Slave narratives, a folk history of slavery in the United States from interviews with former slaves. Georgia Narratives, Volume IV, Part 1: a machine-readable transcription.

Plantation life. 005 001

I RACHi~L ADAMS 300 ODD STREET ATHENS, GEORGIA Hornsby C ~j ~ 1/ iritten by: Sadie b. Athens - Edited by: . . and Sarah ri. Hall Athens - John N. Booth District Supervisor . . Federal~ Writers!. Project Residencies & 7.. Augusta, t~~eorgia. j. ()0075 PLANTATION LIFE

006 002

-~ ~ L ~ (3 RACHEL ADAMS Lx~S1ave - Age?8. ~ Rachel Adams two-~rooin, fraxnehouse is perched on the side Of a steep hill where peach trees end bamboo foria ~ ~ (1 6 flS e sh ad e . St aiks of e orn at t he ra ar of the dwe 11 ing rea eh a1-~ most to the roof ridge and a portion of the front yard i~ enclosed ror a chicken yard. Stepping gin~er1y around the amazing nun~er of nondescript articles scattered about the small veranda, thf visi~ tor rapped several tunes on the front door, but received no response. :A~ neighbor said the old woman might be found at her son s store,. but. she ~as finally located at the home of a daughter. . Rachel came to the front door with a sandwich of hoecake arid ch ese in one hand and a glass of water in the other. Dis here s taehel Adams, she declared. ilave a seat on de porch. Rachel is tall, thin, very black, and wears glasses. Her. faded pink outthg wrapper was partly covered by an apron made of a heavy meal Esck. Tennis shoes, worn without hose, and a man s black hat comm T ~1eted her outfit. ~ ~ . . Rachel began her sto 17 by saying : Miss data been sich a long time back dat I has most forgot how thing~ went.. :~ty~~ow I was borned in Putman County bout two miles from ~atonto~, J :~r~ia. My ~~d~d ?~ was Melia an~d Isase Little and, far as I - . _ hnow~, dey was borned and bred in dat.same county. Pa, he was soid

007 003

2.. away from Ma when I was still a baby. M& SjOb was to weave all . de cloth for de white folks. I have wore many a dress made out of de homespun what she wove. ~ere was 17 of us chillun, and I can t rriember de names of but two of em now - dey was J~ohn and Sarah. John was Ma s onliest son; all de rest of de other 16 of us was gals. Us lived in mud-daubed log cabins what had old stack chimblies made out of sticks and mud. Our old hoxne~inade beds didn t itave no slats or metal springs neither. Dey used stout cords for springs. i)e cloth what dey made the ticks of dem old hay mattress es and pillows out of was so coarse dat it scratched us little chillun r1~)St to death, it spenied lak to us dem days. I kin still feel dem old hay ~ iattresses under me now. Lvvy time I moved at night it sounded Isk de wind blowin through dem peachtrees and bamboos round de front f de house whar I lives now. Grandma Anna was 115 years old ~ then she died. She L~ci done wore herself out in slavery tithe. Grandpa, he was sold off . ~- 33:~ewhar. Both of em was field hands. Potlicker end cornbread was fed to us chillun, ~ ~---- ~---.-~-~ -.- ~0~~~ ~ ~ - ~-. r~~t ~)f big old wooden bowls. T~ Or three chillun et out of de sarie bowl, ~ had meat, greens, syrup, cornbread, taters ~r~:-de lak. ~L!~!s~s.~ I should say so. Dey catch plenty of em md stter dey was kilt ~a would ~cald em and rub em in hot ashes and ~ clean t em jus as pretty and white. 00-o-o but dey was good. ~crd, Yessum~ Dey used to go fishin and rabbit huntin too. Us jus fotcned. in game galore.den, for it was de style dem days. ~~ere warn t

008 004

5~. ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 no market meat In siav~ery dayr. ~ Seemed ~aic to ~e. in~ ~ew 4a ~s ~t ash-roasted taters ai~ groundpeaswaa c~e bes~ som,pii~t ea~t what ~ anybody could want .~ Course dey. had a gyarden., au~ it i~ ~ of jus about evvything What. us knowed anything bout in de way of gyarden sass growin In it.. Ail de cookin was done: ji~ ~ ~ig~~o~d - . . ~ ~ open fireplaces what wasfixed up special for de pots and ovens. Ashcake was most as good as ~ taters cooked in de ashe s but . not quite. Summertime, us jus viore homespunth~ esses made~ lak de ~ dey use for underwear now. De eoatsvthat u~wore over our wool dresses In winter was knowed as sacques den, ~ cause 4ey was so loose fittln . Dey was heavy and had wool in em too. ~ Lewis, he had a plenty of ~heep, cause deywaa bound to have ~iots of wa~~~1o~es, arid dentoo, dey iakkedmut t~on~to~eat. ~h$~4~rn~ old brogan shoes was coarse and rough. When karse ~ewis had a cow kilt dey put de hide in de tannin vat. When de ~iikes was ready, Uncle Ben ruade up d.e shoes, and sornetixaes dey let Uncle Jasper hoip ~---~~ -- him if dere was many to be made all at one time. Us wore te same sort of clothes dn Sunday as ev~yday, only. dey had to be . clean~ and fresh wh en dey was put on Sunday mi . . ~ . . . ~ Marse LewIs Little and his wife, Miss ~aliie, ~m ~. ~ ~ :~T.~T:: ; . ~ ~ - .L--~. ~ ~ o~rTned us, and Old Miss, she died long fore de surrender. Marse Lewis, . S _ he was right good to all his slaves; but dat overseer, he would_~beat ~ ~ ------ . S ~ ~ a minute if us. didn t do to suit him. When dey give slaves tasks to do and dey warn t done in a certain time, dat ~

009 005

~i would WhUp eIE bout dat. Mareter never had to take nOne or his Niggers to court or put em in jails neithei~,,4m anade~overseer~ sot ein right . Long as miss S~flie lived de carriaee driver driv ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ her snd ~arse Lewis around lots, but atter~~ she died dere warn t so much use ofde carriage. lie j~ driv for ~arse Lewisand pid.dled r~iund de yard den. . S Some slaves larnt to read and write. 1 dey went ~ .~ ~-:-~-- ~ ~ ~ to meetin dey had to go wid deir white folks cause dey didn t have no sep rete churches for de Ni~gers tU atter de war. On our Merster s place, slaves didn t go off to rneetin a t all. Dey_jus went rDund to OneanOther ~Q~S and sung songs. Some of eia reed de Bible by heart. Once I h ar da man preach what didn t know ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ hoi~ t~ read one word in de Bible, and he~j~n j even have no ~it. De fust p~~zin I ver seed was tter was nigh tbout grown. Ifa slave from our place ever jined up w~d a church fare de war was over, I never hear d tell nothin bout.it. . ~ Lordy, Misse I didn t know nothin bout what 3 funeral was dem days. If a Nigger.died disniomin , dey sh did,n t v aste no time a~puttin him right on down in de ground dat s~~ c ay. Dein coffins never had no s1a ~pe to em; dey ~as jus squar~ ~Ji~Ted rifle boxes. Now warn~t dat turrible? Slaves never went nowhar widout dein patterollem . ~ ~ :~ ~ ~. b::L_~ up if dey didn t have no pass. Dere was hunderd~s of acres in dat dere plantation. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .:~. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . :.1~r~e Lciwis had a heap of slaves. Deovers~er,he hadabu~le what

010 006

%~ ~ 5.. ~: he blowed to wake up desiaves- Re blowed it long ffore~day. SO: ~ . ~ ~ ~- ~ ~-~--)-~--~ ~ . z__________ : -~-~~ st dey coulde t ~ out dere tnde fie1~a~Wa1tin!:, ~ ~ - -w.-- ~ ~ for de suri to rise so: dey could ~ee bow to wuk, and dey~:s~aye& oi~it dar and wukked til.black.dark. When a rainy.sp~ei1 comeandde ~ grass got to growin fast, deywukked dem sieves at night, even when de moonwarn .t h1nin~ 4 Ondern darknights one set o~ slaves helt lanterns for de ot1 rs~ to see how to chop de weeds out of de e3tt~n and corn. Wuk was~ ShO tight d ni days. Evvy si&ve had a ~ task to do atter dey got back to dem ~ab1ns at night. D~y ~achOne ~E~d to spin deir stint same as ~e amans, evvy night. ~ ~. ~ Young ~ and old washed d.eii clothes Sadday nights . Dey hardly knowed what SUnday was. Dey didn t have but one d~y~1n de Christmas, and deoniy dLtt unce dey seed dat day was datde,~give: ~ tera some biscuits on ehristmas day. I~ew Year s Day wa~ r i-~1ittin ~. ~ . ~ ---~~~ clay. Dey was told howrnany rails was to be out, and dem Nig~ers ~. better split dat many or somebody was gwine to glt beat up. ~ I don t member much bout ~iat us played, e pt de ~~ ay us run round in a ring. Us chillun was allus s~e~ to play ~: ~ n~ h de house causeRaw xiea~andBlood~i3one~lived der. Dcv used to skeer us out bout red tatar S . D~ey~ I~s fine ~~ -~ !taters red on de outsid and pretty and white n~de inside, but 7thite folks called em nigger~kiliers. ~ flat was one of deir tricks to ~ ~ bere wern t nothin wrong wid ~ dem taters; dey was jus as good and healthy as any other taters.

011 007

6.. ~ ~ 7 Aunt Lucy, she was de cook, and she told nie dat siave$ was skeered ~ ~ ~ of den nigger-~ki1Ier taters and never bothered e~ much den lak dey does de yarn patches dese days. I used to think I seed ha nta at night but it allus turned ut to be somebody dat ~ was t ryln to skeer me. . ~ Bout de most fun slaves had was at dem corn~ shuckin s. De general wou d git high on top of de corn pile and whoop and holler down leadin dat oornshuokin song til ail de corn was done shucked. Den corne de bi~ eats, de likker, and de dancin . Uotton pickin s was big fun too, and when dey ~ot through pickin de cotton dey et and drunk and danced tu dey couldn t dance no more. tMiss, white folks jus had to be good to sick sieves, cause slaves was property.. For Old 1~arster to lose a slave, was losin money. ~ere warn t so many doctors dem days and home~ r~de medicines was ail de go. Oil and turpentine, camphor, assfiddy (~safetida), cheri~ bark, sweetgum bark; all dem things.was used to ru~ke teas for grown folks to take for deir ailments. ~ed oak bark tea was give to chillun for stomach mis ries. All I can ricollect bout de comin ~ of freedom ~ s Old ~crster tellin us dat u~ was free as jack-rabbits and dat f~rom den on Niggers would have to git deir own somepin t eat. It w~rn t long atter dat when dem yankees, *id pretty blue clothes on C~ne through our place and dey stole most evvything our Marster had.

012 008

7... . 8 Dey kilt his chickens, hogs, and cows and tuk his hosses off and gold em. Dat didn t lo k right, did it? ~ My .annt give us a big weddin feast when I married Torn Adams and she sho did pile up dat table wid heaps of good eatraents. Myweddin dress was blue, .trinimed in white. Us had six chillun, nine grandohillun, and 19 great~grandchi1lun. One of my grandehillun is done been blind since he was three weeks Old. I sonthim Off to de blind school and now he kin git aro~nd, riost as good as I kin. 11e has made his home wid me ever since hi~ ~:a:rriy died. Cordin to my way of thinkin , Abraham Lincoln ~ ~ done a good thing when he sot us free. J~eff Davis, he was all right ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ tDo, cause if hirn and Lincoln hadn t got to fightin us would have been slaves to dis very day. It s mighty good to do jus as you plcase, and bread and water is heaps better dan dat soxn~ep1n t eat us hed to slave for. ~ I jined up wid dechureh cause I wanted to go to ~eben when I dies, and if folks lives right dey sho Is gwine to have a good restin place in de next world. Yes Main, I sho b lieves in ligion, dat 1 does; Now, ~iss, if you ain t got nothin ~1se to ax nie, I se gwine home and givedat b1ixid.~boy his soinepin ~ -~ ~ ~ ..~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ ~ t est. ~ .. .. ....

Rev. W. B. Allen, ex-slave. 016 012

~ - ~ ~ J. R. .Tone~ ~ I ;j() t j 3 S . 12 ~ Rev. L B. Allen, ~c-~$1ave ~v, 425 ~- Second Ave. ~s# Colwi us, Georgia. (June 29, 1937) In ~ second interview, the submission of which was voltintarily soa~ht ~y hi!~nself, this very interesting specimen of a r~pid1y vanishin~ type expressed a desire to amend his previous inter~ view (of May 10, 1937) to incor~porate the fo1loviin~ facts: ?tFor a nwnler of years before fre dom, my father ~Goa~h~~ his time from his master and traveled a ~out over Russell County (iia~arna) as a journey man blacksmith, doin~ work for various planters and. makin~, good money ~ as ~oney went in those ~days ~ on the side. At the close of the war, however, thoa~h he haci a trunk full of Confederate money, all of his ~ood money was tone. Father could neither read nor write, ~ut had a good head for fi~ures and was very pious. His life had a wonderful influence upon me, thou~h I was ori~inal1y worldly - that is, Idrank ~nd cussed, ~ut haven t touched a drop of s~irits in fort~r ye~r~s aiid uit cussin~ ~efore I entered the ministry in 1879. I leariied t~ pi~ay \:hen very yuun~~ and kept it up even in my uns~v~d days. Ky v~hite master s folks knew me to ~~ee a prayin~. ~rooy, ~mnd ~ sked me ~ - in 1865 ~ when the South was ajout v :ipped and Gene: al wilson was headed our way - - to p ~ay to God to hold the Yankees. ack. Of ocurse, I didn t have a:~ love for any Yankees - - and h8ven t flow, for that matter ~ ~ut I told my white

017 013

z :13 ~o1ks ~trai~ht~-from-the-shou1der that I could not pray a1on~ those iin~. I told them f1~foo~ted1y that, while I loved them and would 1o any reasona~le prayin~. for them, I c~i1d not pray a~i~si my conscience: that I not only wanted to ~e free, ~ut that I wanted to see all the 3~e~roes freed~ I then told them that God was u.~iii~ the Yankees to scourge the slaTeS-holders just as He had, centuries ~ fore, u.sed heathens and. owbcasts to chastise His chosen p~ople ~ the Children of Israel. (I~:~, ii; is to ~e noted thet, for s~. slave ~?i;~1~ 15 an~ 17 years of ate, rernRrka~le .~esta:~ent was displayed.) ~ :.e Parson then entered into a mild tirade a~.ainst Yankees, saying; The only time the Northern Deople ever helped the i~i~er wa~ when they freed him. Tbe~y a e not friends of the ~Te~ro and m~mny a time, from my pulpit, have I warj~ed ii~e~ers about ~Qin~ North. No, sir, the colored man d.oesnTt ~elon~ in the North ~ has no ~usiness up there, arid you may tell the world that the Reverend VT. 3.Allen makes no ~ .nes about sayi2LL~ that~ He also says that, if it w~.sn~t for the influence of the v,hite race in the South, ~he Ne~ro rt~.ce ~)o:~d revert to sava~ery within a yeari dhy, i~ they knew for dead. certain t~ ~t there was n~t a ~olicern~n or officer of the lavi in ColumT~u~ toni~ht, the ~od Lord only :~nows whal theyTddo toni~ht ~ _~oy of between . pprQxi-~ familiarity 1.!ith the Old .. ~1 the good Parson had delivered himself as quoted, he was asked.

018 014

34 14 t few q1e.tions, the answers to which a a as shall follow o disclose their nature. The loweit down Whites of slavery days were the averate overseers. A few ~uere gentlemen, one must admit, but the regular run of them were trash o commoner than the boor wtite trash ~ a and, if possible, th: ir children were worse than their dade dies. The name, overseer , was a synonym fQr slave drirer cruelty brutishness . No, sir, a Nigger may be humile and ref~se to talk ou,t8ide of his race a a because he s afraid to, ut you. can t fool him about a white man! And you couldn t fool him when he was a slave! He knows a white man for what he is, and he knew si him the same way in slavery tImes. C&Lcernine the puniahme~nt of slaves, the Reverend said: ni never heard or knew of e slave being tried in court for any thing. I never knew of a slave leing guilty of any crime more serious than takinc somea thing or violating plantation rules. snd the only punishrn nt that I ever heerd or knew of oeing admina istere slaves uns whippint. .. I have personally uiown a fe~ slaves that rere leaten to death for one or no e of the followint offenses: Leavi.ti~ home v;ithou; a pass, Talkint ~ack to a a sassing a a a white person, Hi;tiria another Negro, Fussinc, fighting, and rukkussint in the quarters,

019 015

:~ying, Loiterin& on their work, . ~akin~ things the Whites called it stealing. Plantation rules ~oriade a slave to: Own a firearm, Leave home ~vithou.t a pass, Sell ~ ~1u~y anything without his masterTs c.onsent, Marry withou.t his ol;/nerTs consent, . Have a lieht in his c&.in after a certain hour at ni~ht, Attend any secret meeting, Harbor or~~ any manner as sis t a runaway slave A1s~ise a farm animal, Mistreat a meinier o~ his family, and do ~ - j, A great many other things. ~Then asked if he had ever heard slaves plot an insurrection, the Parson snswered. in the ne~ati~e. P~:en 2sked if he had personal knov~led~e of an instance of a slave of~ erin~ resistance to corporal pu.nishrnent, the Reverend shook his said: ~ ~Sometimes a stripped Ni~er would say some hard thin~s to the white man with the straD in his hand, thou~h he knew that he (the Ne&ro) would pay ~or it dearly, ~or when ~ sl~ave showed spirit that way the master or overseer IRid the lash on all the herder. : :e~~ asked hOW the women took their whippings, he said: Th~ey u~st a11y serearned and. prayed, though a few never made a sowad. ~ut

020 016

.~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ *~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~:~~t: The Parson hai baa. two wi ve* an~ fi-re chil&ren. ~oth w1~e~ ana. three of his lldren are dead. He is also now 8u,perannuated, iut occasiona~iy does a little preachin~, ~hav1n~ only recentiy ~een d~w2a to Montezw1&: ~ Georgia, on a special call to c1e1i~rer a rnessa~e to the Methodist flock there. ~

"A few facts of slavery." 026 022

~:1is1.;::5~. )234 ~ ~ Ac 4~ ~ . ~ ;.i~ __ t A ~w FACTS OF sLkV~Y . ~ ~ ~A ~id. by Celestia Avery~..Ex$1ave ~ Mrs. Celestia Avei7 is a s~ii~1i mulatto woenan about ~ fto In height, She ~ ~ . ~ has a remarkably clear memory IlL Vi W of the fact that she is about 75 years of ~ age. Before the iuterview began she remd~nded the writer that the tacts to be . re1~ted were either told to her by her grandr~Lother, Syliria Heard, or were facts v~hich she remeiiibered herself. ~ . : J Mrs . Avery was born 75 years ago in Troupe County, LaGrange Ga.~ 1~he eigh~th oldest child of Lnora and Silas Heard. There were 10 other children beside herself. She and her faxaily were owned by Mr. & Mrs. Peter Heard. In those days the slaves carried the sumarne of their nester; this accounted for all slaTes having the seine name whether they were kin or not . ~ ~ The owner Mr. Heard had a plantation of about . 500 acres and was considered ~ea1thy by ai1~who knew him. Mrs. Avery was unable to give the e~cact number of slaves on the plantation, but knew he owned a large number. Cottoxi~ corn, peas, potatoes, (etc.) were the main crops raiseth ~ The homes provided for the slaves were two roaz~ leg cabins which ~ ~ ~ne ~ . . ~ : . door and. one window.~ These homes were not built in a gi oup together but were more or less scattered over the plantation. Slave homes were very impIe and only contained a heine ioade table, chair and bed which wt~re zuade o1~ the sazae typeZ of ~ : wood and could ea~ il~ . be cle8ned by scouring with sand every Satur ay. The beds were bottoxaed with rope which was run backward and roi~~ard from one rail to the other. On this framework was placed a mattress of wheat straw. Each spring the iiattresses were emptied andrefilled with fresh wbieat straw. Slaves were required to prepare their own meals three times a day. This ~is done in a big open fire place which was filledwith hot coals.~ The master did not give them nzuch of a variety of food, but allowed each family to raise their o~jn vegetabi es Eaach family was given a hand out of becon and meal on Saturdays and ~. :~

027 023

23 Page 2 through the week.corn ash cakes and meat; which had been broiled on the hot coals was the usual diet t und in each home. The diet did not vary even at Christmas only a little fruit was added. ~ Each femily was provided with a loom and in Mrs . Avery s family, her ~randrnother, Sylvia Heard, did most of the carding and spinning of the thread into cloth. The most c~nmon cloth for women clothes was homespun, and calico. This same cloth was dyed and used to make men shirts and pants. Dye was prepared by taking a berry known as the shuiaake berry and boiling them with ~!ainut peelings. Soring and fall were the seasons for masters to give shoes arid clothing to their slaves. 3oth men and wox~ien wore brogan shoes, the only ifference being the piece in the. side of the womens. Une woraan i~as required to do the work around the house there was also one slave man required to work around the house doing odd jobs. Other than these two every one else was required to do the heavy work in the fields. ork began at sun up and lasted until sun down . In the niiddle of the day the big bell was rung to sun~aon the work rs from the field, for their iid~..day lunch. After work hours slaves were then free to dow work around their ov;n cabins, such as sewing, cooking (etc.) ~ Oxice a week Mr. Heard allowed his slaves to have a frolic and folks would ~et broke down from so much dancing Mrs . Avery reinat~Jced. The music ~as furnished with fiddles. ~hen asked how the slaves caine to own fiddles ~he replied, They bou~~it the~i with money they earned selling chickens. . ~t night sl~ves would steal ofr frc~a the ieard plantation, go to LaGrange, Ga. 1~ ~~1 sell chickens which they had raised.. Of course the masters always required . ~ii~ of every thing raised by each slave and it was not perraissible for any slave to sell anything. Another foz~a of entertairn~ent was the quilting party.

028 024

~ ~~T~ ~ ~ ~ Every one would ~o together to different person s home on each separate night ofthe week and finish that person s quilt&~ !ach n1~ht this was repeated until every one had a sufficient amount of covering for the winter. Any slave from another plantation, desiring to attend these frolics, could do so after securing a pass froiii their master. . ~ ... Mrs. Avery related the occasion when ber Uncle William was caught off the Heard plantation ~ii thout a pass and was whipped almost to death by the ~Pader F~o1lers. He stole off to the depths of thw woods here. he built a cave large enou~h to live in. A few nights later he came back to the plantation unobserved and carried his wife and two children back to this cave where they lived until after freedom. ~7hen found years later his wife had. given birth to two children. ~:o one was rer able to find his hiding place and if he saw any one in the woods ~ he ~ ould run like a lion. Mr. Heard was a very xaean master end was not liked by any one of his slaves . Secretly each one hated hiia~ He whipped unmercifully and in niost cases unnecessarily. However, he sometimes fonnd~ it hard to subdue sane slave$ who happened to 1~ve very high tempers. In the event this was the case he would set a t,ack of hounds on him. Mrs. Avery related to the writer the stoiy told to her of Mr. Heard s cruelty by her grandmother. The facts were as follows: Every morning ray grandmother would pray, and old man heard despised to hear any one pray saying they were only doing so that they might become free niggers. J us t as s ure as the sun would rise she would get a whipping ; but this did not ston her prayers every morning before day. This particular time grandmother ~ylvia was in family way and that morning she began to pray as usual The i~aster heard her and. became so angry he cazae to her cabin siezed and pulled her clothes from her body and tied her to a young sapling. He whipped her so

029 025

Page 4 brutally that her body was raw all over. . Then darkness fell her Irnsbar4 cut hex down from the tree during the day he was ~raid to go near her Bather t:baii go back to the cabin ehe crawled. on her knees to the wood.s and. her hueband brought grease for her to grease her raw body. P r two weeks the master h uiited but could not find. her ; however when he finally did., she had given birth to twtns. The only thing that saved. her was the fact that she was a zni4.wife and always carried. a small pin knife which she used. to cut the navel cord of the babies. After doing this she tore her petticoat into two pieces and. wrapped each baby. ~ Grandmother Sylvia lived t o get 115 years old.. . Not only was Mr. Henderson cruel.hut it seemed that every one~ he hired. in the capacity of overseer was 4pet as cruel. Por Instance, Mrs. Henderson s grandmother Sylvia, was told to take her clothes off when she reached the end of a row.~ She. was to be whipped because elle had. not con~pleted the required aiaoi~nt of hoeing for the day. Grandmother coritini~ed hoeing until~she came to a fence ; as the overweer reached out to grab her she snatcheda fence railing and broke it across his arms. On another occasion grandmother Sylvia ran all the way to town to tell the master tbat an overseer was beating her husb~d to death. The master immediately jumped on his horse and started for home; and reaching the plantation he ordered the overseer to stop whippixg the old mari. Mrs. Avery received one whipping, with a hair brush, for disobedience; this was given to her by the mistress. Slaves were given separate churches, but the minister, who condi~ted the services, was white. Very seldom did the text vary frointhe usual one of obedience to the master and mistress, and. the neces8ity for good behavior. Every~ one was required to attend. church however, the only self expression they could. indulge in without conflict with the master was t1~t of singing. Any one heard. pre~ying was given a good whipping; for most masters thought theii~ prayers

030 026

Paie 5 26 no good. since freedom was the uppermost thotight in every one s head. . On the Heard plantation as on a n~nber of othere, marriages were ~a~e by the rnasters 0fb the parties concerned.. Marriage licenses were unheard. ois. If both masters mutually cofleented, the marriage ceremony was considered. over with. After that the husband was given a pass . to visit his wife once a week. In the event children were born the naming of them was left entirely to the master. Parents were not. allowed to naine them. Health of slaves ias very important to every slave ~ owner for los8 ~ of life meant loss of money to them. Consequently they would eaU in their femil7 doctor, if a slave became seriously ill. In minor cases of illness home remedies were used. TMIn fact, ~ Mrs. Avery smilingly remarked, ~We used every thThg for medicine that grew in the gro~md.. ~ One particular home remedy was ~iown as 0Cow foot oils which ~ias made by boiling cow s feet in water. Other medicines used were hoarhound. tea, catnip tea, and castor oil. Very often medicinesand doctors failed to save life; and whenever a slave died he was buried the same day. Mrs. Avery remarked, If he died before dinner the funeral and burial usually took place immediately after dinner. ~ Althoi~gh a very young child, Mrs. Avery remembers the frantic attempt slave owners made to hide their money; when, the war broke out. The following is a story related concerning the Heard family. !Mr. Heard, our master,went o the swamp ~ th~g a hole and hid his money, t1ez~ he and. hi s wife left for town on their horses. My oldest brother, Percy, saw their hiding place; and. when the Yanks came looking for the money, he carried them straight to the swamps and. showed them where the money was hidden.) Although the Teard farm was in the country the highway was very iiear ath Mrs. Avery told of the long army of soldiers marching to La Grange singing the following son: Rally around. the

031 027

27 flag boys rally around the f1a~ joy j oy for freed~om. .. When the ~ar er~&ed. Mr . . Heard vi sited. every slave home aM broke the news to each family that they were free people and. if they BO ~ &esired. could. remain on hie plantation. MrB. ~ Avery s family moved. aw~, in Zaet most slave families did., f~or old. man Heard. had~ been euc~i a cruel mast er ever~one was anxious to get away from him. How.. ever, one year later he sold. hie plantation to Mr George Tray .or and acme of the families moved. back, Mrs . jvery~ s family included.. Mrs. Avery married at the age of 16; and ~ was the mother of 14 chi~drsn three of whom are still living. A1thot~gh she has. bad ~uIte a bit of il1nees~ th~u ing her life, at present she le quite wel . and. active in spite of her old. ace. She assured the writer that the story of slavery, which she had. given her was a true one and. sincerely hoped. it would. d.o some good. in this world. Page 6

Folklore (Negro). 032 028

f ~i ~ . . MizinieB. Roes 2$. ~ ~ W291 ~ . ~ ~ (Negro) L~ In a ~ina11 houa at 175 ?hoeni~ 4.Uay, LE~ lives ~ a ~ little oi wcma~ . . aboub ~ tt. 2 in, J.n height~ ~io is an x-3i~aT~o She gree$~& th writer with a bri~ght anfl. and bade her inter and b~av a aeat by . the ~naU tire in * poorly lighted zo~. The wz~iter vividly rcalied the intervis~ ~te gay. on e1ave~?y pre viou32y and ipnducre& iZ any f~cts cone ~ ning sup ~ititiona, onjurs, signa, etc. co ld be obtained from hei . After a short oonveraation px tain1n~ to everyda~ occurr,nc.s, the aubject of supe~etition irns broached to Mra. A~ery The idea amused her and ehs gave the writer th. toUowixig facta: A.s far aj possible the atones ax given In her zact uorda. T~e interview req~uix~ed two d~yi, November 50 and Dee~the~ 2, 1936. When you 8es a 40g lay on his 8tomach and audi it ~a a true sign of daih. This is aho true~ ow~es it happened to as. Years ago ien I lived on P~ ~eet I was si tting on ~ steps playing with ~ nin.-~n*. old baby. A t i~*~ UY. mifl oaJ~ by and sat dom; end as we sit there a dog that followid h began to ~1~ on his stoaacho It SOBX I irie; an4 I said to her, did you see that dog? Yes, I sho ~ That night i~ baby di.d and it IUZn t Bick at all that Lay. bat . the truth and a aho sign ot death. Anuddar 8i~t of death ii t~ droan ot a n .. ~. born baby. One night not so long ago I driemi about a ne~-~born baby and y~ ~Qi~ I went ter the door end Sailed Mies Mazy next ~oox an~ told h~r I dr.d about a Ue14 Orn taby, and she said, Ohi that a a aho e1g* of Oath. The ~uae week that gal baby over there die. It didn t .urprie. me !hsn I b.er* it caue I knowe~ iobody x~oun& here wus go ~i o~ She contiand: Listai, Child! If bbsr you clean youx bed, ~ t you neyer ms~ ott your springe with a broom. ~&1wqa wip. ~ with a r~. or ~s a brnh. That es sho as you . do you ~e ~ expei. ieus 4.a* a~ouii4 you. I tosk ~ bet owe eM swept off my spriii~,~ aM I isst heppeia4 to t U oi4 ~s. Si#th; ~d cii

033 029

29 up ~nd said, 6h114, you ought not ~ done tia t cause it 8 a ai~ of death. *ho nuff the same night I lost another ohild~ that iuz eighb yeers old. The child had beait trouble, I think. ~ Mrs. Avery believes in luck to a certain xt~t. The followtbg are examples of how you m~ obtain luck: I believe you can change youi luck by tbrowing a teaspoontul or sulphur in the fire at zackly 12 o clock in the diy, I know last week I was sitting here without a bit ot fire, but I wuzn t thinking bout doing that till a orna cams ~ .. by and told me ter scrape up a stick fire and put a spoonful of sulphur bu it; and sho nuff in a hour s tims a. coel n~n oeme by and gave nie a tub uv coal. Long time ago I used ter work ~ some white ~men and every d~y at 12 o clock I wuz told ter put a teaspoonful of sulphur in the fire. In ther thixig, I sho ain t going ter let a cinan come in my house on Mon~y morning uni. es a a n~n doue come in there tust No aurres, 1~ it seem lak one am t coming soon, I ll call one of the boy chilluna jest so it is a x~le. The reason fer this is oause iomen le bad luck. The following are a te~ of the~ luck charms as dscribed by L~ a . Avery: Blacic cat bone is taken from a eat. First, the sat is killed and boiled which the msat is scraped from the bones. The bones are then taken to the end thrown in. The bone that goes up stream is the lucky bone and is the one tnat should be kept. There is a boy in this nei borhood that sells liquor and I Ioiow they done locked him t~ ten or twelve tines but ~ he alwqe git out. They say he carries a black cat bois, related Mrs. Avery. The Devil s shoe string looks jest like a tern with a lot of roots. ~ mother u8ed to grow them in the oo~rner of our gardei. They are i.uc~. Majr I (?) are always oarrThd. tied ~* the corner of a 1~and1cerehiet. I don t know how they make em.

034 030

T? . . ~. Lt $1 bought a luck~r sti ck from a man onot. It looked j est lak a candle, only it WUZ smaU~ but he did have some sticks as large as candles and he called. them 1U01 9 sticks, too, but you had to burn them all night in your room. He also had some that looked jest lak buttons, axnafl and round.~ The to llowing are two stories of conjure told by ~s . Avery: ~I knowed a man onet long ago and. he stayed sick aU. der time. He had. the headache frOm morning till night. One day he went to a old man that wu~ called. a cOnjUr6~ ; this old man told him thet somebody had stole the sweat-band. out of his cap and less he got it back, something terrible would happen. They a~ this ~ ~an had bean going with a oman and she had stole his sweat band. Well, he never did get it, so he died. t, I had a cousin na~d Alec Heard., and he h~ a wife n~ed. Anna Heard. Anna st~yed sick all der time aluiost;fer two years she complained.. One day i.a old eo~Lj1.n~er caine to der house and told Alec that Anna wuz poisoned, but if he would give ~1i~ ~5.OO he would corne back Sunday morning and. find the conjure. Alec wuz wise, so he bored a hole in the kitchen floor so that he could. jest peip through there to der back steps. Sho nuff Sunday morning the nigger con~e back and as Alec watched :~iiu he dug down in the gound a piece, then he took a ground. puppy, threw it in the :~ole and covered it up. 11 ri~it, he started digging again and all at onet he jumped up and. cried.: Here tisZ I got it. Got what? Alec said, n~nuing ~ tb~e door with a piece of board.. I got the ground puppy dat ~Uz buried fer her ~lec wuz so mad he jumped on that man and beat him most t, death They a~ he did th at aU the time and kept a lot o~ ground puppies 1 er that purpose . Continuing, she explained that a ~ound puppy was a ~rm wi~th two small horna, They ~s dug up out of the ground, and there is a belief that you will die it Ofl barks at y~x. Mrs. Avery related two ways in Wiioh you can keep frai being conjured by anyone. (~uJ1A~ One thing I do every morning is tsr sprinkle ohamber..ly.Awith salt and then tnrow it all around my door. They aho can t fix you if you do this. Anudder thing,

035 031

4. 31 if ~OU Wear a silver dime around youx leg t iey can t tix you.. The oman live next door 88y8 ehe done wore two silver aimea ~ound her leg for 18 yeere.~ Next is a story of the 3 ack O L~mtern. Onot when I wuz a little girl a lot of us chillun used to ali~ off ~nd take ~~j.nuts tron~ a old man. fle picked a rainy flibht 80 nobody ~uld see i~w but do you icno~1 it looked like a thousexi~i 3 ack ma Lanterna got in behind us. They wuz ai . ~ound us I never will ferget my brother telling iz~ ter get out in the path and turn my pocket wrong side out. i told him I didn t have no pocket but the one in ~ fly apron ; he said well turn that one wrong si de out . Sho nuff we di d and they scattered then. Clos Ing the mt erview Mrs . Avery reznarke~: That s bout all I know ; but come back some time and maybe I ll think of something else.

036 032

. 5; 32 On Dec.inbe~ 5 anct 4, 1956, ~ Eni~a1ine He~ was intervielsi at her ho~ 239 Gain~ ~re*I. . ~ writer i,.a vieite~ ~s n~ear~ px.viousiy~ ana jt was at her own requeat taiat another vj~j~ was made, This ~vi~i~ wa~ uppose to be one to obt~1fl iMormation and 8t riea on the practice of e njtu~e. on two ~ r yious occasiofll Mrs. Heard s storiea had~ proved very interesting, au~ i imew as ~ i sat taier, waiting foi h~ to begin that she had eon~thiug very gool to t U. n~. She began: Chile, this story euz told ter n~ b~r ir~ ~ather u~ I know he aho wouldn t l~S~ Every v~rd of it is the trute ; tact, everything I abber told you ~iz~ the trute. Now, my pa had. a brother, old. Uncle Martin, and his wits wuz na~ 3 ulianue~ Aunt 3ullanhiS used ter have spell. eiid tight end kick a .l the tine. They had doctor after doctor but none did. her a~y good. 3C~bO~ told Uncle Martin to go t& a old eonj~er and let the do etox s go cause they wan t doing nothing fer her anyway. 5ho nuff he got one ter come see her and give her some n~d1eine. This old man sai6 she had bugs i~ hei head, and af$r giving her the inedisins he started rubbing her head. While he rubbed her head he said: Dar s a bug in her head; it looks J .t like a big black roach Now, he s coming out of ber ~ head through her ear; ~i atever you do, don t let iiim get aw~ cause I i ant hia~. whatever you 10 oatoh him; be s going ~ ter run, but vthen he hit a the p iliow greb em. I m go take him and turn it back o~ ths one w~o I 8 trying ter send. you ter the ~ ave Sho nuft that bug drap out her eaa and flew; ehe hollered, and old Uncle Martin ran in the rood, anatohed the be~ clothes oft but they neYer did find him~ Aunt Yulienne neYer did get better and soon she died. Th conjurer said. it they had a ~aught the bug she would a li~e~. The next story is a true story . The sots at~ told by Mrs Reert wer also witnes5ed by her ; 8.3 it deals with the oonjuring ot one of her eons . It is r dat ed in her exact wca~da as nearly as possible. I got a eon named Albert Heard. He is liviz~ and well; but mils, there ~z a tinie whet he ~iz aln~st ter his grue. I wuz liYthg in town th.z and ilbert aM h18 wite iuz livuig in the country with their two cthill~*. ~R ll~ ilbert ot down

037 033

s.~ . sick and he would go tez~ do tor$,ath go ter doctora, but they d dn ~ ~o i~im aii~ good. I wuz worried tel de ~ft OauBs I had t.x x~un bukaxda an~ t a$s and lt w11z a strain on~ n~. He waz auffer:i~xig wi~bh a knot on hie right iid~ an 1 ~e souldn t ev~efl fasten his ehoee cause it pained him so and it wuz so bad he couldn t even button up his pants. A onian teaOhM ~choo1 out there by the name of 1~ft s. Tancy; she s dead now but she lived right here on Randolph Street yee~ a ago. Well, one day when I wuz leaving Albert s houas I met her on the w~ ~om he~ ;chool, Good ~ evening, ~ Heard, ehe seyi. How 18 Mi . Albert? I don t hardly Imow, I eaya, causO he don t get no better. She looked at me kinda funny and said., don t you believe he s hurt? Yea ram, I aajd, I abo do. ffeU, aay. she, I been wanting to say something to you conoerniag the. but I didn t biow how you would take it. If I tell you somewhere ter go Will you go, and tell th~ I sent you? Yes m~, I will do anything if Albert oan get better, Al . right then she aaya. Catch the Federal Priaon ~ar and get ott at Butler S In th i ~ that car eane do~ Forrest~ Ave. Then you get to Butler St. ehe aeye, walk up to Clifton St. and go to such and such a number. Knock on the door and a oi~n by the name ot ~i. ~.irshpath WiUcome t6r the docra Fore ehe l.t you in she go ask who sent you there; when you tell t ~ ~ t 11 let you in. Now leniae tell you she kee~pa two q~w~trta ot w:iisky all the time and. you have ter drink a little with her; aides that she eusses nearly every word she speaks; but don t let that scare you; she will abo get your son up if it kin be She fluff that old om~ did jest lalc Mx s. Tancy said she would do. She had a harsh woio and she spoke right anap~. When she let me in she said,sit down. You lak whisky? I said, well, i:tak~. a little dram sonetin~s. j ~7ell, h re take some of this ehe saie. I poured a little bit and drank it kinda lak I wuz afraid. She om~aed and said I ain t go conjuri you. Drink it. She got the carda and told me to out em, so I did. Looking at the oarls,she said: You la~ bei~ w~$ too long; they got him marching to the eemtery. . The poor thingZ I ll fix those deyi a.( Aprofane word was used instead ot devils). He ~t a knot on

038 034

? . 1118 eidO am t he? Ye~ Marn, I aai~ That orr~a told me everytlixig tiRt was wrong with Albert and zackly how he aete~~ ~ .i at once ~he aai4 : t f ~ ~ & ~ ~ t iings had hatched in ii~~i j~ would e. been too iats, it you ~o zac~ciy ia~c i ten you I ll get nirn up from there. I sho will, I told hex , ~e11, there ~ a stabl este east of his houes. His house got tiirso z oozne ana. a patii go straigirt to the stable. I see it there where ho hangs his harness. Yes, I see lt all, the devijal Have you got any moiiey? Yes, mam, a little, I said, All right then, she said. GO to the drug st ~ e and get 5~ worth ot blue stone ; 5 wheat bren; end go ter a fish market ~nd ask em ter give you a little fish brine; then go in the wooda and get some poke-root berrlea. Now, ther~e s two kind.s of poke root berries, the red skin and the white skin berry. Put all this in a pot, mix with it the ~tatrom a ~een go~d and 9 parts of red pepper. ?~ke a poultice and put to his aids on that knot. Now, listen, your son will be afraid and think you are trying tei~ do eon~t)iI~g ter him but be gentle and~ persuade hini that its fer his good, Child, he eho did act funny when I tol hin I wexite~ to treat his aide. I ha~ tu tell him I ~iz carrying out doctors orders so he could get weil. He reared and tassel and said he didn t want that rases on him. I told him the doctor says you do very well till you go ter the horse lot then you go blind and you can t ses. He looked at nie. Sho nuff, Ma, he said, ttiat silo is the trufe. I have t~ always call one of the ehillun when I go there cause I can t see how ter get back ter the houas. Well, that ConVinCed hi~ ~id he let me fix the medicine ~or hint. I put him ter b1 end xr~de the poultice, then I put it ter hie aids. Now this omen said no one vuz toe take ~ lt off the ~ next ~aorning but n~ I 1hZ suppos e ter fix thi eS one each night a~ atter taking eacfl one off ter bury it .ak dead folks 13 buried, east and west, end ter xr~Jcs a real grave out ot each o~ WeU, when I to 14 him not t er i~ove it the next niornin ~ but le t ~ ~ve it he got funny again and wanted to ~ow ~y. Do you ~ow I had ter pi~y lek I COUld move it without messing up iq bed clothes and if he moved it hs might waste it all. PiXU~ .lY he said he would. cell me the next mcrnin~. Sho nuff,

039 035

P LAC E H O L D E R

040 036

36 I used to go s ee that aman q,u~t e a b it end even s eut ac~ ~Of ~ friends ter her. One day while I IU.z there she told me about thie piece of work she did. There wuz a young man arid hie wite ~nd they irnrked ter some ~ white to ike. They had j est married and w~z try ing t er save eame money ter buy a home with. A.U at onot the young n~n went blind and it a1nii~t run him ami his wite crazy cause they didn t know that in the world ter do. VIsU, somebody told him and her about Mrs~. Hirahpatb, so they went ter see her One d~r a~a ~s . Ilirehpath, a big fine carriage drew zip in fx~nt of her door and the coachman helped hi~ to her door. She aeke~ hini who sent him and he told ~r. She only charged ~ for giving advice and after you wuz oared it w~iz up ter you to give her what you ~vanted to. Well, this man gave her 5O~ and she talked. ter him~ She says, boy, you go home and t you put that cap on no mors. what cap? he s eye. That cap you wears ter clean u~ the stables sith, caua aora.body done c1reseed that cap fer you, and every time you perspire end it run down ter your eye a it makes you blind. You jest get that cap and la ing it ter ~. I ll tj x em; they s trylEg ter make you blind, but I go let you ses. The boy was overjoyed, a~. sho nuff he went baok and brought her that asp, and it mizn t long tore he could see good as you and ~ He brought that aman ~5O b~xt she ~uldn t tek. but ~?25 and give the other ~25 back ter him. .That I done told ~ you is the tru~te every wrd of it ; I brow some other things that happened but you come beck snudder d~y ter that.

Plantation life. 041 037

Interview with: G~~CRGIA I3 KER 369 Mei3s Street Athens, ~eorj:ia Mrs. sadie B. ~ornsby Athens - Mrs. Sarah H. Hall Athens - and Written by: Edited by: ;Tohn N. Booth Dist. Supvr. Federal ~riters lroject Residencies & 7 Augusta, Ga. August 4, 1~8 FJ0071 . FLANTATION LIFE

042 038

~ ~ ri ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~r ~ ~ ~r ~ ~ ~kFV ~ ~ ~n~*~q 100071 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 38 ~ - ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ i~C~:iT.IA BAKER ~. - ~ x..S1~tve - A e 87. ~ . . ~ ~eorg&~s a~ess provedto be ho~~q!~er ~~tcr, Ida :Baker. The o1ear~n~ept .walk~ or the small yard. werke rj~titened by borders of gay colored zinnias and. raari~o1ds In front cf ~ drab looking tw~stc~ry, tr~rne.house. Come.;~n, ~a~swe~re4..: ~ in rc-spons~to al nccl at~ the tront door. ~esSU~,:U&IW~s i ~. Go right in dat dere r oi~ an&you ll fin4 her.~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Standing by the firepl8ce of the neit, room was ~ r ~ very black woman en~a~ea in l1~hting her pipe, ~. green ~ . c:~c~d gingham apron partially covered 1~er f~4e~ ~4efrQ*over ~ s:ie wore ablack shirtwaistfastened. together with safety first i~:i:. A white cloth, tied turban fashion about her 1~eed, axidgr~y cot~. ~fl aose worn with black arid white slippers that were ruu down at :~e ~ieels, completed ber~ostu~e, ~ . ~ ~ :~:~r~ ~ ~ ~G~~p1Qrnin .~ Teasuni, d~sh~~ ~ Ge rg~,4~ /~1E~ ~Ler greetIng. ~ L~i~ s go in ~.ar w~aar Ida Is s~ us can. set down. I ~ n t know what you come for, bii~ I guess I ll~soon fInd .out.~ ~ . Georgia was ea er ta talk but herarticulatiozi ~ been Impaired by a para1.y~Ic strql e. and at t~x~es ~ i~ was diti~ c~.t to underst~ndber jumble. of words. Lfter obse~y~noept ~ ~ ~~.ities; coirinients 0x1 the weather, health and such $ubje~ ~s,~8~e be- ~n: ~ ~ ~. .. . ~ .: : ~ . ~ ~ was ~ . ~ ~ Whar wa~ I boiz? Why I/~orn on. ~e. pI~~t$o~t o~ ~ ~reat man . ~ It was i~rse Alec 3tephens pIant~tion bout a mile

043 039

Page E. 39~ ~nd ~ half from ~rawrordville, in .L~eliaferro ~ ounty. Mary ~nci ~-raridison ~ifly was my Ma and Pa. Ma was ~9~k up at de biL! h:7U5e and she died when I was jus a little gal. Pa was a f::~eid hand, and he belonged to l~1arse ~r1tt ~iUy~ ~ . Dere was four of us oMliun: me~, and Mary, and Frances, and Mack, she counted on the fingers of one hand, ~ L~rse P~1ec let ~ have J~ek for his bodyguord~ 1~rsnces, she wuked in de field, and Mary was de baby~ she was too little to ~xk, 1~Ie, I was 14 years old when de ~ar was over. I siiept yards, toted water to de field, and played round de ~ *-~ .~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ -~ ~: ;.Se and yard wid de rest of de chillun. ~ ~De long, log houses -tthat us lived in was called ts~tgun houses cause dey had tiiree roorn~, one behind. de ~ ~ ot~or in a row lak de barrel of a shotgun. All de chi1~jm s1ei~t in one end room and de grown fclkses slept in de other end rc~o:a. De kitchen whar us cooked and et was~~n ddle room. Beds ~-~ ~- 7i~S :~aade out of pine poles put to~etner wid cords. Dem. wheatw ztr~w mattresses was for grown folkses mostly Cause nigh all de c:i~:~1un slept on pallets. liowsoxne~ever, dere was some few ~i~ve chillun whet had beds to sleep on. Pillows~ Dein days us nev~~r knowed ~hat pillows W85. Gals slept on one side of de roo:~~ ~nd boys on de other in de chjlluns room. tJncle ~irn, he ~ ~ de beth-maker, and he made up a heap of little beds lak what ~iey calls cots now.

044 040

~ge ~ 40 Becky and Stafford ~tephens was my Grandma ~ ~randpa. Marse Alec bought em in Old Virginny. I don t ~:~o~ ~:h~t my Grandma done cause she died fore was borned, but I tnf~rahers Grandpa Stafford well enough. I can see him now, ::e ~ aS a old man what slept on a trundle bed in the kitchen, arid ~1l he done was to set by de fire all day wid a switch in ~ L~r1d and tend de chiliun whilst dere marnmies was at wuk. ~ ~ ~ - -~ ~:lun ~rxinded better dem days dan dey does now. Grandpa ~t~fford never had. to holler at em but one time. Dey knowed dey -: ~:;ijld ~it de switch next if dey didn t behave. Now dere you is axin bout dat s ~epin t eat ~s nsd dem days~ Ida, ain t dere a piece of watermelon in de ~c~-: box? Ge~rgia lifted the lid of a small ice box, got out ~ :: ieee of melon, and began to smack ner trLick lips as she de- ~nured it with an air of ineffable satisfaction. When she had tflted the rind to swallow the last drop of pink juice, she in Jc ~ted that she was fortified 8nd ready to exercise her now ~ :11 Iubriceted throat, by resuming her story: Oh, 3ressum~ MarseAlec, had plenty for his sieves to eat. Dere was meat, bread, collard greens, snap beans, taters, peas, all sorts of dried ~1t, and just lots of milk ~ ~ ~ butter. Marse Alec had 12 cows end dat s w~iar I learned to ~- love pii~lk so good. De seine Uncle ~Tim what made our beds made ~ r v~oOdenbowl5 what dey kept filled wid bread and milk for ~ f:; oh I I lun ei I d ay . To u mi ght wa nt t o c a lI d at pla c e wh ar Mars e

045 041

Page 4.: ~4:t A1CC had our veg tebles raised a gyarden, but it looked more ~S_~_S__~ ~ i~ahigfield to me, it was so big. You jus ought to have seed dat dere fireplace whar dey cooked all us had to eat, It s,~~5 one sho nough big somepin, all full of pots, skillets, and ovens. t~ey warn t never lowed to git full of smut neither. Dey ~ to be cleant and shined up atter evvy meal, and dey sho WE)S pretty hangin dar in dat big old fireplace. George and L~ack was de hunters. Then dey went ~ huntin dey brought back jus evvything: possums, rabbits, coons, squirrels, birds, and wild turkeys. Yessum, wild turkeys is s~e sort of birds I reckon, but wi~en us talked about birds to eat us ~~eent part idges. Some folic~es calls ein quails. De fis~~es us had insunirnertime was a si~ht to see. Us sho et good ~jem days. Now us jus eats what- some ever us can git, ~ ~ ;-~ ~ ~ *Suznmertime us jus wore what us want ed to . iresses was made wid full skirts gathered on to tight fittin ~cisties. ?inter clothes w~s good and warm; dresses made of .~3rn cloth made up jus lak dem summertime clothes, arid petti~ ~~ts ana. draw s made out of osnaburg. Chillun what was big ~ ~ enough done d~ spinnin and unt ~etsey and Aunt ~inny, dey ~ ~ovemost evvy night til dey rung de bell at 10:00 o clock for w~ to go to bed. Us madeboltsand ~

046 042

Page ~. 4g *j7~ went bartfoots*jn sumer, but blessy ur sweet life ua had good shoes In winter and wor good B~ okin s too. It tuk three ~h eniakers ror our plantation. Dey was ~Tr~cIe Isom, Uncle ;rlm, and Uncle Stafford. . Dey made up hole stock shoes for de ?omafls and gals and brass-toed brogans for de mens and boys. FUs had pretty white dresses for ~unday. Marse ~ - ---- ~5 -.---~- .-.~ - - ~ - - ~ ~ ~ ~dec wanted evvybody on his place dressed up dat day. He sont his houseboy, Uncle ~iarris, down to de cabins evvy ~unday inornin to tell evvy slave to clean hisseif up, Dey warn t never give rb chan ~e to forgit. Dere was a big old room sot aside for a ~.~sh~room. FoIk~es laughs at me now cause I ain t never stopped takint ~ bath evvy $unday mornin . M~.rse Lordnorth Stephens was ~ on Marse ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ :-~::~~ ~ :~-~ ~ ~ ~ Alec s plantation. Course Marse Alec owned us and he was eu~ sho triough Marster. Neither one.. of em ever married. Marse .~ -~ ~ L~rdnorth was~~~jrdan, but he didn t have no use for t~~5 h~. w~s a siss~y. Dere warn t no Marster no whar no better dan o~r L~arse Alec Stephens, but he never stayed home enough to tT~fld to things hisseif much cause he was all de. time. too busy ~2fl tie outside. He was dePresident or sibniepin of our, side dunn de w~ar. ~ - *Uncle Pierce went wid Manse Alec vvy whar he i~nt. His dog, Rio, had more sense dan most folkses. MaPse ~ ~

047 043

Page ~ all Alec, he was/de time havin big mens visit iaim up at de big hnuse. One time, out in de yard, him ~nd on of dem portant ~LeflS Pot in a argyment TbOUt somepin. Us chiliun snuck up close to hear what dey was makin such arukus bout. I heared. ~arse Alec say: I got more sense in my big toe dan you is got in ~Tour whole body. md he was right - he did have more sense dan most foikses. Ain t I been a-tellin you he was de :resident or soiaepin lak dat, dem days.? ~ t, lyle, she was M~rse Alec s cook and looked atter de licuse. Atter she died Marse Lordnorth got Mrs. Mary berry ~---V ~ County to keep ~ at d.e big house but Aunt Liza, she done de cookin atter Miss Mary got dar. Us little ~gers sho ~id love ~iss 1~ary. Us called her Marn~y Mary so~etimes . Miss i~ary had three sons and one of em was named ~ Teff .i~av is. I members when dey come ~nd got him and tU.k h~im~ off to war. Marse Lordnorth built a four-room house on de plan ~~3~1IOfl for I~1ss M&ry ~nd her boys~ ~vvybody loved our Miss ~ cause she was so good and sweet, and dere warn t nothin ~-~S WDUldfltt ~iave done i~or ncr. ~ No Lords ~ Marse Lordnorth never needed no oversc~r or no carriage driver neither. Uncle ~Tim was de head raan~ ~ ~ i!Iulat got de Niggers up evvy mornin and started em off to wuk rirht. ~ho~~e sho was a pretty place, a-settin up on a I . high hill. De squirrels was so tame dar dey jus played all ~ ~-~ round de yard. Marse Alec s dog is buried in dat yard~

048 044

Page~7. ~:44 N~o Mam, I never knowed how many acres dere was ir~ de plantation us lived on, and Marse Alec~had other places too. He hsd land scattered evv:ywhar. Lord, dere was a heap of ~T~:~gers on dat place, end all of us was kin to one another. ~rE~ndrn~ Becky and Grandpa ~~tafford was de fust slaves ~arse hJec ever had, and dey sho had a passel of chillun. One thins sijo I~arse Lordnorth wOuldn t keep ~ on clot pl~nt~tio~ if he could help it. Aunt i~iary was a bricht colored Nigger and dey said dat Marse John, Marse .~ordnorth s br~tiier, was her Pa, but anyhow Marse Lordnorth never had no ~ for her cause she was a bright colored Nigger. % Marse Lordr orth never had no certain early time ~r his slaves to ~it up nor no s2ecial late time for eni to :ju!t wuk. De hours dey wuked was cordin to how much wuk was aheod to be done~ Folks in Crawfordville called us Stephens . ~ T Free t~iggers. ~ ~ ~ ~ lis minded Marse Lordnorth us had to do dat - b~~t he let us do pretty much as us pleased. Us never had no s::Try piece of a Marster. He was ~ good man and he made a sho nou~h good Marster. I never seed no Nigger git a beatin , ~nd wkaat s moiLe I never heared of nothin lak dat on our place. ~ere was a Jail in ~rawfordviIle, but none of us Niggers on ~orse Al cis placewarn t never put in it. ~ ~ No Lord~ None of us Niggers never knowed rlothixi ~ bout readin and writin . Dere warn t no school for

049 045

S. ~ ~ :~. ~ ers den and I aIn t neyrer been to. ~o1~Q1 a clay in my Ufe. S_r~ ers \~s more skeered of newspapers th~n dey ~s. f snakes now, ~ ~ ~ ~ ir ~ S ~ ~ ~ never knrwed. w ~at a Bible was den~ dais. S Niggers neverhad no ch~rohes of de.Ir own den. S~7 :1ent to de white tolkses churches ~r4 sot in d~e gallery. ~ S 55 -~e Sunday when me aiid~ my sister France~ went to church I ~ ~ ~ and show~L it to her. She t~uk 5:5 ~w~iy from rae. Dat s de onlicst raoney I seed dunn slavery S~ 5~e Cours e you knows dey throwed L~on~federate money away t~r .~ ~ sh ~ t t ~: r d e we r we s ove r Den us yo~ing oha ps used to pla y S~ ~ sI never went to no bapti~1n~ s nor no funerals S,~. t~cr den. Funerals warn tde~~~e. When a A~Ig~er died S~3r~ days, dey jus put his bodyin a boxi;and buried it. I t~~embers very well when I~unt Saille and ~unt Oatherine died~. ~ S ~ ~ ~ little den, and I didn t take ~t In ~at dey done S :~ ~t buryin em. None of ~arse Alec s s1a~es never run away to S S : ~rth, c~cA e he was so good to em dey never wantedto S ~ve hirn. ~e onliest Nigger what left ~arse Alec s place was .iicIe ~eve, ~nd he wouldn t have left o~pt he got in trouble ~ S t:~d a w~iite onian. You needn t ax rue I~rneme ~ cause I ain t ~~ne to tell it, but~ I knows it well as ~L dOe~ my Own name~ ;~ .:~rh ow ~!! ~ .. ~ ~a~~m1 t old hua to :~yE~, end nobody never seed him no more ~itter dat. 0 ~ S ~ S 55 ~. S ~ ~ 55

050 046

Oh yessuni~ Us heared bout~ ein, but none of us never seed no patterollers on U~rse Alec s plantation. ne never iov:ed em on hisland, and ne let em know dat he kept his slaves supplied wid passes whenever dey wanted to go piaees so ~s dey could cor~ie and go when dey got good end ready. Thur8day E~fld ~adday nights was de main nights dey went off. Uncle Stafford s wife was Miss Me~ry ~tephen s cook Uncle Jim s wife lived ~ ~~ ~ on de Finley place, and uncle isom~s belonged to de liollises, so dey tiad regular passes all de time and no patterollers never ~ ~ bot!aered ein none. Whenever ~1arse L~lec or Marse Lordnorth wanted to send a message~ dey jus put ~eorge or Mack on a horse and sont ein on but one thing sho, dere warn t no slave knowed what was in dem letters. ~ Marse Alec sho had plenty of mules. Some of. em ~-~- --- w~s named: Pete, Clay, Rollin, Jack, and Sal. Sal was Llen s ~ low mule, and he set a heap of store by her. Dere was a heap ~~re mules on dat place, but can t call back dere names right Most times when slaves went to deir quarters at ni~ht, mens rested, but sometimes dey holped. de ornans c~yard de cotton and wool. Young folkses frolicked, sung songs, and . ~ ~ ~ ~ .~ ~- ~ -~ ~- - visited from cabin to cabin. When dey got behind wid. de field wuk, sometimes slaves wuked atter dinner Saddays, but dat warn t often. But, Oh, dein Sadday nights~ Dat was when slaves got to~ether and danced. George, he blowed de quills and he sho ~- ~ ~iI ! fl!~ 1~ ~ Page 9. ~u1d blow prend dence ~nu~ic on ein. Dem Ni~.gers would jus

051 047

~ ege 10. : 47 dance down. Dere warn t no foolishment lowed atter 10:00 o ~1OCk no night. Sundays dey went to church and visited round, but folks didn t spend as much time gaddin bout lak dey does now deys. Christmas Days Oh, what a time us Niggers did . ~_ L~iII~L~ ~ nave dat dayl Marse Lordnorth and Marse Alec give us evvy~ t~iing you couldname to eat:eake of all kinds, fresh meat, lightbread, turkeys, chickens, ducks, geese, arid all kinds of ~r~idganie. Dere was allus ~fecans,a~~~es,anddried reaches too at L~hristmas. Marse Alec had some trees what had fruit dat looked lak bananas on era, but I done forgot what was de n~t~ie of dem. trees. Marse Alec would call de grown folkees to de big house early in de mornin and pass round a big newter pitcher full of ~th~iskey, den he would put a little whis~:ey in dat same pitoher and fill it wid sweetened wat r and give flit to US chillun. Us called ~t 4oddy or dram s Marse alex allus had plenty of good whiskey, cause tTncle ~illis made It: ~ for him and it was made jus right. De night atter ~hristm~s Da~ us pulled syrup candy, drunk more liquor, and. th~nced. ija t~ad a big time for a whole week and den on New t~~r s Day us done a little wuk jus to start de year right and ~i:~ reasted dat day on fresh meat, plenty of cake, and whiskey.~ Jere WElS elius a big pile of ash-~roasted taters on hand to go wid ~h~t good old baked meat. ~ Us ~ t :~ lest all ~ cause Niggers ciao does love dein. ~ ~ ~~eet taters. No Mam, us neverknowed nothin bout ~ianta

052 048

Pag ~~~. . . 4~L ~l~?l~S til atter de warb ~ ~ ~ . I ~ ~ . ~No Main, dere warn t no special cornahuokin s a~-jd c:tton pickin s on Marse Alec s place, but of oou.rse dey d~~d quilt in de winter cause dere had to be lots of ~uiItin - ~__LM__~_ ~ ~ . ~ ~ . . $ . -. ~one for eli dein s.lavesto have plenty of warm kivver, and you ~flO7 ~S, Lady, omens can quilt better if dey gits a passel of ein to~ether to do it. Marse Alec ~j Marse Lordnorth never lowed dore slaves to mix up wid other folkses business niuch. Oh Lord~ Us never played no games in slavery tiies, cept sus to run around in a ring and. pat our hands. I never suns ~ sonjs caus I warn t no singer, and don t talk ~cut no R&W liead and, Bloody Bones or nothin lak dat. Dej used to skeer us ehillun so bad bout dem sort of things dat U,s use,d to lay inbedat night a-~shakin lak us was ilavi~n~ chills . ~ ~ Not~ lor~g atter I riad left ~rawfQrdvi1Ie and moved to athena, I tiad been in bed jus a little while one ni~Jat, and was jus dozin off to sleep when I woke up and sot right spang up ~n bed. I seed a white man, dressed in white, standin before me. ~ I silo ~idn t say nothin ~ hirn for I was too skeered. D very last ti:~e I went to a ~ianee, sornepin got attermeand skeered rae so my h~ir riz up tu I couldntt git m.y hat on my haid, and 4s~ ~ . . . no c~ored rae of gwine to dances. I ain t never been to/more si~h

053 049

. . 1 ?a~e~12, ~i~-)iflts. . ~ . Old Marst~rwa~ pow rful g ~odt6 i~isi~jg~ i s ~ .-- ---. t~j r~ 1~ ~ ~~ ~~~*a1~1JUfl:.u:. ~~~$nrLL ~ L~~i~J~ 1~*1~ .~~eflde7gOt5iCk. Ee had em seed atter soon ~sit~*~s~ L~crted to hiiti dat dey was aiim . Yessum, derewarx~ !~ .: fl ~tt!1fl short tbout our good M~rsters, deed dere warn tt Grandpa Stafford had a sorelaig end Marse Lordnorthlooked ?ttPr hirn and had Uncle Tim dress dat pore old sore 1a1~ ~ ~71fy ~ay. Slaves didn t git sick es often as Niggeradoes . . 12!L~aYs. ~ar~iyMary had all sorts of teas made up tor us; cordin to whatever ailraent us had. Boneset tea was for colds . )e fust thing dey IIu~ done for Sore throat was~ive u tea ~s~de of red oak bark wid a1urn~ Seurvy gr ss tea ieant us~ ~ut in the springtime, and. dey mad. us wear 1it~1e sacks of ~ssriddy (asafetida} ground our necks to keep off lots o~ sorts of rriseries . Some follcses hung de left hind f~ot of a mole on a string round d ir babies necks to make ~em t eth ~ easier. I never done nothin lak dat to.rny babies oaus I never believed in no such foolishment. some babies is jus n~tche11y gwine to teethe easier dan others anyhow. . p : !x~embers jus as good as if it *as yes~e rda y: ~~i:rt~t M~rnniy ~~ary said when she told us de fust newso~~r ~ - - ~ ~ ~-- ~ freedom. You all is free now,? she said. You don t none ~ ~ of you be1on~ to Mister Lordnorth nor M.tster Alec no ~or , but I does hope you will all stay on wid ~m, ~cause d~ ~ will LI1US be jus as g d to you as d~ y~ ha~ done been in de past,

054 050

Page 13. 50 ~e, I wari~ t even studyin nothiu bout leavin ~arse Alec, bL~t Sarah Ann and aunt ~ary, ~ey tiarcwed do~n deir hoes and ~sf whooped and hollered cause dey was so glad. ~iien dem ~*~tr*r ~ ~ come to our place ~amrcy Mary axed em if dey warn t tired of wer. vrL ~t does you know bout no war? Dey axed :~&r right back. No, us won t never ~it tired of dom good. 1 stayed on wid irly two good Merster~s tu most ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ .~ . ~ :: 3Tearsatterc1~!.rJ~r, and den went to wuk for ~arse Tye ~1der :~~n ~rawfordvil1e. Atter dat I wuked for Miss Puss King, and ~~ ~en she 1e~ft ~rawfordvil1e I corae on here to Athens and wuked for Miss Tildy Upson on ~rince ~venue. DenIwentto~t1anta ~ C probab1y~~jg~~) s Miss Ruth was 9~ niece of abraham Lincoli~ s. lier father was President ~ Lincoln?s brotuer and. he was a i~iethodist preacher what lived in ~iIpack, New York. I went evvywiiar wid i~1iss Ruth. When me end ~ Ruth ~s in. Philadelphia, .~- got sick and she sont me home t~ ~tnens ~mnd I dDne been here wid my c.aughter ever since. Lawdy, Missl I ain t never been married, but I did live wid Major i~aker 1~ years and us had five chillun.Dey ~ .~ ~_~**~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ is ei? dai~d but two. Niggers didn t pay so much tention to ~ :;ttjn riarried deni days es dey does now. I stays here wid ray gEll, Ida l3aker. My son lives in ~1evel8nd, Qhio. My fust child was borned when I warntt but 14 years old. De war ended in April and she was borned in November of dat year. Now, Miss2 I ain t never t-~ld but one white oman who her ~a wcs, so you needn t start axin me nothin bout dat. She had done been walkin evvyw~ar fore sne died when she was jus 10 months old ~ . ~ . ~ ~

055 051

14, jfld I iri a-teliln you de truth wken Isayshe had more sen~e ~an a heap of white ehillun has when dey ia,~.ot~s older dan she 7!~:1s. ~1hi1st I was off in NewS York wid Miss Ruth, I~ajo~, he up :n~ got married. I reckon he s daid by now. I don t ke r no-. :~ow, atter de way he done me. I ruade a good Ilvin for Major tu he married again. I seed. de oman he married once. Yes L~iam, there was strong emphasis In this re~.1y. I sho would ruther have slavery days back if I could have rr::,J saine good Marsters cause I n ver had no hard times den lak I ::ent through atter dey give us freedom. I ain t . never got over ~ r~t bein able to see Marse Alec no more. I was livin at Marse ~ye Elder s when de gate fell on Marse Alec, and he was crI~ ~d ~::ri lamed up from dat tinie on tu he died.. He got to. be overn ~ _______ or of Georgia vthiist he was crippled. When he got hurt b~ dat :~ate, smallpox was eirvywhar and dey wouldn t. let me go ~ s~ h~ut him. Dat most killed me cause I did want to go see lt lere wes sornepin I COUld do for hl~. *Lordy Mus sy Mi sa ~ ~ I had e. time j ix.i up wid. lechuroh. I was In Mailpack, ~ew York, wid Miss Ruth when I had ~.e urge to j ine up. I told Miss Ruth bout it and she said: i)ere ain t no Baptist church in 10 in.iles of here. Lord, nave :USS7~ I said. Miss Ruth, what I gwine do? Dese is all ~ethodist churches up here and I j an t jine up wid . no Metlib~ists. Yes you can, she snapped at m.e cause my own Pa s

056 052

Page l~. ~ ~-holdin a vival in dis very town and de MethQU~st church is de best anyhow. Well, I went on and. jined ~e Reverend Lincoln s Methodistehureh, but I never felt right bout It. Den us went to Philadelphia and soon ~s I could find a Bap~ tist church dar, I jined up wid lt. ~ ain t lak 09r southern chuiches cause de bIa~k and white toikse~ ~i1 be1on~ to de same church dar end goes to ~hurch together. Cri ~at account I still didn t feel lak I had ~ined ae church. 3less your sweet life, Honey, when I oo~e back to de South, I was quick as I c:~u1d be to ~1ne up wid a good old southern aptist church. I $ho didntt mean to live outdoors, specia1~ ly atter I dies. Georgia s eyes sparkled. and her flow of sr~eech was smooth e~ she told. of her re1i~iou$ experiences. ~:~en that subject was exhausted her eyes dirunied again and her speech became less articulate. ~eorgia s reeking pire had been laid aside for the watermelon and n.t long after that w~s consumed the rest~ less black fingers sought occupation sewing gay pieces for a quilt. *Mis$, I warn t born to be lazy, I warn t raised dat 7.TE~y, end I s ho ~1n t skeered to die. . Good bye, Honey, said Georgia,. as the interviewer arose and raade her way toward the street. Hurry back sr-id don t, for~it to fetch nie dat purty pink dress you Is a~ T:;earln . I don t lak white dresses and I ain t never gwine to v7ear a black one nohow. I I S

057 053

~a~e 16. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ Georgia was on the back porch washing herface ~nd hands aridquarrelling withlda for n6thavingher break-~ :~:i3t ready at nine-thirty when the interviewerarrived for a ~ re- visit~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . Comein, Georgia invited, andhave a cheer. .iut, LIISS I done told you all I knows bout ~arse Alec and dem ~ when I livedon his plantation. You know ohillun den W8 rn t lowed t o hang ro.und de ~ grown folks whar dey could hear t:~ings what was talked. about. . About ~ this time Ida came down from a second-floor ~:itchen with her mother s breakfast. She was gru~bliri~ a little louder on each step of the rickety stairway. I~crd, have ::a is still a-talkin. boutdat old siaverysturr, anditain t r:c~triin nohow. After Ida s eyes had rested onthe yellow. crete frock just presented Georgia in appreciation of the three h ours she had given for trie first interview, she becanie reconciled ~r the story to be resumed, and even offered her assistance in r~using tile recollections of her perent. Did I tell you Georgia began, dat de man what 1c:Dked atter Marse Aleots business was his fu8t cousin? lie. ~ ~ :~s d,e Marse Lordnorth I S all time talkin bout and, Marse ~ ~ ~. ~~thn was Marse Lordnorth s brother. Dere warn t no cook or ~ouse gal up at de big house hut Ma tu atter she died, . an~

058 054

Page i7 .~ T~(~ when ~iss ~ ary Berry tuk ohar~e of de house dey made Uncle ~arry and his Wife, Aunt Liza, ~ Marse Alec growed all his corn on his G6oger ~rick plantation. He planned for evvything us needed and dere .~rn t but mighty little dat he didn t have raised to t ke eer of our needs. Lordy, didn t I tell you what sort of shoes, ~o;1estocksboes is? Dem was de shoes de omens wore and dey .~d extra pieces on de sides so us wouldn t knock holes in em ~:C~ quick. . De fust time I ever seed Marse Alec to know who . e I//as, I warn t more n 6 years old. Uncle Stafford had went fl:~~~hin and cotched de nicest mess of fish you ever seeds lie ~ oleant em and put em in a pan of water, and told nie to take ~T1 U~ to de bi~ house to ~arse Alec. I was skeered when I ~ en~ in de big house yard and axed, what looked lak a little .~:)T, ~vh~tr Marse Alec was, and I was wuss skeered when he said: i~1:s is LLarse Alec ~rou is talkin to. rJhat you want? I ~3le hirn Uncle Stafford sont him de fishes and he told me: i~ake em to de kjtchen and tell Liza to cook em for me. I silo ain t never ~wine to forgit dat. . One day dey sont trie wid a bucket of water to ~e field, and I had to ~o through de peach orchard. I et so ~i~ny peaches, I was most daid ~tvhen I got back tode house. Jey had to drench rae down wi d sweet milk and rrom dat day to . ~.is I ain t never laked peaches . From den on Marse Alec o&lled me de peach gal. ~ ~ .

059 055

~ge ~8. !M~rse Alec. warn t home niuch of de t1rne~ but ~ he was der he used to walk down to d~e cabins and laugh. ~d t~IIc to his Niggers. He used to. sing a song for de s1E~ve chillun dat run sornepin lak dis: ~ r Walk light ladies . f De cake s all dough, I You needn t mind de ~ weather, Lt de wind don t blow. Georgia giggled when she csine to the end of the 3tSflZ&. Us didn t know when he wss a-singin dettune to us ~~i1lun dat when us growed up us would be cake walkin to de ~(~1e song. ~ on aundays, whenever Marse Alec was home, he ~ne lots of readin out of a great big old book. I didn t ~r1~)W what lt wes, but he was pow ful busy wid. it. He never J:~~d~ no parties or dancin dat I knows bout, but he was all time h~vir dem big portant mens at his house talkin bout de busi~ ness i~y~pt tuk hirn off from home so much. I used to see Lawyer :~ombs dere beeps of times. He was a big, fine lookin man. Another big lawyer was all time couffin d~ir too, but i don lost _is name. - ~arse Alec hed so awful much sense in his held dat ~olkses said it stunted his growin . Anyhow, long as he lived 1~e warn t ~ When Uncle harry s end Aunt Liza s daughter 7. hat was named Liza, got married he was in Washin ton or some :lace lak dat. He writ word to Marse Linton, his half~brother,

060 056

Paie 19. ~ 5G tD pervide a weddin for her. knows boutdat cause ~ et ~ of dat barbecue. Dat s all I ~ members bout her weddin . done forgot de name of de bridegroom. He lived on some other ~1~ntation. Aunt Liza bad two gals arid one boy. lie was r~3nied Allen. Whilst Marse Alec was President or soraej4n, ~ ~ ~-wp je ~ot sick and Ii&d to canie back home, and it w8rn t long E:tter dat fore de surrender. Allen w~is pinted to watch for de blue costs. ~ When de~ corne to teke ~arse Alec off, dey was ~1l over the place wid deir guns. Us Niggers hollered arid c~~ied and tuk on pow ful cause us sho thought dey was gwine to kill him on account of riis bein such a high up man on de side what dey was fightiri . All de Niggers followed ein to ~e depot when dey tuk Liarse Alec and Uncle Pierce away. Dey ~~eDt 21iarse Alec in orison off somewhar a long tinie but dey sont ~ ierce hack home fore long. I seed. JeffDavis when dey brung him through awfordville on de train. Dey had. him all fastened up wid ~. :-: ~ :~ ~ ~~~J L5J ~ chains. D~y told me dat a Nigger oman put pizen in Jeff Davis sonaepi~ri t eat and dat was what kilt him. One thing sho, our i~erse Alec warn t pizened by nobody. he was com.in from de neid one dsy when e big old heavy gate fell down on him, and even if he did live a long time atterwards dat was what was de cause of his death. 1 seed Uncle fierce fore he died. and us sot ~nd talked ~nd cried bout Marse Alec. Yessura, us sho did have

061 057

Page 20, ~ 57 de best Marster in de world. If ever a man went to zieaven, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ::~rse Alec did. I sho does wish our good old Marster was ijV~fl nOW. Now, Miss, I done told you all I can ricoflec bout dem deys. I thanks you a lot for dat purty yaller ~iress, and I hopes you cornes back to see rae again soirietime. * *

Plantation life. 064 060

PLA~rATION LIFE TASPER BATTLE 112 Berry St., Athens, Ga. f 60 I :i0U37 /~ ( _~. ~ y~ Gra c MeCune ~ ~ ~ ~ r Athens - Sarah U. flail Ath ns - Leila Harris Augusta - and J~ hi~N. Booth District Supervisor Federal Writers Project Residencies & 7. Written by: Edited by:

065 061

~ : ~ ~ ~ .~ ~ ClASPER BATTLE Ex-Slave - Age 80. The shade of the large water oaks in asper s yard was aweicorae sight when the interviewer completed the long walk to the old Negro s place in the sweltering heat of 8 SUflflY July afternoon. The old house appeared to be in good condition and the yard was clean and tidy. asper s wife, Lula, came around the side of the house in answer to the call for 3asper. A large checked apron almost covered her blue dress ~nd a clean white headcloth concealed her hair. Despite her advanced age, she seemed to be quite spry. 3~us corne back here whar I se a-dom de white folks washin , she said. J asper s done been powerful sick snd I can t leave hirn by hisseif none. I brung him out here in de shade so I could watch him and tend to him whilst I wuks. Jasper stepped on a old plank what had two rusty nails in it, arid both of ein went up in nis foot a fur ways. I done driv dein nails plumb up to dey haids in de north side of a tree and put ~irnpson weed poultices on Jasper s foot, but it s still powerful bsd off. ~ By this time we had arrived within sight and earshot of the old rooking chair where ~Tasper sat with his foot propped high in another chair. His chair had long ago been deprived of Its rockers. The injured member appeared to be swollen and was covered with several layers of the jiinpson weed leaves. The old man s thin form was clothed in a faded blue

066 062

62 shirt and old gray cotton trousers. ills clothes were clean and his white hair was in marked contrast to his shining but wrinkled black face. He si~iiled when Lula explained the nature of the proposed Interview. ~ Seuse ~e, Missy, he apologized, for not gittin up, cause I sus can t use dis old foot much, but you jus have a seat here in de shade and rest yourself. Lula now excused herself, saying: 1 jus got to hurry and git de white folks clothes washed and dried fore it rains, and she resumed her work in the shade of another huge tree where a fire was burning brightly under her washpot and a row of sud-filled tubs occupied a long bench. Lula, she has to wuk all de tinte, ~rasper explained, and she don t never have time to listen to mi talk. I se powerful glad somebody is whim to stop long enough to pay some heed. whilst I talks bout somepin. Dem days tore de war was good old days, specially for de colored folks. I know, c~usemyMaimnydonetoldmeso. You see I was mighty little and young when de war was over, but I heared de old folks do lots of talkin bout dem times whilst I was a-growin up, and den too, I st a ~ ~ 4~,; .~ ~ . It was Marse Henry, Tones plantation way off down in Taliaferro County, nigh Crawfordville, Georgy. Mammy b longed to Marse Henry. She was Harriet ~Tones. Daddy was Simon Battle and his owner was MarseBillie attle. De Battle s plantation was oft down dar nigh de ones place. When my Mammy and Daddy got married M~rse

067 063

3. 0) Henry woul&n t sell Mammy, an~d ~arse Billie i~uldn t sell Daddy, so dey didn t git to see one another but twice a week ~ dat was on Wednesday and Sad~y nights - tu atter de war was done over. I kin still. mernber Daddy comin over to M rse Henry s planta- tion to see us. Marse Henry kept a lot of slaves to wuk his big old plantation whar he growed. sus evvything us needed.to eat and wear teept sugar and coffee and de brass toes for our home-made, brogan shoes. Dere allus was a-plentyt eat and wear on dat place. . Slave quarters was log cabins built in long rows. Some had chirablies in de middle, twixt two rooms, but de most of ein was jus one-room cabins wid a stick and mud chimbly at de end. Dem chirnblies was awful bad bout ketehin on Lire. Didn t nobody have no glass windows. Dey jus had plain plank shutters ror blinds and de doors was made de same way, out of rough planks. All die beds was home-made and de best of ein was corded. Dey made holes in de sides and foots and haidpieees, and run heavy homemade cords in dem holes. Dey wove em crossways in and out of dem holes from one side to another til dey had em ready to lay de r~attress mat on. I se helped to pull dem cords tight many a time. Our mattress ticks was made of homespun cloth and was stuffed wid wheat straw. Fore de mattress tick was put on de bed a stiff mat Wove out of white oak splits was laid on top of de cords to pertect de mattress and make it. lay smooth. Us was lowed to pick up all de old dirty cotton round de place to make our pillows out of.

068 064

4. !~rus a few of de slave famblifs was lowed to do deir ov~11 coolcin cause Mars:ter kept cooks up at de big house what never had nothin else to do but cook for de white folks and slaves. De big old fireplace in dat kitchen at de big house was mere dan eight feet wide and you could pile whole sticks of cord wood on it. It had racks acrost to hang de pots on and big ovens and little ovens and big, thick, iron fryin pans w~d long handles ~ ~ ~ - - and hefty iron lids. Dey could cook for ~ time in dat big old kitchen easy. At one time dere was tables acrost one end of de kitchen for de slaves t eat at, and de slave chillun et dar too. Marster w~s mighty good to slave chillun. ~e never sont us out to wuk in de fields til us was most growed-up, say 12 or 14 years old. Nigger 12 ox 14 years old dem days was. big as a white child 1 7 or 18 years old. Why Miss, Niggers growed so fast, dat most of de Nigger nurses wern t no older dan~ de white chillun dey tuk keer of. Marster said he Warn t gwine to send no babies to de fields. When slave chillun got to be bout 9 or 10 years old dey started era to fetchin j~j wood and water, cleanin de yards, ~ -~- ~---- ~ ~ ~ -~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~-- -*.~ and drlvin up decows at night. De bigges boys was lowed to measure out and fix de stock feed, but de most of us chullun jus playedindecrlcksandwoods all de time. SorneUmes us played In~uns and made ~o much fuss dat old Aunt Nancy would come out to de woods to see what was wrong, and den when she found us was jus a-~havin fun, she stropped us good for skeerin her.

069 065

5.. 65 Mainiay s job was to make all de cloth. Dat was what she done all de tifle; jus woveeloth. Some of de others ~ar~ de bats and spun thread, but Mammy, she jus wove on so reg lar d~t she made enough cloth for clothes for all dem slaves on de plantation and, it s a fact, us did have plenty of clothes. Al . de nigger babies. wore dresses made jus alak for boys and gals. I was sho ly mighty glad when dey lowed me to git rid of dem dresses and wear shirts. I was bout 5 years old den, but dat boys shirt made me feel powerful mannish. Slave gals ware homespun, cotton dresses, and dey had plenty of dem dresses, so as dey could keep nice and clean all de time. D~ t~.i). de socks and stockin s for winter. Dem gals wore sh&wls, and dere poke~~or~xiets S- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ . ~. ~ - .&~ had ruffles round em. All de shoes was home-rnade too. Marster I~ept one man on de plantation what didn t do nothin but make shoes. ~ ~ ~ ~ _ Lordy, Missy! What would gals say now if dey had to wear dem kind of clothes? Dey would raise de roof plumb offen de house. But jus let me tell you, a purty young gal dressed in dem sort of cl othes would look mighty sweet to me right now. Us never could eat all de meat in Marster s big old smokehouse. Sometimes he tuk hams to de store and traded em for sugar and coffee. Plenty of baccowas raised on dat planta~ tjo~ for all de white folks and de growed-up Niggers. Slave chillun warn t sposen to have none, so us had to swipe what bacco us got. ~ ~ if ourMam~1es found out bout us gittin bacco, dey ~ tu de skin.was most off our backs, but sometimes us got away wid

070 066

6. a little. If us seed any of~ de old. f~o1ks was watehin us, us slipped de bacco from one to another of us whilst dey s arched us ari~d it went mighty bad on us if dey found it. Slaves went to de w1ij~e~folks church and ll8tened to de ~ Dere warn t no colored preacher lowed to preach in dein churches den. Dey preaehe . to de white folks fust and den dey let de colored folks come inside and hear some preachin atter dey was through wid de white folks. But on de big vival ineetin days dey lowed de Niggers to come in and set in de gallery end listen at de same time dey preached to de white folks. When de sermon was over dey had a big dinner spread out on de grounds and dey hed jus evvything good t eat lakchickeus, barbecued hogs and lambs, pies and lots of watermelons . Us kept dewatermelons in de crick ti_i dey was ready to cut em. A white gentleman, what dey called Mr. Kilpatrick, done most of de preachin . lie was from de White Plains neighborhood. 11e sho did try mighty hard to git evvybody to bey de I~ood Lord and keep his commandments. Mr. Kilpatrick preached~ all de funerals too. It pears lak a heapmore folks is a~dyin out dese days dan died den, and folks was aheap better den. to folks in trouble. Dey would go inilesand miles de nwhen dey didn t h~ve~oguto!b .. Uez, to help ftlks what was in trouble. j~w, dey won tgo next door when dere s death in de house. Den, when anybody died de tust thing dey done was to shroud em and lay em out on de coolin board tu Old ~:erster s cyarpenter could git de coffin made up. Dere warn t no

071 067

7. 6~ embalmers dein days and. us had to bury folks de next day atter dey died. De coffins was jus d~e saine for white folks arid dei slaves. On evvy plantation dere was a piece of ground fenced in tor a graveyard whar dey buried white folks and slaves too. My old Daddy ~ is buried down yonder on Marse lienry s plantation right now. When a slave wanted to git married up wid a gal, he didn t ax de gel, but he went and told Marster bout it. Marster would talk to de gal and if she was willin den Marster would tell all de other Niggers us was a goin to have a weddin . Dey would all corne up to de big house and Marster would tell de couple t,o jine handsand~mpbaokwards overabroonistick and den be pernounced. em man and wife. Dey didn t have to have no licenses or nothin lak dey does now. If a man married up wid somebody on another place, he had to git a pass from his Marster,~ so as he could go see his wife evvy Wednesday and Sadday nights. When de patterollers cotched slaves out widout no passes, dey evex~nore did beat em up. Leastways dat s what Mammy told me. Dunn de big war all de white folkses was off a-~fight1n cept dein what was too old to fight or what was toe bad crippled and flicted. Dey stayed home and looked atter de omans end chillun. Somebody sont Mist ess word dat dem yankees was on de way to our plantation and she hid evvything she co~Ld, den had de ~r~gs end hosses driv off to de swamps and hid. Mammy was crazy bout ~ ret pig what Marster had done give her, so Mist ess told her to go on down to dat swamp quick, ~ J~us as she was ~runnjn back in de yard, dem yankees rid in and she seed em

072 068

8, 68 e~~1augh1n fit to kill. She looked round to see what d~ey was ~ tickled bout and dere roliowin her lak a baby was dat pig. Dem yankees was perlite lak, and dey never bothered nothin on our place, but dey jus plumb ruint evvything on some of de plantations right close to our n. Dey tuk nigh evvything some of our neighbors had t eat, most all deir good hosses, and anything else dey wanted. Us never did know why dey never bothered our white folkses things. When dey give us our freedom us went right on over to Marse BIllie Battle s place and stayed dar wid Daddy bout a year; den iiaddy corne wid us back to Marse Henry s, and dar us stayed tu Old i~~arster died. Long as he lived atter de war, he wukked most of his h!~ ~ and seed dat us was tuk keer of jus lak he had done when us all b longed to him. Us never went to school much cause Mammy said white folks didn t lak for Niggers to have no hirnin , but atter de war was done over our Old Mist ess i~t~ colored cr.i11unhavesome1esso~i~ .. ~ ~ .~.. ~ builtin de back ~r~ardfor de white chillun to go to sonool in. Atter dey buried our Old Marster, us moved down to ~ ~ncock County and f ~rmed dar, cause dat was all us knowed how to do. Us got tog~ther and raised money tobuy ground enough for a churchyard and a graveyard for col ored folks. Dat graveyard filled ~ so last dat dey had to buy more land several times. Us holped tern build de fust colored church in Hancock Gounty. *School for colored chillun was held den in our church house. Our teacher was a white man, Mr. .L om Andrews, and he was

073 069

9. 69 a mighty good teacher, but Lordy% hOW striek he was Dese here ch:Tllun don t know nothin bout school. Us went early in de rriorflifl , tuk our dinner in a bucket, and. never lert tu four o clock, and sometimes dat was most nigh sundown. All day us ~ studied d~t blue back speller, and dat white teacher of ours sho tuk de skin offen our backs if us didn t mind him. Dere warn t no fussin and fightin and foolin round on de way home cause dat white teacher lowed he had control of us tu us got to our Mariimies doors and if us didn t git for home in a hurry, it was jus too bad for us when he tuk it out n us next day wid dat long hick ry switch. . Things is sho diffunt now. Folks ain t good now as dey was den, but.dere Is. gwine to be a change. I ~ay not be here to see it, but it s a-commt cause de Good Lord is done sied (prow phesied) it, and it s got to be. God s sayin is corain to pass jus as sho as us is livin and settin in de shade of dis here tree. Lordy, Misst low come you axes bout colored folks es wed~din s? I was a- courtin a little 14-year old gal named Lovie ~Ti1liams, but her Mammy runned me off and said she warn t gwine to let Lovie git married up wid nobody tU she got big enough. I jus bought dein licenses and watched for my chariot and den I stole dat gil right from under her Maxnmy s eyes. My Manmy knowed all bout it and holped us git away. Us didn t have no time~ or no weddin . De best us could do was jus to git ourseifs married up. Lovie s M~ramy raised de Old Ned, but us didn t keer den, cause lt was too i~te for her to do nothin to part us. Lovie was one of the bestest g~Is what ever lived. Us raised 12 chillun and I never had one speck

074 070

10. t~() of timible wid her. Lovie s done been daid 15 years now. ~ . His voice trembled as he talked about his first \~Tife, and Lula almost stopped her work to listen. This kind of talk did not please her and her expression grew stern. You done talked a-plenty, she told him. You ain t strong riough to do no more talkin , but Jasper was not willing to be silenced. I reckon I ~ knows when I se tired. I ain t gwine to hush tu I gits good and ~ ready, was his protest. Yes Missy, he continued. Al . our chi1~.. ~ lun is done daid now cept four and dey is way off up North. Ain t nobody left here cept me and Luis. Lula is pow ful good to me. I done got too old to wuk, and can t do nothin nohow wid dis old foot so b~d off. I se ready and even anxious to go when de Good Lord c&iis for old Jasper to conie to de Heev nly Eozne. I ain t heared nothin from my only brother in over 7 years. I spose he still lives in Crawfordville. Missy, I wishes I could go back down to Grawfordville one more time. I kin jus see our old homeplace On de plantation down dar now. Lula a-waahin here, riakes nie study bout de old washplace on Marse Henry s plantation. Dere was a long bench full of old wood tubs, and a great big j~g~t ror bilin declg~es, and de battenblockandstick. Chillun beat ~e clothes wid de batten stick and kept up de fire round de pot Whilst de oxnans leaned over de tubs washin and a-singin dem old Songs. You could hear em most a mile away. Now and den one of de Olnans would stop singin long enough to yell at de chillun to git rn~re wood on dat fire fore I lash de skin offen your back.

075 071

. II. 71 Oh Missy, dem was good old days. Us would be lucky to have em back again, specially when harvest time comes round. You could hear Niggers a-singin in de fields cause dey d1d~ t have no worries lak dey got now. When us got de corn up from de fields, Niggers come from far and nigh to Marster s corn~huCk1fl . Dat cornshuckin wuk was easy wid evvybody singin and havin a good time together whilst dey made dein shucks fly. De cornshuckin captain led all de singin and he set right up on top of de highes pile of corn. De chillun was kept busy a-passin de liquor jug round. Atter it started gittin dark, Marster had big bonfires built up and plenty of torches set round so as dere would be plenty of light . Atter dey et all dey wanted of dem good things what had dane been cooked up for de big supper, den de wrastlin matches started, and ~viarster allus give ~ Dere warn t no fussin and fightin lowed on our place, and dein wrastlin matches w~salI in good humor and was kept orderly. Marster wanted evvybody ~ to be friends on our plantation and to stay dat way, for says he: ~ De Blessed Saviour done said for us to love our neighbor as ourseifs, and to give and what us gives is gwine t.o come back to us. Missy, de ~od Lord s word ~s always right. The interviewer was preparing to leave when one of J~sDer s old friends approached the sheltering tree in the yard, where the interview was drawing to a close. Brudder Paul, said Jasper, I ~ isht you had come sooner cause Missy, here, and me is done had de bestes time a-goin back over dein old times when folks loved one another better dan dey does now. Good-bye Missy, you done been mighty kj~d and patient wid old ~Tasper. Come backagain some time. . . . . I

Arrie Binns of Washington-Wilkes. 076 072

72 ____~ Ey~Ai-T~-----------~ 1 J -ii: ~~~_d,rrr D S ~ ~ j (R )i ~ s b ARRIE BINNS of WASKINGPON..WILKES ~by Minnie Branham Stonestreet WashingtonJilkes Georgia

077 073

i~x:~ ~ 73 ARR1E BINNS of ~SHING~N-WILKES Arne Binns lives in Baltimore, a negro suburb. of hshington Ulkes, in a little old tumbled down kind of a cotta~e that ased to be one of the neatest and best houses of the settlement and where she has lived for the past sixty odd years. In the yard of her home is one of the most bea tiful holly trees to be found anywhere. She set it there herself over fifty years ago. She recalled how her friends predicted bad luck would befall her 13e. cause she sot out er holly , but not being in the least bit superstitious she paid them no mind and has enjoyed her beautiful treeall th se years. Many lovely oaks are around her house; she set thea there long ago when she was young and with her h~isband moved into their new home and wanted to make. it as attractive as possible. ~ $he is all alone now~ ~er husband died sonie years ago and three of her four children have passed on. Her preacher son who was her delight, died not very long ago. ~ll this sorrow has left Aunt Arne old and sad~. her face is no longer lighted by the smile it us~to know. She is a tiny little scrap of a woman with the softest voice iid is as neat as can be. S~ weats an oldfashioned apron all the time and in cool weather there is always a little black cape around her frail/ ~ shoulders and heidtogether with a plain old go1d~ breastpin ./ She was born in Lincoln County (Georgia), her mother was ~meline Sybert nd her father Jordan Sybert They belonged to :i . Jones Sybert and his wife Miss Peggy . After freedom they

078 074

page ..2 ~:1 changed their surname to Gullatt as they liked that better. Arne was among the oldest of nine children. The night she was born the stork brought a little baby girl to the home of a white ~a~jj~j~ust across the creek from the Syberts. The little white girl was na~ied Anne so Miss Peggy named the little new black baby girl Arne, and that is how it happened she was given such an odd name. Arne said she was 15 er 16 years old when the war broke (1865), I wuz big enough to be lookin at boys an dey lookin at me. She remembers the days of war, how when the battle of Atlanta was raging they heard the distant rumble of cannon, an4 how upsot they al1w~r ~ rrer ~.ster died of the consumption ) ~. ~ during the war. She recalls how hard it was after his death. ~ The 3yberts had no children and there was no one to turn to after ~ his death. Arne tells of her i~a~ter s illness, how she was ~ the housemaid and was called upon to fan him and how she would ~ get so tired and sleepy she would noda little, the fan dropping !~ froni hands into his face. Be would take it up and crack my ~ haid with the handle to wake me up. I wuz allus so sorry when ~I~one that, but I jest had ter nod. She told about how bad the overseers were and the trouble they gave until finally old l~i~ss turned off ther one she had an put my Pa in his place to manage things and look after the work. Arne was never punished, (not any more than having her head cracked by her Master when she nodded while fanning him.) No rn.aa, not none of our niggers wuz whipped. ~Thy I

079 075

page-3 75 recollect once, my brother wuz out without a pass an de patter rollers kotch him and brung hirn to old Miss and said he d have ter be whipped, old Miss got so mad she didn t know what ter do, she said nobody wuz a goin ter whip her niggers, but the patter roller men sisted so she said after er while, ~ 1l, but l in goin ter stan right here an when I say stop, yer got ter stop , an they greed to dat, an the third time dey hit him she raised her han an said STOP an dey had ter let my brother go. My ~Iiss wuz a big oman, she d wei~h ni~:h on ter three hundred pound, I spect. After her master s death ~rrie had to go into the field to work. She recalled with a little chuckle, the old cream horse, rtpobyn she use to plow. She loved Toby, she said, and they did good ~ work. ~fhen not plowing she said she picked er round in the fields doing whatever she could. She and the other slaves were not required to do very hard work. Her mother was a field hand, but in the evenings she spun and wove down in their cabin. Aunt Arne added an did love to hear that old spinnin wheel, it made a low kind of a whirring sound that niade me sleepy. She said her mother, with all the other negro women on the place, had a task of ~innin a spooi at night , and they spun and wove on rainy days too. ~ made our clothes an we had pretty dresses too. She dyed some blue and brown striped. i~e growed the indigo she us~d fer the blue, right dar on the plantation, and she used bark and leaves to make the tan and brown colors. Aunt Arne said the Doctor was always called in when they

080 076

page 4 were sick, bttt we never sont fer hirn lesse n somebody wuz. real sick. De old folks doctored us jest fer little ailments. Dey give us lye tea fer colds. (This was made by taking a few clean ashes from the fire place, putting them in a little thin bag and pouring boiling water over them and letset for a few minutes. This had to be given very weak or e1~eit would be harmful Aunt Arne explained . ) Garlic and whiskey and den, dar ain t nothin better fer the pneumiony dan splinter tea1 I ve cured bad cases with it. (That is made by pouring boiling water. over 1i~htwood splinters.) Aunt Arne told of their life on the plantation and it was not unlike that of other slaves who h~d good masters who looked after them. They had plenty to eat and to wears Their .f od was given them and they cooked and ate their meals in the cabins in family groups. Santa Claus always found his way to the quarters and brought them stick candy and other things to eat. She said for their Christmas dinner there was always a big fat hen and a ho~head. In slavery days the negroes had quiltings, dances, picnics and everybody had a good time, Aunt Arne said, an I kin dance yit when I hears a fiddle .~ They had their work to d o in the week days, but when Sundays came there was no work, everybody rested and on preachin days went to Church. Her father took them all to old flehoboth, the neighborhood white church, and they worshiped together, white and black1 the negroes iii the

081 077

page 5 gallery. That ~as back in the days when th re was no lookin neither to the right nor to the left when in hurch; no matter what happened, no one could even half way smile. This all was much harder than having to listen to the long tiresome sermons ( of those days, Arne thinks, specially when she recalled on. one ~ot occasion when ~fr. Sutton wuz a preachin a old goat,~up under the Church an every time Mr. Sutton would say something out real loud that old goat would go Bah..a a Bah ba..a-~a an we couldn t laugh a bit. I most busted, I wanted ter laugh so bad. Yassum, in dem days continued Aunt Arne, all u.s colored folks went to the white folks church kase us didn t have no churches of our own and day want no colored preachers den, but some what wuz called Chairbacks . The Chairback fellows went er round preachin an~ singi.n in the cabins down in the Quarters and dey use ter have the bes ~ folks would be converted ~ an change dey ~ay. De hymns dey sung de most wuz Amazin ~ ~race an As I Born ter Die? I ~ de rneetin s us use ~ ter have down in our cabin an how everybody would pray an sing. ~ ~\ Dey ain t nothin lak it use ter be, sighed Aunt Arne, TtNow when I first could recollect, when a nigger died they sot up with de corpse all night and de next day had de funeral an when dey started to the burial ground with the body every body in the whole procession would sing hymns. I ve heard ein ~nough times clear cross the fields, singin and atoanin as they went, Dem days of real feelin an .keerth is gone.

082 078

page 6 r;:48 When freedom cAine there were sad tinies on the Sybert plantation, Arne said. Old ~iss cried and cried, and all us cried too. Old Iliss said Yoa al jest goin off to perish~. Aunt Jennie, one of the oldest women slaves stayed on with her and took keer of her, but all us stayed on a while. Us didn t know whar . to go an what ter do, an den corne Dr. Peters and 1fr. Allen frwn Arkansas to git han s to go out dar an work fer dem. My Pa took his family and we stayed two years. It took us might nigh ir whole week to git dar, we went part way on de train and den rid de steam boat up de Mississippi River ter de landin . ~ worked in the cotton field out dar and done all kinds er work on de farm, but us didn t like an Dr. Peters an~ ~r. Allen give i~ Pa money fer us ter conie home on. Fore we could git started my oldest brother wanted to come borne so bad he jest pitched out and walked all de way frum arkansas to our old home in Georgy . We come back by Memphis and den come on hong. on de train. ~JYhen we wuz out dar I went to school an got as far as Baker . Dat s de only ~ I ever had~ Aunt Arne told about her courthhip and marriage, she remembers all about it and grew rather sentimental and sad while sie talked. She said that Franklin Binns was going with her Lefore she went to live in Arkansas and when she came home he picked up the courtship where he had left off when she went away. He would ride 20 miles on horseback to see her. He brought her candy and nice things to eat, but she still wouldn t give him no sa~gfactjon bou.t whether she keered fer him er not . She said

083 079

page 7 ~ 79 other men wanted to come to see her, but she paid theni not one bit of attention. No main, I wouldn t cept of them, I never did go with in an everybody, I don t do dat yit .~ She said one day Franklin was to see her~and said Less us marry, I think nough of you to marry . ~ She said she wouldn t tell him nothin so he went to see her parents and they agreed, so she married him sometime later. They were married by a white minister, L~r. Joe Carter. Aunt Arne leads a lonely life now, $he grieves. for her loved ones more than negroesusually do. She doesn t get about rauch, but I does go over to see Sis Lou (a neighbor) every now an den fer consolation si, She says she is living on borrowed titne because she has always taken care of herself and worked and been honest. She said that now she is almost at the close of her life waiting day by day for the call. to corne, she is glad she knew slavery, glad she was reared by good. whi.te people who taught her the right way to live, and she added: Mistess, I se so glad I allus worked hard an been honest hit has sho paid me time an time agin. ~

Henry Bland - ex-slave. 084 080

~Z~~ST;Th5~ ~r)~(~Q~\) ( /~.~~/r! ~ ~ ~ ii : ~OL1:7 E . ~ ~ ~ 80 ~ ~ ~L~V~kYHJL ~r~N~4~ Ith.NRT BL~ ~ ~ 1AY~ iie~ry Bland is one of the tes living ex-slaTes w~o sas ~or~ on s plantation n~r eitOfl, Ga. in l6~ . I~ie parents were Nartl* end ~ Coxton. In this f~ily group e t~ree other cnildr.n, two girls and one boy, sr~ vas the oldest. ~t~en qussticned L~ing the birthplace and t~e movi~ente of tAis T*rsnts, W~z. BLand stated that lUs tu r ~ a5 born in }It~ncook Co~unty, Ga. His mother along with lier mother sas brought eorgi~i by the speculator sith a drove of other 3lavs:. The first thing t litt he ~e~)Cr or ~~ie t~erente is when he ~s quite sznall and was allowed to ruin in the ster & kitchen in the big house where Lis mother ~4B cook. r, ~xton, ~bo ~ the einer of M~. 3land and ils fsmily~ as lesorjbed as being very rich ~nd influential ii~n In the o~rsaunity where he lived. bs~ys ~r. BuM, 18 only fault ~s that of drinking tco much of th. whisky that tie di~ti1l.d on the an~.~tion~ Unlike oa~e of the other slave owners in tbaQ isotlon., Mr. Cozton was very rkl t~j :~i s slaves. His plantation ~s a lt~rge or~s and on it cas rais~ cotton~, corn, p vegetabl ~a a nci live stock. More co tton ~a groin tbs.n anything ales. ~ rozn the time hi las I ye~r and 6 x~ionths of age until he ~a 9 y~rs old he lived I tlie o1~ housSe ~ lais mother. At night he slept on the floor there. In spite ot ~1e, ~ ~ 1;is mother a tre*te~ent u.s considerably better than tr~i t received by those ~ .v~.o ?~crked in the fields. ~hile t:~ir food consisted of the ean~ tnings as did ~t oc the field slaves, o~ietirice choice ~iorss1s oem. back to the kitchen t~m~ the ~~ter ~ table. He ~7i thi~i t ala mother s clothes were of better quality tk*n the other :~ . ~ Y~.efl ( those wno care not employed in the house). ;: a oUl~i fis first job sea to cut wood for the 8tove, pick up chips, ana to drive ~e cr~~ to ~ nd from the m stur . ~hen ~ y&~r~ old ne w~s sent to the field *~a a ~ys ~ ere ~ie ~0 rked W ith a la rge uU~ ~ er of otuer el~ves (lie does not know the .~ot ~ ~r ~ ~ were diTided into two groups, the piciw group and the hoe group. }L1~ tether ~r enc~ to be the fore~an of the hoe gang. His brothers and sisters also ~ rked here I th~ ~11eld5 being req~xired to noe as sell as ploy. ~.hen pickinc time cerne, everyone iae

085 081

Henry Bland, ex-slave 2, ~J r~uired to Dick. The usuel amoimt of cotton ~oti p.raon wac r~uire4 to pick ~s 2~)Q lbs. ~r day. I :o*.v~r whsri this az~t*nt was not picked by s~e tAey were not M1fl18h~ by the overa~r, 63 wS8 the s ass on neighboring plantations, belause ~. ~~oxton r~1iz d tti~t t some could do more work ttan ot~ erS. Mr. Coxton often told ~ts o~era. t~t tie bLid not been hired to whip the slaves, but to t~sZi th~ how to i k. ..~ayo Mr. Blaud: Our working hours mere the ~ ai on any other plantation. ~ ~j tT) ~ -t ~ every inornin~ befo~e sun~.up and when it w~e good and light we were In the field. j~ bugle ~ae blown to wake u. i~ll the elayes stayed in the tield until ~ ; ~ t~ f 1(!ving the field they were never r ~iireci to cAo any ~irk but could apend their tj::c ~ tt~ y a~ f jt to. No vii~k wee required on ~.sturday or ~unday with the exception ~ the atoak had to be oared for. i~esidee these ~ye w~ien no work wac rc~ ired, there ~a3 t~~Le 4th of July and Chriatane on hich the al~e wre prr~itted to do a. they ~1e~sed. Ttiee two latter dates were ueuall~ epont in true holiday spirit ~ e the aaeter u8~I~1ly ~ a bi~ fetet in the foin ot a barbaus and allowed tt~ to invite t~i,ir fr1emdi~. t~en darknees came t:.ey eang and dz~nosd and this ~a wi*t they etui a frolio.~ ~8 a ~nere1 r~le this w~me thing ise psr~itted aftcr the crops had bein gathered. ~ ~31~ for these occ~eions w~a f~nihed by violin, ~njoend a cuikppin~ of I~ndi. ~4,$ -~~ia~ saye tl*t he used to tisip furnish tXiie music as ~r. ozton had btx~ght hia a VI c~lin. S-fl the Coxton plantation ail sieves al~eye tad a utticient aa~ount of clothing. 7::c~e clotbea which were issued w~n needed and not at any certain tia. included ~rt1ci.:;8 for Sunday war &ia W Lt as artlalea for WOrk. Those aervants wkx~ warked Ir~ t~ ~ big houes wore ~ireotioally the ~i1fl olothee as the n~st~r and hie .ir. ~ t:e ~osaib1e exoention tr~8t it ast the ciuslifisation of beir~g socond.haz~ed. ~ i~:~.k1e Of work clothing included a he~vy pafr of w k ehoee called bro~ns, H ~33.~\tm e4rte a ai a pair of j.t~ panta. A pair of knitted a~k ~ae also included.

086 082

Henry 8la~, az slays 3. ~j Tte ~ Oi!1efl ~ z s horTae8Pt~4 drisses ~or their working clothes. Jfor ~unday w~r the n1~r1 ~ere given wr~ite cotton ar~irts and the t~sn ~tte cotton dresses. Ail clothing ~I$ ~id on the r3zntatlon by those ~om n w~o ware too 31d tor field ork. ifl the earns m ~nner t ti~t oiotbin~ was aufticisnt, ec ~ae food plentiful, At the t~ O~ each v~esk each ftiaily ~&~a given 4 iba. of meat, I peck of meal, end sane ~ ~eh pt~raon in a fa~dly ~ee allowed to rsi3o a ~i dsn and so they 1~td vegs~ t~b ~3 whenever they *1e~ied to. lU addition to thia they wsre allo*.d to zeiss ~ chickenS, to bunt and to fish. however, none of the food that ~ s aecured In any of ~ t.;~ ~ mentioned above coad be sold. ~icn ar~yone wiaht~d to hunt, ~r. esston 8U~p1ied the gun and the eliot. ~lthough the elavea ookd for tAieiz~eelves, their br kt~st and dinner wsrs u~a~1ly 3erit to then In the fields after it ~d been prepared In the oook nouas. T~i re~taon for the ~as that they t~d to get up too avon in tAs morning, and a t noon too nuch time rould be lost it they were permitted to go to their cabins foe lunch1 The c:ildren who were too young to pork in the field were oared for by some old Si!~~ve ~io likewies ~e unable to d~ field ~ ork. The o~.il~.tren were usui~illy f.d pot 11c~uor, ooz,n bread, mi .~, ayrup, an~i vegetables. ~aoti one k~d his iodividm~l cup to (?~t rrom. The food on Sunday w~ia uaually no di~terent from taat of any oth r day of t.h~ week. However, ;~r. Bland aeya tt~t they nevor t~id to br~k in the einok~houee b~~r ~ of hunier. ~i~1 aGked to ~1eeoribe the living q~Jtrter3 of the alaves on his ~ lantat1on he ~ l3~<~d around ~ie ro~~n anci mutt~red: Dey uz a lott bsttsi tk~an dia ~ ~oats ~ o: the cabine ~er~ ~de of logs and ~sorie Of ~ uthierbO!rd . The chinks in the vsUs ~ _~i ~ sealed with ou4. In eariie inatanoes boards wsre t~sed on the maids to keep ths .~. tn.tr out. There wore uat~1l t~o windi i, enuttors beir~ uaed in the place of ~i (~o~ ~nes. Tn, ar.imney an~1 tirepl~ice wsre nnds of iiaid and stones. All cooking ~ done at the tiret~aoe as none of tt~czn were provided pith stoves. Iron cooking ~ ut~~3ile weise aeed. To boil food a oot 1~R5 hUfl OTt r ttte tire by z~oana of a hook.

087 083

~ionr7 LEkaal, sauslays. L ~ ~ (Ji~) Tt~ 1 T11~thi~W. tUX~flitUXS Waa a bsnoh w~iioh served as a oAair~aM a crude bevi. ~~pe running fran aid. to sld asrved es b od springa. The ~ttre~e sas trade cf ;tr~ or 1*7. For lighting pwposs, pine knots a~ andlee were uesl. The ;j:. V~3 Ofl the toxton pintatlon were also fortunate in that aU. o~bina hid wood floors. kil a~bins end their turnis14n~ Sr. built by the slavee w~ learn.d the use O f L~atrmer b t~iJ ~w from t~hite artisans w r~om t~. Cozton ~nploy.d frc~n time to time. ~r. J1a~ rw*rked th~ t hie father ~a a b3,aokamith, h~ving lean~ed the tra~1s in th~ ~u1~ . ~n ~r. ~ dootor ~L~B en~rloyed regularly by .r. Coxton to rnIniz~t r to th, nsde of the idv~ 8 in time oi~ ill~eo . sie al.Q b~4 our own ~~4j jfl~,~ ea~a Mr. ~ aM. At different ~ tiri~8 exouralona were ira e to the woods where yarbe I~herbe) were ~thersd. Yaric~zs kia~a ot t~s and medi~inea were mads by boiling these roots in enter. Tao uatsl CW18~3 Of il neaa on tbia ~lantation were eolda, fevers, alki ocnstipatioa. Ceetor oil ~:fl~ ~lt *ere also used to a great extent. It an in4vidt~al was too ill to work an o1~ier slave had to nurse this pcra~. :~o effort was ~ by ~ oxton to te~ioh r~1a sli~vea anything except maniwl tr~Linhi~. A slave Who oo~ild ties hie I~inde at ~cLled ~rk ~tB i~iors val~ble then the ~ on in.. r: fi eid I~M If, however, a e1t~ve secured a b ook, ~ Coxton could ~i~1p hi~ ~ 1e~~rn to read it. ~bove all, re.Ligioua tr~:inini~i, h&S not denied. Ae ~ i~t;cr of faot, .~ ~xton required eoh one of nia servants to dresa in hIe ~undaj olothee and to go tj cLurct~ ev~ ry ~unday. ~orvia~ e for all were held at the white ohux~ ~ the le~vea ~ Sit~~fl: 011 Ofli~ ~i e t~nii the i~aetore on th~ other. ~t~fl pro~shin~ ~ae done bye wr~ite r)~jtor. ~ 1~ t)r 1:~i3ououe rethtionahipe were allowed. If a ~n canted to n~rry he merely ~ ~ out the ~o~zn of i~1s onoice to the easter. lie In turn oaUxl her anl told k~r ~ t ~ .~ ~uch iiixt euch an Individual wished her for e. elfe. If ehe agreed they were ~ ~ ~unced r~n and ~ ifo aud were per~4ttod to live together.

088 084

Htinry 431aM, ez~siavi. The slaves on ~ is plantation were gr~at believers in roots and tt~eir va~lues in txie use of oonjurix~g people. Mr. 3 a~d doesn t remember iver ae.tx~g anyins .034 by Mr. ~oxton, but b kaard ~ t on other nearby plantations slaves were pl~oed on an suction block and sold i1k ~ Cattle. None of th~ ~iavos were e vsr inipped or b~tsn by Jar. ~o~ton or by anyone sise. ir a rule ~s broken the oftendsr wc~s ~a J~ed before Mr. ~ozton when be was t&1~d to. in some OSSU a whjpting was ~romie.d and that ended the matter. The Paddle Rollers ~b1r~ped the slavea trom other plantations w~ien they wsre oaught oft or taelr pr&itec~s ~ithout a pass but this was never tkio e~ae v~n a slave belonging to ~r. Cozton broke this rule. ~r. 3LSLfld r~n~ibers th .t onoO he and acne of lite fsll~ claies were ~ay fr~i home wjth3ut a ~ ehen they esre seen by the PaddLe Ro1lers~ who started ~tter thee. h~n they were rsoognlzid as belonging to i~. Coxton one or th (Paddis itollers) said: Don t bother thai; th~ t a tb~ i a ~ ~tre. niggers. The PaddLe ~ollsz s were not allowed to ~ io on the ~oxton plantation to wbip bis a1i~ yes or $fl7 other oni s slaves who happened to be Yiatttn~ at the time. Mr. Coxton r.quirsd trLt they all be on the pla~ntat1ou by n1ghtZ~ll. I : The above seems to ~o x~ttior conclusive proor or ~. c~t~ . influ~os in the S !1!flunitl9 ~J ~enever a slave oor~u1tted a crime ei~ainst the ~tets, hi8 master us~ ly had to ~aj for the d817i~~ dOX1~ or ~y the slAve s fj~. It sas tzi~n up to ~iim to see that t:~e orrend.r wee t,unished. Mr. Coxton onoe ~w ~ii~ (Mr. laM) beat anotiier slave(Eio was a guest at e f~: .:lja) when tnis visitor att~m~ted to draw a pi8tol on 4*. Mr. i~land was uphe34 i.r~ ~.i9 action and told by i~r. Coxton t~t ho bad better a1 ~ays tight bask w~n ~ ~j3ne struck ~ wIietbt~r the t,~ son *~s white ox bla ak. Further, it hs (Mr. ~ozton) k. ~ r~ ot ~ie not t ighting back a et~tt~pin~ ~ould be in store for ~iz.

089 085

h~r~i 7 i~1and, exu.slave. 6. r. ~oxton wa~ different trcin ec~me of the lbYS cwners jfl th~it he gave the Le ~ ~ each family apendin~ r~ioney (~t ~IrietLm~-X8 time the an~ount varyin~ witt~ the size or tLc~ faintly. . ~ ~en the lvii ~ar w~e begun t~ie r!f~ter eeemed to be worried all txie time etatee ~ 2. ~ Mo w~ s atxt~1d t.ri~t ~5 wc~uld be treed and ttien tie wou1~i t~z~ve to i3re tie to . ~1 %~fl S (10 i~ ~ h~:3n asked to dseoribe his fe~ iw~e about t~ie ~r an~i the ~oaeibility of ~1e being fr~.ed ~ ~r. ~31and &ti d t~l~ t he had no pa rtioular feeling of &~tidnoae a t a il. The c~utourr~e ~)f tr~~ ~nr did not iflt(~1 Eat ~ at all ~eoause ~r. ~oxton ~e 8~~Ch ~ good ~ste. ~ie fldn t oare whett~er h~ was freed or not. dis r~1low slaves felt the same way. ~1 ~en ~fle: ~uan an~1 t~e Yii~ kees wer ~rci~iiig ttirough they took aU. 01 the live stork ~ b ~t b3t;Lered noti~ing eise. Tne b~41dings oil trio adjoining plantation were ai . ~uraed. ~ ~ a:~1l 8~(iii~i8h took place about 2 miles ~#ay f~rc~i ~r. Coxton s plantation w~ien the ~ Y: ;~k~ee ~nd ~onfeder&te met. Mr. Coxton s two eons took pert in the war. ~r. 3iand was taken by L~hern~n e eriny to ~avam~h and then to ~oon. lie says tri~t ~? ~W President Jeff Dav*e give up hi ~ sword to eneral ~ her~n in surrender. ~ fter tne war ~r. Co~ton was still ~~ll off in a~ite of the f~tct tri~ t he kibd boat ~uite ~I oit O~ lflOflO7 t~ ~1 F9 .ilt 3f the war. ~ie ~vod a gre~t ae~i of :~ie e ~iah by br.iri it ~h(~L ~t1S1 fl~fl carne tnrougb. Tao ~ttle might h vo been saved il r~e (mr. i3j~nc~ c;~ ~ iLiV ~ driven then into the ~oo~a before fl~ wL~ seen by ao:~e of the soldiers. t ttiC close of the war ~r. Uoxton intorr~a1 aU. tt4e al~ves that tr~ey were fr~e to g ~~r: t~eI wiehed, but t~ey all retuaed to leave. ~Oe~ Of them died on ti~e rlantetion. -~ ~ nd says t~*t ~ien ~e beca ~e of a~c Ida torrncr ~ ate: ~vc iii~n a ~ag3ii~ t ~o mules a ~. ~ t;~au ~ (~nd ten i~. r. ~1~iM t~Links tria t ol~i ag~ i~ a eharacteric$i~ lii ~AiS fanily. ~is ~~fld~LOtht~g ~L ~. to be lib yo~ir ol~ and m~i~ mother 107 ie~rs old. ~lt~3u~h in xiia ~iU e, ~r, il~nd !: ~. a1:~o.t rerTh~t ~ioture of ~ealth. i~e ti:~ks t~t r~e *111. live to bec~ne at ~aat l,._ .~ rs old .~eoauae XAe i3 &~C1I1 to C3 t~Uc t~ live a~ ~ a lire aS ~e t ~5 iii the

Rias Body, ex-slave. 090 086

J. R. Jones ~L~) ( ~ o~&j ?~ ~ ~ ~ .~ RI~& BODY~ EX~SIAVE. Place ot birth: Harris County, near Waverly Hall, Geor~1e Date of birth: April 9, 1846 Present residence: 1419 - 24th Street, CoIu~nthus, Georgia Interviewed: July 24, 1936 Rias Body was born the slave property of Mr. Ben. Body, a Harris County planter. He states that he was about fifteen years old when the Civil War started aud, many years ago, his old tim~e white folks told him that April 9, 1846, was the date of his birth. The pataroler p ac e ordin~g to Unc le Rias wer e a1~ys qui te active in ante-befluni days. The regular patrol consisted of six nien~wh.o rode nightly, different plan~ters and overseers taking turns about to do patrol duty in each militia district in the Coun~ty. .Al1 slaves were required to procure passes fron their owners or their plar&~tation overseers before they could go visiting or leave their home preinises.~ If the pataro1ers~ caught a Nigger without a pass they whipped him and sent him hone. Sometimes, however, if the Nigger didn t run and told a straight story, he was let off with a lecture end a warning. Slavechildren, though early taught to n~ke themselves u~se~ fui, had lots of time for playing and frolicking with the white

091 087

children. Rita ~t3 a great hand to go seining With a certain ei1q~xe of white boys, ~io always gave hia a gener ~a or bettez~ than eqaal share of the fish caught. it Chr1st1I~ , every slave on the Body plantation received a present. The Negro children received candy, raisins az~ ni~ger-~toes , balls, rbies, eta. As :tor food, the slaves had, ~ith the exception cf fancy tri~1n8 , about the same food that the whites ate. No darky In Harris Ccs.uity that he ever heard of ever went hungry or suffered for clothes until after freed~o~i. Every Saturday was a wash day. The c1ot~tea and bed linen of all Whites and Blacks went into ~ah every Saturday. And lUggers , whether they liked lt or not, had to scrub theeselves every Saturday Eight. The usual laundry and tOEllet soap was a hcsi-~ade lye product, SOUL. of lt a soft-solid, and soue as liquid as water. The latter was stored in Jugs and dSIIIJOhnB. Zither would fetch the dirt or take the hi de Off ; in short ~ten applied with rag and we, something had to come . Many of the Body slaves had wives and husbands living on other plantations end beloi~ging to ather planters. As a courtesy to the principals of wch tri~onla1 alliances, their ~ers

092 088

88 furnished the men passes permitting them to visit their wives once or twice a week. Children born to such unions ~ ~ner~ were the property of the wifetsA the father s o~er bad no daim to them whatsoever4 Uncle Rias used to freq ently come to C.olu~bus with his master before the war where he aften saw Niggers oil one d off at the old: slave n~rt which was located at iiat is now 1225 Broadway. Negroes to be offered foa~ sale were driven to . Columbus in draye s ~ like cat tie -~ by Nawthan s~pecku lataha , ~ And prospective buyers ~uld visit the block acco~penied by ~ doctors, who would feel of, thunip, arid examin.e the Nigger to ~ see if sound. young or midd1e~aged Negro ~n, specially or ~ even well trained in some trade or out-of4h~ordinary line of ~ work, often sold tor fro~m $2000.00 to $4000.00 in gold. ~ Women and: runty Nigger zaen~ cornn~Me d a price of from ~ $600.00 up, each. A good breedin oi~n , though., says Uncle L~~ ~uld sometimes sell for as high as $1200.00. I ~ s Body had twelve bro there e ight of whari were big buck ~ Niggers1~ end older than him&e f. The planters and patarolers accorded these big Niggers unu~a1 privileges ~ to the end that he estimates tbat they wuz de daddies av least a hunnert bsa~d ~ t ohillun in Harris County before de ~ar broke out ~ Sanie of these children were nscatteredN over a wide area. Sin, according to Rias Body, who. voices the sentiment of the great ~m4crity of aged Negroes, is that, or everything, Ihich

093 089

89 ~ n one does and says not In the name a1~ the Master .I The holy coimt~and, Wbatever y. do, d it~1n My ~neme ~ ~: ~ is ~bjeoted to soizie very unorthodox interpretations by many members of the colored race. Indeed, by their peeuiiar interpretation of this command it I s e stabi.ished that two clean sheets e en t smut whi oh i~ ans tim t a devout man an d ~ may indulge 1 n the primal p assi on wi thout committing sin. The old man rather boasts of the fact that he received a number or whippings when a slave : says he now knows that he t e served them, an th o ut t eW , he would have no doubt been hung rore he w~iz thutty years ois. ~ Among the very old slaves whom he knew as a boy were quite a few who~ the Negroes looked up to, respected, and feared as witehes, wizzards, and magic-workers. These either brought their learnin with them from Africa or absorbed lt froze their 1mmediate African forebears. Mentally, these people wern t brilliant, but highly sensitized, anil Rias gave ~aU sich es wide a berth as opportunity permitted him, though he knows dat dey bad sec ret doms an~ ~ carry1ng-~ons . In t ru~th had the Southern Whites not curbed the mumbo. ~aboism of his people, he is of the opinion that it ~uld not now be safe to step out his doe at ~ght . Incidentally, Bisa Body is more fond of rabbit than &ny other

094 090

~5uu~ m.eat in de warrul and says that he could ~ if he were able to get them ~- eat three rabbits a day, 3&5 days in the year, and two for breakfast on Christmas morning. 11e also states that pork, though killed in the hottest of J~u1y weather, will not spoil it it is ptcked down in shucked corn-on-the-cob. This he learned in slavery days when, as a run~away~ he knocked a shoat in the head one aumraer and tried it ~ proving it.

Ex-slave interview: James Bolton. 095 091

91 I ~OO66 EX~SUVE INTERVIEW: cTA~S BOLTO~St ATHENS, ~ORGIA Written by: Mrs. Sarah Il. EaU, Federal Writers . Project, Residency 4, Athens, Georgia. Edited by: Miss Maude Barragan, Federal ~ir1ters Project, Residency 13, ~tugusta, Georgia.

096 092

; 1000$C) .~ ~ H811-~rr~ tn 92 J~A~S BOLT ON~ ATE~N3 ~EORGI4. . . ~ ~ OEt never wes the same on our plantation . atter we done laid ~L1stess awty, said ~Tames Bo1ton~ 85 year old niulatt.o ex-P slave. I ain t never forget when Mistess died -she had been so good to every nigger on our plantation. When we got sick, Mistess allus had us tended to. The niggers on our plantation all walked to church to hear her funeral sermon and then walked to the graveyard to the buryin . Taxnes, shrivelled and wrinkled, with hi~ bright eyes taking in everything on one of his rare visits to town, seemed ~la~ of the chance to talk about slavery days. Ee spoke of his owner as my employer and hastily corrected himself by saying, I means, my marster. . My employer, I means my niarster, and my raistees, they ~ was shot all right white folkses, he continued. They lived in the big ouse. Hit was all painted brow . I heard tell they was nicre n 900 ac~res in our plantation and lots of folkses lived on it.. - ~ ~ ~ .~. -~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~- The b igge s t po rt i on wa s woo~~s~. My paw he wa s name ~~eldBo1tc~~zaBol~~n was my maw. Charlie, Edmund, Thomas and J~ohn ~o1ton was my brothers and I had one sister, shewas Rosa. We be1ori~ed to ~arse Whitfield Bolton and we lived on his plantation in ~.lethorpe Count~y near Lexington, not far from the Wilkes County line. We stared in ~ one room log cabin with a dirt floor. A rrarae made outen pine poles was fastened to the wall to hold up the

097 093

mattreSses. Our mattresses was made~ outen c6tton ba~gjng stuffed witi-: wheat straw. Our kivers was quilts made outen old clothes. Slave amans too, old to work in the fields made the quilts. Maw, she went up to the big house onc t a week to git the tiowaflee or vittles. They owanoed us a week s rations at a time . Eit were generally hog meat corn meal and s ornetlmes a U---- ~ --- little flour. Maw, she done our cookin on the coals in the fire- plEce at our cabin. 7Te had plenty of possums and rabbits and fishes and sometimes we had wild tukkeys and pcrtid~ges. Slaves . ~ ------ -~-.~ ~ ~-- . ------~-- -- ----.~---~ --. ~ warn t spozen to go huntin at night and everybody know you~ can t. ketc1~ no possums ceppin at nights J~us the saine, we had plenty possums and nobody ax how we cotch em! games laughed and nodded. ~ ~ ~ ~--~---- ~- - -- - ~- f~ow, bout them rabbits~ Slaves warn t lowed to have no gur~s and no dogs of t1~.ey own. All the dogs on our plantation belonged to my employer- I means, to ray xn~rster, and. he lowed us to use his dogs to run down the rabbits. ~Tigger mens and boys ud go in crowds, sometimes as rriany as twelve at one tiriie, and a rabbit a1.n t got no chance ginst a lot of niggers and dogs wilen t1~y light out ftr to run mi downt What wild critters we want ed ~ to eat and o ouldn t run down, we was rigl~t smart bout ketchin in traps. Wecotc i lots of wild tukkeys and partidges in traps and nets. . Long Crick runned through. ~ur tiantation and the river warn t no fur piece off. We sho did ketch the fishes, niostly cats, and perch and heaps and heaps oi suckers. ~e cotch our fishes mos n generallywith hook and line, but t~:.e carpenters oI~1 our plantation knowed how to make basket traps .t~t si o nuff did lay in the fishes~ God only knows how long it s

098 094

. . ~ ~3-94 been since this old nigger pulled a big shad. out of the river. Ain t no shads been cotch in the river round ~iere in so long I disre~nembers when! ~Ne didn have no gardens of our ~in round our cabins. ~y employer-~ I means, ray marster-~-~ had one bigg~rax~d~e~den for our whole Diantation and all his nig~ers had to work in it whensoni- ever he wanted em to, then he cive em all plenty good ~yarden sass for theyseifs. They was couards and cabbage and turnips a~d beets and english peas ar~1 beans and onions, and they was alius some garlic for ailments. Garlic was mostly to cure wuras (worms) e They roasted the garlic in the hot ashes and squez the juice outen it and made the chilluns take it. Sometimes they made poultices outen garlic for the pneuxaony. We saved a h ap of bark from wild cherry and. poplar and b1~.c~ haw and slippery ellum trees an~i we dried out mullein leaves. They ~:aS all mixed. ard brewed to make bitters. Whensomever a nigger got sick, then bit~ers vas god for ~ well nia axn, they was good for ~t~hat ai1e~. ein! ~Te tuk em for rheuniatiz, for fever, anc~ for the r~i~er:r jr~ the stummick arid for most ~ll sorts of sickness. Red oak ~rk tee ~.os good for sore throat. I never see5 no stor bought clothes twel long atter f ree~. amm don conie One slave oman done all the weavin in a separate . r:om called the loom house. The cloth was dyedwith home~a~1e ~ ~ ~-~- . C:ioring. ~lhy used indigo for blue, red oak bark for brown, green ~usks offen war~iicks (walnuts) for black, and sumacs for red and they d mix the~e colors to make other colors. Other sl~ve oinans

099 095

4 ~ ~ 95. 1arI~?~4~s ;~W~fld they made all the clothes. Endurin the stmuner-~ time we jus wore shirts and pants made outen plain o ottori cloth. They wove wool. In with the cotton to ake the cloth for our winter clothes. The wool was raieed. rigt.t. thar on~our plantation. We had our own shoemaker man- he was a slave named Buck Bolt n and he in~de all the shoes the niggers on our plantation wore. I waren t nothin but ohu1lu~n when freedora cOme.:.:~L slavery-tiiae ohilluns waren t lowed to do no wuk kazen the marsters wanted they niggers to grow up big and strong and didn want era stunted none. !~ha s howcome I didn git no mo beatin s than I did~ My employer~ I means, my niarster, never did. give me but one lickin . Ho had done told me to watch the cows and keep em in the pastur . I. cotch 1otsof~ass~9~rs and started fishin in the crick runnin through the pastur and fust thing I knowed, tie overseer was roundin up all the other niggers to git the cows uten the cornfields~ I knowed then my time had done come ! Vanies was enpying the spotlight now, and his audience did not have to prompt h1~. Plantation recollections crowded to- c~ether in hi s old mind. 7e had one ov rseer at a time, he said, and he allus lived at the big ouse. The overseers warn t ualit hite tolkses like our inarster and mistess but we never heard nuffin bout no ~oor whit.e trash in them days, and. effen. we had heard sumpirt like t:st we d have knowed. better n to let Marster hear us make such talk! :.:ar~ter mac~te us~eall his overseer tMister.t . We had one overseer ~emed Mr. And~ew Stuith arxl another time we iiad a overseer named r~!r.

100 096

9G Pope Short. Overseers was jus there on the business of gett~1n the work done they seed atter everybody dom his wuk cordin to ord r. ~ My employer- I means, my rnarster, never lowed no over-V seer to whupnone of his niggers~ Marster done alithe whu~ppin on our plantation hisseif. Ee never did make no big bruises and h never drawed no blood, but he sho could burn em up with. that 1ash~ Miggers on our plantation was whapped for laziness mostly. ~extto that, wliupplngs was for stealin eggs and chickens. ~ ihey fed us good and. plenty but a nig~~er is Jus bowid to pick up chickens and eggs effen he kin, no matter how muen he done eat! i~e jus can t help it. Effen a nigger ain t busy he gwine to ~it into ais c:iief! . ~ow and then slaves ud runawayandgointhe woods ~nd d i~densand1ive in em . Somet imes they runned away on eouflt of cruel treatment, but most of the time th y run~ed away kazen they just didn t want to wuk, an~ wanted t.~ laze around for a spell. The rnarsters allus put the dogs atter em and git em back. They had black end brown dogs called nigger hoUnds what waren t used for ricthin but to track down niggers. They waren t no suc~a place as a jail whar we was. Eff en s nigger done suzapin ~ disorderly they jus natcherly tuka~~o ira. I ain t never seed no nigger in chains twel long atter freedorn done corne when I seed em on the chain gangs. The~ overseer woke us upatsunrise-- leas n. they called ~ ~Lt sunrise We would finish our vittles and be in the fields ready

101 097

~6- for wuk befo we seed any surie We laid off wuk at sunset~ and they didn t drive us hard. Leas wise, they didn on our plan- tation. I done heard they was rnoughty hard on em on other plant:~tions. My marster never did low his niggers to wuk atter sundown. My employer, I means my marster, didn t have no bell. ~Te Lad era blow bugles to wake up his iiands and to call em from the . fields. Sometimes the overseer blowed it. Mistess done lamed ~--~ -~------.- t~e.~cook to count the clock, but none of the rest of our niggers -~ could count the clock. I never knowed ~arster to sell but. one slave and he jus had bought her from the market at ~ew Orleans. She say it lonesome off on the plantation and axed Marster for to sell her to folkses livin in town. ~tter he done sold her, every time iie got to town she beg im. to buy her bsck~ Bit b~ didnt pay her no more tentlon. ~r ::. en they had sales of slaves on the plantations they let everybody . ~ know wh~:t time tile :ale gwine to be. when the crowd git togedder tI.ey put ti~e niggers on t~e block and sell em. Leas wise, they call it puttin on the block - they jus fotch em o~it and show em and sell era. T~h~y waren t no church fcr niggers on our plantation and we went to white folkses church and listened tb the white preachers. ~ ~ ~- ~ Ce set behir~L~apart~,tio~ition. Sometimes on a plantation a nigger claim he done been called to preach and effen he kin git his marster s cawn-sent he kin preach round under trees and in cabins when t aint ~ese nigger preachers in slavery time was called _______ ____ 1~h~y waren t no chairbackers lowed to baptize none of niggers. .Vhite preachers done our baptizin in Long Crick. ~.__~ _-_ *__ - - ~1 U~ ~ UL ~ wuk time. backers. ::~rster s

102 098

98 ~ien we went to be baptized they allus sang, ~mazin~ Graee~ :~ow sweet the sOUfld~t~ The old negro s qu~very voice rose in the familiar song. For a moment he sat thinking of those 1ong-~ago Sundays. His eyes brightened again, and he went on: We never done no wuk on Sundays on our plantation. The church ~~as bout nine miles from the plantation and WE: 6~1l walked there. Ar~ybody tco old and feeble to walk the nine 11es jus stayed home, kazen ~~arster didn t low his mules used none on Sunday. Ui along the way niggers from other plantations ud une us and someLirnes befo we git to the church house they d be forty or fifty slaves coniin along the road in a crowd~ Preaching generally lasted wel bout three o clock. In sui~ertime we had dinner on the ground ~t the church. !~owso~ever we didn have no barbecue like they does flow. Everybody cooked enough on Sadday and fotched it in baskets. 1 was thirty years old when I jined the church. Nobody ought to jine no church twels t he is truly borned of God, and ef ten he is truly borned of God he gwine know it. Effen you want a restin ~1ace atter you leaves this ol~ world you ought to git ready for it no~Tt - When folkses on our plantation died Mars:er allus let many of us as wanted to ~o, lay offen wuk twel atter the buryin . Soxne~ ti~nes it were two or thrce months atter the buryin befo the funeral sermon was preached. Right now I c~n t rekelleck no song we sun~, a: funeralscep n ~arkfromtheto~sadoleful sound.

103 099

~8- 99 The reedy old voice carried the funera1h~~for a few minutes and then trailed off. James was thinking back into the past again. Spring plowin and hoein times we wukked all day Sadd~ays, ~J - ~-~ . ~- ~ -- but mos en generally we laid off wuk at twelve o clock Sadday. ~hat was dinnertime. Sadday nights we played and danced. Sometimes in the cabins, sometimes in the yards. Effen we dldn bave a bi~ stack of fat kindling ~od lit up to dance by, ometirnes the iens and orn.ans would carry torches of kindling wood whlls t they danced and it sho was a sight to see! We danced the ~urkey Trot and Buzzard Lope , and. how we did love to dance the Mary J~ane~ ~Te would git in a ring and when the music started we would begin wukkin our footses while we sang You steal my true love and I steal your n Atter supper we used to gether round and knock tin buckets and pans, we beat em like drums.. Some used they fingers and some used sticks for to make the drum sounds and somebody allus biowed on quills. Q,uills was a row of whistles made outen reeds, or some times they m~de em outen bark. Every whistle in the row was a different tone and you could play any kind of tune you wants effen you ~ad a good row of quills. They abo did sound sweet! Bout t~:e most fun we had was at c~~&huekin s whar they pu~ the corn in long piles and called in the folkses from. the plan~tions nigh round to shuck it. Sometimes four or fiv hunnert head. of niggers ud Ive shuekin corn at one time. ~~en the corn all done

104 100

been shucked they d drink the likker the inarsters give em and then frolic and dance from sundown to suriti~p. . ~7e started. sb~uek1n corn tbout dinnertime and tried to finish by sundown so we could ~1ave the whole rii~ht for frolic. Sonic years we ud ~o to ten or t-.elve corn shuckin s in one years We would sing and prey Easter Sunday an~ on Easter ~tonday we frolicked and danced all day lone ~ ~ ~.e allus had plenty ~ -~---.-~--.- good sumpin to eat and we all ~ot togedder and had lots of fun. 7;e runned u~ to the big ouse early Christmas mornin and ~ol1er cut: Morniri , Christmas ~if ~ Then they d give us plenty of ~ridy Claus and ~r:e would go back to our cabins t.o have fun twel :~Tew Year s dey. ~ e knowed Christmas was over and gone when ~ew Year s day come, kazeri we got baeL to wuk tbat day atter frolickint e~ll C1iristrr~as week. We didn know nuttin bout games to play. Wej~~d with the wiiite folkses cnilluns and watcii~d a~ter erri but most of the time we played in the crick what runned through the pastur . Nigger chilluns was allus skeered to gb~ in th.e woods atter dark. Folkses done told us~ Baw-~ead~.-and--T3loody Bones lived in the woods and ~it lit le chilluns and eat e~ up effen they got out in t~e woods atter Rookabye baby in the trEe trops was the onhiest song I heerd my maw sing to git her babies to sleep. Slave folkses sung n~st ~-ll the time but we didn think of what we sang much. We jus ~t hacpy end stsrLed singin . Sometimes we ud sing effen we felt sEid end lowdown, but soon as we could, we ud go off whar we could ~:o to sleep and forgit all bout trouble! ~Tames nodded his gray g ~ 11:)()

105 101

:i~o 101 heEld with. a wise. look in his bright eyes. When you hear a nig~er singin sad songs hit s jus kazen he can t stop what he is dcin long enough to go to sleept The laughter that greeted this sally brough.t an answering grin to the wrinklec9 old face. Asked about narria~e customs, ~T~uaes said: Folkses didn make no big to~do over weddir..gs like they do soW. ~t n slaves got married they jus laid down the broom on the floor and the couple jined 1~nds arii~ jumped back uds over the broomstick. I done seed era married that way many a time. Some-j times my raarster would fetcb. ~istess down to the slave quarters to see a weddln . Effen the slaves gittin married was house ser~ vants, sometimes they married on tue back porcb. or in the back yard st the big ouse but plantation niggers what was field hands married in they own cabins~. The bride and groom jus wore plain clothes ke~ en they dWn have no more. When the young marsters and mistesses at the big houses ~ot married they lowed tile sloves to gadder Oi~ the porch and peep . ~ .~- ~ ~ -~-~: ~ ~ ~ ~ J: ~ ~:I:~~,~r .~i: ~ .~: :~~ ~ T.~ -~L ~ t~.rough the wir:dows at the weddin ~ Mos en generally taey ud give tlAe young couple a slave or two to take with them to they new home. _ry marster s chilluns WE~S too young to git married beTh the war w~s over. ~hey was seven of them chilluns ; four of em was gais. What sort cf tales did they tell mongs L tue slaves bout the ~orf befo the war? To tell the troof, they didn t talk much 1i1~e they does now bout them sort of tiings. None of our niggers ever runned away and we didn know nuthin bout no Norf twel long etzer freedom come. ~e visited round eacn other s cabins at. night.

106 102

.~ :~ ~ 102. I did hear tell bout taie patterollers. !~oIksea said effen they cotohed niggers out at~ night they ud give em what Paddy give the dru.m . ~rus beTh freedom corned. bout 50 Yankee sojers conie . ~L ~ ~ ~ through our plantation and told us that the bull-wimps and cow.~ hides was all dead ax~ bur1ed~. Them sojers jus passed on in a ~urry and didn stop for a meal or vittles or nuffin We &idn t ~~alk iauch bout ~. ~bbiehani Lincuin endurin slavery time kazen we was skeered of hini atter the war got sterted. I don t know riothin bout ~Lr. ~Tef son Davis, I don t reinenther ver uearin ~bcut hini. I is heard about Mr. Booker Washin ton and. they do say he runned a inoughty good school for niggers. ~ One niornin Marster blowed tJ~ bugle his own self axi~ ealled ~ - - -- .~ ~ :~S all up to the big ouse yard. He told. us: ~ou all jus as free E~S I is. You are free from under :he taskinarster but you air~ t free fro~ labor. You got~er labor and wuk hard effen you auna to live arid est ard have clothes to wear. You kin stay here and wuk for nie, or you kin go wharsornever you pleese. lie said he ud pay us what wss right, a~~d Lady, hit s the troof, they didn t nary a nigger on o:r :lantatioi leave our raarster then~ I~ wukked on with Marster for 40 years atter the war! ~ . Taine s ha d no f es r of the Ku Klux. Right soon atter the war we saw plenty of~~ux~~s but tbey never bothered nobody on our plantation. They ~ seemedto be havin heaps of fun. Course, they did have to straighten out ~ ~ ~ ~ -~ ~ s:~me of t~e~ brash young nigger bucks on some of the other farms round about. Mos of the riig~ers the Ku Kiuxers got atter was n on

107 103

~io farm, but was jus roarnin round talkin too much and raakint :rouble. t.hey had to take era in hand two or three times beTh so~ne of them fool free niggers could be l8rned to behave theys~lts~ 3u.t them KU Kiuxers kept on atter teni twels t they lamed they ~us got to be good effen they spects to stay round here. Hit. was about 40 years atter the war befo many niggers ;Tufl to own they own lan . They didnt know nothint bou~ tendin -~ ~ ~ .~ -~-~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ t o riioneybusine s s when t he we r d one e ride ci an d it take~~~1ong time to l~r~ how r and sell arid take care of whet they makes. 3~ames shook his head sadly. ~Ms am, heaps of nigger~ SlntL never 1arr~ed nothin bou~ them thin~gs yit~ ~ A long time atter the war I ma~ried LjZ~~T Terby. I didn give Liza no chane t for to dress up. 3~tis went and tuk her right muter the white folks~s kitchen aiid ~narried her at the church in her w~rkin clothes. ~1e had 13 chilluns but they ain t but two of era livin now. Mos of our chilluns died. babies. !ndurin slav.~ ery 1~istess tuk care of all the nigger babies borned. on our plan~tir)ris arid looked atter t~~ey marnmies too, but atLer freedom come :i~e~~r~ of nig~er babics died. out. games said he ha~ two wives, both widows. I married my second wife ~7 years ago. c tell the troof, : ~on t ri~htly know how; many grendehilluns I ~ ot, kazen I ain t se- ~. scme of em for thirty years. My chilluns is off fum here and :- ;~uldn know to save my life whar they is or whet they does. My Yster and brot~hers they is don ~esd ou; what ain t gone off, I .~ofl ~_ know f6r sho whar none of em is now. 12 - :103

108 104

~O4 sigh punctuated James monologue, and his old face was shedowed by a look of fear. ~ow I gwine tell you the troof. Now that it s all over I don t find. lire ~ ~ ~ ~ ~i~j age, as it was in slavery time v;ileri I was cbiliun down on Larster s plantation. ~hen I did.n have tc worry b(~UT whar my clothes and my somepin to eat was commn fron. or whar I was gwine to sleep. Marster tu}: keer of all that. _~w I ein t able for to wuk and make a livin and hit s sho rn.oughty liard on thuis old nigger.

109 105

P LAC E H O L D E R

Alec Bostwick. Ex-slave. 110 106

106 -~ ALEC BOSTWICK Ex~SlaVe Age 76. All of Uncle Alec. Bostwick s people are dead and he 1 iVe s i1~. hi s t i ny home w I th a y oung Ne gre s s name d ~mma Verga 1. It was a beautiful April morning when his visitor arrived and while he was cordial enough h seemed very reluctant about talking. However, as one question followed another his interest gradually over c~me his hesitancy and he began to unfold his life s story. t, I wu~ born in Morgan County an I warn t mo dan four year old when de/ar ended so I don t ricollect nothin bout slav ry days. I don t know nnich bout my ma, but her name was L~artha an pa s name was Jordan Bostwick, I don t know wha dey come from. When I knowed nothin I wuz dar on de plantation. I ~--- had three brothers; George, John an Ree~be, an dey s all dead. I dis inenibers my sister s name. Dar warn t but one gal an she died when she wuz little. Ain t much to tell bout what wuz done in de quar ter s Slave s wuz gyarde d all de time ju lak Nigge rs on de chain gang now. De oy~j~s~era1ways sot by widagun. Bout de. beds, Nigger boys. didn t pay no ~ tention t~3 sich as dat cause all dey Iceered bout wuz a ~1ace to sleep ~but pears lak to ~.e dey wuz corded beds, made wid four high POStJ.es, put together wid iron j~egs, an holes what you run de COrdE thoo , bored in de sides. De cords wuz made out of b ar grass woun tight together. ~y put straw an old quilts on tern, an~t called ~ em beds.

111 107

-2- _t~j ( Gran pa Berry wuz too old to wuk in de field so he stayed roun de house an piddled. He cut up wood, tended to de gyarden an ~ yard an bot tome d chairs . Gran ma Liza done de cookin an nussed de white folk~es chilluns. I wukked in de field long side de rest of de N~ggerS, totin wateran sich lak, wid de overseer dar all de time viid dat gun. What you talkin bout Miss? Us didn t have no L~Ofl6~. ~3ho us didn t. Dey had to feed us an plenty of it, cause us couldn t wuk if dey didn t feed us good. tUs et cornbread, sweet tatoes, peas, home-~made syrup an sich lak. De meat wuz fried sometimes, but n~os of de tiI~ie it wuZ biled wid de greens. All de somethin t eat wuz cooked in de fireplace. Dey didn t know what stoves wuz in dem days. Yes Ma am, us went ~possumhuntin at night, an us had plenty j)osstrni$ too. Dey put sweet tatoes an fat meat roun em, an baked em in a oven what had eyes on each side of it to put hooks in to take it off de fire wid. No Ma am, us didn t go fishin or rabbit huntin flJt! er. U~ had to wuk an warn t no Nigger lowed to do no frolickin lak dat, in daytime. De white folkses dohe all d~ fishin an day~ rce huntin I don t mei~ber lakin no sartin soxriethin . I wuz ~ too glad to git anythin . Slaves didn t have no gyardens of ~ iwn. Old Marsterhadonebi~gy~r4e~ what all de slaves et Oui of.

112 108

-3-r ~Te11 you tbout our clo eg: us wore home-made CiO~ es pants an shirts made out of cotton in summer an in de ~int~r dey give us mo home-made clo es only dey wuz i~ade of wool. All de clawfwuzmade on de loom right dar on de~1antation. Us wore de saine things on Sunday what us did in de week, no diffunt. Our shoes wuz jus common brogans what dey made at home. I ain t seed rio socks tu long atter de War. ~ some folkses mought a had em, but us didnt t have none. tt~5~arster BerryBostwick an Mist ess ~ ~ 1E~d a passe1 of chillun, I don t member none cept young Marse ~ k1~n. De ot~aer8 drifted off an didn t come back, but young ~rse ~ John stayed on wid Old Marster an Old Mist ess tu dey died. Old ~ iLarster, he warn t good. Truth is de)li~ht, an he wuz one mean white nian. Old Mist ess wuz heaps better dan him. Dar wuz bOUt 150 :~ens an 75 omans. I couldn t keep up wid de chilluns. Dere v1uz too many for me. Marster an Mist ess lived in a big fine house, but de ~1ave quarters wuz made of logs, bout de size of box cyars wid two rooms. a 3out dat overseer he wuz a mean man, if one ever lived. He got de slavesup wid a gun at five o clock an wukked ein fil way atter sundown, standin right over em wid a gun all de t line . If a Ni. gge r lagge d or tuk his eye s off hi s wuk, right ~ den an dar he would make him strip down his clo es to his waist, an ~ r~e WIiU~Ti him wid a cat o-~nine tails. ~vvy lick dey struck him meant ~ ~e WUZ hit nine times, an it fotch de red evvy time it struck.

113 109

.4- 109 Oht Yes Ma am, dey had acyax ia~e4~tv~er~ he didn t do i~iuch cept look atter de hawses an drive de white folkses roun I done tole you bout dat overseer; all he done wuz sot tro~Iflt all day wida gun an make de Niggers wu.k. But I se gwine tell you de trufe, he -sho wuz poor white trash wid a house full ~f snotty-nose chilluns. Old Marster tole him he wuz jus lak a rabbit, he had so many chillun. I means dis; if dem days comes back I hope de good Lord takes me fus . Dey had a house whar dey put de Niggers, what wu~ called degyardhouse, an us didn t know nothin bout no jail dat day an time. I seed em drive de Niggers by old i~rster s place in droves takin em to Watkjnsvjlle. Morgan County, whar us lived, touched coriee an dat wuz the nighes town. One day I went wid old iarster to Watkinsville an I seed em sell Niggers on de block. I warn t sold. When I knowed nothin ~ I wuz right whar J. wuz at. No Ma arn, dey warn t noscho~Ols for de Niggers in ~si:~ days. If a Nigger wuz seed wid a paper, de white folks would ~retty nigh knock his head off him. Us didn t have no church in de country for Niggers, ar. dey went to church wid deir white folkses, if dey went a tall. Je \J,Th~ite folks sot in front, an de Niggerssotin de back. AU de t~r~e dat overseer wuz right dar wid his gun. When dey baptized de ::i~ger s dey tuk em down to de rive r and plunged em in, while dem EL~ aa done been baptized sang: Dar s a Love Feast in Heb en Today.

114 110

-5- 110 Yes Ma a~, de white fo1k~es had deir cemetery, ant dey had one for de slaves. When dere wuz a funeral mong de ~iggers us sung: Dark was de night And cold was de groun Thar my Marster was laid De drops of sweat Lak blood run d wn In agony He prayed. Dem coffins sho wuz mournful lookint things, niade out of pine~ boa ds an painted wid iampblack; dey wuz black as de night. Dey wuzbigatdeheadan little at de foot, sort a lak air~~1anes is. De inside wuz lined wid white clawf, what dey spun on de .~lantation. t1De patterollers wuz right on dey job. Slaves use ~ to frame up on em i~ dey knowed whar dey wuz hidin twaitin? to ~ c3tch a~ Nigger. Dey would git hot ashes an dash over em, an dein ~atte~ollers dey sho would run, but de slaves would git worse dan dat, 1f dey was cotched. M.iss, in slair ry time when Niggers corne from de lields at night dey warn t no frolickin . Dey jus went to sleep. :~ L~ens wukked all day Sadday, but de O~ians knocked off at twelve ~ 3 ciock to wash an sich la.k. 1Christrnas times dey give us a week off an brung us .~ little ~ candy an ~ . ~ot much, not much. On New Year s ~ay u ~: ha d t o gi t back on e j ob. Chilluns what wuz big enough to wuk didn t have time ~~eek days to play no games on Marse Bostwick s place. On Sunday UE.jJayed widnarbles madeoutofe1~y, but dat s all. I heered mY ~ ~ a little song to de baby what soun lak dis:

115 111

-6 J hush little baby Don t you cry You ll be an angel Bye-an bye . Yes 1~a am, dere wuz one thing dey wuz good bout. ~7hen de Niggers got sick deysontfordedoctor. I heered em ~ay dey biled ji.mson weeds an made tea for colds, an rhubarb tea wuz to cure worms in chillun. I wuz too young to be bothered bout witches ant charms, ~awhead an Bloody Bones an sich. I didn t take it in. ~en de Yankees corne thoo an lowed us wuz free, us thought dey wuz jus dem ~atterollers, an us made for de ~.ods. Dey tole us to con~e out, dat us wuz free Niggers. :.:arster Berry said: You darn Niggers am free. You don t b iong to i:~e no Lore. Us married long time atter de 7ar, an us had a little feast: cake, wine, fried chicken, an ham, an danced tu moe daybreak. I members how good she looked wid dat pretty dove colored dress, all trimmed wid lace. Us didn t have rio chill~n. ~ wuz lak a tree what s sposen to bear fruit an don t. She died bout thirteen years ago. When de KuKlj~~s corne thoo us chillun thought de devil wuzatterusforsho . I wuz sich a young chap I didn t t~:e in what dey said~ bout 1~r. byham Lincoln, an Mr. Jeff iJavis. Us would a been slaves tu ylt, if Mr. Lincoln hadn t sot us free. Dey wuz bofe of em, good mens. I shc had ruther ~ free. Who wants a gun over em lak a prisoner? A pusson is oetter off dead. . ~ ~ ~ ~ II jined de church cause dis is a bad place at de bee

116 112

-7-. 112 an dere s so nian~r riean folkses, what s out to seem good an ain t. An if you serve God in de right way, I se sho when ~ die he ll give you a place to rest for evermore. An cordin to my notion dat s de way evvybody oughta live. in conclusion, Alec said: I don t want to talk no more. I se disappointed, I thought sho you wuz on~ of dem ~ 3flSIOfl ladies what come for to fetch me some money. I sho v ish dey would conie. Good bye Miss. Then he hobbled into the house.

Nancy Boudry. 117 113

. 113 Ba~aga* .Harrta NANCY 3OUD~~, TXOMSOX, GEOkIG~A ~ ni! X aiai t a hunasz 4,~ said Xaa*y, nodd~ag her whits.turba*ad bead, ~1 shet is close to iS, ~ I got a grandsou ~O years old.~ Nancy~ s iiU~ whi te hair showed long and wavy under hs~ headband. Her ginghaa dress was clean, a~d her wrinkled akin was a reddish. ye 11GW 0 olor, shoving a large roporti on ot Indian and whi te blood. H~ r e ye s we ri a fads 4 blue . $1 8~peak X is i~os vhits,~ acknowledged Nancy, abut I aint never knowed who niy father was. i~ z~othat was a dark oolot. The cottage faced the ~iae gtove behind en oLd chu2ch. Pi* rar~ib1ers grew everyvhite, and the sandy yard was neatly ksi4. Janays ~ar~Iy~ed graaddaughter 4n4aw bov~red ii the doorway, her long ain3oth braids hanging over Indian~brovi~ stzouldsrs, a loose wrsp~er of d~r.k blue denim flowing aroufld her tall unsteaty figute. ~3ba was eager to take part In the cnversation but ha~~et~d by a thick ton. gue induced, as Jan07 Ut it, ~b7 a bad soie thriat she ain t got 01e!. Nancys reoollectione of ~4antation days wets colored to a acabit hue ~y overwork, childbearing, poor food and long Working hot~rs. ~ster wa~ a bud taskaastsr, aaid ~ney. ~ busbaad din Live on de same plantation where I was, di J.rrsll J48Se ift Coluabia Ciunty. He n~j~ did have mithin to give me cause he never got nuthin . 11e ~ t O C O~S and ask ~i7 ahi te folks for x~e. Dey had t O catty ~~~SC~38 3verywhar dey wsnt, if dey didn t, dey d git in troubla. I had to work bard, 910 w and go aM split wood Just li~ a ~fl. SoLetielea dey whup u~. ~y whup me bad, ull d elias off down to di

118 114

Paiga Z. 114 waio ~ ~ aaet*r 414 it, our toLka d$41I havI ovSuiss~. ~Wg bad to aiik ~a to 13t UI ~ tO hUJ*. ~ fl4 tO Vb~tt folks chu~ah, tsU ~js ~ j~ ~j~ ~ ~ ~ .. ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ duiirlO ~GW to read. Is~sz ia~ i~o eohooia at ai3~~ didn t ~ us ~ to pick up a ~Le of paper and 100k at it. ~Nana1y, waentt ~ou~ mistzsss kind to you? Mietia wae iorta k1n~ te me, sometimes. But 4. Ofl~7 give nie ~at and bread, didn give as *sthtn good . I ai~~ gidJ* tIU no atory~ X had a heap to undergo wid. 1 had to asour at night at de 3ig Roues ~ two lanke on~ night, two xi~ore da nez . 1~ w~sn peoples B~Ufl at night and reeled, so many outs a night. Is had to git up bef~~ daybreak be roady to go to da fie1 a, u y n3astet ai have but three ot~ 1ud p*opla, dis yu~ man what I tayed wid11 ~ yotag master, had not b sn long i~arriid and dus de han e dey give hi. wbe* hs mari7 was ail he had. ~Didri hav no $U$h house as diS,~ Jansy looked into the open door of th oomfottab1~ cottage, ~COaSt1~SR dey hava a bous. built, it would be daubed. A&a~ O~i tai~7, dUn a4 two familiss d~ie U9~ ~ut the obiidren had a good tins, didn t they? They played game s? Maybe dey did plft7 ?Ing gamsi, I flITSX~ had no time to aie what gam~ i~iy ahillun pl..7, I work as hard. Ria o little chillun Sie on di tb . liver bad no frolics neithir, no mata, and di~n go t~ none. ~i ~ have ~F&YSt meetings on Setuz day night., and One i~ht in di week ua ha1d a ahairbaok ?rea&iar, and sometimes a reguL..~ ~x!eaoher lould come in.~ ~ seen Nancy cUd not remember ever having/the Pst teto~lus.

119 115

i: )~earn talk of sa you know~ lisap o tLas~ dey cone out a~d make out like d y gyms shoot you at *1gM, 4*~ e bisa patt~ro1lexi, dey wa gettin4 bold of a )~iap of sa. 1What did you de about funerals, *ansy? Dey i~et UI kn k off *~or funusie, I tell 4e truth. ~s etaj up all ni ht~ sLn~in . and prsyin1. 13sy asks 4s sotfin satter ptns boarde. Did you suffer during the waz ?~ Wi done 4e bes we aould, we et what we could get, sometiass didn have aothin to gat but pieae of oornbrea4~ but di white folks alitis had chicken. . . . ~&it you had clothes to we&r?~ RU, kiad clothes ~ WI $ Ufl di tbi ~ea4 and weaved psi. Ds7 boug1~it dem dits gz eat big 01e br ~ans where you ooii3An hardly walk in ein. Not Like dise shoes X got on. lansy thrust out bu foot, eaiy ira N014 Ladiei~ Comforts.0 ~When they told you were frei, Xano~, did thi astir a~wsar to bo angry? No a, white folks 4L4n pear to be rad. ~y ~ster dus tole tie we wai fXSi. Ui IflOVid right off, but nd so far 1 soul4n ~i baokv,arda and forwards to su un.0 (So it was ~14ent that even if, Nancy s life had bein hStd~ tbSZ S WSS a bond between her and her fri~r owners. ) 01 dida do no mo~ work for un, I work fox~ e~s~ body e lei . U$ rented land and ruade what we could ~ ~O W~ ~ ~ 40u Id ~a~s little aoasthin to sat. Z scoured and waiteit~ o~ white people in ~ got Uttle ~iaoe qno~e~ and was duet a jig~4~S Nuniy savored the risolleation of h~~r f~1r t earned mo~isy s ~ ~omerit, thinkin~ back to the old dayL,

120 116

Page 4. -z had a preacher for my eaond max xiags,~ ehe continued. 7e chiUun died on i~s one girl, de yutbere wac babies. White dootor tended ine.~ Asked about midwifery, Nanoy smiled. $1 was a midwife n~ymelf, to black and wh~ta, after freedom. De Thomson dootore all liked me and tole people to git Nancy. I used tansy teat heap o little root made black pepQer tea, fotch de pains on em. when I would git to de ~daas where I had a hard case, I would send for de doctor, and he would help z~ie out, yes, doctor ho we out of all of em.~ Asked about signe and u~eretittons, Nancy nodded. $1 have seid things. Dey look dus like a ~erson, walkin in de woods. I would look off and look back to ses it again ~nd it be goni.~ Nancy lowered her voice rr~yeteriouely, and looked oaok into the little room where Vanna s unsteady fIgure moved from bed to chair. I seed a coffin floatin in de air in dat room ~ she shivered, and I heard a heap o knookinge. I dunno what it bees out de sounds ooz~ie in de houas I runs ev y iqusech owl away what ooz:~ee close, too.~ i~ancy clasped he: handB, right thumb over left thumb, does dat and lt goes on sway ~ dey quits hoflerin , you ohokin em when you does dat.~ n Do you jiant by the moon N~noy? ~Plant when de i ioon change, my garden, corn, beans. I ~lanted

121 117

P LAC E H O L D E R

Folklore interview. 122 118

118 0 ~ \ S) I FOLKLORE IN YJ~VIEW ALIC1~ BRADLEY Hull Street near Corner of Hoyt Street, Athens, Georgia KIZZIE COLQtTITT 243 Macon Avenue, Athens, Ge~orgia. Vlritten. by: Edited by: Miss Grace MeCune Athens, Georgia. Mrs. Leila Harris ~di tor, Federal Writers Project, Augusta, Georgia. j. OO14i~

123 119

J()Oi4i~ . . 119 ALICE BRADLEY, or Aunt Alice a~ ~he is known to every~. body, runs cards and clainis to be a seeres~. Apologetic and em barrassed because she had overslept an~d was straightening her room, she explained that she hadn t slept well because a dog had howled all night and she was uneasy because of this certain forerunner of dis~ a s ter. Here t is Sunday niornin and what wid my back, de dog, and de rheumatics in ny feets, its4~ too late to go to church, so corne in honey I se glad to hab soir~ebody to talk to. Dere is sho goin to be a corpse close tround here. One night a long time ago two dogs howled all night long and on de nex Sunday dere wuz two corpses in de church at de same time. Dat s one sign dat neber fails, when a dog howls dat. certain way somebody is sho goin to ce daid.0 When asked what her full name was, she said: My whole nane is Alice Bradley now. I used to b.e a } ill, but when I married dat th owed me out of bein a Hill, so I s:e jus a Bradley now~ I wuz born on January 14th but I don t member what year. My ma had three chillun dunn de war and one jus atter de war. I think dat las one ~vuz me, but I ain t sho . My pa s na~e wuz J1m1U11, and ~y ~:ia s nane wuz Ca line Hill. Both of em is daid now. Pa di d ~ October 12, 1896 and wuz 88 years old. Ma died Nove~ber 20, 1900; she 1,1hz 80 years old. I knows dem years is right cause I got em from dat old fambly Bible so I kin git em jus right. One of my sisters, older dan I is, stays in atlanta wid her son. Since she 1~s one of her sons, her mind s done gone. My other sister ain t as old as I is Tout her n~ind is all right and she is well. ~

124 120

Page 2. 120 *1 wuz rai~ed in Wasbin ton, Wilkes County, and de fu8t I ~mer2bers wuz stayin wid hIss ~ilice ~ayle. She had three chillun and I nussed ers. One of de boys is a doctor now, and has a fambly o ~ his own, and de last I heered of ~ he wuz stayi& in Atlanta. *Itse been married two ti~es. I runned away wid Will c~risham, when I wuz bout 14 years old. Mr. Carter, a J~ustic~~ of de P~ac~ r~et us under a ~ siinmon tree and tied de knot right dar. My folk~s ketched us, but us wuz already marr~ied and so it didn t make no diffunce. I lived on .a farm wid my fust husband, and us had three ~h llun, but dey is all gone now. I i~eEbers when ~y oldes gal witz bout 2 years old, dey wuz playin out on de porch wid dey little :log, when a Dad dog coi~e by and bit r~y chillun s dog. Poiks kilt our dog, and jus bout one week attt~rwarde n~y little gal wuz daid too. Shedid love dat little dog, and he sho did mind er. She jus grieved herself to death boi~t dat dog. Atter r:~y fu~t husband died, I rarried ?dch Bradley. Rich ~ \7UZ a railroad man, and he went off to Washin ton, D. C. to wuk. ~ He sont ie money all de time den, but when he went from dar toShecargo ~- t~o wuk I didn t hear from in long, and I don t know what s hap~pened to im tu now, for it s been a long tine since I hee.red frorri un. I loves to run de cyards-Thr niy friends. I always tells em vthen I sees dere s trouble in de cyards for ein, and shows ein ~:ow to ~it roufl~ it, if I kin. iTone of de res of my folks ever run c~e cyards, but I se been at it ever since I wua jus a little gal, pickin up old w~ore out cyards, dat had been th owed away, cause I

125 121

P LAC E H O L D E R

126 122

Page 4. liked t1fl ~ and he wuz a fine man. I runned de cyards for im one tine fore he went to de World sPair, and de cyards run bright, and h I s t r ip wuz a go o d one j lak I t o le im I t w oui d be. All de oldwhite folks dat I wuz raised up wid, de huis fron Washin ton,. Wilkes, is gone now, ~ ce,pt I think one of d gals is wukin at de capitol inAtlan~a, but she done married now and I don t ~ member her name Alice excused herself to answer a knock at the her return she said: Dat wuz one of my white chillun. em so long and one of em cones by every now ant den to needs soinpin . Her ma done had a new picture of :nerself wanted nie to see it. Dey she is good to me. Alice doesn t charge for running thecards. . She says she doesn t have a license, and is very thankful for anything that visitors may care to give her. She will not run the cards on Sun~ay. Jatts bad luck, she said. Come back some day when taint t Sunday, E~fld I~ Il see whats in de cyards for yout Old Aunt KIZ~I~ COL~))JITT, about 75 years old, was busily ~Tashing in her neat kitchen. She opened the door and window frequent- J:y to let out the smoke, saying: Dis old wore out stove don t draw 20 goOd. Her hands and feet werebadly swollen and she seer~ed to b~3 suffering. I ll be glad to tell all I kin member bout dem old times, she said. I wuz borued dunn de war, but I don t me!~iber what year. 1~r pa wuz Mitchell Long. He b longed to Marster Sam Long of Elbert door. Ujjon I wukked for see if I took and

127 123

Page 5. 123 County.. U~ 1i~red on Broad River. My aria wuz Saille Long, and she 1 longed to Marster Billie Lattirnore. Dey stayed on de other side of Broad ~iver and my ja and ma had to cross de river to see one another. Atter de war wuz over, and dey wuz free, my pa went t~ Jefferson, Georgia, and dar he died. . My ma married some nigger from way out in Indiana. He ~rornised I~er he would send money back for her chillun, but us never heered nothin from im no mo I vruz widt ~y w its folks, Lattirnores, when ~ ma died, way out in Indiana. . Atter MarseBob died, I stayed wid my old Missus, and Eilep by her bed at night. She wuz good to tie, and de hardes wuk I done wuz picicin up acorns to fatten de hogs. I stayed dar wid ~ ~ ~-: ~ ~..- ~ ~ ....-.-~ her tu she died. Us had plenty t eat, a smokehouse filled wid hanis, and all de other things us needed. Dey had a great oig fireplace and a big old time oven whax~ dey baked bread, and it sho wuz good bread. My old Missus died when I wuz bout 6 years old, and I wuz sont to Lexin ton, Georgia, to live wid niy sister. Dere wuz jus de two of us chilluns. D~n us wukked every day, and went to bed by dark; not lak de young folks now, gallivantin bout all night long. ~When I wuz bout 14 I married and corne to live on Dr. Willingha&s place. It wuz a big plantation, and dey really lived. TVi~en de crops wuz all in and all de wuk done, dey had big times round dar. # dDere wuz de corn sl:uckjn wid one house for de corn and anot.her house for de shucks. ~tter ail de shuckin wuz done, dere VTflZ catin and dancin . And it wuz eatin toot Dey kilt, hogs, barbecued em, and roasted sonie wid a~p1es in dey nioUf s to give em a good flavor, and course a little corn likker went wid it. Dey had de

128 124

Page 6. 124 big dOm s at syrup inakin time too, but dat wuz hard wuic den. Makin syrup sho wuz a heap of trouble. Later us lived wid de Johnson fambly, and atter my old man died, I conie to dis town wid de Johnsons. Dere wuz three chilluns, Percy, Lewis, and a gal. I stayed wid em UI de chilluns v uz all growed up and eddicated. ~ All my other wtite folks is gone; my sister done gone too, and rriy son; all de: ohillun dat I had, deys done daid too. ~ I has to wash so I kin live. I used to have plenty, but times is changed and now soinetir~es I don t have nothin but bread, and jus bread is hard to git, heap of de time. I put in for one of den old age pensions, but dey ain t nothin yet, so I jus wuic when I kin, and hope dat it won t fore I has plenty again. give me be long

Old slave story. 129 125

. ~ ~ . .~ iOOO43~ ~ 125 V w . . . OLD SLAVE STORY ~ . 4\ . DELIA BRISCOI ~ MAC 011 GEORGIA ~ t ~ By Adella S. Dixon ~ Della Brisooe, now 1i~in~ in Macon, is a former slaTe ~ Mr. David Ross, who owned a larde pl8ntRtlon In P~tnarn County. Della, when a very tiny child, was carried there with her father ~nd mother, Sam and Mary Ross. Soon after their arrival the mother ~!1&S sent to work at the ~1~ house in I~atonton. This arran~em nt left Della, her brother and sister to the care of their ~rand.mnother, who really posed as their mother. The children crew up under the impression that their mother was an older sister an~ did not know the tru~th until just after the close of the CIT1I War, when the mother ~ecarie seriously ill and called the children to her ~ed~s1de to tell them good~ye. Mr. David Ros$ had a large fariily and was considered the richest planter in the county. Nearly eYery type of soil was fou~nd on his vast estate, composed of hilly sections as well as acres of loWland~. ~$he hi~hviay enterin~ Eatonton divided the plantation and, down this road every Friday, Delia s father drove the wagon to town with a su.pply of fre8h. utter, for Mrs. Ross thirtyhead of cows supplied enou~h milk to furnish the city dwellers with iu~tter. Refrigeration was practically ankriown,so swell was used to keep the ~itter fresh. Thj~ cool well was eighty feet deep and passed thro~h a la:rer of solid rock. A rope ladder was suspended from the mouth of the well to. the place where the lutter was~ low red for ~ pre2e~ya1~ou. ~ safety, arid. to shield. it from the su~n, reeds ~er~

130 126

. . ~- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~- ~-~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 2 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ planted all around the well. And as they grew very tall, a strander would not suspect ~: well leing there. In addition to marketing, DellaTs father trapped ~ea~e~s which were plenti~u.l. in the swampy part o b the plantation bordering the Oconee, selling theIr pelts to traders in the near y towns of At~u~ta and Savannah, vihere LLr. Roes also marketed his cotton and lar~e qu~antitie~ of corn. Oxen, irstead of males, were u.sed to make tbe trips to market and return, each trip con~u.min~ six or seren da~js. The yount~ children were assi&ned ~rT1a1l tasks, such as piling ~riish in WflCW ~rou.nds , carryin~ water to field hands, and driving the calves to pasture. Punishment was administered, thou~h not as often as on some planta~ tions. The little ~~ir1, Delle, vins whipped only on ~e ~ for ~1reakir~, up ~ turkey s nest she had ~ound. 3everal .viere accused o this, 9.nd because the m2ster could not find the guilty party, he whipped each of the children. Crinie was prac~ica1ly unknown ~nd Mr. Ross slates neyer i eard of a sail until they were freed. M~n were sometimes placed in ~.u.cks ,which meant they were laid across slocks with their 1~and and feet securely tied. An iron ~ar was run between the Uocks to prevent any mov~ nent; then, after ~ein~ stri~pped, they were whipped. Della said that ~he ki~ew of sut one case of this tyj~e of punishment ~ein~ administered a Ross slate.

131 127

Sickness was neg1igi~.1e - chlld irth Ieing practically the only form of a Negro womanT eomin~ down . As a precaution against disease, a tonic w~s ~i ~en each slaTe every sprinte! Three were also every sprint taken from the field each day until every one had been given a doseof calomel and salts. Mr. Ross once ~ou~ht two slates who ~secame ill with smallpox soon after t~~ir arrival. They were Isolated in a small house located in the center of a field, while one other slave was sent there to nai se them. Ail three were .urned to death when their hut was destroyed ~y fire. In case o ~ death, even on a nei~h~orin~ place, all work was suspended until the dead was ~ur1ed. Sunday, the only day ol rest, was often spent in attending religious serTices, and ~cause these were irre~ilar1y held, brush ar~sor meetin~s were common. This ar~ior was coristrcuted of a ~irush roof su.poorted y posts and crude joists. The seats were usually made of small sap1in~s naile.d to short stumps. Reli~4on was ~reat1y stre$sed and every child was christened ~8hortly after its ~1irth. n adult ~hO desired to join the church went first to the master to o .tain his permission. Fe was then sent to the home of a minister w~J lived a short distance away at a place called Fl~t Rock. Here, his confes2ion was made and, at the next re~~ilar service, he w~s formally received into the church. Courtships were erief. Thet old rnan ~, who was past the ~ a~e for work and only had to watch what went on at the quarters, was usually the first to notice a

132 128

4 1~8 ~udd1n~ friendship, which he reported to the rn~ster. The cou.ple was then questioned and, ii they consented., were married without the senefit of c1er~y. Food was distributed on Mond.ay nicht, and for each adult s1~~e the fo11owin~ st~D1e i~oducts were allowed ~ ~ eek1y ration: On 3u.nd~iy: 3~- 11~s. meat One qt. syrup I pic. of meal One ~a1. flour 1 aal. shorts One cup I~rd Ve~etai1es, milk, etc., could ~e obtained at the ~i~ house~, eut fresh meat nnd chickens were never ~iven. The desire for these delicacies often o~rcarne the slaves setter natures, and some frequently went nicht fora~iu~. for small shoats and chickens. The ~01d man kept account of the increase or decrease in live stock and poultry and reported anythin~ missin~ each day. ~Then suspicion fell on a visitor of the previous nicht, this inforrn~tion was ~iven to his master, who then search~ the accused s dinner pail and cabin. If rne?t w~s ~ou~nd in either the culprit w~s turned oyer to his accuser for rnnishment, After ~ein& whipped, he was for~idden for three months to ~risit the plantation where he had committed the theft. One of DellR s ~randmother s fav6rit~ recipes was made b dried .eef ~ri( wheat. The wheat w~s ~rou~ht from the field an ~ husked ~y- h~nd. This, added to the rapidly ~.oilin~ ~eef, was cooked until a mush i~esu.lted, which vn~s then eaten fror~ woo9~n ~owls with s~pou~ of the same material. White plates were never used ~y the s1a~es, Cloth for clothing was woven on the pl8ce. Della s ~r.andmother did

133 129

. I~1~i most o ~ the spinnin&, an~ she t~i~~ht h~r child to spin when she was ~o small that she h~d ~o stand on a raised plank to reac1~ tF~4 whe~l. ~ter th~ cloth was spun it was dyed with ~ rn~de rorn ~shoem~J~ (swi~ac) lea~e~, ~i een walnuis, reeds, and copperas. One person cut and others sewed. The dresses for women were straight, like slips, ~nd tbe garments of~ the small boys resembled ni~-~t shirts. I~ desired, a lias fold of contra~tin~ colour was placed at th~ w~i~t line or at the iottom of dresses. The crudely made ~arrnents were ~tarcheQ with a solution of flour or r~-t ~Pn~ water ~*ic1~ was sti~1r~ c~i~ t~n ~oiled. AS a small child Della remern~sers hearing ~ peculiar knock on the door durin~ the ni~ht, and a voice whicl replied to qneries, itoo:~~ to ~:-in~-t you, ~it keep teat red flannel in your mouth. 1-taire you p1~1t: t-o eat? D~~ t worry; you~ll le free. ~ No one would eTer tell, i ~ thef knew, to whom this voice ~1on~ed. jtl~t ~efore the ~e~innin1~ o~ ~he Civil W~r ~ cor~t ~ ~ so ri~t t~at t~e elder people amused tbeiselves ~y sittin~ 31~ -;~ie rail fence ~ tbro in~ pins upon tbe ~ v~here the :~e~1~ctior~ w~s cast. The children scrarn~1ed madly to see ~ o c~u1d ~ t~e :~o~t c~ I~~ plias. Da:-~::n~ the ~ Dart of the war Mr. Ro~~ foa~ht trith the Co~ffederates, i~aYiL~ h~ :;~unt~ ton, Ro ~ert, in ch~r~e o~ his affairs. he young ~Ester W&~ Y~27 T~OI1d Of horses an . his fairorite horse Bill ~as trained to d~ tr~ck&. One of these was to lie down when tickled ~D~1; ~E 1ank~. The Yankees visited the plantation ~ tried to take i:h-is horse. Ro~1ert, who lo ed him dearly, refu.sed to dismount,

134 130

6 :130 and as they were a~ou~t to shoot the horse beneath him, the sl~ res $e~n to plead. They explained that the ~o~r was kind to every one and devotee t~ anira&ls, after which explanation, he w~s allowed to ~ his horse. The Ireastworks at Sav&r~nah required many lalorers to complete their ~onstr~iotion, and ~s ~he comr~anders desired to save the strength of their so1dier~, slav~- 1a~.or ~ras solicited. T~io slaves from eqeb near~ pl~~atiox: were sent to work- for ~ limited numser of days. 2~e round trip from t~e Ro~ plantation required se~ven days. !~early every r~n had a family and when they ret ~irned from these long trIDs they drove tJ the qu.arters and feil on th jr knees to receive the we1co~e caresses of ~beir small children. Recreational facilities were not ~rovided and slave children had little ~no vr1edLe o how to Dlay. Thei-~ two main arnasements wex~e sui1c1n~ froc ho ~ses and. slid~n~ dawn a steep ~sank on a lon~ ioard. One day, as they played u~ and dovm the hi~way, u~l in~ froc ho~~se~ at irre~i1ar intervals, little Della looked up and saw a ~ro~ip of Yankee calvarymen approachi~.. She screamed and ~e~an ~rimiiin~ a.nd so attracted ~he attention of Mr. Ross who was at borne on a fui~lou~h. Ee saw the nien in tirne to rind a hiding place. Meanwhile, the ~oidiers arrived and the leader, ~rin~in~ from his horse, snatched Della up and spa2:ked. h-r soundli for ~ivi~ the alarm, as they had hoDed to take ber master ~iy surprise. Della said this was the first ~ rbite s1a~ she ever received. 3o~e of the Yankees entered the house, tore up the interior, and

135 131

-~ ~ .-~ ~ :r~-~ ~ k~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 31 threw the fu,rniture ou~t doors, A.no~her grotip ro~1ed the smokehou.se and smas!-ed so many sarrela o ~ syrup that itran in a stream thr~gh the yard. They carried rntich o the meat off with them and ~av~e the remainder 1o the slates. Chickens were o~a~i~ht, dressed, and fried 3n the sflot as each soldier carried his own frying pan, and a piece of flint rock and a sponge with which to make a fife. The men were skilled in dressing ~owls and cleaned them in a few strokes. 7ihen they had ea&en as much as tI:ey desired, a search ~or the corral was made ~iixt the mules were so s:eli hiddex~ t~-at they were not a sle ~:;o rind ther:i. Della s ~ather s hands were tied lehind hirn and he ~as then forced to sbow them the hiding place. These fine ieasts, used ~or plo~:in~, rere n~red ~j the sI~ives v o ~vorked them. Charac..~ teristic names were: ~u~le , Pigeon , Little Deal , Vic ~, (the carria~e horse), Streaked lee, ~Kick1n~ Kid , Sore.. ack Ja~ie ~. Every one was carried ofi~. ~2~:is raid took place on Christmas E~e and t~e slaves were frantic aS ~:;hey had ~eeIi to1~that Yara~ees were mean neople, e8pecially wa~ $hermazi so pictured. ~Tr~en SI:errLan had ~ne, Mr. Rose came from his hiding ~lace in the ~cool well and spoke to his slates. 2o the elder ones he said, I ~av~ you t~iYe away my tikat and mul~s flMas:e::1, we were afraid. 71e didn t want to do it, eut we were afral.d not to. ~TYes, I understand that yo~ could not help you.rsel~es. Fe then tu.rnd. t~3 the children, s~.yin~, ~ Bless all of you,, ~s~it to little Della, I ~we my life. From now on she shall ne~~-r 1e whipped, and she shall have a~ho~e o~ h~r own ~or life. 3be ~hook with lau~ter as she said, Master thou~ht I screa~iied to

136 132

~ ~ ~ . . : ~ 13~i ~ warn him and I wa~ only fri~teue~. ~ true to h1~ word, after freedom h~ ~a~e her a three-~ere plot of 1ari~ ~ipon which he ~11t a house and added a rrnle, ~ cow, hots, etc. Della lived there until after h~r mar~1a~e, when she had to 1ea~e with her hu~s sand. S~e later lost her home. Ea~in~ been ~iarried twice, she now bears the n~me of Briscoe, her 1~st h~is~iand s na~: . ~ the family had agair~ setiled down to the ordinary r~uiine, a new p1a~ae, body lice; said to hare ~seer left ~y the invaders, made liffe a1~o~tu.n~eara~1e for soth races. Della now ii v~es with her ~randdaii~hter, for she haa ~een una sle to work for t~venty~ei~ht years. Maoon ~ Department of Pu. elio Welfar assists in contri siiting t~i~er 1i~eIihood, as t~e ~randdau~hter can only pay the roori rent. She does not kiow her a~e ~ntt ~se1ie~es that she is a~sove ninety. ~r keen old eyes ~eer~ed to look ~saek into those ~1ygone day~s as she said, I ~:3t ~1on~ ie~ter de~ ~an I &ser h~b since. ~e didnTt :rnow imthin ~oat ~ai1 ~ iayin~ ~or o~i~ ~ria1 ~ounds, and de rent. Vie had plenty o~ Thod.

Easter Brown. 139 135

1~ ( )0096 / 135 EX~LAV~~ IET~RVi~ii ~aster L3TOWfl 1020 s. Lumpkin .~3treet thens, C~eor~ia Written By: Lir~. $adie B. iiornsby and ~uiteu. 3y ~Toim i~. ~3ooth Federal ~iriterst Project wP.~ P~esidency Io. 7

140 136

~ ~:;96 ~ 135 ~J~R BROWN ~ - Aunt ~ast~r ~3rown, 78 years old, was sweeping chips into a bitsket out in front of her cabin. GPo right in honey, I 3e comint soon as 1 ~it soiae chips lor n ,r fire. Does I lak to talk bout whefl ~ wuz a chile? I sho does. I~ warn t but 4 years old ~viien de Wa~L~ wuz over, but I knows all tbout it.~ I wuz born ~in~1oydCount~sometime in October. My pa wuz ~rwinandmyraa.~wuz1izaLorie. I don t know whar dey come irom, but 1 i~nows de~~ wuz iiom way uovni ae country so aewhars . Dere wuz six o1 Us c~~illuns. 11 o1 us wuz sold. Yessurn, I wuz sold too. My oldest~ brother wuz named Jim.. I don t riccolect de ot~iers, dey wuz all ~3old oit to dit~runt parts or cie country, and us rievor lieared rom~ em no more. My brother, my pa and me ~vuz soidondeblock~J~iLJ~oIae, C~ or~ia. i~rster~ra~G1enn buyed nie~ I wuz~so little dat 4 hen dey bidrae oiT, ey had to hold me up so i~oikses could see me~ I don t member my real nia anci pa, and 1 called kiarster ~ t ~Lfl i ess nia tu I wuz bout ~ leven years old. ~ - ~ I don t knowmu~h bout slave quarters, or what dey had i~ tern cause I wui ~~sed in ae house wid de i~hite ~1kses. I~d~es ~ .~ ~ .:~ ~-:: ~ ~ ~ . ~ .:~ ~. ~ !~. ~ ~ know beds in d& uuar~ers wuz. ls~k shelves. iioles wuz bored in de ~ ..~ - ~ - - ~ ~ ~ lde orde hou~, tw~i in de wall and de floor, and poles runnin ~ de wall and de ~1oor, Castened together wid pegs on era dey L~ut planks, and cro$ de root or de bed dey put a plank to hold cte ~~1;)~aw and keep de 1i~1e uns~rom ~alIin out. ~I

141 137

2 437 What did us have toea~? Lordy niussy Liist ess~ us had ey~thin~. iz~uriuaertiriie dere wuz beans, cabbage, scjuashes, ~ irish tatoes, roasten ears, niatoes, cucumbers, cornbread, a~n~ fat meat, but de Ni~er boys, dey wuz plum f0018 bout ho~ head. ~- In winter dey et sweet ttatoe.s, coUards, turnips and sich, but I et lak ae white i#olkses. I sho does lak poss~andrabbits. ~ Yessurn, some of de slaves had ~yardens, some o1~ em sholy did. NO m, us Nig~ers never wore no clothes in summ r, I means us little uns.. In ae winter US wore cottoneiothes, but us went -. ~arefoots. 1~dy uncle ~am and some of cie utheri~t~gers went bout . ~ ~ ~ wici deyfoots popped open troth decold. Liarster had 110 slaves on h~is plantation. ~ ~Misttess~wuz good to me. Pa begged her to buy trie, cause she wuz his young Mist ess and he knowed~she would be b~OOd to me, ~ but Iviarster wuz real cruel. He d beat- kiist~~~ssdown on his knees ~ ~ ~ and he kilt one of em.~ tie whupped deNiggers wrLen eydidn t do right. Niggers is l kdis; deywuz brought to iis here ~land Wild. as bucks, and dey is akahicken roosters in a pen. ~ to make em have~ deyselves. Its lak datnow; .-~ii~ dey d~ have dey~- : ~ ~ ::~-Tt:~~-1~ ~ ~ selves, white rolkses would let em be. ~ Dere warn t no jails In dem days. Dey. had ase : what deywhupped tern in, and Mondays and Tuesdays wu~ set aside for . de whuppin s, when de Niggers what had done wrong got so many iash-~ ~ cordin to what devilmentdey had been dom . De overseer dId ~ do de whuppixi Marster doue dat. Demp~tterro11ers wuz sompin ~ ~ ~ . . :~ ~ ~ ~ .~ .~ ~ ~ ~ ~

142 138

~ ~ ~ ~ :~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . ~ -~ ~ else. Liankind~ ir Uey ketche~ a Nigger out atter dark wld.out no pass dey d most nigh tear de hide olien his back. tutu tell you what datoverseer done one night. ~3ome eneray of Marster s sot rire to ue bi~ irame house whar him nd Mist ess and de onillun lived. De overseer seed it burnin , and run and clam up a.e tree what wuz close to ~e house, went in e window and got Marster s two little ~a1s out c~at burnin house l ore you ould. say seat. 1)at sho Lixed dc overseer wid old Mars~ ter. Atter dat Marster give him a nice ~iouse to live in. but Mars-S ter s fine old. house sho wuz burnt to de ground. tIDe cyarriage driver vrLz uncle ~am. tie drove de hillun ~ .~ to school, tuk Marster and L~iist ess to church, ana done de wuk rounddehouse; such as, totin in wood, keepi de yards and wait 1n on de cook. No m us slaves didn t ~o to church; de Nig~ers wuz so wore out on Sundays, deywu-z Glad to stay hoxae and rest.up, Teause de overseer had em up way ~ore day and wuked em tillong atter ~ ~ ~ dark. On ~3addays dey had to wash deir clothes and git ready tor ~e ~ uext week. Some slave8 rni~ht a had special thtngs give to em on ~- Christmas arid New Years Day, but not on Marstert s~ plantation; dey rest~ed up a day and dat wuz all. I heareci. tell dey had Christmas I. ~ f~ii a and dom s 011 other plantations but not on Marse nk s All oo;rxi 8huckin s, cotton piokin s, log rollin s, and. de wb~en de bo8s made ~ em do it an den dere sho warnt t no ~ ex- iu~t ~eat. ~ ~ J ~e orIliest ~e~e I ever p1a~ed wuz to talce my doll made out j f~ under a tree. wlaen I wuz big ~ ~

143 139

4 S-139 nough to wuk, all I done wuz to neip de cook in o~e kitctien and play ~ ~ ~ . de ~ Vlebster, lia&ar, ~tney, anT Jane rurmed away a little while i~ore ireedoin. Old ~wIarster dldntt try to git em back, cause bout dat time ue war wuz over. Marster and ~Jist ess sho lookedatter de Nig~ers iinen dey got sick ior dey knowed dat ii a Ni~er died dat much property wuz lost. Yessum,d~~doot9LaQ~Q~i1Ue, but de raost dey done wuz give e~i hoarhound, yellow rOot, and tanSy. When a baby wuz cuttin ~ ~ teeth, dey biled. ground ivy and dive era. ~ wuz married in de rroxit yard. 11 I merri~ bers bout ii; wuz dat all de Ni~gers gathered in de yard, Louisa ~ had on a white dress; de white folkses sho fixed Louisa up, ~ eause she wuz deir cook. ~ ~ ~ . 3~us lexnxae tell you bout my weddin I buyed myself a dress andhad it laid out on de bed,uen some triflin , no countNi~ger ~ ~nc i tuk and stoleit rbre had a ehanceto ~it married in it. ~ I had done buyed dat dress for two pupposes i~u& -to git married in it, and. second to be buried in. I stayed on wid Old Miss til I got bout grown and den I driited to Athens. When I xaarrieci my i~ust husb~nd, Charlie Montgomery, I wuz wukkin f r L&rs. W. R. Booth, ~ and us married in her dinin rcom. Charlie died out and I married ~ James Hoshier. Us had one baby. flit wuz a b y. James an our boy ~~ 4s both daid~now and I se aliby myself. . ~ ~ TtWhat de slaves done when dey wuz told dat dey wUz Iree? ~ 4 tOO littl t6 k~iow what dey meant by reedo~n, but Old Marster ~ ~d ~ Lt ~ ~d ~ ~ i~L~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~. ~ ~. ~ ~ ~ *

144 140

called de overseer and told him to rin~j c~e bell tor de Niggers to ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ -.~ - ~ ~ ~ ~ !! ~ come to de big house, lie told em dey wuz free devils anci dey ~ ~ ~ could go whar dey pleased and ~do what dey pleased- dey could stay wid him it aey wanted to. Some stayed wid Old Marster and some went away. I never seed no yankee sojers. I heared tell of em CommT but never seed none of em. ~ tNo m I don t know nothin ~bout Abraham Lincoln, Booker T. ~ashin~ton or 3e111 erson Davis. I iidn t try to ketch on t~ any of em ~-2~.5 i~or slaver da s; some of cie Nig~ers_ought to be~re~a ~ ~ ~ and some~t t to be. 1 don t know nuttin mueki bout it. ~ I had a good time den, and I gits on pretty good now. tHaw come I jined de church? Well I felt lak it wuz tixn.e f or me t; ~ ~ ~ . Chile you sho has ~xe~ me a pile 01 questions, and I has sho joyed tellin you what I knowed.t : ~ -~ ~ ~ ** s*~* t~****~* ~ ; ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ;~ . ~ ~f ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ :~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ; . ~ ~ ~ r ~ 1~ 4

Ah always had a hard time. 145 141

_~ -1~ H ~ru11a 3ro a (Mit ash,) ~ ~ 1o ~itftn P~ftIS. L I. t1*a~, ~. Znly ~. ~ by Gsa~s TO~1fl

146 142

1. ~Aa AL~AYS li~D A K&RD T~ aunt ~~&tlly rocked back aod forth inosasantly. ~he i~pped her vrlnk3. ed fa es with a dirty rag ~ she t~. iked. Ah w~z bore to . ~i1ea frum on~erc. ~ Georgia aM wua thirteen year oie at surrexA~ . Ah bs1on~sd to tus ~ tamb3,y three oie z~aid sisters. Ny na~ belc*g.d to the Nash~ ax~1 my i,epa belonged to Gen~i1 Buriis ; be wus a o~ttesr in the var. There wua six ot us ehlllun.s, Luay~ Melvina, Johnnie,QaUie, ~o. aad . u~ didn t stay together 1o~g,aa we wuz gITS out to ~L1 ttsrent people. The Na shes dida t believe In seUiiig slavea but we wus known ae their nigger.. They so34 one once cause the othsr s1a~es ~id they would kill him cause he had a baby bi hie own daughter. ~o t o keep bim fru~ beta kilt they sold him. 4e-y n~aL~ di ed the ysar of eurrendsr. Ah didu t tare well after her d~th Ah had al cbs hard tias. ~h wuz give to the Mitchell far bly si~ th.~ dons every cruel thing they oou)4 to as. Ah slept on the t1~ nine ye~ra, winter and s ~sr1 sick or well. ~h ne~or wor anythi~ but a eottoa dr s~~ a shlaq and draw s. That oi~i dida t care what b~ppsned to th n1~er Ba Sometime she would t~ke us to church. ~. d walk to the ak~sh houa . Ah never ent ~o~~re e1~s. That oa took delight ivi ~flin slaves. ~3he d 1as~ us with a cowhide ihip. kh had to shift Thi~ ~es1t. They didn t zdnd the s1a~es ~tin but they .nted their niggers to ~iiTY O~IY ~ then on their pl&c . They didn t low e~ to x~iate ~iith other slaves frei other place.. ~hen the ~iirrmsa had babies they ~vus treated kixk~ and they let ~n stay li. :~ eallel lt iay i~ just about s~k they d o now. ~: ~ ~jj~ t go to no horapitals ~s they do noi. ~ e j eat ha . our babi ~ and had a gra my to catch ein. ~ e dldn t have ail the ~In easin

147 143

~unt Sally ~iedioinei then. Th~ gra~ wc~Ld put a ruety piece of tin or a ~z wx~er the ~:!L ttre a and t his would ~tas the !*iIs. The gx ann7 put a ai widex zn~ ii~ttrsas ;.)flO , TUs *uz to out off the aftecru paba and it aho did too, honey. ~d aet up the fifth day aM after the layin. in tinie wus up ~e vus lo~is~ to walk out doors and th~r tol us to walk around th e houee j eat ono arid cozz~ in tho ho~ss. This ~um to keep us fri takiD) a lapes. w ~ ~ ~ wu221 t ~ to ~O 51~Ouitd aa~ h~ vo pleasure a s the folks does tcday. e ~a d t ~ kiave ~ :eee to go wt~erevcr we v~ant~~ hen we ci. gi. t out thsr~ wus a bunch of white ~aeu e~ll~ the ~patty rollers . Thy d c~i in ai~ se it all us hk3(1 ~Liasea and 1~ they found any who didn t h~vs a ~ he vus Whipped; give :rlfty or raore laahes~~~-end they d count ths&a lashm. ~f they said ~ htmdr~4 you got a hundr~. They wus a~iiethia lak the ~2u ~ 1uz. w, eus fraid to tell oui m~at~rs about the Pdtty rollers beoau~e we wus ake.r~I they d 1hi~ us a~iin,fur we wus tol~ not to tell. They~d airi~ a little ditty~ Ah wish Ah eould rwie~br the ~ordi but it went s R~ethin lak this: R~m,Nig~h tun de Pa tty Rollers Lt git you, hui Niggsh, run, you d bsttah git away. ~ ~re WUS tx~id to go any pleas. ~laves were treated 1~ most easea lak oettis. A n~ went about the ~ountr1 buyin up slaves lak .ouyin up cattis a iid the like ~ ho wus call.d a ~ peculfttoi ~ t:ien he d ash ~ to the highest biddr. 0hZ it wia pitiful t~) 8 e~ 0h11 ~ ta ken frtu~ tht~ir u~t~si s breast ~iotbers sold husbands sold :~ii~~a ~:ivea. Oi~e ~xi he wuz to buy ~d a baby, az~i c~ course tii~ baby eo~ befo ho bought her and he woulan t buy the buby ; said be hadu t bar~insd to buy the baby too, and he Jost wo~tldn t. ~hy uncle wu~ ri~ried but he wus own~I by one neater azxi kils wife wus owned by another. ~e wus ~l3w~ to vieS.t hia wife on ~ t~nesd~y az~t ~turdey t:~Bt e the onliest tias he could git off.

148 144

Sally ~ ~e w nt on .~ednea&ty and when he weiit bsok on ~*tur~tty hie wife had besn bou~it by the speculator and he neyer did knoi~ ~~Iiere she wun, ~ Ah w ked hard ai~ys. ~oney,~rou ~an~ t angIne ~el*t a hsri t120 ~h k~l. th split rail. isk a z~n. How did Ah dc it? 1~b us~1 a hu~e glut, and a Iron w&~ . ~ ove Into the wood with a ~*ui, and this wou~.d spilt the wool, ttJ~4h h~1p apin the eottou into thr ~d fur o~n clothes. The threa& wus im~4 I ntc~ big broaches f~ir bro~ehes nude four outs or one ha sk. ~fter the thr td wu~ it~id e ~e us~I a iooi~ to ~e~ve tiie cloth. e 1a~d no oewin ~obI~ie~ ~i~-~d to sein by band. ~ mi tres3 h~ e big silver bin ar~ct she ~ouU aiwa7s e~teh the eloth in the bird s bill and thIs wou j~4 h~ 4 it fur her to ~v. ~h dithi t git to haMle ~ouey ~ihst~ I wuz young. Ah worked fruit surn~ to sundown, 4e n~~er had overseers lak eoa~e of the sia~ss. ~e wun give so r:~ucb ~ to do In a day an~1 if this white folks went off on a rac~tion they would give ~zs so much ~ rk to do i~4le they wuz gon and ws better hive *11 of that dons too when thsy d e~ ht~e. &o~. of the white to.~ks ~ very kiM to ttieir slaves. ~ome did not believe in &ia,ery a~i soge tr. d the b.fo ths wiir and evs~i give ei land and no~ies ~ S~ would give the nigg ra nesi, ii ra and lak that. The:, ~de me nos w~aen i~h ~ a chile aM t~h d ksp rat ip wi th the oth ~rs ~u~ae they d tell kS tha t If ~h got bSbi~ a nigger would git me ax~ spilt open my h~d and git the milk out n lt. Of cours ~h dithi t know t~ien tki~ t wu~ t true ~ ~h ball e~ve~ eveL7thing they taie ~e and tlkb t fl~dS me w rk t~ 1~a rder, ~tThere vus a ~thit~ !1~fl ~ MI eter li*, the t wt~ very n~ean to the slaves. He d ~o round and beet es. He d even go to the little h ies t~r down the shin~n ya and ilo ail sorts of e~iei tni~. The ~Ianeya wun mi~d of n~ ~ n stre~ n sticks; th9y wu~ po$rtu3. stx~on~ too. ~4ster JI~ wuz jest a nesn

149 145

aunt ~:ially 4. ~n, and when he died we ~ll said God got tirid of ~eter J1 bsiz~ so m~ean ~ ad ~d1t ht*. ~hen they laid him out on the ooo~in board, everybody wus ~ettln round, ntoanln over ni s d~th,and all of a suthien ~i~ter Jim rolled o t f n t~e 00 board aal si eh a r~nnl n and gi t tin ut n t1~ t ro~ you nevt~r saw. e snid ~1ster Jim wuz tr,,rin to run ttie niggers ancL we wun to go aboat at ~I1 ~ht. Mi believed lt then; now that th.y a ~*lmin An know that must hE vs been ~ie aiid he wus purgin fur they did ~ ~ t ~now nothin bout ~.balmin thee. They didn t keep d sad folke out n the ground long In them days. ~)ootoi~s Wuzn t so plentiful thn, They d go round In buggies anii on i~iossea. Tha~i that rods on a hoes had saddis pockets jest filled with 1ittl~ bottle3 and lots of them. He d try one medicine and if it didn t do not good he d try aiiother until lt d~id do good and when the dootor went to see s sick pIx son he d atay rat thre until h. wus b tter. He didn t jit o is in a~ write a scri~ption t~w soniebedy to take to a drug stor . ~e used h.xbs a lots in th~i days . ~ ;hen a body h~d d~ops$ s si set hi~ in a t epid bath isde of i~u1lsl* laves. There wuz a jiaaon weed we d use f~xr rhei~tti~, and tur ~ tht~~ we d use tea it~d e of chestnut 1. eavs . ~ e d gi $ ti~e chestnut leaves, dry them in the sun j esl lak t e~ lea tes ~i ~id vs wouldn t 1. et them lemves f~lt wet fur nothin in the world while they wuz dryin . ~e d take poke salad roots boll th~ and then *ke en~1ir ~nd a~ke a syrup. This vus the be8 t thifl~ t~w aSthn~ I t iss known to cur e it too. P ur colds aM sich we u ~1 iio hound; ~ ~ndy out n it with brown au~r. ~e used a lots ot rook c&~imdy arid w~ili} y tur colds too. They h&d e remMy that they used ~ oon e~ tio~ t~ ke ctry ow ~iwire, u~ike a tea of ttiis and flavor it with ntint ~nd give lt t~ the sick pu~son. e didn t need ~mny doctors then f~u~ w, dldn ~ ; have ~o nuch eic1oit~e~ in th&ii days, d nachelly they didn t die so

150 146

Uflt sally 5. tast; folks lived s lon time then. Ti~ey used a lot or peachtree le~ves too for rever~a~x1 ehen the stoa~oh got upsot we d crush the le~tyea, ~owe ~at:r over th~ and woi~ldn t let ttiei n drink any other kind of eater till the~r ~ j~ ~)etter. ~h still bell~ves in ther~i oie ~o made medicines too aM : fl ~iO~t be11~e in ~o n~i~r doctors. ~ e didn t ht~.ve stoves plentttul then~ just ovens ~e set In the fireplace. Ui a toted a rn~ny a ~rmThl of 1xi~rk W Od oie hlckorj bark to cook with. ~o d ~~3ok light b1~O1~d both flottr t~nd corn. Tb~ ~ fur tr~ls bre~d wuz n~de fr~a hors. Coals of fire v~uz put on top f the oven and under the bottom, too. :v~hj~ WU2 oooked on coals fr~ a ~ ood fire . coffee and ail. ait ~ let me s~iow ~oi~ my c~offee tribet. Have you ever seen on? ~.ll, ~ q)~y~ yoi~ ~1ne.w ~unt $~al1y got up ~nd hobb1e~ to the kiteh~i to get the trivet. ~rt~ a f~,w moi~aante s~srch she onme back into the roo~ ~No, it s not there. ~h gueaa it~s been put in the base~ient. h~11 show it tz) :~ou hen you come bask. It s a rack nude of iron that the pot Is sst on befo ~nittin it on the tire coils. The vistials vuz good in them days; ~e ~t our vegetablee out n the garden in seaaon and OEidn t have all the hot. hciuse vegetables. ~h ~1on t ~t many vegetables now unless thej conte otit n the gar~:ien arid I know lt. ~ oil as I said there wuz racks fitted in the flrepl~ee to put pots on. Once there wuz a big pot ssttlr~ on the fire, jest bilbi a~y wIth ~ big xoast i~i it. ~s the water biIG4, the nt~t turned over and over ~ co~iin up to the tap and goin down again., 01e ~mdy, the ~ (~~ome iI~ the kitchen. Re sot there a while and ~ai~hed that meat i~Oil over and Over in ~i~e pot, and su cf ~ sudden ~llke he grabbed at~hat ~ie t and paLl$ it o~it n the pot. Coures he oo4d~n t ~tt lt cause lt wuz ~~ot arid t~ioy got the ~n~t beTh he et lt. The kitchen ~ct~ away fruni the bi~:~ hou~e~ ~ the victuals vniz oooked and ~rried up to the hous . .LII d

151 147

~.unt ~a117 6. o~rry it w ~hss f. * c~ou1d~i t eat au. th~ dlftarwit kt~1s ot vlctt*ls the wUt~ to1k~ et and cn~ a~a~nia wh~ I at~ carrjia the br~kt~at to t~e big ~l~u8e wo I~d ~atf1ea t~t vus a pretty ~1doa bro n and pipin hot. They ~us ~ ~t~t~ire to look at and ~h jest couldn t keep fru~ takin one, anti that wus the h8rdsst *ftttle tur i~ii tO e~t befo I g~t to the bi~ hc~u~s I ever ~W. J~ j est eouldn t git rid of that wt~t1 1s ~au~s my eonaci e!ieo w ~ippea m~ so. f~ They ta~~t me to do everyt~iinaj. Ah ~e battiti bloeks ~ ~tt1in ~3tieks to i~ah t~ie c1othi~s; we all 4id. The c1~thss ~uz taken out ot the peter 011 n~~t ~ the block an~t beat eith s battlin ~tiak, ~Licb w*~s made Like a piddl,. Ca wi~sh df~ys yz~i cot~1d he~.rh ~ battlia stiske po~in every whiahu~a~y. .~ e ~a~Ie o~ir own soa~~ used o1~ ~ t ~md gxeae a i4 pourel w~ter o~er vood aebea ~rh1 c~h wu~ )~pt In a xack Iike thins ~uo the ~*ter would drip tt~roiw~i the ashes. TAils ~ds stro~ig lys. ~1s ~ed s 13t o SiCh lys, too, to bile with. ~ thea the slaves ~ou14 run away. Tl~eir ~atere wus a~ n to th~ that caused them to run a~y. ~iat unes they ~ o~1d Live In t*ves i~ow did they ~?et a1i~ig? ~s11, Chilc1, they ~t s1on~ eli righb..~b~t itt other p.ople elippin tLt!~ .. ~s ~n tc ~ AM, too, theyd etesi ho~s, chickens, ~nd anytk~ing else they could git their hunde on. ~.ome white peo~1e would he1p~ tc~o, f~r thet s w~a BQ~ white people who didVt believe in al*tvery. The, they d try to find them 91aVt:~s that mn a~ey aM it ttiey wus fc~ux~d they d be beat or sold to aaasbody ~1 se. ~y gx anth~ther r~m a~y ?rt~e ~er r~u at~r. ~e et~y~d in the wco~ and &le ~a kied ber ci othea in the br~ neh~a. ~he used sand fnr s*p. fee clifl I re~kc n they got 1oii~ ail rig~t In the eaves. Tk~.y k~d ~bi~s in ti~tr and I~1B~4 ~ toot ~ jth $tayed iti the ~~itcheU~ tUb 4t~e ~XUI~h died. i~t even h~1pd tt~ 1a:~r ~ O!it. ~h ~idu t go to the e~~d t~ou~h. ~ ciid~ t huve ~ ~c~e ~rtt~r 8Le t~ed ax~1 ~h waMered truzn p1~~ t~ place, atayin ~itn a w4ts fuibLy this tIne and then a ni~sr t~b1y the next ti~. ~h ~ved to Jae~c~aozi ~ouiity ~nd

152 148

:4t~flt ~ially 7. ~tay~ with a ~isi.r Frank Dowdy. Ah dicin t stay there lone tho~~ih ~ Then ~h mo ved to kinder Geo rgia. Ths~ tailsd it 1Tug ~vern in thai days, ea~is ju a Wuz i~de there. Ah n~rried Oro~ Hinton in v~indor. Got along ~ei1 arter n~arryin hii~. He tamed fur a Uvjx~ aM i~ade a &ood livin fur !~iO 871d th8 eight o~dUune all born In ~finder. The ~ulluns viiz grown nearly ~hefl Ito died and wun able to help as ~?it11 the s~llew ones. J~h got along all rigit after nis deeth and didu t here sich a hard tir~ie x~isin tbn eJ4llune. Thon i~h married ~irn ~3~wn anti iao~Ex1 to ~tlanta. ~iia fLrI~1ed at first fur a ilyin and then he worked on the rai1rc~d ~. tuS ~bOft~. He helped to grade ~J~e first raIlroad trc.ck for that line. He wuz ~ Aunt ~:;a1ly broke oDD her story hers. ~Lord, hones, Ah ~ot sich ~ pain in nah ~toi~teh .~h don t believe AL~ een go on. It s a gx~win kind ~o pain, 3eet kee~e me weak all over. Naturally I suggest~ tnat we complete th. story ~i: another tiii . So t left, pronisin to return in a few days. ~ block t~ orn the house I 8tODp~ In a store to order some grocsti tnr Auxit ~al1y. ft. ptopr1etresa~, a Jeilib W~I, spoke up when I gave t~e cialirery addr ss. ~h. i~plained in broken &n~1isIi t~~at she knew Atint sally. ~ I tink you vas very kin~1 to do di~ tor Aunt sally. ~ihe nests it. I often gif her ao~ food. E3 s very old and fsebl~. He ~ased hre yesterday a~d he look so Wftated and hungry. His stoniok look like it Y8S th~iRfl in, you know. I g:tf hun ~ fr~h hoc~n. I know dey could riot ~t till of ttie~ in a day and I n afi~1t it von t be goof for d&i today. I v~ tra1x~ed to !~elp ~~eople in neet. It s Ixirt ~t my rc~iigion. 3ee, if vo sit on ~1s strite~r and an oit person comes in and finde no soet ~e get up ami gif him ~)ne, If vo &oe a person 1o~ied rid b~md1es 1kM he tes old and barely able to go, ye glt e hand. ~:)ee, ye Jewa - you colored but vs ~crj~:~w no d1ffer~~o , /~nyvon neetin~ help, ~e gU.

153 149

Aunt Sally 8. ~t couple or day. later I ~s b8Ok at Aunt Sally s. I had brought sons groc.riss for the old wo~. I knocked a long tine on the front doors ~! getting no ane ir, I picked my way through the raz~k growth of weeds and ~ aas surrounding the house axd went around to the ~sk door. It opned into th. kitohen, where Aunt Sally and her eon were having breakfast. ~ rou was a11 and dark axd I could hardly see the soup ., but Mint ~aUy ;~elcoa~ied m. iawd honey, you oc~ne right on in. I tole John I hard eamabody knockin at the do . ~ S You besn hearin things all n~rnin John spoke up. He turned to ~e. ~ You must ye been thinkin about ma j ust when we atartsd satin br~kfa at because ehe asked me did I hear aobody ~U her. I toi. hsr the Lawd J~eaua Is always a-~oalljn poor niggers, but ehe .aid it sounded like the lady . voice who wae here the oth~ day. ~v fl I &Idn t ~ea~r anything and I tols her !~~Lt ~ be hearin th1ngI.~ I d put the bag of groesrie. on the table unobtrueively, but Aunt Sally wasn t one to Ist auch gifta ~*aa unnoticed. F~gsrIy eh. tore the ~g open ai~ began pullirk~ out the ~*c~gea. LeWd bless you, chile, and Us iho !il~ blees yoid I feela rich seam what you brou~t ~. Jest look at this Lawdy i~iercyZ ~ rolls, Duttex , milk, balo~y~ ..2 Oh, ibis blo~y, pe.t looky therel You must a knowsd what I ~canted She waa atuff!~g lt in her mouth as she te~lked. And these ~iga...2 Honey, you knows God ii goin to bless you and let you lire Iocg. Ah as goin to cook c ne at a tipi.. And Lh ak~o been wanti3 3 cane riiilk. Ah se gonna cook iwe a hoecake rat now. She gent about putting the t~ii n~8 in little cane and placing th~ on ahelv~ or in trie dilapidated l1ttl~ oupbo~rd that atood in a corner. I sat down n~r the door and listened while ehe ranbied on. Ah uaed to say young people didn t care bout oie folk. but Ah la takin that back now. Ah jest tole i~ son the other day that its turned rowxl, the

154 150

1~unt~ally 9. young fo1k~ thlnka of the oie ar~1 trlee to h~1p ~ and lbs ois fo~ks don t tri to t lnk of eaob others some ~f them, they le too ~eaz. ALu osn t undere~nd It; Ah jest know I heard you eaU iae when ~h et~irted to eat, and tote r~y ~ so. Had you been to ths do befo ?~ She talked on not waitix~ for a reply. ith eho did enjoy the victuals you sent day befo yletidy. They aeth m~ eurplus foor~ f:;rttni the gove anent but Ah don t Uk. that they ae~. flu 8klX~t !~!11k ~rlp~e i~ue and Ah don t like that yellow aea ~. ~ fri ~d broug~it ne aOfle w 1~e ~nea1 t otbar day, k~iid th~tt wheet oeI e~t1 they sand ~h eat. it witti water when A~ don t have r4lk and Ah don t lik it but ~ hezu you don t have Pothl7l else yo ti ~ot to eat what you hays. They send nu 75~ ever two weeks but that don t ~o very lui . Ah ain t ec~p1ainin fur i~h a tkianktui. fur what ~h ~lt. t, They send a gi ri to help ~e z~round the h;Dus e too. She a frun ths housekespin de~irtmsnt~ She s vei y niai tc me. Yea ahe abo ~ .y i~ a iweet ~~ lr1, and her fore~n Is sweet too. ~3he comes In now n then to se me and see 1i~w the ~lr1 le gittin a1on~. She wesbea, too. eth i been on relief a long tine. Now whex~ .~h flr~t got on lt wi~z wben they tiret atartd givin m. They ~1ve mi plenty of anything ~Ui asked fur and ny visitor wun Mrs. I om~kina. 3he wuz :30 good to me. ~ eli they stopped that and then the DPW (Department of Public velfar.) took eare of me~ ~herL they tiret stert~ Ah got non then I do now and they Te cut me down till Ab gi)a only a HLIgbty litti . ~ Yee, ~h wuz talkin about ~r husband when you mm here t $ther day. He wuz killed on the railroad. 4~fter he moved here he bought this hone. Ah se lived here twenty y~irs. Jim wuz eoidn in the ra ilroad yard one day and step~p d oft tku little e. .gine they u8ed for the workers rat in t~e path of the L.& N. trc~ln. t.~e ~uz ~~ut u~ and crushed to pieces. He didn t ~ve a ~lgn of ~ head. They uaed a rake to git ~ap the pieces they did git. man brought a few pieo.. out here In a bundle and Ah wauidn~ t even look at then.

155 151

~~unt ~ially 1~. ;~jl ~!Ot a little r~iOney fIII~n the railroad but the lawyei got most of lt. He brought me ~ f~w dollars out and tole me not to dl5ousa it with anyone nor tell ~:LO~~ triuoh kh got. Ah tried to git some ot the wen th~t wca ked wltb hirn to tell Tfl ~) jUCt bOW lt all happened, but they wcnldn t talk, and it wus s i~ ~ot hovi thetn niggere held their t~eace ai~1 wouldn t tell rae anythlitg. Tbe boss man earns out Ister but be didn t seem intr~isted in it et all, io ~b got little o~ i~othlng fur hie d~th. The lawyer ~ot it fur bisse r. ~All my chillune died cept i~iy son and kie is oie am~ sick and n t do nothin fur rne or hlase f. He gets relief too, ?5~ every two wesb. ~Ie goes round and people gives ialm a little t eat. ~e has a bard time txyiui to git long. ~h hud a do ~ble bed in t other ?oom and let a wa~n have i~ so ~ihe eo~ild ~4t some of the dIIs%teo to ~hS Baptist iorld !~lll&ncs and ehe wuz goin to t~y me fui ttlr~ her use the bed but she didn t git an~bo4y cept two. They eo~ there on Friday ~1 left the nezt day. She wus tole that they didn t &ict rlgbt bolt the ieisgate~ and lots of peopis veut to the expense to prei~are tur them and didn t git a ons. Ah w~tz sorry, firr J~h intended to u~ 3 bat she paid m~ fv.r my water ~lll. Mi ow~ .~3.8O ai~ had to ~jy~ my de~ts t1o my IIcRI5e to a lady to ~j th~ ~iater bill fur ~te and it ~vorrles z cause ah ain t got no money to ~y it, fur this te ail th got and Ah hates to loose rn~T house. Ah wlsht lt wuz soi~ie ~y to pay lt. Au ain t been able to do fur 1~Lbse f in many yea r~ now ay~j h~ s to ~e~er~1 on WhEl t others gives me. Tell ~rou i~io ab~it the oie times? Lawd, h ne ; t~ 8 b~i chan~e~ so frum ~en Ah was young. ~ don t h~tr of haints as you d1 ~i w)~sn I i rowed up. The LELWd had to show ~js ~~cu k In nili~oles caqas ~e didn t h~7e 1~rnin In them days z~s thsy kws now. ~nd y ~i i~y not believe it but tht~n thln~ he~ened. Ah kr~o ~ a old ii~i wha t died a M t~f~61 hiti (~I*t~I he would corne t ) OUI~ bouse where he always ~ut wood, ~ at nl~t ~e e~u1d h~r a oht~ih bei n drug along In the yard j est as if a big lo(~ohain wuz bsln pulled

156 152

~unt 8s117 u, by eGmebody. It ould drag on up to the wo lpile and stop, then w could h~r the th~ap-thui~ ot the ex on the wood. The woodpil, was near the shiafl.y aM it would shop-chop on, thsn stop aal we oouid ha~r the chain bein drug back t~ ~my ~~$ c~ae. This * nt on ts~ ~Y& J~ night. until i~y tether got tired ath one night aft~ hi h.~d it so long, the chop-chop, papa got id aM hollexsd at th. haut, ~ D... you, ~> ~ h.U311 aM that spirit wsnt oft and never did corn, baak Ws d alunys know eomsbody us soin to di, ~hn ws hard a ow . come to a house and start screeshia ~ ~e alisys M .sc body is g~ ac to did honey, you,~on t h~r it now and it . good you dQn t f~w it would skse~ you to d~th 7 n,D~~ly. It .oundd so ~ n~nl 111e and w. d ~it Vi poke? or the shovel in ta. flu . aM ~t al~ay. run lila ft~y; it bU?ned his tongue out and hi couldn t hoUer f aor . it they d let us go out Lak w. al~ys wantd to, Ah don t sp ~ w d adons it, sau.. w wus too s~ser~. iaw~y, o~ile, this us /1. ~.~ 7~n days. Ah sho is giad God let ss live to ses thee. uns. / / Ah~tri.d to git th. ol-age poetsion fur Ah sho ly nasd.d it and ~tz t~l I to it too. &ho wun. ~ut that visitor jest wouldn!t Ist ~ ~o tk~rou~i. *5 acted Lak tI~t money b.loag.d to her. Ah plied whn it fi?st O~ out /~ and shoulda been one of the first to get o. Ah worried powsr~ul ioh at 1 )tir.4 . fi;x~ ~.h felt how naioh better oft Ah d b.I Ah wouldn t b. so d p~snt la~~ la so:. Ah spects you knows that ~n. She la a ~g b~ ok __ . !n*z n~~d Smith at tirai befo she ~arried.$he is a Johns no.. She sho le a ssan ~ ~ She jest wouldn t do no way. Ah even toi. her it sh let n go through ~n~h got my ~sssion ~&ii would give her s~e of the money Ah got, but shs jeat did~t do no ~y, She toi. ~s it Ah us put on Ah d g~t i~ more tk~n Ah w~a git~in . Ah elm belleyse th~ t~ats on gits ~ors n 751 every two wesk.. Ah iho b4d a hard tiae aal a rough.ty road to travel with her ~ visitor until

157 153

Aunt Sally 13. 153 they sent in the housekeeper. Fur that head oman jest went rat out and got me some clothes. Everything Ah needed. When Ah tole her how my visitor wus doin me she jest went out and come rat back with all the things Ah needed. Ah don t know why my visitor done me lak that. Ah said at first it wuz because I had this house but honey what could Ah do with a house when Ah wuz hongry and not able to work. Ah always worked hard. Course Ah didn t git much fur it but Ah lak to work fur what Ah gits. Aunt Sally was beginning to repeat herself and I began to suspect she was talking just to please me. So I rose to go. Laway mercy, chile, you sho is sweet to set here and talk to a ole oman lak me. Ah sho is glad you come. Ah tole my son you wuz a bundle of sunshine and Ah felt so much better the day you left and heah you is again! Chile, my nose wuzn t itchin fur nothin ! You come back to see me real soon. Ah se always glad to have you. And the Lawd s gonna sho go with you fur bein so good to me. My awareness of the obvious fulsomeness in the old woman s praise in no way detracted from my feeling of having done a good deed. Aunt Sally was a clever psychologist and as I carefully picked my way up the weedy path toward the street, I felt indeed that the Lawd was sho goin with me.

Julia Bunch ex-slave - age 85. 158 154

I 00077 XX-~ V3~ INTERVIEV J~ULL~ Beech South ~~UNCE Island Car olina Written by: L~ila harris Augusta Edited by: 1Tohii N~. Booth District Suj~ervisor Federal Writers Project des. 6&7

159 155

. ~ .i, j ~ . :~, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ fl i3~) ~ ~. JULIA BUNCH ~ Seated in a comfortable chair in the living room of her home, Julia Bunch, Negress of 8~ years, presented. a pic~ture of the old South that will soon pass away forever. The little 3~room house, approachable only on foot, was situated on top of a hill. Around the clean~swept yard, petunias, verbena, and other flowers were supplemented ~y a large patch of old-fashioned ribbon grass. A little black and white kitten was frisking about and a big red heu lazily scratched under a big shade tree in search of food for her brood. ~Tu1ia s daughter who was washing twhite people s clothes around the sLde of the house, invited us into the living room where her mother was seated. The floors of the front porch and the living room were scrubbed sj~otlessly clean. There was a rug on the floor, while a piano across one corner, a chifforobe with n~irrored doors, a bureau~, and several comfortaole chairs completed the room s furnishings. A motley assortment of ~)ictures adorning the walls includedt ~frieVir~ ~ ~ BieedingHeart, several large family photographs, two pictures of the Dionne Quintuplets, and one of President iioosevelt. Julia was not very talkative, but had a shy, irresistible chuckle, and it was this, together with her personal appearance and t~he tidiness of her home that left an indelible im~ression on the minds of her visitors. Her skin was very dark, and her head closely wrapped in a dark bandana, from which the gray hair peeped at intervals forming a frame for her face. She was clad in a black and white

160 156

Page 2. j5~ flowered print dress and a dark gray sweater, from which a white ruffIe ~:as apparent at the neck. Only two buttons of the sweater were fa~te~:ed and it fell away at the waist displaying her green striped a~rJn. Prou beneath the long dress, her feet were visible encased in ~er~ s black ~ho~s laced with white strings. lier ornai~ents con ~ 3f a ring on her thir~i finger, earrings, and tortoise-rinimed ~ ~7:~:c~ plainly dis~la~red their di::e store origin. UI b ionged to Marse Jackie Jorn of 2dgefield County, I ~-as &i~vcd to him and his wife when dey was L:arried for a weddin gi ~t. I nassed deir three chilluns for em and slep on a couch in d~er b~droo~ tu I was 12 years old, den Mancipation conie. I loved t~I: ~o anci ~ayed w~!d em for four years atter :~ reedom and when I i~ t em I cried and de~ chilluns cried. ~Yassir, dey was sho good white people and very rich. Dere .:~ rnt t : i~:~n La~in on dat ~iantation. De big house was part wood ~nd ~:a:t br:ck, ani de Niggers lived in one or two room box houses buili: in : owe. ~~se Jackie runned a cig grist nui and done de rind~r for ail de neighbors round bout. Three or four Uig~ers ~ukked in de iili ail de tune. Us runned a big farm and dairy too. ~ ;~jer:~ 7~5 allus plenty t eat cause Marster had a 2 acre ~y~:der. a: ~ a ~ig fruit archa d. Tvro cooks was in de kitchen all de ~ -Je:i ~ :rL a Oig firejlace, out us had big ovens to cook ~Je ~ biscuite and lightbread in. Us made lasses and syrup and ~ut u~ fru.ts just lak dey ices noir. ~ My 1t~a ~ ras ~ead weaver. It tuk two or three days to set UI) ~Je lOOni cause Ziere ;~E~s so n~any little bitty threads to be threaded

161 157

Page 3. :15? u~p. Us had dyes of evvy color. Yassii us could make wool cloth too. De sheeps wa~ sheered once. a year and de wool was manufactured up and us had a loom wid wheels to spin it into thread. ~ Old Marster never whu~ped nobody and dere was only one mam dat I kin mexiiber dat de overseer whupped much and he served it t cause he would rim away in spite of evvything. Dey would tie him to a tree way down in de orchard and whup him.tt JUlia kept repeating and seemed anxious to irn~ress upon the minds of her visitors that her white folks were good and very rich. Yassir, my white folks had lots of company and visited a lot. Dey rode saddle horses and had deir own carriages wid a high seat for de driver. Nosir, she didn t ride wid. hoopskirts you couldn t ride wid dein on. Us bought some shoes from de market but dere was a travelin shoemaker dat wukked by days for all de folks. He was a slave and didn t git no money; it was paid to his Marster. Us had our own blacksmith dat wukked all de time. De slaves from all de plantations round come to our corn shuckin s. Us had em down in de orchard. Lots of white folks corned too. Dey kilt hogs and us had a big supper and den us danced. Nosir~, dere warn t no toddy, Marse didn t b lieve in dat, but dey would beat u~p apples and us drinked de juice. It shp was sweet too. ~Folks done dey travelin in stages and hacks in dem days.. ~ach of de stage s had four hosses to ~ em. When de cotton and all de other things was ready to go to n a~ kct, dey would pack em and bring em to Augusta wid mules and wagons. It would take a week and sometimes

162 158

Page 4. ~ :138 longer for de trip, and dey would coi~e back loaded down vrid visions and clothes, and dere was allus a plenty for all de Niggers too. De white folks allus helped deir Niggers wid de weddi&s and buyed deir clothes for em. I merribere once a man friend of mine corne to ax could he marry one of our gals. Marster axed him a right smart of questions and den he told him he could have ner, but he mustn t knock or cuff her bout when he didfltt want her no more, but to turn her loose. *Us had a big cemetery on our place and de white folks allus let deir Niggers come to de fun ral~. De white folks had deir own sep rate btu yin ground, but all de coffins was horne~made. .?ven de ones for de settlement peoples was made right in our shop. Yassum, dey sung at de fun rais and you wants me to sing. I can t sing, but I ll try a little bit. i1hen with a beautiful and peculiar rhythm only attained by the southern Negro, she chanted: t Come -ye-dat-iove-de-Lord And-le t-your- j oys-be -known. ~ A rooster crowin outside your door means cozn~any s commt and a squinch owl means sho death. Dose are ail de signs I kin member and I don t member nothin bout slavery remedies. ~ UYassir, dey useter give us a nickbj~ or 10 cents sometimes so us could buy candy from de store. Askedif she remembered patteroliers she gave her sly chuckle andsaid: 131 sho does. One time dey come to our house to hunt for some strange Ni~ gers. Dey didn t find em but I was so skeered I hid de whole time dey was dar. Yassir, de Ku Kiuxers raised cain round dar too. UI tmenbers de day well when Marster told us Us was free.

163 159

Page 5 . j59 .1 was glad and didn t know what I was glad bout. Den about 200 Yankee soldiers come and dey played music right dar by de roadside. Dat was de fust drum and. fife music I ever heared. Lots of de Niggers followed em or~ off wid just what dey had on. None of our Niggers went and lots of em stayed right on atter freedom. Four years atter dat, I left Edge field and corne here wid my old man. Us had six chilluns. My old nian died six years ago right dar toross de road and I se livint here wid my daughter. L can t wu~1c no more, I tried to hoe a little out dar in de field last year and I fell down and I hasn t tried no more since. ( I went once not so long ago to see my white folkses. i)ey gived me a dollar to spend for i~iyself and I went cross de street and buyed ne some snuff ~ de fust I had had for a long time. Dey wanted to know if I had ever got de old age pension and said dat if I had been close to dein ~: would have had it fore now. . . . . . . . I ~ ~ . . . . . . . . . . .

Slavery days and after. 164 160

~j~ct~O4 ~i J / E~,( ~~ )1j, ~ fri ~ ~ ~ . 160 A ~ ~ ~ Q~, ;~f~ J ~.. # ~ :~ ~ ~ SUBJECT : SLAVERY DAMS AND AFTER DI~T~ ~T : :~TO. 1. \V~ P. A. EDITOR AD RESEA~C~ : JOSEPH E. JAFFEE StJPERVI5~ : JOSEPH E. JAFFEES ~ ~~c)

165 161

U~-frc~ ~ 100104 ~LAV~RY~ DAYSjJ~D AFTE~ I, ~e Liarshal Butler, e4.~-~t years o~d and was oorn on December 25. I knows it was Christmas Day for I was a ~ to my foL~s. Anyhow,i se the only niggah that knows exactly how old he be. I disremernbers the :~ear but you white 1~olks can figure et out. lily mammy was Harriet Butler and my pappy was John Butler and we all was raised in ~7ashin~ton~~iilke s. L~arnmy was a Frank Collar nig~ah and her man war of the tribe of Ben Butler, some miles down de road. Et weZ one of dem trial marriages - they~se tried so hard to see each other but. old ?en Butler says two passes a week war enuff to see my mammy on de Collar plantation. mien de war was completed pappy c~nie home to us r ~ WU~ a family of ten - four females called Sally, Liza, Ellen and Lottie and six stron bucks called Charlie, Elisha, i:Iarshal, Jack, Hey..~ wood and little Johnnie, ~a~e w~ de baby. De Collar plantation wuz bi~ and I don t know de size of it. Et must have been bi~ for dere war f ~~ ni~ahs aching to ~o to work I ~~uess they must have been aching after de work wuz done. Marse Frank bossed the place hisseif ~ aere war no overseers. ~ raised cotton, corn,

166 162

Page - 2 162 wheat and everything we un s et. Dere war no market to bring de goods to. Uarse Frank wuz like a foodal~ lord of back history as ray good fornothing gra~dson would say he is the one with book laming from Atlanta. cTaste of t rne filling up a nig~er s head with dat trash - what that boy needs is muscle ology jes look at my head and hands. - - LIy mammy was maid in de Collar s home and she had many fine dresses some of them were give to her by her missus. Pappy war a field nig~er for oie Ben Butler and I worked in the field when I wuz knee high to a grasshopper. ;:~ uns et our breakfast while et war dark and we trooped to t:~e fiel~is at sun up, carrying our lunch wid us. ITothing fancy but je~ good rib.~s~icking victuals. ~e come in from t:~e fields at sun down anc~ ~re were a good. meal awaiting us in de slave auarters. i~1y good L~aster give out rations every second i~ionday and all day ::onday wuz t~en to separate -the wheat from the chaff that is I mean the victuals had to be organized to be marched off to de proper depository. Pefore we uns et we took care of our mules. -I had a n-T~ule named ~eorge I know my mule he was a good mule. ~ I hollow at the mule, and the mule would not gee, this mornin . 1es I hollow at t1~e mule and the rnulewould not gee, An I hit ~irn across the ~~ead with the single tree, so soon.

167 163

Page 3 163 Ye:, BGSS man I remembers my mule. Iviarse Frank gave mammy four acre ::. of ~ ground to till for herself and us childrens. We raised cotton yes-.sahZ one bale of it an~ lots of garden truck. Our boss man give us Saturday as a holt (Lay to work our four acres - 411 the niggers worked hard ~e cotton pickers had to pick 200 pounds of cotton a day and if a nigger didn t) Marse Frank would take de nigger to the barn and beat him with a switch. He would tell de nigger to hollow loud as he could and de nigger wo. .ld do so. Then the old Mistress would. come in and say! That are you doing Frank? seat ing a nigger would be his answer. ~ou let him alone, he is my nigger!i. and both Marse Frank an d.c whipped nigger would come out of the barn. ~e all loved Marse and the Mistress. No, we wuz never whi~ped for stealinh; we never stole anything in dose days - much. We sure froliked Saturday nights. Dat wuz our day to howl and we howled. Our gals sure could dance and when we ~ thirsty we ha . lemonade and whiskey~ No sah~ we never mixed~hi skey with~ater, ~ &~*- wanted lemonade got it de gals all liked it. Niggers never got cirunk those days we wuz seared of the t1Pad.dle Rollers. Urn rn h and swell music. A fiddle and a tin can an~ one nigger would beat hi~, . ~- ~ ~ - - 1~and on tI e can and another nigger would beat the strings on the ~ v;tth broom straws. It wuz aimes like a banjo. I remembers we sung Little Liza Jane and ~reen Grows the Wil~ow Tree . De frolik broke up in de morning - about two o clock - and we all scattered to which ever way we ~z going.

168 164

Page 4. ~e put on clean clothes on Sunday and ~o to church. ~Ve went to de white church. Us ni~ars sat on one side and de white folks sat on the other. e wuz baptized in de church ~ de pool room ~.7UZ ri~t in de church. If we went visiting we had to have a pass. If ni~~er went out \:.itfl Ut a pass d-e ~Paddle Rollers would get him. De white folks v~ere the Paddle Rollers and had masks on their face s. They looked like ni~ers wid de devil in dere eyes. They used no paddles .-noth-. 1115 but straps wid de belt buckle fastened on. Yes sabi I got paddled. Et happened dis way. I se left home o~e Thursday to see a ~al on the Palmer plantation five miles away. ~oine ~:alI 1 :rO, I didn t ~et a pass de boss was so busy ~I Everythin6 ~7as fine until my return trip. I wuz two miles out an three miles to L~:o. There come de Paddle Rollers I wuz not scared only I couldn t ::ove. They cive me thirty licks I ran the rest of the w~r home. There was belt buckles all over me. I ate my victuals off de porch ~ailin . Some LaU Un m h. ~7as worth that paddlin to see that ~ would do it over a~ain to see I ary de next fliEht. o Janet love me lak you useter, ~ o Jane~ chew r~e lak you useter, ~ \ ~ time I fi~.,Eer, my heart sits biE~er, \Sorry, sorry, can t be yo piper any mo . :~D ni nih Some ~alJ 71e ni~ers were a he~ltny lot. If we wuz really sick Larse Fr&.nk \iould send for Doctor FieldinE Ficklin of VTashin~ton. If Jus a small cold de ni~:er would ~o to de woods and git catnip and roots arid sieh thin~~s. If tuinny ache -dere was de Castor oil de white folks say children cry for it I clone my eryin afterwards.

169 165

Page ~ 5. :165 For sore throat dere was alum. Everybody made their own soap - if . I~a~d was burned would use soap as a poultice and place it on hand. Soap was made out of crease, potash and water and boiled in a bi~ iron pot. If yo cut your rincer use kerozene wid a ra~ around it. Turpentine was for sprains and bad cuts. For constipation use tea r~iade from sheep droppings and if away from home de speed of de feet (5~o not match de speed of this remedy. No, boss, I se not superstitious and I se believe in no si~ns. s I jes carry a rabbits ioot for luck. But I do believe the screech mE 0f all owl is a sian of death. I round et to be th~e. I had an Uncle n~.rned :-~eywood. He stayed at my house and was sick for a month but wasn t so bad off. One nig it uncle had. a relapse and dat same nicht a screech owl corne a1on~ and sat on de top of de house and he~ I r:.ean the owlr whooed three tir.ies and next rnorninE uncle ~ot worser and at eleven o clock he died. I does believe in signs. ~7hen de rooster crows in the house it 1~ si~~:~n of a stran~er co~iin~. If foot itches you is coing to ~alk on si~1~Ce land. I~ cow lows at house at night death will be Iriound de house in short time. If sweeping out ashes at ~i~ht dat is bad luck. for you is sweeping out your best friend..:~Remernber, your elos~,st friend iS your worst enemy. If you want to ~o a court1in et would take a week or so to ~:et your ~a1. SometiLies some fool nigger would brins a ~al a present like pulled candy and sic~ like. I had no time for sich foolishness. You ~vould pop the question to bess man to see if he W8~S willir for you to ~~arry de aal. There was no minister or boss :ian to Elarry you no limitations- at all. Boss man would jes say: Don t for~et to brine me a little one or two for next year De BOss

170 166

Pace -6. :166 niari would fix a Cottaae for two and. dere you was estebllshed. for life. U f you want to go a courtin , ~ sho You where to ~o, \ Ri~jht down yonder in de house below, ~: Clothes all dirty an ~ ain t E~ot no broom, ~ 01e dirty clothes all han~in in de room. I Ask d me to tab 1 e thought I d. take a seat, I First thins I saw was biE chunk o neat. ~ BiE as fly head, hard as a maul, ~ ash ~ cake, corn bread, bran an all. ~rse Fr8nk had plenty of visitors to see him and h ~ three aals was excuse for aflyone for miles around to come trompin in He enterained raostly On Tuesd~ and Thursday ni~hts. I remembers thera nichts for what was left over from de feasts t.~ae ni~gers would eat. Dr. Fielding Ficklen, Bill Pope, Judge Reese, - General Robert Toonths and Alexander Stephens from Crawfordville ~ all would come to arse Franks bis. house. General Robert Toornbs lived in Washin ~ton and had a bi~ pl~ntation bout a mile from de city. He was a farmer and very rich. De General wuz a bi~ man bout six feet tall-heavy and iiad~ a full face. Always had unli~i~ted cigar in his mouth. He was the first 1~ian I saw who s~uoked ten cent ci~&rs. Ni~Eers ~ksed to run to Let the stumps and the lucky nigger who ~ot the stump could even sell it for a dime to the other ni~gers for after all wasn t it c-enera.l Toombs ci~ar ? The general never wore expensive clothes and always carried a crooked handled walkin ~ stick. I se never heard him say 1ni~ah , never heard him cuss. He always helped us ni~ars

171 167

Page ~7, ~ ~ _~t j j save us niekies arid. dinies at times. Alexander Stephens wuz crippled. He was a little ~e11ow dark hair and. blue eyes. Always u$ed a rol .in6 chair. Marse would see hirn at least once a niont~. I se saw a red cloud in de west in 1860. Iknew war was brewing. Marse Frank went t~ war. My uncle was his man and went to war with him Uncle brought him backafter the battle at Gettsbur~ wounded. He died later. We all loved him. My mistress and. her boys ran deplan~tiQn. The blue coats cerne to our place in 62 and 63. They took everytnin that was not red-hot or nailed down. Thy war made no changes we d~d the sanie work and had plenty to eat. The war was flow over. We dldn t know we wuz free until a year later. I se stayed on with Marse Frenk s boys for twenty years. I se did the same wort to $35 to ~4O a year with rations thr own in. I lived so 1on~ because I tells no lies, I never spent more than fifty cents for a doctor in my life. I believe in whiskey an~ that kept me ~ And let me tell you I se always coing to be a ni~er till I die.

Interview on slavery obtained from Mrs. Sarah Byrd. 172 168

I~-( I S r L5~: t~ s . ~ t~ v~ ~ ~ ~e 1. ~ ~f ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~t ~h ~n Int.r~iew ~ SlaY.ry Obtained from ~ ~ ~ - ~N ~U ~:rs. S~ir h Byrd elaime to be gr years of ci~e but the rtr&t LiipreseLn crie recoivea when 1ookin~ at her le that of an old 1a~y who je very active and ~ s se ~1ng a sweet clear voice ~ ben she speaks you can easily undoretand every word and besides thia, each thought ta well expresee~. Often during the interview sh~ would ~nidden1y break out in a ~rry laugh ae I f her ~n thou~ht~3 u~mised her. Lrs. ~rah i3yrd waa born in Orans~o County Virginia the youngest of three chi 1~r~n. ~ uring the et~r1y part of her childhood her f~11y lived in ~ir~4nia hor i~ther ~Tudy Ne~an an~ f~tbr ~3aa Ooc~tan each be1~tgtng to a ait.. forent maater. Later on the family became a~purated the tbther waa sold to :~ ~a~njIy In :iaet Tenneaese and the ~ther and children ~i.re bought by ~Octor ~.yr(~ in Lu~usta, ceorgia. Hre L~rs. I~yr~ rerac~rked chile in then daya eo :r~mny far:iiltea ~~re broke up and aa~ went cne way and der othore nt t other way ; an~ y~u nebber seed them no mor. Virginia wu.z a r.g iar slave market. rr. ~3yrc~ o~ed a large plantt4ion and rat~ed euch produots as peaa p0- tatoas, cot ton corn (etc) There ~ri a large nt~.ber of alave s. ~rs Byrd ~a un ble to give the exact n~nber but r~uarked. Oh Lordy Chile I r~ebber J) ~ou1 : tell just how muny blavea that, man ha~~ t wuz too many wv em. ( ~ The ~iize of the ~1antation r.juire~ that the alavee be c1aesifie~ according to the k1n~ oi work each wt~a supposed to c~o. There ~re the cotton pickers , tho~p1 ~ h~nda, the toe handa~the~rL~1i1 e~1itt.ra~ .tc~. i~ty very tust iob~ remarke9 ~rS . 3yr~~wuz that uv cotton picking. ~ e B~rrd e mother ~aa a full h~id. uae3 on the ~1rd P1antat1 ~ ~rer~ :a~ade of logs and the cracks ~re c~uubuc~ With mad. The ohir~niee tare made of zaud and aupportec~! by etteke.

173 169

Page 2. i~ach rireplace varied in length fr~ 3 to 4 feet because thy serve tb I urpose of ~t oves ; and the family ~eal8 were prepared in ~ largo f irec~ p1ace~ orten two ant- th~3 poti,~er. euapendet frcra a rod running aeroes th. fIrepl~~oe Moat of the log~houses consisted of cue ro~~howeYer if the faaily w~8 very larg t~io rotas were ulit. The furulehings consisted only of a ~ t able b~flCh S) t~fl(~ a h~~a~ de bd~the mattress of ihi oh was ~ox~ed b ~ runnifl rope s frcni side to al de forming a fr8Pte~WCrk. Lattressee were zikade ~y fi1lin~ a tick ~:ith wheat~tru~ ~he straw was ch~ingec~ ei~ch aeaaon. Lau~thig ~ :r s. ~7X d re~arked~ Yeasirre&~ the~n houses ~uz wax~r t h~ soue are ter dtiy. - . octor :3yr~ was rather kind and tried to help Ma slaves as much na ~ osslble but according to LLrs. ~3yr~~ his wife was very sean on~ often punished ?~er slaves without any cause. 3he ne ~er gt~ve thec~ anything but the coarsest foods. ~lthou~ h there ~a plenty of milk anc~ butter, she only g ve It to the fa~iillea after it had soured. Many a day I hays seed butter just aittin ~~round In pana ~ay after day till lt got good and spoiled then she would call 8 ~ UT US and ~vo it ter un. Oh she wuz a mean un,~ re~iarke~ Mre. Byr~ Jontinuing Lr~~ I3yrd remarked ehe would give us bres~ that ha~ been cooked a week. ~ ~ r. Byrd gave his slave fo~11es ~ood clothes. Twic a year clothing was di stributed a~m~ his f~miUes ~ver~ June awi~r clothes were given and ~:Yery October winter clothes were given . Uero ~ra Byrd remarked I n.ebber kno~ed what it wuz not ter have a good pair uv 5110es. Cloth for the ~reesea ~ sLirts ~~:s spun on the p1ant~itlon by the ~lavea. The tretitment of the slaves is told in ~rs Hyr~a own t ~ iguz alw~:tys tret~tec nice by ~aater ~yrd and he always tried ter save us puni8ht~ent at the hawth uv his 4fe but thi~t oeian wuz s sthin~ nother. I nobber will ferget once shfaent ~ arter a ~e brush brcxzi and told ~ie ter Lurry back. ~e1l plums wuz jest glt~ing ripe so I just took ~y ti~ and ot all the plums I wanted ~ft r that I cane on beck ter the house. ~h,en I got t er, she cLUed z~ U~St14rs)P~arah cazie here~Up the 8teps I went ~tn~ thb.r she

174 170

Page 3. ~ stood with that old cow hide. ~3ho etruck me three licks and I Loit ~ balano ~i~1 twzibled backward down the stairs. 1 ~m t know how cute I didn t hurt my seLf but the Lcrd ~az t~id n~ and I got up an~ rlra~,I could hear her juat bol1~ringt~c~ back her /f come back here~ut I ant atop ter nothing. That night ~it 3up29r While I wuz tanning the flies frx~i the table ahi aid tr the doct . ~ octor what you think? I ha~ ter wbip that little devil ter day&I sent ber ~eter brush broc~ un~ e~ ~ent off ~nd ei:t pluaaa ins toad of hurrying back.~ ~ The doctor just looked at her and rolled his eyes but neyer ~ed a vord.~ Thers ~uz very little whi~:ping on Byrd s Plantatton)but I hays gome ter bed many a night anci bt~i~ d oni gittin wht~ped on the pl~intatio~ next ter us. It dey ruiined &way they would put the hounds on ~. Cczicluciin~ her story on treat~:isiit ::r~3. L~yr~ remarked Yesairree I could tofl that oman wuz neun the first ~ ~-~7(/ tthe I aee~1 her after we ~ from Virginia cause ahi had re~ eyes. ?4c~er rollers 3teyed busy all the tine trying to find slaves ott their ~lentatione without pa~se~. the couple jtp the broom. It tbs,i*pisbe.. :~ arriu ~ ea were performed by having longed to different masters ottezrt1z~es one master would purchase the other ; but ::Loult4 nol ther ~ii ah to ash the r~an would thon have to get paasec to visit hi. wi te xi her piLtitati cm. tTey! would leuve the plantation c~ baturday atternoc~ie ~tflC ~ Ofl ~Ufl ~17 atternocn you Could see ~ coming in just lak they wuz coming from church~ /~eaarked ~rs . Ryrd. ~ere were t~o1i os on the !~yrd plantation any time th~it the elaves chose to have then. Tee ~ir we could frolic all ~ want tir. I use ter be so glad :hen Saturc~ay ni ght came cause I knowed us wuz go have a frolt c and I woulcin t have a bi t uv c~apst1te I would till my ma we swine dance ter night t dont want aothin teet. Yec sir tie would frolic all night long sometii~e when the sun rise on Ewit~ay morning us would all be lajin round or aettin on the floor. They mrn~e ~u~tc ox the banjo, by ~nockin~ bonee,and blowin~ The ~yr(s d14~ not provide a hurch on their pinritation ror their aluvea neither were they ~Uowed to attend the white church; insteti~ they had pmyer

175 171

Pag.4. ~ j 12 ~/ ~ CA rL~eet1fl~S in their o~n cabine where they could sine in a~r ands)texrraa ~iueh as they wiahe~. X nebber wiU fer git the last prayer aeettng US hrid~Y r aarked ~rs. ~7r4wC ~vona~ xie~ed ~nt Patsy and i~nt Prudence c~ over fron the next ~lant~tton. I believed they elipped over Vera wid out gittin a peee~any3~ay) ti~ey olr raaster c~s there and w~Ai ~)j Od ~a and i~i~e ~a go home. I reckin he thought us wuz praying ter ~4t free. Continuing I nebber Will fe~git the tust tii~e I set eyes on thei~ thai Yankeee. I ~one already heard bout how they wuz &~oing round ter the different plan t~ tiOfl8 t~kiflR thO hOI BOS tAud c~irr~rtn~ rnvay the money and other vRluable htng~.~ but they had nebbor coeie ter our ~)laCe~O this day I ea~ em coning cross the rai lroi~ track and they look jest lack tbunder there wuz so many ~y ~ ~h.n they ~ot ter our house every body im~ sleep an~ they knocked an~ knocked. e h~ a bad dO~ tilEit didfl t take no fooltshnea~ ~~obod~ so ehen be kept b~rkin~ th~ Yankes au3~ed him and do you know he heeh.~ up.~ I ei d ear Lord what sort of wan is tb~t all he ~ot ter do li curio thitt dog : rid h. ~on t even ~rewl~ d~U) Wh~fl they finally got in ~ll they wanted wuz ter know if ~ r. ~yrd could help feed the sol~iera until Monday. Ti . }~yrd told ~ h ;~ould. ~oon after that the wt~r ended an~ we vuz c~l1ed tez~ gather ~.nd told U8 Wt1Z ti ~ 5 ~~ UV ~ stayed there anti ec~e uv e left Us left rind n~ved ter anotLt~r plantation. ~2 1~yrd who had previ 0w31y given the writer an tntervie~ on f olk-lor as~e~ the ~triter to return at a later d~te and ah. would try to think up ~re infor~iation concerning superatitions~ conjure )~~et~f, ~riie writer t~an~eci her tor trie intervie~v and pr d ed to ~iake another visit aoon.

Interview with (Mrs.) Mariah Calloway. 176 172

P LAC E H O L D E R

177 173

173 2. 4 boys and 2 girls. Their home was a large two-story frame house which was not apart from the slave quarters. Slave homes on the Willis plantation differed in a respect from the usual type found elsewhere. All homes were simple log cabins grouped together, forming what is known as slave quarters. The Willis family as kind and religious and saw to it that their slaves were given plenty of food to eat. Every Monday night each family was given its share of fod for the week. Each grown person was given a peck of corn and three pounds of meat; besides the vegetables, etc. On Tuesday morning each family was given an ample amount of real flour for biscuits. Many of the slave families, especially Mrs. Callaway s family, were given the privilege of earning money by selling different products. My grandfather owned a cotton patch, remarked Mrs. Callaway, and the master would loan him a mule so he could plow it at night. Two boys would each hold a light for him to work by. He preferred working at night to working on his holidays. My master had a friend in Augusta, Ga., by the name of Steve Hoard (?) and just before my grandfather got ready to sell his cotton, the master would write Mrs. Hoard and tell him that he was sending cotton by Sam and wanted his sold and a receipt returned to him. He also advised him to give all the money received to Sam. When grandfather returned he would be loaded down with sugar, cheese, tea, mackerel, etc. for his family. When the women came home from the fields they had to spin 7 cuts, so many before supper and so many after supper. A group of women were then selected to ___ the cuts of thread into cloth. Dyes were made from red sho_ berries and later used to dye this cloth different colors. All slaves received clothing twice a year, spring and winter. Mr. Jim Willis was known for his kindness to his slaves and saw to it that they were kept supplied with Sunday clothes and shoes as well as work clothing. A colored shoemaker was required to keep the plantation

178 174

174 3. supplied with shoes; and everyone was given a pair of Sunday shoes which they kept shined with a mixture of egg white and soot. The size of the Willis Plantation and the various crops and cattle raised required many different types of work. There were the plow hands, the hoe hands, etc. Each worker had a required amount of work to complete each day and an overseer was hired by slave owners to keep check on this phase of the work. We often waited until the overseer got behind a hill, and then we would lay down our hoe and call on God to free us, my grandfather told me, remarked Mrs. Callaway. However, I was a pet in the Willis household and did not have any work to do except play with the small children. I was required to keep t__ _____ and faces clean. Sometimes I brought in chips to make the fires. We often kept so much ___ Playing in the upstairs bedroom that the master would call to us and ask that we keep quiet. Older women on the plantation acted as nurses for all the small children and babies while their parents worked in the fields. The mistress would keep a sharp eye on the children also to see that they were well cared for. A slave s life was very valuable to their owners. Punishment was seldom necessary on the Willis plantation as the master and mistress did everything possible to make their slaves happy; and to a certain extent indulge them. They were given whisky liberally from their master s still; and other choice food on special occasions. I remember ones, remarked Mrs. Callaway, my aunt Rachel burned the biscuits and the young master said to her; Rachel, you nursed me and I promised not to ever whip you, so don t worry about burning the bread. My mistress was very fond of me, too, and gave me some of everything that she gave her own children, tea cakes, apples, etc. She often told me that she was my mother and was supposed to look after me. In spite of the kindness of the Willis family there were some slaves who were unruly; so the master built a house off to itself and called it the Willis jail. There he would keep those whom he had to punish. I have known some slaves to run away on

179 175

4. 175 other plantations and the hounds would bite plugs out of their legs. The Willis family did not object to girls and boys courting. There were large trees, and often in the evenings boys from the other plantations would come over to see the girls on the Willis plantation. They would stand in groups around the trees, laughing and talking. If the courtship reached the point of marriage a real marriage ceremony was performed from the Bible and the man was given a pass to visit his wife weekly. Following a marriage a frolic took place and the mistress saw to it that everyone was served nice foods for the occasion. Frolic were common occurrences on the Willis Plantation, also quilting parties. Good foods consisting of pies, cakes, chicken, brandied peaches, etc. Dancing was always to be expected by anyone attending them, remarked Mrs. Callaway. Our master always kept two to three hundred gallons of whisky and didn t mind his slaves drinking. I can remember my master taking his sweetened drum every morning, and often he gave me some in a tumbler. On Christmas Day big dinners were given for all of the slaves and a few ate from the family s table after they had finished their dinner. Medical care was promptly given a slave when he became ill. Special care was always given them for the Willis family had a personal interest in their slaves. On one occasion, remarked Mrs. Callaway, the scarlet fever broke out among the slaves and to protect the well ones it became necessary to build houses in a field for those who were sick. This little settlement later became known as Shanty Field. Food was carried to a hill and left so that the sick persons could get it without coming in contact with others. To kill the fever, sticks of fat pine were dipped in tar and set on fire and then placed all over the field. Religion played as important part in the lives of the slaves, and such importance was attached to their prayer meetings. There were no churches, provided and occasionally they attended the white churches; but more often they held their prayer meetings in their own cabins. Prayers and singing was in a moaning fashion, and you often heard this and nothing more. On Sunday afternoons everyone found

180 176

5. 176 a seat around the mulberry tree and the young mistress would conduct Sunday school. Concerning the Civil War, Mrs. Callaway related the following story: When the war broke out my mistress home became a sewing center and differ- ent women in the neighborhood would come there every day to make clothes for the soldiers. On each bed was placed the vests, coats, shirts, pants, and caps, One group did all the cutting, one the stitching, and one the fitting. Many women cried while they served heart-broken because their husbands and sons had to go to the war. One day the Yanks came to our plantation and took all of the best horses. In one of their wagons were bales of money which they had taken. Money then was blue in color; of course, there was silver and gold. After taking the horses they drank as much whisky as they could hold and then filled their canteens. The rest of the whisky they filled with spit. The master didn t interfere for fear of the long guns which they carried. After the war some of the slaves left the plantation to seek their fortune; others remained, renting land from the Willis family or working with them on a share crop basis. As a conclusion Mrs. Callaway remarked: My folks were good and I know They re in heaven. Mrs. Callaway is deeply religious and all during the interview would constantly drift to the subject of religion. She is well cared for by her nine children, six girls and three boys.

Plantation life as viewed by ex-slave. 181 177

177 PLANTATI ~ LIFE AS VIL~~ ~ BY EX~SLAVE SUSAN CASTLE, 1257 W. Hancock Ave., Athens, Georgia W~r1tten by: Edited by: 3adie B. Hornsby Athens Sarah H. Hall Athens and ;rolm N. Booth District Supervisor Federal Writers Project Augusta Georgia.

182 178

SUSAN CASTLE ~x~ S1ave ~ Age 78 ~ 178 On a beautiful morning in April, the interviewer found Susan sitting in the door of her cabin. When asked if she would like to talk about the old plantation days, she replied; Yes Ma ani~ I don t mind tellin what I know, but for dat I done forgot I sho ain t gwine make nothin up. For one thing, I ain t never lived on no plantati i. I Was a house servant in town. She added: Do you mind me axin you one favor? Consent was given and she continued: Dat is, please don t call me Aunt Susan; it makes me feel lak I was a hundred years old. I was borned in Clarke County, March 7, 1860; I believes dat s what dey say. Mudder was named Fannie and Pappy s name ~s Willis Us chillun called im Pappy lak he was de onliest one in de world. He fust belonged to Marse Maxwell of Savannah, Georgia. I was so little I disremembers how Pappy co~ne by de name of Castle. In all de seben of us chillun I di dn t have but one brudder, and his name was ;rohnny. My five sisters was Mary, Louvenia, Rosa, Fannie, and Sarah. J~ll I members bout us as chilluns was dat us played lak chilluns will do. In de quarters us had old timey beds and cheers, but I ll tell you whar I slept most times. Hit was on a cot right at de foot of Mist ess bed. I stayed at de big house most of de time at night, and fore bedtime I sot close by Mist ess on a foot stool she had special for me. All I ricolleots bout my gran ma was she . belonged to Gener~il Th ias R. R. Cobb and us call ed im Marse Thonas Gran ma Susan ouldn t do ri g~t so Marse Thomas sold her on de block. Us had evvything good to eat. Marse Tho~aas was a rich man and fed is Niggers weil. Dey cooked in a big open fireplace and biled greens and some of de udder vittals in a great big pot what swung on a rack. Meat, fish and chickens was fried in a griddle iron what was sot on a flat topped trivet wid

183 179

179 slits to let de fire thoo. 1~ey called it a trivet cause it sot ou three legs and hot coals was raked up under it. Hoe cakes made out of cori~ineal and wheat flour sho was good cooked on dat griddle. Tatoes was roasted in de ashes, axid dey cooked bread what dey called ash cake in de ashes. Pound cake, fruit cake, light bread and biscuits Was baked in a great big round pot, only dey warn t as deep as de pots dey biled in; dese was called ovens. ~kes me hongry to think bout all dem good vittals now. Oh! Yes 1~I am, us had plenty possums. Pappy used to cotch so many sometimes he jest put em in a box and let us eat em when us got ready. Posswns tasted better atter dey was put up In a box and fattened a while. Us d dn t have ia8~ny rabbits; dey warn t as much in style den as dey is now, ~nd de style of eatin possums laic dey done in slav ry times, dat is bout over. Dey eats em some yet, but if ain t stylish no mo . Us chillun used to go fishin in Moore s Brauch; one would stand on one side of de branch wid a stick, and one on de udder side would roust de fishes out. ~flien dey cox~ to de top and junip up, us would hit ein on de head, and de grown folks would cook em. Dere warn t but one gyarden, but dat had plenty in it for evvybody. In summer time us wore checkedy dresses made wid low waistes and gathered skirts, but in winter de dresses was made out of linsey-woolsey cloth and underclothes was made out of coarse unbleached cloth. Petticoats had bodice tops end de draw s was xriade wid waistes too. Us chillun didn t know when Sunday come. Our clothes warn t no diffu nt den ~rom no udder day. Us wore coarse, heavy shoes in winter, but in suirinier us went splatter bar feets. Marse Thomas was jest as good as he could be, what us knowed of mi.. Iv~SS M8X1Ofl, my Mist ess, she won t as good to us as Marse Thox~ias, but she was all right too, Dey had a beap of chillun. Deir twin boys died, and de gals was Miss Callie, Miss Salue, Miss Marion (dey called her Miss birdie), and Miss Lucy,

184 180

181:) dat Lucy Cobb Institute was amed for. Li~r rnudder was L~tiss Lucy s nuss. Marse Thomas had a big fine nielonial (colonial) house on Prince ~venue wid slave quarters in de back yard of his lO...acre lot. He owned most nigh dat whole block long dar. 0M dey had bout a hundred slaves I m sho , for dere was a heap of ein. De overseer got era up bout five o clock in de xaornin and dat breakfust slio had better be ready by seben or else somebody gwine to have to pay for it. Dey went to deir cabins bout ten at night. Harse was good, but he would whup us if we didn t do right. I~s~ Marion was allus findin fault wid some of us, Jes~e ~ias d~ c~r i:~a ari7~~r. ( :trti~9s ~ ca1Ic~d phaetons den4 Dey had high seats up in front whar de driver sot, and de white folks sot in de car iage below. Jesse went to de War wid Marse Thomas, and was wid him when he was kilt at Fred ricksburg, Virginia. I heard em say one of his men shot i~ by mistake, but I don t laiow if dat s de trufe or not. I do know dey sho had a big grand fun al cause he was a big man and a general in de War. ~ Some of de slaves on L~rse Thomas place Iaiowed how to read. Aunt Vie was one ~f de readers what read de Bible. But most of de riggers didn t have sense enough to learn so dey didn t bother wid em. Dey had a church way downtown ~or de slaves. It was called Landon s Chapel for Rev. Landon, a white ir~an what preached dar. Us went to Sunday School too. ~imt Vi~ read de Bible sometimes den. When us jined de chu ch dey sung: *~iazing Grace How Sweet de Sound. Marse Thomas had lots of slaves to die, and dey was buried in de colored folks cemetery what was on de river back of de Lucas place. I used to !~ow what dey sung at fun als way back yonder, but I can t bring it to mind now. Mo Ma sin, none of L~arse Thonas Ni gger s ever run away to de Nawth. He was good to his Niggers. seems lak to me I members dem patterollers run s~e of Marse Thoraas Niggers down and whupped era and put em in jail. Old Mase

185 181

flit had to git ein out when dey didn t show up at roll call next raornin . Ma.rse Thomas allus put a nian or de over~eer on a hoes or a mule wen he wanted to send news anywhar. He was a big man and had too many slaves to do anything hisse f. I spect dey done den lak dey does now, slipped round and got in devilment atter de day s wuk was done. Marse Thomas was allus havin swell elegant dom s at de big house. De slaves what was house servants didxi t have no time off only atter dinner on Sundays. Christmas was somepin else. Us sho had a good time den, j~ey give de chilluns china dolls and dey sont great sacks of apples, oranges, cendy, cake, and evvything good out to de quarters. At night endurin Christmas us had parties, and dere was allus some Nigger ready to pick de banjo. Marse Thomas allus give de slaves a little toddy too, but when dey was havin deir fun if de~ got too loud he sho would call em down. I was allus glad to see Christmas come. On New Year s Day, de General had big dinners and invited all de high~-falutjn rich folks. L~T raudder went to de corn shuckin s off on de plantati one but I was too little to go. Yes Ma am, us sho did dance and sing funny songs way back in dem days. Us chillun used to play Miss Mary Tane and us would pat our hands and walk on broom grass. I don t know nothin bout charms. Dey used. to tell de chillun dat when old folks died dey turned to witches. I alu t never seed no g~ostes, but I sho has felt era. Dey made de rabbits jump over niy grave and had me feelin right cold and c1a~. i~idder used to sing to ~~iiss Lucy to git her to sleep, but I doii t member de songs. Marster was raighty good to his slaves when dey got sick, He allus sont for Dr. Crawford Long. He was de doctor for de white folks and Marster had him for de slaves. ~y mudder said she prayed to de Lord not to let Niggers be slaves ail deir lifes and sho nough de yankees corned and freed us. Some of de slaves

186 182

:182 shouted and hollered for joy when Miss Marion called us togedder and said us was free and warn t slaves no more. Most of em went right out and left er and hired out to make money 1~or deyseif s. I stayed on wid my kudder and she stayed on wid Miss Marica~. Miss Marion give her a home on Hull Street cause mudder was anus faithful a~ud didn t never leave her. Atter Miss Marion died, mudder wukked for Miss Marion s daughter, Miss Callie Hull, in Atlanta. Den Miss Callie died and inudder cone on back to Athens. Bout ten years ago she died. I wukked ~or I~ s burns on 3ackson Street a long time but she am t no rich lady lak de Cobbs. De last fambly I wukked for was Dr. Hill. I nussed til atter de chillun got too big for dat, and den I done de washin tu dis misery got in n~y limbs. When asked about marriage customs she laughed and repli ed : I was engaged, but I ciidn t marry though, cause my xnudder posed me ~ marryi I had done got my clothes bought and ready. i~s. Hull helped mae fix my things. My dress was a ~ay silk what had pearl beads on it and was trimmed in purple. What does I think bout freedom? I think it s best to be free, cause you cexi do pretty well as you please. but in slav ry time if de Niggers had a.-~behaved and minded deir ~rster and Mist ess dey wouldn t have had sich a hard time. Mr. Jeff Davis posed freedom, but I~. ~raham Lincoln freed us, and he was all right. Booker Washintton was a great man, and done all he knowed how to make somepin out of his race. De reason I jined de church Was dat de Lord converted me, lie is our guide. I think people ought to be ligious and do good and let deir lights shine cause dat s de Safe8t way to go to Heben. At eh conclusion of the interview Susan asked: Is dat all you gwine to ax me? Well, I sho enjoyed talkin to you. I hopes I didn t talk loud nough for dem other Niggers to hear rae cau~e if you open your mouth dey slio gwine tell lt. Yes Ma am, I se too old to wuk now and I se thankful for de old age

187 183

183 pension. If it warn t for dat, since dis xuisery tuk up wid me, I would Ue done burnt up, I shot would. Good bye Mist ess.

Ellen Claibourn. 188 184

i~3(.St4v~. IJis7:;:2~ 1g0227 18~1 ELL~T ~IAL3OU?~N 3o8 Campbell Street (i~ic~ond ~Jount~y) Augusta, Georgia 3Y: (Mrs.) Margaret Jobn~on Editor F~dex a1 Writers Project Dist~. 2 Augusta, Ga.

189 185

-1- 183 ELLEN C lAIB OU RN 8oB Ca.~be11 Street Augusta, Georgia Ellen was born August 19, 185 2, on the plantation of Mr. Hezie Boyd in Columbia County, her father being owned by Mr. Hamilton on an adjoining plantation. She reniembers being given, at the age of seven, to her young mistress, Elizabeth, who afterward was married to Mr. Gabe Hendricks. At her new home she served as maid, and later as nurse. The dignity of h~r position as house servant has clung to h~r through the years, forming her speech in a precision unusual in her race. II trnerriber all our young marsters was drillin way oack in i86o, ~.fl the ODnfed rate ~Var did not break out till in April 1861. My mistis young husband went to the war, an all the other young Llarsters I r)Und us. Young rnarster s oes friend came to tell us all goodby, an he was killed in the first battle he fLlght in.. Befo! ~ the war, when we was little, we mostly ~layed ~o1ls, and h~d doll houses, but sometime young marster would come out on the OaC1C porch arid play the fiddle for us. ?!hen he played 01e D~n Tucker all the peo~)1es uster skip and dance bout and have a good time. My young rr~istis played On the piano. My granpa was so trusty and hon a~ le his old ni3rster give him and ~ranria they fi~e3dom when he died. He give him a little piece of land and a mule, and corne money, and tole him he didn t b long to nobody, 3nd couldn t work for no ody cept for pay. He couldn t free granpa s chiirun, Cause they already b longed to their young marsters and mistis~

190 186

-2- 18G es. He worked for Mr. Hezie ~oyd One year as overseer, but he say ~ ~1a clidn t wanter lOse his religion trying to r~adce slaves work, so he tOok to pr3achirig. He rode bout On his mule and preach at all the 9i2..flt~LtiOflS. I never rrember seem granrna, ut granpa caine to see WD of~ en. He wore a long tail coat and a ~ beaver hat. In that hL~.t ~I ~fl1~i~i. h~d always ~)8ck a pile 3f ~ in~er cakes f~r us chiirun. Tney 7!as big an thick, an longish, an we all stood round to viatch hirti t~2~ce off his hat. Every time he carne to see us, ~rannia sent 115 o1oth~s ai~d ~ran~a carri~d ~ em in his saddle oags. You ever see any :~rJdl~ bags, i~i~.t am? Well they couiJ sho hold a heap of stufft My pa ust~r come two or three times a week to our ~1antashun, an just so he w~s ~ck oy SUfl U~) for v~ori , nooody didn t say nothin to him. He just iiir~d bout three or f:~r lYi11~S way from us. Yes rna arn we w~t to church, and th~ white preachers ~~re~.ched for us. W~3 sat in the oack of the church just like we sits in the o1~ck of the street c~r~ now days. Some of the house serv~uits would ~go ~:)r1~ time ai~d ~orie another. All the hands could ~o out ev ryoody had to h1~S a ~ss, to sho who they o long to. ~Yes rna arn, the slaves wa~ whij~p~d if they zlidn t 1o they task ;iork, or i~f they steal 3ff without a pass, out if our marster found a Jverse~r whipped th~ sl~.ves Dvermuch he viJuli ~it rid 3f hin. We w~s ~.lvJays tr~at~ ~ood and kind and well cared for, and we was ha.p~y. $l~r0 rna arn, no overseer ever went to. marst~r s table, or in the houSe cept to speak to r:3rster. Marster had his overseers house and ~_:iv3 em slaves to cook f~r em and wait on em, out they never ~-jo any ~7 he re w j t h t he farn ly. The hQUs:~ ~rvants houses was ietter then the fiel h~nds and ~rst.er ust~r buy us cloth from the Gusta ~act ry in checks and plaids

191 187

for our dresses, but all the fiel hands clothes was made out of cloth what w~s wove on ~istis own loom. Sometime the p0 white folks in the neighborhood would come an asic to make they cloth on mistis loom, and she always let em. rfYes, rna am, vie had searnsters to ma~ e all the clothes for every ~ody, ~ nd mistis had a press room, where all the CiOth~~ was ~ut away ;~h~n they was finished. When any body needed clothes rnistis would go to the dress room an get em. During th~ w~r ~~iistis had one room all fixed i~p to take c~re Jf sick soldiers. They would ~oi~e stragglin in, all sick or shot, an ~ometin~es we had a roon-i full of em. Mistis had one youfl~ L)Oy to do ~~othin Iut look after em and many s the ni~ht I got up and halt the c~.ncI1e for ein to see the way to the room. Oh my ~wd, I saw plenty wounded soldiers. We was right on the i oad to :irightsboro, and ~lent~y of em pass by. That Confed rate ~ar v a.s th~ t erriDlest, .~wfu1lest thing. Nobody out me knowed where mistis buried her gold m~ney and finger :inZ~:)s 9nd ear rings and breat pins. I helt the candle then, too. Yistis and r~arster,(he wos hone then) an me went down oack of the ~:ra~ :~.f~Of to the garden-house. 1~iarster took Ui? SOIT~C ~lank~, en dug a hole like ~ grabe and ~mried a oi~ iron oox with all them things in it; then he put o~ck the planks. Nobody ever found em, and after the ar ~uas over 71e went 3nd ~ot em. s Yes ma am, ~ve rybody did they own work. Je e ook c ooked ~nd th~ rasher, sh~ didn t iron no clothes. De ironer did that. De house maid cleaned up, and nurse tan~ed the chiirun. Then they was butlers

192 188

-4- ~nd coacbmen. Oh, they was. a plenty of us to do eve ything. We di t have a s t ove ju s t a bi g fi re p lac e and b 1g oven on b.~thsides, and long handle spiders. When vie was fixin up to go to ~JThp Meeting to the White ~.kCamp rne~ting grounds, theycooked chick ~ns and roasted pigs, ~nd put apples in they mouth and a lot of other food - good food too. De food peoples eat these days, you couldn t F?.EVe got ~i22a2.a~ to eat. Camp Meetin was always in August and Se2tember. it w~s a good Yethodis meetin , and eve ybody got religion. Sometimes :1. pre~.cher would come to visit at thehouse, an all the slaves was c~illed an he prayed for em. Sometimes the young ones would laugh, Sn then marster would have em whipped. 1~1Ty young mistis had a sister older than her. She married Mr. ~rt1e Boyd, an they had a big weddin but she loved her home and her another and father so much she wouldn t leave home. She just stayed on living there. When her baby cone she died, ~xid I tell you, ma am, her flin al was most like a weddin , with so many people an so many flowers. ~1l the people from the plantashun came to the house, an the wimmen ~::~.d they babies in they arms. One the ladie~s say, How~come they let ~l1 these niggers and babies come in the house? But marst~r knowed all ~ loved r~istis, and he call us in. Marss Artie he wrote a long letter ~r~ all the things he got from mistis he give hack to her famtly an all his O~fifl things he give to his brother, an then he died. Some say his ~art strings just broke cause mistis died, and some say he took some t hing. ttNo, ma ain, I wasn t married till after freedom. I was mnarri~d ~i~ht here in Gusta by Mr. V harton, the First Baptist Church preacher, o~nt I lived and worked here ever since.~ 188

Berry Clay. Old slave story. 193 189

7Ji51::~ 7.. ~ A~e11a S. Dixon ~ ~/~S~Iavt-~ >~ D1striC~ 7 :li~3 . ~ ~ ~ BERRY CLAY ~7:~ ~ .. .~ ~ : ~ Slave Story Telfair County was the home o~ some colored people i~ho never were slaves, but hired their services for wages just as the race does today. Berry Clay, half Indian, half white, was the son of Fitenia Bob Britt, a i~ull blood Indian, who died shortly after his son s birth. His mother later xr~rried ;ifliern Clay, whose nanie was taken by the children as well as t1~ mother4 The family then moved to L~acon. Clay, next ~ oldest of five children was 89 years old on August 5, 1936, and while he was never a slave, reinexribers many incidents that took- place then. Not ~ny years after his mother remarried, she became very ill and he recalls beine lifted by his step-father to kiss her good bye as she lay dying. After her death, the family continued to live in South ~acon where the father was employed as overseer for a crew at the Railroad yard. ~ This position often called for the punishment of slaves but he was too loyal to his color to assist in, making their lives more unhappy. ~ His method of carrying out orders and yet keeping a clear conscience was unique - the slave was taken to the woods where he was supposedly laid upon a log and severely beaten. Actually, he was made to~stand to one side and to emit loud cries which were ceompanied by Lard blows on the log. The

194 190

~jstriCt ~? :~de11a S. Dixon continuation of the two sounds gave any listener the impres-. sion that some one was severely beaten.. it is said that Clay, the father, wore out several huge leather straps upon logs but that he was never known to strike a slave. :~r. ~adley, by ~ he was employed, was a wel1~known ~acon citizen who served as President of the Central of Geor~ia Eai1-~ road for nieny years. A monument on Mulberry Street nearly opposite the post Office is a constant rexuinder of the esteem in which he was held. Ills plantation was a huge one extending fron the Railroad yard as far as the present site of L~ereer ~Jniversity. A day of rest was given the slaves about once every three months in addition to the regular bolidays which are observed today. on holidays, frolics at which square dances were the chief form of entertainment (by the music of a banjo or fiddle) were enjoyed. Ring gaines were played by the children. The refreshments usually consisted of ash cakes and barbecue. The ash cake was made by wrapping corn pones in oak leaves and burying the whole in hot ashes. When the leaves dried, the cake was usually done and was carefully moved to prevent its becoming soiled. ~ skillful cook could produce cakes that were a golden brown aria. not at all ashy. The uembership of the local church was coxiiposed of t~ slaves from several plantations. It was an old colored church with a white minister who preacheU the usual doct~rine of the duty of a slave to his master. :he form of service was the saine as that

195 191

District 7 Adella S. Dixon ~ ..~3.. of the white church. one unusual feature of the plantation was its Sunday School ror ~e Negro children. Gourtships were very brief for as soon as a m.an or woman began to manifest interest in the opposite sex, the niaster busied himself to select a wife or husband and only in rare cases was the desire of the individual considered. Jhen the selection was made, the master read the ceremony and gave the couple a home. E~ie always requested, or rather demanded, that they be fruitful. barren woman was separated from her husband and usually sold. Very little money was handled by these people. The carriage drivers were more fortunate than the regular workers for they srnu~gled things to town when they drove the ~aster and niistress and sold them while ti~e family shopped or went visiting. At rare intervals the fie Id hand s were able to earn s~ll sums of money in this manner. ~ood was provided by the owners and all families cooked for themselves whether they were many or one. i he weekly allotments of meal, meat, etc., were supplemented through the use of vegetables which could always be obt~iried from the fields. on special days chicken or beef was given and each one had a sufficient amount for his needs. ffuntin~ and fishing were recreations in which the slaves were not allowed to participate although they frequently went on secret excursions of f this nature. All rood stuff as well as cloth for ~arnients was produced at home.

196 192

District 7 :192 i~de11a S. Dixon ______ ~AA~D I Clay we:5i,ui~Id 1~ very superstitious~ ~be~1iev*~in most of the si~ ns coini~ion1y believei in those days1 because he has wat C he d the ia and f OUnd. t ha t t he y are t rue He s t at e d tha t the screeching of the owl may be stopped by pLacing a poker in the fire and allowing it to remain until it becox~s red hot. Iie owl will then leave, but death will invariably follow its visit. The attitudes or the ti~o races in the South regarding the war ~rere directly op!osite. The whites beheld it as soxiiething horrible and. dreaded the losses that would necessarily be theirs. Sons and fathers had property to be considered, but they v ere generous in their contributionsto the soldiers. On the other hand, the slaves rejoiced as they looked forward to their free~ dom when the war was over. There were, however, a few ~ho were devoted to their masters to the extent that they Lought in their stead in the Confederate Army. Others remained at hQi~ie and skill-. fully ran the plantation and protected the women and ohildren until the end of the war. I Jhen Sher~~an x~iade his famous March to Sea , one phal~.r~ of his ~ army wrought its destruction betvieen this city and Griswold ~ ville. A gun factory and ~overnnient shoe factory were complete ~: ly destroyed. Althou~h the citizens gave the invader~ every-. ~ thing they thought they desired, the rest was destro~jed in most S\ instances. Tiley tried to ascertain the attitudes of the land \owners toward his servants and when for any reason thc~y pre-. \ sumed that one was cruel, their vengeance was expressed through

197 193

D~trict 7 Adella S. Dixon Ithe absolute destruction of his property. In nearly every ~ instance smoke houses were raided and the contents either des~ j troyed or given away. Barrels ot syrup f1owin~ through the : yard was a corrnnon sight. At the end of the war, the South was placed under military rule. ~he presence of the yankee~ gus~rdsmen had ~. psychological effect upon the Southerners and th~3r were very h~irable . ~ Before the terrors of the war had subsided a new~ena.ce sprang up - the Klu Klux Klan4 ~i ile it s energy was usually d ire cted against ~ ex slaves, a white man was soxr~tin~s a victixa. One such occasion was recalled by Clay. The group planned to visit a r~n who for some reason became suspicious and prepared to out~ wit thera if they carne. He heated a huge pot of water and when a part of his door was crashed in he reached through the opening and poured gourds of boiling water upon his assailants. They retreated,~while they were away, he made his way to Atlanta. ~ Another group which began its operations shortly after the close \ or the war was a military clan organized for the purpose of giv. ~ ing the ex.-slaves a knowledge of drilling and war tactics. ~n ~ order to disband was received from the Black horse Calvary by ~the leader of the group. His life was threater~d when he failed ~ to obey so he prepared for a surprise visit. Ee fortified his house with twenty-five men on the inside and the saine ni.unber outside. :hen the approaching ca1vary~en reached a certain point, the fifty hidden ~en fired at the same time. Seven menibers of

198 194

District 7 6- Adella ;. Dixon tbe band were killed and many others wounded. There was no j~irther interference from ~I1S group. Clay and. his father ran a grocery store just after Emancipation. He did not like this type of work and apprenticed hirnself to a painter to learn the trade. He is still considered an excellent painter though he does not receive much work. ~e has always taken care of himself and never ran about at night. J::e boasts that his associates never included a dancing woman. As he has used tobacco for sixty-five years, he does not consider it a menace to health but states t~t worry will kill anyone and the man who wants to live a long tine must form t:~e habit of not worrying. His Indian blood--the high cheek bones, red skin and straight black hair now tinged with grey make t his unmistakable --has probably played a large part in the length of his life.

Pierce Cody. Old slave story. 199 195

)~ 1 ; &deUa S. Dinn 195 ~ (~\ District 7. . ~ . u_-.-r~~~ f .~ ~:~ . ~ ~ :~ Old Slave Story Pierce Cody was the eldest son of L1.bert and Dorothy Cody. His tatber was born in Riobmond, Virginia, his mother in Warren County. Ihen the ~nancipa.. tion Proclamation was sIgned, h. the eldest child in a large tainily, was in ~ group lived on the place oined by Mr. Bob COdy~~~~ :~ t17 was a group of ardent believers in the Hardahell Baptist faith. So firm was their faith that a church o~ this den~iination was provided ior the slaves and each one re~u1red to bee~ne a nember. A *~iits minister Invariably preached the then worii, out doctrine of a slave s duty to his master, the reward ot faitlxtulness and the usual admonition against stealing. The members or this church were required to fast on one day of the w.ek~ ~ie fast last~1all day until seven in the evening. The ~nall boys, both white and ~ colored, resent~ the abstinence froet food,~4 usually secured a reserve supply which was cached during the week and secretly enjoyed on fast dey. Tiah iere ~ ~ ~ plentiful in all the streams and they sometii~s snsaksd away to the river and atter enjoying the sport, cooked their catch on the banks of the stream. Groups of ministers - 30 to 40 then traveled tr~n one plantation to another spreading the gospel, and ~re entertained as they traveled. On one occasion t1~ group arrived at the Cody estate on fast day. The boys having been on one of their secret fishing trips had caught so many perch that they were not able to cc~e~ them on the banks, so had snuggled them to the kitchen, coai~d the cook to prcmise to prepare them, and had also sworn her to absolute secrecy regarding their origin. Although the kitchen was not directly connected with the big hou~e , the guests soon detected the ercma of fresh fish and requested that

200 196

District ? A~eUa S. Dixon 19G - j, they be allowed to partake of thia delicacy. When the boys, as ~11 as \ ~. servants heard this they be cane panicky ~or they feared the wrath of / the master. But the catch was so hsartily relished that instsad of the j expected puniebn~nt, they ~re commended and allowed to fish on the next day \Of fastin Aha was c~iaracteristie of many others, the planter s hcm was near the center of a vest estate and in this instance h~d a tall lookout on the roof from which the watcbiti~m might see for miles around. ~e quartera ~re nearby and the care-4ree children who played in the large yard were cloae y watched as they ~re often stolen by ap.ou .atora and. later acid at auctions far away. T1~a land was divided into many fields each of which was used to cultivate a particular product. Each field had its special crew and overseer. J ~ ~ o4. ~ fr&~~ Cody s father was ~ teede* a~- ~ U~ ~TuuI~aroae at least two hours before sunrise to feed the stock. A large numb i of horasa and more than two hundred head of cattle had to be fed by sunrise when they were to be turnen into the pasture a or driven to the field to begin the day a work. After sunrise his t s duty ~ foreni~i for plo~rs began. Other worloers ~re hoe hands, addit louai foren~xi. cooks weavars spinners ae~natressaa, tailor., shoemakers, etc. As everything used iaa grown end made on the estate) there ~a plenty of work for a . . and in many instances ~ learned trades which they liked and ~ hich furnished a ~aane ~i~t .btaAaAi~ a livelihood when they were set free. / : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ Cody a first duties began ~ be~ ~ ~ b~w tu~e m~t ~ss~ a plowhand who broke xiewgrotind. La all of this land iras to be plo~d, a lack of Skill in E3akin straight furrows did not matter, so beginners were preferably used. Sb.ortly after he began plowing he was made fore~xan of one of the groupa.

201 197

District 7 Adella S. Dixon -3.. 1 ().7 ThUS encouraged by his master s faith in his ability to do a man s work, he assumed a grown up attitude under the stimulus of his new responaibilities and was married shortly after. At this time marriages resulted froen brief courtahipa. After the consent of the girl was obtained, it was necessary to seek permission from the master, whether she lived on the eemi~ or an adjoining plantation. In the latter case, the marriage rites were perfoz~ned by her master. The minister was not used in most instences~~.-the ceremony ~1,sad from a testamen~~y the owner of the bride. Marrie~es were nearly always perfon!~d out of doors in the l~t. after-. noon. The bride a iedding dress was fashioned of cloth made on the plantation frt:~21 a pattern of her own designing. Attendants at marriages ~m rare. After the ceremony, the guests danced far into the night by music from the fiddle and banjo. Retreahr~nta consisting of ginger cakes, barbecue etc. ~re served. sich a couple belonging to two different masters, did not beep houa. The ~o~n was allowed to visit his wife on ~edneaday night and ~~day ihen he might remain through Sunday. A~ marriage unions ~re permanent and a barren wife uaa considered the only real cause for separation. 1~~~~~ I Church services for this group weze held jointly with the white memubere, the two audiences being separated by a partition. Gradually, the colored members became dissatisfied with this typ of service and withdrew t form a separate church. The desire for independence in worship must necessarily hav been strong, to endure the inconveniences of the brash arbor churches that they resorted to. La a beginning, several trees were felled, and the brush and forked branches separated. Four havy branches with forks fomed the fran~work.

202 198

District 7 AdeUa 8. Dixon 198 I Straight poles ~re l~i across these to form a crude imi.tation. of beams ~ end the other fran~work o a builciing. The top end sides ~re formed o~ I brush which was thickly placed so that it foz~ned a solid wall. A hole left in ! one aide foi~d a doorway fran which beaten paths extended in all directions. : Seats made from slabs obtained at local sawmills completed the furnishing. In inclen~nt ~ather, it ~s not possible to conduct services here but occaaionaUy showers cama in the midst of the ~rvice and the audience calmly ~~~bed umbrellas or papers end with such scent protection, the worship continued. I ) ~.;ti/ 7+~LsL nday afternoons were quietly spent visiting be Ing the only iteana of recrea \ tion. One of the faTorite stay at liane pastimes was the inspection of heads. J The pediculous condition macle freq,uent treatment necessary for cOEnfort. The : ~ white men liked to visit the ~uartere and have the slaves search their heads. They would etretch full length upon the cabin floors and rest their heads . . upon a plUow. Usually they offered a gift of some sort if many of the tiny \ parasites were destroyed, so the clever picker who found a barren head simply 1~ reached into his Olin and produced a goodly number. There exiatea on this I plantation an antagonistic feeling toward children (born of slave parents) with ~ a beautiful suit of hair, end this type of hair was loept cropped very short. Gossip, Stealing, etc. ~s not tolerated. No one was ever encouraged to wtattle ~ on another. Locks ~re never used on any o~ the cabin doors or on the amnokehouse Food was there in abundance end each person was tree to replenish his s~ipply as nece asary. Money was mors or less a novelty as it ~s only given in 1 pieces at Christmas tine. As food, clothing, end shelter re furnished, tI~ absence was not particularly painful. Connected with nearly svery h ~ re

203 199

Diatriot 7 Adella S. Dixon 0.5~ those persons who lived in the wooda in preference to doing the labor ne ceasaxy to remain at their hozte ~aoh usually had a scythe end a bulldog i~or protection. As food becan~ scarce, they aneak~ed to the quartera in the etui or the night and coe~ed. aoiue friend to get f ood for them fxun the arnokehouse. Their eupply obtained, they would leave again. This ~e not considered stealing. M~dioa1 care W~8 also free. Zxoellent physiciens were maintained. It was not considered necessary to call a physi cian until hans remedies ~ usually tees made o~ roots - had had no effect. Women in childbirth were cared toz by grannies ,-. ~d wanen whose knowledge was broad by experience acted as practical nurses. Several cocks ~re regularly maintained. &~i~ cooked for the men ilio had no f~ilies, others for the imbers of the bi~ house and guests. The menus varied little from day tc day. A diet of bread ~ call d s1~rtening bread, ~ vegetables ezid enoked meat re usually consumed. Buttermilk was always plentiful. On Sundays ~seconds (flour) ~re added to t1~ list and butter accompanied this. chickens, fresh ma t, etc. uere holiday items and were seldom enjoyed at any other time, Not o:ily were the slaves r.quired to wo~k but the young men of the ~big house also had their duties. In the sunnner they ient fishing. While this sport was enjoyed, it was done on an exrremely large scala in order that everyone should have an adequate supply of fiai. The streams abounded in ai . kinds of fish, and nets ~m used to obtain large quantities necessary. In winter hunting wee engaged in for this sane purpose. Rabbits, squirrels, etc. imre the usual

204 200

District 7 AdeIla S. Dixon e e_~ F~ ~ ~ ) g~ but in addit icn the trapping The woods contained many oi them ______ ___ The hunters ho~yer trapped th i caught without injury to the flesh~ ~ ~ ~ also p1entffu ~ and ~niaon enjoyed diiriiig its asa~rn. ~rn.d wiakee vexe the greatest iinpedi~nta to more almndant hnnting. Knowledge of the ~r ~s kept fr i the alaise until long after its beginning. ~ost oi~ the~ii had no idea what ~r~ meant and aEy n wa that might bave been spread, teil on desi~ ears. ~ SdUa11Y thie knowledge ~a imparted by Yankee peddlere who ~ to the p .antatj to sell b.d-4iskliig etc. Ihen the ~et r aiacove,red ~ this inTh~ati i ~a being giTan out tbe~ pedillere ~re forbidde:: to go nar the quarters. This rule lea atrictly en~toreed. ~ventiiafly. the ~nf derate aoidiera on their ~ to and frau ce~p began to atop a~ the hou . Food and e~verything available ~s given to t~n. Thre o~ ~. Oody a ~na ~re killed i~ i~ttIe. As the Northern ~1diare d~d not eox~ iiea:~ the h~ the bes o1~ property .a pract icaliy ngligible v~ ~-S~tO bO TI~ ~L the ~ncipatici~ ~~1~ation ~aa aigne~, the alavee ~re called to the _oi~ hou~ ~ ir: a. ~atip to re i~~e the newa that they were tree Bohh old and : *Q~& cianoed and cherd ~ thia ixffox~ation vai given out. ~ny o~ the ~~U1ea ~ix~d thex~ ~or a year or t~ until they ~re able to find dO&irable 10 ~~a~tions eiw~re. Co~7 attribtr;ea hi~ ability to reach a ripe old age to the excellent eare he took o~ himae ! in hi~ youth4 Be haa ua.d tobaCco attica he a a &i ~U bo~ end ~oe~ not feel that it aff cte hie health. DiStLUd J4u0r ~8 plentitul iii 010 wild hoge ~a frS UelltlY indulged in. animale which were exceptionally vitioua. in ninth the a ~ y that rabbita are now -~---~ ~L-1-- ~ ~ i, ~ ~$ young days end he always drank but never to en exosu.

Ex-slave interview. Willis Cofer. 205 201

.~ ~ i)1~ ~- )~i ~ ~ SL(~~VE IN~RVILW WI~LLIS COFER 548 Findley Street, Athens, Georgia 201 Written by: I~dited by: Grace McCune Federal Writers .h roject Athens, Georgia Sarah H. Hall Athens, Ga. and I~ila Harris John N. Booth Augusta Ge orgia.

206 202

~v i:~r;~ ~) ~ .J~ ~ ~ J ~J .~.L ~ ~ L ~ ~d ~.J WILLIS COP~R Ex~-S1ave Age 78 Atliens, Georgia. Wi11j~ was enjoying the warm sunshine of an April r~orning as he sat on his small porch. Apparently, he was pleased because sotieone actually wanted to hear hifi talk about himself. His rheumatism had been painful ever since that last bad cold had ~readcened him, but he felt, sure the sunshine would draw out all ibe kinks. Having observed the amenities in regard to health and weather, the old man proceeded with his story: ~ Eden and Calline Cofer was r~y pa and ma and us all lived on de bid old Cofer plantation bout five miles from Washin tori, Wilkes. Pa btlonged to 1~iarseHenry Cofer and ma and us chillun wflz de property of Marse Henry s father, ~arse Joe Cofer. III wuz borned in i 6O, and at one time I had three brudders, but Cato and John died. ~ r oldest brudder, Ben Cofer, jE; still livin a,nd a preachin de Gospel somewhar up Nawth. Chilluns did have de bestes good tinies on our plantation, cause Old Marster didn t low em to do no wuk tu dey wuz 12 years old. Us jus frolicked and played r und de yard v;id de white chilluns, but us sho did evermore have to stay in ~iat yard. lt WUZ de cook s place to boss us when de other Niggers ;!uz off in de fields, and evvy time us tried to slip off, she cotch U~) and de way dat oman could burn us up wid a switch wuz a caution. tiDere warn t no schools for us to go to, so us jes .E)layed round. Our cook wuz all time feedin us. Us had bread and ~:i.JJc for breakfas and dinner wuz 1:10e ly peas and cornbreud, den WJj:ip~ r wuz milk and bread. Dere wuz so many chilluns dey fed us in

207 203

2. 203 a trough. Dey jes poured de peas on de chunks of cornbread what dey had crumbled in de trough, and US had to mussel em out. Yessur~, I said mussel. De only spoons us had wuz mussel shells vihat us got out of de branches. little Nigger- could ~ut peas and cornbread away mighty fast wid a ~r~ussel shell. tiBoys jest wore shirts what looked lak dresses tu dey wuz 12 years old and big enough to wu3~ in de field. Den dey )ut em on pants made oj~en in de back. Dem britches would look awful funny now, but dey wuz all us had den, and all de boys wuz mighty proud when dey got big enough to wear pants and go to wuk in de fields wid grown folkses. Vlhen a boy got to be a man enough to wear wants, he draweci rations and quit eatin out of de trough. All de slave quarters wuz log cabins and little fairfolies had cabins wid jes one room. Old Marster sho did want to see lots of chilluns round de cabins and all de big fa~blies ~JU ~ tlO~~d to live in two room cabins. beds for slaves wuz made Qy nailing frames, built out of oak or walnut planks to de sides of de cabins. Dey had two or three laigs to make em set right, and de i~attresses wuz filled wid wheat st~aw. Dere warn t no sto bought stoves den, and all our cookin wuz done in de fireplace. 2ots wuz hung on iron cranes to bile and big pones of light bread vjuz cooked in ovens on de hearth. flat light bread and de biscuits i~acie out of shorts wuz our Sunday bread and dey sho wuz good, wid nui. horne.~made butter. Us had good old corn bread for our evvyday oread, and dere am t nothin lak corn bread and buttermilk to iiake healthy Niggers. Dere wouldn t be so many old sick Niggers i1~OW 1f dey et corn bread evvyday and let all dis wheat bread ~.nd

208 204

3. 204. sto bought, ready made bread alone tcept on Sunday. tiDere wuz four or five acres in Liarster s big old gyarden, but den it tuk a big glace to raise enough for all de slaves and white folkses too in de sane gyarden. Dere wuz jus de one gyarden wid plenty of cabbage, couards, turnip greens, beans, corn, peas, onions, taters, and jus evvything folkses laked in de way of gyarden sass. Marster never lowed but one smokehouse on his pla . It wuz pluirib full of meat, and evvy slave had lais neat rations weighed out reg lax . Dere wuz jes one dairy house too whar de slaves got all de milk and butter dey needed. Marster sho did b lieve in seeing dat his Niggers had a ~aenty to Marster raised lots of ci ckens and de slaves raised chickens too if dey wanted to. ~arster let em have land to wuk for deyselves, but dey had to wuk it atter dey corne out of his fields. _~_ll dey made on dis land wuz deir own to sell and do what dey wanted to ~uid. Lots of em glowed and hoed by moonlight to make deir own cro~~s. Us used to hear tell of big sales of slaves, when s oi~~e t irrie s maimnie s would be s old away off fror~ deir chilluns . I t wui a . rful, and dey would jes cry and dray and beg to be lowed to stay together. Old ~Larster wouldn t do nothin laic dat to us. He said t~ w~.rn t right for de chilluns to be tuk away from deir mamrnies. _t dein sales dey would put a Nigger on de scales and weigh him, and th~ri de biddin would start. If he wuz young and strong, de biddin

209 205

4. 205 would start round ~15O ~nd de highe st bidder got de Nigger. A good young breedin Voman brung $2,000 easy, cause all de ~rsters wanted to see plenty of strong healthy chillun commt on all de time. tJyarpentersand_bricklayers and blacksniiths brung fancy pr~.ces from ~3,OOO to ~5,OOO sometinies. A Nigger what warn t no more n jes a good field hand brung bout ~2OO. Dem bricklayers made all de bricks out c~~ de red clay what dey had right dar on most all de plantations, and de black~ smith he had to make all de iron bars and cranes for de chimblies and fireplaces. He had to makede p1ow~oints too and keep de farm tools all fixed up. Sometimes at night dey slipped off de place to go out and wuic for money, au fixint chimblies and buildin thin s, out dey better not let demselves git cotched. !(amlny wove de cloth for our clothes and de white fol1~ses had em made u~p. Q~uilts ~and all de bed-clothes wuz made out of homespun cloth. n Dc fu ~~y1~erE~r wuz a llusah9~ ~a for de slaves. US WUZ proud of dat day cause dat wuz de onlies day in de year a Nigger could do zactly what he pleased. D~y could go huntin ,fishin or visitin r but mostof em used it to put in a ~ood days wuk on de land what Ma.~ter lowed em to use for deyselves. Jome of ein come to Athens and help lay bricks on a new buildin goin~ up on Jackson Street. No Ma am, I done forgot ~hat buildin it vIuze . ~ 9Us Niggers went to de whitefo1k,~~hurches. Mr. LOUISWI11IaInS preached at de Baptist Church on de fust Sundays, and Meferdiss (Methodist) meetin s wuz on d~ second Sundays. Mr.~

210 206

~. 20G Andy ~ ~ wuz two of de Meferdise preachers. Me and pa jined de i3aptis Church. Ma wuz jes a Meferdiss, but us all went to church together. Dey had de baptizin s at de pool and dere wuz sho ~a lot of prayin and shouti.n and sirigint goin on while de preacher done de dippin of em. De onliest one of dem baptizin songs I can ricollect now is, Wharde Hea1in ~ Water Flows. Dey waited tu dey had a crowd ready to be baptized and den dey tuk a whole Sunday for it and had a big dinner on de ground at de church. t De sho ~ nough b 1g days wuz 4eiri camp me e t i n days . White fo .kse and Niggers all went to de sanie camp meetin s, and dey brung plenty long to eat~ big old loafs of light bread what had been baked In de skillets. De night before dey sot it in de ovens to rise and byrnawnin it had done riz most to de top of de deep old pans. Dey piled red coals all round de ove~ns and when dat bread got done it wuz good nough for anybody. De ~ table s wuz loaded wid barbecued pigs and lambs and all de fried chicken folkses could eat, and all sorts of pies and cakes wuz spread out wid de other goodies. ~ t1Evvy plantation gen ally had a ~ and big dinnerforFourthofJul~r, and when sev ralwhite fainblies went in together, dey did have high old times tryin to see which one of em could git deir barbecue done and ready to eat lust. Dey jus et and drunk all day. No Ma am, us didn t know nuffin bout what dey wuz celebratin on Fourth of July, cept a big dinner and a good time.

211 207

6. When slave s got married, de man had to ax de gal s na and pa for her and den he had to ax de white folkees to low em to git married. De white preacher married em. Dey hold right hands and de preacher ax de man: Do you take dis gal to do de bes ~rou kin for her? and if he say yes, den dey had to change hands ~.nd jump overde broomstick and dey wuz married. Our white folkses ?~jUZ all church folksesand didn t low no dancin at weddin s but Iey give em big suppers when deir slaves ~ ot ~:Larried. If you :~ rried some gal on another place, you jus got to see her on ~ and ~adday nights and all de chiliuns b longed to de gal s v~thite folicees. You had to have a pass to go den, or de patteroliers ~./UZ sho to git you. Dem patterollers ever;iore did beat up slaves j_f dey cotched em off dey own i~1arster s glace thout no pass. If ITi~gers C~)R1d out run am and git on deir home lines dey wuz safe. 90n our place v ~ien a slave died dey washed de corpse L~~JOd wid plenty of hot water and soap and wropt it in a windin slicet, den laid it out on de cooliii board and s~raad a 3110W vthitc ;~~ct JV3I de ~ ihole ousi~ess, tu de coffin wuz made up. De windin sheet wuz sorter lak a bed sheet iade extra long. De coolin ooard :I~2 nade .tak a ironin board cept it had laigs. Jhite folkses rJZ laid out dat way same as Niggers. De coffins wuz nade in a day. J~3y tuk de ~easurin stick and ineasur~d de head, de body, and de footses :~rid made de coffin t~ fit dese :~easurements. If it wuz ~ man what died, dey put a suit of clothes on him before dey .Eut him In d~ coffin. Dey buried de ornans in de windin sheets. .Jhen de :Lg~ers ~ot fr~m de fields so~~io of em went and dug a grave. Den lay ~)ut de c~ffin on de oxcart and carried it to de graveyard ~7har

212 208

7 ( dey jus had a burial dat day. Dey waited tbout two months some times before dey preached de fun rai sermon. For the fun rai dey 3uilt a brush arbor in front of de white folkses church, and de ~7}Iite 3xseacher j~reached de fun rai sermon, and white foikses would come lissen to slave fun rals1 De song ~ost sung at fun rais wuz ~ ~ reason dey had slavefuntrals SO long atter de burial wuz to have teni on Sunday or some other time when de crops had been laid by so de Oth3r slaves could be ~n hand. tWhen white folkses died deir funt rais wuz ~)reaChed Defore dey wuz buried. Dat wuz de onliest diff u~tce in de way dey 3uried de whites and de Niggers. Warn t nobody embalmed dem :Ja,ys and de white foJJcses VJUZ buried in a graveyard on de farm same a~ de Niggers WuZ, and de same oxcart took em ail to de graveyard. ttOur Marster done de 3versee~in at his place hisseif, 3~~1d iie never had riohiredoverseer. Nobody never got a lickin ~n our )lantation lessen dey needed it bad, but wnen i~iarster did ~. zhu,p em dey knowed dey had been whu~jed. Dere warn t no fussin a~d fi~htint on our .iace and us all knowed ~oett3rt fl to take vihat iidn t b long to us, cause Old ~iarster sho did git atter Niggers what stole. If one Nigger did kill another Nigger, dey tuk him and i~cked him in dejailhouse for3J days to make his ~?eacewid God. ~vvy day de ~reacher would come re~ad de Jib.le to him, and w~~en de ~ 33 days wuz Up, den dey would hang him by de neck tu r~e died. i-~an what done de hangin read de ~3ible to de folkees what wu~ ;ath~rad round dar while de murderer wuz a dyin

213 209

8. 2()9 Its de devil makes folkses do i~ad, and dey a~j~better \-~-~______~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ . .- --. - ~- change and serve God a Mighty, so as he kin save ein before its too late. I Wlieve folkses haved better dein days dan dey does now. i&~,rster uade em be good round his place. When us tu.rned Marster s watch dogs loose at night, cloy warn t nothin covld come round dat place. Dey had to oe kept chained up in de daytime. Sometimes Marst~er let us take his dogs ;~.nd go huntin and dey wuz de best possum trailers round dem parts. ~7hen dey barked up a si~mnon tree, us allus found a possum or two in Jat tree . Sorneti~~es atter u~ cotched up lots of em, Marster let us have a tpo55~fl~j supper. J3aked wici plenty of butter and ~ tatoes arid sprinkled over wid red pepper, dey is mighty good eatments. My ~:IOUf ~ jus a~waterin cause l in thinkin bout possums. ayes Ma arn, us had corn shuckin~s, and dey wuz big old ~ . -- . - . ~ tines. Evvybody from plantations miles round wouLl take time out to come. sometimes de IDig piles of corn vioiild i:~ake a line most a ~~alf a mile long, but when all de 4~iggers ~ot at dat corn de shucks oho would fly and it ~vouldn t be so l6ng before all de wuk wuz done )fld dey would call us to supper. Jere wuz barbecue ~nd chickens, jus a plenty for all de Niggers, and corn bread made lak reg lar li~ ~it bread and sho enough light bread too, and lots of tato pies ~.nd :j,ll sorts of good things. Atter de War wuz over, dey jus turned de slaves loose idout nothin . Some stayed on v id Old Liarster and wukked for a little money and dey rations. Pa vient down on the Hubbard place arid wuicked for 40 Jollars a year and his rations. 1~ made cloth for all de folkees

214 210

round bout. Dey fotched deir thread and she wove de cloth for 50 cents a day. If us made a good crop, us wuz all right wid 1)leflty of corn, ~eas, tatoes, cabbage, couards, turnip greens, all de hog meat us needed, and chickens too. Us started out widout ilOthin and had to go in debt to de white folkses at fust but ~at wuz soon I)aid off. I never had no chance to go to school and g t book lamm . All de time, us had to vruk in de fields. Ku Kiuxers went round wid dem doughfaces on heaps atter de War. De Niggers got more beatin s from em dan dey had ever got from deir Old Marsters. If a Nigger sassed white folkses or kilt a hoss, dem Kluxers sho did evermore beat him up. Dey never touched me for I stayed out of deir way, but dey whupped my )a one time for bein off his place atter dark. when dey turned him loose, he couldn t hardly stand up. De Yankees jus about broke u_p de Ku Kluxers, but dey sho wuz bad on Niggers while dey lasted. I wuz ~oout 21 years old when u-s ~narried. Us never had no chillun and my wife done been daid for all dese long years, I. don t know hovr i:iany. I can t wuk and I jus has to stay hyar wid my daid orother s chillun. Dey is mighty good to me, but I gits awful lone ~o:ie some times. No Ma am, I am t never seed but one ghost. ~te one ni~:ht, I wuz commt by de graveyard and seed somethin dat looked tek a dog ceppin it warn t no Iog. It wuz white and went in a jr~~.ve. ~Lt skeereci m~ so I made tracks gittin way from dar in a. }mrry ~nd I ai:r~ t never been round no more graveyards at night. ~7hen I passes by de old graveyard on Jackson Street, I r~ibers lots of folkses ~.7hats buried dar, bofe white folkses and 9. 210

215 211

10. 9 p . ., ~ slaves too, for den white folkses put dey slaves whar dey aimed to ~)e ~ouried deyselves. ~at sho UBCd to ce a fine graveyard. 11Us all gwine to g t together someday when us all leav3s dis old world. I m ready to go; jus a~waitin for de Lord tc~ call me home, and I ain t skeered to face de Lord who will judge :~ all de same, cause I done tried to do right, and I ain t fraid to us. Uncle VIilis was tired and sent a little boy to the r~s the intervie~ er took her departure he said: God bless you. Jus put yourself in de hands of am t rio better ~lace to be. store for milk. Good bye Missy. us Lord, for dey . . . . . . 1~

Plantation life. Mary Colbert. Ex-slave - age 84. 216 212

01 ~ i~-~.k p-s PLANTATION LIFE MARY COLB.~RT 168 Pearl street Athens, ~eorgia V~7r1tten by: ~3adie . klornsby ~ . ~ . ~ Athens Edited by: Sarah H. Hall Athens and John~Z~ Booth District ~uperv1sor Federal Writers Project Residencies 6 dc 7 Augusta, ~a.

217 213

~)1 e~ ~ MARY COLBERT i~x-S1ave - ~ARe ~ (NOTE: This is the first story we have had iii which the client diUnot use any dialect. Mary Colbert s grammar was excellent. Her skin was almost white, and her hair was quite straight. ~ None of us know wha t a deep slave -was It may have the sanie meaning as outlandish J~egro. The outlandish Negroes were those newly arrived Negroes who had just coriie in from any country outside of the United States of America, and were untrained. They were usually just from Africa. sarah 1. HaIl) With the thermometer registering 93 degrees in the shade on a particularly humid July day, the visitor trudged up one steep, rocky alley and down another, hesitantly ne~ot1at d shaky little bridges over several ravines, scrambled out of a ditch, and f inal-~ ly arrived at the address of Mary Colbert. It was the noon hour. A Negro man had tied his mule under an apple tree in one corner of I~ry s yard. The animal was peacefully munching hay while his master enjoyed lunch from a battered tin bucket. Asked if Mary was at home, the man replied: Yessum, jus call her at de door. ~ :~ ~ A ~3u~ri-eus Virginia creeper shaded the front porch of Liary s five-room frame house, where a rap on the front door brought the response: Here I am, honeys Come right on through the house to the back porch. The aged mulatto woman was hanging out clothes on a line suspended between two peach trees. To the inquiry for i~iary, she answered: Yes, Honey, this is Mary. They say I am old, childish, and hellish; anyway, this is Mary. Dear, let s go in my parlor, she suggested in a I wouldn t dare go out on the front porch wear~ cultured voice.

218 214

-2 ixi~ this dirty dress. It simply isn t my way of 1ivin~. Mary Is about Live feet tall and wears her straight, snowy-white hair in a neat knot low on the back of her bead. The sparkle in her bright brown eyes bespeaks a more youthrul spirit than her wrinkled and almost white face would indicate. ~he was wearing a soiled print dress, brown cotton hose, and high topped black shoes. In remarkably good i~n~lish for one of her race she told that her daughter s family lives with her, so that I won t be right by myself. Then she began lier story: Honey, what is it you want me to tell you. ~ihere was I born? Oh, my child~ I ~ born right here in dear old hilly Athens. Yes, that s where I was born. Polly Crawford was my mother, and she belonged to i~iajor William . Crawford be1~ore he gave her to his son, iViarse John Crawford. Now about my Lather, that is the dream. tie died when I was just a little child. They said he was sandy Thomas and that he was owned by i~iarster Obadiah Thomas, who lived in Oglethorpe County. All I can remember about my grandparents is this: When I found my ~randina, Hannah Crawford, she was living on i~iajor Crawford s plantation, where Craweord, (~eorgia, is now. ~randma was a little, bitty woman; so little that she wore a number one shoe. ~he was brought here from Virginia to be a field hand, but she was smart as a whip, and lived to be 118 years old. I used to tell my mother that I wished I was named liaxinah for her, and so Mother called me Mary Hannah.

219 215

...~ j 4 ~di k) tu can t bring my grandfather to mind very clearly. I do remember that my mother took me to Pentleld to see him, and told me 1f I wasn t a good little girl he would surely whip me. They called him Uncle Campfire because he had such a fiery temper. For a living, after he got to be an old man, he made cheers (chairs), but for the life of me I don t know who he be~longed to, because I\t ajor Crawford $old him before I was born. There were five of us children; Nat, solomon, ~usannah, ~arah, and myself. Marse John gave ~iolomon to his daughter, Mj~s Fannie, when she married i iarse William ~i. Gerdine. 3usarinah belonged to Miss Rosa Golden, and ~iarah end I belonged to the other ivi1~5 Fannie. ~he was ~iarse Johfl,8 sister. J~at was iv~arse J~h~ ~ house boy, and our mother was his cook. We children just played around the yard until we were large enough to work. Yes, my dear, I was born in Iv~arse lOhn s back yard. klo lived in a two~story frame house on Dougherty Street, back of ~cudder s school. The two slave houses and the kitchen were set off from the house a little piece out in the yard. It was the style then to have the kitchen built separate from the dwelling house. Lord bless your life, honey~ We ciidn t live in log cabins, as you call them. There were two slave houses. :fhe one ~.ggie lived in was two story, the other one had just one story and they were both weatherboarded like ~iarse John s own house. The grown folks slept on beds made wi1~h tall oak posts. There were no metal springs then and the beds were corded instead.

220 216

) I ~c ~1 ~i 4 The straw stufted mattress ticks were made with plain and striped material, and pillows were filled with cotton. We children slept on trundle beds, which were pushed up under the big beds in the daytime, and pulled out for us to sleep on at night. No Ma in, there was never any money given to me in slavery time. Remember, Dear, when the yankees carne through here, I was only ten years old. Misses Fannie and Ann Crawtord were Major Crawford s daughters, and they kept house for Marse John. That morning in May I was wearing a sleeveless apron, and they (Miss Fannie and Miss inn) put a bag of gold and silver, and some old greenback Confederate money in my apron and told. me to hold on to it. Miss Fannie and Miss Ann, both of them, patted me on the head and. said: Now, be a good little girl and don t move. On came the Blue Coats: they went all over the house searching everything with their guns and swords shining and flashing. I was so scared the sweat was running down my face in streams. Bless your life~ When they came to the bedroom where I was standing by a bed, holding that money inside my apron, they didn t even glance at me the second time. Little did they think that little slave girl had the money they were huntIng for. After the yankees were gone, I gave it all back to Miss Fannie, and she didn tgive me the first penny. If any of the money was given to my mother she didn t tell me about it. I am going to tell you the truth about what we had to eat, so listen now. It was egg bread, biscuits, peas, potatoes

221 217

5 ~ ~ they were called taters then artichoke pickles, tea cakes, pies, and. good.old healthy lye hominy. There was plenty of meat served, but I was not allowed to eat that, as I was never a very strong child. I was a fool about stale bread, such as biscuit, cornbread, and light bread. Mother was a fine cook and her battercakes would just melt in your mouth. Of course, you know we had no stoves in those days and the cooking was done in open fireplaces, in ovens and pots. Oh yes~ We had a garden. There was only one on the place and enough was raised in it to feed all of the people living there. ~I don t reniember eating possums, rabbits, squirrels and fish until I went to J~oks~~, Mississippi, with Aviiss Rosa. There were plenty of those meats in Mississippi and I was then getting old enough and healthy enough to be allowed to eat them. At this point, Mary insisted on serving lunch for her visitor, saying that she had lived with white people and knew how to cook. After a polite refusal, the story was continued: I was laughing at myself just the other day about those homespun dresses and sleeveless aprons I wore as a child. I reckon that was a sign you were coming to ask me about those things. I kept one of those dresses of mineuntil my own baby girl wore it out, and now Iar~ sorry I let her wear it, for it would be so nice to have it to show you. We wore just a one piece costume in summer and had calico and muslin dresses for ~3unday. Wintertime, I wore a balmoral petticoat, osnaburg drawers, and er~r~r. Well, Jacobi I never thought I would live to see the day I d forget what our dresses were called. anyway they were of

222 218

o woolen material In a checked design, and were made with a full skirt gathered on to a deep yoke. Uncle Patrick Hull - he was a deep slave belon~1ng to Mr. A. L. Hull - made all the shoes for Marse John s slaves. We all wore brass-toed brogans. Oh, goods I should smiles A better man than Marse John never lived. Nobody better not beat his slaves. Marse John was the postmaster. ie married Miss Saille J~den, and everybody said she was mighty good, but I never knew her for she died when I was a baby. Ivlarse John and his w~fe, Miss Saille, had three children. They were: M1~s Fannie, i~iiss Rosa and Marse Allie. Miss Annie Crawford, who teaches in the school here, is Marse Allie s daughter. She don t know me so well, but I know mighty well who she is. I think I have already told you that Misses Fannie and Rosa kept house for their brother, Marse John, after their mother died. Darling, please get this right the plantation is a dream to me. If I should try to tell you about it, I am sure it would be only what my mother told me about it in the years long after the surrender. ~ihether the plantation was the property of iviarse John or his father, William 1. Crawford, I don t know, but I am sure there was an overseer, and I am quite sure lt was a very large plantation. You know the town of Crawford was named for my white folks. The only thing I can be sure of, from my own memory, is of the things that took place here in Athens. Breakfast had to be served promptly at 7:30. When that 9:00 o clock bell sounded at night, God bless your souU You had to be In your house, and you had to be in bed by 10:00 o clock.

223 219

7 Marse John never punished but just two of his slaves that I can remember, but I have seen them ~et several good whippings. They were Ned and William, Aggie s and Lucy s boys, and Marse John cowhided them for misbehaving. TtThere were jails during slavery time, but Marse John kept his slaves straight himself and did not allow any of them to be taken to jail. I have never seen slaves sold, -but I have seen droves of them marching by, being taken to Watkinsville to be sold. No~ No~ 0M No~ You had better not dare let white people know that you could read, in those days. I remember one colored man, Alfred ~vans, who used to read the Bible during slavery time. 11 the learning I have, I got after we were made free. There were two colored churches in Athens; one was Baptist and the other was iviethodist. Yankee ladies came down from the North and taught us to read and write. i have often considered writing the history of my life and finally decided to undertake it, but I found that it was more of a job than I had expected it to be, and then too, I would have to tell too much, sO I thought best to leave it alone. 1 went to church but very little during slavery time. iiowever, I dearly loved to go to sunday school, and never missed an opportunity of attending. One ot our sunday school songs was worded something like this t1 want to be an angel, And with the angels stand. ~~i ~

224 220

-8- My tavorite song began Around the Throne in Heaven, . ~ Ten Thousand children stand. OUL Yes, I know how they buried roiks in slavery time. i~or caskets they used straight, white pine boxes that they called cof1~ins. I~hey didn t have funerals like they do now. A preacher would say a few words at the grave and then he prayed, and after that everybody sang something like I will arise and go to Jesus. I was a singer in my younger days. All I remember bout Negroes going off to the North was when their masters took them along on trips to wait on them. Bless your life~ .L~hat was one time when the ones that could read and write had the advantage. fhey were usually chosen to go along so if anything happened to the Marster on the trip, they could write back home. I never saw patrollers, but I heard that they used to beat up Negroes who were caught away from home without a pass. j iiarse John kept his slaves supplied with passes at all necessary times. Not all the slaves had to work on saturday afternoons. This was their time of the week to get together and have a little fun around their quarters. sunday mornings they went to church, as a rule, and on sunday nights they visited each other and held prayer meetings in their homes. Don t get me wrong. They had to have passes to go visiting and attend those prayer meetings. Christmas time was a holiday season for slaves, and they had everything good you could want to eat. Listen, Child, ani telling you the truth. They even had pumpkin pie. Oh,yes~

225 221

g _ ( %;~ _~_;~ ~ santa ~J1aus carne to see slave children. Once I got too smart for my own good. ~L1ss Fannie and Ivliss Ann had told us to go to bed early. They said if we weren t asleep when santa Claus got there, he would go away and never corne back. Well, that night I made up my mind to stay awake and see santa Claus. iVilss Fannie and Miss Ann slipped into our quarters right easy and quiet and were filling up stockings with candy, dolls, and everything you can imagine. While they were doing that, they turned around and saw me with my eyes wide open. Right there my ~3anta Claus ended. .Ve didn t have any special observance of New Year s Day. It was the same a~ any other day. Mother said they had oornshuckings, quiltings, and. cotton pickings on the plantation. ~he told me a good deal about the cornshuckings: about how they selected a general, whose job was to get up On top of the corn pile and holler at the top of his voice, leading the cornshucking song, while the others all shucked the corn and sang. after the corn was all shucked there were aiways fine eats. can remember the quiltings myself. .L~he women went from one house to another and quilted as many as 12 quilts in one night sometimes. After the quilts were all finished they had a big spread of good food too. 1~ow it takes a whole month to quilt one quilt andnothing to eat. What gaInes did we play? Let me see. Oh~ yes, one of them was played to the rhyme Chiokimy, chiekimy, Craney Crow I went to the well to wash my toe, ~hen 1 got back my chicken was gone What time, Old Witch?

226 222

- o- )~ - i _ *~_,~ ~ .. Then we would run and. chase each other. Another sanie was played to the counting out by the rhyme that started: Mollie, Mollie Bright, three score and ten. Honey, there is no use to ask rae about Raw Head and Bloody Bones. When folks started talking about that, I always left the room. It is a shame how folks do rigliten children trying to make them get quiet and go to sleep. I don t believe in ha nts and ghosts. Since I have been grown, I have been around so many dead folks I have learned that the dead can t harm you; its the living that make the trouble. When his slaves were taken sick, Marse John always called In a doctor. An old woman, who was known as Aunt Fannie, was set aside to nurse sick slaves. Dr. Joe Canton was Marse John s doctor. What I am going to tell you is no tairy tale. Once I was so sick that iViarse John called in Dr. Canton, Dr. Richard M. Smith, i)r. Crawi~ord Long, and Dr. Janies tong, before they found out what was wrong with me. I had inflammatory rheumatism and I wore out two and a half pairs of crutches before I could walk good again. Now, L)r. Crawford Long is a great and famous man in history, but it is sure true that he doctored on this old 1~egro many years ago. Honey, don t flatter me. Don t you know a little girl 10 years old can t remember everything that went on that far back. A few things they dosed the slaves with when they were sick was horehound tea, garlic mixed with whiskey, and the worm-few (vermifuge ~) tea that they gave to Negro children for worms.

227 223

I..11.. 2~ I ~ -~ That worm-few dose was given in ~ipri1. Asafetida was used on us at all times and sage tea was considered a splendid medicine. ttWhen news caine that Negroes had been freed there was a happy jubilee time. Marse John explained the new freedom to his slaves and we were glad and sorry too. Iviy mother stayed with Marss ~ohn until he died. I was still a child and had never had to do anything more than play dolls, and keep the children in the yard. Lord, noney~ 1 had a fine time those days. It wasn t so long a1~ter the surrender berore schools for Negroes were opened. It looked like they went wild trying to do just like their white folks had done. AS for buying homes, I don t know where they would have gotten the money to pay for homes and land. At the time I married I was a washerwoman for the white folks. I~iy first husband was Isaac ~L~~ixon, who came from some place in ~labania and had been owned by 1r. Lipsoomb, the chancelor of the university. Dr. Lipseomb married us in the colored Methodist church, and that night the church was crowded to overflowing. I wore a white dress made with a long train; that was the style then. ~rter the ceremony, ray mother served cake and wine at her house. Our six hildren were prettier than you, but only three of them lived to get grown. Our white friends named our children. My first husband died and then I married Jones Lolbert, who belonged to i~arse ~cletcher L olbert of i~adison County. ~e just went around to the preacher s house and got married. Jones was an old man when 1 married him. ~e was a preacher. r e is dead now and so are

228 224

12 ail my children except one. I have one grandson, and this Is the shameful part about him; his mother won t married when he was born, but of course she married later. Now I am going to tell you the truth as I see it. Abraham Lincoln was an instrument of God sent to set us free, for it was Gad s will that we should be freed. I never did hitch my mind on Jeff Davis; like the children of Israel, he had. his time to rule. i3ooker T. Washington~ ~ ~ell, now I didn t give him a thought. lie had to d.c his part. nis mistress had taught hirn to read. 1 Why did I join the church~ ~Iell, when the white folks sent tneir help off to ivij.ssisslppl trying to keep them slaves, my sister and I went with i~iiss Rosa Crawford to Jackson. Before I left home my mother gave me an alabaster doll and told me to be a good girl and pray every night.. ~eil, I never saw so many slaveS-houses in my life as i ~~aw in i~iississippi, ~very ni~t w~ien j heard a colored man named ~en praying in his room that made me think of what my mother had told me and 1 grew more and more homesick for her. ~inally one night I crept into Uncle Ben s room and asked him to tell me about Uod, and he did. After that, every nignt I went Into his room and we prayed together. Yes, ioney, :1: found L~od iii Jackson, ~ and joined the church just as soon as I could after I got back to my mother and dear old Athens.

229 225

1~3 Yes, 1 oney, I was raised and loved by my own white folks and, when. I grew to be old enough and large enough, I worked for them. I have been with, or worked for, white folks aU my life and, just let me tell you, 1 had the best white folks in the world, but it was by L~od s plan that the Negroes were set free, .

A slave remembers. 230 226

~) \.~ ::i::i 5i-::~ / iOO~13 . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4*~u *1 ~ ~ ~ j ~ I, S JBC~CT: A SLAVE R:::Ei:EEF~s r -~ . fl -r ~ m -~ ~ - ~ - ~ .r- ~ ~L). J~ ~ .~ 4 iIOR: ELW~RD FIo::LEN $UPERVISOR: JOSEPH E. JAFFEE

231 227

100213 -~ 4~_~_ -~-- ~ ~_ ~ 4 A SLAVi~ RM,i~~RS ~. ~ The front oor of a little vine- clad. cottage on Billups Street, in AL~1ens Geor~4a cuaked. open and John Cole, ex~slave confronted a OV fljflt irlan, ~ Yes, he was the son of Lucius Cole and. Betsy Cole, was in his 86th year, and rerneubered the time way backit when other ~ov mint men with their strange ways had. descended on Athens. And far beyond that, back to tile time when they had. tried him out as a scullion boy in the big town house where his mother was the cook, but it see::~ed that the trays always escaped .L1 S ClliJLlSy ~ ;Ufl~ 11811d8. So Ui.iarse F~enry had put iiir~ on tile 200 acre Oglethorpe plan~ Lati~OL.~ as apprentice to traini~~ of tile farfa horses whose large un ~anageableness he found ~iiore manageable thaz~ tiie dainty china of the i~anker s hcuse. He simply i ad followea more after his father, the ~rra~e ariver t~:an his mot~~er, the cook. of course, all fifteen of the hands worked from sun up to :.~~n.-dov~~n, but his aunt was t~e plantation cook, afld it was not so ~:a t~ere. The ni~ht brou~i~t no counsel, but it brou~it better. Stretch c~ow iii.c~es oVer c~eese b3Xes and y~u ~ad tambourines. Saw bones from a~dfLLLd~/. :)ft a cow, i~~oc:~ t~:em to~et~er,. and cali it ~ Or use broom straws, J~l fi ~le~st:~n~s, and y~u had your entire orchestra.

232 228

Page-2 row older, and get by the gates with a pass (you had. to have a pass or the paddle-rollers would get you, ) an . you had. you a woman. If the woman ~ t willing a good. hard working hand oould a1w~~-ys get the ~aaster to inaJ~e the girl marry him-~whether of no, willy nilly. If, a hand were noted for raising up strong blaok buek6, bucks that would never ttlet the monkey get them while in the high noon hoeing, he would be sent out as a species of circuit rider to the other plantations -~- to plantations where there was over-plus of worthless young nigger E~als . There he would be married off again--time and again. This was thrifty and saved any actual purchase of new stock. Always O1~ Saturday afternoon you would have%ill first iark , ~or base-ball, and fr m first dark till Sunday-go-to meet-. in~ for drinking and dancing. Sunday you could go to the colored church C with benefi t of wlii te clergy) or you could go to the whi te church just like real class except you sat in the rear. No, it was not a bad life. You usually weren t sick, but if you were sick, it afforded yju the luxury of tea. Turpentine and. caster oil coraposed the entire materiarnedica~ Turpentine was used for sore throats, cuts and. bruises. Castor oil was used for everything else except a major fracture which called for the master sending in a doctor to the quarters. Yes, the gov raint men with the blue uniforms and the shiny ~: ass buttthns had descended from the North on Athens --descended in spite of the 6ouble barrelled cannon that the little master

233 229

Page - 3 229 and the little rnaster s men had tried on them. The blue clad in-. vaders had corne in despite of the quick breast-.works, and. the new fangled cannon, and Bob Toorabs boast that he could beat the damn Yankee s wi th corn stalks before breakfast ( If only they had fought that way-- if only they had~needed grape-shot had enou~i to invent cannon mouths that spoke at the same time and were neant to mow down men with a lone chain--if only they had not been able to fight long after Bull Run, and after breakfast~) Yes, the Yankees bad corne over the classic hills of Athens (Athens that had. so many hills that she would. have been named Rome except for :~er first land grant college,) had left, and had come again to stay, and. to brine freedom to John Cole and his kind. This was six months after Lee and his p landins had laid down the sword the ~al1ant, the unstained (but, alas, claimed ~eade s batteries) the unconstit~citionai sword. Six raonths had ~~one arid freedom had come. Eut John Cole, slave of Henry Hull, the banker, found that his freedom was the freedom of the bi~ oak -. Athens i~amed tree that owns itself. He was free, but he had no way to go anywhere. ~e was rooted in tiie soil and would stay fast rooted. He worked on with his iaaster for 20 years,~ without pay. p, Did he believe, t~ack in slavery time.,.~ in signs and in saying& t~~at the itching foot meant the journey to new lands that the hound s midnight threnody meant murder?. No, when he was a young buck and had managed the bad horses, ~e had had no such beliefs. No, he was not superstitious. If the

234 230

Page 4 foot i~ehe . something ou&3at to be put on it (or t~en off It) and aG to the hounds yelping, nobody ever kn6w what dark time foolish IICSS a hound do~ might be up to. But he was old, now. Death alw~ys comes in the afternoon. ~e does believe in things that have been proved. He does believe that a scuinch owl s scr~chiri~ ( V o o-~o-~d o o1 W h o o o? Y o~ u~ U) is a sure sian of death. L~win~ of a cow in afternoon eor~ia meadows beans death mi~~ty close. If death come c~own to ~ house, better stop clock and put white cloth on iiiirrors. :~io loud talking per :~itted. setter for any ~ er to bow low down to death. ... To what factors did he attribute his lon life, queried ~lC ;ov mint man. LonE; Ilving ca.~ie from leaving off smoking and drinking. ould i:e have a nickle cigar? :~ie would. Yes, he was feeling cuite tol able, thank you. But he be lieved now jil the owl and the cow and the clock. In the morning ti~~~e one lives, but death always come in the afternoon. Eetter for any nt~.~er, anywhere, to bow low down to ~ ~ath.

Plantation life as viewed by ex-slave Julia Cole. 235 231

.) -~ ~ .~J~ - !o~(-~ : / :~ PLANTATION LIFE as viewed by Ex-Slave JuLIA COLE 169 Yonah Avenue Athens, Georgia 0e. ~.c.dk Written by: Edited by: Corry Powler Athens - Sarah H. Hall Athens - Leila Harris Augusta - and J~ohn N. Booth District Sujervisor ~ Federal Writers Proje et i~tesidencies 6 & 7.

236 232

o ~ ~ ~ ~s ~ JULIA COlE ~x-~~awe - A knock on the door of the comfortable little frame house which Julia Cole shares with her daughter, Rosa, brought the re~ sponse Who dat? Soon Ro sa apj~eare d ~C orne in Honey and have a cheer, was her greeting and she added that Julia had 1ste~ed across de street to visit round a little. Soon the neighborhood was echoing and reverberating as the call, ~Te11 Aunt Julia some~ oody wants to see her at her house,tt was repeated fron cabin to cabin. few moments later Julia walked in. Yellowish gingercake in color, and of rather dumpy figure, she presented a clean, neat aj~earance. She and her daughter, who cooks for a dentist s fanilly, take much ~ride in their attractively furnished home. Julia was of pleasant manner and seemed anxious to tell all that she could. lt is doubt~ fui if Rosa xnade much j~rogress with her ironing in an adjoining room, for every few minutes she came to the door to remind her ~other of some incident that she had heard her tell before. Julia began her s tory by saying : I was b orn in Monroe, Georgia and b longed to Marster John Grant. My Mamma was Mittie Johnson, and she died de year fore de war ended. I don t member my Pa. Mamma had four chillun. Richard and Thomas Grant was my brothers, but ~e and my sister Hattie was Johneons. ~rse ~Tohn had a big plantation and a heap of slaves. Dey was rich, his folks was. Dey is de folks dat give Grant s Park to Atlanta. Dey called my grandpa, Uncle Abram. Atter he had wukked

237 233

Page 2. ~ hard i.n de field all day, he would just lay down on a bench at night and sleep widout pullin off his clothes. Us had horns-made beds in de cabins widout no paint on tern Evvything slaves had was homemade, jus wooden...legged things. Even de coffins was nade at home out of pine wood. Now me, I didn t sleep in de cabin much. I slept on a little trundle bed up at de big house. In de aytime my bed was Dushed back up under one of de big beds. Marss John s eon, Marse Willie Grant, blowed de bugle in de rnornin s by 4~~o clock to g t de slaves up in time to 1 e in de fields by daybreak. When slaves got too old to wu.k, dey took keer of de chillun in a house down below de kitchen. ~nmia wukked in de field when she was able. Nobody on our place had to wuk in de fields on Sadday evenin s. Dat was de time de omans washed deir clothes and cleaned up. tChillun didn t have much to do. Us loved to hunt for turkey nests cause dey give us a teacake for evvy turkey eg~ us fotched in. Chillun et in de yard at de big house, whar dey give us plenty of meat and cornbread wid good vegetables for dinni~r, i?or oreakfast and supper, us had mostly buttert ilk and cornbread~ On Sundays us had bread made from wheat flour and so,ppedgood oLd syrup wid it. Sometimes Marse John would give us n~ission to kil~ little pigs at night arid broil em over de coals in our yards, and iiOW us did enjoy emt I ain t never suffered for nothi.n in all m~ life, cause de OErants was mighty good white folks. De old White noms on ?rince Avenue was deir summer home. When dey built it, woods was all

238 234

Page 3. 234 t round and dere warn t many house s in dat section. *IIs had pientyofclothes made out of home spun ehe eke, ~nd Marse John give us bra3~j4~~oes. Our dresses was well sewed and mad e wid belts to em. Nobody went bout half naked on our plantation lak some of de old folks f um other farine talks bout. Us had good well-made clothes, even if dey was made out of common cloth. *Nobody on our plantation run away to de North, and de ~addyrollers didn t git nobody at our place neither. Marss John was toogood to evvybody for his slaves to want to cut up and run way ~nd do things to make de paddyrollers hunt em down. Dey didn t have no jails cause dey didn t need none on our place. Sometimes i~:rSe John made a colorednian named UncleJimcoaper give em a good whu,ppin when dey needed it4~ When us was sick~ dey give us herbs and.things of dat sort. In de springtime, dey give us jerusalem oak seed in syrup for nine mornin s and by den us was allus rid of de worms. Dey ~ tended to slave chillun so good and dutiful dat dere warn t many of em ~Jed, and I don t never member no doctor commt to my Mamma s house. Old Missus used to teach us in de bluie back spellers and v;hen I didn t know my lesson she made me ~un l uni de house to de gyarden gate for punishment. i~e more words I missed; de more times I had to run. Us had our own church services on de plantation under home~made brush arbors, and our colored preacher was Uncle Charles :~ooper. 0On~ some sojers oome by our place lookin for Marse John. He had done hid in de loft of de meat house and told evvybody on de ~iace dey better not tell whiar he was;. Dey didn t find Marss John,

239 235

Page 4. but dey did find his son, Marse Willie, and dey tuk him long wid ein. Marse Willie was de only chile dat Marster and Missus had and it nearly killed tern for him to be tuk way from em. W~n Mr. Lincoln s general got to our j4ace he was a-ridin a big red hoes dat sho was a grand animai. Dem sojers went in de srnokehouses and store s evvywhar and tuk what dey wanted. Not long fore de war ended, my Mamma tu.k a lapse f um measles and died. Fore she died, she sont for Marse John and told him what she wanted done and he done jus what she axed. She give him my h, ~ichard and Thomas and told him to take dem two ooys and to ~nake ~nen out of em by makin em wuk hard. I jus lak t o have d le d w he n my ~mma d j e d De y earn. e d he r t o de grave yard and put her down in de grave and I jus. couldn t help it; I jumped right down in dat grave wid her, and dey had to take me out. My brothere said I was plum crazy dat day. Atter de war was over, ~~rster moved his f~znily to Atlanta on Peachtree Street. ills grandson dat was born dat year died not long ago. Dey didn t have no farm in Atlanta and so dey didn t need ~ l1 deir old servants. My sister Hattie was a oaby and ~untie tuk h~r to Atlanta widde Grants. ~I don t know what corne of de others on ~iarster s farm. I had to git in a coveredwagon and come wid my Uncle Jordan Johnson to Athens. I didn t want to leave, and I hid down under our things in de wagon when dey made me come. When us crossed de river, I was sho us was oout to git drownded. One time att~r dat us tuk a trip to Madison to see de old breastplates (breastworks) dar.

240 236

Page 5. ) ~e~ My brother Torn got to be captain of a colored troop dat went to de Phili~~ine Islands. Over dar de sojers kilt a big snake and et it all but de head. He had dat thing stuffed and brought i.t home. Atter he left de army, he got a job in de Atlanta Poet Office whar he wukked tu he was tired. I was hired out to de Marks family and stayed dar for years and dat was a mighty good place to be hired out. I was married twice Me and Crit Clayton marri cd at home . I am t nevei~ seed nothin lak dat Pretty flowerdy weddin dress dat I wore and I had de prettiest hat and things dat I ever seed.. ~r next husband was ~ndrew Cole - He was Rosa s Pa. I forgits de name of de white preacher dat married us when us went to his house and axed him to. Four of our seven chillun is still livin . Dey tells me our old big house near Monroe is standin yit, and I sho do wish could see it once more fore I die, but since I broke my hip a few years ago I jus don t ride in dem automobiles. No Ma am, I don t limp. De Lord was good to heal my hi~ and I am t takin no chances on breakin no more of my bones. . . . . . . . e . . . . . . .

Ex-slave interview. Martha Colquitt. 241 237

~ f 1$ ?~ ~ ~ (~f~_ ~ INTERVI 1.W 3LkR~k COI4JITT 190 LyMon Avenue Athens, Georgia Wtitte~n bys Ez.~sLAv:g Mrs. Sarah H. Hall JIdsz ai T~ritera Projeot Atheni, Geozgia. Edited bys John. L~ Booth, Diaiz~i at Su~s~rvi ior J sdsr al Ylritsre Project i~sidenoise ~ & 7 Aiaguata, Georgia.

242 238

(1) MAI~HA COLQUIT? Ex.Slayi ~ A~S 8~ ml aged Nsgtees 3.saned beavfly on her cane as abs shuffled about her tiny porch in the waning sunUght of a 0014 Jauua~y day. An airp~Lane writing an adtertising slogan in 1ettezi~i of smoke high in the sky was ziosiving but indifferent attention fz~ Aunt lartba. 8be shi~ex sd and oooasionafly leaned against a poet until a parozys~ of coughing subsided. ~rniat would you bave thought of that if lt had suddek~1y a~p arsd in the sky when you were a obildV abs was asked. ~It would bave soared ins p1u~ to death,0 was the response. KI didnt ooms out here just to see dat, she continued, a1 didn t bare notbin to mak no tire vid, and I had to git out in de sunabiM sause it wuz too cold to stay in de house. It sbo~ is mighty bad to bave to go to bid wid cold f~ t and cough aU night Iong. Her visitor aould not resist the impulse to say, 9.et s risks a trade, Aunt ~artbat 1f I give you a little money will. you buy ~oo4; then while you enjoy the fire will you think bask over your lite and till xris about youz experiences when I ooe bask toivorx ow?~ 31sse da Lords I shoe will be glad to teU you de truf bout anything I can ~aembez ,~ was ber quiok reply as she reached foi the rioney. . . e ml nsxt day Aunt Martha was in bed, slowly eating a bowl of potlioker and turnip greens into whiob ooi nbread bad been orumbled.

243 239

(2) 239 *~P ehie )uu~t so bad X ~ioi4~*n t git up today,~ was b~ gx~eetirig, but ut right dar by m~ bed an4 I aan talk aU right, long a. I don t hays to wa k about non. Welkin maks$ in aough.0 soon the bowl1 wae empty and when she had wi~sd her mouth with the alsevi of her nightgown, Aunt Martha bgans Then I viii born, a~ ma b longed to Xaree Billie GLenn and us lived on hie big p1~ntation way down below Lzin ton. lty pa wuz Anderson Mitohisli. He corne froa IilledgeYille and b loxiged to Mr. D1, Smith, The 8i~iithies livid aloes by Ma~ei BiULs s laes. }~ ma wuz }Ieaion litohili. Z don t know wk~t her Lait naas wuz tore ehe married. She wuz born in Vixginny, and her and m7 grand. ma Wuz sold and brought to Georgia whin ~ vuz a baby. Grandma nevir did ei. none of her othr ohillun or her husband no more, and UB never did hear ~ bout ei. 1Ma had four ohiUun. Lusy wuz ~y onhies aister. Mr. i~Yenport bought tier and ehe gr~wed up at his plaos, what vuz called DS Glads. It wuz a big fine plaie at Point Petit, Georgia. Lucy married a Ta7 or. ~I;y brother, Isaao,~wuz raiced a~ L . Haailton a laae at Point Peter, After he growed up, he wOrked in Atlanta and bought hia a hoi~e dar. H got in a fight wid a man vhat~ had done etobbed hiz mule, and de man hurt Imaac so bad he went orazy and died in de a1yltia at MiUedgsviIle, but dey took hia baok and buried hia in Atlanta. ~My other brother wuz An4~~~oj~ itsheu, and after free. daim aome hi ~ot work in Athene at de oornprer.. lu bose mas mcvd to Augusta and to ~ Andereon wid hi. to work in de o~preea dar. One day ~omsthin blsd up a~d be Ui ssaldd eo bad Lt para 4zed

244 240

(3) 240 him. De~ brought him back hex s, but he soon died. *MI~ a house vus right on de edge of Mai*i Billie s yard, cause ehe wuz de cook. Grandna lived in de sans house wid na and us chiUun, and ehe worked in de loom house and wove oloth aU de tins. he wove de oheokldy eloth for de slaves ~ and ehe made flannel oloth toot leaseways, it wus part flanne3~. She asdi hea . of kinds of aloth1 Oui beds had big home.aade posties and transe, and ua used ropes fox springe. Grandaa k~ought her feather bed witt her fros~ Virginny, and she uasd to pisse up a heap of quilts outen our oie OIO IR and any kind of aorapa she could get a hoU ot. I don tknow what de others bad in dey osbini cause na didn t low her ohiflun to visit round de other folkess nom. . Ma a chillun aU had vittals tx ~ 4. white tolksea kitohin. Attu Illarse ~illie a ZaIIIbI.y done et and left de t&bZe~ de oook WLIZ s~posed to take what wuz left to feed ds house niggu s and her GWfl ahtilun, and ue did hais she fluff good vittale. All di other slave folks had dey rations weighed out to ~sa every week and dey! cooked in dey own aabin~. When d wheat vus ground at di niiU it ~d4 white flour, and shorts, and sioonds. Most of de shoi ta wua weighed out in rations for dc slave folks. low and da at Christmas and speaia~ tines dey got a little white flour. Dey liked oor nbrsad fox reg Ie~ catin 0 Dey !IIa always lots of hogs on tarse B;LUii s plantation, and hie oolored folkee. had plenty or side nisat. 8laves never had no time to hunt in de day tia., but dey shoe ~ oat h lots of poseuns at night, and dey knowed how to git cattish at night too.

245 241

(4) 241 t$ ~085 de road fz ~ de 4ig Ouse, rnarss Billie had a big gyarden, arid he seed dat his hs bad ~1sniy of eo~nethifl good to bile. ~y won t no separate Dard,ne. ~7 didnt hays no time to work no gyardsna of day ~n. 01n euiau z tim, us ehillu~ wore just one piece of olo ee. It wuz g sask api~on. In winter grandma made us yarn underekirta and yarn trawsi s buttoned down over our knees. Ma tiads our horns. knit stookings. Dey oalied our brase toed shoes brogans. I don t speak you ever seed a brass toed shoet SOur ~3ig Ouss sho vus one grand fine plase. Why, it must havi been as big as de Xiii Stone Baptist Churoht It wuz aU painted white wid green blinds and had a big old high poX~ah dat went nigh all z ound de house. . If I eye: did hiat what Max~se Billie s wi~e wuz naasd~ I dons plia clear forgot. Us called hex ~Iiat~sss long as a)* lived and I don t reaolleot hearin ber called nothing sise. Max~ster and Mist ess neYer had no little ahillun whilst I wuz dar. Miss Lizzie wuz dey youngest obild and she wuz sost g~ own when I wuz born. 9Lane 3illie s o~sr~aer lived in a txtr.rooa house up de road a pleas from the Big 011es. Xobo&y thought bout nons of M~i~ Billie s overseers ai pots white folkese. i~very oYeress~~ he eyex had vuz disent end ap.stabis. Course dey won t in 4e saas claie wid parse ~1il1i s fa~bly, but dey was all right. Day vuz four or five hoses nigh our plantation, but all of sa b longed to risk white folkass. If diy vus any pore white folkais round dar, us ohiUun n ~sr blared nothin of sa.

246 242

. . . (~) 242 ~1 don t know just how many alaise garas Billie had, but dey ehe wua a drove of em. Sometimes he had em all git together in de back yard at de ig aise, and dey Just filled up de yard.. De overseer blowed a horn to wake em up Just tore day, so as everybody could cook, eat, and git out to di fiilde by sunrise. L~ey quit nigh suadown, in time for em to fOI4 di stock, do d. milkin tend to bringin in 4e wood, and all aorte of other little Jobs dat had to be don tori it got too dark to see. i~ey neyer wuz no work done at night on our plantation. nit any of Marie Billie s help wu~ whip~ed~ I neYez knowed nothin bmtt it. Dey used to say dat if any of em didn t work right de overseer would take em to de workshop. Us ohillun neyer did know what happened whe dey took em to de work~ shop. ~It wuz too fur away fox us to hear what happened daro I~ workshop was a big lone shed off to itself, whar dey had de black~ 2rnith place, and whar harness wuz i~ended, and aU sorte of fixin tone to de tools and things. 0Us never heared of no Jail. ~ree Billie bossed his place and us flIT.? knowsd bout no trouble. De woz ksho.p wuz de nighest thing to a Jail or a court dat anybody on our plantation knowsd anything bout. Us neya? seed nobody in chains tu long atter de War, when us wuz jjyj~$ in Lex~n ton, and Mr. Jim Smith come thro~b dar wid some colored folksis all chained up, but us never did know how come dey wuz chained. ~Jo slave neYer zunned away fx ou Marss BLuts s planta. tian. Dey never even wanted to tzy. Dey wuz always ~ fraid dey

247 243

( ) 24~3 might not be a~bie to take as good keer of dsyeslvee a~ Marss BiUJe did for sa, and dey didn t know what would happen to 1ea oft de lantation, I I hearsd em talkin bout paterollex s, but X never did see one. Polkese said dey would git you and beat you if dey soteh you off de plantation vhar you b longed tthout no pass. If any of Marss Billie s slaves. got ootohed by de pateroflere, I never knowed nothin ~bout it. $1 never heared of no trouble twixt dswkiite folkess and dey colored folkese. Grandma and ma never iwod us to go to no other oabin., and us didn t hear bout no talk what wus goin on aongst de others. At night ma always aginned and knit, and grandma, ehe sewed, makin olo~es for us obtilun. Dey done it t oauee dey wanted to. Dey wuz workin for deyselvee den. 1)~y won t made to work at night. On Sadday night, ma batI~d aU her ohillun. X donut ~ what de other famblies dons den. Slaves wuz ~lowed to frolic $&dd&7 night, if dey b haved isyselves. On Sunday nights dey most always had prayer meetings. . ~On Christ~s moxnin all of us would oome up to de yard baok of de ig Ou.. and Maria Billie and de overseer handed out ~resents for aU. Dey wuz a little draa and oaks too. Us chillun got doUe, and dresses, and aprons. Them stuffed reg doUa wits de prettiest thingst On New Year s day aU de mens would acme up to de Big Ousi early in di morning and would work lively as dey could a. outtin wood and doing aU aorte of littli Jobs tu de dinner bell rUng. I~sfl MaXIe Billie would come out and till sa dey wuz startin de New Tsar right aaworkin lively and fast. ~n he would say dat dey would be f.d good and looked atter good, long as dey worked good. Hi give sa a good taste of dran and oaks aU

248 244

C?) 244 round, and let ~ go back to dey cabins tor dinner, and dey could ha rS de rest of 4e day ti trolle. Dia sornihuokin I UI used t o hare sho wus a eight. Corn would be piled up high as dia house, and de fo3.kssa would danse round and holler and whoop, Na lowed us ohillun to watch ca ~bout a halt houri On madi us come bask inside our oabi~, t cause dey always give di corn .huckin folkies some draa, and things would git mighty 1i~ely and x ough by di tipi aU di eoz a wuz shuoked. On bright ~oouhiny nights folkass would invite di neighbors to corns for cotton piokin s. After the sotton wui picked dey would eat barbecue, and danse and havi a big time. I never seed but one widdin for frsedoa o0, and dat wtia when Ma~s~ Billies daughter, Miss Lizzie glenn, aarrie4 Mr. Dsadwyler. Dey k*d everything at dat weddin . te,, Ma~aa, just eYu7thiflg. Miss Usais had on a whits silk dress a.tx aiiin : ~. faz behind her dat it took two ladies to tot bar train. Her veil wuz floatin all about her, and she wuz Ju8t di prettiest thing I ever did e~ in n~ whole lifi. A long tise attu dat, Mr. Dead.~ wyler, he died, and left lias Lizzie wid two ahiUun, and ahi r~a~rz ied M?. Roan. $1 never sied no slave wz La41. ~ went to sa s~. tini~s, but she never l~pu~s4 us to go, Sause ifli said us wuz too little. larse 31111. sont attu his own pxeschir, and di 0ou911 would coxxie ~up to di Big Ousi and stand in de parlor door to bi married tOZ i I&2!Stil and Iist ess. Din de oolored folkies would

249 245

(8) 245 go baok diirn to da oabin~ and have a weddiri uppsz and fz oUa and dan e. Dat s what x~a ts34 ms about sa. *U. us 4 to play Lots, but na s~sr did hais no 9SO~ai naas for OU? 91a7L& ~8wjng1~~ thi Corner, wuz when us aU jtn.d bands in a. low row, axad de 1eadsz would begin to run round in airoles, and at di other end of da Uni dey would ioon be runnin so fast dey wuz xaoit t yin o ~Ui aU de tuas )~sared fo)ksis talkin bout voodoo, but ay grandma vttz powerful ligious, and her and ma told us ohiUun voodoo vua a iO eount dom of d dlvi , and Cb~ristians wuz nsirez to pay it no tention. Us wuz to be happy in di Lord, and Let voodoo and di devil alone. Ions of us liked to bear aorito)t owls bolier, causa everybody thought it meant somebody in dat house wuz goin to die if a soritoh ow lit on your ehia~y and hollered, so us would stir up di fire to r~aks de saoki drive hia away. I a2iays runnsd oui and tried to ses UI, but old as I is, nigh 8~, I ain t neyez seed no siriteb owl. *yi., Ma aa, .1 ski doss b isve in Iia1nts, sause i~ done h~arad one and I seid it too, leasewisi I seed its light. ~ wuz bout 30 years ago, and us bad Just aoved in a house whar a white feably bad moved out. The ~a had died a few days atti? a little baby wuz born, and de baby had died too. Que night X hear a etrangs sound like somebody ~ round in di houas, and retty Boon a dia light ooas ~ into ay roes real slow and attir goin round di rooa it went out oS sight in de abut. Xizt daiy I went to sie 4. white folks.. what bad lived dar ~ fore us moved in, and de husband tobe me not to worry, dat it wuz his wife s hs nt. Ils said she wuz huntin for so~ aon.y she

250 246

I,~ ~1 !ie.d 1114 ~n di house, sauai ehe wanted bez- ekiUun what wuz still him to have it. X went baik hoai and aost tore dat hou.. devis lookin fordat monq!. Long as us lived jda; X would sei dat light now and den at night, and I always hoped it would had as to do money but Lt never did. When folkais got siok, Maui Billie had ~ea looked atter. Mistiss would o~e every day to see bout sa, and U ahi thought dey wuz bad otf, aba sont atter Dr.Davenport. Dz . Daianpox t ooae dar ~o auoh ti ha courted and married Marss 3iUIi~e daughter, Miss Martha Glenn. X wuz naz~ed for Miss Martha. Dey sho did take apeolal good kur of de mammies and da ba~iis. Iey had a separate house for em, and a granny ouan who did* t havi ~ else t~ do out look atter colored babies and itiaamies. ~ granny Ivan took de laos of a dootor when de babies wuz boz ft, but if she found a aaamy in a bad tiz she would ax ~ to tiend for Dr. Davenport. 0Us 4j4~~ t bave no separate ohuroh for colored i o3.ksas. ~ white folks.s had a big Baptist ohuroh dey oaflid Mill Stone Churob down at c~ooaapoM, a good ways down di road from Mafls BiUis e plantation. It sho vua a pretty sight to sie, dat ohuroh, all painted white and sit in a big oak grows. Colored folkees had dey plaos in di ~llsry. Dey won t 1lowed to Jine da ohurob ~ Sunday, but dey had rsg lar Sadday afternoons for di slaves to coas and fias dey faith, and Jine di church. Us didn t know dey wua no other oLaurok but de Baptist. All de ba~tizin wua dons on Sunday by de white preacher. Piret hi would baptize de white folkais in de pool baok of de chunk end din he would baptias de sla~ss in di a~e pool.

251 247

(io) :~4;~~ M~~ gz and~ms wuz a powerful Christian oman, and ~ihe did love to 8ing and ahout. )at e how come Ma~8e Billie ha~ her looked up in de loom room when de Yankee i~ene ooi~e to our ~1anta t:ion. Grandn~a would git to ahoutin ~o loud ehe would make so ~iiuoh fuss nobody in ii ohuroh could hea~ de ~reaoher arid 8he WUIU wander off from de gallery and go downstairs and try to go down de white folkees aisles to git to de altar whar de ~z eaohei wu~ and dey wuz aiway lookin her u,p for sturbin worahip, out dey never co~.t1d break her from dat ~ and wanderin round de rneetin houai, atter she got old. l)em Yankee .sojera rode uk ifl de ~~)ig Ou8e yard and gun to ax rie questions bout whar Matai Billy wuz, and whar ev erything on de ~laoe wuz kIQt, t~ut I wuz too skeered to ~ay nuthin . Every thing wuz quiet and still as could be, aept for Orandma a-8ingin1 and a shoutin u,p in de loom house all by her2elt. One of de~ Yankese tried the door and he axed r~e how come it wuz looked. I told him i t wu~ cause grandnia had eturbed de a~tiet mei tin wid he r shou tin Dem nie ne grabbed de axe from de woodp ile and busted de door down. .Jey went in and got grandma. Dey axed her bout how 00r20 she wuz looked u9~ and ehe told e~ de sanoe thing I had told em. Dey axed her if ahe wuz bongry, and she said she wuz. ~ dey took dat axe and busted down de smokehouse door and told her she wuz free now and to help heraelf to anything she wanted, cause everything on de plantation wuz to b long to de slaves dat had worked dar. Dey took grandma to de kitchen and told ma to give her some 3f de white folkees dinner. Ma said ~But de white folkses

252 248

(11) ~ aint it yit., Go right on, de Yankee. said, arid give it to her, di best in de pot, and if dey a anything left when ahi geti through, maybe ue will let de white folkase have some of it. ~ ~a brash mens etrutted on through de kitchen into de house and dey didn t aie nobody else down 8taix e. Up8taire dsy didn t even have d mannera to knoak at Mict ees dooz . Dey juet walked right on in whar my sister, Lucy, wuz oombint ~ long Qretty hair. They told Lucy ehe wuz free now and not to do no more work for Miet iee. Den all of im grabbed dey big old rough hands into Uiet eaa hair, and dey made her walk down stairB and out in de yard, and all de time dey wuz a pullin and jerkin at her long hair, tryin to maki ber ~oint eut to ~em what Marss Billie had done had his horses and oattle hid out. Us ohilluns wuz a*oryin and ~a~jfl~ on caties us loved Mist ese and us didn t want nobody to bother her. Dey made out like dey wuz goin to kill her if she didn t tell em what dey wanted to know, but atter a while dey let her alone. SAtter dey ~aad told all de slaves dey could find on de placi riot to do rio niore work, and to go help deyselvss to anything dey wanted in de smokehouse, and bout de ~3ig Ouse and plantation, dey rode on off, and ua never seed no more of em. tter de Yankee8 wuz done gone off Grandma gun to fuses ~ dem 80j5Z S wuz tellin us what ain t so, cause ain t nobody got no right to take what belong8 to M.reter and MIet esa. And Ma jined ins Sho it ain t no truf1 in what de~ Yankees wuz a-5ayin and us went right on living ju5t like us alwayB done tu Marss Billie called us to~ ge thor and t old us de war wuz over arid ue wuz free to go whar U8 wanted to go, and U8 could charge wages for our work.

253 249

( ~) 249 ~!b,n freedoa oonsd ~ pa wanted ui to move oft right away over to Ifs . 8mithiss pisas so our fambly could be together, but ua tayed on wid Marie Billie de rest of dat yeas. Den pa and uia aov~e4 to Imxin ton, what pa digged wills and dit hee and mads right good pay. Ma took aU four of us ohillun and run a &ood farm. Ui got along fin,. TM1Yore de War, aU work 8topped on de plantation for de funeral of a a1a~e. arandnia didn t think ohiUun ought to see funerali, so de first one I ever ased, wuz when n~a died two yeare atter de ~ar wuz done over. A jaakleg colored preaoher talked, but he didn t have senee nuff to ~reaoh a eho! 1 nuff aerinon. ~Ua heared a heap bout dem ICu Kiuxera but none of ~ folks neyer eye~ ~ eeed any of em. Dey wuz posed to have done lots of beatin1 of colored folks, but nobody knowed who dim ~u Kiuxere wuz. A Long time atter de ~ I got narried to Traverse Colquitt. Di weddin took plaos at my sister s houai, and ui ahot did have a big weddin and a fine dinner afterwards. ~n next day Ir~1 husband oarried me to whar he wuz born, and hie ma give us another big fine dinner. She had a table Ion~er dan thu room, and it wuz Juet loaded with all aorte of good thinge~ ~ white IOIkBII dat my husband had used to work for had Bont ioms of de good vitta s. wMoat of my life atter de War wuz spent in Lexin ton. Doe I ~OU know anythin ~ b out L John Bac on dat use d t o run de only hotel dar den? Well, I worked for him for many a year. His daughter, 1(188 }tamis Bacon, lives here in ~.thena and she is old and feeble like me ~he live s bout four blocks from ri, and whenever I~ii able to walk dat far, I goss to see her to talk bout

254 250

(13) 2~T~) old times, and to git her to vise r~e how to git along. I aho .y bei love Mi88 Mafl3iI. My huiband died bout a year ago. Us had eight boye and two girle, but dey ai& t but tour of our ohillun livin now. Leaet, I thinke dey is all four alive. Two of my eons lives aome. whar in Alabama, and one eon staya in New York. My only livin daughter livee wid me here, pore thingt Since ehe Seid one of her ohillun killed Ia~t year, she am t had no mind a t~ all. I ~e tryin to look atte? he~ and de other child. Her husband done been dead a long tims~ My neighbore helps me, by bringin me a little to eat, when dey knowe I ain t got nothin in de hou8e to cook. Je etorekeeper lite me have a little credit, but I owe her so ri~uch now dat I 8e ~ to ax her to let me have anythin else. De white folkees On Prince ~venue is right good to let i~e have dey clo ee to waih, and de young sale in the neighborhood helps ~e to do de waihin . I she i~ ho~pin de old age ~eneion will 800fl git started comm1 to me. Some dat I know, hai been gittin dey old age j)eflsiofl two or three montha. I done signed up for ~iine twiot1 80 maybe it will gin to corne fore I je done plum wore out. Then hexe visitor was ready to leave, Martha hobbled to the door and bade her an affectionate farewell. 0GoodhYe Ladyt I prays for you every night. May de good Lord bleu you.~

Plantation life as viewed by an ex-slave. 255 251

PlANTATION LIFE SVIEWED BY AN~ ~1 VE ~)kj~t( 231 MINNIE DAVIS 23 ? Billups St. Athens, Ga. Written By: ~dited By: Mrs. Sadie B. Hornsby Athens, Georgia MX~8. Sarah Ii. Hall Athens, Georgia ;rohn :&. Booth WPA Residencies 6 & 7 August 29, 1938.

256 252

-~ rt(w~P~f~ . . j~t.i~J%~j(U. 2~2 . Minnie Davis F~x S1ave, Age 78 ~ 237 Billups Street . Athens, Georgia The bareness ot Minnie Davis yard.was relieved by a single rosebush, and her small house might best be described as a tumble-down shack. An unsteady woodex~ box served as a step to the Cragment of porch before the front door. G~ood inornin , Main, was the greeting o~ a Negro man who hastened to answer the visitor s knock at the door. Yes Marri, Miss Minnie s at home. He turned, tapped on the door o~ one of the four roonis adjoining the hail, and called: Miss Minnie, a white lady wants to see you. Minnie hobbled to the door and invited the visitor to her bedroom, where a suite oC handsome walnut furniture reflect ed the period when marble tops were standard parts of dressers and washstands. A low chair, an old table, and a rusty heater completed the furnishings of the room. Age and il . health have not dealt kindly with Minnie, and her short-cut, kinky hair is almost white, but her eyes and face retain a remarkably youthful appearance. She is a sniall thin wonian of ~ingercake color and, despite the sweltering heat, she wore a pink flannel nightgown, faded and dingy, and a pair of high top black shoes, 80 badly run over that she hobbled along on the sides of them.

257 253

Hornsby Page - 2 253 Minnie is well educated, and she taught school for so long that her speech is remarkably free of dialect. When the nature of the visit was explained, Minnie said: A white woman has been here 8everal times before, but I was sick and didn t understand clearly what she wanted me to tell her. She then explained that she did not care to talk Lor publication at all. She said. she was hungry and had nothing at all in the house to eat. Her nephew, ~d, an ex- postman lived with her, she explained, -.-- -- - - - - - L and he would go for food if there was any money. She might feel like talking a little if she had a little something to eat. The interviewer provided the cash and Ed soon re~ turned with a pint of milk and some cinnamon rolls. After her repast, Minnie began to talk, giving the impression that every word was carefully weighed before it was uttered. I was born in Greene County near Penfie34, Georgia, she said. Aggie Crawford was my mother and she was married to ;rim Young. My only sister was Mariah, and my three brothers were Ned, John~and Jim. Ned was a mulatto. I biow who his father was, but of course you won t ask me that. I wouldn t want to expose my own mother or the man who was Ned s Lather. I was quite a small child during the war period, and I can tell you very little of that time, except the things my mother told me when I grew old enough to remember. My mother be longed to the Crawford Lamily in Greene County, but when I

258 254

Hornaby Page -3 knew anyth~ing we were living In Athens and. were the slaves of Marster ohn Crawford. As children we played around the yaH; those o~ us who were old enough had oddjobs to do. The unceil ed house that my father and mother shared with three other tamllies was weatherboarded and had a chimney made of sticks and dirt. There was a bed in each corner of the room and from one to three children slept in the bed with their parents: the rest of the children slept on the floor. The tall old home-made wooden beds had very much the appearance of beds used now, except that cords were used instead of the metal springs that came Into use later. Our osnaburg mattress ticks were ~fihled with straw. Pm quite sure there were no pillows. There was also a twostory house on the lot for slaves. She was asked what she called her father and mother during slavery time, and her reply was: I have always said 1~ather and mother because I liked it better, and the Bible teaches us to say that. Grandniother Dilsey and grandrather Levi Crawford lived in Lexington. . I sawmy grandmother one time, but I don?t know what she did at the white folks house. Grandfather was a carpenter. I never got any money in slavery time. If the

259 255

Hornaby ~ud~)t) Page-4 slaves ever got any, lt was when the Yankee8 came through here. At that time the white people gave their money to the slaves for safekeeping, and after the Yankees went on lt was returned to the white owners. My mother was the cook and looked after the. : house. Oh, yes indeed, we had good Lood to eat. Bread, milk, meat, collard greens, turnips, and potatoes. . I would say we had. just everything that was grown in the garden and on the plantations to eat at that time. The cooking was done in the kitchen in the yard. The fireplace was as wide as tne nd of tr~is room, and a long iron bar extended from one end to the other. The reat cooking pots were suspended over the coals from this bar by means of pot hooks. Heavy iron skillets with thick lids were much used for baking, an~d they had ovens of various sizes. I have seen my mother bake beautitul biscuita and cakes in those old skillets, and they were Ideal Lor roasting meats. Mother s batter cakes would just melt in yo r mouth and she could bake and fry the most delicious fish. There was no certain thing that I liked to eat more than anything else in those days. I was young and had a ke n appetite for all good. things. Miss Fannie and Miss Susan often made candy and it was so good I could have eaten all they made, had they given it to ins. My father hired his time out; he made and sold gingereakes on the railroad. In the suriiinertime we wore homespun dresses made with a rull skirt gathered onto a tight- titting waist. In the

260 256

ifornaby ~ ~ ~:: ~ (j Page 5 wintertime the d.resses were made of eheoked~ woolen material called linsey cloth, For underwear, we wore balmora . pettiooat8 and, osnaburg drawers. We went barefooted most otthetime. I remember one particular time when the ground was frozen and I went about without any shoes, but i~ didn t bother me. Barefooted children seldom had bad 03 .ds in winter. We wore just anything on Sunday, but we had to look nice and. clean. ~rster ;J~ohn Crawrord, son ot the distinguished William if. Crawford, was lay owner. Indeed, he was good to us. I ll tell you after awhile about the time he wouldn t let the town marshal whip my mother. They told me his wife was a fine. woman and that she was as good to her slaves as she could be. She died very young in life and Marss John s sisters, MissFannieandMiss$usan, kept house for him after that. Marse John s three children were Miss Fannie, Miss Rosa, and Marse Allie. Miss Rosa married Marse Tom Golden, and Miss Fannie married a Gerdine; I ve forgotten his first name. Marse John may have had an overseer on one of his plantations, but I don t remember. I do know he didn t have a carriage driver for he didn t have a carriage. I don t believe I can describe the peouliar shape of his fine eight room house. It was on Dougherty street, right back of Scudder s School. The Crawtords were con

261 257

lloirnsby ~ etr. Page~6 j and ~ sidered very uppity people /their slaves were uppish too. Marse John didn t have many slaves and they had to get up and get going early every morning. Marse. John was postmaster of Athens and bad to be in his office by eight o clock every morning so he ordered that his breakfast be served regularly at seven-thirty. No Main, our white folks didn t teaoh their slaves to read. and write because it was against the law. How ever, they did read. the Bible to us, and the slaves that were sit~rt enough~ were asked to repeat the verses they had learned from hearing Miss Fannie, Miss Sue, and Marse John read. The Crawford children were caught teaching my mother to read andwrite, but they were made to stop. Mother was quick to learn and she never gave up. She would steal the newspapers and read up about the war, and she kept the other slaves posted as to how the war was progressing. She knew when the war. was over. almost as soon as Marse John did. I don t recall any certain reason why the slaves were punished; they needed it,1 m sure of that. Some folks need to be punished now. Miss Sue, as we called her, whipped the slaves for niisbehavior. I remamber one time there was quite a commotion. The town marshal. canie to our house to whip my mother. It had. been told that she had. been writing letters, asking people to buy whiskey from her, but Marse Jotin wouldn t let the marshal.. touch her. There

262 258

. ilornaby . Page~7 . 2J8 was a jail, but I doxi t recall that any or Mar~e Johxi~s slaves were ever put in there. I was told. that his slaves were, as a. rule, well behaved and that they gave him no trouble. Yes Main, we went tochuroh, that is, those of us who oared to go~did. There wasn t any separate church for colored people in Athens, that I can remember. ~Ye went to church and Sunday School at the First Presbyterian Church, where the slaves were allowed to sit in the gallery. I recall that Dr. ELoyt usedto pray that the Lord would drive the Yankees back. ~e said that Niggers were born to be slaves. My mother said that all the time he was praying out loud like that, she was praying to herself: Oh, Lord, please send the Yankees on and let them set us free. I wasn t enough ot a singer to have a favorite song, and I was too happyplayingwiththeCrawfordchildren t o b e mt ere st ed in ~~oing to baptizings and funerals. ~ tu aia go to my father s funeral. when he was taken sick Dr. Holt attended b~is ease, and it was not long before he told Marse John that Father would never get well. When he died Mother hollered and screamed something terrible. Miss Sue told her not to cry be cause, the Lord knows best. Yes, Miss Sue, answer ed Mother, but you have never loved a xaan to lose. With that, they both cried. When anyone died in those

263 259

Bornsby 259 . Page-8 days, the people sat up all night and didn t go to bed until the funeral was over, r~1ow, no real sympathy is shown. ~ I don t believe any oC I~ arse John s slaves ever went to the war. he was good to them and everyone or them loved him. I heard of patterthllers chasing slaves and whipping them if they were caught away rrom home without a pass, and sometimes they locked thera up. ifowever, nothing or the kind ever happened to any ot Marse Jobn s slaves. He was a highly respected citizen and everyone in Athens knew better than t o touch hi s Negroes. After the work ror the day was finished at the big house, the slaves went to their quarters to weave cloth and sew, but when ten o clock came and the bell be sounded, everything had to/quiet. Slaves.. on our place worked Saturday afternoons the same as any other day. On Saturday nights the young rolk and a few of the older folks danced. Some of them got passes fron Marse Johxi so they could visit around. ~ They pop-e ~ pulledcandy, or just sat around and talked. Those or us who desired went to Sunday School and church on sundays; others stayed at home and did their washing and ironing, and there was always plenty o~ that to be done. Christmas was a grand time at Marse John s. We had everything good to eat under the sun at that time and, as my mother was the cook, I was sure or getting my

264 260

Hornaby 260 Page-9 share of the good things. Miss Fannie and Miss Sue played Santa Claus to slave children. I was sorry when Mary got too smart and peeped to see what it was all about, for after that they just came to our house and handed us the tbing8 that would have come as Santa Claus. ~ New Year s Day was no dilTerent from other days, except that Marse ~Tohn gave tue grown roiks whiskey to drink that day like he did on Christnj.as morning. They couldn t risk giving slaves much whiskey because it made them mean, and then they would fight the white Loiks. They had to be mighty careful about things like that in order to keep down uprisin~s. My mother went to cornsnuekings, cotton pickings, and quiltings. They must have had wonderrul t1i~i~~, to hear her tell it. She said that after the corn was shucked, cotton picked, or quilts quilted, they always gave theni plenty of good things to eat and drink and let them aloose to enjoy themselves Lor the balance o~ the night. Those things took place at harvest time, and everyone looked forward to having a good time at that season. Mother said that Iviarse John was particular with his slaves, and wouldn t let them go jUst anywhere to these things. About tne only game I can remeiaber playing as a child was a doll game. The Crawford children would use

265 261

ffornsby . ~ 261 ~ . Page-10 . -me Lor the doll, and then wheii my turn came to play manuna and claim one oi~ them for my doll, Miss #Fanny or Miss Sue would appear and then I would have to be a doll for them. I didn t mind, f~or I dearly loved them all. . Now about Raw Head and Bloody Bones; I am going to 7 tell you, Miss, my M~rster s people were cultured and refined, and they wouldn t allow such things told to their own children or tO their slaves children, They didn t want anything said or done to ri~hten any little children, and if a nurse or anyone else was cau~ht doing such a thing, that person was punished ror it. With the heritage of trairxin~ like that I could hardly be expected to believe in such things. ~~rse John was grand to sick slaves. He always sent for Dr. Moore, who would make his examination and write out his prescription. When he left his parting word was usually Give him a sound thrashing and he Will get better. Ot course he didn t mean that; it was his little joke. Dr. Holt, Dr. Crawford Long, and Dr. Jones Long were sometimes called in for consultation on particularly serious cases. We didn t like Dr. MoDre and usually begged for one of the other doctors. I don t think ray white folks used teas made of herbs, leaves or roots; they may have, but I don t re~ member it. However, I do know that we wore little sacks of asafetida around our necks to keep off diseases, and the white folks wore it too.

266 262

Hornsby Page - U. On the day we learned of the 8urrender, the Negroes rallied around the liberty flag pole that they set up near where the city hail is now. All day long they cut up and there was a song they sung that day that went something like this: We rally arouxi~, the flag pole of liberty, The Union torev~,ELurrahI Boys Hurrahi Next morning when the Negroes got up the white folks had out that pole down. We were mortally afraid of the Yankees when they appeared here a short tinte after the surrender. We were afraid of ~th Ku Klux Klan riders too. The Negroes did act so bad; there were lots of killings going on for a long tinte after the war was supposed to be over. Mother was glad and sorry too that she was free, Marse John had been so good to all his slaves that none of them really wanted to leave hint. We stayed on a while, then mother left and rented a room. She worked hard and bought a house as soon. as she could; others did the same. There were very few slaves that had any money at all to begin on. Immediately following the surrender northern people opened Knox Institute. One of my ~eachers was Miss Dora Brooks, a white wonian from the North. The principal was a white man, he was Mr. Sortu~. A!ter I graduated front Knox Institute, I went to the Atlanta University four years,

267 263

Eornsby Page 12 then came back to Athens and taught school here forty years. I taught whatever grade they assigned nie to each year, never any certain grade from year to year. First and last, I ve taught from first ~rade through high school. I would be teaching now jfb ~ were not for ray bad health. I receive a tea her s pension, but have never applied for an old age pension,. My hushand was Samuel B. Davis, publisher of the Athens Clipper. I published this newspaper myself for a short while after his death, then sold it. We didn t have a big wedding, just a very simple one at my mother s house. I was married in a nice white dress, but it was nothing Lancy. Our two children were born dead. Once I had a nice honie, beautifully furnished. All I have left of it is this old house and my good bedroom suite. The rest of my possessions have gotten away from me during my continued illness. I often think of Abraham Lincoln; he did a good deed for my race. JeffDaviswa~~good man and, no doubt, he thought he was doing the rightthing. Booker T. Washington was a man of brilliant mind, but he was radically wrong in many of his views pertaining to education of the black race. He lectured here once, but I didn t bother to hear him speak. Yes Mani, indeed I had rather be free. Ohi religion is glorious. If God has set you free from the bonds and I penalties of sin, I think you ought to live up to your Lord s coniri~ands. I dearly love to go to church and hear the preacher tell of God. It gives me strength to live until he is ready

268 264

Eornsby 264. Page ~ 13 for me to go. Now, MiS8, I hope I have told you what you waflted to know, but I must admit the things that took place way back there are rather vague in my mind. I m an old woman and my mind is not as clear as it once was. Next week, if I am strong enough to make the trip, I am going to spend the day with Mary Colbert, and. go over the old times you and I have discussed. She remembers them better than I do, beoau8e she is older.

Ex-slave Mose Davis. 269 265

~ i ~oIo~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~. ~ ~ ~gL~ . Page la ~ 26~ Wh1t1ey~, r)k ~ E. Driskell 1..203? ~~)L,N 4 Ex~-sLA11:E \~~\ . Mose Davi s. In one of Atlanta s many alleys lives Mose Davis, an ex-~s1ave who was born on a very large plantation 12 miles from Perry, Georgia. His mast er was Co~one1 Davi s a very rich old man who owned a large number of s1av93 in addition to his vast property holdings.. Mose Davis says that all the buildings on this plantation were whitewashed, the lime having been secured from a corner of the plantation known as ~the linie sink . Colonel Davis had a 1ar~e family and so he had to have a large house to accc~zrnodate these members. The mansion, as lt was called, w s a great big three- storled affair surrounded by a thick growth of cedar trees. Mose s parents, ~ennie and J~anuary Davis, had always been the property of the Davis family, naturally he and his two brothers and two sisters ~ . Davi s says that he first thing he remembers of his parents is being whipped by his mother V O had tied him to the bed to prevent his running away. His first re e liection of his father is seeing him take a drink of wb,iskey from a five g lion jug. When asked 1f this was nt against the plantation rules Uncle ~tt repli ed : The Colonel was one of the bi gge st devils you ever seen he s the one that started my daddy to drinking. S~etimes he used to c~e to our . house to git a drink hisseif . Mose s Father was the family coachtnan. ll that he had to do was to drive the master and his feinhly cnd to take care of the two big grey horses that he drove. Compared to my mother and the other slaves he bad an easy time, said Uncle Mose, shaking his head and aniling: My daddy was so crazy about the white folks and the horses he drove until I believe he thought more of them than he did of me. One day while I was in the stable with him one of the horses tried to kick me and when I started to hit him Daddy cussed me and

270 266

. . . Page 2. ~hit1ey, E. ~ 1-20.3? . . ~threatned to beat me . H1~ mother, brothers, and sisters, were ai . field hands, but there was never any work required of Mose who was play~ .mate and companion to Manning, the youngest of Colonel Davis five eons. Th~3e two spent most of the time fishing and hunting. Manning had a pony and buggy end whenever he went to town he always took Mose alomg. Field hands were roused, every morning by the overseer who rang the large bell near the slave quarters. Women young children were permitted to remain at haine until 9 o clock to prepare breakfast. ~t 9 o clock these women ha~i to start to the fields where they worked along with the others until sundown. The one bre .k in the day s work was the noon dinner hour. Field hands planted and tended cotton, corn, and the other produce grown on the plantation until harvest time when everybody pIcked cotton. Slaves usually worked harder during the picking season than at any other tine After harvest, the only remaining work was cleaning out fence corners, splitting S rails building fences and n~erous other minor tasks. In hot weather, the only work was shelling corn. There was no Sunday work other than caring for the stock. On this plantation there were quite a few skilled slaves mostly blacksmiths, carpenters, masons, plasterers, an1 a cobbler. One of Mose s brothers was a carpenter. . S All slaves too old for field wcrk remained at home where some toot care of the young ~hi1dren, while others worked in the loom houses helping make the cloth and the clothing used on the plantation. Since no work was required at night thi s time was utilized by doing persona . work such as the washing and the repairing of clothing, etc.

271 267

Page 3. 267 Vlhltley, . E. Dr1ske1I~ 1~.2O~3? on the Fourth of 3 uly or at Christmas Colonel Davis always had ~ fest ival for all ~ hi s slave s Barbecue was served and there was much singing and dancing. These frolics were made merrier by the presence of guests from other plantations. Mu~1c was furnished bj some of the slaves who also furnished music attlie mansion whenever the Co),or come of the members of his family had a party. There was also a celebration after the crops had been gathered. Although there was only one distribution of clothing per year nobody suffer d from the lack of clothes because this one lot had enough to last a year if properly cared for. The chilar n were one piece garments, a crosc betwcen ~ dress anc3 a slightly lengthened shirt, made of homespun or crocus material. No shoes were given them until winter and then they got the cast-offs of the grown ups. The men all were pants cade of material known as ttsusenberg . The shirts and under wear were mcde of another cotton material. Dresses for the women were of striped homespun. ;Lll shoes were made on the premises of the heaviest leather, clumsely fashioned and Uncle Mose says that slaves like his father who worked in the mansion, were given much better clothing. His father received of The Colonel and hic grown sons many discarded clothes. One of the greatest thr1ll~: of Mose s boyhood was receiving first pair of ausenberg pants. ~.s his mother had already taught him to knit (by using four needles at one time) all that he had to do was to go to his hiding place end get the cocks that he had made. None of the clothing worn by the slaves on this particular plan .. tation was bought. Everything was made by the slaves, even to the dye that was used. asked 1f there was sufficient food for all slaves, Uncle Mose said I never heard any complaints. ~t the end of each week every family was

272 268

. Page 4. 268 given some fat meat, black molasses, mea . and flour In quantity varythg with the size of the family. ~ ~ At certain intervals during the week, they were given vegetab1e~. Here too, as In everything else, Mose s father was more fortunate than the others, since he took aU his meals at the mansion where he ate the ~e~e food served to the master and Ms family. The only difference between Week~day and Sundey diet was that biscuits were served on Sundays. The children were given only one biscuit each. In addition to the other bread wa~ considered a delicacy. All food stuff wae grown on the plantation. The slave quarters were located a short distancebelow the mansion. The cabins one-roomed weatherboard structures were arranged so as to form a semi.-circle, There was a wide tree- lined road leading from the master s horns to these cabins. Furnishings of each cabin consisted of one or two benches, a bed, and a few cooking utensils. These were very crude, especially the beds. Some of them had four posts while the ends of others were nailed to the walls. All lumber used in their construction was very heavy and rough. Bed springs were unheard of ~ wooden slats being used for this purpose. The mattresses were larg ausenberg bags stuffed to capacity with hay, straw, or leaves. Uncle Mose told about one of the slaves, nsnied Ike, whose entire family slept on bare pine st~aw. His children were smong the fattest on the plantation and when Colonel Davis tried to make him put this straw in a bag he refused claiming that the pine needles kept his children healthy. The floors and chimneys on the D~ir1s Plantation were made of wood and brick instead of dirt and mud as was the case on many of the other surrounding plantations. One window (with shutters instead of window penes) served the purpose of ventilation and light. At nIght pine knots or candles gave light. The little cooking that the slaves did at home was all done at the open fireplace.

273 269

~hit1ey, ~ Page 5. 269 i 2O-~37 Near the living quarters was a house known as the ~chu11un house All children too young for field work stayed at this house in the care ot the older slave wcmen. There was no hospital building bu the premises. The sick had to remain in their individual cabins where they too were oared for by slaves too Old for field work. Oxi ~y one feini ~y lived in a (o s mother and fatherf~ach~~) . had a separate cabin. He did not explainthe reason for this but said that he was made to live in his father s cabin Whenever he could (usually when his father was away with the C6lonel for a day or two) he stayed in his mothers cabin. The only difference between the houses we lived in during slavery and those that saae of us live In now who said is that we had more rocin thare than we have now. He says that even the community cook house was larger than sczne of the living quarters of today. All cabins were white washed the same as the other buildings on the plantation, end the occupants were required to keep the interiors and the surrounding clean at all times. The overseer s cabin was located a short distance away fran the Elave cabins, so that lt would be easier for him to keep check on his charges. There was little if any sickness but Colonel Davis employed a doctor who visited the plantation each week. On other occasions the overseer ad~~ ministered such remedies as castor oil, turpentine, etc., and the slaves had remedies of their own. For stcinach ache they used a tea made of ~imson weeds. another medicine was heart lee! tea. Manual and religious training were the only types allowed on the plantation. Trades like carpentry, blacksmithing et e were learned from t he whi te mechani ce sometimes employed by Colonel. Davis. 4~. .l slaves were reA,uired to attend church and a special building was known as Davis Chapel. A Negro preacher officiated and no white people were present. Uncle Mose doe s nt know what was preached as he and Manning always slipped into ~ town on Sundays to see the girls. Uncle Moss says he and Manning were together so much that occasionally they even slept in the same bed, s~netimes in

274 270

~7h1t1ey~ Page 6. ~ 270 ~Mann1ng s house and sometimes at hi s own . ~-. pool for baptism was filled with well water. The colored pastor performed all baptisms and marriages. //___$ _~ ~ Book learn1n~ was prohibited In any form. Sanetimes Mose tried to persuade Manning to teach him to read and write but Manning always refused. 7 L:ose s cousin who was taught to read and write forged Colonel Davis name to ( a check and cirew theinoney fran the bank before the hand writing was discovered. For this act he was glvsn a sound i~1pping and. assi~ied to hard labor by the mcster. ~Ud~, s&~d Uncle Mose ) he &id nt even have the pleasure of spending one penny . Then asked if his cousin was arrested and placed in jail he re ~ ~- plied that the jails were not for the slaves, as their punishment was usually left to their individual masters. ~Vhen his cousin was whipped this was an exception to The Colone s rule; he was entirely against any form of whipping. ILts usual method of punisbnient was to cut off Imlividual privileges ~or a limited amount of time, in preportion to the nature of the offense) along~with m assigz3ment of extra heavy work. The ferne of the Pa3dle Rollers was sd despread among the slaves but none of Colonel Davi servant s att einpted to run away or leave the plantation often without the required pass ( j f they did they were never caught). There was very little talk on the plantation about the actual beginning of the Civil War. $laves was very guarded in their talk as they feared the master s wrath. TJncle Moce thought little or nothing about the War and had even less to say. . When the Yankee soldiers carne to the plantation they drove wagons to the smoke house and took all the meat away. The funny part about it was that The Coloneitt had taken shelter in this particular house when he saw the Yankee~ coT!1in~, said Uncle Mose. He didn t have time to hide any of his other belongings . %~1aei~ the soldi ers had left The Colonel iboked around and sal d

275 271

Page 7. 271 ~1hit1ey, 1~.2O.~37 to Manning and Mose ; 3~ust like I get that I guess I can get sane more. ~- Uncle Moso says that when freed.cm was dec1ar~d, his father cerne rushiri~ to their cabin waving his arms like a wind mill, shouting: Boy we Is free ~ you can go and git yourself a job cause I ain t goin to hitch up no more horses . some of the slaves remained on the plantation where they worked for wages until their deaths. Eis father was one of them and after his death, his mother moved to another plantation to live with another ~ son. Meanwhile Mose started traveling from place to place as soon as he I was told that he wa~ free to go as he pleasec~. ~ He paid ~ne visit to the I plantation where he learn d of his father s death. He then asked Maiming, f who was operating the plantation, f~or the ex th t had belonged to his father and when Manning refused to part with this animal, he made a secret visit back, that night, and took the an~rnal away. 11e has not been back I ~ since. \ ~. At this time i~ir. iavis stretched himself, saying : Well I gtiess that s about as straight as I can get it v~ish that I could tell you sane more but I can t , Smiling broadly, he bade the interviewer a pleasant good-bye.

Ex-slave interview. Ike Derricotte. 276 272

1~ ~ ~ ~ 272 EX~SLAVE INTERVIEW Ike Derricotte 554 Hancock Avenue Athens, G~eorgia Written by: Miss Grace McGune Athens Mrs. Sarah if. liall Athens an~ ;rohn N . ~oth District Supervisor l ederal Writers Project Residencies 6 & 7 Augusta, Georgia Edited by: August 19, 1938

277 273

k. ~ ~ .~. - ~x-S1ave Interview IKE DZRBICOTTE Ex~31ave -A~e78. Ike Derricotte s brown-painted, frame bun~a1ow, well beck from the street, faces a wide grassy yard. where tall pecan trees provide summer shade and winter nuts. A mulatto woman answered the knock at the front door. Her long, straight, white hair was neatly arranged in a low-~pinned coil at the back of her head. Her print frock and whit shoes were irnniaculate. Yes Main,. Ike is at home, was the answer to the inquiry for her husband. 3~us have a seat on de porch here cause it s so much cooler dan inside de house, and I ll call Ike. He s jus piddlin round de back yard dis inornin . Al~riost at once a tall, we1l~built man of gingercake color appeared. Lie wore an old black cap, blue work shirt, blue wool trousers, and black shoes. Howdy-do, Miss! Did you want to see rae? was his greeting. lits eyes sparkled when he learned that we wished to record the story of his life. Yes Main, I ll be glad to tell you what I kin, he promised, and Miss, I ll jus bet I kin tell you somepin dat very few folks kin say bout dem old days. I was born right here on dis saine street, and l in still livin on it, but dis house and lot ain t my birthplace. When I was born, dis section was mostly in woods. Tus look at it now; houses has been built up and dowx~ both sides of what was den Jus de big road. Times has changed in lots of ways since dem days. ~)t~iQ ~

278 274

2. 2;14 My flOth e r ~ nai~ie was Myra and she was a.laundry ~ owned by Mr . Stevens Thonias . Mr . Thomas was one of d e biggest merchants In Athens dein days. He owned de square between Thomas street and Wall Street, and lt s tended back to Olayton Street. William ~erricotte was my father, and he belonged to Col. Robert Thomas. My father spent most of his time beautifyin de yards round de big house~~ and in dese days and times he w~u1d be called a landscape gardener. Dey jus called em ~~~boys den. Atter Pa and Ma was married, Marster stevens sold Ma to Marster Robert, so dat dey could be together. Mr. Robert Thomas place was right up dis same old street, whar de Y.W.G.A. Is now, and right dar is whar I was born. Dat was in 1860, a long time ago~ and lots of things has happened since den. Lots of people has moved away and lots more has d ied out tu dere am t many of de folks left here dat lived in Athens den. De Thomases, Dorseys, and Phinizys was some of de oldest families here. I was too little to know much about de war but, little as I was, dere s one thing dat s still as fresh in my memory now as den, and dat s how people watched and waited to hear dat old Ueorgia train come in. Not many folks was able to take de papers den, and de news in em was from one to two weeks old when dey got here. All de men dat was able to fight was off at de front and de folks at home was anxious for news. De way dat old train bro ught em de news was lak dis : ifdesouthern troops was in de front, den dat old whistle jus blowed continuously, but if lt was

279 275

bad news, den lt was jus p~eshort,sharpb1ast. In dat way, from de time it got in hearin , evvybody could tell by de whistle if de news was good or bad and, believe me, evvybody sho did listen to dattrain. rimes was hard de Wa r but from what I ~ ye heared de folks dat was old folksden say, dey warn t near as bad here as in lots of other places. Yes Mara~ Sho I kin thember dem Yankees comin here, but dat was atter de war was done over. Dey camped right here on Hancock Avenue. Whar dey camped was mostly woods den, and deir camp reached nearly all de way to whar Milledge Avenue is now. Us chillun was scared to death of dem. soldiers and stayed out of deir way all us could. My Marster, Mr. stevens Thomas, hid all of his family s silver and other valuables dat could be put out of sight, for dem Yankees ;jus went round takin whatever dey wanted. Dey stole all kinds of food out of de homes went into de srnokehouses and got hams and cotched up de chickens. Dey jus reached out and tuk what dey wanted and laughed about it lak dey hadn t been stealin . Dem Yankees brought de smallpox here wid em and give it to ail de Athens folks, and dat was sornepin awful. Folks sus died out wid lt. so bad. Dey built a hospital what dey called de pest house, out whar de stockade is now. It was rough and small but I reckon it holped some. It warn t near large enough for all de folks dat was sick wid smallpox at one tise, end so dey finally got to whar dey used it jus for de colored folks, cause lt seemed dat smallpox went harder wid dem dan wid de white folks.

280 276

),~ f b 4. When de war ended us didn t leave Mr. Stevens Thomas. Ma kept on cookiri and wukin round de house, and Pa wuked lots for other folks lamed to do briok~work, build walls, and things lak dat. Atter he got to be a brickinason he ailus had plenty to do. Marbles was de favorite game of de chillun dein days but us never got to play much lak chilluri does desedays, cause times was so hard right atter de war dat as soon as chillun got big enough dey had to go to wuk. Some of our very best times was at de old swimxnin hole. Us danirriedup dat little crick right back of whar de Seaboard Depot is now and it made a fine pool to swim in. It was cool for it ~ s shady off down dar in de woods, and us spent niany a hour dar on days as. hot as dis one is. When dey missed us at home, dat was de fust place dey thought of i~ien dey come to hunt us. I had saine mighty good times in dat crick and I couldn t begin to count de duekin s I got dar and de whuppin s my Ma and ~a give me for stayin so long. De biggest time in all de year was deCominencenient Day; evvybod~y got busy and fixed up for dat. ~y Marster allus had lots of company at commencement times, and us had de most good things to eat. Out in tov~rx dey was pared for it too. Tables was all along de sidewalks whar you could buy any kind of freshinents you wanted. Course dere warn t as many kinds of freshments den as dey has now, but dere was allus plenty of de strong sort. One time duri~ commencement week Ma give me a wholeguar~er to spend. I was de happiest and de richest boy in dis town; .lus had more money

281 277

J. to spend dan anybody, and I walked de streets from one table to another tryint to see whar I was gwine to spend all dat money. here, Ike laughed heartily. Miss, he said, you jus never could guess what I spent all dat money for. I. bought a whole quarter s worth of ginger cakes and lit out for de swixmnin hole. Us ehillun had a fine time down at de swixnmin hole dat day. De Cobbs and. Lumpkins owned all dat land in dar round our swirnrnin hole den. Dey owned from de Oatholic Lhurch straight through to College L~venue. *1 mighty well member de fust wuk I ever done. I was still jus a little fellow when Miss Belle Brumby told Ma she wanted me for abutlerboy and dat she would pay me ~2.5O a month. I ;~us jumped up end do~in and begged her to let me wuk for Miss Belle. Why, I jus knowed I would. git rich right away, cause ~2.5O was a mighty lot of money. Ike laughed as he said: How many boys would wuk for dat pay for a week now, let alone a whole month? Ma did let me wuk for Miss Belle and I was happy, but I know my Mi e ss had a t ime wi d me caus e wh en I g ot on d at white coat dey let me wear to wait on de table, I knowed. more dan evvybody else put together and dere couldn t nobody tell me how to keep de flies off de table. Miss Belle is one fine oman, dey jus, don t come no finer and no better.. When I was fourteen my Pa hired me out to be a shoemaker. De shop whar I was prenticed. was down on Broad Street, jus about whar de ~Bernstein ~urniture Store is now. Dat old buildin was tore down long years ago and evvything long dar is changed now. De Athens Hardware Store is de only broad ~treet business of dem

282 278

I 6. days d:at has stood in de same place and endured through all dese years. Whenlwenttowukfor Mr. ~roe Barrylnhisahoe ~F3hop on Jackson Street, right in back of whar Mr. Lee Morris store is now, I felt lak I had got to be a real sho nough important shoemaker. I wuked for. him boutl2orl4years. Re was a good man to wuk for and he was de only shoemaker I ever knowed to git rich at his trade; he really did make money in dat shop. I ve been a shoemaker ever sincel87t, but I never have been able to git far ahead. In spite of all our trouble for 25 years atter de war, it seems to me dat tinies was much better den dan dey is now. Course, folks didn t make as much den as dey does now. Carpenters, bricklayers, shoemakers, in fact most any kind of laborers who got from 41.00 to ~~l.5O a day thought dey had fine wages den. Boys was paid from ~2.5O to ~5.OO a month. Cooks got ~5.OO to *6.00 a month, and. of course, dey got deir meals whar dey wuked. Sometimes odds and ends of old clothes was give to ein, and dey got along very well, even if most of era did heve faniilies and big families at dat. Folks could live on less den cause things was cheaper. You could git meal for 5O~ a bushel; side meat was 5~ to 6 t a pound; and you could git a 25-pound sack of flour for 50 . Wood was 5O~i a load. House rent was so cheap dat you didn t have to pay over ~3.OO a month for a 2 or ~ room house, and lots

283 279

7. ~d ( ~J of times you got lt cheaper. Most evvybody wore clothes made out ot homespun cloth and jeans, and dey didn t know nothin bout ready-made, store-bought clothes. )em clothes what dey made at honie didn t cost very much. Livin was cheap, but folks lived mighty well in dem days. Us has been married more dan 50 years and dey hes all been happy years. Us has had our troubles and hard luck, but dey come to evvybody. De Lord has been mighty good to us, specially in lettin us be together so long. It was what you might call a case of love at tust sightwid us. I was visitin down at ~ainak, ~eorgia at Christmastime. She lived at Sparta, and was spendin Christmas at ~amak too, but I didn t see her tu I was bout to leave for Athens. I jus thought I never could go way atter I tust seed her, but I did, and .~ didn t git to see her again for 12 long months. Us writ to one another all dat year and got married at hMstmastime, one year from de time us fust met. ~Us has still got dat old pen I used when I writ and axed her to marry me; I d lak to show it to you. Scuse me please whilst I goes in de house to git it. SoOn Ike returned. Ain t lt a sight? he proudly exclaimed es he displayed the relic. I made it up myself In Deceraberl88 and it got herconsent to marry me, so i se kept it ever since. My wife and me wouldn t part wid it for nothin .~ The wooden pen staff is very smooth as though from long usage except at the tip end, where it appears to have been gnawed. It looks very much as though Ike may have

284 280

1 ~ ( 8 tt~z:i(:7~ chewed on it as he wrote that all important letter. The iron pen point, much too large to fit the standard grooves of the ordinary pen staff, was placed on the staff and tightly wrapped. After 52 years of service the pen point and its sta,ff are still in good condition. Ike has the Prince Albert coat that he wore on his wedding day and he insists that it looks and fits as well now as it did on the occasion of his marriage. I m keepin de coat and pert for our chillun, he declared. Before resuming the conversation, Ike went back in the house to put the treasured pen away. In a few inonients he re~ turned. God has been good to US, he said, for lie let us have all nine of our chillun tu dey was grown up. Ils wuked mighty hard to raise eIn and give all of em a good education. Dat was soinepin us couldn t have when us was growin up and I m thankful to be able to say dat us wasable tosend. emalltooolle~e. Four of our chillun has gone on ahead to de next world, and de five dat s left is scattered from place to place; none of e~ is wid us now, but dey don t forgit us. Dey writes to us and visits us often and us goes to see dem. One son is goin mighty well as a lawyer in Washin ton, D.C., and our baby lives in New York .~ity. It s been bout 3 years now since my daughter ~Tul1ette died atter a sutomo bile wreck near Dalton, (~eorgia. Did you know bout Juliette? She give her life to wuk for de Y.W.C.A., and she went all over de

285 281

9. 28:1 world tryin to make things better for de young women of our race. Sorr~ebody writ a memorial book bout her. I wish dere was a copy of dat book here for you to see but it was borrowed. from us and it ain~t been returned. Did you know I had jus come back from Washin ton, whar I visited dat lawyer son of mine? ~e sends for ~e nearly evvy summer and I enjoy visitin dar, but I wouldn t lak to live up dar cause darn folks ain t lak our own southern people. I niust . say dey is mighty nice and good to me when I goes dar though. Onet when I was dar somebody told me dat it I wanted to have a good time I mustn t let nobody know I was a Georgian cause dey said dat de northerners don t lak our State. De rest of de time I was dar on dat visit I tuk partic lar pleasure in tellin evvybody how proud I was of my State and my home. Dat rerrtinds me of Miss Sally Eodgson. She was in de North, and one evenin she was tryin to tell de folks up dar dat de southern people warn t as bad as some of de Yankees had said dey was, end dat de white folks do~n South didn t mistreat de colored folks. Miss Sally said dat. de very next mornin de papers up dar was full of news bout de lynohin of 8 Negroes in one night at Watklnsville. If you had knowed Miss Sally, you would know how funny dat was, Ike laughed. She said atter dat dere warn t no way she could convince dem folks up dar dat Georgia was a good place to live in. Us had some good friends in de North and sometirr~s dey comes down here to see us. One of my wife s friends, a oman wid a lot of education has jus gone back to Philadelphia atter a

286 282

10. visit here in our home. Us travels a good deal and us has tound dat de world ain t so large but dat us is allus runnin up a ainst soniebody dat us knows wherever us goes. Sometimes ~vhen you is in a strange place it s mighty handy to find soiriebody you have knowed a long time ago. I member one time when I was visitin in Washin ton and wanted to git a glimpse of de President. I didn t say nothin to nobody bout what was on my mind, but atter my son went to his wuk in de mornin I slipped off to de ~apitol widout tellin nobody whar I was gwine. I found a waitin room. outside de President s office and I made up my mind I would set dar tu de President had to go out for dinner or to go home for supper. I never thought about he might have a side door he could co~ne and go from widout usin de door to de waitin room. Atter I had set dar in dat waitin rootri de best part of two days watchin for de President, somebody said: Howdy, Uncle Ike! What is you dom here in de President s waitin room? I looked up arid dar stood Albon Hoisey. He had growed up in Athens. lie was de boy dey signed to wait on Pres1~ a dent Taft when h e was at Mi ss ~agg I e Welch s home for/day and. night in Tanuary fore he was inaugurated. I bet Albon is still got dat ~5.OO Mr. Taft give him demornin he left Athens, but he don t need to spend it now cause folks say he got rich oft of his chain of stores for colored folks, and anyhow he s got a fine job dese days. ~v ell, I s plained to z~lbon dat I was jus waitin to git a peep at de ~resident whenever he happened to pass through dat room.

287 283

11. 283 Albon he smiled sort of wise-like. He tuk out one of his cyards and writ sompin on it, and axed a lady to take it right in to de President. She warn t gone 2 minutes fore she come back and said: De President will see Mr. Holsey and his friend now. I was wuss skeered dan I has ever been at any other time in my life. Us walked in and I was fraid de President could hear my knees knockin together, and my heart was beatin so fast and loud it seemed to me lak in was bout to bust. De President spoke to us and when he found out dat I was from Athens, he axed me lost of questions. He said dat he was interested in Athens. Soon Albon said us must be goin and when us got out of dar I was right weak, but I was might proud and happy to think de President had tuk time to talk pleasant lak wide a pore old Negro shoemaker. Another time in Washin ton a friend of my son s tuk me to a club one night whar some of de richest of our race is members. Dat night I met a man who had went to school wide de Mr. Teddy Roosevelt dat was President atter Mr. McKinley; den I met another Negro dat had been a classmate of President Hoover and one dat went to school wid President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It s right strange how dey all heads for Washin ton, D.C. to stay. Athens has allus been a real quiet town, and dere never was no real serious trouble here tween de races, not even when Matt Davis and Pink Morton was Postmasters here. People was allus predictin trouble bout dat, but de folks here was too level-headed for dat. Dey knowed dey could straighten out deir

288 284

12. 28~1 own troubles widout havin to fly off de handle in a race riot, and so dey tended to deir oven businessand de races got along all right through it all. ~ RAtter all, Athens is a good place to live in. Here us has: de best neighbors in de world; dey s allus ready to look atter one another in times of sickness and trouble. ~id de kind of good, christian folks dat lives here, ~thens Is bound to go ahesd.

Plantation life. Benny Dillard ex-slave - age 80. 289 285

I 00136 285 ,~/, ~ ;i) PLANT T ION LIFE BENNY DILLARD Cor. Broad and Derby Streets Athens, ~a. grace MeCune (~ ~ ~ ~ ~ T Athens - Sarah H. kiaII Athens - ~iritten by: Edited by: and ;rohn r;. Booth District Supervisor Federal unters? Project Residencies 6 & 7, ~ ~a.

290 286

I ~ 4~D(~ ~)Ui:4 .~ / ~L- ~ t) ~. ) BENNY DILLkRD !:x-~!1e ye ~ 80. Benny s rocky little yard is g~y v~ith flcwers and a flourishing rose vine s~ ades the small porch at the front - f his ramshackle two room cebin. The old Negro was busily eri~a~ed at w~shin~ his cIot~.ies. He is of raediuni size, darker than gingerbread in color, and i~is clothing on this day consisted. of & faded blue shirt, pants adorned with many patches, and brogans. A frayed sun hat eo~ed the gray hair th~~t is gittin mighty thin on de top of ~ haid. Benny was singin~ ~is he irorked ~r~d his quavering old voice ~-:ept tune sand rhythm to ~ remarkable degree as he carefully 8nd distinctly pronounced: esus will fix it for you, Just let Rim have kils way He knows just how to do, J~esus will fix it for you. Almost in the same brcath he began another song: ~ All my sisters gone, Mammy and Daddy too tlhar would I be if it warn t For my Lord and Marster. About this tirae he looked up and saw his visitor. off earne the old sun hat as ne said: Scuse me, Missy, I didn t know nobody was listenin to dem old songs. I loves to sing em when I gits lonesome an blue. But won t you co~e up on my porch arid have a cheer in de shade? Dere s a good breeze

291 287

Page 2. 28? on det little porch. Having placed a chair for the visitor and made himself comfortable on a crude bench, Benny began his story Missy, de good Lord gives end ne takes away, ~nd us old darkies is a passin out of dis world. flat was why I WL~S a-singin . One of my bestest friends done passed on to Glory dis very mi . I knows I se gi to rriiss old Randal Clayton cause both of us warn t no good. but for to set and talk bout old times. Te~~rs rolled do~.n his face as he told of his friend, and the visitor, fearful that he was too much over come by grief to be able to give a good story, suggested that another engagement be made to record his reminiscences, but he objected. Lawsy, ~dssy~ he protested. Please don t go now, for dem old times is on niy mind today and I would so love to talk bout em now, if you don t mind. If I talks too rauch, ~jus tell me, cause I se riiighty apt to do dat ~tien onct I gits started. ~ My Marrk ny and Daddy, dey warn t from dis part of de c~untry. My Manrny said dat not long atter she got to America from e trip on de water dat took nigh 6 months to make, dey brung her from Virginny and sold her down here in L~e orgy when she vz~s jus bout 16 yearsold. De onliest name she had when she got to ~eorgy was ~Nancy. I don t know whar my Daddy co~ie from. Him and ~arnrtiy was both sold to i~arse Isaac

292 288

Page 3. 288 Dillard and he tuk en~ to live on his place in Elbert Cou.nty, close to de place dey calls Goose Pond. Dey lived at home on dat big old plantation. By dat, I means dat Marse Isaac crowed evvything needed to feed and clothe his folks cept de little sugar, coffee, and salt dey used. I don t member so much bout times fore de big war cause I warn t but 6 years old ~ US was made free. Tellin de slaves dey was free didn t piake much diff unce on our place, for most of em stayed right on dar and wukked wid Old i~iarster jus lak dey allus done. Dat plantation was jus laka little town, it was so big and it had evvything us wanted and needed. . Slaves lived in log cabins what had red mud daubed in de cracks twixt de logs. De roofs was made out of boards what had so many cracks twixt em, atter a few rains made ein swink (shrink), dat us could lay in bed and see de stars through dem big holes. Even if us did have leaky houses, folkses didn t git sick half as much as dey does now. Our homemade beds was made out of rough planks nailed to high poles; leastways de poles was high for de headpieces, and a little lower for de footpieces. For most of dem beds, planks was nailed to de wall for one long side and dere was two laigs to make it stand straight on de other long side. Dey never. seed no metal springs dem days but jus wove cords back and. forth, up and down and across, to lay de raattress on. I never seed no

293 289

Page 4. 289 sto -~bought bed tU. atter I was married. Bedticks was made out of homespun cloth sturfed wid wheatstrew, and sometimes dey slept on rye or oatstraw. Pillows was stuffed wid hay what had a little cotton mixed in it sometimes. Atter a long day of wuk in de fields, nobody bothered bout what was in- ~ side dem pillows. Dey slept mighty good lak dey was. Dey fixed planks to slide across de inside of de holes dey cut out for windows. De doors swung on pegs what tuk de place of de iron hinges dey uses dese days. Dem old stack chimblies was made out of sticks And red mud. De fireplaces was a heap bigger dan dey has ~now, for all de cookin was done in open fireplaces den. Taters and cornpone was roasted in de ashes and ~~ost of de other ~ victuals was biled in de big old pots i~Aaat swung on cranes over de coals. Dey had long-handled fryin pans and. heavy iron skillets wid big, thick, tight-fittin lids, and ovens of ail sizes to bake in. All of dem things was used right dar in de fireplace. Dere never was no better tastin somepin t est dan dat cooked in dem old cook-things in open fireplaces. Chillun neverhad no wuk to do. Dey jus et and frolicked around glttin into evvything dey could find. Dey never got no lickin s less dey was mighty bad, cause our Marster said he warn t gwine to low no beatin on his Niggers

294 290

X Pace 5. t~ cept what he done his own self, and dat was pow fuJ. little. In hot weatner chillun played on de crick end de best game of all was to play lak it w~s big meetin time. White ehillun loved to play dar too wid de little slave chillun. Us would have make-believe preachin and baptizin and de way us would sing was a sight. One of dem songs us chillun loved de best went lak dis: . Why does you thirst By de ijVlfl stream? And den pine away ~nd den go to die. Thy does you search For all dese earthly things? . When you all can Drink at de livin? spring, ~nd den can live. When us started playin lak us was baptizin em, us th owed all us could ketch right in de crick, clothes and all, and ducked em. Whilst us was dom dat, us was singin : Git on board, git on board For de land. of many mansions, ~3ame old train dat carried My Mammy to de i~romised Land. One day our i~erster hid in de trees and watched us cause Mist ess had. done been fussin down bout ehillun all con iin in soaked to de hide. He waited tu he seed all de preechin and baptizin den he hollered for us to stop ~nd he tuk de ones what w~s dom all de beptizin and made em pray and sing, den he ducked em good in de water and made us all go up to de house to show Mist ess how come so many of dem pore chillun had done been gittin wet so much. Us got a tannin den

295 291

Page 6. dat Marster lowed would help us to ~it sho nough ligion. De wooden bowls what s1~ve chi ~lun et out of was r~iade out of sweetg~ trees. Us et wid mussel shells stid of spoons. Dem mussel shells was all right. Us c~uld use em to git up plenty of bread and milk, or cornpone soaked wid peas and pot likker. Dey never let chillun have no meat til dey was big enough to wuk in de fields. Us had biscuit once a week, dat was sunday breakfast, and dein biscuits was cakebread. to us. De fust bought meat us chillun ever seed was a slab of sIde meat Daddy ~ot from de sto atter S Aiad done left de plantation, and us was skeered to eat it cause it warn t lak what us had been used to. Chillun jUS wore one piece of clothes in suin~er time and dey ail went bsr foots. De cols summer gyarrnent was a plain, sleeveless arr~n dress, end de boys wore skimpy little shirts and n~thin else. Dey mixed cow~hair wid de cotton when ~.ey wove de cloth to make our winter clnthes cut of, and I m. a~ tellin you Missy, dat cow-hair cloth sho could scratch, but it w~s Lood and warm and ~arster seed to it dat us had. all de clothes us needed. De omans made all dc cloth used on de place; dey cyarded, spun, and den wove it. Mammy was de weaver; dat was ail she done, jus i~ove cloth. Dey dyed it wid red mud andinkballs, end sich lak. )(

296 292

Page 7. Marster never lakked to git up real e~rIy hisseif in slevery tirae, so he h~d one man what ~ot de Niggers up out of bed so early dat dey had done et breakfast and was in de field when day1i~ht coxue. ~tter de war was over Eu~d evvybody was free, all de Niggers used to jus piddle and play round evvy mornin whilst dey was w~itin for Marster to corne. Dem and de mules would be jus a~standin still and when de word w~s ~ assed dat Larster ~ ed done ~ot up all of em would start off wid a nish, just a~hollerin : ~hoa, dart Gee haw~ jus lak dey ~ad done been wukkin hard all mornin . One day Marster catch em at it, arid l~ie didn t say a word tu time come to pay off, and ~e tuk out for all de time dey ~~ad lost. Sometimes slaves run away and hid out in caves. Dey would pile up rocks and sticks ~nd pine limbs to hide de caves, and sometimes dey would stay hid out for weeks, and de other Nig~ers would Si1~ em. somepin t eat at night. Dere warn t many whet run off on our place, cause our ~iarster was so good to all of em dat dere v~arn t nothin to run from. Marster raade all his wuktoolsathome. J~low out sheers was made/of wood trimmed to de right shape and fastened to a iron point. ~hen dey w~splowin inQ~y~~eotton, dey nailed a board on one side of de plow to rake de dirt back up round de cotton plants.

297 293

Page 8. ~293 Dat big old gin wheel had wooden cogs what made de gin wuk when de old mule went round and rou d hitched to dat wheel. J~t old cotton press was a sight. Fust dey cut down a big ~ .. tree and trimmed ort de limbs and uade grooves in it for planks to fit in. It was stood up wid a big weight on top of it, over de cotton what was to be pressed. lt was wukked by a wheel what w~s turned by a mule, jus lak de one what turned de gin. old mule pulled de pole what turned de ~yiup ILi~ll too. Missy, dem old mules do~e deir ~~art long side de Niggers dem days, and I~rster seed dat his mules had good keer too. when dem mules had done turned de mill tu de juice was squez out of de sugarcane stalks, dey strained dat juice and biled it down tu it w~.s jus de finest .tastin syrup you ever did see. Ma~ster s mill whar he ground his wheat and corn w8s down on de crick, so de water could turn de big old wheel. Dein old cornshuckin s was sho nough big times, cause us raised so much corn dat it tuk several days to shuck it all. Us had to ~aave two generals. Dey chose sides and. den dey got up on top of de biggest piles of corn and kept de slaves a-singin fast~ so dey would wuk fast. De Lust crowd what finished ~ot de prize. Dere ain t much I can raeiriber of words to dera old cornshuekin songs. One general would start off singin : Shuck up dis corn, shuck up dis corn, cause us is gwine tiome,~ and de other general would be a-shoutin :

298 294

Page 9. 294 Make dein shucks fly, make dem shucks fly, us is gwine to go home.~ Over and over dey kept on singin dem lines. Come nighttime ~arster would have big bonfires built up and set out torches for ein to see how to wuk, and evvy time he passed. round dat jug of corn likker shucks would fly so e faster. When all de corn was done shucked and de big supper had been et, dere was wrastlin niatches and dancin and eli sorts of ~- ~ ~ frolickin . Tu dey could git a colored preacher, slaves had to go to church wid deir white folks. Missy, I members ylt, de lust preacher I ever hearea. lie was a wMte man, Preacher ~jon dey called him, and hi sermons made you mind what you was bout cause he preached straight from de Bible. Dat day when I Lust heared him his text was: If you gits lost in sin, den you is lost from God s word, and will have to be borned again. Dat s de truIe, ~1issy, it sho is. Young folks dese days is headed plumb straight for struction, cause dey won t listen to de Gospel. If dey don t change from de way dey is soin nowde old debbil is gwine to ketch em sho. All of us had better mind what us is bout, for ligion most times now is by our own minds and thoughts, and somebody else is apt to follow de ligion he sees in us. De Bible says to teach young folks de way dey should go, and dey won t depart

299 295

Page 10, 295 from deir raisin . You sho cantt raise em right by jus teachin em dese days; it evermore do take plenty of layin on of dat rod. I v~u1d SUS lak to see how dese young folks would lak it if dey had to ride for miles and miles in a ox~ cart, or else walk it, to g t to tend church. Dere wouldn t be many of de ones I lcnows round h~re would git dar. Us used to heve four steers hitched to our old cart, end it was slowgoin , but us got dar. Atter us got our own churches us still had to havewhitepreachers for a long time and den us was lowed to heve colored preachers. ~Nhen somebody wanted to jine our church us zamined eni, and if us didn t think dey was done ready to be tuk in de church, dey was told to wait and pray til dey had done seed de light. Anybody can jine up wid de church now, Missy, and it ain t right de way dey lets erri come in widout zaininin em. De good Lord sho don t lak dat way of handlin lis church business. One of dem cand-i-dates was a mean Nigger and our preacher and deacons wouldn t let him in our church. Den he went over to another church and told era dat he hed talked wid de Lord bout how us wouldn t let him jine up wid us, and he tiowed dat de Lord said to him: Dat s all right. I done been tryin to jine up in dat church for 15 years myself, and can t ~it in, so you go on and jine another

300 296

Page 11. church. ~ Dat other church let dat bad Nigger in and. it: warn t long fore dey had to turn hirn out, cause he warn t fittin to be in no church. Our preacher used to give us parables. One ~ of em was lak dis: I se seed good cotton growin in de grass.t He splained it dat dere was some good in de wust sinners. Another of his parables was: If you can t keep up up wid de man at de foot, how is you gwine to keep/wid de higher-up folks? Dat meant if you can t sarve God here be~ low, how is you gwine to ~it alon~ wid him if you gits to uieben? Our preacher told us to sarve both our ~arsters. De lust Marster was dod, he seid, and de other one was our white rnarster. 1 ain t never been inside no courtroora and don t never spect to be dar, cause, missy, I don t mind nobody s business but my own, end dat s all I can do. No Main, i don t never git rauch sick. I had a bad old I~aid cold last winter, but I stopped dat wid coal oil and by bre~ithin in smoke from scorched leather. Light ood splinter tea is heloful when I has a chist cold. salts ain t de best thing for old fOlkS to be doctored wid. I takes common cookin sode sweetened ~id a little sugar. Dem is old-time doses from way back in de old days, and - - still use~ em all.

301 297

Page 12. tDurin of de war time, soda and salt was both hard to g t. Dey biled dowu de dirt from under old sraokehouses to git salt, and soda was made out of burnt corneobs. You would be s prised to see what good cookin could be done wid dat old corncob soda. Us wukked for i~ir. ~reen Hubbard de fust year us left de old plantation, but he ~ so us left ~ hirn and rented some land to farm. Den I went to wuk for i~ir. Stephens and stayed ~id hirn 25 years. Ie was one or de owners of ~ and I used to drive for him when he went to Gusty (Augusta) to dem board ineetin s. lie h~d one of dem old-~time gins what run by mule power, and us sho did gin a heap of cot~on. Lots of tirr~es he iiad us to haul it all de way to Gusty on dem wacons. ~ ~itephens place was at Craw ford, ~eorgy. ~ie snd nay ~ai runned away to git married. If you please, I~1am, cc~~e insicie end look at tier pitcher. ~in t she a fine lookin gal? ~eII, siie was jus as good as she looks. I keeps her pitcher hangin right over my bed so as I C an b ok e t he r all d e t une . The smal I ro om wa s t j dy and clean. . In one corner a narrow, single bed, neatly made, stood beneath the picture of denny s wife, ~ary. The picture

302 298

Page 1~. ~i~( ~ showed a young wom~in dressed in~wh te in the style of the period ~~.hen tight waists ~nd enormous puffed sleeves were in vogue. An old washstend supporting a huge mirror, a small table, evidently used as a dining table, two chairs, a small cupboard filled with dishes, and e ~aall, wood~burning stove completed the furnishings of the room. I3~ck on the porch again, Benny resumet the story of i~is marriage. Her ~i~ddy wouldn t gree for us to git married cause he wanted her to stay on and. wuk for him. ~he warn t but seventeen. ~v~y boss~rnan let us use Lis hoes and buggy and, i~ssy, a~t i~St ~ ~ wLat saved de day for us. When I got to whar L W~S tc r~eet her, I seed her ninnin down de road wid . ~ her daddy atter her fast as he could ~o on foot. I snatched ~ her up in dat buggy and it seemed lak dat hoss knowed us was in a hurry cause he sho did run. Squire Jimmie ~reen rri~rried us and when us g~t back to my boss-man s house her daddy had done ~ot dar and was a-raisin cane. Boss stephens, he come out and told her daddy to pit on way from dar and let us lone, cause us was done married and dere warn t nothin could be done bout it. Us had a liard time gittin started housekeepin , cause my daddy co~Aldn t ~iolp us none. Our bed was one of dem home-made ones nailed to de side of de house. Us lived to~ether 43 years CoTe de Lord tuk her home to Heben 15 years

303 299

Page 14. 299 ago. Dein 43 years was all of em happy years. Since she s been gc~ne I se rriighty lonesome, but it won t be long now tu I see her, for i se ready to go whenever de Good Lord calls me. j

The experience of George Eason in slavery time. 304 300

~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ - -y-- ~- _ ~ ~ ~ . . ~Ths1T~i4T (~~~4~e4 ) Li ~3OO52 (~/ t/ ~OO :E~r T~ ~:~i:~c~ OF GEORGE EASON fl~ SlAVERY TTh~ Mr. George !a8on was born in Forsyth, Ga. on the plantation ot Mr. Yack Ormond. In addition to himself thei~e were six other children, one of whom was were his twin brother, He and his brother/the oldest members of this group of children. Ei s moth~ who was the master s cook, had always belonged to the Ori~nd family while his father belonged to anoth~ family, having been sold while he (George) was still a baby. It so happens that Mr. Ormond was a wealthy planter and in addition to the plantation that he owned in the country, he also maintained. a large n~nsion in the town. ~ The fir st few years of hIS life were spent in town where he helped his ~ther in the kitchen by attending to the fire, getting water, etc. He was &~so required to look after the master s horse. Unlike most oth~ slave owners who allowed their house servants to sleep in the n~n8iOn, 1~. Ormond had several cabins built a short distance in the rear of his house to aceonii~date those who were ~iployed in the house. This house group consisted of the cook, seametreas, neid, butler, and the wathwman. Mr. Eason and those persons who held the above positions alway~ had good. food because they got pract ically the same thing that was served to the master and his family. They all had good clothing - the ~xr~n s dresses being made of cali , and the butler s suits of good grade cloth, the particular kind of which ~. mason knows nothing about. He hi*self wore a one-piece gannent made of crocus. ~ ~ Mr. Eason was about 1 or 8 yeszs of age when he was first sent to work in the field. It was then that his troubles began. He says that he ~.s n~de to get up each nxrning at sun-up ~nd that after going to the field he had to toil there all d~ until the sun went down. He and his fellow slaves had to ~rk in all types of the weather, good as ~veli as bad. Although the neater or/overseer were not as cruel as so~, he had heard of they tolerated no looseness of work and in ease a ~rson was suspected of loafing the whip was applied freely. Although he was nev~ whipped, he has heard.

305 301

2. 30:L the whip being app .ie~ to his xi~othor any number of tines. It hw~t him, he ~js, because he had to stand bUJc unable to render any asai~tance whatever. (This happened berore he was sent tu the plantation. ) ~en h18 nother got these whippinga she alwaya ran. ~ off afterwards and hid in th e woods which were nearby . At night she w~u1d si ip to the cabin to get tood and while there would caution him ~nd the other children not to tell the nester that they had seen her. The maste~r s wife who was very mean was always the cause of her receiving these 1ashin~s. Some nights after he and the other siaves had ieft the field they were r.q~uired to do extm work auch as ginning cotton and shelling peas and. corn, etc. The young WOLfl6U ~re i equired to wa~rk that in some respects was as hard as that the men did, Wil lie the oider women usually di d ugh ter work. When the time came to p lok the cotton ail handz wer converted into pickers. Night was the only tln~ that they had to do their washing and to cultivate the &iall gardens they were allowed to have~ During the months when there was little field ~rk to b they were kept ~ repairing fences, etc. on the term. Every day was consldei~ed a working day except Sund~ Thanksg lying and Christri~s They were not allowed to ceiebr ate on these days as were the si~i yes on other nearby plantat ions. Clotiiing on the Orxuond plantation was usually insufti oient to satisfy the needs of the slave. Eacn year one issue was given each slave. For the men this issue consisted of 1 pair of brogan shoes, several homespun shirts, a few pairs of knitted socks, and two or three pairs of pants. The brogans were made of such hard leatner u atil the wearers feet were usually blistered before the shoes were brok~i in The i~omen, in addition to a pair of shoes ~nd son~ cotton stockings were given several home8pundresse~>) one occasion ir. ~ason says tnat he wore his shoes out before tinie for an Issue of clothing. It was so cold until the skin on his test cracked, causing the blood to flow In spite of this hiernaBtea would give him no ~iore 8hOOd. All clothing was made on the plantation except the shoes.

306 302

3. 302 Those wo~n who were too o~.d for field work did th~ . sewing in addition to other duties to be describ~1 later. ~ Indigo was cultivated Dor dyeing purposes end in some Instances a dye v~as made by boiling walnut leaves and walnut huila in water. In addit ion -to her duties as cook, T~. Eason s mother had to also weave part of the cloth. He told of how he hud to sit tip at night and help her and how she would crack hini on the head f~or being too slow at times. The artount of food given each slave was also inadequate as a general rule. At the end of each week they all went to a ce~tain spot on the plantation where eachw~s given 1 peck o~ ~ieal, 1 gal. oI~ syrup, and 3 pounds of meat.,They often suLfered from that particul.~r stomach ailment commonly 1~iov~n as hunger. At such times raids were made on the smokehouse. This was considered as steeling by the master ~nd the overseer but to them it was merely taking that which they had worked for. At other times they increased their food by hunti4g ~nd fishing. Possums end coons were the usual game fr aa su eh a hunting expedition. All me ale usually consisted of grits, bacon, syrup, corn bread and vegetables. On Bundays and holidays the meals varied to the extent that they were allowed to have biscuite which they ealled cake bread. The slaves made oeffea by parching corn meal, okra aeed or Irish potatoes. ~1hen sufficiently parched any one of the above named would im~ake a vile type of coffee. Syrup was use for all sweet e~i Ing purposes. The produce fi~m the gardens which the xz~ster allowed thai could only be used for home con$ur~tion ~nd under no circumstances could axiy of it be sold. Th~ cabin$ thc~t the slaves occupied were located on one section of the plant at ion kno~in ~s the quart er s ~ Thes e dvellinga were crude one roomed atructure~ usually made frorn logi. In order to keep the weather out mud was useci to close the openings between the logs. In maost instances the furnish ing

307 303

A ~. u~ ot a cabin was complete after a bed., a bench (both of Which were iiade by the slave) and a few cooking utensils h~4 been placed in it. ie there were no stoves for slave use all cooking was done at the fireplz&ce, which, like the chimney, was niade of mud and atones, One or tv~ openings served the purpose of wi~id.ows., and shutters were used instaad~ of gla8s. The mattresses on which tney slept were ni~de from hay, grass or stra~tw. When a light wa~ needed a tallow candle or a pine knot was lighted. Absolute cleallines8 was required at si 1 times end the floors, if they were made o~ wooi, had to be swept and. scrubbed often. In addition to the private dwellinga there waa one large house where all c~aildren not old enough to go to the field were kept. One or two of the older women took charge ot them, seeing that they had a sufficient araount of corn bread, vegetables ath rr~i ~k each dey. ~Ul were fed from a t~bough like little pigs. These old v~men were also responsible for the care of the sick. hen aeloed if a doctor ~ as employed, Mr . Eason replied t 1~it one i~id to be mighty sick to have the ae~vicea of a doctor. The usual treatment for sick alaves was castor oil YLI1Oh was given in large ~ees, salts and a type of pill known as hippoeat . ( ipecac) Although they were not permitted any i~ormal type of learning reiigiou~ worship it was not denied them. Each Sunday Mr. Orn~nd required that al 1 his sl~ivea attend church. All went to the white church where they sat in back and. listened to.the sermon of a white preacher. ~ Eason says th~it the ~1aTSS believed in ai . kinds of and every concelyable type of signa. Their supersti tions usually had to do with methods of conjure. preacher was nev~ used to perform a wedding ceremony on the Ormond plantation. After the man told the master about the woman of his choice and she had been e ailed and had agreed to the plan, all that was necessary was for the couple to join hands and. jump over a broom vihich had beea~ p3~a~e~ on the ground.

308 304

5, 304 Mr. Ormond permitted. few if any ce .ebraticna oe~ froijee to take place on. his tar~n. Then he did grant this privilege his slaves were permitted to invite their friends who of course ha4 to get a pass front their respective masters. They, too, were reQuired to secure a pass frost Mr. Orxnond if they wanted to visit o:tt the premises. If~ caught by the Pad&Ls RoUera ( Patrollers) without this pass they were soundly whipped an~ then. taken to their master. At the beginning of the Civil ar all the alavee talked ~ong the~elvea concerning the possible outcome of the war. However, they ~s~er let the master or the overseer hear them because it meant a whipping. When 5herman and his aimy ma~ ohe through they burned all the gin houa es on the Ormand plantation and took all the available live stock. ~. Ori~nd took a .. ~t few prized po8aessions an~ a fe~ slaves (one of whom ~as Mr. Eason) and. fled to Aug~sta,Ga. . (After freedom was deel red he was still held in bondage and. hired out by I ay. Once he ra~ avey but was toun . and brought back. In 1887 the remaining ut. mbera o:t the Ormond family moved to Atlanta, bringing him along iith them. ~ ter ri~st ot them had died he ~a finally permitted to go or stay as he pleased. In~aediate1y after tr.edom had been declared he had the good fortune to find his tather. However, he never got a chance to spend any time with him as the Ormonde refus ed to r elease him. f~Sa~s Mr. ~ason: Slavery had a good poi,nt in that we slaves alw~re felt that omebody was going to take care ot us. He says that he has heard ~oine wish for ~ he good. old daYs but as ~or himse he Pretera thin 8 to r~ain as they are at ~ea~nt.

Plantation life as viewed by ex-slave Callie Elder. 309 305

PLANTATION LI~ as viewed by Ex-Slave CALME ELDER 640 w. Hancock Avenue Athens, Georgia 305 Written by: Edited by: Sadie 13. Hornsby A t he ns - Sarah H. Hall Athens Loua Harris Augusta - and John N. Booth District Supervisor Federal ~rrjter t Pro je~t !tesidencies 6 & 7.

310 306

i~ ~ ~ ( ~ CALLIE ELDER ~ ~ 7~ Caille lives with her daughter, Cornelia, in a 6-r~oom house near the crest of a hill. Their abode i.e a short distance from the street and is reached by steep stone steps. In response to the call for Callie, a tall mulatto woman appeared. Her crude~ ly fashioned blue dress was of a coarse cotton fabric and her dingy head rag had long lost its original color. Straight black hair, streaked with gray, and high cheek bones gave the imjression that in her ancestry of iTiixed races, Indian characteristics pre~ dominate. Her constant use of snuff causes frequent expectoration and her favorite pastime seems to be the endeavor to attain an in-j credible degree of accuracy in landing each mouthful of the amber fluid at the greatest possible distance. ~s she was about to be- gin conversation, a little yellow boy about five years old ran into the room and Caille said: tttSQ~se me please, I can t talk tu I gits my grandboy off so he won t be late to school at Little Knox. Set down in dat dar cheer arid I ll be right back. Soon Caille returned and it was evident that her curiosity was aroused. When the interviewer explained the purpose of the visit, she exclaimed: Lordyt Miss, what is de government swine do next? For de GOdtS truth, I never knowed I would have to tell no~ oody what happened back in dem days, so its jus done s1i~pped out of r~y nind. Anyhow, I warn t e yen born in Clarke County. I was born in Pl~yd County, up nigh dome, Georgia, on Marss Billy Neal s planta

311 307

Page 2. ti on:. Ann and Washint ton Neal was my Mammy and Pappy. No Ma am, no~ preacher never married em. Marse i~i11y Neal, he owned bole of tern and atter my Pappy axed him could he marry Mammy, ~rse Billy niade em go up to de hail of de big house and jump backwards over a broom. ~Dere was six of u~i chillun: me and Prances, Beulah, Thomas, Felix, and Scott. Dere was mighty little wuk done by chillun in slav ry days. I jus played round and kicked up my heels wid de rest of de chillun. Then us played our hidin game, us sung some~ pin la:k dis: Mollie, Mollie Bright Three score and ten, Can I git dere by candlelight? Yes, if your laigs is long enought Sometimes us ~p1ayed what us called de Crow game. Us spread our fingers out, side by side and counted em out wid a rhyme. i-)e one de last word of de rhyme fell on had to be de crow. I didn t love to be counted out and made de crow, but it was a hea~p dl fun to count de others out. Since I been knee high to a grassho~pper, I am t never done nothin but wuk round white folksy houses. Our log cabins what us liTed in was daubed inside and out yid mud to keep out bad weather. Our beds was held together by cords what was twisted evvy which way. You had to be mighty careful ti~ htenin den cords or de beds was liable to fall down. Us slept on wheat straw mattresses and had plenty of good warm quilt1s for k i ye r.

312 308

Page 3. 3()8 Grown folks was fed cornbread and meat wid plenty o f vege tables i.n de week days: and on Sunday rnornin s dey give em wheat bread, what was somethin slaves didn t see no more Ui de next Sunday rnornin . Bout four o ~1ock on summer atternoons, dey sot a big old wooden bowl full of cornbread crumbs out in de yard and poured in buttermilk or potliquor tu de crumbs was kivered. Den dey let de chillun gather ro~jnd it and eat Ui de bowl was empty. In winter chillun was fed inside de house. utPOS5UiflS, Oh, mussy met my grandpa hunted possums at night and fetched in two and three at a time. Don t say nothin t bout dem rabbits for dere warn t no end to ~ em. ~abbits stewed, rabbits fried, and rabbits dried, smoked, and cured lak hog i~eat~ I et so niany rabbits whenl was young I can t stand to look at em now but I could eat possums and gnaw de bones all day long. 1~~arse Billy let grandpa go fishin and he was all time bringin back a passel of minnows and other fishes. Us rubbed ~ down wid lard and salt and pepper, den rolled em in cornmeal and bake~ em. I never seed no fried meat tu i was a big strappin gal. Dere was one ~ig gyardenwhar dey raised nough vegetables for all de white folks and slaves too. ~ll de bilin was done in pots swung on cranes over coals in de fireplace. Our clothes was made fl6W for us in de fall out of cloth wove in looms right dar on de plantation. Top clothes was dyed wid hick ry bark. De full skirt;s was gathered to tight uittin waisties. Underskirts was made de same way. De dresses had done wore thin nough for hot weather by de time winter was gone so us wore dem saine clothes straight on through de summer, only us left off de under-

313 309

Page 4. 8(i9 skirts den. Slave chillun didn t never wear no shoes. Our foots cracked open Ui dey looked lak goose foots. Us wore de saine on Sunday as evvy day, ae~t dat our clothes was clean, and stiff wid meal starchwhen us got into em~ on Sunday morni.n s. ~Marse Billie. Neal was our owner and Mi.ssPeggywas his old oman. Dey was jus as good to us as dey could be. Deir two chillun was Marss Torn and Marse Mid. De car iagedriver nev~ had much to do but drive Marse Billy and Miss Peggy round and, course he had to see dat de hosses and car iage was kept clean and shiny. I don t member if he tuk de chillun roi~nd Chillun didn t stand de show dey does now. Oh, no Ma am, I sho can t tell nothin t all bout how big dat old plantation was, but it was one whoppin big place. Dere was too rnar&y slaves on dat plantation for me to count. . De overseer got tern up by 4:00 o c loc~k and de mens had to be in de fields by sunrise. De omans went out bout 8:00 o clock. Dey stopped wuk at sundown and by de time dey et and done de chores for de day it was. 10:00 o clock fore dey hit de bed. Je cabins was built in a ciroie and de overseer went de rounds evvy night to see if de slaves was in bed. Yes ~ arn, dey whupped de Niggers. My Pappy and grand~pa W?~5 de wust ones bout gittin licked. ~vvy time Pappy runned away Liarse 3iily sicked dem hounds on his heels and dey was sho to ketch him and fetch him back. Dey had to keep knives from Pap.py or when dem dogs cotch him he would jus cut em up so dey would die. When dey got him back to de house, dey would buckle him down

314 310

Page 5. 4~ ~ 4 t_~)1 ~ ove r a barre I arid larrup him wid a plal te cl whup . ~ Oinans warn t whupped much. I~y graridpaYork was so bad bout runnin way Marse Billy made him wear long old horns. One Sunday Marse Billy went by our church to see if all his Niggers was dar what was sposen to be dar. And dere grandpa was a-sottin wid dem horns on his head. Marse Billy told hi~ he could take de horns off his head whilst he wa s I n d e nie e t i n houe e ~ t da t grandpa droppe d dem horns and lit a rag to d~ woods and it tuk de dogs days to find him. If one slave kilt another, Marse Billy made de3verseer tie dat dead Nigger to de one what kilt him, and de killer had to drag de corpse round ttjl he died too. De murderers never lived long a-~draggin dem daid ones round. Dat jus pyorely skeered em to death. Dere was a guardhouse on de farm, whar de wust Niggers was kept, and while dey was in dat guard house dey warn t fed but once a day. It warn t nothin unusual for Marse Billy to sel . s lave s bu t he ne ver s o id hi s be s t Ni. gge re :c~ one s he so id was alms dem he couldn t gi.t no wuk out of. Not a Nigger could read or write on Maree Billy s p1anta-~ tion. Dey was all too dumb to lam. Dere was a shaokly sort of church house on our plantation and on Sundays atter de Niggers had cleaned deyseifs up, if dey told Marss Billy dey wanted to go to church, he sont em on. All I knows bout baptizin s is dey jus tuk em to de river and plunged em in. Dey sung somepin bout: G wine to de aiver for to be ~aptized. Us had prayer_meetin s on ~ . ~Iednesday nights sometimes. Oh, Mussyt Don t ax me bout furi rals~. I got de misery in my laigs and I feels too bad dis mornin to let myself even think

315 311

Page 6. 311 bout fun rals. Back den when slave folks died dey jus put em in. home made pine coffins what dey throwed in a wagon and tuk em to de graveyard. At dem buryin s, dey used to sing: Am I born to die To let dis body down.t None of our Niggers ever runned away to de North. Dey was too busy running ~ff to de woods. ~Tus to tell de truth dem Niggers on our place was so dumb dey didn t even take in bout no North. Dey didn t even know what de war was bout tU it was all over. I don t know whar to start bout dem patterollers. Dey was de devil turned aS-loose. Dere was a song bout Run Nigger run, de ~atteroller git you!. and dey sho would too, I want to tell you. What de slaves done on Saddy night? Dey done anything dey was big nough to do. Dere warn t no frolickin cept on Sadday night. Niggers on our place wukked all day Sadday capt once a month. Borne of de slaves would slip off and stay half a day and de overseer wouldn t miss em cause dere was so many in de field. It l:,Tas jusI too bad for any Nigger what got cotched at dat trick~ ~adday night, slaves was lowed to git together and frolic and cut de buck. Christmas Day Marse Billy called us to de big house and dive us a little fre eh meat and swee t bread, dat was cake . Christmas v~arn t much diff unt f um other tirnes. Jus r:iore t eat. Us jus had dat one day off, and New Year s Day was used as a hp~~~ay too. 90h, dem cornshuckin et All day fore a cornshuckin dey hauled corn and put it in great piles as high as dis here house Us sung all de time us was shuckin corn. Dere was a lot of dem old

316 312

Page 7. n. ~ shuckin songs. De one us sung most was: Whooper John and Calline all night. 1~.rse Billy, he give tern coffee and whiskey all night and dat made em git rough and rowdy. Je n de shucks did fly. U~ had one x~ore grand feast when de last ear of corn had done been shucked. ~re warnt t nothin lacki& . Cotton pickin s warn t j~ianned for fun and frolic lak cornshuckin s. If Marse Billy got behind in his crops, he jus sont us back to de fields at night when de noon was bright and so~:etimes us picked cotton all night long. Marster give de oman. what j~icked de most cotton a day off, and de man what picked de most had de same ~rivilege. Old AuntMartha what nussed de chillun while deir Mammies w~kked i~n de field was de quiltirit manager. It warn t nothin for ornans to quilt three quilts inone night. Dem quilts had to be finished fore dey stopped t eat a bit of de quiltin feast. Marse Billy vided dem quilts out mongst de Niggers what needed ein most. Dem blue and white beads what de grown omans wore was jus to look pretty. Dey never meant nothin else. Mammy would ~ .3loodyBones. ~ Us was all time alookin for him, but he never got dar. What skeered u~ most was j~ainters (.panthers) a howlin close to our cabins at night. You could hear em most any night. When i~imr~y i: aut~d to make us behave all she had to say was: I hears dem ~ainters comin ~ Dat made us jus shake all over arid git mighty still and quiet. De mens tried to run dem painters down, but dey never did ketch one.

317 313

Page 8. ~113 One of de oabin~ was allus ha nted atter some of de . ~---~.-~-~ slaves got kilt in it whilst dey was fightin . Nobody never could live in dat cabin no more atter dat widout ha nts gittin atter em. De wust of em was a oman ha nt what you could hear sweej~in up leaves in de yard a,nd all dat time~ you might be lookin hard and not see a leaf move. In dat cabin you could all time hear ha nts lflovill eheers and knockin on de wall. Some of dem ha nts would p int a gun in your face if you met em in de dark. Dem ha nts was too nuch for me. ~ Our white folks was good as dey knowed how to be when us got sick. I don t member dat dey ever had a doctor for de slaves, but dey give us all kinds of home brewed teas. Pineto~ps,mullein and fat light ood splinters was biled together and de tea was our cure for diff unt ailments. Scurvy grass tea mixed wid honey was good for stomach troubles, but you sho couldn t take much of it at a time. It was de movin est rnedicine~ ~ound our necks us wore asafetida sacks tied on strings soaked in turpentine. Dat was to keep diseases off of us. What does I member bout de war? Well, it was fit to ~e tch our freedom. Marse Billy had a fine stallion. \7hen de sojers was comin , he sont Pappy to de woods wid dat stallion and some gold and told him not to let dem yankees find em. Dat ~t~ilion kept squealin tu de yankees found hirn, and dey tuk him id de gold too. Grandna was a churnin a;ay out on de back j~orch :i~i id she had a ten dollar gold niece what she didn t want dem sojers to steal, so she dra.pped it in de churn. ~m yankees poured~dat butt3rmilk out right dar on de porch floor and got grandma s money.

318 314

Page 9. ~ 4 ! Marse Billy hid hisseif in a den wid some more money and other things and dey didn t find him. Dey ~uk what dey wanted of what dey found and give de rest to de slaves. Atter de sojers left, de Niggers give it all back to Marster cause he had allus been so good to em. Us stayed on wid Marse Billy for sev ral years atter de war. He paid us $10 a month and he lowanced out de rations to us evvy week; most alius on Monday cause Sundays us had nough cornpany to eat it all at one time. He give us.three j~ounds of fat meat, a peck of meal, a Speck of flour, 25% worth.of sugar, and a ~~ound of coffee. Dat had to last a whole week. III didn t take in nothin bout ~thraha~ii Lincoln, Jefferson Davis and dat dar Booker T. Washin ton man, but I heared folks say dey was all right. What is you talkin bout Miss? I didn t need to have no oig weddin when I married Lige Elder. It was a big nough thing to git a man lak ~: ~hat I got. What did I want to have a big weddin for when all I was atter was my man? Us had done been rn rried 25 years tfore us had no chillun. Dis here Cornelia what I lives wid was our first chile. She ain t got no chillun. Isaac, my boy, has :20t four chillun. My old man died bout two years ago. tu j ined de church cause I was happy and wanted de world to know I had done got ligion. I think evvybody ought to g t ligion. God says if us do right he will give us all a hone in ~ Heaven. I d ruther have de days as dey is now in some ways. 3ut

319 315

Page 10. L~:13 one thing I does lak to do is eat and us had a plenty of good eatin den and never had to worry none bout whar it wa~ a..comin f urn. MisS, ain t you through axin me questions yet? I m tired of talicin I done let de fire go out under my v~rashpot twice. ~ white folks ain t gwine to lak it if dey has to wait for deir clothes, and dis misery in my laigs, it eho does hurt rue bad dis mornin 5 s ~ s s s s s s s s s s s

"An interview with Lewis Favor," ex-slave. 322 318

tfW~i~: ~ .~ ~ E~X~la ve~ ?IRST COPY OF ARTICLE ENTITLED: AN INTERVIEW WITh LEWIS FAVOR, EX-SLAVE by E. Driskell ~ f~c~--~ ~) Typed by A. M. ~1hit1ey 1 29-3?

323 319

Page 1. Whitley, L Th,iskell, 1 29-3? LEWISFAVOftJL ZXSL1~,VE Among Atlanta a few remaining ex-slaves I s one Lewis Favors. When he fully ~mderstood thi s worker s reasons foe approaching him he consented to tell what he had seen and experienced as a slave. chewing slowly on a large wad of tobacco he began his account in the following manner : I was born in Merriweather County in 1855 near the present b.. cation of Greenville, Georgia. Besides my mother there were sight of B children and I was elder then ail of them with one exception. Our owner was Mrs Favors but she was known to everybody as the WI dow Favors. My father was owned by a ~. Darden who had a plantation in this same county. When the Widow s husband died he left her about one-hundred acres of land and a large sum of money and so she was considered as being rich. she di&n t have many slaves of her own and so her son ( also a plantation owner) used to send scme of his slaves over occasionally to help cultivate her crops, which consisted of cotton, corn, and all kinds of vegetables. In regard to her treatment of the sieves that she held Mr. Favors I says: sue wasn t so tig~it and then she was pretty tight too. These slaves who were field hands were in the field and at work by the t ime it was light enough to see They plowed hoed and then later in the season gathered the crops. After the he~vesting was over the fences were repaired and rails were split. In rainy Weather nobody had to work out of doors, instead they shelled the peas and corn end scanetimes ginned the cotton. At night the w~en ~re required to spin and to weave. In the winter season no work was requirleat night unless they had not spun as much thread as was required. At such times they had to work at night until the amount set had been reached. 319

324 320

Page 2. 32(i Whitley, E. Driakell, 1- 29 37 Mr. Favor s zaother was the cook for the Widow Favors~ and her two neices who lived with her. The Favors had paid the owner ot a hotel Four hundred dollars to have the hotel cook teach her (1er. Favors mother) to prepare all kinds of fancy dishes. His father was a field hand on the Darden plantation. In addition to t}is he repaired ai . the shoes when this was necessary. As a child ~. Favors was not very strong physically and because of this the Widows made him her pet. He never had to do any work other than that of waiting on the mistress while she ate her meals. Even in this he had to get up at tour o clock in the morning and help his mother In the kitchen. Scmetimes he would sweep the yards if he felt like doing so. When he grew older he was given the task ot picking the seed out of the cotton at night. On Sundays ail the servants were free to do as they pleased, that s, with the sxoeption of Mr. Favors hi s i~ther and the two w~en who serve as maids to the ~Widow s two neices, At other times if a task was done before the day was over with they were given the remaining time to so as they pleased. However, everybody had a one week holiday at Christmas. Mr. Favors made the following statement In regard to the clothing: Everybody were the homespun cotton clothes that were made on the plen~ tatlon by the slave women. The w~aen wre striped ausenberg dresses while the kn were aueenberg pants and shirts that had been made into one garment. My clothes were always better than the other little fellows, who ran arowid in their shirttails because I was always in the house of the Sidow. They used red ~z ~ clay to do the dyeing with. In the winter time cracked feet were cc~on. The grown people wire heavy shoes called brogans while I wore the cast off shoes of the white ladies. W. ail wrapped our feet in bagging eacks to help them to keep wann. We were

325 321

Page 3. 321 Whit ey, . E. Driskeil, 1~29 37 given one cOEnpiete outfit of clothes each year end these had to last until the time for the next iesue. Sheets for the beds ~re also made out or hcmespun material while the heavier cover such as the quilts eti. were made fran the dresses and the other clothing that was no longer fit for wear. As a genera . rule all of the slaves on this plantation had enough food to keep them well and healthy. At the end of each week the field hands were given enough food to last them seven days. For most of them the week~s supply consisted of three and one half pounds of pork or fat meat, one peck of meal, flour, and black molasses. The only meals that they had to prepare fran the above mentioned articles were breakfast and supper Dinner was cooked in the plantati on kitchen by one of the wcmen who was too old for work in the fields. For this particular meal the slaves had some different type of vegetable each day along with the lat meat corn bread, and the pot liquor which was served every day. They were al.. lowed to cane in from the fields to the house to be served. Breakfast us~ ually consisted of fat meat, molasses, and corn bread while supper con~ sisted of pot~liquor, bread, and milk. The only variation frcm this diet was on Sunday when all were allowed to have bisquit8 instead of cosn bread. Mr Favors was asked what happened i f anycu s food was all eaten before it was time for the weekly issue end he answered: It was just too bad for them cause they would have to do the best they could until the time came to get more. When such a thing happedned to anyone the others usually helped as far as their limited supplies would permit. Mr. Favors soya that he his mother and the two maids ate the same kind of food that the Widow, end her neices were served. After he had seen to the wants of all at the table he had to take a seat at tb~ table

326 322

Page 4. Whitley, E. Driakell 1-29-3? beside h~ta owner where he ate with her ~id the others seated there. There were two one-roaned cabins located directly behind the four-ro ied house of the Widow, the entire lot of them were built out of legs. These two cabins were for the use of those servants who worked in the house oe~ their owner. At one end of each cabin there was a wide fireplace which was made of sticks, stones, and dried mud. Instead of windows there were only one or two ~nall holes cut in the back wall of the cabin. The beds were made out of heavy planks and were called Georgia Lo~na, by the slaves. Wooden slats were used in the place of bed springs while the mattresses ~re merely large bags that had been stuffed to capacity with hay, wheat straw, or leaves. The only other furnishings in each of these cabins were several benches and a few cooking utensils. Mr. Favors says: IVe didn t have plank floors like t~ese on some of tie other plantations; the plain bare ground served as our floor. As he made this statement he reminded this workeB that he meant his mother and some of the other house servants lived in these cabins. He himself always lived in the house with the ~Widow FavoraV who had provided a ecinfortablebed along with a small chair for his use. These slaves who worked in the fields lived in aeferal cabine that were s iewhat nearer to their fields then the other two cabins mentioned above . The remaining buildings on the Favors plantation were the smokehouse and the cook house where in addition to the cooking the younger children were cared for by another old person. The wctnen who cared for these children had to also help with the cooking. Whenever any of the slaves were sick the doctor ~s called if con ditions warranted it, otherwise a dose of ca stor oil was prescribed.

327 323

Page 5. Whitley, I. Uriskell, L%~#t . 1 29-37 Mr. Favors stated that after freedctn was declared the white people for wh~ they worked gave them hog-fit oil and sometimes beef-oil both of which had the s~ne effect as eastor oil. If any were too ill to work in the field one of the others was required to remain at the cabin or at sane other convenient place so as to be able to attend to the wants of these so indisposed. .. When Mi . Favors was kt* asked if the servants on thi s plantation ever had the chance to learn how to read or to write he answered: They was txEt all afraid to even try because they would out these off, and he held up his right hand and pointed to his thumb and forefinger. At any rate the Widow, neices taught him to read a few months before the slaves were set free. On Sunday all. were required to attend the white church in town. They eat in the back of the church as the white minister preached end directed the foliwing text at them: D~~ t steal your master s chickens or his eggs and your backs won t be whipped. In the afternoon of this same day when the colored minister vas allowed to preach the sl ves heard this text : Obey your masters and your mistresses and. your backs won t be whippedV All of the marriages were performed by the colored preacher who read a text fr~ the Bible and then pronounced the couple being married as men and wife. Although nobody was ever sold on the Favors plantation Mr. Favors has witnessed the selling of others on the auction block. 1~. says that the block resembled a flight of steps. The young children and those wOEnen ~.ho had babies too young to be separated fran them were placed on the botton step, those in their early teens on the next, the young men and wOEnen on the next, and the middle-aged and old ones on the last one.

328 324

Page 6. .324 Whitley, . Driakeil. 1 29-3? Prices decreased as the auctioneer went fran the bottom step to the top one, that is, the younger a slave was the more money he brought if he was sold. .. S ietimes there were slaves who were punished by the overseer be cause they had broken sane rule. ~ . Favors says that at such times a cowhide whip was uee and the number of lashe& that the overseer gave depended on the slave owner s instructions. He has seen others whipped and at such tintes he began praying. The only punishment that he ever received was as a little boy and then a switch was used instead of the whip. If the Patter Roller caught a slave out in the streets without a pass from his master they proceeded to give the luckless fellow five lashes with a whip called the cat e-nine-tails. They gave six lashes if the slave was caught out at night regardless of whether he had a pass or not. As none of the slaves held by the WI dow or her sons ever attempted to run away there was no punishment Lor this. However, he has heard that on other plantations blood hounds were used to trail those who ran away and if they were caught a severe beating was adminIstered. Sometime alter the civ~1war had begun the Widow Favors packed as many of her belongings as possible and fled to LaGrange, Georgia. He and his mother along with several other slaves (one o~ wh~ was an old man) were taken along. He never heard any of the white people say anything about the war or . its possible results. At one time a battle was being fought a tew miles distant and they all saw the cannon balls fall on the plantation. This was when the journey to LaGrange was decided upon. Before leaving the Wi dow had the slaves to bury all the meat flour end other food on the plan tation so that the Yankee soldiers would not get it. Mr. Favors was given

329 325

Page 7. Whitley, Driskel .. ~ about two thousand dollars in gold currency to keep and protect for hi s owner. At venous intervals he had to teke thi s money to the WI dow so that 411e might count it Mother one ot the slaves was given the son s gold watch to keep on his person until the Yanks left the vicinity. Before freedom was declared Mr. Favors eays that he prayed all of the time because he never wanted to be whipped with the cowhide, like others he had seen. Further he says that it was a happy day for him when he was told that he could do as he pleased because he realized then that he could do some of the things that he had always wanted to do. When freedctn was declared for the slaves the Favors family freed slaves valued at one~hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The live stock that they sold represented a like stun. Mr. Favors end his mother remained with the Widow, who gave him his board in return for his services ~nd paid his mother twenty-five dollars per year for hers as cook. (__~ Even after the war things were pretty tough for us stated Mr. Favors . The plantation owners refused to pay more then thirty or forty cents to a person for a days work in th fields. Sane of them would not ~ ailow an ex slave to walk in the streets in front of their homes but made . them take to the out of-~the-wey paths through the woods to reach their various destinations. At other times white men cut the clothes fran the backs of the ex slaves whe~i they were ~ll dressed. If they didn t beg ~: hard enough when thus accosted they might even be cut to deathV After the first three years following the war conditions were sariewhat better, : he continued. * ~-~-- Mr. lavors says that hi s old age t s due to the fact that he has always taken good care of himself and because he has always refrained fran those habits that are known to tear a person s health down.

The story of Aunt Mary Ferguson ex-slave. 330 326

Lf,~ T: ~ ~ :1~6 /i~ ~!a~e_ 100226 . T}fl~ STORY OP AIn~T ~cJ~Y ?E4QU3ON ~ Aunt ~nry Ferguson n Mary Li tUe n4 L~r~ry ~h orter was born aor~ieMiere in Mar~1and; the z~at beauty boin~j design~ ted by her ai~ip1y as the eastern shore of that state. ~The was born the oh~ ttel of a planter ru~ned ~it~ orter~ so her fir~it name, of ootLr~e vins ~ry ~3P ~orter. or rian.y ye~r8 she ~a resided with a d~niijhter nni ~ d~riu~P~ter, ut 1918 (J~k 4~ivemte, Co1ur~bus, Georgia. Aunt ~ary Wt~2 ~b~ut thirteen yerrs old wien, in 1060, ~he was sold nd br~~u~t ~outh. ~ 1~e i~tory of wI~iot~ as told in her own word8 18 ~s followsi In 1360 t wuz a ~apny o~i1e. I ~ nd i~ good ma an ~ ~oo1 paw; me o1d~r brut~er ~n ~ne older auater, an a little bruther ~n a bnby &A3t(~r too. All my far~b1y w~oked in de fi~1da~ ~oeptjfl ~ie nn c:~e tw~ little uns whi& ~ I 8t~r ~ci r)t ~or~~e to mind. (rund cq:~e or). It w iz dunn ootto~: chopping tine ~it jet~r (liJ O), a ny I ll ~evcr f(~P~Tit, ~*~en Qe speoku1n~ws b~~t ~t ~e. ~ oorie ~o~ie i ror~ t~:e fit~1~ bi:.~tt t~af nl,ter leven dat th~I ~n cooked ~i (jinnels, I ~opin I~r. Q, I nev(r ~ ~or~:ot ~int 1~u~t dinner wi~ rfl1sr fo~c~s1 BUbt IOfl~~~OWJ I hRd felt, nil de rnawnin, lak sunpin was

331 327

E ~ s t~: ( z~ .~ gwineter hapin . I could je~ tee). it in i~y bonea ~n s1~o nou~~h, bout di ~dd1e or the even s up rid ray young Larater on hie hoas, an up driv two atran~e white r~ena In a t*a~~gy. DSY hitoh dere ho8aee an cura in de house1 which skeered it.. : en one o de strangers said, git yo c1others~ ~ary; we has bought you trwa izr. ~horter. I o rranc ed eryin an be~gin Lr ~horter t o uo t let em t4~ke zr~ a~y I~ut he say ye a~ L~ary, I haa sole y.r, an yer must ~o wid exn. Den dese atran~e raena~ whose names I ain t never knowed, tuk its an put ~e In de buggy an driv ott wid r~e, z~ hollerin at de top o ir~y voice an calm xny }~aZ Den d&i apeckulataws begin to ain ~ loud ~ jea to drown xit my hoilerin . Us ~*SIOd as very fiel ~isr paw an su r~y tokea wuz wuokin, 8fl~ :i calt OUt ai 1~d as I could an , as lcmg ai I COuld see eitt, egood_by., Mal good-bye, LaP But she never heared rae. Naw, sah, dsxz~ white xriens ~tiz e1n~1n so loud ka could n hear riieZ ILU she couId n see rae, caze dey had me pushed down out \ O~ Bight on de Clos o de bu.~gy. ~ ,I ain t never seed nor heared tell o ra~ kt~ an ~aw, an bruthors an austera troia dept day to dis. My new owzi~era tuck iae to I3altymore, ~ar dey had herd~od ter~sthe r two two-hose wag~i loads o Ni~ger a. all o us

332 328

3 :~Yz:~~ j . (Nig ers lwu?~ den shipped on a boat to Savannah n ~ ~ put on do c~ra an sont to ~acon. s In )ac or~ us wuz sold xi t an d i)oo tor ( ~ a. ) Li tue of Talbotton, bought me at oxion (auction) an tuck n~ horue wid iz. Den I wuz known as b~ry Little, instid of ~fary ~3horter. In the continuation of her nt~r~ttive, aunt ~ry said that the Littlea trained her to be a nurse. ~3efore the w~r ~ded, ahi was inhsrited by kr. Gua (the late non. ~. i~.,) Little. Jhe r~er~bera that all the quality , young white z~n ~ went t o Ui e *~r from T&UbO tt o~ took hegro m&i-aervar~ ta (elavea) along with them. These were uaually called bodyservants, and it was a body .eervant a duty to cook, w~iah, and do general ~ service for his rc~aater. in a pinch, he was also supposed to raid a hen r~o~t, or otherwise rustle food for his white fokes . ~ ceordin~ to ~unt ~ry, the Littl i~egroe8 were very rehgiotia gLnd given to riiuoh loud praying ~nd ain~jing, ~vhiob often 30 disturbed Dr. Little that he gave orders ror thez~ to atop it. arid also ordered that all li~hta in the slave qw~rters be out at 9 o clock etich night. So tL tuck to alippin oft to a big guil~j ii~ de pastur to sing and pray whar de white fokea couldn hoar t~.

333 329

ror ~b~D41JiE ~ ~u 4 My tust baby vi~ bawned in 18U dun ug d aecon yes r di ~r. X I~as bad 8.T~ra4t~ huabants, sy las un, hs died bout seventeen years ago. - j ain t zi.v.r seed but one hint La ay lU., ~n 1 j knc~ it ~ta. a ~nt tu, ~unt Psgijy ~ 4an old .. ~ 1*ve ~z*n ) tois I ai ~.. D~ ~~t w~~I ~i* 4s ehpps .. ~ o s ~1~k;, ~ ~ ~. on. day tria 4s ~ house klthe ~ n t~r de haW~ ~ PSfl W!~.r ;/ I ~s gwini t.r slop 4e hawgs. when ~ got b&ok,~ I sud, AUIit ~ d r a a atraz~e duck dor~e tuck up wid tal And she say, hush, chile, dat s a )~nt2 I been seam la tur s verrel ysarel ~in dat sholy akesrt ail then asked if she Irnd ever been whipped wk~sn a slave, Aunt L ry replied, Yes, and thank God fur it rur oie )Liaa taught ~. to be hones an not to steal. Sbs adzaitted that being whipped for stsalina~ aad h r an hon st ~aan. Aunt Ii~ary a oldest Ot~i1d is now a ~n or 74. 11er hair Is as white as cotton and Ix~x ye sIeht is dia, but ehe Is still ir~entally alert. Sh says that colored people are natti ally religious and that they Isarnid ail their dsvilr~.nt froa th Whites. 3h. d plorse the wickedness into which the ~uorld las drifted, t*it thanks God that aLaiery ended ~aen lt did. 3h. has nvsr htd any particular love for U* Yankees, and thinks th~ they treated the ~outhern white tOlk aost scandalously after the war, yet she re.ls that she ~ss th~

334 330

5 d ~ ~ a dsbt of grstltude tor~ freeing her p,opls. she sd~its that har a~tu.1 hatred ot slavery was born of her sad experi snos a s a girl shin she ~ss eo uncereu~rnious1y ~iparatsd t,ci~ ~ r ~1~d ~ O~Iee ~ ~ es ~reviO s1y told. ~ ~. ~ also of ~th~ ~tfr opjni n ~iet those p.aui.. ~ lataws ~ tr~ ~ ~t ~ r r~ i~iiian~ ~ ce rgia in 1860 \ ars brim in ~111 tur d I lin of ssperatin~ h.r fron \~ier~peop1e. . . .

335 331

*i~.t Jesus benr The oro~ ~ nions BAd nil the woril go tree? No there is a oroas for ever~y one; t~ era s n cross for rie; This oonse~?ate~ cross I shall bear tu d *th ihnii set ~ ie trei~ Anti then t:O h0JflO~ ri/ C1OWfl t~ IV5~PD tt~e r e t a n orown for !~. sung for lntez vlswor byi Mer~ rergu~n, ex.aic~ve~ 1928 Oak ~tre.t, Coi~btLe (~e 3r~i R ~ D ernber t8. i~6.