview LC Subject

Churches Farming Leslie County (Ky.) Medical care Midwives Mining camps Nursing

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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.