- Collection:
- Allen Thomas Oral History Collection
- Title:
- Oral history interview with Ada Smith on November 19, 1978
- Creator:
- Ada Graham (Ada Belle Graham, "Gumshee"), April 24, 1902-April 30, 1983
- Contributor to Resource:
- Graham, Katie Mae, 1918-1991
Thomas, Allen, 1941- - Date of Original:
- 1978-11-19
- Subject:
- Genealogy--History
Dublin, Ga.
Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919
Biography--Youth - 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 on November 19, 1978, Mrs. Ada Graham Smith gives an extensive family history and genealogy and talks about her childhood and life in Laurens County. The interview covers both her paternal and maternal ancestry to her great-grandparents and provides a detailed history of the influenza epidemic in Dublin which killed both of her parents in 1918. She talks about meeting her husband, Wesley Griffin ("W.G.") Smith and their life together. Synopsis: Smith talks about her parents, William Henry Graham and Ada Elisabeth Wynne, who both died during the Influenza Epidemic in 1918, and her brothers and sisters. She recalls the death of her brothers Otis, to what she remembers being called "Typhoid fever" and Willis, who tragically died on the operating table of a Dr. Hodges. | Smith discusses her memories of the horrible outbreak of Influenza in 1918 in Laurens County, which affected her entire family, killing both of her parents within a week of each other. She talks about treatments, being prevented from news of her mother's death and her funeral. | Smith details her parents' brothers and sisters and their spouses and children as best she can recall. | Smith talks about her grandpa, Luther Wynne, a Baptist preacher, his two sisters, Aner and Emery, and his father, "Bunk." She also discusses her grandma, Susan Anna Underwood, and her sister Texanne. | Smith goes through her father's siblings again, perhaps a second sitting of the interview. She also discusses her grandaddy, Martin Luther Graham's family, including his wife Nancy Johns, who was killed by lightning. | Smith talks about her childhood memories, including going to school at Oakdale and Pine Forest until the 9th grade. She talks about how she met her husband, W.G.. | Smith remembers one of the biggest arguments between she and her husband over her refusal to move to Cadwell. She remembers that the town had a troubled history and that there were regular murders, including that of her husband's boss, H.L. Jenkins, which she relates. | Smith talks about moving to Dublin for a few years while W.G. worked for the county as a prison guard before they moved to Buckhorn Settlement, where she has lived for the last 51 years. They bought the home from W.G.'s grandma and grandpa Warren, for whom Smith gives a family history.
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:zhe_atohc_zhe-atohc-015-smithada
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:zhe_atohc_zhe-atohc-015-smithada
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Smith, Ada Graham. "Oral history interview with Ada Smith on November 19, 1978." Interviewed by Allen Thomas. Allen Thomas Oral History Collection, Laurens County Library, Dublin, GA.
- Extent:
- 1 audio interview : 1 hr., 25 min., 54 sec., sd.
- Original Collection:
- Allen Thomas Oral History Collection
- Holding Institution:
- Oconee Regional Library System
- Rights:
-