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OH055 Beatrice and Miller Kneel Oral History

Beatrice and Miller Kneel Oral History

Collection Title: West Kentucky History and Culture – Land Between the Lakes Series

Series Number: OH055

Interviewee: Keel, Beatrice, 1902- and Keel, Miller, 1895-

Interviewer: Margaret Hopkins

Date interviewed: October 25, 1976

Processed by: Sheree Wise

Date processed: March 31, 2010

Description: 1 sound disc and 1 cassette tape - identical recordings (1 hour, 7 minutes)

Abstract: Beatrice and Miller Keel discuss the history of the Fort Henry, Tennessee Post Office from 1930 to 1956. The discussion included how Miller built a separate post office building at Fort Henry, for which he only received reimbursement for materials from the federal government. Miller also mentions farming, fishing and digging for mussels in the Land Between the Lakes region of Tennessee.

Biographical / Historical note: Beatrice Keel was born on the east side of the Cumberland River in 1902. Miller Keel was born at Fort Henry, Tennessee in 1895. Beatrice relocated with her family to Fort Henry in 1909 and resided there until 1966. Beatrice and Miller Keel held the positions of postmistress and substitute postmaster from 1930 until the closing of the Fort Henry Post Office in November of 1956.

General information: No user access to original recordings. Use audio user copies, digital derivatives, transcripts, and/or tape indexes. This collection may be protected from unauthorized copying by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code). Permission for reproduction must be requested from Murray State University.

Subject Headings / Descriptors:

Keel, Beatrice, 1902-

Keel, Miller, 1895-

Land Between the Lakes (Ky. and Tenn.) – History.

Fort Henry (Tenn.) – History.

Agriculture – Tennessee – Stewart County.

Postal service – Tennessee – Fort Henry – History.

Research Notes: Abstract included with oral history.