Notes for: Lydia ("Liddy") Belle Manley
Where were your mother and father born? It was on lower Flat Creek. Cross the creek going toward Bethel on the big cement bridege and take a right. It dead ends down there. The house sits back off the road about a half a mile down. This is where Maggie Sorrell was born.
She grew up on Harpers, but only one child was born there, the youngest. All the others were born out behind Eric Osborn's place. George was born. Lydia was five when she moved to Harpers. Clyde Manley, Lydia's brother, bought the old home place after her mother died. Then Jim and Lydia bought it off of Clyde. This is the place on 36 at Harpers. The Mynhiers have a picture of this house that was taken in the late 1940's. It is no longer standing. It was pushed down by a bulldozer and then burned.
Where were you and all your siblings born?
What was school like back then? They first went to school in Reynoldsville. It's on 1325 toward East Fork. It burned down, then they went to a church. It's a church now. It used to be a school.
Did y'all go to church growing up? Where at? What was church like that back then? They first started going to Mt. Pleasandt Methodist Church where it used to be located. It was moved because it was out of the way and the Conference said it had to be moved or there wouldn't be a minister sent there. Rev. Tanner moved it out there. Lydia and her two sisters, Virgiline and Lila, went up to the altar during a revival and joined the church. The preacher then was Brother Walker. She was about five then.
What was life like on the farm? What kind of work did your father do? What kind of work did your mother do? What did you and your siblings do?
What did you eat growing up?
Did you have electricity and water? If not, how did you get it?
How about radio and television?
What are some of your memories about your parents?
Do you know anything about your grandparents? Where did they live? Did your grandmother ever tell you any stories?
How about Nathan and Lydia Sorrell? Did they tell you any stories?