- Collection:
- Allen Thomas Oral History Collection
- Title:
- Oral history interview with Red Cowart on June 21, 1977
- Creator:
- Cowart, Dewitt ("Red"), November 23, 1896-December 24, 1981
- Contributor to Resource:
- Thomas, Allen
- Date of Original:
- 1977-05-21
- Subject:
- Dublin (Ga.)
Artesian wells
Newspaper
Politics
Great Depression
Boll Weevil
Chautauqua
Railroads
Baseball
Riverboats - Location:
- United States, Georgia, Laurens County, 32.46366, -82.92224
United States, Georgia, Laurens County, Dublin, 32.54044, -82.90375 - Medium:
- oral histories (literary works)
sound recordings - Type:
- Sound
- Format:
- audio/mpeg
- Description:
- Abstract: In an interview at his home in Dublin, Ga. on June 21, 1977, Red Cowart, the 2nd advertising manager for the Dublin Courier Herald, discusses the history of the city in the early 1900s. He covers the conflict between Dublin and Georgia Power and their involvement in the city's politics and banking. Other topics range from the diverse entertainment offered in Dublin, from the Chautauqua circuit to the city's flourishing minor league baseball teams, once coached by Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver. All encouraged first by the city's access to Oconee River transport, then later by the railroads. Synopsis: Interview begins with notes by Thomas to follow up on some biographical details at Powelton Cemetery, and skips around between Chapman's reflections upon seeing Halley's comet in 1910 and moving to Adrian, Georgia when he was 14. | Chapman discusses his dealings with Lehman Keen, "conservative" president of Farmers & Merchants Bank, regarding a particular shipment of Timothy hay from Michigan. He also touches on the Great Depression in Laurens County, saying that the effect of the Boll Weevil in 1920 was much more devastating. | Chapman talks about several of his retail grocery businesses in Dublin, including their locations and to and from whom he bought and sold them. He talks about a conflict regarding a lease agreement over the final store, located under the New Dublin hotel, owned by Tom Hooks and managed by his brother, Stubbs. | Chapman discusses the cars he's owned over the years, including the first car he ever bought, a Ford Model T coupe he financed secondhand from Lehman Keen. He discusses the financial decisions to pay cash for nearly every car in forty years and the reasons behind becoming a two car household around 1936. | Chapman talks about the origins of C&S Bank of Dublin and some of the details of his career as a broker for wholesale groceries. While he says his territory was not too large, he worked with companies such as Savannah Sugar Refinery, Southern Milling Company, and the Walton Rice Mill. | Chapman concludes by discussing his last store, for which he traded retail spaces with the hardware store formerly on Jackson St. in Dublin. He muses about his love for the grocery business.
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:zhe_atohc_zhe-atohc-004-cowartred
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:zhe_atohc_zhe-atohc-004-cowartred
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cowart, Dewitt ("Red"). "Oral history interview with Red Cowart on June 21, 1977." Interviewed by Allen Thomas. Allen Thomas Oral History Collection, Laurens County Library, Dublin, GA.
- Extent:
- 1 audio interview : 1 hr., 50 min., 18 sec., sd.
- Original Collection:
- Allen Thomas Oral History Collection
- Holding Institution:
- Oconee Regional Library System
- Rights:
-
