Interview: Fendley Brothers
Item
Identifier
Mss-0279, Cassette 7-8
Title
Interview: Fendley Brothers
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
1988-08-28
Description
Fendley brothers Claude, Jack, and Ray were all the sons of George M. and Margaret Palmer Fendley. Claude was born on July 4, 1922. He was the owner/operator of Fendley's Service Station. Claude was a World War II veteran and a member of the Clemson First Baptist Church. Jack was born on July 4, 1922. He was an employee of the Milliken Finishing Plant, a veteran of World War II, and a member of the Clemson First Baptist Church. Ray was born on August 30, 1924. He was a local letter carrier, a World War II veteran, and a member of the Clemson First Baptist Church. Claude Fendley died on September 6, 1999. Jack Fendley died on November 29, 1998, and Ray Fendley died on January 21, 1993.
Cassette 1
Side 1
00:07: Brothers Jack (66), Claude (66), and Ray (64) Fendley have lived in the Calhoun/Clemson areas all their lives. They have lived in the same house since childhood; it was built in 1917.
1:24: Their parents were George and Margaret Fendley. George was born in 1890 and Margaret was born in 1891. George was from the Seneca area, while Margaret grew up in Anderson, SC. They moved to Calhoun after they were married. Before the family house was finished, they lived for about three years in apartments above the Smith store. The brothers cannot recall what the rent was.
4:40: Their father George worked for Captain Clinkscales. Clinkscales had two main businesses: livery service and the renting of farmland. George was the general overseer of both operations. Clinkscales owned farms near the Pendleton Highway (behind where National Guard Armory is located). The main crops were corn and cotton. He employed black tenant workers (three or four families). The livery service employed perhaps ten to twelve workers (mostly black).
10:40 – Mr. Clinkscales was mayor in the late 1930's. The town of Calhoun was incorporated into Clemson around 1943 under Mayor Leon Crawford. The brothers say that the name change was supported by the community.
12:22: Megginson asks where exactly Mr. Clinkscales lived. The brothers state that he lived out on The Seneca Highway--beyond the Methodist Church--the site is where the Frank Anderson house currently stands.
13:20: The interview briefly turns to politics. The brothers voted at the schoolhouse. There was no city council for the town of Calhoun, the area was too small.
16:50: Megginson is interested in what services were available to the family when it first moved into the new house in 1917. There was initially no plumbing in the house. Although memories are not clear, they believe electricity and water services were put into place around 1939. Telephone service was available to Calhoun for a good while before the family decided to make use of it.
19:00: Paved roads? Perhaps not until the WPA project. Several local roads ran on different routes around the Calhoun area in the old days, but the brothers can always remember the underpass.
23:00: There were no street lights in Calhoun until perhaps 1983.
23:40: The brothers pull out a photograph for Megginson to inspect. It apparently depicts a local baseball team. Most of the individuals depicted cannot be identified, though the faces of Doc Crawford, the Goodman and Gordon boys, and Clint Taylor are recognized.
27:00: Audio ends.
Cassette 1
Side 2
00:07: The brothers explain that nicknames like Colonel, Judge, Cap, or Boss were given to "old timers" as a sign of respect, not necessarily because of military service.
1:14: the group talks about Colonel Doyle, Mr. White, and the longtime assistant Willie Richey (black) who all worked at the depot.
3:50: Megginson asks if the brothers knew where Mr. Richey lived. The black section of town was called "The Quarters." The area is where the current (1988) Ramada Inn is located. Both Mr. White and Mr. Doyle used telegraph for communication. The conversation turns to Mr. Doyle's house. Mr. Doyle actually lived close to the Fendley's in a large two story house. It faced the railroad on Elm Street (also known as Railroad Street). The brothers seem to remember that the house was painted yellow and had large porches. It was a well kept house. The Doyle's had children, but the brothers' memories have faded and specifics cannot be given.
6:40: Another large house that was close in proximity was the Dillard house. The owner was Frank Dillard who worked in some capacity for Clemson College. The family had one daughter, who lived in Atlanta.
8:07: Megginson asks if the brothers could name any more houses that were close to College Avenue. The Doyle, Dillard, Fendley, Chapman, Vandiver, Crawford, Cochran, and Grant houses can all be recalled as being in that area.
15:00: Megginson is interested in the Cochran family. Mr. Cochran was a local magistrate. Individuals would go to him in order to get married, or take out a warrant. He was like a Justice of the Peace. His jurisdiction was just for the Calhoun area.
16:57: The Boggs and Cochran families were well thought of. Megginson asks if the brothers knew Jane Prince. They said they did, but the conversation never elaborates.
19:01: The brothers recollections of Hal Boggs is that he was not a terribly energetic man as far as work ethics were concerned, but had a very large family. He was a farmer. The Sherry (?) family moved into the Boggs house after World War II. They had a daughter named Rebecca. Indeed several different families seem to have lived in the Boggs house over the years.
24:50: The group discusses the general lay of the land in the Calhoun area and how it has been affected by the Hartwell Project.
26:10: The conversation briefly touches on the Chapman family. Mr. Chapman worked at the Clemson College woodshop, while his wife worked at the Calhoun post office. The post office building no longer stands.
29:39: The brothers state that while both their parents were literate, their grandfather Henry was not.
31:45: Audio ends.
Cassette 2
Side 1
00:07: Their Uncle Frank went to school near an area called Glenn Lakes or Vance Grove.
00:52: There used to be a school in the old Calhoun Wesleyan Methodist Church. The brothers occasionally attended Sunday school at this church, though they were members of the Baptist denomination.
6:00: The subject of religion and tent meetings is brought up. Tent meetings were usually held in summer, and drew people from a wide area. Women carried fans to ward off the heat, though one brother states that in the days prior to air-conditioning, people were used to hot weather. There was no music or piano, just preaching. Each meeting would last two hours or so. Offerings were taken up from the attendants. The brothers' parents attended these meetings, though one sibling admits that as a child he found it quite frightening.
9:50: Megginson steers the conversation towards which individuals owned much of the land that became Calhoun. Aaron Boggs owned all the land on one side north of the railroad. The Sloan family owned much of the other half as it stretched south of the railroad.
11:35: Megginson understands that the Barker family also owned a portion of land in the area. Mr. Barker ran a blacksmith shop as did the Fendley brothers' grandfather. That shop was located behind the Clinkscales livery station.
14:40: Other stores and establishments in town: Martin's store which was across from the Sloan building, and Mr. Miller's (Milford?) print shop.
18:39: Megginson encourages the brothers to talk about the educational system in the Calhoun area. The brothers attended school through the ninth grade, after which they had to begin work. After service in World War II, the brothers attended trade school and later the "Pickens School" to finish. Some of the teachers they can remember are: Mrs. Culpert, Mrs. Morrison, Mrs. Adams, and Mrs. Pitts. An entire class might consist of 20-25 individuals. The school day lasted from 8:30-1:30.
21:40: Megginson is interested if there were any distinctions between professor's children and the rest. The brothers state that their clothes weren't as nice, and they recognized a difference--it was mainly monetary.
25:37: Some of the activities that children took part in for fun were playing in and around the railroad, swimming and fishing at the river, and even tying wagons to bulls in order to be hauled around. The Fendley's had a trained bull that could do this, and it would pull around perhaps a half a dozen wagons at one time.
29:30: When the brothers were children, they really didn't have to work. As they got older, they would help plow fields with mules in the summer for $0.50 a day.
31:30: Audio ends.
Cassette 2
Side 2
00:21: As boys they did odd chores for $0.05 to $0.10. Ten cents could go a long way in those days. One could buy candy at the Boggs or Smith stores, or go to see movies at the YMCA.
1:55: Megginson asks the brothers to give their recollections of the Boggs and Smith stores. The Smith store did not carry as much stock as the Boggs store. At the Boggs store individuals could keep a running account of purchases that could be paid a later dates.
3:50: The interviewees other siblings were: Ruth, Glenn, Nel (Al or Allie?), and Joe. Ruth worked at Clemson Extension with Mr. G.H. Aull.
7:00: Clothes--boy's cloths were store-bought, while girl's cloths often had to be handmade.
7:53: The conversation moves back toward local establishments. Mr. Boggs was tolerant of debt. He never charged interest and was considered a very good man. The Fendley family found themselves in serious debt to Mr. Boggs at one point, but he never forced the issue and allowed them to pay it off on their own time.
11:09: The drugstore was a popular hangout. The establishment served Coca-Cola, sandwiches, and ice-cream. One brother can remember Mr. McCollum, who ran the drugstore. School supplies could also be purchased there.
12:40: The brothers' employment in the post World War II years consisted of: textile worker, maintenance man/service station owner, and textiles/mail carrier.
14:04: Megginson poses a question: Who were their favorite adults? In general the boys liked to sit around and listen to the "old folks" talk. Charlie Bennett was a name they mention. He would take them hunting and fishing. Everyone in the community was friendly and neighborly.
16:30: Calhoun was much more appealing to women: the first choice of the local girl's was always Clemson College cadets.
17:03: Megginson's grandmother Smith ran a boarding house. He is interested to know if the brothers ever met any out-of- towners there. Most visitors to Calhoun could usually be found at Boggs store getting to know people and chatting. Often the establishment would stay open until 9pm at night. There were benches on the front porch, so crowds would linger long after the store closed.
20:46: Other employees at the Boggs store were Doc Crawford, who would take grocery orders, and Mr. Webb (black) who would deliver them.
21:57: The Boggs store stayed open even after Mr. Boggs death. His wife ran the store for a short while, and indeed there seems to have been several operators of the establishment after her.
22:51: The conversation turns to the depot building. The depot has been standing in its original spot throughout; it has been remodeled. As youths, a great deal of time was spent playing around the trains and the depot.
25:45: Megginson is interested in the relationships between whites and blacks in the Calhoun area. In general things were good; there were occasional fights. The communities were segregated, though as children both sides played together all the time.
28:48: Ray reflects on his childhood: a hard life, but nonetheless enjoyable. There were no real drug, cigarette, or liquor problems in the community in those days.
29:30: The Fendley brothers all agree that the Hartwell Project was a bad idea, if for no other reason than it destroyed cherished hunting land.
30:31: Audio ends.
Cassette 1
Side 1
00:07: Brothers Jack (66), Claude (66), and Ray (64) Fendley have lived in the Calhoun/Clemson areas all their lives. They have lived in the same house since childhood; it was built in 1917.
1:24: Their parents were George and Margaret Fendley. George was born in 1890 and Margaret was born in 1891. George was from the Seneca area, while Margaret grew up in Anderson, SC. They moved to Calhoun after they were married. Before the family house was finished, they lived for about three years in apartments above the Smith store. The brothers cannot recall what the rent was.
4:40: Their father George worked for Captain Clinkscales. Clinkscales had two main businesses: livery service and the renting of farmland. George was the general overseer of both operations. Clinkscales owned farms near the Pendleton Highway (behind where National Guard Armory is located). The main crops were corn and cotton. He employed black tenant workers (three or four families). The livery service employed perhaps ten to twelve workers (mostly black).
10:40 – Mr. Clinkscales was mayor in the late 1930's. The town of Calhoun was incorporated into Clemson around 1943 under Mayor Leon Crawford. The brothers say that the name change was supported by the community.
12:22: Megginson asks where exactly Mr. Clinkscales lived. The brothers state that he lived out on The Seneca Highway--beyond the Methodist Church--the site is where the Frank Anderson house currently stands.
13:20: The interview briefly turns to politics. The brothers voted at the schoolhouse. There was no city council for the town of Calhoun, the area was too small.
16:50: Megginson is interested in what services were available to the family when it first moved into the new house in 1917. There was initially no plumbing in the house. Although memories are not clear, they believe electricity and water services were put into place around 1939. Telephone service was available to Calhoun for a good while before the family decided to make use of it.
19:00: Paved roads? Perhaps not until the WPA project. Several local roads ran on different routes around the Calhoun area in the old days, but the brothers can always remember the underpass.
23:00: There were no street lights in Calhoun until perhaps 1983.
23:40: The brothers pull out a photograph for Megginson to inspect. It apparently depicts a local baseball team. Most of the individuals depicted cannot be identified, though the faces of Doc Crawford, the Goodman and Gordon boys, and Clint Taylor are recognized.
27:00: Audio ends.
Cassette 1
Side 2
00:07: The brothers explain that nicknames like Colonel, Judge, Cap, or Boss were given to "old timers" as a sign of respect, not necessarily because of military service.
1:14: the group talks about Colonel Doyle, Mr. White, and the longtime assistant Willie Richey (black) who all worked at the depot.
3:50: Megginson asks if the brothers knew where Mr. Richey lived. The black section of town was called "The Quarters." The area is where the current (1988) Ramada Inn is located. Both Mr. White and Mr. Doyle used telegraph for communication. The conversation turns to Mr. Doyle's house. Mr. Doyle actually lived close to the Fendley's in a large two story house. It faced the railroad on Elm Street (also known as Railroad Street). The brothers seem to remember that the house was painted yellow and had large porches. It was a well kept house. The Doyle's had children, but the brothers' memories have faded and specifics cannot be given.
6:40: Another large house that was close in proximity was the Dillard house. The owner was Frank Dillard who worked in some capacity for Clemson College. The family had one daughter, who lived in Atlanta.
8:07: Megginson asks if the brothers could name any more houses that were close to College Avenue. The Doyle, Dillard, Fendley, Chapman, Vandiver, Crawford, Cochran, and Grant houses can all be recalled as being in that area.
15:00: Megginson is interested in the Cochran family. Mr. Cochran was a local magistrate. Individuals would go to him in order to get married, or take out a warrant. He was like a Justice of the Peace. His jurisdiction was just for the Calhoun area.
16:57: The Boggs and Cochran families were well thought of. Megginson asks if the brothers knew Jane Prince. They said they did, but the conversation never elaborates.
19:01: The brothers recollections of Hal Boggs is that he was not a terribly energetic man as far as work ethics were concerned, but had a very large family. He was a farmer. The Sherry (?) family moved into the Boggs house after World War II. They had a daughter named Rebecca. Indeed several different families seem to have lived in the Boggs house over the years.
24:50: The group discusses the general lay of the land in the Calhoun area and how it has been affected by the Hartwell Project.
26:10: The conversation briefly touches on the Chapman family. Mr. Chapman worked at the Clemson College woodshop, while his wife worked at the Calhoun post office. The post office building no longer stands.
29:39: The brothers state that while both their parents were literate, their grandfather Henry was not.
31:45: Audio ends.
Cassette 2
Side 1
00:07: Their Uncle Frank went to school near an area called Glenn Lakes or Vance Grove.
00:52: There used to be a school in the old Calhoun Wesleyan Methodist Church. The brothers occasionally attended Sunday school at this church, though they were members of the Baptist denomination.
6:00: The subject of religion and tent meetings is brought up. Tent meetings were usually held in summer, and drew people from a wide area. Women carried fans to ward off the heat, though one brother states that in the days prior to air-conditioning, people were used to hot weather. There was no music or piano, just preaching. Each meeting would last two hours or so. Offerings were taken up from the attendants. The brothers' parents attended these meetings, though one sibling admits that as a child he found it quite frightening.
9:50: Megginson steers the conversation towards which individuals owned much of the land that became Calhoun. Aaron Boggs owned all the land on one side north of the railroad. The Sloan family owned much of the other half as it stretched south of the railroad.
11:35: Megginson understands that the Barker family also owned a portion of land in the area. Mr. Barker ran a blacksmith shop as did the Fendley brothers' grandfather. That shop was located behind the Clinkscales livery station.
14:40: Other stores and establishments in town: Martin's store which was across from the Sloan building, and Mr. Miller's (Milford?) print shop.
18:39: Megginson encourages the brothers to talk about the educational system in the Calhoun area. The brothers attended school through the ninth grade, after which they had to begin work. After service in World War II, the brothers attended trade school and later the "Pickens School" to finish. Some of the teachers they can remember are: Mrs. Culpert, Mrs. Morrison, Mrs. Adams, and Mrs. Pitts. An entire class might consist of 20-25 individuals. The school day lasted from 8:30-1:30.
21:40: Megginson is interested if there were any distinctions between professor's children and the rest. The brothers state that their clothes weren't as nice, and they recognized a difference--it was mainly monetary.
25:37: Some of the activities that children took part in for fun were playing in and around the railroad, swimming and fishing at the river, and even tying wagons to bulls in order to be hauled around. The Fendley's had a trained bull that could do this, and it would pull around perhaps a half a dozen wagons at one time.
29:30: When the brothers were children, they really didn't have to work. As they got older, they would help plow fields with mules in the summer for $0.50 a day.
31:30: Audio ends.
Cassette 2
Side 2
00:21: As boys they did odd chores for $0.05 to $0.10. Ten cents could go a long way in those days. One could buy candy at the Boggs or Smith stores, or go to see movies at the YMCA.
1:55: Megginson asks the brothers to give their recollections of the Boggs and Smith stores. The Smith store did not carry as much stock as the Boggs store. At the Boggs store individuals could keep a running account of purchases that could be paid a later dates.
3:50: The interviewees other siblings were: Ruth, Glenn, Nel (Al or Allie?), and Joe. Ruth worked at Clemson Extension with Mr. G.H. Aull.
7:00: Clothes--boy's cloths were store-bought, while girl's cloths often had to be handmade.
7:53: The conversation moves back toward local establishments. Mr. Boggs was tolerant of debt. He never charged interest and was considered a very good man. The Fendley family found themselves in serious debt to Mr. Boggs at one point, but he never forced the issue and allowed them to pay it off on their own time.
11:09: The drugstore was a popular hangout. The establishment served Coca-Cola, sandwiches, and ice-cream. One brother can remember Mr. McCollum, who ran the drugstore. School supplies could also be purchased there.
12:40: The brothers' employment in the post World War II years consisted of: textile worker, maintenance man/service station owner, and textiles/mail carrier.
14:04: Megginson poses a question: Who were their favorite adults? In general the boys liked to sit around and listen to the "old folks" talk. Charlie Bennett was a name they mention. He would take them hunting and fishing. Everyone in the community was friendly and neighborly.
16:30: Calhoun was much more appealing to women: the first choice of the local girl's was always Clemson College cadets.
17:03: Megginson's grandmother Smith ran a boarding house. He is interested to know if the brothers ever met any out-of- towners there. Most visitors to Calhoun could usually be found at Boggs store getting to know people and chatting. Often the establishment would stay open until 9pm at night. There were benches on the front porch, so crowds would linger long after the store closed.
20:46: Other employees at the Boggs store were Doc Crawford, who would take grocery orders, and Mr. Webb (black) who would deliver them.
21:57: The Boggs store stayed open even after Mr. Boggs death. His wife ran the store for a short while, and indeed there seems to have been several operators of the establishment after her.
22:51: The conversation turns to the depot building. The depot has been standing in its original spot throughout; it has been remodeled. As youths, a great deal of time was spent playing around the trains and the depot.
25:45: Megginson is interested in the relationships between whites and blacks in the Calhoun area. In general things were good; there were occasional fights. The communities were segregated, though as children both sides played together all the time.
28:48: Ray reflects on his childhood: a hard life, but nonetheless enjoyable. There were no real drug, cigarette, or liquor problems in the community in those days.
29:30: The Fendley brothers all agree that the Hartwell Project was a bad idea, if for no other reason than it destroyed cherished hunting land.
30:31: Audio ends.
Subject
South Carolina -- Pickens County
Interviewer
Megginson, W. J.
Interviewee
Fendley, Claude; Fendley, Jack; Fendley, Ray
Publisher
Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Repository
