Below is an audio interview of my great-grandparents, Ira Edgar and Mary Susan (Wetherington) Whitford, that was recorded by Mr. Hyatt Kugler Cayton in about June 1962.
The audio quality makes the recording a challenge to understand, but listening more than once begins to make it easier to pick out individual voices and understand what is being said.
Here is an introduction to the interview that was sent to me by Hyatt Erastus Cayton, the son of Mr. Hyatt Kugler Cayton:
This tape is part of a collection of tapes that were made by Hyatt Kugler Cayton during the mid 1960’s. They were made using a ¼ inch reel to reel tape recorder. This tape was copied from the original format and digitized by Hyatt Erastus Cayton in July 2010.
Hyatt Kugler Cayton had become passionate about searching out his family history. At every opportunity he would contact the older family members and talk with them about their ancestors. This recording with Ira was to enlist his help in identifying the people in the family that he was familiar with. Many family names are mentioned and connections made to mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles, etc. The stories that are told are so very interesting and would be both informative and a pleasure to listen to.
There are four voices on the recording; Anna Fern Cayton Rowe, Hyatt Kugler Cayton, Ira Edward Whitford and Mary Susan Wetherngton.
Ira Whitford’s mother was Rosa Tuten. That is how he comes into the family. Rosa Keul Tuten was the daughter of Thomas Tuten who was the grandfather of Amanda Rebecca Tuten. Amanda Rebecca Tuten was the mother of Anna Fern Cayton and Hyatt Kugler Cayton.
Ira Whitford was born 18 Mar 1889 and died 26 Apr 1966. Mary Susan Wetherington was born 30 Oct 1890 and died 26 July 1974. They were married 14 Apr 1909.
This recording was originally made in about June 1962. At about 30 seconds into the tape Anna Fern Cayton is the person talking, at about 50 seconds into the tape Ira Whitford is the one talking, at about 2:41 seconds into the tape Hyatt K. Cayton is talking, Mary Susan Wetherington can be heard at 11:03 into the tape.
Listen to the interview here.
At present, I’m working on an audio archives for Mr. Hyatt E. Cayton of some of the audio interviews his dad did with other folks around the community of Caton and Aurora, and will post a notice here as soon as that website goes live.
Hi Sara,
I’m a relative of the Cayton’s (born Boyd). Hazel Cayton was my great grandmother. I’ve always heard about an audio recording with my Aunt Mary. I’ve looked through a few of the short stories on hyattcayton.com and I believe there she was referred to as AnneMary. I would love to be able to hear that recording or even if you have any photos; etc. I’ve been trying to delve more into our family history the past few years.