Archive Record
Metadata
Object ID number |
2013.46.02 |
Title |
Second Oral History Interview of Doris Pelton Burgdorf |
Date |
2007 Jul 17 |
Scope & Content |
Second oral history of Doris Pelton Burgdorf, completed by Maureen Bourn, July 17, 2007. In this second interview of five, Doris talks about members of the early Pelton family, beginning with John Pelton's arrival in Dorchester in 1636, and the family's eventual move to the South Windsor area. Doris describes her own life in an extended family of eight, growing up in a single family house with electricity and a furnace, but no indoor bathroom or running hot water. Her grandfather Oliver Pelton ran a slaughterhouse. After Oliver Pelton died, Doris's parents, along with her and her sister Helen, moved into the Pelton family house at 1185 Main Street with her grandmother Winnie Pelton. Doris's father Bayard began a cattle and hay business, purchasing it from New York State and Canada and trucking it to farmers in Connecticut. The children worked in tobacco. Bossen's Store delivered needed groceries; the fish man, the Polish rolling store, and ice man delivered additional supplies. Wilson's Dairy on Main Street delivered milk door to door. |
Orgnaizational or Biographical History |
Doris Burgdorf is a life-long resident of South Windsor, the daughter of Bayard Pelton and Helen Risley Pelton. She graduated from Vermont Junior College and Coe College, majoring in art. She is a member of the South Windsor Historical Society. Doris is the designer of our town seal, the illustrator of Long Hill; The Mary Jeannette Elmore Story, and the author of A Country Mile, a book about the houses in the historic district on Main Street. Doris is currently working on the committee to restore Union School and she is doing the deed searches and research necessary for a new book about the houses on the rest of Main Street. |
Creator |
Burgdorf, Doris Pelton |
Other Creators |
Bourn, Maureen |
Collection |
Oral History Collection |
Interviewer |
Bourne, Maureen |
Interview date |
2007-07-17 |
People |
Bidwell, Arline R. (Miller), 1904-2000 Bidwell, Frank E. Bidwell, Marshall F., 1895-1964 Bissell, Betsy Wolcott Bissell, Horace Bordua, Franny Bordua, Nathan Bourn, Maureen Burgdorf, Doris (Pelton) Hines, Thomas Kyc, Terry Pelton, Bayard Pelton, Billy Pelton, Enoch Pelton, Ithamar Pelton, James Pelton, John Pelton, Nathaniel Pelton, Oliver Reed, Abner Stone, Marian Wanat, Barbara Watson, Clarissa Watson, Enoch Wolcott, Ephraim Woolam, Elsie Pelton Woolam, Kevin |
Subjects |
Great Depression Hay Slaughtering and slaughter-houses Street railroads Tobacco farms -- Connecticut |
Search Terms |
4-H Barry Family Bossen's Store Cavanaugh Family Community hall Connecticut Company Buses Dillon Family Dorchester, England East Windsor, CT Essex, CT Filene's Department Store Fish deliveries Gibbons Family Governor's Highway Grant Family Ice harvesting and deliveries Johnson Family Karkowski Family Lashetski Family Leland Family Mount Hope, RI Newberry Road, South Windsor, CT Pelton Family Phelps Family Portland, CT Rag man Reed Family Rockville Savings Bank Rolling store Route 5 Smith Family Society for Savings Strong Road, South Windsor, CT Tobacco Trolley Vibert Family Waldron Family Wolcott Farm |