D. Grant interview with Reid Kendall and Ida Phillips (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 of a two part recording. To start, Ida Phillips says that Dahlonega and Lumpkin County, Georgia, have a rich history that includes gold mining and North Georgia College. At 5:38, she recalls winning the annual Gold Rush Days parade. Then, she describes the Lumpkin County school system in 1933 and names Andrew Cain, a local author, as an alumnus. At 10:09, Phillips tells a racist story about an indigenous man who visited a saloon every day and stored liquor in his cane. Then, at 12:48, she shares ghost stories about a double murder, Clay Creek Falls, and a family who gets rich. Afterward (at 26:32), she remembers her undergraduate education and career in teaching, including an anecdote about a student at 31:38. Next, at 33:58, Reid Kendall recalls a story about a wounded deer, followed by one about the last man, Harley Ball, living on a plot of land that the government was trying to buy. At 41:40, he tells a series of anecdotes about a family. In the first, one of the sons, Tom, steals Harley Balls truck and then kills him. Afterward, he and his brother, Roy, killed a sheriff. At 51:22 Kendall says that he saw Roy after he escaped from jail and then joined, and later deserted, the army. Locals created a petition to prevent Roy from being arrested again. At 1:01:56, Kendall discusses hog rifles, cap and ball pistols, and the mechanics of firearms. He also remembers shooting the bark off trees to knock out squirrels, before returning to the topic of guns. Then, at 1:10:56, he praises his son and son-in-law for studying computer science and having successful careers. He starts his last story at 1:16:09, which is about his grandmother giving food to Confederate troops and making bread out of cornmeal during the Civil War. Reid Kendall (1901-1997) was born in Lumpkin, Georgia, to James Elbert Kendall (1856-1920) and Mary Lavana Jones (1860-1918). In 1921, He married Mary Magdeline Berry (1903-1993), and they had several children: Truman Eugene (1922-1999), Mary Edna (1927-2004), Edward, Edith Jane (1932-2009), Loice, and Norma. He primarily worked as a farmer. Ida Phillips (1898-1994) was born in Spalding, Georgia to Joseph Avery (1859-) and Emma Avery (1864-). In 1938, she married Samuel Franklin Phillips (1898-1945). She was the first female Superintendent of Lumpkin County schools. No transcript exists for this recording. 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.