Interview: Bishop, Mamie Morgan
Item
Identifier
Mss-0279, Cassette 2
Title
Interview: Bishop, Mamie Morgan
Type
Sound
Format
.mp3
Language
English
Source
Town of Calhoun, South Carolina Oral History Collection
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.
Date
1989-08-07
Description
Mamie Morgan Bishop was born on November 1, 1896 in Calhoun, SC, but grew up in nearby Seneca, SC. She was the daughter of J.D. and Netty Morgan. She was a 1917 graduate of Lander College in Greenwood, SC and thereafter taught school in Anderson and Seneca for over 40 years. After retirement, Mrs. Bishop moved to Greensboro, NC. As of 2001, she was the oldest living alum of Lander College at the age of 105. She died at age 107 on October 27, 2003 in Greensboro, NC.
Side 1
00:07: Mrs. Bishop was born in Calhoun in 1896, but spent most of her life in Seneca, SC. Her father was originally from the area around Six Mile, but also spent most of his life around the Seneca area.
1:21: Mrs. Bishop's grandfather was known to be one of the early settlers of the Calhoun area. His name was Robert F. Morgan. His wife was Melissa Cannon Morgan. They lived on the Shiloh Road; the house they lived in still stood as of 1989. Robert was a farmer and a surveyor. He also was a veteran of the Civil War. It was believed that he came to Calhoun by way of the Blue Ridge Railroad. In fact the original home-place in Calhoun was very near where the railroad ran. He owned a significant amount of land. He had a great number of children though his wife died at a young age. His daughters helped raise the remaining children. He owned a number of slaves before the war; Mrs. Bishop is unaware of where they went when the conflict ended.
12:01: Her father J.D. Morgan ran a general store in Calhoun with several business partners over the years. Mr. Morgan would visit Calhoun from Seneca every week; he left day to day operations to his partners. Her father also ran share cropping operations with black renters in the area. Mrs. Bishop can recall several black families: Jamison's, Ellis's, Preston's, and Earl's.
20:00: Her parents were Jefferson Davis and Netty Morgan. He was born around 1862.
21:25: Megginson is interested in who owned the Calhoun store building before her father established his business. Mrs. Bishop is unaware. Megginson states that his research shows that Dr. O.M. Doyle built the building in 1893.
25:50: Megginson asks about her impressions of Calhoun. She states that it was a grand place. She dated Clemson cadets and went to ballgames and enjoyed the famous ice cream. There was a popular meeting spot at a well between the station and her father's store. In the mornings people would met at the post office.
28:00: Mrs. Bishop cannot recall if the railroad depot was ever in a different location than it is now (1989).
29:09: The interview moves back towards the local cadets, and entertainment. A popular place for dancing was actually located above her father's store. She was never allowed to dance by her father; he never thought it proper.
30:30: Audio ends.
Side 2
00:07: The store that her father owned sold general merchandise. Groceries, shoes, dry goods, lotions--just about anything could be purchased there. There were displays in the windows for advertisements though Mrs. Bishop admits that it was nothing as fancy as what is available to modern consumers.
1:30: Megginson briefly states that the current restaurant at the store site is beautiful, and that the Payne, Boggs, Hines, and Perry homes still stand.
2:30: The partnerships are recalled--Jim and Bob Morgan worked with her father for a time. Jim left for California and Bob eventually moved to Pickens, where he died. Her father then had a partnership with Mr. Boggs for a time.
6:14: The interview moves towards events in Mrs. Bishop's life. She taught in Piedmont for a short time before taking four years off after she was married to H.P. Bishop in 1919. She returned to teach in Seneca where she taught 34 years at Utica.
11:25: School and teachers in Seneca--Mrs. Bishop recalls that the schools were good and had fine educators. She finished high school in Seneca and went on to Lander College in Greenwood, SC. Some of her grade school teachers were Suzy Bell, Mrs. May, Mrs. Ballenger, Mrs. Thompson, and Mrs. Margaret Morrison. Mrs. Morrison apparently made an impression; she was very popular and was among the finest History teachers Mrs. Bishop ever had. The schools had good facilities and supplies; maps, globes, and a gymnasium were available for use at the school she attended.
21:10: Black schools--she can remember that there was a local black Jr. College; her high school would occasionally attend programs sponsored by the college.
22:30: Mrs. Bishop names prominent black families in the area: the Thomas's, Babel's, and Sharp's.
24:43: Mrs. Bishop names white doctors who practice in the area over the years: Dr. Burgess, Dr. Lunney, Dr. Harper, Dr. Thompson, and Dr. Austin.
26:34: Mrs. Burgess names prominent white families in the area: Pikes, Boggs, Payne's, Vandiver's, and Dillard's.
28:40: Her father J.D. Morgan was not tall in height, had dark eyes and hair, wore a mustache, and had a great sense of humor.
30:35: She attended church mostly in Seneca, though she would occasionally attend the Wesleyan Church in Calhoun.
31:50: Audio ends.
Side 1
00:07: Mrs. Bishop was born in Calhoun in 1896, but spent most of her life in Seneca, SC. Her father was originally from the area around Six Mile, but also spent most of his life around the Seneca area.
1:21: Mrs. Bishop's grandfather was known to be one of the early settlers of the Calhoun area. His name was Robert F. Morgan. His wife was Melissa Cannon Morgan. They lived on the Shiloh Road; the house they lived in still stood as of 1989. Robert was a farmer and a surveyor. He also was a veteran of the Civil War. It was believed that he came to Calhoun by way of the Blue Ridge Railroad. In fact the original home-place in Calhoun was very near where the railroad ran. He owned a significant amount of land. He had a great number of children though his wife died at a young age. His daughters helped raise the remaining children. He owned a number of slaves before the war; Mrs. Bishop is unaware of where they went when the conflict ended.
12:01: Her father J.D. Morgan ran a general store in Calhoun with several business partners over the years. Mr. Morgan would visit Calhoun from Seneca every week; he left day to day operations to his partners. Her father also ran share cropping operations with black renters in the area. Mrs. Bishop can recall several black families: Jamison's, Ellis's, Preston's, and Earl's.
20:00: Her parents were Jefferson Davis and Netty Morgan. He was born around 1862.
21:25: Megginson is interested in who owned the Calhoun store building before her father established his business. Mrs. Bishop is unaware. Megginson states that his research shows that Dr. O.M. Doyle built the building in 1893.
25:50: Megginson asks about her impressions of Calhoun. She states that it was a grand place. She dated Clemson cadets and went to ballgames and enjoyed the famous ice cream. There was a popular meeting spot at a well between the station and her father's store. In the mornings people would met at the post office.
28:00: Mrs. Bishop cannot recall if the railroad depot was ever in a different location than it is now (1989).
29:09: The interview moves back towards the local cadets, and entertainment. A popular place for dancing was actually located above her father's store. She was never allowed to dance by her father; he never thought it proper.
30:30: Audio ends.
Side 2
00:07: The store that her father owned sold general merchandise. Groceries, shoes, dry goods, lotions--just about anything could be purchased there. There were displays in the windows for advertisements though Mrs. Bishop admits that it was nothing as fancy as what is available to modern consumers.
1:30: Megginson briefly states that the current restaurant at the store site is beautiful, and that the Payne, Boggs, Hines, and Perry homes still stand.
2:30: The partnerships are recalled--Jim and Bob Morgan worked with her father for a time. Jim left for California and Bob eventually moved to Pickens, where he died. Her father then had a partnership with Mr. Boggs for a time.
6:14: The interview moves towards events in Mrs. Bishop's life. She taught in Piedmont for a short time before taking four years off after she was married to H.P. Bishop in 1919. She returned to teach in Seneca where she taught 34 years at Utica.
11:25: School and teachers in Seneca--Mrs. Bishop recalls that the schools were good and had fine educators. She finished high school in Seneca and went on to Lander College in Greenwood, SC. Some of her grade school teachers were Suzy Bell, Mrs. May, Mrs. Ballenger, Mrs. Thompson, and Mrs. Margaret Morrison. Mrs. Morrison apparently made an impression; she was very popular and was among the finest History teachers Mrs. Bishop ever had. The schools had good facilities and supplies; maps, globes, and a gymnasium were available for use at the school she attended.
21:10: Black schools--she can remember that there was a local black Jr. College; her high school would occasionally attend programs sponsored by the college.
22:30: Mrs. Bishop names prominent black families in the area: the Thomas's, Babel's, and Sharp's.
24:43: Mrs. Bishop names white doctors who practice in the area over the years: Dr. Burgess, Dr. Lunney, Dr. Harper, Dr. Thompson, and Dr. Austin.
26:34: Mrs. Burgess names prominent white families in the area: Pikes, Boggs, Payne's, Vandiver's, and Dillard's.
28:40: Her father J.D. Morgan was not tall in height, had dark eyes and hair, wore a mustache, and had a great sense of humor.
30:35: She attended church mostly in Seneca, though she would occasionally attend the Wesleyan Church in Calhoun.
31:50: Audio ends.
Subject
South Carolina -- Pickens County
Interviewer
Megginson, W. J.
Interviewee
Bishop, Mamie Morgan
Publisher
Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Repository
