Ida H. Mann 6937 Crittenden Road. She is 85 years old born on Aug 6, 1925. She was born in Kero (Kee Road) Portsmouth but her parents moved to Portsmouth and immediately upon her birth they moved back to Sandy Bottom.
Originally lived on the Crittenden road until they built the new home. Original house was in the Church parking lot.
History of the church was written by Ida’s mother many years ago, even before Rev Diggs.
She shows me a picture of some of the old timers in Sandy Bottom. Scanned in.
Emitt Hall, Irvey Long, Whitman Hicks, John Wesley Wilson, Jessie G. Pittman, Henry Chance, Walter Jorden.
Willie Mann was her father in law.
10:00 Talks about Whitman Hicks
11:00 Talks about going to the Raines in Sept to be baptized in the River.
Continues talk about Whitman Hicks.
Give me an idea about what it was like growing up in Sandy Bottom. Go to Church and go to School. Back home by the time the sun was falling behind those trees.
Went to work at Planters in Nov of 1942 and worked there for 47 years. Packed peanuts and then the last year was an operator.
Went to school at the Sandy Bottom grade school 1-7 . She went to work after the 7th grade. She taught Theodore to read and write.
14:30 Talks about teaching a girl how to write.
Teachers were Annie B. Roberts and Bernice Owens
Older children helped the younger children in school. Older kids went to Suffolk to high school.
Fun things they did was Hop Scotch and ring around the roses. Had to be home by dark and had some chores to do.
Groceries came from Mr. Dailey and Mr. Chapman’s Most bills were put on the books.
Her dad worked in the river. Whitman Hicks had two sons who worked in the river first then went to the shipyard.
She has four children. Curley, Vernon, John, and Vertley (girl). Vernon passed on May 5th. Other three still in the area.
Oldest brother is John Henry Hargrove and his wife is Betsy.
Has another Brother Robert who has passed.
Her dad was James Henry Mann. Need date of Fathers Birth He died around 1980. (should be buried at the church in sandy bottom)
32:00 She was showing me information about her son Vernon.
He was discharged in June of 1976.
36:00 Talks about Edna Green. Lewis Winslow just loved Edna Green.
She has been a member of the church for 70 plus years.
Bertha married Robert Mann. Ida step brother.
Ida’s husband passed in 1982 . They moved into the current house in 1954.
He died of heart problems. He worked in the river and on the farm. Dr Ferguson was his doctor. She also went to Dr. Pilia just could not understand her. Went to Dr. Thomas there one time. Took two kids and gave them the same medicine but wanted her to pay for two.
She has lots of memories but her best one is being ALIVE. It was all they were use to and they made the best as they could. Go get some white potatoes, bring them home and eat them. She said she could work all day for 50 cents.
At planters checks were $11.00 for a week. Shadrack Brown from Chuckatuck drove a bus to Suffolk and they paid about $2.50 a week. Shadrack lives just beyond the telephone place on route 10 (ridge).
She has two benches from the old school house.
If you had to do your life over again what would you change Nothing, she has no regrets.