Lorna Dawson (nee Schertz)
Lorna Emma Schertz was born on February 17, 1914 to her parents Robert Schertz and Clara Hoffmann. She was the middle child, the oldest was Edna and the youngest Kathlyn. She was born and raised in Schertz, Texas. The highest level of education was the tenth grade when she graduated from Schertz High School. She lived in many places, including Mississippi, Nevada, Colorado, New York, Nebraska, California, and Panama. She worked has a sales clerk for Sears in Nevada, and became a housewife at the age of 21. She married a man named Lawrence Elliot Dawson who was born on November 27, 1909 in McComb, Mississippi. They married on December 27, 1932 in the house she was born and raised in in Schertz, Texas. They then had four children Robert, Lawrence, Patrick, and Charles. She attends church every Sunday at the Methodist Church in Schertz, Texas. She is my great-grandmother. The interview took place in Schertz, Texas.
What was school like during the Great Depression?
We was a very small school. I know that there were five of us in my graduation class in 1930. It was very small.
What kinds of jobs did you and your family have?
My father was a farmer and I wasn't working of course I went to business college to look for a job after I graduated. I couldn't find a job. So I got married.
What kind of changes were made throughout your household?
Well, now say when I was still at home before I got married we had cows to milk and we had chickens. We had a garden so it helped because we made butter and we sold butter. We worked right at home.
How old were you when the Great Depression hit?
I was 15 years old. I probably didn't think much about it. I really don't remember a great deal. My father and his family owned the cotton gin in Schertz. Then I remember Randolph Field was built here in 1930. My father had 100 acres of land to plant cotton and he earned his money from the cotton. Then Randolph bought our acres we only had 29 acres left. I remember that. And on count of that the cotton gin didn't have much more business. I tried to find a job, it was hard to find work.
When did your family settle the town Schertz?
My great grandfather and grandfather Schertz came over in 1846.
How did people react when they found out that your family settled Schertz?
Well, see we were here all the time. We started Schertz. They were the first people here, the town was named after them. There was a grocery store just one store there and everyone came there. It was first called Cutoff because people on count of the Cibolo Creek they had to come through Schertz because the creek had risen. And they couldn't go through so they cut through Selma. When I was little there was 100 people in Schertz and they were all relatives.
How did you meet Grandad Dawson?
I met him in 1933 and he was stationed at an Air Force base here at Kelly and I met him and we got married in 1933. And he had a hard time finding a job here in Texas. He was born in Mississippi, his family lived in Mississippi so he went back to Mississippi to see if he could find work there and so his sister owned a filling station and she gave him a job there. And then he came back here to get me. We got married and I don't think we made $100 dollars a month.
How long did it take after the Great Depression hit for you to get back on your feet?
Through the military he became an officer. You know the military is what really helped us. We managed that way.
What was your most memorable moment of the Great Depression?
See now, I got married and it seems like we didn't have a lot but we got by. And I had three children and then the war came. And my husband went on into the service. He was in the Army because he was in the National Guard. And then he transferred into the Air Force.
Bellis, Mary. cotton gin. http://sc.essortment.com/cottongin_rciv.htm The first cotton gin was made by Eli Whitney and my great grandmother's father owned the cotton gin in there town.
Kelly Air Force Base.http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/KK/qbk1.html It talks about how it is the oldest Air Force Base in the country. My great grandfather was stationed there and he flew their plans that they still have at the base.
Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. Randolph Field. http://www.randolph.af.mil/history.htm It tells about its history and when it was established. The land my great grandmother's family once owned.
Smyrl, Vivian Elizabeth. Schertz, Texas. The Handbook of Texas Online: Libraries at the University of Texas at Austin and the Texas State Historical Association. http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/SS/hfs4.html (1999). A brief history of Schertz providing statistical information about this Texas town located northeast of San Antonio on the Bexar-Guadalupe county line.