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Town of Calhoun, South Carolina Oral History Collection

MixonM Cassette 3, Side 1

Media

Part of Interview: Mixon, Mildred Cochran

Title

MixonM Cassette 3, Side 1

Source

Mildred Cochran Mixon Interview

Date

1988-08-31

Description

Cassette 3

Side1

00:07: The interview turns toward what reading materials were available to people. She can remember the Anderson and Greenville newspapers, as well as the Pickens Sentinel. Everyone seemed to have a Sears's catalogue. The schoolhouse had a nice library. Jane Eyre was a popular novel when she was a child. She occasionally went to the Clemson library as a youth. School textbooks were purchased at Martin's drugstore.

5:35: Mrs. Mixon names her siblings. Eula, Wallie(?), "Dud"(Hugh?), Sue, and Edith. All of the children were born at home under the care of Dr. Beardon of Central, along with the help of a midwife named Fanny Butler.

9:41: The conversation jumps to the neighboring Henry family. Garnett and Elmore Henry's children were Sue Mary, Louis, and June. Mr. Henry worked at both the dairy and the canteen at the college.

11:34: Back to Mrs. Mixon's family--her mother was from Townville, SC. It is not known how her parents met. She had a grandfather named Christopher Columbus that everyone called "Uncle Lummy." Mocrina Campbell was another relative. She may have been a Kennymoore by birth. Megginson adds that she and her husband owned a large portion of land in the area. After a marital dispute, she was awarded with well over 100 acres of land. She sold off lots in the area for $25 a piece.

17:00: Mrs. Mixon talks about the difficulties and illnesses of some of her siblings. One of the arthritic brothers, William, died of a burst appendix when he was still quite young. The other arthritic brother, "Dud", lived into his forties. Her sister Edith died of pneumonia at a young age. Five of the seven children in the family had serious illnesses/died young. Mrs. Mixon says that her mother was remarkably strong in the face of these tragedies.

18:50: Some of her fond memories of childhood involve the Boggs store, and movies at the YMCA. During Christmas, Santa would visit the YMCA and children would receive presents in stockings hung by the chimney. She can't remember anyone having Christmas trees when she was a youth.

20:21: Mrs. Mixon talks about her husband Floyd Mixon. He was from Fairfax, SC. He came to Clemson as a federal board student and lodged at the Smith Hotel. He married her sister Edith, but she died of pneumonia at a young age. Mrs. Mixon later married Floyd. He worked many years at the local State Farm Agency. He also worked in the dairy department at Clemson and as a one of the first police officers at the college.

22:10: Megginson thanks Mrs. Mixon for the interview.

23:00: 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.