Moore, Mary 1991-08-29

Mary Moore relates the history of the Sam Cooper family and the Alexander family of Lea County, New Mexico.

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: Mary Moore

Additional Parties Recorded: None

Date: August 29, 1991

Location: Lubbock, Texas

Interviewer: Jim Mathews

Length: 1 hour 30 minutes

Abstract

Tape 1, Side 1: Grandparents: Chancey Lee and Frances Cooper, Mother, Background, Marriage (December 19, 1919), First child, Parents, To Burkburnet (1921), Father’s employment with Skelley Oil Company, Uncle’s mechanic shop, Birth of son, Anecdote: girls decide they don’t want a brother, Garden, Children’s chores, Garden, Delivering milk, Mr. and Mrs. Huff, Staying alone while parents were out of town, Dating, Family chores (again), Chickens, Milking, Making buttermilk and butter, Poverty stricken families during Depression, Produce sources, Vegetables, Fruits, Employees on oil lease, Pay rate, Father’s income, Depression, World War I veteran’s pension (1933), Investment in food agency, Uncle’s loss of dealership, Subsequent investments, Annual family vacation, Trip to California (July 1936), Breaking in new automobiles, Trip to California (again), Crossing the desert, Visiting relatives on West Coast.

Tape 1, Side 2: Visiting relatives (continued), Visiting Mormon Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah, Family emphasis upon religion, Cooper family, Mother joins Assembly of God, "Dunkers", Dream, Grandmother joins Seventh Day Adventists, Religious practices, Uncle’s ministry, Cooper grandparents’ home, Self-sufficiency, Alexander family, Meals, Cooper grandparents’ home (again), Nicknames in Cooper family, Visiting grandparents in El Paso, Riding trolley to Juarez, Description of Juarez, Allowance for milk delivery, Siblings’ jobs, Mothers, Chores as young adult, Teaching homemaking skills to daughters, Ironing, Working for father’s colleagues, Telephone, Duties, Plans to go to Trinity College, Switch to Texas Tech, Polk Robison, Mrs. Craddock, Summer jobs at Tech, Father’s age and ability to finance education.

Tape 2, Side 1: Father’s age and ability to finance education (cont’d), Father’s role as "bread winner", Household furniture, Family finances, Financing education, Jobs at Tech, Subjects studied at Tech, Major, Course load during Senior year, Time involved, Amenities at Doak Hall, Job with Zale’s Jewelers, Reason for leaving, Alexanders to Channing, Texas (1907), Alexanders to Orla, Texas (1909), Land purchases, Death of Mrs. Alexander, Father’s job as Postmaster at Orla (1909-1914), Alexanders to homestead in Ocho, New Mexico, Dispersal of Alexander children, Father to El Paso, Texas, Job and marriage, Family to Burkburnett (1920), Relatives in El Paso in 1991, Cooper homestead, Sam Cooper distributes Bibles in New Mexico, Sam Cooper’s freighting business, Cooper peach orchard ruined by oil well, Mineral rights to Alexander homestead.

Tape 2, Side 2: Blank

Range Dates: 1900-1991

Bulk Dates: 1900-1991

Access Information

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