Interview: Summey, George C.
Item
Identifier
Mss-0279, Cassette 24
Title
Interview: Summey, George C.
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
1988-08-10
Description
George C. Summey was born in 1904, the son of James J. and Margaret Evatt Summey. He was a general contractor and co-founder of Newton & Summey Lumber Company. He was a member of the Clemson Wesleyan Church. He was married to Mae Newton Summey of Clemson. There was one surviving son at the time of his death: J. Calvin Summey. Mr. Summey died on September 14, 1999.
Side 1
00:32: Mr. Summey is aged 84 in 1988. He moved from Central to Calhoun in 1925.
00:52: Aspects of the local Wesleyan Methodist Church are discussed. He has been a member of the church for around 60 years. After marriage in 1925, he and his wife briefly moved to Pickens in 1926 before moving back to Calhoun in 1928. The church is located at the intersection of 93 and 123. It stands very close in proximity to the Summey residence. The building was built around 1950, with the first service being held in 1951.
8:51: Prior to the new construction, the congregation met in an old school house in Calhoun. The building had been deeded to Mr. Dillard. Megginson adds that the property and building had belonged to Aaron Boggs, who originally deeded it to town officials around 1893 in order that it be used as a schoolhouse.
9:57: Megginson states that the Wesleyan Methodists could well go back to the late 1890's. He references a book by James Hillson entitled "History of SC Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of America." A passage states that a meeting of the SC Conference of Wesleyan Methodists was held in Calhoun in 1897.
11:30: Some early members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church were Mrs. Louis Smith (charter member--organist--Megginson's grandmother), Lela Lawrence (charter member), and Frank Dillard (Sunday School Superintendent).
16:20: The Wesleyan Methodists held very emotional services, but were against "speaking in tongues."
20:14: Another early founder of this church was J.T. Carey; he served as pastor at the church for a time. His wife was a charter member.
22:40: Mr. Summey describes the location of his house, mentioning his neighbors the Henry's, and Mixon's.
26:10: There were more women in the church than men. When the Summey's first joined the Wesleyan Methodist Church, there were only two male members.
26:55: Mr. Summey can remember shopping at the Boggs Store. A gentleman named Mr. Crawford would go around the community and take orders with the assistance of a black man who would help him with the delivery of the items.
29:54: Mr. Summey can recall the Smith boarding house because he was professionally involved as a contractor/builder and remembers doing repairs there.
31:43: Audio ends.
Side 2
00:16: There was a local community store in Clemson. Another local establishment was run by Major Abbot where shoes and clothes could be purchased.
2:37: The conversation briefly turns to Jane Prince. She lived near the Cochran's. She was a very elderly woman by the time Mr. Summey moved to Calhoun. Jane Prince was a remarkable person and visitors walked away feeling "blessed" to have met her.
4:06: Mr. Summey begins to recall various local houses, individuals, and street names. The Boggs's, Crawford's, Cochran's, and King's are discussed.
8:30: Cliff Crawford owned a cleaning business.
11:20: He can remember first getting telephone service in the late 1930's. There was electricity in the house that he had built in 1929, but no indoor plumbing.
14:00: Mr. Summey was part owner of a construction business named Newton & Summey for twenty years before going out on his own to do contracting work. The aforementioned business became Clemson Lumber Company.
15:05: There is a local street named for him. He owned much of the adjacent property and built several houses there. The land was sold to him by Eva and Gracia Payne.
18:30: Various aspects of local church life are again covered. Local minister's annual salaries were not sufficient to live on alone; pastor's usually took on other work to compliment their incomes. Services lasted two hours or so. The Wesleyan Church was opposed to drinking, smoking, dancing, and card playing. In the old days women wore no makeup or jewelry and never cut their hair. By the time Mr. Summey joined the congregation in 1922, services were held on every consecutive Sunday. He didn't attend any other denominational church except for on special occasions. There were records for the church dating back 25 years or so in 1988. He is unaware of any records that exist prior to that time period.
29:30: Audio ends.
Side 1
00:32: Mr. Summey is aged 84 in 1988. He moved from Central to Calhoun in 1925.
00:52: Aspects of the local Wesleyan Methodist Church are discussed. He has been a member of the church for around 60 years. After marriage in 1925, he and his wife briefly moved to Pickens in 1926 before moving back to Calhoun in 1928. The church is located at the intersection of 93 and 123. It stands very close in proximity to the Summey residence. The building was built around 1950, with the first service being held in 1951.
8:51: Prior to the new construction, the congregation met in an old school house in Calhoun. The building had been deeded to Mr. Dillard. Megginson adds that the property and building had belonged to Aaron Boggs, who originally deeded it to town officials around 1893 in order that it be used as a schoolhouse.
9:57: Megginson states that the Wesleyan Methodists could well go back to the late 1890's. He references a book by James Hillson entitled "History of SC Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of America." A passage states that a meeting of the SC Conference of Wesleyan Methodists was held in Calhoun in 1897.
11:30: Some early members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church were Mrs. Louis Smith (charter member--organist--Megginson's grandmother), Lela Lawrence (charter member), and Frank Dillard (Sunday School Superintendent).
16:20: The Wesleyan Methodists held very emotional services, but were against "speaking in tongues."
20:14: Another early founder of this church was J.T. Carey; he served as pastor at the church for a time. His wife was a charter member.
22:40: Mr. Summey describes the location of his house, mentioning his neighbors the Henry's, and Mixon's.
26:10: There were more women in the church than men. When the Summey's first joined the Wesleyan Methodist Church, there were only two male members.
26:55: Mr. Summey can remember shopping at the Boggs Store. A gentleman named Mr. Crawford would go around the community and take orders with the assistance of a black man who would help him with the delivery of the items.
29:54: Mr. Summey can recall the Smith boarding house because he was professionally involved as a contractor/builder and remembers doing repairs there.
31:43: Audio ends.
Side 2
00:16: There was a local community store in Clemson. Another local establishment was run by Major Abbot where shoes and clothes could be purchased.
2:37: The conversation briefly turns to Jane Prince. She lived near the Cochran's. She was a very elderly woman by the time Mr. Summey moved to Calhoun. Jane Prince was a remarkable person and visitors walked away feeling "blessed" to have met her.
4:06: Mr. Summey begins to recall various local houses, individuals, and street names. The Boggs's, Crawford's, Cochran's, and King's are discussed.
8:30: Cliff Crawford owned a cleaning business.
11:20: He can remember first getting telephone service in the late 1930's. There was electricity in the house that he had built in 1929, but no indoor plumbing.
14:00: Mr. Summey was part owner of a construction business named Newton & Summey for twenty years before going out on his own to do contracting work. The aforementioned business became Clemson Lumber Company.
15:05: There is a local street named for him. He owned much of the adjacent property and built several houses there. The land was sold to him by Eva and Gracia Payne.
18:30: Various aspects of local church life are again covered. Local minister's annual salaries were not sufficient to live on alone; pastor's usually took on other work to compliment their incomes. Services lasted two hours or so. The Wesleyan Church was opposed to drinking, smoking, dancing, and card playing. In the old days women wore no makeup or jewelry and never cut their hair. By the time Mr. Summey joined the congregation in 1922, services were held on every consecutive Sunday. He didn't attend any other denominational church except for on special occasions. There were records for the church dating back 25 years or so in 1988. He is unaware of any records that exist prior to that time period.
29:30: Audio ends.
Subject
South Carolina -- Pickens County
Interviewer
Megginson, W. J.
Interviewee
Summey, George C.
Publisher
Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Repository
