Jane C. Warren interview with Clara Lord, Carl Gillis Sr., and Vic Williamson (part one)

The John Burrison Georgia Folklore Archive recordings contains unedited versions of all interviews. Some material may contain descriptions of violence, offensive language, or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. There are instances of racist language and description, particularly in regards to African Americans. These items are presented as part of the historical record. This project is a repository for the stories, accounts, and memories of those who chose to share their experiences for educational purposes. The viewpoints expressed in this project do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Atlanta History Center or any of its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The Atlanta History Center makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interviews and expressly disclaims any liability therefore. If you believe you are the copyright holder of any of the content published in this collection and do not want it publicly available, please contact the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center at 404-814-4040 or reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. This is the first installment of a two-part recording. It begins with Clara Lord describing corn shucking parties and the food they prepared for the party. At 2:30, she talks about traditional medicine , such as Gophergrass in tea for kidney trouble. At 3:58, Lord recalls games she played as a child and a humorous story. At 8:40, she talks about how her family had to make their clothes and linens, and generally about living on a farm and helping with chores. She details planting machinery, such as the turning plow, and tools they made out of iron. 18:35: Lord then describes log-rolling to move logs down river to Darien, Georgia. She also talks about yearly trips to Savannah, Georgia, to sell goods. She circles back to her familys farm, specifically about how her father raised sheep, and how they built houses and furniture. At 30:39, Lord talks about her job as one of four midwives in her community Next at 33:30, Carl Gillis Sr. talks about growing up on a farm where they made cane juice, grinded corn in the grist mill, and cured meats. He also talks about quilting and corn shucking parties. At 44:00, Gillis details log-rolling, and at 47:18 he describes how they constructed his childhood home. 51:56: Vic Williamson, a Black woman, talks about curative herbs and roots they put in teas such as black draw, bluegrass, black root, and yellow root. At 58:14, she says that her grandfather, Tom Gillis, was enslaved and lived to be 125 years old. At 1:00:58, Williamson says that her father would threaten her and her siblings with the boogieman into good behavior. At 1:02:20, she talks about funeral rites, coffin-making, and her sisters recent passing. At 1:04:17, she describes childhood games and songs she used to sing. Clara Lord (1891-1977) was born in Emanuel County, Georgia, to Thomas Peebles (1867-1933) and Florence Peebles (1867-1905). In 1905, she married James Madison Lord (1885-1945) and had four children, Tommie L. Lord (1910-1987), Myrtle Lord Green (1912-2001), Neely Lord DeWald (1915-2014), and Jack J. Lord (1918-1978). She worked as a midwife for Emmanuel County. Carl Gillis, Sr. (1890-1982) was born in Emanuel County, Georgia, to John D. Gillis (1859-1937) and Roxie S. Gillis (1870-1917). In 1916, he married Vina Lou Rowland Gillis (1893-1997) and had five children, Carl L. Gillis, Jr. (1917-2008), John Rowland Gillis (1918-1993), Angus Gillis (1920-1951), Madelyn Gillis Warren (1922-2011), and Jimmie Kate Gillis Reese (1926-2014). He took over his family farm when his parents died, and later worked at the post office. Victoria Vic Williamson (1893-?) was born in Emanuel County, Georgia. Her grandfather, Tom Gillis, and her father, John Williamson, were former slaves. She helped on her fathers farm, which he received under Reconstruction. No additional biographical information has been determined. A PDF transcript exists for this recording. Please contact an archivist for access. Professor John Burrison founded the Atlanta Folklore Archive Project in 1967 at Georgia State University. He trained undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in his folklore curriculum to conduct oral history interviews. Students interviewed men, women, and children of various demographics in Georgia and across the southeast on crafts, storytelling, music, religion, rural life, and traditions. As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information, which places us inaposition to choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, andbias isreflected in our descriptions, whichmay not convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materialsaccurately.Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment.We often re-use language used by the former owners and creators, which provides context but also includes bias and prejudices of the time it was created.Additionally,our work to use reparative languagewhereLibrary of Congress subject termsareinaccurate and obsolete isongoing. Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or description please let us know by emailingreference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.