Elder Interview-Nathan Smith
A.2008.001.441 PP
Name/Title
Elder Interview-Nathan SmithEntry/Object ID
A.2008.001.441Tags
Missing, Needs Accession Sheet, Needs Location, Needs PhotoDescription
Smith, Nathan Born 07/29/1935 Parents: Sheldon & Irene (Elm) Smith His grandpa was a farmer he had 10 acre’s he had 14 milking cows, 2 horses, pigs and chickens. He helps his grandpa with the farm work. His grandparents spoke the Oneida Language; he could understand the language and speak it very little. His grandma went to Carlisle Boarding School, but he doesn’t know how far she went in school. His grandma did a lot of work around the farm she pitch hay, she work in the garden, she did the house cleaning, she wash clothes, and she cook, she made butter and cheese, corn soup and corn bread. They are member of the Episcopal Church. They didn’t have running water or electricity. His grandpa had a 1928 Ford pickup truck. His grandpa showed him how to drive the truck at the age of 10. He didn’t know what kind of work his dad did because his dad never came around and his mother died when he was 6 years old. He started to go to school at High View and graduated from the 8th grade. Then he went to Nicholas High School in West De Pere, but he didn’t finish high school because he went in the Air Force in 1952 to 1956. He could remember on 4th of July going to the Oneida parade and to the baseball game later on they saw the fireworks. On Christmas Eve they use to go to midnight mass and on Christmas day they got one gift each. On New Years day they went hoyoning. Every summer they would go to Sturgeon Bay to pick cherries and he like to go hunting and fishing. There were no work in Green Bay so he went to Milwaukee to fine work, he did fine work at a church doing roofing and painting he stay there for awhile. Then he worked in a factory and he got laid off. He got a job as a welder’s helper and he got laid off from there too. Then he got in to Auto body work he learn how to paint cars and do body work. He worked there for 20 years. He got married to Sandra Miller in 1968. They have 3 children and 4 grandchildren. Then he went to work at K-mart as a service manager. Then they moved to Bowler, Wis. he bought an auto body shop but he sold it because the business was to slow. He started to drive a school bus for Bowler schools for awhile. One of his sons got killed in a car accident his son just graduated from Bowler High School. Later on his wife got sick and died. Then he moved back to Oneida in 1982. He drove a truck until he retired in 1997. His advice to the youth is to stay in school and get a good education.Recording Type
Audio/VisualCollection
Elder InterviewsCataloged By
Gerzetich, Courtney (Cottrell)Category
Digital Media, Military