Difference between revisions of "Fortenberry, Billy 1973-07-30"

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Right here will be a general overview of the oral history interview. It will be roughly 3-5 sentences for new interviews, shorter for older interviews.  
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Mr. Fortenberry, son of cotton pioneer and leader W. O. Fortenberry, remembers his late father and summarizes his life and successes.
  
 
==General Interview Information==
 
==General Interview Information==
  
'''Interviewee Name:'''
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'''Interviewee Name:''' Billy Fortenberry
  
 
'''Additional Parties Recorded:'''
 
'''Additional Parties Recorded:'''
  
'''Date:'''  
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'''Date:''' July 30, 1973
  
'''Location:'''
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'''Location:''' New Deal, Texas
  
'''Interviewer:'''
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'''Interviewer:''' Jeff Townsend
  
'''Length:'''
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'''Length:''' 1 hour
  
  
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'''Tape 1, Side 1:'''
 
'''Tape 1, Side 1:'''
 
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Son recounts late father's career,
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William Oliver Fortenberry planted first South Plains cotton in Ropesville, Texas, 1923,
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Father operated Pep, Texas, gin for German settlers from Fredericksburg, Texas,
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Worked for J. I. Case as mechanic,
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Son remembers his mother,
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Continues father's life story,
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Describes purchase of New Deal, Texas, land and gin,
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Mentions Bacon brothers,
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Father bought Gaines County land in 1956, selling gins,
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Discusses sugar beets, soy beans grown in 1940s,
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Lists investments in gins, elevators, land, oil,
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W. O. Fortenberry financed many farmers in 1930s,
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Father's pioneered single variety ginning,
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Success in 1947 noted,
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Traces origins of Plains Cotton Growers to political dissatisfaction,
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Characterizes George Pfeiffenberger ,
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Plains Underground Water District founding philosophy given
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
 
'''Tape 1, Side 2:'''
 
'''Tape 1, Side 2:'''
 
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Continues with description of father's business,
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Claims that father sold the gins because of the shift to coops and the intense feelings,
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Discusses cooperative gins,
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Relates father's admiration for Ezra Taft Benson,
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Remarks on father's knowledge of agricultural politics and his Washington contacts,
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States W. O. Fortenberry succeeded primarily because he was early mechanical farmer,
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Mentions 300-400 Mexican-American migrants brought in each year,
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Comments on father's eloquence and persuasiveness,
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Mentions father's role as advisor in invention of lint cleaners,
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Notes that father had an out-going personality while being farsighted,
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Predicts wholly centralized gins with all cotton south of Lubbock County
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
'''Range Dates:'''
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'''Range Dates:''' 1923-1956
  
'''Bulk Dates:'''
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'''Bulk Dates:''' 1923-1956
  
  
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{{UsageStatement}}
 
{{UsageStatement}}
  
[[Category: Needs Review ]]
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[[Category: Needs Review ]] [[Category: SWC Interviews]] [[Category: 1970s]] [[Category: Cotton]] [[Category: Migrant Labor]] [[Category: Agriculture]]

Latest revision as of 21:51, 19 June 2019

Mr. Fortenberry, son of cotton pioneer and leader W. O. Fortenberry, remembers his late father and summarizes his life and successes.

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: Billy Fortenberry

Additional Parties Recorded:

Date: July 30, 1973

Location: New Deal, Texas

Interviewer: Jeff Townsend

Length: 1 hour


Abstract

Tape 1, Side 1: Son recounts late father's career, William Oliver Fortenberry planted first South Plains cotton in Ropesville, Texas, 1923, Father operated Pep, Texas, gin for German settlers from Fredericksburg, Texas, Worked for J. I. Case as mechanic, Son remembers his mother, Continues father's life story, Describes purchase of New Deal, Texas, land and gin, Mentions Bacon brothers, Father bought Gaines County land in 1956, selling gins, Discusses sugar beets, soy beans grown in 1940s, Lists investments in gins, elevators, land, oil, W. O. Fortenberry financed many farmers in 1930s, Father's pioneered single variety ginning, Success in 1947 noted, Traces origins of Plains Cotton Growers to political dissatisfaction, Characterizes George Pfeiffenberger , Plains Underground Water District founding philosophy given

Tape 1, Side 2: Continues with description of father's business, Claims that father sold the gins because of the shift to coops and the intense feelings, Discusses cooperative gins, Relates father's admiration for Ezra Taft Benson, Remarks on father's knowledge of agricultural politics and his Washington contacts, States W. O. Fortenberry succeeded primarily because he was early mechanical farmer, Mentions 300-400 Mexican-American migrants brought in each year, Comments on father's eloquence and persuasiveness, Mentions father's role as advisor in invention of lint cleaners, Notes that father had an out-going personality while being farsighted, Predicts wholly centralized gins with all cotton south of Lubbock County

Range Dates: 1923-1956

Bulk Dates: 1923-1956


Access Information

Original Recording Format:

Recording Format Notes:

Transcript:



Thank you for your interest in this oral history interview. Our oral history collection is available to patrons in the Southwest Collection's Reading Room, located on the campus of Texas Tech University. For reading room hours, visit our website. Please contact Reference Staff at least one week prior to your visit to ensure the oral history you are interested in will be available. Due to copyright issues, duplications of our oral histories can only be made for family members. If an oral history transcript has been made available online, the link will be provided on this page. More information on accessing our oral histories is located here. Preferred citation style can be found here.