Oral histories on work and daily life in the Brandywine Valley

About this collection

    The Oral histories on work and daily life in the Brandywine Valley (Accession 1970.370) collection contains approximately 200 interviews conducted between 1953 and 1990 with people who lived and worked in New Castle County, Delaware. The recollections of the subjects cover a period from about 1900 to 1960.
    While the majority of the interviews are with those who have a connection with the DuPont Company or du Pont family either as employees or inhabitants of the area surrounding the company's operation on the Brandywine River, the collection also includes interviews with those who worked in other industries in Delaware during this era such as Hodgson Woolen Mill, Lobdell Car Wheel Company, Hoopes Brother & Darlington, and Joseph Bancroft & Sons.
    In addition to documenting work and labor during this period, the interviewers delve deeply into the social and cultural lives of their subjects. Issues related to domesticity, gender, education, childhood, ethnicity, medicine, etc. are among the topics covered in the interviews. Also of note are interviews with a journalist (Fred Reybold) and an early broadcaster (Willard Wilson) who worked in Delaware.
    Image: Vance Mitchell during 1968 interview. Click here to view in the collection.

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Interview with Faith Betty Lattomus and Madaline Betty Walls, 1969 June 12, 1969 June 25 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Faith Betty Lattomus and Madaline Betty Walls recalling their time growing up along the Brandywine. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview with Chandler Becker, 1973 March 29 [transcript]
Becker describes how he was hired as the assistant superintendent of Eleutherian Mills and how Louise du Pont Crowninshield took an interest in him and asked him to be the groundskeeper. He describes the unkempt state of the grounds when he arrived in 1928 and his plans to improve them, as well as how his job has changed over time. He also discusses his impressions of Mrs. Crowninshield, his home along the Brandywine, improvements made to the house throughout the years, and preparations for going to Boca Grande., [Description and dates], Hagley ID, Box/folder number, Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Foundation interview transcripts on the history of the DuPont Company Powder Yard (Accession 2026), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807
Interview with William Stewart Allmond, 1969 June 10, July 3 [transcript]
Transcript of interview conducted with W. Stewart Allmond who worked in the foundry business. The interview took place in Newark, Delaware.
Interview with Ferdinand D. Bickel, 1969 June 12, 1969 June 25 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Ferdinand D. Bickel who worked for DuPont's explosives department. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview with Ann Hudson (Mrs. Joseph Hudson), 1968 August 1 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Ann Hudson recalling life on the Upper Banks while her father worked as a powder man at the Experimental Station. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview Catherine C. Irving (Mrs. A. Duer Irving), 1974 February 21 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Catherine C. Irving recalling her memories of Louise du Pont Crowninshield. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview with Emily Peoples Blackwell, 1970 July 6 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Emily Blackwell who lived at Squirrel Run while her father worked in the powder mills for DuPont. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview with Dennis Buckley, 1975 January 10 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Dennis Buckely recalling his youth growing up on the Brandywine. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview with Joseph M. Campbell, 1957 August 15 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Joseph M. Campbell who worked for DuPont in the Hagley yards. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview with Catherine Cheney, 1964 April 3 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Catherine Cheney who lived in Free Park and whose grandfather and father were guards at Hagley mills. The interview took place in New Castle, Delaware.
Interview with George Christ, 1969 July 23 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with George Christ who worked for the Hoopes Brothers and Darlington Company. The interview took place in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Interview with William T. Cloud [transcript]
Transcript of interview with William Cloud who worked for DuPont in explosive work. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview with Mary Hazzard Collins, 1974 March [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Mary Hazzard Collins who worked as a forelady and elevator operator for DuPont. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview with Katherine Collison, 1954 September, 1955 January [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Katherine Collison recalling life on the Brandywine while living in Belin House during the time her father was a bookeeper. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview with John A. Dougherty, 1956 October 19 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with John Dougherty who worked as a DuPont powder employee. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview with Philip Dougherty [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Philip Dougherty who worked in the Henry Clay Keg Factory. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview with Alfred Evans, May 1973 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Alfred Evans who was a chauffer for Louise Crowninshield. The interview took place in Boca Grande, Florida.
Interview with William F. Flanigan [transcript]
Transcript of interview with William Flanigan recalling life on the Brandywine and in the powder mills while his father was employed by DuPont. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview with Benjamin F. Foster, 1964 February [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Benjamin Foster who worked for the Power Division of Engineering Department. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview with Bruce Green, 1974 March 28 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Bruce Green, whose father worked for DuPont. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview with Samuel Hackendorn, 1958 July 24 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Samuel Hackendorn who lived in Charles Banks, Squirrel Run, and Free Park while his father worked in the Hagley Yard grinding mill. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
John M. Johnson and Franklin Hanway, 1969 August 26 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Franklin Hanway and John Johnson who were both employed at Longwood. The interview took place in Hamorton, Pennsylvania.
Interview with Clement Hoopes, 1969 July 3 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Clement Hoopes whose father worked in the powder yards. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview with Joseph B. Kauss, 1969 July 11 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Joseph B. Kauss who recalled working for DuPont while driving around the powder yards. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.
Interview with Charles H. Lickle, 1968 June 13 [transcript]
Transcript of interview with Charles Lickle who worked in Hagley Yards. The interview took place in Wilmington, Delaware.

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