Browse Items · Decatur Public Library Local History Photo Collection

Mr. & Mrs. John K. Wells' Oral History

This is the oral history of Mr. and Mrs. John K. Wells. They were interviewed by Betty Turnell on June 22, 1986. The interview includes their childhoods, and John's career in life insurance.

Tags: 3I League, Awards, Baseball, Bavaria, Betty Turnell, Bishop Quail, Boys Club, Building Committee, business major, Campfire Girls, Chartered Life Underwriter, Chautauqua, childhood, Christmas trees, church activities, church board, Classes, clients, CLU, committees, concession stands, dancing lessons, Decatur Baseball, Decatur High School, Decatur IL, Delovan IL, Denver CO, District Superintendent, Eloise Neece, Entertainment, Equitable Life Insurance Society, family life, First United Methodist Church, France, fundraising, future of Decatur, general insurance, German family, German fest, Germany, golf, Grace Methodist Church, Greyville IL, Hightide Dr., history/political science minor, Hudson River Dateline, insurance sales, interview, lay leader, Lebanon IL, life insurance, Louise Wells, Marion Plussen, marriage class, McKinley College, Methodist Church, Methodist Episcopal Church, Methodist Minister, Millikin University, Minister, Mr. & Mrs. John K. Wells, national committees, office manager, oral history, Peoria IL, preachers, Programs, Providence RI, R.C. Sayre, recording, retirement, Sanitary District Board, Secretary of Preachers' Aid, subdivision, sunday school, Superintendent of Junior Classes, Superintendent of Primary classes, superintendent of schools, talks, Television, tent meeting, Travel, trusts, United Methodist Church, Wilmington DE, YMCA

Mildred England's Trips to Antarctica and Greenland

This is the oral history of Mildred England. She was interviewed by Betty Turnell on June 18, 1979. This interview covers her time travelling to Antarctica and Greenland.

Tags: Antarctica, Greenland, Mildred England

Mayme Foster's Oral History

This is the oral history of Mayme Foster. She was interviewed by Betty Turnell on May 8, 1987. This interview covers her early life, coming to Decatur, working as a seamstress, and her work with the First United Methodist Church in Decatur.

Tags: Decatur IL, First United Methodist Church, Mayme Foster

Martha A. Montgomery's Oral History

This is the oral history of Martha A. Montgomery. She was interviewed by Betty Turnell in November 1976. The interview includes her early life, family history, time in the Navy, teaching career, and time spent with the Macon County Historical…

Lynn Potter's Oral History

This is the oral history of Lynn Potter. She was interviewed by Sally Krigbaum on June 12, 2018 in Mrs. Potter's home. The oral history covers her life in Springfield, Millikin University, her family with Duanne, historic preservation, NWRAPS,…

Tags: Architectural Restorations, Circa 1860, Culver House, Decatur Historic Foundation, Decatur IL, HASC, Historic and Architectural Sites Commission, historic homes, historic preservation, Lynn Potter, Millikin Place, Millikin University, NWRAPS, Oglesby Mansion, Post Jewelers, Springfield IL

Loren Boatman's Oral History

This is the oral history of Loren Boatman. He was interviewed by Betty Turnell on August 11, 1986. The interview includes his career as a teacher and meteorologist.

Lester Grant's Oral History

This is the oral history of Lester J. Grant. He was interviewed by Betty Turnell on March 28, 1988. This interview covered his early life, time as the superintendent of Decatur Public Schools, and his retirement. Included with this oral history is…

Tags: Decatur IL, Decatur Public Schools, Lester J. Grant

Leslie T. Allen's Oral History

This is the oral history of Leslie T. Allen. He was interviewed by Betty Turnell on 5/3/1988. This recording covers his early life, time in the Armed Forces, college, marriage, and his time as the City Manager of Decatur, IL.

Tags: city manager, Decatur IL, Leslie Allen

Lee D. Pigott's Oral History #2

This is the second oral history of Lee D. Pigott. He was interviewed by Betty Turnell in June 1982. The interview includes his time as a minister.

Lee D. Pigott's Interview #1

This is the oral history of Lee D. Pigott. He was interviewed by Betty Turnell on January 30, 1978. The interview includes his youth and his teaching career.

Tags: 1978, AB degree, Ada Holtwick Caudle Pigott, aluminum scrap drive, Antoinette County KS, apprenticeship, Armistice Day, aviation mechanic, basketball, Betty Turnell, boys' club, cabinet making, car repair man, Carpenter's Union, Centennial Junior High School, Charles Lee, childhood, Christmas program, Christopher Wren tower, corporal punishment, counseling departments, Cy Gentry, Decatur Board of Education, Decatur High School, Decatur IL, Decatur Kiwanis Club, Decatur Public Schools, Dennis School, distributive education, diversified occupations, Dr. Cameron Harmon, Dr. Lloyd Trump, Durfee School, Durfee School principal, Enlistment, farmhand, fathers' club, forced retirement, Ford Foundation, Gaither farm, Gastman School, Great Lakes Naval Academy, growth pattern, gymnasium, high school diploma, ice wagon, Illinois Junior High School Association, industrial education, interview, janitor, January 1978, Kansas, Kansas City MO, Ku Klux Klan, Lebanon IL, Lee D. Pigott, Lee Decatur Pigott, Lincoln School, Little 19 Basketball Tournament, Logan School, machinist, Malleable Iron Company, manual training, Mary W. French School, master's degree, Mayor, McKendree College Academy, Methodist Church, Millikin University, Miss Elizabeth Crowder, Mobile and Ohio shop, mothers' club, Mr. Jones, Murphysburo IL, Naval Aviation, North Central Association, Oakland Junior High School, Oakland School, Oke Summers, Oklahoma, Old Clothes Day, oral history, Pekin IL, Pekin Starch, Pfeifer, Pines Community Center, Principal, PTA, quitting school, R.S.W. McDavid, Railroad YMCA, recording, Roosevelt Junior High School, Spanish flu, staff utilization, Superintendent Engleman, Third United Brethren Church, Torrence Park, truancy, Ulrich School, University of Illinois, vocational automobile mechanics, vocational building trades, vocational cabinet making, vocational drafting, vocational electricity, vocational sheet and metal, vocational work, Warren School, wheat harvest crews, wooden paddle, Woodrow Wilson Junior High School, Woodworking, World War I, World War II, WWI, WWII, YMCA, young people's group

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