Delmarva Folklife Project: Interview with Mae Bowen, 16 January 1998

This interview was conducted by Kelly Feltault with Mae Bowen in Willis Wharf, VA. Mae is a lifelong seamstress and shares her memories of her life and work. In this section, she describes her upbringing on the eastern shore of VA and her introduction to needlework through her mother. She describes her introduction to quilting, getting scrap cloth from her sister in a shirt factory, and describes the techniques and methods she used to make her quilts. She then speaks about her experience during the 1933 Chesapeake-Potomac hurricane, detailing the flooding, damages, and fatalities on Hog Island, VA. She also describes regular life on hog Island, including the livestock business, social practices, foodways, and the presence of the coast guard on the island. She mentions some more somber tales of death and loss as well, including funerals and grave disturbances.

In part 2, Mae continues her description of life on Hog Island, including more foodways and home remedies and life of survival. She also describes her life of being a waterman's wife, leading to their moving around to Willis Wharf and some of the disturbances the seafood-processing (shucking) houses would cause for life on the shore. She also elaborates further on the community center on Hog island, describing some of the events and social aspects of the center and the island.

This interview is part of the Delmarva Folklife Project. For more information, see the Edward H. Nabb Center finding aid:

http://libapps.salisbury.edu/nabb-archives/local-history-archives/2003.004