Elder Interview-Winnifred Thomas
Name/Title
Elder Interview-Winnifred ThomasEntry/Object ID
A.2008.001.462Tags
Needs Accession Sheet, Needs Location, Needs PhotoDescription
Thomas, Winnifred L. (McLester) Born 04/30/1944 Parents: Lee Gordon Jr. and Pearl Marie McLester Maternal grandparents: James and Hattie (Moore) Schuyler Paternal grandparents: Lee Gordon Sr. and Blanche (King) McLester Her grandma McLester spoke about going to school in Carlisle and her grandpa spoke about his father being a preacher. Her grandma Schuyler was Brothertown and German. Her grandpa Schuyler was a full blooded Oneida. And her grandpa Mc Lester was Scotch and Irish, and her grandma Mc Lester was a full blooded Oneida. She remembers her parents moving them to Detroit to fine work. She started going to a school in Detroit. She went from kindergarten to 2nd grade then her mother got sick in 1948, her grandmother came and took the kids back to Oneida, until her mother got better. She went to school at Chicago Corners, and she graduated from the Oneida Mission School, then she graduated from East High School in Green Bay. Her dad went to Tomah Boarding School, he dropout of school but he got his G.E.D. Her mother went to Menasha schools she dropout of high school she never finish school. Her parents didn’t speak the Oneida Language. Her grandma and grandpa Schuyler had a garden and her grandma Hattie did a lot of canning she could can just about anything. Her grandma uses roots, herbs and leafs for all the sickness there was. They never went to the doctor. On Sunday they went to the Holy Apostle Church, and after church they had their Sunday dinner. She got married to Robert L. Thomas in 1962; they have 4 children and 5 grandchildren. Her husband was involved in the Oneida Housing Authority and on the Tribal Council. She worked at the Oneida Post Office as the Post Master for 8 years. Then she went to work at the Post Office in Seymour for 18 years. Then she got a transfer back to the Oneida Post Office. She was the Post Master for 31 years. She now owes a bakery and catering business since1995. On Christmas they always had a Christmas tree and they all got to help trim the tree with home made decorations after the tree was decorated all the kids had to go to bed. They went hoyoning on New Years day. On the 4th of July they had a big picnic in the back yard. They always had lot of company over for the holidays. Her advice to the youth is to have respect to their elders.Recording Type
Audio/VisualCollection
Elder InterviewsCataloged By
Gerzetich, Courtney (Cottrell)Category
Digital Media