Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): E. Bernier. Larose, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaLorimer Comeaux was the first person to approach me after the Exxon retirees luncheon and ask to be interviewed. He was one of the oldest members there. When I arrived at his home, he had made a huge batch of pralines for me to take home.Lorimer was in the Army until 1945. During his summers off from high school, he would help his father farm the land behind where he now lives. In...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): A. Gardner. Morgan City, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaI met Parker Conrad at his office at the Conrad yards. Although he's well over 80, he still goes into the office every day. He's a very kind and intelligent man, as others had correctly noted to me, and he was perfectly willing to take an hour out of his day to meet with me and talk. He is a wealth of knowledge concerning the history of the region, the history of industry, and the...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Diane Austin; Betsy Plumb. Thibodaux, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaI was referred to Nelson Constant by his granddaughter, Alana Owens, who was working as an intern for the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program. She accompanied me to the first interview. Nelson's wife sat at the kitchen table through most of the interview, but she did not say much. A couple of times she made a comment or two, but she asked that she not be recorded....

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): S. Wiltz. Lafayette, LAAffiliation: University of Louisiana at LafayetteMr. John Couvillon was born in 1920 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His father worked for Standard Oil of New Jersey (now Exxon) as a blacksmith. After graduating from LSU in 1942 with a degree in petroleum engineering, he went to work for Stanolind (Standard Oil of Indiana; now Amoco) out of Jennings as a roustabout. A few months later he was drafted into the service during World War...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): E. Bernier. Houma, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaI received Mr. Billy Coyle's name from Gip Talbot as well as Phillip Fanguy. While Gip knew the name, Phillip knew Mr. Coyle Jr personally and called his secretary to help set up an interview time with me. Billy's father, Billy Coyle, Sr. is legendary in many circles. He began several oilfield tool companies, but the most successful has been Bilco tools which Mr. Coyle Jr. is currently running. Mr....

Scope and Contents Audio Only.Interviewer(s): S. Wiltz; D. DiTucci. Lafayette, LAAffiliation: University of Louisiana at LafayetteWilliam Craig earned a bachelor's degree in Petroleum Engineering at Louisiana State University. He worked for the Arkansas and Louisiana Gas Company for two years, joined the Army Air Corp until 1945, and returned to the Company for five more years. He did consulting work beginning in 1951, first in Texas, then in Lafayette in 1956. He discusses...

Scope and Contents Audio Only.Interviewer(s): J. Stone. Cut Off, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaJean Landry set-up this interview with Mrs. Creel because she knew we were interested in people who had lived in the company camps on Grand Isle. Jean and I met at the D&D Restaurant in Larose and I followed her to Mrs. Creel's house, which is in Larose even though it has a Cut Off address. Jean participated in the interview, both asking and answering questions, and she...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): S. Wiltz, D. DiTucci; and D. DiTucci. Lafayette, LAAffiliation: University of Louisiana at LafayetteTim Creswell responded to the article in the Baton Rouge Advocate. Born and raised in Abbeville, he realized that the oil industry would be a good way to make money without going to school first. His first job in the oilfield came in 1953 after his sophomore year of high school; he worked in the marsh running pipelines. After graduating high school, he...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Emily Bernier; A. Gardner. Houma, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaPeanut, as family and friends refer to him, has worked with and been friends with F.J. Matherne for over 30 years. He worked at Kerr McGee as a flunkie and then went to Texaco for 36 years. When I called him to set up an interview he sounded excited over the phone; he also asked if F.J. put me up to this. When I drove up to the house, I was astounded by the number of plants sitting...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): T. McGuire. Grand Isle, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaJean Landry introduced me to Percy Crosby at the senior's dinner at the Grand Isle Community Center, and he agreed to chat with me the next day. I got to his house somewhat later, after putting in a courtesy visit to Mayor Comerdelle, and Mr. Percy berated me (kindly) about punctuality. The interview was fairly brief, because he had to go the meal again at the Center.Percy Crosby...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): R. Carriker. Lafayette, LAAffiliation: University of Louisiana at LafayetteMr. Leland Culligan is from Birmingham, Alabama; his father was the vice-president of a coal company. He received his bachelor's degree in geology from Birmingham Southern College. After serving in the Marine Corps during World War Two, he went to the University of Colorado where he received his master's degree in geology in 1847. He then went to work for the California Company...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): A. Gardner. Morgan City, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaJerry Cunningham was an active participant in our previous project in the region. He put me in contact with a variety of different people in the Morgan City area, but I also thought it would be a good idea for me to interview him at some point in time. His actual participation in the offshore oil industry was somewhat limited, but his father worked in the industry, and he is also familiar...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): T. McGuire. Galliano, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaBorn in Cut Off in 1951, Windell Curole is presently director of the South Lafourche Levee District, where he started in 1980. He was trained as a marine biologist. His father was a shrimper and roughneck. Windell's responsibilities (he is also the Emergency Management person for the parish) include making the calls on when to close the flood gate below Golden Meadow in the face of approaching...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): J. Sell. Houma, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaLloyd Dagenhardt is the father of Kandy Theriot, who is director of the Chamber of Commerce and one of my early helpers on the project. When I mentioned to her that many oil workers seemed to have children who either went on to work in the oil fields or were able to go to college, she said that was her case, and suggested I talk to her father. Lloyd was very willing to be interviewed. He suffers...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): T. McGuire. Houma, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaMr. Sammy Daigle was referred to us by Professor Tom Becnel, a retired history professor at Nicholls. Sammy's mother and Tom's mother were sisters. Sammy's house is in a subdivision not far from the old Texaco office and warehouse, now owned by T. Baker Smith and Sons. His wife, Gloria, recently had a bypass operation and was recovering. He learned to fly small planes in the 1940s, got a license...