Document text
Approximately..L-500 Words
SOUTH CAROLINA WRITERS PROJECT
Life History
TITLE: WHY THE SIMMONS FAMILY WENT FROM THE
COAL FIELDS TO THE COTTON MILL
Date of First Writing January 6, 1938
Name of Person Interviewed Mrs. Susie Simmons (white)
igiftst Address 206 Greenville Street
Place Spartanburg, S.C.
Occupation House Wife
Name of Writer Elmer Turnage
Name of Reviser State Offioe
Mks. Simmons, affectionately known as "Susie" by all who know her,
prides herself on being as "spry as any of the children", yet she is 67 and
the mother of thirteen. She is less than 5 feet tall but she lacks nothing
in other dimensions, for she is almost as broad as she is tall. Her face
and hands are seared with the marks of a life of privation, but her small
blue eyes sparkle and show no envy for those who have been more fortunate
in world' possessions.
The weather-beaten, four -room cottage rented by the Simmons family
is situated on the outskirts of Spartanburg near the Spartan mill village.
A cheap scarlet -covered living -roam suite and several other articles of fur-
niture are in the small hall that leads to the "front roam", leaving barely
a passage way. This arrangement is understood when one enters the front
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room, for he sees that it is also full of furnishings of an incongruous
variety. Numerous pencilings, like hiero-.1yehs, einele with the cracks on
"'.e scaly plasteree wails. A laundry heater sits far out in the roam; it
is connected to the firerlace, around which seiny new tin had been placed.
A large pot of beans bubbles and thumps peacefully on the lit -1e stove,
end two or three flat-trons rest beside it. The mantel is literally filled
with trinkets of the ten cent store variety, and a goodly assortment of
home -remedy medicines. high above the mantel hangs a dust -covered pic-
ture which T)ortrays the Lord's erayer in -audy lettering and designs.
The hour of the day could be .old about as well by the calendars for sev-
eral years back w ich hane on the walls as by the little black -faced clock
ici holds its amall place on the "fireboarWe An old-fashioned iron bed
siis in one corner of the roam, and in another sits an expensive one of
the most modern design. The radio is a costly one but it is of little
value unlese some 'mountain eusic" is on the air.
Susie doesn't knew how long she hes been a widow, bee. it has
been sev'al and old ean warn't no 'count lono 'fore he died."
All of the children ,e.e. Lying 'ceet one.
:he two sinele ones stay at
hone ann the others "come in an whenever they feel like it.
soite ;Fe lack
modern conveniences the house is dert clean, and a
°Vita Ktruce-here always 7errLeates the abode. The Sineons home is rare-
ly devoid of 'cc._
e neighbor has 'draneed' in to chat wth
Susie, or sohe friends have cohe in lo sec ";eell aed t e two sin
le children. Doll as been earried two or three times but at present
she is snole.
Hesie kept her eyo on her e-yer-old grandchild who was rlacing
one ckoii another and tryine to climb to the top of his "train."
very now and then Susie would say: "Careful there, James; yo '11 fall
'here you know it. Presently he toppled to the floor ene began scream-
esie rathered him in her lar, and in a few einutes his dirty
room, for he sees that it is also full of furnishings of an incongruous
variety. Numerous peneilings, like hieroglyphs, mingle with the crooks on
the scaly plastered w4118. A laundry heater sits far out in the room; it
is connected to the fireplace, around which shiny new tin had been placed.
A large pot of Amans bubbles and thumps peacefully on the little stove,
and two or three flat-trons rest beside it. The mantel is literally filled
with trinkets of the ten cent store variety, and a goodly assortment of
home -remedy medicines. High above the mantel hangs a dust -covered pic-
ture which portrays the Lord's prayer in gaudy lettering and designs.
The hour of the day could be told about as well by the oalendars for sev-
eral years back w Joh hang on the walls as by the little bliok-faced clock
which holds its small place an the "firebacrOW An old-fashioned iron bed
site in one corner of the roam, and in another sits an expensive one of
the most modern design. The radio is a costly one but it is of little
value unless some "mountain music" is on the air.
Susie doesn't know how long she has been a widow, but it has
been sev'al year", and "the old man warn't no 'count long 'fore he died."
All of the children are living 'oept one. The two single ones stay at
home and the others "come in an out whenever they feel like it." De-
spite the lack of modern conveniences the house is kept clean, and a
jovial atmosphere always permeates the abode. The Simmons home is rare-
ly devoid of "company", for a neighbor has "drapped" in to chat with
Susie, or some friends have come in to see "Doll and Walt", the two 'at*.
gle children. Doll has been married two or three times but at present
she is single.
Susie kept her eye on her 3 -year -old grandchild who was placing
one chair upon another and trying to climb to the top of his "train."
Every now and then Susie would say: "Careful there, James; you'll fall
'fore you know it." Presently he toppled to the floor and began scream-
ing. Susie gathered him up in her lap, and in a few minutes his dirty
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face was beaming again.
"Guess you heard 'bout Virgie being dead/ Yes, this is her baby.
All my others is married 'cept Virgie and Walt."
Though honest and refined in her way. Susie showed no Biala of
abashment in relating the fact that her late daughter was never married.
During the conversation she got up five or six times to get something
with which she could appease the child. "Via shoe is crazy 'bout him,"
she declared; "don't know what we'd all do if it warn't for James."
Susie's eyes narrowed and lost some of their natural friend-
liness when she was asked if she thought that her large family had been
more conducive to her general welfare than a small one would have been.
"Well, it looksiJike I done pretty good. I got all my kids up
grown, and that's more'n lots can say. 'Course they don't do muoh to
help me, but what they do sho' comes in good. And one thing, they can
all look atter theirselves. Everybody can't say that can they?
"You know, things sho' are better'n they used to be. We allus
had 'bout as much to ept as we do now, but we don't have to work nigh so
hard these days. I 'member back yander in Hawkins County, Tenn., where
I was born, things used to be awful bad and we had tough times, but a -body
had same good times, too. The rich'uns had it 'bout as good as they do
now, but the poor devils sho' she had tt to pay.
"No, I don't know how old I am, 'zactly, but I can it Perry's
(her husband) Bible; it's writ there in it. Mary writ it there; she's
got more learning than any of the others. She went as far as the Sixth.
Lizie (Liza) can write a little, too."
She thumbed through her husband's Bible, holding it upside down
all the while. "Here, I guess you can find it better'n me," she said.
The only entries in it were Susie Simmons, born April 6, 1871; Perry
Simmons, born August 7, 1867; moved to South Carolina in 1919. "Well,
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that's it. I knowed Miry w*it it there. Now you can figger for yourself
haw old that makes me."
At this juncture Bill, a nephew of Susie, who is employed as a
laborer onaWPAproject, came in from his work. He eyed the interview
with suspicion, and presently he asked if another investigation was being
made. On being told the nature of the interview he said that he would be
glad to tell the story of his life, but added that he would have to have a
"salary" for the trouble. Susie informed Bill that his "eats" were readY,
and he went immediately into the kitchen, which could be seen through the
open door. He sat down at a long table which was made of plain boards and
devoid of covering, and completely filled the large bowl before him with
freshly cooked beans. As he entered the room he looked around and offered
again to relate the story of his life provided he did not have to tell
"everything", for there were some things, he declared, he would not even
tell his grandmother. Besides the pine board table, the other furnish-
ings in the kitchen consisted of a home-made cabinet, an oil stove and two
or three cane chairs.
"Shoe, I 'member Mammy," Susie continued; Noty she stayed with me
till atter Marthy (Martha) was born. She was a Housewright Mary House-
wright. Why, ter no, I don't know nothinc 'bout my daddy. See, I was jest
a butside child. I never had no brothers n'er sisters. Mammy married a
man one time, but that was way yander 'fore I was born. His name MRS Dick
Berry, I think. I know they hung him fer something 'er n' other he warn't
my daddy, though. I don't know what my daddy's name was never heard
Mammy say. She lived right there in Hawkins County when I was born
stayed with her sister and her husband. Mammy sho' had a hard time then.
"I went to school a little when I was a kid back in the mountains,
but a -body soon ferrite what they learn in school, 'specially atter so many
years. I know we had to go to school soon of a morning and stay till 4
ODOM
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•104111,
o'clock. As had to walk three 'Sr four miles most of the time. As soon as I
got big enough I had to help Mammy make a living. Ay, we jest done a little
of everything. ie washed olothes for people, and things like that. Mammy done
work like that 'fore I was born; then atter I got big enough I pitched in and
helped her. I 'member one time we was washing fer some rich people when it was
awful cold weather. The ,,round was kivvered with 'bout six inches of snow, and
we got so cold that we nearly froze. 40 as't the people to let US come in the
kitchen and finish rubbing the clothes, but they's a -feared we'd mess up the
floors, and wouldn't let us come in the kouse. didn't git much money far
our work, mostly we got jest rations vit'als, you know. Aunt Marge, that
was Mammy's sister that we lived with, she had to work hard that a -way, too.
"Mammy used to work in the fields. She could do might nigh anything
they was to do in field work. She cut flax, and broke flax, and spun flax.
Lots of flax was grow'd up in them parts. ,arn't no cotton grow'd though;
never seed none till I come to South Ca'lina. Then Mammy was a good hand to
spin and card wool. She made wool rolls as big as my arm. She set every night
and worked at something like that till 11 o'clock. She made all our clothes,
and made clothes and things fer other folks, too. She sho' allus had a awful
hard time. I Clue helped her from the time I was big enough to drap corn till
I got married.
"Lots of corn and staters was grow'd then, and folks had plenty meat
and the lice of that. 'Course time was when thine got ekace like it does now,
but most ti! -As we had plenty to eat. 4O kia(1 to work hard for it though, and
many be the time I've walked four miles to the mill with a bushel of corn on my
back. The miller would take out a half gallon of meal far grinding a half
bushel of corn, and a gallon of meal if he ground a whole bushel. Lord yes,
I was strong then; I could pack a bushel of corn to the mill easy.
"I warn't but thirteen when I got married jest a little girl like.
Mammy come to live with me and :Carry atter we was married. le lived in a little
two -room log house. Perry driv oxen and hauled logs to the saw mill. He done
work like that mostly far a living. Mammy worked on jest as long as she lived.
40 all lived together and got aloaa very good. Things was a lot different from
what they are now. 4e didn't even have lamps sack than, though we allas managed
to have a light of some kind. Dometimes we'd put oil in a bottle and make a
lamp by putting a rag in the neck of the bottle far a wick. It made a fairly
good light. Dots of times we'd take a piece of "liahter'd" that's jest a
piece of rich pine and burn it for a lamp. ,ie'd stick it up in a crack be-
tween the lo s in the wall. The black smoke would jest bile up, but it made a
pretty good light, least we thought it did then.
"As far as cracks is concerned, we didn't have to look Per a place to
put the pine knoWter tie house was full of them. You could throw a cat through
some of the cracks they was 50 big. It was snowing mighty hard the night Marthy
was born, and thea had to tie a quilt up over the bed to keep the snow from com-
ing right in on us. Thy, next morning there was 'bout two inches of snow on
top of the quilt. temple need plenty of air, you know, and I guess open houses
like that is the jest atter all. I guess tat is the reason I stayed so healthy.
Ali my children was born in Tennessee 'cept the two last 'uns. how
Virgie was born in Virainia ard ausie aelle was porn here. All the kids went to
school a little hut not enough to 'mount to nothing much. Atter aartny got mar7
ried she moved to Ohio. I didn't see her no more fer a long time. It was dur-
14 the time the "flu" was so bad that we went to see her. You 'member when that
was. MO and the old man and all the ten kids started out to Ohio to see aarthy.
ie jest had 'bout enough money to make the trip on, far we never did make enough
on the farm to BIAM anylhing. 4e stopped in axer, Va., and seed some people we
had know'd in Tennessee. iaxer is a little mining town between &eokee and appale-
chia. These people that we know'd tried to get us to staa there and aJt
a job in the mines. as told 'em that we'd come back if we didn't stay in Ohio.
"All the kids took down with the flu right atter we got to Marthy's
house. t5 had to put up four beds, and then some had to lay across the head and
SOme across the foot of the bed. I thought it was cold in Tennessee, but that
warn't nothing to what it was in Jhio. The wind blow'd so hard that you could
throw your hat ag inst the side of the house and it would hold it there all day.
I guess we could have got a job there, but we didn't like it good enough to 100y.
I didn't like the doctor that waited on the kids a -tall. He alias had a hand-
kerchief tied over his face when he come in, and he'd come in a -cussing and go
out a -cussing. Jim, that's rthy's old man, he said not to pay no 'tention to
that, fer that was jest the trey folks up there was 'cuotomed to. Anyway, we
decided we'd better go back to Virginia to live where people was more like fle.
"Atter the kids got well, we scraped around and got enough money to go
back to Exer. The old man and the boys didn't have a bit of trouble in finding
a job, and they made good money,too. They made 'bout six dollars a day most of
the time. The old man and two of the boys worked, the rest corlitin wasn't old
enough to work in the mines. 4e stked there 'bout a year and saved up some
money, but the work was so dangerous we we afraid to stay any longer. Ity,
people jest got killed all the time. iA'ery time anybody heard a message that
somebody was killed, all the women and everybody went down to the mines to see if
it was ahy of theirs.
"I made out at first that I wasn't afraid fer 'em to work in the mines,
out I decided that it was better to know your folks was safe than to make good
money. One time, five got killed and their heads was mashed so flat you couldn't
tell who they was. They had to stuff cotton in 'em so they would look like
somebody. The mines have walls, jest like the walls in a room, and sometimes a
wall caves in and mashed the men to death. ilarvelee's job in the mines was to
'tend to the trap door. It sho' was a dangerous job. He had to jump back in
the ribs as soon as he opened the door, ler a car would crush him to pieces.
"If we hadn't found out 'bout the cotton mills, I guess we'd still be
in Virginia, less'n we'd been killed 'er something. A man come through tnere one
time and had a letter from the super' at 4artan hills. he showed us the letter
and said that we Gould get a job in 4artanburg if we wanted to. The old man
and Charlie come first and worked at Bpartan lalls about two months before they
sont for us. ei'd saved up a shoe box full of money, so we had plenty to make
the trip on. Charlie and his daddy made 'bout two dollars a piece fer a day's
work. The old man didn't live long atter we moved here; don't know how many
years he's been dead, but it could be counted up.
"For a long time I had three boys, and sometimes four, working in the
mill. They mAe about two dollars a day; that must have in 192U. fell, no
matter how many worked, we allAs jest barely had enough to get along on. Up to
1925 they allus draw'd a little money every pay day, but atter that it was all
took up in the store. It went on that way fer a long time, and we didn't see
no money a -tall. y the time Doll and "eat got big enough to work, the others
had married off, and they never was able to hell me no more.
"Doll and :;alt has been working at ,;hitney Alls 'bout six 'or seven
years. They make twelve dollars a week a piece, and we manage to keep things
goiny on that. 'Course the do take up lots in the store, btt it ain't like
it used to be when a -body couldn't see no money a -tall. I need some khoes now,
and ain't got enough money t 'em. I was gettin:; five dollars a month from
the old age pension, but some tattlers went up there and got that stop, ed."