A little background - I was vaguely aware of the Tennessee Valley Authority and their existence in the areas of my mother and father's families in and around the Campbell County, Tennessee area. We used to drive around a huge lake and power plant in Knoxville to visit my aunt Pauline, and when I was little, it seemed to take hours to drive around it. In reality, I'm sure it was only about 15 minutes. I really didn't know that much about it's history or even the purpose of the TVA.
The TVA was established in 1933 by The Tennessee Valley Authority Act. Its purpose was to provide navigation, flood control, electricity, new agricultural technologies, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, an area that was particularly hard hit by the Great Depression. It was mainly an effort to provide electricity to the area so that the region could be modernized and therefore produce economic growth (electricity attracts manufacturing companies).
Here is where it gets personal. The avenue of electricity to be utilized was hydroelectric power. In order to have hydroelectric power, sometimes people, homes, animals, schools, groceries, banks, libraries, cemeteries, or even entire towns had to be relocated. Can you imagine the paperwork? Me either, but guess what? I found just that, some paperwork.
There is a record group on Ancestry.com (subscription required) called "U.S., Tennessee Valley, Family Removal and Population Readjustment Case Files, 1934-1953." Here is where I found several family members that were being interviewed for relocation. I'd like to share just what kind of information was collected in this documentation.
It seems Irene Heatherly, fieldman for the TVA, visited Mrs. Sterling Bullock, living in Campbell County, Tennessee, on September 12, 1934. Report #0813 states the family lived in District 3, Schedule 14. Following is a list of what was contained in this seven page document. In the interest of space, I only included questions that were answered. There were many others that were left blank or "-". I have highlighted the information that is helpful to me when gathering genealogical data.)
Page I
- Name - Sterling Bullock
- Address - Caryville, Route 2
- Marital Status - Married
- Birthplace of Father - Campbell Cty, date - 1871; mother - Campbell Cty, date 1872
- Number of births - 7 boys, 6 girls
- Now living - 4 boys, 6 girls
- Living at home - 2 boys, 0 girls
- Living away - 2 boys, 6 girls
- Distance of home from:
- Elem School - 2 Carryville Elem.
- High School - 2 Caryville High
- Church - 2 Caryville Baptist
- Stores - 2
- Doctor - 2
- Dentist - 8
- Hospital - 35
- Number of rooms in home - 6
- Wired for electricity - No
- Telephone - No
- Inside toilet - No
- Outside toilet - Yes
- Provision for bath - Washtub
- Source of water - Well and Spring 2 yards from house
- How is house heated - Grates
- Church preference - Baptist
- Years lived in this community - 6
- Years lived on this farm - 6
- Ages of children at home - boys - 25, 24
- Grade reached in school by father - 3, by mother - 2
- Newspapers read by family - Journal
- Magazines - None
- Books - Bible
- Insurance carried - No
- Does family have articles such as books, papers, heirlooms, etc. which require special attention - No
- Have there been any deaths in family while living in this community - No
 |
| TVA Relocation Files, Sterling Bullock, Page 1 (Cite - Ancestry.com. U.S., Tennessee Valley, Family Removal and Population Readjustment Case Files, 1934-1953 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014., Bullock, Sterling) |
Page II
- Land owned - Woodland - 12, Pasture - 10, Crops - 30, Total - 52
- Type of soil - Limestone
- Lay of soil - level - 40, gently rolling - 20
- Location of land - 2 mile s below Jacksboro 3/4 mile to right then S on 25W
- Land Rented - 11 acres, also limestone
- Location of land - 2 miles below Jacksboro at right of U.S. 25W
- Type of farming - General, Corn, Hay, Crops
- Liabilities - Mortgage $325
- What is your chief trade center - Caryville
- How often do you go there - 3 trips per week, 2 miles from home
- How heavy loads do you take - none or small
- Number of trips annually to Knoxville - 3
- Do you own a truck - No
Page III
- Livestock, number and value
- Mules - 2, $400
- Cattle - 3, $100
- Hogs - 2 $40
- Chickens - 23 hens, 15 friers, $16.75
- Machinery
- Wagon - $20
- Harness - $20
- Mower - 4, $20
- Hay Rake - 4, $10
- Turning Plow - $8
- Corn Planter - $1.50
- Small Tools - $10
- Personal Possessions
- Car - Ford 1 year, $500
- Floor Coverings - 4, $8
- What is the approximate value of furniture in:
- Kitchen - $75
- Bed Rooms - $150
- Dining Room - $25
- Comments - House clean and in good condition. Furniture good, but old, total $1,401
Page IV
- Expenditures - 1933
- Machinery Repairs and Replacement - $10
- Farm labor - $50
- Commercial Fertilizers, manures - $10
- Seeds, plants, trees, etc. - $40
- Taxes - $28
- Total for 1933 - $138
- Receipts - 1933
- Crops, hay, vegetables, fruits - $75
- Livestock and products - $49
- Poultry and products - $25
- Total for 1933 - $169
 |
| Family Living Expenses and Receipts for 1933, Page 4 (not included in transcription) (Cite - Ancestry.com. U.S., Tennessee Valley, Family Removal and Population Readjustment Case Files, 1934-1953 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014, Bullock, Sterling) |
Page V
- Cash on hand - None
- Other income - None
- Data on children living at home
- Alonzo Bullock, 26, Miner at Block, annual income abt. $300, part-time
- Earl Bullock, 24, Miner at Block, annual income abt. $300, part-time
Page VI
- Do you wish to own or rent in the new location - Own
- Size of house desired - 6 Rooms
- Barns for storage and stock needed - Small
- Acres wanted - Crops - 30, Pasture - 12
- Do you want electricity for general purpose - Doesn't matter
- What type of employment do you wish- Farm
- Do you expect to sell or move your:
- Household goods - Move
- Farm equipment - Move
- Livestock - Move
- Are you interested in the relocation services of the Extension Division of the University of Tennessee - Don't Know
Page VII - Report of Investigator on Relocation of Families
- How did the individual respond to the interview? (Options were: Antagonistic, Suspicious, Indifferent, Interested, Gladly Cooperated)
- Suspicious, she didn't seem to care about answering the questions
- What is his attitude towards the TVA? (Options were: Antagonistic, Critical Neutral, Interested, Active Booster)
- Critical, Mrs. Bullock doesn't want to move away from their farm.
- Do you feel there are any special problems in the moving of this family that need further study?
- No, they do not seems to want outside help.
- Give gist of conversation with family:
- Mrs. Bullock said she didn't want to move away from the farm where they now live. She likes the place and thinks she will not be satisfied any place else.
As you can see, documentation can be where you least expect it. On with the hunt!
Ciao for now!
Kim
Here is a link to the history page of the TVA's website - Tennessee Valley Authority - Our History
Link to Ancestry.com Relocation Record for Sterling Bullock, page 1 (subscription required) - Ancestry.com - Sterling Bullock Relocation File, 1934
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