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Town of Calhoun, South Carolina Oral History Collection

PayneE Cassette 1, Side 1

Media

Part of Interview: Payne, Eva

Title

PayneE Cassette 1, Side 1

Source

Eva Payne Interview

Date

Unknown (presumably in 1988)

Description

Cassette 1

Side 1

00:07: Eva is 90 years old at the time of this interview. She was born on October 7, 1897.

00:44: She was born in Calhoun, in the original 7 room family house on the corner of Elm and Clemson Streets. Her father, Jerrie Payne built one of the first stores in the Calhoun area as well as owning a livery service. In 1910, the store caught fire, and it quickly spread to the family's residence because it was situated only yards away. The family had been alerted to leave the by the local night watchman. Cadets from Clemson College helped fight the fire with well water and attempted to save what possessions they could for the family. Both structures were a complete loss. The family rebuilt a new house on the same spot.

9:50: Eva's father was Jerrie Payne who was originally from Cleveland, Georgia. Her mother Elmira was the youngest daughter of Aaron Boggs. Pat Benson was a black gentleman that worked for the family.

16:00: Aunt Caroline was Pat Benson's mother. It was considered respectful to refer to the local older black women as "aunt."

17:03: Eva states that relations between the white and black communities were good as far as she knew. The two groups were always respectful towards one another.

18:57: Eva's father died at the relatively young age of forty-five in November of 1902.

20:19: Megginson reads from Eva's family bible. The bible was published by the B.F. Johnson Company in Richmond, Virginia. The copyright is 1886. Megginson reads the Payne's marriage certificate.

22:17: Eva remembers that her parents lived eleven years in Alabama before relocating to Calhoun, SC.

24:11: Eva's mother Elmira remarried after her husband Jerrie's death. She married a cousin--Reuben Boggs.

26:31: Eva and Megginson look at two old photos. They comment on how attractive Elmira was, and Eva describes a photograph of a brother named William N. Payne taken before he died as an infant.

30:05: Eva's mother was a fine businesswoman. She had been left with some considerable debt after the death of her first husband but paid everything off while managing the family's business dealings.

31:48: 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.