Interview Transcript
When did you move to Haydenville?
Let's see, Monty [her son] was four years old when I moved up here. It was a long time
ago. I said I stay two years when I came and I've been here ever since. A long two years.
Was there a difference in, you said, Vinton?
Yes. yes.
Was there a big difference between there and here, Haydenville?
Oh, yeah ah even the people are different. It was just a small community but ah there was
a difference. And of course I moved here and everybody around here more or less, in one
way or the other was related some way they was a cousin, an uncle, a nephew or something
and I was a perfect stranger from clear ... so, it was difficult for a while.
How long have you lived here?
Uh, let's see. 59, 1959 1 think about 40 years, yeah yeah.
What is your fondest memory?
The people are really, really nice people here. When, see, Monty, when he was seven, he
got hit by a car out here as he was riding a bike and he came across the street-he
wasn't
even allowed over there but at seven years old. Anyway, the people here were tremendous,
they were so great. Quentin stayed with a family and went to school with their boy. Course
I went to children's hospital and stayed with Monty for, I was up there about four months
and uh...
He was in the hospital that long?
Uh, he was in a hospital the first time for 2 and half months and then he went back for
skin graph. Because he had both of his legs broken and his head hurt.
Have there always been big trucks or whatever passing here?
Ah, see this over here used to be the clay company. And then they done away with it and
the gravel pit and there was a lumber mill and and there wasn't big trucks when we first
moved here but this was a car that hit Monty, it was a car.
So everyone kid of took care of everyone?
Uh huh.
So what was it like living in a company town? Was it real busy and everyone
outside?
Yes it was busy when I first moved here. The clay company was going full force. And my
husband worked the station over here for the C&O Railroad. And they would send out 21
cars of pipe a day. And it was quite busy and then it just went downhill. Like everything
else I guess.
Why, in your opinion did it close?
I think they changed the way they ... See they used these conduits over here for the
electric company and everything. And it just got better, I mean, they found better ways to
do it and uh they just ...
So mainly the company produced bricks?
Bricks, yes. The church up here has got one of each one of the bricks that was made around
here over there in the church.
So, do you know where the bricks were sent to?
They were shipped all over. My husband shipped car loads of brick out of here all over for
the on the railroad.
Did you work anywhere in town?
No, after Monty got hurt he was had a tutor for the year, first year. And when he went
back to public school I couldn't stand him going with out me being there so I went to the
school house to work. And I worked there five years and then he went to Logan to high
school and I worked in Goodyear for five years. And then I decided it was a loosing battle
I wasn't getting ... so I just quit.
So did he attend this school?
No, no he went to Green Elementary. On up on 33 up here and then when they graduated from,
I think, they went to the 6th or maybe the 8th grade up here and then they went on to
Logan High School.
So what's the story on this school? Was it closed when you moved here?
What? The school? Yes I don't uh it was long quite a few years ago yeah.
About everyday life ... Would you say it's the same now?
There's a lot of different people moved in and out of here recently. Where as it used to
be the main people that lived here was the workers that worked at the clay factory and now
after they closed down it uh there was different people who moved in and out.
So is the town as unified, do you think?
No.
What do you think about the children here as far as the vandalism? Do you think
there is a lack of activities?
Uh huh there's a lack of activities. There is very little law enforcement down in through
here and they more or less know that they can get away with stuff. But we've got some good
kids and then we've got some that is trouble makers but you find that everywhere.
About local law enforcement...
Well, when the when the factory was runnin' the supervisor, the general manager of the
plant lived right up there in across the alley up there ...
C.S. Matheny?
Yes, yes. And he more or less kept people straight.
How?
See they lived in company houses. And if you lived in a company house, you behaved
yourself or you answered to him. And he more or less kept it ... but then when he died, it
this went to pot.
About the marble fire place...
It's Italian marble. It was shipped over here back when the house was built. And it's the
only one that's left. There was ...
Was it in every house?
No it was in this house, this one the one next door. I think these three houses was the
only ones who had this in it. And, course when I moved here, it was still here. Lucky. And
then I wouldn't get rid of it.
Why do you think people got rid of it?
There's people who like old things and there's people who doesn't care for old things. And
most of the people here just simply didn't care for old things. I like old things ... But
when the canal went through here, that was shipped, they said, down the canal, on a boat
...
So when the plant closed down how did that affect you?
Well, when the plant closed, uh, course Ed worked for the rail road so he just transferred
some place else. And, but, there was a guy came in here and bought the whole town.
Machetti, Machetti. And, then he sold, if you wanted to buy your house, you bought it.
And, uh that's the way the houses were sold. He sold each one of em ...
Did you ever want to leave?
Oh I said when I first came here I would stay two years and that'd be all the longer I'd
stay because I didn't like it. I was a stranger in among everybody that knew each other.
But the more you stayed, the more it grew on you. And now, I I'll die here I suppose ...
About Machetti...
He lives in Cleveland or some place uh up north somewhere. The houses were cheap. If they
rent now they rent fairly cheap. I guess most people are like me, they just get here and
stay.
Are there a lot of vacant homes around?
No, no there isn't. That's the thing of it, there isn't any empty houses around here.
Is there anything you would like to be changed or restored in this town?
The one thing, course it's long gone now, but he one thing that I really hated to see go
in this town and that was the company store and the offices down here. It was a beautiful
place.
What was in it?
There was a company store in it. All the offices for over at NATCO were in it. Ah I think
it had upstairs apartments in it and it was just a beautiful brick ...
And they tore it down?
When when the houses when the plant closed and there was no longer a company store, there
was a welding place went in it and they just messed it up and messed it up and finally
they tore it completely down.
So when you were here the company store was still...
Yes it was. ...
...up and running? How was that? Was that where you did all your shopping?
No I very seldom ever went there unless I needed a loaf of bread or they had real good
meat down there. They had a little bit of everything down there. Now most of the people
that worked, the man that worked over here at the plant, that's where they dealt.
Did they get discounts?
I don't think so but they run a store bill, I think, from pay day to pay day --- But we
didn't, we didn't do that.
How was the company to the employees?
I think they had it good and they didn't realize it, really.
Did the owner seem caring?
Oh yes yes yes.
Were they concerned personal life?
Oh yes, yes. Very much so.
It was a lot like a family?
It was like a big Appalachian family. That's what it amounted to.
About the church ... Do you regularly attend?
Yes I do, yes I do. I've gone there since I came here.
Does a lot of the town the people who live here, go there?
Ah, well not a lot of them. What goes to church here in Haydenville go there. mostly, I 'd
say 25 to 35 a Sunday.
What were the numbers back when the plant was still open?
We have I really can't tell you for sure but there was more went then than there is now
because a lot of the older people that supported the church has since died, But the the
congregation was much bigger then than it is now.
Are there a lot of kids that go there now?
Kids don't go. They'd rather do something else on Sunday.
How would you describe Haydenville in one word?
It's nice. Wouldn't want to leave, not now,been here too long.
So do you think the history of the town is appreciated or are they ignorant to it?
They don't most of then don't really seem to care.
What do you see for the future?
I hope it gets better.
|
