University of North Carolina at Asheville
D. Hiden Ramsey Library
Special Collections/University Archives

Oral History Register
for

Dorothy Jackson

OH-VOA J33 Do

Voices of Asheville Oral History Collection
D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNCA

Title

Creator

Dorothy Joynes for Voices of Asheville Oral History Collection

Subject

LCSH:
Jackson, Dorothy
Women -- Employment
Asheville (N.C.) -- History
Church of God

Subject

Keyword:
Lee Walker Heights ; "Draper Hill" ; Domestic Service ; Church of God in Christ

Description

Abstract: Jackson talks about her church and her neighborhood.  She worked for the R. Stanford Webb family for 30 years, and the current generation helps her with banking and errands. 

Publisher

D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, NC, 28804

Contributor

Dorothy Jackson

Date

Electronic Record Issued: 2001-07-09

Type

Sound ; Text ; Image

Format

Physical Description: 1 90-minute audiocassette ; 8 color photographs ; 7-page abstract ; newspaper articles

Identifier

Source

OH-VOA J33 Do

Language

English

Relation

References: none

Coverage

Acquisition

Donor number: 146 ;  Date of acquisition: 1998

Processed By

Dorothy Joynes, Ruth Beard, Marilyn Ferikes and staff

Interview Date

Interview Location

Biography

Dorothy was born in Avery Co. and went to school through the middle of 2nd grade.  She learned to read by studying the Bible, which she has read six times. She was married for a short time.  She worked every day for the Webb family for thirty years.  The church is the center of her life. 

List of names

[2/50] Alexander, Charlie
[1/175] Anderson, Sister
[1/399] Ashford, Dr.
[2/147] Blomberg, Dr.
[1/32] Bailey, Mrs. Mosel
[1/447] Chester, Miss Molly
[1/58] Dixon, Katie
[2/187] Flemming, Officer
[1/58] Given, Miss Nell
[2/252] Hope, Dr.
[2/7] Jackson, John
[1/275] Johnson, Hugh
[1/562] Mathas, Dave
[1/58] Otis, Mrs.
[1/32] Rice, Mrs.
[1/10] Seabrook, Mr.
[1/275] Scott, David
[1/231] Smith, Beverly
[1/231] Smith, Theodore L.
[1/97] [2/399] Webb, Charlie
[2/399] Webb, Jean
[1/10] [1/97] Webb, R. Stanford
[2/399] Webb, Robert
[2/399] White, Alice
[1/10] Woods, Mr.

Side 1:

Lee Walker Heights was built for soldiers and their families who were returning following WWII - It was called "Draper Hill" and is in the process of being remodeled.

[10] Dorothy moved to the Heights at the suggestion of her employer when she complained of the cold in her apartment on Madison. [R. Stanford Webb]

She and her mother moved into 2F where they made many friends. Her mother died in 1980 and when the apartment had to be remodeled she moved to 10B. She thought it would be temporary but found she had signed up to be a permanent resident. In the move, the phone and moving were provided.  She would have paid to move back but found she couldn't. [Mr. Woods, Mr. Seabrook]

[32] She misses her neighbors and although she has been in 10B for 1.5 years, outside of one good neighbor, feels she doesn't know anyone (the "old" neighbors - just across the area - get together occasionally) and is annoyed by the noisy music and slammed doors. [Mrs. Mosel Bailey, Mrs. Rice]

[58] She moved on the 4^th of July and missed the church picnic. She visits with old friends. [Mrs. Otis, Miss Nell Given, Miss Hatttie, Katie Dixon]

[78] She lived in Swannanoa for years. Her mother left her stepfather and moved to Asheville. They roomed together on Blanton St.

[97] She worked every day for the Webb family for 30 years until they both died. She still does shirts for Charlie, their son (also see Jean and Robert Webb. Charlie was married for a short time to Alice White - see her tape - though she does not mention this on tape).  [R. Stanford Webb, Charlie Webb]

[103] She irons for 4-5 people now to augment her Social Security Check. It gives her something to do and some "extra change."

[109] The pictures on the table are of her deceased brother's family.

[131] The church is the center of her life. Her mother went to Mt. Zion and she was "saved" there. She went to the Church of God in Christ until it was condemned. Now located on 20 Forsyth St. (see enclosure).

[157] A van, if phoned ahead, will pick her up Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday. Her nephew's wife also picks her up. Tuesday night is prayer night.

[175] She studies from the Bible and work books which are issued every 3 months. A wool Bible cover was made for her.  [Sister Anderson]

[201] On the table she also has a certificate of appreciation as a mother of the church (she can't tack anything on the wall). She serves with other women (5 or 6 mothers) to prepare the communion and wash feet on Sunday night.

[231] An appreciation service was held for Reverend Smith and his wife who is also active in the church. They have three daughters.  [Theodore L. Smith, Beverly Smith]

[275] Men in the church take up the collection. There are a lot of young people. On Youth Day the Choir called "All of God's Children" sang.  [Hugh Johnson, David Scott]

[320] A fund has been started to build a new church. The present one will not be torn down but the new one will be built beside it. Bake sales, dinners, etc. are money raisers.

[338] There is a group which visits hospitals and a nursery for small children.

[354] She thinks conditions are getting worse in the city. She is now afraid to go out at night. However she thinks that, in her neighborhood, conditions aren't as bad. People get together to stop crime. (There is no neighborhood organization that she knows of.)

[399] When she was living in Marion her brother got hold of dynamite (uncle working in rock quarry). She picked up the bag and it exploded severing several fingers of her left hand.  [Dr. Ashford]

[447] She went 1.5 years of school in a one-room school house in Marion. She liked the first grade teacher but in the second grade she was asked to go to the board, couldn't answer the question, and never came back. Her mother didn't insist and the teacher never followed up. She learned to read by studying the Bible and to write by copying over other people's writing. She doesn't know whether her mother went to school or not.  [Miss Molly Chester]

[536] Her mother was born in North Carolina, had 11 brothers and sisters, but had only a boy and Dorothy. 

[551] She was married for a short time but her husband "didn't do right" and she left him. No children.

[562] She was born in Avery County. Her father died of a heart attack and her mother remarried and moved to Swannanoa.  [Dave Mathas]

Side 2:

[2/7] She doesn't remember her father. Her grandparents lived on a farm and raised all they needed. Her grandfather made molasses. She can't remember anything about the Depression.  [John Jackson]

[2/15] WWI ceased the same year her fingers were blown off.

[2/41] Two members of her family served in WWII. She worked for people during this period.

[2/50] Her mother and grandmother did washing at the Cotton Mills in Marion. They taught her to iron. Her mother brought laundry home to wash and iron.  [Charlie Alexander]

[2/68] Most employers came to get their household help.

[2/91] There were taxis between Asheville and Swannanoa as well as buses. The trip cost 25 cents.

[2/120] Her family did not sell produce to markets except for eggs, which were traded for coffee and sugar. Her stepfather worked at Conner's Mill and ground his own corn.

[2/147] Her mother worked for one of doctor's wives at Oteen. She walked 2 miles a day. Sometimes an orderly gave her a ride.  [Dr. Blomberg]

[2/159] With several other church members she visited a Deacon at Oteen. He had been hit on the head.

[2/187] She has read through the Bible six times and regrets not having an education. She and a policeman went to the ball park and escorted a young boy back to Livingston School, impressing on him the value of an education.  [(policeman) Flemming]

[2/252] She always wanted to be a nurse until she had an operation (black hospital (later Ray funeral home - see Ray tape). She had a tumor removed at Mission and cataracts removed at St. Joseph's.  [Dr. Hope]

[2/308] She pays $102 a month for rent (2 floors - 2 bedrooms and bath on second floor. Good, well designed kitchen. Front and back door. Very comfortable).  She had asked for one bedroom. When her social security is increased the rent goes up. One lady pays $402 for the same size apartment because she works at Mission.

[2/355] A church member living at East View apartment takes her rent money in to Hendersonville Highway Office every month. Otherwise she would have to get a money order.

[2/399] Jean Webb helps her with banking and takes her to the store. She often helps with parties at the Webb's house in Biltmore Forest.  [Alice White, Charlie Webb, Robert Webb, Jean Webb]

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