Thompson Cassette 2 Side 1
Media
Part of Interview: Thompson, Robert H.
Title
Thompson Cassette 2 Side 1
Source
Robert H. Thompson Interview
Date
1990-02-07
Description
Cassette 2
Side 1
00:40--Mr. Thompson's parents were William and Dorothy Rosetta Hamburg Thompson. His father was born on January 22, 1894; his mother on February 7, 1897.
1:56--His paternal grandparents were Stewart (born 1863) and Josephine Thompson. His maternal grandparents were Robert C. (adopted by Hester Smith) and Mary Watkins Hamburg. His paternal great-grandparents were Reuben and Martha Thompson. His great-great grandmother was Betty Thompson.
4:00--His maternal grandparents (Hamburg's) were known to him; his paternal grandparents had died either when he was young or before he was born. His grandfather was a carpenter and farmer who owned his own land.
9:34--Slavery--no stories of slavery have been passed down because his family comes from a long line of blacksmith's; they were traditionally free men.
10:14--His family is buried at Kings Chapel AME Church cemetery. The land for the church was purchased in 1887. Thompson's great grandfather Reuben's name appears on the deed. Mr. Thompson describes the general dimensions of the church property.
11:56--Funerals--his grandfather talked about days when the deceased were laid out on "cooling boards" in preparation for burial (there were no undertakers in those days).
14:15--Families related by marriage are the Winston's and Miller's.
16:54--His paternal grandfather Thompson was a talented craftsman and furniture maker. He died at the age of 43, leaving his wife Josephine to care for 14 children. She established a truck farm business in order to support the family.
18:29--Elsie Thompson [Mr. Thompson's wife--they have been married 44 years] begins to speak at length regarding Josephine's efforts to look after her large family. She was a successful businesswoman, and was well respected by both the white and black communities. Her death was reported in the newspaper; it was at the time an extremely rare circumstance for a black individual's death to be reported.
19:55--Mr. Thompson begins to give a very detailed genealogy of the Thompson family. They have Irish, German, Mexican, and Native American ancestry.
23:20--Mr. Thompson had aunts and uncles who left the area in search of better employment opportunity. Destinations were: Detroit (Walter), Cleveland (Booker), Greensboro, NC (Aunt Willie), and Orangeburg, SC (Sam).
24:47--The location of the Thompson family land is where the Woodhaven Golf Course is now.
25:30--His uncle Henry Thompson was a fireman on the Blue Ridge Railroad. He was killed in a local train accident.
26:55--Employment opportunities for blacks were very limited: one could go into business for oneself, preach, teach, or farm. It was rare to find good paying jobs locally, even if one had a college education.
29:00--Mr. Thompson discusses the blacksmith trade, and its importance to old south agriculture. Blacksmiths were traditionally free men. Black women were often teachers; two of his Aunts (Florence and Lessie) were involved in the founding of Oak Grove School.
31:23--Audio ends.
Side 1
00:40--Mr. Thompson's parents were William and Dorothy Rosetta Hamburg Thompson. His father was born on January 22, 1894; his mother on February 7, 1897.
1:56--His paternal grandparents were Stewart (born 1863) and Josephine Thompson. His maternal grandparents were Robert C. (adopted by Hester Smith) and Mary Watkins Hamburg. His paternal great-grandparents were Reuben and Martha Thompson. His great-great grandmother was Betty Thompson.
4:00--His maternal grandparents (Hamburg's) were known to him; his paternal grandparents had died either when he was young or before he was born. His grandfather was a carpenter and farmer who owned his own land.
9:34--Slavery--no stories of slavery have been passed down because his family comes from a long line of blacksmith's; they were traditionally free men.
10:14--His family is buried at Kings Chapel AME Church cemetery. The land for the church was purchased in 1887. Thompson's great grandfather Reuben's name appears on the deed. Mr. Thompson describes the general dimensions of the church property.
11:56--Funerals--his grandfather talked about days when the deceased were laid out on "cooling boards" in preparation for burial (there were no undertakers in those days).
14:15--Families related by marriage are the Winston's and Miller's.
16:54--His paternal grandfather Thompson was a talented craftsman and furniture maker. He died at the age of 43, leaving his wife Josephine to care for 14 children. She established a truck farm business in order to support the family.
18:29--Elsie Thompson [Mr. Thompson's wife--they have been married 44 years] begins to speak at length regarding Josephine's efforts to look after her large family. She was a successful businesswoman, and was well respected by both the white and black communities. Her death was reported in the newspaper; it was at the time an extremely rare circumstance for a black individual's death to be reported.
19:55--Mr. Thompson begins to give a very detailed genealogy of the Thompson family. They have Irish, German, Mexican, and Native American ancestry.
23:20--Mr. Thompson had aunts and uncles who left the area in search of better employment opportunity. Destinations were: Detroit (Walter), Cleveland (Booker), Greensboro, NC (Aunt Willie), and Orangeburg, SC (Sam).
24:47--The location of the Thompson family land is where the Woodhaven Golf Course is now.
25:30--His uncle Henry Thompson was a fireman on the Blue Ridge Railroad. He was killed in a local train accident.
26:55--Employment opportunities for blacks were very limited: one could go into business for oneself, preach, teach, or farm. It was rare to find good paying jobs locally, even if one had a college education.
29:00--Mr. Thompson discusses the blacksmith trade, and its importance to old south agriculture. Blacksmiths were traditionally free men. Black women were often teachers; two of his Aunts (Florence and Lessie) were involved in the founding of Oak Grove School.
31:23--Audio ends.
Rights
Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives.