- Collection:
- Harold Paulk (Hal) Henderson, Sr. oral history collection. 1981, 1985-1988
- Title:
- Samuel Ernest (Chip) Vandiver III interviewed by Dr. Harold Paulk Henderson. 27 February 1994.
- Creator:
- Vandiver, Samuel Ernest
Henderson, Harold P. - Date of Original:
- 1994-02-27
- Subject:
- Georgia--Politics and government
Politics and government
Georgia - People:
- Vandiver, Samuel Ernest
Vandiver, S. Ernest (Samuel Ernest), 1918-2005 - Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
- Medium:
- interviews
oral histories (literary works) - Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/plain
- Description:
- Topics include being part of the Russell family.
S.E. "Chip" Vandiver, III, is the son of Betty and Ernest Vandiver. He clerked for Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jordan and had a private law practice in Lavonia, Ga.
Interviewed by Harold Paulk Henderson. - Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/gych_rbrl096hph_ohvan16b-0050#text
- Language:
- eng
- Additional Rights Information:
- Resources may be used under the guidelines described by the U.S. Copyright Office in Section 107, Title 17, United States Code (Fair use). Parties interested in production or commercial use of the resources should contact the Russell Library for a fee schedule.
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Harold Paulk (Hal) Henderson, Sr. Oral History Collection. Series 1. S. Ernest Vandiver Interviews, OHVAN 16B, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia, 30602-1641.
- Extent:
- 1 transcript (34 leaves)
- Original Collection:
- Harold Paulk (Hal) Henderson, Sr. oral history collection.
- Holding Institution:
- Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies
- Rights:
-
Harold Paulk Henderson, Sr. Oral History Collection
OH Vandiver 16B
Samuel Ernest (Chip) Vandiver III Interviewed by Dr. Harold Paulk Henderson (Part B)
Date: 02-27-94
Cassette #466 (6 Minutes, Side One Only)
EDITED BY DR. HENDERSON
Side One
Henderson: Your mother is a member of one of the most prestigious families in Georgia history. How does it feel to be a member of the Russell family?
Vandiver: It's great. Russell's got muscle and Vandiver has got stamina [sic]. [Laughter] That's the best way it could be. The Russell family is a wonderful family, and I thank my lucky stars that I've had the opportunity to know all of these wonderful people. You need to make sure you come to the family reunion this year. I mean, you talk about some places to talk to some folks and some good interviews. It lasts starting with the lasagna supper on Thursday through Sunday at the pond. You've got 250, 300 people there. It's an amazing sight. I've got lots of things we can talk about as far as Uncle Dick [Richard Brevard Russell, Jr.] is concerned and all of that. That's great. I'm so glad that my daddy married who he did. [Laughter]
Henderson: Have you ever considered getting into politics?
Vandiver: Yeah, I have. You know, I find it for those same reasons that I told you, the good and the bad of it. I think it would be wonderful to do that. My experience with politicians is that you can't make very much of a good living at it, if you're an honest politician. You know, if you scrupulously . . . and that's what I would do too. You're going to make your salary and that's pretty much it and I know. My dad, from a financial standpoint, he hadn't made any money in his life, much. We were lucky enough my grandfather, he bought a lot of land around here and made a good bit of money himself, but I think the most my daddy ever got paid when he was in office was $13,000 [a year]. I'm not sure how much he made the two to three years after that that he practiced law. By and large, we moved back over to Lavonia [Georgia] and right now, I'm trying to make a living [laughter].
I have one daughter. My daughter is considering going to Darlington. Well, she could consider looking at the price schedule for what it takes, if she considers that a good idea. Right now I'm trying to make a living. I think I probably won't get involved in politics. I think I've gotten to the age where if I've got a fire in my belly that I want to run, I would've run by now. Maybe part of it is that I moved to Alaska, and I wasn't here during that period of time. Maybe if I'd been here from [age] twenty-seven to thirty-seven. By the time I was thirty-seven I would have tired of practicing law. I would have felt like I had done pretty much what I could do around here in that arena and that would have been a good time age-wise to get involved. As it was, I've been home now since '87 and I'm just now getting to the point where I feel comfortable about having a base. I'm going to be able to send my younguns to college. You know, you get to that point. I guess now would be the time that I would start thinking about it, and I do. I think about it occasionally and I'm not saying that I'd won't ever do it. I've never said I'll never do it. As a matter of fact, I probably always thought that I would, but I don't know. Time will tell.
Henderson: Final question. Is there anything that you would like to say about your father or your mother that I have not asked you?
Vandiver: There are lots of things, Hal, but I'm not going to go into them now. We'll talk about it some other time. Let me give some thought. Maybe what I'll do is I'll think of those things that I wish that I had mentioned that I didn't get to mention and I'll just write it to you or we'll do this again before you get finished with all of this. I ask people that at the end of depositions, "Is there anything that you want to tell me that I hadn't asked you about?" Occasionally you'll get some gem out of that, but you got to go to the well pretty often to get it. I appreciate you doing this and I hope I didn't talk too long.
Henderson: No, no. I appreciate very much you granting me this interview. I have enjoyed it.
Vandiver: Yeah, well I have too.
End of Side One
END OF INTERVIEW