Nelson, George 2010-07-28

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George Nelson explains his life experiences, family history, and career through a scrapbook that he made.


General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: George Nelson

Additional Parties Recorded:

Date: July 28, 2010

Location: Lubbock, Texas

Interviewer: Andy Wilkinson

Length: 01:58:19


Abstract

Family history; Family moves to Hermleigh, Texas; Parents get teaching jobs; Family moves to Tahoka, Texas; Father becomes city attorney; Father runs for senate; Father’s election is contested; Father passes first old age assistance bill in Texas; Family moves to Lubbock; Father starts law practice; Father dies in 1983; Card that George Mahon sent; Tracing family history; Family photographs; Letter to Superman; Song writing contest; Western song contest at Lubbock High School; Song beat Buddy Holly; Performing with Buddy Holly; Singing tenor for Buddy Holly; Going to Texas Tech University; Last time seeing Buddy Holly; Singing after Lubbock High School; Going to Texas Tech University playing baseball; Quits the baseball team; Grandfather becomes mayor of Linden County; Story about grandfather clearing land; Wrote song “Always Brought a Tear to Daddy’s Eye”; Father helps George Mahon run for congress; Seeing less of the Mahons; Mahons visiting Lubbock, Texas; Learning Washington D.C. secrets; Memories of George Mahon; Mahon fights for cotton farmers; Visiting with Roy Bass; Listening to father and George Mahon talk; Thoughts on George Mahon; Playing golf with Gerald Ford; Knowing how to compromise; Statesman versus politician; Singing beginnings; Love for music; Popular music during high school; Enjoying Buddy Holly’s music; Buddy Holly’s influence on music; Early years in Lubbock, Texas; Mrs. Baskin's Kindergarten class; Remained in class for one year; Skipped to second grade; School experiences; Deciding to become a lawyer; Father’s law practice in Lubbock, Texas; Practice evolving; Deciding to run for the court of criminal appeals; Driving the Pontiac to every county in Texas; Father loses election; Nickname in school; Mahon agrees to put boys through military school; Family owns farm near Reese Air force Base; Military wanting to buy some of the farm for expansion; Offering low price for the land; Story about George Mahon by Charlie Guy; Story about the election of 1934; Graduating law school; Not working in father’s firm; County attorney hopes; Timing is everything; Not becoming district attorney; Going into private practice; Interesting partners; Getting offered a job; Interesting characters; President of the bar association; Differences in practicing law in the past; Opinions on advertising law practices; Opinions on retiring from law practice; Being in the junior league follies; Being a rhinestone cowboy; Receiving a standing ovation; Being recognized by the public; Interest in sculpting; Bringing water to West Texas; Capturing water from the Mississippi River; Shrimp fishermen end capturing water idea; Father on the Texas Water Commission; Regulations on surface water; Father’s interest in water law; Father’s active hand in bringing water to West Texas; Water shortages; Water problems in the future; Price of equipment on farms; Putting together family history; Racetrack gambling bill; Father’s first law case; Records of Father’s case fees; Talks about more family history; Story about buying lard.


Access Information

Original Recording Format:

Recording Format Notes:

Transcript: No transcript available



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