Race & Place: Oral Histories

Interview of Virginia Thompkins Ross by Jean Hiatt and Roulhac Toledano of the Ridge Street Oral History Project on July 23, 1994. (Oral History)
Biographical Information Virginia Thompkins Ross comes from one of the original families who lived on Ridge Street. Her mother and grandmother were born on Ridge Street, as well as herself and her children. In this interview, she shares her memories of Ridge Street from her childhood, and talks about other long-time residents that she grew up with. Project Description Race and Place is a project of the Virginia Center for Digital History and the Carter G. Woodson Institute for Afro-American and African Studies. The goal of the project is to chronicle the life of African-Americans in the Charlottesville, Virginia area during the period of segregation. As part of this project we have conducted a series of interviews with current residents of the Charlottesville area who were alive during that period. The project has also incorporated oral interviews conducted by other Charlottesville institutions which cover the appropriate subject area. Notes About Our Transcription The transcripts represent what was said in the interview to the best of our ability. It is possible that some words, particularly names, have been misspelled. Where we did not feel sure of spellings we have indicated this by the use of the term 'phonetically' in parentheses following the word in question. Places where words were unclear are noted by 'inaudible'. We have made no attempt to correct mistakes in grammar.

Q1:	And then you had all daughters?
Mrs. Ross:	And then I had all boys. And I got all grandson except one granddaughter.
Q1:	Well, now then your husband come from Amherst County. How did you meet him?
Mrs. Ross:	Down at Miss Mega's (phonetically) house down there it was one of those old houses are down here. I met him down there at a birthday party. I've never going to forget it even though it's been years and years ago.
Q1:	At a birthday party?
Mrs. Ross:	At a birthday party.
Q1:	How old were you?
Mrs. Ross:	About twenty, 'cause when we got married I was twenty-four. For I ain't nobody's dream.
Q1:	That's good that you didn't go off and get married when you were an infant. You had a good time first.
Mrs. Ross:	Well when he would come to see me. He come up there to see me. His people are very nice people too from down in Amherst County.
Q1:	And he lived on a farm down there?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. They did have a farm.
Q1:	But he decided he'd rather live here?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. He's been - well, since the lot was given to him. Given to us by my father and so we might as well live here in this wee bit old raggedy house. Been in it all the time ever since then.
Q1:	Well now, what - your father - your own father. He also was from here in Charlottesville?
Mrs. Ross:	I think he was, you know, that's all I know. I think he was sometimes.
Q1:	And he works out at Welling's (phonetically) place they was having a garden up there.
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. And he works and have a garden.
Q1:	But he went up to Pennsylvania?
Mrs. Ross:	For a while. So, we all did pretty good considering. And them houses down there were something. They were right down in a - they were nice houses. The old slaughterhouse and the - what did I say - and the Ward house and the hen house and Mr. Jorden's house.
Q1:	Garden or Jordon?
Mrs. Ross:	Jordon - Jordon - old man Jordon's house.
Q1:	Jordon lived there too?
Mrs. Ross:	No he's next door to the - the Wren's (phonetically) house. The Wren house is the next house to that house and it's a Japanese girl lives there now. And she is just as sweet as she can be, she really is. She's better than many neighbors that've been here for a hundred years. Now, that's the truth. She's really a very nice person.
Q1:	She lives in the Wren's house?
Mrs. Ross:	In the Wren's house. (Indicates yes)
Q1:	That's across the street?
Mrs. Ross:	That was - (Indicates yes) Larry Johnson.
Q1:	This one house across from here that has the funniest little neat - neat - neat garden with these little birds outside. I think that - I wanted to take a picture of it and write an article on it, I - I have never seen so, much decoration on a house.
Mrs. Ross:	Is that right? You know I don't go up in that area much. I stay right here and do what I have to do and I have enough to keep me going.
Q1:	Well, now where do you all do your shopping from this neighborhood?
Mrs. Ross:	I go up to the IGA sometimes and then I go to right across the street. I call it across the street but it's downtown - what is that Kings (phonetically)?
Q1:	The one's that on Cherry Avenue?
Mrs. Ross:	No. That's down on off of Lane high school.
Q1:	That's IGA Food King?
Mrs. Ross:	I - I get them all confused it's the one straight down going across the street from the light. Food King that's where I go mostly. And I bet there food is nothing like it used to be. Nothing tastes like - course they could be my tastes buds. But a lot of food just don't taste like it used to taste, now that's the truth.
Q1:	You know, today they have that city market and it's across from where I live, I live right downtown.
Mrs. Ross:	Oh, really?
Q1:	And the city market is an empty lot across from the street?
Mrs. Ross:	(Indicates yes)
Q1:	And oh, the fresh vegetables they were beautiful. They were good.
Mrs. Ross:	I bet they are.
Q1:	You should come down there.
Mrs. Ross:	Oh, lord I don't...
Q1:	You don't need anything?
Mrs. Ross:	No 'cause I got tomatoes and I got - .
Q1:	You've got plenty?
Mrs. Ross:	I've got plenty more than I need most times.
Q1:	Did you can things like this (Inaudible) -
Mrs. Ross:	I canned everything I can can. And of course here lately, since I've been a little on the lazy side, I freezes things it's much easier, even tomatoes.
Q1:	Oh, and how do you freeze tomatoes?
Mrs. Ross:	Well, you know, if you've got a nice little batch of tomatoes and put them in little plastic things and put them in the freezer and they last forever and they are wonderful.
Q1:	You, just put them fresh in the freezer and don't cook them?
Mrs. Ross:	Don't cook them.
Q1:	I swear? I would never have thought of that.
Mrs. Ross:	I don't cook anything anymore. Just freeze, I just take them and wash em and put em in those plastic things and freeze em.
Q1:	I think that's amazing most people most people insist on boiling them just for -
Mrs. Ross:	Oh, lord yes. I know. And they call - I used to do that.
Q1:	But it's just as good not do?
Mrs. Ross:	I just get along very well without it. And it does a whole lot better for me. So if I don't have to fool with all that.
Q1:	Right.
Mrs. Ross:	Blanching these things.
Q1:	It probably just a touch of water they need though, to wash them.
Mrs. Ross:	(Indicates yes) That's all I do. I wash em real good and most times I just put em on a nappy towel one of those you know and just drain em until they get dry. And put em in a plastic bag, and - I've got a lot of stuff and I had a lot of stuff in that freezer from last year.
Q1:	From last year?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. I have. And I would put a few more but I've been given away beans. I gave away, I know I gave away a bushel and a half of beans this year. The girls would come and get them and they enjoyed picking 'em. And - and most time I have a panful each morning, but I think we done 'bout shot most of em out there, I think. But we got another - a batch coming on right there, right in here, that's a bean coming up right there. I expect I got corn over there, I wouldn't be surprised.
Q1:	That's some nice corn growing over there?
Mrs. Ross:	I wouldn't be all surprised that I don't have corn. I may have corn for tomorrow.
Q1:	Well, now - let me - I tried it in mid July - for growing up around here? Were there any black families that were considered either real rich or real important up in your life per say?
Mrs. Ross:	Not really. We all just got along very well. I - one thing for me I've always got along with people, you know, invariably regardless of the color or what, I've always got along with people. And some of our people makes me kinda angry with them by their behavior but it was - the only thing that you do is mind your own business and you don't have no problems. I learned that a long time ago and you mind your own business and leave the other people alone and you'll do all right for yourself and you'll get along with everybody. That's the only reason E. G. Hoyle (phonetically) and I get along.
Q1:	E. G. Oh. Okay. Well now he and you had been friends for a long time?
Mrs. Ross:	Twenty-six years.
Q1:	Was he from around here or did he come in?
Mrs. Ross:	He came from - where did Mr. Hoyle come from - oh, I know Gum Spring, down in that area.
Q1:	Gum Spring?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. Down in that area that's where they came from.
Q1:	Well that Amherst County doesn't have any towns do they? I mean your husband was just from the country?
Mrs. Ross:	Just from the country.
Q1:	And the farm lot?
Mrs. Ross:	And the farm lot. And there's a little farm boy.
Q1:	Now, are his people - members of his family still down there?
Mrs. Ross:	Well, no his mother and father of 'course dead. And he got a brother live not too far from where's the home place is. Is a matter of fact that one of the brother in laws came to see me from then - in that area last week and his two daughters from Baltimore.
Q1:	Baltimore?
Mrs. Ross:	Now because they're from Baltimore. They came to see me last - last Wednesday. And I was thinking about em. I don't know why I had my mind on that boy. And search my soul here they come. And I said well I enjoyed 'em very much I really did. And his sister, she live in Lynchburg now. And his niece lives in Lynchburg another niece live in Lynchburg, all of em from down in that area.
Q1:	Lynchburg is where you go I think - come into town from around that part?
Mrs. Ross:	There that's where the most of 'em live, in Lynchburg.
Q1:	Charlottesville's a pretty nice place for all these kids to grow up in?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. It really is. I didn't have county - a very nice place - very nice indeed.
Q1:	To live in the same neighborhood you whole life?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. My whole life that's right. And I don't - I get along as I said with all of them even though these new people I sometimes I just look at em. If you hear that I say - I just look at em for I 'ain't messin' with them. But I said I don't know nothin' 'bout em and I just don't bother. You know, it's strange when we got - and we out here on the hill - what is the name of this thing you know the name of that place where the deaf and the blind?
Q1:	Down the street there at the bottom of the hill?
Mrs. Ross:	Down on the bottom of the hill there. They are some strange people now they are. But I - I don't bother 'em. If they - I - they look at me and they bow their head and I bow my head.
Q2:	And they walk back and forth?
Mrs. Ross:	Oh yes. Yes they will walk up and down the street mostly. Of course this is funny and completely out of the question. You would have died laughing. You ain't taping all this foolishness?
Q1:	I think we are.
Mrs. Ross:	You will have fallen out night before last. I've heard all this noise because my window right there where I can hear everything. And at four o'clock in the morning two of these strange men were walking up the street making more noise than anything, you ever heard. I said Lord have mercy what in the world? I got up and peeked out and they was just going up the road just having themselves a good time. And I was falling out in the door. I got in the door and I just fell out - Lord have mercy ain't this a sight 4:00 in the morning.
Q1:	Did they come down there?
Mrs. Ross:	From down there and went on back, went on home. And I thought I would crack up. I said Lord have mercy and see I had no business up no how. I knows that, see what's going on.
Q1:	Well you know that - they call it Garrett Square the housing project -
Mrs. Ross:	Yes.
Q1:	Do you remember that neighborhood before they put all that stuff up?
Mrs. Ross:	Garrett Square?
Q1:	That's where they have those - now modern apartments?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. I know where they are.
Q1:	But did you - did you know people that lived there before all that?
Mrs. Ross:	I'm trying to think of what this old gentleman's name. And I know him just as well as I do myself. He had a lot of his houses were right all most directly at the corner of where Garrett Square ends. And I - Lord have mercy - I told you my memory is bad. But I remember just as well as everything in the world but where this old gentleman used to have his house. Right there before, just as you enter Garrett Square. He had a house there.
Q2:	What, Gleason?
Mrs. Ross:	Gleason? No, no it wasn't Gleason. Oh Lord this was a black fellow.
Q1:	And where is the graveyard that your daddy's in?
Mrs. Ross:	He's down there.
Q1:	Like down here at this one that we walked through all the time?
Mrs. Ross:	Probably so. Yes. Right down there.
Q1:	Well, this neighborhood has everything you need it has the church and the grocery and the graveyard.
Mrs. Ross:	Graveyard that's right. Yes, and then plenty of unusual people.
Q1:	And then it used to have that school is it still there?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. Yes. We have kind of unusual people around here that's for sure.
Q2:	You have unusual people?
Mrs. Ross:	We have, we have -
Q2:	You talking about new people that moved in the area?
Mrs. Ross:	(Indicates yes) Now a lot of people, I don't 'em at all.
Q2:	This road - how long has this road been paved up here?
Mrs. Ross:	It's been paved a right good long while. It's been paved a right good long while I can't exactly say how long. But it's been a good long while.
Q1:	But you all weren't worried about it not being paved were you?
Mrs. Ross:	No. We didn't bother.
Q2:	I know I've been - Eugene's driving me crazy. He want's them to widen this road and I said that's going to take away everybody's front yard. Why would you want the road widened?
Mrs. Ross:	Cameron (phonetically) said, please don't let me get started on Eugene.
Q1:	No. I don't think we can.
Mrs. Ross:	I think I better not 'cause if I tell you about Eugene. Eugene and I just have a terrible time.
Q1:	Well we can't widen the road then you wouldn't have your garden or your front porch. There's no need to widen the road.
Mrs. Ross:	No. Actually it's been quite quiet. I just prefer not talk about Eugene.
Q1:	We weren't worry about that.
Mrs. Ross:	Talking to Eugene and I get along awful. We get along terrible. We get along terrible and I could tell you again. Oh, I just don't want to get started on Eugene 'cause Eugene and I get along just awful. His mother and I came along together, I mean to a point his mother used to usher with me years ago. And she was the sweetest old lady in the world, just as sweet as she could be. She had two sons Eugene and Albert and her husband was named Mr. Peachy (phonetically) and he was a deacon years ago - and poor, poor Miss Steppy (phonetically) they used to usher with me and she was a little bit older than I am.
Q1:	Maybe (Inaudible) - steppie (phonetically)?
Mrs. Ross:	Steppie Williams, Steppie was her mothers name.
Q1:	Stephie? Is that S-e-p-p-y?
Mrs. Ross:	Miss Seppy, S-e-p-p-y, and she was a lovely person. Far different than him, I'm going to smack him one day when - but anyway.
Q2:	But she was on Dice Street?
Mrs. Ross:	Dice Street, yes. And she lived right by a friend of mine and her name was Mary Goodlow (phonetically) years ago.
Q1:	Mary what?
Mrs. Ross:	Goodlow. They lived right their together. They're always my good friend. They were the best of friends.
Q1:	Was she - is she know of (Inaudible) -
Mrs. Ross:	No. (Indicates, no)
Q1:	Well now the church - you all were pretty active in the church? I mean it was the place where you did a lot of things.
Mrs. Ross:	In our church? Oh, 'cause I -
Q1:	Was that the same church that (Inaudible) - is in?
Mrs. Ross:	Well I ushered there. I've been ushering there for fifty-three years. So that-
Q1:	The same place?
Mrs. Ross:	That's the same place. For fifty-three years I've been ushering, myself.
Q2:	You probably were there when I went there.
Mrs. Ross:	Was I -
Q2:	Well, this was a special concert. I think it was even in the evening. It was a fundraiser for something. For the choir. It wasn't for First Baptist Church.
Mrs. Ross:	Oh right.
Q1:	Well now that you - you all that Wednesday night prayer meeting at all?
Mrs. Ross:	They have at least for - we do have.
Q1:	You don't go to that?
Mrs. Ross:	I still go, once in a while.
Q1:	And you go at least - the Sunday morning, do you have Sunday evening too?
Mrs. Ross:	No. We have Sunday morning. They've been trying to get that Sunday evening business going. It's kind of hard to look back to get it off the ground.
Q1:	We always, where I was from there wasn't any thing else to do. So they had Sunday morning and Sunday evening.
Mrs. Ross:	Well we used to have a Sunday afternoon one too. That's been a years ago. But most of these people they do good to get there Sunday morning.
Q1:	Yes. That's right they try to get out the door and everything else at one time.
Mrs. Ross:	But it's very nice though I like - I've been going to church there and I have a certain seat that I've been sitting in there for sixty-three years.
Q1:	Same seat?
Mrs. Ross:	(Indicates yes) And everybody gets around and move around when they see me coming.
Q1:	Well, now tell me did you all take vacations with your boys or did you just sort of stick around Charlottesville?
Mrs. Ross:	I never been on a vacation in my life.
Q1:	I love that.
Mrs. Ross:	Now how 'bout that. I think well, you know I think - well - you know - it's a funny thing. I - let me go turn this stuff down - I have - everything burned up.
Q:	When are you going to get (Inaudible) -
Mrs. Ross:	Girl, I can't give nothing but a-half a cake. I got the half the cake made and so whenever they show up, they get a half a cake.
Q1:	Now that's interesting that you never taken a vacation?
Mrs. Ross:	No honey I never have taken a vacation somebody was saying poor me and they say, girl when you going to take a vacation? I said I don't have no plans to take one. I'm just thankful to be here. And when I get through with what I'm doing I go home and lay down and rest that's a lucky woman. It never bothered me - it never bothered me not to take a vacation. I can't stay in the street long enough. We went to King's Dominion once, with the little children.
Q1:	Well now do you enjoy the TV?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes, I do. But all - you going to laugh again, I never been used to this type of thing. You know, either colon, TV, no amount of those. And they were pretty happy using the (Inaudible) -
Q1:	Yes. That does help a lot.
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. That does make it very nice. I had to get used to that. That's something I ain't never getting used to. All these different kinds of food things and - you - you'll die laughing. Certain old lady decided that TV you all got just don't seem to work right. So, she gave it (Inaudible) - for the violin. So, he went down there and then she sit a little while (Inaudible) - this is (Inaudible) - TV she wants (Inaudible) - very long day and she -
Q1:	But she bought you the TV?
Mrs. Ross:	Oh. Yes. She bought it for me. She wanted - something that she didn't have to have rolling around all the time. And yet come to sit down and look at and she'd watch it most the time. I tried to sell it - you all want to sell - you all want to buy something. You all going to buy something do you use material?
Q2:	What did your father have to say?
Mrs. Ross:	Now let me see - I don't know - he is lonely out there on (Inaudible) - He used to take me to school over to Jefferson. He used to carry me over there to school.
Q2:	In - in a car?
Mrs. Ross:	No. No we walked. He walked me over there.
Q1:	He walked you over there? Oh.
Mrs. Ross:	He was walking me over.
Q1:	Thank goodness you don't have to go out to 29 North see awful stuff out there.
Mrs. Ross:	Oh, 29 North towards the Airport is everything is ridiculous. I usually ride the bus, you know, and I don't like that much. I haven't rid the bus now since my husband got his permit there. Which I am very proud that he finally got his thing.
Q1:	Permit what?
Mrs. Ross:	His permit - his drivers permit. I - I - I don't desire to drive too much but young people like me when you know something you can't help it. And he used to - then he got all heated up one time and he lost his permit for five years and when he got his permit back he learned how to keep that damn stuff out of his mouth.
Q1:	Good, wow.
Mrs. Ross:	So, that meant a whole lot.
Q1:	I bet so.
Mrs. Ross:	So, it means a lot to me because I'm too dumb to drive myself and it makes me so, mad that I couldn't learn to - I didn't know what to do with him. I don't why in the world I didn't learn to drive. You know, it gets to me. I get so, mad at my own self right and when you get married with kids and you can't say anything about it because you did it your own self and you didn't have to do it. I could have learned.
Q1:	So you all have five years with out driving.
Mrs. Ross:	That's right. I got on the bus and went anywhere I wanted to go - thank the lord that there was a bus. Finally - finally, got out here - the bus - it took them a long time to get that bus out here but they finally got the bus run all the way out - right to the door.
Q1:	Oh.
Mrs. Ross:	It comes all the here and then goes all the way back and that's been a long time now. It means a whole lot to him to have the bus out here. Thank god. Lord knows we sure walked a lot with out it.
Q1:	How much did it help?
Mrs. Ross:	Well, maybe it helped a whole lot you know I believe. Between the bus and the different things - and, of course, the people on the bus make me so, mad - so, mad I didn't know what to do.
Q1:	Let me ask you, do you think your mama - mama lives a long time - I'm trying to figure out - 99 is a long time.
Mrs. Ross:	Mama lives a long time and sometimes I'm trying to figure out and I've known her for a long time. I know it.
Q1:	Do you think it runs in the family (Inaudible) -
Mrs. Ross:	Well, my grandmother she lived to be an old lady.
Q1:	Yes?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. She did.
Q1:	She lived here?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. She did.
Q1:	Did she live in the house with you all?
Mrs. Ross:	She lived there. My mom - my - my grandmother lived right over there.
Q1:	In the same house as your mom?
Mrs. Ross:	In the same house over there.
Q1:	Let's imagine now, that's four generations now you got five generations.
Q2:	What was her last name - your grandmother?
Mrs. Ross:	She was a Burton.
Q2:	Burton?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. Molly Burton.
Q2:	Molly Burton?
Mrs. Ross:	And she was a lovely old person. That was my grandma. She was a nice old person.
Q2:	So did she grow up over here?
Mrs. Ross:	They all grew up over there.
Q2:	Your one of the - your family was a - the original people in Ridge Street?
Mrs. Ross:	The originals of Ridge Street. Them and the Sommersons (phonetically) I think. As I told you the sons and the father (Inaudible) - own the other farm out there. They are the originals of Ridge Street. And everybody else is young except them and the Woodfolks of course down the bottoms is - all of them are gone but two girls.
Q1:	Who lived close to the (Inaudible) -
Mrs. Ross:	The two Woodfolk (phonetically) girls.
	(END OF SIDE A)
Q1:	- of the old family and the Woodfolk and you all.
Mrs. Ross:	The originals of Ridge Street. And of course Cordelia.
Q1:	Cordelia Swift?
Mrs. Ross:	She was a Swift.
Q1:	And then what was her name before she was a Swift?
Mrs. Ross:	She was a Slaughter.
Q1:	Are the - how old do you think the Woodfolk that are still over there?
Mrs. Ross:	How old are the Woodfolks girls that live over there? Oh Lord Lucille is a little bit younger - little older than I am. Lucille ought to be seventy-two and I think Annie is about eighty.
Q2:	So they would know some history of Ridge Street?
Mrs. Ross:	They should know and of course Pokey ought to know something. She and Mary ought to know something. I told you she talks so darn much she ought to know -
Q1:	Pokey? Pocahontas?
Mrs. Ross:	She ought to know all about -
Q2:	That's the Sellers. Now what - who - what are the names of the Sellers people again?
Mrs. Ross:	Pocahontas and Mary - Mary Carter.
Q2:	Mary Carter?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. And Virginia is the niece. Virginia Carter is the niece. The three of them live up there.
Q2:	Oh. They're living in a very old house too.
Mrs. Ross:	Well that's supposed to be one of the oldest houses besides our house - and of course that that one there - they just painted that one.
Q1:	It looks good.
Mrs. Ross:	It looks nice now - being the oldest houses around.
Q1:	This is a nice picture of Ridge Street.
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. You have a nice bunch of people there. And like I said I don't know much about them.
Q1:	All of the - all of the white folks when we interviewed them we had to go somewhere else - they've all moved away too.
Mrs. Ross:	Well, I don't know where all these people came from honey. I'll be frank with you. There's a lot of them around here but I know where they came from or anything about them. I really can't help you.
Q2:	Can you tell us anything about the Ferguson Funeral Home? Has that been there forever?
Mrs. Ross:	It's been there a good while. It's been there a good little while.
Q1:	So when somebody in your family dies that where you all would go?
Mrs. Ross:	No we always went it Bell's.
Q1:	Bell's?
Mrs. Ross:	You know, Bell is a relative to me.
Q1:	Oh, he's charming.
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. Bell is a relative to me. Raymond is very sweet and Henry too and John. And I didn't realize that his wife had died. I said Lord so many people have died from around here so I declare you just don't know. You just wonder.
Q1:	They were like a cousin of yours?
Mrs. Ross:	Huh?
Q1:	The Bell's were like a cousin of yours?
Mrs. Ross:	Oh.
Q1:	The Bell's were like a cousin of yours?
Mrs. Ross:	Oh. Distant cousins yes. His mother was related to us.
Q2:	What was your grandmother's maiden name again? How do you spell that?
Mrs. Ross:	Pardon? Oh, it was Burton - b-u-r-t-o-n.
Q1:	Oh, Burton?
Mrs. Ross:	Burton, yes, Burton.
Q2:	And she grew up- did she grow up here too?
Mrs. Ross:	Yep she grew up down there too and in that little wooded area there. And I imagine - you know, I believe there's a lot of different places been built, since I haven't been down there since they built up a lot down there.
Q1:	Oh.
Mrs. Ross:	And I just haven't decided that I want to walk down the road.
Q1:	That's a big change. But you all sold all that land?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. I sold that land. Sold for the purpose of having somewhere for my aunt and have some money left for her in case she has to go so it can send her there or somewhere.
Q1:	Oh, so you used the money for the old folks home?
Mrs. Ross:	For that - for that purpose. And her's is in the back. And I - all to get somebody else to look it over 'cause I'm getting old too, but I don't know how long I'll be around here. But I've got a niece and I guess I ought to get her to do things but you know, young people are so strange. They are about the strangest things to do things with I ever seen I must say. And one of my nieces makes me so darn mad that I don't know what to do with her. She's got a good brain on her and would do things but you just - I don't know it's strange how people is.
Q1:	Not too responsible anymore.
Mrs. Ross:	I mean the young people just don't seem to care on things that they ought to care on. Do things they ought to do. You just can't get yourself too upset over it. Or you'll drive yourself crazy over them.
Q2:	But your children seem to care?
Mrs. Ross:	Hmm?
Q2:	I said your children seem to care.
Mrs. Ross:	Well my children they're very unusual. I don't know where they got that from. Maybe they got a little bit of from me I don't know.
Q1:	That's so?
Mrs. Ross:	You reckon it is. Know wonder them devils 'ain't been out here in the morning. I guess they've been messin' around long enough yesterday.
Q2:	Well so your grandmother lived up, grew up here. How about her - did her parents grow up here too or don't you remember?
Mrs. Ross:	I don't think I -
Q2:	You don't know?
Mrs. Ross:	They were Browns and I don't know where they came from.
Q2:	Brown, that's my husbands last name.
Mrs. Ross:	Is that right?
Q1:	The (Inaudible) - people was Browns?
Mrs. Ross:	The (Inaudible) - was John Brown.
Q1:	John Brown?
Mrs. Ross:	Old man John Brown.
Q1:	Most people can't even get back that far.
Mrs. Ross:	I do remember that.
Q2:	So he - so - you don't know how long he lived up there or where he came from?
Mrs. Ross:	No, I don't.
Q2:	From the country? This really felt like country when you were younger didn't it?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. It sure did.
Q1:	It still has a lot of country.
Mrs. Ross:	It has a lot of country. With all them darn cows - horses and cows it was nothing but country.
Q1:	Did you all milk the cow and stuff like that up there?
Mrs. Ross:	No honey, I ain't had nothing to do with them Jersey cows - I was way over in the cooking house - I and I'm trying to think of who that man was that had them things - those cows and things.
Q2:	Further back. And he was - do you think he was rude to us before or just liked his animals.
Mrs. Ross:	No. He used to - he just had them out there I guess. 'Cause it was nothing but field out there you know. He wanted nothing but fields out there and that's where the cows and horses run.
Q2:	When you were little did - were there horses and carriages here or just people having horses pull carriages or was that -
Mrs. Ross:	No Mr. Ward he just had his own horse and buggy.
Q2:	Mr. Ward did?
Mrs. Ross:	Mr. Ward had a horse and buggy. 'Course as a matter of fact his mom had a buggy too.
Q2:	Mrs. Swift?
Mrs. Ross:	Mrs. Furlong. Mrs. Furlong - it was her father.
Q2:	Was her father - her father so, her father had a horse and buggy?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. They had horse and buggy, they sure did.
Q2:	So, they didn't have cars when you were little?
Mrs. Ross:	No. They just had the horse and buggy. Mr. Ward used to the biggest mess with his horse and buggy.
Q2:	Was he wild driver or -
Mrs. Ross:	No. He was fine but sometimes when one of those horses used to get a little crazy and that horse would make me so mad that I wouldn't know what to do. But anyway I believe he used to stand at that fence and wait for me. There wasn't a house there. It was this old - it was an, old was there 'cause they had the big house here and it was an old slaughterhouse that was there. And the horse used to come to the fence there to meet me - I swear I was supposed to go I reckon. So, I've had my time with the horses.
Q1:	You don't have to worry about them any more.
Mrs. Ross:	That's - that's - I don't have to worry about them any more and the cows used to me out the back - I used to have me a ball.
Q2:	Growing up?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. Growing up.
Q2:	You had had a good time?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. With the cows and the horses.
Q2:	You did after all. I thought you didn't like them.
Mrs. Ross:	Never did - never did like them ungrateful things.
Q2:	What grade did you start schhol in?
Mrs. Ross:	Huh?
Q2:	Did you start school when you were in first grade or did you start in fourth grade?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. I - I went on to through - through high school.
Q2:	Then you started like in first grade?
Mrs. Ross:	First grade, yes.
Q2:	My mother started in fourth grade.
Mrs. Ross:	Is that right? And I started out in first grade, I went on through high school.
Q2:	Always at Jefferson? They had a little elementary school in front.
Mrs. Ross:	Yes they had a little elementary school there in front and then we went up to the higher grades, up there in a regular school building there.
Q2:	That's unusual to have a high school isn't it?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. It was a little bit. But they had - had at that the old high school there.
Q1:	Now when you got out of high school then one day there you were out, what did they expect for you to have to do then.
Mrs. Ross:	I - I didn't do to much of nothin', you know, I went to work.
Q2:	Did you have any friends that went to college - teachers at the normal schools?
Mrs. Ross:	I had one friend that went to (Inaudible) - this girl went up to - all the way and I haven't seen -
Q2:	You know Mrs. - Rebecca, she was a teacher at Jefferson. She just turned a hundred -
Mrs. Ross:	McGinnis? She's still around, isn't she?
Q2:	Yes. She is. She was a teacher over there.
Mrs. Ross:	Oh yes.
Q2:	Was she a teacher of yours?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes.
Q2:	Good.
Mrs. Ross:	Many years ago.
Q2:	And Rosemary Viars (phonetically)?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. Rosemary was one of my teachers too. How is she doing? Did you hear?
Q2:	Well I know she voted last election she had come with a respirator.
Mrs. Ross:	Oh yes.
Q1:	Well now those aren't little twins over there?
Mrs. Ross:	They are a little bit older.
Q1:	Oh my God.
Mrs. Ross:	They're Jan's devils.
Q1:	That's a good picture.
Mrs. Ross:	There are little devils all over this place.
Q1:	Now who's that on the left there? That grown up man.
Mrs. Ross:	Let me see - which one is that. It me - my - my husband and I on the left side and -
Q1:	Can I take it out?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. And then my three boys -
Q1:	Oh there you are in the picture. I didn't even see you.
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. Don't look at the dust 'cause it stay because it will stay on there and it will kill you.
Q1:	Lord no.
Mrs. Ross:	That's John and I.
Q1:	That's a nice picture.
Mrs. Ross:	Now, there's my three boys right behind there.
Q1:	That's your husband's son?
Mrs. Ross:	That's - that's the Mayor, that's the Mayor boy. That's the Mayor boy and that -
Q1:	Did you recently loose a lot of weight your so thin there?
Mrs. Ross:	Who me?
Q1:	Yes.
Mrs. Ross:	I have lost some very much. Now there's my three boys.
Q2:	Those are your three boys?
Mrs. Ross:	They are my three boys.
Q2:	These are the twins?
Mrs. Ross:	This one and this one are twins and that one is the mail carrier.
Q2:	Okay.
Mrs. Ross:	Ain't it the biggest mess you ever seen? Biggest mess you ever seen in your life.
Q1:	Now those were your first kids, were the twins or the second?
Mrs. Ross:	The twins are the first. The big boy right there is Jamelle (phonetically) is the one right here and then the twins. They - they got two - I got them all over the place. Them boys is all over this place and then I got them right there I got a whole batch of twins.
Q1:	Wow, you have pictures of them all?
Mrs. Ross:	I've that and they're devils again.
Q1:	Here's the grandchildren and like that?
Mrs. Ross:	Here's the grandchildren.
Q1:	But no grandchildren are twins?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes.
Q1:	You mean you're grandchildren are twins?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. They, them eleven years old.
Q2:	You have twins that are grandchildren?
Mrs. Ross:	Oh yes. Them those little devils right there. They - they be eleven years on the twenty-third.
Q1:	So, every generation has twins then?
Mrs. Ross:	(Indicates yes) My granddaddy was a twin.
Q1:	Oh, I didn't know that.
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. My granddaddy was a twin. All the twins, everybody's going crazy with twins around here.
Q2:	That's fine though isn't it?
Mrs. Ross:	Isn't it funny?
Q2:	Do you babysit those little twins or -
Mrs. Ross:	No. They - they're - I used to.
Q2:	Yes?
Mrs. Ross:	'Course they baby-sit me now.
Q2:	They're older?
Mrs. Ross:	I tell you eleven years old I swear that they're grown. Yes indeed they baby sit me now.
Q2:	Did Mrs. Cordelia Swift and Camelia...
Mrs. Ross:	Cordelia and Camelia are all - Cordelia is a - the mother and Camelia is the daughter. 'Course we call her Tony.
Q1:	Oh. Do they call her Evelyn any?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. They surely do.
Q1:	I think you better go and have to feed her a lot of lunch? Guess we better go have a piece or bite of lunch.
Mrs. Ross:	Don't worry about it. She - She'll get it in due time. If it is not that it's something else. She going along now where in the world them girls come from? Just wait till you go to - where those girls come from?
Q2:	Did she know we were coming? Did you tell them?
Mrs. Ross:	I don't know. I don't tell her too much 'cause she's too nosy. I don't tell her too many things. I let her see for herself. She's all right though she's fine. No she ain't in no hurry she ain't got nothing to do. Ain't going to do nothing but go to sleep.
Q2:	Nice that you're helping each other.
Mrs. Ross:	I guess we did the good thing, you know.
Q1:	That her sisters the one that had to get another person.
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. She just -
Q1:	Is she married - did she have a family?
Mrs. Ross:	No, she was just a single woman.
Q1:	Oh so that's why you had to take care of her?
Mrs. Ross:	Oh well I just took care of her because - I said there was no need to for - to put her at home as long as I'm able to do.
Q1:	Right.
Mrs. Ross:	And that's what I said then and of course I don't have two problems since then but still I'm trying to survive -.
Q1:	Now what does your husband think about you taking care of all these folks?
Mrs. Ross:	Well I don't know whether he thinks about it too much but I say Lord - I know when his mother used to come down. I would do for her and I figure it ain't no more - cause he don't have nothing to do but, you know, if this a fact men have strange idea and I got sense enough to know that. And I have feelings sometime about different things but, you know, it's just one of those things. I say he got - he had to get old himself one day if he live that long. Sometimes you just never know how things going to work out. Men have some strange ideas about them and I know that and then we've been married - ain't been married forty-six years for nothing.
Q2:	Good job.
Mrs. Ross:	We haven't been married forty-six years for nothing and I have been through a whole lot of things from one thing to another. And of course - and what makes it so cool is he is he makes me mad enough that I tell him well you know, I - I haven't been here forty-six years with you for nothing. We done been through a whole lot of things together and we have.
Q1:	Right.
Mrs. Ross:	And if we live long enough we'll go through some more. I say that's the way of doing. It's not easy.
Q1:	Who was in the army - who was in the army?
Mrs. Ross:	That's that little devil one of them boys of mine.
Q1:	That's your boy?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. He was in the army.
Q1:	Who was in the navy?
Mrs. Ross:	John was in the Navy. My husband was in the navy there. Jerry was in the army.
Q2:	Husband was in the navy?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes.
Q2:	During what war?
Mrs. Ross:	Oh boy he - he didn't go into action no where he was just down here in - where is that - it's up on there.
Q1:	But you never went with him?
Mrs. Ross:	Not that devil he'd been out in the street and I didn't even knows he's gone.
Q1:	So he went off and had to be in the - in the navy.
Q2:	Grange Ridge, Maryland?
Mrs. Ross:	Grange Ridge, Maryland that's where it is.
Q1:	But you didn't go with him?
Q2:	1944.
Mrs. Ross:	No. No honey. I told you I ain't been no where - I didn't know that devil was in the street he just now getting back home.
Q2:	Your husband?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. I think I seen that car come by through there I seen a truck come through there just now. I thought he was being mighty quiet.
Q2:	I did too because he was chatting with me on the phone.
Mrs. Ross:	Well I thought he was being mighty quiet and devil in the street. How in the world would I expect --
Q1:	Why did he join the army? Was he drafted or did he join the navy, your husband?
Mrs. Ross:	He just joined the navy I think. Yes all my children (Inaudible) - he was in the army and Jerry was in the army.
Q2:	All three of them or two of them?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. He was in the army, the youngest one.
Q2:	All three boys were in the army?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. They all were in the army. Yes that devil is coming in here. Oh I know what happened. You know what happened?
Q1:	No.
Mrs. Ross:	He went downtown this morning and forgot the coffee and that's why when he went to get his darn coffee I just bet this what happened. There he is there - there the coffee man.
Q1:	How you all doing?
Mrs. Ross:	He's the coffee man. He - he forgot the coffee that was the cutest thing you ever seen.
Q1:	So where did he go get it?
Mrs. Ross:	Yes. He ain't going to get it you know he's was going to get the coffee. I know you did. I forgotten all about you wasn't here I said I know you had not to be here 'cause I -
Mr. Ross:	I couldn't find it. I searched all over town and still couldn't find it.
Q2:	You let her sleep then?
Mr. Ross:	Yeah.
Q2:	What's that, Southern States?
Mrs. Ross:	Southern States, yes. Went to Thomas small engine service.
Q2:	Is that over in Rose Hill? You never need gas?
Mr. Ross:	You have one you got to order it.
Q1:	Your rotor tiller won't work?
Mr. Ross:	I can make it work but I don't like to use it like that it's hard on the belt. Those belts are also hard to get they have to order those. Real strange when you get old equipment you have all kind of problems. Just like when you get old you sit.
	(TAPE ENDS.)
Copyright Information: Virginia Center for Digital History, University of Virginia This interview is publically accessible Text and images © copyright 2001 by the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia.

Interview of Virginia Thompkins Ross by Jean Hiatt and Roulhac Toledano of the Ridge Street Oral History Project on July 23, 1994. (Oral History)