Elder Intervew: Dr. Lila Garrett Lloyd

What is your oldest childhood memory?

I guess walking to high school in Greenville.  Walking to Sterling, walking around the corner to my high school.  You know previously I'd been riding cause I was in another area.  I guess walking to school up to Sterling.  I know I loved that.  I just thought it was so great.  And then with the little boys and all of that.  I went to Sterling High School in Greeville [South Carolina].  That's where I grauated from.  I started out in Laurens.  I remember I didn't like down there.  So I can't remember the name of the school.

Describe your parents.  What lessons did they teach you?

Everything I guess.  Everything I learned about life, I learned from my mom and my dad because they were very close to me.  Myfather was such a great man I thought.  As much as I loved my daddy and as much as I-, how great I thought he was, I said I'm going to write somethig and send it to the newspaper.  That was before Father's Day.  [Shares a tribute she wrote to the Greensboro News and Record for her father

http://www.news-record.com/content/2012/06/08/article/let_s_pool_our_efforts_promote_fatherhood]. I loved my mom too. But I mean daddy-, people talk about black men, black fathers and all, and thought he was just outstanding. Everything they did, they taught me everything that I know really.

What kind of work did they do?

Mom was a school teacher. And daddy did so many things. He farmed, he was a carpenter, he was a painter, and he taught himself everything. In fact he only went to the-, I guess 7^th or 8^th grade.

And you mom was a teacher, how far did she go in school?

She went-, she finished college. Two or three years of college. You know back in those days how it was. She finished Morris College in Sumter, South Carolina. She went back [home] and you know back in those days that was very unusual.

Who were your childhood heroes?

Ooh Lord, let me see if I remember. I know my parents were. My mom, dad, my mother’s mother. My mother’s mother was Lila. I’m named after her, Lila Woody. I’m trying to think of any other movie stars or anybody. If so I can’t remember them. I cant remember any movie stars back in those days. Maybe Lena Horne or somebody like that, you know. But other than that, as far as I know, I don’t know if there were any heroes back then.

What types of games did you play?

Basketball in the yard, Backyard Basketball. Cause I never played cards and things like that. I couldn’t sit still that long. Everybody was in the yard in those days. We weren’t in no house. In fact I hated that anyway. Being in the house. I loved the yards, I guess that’s what’s wrong with me now. I love to be out. Not in my yard, but I just love to be gone. I like to get in the car and get gone.

How did you spend the holidays?

Probably with my-, with mom in the kitchen, and grandma you know. on the holidays in the kitchen cooking. Just around Christmas time. Looking, watching them cook. Not me. That’s why I can’t cook today

Is there anything special that they would prepare for the holidays?

Turkey and that type of thing. Cakes and special made pies and things like that. And somewhere in there, put in there how I love coffee. And I don’t like anything in it, I just like plain black coffee. I learned to like that cause my parents kept their coffee cups on the table, and once they’d leave out I’d go drink it. I’ve always been a character, I can tell you that. I used to drink they’re coffee when they’d go leave out of the kitchen or somewhere, leave out from the table. If they have any left, I’d go run to and just-. And you know back in those days they made it hard, that real coffee back then.

What do you remember about schooling?

I loved it. The love of school. I always loved school. And I loved the fact that mom taught me for a long time. Quite a few years. Mother was a teacher and she was real strict on me, I know that. Seemed like I liked English better than all the others. Seem like I wasn’t a Math person.

Where did you live? Where did you grow up?

Two areas. Laurens County, you know down there where Tom [Thomas Weldon Garrett] and those live. And Greenville [both in South Carolina].

Did you live on the land?

Yeah. I lived on the land. That house is still there I guess.

Why did you all move to Greenville?

I don’t know. My dad decided he wanted to just change locations.

Did you have to work growing up?

No, I didn’t have to. No. We helped around the house and all of that. But we didn’t have to work. But now when I was a teenager, I worked. I didn’t have to but I worked. I worked at the hospital, General Hospital in Greenville. I worked at a restaurant, in the kitchen of course. I had to work in a kitchen. I couldn’t keep still now. I never have been the type to keep still.

What event had the greatest impact on your life?

Well marriage I guess. I got married. A great wedding; a big wedding. Planning for a big wedding. And obtaining degrees.

Did this event impact your family?

They caused them to have a lot of pride. They were real proud of me obtaining degrees. Cause when I got my M.A. [Master’s of Art] it was back in the 70’s and that was kind of unusual to get a Master’s from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, UNC. My mom was very proud. My dad had died by then.

What did you get your M.A. in?

Business Education. My doctorate is in education.

What was your profession? How did you choose it?

My profession was a teacher. I was a high school teacher and a college teacher. High School and College. The professions were limited back in those days. The areas of work were limited. We didn’t have many choices back in those days.

What is the one thing you most want people to remember about you?

That I tried to be helpful to people. I tried to be as helpful as possible. And I tried to let everybody know there are unlimited opportunities out here in the world.

July 21, 2012
*Interview by Chaunte` Garrett
*Photography by Chaunte` Garrett

Recipes: Garrett, Neely, & Sullivan

Photo Source

Gail W. Tolbert's Chicken Rice Casserole

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 Tbsp. butter

1 can chicken broth

1 can (5 oz.) Swanson (or other brand) chunk chicken

1 cup shredded cheese

1/2 cup raw regular rice

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Cook onion in butter until tender.  In a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish, mix together onion, chicken broth, chunk chicken, cheese, and rice.  Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.  Garnish and serve.  Makes 4 servings.



Recipes: Garrett, Neely, & Sullivan

Gail W. Tolbert's Benne Wafers

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sesame (benne) seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

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Cream butter and sugar together and mix other ingredients in the order given.  Drop with a teaspoon onto a well-greased cookie sheet far enough apart to allow spreading while baking.  Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 7-10 minutes.  Yield: 7 dozen.

The History of the Benne Wafer

Unique to the Low Country since Colonial times, Benne (the Bantu-word for sesame) was brought from East Africa and planted extensively throughout the South. Other foods brought from Africa in the 17th and 18th century include peanuts, sweet potatoes, okra, black-eyed peas and collard greens.

History Source

Elder Interview: Flora Lee (Sullivan) Brown Harris

What is your full name?

Flora Lee Sullivan Brown Harris.

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When and where were you born?

On March 21, 19 16 I was born in a two story house with six rooms in Laurens County, South Carolina . We lived on a farm with cows, 2 mules, chickens, and potato patches.

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Did you have inside utilities?

No, we had no electricity or telephone and we had a well with a long string with a bucket at the end. We had a toilet outdoors behind the barns.

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What kind of chores did you have?

I helped Mother cook before I went to school and when I got out of school.  I had to help Mama cook and sew.  In addition, sometimes I worked in the corn patch, peach grove, potato patch, worked in the garden with Mama, and helped my Mother do canning.  I also helped my brothers do their chores...I did a little of everything.

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Did you get an allowance for doing your chores?

What is that? No!

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Did you have any special friends?

The boys were always after me. Coker was my book toter. He carried my books for me between classes. Everyone would come to me when they needed something, especially when they wanted some of my cooked biscuits.

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What Church did you attend as a child?

Daddy always made us go to church. I gave my life to Christ as a young girl at Rocky Creek Baptist Church in Simpsonville , SC.

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What games and toys did you play with?

I could not play any games because I had to stay in the books and sing with the family and church. There were nine children and we couldn’t afford any toys. I also had to help Mama cook biscuits and gravy while standing up on a chair.

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Where did you go to school and did you like going?

I went to schools in Fountain Inn , SC at Hopewell , then Reedy Fork.  Sometime, I was over the children in class and I loved to help teach when the teacher was out sick.

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What event had the most impact on you while you were growing up? Did this event impact your family?

When Mother died, Daddy was going to give the boys to Aunt Ida to raise. But, I refused to let them go. I raised them because I wanted us to stay together.

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Did you have to work to support the family?

Yes, I worked in Greenville for a Jewish woman. But, after Mother died and Daddy got sick, I had to quit working to take care of my brothers and sisters. Even though my Daddy and Aunt Ida were mad at me, my brothers were very happy that I stayed to take care of them.

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Did you have pets?

We had dogs and cats on the farm.

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How did you travel?

We were only able to walk to get to places.

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Did you get toys for Christmas?

We only received clothes, candy and fruit for gifts because we did not have much money. The boys got firecrackers. However, we would have a special dinner.

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Was there someone that influenced your life?

Yes, Aunt Cora was a teacher and she helped me with acting and showed me how to dress like a woman.

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What is the name of your parents and siblings?

My parents were the late Cade and Lydia Neely Sullivan

Siblings: first child died, late Cade, then me Flora, late Hattie, late Lee Roy, late Eddie Pearl, Plummer, late Jessie, Hommer.

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How did you meet your spouse?

I met Zeno Brown at Mt. Zion  He kept following me around.  I was scared of the boys in Fountain Inn, SC because they always wanted to kiss me and I didn't like them because they were so trashy.

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What was it like when you were proposed to? When and where did it happen? How did you feel?

He already had a marriage license for us and I did not know anything about it. Then he took me that night to a preacher lady and we got married. Zeno did not know anything but I married him anyway. Then I left that place and went home alone.

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He did not know it, but I was already planning to go back to Greenville.  I went back to Greenville and he came with me.  I worked at the Marchen Cloth Company and did upholstering.  Then we started living together with Aunt Corrie until we found an apartment.  It was a good marriage.
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We have four children, Wallace, Dorothy , Lydia and Larry. I am very proud of all my children. Because I raised them with a strap and switches.

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Are you still married?

No, I was a widower for 17 years. I met Clifton Harris who started calling me every night. We had a Church wedding at St. Paul Baptist Church in Greenville , SC. I was walking down the aisle to get married and when I got half way down the aisle my future husband, Clifton came and took me the rest of the way. He did not want me to get away. We moved into a house with no heat.

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What was your profession and how did you choose it?

I worked as an upholsterer since I was raised up sewing and I liked to make things beautiful. I could do things better than other girls and they always wanted me to cook biscuits.

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What is the one thing you most want people to remember about you?

That I am a Child of GOD and I always helped others. When I taught Sunday School I was willing to learn also. Whatever you do, do it right the first time. I pray before I do something and I always wanted to do what is right. I try to help others to do the right thing. I always do what is right in GOD’S sight. God has given me a healing touch. If someone needs a healing touch and they have faith in GOD; with my touch with prayer and GOD’S Spirit people have been healed.
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*Interview conducted by Virginia Chapman
April 6, 2012

Elder Interview: Bennie Lee & OT Neely

Interview by Ellen Neely
April 21, 2011

I had the opportunity to speak to my two cousins about their earlier life and childhood.  Recalling the past and asking questions brought interesting conversation.

Bennie Lee Neely, better known as "Ben" was born April 21, 1935.  He is the third oldest child of Willie Henry "EC" Neely and Lonnie Bryson-Neely.  He was born in the community of Ekom Beach and lived in a small house below Grandpa Neely (J.R.). Ben stated that he remembers when his parents moved to the Hickory Tavern community where his mama's family lived.  In an old wagon daddy packed up and moved the family.  I remember them putting a brake with a stick attached to a metal piece on the front wheel of the wagon, then the other wheels would drag to slow down or stop when going around curves and down hills.  Daddy moved us to the Pitts Farm.

Otis Thomas Neely, better known as "OT" was born November 17, 1936.  He is the fourth child of Willie Henry "EC" Neely and Lonnie Bryson-Neely.  OT explained the great mystery around his name.  Rumors were that OT was his real name and OT explained that the rumor was the truth.  He explained that when he was school age Aunt Margie "ML" informed him that his name was only the initials "O.T.".  O came from  Otis and T came from Thomas.  However, he is still OT and sometimes "T" to his family and friends.

Baseball seemed to be a favorite pass time.  We would make a baseball using rags and a bat made from a piece of an oak tree.  The front yard would become the baseball field; it was on then, playing with our cousins.

We also played horseshoes & hide and seek.  We also had movie night at school on Wednesday nights.  It was 25 cents to watch movies on a movie projecter.  Mr. Earl Putman would show movies.  Every week it was a continuation until a series of five movies were completed.  We would work and save our pennies to see the movies.

Family chores for us began in the morning before school.  Milking cows, bringing in wood, feeding the hogs and chickens, and taking the cows out of the barns for grazing.  I remember one morning I got the cows out to the patures to eat honeysuckle and a bob cat cried out "Man, I left!....daddy had to find them cows and bring them home!"

You see we had to keep the cows away from bitter weed and wild onions, because if you didn't you couldn't use the milk.

Sunday meals were big; we would have fried chicken, macarroni and cheese, rice and gravy, green beans, and biscuits.  Desserts would be egg custard pie, ginger bread, or peach cobbler.

Now, through the week we would have black eye peas, cabbage, turnip greens and cornbread.  For supper we had cornbread and buttermilk and baked sweet potatoes. 

For clothing we wore nickers to church and overalls to school and we had them old fashioned brogans shoes.  Daddy would repair our shoes and by March, the small nails would be coming through.  Then we would go barefooted.  School was in session from October to March and in that month we would go a half day and come back home to help on the farm for the next crop.

Education:  The church schools only went to the eighth grade and if you did not have transportation that was it, because the state did not provide buses for the blacks.

Rev. W.D. Coker was married to Mamie Neely and he was a teacher and principal.  He bought a bus, Booker T. Brown drove it, and children in this community went to Mt. Carmel School and finished.  Mr. Shellie Garrett had a car, his daugthers would pick up children in the neighborhood and they went to Sanders High.  Daddy got a car for Willie C and he did the same thing with picking up children to go to Laurens and finish high school.

We went to church at Bethel Hall and Hopewell.  Daddy was a Deacon at Hopewell Baptist Church.

Things were different then, there were no conveniences.  We drew water from the well and went to the springs and hauled water.  The cooling place for milk was a bucket in the well or spring and anchored by a rock in the spring.

We are blessed; Mama and daddy had seven children all boys.  Willie C., William Arthur, Cecil and Furman have gone home to be with the Lord, but We are blessed.

Elder Interviews: Frances Garrett

What is your full name? Why did your parents select this name for you? Did you have a nickname?

My name is Frances Patricia Garrett Boston. My parents chose this name for me from my grandmother on my dad's side. No I did not have a nickname.

When and where were you born?

I was born in Laurens South Carolina on May 5, 1927.

Were there any special items in the house that you remembered?

Yes my special item that I remembered that was in the house was the wood stove because
that’s how we heated the house and we cooked off of it.

What kind of games did you play growing up?

Hop scotch and basketball.

What was school like for you as a child? What were the best and worst subjects? Where did you attend school?

As a child school for me was good, I loved reading but I really didn’t like math. I went to Sanders High just went to the 8th grade.

What were your favorite songs and music?

My favorite music was gospel and blues.

How is the world today different from when you were a child?

It's a lot different because now we have things we didn’t have back in the day when I was a child such as washing machines and dryers because we used to wash our clothes outside in a pot. Also when I was a child we used to pick cotton all day and now you don’t see kids picking cotton.

Where and when did you get married?

I got married at my mother's house.

Were there other family members in the area? Who?

Yes my grandmother and grandfather.

What was your favorite toy and why?

My favorite toy was a doll because it made me feel like a mother.

December 2011
*Interview by Bridjet Russell
*Photography by Precious Garrett
To submit additional Garrett, Neely, & Sullivan elder interviews please contact any member of the 2012 planning committee.

Elder Interviews: Harold W. Garrett

What is your full name? Did you have a nickname?

My full name is Harold Willie Garrett my brother’s name was Carold Willie Garrett and they called us Cack and Hack.

When and where were you born?

I was born in the country on the land that we own.

Did you have any chores as a child?

Yes, I had to fetch water, milk the cow, and feed the chickens.

Who were your childhood heroes?

Jackie Robinson and Joe Louis

Did you have any pets?

Yes I had a dog named Joe. He was a good hunting dog and we used to go rabbit hunting.

How is the world today different from what it was like when you were a child?

When I was a child we used to go to town in a wagon. We used to get mail once a week. We didn’t have a TV and we were much more close as a family.

What was your religion growing up? What church did you attend?

My religion is Baptist and my church is Bethel Hall which I still attend.

What is the one thing you want people to remember about you?

I want to be remembered as a good person and a good family man.

How were the holidays celebrated in your family?

We used to visit our grandparent’s house in Pelzer, SC on the land. We would get bags of apples and oranges and play all day long.

December 28, 2011
*Interview by Albert Elton Garrett II
*Photography by Precious Garrett
To submit additional Garrett, Neely, & Sullivan elder interviews please contact any member of the 2012 planning committee.