Oral History Interview with Flossie Hines

Interview Summary

Work patterns

Hines identifies pictures of her dad, Clarence Wilson

Worked “like a dog,” currently retired

Biographical information, 11-16-1910, mother was born in Owensboro

Maternal grandfather ran a store based in Red Hill called Cook's Grocery, paternal grandfather was a farmer

Parents eloped

(Flossie’s uncle) Garland Cook built a tabernacle

Uncle lived with grandfather because his parents died

After death of grandfather Flossie's mother raised him

Discussion about parent’s marriage and home life

Flossie's older brother died as a child

Details of Flossie's birth and mother's illness

Father worked hard as a farmer

Recalls when her brother Tommy was born

On her relationship with her father as a child: "I was a corker, Daddy's girl,” Flossie wore pants like her father

Brother, George Washington Wilson, died at two, death caused by a “brain fever”

Shows a picture of father with George, dad was 32 when the picture was taken

Doctor treated George, mother was experiencing complications with her pregnancy

A cousin came to help with the household chores during this time

Flossie was looked after by the Stewart family briefly

Uncle William, Buck Wilson, Lizzie and Mattie, mother’s sister, played the guitar

Chose not to play guitar, hurt her fingers and did not take to playing very quickly

Flossie worked in the house and the fields

Wilson played the banjo and fiddle, Mr. Wilson's sister played, but cousins were not interested in music

Flossie's daughter Pauline Wilson McGinnis played and sang with Clarence Wilson

Discussion of childhood music playing and performing

Dad took time to play on Saturdays

Wilson would play the fiddle and his granddaughter would accompany on the guitar

Discussion of the locations of pictures the interviewer brought

Father’s wood cutting, story of Pen coming to the house for the first time in many years riding a big white horse

Pen boarded with Wilson for free

Pen and the family would up and sing songs like "Skip to my Lou my darling” and dance

Dances were held every weekend

A Black man bought ham, explains how her family met him

Arnold Schultz begins talking, describes dances

New generation does not participate in dances

Picnic at Vine Hill Road

Mary Ann said she was tired of so much attention focused on music, “why, you couldn't do up here in this hollow, without having a dance, now there ain't no use in you saying that."

Memories of dating husband for three years

Flossie and her husband Wavy briefly lived in Detroit, but moved back to farm with relatives

Recalls that the couple moved back on Easter