Indiana Labor History Project

Elsie Bell discusses her family and work experience. She describes her participation in a factory strike at Potter and Brumfield. She discusses hiring practices and the union within the factory. Bell also discusses economic development and the church within her community.

Richard Brumfield, a mechanical engineer, discusses his early life and education. He discusses his work experiences as one of the founders of the Potter and Brumfield Company and shares the history of the company. He discusses the stoker business, the Great Depression, and World War II. He also describes the other companies in Princeton, Indiana, and unionization in the area as well as community changes.

Rebecca Dunlap is the secretary to the president of United Auto Workers (UAW), Local 292 in Kokomo, Indiana. She speaks about the union she works for as well as the union she is a member of, the Office and Professional Employees International Union. She also relates some of her early memories such as the Kennedy assassination and the Vietnam War.

Hershell Fagg grew up in Terre Haute and started to operate heavy equipment early in life. He speaks about work in the mines, World War II, and the Great Depression.

Lucian and Jane Guptono grew up on tobacco farms in Kentucky. Just after they were married Lucian, and eventually the rest of the family, moved to Detroit, Michigan. Mr. Gupton speaks about learning to become a welder, joining the United Auto Workers (UAW), and working for several automotive companies. Jane and their daughter finally moved back to manage the farm while Lucian worked in Michigan and traveled back for visits. In 1960, they moved to Kokomo, where they stayed until he retired. They both discuss the importance of the union in their lives and speak about the future of labor.

Kenneth Hill entered the union at the Chrysler plant in 1966, just after he graduated from high school, and except for two years in Vietnam, he has been there since. He got more involved in the union after the Energy Crisis, eventually becoming the president of United Auto Workers, Local 685. He speaks about his motivations for becoming active in the union and discusses the collective bargaining process that led to a new plant and more jobs in Kokomo. He also talks about the benefits of unions in general and how they have played an important role in the country.

Wilbert Killion, born December 17, 1921, describes his long involvement with the United Mine Workers of America International Union. He discusses how he became involved with the union and his career as an elected official on the executive board. He discusses successful leaders in the United Mine Workers of America. Killion also shares memories about his childhood, family life, and his life as a young adult.

Mike Milligan, born 1951, has worked at Chrysler in Kokomo, Indiana, since the early 1970s. He speaks about some of his early job duties, disagreements with supervisors, and the energy crisis that eventually led to the Chrysler bail-out. He became involved in the union and was finally elected president of Local 1166. In that capacity, he discusses broader issues such as job security and wages as well as describing some of his daily duties dealing with union members.

Jesse Minks discusses his marriages and his career as a coal miner. He explains the importance of the union for safety and pay for the miners. He also discusses the politics of Sullivan, Indiana, and his union involvement. He concludes by describing the economic decline in Sullivan and its causes, including the Clean Air Act.

Mary Minks discusses her childhood during the Great Depression and her marriage. She describes her husband and her father being miners and their dedicated involvement with the United Mine Workers of America.

Robert Powers, born March 24, 1928, discusses his work experience at International Harvester and Potter and Brumfield. He describes union organization and the strikes he witnessed and participated in. He also comments on strike violence. He shares his feelings about women working and also discusses the state of Medicare.

Elaine Rankert grew up immersed in the labor movement. Her father believed strongly in unions, so it was natural for her as well. She speaks about her job at Delco in the early seventies and the differentiation between women's work and men's work. Her husband worked at Chrysler, a union plant, so even after she quit Delco she had sympathy for labor. She discusses dealing with layoffs, strikes, and the benefits of the union that she believes should be taught in schools.

Coy Riley is the president of the United Auto Workers (UAW), Local 292 in Kokomo, Indiana. He speaks about his early life and jobs before getting hired as a pipe fitter at Delco Electronics. After working in several union positions, he became president, and he discusses some of his duties, how they have changed, and the overall concern for employment in the area.

"Bud" Rock grew up in Gibson and Pike Counties. He speaks briefly about his World War II experiences, and the difficulty he had getting a job after the war. He worked several jobs from a brewery to truck driving and finally worked and retired from the coal mines. He speaks about the benefits of the union and his pension, and gives his opinion on national and community changes during his lifetime.

William Sevier, born 1923, grew up around the coal mines in Sullivan and Gibson Counties. He first worked in coal mines about 1940 and quit in 1945. He speaks about his father helping to organize the mines, a violent altercation at the Dixie Bee Mine, and his first job helping to salvage equipment from a previous mine explosion. Sevier eventually worked for the King's Mine as a trip rider, and he describes his duties, the conditions, wartime production and strikes, and his eventual career-ending injury. After he ceased to be a coal miner, he finally ended up working for the State of Indiana Weights and Measures Division where he retired in 1989.

Peggy Stephenson grew up in Kokomo, Indiana, and speaks about her family history and childhood experiences. She worked several jobs out of high school until she got hired at Delco Electronics. She talks about joining the union, performing various tasks, and a few labor incidents, such as the 1970 strike at Delco, and her battle to get union representation when she worked in the warehouse section.

Charles Stillwell, born 1915, grew up in southwestern Indiana. He speaks about some of the jobs he worked, such as truck driving and working in the shipyards during World War II, before he was hired into the coal mines after the war. He discusses his duties at the mine as well as the safety and working conditions, and the effects of the union on these conditions. He retired in 1981 and receives a pension for thirty-four years of service.

Carl Stone worked in the coal mines of southeastern Indiana for forty-five years. He speaks about working in the mines during the Great Depression, World War II, and just after. He describes some of his job titles and duties, such as gob picker or welder, and speaks about the UMWA and labor strikes during his years as a union member.

Ralph Williams, born 1925, speaks about growing up during the Great Depression, his father's work in the coal mines, and some of his jobs before he was drafted during World War II. He ended up in an artillery unit in the Pacific theater, which Williams talks about extensively. After the war, he went home and got a job in the King's Mine where he was severely injured not long after he got on full-time. He describes how his accident happened and how his family dealt with his disability.

Elsie Willlis discusses her early work experiences and her career at Potter and Brumfield. She discusses working conditions, the unions, and striking. Willis also shares her feelings about her life in Somerville, the loss of community and the economy in the area.

Kenneth Willis, born 1929, speaks about his education and early jobs from working in a filling station to a meat packing facility. He spent about ten years at Chrysler in Evansville before it moved. At that time, he began working in the mines, and he describes the various positions he held, the effects of mechanization, and the working conditions. He also discusses the benefits of unions and his thoughts about the direction of the country.