Matewan Oral History Project Collection
Sc2003-135

Maggie Collins Interview

Becky Bailey: June 13th, 10:00 A.M. 1989. This is Becky Bailey for the Matewan Development Center. I'm going to interview Mag Collins in the home Rosa Lee Collins, at Red Jacket, West Virginia.

B: Well, the first thing I'd ask you Mrs. Collins is when and where you were born?

Maggie Collins: I was borned in...back in uh...Wyoming County.

B: And what year was that?

MC: What was that you say?

B: What year was that?

MC: Oh uh...well I'll tell you what...what...what year did my uh...birth certificate...let me see now. Well I'll be...I was ninety-five the uh...17th of January.

B: Okay. That would be probably born in 1894?

MC: Yeah...I...that...that's right...that's right..

B: Okay. And what were your parents names?

MC: Tess Cline.

B: Okay. Is that your mother or...

MC: Uh....no...my mother was Lydia...give her maiden name?

B: Yes ma'am.

MC: Uh...Lydie (Lydia) Stanley.

B: And do you remember when they were married?

MC: Lord honey, I couldn't tell you that.

B: Okay. How many brothers and sisters did you have?

MC: I had uh...seven uh...they was uh...nine of us in the family and...and uh...the oldest one died back...she was the first one. And uh...I have uh...I had eight...I had two brothers and they was seven...let's see two brothers and it was seven girls of us you know.

B: Do you know, did your mother have a doctor or a midwife present when you all were born?

MC: No, I don't...I don't.

B: Uh...what was your father's occupation what...what did he do.

MC: (Laughing) Not anything. He went to Moundsville*. He meant...went to Moundsville for uh...fer uh...making money and he didn't....he never...he work...never worked at anything. He just hunted and...and made rings and banjers (banjos) and things for a living.

B: Okay.

MC: Has a bad record.

B: What did he do at Moundsville? Do you know?

MC: I couldn't tell you. Not anything...just couldn't hardly uh...he wouldn't work.

B: Oh...

MC: He...he just so stubborn he wouldn't do anything.

B: Did your mother raise a garden or...

MC: Well we kindly raised a little garden when...well he did while he was at home he raised a garden. Yeah but I...I don't think that Maw ever raised a garden after Paw went off.

B: Did he leave your family and not...

MC: Yeah...yeah....yeah. *"Moundsville" is the West Virginia State Penitentiary at Moundsville.

B: Do you remember when he left? How old you were?

MC: When...when my daddy went off you mean? Well I must have been...well I was eleven years old when my mother died and he done been gone...I couldn't...you know that's...that's along time to try to talk about. That many years ago. I couldn't tell you.

B: How about school, did any of you go to school?

MC: We went to uh...a grade school there at Mohawk.

B: How about your brothers what did they do when...they got older?

MC: Oh my brother the...the oldest one...I uh...he married and after...you know after he got help he married and my other brother uh...we worked at Mohawk, seventy-five cents a day.

B: What did he do there was he a miner?

MC: Uh...he worked...no he worked at a sprocket wheel. You know runnin' uh...oh...the wheel...the cart goes up and down the hill that hauls the people to work that worked back far you know.

B: Okay. Did either of your brothers fight in World War I?

MC: Yeah, Harrison. My oldest one was in the...in France.

B: Did he ever talk to you about it?

MC: No...no...no...no he never. I know they called him the sharp shooter there.

B: Oh really.

MC: He was so good in...in shootin'. Yes, he was.

B: Do you remember the Great Flu Epidemic?

MC: The what?

B: The flu epidemic of 1918-1919?

MC: No...no I don't...I don't believe.

B: Okay. When did you come to this area?

MC: Down in here?

B: Um-hum.

MC: I came down here, my baby Violet lives up there now she was uh...uh...she was born in March and we come down here in August. She was that old we lived in the tents down here. And that's seventy...no that was uh...she was borned in March and we come in August...you can figure about how old she was...about five months old wasn't she? And that's...I couldn't hardly explain to you how it could be less I just sit down and take time.

B: Okay. Was this uh...your daughter by Mr. Collins?

MC: Oh yeah.

B: When did you get married?

MC: Who married uh...wait now...October the uh...October 18th, nineteen and thirteen. That's when we got married.

B: And what was your husband's name?

MC: Steve Collins.

B: What did he do for a living?

MC: Who uh...him? Oh, he was a miner. Yeah he was a miner.

B: Okay. Uh...was he a union man?

MC: Yeah...oh yes.

B: You say you all lived in tents when you first came down here?

MC: In the tents down here in North Matewan.

B: Why were you living in...in tents?

MC: Why was we you say? 'Cause we didn't have no where else to go. And later on that fall we went to...over in Blackberry uh...Creek. And he got a job over there at the mines.

B: What did he ever tell you about uh...the mining wars or the Matewan shootout or anything?

MC: Well all he ever...all he didn't know anything about the shoot out down here just in Matewan. All he uh...knowed was just about like I knowed, heard people a talkin' about it you know and everything. Although after...after he was called...-called to uh...just a minute...that they come down here with...in the shootin out...you see and killed a lot of people. They called it Bloody Mingo. And uh...later on they called all of them back...we lived in the tents then. Called them back to Welch. And that's when Sid Hatfield was killed at uh...on the steps at the courthouse. And so that...from that on I never...I've just heard Steve and them and talk about it you know. And that's all in the world that I know anything about it now is just about uh...how everything went you know. Of course I'm just telling you like anybody else would tell it if they'd tell...somebody tell you something just go and tell what they told you.

B: What kind of things would he say? Do you remember?

MC: Huh....

B: Do you remember what kind of things your husband would be talking about when he would be talking to other people about what had happened?

MC: Why no...Just uh...just hear of people tell about what happened in Matewan you know. And uh...so that's...that's all that I could tell you, now.

B: How about life in...in the tents? How did you cook?

MC: How did I cook? I cooked on an old...a coal stove. Yeah...we had uh...we had a living room...living house...part living and uh...had a kitchen tent for the kitchen. And that's...we just lived the best we could.

B: Now was this all under one tent? Did you have the tent in...

MC: Oh, a separate tent for a kitchen. Yeah...yeah.

B: Was that for one family or did families share the kitchen tent?

MC: Oh yeah...yeah we...we uh...uh...we she uh...had the kitchen there was people talked about it. for us there was a kitchen and the rest of them had to cook, sleep and eat in the same place. They talked about it. (laughing)

B: Okay. Uh...a man that was interviewed last week said that it seemed like everybody stayed sick because of...of living in the tents because they lived in the tents so long. What do you remember about living in the tents? What stands out in your mind?

MC: Well when we went in the tent we didn't live there we come down here in August from McDowell County. And that fall we left and went over in Kentucky. We didn't live in the tents that long you know. And uh...I liked the tents now as fer as that's concerned hit's...hit's Okay. Didn't have...you didn't have the no moppin' to do or nothing (laughing)

B: How about when it would rain. Did it get muddy or...

MC: Oh of course it did around yes...Lord yes.

B: Did you have flooring in your tent?

MC: No sir. Just a naked ground.

B: Do you know where the tents came from?

MC: No I couldn't tell you...I couldn't tell you.

B: How did you all get a tent did you just come in and...and...

MC: Well when we uh...came from uh...Mat...from uh...Mohawk we moved, uh, right down and just went right in to the tent. They had the tents all ready set.

B: Um-hum. Okay. Did you have to do anything did your husband have to say anything about who he was or...

MC: Why Lord no...I...I'll tell you I've...I wasn't as old as I am now. Not near...(laughing) I was kindly young then you know. And I don't...I couldn't tell you one thing about who them tents were...where them tents come from or who they belong to for nothing.

B: So by the time...the tents that you were talking about the tent colony was after the shoot out and everything like that happened?

MC: Lord yes...the shooting and everything was done with, when we come down here.

B: Oh ok.

MC: Yes...Lord yes.

B: Do you remember what year perhaps that...that you came down this way?

MC: Now what...

B: Do...do you remember what year you...you came to this area to...

MC: Why yeah uh...my baby was uh...uh...I'll tell ya...she was born March the 25th. And uh...we come down here in August and she'll be uh...she'll be seventy this...next month.

B: Ok.

MC: You can figure it yourself about what year that was.

B: That was 1919.

MC: Yeah...yeah.

B: Uh...how many children did you have?

MC: I had six.

B: Six. Will you tell me a little bit about them?

MC: Do what?

B: Will you tell me a little bit about your children?

MC: Well what do you want to know? (laughing)

B: Do you remember when they were born?

MC: Yes...yes..

B: Can you tell me?

MC: My oldest one was borned uh...March the 9th...the 9th of March. Now...I couldn't tell you what year that would be now. This March past seventy...seventy-four years old if he lived past to this past March. The ninth of March.

B: Okay. And...

MC: And...

B: When did he die?

MC: He...he died September the fifth. He's been dead uh... three...I believe three years this...this September coming.

B: When he was born did a mid-wife come to help you with the baby? Or did you have a doctor?

MC: Oh yes...you mean uh...my oldest one I had the mid-wife.

B: Ok.

MC: Yeah. Alifair Mounts was her name.

B: Did you all pay her anything for...

MC: Yeah...yeah I...I think five dollars was her price for catching a baby then. (laughing)

B: Do you remember was it a difficult birth?

MC: Was what now?

B: Was it a difficult birth your first baby? What do you remember about having your first baby?

MC: Oh yes I remember.

B: Ok.

MC: I reckon I could.

B: How about your second child.

MC: Uh...Frank.

B: Ok.

MC: He was born the ninth...the ninth of April.

B: Ok.

MC: Three years later after my first one was born.

B: Ok.

MC: Three year and one month.

B: Okay. Is he still living?

MC: No...no...he this boy that I stay here with. My grandson. He's his daddy he was killed in service.

B: Okay. What war was that?

MC: World War II.

B: Oh Okay. Do you know where he died? Was he in Europe or...

MC: He died December the...the the...the...December the 23rd, 1944 uh...forty-four.(tape bauble)

B: Okay. How about your third child?

MC: Well Violet was born the 25th, nine...the 25th of March nineteen...what would that be? She'd be...she's already sixty nine. What would that be...she'd be...I couldn't tell.

B: 1929, I mean nineteen...1920

MC: I believe...along about there. I believe that's when it was.

B: Okay. Is she still living?

MC: Oh she's lives right up there.

B: Okay. Alright. How about number four?

MC: Well Violet...Kathleen she's born...now lets see...she was born December the...November the first. November the first. And I...I...I...I...not much in figures in when she would be born, but anyway she was 61..she's a going on...on 67...she was 60...66 the first day of last November...

B: 1922?

MC: I...I guess.

B: Okay. How about number five?

MC: Well the other one was born the 9th of December the...the uh...he would be uh...the...let me see now...he...he's five year and...and one month younger that that girl that I just now give you, Kathleen. He was uh..60...61 last...last De-cember. The 9th of December.

B: Okay. He was born in 1927.

MC: Well...well it's good that you can do that.

B: I've had some practice here lately.

MC: Yeah well.

B: How about number six.

MC: Well that's uh...Wilma she was born July...wait now July the...the...July the sixth and uh...and let's see she died June... June the 15th but let...that must have been two years old when she died.

B: Okay. Now were you other babies born with a mid-wife or a doctor? The last five?

MC: Oh well I had a doctor with Wilma. That's the baby and a doctor, a doctor with Cletis and a doctor with Kathleen all...all three of the doctors uh...same doctor now.

B: Okay. Do you remember his name?

MC: Doctor Hodge. And uh...you want anymore?

B: Sure.

MC: And uh...Violet I had a doctor with her. I believe it was Hatfield. Doctor...I believe it was doctor Hatfield now I'm not for sure. That uh...that's in McDowell County.

B: Okay.

MC: Lets see. And I...I know Frank uh...I had a mid-wife with... with him. That was my grandma was...was with me then.

B: Ok.

MC: So I guess that's the last of them wasn't it?

B: Um-hum.

MC: Six. (laughing)

B: Okay. Who was your grandmother?

MC: Uh...Elizabeth Stanley.

B: And she was a mid-wife?

MC: Yeah. Um-hum.

B: Did she ever tell you about any of her experiences in...

MC: No unt-uh...no...no.

B: Okay. Did she talk to you about preparing for...giving birth? Did she tell you...

MC: No...no she never...

B: What to expect?

MC: She never talked nothing about that.

B: Okay. How long was your husband a coal miner?

MC: He mined before we was ever married. And he was a miner up...he worked...worked in the companies and uh...company, and in a store in Matewan. And he worked in the liquor store. That's... you know that's before he died you know before he...when he...when he uh...got...took sicked...he had uh...had to give up all these jobs then you know. And uh...he never uh...he worked in the mines Lord I couldn't tell you how many years he worked at the mines. That was his living for years.

B: Okay. What would he say about his work or being in the union? Did he talk to you much about it?

MC: No...Lord no...no...no. I know he was a union man and that was just all I could say about it.

B: Okay. Did you shop in Matewan for...for groceries or food or anything like that?

MC: Did I do what now?

B: Did you shop in Matewan for groceries or food a...or anything like that?

MC: Oh yeah. That's...that's all I...that's all where I...well now sometimes I'd go...well that was in Matewan, right on up Blackberry City. I traded the old man Falloway's a lot. Then I traded in Matewan some.

B: Okay. What kind of things did you buy? Do you remember?

MC: Uh...you mean uh...groceries?

B: Um-hum.

MC: Oh honey I couldn't tell you uh...they was uh...lets see there was me and Steve, my husband's mother, and I had Willard and Frank, Violet there was about six...six of us in the family and they union give me fifteen dollars a week to live on.

B: Uh...With just fifteen dollars what kind of food did you cook? Do you remember?

MC: Yeah. I...I'd cook beans and...and potatoes, and uh...a lot just buy corn and just one thing then another. And there's your meat shop. The old man uh...he had...well whoever he was he had uh...had a slaughter in pen and uh...and he killed to have...to have killed meats and stuff...he was Mitch Scott. He would give me meat and stuff out when he kill it you know. Would...kill hogs and beef. The people were good to me in Matewan. Tape cuts off

The voice of Rosa Lee Collins.

Unknown voice: giving you that money to live on because Steve was in the pen*.

MC: Oh yes he was in the pen* when they was a paying me that money. Yeah.

B: Okay. If you don't mind me asking why was he in the...the pen?

MC: Well honey...now honey you...you...I...I...if I could tell you I sure would. ("pen" is the Penitentiary.)

B: Ok.

MC: He was sent to the pen. His brother was accused of killing Berman Hatfield. And so...I couldn't tell you honey to save my. life. He must have knowed something about it some way or another and he went to the pen the same time his brother did. His half brother and got the same terms.

B: Ok.

MC: And I don't know nothing about it.

B: Who is his half brother?

MC: John Collins.

B: Okay. How long was in the...in prison?

MC: He sentenced for two year, and he served his two year out, but they don't get uh...uh...twelve months for a year there. They get nine months for a year.

B: Okay.

MC: And they paid my rent...the union did while I lived in Matewan while Steve was gone.

B: Why was uh...why was John Collins and...and Berman Hatfield in...were they involved in a shoot out or...

MC: I couldn't tell you...Berman was killed, Berman Hatfield he was uh...he was uh...non-union and he was a beating up the men at Matewan and beating them up every time he'd catch one out, a union man you know, he'd beat 'em up and I reckon that they just had it laid up for him and they claimed that John Collins killed him. And Steve never would hold out to go against his half brother.

B: In Charleston? Where was he imprisoned?

MC: Uh...what...what place is that where they...what'd they call Huttonsville or what kind of a place is that?

B: Ok.

MC: Okay. In prison and they farm where this is.

B: Okay.was a prison farm?

MC: Yeah...yeah...yeah....yeah...

B: Okay. Did they send Steve there to your...

MC: No he went to Moundsville. He went up at Moundsville.

B: Okay. Do you remember what years this was?

MC: No... Well that's where...when he was sentenced we lived in Blackberry Creek. And he uh...after he went off I moved to Matewan. The union got me house down there and I went to Matewan. But I couldn't tell you...well that's...that's before my...the last baby was born. That's...she was...she sixty...going on sixty-seven. And uh...that...that's been several years ago.

B: Okay. How about when he came back from prison did he go back to work?

MC: Oh yeah. Come right back and went to work. Worked at Stony Mountain. Yeah, he was good to work.

B: Did you shop at...was there a company store in...in Matewan? Do you remember?

MC: No uh...hit was no company...yes I believe there...Stony... Stony Mountain had a company store there. I traded at a company store there a whole lot. They call that Stony Mountain down there.

B: Do you remember was your husband paid in cash or was he ever paid in scrip?

MC: You mean paid in cash a workin'?

B: Um-hum.

MC: Oh Lord he worked and it went through the office and I went their and drawed his payday.

B: Ok.

MC: Yeah it was a company store.

[B:] Were...were you uh...the only wife that would draw her husband pay or did other wives go and...and pick up their husband's pay checks?

MC: Well now I couldn't tell you that. I'd go sometimes...see he'd be a workin and I'd go up and draw his payday.

B: Um-hum. Okay.

MC: I couldn't tell you nothing about what the others done you know.

B: Okay. Were there uh....were there ever any blacks or any other uh...ethnic groups like Italian or Hungarian that worked with your husband? Do you remember? Did he ever say anything about...other groups?

MC: No I never heard him say anything about it.

B: Okay. Did you go to church? Tape cuts off, (off tape Rosa Lee Collins told Maggie to mention the black man who could remove warts).

MC: He'd take off warts and things. Yeah he worked with the colored men. He wanted to know who my mother was and everything...and he'd taken that wart off.

B: Really. (laughing) How did he take the...the warts off?.

MC: He wanted to know where my...who my mother was and everything and Steve told him. And first thing I know it that wart was gone.

B: Oh my goodness.

MC: Yes sir. I'd forgot about that.

B: Did you ever know his name?

MC: No I never unt-uh.

B: Okay. Did you all go to church when you were younger?

MC: I...I used to go to church but he never did. Not...not up 'til the late years. He uh...I been...I went to church down there in Matewan.

B: What church did you go to?

MC: The Church of Christ.

B: Okay. Was that the religion you were raised in? Did your mother have...

MC: Well that's about the...I'll tell you the truth that's about all the church back years ago you ever heared tell of. And the Baptists you...you hear of the Baptists every now and then.

B: Um-hum. In the Church of Christ were people baptized or...

MC: Oh yeah.

B: Ok.

MC: Yes sir.

B: Okay. I interviewed a lady yesterday that said she...she belonged to the Church of Christ, Stella Presley did you know Stella Presley?

MC: Yeah...Lord I reckon I do.

B: Ok.

MC: Do you know her?

B: I just interviewed her yesterday.

MC: Oh yes...yeah. Yeah I like Stella.

B: Okay. Did you ever vote in any of the political elections?

MC: Oh yeah I used to vote all the time.

B: Uh...did you and your husband talk politics or did you go and vote and he went and vote?

MC: Yeah...yeah...yeah...

B: Okay. Were you a republican or a democrat?

MC: I's always a democrat.

B: What did that mean to you to be a democrat?

MC: Well now...now...I couldn't tell you. Just...just the name of it I guess.

B: Okay. Do you know was your husband a democrat or a republican?

MC: Oh, he was a democrat. Yeah...yes sir.

B: What do you remember about the Depression? The Great Depression.

MC: That was uh...how many years ago had that been now?

B: Fifty some. In the thirties.

MC: Well...well I...I just can't hardly uh...explain it to ya. I know hit was just uh...it was just a hard time. Just a hard time is all I could tell ya.

B: Did the men work regularly during the Depression? The coal mines that you remember.

MC: Well now what did you say exactly?

B: Did...did the coal miners have work during the Depression or were they laid off? I mean did they work at all?

MC: Oh honey I...I tell you...years ago like that it's hard for you to bring back stuff like that. When ever uh...you've lived through it...well I...I'll tell you the truth I never did know of the miners all a quittin' work. Some of 'em was a workin.

B: Ok.

MC: I know my husband was out of work when we lived at Mohawk.

B: Is there anything that comes to mind that you'd like to talk about today?

MC: Why no...no I reckon not. (laughing) I guess I've talk- ed...talked a whole lot anyway.

B: Well I'm gonna ask you some...some general question like...

MC: Well...

B: Did you all ever have a car?

MC: Oh yeah...yeah.

B: Ok.

MC: Not 'til the late years you see. We...we used to we had our own old car.

B: Okay. When you say late years, how long ago was that?

MC: Oh that's...well we never owned no car 'til uh...oh I...I can't hardly ex...express how long it has been but I know that we...the first one we bought was an old Plymouth. And that was back about sixty...sixty...about sixty-two years ago we uh...must have owned a car.

B: Okay. Something I just remembered that I wanted to ask you about was did you ever visit your husband when he was in prison?

MC: Lord no I couldn't. I didn't have no way a gettin' to him you know. He was in Moundsville.

B: Okay. Did you ever hear from him?

MC: Oh I'd get letters from him all the time. Yeah, and every now and then he'd send me a little money. He run a hoisting engine in there while he was there. He never was in the pen. He stayed on the outside but he worked. Twenty-five cents a day.

B: Okay.

MC: And he's send me a check and the warden sent me a check too. I called to him for money and he said he didn't have it, and he told the warden and the warden sent me ten dollars. Warden...Darrell...Darrell Warden I believe.

B: Okay. Getting back to the general questions uh...did you wear make-up when you were younger?

MC: Yeah.

B: You did?

MC: Yeah..

B: What kind of make-up did you wear?

MC: Oh I just wore powders and a little bit of cream and a little bit a rouge. I...I've always wore that rouge.

B: Okay. What did your husband think about that? Did he ever say anything to you

MC: Lord no...

B: about your make-up?

MC: He didn't care unt-uh...

B: Okay. How about your hair? Did you wear your hair long or short or...

MC: Well I always wore it uh...long up 'til oh Lord, Oh mercy I don't know how many years ago and then I went and got it cut off.

B: Uh-huh. Did he have anything to say about that?

MC: Unt-uh...no...no he like for me to fix..up like that. So I could be pretty for him.

B: Okay. Did you all ever go out say socially to see friends or to go to...

MC: Well ever now and then we would go. Yeah. Once in a while we'd go. Maybe sometime we'd go back in Wyoming County. Drive up there and stay all night with one of my friends.

B: What were the roads like back then when you drive up to Wyoming County?

MC: What was what did you say?

B: What were the roads like?

MC: Oh just nice...nice Lord yes.

B: What do you remember about World War II?

MC: Well honey all I really remember my boy was killed in it. Yeah he was killed right before the...the you know you heard about the Luxembourg? Uh...that's where he was killed in Luxembourg. There right towards a little bit before that the war kindly took place...settled. He was killed.

B: How did you all find out about him dying?

MC: Oh they...they notified us yeah. Yes Steve was working at the hardware in Matewan whenever the message come.

B: Do you remember the name of that store the hardware store?

MC: Uh...the what?

B: Do you remember the name of that store where he was working?

MC: Yeah. Uh...Cooper's Hardware.

B: Okay. Do you remember where that was situated in town? I mean what building it was in or what it was near?

MC: Well I couldn't explain to you what it...it's uh...along right there in Matewan on the front row...front row next to the railroad right down next to where the...the post office. Yes do you know where Matewan post office?

B: Yes.

MC: Well it was right close to about the next building there of the...where Cooper's store was.

B: Okay. Did you all ever go to the movie theater in Matewan?

MC: I never was in that movie but one time and I went when my girls was gonna sing. They was a gonna sing in there and uh...I went to hear them. No I never did go to no movies. And I don't think he ever did go to a movie.

B: Was there a reason why you wouldn't go or...

MC: No I just didn't...just didn't like it. I just didn't like movies. You know I don't even like television.

B: Why is that?

MC: I just don't like it.

B: Do you like listening to the radio or...

MC: I'd rather hear a radio anytime than uh...uh...see that television.

B: How about music? Did you all like music or did?

MC: Yeah I like pretty music, I like pretty singing. And uh...but I never...I don't care anything about the old...old jig songs and things. But I love pretty music and uh...the songs with it you know. I love...love pretty singing. Yeah.

B: What's a jig song? You said you don't like jig songs.

MC: I just don't like 'em...I just don't like 'em...I don't like 'em.

B: What...what is pretty music? Do you like religious music or?

MC: Yeah...Yes sir I like that pretty religious music.

B: Did you ever wear perfume when you were younger?

MC: Yeah oh yeah.

B: What did you wear?

MC: Well uh...Valley...uh...lets see some kind of...well it be...be different...different names of it you know. Uh...Valley... Valley something about perfume I thought it was the best smelling thing. But I couldn't tell you all the names of it that I'd wear.

B: Okay. Tape cuts off (off tape Rosa Lee reminded Maggie that she wore Lily-of-the Valley Perfume)

MC: Some of the hearing out of it. Maybe you might cause a lot of them to take up some of the habits.

B: Hopefully. Do you remember the flood any of the floods in Matewan? Like the 1977 flood?

MC: Why whenever I...yeah Lord yeah...no I lived right down here in the upper end of the corporation. You know where the ball diamond is don't you well I lived on the mountain there...the house is empty right uh...the women owned it she died. And uh...you know Bill Roberson ?

B: Yes.

MC: Well I lived at that buildin' here and he lived up in there.. ...

B: Ok.

MC: Yeah that Matewan flood was a site. But 'course I wasn't in none of that you see.

B: Did you all lose power? Like electrical power or...

MC: Yeah...Lord yes.

B: In...in the span of your life time we've gone from having automobiles to...to space rockets. Do you remember thinking anything when they started talking about space and...and going up in space? Do you remember...

MC: Oh yeah. I remember it but I didn't know nothin' about it.

B: Were there any presidents that you especially like or didn't like?

MC: I liked John F. Kennedy. I like him.

B: Why was that?

MC: Well I don't know I just liked him.

B: Okay.

MC: I'll tell you I think this president we have...of course he's republican...I...the last one that we had come...uh...uh...left out uh...I...I believe...looked like everybody liked him pretty good didn't he?

B: It seems like it. Somebody liked him enough.

MC: Yes sir...yeah.

B: Okay. How about Herbert Hoover. What did you think of Herbert Hoover?

MC: Well I never did give it much thought about him. I never did...just tell you the truth give it no idea but...no say about it much.

B: Uh-huh. How about Franklin Roosevelt?

MC: Well I believe Roosevelt was a pretty good. But Kennedy he looked like he was my favorite. Difference in people's ideas you know.

B: Uh-huh. So did he have ideas that you'll liked I just thought uh...just his personality and everything that I felt for you know.

B: Um-hum. Okay. Did you ever eat much candy or...

MC: Lord yes...yes...yes.

B: What kind of candy do you like?*

MC: Well like pert near everything but that uh...chocolate. I don't care nothing about chocolate. (*Mrs. Collins had indicated off tape her love of "sweets".

B: Did your...

MC: Your liable to give a lot of them a lot of ideas here. Give my idea of eating a lot of candy. Oh I love candy!

B: Did your husband ever buy you candy in Matewan?

MC: Well hardly ever. Hardly ever. I always bought it for myself.

B: What did you buy? Do you remember?

MC: Well I don't re...hardly remember but anything and...you know I always loved cake to. But I never did care nothing about chocolate.

B: Uh-huh. Okay. Why was that?

MC: I don't I just never cared nothing about it.

B: Ok.

MC: Some of them around here bring me candy sometimes and uh...but they know not to bring me no chocolate.

B: What do you remember most about Matewan over the years? What would you say about Matewan?

MC: Well honey, tell you the truth I always though Matewan was pretty good for myself as far as I know about 'em you know. I know that people around here...I've been here a long time...people around here has always been nice and good to me.

B: Okay. How about the...the mines and say the people that own the stores in town do they get a long?

MC: Oh why I reckon they did. I never did hear no complaints.

B: Okay. How about the operators and the bosses? Do you remember...your husband ever say anything about his bosses?

MC: Uh...where he worked?

B: Um-hum.

MC: Why he...he always got...got a long with everybody. No Steve never had much trouble with nobody.

B: Okay. Did people ever say anything him about going to the penitentiary?

MC: Why no you know they promised...he told me he said they promised that if he'd go on that they'd parole him and get him out later on you know. And they never offered the first time to get him out. No.

B: So the people didn't keep up with their promises? They didn't try to get him paroled? They let him stay in prison?

MC: No...never said jack 'em the first time. I kindly talked about it you know to the family but uh...nobody else never said that I knowed that...just leave it up to me I couldn't do nothing. The other people, the outsiders, the big shots would have to have something to do about it you know?

B: The big shots from the union, is the outsiders...the union outsiders...when you say the outsiders would have to have something to do with it, was that the union?

MC: Well I...I couldn't say uh...you mean the people that belong the to union have nothing to do with Steve or something?

B: Did they have anything to do with him?

MC: Well why I never could tell no difference with Steve and amongst all of them. The union and non-union.

B: Okay. How about the Baldwin Felts agents? Did you ever run into...

MC: Now what now?

B: The Baldwin-felts agents, the thugs, did you ever run into any of them?

MC: Unt-uh no...no...no. You know a person gets up as old as I am you...you can't remember like you can when you're young. It leaves you.

B: Well you've told me plenty.

MC: Huh?

B: You've told me plenty. You've told me a lot of interesting things today. But I...I think what I'll do is I'll...I'll...get my notes together and maybe I can come back and talk on another day. And if you think of anything then you...you can call me I'll leave a business card ok?

MC: Well ok.

B: Well thank you for letting me come today.

MC: Well, Okay honey.

Matewan Oral History Project Collection