Federal Writers' Project – Life Histories/2020/Spring/Section33/Sam Cash

Overview
Sam Cash is a farmer and miner from Mentone, Alabama, interviewed by Covington Hall for the Federal Writers' Project Papers on December 7th of 1938.

Early Life
Sam Cash was born and raised in Mentone, Alabama, and after spending about a year mining in Kentucky and West Virginia, he returned to make his living doing fieldwork and mining. “‘I have been farmin’ an minin' ever sence I can remember,’ he says, ‘an’ I still don't know which one is the worse to make a livin' at.’” This was the way of him and many Alabamians during these times. When times were tough and farming and mining did not bring in enough money, he moonshined and bootlegged to support his family. He justified this illegal by saying, “a man who cannot support his family is worse than someone who does not believe.”

Later Life and Social Shift
Sam Cash relied on the land, bringing in food and money from hunting, fishing, and other natural resources in the area. This was simple enough, but eventually times changed and there were no longer fish in the water or game in the woods as these resources got overused. Because of this shift away from the simple agricultural lifestyle Sam grew up with, he was forced to rely solely on farming to make a living: a profession he knew nothing of. He was not in the minority with this way of life: “Lots of Alabamians made money on cotton. Maybe it wasn’t a fortune, but whatever money they had depended on the cotton crop, on the price of cotton” (Windham, 135-137). During these tough, unknown times, he relied on his faith, as did those around him. As time passed, farming and simple agricultural skills became more and more obsolete, and it became increasingly important to get an education. Children of this new generation no longer wanted to live on the family farm, but rather got diplomas and move to cities to work in factories. Sam resented this change, but never blamed the youth, just the changing times. He felt it was sad that people were moving away from the area and departing from the old simple way of life. Home-life during these times was extremely poor, and the Cashes alongside most in the area endured very poor living conditions.

Life in the Cash Family
The Cash family lived in a small cabin on the field, rickety and with no porch. Sam Cash had to work nonstop to put food on the table for his wife and kids, sometimes working when he was badly injured because he had no other choice. Unfortunately for the family, their home was foreclosed, and they were forced to move into a rental house. Soon after, their oldest son was shot and killed. Despite these tragedies the family went through, they remained steadfast in their faith and stayed humble. They always practiced the utmost hospitality at the Cash household, always being inviting and welcoming to their guests even though they did not have much to offer. Sam Cash always felt he was blessed even amidst the poverty he battled and the burdens he bore.

People
Sam Cash and his family were always welcoming and hospitable, as were many Alabamians during this era. “Alabama, they say, is like one big front porch where folks gather on summer nights to tell tales and to talk family. Everybody, they say, is kin to everybody else--or knows somebody who is” (Windham, 14). This was resoundingly true in the rural mountains area where Sam Cash and his family lived. As seen in the interview, people of this time were welcoming and inviting despite their low living conditions. Everyone knew everyone, and this is part of how they got through these tough times.

Shift in the Job Market
During Sam Cash’s lifetime, there was a large shift in labor that led to his agricultural skillset becoming obsolete. Children started to get their education, and move away from the family farms to live in cities and work in factories. “Save your money and educate your children” (Flynt, 240). became the mantra of the times. This made farming increasingly obsolete as it was no longer as profitable or as necessary during this industrial shift in the job market.

Religion
People got through these hard times and poor conditions often by relying on faith, the same way that Sam did. People during this era were primarily Christians, and it was known that “respectable families attended church” (Howard, 5). This was often the only sense of hope during these times of poverty and misfortune for many. Despite Cash’s difficult life and the tragedies his family endured, they always remained steadfast in their faith, as did most during this era.