SLAVE NARRATIVES A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves TYPEWRITTEN RECORDS PREPARED BY THE FEDERAL WRITERS' PROJECT 1936-1938 ASSEMBLED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PROJECT WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SPONSORED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Illustrated with Photographs WASHINGTON 1941 VOLUME IV GEORGIA NARRATIVES PART 4 Prepared by the Federal Writers1 Project of the Works Progress Administration for the State of Georgia INFORMANTS Telfair, Georgia Thomas, Cordelia Thomas, Ike Toombs, Jane J&ickens Town, Phil 1 11 25 29 37 Upson, Neal 48 Van Hook, John F. Vinson, Addie Virgel, Emma 71 97 115 Walton, Rhodus 123 Ward, William Washington, Lula Willbanks, Green Williamson, Eliza Willingham, Frances Willis, Adeline Willis, Uncle Winfield, Cornelia Womble, George Wright, Henry Young, Dink Walton 128,132 134 136 148 151 161 168 176 179 194 205 CQiSBIKED INTERVIEWS Adeline Eugene Mary Rachel Laura Matilda Easter Carrie Malinda Amelia 212 213 215 216 216 217 218 219 219 220 Ellen Campbell Rachel Sullivan Eugene Wesley Smith Willis Bennefield Emmaline Heard Rosa and Jasper Millegan Camilla Jackson Anna Grant Emmaline Heard 221 226 230 235 245 251 254 255 256 COMPILATIONS Folklore Conjuration Folk Remedies and Superstitions Mistreatment of Slaves Slavery Work, Play, Food, Clothing, Marriage, etc. 261 269 282 290 308 355 "^ i00i29 r." i' PLANTATION LIES AS VIEWED BY AH SX-SIAVB GEORGIA TELIAIH R.F.D. # 2 Athens, Ga. C Written by: Miss Grace IfeCune Athens, Ga. Edited: Mrs. Sarah H. Hall Athens, Ga. ' and Mrs. Leila Harris Augusta, Ga. l : 100129 GEORGIA TOFAIR Ex-Slave, Age 74 Box 151, R. F. D. #2 Athens, Ge orgia "Yes chile, IM1 be glad to tell you de story of my life, I can't tell you much 'bout slavery 'cause I wuz jus' six months old when freedom come, but I has Reared quite a lot, and I will tell you all I kin 'member 'bout everythin." ^iCy-v. y , Said old "Aunt" Georgia Telfair, who lives with her 3on to whom her devotion is quite evident. Both "Aunt" Georgia and the little home show the excellent care that is given them. "My pa," she said, "wuz Pleasant Jones, an' he b'longed to Marse Young L. G. Harris. on Dearing Street. Dey lived at de Harris place out Hit wuz all woods out dar den, an' not a bit lak Dearing Street looks now. "Rachel wuz my ma's name. Us don' know what her las' name wuz 'cause she wuz sold off when she wuz too little to 'member. Dr. Riddin' (Redding) bought her an' his fambly always jus' called her Rachel Riddin' De Riddin' place wuz whar Hancock Avenue is now, but it wuz all in woods 'roun', .dar, jus' lak de place whar my pa wuz. Atter dey wuz married ma had to stay on' wid de Riddin' fambly an' her chilluns b'longed to de Riddin's 'cause dey owned her. Miss Maxey Riddin' wuz my brudder's young 4 Missus, an' I wuz give to her sister, Miss Lula Riddin', for to be her own maid, but us didn't git to wuk for 'em none 'cause it wuz jus' at dis time all de slaves got sot free. Atter dat my pa 2 g - tuk us all wid him anf went to farm on de old Widderspoon (Witherspoon) place. "It wuz 'way off in de woods. built us a log cabin. Pa out down trees an* He maae de chimbly outl of sticks an* red mud, an* put iron bars crost de fireplace to hang pots on for^ to bile our vittuls an* made ovens for de bakin'. De bes' ^wjay to cook 'tatoes wuz to roas' *em in de ashes wid de jackets on.. Dey ain' nothin* better tastih' dan ash-roasted 'tatoes wid good home-made butter to eat wid fem. us kep* two good cows. An 'us had de butter, 'cause Ma had her chickens an' tukkeys anr us raised plenty of hogs, so we nebber wuz widout meat. Our reg'- lar Sunday breakfas' wuz fish what pa cotch out of de crick. I used to git tired out of 'fish den, but a mess of fresh crick fish would sho* be jus* right now. "Us always kep' a good gyarden full of beans, corn, onions, peas an* 'taters, an' dey warn't nobody could beat us at raisin' lots of greens, 'specially turnips an' colla'd greens. Us saved heaps of dry peas an' beans, an* dried lots of peaches an' apples to cook in winter. When de wind wuz a howlin' an' de grouii' all kiwered wid snow, ma would make -dried fruit puffs for us, dat sho* did hit de spot. "When I wuz 'bout eight years old, dey sont me to school. I had to walk from Spps Bridge Road to Knox School. Knox Institute now. Dey calls it I toted my blue back speller in one nan' and my dinner bucket in de other. Us wore homespun dresses wid bonT . -'-3 - nets to match. De bonnets wuz all made in one piece anT had drawstrings on de back to make to make T em stiff an1 straight. T em Tit, anT slats in de brims Our dresses wuz made long to I donTt see, for to save me, how dey keeps keep our legs warm. dese young-uns from freezin1 now since cey let !erri go 'roun1 mosf naked. "Our brush arbor church wuz nigh whar Brooklyn Mount Pleasant Church is now, an1 us went to Sunday School dar ewy Sunday* It warn't much of a church for looks, f cause it wuz made out of poles stuck in de groun1 an1 de roof wuz jus1 pine limbs an1 brush, but dere sho* wuz some good meetin's in dat old brush church, anf lots or souls founf de way to de hebfenly home right dar. x "Our reg'lar preacher wuz a colored man named iUorrison, but Llr. Cobb preacned to us lots of times, he wuz a white gem- man, an1 he say ue could a sot all night an1 lissen long as us Some of !en I done clar forgot, but de one sung dem old songs. I lak besT goes sorter lak dis: f I want to be an angel An1 wid de angels stan1 A crown upon my forehead And a iiarp widin my uanf.f "Another tune wuz wuz larnt to sing, T Roll, Jordan Roll.* Little ohillun f how Sweetly do de fime Fly, When 1 Please my Mother/ anf us chillun siio! wouia do our best a singin1 dat little old song, so Preacher Cobb would praise us. - 4 - f, r Y, iien I jined de church dere wuz 55 or us baptized de sans day in ue crick back oi ue church. \Ihile Preacher Jrown wuz a baptizin1 us, a oi..-; crowd wuz stanain1 on ue bank a shoutin' an1 singinr , f Dis is ue Iiealin' water,T anr, Some or fein. v/uz a prayinT too. Promise i-.an! f I,lakinf ror ae -sitter ue baptizin1 v/uz done uey had a bi0 dinner on ue ^roun's ror de new members, but us didnft see no jujs uat aay. J'usf had plenty or i^oou sorae- thinf t!eat. n ~7uen us warnft in school, me an1 ray brudder wukked in ue fielr wiu pa. In cotton plant inT tine, pa fixeu up de rows an! us urap ue seeus in !em. ! eia vviu woouen rakes. I7exT aay us wouia rake dirt over Pa maae ue rakes hisse1!*. woouen teer jus1 ri^t -or to kivver ue seeu. Dey had short Polkses buys what uey uses now anf don't take up no time raakin1 nothin1 lak dat. "In ueni days frounf ue house an* in de i'ielf boys jus1 v/or one piece or cloTes. It wuz jusT a long shirt, ^ey uidnft know notnin1 else ^en, but x snoT would lak to see vou try to :..ake boys jo frounT lookin* lak dat now. jp,00] *#Dey uired me out to i.r. Jack *..eirfs i'ambly v/nen I v/uz 'oout rofteon years o^a to uo washin1, ironin1, an? cleanin1 up do house, anf I wukkeu ror T ei.i rtil i married, ^ey leiiime eat all I wan tea ...ere at ue nouse anT paid rae in ola clofes, mi del in1 neat, sirup, ey ror pay. T tutoes, anT wneat 1'lour, but u nev^r aiu jit no mon- lot nary a cent. O - 5 - "Us wukked mighty hard, but us had good times too. De bigges* fun us had wuz at candy pullin*s. candy in de wash pot out in ue yard. Ivla cooked de Fust she poured in some home-made sirup, anf put in a heap or brown sugar from de old sirup barrel an* aen she bilea it a own to whar if you arapped a lit Die of it in CO-LU water it got hard quick. It v/uz ready ^en ..to be poureu out in >0reasy plates anT pans. Us greased our han*s wid lard to keep ae candy rrora stickin* to 'era, an1 soon as it got cool enough de couples woula start pullin* candy anT singinT. Lat's mign^y happy music, v/.ien you is singin* an* pul- lin* candy wid yo * bes* roller, V/her: ae candy .got too stiff an* hard to pull no no1, us started eatin*, anf no* git away rrom uar in a hurry. ID she* wouia ever- You ain't nebber seed no dan- cin!, whaD is dancin* , lessen you has watched a crowd dance atter dey et ae candy what aey done been pullin* . " ^uiitinfs wuz a heap oi fun. famblies had a uuiltin1 together. den day passea *rounf ae toaay. oometi^es DWO or three Folkses would quilt some an1 dome would be cookin* while de others wuz a quiltin1 an* uen wnen supper wuz ready dey ail stopped Dem collaTd greens wid cornpone an* plenty or ginger- to eat. cakes an* fruit puffs an* Dig ola pots or coffee v/uz miguty fine jaDin* s to us den. 11 in*s. An1 dere v/arn't nothin* lackin1 when us hau cornshuck- -4- gen*ral of ue cornshuckin1 wuz appointed to lead off in 6 -6-.- He sot up on top of de big pile of corn an1 iiysted de fun. lie woula git fem startea off singinT some thin1 laic, de song, 'Sallie is a Good Gal,1 an1 evvybody kept time shuckinT anf a singin1 De ^en'ral kept singin1 faster an1 faster, an1 shucks wuz jusT flyin1 Y/hen pa started passin1 de jug frounf aem Niggers shof nuff begun to sing loud an1 fasf anT you wuz f bliged for to Tlow 3aliie musf be a Good Gal, de way de siiucks wuz comin* off of dat corn so fas1. wuz all shucked, an1 ma hollered, Dey kep! it up 'til de corn T Supper ready!* Den dey made tracks for de kitchen, an1 dey didn't stop eatin1 an1 drinkin1 Ainft nobody fed fem dat hot coffee long as dey could swallow* no better backbones, an1 spareribs, turnip greens, an1 sich lak dan my ma set out for is done gone for good now. f em* T tato pies, Old time ways lak dat Folkses ainft lak dey used to be. Dey!s all done got greedy anT donft keer f bout doinT nothinf for nobody else no more* "Ma combed our hair wid a Jim Crow comb, or- cyard, as some folkses called Tem. if our hair wuz bad nappy she put some cotton in de comb to keep it from pullin1 so bad, ! cause it wuz awful hard to comb* n i vvybody tried to raise plenty of gourds, 'cause aey wuz, so iiandy to use for dippers den. Water wuz toted irom ae spring anf kepT in pidgins. Donft spec1 you ebber did see a piggin. DaDs a wooden bucket wid wire hoops frounf it to keep it from .7 - 7 - leakin'. De wash place wuz nex' to de spring. Pa fixed us up a big old stump whar us haa to battle de clo'es wid a battlin' stick. It tuk a sight of battlin' to git de dirt out sometimes. "If you turned a chunk over in de fire, bad luck wuz sho' to come to you. If a dog howled a certain way at night, or if a scritch owl come in de night, death wuz on de 7/ay to you, an' you always nad to be keerful so maybe bad spirits would leave you alone. "Pa built us a new kitchen, jus' lak what de white folkses had dem days. It sot out in de back yard, a little piece of a ?;ay from our house, he made it out of logs an' put a big old chimbly wid a big fireplace at one end. 'roun' de sides for seats, dirt floor. p.4. 3enches wuz built -uere warn't no floor in it, out jus* Dat wuz one gran' kitchen an' us ?#uz mighty proud of it. > "My w'.ite folkses begged me not to leave 'em, when I told 'em 1 wuz gwine to marry Joe Telfair. I'd dpne been wukkin' for 'em nigh on to six years, an' wuz mos' twenty years old. Dey gim- me ray weddin1 clo'es, an' when I seed dem clo'es 1 wuz one proud Kigger, 'cause dey wuz jus' iak I wanted. De nightgown wuz made out of white bleachin' an' nad lots of tucks an' ruffles an' it even nad puff sleeves. 3ho' 'nough it did! fles an' puffs plum up to ue wais' ban'. De petticoat had ruf- Dera wuz a cosset kiver ~ 8 - dat wuz cut to fit anf ail fancy wid tucks anf trimmin*, anf de drawers, day sho'! wuz pretty, jus1 full of ruffles anT tucks ' f^ounf de legs. serge dese days. My dress wuz a cream bunt in1, lak what aey calls It had a pretty lace front what my ma bought from one of de idoss ladies. T LIO \*nen I got all dressed up I wuz one _-ranf lookin1 bride." "Us got married in de new kitcuen anT it wuz plum full, 'cause ma had done axed 76 folkses to ue weadin*. Some of fem wuz Joe's folkses, an1 us nad eight waiters: four gals, an' four boys. De same Preacher Brown what baptized me, married us an1 den us had a big suppar. My Missus, Lula Weir, had done baked a great big pretty cake for me anT it tasted jus1 as good as it looked, iitter us et all us could, one or de waiters called de sets for us to uance ae res' of de night. us did have! Anf sich aancin1 as Folkses. don11 know how to dance dat good no mo1. Dat wuz siio* nurf happy cane in * . Yes Iviafam, I ainft nebber gonna forgit what a .::;ranf weddinT us had. "Next day us move-a right hare an* I done been here ever since. Dis place b'longed to Joefs granfma, an1 she willed it Us had lb cnillun, out ainft but five of fem livin1 now, to him* an1 Joe he's been daid for years. Us always made a good livin1 on de farm, anr still raises mos1 of y/nat us needs, but 1 done got so. poTly I can't wuk no more. !t I'se still tryin1 to live right anf walk de narrow way, so as I kin go to Heb'en when I dies.1 Ifse gwine to pray for 9 -9-10 you an' ax de Lawd to bless you, for you has been so good an' patient wid me, an' I'se sho' thankful ray son sont you to sele me. You done helped me to feel lots better. Good-. bye, an' God bless you, an' please Ma'ara, come back to see me again." 3JC>|C>(C>fi>jv3jC^jC^(CJJC 3j< ^-t^^fC 11 PLANTATION LIFE CORDELIA THOMAS 150 BERRY STREET ATHENS, GEORGIA Written by:* Edited by: Grace McCune Athens - (J'U;-%--jOLe. Sarah H. Hall Athens Leila Harris Augusta and John N. Booth District Supervisor Federal Writers* Project Residencies 6 & 7. 10 o>^ 12 CORDELIA THOMAS Bx-Slave - Age 80 A long, hot walk over rough, hilly roads brought the visitor to Cordelia's place just after the noon hour of a sweltering July day, and the shade of the tall water oaks near the little cabin was a most welcome sight. The house stood only a few feet from a spur of railroad track but the small yard was enclosed by a luxurious green hedge. Roses predominated amohg the many varieties of flowers in evidence on the otherwise drab premises. A dilapidated porch across the front of. the residence had no roof and the floorboards v/ere so badly rotted that it did not seem quite safe to walk from the steps to the front door where Cordelia stood waiting. "Come right in, Missy," she invited, "but be keerful not to fall through dat old porch floor." The tall, thin Negress was clad in a faded but scrupulously clean blue dress, a white apron, and a snowy headcloth crowned by a shabby black hat. Black brogans completed her costume. Cordelia led the way to the rear of ainarrow hall. back here," she explained. "Us will be cooler Sunlight poured through gaping holes in the roof, and the coarse brown wrapping paper pasted on the walls was splattered and streaked by rain. The open door of Cordelia's bedroom revealed a wooden bed, a marble-topped bureau, and a washstand of the Victorian period. A rocker, two straight cnairs, a small table, and a trunk completed the furnishings of s. the room and left but little space for its occupant to move ab^ut. "I'se jus1 a mite tired,ff Cordelia stated, "'cause I jus1 got back from de courthouse whar dem welfare 'omans done gimme a sack o' flour and some other bundles what I ainft opened up yit, but I knows dey's got somepin in fem to holp me, fcause dem folks is sho' been mighty good to me since my rheumatiz is been so bad I couldn't wuk enough to make a livin'. De doctor, he say I got de blood presser. I don't rightly know jusf what dat is, but it looks lak somepin's apressin' right down in my haid ftil I feels right foolish, so I reckon he's right 'bout it a-bein de blood presser. When I gits down on my knees it takes a long time for me to git straight up on my feet again* De Lord, He's done been wid me all dese years, and old Cordelia's goin' to keep right on kneelin' 'fore Him and praisin' Him often 'til He 'cides de time has come for her to go home to heben. "I was borned on jferse Andrew Jackson's plantation down in 'Gonee (Oconee) County, twixt here and high Shoals, Andy, he owned my Mammy, and she was named Em'ly Jackson. Lowe was my Daddy, and he b'longed to Marse Ike Lowe. Marse Bob The Lowe plantation was nigh whar Marse Andy's was, down dar in 'Gonee County. 'Cause neither one of deir marsters wouldn't sell one of fem to de other marster, Llammy had to stay on de Jackson plantation and Daddy was kept right on wufcin' on de Lowe place atter dey 13 3 * had done got married. 14. Marse Bob, lie give Daddy a ticket what let him go to see Mammy evvy Wednesday and Sadday night, and dem patterollers couldnft bother him long as he kept dat ticket. When dey did find a slave off his marster's plantation widout no ticket, it was jus* too bad, for dat meant a beatin* what most kilt him. Mammy said dey didn't never git my Daddy, cause he allus had his ticket to show, W I don't ricollect much 'bout days 'fore de big war ended 'cause I was so little den, but many's de time I heared Mammy snd ^addy and de other old folks tell 'bout dem times. Us chillun had de bestes' time of anybody dem days, 'cause dey didn't 'low us to do nothin' but jus' eat all us could and play de rest of de time. I don't know how it was on other places, but dat was de way us was raised on our old marster's plantation. *De cracks of de log cabins whar de slaves lived was chinked wid red mud to keep out de cold and rain* Dere warn't no glass in de windows, dey jus f* had plank shutters what dey fastened shut at night. rough plank doors. Thin slide blocks kivvered de peepholes in de Dey had to have dem peepholes so as dey could see who was at de door ffore dey opened up, Dem old stack chimblies what was made out of sticks and red clay, was all time gittinf on fire. Dem old home-made beds had high posties and us called fem 'teesters.' To take de place of springs, what hsdn't never been seen fround dar in dem days, dey wove heavy cords lengthways and crostways. Over dem cords dey laid a flat mat wove out of white ' oak splints and on dat dey put de homespun bed ticks stuffed wid wheat straw. Dey could have right good pillows if dey was a mind 4. 15 to pick de scrap cotton and fix it up, but dere warn't many of em keered dat much 'bout no pillows, "Slaves didn't do no eookin' on our place 'cause Marster fed evvybody up at de big house. Missy, I ain't never gwine to forgit dat big old fireplace up dar. Dey piled whole sticks of cord wood on it at one time, wid little sticks crossways under 'em and, let me tell you, dat was a fire what would cook anything and evvything. De pots hung on swingin* racks, and dere was big ovens, little ovens, long-handled fryin* pans, and heavy iron skillets wid tight, thick lids. It shof was a sight de way us chillun used to ir;ake 'way wid dem ash-roasted Haters and dat good, fresh butter. Us chillun had to eat supper early cause all chillun had to be in bed 'fore dark. dese days. It warn't lak ?/hy Missy, chilluns now stays up 'most all night run- nin' 'round dese parts. *Marster was sho* good 'bout seein* dat his Niggers had plenty to eat and wesr. For supper us et our bread and milk wid wooden spoons out of wooden bowls, but for dinner dey give us veg'ables, corn pone, and 'taters. Marster -raised all de sorts of veg'ables what dey knowed anything 'bout in dem days, and he had big old fields of wheat, rye, oats, and corn, 'cause he 'lowed dat stock had to eat same as folkses. Dere was lots of chickens, tur- keys, cows, hogs, sheep, and some goats on dat plantation so as dere would allus be plenty of meat for evvybody. 5 > 16 *Our Marster evermore did raise de cotton - lots', of it to sell, and plenty for clothes for all de folkses, white and black, what lived on his place. All de cloth was home-made ' cept de calico for de best Sunday dresses. de thread and deir mammies wove de cloth. Chillun had to spin - - ^ 'JFore de end of de war, whilst I was still so little I had to stand on a box to reach de spinnin* wheel good, I could spin six reels a day, "Chillun was happy when hog-killin' time come. Us r~ ~ ; *" warn't 'lowed to help none, 'cept to fetch in de wood to keep de pot bilin* whar de lard was cookin'. Our Mist'ess alliis had de lard rendered in de bigges' washpot, what dey sot on rocks in de fireplace. Us didn't mind gittin' de wood for dat, 'cause when dem cracklin*s got done, dey let us have all us could eat and, jus* let me tell you, Missy, you ain't never had nothin' good 'less you has et a warm skin cracklin' wid a little salt. One time -when dey was renderin' lard, all us chillun was crowd in' 'round close as us could git to see which one could git a cracklin' fust, told us to stand back 'fore somebody got burnt; Mist'ess den Mammy said she was gwine to take de hides off our backs 'bout gittin* so close to dat fire, and 'bout, dat time somebody *hind me gimme a quick push; and in de fire I went. Marster grabbed me 'most time I hit dem red coals, but one hand and arm was burnt so bad I had to wear it in a sling for a long time. Den Marster laid down de law and told us what he would do if he cotch us chillun hangin* 'round de fire whar dey was cookin* lard again. 6* 17 "Folkses said our Marster must have a powerful sweet tooth on account of he kept so many bee hives. When bees swarmed folkses rung bells and beat on tin pans to git 'em settled. Veils was tied over deir haids to keep de bees from gittin' to deir faces when dey went to rob de hives. warn't never 'lowed to be nowhar nigh durin' dat job* Ghillun One day I sneaked out and got up close to see how dey done it, and dem bees got all over me. days and days. Dey stung me so bad I couldn't see for Marster, he jus* fussed and said dat gal, Cordelia, she was allus whar she didn't b'long. Missy, I ain't never wanted to fool wid no more bees, and I don't even lak honey no more* "Slaves all went to church wid deir white folkses cause dere warn't no Nigger churches dem days. was done by white preachers. All de preachin' Churches warn't nigh and convenient dem days lak dey is nov/ and dey was such a fur piece from de plantations dat most of de folkses stayed all day, and dem meetin* days was big days den. De cooks was told to fix de bestes* dinners dey could git up, and chillun was made to know dey had better mind what dey was 'bout wh^nd_ey__wa%s_in de meetin' house or it was gwine to be made mighty hot for f em when dey got back home. thing our Marster didn't 'low no foolin' 'bout. to be-have deyselfs at de meetin' house. Dat was one His Niggers had *Long 'bout August when craps was laid by, dey had brush arbor meetin's. White folks brought deir slaves and all of 'em listened to a white preacher from Watkinsville named Mr. Calvin Johnson. Dere was lots of prayin* 7. 18 and shoutin* at dein old brush arbor 'vival meetinfs. *Dey had campmeetin's too. Be old freeman place was whar dey had some of dem fust campmeetin1s, and Hillsboro, Mars Hill, and Bethabara was some of de other places whar Marster tuk us to campmeetin*s. Missy, you jusf donft know nothinf 'bout f citement if you ain't never been to one of dem old-time camp- meetin's. When folkses would git shout a-testifyinf for de Lord* f ligion dey would holler and Jitter de meetinf dey dammed up de crick and let it git deep enough for de baptizing de white folkses fust, and den de Niggers. singinf a mile away dem eld songs lak: Stand Dey dipped You could hear fem On Jordanrs Stormy Banks I - Roll, Jorden Roll, - All God's Chilluns is a-goin* Homet and - Whar de Livin' Waters Flow* I jus* canft f member half of dem good old songs fcause my mem'ry ainft good as it used to be w Here Cordelia paused. She seemed oblivious to all around her for several minutes, and then she suddenly smiled. "Lordy, Missy," she began, "if I could jusf call back dem days wid our good old Marster to look atter us and see dat us had what us -needed to eat and wear and a good comfftable cabin to live-in, wouldn't dis be a iiappy old foman? 1 Lots of de other old folks would lak it too, cause our white folkses day sho' did take good keer of deir slaves. n Did you ever hear of dem log-rolling? place dey spent On our f bout two whole days cookinf and gittinf ready. Marster axed evvybody from fur and nigh, and dey allus come dey knowed he was gwine to give fem a good old time. f cause De way dey 8, rolled dem logs was a sight, and de more good corn liquor Marster passed 'round, de faster dem logs rolled* Come night- time, Marster had a big bonfire built up and sot lots of pitchpine torches * round so as dere would be plenty of light for *em to see how to eat dat fine supper what had done been sot out for em. Atter supper, dey danced nigh all de rest of de night. Mammy used to tell us *bout de frolics next day, *cause us chillun was made to go to bed at sundown. Come day, go day, no matter what might happen, growin* chillun had to be in bed at deir reg'lar time, but Mammy never forgot to tell us all fbout de good times next day. "Mammy said dem cornshuckin's meant jus* as much fun and jollification as wuk. Dey gathered Marster's big corn crap and 'ranged it in long, high piles, and sometimes it tuk sev'ral days for dem corn shuckers to git it all shucked, but evvybody stayed right dar on de job 'til it was finished. At night, dey wukked by de light of big fires and torches, den dey had de big supper and started dancin'. Dey stopped so often to swig dat corn liquor Marster pervided for Tem dat 'fore midnight folkses started fallin* out and drappin* down in de middle of de dance ring. De others would git 'em by de heels and drag rem off to one side til dey come to and was ready to drink more liquor and dance again. Dat was de way dey went on de rest of de night. "Corpses! Buryin's! Graveyards! Why, Miss, dere warnft nigh so many folkses a-dyinf all de time dem days as dere is 19 9* now. 20 Folkses lived right and was tuk better keer of and dere warnft so much reason for fem to die out den* When somebody did die, folkses come from miles and miles around to de buryin* . Dey give de slaves de same sort of funerals de white folkses had. De corpses was washed good all over wid hot water and home-made soap, den dey was dressed and laid out on de coolin1 boards ftil de cyarpenter man had time to make up de coffins. ainft you never seed no coolin1 board? gone now though. I fspects dey is all Dey looked a good deal lak ironin1 boards, only dey had laigs to stand on. Lots of times dey didn't dress de corpses, but jusf wropped fem in windinf sheets. pine coffins didn't look so bad atter dey got lined nice. Lordy, Missy, Bern home-made, f em painted up and Dey driv de wagon what had de corpse on it right slow to de graveyard. De preacher talked a little and prayed; den atter de mourners had done sung somepin on de order of Harps jffa/vfe? From De Tomb, dey shovelled in de dirt over de coffin whilst de preacher said comfortin* words to de fambly of de daid. Evvy plantation had its own graveyard wid a fence around it, and dere was a place in it for de sieves *nigh whar deir white folks was buried. "Honey, didn't you never hear tell of Dr. Frank Jackson? He was shof a grand doctor. Dr. Jackson made up his own medicines and toted 'em 'round wid him all de time. close kin to our iviarse Andy Jackson's fambly. down in *Conee was good white folks. He was All dem Jacksons .. Ob stayed on wid Old Master for a little while atter de war was over, and den right away Mammy died and Baddy hired me out to Mrs. Sidney Bives (Reaves )* I 'speets one reason she was so mighty good to me was 'cause I was so little dea. I was nigh grown when I left her to wuk for Dr. PalmeT'sfambly* All his chillun was little den and I was deir nuss. best of his chillun was little Miss lunice* One of de She is done growed to be- a school teacher and dey tells me she is still a-teachin* It warn't long atter my -Caddy died dat I left de Palmers and started wukkin* for Mr. Dock Dorsey*s fambly. If dere ever was a good Christian 'oman in dis here old world it was Miss Sallie Dorsey, Mr* Dock Dorsey's wife. she married Mr. Dorsey. She had been Miss Sallie Chappell 'fore Miss Sallie tried to git evvybody what stayed 'round her to live right too, and she wanted all her help to go to church reg'lar. If Miss Sallie and Marse Dock Dorsey ' was livin' now, dey would pervide for Old 'Delia jus* lak dey used to do. All deir chillun was nice. Miss Fannie and Miss Sue, dey was extra good gals, but somehow I jus' can*t call hack de names of dem oth.er ones now. and daddy dey had. Dey all had to be good wid de sort of mammy Miss Sallie, she was sick a long time 'fore she died, and dey let me wait on her. Missy, I tell you de gospel truth, I sho' did love dat 'oman. Not long 'fore she passed on to Heben, she told her husband dat atter she was gone, she wanted him to marry up wid her cousin, Miss Hargrove, so as he would have 11 somebody to help him raise up h r chilluii,and he done 'zaetljy ' what she axed him to. All of my o**1 white folkses haefc done died out, and Old 'Delia won't be here much longer. One of de Thorntons here - I forgits which one - married up wid my young Mist*ess, Rebecca Jackson. doctor. fambly too. Her gal got married up wid Dr. Jago, a horse- A insurance man named Mr. Speer married into de Jackson He moved his fambly from here to de mountains on ac- count of his son's health, and I jus* los* track of 'emden. *X ordy,. Chile\ What you want to know 'bout my weddin* for, nowhow? Dere ain't never gwine to be no more weddin*s lak dey had back dere in dem times * cause folkses thinks dey got to have too much nowadays. When folkses got married den dey was a-thinkin* *bout makin* sho* *nough homes for deyselfs, and gittin* married meant somepin sort of .holy. Mammy said dat most times when slaves got married dey jus* Jumped backwards over a broomstick whilst deir Marster watched and den he pernounced dat dey was man and wife. Now dey is got to go to de courthouse and pay out good money for a license and den go git a preacher or somebody lak a jestice jedge to say de marriage words over *em. "Me and Solomon Thomas had to go buy us a license too, but us didn't mind 'bout buttin' out dat money 'cause us was so much in love. I wore a pretty white dress and a breakfast shawl, and atter us had done went to de preacher manrs house and got married, us come right on here to dis very house what had b'longed to Solomon's daddy 'fore it was Solomon's. Us built two more rooms 12, on de house, but all de time Solomon lived us tried to keep de* place lookin' a good deal lak it was de day us got married* "Atter Solomon died, I sold ofi most of de land to de railroad for de right of way for dat dere track what you sees out dere, and it sho' has made plenty of wuk for me to keep dat soot what dem engines is all time a-spittin' out cleaned off my things in de house. It draps down through dem big holes overhead, and i can't git hold of no money to have de roof patched up, "Me and Solomon, us had 11 chillun, but dey is all daid out but three. One of my boys is in Baltimore and another boy lives in Louisiana somewhar. My gal, Delia, she stays over in de Newt own part of Athens here. She would love to help her old Maimny, but my Delia's got chillun of her own and she can't git nothin' to do 'cept a little washin' for de white folkses, and she ain't able to pervide what her own household needs to eat, Dem boys of mine is done got so fur off dey's done forgot all 'bout deir old Mammy. "TWhen us fust got married, Solomon wukked at Mr, Orr's cotton house, and he stayed dere a long time 'fore he went to wuk for Mr. Moss and Mr. Levy. me and Solomon. All dem white folks was good to I kept on wukkin* for de Dorseys 'til us had so many chillun I had to stay home and look atter *em. Solomon got sick and he lay dere sufi'erin' a long, long time, but Mr. Moss and Mr. Levy seed dat he didn't want for nothin'. Even atter 23 is* Solomon died dem good white mens kept on comin* out now and den to see if me and Solomon's chlllun had what us needed. "Solomon, my Solomon, he went out of dis here world, in dat dere room v/har you sees dat old bed, and dat is perzactly whar I wants to be when de Blessed Lord lays his hands on me and tells me to come on Home to Glory. I wants to be toted out of dat room, through dis hall and on out to de graveyard jus' lak my man was. I knows dat evvything would be done nice jus* lak I wants it if Mr. Moss and Mr. Levy was a-livin' 'cause dey was both Masons, and members of de Masons is all done swore a oath to look atter deir own folkses. Dey said Solomon and his fambly was lak deir own folkses, Mr. Moss and Mr. Levy did* Most of de folkses, both white and black, dat I has knowed and loved has done gone on over de Jordan, out of dis world of trouble, and it will be happy days for all of us when us meets again in de place 'of many mansions' whar dere won't be nothin* for none of us to pester ourselfs 'bout no more. "All of my life, I'se had a great desire to travel, jus* to go evvywhar, but atter all dese years of busy livin' I 'spects all de trav'Iin* I'll ever do will be on de road to Glory. Dat will be good enough for me 'cause I got so many more of 'em I loves over dar dan is left here." As the visotor passed out of earshot of wordelia's cabin the last words she heard from the old Negress were: "Good-bye again, Missy, Talkin' to you has been a heap of consolation to me," 24 lie-search Worker f oc; 100145 G Ex-Slave - - Ike Thomas ST Interviewed Ike Thomas was born near Montioello in Jasper County on the Thomas plantation* His mother and father were sold when he was a little boy, and "Missus" Thomas /in picking her house boy, took Ike to raise for a carriage boy. She picked her little niggers by the way they wore their hats. If they set them on the back of their heads, they grew up to be ' high-minded'1, but if they pulled them over their * eyes, they'd grow up to be "sneaky and steal". fHlrs, Thomas let him sleep on a trundle bed pulled out at night and put under her bed in the day and, fed him under the table. She'd put a piece of meat in a biscuit and hand it down to him and warned him if they had company not to holler when he was thru so he'd touch her on the knee but his mouth was so big and he'd eat so fast that he "^ee kep' on teching her on ttfe knee." I During the war^hen they got word the'yankees were coming \ Mrs. Thomas would hide her "little niggers" sometimes in \ \ the wardrobe back of her clothes, sometimes between the * S m 26 mattresses, or sometimes in the oane brakes* After the Yankees leftjshe'd ring a bell and they would i L UA-rked for Mr. William Blanton until he died. After he had been here a while, he got married. His wife's people had the wedding supper and party. He was a fiddler so had to fiddle most all night then the next day his "white folks11 gave him the food for the wedding dinner that he had at his own house. Ike says every /seven)years the locusts come and its sure to be a short crop that "God sends all sorts of cusses" (curses) sometimes its the worms that eat the cotton or the corn or the bug3 that eat .the wheat. doesn't believe in "hants" or "concurin'". He He proved to Mr. William that hants in Sid Sootts house "wuz jes sheeps." It seems Sid Scott was a "mean nigger", o^ fa - g - 27 everyone was afraid ofj^ He was cut in two fcy the saw mill.-aad tffter his funeral wfaonovor anyone jrpaswJhis house at night ttwfc could hear his "hant* going rat~atat-tat-bang, bang, bang" like feet running, IfOne night when Ike was coming home from "fiddlin*" at a white folks party, he had to pass Scott's house. Now they kept the cotton seed in half of the house and the other half was empty. When fee got close, he made a raoket and sure enough the noise started, "The moon was about an hour up" and he saw these funny white things run out from under the house and scatter. It soared him at first but he looked and looked and saw they were sheep that ffound a hole into the cotton seed a*& would go in A at night to eat. Before the war the negroes had a big celebration on the 4th of July, a big barbecue, ball game, wrestling matches, lots of music and singing, They had to have a pass from their Masters to attend and pay to get in. The "patta-roll" came by to see your pass and if you didn't have one, they'd whip you and send you home U^u^\Xu W*-**-^ After he came to Blanton's, 4heyxcould come && & as they pleased for they were free, (ike has been a member i of several "Societies" but something has always happened - 4 to the President and Secretary or they ran off with the \ money so now he Just has a sick and accident policy, 'if**'' Ike will he 94 years old next month. His hair is white, his eyes "blurred with age, hut he's quite active tho1 he does walk with a stick. Ike Thomas Heidt Bridges Farm near Rio Georgia September 4, 1936 2sss ^ 100i b ^ ^ JAKE MICKWS TOOMBS of MSHINGTOMILKES Minnie Branham Stonestreet Was hingt on-filkes GEOBGIA iiii>iiwiiiwii^fciWWto(w^f|>ii iiiliMum, iimrmil irnmmm*um ^f*immfi wiim n' 100186 30 JAM MIGKEIS TOOMBS of WA3HIIGT0N-WILKES A story of happiness and contentment on a "big plantation where there were wa heap of us slaves" is told by Jane Mickens Toombs who said she waswfive er six years ole when de Wah come on (1860), or mab^y a lit'le ol'er." She is a bright old woman, well and spry despite the fact she "wuz conjured onst when I wuz young an' dat lef me lame an' dis eye plum' out an' de t'other bad." When asked about the conjuring she said: "Fo'rn, I don't j 'zackly know how t'wuz, but enyhow somebody whut knowed how ter ] 'wu'k roots^ got me lame on dis side, anf my eye out, jess kase I wuz a decent, nice lookin' gal, an' went on 'tendin1 ter my business an' payin' dem no mind. Dat's de way dey done in dem days, jess jeal^ous of nice colored niggers. lassum, I wuz sick fer nigh on ter two years an' de doctuhs never knowed what ailed me, ^ey done everything dey could, "but I wuz conjured an' dey couldn't hep' me, A doctuh-man frum up yander in New Talk cum down here ter see his folks, an' he tried to feire me, but doctuhs ka^m't 4$H*e conjured folks, so I had ter lay an' suffer 'til de conjure wore out. Dem whut done dat knowed dey done me wrong, but I kep' trnstin'.iin my Lawd, an' now dey's gone an' I'se er stumblin' roun' yit. No mam, I never knowed jess whut dey done ter me, but hit wuz bad, I kin tell yer dat, hit might nigh*kilt me," 31 page - 2 Aunt Jane was born on the G-ullatt Plantation on the line of Wilkes and Lincoln counties. Her Mother was .Liza Gullatt and her father John Mickens who belonged to Mr, Augustus McMekin* "Tassum, my Pa wuz John 'Mickens an1 his Marster bought him in Alabamj. All de slaves whut belonged to de McMekins called I wuz one of fifteen chillun an1 cum er deyselves 'Mickens. long in betweenst de oldest funs an* de youngest sum'ers. named fer ray Mistess Jane Gullatt whut died. I wuz loung Marse George Gullatt choosed me out, dough, an1 I'd er been his1en ef Freedom hadn't er come. You know dat!s de way dey use ter do back in slavery time, de young Mistesses an1 Marsters choosed out de little niggers dey wanted fer their'n." / This is another case where the father and Mother belonged to different families. The father had a pass to go and come as he pleased, although his family lived a little distance away. Jane said her father's master would have bought her mother if the War hadn't come on and they were set free. Jane told of the log cabins in the Quarters where all the negroes lived. She said they were all in a row "wid er street in de front, er wide street all set thick wid white mulberry trees fer ter mak' shade fer de chillun ter play in." They never had any punishment 4&|F switchings by their Mistess, and that was not often. They played dolls, "us had home-made rag- dolls, nice 'uns, an' we'd git dem long grass plumes (Pampas grass) an' mak' dolls out'n dem too. ^ Us played all day long every day* aa page - 3 Mistess1 Chilian wuz all growed up so jess us little niggers played targether, "My Mother spun anf wove de cloth, an* dyed hit, but our. Mistess made our clothes. My Grandma, Nancy, wuz de cook anf shefed all de little funs in de big ole kitchen whut sot out in de yard. She had a tray she put our victuals on an Uh, Uhf whut good things we had ter eat, an1 er plenty of everything! Us et jsss whut our white folks had, dey didn't makT no difference in us when hit cum ter eatin'. My Grandaddy looked atter de meat, he done everything 'bout dat, an1 he sho' knowed how ter fix it, too. rt De fust thing I recollects is beinT rounfl in de kitchen when dey wuz makin1 ginger cakes anf my Mistess givin1 me de pan she made 'em in fer me ter sop hit out.j Dey ain't nothin' whut smells good lak' de cookin' in .- * i District 7 Ada 11a S. Dixon PHIL TOWNS, Old Slave Story On Tune 25, 1824, a son was born to Washington and Clara Towns who resided in Richmond, Virginia. which finally numbered thirteen. This was the fourth child in a family Phil, as he was called, does not recall many incidents on this estate as the family moved when he was in his teens. His grandfather and grandmother were brought here from Africa and their description of the cruel treatment they received is his most vivid recollection. His grandmother, Hannah, lived to be 129 years of age. Mr* George Towns, called "Governor" by all of his slaves as well as his intimate friends, moved to Georgia and settled at Reynolds in Taylor County. Hare he purchased a huge tract of land 1350 acres and built his new home upon this level axes on the Flint River* The "big house,11 a large unpainted structure which housed a family of eighteen, was in the midst of a grove of trees near the highway that formed one of the divisions of the plantation. It was again divided by a local railway nearly a mile from the rear of the house. Eighty-eight slaves were housed in the "quartersn which were on each side of the highway a little below the planter's home. These "quarters" differed from those found in the surrounding territory as the size of the houses varied with the number in the family* The interiors were nicely furnished and in most instances the families were able to secure any furniture they desired. Feather mattresses, trundle beds and cribs were common and in families where there were many children, large fireplaces some as many as eight feet wide - were provided so that every one might be District 7 Adella S# Dixon -2- -stole te fcoeg eomfortable in winter. ^ A variety of cooking utensils were giTen and large numbers of waffle irons, etc., then considered luxuries, were found here* To consider only the general plan of operation, this plantation was no different from the average one in pre-civil war days but there was a phase of the life here which made it a most unusual home. "Governor* was so exceptionally kind to his slaves that they were known as *Gov. Towns* free negroes* to those on the neighboring farms* He never separated families* neither did he strike a slave except on rare occasions* Two things which might provoke his anger to this extent, were: to be told a lie, and to find that a person had allowed some one to take advantage of him* They were never given passes but obtained verbal consent to go where they wished and always remained as long as they chose* Phil Townsf father worked in the field and his mother did light work in the house, such as assisting in spinning* Mothers of three or more children were not compelled to work, as the master felt that their children needed care* From early childhood boys and ginls were given excellent training. A boy who robbed a birdfs nest or a girl who frolicked in a boisterous manner was severely reprimanded. until they married. Separate bedrooms for the two sexes were maintained The girls passed thru two stages childhood, and at sixteen they became "gals** Three years later they might marry if they chose but the husband had to be older at least 21* Coxirtships differed from those of today because there were certain hours for visiting and even though the girl might accompany her sweetheart away from home she had to be back at that hour* They had no clocks but a "'time mark* was set by the sun. A young man District 7 Adella S* Dizon >: -3- ;<9 was not allowed to give his girl any form of gift, and the efforts of same girls to secretly receive gifts which they claimed to have "found*, were in vain, for these were taken from them. After the proposal, the procedure was practically the same as is observed today* the master was necessary. The consent of the parent and Marriages were mostly held at night and no pains were spared to make them occasions to be remembered and cherished* Beautiful clothes her own selections were given the bride, and friends usually gave gifts for the house* These celebrations, attended by visitors from many plantations, and always by the Towns family, ended in gay"frolics" with cakes, wine, etc., for refreshments* During the first year of married life the couple remained with the bride's mother who instructed her in the household arts* Disputes between the newly- weds were not tolerated and punishment by the parents was the result of "fragging". At the end of a year^ another log cabin was added to the quarters and the couple began housekeeping* penalty The moral code was exceedingly high; the for offenders - married or single, white or colored - was to be banished from the group entirely* Thus illegitimate children were rare enough to be a novelty* Young Phil was in his teens when he began his first job - coach driver for "Gov.w Towns* This was just before they moved to Georgia* Ha traveled with him wherever he went, and as the Gov* purchased a plantation in Talbot County, (the house still stands), and a hone in Macon,(the site of Mt* Da Sales Academy), a great deal of his time was spent on the road* Phil never did any other work except to occasionally assist in sweeping the large yard. 'Sie other members ot District 7 Adella S* Dixon ") . . this group split rails, did field work, spinning, tailoring and any of the many things that had to be done. Each person might choose the type of work he liked best* > Opportunities to make cash money were plentiful* hoy made baskets and did hand work which was sold and the money given the maker* A man or woman who paid Gov* Towns $150.00 might hire himself to the Gov* for a year* When this was done he was paid cash for all the work he did and many were able to clear several hundred dollars in a year* In addition to this opportunity for earning money, every adult had an acre of ground which he might cultivate as he chose* Any money made from the sale of this produce was his own* Be creation was not considered important end so no provision was made in the regular routine* It was, however, possible to obtain "time off* at frequent intervals and these might be termed irregular vacation periods* Bwening enter- tainment at which square dancing was the main attraction* were common* Qjiill music, from a homemade harmonica, was played when banjoes were not available. These instruments were lengths* made by binding with cane five to ten reeds of graduated A hole was cut in the upper end of each and the music obtained by blowing up and down the scale. Guests came from all neighboring farms and engaged in the "(Jreen Corn" dance which was similar to what is now called Buck dancing* Near the end of such a hilarous evening, the guests were served with persimmon beer and ginger cakes^-** then considered TSI^ acute aee as these people ware provided with everything wiiduiive le-^r contented mind wklyk plajs a largo imJPl 111 waintefcn\ -teg a robust body. However, a Doctor who lived nearby cared for the sick. Two fees were set - the larger one being charged if the patient recovered. Home remedies were used for minor ills catnip tea for thrash, tea from Samson Snakeroot for cramps, redwood and dogwood bark t a>j or worms, hoxahovnfl can&j/ ~&lao-f ej>- womra* generation. Hais io-cnly o mall part ej? fee root teas used by this Peach brandy was given to anyone suspected of having pneumonia-*- if the patient coughed, it was certain that he was a victim of the disease* In these days, It was alwyu bhewpht bee* geg the mother t# name^her children. if-the proper nima for the babe was ijheeamlii rally revealed tn hep during pregnancy. If another name was given the child, the correct one would be so f iimly implanted in his subconscious mind that he would never be able to resist District 7 Adella S* Dixon the impulse to turn his head when that name was called* mas always thought to be exceptionally lucky, between the parmito and \ULB eliild IKM B A feieatoi; The seventh child the l>emQ uP affection This belief persists today in many localities. Krery family mas given a meekly supply of food but this mas more for convenience than anything else as they mere free to eat anything their appetites called for. They killed chickens, ate vegetables, meats, etc* at any time* The presence of guests at the "quarters" roused Mrs, Towns to activity and she almays helped to prepare the menu* One of her favorite items mas chicken prepared four different mays, in pie, in stew, fried, and baked* She gave full directions for the preparation of these delicacies lu lliuw pmiwUB M W63^ not skills* cooks. Pound cake mas another favorite and she insisted that a pound of butter and a dozen eggs be used in each cake* When the meal mas nearly ready, she usually made a trip to the cabin to see if it had been capably prepared* The hostess could always tell without any comment whether she had satisfied her mistress, for if she had, a serving mas carried back to the big house, hi (ill liei. Fishing mas a foroi of remunerative recreation enjoyed by all. Everyone usually ment on Saturday afternoon, but if only a few made the trip3the catch was shared by all* Sewing was no easy job as there were few small women among the servants* The cloth made at home, was plentiful, however, and sufficient clothing was made for all* Some persons preferred making their own clothes and this privilege mas granted; otherwise they were made in a common sewing room* Ten yards was the average amount of cloth in a dress, homespun and gingham, District 7 idella 8. Diion .7the usual materials. 48 The men wore suits of fBoaburg and j^eaat Shis was dyad to more durable colors aliimugh the mas f#'indigo tend a dye made from railroad bark (brown). Phil believes that the screeching of an owl.ig a sftjH if aaawhm Masrtr the bellowing of a eow)armra8flfl^ ia a aifen e auath... alsa the howling of a dog after dark ita sign0of death because the! death of a human being is revealed 1* to animals* "jSmlM lmsliiife, Hit., In t warning, bu uu mid awaa though we may find some way to rid ourselves of the mmytrnm of theTjag* - the daath will occur just the asms. On nearly all plantations tears ware some slaves who, fnr +K4i. nn aluil"!IIi niwimnn, hid themselves la the woods* ln> day smuggled food to their hiding place by night, and remained -away in some instances, many months. Their belief in witchcraft caused them to resort to moat ridiculous means of avoiding discovery* Phil told the story of a man who visited a conjurer to obtain a'hand" for which ha paid fifty dollars in gold. The symbol was a hickory stiok which he used whenever he was being chased, and Jo in this manner warded off his pursuers. Iham was m\j one difficulty in this procedure. The eticL. always had to as "sat up"jat a fork or cross roads. Offr^ ****jl/wmj uflau msoaaaaij lu mu. quite a distance to reach such a spot, but whan the stick was so placed human beings and even bloodhounds lost his trail. With this assistance, he waa able to remain in the woods as long aa he liked. Snakes ware frequent visitors in the cabins of the "quarters'*. CDs morning while Betty, a cook, waa confined to bed, she sent for Mrs. Towns to tell her that a snake had lain across her chest during the previous night and had District 7 Adella S. Dixon '3 triad to get under the cover where her young 1>ahy lay asleep. Bra* Towns was skeptical about the eize and activities of the mSfiufcl but sent for aaveral men to aaareh the house. They had given up the search when one ehanoad to glance above the sick woman's bad and there lay the reptile on a shelf. The bed was roped and moved to another part of the room and prepara- tions made to shoot him. Quilts ware piled high on the bed so that the noise of the gun would not frighten the baby* When all was ready Era. Towns asked the old man with the gun Daddy Luke, can you kill the snake?" Teaaum, mistress,* he replied. "Daddy Luke, can you kill the snake?" Tessum, mistress." "Daddy Lake, can you kill the anaka?* "Yessum, mistress." "Shoot 1" He took careful aim and fired* The huge reptile rolled to the floor. 4Q**r returned to the yard to die uume work near the woodpile, tne mate was discovered by one of the dogs w e barked until a log was mowed and the second snake killed. \ small snakes ware not feared i ^faeee**ayB and for several years it was customary for women to carry a tiny green snake in their bosoms. This tad was discontinued when one of the women was severely injured through a bite on her chest. Phil remembers when the stars fell in 1833. said* "They came down like rain,* ha then asked why he failed to keep some, he replied that he was afraid to touch them even after they became black. District 7 AdeUa S. Dixon -9- k-. .(U . ... ' ^.) t>* ' ' Freedom was discussed ~a*-frpl'1- plantation ffor many years before the Civil tf when they though* ef being absolutely free* in ex-slavefs description of the fflfeal cause of the Civil War, deserves a place here* H* seems that Lincoln had sent several messages to Davis requesting that he free the slaves* favorable response was received* Nc Lincoln had a conference with Mr* Davis and to this meeting-ho carried a Bible and a gun. He tried in vain to convince Davis that he was wrong-according to the Bible, so he finally threw the two upon the table and aslfiMt Davis te- take hie choice. grasped the Bible and wrahed home* God on his side Be chose the gun* Lincoln B w Davis began the war but ^Lincoln had and so he ende it* One of Gov* Townsf sons went to the army and Phil was sent to care for him while he was there, -H an aristocratic aan never went to %b war without his valet* fe duty was to cook for him, keep his clothing clean, and to bring the body home if he was killed > 4-be poor psegle vere either buried frhege' or left lying on the field for vultures to consume* Food was not so plentiful in the amsrand their diet of flapjacks and canned goods was varied only titofluph *he V aawef coffee and whiskey whieli waa giwii when tliu,y wei'e a^t OR-the battlef ie-1^ All cooking was done .either between two battles or during the lull in a battle. John Towns was soon sent back home as they felt he was too to be killed in battle*^ &is services were needed at home. Near the close of the war, Sherman made a visit to this vicinity. As was his usual habit, he had etotaiaad the reputation of Gov* Towns before he arrived a -Liu home. He found conditions so ideal that aot oa >irt)1riQ was tewifcfrfl*^- - ^ District 7 AdaIT S# Bison eawswsewsjvesv ^^^p^w* sjesr w - eswsrewswwwswewsx^pse) 46 Pi talked eitli fclmiii nil e d went gaily on his way. Phil was so impressed z^hy Sherman that he followed him nsy and camped with the Yankees about where Central City Bark is now. Be thought that anything a Yankee said was true, jene^gave him a knife and told him to go and eat the first man ha met, he followed instructions even though he knew the man, ^Bealizing how ' foolislAhe had acted, he readilg apologised and explained why* Tires soldiers fi****-*' ^seemed to fear nothing f- hut lizards. /Chey bad I^werjeeem such eai.nmls and rwbuld ran in terror at the eight of onef-f *jthe Confederates newer discovered this. Jhey)K^\jTjed bso Miuu 1 niulipilei, null eam maai area*. Httfter -the close of the war feeylwer stationed in the towns to keep order. Union flags ware placed everywhere, end a Southerner was accused of not respecting the flag if he even passed under one without bowing* Penalties for this offense ware, to be hang up by the thumbs, to carry greaafirpoles for a certain time, and numerous other punishments which caused a deal of discomfort to the victims but sent the soldiers and enslaves into peals of laughter* She eight of a Yankee soldier^was enough to sand a Confederate oae into hystsriat. fj slaves laughed when told they ware free, eat Oar* Towns was almost indif farent* His slaves, he said, ware always practically free, so a little legal form did not 4*M wesy mnch.jee-Wta* Nearly ewery one remained there and worked for For the past thirty-fire years, Phil Towns has been almost totally disabled* Long life seems no novelty to him for he aeye everyone used to live longer when they honored their elders more* He has eighty-four relatives in Virginia all older than he, but states that friends who have visited there say he looks District 7 Adella S* Dixon -ii. 4? more aged than any of them. His great desire is to return to Virginia, as he believes he will be able to yew isrt tjw familiar landmarks in spite of the changes that hare taken place* Mr. ilex Blosk, of Macon, makes no charges for the old shack in which 4M ' lives; his food furnished by the Department of Public Welfare is supplemented by interested friends* 48 -*H>f}-**&&*H'*-'v: 100139 PLANTATION LIFE NEAI UPSGN 450 4th Street Athens, Georgia f Written by: * r> Miss vi-race -KcCune OoV/if ) Athens - Edited by: Mrs, ^arah H. Hall * Athens and John N. Booth District Supervisor Federal writers' Project Reeidendies 6 & 7 Augusta, Cia. August 5, 1958 .00139 49 NEAL UPSON Ex-Slave Age 81. Alternate rein and sunshine had continued for about 10 days and the ditches half filled with water, slippery banks of red clay, and the swollen river necessitating a detour, added to the various difficulties that beset the interviewer as she trudged through East Athens in search of Heal Upson's shabby, three-room, frame house. A magnificent water oak shaded the vine-covered porch where a rocking chair and swing offered a comfortable place to rest. "Good morriin', Miss," was the smiling greetingof the aged Xegro man who answered a knock on the front door,' "Kow is you? Won't you come in? I would ax you to have a cheer on the porch, but I has to stay in de house cause de light hurts my eyes." He had hastily removed a battered old felt hat, several sizes too large for him, and as he shuffled down the hall his hair appeared almost white as it framed his black face. His clean, but faded blue overalls and shirt were patched in several places and heavy brogans completed his-costume. The day was hot and humid and he carefully placed two chairs where they would have tne advantage of any breeze that might find its way through the open hallway. "Miss, I*se mighty glad you come today," he began, "cause I does git so lonesome here by myself.- My old *oman II. wuks up to de court'ouse, cookin' for de folkses in jail, and it's allus late when she gits back home* *Souse me for puttin' my old hat back on, but dese old eyes jus* can't stand de light even here in the hall, less I shades * em.n Kftien asked to tell the story of his life, he chuckled. "Lawsy, Missy," he said. "Does you mean dat you is willin* to set here and listen to old Heal talk? *Tain*t many folkses wiiat wants to hear us old Niggers talk no more. I jus* loves to think back on dem days * cause dem was happy times, so much better'n times is now. Folkses was better den. Dey was allus ready to holp one another, but jus* look how dey is now! "I was borned on Marster $rank Upson*s place down in Oglethorpe County, nigh Lexin'ton, Georgy. -Marster had a plantation, but us never lived dar for us stayed at de home place what never had more'n 'bout 80 acres of land 'round it* Us never had to be trottin' to de sto' evvy time us started to cook, 'cause what warn't raised on de home place, Marster had 'em raise out on de big plantation. Evvything us needed feat and wesr was growed on Marse Frank's land. , "Harold and Jane Upson was my Daddy and Mammy; only folkses jus* called Daddy *Hal.* Both of 'em was raised right der on de Upson place whar dey played together whilst dey was chillun% Mammy said she had washed and sewed for Daddy ever since she was big enough, and when dey got grovm dey jus* up and Ill got married. I was deir only boy and I was de baby hile, but dey had four sals older'n me. thene, and Ella. Dey was: Cordelia, Anna, Par-, Ella was named for Marse Frank's onliest chile, little Miss Ellen, and our little Miss was sho a good little chile. "Daddy made de shoes for all de slaves on de plantation and Mammy was called de house 'oman. She done de cookin' up at de big 'ouse, and made de cloth for her own fambly's clothes, and she was so smart us allus had plenty feat and wear. I was little and stayed wid Mammy up at de big 'ouse and jus* played all over it and all de folkses up der petted me. Aunt Tama was a old slave too old to wuk. She was all de time cookin' gingerbread and hidin* it in a little trunk what s-ot by de fireplace in her room. When us chillun was good Aunt Tame give us gingerbread, but if us didn't mind what she said, us didn't git none. ' Aunt Tama had de rheumatiz and walked rid a stick and I could git in dat trunk jus* *bout anytime I wanted to. I siio* did git *bout evvything dem other chillun had, swappin* Aunt Tama's gingerbread.. .When our white folkses went off, Aunt Tama toted de keys, and she evermore did may 3 dem Niggers stand 'round, Marse Frank jus* laughed when dey made complaints 'bout her, "In summertime dey cooked peas and other veg'tables for us chillun in a wasiipot out in de yard in de shade, and um et out of de pot wid our wooden spoons. bowls full of bread and milk for supper. Dey. jus' give us wooden Vf. & "Marse Frank said he wanted *em to lam me how to wait on de white folkses* table up at de big *ouse, and dey started me off wid de job of fannin* de flies away. Mistress Serena, Marse Frank*s" wife, made me a white coat to wear in de. dininf room. Missy, dat little old white coat made me git de onliest whuppin* Marse Frank ever did give me.** paused for a hearty laugh. Here old Neal "Us had comp*ny for dinner dat day and I felt so big showin* off *fore 'em in dat white coat dat I jus* couldn*t make dat turkey wing fan d right* Dem turkey wings was fastened on long handles and atter Marster had done warned me a time or two to mind what I was 'bout, the old turv key wine went down in de gravy bowl and when I jerked it out it splattered all over de preacher's best Sunday suit. Marse Frank got up and tuk me rigrt out to de kitchen and when he got through ) brushin* me off I never did nave no more trouble wid dem turkey wings. **!vvybody cooked on open fireplaces dem days. Dey. had swingin* racks what dey called cranes to hang de pots on for bilin*. Dere was ovens for bakin' and de heavy iron skillets had long handles. One of dem old skillets was so big dat Mammy could cook SO biscuits in it at one time. I allus did love bis- cuits, and I would go out in de yard and trade Aunt Tama's gingerbread to de other chilluns for deir sheer of biscuits. Den dey would be skeered to eat de gingerbread *cause I told 'em I'd tell on *em. Aunt Tama thought dey was sick and told Marse Frank de kZL V. chilluns warn*t eat In* hothin*. He axed 'em what was de matter and dey told him dey had done traded all deir bread to me. Marse Frank den axed me if I warn*t gittin* enough feat, *cause he 'lowed dere was enough dar for all. Aunt Tama had to go and tell on me. Den She said I was wuss dan a hog atter biscuits, so our good Marster ordered her to see dat li'l Neal had enough t'eat. '"T ain't never gwine to forgit dat whuppin* my own daddy give me. He had jus' sharpened up a fine new axe for hisself, and I traded it off to a white boy named Roar what lived nigh us when I seed him out tryin* to cut wood wit a sorry old dull axe. biscuits. I sold him my daddy's fine new axe for 5 When he found out fbout dat, he 'lowed he was gwine to give me somepin to make me think *fore I done any more tradin* of his things. Mist*ess, let me tell you, dat beatin* he give me evermore was a-layin' on of de rod. **One day Miss Serena put me in de cherry tree to pick cherries for her, and she told me not to eat none ftil I finished; den I could have all I wanted, but I.didn't mind her and I et so many cherries I got sick and fell out of de tree. Mistress was skeered, but Marse Jfrank said: *It*s good enough for him, 'cause he didn't mind.* "Mammy never did give me but one whuppin* neither. Daddy was gwine to de circus and 1 jus' cut up 'bout it 'cause I wanted to go so bad. Mist*ess give me some cake and I hushed ) long as I was, eatin*, but soon as de last cake crimb was swallowed I started bawlin* again.- She give me a stick of candy and soon as 1 et dat I was squallin* wuss dan ever. Mammy told Mistf ess den dat; she knowed how to quiet me and she retch under de bed for a shoe* When she had done finished layin* dat shoe on me and put it back whar she got it, I was she willin* to shet my mouth and let fem all go to de circus widout no more racket from me. rt De fust school I went to was in a little one- room rouse in our white folksesf back yard. Us had a^white teacher and all he larnt slave chillun was Jus* plain readin* and wrltin*. I had to pass Dr. Willingham's office lots and he was all de time pesterinf Fie fbout spellin*. One day he stopped me and axed me if I could spell 'bumble bee widout its tail,* and he said dat when I larnt to spell it, he would gimme some candy* Lir. Sanders, at Lexin'ton, gimme a dime onct It was de fust money I ever had. 1 was plumb rich-and I never let my Daddy have no peace ftil he fetched me to town to do my tradin* I vies all sot to buy myself a hat, a sto-bought suit of clothes, and sosie shoes what warn't brogans, but Missy, I wound up wid a gingercake and a nickel's wuth of candy. I used to cry and holler evvy time Miss oerena went off and left me. Whenever I seed 'em gittin1 out de carriage to hitch it up, I started beggin' to go. Sometimes she laughed and said; But wuen she said^ 'All right Heal.' 'No Neal,' I snuck out and hid under de high- TO - rup carriage seat and went along jusf de same. found me 55 Mist*ess allus. f fore us got back home, but she jusf laughed and said: Well, Nealfs my little Nigger anyhow.1 HDem old cord beds was a sight to look at, but dey slept good. Us cyarded lint cotton into bats for mattresses and put 'em in a tick what us tacked so it wouldn't git lumpy. Us never seed no iron springs dem days. Dem cords, criss- crossed from one side of de bed to de other, was our springs and us had keys to tighten fem wid. If us didnft tighten fem evvy few days dem beds was apt to fall down wid us. Be cheers was homemade too and de easiest-settinr ones had bottoms made out of rye splits. Dem oak-split cheers was all right, and some- times us used cane to bottom de cheers but evvybody laked to set in dem cheers what had bottoms wove out of rye splits. "Marster had dne of dem ola cotton gins what didn't; have no engines. It was wuked by mules. Dem old mules was hitched to a lon^r pole what dey pulled 'round and de gin do its wuk. f round to make Dey had some gins in dem days what had tread- mills for de mules to walk in. Dem old treadmills looked sorter lak stairs, but most of fem was turned by long poles what de mules pulled. You had to feed de cotton by hand to dem old gins and you sho had to be keerful or you wes gwine to lose a hand and maybe a arm. You had to jump in dem old cotton presses and tread de cotton down by hand. It tuk most all day long to gin two bales of cotton and if dere w^s three bales to be pinned as had to wuk Ill*- R/V 5G most all night to finish up. ^Uey mixed wool wid de lint cotton to spin thread to make cloth for our winter clothes* Mammy wove a lot of dat cloth and de clothes made out of it sho would keep out de cold* Most of our stockin's and socks was knit at home, but now and den somebody would git hold of a sto-bought pair for Sundsy-go^tomeetinf wear. ^Colored folkses went to church wid deir oivn white folkses end sot in de gallery. One Sunday us was all settin1 in dat church listeninf to de white preacher, Mr* Mansford, tellin* how de old debbil was gwine to git dem what didnft do right*"Here Neal burst into uncontrollable laughter. tears ran down his face. His sides shook and Finally he began his story again; \ n Missy, I jus1 got to tell you fbout dat day in de meetin* fous . done A Nigger had/run off from his raarster and was hidin-' out from one place to another. At night he would go steal his somepin t'eat. He had done stole some chickens and had f em wid him up in de church steeple whar he was hidinf dat day. $hen daytime, come he went off to sleep lak Niggers will do when dey ainft got to hustle, and when ne woke, up Preacher mansford was tellin1 debbil was gwine to git de sinners. 'em fbout de Right den a old rooster what he had stole up and crowed so loud it seemed lak Gabrielfs trumpet on Judment Day. Dat runaway Nigger was skeered f cause he knowed dey was gwine to find him sho, but he warnft skeered nuffinf compared to dem Niggers settin1 in de gallery. Dey jusf n. 5i knowed dat was de voice of de debbil what had done come atter em. Lord, ' Dem Niggers never stopped prayin1 and testifyin' to de f til de white folkses had done got dat runaway slave and de rooster out of de steeple* His marster was dar and tuk him home and give him a good, sound thrashing ^Slaves was 'lowed to nave praycrmeetinf on Chuesday (Tuesday) and Friday 'round at de dtiffunt plantations wnar deir marsters didnft keer, and dere warnft many what objected* De good marsters all give deir slaves prayermeetin' passes on dem nights so de patterollers wouldn't ^it beinf off deir marster's lands f em and beat 'en up for Bey 'most nigh kilt some sieves v.'hat dey cotch out when dey didn't have no pass* White preachers done de talkin' at de Lieetin* houses, hut at dem whuesday and Friday night prayermeetin1 s, it was all done by Niggers* I was too little to 'member much fbout dem mectin's, but ray older sisters used to talk lots 'boat 'em long atter de war had brung our freedom* Dere warn't many sieves wnat co-. ld reau, so dey jusf talked 'bout what dey had done heared de white preacners say on ounday. One of de fav'rite texties vvas de third chapter of Joim, and most of fem Jusf 'membered *? line or two from dat. Missy, from what folkses said 'bout dem meetin's* dere was sho a lot of good prayinf and testifyin', f cause so many sinners repented and was saved* Some- times at dem Sunday mee. tin's at de white folkses' church dey would have two or three preachers de same day. De fust one would give X. de text and preach for at least a hour, den another one would give a text and do his preachin* , and fbout dat time another one would rise up and say dat dem fust two brudders had done prp.gn^g^^Jiaugh .&Q s$3j*J^jnnn souls, but dat,_he was gwine to trj^jbo double^dat number. Den he would do his preachin1 and atter dat one of dem others would git up and say: f Brudders and Sisters, us is all here for de same and only purpose - dat of savinT souls* Dese other good brudders is done preachedr talked, and prayed, and let the gap down; now Ifm gwine to raise it. Us is gwine to git fligion enough to take us straight through dem pearly gates. How, let us sing whilst us gives de new brudders and sisters de right hand of fellowship* One of dem old songs went sort of lak dis; Must I be born to die 1 And lay dis body down? "When dey had dene finished all de verses and choruses of dat dey started: f Amazinf Grace, How sweet de sound Dat saved a wretch lak me,f "' Fore dey stopped dey usually gpt fround to singin1: f 0n Jordan1s stormy bonks I stand, And cast a wishful eye, To Canaan's fair and happy land 7/hsr my. possessions lie*f nDey could keep dat up for hours and it was shof good singinf , for datfs one thing Niggers was bcrn to do - to sing when dey gits 'ligion. .oldAunt s^orti-66ia&"t&p anl wanted to jine de churoh lie %Md * bout how she had done seed de fleheaiy liifiifc and changed hep way of livin*. fblkses testified den hotii de goodness of de Lord and Eie many tlessih,s what He give to saints and sinners, but dey is done stopped givih* Him muchthanks any more. Diem days, dey ' zamined f bl&ses wid de ehureh* ^ i i i * ""' win in f f of e dey let * em Jiae up When dey started 'zaJiinin* Aunt flora, de - m i mi preacher axed ker: 'Is you done been horned again and doesyou believe dat Jesus Christ done died to save sinners?* she started to cry, and she said: didn't know dat. *Lordy, Ir He daid? Aunt Flora Us If my old man had done *scfibed for de Paper lak I told him to, us would have knowed when-Jesus died?* Sfeal lak giggled, ^Missy^ he said^ fainH dat fus*/one of deitt oi#fime Niggers? ftey jus' tuk dat for ign'ance and let her C6me on into de church. n Dem days it was de custom .jfor marsters to hire out what slaves dey had dat warn*t needed to wuk on deir owii land, so our marster hired out! two of my sisters. Sis'* Anna Was hired to a fambly rbout 16 miles from our placed She didn't lak it dar so she run away and I found her hid out in our ftatef 'ouse One day when us was playin* she called to me right low and soft lak aud told me she was hongry and for me to git her s'dmepin t'eat but not to tell nobody she was dar. She said she had been dar wid- out nothin1 t*eat for several days. She Was skeered Marster might whup her. She looked so thin and bad I thought she was gwirie to MI. die, ao I told Mammy. 'ouse and fed her. tAl 59 Her and Marater went and brung; Anna to de Dat pore chile was starved most to death. Marster kept her at home for 3 weeks and fed her up good, den he carried her back and told dem folkses what had hired her dat dey had better treat Anna good and see dat she had plenty t*eat, Marster was drivin* a fast hoss dat day, but bless your heart, Anna beat him back home dat day. She cried and tuk on go, beggin* him not to take her back dar no more dat he told her she could stay home. My other sister stayed on wnar she was hired out til de war was over and dey give us our freedom. "Daddy had done hid all Old Marster1s hosses when de yankees got to our plantation. Two of de ridin* hosses was in de smokehouse and another good trotter was in de hen *ouse Old Jake was a slave what warn't right bright. He' slep* in de kitcnen, and he knowed whar Daddy had hid dem hosses, but dat was all he knowed. Marster had give Daddy his money to hide too, and he tuk some of de plasterin' off de wall in *&arster*s room and put de box of money inside de wall. Den he fixed dat plas- terin* back so nice you couldn't tell it had ever been tore off. De night dem yankees come, Daddy had gone out to de wuk 'ouse to git some pegs to fix semepin (qt didn't have no nails dem days). When de yankees rid up to de kitchen door and found Old ^ake right by hisself, dat pore old fool was skeered so bad he jus* started right off babblin' *bout two hosses in de smoke'ouse and one in d,e hen 'ouse, but he was trfpblin* so he couldn't talk plain. xiii. 60 Old Marster beared de fuss dey made(arid *: he-comei torn to de kitchen to see what was de matter. to git 'em his hosses. De yankees den ordered Marster Marster called Deddy and told him to git de hosses, but Daddy, he played foolish lak and stalled round lak he didn't have good sense. Dem sobers raved and fussed all night long *bout dem hosses, but dey never thought 'bout lookin' in de smoke*ouse and hen 'ouse for 'em and 'bout daybreak dey left widout takin* n?thin* ' Marster said he was sho proud of my Daddy for savin* dem good hosses for him. "Marster had a long pocket book what fastened at one end wid a ring. One day when he went to git out some money he drepped a roll of bills dat henever seed, but Daddy picket: it up" and handed'it "back to im^ight Ail^4-''''^hw^ii^'t^^^'^'^^.-, have kept dat money jus' as easy, but he was a *eeptional;iss i and believed ewybody ought to do right, r \ Aunt Tama's old man, Uncle Griff, oome to live wid her on our place atter de war was over. belonged to a man named Colquitty * Fore den he had Marster pervided a home for > - him and Aunt Tama *til dey was both daidV When dey was buildin* de fust colored Methodist c^hurch in dat section Uncle Griff give a whole hundred dollars to de buildin* fund. How it tuk a heskp of scrimpin* for him to save dat much mone3r*cause he nevei*'kad made over $10 a month. Aunt l!ama had done gone to Glory a long time when Uncle &riff died. Atter dey b%ried him dey come bael: and was 'ramgin1 de things in his little cabin. When dey mbved. ; w. fjjjf dat little trunk:'wnat Aunt i'ama used tbke^p"gingerbread in, dey found Jus* lots of money in it. Marster tuk keer of dat money 'til he found Uncle Griff's own sister and den he give it all to her. "One time Marster missed some of hiis' money and he didn't teant to ' cuse nobody, so he* cidjed he would fi nil ;6ut ' #10 had done de.dehbilment. He put a big rooster in a coof;; wid his ha id stickin* out. Dea lie called all de Mggers up to de yard and told 'em somebody had been stealin* his money, andf dat evvybody must git in line and march 'round dat coop and tetch it* He said dat when de guilty:ones tetched it de old rooster would crow. Evvybody tetched it *cept one old mail and his wife; dey Jus* wbuldh^t come nigh dat' coop whar dkt rooster was a-lookin' at evvybody out of his little red eyes* 'Mariter had dat old man and 'oman sarched and found all de money what had been stole. ~ "Mammy died 'bout a year atter de war, and I never will fcrgit how Mist*ess cried arid said: 'Heal, your mammy is done gone, and I don't know what 1*11 do widout"her.* Hot long atter dat, Daddy bid for de contract to carry de mail and he got de place, but it made de white folkses mighty mad, 'cause some white folkses had put in^ida_ f or dat contract. Bey * lowed dat Daddy better: not never start cut,.|id4^>4ULt;.,JwiiY-^^iBajase:' if he; did he was gwine to be sorry; Marster begged Daddy not to risk it and told him if he would stay dar wid him he would let him have a plantation for as long as he lived, and so us stayed on Wf* dar til Daddy died, and a long time atter dat us kept on wukin* for Old ^arster. "White folkses owned us back in de days 'fore de war but our own white folkses was mighty good to deir slaves. Dey had to larn us 'bedience fust, how to live right, and how to treat evvybody else right; but de best thing, day lamed us was how to do useful wuk. __ M -i i |, _ , - nun i 1 De onliest tine I 'member stealin' any- TII^IU iui^. thing fcept Aunt Kama's gingerbread was one time when I went to town wid Daddy in.de buggy. When us started back home a man got in de seat wid ^addy and I had to ride down in de back of de buggy whar Daddy had hid^a^ugof liquor. I could hear it slushin* 'round and so I got to wantin1 to know how it tasted*' I pulled out de corncob stopper and tuk one taste. good I jusf kep* on tastin* f tll I passed out, and didn't know f when us got home or nuffin else next day* It was-so til I waked up in my own bed Daddy give me a tannin1 what I didnft forgit for a long time, but dat was de wussest drunk I ever was* did love to follow my Daddy. Lord, but I t "Folkses warn't sick much in dem days lak dey is now, but now us donft eat strong victuals no more. Us raked out hot ashes den and cooked good old ashcakes what was a heap better for us dan dis bread us buys from de stores now* Marster fed us plenty of ^sh^ke. fresh meat, and ash roasted >.taters> and dere . what warn't nobody/could out wuk ufe* 62 JL J - .:$k-'0mML was .somepin. wha^' ftldjk*t-hippw o-f^:# painted wid lampblack on de outside. Sometimes dey kivvered de outside wid black ealico lak de liain* Coffins for finite folkses was jus' lak what dey had made up for deir slaves,laud dey was all buried in de same graveyard on deir own plantations* w $hen de war was over dey closed de little n * 'room school what our good Marster had kept i ;;hl .;Mek yai*;'f r his slaves^ but -oar.young'.MX$m ..lll#ii^M*^aiay ^si^ter^rig^-omru..-': 'til she got whar she could teach-school* Daddy fixed )typm room onto our house for her school and she soon had it full ofchillun. Dey made me study too, and I sho did hate to have to go to school to my own sister for she emrmore 4 Id "take @y?y chance to lay dat stick on me, ;b ut I s'peets ^e had a-right v. tough time wid me. When.time come Ground #o celebrate school commencement, I was one proud little Nigger 'cause 1 never had been so dressed up in my life before. I had on a red waist, white pants, and a gn^a__ pa1 r nf^shoes; but de grandest thing of all Vbout dat outfit was dat Daddy let me.: ..wear his watch* body come for dat celebration. JSvvy- Dere was wer &00 folks-at dat big dinner, and us had lota of barbecue and all sorts of good nil \;'. *-: g^ >, * things ''t>:eaft. - 01#.itaFsrter was dar y . && .when. fym%Qi<&:<^:\^ $^*:\v, till dem folks and said my little speech wi&oiit. missing a w>3?d| LIsrster sho did laugh and clap his hands* #iar he was settihT and said: wanted to.' EeealJedme ove"r^toi-: ' 'I knowed you could larai if yoa . 'Best of -all, -he give '^yiwhole d lla;f. I w&s'-" -^ rich den, plumb rich. One of my sisters couldnH lafa nothinr. De only letters she could ever say was 'Gr^G-D.* you axed her to spell she allus said *S^0-D.* Mo matter what She was a good field hand though and a good'oman and she lived to be more-da* 90 years old. "Now, talkin* dance* t bou,l frolii&in*, us really as#d*to What I means, is sho nougn old*time break^iownd* io e* times usdidriH have no music "eept jus* beafein* time on "iln:pans end buckets but most times Old llice Hu&son played his fiddle for us, and it had to be tuned again atter e??y set us dan ed* He never knbwed but one tune and he played dat oirer and over. Some- ' times dere was 10 or 15 couples on de floor at ;4 '-*iaae':,liia :ife&5 . us didnTt think nothin* of danci^if% 611 night long* % had plenty of old corn juice for refreshment, and atter llicse had two 6r ' three cups of dat juice, he could git *Turkey in de Straw* out of dat fiddle lak nobody's business* ^One time a houseboy from another plaat at ion want ed to come to one of our Saddy night danees, so his marsie^ feoli Mm to shine his boots for Sunday and-fix his ho night and den he could git off for de froliev Jsbr&hsm shifted hii miiratter* SXVHX boots *til he eo^ld '/aem- hisseif in * m* ajid^dey. i . &ei2SiO. grand he . was-tempted to try *em on. Diay was a little tight feat; h^thoughli he could wear 'em, and he wanted to show hiss lfi,&tt in * emu&%?:.& ' dance* Bey warn't so easy to walk in and he was frait ksdaiight git * em scratched up walkin* through de fields,: s he ssuek^ais Marster's hoss out and rode to de dance. When Abraham rid up dar in dem shiny boots, he got all de gals* ftteation. 'em wanted to dance wid de other Miggers. Hone of Bat Abraham was '.'.sho..- struttin * * til somebody run in and told him his hoss had ^ done broke its neck. Ee had tied.it to a limb and sho *no;ughj some way, dat hoss had done got tangled up and hung its own felf* Abraham legged de other Kigger boys to help him:take de daid hoss home, but he had^4 ^e tuk deir gals,and h*:;:d|d t-t gii a^-shelpr ;Bto" long' had to walk 12/miles kome in dem tight shoes* : : ' -'- Be sunihstdjd m*' riz up when he got dar and it warnft long 'fore hi$Harster was callinf: * Abraham, bring me my boots.* sahl I*sa a-comi;s* Dat Nigger ..would holler, out t ! as ' But dem boots wouldn't torn off .fcause his foots had'done swelled up in * & . His marster kept on < alXin' and when Abraham seed he couldn* t put it off no- longer he Jus* cut dem boots off his foots and went in and told wiiat he had done. His marster 'was awful mad. and said he was a good mind to takt de hide off Abraham's back, 'to git my hoss quick, Higg^r, 'for .! most kills you,* he yelled. Ben Abraham told him: !ifei^ilifr I knows you is gwine to kill me now, but your hoss 1 4one daid*^ Dea pore Abraham had to out and tell de wn.ole story and his marster o got to laughin* &pr fbout bow lie tuk all de gals away from d$ other boys and bow dem boots hurt him dat it looked lak he never would stop* When he finally did stop laughin* and shakip* *Datfs all right Abraham* his sides he said: ; ' ';: ' ' ;: ' '' ' "' '/ ' " t " '" nobody beat your time wid de gals* BonJt never Jyet '" """* " "'' "' l *'" - ' "* And datTa all he ever sai& to Abraham 'bout it. "Ilihen my sister got married, us sho did have a grand time. Us cooked a pig whole wid a shiny red apple in its mouth and set it right in de middle of de long table what us had built out in de yard. Us had evvything gooen and s^aidV XHXX* Well, Sir, I jus' thought if you didn't have enough for all of 'em, I could take Lida*' laughin' fit to kill. Lida? I felt myself goinr down. He started 'Bey,1 he says, 'Is you tryin' to ax for If so, I don't keer 'cause she's got to git married sometime.' I was so happy I left him right den and run back to tell Lida dat he said it was all right. "Us didn't have no big weddin*. new calico dress and I wore new jeans pants. Lida had on a Marster heared us was gittin' married dat day and he sont his new buggy wid a message for us to come right dar to him. I told Lida us better go, so us got in dat1 buggy and driv off, and de rest of de folkses followed in de wagon. Salem Church. Marster met us in front of Id He had de church, pejQ|and Preacher' John Mbsoh wait in' dar to marry us. Us warn't 'spectin* no church weddin', but Marster said dat Neal had to git married right. He never did forgit his Niggers. Lida she's done been daid a long time, and I'se married again, but dat warn*'t ia^rd^< ^ustj ti;me." :, By now, Neal was evidently tired* out, bui as the interviewer prepared to leave, Neal said: j* t;.f$i fy> I*se she go$ * somepin to tell my old 'oman when she gits home. She don't lak to leave me here by myself. I wish dere was somebody forme, tt i&i^v to evvyday, for I'se had sich a good time today. I dQn t -s?p t$ /.it's gwine to be long 'fore old Neal goes to be wid dem I done been tellin* you 'bout, so don't wait too long to come back to see me sgain." ?0 f 71 *4/^ y PLANTATION LIFE AS VIEWED BY EX-SLAVE JOHN F. VAN HOOK Newton Bridge Road Athens, Georgia Written by: Mrs. Sadie B. Hornsby Area 6 Athens Edited by: Mrs. Sarah H. Hall Athena and John N. Booth Area Supervisor of Federal Writers' Project - Areas 6 & 7, Augusta, Ga. Dec. 1, 1938 W 3 S t (e 72 JOHN F. TAN HOOK Ex-Slave Age 76 3*ohn F. Van Hook was a short, stout man with a shining bald pate, a fringe of kinky gray hair, kindly eyes, and a white mustache of the Lord Chamberlain variety. His shabby work clothes were clean and carefully mended, and he leaned on a cane for support* John was looking for the "Farm Bureau Office," but he agreed to return for an interview after he had transacted his business. When he reappeared a short time later and settled down in a comfortable chair he gave the story of his early life with apparent enjoyment. In language remarkably free of dialect, John began by telling his full name and added that he was well known in Georgia and the whole country. "Until I retired,tt he remarked, n I taught school in North Carolina, and in Hall, Jackson, and Rabun Counties, in Georgia. I am farming now about five miles from Athens in the Sandy Creek district. I was born in 1862 in Macon County, North Carolina, on the George Seller's plantation, which borders the Little Tennessee River. "I don't know anything much, first hand, about the war period, as I was quite a child when that ended, tut I can tell you all about the days of reconstruction. What I know about the things that took place during the war was told me by my mother and other old people. W358G "My father was Bas Van Hook and he married Mary Angel, my mother. Mother was born on Marse Dillard Love's plantation, and when his daughter, Miss Jenny, married Marse Thomas Angel's son, Marse Dillard gave Mother to Miss Jenny and when Little Miss Jenny Angel was born, Mother was her nurse. Marse Thomas and Miss Jenny Angel died, and Mother stayed right there keeping house for Little Miss Jenny and looking after her. Mother had more sense than all the rest of the slaves put together, and she even did Little Miss Jenny's shopping* "My father was the only darkey Old Man Isaac Van Hook owned, and he did anything that came to hand: he was a good carpenter and mechanic and helped the Van Hooks to build mills, and he made the shoes for that settlement. Thomas Aaron, George, James, Claude, and Washington were my five brothers, and my sisters were Zelia, Elizabeth, and Candace. Why, Miss, the only thing I can remember right off hand that we children done was fight and frolic like youngsters ?.lll do when they get together. With time to put my mind on it, I would probably recollect our games and songs, if we had any. * "Our quarters was on a large farm on Sugar Fork River. The houses were what you would call log huts and they were scattered about promiscuously, no regular lay-out, just built wherever they happened to find a good spring convenient. There was never but one room to a hut, and they wsrn't particular about how many darkies they put in a room. "White folks had fine four-poster beds with a frame built around the top of the bed, and over the frame 3. hung pretty, ruffled white curtains and a similar ruffled curtain was around the bottom of the bed; ments. the curtains made pretty orna- Slaves had beds of this general kind, but they warn't quite as pretty and fine. Corded springs were the go then. The beds used by most of the slaves in that day and time were called Georgia beds,f and these were made by boring two holes in the cabin wall, and two in the floor, and side pieces were run from the holes in the wall to the posts and fastened; then planks were nailed around the sides and foot, box-fashion, to hold in the straw that we used for mattresses; was spreaded. over this pretty white sheets and plenty of quilts Yes, mam, there was always plenty of good warm cover in those days. Of course, it was home-made, all of it, "My grandfather was a blacksmith and farm hand owned by Old Man Dillard Love. According to my earliest recollection my grandmother Van Hook was dead and I have no memories about her. My great, great grandmother, Sarah Angel, looked after slave children while their mothers were at work. She was a free woman, but she had belonged to Marse Tommy Angel and Miss Jenny Angel; and sister. they were brother The way Granny Sarah happened to be free was; one of the women in the Angel family died and left a little baby soon after one of Granny's babies was born, and so she was loaned to that family as wet nurse for the little orphan baby. They gave her her freedom and took her into their home, because they did not want her sleeping in slave quarters vbile she was nursing the white child. In that settlement, it was considered a disgrace for a white child to feed Y4 4. at the breast of a slave woman, but it was all right if the darkey . was a free woman. After she got too old to do regular work, Granny Sarah used to glean after the reapers in the field to get wheat for her bread. She had been a favored slave and allowed to do pretty much as she pleased, and after she was a free woman the white folks continued to look after her every need, but she loved to do for herself as long as she was able to be up and about. "What did we have to eat then? ash cakes was a mighty go then. Why, most everything; Cornbread dough was made into little pones and placed on the hot rocks close to the fire to dry out a little, then hot ashes were raked out to the front of the fireplace and piled over the ash cakes. When thoroughly done they were taken out and the ashes washed off; they were just like cake to us children then. We ate lots of home-made lye hominy, beans, peas, and all kinds of greens, cooked with fat meat. The biggest, and maybe the best thing in the way of vegetables that we had then was the white-head cabbage; where I lived. they grew large up there in Carolina There was just one big garden to feed all the folks on that farm. "Marse George had a good ' possum dog that he let his slaves use at night. They would start off hunting about 10 o'clock. Darkies knew that the best place to hunt for 'possums was in a persimmon tree. If they couldn't shake him out, they would cut the tree down, but the most fun was when we found the 'possum in a hollow log. Some of the hunters would get at one end of the log, and the others would guard the other end, and they would build a fire to smoke the 'possum out. Sometimes when they had to pull him out, YO 5. 76 they would find the * possum in such a tight place that most of his hair would be rubbed off before they could get him out. Darkies hunted rabbits, squirrels, coons, all kinds of birds, and specially they was fond of going after wild turkeys. hunting deer in the nearby mountains. one once. Another great sport was I managed to get a shot at Marse George was right good about letting his darkies hunt and fish at night to get meat for themselves. OhJ Sure, there were lots of fish and they caught plenty of *em in the Little Tennessee and Sugar Fork Rivers and in the numerous creeks that were close by. Eed horse, suckers, and salmon are the kinds of fish I remember best. They were cooked in various ways in skillets, spiders, and ovens on the big open fireplace. "Now, about the clothes we wore in the days of the war, I couldn't rightly say, but my Mother said we had good comfortable garments. In the summer weather, boys and men wore plain cotton shirts and jeans pants. The home-made linsey-woolsy shirts that we wore over our cotton shirts, and the wool pants that we wore in winter, were good and warm; they had brogan shoes in winter too. Folks wore the same clothes on Sundays as through the week, but they had to be sure that they were nice and clean on Sundays. Dresses for the women folks were made out of cotton checks, and they had sunbonnets too. tt Marse George Sellers, him that married Miss Ca*line Angel, was my real master. Elizabeth, and, and er; They had four children, Bud, Mount, I just can't bring to recollect the name 6. of their other girl. They lived in a two-story frame house that was surrounded by an oak grove on the road leading from Iranklin, North Carolina, to Clayton, Georgia. Hard Sellars was the carriage driver, and while I am sure Marse George must have had an overseer, I don't remember ever hearing anybody say his name. "Really, Miss, I couldn't say just how big that plantation was, but I am sure there must have been at least four or five hundred acres in it. One mighty peculiar thing about his slaves was that Marse George never had more than 99 slaves at one time; every time he bought one to try to make it an even hundred, a slave died. This happened so often, I was told, that he stopped trying to keep a hundred or more, and held on to his 99 slaves, and long as he did that, there warn't any more deaths than births among his slaves. His slaves had to be in the fields when the sun rose, and there they had to work steady until the sun went down. Oh! Yes, mam, Marse Tommy Angel was mighty mean to his slaves, but Miss Jenny, his sister, was good as could be; that is the reason she gave my mother to her sister, Miss Ca*line Sellars; because she thought Marse Tommy was too hard on her. "I heard some talk as to how after the slaves had worked hard in the field all day and come to the house at night, they were whipped for mighty small offenses. Marse George would have them tied hand and foot over a barrel and would beat them with a cowhide, or eat-o'-nine tails lash. They had a jail in Franklin as far back << 7. as I can recollect. 78 Old Big Andy Angel's white folks had him put in jail a heap of times, because he was a rogue and stole everything he could get his hands on. Nearly everybody was afraid of him; he was a great big double jointed man, and was black as the ace of spades. No, mam> I never saw any slaves sold, but my father's mother and his sister were sold on the block. em took them away. The white folks that bought After the war was over my father tried to locate 'em, but never once did he get on the right track: of *em. "Oh! Why, my white folks took a great deal of pains teaching their slaves how to read and write. My father could read, but he never learned to write, and it was from our white folks that I learned to read and write. thing else. Slaves read the Bible more than any- There were no churches for slaves on Marse George's plantation, so we all went to the white folks' church, about two miles away; it was called Clarke's Chapel. Sometimes we went to church at Cross Roads; that was about the same distance across Sugar Fork Biver. My mother was baptized in that Sugar Fork River by a white preacher, but that is the reason I joined the Baptist church, because my mother was a Baptist, and I was so crazy about her, and am 'til yet. "There were no funeral parlors in those days. They just funeralized the dead in their own homes, took them to the graveyard in a painted home-made coffin that was lined with thin bleaching made in the loom on the plantation, and buried them in a grave that didn't have any bricks or cement about it. That brings to my memory those songs they sung at funerals. like this, One of them started off something I Don't Want You to Grieve After Me. My mother used to tell me that when she was baptized they sung, You Shall Wear a LilyWhit e Robe. Whenever I get to studying about her it seems to me I can hear my mother singing that song again. She did love it so much. "No, mam, there didn't none of the darkies on Marse George Sellar's place run away to the North, but some on Marse Tommy Angel's place ran to the West. They told me that when Little Charles Angel started out to run away a bird flew in front of him and led him all the way to the West. Understand me, I am not saying that is strictly so, but that is what I heard old folks say, when I was young. When darkies wanted to get news to their girls or wives on other plantations and didn't want Marse George to know about it, they would wait for a dark night and would tie rags on their feet to keep from making any noise that the paterollers might hear, for if they were caught out without a pass, that was something else. Paterollers would go out in squads at night and whip any darkies they caught out that could not show passes. Adam Angel was a great big man, weighing about 200 pounds, and he slipped out one night without a pass. When the paterollers found him, he was at his girl's place where they were out in the front yard stewing lard for the white folks. They knew he didn't belong on that plantation, so they asked him to show his pass. Adam didn't have one with him, and he told them so. They made a dive for him, and then, quick as a flash, he turned over that pot of boiling lard, and while they were getting the hot grease off of them he got away and came back to his cabin. If they had caught 9. 80 % Adam, he would have needed some of that spilt grease on him after the beating they would have give him. Darkies used to stretch ropes and grapevines across the road where they knew paterollers would be riding; then they would run down the road in front of them, and when they got to the rope or vine they would jump over it and watch the horses stumble and throw the paterollers to the ground. That was a favorite sport of slaves. "After the darkies got in from the field at night, ate their supper, and finished up the chores for the day, on nights when the moon shone bright the men would work in their own cotton patches that Marse George allowed them; the women used their own time to wash, iron, patch, and get ready for the next day, and if they had time they helped the men in their cotton patches. They worked straight on through Saturdays, same as any other day, but the young folks would get together on Saturday nights and have little parties. "How did they spend Sundays? Why, they went to church on Sunday and visited around, holding prayermeetings at one another's cabins. Now, Christmas morning!1 Tes, mam, that was a powerful time with the darkies, if they didn't have nothing but a little sweet cake, which was nothing more than gingerbread. However, Marse George did have plenty of good things to eat at that time, such as fresh pork and wild turkeys, and we were allowed to have a biscuit on that day. How we did frolic and cut up at Christmas! Marse George didn't make much special to do on New Year's Day as far as holiday io. was concerned; 81 work was the primary object, especially in connection with slaves. "Oh-oo-h! Everybody had cornshuckings. The man designated to act as the general would stick a peacock tail feather in his hat and call all the men together and give his orders. He would stand in the center of the corn pile, start the singing, and keep things lively for them. jug. Now and then he would pass around the They sang a great deal during cornshuckings, but I have for- gotten the words to those songs. Great excitement was expressed whenever a man found a red ear of corn, for that counted 0 points, a speckled ear was 10 points and a blue ear 5 points, toward a special extra big swig of liquor whenever a person had as many as / 100 points. After the work was finished they had a big feast spread on long tables in the yard, and dram flowed plentiful, then they played ball, tussled, ran races, and did anything they knew how to amuse themselves. n Now, Ladies," John said, "please excuse me. I left my wife at home real sick, and I just must hurry to the drug store and get some flaxseed so I can make a poultice'for her." As he made a hasty departure, he agreed to complete the story later at his home, and g&Ye careful directions for finding the place. A month later, two visitors called on John at his small, unpainted house in the center of a hillside cotton patch* ii. A tall, thin Negress appeared in the doorway. mam, John Van Hook lives here. hoe, digging 'taters." "Daddy, DaddyI 82 "Yes, He's do-wn in the field with his She leaned from the porch and called, Somebody wants to see you.n her father, she answered Asked if John was "No, mam, he is my husband. I started calling him Daddy when our child was little, so I've been calling him that ever since. My name is Laney." The walla of the room into which John invited his callers were crudely plastered with newspapers and the small space was crowded with furniture of various kinds and periods. The ladder- back chairs he designated for his guests were beautiful. "They are plantation-made." he explained, "and we've had *em a mighty long time." On a reading table a pencil and tablet with a half-written page lay beside a large glass lamp. Newspapers and books covered several other tables. A freshly whitewashed hearth and mantel were crowned by an old-fashioned clock, and at the end of the room a short flight of steps led to the dining room, built on a higher floor level. "Now, let's see! Where was I?," John began. "Oh, yes, we were talking about cornshuckings, when I had to leave your office. Well, I haven't had much time to study about those cornshucklng songs to get all the words down right, but the name of one was General Religh Hoe, and there was another one that was called, Have a Jolly Crowd, and a Little Jolly Johnny. "Now you needn't to expect me to know much about cotton pickings, for you know I have already told you I was raised in North 12. 83 Carolina, and we were too far up in the mountains for cotton growing, but I have lived in a cotton growing country for forty-odd years. "As to parties and frolics, I guess I could have kept those things in mind, but when I realized that being on the go every night I could get off, week in and week out, was turning my mind and heart away from useful living, I tried to put those things out of my life and to train myself to be content with right living and the more serious things of life, and that's why I can't remember more of the things about our frolics that took place as I was growing up. About all I remember about the dances was when we danced the cotillion at regular old country breakdowns. Folks valued their dances very highly then, and to be able to perform them: well was a great accomplishment. remember. Turkey in the Straw is about the oldest dance tune I can Next to that is Taint Gonna Rain No More, but the tune as well as words to that were far different from the modern song by that name. Rabbit Hair W8S another favorite song, and there were dozens of others that I just never tried to remember until you asked me about them. "My father lived in Caswell County and he used to tell us how hard it was for him to get up in the morning after being out most of the night frolicking. He said their overseer couldn't talk plain, and would call them long before crack of dawn, and it sounded like he was saying, he meant was, 'Out and aboutJ 'Ike and a bike, Ike and a bike.* Out and about!* What is. 84 "Marriage in those days was looked upon as something very solemn, and it was mighty seldom that anybody ever heard of a married couple trying to get separated. Now it's different. When a preacher married a couple, you didnft see any hard liquor around, but just a little light wine to liven up the wedding feast. If they were married by a justice of the peace, look out, there was plenty of wine and," here his voice was almost awe-stricken, "even whiskey too," Laney interrupted at this stage of the story with, "My mother said they used, to make up a new broom and when the couple jumped over it, they was married. couple to use keeping house." "Laney," he said, Then they gave the broom to the John was evidently embarrassed. "that was never confirmed. It was just hearsay, as far as you know, and I wouldn't tell things like that. "The first colored man I ever heard preach was old man Johnny McDowell, He married Angeline Pennon and William Scruggs, uncle to Ollie Scruggs, who lives in Athens now. After the wedding they were all dancing arougd the yard having a big time and enjoying the wine and feast, and old man McDowell, sitting th re watching them, looked real thoughtful and sad; suddenly he said: have like they knew what's been done here today. been joined together for life. *?hey don't beTwo people have No matter what comes, or what happens, these two people must stand by each other, through everything, as long as they both shall live.' at a wedding. Never before had I had such thoughts They had always just been times for big eats, dancing, 14. frolicking, and lots of jokes, and some of them pretty rough jokes, perhaps. What he seid got me to thinking, and I have never been careless minded at a wedding since that day. Brother McDowell preached at Clarke's Chapel, about five miles south of Franklin, North Ca'lina, on the road leading from England to Georgia; that road ran right through the Van Hook place." Again Laney interrupted her husband, "My mother said they even had infare dinners the next day after the wedding. Phe infare dinners were just for the families of the bride and groom, and the bride had a special dress for that occasion that she called her infare dress. The friends of both parties were there at the big feast on the wedding day, but not at the infare dinner." "And there was no such a thing as child marriages heard of in those days," John was speaking again. of the brides were under 15 or 16 years old. "At least none Now you can read about child brides not more than 10 years old, 'most ever* time you pick up a paper. "I don't remember much about what I played until I got to be about 10 years old. imitate things. I'was a terrible little fellow to Old man Tommy Angel built mills, and I built myself a little toy mill down on the branch that led to Sugar Fork River. There was plenty of nice soapstone there that was so soft you could cut it with a pocket knife and could dress it off with a plane for a nice smooth finish. I shaped two pieces of soapstone to look like round millstones and set me up a little mixl that worked just fine. 85 15. We run pretty white sand through it and called that our meal and flour. My white folks would come down to the branch and watch me run the little toy mill. I used to make toy rifles and pistols and all sorts of nice playthings out of that soapstone. I had a I wish piece of that good old soapstone from around Franklin, so I could carve some toys like I used to play with for my boy." "We caught real salmon in the mountain streams," John remarked, "They weighed from 3 to 25 pounds, and kind of favored a jack fish, only jack fishes have duck bills, and these salmon had saw teeth. They were powerful jumpers and when you hooked one you had a fight on your hands to get it to the bank no matter whether it weighed 3 or 25 pounds. The gamest of all the fish in those mountain streams were red horses. When I was about 9 or 10 years old I took my brother's fish gig and went off down to the river. I saw what looked like the shadow of a stick in the clear water and when I thrust the gig at it I found mighty quick I had gigged a red horse. I did my best to land it but it was too strong for me and pulled loose from my gig and darted out into deep water. I ran fast as I could up the river bank to the horseshoe bend where a flat bottom boat belonging to our family was tied. boat and chased that fish 'til I got him. was 2 feet and 6 inches long. I got in that It weighed 6 pounds and There was plenty of excitement created around that plantation when the news got around that a boy, as little as I was then, had landed such a big old fighting fish." 86 16. "Suckers were plentiful and easy to catch but they did not give you the battle that a salmon or a red horse could put up and that was what it took to make fishing fun. We had canoes, but we used a plain old flat boat, a good deal like a smail ferry boat, most of the time. There was about the same difference in a canoe and a flat boat that there is in a nice passenger automobile and a truck.* When asked if he remembered any of the tunes and words of the songs he sang as a child, John was silent for a few moments and then began to sing: "A frog And he Uh With a By his Uh went courtin* did ride hunh sword and pistol side hunh. "Old uncle Rat laughed, Shook his old fat side; He thought his niece Was going to be the bride. Uh hunh, uh hunh "Where sha^.1 the wedding be? Uh hunh Where shall the wedding be? Uh hunh "Way down yonder In a hollow gum tree. Uh hunh, uh hunh, uh hunh. "Who shall the waiters be? Uh hunh Granddaddy Louse and a Black-eyed flea. Uh hunh, uh hunh, uh hunh. 87 17. 88 Laney reminded him of a song he used to sing when their child was a baby. words in my mind. "It is hard for me to formulate its I just cannot seem to get them," he answered, "but I thought of this one the other night and promised myself I would sing it for you sometime. Itfs Old Granny Mistletoe. "Old Granny Mistletoe, Lyin* in the bed, Out the window She poked her head. "She says, 'Old Man, The gray goosefs gone, And I think I heard her holler, King-eant-you-0, King-cant-you-01 * "The old fox stepped around, A mighty fast step. He hung the old gray goose Up by the neck. "Her wings went flip-flop Over her back, And her legs hung down. Ding-downy-O, ding-downy-O. "The old fox marched On to his den. Out come his young ones, Some nin*e or ten. . "Now we will have Some-supper-O, s-ome-summer-O. Now we will have Some-supper-O, some-supper-O." "The only riddle I remember is the one about: goes around the house, and just makes one track?' said it was a wheelbarrow. I believe they Mighty few people in that settlement believed in such things as charms. that sort of thing. What They were too intelligent for 18. "Old man Dillard Love didn't know half of his slaves. They were called 'Love's free niggers.' Some of the white folks in that settlement would get after their niggers and say 'who do you think you are, you must think you are one of Dillard Lovefs free niggers the way you act.1 Then the slave was led to the whipping post and brushed down, and his marster would tell him, 'now you see who is boss.' "Marse Dillard often met a darkey in the road, he would stop and inquire of him, say 'Who's nigger is you?1 'Boss I'se your nigger.' The darkey would If Marse Dillard was feeling good he would give the darkey a present. Heaps of times he gave them as much as five dollars, 'cording to how good he was feeling. He treated his darkies mighty good. "My grandfather belonged to Marse Dillard Love, and when the war was declared he was too old to go. went and was wounded. Marse George Sellers You know all about the blanket rolls they carried over their shoulders. Well, that bullet that hit him had to go all the way through that roll that had I don't know how many folds, and its force was just about spent by the time it got to his shoulder; that was why it didn't kill him, otherwise it would have gone through him. r 'he bullet was extracted, but it left him with a lame shoulder. "Our Mr. Tommy Angel went to the war, and he got so much experience shooting at the Yankees that he could shoot at a target all day long, and then cover all the bullet holes he made with the palm of one hand. Mr. Tommy was at home when the Yankees come though. 19. 90 Folks around our settlement put their darkies on all their good mules and horses, and loaded them down with food and valuables, then sent them to the nearby mountains and caves to hide until the soldiers were gone. Mr. Angel himself told me later that lots of the folks who came around pilfering after the war, warn't northerners at all, but men from just anywhere, who had fought in the wer and came back home to find all they had was gone, and they had to live some way. "One day my father and another servant were laughing fit to kill st a greedy little calf that had caught his head in the feed basket. They thought it was just too funny. About that time a Yankee, in his blue uniform coming down the road, took the notion the men were laughing at him. r and at that they lit out to run. What are you laughing at?* he said, The man called my father and made him come back, 'cause he was the one laughing so hard. Father thought the Yankee was going to shoot him before he could make him understand they were just laughing at the calf, "When the war was ov,er, Mr. Love celled his slaves together and told them they had been set free. Ee explained every- thing to them very carefully, and told them he would make farming arrangements for all that wanted to stay on there with him. Lots of the darkies left after they heard about folks getting rich working on the railroads in Tennessee and about the high wages that were being paid on those big plantations in Mississippi. Some of those labor agents were powerful smart about stretching the truth, but those folks 20. that believed them and left home found out that it*s pretty much the the same/world over, as far as folks and human nature is concerned. Those that had even average common sense got along comfortable and all right in Tennessee and Mississippi, and those that suffered out there were the sort that are so stupid they would starve in the middle of a good apple pie. My brother that went with the others to Tennessee never came back, and we never saw him again. "My father did not want me to leave our home at Franklin, North Oarolina, and come to Georgia, for he had been told Georgia people were awful mean. 'There was a tale told us about the Mr. Oglethorpe, who settled Georgia, bringing over folks from the jails of England to settle in Georgia and it was said they became the ruling class of the State. Anyway, I came on just the same, and pretty soon I married a Georgia girl, and have found the people who live here are all right.* Laney eagerly took advantage of the pause that followed to tell of her motherfs owner. "Mother said that he was an old, old man and would set in his big aractiair most all day. When he heard good news from the soldiers he would drum his fingers on his chair and pat his feet, whilst he tried to sing, Te Deum, Te Deum. news today! We won today!' Good Whenever he heard the southern armies were losing, he would lie around moaning and crying out loud. Nobody could comfort him then." John was delighted to talk about religion. "Yes, mam, after the war, darkies used to meet at each others* houses for re- 91 81 ligious services until they got churches of their OWL. meetings were little more than just prayermeetings. Those Our white folks were powerful careful to teach their slaves how to do the right thing, and long after we were free Mr. Tommy would give long talks at our meetings. We loved to listen to him and have him interested in us, for we had never been treated mean like heaps of the slaves in that neighborhood had. *One white man in our county needed the help of the Lord. His name was Boney Ridley and he just eouldnH keep away from liquor. He was an uncle of that famous preacher and poet, Mr. Caleb Ridley. One day when Mr. Boney had been drinking hard and kind of out of his head, he was stretched out on the ground in a sort of stupor. He opened his eyes and looked at the buzzards circling low over him and said, sort of sick and fretful-like, Git on off, buzzards; I ain*t dead yet.** "The Reverend Doctor George Truett was a fine boy and he has grown into a splendid man. He is one of God s chosen ones. I well remember the first time I heard him speak. I was a janitor at the State Normal School when he was a pupil there in 1887. I still think he is about the greatest orator I ever listened to. In those days, back in 1887, I always made it convenient to be doing something around the school room when time came for him to recite or to be on a debate. After he left that school he went on to the Seminary at Louisville and he has become known throughout this country as a great Christian. 92 22. 93 "I started teaching in old field schools with, no education but just what our white folks had taught me. They taught me to read and write, and I must say I really was a migiity apt person, and took advantage of every opportunity that came my way to learn. You know, teaching is a mighty good way to learn. After I had been teaching for some time I went back to school, but most of my knowledge was gotten by studying what books and papers I could get hold of and by watching folks who were really educated; by listening carefully to them, I found I could often learn a good deal that way." Laney could be quiet no longer. "is a self-made man. "My husband," she said, His educated brother, Claude, that graduated from Maryville School in Tennessee, says that he cannot cope with my husband." John smiled indulgently and continued: sad and woeful want after the war. Once I asked my father why he let us go so hungry and ragged, and he answered: it? "We were in 'How can we help Why, even the white folks don't have enough to eat and wear now. ' "Eleven years ago I rented a little farm from Mr. Jasper Thompson, in Jackson County. After the boll-weevil got bad I came to the other side of the river yonder, where I stayed 7 years. By this time most of the children by my first two wives had grown up and gone off up north. My first wife's children were Robert, Ella, the twins, Julius end Julia Anne, (who died soon after they 85. were grown-up), and Charlie, and Dan. Robert is in Philadelphia, Ella in Cincinnati, and Dan is dead* Tred, George, and Johnny, my second wife's children are all living, but are scattered in far-off places. "Everybody was powerful sorry to hear about Lincoln's assassination. At that time Jefferson Davis was considered the greatest man that ever lived, but the effect of Lincoln's life and deeds will live on forever. His life grows greater in reputation with the years and his wisdom more apparent. "As long as we were their property our masters were mighty careful to have us doctored up right when there was the least sign of sickness. There was always some old woman too old for field work that nursed the sick on the big plantations, but the marsters sent for regular doctors mighty quick if the patient seemed much sick. "After the war we were slower to call in doctors because we had no money, and that's how I lost my good right eye. If I had gone to the doctor when it first got hurt it would have been all right now. When we didn't have money we used to"pay the doctor with corn, fodder, wheat, chickens, pork, or anything we had that he wanted. "We learned to use lots of herbs and other home-made remedies during the war when medicine was scarce at the stores, and some old folks still use these simple teas and poultices. Comfrey 94 24. 95 was a herb used much for poultices on risings, boils, and the like, ' and tea made from it is said to be soothing to the nerves. Garlic tea was much used for worms, but it was also counted a good penumonia' remedy, and garlic poultices helped folks to breathe when they had grippe or pneumonia. Boneset tea was for colds. Goldenrod was used leaf, stem, blossom, and all in various ways, chiefly for fever and coughs. Black snake root was a good cure for childbed fever, and it saved the life of my second wife after her last child was born. Slippery ellum was used for poultices to heal burns, bruises, and any abrasions, and we gargled slippery ellum tea to heal sore throats, but red oak bark tea was our best.sore throat remedy. For indigestion and shortness of the breath we chewed calamus root or drank tea made from it. poses. In fact, we still think it is mighty useful for those purIt was a long time after the war before there were any darkies with enough medical education to practice as doctors. Dr. Doyle in Gainesville was the first colored physician that I ever saw. "The world seems to be gradually drifting the wrong way, and it won't get any better 'til all people put their belief and I mean by that - simple faith, in the Bible. What they like of it they are in the habit of quoting, but they distort it and try to make it appear to mean whatever will suit their wicked convenience. They have got to take the whole Bible and live by it, and they must remember they cannot leave out those wise old laws of the Old Iestament that God gave for men everywhere to live by.n 85. Laney had quietly left the room, but as the visitors were taking their departure she returned with a small package. "This," she explained, "is some calamus root that I raised and dried myself, and I hope it comes in handy whenever you ladies need something for the indigestion." "Next time you come, I hope to have more songs remembered and written down for you," promised John, 96 l ^aHMi .00069 97 Addle Vinson 653 Dearing Street Athens, Georgia. PLANTATION LIFiS. AS VIJSWJSD BY AN 33C-SLAVB Written By: Mrs. Sadie fi. Hornsby Athens, Georgia Edited By: Mrs. Sarah H. Hall Athens, Georgia John N.- Booth IfPA Residency No. 6 & 7 August E3, 1938 '.' ' " ;-r': :":">' **v"-'W!*-'-&*>'fri^ 100069 98 Addle Vinson iSx-Slave, Age 36 655 Bearing Street Athens, Georgia Perched on an embankment high above the street level is the four-room frame cottage where Addle Yinson lives with her daughter. The visitor scrambled up the steep incline to the vine covered porch, and a rap on the front door brought prompt response, "Who dat?M asked a very black woman, who suddenly appeared in the hall. "What you want?.... yassum, dis here's Addle, but dey calls ma Mammy, 'cause I*se so old. I s'pacts I'se most nigh a hunnert and eight years old." The old Negress is very short and stout. Her dark blue calico dress was striped with lines of tiny polka dots, arid had been lengthened by a band of light blue outing flannel with a darker blue stripe, let in just below the waist line. Her high-topped blaok shoes were wacn over grey cotton hose, and the stocking cap that partially concealed her white hair was crowned by a panama hat that flopped down on all sides except where the brim was fastened up across the front with two conspicuous "safety-first" pins. poor, and she claims it was Addie's eyesight is n plum ruint by de St. Vitus'3 dance," from which she has suffered for many years. She readily agreed to tell of her early life, and her eyes brightened as she began: come 'ere for? "Lawsy, Missy1 Oh, dem good old dayst Old Miss jus' t'other day. :?;:^^i-J.W&&*3$Xl ''v^v.-. 'i Is dat what you I was thinkin* 'bout V V "I was borned down in Ooonee County on Marsa Ike Vinson's place. Old Miss was Marsa Ike's mother. My Mammy, and Pappy was Peter and *Nerva Vinson and day was both field hands. Marsa Ike buyed my Pappy from Marsa Sam Brightwell. w n ii i Ma and Bill, Willis, Maze, Harrison, JSaster, and Sue was "all de ohillun my Mammy and Pappy had. Dere warn't but four of us big enough to wuk when Marse Ike married Miss Ann Hayes and day tuk Mammy wid *em to day new home in town. I stayed dar on de plantation and done lots of little jobs lak waitin' on table; totin* Old Miss* breakfast to her in her room ewy momin*, and I holped *tend to da grainery. Dey says now dat folkses is livin in dat old grainery house. w Dat was a ba-yootiful place, wid woods, cricks, and fields spread out most as fur as you could see. De slave quarters would*a reached from here to Milledge Avenue. Us lived in a one-room log cabin what had a ohimbly mad out of sticks and mud. Dem homemade beds what us slap* on had big old high poaties wid a great big knob on de top of each post. Our matt*esses was coarse hpme-wova cloth stuffed wid field straw. You know I laked dem matt'esses 'cause when de chinches got too bad you could shake out dat straw and burn it, den soald de tick and fill it wid fresh straw, and rest in peace again. You can*t never git d chinches out of dese ootton matt*asses us has to sleep on now days. talkin* *bout? Pillows? TOiat you You know Niggers never had no pillows dem days, leaseways us never had none. $imnmr&z -*&j.w-; Us did have plenty of 99 i 3.100 "' of kivver dough. JTolkses was all time a-pieoin* quilts and having quiltin's. All dat sort of wuk was done at night. "Pappyfs Ma and Pa was Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Jacob. Day was field hands, and dey b*longed to Marse Obe Jackson. Grandma Lucy and Grandpa Toney Murrah was owned by Marse Billy Eurrah. Marse Billy was a preacher what sho could come down wid de gospel at church. Grandma Lucy was his cook. Miss Sadie LeSeur got Grandma Lucy and tuk her to Columbus, Georgy, and us never seed our grandma no more. had been one of de Yinson gals. Miss Badra She tuk our Aunt Haley *long too to wait on her when she started out for Europe, and ffore dey got crost de water, Aunt Haley, she died on de boat. Hiss Sarah, she had a time keepin* dem boatsmens from th'owing Aunt Haley to da sharks. She is buried in de old country somewhar. "Now Liissy, how was Nigger chillun gwine to git holt of money in slavery ti ma? Old Marse, he give us plenty of somepin feat and all de clothes us needed, but he sho kep his money for his own self., "Now *bout dat somepin feat, iiho dat! Us had plenty of dem good old collards, turnips, and dem sort of oatments, and dar was allus a good chunk of meat to bile wid 'em. Marse Ike, he kep* plenty of evvy sort of meat folkses knowed about dem days. He had his own beefcattle, lots of sheep, and he killed mora^ a hunnert hogs evvy year. Dey tails me dat old bench day used to lay de meat out on to cut it up is ) 4. 101'.i standin1 dar yet. " Possums? Lawd, dey was plentiful, and dat ain't all , dera was on dat plantation. One time a slave man was possum huntin* and, as he was runninr f round in de bresh, he looked up and dar was a b*ar standin right up on his hind laigs grinnin' and ready to eat dat Nigger up. how dat Nigger did run I oh, good gracious, Day fetched in 'possums in piles, and dere was lots of rabbits, fixes, and coons. Dem coon, fox arid -possum hounds shoknowed deir business. Lawsy, I kin jus1 smell one of deia good old 'possums roast in' right now, atter all dese years. You parbiled de possum fust, and den roasted him in a heavy iron skillet what had a big old thick lid. Jus1 'fore de 'possum got done,you peeled ash-roasted 'taters and put em all 'round da possum so as dey would f soak up some of dat good old gravy, and would git good and brown. Is you ever et any good old ashcake? You wropped de raw hoecake in cabbage or collard leafs and roasted 'em in de ashes. When dey got done, you had somepin fit for a king to eat. ' De kitchen was sot'off a piece from de big house, and our white folkses wouldn't eat deir supper ffore time to light de lamps to save your life; den I had to stanf hind Old Missf cheer and fan her wid a turkey-feather fan to keep de flies off. No matter how rich folkses was dem days dere warn't no screens in de houses. W I never will forgit pore old Aunt Mary; she was our cook, and she had to be tapped evvy now and den cause she 5. had de drapsy so bad. 102 Aunt Mary*s old man was Uncle Harris, and I Members how he used tto go fishin' at night. slaves went fishin* too. De udder Many's de time Ifse seed my Mammy come back from Barber*s Crick wid a string of fish draggin* from her shoulders down to de ground. anything else. time. Me, I laked milk more'n You jusf oughta seed dat place at milkin* Dere was a heap of cows a fightin*, dhillun hollerin1, and sich a bedlam as you can't think up. Dat old plantation was a grand place for chillun, in summertime *specially, 'cause dere was so many branches and crioks close by what us chillun could hop in and cool off. "Chillun didn't wear nothin* but cotton slips in summer, but de winter clothes was good and warm. Under our heavy wiQiter dresses us wore quilted underskirts dat was sho nice and warm. Sunday clothes? clothes for Sunday. Yes Mar'm, us allus had nice * Dey made up our summertime Sunday dresses out of a thin cloth called Sunday-parade. Dey was made spen- ser fashion, wid ruffles 'round de neck and waist. Our ruffled petticoats was all starched and ironed stiff and slick, and us jus* knowed our long pantalettes, w.id deir scalloped ruffles, was mighty fine. Some of de 'omans would wuk fancy eyelets what dey punched in de scallops wid locust thorns, Dem pantalettes was buttoned on to our drawers. Our Sunday dresses for winter was made out of linsey-woolsey cloth. White ladies wore hoopskirts wid deir dresses, and dey looked lak fairy queens. Boys wore plain shirts in summer, but in .-.i. ^'aftfcOTB&.ss.*.,--. 6. 10o winter dey had warmer shirts and quilted pants. Dey would put two pair of britches togedder and quilt *em up so*you couldn't tell what sort of cloth dey was made out of. Dem pants was oalled suggins. "All de Niggers want barfoots in summer, but in winter us all wore brogans. i n Old Miss had a shoe shop in de cellar i under de big house, and when dem two white 'omans dat she hired to make our shoes__come, us knowed wintertime was nigh. Dem 'omans would stay 'til dey had made up shoes enough to last us all winter long, den dey would go on to de next place what dey s*pected to make shoes, "Marse Ike Vinson was sho good to his Niggers, de hanger, 'cept he never hung nobody. six chillun. He was Him and Miss Ann had Dey was Miss Lucy, Miss Myrt, Miss Sarah, Miss Nettie, Marse Charlie, and Marse Tom. Marse Ike's ma, Old Miss, wouldn't move to town wid him and Miss Ann; she stayed on in de big house on de plantation. forgot Old Miss' name. To tell de truf I done De overseer and his wife was Mr. 3dmond and Miss Betsey, and dey moved up to de big house wid old Miss atter Marse Ike and Miss Ann moved to town. Stiles Vinson was de carriage driver, and he fotched Marse Ike out to de plantation evvy day. Lord! Gracious alive I It would take a week to walk all over dat plantation. Dere was more'n a thousand acres in it and, oountin' all de chillun, dere was mighty nigh a hunnert slaves. "Long 'fore day, dat overseer blowed a bugle to wake up de Niggers. You could hear it far as High Shoals, and us 7.104 lived dis side of Watkinsville. Heaps of folkses all over dat part of de country got up by dat old bugle. I will never forgit one time when de overseer said to us chillun:, fellows go to do field and fetch some corn tops.* You Mandy said: He ain't talkin* to us 'cause us ain*t fellows and I ain't gwine.' Bless your sweet life, I runned and got dem corn tops, cause I didn't want no beatin'. Dem udder chillun got deir footses most cut off wid dem switches when dat overseer got to wuk to sho em dey had to obey him. Dat overseer sho did wuk de Niggers hard; he drivf 'em all de time. Dey had to go to de field long 'fore sunup, and it was way atter sundown 'fore dey could stop dat field wuk. Den dey had to hustle to finish deir night wuk in time for supper, or go to bed widout it. "You know dey whupped Niggers den. Atter dey had done wukked hard in de fields all day long, de beatin' started up, and he allus had somepin in mind to beat 'em about. When dey beat my Aunt Sallie she would fight back, and once when Uncle ' Randall said somepin he hadn't oughta, dat overseer beat him so bad he couldn't wuk for a week. He had to be grez all over ewy day wid hoalin' ointment for a long time 'fore dem gashes got well. "Rita and Retta was de Nigger 'omans what put pizen in some oollards what dey give_JAunjt_ii^ca and her baby to eat. She had been laughin' at a man 'cause his ooattail was a-flappin' so funny whilst he was danoin', and dem two Jezebels thought she was makin' fun of dem. At de graveyard, 'fore dey buried her, dey out her open and found her heart was all deeayed. 8 JL05 ; Da overseer driv dem 'omans clear off de plantation, and Marster, he was mighty mad. $2,000. He said he had done lost 'bout If he had kotched dem *omans he woulda hung 'em, cause he was de hanger. In *bout two weeks dat overseer left dar, and Old Marse had to git him anudder man to take his piace. "Sho! Bere was a jail for slaves and a hangin* place right in front of de jail, but rione of Old Marster*s Niggers warn*t never put in no jailhouse. slaves. Oh God: Yes, dey sold My own granddaddy was made to git up on dat block, and dey sold him. One time I seed Old Marse buy four boys." At this point the narrative ceased when Addie suddenly remembered that she must stop to get supper for the daughter, who would soon be returning from work. The visitor called early in the morning of the following day, and found Addie bent over her washtubs in the back yard. "Have dat cheer," was the greeting as the old Negress lifted a dripping hand to point out a chair under the spreading branches of a huge oak tree, n You knows you don*t want to hear no more 'bout dat old stuff," she said, "and anyhow, is you gittin' paid for doin* dis?" When the visitor admitted that these interviews were part of her salaried work, Addie quickly asked: "What is you gwine to give me?n When the last piece of wash had been hung on the line and Addie had turned a large lard can upside down for a stool, she settled down and began to talk freely. "No Ma*m, dey didn't low Niggers to larn how to read and write. I had to go wid de white chillun to deir school on i ~ 9. 106 Hog Mountain road ewy day to wait on *em. I toted water for r em kep* de fire goin', and done all sorts of little jobs lak dat. Miss Martha, de overseer*s daughter, tried to lam me to read and write, but I wouldn't take it in. "No Ma'm dere warn't no churches for Niggers in slavery time, so slaves had to go to deir white folkses churches. went to church at Betty Berry (Bethabara) and Mars Hill. Us When time come for de sermon to de Niggers, sometimes de white folkses would leave and den again dey would stay, but dat overseer, he was dar all de time. 01djman Isaac Vandiver. a Nigger preacher what couldn't read a word in de Bible, would git up in dat pulpit and talk from his heart. You know dere's heaps of folkses what's got dat sort of 'ligion - it's deep in deir hearts. De Heverend Freeman was de white folkses* preacher. I lakad him best, for what he said allus sounded good to me. "At funerals us used to sing Hark ffrom De Tomb Sound. A Doleful I never went to no funerals, but Old Marster's and Aunt Nira's, 'fore de end of de war. jngDieJi^Old Liarster went off to de war, he had all his slaves go to de musterin' ground to see him leave. He was captain of his company from Oconee County, and 'fore he left he had de mens in dat company bury deir silver and gold, deir watches, rings, and jus' anything dey wanted to keep, on Hog Mountain. He lef a guard to watch &e hidin' place so as dey would have somepin when dey come back home, den dey marched back to de musterin1 ground dat was twixt de Hopkins' plantation and Old Marster's place. Uncle Solomon went along to de 10.10? war to tote Marster's gun, cook for him, and sich lak. It warn't long 'fore old Marse was kilt in dat war, and Uncle 3olomon fetches him back in a coffin. *11 de slaves dat went to de buryin' jus' trembled when guns was fired over Old Marster's grave. Dat was done to show dat Old Liarster had been a powerful high-up man in de army. "Good Gracious! Dere didn't nary a Higger go off from our place tc de North, 'cause us was skeered of dem Yankees. Dare was a .white slave-trader named McRaleigh what used to come to Old Marster's plantation to buy up Niggers to take 'em to de Mississippi bottoms. for de woods. Vfnen us seed him couiin' us lit out He got ^unt Rachel; you could hear her holler in' a mile down de road. "Oh! Good Lord.' Deia patterollers was awful. 5"olkses what dey cotched widout no paper, dey jus' plum wore out. old man John was de fiddler on our place, and when de patterollers cotched him dey beat him up de wust of all, 'cause him and his fiddle was all de tine drawin' niggers' out to do dances, ' "If Old iiiarster wanted to send a message ne sont Uncle ricjidall on a mule named Jim oometimes dat old mule tuk a notion he didn't want to go; den he wouldn^t budge. I ricol- lects one time dey tuk a bundle of fodder and tied it to Old Jim's tail, but still he wouldn't move, old ixiarster kep* a special man to fetch and carry mail for^ae^plantation in a road cyart, and nobody warn't 'lowed to go nigh dat cyart. "when slaves got'in from de fields at night dey cooked and et deir supper and went to bed. Dey had done been vmkin* ii 108 since sunup. When dere warn't so muoh to do in de fields, sometimes Old Marster let his Niggers lay off from wuk atter dinner on Saddays. If d chinches was most eatin' de Niggers up, now and den de 'omans was 'lowed to stay to de house to scald evvything and clear 'em out, but de menfolkses had to go on to de field* On Sadday nights de 'omans patched, washed, and cut off peaches and apples to dry in fruit season. In de daytime dey had to cut off and dry fruit for Old Miss. When slaves got smart wid deir white folkses, doir Marsters would have 'em beat, and dat was de end of de matter. ^ Dat was a heap better'n dey does now days, * cause if a Nigger gits out of place dey puts him on de chaingang. > tion. "Sunday was a day off for all de slaves on our plantaII win mmmmmm, Cause, de mens had to look atter de stock in de lot right back of de cabins. next week. De 'omans cooked all day for de If dey tuk a notion to go to church, mules was hitched to Y/agons made lak dippers, and dey jigged off down de road. Us had four days holiday for Christmas. Old Miss give us lots of good things to eat dem four days; dere was cake, fresh meat, and all%kinds of dried fruit what had been done stored away. Mammy. All de Higgers tuk dat time to rest but my She tuk me and went 'round to de white folkses* houses to wash and weave. Dey said I was a right smart, peart little gal, and white folkses used to try to hire me from Old Miss. When dey axed her for me, Old Miss allus told 'em; want to hire dat gal; she ain't no 'count.' 'You don't She wouldn't let ;-. nobody hire her Niggers, 'cept Mammy, 'cause she knowed Mammy warn't gwine to leave her nohow. On New Year's Day, if dere ^ f is 109 warn't too much snow on de ground, de Niggers burnt brush and olgajred new ground. "When Aunt Patience led de singin' at oornshuokln *s, de shucks sho'ly did fly. Atter de corn was shucked dey fed us lots of good things and give us plenty of liquor. cotton pickin* was managed was dis: De way evvybody dat picked a thousand pounds of cotton in a week's time was 'lowed a day off. Mammy picked her thousand pounds evvy week. "Dances? Now you's talkin' 'bout soniepin' sho* 'nough. Old John, de fiddler man, was right dere on our plantation. Niggers dat had done danced half de night would be so sleepy when de bugle sounded dey wouldn't have time to cook breakfast. Den 'bout de middle of de mawnin* dey would complain 'bout bein' so weak and hongry dat de overseer would fetch 'em in and have em fed. He let *em rest 'bout a hour and a half; den he marched *em back to de field and wuked 'em 'til slap black dark. Aunt Sook was called de lead wench. If de moon warn't out, she put a white cloth 'round her shoulders and led *em on. "Didn't none of Old Marsters chillun marry in slavery time, but Old Miss, she let*us see a Nigger gal named Frances Hester git married. When I sot down to dat weddin* supper I flung de chicken bones over my shoulder, 'cause I didn't know no better. I don't 'member what gals played when I was little, but boys played ball all day long if dey was 'lowed to. One .'^^l^Mu dS ,-ii iW^a*^-^>t* ,Wi*L^*'i^*'- boy, named'Sam, played and run so hard he tuk his bed Monday and never got up no more. "I heared tell of Haw Haid and Bloody Bones. would skeer us most nigh Old folkses to death tellin' us he was comin'. 13- 1 Mankind! Us made for da house den. f bout dem hafnts. ax me iiiissy, please mam, don't I sees fern all de time* done died out, Old MissJJsa^ didn't lak it Atter she had back all de time* She f cause day wropped her in a win&in1 sheet and buried her by de doorsteps, but I reckon dey done fixed her by now, f cause she don't come back no more. Dere*s a house in . Athens, called de 3ell House, dat nobody kin live in, f cause a man run his wife from home and atter she died, she come back and ha'nted dat house. "Lawd have mercy! Look here, donTt talk lak dat. I ain't told you before but part o1 dis here yard is conjured* A man comes here early evvy mornin* and dresses dis yard down wid conjuration. Joon as I sot down here to talk to you, a pain started in my laigs, and it is done gone all over me now. I started to leave you and go in de house. leave dis yard right now. Hurry!" Gome on. Let's on reaching the kitchen Addie hastily grasped tne pepper box and shook its contents over each shoulder and on her head, saying; "Anything hot lak dis will sho drive dis spell away. i)e reason I shakes lak I does, one day I was in de yard and soiaepin cotch jae. It helt fast to my footses, den I started to shake all over, and I been shakin* ever since, A white f oman gimme some white soap, and evvy morninf I washes myself good wid dat coap 'fore I puts on my clothes.Tt Leaving the kitchen, Addie entered the front room which serves as a bedroom. ,! Lawdy, Llissy!" you smell dat funny scent? she exclaimed, "Does Oh, Good Lawd.1 Jus1 look at dem 14*11 white powders on my doorstep! wash 'em out quick! Let me git some hot water and Now Missy, see how dese Niggers here is allus up to deir meanness? room bilin' his pizen right now. T round Dere's a man in de udder I has to keep a eye on him all de time or dis here old Nigger would be in her grave. I has to keep somepin hot all de time to keep off dem conjure spells. I got three pids of pepper most ready to pick, and I'se gwine to tie 'em 'round my neck, den dese here spells folkses is all de time tryinT to put on rae won't do me no harm." Addie now lowered her voice to a stage whisper. "I found a folded up piece of white paper under our back doorstep dis very morain'. Bless your life, I got a stick from de kitchen quick and poked it in a crack in de steps and got it out 'fore I put my foots down on dem steps. I sho did." Here Addie reverted to her story of the plantation. "Old Liarster was mighty good to his Niggers," she said. '.Then any of em got sick Old Miss sont to town for him, and he allus come right out and fetched a doctor. Old Miss done her very best for fappy when he was tuk sick, but he died out jus' de same. Pappy used to drive a oxcart and, when he was bad off sick and out of his haid, he hollered out: A-' wheel! Scotch dat wheel*' In his mind, he was deep in de bad place den, and didn't know how to pray. would say: Scotch dat 'Pray, Pete, Pray.' Old Ldiss, she Old Hiss maae a heap of teas from diff'unt things lak pennyroyal, algaroba wood, sassafras, flat tobacco, and mullein. Us wore rabbits foots, little bags 15. U2 of asfiddy (asafetida), and garlic tabs 'round, our necks to keep off mis*riss. I wishes I had a garlic tab to wear *round my neck now. "One day Old Uiss called us togedder and told us dat us was free as jay birds. De Niggers started hollerin*: Thank Jls J^awd^ju^JLs^fre as de jay birds.* Bout dat time a white man corae along arid told deia Niggers if he heared 'em say dat again he would kill de last one of 'em. Old Miss axed us to stay on wid her and dar us stayed for 'bout three years. It paid us to stay dere 'stead of runnin' off lak some udder rliggers dat played de fool done. T'warn't long 'fore dem YanKees coiae 'long, and us hustled off to town to see what dey looked lak. life before. I never seed so many iiens at one time in my When us got back to de plantation de overseer toxu A-V,--*"*-* *.- * * : us not to drink no water out of de well, done put a peck of pizan in dar. f cause somebody had Ha flung a whole bushel of salt in de well to help git rid of de pizen. "Atter de and of de war, I went to wuk as a plow-hand. I sho did keep out of de way of dam Ku Kluxers* sae f 9m cominf and holler out: Folkses would f De Ku Kluxers is ridin* tonight. Keep out of deir way, or dey will sho klxl you.1 Dem what was skaerad of bein* cot chad and beat up, done dair bast to stay out of sight. "It was a long time attar de war was dona over *fore schools for Niggars was sot up, and den whan Iligger chillun did git to go to school day v/urn't f lowed to use de old blue- back spellin* book * cause white folksas said it larnft too much. r em M*MS: "It was two or three years atter de war 'fore any of de Niggers could save up enough money to start buyin' land, and, den, if dey didn't watch dey steps mighty keerful, de whit folkses would find a way to git dat land back from de Niggers. "What: Is I got to tell you 'bout dat old Nigger I got married up wid? I don't want to talk 'bout dat low down, no 'count devil, .anyhow, I married M. Griffeth and, sho dat, I had a weddin'. My weddin* dress was jus' de purtiest thing; it was made out of parade cloth, and it had a full skirt wid ruffles from de knees to de hem. De waist fitted tight and it was out lowneck wid three ruffles 'round de shoulder. puff sleeves was full from de elbow to de hand. Dem All dem ruffles was aidged wid lace and, 'round my waist I wore a wide pink sash. lie underskirt was trimmed wid lace, and dere was lace on de bottom of de drawers laigs. Dat was sho one purty outfit dat I wore to marry dat no 'count man in. I had bought dat dress from my Young Liist'ess. "Us had seven chillun and ten grandohillun. is livin' off up in Detroit. Most of *em If M ain't daid by now he ought to be; he was a good match for de devil. M I reckon Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Jeff Davis done right as fur as dey knowed how and could. If dem northern folkses hadn't fotched us here, us sho wouldn't never have been here in de fust place. Qen dey hauled off and said de South was mean to us Niggers and sot us free, but I don't know no diffunce. D North sho let us be atter dat war, and some of de old Niggers is still mad 'cause dey is free and ain't got no Marster to 17-11 -i. feed fem and give f exa good warm clothes no more* "OhJ You gits happy -when you jines up wid de ohuroii. I sho don't want to go to de bad place. Dere ain't but two placas to go to, Heaven and hell, and I*se tryin' to head for Heaven. Folksss says dat when Old Dives done so bad he had to go to de bad place, a dog was sot at his heels for to keep hir.i in dar. i 'o Mam, if it's de Good Lawd's will to let me git to Heaven, I is sho gwine to keep out of hell, if I kin. H goodbye, Lissy. Next tiiae you comes fetch me a garlic tab to keep de conjure spells *way from me," was Addle*s parting request. 115 \# V PLANTATION LI MI as viewed by ex-slave EMMA. VIRGEL 1491 . Broad Street Athens, Georgia Written "by; Grace McCune Athens - Edited by* Sarah H. Hall Athens - and John N. Booth District Supervisor Federal Writers1 Project Residencies 6 & 7 Augusta, Ga. EMMA. VIRGEL Ex-Slave - Age 73 Hurrying for shelter from a sudden shower, the interviewer heard a cheerful voice singing "Lord Ifse Comin1 Home,11 as she rushed up the steps of Aunt Brnma* s small cabin. Until the song was ended she quietly waited on the tiny porch and looked out over the yard which was attractive with roses and other old-fashioned flowers; then she knocked on the door. Dragging footsteps and the tap, tap of a crutch sounded as Aunt Emma approached the door* "Come in out of dat rain, chile, or you sho1 will have de pneumony,0 she said* set here "by my fire. "Come right on in and Fire feels mighty good today. it to iron de white folkses clothes." I had to build Aunt Smma. leaned heavily on her crutch as she wielded the iron with a dexterity attainable only by long years of experience. Asked if her lameness and use of a crutch made her work difficult, she grinned and answered: "Lawsy chile, I1se jus1 so used to it, I donrt never think !bout it no more* Ifse had to wuk all of my life, no matter what was in de way." The comfort, warmth and cheer of the small kitchen encouraged intimate conversation and when Aunt Emma was asked for the story of her childhood days and her recollections of slavery, she replied: n I was too little to fmember much, but I1se heared my Ha tell fbout dem days. M My Pa and Ma was Louis and Mary Jackson. Marse John Montgomery, way down in Oconee County. Dey belonged to Marse John didn1 t ,* . ) JKj 11 / have no wife den, f cause he didn't git married had a big place wid lots of slaves* 'em have plenty of ewything. ! til atter de War* He He was shof good to fem, and let De slave quarters was log cabins wid big fireplaces, whar dey done de cookin' Dey had racks to hang pots on to bile and dey baked in ovens set on de harth (hearth). Dat was powerful good eat in1 Dey had a big old gyarden whar dey raised plenty of corn, peas, cabbages, potatoes, collards, and turnip greens. Out in de fields dey growed mostly corn, wheat, and cotton. Marster kep1 lots of chickens, cows, hogs, goats, and sheep; and he fed * em all mighty good. 11 Marster let his slaves dance, and my Ma was shof one grand dancer in all de breakdown's. Dey give f em plenty of toddy and Niggers is dancers f' um way back yonder while de toddy lasts. "Slaves went to deir Marster1 s ineetin's and sot in da back of de church. Dey had to be good den 'cause Marster sho' didn't no cuttin' up 'mongst his Niggers at de church. f low Ma said he didn't believe in whuppin1 his Niggers lessen it jus' had to be done, but den dey knowed he was 'round dar when he did have to whup 'em. "Ma said when dey had big baptizin' s in de river dey prayed and shouted and sung 'Washin' 'way my Sins,1 - . 'Whar de Healin' Water Flows,1 and 'Grossin' de River Jerdan.1 De white preacher baptized de slaves and den he preached-dat was all dere was to it * ceppen de big dinner dey had in de churchyard on baptizin* days. "When slaves died, dey made coffins out of pine wood and buried 'em whar de white folkses was buried. If it warn't too fur a H8 piece to de graveyard, dey toted de coffin on three or four hand sticks. Yessum, hand sticks, dat1s what day called f em* Dey was poles what dey sot de coffin on wid a Nigger totin1 each end of de De white preacher prayed and de Niggers sung fHark ffum de poles. Tomb.* * Ma said she had a grand "big weddin* She wore a white swiss dress v/id a bleachin1 petticoat, made wid heap a of raffles and a wreath of flowers f round her head. She didn't have no flower gals. Pa had on a long, frock tail, jim swinger coat lak de preacher1 s wore. A white preacher married fem in de yard at de "big house. All de Niggers was dar, and Marster let feni dance isos1 all night. I was de oldest of Mafs 10 chillun. Dey done all gone to rest now *ceptinr jus* de three of us what's lef in dis world of trouble. Yessum, dere sho* is a heap of trouble here* *Atter de War, Ma and Pa moved on Mr. -&ill Marshall1 s place to farm for him and dar* s whar I was born. Dey -didn* t stay dar long fore dey moved to Mr. Jim Mayne' s place away out in de country, in de forks of de big road down below Watkinsville. gal. Yessum, I sho* was. she took a lakin* to me f I sho* was a country Mr. Mayne's wife was Mrs. Emma Mayne and cause I was named %ma. I stayed wid her . chilluns all de time, slep* in de big house, and et dar too, jus' lak one of dem, and when dey bought for dey chillun dey bought for me too. "Us wore homespun dresses and brass toed shoes. Sometimes us would git mighty mad and fuss over our games and den Miss"Emma would make us come in de big house and set down. Ho Ma*am, she never 4. did whup us. H9 She was good and she jus* talked to us, and told us us never would git to Heb'en lessen us was good chillun. Us played games wid "blocks and jumped de rope and, when it was warm, us waded in de crick. Atter I was big 'nough, I tuk de white chilltm to Sunday School, "but I didn11 go inside den - jus' waited on de outside for 'em. I never got a chanct to go to school none, but de white chilluns lamt me some. "Jlarse Jim was mighty good to de Niggers what wukked for him, and us all loved him. He didn't 'low no patterollers or none of dem Ku Kluxers neither to "bother de Niggers on his place. he could look atter 'em his own self. He said He let !em have dances, and ewy Fourth of July he had big barbecues. Yessum, he kilt hogs, goats, sheep and sometimes a cow for dem barbecues. He believed in. havin' plenty to eat. "I 'members dem big corn shuckin's. what was in great big piles put in a circle. axed to come and bring deir Niggers. He had de mostes1 corn, All de neighbors was Da fus1 thing to do was to *lect a gen'ral to stand in de middle of all dem piles of corn and lead de singin' of de reels. No Ma'am, I don't 'member if he had no shuck stuck up on his hat or not, and I can't ricollec1 what de words of de reels was, 'cause us chillun was little den, but de gen'ral he pulled off de fus' shuck. Den he started singin1 and den day all sung in answer to him, and deir two hands a-shuckin' corn kep' time wid de song. fly. A s he sung faster, dey jus' made dem shucks more dan Ewy time de gen'ral would speed up de song, de Niggers would speed up deir corn shuckin's. If it got dark 'fore dey finished, us chillun would hold torch lights for 'em to see how to wuk. De * 120 lights was made out of big pine knots what would burn a long time. Us .felt mighty big when us was 'lowed to hold dem torches. When dey got done shuckin' all de corn, dey had a big supper, and Honey, dem was sho' some good eatments - barbecue of all sorts - jus1 thinkin' bout dem pies makes me hongry, even now. Ma made 'em, and she couldn't be beat on chicken pies and sweet potato pies. Jttter dey done et and drunk all dey wanted, Marse Jim would tell 'em to go to it. Dat was de word for de gen'ral to start up de dancin', and dat lasted de rest of de night; dat is if dey didn't all fall out, for old time corn shuckin* breakdowns was drag-outs and atter all dem 'freshments, hit sho* kept somebody busy draggin' out dem what fell out. Us chillun was rlowed to stay up long as us wanted to at corn shuckin's, and sometimes us would git out and try to do lak de grownup Siggers. Hit was de mos* fun. *Dey went huntin' and fishin' and when dey cotch or kilt much, dey had a big supper. 'possum. huntin'. I 'members de fus' time I ever cooked Ma was sick in de bed, and de mens had done been 'possum Ma said I would jus' have to cook dem 'possums. She told me how to fix *em and she said to fix 'em wid potatoes and plenty of butter and red pepper. Den she*looked at me right hard and said dat dey had better be jus' right. Dat skeered me so I ain't never been so I could eat no 'possum since den. Yessum, dey was cooked jus* right, but cookin' 'em jus' once when I was skeered cured me of de taste for eatin' 'possum. "Us chillun didn't git out and go off lak dey does dese days. Us stayed dar on de plantation. In winter us had to wear plenty of 6- 121 clothes, wid flannel petticoats and sich lak, and us stayed in by de fire, -^ig hoys had clothes made out of jeans, hut little hoys wore homespun shirts. On hot days us jus1 wore one piece of clothes, a sort of shirt what was made long and had a yoke in it. "Dey made me use snuff to cure my sore eyes when 2"*was little, and I never could quit usin' it no more. When I waa 'bout 15, Ma and Pa moved to Athens and I went to wuk for Mr. Joe Webb's farably. I wukkad for *em for 3^ years and raised all deir chillun. wawaw^wwaaEgre^^ .Dey was all mighty good to me and seed dat I had plenty of evvything. out I would still he dar, hut de old folkses all done died/and gone to dey rest and de younguns done married and lef here. *I was wukkin' right in de house wid 'em when I * cided to git married. Yes Ma'am, I sho' done had one swell elegant weddin' Jus' evvything heart could ask for. I married at my Mstf*s house, hut my white folkses was all right dar, and dey had done fixed de house up pretty wid flowers all over it. Dey give me my white flannel 1 mmmmmm weddin' dress and it was sho* pretty, hut dey warn' t nothin' lackia* 'bout my second day dress. a bottle green silk. My white folkses bought dat too, - It was Lawsy, hut I was sho* one dressed up bride. It was 8 o'clock dat night when de1 preacher got finished wid tyin' dat knot for me and Sam Virgel. My sister and her fellow stood up wid us and us had a big crowd at our weddin' supper. Dere was one long table full of our white folkses, 'sides all de Niggers, and I jus* never seed so much to eat. My white folkses said dat Emma jusf had to have plenty for her weddin' feast and dey evermore did lay out good things for dat supper, and dem Niggers sho1 did hide dat chicken and cake away lak dey hadn't never seed none "before. *I wukked on for- de Webbs 'til dey was all gone. De old folks is in Heb'en whar I * speets to see 'em some day when de Lord done called me home. De younguns moved away, but I still loves 'en ewyone, 'cause dey looked atter old Emma so good when dey was here. Us never had no chillun and Sam done been gone to his.res' long years ago. I'se jus' a-wukkin* and a-waitin' 'til I gits called to go too. I don't have plenty all de time now lak I used to, and nobody here looks atter old Emma no more, but I makes out. "1*86 mighty glad it rained if datfs what sont you to my door. It's been nice to talk wid white folkses again. I wisht I had somepin' nice for you! Let me cut you a bunch of my flowers?* She carefully placed her iron on the hearth and hobbled out in the yard. The Way shower had been followed by sunshine as she handed her guest a huge bouquet .of roses, Aunt Emma bowed low. she said, "please come back to see me.tt "Good-bye, Missy,* /^/ 44KJs&j5 A v Adella S. Bison -flQO INTERVIEW 77HH BHODDS 7&EF0N, IX-SIA"VB % Ten years before the Emancipation Proclamation was sigaed, a son was born to Antony and Patience *alton *ho lived in Lumpkin, Stewart County, Ga# When this son, fthodus, was three weeks old, his mother, along with the three younger childrenf was sold* His father and the thirteen sons and daughters that she left behind were never seen again* His parents1 birthplace and the nan they bore before moving to the Walton home are unknown to Bhodtie and he never was able to trace his family even after "freedom** The Walton plant at ion, home of Mr* Sam B. Walton who purchased his mother, was a very large one with the *Big House* on an elevation near the center The majestic colonial home with its massive columns was seen for miles around and from its central location the master was able to view his entire estate* Approximately one block from the planter1 s home* the *$& He attributes his long life to his fai14i iri God# J31si? *- -$?'*$) _ *-.SUte.*/// ' 'AN ACCOUNT OP SIAVERY RELATED BY WILLIAM WARD - EX-SLAVE i 'M In a small one-room apartment looated on one of Atlanta1 s back streets lives William Ward, an ex-slave, whose physical appearance in no way justifies his claim to being 105 years of age. complexion. He is about five ft. in height with a rather smooth brown What hair he has is gray* He moves about like a much younger person. For a person of his age his thoughts and speech are remarkably clear* On a bright sunny afternoon in September this writer had an opportunity of talking with Mr. Ward and in the course of the conversation some very interesting things were learned regarding the institution of slavery and its customs. Ward took a dip of snuff frcm his little tin box and began his story by saying that he is the son of Bill and Leans Ward who were brought to this country from Jamaica,B.W.I# first thing he remembers was the falling of the stars in 1853. The From that time until he was 9 years old he played around the yaid with other slave children. Then his parents weres ent back to Jamaica by their master, the former Governor Joseph Brown. While he was in bondage he carried the name of his masters instead of Ward, his parents9 name* From the age of 9 until he was old enough tfc do heavy work, he kept the master1 s yard clean* Although Mr. Brown owned between 50 and 75 slaves, he had no plantation but hired his slaves out to other men who needed more help but were not able to own as many slaves as their work repaired* Mr. Ward and his fellow slaves lived in one-room houses in the rear of the master's home* The furnishings consisted of a bed which was known as a "Grand Rascal19 due to its peculiar construction. The mattress made in the form of a large bag was stuffed with hat and dried grass. At daybreak each morning they were called frcm these crude beds to prepare for the dayfs work. Breakfast, which consisted of white fcacon, corn bread, and imitation coffee, was served before they left for the scene of their dayfs work. Incidentally the slaves under Mr. Brownfs ownership never had any other form of bread then corn bread 2, i i X j William Ward - ex-slave This imitation coffee was made by putting corn meal in a pan, parching it until it reached a deep golden brows and steeping it in boiling water. At noon, dinner was brought to them in the field in wash tubs placed on carts drawn by oxen. consisted of fat meat, peas and corn bread. Dinner Often all laundry was done in these same tubs. The only time that this diet ever varied was at Christmas time when the master had all slaves gathered in one large field. Then several hogs were killed and barbecued. Everyone was permitted to eat as much as he could, but was forbidden to take anything home. When some one was fortunate enough to catch a possum or a coon, he had a change of food# On Sundays the slaves were permitted to have a religious meeting of their own* This usually took place in the back yard or in a building dedicated for this purpose. They sang spirituals which gave vent to their true feelings. Many of these songs are \ sung today, i There w^s one person who did the preaching. His sermon was a]nays built according to the master9s instructions which were that slaves must always remember tbat they belonged to their toasters and were intended to lead a life of loyal servitude. None of the slaves believed this, although they pretended to believe because of the presence of the white overseer. If this overseer was absent sometimes and the preacher varied in the text of his sermon, that is, if he preached exactly what he thought and felt, he was given a sound whipping* Mr. Brown was a kind person and never mistreated his slaves, although he did furnish them with the whip for infractions of rules such as fightingt stealing, Visiting other plantations without a "pass", etc# Ward vividly recalls that one of the soundest thrashings he ever got was for stealing Mr. Brown1 s whisky. His most numerous offenses were fighting. Another fora of punishment used in those days was the stocks, such as those used in early times in England. Serious offense like killing another person was also handled by the master who might hang him to a trea by the feet or by the neck, as he saw fit* William Ward - ex-slave 3# jj; () Few slaves ever attempted to escape from Mr. Brown, partially because of his kindliness and partically because of the fear ins>lred by the pack of blood hounds which he kept* When an escaped slave was eaught he was returned to his master and a sound beating was administeredo As far as marriage was concerned on the Brown estate, Mr. Brown, himself placed every two individuals together that he saw fit to. There was no other wedding ceremony* If any children were born from the union, Mr. Brown named them. One peculiarity on the Brown estate was the fact that the slaves were allowed no preference or choice as to who his or her mate would be. Another peculiarity was these married couples were not permitted to sleep together except when the husband received permission tc spend the night with his wife, Ward is the father of 17 children whose whereabouts he does not know* At this point Ward began to smile, and when he was asked the cause of his mirth, he replied that he was thinking about his fellow slaves beliefs in conjuring one another. This was done by putting some sort of wild berries in the person1 s food* What he canft understand is why some of this black magic was not tried on the white people since they were holding the Negroes as slaves* Ward recalls vividly Sherman!s inarch through Georgia. When Sherman reached the present site of Hapeville, he bombarded Atlanta with cannon, afterwards marching through and burning the city. The white residents made all sorts of frantic attempts to hide their money and other valxiables. trees and in sides of hills. hidden wealth. Some hiding places were under stumps of Incidentally Shernan's army found quite a bit of the Slaves were never allowed to talk over events and so very few, if any, knew about the war or its results for them before it actually happened* At the time that Sherman marched through Atlanta, Ward and other slaves were living in an old mansion at the present site of Peachtree and Baker Streets. He says that Shennas took him and his fellow slaves as far as Virginia to carry powder and shot to the tfilliam Ward *- ex-slave soldiers* 4* He states that he himself did not know whether Sherman intended to keep hiiX in slavery or free him. ill and died later. At the close of the war, his master, Mr. Brown, became Before his death he informed the slaves that they could remain on his property or go where they wanted to# tfard was taken to Mississippi where he retrained in another form of slavery (Peonage System) for 40 years. Atlanta was just a few hills without any buildings. OD I ' He remembers when Some of the buildings he worked are the Herman Building and the original Kimball House, a picture of which is attached He attributes his old age to his belief in God and living a sane life. Whenever ha feels bad or in low spirits, a drink of coffee or a small amount of whisky is enough to brace him. He believes that his remedy is better than that used in slavery which consisted mainly of pills and castor oil* With a cheerful good-bye, $ard asked th t the writer stop in to see him again; said that he would rather live in the present age under existing conditions than live in slavery* OOOol 1/ r*4 J* Driskell JWL 10-12-37 Following is Mr. William ard*s description of the bed called "The Grand Rascal.11 "De beds dat all of de slaves slept in wus called 'Grand Rascals *# made on de same order as a box. De way dey made 9 Dey wus em wus like dis: dey took four strips of narrow wood,each one of *em fbout a foot widetan* den dey nailed 'em together so dat dey wus in de shape of a square. dis square shape. Dis bottom wus called de slats. Den dey sailed a bottom onto When dis wus finished dey set dis box on some legs to keep it offfn de floor, an1 den dey got busy wid de mattress. Dey took olf oat sacks an1 filled put dis in de box an1 slept on it. f em wid straw an1 hay an1 den dey Dere wusnft no springs on dese bunks anf everybody had a hard time sleepin*. "De real *eel name of dese wus fSonova-Bitchesf but de slaves called fem 'Grand Rascals* * cause dey didn*t want people to hear *em use a bad word* "After Sherman come through Atlanta he let de slaves gp, an* when he did> me an* some of de other slaves went back to our ol* masters. wus my boss man. 01* man Gov# BTOWBL After de war wus over 01* man Gordon took me an* some of de others out to Mississippi. I stayed in peonage out dere fer *bou* forty years. I wus located at jes* *bout forty miles south of Greenwoodt an* I worked on de plantations of 01* man Ssra Jones an* 01* man Gordon* *I couldn*t git away 'cause dey watched us wid guns all de time. levee busted dat kinda freed me* nowhere - not even to church. $hen de Man, dey wus devils; dey wouldn*t *low you to go You done good to git sumpin* to eat. Dey wouldn*t give you no clothes, an* if you got wet you jes* had to lay down in whut you got wet in. **An*, man, dey would whup you in spite of de devil. You had to ask to git water if you didn*t dey would stretch you * cross a barrel an* wear you out* William Ward, 2 133 If you didn*t work in a hurry dey would whup you wid a strap dat had five-six holes in it* I ainft talkin1 f bout whut I heard Ifm talkin* f bout whut I done see'd* "One time dey sent me on 01f man Mack Williams1 farm here in Jasper County, Georgia Dat man would kill you sho* If dat little branch on his plantation could talk it would tell many a tale fbout folks beinf knocked in de head* Mack Williams kill folks an1 I done seen fim have folks killed. I done seen One day he tolf me dat if my wife had been good lookin*, I never would sleep wid her again kill me an1 take her an* raise chilluns offfn her. f cause hefd Dey uster take women away fum dere husbands an1 put wid seme other man to breed jesf like dey would do cattle* Dey always kept a man penned up anf dey used fim like a stud hoss* "When you didnft do right 01f Mack Williams would shoot you or tie a chain f roun your neck anf throw you in de river* Hefd git dem other niggers to carry dem to de river anf if dey didnft he'd shoot fem down* he said he would shoot would do it* f em down* Any time dey didnft do whut Eefd tell fem to *Ketch dat nigger*, an1 dey Den he would tell fem to put de chain froun dere neck anf throw fem in de river* I ainft heard dis I done seen it* "In 1927 I wus still in peonage but I wus back in Mississippi on Gordon1 s farm* When de levee broke in M&y of dat same year I lost my wife anf three chilluns. I climbed a tree anf stayed dere fer four days anf four nights* Airplanes dropped food an1 when I got ready to eat I had to squeeze de water out of de bread* After four days I got out of de tree an1 floated on logs down de river ftill I got to Mobile, Alabama, an1 I wade fum dere to Palmetto, Georgia, where I got down sick* De boss mans dere called Gov* Harden anf he sent de Grady Hospital examiners down dere anf got me an1 I been in Atlanta since dat time*" [" Millie H. Cole, 10-8-37 ^ 184 THE STORY OF AN EX-SLATE Mrs. Lula Washington was born a slave* She claims to be eighty-four years old* Mrs. Washington was confined to bed because of a recent accident in which she received a broken leg* She is the mother of twenty-three children of which only two are living. She lives in one room at 64 Butler St., N E. with one of her daughters. Since the death of her husband several yea s ago she has been making her living as a dray-womenf driving a mule and wagon. following are some of the events she remembers* "Ah wuz born in Randolph, Alabama on de plantation of Marster John Terrell, de sirth child of my mammy and pappy". "When ah wuz six years old marster John sold me an1 my sister, Liza and brother, Ben to Marster Charlie Henson." "Marster Charlie wuz good to his niggers. He never whipped dem fless dey done somethin* awful bad, like stealin chickens or slipping off de plantation without permission." "It wuz funny, de white folks would whipped de niggers for stealin1 but if dey saw a hog in de woods, dey would make the niggers catch de hog an kill him an hide him under dey bushes* Den at night de niggers would haftaf go down to de spring, build c fire, heat water an skin de hog," "De iran on de plantation next to usf shore wuz mean to his niggers, Marster Jim Roberts wus his name. He would take his niggers an strip there clothes to dere waist en1 lay dem fcross a barrel an beat dem ftil the blood run. Den he would pore salt water on de sore places.w 135 ff 0h 'member one tiiae he tied two wimmen by dere thumbs to a limb of a tree for blessin1 out the missus." "Us had plenty to eat and plenty to wear, calico dresses an1 brogan shoes. Sometimes dere misses would give the wimmen some of her old clothes"* ff All de niggers on Marster Charlie's plantation had to work in de field *cept Malindy Lu*, a Mulatto nigger gal. Marster Charlie kept her in de house to take care of Missus Jane, dat wuz Marster Charlie wife." "One thing 'bout de mulatto niggera^ wuz dey thought dey wuz better than de black niggetfs. I gusss it wuz 'cause dey KJUZ half^ white. Dere wuz a bad feelin' 'tween the mulatto slaves pn de black ones*" Asked, how did the slaves Larry? She replied, "Ah jest don't 'member seeing any marry 'cause ah wuz so small. Ah wuz jest eleven years old de time of de war but ah' members hearing some of dem say^ dat when two slaves wanted to git married dey would hafta get permission from dere marster. Den dey would come 'fore de marster an' he would have dem to jump over a broom an den 'nounce dem married*" "When de Yankees come thru" de white.folks told us to go down to de swamp fn hide cause dey would git us. When de war wuz over de white folks told us we wuz free." "Marster Terrell gave my mammy an pappy a oxcart an mule a^ a bushel of meal. Den my pappy an mammy come got me an my sister an' brother. Den we come frcm Randolph, Alabama to Georgia." "Sometimes I wish I wuz back in slavery, times is so hard." Mrs. Washington's thief concern now is getting her old-age pension* 100220 136 PLANTATION LIFE AS VIEWED BY AN EX-SLAVE GREEN WTLIBANKS S47 Fairview Street Athens, Georgia. Written by: Edited by: Mrs. Sadie B. Hornsby Athens Mrs. Sarah H. Hall Athens and John N. Booth District supervisor Federal Writers' Project Residencies 6 & 7 Augusta, Georgia Sept. 19, 1938 i.O / GREEN WILLBANKS Ex-Slave - Age 77, Fairview Street, where Green Willbanks lives is a section of shabby cottages encircled by privet hedges. As the visitor carefully ascended the shaky steps to his house a mulatto man, who was sitting on the veranda, quickly arose. Willbanks. "Good morning,w he said, "Yes mam, this is Green Have a seat in the swing.n The porch furniture was comprised of a chair, a swing, and a long bench. Green is tall, slender, and stooped; a man with white hair and grizzled face. A white broadcloth shirt, white cotton trousers, blue socks, and lowcut black shoes made up his far from immaculate costume. The old man's eyes brightened when he was asked to give the story of his life. His speech showed but little dialect, except when he was carried away by interest and emotion, and his enunciation was remarkably free from Negroid accent. "I donft mind telling you what I know," he began, "but I was such a little*chap vfaen the war ended that there's mighty little I can recollect about slavery time, and it seems that your chief interest is in that period. I was born on a plantation the other side of Commerce, Georgia, in Jackson County. My Ma and Pa were Mary and Isom Willbanks; they were raised on the same plantation where I was born. Ma was a field hand, and this time of the year when work was short in the field - laying-by time, we called it - and on rainy days she spun thread and wove cloth. . As the thread left the Page 2. 138 spinning wheel it went on a reel where it was wound into hanks, and then it was carried to the loom to be woven into cloth. Pa had a little trade; he made shoes_and baskets, and Old Boss let him sell them. Pa didn't make shoes for the slaves on our plantation; Old Boss bought them ready-made and had them shipped here from the West. "Me and Jane, Sarah, Mitchell, and Willie were the five children in our family. do much work. Oh! Miss, I was not big enough to About the most I done was pick up chips and take my little tin bucket to the spring to get a cool, fresh drink for Old Miss. Us children stayed 'round the kitchen and drunk lots of butter- milk. Old Miss used to say, 'Give my pickaninnies plenty of butter- milk. I can see that old churn now; it helt about seven or eight gallons. "Our houses? the common way. Slaves lived in log cabins built There was lots of forest pine in those days. Logs were cut the desired length and notches put in each end so they would fit closely and have as few cracks as possible, when they stacked them for a cabin. They sawed pine logs into blocks and used a frow to split them into planks that were used to Cover the cracks between the logs. Don t you know what a frow is? That's a wooden wedge that you drive into a pine block by hitting it with a heavy wooden mallet, or maul, as they are more commonly called. They closed the cracks in some of the cabins by daubing them with red mud. stack chimneys were made of mud and sticks. The old To make a bed, they first cut four posts, usually of pine, and bored holes through them with Page 3. augers; then they made two short pieces for the head and foot. ?o loli Two long pieces for the sides were stuck through the auger holes and the bedstead was ready to lay on the slats or cross pieces to hold up the mattress. The best beds had heavy cords, wove crossways and lengthways, instead of slats. Very few slaves had corded beds. "lattresses were not much; they were made of suggin sacks filled with. straw. They called that straw 'Georgia feathers.1 made of the same things. in a loom. Pillows were Suggin cloth was made of coarse flax wove They separated the flax into two grades; fine for the white folks, and coarse for the Negroes. "The only one of my grandparents I can bring to memory now is Grandma Rose on my Pa*s side. She was some worker, a regular man-woman; she could do any kind of work a man could do. She up was a hot horse in her time and it took an extra good man to keep/with her when it came to work, "Children were not.allowed.. tp_ AaJ^UCIJLjmrk, because their masters desired them to have the chance to grow big ajid strongs and therefore they had few opportunities to earn money of their own. I never did own any money during slavery days, but I saw plenty of ten cent greenbacks (shinplasters). "White children and slave children played around the plantation tqgjether but they were not allowed to fight. They had to be on friendly terms with each other. Page 4. "What about our food? i M) The biggest thing we had was buttermilk, some sweet milk, and plenty of cornbread, hog meat, and peas. on Sunday. As a rule we had wheat bread once a week, usually All kinds of fruits were plentiful in their seasons. Each slave family was permitted to have separate garden space, in fact, Old Boss insisted that they work their own gardens, and they raised plenty of vegetables. Grown folks had rabbits and * possums but I never did get much 'quainted with them. We fished in the cricks and rills 'round the plantation and brought in lots of hornyheads and perch. You never saw any hornyheads? Why they is just fish a little bigger and longer than minnows and they have little horns on their heads. 7/e caught a good many eels too; they look like snakes, but folks call them eels. I wasn't much 'quainted with them fish they brought from way down South; they called them mullets. r "The kitchen was a separate log house out in the back yard. The fireplace, where the cooking was done, took up one end of the kitchen, and there was a rack acrost it to hang the cook-pots on for biling. Baking and frying was done in ovens and neavy iron skillets that sat on trivets so coals could be piled underneath, as well as over the lids. "The long shirts slave boys wore in summer were I. ^-" "'"'* """" ""*"*"""""""" straight like a meal sack open at both ends, with holes in the sides 'or your arms to go through. You stuck your head in one end and it came out the other; then you were fully dressed for any whole summer day* These summer shirts were made of thin osnaburg. Our winter clothes Page 5. were made of woolen cloth called merino. 141 Old Boss kept enough sheep to provide plenty of wool and some mighty good food. Slave children had no extra or special clothes for Sunday; they wore the same kind of gowns, or long shirts, seven days a week. Old Boss provided brass-toed brogans for winter, but we never thought of such a thing as shoes to wear in hot weather. "My owners were Marse Solomon and his wife, Miss Ann Willbanks. We called them Old Boss and Old Miss. it, they were just as good as they could be. nobody to impose on his slave children. As I saw Old Boss never allowed When I was a little chap playing around the big house, I would often drop off to sleep the minute I got still. Good Old Boss would pick me up and go lay me on his own bed and keep me there *til Ma come in from the field. "Old Boss and Old Miss had five children. The boys were Solomon, Isaac, James, and Wesley. For the life of me I can't bring to memory the name of their only daughter. I guess that's because we frolicked with the four boys, but we were not allowed to play with Little Miss. "It was a right decent house they lived in, a logjhouse with a fine rock chimney. Old Boss was building a nice house when the war come on and he never had a chance to finish it. The log house was in a cedar grove; that was the style then. Back of the house were his orcharcLs where fruit trees of every kind we knew anything about provided plenty for all to eat in season as well as enough for good preserves, pickles, and the like for winter. Old Page 6. 1:P2 Boss done his own overseeing and, Wording to my memory, one of the young bosses done the driving. "That plantation covered a large space of land, but to tell you how many acres is something i- can't do. not so many slaves. .There were I've forgot how they managed that business of getting slaves up, but I do know we didn't get up before day on our place. Their rule was to work slaves from sunup to sundown. Before they had supper they had a little piddlin' around to do, but the time was their own to do as they pleased after they had supper. Heaps of times they got passes and went off to neighboring plantations to visit and dance, but sometimes they went to hold prayer-meetings There were certain plantations where we were not permitted to go and certain folks were never allowed on our place- Old Boss was particular about how folks behaved on his place; all his slaves had to come up to a certain notch and if they didn't do that he punished them in some way or other. There was no whipping done, for Old Boss never did believe in whipping slaves. "None of'the slaves from our place was ever put in that county jail at Jefferson. heard of in those days. That was the only jail we ever Old Boss attended to all the correction necessary to keep order among his own slaves. came by the place and offered to buy Ma. Once a slave trader Old Boss took her to Jefferson to sell her on the block to that man. It seemed like sales of slaves were not legal unless they took place on the trading block in certain places, usually in the county site. The trader wouldn't Page 7, 113 pay what Old Boss asked for her, and Old Miss and the young bosses all objected strong to his selling her, so he brought Ma back home. She was a fine healthy woman and would have made a nice looking house girl. "The biggest part of the teaching done among the slaves was by our young bosses but, as far as schools for slaves was concerned, there were no such things until after the end of the war, and then we were no longer slaves. There were just a few separate churches for slaves; none in our part of the country. Slaves went to the same church as their white folks and sat in the back of the house or in a gallery. My Pa could read the Bible in his own way, even in that time of slavery; no other slave on our place could do that. *Not one slave or white person either died on our plantation during the part of slavery that I can bring to memory. I was too busy playing to take in any of the singing at funerals and at church, and I never went to a baptizing until I was a great big chap, long after slavery days were pver. "Slaves ran off to the woods all right, but I never heard of them running off to no North. Paterollers never came on Old Boss* place unless he sont for them, otherwise they knowed to stay off. They sho was devils in sheeps* clothing; that's what we thought of them TPaterollers. Slaves worked all day saddays when there was work to be done, but that night was their free time. They went where they pleased just so Old Boss gave them a pass to protect them from paterollers. 144Page 8. "After slaves went to church Sunday they free the rest of the day as far as they knowed. were Lots of times they got 'em a stump speaker - usually a Negro - to preach to them. There were not as many preachers then as now. n *Bout Christmas Day? They always had something like brandy, cider, or whiskey to stimulate the slaves on Christmas Day. Then there was fresh meat and ash-roasted sweet 'taters, but no cake for slaves on our place, anyhow, I never saw no cake, and surely no Santa Claus. and drinking. All we knowed bout Christmas was eating As a general thing there was a big day's work expected on New Years Day because we had to start the year off right, even if there was nothing for the slaves to do that day but clean fence corners, cut brush and briers, and burn off new ground. up with a big old pot of hog jowl and peas. New Years Day ended That was for luck, but I never really knowed if it brought luck or not. "Well, yes, once a year they had big cornshuckings in our section and they had generals to lead off in all the singing; that was done to whoop up the work. and My Pa was one of the generals he toted the jug of liquor that was passed 'round to make his crowd hustle. groups. After the corn was shucked the crowd divided into two Their object was to see which could reach the owner of the corn first and carry him where he wanted to go. Usually they marched with him on their shoulders to his big house and set him down on his porch, then he would give the word for them to all start eating the good things spreed out on tables in the yard. There was a heap of Page 9. 145 drinking done then, and dancing too - just all kinds of dancing that could be done to fiddle and banjo music. fiddlers in his young days. My Pa was one of them One of the dances was the cotillion, but just anybody couldn't dance that one. There was a heap of bowing and scraping to it, and if you were not 'quainted with it you just couldn't use it. "When any of the slaves were bad sick Old Boss called in his own_ am^y_doctor, i^r. Joe Bradbury. hit up against ours. His plantation The main things they gave for medicine them days was oil and turpentine. Sometimes folks got black snakeroot from the woods, biled it, and gave the tea to sick folks; that was to clean off the_stomach. Everybody wore buckeyes 'round their necks to keep off diseases for we never knowed nothing about aaafetida them days; that came later. "When the Yankees came through after the surrender Old Boss and Old Miss hid their valuables. They told us children, 'Now, if they ask you questions, don't you tell them where we hid a thing.' We knowed enough to keep our mouths shut. We nearer had knowed nothing white but to mind Old Boss, and we were scared 'cause our/folks seemed to fear the Yankees. "Old Boss had done told slaves they were free as he was and could go their own way, but we stayed on with him. provided for Pa and give him his share of the crops he made. He All of us growed up as field hands. "Them night-riders were something else. They sho did beat' on Negroes that didn't behave mighty careful. Slaves didn't Page 10. 1 ]() buy much land for along time after the war because they didn't have no money, but schools were set up for Negroes very soon. I got the biggest part of my education in West Athens on diggers Hill. When I went to the Union Baptist School my teacher was Professor Lyons, the founder of that institution. "TShen me and Molly Tate were married 50 years ago we went to the church, because that was the cheapest place to go to have a big gathering. Molly had on a common, ordinary dress. Folks didn't dress up then like they does now; it was quite indifferent. Of our 10 children, 8 are living now and we have 14 grandchildren. Six of our children live in the North and two have remained here in Athens. One of them is employed at Bernstein's funeral ^-ome and the other works on the university campus. still with me. I thanks the Lord that Molly is We bought this place a long time ago and have farmed here ever since. In fact, I have never done nothing but farm work. Now I'm too old and don't have strength to work no more. "I thinks Abraham Lincoln was a all right man; God so intended that we should be sot free. in his way, but I can't say much for him. Sho! Give me freedom all the time. Jeff Davis was all right Tes mam, I'd rather be free. Jesus said: 'If my Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed.' "When I jined the church, I felt like I was rid of my burden. I sot aside the things I had been doing and I ain't never been back to pick 'em up no more. I jined the Baptist church and have been teaching a class of boys every Sunday that I'm able to go. I sho am free from sin and I lives up to it. Page 11. "T wonder if Molly's got them sweet 'taters cooked what I dug this morning. They warn*t much 'count 'cause the sun lias baked them hard and it's been so dry. If you is through with me, I wants to go eat one of them 'taters and then lay this old Nigger on the bed and let him go to sleep." 147 jast a rew reoolleotions of life in slavery time, as told me b wno was Eliza Taliaferro Williamson, daughter of Dicker son and Polly Taliaferro. .My mother was born at lit* Airy, North Carolina, near the Virginia line, and always went to school, across the line, in Virginia* Her grandfather was John Taliaferro, slave holder, tobaooo raiser; and farmer,'The negro quarters were near the gain, eg Big Hoose. Mother said thau great-grandfather would go to the back door eaoh night and oall every slave to oome in for family prayer. They came and knelt in the Big House, while old aaroter prayed. Mother said it was like a camp-meetly when tie died - wailing and weeping by the negroes for their old Marster. She said the slaves had the same food that the white family had and the same warm clothes for winter. All clothing, bed aheetiqg, table linen, towels, etc. were hand woven. They raised sheep tor wool, and flax for linen, bat I don't know where they got the cotton they used, ^he work of the house and farm was divided fcH with a big family. Some of the women cooked, sewed, wove, washed, milked, bat never wa*> sent to the field. lone 01 the fOliver family believed in women working In the field.^Rhen each of great-grandfather's children married, he or she was given a tew slaves. I think he gave my grandfather, Dicker son Taliaferro, three slaves, and these he brought with him to Georgia when they settled in '1 i-; ' [At >73' Sto n< . 5 fr &7Z) ^ $ Meline Willis - Ex-slave Who is the oldest ex-slave in Wilkes County? This question was answered the other day when the quest ended on the sunny porch of a little cottage on Lexington Road in Washington-Wilkes, for there in a straight oldfashioned split-bottom chair sat "Aunt* Adeline Willis basking in the warm October sunshine* She is remarkable for her age - she doesnft know just exactly how old she is, from all she tells and what her "white folks* say she is around a hundred* Her general health is good, she spends her days in the open and tires only on the days she cannot be out in her place in the sun* She has the brightest eyes, her sight is so good she has never had to wear glasses; she gets around in the house and yard on her cane* Her memory is excellent, only a time or two did she slowly shake her head and say apologetically - "MLstress, it9s been so long er go, I reekon I done / forgot** From her long association with white people she uses revj little negro dialect and always refers to her Mother as "Mother*, never as Ma or Mammy as most negroes do* This is very notlcablQ* Her mother was Marina Ragan, "cause she belonged to the Ragans," explained Aunt Adeline, *and she was born en the Ragan plantation right down on Little River in Greene County* (Georgia) llhen Marina's "young Mistress* married young Mr* Mose Wright of Oglethorpe County, she took Marina to her new home to be her own servant, and there is where Adeline was bran* place was known as the Wright Plantation and was a very large one* The < Page 8. Adaline doesnft remember her father, and strange to say^ she cannot recall how many brothers and sisters she had though she tried hard to name them all# She is sure, howeverr there wer& some older and some younger, "I rec- kon I must er come along-about the middle", she said* After a little while Aunt Adeline was living tax back in the past and talked freely - with questions now and then to encourage her reminiscences, she told many interesting things about her life as a slave* She told about the slaves living in the Quarters log houses all in a ldng row near the "white folks1 house", and how happy they were. She couldnft remember how many slaves were on the plantation, but was sure there were many: "Yasfm, my Marster had lots of niggers, jest how many, I donft know, but there shof was a sight of us"# They were given their allowance of "rations" every week and cooked their own meals in their cabins* They had good.plain.home We ditenft have no fancy raised things to eat - "and we was glad to get it too* fixings, jest plain food"* Their clothes were made by negro sewing women out of cloth spun and woven right there in the Quarters* All the little dresses were made alike "Uhen they took a notion to give us striped dresses we shof was dressed up I never will forget long as I live, a hickory stripe** (that*s what they called 3trlpes in them, days) ~ dress they made me, it had brass buttons at the wrist bands. I was so proud of that dress and felt so dressed up in it I jest strutted er round with it cm", and she chuckled over the recollection of that wonderful dress she wore so long ago* ^^^ Tflhen asked what was the very first thing she remembered, Aunt Adeline gave a rather surprising answer: "The first thing I recollect it faj love for my Mother - I loved her so and would cry when I couldn't be with her, and as I growed up I kept on loving her jest that a-way even after I married and had children of my own*" Q2 Pages. The first work she did was waiting in the house* I63 Before she could read her Mistress taught her the letters on the newspapers and what they spelled so she could bring them the papers they wanted* Her mother worked in the field: she drove steers and could do all kinds of farm work and was the best meat cutter on the plantation* She was a good spinner too, and was required to spin a broach of "wool spinning" every night* All the jiegro women had to spin, but Aunt Adeline said her mother was specially good in spinning wool and "that kind of spinning was powerful slow". Thinking a moment, she added: "And my mother was one of the best dyers anywhere f round, and I was too* did make the most colors by mixing up all kinds of bark and leaves* I I recollect the prettiest sort of a lilac color I made with maple bark and pine bark* not the outside pine bark, but that little thin skin that grows right down next to the tree - it was pretty, that color was*11 Aunt Adeline thinks they were more fortunate than any other little slaves she knew because their^Jterster had a little store right there where he would give them candy every now and then - bright pretty sticks of candy* She Re- members one time he gave them candy in little tin cups, and how proud of those cups they were* He never gave them money, but out of the store they could get what money bought so they were appy* But they had to have whippings, "yas'um, good er bad we got them Shippings with a long cowhide kept jest fer that* They whipped us to make us grow better, I reckon1** Although they got whippings a-plenty they were never separated by sale* "No mam, my white folks never believed in selling their niggers", said Aunt Adeline, and related an incident proving this* "I recollect once my oldest brother done something Marster didn't like an1 he got mighty mad with him anf said 9Gus, Ifm goln9 ter sell you, I ain't a-goln' to keep you no longer'* Mistress spoke up right quick and said: 'No you ain't aOfgoln' to sell Gfus, vneither, he's nussed and looked after all our oldest chillun, and he's goin' Page 4. to stay right here** And that was the last of that, Gus was never sold - he went to war with his young Marster when he went and died up there in the war cause he was homesick! so Marster come back and said*" Aunt Adeline was surprised when asked if the Doctor ever was called in to see her or any of the slaves when they were sick back in slavery days in fact she was a bit indignant as she answered; "No mam I was born, growed up, married, had sixteen children and never had no Doctor with me ftil here since I got so old"# She went on to say that her white folks looked after their jiegroes when they were sick# They were given tonics and things to keep them well so sickness among them was rare* v/ere used. No "store-bought" medicines, but good old home-made remedies For instance, at the first sniffle they were called in and given a drink of fat lightwood tea, made by pouring boiling water over finely split kindling - "that11 explained Aunt Adeline, "was cause lightwood got turpentine in it*. In the Springtime there was a mixture of anvil dust (gathered up from around the anvil in the blacksmith1 s shop) and mixed with syrup, and a teaspoon full given every morning or so to each little piccaninny as they were called up in the "nfliite folks1 yard" Sometimes instead of this mixture they were given a dose of garlic^and^whisky - all to keep them healthy and well# There was great rejoicing over the birth of a negro baby and the white folks were called upon to give the little black stranger a name* Adeline doesnft remember anything about the holidays and how they were spent, not even Christmas and Thanksgiving, but one thing she does remember clearly and that is: "All my white folks was Methodist folks, and they had fast days and no work was done while they was -fggj^fl* and pyayin*. And we couldn't do no work on Sunday, no mam, everybody had to rest on that day and on preachin9 days everybody went to rfhurch, white and black to the same church, us niggers set up in the gallery that was built in the white folks* church for us" JJ-J Page 5* There wasn't any time for play because there was so much work to do on a big plantation, but they had good times together even if they did have so much to do. Before Adeline was grown her "young Mistress" Miss Mary Wtigjit, married Mr* William Turner from Hikes County, so she came to the Turner jglantation to live* and lived there until several years after the War* Adeline hadn't been in her new home long before Lewis Willis, a young negro from the adjoining plantation, started coming to see her# "Lewis ccme to see me any time 'cause his Marster, Mr# Willis, give him a pass so he wasn't scared to be out at night 'count of the PatterQ^ollers# They didn't bother a nigger if he had a pass, they sho' did beat hinu" ' " " ~~~~ ^~~~^ When Adeline was fourteen years old she and Lewis married, or rather it was like this: "We didn't have no preacher when we married, my Marster and Mistess said they didn't care, and Lewis's Master and Mistress said they didn't care, so they all met up at my white folks' house and had us came in and told us they didn't mind our marryin'* My Marster said, Now you and Lewis wants to marry and there ain't no objections so go on and jump over the broom stick together and you is married' That was all there was to it and we was marrifed* I lived on with my white folks and he lived on with his and kept ccmin' to see me jest like he had done when he was a courtin'* He never brought me any presents 'cause he didn't have no money to buy them with, but he was good to me and that was what counted*" Superstition and signs still have a big place in the life of this woman even after a hundred long years. She has outlived or forgottn many she us 4 to believe in, but still holds fast to those she remembers* If a rooster crows anywhere near your door somebody is coming "and you might as well look for 'em, cause that rooster done told you"# When a person dies if there is a clock in the room it must be stopped the very minute o;f death or it will nerex be any more good - if left ticking it will be ruined. Every dark cloudy day brings death - "Somebody leaving this unfriendly world today"* Then she is sure when 7 pae.6, she *fealst sadness11 and doesnft know why, it a sign somebody is dying off somewhere and we don't know it** f way Yes, she certainly believes in all the signs she remembers even "to this good day*, as she says. When asked about thej^ex Aunt Adeline said that times were much harder then: f 'Why we didn't have no salt - jest plain salt, and couldn't get none them days# We had to get up the dirt in the smokehouse where the meat had dripped and 'run it' like lye, to get salt to put on things - yasfm, times was sho1 hard and our Marster was off in the^ar all four years and we had to do the best we could, \We niggers wouldn't know nothing about it all if it hadn't a been for a little old black, sassy woman in the Quarters that was a talkin1 all the time about 'freedom** She give our white folks lots of trouble - she was so sassy to them,, but they didnft sell her and she was set free along with us* 3wksa *&ey all come home from the jfex and Marster called us up and told us we was free, some rejoiced so they scouted, but some didn't;* they was sorry* Lewis come a runnin' over there an' wanted me and the chillun to go on over to his white folks1 place with him, an' I wouldn't go - No mam> I wouldn't leave my white folkst I told Lewis to go on and let me 'lone, I knowed my white folks and they was good to me, but I didn't know his white folks. So we kept living like we did in slavery, but he came to see me every day* After a few years he finally 'suaded me to go on over to the Willis place and live with him, and his white folks was powerful good to me* After a while, tho' we all went back and lived with my white folks and I worked on for them as long as I was able to work and always felt like I belonged to f em, and you know, after all this long time, t feel like I am theirfs** *Why I live so long, you asking? 'Cause I always been careful and took good care of myself, eat a plenty and stayed out in the good fresh open air and sunshine when I could - and then I had a good husband that took care of me.* This last reason for her long life was added as an after thought and since Lewis, her husband, has been dead these forty years maybe those first naaed 16{J Page 7. 1(3? causes were the real ones* Be that as it may, Aunt Adeline is a very re- markable old woman and is most interesting to talk with. FEI^kL WEIERS* IROJECTS J/i Xpfll||j|J "' '-M&' -' -' ' Si^ a*y#fi(^?j JUs? YQ3aia Bell^ EXGERPTS ERCM;/ SLAVE INTERVIEWS "Uncle Willis11 lived with his daughter, Rena, who is 74 years old* n I his baby," said Rena. All dead but me and I ainft no good for him nowt cause I kajjmft tote nothinf.n When asked where her father was, Rena looked out over the blazing cotton field and called: "PapJ Oh -pappyl Stop pickin1 cotton and come in awhile. Deyfs some ladies wants to see you.* Uncle Willis hobbled slowly to the cabin, which was set in the middle of the cotton patch* He wore clean blue overalls, obviously new. His small, regular features had high cheekbones. chin, There was a tuft of white hair^n his and his head was covered with a sundown11 hat. "Mawnin," he said. "I bin sick. So I thought I might git some cotton terday.99 Willis thinks he is 101 years old. He said: "I was 35 years old when freedom declared.* He belonged to a doctor in Burke County, who, Willis at first said, had three or four plantations. later he stated that the good doctor* had five or six places, alllin Burke County. *I wuk in de fiel^he went on: and I drove de doctor thirty years. He owned 300 slaves* I nvever went to school a day in my Ufe, 9oept Sunday school, but I tuk de doctor9s sons four miles evfy day to school. had so much business in hand he thought de chillun could walk. down on de school steps 9till dey turn out. Guess he I used to sit I got way up de alphabet by listenin9, but nhen I went to ccrartln* I forgot all flat*19 Asked what his regular duties were, Hills answered with prides Page 2* *Marster had a cafyage and a buggy too* My father drivf de doctor* Sometimes I was fixin1 to go to bed, and had to hitch up ay horse aaad go five or six mile. I had a regular saddle horse, two pair of horses for ea'yage* Doctor were a rich man. his farm. Richest man In Burke County. He made his money on When summertime come, I went wid him to Bath, wheh he had a house on Tena Hill. We driv1 down in de cafyage. Dr. Goulding preach. Sundays we v/ent to church when De darkies went in de side do1. I hear him preach many times." Asked about living conditions on the plantation, Willis replied: "Be big house was set in a half acre yard. f Bout fifty yards on one side was my house, and fifty yards on de yudder side was de house of Granny, a woman what tended de chillun and had charge ofde yard when we went to Bath." Willis gestured behind him. "Back yonder was de quarters, half a mile long; dey wuz one room fcrost, and some had shed room. Marster would go round to see When any of fem got sick, f em all** As to church, Willis said: Church people would have singinf and "I belongst to Hopeful Church. prayin1 and de wicked people would have dancinf and singing" "At dat time I wuz a regular dancer! I cut de pigeon wing high enough! many cullud peoples know de Bible in slavery time* and sing, too. Willis chuckled* Not We had dances, and prayers, We sang a song, *Qn Jordan's stormy banks I stand, and east a wishful eye*1" "How about marriages?" Willis was asked. "Colored preacher marry fem. preacher and he marry Yem. You had to get license and give it to de When de men on our plantation had wives on udder plantations, dey call fem broad wives*" "Did you give your wife presents when you were courting?" he was asked* "I went to courtin1 and never give her nuthinf till I marry her*" As to punishments, Willis said that slaves were whipped as they needed it, and as a general rule the overseer did the whipping* 189 P6ge 5, 1.70 "Tlttieii derky wouldn*t take wMppin1 from de overseer,* he said, *he had to cafy dem to de boss; and if we needed any brushin* de marster brush f em Why, de darkies would whip de overseerln Willis was asked to describe how slaves earned money for personal use, and replied: "Dey made dey own money. In slavery time, if you wanted four-five acr9 of land to plant you anything on, marster give it to you and whatever dat land^make, it belong to you* way you wanted. You could take dat money and spend it any Still he give you somethin1 to eat and clothe you, but dat patch you mek cotton on, sometimes a whole bale, dat money yours.* Willis thought the plantation house was still there, "but it badly wounded,n he said* flDey tell me dere ainft nobuddy living in it now. It soutfy of Wayne sboro.* "When de soldiers come thoo1,"continued Willis, "dey didn't' burn dat place, but dey went in dere and took out evfyting dey want and give it to de cullud people. Dey kep1 it till dey got free. horses and cafy fem off. f ouse and tek de meat out. chist. De soldiers tuk de doctorfs h Got in de crib and tek de corn. Got in de smoke Old Marssa bury his money and silver in an iron Dey tuk it 300 yards aw^y to a clump o* trees and bury it. fof men to cafy it. Dere was money widout mention in dat chistl It tuk After de soldiers jkass thoof dey went down and got it back#f "What did you do after freedom was declared?. Willis straightened up. "I went down to Augusta to de Freedman's Bureau to see if twas true we wuz free. I reckon dere was over a hundred people dere. stated to de people: and no marster. 'You all is jus9 as free as I am. Work when you want.1 De man got up and You ain9t got no mistis On Sunday morning Old Marster sent de house gal and tell us to all come to de house He said: Page 4, l'7i What I want to send for you all is to tell you dat you are free. You hab de privilege to go anywheh you want, but I don ft want none of you to leave me now. I wants you-all to stay right wid me. If you stayf you musf sign to it.' I asked him: f1 Rhat you want me to sign for? I is free.1 'Bat will hold me to my word and hold you to yof word,f he say. "All m^ folks sign it, but I wouldnft sign. say: f Willis, why wouldnH you sign?* need to sign no paper. Marster call me up and I say: 'If I is already free, I don't If I was workin1 for you and doin1 for you befo1 I got free, I kin do it still, if you wants me to stay wid you.* "My father and mother tried to git me to sign, but I wouldn't sign. My mother said: fYou ought er sign. How you know Marster gwine pay?f I say: fDen I kin go scmewheh else.1 *Marster pay first class hands $15.00 a month, other hands $10.00f and den on down to five and six dollars. He give rations like dey always have# When Christmus' come, all come up to be paid off. I was standin1 rounf de corner of de house. is me? say. Den he calls me. Ask wlwr 'Come up here, Willis,1 he f You didn't sign dat paper but I reckon I hab to pay you too.f me and my wife $180.00* I said: He paid 'Well, you-all thought he wojildnft pay me, but I got my money too.f l?I stayed to my marster's place one year after de war, den I lef' dere# Nex' year I decided I would quit dere and go somewheh else. o' my wife. It was on account You see, Marster bought her off, as de highes' bidder, down in Vfaynesboro, and she ainft seen her mother and father for fifteen years. she got free, she went down to see fem# on account o' Mlstis and her. chilluns had disagreement. Waren't willinf to come back. Wh*m T'was Dey bofe had chilluns, five-six year old# De MLstis slap my gal. My wife sass de Mlstis. But Page 5. my marster, he wuz as good a man as ever born* 172 I wouldnft have leff him for nobody, just on account of his wife and her fell out*11 "What did your master say when you told him you were going to leave? v;as he sorry?" tf I quit and goes over three miles to another widow lady's house, and "I pass right by de dof* mek bargain wid her," said Willis* on de pi--za* He say: 'Hey, boy, wheh you gwine?1 I wuz de fofmanf of de plow-han' den. like dat* f Hold on dere*1 He say: what I give you to stay on here* Old boss sittin* f I fcided to go*f I say: I saw to all de looking up, and things He come out to de gate* f tell you I give you five acre of as good land as I got, and $30*00 a month, to stay here and see to my bizness.' Willis paused a moment, thinking back on that long distant parting* ft I say," he went on, here* She won't come back* "fI can't, marster* It donft suit my wife 'round I can't stay.' "He turn on me den, and busted out crying, 'I didn't tho't I could raise up a darky dat would talk dat-a-way, ' he said. got de wagon and came by de house* forget me, boy. Well, I went on off. I Marster say: 'Now, you gwine off but don't Remember me as you always done.' I said: 'All right."1 Willis chewed his tobacco reflectively for a few minutes, spat into the rosemary bush and resumed his story* "I went over to dat widow lady's house and work. got sick* She say: don't do dat.' 'I going send for de doctor.' I in desprut condition. say: She say: 'Well, When I know anything, he walk I was laying' wid my face toward de do', and I turn over* "Doctor come up to de bed* He say: 'Please ma'am, (I thought maybe he kill me 'cause I lef him*) I gwine send fo' him*' up in de do'. I say: Along about May I ' see you is. Yeh.' '3oy, how you gettin1 on?' 'I bad off,1 I say. Lady say: 'Doctor, whut you think of him?' 'Mistis, it mos' too late, but I do all I kin.' you kin, he 'bout de bes' hanf I got.' Doctor She say: 'Please do all Page 6. lf73 "Doctor fix up medfcine and tole her to give it to me. She say: f TJncle Will, tek dis med'cine. he wuz tryinf to kill me. git better. f f fraid to tek it* Den two men, John and Charlie, come in. Get Ms medfcine in Uncle Will*1 and put it in me. I Praid Lady say: One of de men hold my hand and dey gag me Nexf few days I kin talk and ax for somethin1 to eat so I (I say: "Well, he didn't kill me when I tuk de medfcinei "I stayed dere wid her," continued Willis. Got along all right. v/id $300 00 and plenty corn and hog. cash dollars in my pocket I ) "Hex1 year I move right back in two miles, other side wheh I always live, wid anudder lady. dere three year. f I stay When I leff from there, I leff dere Everything I want, and three hundred ,f Itiwas plain that in his present status of relief ward, Uncle Willis looked back on that sum of money as a small fortune He thought about it awhile, spat again, and went on: "Fourth year I leff and went down to anudder place near de Creek. I stay dere 33 years in dat one place..1* "Uncle Willis, did you ever see the doctor again?" "He die ffore I know it," he replied. "I was f bout fifteen miles from him, and by de time I year of his death, he bury on plantation near de creek." Willis was asked about superstitions and answered with great seriousness: *Evefybu<3dy in de worlf hab got a sperrit what follow fem roun1 and dey kin see ^iffrunt things. In my sleep I hab vision*" "Pappy, tell de ladies fbout de hant," urged Aunt Rena from her post in the doorway, and Willis took up the story with eagerness: "One night I was gwine to a ladyfs store, ridin1 a horse* was 100 yards from de road I wuz pas sinf. De moon was shinin1 bright as day. I saw somethin1 comin1 out of dat graveyard. me* It come across de road, right befof His tail v/ere draggin* on de ground - a long tail. of him, layin1 down on de road. De graveyard He crepf up* He had hair on both sided I pull de horse dis way* He move Page 7.-f_ 7^ too. I yell out: 'What in de name o* God is dat? I went on to de ladyfs house and done my around and went back to de graveyard. shopping I tell you I wuz skeered, back, but I never saw it* And it turn right straight f cause I was sho1 I would see it going De horse was turrible skeered of it* It looked like a Maryno sheep and it had a long, swishy tail.* Uncle Willis was asked if he had ever seen a person "conjured* and he answered: tr Dey is people in de worl1 got sense enough to kill out de conjur in I year fum say, if a person conjur you, anybuddy, but nobuddy ever conjur me. you'll git scmethin1 in you dat would kill you." Asked to what he attributed his long, healthy life, Willis raised his head with a preaching look and replied: "I tell you, Missis, f zactly what I believe, I bin tryin1 to serve Ood ever since I come to be a man of family. I bin tryin1 to serve de Lawd 79 years, and I live by precept of de word. Until today nobuddy can turn me away frcm God business. I am a man studying my gospel, I ainft able to go to church, but I still keep serving God.* A week later Uncle Willis was found standing in his cabin door. "Bo you want to ride to the old plantation to-day?* he was asked. His vitality was almost too low for him to grasp the invitation. n f I se mighty weak to-day,* he said in a feeble voice. *I donft feel good for much.* "Where is Aunt Rene?" he was asked. "Do you think she would mind your taking an automobile trip?* "She gone to town on de bus, to see de Fambli' Welfare.ff "Have you had breakfast?* *I had some coffee, but I ainft eat none** "Well, come on, Uncle Willis. We'll get you some breakfast and then Page 8. we'll take you to the plantation and take your picture in the place where you were born, 101 years ago." Uncle Willis appeared to be somewhat in a daze as he padlocked the cabin door, put on his "sundown" hat, took up his stout stick and tottered down the steps* He wore a frayed sweater with several layers of shirts showing at the cuff s. On the way he recalled the first railroad train that passed through Burke County "I kinder skeered," he recollected* train flying1 long fthout any horses# "We wuz all f mazed to see dat Be people wuz all afraid*" "Had you heard of airplanes before you saw one, Uncle Willis?" "Yes, mafam. money to fly. I yeared of dem but you couldn't gimme dis car full of Peyfs too high off de ground* I never is gwine in one I" Uncle Willis was deposited on the porch of one of the remaining slave cabins to eat his "breakkus," while his kidnapers sought over hill and field for "The big house," but only two cabins and the chimney foundations of a large burned dwelling rewarded the search. o The old ex-slave was psed in front of the cabin, to one side of the clay A and brick chimney, and took great pleasure in the ceremony, rearing his head up straight so that his white beard stuck out* i The brutal reality of finding the glories of the plantation forever vanished must have been a severe blow for the old man# back he wiped tears from his eyes. Several times on the way Once again at his cabin in the cottonfield, his vitality reasserted itself, and he greeted his curious dusky neighbors with the proud statement. "Dey tuk me when I was bred and bornl I ain't ax no better timel" T/illis1 farewell words were: "Goo1 bye{ I hopes you all gits to Paradise! " 175 ^m^^^^^^^m^w^^ JJ^T^^TP* ^IfiSfev 100108 J> BX-SLAVB .wmmm* 'i y ii'i'i"" IM I; COHBTSUA WIKFI1ZLD Hi c hm on d C bun ty 1341 STinth Street Au gus ta, Ge orgi a BY* {|D?a.) Margaret Jotexsak-Miiot* federal Writers* fraietet Augusta, Georgia. (Mrs.) Margaret Johnson District 2, Augusta, Ga* .00108 EX-SIAVE INTERVIEW Cornelia Winfi9ld, I.341 Ninth Street, Augusta, Georgia. Cornelia Winfield,. 1341 Ninth Street, was born in Crawford, Oglethorpe County, Georgia Karoh 101 1855* Her father, being the same age as her raster* was given to him as a little boy. They grew up together, flaying games, and oacoming devoted to each other* Whan her master was married her father went to his home with him and became the overseer of all the slaves on the plantation. house servants* *My father and mother wu& My marster served my father1 s plate from his own table and sent it to him. every meal* He had charge of the '= 3 work shop, and when marster was away he always stayed at the 3ir2 Housef to take care of my Missis and the children. My mother was a seam$ BTand had three youn^ar seamsters under her, that she taught to sew* house servants and fielr %hans. We made the clothes for all the My mother made some of the clo- thes for my marster ml missis* My mother was a midwife too, and use tar go to all the birthings on our place. She had a bag she always carried and v/hen she went to other plantations she had a horse and buggy to go in. W AH the slaves on our place wuz treated well. he^rd of any of ' em "bein1 whipped* I never I was ten y^ars old v/hen freedom come, and I always knwad I i?uz to belong to one of Tnarsterfs daughters* After freedom my father and mother Fage 2. worked on just the same for marster. 178 When my father died, marster1 s famf ly wanted hira buried in the fau'ly lot but I w an ted him to lie by my mother.* Cornelia1 s husband was a Methodist preacher, and she lived with him to celebrate their Golden Wedding. During the last years of his life they lived in Augusta. For six- teen years she washed all the blankets for the Fire Department, and did some of the washing for the firemen. Cornelia is now 82 years of age, but her memory is good and her mind active; and she is extremely loquacious. She is quite heavy, and crippled, having to use a crutch whan she walks. Her room was clean, but over-crowded with furniture, evary piece of which has recently been painted* Of the wardrobe in her room Cornelia told the folloY/ing story. laid out on, my father kep1 *A11 the planks eny of our family was When he came to Augusta he brought all these planks and made this here wardrobe. When the fire burnt me out, this here wardrobe was the only thing in my house that was saved. * During the past summer she put up quantities of preserves, piskle-s and canned fruits. These she sells in a little shop-room adjoining her hcv.33, and when the weather permits, on the steps of the Post Office. Cornelia can read, and spends much of time reading the Bible but she learned to read after ^freedom. * She is greatly interested to tell of the "best families*1 she has worked for and the gifts she has received from them* / S S ' # ^ 100046 : 1^1^11,179 9Z> GEORGE ffCKBLB v One of the relics of Slavery is George Wcmble. from all ap- pearances Mr. Wamble looks to be f^fty-three years of age instead of the ripe old age of ninety-thre that he claims He is about five and one-half or six feet in height, weighs one-hundred and seventy-five pounds or more, and has good sight and hearing in addition to a skin that is almost devoid of aay wrinkle* Besides all of this he is a clear thinker and has a good sense of humor. Following is an account of the experiences of Mr* Wamble as a slave and 3tt the conditions in general on the plantations wfeere he lived: ff I was born in the year of 1843 near the present site of what is now known as Clinton, Georgia. Raleigh Ridley* The names of my parents were Patsy and I never sa^ my father as he was sold before I was old enough to recognize him as being my father. I was still quite young when my mother was sold to a plantation owner who lived in New Orients, La# she was being put on the wagon to be taken away I heard her say: As "Let me see my poor child one more time because I know If 11 never-see him again"* That was the last I ever saw or heard of her. As I had no brothers or sisters or any other relatives to care for me my master, who was T r* Robert Ridley, had me placed in his house where I was taught to wait tables and to do all kinds of house work. Mr# Ridley had a very large plantation and he raised cotton, corn, oats, wheat, peas, and live stock* Horses and mules were his specialty I remember that he had one little boy whose job was to break these animals so that they could be easily sold* My job was to wait tables, help with the house cleaning, and to act as nurse maid to three Page 2* y/hitley, 1-20-37 loC) E, Driskell. young children belonging to the master* At other times I drove the cows to and from the pasture and I often helped with the planting in the fields when the field hands were rushed* Out of the forty-odd slaves that were held by the Ridleys all worked in the field with the exception of myself and the cook whose name was Harriet Ridley." Continuing, Mr. Wamble says; "I be- lieve that 2 r# Ridley was one of the meanest men that ever lived. Sometimes he whipped us, especially us boys, just to give himself a little fun. He would tie us in such a way as to cause our bodies to form an angle and then he preceeded to use the whip. belong to?" IShen he had finished he would ask: "$ho do you and we had to answer; "Marse Robert". At other times he would throw us in a large tank that held about two-thousand gallons of water. He then stood back and laughed while we struggled to keep from drowning." "When Marse Robert died I was still a small boy. Several months after his death Mrs. Ridley gave the plantation up and took her share of the slaves. (ten in number) of which I was one, and moved to Tolbert County, Georgia near the present location of Talbottom, Georgia. The other slaves and the plantation were turned over to Marse Robert's relatives. After a few i months stay in this place I was sold to Mrs. Ridley's brother, Enoch VJomble. On the day that I was sold three dectors ezamined me and I heard one of them say: "This is a thoroughbred boy* and eyes. He111 live a long time." telligent too. His t*eth a^e good and he has good muscles Then Mr. ?/cmble said: "He looks in- I think Ifll take him and make a blacksmith out of him." .-jid so to close the deal he paid his sister five-hundred dollars for me." According to Mr. V/omble his new master was even meaner than the deceased Mr. Ridley. He was likewise a plantation owner and a farmer and as such he raised the same things that Mr. Ridley did with the exception of the Page 3. YJMtley, 1-21-37 Briskell horses and the mules* plantation* In all there were about five-hundred acres to the There were six children in the Zombie family in addition to Mr. Womble and his wife and they all lived in a large one-storied frame house* A large hickory tree grew through the center of the porch where a hole had been out out for it3 growth* Mrl Womble says that his reputation of being an excellent house boy hu* preceded him and so here too he was put to work in the master's house where he helped with the cooking, washed the dishes, cleaned the house, and also acted as nurse for the younger white children. was also required to attend to the cows* a very In c.ddition to this he- He remembers how on one night at late hour he was called by the master to go and drive the cows frcm the pasture as the sleet and snow might do them more harm than good* He was so cold that on the way back fraa the pasture he stopped at the pig pens where he pushed one or two of them out of the spots where they had lain so that he could squat there and warm his feet in the places left warm by their bodies* To add to his discomfort the snow and sleet froze in his long hair and this made him even more miserable than ever* l r* gamble was asked to tell what time he had to arise in the morning to begin his dayfs work and he replied thc.t sometimes he didfnt even go to sleep as he had to keep one hand on the baby crib to keep it from crying* Most of the time he got up at four o'clock in the morning and went to the kitchen where he helped the cook preprre brerkfast* After this was done and he had finished waiting on the master and his family he started to clean the house. Taen he had finished this he had to take care of the younger 7/omble children and do countless the other things to be done around a house* slaves Mr* V/otjible says: as "mattress fever". Of the other lt Hone of them ever suffered frcm that disease known They all got up long before day and prepared their breakfasts and then before it was light enough to see clearly they were 181 Page 4* Whitley, 1-21-37 182 Btriskell standing in the field holding their hoes and other implements afraid to start -iOrk for fear that they woudlc cover the cotton plants with dirt because they couldfnt see clearly due to the darkness " ikn everseer was hired by the master to see that the work was done properly* If any of the slaves were careless about their work they were made to take off their clothes in the field before all the rest and then a sound whipping was administered, jield hands also get whippings when they failed to pick the required threehundred pounds of cotton daily* f To avoid a whipping for this they sprinkled the white sand of the fields on the dew soaked cotton and at the time it was weighed they were credited with more pounds than they had actually picked* .j'ound ten or eleven o'clock in the morning they were all allowed to go to the cook house where they were given dinner by the plantation cook* By one o'clock they were all back in the field where they remained until it was too dark to see clearly, and then they were dismissed by the everseer after he had checked the number of pounds of cotton that they had picked* : The slaves knew that whenever Mr* V/omble hired a new overseer he always told the prospect that if he couldfnt handle the slaves his services * v/ould not be needed* The cook had heard the master tell a prospective over- seer this and so whenever a new one was hired the slaves were quick to see how far they could go with him* Mr* Wamble says that an overseer had to be a very capable man in order to keep his job as overseer on the Wcmble plantation becausejif the slaves found out that he was afraid of them fighting him (and they did sometimes) they took advantage of him so much so that the production dropped and the overseer either found himself trying to explain to his employer or else looking for another job. The master would never punish a slave for beating an overseer with his fists stated Mr. Wcmble. Page 5* * Briskell Whitley, 1-21-37 * Q'X XOt) During rainy weather the slaves shucked corn, piled manure in the barns, and made cloth. In the winter season the men split rails, built fences, and dug ditches, while the women did the weaving and the making of cloth. These slaves who were too old to work in the fields re- mained at home where they nursed the sick slaves (when there was sickness) and attended to the needs of those children who were too young for field work. Those children who were still being fed from their motherfs breasts were also under the care of one of these old persons. However, in this case the mothers were permitted to leave the field twice a day ( once between breakfast and dinner and once between dinner and supper) so that these children could be fed. At times Mr. Womble hired some of his slaves out to work by the day for some of the other nearby plantation owners. Mr. Geo. VJomble says that he was often hired out to the other white ladies of the community to take care of their children and to do their housework* Because of his ability to clean a house and to handle children he was in constant demand. The men worked every day in the week while the women were given Saturday afternoon off so that they might do their personal work such as the washing and the repairing of%their clothing etc. The women were required to do the washing and the repairing of the single menfs clothing in addition to their own. No night work was required of any of them except during the winter when they were given three cuts of thread to card, reel, and spin each night. There were some days when the master calld them all to his back yard and told them that they could have a frolic. Y/hile they danced and sang the master and his family sat and looked on. On days like the Fourth of July and Christmas in addition to the frolic barbecue was served and says Page 6. Driskell 'fhitley, 1-21-27 1W1 n Mr. Vfamble: It was right funny to see all of them dancing around the yard with a piece of meat in one hand and a piece of bread in the other. Mr. Wobble stated further that clothes were given to all the slaves once a year# An issue for the men usually consisted of one or tv/o pairs of pants and some shirts, underwear, woolen socks, and a pair of heavy brogsns that had been ma.de of horse hide. These shoes were reddish in appearnace and were as stiff as board according to Mr. Wcmble. For special wear the men were given a garment that was made into one piece by sewing the pants and shirt together. This was known as a "roundabout". The women were given one or two dresses that had been made of the same material as that of the men's pants. iiS the cloth that these clothes were made of was very coarse and heavy most of them lasted until the time for the next issue. of the clothing that the slaves wore wss bought. None After the cloth had been made by the slaves who did all the spinning an:^ theweaving the masterfs wife out the clothes out while the slave women did the sewing. One of the men was a cobbler and it was he who made all of the shoes for slave use. In the summer months the field hands worked in their bare feet regardless of whether they had shoes or not. Mr. Wamble say? that he was fifteen years of age when he was given his first fcair of shoes. They were a pair of red boots and were so stiff that he needed help to get them on his feet as well as to get them off. Once when the master had suffered some fe\f* financial losses the slaves had to wear clothes that were made of crocus material. The children were sacks after holes had been cut out for their heads and arms. This garmet looked like a slightly lengthened shirt in appearance. A dye made from red clay was used to give color to these clothes. The bed clothing consisted of bagging sacks anr* guilts that were made out of old clothss. At the end of the week all the field hands met in the master's N Page 7. Briskell .Mtley, 1-21-37 backyard where they were given a certain amount of food which was supposedly enough to last for a week. Such an issue was made up of three pounds of fat meat, one peck of meal, and one quart of black molasses. Mr. Womble was c.sked what the slaved did if their allowance of food ran out before the end of the weak and he replied in the following manner:ft If their food gave out before the time for another issue they waited until night end then one or two of them would go to the mill-house v/here the flour and the meal was kept. After they had succeeded in getting in they would take an auger and here a hole in the barrel containing the meal. One held the sack while the other took a stick and worked it around in the opening made by the suger so as to make the meal flow freely. After their bags were filled the hole was stopped up and a hasty departure was made. Sometimes when they wanted meat they either went to the smoke house and stole a ham or else they would go to the pen where the pigs were kept and take a small pig out. When they get to the woods with this animal they proceeded to skin and clean it (it had already been killed with a blow in the head before they left the pen). All the parts that they did not want were either buried or thrown in the nearby river. rJfter going heme all of this meat was cooked and hidden. . HS there was danger in being eaught none of this stolen m.at was ever fried because there was more :anger of the odor of frying meat going farther away than that odor made by neat being boiled." At this point L31. Womb 13 stated that the slaves were taught to steal by their masters* Sometimes they were sent to the nearby plurfcations to steal chickens, pigs, and other things that could be carried away easily. At such times the master would tell them that he was not joing to iaistreat them ami that he was not going to allow anyone else to mistreat them and that by taking the above mentioned things they were helping him to be more ablo to take care of them. 185 Page 8. ./hit ley, 1-21-37 Briskell At breakfast the field hands ate fried meatf corn bread, and mo~ lasses* When they -went to the house for dinner they were given some kind of vegetable along with pot liquor and milk. When the days work was done and it was time for the evening meal there was the fried meat again with the molasses and the corn bread* every day in the week. Mr. Womble says that they ate this kind of food The only variation was on Sunday when they were given the seconds of the flour and a little kore molasses so that they might ioake a coke. No other sweetening was used except the molasses. As for Mr. Wamble and the cook they fared better as they ate the same kind of food that the faster and his family did. Ee remembers how he used to take biscuits from the dishes that were being sent to the masters table. He was the waiter and this was an easy matter. Later he took some of these biscuits and sold them to the other little boys for a nickle each. Neither the master or the slaves had real coffee. They all drank a type of this beverage that had been made by parching bran or meal and then boiled in water. The younger children were fed from a trough that was twenty feet in length. -at meal time each day the master would come out and supervise the cook whose duty it was to fill1 the trough with food. ?or breakfast the milk and bread was all mixed together in the trough by the master who used his walking cane to stir it with. At dinner and supper the children were fed pot liquor and bread and sonetimes milk that had been mixed together in the same manner. All stood back until the master had finished stirring the food and then at a given signal they dashed to the trough where they began e eating with their hands. Some even put their mouths in the trough and ate. There vare times when the masterfs dogs and some of the pigs that ran round ^;j Page 9. $J VJhitley, 1-21-37 Driskell the yard all came to the trough to share these meals. Mr. Womble states that they were not permitted to strike any of these animals so as to drive them away and so they protected their faces from the tongues of the intruders by placing their hands on the sides of their faces as they ate* During the meal the master walked from one end of the trough to the other to see that all was as it should be. Before Mr# Vtaable started to work in the master's house he ate as the other children for a short time. Some of the times he did not have enough food to eat and so when the time came to feed the cows he took a part of their food ( a mixture of cotton seed, collard stalks, and small ears of corn) and ate it when night came. When he started working in the house regularly he always had sufficient food from then on. All the food that was eaten was grown on the plantation in the master's gardens# Ee did not permit the slaves to have a gfir&en of their own neither could they raise their own chickens and so the only time that they got the chance to enjoy the eating of chicken was when they decided to make a special trip to the kaster's poultry yard* The housing facilities varied with the work-a slave was engaged in on the Womble plantation according to Mr. I7omble. under the dining-room table all of the time. house of her ownsr. He slept in the house The cook also slept in the j?or those who worked on the fields log cabing (some distance behind the master's house*} were provide. Asked to describe one of these cabins Mr* Wamble replied: "They were two roomed buildings made out of logs and daubed with mud to keep the weather out. At one end there was a chimney that was made out of dried mud, sticks and stones. The fire- place was about five or six feet in length and on the inside of it there were seme hooks to hang the pots from when there was cooking to be done* Page 10* Driskell whitley, 1-21-37 There was only one door and this was the front one* 'f'flQ xo They wouldfnt put a back door in a cabin because it would be easy for a slave to slip out of the back v;ay if the master or the overseer came to punish an occupant. There were one or two small openings cut in the back so that they could get air.,f ffThe furniture was made by the bladksmith*, continued Mr. Womble. "In one corner of the room there was a large bed that had been made out of heavy wood. Rope that ran from side to side served as the springs while the mattress was a large bag that had been stuffed with wheat straw* The only other furnishings were a few cooking utensils and one or two benches*n As ^Qcxny as four families lived in one of these cabins although the usual number to a cabin was three families. There was one other house where the young children were kept while their parents worked in the fields* Most of the sickness on the Womble plantation was due to colds and fever. For the treatment of either of these ailments the master always ke t alarge can filled with a mixture of turpentine and caster oil. complained of a cold a dose of this oil was prescribed. VJhen anyone The master gave this, cose from a very large spoon that always hung frcm the can. The slaves also Y.c j their own home made remedies for the treatment of different ailments. Yellow root tea and black-hall tea were used in the treatment of colds while willow tea was used in the treatment of fevor. j¬her tea made from the drop- pings of sheep was used as a remedy for the measles. called when anyone was seriously ill. cases of childbirth. A doctor was always He was always called to attend those Unless a slave was too sick to walk he was required to go to the field and work like the others. If, however, he was confined to his bed a nurse was provided to attend to his needs. On Sundays all of the slaves were allowed to attend the ; hite church where they listened to the services from the rear of the church. When the Page 11. 189 Jhitley, 1-21-37 iDriskell white minister was almost through he would walk back to where the slaves .sat and tell them not to steal their master's chickens, eggs, or his hogs and their backs would not be whipped with many stripes* After this they were dismissed and they all left the church wondering what the preacherfs sermon merjit. Some nights they went to the woods and conducted their own services. ..t a certain spot they all knelt and turned their faces toward the ground and then they began moaning and praying, Mr. Womble says that by huddling in this circle and turning their voices toward the ground the sound would not travel very far. None of them ever had the chance to learn how to read and write. Some times the young boys who carried the master's children's books to and from school would ask these children to teach them to write but as kajmc they v.*3re afraid of what their father might do they always refused. .On the ad- joining plantation the owner caught his son teaching a little slave boy to v.Tite. He was furious and after giving his son a s vere beating he then cut the thumb and forefinger off of the slave. the slaves was the use of their hands. The only things that were taught Mr. Wcenble says that all the while that he wwwrleKag was working in the master's house they still found the time for him to learn to be a blacksmith. i $hen a male gWve reached the age of twenty-one he was allowed to court. The same was true of a girl that had reached the age of eighteen. If a couple wished to marry they had to get permission from the maste r who asked each in turn if they wished to be joined as man and wife and if both answered that they did they were taken into the master's house where the ceremony was performed. Mr. Womble says that he as: has actually seen one of these weddings and that it was conducted in the following manner: * A broom was placed in the center of the floor and the couple was told to hold hands* After joining hands they were conmanded to jump over the broom and then to turn around and jump back. Page 12. VIM t ley, 1-21-37 Briskell .ifter this they were pronounced man and wife.11 iQH . -*-^w A man who was small in statue vjas never allowed to marry a large, robust woman. Sometimes when the male slaves on one plantation were large and healthy looking and the women slaves on some nearby plantation looked like they might be good breeders the two owners ca-rsed to allow the men belonging to the one visit the women belonging to the other, in fact they encouraged this sort of thing in hopes that they would uarry and produce big healthy children. In such cases passes were given freely. itll of the newly born babies ?/ere named by the master. "The only baptisms that any of us get was with a stick over the head and then we baptised our cheeks with our tears,ft stated Mr. I'Jonbly. Continuing, Mr. Worably stated that the slaves on the Womble plantation were treated more like animals rather than like humans. occasions some of them ?;ere sold. On one or two At such a time those to be sold were put in a large pen and then they were examined by the doctors and prospective buyers and later sold to the highest bidder the same as a horse or a mule. They were sold for various reasons says Mr. Wcmble. His mother was sold because whe was too hard to rule and because she made it-difficult to discipline the other slaves. Mr. VJomble further reported that most of his fellow slaves believed in signs. They believed that if a screech owl or a "hoot" owl came near a house and made noises at night somebody was going to die and instead of going to heaven the devil would get them. _J,fOn the night that old Marse Ridley died the screech owls like to have taken the house away," he says. There was always a great amount of whipping on this plantation* This was practically the only form of punishment used. whipped for being disobedient or for being unruly. Most of them were Mr. Womble has heard his master say that he would not have a slave that he could not rule and to be sure Page 13. Briskell vtoitley, 1-21-37 that the slaves held him and his family in awe he even went so far as to make all of them go and pay their respects to the newly born white children on the c^y after their birth. At such a time they were required to get in line out- si de of the door and then one by one they went through the room and bowed their heads as they passed the bed and uttered the following words: _arstern or if the baby was a girl they said; "Young Mistress11* ,f Young On one oc- casion Mr* V/omble says that he has seen his master and a group of other white pien b9at an unruly slave until his back was raw and then a red hot iron bar v;as applied to his back* Even this did not make the slave submissive be- cause he ran away immediately afterwards* number of the slaves ran away, ;ere caught and some were not* took his wife and ran away. After this inhuman treatment any especially on the Ridley plantation* Some One of the slaves on the Y/caable plantation He and his wife lived in a cave that they found in the woods and there they raised a family* When freedom was dedlared and these children saw the light of day for the first time they almost went blind stated Kr* V/cmble* Mr* T/omble says that he himself has been whipped to such an extent by his master, who used a walking cane, that he had no feeling in his legs* One other time he was sent off by the master and'instead of returning immediately he stopped to eat some persimmons* The master came upon him at the ree and started beating him on the head with a wagon spoke. 3y the time he reached the house his head was covered with knots the size of hen eggs and hlooc? was flowing from each of them* 8 .dth the The slaves on the Taxable plantation seldom if ever came in contact fl ?dddie-Rollers" who punished those slaves who had the misfortune to be caught off of their plantations without passes. In those days he jails were built for the white folks because the masters always punished the slaves when they broke any of the laws exclaimed Mr. Wocibly* -a ci-fi -^>JL Page 14. Jhitley, 1-21-37 Driskell 19,2 w Several years before the war Mr. Wpmbly was sold to Mr. Jim Wornbly, the son of Mr. Enoch Wombly. He was as mean as his father or meaner, Mr. ;o:ribly says that the first thing that he remembers in regard to the war was to hear his master say that he was going to join the army and bring Abe Lincoln1 s head back for a soap dish. He also said that he would his neck to keep the slaves from being freed. uoods at night where they sang and prayed. wade in blood up to The slaves would to to the Some used to say; n I knew that Goms day we111 be free and if we die before that ime our children will live to see it.* fthen the Yankees marched through they took all of the silver and gold that had been hidden in the wall on the V/omble plantation. They also took all of the live stock on the plantation, most of which had been hidden in th^ swamps. These soldiers then went into the house and tore the beds up and poured syrup in the mattresses. At the time all of the white people who lived on the plan- tation were hiding in the woods. slaves along who wished to follow) After the soldiers had departed (taking these Mrs. Womble went back into the house and con- tinued to make the clothes and the bandages that were tobe used by the Confederate Soldiers. After the slaves were set free any number of them were bound over aagfc and kept, says Mr. Womble. He himself was to remain with the womble f-milv until he reached the age of twenty-one. refused to let him go. When this time came Mr. Zombie Hovjever, Mrs. V/omble helped him to escape but he was seen caught one night at the home of an elderly white lady who had befriended him. jtx rope was tied around his neck and he was made to run the entire way back to the plantation while the others rode on horse back. more months of cruel treatment he ran away ag4tn. After a few This time he was successful in his escape and after he had gone what he considered a saft distance he set * Page 15 up & blacksmith shop where he made a living for quite a few years. ^QO Driskell '.aiitley, 1-21-37 -^'O Later one of the white men in that coiomunity hired him to work in his store. After a number of years at this place he decided to come to Atlanta where he has been since. Mr* Wamble concluded by saying that he has been able to reach his present age because he has never done any smoking or drinking* An old lady once told him not to use soap on his face and he ivould not wrinkle counts for his smooth skin in this manner* He ac- 100228 ^ *'*i- SLAVERT AS SLUT THROUGH TH3 EK2S ' OF * H5SRY T7RIOH? - SX-SIA7E. * In Atlanta among that ever decreasing group of parsons known as ex-slaves there is an old Negro man named Henry bright. Although Vx. Hright is 99 years or age his appearance is that of a much younger man* He is about 5 feet in height; his dark skin is almost free of wrinkles and.his head is thickly covered i.ith gray hair* His speech and thought indicate that he is very intelligent and there is no doubt that he still possesses a clear and active raina. As he noisily puffed on a battered old pipe he related the following tale of his experiences in slavery and of conditions in general as he saw them at that time. ?.Ir. bright was born on the plantation of !.!r. Phil "louse. This plantation was located near the present site of Buckhead, G-a. Irigh, and Margaret House. the name of t..eir owners. His parents were Henry In those days it was customary for slaves to carry His father was owned by Mr. Spencer bright and his mother was owned by Mr. Phil House. Both of these slave owners lived in the same district. His grandparents, Kittie and Anite House also belonged to I.!r. Phil House and it was they who told him ho.< they had been sold like cattle while in Virginia to a speculator (slave dealer) and brought to Decatur, Ga# where they were sold to I-.Cr. House* Mr. Hright lived \dth his mother on the House plantation for several years then he was given to Mr. 0-ecrge House, the brother of Phil House, as a wedding present. However, he saw his parents often as they were all allowed "passes11 so that they might visit one another* According to 7Ir. bright, nis master was a very rich mm and a very intelligent one. His plantation consisted of about three or four hundred acres of land on which he raided cotton, cane, corn, vegetables and live stock. Although he was not very rasai to his slaves or "servants" as he called them, neither aid his kindness reach the gushing or overflowing stage* a. 195 On this plantation there were a large number of slaves, some of whom worked in "Old Marsterfs" (as Mr. House was called) house and some of whom .orked in the fie Ids As a youngster Mr. T'right had to pick up chips around the yard, make fires and keep the house supplied with water which he got from the well. When he was ten years of age he was sent to the field as a plow^-boy. He remembers that his iiiother and father also worked in the fields. in relating his experience as a field hand Mr. -fright says that he and his fellow slaves were roused each morning about 3 o'clock by the blowing of a horn. This horn was usually blown by the white overseer or by the Negro foreman who was knovm aiaong the slaves as the "Nigger Driver." At the sounding of the hern they had to get up and feed the stock* Shortly after the horn was blown a bell was rung and at this signal they all started for the fields to begin work for the day. They were in the field long before the sun was up Their working hours were described as being from "sun to sun.* When the time came to pick the cotton each slave was required to pick at least 200 lbs* of cotton per day. For this purpose each was given a bag and a large basket. The bag was hung around the neck and the basket was placed at the end of the row. At the close of the day the overseer met all hands at the scales with the laiq?, the slate and the whip. If %ny al&ve failed to pick .the required 200 lbs. he was soundly wuipped by the overseer. by giving illness as an excuse. Sometimes they were able to escape this whipping Another form of strategy adopted by the slaves was to dampen the cotton or conceal stones in the basket!, either of which would make the cotton WSlgb more* Sometimes after leaving the fields at dark they had to work at night - shucking corn, ginning cotton or weaving. Everyday except Sunday was considered a work day* The only form of work on Sunday was the feeding of the live stock, etc* s. 190 ^en Mr* Wright was asked about the treatment that was given the house slaves in comparison to that given the field slaves, he replied with a broad grin that "Old Msrster" treated them much the same as he would a horse and a mule# That is, the horse was given the kind of treatment that would make him show off in appearance, while the mule was given only enough care to keep him well and fit for v/ork. "You see," continued Mr. Wright, tt in those days a plantation owner was partially judged by the appearance of his house servants** And so in addition to receiving the discarded clothes of "Old Marster" and his wife, better clothing was bought for the house slaves* The working hours of the house slave and the field slave were practically the same. In some cases the house slaves had to work at night ftue to the fact that the master was entertaining his friends or he was invited out and so someone had to remiin up to attend to all the necessary details* On the plantation of Mr. House the house slaves thought themselves better than the field slaves because of the fact that they received better treatment* On the other hand those slaves who worked in the fields laid that they would rather work in the fields than work in the house because they had a chance to earn spending money in their spare or leisure time# opportunity. House servants had no such % In bad weather they were not required to go to the fields ~ instead they cut hedges or did other small jobs around the house* tiiem to work in The master did not want bad weather because there was too much danger cf illness which meant a loss of time and money in the end. Mr. House wanted his slaves to learn a trade such as masonry or carpentry, etc* 9 not because it would benefit the alave, says Mr. Wright, but because it would make the slave sell for more in case he had wto get shet (rid) of him.* The slaves who were allowed to work with these white mechanics, from whom thqy eventually learned the trade, were eager because they would be permitted to hire ^PIPW^^W* 19? themselves out* The money they earned could be used to help buy their freedom, that is, what money reiuained after the master had taken his share* On the other hand the white mechanic had no particular objection to the slaves being there to help him, even though they were learning the trade, because he as able to place all tie hard work on the slave which made his job easier* Mr. Wright remembers how his grandfather used to hire his time out doing carpentry work, making caskets and doing some masonry* He himself can plaster, although he never hired out during slavery* Clothing was issued once per year usually around September sisted mostly of the following: An issue con- 1 pair of heavy shoes called *Negro Brogane." C-everal homespun shirts, woolen socks and two or three pairs of Jeans pants* The women were either given dresses and underskirts that were already inade or just the plain cloth to make these garments from* Some of their clothing was bought and some was made on the plantation* The wool socks were knitted on the plantation along with the homespun which was woven there* The homespun was dyed by placing it in a boiling mixture of green walnut leaves or walnut hulls* In the event that plaid material aas to be made the threads wera dyed the desired color before being woven* Another kind of dye was made from the use of a type of red or blue berry, or by boiling red dirt in water, (prqbably madder) The house slaves wore calico dresses or sometimes dresses made from woolen material* Often this clothing was insufficient to meet the individual needs* With a broad smile and an almost imperceptible shake of his old gray head Mr. TTTight told how he had worked in the field without shoes idien it was so cold until the skin cracked and the blood flowed from these wounds. He also told how he used to save his shoes by placing them under his arm and walking barefooted nhen he had a long distance to go* In order to polish these shoes a mixture of soot and syrup was ttfM* The young slave children wore a one-piece garment with holes cut for the head and arms to go thrcugL* in appearance it resembled a slightly long shirt* 5* 198 As Mr. House did not give blankets, the slaves were retired to make the necessary cover by plading together left over goods. After this process was completed, it was padded with cotton and then dyed in much the saiae way as homespun. After the dyeing was completed the slave was the owner of a new quilt* The food that tke slaves ate all raised on the plantation* At the end of each week each slave was given 3 lbs* of meat (usually pork), 1 peck of meal and some syrup. Breakfast and dinner usually consisted of fried meat, corn bread and syrup. Vegetables were usually given at dinner time* at supper. Sometimes milk was given It was necessary to send the meals to the field slaves as thoy were usually too far away from the house to make the trip themselves. For this purpose there was a woman who did all the cooking for the field hands in a cook house located among the slave cabins* Mr. House permitted his slaves to have a garden and chickena of their own* In fact, he gave each of them land , a small plot of .ground for this purpose* The benefit of this was twofold as far as the slave was concerned. place he could vary his diet. In the first In .the second place he was able to earn money by selling his produce either in to MI or to "Old Marster.* took the produce to town and sold it for them. Sometimes Old Marster When he returned from town the iuoney for the sale of this produce was given to the slave* Mr. Wright ways that he and all the other slaves felt that they were being cheated when the master sold their goods. Mr. House also permitted his slaves to hunt and fish both of v&ich were done at night for the mobt part* Coffee vjas made by parching xaeJ. and then placing it in boiling water. sweeten this coffee, syrup ^as used. To One delicacy that he and the other slaves usea to have on Sunday was biscuit bread v&ich they called "cake bread.n All children *LO were too young to v/ork in ths field were cared for by some old slave voman who was too old to go to the field. etc* She did all of their cooking, The diet of these dhilcfren usually consisted of pot liquor, milk, vegetable* e* 199; and in rare cases, meat* Mr. Wright laughed here as he stated Ihat these children were given long handled spoons and were seated on a long bench before a trough out of \*tich they all ate like little pigs* Hot a slave ever suffered the pangs of hunger on the plantation of Mr* George House* The houses or cabins of the slaves were located a short distance in the rear of M01d Marster!s^ fcouse* These houses were usually made from logs - the chinks being closed with mud* In some cases boards were used on the inside of the cabin to keep the weather out, but according to Mr. Wright , mud was always the more effective. The floor was usually covered with boards and there were tv/o or three windows to each cabin, shutters being used in place of glase# The chimney and fireplace were made of mud, sticks and stones. All cooking was done on the fireplace in iron utensils , whch Mr. Wright declares were a lot better j than those used todajy* I above the fire* slaves* For boiling, the pots hung from a long hook directly Such furniture as each cabin contained was all made,by the { This furniture usually consisted of a wooden bench, instead of a chair, and a crude bed made from heavy wodU 1 Slats were used in the place of springs* The mat tress was made by stuffing a large bag with wheat straw* "This slept as good as any feather bed" says Mr. Wright* j Candles were used to furnish light at night. On this plantation each family did not have an individual cabin* Sometimes as many as three families shared a cabin, which.of course was rather a large one* this case it was partitioned off by the use of curtains* Besides having to take care of the young children, these older slaves were required to care for those slaves who were ill* Mr. House employed a doctor to attend his slaves when their cases seemed to warrant it* If the illness was of a minor nature he gave them castor oil, salts or pills himself* Then, too, the slaves had their own home remedies* .Among these were different tonics made from "yarbs" (herbs), plasters made from must qrd, and whisky, etc* were caused by colds and fevers* Most illnesses Mr* Wright says that &1$ two brothers and his In . 200 sister, all of whom were younger than he, died as a result of typhoid fever* Even itfith all the hardships that the slavea had to suffer they still had time to have fun and to enjoy themselves, Mr* Wright continued* At various ti^es Mr. House permitted them to have a fro lie* These frolics usually took place on such holidays as 4tfc of July, Christinas or wlaying~by time*, after the cultivating of the crops was finished and before gathering time* During the day the master provided a big barbecue and at night the singing and dancing started* fiddle* Music was furnished by slaves who were able to play the banjo or the The slaves usually bought these instruments themselves and in some cases the master bought them* "In my case,* declared Mr* Wright, "I made a fiddle out of a large sized gourd - a loi^woodett hiandle was used as a neck, and the hair rom a horsed tail was used for the bow* cat-gut. The strings were made of After I learned to play tais I bought a better violin**" Sometimes the slaves slipped away to the woods to indulge in a frolic* As a means of protection they tied repds across the paths where they would be less likely to be seen* These ropes were placed at such a height as to knock a man from his horse if he earns riding up at a great speed* In this way the master or the overseer was stopped temporarily, thereby giving the slaves time to scamper to safety* In addition to the presents given at Christmas (candy and clothing) the master also gave each family half a gallon of ifihisky* This made the parties more lively. One of the songs that the slaves on the House plantation used to sing at their parties runs as followss "Oh, I wouldn't have a poor girl, (another version says, "old maid11) And Ifll tell you the reason why, Her neckfs so long and stringy, Ifm afraid shefd never die " * 301 On Sundays Mr. House required all of his slaves to attend church/ All attended a ifaite ehurcfe where they sat in the back or in the balcony* After preaching to the white audience, the white pastor turned his attention to the slaves. His sermon usually ran: "Obey your master and your mistress and the Lord will love you." Sometimes a colored preacher was allowed to preach from the same rostrum after the ^hite pastor had finished. His sermon was along similar lines because that is what he had been instructed to say. None of the slaves believed in the sermons but they pretended to do so* Marriages were usually performed by the colored preacher although in most cases it was only necessary for the man to approach T,01d Mar star11 and tell him that he wanted a certain woman for his wife. "Old Marster" then called the womaai in question and if she agreed they were pronounced man and wife. If the woman was a prolific breeder and if the man was a strong, healthy-looking individual she was forced to take him as a husband whether she wanted to or not* When Mr. bright was asked if he had ever been arrested and placed in jail for any offense while he was a slave het replied that in those days few laws, if any, applied to slaves. He laiows that it was ag-inst the law for anyone to teach a slave to write because on one occasion his father who h^d learned to do this with the help of his master1 s son was told by the master to keep it to himself, because if the men of the community found out that he could write they would cut his fingers or his hand off. serious crime. Horse stealing or house burning was another On the House plantation as a muluto slave who was to have beea givenhis freedom when he reached the age of 8&. When this time came Mr. House refused to free him and so an attempt was made to burn the House mansion. :3r. Wright remembers seeing the sheriff come from town and take this slave. Later they heard on the plantation that said slave had been hanged* 9. 202 For the most part punishment consisted of severe whipping sometin^s administered by the slaves1 master and sometimes by the white men of the eoinmanity To the slaves this Patrol was known as the *PadcUett or known as the Patrol* "Paddie-Rollare** Mr. Wright says that he has been whipped numerous times by his master for running away* When he was eaughc after an attempted escape he was placed on the ground i&ere he was "spread-eagled," that is, his arms and feet were stretched out and tied to states driven in the ground* After a severe beating, brine water or turpentine was poured over the wunds* This leapt the flies away, he :> says* Mr* House did not like to whip his slaves as a scarred slave brought very little money flhen placed on the auction block* considered as being unruly* A slave who had a scarred back was Fnenever a slave attempted to escape the hounds were put on his trail* Mr* Wright was caught and treed by hounds several times* He later found a w ay to elude then.* This was done by rubbing his feet in the refuse material of the barnyard or the pasture, then he covered his legs with pine tar* On one occasion he managed to stay awa^r from the plantation for 6 months before he returned of his own accord* He ran awe^ after striking his master who had attempted to whip him* 'Then he returned of his own accord his master did nothing to him because he was glad that he was not forever lost in which ease a large sum of jponey would have been lost* Mr. bright says that slave owners advertised in tne newspapers for lost slaves, giving their description, etc* If a slave was found after his master had stopped his advertisements he was placed on the block and sold as a "stray*" While a fugitive he slept in the woods, eating wild berries* etc. Sometiues he slipped to 1ke plantation of his jpother or that of his father where he was able to secure food,* He took a deep puff on his pipe and a look of satisfaction crossed his face as he told hov* he had escaped from the "Paddle Rollers.* It was the "Paddle- Hollers" duty to patrol the roads and the streets and to see that no slave was out unless he had a *pass" from his master* Further, he was not supposed to be io 203 any great distance away from the place he had been permitted to go. If a slave was caught visiting without a ^passr* or if at any time he was off his plantation without said "pass11 and had the misfortune to be caught by the "Paddle-Boilers* he was given a sound whipping and returned to his master* ?7hen the Civil War began all the slaves on the House plantation grew hopeful and glad of the prospect of being s et free* Mr* House was heard by some of the slave to say that he hoped to "be dead the day Negroes were set free* Although the slaves prayed for their freedom they were afraid to even sing any type of spiritual for fear of being punished* IThen the Yankee troops came through near the House plantation they asked the slcives if their master was mean to them* As the answer was "no* the soldiers marched on after taking all the livestock that they could find* where the master was roean, all property was burned* At the adjoining plantation Mr* House was not present far wuen he heard of the approach of Sherman he took his family, a few valuables and some slaves and fled to Augusta* He later joined the army but was not wounded. his brother, Phil* House, lost a leg mile in action* However. , Mr. Wrights says that he witnessed one battle which was fought just a few miles beyond his plantation near Nanqyfs Creek. Yankee Although he did not officially join the army he cooked for themi while they were camped in ilia vicinity. 7/hen freedom was declared he ways that he was a veiy happy man. Jreedom to him did not mean that he could rglT> Dnt of Birthi Abmt 1340. ^reaa-nfe r^s l111 bright", "tfilllnm 'Ir nbl # toe % end "?lokl.*wt tip Uek8% Ai koya, white sue "lack, p.nd fcli^htly olrUir than she, nlnyeft "Pox" rmd *? dai -the-c }t* toga the r. In f-< t, tint 11 th<* v* lt boya nnd j iris wero t?*n or twelve yf^-rsi of ^e, their little gra T)lRyn; tesf afitellitea, body^uartia, "gnnga", n >^- acrv<*nta, usually arifiresaetf tha, or t* ;pli*>d to U an nloknaxcra tht*t anounvd %o *itl s of ndanr* *mn%0 Xhua, Mioa .?u*i * Ison * - the later 'tre# Robert Carter w*a "Juai .**eetn to n hot;t of little >^rro girls of > er r^a. Later on, of course, this fom ox" fctnilinrlty between slave O/1? CWV> V.) ohllti nnd white ohlld Aaflnltely o tu*Af but for nil tins there exists n atrong bond of close friandatlp, nutttftl understand ln i, mid spirit of arirsdas' in b twt> n the ^lses and BlReko of e ry 3lant tlon A* an ex *tplt*f Pat Walton, i?#ed IB, colored ami al ve, "allowed" to his yoxmg master in lSolx "Mfirao nosallus, youae gwln to de w r, sin** y r?" *nd without waiting for an anawer# eontinuedt w 3o is ?at You knows you inft got no olsnosa In no array tfcotat a Singer to wait on y**r n k by RRS barn cm one of his plantation , &n.)or r/aiton t.avo th mother i of&lqo dr ua and a "bright, shiny", silver dollar. All vniton slaves were well fed nd clothed nndt for a "(irove** of nbaut fifty or sixty littla "beak-yard'' piooaninnias, the w^ltons asaucutd all responsibility, exoopt nt ni?ft# A kino of compound imu farced off for "d^ae b: nt:jn to keep then In by day* >& n it rained, they had a shelter t> 0 uncior; playhouses were built for then, nnd ih y elso h a sec^sawg, toys, etc* I ere. 1 'i V t^-\J a' tt air psr nti "prrx^d deae youn^uns** every nomine they \t-jn% to the fields '-rid to othor duties, and picked than up rtt nitf.t. Theae cHWWi *?ere fed nbo*-t -"iv^ tln*s a fay in little vrooden trough*ltke reoeptnol s# *Tdr principal foods were nsiifc, rie?, *ot~lic)r rf vegetables and corn dumplings; and they atayad ao fat * nd aleak n&&% de rtiv gars colt e &*rsa ifojor'a little block pig #n *ha *r*r*eM weekly ration *sll owd n e.dnlt silton al^va *a a peefc of *aal, two "duster " of flour (about six pound*), seven pounds of flitch taoon, n "ong*1 of peas, ft gallon of 2*1 tit, froa one s,o two cuaris of Molasses, a h lf pound of green ooff as-which the sieve hinself perched mid "beat up* or ground, fro ; one to two out>& of sugar, a "Netful" of pens, hnd any "nieknecks" th*t the ife^or night hnve - - as extras* Uany mere a were planted to vet:*itnbles e oh y<* r for to slaves find, in ucon, they h d fill the Vi.^eteblea they could set, ftlao Irish potatoes9 sweet otetoei?, roasting ears, water* nelo;i* and "stingy $p*<*n" (home rsiuoCf tobacco} In truth, the pi enters end "Jflf gerii" all uaed "atin ,<* pre&n", there tf en bein very little if nny "aanufpo" (processed tobacco) on the market* The standard clothes of the slevee were* Jeans In the winter f r nan ind uonan, cottonedes end osnaberi; for nen in the su^aer, and calicos nnd "lirfjht ^ood ' for the Komen in the sunaer tirse* About 75 of the cloth used for si area9 clothing wnu wnG* t one. If H "!fi f#* oofii* cown aiak", the faraily tiootor was promptly billed to attond hiss ^mif if h trua bad off, the ilti/or w ot O" v ith hii, or had one or Ma ov* llf<* wao *Haeicyr 2>inkN whipped by any of the <ona or their ovor-aeora. tloreover, oho n ver knew a .legro to bo whlppoft by a whlto person on any of the doson or -are niton plantations* 3ho ti&rw "seed" a pnteroler in her life, though ah "h^a heard tell dat Jed*; I-easy '?illitJ, 'T ra**a Johnnie B# Jones, !*ed Giddena, Cua >*3eal, Bob limi^h, nn Jed^e ht*nry Callier rid aa patarolera* when she WRS a irl. 4ven *he TnnJceo raiders * iw through in *65, "Msrwv Dink" was badly frightened by tfcen# She * &o filao I'i^hly infuriated with then for "atealin do ^iie fokea things", burning their glna, eotton anl3oes in Harris County, near llerslie. There, aha lost her husband ?mdf ? b-tit thirty-five years* ago, noved to colunbua to bo nenr i^ra# Jor.ri 2. l-'ovia, Jr., an o;ily daughter of T>r# Ash ford, >.fc*n interviewed, "Mararaar rink" we *t ?;tru Pevia* homo, H J< a nicldlin r u !wt ns folio till t9k? h d o ofcliti; nil h r Kin rar donrtj **:# is 96 *md hn no wwi?y mid no pponorty, but ehe hns fc r ^enori^s f? id "frank 0*wd% "'mm Davits - h<*v FnHr&inn~*wp.&\t fri nd wifl b#nf>fnetros8 210 ]tfhitley, 4-29-37 ^ ^ _>> y % Ex-Slave #119. MAMMY DINK IS DEAD Mammy Dink, who cooked and served and gained pure joy through faithful service, has gone to the Big House in the skies. She lacked but a few years of a hundred and most of it was spent in loving service. She was loyal to the families she worked for and was, to alllpractical intents, a member of the family circle She was 94 or 95 when she passed away-Mammy was about to lose track of mere age, she was so busy with other things- and she was happily at work to within a week of her death. She was an institution in Columbus, and one of the best -known of the many faithful and loyal colored servants in this city. Mammy Dink-her full name, by the way, was Dink Young-started out as a cook in a Talbot county family and wound up her career as cook for the granddaughter of her^ original employer. She was first in service in the home of !>r. M. 77. Peters, in Talbot county, and later was the cook in the family of Dr. T. R. Ashford, at Ellerslie, in Harris county. Then, coming to Columbus, she was cook in the home of the late Captain T. J. Hunt for some 20 years. For the last 27 years she had been cook for Mrs. John T. Davis, just as she had been cook in the h_me of her father, Dr. Ashford, and her grandfather, Br. Peters. Mammy, in leisure hours, used to sit on the coping at the Sixteenth street school, and watch the worl go by. But her greatest joy was in the kitche. The Davis family was dfcvoted to the faithful old servant. ago she developed a severe cold and was sent to the hospital. Saturday night-the old body had given out A week She passed away The funeral service was conducted yesterday afternoon from St* Philips colored church in Girard. She was buried in a churchyard cemetery, two of three miles out, on the Opelika road. The white people who were present wept at the departure of one who was both servant and friend* Page Z. Thus passes, to a sure reward, Mammy Dink, whose life was such a success s ^1 1 JjjiSf^ \-~ *-\ 4 -- ---fwm& mzmm* mozstm, 6 0 S/^ A cv: ! /-"iK* V' - V <*5 -. ,*?> EXQJSRPY3 FBQH 3I^TK XHTSBVlfflgS *:^? ">? "Aunt Adeline,* an ax-slave of Wllkes County, Georgia, thinks she is "around a hundred." liar first senary ls9 in Her own words, "my love for ay mother. I loved her sot X would ory whan X couldn't be with her. When X growed up, I kep* on lowing her jes' that-a-way, even after X married and had children of my own." Adeline's mother worked la the field, drove atears,and was considered the oast seat euttar on the plantation. The slave woman were required to spin, and Adeline's mother was unusually good at spinning wool, "and that kind of spinning was powerful slow," added the old woman. "My aother was one of the best dyers anywhere around* X was too* by mixing up all kinds of bark and leaves* X made colors X made the pretti- est sort of lilac oolqr with maple bark and pine bark- mot the outside pine bark, but that little thin skin that grows right down next to the tree." Adeline remembers one dress she love*: "X never will forget it as long as X live* Xt was a hickory stripe dress they made for mo, with brass buttons at the wrist bands* X was so proud of that dress and felt so dressed up in it, X just strutted*" 3he remembers the plantation store and the candy the master gave the *egro children. rVfri Augusta-Athena. ^1^ a*ipervisar* Miss Talma Ball* "Bright, pretty sticks of candy." Tim eups helsd a special niche in her memory* Bat there were punish great 3, too. *3eod or bad, we got whippings with a long cowhide kept juat for that. They whipped us to make us grow better, I rook out" Asked about doctors, Adeline replied2 "X was born, growed up, married and bad sixteen children and newer had no doctor till here ainoe I got ao old I" Plantation ingenuity was shown in home concoctions and tonics. At the first sniffle of a sold, the slaves were called in and given a drink of fat lightwood tea, made by pouring boiling water over split kindling. Cause lightwood got turpentine in it," explained Adeline. 3he said that a springtime tonic was made of anvil dust, gathered at the blacksmith's shop, mixed with syrup. This was occasionally raried with a ooncootion of garlie and whiskeyI Adeline adheres to traditional Begro beliefs, and concluded her recountal of folklore with the dark prediction: "Svery gloomy day brings death. Somebody leaving this unfriend* ly world to-day!" * Another version of slavery was given by Eugene, an Augusta Negro. His mother was brought to Augusta from Pennsylvania and freed when she same of age. whose master kept a Jewelry store. She married a slave The freed woman was re- quired to put a guardian over her children. The jeweler paid Pa^e 3 w * > t .1 * /W .it Eugene's father fifty cents a week and was angry when his mother refused to allow her children to work for him* Eugene's mothor supported her children by laundry work. ' Free colored folks 2&d to pay taxes," said Eugene* "And in AUjusta you had to have a pass to go from house to house. You couldn't go out at nijnt in Augusta after 9 o'clock. They had a bell at the old isarket down yonder, and it would strike every hour and half hour. There was an uptown market, too, at Broad and ^.oxJ.n^." Eugene told of an old legro preacher, l ed -Purdee, who hau a school for l :e&ro children in his back yard, in defiance of a law prohibiting the education of Negroes* Ked, said Su- gene, was put in jail but the punishment of stocks and lashes was not intended to be executed* The sympathetic Jailor told the old man; "Hod, I won't whip you. 1*11 just whip down on the atoc-:t and you hollerln >io i*ad made a groat noise, the jailor thrashed about with hit; stick, and no harm was done* Sugene touched on an unusual an^le of slavery when he spoke of husbands arid wives discovering taa$ they were brotaer and sister. "They'd tal.t about their grandfathers and grand- mothers,and find out that thoy had been separated when they ware children," ho said. "when freedom was declared, they called the colored people dowa to the parade ground, i'noy hud built a bi^ stand, and the Yankees and some of the loading colored man made addresses. /ou are free now* oric and make a living* ^o xionest work, x>on't steal* there are no more Page 4 masters. Tou are all free,' He said the ftegro troops came in, singing: "Don't you see the lightning? Don't you hear the thunder? It isn't the lightning, It isn't the thunder, It's the buttons on The "Tegro uniforms! Mary is a tiny woman, 90 years old. "I'd love to see some of the white folks boys and girls,n she said, smiling and shoeing a set of strong new teeth. tt We had school on our plantation, and a Hegro teacher named Mathls, but they couldn't make ne learn nothin'. I sure Is sorry now! Mary's plantation memories, in contrast to those of slaves who remember raostly molasses and corn-pone, include tomato rice, chickens, baked, fried and stewed. pies!" Mary closed her*eyes. n And chicken Don't talk about ea! I told my grand children last week, I wanted to eat some old-time potato pie!H They played "peep-squirrel," Mary remembered. "I never could put up to donee much, but none could beat me runnin'. "peep Squirrel" was a game we made up on the plantation. The girls peeped out, then ran by the men, and they*d be caught and twirled around. They said I was like a kildee bird, I was so little and could run so fast! I was 17 years old. They said I was married when 1 know it was after freedom. I had the 0 15 Page 5 finest kind of marrying dress that my father bought for me. It had great big grapes hanging down from the sleeves and ar und the skirt." Mary sighed. "I wish*t I had-a kep it for my children to saw!" Rachel's master called his people ' servants", not i-tegroes or slaves. Rachel. "He de bes* marster in de worl*, " said "I love his gravel" Rachel nursed her aunt's children while the mother acted as nurse for "de lady's baby wfaut cose fua Russia wid de merster's wife." bassadors bsby. The czarina was godmother for the am- "Marater bin sonewheh in de back part o' de worl'." explained the old woman, "You see, he wuz de guv'nor. tic knowed all de big people, senetras and all." ed. "I was a old maid when I mnrried," sue said. de law. Rachel laugh* "De broom - ?uz All we hodder do was step over de broom befo' witnesses nnd we wuz marry!" "As far as I kin rekelloc'," said Laura, "my mother was give." She could not remember her age, might be 75 years old. but estimated that she Her native dignity was evident in her calm manner, her neat clothing and the comfortable, home-like room. "Dey say in dem days," she continued, "when you marry, dey give you so many colored people. Hy mother, her brother and her aunt was give to young Mistls when she marry de Baptis* preacher and come to Augusta. When dey brought us to Augusts, I wuz de baby. Round wheh de barracks is now, was de Baptis* SIC Page 6 parsonage. My mother was a cook. comin* down Broad Street. Reynolds Street. was speakin*. 21? I kin remember de Yankees Dey put up when ae barracks ia on Dey ca*yed me to de fairground. De man I thought it wuz up in de trees, but I know now it muster been a platform in bushes. Laura, what did you see?* Mlatis say to me: 'Well, I say: *Miatia, we is all free.' I such a lil* chile she jus laugh at me for saying sich a thing. When I was siok, she nuss me good." Laura remembered a long hmse with porches on Ellis Street, "running almost to Greene," between 5?th and 8th, where slaves were herded and kept for market day. "Dey would line fem up like horses or cows,'* she said, "and look in de mouf * at dey teeth. Den dey march 'em down together to market, in crowds, first Tuesday sale day." In contrast to the pleasant recollections of most of the ex-slaves, Matilda gave a vivid picture of the worst phase of plantation life on a Georgia plantation. She had been plowing for four years when the war started. "I wuz in about my thirteen when de war erd," she mumbled. "fi de fusf overseer, dey whu-op me to show me how to wuk. I wuk hard, all de time. I never had no good times. I so old I kain't rekelleo my raarster's name. I kain't 'member, honey. I had too hard time. Jus' hulled in. We live in, a weather-board house, We had to eat anyting dey give us, moa ly black a.t8 Page 7 lasses in a great big ole hogshead. When de war gwine on, we Lad to live on rice, mos'ly, what dey raise. hard time. V/e had a Didn't know we wuz free for a long time. give overseer so Eiean, de slaves run away. blood-noun* to fin"eia. All Dey gits de Dey done dug cave in de wood, down in de ground, and hide dere. Dey buckle de slave down to a log and beat de breaf outter dem, till de blood run all over everywhere. When night ooiae, dey drug *em to dey house and greases 'em down wid turpentine and rub salt in dey woun's to raek *em hurt wuss. mek him mean, De overseer give de raan whiskey to yhen dey whu-op my mother, I crawl under de house and cry." One of Matilda's younger friends, listening, modded 1 er head in sympathy. "7fhen Matilda's mind was clearer she told us terrible stories," she said. "It makes all the rest of us thankful we weren't born in those times.*1 Matilda was mumbling end weeping. i "Dey wuz mean overseer," she whispered. "But dey wuz run out o' de country. Gone white ladies in de neighborhood reported *uia and had 'urn run out." "Aunt Easter" is from Burke County. Her recollections are not quite so appalling as Matilda's, but they are not happy memories. "Dey didn* learn me nothin' but to churn and clean up P age 8 house. ^1U 'Tend day-boy, churn dat milk, spin and cyard dat roll." Asked if the slaves were required to go to Church, Easter shook her head. "Too tired. Sometime we even had to pull fodder on Sunday. Sometlrae we go to church, but all dey talk about wuz obeyin' Massa and obeyin' Missus. 3efo we went to church, we had to git up early and wash and iron our clo'es. Easter's brother was born the day Lee surrendered. "Dey name him Richmond," she said. Carrie had plenty to eat in slavery days. heap better off if it was dem times now," didn't mistreat de slaves. "I'd be a she said. "My folks When freedom come, de niggers come 'long wid dere babies on dey backs and soy I wuz free. 'em I already free! I tell Didn't mek no diffrunce to me, freedom!" Malinda would gladly exchange all Iier worldly possessions and freedom to have plantation days back again. She owns her home and has a garden of old-fashioned flowers, due to her megic "growing hand." "I belonged to a preacher in Ca'lina," said Malinda. "\ Baptis' preacher. house servants. My fambly wasn't fiel* han's, dey wuz all Marster wouldn't sell none o' his slaves. When he wanted to buy one, he'd buy de whole fambly to keep fum having 'em separated." Page 9 Malinda and her sister belonged to the young girls. n Whar*ever de young Miatises visited, we went right erlong. My own mammy tuk long trips wid ole Mistis to de Blue Hidge Mountings and sometimes over de big water.*1 Malinda said the slaves danced to *quills,M a home-made reed instrument. "My mammy wuz de bes* dancer on de plant as him,* asserted the old woman. "She could dance so sturdy, aha could balance a glass of water on her head and never spill a drapJ" Amelia, like many of the old slaves in Augusta to-day, came from South Carolina. "I put on a hoopskirt one time,1* she said. "I wanted to go to church wid a hoop on. I nueh a lil* gal, all de chlllun laugh at me, playin* lady. I take it off and hide it in de wood.** Amelia remembered her young mistresses with affection. w Dey wuz so good to me,* she said, I was a lil* gal wid a tiny wais*. M dey like to dress me up! Dey put corsets on me and laoe me up tight, and then dey take off all dey medallion and jewelry and hang *era roun* my neck and put long sash on me. I look pretty to go to dance. When I git back, I so tired I thow myself on de bed and sleep wid dat tight corset on me!1* 20 QO-i FOUR SLAVES WBHTLWES) by MfiDDE BARRAGE, EDIIK HELL LOVE, RUBF LORRAINE RADFOHD KLLflN CAlffiEELL, 1030 Brayton Street, Augusta, Ga., 1846. Sllen Campbell lives in a little house in a garden behind a picket fence. Ellen is a sprightly, erect, black woman ninety years old. little eyes sparkled behind her glasses as she talked to us# Beady Her manner is alert, her mind is very keen and her memory 6f the old days very clear* Though the temperature was in the high nineties she wore two waists, and her clothes were clean and neatly patched. There was no headcloth covering the fuzzy grey wool that was braided into innumerable plaits. She invited us into her tiny cabin. The little porch had recently been repaired, while the many flowers about the yard and porch gave evidence of constant and loving care to this place which had been bought for her long ago by a grandson.who drove a "hack.* When she took us into the crowded, but clean room, she showed us proudly the portrait of this big grandson, now dead. All the walls were thickly covered with framed pictures of different members of her family, most of whom are now dead. Abraham Lincoln. fr i Derets all ray chillun. gone now but one niece* In their midst was a large picture of I had fo* daughter and three I deeded de place to her. f grands1, but all She live out north now, but she send back de money fer de taxes and insurance and to pay de firemens.* Then she proudly pointed out a framed picture of herself when she was young. w VJhy Auntie, you were certainly nice looking then.* Her chest expanded and her manner became more sprightly as she said, *I yjf&s de pebble on de beach den I* And I suppose you remember about slavery days?*1 "Yes ma*m, lfm ninety years old - I wus a grown foman when freedom come# I * longed to Mr* William Eve* De plantachun was right back Bare - all dis land was fields den, slap down to Bolfces**" a lot abouy those times?11 "So you remember She laughed delightedly* married Colonel Jones* "Yas'm* I longed to Miss Eva Eve* My missus He got a boy by her and de boy died** "You mean Colonel Jones, the one who wrote books?n ,fYasfm* He a lawyer, too, down to de Cote House* My missus was Mrs* Carpenterfs mother, but she didn't brought her here*" "You mean she was her step-mother?" "Yasfm, dat it* I go to see dem folks on de hill sometime* Dey good to me, allus put somepen in mah hands*" "What kind of work did you do on the plantation?" "When I wus rbout ten years old dey started me totin* water ~ you know cafin water to de hands in de field* job, 'tending sheep* f Bout two years later I got my first field When I wus fifteen my old Missus gib me to Miss Eva you know she de one marry Colonel Jones* My young missus wus fixinf to git married, but she couldn't on account de war, so she brought me to town and rented me out to a lady runnin* a boarding house* missus. De rent was paid to my One day I wus takin* a tray from de out-door kitchen to de house when I stumbled and dropped it# De food spill all over de ground* mad she picked up a butcher knife and chop me in &* haid. I come to de place where my white folks live* De lady got so I went runninf till Miss Eva took me and wash de blood ait mah head and put medicine on it, and she wrote a note to de lady and she say, r Ellen is my slave, give to me by my Bother* happen to her no more dan to me# I wouldn't had dis She wonrt come back dere no more*1" *Were you ever sold during slavery times, Aunt ELlen?* tf Nd*m* I wa*nt sold, but I knows dem whut wus* Jedge Robinson he kept de nigger trade office over in Hamburg#* Oh yesf I remember the old brick building** n Yas*m, dat it* kept dere0 Well, all de colored people whut gonner be sold was Den dey broug fem over to de market and put f era up fer sale* Anybody fixin* to buy fem, famines *em to see if dey all right* Looks at de teef to tell *bout de age*1* *And was your master good to you, Auntie?* *Ifll say dis fer Mr. William Eve he de besf white man anywhere round here on any dese plantachuns* Dey all own slaves* He wus killin* hogs stidy fum Jinury to March. wus four cows* My boss would feed*em well* He had two smoke-houses* Dere At night de folks on one side de row of cabins go wid de piggins fer milk, and in de mawntnfs dose on de odder side go fer de piggins or milk** *And did you have plenty of other things to eat?* *Law, yas*m* syrup* Rations wus given out to de slaves; mealf meat and jugs o* Dey give us white flour at Christmas* gyrden patch, and chickens* Every slave family had de Marster buy eggs and chickens fum us at market prices** *Did the overseer^ ever whip the slaves or treat them cruelly?* "Sometipes dey whup de bare skin* drivers* f ara make fem strip off dey shirt and whup f em on My boss had a white overseer and two colored men dey call If dey didnft done right dey dus whup Ira you and turn you loose** Vf Did the Eves have a house on the plantation, too?* tt Nofm, dey live in town, and he come back and fofth every day* warnft but three miles* It De road run right fru de plantachun, and everybody drive fru it had to pay toll* Dat toll gate wus on de DfLeigle plantachun* Dey built a house fer Ess Kitty Bowles down by de double gate where dey had 4 to pay de toll* Dat road where da Savannah Road is** When asked about war times on the plantation ELlen recalled that when the Northern troops were around ?/aynesboro orders were sent to all the masters of the nearby plantations to send ten of their best men to build breastworks to hold back the northern advance* , *Do you remember anything about the good times or weddings on the plantation?11 She laughed delightedly* "Yas^^lfthen anybody gwine be married dey tell de boss and he have a cake fix# Den when Sunday come, atter dey be married, she put on de white dress she be married in and dey go up to town so de boss see de young couple ** "Den sometimes on BaAday night we have a big frolic* De nigger frum Hammond's place and Fhinizy place, Eve place, Clayton place, DfLaigle place all git togedder fer big dance and frolic* A lot o* de young white sports used to came dere and pish de nigger bucks aside and dance wid de wenches** "What happened, Auntie, if a slave from one plantation wanted to marry a slave from another?1* She laughed significantly* "Plenty* Old Mr* Miller had a man name Jolly and fce wanner marry a woman off anmder plantachun, but Jolly's Marster He say, f When dey couldn't come to no f wanna buy de woman to come to de plantachun* is fair fer de gander** away to de woods* Den dey abb de bloodhounds on rim* fence so de hounds could git fru# Whutrs fair fer de goose greement de man he run Dey let down de rail Dey sarch de woods and de swamps fer Jolly but dey neber find him* "De slaves dey know whar he is, and de woman she visit Im# down dere and plenty of grub dey take He had a den f im, but de white folks neber firjd him* Five hundred dollars wus what Lliller put out for whomsover git him*n 225 "And you say the woman went to visit him?" "Yes, Ma'm. De woman would go dere in de woods wid him. Finally one night when he was outer de swamp he had to lie hidin' in de ditch all night, cross from de nigger hospital. Den somebody crep' up and shot him, but he didn't die den. Dey cay'ed his crost to de hospital and he die three days later." "What about church? Did you go to church in those days?" "Yas'm, we used to go to town. But de padderolas wus ridin' in dem days, and you couldn't go off de plantachun widout a pass. So my boss he build a brick church on de plantachuhn, and de D'Laigles build a church on dere's." "What happened if they caught you off without a pass?" "If you had no pass dey ca'y you to de Cote House, and your marster hadder come git you out." "Do you remember anything about the Yankees coming to this part of the country?" At this her manner became quite sprightly, as she replied, "Yas'm, I seen 'em comin' down de street. Every one had er canteen on he side, a blanket on his shoulder, caps cocked on one side de haid. De cavalry had boots on and spurros on de boots. First dey sot de niggers free on Dead River, den dey come on here to sot us free. Dey march straight up Broad Street to de Planters' Hotel, den dey camped on Dead River, den dey XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX camped on de river. Dey stayed here six months till dey sot dis place free. When dey campin' on de river bank we go down dere and wash dey clo'es fer a good price. Dey had hard tack to eat. Dey gib us de hard tack and tell us to soak it in Water, and fry it in de meat gravy. I ain't taste nothing so good since. Dey say, 'Dis hard tack whut we hadder lib on while we fightin' to sot you free." RACHEL SULLIffitt* 1327 Reynolds Street, Augusta, Ga*, Born 1852* We found Rachel Sullivan sitting on the porch: of a two room house oai Reynolds Street* She is a large, fleshy woman* Her handmade yellow homespun was baggy and soiled, and her feet were bare, though her shoes were beside her rocker We approached her cautiously* "Auntie, we heard you were one of the slaves who used to live on Governor Pickens* place over near JEdgefield^" "Yas^, Yasfm* I shore wus* yonder on de Edgefield road# to cross de creek* He gin us our ehu*ch - de one over Nofm you canft .see it fum de road* You has Old Marster had it pulled out de low ground under de baraith arbor, and set it dere*w "And what did you do on the plantation, Auntie?" "I wus a nufs gal, 'bout f leben years old* I nursed my Auntie1 s chillun, while she nufsed de ladyfs baby whut come from Russia wid de MarsterTs wife - nursed dat baby fum de breasfs I mean* nusses iii dem days* been embassador# All de white ladies had wet Her master had just returned from Russia, where he had Her baby had the czarina for a godmother * "And so you used to look after you aunt's children?" "Yas'm* I used to play wid fem in de big ground wid de monuments all around " Tffiiss Lucy Holcome was Governor Pickens* second wife, wasn't she?11 "Miista wus, matm#tt nAnd wkaoot were you born on the plantation at Edgefieid?" "I wus born at Ninety-six* place* Log Creek place xkKXK was Marstef *s second Oh, he had plantachuns everywhere, clear over to Alabama# overseers on all de places, ma^m*11 He had 8 "Did the over seers whip you or were they good?" "Overseers wus good* let t em been nothin* else* Marster in de world* chun* Dey better been good to us* Marster wouldntt And Marster wus good* Lawdy, us had de bes* It wus great times when he come to visit de planta~ Oh Lord, when de Governor would come - dey brung in all de servants* M&rster call us lagoons* f sarvantsrt not f niggers** He say * niggers wuk down in de So when de Governor come dey brung in all de sarvants, and all de little chillun, line *emf s up whar Marsterfs caifage gwine pass* Llarster stop defe in de lane and He de besf ilarster in de world* r r em a charge* zamine us all to see is us all fight* I love his gteve*" "Den hefd talk to de overseer* gib And Dere was Emmanuel and Mr* DeLoach* He Dey couldn*t whup us or treat us mean** "How many slaves did your Master have .Auntie?" "Oh, I don't know Exactly - over a thousand in all I reckon* He had plantachcms clear over to Alabama/ I luv my Marster* Dere wus Marster wus a world manager I f bout seventy plower hands* and Lordy f f bout a hunnard hoe hands** "Did your master ever sell any of the slaves off his plantation?" Nofm - notfless dey did wrong* ft Three of overseer* Mr* Whitefifeld, and Hiarster put wouldntt tolerate dat* f em had chillun by de r em on de block* He say you keep de race pure* Lawdy, he made us lib right in dem time*" "And what did he do to the ororseer?" "He sont him off - he sont him Sown to de low place*" "I guess you had plenty to eat in those good old days?" If 0hf yes ma*m - dey*s kill a hunnard hogs*" "And what kind of &@g| && did you have?" Kb mafm he 9 228 "Des like dis atreet ~ two rows facin* each odder, only dey wus log houses** "Did they have only one room?n "Yas'm* room But sometimes dey drap a shed/down if dare wus heap o* chullun** "Did you have a good time at Christmas?* *6h yasfm* No matter where Marster wus - rarost de water er ennywhere he send us a barrel of apples, and chestnuts - dey had chestnuts in dam days and boxes of candy* He sont fem to flfemuel and Mr* DeLoach to gib out#tt *So your master would sometimes be across the water?" ^Laidy, yasfm, he be dere somewhere in de back part of de world* You see he wus govfnur* He knowed all de big people -Mr* Ben Ti&lman and all - he was aenetra** "Auntie do you remember seeing any of the soldiers during the war?w "Does I? Law honey i after dey surrender * off# Dey come dere to de plantachun fbout ten ofclock Oh and dey wus awful, some of f em wid legs off or arms De niggers took all de mules and put fem down in de sand field* dey took all de wiiomens and put Den f em in de chillunfs house. And dey lef * a foot# guard dere to stand over fem, and tell him not to git off de jta&b You know dey didnft want put no temptation in de way of dem soldiers** i *What kind of work did some of the slave women do?" "Everything* I had a one-legged auntie - she was de searaster* fum one year end to de odder* She sew Anodder auntie wus a loonier** "And where did you go to church?n "We went to de Salem Chufch# us to go to chufch* wus Methodis** freedom come*" Yasfm we all go to ftu*6h# Marster want We sit 0 one side - so * and dey sit over dere* Dey tfy mother was Lfethodis*, but dey gib her her letter when OQCl "How about dances, Auntie? "Yassum, on Sadday night. Did they have dances and frolics?" But boys had to git a pass when dey go out or de Padderola git 'em.M tfSo you had a happy time in those days, eh? ff "Lawdy, yasfm. If de world would done now like dey did den de world wouldn't be in such a mess* I gwine on eighty-five, but I wish de young ones wus raise* now like I was raise. Marster taught us to do right.n "How many children have you?H WI had 'leben - seben livin now." Then she laughjfced. ^ut I wus ole maid when I git married." W I wus twenty years oldj In dem days all dey hadder do to git married wus step over de broom.n "Step over the broom. Didn't your master have the preacher come and marry you?" "Lawdy, no'm. De broom wus de law!11 Then she laughed. "Jus1 say you wanner be married and de couple git together 'fore witnesses and step ober de broom." "Do you remember when freedom came?" "Lawdy yas'm# Ibj. DeLoach come riding up to de plantachuh in one de o' dem low-bellied ca'yages. He call to Jo and James dem boys what stay round de house to bring wood and rake de grass and sich he sont Jc and Jim down to all de fields to tell all de hands to come up. Dey unhitch de mules fus de plows and come wid de chains rattlin1 f and de cotton hoers put dey hoes on dey shoulders wid de blades shinin1 in de sunf and all come hurrying to hear what Mr. DeLoach want wid1 em. rant to *em. Den he read de freedom wajv One man so upset he start runnin1 and run clear down to tk de riber and k jump in." EUGENE WESLEY SMITH. 1105 Robert Street, Augusta, Ga., Born 1852 Eugene is 84 years old. sparse beard* He has thin features, trembling lips and a His skin is a deep brown, lined and veined. over white socks are scaly. His legs showing His hands are palsied, but his mind is intelligent. He shows evidences of association with white people in his manner of speech, which at times is in the manner of white persons, again reverting to dialect. Eugene stated that his father was a slave who belonged to Steadman Clark of Augusta, and acted as porter in Mr. Clark1 s jewelry store on Broad Street. His grandmother came from Pennsylvania with her white owners. In ac- cordance with the laws of the state they had left, she was freed when she came of age, and married a man named Smith. married a slave. Eugene1 s Her name was Louisa. H Arntw As his mother was free, her children were free, but Eugene added: w She had put a Guardian over us, and Captain Crump was our guardian. Guardians protected the Negro children who belonged to them. n To illustrate that children were considered the property of the mothers*1 owners, he added that his uncle went to Columbia County and married a slave, and that all of her children belonged to her master. Mr. Clark, who owned Eugene1 s father, paid him 50/ a week, and was angry when Louisa refused to allow her children to work for him. H He was good in a way,H admitted Eugene, "Some masters were cruel to the colored people5 but a heap of white people wonft believe it. H I was too little to do any work before freedom. with my mother, and ran around. I just stayed She did washing for white folks. We lived 12 in a rented house. sometimes at night. taxes. O* 2S1 My father1 s master, Mr. Clark, let him come to see us Free colored folks had to pay taxes. Mother had to pay Then when they came of age, they had to pay taxes again. Augusta you had to have a pass to go from house to house. Even in They had frolics. Sometimes the white people csaae and looked at lem having a good time. couldnH go out at night in Augusta after 9 o'clock. You They had a bell at the old market down yonder, and it would strike every hour and every half hour. There was an "uptown market, too, at Broad and McKinne.11 Asked about school, Eugene said: "Going to school wasnH allowed, but still some people would slip their children to school. There was an old Methodist preacher, a Negro named Ned Purdee, he had a school for boys and girls going on in his back yard. They caught him and put him in jail. get so many lashes every day for a month. the man siad: holler. f Ned, I wonft whip you. He was to be put in stocks and I heard him tell many times how I 11 whip on the stock, and you So Ned would kahuex holler out loud, as if they were whipping him. They put his feet and hands in the holes, and he was suppcsed to be whipped across his back.H "I read in ti^e paper where a lady said slaves were never sold here in Augusta at the old market, but I saw them selling slaves myself. They j>ut them up on something like a table, bid fem off just like you would horses or cows. Day was two men. Mr. Tom Heckle. He used to buy slaves, speculating. Wilson. I kin rekellect. I know one was called The other was named They would sell your mother from the children. That was the reason so many colored people married their sisters and brothers, not knowing until they got to a&bxgxaa talking about it. One would say, f I remember my is o >o grandmother,' and another would say, 'that's my grandmother,* then they'd find out they were sister and "brother. H Speculators used to steal children, n said Eugene, I saw the wagons. They were just like the wagons that came from North Carolina with apples in. Dey had "big covers on them. The speculators had plantations where t|tey kept the children until they were big enough to sell, and they had an old woman there to tend to those children.M "I was a butler." M So I were young. marry me. (A dreamy look came into Eugene's old eyesf) I saw a girl and fell in love with her, and asked her to 'Yes,1 she said, 'when I get grown!' grown mysilf. ' I was sixteen years old. I married her in my fatherlfc house. I said, ' I am not quite When I was trettty-one years old My mother and father were dead then. I had two sisters left, but my brothers were dead too.H WI quit butling when I got married. canal here. They was enlarging the It was just wide enough for the big flats to go up with cotton. They widened it, and I went to work on dat, for $1.25 a day. They got in some Chinese when it was near finished, but they wasnH any good. The i Irishmen wouldn't work with niggers, because they said they could make the job last eight years- the niggers worked too fast. They accomplished it in about four years. "After working on the canal, I left there and helped dig the foundations of Sibley Mill. river, I helped dig that. The raceway, the water that run from canal to Then after that, I went to Mr. Berckmans and worked for him for fifty years. All my children were raised on Ms place* 14 Q >ii* That's how come my boy do garden work now. give me a house on the place. and a garden. He f lowed me to have chickens, a little fence, He was very good to us. potted plants all day long. I worked for 50$5 a day, but he That was Mr. P. J. Berckmans. I used to work at night. money, just let them keep it for me. I I wouldn't draw no After they found out I could read and write and was an honest fellow, they let me take my work home, and my children helped me make the apple grass and plum grass, and mulberry grass. A man come and told me he would give me $60 a month if I would go with him, but I didn't I couldnH see hardly ejtall then- I was wearing glasses. Now, in my 84th year, I can read the newspaper, Bible and everything without glasses. wife died two years ago.w up) \fy (Tears came into Eugenefs eyes, and his face broke tt We lived together 62 years! * Asked if his wife had been a slave, Eugene answered that she was but a painful effort of memory did not reveal her owner1 s name. "I do remember she told me she had a hard time," he went on slowly. "Her master and misses called themselves freligious people1 but they were not good to her# They took her about in the barouche when they were visiting. She had to mind the children. They had a little seat on the back, and theyfd tie her up there to keep her from falling off. Once when they got to a big gate, they told her tc get doen and ppen it for the driver to go through* i not knowing the hinges was broken. That big gate fell on her back and she was down for I don't know how long. Before she died, she complained of a pain in her back, and the doctor said it must have been from a lick when she was a child. 15 "During the war there were some Southern soldiers went through. two friends of mine were together. I and Those soldiers caught us and made us put our hands down at our knees, and tied leia, and run the stick through underneath. It was wintertime. They had a big fire. They pushed us nearer and hollered nearer the fire, until we hadtiiwcai. It was just devilment# They was having fun with us, kept us tied up about a half hour* There was a mulatto boy with us, but they thought he was white, and didnH bother him. One time they caught us and throwed us up in blankets, way up, too~~ I was about 11 years old then.M Asked about church, Eugene said* "We went to bus& meetings up on the Sand Hill out in the woods. They didnH have a church then.M Eugene's recollections were vijfid as to the ending of the war: "The Northern soldiers come to twon playing Yankee Doodle. When freedom come, they called all the white people to the courthouse first, and told them the darkies was free. Then on a certain day they called all the colored people down to the parade ground. They had built a big stand, and the K Yankees and some of our leading colored men got up and spoke, and told the i Negroes: M You are free now. Don't steal. Now work and make a living. honest work, make an honest living to support yourself and children. masters. You are free* Eugene said when the colored troops come in, they sang: Don*t you see the lightning? Don't you hear the thunder? It isn't the lightning, It isnH the thunder, But its the button on The Negro uniforms!w Do No More *6 The siaves that was freed, and the country Negroes that had been run off, or had run away from the plantations, was staying in Augusta in Guvfment houses, great big ole barns. They would all get free provisions from the Preedmen1 s Bureau, but people like us, Augusta citizens, didaH get free provisions, we had to work. It spoiled some of them. When the small pox come, they died like f&tsa hogs, all over Broad Street and everywhere, * WILLIS BEN&EFISLD. HEPHZIBAH, OJU, Born 1835. "Uncle Willis* lives with his daughter Rena Berrian, who is 74 years old. W I his baby, w said Rena, H all dead but me, and I ainH no good for him now cause I canft tote nothin1.11 When asked where Uncle Willis was, Rena looked out over the blazing cotton field and called: "Pap! Qb~-pappy! Stop pickin1 cotton and come in awhile. Dey's some ladies wants to see you." Uncle Willis hobbled slowly to the cabin, set in the middle of the cotton patch. He woVe clean blue overalls, obviously new. regular features had high cheekbones. His small, There was a tuft of curly white hair on his chin, and his head was covered with a "sundown" hat. "Mawnin, M he said, "I bin sick. So I thought I might git some cotton terday.H Willisthinks he is 101 yeass old. He said, "I was 35 years 17 old when freedom delcared.M on Rock Creek plantation. He belonged to Dr. Balding Miller, who'lived Dr. Miller had three or four plantations, Willis said at first, but later stated that the good doctor had five or six places, all in Burke County. ,f I wuk in de fiel1,11 he went on, "and I drove de doctor thirty years. He owned 300 slaves. I never went to school a day in my life, 'cept Sunday school, but I tuk de doctor's sons fo* iriles evfy day to school. Guess he had so much business in hmd he thought the chillun could walk* used to sit down on de school steps Hill dey turn out. I I got way up in de alphabet by listening but when * went to courtin1 I forgot all dat.M Asked what his regular duties were, Willis answered with pride; M Marster had a cay'age and a buggy too. and I driv de doctor. Sometines I was fixing to go to bed, and had to hitch up my horse and go five or six miles. pairs for cay1 age. My father drivf de cay'age I had a regular saddle horse, two Doctor were a rich man. He made his money on his farm. Vfhen summertime come, I went wid him to Bath, wheh he had a house on Tena Hill. We driv1 down in de caytage. we went to church when Dr. Goulding preach. I hear him preach many times. Richest man in Burke County. Sundays De darkies went in de side do1. H Asked about living conditions on Sock Creek plantation, Willis replied: "De big house was set in ahalf acre yard. f Bout fifty yards on one side was my house, and fifty yards on de udder side was de house of granny, a woman that tended de chillun and had charge of de yard when we went to Bath," Willis gestured behind him, "and back yonder was de quarters, 18 rvJijg a half mile long; dey wuz one room fcrostf and some had shed room. When any of fem got sick, Marster would go round to see rem all.w Asked about church and Bible study, Willis said: ,f I belongst to Hopeful Church, fiatiarx Church people \nould have singin1 and prayin1, and de wicked would have dancin1 and singin1* a regular daneer" Willis chuckled. At dat time I was "I cut de pigeon wing high enough! many cullud people know de Bible in slavery tine. and sing too," he went on, "and we sang a song, Not We had dances, and prayers f 0n Jordan's stormy banks I stand, and cast a wishful eye. " "How about marriages?" he was asked. "Colored preacher marry tem. the preacher, and he marry *em. You had to get license and give it to When de men on our plantation had wives on udder plantations, dey call tem broad wives." "Did you give your wife presents when you were courting?" he was asked. f, I went to courtin1 and never give her nuthin1 till I marry her." As to punishment, Willis said thrt slave* were whipped as they needed it, and as a general rule the overseer did the whipping, "When darky wouldn't take whippin* from de overseer,0 he said, he had to cayfy dem to de atiboss; and if we needed any brushin1 de marster "fcrush f em. Why, de darkies weuld whip de overseer!" Willis was asked to describe how slaves earned money for personal use, and replied: "Dey made dey onw money. In slavery tim?, if you wanted four or five acres of land to plant anything on, marster give it to you, and whatever dat 19 land makef it belong to you. You could take dat money and spend it any you Still he give you somethin1 to eat and clothe you, hut dat patch wanted to. you mek cotton on, sometimes a whole hale, dat money yours.n Willis thought the plantation house was still there, "but it badly "Dey tell me dere ain!t nobody living in it now. wounded," he said# It seven miles from Waynesboro, south." "When de soldiers come thoo*, continued Willis, "dey didnft burn dat place, but dey went in dere and took out ev1thing dey want, and give it to de cullud people. Dey kep1 it till dey got free. Millers horses and carry em off. smoke1 ouse and tuk de meat out. iron chist. De soldiers tnk Dr. Got in de crib and tuk de corn, (lot in de Old Marssa bury his money and silver in a Dey tuk it 300 yards away to a clump of trees and bury it. tuk fo1 men to cafy it. Dere was money without mention in dat chist! It After de soldiers pass thoo, de went down and got it back.11 "What did you do after freedom was declared?H Willis straightened up. "I went down to Augusta to de Freedmenfs Bureau to see if twas true we mz free. I reckon dere was over a hundred people dere. got up and stated to de people, got no mistis and no marSter. ,: you is jus1 as free as I am. The lpan You ain*t Work wheh you want." On Sunday morning old Marster sent de house girl and tell us to all come to de house. He said: H What I want to send for you all, is to tell you you are free. You hah de privilege to go anywhere you want, but I don't want none of you to lsave me now. I wants you-all to stay right wid me. If you stay, you 20 you mus* sign to it.* free.1 I asked him: "What you want me to sign for?, I is f Dat will hold me to my word, and hold you to yof wordff he say. All my folks sign itt "but I wouldnH sign. Marster call me up and say: already *If I is free f I don*t need to sign tWillis, why wouldn t you sign?1 I say: no paper* If I was working for you, and doing for you befo* I got free, I can do it still, if you want me to stay wid yo1.1 to git me to sign, bufc I wouldnft sign. My father and mother tried My mother said: How you know Marster gwine pay?1 I said: f You oughter sign. 'Den I kin go somewhere else.* Marster pay first class hands $15.00 a month, other hands $10.00, and den on down to five and six dollars* He give rations like dey always, n When Christ- mas come, all come up to be paid off. Den he call me. wus standin1 roun* de corner of de house. Ask whar is me? l Come up here,1 he say, *you didn!t sign dat paper, but I reckon I have to pay you too.1 my wife $180,000. I said: I got my money too.1 den I lefldere. else. I He paid me and *Well, you-all thought he wouldnU pay me, but I stayed to my marsterfs place one year after de war Nexf year I decided I wuld quit dere and go somewhere It was on account of my wife. You see, Marster bought her off, as de highes*, and she hadnft seen her mother and father in Waynesboro for 15 years* 21 o When she got free, she went down to see ^*was on account Mistis and her* f em* 10 WarenH willinf to coma back* Dey bofe had chilluns, five-six years old* i 'De chillun had disagreement* Mistis slap my girl* % wife sass de Histis* I wouldnft have leff him But my marster, he was as good a man as ever born* for anybody, just on account of his wife and her fell out*" "What did your marster say when you told him you were going to leave? Was he sorry?* n I quit and goes over three miles to another widow lady house, and mek "I pass right by de dof* bargain wid her," said Willis* de pi-za* He say: f Hey, boy, wheh you gwine?f was de fo'man of de plow-han* den* dat* He say: 'Hold on dere#' I say; Old boss sitting on 'I 'cided to go*' I I saw to all de locking up, and things like He come out to de gate* 'I tell you what I give you to stay on here, I give you five acre of as good land as I got, and ^30*00 a month, to stay here and see to my bizness*' Willis paused a moment, thinking back on that long distant parting* ff I say," he went on, "I can't, Llarster* It donft suit my wife 'round here, and she won't eome back, and I can't stay*T busted out crying* f I didn't thoft I could raise up a darky that would talk thataway,' he said tq me* de house* He turn on me den, and Marster says: 7/ell, I went on off*- I got de wagon and come by 'Now you gworie off, but don't forget me, boy* Remember me as you always done*1 I said: 'iJl right*tn Tillis chewed his tobacco reflectively for a few minutes, spat into the rosemary bush, and resumed his story * "I went over to dat widow ladyfs house and work* sick* She say: 'I going to send for de doctors Along about May I got I said: 'Please ma'am, don't do dat*' I thought maybe he kill me 'cause I lef1 hinw She say: 'Well, I gwine send fo' him,1 I in desprut condition. I was laying wid my face toward de do1 and I turn over walk up in ae do'. wD octor come up to de "bed. I say. of him? He say: x When I know anything, he I see you is. f I "bad off,-1 Boy, how you getting on?* yeh*1 Lady say! 'Mistis, it mos1 too late,1 he say, f 'Doctor, what you think hut I do all I kin. She say: 'Please do all yof kin, he '"tout de bes1 han1 I got.1 "Doctor fix up med'cine and tole her to give it to me. She says "Uncle Will, tek dis med'cine.* I 'fraid to tek it, *fraid he wuz tryin1 to kill me. Den two men, John and Charles, come in. in Uncle Will.r 'Get dis med*cine One of de men hold my hand, one hold my head, and dey gagged me and put it in me. so I git better. Lady say: few days I kin talk, and ax for some thin1 to eat, Nex I say: f Well, he didn't kill me when I tuk de Medfcine.* H I stayed dere4 wid her. Nex1 yar I move right hack in two miles other side wheh I always live, wid anudder lady# Got along all right* plenty corn and hog. I stay dere three years. When I lef from there, I lef' dere wid $300.00 and wa,nt Everything I suofc, and three hundred dollars cash in my pocketJH (it was plain that in his present status of relief wardf Uncle about t Willis looked hack on that sum of money as a small fortune. He though*!t awhile, spat again, and went on:) "Fourth year I lef and went down to de John Fryer place on Rock Creek. I stayed dere 33 years in dat one place." "Uncle Willis, did you ever see the doctor again?" "He die 'fore i know it,H he replied, "I was '"bout fifteen miles from him and be de time I hear of his death, he bury on plantation Bear Rock Creek. w 23 P-VJ Willis was asked about superstitions, and answered with-great seriousness: "Eberybody in de worl' have got a spirit what follow fem roun' In my sieep I hah vision.w and dey kin see dif front things. "Pappy, tell de ladies '"bout de hant,H urged Aunt Rena from her post in the doorway, and Willis took up the story with eagerness: "One night I was gwine to a lady's store, riding a horse. De graveyard was 100 yards from de road I wuz passing. "bright as day. De moon was shining I saw somethin1 coining out of dat graveyard. de road, right befo' me. His tail were dragging on de ground, a long tail. He had hair on both sides of him, laying down on de road. pull de hoi se dis way, he move too. yell out: He crep1 "up. I pull him day way, he move too. I I f Fnat in de name of God is dat?1 And it turn ri^at straight * round de graveyard and went "back. pin1. It come across I went on to de ladyfs store, and done my shop- I tell you I was skeered, hut I never saw it. f cause I was sho1 I would see it going "back, De horse was turrihle skeered of it. It looked like a Maryno sheep, and it had a long, swishy tail.H Uncle Willis was asked if he had ever sec;: *. person "conjured" and he answered: w Dey is people in de worl1 got sense to kill out de conjur in anybody, hut nobuddy ever conjur me. I year 'urn say if a person conjur youf you'll git sonethin' in you dat would kill you.H 24 Asked to what he attributed his long, healthy life, he raised his head with a preaching look and replied: "I tell you, Missis, 'zactly what I believe. serve God ever since I come to be a man of family, I bin trying to serve de Lawd 79 years, and I live by precepts of de word. can turn me away from ttod business. I bin tryin1 to Until today nobuddy I am a man studying my gospel. I ainft able to go to church, but I still keep serving God." A week later Uncle Willis was found standing in the cabin door. "Do you want to ride to the old plantation to-day?" he was asked. His vitality was almost too low form to grasp the invitation, f, f I 3e niizht weak today," he said in a feeble voice. "I don't feel #>o& for much." "Where is Aunt Rena?" he was asked. ff Do you think she would mind your taking an automobile trip?" "She gone to town on de bus, to see de flambly Welfare." "Have you had breakfast?" his reak appearance indicated lack of food. "I had some ^coffee, but I ain't kac eat none." "Well, come on, Uncle Willis. We'll get you some breakfast, and then we'll take you to the plantation and take your picture in the place \7here you were born 101 years ago." Uncle Willis appeared to be somewhat in a daze as he padlocked the cabin door, put on his"sundown" hat, took up his stout stick and tottered down the steps. He wore a frayed sweater, with several layers of shirts showing at the cuffs. On the way he recalled the first railroad train that passed through Burke County. H I kinder scared, H he recollected, flyin1 long thout any horses, ,f we wuz all mazed to see dat train De people wuz all afraid. M f,Had you hear of airplanes "before you saw one, Uncle Willis?11 "Yes, ma*am. I yeared o1 them, but you couldn't gimme dis car full of money to fly, they1 s too high off de ground. I never is gwine in one." Uncle Willis was deposited on the porch of one of the remaining slave cabins to eat his "brekkus," while his kidnappers sought over hill and field for "the big house, * but only two cabins and the chimney foundation of a large burned dwelling rewarded the search. He was posed in front of the cabin, just in front of the clay and brick end chimney, and took great pleasure in the ceremony, rearing his head up straight so that his white beard stuck out. The brutal reality of finding the glories of Rock Creek plantation forever vanished must have been a severe blow for the old man, for several times on the way back he wix>ed tears from his eyes. Once again at his cabin in the cotton field, his vitality reasserted itselff and he greeted his curious dusky neighbors with the proud statement: "Dey tuk me wheh I was bred and born. I don't ax no better tirae.M His farewell words were: "G-oo'by?, I hopes you all gits to Paradise." Eta / 3C 0.0 FOLKLORE Interviews obtained from: Mrs. Eimaaline Heard, 239 Cain 5t* NE Mrs* Rosa Millegan, 231 Chestnut Ave* NE Mr* Jasper Millegan, 231 Chestnut Ave. NE Atlanta, Ga 245 Mrs* Emmaline Heard, who resides at 239 Cain St. HE has proved to be a regular storehouse for conjure and ghost stories* Not only this but she is a frim believer in the practice of conjure* jure is her appearance* To back up her belief in con- She is a dark brown-skinned woman of medium height and always wears a dirty towel on her head* The towel which was at one time white gives her the weird look of an old-time fortune teller. Tuesday, December 8, 1936 a visit was made to her home and the following information was secured: "There wuz onct a house in McDonough and it wuz owned by the Sniths that wuz slate owners way back yonder* ter me by old Uncle Joe Turner and he house I donft care how they tried. Now, this is the trufe cause it wuz told f spirience it* Nobody could live in this Dey say this house wuz hanted and anybody that ttted to stay there wuz pulled out of bed by a hant. Well, sir, they offered the house and $1,000 to anyone who could stay there over night Uncle Joe said he decided to try it so sho nuff he got ready one night and went ter this house to stay* After while, says he, something come in the rooia and started over ter the bed, but fore it got there, he said, "What in the name of the Lord you want with me* "It said, f follow me* There is a pot of gold buried near the chimney; go find it and you won't be worried with me no more.* Der next feorning Uncle Joe went out there and begin ter dig and sho nuff he found the gold; and sided that he got the house* Dis here is the trufe. Uncle Joefs house is right there in McDonough now and anybody round there will tell you the same thing cause he wuz well-known. Uncle Joe is dead now. "Anudder story that happened during slavery time and wuz told ter me by father wuz; this; The master had a old man on his plantation named Jimson. Vfell, Jimson's wife wuz sick and had been fer nearly a year* One day there she wanted some peas, black yyed peas; but old man Harper didn't have none on his plantation, so Jimson planned ter steal off that night and go ter old Marse Tanielfs farm., which wuz 4 miles from Marse Harper1 s farm, and steal a few peas for his wife, Well, between midnight and day he got a sack and started off Page 2. down the road* 34? Long after while a owl started hootin, sho-o-o are-e-e, who-o o-o-, and it wounded jest lak someone saying fwho are you*f Jimson got scared, pulled off his cap and run all the way to old man Daniel's farm. wuz saying, "Sir, dis is me, old Jimson* over and over again. As he run he Now, when he got near the farm Old Daniel heard him and got up in the loft ter watch him* Finally old Jimson got dar and started creeping up in the l ft* When he got up dar, chile, Marse Daniel grabbed his whip and fmost beat Jimson ter death* "This here story happened in Mississippi years ago, but den folks that tell it ter me said it wuz the trufe. her name wuz Mary Jones. died* f There wuz a woman that wuz sick; Well, she lingered and lingered till she finally In them days folks all around would come ter the settin-up if somebody wuz dead* They done sent some men after the casket. Since they had ter go 30 miles they wuz a good while getting back, so the folkses decided ter sing* After while they heard the men come up on the porch and somebody got up ter let em in. Chile, jest as they opened the door that foman set straight up on that bed; and sech another runnin and getting out of that house you never heard; but some folks realized she quznft dead so they got the casket out der way so she wouldnft see it, cause they wuz fraid shw would pass out sho nuff; jest the same they wuz fraid of her, too. The man went off and come back with postols, guns, sticks, and everything; and when this said, oman saw fem she f donft run, I wonft bother you1* but, chile, they left there in a big hurry, too. Well, this here Mary went to her sisterfs house and knocked on the door, and said: 'Let me in. tell you where I've been.1 in. f This is Mary. I want to talk to you and The sisterfs husband opened the door and let her This foman told fem that God had brought her to and that she had been in a trance with the Lord* *tfter that every one wuz always afraid of that foman and they wouldnft even sit next ter her in the church* living* They say she is still Page 3. This happened right yonder in McDonough years ago. a party with her sweetfart and her ma told her not ter go. A gal went to Well, she went on anyhow in a buggy; when they got ter the railroad crossing a train hit the buggy and killed the gal, but the boy didnft git hurted at all. Well, while they wuz sittin up with this dead gal, the boy comes long there in his buggy with anudder gal, and do you know that horse stopped right in front uv that house and wouldn't budge one inch. No matter how hard he whip that horse it v;ouldnft move; instid he rared and kicked and jumped about and almost turned the buggy over. The gal in the Duggy fainted. Finally a old slavery time man come along and told him to git a quart of whiskey and pour it around the buggy and the hant would go away. pass. So they done that and the sperit let f em If a hant laked whisky in they lifetime, and you pour it round where theyfs at, they will go away." The following are true conjure stories supposedly witnessed by Mrs. Heard: Now, he TJUZ "There wuz a Rev. Dennis that lived below the Federal Prison. the preacher of the Hardshell Baptist Church in this community. This man stayed sick about a year and kept git tin different doctors and none uv them did him any good. go ter see Dr. Geech. legs ter his thighs. Well, his wife kept on at him till he decided ter His complaint wuz that he felt something run up his 01$ Dr. Geech told him that he Lad snakes in his body and they quz put there by the lady he had been going wid. Dr. Geech give him some medicine ter take and told him that on the 7th day from then that come and take the medicine off the shelf and throw it away. f oman would Course Rev. Dennis didnft believe a thing he said, so sho nuff she come jest lak Dr# Geech said and took the medicine away. Dr. Geech told him that he would die when the snakes got up in his arm, but if he wotfld do lak he told him he would get all right. Dis faman had put this stuff in some whiskey and he drunk it so the snakes breed in his body. After he quit taking the medicine he got bad off and had ter stay in the bed; sho nuff the morning he died you could see the 248 Page 4* snake in his arm; the print uv it wuz there when he died. 249 The snake stretched out in his arm and died, too. "I got a son named Jack Heard. Well, somebody fixed him* I wuz in Chicago when that happened and my daughter kept writing ter me ter come home cause Jack wuz acting funny and she thought maybe he wuz losing his mind. They wuz living in Thomasville then and every day he would go sit round the store and laugh and talk, but jest as soon as night would come and he would eat his supper then fits would come on him. He would squeal jest lak a pig and he would get down on his knees and bark jest lak a dog. fcer see a old conjure doctor. Well, I come hiane and went He says ter me, 'that boy is hurt and when you go home you look in the corner of the mattress and you will find it# f Sho nuff I went home and looked in the corner of the mattress and there the package wuz. It wuz a mixture of his hair and bluestone wrapped up in red flannel with new needles running all through it. have you got 8 dimes ?f When I went bake he says ter me, "Erumaline, No, I said, but I got a dollar* f Well, get that dollar changed into 10 dimes and take 8 of fem and give fem ter me# Then he took Jack in a room, took off his clothes and started ter rubbin him down with medicine; all at the same time he wuz saying a ceremony over him; then he took them 8 dimes, put f em in a bag and tied them around Jackfs chest somewhere so that they would hang over his heart. f Now, wear them always,1 says he ter Jack. Jack wore them dimes a long time but he finally drunk fem up} anyway, that doctor anred him cause he sho would a died." The following aroma few facts as related by Mrs. Heard concerning an old conjure doctor known as Aunt Barkas. "Aunt Darkas lived in McDonough, Ga. until a few years ago. when she wuz 128 yeras old; but, chile, lemme tell you that ter do fer you. She died f oman knowed just what She wuz blind but she could go ter the woods and pick out any kind of root or herb she wanted* She always said the Lord told her what roots to get and always fore sun-up you would see her in the woods with a short handled pick. 20() Page 5. She saicl she had ter pick ,em for sun-up; I donft know why. If you wuz sick all you had ter do wuz go ter see Aunt Darkas and tell her. She had a well and after listening to your complaint she would go out there and draw a bucket of water and set it on the floor, and then she would wave her hand over it and say something* After this shjh would She called this healing the water give you a drink of water* take this and drink.f As she hand it ter you, she would say, f now drink, Honey, I had some of that water myself and blieve me it goes all over you and makes you feel so good* Old Aunt Darkas would give you a supply of water and tell you ter cone back fer more when that wuz gone* Old Aunt Darkas said the Lord gave her power and vision, and she used to fast for a week at a time* When she died there wuz a piece in the paper bout her* ft This here is sho the trufe, and if you donft believe it, go out ter Southview Cemetery and see Sid Heard, my oldest son; he been out there over 20 years as sexton and bookkeeper. Yessir, he tole it ter me ?.-nd I believe it. This happen long ago, 10 or 15 years. There wuz a couple that lived in Macon, 0a., but their home wuz in Atlanta and they had a lot out ter Southview. Well, they had a young baby that tuck sick and died so they had the babyfs funeral there in Macon; then they put the coffin in the box, placed the label on the box, then brought it ter Atlanta. faces the east. Fokkee are always buried so that they head They say when Judgaent Day come and Gabriel blow that trumpet everybody will rise up facing the east. Sid Heard met f em out yonder and instructed his men far arrangements fer the grave and everything. distance. Well, as I wuz saying, they came here. She siad, A few weeks later the f Mr. Heafd.f me and my husband canft rest at all. f oman called Sid Heard up long Yesmam, he said. f VJhy? f f he asked. Icall youter tell you f Because we can hear our baby crying every night and it is worrying xx us ter death. next door say our baby must be buried wrong.1 Our neighbors Sid Heard said, Well, I buried the baby according ter the way you got the box labeled. f you, Mr. Heard, but if I pay you will you take my baby up?1 I am not blaming Yesmam, I will if 251 you watn me to; jest let me know the day you will be here and Ifll have every- thing ready* Alright * said she. Well, 'said Sid Heard, f the day she wuz ter come she wuz sick and instead sent a car load of her friends. The men got busy and started digging till they got ter the box; when they too, it up sho nuff after they opened it, the found the baby had been buried wrong; the head was facing the west instead of the cast. They turned the box around and covered it up. went on back to Macon. she says. The folks then A week later the omen called up again. Yesraam, says he. f Mr. Heard, f Well, I havonft heard my baby cry at all in the I wuznft there but I know the exact date you took my baby upt past week. cause I never heard it cry no more." On December 10, 1936 Mr. and Mrs. Millegan who reside at 231 Chestnut Ave. NE# were interviewed on the subject of superstitions, signs, conjure, etc. Mrs. Rosa Millegan studied awhile after the facts of the interview were made clear to her. Finally she said; "I kin tell you more bout conjure; thatfs all I know bout cause I done been hurted myself and every \vord of it is the trufe* "V/ell, it happen lak this. I wuz suffering with rheumatism in my arm and a old man in the neighborhood came ter me and gave me some medicine that he v;aid would help me. a little. V/ell, I done suffered so I thought mebbe it might help me Chile honey, *after I done tuck some of that stuff I nearly went crazy* I couldnft talk; couldnft hardly move and my head look lak it bust open. didnft know what ter do. no good. I I called medical doctors and they jest didnft go me Let me tell you right here, when you done been conjured, medical doctors can't do you no good; you got ter get a nudder conjur doctor ter get it off you. doctors. Well, one day I says to my daughter, "Ifift through wid medical Ifm gwine ter Sam Durham. Chile, folks done give me up ter die. she wonft never get up. said: f They say he is good and I go find out. I use ter lay in bed and hear fem say, Well, I went ter Sam Durham and he looked at me and You is hurt in the mouth.f He carried me in a small room, put some 232 Page 7. medicine around my face, and told me ter sit down a while. After while my mouth and face begin ter feel lak it wuz paralyzed, and he begin ter talk* f That man that give you that medicine is mad wid you about his wife and he fixed you. Now do what I tell you and you will overcome it. He is coming ter Donft let him touch you, your door and is gwine want ter shake your hand. but speak ter him in the name of the Lord and throw your hands over your head; by doing this you will overcome him and the devil.f Judder thing he says; This man is coming from around the back of your house.f Then he give me 5 vials of different lengths and a half cup of pills, and told me ter take all that medicine* He told me too ter get a rooster and let him stay on my porch all the time and he couldnft get ter me no more. Sho nuff, that nigger cane jest lak he said he wuz going ter do, but I fixed him. Later on this same man tried ter fix his wife cause he thought she had anudder man. oman couldnft drink water in her house? Do you know that and when he died he wuz nearly crazy; they had ter strap him in the bed; all the while he wuz cussin God and raving*" The next stories were told to the writer by Mr. Jasper Millegan: ' My uncle wuz poisoned. Yes, sir, somebody fixed him in coffee. lingered and lingered and finally got so he wuz confined ter bed fer good. He Same- Body put scorpions in hip and whenever they would crawl under his skin he would nearly go craxy, and it looked alk his eyes would jest pop out. long ter go ter the conjure doctors they couldnft do him any good. medical doctors ainft no good fer nothing lak that. would start in his feet and run up his leg. He waited so And the Yew, sir, them snakes He nebber did get any tetter and he died* "A long time ago I saw a lady that wuz conjured in her feet; some* body put something down fer her ter walk over. Well, anyway she got down with her feet and couldnft travel from her bed ter a chair. Well, she got a old con* lJure doctor ter ccme treat her and he rubbed her feet with medicine and after he done that a while he told her that something wuz coming out of her feet. Sho Pafes 8. 253 nuff, I seefd them maggots with my own eyes when they come out of her feet; but she got well." The following are preventatives to use against conjure; also a few home treatments for different sickness. "Ter keep from being conjured, always use plenty salt and pepper. Always get up soon in the morning so nobodjt can see you and sprinkle salt and pepper around your door and they sho can't git at you. "If you think you done been poisoned or conjured, take a bitter gourd and remove the seeds, then beat f em up and make a tea. You sho will heave all of it up. "Ef you think you will have a stroke, go to running water and get four flint rocks; heat f em and lay on all of them, and believe me, it will start your blood circulating and prevent the stroke. Another way to start your blood circulating; heat a brick and (lay) lie on it# n To get rid of corns, bathe ycur feet in salt water arid take a little salt and put it f tween your toes.n Mrs. Millegan closed her interview by telling the writer that every morning found her sprinkling her salt and pepper, cause she knows what it means ter be fixed. As the writer started out the door she noticed a horse shoe hanging over the door. : : \\ i.,t' c 254 FOLKLORE (Negro) Minnie B. Ross On November 24, 1936 Mrs. Camilla Jackson was interviewed concerning superstitions, signs, etc. Mrs. Jackson^an ex-slave^ is about 80 years of age and although advanced in years she is unusually intelligent in her speech and thoughts. The writer was well acquainted with her having previously interviewed her concerning life as a slave. Mrs. Jackson related to the writer the following signs and incidents: If a tree is standing in your yard or near your house and an owl lights in it and begins to hoot, some one in the family will die. If, during the illness of a person, a cat comes in the room, or the house^ and wnines, the person will die. Another sure sign of death and one that has been experienced by Mrs. Jackson is as follows: Listen child if a bird flies in your house some* one is going to die. My daughter and I were ironing one day and a bird flew in the window right over her head She looked up and said, "mama that bird came after me or you, but I believe it came for me." One month later my daughter took sick with pneumonia and died. My mother said before the Civil War ended her mistress owned an old slave woman 100 years old. This old woman was very wicked and the old miss used to visit her cabin and read the Bible to her. Well sir, she died and do you know the horses calked and would go every ws^r but the right way to the grave. end would turn straight around in the road them. They rared and kickedu 'cause the evil spirits were frightening It was a long time before they could get the body to the grave. Mrs. Jackson before relating the following experiences emphatically stated ner belief in seeing the dead but only believes thfct you can see them in a dream. "Many a night my sister has come to me all dressed in white. ner call me too; but I have never answered . old Mr. and Mrs. Tanner came to me in a dream. stood over my bed. wore it. I have heard No longer than one night last week The old lady came in my roan and Her hair was done up on the top of her head just like she always She was distressed and spoke about some one being after her. Old Mr. Tannrr -2came and led her away. They really were in my room f 255 you see both of them died in this house years ago.* Mrs. Jackson could not relate any stories of conjuring; but did mention the fact that she had often heard of people wearing money around their legs to | keep from being conjured. She also spoke of people keeping a horseshoe over the door for good luck. During slavery and since that time, if you should go out doors on a drizzling night for any thing,before you could get back Jack 0?lantern would grab | you and carry you to the swamps# | door the Jack 0f lantern would turn you aloose. I to turn your pockets wrong side out. \ If you hollowed and some one bring a torch to the Another way to get rid of them is One day a man came here selling roots called "John the Conqueror11 and \ | sister Blakely there, paid him 10^ for one of the plants , but she never did plant j it. I He said the plant would bring good luck. On the same day Mrs. Jackson was interviewed, Mrs. Anna Grant told the writer that if she didnft mind she would relate to her a ghost story that was sup\ posed to be true. | In her own words the writer gives the following story: Onst a foman, her husband and two chillun wuz travelin1 j a. preacher and only wanted to stop over night. sinnerf but she woz a Christian. This foman wuz Now this * Oman's husban1 wuz a Well' she* saw an old empty house setting in a field out when she went ter inquire fbout it she wuz told that it wuz hanted and no one had ebber been able ter stay there over night. De lady dat owned de house offered aer pillows, bed clothes, sheets, etc-, if she intended:-to-stay*rand even told her that she would give her de house if she could stay there. The woman that owned Dua nouse told her butler to go and make a fire for the family and carry the pillows, sheets, etc. Well, they all got there the (oxnan built a fire, cooked supper and led fem all. Her husband and children went ter bed. The husband wantedto know " V his wife wanted him to go to bed and she wanted ter stay up. The wife didiiSt V say nothin1 , just told him ter go to bed, then she laid the Bible on the taTMLe bottom side up and kept looking behind her# The house wuz two story and after while: something came ter the top steps and said, "Can I throw down," (| t;irow down in the name of the father, son and Holy Ghost.11 cane down. Later the same voice sed, "Can I throw down," in the name of the father,son and the Holy Ghost," she said Two thighs and a foot and she said,"throw down and then a whole body came down* The husband woke up when he heard the noise and ran away from the house* The ghost told the 'oman ter follow her, and she picked up her Bible and kept on reading and The ghost showed her where.some money was buried near a Trent on behind the ghost* oi.j oak tree and then vanished. The next morning the ' oman dug and found der money, but the toman of the house wouldn't take a penny, said she didlift want it, sides that she gave her the house. ,ru: xianted wuz f They said this wuz a true story and der reason dat house cause der family dat used to live there got killed about money. l-lrs. Grant ended by saying "Dares a horsesnoe over my door right now for luck." Mrs* Emmaline Heard lives on Cain St. between Fort and Bufeler Sts. She is an ex-slave and on a previous occasion had given the writer an interacting account of slavery as she knew it* When the writer approached her concerning superstitious signs, ghost tales, conjure etc., Mrs. Heard1s face became lit with interest and quickly assured the writer that she believed in conjuring, ghosts, and signs. not long before our interview began. It was Mrs. Heard, although seventy or seventy-five rears old, is very intelligent in her expression of her different thoughts* This interview, as nearly as possible, was taken in the exact words of the person interviewed* "If you are eating with a mouthful of food and sneeze, that sho is a true si n of death* I know that 'cause years ago I wuz havin1 breakfast with my son Wylie aiu one other boy and Wylie sneezed and said "Mama I'm so sorry I jist coundnft help i: the sneeze cane on me so quick. vonder* I jist sat there and looked at him and began ter Two weeks later my orother rode up and announced my mother's death* is one sign thats true, yes sir. That -4 - 257 If a picture falls off the wall some one in the family will die, i If you dream about teeth, if one falls out thats another sign of death* i Another sign of death jest as sho as you live is ter dream of a person named. ! I dreamed my son was naked but his body was covered with hair. months later he died. Three Yes sir, that sho is a true sign. Jest as sho as your left hand itches you will receive money. If fire ucms on you from the stove, or fire place, you will get a letter* [ If the left side of your nose itches a man is coming to the house. If it i [ itches on the tip, he will come riding. i \ If the right side of your nose itfiies a woman is coming to the house. i \ Following are stories told to Mrs. Heard by her parents, which took place i \ during the period of slavery. They are supposed to be true as they were experienced j bj the persons who told them. \ M My mother told me a story that happened when she was a slave. When her i j ai, ,ress whipped her she would run away ter the woods; but at night she would sneak \ back to nurse her babies. The plantation was on old McDonough road, so ter get ter \ tne plantation she had ter come by a cemetery and you could see the white stones | shining in the moonlight. This cemetery was near a cut in the road that people said was hanted and they still say old McDonough road is hanted. One night, mama i said she was on her way to the plantation walking on the middle of the road and the \ noon was shining very bright. When she reached this cut she heard a noise, Clack! Ihickl Clack!, and this noise reminded a person of a lot of machines moving. at once a big thing as large as a house came down the side of the road. All She said \ it looked like a lot of chains, wheels, posts all mangled together, and it seemed l tnat there were more wheels and chains than anything else. It kept on by making i I I'azt noise,clack{ clack! clack!. I ter tne farm. She stood right still till it passed and came on On her way back she say she didnft see it any more, but right till ter day that spot is hanted. I have knowed horses to run away right there with -5people and hurt them. in the other direction. 258 Then sometimes they have rared and kicked and turned to go You see, horses can see hants sometimes when folks can't. tfow the reason fer this cut being hanted was because old Dave Cope land used to whip his slaves to death and bury them along there." The next story was told to Mrs. Heard by her father, who experienced it, as a slave boy. ,( My father sed when he wuz a boy him and two more boys run away from the master fcause the master whipped 'em. They set out and walked till it got dark, and they saw a big old tmpty houti eettin1 lack from der road. miles from any other house* Now this house was 3 or 4 So they want in and made a fire, and laid down 'cause they wuz tired from running from the Pader rollers. Soon they heard something say t pi tapl tap!,down the stairs it came, a loud noise and then f,0h Lordy Master, I Rinu ^oin1 do it no more; let me off this time. After a while they heard this same noise like a house falling in and the same words !, it no more. Let me off this time." 0h Lordy Master, I ant goin* do By this time they had got good and scared,so my p*. sed he and his friends looked at each other and got up and ran away from that house jest as fast as they could go. Nobody knowed why this old house wuz hanted; cut they velieved that some slaves had "been killed in it." The next is a story of the Jack 0'lantern as told oy Mrs* Heard . "Old South River on1 the Jonesboro road is jest full of swampy land and on 'j rainy drizzly nignt Jack 0'lanterns will lead you. toe night my uncle started o;it ter see his girl and he had ter go through the woods and the swamps. When he ot in der swamp land he had ter cross a branch and the night wuz dark and drizzly, so dark you could hardly see your hand before your face. Way up the creek he saw a little bright light, so he followed it thinking he wuz on his way. All night long -e sed he followed this light up and down the swamp, but never got near ter it. day came he was still in the creek and had not gone any distance at all. Wl^en He went i*ome and told the folks and they went back ter the swamps and saw his tracks up and down in the mud. Later a group of 'em set out to find the Jack 01 lantern ajid way -6down the creek they found it on a bush. a bush, burnt out* 59 It looked like soot hanging down from My uncle went ter bed cause he wuz sleepy and tired down..- from walking all night ." The following three stories related by Mrs. Heard deals with practices of conjure. She definitely states that they are true stories; and backs up this state- ment by saying she is a firm believer in conjure. "As I told you beforefmy daddy came from Virginia. 01 Harper and brought ter McDonough as a slave boy. along south, he learned who the different slaves were. He wuz bought there by Well as the speculator drove When he got here he wuz told by the master to live with old uncle Ned fcause he wuz the only bachelor on the plantation. The master said ter old Ned, "Well Ned, I have bought me a fine - oung plow boy. I want him ter stay with you and you treat him right. Every night uncle Ned would make a pallet on the floor for daddy and make him go to bed. Y.rhen ae got in bed he (uncle Ned) would watch him out of the corner of his eye, but daddy would pretend he wuz asleep and watch old uncle Ned to see what he wuz going ter do. After a while uncle Ned would take a broom and sweep the fireplace clean, then he vnild get a basket and take out of it a whole lot of little bundles wrapped in white cloth. As he lay out a package he would say "grass hoppers,H "spiders*,"scorpian, H "snake heads", etc*, then hex would take the tongs and turn 'era around before the blaze so that they would parch. Night after night he would do this same thing until t:iey had parched enough, then he would beat all of it together and make a nowder; t;ien put it up in little bags. My daddy wuz afraid ter ask old uncle Ned what he aid with these bags, but heard he conjured folks with fem. '< gal ' cause she wouldn't pay him any attention. In fact he did conjure This gal wuz very young and pre- ferred talking to the younger men, but uncle Ned always tried ter hang around her "'.ud help hoe, but she would always tell hLn to go do his own work cause she could do ners. One day he said ter her "All right madam, I'll see you later, you wont notioe me now but you'll wish you had. 7 - * 260 When the dinner came, and they left the field they left their hoes standing so they would know jest where ter Start when zaey got back. When that gal went back ter the field the minute she touched that noe she fell dead. Some folks say they saw uncle Ned dressing that hoe with conjure. "My sister Lizzie sho did get fixed, honey, and it took a old conjurer ter et the spell off of her. It wuz like this: Sister Lizzie had a pretty peachtree and one limb spreaded out over the walk and jest as soon as she would walk under this limb, she would stay sick all the time* The funny part 'bout it wuz that while she wux at other folks house she would feel all right, but the minute she passed under this limb, she would begin ter feel bad. One day she sent fer a con- jurer, and he looked under the house, and sho nuff, he found it stuck in the sill. It looked like a bundle of rags, red flannel thing else. all stuck up with needles and every This old conjurer told her that the tree had been dressed for her ana t'would be best fer her ter cut it down. It wuz a pretty tree and she sho did iiate to cut it down, but she did like he told her. Yes child, I donft know whither I've ever been conjured or not, but sometimes ray head hurts and I wonder H Mrs. Heard asked the writer to return at a later date and she would probably be able to relate more interesting incidents. FOLKLOBE Edwin Driskell (Beero) , V 289 The Negro folklore as recounted below was secured from the following persons: Mrs. Julia Rush (an ex-slave) who lives at 878 Coleman Street, S.H.; Mr. George Leonard (a very intelligent elderly person) whose address is 148 Chestnut Avenue N E.; and Mr.Henry Holmes (an ex-slave); Mr. Ellis Strickland; Mr. Sam Stevens and a young boy known only as Joe* The latter named people can be found at the address of 257 Old Wheat Street, N. E# Ac- cording to these people this lore represents the sort of thing that their parents and grandparents believed in and at various times they have been heard to tell about these beliefs* VOODOO AND CONJURE Mr* Leonard says: M In dem days de old folks b'lieved in witch-craft and conjure and sicha stuff like dat* Dey b lieved dat an old person could punish anybody by taking a piece of chip and spitting on it and den dey would throw it on fem. Dey said dat in two weeks time maggots would be in 'em." W I have seen fem take a black cat an1 put 'im in a sack an1 den dey took f im an' put 'im in a pot of boiling hot water alive* tear dat pot up tryin' to git out. Man de cat would almos' After dey had cooked all de meat off de cat dey took one of his bones (I don't know which one of 'em) an put it crossways in their front teeth while dey mumbled somethin' under their breath an' den dey took dis bone an' throwed it 'cross de right shoulder an' when dey went an1 picked it up an' put it in their pocket it was supposed to give 'em de besf kind of luck* Dey could ssy or do anything dey wanted to an1 ole marster couldn't hit 'em.H Regarding the Black cat's bone Mr. Strickland told the following story which he says he once heard an old man tell his father: 862 - 2 "You goes out in de valley in de woods an1 you takes a live black cat an1 throws 'im in a pot of boiling water* You boils 'im till he gits done all to pieces an1 den you tskes all de bones an1 throws 'em in de creek an1 de one dat floats up de creek is de one to use* You takes dis bone an' draws it through your teech an' gits all de meat off an' den you can take dat bone an' do all kinds of majic. dey can't see you* You can talk to folks an! You can even disappear an1 come right back. a good 'un to do dat (get a black cat's bone)* It takes While you's boiling de cat dat thunder an' lightnin' look like it goin* tear up de face of de earth you can even see de wind which is like a red blaze of fire." Continuing Mr* Strickland saysl "Some of de roots dat dey used to bring 1 im luck an' to trick folks wid wuz Rattle-Snake Marster, and John de Con- queror . John de Conquerer is supposed to conquer any kind of trouble you gits intuh. Some folks fays dat you can tote it in your pocket an' have good luck. "I once kncwed a woman who had some ledestone dat she uster work. She could take men an1 dere wives apart an' den put 'em back together again* She say dat she had killed so many folks (by the use of conjure and majic etc.) dat she did'nt know whether she would ever git fit fer forgiveness. She sold She sold herslef to de devil fer twenty years." "Aint nuthin wrong wid folks all de time when dey thinks dey is tricked,H says Mr. Strickland. "I had a friend named Joe once an1 he uster fool *roun wid roots an' stuff like dat. One day he heard about a man who had promised to pay five-hundred dollars to anybody dat could cure him of de misery in his stomach. He thcught somebody had "tricked* him by put tin' a snake in 'im. Joe stayed wid 'im fer two days an' he did'nt git no better an' so he went out de nex1 day an' botaght a rubber snake an den he come back an' give de man some medecine to make ' im vomit. When he comited Joe throwed de snakei in - 3 de can an1 den he said to de man: you.H De man said? ,f Dere it is, I knowed somebody had fixed M Dey tol1 me somebody had put a snake in me,11 Joe took de snake an1 done away wid it an* de nex1 day de man wuz up walkin1 'rouru He never did know how he had been fooled an1 Joe made de five-hundred dollars " According to Mrs* Hush the wife of the colored foreman on her master*b plantation was always working with roots. She says H One day I come in fum de field to nurse my baby an1 when I got to my house dere was dis woman stands ing at my door. I said to her: whut is you doin'?rt up on her* M Name o' God Aunt Candis (dat wus her name) She was makin1 all kings of funny motions when I come If you aint scared of 'em dey can't do nuthin to you. hollored at her de sweat broke out on her face* Tfhen I By dis time I had stayed away fum de field too long an1 I knowed I wus goin' to git a whippin1 but Candis gimme some of de roots she had in her mouth an1 in her pockets. to put piece of it in my mouth an1 chew it-# She tol1 me When I got near de overseer I was to spit some of de juice towars him an1 I would1 nt git a whippin1 tied a piece of it 'roun my waist an1 p6t some in my trunk too. git a whippin1 when I got to de field but when I went to 'roun my waist it wus gone. piece wus gone too. I I did'nt look fer de root When I went back to de house dat night de other I aint seed it fum dat day to dis. on de .plantation honored Candis but I didfnt. De rest of de women Dey say dat folks like dem can put stuff down fer you to walk in er set in or drink an1 dat dey can fix you lie dat. But dey can't do nuthin1 wid you if you aint scared of 'em.w "Not so long ago a woman whut uster live back of me tried to do sumpin1 to me after we had a fuss. I woke up one mornin1 an1 looked out by my back fence an1 dere wus a lotsa salt an' sulphur an' stuff all 'roun de yard. De other women wus scared fer me but I wus'nt." Several of my informants say that salt can be used as a weapon of conjure. -4According to Joe sslt may be used to make a gambler lose all of his money. 264 T6 do this all that is necessary is to stand behind the person to be conjured and then sprinkle a small amount of salt on his back. lose money. Prom that instant on he will Joe has also seen a woman use the following method to make her male friend remain at home; "She taken some salt an1 pepper dnf sprinkled it up an1 down de steps,H says Joe, "an1 den she taken a plain eatin1 fork an1 stuck it under de door steps an! de man stayed right in de house until she moved de fork,11 Mr. Stevens says: H If you want to fix somebody all you got to do is to sprinkle some salt anf petter 'roun fem an1 it111 make fem bus1 dere brains out. If you grants to maJke 'em move you go out to de grave yard an1 stick your hand down in de middle of a grave an1 git a handful of dat red graveyard dirt an1 den you comes back an* sprinkles it 'roun dere door an1 deyfs gone, dey can*t stay dere. a manfs head, Another conjuration is fer a woman to make three waves over I saw one do dat once.H Another method used to fix or conjure people, according to Mrs, Rush, is to take a lizard and parch it. The remains must be put in something that the person is to eat and when the food is eaten the individual will be conjured. Mr. Holmes says if a black cat's tail is tied on someone1s doorknob it will "cut dey luck off." % Silver money tied around the leg will ward off the effects of conjure. Mrs, Rush says if you are feeling ill and you wish to determine whether or not someone has been trying to conjure you or not just take a silver coin and place it in your mouth. If it turns black somebody is working conjure on you. W I knowed a man who went to Newnan to see his mother who wus sick,H stated Mrs* Rush. ^She wus so sick dat she could1 nt tell whut wus de matter wid her an1 so her son took a silver quarter an1 put it in her mouth an1 it turned as black as a kettle.H -5-265 Says Mr. Holmes: "If anybody comes to your house an1 you don't want 'em dere, when dey leaves you take some salt an1 throw it at fem when dey gits out of hearin1 you cuss at f em an1 dey wonft never come back again;w. Following are some songs that used to be sung about conjure, etc.: SON: "Mother, make my bed down I will freely lie downt Mother, make my bed down I will freely lie downH MOTHER: "Ransom, my son, what did she give you to eat? Ransom, my son, what did she give you to eat? SON: "Red head (parched lizard) and speckle back Oh, make my bed down I will freely lie down." "Ifm goin1 to pizen (poison) you, Ifm goin1 to pizen you, Ifm jus1 sick an1 tired of de way you do, Ifm goin1 to sprinkle spider legs froun yo' bed an1 you gonna wake up in de mornin1 an find yourself deac "You beat me an1 you kick me an1 you black my eyes, Ifm gonna take dis butcher knife an1 hew you down to ray size, You mark my words, my aame is Lou, You mind out what I say, Ifm goin1 to pizen you." POSITIVE CURES AND CONTROLS Mrs. Rush says that backache can be cured by rubbing a hot iron up and down the afflicted person's back* Asafetida tied around the neck will prevent smallpox* Risings can be cured by rubbing them with a poultice made from House-Leak root* -6- 26G To prevent a fall while walking from one side of a creek to the other on a log, place a small stick crosswise in the front-teeth and no mishap will result. Hold the mouth full of water while peeling onions and the onion juice will not get in the eyes. If a man wishes to make a woman fall in love with him all that he has to do is to take some of her hair, tie tt up, and then throw it in running water. In a shortv while she will fall deeply in love with him A man may also cause a woman to fall in love with him by letting her drink whiskey in which he has allowed w . According to both Mrs. Brown and Mrs. * - ople wno are born with cauls - 8 ~ (a kind of a veil) over their eyes are able to see ghosts. CUSTOMS CONCERNING COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE ' Mr. Leonard says that a young man wishing to accompany a young woman to her home always spoke in the following manner: "Dear kind Miss, if you have no objection 6f my being your protection, I'm going in your direction* It was in this manner that he asked her to allow him to escort her home. For several years after freedom was declared it was the custom for the bride and the groom to jump over the broom together before they were pronounced man and wife. HUNTINS LORE The best time to hunt 'possums is on a cloudy night just before the break of day. All of the big ones are out then Mr. Favors claims. 868 10014^ 269 COMPILATION POIKLOrfE INTERVIEWS - RICHMOND COUNTY CONJURATION Written "by: Louise Oliphant federal Writers' Project Angusta, Ge orgia. Edited l>yi John N. Booth, District Supervisor, Residencies 6 3c 7> Federal v.'riters' Project Au gus ta, G-e org ia. 10014-^ 270 G0ITJUHA.TIOH Richmond County's older colored citizens, particularly the few surviving ex-slaves, are outspoken in their firm belief concerning powers of conjurers and root workers. "When it conies to conjuration, don't nobody know more 1 bout that, and there ain't nobody had as nuch of it done to 'em as I have,11 said a wizened old woman. ,f what I have stood. ! I know nobody could stand The first I knowed bout conjuration was when a woman named. lucinda hurt my sister. 1 She was alv/ays a oig me,1 and her chillun was better than anybody elses. 7/ell her oldest child got pregnant and that worried Lucinda nearly to death* She thought everybody she seed was talkin' 'bout her child. One day she passed my sister and another ' oman standin' on the street la,ughinf and talkin' . Lucinda was so worried 'bout her daughter she thought they was laughin' at her. She got so mad she cussed 'em out right there and told 'em their 'turn was in the mill.' My sister called the other ' oman in the house and shut the door to Keep from listenin' at her. That made it wuss. ,,! Bout three weeks later my sister started complainin' . Us had two or three doctors with her, but *ione of 'em done her any good. The more doctors us got the wuss she got. Finally all of the doctors give her up and told us there warn't nothin' they could do. After she had been sick 'bout two months she told us 'bout a strange man comin' to her house a fev/ days 'fore she took sick. She said he had been there three or four times. She 2. 271 'membered it when he come hack after she took sick and offered to do some thin' for her. The doctors hadn't done her no good and she v/as just 'bout to let him doctor on her when this f oman that w&s with her the day Luoinda. cussed ' em out told her he v/as Lucindars great uncle. She said that every "body called him the greatest root worker in South Carolina. Then my sister thought f "bout how this man had come to her house and asked for water every time, -he wouldn't ever let her get the water for him, he alv/ays went to the pump and got it hisself. lifter he had pumped it off real cool he would alv/ays offer to get a bucket full for her. She didn't think nothin1 'bout it and she would let him fill her bucket. That1 s how he got her. "She stayed sick a long time and llamie stayed by her bed 'til she died. I noticed llamie v/ipin' her mouth every few minutes, so one day I asked her what did she keep v/ipin1 from my sister's mouth. She told me it wasn't nothin' but spit. .But I had got very anxious to knov/ so I stood '"oy her head myself. Finally I seed what it was. and nose, Small spiders caiue crav/lin' out of her mouth &amie thought it would skeer me,- that's why she didn't want me to >now# "That happened on Tuesday and that Friday when she died a small sna-ke came out of her forehead and stood straight up and stuck his tongue out at us. old man who was sittin' there with us ca/ught the snake, put him in a bottle, and kept him fbout two . aeks before he died. '"Don't think Lucinda didn't have pore Sarnie conjured too. lhamie took sick just one month after my sister died. After she 3. 272 found out the doctors couldn't do her no good, she got a real good root worker to doctor on her. He got her up and she stayed up for nearly a year before Lucinda doubled the dose* pore Mamie couldn1t git up. she died* She suffered and suffered before 3ut lucinda got her pay for all of it. died Lucinda come to see her and said dead anyhow1 That time When Mamie f some folks v/as better off Mamie fs daughter started to jump on her out some- of the old folks wouldn1t let her. "Lucinda went a long time, but v/hen she fell she sho1 fell hard. She almost went crazy* She stayed sick as long as my f sister and Kamie put together. She got so bad off couldn't even go in her house, ihrerybody said she was reapin1 what she sowed. the house. til nobody She wouldn' t even let her own chillun come in ^fter she got so sick she couldn't get off the bed she would cuss 'em and yell to the top of her voice 'til they left. Nobody didn't feel sorry for her !cause they knowed she had done too much devilment* 11 v/as talkin1 Just 'fore she died, Lucinda was so sick and everybody f bout it v/as such a sha.me for her to have to stay there by herself that her youngest daughter and her husoand went Her daughter v/as ffraid to go ay herself. "7hen to live with her. she died you could stand in the street and hear her cussin1 and ye 11in1. She kept sa,yinf not hinf to * em. iiie mf f take * em off of me, I ain't done Tell !em I didnft hurt !em, don't let 'em kill And all of a sudden she would start cussin1 G-od and anybody she could think of. down in the bed*11 V/hen she died it took four -en to hold her ,. v"r 4 . 273 n Vve been sick so much ftil I can look at other folks when they're sick and tell if its natural sickness or not* Once I seed my face always looked like dirty dish water grease v/as on f it every mornin* fore I washed it* Then after I washed it in the places where the grease was v/ould be places that looked like fish scales* Then these places would turn into sores* doctors and every one of f 1 went to three era said it v/as poison grease on my face. I knowed I hadn1 t put no kind of grease on it, so I couldn't see where it was comin1 from, -very time I told my husband he got mad, but I never paid too much ftention to that. day I v/as tellin1 a friend of mine husband must be doinf it. and sue said ne v/as just f l bout it Then one bout it, and she told me my I wondered why he v/ould do such a thing t / oout jealous of me* H The last doctor I went to give me some thin1 to put on my face and it really cleared the sores up. 3ut I noticed my :\usbc.<.nd when my face got clear and he really looked mad* started grumblin1 He f bout every little thing, right or wrong* one day he brought me a black hen for dinner. Then My mind told me not 1 to eat the chicken so I told him I v/anted to Keep the hen and he got mad 'bout that. f Bout two or three days later 1 notice4 a big knot on the side of the chicken1 s head and it bursted inside of that same week. The chicken started drooping fround and in a week1 s time that chicken v/as dead. You see that chicken was poison. "After that my husband got so fussy 1 had to start sleepin* in another room, I was still sick, so one day he brought me some medicine he said he got from Dr. Traylor. a dose f I tried to take cause I knowed if it v/as from Dr. Traylor it v/as all right, 5. out that medicine "burnt me just like lye. take no more of it. 274 I didn't even try to I got sorr;e i::edicine from the doctor myself and put it in the "bottom of the sideboard. I took 'bout three doses out of it and it v/as doing me good, out when I started to take the fourth dose it had lye in it and I had to throw it away. I went and had the doctor to give me another bottle and i called myself hidin' it, but after I took 'bout six doses, lye v/as put my in it. Then one day a friend of mine, who come from/husband's home, told me he v/as a root v/orker and she thought I already knov/ed it. Well I knov/ed then how he could find my medicine every time I hid it. You see he didn1 t have to do nothin' but run his cards. From then on I carried my medicine 'round in my apron pocket. 11 1 started sleepin1 in the kitchen on a cot f cause his mother v/as usin1 the other room and I didn' t want to sleep with her. Late at night he would come to the window and blow some thin* in tl^ere to j;ake me feel real bad. the key hole too. Things can be blov/ed through I know fcause I have had it done to me. kept up for 'bout a year and five or six months. This Then fcause he seed he couldn't do just what he wanted to, he told me to get out. I went 'cause I thought that might help me to git out of my misery. Jut it didn't 'cause he come where I was every night. He never did try to come in, but us would hear somebody stumblin' in the yard and whenever us looked out to see who it v/as us always found it was him. it. Us told him that us seed him out there, but he always denied He does it right now or sometimes he gets other root workers to do it for him. Whenever I go out in the yard my feet always feel like they are twistin' over and I can't stop fem; my legs and knees feel like some thin* is drawinf em, and my head starts swimmin' . 6.275 I know v/hat1 s wrong, it just what he had put down for me* ,r When I get up in the msrnin1 I always have to put sulphur and salt and pepper in my slices to keep down the devilment he _.uts out for me. ^ nan who can do that kind of work give me come thin1 to help me, but I was sf posed to go back in six months and I ain! t been back* That1 s why it1 s started worryin1 ne again* ,! Ky sister was conjured oy openinr the door and eatin1 afterwards without washin1 her hands,11 an SO-y^ar old ex-slave remarked. {,D he had just come home and opened her front door and went in the house to eat before goin* to church. She et her supper and started to church with another of my sisters, 1 .nfter she had gone bout two or three blocks she started feelin1 sick and walkin1 as if she was drunk v/ouldnft. My sister tried to make her go back home but she V/hen they got to church she couldn1 t hardly get up the steps and they warn1 t in church over fifteen minutes a stroke. Somebody took a car and carried her home. even speak for more than a week. ! fore fe.he had She couldh! t The doctor come and fxa,mined her, but he said he didn! t see nothin1 that would cause her to have a ! stroke. He treated her for bout two weeks but she didn't get no oetter. ^ friend told us to try a root worker. one that was good on such things. She said she knowed Us was afraid at first, out after the three doctors us had tried didn1 t seem to do her no good, us decided to get the root worker* "The root worker come that Wednesday i ornin1 and looked at her, but he never touched her. He told us she had 'oeen hurt,,, out he could have her on her feet in fbout a week or ten days# hive her no medicine, and he never come back ! fy& didn't til after she was tip 7.276 and v/alkin' 'round. She got up irT'bout seven days, and started talkin1 earlier than that. The root worker told her she had got conjured by puttin' her hands on sonethin' and eatin1 without washin1 % em. "She got along fine for fbout three years, ftil one day she got home from work o.nd found her house open. son had gone out and forgot to lock the d.)or. She thought her -hen he come home he told her he nad not oeen back since he left that mornin1 She knov/ed she didn1 t forget to lock it, so she guessed somebody ha.d jus ' bout gone in through the window and come out the door. it v/as too late then ? Jut cause she had et what v/as left in the house and had drunk some water. rt That night she had her second stroke. Us sent for the her sane man who had got/up before, but he said he doubted gettin1 her up this time f cause the person had made a good job of it oy puttin1 sonethin1 in her water and t!eat. He treated her, aiTd she got strong enough to sit up in the house, but she soon had the third stroke and then he give her up. She died 'bout two months later. "I know you donft know-how folks can really conjure you. I didn't at one time, but I sho1 learnt. sick it ainf t natchel sickness. ICverytirae somebody gets I have seed folks die with what the doctors called consumption, and yet they aidn1 t have it. 1 have seed people die with heart trouble, and they didn1 t have it. illolks is havin1 more strokes now than ever but they ain1 t natchel. 1 have seed folks fixed so they would bellow like a cow when they die, and I have seed 'em fixed so you have to tie them dov/n in bed to die* I've got so I hardly trust anybody.H 8.277 Estella Jones thinks conjurers and root workers are r^uch more skillful now than formerly. used to kill you. "Folks don't kill you like they They used to put most anythin1 in you, but now they got so v/ise or afraid that somebody will know zactly what killed you, f til they do it slick as a eel* n Once a man named John tried to go v/ith a girl but her step-pa, Willie, run him av/ay from the house just like he mought be a dog, so John made it up in his mind to conjure Tillie. He went to the spring and planted soi.^ethin1 in the mouth of it, and when Willie went there the next day to get a drink he got the stuff in the water* started ^ettin1 sick. vaiss and wuss 11 ! A little while after he drunk the water he He tried to stay up but every day he got til he got flat down in bed* In a few days some thin1 started growin1 in his throat* livery time they tried to give him soup or anythin1 to eat, some thin1 would come crawlin1 up in his throat and choke him. That was what he had drunk in the spring, and he couldn1t eat nothin1 or drink nothin1 Finally he got so bad off he claimed some thin1 was chokin1 him to death, and so his wife sont off and got a fortune teller. This fortune teller said it was a turtle in his throat. e 'scribed the ;:.an that had conjured T7illie but everyoody knowed John had done it 'fore the fortune teller told us. ;.fter that throat and ! fore 7/illie was dead. It warn1t long That turtle come up in his choked him to death* "Some folk donft believe me, Dut I ain't tellin1 no tale f bout it. I have asked root workers to tell ::!e how they does these 9." 278 things, and one told me that it v/as easy for folks to put snakes, frogs, turtles, spiders, or most anythin1 that you couldn1t live Y/ith cra.wlinf and eatin1 on the inside of you. He said these things v/as killed and put up to dry and then beat up into dust like. If any of this dust is put in some thin1 you have to eat or drink, these things v/ill come alive like they v/as eggs hat chin1 in you. Then the more they grow, the v/orse off you get* "My aunf t son had took a girl av/ay from another man who v/as going with her too* As soon as this man heard they v/as going to marry, he started studyin1 some way to stop it. So he v/ent to a root worker and got sonethin1 and then went to this girl1 s house one night when he knew my cousin was there* finally when he got ready to leave, he was smart enough to get my cousin to take a drink with him* "That next rornin1 the boy was feelin1 a little bad, but he never paid !;oo much ftention to it. Next day he felt a little wuss, and everyday from then on he felt v/uss and wuss 'til he got too sick to stay up* One day a old lady who lived next door told us to try a root worker v/ho lived on Jones Street* This man came and told us v hat was wrong, but said us had waited too long to send for him. He give us some thin1 to Us kept givin1 this to him f T lieve the boy of his misery* til he finally got up. Course he warn1 t well oy no means and this medicine didn1 t help his stomach. His stomach got so big everyoody would ask what v/as wrong. He told everybody that asked him and some v/ho didn! t ask him bout the frogs in his stomach. The bigger these frogs got, the weaker he got. io. 279 "After he had been sick f bout four months and* the frogs had got to be a^j>retty good size, you could hear * em holler everyHe got to the place where he wouldn1 t tiiTie he opened his mouth* talk much on account of this* His stomach stuck out so far, he looked like he weighed 250 pounds* n After these frogs started hollerin1 in him, he lived 'bout three weeks, and 'fore he died you could see the frogs jumpin1 f bout in him and you could even feel fem* "T^ainH no need talkin1 ; folks can do anythin1 to you thei^ wants to. 'i'hey can run you crazy or they can kill you. Don't you one tine believe that every pore pusson they has in the 'r sylum is just natchelly crazy* not likin* *em, some QO&. f Some was run crazy on account of people cause they was gettin1 ! long a little too Every time a pusson jumps in the river don1 t think he was just tryin* to kill hisself; most times he just didn't know what he was doin1 tt My daughter was fixed right here under our noses. She was married and had five little chillun and she was the picture of health. But she had a friend that she trusted too much and this friend was single and in love with my daughter's husband* Difffunt people told Liza 'bout this girl, out she just didn1t believe fem. ^very day this girl was at Liza1 s house git off from work* f til time for Lewis to She helped Liza wash, clean up, iron and cook, but she always left at the time for Lev/is to git off from work* 11 This went on for rnore,n a year, but I kept tell in1 Liza to ween off from this girl ! cause I seed she didn11 i..ean her no good* 11.280 jiut Liza was grown and nobody couldn1 t tell her no thin1 I think she had Liza fixed so she would be crazy :/ake you love f mind you wouldn't give the girl % ! em, even :.;arry f f bout her. People can em when if you was in your right em a thought. Anyhow Liza went on with til one afternoon while she was comin' from the store she seed Lewis and Edna goin1 in a house together. He come home 'bout three hours later, and when Liza asked him why late he told her they had to work late. he was so He didn't know she had seed him and she never told him. "After this she started watchin* him and Edna, and she soon found out what folks had been tellin1 her was true. Still she never told Lewis nothin1 f She told Edna, '"bout see in1 bout it. 'em and asked her to please let Lev/is alone. Edna, made up some kind of s! cuse but she never let him alone, and she kept goin1 to Liza's house. When things finally went too far, Liza spoke to Lev/is "bout it and asked him to leave Edna alone. that made Edna mad and that's v/hen she f He did, but cided to kill Liza. Lewis really loved Liza and would do any thin1 she asked him to# "One day Edna come to see Liza, after she had stayed away for 'bout three weeks, and she v/as more lovin1 than ever. She hung around ' til she got a chance to put some thin1 in the rater bucket, then she left. People can put some thin1 in things for you and everybody else can eat or drink it, but it won11 hurt nobody but the one it's put there for* 7fhen Liza drunk water, she said it tasted like it had salt-peter in it. ''/hen she went to bed that night, she never got out 'til she v/as toted out. She suffered and suffered and we never kiiowed what was wrong ' til Edna 12. 281 told it herself. She took very sick and ! fore she died' she told one of her friends 'bout it and this friend told us, but it was too late then, Liza v/as dead.11 J.00151 COMPILATION 282 RICHMOND FOLK REMEDIES COUNTY - BX-SLAVS INTERVIEWS AND SUPERSTITION Written by: Louise Oli'phant Federal Writers1 Project Augusta, Georgia* Edited by: John N. Booth District Supervisor Federal Writers1 Project Augusta, Georgia^ i 310151 ii3elief in charms and conjurs is still prevalent among many of .uigusta1 s older Negroes. Signs and omens also play an important ^.rt in their lives, as do remedies and cures handed down by v/ord of mouth from generation to generation. If a.v/restler can get dirt from the head of a fresh grave, sew it up in a sack, and tie it around his waist, no one can throw him* To make a person leave town, get some dirt out of one of his tracks, sew it up in a sack, and throw it in running water. The person will keep going as long as the water runs* To take a hair out of a person1s head and put it in a live fishes mouth will make the person keep traveling as long as the fish swims. *o If someone dies and comes "back to worry you, nail some new lumber into your house and you won11 be bot he re d any more T/hen the hands of a dead person remain limp, some other member of the family will soon follov/ him in death* When a spider builds a web in your house, you may expect a visitor the same color as the spider. A singing fire is a sign of snow. 283 2. If a cat takes up at your house itls a sign of good luck; a dog - bad luck. If a spark of fire pops on you, it is a sign that you v/ill receive some money or a letter. To dream of inuddy water, maggots, or fresh meat is a sign of death* sign of death. To dream of caskets is also a You may expect to hear of as many deaths as there are caskets in the dream. To dream of blood is a sign of trouble. To dream of fish is a sign of motherhood. To dream of eggs is a sign of trouble unless the eggs are broken. If the eggs are broken* your trouble is ended. To drea-m of snakes is a sign of enemies, if you kill the snakes, you have conquered your enemies. To dream of fire is a sign of danger. To dream of a funeral is a sign of a v/edding. To dream of a wedding is a sign of a funeral. To dreairi of silver money is a sign of bad luck; bills - oy good luck. To dream of dead folk is a sign of rain. 3. ' 285 Wear a ra,w cotton string tied in nine knots around your v/aist to cure cramps. To stop nosebleed or hiccoughs cross two straws on top of your head* Lick the back of'your hand and swallow nine times without stopping to cure hiccoughs. Tea made from rue is good for stomach worms. Corn shuck tea is good for measles; fodder tea for as thma Goldenrod tea is good for chills and fever* Hichet weed tea is good for a laxative. Tea made from parched egg shells or green coffee is good for leuoorrhoea. Black snuff, alum, a piece of camphor, and red vaseline mixed together is a sure cure for piles. To rid yourself of a corn, grease it with a mixture of castor oil and kerosine and then soak the foot in warm v/ater. Sulphur mixed with lard is good for bad blood. A cloth heated in melted tallow will give relief when applied to a pain in any part of the body* Take a pinch of sulphur in the mouth and drink water 4. 286 behind it to cleanse the blood# Dog fern is good for colds and fever; bone set tea will serve the same purpose. Catnip tea is good for measles or hives* If your right shoe comes unlaced, someone is saying good things about you; left shoe - bad things. If a chunk of fire falls from the fireplace a visitor is coming. If the chunk is short and large the person will be short and fat, etc. Don1t buy new things for a sick person; if you do he will not live to wear it out. If a person who has money dies without telling where it is, a friend or relative can find it oy going to his grave three nights in succession and throwing stones on it. On the fourth night he must go alone, and the person will tell him where the money is hidden. If a witch rides you, put a sifter under the bed and he will have to count the holes in the sifter before he goes out, thus giving you time to catch him. Starch your sweetheart1s handkerchief and he will love you irjore. Don11 give your sweethes.rt a knife. It v/ill cut your love in two. 5- 28? If it rains while the sun is shining the devil is beating his wife* To bite your tongue while talking is a sign that you have told a lie* Persons with gaps between their front teeth are big liars* Cut Cut Cut Cut Cut Cut Cut But your finger nails on Monday, you cut them for news; them on Tuesday, get a new pair of shoes; them on 7/ednesday, you cut them for wealth; them on Thursday, you cut them for health; them on Friday, you cut them for sorrow; them on Saturday, see your sweetheart tomorrow; them on Sunday, its safety to seek; the devil will have you the rest of the v/eek* If you start some place and forget something don1t turn around without making a cross mark and spitting in it, if you do you will have bad luck. To stump your right foot is good luck, but to stump your left foot is bad luck* To prevent the bad luck you must turn around three times* It is bad luck for a black cat to cross you to the left, but good luck if he crosses you to the right. If a picture of a person falls off the wall it is a sign of death. To dream of crying is a sign of trouble* To dream of dancing is a sign of happiness. 6. If you meet a gray horse pulling a load of hay, a red haired person will soon follow* If you are eating and drop something v/hen you are about to put it in your mouth someone wishes it* If a child never sees his father he will make a good doctor. To dreajn that your teeth fall out is a sign of death in the family. To dream of a woman* s death is a sign of some man's death. To dream of a man1 s death is the sign of some woman1 s death, If a chicken sings early in the morning a ha,wk will catcli him before night. Always plant corn on the waste of the moon in order for it to yield a good crop. If planted on the growing of the moon there will be more stalk than corn. i When there is a new moon, hold' up anything you v/ant and make a wish for it and you will get it. If you hear a voice call you and you are not sure it is really someone, don1t answer because it may be your spirit, and if you answer it will be a sure sign of death. Gross eyed women are bad luck to other women, but cross eyed men are good luck to women and vice-versa for men. 288 ? To wear a dime around your ankle will v/ard off v/itch craft. To put a silver dime in your mouth v/ill determine whether or not you have oeen bewitched, if the dime turns black, someone has bewitched you, but if it keeps its color, no one has bewitched you. To take a strand of a person's hair and nail it in a tree v/ill run that person crazy. If a rooster crov/s on your back steps you may look for a stranger. Chinaberries are good for wormy children. The top of a pine tree and the top of a cedar tree placed over a large coal of fire, just enough to ma,ke a good smoke, v/ill cure chillblain feet* 289 100152 "' # 290 COMPILATION RICHMOND COUNTY EX-SIAVE INTEHVIEWS 1HSTHBA.3MBITT OF SLAVES Written "by: Louise Oliphaiit1 Federal Writers Project Augusta, Georgia* Edited by: John M. Booth, District Supervisor, Federal Writers1 Project Augusta, Georgia. 100152 -I-'- 291 There are many ex-slaves living in Richmond County and Augusta who have vivid recollections of the days when their lives were inseparably bound to those of their masters. These people have a past rich in tradition an'I sentiment, and their memories of customs, habits of work and- play, and the superstitious beliefs, which still govern their actions to a large extent weave a colorful pattern in local history. Mistreatment at the hands of their masters and the watchdog overseers is outstanding in the memory of most of t lie in. I was in sls.very, us ha,d what you call good white folk. rich by no means, but they was good. and good than rich and mean. "When They warn11 Us had rather have *em poor Plenty of white folk mistreated they slaves, but ours never mistreated us. They was a man lived in callin1 distance, on the next plantation, who worked his slaves day and night and on Sunday for a rarety. You could hear * em coming from the field about 12 o1clock at night, and they had to be back in the fields by daylight. day nights like everbody else. They couldn1 t get off on Satur- Whenever he bought their clothes, it was on Sunday when they warn't workin*. He was mean, but he was good about buyin* for em, new shoes or a suit or "anything of the like they said they needed. Marster had overseers, but he wouldn* t let 'em whip his slaves unmerciful. They always whipped us just as your mamas whips you now. "Bob Lampkin was the meanest slave owner I ever knowed. He would beat his slaves and everybody else^s he caught in the road. -2-' 392 He was so mean r til God let him freeze to death. He come to town and got drunk and v/hen he was going "back home in his buggy, he froze stiff going up .-te.ee Greek Hill. White and colored was glad v/hen he died. f, His slaves used to run away whenever they got a chance. I * member he had a real pretty gal on his place. She was light brown and was built up better than anybody I ever saw. One of the overseers was crazy about her, but her mother had told her not to let any of fem go with her. So this old overseer would stick close 'round her when they was workin1 3;et a chance to say some thin1 to her. f just so he could He kept followin1 this child and followin1 this child until she almost went crazy. Way afterwhile she run away and come to our house and stayed 'bout three days. When my marster found out she was there, he told her she would have to go back, or at least she would have to leave his place. He didn't v/ant no trouble v/ith nobody. V/hen that child left us she stayed in the woods until she got so hungry she just had to go back. This old man v/as mad with'her for leavin1 , and one day while she was in the field he started at her again and when she told him flat footed she warn1 t goin1 with him he took the big end of his cow hide and struck her in the back so hard it knocked her plumb crazy. It was a big lake of water about ten yards in front of fem, and if her mother hadn't run and caught her she would, have walked right in it and drowned. u In them times white men went with colored gals and women bold. Any time they saw one and wanted her, she had to go with him, and his wife didn1 t say nothin* *bout it. Mot only the "3men, "but the women went with colored men too. 293 That's why so many women slave ov/ners wouldn't marry, 'cause they was goin' with one of their slaves. "been happenin'. These things that's goin* on now ain't new, they That's why I say you just as well leave 'em alone ' cause they gwine to do what they want to anyhow. "ISy marster never did whip any grown folk. He whipped chillun wheji they did anything wrong. He didn't 'low us to eat plums before breakfus, but all the chillun, his too, would die or do it, so every time he caught us he would whip us.tt Another ex-slave recalled that "you had to call all your marster's chillun marster or mistis, even the "babies. You never wore enough clothes ajid you always suffered for comfort. warn*t even 'lowed to have fire. Us If you had a fireplace in your house, it was took out and the place closed up. ca.ught with fire you was beat 'most to death. If you was ever Many mothers died in confinement on account of takin' cold 'cause us couldn't have fire. "My young *marster tried to go with me, and 'cause I wouldn't go with him he pretended I had done some thin1 and beat me. I fought him back because he had no right to beat me for not goin* with him. His mother got mad and I told her why he had beat me. with rae for fightin* him back Well then she sent me to the courthouse to be whipped for fightin' him. They had stocks there where most people would send their slaves to be whipped These stocks was in the shape of a cross, and they would strap your clothes up around your waist and ha.ve nothin* but your naked part out to whip. They didn't care about who saw your nakedness. Any- -3a. way they beat me that day until I couldn't sit down. went to bed I had to lie on ray stomach to sleep. hen I After they finished whippin* me, I told them they needn't think they had done somethin* .by strippin* me in front of all them folk * cause they had also stripped their mamas and sisters. G-od had made us all, and he made us just alike. "They never carried me "back home after that; they put me in the Bigger Trader's Office to be sold. I was sold to a man at McB-ean. About two days later When I went to his place everbody told me as soon as I got there how mean he was and they said his wife was still meaner. She v/as jealous of me because I was light; said she didn't know what her husband wanted to bring that half white nigger there for, and if he didn't get rid of me' pretty quick she was goin* to leave. T/ell he didn't get rid of me and she left about a month after I got there. When he saw she warn't comin* back 'til he got rid of me, he brought me back to the Nigger Trader's Office. "As long as you warn11 sold, your marster v/as ' sponsible for you, so whenever they put you on the market you had to praise yourself in order to be sold right away. yourself you got a beatin*. If you didn't praise I didn't stay in the market long, A dissipated woman bought me and I done laundry work for her and other dissipated women to pay my board 'til freedom come. They was all very nice to me. "Whenever you was sold your folk never knowed about it 'til afterwards, and sometimes they never saw you again. They didn't even know who you was sold to or where they was carryin* you, unless you could write back and tell 'em. 294 -4- ' 395 "The market was in the middle of Broad and Center Streets. They made a scaffold whenever they was goin'- to sell anybody, and would put the person up on this so everybody could see him good. Then they would sell him to the highest bidder. 3verybody wanted women who would have children fast. They v/ould alv/ays ask you if you was a good breeder, and if so they would buy you at your word, but if you had already had too many chillun, they would say you warn't much good. If you hadn't ever had any chillun, your marster would tell 'em you was strong, healthy, and a fast worker. You had to have some thin* ahout you to be sold, Now sometimes, if you was a real pretty young gal, somebody would buy you without knowin* anythin.* 'bout you, just for yourself. .Before my old marster died, he had a pretty gal he was goin* with, and he wouldn'1 let her work nowhere but in the house, and his v/ife nor nobody else didn't say nothin* 'bout it; they knowed better. She had three chillun for him and when he died his brother come and got the gal and the chillun. "One white lady that lived near us at McBean slipped in a colored gal's room and cut her baby's head clean off 'cause it "belonged to her husband. He beat her 'bout it and started to kill her, but she begged so I reckon he got to feelin' sorry for her. 3ut lie kept goin' with the colored gal and they had more chillun. W I never will forget how my marster beat a pore old woman so she couldn't even get up. And 'cause she couldn't get up when he told her to, he hit her on the head with a long piece of iron and broke her skull. take her to the jail. Then he made one of the other slaves She suffered in jail all night, and the jailer heard her raoanin* and groanin' , so the next mcrnin* he made -5- marster coins and get her. Ha was so mad 'cause he had to take her out of jail that he had water pumped into her skull just as soon as he got back home. and she died f fore night. Then he dropped her down in a field That was a sad time* You saw your own folk killed and couldn't say a word fbout it; if you did you would be beat and sometimes killed too. rt A man in callin* distance from our place had a whippin1 pole. This man was just as mean as he could be* hell now, and he ought to be. I know he is in A woman on his place had twins and she warn11 strong from the beginning The day after the chillun v/as borned, he told her to go over to his house and scrub it from front to back. She went over to the house and scrubbed two rooms and v/as so sick she'had to lay dov/n on the floor and rest awhile* His wife told her to go on back to her house and get in bed but she v/as afraid. Finally she got up and scrubbed another room and while she was carryin1 the water out she fainted. The mistress had some of the men carry her home and got another slave to finish the scrubbin* so the^ marster wouldn*t beat* the pore nigger. v/as a good woman but her husband was mean as the devil. even beat her. She He would Whan he got home that night he didn1 t say no thin1 'cause the house had been scrubbed, but the next mornin1 one of the chillun told him about the woman faintin* and the other girl finistiin1 the scrubbin1. He got mad and said his v/ife was cloatoin1 for the slaves, that there was nothin1 wrong with the woman, she was just lazy. He beat his wife, then went out and tied the pore colored woman to a whippin1 pole and beat her unmerciful. her hangin1 on the pole and went to church. He left When he got back she 396 -&- 397 was dead* He had the slaves take her down and "bury her in a box. He said that laziness had killed her and that she warn1 t worth. the box she was buried in. said he was glad of it f The babies died the next day and he cause they would grow up lazy just like their mother. !l My marster had a barrel with nails drove in it that he would put you in when he couldn11 think of nothin* else mean enough to do. When you got out you v/ould be in a bad fix, but he didn1 t a hill* care He v/ould put you in this barrel and roll it down Sometimes he rolled the barrel in the river and drowned his slaves* 11 1 had a brother who worked at the academy and every night v/hen the teacher had his class he would let my brother come in. He taught him to read and write too* He learned to read and write real well and the teacher said he was the smartest one in the class. readin* Marster passed our window one night and heard him The next mornin* he called him over to the house and fooled him into readin* and writin* r told him he had some thin1 he wanted him to do if1he could read and write good enough. My brother read everythin1 marster give him and wrote with a pencil and ink pen. Marster was so mad that he could read and write better than his own boy that he beat him, took him away from the academy, and put him to v/ork in the blacksmith shop. Marster wouldn1 t let him wear no shoes in the shop 'cause he wanted the hot cinders to fall on his feet to punish him. When the man in charge of the shop told marster he wouldn't work my brother unless he had on shoes, he bought some brogans that he knowed he couldn't wear, and from then on he made him do the hardest kind of work he -7- 298 could think of. n My marster never whipped us himself. He had a coachman do all the whippin1 and he stood "by to see that it was done right. He whipped us until we was blistered and then took a c&t-o-ninetails and busted the blisters. water on the raw places. After that he would throw salty I mean it almost gave you spasms. When- ever they sent you to the courthouse to be whipped the jail keeper1 s daughter give you a kick after they put you in the stocks. She kicked me once and when they took me out I sho did beat her. I scratched her everwhere I could and I knowed they would beat me again, but I didn11 care so long as I had fixed her." One ex-slave "belonged to an old lady who was a widow* This lady was very good to me. 1 cause her son was my father. Of course most, people said it was 3ut she was just good to all of us. She did keep me in the house with her. %en I married, I still stayed with my mistress child all right. 'til she died. She knowed I was her sonf s My husband stayed with his marster in the day time and would come and stay v/ith me at night. . "When my mistress died I -had to be sold. told iiie to ask his marster to buy me. My husband He didn1 t want me to belong to him because I would have to work real hard and I hadn* t OQen use to no hard work, but he was so afraid somebody would buy me and carry me somewhere way off, marster to buy ine. husband to his son. as he was single. f til he decided it was best for his So his marster bought me and give me and my I kept house and washed for his son as long When he married his wife changed me from the -8- house and put me in the field and she put one of the slaves her mother give her when she married, in the kitchen, wife was very mean to all of us. !y marster1 s She didn11 like me at all. She sold my oldest child to somebody where I couldn't ever see him any more and kept me. She just did that to hurt me. She took my baby child and put her in the house with her to nurse her baby and make fire. And all while she was in the house with her she had to sleep on the floor. "Whenever she got mad with us she would take the cow hide, that1s what she whipped us with, and whip us ftil the blood ran down. Her house was high off the ground and one night the calf v/ent under the house and made water. The next morning she saw it, so she took two of my sister-in-law1s chillun and carried * em in the kitchen and tied f em. She did this while her husband was gbne. You sea if he had been there he wouldn't have let her done that. She took herself a chair and sit down and made one of the slaves she brought there with her whip those chillun so slaves on the place was cryin1. f til all of the One of the slaves run all the way where our marster v/as and got him. He come back as quick as he could and tried to make her open the door, but she wouldn1 t do it so he had to break the door in to make her stop whippin1 them chillun. The chillun couldnft even cry when he got there. And when he asked her what she was whippin1 them for she told Biim that they had v/ent under the house and made that water. two of the rsen to take f My master had em over to our house, but they v/as small and neither one ever got over that whippin1. One died two days later and the other one died about a month afterwards* hated her after that. Everybody 2WA V -9- i "Just before freedom declared, my husband took very sick and she took her husband and come to my house to make him get up. I told her that he was net able to work, but ray husband was so scared they would beat rae to death ' til he bogged me to hush. I expect marster would have if he hadn't been scared of his father. You see his father give rae to him. He told me if the legislature set in his behalf he would make me know a nigger's place. You know it was near freedom. I told him if he made my husband get out of bed as sick as he was and go to work, I would tell his father if he killed me afterwards. I was goin* to fight with 'ein. And that1 s one time I nevar was scared of none of 'em, so I told 'em if they touched my husband they wouldn't touch nothin* else. They wouldn't give us nothin* to eat that whole day. "Course we never did have much to eat. At night they would give us a teacup of meal and a slice of bacon a piece for , breakfus' the next raornin*. If you had chillun they would give you a teacup of meal for two chillun. By day light the next raornin' the overseer was at your house to see if you was out, and if you hadn' t cooked and eat and got out of that house he would take that bull whip, and whip you nearly to death. He carried that bull whip with him everywhere he went. my "Those folks killed one of/husband's brothers. He was kind of crack-brained, and 'cause he was half crazy, they beat him all the time. The last time they beat him we was in the field and this overseer beat him with that bull hide all across the head and everywhere. He beat him until he fell down on his knees and couldn't even say a word. And do you know he wouldn't even let a one. of us go to see about him. He stayed stretched out in the -lo- 301 the field f til us went home. The next morninr he was found dead right where he had beat him that evenin1 IM Bout two or three v/eeks later than that they told one of the slaves they was goin1 to beat him after we quit work that evenin' His name was Josh* "When the overseer went to the other end of the field Josh dropped his hoe and walked off about three weeks. need him. Hobody saw him anymore for He was the best hand us had and us sho* did Our master went everywhere he could think of, lookin* for Josh, but he couldn* t find him and we was glad of it* After he looked and looked and couldn1 t find him he told all of us to tell Josh to come back if v/e knowed where he was. He said if Josh would come back he wouldn't whip him, wouldn't'let the overseer whip him. My husband knowed where he v/as but he warn11 goin1 to tell nob;ody. Josh would come to our house every night and us would give him some of what us had for dinner and supper. always saved it for him. Us Us would eat brsakfus* at our house, but all of us et dinner and supper at the mess house together., Every- day when let dinner and supper I v/ould take a part of mine and my husband would take a part of his and us v/ould carry it to our house for pore Josh. f Bout *leven o!clock at night, when everybody was sleep, Josh would come to the side window and get what us had for him. It1s really a shame the way that pore man had to hide about just to keep from bein1 beat to death fbout nothin1. Josh said the first day he left he v/ent in the woods and looked and looked for a place to hide. Later he saw a tree that the wind had blowed the top off and left rbout ten feet standin1 This was rather a big tree and all of the insides had rotted out. I 1 -iireckon you have seen trees like that. one was. 308 ! Well that's the way this So Josh climbed up this tree and got down inside of it. He didn't know there was nothin1 down in that tree, but there was some little baby bears in there. Then there he was down there with no way to come out, and knowin' all the time that the mama bear was comin* back. So he thought and thought and thought. After while he thought *bout a knife he had in his pocket. see he couldn't climb out of the tree, it was too tall. When he heard the bear climbin* up the tree he opened his knife. ever seen a bear comin' down a tree? You Have you Well he comes down oackwards. So when this bear started down inside of the tree he went down backwards, and Josh had his knife open and just caught him tail and begin stickin* him with the knife. got out of that tree. DJ the That's the way Josh When he stuck the bear with the knife the baar went back up the tree, and that pulled Josh up. And when the baar got to the top of the tree Josh caught a hold of the tree and pulled himself on out, but the bear fell and broke his neck. Josh had to find him somewhere else to hide. 7/ell In them times there was big caves in the woods, not only the woods but all over the country, and that's where pore Josh hid all while he was away. Josh stayed there in that cave a long time then he come on back home. He didn't get a whippin' either. Childhood memories were recalled by an old woman who said: "When I was about nine years old, for about six months, I slept on a crocus bag sheet in order to get up and nurse the babies v/hen they -12- cried. Do you see this finger? You wonder why its "broke? 303 Well one night the babdes cried and I didn' t wake up. right away to tend to 'emr and my mistess jumped out of "bed, grabbed the piece of iron that was used to push up the fire and began beatin' me with it. That's the night this finger got broke, she hit me on it. I have two more fingers she broke b,eatin' me at diff'unt times. She made me break this leg too. You see they would put the women in stocks and beat 'em whenever they done some thin1 wrong. the way my leg was broke. You see us had to call all of our marster's chillun 'mis-teas' or 'marster.* my young raistesses, 'miss.1 That's One day I forgot to call one of She was about eight or nine months old. Uy mistess heard me and put me in a stock and beat me. While she was beatin* me, I turned my leg by some means and broke it. you think she quit beatin' me 'cause I had broke my leg. made no diff'unce to her. worries me now. Don't No, that That's been years ago, but it still How other times when you called your marster's chillun by their names, they would strip you and let the child beat you. It didn't matter whether the child was large or small, and they always beat you 'til the blood' ran down. "Have you ever slept in the grave yard? out I have. I know you haven't Many a time when I was told that I was goin' to get a beatin' , I would hide away in the cemetery where I stayed all night layin' in gullies between graves prayin' . All night long I could see little lights runnin' all over the grave yard, and I could see ha'nts, and hear 'em sayin' 'Uh, Uh, Uh, Uh, Uh,' which meant they //ere pityin' my case. -x3- 3041 "When they whipped the men, all their alothes was took off, their hands was fastened together and then they wound 'em up in the air to a post and tied their feet to the bottom of the post. They would begin whippin* *em at sundown, and sometimes they would be whippin* * em as late as Eleven o'clock at night. You could hear 'em cryin* and prayin* a long ways off. When they prayed for the Lord to have mercy, their marster would cuss the lord and tell * em they better not call his name again." The whipping pole, as described by Lizzie, was a long post several feet in diameter to which was attached a long rope through a pulley. On one end was a device, similiar to the modern handcuff - the other end was used- to draw the hand to an upward position, thereby, rendering the individual helpless. At the base of the pole was a clamp like instrument which held the feet in a motionless position. Hoy Redfield recalls going to the courthouse and seeing the older slaves whipped. "When I would go there with my young marster I would see *em whippin* the slaves. You see they had stocks there then, and they wouldn't put you in jail like they do now. Your mars ter or mistess would send you to the courthouse with, a note and they would out you in them stocks and beat you, then they would give you a note and send you back. They never did beat me, if they had my old mistess would have raised sand with 'em. Whenever I was whipped my mother did it. I warn11 no slave and my ma neither, but my pa was. "When they whipped you they would strap you down in them stocks, then a man would wind the whippin' machine and beat you til they had given you the number of lashes your boss had on the note. 1 -14- 305 didn't see them whippin' any women there, so I can11 say they did and I can't say they didn't. "My master wouldn't let us go to school, but his chillun v/ould slip * round and teach us what they could out of their books. They would also give us books to read. Whenever their pa or ma caught them tryin* to teach us they always whipped them* I learned to read and write from 'em and I'll never forget how hard it was for 'em to get a chance to teach me. But if they caught you tryin' to write they would cut your finger off and if they caught you again they would cut your head off. "When I was a young man, a old man stole the head and pluck (pluck is the liver and lites) out of the hog (some people call it the haslet) and Mid it up in the loft of his house. When his vnarster missed it he went to this man's house xookin' for it. The man told him that he didn't have it. He had already told his v/ife if his marster come not to own it either. T ,7ell his master kept askin' him over and over 'tout the head and pluck, hut they denied having it. The raarster told 'em if they didn't give it to him and that quick ihe was goin' to give 'em a thousand lashes each, if less didn't kill 'em. it. This woman's husband told her not to own He told her to take three thousand lashes and don' t own it. So their marster whipped her and whipped her, but she wouldn't own it. Finally he quit whippin' her and started whippin' the old man. Just as soon as he started whippin' the man he told his v/ife to go up in the loft of the house and throw the head and pluck down ' cause he didn't want it. -15-3m You always had to get a pass when goin* out. Sometimes, when you wouldn11 he thinking a patter roller would step up to the door and ask who was there. 1 em to shovi their pass* If any visitor was there they would ask If you didn* t have a pass they would take you out and beat you, then make you go hone and when you got home, your marster would take you to the barn, strip you buck naked, tie you to a post and beat you. us wanted to go visitin*. Us didn*t have to get passes whenever All us had to do v/as tell fem who us be- longed to, and they always let us by. let us go f They knowed our marster would thout passes. fl Us used to go to barn dances all the time. I never will forget the fellow who played the fiddle for the in dances. run away from his marster seven years before. cave he had dug in the ground. and would come out at night. He lived in a He stayed in this cave all day This cave was in the swamp. stole just fbout everything he et. to catch him for a long time. He had He His marster had been tryinf Well they found out he v/as playin' for these dances and one night us sa.w some strange lookin1 men come in but us didn*t pay it much rtention. Us always made a big oak fire and thats where us got mosr of* our light from. Well these men danced with the girls a good while and after a while they started goin1 out one by one. Way after v/hile they all ca,me back in together, they had washed the blackenin* off tneir faces, and us seen they v/as v/nite. This man had a song he would always sing. f Fooled my marster seven years - expect to fool him seven more.1 So when these men came in they went to him and told him maybe he -i6- 307 had fooled *em for seven years, but he wouldnf t fool *am seven more* When they started to grab him he just reached in the fire and got a piece of wood that was burnin1 good on one end and waved it all around (in a circle) until he set three of fire. ! em on While they was puttin1 this fire out he run out in the swamp and back in his cave* They tried to catch him again. They painted their faces and done just like they did the first time, but this time they carried pistols. When they pulled their pistols on him he did just like he did the first time, and they never did catch him. He stopped comin1 to play for the dances after they was straight after him. Dogs couldn't trail him * cause he kept his feet rubbed with onions. *I have seen some marsters make their slaves v/alk in be snow knee deep, barefooted. Their heels would/cracked open jus1 like corn bread. "The only real mean thing they did to us when I was young v/as to sell my father when our aarster died. They sold him to somebody way off, and they promised to bring him back to;see us, but they never did.% We always wished he would come, but until this day us hasn't laid eyes on him again. My mother v/orried *bout him !til she died. "Chillun fifteen years old. didn1 t know what shoes was f til they was !bout They would go a mile or a mile and a half in the snow for v/ater anytime, and the only thin1 they ever had on their feet would be somethin1 made out of home-spun. You don't hardly hear of chilblain feet now, but then most every child you sa.w had cracked heels# The first pair of shoes 1 ever wore, I was sixteen years old, v/as too small for me and I pulled throwed 'em in the fire.11 ! em off and ,/ik^T- -2- s-vy 100215 A.v.^ce. 308 .# # SLAVERY by RUBY LORRAINE RADFORD COMPILATION HADE FROtt INTERVIEWS ',71TH 3O SLAVES AND INFORMATION FROM SLAVERY LAWS AND OLD NEWSPAPER FILES, ft 7 Ru ay Lorraine Had ford. Page 1 S L A T E R Y The ex-slaves interviewed ranged in ages from 75 'i>0 years old. 10 ^ Out of about thirty-five negroes contacted only two seemed to feel "bitter over memories of slave days. All the others spoke with much feeling and gratitude of the good old days when they were so well cared for by their masters. Without exception the manners of these old men and women were gentle and courteous. The younger ones could pass on to us , only traditional memories of slavery times, as given them by their parents; on some points a few were vague, while others could give clear-cut and vivid pictures. Practically all the negroes interviewed seemed to be of pure African blood, with black or dark brown skin, Negroid features, and kinky, tightly wrapped wool. were small and Dhin. Most of the women We found one who' had a strain of Indian blood, a woman named Mary, who belonged to John Roof. Her grandfather was an Indian, and her grandmother was part Indian, having migrated into South Carolina from Virginia. Sarah Ray, who was born on the Curtis Lowe place in McDuffie County was one of the few ex-slaVes contacted, who was admittedly half-white. Although now wrinkled and weazened with age she has no definite Negroid features. Her eyes are 309 Page t ' 3 () light hazel and her hair fluffs about her face in soft ringlets instead of the tight- kinks of the pure x^egro* "My father was a white man, de over seer,11 said Sarah* ^Leastways, dey laid me to him*11 ( Sarah -was brought up like the negro children on the plantation* She had no hard work to do* Her mother was a field hand* "De vefy fust and they lived in a little house in the quarters. thing I kin remember is ridinf down de road in de ox cart wid my mammy,* she said* **01e man Eli wus drivin** We wus goin1 to Miss Megfs on d odder side of HarVs Branch* Marster had give us to Miss Meg when she married Mr. Obediah Cloud*w f HOUBB OOHDHIQHS The slave houses were called MquartersfY,j which consisted generally of a double row of houses facing each other in a grove of trees behind the ftbig house*w On prosperous plantations each of these cabins had a garden plot and a chicken yard* -were built of logs, but many were of planks* Some of them Most of them were large, one-room, unceiled, with open fireplaces at one end for cooking* YThen families grew too large a shed room would be Mdrap down on de back*" Another type of slave cabin was called the "Double- pen" house* This was a large two-room cabin, with a chimney be- tween the two rooms, and accommodating two families. On the more Page 3 ' 311 prosperous plantations the slave quarters were white-washed at intervals. On plantations housing arrangements were left entirely to the discretion of the owner, "but in the cities strict rules were made. Among the ordinances of the City Council of Augusta, dated from August 10th, 1820-July 8, 1829, Section 14, is the following law concerning the housing of slaves* "No person of color shall occupy any house but that of some white person by whom he or she is owned or hired without a license from the City Council* If this license is required appli- cation must first be made for permission to take it out. If granted the applicant shall give bond with approved security, not exceeding the sum of f 100.00 for his or her good behavior. On execution of charge the Clerk shall issue the license. Any person renting a house, or tenament contrary to this section or permitting the occupancy of one, may be fined in a sum not exceeding 150.QO. * Descriptions ;were given of housing conditions by quite a number of slaves interviewed. Fanttie iulcher, who was a slave on Dr. Balding Millers plantation in Burke County described the slave quarters thus? "Houses wus built in rows, one on dat side, one on dis side - open space in de middle, ajid de overseer's house at de end, wid a wide hall right through it. (Fannie was evidently referring to the breezeway or dogtrot, down the middle of many small plantation houses). We cook on de fireplace in de house used to have pots hanging right up in de chimbley. We When dere wus age 4 lots of chillun it wus crowded. to de house for house girls. de bed. But sometimes dey took some of 'em Some slep' on de flo* and some on Two-three houses had shed rooms at de "back.* patch sometime. SIS My father, he used to have a patch. Dey had a He clean it up hisself at night in de swamp." Susie Brown, of the Evans Plantation on Little River in Columbia County said, in describing the Quarters, "Dey look like dis street,* She indicated the unpaved street with its rows of unpainted shacks. "Some of dem wus plank houses and some wus log houses, two rooms and a shed room. And we had good beds, too- high tester beds wid good corn shuck and hay mattresses,* On the plantation of John Roof the slave cabins were of logs. Large families had two or three rooms; smaller ones one or two rooms. Susannah Wyman, who was a slave on the Starling Freeman place near Troy, S. C. said* "Our houses wus made outer logs. We didn,ft have nothin* much nohow, but. my mammy she had plenty o* room fer her chillun. We didn't sleep on de flo*, we had bed. De people in de plantachun aLl had bed,1* Others described mattresses made of straw and corn shucks. Another said, "Yas*m, we had good cotton mattresses. Marster let us go to de gin house and git all de cotton we need." Another described the sleeping conditions thus, "Chillun pretty much slep* on de flo* and old folks had beds. Dey wus made out o* boards nailed togedder wid a rope strung across it instead o* springs, and a cotton mattress across it." PafeeS* yoOD Many, of the Hegroes with *fcom we taliped looked back on those days of plenty with longing* Rations of meal, given, out once a week by the overseer. bacon and syrap were Vegetables, eggs and chickens raised in the little plots back of the babins were added to these staples# Ellen Saupbell, who was owned by Mr* William Eve of Richmond County said, **My boss would feed ,em good* stic^ fusi Jinuary to March* four oows# He wus killin* hogs He had two smokehouses^- Dere mis At night de folks on one side da row of cabins go wid &* piggins fer milk, and in de mawnin's, dose on de odder side go fer de piggins o1 milk*1* "And did you have plenty of other good things to eat?" we asked* "Law, yas'm* Rations wus gifoe out to de slaves;, meal, meat, and jugs of syrup* Dey give us white flour at Christinas* Every slave family Hte& de gyarden patch and chickens* Marster buy eggs and chickens fum us at market prices*11 Another slave told us that when the slaves got hungry befbre dinner time they would ask the nursing mothers to bring them back hoe-cake when they went to nurse the babies* Xhose hot hoe-cakes were eaten in midnaorning, Hto hold us till dinner-time " On one plantation where the mother was the cook for the owner, her children were fed from the big kitchen* A piece of iron crossed the fireplace, and the pots hung down 3JL3 Page 6 on hooks* 314 "Us cooked corn dodgers," one ax-slave recalled, "the hearth would be swept clean, the ash cakes wrapped mp into corn shucks and cooked brown. They sure was good!* TYPSS OF WOHK The large plantations were really industrial centers in which almost everything necessary to the life of the white family and the large retinue of slaves/ was grown or manufactured. On estates v/here there were many slaves there were always trained blacksmiths, coopers, carpenters, tanners, shoemakers, seamstresses, laundresses, weavers, spinners, cooks and house servants; all employed in the interest of the community life of the plantation. Those who oould not learn to do any of this skilled work were turned into the fields and called, "hands". Both men and women were employed in the fields where cotton, corn, rice and tobacco were cultivated. House servants were always considered superior to field hands. Melinda Mitchell, who was born a slave in Edgefield, S. 0., said, "My family wasn*t fiel* hands. We wus all house servants. My father wus de butler, and he weighed out de rations fer de slaves. My mammy wus de house *oman and her mother and sister wus de cooks, Marster wouldnf t sell none of his slaves, and when he wanted to buy one he'd buy de whole fambly to keep fum havin1 *em separated." At an early age Melinda and her younger sister were given to the two young ladies of the house as their personal maids. "I wus given to Kiss Nettie," Melinda said, "Our young Mistresses visited, Page 7 too, and wherever day want my sister and ma went erlong. 315 My own mammy took long trips with ole Mistis to de Blue Hidge Mountains and sometimes over da "big water*n Susannah Wyman of the Starling Freeman plantation in South Carolina said, "The house servants wuz trained to cook, clean up, da men wuz trained to make shoes* I don* t think us had carpenters* I toted water in de field, hoed some* but I didn't weave* weavin1 . I wuz quits young* I spun Dere wuz a lady day had on da place did de I had msny a striped dress woven on dat big loom and dey wuz pretty, too* w Susie 3rown, 7/ho used to live on the Evans plantation on Little River in Columbia County was too little to do any hard work during slavery times. she said* rt I jusf stayed at home and tend da baby, * r, But my mother was a cook and my father a blacksmith*" Fary1 s mother was a plantation weaver. dresses out of homespun* pratty. f fl Mistis would cut out We had purple dyed checks* I had to saw seams. They was Marster had to buy shoes for us, he giva us good-soled ones.* Easter Jones, who had only bitter memories of the slavery period said, "Sometimes we eben had to pull fodder on Sunday* whut I used to hate worse1 n anything wus wipin1 dishes. But Deyfd make me take de dish out de scaldin1 water, den if I drap it dey whip ma. Dey whip you 30 hard your back bleed, dan dey pour salt and water on it. And your shirt stick to your back, and you haddar get somebody to grease it * f ore you kin take it off.* Ellen Campbell, who used to belong to Mr. William Eve said she Pa ga 8 * 316 did only simple jobs about the plantation in childhood, When I was 'bout ten years old day started me totin* water-~you know caf yin1 water to de hands in de field. field job * tending sheep. f Bout two years later I got my first ^hen I vms fifteen year old Missus gib me to Miss Eva, you know she de one marry Colonel Jones. My young Mistus was fixin1 to git married, but she couldnft on account de war, so she brought me to town andT rented me out to a lady runnin1 a boarding house* De rent wus paid to my Mistus. One day I was takin* a tray from de out-door kitchen to de house when I stumbled and dropped it. De food spill all over de ground, De lady got so mad she picked up de butcher knife and chop me in de haid. I went runnin1 till I come to de place where mah white folks live. Miss Eva took me and //ash de blood out mah head and put medicine on it, and she wrote a note to de lady and she say, give to me by my mother. more dan to me. f Ellen is my slave, I wouldn* t had dis happen to her no She won't come back dere no more.1* Willis Bennefield, who was a slave on Dr. Balding Miller's plantation in Burke Oounty, said, "I wuk in de fielff and I drove him 30 years. too* He was a doctor. My father driv de caf iage* He had a cariage and a buggy, I driv de doctor. Sometimes I was fixin1 to go to bed and had to hitch up my horse and go five or six miles. fer de cafiage. He had regular saddle horses, two pair o1 horses He was a rich man~-richesf man in Burke County-- had three hundred slaves. He made his money on de plantachuns, not dactorin1 ff Fannie Fulcher, who was also one of Dr. Millerfs slaves, and Willis Bennefield* s sister gives this account of the slaves1 work Page 9 3AS7 in earning extra money* "De marster give em evry day work clothes, "but dey bought de res1 deyselves. Some raise pumpkins, squashes, potatoes, all sich things like dat in dey patches; sell * em to different stores* Jus1 like somebody want ground clear up, dey git big torches far light, clean up de new groun* at night, dat money bflong to denu I year my mother and father say de slaves made baskets and quilts and things and sell * em for they-selves*rt EDUCATION The following appears in the Statue Laws of Georgia for 1845 concerning educating negroes, under Section II, Minor Offences. "Punishment for teaching slaves or free persons of color to read* If any slave, negro, or free person of color, or any white person, shall teach any other slave, negro or free person of color, to read or write either v/ritten or printed characters, the said free person of color or slave shall be punished by fine and whipping, or fine or whipping, at the direction of the court*11 Among the ordinances passed by the 'City of Augusta, effective oetween August 10th, 1820 and July*8th, 1829, was the following concerning the teaching of negroes: w No person shall teach a negro or person of color to read or cause any one to be taught within the limits of the City, nor shall any person suffer a school for the instruction of negroes, or persons of color to be kept on his or her lot." IT one of the ex-slavey whom we interviewed could either read or write. Old Willis Bennefield, who used to accompany his young Page 10 master to school, said he "lamed something then. in my A B Cs, but atter I got to thinkin* 'bout dat. 318 I got way up f bout gals I fergit all n Another slave said, tt We had a school on our plantation and a Negro teacher named, Mathis, but they couldn't make me learn riothin*. I sure is sorry now. Baster ^ones, who was once a slave of Lawyer Bennet, on a plantation about ten miles from Waynesboro, said, when we asked if she had been to school, "Chillun didn* t know whut a book wus in dem days--dey didn't teach ' em nothin* but wuk. Dey didn1learn me nothin* but to churn and clean up house, and tend to dat boy and spin and cyard de roll." HBLIGKH Most of the ex-slaves interviewed received their early re-t ligious training in the churches of their masters. Many churches which have slave sections in this district are still standing. Sometimes the slaves sat in pews partitioned off at the back of the church, and sometimes there was a gallery with a side entrance. The old Bath Presbyterian Church had a gallery and private entrance of this kind. Sunday Schools were often conducted for the- slaves on the plantation. Among the ordinances passed by the City of Augusta, February 7* 1862, was section forty-seven, which concerned negro preaching and teaching! "No slave or free person of color shall bs allowed to preach, Page 11 exhort or teach, in any meeting of slaves or free persons of color, for public worship or religious instruction in this city, but except at funerals or sitting up with the dead, without a license in writing from the Inferior Court of Hichmond County, and Mayor of the City, regularly granted under the Act of the General Assembly of this State, passed on the 23rd day of December, 1843. "No colored preacher residing out of the County of Hichmond, shall preach, exhort, or teach, until he has produced his license granted under the Act aforesaid, and had the same countersigned by the Mayor of this City, or in his absence by two members of Council. "Persons qualified as aforesaid, may hold meetings in this city for the purpose aforesaid, at any time during the Sabbath day, and on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights. No other meetings of slaves or free persons of color for religious purposes shall be held, except by permission of Council, "No meeting of slaves or free persons of color for the purpose afores^i-f-, shall continue at any time later than 10*30 at night, and all such meetings shall be superintended by one or more citizens, appointed by the ministers in charge of their respective denominations, and approved by the Mayor. All slaves or free persons of color attending such meetings, after that hour, shall be arrested, and punished, under the Section, whether with or without tickets from their owners; and all such persons returning from such meetings after the ringing of the Market Bell, without tickets, shall be arrested and punished as in other cases. "Every offense against this section shall be punished by whipping, not exceeding 39 lashes, or fined not exceeding $^0,00." Page 12 ' Harriet White, who told us some of her father* s slavery 330 y experiences said, "Yaa'm, day let* em go to chu* ch* but de colored folks hadder sit behind a boarded up place, so dey hadder stretch dey neck to see de preacher, and den dey hadder jine de Master* s chu*eh--de Methodis* Chu ch. De spirit done tola my father to jine de Baptis1 Cnu* ch dat de right tring, but he hadder jine de Methodis*, * cause his Master was Methodis*. come to Augusta he wus baptise in de river. But when he He say he gwine ca* y God* s point." We asked Ellen Campbell of the Eve Plantation in Richmond County about church going. to town. She replied, "Yas*m, we used to go But de Padderolas wus ridin* in dem days, and you couldn* go off de plantachun widout a pass. So my boss h@ built a brick chu* ch en de plantachun, and de D*Laigles built a chur ch on dere*s '* -1\ Susie Brown, who was a slave on the Evans Plantation ii Columbia County, said, in speaking of her mother getting religion, "My Maw and Paw wasn't married till after freedom. When my Maw got * ligion dey wouldn* let her be baptise till she was married.* She stated that her mother had seven children then. Aunt Susie had had eight children herself, but her husband was now dead. When asked why she didn't get married again, she replied* *Whut I wanner git married fer? a man! I ainf able to wuk fer myself let alone H Augustus Burden, who was born a slave on General Walker's plantation at Windsor Springs, Ga., said, M We had no churches on . Pag " 13- >M our place. We went to the white people1 s church at Hale's Gate. Then after they stopped the colored people going there to church, they had their little meetings right at home. We had one preacher, a real fine preacher, named Ned Walker, who was my uncle fey marriage.* Fannie Fulcher, a former slave on Dr. Miller* s plantation in Burke County, gave this unique account of the slave children's early religious training* "Dey had a ole lady stay in de quarters who tuk care o* ie chillun whilst de mother wus in de fiel*. Ben dey met at her house at dark, and a man name, Hickman, had prayers. Dey all kneel down. Den de chillun couln* talk till dey got home if you talk you git a whippin* frum de ole lady nex* night. Ola granny whip rem." Fannie said the slaves went to the "white folks church," and that "white folks "baptise 'eat at Farmer's Bridge or Hock Creek." A white preacher also married the slaves. DISCIPIBTB In 1757 the Patrol System was organized. This was done as a result of continual threats of uprisings among the slaves. All white male citizens living in each district, between the ages of 16 and 45 were eligible for this service. paid fines to avoid this duty. The better class of people Members of the patrol group could commit no violence, but had power to search negro houses and premises, and break up illegal gatherings. night until dawn. They were on duty from nine at Pags 14 By, 1845 there were many laws on the Statute books of Georgia concerning the duties of patrols. The justice of the peace in each captain's district of the state was empowered to decide who was eligible to patrol duty and to appoint the patrol. Every member of the patrol was required to carry a pistol while on duty. They were required to arrest all slaves found outside their master*s domain without a pass, or who was not in company with some white person. He was empowered to whip such slave with twenty lashes. He also had power to search for offensive weapons and fugitive slaves. Bvery time a person evaded patrol duty ha was required to pay the sum of five dollars fine. The entire life of the slave was hedged about with rules and regulations. Beside those passed by individual masters for their own plantations there were many city and state laws. Severe pun- ishment, such as whipping on the bare skin, was the exception rather than the rule, though some slaves have told of treatment that was actually inhuman. In 1845 the following laws had been passed in Georgia, the violation of which brought the death- penaltyt "Capital crimes when punished with deaths The following shall be considered as capital offenses, when committed by s, slave or free person of color* insurrection or an attempt to excite it; committing a rape, or attempting it on a free white female; murder of a free white person, or murder of a slave or free person of color, or poisoning a human being; QYery and each of these offenses shall, on conviction, be punished with death.* Page 15 3g3 There were severe punishments for a slave striking a white person, burning or attempting to burn a house, for circulating documents to incite insurrection, conspiracy or resistance of slaves. It was against the law for slaves to harbor other fugi- tive slaves, to preach without a license, or to kill or brand cattle without instructions. In Section Forty-Five of the Ordinances of the eity of Augusta, passed on Feb. 7, 1862, were the following restrictions* "Any slave or free person of color found riding or driving about the city, not having a written pass from his or her owner, hirer, or guardian, expressing the date of such pass, the name of the negro to whom it is given, the place or places to which he or she is going, how long he or she is to be absent, and in the ease of 3 slave, that such slave is in the services of the person before the Recorders Court by which he or she shall .be tried, and on conviction shall be punished by whipping not to exceed 39 lashes. H No slave or free person of color, other than Ministers of the Gospel, having charge of churches, in the discharge of their duties, and funeral processions, shall be allowed to ride or drive within the limits of the city, on the Sabbath, without written permission from his or her owner, or employer, stating that such slave or free person of color is on business of such owners or employer. "Every slave or free person of color not excepted as aforesaid, who shall be found riding or driving in the city on the Sabbath, without such, permission from his or her owner or employer shall be arrested aJid taken to Recorder's Court; and if such slatfe Fage l6 or free person of color was actually engaged in the business of said owner or employer, the said slave or free person of color shall be convicted and punished by whipping, not to exceed 39 lashes, which punishment in no case be commuted by a fine. "It shall be the duty of the officer making the arrest of such slave or free person of color as aforesaid, to take into his possession the horse or horse and vehicle, or horses and vehicles, so used by such slave or free person of color, which property may be redeemed by the owner, if white, upon the payment of $10.00, and if the owner of such property is a slave or free person of color, he or she shall be punished by whipping not less than 15 lashes.*1 ttNo slave or free person of color shall be allowed to attend military parades, or any procession of citizens, or at the markethouse on public sale days under the penalty of receiving not exceeding 15 lashes, for each and every offense, to be inflicted by the Chief of Police, Captain or any lieutenant; provided no person shall be prevented %frora having the attendance of his own servant on such occasions.M "fto slave or free person of color shall walk with a cane, club, or stick, except such slave or free person of color be blind or infirm; nor smoke a pipe or cigar in any street, lane, alley or other public place, under a penalty of not exceeding 25 lashes, to be inflicted by any officer of the City, by order of the Recorder' s Court. Page M 3g5 SECTION FORTY-THIRD ^No slave or free person of color shall play upon any instrument of music after sunset, without permission from the mayor or two members of Council, unless employed in the house of some citizen. No slave or free person of color shall be absent from his or her house 15 minutes after the bell shall have been rung, without a sufficient pass, under the penalty of 25 lashes, to be inflicted by the Chief of Police, or any officer of the City, and be confined in the Guard-Room for further examination, if found under suspicious circumstances* No slave or person of color shall keep lights in the house which they occupy after 10:00 at night, unless in case of necessity.,f SECTION FORTY-FOUR M lTo slave or free person of color shall in the streets or alleys, fight, quarrel, riot, or otherwise, act in a disorderly manner, under the penalty of chastisement by any officer of the city, not exceeding 25 lashes, ajid in all cases of conviction before the Recorder1 s Court, fye or she shall be punished by whipping, not exceeding 75 lashes f, No slave or free person of color, shall be allowed to keep a. shop or shops for the sale of beer, cake, fruit, soda water, or any similar articles on their ov/n account or for the benefit of any other person whomsoever. Any slave or slaves, or free person of color, found keeping a shop and selling, bartering, or trading in any way, shall be taken up and punished oy whipping, with not more than 3^ lashes for each and every offense, and shall stand committed until the officer's fees are paid.* Page 18 320 Most of the slaves interviewed were too young during the slaTery period to have experienced any of the more cruel punishments, though some remembered hearing tales of brutal "beatings. Most of the punishments inflicted were mild chastisements or restrictions. Susie Brown, who was a slave on the Evans1 plantation on Little River in Columbia, said, r, My Marster v/us good to me, good cs he could be only thing he whup me fer wus usin1 snuff. And when he go to whup me, Mistis "beg him to stop, and he only gib me a lick or two. And if Mistis try to whup me, he make her stop. No, dey didnft had to do much w hupp inf . Dey wus good to de hand." When asked about her overseer she replied, ,f Dere v/us a overseer, but I disremember his name.11 Most of these old es>slavesf recollections had to do with the "Patterolas", as the Patrol was called. about the Patrol, One of them said f, 0h yes, mafm, I seed de Patterolas, but I ever heard no song about * em. Jus1 like Dey wus all white mens. now you want to go off your Marster1 s place to another man1 s place, you had to get a pa^s from your boss man. - If you didn1 t have dat pass, de Patterolas would whip'you.,f A woman who lived on the 3oof plantation said, M I worked under four overseers, one of * em was mean, and he had a big deep voice. When the niggers was at the feed lot, the place where they carried the dinner they brought to the fields, he would hardly give 1 em time to eat before he hollered out, fGit up and go cack to work?1 She also said that Mars. Thomas, the red-haired young master, was mean about slaves over-staying pass time. "If they went off and (l Page-19 337 stayed too long, when they came hack, he*d strip them stark, mother nekked, tie ' em to a tree, and whip Marster, he didn*t believe in whipping. f em good. But old It was different when, the boys took possession after he died." Very few slaves ran away, but when they did the master hunted them with dogs. When Carrie Lewis, who belonged to Captain Ward, was asked if the slaves were aver whipped on their plantation, she replied, "No ma*m, de Marster say to de overseer, If you whup deia, I whup you.* $ro iaafm, he wouldn* t keap & overseer dat Tims mean to us-- Cap*n Ward wus good to us. He wouldn't 1st de little ones call him {Marster*, dey had to call hiin and de Missus, *Grarapa* and Gramma** My folks didn11 mistreat de slaves. I*d be better off now if it wus dem. times now." We asked Ellen Cainpbell, a Richmond County slave if her master was good to her and she replied,"I* 11 say fer Mr. William Eve-* he de bes* white man anywhere round here on any dese plantachuns. Dey all own slaves. t Sometimes de overseer whup 'em-naake 'em strip off dey shirt and whup * em on de bare skin. seer and two colored men dey call drivers. My boss had a white overIf dey didn* t dona right defy dus whup * em and turn 'em loose.* ,Y ** was said that those who refused to take whippings were lgenerally negroes of African royal blood, or their descendants. ^ ' Edward Glenn of the Clinton Brown plantation in Porsythe County, Ga., said, "My father would not take a whipping. before he would take a whipping. He would die The Marster thought so much of him, he made young Marster Clinton promise he would never sell him or put Page 20 a stripe on him. Q28 Once, when he wanted to punish him, he give him a horse and "bridle and fifty dollars. somebody to buy you.* 'Go on off somewhere and get My father stayed away a month. he come home, he had been off about 100 miles. a man who wanted to buy him. One day He brought with him Marster put the man up for the night, fed his horse, and father went on out to mother. Next day when the roan made him a price on father, Marster said, *I was just f oolin*. I wouldn* t sell him for nothing. I was trying to punish him. He is true and honest, but he won't take a whipping.' ^\ "Sometimes a slave was treated so bad by his owners he was glad if they put him up to be sold. If he was a bad man, they handcuffed him, put him on a stand, like for preachings and auctioned him off to the highest bidder. "When runaway slave was brought back they was punished. Once in Alabama I saw a woman stripped naked, laid over a stump in a field with her head hangin* down on one side, her feet on the other, and tied to the stump. Then they whipped her hard, and you could hear her hollering far off(, 'Oh, Lawd a,mussyt Xawd a-mussy!*." Another punishment Edward said, was called the "Gameron Stick", (sometimes called the Gamlin stick, or Spanish Buck). The slave*s arms were bound around the bent knees and fastened to a stick run beneath them. This was called the "Spanish Buck* punishment. They stripped the slave, who was unable to stand up, and rolled him on one side and whipped him till the blood came. the "cowhide". They called the whip Slaves were whipped for small things, such as forgetting orders or spilling food. Page 21 329 OVERSEERS The most important person in the disciplining of negro slaves was the overseer^ socially* However, he occupied an unfortunate position He was not regarded as the equal of the owner1 s family, and was not allowed to mix socially with the slaves/' His was a hard lot, and consequently this position was generally filled by men of inferior grade. However, he was supposed to have an education so that he could handle the finances of the plantation accurately, and to be possessed of a good moral character in order to enforce the regulations. On most Georgia plantations overseers were given a house near the slave quarters. with the plantation owner. In some instances he lived in the house The average pay for overseers was from three to five hundred dollars a year. Next in authority to the overseer was the driver, who directed the work in the fields. Every morning the driver "blew the horn or rang the plantation oell to summon slaves to their work. Next to him was some trusted slave, who carried the keys to the smokehouse and commissary, and helped to give out rations once a week. Many of the overseers were naturally cruel and inclined to treat the slaves harshly* Often strict rules and regulations had to be made to hold them in check. Overseers were generally made to sign these regulations on receiving their appointments. In 1840'"-the Southern Cultivator and Monthly Journal published the following rules of the plantation: Page 22 33Q RULES OF THE PLANTATION Rule 1st. The overseer will not be expected to work in the crop, but he must constantly with the handsf when not otherwise engaged in the employer's business, and will be required to attend on occasions to any pecuniary transactions connected with the plantation. Rule 2nd. The overseer is not expected to be absent from the planta- tion unless actual necessity compels him, Sundays excepted, and then it is expected that he will, on all occasions, be at horce by night. Rule 3rcL #s will attend, morning, noon and night, at the stable, and see that the mules and horses are ordered, curried, and fed. Rule 4th. He will see that every negro is out by daylight in the morning--a signal being given oy a olast of the horn, the first horn will be blown half an hour before day. He will also visit the negro cabins at least once or tv/ice a week, at night, to see that all are in. No negro must be out of his house after ten oclock in summer and eleven* in winter. Rule 5*h. The overseer is not to give passes to the negroes without the employees consent. The families the negroes ars allowed to visit will be specified by the employer; also those allowed to visit the premises. Nor is any negro allowed to visit the place without showing himself to the employer or overseer. Rule 6th. The overseer is required not to chat with the negroes, except on business, nor to encourage tale bearing, nor is a.ny tale Page 23 331 to be told to him or employer, by any negro, unless he has a witness to his statements, nor are they allowed, in any instance, to quarrel and fight. But the employer will question any negro, if confidence can be placed in him, without giving him cause of suspicion, about all matters connected with the plantation, if he has any reason to believe that all things are not going on right. 3ule 7*h. As the employer pays the overseer for his time and atten- tion, it is not to be expected he will receive much company. Rule 8th. As the employer employs an overseer, not to please him- self, but the employer, it will be expected that he will attend strictly to all his instructions. His opinion will be frequently asked relative to plantation matters, and respectfully listened to, but it is required they be given in a polite and respectful manner, and not urged, or insisted upon; and if not adopted, he must carry into effect the views of the employer, and with a sincere desire to produce a successful result. He is expected to carry on all experiments faithfully and carefully note the results, and he must, when required by the employer, give a fair trial to all new methods of culture, and new implements of agriculture. Rule 9th. As the whole stock will be under immediate charge of the overseer, it is expected he will give his personal attention to it, and will accompany the hog feeder once a week and feed them, and count and keep a correct number of the same. The hog feeder is required to attend to feeding them every morning. Rule 10th. The negroes must be made to obey, and to work, which may be done by an overseer who attends regularly to his business, with very little whipping; for much whipping indicates a bad tempered or an inattentive manager. He must never, on any oc Page 24 casion* unless in self-defense!, Mck a nagra, or stride him with his fist, or butt end of his whip. .Ho unusual punishment must he resorted to wither t the employer's consent. He is not expeeted to punish the foreman, except on some extraordinary emergency that will not allow of delay, until the employer is consulted. Of this rule the foreman is to he kept in entire ignorance. Rule 11th. The sick must he attended to. When sick they are to make known the fact to him; if in the field, he is requested to send theia to the employer, if at home; and if not, the overseer is expected to attand to them in person, or send for a physician if necessary. Suckling and pregnant women must be indulged more than others. Sucklers are to be allowed time to visit their children, morning, noon and evening, until they are eight months old, and twice a day from thence until they are twelve months old-^they are to be kept working near their children. Fo lifting, pulling fodder, or hard work is expected of pregnant women. Rule 12th. The negroes are to appear in the field on Monday mornings cleanly clad. To carry out said rule they are to be allowed time (say one hour by sun) every Saturday evening for the purpose of washing their clothes. Rule 13th. The overseer is particularly required to keep the negroes as much as possible out of the rain, and from all kind of exposure. Rule 14th. It will be expected of a good manager, that he will con- stantly arrange the daily work of the negroes, so that no negro may wafct to know what to go to doing. Small jobs that will not m^^^^^^W-^^^^y^W^^W^^^^^^^^^. ^'(--"r"' . ">* ' &; reasonably admit of delay must be forthwith attended to. Rule l th It isrequired, of him, to kfep,the tools, ploughs, hoes &e. out of the weather...and have all collected after they are done using them. shed. The wagon and cart must be kept under a He is expected to keep good gates, ftars and fences. Rule 1.6 th* the employer will give him a list of ail the taels and farming utensils and p lac a the same in his care, and he is to return them at the years* and to the employer; if any are broke', the pieces are expected to be returned. Rule 17th. He is not to keep a horse or dog against the em- ployer's approbation-^and dogs kept for the purpose of catching negroes will not bo allowed under any consideration. Rule 18th. He is required to come to his meals at the blowing of the horn. It is not expected he will leave the field at night before the hands quit their work. Rule 19th. It will bs expected he will not speak of the employer* s pecuniary business, his domestic affairs, or his arrangements to any one. He will be expected to inform the employer of anything going on that may*concern his interest. Rule 20th. He is to have no control whatever over the employer's domestic affairs; nor to take any privileges in the way of using himself, or loaning the employer's property to others. Rule 21st. He is expected to be guilty of no disrespectful language in the employer's prasence--such as vulgarity, swearing &c$ nor is he expected to be guilty of any indecencies, such as spitting on the floor, wearing his hat in the house, sitting at the table with his coat off, or whistling or singing in the house (such habits aro frequwtly indulged in, in Baeh9l0P 98tabU h- *' : %jf ments in the 8oufi)r His rooo. will be qp$v#$$i%$% . to b$*r m$h# will not be ejected to obtrude upon the employs?^pritate ohiwplfer^ except on business^ Bule 33ftd It will be eagpeoted of him that he will op't.^ get^il^i^, and if he returns home in that state he will be JjwefdiatdLy difeha2 ^ He will also be imoediately discharged, if it is $eeirtainedl he is too intimate with any of the negro women* Rule SSrcU It is distinctly understood* in the agreement wi$i eYesry overseer, should they separate, from death or other aus$ and either is at liberty to separate from the other whenever dissatisfied * without giving his reasons for so doing; in said event the employer, i^on settlement, is not ezpected-to pay the eaah nor s#ttXe for 18m year, but for the time only he remained in the employer* s service* by note, due January next (with interest) pro rata, he was to pay for the year* AilPSBCSKgS In spite of the many restrictions that hedged the slaves about there were many good times on the plantation. Old Mary of -foe Hoof plantation described their frolics thus: "We would sing and there was always a fiddle. I never could put up to dance much but nobody could beat me xunnin* 'Peep Squirrel'# That was a game we made up on the plantation. The girls peeped out, then ran by the men, and they'd be caught and twirled around* They said I wae like a kildee bird, I was so little and could run so fast. When we growed up we walked the boys to death! They used to say we walked the heels off their boots. every Christmas, on different plantations. ?e would havesdanees "* I tell my* grandchildren sometimes that my brother-in-law would carry us to dances and wouldn* aljjow us to sleep, we'd dance all night long. We had a good time, us girlst* When the negroes got Married long tables were set under the trees in the "back yard and the people from the big house came down to see how the slaves were dressed and to wish them well. Concerning her own marriage Mary said, "They say I was married when I was 17 years old. I know it was after freedom. married a boy who belonged to the Childs pla-ntation. I I had the finest kind of marrying dress, my father bought it for me. It had great big grapes hanging down from the sleeves and around the skirt." She sighed and a shadow passed over her placid old face, as she added, "I wish*t I had a kep' it for my children to saw." A slave from the Starling Freeman plantation in South Carolina said, "When cullud people wus married, white people give a supper. A cullud man whut lives on de place marries em." *I used to sing good myself,'1 continued Susannah, "you could hear the echo of my voice way out yonder, but I can't sing no more." Here Susannah stuck out her legs, covered with long-ribbed pink stockings. gone. "Iffy legs-got.Hh^misery in 'em now, and my voice In my mother* s house dey never trained us to sing things like the mos1 o' people. We sung the good old hymns, like, "A Charge to Keep I have, a God to Glorify. Old Tim, who used to live on a plantation in Virginia, said in speaking of good times before the war, "Sho*p we had plenty o banjo pickers! They was 'lowed teuplay banjos and gui- M Page 28 tars at night, if da Patterolas dli&* interfere. At home de owners wouidn* 'lew de Patterolas to tech'their folks. to run mighty fast to git home after da frolics! We us eel Patterolas wus a club of men whor| go around and catch slavea on strange plantations and "break up frolics, and whip * em sometimes. We asked Aunt Ellen Campbell, who was a slave on the Eve plantation in Bichmond County, about good times in slavery days. She laughed delightedly and said, "When anybody gwine be married dey tell de boss and he nave a cake fix. Den wfhen Sunday come, after dey be married she put on de white dress she be married in and dey go up to town so de boss can see de young couple." She was thoughtful a moment, then continued, "Den sometimes on Sad4a^ night we have a big frolic. De nigger fHf Hammond* s place and Phinizy place, Eve place, Clayton place, D'Laigle place, all git together fer a big dance and frolic. A lot o1 de young sports used to come dere and push de young nigger bucks aside sn& dance wid de wenches." "We used to have big parties sometime," said ifennie Sulcher, a former slave on Dr. Miller's plantation in Burke County. "No white folks jus* de overseer come round to see how dey git erlong. I *member dey have a fiddle. I had a cousin who played fer frolics, and fer de white folks, too." According to Melinda Mitchell, who lived on the plantation of Rev. Allen Doziar in Edgefield County, South Carolina, the field hands and house servants forgot cares in merriment and dancing after the day's work was over. When asked about her master, a , Page 29 Q^^ Baptist preacher, condoning dancing Melinda replied With the simple statement, "He wasn11 only a preacher, he was a religious man. De slaves danced at de house of a man who f tended de stack, way off in de fiel1 away fum de big house." They danced to a the tunes of banjos and.homemade instrument termed, "Quill11, evidently some kind of reed. It was fairly certain that the noise of merriment must have been heard at the big house, but the slaves were not interrupted in their frolic. tt My mainmy wus de besf dancer on de plantachun,lf Melinda said proudly. "She could dance so sturdy she could balance a glass o water on her head an never spill a drop.11 She recalls watching the dancers late into the night until she fell asleep* She could tell of dances and good times in the 'big house as well as in the quarters. The young ladies were belles. were constantly entertaining. They One day a wandering fortune-teller came on the piazza where a crowd of young people ware gathered, and asked to tell the young ladies1 fortunes. Everything was satisfactory until he told Miss Nettie she would marry a onearmed man. At this the young belle was so indignant that the man was driven off and the dogs set on him. told true-true,11 Melinda said. H But de fortune teller A faint omnious note crept into her voice and her eyes seemed to be seeing events that had transpired almost three-quarters of a century ago. "After de war Miss Nettie did marry a one-arm man, like de fortune-teller said, a Confederate officer, Captain Shelton, who had come back wid his sleeve empty* Page 30 338 SLAVE SALES There were two legal places for selling slaves in Augustaj the Lower Market, at the corner of Fifth and Broad Street, and the Upper Market at the corner of Broad and Marbury Streets. The old slave quarters are still standing in Hamburg, S. C., directly across the Savannah River from the Lower Market in Augusta. Slaves who were to be put up for sale were kept there until the legal days of sales. Advertisements in the newspapers of that day seem to point to the fact that most slave sales were the results of the death of the master, and the consequent settlement of estates, or a result of the foreclosure of mortgages. In the Thirty-Seventh Section of the Ordinances of the City of Augusta, August 10, l820-July 8, 1329, is the following concerning Tendue Masters* / "If any person acts as a Yendue Master within the limits of this City without a license from the City Council, he shall be fined in a sum not exceeding $1,000.00. Vendue Masters for this city. There shall not be more than four They shall be appointed by ballot, and their license shall expire on the day proceeding the 1st Saturday in October of every year, llo license shall be issued to a Vendue Master until he has given bond, with securities according to the laws of this State, and also a bond with approved security to the Council for the faithful discharge of his duties in the sum of ^t00Q.0Q,n The newspapers of the time regularly carried advertisements concerning the sals of slaves. "Would sell slavest The following is a fair sample* With this farm will be sold about Thirty Likely Page 3* Negroes mostly country born, among them a very..good bricklayer, and driver, and two sawyers, 17 of thsm are fit for field or boat work, and the rest fine, thriving children." The following advertisement appeared in The Georgia Oonstitu t i onali s t on January 17, 17&9* *To be sold in Savannah on Thursday the 15th. inst. a cargo of 140 Prime Slaves, chiefly men. Just arrived in the Scow Gambia Captain Nicholas Boyle after a passage of six weeks directly from the River Gambia." by Inglis and Hall* Kost of the advertisements gave descriptions of each slave, with his age and the type of work he could do. advertised along with other They were generally property belonging to the slave / owner. The following appeared in the Chronicle and Sentinel of Augusta on December 23rd, l864t "Negro Sales. Columbus the annexed prices were obtained! At an auction in a boy/16 years old, 13,625. "At a late %sale in Wilmington the annexed prices were obtained* a girl 14 years old $5,400; a girl 22 years old, $4,850; a girl 13 years #3t500; a negro boy, 22 years old $4,900. Very few of the slaves interviewed had passed through the bitter experience of being sold. Janie Satterwhite, who was born on a Carolina plantation, and was about thirteen years old when she was fraed, remembered very distinctly when she was sold away from her parents. Page 32 "Yes^m, my Mama died in slavery, and I was sold when I was a little tot," she said. * I 'member when dey put me on de block.* "Were you separated from your family?" we asked. "Yes'm. We wus scattered ebsrywhere. and some to odder places. at one time. De Missus she die and we wus all sold Atter dat nobody could do nOthin* on de. ole planta- chun fer a yaar--till all wus settled up. happy den. Some went to Florida My brudder he wasn*t He run away fer five years.* "Where was he all that time?" "Lawd knows, honey. Hi din*, I reckon, hi din in de swamp. ' "Did you like your new master?" M Honey, I wus too little to have any sense. When dat man bought me -dat Dr. Henry* he put me in a buggy to take me off. i kin see it all right now, and I say to Mama and Papa, Good-bye, 1*11 bs back in de mawnin*. And dey all feel sorry fer me and say, 'She don1 know whut happenin*. " "Did you ever see your family again?* ' Yes'm. Dey wusn* t so far away. When Christmas coma de Marster say I can ,stay wid Mama de whole'week." Easter Jones, who had many bitter memories of slavery days back on the Sennet plantation near Waynesboro, said, when asked if she was evsr sold into slavery, "Dey had me up fer sale once, but de horse run away and broke de neck o* de man whut gwine buy me." Harriet White, whose father was a slave, gives this account of his sale, ,, Yastm, he tell me many times 'bout when he wus put up * $ 33 fer sale on Warren Block (in Augusta). on de block down here. Grew. 341 Father say dey put him De gemmen whut bought him name Mr. Tom But when dey tryin* to sell him dat right durin' de war^ one man say, 'Ho, I don* want him he know too much.* been down to Savannah wid de Yankees. He'd done Den my father say, 'If you buy me you canft take ma oudder de state of Georgia, 'cause de Yankees all around." Carrie Lewis, who was owned by Captain Phillip Ward and lived. on a plantation down in Richmond County said, "10*113, I wasn't never sold, but my Mama was sold fum me. See, I belonged to de young girl and old Marster fool Missus away fum de house so he git to sell my Mama. " "Did you ever see your mother afterwards?" we asked. "No, me*m. I wouldnr know ipy Mammy no more dan you would." "But were you happy on the plantation?" A smile brightened hex wrinkled old face as she replied, "I'd be a heap better off if it was dam times now." When we ask^ed* Ellen Campbell if she was ever sold during slavery times she replied, "N'o*m'. whut wus. I wa'n't sold, but I know dem Jedge Robinson ha kept a nigger trade office over in Hamburg." "Oh yes, we remember--the old brick building." "Yas'm, dat it. be sold was kept dare. put * em up fer sale. see if dey all right. Well, all de colored people whut gonner Den dey brung * em over to de market and Anybody fixin* to buy 'em, *zarainas 'am to Looks at de taef to tall 'bout de age. Page 34 Laura Steward, who was a slave in a Baptist preacherrs family in Augusta told some interesting things about slave sales here* "Slaves were sold at the. Augusta market, in spite of what white ladies say." She stated that there was a long house with porches on Ellis "between 7th and 8th, where a garage now stands* building slaves were herded for market. "Day would line In this f em up like horses or cows,11 said Laura, *a,nd look in de mouf at dey teaf; den dey march sale day. f em down togedder to market in crowds, first Tuesday n Old Mary used to live on the Roof plantation with her mother, while her father lived on a nearby plantation. She said her father tried for a long time to have his owner "buy his wife and children, until finally, to "buy us in. !, 0ne day Mr. Tom Perry sont his son-in-law You had to get up on what they called the block, but we just stood on some steps. called out the prices* The bidder stood on the ground and There was always a speculator at the sales. We wus bought all right and moved over to the Perry place. had another young marster there. I He had. his own hands and didnf t 1 sell them at all. Wouldn't none -of us been sold from the Roof place, except .for my father beggin1 Mr. Perry to ouy us, so we wouldn1 t be separated." # Susannah Wyman of the Freeman plantation in South Carolina said, f, Once de Marster tried to sell my brudder and anodder youngster fer a pair of mules, and our Mistis said, fIot You donf sell my chillun for no muleat1 And he didnf t sell us neider. They never sold anybody off our plantation. But people did sell women, old like I am now--or if they didn1 t have no chillun. The 342 Page 35 3|3 fus* spec-lator come along and wants to buy *em, he kin have era. De Marster say, *Bring me han*8 in. I want han'st* * Eugene Smith, who used to belong to Mr. Steadraan Clark of Augusta said, M I read in the papers where a lady said slaves were never sold here in Augusta at the old -market, but I saw *em selling slaves myself. They put 'em up on something like a table, bid 'em off just like you would do horses or cows. men. I kin recollect. Dere wus two I know one was call Mr. Tom Heckle. used to buy slaves, speculatin*. He The other was name Wilson. They would sell a mother from her children. That* s why so many colored people married their sisters and brothers, not knowin* till they got to talking *bout it. One would say: 'I remember my grandmother, * and another would say, ' that1 s mjr grandmother*. The& theyfd find out they ware sister and brother. " WAR MEMORIES Most of the ex-slaves interviewed were too young to have talcen any part in war activities, though many of them remembered that the best slaves were picked and sent from each plantation to help build breastworks for the defense of Waynesboro. On some places the Yankees were encamped and on others the southern soldiers were entertained. M De Yankees come through de plantation on Sunday,* said Hannah Murphy, a former slave on a Georgia plantation* forgit datt av/aytf Dey wus singin1 Dixie, Dey wus all dress in blue. "I'll never f I wisht I wus in Dixie, look Dey sot de gin house afire, and den dey v/ent in de lot and gat all de mules and de horses and Page 36 ca*y f em wid 'era. Dey didn't "bother de smoke house where de food wuz, and dey didn't tek no hogs. But dey did go to de long dairy and thowed out all de milk and cream and butter.and stuff. didn* bother us none. Dey Some 0' de cullard folks went wid de Yankees. De white folks had yeared dey wuz comin* and dey had lef*--after de Yankees all gone away, de white folks corns back. De cullud .folks stayed dere a while, but de owners of de place declaimed dey wuz free, and sont de people off. I know dat my mother and father and a lot 0' people come heah to Augusta." Old Tim, from a plantation in Virginia, remembers when Lee was fighting near Danville, and how frightened the ndgroes were at the sound of the cannon. "They cay*d the wounded by the 'bacco factory," he said, "on de way to de hor spit tie." The northern troops came to the 7/illiam Morris plantation in Burke County. Eliza Morris, a slave, who was her master's, * "right hand bough" was entrusted with burying the family silver. "There was a battle over by waynesboro, to us. H Eliza's daughter explained "I hear my mother speak many times about how the Yankees come to our place." It seems that some of the other slaves were jealous of Eliza because of her being so favored by her master. "Some of the niggers told the soldiers that my mother had hidden the silver, but she wouldn'tell the hidin' place. The others were always jealous of my mother, and now they tried to make the Yankees shoot her because she wouldn' tell where the silver was hidden. My mother was a good cook and she fixed food for the Yankees camped on the place, and this softened the soldiers* hearts. They burned both the plantation houses, but they give my mother a horse and Page 37 ; plenty of food to last for some time after they left.," "What did jour mother do after the war?" we asked. "She spent the rest of her life cookinr for her young Ifistis, Mrs. Dr. Madden in Jacksonville. She was Cap'n Bill's daughter. That was her home till shortly after the World War when she died." "Did your Master live through the war?" "Yas'm. He come home. Some of the old slates had stayed on at the plantation; others followed the Yankees off. Long time afterward some of 'em drifted back--half starved and in bad shape." " Let em come home*", Marster said. And them that he couldn* hire he give patches of land to farm.w ^Member de vrar? Course I dot" said Easter Jones, "My Marster went to Savannah, and dey put him in prison somewhere. He died atter he come back, it done him so bad. I 'member my brudder was born dat Sunday when Lee surrender. Dey name him Richmond. But I was sick de day dey came and 'nounced freedom." Augustus Burden, a former slave on General Walker*s plantation at Windsor Springs, Ga., served as valet for his master, said, "Master was killed at Chickamauga. When the war ceased they brought us home--our old master*s home. My old Mistis was living and we came back to the old lady." When the Yankees came through Georgia the Walkers and Schleys asked for protection from gunfire. Because of school associations with Northern officers nothing on the plantation was disturbed. *Mrs Jefferson Davis came there to visit the Schleys," said Augustus, and his face lit up with enthusiasm, *She was a mighty pretty woman - a big lady, very beautiful. She seemed to be real merry amongst the white folks, and Miss Winnie was a pretty little 345 Page baby* ,f I kis * member de Yankees com in1 f 34Q She was talking than** Louis Jones was seven years old when he was freed. see 38* em I wasn1 t skeered* I wanted to I hung on de fence corners, and nearabouts some sich place* After freedom my Ma. didn1 t go fway. sha could Ha saidr Sha stayed on de plantation till money cookin1 some udder place make more dey did anything to de plantation whar I don1 t think I yearad day cay1 d I wus# out de silver and mebbe- hid it in places whar de Yankees couldn* t find it." When Ellen Campbell of the Eve plantation in Richmond County, was asked if she remembered anything about the Yankees coming through this part of the country, she replied: "Yasfin, I seen f em comin1 down de street. Every one had er canteen on de side, a blanket on de shoulder, caps cocked on one side de ha.id. De Cavalry had boots on, and spurros on de boots First day sot de niggers free on Dead 3iver, den dey come on here and sot us free* Dey march straight up Broad Strset to de Planters Hotel, dan day camped on de river. Dey stayed here six months till dey sot dis placa free* When dey campin1 on de river bank we go down dere and wash dey clo1 es far a good price* Dey had hard tack to eat- Dey ^ib us hard tack snd tell us to soak it in water, end fry it in meat gravy. taste nothinf 30 good since. Dey say, I ain1 t f Dis hard tack v/hut we hadder lib on while we fightin1 to sot you free*1* FRS3DQBT Although the Emancipation Proclamation was delivered on January 1st, 1863 it was not. until Lae,s flnal . Urrand9f t^ ^ ^ Page negroes knew they were free. 39 347 The Freedman's Bureau in Augusta gave out the nev/s officially to the negroes, but in most cases the plantation owners themselves summoned their slaves and told them they were free* Fany negroes stayed right with their masters. * Carrie Lew is, a slave on Ca,ptain Ward1 s plantation in Richmond County, said, when asked where she went ..hen freedom came, iidn1 t went n 07/he re?nd say H Me? I Da niggers come long wid de babies and dey oacks, I wus free, and I tell f em I was free already* Didn1 t make no diffunce to me - freedom.11 Old Susannah from the Freeman plantation said, "When freedom come I jot niad at Marster. He cut off my hair* from Ca* lina to Augusta to sue him. I was free so I come I walk myself to deathi found I couldn1 t sue him over here in Georgial was jus1 nachally mad f cause we wus free* I had to go back. He Soon as I got here, dere was a lady on de street, she tole me to come in, tek a seat. Hex1 mornin1 dare. I couldn1 t 3tand up. Den I I stayed My limbs was hurtin1 all 0 v e r. * Tim from the plantation in Virginia remembers distinctly when freedom came to his people* be said, "When we wus about to have freedom,11 H they thought the YaJikees was a-goinf zo they put us on trains and run us down south* to take all the slaves I went to a place whut they call fButler1 in Georgia, then they sont me on down to the Ohattahoochee, where they were cuttin1 a piece of railroad, then to ^uincy, then to Tallahassee* in f When the war ended I weren't fxactly Gusta, I was in Irwinville, where they caught Mars. Jeff Davis. Folks said he had de money train, but I never seed no gold, nor nobody *hut had any. 1 cone on up to rqjusta and jined de Bush A roor Page 40 848 *.: Springfield Church* "When freedom came they called all the white people to the court house first, and told them the darkies were free. Then on a certain day they called all the colored people down to the parade ground. They had a big stand,.11 explained Eugene Vasley Smith, whose father was a slave in Augusta. "All the Yankees and some of our leading colored men got up there and spoke, and told the negroes* *You are free. Don1 t stealt ETow work and make a living. Do honest work, inake an honest living and support yourself and children. no more masters. There* are You are freel* " hen the colored troops came in, they came in playing* f Donft you see the lightning? Don1 t you hear the thunder? It isnft the lightning, It isnft the thunder But the "buttons on the JTegro uniform!* "The negroes shouted and carried on v/hen they heard they were free." This story of freedom was told "by Edward Glenn of Porsythe Countyi "A local preacher, Walter Raleigh, used to v/ait by the road for me every day, and read the paper before I give it to Mist is Pns day he was waiting for me, and instead of handing it back to me he thofwed it down and hollered, away. I tuk the paper to Mistis. I didn1 t say no more. f f I m free as a frog1.1 Shr read it and went to cryin1 . That was during the week. On Sunday morning I was talking to my brother1 s wife, who was the cook. talking about the Yankees. He ran We were Mistis come in and say, Come out in Psj,ge 41 the garden with me#* 349 When we got outside Mist is saidt fEd, you suppose them Yankees would spill their blood to come dov/n here to free you niggers?1 M said, fI dunno, out I1 se free anyhow, Miss Mary fW 111 Shut up, sir, I111 inash your mouth ! "That day Marster was eating, and he said, me Doc, f Doc1 (they called r cause I was the seventh son)* fYou have been a good boy. What did you tell your Mistis?1 *T said, "He said, w f I told her the truth, that I knowed I was free** f Well, Doc, you aren*t really free# You are free from me, but you arenft of age yet, and you still belong to your father and mother * One morning I saw a olue cloud of Yankees coming down the road# The leader was waving his arms and singingi f Ha, ha, hat Trabble all the dayi Ifm in the Hebel1 s Happy Land of Caanan* Needn1 t mind the v/eather, Juijip over double trouble, Ifm in the Reoelfs Happy Land of Caanan*1 HThe Yankee;., captain, Captain Brown, gathered all us negroes in the fair ground, July or August after freedom, and he made a speech. lawsy1* I can see that crowd yet, a-yelling and' a-stomping! And the captain waving his arms and shouting! " We have achieved the victory over the South* Today you are all free men and free women!' M We had everybody shouting and jumping, and my father and mother shouted along with the others. Everybody was happy** Page 42. QQQ Janie Satterwliite's memories were very vivid about freedom* "Oh yas'xa," she said, "my brudder corned fer me* He say, 'Jane, you free now* But old liars You wanna go home and see Papa?* say, 'Son, I don' know you and you don' know me# Jane stay here a while*' off* You better let So he went off, but pretty soon I slip I had iiiy little black bonnet in my hand, and de shoes Papa give me, and I started off fTicht, tichtj crost dat bridge* "I kept on till I got to my sister's* bridge de river wua risin'* But when I got to de And I hadder go down de swamp road* V/hen I got dere, wus I dirty? And my sister say, 'How come you here all by yourself?' bed* Den she took off my clo'es and put rae to And I remember de next mornin' when I got up it was Sunday and she had my clo'es all wash and iron* De fus1 Sunday atter freedom.ff FOLK LOBE As most of the ex-slaves interviewed were mere children during the slavery period they remembered only tales that were told them by their parents* Two bits of folk lore were out- standing as they were repeated with many variations by several old women* One of these stories may be a relic of race memory, dating back to the dawn of the race in Africa* several Page 43 35j[ negroes of the locality gave different versions of this story of the woman who got out of her skin every night. Hannah Murphy, who was once a slave and now lives in Augusta gives this version: f, Dere was a big pon1 on de plantation, and I yeared de ole folks tell a story 'bout dat pon1 , how one time dere was a whits. Mistis what would go out evf y evenin1 in her cay1 age and mek de driver tek her to de pon1. She v/ould stay out a long time. driver kepf a wonderinf what she do here. One night he saw her go thur de bushes, and he crep1 behin1 her. her skin. He saw her step out of De skin jus1 roll up and lay down on de groun*, and den de Mistis disappear. De driver wus too skeered to move. little while he yeared her voice sayin1 you know me?* as life. De In a f f Skinny, Skinny, donf t Den de skin jump up and dere she wus again, ez Dig He watch her like dat for a lot of nights, and den he went vnd tole de Marster. De Farster wus so skeered of her he run away frum de plantation and quit her. * Laura Stewart, who was oorn a slave in Virginia, gives this verson of the same story: rt Dey always tole me de story fbout de ole witch who git out her skin. I ainf t know it all. t/hings went on. In dem days I guess dose kinder Dey said /,'hile she was out ridin1 wid de ole witch she leff her skin behind her, and when she come back, de other w canan had put salt and pepper on it; and when sha say, ! Skinny, Skinny, don't you know me?1 de ole skin wouldn't jump up, so she ain11 had no skin a-tall.fl "Granny,* La,uraf s granddaughter called to her, ab on t t he Mistis what go t bu ry-i1 lf tell the ladies Page 44 "Oh yesf,f Laura recalled, f, dey didn1 bury her so far. "bad man went dere to git her gold ring off her finger. make a sound like skeered. f Shs* like her noref comin1 He run off* She out, and de msn got She got up direokly and come to de house. Dey wus skeered of dat ITistis de resf were a hant. A of her life and say she w INTERESTING CUSTOMS On one southern plantation soap was ma.de at a certain time of the year and left in the hollowed-out trough of a oig log. Indigo was planted for blueing. wheat bran put in soak. Starch was made out of The bran was squeezed out and used to feed the hogs, and the starch was saved for clothes. A hollow stump was filled with apples when cider was to be made. A hole was bored in the middle, and a lever put inside, which would crush the apples. As Mary put it, tt you put the a,pples in the top, pressed the lever, the cider come out the spout, and my, it was good1.,f DRESS Most of the old ex-slave women interviewed wore long full skirts, and flat loose shoes. In spite of what tradition and story claim, few of the older negroes of this district wear head clothes. string. Most of them wear their wooly hair M wroppedM with The women often wear man's discarded slouch hats. Though many of the old women were interviewed in mid-summer, Page 45 they wore several waists and seemed absolutely unaware of the heat* One man, wearing the typical dress of the poverty-stricken old person of this district, is Tim Thornton, who used to live on the Virginia plantation of Mrs. Lavinia Tinsiey* His ragged pants are sewed up with oord, and On his coat nails are used where buttons used to be. In the edges of his "salt and pepper" hair are stuck matches, convenient for lighting his pipe# His beard is bushy and his lo*wer lip pendulous and long, showing strong yellov; teeth His manner is kindly, and he is known as "Old Singing Tim" because he hums spirituals all day long as he stumps around tov*n leaning on a stick* IKMBSR OF SL&VES. Plantations owned by Dr. Balding Hillsr in Burke County had about eight hundred slaves Governor Pickens of South Carolina was said to have had about four hundred on his various plantationsi The William Ivlorris plantations in Burke County had about five hundred slaves* BIBLIOGRAPHY 354 Flanders, Ralph Betts Plantation Slavery in Georgia, Chapel Hill: The University Press of N. C., 326 pages, p. 1933# e. 1933, pp. 254-279. Hotchkiss, William A* Statute La.v 8 of Georgia a.nd State Papers; Savannah, Ga.; John M. Cooper, pub*, )9Q pages, p. l84$, c. 1845* pp. 810, 817, 838, 839, 840. Rutherford, John Acts of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia Savannah, Ga.t Samuel T. Chapman, State Printer, 620 pages, p. 1854, c. 1854, p. 103. Jones, J. W# , Editor, Southern Cultivator Augusta, Ga*: J. W. and 7. S. Jones, pubs., Vol. 1, 1843* Ordinances of the City Council of Augusta. August 10, 1820; July 8, l829i Feb. 7, 1862. The Daily Chronicle 4 Sentinel Vol. XXVIII. No. 3O6. Augusta, Gat, Dec. 23, 1864* Clipping. 100153 355 COMPILATION RICHMOND COUNTY HX-SIAVE WORK. PLAY. POOD, CLOTHING. MARRIAGE. Qtc, Frit ten by: Edited byi INTERVIEWS Louise Olipiiant JBderal Writers' Project Augusta, Ga. John N. Booth, District Supervisor, Federal Writers' Project Augusta, Ga. 100153 i. In recalling habits of work and play, marriage customs, and like memories of Southern life before the Civil War, Richmond County*s ex-slaves tall varied stories. said: old. One "I didnft start workin* *til I was *bout nine years Before that I had watched chickens, carried in wood, gathered eggs and such light work as that. nine I started workin' in the field. But when I was I didn* t plow then be- cause I was too small, but I hoed and did other light jobs. "Our mar star made our shoes for Us out of raw cow hide. Us got two pairs of shoes a year, one for every day and one for Sunday* Us made everythin1 us needed. The old women, who couldn't work in the field, would make cloth on the looms and the spinnin* wheels. benches and stools to sit on. Us didn't have chairs; us made Us didn*t know what swings was. Us used to tie ropes in trees and swing in 'em. "Everybody had his own tin plate and tin cup to eat out of. On Saturday they would give everybody three pounds of meat, twelve pounds of flour, twelve pounds of meal, and one quart of syrup. This was to last a weak. Us always had plenty to eat * til the war started, then us went hungry many a day because they took the food and carried it to the soldiers. Us stole stuff from everybody durin' that time. "They always blowed a horn for you to go to work by and get off for dinner by and stop work in the evening by. When that horn blowed, you couldn't get them mules to plow another 350 2. foot. They just wouldn't do it. Us always et dinner out in the yard, in the summer time, at a long bench. us always went inside to eat. In cold weather Whenever us didn't have enough to eat us would tell the overseer and he seed to it that us got plenty. Our overseers was colored." Another old woman said she "started working at the age of seven as a nurse. I nursed, made fire in the house and around the wash pots 'til I was old enough to go to work in the fields. When I got big enough I hoed and later plowed. Us didn't wait 'til sun up to start work in', us started as soon as it was light enough. When it come to field work* you couldn't tell the women from the men. Of course my marster had two old women on the place and he never made them work hard, and he never did whip * em. They always took care of the cookin* and the little chillun. "I'll tell you one thing, they had better doctors then than they do now. When folks had high blood pressure the doctors would cut you in your head or your arm and folks would get over it than. They took better care of themselves. Whenever anybody was caught in the rain they had to go to the marster1 s house and take some medicine. They had somethin' that looks like black draught looks now, and they would put it in a gallon jug, fill it a little over half full of "Soiling water, and finish fillin1 it with whiskey. colds. It was real bitter, but it v/as good for Young folk didn't die then like they do now. anybody died it was a old person. Whenever 3r 358 "I know more about conjuration than Irll ever "be able to tell. I didn't believe in it at one time, but I've seen so much of it that I can almost look at a sick person and tell whether he is conjured or not. I wouldn't believe it now if I hadn't looked at snakes come out of ray own sister's daughter. She married a man that had been goin' 'round with a old woman who wasn't nothin' Veil one day this woman and my niece got in a fight 'bout him, and my niece whipped her. She was already mad with niy niece 'bout him, and after she found she couldn't whip her she decided to get her some way and she just conjured her. "My niece was sick a long time and we had 'bout seven or eight diff'unt doctors with her, but none of 'em done her any good. walked up. One day us was sittin' on the porch and a man Us hadn't never seen him before, and he said he wanted to talk with the lady of the house. I 'vited him in and he asked to speak to me alone. So I went in the front room and told him to come on in there. When he got there he said just like this: 'You have sickness don't you?' I said, 'yes.' Then he said: *I know it, and I come by here to tell you 1 could hure her. All I want is a chance, and you don't have to pay me a cent 'til I get her back on her feet, and if I don't put her back on her feet you won't be out one cent. the work is done.1 Just promise you'll pay L.9 when I told him to come back the next day 'cause I would have to talk with her husband and her mother 'fore I could tell him anythin* "Us all agreed to let him doctor on her since nobody * . 359 else had did her any good. Two days later he brought her some medicine to take and told us to have her sayt relieve me of this misery and send it back where it come from.* Seven days from the day she started takin1 this medicine she was up and walkin' * round the room. 'Pore that time she had been in bed for more than five weeks without puttin' her feet on the floor, Well three days after she took the first medicine, she told us she felt like she wanted to heave. and that' s what come out of her. 1 know snakes when I see 'em. but the others was smaller. So we gave her the bucket I know they was snakes because One was about six inches long, Ha had told us not to be scared bout nothin' us saw, so I wasn't, but my sister was. that day my niece started to get better fast. After I put the snakes in a bottle and kept 'em 'til the man come back and showed 'em to him. He took 'em with him. It was 'bout three weeks after this that the other woman took sick and didn't live but 'bout a month.tt Hoy Redfield recalls that "when a person died several people would come in and bathe the body and dress it. Then somebody would knock up some kind of box for 'em to be buried in. They would have the funeral and then put the body on a wagon and all the family and friends would walk to the cemetery behind the wagon. They didn't have graves like they does now; they would dig some kind of hole and put you in it, then cover you up. "In olden times there was only a few undertakers, and of course there warn't any in the country; so when a person ? died he was bathed and dressed "by friends of the family. 360 Then he was laid on a ironing "board and covered with a sheet. *]?or a long while us knowed that for some cause a part of the person's nose or lips had been et off, but nobody could find out why. act. Finally somebody caught a cat in the very Most people didn't believe a cat would do this, but every- body started watchin' and later found out it was so. So from then on, * til the caskets come into use, a crowd of folks stayed awake all night sittin* up with the dead." One old woman lived on a plantation where "every Saturday they would give you your week's r lowance. They would give you a plenty to eat so you could keep strong and work. They weighed your meat, flour, meal and things like that, but you got all the potatoes, lard and other things you wanted. You got your groceries and washed and ironed on Saturday evenin* and on Saturday night everybody used that for frolicin'. candy pullin's, play, or danGe. Us would have quiltin's, Us done whatever us wanted to. On these nights our aist'ess would give us chickens or some thin' else so us could have somethin* extra. Well, us would dance, quilt, or do whatever us had made up to do for *bout three hours then us would all stop and eat. When us finished eatin* us would tell tales or some thin1 for a while, then everybody would go home. Course us have stayed there 'til almost day when us was havin* a good time* "My marster wanted his slaves to have plenty of chillun. He never would make you do much vrork when you had a lot 6. of chillun, and had them fast. My ma had nineteen chillun, and it looked like she had one every ten months. My marster said he didn' t care if she never worked if she kept havin1 chillun like that for him. He put ma in the kitchen to cook for the slaves who didn't have families. "People who didn* t have families would live in a house together, but whenever you married you lived in a house to yourself. Tou could fix up your house to suit yourself. The house where everybody lived that warn*t married, had 'bout a dozen and a half beds in it. Sometimes as many as three and four slept in a bed together when it was cold. The others had to sleep on the floor, but they had plenty of cover. Us didn* t have anythin* in this house but what was made by some of us. There warn11 but one room to this house with one fire place in it. Us never et in this room, us had another house where everybody from this house and from the house for the men who warn't married, et. was Our beds was diff'unt from these you see now. They/made by the slaves out of rough lumber. chillun had beds to sleep in. Our marster seed to it that all the They was taken good care of. had no such things as dressers or the like. Us Us didn't have but a very few chairs 'cause the men didn't have time to waste makin' chairs, but us had plenty of benches. Our trunks was made by the men. "People who had families lived by theyselves, but they didn't have but one room to their houses. They had to cook and sleep in this one room, and as their chillun got old enough 361 362 they was sent over to the big house. Everybody called it that. The house you lived in with your family was small* It had a fire place and was only big enough, to hold two beds and a bench and maybe a chair* Sometimes, if you had chillun fast enough, five and six had to sleep in that other bed together. Mothers didn't stay in after their chillun was born then like they do now. Whenever a child was bora the mother come out in three days afterwards if she was healthy, but nobody stayed in over a week* They never stayed in bed but one day* *When they called you to breakfast it would be dark as night. break* They did this so you could begin workin* at day- At twelve ofclock they blov/ed the horn for dinner, but they didn11 have to 'cause everybody knowed when it was dinner time. Us could tell time by the sun. Whenever the sun was over us so us could almost step in our shadow it was time to eat. When us went in to eat all the victuals was on the table and the plates was stacked on the table. your dinner. You got your plate and fork, then got Some would sit on the floor, some in chairs, and some would sit on the steps, but mos1 everybody held their plates in their laps* Whenever any of the slaves had company for dinner, us was allowed to set the table and you and your company would eat at the table. In our dininf-rooE, we called it mess house, us only had one long table, one small table, a stove, some benches, a few chairs, and stools. Whenever us got out of forks the men would make some out of wood to be used 'til some more could be bought. cook. The food we got on Saturday would be turned over to the 8. 363 "mien you married, your husband didn't stay with you like they do now. You had to stay with your marster and he had to stay with his. He was f lowed to come every Saturday night and stay with you and the chillun f til Monday mornin1 If he was smart enough to have a little garden or to make little things like little chairs for his chillun to sit in or tables for ! em to eat on and wanted you to have fem ffore he could get back to see you, they would be sent by the runner* They had one boy they always used just to go from one place to the other, and they called him a runner* The runner wouldn11 do anythin1 else but that* "Us made everythin1 us wore. and stockinfs. Us knitted our socks Things was much better then than they are now. Shoes lasted two and three years, and clothes didn't tear or wear out as. easy as they do now. Us made all our cloth at night or raos1 times durin1 the winter time when us didn11 have so much other work to do* *When a person died he was buried the same day, and the funeral would be preached one year later* The slaves made your coffin and painted it with any kind of paint they could find, but they usually painted the outside box black* *The slaves ftended church with their marsters and after their service was over they would let the slaves hold service. They always left their pastor to preach for us and sometimes they would leave one of their deacons. When they left a deacon 9. with us one of our preachers would preach* They only had two kinds of song books! I kept one of these Baptist Cluster, and Methodist Cluster* f til a few years ago* Our preaohers could read some, "but only a very few other slaves could read and write. If you found one that could you might know some of his marster1 s chillun had slipped and learned it to him fcause one thing they didn1t flow was no colored folk to learn to read and write. Us had singin1 classes on Sunday, and at that time every'Dody could really sing. People can1t sing now.1* 364