Elder Interview-Eleanor Cornelius
Name/Title
Elder Interview-Eleanor CorneliusEntry/Object ID
A.2008.001.065Tags
Needs Accession Sheet, Needs Location, Needs PhotoDescription
Cornelius, Eleanor V. (Skenandore) Born 11/26/1909 Parents: Willard Skenandore & Melissa (Green) Skenandore Paternal grandparents: Solomon Skenandore and Elizabeth Skenandore She has 5 brothers and no sisters. When she was growing up she lived on a farm in West De Pere. Her dad was a farmer and he would haul gravel for the County. He had about 75 acres; they had cows, horses and one bull. She had to help her brothers’ milk the cows. Her mother was a nurse. Her mother went to nursing school in Milwaukee before she got married. She doesn’t remember the name of the school she uses to go to when she first started school. On Sunday they get up and milk the wows. Then they eat and go to the Episcopal Church. They would walk sometime or they would ride on a wagon and horses. We didn’t have electricity or running water. Her dad and brothers had to go and cut some wood for heat and for cooking. They had Kerosene lamps. Her father spoke Oneida language; her mother spoke Oneida a little. Her and her brothers didn’t speak the Oneida language. Her grandmother use to make baskets and her grandfather use to stripe the wood for the baskets. My mother use to do a lot of canning. She would make our clothing. They did their shopping in DePere and a small store in Oneida. I don’t remember the name of the store. She use to make corn soup. She didn’t make corn bread. But I helped make corn bread. At Christmas time they all went to church. They would go and buy or just cut down a tree. Everybody help trim the tree. She went Hoyoning sometime. They had to make a lot of doughnuts and cookies. For Easter they went to church. After church they would have colored eggs. Her mother would take care of anybody who would get sick. If anyone was to sick she would send for a Doctor. I was about 12 years old went I left home to go to school in Wittenberg... Then I went to school in Flandreau, I stayed in Flandreau for 2 years. Then I went back home for the summer. Then I went to Haskell. When I Graduated from Haskell I didn’t go home, I went to Kansas City to work. I was a babysitter, for about 2 years. Then I came back to Oneida and worked on the farm and done the house work. Later on I went to Detroit. I got a job working with the elderly; I stayed there for about 10 years. I use to sew a lot. My mother use to work at the Town Clerk. My advice to the young people is to stay in school and get their education.Recording Type
Audio/VisualCollection
Elder InterviewsCataloged By
Gerzetich, Courtney (Cottrell)Category
Digital Media