Slave narratives, a folk history of slavery in the United States from interviews with former slaves. North Carolina Narratives, Volume XI, Part 2: a machine-readable transcription.

Memories of Uncle Jackson. 005 001

N. C. District No. 2 .iorker Mrs. ~. N. Harriss No. ~1ords 1363 Subj e ctj~niori~ j~T~~e j~icao~ InterviewedJobxj H~ Jackso~ . 309 5. Sixth St. -~1~-~ ~ ~:~: irap~~ri,~ ~ ~Q .-~------ p ?~3\~~\C~ ~2O14 4

006 002

320144 ~ 2 ~ivlORIES OF UNCLE JACKSON UI was born in 1851, in the yard where my owner lived next door to the City Hall. I remember when they was finishin up the City Hall. I also rezxiember the f oreirian., Mr. James alker, he was general manager. The overs~en. (overseer) was ivir. Keen. I remember all the bricklayers; they all was colored. The man that plastered the City Hall was named George Price, he plastered it inside. The men that plastered the City Hall outside and. put those colum s up in the front, their names was Robert Finey and william Finey, they both was colore1~ Jim Artis now was a contractor an builder. He done a lot o f work round. Wilmin ~ton. Yes ni, they was slaves, inos~ all the fine work round ~1i1rnin ton was done by slaves. They called em artisans. None of em could read,. but give em axiy plan z~! they e ould fo lier i t to the la line . Interviewer: Did the owner collect the pay for the labor, Uncle Jackson? ~ tLI~ o, ma m. That they did n. We had a lot of then artisans mongst our folks. They all lived on. our place with they f~j~ lies They hired theyselves where they pleased. They coll~ ted theypay, an the onliest thing the owner took was enough to support they am lies . They all lived in our

007 003

~.3. yaxbd it was a great b 1g plac e the y w immen e ooked for em and raised the chilluns. ~ ttYOu know, they lays a heap o~ stress on edication these days. But edication is one thing an fireside trainint is another. We had fireside trainin . ~ We went . to church regular ~ All our people marched behind our owners, an sat up in the galle y o~ the white folks church. NOW, them that went to St. James Church behind their white folks didn dare look at nobody else. Twant allowed. They were taught they were better than anybody else. That was called the silk stockint church. Nobody else was fitten to look at. ttI~y rnothe r was the un ess for ~ the white fo iks. In those days ladies wore dot es an plenty of em. My daddy was one of the part Indian folks. i~y mammy was brought here from. ~ashin ton City an when her owner went back home he sold her to my folks You I~iow round~ Washin ton an up that way they was Ginny (Guinea ) ~ niggers, that s what my rnarnniy was We had a lot of the s e rnalatto negro es round here, they was called tt5huffer Tonies , they wasfree issues and part mdi an The le ade r of em was Jame s Samps on We ii en was told to play in our own. yard and. not have nothin to do withfree issue chii en or the coimnon chil en tcross the. street, white or colored, because they was nt Litten to~ sociate with us. You see our owners was rich folks.

008 004

3. 4 Our bit:; house is the one where the ladies of Sokosis (Sorosis) has their ~1ub House, an our yard spread all round there, an our house serva~ts, an some of the best artisans in Wilmin ton lived in our yard. Y~~ know, I r~i not tellin you things what have been t9~ me, but I m tellin you things I ~ioit~. fil remember when the Loabbes company came from Georgia here to ~ilri ton an they had all ladies as officers .* nI remember when the Confederates captured part of the Union Army at Fort Sumter S ~ C and they brought them here to ~ilmin t~n ami put them out under Fourth Street bridge, and the white ladies of Wilmin ton, N. C. cooked food and carried it by baskets full to them. ~IIe all had plenty of food. A warehouse full of everything down there by the river nigh Red Cross Street, an none of us ever went hungry till the war was over. t, ~ remeinb e r when Gen rai Grant s Army e aine to the river. They mounted ~ tO boombar the city. Mr. John Dawson an I~ir. ~i1as Martin, they went on the corner of Second ant Nun Streets on the top of Ben Berry s house an run up a whit e sh e e t for a f lag ant the Yai~e e s di ~ n *Note: Have not been able to verify this memory, and think perhaps the unusual uniforms of the Zoaves caused the small bo~ to think they were women, or some adult may have amused themselves by telling him so.

009 005

4 ;; ~ 5 boombar us . Lir. i~artin gave hi s house up to the Progro i~1arshe11s, and my mother cleaned up the house ail washed for them. Her naine was Caroline West. I remember when tbat Provo Liarshell told the colored people that anyhouse in dilmin ton they liked, that was empty, they could go taJ~e it, an the first one they took was the fine Bellamy ~~~ansion on Liarket an Fifth Street. ~ Unc1e Jackson t, asked the interviewer, ttdonft you remember that house was headquarters of the Federal Amiy? How could colored people occupy it?tt Uncle Jackson: I don t remember nothirit about Federal soldiers bein in that h use, but I m teflin you I ~now~~ a lot of common colored folks was in it because I seen em sittin on the piazza an all up an do~i those big front steps. I seen em. Nice colored people wouldn t a gone there. They had respec for theirselves an their white folks. Eut Dr. i3ellamy came home soon with his fam ly an those colored people got out. ~hey wan t there long. Ei o1f slavery I toted water for the fam ly to drink. ~ remember when there was springe under where the new Court House is now, and all the white folks livin I round the re drank. water from thos e springs . They called. it Jacob Spring. There was also a spring on ~iarket Street between Second ~id Third Streets, that was.called MeCrayer (MeCrary) spring. They didn t low nobody but rich folks to get water from that spring. Of co se I got ~ there

010 006

5.~., G whenever I chose to tote it that far. ~e did n work so hard in those days. I don t know flothlfl a1~out field han s an1 workmen on the river, but so far as I knows the carpenters an people like that started work at 8 &clock A. M. and stopped at 5 o clock P. M. Of course round the house it was different. Our folks done pretty much what the wh ite fo Iks d Id b ecaus e we was all px~tty much one an other. ttDia I ever kflO~i of any slaves bein whipped? I seen plenty o f em whipped over at the j ai 1 but th em was t?~ niggers, (this with a grimace of disgust, and shaking of the head.), they needed whippin . But (with a chuckle) I would bave hat ed~. to see anybody put they han s on one of my owhert s people . We was all spectable an did ~ know notnin aiout whitpen. Our mammy s sp~iked us aplenty, ~ ~ they did. 1 remember when they didn t have no trusseis cross either river, an they had a passages boat by the name of Walker i~i, an the warf was up there by the Charlotte railroad . A L . ) The Boat w ould take you from there to the bluff an then you would have to catch the train to go to Greensboro, and other places in No th Carolina. I remember when the Fourth Street Fire Department beil was in front of the City Hall. An Mr. Maginny had his school right back of the City Hall. . ii believe we was all happy as slaves because we

011 007

6. had the best of kere (care). I don t believe none of us was sold off because I never heard tell of it. I have always served nice folks an never sociated with any other kind. I brought up Mis --- -- s chil ren an now she gives me a life intrust in this place I lives.in. I hav nt never to say really wanted for anything. I bav nt never bothered with wimmen, an had nothin to bother me. itl mus tell you bout Govther Dudley s ~election, an the free issue niggers. They say i~ir. Dudley told em if they d vote for him he d do more for em than any man ever had. So they voted for him an he was elected. Then he ups an calls a const utional convention in Raleigh an had all the voting taken away from em. An that the big thing he done for eni.* *Note: Governor Dudley was elected before Uncle Jackson was born, but he enjoyed thoroughly telling this joke on the free issue niggerst.

Ex-slave story. 012 008

Subj ect EX..SLAV ~1 S TORY story teller ~en~Joh~ao~ Editor ~vB~ey Waitt . ~ri 8 N. C. District No~ 2 Worker ~~vi ~ ii~~ No. Words 920 ~ 1-* as_~---~ - /

013 009

320275 ~ 9 EXdu~$IJ~VE STORY An interview with Ben. Johnson 85 of Hecktown, Durham, Durham County, May 20 1937 . UncLe B~fl)WhO is nearly blind and wh~ walks with ~ a 3tiCk)W~ assisted to the porch by his wife who sat down. near him in a protecting attitude. . }Ie is ntuch Less striking than his wife who is small and dainty witb. perfect features and snow white hair worn in two long braids down her backe She wore enormous heart shaped earrings, apparently of heaV goid i~hile Uncle Ben talked she occasioriafly prompted him in a soft voice. I wuz borned in Orange Co~mty and I belonged ter Mr Gilbert Gre~g~ near Hilisboro I. doan. know nothin !bou~t u~r u~ an ~ daddy, butlhadabrotherim who ~uz ~ ter dress young xnissus ~er her weddin . De tree am still ani ~har I set under an watch era salI Jim I set dar an I cry an cry, specially when dey puts de. ehaiM. on him an~! carries him off, an I ain t neber feitso lonesome in my whole life. I ain t neberhyar from Jim s ine.e an I wonder now sanie time s if en. he s sti li vin .

014 010

2. I knows dat de marster witz good ter us an he fed an clothed us good . We had our own gyarden an we wuz ii long all right . I seed a whole heap of Yankee.s when dey co~ed ter Hilisboro an most of em ain t got no respeck fer God, man, nor de debil. I an t member so much bout em do cause we lives in town an we bas a gyard. / ~e most dat i can tell yo bout am de Ku Klux. I neber will fergit when dey hung Cy Guy. Dey hung him fer a scandelous insult ter a white ~oman an dey coined atter him~ a hundert strong . Dey tries hini dar in de woods, an dey scratches Cy s ami ter git some blood, an wid dat blood dey writes dat he shall hang tween de heavens an de yearth till he am daid daid daid an dat any nigger what take s down de body shall be hunged too. We li sar de nex mornin dar he hung right ob er de road an de sentence hangin ober his haid. Nobody ud bother wid dat body fer four days an dar hit hung, swingin in de wind, but de foa th day de sheriff cames an tak~es hit down. Dar wuz Ed an Cindy who fore de war belonged ter Mr. L~rnch an atter de war he told em ter move. He gives ein a month an dey ain t gor~e so de ~u Kiuxes gits ein.

015 011

:11 3.. irit ~ ~ a cold night when dey corned aa drugged de niggers out n bed. Dey carried ein down in de woods an whup dein, den dey throws ein In de pond, dere bodies brealcin de ice. E~d come out an. corae ter our house, but Cindy ain t been seed since. Sam Allen in Caswell County wuz toi ter riiove an atter a month de hund~bet Ku Kiwc e orne ti his casket an dey teils hini dat his tune has corne an Wen he want ter tell his wife good bye an s~ his pra~ ers hurry up. ~ Dey set de coffin on two cheers an. Sam kisses his oie oman ~ho am a-cryin , den he kneeLs down side of his bed wid his haid on de piller an his arms throwed out front of hini. He sets dar fer a minute an when he riz. he had a long knife in his hand. Fore he could be grabbed he done kill two of de Ku Kiuxes wid de knife an he done gone out ii de t . Dey sin t k.e tch him nother azi de next night when dey coined back, ~ ter git him de~r shot ano her nigger by aceident. I Irnemb ers see i Joe Turner another nigger hung at Hilisboro in 69 but I plumb fergot wIry it wuz.

016 012

4. 12 19~ kxiow one ti me Mis s Hendon inh ri ts a thousand. dollars from her t ~ state an dat night she goes wid her sweetheart ter de gate, an on her way back ter de house she gits knocked in de haid wid a axe. She screams an. her two nigger sarvants Jim an Sam runs an save s her b ut she ani robbed. Den she tells de folkses d~at Jim. an Sam w~ de guilty parties, but her little sister swears dat de~r ain t so dey gits out of it. Atter dat dey fin s out dat it am five mens, At~ter, Edwards Andrews Davi s an. ~ Markham. De preacher eome s down to whar dey am hangin ter preach dar funeral an he t~. s dar while iightnin plays un de dead niens halde an de win blows de trees, an he preaches aich a sermon as I ain t neber byard before. Bob Boylan falls in love wid another oman so he burns hi s wife an four youngins up in dere house . IDe Ku Kiuxes gits him, of course, an dey hangs him high on de old ~ed oak on de Hilisboro Road. Atter dey hunged him his lawyer says ter us boys Bury him good, boys, jist as good as you d bury rae if en I wuz daid.

017 013

6. ~ 13 II shuck han s wid Bob fore dey hunged. him an ~ I he ped ter bury him too an we bury him nice aa we all hopes dat he done gone ter g1ory.~ ,

Isaac Johnson. 018 014

Subj ect ~ ~JOHNSON Story te lier ~ Editor p~isy . 1~aile~ Wait~. N. C. District Nq.~ Worker T~ Pat_I~a~teW~ No. Words 991 14 320209

019 015

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020 016

2. . ni wiis to o small to w, dey had nie to do little things like it de chickens, an mindiu de table sometimes; but I wus too small to work. Dey didn~t let children work niuch in dem days till dey were thirteen or fourteen years old. I had plenty to eat, good. clothes, a nice place to sleep an a good time. Marster roved his slaves an other white folks said he loved a nigger more den he did white folks. Our food wus fixed up fine. It wus fixed by a regular cook who didn t do anything but cook We had gardens a plenty meat a plenty, an mot biscuit den a lot o white folks had. I kin remember de biscuit. I never hunted any, but I went bird blindin an set bird traps. I caught lots o birds. Jack Johnson, my marster never had no children of his own. He had a boy with him by the name of Stephen, a nephew of his, from one of his brothers.. Marster Jack hadi three brothers Willis, Billy, and Matthew. I don remember any of his sisters. There was bout four thousand acres in de plantation an bo t 25 s .a!es . Marster would not have an overseer. No sir, de slaves worked very much as they pLeased. He whupped a slave now an then, but not much. I have seen him whup em. He had some unruly niggers. Some of

021 017

~.. 3 o t em were part mdi an an me an . Dey all loved him doe. I never saw a slave sold. He kept his slaves together. He didn t want to git rid of az~y of em. We went to de . white folks church at Neill s Creek a missionary Baptis Church. We played during the Christmas holidays ~ t we got bout two weeks 4th of Jul~r, and lay by time, which wus bou~t the fourth. We had great tinies at corn. shucldn s, log rollin s and cotton pickin s. We had dances. Marster lowed his S aves lots o freedom. ~y mother used to say he wus better den other folks. Yes, she said her marster wus better than other folks. The white folks didn t teach us to read an~ write. I cannot read an write, but de white folks, only bout half or less den half, could read an write den. Dere were very few pore white folks who could read an write. I remember de baptizin s at 4~ Reu oen Matthews Mill Pond. Sometimes after a big meetin~j dey would baptize twenty four at one time. No slaves run away from Marster. Dey didn t have any souse to do so, cause whites and colored fared alike at Marster s. We p ayed base, cat, roiJy hole, and a kind of base ball called round town.

022 018

4. 18 Dr. John McNeil looked after us when we were sick. We used a lot of herbs an things. Drank sassafras tea an mullen tea. We also used sheep tea for measles, you knowi dat. You know how it wus made. Called sheep pill tea. It shore would cuore de measles. Bout all dat would cuore measles den. Dey were bad den. Wus den diy is now. ft1 aaw Wheeler s Cayalry. Dey come through ahead o:f de Yankees. I saw colored people in de Yankee uniIorms. Dey wore blue and had brass buttons on em. De Yankees an Wheeler s Cavalry took everything dey wanted, meat, c1~ickens, an. stock. We st~ed on wid Marster after de w~. I ve never lived out of de state. We lived in de same place ontill old Marster an Missus died. Den we lived wid deir relations right on an here. I am now on a place d ir heirs own. 01e Mar~ster loved his dram, an he gave it to all his slaves. It sold for ten cents a quart. He made brandy by de barrels, an at holidays all drank together an. had a good time. I never saw any of em drunk. People wati t mean when dey were drinking den. It wus so plentiful nobody notices it much. Marster would tell de children bout Raw Head and Bloody Bones an other things to skeer us. He would call us to de barn to git apples an run ant

023 019

5. :1.9 hide, ari~ we would have a time findin hirn. He give de one who found him a apple . Sometime s he didn t give de others no apple. I married Ellen Johnson May 22, 1865 de year de war went up an n~y w! f e I s lvi as you s ee an able to b e ab out I t~ not able to work not ab le to go out anywhere. by myself . I know I cain. t lat much longer but I m thankful to de Lord for spann me dis long. AC

Ex-slave story. Bob Jones. 027 023

~) ~L~%J ~ Subj ec t : ~ je ~ i$trict 1:0. ords: 450 Sior:i TeUe : ~ M~rv ::icks Editor: C~eor~e L. Andrews J orker: 3a~:.()ao ~ Je 17 1937 t_l ~ ~_ I. ~ : ~ ~ . I ~ . .

028 024

.~ 54 S, ~ ~ ~ S2Q~O8O S ~ :5 5 ~~ EX~~SLMTE STORY BOB JONES An interview with ~3ob Jones, 86 years of age, County Home, Raleigh, North Carolina. ni wus borned in Warren County onde plentationrtlongint ter Ivljster Lo~ie Fudd. 1~y mammy wus Frar~kie. My~pappy wua named ~arry Jones~ Hirn an my~1des brother Burton longed ter a Mister Jones dar in de neighborhood. 5 5 ~Marster Logie ~ young L~iarster Joe wus nice as dey could be, but MIS B t~y wus crabbed ~n hard ter git along wide She whupped de sarvants what done de house work an she fussed so bad dat she inoughty nigh run all us crazy. Hit was her what soldrny Aunt Sissy Ann. &n hit wus her what vthupped my sister i~iary ~ bad. Dar vrarn t but s~tx of us slaves but dem six run a race ter see who can stay outen her sight~ f:lyC~ Mar~ter Joe wus one of de. fust t r go ter de war ~! ~ wnated ter go wid him but I bein oi y fourteen dey. teided ter sen Sidney instead. I hated dat, case I shorely wanted ter go. ~ neberseedMa~se $oe but twice atter he left, de S ~ ~vhen h s daddy~ wus burl d an~ when dey brung hI~ body S ~ home frtun de war ~ ~ ~ S ~ S j~ ~ ~ ~ ~ : .. ~ ~ ~ ~ . : ~ ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ S ~ S S ~ ~ ~ ~ S ~ : . ~ ~ s5 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ S~ ~ ~ ~ : ~. s ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~

029 025

. . . ~ . ~ ~ 1 ~ 2. {t~e day about seben or eight Yankees corned trount ~ place lookI . fer Reb. scouts, dey said, but dey ain t f1n ~ none so de~r goes on tbout dere business. De next ~y a few of our soldiers brings Marse Joe s body home frumde wa~ ti ~ doari m~b~r whar he wus killed but he had been dead 30 J~ong dat he had turned dark~ an Santho, a little nigger, sez ter me~ I thought, i3ob, dat i ud turn whi~te when I tent ter heaben but hit pears ter me lak de white folkses am gwine t er turn b lack ~ tiWe buried young LIarse Joe under de trees in de family bUrIiflt grount an we nigger~ sung Swing Low $weet Chariot an :~earer My God to Thee an some others. De oie rnissu~ wu~ right nice ter evertbody dat day an she let de young n~is~u~ take chargeof all de business frum dat time. ~1V/e stayed on de Ru~d plantation fer two years atter de war den we moves ter ~ethod wh r I met Edna Crowder a ~e courted fer seberal months an at las I jist puts my arm rount ~ her waist an. I axes her ter have me. ~ She ain t got no mammy ter ax so ~he kisses me an tells me dat ~he will. ~ t*DUDjflt de eour~e of our married lift we had five chifluns but ~ only one of. d~ni lived. ter be . named, dat wus ~ Hyaciiith, an he d~ied fore he wus a month old. t1:~~~a~ died: too, ~ix years ago, an lef i~i~ ter de . . ~: merelei o.t:de won .. Ail my brudders an .~iaters dead, ~ ~ ~ir&

030 026

3. inyparents dead, my chilluns dead, an~ my wife dead, but I ~ g~t a nie.ce~ UTIII lately I been ljvjnt at de Wake County Home, but my ni ce what lives on Person street says dat ifferi I can .git de pension dat sh . can afford ter let me stay ter her hou.se. I hope I does, case I doan want ter go back ter de County Home.tZ .~ ~

Jane Lassiter. 041 037

N. C. District No.2 Jorker T Pat ~Matthews No. dords 1044 Sub j e c t ~ANE~ LAASITER~ Story teller Ja~ie ~assit~ Editor Geo. L. Andrews . ~ 320119

042 038

S20119 I :~ 38 JANE I SSITER~ About 80 y~ears old. 324 Battle Street Raleigh, N. C. ttl am bout 80 years old. ~ am somewhere in. ir~r seventies don t zackly knOw niy age I wus here when de Yankees corne an~ I member seem dein dressed in blue. I wus a nurse at dat time not big enot~gh to hold a baby but dey le t me s e t by de cradle an ~ ek it . stAll ri~r white folks dead an all rr~y people an~ dead an I haint got no one to ax bout ~ age . Dey had ~ age an ~ mother s age in de Bible but dey am all dead out now ant I dont t know whur it is. ~L~r mother an me belonged to the Councils. Dr. Kit Council who lived on a plantation in de lower edge of Chatham County b out thre e miles from New Hill. 1~r father belonged to de Lamberts. Their plantation wus near Pittsboro in Chatham County . My father wus nanie d Macon Larnbert alit his marster wus named At Laxnbert. Our missu~s wus named Car ohne 311 ~ fathe s nu ssus wus named Be ekie. My grandfather wus Phil Beil. He belonged to the Bells. They lived in Chatham County . ~r grandmother wus named Peggy an she belonged to de saine family.

043 039

2. .~ 39 We lived in little oie log houses. We called ein cabins. They had stick an dirt ehimleys wid one door to de house ant one window. It shet to lak a door. tiWe did not have any gardens an we never had any money of our own. We Jeatwurked fer de white folks. We had plenty surnptin to eat an it wus cooked good. ~r mother wus de cook an she done it right. Our clothes wus home ~ made but we had plenty shiftin clothes. Course our shoes wus given out at Christmas. We got one pair a year au when dey wore out we got no more an~ had to go barefooted de rest of de time. You had to take care of dat pair uv shoes bekase dey wus all you got a year. The slaves caught gaine sometime an et it in de cabins, but dere wus not much time fer huntin dere wus so much wurk to do. Dere wus bout fifty slaves on de plantation, an dey wurked from light till dark. I member dey wurkint till dark. Course I wus too small to member ail bout it an I don t member bout de overseers. I never seen a slave whupped, but I members seem dem carryin slaves in droves like cows. De w~iite men who wus guardin !em walked in front an some behind. I did not see an~3r chains. I never seen a slave sold an I don t member ever seem a jail fer slaves. . .

044 040

3. 41) ~ Dere wus no books, or lamm uv any kind allowed. You better not be ketched wid a book in yore han s. Oat ~ wus sumptin dey would git you fer. I ken read an write a little but I learned since de surrender . I~r mother tole me tbout dat bein ginst de rules of de white folks. I members it ~vhi1e I wus only a little gal. When de Yankees come thro . Dere wus no churches on de plantation an we wus not tiowed to have prayer meetings in de cabins, but we went to preachin at de white folks church. I member dat. We set on de back seat. I member dat. No slaves ever run away from our plantation cause marster wus good to us. I never heard of him bein bout to whup any of his niggers. Mother loved her white . folks as long as she lived an I loved em too. No mister, we wus not mistreated. Mother tole me a lot bout Raw ~ Head an Bloo y Bones an when I done lnean)she say, Better not do dat any more Raw Head an Bloody Bones ~gwine ter git yo . Ha~ hal dey jest talked bout ghosts till I could hardly sleep at nite, but de biggest thing in ghosts is somebody guised up tryin to skeer you. Ain t no sich thing as ghosts. Lot of niggers believe dere is do . ~ .

045 041

4. 41 lt~e stayed on at marsters when de surrender come cause when we wus fre ed. we had i~ ~ I nowhe re to :; L)ats de truth. Mister, dats de truth. We stayed with marster a long ti~iie an den jest moved ~rom one plantation to another. It wus like dis, a crowd o ~ tenants would get dissatisfied on a certain plantation, dey would move an another gang of ni~ers move in Dat wus all an~r of us could do. We wus free but we had nothin cept what de marsters give us. When we got sick you sees we stayed wid a doctor, he looked after us, but we had our herbs too. We took sassafras tea, catnip an~ horehound tea an flag. Flag vius good to ease pain. Jest make a tea of de flagroots an drink it hot. UI married Kit Lassiter in Chathani County an~ I had seven chilluns. Three boys an four girls. All am d.ead but two Two girls are ii One named Loule Finch, her husband dead. She stays wid me an supports me. She cooks an supports me. I~r other livin daughter 1.3 Venira McLean. She lives across de street wid her husband. Her husband had a stroke an ain t able to wurk no more. Dey live on five dollars a week. . Dey ain t able to help me now. I moved ter k~aleigh 20 years ago. L ~r husband died here.

046 042

5. 42 I heard bout de Ku Klux but dey never give our family no trou.ble cause we didn t give em no cause to bother us. I don t know all bout slavery but. I mej~ers dere wus a lot of big fat greasy niggers goin around, ant I reckin dey ared good or de~r wouldn t a been ~p fat. I ey ~ot plenty to eat even if dey did wurk em. UI believe slavery wus all rite whur slaves wus treated right. I haint got riuff edication to tell you nothiri bout Lincoln an dem udder men. Heard em say he come thro , reckon he did too. I belong to the United iioliness urt S. j ~ ~ ~ (t ~ r ~1 r~, P~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ \~_ ~ % ~ft J~~ ~ ~ j r ~ ~ . ~AC

Dave Lawson. Ex-slave story. 047 043

-s ~- M~ iS:. o. District Travis Jordan Subject D~ive Lawson j. a;x-~s1ave Story Li~k/ed at ~1ue ~in~p, i:.C. 3

048 044

DAVE LA~qSON EX~SLL&1JE MY F~tTFEB tO KIE ~ ~ PRINCIPLE C} t~tACT.ciiRS T LL) IVIE ~NiS STORY YEAFU~3 AGO T7es, sub, de w~sr I knows lout slavery times is what i~, - tOlc: ne bout how caz~ie dey iiu.ng my grari man~x~y an ~ gran papt)y. ~)E~ ::l~m der~ hot at de saljc timE an from de same hrnt of de tree, OLIt ~t 1::,13 say back yonder hefot. Mistah Lincoln come dowa here t: s~:t LiS fli~RCrS free. My mammy wuznt but six ~ionths oie den ant :: ~:uzY ~V fl havcn, but Aunt Becky tole ~rne bout it when I was ole enc;uY to lissen. ~ am no nice tala you ~ ~1flC hear. itts de truf, hut L.~t) nice. De fus time I heard it I did t sleep none for a weeK. Everytime : shut my eyes I seed ~farse Drew Norwood wid dat funnel in his rnouf an~ de hot steam blowint up like a cloud ~ rouri his wicked face ant skeered eyes. ~ . Dey say my grsn pappy s Ol Marse was de meanest white man de Lawd ever let breath de breaf of life. His name was Marse Drew Norwood . He was de it ant owner anywhare un . He owned more lant an more niggers den an~rbody in Person or Gr nvill counties. But he didn make his m~ney wid no tarin, no suh, he sho didnt, he made his mo e~ buyint~ ant sellint niggers. He bought derh cheao ~flt sold detfl high. He would catch all de niggers dat run away from other plantationa an keep ~ dein in his lockup ~ twell he fatten dem de~ he would take d m way off down itt Georgia Alabama r sorn~ placelike dat an selldem fcr abigpi ice. Re ti ~ ~ t .~. ~ s~ ~ :~ ~. ~ ~

049 045

i~,.farse Drew lived over here on de Virginia line tween Red ~~ri:: :~2i~ EJ:Lue Win~g. He owned lant cross de Notth CaEolina line too ~i lived close to Blue ~inc~. i-ic treated hic niggers so mean dey v1a3 ail de time runnin oft . If he cau.c~ht dem he beat dem nea1~~ ~ i)Ut to death . He did beat Cindy Norwood to death one time kazc s ~e run off to ~rse Reuben Jones place an axed him to keep he ~. ~Jh~ ~ot pizen in de cutj places on her back an had fits three th~~.Ts b~I~O de Lawd took her . But Marce Drew ju~ lau.~h 8.11 ~ say he d:Lnt keer, dat she wuzn no count nohow. - aTh t never seed Larse Drew kaze I was ~ v)ay after de n:~ (~~3 was freed, but de~ tole me he looked. ~Ca mad bull. He was sn.oi~t wid a big head set forward on hi~ big, shoulders. His neck was so s~:Lort dat he couldn wear no collar; he jus ~ept de neck bindin 01 ~ shirt pinned wid ~ di~oer pin. l)e deMi done lit a lami.? an ~ sot it burnin in his eyes; his mouf was a w:Lckect~ash cut cross ~ his ~ an when be got mad his lips curled back from his teef like m~~d dog s.. When he cracked his whip de niggers swinged an ~ d6 CIIILLUn screamed wid pain when dat plaited thong bit in dey flesh. He beat 1~Ustis too. Mist C~i~y wuzn no bi~ei~ den a minute an she Skeered ~s a kildee of Marse Drew. She didn live lomg dey say kaze M~rse Drew whipped her jus befo dey fus baby wuz bawn. :r.~:arse Drew done whip Luzartne~ kaze she burnt de biscuits, an I~fis Cary give her some salve to rub on de cut places on her back. Then i\larse Drew foun it out he got ~ ~ dat he come bacK to ae bi~ hOU~~ n tole MiS Cary dat he gwine touch her up wid his whip kaze ~ give Luzarine ~ salve ~ dat when he w~n~ his ~ niggers do3tored he

050 046

~ ~jQCtCC~ CiOE 1 iv~ f, ~ ~ ~:ot to us~ ~iis 1asi~ a little bit to ~ ~L;~: :1~ ~ . J_~ I (J~t~ ~~ot so s~(EGred dat ~ii~: :L:~un ~ rourL an rotin de hOUSE, ~ i~iarse ~ ruJ~ aitGi~ ICI ~ ~n every :~o:~ an den he th ow out ~ ~L i1~ ~- wni;:; ~n ~ curl it roun ~ her shouldeLs . Evei ~ time it Li.U ~ ci~t 01k,: n thruu~:~ her c1othe~. j~t Cary ~~ot so skeered dat dc ~H:; ~ .e th~t ni ht b~fo ~ twuz time . De baby wuz b~n dead an Mii:3 ~ vient on to giory wid it Dey say she was glad to go. ~ ~ e~~.ieryt:~ir~c: on dat p1ant~Ltion, animal an man was sl:eered :jI Ji .~. :. ~:hip~- ~t~t Wkii~ dat never .L~e ~ I~ arse Urew s wris . It was ffla.i~e ~: nome-~t~nneci leatiier plaited in a un co:c~ci bi~ as a mau s tI~ur~ . 1J~ da~i it swun~ irOm a leather strop tied to his wris an at ni!it it lay on a chair side de bed whare he could reach it easy. it was jus be ~o de YankEes corne over here to i~:ht dat ~~arse Dre~ bou1~1ht Cieve a~i Lissa La~~on. Dey was my gran marr~uiy an ~ gran pappy . ~iy IrLaf~ my den was a baby . Marse Drew bou~:I~t ~ for fo hundred an fifty dollars. flat was cheap kaze de niggers was young wL ~ar:~L fann trainint 01e ~iarse didn buy mammy. He said a nigger brat wuzn no good, dey wouidn sell an dey might die beTh de:j -rowed up . sides dey was a straiii on de in~mmy what breas missed it, Lissa ~ut up powerful kaze he made her leave de baby behin but Marse Drew jus ~ laughed an tole her dat he ~~ou1d give her a puppy ; dat ~e:i was plenty o~ houn s on de plantation. Den he snapped de chains on dey wris an led dem off. Llssaant ~1eve never seed dat. baby no more. Aunt Beck Lawson took an raised her an when she r ~rowr~ she was my niax~uny~ r ~ Yes suh Mars e Drew bought dein niggers like he was uyi a

051 047

4.. O:.~$ 01 ~!1U~L~S. Dey wuzn rio morE den muies to him. It was early su~:i~e.: ~ ~ .L:~ ~ brung dem to do plantation, but when wheat cuttin t IIIC OGME Lissa an~ Cieve ~iaS sent to de wheat fiel s. Dey was s ~i rt ni~~:erS, dey worked hard~- too hard for dey own good. In dem tinle,s t.:uz de s:~art, hard workin niggers dat brought de bes price, an nobody didn know d~t~better den Marse Drew. Une iiay Cleve seed iviarse Drew watchin Lissa. She was gleamin de wheat. Her skin was de col~ of warm brown ve1ve~ her eyes was dark ant bright an thinin like inuscadines under de frosty sun, an her body was slender like a young tree dat bends easy. As she stoopE~i ant picked up de wheat, flirigin it cross her arm, she swayet~ bac~ an fo th jus likedena saplins down yonder by de creek sway s in de wint C ~ve watched Marse Drew on de sly. He seed hirn watchiri Lissa. ~ S~d (le lustful look in his eyes, but tt~znt Lissa he lustin afber~ twuz money he seed. in her slender swayint body, in de smooth War:~L Lrov:n Skin, an de quick, clean way she gl~arn de wheat. ~tx~ipped to de wais on de A1abam~. auction block she would bring~near bout a thousan dollars . Cieve gun to . sweat . He turned so sick ri. ~akeered dat he could hardly swing de scythe through de wheat. Marse Drew doie took his baby away au now sumpin way down in his heart tolE: him dat he was ~W~.IIC take Lissa. He d dn keer I1~ he parted ~ ttwuz dollars he seed swingin roun his head gol dollars ~ &h1fli~L brighter den. stars ~ . ~ ~ Twuz d nex .. ~y ~t i~rseDrew wentio . leve s cabin. ~ He. e~ .1~ ~ aiL! ~knoek cm ~e ~r~wi~,de butt o~ his. whip...

052 048

4~: ~ Cieve opened de door . 01e ~Aarse tole hirn to pack Lissa s clothes, dathe was takin her to Sauf F,ostonc ie next da7 to sell her on de blocks Cieve fell on his luees an t~un to plead. He knew 01e Marse WUZS11 TWIne take Lissa to no Souf Boston; he was gwine take her way off an lie wouldn never see her no more. He beg an promise Marse ~c r Drev~ to be ~7ood an do anythinp he say~do if he just leave him Lissa, dat shevas his wife an he love her; Eut Marse Drew hit him cross de face wid his whip, cuttin. his lip in half, den he went .~ Lissats over mL felt or &ec~c arr~s an legs like she might have been a hose. . K!len he done goneCleve went over an set down by Lissa an took her han . ~ Liss gim to cry, den she jumped up an menced to take down her clothes hangin on de wall. ~ Cieve watched her for a while, den he made up his mm he gwine do s~tmoin , dat she aintt gwine be took away from hirn. He say: t~Quit dat, Lissa, leave dem clothes alone. You ain~t gwine leav me, you ain t gwine nowhare, hearme? Den he tole her to rna~e w; a hot fire while he bring in de wash pot. He brung In de big iron pot an set it On de hearth spi raked dc red coals all . roan it, den he filled itwid water. While it was heatin he went to de door an ~ looked outs De ~ done eone down a& night was crowdinr de hills pushin ~ but of sight . By daylight dat white ~flan wou~j~ be comf after Lissa~ ~ . . . . . . ~ . ... . . Clevel&arn ~ed ~ at Lissa. SheHwasst*ndint ~tt,de ~ . ~ ~ brat light*o8 knots showed de tears droppiri off h~r cheeks. ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ . . . . b bitt

053 049

-4- Cleve went outside ~ tBout &n ti~ !e a scritch owl come an set on de roar ant scritched. Lissa run out to siceer ft away, but Cleve cau~,Lt i~er &fl:. Hesay, Dontt do dat, Lissa, leave him alone. Datts de death bird, he biows ~hat he s dolat. So Lissa didn do notIi~i sb~: let de bird keep on scritchin . /TilCfl ~ t ~ uz good an dark Cleve tooi. a lon;2, rope an went out, teilin Lissa to keep de water boum ~ . Then he corne back he had Mars~e irew ail tied up wid de rope an gagged so he couldn holler; he IU; ,CL hL ~ th owed over his shoulder like a sack of meal. He brung him in de cabin an . laid hirn on de floor ~ den he tole him if he wou1d~n sell Lissa dat he wouldn hurt him. Bat Marse Drew shook his head an cussed in, his th oat.. Den Cleve took offde gag~hut : befo de white ~Ln could holler out, Cleve stuffed de spout o f a funnel in his big mouf way dow his th oat% boldin do~m his tongue. He ax him one more time to save Lissa from de block, but Mane Drew look at him wid hate in his eyes shook his head again. Cieve didn ~ say nothin elseto him; he call Lissa ar~ tale her tobrin~ hi* a. pitcher of boumt water.... . . . :. ~. ~ . . : By den I~issa. seed:what ~.j4\r~ Was gwine 4o. She. didn tell, ~ ~fleve not to do it noi~ ~etMnf; she jus t~l1e . 4epitcher wid hat water, den. she:werrL..ovez . an~.,set down on ~e floor .~nY hoI Mane rew 1~ hn4 sq.. be eotil8irt~ mfla.4 ? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ : ~ ~ . ~ ; ~ ~ ~ : ~ ~ i~ : Thea~Ole~ ~a~se ~ lee&. wbat . dey was tifl~!k~o Ac. to Mm, his eyes ~ bout busted out of his. head, hut when dey ax him again tbO~t ~ ~*Sa he wouldn promise nothint ~ so Cleve set on hirn to ho1~ Int~

054 050

down, den tool: de pitcher an1 gun to pour dat boum water right in dat funnel stickin in Marse Drewrs p~~f Dat mari kicked an strugglEd, but dat water scalded its way do~i;~n his tu oat burnin up his insides . Lissa brur~~ another pitcier full an d&y wuzn no pity in h r eyes as s~e watched Ear~e Drew f1~htin hi~ ~j~r +~ toment, cussin all nig~ers an~ Abraham Lincoln. After da~ Lissa an Cleve set down to wait for de sheriff. Dey kneu ttWUzflt no use to run, dey couldn get nowhare. tBout sunup de folks come an foun M~rse Drew, an dey foun Lissa an Cleve settIn by de door han in han waitin . Then dem niggers tole what dey done an how come dey done it dem white folks was hard. De sheriff took de rope front rouiY Marse Drew an~ cut it in two pieces. He tied one rope roun Ci~ve1s neck an one rope trount Lissa s rieck an hung dem up in da~ big ~ak tree in de yard. Yes, suh, dat s what hapoened to my gran in~uuy an gran pappy in slavery times. Dis here cabin we s settin in is de same cabin whare Cleve an Lissa scalded Marse Drew, an dat oak tree tside dc paf is de saaie tree dey was huw~ on. $omet nies now in de fail of de yGar when I se settinT in de door after de sun done gone down; an de wheat am ripe an~ beiidin in de win , an. de moon am rount an yeller like a mush rrielon, seems like I sees two shadows swingin from de bi~ I1~&~ of dat tree -~ I sees dem swirigin~ low side by ~ s~i~e wid dey fee~t~ n~ear bout touchin de groun . . ~ ~: ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~1 ~ ~

Chana Littlejohn. 058 054

N. C. District~~~ Worker T. Pat Matthews No. ~iords 1138 _____ Sub j ect QP~i~J~ Q_________ Person Interviewed__Chana L t~~ohn Editor_~~~jitt~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~p .~ ~ ~ 323258 54

059 055

~ 55 323258 CHANA LITTLEJOHN 215 State Street .~Li // ~ UI remember when de Yankees come. I remember when ~ ~ de soldiers come an had tents in Marsterts yard before .d.ey went off to de breastworks. My mother wus hired out before de surrender an had to leave her two chilluns at home on Marsterts plantation. Then she come home Christmas he told her she would not have to go back any more. She could stay at home. This wus de last year o de war and he toi her she would soon be free. My eyes are mighty bad. De doctor said he would work on tern if somebody in de Agriculture )~ii1ding would pay it.1 I can t see at all out of one eye and the other is bad. LI doan reckon I wus ten years old when de Yankees C orne but I wus unnit around ant c an r emember a 11 ci is. Guess I wus tbout ei~ht years old. I wus born in Warren County, near Warrenton. belonged to Peter Mitchell, a long, tail man. There were bout a hundred slaves on de plantation. My missus wus named Laura. Mother always called me oie Betsyt when she wus mad at me. Betsy wus ~arster Peter s mother. I remember seem her. She wus a big fat tornan wid white hair. She give biscuits to all 1. The office of the State Board of Welfare is in the Agriculture ~iilding.

060 056

-2- 5G de chillun on Saturdays . She also looked out for de slave chiiluris on Sunday. Ivly father wus n~ned Marcillus Litt1e~ john and my mother wus named Susan Little john. 1We had gardens and patches and plenty to eat. ~ie also got de holidays. Marster bought charcoal from de men which dey burnt at night an on holidays . Dey worked ant made de stuff, an marster would let dem have de steer~ carts an wagons to carry deir corn an~ charcoal to sell it in town, Yes sir, dis wus mighty nice. ~/e had plank houses. Dere wus not but one log house on de plantation. Marster lived in de big house. It had eight porches on it. Dere wus no churches on de plantation, an I doan re~ member any prayer rneetin s When we sang we turned de wasb~ pots an tubs in de doors, so dey would take up de noise so de white folks could not hear us. I do remember de ~atherin s at our home to pray fur de Yankees to come. All de niggers thought de Yankees had blue bellies. The old house cook got so happy at one of dese rneetin s she run out in de yard anT called, Blue bellies come on, blue bellies come on. Dey caught her an carried her back into de house. --- Whende overseer whupped one o de niggers he made all de slaves sing, Sho pity Lawd, Oh~ Lawd for~ive~. When dey sang awhile he would call out one an whup him.

061 057

-3- He had a sing fur everyone he whupped. Marster growed up wid de niggers ant he did not like to whup em. If dey sassed him h would put spit in their eyes and say tflOW I recon you will mind how you sass me. tiWe had a lot o~ game and possums. When we had game marster left de big house, and corne down an et wid us. ~Jhen marster wantt off drunk on a spree he spent a lot of time wid de slaves. He treated all alike. His slaves were all niggers. Dere were no half~.white chilluns dere. Marster would not let us work until we were thirteen years old. Den he put us to plowin ~ soft lan , an de men in rough lan . Some of de women played off sick an went home an washed an ironed an got by wid it. De oberseer tried to make two of em go back to work. Dey flew at him an whupped him. He told de marster when he come home, marster said, Did you low dem women to whup you? t t he replied den marster tole him if women e ould whup him he dldntt want him. ~xt he let him stay on. His name vms Jack Rivers.. He wus hired by marster. Marster Rivers did not have any slaves . Dere wus no jail on d e plantatiOn, case when er overseer whupped er nigger he did not need any jail~. De black ~ .ka better not be caught wid a book but one o de ehilluns at our plantation, 1Y1~rster Peter Mitchell s

062 058

s ist er had taught Aunt Is abe lia to r e ad and wr ite ai ~ dur in ~ de war she would read, an tell us how everythint wus goin . Torn Mitchell, a slave, sassed marster. Marster tole him he would not whup him, but he would sell him. Tom s brothe~ Eenry,toY him if he wus left he would run away, ~o marster sold both. He carried. em to Richmond to sell em. He sold eni on de auction block dere way down on ~oad Street. Jhen dey put Tom on de auction block dey found Tom had a broken leg and marster didn t git much fer him. He wanted to git enough ~er these two grown settled men to buy two young men. Torn wus married. He ~zus sold from his wife and chilluns. Iviarster did not git enough fer em to pay for dese two young boys. He had to pay de difference in money. De boys were bout 21 or 22 years oie. When rnarster got back wid em de overseer tole him he had ruined his plan~ tation. De boys soon become sick wid yeller fever ant both died. Dey strowed it round, an many died. Marster shore made a me s s thin~g s dat time. Dr. Ben Viilson, of Warren County wus Iviarster ~iitcheli s brother-1n--law. He tended de sick folks an he made many trips. Sometimes as soon as he got home dey sent fer him a~gain. We played mumble-peg an hop-scotch when I wus a child, we played jumpin de rope.a lot.

063 059

-5- 59 UI have never been married. I ha~ only one brother. He has been dead six years. Since he died I have had a hard ti~~e makin a livint. E~other John lived wid me until he died. I had only one sister. She died many years ago. I think slavery wus mighty hard an wrong. I joined de church tcause I had religion an de church would help me to . ke~ it. People should be religious sodey will have a place in de beyond. Abraham Lincoln wus a good man. I have his picture. I think Mr. Roosevelt is a good God.~fearin man. When he ~its sick I prays fer him. ~hen he is sick I is jist as scared as I kin be. I prays fer him ter staywell.

Charity McAllister. 064 060

N. C. District No.2 Wo rke r T . Pat i~at thew s No. Words 625 ~ 60 Subj ect~ CHjIT~ci~~ Story ~ EditorDais~)3aiiey Waitt 32Q238

065 061

;.~ . 61. 320233 CHARiTY ~i1~ALLIST~R 602 South Street My naine is Charity ~ ~cA1Iister. I wus here a long time before de Yanke es come here I wus ! bout grown when dey corne through. I ain t hardly a~1eto cook my little suinptint to eat now. I ain t able to work out. No sir, not able to work. Done and worked y time out. I wus a grown gal when de Yankees come. I wus bout 18 years old. I loves to give you de truth anci I knows I wus dat old. I wus a grown gal. Lily father wus named 1~.ob~rt blalock. He longed to de Blalocks o Harnett County. IVly mother ~vus thiie laie Allister. She 1onged~ to Jennett l~icAllister in Harnett County. I longed to Jobn G~eene at Lillington, Harnett County. ~iy mother first longed to Jobn Greene. She got in de family way by a white man, a nd John Greene sold her to a speculator named 3111 Avery of ~aleigh, a speculator. Dey sold my brother. He wus as white as you is. ~hen de surrender came mother went back to Mise Jennett 1~cA1list r in Harnett County. .uat s how dey ~ ot back dere. I wants to te Il d e truth and dats what I is g oin t o do. ftI tell you I wus whupped dunn slavery time. Dey whupped us wid horse ~hair whups. Dey put a stick under

066 062

2. 62 our legs an tied our hands to de stick and we could not d~ nuthin but turn and twist. Dey would sure work on your back end. ~very time you turned dey would hit it. I been ~hupped dat way and scarred up . We slept on rnattresse s made o tow sacks. Our clothes were poor. One~piece dress made o carDet stuff, part oi~ de ti;:.e. One pair o shoes a year after Christmas. Dey give em to us on January first; no shoes till after Christmas. Dey did not ~:ive us any holidays Christmas in harnett County. Dat wus ginst de rules. No prayer nor nuthin on de plantation in our houses.~ Dey did not low us to go to de white folks church, Dey did not ~ low de slaves to hunt, so we did not have any game. Dey did not low us any patches. No sirree, we did not have any money. De slaves Slept a lot on pallets dunn slavery days. A pallet wus a quilt or tow carpet spread on de floor. ~ie used a cotton pillow sometimes. Dere wus about 50 slaves on de plantation. ~e had no overseer on master s plantation, and no books and schools o any kind7~or niggers. I cannot read and write. No sir, I wish I ~ou1d read and write. nI split rails and worked in de Cape Fear River Low Grounds. We fenced de fields wid rails split from trees, pine trees. Dey were eleven feet long. . ~ Yes sir, I~eed de patterollers. I seed a plenty

067 063

3. of dem scoundrels. OhL ho, de Ku L~1ux, Hat, Ha~ Dey were real scandals, and I jest caint tell you all de mean things dey done right after de war. Reubin i~Iatt iew s slave, George I~Iatthews, killed two Ku Klux. iJey double teamed hirn and shot him and he cut em wid de ax, and.. dey died. ni wus married x!ight~. after de war. De second year after de war, I marriecTiRichard Rogers, but I kept ~ naine o McA~ll:L ster right on . My husband be en dead a good long time . Lawd, I dont t know how long . I been married one time, and dat wus one time too much. I have two sons, one name C larenc e and one named J0bn two ~iaughters1 one in Newport News one in ~as~ington, i C one r~axned Lovie, and one named Lula. BN 63.

Clara Cotton Mc-Coy. Ex-slave 82 years. 068 064

Ex-~s1ave ~L3.-J~L~ 82 years ~ iL ;;~ 64 Subj ~ 320032 District ITo. 3 ~1orker Travis J rdan

069 065

e~ 65 C 20032 CLARA COTTON MC-COY EX~-~SLMWE 82 YEARS uYesmna, I was bawn eighty.-two years ago. ~r in~iny died den an my gran mammy raised me . I sho do member when dat man Sherman an his mens marched through Orange County, but, j t d~J~dfl take rio army of Yankees to ruin ray white folks home, it took jus one Yankee but even dat didn tbow my Mistis head. I ain t never seed nobody as proud as my Mis tRj~h Cotton. She never bowed her head to trouble nor nobody ; she nevereven bowed her head in chu ch~ When de preacher prayed s he jus ~ fo ided her hands an s et up straight~, fac in de Lawd wid no fear. No, suh, my Listis ain t gwine bow her head no time. Young Mis Laughter broke her mammyts heart, but she ain t make her bend her head. Mis Laughte ~ ~ sho nuff name was Mi Clorena Cotton. She waan tall an! dark like i~is Riah; she was little an rouii ant pretty as a th rn flower, all pink an gol . She was jus like a butterfly never still a minute ii here an ionder, laughiai wid everybody. Dat s whare she got her name Us niggers gun to call her Mis Laughter kaze she was so happy . She was dGT only one ~ dat could make i Riah smile. She would r;m up to Mis Mali an~ ruffle her hair dat she done e,omb back so slick an smo th, den she would stick a red rose behin ~ her. ears: :~! .. 65y. SNow, pretty Mamrn y, you io~k like you did when:Papp~ ~ :COme c ~i~ tin . ~~Marse~edwouId1ay.down his

070 066

paper an look fus at Mis Riah den at Mis Laughter, an for a minute Mis Riah would smile, den shc would look firm an say to Mis Laughter. Don t you know datrightousness an V irtue am more e eptab le to de Lawd den b ea ty ? You s worldly, Clorena, you s too worldly. Mis Lat~ghter would throw back her head an laugh her eyes would shine bright as blue glass marbles. She tole Mis Riali dat she specs dat when her man come he gwine see her face befo he seed her rightousness, so she gv ine wear roses an curls den he would know her when he se cd her . Den b Th~ j~ Riah could speak her mind, Mis Laughter done gone skippin . down de hail . her little fee ta in de slippers wink from ~e ruffles of her pantXalets . Eve~body on de place love dat chile an de house wasn never de same after she done gone away. ~y grau maiw Rowena say dat Mi s Riah was bawn for trouble. She was bawn de las day of March tween midnight an day . De moon was on de wane an j us as Mi sti s was bavin de wind come down de chimbley an b ew de ashes out on de hearth. Gran rnammy say dat mea~i trouble an death; dat new bawn baby ain1t never gwine keep long de things she love de o an she better never love robody too weLL if she do dey gwine be took away from her, an ~ t oubi~ aho did follow Mis Ri~~~ after she growed Up. ~ . ~. Whende war corne Marse Ned went off to fight. . He was M rs e ~:erai ~~~COtto~ de~ . Dat ~ didn t ~ leave nobody &t. home tC ept Mi.s .~: ~ah~ i~eD ~marnm~ Mis &berta Davis~ but we~caUed her oie

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67 :~ist1s, den dare was Mis Laughter an young Marse Jerome. Young ~arse but fifteen when de war started but dey got him in de las call an he didn never come back no more. De plantation was big but Mis R-iah tended to things an handled de niggers same as a man. De fus year o1 de wa~ she rode a hoss tbout de fieJds ke an overseer, seemt after de cotton ant cawn an taters. But de Yankees come an1 set fire to do cotton; dey took de cawn to dey cari~ for dey hosses, an dey toted off de taters to eat. Dc nex year Mis Riah d dn plant no cotton a taU kaze de se Eds an gin done been burned up but she had de niggers p lant cawn taters an a good garden . Dat fall de wind blew de hickory leaves to de no th an by spring trouble done come sho nuff. Dey was a drouth an de ca~i didn come up; de garden burned to pa chment, but de taters done all right. Wid all dat Mis Riah held up her head an kep goin . Den one day a buzzard flew over de house top an his wings spread a shadow out on de roof . Dat night death corne an got 01e I~iiistis. She passed on to glory in her sleep . . Twas de s will, Mis Riah to le gran mammy an she still held up her head But Grau mammy said dat if somebody had shot dat buzzard an wiped his shadow off de roof 01e Mistis wouldnt have gone nowhare. De next spring dey wasn much to plant. De Yabkees done kep to~in off everything, hosses an all, twefl dey wasnt much lef . But de niggers, gran rnanrny an pappy along wid dem, dug up de ga~de wid:de grubbin hoe anl planted what seeds dey had. Mis

072 068

~ :68 t Riahi: ~ ~ t 1~Tit Laughter s clothes gun ~ to look oie but grantm~i.mmy kept dem washed an sta ched stiff. Twas Mis Laughter dat kep us from frettin too much. She would look at Mi RIah an say 11 be all right i~mmy when Marse Ned comes h nie. Sometime she call her pappy Marse N~d ~jUS like dat . One day Mars e Ned did come home . Dey brurzg him. home . Twas bout sunset . I tmembers kaze twas de same day dat my oie black hen hatched de duck eggs I done set her on, an de apple treed was bloomin . De blooms look jus like droves of pink butterflies flyin on de sky. Dey brought Marse Ned. frL de ho se anr Ia~ . him. out in de parlor. Mis Riali. stood ~AI~h~~1de him wid her head up. TWas de Lawd ~s will, she to le Gran. rnar ~y but an mammy sho ok her head an gun to cry, an say: ryOu can t put dat on de Lawd i Riah,~ you sho can t~ . tTwaaat de Lawd s will a tall, twas de will of de cnssed Yankees.T Den she turn ~roun an took Mis Laughter s hand an led her up stairs an put her to bed. ~ After dat things got wo rs e . Dat wind dat blew tr~ub1e dowii de chinthley for Mist Riah when she was bawn gun to blow barder. De war got young Marse ~Terorzie an shot him down. Dey wom t much to eat de coffe e was made ou~t of pa J ~hed cawn an de ~weeth.i~ was cane lasses, an~ de ham. anr white bread done been gon a long time . Dey won t no eggs an chickens an ~ dey ~L t: ~xt one fresh cows bu~t nobody ai&t never seed MiS ~ ~Riah herh~ dziorshed atear. ~ ~

073 069

-5-. ~hen de surrender corne dey was Yankees canped aU rro~T de piantatio an~ Eiilsboro was full of dem. One day a Yankee maris come to de house. He~as young. He come to see if M1~ tPLiah dic5II want to sell her place. Mis Riali stood in de door an talked to him, she wouldnt let him come on de po ch. Sb~e to le him she would starve beTh she would s e 11 one foot of her I to a Yaxike e an ~ dat he shou1d~i ~ darken de do r o f ~ he r houe e. Bout dat time L~ls Laughter corne down de hail ant stood behin her mammy. Her hai~ curled ~b ut her head yellow as a dandyiioi a~ she had ~ a blue dress. Th~ dat sojer seed her he stopped ~ dey looked a ~ looked at each other ~tweli Vfis~ Riah turned trount . When she done dat Mis Laughter turned an run. up de stairs4 ~fter dat Mis ~ RIah wouldnt let dat chile go no place by hersef. I was her boQ~guard, everywhare she went I had to go too. W~ would go to walk down in de pine woods back of de paster, an ~ somehow dat Yankee would go to walk in. dem woods too. Every time we seed him he would give inc a piece of money, an ~ when I got back to d~ house I didn tell nothin . Dem one day I b~eard dat sojer tell Mi ~ laughter dat he was gwine away. Mis Laughter ~gwi to cry an~ 1 d dn hear what else dey said haze dey s rit ~ d wa de path. But dat night Mis L~.ughter put lier clothes In her box an made me tote lt down to de paster an r ~4e ~t iii de blackberry patch~ Den. She gtve nte a note an

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7() tole me to go to bed wi go to sleep, but w1~e.:. mo~~nin come to give de note to Mist tp~j~j~~ De nex mornin I give de note to Mis ~R1ah but by den i Laughter done gone off wid dat Yankee . Mie ~ Rj~h called all us niggera in de big room.* She took down de family Bible from de stand an marked out Mis Laughter s name. ~I ~in1t ot no daughter, she say. ~ tM~mber de~ chile dat I had am dead an her name mustn never be called in dis house no more. We all went out cept Grantmaxnmy, but Mis Riah woulthi let her talk to her bout ii ii Laughter ant when de letters gun to come dey was sent back unopened. Mis Riah s niece, Mis Betty an Marse John Davis, hur uan c orne to live wid Mis t~j~J.j to he lp he r ~ ~ things ~ but ~body was lowed to call Mis Laughterts n~une. Even though dey was free, gran xnarrnny an pappy an seine more of us niggers stayed on. at de plantation helpin on de farm, but in bout a year is1 Riah tack sick Mit Betty wanted to sen for it Laughter ~ but Mis ~ wouidn even answer but Mit Betty sent for her anyhow ant kept her down stairs. Den one day de sun turned black an~ de chickens went to roost in de day time. Grantmarnniy flung her apron over ~er fgce an tgun to pray kase she knew de death angel was coniin after Mis Riah. Mist Betty ~: got Mii Laught~ an1 when ehe come up de stafrs all us house :~ q~ ers~ood in de ~aii Watchin her go in to see MiS Riah. S1~e was layint oeL d bed wid. ber eyes simt like she was sleep. Mist Laughter went in an *neel down by de bed~ ~axnm~,

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7:1 -.7- . I~m~my she say soft jus ~ like dat. Mis tRjahts b~arLis caugi~t hold .~ ~of de quilt tight,.~ bat she ain t opened her eyes. Gran m~my went up an laid her hand on_ her head, but she shook it off~ Dc tears was runnin down ~is~ Laughtert.s cheeks. izmny,~ she say, Itse sorry -- I loves you, M~nxny.T vii Riah turned her face t o de wall an her back on Mis Laughter. She ain t never opened her eyes. Bout d~at time de sun come out from 1 dem black wings of Sh;~C1OW ~ tRjah s soul went on to glory to meet L~rse Ned~. Yes ru, Mi Riah sho was proud but Gran marnrny say twon ~ no war dat brun~ all dat trouble on her, she . say t~~as de wind dat conic down de chimbley de ni~ht she was bavrn.--~e no th wind dat blowed de ashes bout de hearth. ~

A good mistress. 076 072

72~. ~f.c. District #2 I o. ~ord.s ~~35 Worker : ~iar~y ~ Subject: Teller: Editor: A GOOD i~1iS TRESS ~ ~ ~ ~l~e~~aj tt ~ * . ~ ~ ~ ~ 32C~j9~.L

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73 . 320219 ~ A GOOD MISTRF3S~ An interview with Henrietta McCullers,. eighty-~seven years old, of 531 E.~ Davie Street, Raleigh, North Carolina. n i ~ borned roun eighty~seben years ago in ~ake County. i~ e ant ~y ~j~r~y t longed ter Mis ~ Betsy Adams an iiiy pappy longed ter Mr . Nat Jone s . I think dat Marse Nat hacla whole passel o~ slaves, but ~~is Betsy ain t had more n six or seben. ~ u Yo ax me iffen Mise pets-y wus good ter us? She wus so good dat I loved her all her life now dat ~ s daid I loves her in her grave. t We et de same rations what she et ~ri~ we slept in de saa~ie kind 01 bed sh slept in~ I knows dat sometimes she d have company ~ shetd do a heap o extra fixin ~ but she ain t neber fix better fer de company dan fer us. n She d let us have a co n sbuckint ~net a year, an~ o:C~ course, we had a heap of prayer meetin s an a ~ew socials. Shealn t wanted herni~gers ter dance case she am such a good ~hrist1an but sh e let us have c andy pullin ~ an s ich. p When de wuck warn t pushin ~ she d let us go fishint an s~r4in~th1t an aU~ only we ~jist waded, case we ain t used enough ter de *ater~ Yo~ knew dat ni~gers am nat u 1i~r skeerd o~ water anyhow. . .. ~ ~ . ~ ~

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~. 74 n Iffen de wuck viu~ pushin we wucked from sunup till dark an Mis i3etsy wucked too. Man, she v~ us a wuckin~ woman, an she made us wuck too; but I loves her better dan ~ does my own chilluns now an dat s one reason dat I wants ter go ter heaben. Ail my life when I done a bad thing I think bout vIis ~3etsy ~ teachin s an~ I repents. n ~ plowed an. dug ditches an~ cleaned new grourit; ~it hard wuck am t neber hurted me yit. De master wus ~oo puny to ~vuck, an I often thinks dat ma~rbe he married L.is ~3ets to look atter him. Dey only had one mans Uncle L ose, ar~ so, of course, he had to have some help ter ten bout a hundert acres. n i~1ost of our lan wus ~l~nted in feed stuff fer us an de cattle. An so we raised ever thing but de coffee. Sometimes we drunk Japonica tea, an~ done without de coffee. t on Sunday s yot& should o seen us in our sunday best goin ter church hind de missus coach, wid oie Uncle Mose high on de box. We can t read de hymns eben iffen we had a book cause we ~ain t lowed ter have no books but we sung jist de same. t At Christmas time we had a party at de big house . ~ Mi~ Betsy had sabed a bushel er so o de latest apples an she rn&Ie a big di sh of las ~e s candy ant we p opped pop e orn an wus ~ happy . it betsy always give us some e lothes ant we had a

079 075

75 3. feas all through de week of ho1idays~ H When. de Yankees corned dey jist about cleaned us out~ Dey kills p gs,~.turkeys, calves an hens all over de p1ace,de~ gits de eserves an a heap 0T de lasses an dey sass Mis Betsy~ All dis wus dem bad~mannered soldie?s~ fault, case Abraham Lincoln aintt mean t fer it ter be dis way~ I know.: I reckon dat most o dein soldiers wus pore white trash. Dey doan keer bout de niggers, but dey ain t W~ ted our white folks ter be rich. tt~e ~aiikees am t 3tayed long in our neighborhood case dey am a-~1ookin fer our soldiers, so dey goes away. . r Did I leave atter de war wus ober? Naw sir, I ain t, an all de rest stayed on too. Uncle. Mose stayed on too. Uncle Mose stayed de rest o~ his life, but I left two years atterwards when I got married. tt My memory am gittin so short dat I doan .~ member ray daddy s naine ner my brothers an sisters names. ~ I I member dat my mammy wus named P 1 e ty do an I . members niy fust lessoa from Mise Betsy, Doa.n lie, an~ doan steal, ax fer what yok needs needs mind yo 1, not what yo k an~ ~ L~ti: era ort ter be back in slavery now, dey d be better an happier dan dey is . I am ~ t neber ~ had a whuppin in my life ant dat ,s more dan most of dese free niggers ~ can say. EH

Willie McCullough. 080 076

N. C. District ~ Worker T. Pat ~atthews No. Words 1050 Subj ect ~ ~ Person Interviewed Willie Mc- Cui~~i~u~gIi Editor G. I~. Andr~ws *)f~fl ) ;~ 76

081 077

~. :~ *~~( ~ ( ~6) ~ WILLIE McCULLOUGH 8 McKee Street, Raleigh, North Carolina. Age 68 years. I was born In Darlirigton County, South Carolina, the 14th of June 1869 . My mother was named Ri lia Mc-~ Cullough and my father was named Marion McCullough. I remember them very weil and many things they told me that happened during the Civil War. They beion~ed to a slave owner named Billy Cannon who owned a larg e p1an-~ tation near Marion, South Carolina. The number of slaves on the plantation from what they told me was about fifty. Slaves were quartered in small houses built of logs. ~ They had plenty of rough food and c~oth~~ ing. They were looked after very well in regard to their health, because the success of the master depended on the health of his slaves. A man can t work a sick horse or mule. A slave occupied the same place on the plantation as a mule or horse did, that is amale slave. Some of the slave women were looked upon by the slave ~ owners as a stock raiser looks upon his brood sows ~ that is from ~ the standpoint of produc tion. If a slave woman ~ had children fast she was c one idered very valuable b e~ cause slaves were valuable property.

082 078

~. ~ 78 tiThere was classes of slavery. Some of the ha1f~ white and beautiful young women who were used by the marster and his men friends or who was the sweetheart of. the marster only, were given special privileges. Some o:e em worked very little. They had private quarters well fixed up and had a great influence over the marster. Some of these slave girls broke up families by getting the marster so enmeshed in their net that his wife, perhaps an older woman, was greatly neglected. Mother and grandmother tole me that they were not allowed to pick their husbands. SMother tole me that when she becariie a woman at the age o ~ sixteen years her marster went to a slave owner near by anI got a six~foot nigger man, almost an entire stranger to her, and told her she must marry him. Her marster read a paper to them, told them they were man and wife and told this negro he could take her to a certain cabin and go to bed. This was done without getting her consent or even asking her about it. Grandmother said that several different men were put to her just about the same as if she had been a cow or sow.. The slave owners treated them as if they had been common animals in this respect. .. Mother said she loved my father before the surr~e~er and just as soon as they were free they married. Grandmother was named L&ina Williams She belonged to a planter

083 079

..13_ 79 who owned a large plantation and torty slaves adjoining ~Lr. Cannon s plantation where mother and father stayed. I~r grandmother on my mother s side lived to be 114 years old, so they have tole me. Il ran away from home at the age of twelve years and went to Charleston, South Carolina. I worked with a family there as waitin boy for one year. 1 then went to Savannah, Ga. I had nc particular job and I hoboed every~ where I went. I would wait all day by the side of the railroad to catch a train at night. I rode freight trains and passenger trains. I rode the blind baggage on passenger trains and the rods on freight trains. The blind baggage is the car between the mail car and the engine. The doors are on the side and none at ~the end. I hoboed on to Miami over the Florida East Coast Railroad. I next went from Miam~i to Meniphis, Tenn. after staying there a few days and working wIth a contractor, I again visited Charleston, S. C. I had been there only two days when I met some Yankees~ from Minnesota. They prevailed on me to go home with them, promising if I would do so they would teach me a trade. I went with them. We all hoboed. We were halted at the Blue Ridge mountains but we got by without going to jail. We then went to ~ N. J. ~~cm N. L to Chicago Ill. then into Mi ~ waukee,

084 080

~. So ~1i~ . then on into Minneapolis Minn. Many towns and cities I visited on this trip,~I did not know where I was. My Yan-~ kee companions looked out for me . They taught me the trade of makin~g chairs and other rustic f~urniture~ They taught me 164 ways of making different pieces of furniture. I spent 11 years in Minnesota but during that time I visited the South once every three years, spending several days in the c ounty of my birth . Mother and father farmed all their lives and they often begged me to settle down but the wanderlust had me and for 30 years I trave ed from place to place. Even while in Minnesota I did not stay in Minneapolis all the time. I visited most every town in the state during the eleven years I stayed there and made hobo trips into most of the adjoining states~ The main Yankee who taught me the trade was Joe i~irton. He an~ the gang helped me to get food until I learned the trade well enough so I could make a living working at it. ~ UI have made a lot of money making and selling rustic furniture, but now I am getting old. I am not able to work as I used too. Not long ago I made a trip from Raie igh to Charleston, S C . but the trip wa~ different from the old days. I hitch~hi1ced the entire distance. I rode with white folks On one leg of the trip of over 200 mIles I rode with a rich young man and his two pals.

085 081

SI They had a fruit jar full of bad whiskey. He got about drunk, ran into a stretch of bad road at a high rate of speed, threw me against the top of his car and injured my head. I am not over it yet. I quit the road in 1924. My last trip was from Raleigh, N. C. to Harrisburg, Penn. and return. I have made my home in Raleigh ever since. Done settled down, too oie to ramble anymore.~ LE

James Turner McLean. 086 082

Subject ~ TUii~i~ i~ ~Ai j Story teller J~e sTL~~ Editor ~s~ ai1~ejr Wa~~ N. C. District No.~ Worker ~~!._?a~ ~ No ~ Words 1~,477 ~ .. 82 #~f)rt,1)~

087 083

320207 .. 63 JAMES TTJ~R~ER MCLEAN Lilflngton, N. C. Rotite 1 ~1~! name j s Jatne s Turner McLean I was born ix~ Harnett County near Cape Fear River in the Bu~ies Creek Section, Feb. 20, 1858. I belonged to Taylor Hugh McLean, and he never was married. The plantation was between Buies Creek and the Cape Fearriver; the edge of it is about 75 yards from iithere I now live The place where I live be~on~s to me. Way back it belonged to the l3olden s. The Boldens came from Scotland, and so did the McLeans. There were about five hundred acres in this plantation ~d Marster Hugh McLe an had ab out fifty slaves. The slaves lived in qtiarters and Marster lived in the b~g house which was his home. Marster took good care o his darkies He did iiot allow anybody to whip em either We had good fo od clothe s and plac e s to s le ep . ~r fathe r was Jini McLean and n~r mother was named Charlotta McLean. ~r grandmother was name d Jam 1 calle d ray mother Sissie and called my grandmother manirr~y in slavery time . They cUd riot, have me to do any heavy work just tending to the ~ca1ves, colts, and goi& to the post office.

088 084

2. ~. 84 The post office was at Mxb. Sexton s and we called it Sexton s post office on the Raleigh and Fayetteville Road. The stage run on this road and brought xnail to this place. This post in n~r yard is part of a stage coach axle. You see it? Yes sir, that s what it is. I got it at Fayetteville when they were selling the Old. stagecoach. We bought the axle and wheels an ~ made a cart. We got that stuff about 1870; my father bought it. He gave twelve dollars for jes the wheels and axle. This was after we had taken the iron clad oath and become more civilized. We were daresome to be caught with a paper book or anything if we were tryin to learn to read and write. We had to have a pass to go around on, or the patterollers would work on us. I saw a lot of patterollers. Marster gave his Negroe s a pass for twelve months He sent his timber to ~ilmir~gton, and worked timber at other places so he gave his slaves yearly~ passes. Then when the war was abot~t up me and him went to the post office, and he got the paper. All the niggers were free. We stopped on the way hoir~e at a large sassafras tree bi the side the ro ad where he always stopped to read, and he read, and told me I was free. ni did not know what I t was or what it meant We c.atne pa to the house w~re n~r mother was and I said, Sissie,

089 085

85 30 we is free . ~ $he said Hush, or I wi 11 put the hickory on you.t I then went to grandma, the one I called mammy and threw my arms ar oand her ne ek and sai d Manur~y we are free, what doe s it mean? and mammy who was grandma sai~1 ~ You hush. sich talk, or I will knock you down wid a loom stick. M~rster was contin then, and he had the paper in his hand and was cryin . Re caine to the door and called grandma and said, ~ are free, free as I am, but I want you to stay on.. Lf you go off you will perish. If y~ou. stay ou now the crop is planted and work it, we will divide. Marster was Cryin. ~J said, ~I do not own you ai~r longer. Re told her to get the horn and blow it. It was a ram s hcrn. She blew twice for the hands to conie to the house. They were workin in the river lowground about a mile or more away. She blew a long blow, then another. Marster told her to keep b1owin~. After awhile all the. slaves corne home; she had. called them all in. M~rster niet them at the gate and to Id them to put all the mules up, all the hoes and plows, that th~ were all free. Re invited all to eat dinner. Re had five women cooking. He told them all he did not want them to leave, but if they were going they must eat before. they left. He said he wanted everybody to eat all. he wanted, and I remember the

090 086

4. 86 baru, eggs, chicken, and other good things we had at that dinner. Then after the dinner he spoke to all Of US and~ said, You have nowhere to go, nothin to live on, but go out on ~ other plaxitation arxi build you some shacks. ttlie gave them homes and did not charge ax~y rent. He bought naiis and lumber for them, but he would not build the houses. Some stayed with hirn for fifteen years; some left. He gave them cows to milk. He said the children must not perish. t~Marster was a mighty good man, a feelin man. He cried when s~ome of his slaves finally left hirn. Mother and father stayed ti 11 they go t a plac e of their own . I waited on him as long as he lived. I loved him as well as I did my daddy. I drove for him and he kept me in his house with him. He taught rite to be honest, to tell the truth, and not to steal ai~thing. ~\Vhen freedom came marster gave us a place for a school building and furnished nails and gave the lumber for the floors. He instructed them in building the windows. Re was goin to put his sister Jenette McAllister in as teacher She had married Jim ~cAllister at the Eluff Church, right at the lower part of the Averysboro Battleground where some of the last fightin between the North and South was

091 087

5. ~. 87 done, but a man by the naine of George Miller of Harnett County told him he i~i.ew a nigger who could teach the school. He employed the nigger, whose name was Isaac Brantley, t~ teach the school. lie ~anie from ~knderson s Creek in the lower part of Harnett Cowity. We learned very little, as the nigger ~ead, and let us repeat it after hum. He would hold the book and spell axid let us repeat the words after him without i us see iii the book. He stayed there two months ~ th en a man by the naine of Matthews Haywood Matthews, son of Henderson Matthews came. They were white folks, but went for negroes. Haywood teached there. He got the children st~ted ~id most of em learned to read and write. ttl saw the Yankees come through . Also iht s Cavalry. The Yankees took chickens and things, and they gave u s s oxne things bu t Wheeler s Cavalry gave us in. . They took what they wanted and went on. Marster hid his horses and things in the Pecoaiu.~. When the Yankee s cerne Marster was hid . They rode up to ~ mother and asked her where he was. She said, I do not kn They then asked her where was de silver, his nioney ant de brandy an wine . They got one demijoim full t brandy . They went into the house tore up things

092 088

6. : 88 got his china pipe, fixed for tour people to smoke at one time. You could turn a piece and shett off all de holes but one, when one man wanted to smoke. They threw away his old beaver hat, but before they left they got it and left it in the house ~ieeler s Cavalry stomped things and broke up x~ore den de Yankees. Daddy hid rnarster s money, a lot of it, in the jam de fence He covered it with sand that he threw out of a ditch that ran along near the fence The Yankees stopped and sat on the sand to eat their dinner and never found the money . *1 : have never seen a slave sold, and none never ran away from marster s plantation . When any of his men went to visit their wives he let thera ride the stock, axx~ give them rations to carry There was a jail for slaves at Sumrnerville. I saw it. ~We went to the white folks church at Neil s Creek. Mother used herbs to give us when we were sick. Dr . Turner, Dr John Turner looked after us We were bled every year in the spring and in the fall. He had a little lance He corded your arm and. popped. it in, and the blood would fly. Re took nearly a quart of blood fro& grandma. He bled according to size and age.

093 089

7. . 89 We ought to think a lot o Abraham Lincoln and the other great men such as Booker T. Washington. Lincoln set us free . Slavery was a b ad thing and unjust. AC

Frank Magwood. 094 090

::. C. District 1i~Q-. 2 )V Worker ~. Pat Matthews No. Words 857 Subj ect ~ ~ Pers on Inte rv iewed ~J~a nk ~gw~ Editor G. L. Andrews : ? e)U;()O 3 ~ ~ ? 90

095 091

e, ~ ~ ~ 3 ~ ~ ~ 44 7 % J #. ~ t . 91 FRANK ~EAGWOOD It1 was born in Fairfield County, South Carolina, neai the town of Ridgeway. Ridgeway was on the Southern Rail.. road from Charlotte, N. C. to Columbia, South Carolina. I was born Oct. 10, 1864. I belonged to Nora Rines whose wife was named Emma. He had four ~girls Franc es Ann, Cynthia, and E~nma and one son named George. There was about one thousand acres of land inside the fences with about two hundred acres cleared. There were about seventy slaves on the place. My mother and father told me these things. Father belonged to a man by the naine of John Gosey and mother belonged to oie man lUnes. My father was named Lisbon Magwood and my mother was named Margaret Magwood. They were sold and resold on the slave auction block at Charleston, South Carolina, but the families to whom they belonged did not change the ir names until s name was changed when she married father in 1862. ~There were twolve hildren in the family, three boys and nine girls. Only two boys of this family are living, Walter and myself. Mother and father said at the beginning of the war that the white folks said it would not last long and that in the first years of the war they said one southern soldier

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; :. 92 could whup three Yankee soldiers, but after awhile they quit their brag~in. Most everything to eat and wear got scarce. Sometimes you couldn t g t salt to go in the vegetables and meat that was cooked. People dug up the salty earth under their smoke houses, put water with it, drained it off and used it to salt rations. .~ There came stories that the Yankees had taken this place arid that they were marching through Georgia into South Carolina. They burned Columbia, the Capitol of South Carolina, and had both whites and black scared, they were so rough. The Yanke s stole, burned~and plundered. Mother said they hated South Carolina cause they started the war there. They burned a lot of the farm houses. The army, so my father and mother said, was stretch d out over a distance of sixty~ two miles. Jest think of a scope of country sixty two miles wide with most of the buildings burned, the stock killed, and nothing to eat. The southern army and the northem army had marched back and forth through the territory until there was nothing much left. Where Sherinants ~rr~y stopped and ate and fed their horses the ~groes went and picked up the grains of corn they strowed there and parched and ate them. People also parched and ate acorns in South Carolina. . Father and mother got together after the war and

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fr. 93 they moved to a widow lady s place by the naine of Ann Hunter, near Ridgeway. She was good to us and we stayed there sixteen years. Ann Hunter had three sons, Abraham, George and Henry. Abraham went to South America on a rambling trip. He decided to stay there. He was a young man then and he married a Spaniard. When he came home to see hJs mother it was the year of the earthquake in 1886. He was a grown man then and he brought his wife and children with him. He had three children, all of them spoke Spanish and could not understand their grandmother s talk to them. His wife was a beautiful woman, dark with black hair and blue eyes. She just worshipped her husbariL They stayed over a month and then returned to South America. I have never seen tern since or had any straight news of them. Mother and father lived on the farm until they died, with first one ex~-slave owner and another. They said they had nothing when the war endedand that there was nothing to do. 111 stayed with my mother and father near Ridgeway until I was 21 years of age. I left the farm then and went to work on the railroad. I thought I was the only man then. I was so strong. I worked on the railroad one year then I went t~ the Stone mountain Rock Quarry in Georgia.

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-4.. 94. ttI got my hand injured with a dynamite cap after I had worked there a year and I came home again. I went back to working on the farm as a day hand. I worked this way for one year then I began share croppin . UI farmed ever since I cam to Wake County 15 years ago. I farmed on Mr. Slnipkins place one year then Mr. Dillan bou~ght the place axxl I stayed there nine more ye~ars then I became so near blind I could not farm. I carne to Raleigh to this house four years ago. I have been totally blind since the fifteenth of last December. il married Alice Praylor near Ridgeway when I was 23 years of age. We had nine children. tMy last marriage was ~ to Mamie Williams. I married her in South Carolina. We had four children. They are all living, grown and married off. My chief worry over being blind is the fact that it makes me unable to farm anymore. LE

Jacob Manson. 099 095

JACOB MANSON N. C. Distz~ict j~Q.~_a . Subject Person Interviewed ~ Worker ~ Ratw~t~~ G. L. Andrews No . Words I ~t2C~ Editor ~7 . ..~ .:. ~. ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . - . ~ ~ ~. ~ ~ ~ :~. :- ~ :~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~. . ~ ~ .~ . . ~- .~ ~ ~ ~ .. . ~ ~ ~ I~ ~ ~ d~ ~ .1:: ; ~ H~ 320()5t ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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320051 ~ ~ . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ JACOB MANSON . 3 17 . N. Ha3rwo od St . Raie i~ NT . C . 86 ye ars of ag e . ~ ~It has been a long time since I w s born-~bout all my oeopie a~ii dead ceptmy wife an one son an two daughters. lYe sori~ an one daughter live in N. C. an de other daughter live& in Richmond, V . ~ Ii belonged to Col. ~in Eden, hj8 plantation wus in ~~rren C unty an . he owned bout fifty sl ves or more. Dere wus so many of ~ dere he did not know all his own slaves. W~ got ~ighty bad treatment an I jest wants to tell you a nigger didn t stan as much show dere as a dog did. Dey whupped fur rnos ~iy little trifle. Dey whupped me, so dey said, jes to help me git a quicker gait. D~ patterollers come srieakin ro~3~ oft n an v hupped. niggers on ~arster s place. Dey nearly killed my uncle. Dey broke his collar bone when dey wus beatin him ati marster made tern pay ~or it cause uncle never did ~it over it. tt~1iarster would not have any white overs eers . He had nigg&r foremen~ Ha I ha ~ he liked sanie of de nigger omans too good. to have any bdder white man pl~yin aroun em. ~We wurked all day an some of de night an~ a slave who made a week, even atter dola dat, wus lucky if he got off widout ~ettin a beatin. lite had poor f~od an de young slaves wus fed otrten troughs. ~e foo~ wus put in a trough ~ an de little niggers gath~ ~ed round n et. Our cabins wus built of poles an had stick a~n dirt chimleys one door an one little winder at de back end of ~: ~

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~2~: ~ 97 ~ ... de cabin. Some of de houses had dirt floors. Our clothin1 was poor an homemade ~ ~fly of de -s1av~went~ bareheaded an barefooted. Some wore rags roun dere heads an some wore bonnets. Marster lived in de ~reat house. He did not do any work but dr~k a lot of whiskey,. vient dressed up all de time an had niggers to wash his feet an comb his hair. He made me scratch his head when he lay do~i so he could go to sleep. When he ~ ot to sleep I viould slip out. if h waked up when I started to. leave I vfouEl. have to ~ o ba~k an~ scratch his head till he went to sleep agin. Sometimes I had to fan de flies way from him while he slept. No prayer~ meetin s wils allowed, but we sometimes went to de white folks church. Dey tole us to obey our marsters an be obedient at all times. When bad storms come dey let us rest but dey kept us in de fields so long sometimes dat d e storm . caught us fore we could git to de cabins. Niggers watched de wedder in slavery time an de ole ones wus good at. prophesyin de wedder. . ~Mars~ter had rio chilluns by white women. ~ H~ Ii~t h~s sweethearts mong his slavewonien. I air~t no man for tellin fais? stories.. I telle de. truth an dat ~is de truth. At dat time. it ~ ~ hard job to find .amarster dat d1dII~t have womer~ mo~. hia slaves. ~t wus~a ~inerel thing inong de slave owners. ~ ie ?~ ~ sIave~irLs on a plantation near us went to her nhis~t~ a~n tole her bout he~ mar~ter forcing her to let him have ~ autnthi~i to do wid her ar~ her xA~ssus tole her, WeU go on yoit * ~r ~ J :~ ~ ~ ~ ~4 ~ I ~ ~ ~ ~

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belong to hirn. \~9ther m rster named Jimmie Shaw owned a purty slave gal nearly white an he kept her. His wife caught im in a cabin in bed wid her. His wife said surnthin to him bout it an he cussed lais wife. She tole hirn she had caught ~im in de act. She went back to de great house an got a gun. ~Ihen de marster corne in de great house she tole tim he must let de slave girls alone dat he belonged to her. He cussed her agin an sed she would have to tend to her own dam business an1 he would tend to his. Dey had a big fuss an den marster J:~aw sta:~~ted towards her. She grabbed de gun ~n let him have it. She shot ~im dead in de hail. Dey had thre chillun, two Sons an one married daughter. Missus Shaw took her two sons an left. ~De married daughter an her husband took charge of ~ S de place. M1~~u~ an her sons never come backas I Ithows of. . A lot oi~~ de slave owners had certain strong healthy slave S men to serve de slave women. Ginerally dey give one man four women ant dat man better not have mithin to do 1 de udder ~ . women an de women better not have nuthin to do wid udder men. De chillun wus looked atter by de ole slave women who were un~ ~ able to work in de fields while de mothers oi~ de babies worked. ~ De women~ plowed an done udder work as de men did. No books or ~ S larriin of any kind wus allowed. ~ S~S. *C~e mornin~ de dogs begUn to bark an in a few minutes the ~ plantation wus kivered wid ~ankees.~ D~y tole us we w~is free. ~ D~ ,axed me wht~r m~rster ~ s things ~ru~ hid. I tole em I ~cou~4 L ~ gii~e ~ marster ~ s thiuga~. ~ey tole me I had no niarster dat I ~ ~ ~ ~t ~t ~ ~ i ~ ~ i~ ~

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.ui~4.. :~99~ ~ dey had fighted four years to free us an dat marster would n t whup me no more~ Marster sent to de fields an had all de slaves t o C on~e home He told me to te li ~ em no t to run but to fly to de hous e at one e . All plow hands an women com e running home. De Yankees tole all of ein dey vms free. Marster offered some of de Yankees suintin to eat in his house but dey would not eat cook~d food, dey said dey want~,d to cook dere own food. tu. saw slaves sold in slavery time. I ~aw em whupped an many ran away. Some never come b~ck. When wc wus sick we took lots of erbs an roots I married Roberta Edwards ~ f fty~ one years ago. We had six sons and three daughters. Atter the war I farmed around from one plantation to another I hay e never owned a home of my own. When I got too oie to work I come an lived wid my married daughter in Raleigh. I been here four years. I think slavery wus a mighty bad thing, though it s been no~bed of roses since, but den no one could whup me no moi ~ ~ . ~ . . ~ G~, ? t ~

Roberta Manson. 104 100

Subject ~ Person Interviewed Robe~a~L~iansor~ Editor G. L. Andrews :. C. Disti~1ct J~Q.~2 worker T. Pat Matthews i~ o . Viords ~j&-~~Q- ~ . 100. . ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . .

105 101

320049 ROBERTA ~ANSON 317 N. Haywood Street, Ra1ei;~h, N. C. Age 74 LII wus borned de second year of de war an~ de mos I know thOut sl&very wus tole to i~e b:~ other colored folks. I~y ~arster wus Jeldon Edwards and iiiy ~~l1S3US wus I~iissus Lucy. The ~~iantation wus in ~Zarren County near ~idc~e~ay. i~y f~at~1er w s ~ named Lanis Edwards and ~y mother wu~ named i~I1en Edwards. ~ The~j both longed to ~:ie1don Edwards. Father and m~ther said ~ he wus sni~~hty rou:.~h to ein. I heart my mother s~y dat mars ter ~ whupped father so bad dat she ha~ to grease his back to .~ it his ~ shirt off. ~ ~~arst~-r allowed de overseers to whup de slaves. Be ~ overseers wus name~i Caesar I~Torfc-ir, Jim Irissel, and David ~ Porter. UDere wus a oie man dere by de name of Harris Edwards who fed.up the ho:~1 an things. He wus sick an he keTt h~i sick. cil after awhile de oie marster tTied to make him work. De overseers den tool: him out way down in the plum orchard. Dey~ pulled his tongue out an whupped hirn. He died an wus f ourd by de buzzards. De overseers wus named Jim Trissel an David Porter dat did dat. Dis ole.slave ~ to missus; and when she found it out dere wus a awful fuss. One of de white overseers tried to put it off on de udder. It finally fell on ~4Jim Trissel an~ dey soon got rid of him. Ivassus tole him, tyou have killed my poor oie sick servant.t Mr. Jim Trissel killed I an dey wus shore . fraid of him.. He knocked

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-2~ my father down wid a stick an when hs fell my father knocked ITLIS hip out of place. Dey whupped father cause he looked at ~ a ~iave dey killed an cried. UDey didn t allow no prayerrneetin~s or parties in de houses. ~c~o books in de houses. No books or papers, no edication. ttSome of de owners when dey knowed freedom wus con~iin! dey treated de slaves wu~ser den ever bei~ ore. De oie men an ~ ;~io~:eri dat ~ius unahie to work vais negiected till dey died or ~ ~us killed bybeatint or burnin . Col. Skipper did dat thing. he lived near Clarksviiie, Va. He put a lot of oie men an wor~:en on a ~1and in the Roanoke River. De riveD rose an stay3d up eighteen days an dey parished to death~ Dey were sent dere when sick and dey died. Mr. Skipper had over two hundred slaves. He wus one of the richest men in the south and Wir. Nick L~rig wus ai~other rich man. Nick Long owned ~~plantation now known as the C~aledonia State s Prison Farm. Gen. Ransom s plantation wus a part of de land 1ongin~g to the Caledonia State Prison Farm now. It joined Nick Longts plantation. ~ ~ .~ ~ ~Father and mother had bad f~e poor food clothes an shoes. Dey did&t sift slave meal. Dey had no sifters. Sometimes de couards ~nd peas wus not~cleaned forec~ookin . Dey said de more slaves a maxi had de wusser he wus to slaves. L arster had dirt floors in de l4ns. Dey slept on straw bux~ks ~ made . outen baggin ~ straw. Some slept on ~1ie~t~ ~. ~ straw 8~t shucks an ~ covered wid baggin. ~e man ~at Bt lock, 4 ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ . : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ 1~v ~

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~ p ~ - 3-. a negro slave, an his n~othei~ Ella ant grandmother Susan, also slaves, froze to death. Mat Bullock the son of 01e man ~t J uilock tole me this. Dese slaves 1lon~ed to Jim a alock who s plantation wus near Townsville N. C . Weldon Edwards who ovined lather and mother had a whuppin post an dey said dey whupped oie man Jack Edwarc~s to death cause he went to see his sick wife. he crawled from ~e wiluppin post to de house atter ~eLn whupped and died. Dey tole hirn fore dey whupped hirn dat dey wus soin to stop him ~om rurin~n away. Families wus broke n up by sellin . Dey couldn ~t sell a slave dat wus skinned up. Aunt Millie, Agie, ~racy and Lima wus sold from the Edwards family. Aunt i~iillie cried so ~:uch cause she had to leave her y~ung baby dat dey talked of whuipin her, ut den dey say we car~not sell her if w~ whup her an so dey carried er on. Mother sed iviarster ~Je1don Edwards sole :~our wo~:~en away fron: dere your~ chilluns ~~it one time. tt~je lived in lo~ cabins with dirt floors, one door, and one small winder at de back. De cabins had stick an dirt chimbleys ./ w~ien . freedom e orne mother and fath r s tayed on w Id marster cause dey didn t have nuthin. Dey couldn t iea~e. fl~r farmed for shares. Next year the overseer who had beat father s, bad conic atter him to go an work wIth him. It wus Mr Dairid Porter. I axed pa ain t dat de man who beat you so when you wus a slave? An pa say you shet your mouth. He stayed with .~

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104 L:r. Portei two years den we went to ~Ir. William PaschaVs. We stayed th~re four years. Endurinr the next fifteen years we rroved a good many Urnes . We farmed round and round an finally ~!eflt to Mr. Peter ~13rmSt place near where I wus borned. lt1 ~ married there to Jack Manson, 52 years ago in January. 1 had ei~ht chilluns five ~.ir1s an1 three boys . ~hree are living now. One boy and two girls. Two of th~ chilluns are ixi N. ~. and one, a ~irl, is in Virginia. UI think slavery ~ius a bad thi~~ but when freedom come ~~ere wus fluthin else we could do ~::ut stay on wid some of de white folks ~ca se we had nuthin to farm wid an nuthin to eat an wear. ttDe men who owned de T)lantations had to have somebody to farm dere Ian an de slaves had to have somewhur to stay. iJats de way it wus, so if dere wus a lot of IflOV flt about de exslaves kept dom de wurk cause dat s de only way dey had to keep from perishin . De marsters needed em to farm dere Ian an de exslaves dust had to have somewbur to live so both par~ ties kept stayin an~ ~wurkin together. De nigger made fllO~ ~ dey has out of workin fer white folks since de i~var cause dey didntt have nuthin when~t free an dat is all dere i~ to 1t.~ ~ . ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~

Millie Markham's story. 109 105

~1~ST~e~ ~ ~~ -t if. C. District ~. Subject ~ No. words 700 Interviewed ivililie Markham Worker q~d~L. .( ~. ~ ~ : :. ~ ~: ~ ~: ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ :~:. . ~. ~ : T,,~ 3~~~tF :i~i~ i ~ 105 ~- ~ .. L~ ~ ~

110 106

320213 . ~ ~. .~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ . ~ EX~SLAVE STORY AS TOLD BY MILLIE M~R~ iAM OF 615 ST ~ JOSEPH ST DURBAI~ - N C . u ~: was never a s lave Although I was born somewhere about 1855 I was not born In slavery but my father way. I m afrajd this story will be more about my father and mother than it wjll be about myself. UMy mother was a white wbman. Her name was Temple James . S1i~ lived on her father ~s big plantation on the Roanoke River at Rich Square, North Carolina. Her father owned acres of land and many slaves. His stables were the best anywhere around; they were filled with horses, and the.head coachman was named Squire James. Squire was a good looking, well behaved Negro who had a white father. He was tall and light colored. Temple James fell In love with this Negro coachman. Nobody knows h w ~long they had been in love before Temple s father found it out, but when he did he locked Temple in her room. For days he and M~iss Charlottie, his wife, raved, begged and plea& ed, but Temple just said she loved Squire. Why will you act ~ ~ Miss Charlottie was crying . ~ven t we done everything for you and given you everything you wanted? ~!Tei~ie shook her head and said: You haven t given me S~ufre. He s all I do want. t . ~eher1 it ~~as ~ that in the dazt of the night ~ James sent ~~1re a~way; be sent him to another state and sold. ~it.T~mpie.,found it ~ ~ took what money she

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2.~a:+*~r, C ould find. and ran away . She went to the owner of Squire and bought him, then she set him free and changed his name to Walden Squire Walden. But then it was against the law ~or a white woman to marry a Negro unless they had a strain of Negroblood, so Temple cut Squire s finger and drained out saine blood. She mixed this with some whiskey and drank it, then she got on the stand and swore she had i~e~ro blood in her, so they were married. She never ~rent back home and her people disowned her . t~Tempie James Walden, my mother, was a beautiful woman. She was tall and fair with long light hair. She had fifteen children, seven boys and eight girls, and all of them lived to be old enough to see their great~g~and~ children. :i: am the youngest and only one living now. Most of us came back to North Carolina. Two of my sisters married and came back to Rich Square to live. They lived not far from the James plantation on Roanoke River. Once when we were children my sister and I were visiting in Rich Square. One day we went out to pick huckleberries. A woman e arne r iding dow~i the r oad on a hors e . She was a tall woman in a long grey riding habit. She had grey hair and grey eyes She stopped and looked at us. ~ she said, twhose pretty littl~ girls are you? We ~re Squire Walden s children, t I said. ~She looked at me so long and hare that I thotight she

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3. was going to hit me with her whip, but she didntt, she hit the horse. He jumped and ran so fast I thought ~he was going to fall off, but she went around the curve and I never saw her again. I never 1~ew until later that she was I~iiS Charlottie James, my grandmother. UI dontt know ~nything about slavery times, for I was born free of free parents and raised on my father s~ own plantation. I ve been living in Durham over sixtyfive years.

A slavery story. 113 109

~.:oo ~ford$: L) ST Y TEaL~R: ~ ~: orker ~ i~ Pat L~atthews Edit or t ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ ..~ ~ ~ ~ : ~ ~ . 32O:~!9 ~ 0 N.c,. District ~ f Subject: ~

114 110

20009 . . . . W!; M~WGfl MibtLS 73 yec~rs old, of 202 Lapla Ztr3et~ R~teigh, ~orth CarOlinas F~ n never fox ~1t de day ~4hen de Yankees come throuj~h Cohnatori count; .3 i beIorz~jed to Torn Dema e an oie r i:,eua in ~li.very tiiue v&ta n:~aiea Liza. r De Deniayea lived In Raiei~h when I wus bor ~ so ~aother tole lue ~ but de; :aoved to a :Jsce ne&r thuithfieid. 11e had ~cut a dozen siaves.~ iIe ~ little c&b ns to.iava in, out dL.Zrster had a Jib i1ou~e to live i ~ th&t set in a ~ rove. I)~ food I got wus good becaame I wu~ a pet in .~te fasi 11. ky i~otha ~wua a cook an a ~et.~ ~iarater s~ us good to ail of lis ca 3: fare~i better den dan I do now. 01e water thought de v:orld pf me and I loved him. idarster aflowed his slaves to visit, have pr~yer rneetinj~,o, hunt, fish, an stn j, snd have a good time when de work eats done Some oZ de slave ovaera did not like marster cause he we so good to his slives. ~ I f I Thej casled us OILS Man Demaies dam free ni~gers. a d1 don t know zy cge zacicly but., I vats a big cal, big enough to ,dtag.a youngin roun tende Yadees corne tiir~t+V 3: 1,us six ysanold.jf no older. . ~E . !hen. d3~ Yaxalcees come diy cafled us to ds wagons an ~ tole a~ ~ t ~ ~er gilT! eacI~ ~ :~ ~ full of harda b;;. %ack. . Psi: topl .cLothea an provisioiaq an give us not 4n~e. e . ~:c;:.t ~:/ ~.: :~ ~ . .1, t% ~ .~ . ; %..t . ;. ~ . . ;.:~ . e, . . . . s.. t. .-. t. I~b. ~*~ J4 t t : ss ~. , ~ t 4. ~ % e. n S ~ ~ e , *.3~ a :i : ;~ ~..~ ~ k ~ ~ w 4 ~: ~: ? ~ ~ ~ ~ . t t . # %v ~# ~ ~: I - t t ___i ra w t : ~ ~ ~ ~ L

115 111

2~ One crowd o~ Yankees would c~ome on an give u~ something an another~ would come along an take. it awa; from us~ D~~r tole us to call marster an~ ~ j~r~y Re~bs~ that ~re ~us free an had no marsters. Dat v~u~ a da~r for me~ ~3on~e of ue Yankees wus ridin , some walkin , an some runnin ~ Dey took de Jfea~:~er beds in marsters ~ou~e to . de windows, cut dem c~pen an let de feathers blow away. it wus a sad time to inc cause dey destroyed so i~h of ~aarster s stuffs u After de Yankees left we stayed right o~n with marster a Iori~ t~lli ~ ~Cfl we ThOVed ~i~:;~ to ot~ier inei~oers of de f~n4Iy. I~1other wo~iId not give up de family an she an daddy stayed ~id ~ as 1oi~g as dey 1ived~ I love de family now an~ I rather be livin wid ein den like I is. Dere :~.s only a~few of de youn~~er set of de Demayes 1ivin~ 031e marster ant missus had three boys, Sye, Lee, Zoa; gi~:hLs~ Vick, Correna and. PMdelia, six chilluns in all. ~ T Dey is all dead but I cantt never forg+it ~em if E live to be a hundred years oie. - .. Ui tr~ies~to live right befcre God an mar. cause I kno~rs I haint got much longer on dis earth. I knows Igot to 1a~r down sometime ~ to rise no more till Jud~nent lDay, den I wants to meet oie rnax ster, missus ~ de fanlily in dat country ~1e;t e derel ll be ~o more goo~yes~ ~ 4 fl.1 wu~ mai~hried at twent~. years ole to; Theodore Miles ~ at de. oie M~:k. Powell place near ~

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I WUS hired as a house girl at dis place wid Mr. Alango Miles faxni1y~ Dey ~iuS some o~ de Dernaye fan2ily. I had ten chillun, four boys an~ six girls~ ~1x of my chillun ar~ i1~r nt now* T*o . oya ~fl four girls. My hu~baUd.beefl dead. 1bout 16 years. He died in Oct. 1921. Buried on de. third Sunday in October. . I have farmedmost of iuiy life ~a i~ have raised a ~jg f~xni1y. 3ometimes we wus hongry an~ sornetime~ we h~d ~~Ienty~ None of my chilluns wus never arrested axis none ever went to priaon. I thinks d&.t~ something to knock on wood about. $laver~r WUS ~ good thing by all nig~ ers. ~tho happened to have good xr~sters. De ~ wus to bl~ne for slavery gettint such a bad reput~tio~. ~ ~ ~ jus~ done a ljttiE~ too rnuch.&~n1 sich caused de war an~ give ~ ni:~ers freedom~ Slavery wu~ good for &ome an~ bad ~or others.H

A slave story. 120 116

Referenc e : Patsy ~~tci~r ~orker : T . Pat i~atthews I~.c. District #2 Subj ect: A SL~ ~ TORY No. ords: L474 Editor : ~ ~. .~ . ::~ ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .~ ~~:~1F ~ . ~ ~ 3 ~2O~

121 117

320203 . . ~ PATSY ~1ITCffl~R 84 years old, of 432 I~cKee street, Raleigh, ~ Lt Come right in., honey, I been expectiri.t some of you white t~o1k.s a long time from what I dreampt an I wants to t~11 you ni~~ story. Lou see I is u~b1e. an perlite cause fly white folks teached me dat way. .~ ~ ~ ~ u Come . right fr, I zu not feelin . well. ~ y husban has been dead a long time. I cannot stan up to talk to you so have a seat. ~ --~ -~ t I belonged to Alex Gorman, a paper man. He printed the ttSpirit of ~ the Ag~ a neWspaper. I reckon you can find it in the Museum. I reckons dey keeps ail way back yonder things. in dere jest to remember by. ~ He had a lot of printers both black an white. De slaves turned de wheels de most of de time, an de white mens; done de printint. Dere wus a big place dug out at each side f de machine. One rnan pulled it to hi~ii an de other pulled it to him. ~ Dey wurkedit wid. de han!s~. It wus a big wheel. Dey didn t have no printers den like ~ dey got nowo ~ %. ~ u De oie printin place is standin now. It stands in front o:f~ de laundry on Dawsort~ Street, where a lot of red wag9ns stan s goin u~p towards the bua station. De oie build ~ ~i4 &tairsteps to gq up.. Dey sot de type upstairs an ~ ~ .. ?:h~ WUS. OU de groun floor. ~

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It Marster mar ~ied Gox~iiaxis twice an~ dey wus both named Mary. Don t know whether dey wus sisters or not, but dey wus both Virginia women. So my missus naine v~ius ~Iary Gonnan. ~do not know my age, but I wus bout 12 years old vthen Wheeler s cavalry come through~ Dey skeered me so much I squatted like a rat. ~ey pulled. clothes off de line an~ stole clothes from stores an went dOwn to de depot an changed ciothes~ Dey stole de womens draw rs an~ filled em wid things . Dey stoi meat corn an other things an ~ put em in womens drawers, throwed em across dere horses backs an went on. You know women den wore long drawers open ~n front, ha~ haZ .~ ~ t~ Wheelerts ~ tied up de legs an front of em aIl filled de lege an seat full of thL igs dey stole. Dey j est grabbed everything an went on. Dey had a reason for ieavin~ ; de ~nkees wus at dere heels. ~ .~ !t Jest as sc~n as dei lef de Yankees come. You know, dere WU3: & ~ here by de nam of Governor Holden an ~ de flag w~. a.: red ant wMte: f1~g, an vdien de ~ankees corne dere iwu& another.. flag run U~6~ ~ . :~ .I~flttO~tryt0 tell de truth teaus I wu~ t ached ~ *~ ..~way~.by ~iiar ..~ ster a& ~inisSus~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ De .~lag brought pea~ ~ cause de Yan~ee~ did not tear up de town. Dey had guards o~t around de houses an~ de~r marched bank au foe th day an night to keep ever body froiri robbin de I ~L

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-3-. IDe Yankees wid dere blue uniforms on jest kivered de town. Dey wus jest like ants. Dey played ;~urty music on de ban an ~. I liked dat . I ~rus fraid of em dough cause marster an missus said dey were goin to give us to em ~hen dey come. I stayed hid mes of de time right after de1 surrender cause I didn t want de Yankees to ketch me. ~hen de others lef after de surrender I run away an weuit to Rev. LoulsEdwards, a nigger preacher. . He sent me to my aunt at Rolesville. My Aunt wus named Patsy Lewis. I stayed dere bout three weeks when my uncle rented whur Cameron Park is now an tended it dat year. We all corne to Raieigh an I have lived here all my life, but the three weeks I stayed at Rolesville. I have wurked for white folks washin cookin an \ wurkin at a laundry ever since freedom come. UI never seed my father in my life. I~r mother wus named Tempe Gorman. Dey would not talk to me bout who my father wus nor where he wus at. Mother would la! sometime when I axed her bout him. Marster treated his niggers mean s ometimes. He beat my mother till de scars vrus on her back, so I could see em. ~Dey sold my mother, sister an brother to oie man A~k~w, a slave speculator, an dey were shipped to de Mississippi bottoms in a box-car. I never heard from mother any iore. :119

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~2o I neber seed my brother agin ~ but my sister come back ~ to Charlotte~ She corne to see me. She married an lived dere till she died0 ft In slavery time de food wus bad at marsters. It wus cooked one day for de nex ~ ~ dat is de corn bread wus baked an de meat wu~ biled an you et it Col fer breakfas . De meat wus as fat as butter an ~ you got one rashen an a hunk of ~corn bread fer a meal. No bi~cuit wu.s seen in de slave houses. No sir, dat dey wus not. No biscuit for niggers at rnarsters. n Our clothes wus bad an~ our sleepin places wus jest bunks ~ ~ Our shoe s had wooden bottoms on em. t, I heard ~ talk about patterollers so much I wus skeered so I could hardly sleep at night sometimes. I wus fraid dey would corne ~n catch me b~t I neber seed one in my life. ~ . u Ineber seed any slaves sold, in chains, or a jail for slaves. I neber seed a slave whupped. Marster took Leni in de ~ bac k shed room to wh p em~ It We wus not teached to read an~ write. You better not be caught wid no paper in yore han if you wus you ~ got de eowhide~ I darsent to talk back to ein no matter what ~PP!n!d . dey would git you if you talked back. to ~ :~ ~ ~ .~ *....i n~arried Toni, Lt~fl~Er ~ ~fter de wax . I went, by de :. ~ .~ ~:: :~ ~ ~~~:i~ ~ ~:~ f~:~ :~ ~- .. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ nane~ ~ f?~a~~ Gornaa~z ti~1 I wusrn~rrieds NO~ I go!s~y ~ 4~ ~ ~i t Pats Mit~ner. M~t husbaxi rom Mjtchx~ez , wus b~rxi ~ ~ ~*1~ %~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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.1~i - 5-. a slave. My marster lived whar de bus station now is on de corner of Martin an1 ~icIDoweI1 3treets in dat oie house dat ~tant ~ near dere now. I ~vu~ born an bred in Raleigh an~ have neber libed. out of ~iiake County. ~ ~O3:~ Dr. Jim ivic~ee, who is deadant gone, looked atter us when we wus sick. He give us medicine an kep us clean out better en people is clean out now. Jr. John McKee ~t de City i{all is his son. Dey pays no ttention to me now; guess dey has forgotten me. u Did you say ghosts, Lawsy, no I neber seed one but our spirits is always wonderin arount eben before we dies. ~3pirits is wonderin eberywhere & you has to look out fcr ein. Pt Witches is folks. I neber had a spell put on me by one, but knowed a woman once who had a spell put on er, an it hurt her feet, but a oie white man witch doctor helped take de spell off, but ~ think it ~s de Lord who took it off. I is a Christaim a.n~ I believes *byt~~ is in. his ban s. De people is worser now den dey vius in slavery time. ~ need patterollers right nowo Twould stop some uv dis ste,alint an~ ~ keep a lot of folks out of de penetenti~ry. We need ein right now. . ~ :~ Pt Slavery wus better for us den things is now in some ~ Niggers den didn t have no responsibility, jest wurk, obey ~ ~ eat. i~ow dey got to shuffle around an live on jest

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what de white folks mm to give em. ft 11ave~ prayed for freedon~. iien dey got it dey d1dn~t KflOW wh~t to ~o ~id i~. Dey vms turned out wid. no ~vher to ~:o ~n nothin to live on~ ~ e~r had no sperenc~ in lookin out for deinselves an nothin to wurk wid an no 1~n ~ ~ t ~Jey made me think of de crovid onetime who prayed for rain when it wus dry in crap time. De rain fell in torrents &t kept failin till it vr~is bout a flood. ue rain fr&gs t gin to holler an ai mo ~ rain an lt rained an rained~ .Jen de rainc~rw got up ~n a high tree an he holler an~ axed de Lord for ra n. it rained till ebery 3 ttle rack of cloud dat carne ober brought a big 8hower of large drops. De fiel s wus so wet an fury you could not go in em an water ws standint in de fiel s middle of ebery row, while de ditches in de fiel s looked like little .rivers~ dey wus so full o ~ ~iater. It begun to thunder agin in de southwest, right wh~r we call de ~Chub hole o ~ de sky~ whar so much rain comes from an de clouds growed blacker an blacker back dere~ u Len one of de mens who had been prayin for rain up an said~ I tell you brothers if it don t quit rammt ebery ~ thing goin to be washed awa~r. Dey all looked at de black rain cloud in de west wid sortfui faces as if dey felt dey didn t kflOW what use dey had for rain after dey got it. Den one of de brothers said to de other brothers kinder easy an sh~nieful like, Brothers don t you think we overdone dis thingit Dats what many a slave thought bout prayin for free- ~ doni~ ~ .~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . ~ . . ~ ~

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-I? t, Before two years had passed after de surrender dere v~s two out of every three slaves who viushed dey~. ~ V~I~d dere maraters. t, De rnarsters kihndness to de niggers after de war i~ de cause ofde nigger havin things today. Dere wusa lot of love-between marster an slave en dar i~ few of us dat don t love de white folks today. u Slavery wus a bad thing an~ freedom, of de kin we ~ot wid nothin to live on wus ba ~ Two sn~es full of pisen. Oi~e.~.1yin wid his head pintin north, de other wid his head pintin south. Dere names wus slavery en freedom. De snake called slavery lay wid his head pinted sou~h an de snake called freedom lay wid his head pinted north. Both bit de nigger, an dey wus both bad.1 ..~ .::~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ;. ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ . ~ ~ t 123 ~ .

Interview with Fannie Moore, ex-slave. 131 127

~s. Interview with Fannie Moore E1~-~- ~- -~-- -~--~ STATE GUIDE__________________ CQ~LETE PREFINAL FOR TH BEVI SE IS SECT NO . ION?_~ WHAT 3ASHINGTON PERCENTAGE CRITICiS~ REMAII~S?______ . PREFINJ~ PREFINAL PREFINAL PREFINAL REVISE REVISE REVISE NEW: NO. NO.~ NO. ~ WAS}LINGTON ~ !ASHINGTON CRITICISIA CRITICISM~ CIRITCISM . .~ V~ .- 320003 ST~TE EDITORIAL IDEJ~TIFICATION FORM STATE: North Carolina RECEIVED FROIvI: (State office) Asheville WORDS2,300QUOTA________ LOCAL GUIDE____NON-GUIDE X TABLE OF CONTENTS DIVISION VOLUNTEER CONSULTANT: Name ___ Position Address Position DATE: S~ot27~. 19~7~ L ~

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.~ . ~ - ~ ~ ~--~ ~ ~ . ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ - . Interview with ~ ~ ~ . ~ . By Marjorie Jones ~ Fannie Moore Ex-slave Sept. 21 1937 ~~ ta 151 Valley Street ~ ~ ~ ~ Mtheville, N. C. ~ 1. ~ Nowadays when I heah folks a growlin an a grumblin bout not habbin this an that I jes think what would they done effen they be brought up on de Moore plantation. De Moore plantation b long to Marse Jim Moore, in L~oore, South Carolina. De Moores had own de same plantation and de saine niggers and dey children for yeahs back. When Marse Jim s pappy die he leave de whole thing to Iviarse Jim, effen he take care of his mammy. S4i.e shore was a rip-jack. She say niggers didn t need nothin to eat. tey jes like animals, not like other folks. She whip me, many time wif a cow hide, tu I was black and blue. Marse Jim s wife war Mary Anderson . She war the sweete st woman I ebber saw. She was allus good to evah nigger on de plantation. Her mother was Harriet Anderson and she visit de Missus for long time on de farm. All de little niggers like to work fo her. She ne~ber talk mean. ~Jes smile dat sweet smile and talk in de soffes tone An when she laugh she soun jes like de little stream back ob de spring~ house gurgiin past de rocks . An her hair all white and curly I can member her always. ~ ~ . Marse Jim own de i . plantation in de whole country. Jes thousands acres ob lan An de oie Tiger Ribber a runnin right through de middle ob de plantat ion . On one s ide ob d ribber stood de big house whar de white folks lib and on the other s ide stood de quarters . De . big house was a purty thing all -~ pairit d white a standin in a patch oak . I can t ~. ;~rn?~ hpw ~many z~qms ~in dat . house bi~t powerful many . ~ . corse L ~~:

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it was built when de i~1oores had. sech large families. Marse Jim he only hab five children, not twelve like his mammy had. Dey was Andrew and Torn den Harriet Nan and Nettie Sue . Harriett was jes like her granny Anderson. She was good to ebberbody. She git ae little niggers down an teach em dey Sunday School lesson. Effen oie Marse Jims mammy ketch hershe shot raise torment. She make life jes as hard for de niggers as she can. De quarters jes long row o cabins daubed wif dirt. ~Ever one in de family lib in one big room . In one end was a big fireplace. Dis had to heat de cabin and do de cookin too. We cooked in a big pot hung on a rod over de fire and bake de co n pone in de ashes or else put lt in de skillet and cover de lid wif coals. We allus hab plenty wood to keep us warm. Dat is ef we hab time to get it outen de woods. ~IIy granny she cook for us chiliens while our mammy away in de fiel. Dey wasn t much cookin to do. Jes make co n ponc and bring in de xmilk. She hab big wooden bowl wif enough wooden spoons to go rotin . She put de milk in de bowl and break it up. Den she put de bowl in de middle of de flo an all de chillun grab a spoon. . My mammy she work in de fiel all day and piece and quilt all night. Den she hab to spin enough thread to make four cuts for de white fo ks ebber night. Why~sometime I nebber go to bed. Hab to hold de light for her to see by. She hab to piece quilts for de ~ white folks too . Why dey is a scar on my arm yet where my brother let de pine drip on me Rich pine war all de light we ebber hab . My brother was a holdin de pine so s I can help 129

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. . ~ 130 mammy tack de quilt and he go to sleep and let it drop. I neye r s e e how my mammy s tan s e eh ha d work She up f0 her chillun tho De ol overseeah he hate my mammy, case she fight Mm for beatin ~ her chillun. Why she git more whuppins for dat den anythin else. She hab twelve chillun. I member I see de three stan in de snow up to dey knees to split. . . rails, while de overseeah stan off ~ grin. My in rmiiy she trouble in her heart bout de way they treated. Fver night she pray for de Lawd to git hein an her chi11un~ out ob de place. One day she plowin in de cotton fiel. All sudden ~ like she let 6ut big yell. Den she sta t singin ~ a shoutin , an a whoopin an a hollowin Den it seem she plow all de harder When she come home ~ ~arse Jim s mai~my . say: tt~J~at all dat goin on in de fiel? Yo think we sen you out there jes to whoop and ?ll? No siree, we put you out there to work and you bettah work e ise we git de overse eah to cowhide you oie black back. My mammy jes grin all over her black wrinkled face and say: l s saved. De Lawd done tell me s saved . Now I know de Lawd will show me de way, I ain~t gwine a grieve no more. No matter how much yo all done beat me an my chillun de Lawd will show me de way . An some day we nevah be slave s 01e granny Moore grab de cowhide and slash mammy cross de back but mammy nebber yell. She jes go back to de fiel a singin .. My mammy grieve lots over brothah George who die wif de fever . Grar~ny she doctah him as be s she e ould evah time she

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4 131 git way from de white folks kitchen. My mammy nevah git chance to see him cept when she git. home in de i1 . George he jes lie. One day I look at him an he had sech a peaceful look on his face I think he sleep and j es let him lone . Long in de evenin I think I try to wake him . I touch him on de face but he was dead. Mammy nebber know UI she come at night. Pore mammy she kneel by de bed an cry her heart out . O1~ uncle Allen, he make pine box for him an carry him to de graveyard over on de hill. My mammy jes plow and cry as she watch em put George in de groun . My pappy he was a blacksmith. He shoe all de horses on de plantation. He wo k so hard he hab no time to go to de fiel . His name war S tephen Moore ~ars Jim call him Stephen Andrew. . . (~\ He was sold to de Moore ~s and his mammy to,~. She war brought over from Africa. She never could speak plain. All her life she been a slave. White folks never recognize ein any more than effen dey was a dog. It was a tubble sight to see de speculators come to de plan~ tation. Dey would go through de fields and buy de slaves dey wanted. Marse Jim nebber sell pappy or mammy or any ob dey ~.hil1u . He allus like pappy. When de speculator some ail de slaves start a shakin . No one know who is a goin .~ Den sometime dey take em an ~ sell em on d.e ~ block. De breed woman always I ~ O bring mot money den de. res ~ ebben ~y men . When dey put her on de block.dey put all her chillun arou i her to show folks how fas she : ~ ~ hab chillun. Whenshe sold her family nebber see her agin. k She nebber know~~ny chillun she hab. Some time she hab colored

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N.C. 5-j 132 children sometime whi te . Taint no use to say anything case effen she do she jes git whipped. Why on de Moore plantation Aunt Cheney, everbody call her Aunt Cheney, have two chillun by de overseeah. De overseeah name war Hill. He war as mean as de devil. Then Aunt Cheney not do what he ask he tell granny Moore. 01e Granny call Aunt Cheney to de kitchen and make her take her clothes off den she beat her tu she jest black an~ blue. Many boyjand girls marry dey own brothers and sisters an nebber know de difference lest they get to talkin bout dey parents and where dey uster lib. De niggers allus hab to get pass to go anywhere offen de plantation. Dey git de pass from de rnas~a or de missus. Den when de paddyrollers come dey had to show de pass to dem, if you had no pass dey strip you an beat you~i I remember one time dey was a dance at one ob de houses in de quarters . All de niggers was a laughin ant a i dey fe et ai~i a ; singin but dey was a few dat didn t. De paddyrollers shove de do open and sta ~t grabbin us . ~ Uncle Joe s son he decide dey was one tIme to die and he sta t to fight. He say he tired s ani so many be atm ~ ~ he j e s can t an no mo De paddyrollers start beatin him an he sta t fightin Oh, Lawdy it war tubble . Dey whip him wif a cowhide for a long time den one of dem take ~e~ a stick ant ~ft him over de head j e s bus his ~ head wide open. De pore boy fell onde f10t jes a maanin an . .~: groanin. De paddyrollers j s whip bout half doz n other niggers ~ ~ . ~ nt sent em home and leve us wif de dead boy . ~ None o the niggers have any learnin warn t never lowed to

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iN .L~. tD 133 ~ as much as pick up a piece o paper.. My daddy slip an get a :iebster book and den he take it outen d~e fiel and he lam to ~ ~. read. De white folks fraid to let de children learn anythin . They fraid dey ge t to snia t and be harder to manage . Dey nebber le t em know anything about yti . Never have any church . ~ffen you go you set in de back of de white folks chu ch. But de niggers slip off an pray an hold prayer-meetin in de woods den dey tu n down a big wash pot and prop it up iif a stick to drown out de souri ob de sin~in . I member some of de songs we uster sing. One of dem went somethin like dis: ~ Hark from de tomb a doleful soun My ears hear a tender cry. A livin man e orne through the ~ groun ~har we may shortly lie. . Reah in dis clay may be you bed In spite ob all you toil Let all de wise bow revrant head Mus lie as low as ours. sing one I can hardly remember but di s is s orne of de words: s Jesus can make you die in bed He sof as downs in pillow there On my bre s I 11 le an my head Grieve my life sweetly there. . In dis life of heaby load Let us share de weary traveler . ~1 Along de heabenly road. Then dey

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N.C. ~7.. Back in dose time dey wasn t no way to put away fruit and things fo winter like dey is today. In de fall of de yeah it certainly was a busy time. We peel bushels of apples and peaches to dry. Dey put up lots o brandied peaches too. 13e way dey done dey peel de peaches and cut em up. Then dey put a layer ob oeache s in a crock den a layer ob sugar den another layer ob peaches until de crock was full. Den dey seel de jar by puttin a cloth over de top then a layer 6 paste then another cloth then another layer ob paste . Dey keep dey meat bout de same way foks do today ?cept dey had to smoke it more since salt was so sca ce back in dat day. Dey can mos ob de other fruit and put it in de same i o jars dat dey put de p~aches in. Dey string up long strings o be ans an le t em dry and c o 0k em wif fat back in de winter. Folks. back den never heah tell of all de ailments de folks hab now. Dey war no doctahs . Jes use roots and bark for teas of all kinds . My oie granny uster make tea out dogwood bark an give it to us chillun when we have a cold, else she make a tea outen wild cherry bark, pennyroil, or hoarhound.. My goodness but dey was bitter. We do mos enythin to git out a takin de tea, but twarnt no use granny jes git you by de collar hoi yo~ $ nose and you jes swallow it or get strangled. When de baby hab de co lic she ~it rats vein and aake a . syrup an put a little sugar in j~ an~ boil it~ Den soon~~it cold she give it to de baby. For stomach ache she give us snake root. Some~ time she make tea, other time she jes cut it up in little pieces : ~~~y0ueat one or two ob dem. When youhabfever she ~ap

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~.. . ~. ~.- ~ 135 you up in e abbage leave s or ginsang leaves di s made de fever go. When de fever got too bad she take the hoofs offei~ de hog dat had been killed and parch em in de ashes and den she beat em up and make a tea. Dis was de most tubble of all. De yeah fore de war started Marse Jim died. He war out in de pasture pickin up cow loads a throwin em in de garden an he jes drop over. I hate to see Marse Jim go he not seeh. a bad man. Ater he die his boys, Tom an. Andrew take cha ge of de plantation . Dey think dey run things rit from dey daddy but dey jes git sta ted when de war come. i~e Tom and Marse Andrew both hab to go. iUy pappy he go long wif dem to do der cookin. ~y pappy he say dat some day he run four or five miles wifde Yanke~ ahind him.afore he can stop to do any cookin. Den when he stop he C:)Ok wif de bullets a fallin all roun de kettles. He say he walk on ded men jes like he walkin on de groun . Some of de men be. dead, somemoanin an some a groanin but nobody pay no tention, case de Yankees keep a comm. One day de Yankees come awful c lose ~arse Andrew hab de rate flag in his han . He raise it high in de air. Pappy say he yell for him to put de flag down case de Yankees was a comin closer an was agoin to capture him anyway . But Marse Andrew j e s de flag up an run hind a tree . De Yankee sojers jes take one shot at him an dat was de las of him. My pappy bring him home De fambly put him in alcohol. One day I went to see him and there he was ; a swi~nmin rthind in de water. Mos ob his hair done corne off tho. }~e buried at Nazereth . . I e ould go right back to de graveyard effen I was there Den my pappy go back to ~IV1th Marse Tom. L 4

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136 iarse Tom was jes wounded. Effen he hadn t had a Bible in his pocket de bullet go clear through his heart. But yo all kno no bullet ain t goin through de Bible. No, you can t shoot through God s word . Pappy he bring Marse Tom home an take care of him tu he well. Marse Tom give papp,r a horse an wagon case he say he save his life. Many time de sojers corne through de plantation an dey load up dey wagons wif ebberthing dey fin lasses, hams, ch~ckens. Sometime dey gib part of it to de niggers but de white folks take it way when dey git gone. De white folks hide all de silverware from de soldiers. Dey fraid dey take it when dey come. Some time dey make us tell effen dey think we know. After de war pappy go back to work on de plantation. He make his own crop, on de plantation. But de money was no good den. I played wif many a rate do liar . He sho was happy dat he was free . Maimny she shout fo j oy an say her pray rs war answered. Pappy git pretty feeble but he work tu jest fore he die. He made patch of cotton wif a hoe. Dey was enough cotton in de patch to make a bale . Pappy die when he 104 years old. Mammy she live ~ to be 105 . After de war de Ku Klux broke out. Oh, miss dey was mean. In dey long white robes dey scare de niggers to death. Dey keep close watch on dem afeared dey ~ry to do somethin Dey have long horns an big eyes an mouth . Dey never go roun ~ much in de day. Jes night. Dey take de pore niggers away in de woods ~nd beat em and hang em. De niggers was afraid to move, much !~: lestry to do an ything. Dey never kno what to.do, dey hab-no I

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1 T.~. 10- I lamm. Hab no money. All dey can do was stay on de same plan tation tu dey can do better. We lib on de same plantation till de chilluri all grown an mammy an pappy both die then v~e leave. I don know where any of my people are now. I knows I was bo n in 1849. I was 88 years old de fust of September. L : . 137 : ~

Richard C. Moring. Ex-slave story. 142 138

N1~ C. District No.2 JorkerMar~y Jitcics~ No . Words_ 944. Subj e ct ~cd~ ~j4oring Story ~ Edit or~~ Da4.sy Balle y ~ ~a1tt 320233 138

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320233 ~ 139 RICHARD . MORING Ex~S1ave Story An interview with Richard C. Moring 86 of 245 E. South Street, Raleigh, N. C. ttMy mammy v~us Cherry~ an my pappy wi~is Jacob. Mr. Anderson Clernmons owned mammy, an M~ Fielding Mori~ig owned pappy. . II doan know much bout Mr. Moring, case we stayed wid ~r. Clemmons near Apex, in dis same county. t1jV~ Clemmons owned less n a dozen slaves, but he wus good ter ~ ein. De oberseer l~ir . Upchurch whupped de slaves some, but not very much. ~We had nuff ter eat an w ar an we ~vuck hard, but no harder dan we has since dat time. Ma~ster lowed us our own gyarden an tater patch, we also bad our own hawgs. Dey lowed us some fun lak dane in ~ wrestlin mat~ ches, swimmin fishin huntin an gaines. ~e also had prayer meetin s at our cabins. When dere wus a weddin dar wus fun fer all, case hit wus a big affair. Dey wus all dressed up in new c1oth~~ an marster s dinin room wus decorated wid flowers fer de casion. De ban which wus banjoes~an fiddles ud play an de neighborin folks ud come.

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2. . ~ :140 De preacher married em up go od an tight j Ist lak he done de white folks, an atter hit was ober an de songs wus sung rnarster s dinin table wus set an dar wus a weddin supper fer all. I doan m~jber so much fore de war but I members dat de Rebs go by an ij~ de Yankees chase em. (I is on Mr. iviorings place den clost ter L~iorrisville.) De Yanke es am so busy chasm . de Rebs dat dey doan. stop ter bodder us much, cept ter kill de chickens an so on. Dar s a place out from i~orrisvi11e whar de Yankees an de Rebels had er little skirmish on dat trip. We could hyar de guns go boomin , an atter hit wus ober we chilluns went dar an pick up de balls an boxes of dese hard ~ tacks whar de soldiers had fit. il ergit ter tell you bout de fust gang o Yankees what come by. Dey wus lookin fer food an when dey got ter our place dey comes in an he ps dereselbes ter marster s stuff. Dey kilt all de live things, took all de hams an sich, an dey foun bout a bushel o aigs. Dey put ~rn in de big wash pot an biled ~ era an dey goes ter d e sprir~g house an gits seben er eight poun s ~ butter. When de alga am biled dey splits em open an puts de butter on. t em an ~ eats ~ em dat way . Dat s de fust aigs d at eber I tasted, an dey shore give me all I wants.

145 141

3* :14:1 ~e went back ter Mr . ernmt I fore de surrender, case when dat happen Mjs Jane Clemnions tells us n her-p ~~if dat we am free. All o we chilluns, Duncan, Candice, ~ariah, Len, ~j1i1~ William, ~3idney, Lindy, i~iary, Rilda, an me, all of rnarnrny s chi1l~is~wus dar at de en of de war. We stayed on at Lir. Clemw~oas fer seberal years, in fac till de oie folks. died. I~iy young Missus Mise Katy Ellis lives on Hilisboro Street, an I often goes ter see her an she sometimes gives me money, so you sees de feelin dat tzi$tS twixt me an~ rn~r white folkses. t t Il t ei 1 you de sto ry b out de wi tch at d e mill if~en yOU wants ter hyar hit, I hyard my grandmammy tell hit when I wus a little feller. THE ~ITCH AT ~ ~ ~Onct dar wus a free nigger what ownes a mill an he ein makin a heap o money . He married a hans seine nigger wench an hit peared lak his luck all went bad. De folkses quit bringin dere co n ter be grou.n an he Tgan ter git pore. Long in dein tiraea de slaves someti:~es runned away from ~ cruel marsters an~ dey d go ter dis ni~ger at de jul11. he ud put em ter slee~ in de mill, but dey cant t sleep on de count of fusses an scratchin . n ~ Last one night a nigger what bas runned away corned ter ~ spen de night, an he sez dat he am hot skeerd o nothin

146 142

4. 142 . ~ii~~ ~ De owner can put him ter sleep in de house if he wants ter, case his wife am ~pendin de night wid a friend of hem, but he sides ter put him in de mill. ~Ke tells de runaway nigger bout de witch,but atter de nigger~gits hisseif a butcher knife he aintt steered no ff0 an he goes on ter de mill. ~ ~ay frL d~ night de nigger sees somethin , an~ de whites o his eyes. shines lak lamps. De things conies nearer an nearer an he sees d at hit em a big black cat wid de savage notion o~ eatin him. ~ De nigger swings his knife an off somes one of de oie catis feste. She gives a awf l screech an goes outen de winder. De nex momnin de owner s wife am sick in de bed. an she fuses tergit up. De man tells her ter git up an cook his breakfas~ but she fuses ter stir. n tiou better git up you lazy trt de man shouts an wid dat he drags de onian outen de bed. He ana mazed. when he s e e s dat he r han am cut off an he ye Ils f er de neighbors. ~When de neighbors gits dar dey makes a big bresh pile an dey ties her on hit an burns her up. Atter dat de man had. good luck, eben atter he married ag in. Note: This witch story is a variant of The Old Brownrigg ~ * . ~ ~--- ---- ~ - ----- - . -- -~ -. - ~ - ~ MIII by Doctor Richard. Billard.

Julius Nelson. Ex-slave story. 147 143

N. C. DistrictNo. 2 ~,j orke rL1ary~A. Hicks i :o. ~iVords 689 Subject ~ ~ Story teller Julius Nelson ~ditorDais~Baile~y~ Waitt 320234 143

148 144

320234 14~4 ~ C JULms N~~LSON Ex Slave Story . An interview with Julius Nelson, 77 of State Prison, Raleigh, N. C. *tI do an niemb er no s lave ry o f e ours e s o ~ taint no use ter ax me no questions. I does know dat my rnarmny wus named Ann an my pappy wus named. Alex. Dey longed~ ter a Mr. Nelson in Anson County. Dere wus tleben o~ us youhgins but dey am all daid now cept me. III doan reckon dat I is but roun sebenty, case I wus j Ist five years old at de close o.~ de war. W ~ dat, se sebenty seben? Lan how de time do f1y~ Anyhow I jist barely does member how de ho n blowed. fore de light o de day an how we got up an had our breakfast an when de ho n blowed at sunrise we went ter de fiel s in a gallop. At dinner time de plan tation b eli rung an we d fly fer home . HOne big fat nigger ~ cooked de dinner fer us fifty e r sixty s lave s an in er hour o r s o we d go baek ter de fiel s fer mo wuck. I sez us, but I means dem what could wuck. I did pull weeds an pick up apples, an dem things. . ~Dese dinners hyar min s me o de plantation

149 145

2. dinners somehow. Maybe case it ara bout de saine quantity. Great bi.g pots o turnip salet, couards, peas, beans, cabbages, potatoes or other vege ables, an a oben full o sweet taters in de winter. Dar wus a heap o pies in de summertime, an honey, an lasses, an lasses cake in de winter time. Dar wus big pones o!~ co n bread ail de year roun an whole sides o meat, an on New ~ X~ay hogshead an peas. Fur supper ~ve gine ly bad pot licker, lef from dinner taters maybe an some sweetnin Dar wus ashrcakes fur supper an breakfas most O~ de tii~e an hominy,. which de marster had grown hisseif. De smart nigger et a heap o possums an coons, dar bein plenty o dem an rabbits an squirrels in abundance. ~~id yo1 eber eat any kush? Well dat wus zr~de outin meal, onions, salt, pep~r, grease an water. Hit made a good supper dish. sometimes in de heat o de day marster let us pick blackberries on de hedg(~ row fer our supper. We little uns often picks de berries, an den we have a big pan pie fer supper. l on holidays we sometimes had chicken pie an ham an a lot O other food. Dein wu~ ~d~e happy times, specially on Christmas mornin when we all goes ter de big house ter celebrate an ter git our gif s. Dey give us clothes food, an fruit. One Christmas we had a bi~ tub of candy, I reckolicts.

150 146

fltBQUt twict a year we had a sociable when de n iggers from de neighborin plantations ud be invited an dey d come wid deir banjoes an fiddles an we d dance, all o~ US~&L have asweil tirae. We little un$ ud play fox~on..~de~wa11, tag, mulberry bush, drap handerchief, stealin sticks an~ a whole heap of others dat I disreriiembers right now. tiWe shucked our COtfl Ofl rainy aays mostly, but de inarster lets us have one big co n shuckin eber year an de person what fi~t8 a red year can kiss who dey p1eases~ Hit wus gran times dat we had den. UWe also had regular weddtn s wia a preacher an~ all de fixin s an de xriarster usually give us a big aipper case he knowed dat he wuz gwine ter soon habe more slaves from de union. Iffen de Yankees corned ter our part o de country I don t member seem dem but I does i~iow dat de Ku Kiuxes done give us a heap of trouble. I se libed a long tirae, specially de fifteen years dat I se spent hyar, but I knows how ter treat white folkse s an I knows dat de wuck an de healthy rations dat de niggers got fore de war am why dey am stronger dan de young niggers o~ dis day. t 3. 146

Plantation life. 151 147

Subject ~jA~Qi~LI~ Story teller Nc~1Q1s~ Editor D~~y ~ai1e~Waitt 320155 i~r. o. Lllstrict ~ Worker M?.rY A. ~i 1 ~s No . ~Vords 679 14? .;. fJU$ I 1937 P;~ ~ ~

152 148

3 ~Ci~5 r~J ~ 148 PLANTATION LIFE An Interview with Lila ifichols 89 o Cary, Wake County, N C . May 18 1927. We belonged ter 1~ 1~at ~thitaker atter his marriage. iHi~s daddy, ~. Willis, ~ive us to Min. ~tie lived near thainkatte wid 1~Ir. v!Iillis, an we wuz happy. 1v~r pappy wuz named Yancey ~ ~ rnamr~r wuz named Sabra. Dar wuz two brothers named Yancey an Add, an five sisters: Alice, ~3ally, Martha, Betty an~ Helia. 01e massa wuz good ter his slaves, but young massa Nat wuzn t. We ain t h-ad half nuff ter eat most ~ de time, an we ain t had no shoes till we wuz twenty one. We had jist a few pieces of clothes an dey wuz of de wust kind. Our cabins ii~iz shacks)an we got seberal whuppints near bout evert ~ Fer example I had de job of gittin up de aigs in de ebenin , an jf de aintt de right number of dem Missus Mae whupped me. I also looked atter de bittie s~ an iffen one of em died I ~ot a i too. Once missus wuz sick, an a slave gal named Alice brung her some water ~ somethin ter eat. Missus got sick on her stomick, an she ~ez dat Alice done try ter

153 149

2. pizen her. Ter show yo how sick she wuz, she gits out of de bed, strips dat gal ter de waist an whups her wid a cowhide till de blood runs down her back. Dat gaits back wuz . cut in gashes an~ de blood run down ter er heels. Atter dat she wuz chained down by de arms an laigs ti~l she got well;den she wuz c~ ried off ter Eichinond in chains an sold. ~ ~-----~ ttV~le wucked all ae week, ~ marmny plowin wid a \.~ two horse plow. all de year vthen she warn t cleanin new ? ground or dig4n ditches;an she got two da~rs off when h r chilluns wuz borned. We ain t had no passes ter go nowhar,an we ain t allowed offe n de groun s. III know one time do ~ raissus cides ter whup a ~ oman fe~~somethin an de oman sez ter her, No sir, I Missus, ain t low~n nobody ~that wa r de same kind of ( shirt I does ter whup me.t ttV~e wuz glad whe n de Yankee s corned aldo dey : acted lak a pack o rob~rs. Dey burned de cotton, dey .. stold eber thing dey could lay han s on, an~ dey tored ~ up ever thiiig an bus . Dey d go ter de house an ~ knock at de do , den missus would lock it an yell at ~ t em dat sh e ar t gwinter ope n it . Dey do an ke er dey I jist kicks it down an walks right in. :E~9

154 150

3. tDey snatch pictures frurn de siae o de house an~ ) t1~row tern down an break em. Dey drunk up all of massa s ( brandy,an dey insults de white ~th:~en ~ de blacks alike. UDe Yankees corned on a Thursday an we lef on ~ Sunday. Vihen we left de yard wuz full of dem Yankees, ~ cussin ) an iau~hin ~ an drinkint. We went to Raleigh, &flt de fust winter wuzentt so bad atter all. We doan keer nothiri bout Mr. Lincoln, case he ain t keerin bout us. ii~ 11vuz lak de rest of de Yankees, he jist doan want de south ter git rich. Dey toi us dat de warntt no slaves in de no th but we done found out datde only reason wuz cause dey caatt stan de cold weather dar, an dat de No th am greedy of as. II mejpJ~ e rs d e Ku Klux K1an~ ant I am t go t no i tginst ein, case dey had ter do sornethint wid dein mean niggers anS de robber Yankees, who had done ruint us all. I knowed some niggers what ain t ~ot t1~p~ so well an dey done mean~~case dey blame de white folks; but atter awhile dey sees dat it am Massa LjflCOlfl S fault, so dey gits quiet. I said dat we wuz. glad dat de~Yankees cornei. We wuz, jist caus e our massa warn t good lak some massas an at dat, we am t want ter b e . 150

A slavery story. 155 151

S~ ~ ~ &2O E~t 55 ~ 151 N. C. District Subj ect A SlAVERY STORY Worker : Mary . Hicks Pers on .Interiewedi~1~ No Words: 273 Date of InterviewM~ I8~937 Editor: Daisy Bailey Waitt g ~ ~L ~J 4~ ~/i~> ~ ~ 5 ~ ~ ~ ~ I ~ ~ ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ V ~ ~ p ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~/s S/J4~4~ S ~ r~ /~J/j ~sj f ~ S~ / ~/ S S S ~ ~ S 5 ~ .. S ~ ~~ S ~ ~ ~ S~ . .~ ... . ~ .. S ~ ~ ~L5 ~: ~ ~

156 152

~32O1 61 A ~TO~C OF ~Li~\TERY As told by i~artha Organ of Cary as she heard her mother tell it many years ago. III doan know nothin bout slavery cept what I hyard my mother tell,an~ d&tain t so much. UI know dat my pappats n&une wuz Handy Jones an my mamray s name vaiz i~elisa. ~he belonged bo a i~. ~ihitaker but atter she married my pappa she belonged ter Mr. I~ufus Jones, ~ir. E~ufus wuz ivir. ~esley Jones brother at de oie Fann.ing Jones plaee;an he owned a sizable plantation. ~ Jones wuz good ter em. Dey ain t nebber give him no trouble an he ain t nebber whip none of em. . III ire hyarn her tell a whole heap bout de patterollers an de Ku Klux Klan but of course I wuz borned atter de surrender, I now bein jist sixty one. UI members specially what mammy said bout when de yankees come ~he said dat it wuz on a Thursday an dat de oie master wuz sick in de bed an had sent some slaves ter de mill wid grain. ~dhen dese men started back frum de mill de Yankees overtook em an dey killed de oxes in de harness, cut off de quarters an ridAde house wid dat beef hangin all over de horses. Dey throwed what dey ain t wanted away, but of course dey took de meal an de grain.

157 153

2. 153 ~ 1~Je oie master had hyard dat dem . .ankees wuz comin an he had buried de sllverw~re in a saii~ bar, but Lawd dem Lankees fount hit jist lak it were on top o de growi ., Dey stoid. eber thing dat dey git dere han s on, specially de meat frurn de smoke house. .~Jey went down inter de cellar an dey drunk up master s brandy an dey got so drunk dat dey ain t got no sense atall. When~dey left dey carried my ruther off wid ern)an nobody ever hyard :frum him ~g in. i)ey said dat de president was nt thought much o ~ dem days. Ulvir. Jones died a few days atter de surrender an hit pears :I~ak he made a will what giv ail of his niggers a little piece o land. Jomehow dis ~. ~hitaker, what my mammy uster belong to had somepin ter do wid it, so he went ter de co t house in i~a1eigh ter have de will broke up; an he draps daid. kir. Jones an~ iii . ~hitaker w~z buried de saine day. ~3peakin~ bout ghosts, my mairn~ny toi me bout a ghost what she d seed ant when I wuz a chile, I seed it too. flit wuz closter Ephues Church on de Durham highway, an de ghosts wuz three w~itunen, dressed in white an widout heads. De rize an flewed ober de w~~gin an went ter de churchyard, an dat wnz de las time I seed em. * I doan believe in ghosts much, but fo de Lawd I seed dat

158 154

3. ~ ~ ~ : on an my manufl~f an papPY seed it tf~ore I W~ ~ ~ ~ ~ n~ ~ said d~t she1& seed some slave ~~es but dat d~ ~fl t s o b ad. She nor my papp a~ t neber had \~ no whippifl ~ an she said dat de wust thing she eber seed \~ wuz a gal burnt. Hit wuz dis wa MissuS Jones had ~ sold a gal dat she raised named Alice ter a neighborhood \ I Oman. Alice had. been ~ust ter goin to de MiSSUS houS1~ ~ an warmin , ~o when she went inter dis ornans house ter I warm de tOfl~~~ made her stand Thre de fire till her legs burned SO bad dat de skin cracked up an some of it ~ \ drapped off. ~tisSUS JoneS sound it out ~iit she give de : ~ ~ ~ omafl bac~ her money a& took Alice home wid her. 2 i~r/EK 4

A slave story. 162 158

Editor : ~gQr~y~s ~Yorker: T. Pat Latthews i;.c. District ~2 Subj ect : ~ 5Lt~Vk~TORY 448 1:0. ~Jords: s :. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . .. ~. ~. ~ : ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~.. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .-. . . ~ ~ 4 M~1,\~~T Reference: i~iY P~ Ni TY

163 159

~2~J()82 ; 19 ~u~Y P~ I\tN~Y 811 Cannister Street, Raleigh, North Carolina. ~ . It1 do not know m~ e. I wus boi~i~cI in 1\~ecklenburg, Virginia. . I~~:y marster give ni; age in a 31b1e but I lost it by lendin it out. ~iy mother died fore I mernber d her. She . wus n~rned Dinah Epps. 1~iy grandmother wu~s named ~1iza J~pps. ~he lived to be . 107 years old. ~y father . wus named Jerry ~pps ~ ~~arster s n&~nie vius Victor Epps ant my missus wus named kartha~ I married Bob Penny. De plaritabion wus at 1~eck1enburg, Virginia, near BoyJ~~ Virginia. I. dontt member how many slaves but dere iwus a good nuniber4 never heard tell numbered out as I knows of I never saw a ~1ave sold. I never sa~v one whupped. I heard. ~em talk about ~patero11eD~ but I never sawone. . ~ . UI don t member when I corne to RaI.eigh~ I have been here so~ long. My grandmother an graiidfathsr come here an I come too. ~ ~. I plowed in Virginia, an I. cooked too. Dey did not pick any work fur me W~ lived in log houses. Yes indeed, we had plenty to eat. I never suffered for sumptint to eat till I come to Raleigh . On de plantation we got plenty allowance.~e 4 ~e!~~a:~ I

164 160

2. We went to both de white an colored churches in Virginia. I never could learn to read an ~ite. I never could learn to make a number correct. Ijust c:antt 1earn~. I tried my best to write.. I went to four sessions of school but couldn t learn. I wus raised by some mighty good white ~eop1e. I wanted to learn so badJ sJ,ept w:Ld my books under my head but I couldntt 1earn~ . ~ ni am weil thought of at my home in Virginia. Dey have sent me rations since I been here. I had de worse time of my life since de surrender. I don t know nothin ~ ~bout de Yankees~ comint: through only what I heard others say1 I hGardteintaikint bout freedom ~ de. war but I didritt . know ~ or care nothin bout it. My father ient to I~anassas Gapto de war. I heard him talk. bout de breastworks but I don t know nothin bout em. e ~ 711 wus my fatherts only chile. He didn t have an~y chillun by his wife. I ~ergot de name of his ias~ wife~ . .~. - I heard em say abraham Lin :oiti nie through de south ant just learned ever thing bout de folks. 11e wus guised ~ . ; ! SO: nobody . knowed who he wus. Yes I heard bout dat ~i vthen dey Thun out he been here he done come through an~ gone back~ . . - ~8lavery wus better den it is flOW4 Shore it ius. I ~ 4 d th bout de ~ ~ ~y ~ fj~t, life in Virginia

165 161

3 ~ 161 wus better den it is now. I never did have any mean white fo1ks~ De~Lord inademe lucky in dat way. De Yankees took, ~to1e, an carried off a lot of ththgs an dere wus a lot of talk bout t~iii~ but I never saw em cept when dey wus iaradint. I never seed any of ein down dere atmy marster s plantation. . 1My grandfather ~iied in Raleigh. Grandmother wus de iuot1~er of thirteen chilluns but none of em tcept two ever seed Raleigh. Dey wus so~cattered bout cept de two younges , a boy en .a girl. Dey corne to ?.aleigh atter de surrender when grandmother an me come. We lived worser in Raleigh den we did in Virginia, an if I wus back home wid my white folks I would git plenty to eat but I dontt git it here. Dey sends m~ a little money now an den Here is some of: dez s letters where dey sent me money. You can see by dese letters d~t my Virginia white tO1~I loves me an I love. dern~ ~ Iti WU8 bout ten years oie when dewar wus gointon. I thjXik slavery wus not such a bad thing pare d wid de hare t:Ln~es nowo~ . * ~oM~+o%%t~ b~ M~ckkiibur~C s,Va~ ~ ~ ~H ~ ~ . ~. .. . . . ~ ~ ~ . . ~ . . ~ ~

Slavery days in Franklin County. 166 162

Subject ~4~L~R~ ~ FRA1~1KI~IN ~COtTh~C ~ Story teller ~~Pex~r~r Editor ~o ~ k. ArL&VeWS 323202 N. C. District No. 2 ~orker ~ A.jiicj~ No. Words _794 1 162

167 163

320202 163 ~ SlAVERY DAYS IN FRA~ ~IN COUNTY An interview with Lily Perry, 84 years old, of 9 McKee ~3treet, Raleigh, N. C. UI wus borned on ae plantation of Mister Jerry Ferry near Louisburg, about eighty- four years ago. I~r S daddy Riddick longe d ter him an s o did my mamm~r do she longed ter a Mist Litchford tfor e she married daddy. De fu~st thin~gs dat I can remember wus bein a house gal, pickin up chips, mindin de table an feedin de hogs. De slop buckets wus heavy an I had a heap of wuck dat wus hard ter do. I done de very best dat I could but often I got whupped ~ist de same. V~en dey d start ter ~hup me I d bite lak a run- . mad dog so dey d chain my han s. See hyar,. byars de scars made by de chains . ~ U also p i ck me up by de y ears ant ~) I fling me mun see hyar, I can wiggle rr~r years up an down j j st lak a mule e an an I can wiggle em ro un an~ roun lak dat, seel One day I ain t feelin so good an de slops am soheavydat I stops an pours out some of it. De oberseer, Zack Terrell, sees me an when I gits back ter de house he grabs me ter whup me . ~

168 164

2. 164 De minute he grabs me I seize on ter his thumb bites hit ter de bone, aen he gits mad an he picks aWn lifts me higher dan my haid an flings me down steel mat dere in front of de do . Dey has ter revise me wid cold water from de~ spring an I wus sick fer a week. We ain t had good food which makes me weak an I still has ter do heavy wuck. ~Dar wus a slave block in Louisburg an I se seed many a slave sold dar . Very few wi~ put in chains most of em wus put in a kivered wagon wid a guard an wus chained at night. I se seed many a oman eryin fer her chile when one er de tother wus put on de slave block iii Louisburg. UI wus tbout twelve years o Id when de Yankee s come. I wus pickin up chips in de yard when dey comes by wi4 dere hosses steppin high an dere music playin a happy chune. I wus skeered, but I don t dasent run case marster will sho have me whupped, so I keeps on wid my wuck. Dey pass fast on down de road ant dey doan botber in our community but de white folkses hates ein sanie. ~arster Jerry tells us bout a week later dat we an all of de two hundret cept bout five er six an I meup on de nothin jist de am free

169 165

3. 165 goes right off.~ He tells all of us dat he will pay us effen we will stay an wuck s o rae ant ~y f~m~ ly we stay s on. We lives dar fer seberal years den I marries Robert Perry who lives on de same plantation wid us. ~ie am t had but one daughter an dat ~ Kate who still libes widme. tt~1e an Robert wus raised up tergether, he bein five years older n me an I loved him frurn de time I wus oorned. I know how he uster hate ter see me git dem. beatin s an he d beg me not ter let my mouth be so sassy, but I can t help hit. He uster take my beatints when he could an a heap of times he sneak out ter de fiel s in de ebenin an toted dat slops ter de pigs. Oiiet when marster wus i~ rae Rob ert run up an begged marse ter put de whuppin on him stead of me. De result wus Inarse whupped. us both an we cided ter run. away. - We did run wa~r, but night brung us back ter ~ anot:h er in. ~ we ai t neb er run away no s We wus at a frolic at Louisburg when he proposes ter me an he do hi t di s way Eoney gal I knows dat you

170 166

4. 166 doan love me so powerful much, but will you. try ter do hit fer me? 1tCourse I sez, Go long, nigger, iffen I doan love lot den dar ain t no water in Tar riber. Den I sez, tWe can git Marse Henry outen de bed an he li marry us te~night . ~ tiRob wus tickled pink an sho nuff we wus married right away dat very night. ~W li ved p ore dat I knows b ut we wus too. happy in ourselves ter worry bout sich things an de lack. LI laughs now ter think how ignorant we niggers wus We d do our washin an~ bout de time we hung hit on de line, we d see a string of folks comm1 home frum de Prospect Church an we td know dat we ~ done our washin on. a Sunday.

The woman overseer. 171 167

32~1?~ AL16171937 L!.C. District No. 2 Subj ect: THE ~ GVLJ:t~D.t!~E1t ko. ~1ords: 615 Person Interviewed: ix_~~ ~iorker : LaI~J Hicks ~ditor: ~~g;gL ~JW~3L~ *

172 168

32027? r~ wowj&~ ~ 1$8 Afl interview with Valley Perry, 50 years of age, of Cary, North Carolina, Route # L~ Course bein no older dan I is I can t recol1e~t tbout de wart but I se heard my manny tell a little an~ % my gran inaxnrny tell a right smart bout dem slavery tinies To s talkin tbout. ttGrantmarnmy Josephine, an mammy c~iarice longed ter a Mr. Nat Whitaker in~eCo~it. Mr. Natts ~jjf~ wus ~ediis~Lu~,~tShe wus so g ddat ever body what ( ever seed her tthemb red her. Dar is eben de belief among k de niggers dat she riz up ter heaben alive, like Elijah. k 9Dey salddatMr. Nat1s oberseer wus kinder mean ter .. I deslaves, ant vthen he whupped dem d y 1xnernbered hit ter de : ~ ~ 1thi~jest day dey lived. ~ Mr. Nat wuseri tnear so bad ~ .; I l~ Lucy wus ~ a ang l. She d beg ~z ~at ter make de ~ I oberseer sto~ but Mr. Nat fused, tease he said dat de 1 ~ won t ob y him iffen he tea hes dem he Won t let de ~b~r eer p nish ~rn goOd an ~ D~ MIST ~~2~y tud t CD~ ant she ~1 run ax~ grab de oberse er~ s arm an beg hirn ter t ~. ~ ~ t d cry ~o 1ia~ d ~dat he ~ d. hafter stop \ ~

173 169

2. 7/ tt Finafly de ober~er goes ter i~r. Nat an complains, / an he sez dat he am gwine ter quit de job iffen Mr. Nat doan make Mis Lucy keep outen his business. ttMr. i~at axes him ter tell him fore he starts ter beat em, an ter set a time fer de beatin ~i1 dat he will git MIS Lucy offen de place. geil, de oberseer does what ~r. Nat sez an1 waits ter whup eber body on Chuesday an on Chuesday ~:r. Nat tekes kils Lucy ter town. ~LIi~ Lucy am tickled pink dat she am a~goin shoppin an she ain t suspicion nothin at all. When~she ~cjits, ter shoppin dot she ain t satisfied, an terreckly she tells . \ ~ Nat dat she wants ter go home.Mr. Nat tries to git her \ ter go ter a concert but Mis Lucy sez no, dat she feels I lak somethin a~n happenin at home. Mr. Nat begs her ter stay on an enjoy herself, but when she wontt. listen ter no reason at alihe starts home. De mules creep an poke, but MIS Lucy herself whups em up, an dey gits homesooner dan dey am expected. When dey drives up in de yard de oberseer am so busy whuppin de niggers what has done bad dat he ain t seed Mis Lucy till she am right on ham, den she snatch de heavy ~~~hup an~ she strikes himtwo or three times right in 4e~aLc e. . ~ ~ ~ \ ais Luey iooi ~eii~ate, but she cute de blood outen

174 170

3. 7/his cheek an she shets up one of his eyes an bring$ de I Olood a-pourint from his nose. i)en ae meek little 1orn~ j draws back de vthup ~g in an~ she loves, Git offen dis ~ pi~ntation, an iften ever I ketches ~rou here a~n I ll ~ shoot you, you beast.t \ u.I)at settled de oberseer s hash an atter he left \ i~iTh. Lucy went ter doctorin cut up backs~ G~r~ marthny said ~ dat dar ~isn~t no more trouble wid de niggers an~ Mise Lucy ~ done all of de punishin herself. ~ ~ ~he made de meanest ones l arn a whole passel of ( scripture she punish de chillun oy rxiakin dem memorize ~ poenis an sich. $ometimes she sont em ter bed widout supper, I sometimes she make 1em work at night, sometimes she prayed I fer tern, ~Lflt once in a COOfl~S age she ithppped. Dey said j dat she could really hurt ~~en she meant to, but she whupped I as de las thing ter do an she whupped wid a keen little. I switch stead of de leather. ~ ttOnce atter she had whupped a little ni~ger she said, t Clarice, dis hurt me w~is$er dan hit did. yo . \ . ~ Clar ice iooic at I~is! Lucy den she sei, Iffen hit hurt \ ~ wLlsaeI, aan iut ciii. me i se powerful sorry fer you. Dat \~ttle ~gal ~ my tuammy., . ~ ~ ~ ttMygranhfatherwusnarnedjake, sn1.he tlongedtera fauii~ ~by d~ na me ~ of Midd)~ton some whar in de neighbo..~hood~ ~ :r~. ~. : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~: ~ ~ ~ ~ .- ~ . ..~ - .. ~ .~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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4. karse Nat ~jflTt had no use fer ~ir. Middleton case he tried ter act up, en he wus a iew Lork Lankee ter ooot, what 7 thought that he owned de heabens an de ~rearth. When rant father ~ ake ~ell in love wid gran ~mamnry nobody am t knowed hit, case dere marster~ an mad at each other an dey knows dat dere won t be no marryint twixt de fcsniIies~ ~1Tirne ~oe~ on an gran father xuns awa~>r ant comes ter : ~ee gran manmiy, but one nIg~it i~r. L~iddieton foliers grant father \ ~ fj~Y~ ~-~jp~ in ~ ~ \ ~ ~~~i d1eton doan wait ter sa~ nothin ter no~od~, ~w ien he peeps in at de winder an sees dem a~settin at de I t~b1e eatin ~ musk melons wha~ gran pappy had stole outen J his patch. j~e jist comes. in a~rarint ~t a~tarint ~il s~arts I ~WhUpp 1 viid his ridin quirt. he whup~ gran father fer K a while, den he pitches in on gran rxxarnmy. N ~ ~ihi1e all dia am a goin on so~ e to~r runs fer L~~rster :~ kNat an when he gits dar der~ am trouble in de shack. ~ ~ ; ~ i~at ain t so beaby as Mr. ~~iddIeton, but man, he puts ~. I de beatin on ir. ~1iddIeton, den he makes him sell Jake ter I him an he pays hirn spot cash right den an dar. I ~ De next ~j~y he. thinks ter ax gran mamrriy what Jake am . a~ do i~ in her cabin an g~ari mamniy tells h~.xn dat she loves ~ Jak~ axi dat sh~ wants ter marry him. Marge Nat ~augh fit ri ~r he .aez dat deytil have a b gweddin at de

176 172

5. 172 ~/ tTDey dId habe a big weddin an gran mammy wore a red I dress dat iuiis~ i~ucy give here She said dat she wish dat ( gran father could of wore red too . .~ \ ~She said dat when rnamm,y wus borned dat oie Dottor \ \ Freeman ~tended~her an dat she ~tajed in de bed two weeks. J .11S1 Lucy wus good ter de ni~~gera lak.dat. f! ~1 merifbers gran mai~rn~y teuin bout de Lankees comint / ~ \ \ . an how shc stood froxitoi MIS Lucy~s door wid cie ax ~n ~ toi em dat shetd ChOp~OUt~flyOOdy S brains what tried ter ~ ~ in. De door wus open~ ~ dey could s ~e ~j~t Lucy a_settint dere wnite as a ~neet, so dey went on sarch n fer v~&IuaoIes, \\\~i:II de time dern~~~ ~ ~ LUCy~S room. EH i~: ~ ~ . ~ : ~ . ~ ~ .; ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * .. ~. ~ I~L ~ ~: ~ ~

Hannah Plummer. 181 177

Person Interviewed nnah rn~~ Editor ~ *..*.- ~_ N. C. District~ ~ Worker~ --~~i~ J~ t. t~~LQ~ No . ~ ords~~ ia~ 320242

182 178

320242 ~ 178 P3:ANI~~-AH PLIJi~i R 412 Smith Street I~:y name is Hannah Plummer . I was horn near Au~ burn, in Wake ~ounty, January 7, 1856. Liy father was AJ.Ien Lane and my mother was named J3ertcha Lane. We b~on~ged to Goy. Charles i~aniy, that is mother and myself, i~ather belonged to some maiden ladies, busan and Emma Thite. The governor had large plantatIons, ~ut mother and myself lived with them on their lot ri~ht where the ~ex Hospital now stands on South and Fayetteville Streets. Governor L~aniy owned the block down to the railroad, and ( 1) ~ we chillun went into:~rove it was a grove ti~en, to iick ~Jp walnuts and hickory nuts. ItMy father was a stone ~ cutter ~rid he hired bis time and gave it to his rnissus and lived with us. Mother was at @overnor I~anly s. He said father was a high~headed fellow and said he was livin on his lot and in his house and that he didn t do anything for him, and that he ought to keep up his family. Mother was the washerwoman for the governor and his family. I~issus Manly, the Governor~s wife, I forget her first narne,did not take any particular interest in her servants. She had slave servants for everything: a wash and ironer, a drawin~g room and parlor cleaner, a cook, waiting men, waitresses and a maid who

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:~1j ~d nothin~ but wait on her. Governor Lanly was a mi~hty rich man, and he had several plantations and a lot o slaves. I aofl~t remember i~OW many slaves he owned. i~other was given meal and rr~at and had to cook it just the sanie as she would now. They JIdflTt allow her food from the great house. ~other had ten children, and at Urnes we did not have enou~ h to eat. ~ ~ went hun~~ry a lot. The boys were named Fred, David, ~atthew Allen, and Thomas . Girls Cinderilla, Corinna, Hannah, Victoria, and Mary. All were born slaves but two. Thomas and Mary. David and myself are all that are left alive. UI remember that we lived in a plank house, with three rooms and a shed porch. Mother washed clothes under the porch. The house had two rooms c1o~vnstairs and one upstairs . C Oh ~ I have thou~~I~ of the Governor s w~f s name, missus nai~e, it was Cx~arity.) We used trundle beds of wood. Mother made our bed clothes at ni~ht. She also made bonnets and dresses. Sometimes she made bonnets and sold them. The child that set up with her she gave some kind o sweets. I s~et up with her a lot because I liked to eat. Motherwas allowed the little money she made makin bonnets and dresses at night. :179

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They whupted slaves onthe place. I could hear the blows and hear em screamin criint an1 beggth , but I never saw it. I never saw a slave sold an I never saw any in chains. I do not remember hOw many children old marster had, ~: only remember one; he was Mar~ter i~sii Manly. He was an o~ficer in t ie Con ~ederate Arn:y. He used to come ~iome vith his pretty clothes an his hat with plumes on it. Mother tole me that before she w~s married Marster gave her to his son Basil as a maid for his wife Caroline. ~Missus Caroline whupped her most every day, and about anythin~~~. Lother said she could not please her in anything, no matter what she. done or how hard she tried. Missus would go up town anri come back arid whup her. Mother was a youi~ girl then. One day Miss Caroline went up to~n, an come back mad. She made mother strip down to her waist, and then took a carriage whup an beat her until the blood was runnint down her back. Mother said she was afraid she would kill her, so she ran for the woods and hid there, and stayed three weeks. She made up her mind she wasn t comm1 back. ~ ttThe old Governor Charles Manly, went to mother s father, Jimmie Manly an tole him if he did not get Ber- tcha back he would whup hirn. 1~er fathe.r tole him he did s not know where she was, an that he belonged to him an he could do with him as he liked, but he was not goin one step to hunt Berteha, my mother. Then the governor

185 181

went to grandmother an tole her she had to find her. He tole her to leave the lot an~ stay away until her daughter came back. Grandmother did not know where shw was. tIThe niggers on different r:lantations fed mother by carrying things to certain hidin places and leavin it. Grandmother got word to her, an she said she would come back, but notto Mise Caroline. She told marster, s marster let her stay with grandmother until Christmaa, then they allowed her to hire herself out. She hired herself to Mrs. Simpson. She was good to her and allowed her to work for herself at night, sit up as long as she wanted to, and she stayed with her until she was married. Then she went back to old marsterts. r~ien the war ended mother went to old marster and told him she was goin1 to leave. He told her she could not feed all her chi1d~ ren, pay house rent, and buy wood, to stay on with him. . ~Tarster told father andmother they could have the hou~e ~ ~ free and wood free an he would help them feed the ~ ren, but mother said, No, I am goin to leave. I have never been free and I am gQjflV to try it. I am gain ~ ~ ~ aw y and by my work and the help o ~ the Lord I will live somehOw . M r.~ter thens iid,~ Well stay as long as you wish, and leave when you get ready, but wait until ydiu ~ 4 L~ s

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find a place to go, and leave like folks. Marster allowed her to take all her things with her when she left. Th~ ~. white folks told her good bye. 1We went to a colored Methodist Church in slavery time but we had a white pastor. His name was Dr. Peu. He was a mighty nice man and all the colored people loved. hirn. After the surrender it was a 1on~g time that the ~ colored people had white pre chsrs in their churches. It was a long taie after the war before any of the colored churches had Negro preachers. William Warrick was the first colored preacher in Raleigh. He preached in the basementof the Baptist church now standixig on the corner of Hilleboro and Salisbury Stre ets ~ I went~ to o hurch and ~inday school there after the surrender. I went to school in R~1eigh and taught school in Ft . Payne Alabama . My husband was a carpenter and w ent there where he could get good wages. Slavery was a very bad thing. J~1raham Lincoln was one of the best men that ever lived. ~Rooseve1t is just grand. He is no doubt one of the greatest men of any age. I love to look at his picture. I love him bec ause he has don~e s o mue h for humanity . I pray to the i~rd to let him live to serve his country, and help hi s people . . a ~ L~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .. . . ~ ~ . .. : . ~ . ~ ~ . . ~ . . . . . .

Parker Pool. 187 183

Subject ~ Person Interviewed Parker Pool Ed1tor~a~i$y BaiI~Waitt N. C. District No.2~ Worker T. Pat Matthewa No. ~1ords 2036 ~4 32O21~ 1 33

188 184

32O2~6 PARKER POOL ~*Good Morning, how is yer? Dat front door am locked Mister but I U corne round and undo i . I m not feeling vety well an it looks lak dey ~11 rob me out n all I got. Dey had a mortga~ge on my home fer $850. I paid it, an den dey got to garn lin on it, ai~1 tuk it. I didn t git de right receipts, when I paid: dat s de truf. I got a farm loan on de house part, yes sir, an I still has it. UI wuz born near Garner, Wake County, North, Car oljna. I belonged to Aufy P oi He wi~iz a slave owner His plantation wuz near Garner. I am 91 years old. I wuz born August 10, that s what my grandmammie tole me, an I ain t never fergot lt. My xnissus naine wuz Betsy. My ftist master, I had. two, wuz Master Aufy Pool. Den he give us to his son, er his son bought us in at de sale when Master Aufy died. ~ After Master Aufy died, his son, Louis Pool wuz my master den, an ~ his plantation wuz In Johnston County . ~r mother wu~ named VIolet Pool. She died in child-birth two years atter I wuz born. ~ father wuz named Peter Turner. He belonged to John Ttzrner in Johnston County, rig~ht near

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185 Clayton. t~ksr grandfather I had tw~ grandfathers one on my mother Vs side~ and one on my father s aide . On my mother s s ide Torn ~ooi on my father ~ s s ide Jerry Beddingfie Id. I never seed my greav~-gran Tparents, but my great~grandfather wuz naine &tck ~ He wuz right out o Afr Ic a . His wi fe wuz name Hag r. I never have seen dem, but my grandrnother wuz deir daughter. Dey had three chillun here in An~erica. My grandmammie and grandfather to id me this . My brothers wer e name, oldest one, Haywood, den Lern, an Peter, an nie, Parker Pool. De girls, oldest girl wuz Minerva Ril .a. I had good owners . My missus and master dey took j e s as g o od ke er o me as they c ould. Dey wuz go od to aU de han s. Dey giv us plenty to eat, ~ we had plenty o ~ clothes, sich as they wttz, but de wuz no sich clothes as we have now. Dey treated us good, I will have to say dat. Dey are dead In their graves, but I will have to say dis fer em. Our houses were in de grove. We called master s hous e de great. USt We called our homes de houses . We ~ had good place s ter sie ep. It;: got up at light. I had to do most o the nursjn o de chillun, case when choppin time come de women had to go t o ~ work We had plenty ter e at an we et it Our ~ some in to eat wuz well fixed an cooked. We caught a lot ~ot 4oasuins, coons an other game, but I teil yer a coon is : a lot harder to ketch den a possum. We had one garden, an

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de colored people tended the garden, an we all et out n it. ~Dere wuz about 2000 acres in de plantation. All de farm an wuz fenc ed in wid wood rails ~ De hogs cows ant stock wuz turned out in de woods, an let go. The cows wuz drived home at night, dat is if dey didn t come up. Dat :i.s so we could milk de ones we wanted ter milk. ~We dug ditches to drain de lan , bun ditches; we dug em an den put poles on top, an covered em wid brush an dirt. We put de brush on de poles to keep de dirt from runnifl through. Den we ploughed over de ditches. ~tWe tanned our leather in a tan trough. We used white oak bark an red oak bark. Dey put copperas in it too, I think. ni knows how to raise flax. ~ grow it an when it is grown you pull it clean up out of de groun till it kinder rots. Dey have what dey called a brake, den it wuz broke up in dat. De bark wuz de flax. Dey had a stick called a swingle stick, made kinder like a sword. Dey used dis to knock de sticks out o de flax. Dey would den put de flax on a hackle, a board wid a lot of pegs in it. Den dey clean an string it outtill it looks lak your hair. Dey flax when it caine from de hackles wuz ready for de wheel whur it wuz spun into thread. I tell you, you couldn t ISO

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-4-. break it either. ntWhen it wuz spun into thread dey put it on a reel. It turned 100 times and struck, when it struck itwuz called a cut. When it come from de wheel it wuz called a broach. De cutssto.od fer so much flax. So many cuts made a yard, but.dere wuz more ter do, size it, and hank it before it ~iz weaved. Most of the white people had flax clothes. ttWe had no church on de plantation. We had prayer meetin an candy pullin s, an we would ask slaves from udder plantations.~ My master had no public corn shuckin s. His slaves shucked his corn. He had about 50 head. De slaves dey went to de white folks church. Dey had a place separate from de white folks by a raum . We could look at de preacher an hear him preach too. tNo, sirree, dey wouldn t let us have no books. Dey would not let none o de chilluns tell us anything about a book. I cain t read an write, not a bit. Dey preached t.!! us t~9 obe~y our master. Preacher John Ellington wuz my favorite preacher. No nigger wuz allowed ter preach. Dey wuz allowed ter pray and shout sometimes, but dey better not be ketched wid a book. De sor~gs dat dey sung den, dey hardly ever sing em now. Dey were de good oie songs. tHark fromde tomb de doleful sound . 1~r years are tender, t Cry, You livin man Come view dis groun where we must shortly lie ~.

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-.5.. 188 No one ran away from our plantation, but dey did from some other plantations. When some o de niggers were carried by their masters to wait on em as servants up no th, some 01 de other people would see how dey were treated an git tern to run away. When dere master started home dey couldntt fjpt~ em. Dey took and educated em and made women an men outren em. We visited at night during slavery time. De m~n went courtin . When a man, a slave, loved a oman on another plantation dey axed der master, sometimes de master would ax d~ other mastar If dey agre ed ail de slave man an oman had ter(~)Sa dy night wuz fer him to ~ come over an dey would go to bed together. Dere wuz no marriage- until atter de surrender. All who wanted to :~eep de same oman atter de surrender had to pay 25~ fer er marriage license, den $150, den *3.00. If de magistrate married you you didn t have to pay anythir~ less he charged you. We got de holidays, Clristrnas, and atter lay-by-~time o de crops. Dey had big dinners den. Dey had big tables set in de yard de rations wuz spread on em~ an everybody et. We had brandy at Christmas . UI have been whupped twice, an I have seen slaves whupped. Hal Hal missus whupped me. She wouldn t let no~

193 189

6-- 189 body else whup me neither. I members what it wuz about as if it wuz yesterday~ She wuz fretted tbout de cook. We wuz skinnin i sh taters. She tole us to make haste, if we didn t make haste an peel de taters she would whack us down. I laughed, she sent me to git a switch. She hit me on de legs. ~hen we were whupp ed we would s ay oh I pray and dey would auit. If you acted stubborn dey would whup you more. She axed me, taintt you gwine ter say oh! pray? I wuz mad. She wuz not hurtin me much, an I wouldn t say nuthin . Atter awhile I said, obI pray , an she quit. I had good owners all o dem. My masters never did hit me. Mi.ssus would not whup me much. She ~jes wanted ter show off sometimes. We had good doctors when we got sick. I members Dr.. James o Clayton commt to our house. Dey carried dere pills an medicine den, ant left it at de house fer you. t ~y master had a son in de war, Walter Pool. He wuz a footso dier at first. He got sick an he come home sick on er furlough. He hired er man to go in his place at first, den de man went. Atter awhile de men got so skurce, he had to go agin; den he got de chance to go in de cavalry. 01e master bought him ahorse an ~ he could ride next time He belonged to the ist. Ga. Reg. 2nd Cavalry Gen. Dan~ge s Brigade, C. CO. N. C. Volunteers. I saw de Confederates General Johnson come through

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19() .~ftV\ Clayton, an de Yankees come de ~~day atter dey come through. I think I seed enough Yankees come through dere~ to whup anything on G~d ~ earth.. De Yankees camped three miles from our plantation at Mrs. Widow Sarah Saunders across White Oak Creek on de Averysboro road. Her son, Capt. Ed. Saunders wuz in de Confederate A~my. She wuz a big slave owner. She had about 100 slaves. She wuz called a rich oman. De Yankees played songs o walkin de streets o ~ Baltimore an walkint j~ Maryland. Dey really played it. Dey slaughtered cows and sometimes only et de liver. I went to de camp atter dey lefaf an it wuz de awfulest stink I ever smelt in my life. Dey lef dem cows part Q rem laying whur dey were in de camp. Dey killed geese ant chickens, an skinned ein. Sometimes dey skinned de hind quarters uv a cow, cut em off an lef de res . ~en dey tole me I wuz free I didn t notice it, I stayea on and worked j est lak I had been doint ~ right on wid rnissus and master. I stayed dere a year atter de surrender. ~ ~ II dunno what ter think o Abraham Lincoln. Dey said he wuz all r ight . I gue s s he wuz a man God loved er all ri~tman. I think some o de slaves wuz better off when dey had owners and wuz in slavery den dey isnow. De colored people ax e slaves now more den dey wuz den. I can 4 show you ~ierein de nigger s got ail his expenses ter bear now. He gits his pay out~en de white man ar~1 de white man dontt p~y ~ ~ De nigger in de South is jest as

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-~ ( ~ -8.. much a slave as ever. De nigger now is a better slave den when dey owned him, cause he has his own expenses to bear . If you works a horse an doan have him ter feed., you is better off dan if you had ter fe ed and care . fer him. Dat is de way dat thing is now. il seed many patterollers dunn slavery. If dey caught you out at night without a pass dey would whu~p you. UI think Mr. Roosevelt is a mighty nice man. He has one me a lot o good. No man can make times real good till everybody is put to work. Wid de lan lyin out dere can t be real good times. Dis is my lustration. My hors e died~ last year I aine t got no money ter buy nether and can t g t one. You see dat lan lyin out dere I have . farmed it every year fer a long time . Through part o de year I always had vegetables and sich ter sell, but now my horse is dead ~ I can t farm no more. I ain t got nothin ter sell. I is bad out o heart. I shore hope swnpin wi .l be done fer me.

Rena Raines. 196 192

32(i~ ~8I ~ ~ N. C. District ~ Vorker ~ No. ~iords .. 192 Subj cet ~ Person Interviewed Rena Raines Ed I t or ~

197 193

S%th.:81 . . 193 ~EI~ RAINES I wus three years oie when de Yankees come through. I do not ~nember much ~bout slavery, but I kn~ows a lot my mother tole me. t~L~y mother wus named Vicey Rogers an~ my father wus n~ied Bob Hunter . He 1or~ged ter de Hunters of Wake County an mother longed ter 1~ster John Rogers. Her missus nam wus Ann Rogers. I members my grandfather on my mother~s side but do not member any more of my grarid ~ parents. ~Marse John Rogers wus a oie hatchelor before he wus married an he had bout twelve slaves when he married Mis Ann Hunter. She owned one slave, a colored boy, when she wus married. Her father gave her the slave. The plantation wus between Apex an Holly Sprin~s In Wake County. All my people lived in Viake County an I wus born on de plantation. M~ ster wus good ter his ni~2;ers before he vms married, but when she carne in it got mighty rough. It ~Ot wusser an wusser till bout de time of de surrender. De place wus a Hell on earth, mother said, if dere could ever be one. Missus had. slaves whupped fur most any little thing an den she wud not allow em to have much ter eat. ~y mother tole me all about it, atter de surrender. Mother said Mi~s s runned the plantation an made it hard fur all de slaves. She jist liked ter see slaves beat almost ter death. Dere wus a lot of niggers whupped in d~at neighborhood by the overseers owners an patterollers..

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2.- :194 TtSlaves wus sold round from one to a nother inongst de white folks. Mother said you ~ st cou1dn~t tell when you would ~:~~it whupped. De wark wus hard from sun to sun. Poor food. ter eat, poor clothes, barefooted most of de time, an a general hard time, till freedom put an end to it. I~y mother tole me ole man Pasqual Bert v~ho liv d near em in Wake County had his niggers whupped all day sometimes. He beat ein unrner ffully an s ometimes made away wid em an dey wus not seed no more. 6h e said d e way he whupp ed h I s s lave s wu s t er lay ~ em up an dow r~i on a 1o~ wid de bark off. He made em lie flat down on . dere stomachs an den buckled em on den de overseers beat em unmercifully. One time a overseer s wife heard a pat pat, pat, down at de whuppin log an she ax him what it wus an wily he beat niggers from sun to sun an he tole her oie man Bert made im do it or else leave. So his wife say5tt~e will leave, youniust not beat any more niggers if we perish to death~1 ~ an de overseer left. Mother said oie man Bert fed his little niggers out of a trough like hogs. 01e man Bert also had niggers tied to barrels an whupped. De grown slaves got one pair shoes a year. Dey wus give ter dem at )~nas. an de cMllun didn t have no shoes at all. De clothes wus homemade. De hou~s wus made out of logs an had stick an dirt chimleys to em. De sleepin places wus bunks fer ~ de grown niggers an de chillun slept on de floor on pallets. A ~ ~ pallet wus made by spreadin a quilt made of towbaggin or rags

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on de floor, dat s wh~e de chillun slept in our neighborhood before de surrender. ~ . Mother and father marri ed by jumpin de broom . Dey put de broom down on de floor den dey helt one anotherts hands an ~ den dey jumped de broom, den dey went ter de ~iLave house an went ter bed. MOther an father corne ter Raleigh atter~de surrender an wus marri3d right. Mother an father left oie man Rogers as soon as dey wus free. Dey lived on hard ~tack an pickled meat de Yankees ~ive for sometimes den deywent an stayed wid ~r. Gray Jones ant when I wus a great big girl we lef an moved ter Chatham Cour~.ty. ~ Pa bought a place, paid for j_t, built a little house on it an~ lived dere until he died. li married in Chatharn County an lived dere till my husband died den I kept stayin till all my chillun married off an I corne ter Raleigh ter live wid my son. I had four chilluns. 1~~ s Dey are a Il dead but de one I live wid.. $1 have been unable to git out of de house wIdout help fur . a long time. I h.ve heart trouble an high blood pressure. Slavery wus a right bad thing. I thank God it is over.

Caroline Richardson. 202 198

N. C. District No. 2 Worker ~ .4.. ~ No. 7ord s 1083 Subj cc t ~OLINERICHA~SQ~j Person Interviewed Caroline Rihardson Editor G. L. Andrews

203 199

~ ) ~ ~~~*v~w -1 uc~ _L ~. tJ ~ (~ A ~r~T n\~ ~ ) T~1T~ ~ ~ ~~LLJ~\.LL An interview with Caroline ~ichardson who does not know her ~ ~3he resides near the northern city lin~its of ~elma. Lt1 reckin dat I i~s somers bout sixty year old. Anyhow I wus ten or twelve when de Yankees come ter harse Ransome .a~i~:i~.~ers niace near Ci~yton. Dat s whar I wus born~d an m~r Dappy, ii:J L:ani:~y an we leben chilluns rlonged ter i.arse ~~a:J3Oi~e an) ~is ~deli~ie. iJar ~ius also youn~ Earse George an ~ young i~ ~s ~et~y ~.iho I longed. to. his Adeline wus little 3fl1 puny ~n harse i~anson1e ~us bi~::~ ~ stout, dat s why it ~ni funny dat i~:aIr&iy won t let :: ~ ~deline whu~ her but sI~e donrt say nothin when de rnarster ~its de whup. iJere ain t nobody ~ot man~j ~huppin s nohoa an a slave on marster s place h~d Ler Le mean terrn ~it a v huppin . You see n ar~iy ~iou1d sass de~ aLL. . vie ain t heard i~u~h tbOUt de war, nothin lak we heard t bout de world war. I kno~:s dat nobody ~ro~i our plantation ain t gone ter dat war case Lar~e i-~ansome wus too old an i~~arse George wus a patteroller, or maybe he aus ~~ust too young. Dar wus a little bit of talk bu~ most of it we ain t heard. I tended to de sL.~ve babies, but my rnai~rny what cooked in de big house heard some of de war talk ~ I he~r her a~talkin to pappy about it. ~hen she seed me a~isteni:~~ she said dat she d cut myyear~. oa~f i~fen I told it. I had seen some of de

204 200

slaves wid c1i~ped years a& I want d to keep mine, so I ain t said nothin . . ~ tiOne day Mis Betsy come out ter de yard an she sez ter we chiliuns, YOU has got de habit of runnin ter de gate to see who cari say howdy first to our company, well de Yankees will be he~today or tomorrow an dey ain t our company. in fact if fen yo runs ter de gate ter meet dem dey will shoot you dead. it ber late dat evenint I heard music an I runs ter de gate ter see whar it am. Commt down de road as fast as d y ~ can I sees a bunch of men wid gray suits on a~ridin like de debil. Dey don t stop at our hous at~l~l but later I heard dat dey wus Theeler s c va1 ~y, de very meanest of de Rebs, though tis s aid dat dey wus brave in battle. About a hour atter W~ieeier s men come by de Yankees ~ieve into sights De drums wus beatin , de flags wo~vin an de hosses ~ prancin Mgh~ W niggers has been teached dat deYank ees will kill us, men women an chiliuns. fl ~ho1e hund~t or so of us ituns an hides. ~ . ttYe s iiiam I member s de blue uniforms an de brase buttons, an I members how dey said as dey corne in de agate dat dey has as good as won de~w~r, an dat dey ort terhang ~de soathern nien what won t go ter war. ni reckiri dat dey talk purty rough ter Marse Ransonie. . r, ~iamrnyteii~d Yankee Captain dat he ort ter b~ tshamed ~ I~ r ~oid i~an l~ke~dat~ ~P~r~r more, she teJil d~

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dat iffen dat s de way dey1re gwine ter git her freed rn, she ~Ontt want it at all. WId dat mammy take s Mis Betsy upstairs whar de Yankees won~t be a-starin at her. One of de Y nkees fin1s me ant axes me how many pairs of shoes I gits a year. I tells him dati gits one pair. Den he axes me what I wears in de summertime. When I tells him dat I ain1t we.ar nothint but a shirt, an dat I~goes bare ~ooted in de summer, hecusses awful an he damns my mar s ter . ~tMarnmy said dat dey toi her an pam~py dat aey d g t some land an a mule if fen dey wus freed. You see dey tried ter turn de slaves agin dere marsters. aAt de surrender most of de niggers left, but me an my ~ family stayed fer wages ~ We am t really had as good as we done before de war, a& eides dat we has ter worry about how we~re goin~ ter live. ~We stayed dar at de same place, de oie Zola May place, on de Wake an Johnston line, fer four or five years an I went to school a little bit. Atter we left dar we went to Mr . John H. Wilson ~ s piac e near Wilson ~ s Mill . it wus at de end of dese ten years .dat mammy wus gwine ter whup Bill, nor brother, s he went off ter Loulsanna an we ain t seed hirn since. u4t de end of dis time I married Barney Richardson an~ ~ we had ~ tiir e e . chilluns who sin all . dead now We worked an ~ ;~. . slaved till we bought dis hOuse an ~ paid fer it, den in 1918 he died. I niarrled J~n ~E1ask~ns de second time but 1~e s beet

206 202

*.~ dead now fer about ten years. t,1 told you dat I owned dis shack but you see how de top has come ter pieces ant de steps has fell down. I~m be~ hind in my taxes too so I rn spectint aern ter take it away from i~e at any ti r~e. I. h~.s been dependent on de white folks now ~er four or ~ive years. De county gives me two dollars a.inonth 2~flt :e white folks gives me a little now ant den. You see dat 1 can t straighten up so I cantt work in five years. tiDrawint water out o~ dat well wid no curb shore bothers ~e too, come an~ look at it. I looked at the well and in the well and was borrified. There was no curbing at all, only a few rotting planks laid over the hole, and on these she stood ri,~ ht over the water while she drew up the heavy bucket with a small ro:oe and without the aid of a wheel. ~I reckmn dat some of dese days somebody will draw me outen dis well, she continued briskly . ~ nyhow . . hit don t matter much. tYou see dat little patch wid de roasti& ears coirdn an~ ~. de peas a-blcornin . I grubbed it up wid my hde ant planted it. ~ rnyse~f. iffen you cari spare it I~ wish you d give me a quarter ~: .~ Iffen youtre round heW bout three weeks stop ant git you a mess of peas.tt

Charity Riddick. 207 203

N. C. District No. 2 ~Jorker T. Pat Matthews No ~ Words ~ Subj ec t ~~RLT~L RIDDIC~ Story teller Qlijrity Riddick ~ditor ~ Baj ~y~ Wait~ 203 320260 ~l

208 204

204 320260 CHARITY RIDDICK 813 E. D. Street. *11 am 80 years old you know after 79 comes 80, dats how old I. am. A year ago a little over a year ago, I wus 79 by de age in de Bible. ~r son Ernest Riddick tole me dat He is gone to . Greensb oro to work He e arried de Bible wid him. If I had de Bible I could tell de story better den I can. ~r full name is Charity ~iddick and my husband wus Weldon Riddick. He is dead. My father wus named Lewi s Jone s Mother wus named Haley Jone s I had thre e t~ro thers Washington, William. and Turne r two sisters Mary and Celia. ill my people are dead except my sous I have three sons livin . lt1 got sick an I got way down in r~r taxes. I am pa~yirLt a dollar on em every time I can get it. I aiutt able to work much. I chops in de garden to make a little to eat . ~r sous he Ip me some . Dey have chi Idren you know, but dey send me a little . Dey is all married One has eight chillun) the other five chillun and de third has four chillun.. Dey cantt help ~riie much. Vt1 belonged to Madison Pace in slavery time. He dead an gone long ago dot ~ ~ ~p4~j~ us wus name Mis( Annie

209 205

2. 205 Pace ~ Sonietimes I go t plenty to eat and sometimes I . idn. t. All I got came through my mother from marster and rnissus . I wils im my mother s care. I wus so young dey didntt have much to do with nie ~ The plantation wus abotit three miles east o Raleigh. ItDjs house did belong to rne,but I ani a long way behind on it. Dey lets me stay here and pay what I kin. I rents arooni to an old lady fer 75 cents a week. I buys oil and wood wid it. De lights has been cu.t off. I uses a oil lamp fur light. Lights done cut off. I can. t pay light rent, no $ir,I haint been able to pay dat in a long time. ~In slavery time when de people you call de Yankees come, I wus small, but father took us and left ~de plantation. ~Ne lived in Raleigh after that. Father did riot stay on ~ ~e plantation an~rmore but he farmed around Raleigh as long as he . lived Re made corn peas potatoes and o th er things to fe cd us with I used to hear ~ em talk &out de Ku Klux. We wus. rnight~y afraid of dem. I used to hear my father say he had a very good master My mit is not good but I remerx ber we used water from a spring and lived~ in a little log house out from my ast 3 great t ~ rememb er sein de slave s but

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3. 206 I do not remexther how many dere wus. I never saw a slave whupped . My mother ~ s son wus so Id) that wus my brother Washington wus sold away from her before de surrender. Mother cried a lot about it.i remember sein her cry about xv brother beint sold. I reinexther sein de Yankees . Dey told us dey were the Blue Jackets dat set as free ~ I wus afraid ~ dem. I ein old enough to have been dead long ago. Guess it i~ t~! mercy of the Lord dats lets me live. ttAll I know ab out Abraham Line oln j s what I b e en told. Dey say, I thinkdey said he set de slaves free. I don t know much good or bad about Mr.. Roosevelt. I can t read and write. Dey would not let a nigger have any books. Dey were perticular bout dat. 1~Ihen dey tole us bout de Bible dey say it say obey your marster. Dis is bout all I members. Yes, bout all I members. AC

Simuel Riddick. 211 207

Subj ect ~IM(IEL ~IDDICE~ Story teller j~jLtd~die~ Editor iLaisy Bai~ei ~aitt N. C. District No.fl Worker ~.- Pat M~ti1ew No Words 7~6 207 320220

212 208

. ~~p~oct~t peddntt~ ~I9A9U tX~W .i:o ett~t ueu~* P~tOTO O ~q ptm ~zonb ~ ~ t~ pa~.o~ e~ ~tr~ ~u~x ~e ~t ~2ot~ cITue~eJ etfl pa e; o~. sd~~xn~ pu~ u~ oo t~rioue ~ q ~. otz p p e~qe esrre~eq p eq ~e~id ~xet~,ow ~ ped5nt~ uo~ jtet~ ~.nq ~xTet~1. dfltlM ~OtI PTP J~etIL11 etdoec e~rttm euT; 4t~Tw seJ~ tdo ed: e~M etrp J~tt~TtU p~q I peddflt~M 9A~B euo ~uo ~&~s I ~BflOt~ ~:ee~z$ at~ ~r~eu e1IeM i~et~a; ~ ~i ~ ~ ~ s~ia~x~nb ~ ptre P8ATI ~z~sx~w e~xet~ ~ ~snot~ ~e~i2 e ~ . saA~Is g~ ~noct~ ptre UO~tI~d et~ uo Pa~X~T~ ~ ~ ooe ~t~oq~ e.i9~ 3~zet~ xew~r~j fre~ ~e s~ ~e~x~tu ~xoj pooj poor p~q e~ em ~ rr~ eun o~r~ t~o~ tr ~~Afl ~A~q i ~tre ~etrVto~re~ t~xo~ 4tzno~ ~w~ur rib~xe~ tr~ u~xo q ~ ~1OTPpflI ~~4mqsy p ~ti A~o q auo ~re 9UT~1.ST~IttD t(~*X~G S I9~tT~p ~ a e~xq~. p~q i~3t~ ~rpp~ t~re~ ~se~i~s~tu ~r ptr~ ~et~s~ p~in~tx seM ~e~w ~ ettsTDI peur~tt ~ ~xem:ej i~ ~ ~tt~ Jo 1.1x~d: ~ ei~ UT s~IaTppT~3: ett~ c4 pe2txot.tt et~s ~o~ppp~ A~oirn~ ~x~tr~.o1~ I~ ~~E i~UJ ~tLt 1 fl~ %te~et 1e etu ~O~IM sse.iq.spti p_to ~LU etdo d ~ ~tu ~J91ZNkO ~ T~ 2V~z ~n.xqe~ ~p t~.moj atr:!. ti~ioq ~ I ~I~TPPT~:I T9fltttTS ~T 9W~U e e~y e~e~taA:~ ~ozz ~3I DI I~EflWT$

213 209

2. 209 Young xnarster marrie d in th~ Marrnaduke family in Gates County. He sold one man who belonged to his wife, Mary. T never saw a slave sold, UI have seen lots o paterollers. They were rr~r friends. I had friends among ein because I had. a young :iiis sus they run with Dats why they let me alone I went with her to cotton pickin s at night. They carne, but they didlitt touch me. i~r y~.g rnissus married Dr. Perry from the same neighborhood iii Perquimans County. Bill Simpson married. her sister. He was froix~ the saine place. Watson white married the other one ~ He was roai Perquimans. There were no ha i~white children on Marster s plantation, and no mixups that ever carne out to be a disgrace in an~ay. ~r white folks were fine people. I x~emei~er marster ~s brother s son Tornn~r going off to war. Marsterts brother was named Willis Riddick. He never carne . back. I got a letter from n~r missus since I been in. Raleigh. She was a fine lady . She p ut fine e lothe s on me I was. a foreman on the plaxitation and looked after things in general. :i: had charge of everything at the lots and in the fields. They trusted me. . ~ When the war broke out I left n~r marster and went to Portsmouth, Virginia. General Miles captured ins and put me in uniform. I waited on him as a body servant, a private

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3. 21:() in the U ~ S . AIW ~ I s taye d wi th him unti 1 General Le e surrendered. When Lee surrendered I stayed in Washington with General Miles at the Willard Hotel and. waited on. hin. I stayed the re a long time I was with General Miles. at Fortress Monroe and stayed with him till he was in charge of North Caro lina He was a general and had the 69th Irish brigade . Re also had the Bluecats and Greentorche s.. UI Wa! ted on him at the Abbeck House Alexandria., Virginia after the war I staye d wi th the general a long time after the war. I didn t go with General Miles when he was ordered to the plains of the west. UI stayed on the Bureau her e in Raie igh . Dr K. C. Wagel was in charge . After I left the Bureau I worked at the N. C. State College Several years then I worked with the ci ty at the ci ty parks . I never le ft the state after coining here With General Miles . J Ihad mighty go od . white pe ople was treated all right was made forea~n and treated wi th e very kindness I havent t w~ything to say against slavexy . My old folks put n~y clothes on me when I was a boy. They gave me shoes and ~tockings and put them on me when I was a little boy . ~ I loved them and I an t go against ~ th em in ar~rthing . There were things I did not like about slavery on soue plantations, whuppint ~ sellin parents and children from each other but I haven t much to

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4. 2. :1 say I was treated good. l~i t know much about Abraham. Lincoln, haven t much to express about Mr. Roosevelt. 11e is a mighty pleasant man tho . I learned to read and write after the war ~ I e ould not read and writ~ when I was a soldier. AC

Celia Robinson. 220 216

Subject elia Robinson Story teller Ce~ia~Robin~on ~d1tor~~~ay Bai~e~i~ N. C District. No~fi ~orke r T Pat ~ Matthews No . Wor&~ ~ 712 32~ 237 216

221 217

~!D ) 1 )~)7 %)~~*Jg 217 c:~:LIA ROBINSON 611 E. Cabarrus St. ttM,y naine, full name, is Celia Robinson. I cen~t rest, I has nuritus so bad; de doctor says it s nu.ritus. I do not know my age, I wus eight or ten years old at de close o de war. De oie family book got burned up, house an all. I wuz borned a slave. Dat s what my father and mother tole me. i~Jiy father, he longed to Dr. Wiley Perry of Louisburg N C ~ Franklin Co . an my mother longed to McKnight on an ad~joining plantation. I do not s know McKnight s giv en naine . My fathe r ~ named Henderso n Perry. He wuz my marster s ~ shop man (blacksmith). My mother wu~ narr~ed Peggy Ferry . McKnight ~ s wife wus named Penny. I member her name. ItI member when de Yankees came ter my mother s house on de kcKnight plantation near Louisburg an dey went intsr~ her things . When de YanI~e es e arne down my brother Buck Perry drug me under de bed and tole me to lie still or de Yankees would ketch me. I member de sweet music dey played an ~ way dey beat de dmra. Dey came right inter de house. Dey went inter her chist; they broke it open. Dey broke de safe open also. Dey took

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218 2. mother s jewelry. But she got it back. Missus went ter de c aptain ant dey give b ack d~e j ewe r. Liy mi s sus wu~ de cause of her gittin it. back. : ~ I wuz old enough to go up ter where my brother kept de cows when de war ended. I member where he kept de calves, My brother. would carry me up dere ter hold de calves off when dey wus milking de cows. My ma.rster would take me by de hand and ~ay tJ~j~ Celia, you must be smart or I will let de bull hook you. He often carried me up to de great house an fed me. He give me good things i~r eat. Yes, I an partly white. It won t on. my mother s side tho but let s not say anything about dat) j ist let dat go. Don t say anything about dat. Marster thought a lot o me. Marster and missus thought there wus nothin like me. Missus let me tote her basket,and rrarster let me playwid his keys. UI cannot read an write. I have never been ter school but one month in my life. Then I viu~ a little girl I had plenty ter eat, ear, an a good time. ni memb er when my father would e orne ter see inothe r. Be patterollers tole him if he didn t stop coming home sa~ much dey wu~ goin. ter whip him. He had a certain knock cm de door, den mother would let him in. I member how mother tole me de overseer would come ter her when she had a young child an teil her i~r go

223 219

V) *J~ home and suckle dat thing, and she better be bacic in de field at work in 15 minutes. Mother said she kxiowed she could not go home and suckle dat child and git back in 15 minutes so she Would go somewhere w sit dov~n an pray de child would die. . We lived at Dr. Wiley Perry s one year atter de war, then we moved ter de plantation of Seth Ward, a white man who was not married, but he had a lot of mulatto children by a slave woman o his. ~Ye stayed. dere four years, den we moved ter de Charles Perry plantation. Father stayed dere and raised. 15 children an bought him a pla C e near de t own Franklinton I got along during my early childhood better dan I do now. 1es, dat I did. I plowed, grubbed an rolled. logs right atter de w ar, I worked right wid de ms~. WI married Henry RobinSon. We married on de Perry plaxitation. We had two children born ter us, Ada an Ella. Dey are both dead. I wish I bad had two dozen children. I have no children now. If I had had two dozen. maybe s orne would be wid. me now I am lonesome and unable to work. I have been trying to wash and iron fer a livint, but now I am si ck unable to w ork I live w ith my grand Son an I have nothing .

George Rogers. Ex-slave Story. 224 220

~32O23~ 220 Subj ect ~ ~GEQRGE R~~RS ~ Person Interviewed ~ Editor ~~~ai~py ~i~ej ~ N. C. District ~ 2 Worker ~ Pat A~t~t1i~ws No . Words - 323~9

225 221

320238 ~ 221 GEORGE ROGERS Ex~S1ave S:tory itGeorge Rogers is the name I has carried fur 94 years ant over. I will be 95 the first day o this commt August. Louis Rogers wuz my father. My mother wuz Penny Rogers. All my brothers an sisters are dead except one sister. She is livin in 1~.iffa1o, New York. She is somewhere in seventy years old. She wuz the baby in our home. My mother an father an all o us belonged to Felix Rogers. He lived in the edge o~ Wake County next to Greenville County. ~r mother came from Canada. My master came here fr~ Canada t married here . lie married old man Billy ~ i s daughter. Her nwne wuz Matilda Shipp. III cannot read an write. Dey did not low no niggers to handle no papers in dem days. Master had three planStations an about one hundred slavea. We had good houses an plenty to eat. My master wuz a good man. We had no church on th e plantation but we had prayerxneet ing in our houa es He ~ lowed dat ant when d ey had b ig me e t ing he made us all go. We had tances or~, anythipg else we wanted to at night. We had corn shuckings, candy puliings, an all the whiskey an brandy we wanted. My daddy didn t do fluthin but ~st.ill for him. whiskey wuz only ten cents a

226 222

-~2- 222 quart den. . ~*I have never seen him really whup a slave any more dan he whupped his own chilluns. He whupped. us all together when we stole watermelons and apples.. Hemade us chillun, white and black, eat together at a big table to ourselves. ~ie had ordinary clothes, but we all went alike. In the summer and winte r we all went bare fc o ted and ~ in our sh ir t tails ~nos er de time. H1~ chilluns wuz just as bad fer goin barefooted as we niggers wuz. We had our patches, and he allowed us to have the money we made on em. Our houses were called slave quarters. Our marsters house wuz a big fine two story-house. We slaves called it de great houset. None er de slaves from Marster Roger s plantation never run away. We chillun pla~y~d de games uv marbles, cat ball, an we played base, prison base. At night we all played peep squirrel in the house. We played hlind ~fold and tag. We fished a lot in ~iar Creek. We caught a lot o fish. Sometimes we used pin hooks. we made ourselves. We would trade our fish to missus for molasses to make candy out uv. When we got sick we had a doctor. His name wuz Dr. Hicks. I never Wuz sick, but some ~! de res wuz. We had an old colored man who doctored on all us chillun. He give us roots an herbs.

227 223

S-3- .223 ItYeS sir, I have seen slaves sold. My marster died the year the war started; den dey had a big sale at our house. Dey had a sale, an old man Askew bought a whole lot ~t our niggers. I don t know hi~ name only dey called him old man Askew . He lived on Salisbury ~3treet Raleigh, down near de Rex Hospital, Corner Salisbury and Lencir Streets. Old man Askew wuz a slave specu.ator. He didn t do nothin~ but buy up slaves and sell em. He carried de ones he bought at our house to Texas. lie bought nil half sister and carried her to Texas. Atter de surrender I saw her in Texas once, never no more. tt~en de war begin dey carried youn~g rnarster off. His name v&iz William Rogers, an dey sent me to wait on im. I wuz in camp wid im up here by de old Fair Grounds. Atter we got there I seed old Colonel Farrabow, he wuz Colonel o dat regiment. We all lefT Raleigh on wa~gons, an I do&t kn~r what we went atter we lef Raleigh; I wuz last. ~ got on de train at Fayetteville, whur dey kept de rations. We went to a place whur dere wuz a lot o water. I dontt know its naine. We were dere about three days when dey had a battle, ant den Colonel Farrabow come round an tole me marster wuz g one He told us t o go t o t he bre wor ks and work I stayed dare three years and eight months. Den dey had anudder battle dar just befo I lef , and de Yankees tuct de place.

228 224

224 UI went to de Yankees den. Dey ~1ve me clothes, she e s suint in to e at and s orne money too I worked for em while dey were camped in Raleigh. I come wid em back to RaIeigk~ Dey were camped~ on Newbern Avenue arti Tarboro Streetand all out in Gatlin Field in de place now called Lincoln Park. De Yankees, when dey tue us, tole us ter come on wid em Dey tole us to git all de folks1s chicke~ns ar hogs. ~e WUZ behind em, an we had plenty. Dey made us steal an take things fur em.. Wheeler s Calvary went before us, datts why dey wuz so rich. Dey got all de silver, an we got de chickens and hogs. De Yankees skinned chickens and gees e . Dey cut hogs an cows up an den skinned em. Dey took jis part of a cow sometime, jis de hind quarters an lef de rest. We went to one place, an de white oman only had one piece o meat an a big gang o little chillun. I begged de Yankees to let dat piece of meat alone, she wuz so po , but de officer tole tern to take it, an dey took her last piece ~ meat. I stayed wid de Yankees two years arter de surrender. Dey carried me to Florida when I lef Raleigh. When I lef em in Florida I went ter Texas to mm cattle. I stayed in Texas seven years. Den Mr. Eardie Pool from down here at ~ttle Bridge, Wake County come out dere. When he started home I couldn1t stan it no longer, an I jis tole him I wuz goin

Hattie Rogers. 230 226

Subj ect ~ Person Interviewed__Hattie Rogers Editor G. L. Andrews ~32O123 ~ ~ :~~u~4 ~9ui 22G N. C. District ~ ~ijorker ~ . ~_~&t It~U1~W~ No . i~ Jords ~

231 227

4~!~ )1~14 ~)() L~~ t&k)1.,~~t) . HATTIE ROGERS ~ III was born a slave in New Bern, N. C., Craven County, the 2nd day of March 1859. My full name is Hattie Rogers. My mother s naine was Roxanna Jeifreys. Her husband was named Gaston Jeffreys, ~t he was not my father. ~ ~r father was Levin ank, a whit e man . I was born before nry mother ~:as married. I called my father Marse Levin. We belonged to Allen Eubanks of New Bern, N. C. and his sister s son was y father. Hissister was nan~ed Harriot and I was named after her. I~ster didn t care who our fathers was jest so the women had children. My father died in 1910. ~Iy mother was 15 years old when I was born. Then I was a little girl they moved us out to the plantation on the ~thite Oak River in Onslow County where we had plenty to eat and wear. We made the stuff and we ate it. Our rnarster was good to us. Marster carried me around in his arms a whole lot. He would say to me, Come on Harriot, and let~ go get a drain. If you re like your daddy I know you like it . ttQ~r marster did not whip us or allow anyone else to whip us. tiThen the Yankees toOk New ~3ern, two years bsfore the war ended, . we all were refuged to Franklin County to keep them from setting us free. All who could swim the river

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228 and get to the Yankees were free. Some of the men ~wi~jn the river and got to Jones County, then to New Bern and freedom. One of these was Alec Parker. The White Oak River was in C~~1Ow County bordering Jones County. There was a lot of slaves who did this, but he is the only one I personally r em ember. V~hen we ~ot to Franklin County, we saw plenty o~ -oatterollers, and many of the men were whipped. I~Iother s husband was beat unmerc ifully by . ttThere was no churches on the plantation, but we went to the white folks church and sat on the back seats. The white people was friendly to us in the eastern part of the state. Indeed it was more stiff up in Franklin County. Some of the slave-owners was very mean to their slaves. I remember seeing some of the slaves almost beat to death. Lawsy mercy, that was a time. I saw a slave-owner whip a colored woman named Lucy, his servant. He was named John Ellis, Judge Ellis s son in Franklinton. My mother cooked for Judge Ellis then. John Ellis whipped Lucy because he found a piece of pickle outside the pantry door. He accused her of stealing it. There was a string attached to a bell, near where L~icy stayed. She was a house girl. He accused her of stealing the pickle and leavIng it there when the bell rung, and she had toj o in the hous~e.

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- 3- 229 E~e made her strip to her waist a~ then he made her hu~ a tree. He whipped her with a cowhide whip until she could only say in a weal voice, Oh prays Marster Johnt. Major Thomason was there, and he went to Marse John and said John, don t kill the darn nigger. t .. UA lot of the white folks hid in the woods and in eaves and. swamps. They hired slaves out ~en they didn t need t em themselves . They hid j ewelry in hoss stables by diggir~g hoies~ putting the jewelry in, and then replacing the straw. uWhen the slaves was sent from ~ite Oak to ~anklinton before Lee surrendered they had to walk all the way. We children was carried in dump carts drawn b~ mules. My rnars~ ter nor none of his boys was ever in the Confederate Army. ~hen they got us to Franklinton they put us in jail for safe keeping. If a woman was a good breeder she ~ou~ht a good price on the auction block. The slave buyers would come aroui~ and jab them in the stomach and look them over and if they thought they would have children fast they brought a go~ pr I Ce. Just before thewar started when the birds would sing around the w e 11 Missus would say War is coming them birds singing is a sien ofwar; the Yankees will corne and kill us all. I can see the old well now jest as plain. It had a sweep and pole. You pulled the sweep over by

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~4.- 230 PUli11~T) the pole and bucket down into the well. ~then it ~unk into the water, the heavysweeD pulled it up again. UI wouldntt tell aiWthin~ ~ ~ my oie marster for anything. He was good to all cf us. He offered my mother a t)aece of land. after the war closed, but mother s husband ~~cu~flOt let her accept it. i~y ~randmother too~: a~piace be offered her. He gave her fifty acres of land and ~ut a nice frame building on it. ~ The man we belonged to never was married, He bought a woman who had two little girls, on named Lucy and the other Abbie. He took Lucy for a house girl to wait on his mother. She had eleven children by him. They re all dead excelDt one,4ai the missus I ever had was a slave, and she was this same Lucy. Yes, sir he loved that woman, and when he died he left all his property to her. tVihen the slaves on the plantatioii got sick they relied nostly on herbs. They used sa~ e tea forfever, poplar bark water for chills. V~en the husbands and brothers and sweethearts were ~one to the war the white ladies would sing. Annie Ellis and1~g Thomas would sing these ~itiful songs. ~A~dieu my friends, I bid you adieu, I ll hang my heart on the willow tree and may the world go well with you.~ lt~en I was three years old I remember hearing th s V

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-.5 231 song. Old Beau~egard and Jackson carne running down to ~:anassas, I couldn t tell to save my life which one could run the fastest Hurray boys hurray ~ When the surrender came the Yankees rocked the place where we were ixi~. We were in a box car. They wanted to ~.et a light-colored slave out. tiThe Yankee officers came and gave mother s husband a gun and told him to shoot anyone who bothered. us. They put a guard a rot.nd the car and they walked a round the car all night. My mother was dipping snuff when the Yankees came. Crie rode up to her and said ~ Take that stick out of your. mouth. Mother was scared when the Yankees tried to break in on us. She cried and hollered murderl and I cried too. I ~ know about freedom. I was too ~roun~ to realize much about it. When the war ended I had just been hired out.. I was never sent off. I think slavery was an awful thing, and that Abraham Lincoln was a good man because he set.us free. t

Henry Rountree. 236 232

. N. C. District i~j~.JE~ ~orker L~zyj~j~s ITo. .~ords 669 Subj e c t IIu~1~cucT: Person Interviev~red. ~n~y R~untree Editor G. L.~ Andrews 232 ~i Qflfl :~q ~)~ p ~i ~~L

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~c~,() . C1*t~w~i~Jt)t) . . 2~3. . m~I~RY RoUi~Trt~ j. Henry Rouritree, 103 years old, of nearNewsorn s Store in ~ilson County. UI wus borned an bred in Wiison County on de plantation cf ~r. Dock-Rountree. I vms named i~er his oldest son, young L::arse Henry. L~r in~tn~ny~ Mel?, rny.pappy, Shark, an my ten brothers an sisters lived dar, ant aldo we works middli~ hard we has de grandes times ever. t~We has two er three corn shuckirigs ever fall, we has wood splittin days an invite de nei~.hbL~s in de winter time. De wimrnen has Quiltin s an dat night we has a dance. In de coi winter time when we d have hog kuhn s we1d invite de neighbors case dar wus a hundret er two hogs ter kill fore we quit. Yes, inam, d~ern wus de days when folkses, white an black, worked tergether. Dar wu1s Candy pulLLn s when we me~kes. de Tlass s an at Ch ~istmas time an on New Year s Eve we has a all night dance. ~ on Christmas niornin we serenaded de marster1s family an dey gived us fruits, candy. an ciothe$. UI~y niarster had. game cocks what. he ~ put . up tp fight an dey wus valuable. When I.wus a little feller he had one rooster that udwhup me evert time I got close ter him, he d whup young ~1arse Kexwy too, so both ofus hated laim. . ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ . . ..

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ti~e day we set down wid bruised backs ter decide how ter git rid of dat oie rooster, not thinkinT ~bout how much he cost. We made our plans, an atter gittin a stick apiece ready we starts drappin a line of corn to de oie well out in de barnyard. De pesky/varmint follers de corn an~ when he gits on de brink of de well we lets him have it wid de sticks ~n pretty shortly he am drownded. Marse ain1t never knowed it nother. ~ . : ~ fle missus had a oie parrot what had once longed ter her brothe ~ who wus a sea captain. Dat wus de cussingest thing I ever seed ant he d cuss ver~bod~ an ever thing . One day two neighboDho~od men wus ~ssin~ when dey heard soniebody holler tYa~t a mintite.t When dey turns roun de oie parrot sez, tGo on now, I j~ist wanted t r see how you looks, Great God what ugly men ~ Ail de oie thing laughs fit ter btist. ~Dat ole parrot go~ de slaves in a heap of trouble so de day when de hawk caught hirn we wus tickled pink. De hawk sailed off wid de parrot screamin over a& over, Pore polly s ridin ~ . We laughed too quick case de hawk am skeerd a & turns de oie fool parrot loose. ~it. s things lak dat ~Lat members mostly, but I des member when de news otde war come. 01e miasus says dat de . . will of de Lord be don~. Den oie ~Marse sez d~ his slaves ~ W fltt be no happier In h~~en dau dey wW wid. hi~n ~fl:1~ d~t de ~ ankees better keep outen his business.

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De war comes on an as~ de niggers l arns dat dey am free dar am much shoutin an rejoicin on other plantations, but dar aintt nothin1 but sorrow on Ot~3~ case de marster sez dat he always give us evei thin.g dat we needs ter make us happy ~tht he be drat iffen he is gwine ter ~~ive u~ money ter f1ir~g away. So we all has ter go. ttOle. marster doan ~ live 1on~g atter de war amThver, but tilde day dat he wus buried we all done anythin~ he ax us. t I has done mostly farm work all of my life an work arouri de house. Fer years an. years I lives on a part of Marse e land an~ atter dat I lives her I amntt got no kick commt bout nothin cept dat. I, wants my ole age pension, I does, an ~ like to say.too, ~ dat. de zaiggers ~ud be be tter off in s lai, ery I am ~ t seed rio happy nigg ers ~ sine e dem fool Y ankees come along~ LE ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~. ~ ~ ~ -~ ~ :. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .~ ~ . . :~ . ~ ; . ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ p ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~j ~ ~ ~ : : ~ ~ ~ :~: . . ~ : ~ :~ ~ ~ ~ . . . ~ ~ ~

Biography sketch of ex-slave, Anderson Scales, 82. 240 236

~2O145 236 By Miss Nancy watkins Madison, Rockingham County Biography Sketch of Ex-~S1ave, Anderson Scales, 82 Three fourths of a mile from his inasterts mansion in Madison on Hunter Street, with his large plug tobacco factory across the street on the corner (where~1937 stands the residence of Dr. V~Tesley MQAnal1y~ in some quarters which Nat Pitcher Scales had near Beaver Island Creek, ~iderson was born to slave mother, Martha Scales of a father, man namL uh Edwards,tt Baby Anderson was the slave of Viiiliam Scales, at one time the world s largest manufacturer of plug or chew~ ing tobacco and he was named for Henry Anderson, the husband of Ivirs. William Scales sister. Cabins here quarterst consisting of three or four log ones. ~ Cabins were near the old free white schoolhouse or rather the schoolhouse for whites. Rolling around the yards with the other pickaninnies, Anderson passed his babyhood, and when he was a boy he went to be house boy at Marse Jim Dick Cardwell s on Academy Street facing Nat Pitcher Scales home later that of Co I John Marion Galiaway . Here he ieax~ned good rn~ners arid to be of good service. Later he was houstb y in the big house just beyond the

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2 23~ ~.:ethodist church at James Cardwell s who had a mill five miles west of ~adison and whose wife was Salue Llartin; granddaughter of Governor Alexander Lartin. Here Anderson learned more good manners and rendered more good. house boy service such as sweeping floors, bringing in ttturnsTt (armfuls) of fireplace wood, draw ing water from the yard well and toting it into the house, keeping flies off the dining table, carrying out slops and ~!arbage, for every town house had its back 1~t pig~_~ ~oiJA~ ba&~~eT Anderson was hired ~o Nat ~7all, (colorcd) farmer and blacksmith, then to Joshua ~Jall, white planter of 1Jan Valley northeast of town a few miles. VIhite men would ~et contracts to have the mail carried to various towns ~nd Anderson Scales was hired by one of these contractors to carry the mail from Madison to Lt. Airy, fifty miles distant in north V west S&rry County. He would go by horse and sulky (sulky) on tonday, return on Jednesday; go on Thurs~ day re turn on Saturday . This was in the late 1870 s and 1880 s. During the tobacco season he worked in factories in Winston (no Saleni then) and Greensboro, Then he worked in Nat Scales fac tory in Madis on and in that of his former Marster, William Scales. He married Cora Dalton and started his home a mile up

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3 238 the Ayresville road from town. . The railroads having corne with the conse~ q~uent transporting of freight to andfro, Anderson started a public dr ~ring business of one horse and a wagon, which lasted thirty eight years and was given ~ ~ to his son-.~in-~law, Arthur Cable who no~ in 1937, has an auto truck and hauls large paper boxes from the Gern Dandy Suspender and Garter Company lo~ cated across Franklin Street fr~rn Anderson s house boy home, that of James Cardwell, to the post office. From t1it~ freight .tr .in depot, Arthu. hauls merchandise also in gaper cartons to the feed stores which do not own an auto truck of their own, and he hauls to the garter factory a few two by three foot wooden boxes loaded with metal fillings for the suspenders. This is a complete contrast to the loads Itdrayedtt by An derson through the 1880 s, 18~Qts and the 1900 s to about 1915 when the automobile began to change the world of tr~isportation, and Andersonts one horse wagon dray bus me ss along with it . WFor thirty-e ight years Anderson met every train to capture the trunks of visitors or ~drummer& in town. Two immense hog heads packed with leaf tobacco was sold on the floors of Webster s ware house and Planterst warehouse. Two ~ stacks of tobac Co baskets loaded with the bundles of leaf, Anderson, five feee high, and his lean horse could tray frein the sales floors to the packing houses r

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4 where the ~tobacco was packed and pressed into the hogs-S heads or else stored for removal at a greater profite One such packing house was converted into the Gem Dandy Garter Factory about 1915~, and today three of the ori-~ ginal five remain.~ One or two are still used for to-~ bacco packing, though the season of 1936~1937 marked~ the hauling of immense loads of tobacco direct from. the sales floors to the Winston~Sa1em buyers . One pack house is used as a fertiliaer sales house~ One loaded to the roof comb with heavily insured tobacco was mysteriously burned during the ~ )rld War where such insurance collections were the .fashionl Thus Andersont s dray bus me s s d*indled . Any kind of haui-~ ing he could get done, and his horses,as they died from strenuous work,would be replaced by others who in no time learned the meaning of Andersonts qonstant pulls on their reins and his constant and meaningful clucks. With no swivel features to his wagon, Ander-~ son could nevertheless work the horse and wagon into any kind of close position for leading and unloading. He always said the baggage of the wx~iter was the heaviest he carried. This: was so becau8e of books packed in the trunk or in boxes and twenty.~five cents a pi ec e was the fare ~ 239

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5 240 . Anderson s wife and children at home w ~re making the acre homestead pay with cow, pigs, chickens ~and vegetables quickly grown on soil enriched from his dray horse stable as well as the cow stable: ttsnapatt, tomato es Irish potato roasting ears hutterbe ans, squash in the sunirner, in the spring mustard and onions; in the winter YtsalleVt from the seven topft ~d turn&ps, too Fruit trees planted in time gave fruit for eating, canning and tpursurvingt while. all the little darkies knew where wild strawberries, crab apples and black berries grew for the picking. ~Iith ~ ~ommuh taking in white folks washing ~id the dray horse money coming in, Anderson Scales prospered in Madison where he start~ ed from zero scratch. He had money in the bank. lJu ~w~ Anderson said after tt~end~fl he learned to read and write at a negro free school taught by Matilda Phillips. V~ith his wife, Cora Dalton, sister of Sa~ Dalton, Anderson joined the African Methodist Church fifty years ago. This was located just across the street from the home of his former employer, Nat Wall until 1925 when it was abandoned with its parsonage and a new brick church built on the Mayodan road with stained glass memorial windows, electric lights, piano, well finished interior, and christened St. Stephen s Methodist Episcopal Church. The omission of the word South emphasized the fact that the members consider-.~

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6 eU it a northern Methodist church as weil as African. 3:2-1 this church, ~derson was exhorter, trustee and class leader. In then religious ca~cities, his edu-~ C ation by the colored teacher Matilda Phillips was a great help to him. . Anderson s second wife was Dinah Strong who had no children. She died December, l9~3 frow a goiter on her thr at. For ten years or more Anderson has operated a grocery store in the corner of the Mayodan and the Ayresville roads. Custome~rs come rn e at night, so Anderson has time in the day to work his garden patches of onions, snaps and the like and. to stop and rest on the porch of the small store house. Clad in good dark clothes, a low crowned derby hat, he often snoozes as he rests his e ighty-~two year old frame. Anderson and many of his children were dis-~ tinguished by their very large round eyes with much white showing. One of his sons inherited the blac~iess of his skin. This was ttLittle Anderson who once sought a warrant from a local justice to punish ~y trial some boy at the tobacco warehouse who had remarked thus: Boy, charcoal would leave a light mark on your skjnp

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7 242 Anderson s son, ~Ji11 Scales, was the first husband of Bertha who had to nurse him through the t~rible spells he would have from liquor de xwchery. ~:;Til1 was the servant of the Nat Picket family and. onc e Lirs . Picke tt herse 1f went down to the jr home and nur s ed Wi 11 through one o f hi s te rrib le crainping \~ spells . After ~v il1 Scale s death Bertha married Cleve Booker, plumber, ex-World Iar veteran and of surpassing~good nature from Washington, Georgia. Their oldest son they named Chilicothe Ohio, be caus e at that city, Oleve was in war camp and iiiet ~ertha who had gone there to go out in service. Some of anderson Scales other children still live in Madison in homes marked by good construction, clean well furnished interior, artistic surroundings. ~iartha married Arthur Cable who also holds an honored place in the church. One daughter married Odell Dyson. Fannie Sue married Thompson. Walter married Morris Carter s dau1~hter. He died in early 1937 of pneumonia in ~iest Virginia. So his widow went to help take care of Pap Anderson . Nancy Scales married ~1er Wil1i~ Wells. When told th t the pioneer graveyard of the Scaleses which is a mile or so west of his store was a thick tangle of growth andsmno atones to the once Wealthy

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8 243 tobacco manufacturer, William Scales Unka Anderson ~xEa x exclaimed Ik;iay 19, 1937: You don t mean to tell me my oie L~1arse ain t got no tombstone to his gravet . A merchant s wife stated that about 1930, Anderson had more ready cash in the bank of Madison than any white man in town, but Uncle Anderson disclaimed this. But the Depression of 193O~1934 did not in.~ jure this energetic black man who started in a ttqu~~ ters cabin a mile or so west of his )resent home and~ store, lived all his life in Madison and faces the Tione clear ca1i~ with comfortable snoozes on his own front porch. Respected by white and colored,Anderson Scales, 82, has guided his~ life by the gospel preached by his pastor, also an ex~slave, William Scales of Madison. ~r

Biography of ex-slave Catherine Scales. 248 244

32O19~ By Miss Nancy Watkins . Madison, North Carolina Rockingham County ~QGRAPHYQF EX~$LAV~ QATHER~NE SQ L~ About ten years o Id at the ~ Srenduh now quite feeble, but aristocratic in her black dress, white apr n and small sailor hat made of blae~ taffeta s ilk with a milliner ~ s fo Id around the edge Aunt Cathe rine .18 small, intensely black with finely cut features and thin lip. Her hand is finely mo~.ed, fingers long and p Her vo ice i s soft and ~o is e marks her personality. Saille Martin, a ginger cake colored woman s ixty-f ive has lived as a kind of care taker with Aunt Catherine since 1934 and thereby gets her own roof and refreshment. For Aunt Catherine has gotten ~treliefW from the county welfare chief, Mrs. Joim Lee Wilson, and Jeff Scales, seven~y, brings Salue to the t! relief dispensary in his two horse wagon for the apples or onions or grape fruits or prunes with dried bena, nii:Lk, canned beef or potatoes as the stores yield. A white horse and a brown mule comprise the team, and several dogs trot along side. Sally also small and frail looking sits in a chair planted in the flat wagon bed behind the it seat a plank resting on the ~: sides. Jeff drives close to the door, aligiit~ and helps Salue step on to the back of the bed, thence to a chair he has placed, ~then to the ground, just as &~

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-2- 245 polite whites d~id to their women folks after the war ehen they would r ide to town or to church or to picnic s, in wagons in order to carry the family, the servants~, the dinner, horse feed, water bucket, chairs, cushions. SalUe gets in line presents Aunt Katherine s card which she has gotten by mail, hears the dispensing lady call to the helping men what Aunt Catherine is to have, and struggles to the door with it where Jeff meets her, transfers the load to his wagon bed. Then with his hands he steadies Saille as she mounts the chair, then the back of the wagon b~d, over the side with voluminous long skirts, and ola fashioned ruffled su boxmet.~ Off to the hilly north part of Madison called Freetown, Jeffts expertly guides his team through automobile traffi. During the worst of the depre ssion Aunt Saille said she kept her coal reserve in a tub up stairs so nobody could steal it. Aunt Katherine strengthened by her relief food can talk coxnfortahl~.~. ~r ttI shure did love my white fokes - 01e Marse, Timberlikk (Tizuberlake ) an 01e Miss Mary Timberlikk. My mother, Lucy Ann Timberlikk bough their portraits at the saie of the o Id Timberlake things and kepp them an brought them with her to Madison, when we moved up here . an kepp them until mummy was in her last sickne sa, an! two Qf Oie Misses daughters caine over from Greens

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boro, ant begged, - an niarnrny sold the pictures to them for a quarter a piece. I still have 01e Misses mother s dish though . I ye go~ in pacled away in a safe place. I ll get it and show it to you~ It is a large flat platter of the ware called iron ware and was generally used to serve fried ham arid eggs while the gravy came in a small deep dish. In s~znrner, a heap of snaps greasy with middling meat slashed and boiled down dry with Irish potatoes around the edgecame to table in the platter. The keeper of the Timber ice oil portraits was Lucy, slave of Nat Scales, and Lucy s husband was Nathan Scales. Slave Nat Scales (named forMarse Nat) had married a black woman who came 1~across the wa~ertt, Sallis Green who become by purchase Saille Scales. Thus Aunt Katherine recalls her grandmother as one who It~~jfl over the waterwith a white 1ady ~. The purchaser Mrs. Scales was from the LeSeur family. Her father was clerk of the Rockingham county court as early as and kept the session records of his Presbyterian church in a fine neat script. . UThe LeSeurs had as big a house as the Scales house at Deep Springs. I ve stayed many a nite in it. lt was next to 01e Marse Jimmie Scaleses. Jobn Durham Scales, Marse Jimmy s grandson lived and died in it his grandmother s house the ..o~d L~e SeUr place ten miles down the Dan river towards Leakaville Miss

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s-4-. 24~# Mary Le Seur married i~ars e Gus Tin iberlikk an was the grandmother of William Tirnberlake Lipseomb who used to come up to Madison arid go to Dr. Schuck s Beulah Academy j ust after the Srenduh . Wh en Marse Billy a get lonesome, he d go down to Spring Garden and dance with the Scales girls. 01e Marse Le..;Seurts wife was Miss Lizzie Scales Marse Jimmie s. ~ Nonie, us slaves didn t have no chuch. Marse Nat Scales ud let his slaves go to the babtizings. I could hoe. but I didn t do much clean up work. I spun on a great big wheel that WE t ms-m-.m-~rn-.m. I wish I had a big wheel to spin on right now. My mammy, Lucy Ann, could weave. She sho loved her white fokes. Cullud fokes didn t have much sence den. She would take cow hair and. kyard and spin it with a little cottin in (to and then she d weave cloth out of it. ttAn how they made their shoes den: My father would cut shoes out of the raw cowhide and put them on bottoms (soles) he cut out ixst wood. An he couldn t run in ~ them as-tall, just had to stomp along~ An day didin t~t put on shoe till nearly Christmas. Schooling . . .~ Aunt Katherine said she tlea.~ined her letterst in a school fuh cullud fokes only taught by Mr. ~ Allen just acter the Srenduh close to the old Tixnber-~ lake plac . Mr. Sara was the s~n of ~ttr.~Val (entine)

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-5- 248 Allen au Miss Betsy ~Lartin (she was the granddaughter of Governor Martin) ~Sometinies Miss Bet~ytd git worried with little nigguh rolling roun on de floor thub hader under her feet, an she d say: ttGway~ GwayU Gway fum hyuh~ Gway tub Pain1icc~ An. the little nigguhs d say: AMiss Betsy, whahta~Pamp1icoV ~Nine miles tother sede o heliX Yesin Mr. Sam Allen learn t me my lett rs. He was crippled. He married a Grogan, an two Allen girls married Grogans one L~ary I ~r ~ Val s father was William Allen. .. I went to Mr Vaul Allen s fimeral an he was . buried on his fatherts oie place an ~:iss Betsy too. . ~How de cullud fokes did hate to be sold down south in de cotton country! One time oie Marse j imtny Sc ales wuz go se 11 uh hunduhd down south and he died, an all de cullud fokes wuz glad he died. dause he ~iiz go sell um, an oftuh he died, day didxi!t haiftuh be sold way furn home. One slave woman wiiz so id way funi home ~ ~ had three . chiliun and daze s ix an e ight an ten yuhs ole. She sa~ a song juss f0 day tuh hub off. She put her t1ix~ hiidren between her knees.. She sung, ~Lo rd., Be ~ U~.! ~ ~ .

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Uj~7 do. - me sol - re do sol te - sol me do do - sol Remernbuh::nie Remembuh me Oh Lord G -6 fa me sol-do remembuh-~ rue This was sung full of quavers and pathos, and entreaty. ttDen she criedl An dey t k huh off, and de chillun never saw her no more ~ Aftuh I learned my lettuhs at Marse Sam Allens school, I learned a Bible verse ebry day an if I want bixxy lEd learn ah half uh chaptuh. I read some newspapers, and some story books de Miss Mary Timberlikk give us chillun to read ~i look ovuh. I learned to write in a copy book, ~ 18d write stories about Christ, and several different stories. I filled a great big copy book with practice. I learned the most, thot, from Vtebstuh s Weekly in Reidsville. We too ~ that papuh gem on five yuhs. I read evrything in it. ~Nome, I didn~t know Miss Irene MeGehiet. Uflole Jobn R. Webster made that paper. it sure wu~ a good papers ~ My daddy wuz. ~arse ~1a~t s slave an Porter Scales ~ wuz his slave too OLe Marse Jimmie Scale s Sons W~8 ~at Pitcher and Jobn Durham, arid Jobx~ Durham. 249

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I-7-, went to wah.1 He took Richmond Scales 1on~ wiff him. to wait on himt Cook fUh himL Make his pallet L Clean his clothes! Rub down his horsel Marse John Durumtd sleep with Ricbniond in de wintub to keep him warm. Riclniondtd carry hint watub in his canteen dur~ ing a battle. Marse John Durum had on a ring that wuz carved and he tole Richmond take a good look at this ring ~sose he d know him by it, if he didntt kum up aftuh a battle. Richmond ud hole onto his hawse s tail, an go wif him fuhs he could fo a battle. ttYestm I inatd, Ricbmond ~E ales when he wuz a widower an had a boy named Jeff. I never had no chillun. Jeff s (70) seventy now, an lives right ovuh cross de street dere in the other hous the Vadens built sixty years ago. I live in one, too.~~ Aunt Katherine s house has a front room with stairway in the corner leading to one above. A back door leads to a side porch flanked by a two roomed 11, and ended by a pantry. Chimneys with fireplaces once gave heat but e conorny had put in Aunt Katherine s tiny stove which she a lump at a time in the winters of de~ pression and relief 1932 1937. A b ig fat c le an - doub le bed bure au wash stand t e entuh t table chairs and the stairway con~ stuned the living room floor space. Nornel I joined de chuch after a big meet~ in held by preacher Richard Walker about 1907. I

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25j, joined the Methodist Chuch an I have always loved to go tuh chuch. This street goes on and goes into the Mayodan road at our new brick (1925) Methodist Chuch. Riebrx1ond Scales, my husband died long ago; my niother, about four years ago . She was ~rery oldZ I wanted to move to Reids.ville when we leff de oie plantation whab we could get more wok (waiting) waten on wimmen (ob-.~ stetries) but the men fokes had kin fokes up~hyuh, an we keem hyuh. . tt I ~riow whah de oie Sharp graveyard tbout two mues funi (east) Madison close to Mist Tun.nuh (Turner) Peay~s; cause lots uh cullud fokes ~uried there an I went to the funerals I could go straight tuh it . --ooOoo~

Story of ex-slave, Porter Scales. 256 252

32O16~ . .. \~1 \3\\ ~ By Miss N~t1CY Watkins yo lunteer Madison, North Carolina . . Stoz~ ~Q ~ Ex-S1av~ PorterSeale a Monday, December 19, 1923, the faithful co1or~ ed friends of Uncle Porter Scales transporte~1 his body from St. Stephen s African Methodist i~piscopa1 Church located on the Madison-Mayodan highway to a plantation grave yard several miles east of town, along roads slippery with sleet. He was uried by the side of his first wife on the 130 acre farm which Uncle Porter said he bought from Mr. Ellick Liewellyn to raise his family on and which he later swapped to Mr.~ Bob Cardwell for a town house in Pocomo (Kenioca, a suburb from first syllables of promo t names (Kemp Moore Cardwell Kemoca). In this town house, Un~1e Porter passed away aged he thought ninety seven. For a number of years, he had drawn a pension of $100.00 per year for his services to the Confederate govern ment in hauling foodstuff from Charlotte, North Caro.~ ilna to Danville, Virginia. ~ a $lo$re ~ o ~ Nat Pitcher Scales residing in the . ~ ~ . brick mansion on Academy Street across from the .Metho dist c~h~irch, Porter came to Madison when ten years of a~ge and h~s memory he Id the ~ deve lopnient o f Ma4ison ~

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a 253 from the erection of the churches aroaiad 1845 to de-. tails like seeing little Bettie Carter (Mrs. g. Watkin s Mebane) cry from stage fr~ight and pass. up her piece at scho o I exhibition ( commencement) . He saw Madison grow from a tiny trading village with aristocratic slave holding citizens with q~uarters t on their town lots to a town of 1500 with automobiles clipping by to Mayodan, a mill town of 2000, and a thickly populate&though un~ inc orporated country s ide . In 1930 IJuc le Porter was struc~c by an automobile, and since hepoked his way about town cautiously with his cane ~ no longer working as hanLl ~ to Thomas R. Pratt s family on the corner of Academy and Market streets. His slavery home was in a two roomed (with loft) cabin next door to the house Mr. Pratt built in 1890 when he moved to Madison from Leaksville. This cabin Col. Gallaway in the 1890t8 had enlarged to house the Episco~J rector, Mr. Stickney. Uncle Porter s slave home stands in 1937 occupied by Mr ~ Pratt s daughter, Mrs. Pearl Van i~Topp.en and. sons. Uncle Porter was ever very polite and humble, for all his contacts he thought had always been with the highest of Dan ~ river aristo cracy . His medium, lean body, with a head like Julius Caesar s was cover~ ed with skin of ginger cake color . On the Deep Springs Dan RIver plantation lived

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~:: Mrs Tirnb erlake who s e daughter married i~rr Le Seur from an ad,joining plantation just across the Dan river from Goy. Alexander Martin s Danbury plantation. She in time married ivir. Scales, and as property of this lady, Porter was born of legally married parents . Porter s brother, Nathan Scales, was given by his mistress to her daughter, when she married another Le Seur, and thus he became Nathan Le Seur. Both brothers have descendants in Madison of a high typeof citizenship. Porter, himself was given the choice by his oie Miss of belonging to hither of her two sons John Durham Scale s o~ Nathan lei Pitcher Scales. Porter chose 1~t Scales as his young marse and come to Madison to live with him about 1845. By obeying orders from his marse Nat Pitch~r Scales, Porter operated a train of fifteen wagons loaded with corn for the Confederate cavalry from Charlotte North Caro lina to Danville Virginia . Thus a Confederate soldier, he in his old age received a pension. Porter said he got lots of practice~ in managing feed wa~1s~ L (S waggoning in Georgia for his marster betwe n the two cities, Augusta and Wadesboro. His master, he said, traded his services to ~tDan River Jim Scales who bosse& the ~ teams betwe en Augusta~ and Wade s boro . ~ which were owned by John Durham Scales ~d Dazi Ri~r Jim Scales. Thes~e wagons also carried corn. Nat Pit- ~ cher, Portex ~s choiee, operated a store at

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4 Wadesboro, Georgia. Uncle Porter s ~ waggoning in Ge o rgia shows Madison s c~onnection with the far south not only through the Scales family but through other families. S But the great honor o ~ a tobacco country slave was that of beinj sold 0do~ south to the cotton coun~ try.tt ~ So after the war, Porter Scales came back to the Dan river in Rockinghaxn county~, and bought his 130 acres farm from Mr. Alex Liewellyn. He liked to recount his matrimonial matters except those of his second wife who married him for a rich nigger widower, and spent his hard won dollars freely for lace curtains and such to adorn the town house in ~~Pocoraot~ and finally forced him out of the utown* house into the woodhouse in the yard where he lived some years, dying there. His church friends took charge of his body and kept it until put away by the side of his first wife. She, Martha Foy, he said in 1932 to me, was bought by Dr. Ben Foy of Madison from Wheeler Hancock of V1ent-~ roth. Six of their children are living near Madison and in West Virginia, Stephen and~Lindsay Scales at the. old place down at D ep springs. He told of ~going tuh se&~ the attractive Betsy Ami, house girl slave of Mrs. Nancy Watkins Webster ~ but was L~ cut out%t by No&i Black. Aunt

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25G Betsy Ann Black is remembered:as being the superlative obstetrical nurse in homes of the rich about Madison, and was designated by them as being a ttladyU if ever there was a negro lady. She was never dressed except in cotton checksttb ~ Being cut outit thus, Porter cited as evidence of his aristocratic association: for one of Aunt Bet~sy s son became a Methodist preacher, and two of her grandaughters teachers in the public schools of North Carolina. . . ~ Porter told of the white school teacher, Professor Se eker who taught in the Do 11 academy Madison s old Itfernale academy which still standb (remodeled since 1900 into a dwelling) on Murphy Street at the 60 foot deep well in the streets b~ the old Dr. Robert Gallwway house (standing still in 1937) just south of John H. Moore s five acre homeplace. Professor Seeker, he said left Madison and went ~i up on Baughn~s Mountain to teach a~xiong the Baugbns, Lewises and Higgies and Bibaons, pioneer families of that area. On that May 2, 1932 in his Kemoca yard, Uncle Porter recited the poem which little Bettie Carter forgot in stage frtight at Professor Seekerts ~ex.hibition9 before ProfessOr Jacob Do 11 ever started hi s ~ female scho o l~ ~ All these pupils were pay .nschoiarst~. The free school for Madi3on, the ~old field school-i house* was way down the hill from the old Dr. SX ith 5

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6 257 1~ouse a iear Beaver Island Creek. Only white folks inti~ mate with itch, head lice and long standing poverty then sent their children to the rifree oie feel schoo1..~ houseti. Porter said as a laborer he helped build a big tobacc o factory at Dr . Smith s. old place . By 1880, this -factory had been purchased by Madison negroes as community and fraternal ttHallit for assemblies . It served thus to 1925 when it wars abandoned, and in 1936, it was torn down, the last of the several large plug tobacco factories operated in I~Iadi~n 1845-1875 by the Scales, Daitons and Hays. Porter could name and designate vocationally Madison s early white residents, and others, too, whom. his Marse Nat Scales visited. His story of some Civil ~Tar refugees led to how their slave girl, Rose, acquired a small fann two miles east of town held to this day (1937) by her descendants, the Ned Collins family of Madison. Rose acquired the farm by Kindness to its owners, who willed it to her. Forced to live in cellars in Petersburg, Virginia, (Mrs . A. R Ho Iderby William Ho iderby Mis s Fannie Holderby, I~Irs. Aiken) because of bombording Federal shells 1864 caine to Madison afflicted with tuberculosis. Their slave girl was Rose. The whites died except a son, who became a Presbyterian minister. The whites were buried on a hill just north of the pioneer Joel

262 258

7 258 Cardwell home (1937 Siegfired Smithst). Rose was xiiarned to Uncle Henry Collins, and they lived on the place of Mrs. Louise V hitworth and Scylla Bai1ey.~ These white women willed their tiny farm to Rose Collins be-k cause of her kindness to them in their old. age. ir

William Scott. Ex-slave story. 263 259

. Subj e ct~~!iLI~i&M1~S OTT Story Teller ~iilim.~ ~ tt ~ d ~ ~- 259 N.C. District~~Np. 2 Worker: T Pat Matthews. No Words : ~ J~~2? ~ - - l,,~ :~~U1 ~+t)

264 260

82Ot4C) . 260. VIILL.IAM SCOTT E~- Slave Story S 401 church St., 7 years old. 1My name is WilUain Scott. I live at 40 : Church Street, Raleigh, North Carolina. I wu~z born 1860, March 31st. ~ ~ I wuz free born. My father wuz William Scott. I wuz named after my father. My mother ~wu~ Cynthia Scott. She wuz a Scott before she wu~ married to my fathe ~ She .wuz born free.. As far back as I e an le am on my mother s s ide they were always free. My mothe r arid fathe r always t old me niy grandfather wuz born o f a white woman . My grandfather wuz named Elisha Scott. I bave forgot her name. If I heard. her name called I ha~re forgot it. ~r grandfather o~ my motherts side wuz a Waverly. i: can t t ll you all about dese white folks, but some of em, when they died, left their property to ~U~attoes, or half breed children, and several of them are living in this comrnwiity now. I caii~ tell you exactly where they are and where they got their property. . S me of them ar over half White. They were by a Negi o woman who iz iu1~to and awhite man. Bey air so nearwhite you cat~ tt i1 them front white fol3cs. fl~is condition has ~ ~ ~exiate~ ~ 1o~g ago as I bave any ~reco11ectioz~, ai~d ~ till

265 261

2. 261 exists, but there are not a~ many children according to the relations as u.sed. to be. Free Negroes were not allowed to go on the plantations much. Now y~u see my father wuz a frei man. We lived right here in town. My father wuz a ditcher and slave gitter. One night the man. he. worked for got u~ a crowd and come to ~whup him and tale his money away from him.. He had. paid. father off that d ay . Dat night dey e orne an got him an b1indfold~~ hirn. 11e moved the blindfold from over his eyea and. run. an got away froni ~fl:. He never d id go back ~ o more to the man he had b een workiri for. I ~xz a little boy, but I heard. pappy tell it. Dat wuz tereckly after de surrender. Papp~ saw the man he had been workin for when he s lipped thea blindfold off his face, and he knowed. him. ~ RI Witz a boy when the Yankees came to Raleigh. They carne in on the Fayetteville Road. They stopped and quartered at the e dge o f the town I r em~emb er they had a guardhouse to put the Yankees in who disobeyed. Later on they came in. from the eaL~t and quartered at the old Soldiers Rome right in there, but not in the buildings. There were no houses there when the Yarike es came . They bad soma hous es there. They built t em . They s tayed the re a . good while unti 1 all the Yankees left. When the Yankees first came in they camped j over near Dix Hill, when th ey e orne into town y hars~ly ~ knew where they come from. They w~ jist like blue birds. ~ They jist covered the face of the earth. They came to our ~

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3. house and took our sumpin to eat. Yes sir, they took ~.ur sumpin to eat from us Negroes. Liy daddy didn t like deir takin our rations so he went t o d e offic er and tole him what his men had done, and the officers had sarnpint to eat sent over there. tt ~y mammy cooked eorne fur de officers too.~ Dey had a lot of crackers. Dey called ~ ~ tack. The officers brou~ht a lot of em over dere. We lived near the Confederate trenche s j ist below the Fayetteville Cros sin on Fayetteville Street. The breastworks were right near r house. ni know when the colored men fax~ned on share craps, dey were given jist enough to live on~ ~.nd when a white man worked a mule until he ~iz worn out he would sell him to de Co br ed man 1) e C olored man wou Id s orne time buy im a old buggy; den he wuz called rich. People went to church den on steer carts, that is colored folks, most uv em. De only man I wurked for along den who wud gib me biscuit through de week WUZ a man named June Goodwin. The others would give us bj~~ujt on Sunda~,rs, and I made up fly mind den when I got to be a man to eat jist as m~iy biscuits as I wanted; and I have done j Ist dat. ~My mammy used to hire rae out to de white folks. I worked and made jist enough to eat and hardly enou~h clothes . to wear to church until I wuz a man. I worked many a ~y and had only one herrin and a piece of bread for dinner. You

267 263

4. 263 know wimt a heim fish i s? t Twon t becas e I throwed. my money away, twas cause we didn t g t it, nuther to save up. When we farmed share crap dey to ok all we madle In de fall we would have to split cord wood to live through de winter. I will tell you now how I got my start off now, I am going t o use d is man s name .. I went to work for ~a man. naine George Whitaker. I drive a wagon for h.ni. Re lowed ~ie all de waste wo od. for my o wn us e This wu z wood dat would not sell good on de market I hauled it over home. I wo.~4 for him till he died, en his wife lowed. me a little 8ide e rap I maie thi s crap to ok de mon ey I. go t f or it and built a little storeThouse. I disremember how long I worked er Mist H~r~iah Whitaker. Den I quit woit for her and went to work for myself. I owns dat little store~)iouse ylt, de one I worked wid Mia~ Hannah Whitaker, en from dat I bought me a nudder home. ~When de Yankees come t o Raie igh dere wuz a building de~ cal le d de Goy ernor s Palac e I t s tood whur de Auditorium n w s tands . Right back o where de Co urthous e now stands ~uz a jail and a gallows ~ a whuppin poe all dere together. I know when. dey built de Penitentiary dey 1~uled poles from JOh~~t~~ County. Dey called dem Johnston County poles. Dey hauled: em in on trains. Dis post office wuz not built den. ~De po~ office den wuz built of plank set up a& ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~.

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5. 264 itI remember seeing a man hung down at de jail. His name v~1Z MIllS. He wuz a white man. When he got on de scaffold he said, ~t you gwine to do to me do it quick and be done wid it . I think Abra1~am Lincoln done the colored man a heap of good. If it hadn t been for Mr. Roosevelt there are inatiy livin today who would. bave parished to death. There are plenty of people walkin about flOW: who would have been dead. if Mr. Roosevelt had not helped them. The only chance .1 had to hold my home wuz a chance given me thro~ gh hirn. At my age, I cannot make much at work, bu~through things he helped me and I i s holding my own ~

Tiney Shaw. Ex-slave of Wake County, 76. 269 265

Subj ectTiney ~haw, Ex-S3~ave of Wake Count~ ?~. Story T e il r jT~ii~y S~ia* ~ . . ~ ~ 3..2Q.iSi 265 I~. C. District No. 2 ~1orker Mary A. Hicks l~o. Words 607 Editor Daisy Bai1e~ Waitt ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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32O19~ 266 TINEY SHAW Ex-Slave of V ake County, 76. ItMy papa wuz a free nigger, case he ~uz de son of de master who wuz nanel l~iedLin. When a chile wuz borned ter a slave woriisn an~ its pappy wuz de boss dat nigger wuz free from birth. I know dat de family wuz livin on j~j5T Susy Page1s place dunn de war an we wuz jist ak slaves alido we wuz said to be ~ee. den. 9vly pappy wuz named Madison ~ediin, maybe for de~ president, an ~ ~ wuz a pretty, slim browri~skirined gal when I could remember. Dey said dat she wuz nan~ed fer Betsy Ross. I bad four brothers, Ailison, ~i11iarn, Jeems and John an five sisters named Cynthy Ann, Nancy, ~4a1ly, Caroline an Molly. t~We byard a heap tbout de war, but de white folkses didn t want us to know bout it. Nost of de white ~thiunens had t er live by d e re s e Ive s dun d e time d at de men fo iks e s wuz away at de war, but de niggers in our neighborhood stuck ter de lriissus an~ dar ain t no niggers from other plantations come dar ter insult em nothe r. Iti tmembers dat it ~z in April when de Yankees come ~ I hyard. Mist Susy 1 case she wuz a widder tornan; an her crops wuz jist Started ter be pi&~teI.

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2. She knowed dat she wuz ruint, I reckon. Me ai:! my mammy wuz sittin by de fireplace when de Yankees come. I crawled under de wash bench but de Yankee officer drug nie out ant he sez, 1Q0 fetch me a dozen aigs, an I wants a dozen now, mind yo .~ (I looked till I found twelve aigs ail~ I started ter de house wid em, but beint so excited I drapped one uv dem an cracked it. I wuz sceered~ stiff now sho nuff, ant runned inter de back do an crawled under de bed. De officer seed. me o~ ~ ~ie cracks his whup . ~ ~T ~ me corne out den he aez, Nigger Wh&tt S dat out dar I n d at barrel in d e bal ay ttl sez, Lasses sir , an he sez draw me some in dis cup.1 iti draws bout a half a cupful an he sez, tNigger dat ai n t no las s e s ~ an he c racks ~ hi s whup ag i RI den dr ws de cup full as I t could be an he tells me ter drunk it. t I drinks d~at ~vho1e cupful uf l~s s e s ~ ~ fore 11 lemmie lone Den I runs back ter iu~r mw~my. tAtter awhile de Yankee comes back an ~sticks his haid in de dot ~j~t he lows, oie domen, yo lasses am leakin .t ~ Sho nuff it wuz leakin an lad run ~ll down de hail an out in. e yard, but he done pull de stopper out

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3. 26S fer meanness so he could laff at maiiniy when she waded through dat lasses. Dey laffs an ~ laffs while she go steppin down through de. lasses lak a turkey walkin on cockleburs. uDem Yankees d.on a lot of mischief, I knows case I wuz dar. Dey robbed de f iksesant a whole lot of d.arkies what ai& t. uever been whupped by de niaster got a whuppin1 fr m de ~ .. . ttDe Ku laux Klan warn t half as bad. as dem Yanke e robbers what stayed in Ra1ei~h att de .war,robbint plunderin an .burnin U~: eiTert thing . De south had. ter have de Ku KiuxKlan but dey ain t had no need fer de Yankees. tLDe first winter atter de war wu z de worse winter I ever knowe~, an I se tellint yOl dat wuz bad. J~ybe Yol doan think so butnigh tbout ever nigger in de world cussed oie AbrahamLiic in ~twinter.tt 3.N.

John Smith. 273 269

______~ ~ ~ . ~ N. C District ~_ Worker ~ ~ ~ No words . ~ I64~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ J ~ ~ ~ ~ ~! ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ t, 249 ~ibject ~ ~p11H ~tor~ ~1er ~ Editor ~ ~ox~e~e~ ~ ..~: ~ ~ y Li/

274 270

BSBI w~t~ ~* ptreqsnij ~~scq:j ~ ~ . prep ZtIM ~zapj~I; ~e:p ~tI1~fl 8~Th s ~ ~ I s4 ~oq w~a m~t~ UttO~? * TIB )ItX~ p~tLr~tI zrt& tttrt~qo s~ q~~~pas uxe-ca ~a~s4rE~ 19~qe~y o~ eur p~xxeo e~zoo~. ~ eou~w~uo3 ~ ~ ~ ap q~iom ep e.~xep ~ ~ ~ ei zn~ e~ ~wueqi~~ UT t~ttTt 3 ~ ~OO~J~!i ~~IX~I c;~. ~AETS H ~ ~ ~ ~. Sn ~ ett ~ ~ ZtL& ~tU~tI S~ t~ ~tt~ ~S~A~ S ~fl ~ ~e tXOJ . P~~t1~ Odds znw~ ~p u~ap~re~ ap us e~r~2 ep u~j~ . eouetutttoo r~& ~p r~ei~~ ep pe~p eq P~TP ~ Lu ~xa~ ~t~PV~ETt ~t ~ ~T s~ ~ie~.s,x~ur ~i~ p~tiw ~ ~xe~ ~oq I e pu ~ ~re2 ~ tmmz~ pOO~M4J~~H ~I~SJ~1J~ ~q txnTut~o O~~4 w~: ~ ~ . pt qst~ L:te~2ru ~ p~et~ o~t~ eq~ tr~tuo ~ ~xa ~2px i~ pet~ e ~ ~nq ( . peTtIJ:~w ~xeqqau tr~ws poo~&~ ~ ~ wp~ p~qqrt~ eM pu~ Sn peqqn~ ~q sn o4~ r~ ~ puno ~z etao~ p~no~ et~ ~z~2Z~u Sn Tt~ O~!. ~OO~ Iflh~ Q~ pe~s ~zaqqa i: ueiu 4~q ~ap qo euo ZtIM ~tj ~tfl~ ~ POOM~~H ~ . ~W~U ~ ~ J~J~I A~r~ \ C.pro s1x~a~~ 9Oi~ ~T I ~).~TU ~ TIE J~p ~ UT ~ttflO O ~.OU ~ p~O sxee~ 9~ ~tt2Tu ~ Lfl~ iV~p ~ uT~:Lmoo ST 4 uofl~tra td ~ ~ ~xe~x~m ~ui uo e ~xap wx~q 411E pe~iq ZflM. ~ 9~Ie p ~t 1: ep u~ 4treT P Pat.IAW Je~t~9iU ~ ST ~1otI ~odep ap ~ ~reeu ~q$~z u~zoq zw& j ~ioti STT-1: u~ ~:I.t~:p: tITS S~2~ a$not~ s~ ~I9~~ZEU iVtU ~ ~q2~ ~x ~ 4T.I~U~ ~ petLzoq Zt1~ ~ U~ ~9W~U .&1JI ~ T~t~ tIt~Of~ LE~6t 01 A~W S~9t~~I~ ~d L A~q P9~~eTA1~UI e o i~ t~ ~t~i 9W0H J~UflO~y 9)~ eT~ tr O4~9j~ E ~ tfl. ~W~ tflIOf :EI3~iws ~HO~ : . .

275 271

271k~ Mary moved off, but I staid wid de boys~ tiMy motherts name wuz~ Rose Smith, my fatherts name wUZ Powell. lie died at Wilmington, N. C. when dey wuz di~ gin de trenches raunt de fort dere ~iurin de war, M~ mother died in Greene Co. Alabama, at a place called Smithfield. My father belonged to Mack Powell. I made no money before or after de war I worked in Alabama urat il de war e lose. UI seed millions of Yankees, just like bees. ~then ~ de war e lose I went wid ~ em I did not work enny for a ~. year. I wuz so glad when de war ended, and dey tole me I ~. wuz fr e e . did not know what to do . I w it wid de Yankees, ~ dey wuz i~inci to us. Dey said dey wuz shore glad to see us. ~ Dey gib us just what dey wanted us to hab. ~ i~tiring de ware I h~.d COZfl bread wid one piece o~ ~ meat a day. De meal wuz not. sifted. De white folks had ~ sifters mat ..~ e of horse hair but de slaves didn t have no ~ . . sifters. When I carried a dress off to have ~t made on ~ Sunday for ~i~t.1ss during de war, when she could not make it ~ / herself, she gi~mie a bISkit. We called Sunday, Blue Mon~~\%\ day. She ginmie de biskit Air workin on Sunday. Den ~ : ~ got a .bi.skit fur going atter de dress. I got. about t~o ~ biskits a year ~when de wa.v wus going on. ~ I wuz workin to ~\ keepde.seljjers fed, dey got de biskits. ~ ~tTom Bridgers wuz marster s overseer. H had \\ ~ . . ~6O chilltna by niggex s. . ~ ~i~~:r~ode :a )~rse ~ . L when he rent ober de plantation. ~ ~

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a. ~Z2~:~ . ~ ~- ~ De only garne I eber played wuz marbles . I played fer watermelons. We didn t hab eny money so we played ~er watermelons s ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~Th Alabama we got up at 4 o clock and worked to 9 or 10 o clock d~en we had breakfast, en rested t ill 4 o clock. Dat ~iz when ~e weather ~z dry and hot. it wud kil de truck to work it den. When it wuz wet we *ox~ed ~3onger . In North Carolina we worked from sun to sun, but we rested t wo hours atnoon. You hardly ever heard of a man gittin sick. If he did, he had de typhoId den Dr. Seweil at Knightdaie, atter a while called Jedge Sewell, would 3ome en doctor ii:iiii. Old man ~ed~ge Sewefl was buried near St. Augustine School, other sid.e Taz~boro Road. 1~ ~ ~ tir ~i~I have to pay anthing ~ fer going t o Alabama. ~ ~ i wuz carried. ~t ~oore carried nie, he ~niz de gardeen, ~ ~\ but I had to pay to . e on~ back. Dey went atter me and I ~ \~had to work two Years/4o pay it back. Yes, S1r7~ee, two ~ ~ ..) whole y~ar ~ pay fer coming back. I wuz glad to g it back. k: Sometim~s, dey gib u~ a fofe o~ de crap to farm. Some years F \) we dI&i mak~ rauch, when it WI2Z dry. No, we didn niake much. ~ I ?eopie di4n sac~ate tog ther, pore whites free niggers F / slave s and: de s lave owners ~ i~To dey d~Ldn ~oc iate much ~ ~ Defo ~ d:e war, ixit dey d~1d atter de wax dey got to mixin I ~ den. ~ H ~ ) ~ II et rabb~ta, an possuma~ coons an fish. I .~ ~ :~: : . .. ~. ~ : ~ ~ .: ~ . . .. ~ ~ ~ : ~ ~ ~ : ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~~g

277 273

4.. 273 muddied de water ant caught fish. I caught r4bb its, coons, . an ~ pOSSUIT1S. wid d~ogs . Dey fared but middlin pore chanc e wid ~ us. We caught rabbits ~n hoUers an caves; an possums in ~ trees, hut we had a hard time ketchin squfrrels. We niggers ~ had nO guns, SO we had. a hard time ketchin squirrels. ~ et rabbits in suun~ier whin dey had. kits in em We caught ~ all de s e animais wid dogs . ~ 1De white chillun didn work, but de white folks wuz good to me. Yes, SLr-.ree, dey wuz good to me. If dey done anything to me it wua my fault. I beiong d to Elarn Smith s chiliuns B~rank and John ~iani . WI se ed many Yanke es dur Ing de war in Alabama. 7_ When de war ended dey tole rae I wuz~ free. I wuz so glad I { didnt know whut to do. De Yankees tole me I w~~iz free. .\\ went wid rem. I stayed wld ~em.frprnI~tay Ull August. \\ Den I slipped away from ~m. I bad. no clothes, and shoes ) till de Yankees come. Yes, Sir, I went barefooted. Dey 11 gimme clothesand shoes, but I sUpped away from em because \\\ dey v;anted me to do things I d1~n want to do. ~ . \\~ ~~ite folks, if I rnus t~te11 you, I must. I think /cTesussent you to me so I can tell my story. Dey just- ~1 wanted me to f ~age . aroun~ and g.it chickens, coUards . I taters :. en ~ ~an~1.ody~!s. h~g~ ~ 1 .~c~:u1d~ ~git . I d:Ldn haire no .f ~ s1ip~ : ~ :a~1Qes,: UO.jUmex ~ clothes for 40 ~ S . ~years. befo de ~ Y~nkeez cQme, ~.~ but~.I; s1ippe~. away~ ~ I. di~rI! want to do w~iat \ ~ wax~ted me t dO. ~:De pore white folks doue tolerable well but de

278 274

5. r ich slave owners didn . low em to come on der e planttations. Dey didn low free niggers to come on de planttations if dey could help it, but dey couldn hep it. Dey slipped. in dere at night when de marster didn know it. My marster owned three plantations and 300 slaves. i- e started out wid 2 oman slaves and raised 300 slaves. ~ne wuZ called short Peggy, and the udder wuz called long ~.... T~(~y Long Peggy had 25 chillusn. Long Peggy, a black oman, wuz boss ob de plantation. Marster freed her atter . she had 25 chifluns, just think o dat, raisin 300 slaves : wid t~io omans. It sho is de truf do . . . There wuz no jails but dey had whippin pos on de plantations. When a nigger done anything he wuz tied and whupped, dare ain t no scars on my batk, no nary a one. Dere wuz slave auction blocks at Rolesville, en down to Rosinburg, Harpsborough, below Zebulon, next place, Smithfield. . t Wh~te folks didn hep. me to read an write. If I .wuz caught wid a book I had better run ant git in a hole somewhar . Dey didn low me t o hab no thing . to do wid books. . . ~ ttik!r marster preached to us on Sunday. He wuz ~ preacher. ~.. marster pi eached to his slaves. No slaves didn run away frgni my marster He wuz too good. to em. De slaves from ot~er pia es run away do an~!i w~ien dey caught. ~in dey . whupped ~ ~ em too ~ .~.. ...~.. : ~ ~ 274

279 275

6. . ~Yes Si~r, my mat~ster gib us Christm~. S metirnes he gib us two weeks befo we went to work agin Christmas. Licker wuz no rno ten water. Rrandy, de highest price of any of it wuz 40 cts. a gallon. We had a plenty uv licker, but nobody got drunk. Sometimes a white man got drunk en nov,, en den a nigger would git drunk. BAll worked for oi~e an er den. I tea you dis young bunch ain t right, dey don t do right, dey don t work fer one an er. I never married beTh de war . Nobody married on marster ~s plantation but d ey had ornans M~r ~ oman wuz mighty good to me. I sl.ep any~vhar I could befo de war ended, in de shuck pen, cotton seed house, an wentbare-~ footed in slavery days. I married Helen Jones atter de war. I had four chillun by her, 2 gals an 2 boys. One o dem boys is livin now, but I doan know wher he is. I ~ had one child by my oman in slavery ti. My oman died in Gre ene County Alabama. I be en rnarr led twic e . I married another oman naned Amy Gu~pton in Wake County . She had four chillun by me one a boy is. in de navy yard a girl I ~ ~ookIyn, New York, oiie in W ke County, a farmer, an ~ one died. I lub de southern people, but de aebbil got de (j best of~ em; d! !~ ~Q9 I. \.. ~ doan think ~. M~Z~aIiam Lincoln wuz a good man, no sfr~ ee, de debbil got 24m atter he whupped and won all de Ian 11e wanted to g lb it back~ag in. De debbil got (le beat o hin. Re cIidn r ~ long a~tter he wihupped did ~he~t~

John Smith. 280 276

320030 N. C. District ~ Worker T.~j~t1~eV~ No. dords ~ :~ 2~ ;~. Subject ~ Person Interviewed John Smtt i~ Editor __Q&_r~~~-~ ~ -~ ~ .~ ~ ~ . :~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~J: :~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ . ~ ~ . ~ ~ . ~ ~ i~ ~ ~ :-~- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ . ~ ~ ~ .. . .. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ; .1 ~ ~ ~ ~a ~ ~ ~ ~

281 277

320()30 JOHN Si~ITH 10 Pettigrew St.,Raleigh, N. C~ Age 77. tiMy mother was na~ned~har1otte ~3mith and father was named Hichmond Sanders. You know niggers were sold anr traded an~ :~iV efl away just like stock, horses, mules an de. like in slavery time. ~ . tMy mother be1on~ed to ~Thhn Smith and father belonged to .~ichrnond Sanders. I belonged first to tTohn Smith, but was ~ ive away when I was a Ci iIld to Solomon Gardner. John Smith ~ plantation was in Johnston County near Smithfield. ~ Solomon Ga ~dnerTs place was in Wake County. All these people are ~ :~ead ant gone. My uncle, ~en Thomas., died bout one month ~ ago in Johnston County. He was the last of the old gang. ~other and father said we got reasonably good food and,clothes. The houses were sn~aU and poorly furnished but were warm and they got on very well. There was Lbout tw~ty~five. slaves on tiie place and they worked long houri under overseers. ~ ~ The rules were strict about books, goint visiting. a.n~ having rneeting~ of any kind. No ~1ave was allowed to carry c~:un~ or hunt without sdm& white iran with him unless his marster ~ve him a pass. Dey caught rabbits in gums, birds in traps : an hunted possums wid dogs at night. Dere was not much time ~or fishin cept at 1ay~by time ~ndat de Fourth of July. Den

282 278

~:~: ~ slaves an whites sometime Went fishin in de I~euse River to~ether. At Christmas de holidays was give slaves and den c~ey had plenty to eat, shoes)~ etc. ~ Slaves were sold at ~ mithfield on a auction block but ~ lot were carried to iUch iond, Va. and to Fayettevilie, N. C. ~hildren were not made to work tIll dey ::~ot 12 or 14 years old unless it \Jas soi~e ii~ht work around de house, mindin ~ table, fannin fJJes, an pickin up chips to start a i~ire, scratchin inarster s head so ~e cou d sleep in de evenings ~ ~ ~ashin missus feet at nicht fore she rent to bed. Some of. de ~issus had nig~:~r serv~tnts to bathe em, wash dere feet an~ fix dere hair. ~dhen one nigger would wash de missus feet dare would be another slave standin dere wid a towel to th~y tern for her. Son:e ~ dese missus atter de war died poor. :e:~ore dey died dey went from place to i~lace livint on de c~Larity of dere friends. UI was oorn 2nd Sunday in May 1860. 1 remember seeint de Yankees but I know very little tbout ~em. Guess most all dem Yankees are dead now. De ones dat whu~ed an de . ones dat ~got whupped are mos all dead. I lerned to read an write since slavery. I remember de Yankees. Dey give us chilluns hardtack. . De~ had cans on dere backs an guns, blue . clothes ant brass buttons on dere clothes. Dey had covered .~-. ~ ~ ~ : . . ~ . ~ ~ . . . . i~s ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

283 279

*~G~ ~~agons in front an~ dey was walkin . I remember se eine d~m jcIll a hog and take part of de hog an~ carry it off on dere backs. ~tDe only time I saw anything in de slave situation dat ~a~e a big impression on ~ny mind was when L~tarster Thomas tied my Aunt Anne Thomas to a peach tre e and whupped~ her . I W~.11 never for~it how she cried. Another thing I members, n~y UnCle teached me to cuss folks. His namewas Needum Thomas. I can remember fore 1 could walk better than I can rerneither hanpenin~s now. Atter de war my daddy took mother an moved to Dr. Leachts ~ ~ County, next year we went to Mrs. Betsy Jordants plantation in Johnston County. The fourth year atter the war they put me to work. ~e stayed with the Jordans several years then we moved to T~. Thornastwhere my aunt was whu~Ded in slavery time ant de marster dat owned some of o r people in slavery time. ~e stayed there a few years. Th n we moved to John Averyrs near Smithfield. Father bought a place there ant paid for it. . 0Father believed in whuppin like de white folks did. He ~.. cut de blood out of.me~wid a. switch an~ s.carredi~e up an I .: left him. W~en 1 was. twentyd~one, a free mari, I went back ~n . I father ~or every day I was away from lum from de time I VE ~o1dtiUI~as lowedhim

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just debt. Daddy said before he died I had done more for him an de other chilluns. He. whupped me too much but atter all he was my father ant I loved him an paid him all I owed hirn for de time I was away. UI married three times in Raleigh. I married Juliva Smith, she lived one and one ~ ~ ~. We had one child dat lived s 1)~ ~.ays . I have no moe~ a~illuna+ ~ I xnai r ied Mahalda Rand. Ene~lived a year and t~e ~ a~ud the third ari~ last time I married Maggie Taylo~. I lived with her eleven years anar s1~e died. I am single u~w. tHaywood Smith was my first father.in~.law. lie is bout 108 years oie . He live~ at d~ OO~znty home. ttl am livin rir~h~. ~~dis world tr yin to be ready when God c:: a Ils ~ne . Slav ery ~aa bad . w~orkin the C olor ed people over two hundred yearsi~butgiving rem anything but der ~ food an clothes. Yes slavery was bad. ~ . . ~ ~ . . ~ . .. ~ . . . ~ ~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Josephine Smith. 285 281

N. C. D;~rict ~i~fl TNorker ~ No . Words ~ 56&~. ~ Subject ~ $~E~ Story teller ep~in~ ~dttor ~is~ Bailer ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

286 282

320181 282 JO$EPHfl~E $~~tTH s Ex .Slave Stoxy An interview with. Josephine Smith, 94 years old. of 1010 Mark Street, Raleigh, N. C. . II WLLZ b orned in Norfolk, Virginia an I doan know who we belonged to, but I menibers de da~ we wuz put on de block at Richmond I wuz j ist dli. rotin. den, but nie an my iz~inuv brought a thousaa dollars . My daddy I. reckon, belorzged ter s omeb od~y else an we wu.z j ist sold away from him jist :Lak de cow is sold away frora de bull. It4 preacher by de name of ~ a~nard bought rae an. maxniTw~ all carried us ter ~anklinton, wh~ we lived till his daughter married Doc tar John Leach of Joh~iston Coun ~ ty ; den I wuz give ter her. All zx~r white ~olkses wu~z good ter nie, an I reckon dat I airi t g t p~o cause fer e oniplaint . . I ain~ t had mitch clothes ~ an I am t had so much ter eat, an a many a whtippi& but nobody am t nebber been. real bad ter me . ~ItI ~Dt~I ~S seem a heap o slave sales wid de niggera ~i chains, an de ~ spec ulators sell. an buy in dem off I also rnei~ers seei~i a drove. of ~ slaves wid~ nothin on. bu~t a rag twixt dere legs bein galloped roun ~ fore de buyers. Bout de wtist ~t~i~.1~ig dat eber I aeed do ~

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2. 283 wuz a slave o~ at I.~ouisburg who had been sold off from her three weeks old baby, an wu& bein marched ter ~Iew Orleans. ~She had walked till she wuz give out, an she wuz weak enough ter fall in de middle o de road. S~ae wuz chained wid twenty or thirt~r other slaves an dey stopped ter rest in de sbade o a big oak while de speculators et dere dinner De slave s am. t havin no dinner As I pass bi dis ~ oman begs me iii o ~ name fer ~ drink o water an. I gives it ter her . ~ I am t neb er be so s orry fer nobody. Kit wuz in de mont of August an de sun ~wtiz bearin down hot when de slaves an dere drivers leave de shade. Dey walk fer a little piece an dis oman fall out. She dies dar side o de road, aa right dar dey buries her, eussin , dey tells nie, bout losin money on her. tAtter de war I come s ter Raleigh an w~cks fer Major Russ den I cooks a year on Hilisboro Street fer somne~ body who I can~ member right now, den I goes ter Louisburg ter cook iii Mr. Dedrnar~ s hotel, an hearin tbout Melissa I fin s dat she am my sister so I goes ter Mi Mitchel s an ~I gits her. A few years atter de war I marries Alex. Dunson. who wz a b ody slave fer Maj or Ferni e Green an. went through

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a. 284 all de war. Me an him lived tergether sixty years, I reckon, an he died de night fore Thanksgivin in 1923. Slavery WU7afl~t SO. good)CaSe it divided famblies an done a heap o other things dat wuz bad, but de wucic wuz good fer ever!body. It s a pity dat dese yo ngins nowadays doan know de v~ue wuck lak we did . ?ihy when I wuz ten years old I could do ~y kind o house wuck an spin an weave ter b oo t I hope dat de se chifluns will larn somethin in school an church. L~ts de only wa~r dey can lam it.

Nellie Smith. 289 285

S~jectSII~~ Person interviewed eUi~ rn~th ~itor~j~ai~ ~~J~&L~t N. C. District~J~ . ~ - Worker,~ ~ N . Words~. ~ 6a;11 ~-- ~ ~ ~ ~ k 285 320206

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286 320206 1 ~ELLrn SMTfli Main St . Dtmn North Carolina Route 6 . ~ My name is Nellie Smith. I wus born on a plan~ tation in Harnett County in 1856, near where Linden now stands. I belonged to oie man Jack Williams. His wife wts dead when I wus borned. There were many acres in the plantation; it wus a large one ~ I don1 t know exactly how many acres. There were tbout fift~ slaves on the place0 The slave houses were on a hill. Marster lived in the big house; and it wus a big one too. UI do not remember ever goin hongry when I wus a s lave . ~ Father wus the butler and mo ther vvus a house woman, and we got plenty to eat. My mother wus n~ned Rosetta Williams and father wus named Atlas Williams. I do not remember my grandmother and grandfather bit I remember my great grandmother. ttwe had good home made clothes aid good beds. Jack Williams wus good to his slave s . He wus good t o me and my mother and father, I have heard ein say that he wus always good to em. Our livin~~ with him wus good and we loved him. ~~He th ught a lot o his x~4ggers. He had six children of his own 4 boys and 2. girls; the boys Dr. Jack IiUi~uns D~ . Jim Wil1~s WilUai Williams Jim Williams;

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-2-. the girls Mary ami Martha. n ~ did little work in slavery time . Sometime s I fanned flies off the table at meal times and did other light work. They made children do very little work in slavery time. We children played base, an hide the switch. . t I saw a j ail for s lave s in Fayetteville North Carolina, but I never saw a slave sold. I saw an overseer whup a man once but he certainly didn t hurt hirn much. :ae done mo~re talkin dan whupp .n. UWe went to the white folks church but they wou~d not allow any of us any books. No one taught us to read an write. My father ran away once because he would not take a ~whuppin . When he cane back they did not do or say anything to im. Jack Williarn~ would not allow a patteroller to whup a nigger on his land. l~ they could git on ~ his land dey were safe . . lie iiad. overseers at the plantation. I remember one whose name wus sack ~i~kannon. When we got sickDr. Jacl Williams looked after us. When Marster Jim Williaths got to be a doctor he looked after us. ~Tes, I remernbei~ de Yankees. Dey went to our house one Sunday rnc~in . fley did not fight on our

292 288

-a- 2S8, side of the river; dey fought on de other side o de river near de Smith Hoj~s e . It wus the battle of verys-~ boro. ~Jae ~iith House wus a hospital. Dey came into the house, my sister Irene wus house girl. The Yankees put tLr pistols to her head and said, Ycu better tell me where dem things are hid. Tell us where de money and silver is hi~ at. Sister did not tell4 rnoss had started off wid de silver dat mornin De Yankees cau~ght him, took it, an his boots, horse and ail he had. He come back home barefooted. Dey got moss ever~ thing at M~.rsterts house. Dey took my mother s shawl, an a lot of things belongin to de slaves. ni have heard o . de Ku Klux Klan, ha I ha I Yes, I have. I heard tell of dey beatin up people, but I. never got into any tar~le wid em. I just don t know bout all dem old folks Lincoln, Davis, &oker Washington. I think slavery wus a bad thing cause dey sold families apart, fathers from their wives and children, and mothers away from their children. Two of my sis-~ ters were fixed up to be sold when the war ended.*

William Smith. 296 292

Subj e ct~ILS~I~E~ ~ Story te ller ~i1~i~2U~h Editor~ Dg1ij~i~ N. C. District ~ Worker~. Pat Mat~ews No . Words~394 32C221 s

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320221 . 293. WILL ~A~ SMITE 920 Oberlin Road ~ My full naine is William Smith. I was born August 17, eighty years ~o, ne~ Neuse River at a place called Wilder s. Grove. I belonged to Gaston R. ~i1ey~ and my niisaus was Sarah ~ Don t r&iewber how many children they had but one or two o em are living in Raleigh now, some place on North Street. I had good food and clothing and a good plac e to s . eep I ~as no t dg enough to work much but they were goo d to me I j est done little things aroun~ the house. I rememb er sesizi the Yanke es. t se en ein take things . Yea, I wus big enough to se e ~ ~ shoot hogs, ant C OWS an kill the chi ekens. The~r ~ through the hous e and took what they wanted. After the war we moved over about the A~lum on the Haywood Place. We went to B: 7aIlt Gree& s from the Haywo od plac e We lived in Raleigh ~ a long time, then I went to Arkansas. My mother and f th r died in Raleigh. I stayed in Arkan4~ 40 years, and then came back to Raleigh. ~ I am partly paralized. I have had a stroke. ~ I married Anna Regan of Wake County. ~he went from Wake County to Arkansas and I married her there. Ber L

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2. 294 motherts. father and the family all went to~ Arkansaa. She is~ 71 years old the 8th of last April. She has had two strokes and cari t talk aiy more . We have ao boys but two girls, Matilda and i~nma Maye Smith. Matilda Parker my daughter lives in Pittsburg, Pa, Emma Maye works to suppo rt us She wo rks as nurse fo r ~rs . J H . Hunter but right now is out of work. Charity helps s a little. One half peck meal, I pound powdered milk, two cans grape fruit juice, one half pound coffee per week. ~ This ataou~nts to about eighty centa ~worth rations pe r week. The charity don t have much to give. 1 bave been back from Arkansas. nine years the seventh of last April. I was never teached no books. I n ver saw a patteroller, but daddy toldnie about eni. I do not remember much about churohes before the surrender. I cannot read and write. 1 don t remember the overseers and I know mithin t bout dem men Linco la. and the re st of ~ ~ ~ have aSked me bout. Reckon they were ai . right. BN

299 295

Subject ~ ~ Person 1nterviewed ~aux~x~e1J Editor G. L. Andrews p 295 ~ C. District~~q2_,.~ ~ worker ary ~ ~ci~ NO. Words~~ 2~~L-_~ 32Q201

300 296

320201 ~ f 2% TEE ~ GIRL An interview with Laura Sorrell, 72 years old, o b 20? Battle Street, Raleigh. The story is her mother s. UM1 mammy, Virginia ~irns, wus borned in F ~yetteville, Cumberland County . She never knowed her parenta. an frum de f~st she can tmember she is a bound girl. ~Frum de f st she could tmember she wus bound out ter a Mis Frizelle what beat her, give her scraps lak a dog, an make her w~k lak a mari. Dey eben r .kes her git on de well sweep an go down in de well an clean hit out. She said dat she wus skeerd nigh ter death. She wiis a grown woman when she cided .dat she cantt ~ stand de treatment no mo . She has cut wood since she wus big enough ter pick up de axe an she makes up her nun ter quit. ~ uDey wus a-~fixin ter chain her up an~ beat her lak dey usually done when she eides ter go away. She has ter go den or take de whuppin an she ain t got time ter make no plans. S ItFuSt she runs ter ~ de Marster s bedroom an slips on a pair of his oie shoes, den she goes out ter de big chicken house back of de barn. She hyars de Marster a callin fer her fore she git~ ter de woods so she runs back an S. hides in de chicken house. ~ O L

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29~ ttDey calls an dey calls, an de chickens cornes ter . de roost but she lays low an doan make no fusa, so dey goes on ter sleep. She hyars de folkses a_calilnt her but she lays still, den she sees de torches what dey am usein ter find her an she thanks God dat she ain t in de woods. Atter awhile she thinks dat she can sneak out, but she hyars de bayin of de bloodhoun s in de swanp so she lays still. Hit am four o clock fore all gits quiet. She knows dat hit ani safe ter go now, case she has done hyard Mister ~ Frla.elle an one of de patterollers & teikin as dey goes back ter de house. Dey eides ter go home an start out a.g in de nex ~ bright an early. tlMarm1W~ ~ skeerd pink but she knows dat unless she am keerfu3.. dey ein gwine ter ketch her. She lays still till daybreak den she flies fer de woods. n ~t se hyard niamrny say dat dem nights she slept in d.e woods wus awfuL She d find a cave sometimes an den ag ifl she d sie ep in a holler log but she said dat ever time de hoot owls holler or de shivering owls shiver .dat she d cower down an~ bite her tongue ter keep frum screamin . She said dat de woods wus full of snakes an hit wus near bout two weeks fOre she got ter Guilford County. She had s told what 3he e t on d e way dar an dat t been much so she wus weak. One day she crept outen dewoods an. look roun her . . a& ~ hit bein in July, she spies a~ watermillion patch. She ~ ; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... ~ ~. . . . : . . .

302 298

298 looks roun an den flies out dar an picks up a big million, den she shakes a leg back ter de woods. While she wus settin dar eatin de watermillion a young white man comes up an axes her her business ant she, seem dat he am kind-.~lookin , tells hirn her story. ttShe fully tspecks him ter turn her ober ter ~e sheriff but stid of dat he tells her dat his name am Dajilel Green, ant dat he arii a Union sympathizer, an den he takes her ter some colored folkses house. HDese colored folkses am named Berry an my manimy am stayin dar when ~he falls in love wid ~ ~ paw, Jake Sorrefl, an marriez him. She aintt never been ter dances an sich before but now she goes some, an hit wus at one of dese dances whar she met my paw. V~hen she gits engaged ter him she won t let hirn kiss her till she axes Marster Daniel iffen she can marry him. Y see siTe WUS wuckin fer i~ rse Dan. LtW~~ll he give his consent an dey wus married. Dey had me soon, case I wus eight months old when de Yankees come, an we wus freed by de law. . My mammy an paw had a hard time do d ey am t had but us two chilluris but dey manage s ter feed us . all right. Dey wus superstitious an paid de witch doctor. a right smart ter keep off de witches but jist de same we got along well as most folks eben dot we did have ter eat hard tack an black molass s fer seberal years atter de war.~ ~ . L~ .

Ria Sorrell. 303 299

:. C. District ~ T . Pat ~ rorker ro. Words __= Subject ~ Person Interviewed i~JQ~Q1i_ Editor 1~ .. ~ . ~ ~ .~ . i:~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . T~ ~ ~ ~ :.~: ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ :~ .~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ . ~ .~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ -j

304 300

320087 RIA SORRELL 97 years old. 536 E. Edenton Street, Raleigh, N. C. HI ~jist lak three years of b in one hundred years old. I be1on~ed to Jacob Sorrell. His wife wus named Elizabeth. My a~e wus give to me by Mr. Bob S~rre1I, the only one of oie rnarster1s ehilluns dat is 1ivin~ now. Dey had four boys i~arc fliers ob Adoiphus and Dr. Patrick Sorrell. Dey had three ~girls, Averada an two. udder ones dat died fore dey wus named. I ~ born on marster s plantation near Lee~sville, in Wake County. Dats b~en a long time ago. I can~t git around now lak I could when I wus on de plantation. t*Der wus tbout twenty-~five slaves on de place an rnarster jist wouldn t sell a slave. When he whupped one he didn t whup much, he wus a good man. He seemed to be . sorry everytime he had to whup any of de slaves.. His wife wus depure deMi, she jist joyed whuppin Negroes. Shewus tall an1 spare~mad wid black hair an eyes. Over both~her eyes wus a bulge place in her forehead~ Her eyes set way back in her head ~Her j aws were large lak a man s an her chin s tuck up Her mouth wus larg e ~xi her lips thin ant seemed to be closed lak she had sumpt~n in her mouth most . allde ti~ie~ . . ~narster oo~ne ter towii~he raised oie sora~h wid ~ a ~ Wh~pped all she e ould while marster ~vu~ gone.

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-2- She tried to boss marster ~ut he wouldn t allow dat. He kept her from whuppin many a slave. She jist wouidntt feed a slave an~ when she had her way our food v~tis bad. She said underleaves of couards wus good enough f~or slaves. Marster took feedin in his hands an fed us plenty at times. He said people couldn1t work widout. i . tIQ~r houses wus good houses, ~case marst~ seed to it ~Ley wus fixed right. We hadgood beds an~ plenty ofkiver. De houses wus called de nigger houses . Dey wus bout t WO i~undred yards from. de bi~ house . Our houses had two rooms an marster1s had seven rooms. ttVIe didnt t have any overs e ers rnarstex~ said he didn t believe in em a& he didn1t want ny. De oldest slaves on the place woke us up in the morning, an acted as forern i. Marster hardly ever went to de field. He tole Squire Holnian an Sam Sorrell two oie slaves what he wanted don an dey tole us an we done it. I worked at de house as nurse ant house girl most of de time. Mother an father worked ir de field. ~other vms named Judy an~ father wus named Sam. You sees father wus a s lave for ernan . Mars t er bought Squir e Lto lman from de Hol~ mans an let him kee~ Ms name. Dats why he wus called dat. ~We worked from sunup till sunset wid a rest spell at 1~ o c~Ockof two hours. Hegiveus holIdays to rest.in. ~. ~ ~ . ;. ~ : ~ ~ . .~ . ~ . . ~ . ~.: .

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Dat wus Christmas, a week Off den, den a day every month, an all Sundays. He said he wus a Christian an he believed in . ~:~1vin US a chance. Marster died of consumption. He give us patches ant all dey made on it. He give slaves days off to work dere patches. ~ UI shore believes marster went to Heaven, but missus, well I don t know. Don know ~out her, she~wu~ so bad. Shewould hide her baby s cap an tell nie to find it. I ~ I couldn t fin it, she whupped me. She would call niarster, an I dom de best I could to please her, an1 say come here ~Tacob an whup dis nigger, hut marst~: paid no attention to her. He took our part. Many wus de rneaI~ he give us unbe~ k~nown~ to his wife. Dere wus no znixin white an black on marster s place, no sir, nothin lak dat. He wus lak a father~ to us. Sometimes he brought hog haslets an good things tode nigger house an tole us to cook it. Whe. : it wus done he come ant e::t:.aU he wanted, got up an said, I m goin how, an you didntt see him no niore till next day. ~ UWe had prayer meetin anytime an we vient tothe white .. folks church~ Dere wus no whiskey on de place, no, fl9 honey, no whiskey. Now at corn shuckints dey had a big supper an~ ~ all et all dey ~apted. I ll tell you Jak Sorrell ~4us. all right. W~ didn t have any dances no time. Some nichts ~ mars ter would e onie. to our cab ins, .. e all us al 1 into one of em an p~y wid ti.s.. He stood up ~~xi de floor an tole usall to ~ . be good an pray. I saw him d1~. I saw him w~e~ de~breath ~ ~ . . ~ ~ . . . . . ~. .. .~ .. ~ : . ~. .. ~ . .. . . . . . . .~ . . ~

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went out of him. De last word he said wus, Lord do your will, not mjne. Den he breathed twice an wus no mo1. ~ . ~1Missus died since de surrender, when she got sick she sent for me to g o an~ wait on h r . I went an1 leaned her lak a baby, waited on her till de evenin she died dat night. I went off dat evenin late to spend de ni~ht an~ next rnorni& when I got dere she wus dead. I jist couldnTtrefuse missus when she sent for me even if she.had treated me bad. . My grandmother wus as white as you is. She wus Lottie Sorrell. Marster bought my grandmother. I do not know ny ~randfatherts nam .. G andmother wus a cook an~ she tole me Ulereason she wus so white wus~eauae she stood over de fire so muc~i.~ Ha, ha , dats what she tole me. She had long straight hair. I members her well. ~ ~ ~. ttYes I members de Yankees . De Southern, our folks wus in front. Dey ome alOng a road ri~:ht by our house. Our folks. . wus ~~0j~t on an de Yankees right behind. You could hear ~th sho tin . .~ Dey called it skirmishin . It wus ramm an otir folks wus goint through de mud an siu~h. Dey had wagins an~ some ~ ~ld~ sa~r, grive up, drive up, GoCdarrth t1drive up, de ~ damn Y~~es right behind us. ~ey had turkeys L~ chickens on de wa~ ns ~ a ~ ~ oWa re ~ Dey got things out ~f de ho~ ~ ~ ~ ant took de stock. Dey searched de houses ~n took de quilts an ~ sheets an ~ things.

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.-5~ wus a time. Dey took a1~ dey could find an~ dere want much left when all got through. De Yankees poured out lasses an stompeddown thin~s deycould not carry off. I wus afraid of de Yankees. Dey come up an said, Haint you got some money round here? I tole e~ I knowed nothin1 about money. Dey called me auntie an said Auntie tell us whar de money is, you knows. I says Dey don t let me see everythThg a round here, ~o dat dey don1t. . L~Then dey tole us we wus free ~e stayed right on wid rnarster. We got crackers an meat from de Yankees an when de cr*p wus housed in de fall m~ster ~ve us part of all we made. We come to Raleigh on a oie steer cart to git our crackers an meat dat wus our Lowance. We stayed at marster s till father died. I married there. We finally moved to the Page ~)lace tbout eleven miles north of Raleigh. We ~ been farmin wid de white folks eher since, till we ~ot so we couldn~t work. UI married Buck Sorrell since de surrender. We had four boys an~ two girls, six children in all. Dey are all dead, cept one, her name is Bettie. She works at Dr. Rogers~. Dr Young looked after us when we wu~3 sick. Uflere wus one thing dey wouldn1t allow, dat wus books ant . papers~ I ca~~ read ~n~ write. ~ I heard talk of Abraham Lincoln .1~ comm1 ~ through when talk of de war corne tbout. Dey metS, him . ~fl :~JeffDaVi$, inSo~th Carolina. ~ Lincoln ~said, te.ff Davis, ~ let d~m niggers go f~ee, ~sff Davis tole him you can t make ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .

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us give up our property. Den de war started. -~6~ A lot of de niggers in slavery time wurkedso.hard dey said dey hated to see de sun rise in de mornin . Slavery wus abad thin<~, tcause some white folks didn t treat dere ni~~gers right. $1 L~ . ~ S S

Annie Stephenson. 316 312

j. j,. kz~ ;~ N. C. D1strict~~Qg~ ~L- ~L t11~Q No . Words ~ 3i~ Subject ~ ~ Person Interviewed ~ Editor G. L. Anth ews

317 313

4 320113 ~ . 313 ANNIE. STEPEENSON 80 years old 1813 Rosewood Ave. Richmond, Va~ Now at 717 Saundert s Stre ~t Raleigh, N. C. UI wus born in Hilisboro, N. C. I longed to Charles liolman and my missus wus named Rachel. He owned~a plantation near Hjllsboro. it wus a mighty big plantation in Orange County, an he had a good many slaves on dat place. We had tolerable good food ant log cabins and clothes dat you wove in de loom. ~ ~ Home1~.wove e loth. We had. no feather bed. . ~e did not know nuthin tbout feather beds. slaves like dat had bunks an some slept on de floor. We went barefooted most of the time. Slave shoes had wooden bottoms on em Chilluns wus not give shoes at our place till dey wus big enou~gh to work. HI m~ber ~eein de Yankees. Dey i~rore blue clothes an, had brasa buttons on em. De only work I done wus to sweep yards an nurse small chilluns. I done very little heavy work. ~ My rnother wus named Nicy Ol~an ant she worked in d e fi eid. . . father wus named Biliy ~i.:::g2, cause he 1o~ed to the &~iggs f mily. I do not member seem my father but one time. I never seen a slave sold or whupped but I heard tell of it . i ~ mother tole me bout marster whuppin so severe. We had a rough :: b~sa. ~ He had two colored foremen~. Dey were slaves who tlonged to inar~ter.

318 314

314: tiDere wus no patches allot ed to any of the slaves, an none of em had any money. ~ UWe wus not allowed to have any prayer rneeti.~n s. Mother said she never knowed one on de plantation. ~1Dere wus a lot of talk bout de patterollers but marster done 1~ s own akit around . He done a lot of eavesdroppin . My ~nother said when dey thort he wus asleep he v~ us awake. He wus strict on his slaves an I didn t -know what church wus. No books of any kind wus allowed to slaves an I can t read an write. ttThey give t~. o days Christmas . Mother said dat had always~ been marster s rule. Ill ~ pernber de cornshuckints. Dey lasted two or three days. ~ Dere wus enough slaves to shuck de corne D y had plenty of . cIder at corn shuckin s an a lot bet~ ter thin~gs to eat den at. other times. ~k~rster made corn, peas, an tobacco on de farm, mostly corn. Dey had. plenty hogs an dat wus a time when dey killed em. Dryin up de fat for lard, triir.rnin an saltin de meat an chitlins. De hog guts wus called chitlins. Slaves wus allowed to eat meats as soonas de hogs wus gutted. Deywus allowed to boil some lean parts of de meat an eat it at de kuhn s. die played base an hide an jumpin when I wus a chile . ~hen we got right smart an sick we had a doctor. When we wus not mighty sick, we took tea made of catnip, sassafras, . an ro9ts. ~ ~ :: ~ ~ tt~y~!s, I iiiember when dey to~.~us we wus free . Mother got ;~.:..Up de chilluns to leave. She got just a few clothes~ ~ I mexnber

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3-. seem ray uncle come to de house an put u-o de horse. ~e put tj~ ~ in de stable an we all lef together. We went to r~y uncle bout ~ five miles away on his marster s ~1antation. His marster wus ~ named H~arvey Roundtree. ~~ie stayed there three weeks, den we ~ went to a white man s place, Bill Gates. We stayed there several years. L.lother had six chilluns. Three vms boun out for dere victuals an clothes an three wus with her. UWe come to wake County when I wus fully grown. We come in a covered wagon. I saw father One time to tmember ~jj~j~ ~ died ~::efore de war closed, an mother never married again. We went to Mr. Jeff lJpchurch of Wake County ~ worked on his farm. We stayed there ten or twelve years an I married while we v~s there . I married Albert ~tepher1son.. . We stayed ri~:ht on there about six years after w :m~i~ried. We then went to I~. Lonni.e Stephen s place, the man who onct owned my husband s father. We stayed there two years workin as day hands, then we rented a farm from ~r. Joe Smith. D1~ wus de f~u~t time any of us had ever farmed for ourselves. We kept it up until old age made us unable to farm an all de chilluns haa got grown an left us. trWe had thirteen chilluns, an six is livin yet~ Ivry husband died two years ago dis commt August. ttSlavery from what I knows an whats been tole -me wus a ~~ighty bad thing. Don . see how some of de slaves stood it. I never did mm work but I is unable to work now. I has got a good will but I is worn out. De only way I lives is by gem round ~ my people . I have no home of my own

Sam T. Stewart. 320 316

~ 3~)004 ~316 JUN 1 1937 L C. DistrictJ~Q,~~ Subject Sain T. Stewart~ Ex-slave ~jo~ker ~arv A. Hicks Person Interviewed Sam T. Stewart 1519 Editor Da~~~r Bailey Waitt . . f; ico. ~ords

321 317

320004 SAI~JL T . STEWART ttMy name is Sain T. Stewart. I was born in Wake County, ~orth Carolina Dec. 11, 18b3. M~ father was aslave, A. h. ~tewart, be1ongin~:~ to James Arch Stewart, a slave owner, whose plantation was in Wake County near what is now the ~jarnett County line of Southern Wake. Tiresa~was my mother s ilame. James Arch Stewart, a preacher, raised ir~y father, ~ut my mother was raised by Lorenzo Franks, a Quaker in iake County. When I was two years o1~ James Arch Stewart sold my father to speculators, and he was shipped to Miss~ i.ssippi. I was too young to know my father. The naines of the speculators were~Carter Harrison, and--.~, and a man named Roulhac. I never saw my father a~ain, but I heard from him the second year of the sur~ render, through his brother and my aunt. My father died. in I~i ississippi. ttThe speculators bought up Negroes as a drover would buy up mules. They would get them together by N gro drivers , as the white men employedby the.speculators were called . Their naines were ~ -Jim Harris of Raie 1gb, and ~-yes Dred~ Thomas, who lived near Holly Sprix~s in Wake County . Wagon trains carried the rations on the trip to Mississippi. The th~ivers would not start until

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2. 3:18 they had a large drove. Then the slaves were fastened to~ ~etIier with chains. The chain was run between them, when they had been lined up like soldiers in double file. A small chain was attached to a Negro on- tiie left and one to the Negro on the right and fastened. to tii main chain in the center . Billy Askew was another speculator . He lived on the corner of Salisbury and Carharrtts street in Haleigh. Sometimes as many as thirty slaves were carried in a drove. They walked to L~ississiDpl. UIVLY orothers and sisters are dead. Down on the ~ian~ tat:Lons ou~r houses were built of ~ ~s daubad with mud, v~ith a rived board (split ~ board) . I had ~ood beds ;ood clothes, and plenty to eat. ~Je made itand we ate it. ~hen a slave owner treated his slaves unusually ~:ood some other slave owner would teil hmni that he was raisin~~ slaves v ho would rise against him. Lorenzo Franks, who owned me and my mother, was a ~~aker. He treated ills slaves unusually weil. He would not sell any of them. His brother was an Iron Side Baptist preacher, and he would teI~1 his brother he was raising slaves who would rise against him. Franks owned seventeen slaves. I don t know ho~ many Stewart . owned . -~-- - : r%~~ ps(c~ tt1 did farm work in slavery time I earned no money. except what we made on patches. These patches were given to myrnother by my master,. ~ W caughtbirds and ~ .

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3. 319 c~ame~ sent lt to town, and sold it or money. We cau~ht birds and tartridges in traps. Cur master would ~rir~ them to town, sell them ifor us, and ~:ive us the money. ~e had :~ lot of POSSU1TIS and other game to eat. We got our food out of the:big garden planted for the whole shebang. W~y master overseered his tilantation. We didn tthink much of the poor white rran. He was down on us. He was driven to it, by the rich slave owner. The rich slave owner wouldn~ let his Ne~roes sociate with ~oor white folks. Some of the slave ~owners, when a poor white rnants land joined theirs and they wanted his place would have their Negroes steal things and carry them to the poor white man, and sell them to him. Then the slave owner, knowing where the stuff was, (Of course the slave had to do what his master told him. ) would go and fThd his things at thepoor white man s house. Then he would claim it and take out a wr it for hirn but ~ie would ~ ive him a chance. He would tell him to sell out to hirn, and leave, or take the consequences. Thatts the way some of the slave owners got such large tracks of lands. ~ free Negro was a child by a white man anda colored woman~ or a white woman and a Negro slave . ~ A child by a white man and a Negro woman was set free when the man got ready. Sometimes he gave the free Negro slaves. Oscar Austin, an issue, was set free. and given slaves by his master and daddy. Old man Oscai Austin lived by the

324 320

4. depot in Raleigh. He is dead now~. . . ~Then a child by a Negro man slave ax a white woman arrived he could ~ot be made a slave, but he was bound out until he was 2.1 years old. The man, whoever wanted him, had him bound to him by the tourts aid was his gardeenuntil he was 21 years old. He could not be made a slave if he was born o ~ a free woman. Ther% were 4ails for slaves called dungeons; the windows were srnalla Slaves were put into jail for misdemeanors until cour~ vras held1 but a whiteman could not be kept there over 30 days without giving bond.. Whites and s~.aves were kept in the same jail house, but in separate rooms~ 11They tever taught me to re*d and nite; and most slaves who got any reading and wrjt~ng certainly stole it. There were rules against slaveshaving. books. if th patt 9llers . cauflt us with books they would whip . us . There ~ were ~ whippftg posts on the plantation but patter- oilers tied Negroes across fences to ~ whip them. ~ There : was no church on the .. plantation. : ~ had prayer meetings ~ .. inthecabiias. .:We.had...big:tirnesat eor .shuek~ugsand ~ dwz. itti J*d .~ple4ty~of apple and pee~h brandy ~ ~ .tut~irety tetgot dflfl)~N1~l zaeversaw a n2ggerdrunk uxttil after the surrepdtn ~ ite went to the white folks ~ church. l were partitiozwl Gff in the church. s l*. t s~ J \

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( ~ 5. 0 ~32I ~The patteroliers visited our house every Saturday night, generally. We set traps to catch the patteroflers. Ti-i patterollers were poor white rnen~ We stretched ~rape vines across the roads, then we would run from them. They would follow, and get knocked of~ their horses. I knew~many of the patterollers. They are mostly dead. T~eir children, who are living now in Wake County and Raleigh, arerny best friends, and I will ther~ore not tell who they were. I was caught by the patterollers in Raleigh. ~tI. would have been whipped to pieces if it ha n t been for awhite boy about my a~e by the name of Thomas ~ii1son. He told them I was his nigger, and they let me ~:o. We had brought a load of lightwood splints in bundles to town on a steer cart~ This was near the close of the war. ~e hadsold out one load of splints and had been paid for them in Cbnfederate nioney~ Vie had several bills. ~ went into a bar and bought a drink, each paying one dollar a drink., o~ two dollars for two small drinks. The bar was in the house where the Globe Clothing Store is now ~Iocated on the corner of Wilmington and Exchange ~ ~ Streets. ~ tTust as ~I :swalo~dmy drink a constable gx~abbed me h b&~~~ ~.:i~Je~ri~ck, and started with me to the ~. guard h trs .:~ ~ e where ~ t~ ~r done their whippin ~ flown ~ at the ~ j

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6. guard houae I~i.ck Denton, the bar tender, told Thomas ~ i1son tGo, tell the constable that is your niggert. Thomas c~in~ running up crying, and told the constable I was his nigger. The constable told him to take me and carry me on home or he wo~id whip both of us. We then hitched oui ox to the cart and went home. ~hen I was a child I :olayed marbles, tHafl over1, ~nd bandy, a garne t~layed like golf. In striking the bail O ~ knocked it at each other. Before we hit the ball we viould cry, Shins, I cry1, then we would knock the ball at our piaymates~ ~ometfr~e we used rocks for balls. O ~We got Christmas holidays from Christmas to New Years day. This was also a time when slaves were hired out or sold. You were often put on th~ auction block at Christmas. There was a whipDing post, an auction block, and jail located on Court Hotise Square where the news stand is now located on Fayettev.ille Street. There was a well in the yard. O ~We were treated by doctors v/hen sick. We were ~ O given lots of herbs. O 00 ~ do not believe in ghosts. O ~ O 0,0 ~I d~~d not feel ~uc~i elated over hearing I ~as .~.. free, lowasafraid ofYapJ~~ee soldiers. Our mistress told us we were free. I farmed first year after th~e *0 ~ L~~*0O~100 I ~

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~ : ;~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ j~ ~. - ~ ~ ~ ~ 7. 3~~3: war. WehadtiO horses, the Yank es had taken the hors s,~ and some ~f ~s n~de a crap with grubbing hoes. ~ ~ ~. ~ ttI.~i~ ~. Abrahthn Linc ln was a man who aim d to ~ do good, but a man whonev r got to it. I cannot say anyrnor e than that his intent i ons wer e g o od and if he had . lived he would have done more ~ood. . . ~ -l~E~~ F ~ ~ ~ i ~ ~ ~ ~

William Sykes. Ex-slave story. 331 327

Sub~ject ~ ~ ~ Person Interviewedvfllliarn Syk~s Ed~itor D~L~Y ~aileyiVaitt~ ~ -- 4) )).a~g ~ N. C. Distriet~No.2 Worker ~j1ary A . No. Words___848

332 328

32022S (~~) . WILLIAM SYKES Ex-Slave Story An interview with William Sykes 78, of State prison, Raleigh, N. C. . ~ . My mammy Martha an~ me we longed ter Mister ~Toshua Long in Martin County, an my paw, Henry t1o~ed ter Squire 1~n Sykes in Tyrell County . Squire Sykes liv ed in what ~ wus called Gum Neck, ant he owned a hundert slaves or more an a whol e pas s e I of lan ~. tI lived wid my rnanm~y in Martin ~ounty from de fust dat I could member, me an my brothers, Henry, Benjamin ant Columbus, an my sisters Hester, Margaret, Lucy an Susan. t1~ doan tmernber so much what happen fore de war, of course, but I does member a heap c: ~ little things. I knows dat Mister Long an PLis Catherine wus g ood te~ us an I members dat de food an de clothes wus good ant dat dar wus a heap o ftn on holidays. Most o de holidays wus celebrated by eatin candy, dririkint wine ant brandy . Dar wus a heap t dancifl ter de music of banjoes ant h~t slappin . We had COtfl ~huckin s, an prayer rneetin ~, an

333 329

329 sociables an slngin s. I went swimrnin in de crick, went wid oie Joe &~own~ a~possum huntin , an coon huntin , an I sometimes went a-.fishin . tl~en de Yankees corned dey corne a tearint, Dey ain t done so bad in our neighborhood, ease hit wa rn t so \iIl of de infernal Rebs 0, as de Yankees said. Dey tooked de bes o ~ ebertthir~g dot but dey ain t doiLn scr much deruction. Dey eben buyed terbacker from my mammy, an d. ey paid her a dollar an fifty cents a pound, stirn an all. Dey paid her wid shin plasters, which wus green paper money, an de ftist dat eber I seed. ~V1e slaves wus skeerd o d ~e Yankees an fer some reason I ~ot sent ter paw at Squire Sykes house in Tyrell County. ~ ttsqufre Sykes e orne stompin in one day an he s ays ter my paw, ~Henry, d~n damm Yankees am commt t~r take n~y niggers way from me, an I ain t gwine ter stan ~er hit nother. Le s you an me take dese niggers an march straight ter de Blue Ridg e mountains an up dar in dem mountains dar won t be no trouble, case dey won t dare come up dar atter Wa? we got on de march fer de mountains an . we in~ ch on ter ~Tudge C1ayto~i I!oore s grandfather s place in Mitche1,~L County, whar we camps fer seberal day8.

334 330

~3- 33f) While we wus dar one day, an vthile Mr. Jim Moore, de Jedge ~s daddy am in town de missus axes my co sin J ne ter do de washint. ~ tt~e says dat she has got ter do her own washin ~n dat shetil wash fer de missus termorrer. De missus says you ain t free yit, I gants you ter know. . . n :i: knows dat I s no t but I I s gwJine ter b e fre e , Jane says . De missus a in t said a word de n, but late Sadday night ~ Jim he comes back from town an she tells him bout hit. ttMr . Juli am some mad an he takes Jane out on Sunday ~ mornin an he beats her till de blood runs down her back. ~De patterollers wus thick dein days, M ~. Joe Jones wus our regular patteroller an he gibe us d very debil. UA few days atter ~Tane got her beatin we marches away. De wimen am left at Jamesville but us mens an bt~y~, we marches on ter ~incombe County an~ we ain t seed no mo Yankees. ~ . ~ Atter de war my paw wi man~uyOnt ter live on ~ . Moore1 s plantat ion an we had a hard time. A whole h ap - oI~ times I has had n thin ter eat but one cupful o peas an ~ a hunk of e o nbread all d ay ~ 1or~g A whit e lady Mis

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-4- 33 Dou~Ias give me a quart of milk eber Sunday) but Lhad ter walk three miles fer hit. We ain~t wucked none in slavery days ter what we done atter de war an I wisht dat de good oie slave days wus back. Dar s one thing we oie niggers wus raised right ant de young niggers ain ~t. Iffen I had my say~so dey d burn down de nigger s chools gibe dem pic~anninies a good spankint an put tern in de patch ter wuck, ain t no nigger got no business wid no edgercation nohow. . ~Yes um, dey says dat I is a murderertt. Uncle William stroked his long white beard. I runned from dis young nigger seberal times, an I wus tryin ter run wid my knife what I had been whittlin wid open in my an. I wus skeerd nigh ter death, so when he grabs me I throw up my han s ant in a minute he fa11~ I breshes de blood offen my coat, thinkint dat he has hurt me, ant I sees de blood pourint from de jugular vein. ~ t,1 has sarved ten months o my sentence which deyS gived me, three ter five years fer manslaughter; what could I do? I stood up an I said, Thank you, JedgeV L.E.

R. S. Taylor. 339 335

Sub j e ct~~ R~ ~ TAYLOR Story t eile r ~ ~$. T~yip~ ~ditor ~pai~y Ba4ie~ ~ N. C. District i~o~ Worker T Pa~ .M~t:t~s No . ~ord~. 1~ . ._ 333, J 32(~2 5

340 336

336 3?0205 R. S. TAYLOR 710 South McDowell $t~eet. 1My name is Ransom Sidney Taylor. I was borned. in s ~very the 5th day of January, 1857. Adam Taylor v~as my father Slid Mary Taylor my nio ther . ~ My brothers were: Wi11ia~ L, Jesse, and Louis; sisters: Virginia, Annie, and Is~be11a; all born in slavery. ~1e all belonged to JohIL Cane ~ He owned a plantati on on Ramkatte Road near Yates Mill, between. Yates Mill anc Penny 8 Mli. There ~was a whiskey still at Penny s MilL. There were sixty slaves in all, but Marster only ~pt seven on the plantation with him at Yates Mill. Marster ~ sister Mary was our mi ssus after he died. He died be ~ore the surrender. The war was going on when. he died He was a Northern man His s ister came down to the f~meral from~ New York and then went back, then she came back to settle ~up the estate, ~he stayed here a long tinie thea. She told all the slaves they were free. That was about the close of the war. . !Marater John Cane was buried in the Catholic Graveyard in Raleigh. His wife had d~ied in the North, 80 1fl~ x~o.~er t Id ins . We kad plenty oi~ something to eat b eans peas butter milk and butter and molasSts

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2. 33~ and plenty o f1our~ We made the wheat on the plantation and. o ther things to eat. We didn t bave clothe a like they have now but we had. plenty o good and warm wove C lathe s Our ah oe s had wo oden bottoms, but were all right. we had prayer meetings on the plantation. ai4 at time s we went to the white ~o Ikt church . )~tars.ter was a Catholic, but we went to the. . Methodist Church, Edenton Street Methodist Church. My inarster would not allow ~ one to whip his Negroes. If they were to be whipped he did ithimse 1 and the licks he gave them would not burt &.~ea. ~ He. rn good to all of us and we all loved hifl. !We called our parent$ pappy and ma~nmy most o. the time . My xnarster looked like you j es the ~ same complection and about your size. Re weigh.e~ ai oun~. 200 pounds. had curly hair like youx~s and was almost always smiling like yoa. My marate3~ was an Irishman from the North.. Mother and father said he was one o the best white men that ever lived~ I remember seem. b~im sett4n . the poxbcb In his large atm chair. He called nie 1Lor~nieR, a niek~e. ~e called me a lot to brush off his shoe&. I loved .~jrj~ he was sc~ good. . . . Oux ~ overseer ~ .. was named John. K. Whitelaw. :ae got killed at. the Rock ~arx.. near the Federal Cemetery .. when. . li,.,., .. . . Yates ~ll was a flour mill. . . . .

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3. 338 they were carrying a boiler to the. Rock Quarry a long time after the surrender about 14 or 15 years ago. He and Joh~n were standing on the side of the boiler and the boiler turned over and killed. both of em. Marster s overseer was bad to us after rnarster died~ Nothing we could do would suit him and he whipp ed the Ne gro e s We never heard. the word. Negro e s unti 1 we mov e d to Raie igh after the airrender. They called us niggers and colored folks. EWe were darin to bave a book to study. It was against the Confederates ~ rules at dat time, but marster called us in to bave prayer meeting on Sunday mornings. ttI bave seen patterollers. Dey bad em but not. when my inarster was living. Dey didntt come around den, but when h died dey corne around every night; we never knowed. when dey was comin you know. ttI never saw a slave really whipped. ~rster would switch a slave sometime, but it was a matter o nothing t cause he d idri t hurt much. ttWe had good houses and plenty o gooQ places to. sleep and we fared fine ~ in slavery time We called marster s house with its long porch the dwelling house . When the Yankees came through they told us we were free and we didn t have to work for the Johimies no more. ~We got everything all right on the plantation near Yates Mill, then we moved to Raleigh. My mammy belonged to old Captain Hunter before she was married to pappy. When she got married the Taylors.

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4. 339 bo~tght her, and she and pappy stayed with the Taylors. As soon as ~we got the plantation fixed up, we moved to Raleigh and ma~iy and pappy went back to her white folks,~ the Huntera. My father was a carpenter by trade., and a preacher. H . preached at St. Paul s church on the corner of Eat~ririgton and ~denton Streets. We lived in Raleigh all our lives except Annie. She went to Brooklyn, . . ~ New York a~d died there about four years ago. ~ WI thinned corn, and turned potato vines, arid heiped look afterjarid feed th stock. Our mar&ters gave ti~ some rnoney, t i~e and ten cents at a time. That~s the only way we got any xnoxiey. le caught rabbits hUnting in the day time arid possums, hunting at night. W~e hunted on hoLidays. W had. holidays at la~y time, and the 4th of July. when we caught up with the wo rk we had noth Ing to do le got Christmas holidays. . *1 never saw a slave sold and none: never ran awa~. ~e wen ~ t fishing in SWift Creek. I never saw a Jai~ :eor slaves and never eaw any in chains.. We played push and sp~z ~9fl the plantation. :~ ~! rnotherio~oked after most of us when we were sick.. s~ u~$ ~ herbs, and grease and medicine the overseer ~ot ~ town. When my mother got through rubbin you, ~u would eoo~a bewail. .~ . :~

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When I first saw the Yankees I was afraid of em. It was a curiosity to se e ~ ~ coniin through the fields with dem guns and th irigs . They come dovth and talked with us and told us we were free and then I was not so. scared of ein~. . ~ II married Francis Lipton in 1885. 3e were married ( at the end of McDowell Street at Mr. Chester~s home. Just a quiet wedding with about 30 friends present. I d1drI~t think a thing about slavery while we fared mighty well; bad but it was/on other plantations. Iti cri t know anything about B ooker T . Washington, nor Jeffers i Davis, but I know Jim Young. He was a Negro politician. I do not know much about Lincoln or Roosevelt. De1 Yankees j~~:t ~~iot hogs and cows and took every-h thing on de plantation dey wanted. I can see em now ninnin chickens. Derewas an old rooster, he said, wCluck, cluck, cluck cluck, as he x~in. Dey shot his head off and he turned soinersets awhile, and rolled over dead. seemed~ .ak if dem Yanke es pointed a ~ gun at a chicken or hog dey would roll over dead. ~ Dey had live geese tied on their hosses. One oie gander would sa~j~, t ~iack, q~ua ?k, uack as the h s s stepped along and jarred him. Some o de Yankee~zsoldiera were carrying I The negroes interviewed frequently speak fairly correct2y at first but when they begin to t&.k o~ od ti~ea lapse ii4o dialect. ~ 5. 340

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6. 34:1 harns of hogs on deir bayonets. Dat wus a time, Lawsy, Lawsy, a time. One oie hen, she had sense When de Yaakees were kuhn de rest ~1 de chickens. she ran for de piney wood~s and hid dere and stayed till de Yankees left Rai eigh ; den she come home . .Mamn~r caught her and raised &~out forty chickens off her in Raleigh. ;~ \~i~ e I~ocid ~ C(C~dw~i ~aw~ca+~ or ~a~~kaff~ i~ ~ Q~ G v yv~cr Yy~c~i. ~ Sf.P~ 5 ~ ~ ~a ~+O~ ~ ~k ~ ~ Cq,3f~ Ckiiy~:~1 bvjfd ~ 1

Elias Thomas. 346 342

Subject ~ -% Person Interviewed Elias Thomas Editor G. L. Andrews ___ ~. C. District ~ worker a~Ma~th~s~ N~ ~ ~ords~_ ~ . ~, ~ ~ ~Jt~ ~ ~ 34:2

347 343

~2Ofl4 ~ ~ 34~3 . ELIAS THOMAS 84 years of age 521 Cannon Ave . Raie 1gb N. C. ~: was here when the Civil war was goin on an I am 84 years old. I was born in Chathain County on a plantation near I~on.cure, February 1853. . LIM1 marster was named Baxter Thomas and. missus was named Katie She was his wife . I dont t know my father s name but my mother was named Philils Thomas. n ~ to ok a smart nigg er to know w~ho his rather was in slave ry time I jus t can r emeinber my xn ~ ther I was about four or five years old when she died. tLMy inarster s plantation was f~ust the Thomas Place. . There was about two hundred. acres in it with about one hun-. dred acres cleared land. He had six slaves on it. 1When I was eight years old he bought the Boylan place about two mile s from his fir st home and he mov ed ther e . There~ was about one thousand acres of land of it all with about three hundred a ere s e leared for farming . On the Thomas plac e his house had six rooms on the Boylan place the house had eight rooms. 11e brought in more slaves an~ took over all the slaves after John Boylan died. . John Boylan never married. He was a mighty hard man to git along with, an Marster Baxter Thomas. was about the ozily one who couJ4 do anything with him when he had one of i~i r~iad

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. _2~- :344 spells. They ~rere no blood relation but inarster got possession of his property when he died. It was fixed that way. . ttW~e caned the slave houses tJ~arterst. They were arranged 1i1~e streets about two hundred yards on the northside of the great h use. ~ Our Thod was purty good . Our white folks used. slaves, especially the children, as they did themselvea about eatint Vie all had the same kind of~ food. All had p1exr~y of clothes. but only one pair of shoes a year. People went barefooted a lot then more than they do now. We had good places to sleep, straw mattresses and chickenfeather be~ :and feather bolsters. A bolster reached clear across the head of the bed. EWe worked from sun to sun with one hour and a half to rest at noon or dinner time. I was so small I dLd not do much heavy work. I chopped corn and cotton mostly. Th~ old slaves had patches they~tended, and sold what they made a~id had the money it brought. Ever~CJody eat out of the big garden, both white and black alike . 01e missus wou1dn~t allow us to eat rabbits but she let us catch ai~ ~at possums. ~ didntt thave any use for a rabbit. ~ Sometime s we cau~ fish vtith hooks in Haw River Deep River ars5 the Cape Fear and when it was a dry time and the water got low we c~.ught fish in seines. ~ ~%- marster only h d two children, both boys, F ed, and J~hn. ~robr~ was about my &ge and Fred was a b ut t wo year ~ ;~ ~ . : ~ ~

349 345

-.3-. older. They are both dead. L~y marster never had any over~eers,I~ madeboss men out of his oldest slaves. We thought we1l~ the poor white neighbors. We colored children took them as regular playmates. ~arster s boys played with ein too and marster gave them all the work he could. He hired both men an women of the poor white class to work on the olantation. We all worked together . ~.Ve had a good time We worked and san~g together and everybody seemed happy. In har-. vest time a lot of help was hired and such Iau~hing, workir~ an~ singing. Just a good time in gener~1. We sang the songs I Cros sin over and Bound. for the Promised Land ~. II never saw a jail for slaves but I have seen slaves whipped. I saw Crayton bernathy~ a overseer, whip a woman in the cotton patch on Doc. Smith s farm, a mile from our plan~ tation. I also saw oie man William Crump, a owner, whip a m9.n and some children. He waited till Sirnday morning to whip his slaves. He would git ready to go to church, have his horse hitched up to the buggy and then call his slaves out and ~aip them before he left for church. He generally whipped about five children every Sunday morning . Wi Ills Crunip a s lay e was t led up by his thumbs and whipped . His thumbs was in such a bad fix after that they rose and had to be cut open. Willis was whipped after the . war closed for ~king for his wages and having words with oie man Crump because he would not i: ay h1~. ~ They fell out and ~ cafled his friends in and 345

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34G they took and tied him and whipped hirn. t1No books were allowed to slaves in slavery time. I never went to school a minute in my life. I cannot read and write. ~e had prayermeetings on the plantation about once or twice a week. We went to the white folks church on Sunday. We went to both the Methodist and Presbyterian. The preacher told us to obey our marsters. I remember the baptizin~s.. They baptized in Shattucks Creek and Haw River. I saw a lot of colored folks ~aptized. UI do not reiiernber any slaves ruri~iing away from our plantation. but they ran away from oie man ~ : uinp ~s and Richard Faucett s plantations near our plantation. Jacob Faucette ran away fr om Fauc e t te and Torn Crump ran away fro ni o le man Crump. ~hey ran away to keep from getting a whippin . Colored folks are afraid of bears so one of the slaves who saw Torn Crurnp at night told him he saw a bear in the woods where he was stayin . Tom was so scared he came home next morning and took his whippinr ~ Both came home on account of that bear business and both were whipped. ~ When we ~~ot sick Dr. Hews, Dr. Wych and Dr. Torn Buck~ hannan looked after us. A lot of the slaves wore rabbit feet, the front feet, for good luck. They also carried buckeyes. UI remember the Yankees. I will remember seem them till I die. I will never forgit it. Ithought it was the last of rae. The white folks had told rn the Yankees would kill me or carry me off, so I thought when I saw them coming it was the

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last of me. I hid in the woods while they were there. They tore up some things but they did not do much damage. They camped from Holly Springs to Avant s Ferry on Cape Fear River. William Cross p ~antation was about half the distance. The camp was about thirty rr~i1es long. General Logari~who was an old man, was in charge. UI married Martha Sears when I was 23 yea~s old. I married in Raleigh. My wife died in 1912. ~Ie had fourteen children, five are living now. When the war closed I stayed on eight years with my rnarster. I then went to the N . C. State hospital for the Insane. I stayed there 28 years. That~?s where I learned to talk like a white man.Tt ~ M4- (~e~ . To~ A ~ ~ ~iiSFt~fL ~ ~ (U~io~i) 34~

Mr. Bell's plantation. 352 348

N~.C. District 2 ____ ~:o. ~.:~ord~: 260 Reference: ~Acoi~.~Th ~jL Jorke~: 1~iarv Hiok~$~ ~ditor: ~ ~~WIL Subj e et : ~4~: ~ . ~ ~ ;~ ~ ~ ~: : ~ ~. ~ ~. ~ L~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ :~ .~ .~ ~ .~ ~ ~ 1 ~ .. . . ~ . .~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~: ~ .~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~:r : : ~: ~ ~ : ~

353 349

320112 . . ~ 849 ~. BELLtS pL~IATION An interview with Jacob Thomas, ~7 years cf age, of 1300 ~outh ~1~od~o~th Street, ~eaeigh, l.~orth Oarolifla. ft1 ~ b~rned in ETiberton County,. ~ ~3eorgia, Ofl~ de r)larltation of L~rse Torn Be11~ ~ ~i~y mammy, isobel, tt~ter ~ live in ~ Carolina, but she wus ~so1d from her husbafl~ baiD;~r ~ carried ter M~I~S TOTU1S place Ifl Ge~rgia. Attar she got dar she wus married a~jin an~ ~ adme. Dat is I reckin dat alle wu~ married. I sever did know my pappy. ?tM~y wus sold in Smithfield on de slave block ant . ~ carried off, chained hind a wagifl. She turn rount ant l oks back at her husba& who cries an de oberseerts lash cuts his back, case dey aintt lowed ter cry at a sale. From de time I Can Lust tm~flber I ~icked on de Th~m. We p1ari~t~ d eazie, cotton, corn, an~ rice in de low groufl S. ~e am t had ter wuck so power~Ul herd an ~ we am lQwed a heap of pisa~ureS, but some of us boys wus mean an~ we had . ter be ~hupped, lak de time we tied tin cans on de tail of: jjnk:~s~ ~a~rsi~r s fine huntin dog. De dog near run hisse 1f ~ ~ bh an ~arse Toii had. us whup~ed fer hit. .~ ~ - ~ .-- I

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2. went. ter sleep in de shade of de trees roun de pasture I gits on Lady, one of de fines young mares, an I flies away on her. !t~he amt t used ter nobody ridin her bareback so she kicks up quite a rucus but I sets on. Down cross de pasture she goes an I enjoys hit fine till s~ie steps in a hole an~ falls. tILe mare an crippled but I leads her back ~n tries ter g t away widout anybody seeint me. 01e Aines has woked up dis time an of course he teils i~arse Iorn~ flflatt s de c~ist whuppin It se eber had, Itse i! yot.~ Dey streaked me all ober den dey ~akes me lay downy chained han an foot all de day long. Dat aintt done no good do case I rid dein hosses eberttime I got de chance. I got married ter Pheobe de year dat de war begune She wus a siLa little bro~m~skinned gal what look so puny dat yo jist natu ally wants ter take care of her. I aintt courted her fer long case de marster gives his permission tfore I axes fer hit. ~Te is in~ried fore de magistrate In June fore de war begun. . ~ . Near bout at ~.e ~ start ~ of de war I wus took ter Atlanta ter he p bul I ~ de fort ant dar I stays ti 11 de :~ Y~ikees comes a~r ppiri ant a_tariflt~ Dey shoots de : ~ rn~ches in an~ h.angs up. de oie ?~-~

355 351

3,. . 35 :I Stars an ~3tripeS. II~~e had four chilluns den Pheobe died an~ left me. Atter dis I moves ter Star, ~outh Carolina, an I marries Rebecca ~Th.ite who also died ~ive years ago an so I corned ter live wid Roberta. ttl doan know whether slav ~ry am better~ r not. Most of de njggers claims dat all of de slaves was good, but I knows i~etter~ I done ~ heap ~f meanness. An once atter I done so mean an~ got a whuppin I runned away. Comes night ant I comes back home ant de n .~c day I done sornethin er other ter git another whuppifl~ fer. Dar s dis much we ain t worried tbout livin den ia~ .~ we does now, en darts ~ much fer bein1 free, I has got thirteen great..~gran~Chi1lU~~S au I knows whar dey ~ ~ ever~Ofle arn~ In slavery times de ~ have been on de block longtirne~~0. . ni always thought a ~.ot of L1n~Olfl cause he had a heap of faith in de nigger ter think da~ he could live on ~ ~othin ~t 31l~ ~ . ~H ~ ~ ~ ~ . .;

Tillie, daughter of a slave. 359 355

Sub je ctT111~~hterof a Slave I~~viewedTilh1e~ Care taI~er~ ~ Third arid Market Sts ts W1lrnin~to n. N. C. District~_~~ Worker Mrs. L N. Harriss No. Words55O Edited Mrs. W. N. Harriss 355

360 356

-i ~ 35G TILLIE, DAUGHrER OP A SLAVE Caretaker, Cornwallls Headquarters ~ Corner Third ar~1 Market. Streets Wilmington, N. C. La, Miss Fanx~1e, vtiat yoti ir~axaskin me what I kaow s ab ou~t sla ver y ~ Why I was bawn yeah s after fre edom Z Wit h a sweeping upwar d wave o~ a L end.er ~ shri veled. br own arm to indicate t he wide lapse o~ time between her advent arid the ~assin~ of those L ng a~o days. The frail, little body might bave been. any age between. sixty and a hundred; but fexainlne vanity rose in excited protest against t1~ implication of age suggested by the question. Tillie Is one of the landmarks of Wilmington. She was one of the servants In the house of which she is now caretaker, at the time of the owrter7s d~eath, and the heirs have kept h~ on. allowing her to live In the old slave quartsrs in the back garden. She sits in the sun. on the coping of the brick wall, or across the street oa the low walk of the grounds around St J~azaes Chur oh. Children and. their nurses gather there on the lawn, and~Tilh1e hoJd.s forth at 1~agth on any topic ~ from religion and politics to the cutting ~r losing of teeth. She i~kes the bold state~nent that~ shecan tell you scmiethlng abou~t everybody iii Wilmington. . ~ ~ ~. ~ . ~

361 357

- 2 That is eve body ~ knows. There is a generaL tmeasiness t~,t pe~ haps she can. Little escapes the large, Iceen, brown eyes, and the ears are perpetually cocked. After several conversations In passing, ni~nory was coaxed to the tine when as a v~ you.ng child she ren~m bered incidents of slave times which she had heard from her mother. My mo ther belonged to the Bellamys an 1 Ived on their plantati on acros s t he ri ver in Brunswick. It was the b~ges place aiywhere hereabou.ts. I was raised on it too. or co se it was in the country, but it was so big we was a town all to ourselves. Did any of the colored people leave arter freedom? of cotse they did ri . ~ere nt no place to go to. None o~ us was custoiae d to anybody but ri oh folks of cc ? se their money was one . I ve heard Bell~ny tell how her child en i~de enou~t out of potatoes to buy their clo es rl ht on that plantation. So we all stayed righ ~ there. My iaoth~ brought us all up r ig ht t he re on the plot s he d b eei I ivin. on a 11 t he ti me Whe n I come ab ng we ha d pie at y to eat ~ She had a whol e I& eel of U8~ and we always had plenty of coUards, an po k ant corn bread. Plenty. of fish. no, yes, Stuff was sold. I can ren~mbor timber bein c~t an oui~ folks got s~ixe wages t o buy ob es. We dld n have . no school, but we had a church. Soon as I was big enough I cerne to WjJj~jn ton to work...~i~ never has lived with none but

362 358

.~ 3 358 -b~the bes . ~ymother always said tTillie, always tie to the bes white folks. Them that has inflooenee, cause if you gits into trouble they can git you out~. I ve stuck to that. I ve never had. any traffic wid. any but the blue bloods, an now look at me. I m not able to work, but I got a home an? plenty to eat. An I ain t on no re1~, an Tille can ? hold. her h ea d up .

Ellen Trell. 363 359

~ ~ Subject ~ Person Xnterviewed Editor ~ . -~ - ~ .~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . .- . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~: ~ . . . ~ . : ~ . ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ . ~ ~ :~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ :~ ~ : ~ ~ r ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ :~ ~ ... ~ . ~ . ~ .. ~ . ~ ~ .: ~. .~H ~ # ~ j N. C. District ~ ~ worker ~ ~ I~o . W rd~ ~~___

364 360

S2000C) . . ELLEN TRELL Etge 73 20 ~cK.~e St., Raleigh, North Carolina. Ne edham Pr IC e owned ~oout fifty s lave s and mother an I were ani~ng that number. He was a very rich man, and owned a large piantat ion in Wake County N.. C n ~ the tqvm of ~n1ghtdale . . ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~tr~r father belonged to Tom Bodie way down in ~gecombe County and mother and I v~rent by the name of Bodie . ~ father s given name was Ha~wood. Mother s name w~s CarolIne. . The f~axe ~ was bad iii regard to food and clothing but the slave quarters, though small ~nd shanty~1ike in appearafl e, were wa ~rn~ an dry. The rules were strick and the privileges few. Mother was whipped and scarred by the lash so bad. the sc r~ were on he when she di~d. I have seen them many times. ~ Ther were no books of any kind allowed the slaves ~ and .no social gatherifl~S t lerated. Slaves were aliow~d to go to: ~he *hite folks church and at tirn~s all s1ave~ weDe ~ . ~a~~ed to serVi~ ~ at the church. ~ The preacher told ~hern to ob ~ ~ their mai~teDS and missuBes, that the Bib1~ ~ ~id eben . i:~ ~ ~rster iiv d~ 1r~ a large ~aouSe ~it~foUi~t~nroons;which ~ ~ t~1~ slaves cail d th big hota . He~ had fo r h6us~ ~e~it~~s ~ ..:. to db ~ and rnlsSUS bidding. ~ w~e ~p cialZ~j trained : ~ ~ di&~ a lot of ente~t~i~ ~ in s very~ t~.ix~~ ~ *apster and ruiSsuS had a lot of partie$~there they ~erve~ a lot of good

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food and various kinds of liquors to their guests . When niar~ ster was in hi cups he was mighty rough, and any of the slaves who displeased him at these times were liable to get a beatIng. ~ . 1 have heard a lot of talk about ghosts and witches among the colored folks. I have seen a few who had spells p~t on them by witches. My mother had a spell put oi~her and she lay in bed talking to herself and sweating draps of sweat as big as the end of my finger. She would groan and say, go away evil spirit, go away, but the spell would not leave her until she went to a white witcb-doctor and ~ cured. tt~fter the surrender father carne up from Edgecombe County t? . and he and mother went and worked with I~. Ruth Dunnof v~ke ~ County. They stayed close never ~g oing out of the county. )~ ~:other, after a year (~) two at Mr. Dunn~s, began to think about goin back home. She was free and though her oie marster had treated her rough she loved the missus and said she rather stay with marster Rrice than anyone else. Father went to see .L~r. P iijCe. ~ie told hirn to tell Caroline to come on back home and that he shure better bring her back. T~ ther said when. s he ~ ~ . ~got b ck home they all had. a p~eneral good time cooking, eating, and laughing. Marster tole her he never wanted her to leave him again . Mother said she w as so full of gladne s s ~Lhe e ould. not repl~r ~O She just stood there and cried. Marster walked off. ~Athe~ took charge of the house and father j Ist ~o~t took ~ ~ ~ L~ ~ L ~

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:~j:~ possession of the farine He l oked after the stock, all the farm tools, kept plenty of wood on the wood pile all the year rourl . Father and mother carried the keys and acted like the iilace belonged to them. They got most of the slaves who were agreeable to come back. ~arster gave them work and he loafed S and prospered. Because he trusted the negroes~so much they felt the responsibility :put upon them, and they worked for his interests. S TtMother and father stayed there until they di~4. I stayed ~ with f ther and mother until I married ~~dger Farrell then ~ve ~ stayed in a cabin on the plantation severalyears. ~st of my life was spent near Knightdale, Wake County, until my husband died fifteen years ago. I had eight chiIdren,, ~our ~e~irls and f~pur boys. They are all ead e;~cept one, a boy, whom I have lived with in Raleigh since my husband died. S ni think slavery was a bad thing. This story Is the things my mother and father told me of slavery arid my own observations since I became old enough to remember the general S happenings. ~other said the place which had been a piaceof S torture ux~ slavery days turned out to be a haven o ~ rest after slavery, a home w~r~ peace, pl nty and contentaient reigned supreme.U .

Henry James Trentham. 367 363

~~~ ~ 46 ~ N. C. District ~ Worker ~ ~ No. Words ~ ~7~H ~ Subject ~ N~X~ ~ ~ I>ersofl Thterviewe~ ~ Edi ter ~ ~ ~ 4 . ~ ~S ~ ~ ~ : :~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .~ .;~ ~ .: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ . ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~- .~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ .~

368 364

320046 ~ . ~ . . ~ ~NRY j~Wfl~S ~ Raieigh, N. C. Rt. 2 Age 92 years UI vms horn de second day of December 1845. Dat would make me 92 years of ages I wus born on ~ plantation near Camden, s . C. ~: belonged to Dr . Trentharn and my missus wus named J~1iz~ abeth. ~r father wus named James Trentharn an! L:.otheT wus named Lone. ~ had two brothers and. one sister. We all belonged to Dr. Trentham. ttMar~terts plantation wus a awful big plantation with bout four hundred slaves on it. It wus a short distance from the ~ateree River~ The slave houses looked like a small town and dere wus~ grist mills for corn, cotton gin, shoe shopa, tanning yards and lots of looms for weavin! ~ loth . Most of de slaves cook~dat dere own houses, dat dey call ~d shacks. Dey wus . ~ give a tlowance of rations every week. De rations ~is tolerably good, jest~ bout like people eat now. Dere vus a jail on de place for to put slaves in, an in de jail dere wus a place to put your h nds in called stocks. Slaves wus put dere ~or punishment . . . .. I se~ lots of si ves whupped by de overseers~ ~s~ r . ~ . had~fOur oire~ Ieerson ~e place ant dey drove us~ from th1 iu~ ti1l .~ ~ sunset. Some of de woirien plowed barefooted mo t all d~ t~e ~ ~ ax~ ~ h~d~t~ carry dat. row an ke~epup wid de men, an den do ~ dere coak~in~ at night. ~p~: ~ .: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . ..~ . .. -. ~- ~ .- ..-~ ~ .~ -. . ~ ~ ~ -. ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ -. ~. ~

369 365

365 ~We hated to see de sun rise in slavery time cause it meant anudder hard day, but den we wus glad to see it go down. ttMarster lived in a large two story house wid ~bout twelve rooms in it. We called it de plantationhouse. Jere wus a church on de plantation. an ooth white an black went to preachin dere. Dere wus Sunday School dere too. De preacher tole us to obey our missus an marster. he tale us we n~ist be obedient to tern, Ye~ sir, dat s what he tole us. Some of de slaves run av~ay . When dey wus cau;~ht dey wus whupped and Dut in de stocks in de ~jail. ~ome of de slaves dat run away never1 did come back. ~)e overseers tole us dey got killed re..;.son dey never come back.! ttDe patterollers c orne round ever now an~ d en an if you wus off de plantation an had no pass dey tore you up wid de lash. thI~arster ~ missus rode around in a carria~e drawn by two horses and driven ~ a driver. Dey ha~ four women to work in de house as cooks, maids, an~ de like. UNO huntin wus allowed a slave if no ~ hite man was wid im, an dey wus not allowed to carry guns. LtDe corn shuckin s was a :~reat time. Liarster ~~ive ~ood licker to everybody den. ~nen ~iybody shucked a red ear he ~.:ot a extra drink of whiskey. We had big suppers den ant a ~ood time at corn shuckin s . Atter de shuckinT at,~~~iere would be a wrastlin match to see who was bes on de plantation. ~e got a week hollid~T at )~as. Den wus de timesho~s wus~ive to

370 366

. ~ ~. ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ . ~ :. de slaves,. an de good t~es generallY laste4 a week. At lay~by time wus another 1~1~ time . flat wus tbout de Fo~rth of July. ..~. . . Dey give a big d1nn~I ant everbody et all de barbe ~ an1 ~ dey ~~t d. 2 UI saw slaves sold at Camden. Marster carried some slaves dere an put em on de auction block an~ sold em. I ~s carried but I wus not sold. I went with the old doctor. I wus his t~et. Dey carried slaves away from de plantatiofl in chaiflS.~ Dey carried five or six at a ~ime. If a nigger didn~t suit h~ he sold him. ttMjSSUS djdflt t like for him to ~ ~at em SO much no how. fle old doctor had three boys, William, Sidney and Henry and two girls, ~is.sie and C.~rie.. ~ ~Dey WOU1~ not ~l1oW s laves no books ~ I . t read ~ ~ite. I did.nOt git any le~ni~. ~When a slave died dere wu~ onlY a f~w to. p~o to de buryiZ~~ Dey d~t bave t ime to . g o d ey wus s o busy work t~ De s laves . ~ ~ ~: wus b~rried i~ plain wood boxes ~h1~h wus made by slave men ~ de plantatiofl ~ marster looked atter us w~en we ~ot ~i~ck. . ~ . *11 married ~11a Davis 31 yearS ago in ~outb Carolina, near ~amaen. We had~ twelve chi11U1~$, s:LX bo~ s and ~ix girls. t~Slavery WUS pretty rough arid I am glaa ~t ~s ail over.

Jane Anne Privette Upperman. 371 367

Subj ect~Q~E~ PRE~TE~MP~~ Person Interviewed Jane Anne Prive the Editox~ G. L. Andrews ~2O132 # L C. District No. & Worker T. Pat Matthews No. Words______631

372 368

3~O132 ~ . 368 . JA~NE AM~~E PF VETTE UPPIERI~ 74 years old,. of 330 West~ South $~ ~eet. II wusn t livi~n in. Raleigh when my mother wtth freed from slavery. We wu~s livin in ~ash County right near the border of Wake County. We belonged to Shirley Brantly. Our !n~s8us wus named Penina. . I wus born a slave, but wus only bout two years old . at. ~ . time of de surrender I am 74 now. I ~nis born j~. April. I had my age in a Bible, but ae book got tore to pi~eces ant ~ny age got lost. . We lived on Marster Rr~ant1~s plantation an de slave quarters wus near de great house. Mother said she wurked in de fiel s from sun to sun. Dey did not eat breakfast in de mi fore dey went to wurk. It wus e ooked an put on a shelf an dey had breakfa& at about eleven o clock in de day. M ther said sometimes de flies got to de meat an blowed it fore dey could come in to eat it. Mother said de food wu~ bad ant not fixed right . ~ UDere wus a lot of de slaves divided among marsters chillun. I can t r it~ember how many. Marster wus a s ldier an when he come ~n tole mother she wus free, M~.ssu& Pen~na tole her, tN0~ you amt freed youtse got to stay here ant wurk right on.1 ~arster tole her if she . had been through wid what. he been through wid she e~uid give.. motherup as free as takin~ a drink ofwater. .

373 369

369 When de war ended father come an~ ~ot ma an took her on to his rnarsters plantation. ~4 father wus named Car ~oll Privette ant ~~iy mother wus Cherry I3rantly, but after she wus free she begun to call herself by my fathers name, Prjvette. Father beicrnged to Jimmie Privette across Tar River from whar ma lived. He livea near a little place named I We lived there at father ~ s marster s place till most of de chillun wus tbOut grown, den father bought a place in Franklin County from Mr~ Jack Griffin. He stayed there long enough to pay for de place; den he sold it ar~ we moved to Clayton. . . ~ ~ ~ At this time all de older ehillun wus married, an dats what dissatisfied my father. He had nobody to help him wurk. Arch, Frank) an Denni.~ .wus married. Mary w~is married. T~ro g iris an one boy wus lef s ingle . Dere wus seben of de chillun. We moved from Clayton to Raleigh. I wus married in Raleigh. I married William Upperman. ttMother an father died in Raleigh. Mother died right here in dis house. ~r mother ant father couldntt do no writin , but father could read a little. He could read hymns an de Bible. ~ li amt remember nothin ~bout slavery ceptin what I ve hear d em say. Some s4id dey had a good time an liked slavery. Dat wus when dey had g ood marster s . Den s orne s aye dey had a ha ~d time an didn t like it. Dat wus when dey had

374 370

370 bad marsters. Slavery wus good ant bad accordin to de kind of mar~ter you had. tt~ husban ~ died September 6, 1925. I am unable to wurk. Itve had a stroke on one side. i se jest harigint round home. 1~r daughter wurks for de WPA an supports me but now she has been laid off~ My chillun, some of 1~ern live in Harlem, . New York, but dey has to have so much to live on dey can t help me. Dey sends me a Christmas present most of de time, ant dey remembers me on mother s day sometime. ttl aintsi~ned up wid any of de ~~laces toget money yet. Don t seeP what I is go1n~ to do. I amt got tnOi~gh money to pay bus fare to de registerint place other side of town. ~

Ex-slave stories. 375 371

Subject ~ Person InteDviewed ~h41a~~~ Editor ~ yJt~_ ~ C~ District ~o.2 ~Vorker ~ ~o words___________

376 372

3.20215 . . ~ 372 EX-SLAVE STORIES An Interview by 1~ry A. Hicks with Ophelia Whitley of . Zebulon, (Wake Co . ) N C . May 12 1937. HI wuz borned at Vlakefield in 1841, here in Wake County . ~r mammy wuz named Eli z a an ~ my pa~py wuz named Thomas. Dar wuz eleben uv us ehilluns, ~ra ~es, Sally Ann, Jane, Pattie, Louisa, A1ic~, Firginia, Sam, Haywood, Boobie and me. We belonged to ~. Agustus Foster an he wuz right good to us even do he had a hundred or so other slaves. UI trnembers one whuppin I got when I w~ua little tbout a big matter dat look d little at de time. Mens would. corne by in kivered wagons, (we called dem speckled wagons) an steal Mars e Gus nigger ~hilluns ~ He had lost a heap of money dat way, so he forbids us of goin ~ ~ out ter de road an he orders us ter stay tway back in de rear uv de house.. ~eday we sees a drove uv dese Wagofls comin an we flies down ter de road. De marster ketches us an I tiies,bu.t he hobbies t~r our cabin on. ~~~ii: c~utches an he pinches me, pokes me wid de crutch an. ~s~ my fac e . ~ ~ ~ His son Billy wuz de overseer an he wuz good ter ~ wid:; ~ but he shOre made dem darkies i~uck. De

377 373

373 wthnrnen plowed an grubbed,an ~ I se known dem ter leave de field, go ter de house an~ find a baby an be ba~k at wuck de next day. Dat ain ~t happen often do , mostly dey done light wuck ~er a week or so . De babies wuz carried to Ant Hannah s house an she raised rem all sois dat de other wimmen could T~/~pJ~~ De mainrnies ain t egen member which wuz dere chilluns half de time,so dar w~az no mo nin when somebody got sold. ttl members a slave sale an hyarin de marster tell Cindy an Bruce ter act up fer de benefit of de buyers. Cindy said dat she could do 3verTthing, so she - brung a good pric e but F~uc e atter s ayinV dat he could do it ~all, wuz tole ter hitch up a hoss in a hurry. He got de hoss an turned his head ter de spatter board ant tried to hook de hoss up hind part befo . De marster can t find no buyer,~ so he whups )3ruce awful atter he gits him home but dat black boy says Marse Yc can kill~ me, but ltd ruther stay on hyar. I se seed niggers in chains, but dey wuz travelin , or wuz mighty bad niggers. We ~had log cabins to live In an dey wuz comfort~ able but we ain t had much jubilees, de marster not believin in such thii~gs. We warn t teached nothin , not even religion an we got whupped ifwe wuz. ketched wid a piece uv paper or a slate. De white folks warntt teached no thin den, an you 1~io~ dey won ~t gwine ter take no trouble wid de n Iggers. De niggers had a doctor

378 374

~: do when dey got sick saine ~s de white folks, an~ dey got a lot of spring tonic an such, made out of barks ant roots. . ~rnen de slaves ~ ot married dey doue it die way: de narster hilt a lroom an dey solemnly eteps over it twict den dey kisaed an dey wuz married, tcourse dar ~iz something dat de marster said, but I doue forgot whut it wuz. ti/hen we hyard dat de Yankees wuz contin some of de niggers went fer de wocds an stayed till atter de aurrexder, but moat av us stayed on &st wucked jist de same. NW marster made bis own brandy an wide key an when 4e Yankees come he wuz a rich man, Eis suoke hoese wuz fui o~ hams an he bid em in de ceilin of my mammy s shack, ~: be tuned dem barrels of brandy, but de Yankees . . ~ ~ . ;i~i ~foimd it afl an dey ain t left rtothin , I members how seine of dem Yankee officers cussed in front of my miswe how I tole em dat d ey mcugbt be r~tees but dey won t half raised at dat. : Atter de sunend~er my rnarster had ter make de ~ . slaves leave but be ~ moved my papy s cabin furder an ~ we jut stayed on sane as always tin he died, I members ~ ughty well when n~ nammny an papi got married case I ~ seat it two years. attn de eunex4er. s Dar n two witches lived in our rM4hborboo& I s $~. sea en *Lmte s 36*s tilda an t -e

379 375

375 I se seed dem brewin coffee a many a time an pourin it out in a long neck goard. Dey done a powerful lot of things which I can ~t recollect right dis minute, anyhow dey wuz witches. 1 uster see ghosts on dis very road nigh about evers night. Dey wuz white an~ spongy lookinr an dey set under de bushes an holler an holler an1 holler. I se poured water on tm many a tirrie but it ain t done no good. ~ ~ Do you know chile, slavery wuz a good thing, but folks has improved a lot s Inc e den, an de Yankees warn t half as good ter us as our oie marster an missus wuz, even if n dey did put a ~stop ter de Ku Klux Klan beatin s orry niggers dat had art ter . be hung. I~H/L1E . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ 1. L

Ex-slave story. 380 376

: ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~p ~ I 1937 N ~ C Di strict No. 2 .W~orker MarY A!. Hick$ No. V~ords~6l4_ Story teller~O ~-~ ~ Wai~ ~J44) ~ _r, ~ J4k~1 ~ 1-~k~4t 5?ui ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ / ~ ~ ~ ~ ~i~h ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

381 377

320168 . . 37~ ~X-SLAV~~ STORY 6V y An Interview on iiiay 19, 1937 with Torn ~V11~ox of lyle thod.. ~Iwuz borned on March 18th, 1856 uurTh de biggest snow dat eber hit Eastern Carolina; dey says dat hit wuz up ter de roof. De place whar I wuz borned wuz in ~arren County jist acrost de Halifax County line. i~y m~uiimyt marster wuz Mr. i3 . Osco Harris an his wife wuz named ~ artha. 3~My marflffr~yt s name wuz Alic e ~ my pappie s name wi~az Camelin. had three brothers, Little ~3erry, Cornelius James, an C. J. Dar wuz Lour gals, Anne, Pattie, Pennie, ant Mary Frances. De white folks wuz good ter us an we loved em, but we wanted ter be free, case de Lawd done n~ke us ~ ~ all free, ~ tt~y fl1ISSU$ WUZ a reli~lous wori~an.an1 I can t tell ~- yol de nurxfoer uv times slie h&s leat n~e case I done some : kind uv wuck on a ~upda~y. ~4i~e went ter church ever Sunday an we wuan~t ~1owed ter cuss an sich thingsj) n~I wuz nine when de war commence. Dunn de war an1 I wuz workin in de. fiel , long wici de fifty or

382 378

) ~ I ~ t.)drO sixty other slave s ~ Dar wuzn t nary a Yankee track made in our section, an we ain t knowed much bout de war. t~As I done tell yo onct we ~vuz fe~i en clothed good an we lived fer each other, but my p~J)p~ b~lo:~ed ter one rn~i an my mammy ter another one an so we wanted ter be all together. Atter de war we stayed on till p69, den we come ter Raleigh. Most uv de wimmens an~ dhilluns ~1z sent by de train, but me an pappy an Berry~we walked all de way by Louisburg, an driv pappyts thirteen heads of cattie~ In 1871 we buyed ten acres uv Ian at i~1ethQd fer three dobilars ~ acre an moved out hyar. ~tNo marn, we ain .t liked Jeff Davis, but we did. like Mr. Lincoln~ I members a verse uv a son~: ~at we sung dunn de first uv de war. it goes dis way. 1 Jeff Davis is a rich man, :~ Lincoln is. a fool, . . Davisrides.a,big fat horse, ~ Lincoln rides a mule. ~ ~x1ieJ( ~knack dey s~y ~Walk oie Georgia row. O ~flar wuz another son~: I tmembers, but I ca&t think no games case we amt t neber played none . O YO;~ ~I~5 h;y:ard dat atter a dog gits so full uv fleas he can t tote no mo . Well,dat sdewayl is I peddles my peai~uts but Ibarei~rmak~B alivi&. ~ ~ ~ .- - .. .- -~- . ~ -~-~

383 379

3. . 379. ttHyarrS de sons dot de best I members it an It wu i sung atter de wax~ . ROle Confederate has done player. out, Shrew bail,. shrew ball, ~ 01e Confederate has done played out ~ - Shrew ball s ~y. I, An oie Gen l. Lee can t ~fight no mo ; We ll all drink stone blind Johnnies go marchin home. ~ t : bought me a chicken fur fifty cents, Shrew ball, Shrew ball, I bou~ht me a chicken fur fifty c er~ts Shrew ball ~u1i: ~ I bou~:ht me a chieken fur fifty cents An de son w? a bitch lone jump de fence, We!L1 al I drink stone b I ~ nd. Jobnnies go rnarchin home. ~Eighteen hundret &i sixty c~e Shrew ball, shrew ball, E.ighte en hundret au s ixti one Shrew ball sety I, eighteen hundret an s Ixty one An dat s d e year de war b egun We ll all drink stone blind Johnnie s go marchin home . Eighte n hundret an s ixty-~five Shrew ball Shrew ball, Eighte en hundret an ~ a ixty- f ive . Shrew ball s~y I, . . Eighteen hundret an sixty-~f ive De yankees et oie Lee alive; We ll all drin1~ at ne blind cTobnniesgo marchin home.

Catharine Williams. 384 380

Subie ct_~~~ ~ CATHARI~ ~ILLIAM~ ~ Pers on Interviewed barine~~i~ani~ ~itor~~ ~~sy ~ Wait~t ~ . N. C. District N~p.Z~ Worker T. Pat Mattkewft No. Words~ ~ ~. ~. 380 320211

385 381

320217 ~ . 381 ~ CATHARI~NE WILLIAMS 2214 Barker Street My name I s Cathar me Wiiams, I was born Dec ember twenty fifth, 1851. 1 remember my mother, but I do not know anything about my father. My mother s naine was Adeline Williams. Mother baked ash cakes, but my children would not eat em She died fifty years ago.~ I had four children when she died, but I had three boys and two girls. I was born in Virginia but I cannot tell what part. I was four. years old when my mother brought me to North Carolina. C~r old master Dabney Cos ~ moved from Virginia to North Carolina then. We caine straight into Raleigh, North Carolina and have been living in Raleigh ever since. - We were Williams when owned by Cosby andwe were nevir sold again, but remained in the same family till we were set free after the surrender. We had good food, fair clothing and comfortable sleepin~g places. I know what a pallet is. All slep on em a lot in slavery days especia1J~r when . it was hot weather. I makes em now sometimes. 1. - Dabney Cosby, a practical architect and contractor, came to Raleigh from Ealifax County, Virginia, and did a g od deal of buiming in the city between 1850 and 1860. The original Yarborough Bouse (1852) was built by him. The Keart house~corner Nargett and Davison Streets, Coiby s home and another stucco houa e o orner Hargett ard Earriugton Streets are still stanthng in the locality mentioned in the story. .

386 382

-2~ 382 My missus wus named Fannie. I do not know how many slaves they owned, b t Marster did not have a plantation, he lived iii town. He was a brick mason, and he made brick3 He had two brick kiins. ~ Our missus and marster were kind to us but they did not teach us to read and write. I learned to read and write since the surrender. 1 went to church and Sunday school. There were no Negro preachers, but we attended the white folks s church. We did not have any prayer meetings because our homes were in the white folks s yard. . t I was never whupped and mother and myself were well treated, so I have no complaint to make against our white folks. tThe first work I done was nursing the children in the home next I waited on the table then general hous~)(~ tAt the last days of the war Wheelerts Calvary camped around my house at night. They tole us the Yankees would be in Raleigh the next morning aid shore tno~gh they carne in next morning. If the citiz~ens had not gone out and surrendered Raleigh to the Yankees they would have torn Raleigh to pieces. We were living on the corner of Hargett ar~ Dawson Streets . The Yanke e s don us no harm. They done ail rigb~t in Raleigh. They did not

387 383

383 take nothing around hoxae . They put out guards around the homes by the time they got in. We were not afraid of em, none of us children, neither white nor colored; played such purty music and was dressed so fine. run after the band to hear ~ p1~ ~ UI heard talk. of the patterollers, but never saw any. I knew very little about the jail ir~ Raleigh for slaves. I never saw any slaves sold or any in chains. I never knew of any slaves running away to the North. We children both white aixi colored enjoyed the Christmas holidays together. We played running and jumping ard hide and seek. ~We had doctors when we got sick. Dr. Johnson was one of them. After the war we stayed on with Marster and Missus until they died. I have been on Oberlin Road about twenty~five years. No Sir, what you talkin bout? Ito, there were no Negro schools in Raleigh at the time of the surrender, but I have had a good time all,iny life as far as bein treated right 1s concerned. ~have never married. I will have to find that man yet, ar~ at thi~s age. I don t expect to fird him. Ha ! ha I never found that man yet. I am staying with my nie~ce. they We

388 384

384 t, I know nothing about Abraham Line o In He helped us to be free. I knew nothing about Jefferson Davis, Booker T. Washington or Roosevelt. I know very little; about Jim Young, only he was a polititian. LE

Rev. Handy Williams. 389 385

Subject ~ Person interviewed R~.~Hqr4y~ !i1iia~ Editor~isy ~iIeyJa1tt 7 ~ 385 320208 N. . Dj~str ic tNo,~ p Worker~T, Pat~ ~i~the~ No . Words ~ ~. 7~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~- \ ~- ~ ~ \\ ~

390 386

320208. . ~ REV HAI IDY WILLIAMS Dunn, North Carolina. ~My name is Handy H. 1NiUiams. When de war went up I wus twelve years old, 12th o~ ~iIarch. I belonged to Blaney Wllliama arxi his wife wus named Polly. ~y mother wus named Margare t Wi111arn~ and my father wus name d S~n ~11liaina I do not remember my g randrnother and grandfather; C an t remember t em 11~ rather lived in Greene County. De plantation wus :~i Greene County. Dere were about 190 acrea in de farm arid dere wus about 2~ slavea on it. uw~ lived In Greene County till the war went up. We ha~~ plenty to eat, good clothea exil a nice place to sleep. Marster wua not good to u~, but he gave us plenty to eat and wear. He worked us from. light till dark and then my mother had to do house w rk after workin in de fields all day, an father had to do de feedin or pick cotton at night. 111e had no holidays. Prayer meetings were not allowed In de quarters and a slave dareent to be cau~ght wid a book iii his han . De patterollex s come by often an dey caught and whupped d e slaves many t ime a Marater whupped slave s for moe an~h1ng . Someti.mes he w. ould g e t rziad an whup us

391 387

when b~e hardly had an excuse. Yes sir, he would get drunk and whup somebody jest cause he wus mad. Some of de slaves run away . My Une le Ne edham Williams run away When he come back he wus whupped. an then put up and sold. kint Chaney my mother s 1, wus put up and sold ~he wus sold away from her children. When de war went up, she come back borne. ~r Aunt Beadle wus soldon de block in Pay~ etteville.. I remember her well, bit we have never heard from her aine e . She never c orne back aft er the surrender. God only kX~OW3 what become o ~ her . ~ ~ . tWhen de war went up we went to Harnett County to M~r. JSa Sux les place, about three miles fran whur this town now stands. Dunn wus not here then. We atayedthere five years, and then moved to Mingo in what ~.s now Sanpson County on the Louis Martin . Tew ~ P:Lace and my father bought a place . The deed called for 199 acres mer e ol less. Dat what de de ed called fox . We paid fox de plac e but n~r father mortgaged de place. He didn t lose it, cause it wus. fixed so dat~ no one could ae1U or mortgage it while any of de heirs wus livin . liare dead cept Pink Williams and myself, and de l~i~ f~U bac ~ to u ~. ~ and ~ are both dead ior~g time ~ :~0Ut tWeflty~fiVS iears. ~ . Dey :ia4 oversee~~ on rnareter s farm in Gx eene ounty

392 388

388 and dey were mean to de s1aves.~ I wus not bi~ enoug~i to work much, but dey had me feedin stock and helpiri around de house. I.twe children didn t play any games we wus afraid to play around de white folks. L~rster ~s a rip snorter and he would get you if you got In hisv~y. He lived in de c:reat house not far distant from de quarters, but we did not go dere unless we had to go dere to work. ttyes sir, you know how children is when dey hear wagins coornin , and a big crowd marc~in together. Yes sir, I remember de Yankees. Dey rode dere horses against de fences and tore em down. Dey corned in de yard and turn s ed over de bee gums. Dey shot de chickens. Dey would say Dere he goes, shoothim, shoot him , and den de guns would go tb~, bank, barn, an~ de chickens would fall deadt. Dey shot de dogs in de yard. Course, to Heben, I am tellin de truth. Dey took de meat and destroyed mos everything at Marster s. After dey lef , if you could get a few beans or peas dey wus mighty good. People et tater peelin s an some come near starvin . t,1 wus mighty lucky an what I got I got it from de Southern whit e fo Iks ; dey be en mighty go od to me since de war. I have worked ftr de town bout 35 years and I work for it now. I ain t able to do much now, but

393 389

I have a section o ~ de Courthouse. I keeps it might clean. ~ pli know nothiri much bout de great men you ax me bout; don t remember much about em. I think slavery wus a bad thing, yes sir, I shore does. LE

John Thomas Williams. 394 390

L~.o C. District I fo. 2 Worker T. Pat Matthews L~ o . Words 544 Subj ect ~ Person Interviewed John Thomas ___ ~I111iams Editor G. L. Andrews 390 320011 ~y

395 391

320011. . 3~9i JOHN THOMAS WILLIAIWB 77 years old . 1272 Pettigrew Stre et, Raie igh i~orth Carolina. ft I don ~ t know who I am nor what my tr ue name Is. I wus born December 25, 1860 on a plantation in New Hanover County.. The plantation belonged to John Williams, whose wife wus named Isabella and the farm wus on land whIch is now in the corDorate limits of Wi ~nington, N. C. The reason I dontt know who I ~. is that I dontt ~ remember my father and mother or any of my pe ple. When I .got so I could remember anything I wus with the ~&iiliams farni~y. i~arster an missus, an theirfarnily are the only ones I ever looked upon as ~ people. They never told inc who I wus. itAfter the war I~ stayed with them a lone time and helped them on the farm. They run a truck farm.. I got along aU ri~ht while I wus with the Williams family, but when I got grown ~ left them. I loved them but .1 realized I wus a nigger and knew that I could never be like them, and that ~ I wus one to myself. . When I left I went to Little Wa$hington, N. C. Then to Plymouth. I stayed at these places several years working as a hand on truck farn~s . ~om there ~ I went to Ch~lotte, Greensboro, and N~or~olk. I the~n~.went LIox th an~ stayed eight year~s in ~ew York City as a waitmari for a white man and his ~i~ix~i~ly. . then went to P1~iouth, L C. . . ~ ~.

396 392

392 UI married Maggie Swain, a former sweetheart, as soon as I got back to Plymouth. ~e had two children. She lived six ~~rear3 I thera married L~ary I~avenport of Little V~shington. We had seven children. She died and I come to Raleigh and married Ma~ggie Towel. ~/e had no children by our marriage. UI own no home and have never owned one. ~xcepting the ei~ht years I spent in New York city my life has been spent in farming. I farm some now and do little jobs for the white folks. UI don t know much about alavery, as I wus too your~ to ~ow much about it. There vms other slaves belonging to Marster WIlliams but idon1t rememi:er. any of them because when I got so I could know what it wus all about they were free arid gone from the plantation. Iii have asked thousands f questions trying to find out who my people are but no one ha& ever told me who I am or who t iy people are. If I have any brothers and sisters, I don t know it. UI have nothing to say about bein,g partly white, I leave that to your iinagination. I have thought about it a lot. I d~on t know. ~ . lt1 have been blessed with good health, I am breaking now but I ani still able to do light jobs. ~. 1 ani a goodflddler. The white folks have taughtxne t do lots of different thix~s. I bave had very few advantages ar~d~ I cannot read~ and write.

397 393

. 393 UI have never been in~jai1 in my life. I can give good references from dozens of whi~te folks. I try to live right, be. honest and above all give my ~e~L.: Low man a square deaI.t~ LE

Interview with Lizzie Williams, ex-slave. 398 394

-W--- ~ ~ ~_ ~ ~ .~ ~ ~ ;~ ) ~ Interview with LIZZIE WILLIA~, Ex~~slave, . ~ ~ 394: ~ . ~ 35 I/~&x Str et, . ~ Asheville, N. C. ~ ~ ~ By ~rjorieJones, Aug. 24, 1937. . . l s bo n in Selma, A .abanf, I cailt mind how long ~ ago, but. jes bout ninety yeahs. I come to diG country bout 1882. Yes, l s purty porely des days an l s gettin homesick for my ol hOme. ~ \ ta b o t~ and lib on ol man B~i ily Johns on s plantation ~ thousan s acres of groun and plenty of niggahs~ My pappy he allus b long to 01 man Billy. He ~ not s ich a bad man but de Lawd ~ knows I s se e d bettah one s . When I s r ight ~ t s ize Missy Mixon ~he was !~rs e B lily s wife siatali, she get ~rse Billy to let her hab me. She war a gGod woman. She took nie to town to lib and make a little white girl outten me. Vail knows what I mean8; I got treated ~ moh like de white folks den de res of de niggalis. ~ ~ But twar&t long afore Missy send me to New ~ Leans to nurse . de sick chile of her sistab. I never war satisW down dar. Evverbody so differen But de ~ nex . year we go ba ~1c to Aiabarn1 .. . ~ ~ . . ~. 1 ~ to Ma:r se ~ ~ Mi, ont s . he tubble mean ~ to his .ldggahs! But Z. be ongt ~ to de Misst1~., she all~~ treat me gOOd. All 3e littie niggaha have to learn to wor,k wbendey~1tt1eget o Vu.pu~.Iweeds; ~ey ~ . ~ time te ply. ~ i~st dem uiggahawaa scare~ to death ~. : .jes ~ . ~ . like de ones on BIIiy Jobnson s plantation. D~ay iatow ~ey ~ ~- ~ ~ A; ~ ~ ( ~ ~ ~: ~ : : ~ ~- .t~ ~ ~ . ~ ,~_-~.- ~ -. ~ ~. ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~2 ~ ~ ~ - ~. ~. -~ ~ . .~ ~ - . - ~ ~ .~. - ~ ~ --- ~ ~ . . \ --j-- .

399 395

395 get whupped jes like a mule iffen dey act like dey don wanna Wurk. Dey neber get much to eat, jes side meat, co n bread and lasses. O1~ Billy he bad overseer~ whut was mean to de pore niggahs. Sometime d y ties dem up an dey~ strip dem ~nd dey whups dem wif cow hide, else dey~ lets other niggahs do it. All de niggahs have to go to church, jes 11k de white fokes. Dey h~vea part o~ de church for demseifs. After de wah we hab a church of our own. All de niggahs love to go to church an sing. I mind a lot of de songs we used tersing in ae fiel s. I mind my papp:: usedter sing in de fiel , Git on bo d, little chillun, git on bo~ d. Sometimes day babtiz in de ribber. Den dey sing: ~ S I wanna be ready I wanna be ready good Law~ I wanna be ready/t.o walk in Jarusalem jes like John. John say dei~ity was jes four square, To walk in Jarusalem jes like John. But I 11 meet my mothah and fathah dar ~ To walk in Jarusalem, jes like John.~~ I tmembers bout de paddyrollers. De niggahs hab to get a pass from de massa or de missus if dey go ennywbar. De Bout dozen of dem ride long togedder. Fus thing dey say: paddyrollers jes 11k police. / ~Wharyo pass? Den iffen yo hab one dey lets you go but iffen you don hab one dey strips yo to de waist and dey lams yo good till de blood comes.

400 396

4- s ~ ~9~j: Sometime dey rolls yoU over a banel and laine yoU while de barrel rolls. ~ I mind a taie my pappy tell bout one time be see de paddyroilers commt. He scared to death cas be did n hab no paS8. He bio Iffen dey finds hirn tut dey do. So pappy he gets down in de ditch an throw sand an gruxits jes like a bawg0 Sho nut dey thinks he a hawgard dey pass on, dept one who was behin de others. He say: ~t am de .~~ruiitin es ol bag I ether hear. I think I go see hirn. Eut de udders day say: Jes let dat ol hawg lone an mm yoown business. So day pass on. Pa~ppy he Lait bout dat for long time. I mind ol Mose, he he.b..monthl~ pass fr Mn de massa but he forgit it one day ~nd deft paddyrollers whup him and throw him in de callaboose. In de ~wnin when de rrassg wake and fin no fresh water and no fire in de stove and de cows not milk, he say: I know Mose in de callaboose, and he hab to go atter Mose. Lots of de pore niggahs run away, but twarn t no use. Der wa nt no place to go. Day was allus lookin for yo4.and den yo~had to work harder den ebber, sides all kin s of ptnisbment yo(&got. Den dey nearly sta ve youto def, jes feed yot on bread and water for long tinte. . De uiggabs nebber bio nothin bout learnin jn wut ail dey s fit for. Di oni~y thing I ebber do wif a book is jes to dust it off. I mind two little niggahe whose missy teach d~rnto rnd. Emily, she look lit a white gal. She was treate4 . H 4e. ~rne she white. Rerdaddy waa.a White man~... zmily was a ent t gal, She belong to wie of 4, Jobn~on mens. mie do all de lewin ~ ~

401 397

w~ for her missy. When de missy go to buy clothes for de chillun she allus take Emily along.. ~ Her pappy pay no more tention to her den to de res of de niggahs. But de missy she was good to her. She never stay in de quarters, she stay in de house with de white fokes. But E~1ly have de saddes look on her yaller face cas de other niggahs whisper bout her pappy. Many de pore niggah women hab chillun for de massa, dat is Iffen de massa a mean man.. Dey jes tell d~niggahs whut to do and dey know better den to fuss. 01 missus she good to me. I thind one time I got tubble mad an say some ugly words. M~rse EII~s he come up ahin ne ~nd he say: Lizabeth I gwina wallup yo good for dat.~ I mense cryin and run to d~ missus and she say: Look heah Ellis Mixon, y all mind yo own business an look atter yo~ own niggahs . Dis one b,~1ongs to me Jes same when de Inissus went upstafrs Marse Ellis take me in de smoke hoi~ise and sta t to hit me. I yell for de missus an when she come she plenty mad. Marse say he nebber ment to whup me, jes scare me little. I mind~ bout de wah. We niggahs neber know whut it ~ ~bout. We jes go on an work. Nebber seenothin nebber hear oiT ~ nebber say nothin but de wah a Il ~hr ~ t ~ Evah day we heah dat dt Yankee. sojers eoxnin . De pIantat~ons ~was gitti& . .. robbed.% Evabody kep a hjc3j ~t things. It was a tubble time. : ~ ~ rn~i3id p2.ain when d~ey comes to .Se1n~. All de fokes ~ia~ at . chut ch when de Yankees come. Day ~arn t rio fIgbtIII much, ~ 4idrL ~b time . D~y ~je~ march ix~. an take de towu~ But G ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ r ~ 3 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

402 398

r~ ~ ~___________________~ ~ ~ Lawdy, dat night dey burn ~ stores ant houses an take all de ~ things dey want. Cannons and guns all round, lt wartubble sight. * ~ Marse Ellis plantation bout 15 mile from Selma on Pea Ridge. I mind one night I5arse corne home from town and he say: ~L1zabeth, I say Yes sub.. I~e ~say: Bring me some fresh watab from de spring.1 I run as as I kin an~ bring de watab an glb~ it to him, den he say: Lizabeth, de Yankees am commt eoon, an :i: knows yo se gwln to tell em where I hide a 11 my P longIngs guns ebberthing. ~ No, I says, tjes why would I tell whar yo~ hide yo ~ guns an things? Missy corne In den an~ she say: ttGo on ar~ let LIzzic tione, bettah be feared d m nlggahs you done so ~ mean to gwlne tell, dats all you got to be fear d of. But yoU let Llzzi uone, she h long to me. ~ rse Ellis he go out ant hide some mo stuff, Dat night de sojers burn Selina. Dat war on Sunday.~ Next night we wake up in de ml~dle of de night an de house wha1~ we keep de bes carriage ant horse was a burnin . Dc pore botse done break outten d bern an was a runnin roun all over de place a screamin wif her poor back bu nt tubble. We nebber find out . . Iffen de Yankees set de barn fire or not. Guess day cUd. D~ :~ done set Marse Hyde s house afire an burn it to de grount with ~ Marse Hyde in It. Ma~ s~e Hyde he had plantation In New Leans and ~ when de ~ y~n~ees take ~ de town ~arse Hyde he promise not to leave : ~ 1I1T~::=- I~4 44 ~~ : ~ ~ ~ b~t.when de/sojers/he ec pe and come to his house on Pea Ridge . ~ ~.. ~ so when ~de ~ukees 1II~ hirn here dey burn him In de house wif all ~ia Iougi~ge. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~fl ~ ~

403 399

.. ~ ~ On de Tuesday rna~~in after dey burn Selnia I wake up ~ to see Marse Ellis plantation aU surrou.n wlf Yankee sojers. I war nigl?i scared to death. I so fraid dey hurt me an MIssy but dey d1~.den, dey jes march through de.house an when-day see i4~~~ Marsh E11~s diy ask him for he guns an things dey want. Marse ~ A1i1S show em wba~de things war. ~Twarn t no use to do anything else. I take M~rse Frank s tbacker an hideit in de ~issus trunk. Den when de sojers git what dey want dey~Iaugh and n~ ch way on de hill. ~ ~ . After de surren er all de niggahs jes lost. Nowhar to go, nothin to do, less d~stay wif de maE sa. Nobuddy hab anything but federate money and it no good. My pappy had bout three hunner doua s but t no good tall. All some of de white fokes think of war kilhin de pore nigg&is what worked for dem for yeahs. Dey ~jes scour de country and shoot dem, specially. de young men. One day dey come down de road totards my pappy. Dey start askin questions bout what he gwine to do now he free. ~What I gwin to do? says pappy. ~What can I do? I jes stay on e plantation an help ol Massaiffen I canget an ol mule ant a piece of an oit plow~ One of de boys look a t pappy an say: I ~ like take yo head for a target ~ but de l man wif dem say no so dey leave my pappy lone. Day hab ~e commissary whar de fokes git food; it b long to de Yankee sojers. Food scarce lilO ebberthing. e ~ ~N\~~~( Folks say now dey hab hard times; dey don know ~ett n bout hard times less day lib in war time and ~ be s lave to white fokes .

404 400

Den dey w~s de ~u Klux Klan. ~ Dey war frightfu lookin critters. My pappy say ~ygo out in de country an tie pore niggahs to de tree and beat em to death. Dey dress all kin s of fashions. Most of c5em ook 11k ghosts. Dey nebber go 11k de paddyrollers, dey jes sneak round at night when de poor niggahs in bed. Den tbout twelve tclock dey tie up all de niggahs dey ketch and atter dey through beatin ~em dey leaves dem wif dey han s tied in de air and de bloodastreamin outten dey backs. Atter freedeorn I come heah to live wif my fokes de Williams s, dats how I corne to be Williams. Nebber bad no chilluli of my own. Day calls me Lizbeth Johnson ~fore I went to live with de Mixons, den I be one of de Mixon riiggahs., den later I be a Williams; don guess names matter rnuc1~ no way. . 7~. 400

Penny Williams. Ex-slave story. 405 401

~ubj ec tP~NNY WIIJLIIAMS Story teller ?~nn~!~4~a EditorDal s~Ba4~y~ Wait~ N. C. District No. 2 Worker_~Mp~y ~ Hicks No. Words 801 401~ 3 20.22Z

406 402

32022* 402 O PE1~~Y ~iILLIAMS ~ Ex-Slave Story . An interview with Penny WiI1i~ms 76, of 716 S. J~ast Street, ~leigh, N. C. I wus borned at de Hinton place bo~iit three imiles south of Raie igh, an C ourse we ~ longed ter i~r . Lawrence Hinton. IrMy mammy wus name d Harri et i~ oore an my pappy wus named Mack Moore, dat ~vus cause dey longed fust ter a Mr. ~oore I specks Iliad ten bruders an sisters, an we all done putty good. De marster owned round two hundert slaves an~ bout four hundert acres o Ian an~ dey had ter wuck peart, dey sez. We had nough ter eat, sich as it wus, but dat ain t agin I r e ckins . An we wus puni shed putty bad if fen we complains, sasses or fuses ter wuck lak we should. Nat Whitaker wus de oberseer an patteroller an he wus stricic, I Se tellin you. I se seed hirn beat slaves till de blood run. Dar wus sonie nigger mens what u~d go coutin spite of de debil., an as de inarster am. t gibi& dein no passes dEy goes widout em. JLi~. *~Ltaker, he whups, an whups, b~it dat ain t stop era. At las Marster Lawrence eides ter hang cowb elle on dere ne eke s o s he can hyar dem if en

407 403

2. 403 dey leabes de p~ace atter night. I se tellin you chile, dem niggers am gwirt anyway. Dey ain t got sense nuff ter put d re I~an s~. in de bell ter keep de clapper from ringin but dey does stuff de bell wid. leaves an it doan ring none, sides dat d~ey tears de~ shirts, or steals sheets from missus c1othe~ line an fold dem ter make a scarf. Dey ties dese roun det~ necks ter hide de bell an goes on a-~courtin . . Dey ain t got no pins ter pin de scarf on, but dey uses thorne~ from de locust tree or de crabapple ; an dey hoi s fine. . ~Dey warn t no spoons knives an forks dem days, but de smart slave cut him some outen hickory an dey wus j:i.st as good as de other kin . Dey also ain t go no matches dem days so flint rocks wue rubbed tergether. fil members mostly bout de rear en o de war, t spec laily bout de Yanke es commt . I members dat marster an his fatnbly done moved. ter town, case dey can t git no tection dar. Dar wusn t a soul on de place but de slaves dar when de Yazikees corned a-4akin an a-~ki1lin . I members dat I wus drawin water at de well, when de Yankees corned. I looks up de road an dar wi a gang o tein: comin . I draps de bucket back in de well ~ I flies :J.ri de big house.

408 404

a. 404 ~We11 sir, dey kills de chickens, hogs, geese, an eber thing as dey cornes, eben ter marster s collie, an when dey gits ter de b 1g house dey swears dat dey 11 burn hit down. Dey stan s dar fur a minute, an den one o eni sez dat hit am too putty ter burn, another one sez dat hit am too putty ter belong ter a damm Reb, bat dey doan burn it, I hyars hit all from de winder in de big house, an I shore is glad ~iat dey am t burn hit. Dey tears up all dey wants to, den dey robs de ~nokChouse; an dey goes on bout dere business. Atter de surrender our white folkses comes back an we stays on five or six years I reckon, den we moves ter Mis Emma Greens place five miles furder in de .coi.intry. We shore am t got long good atter de war. De Yankees what ud die ter free us ain t carin iffen we starves nother. - ~~Suddenly Aunt Penny was attracted by a burnining~ bird flitting around the pomegranate bush near the doorstep. Does you know which ein de bee way ter ketch a hurnrnin. bird. chile? After a negative answer she smiled. When you sees hirn roun de flowers den you soaks two r three in whiskey, dey bird will S Uck ~~1If he~ gits drunk ~ an can t fly way dat s how you ketch him. I hates de town sparrers an de cowbirds what ain t got nuff s ense ter leave de floods You read bout hit in de papers I reckon ~ You knows dey am bout de s ize of a

409 405

pec~erwooa. ~ Yeaum, one witch tried ter ride i~e onet. I nus irs de bed, an she thcught dat I vrua 8ieep. I feels her when ahe crawla up on my lef leg an stops de, circulation. I blOWS how ter fix her do ~o I ~its up ai puts a knife under ray pillow. I haE ~lep wi dat tsdfe dar ever since dat tfr~e ars1 I am t ~aa no ma trou&ie wid witeheb nor circulation ri.other. So I reckons dat I fixed tier ;<~ood ar plenty. 4. 4os

Aunt Plaz. 410 406

N. C. District No.2 Worker Mari & H1C~S, No ~ Words 471 Subject ~ PI4Z_ Sourc e Plaz Williams ~itor Geo. L. Andrews ~r~~:) L?r;.~ 406.

411 407

320()34 407 AUNT PI~AZ An interview with Plaz Williams of I?our Oaks who says that she is around 90 years of age. . ~~~-~et Thornton sez dat she has got de world record beat ou nussin~ but dat s whar ~hets ~ She ain t a day over seventy, yit~she sez dat she has nusseci more dan I has a& rile ninety. Right now Irse a flUS~jflt of a oman what. has ~jist got back from de ho~pita1. Yes, xn~n~ a heap of people sez dat dey d ruther have me dan de doctor. ~ 111 wus bornea in ~ so dey tells me, .~en I was sold ter Lir. Moses ~iordecai of Raleigh, atter dat I longed ter a M~. Henry Lane who lived in V~ke County. Dar VQUS two er thre e. of dein Lane s n~ d Henry e o tirs e di s one wus de youngest. II worked in de fiel s iiks~-man an I liked it too. Marse Lioses had oberseers what beat you fer nothin but Marse Hen ~r ain t dat sort of a person at all. Marse Moses an Marse Henry both drunk whiskey an such hut~ dey wus different when dey ~us drunk. ~rse Mos$~es ud beat you an cuss you, but Marse Henry ~ud laugh at you an p1ay wid. you.

412 408

.. 2. It:E: i~.now one time I~~arse i~oses coined ter see Iviarse Henry :z~flt atter dey had drunk awhile idarse Henry seed riLe in de yard. hit bein on Sunda~r he calls me ter come to his library. When I gits in he axes me iffer~itse ever been drunk ant I teils him no. Den he pours me a glassful an sez for me ter drink it. I be~ s at fust, en sez dat I won t drink de brandy. M~se Henry laugh ant would have let me go but dat deb i, i~se Moses, sez, Le s holt her an pour it down her guzzle, Henry.~ Datts what dey done ant dey pours down seberal drinks. Terreckly Li~.rs.e Henry axes me ter fetch hirn some ~ater butwhen I starts my laigs a~i too weak to go so I sets down on de floor. Marse Henry laugh ant laugh but L~arse L~~oseS se.z, :Vifrlup de shameless hussy what aintt got no mot raisint dan ter git dog drunk.~ He would have whupped me too but :~~se Henry won t let hi~ do it. Stid of beatin me he sez ter git in de corner an~ sleep it off. tlt1 doan know nothin ~ de Yankees COffljflt case we wus sent ty~y back in de country ter stay. Macse Heru y comes out dar an tells us dat we is free. Marse Henry has told Jack Williams dat he canrt have me tfore dis s o I axes, tCan I marry Jack now, Marse Henry. He sez yes, so tfore

413 409

3. 409 night I is at Jack s cabin. I thow~ht at dar ain t got ter be no preacher but a we ek. er two atter dis a preacher cornes by an marries us. We moved here case hit am better farrr~Ln lanth We worked hard ter make anythir cio ~ an fer awhile I thought dat we d starve ter death. Dar am t so much ter tell about atter de war. Our chiliuns died fast as we had ein. ie worked hard an bout twenty years ~o Jack died. I se been on de charity soge but I hope dat when I gits my pension I won t have. ter trouble dem rio xnore.rt

Melissa Williamson. Ex-slave story. 414 410

N. C. District No~ ~ Worker Mary . j~i ck~, No ~ Words ~ 652 . Subj ect ~j~SA WiI~LI~ $tory teUer ~slisaa Williamson ~ditor DaisY Baii~j Waitt L ~ 411) . . ~: ~ ~ 320213

415 411

320213 MELtSSA~ WILLIAMSOJi . . E~c-S1ave Story An. interview with Melissa YfilUarnson. 77 of Bledsoe Avenue, Raleigh., N. C. ~ ~ tDi.s Juna~ fifteenth seb nt~eight years ago I wuz borned in Franklin Cotmty near Louisburg. 1t~y Inanw ~ ~ ~ ter ~ ~ MitcheL~ fore she died, which wu~ one of de ust thingsdat I trn~ers, ait deti Mist Mit~cheL tuck me in. her house an rajae~ me. Dat wuz de. fust year of de w~ I believes. De Mitchels wuz good ter us in. a. way, an dey doan spare de rod. when it am. needed., nor does dey th1nk~ dat. a pican:Lnr~~ can t go barefooted in de hot sum~nertime. Dey believes in a 1~eap of wuck~ d ~ ~ ~ p ~y at all, an very little rations . ~ ~ . Deinen slaves ~ wuck.in de fiel s an at dinnertime d~iy ain t had nothin cept a quart of butte~znil~t an a. aah~ c e. ~ I got a. whole he~ better dan dey did, but youngin~t~ like I begg~ed dem fer some of dere dinner. ~ . . . ni neber thought dat Mit Mitchel WLIZ haz d till I seed her wimp Aunt Pid~ea. u.t Pidea wuz a good. soul ant ~ wuz good ter we youngins~, ant we. loved her. She got ter

416 412

2 412 gitti.n frantic do an she d put on. her dinner on de stove, den she d go ter de wo ods an run an r oinp lak a chi le . Mis Mitchel had loved her too, but atter awhile she got mad an she wuz mad bad to o She tuck Aunt Pidea out ter a tree, stripped off her waist, tied her ter de tree whup her wid a cowhide till de blood runs down her back. We wuz told dat de Yankees would kill us a~ we v~uz skeered of dem too an I wuz always runnin fer fear de Yankees wo uld git me Then dey did e orne I wuz out at de well, drawin water wid de windlass an I wuz so short dat I had ter jump up ter grap de handle. I looked up de. road an de Yankees vvuz commt up de road as thick as fleas on a dog s back. I gives a yell, turns de windlass a loose, an~ flies rotin de house ter n~r ~ Hit s a wonder dat windlass ain t turn ober an break ri~r haid in. . I had hyard bout my sister what wuz sc~ fore I wuz b orned an I am t knowin wha~ she is but atter de war had been ober fer two years she corned ter Mis Mitchel s an got me. She carried me ter Louisburg an sont me ter de Yankee school dar I member a song dat de Yankees teached us or at leas t a p art o one.

417 413

3. 41:3 tlHo~V often we think o childhood. ~joys JLnd tricks we used to play Upon each ~ other while at school To while the time away. Chorus They often wished me with them But they always wished in vain t d rather b e wi th Rosene 11. A-swinging in the lane. I won t talk ter ir~r chilluns bout slavery days, case I doan want em ter git stirred up bout it. I se told era dat we ain t paid no dan de white folkses fer our freedom, case some of dem sold dereselbes ter git hyar an dey fought in wars dat de niger doan know nothin bout. I know dat IvIi~ Mitchel done v orig when she ain t give us enough ter eat, an when sh e whup Aunt Pidea bout bein crazy, but I members somethin else dat make me tender towards her an other white folkses. Il ~ t memb ers dat IVi~ s Mitchel us ed ter take me vi s itin ter white folkses houses an some o dem hates niggers an won t give me no place ter sleep, cept on e floor by missus bed. Sometimes I can feel her now~ kiverin nie up wid her own clothes dunn de night or feelin me to see if I m chilly or too hot. AC

Alex Woods. 418 414

N. C. District No 2 Worker T. ~Pat M~tthews No. woi~ds 1108 Subj ect~JOODS Story te11er~~ex ~ EditorDais~ ~. iWaj~t~ 320231 414

419 415

32~231 415 ALEX V~ODS E~-S1ave Story 8 Ford A11e~--~end of Martin Street, Raletgh, N. C. My name Is Alex Woo ds ~ I wus b orfl~ May 15 1858. In slavery time Ibelonged t o Jim Woods ~ Orange County. D e p1~itat ion wus b etwe en Durban and Hilisboro neal de edge. o Granville County. My missus name wus Polly Woods. Dey treated us tolerable fair, tolerable fair to a fellow. Our food wus well cooked. We were fed from de 1(itchen o the great house. We called rnarster ~ house de great house ~ iii dem times. We called de porch de piazza. We were fed f rom de kitchen o his house during de week. We cooked and . .~ w et at our home s Saturday nights anu Sunaays . We wove our clothes; children had only one piece, a long shirt. We went barefooted, an in our shirt tails~ we youngins did. . we did. not have any shoes winter nor summer, but mother and father had shoes with wooden bottoms au leather tops. Dr. TupPer/ de man who was principal of de Shaw School, de man who started de school and de church on Blount St., gave me my first pair o shoes. Dis wue the second year after de surrender. I wus nine years oie den.. Dey were boots wid brass on de toes, soi~d leather

420 416

2. 416~ shoes, made in Raleigh on Fayetteville Street in de basemeht o Tucker s Dry Goods Store, bove de Masonic Temple as you go up. 01e man Jim Jones, a colored shoe maker, worked in dis shop. ~:i: can read~, but I cannot write cause I~ve been run otter three Urnes by automobiles. Once my buggy wus torn to pi ec e s an I wus knocked high in de air. De first time dey run into me dey killed my: ho sa. De third. time dey paraliz ed my arm and bus ted the I mli o my stomach. tl:I learned to read an write since d~e surrender by studying in spare t line ~ Dey w ouldn t let any s laves hav~ b ooks in s lave ry t line Mo the r had a b ook she kept hid. Dey would ~vhup a slave if dey caught him wid a book. !Dere were between twenty-five and thirty slaves on. de plantation but dere wus no church. Dey would not allow us to have prayer meetings in our houses, but we would gather late in de night and turn pots upside down inside de door to kill de sound and sing and pray for freedom. No one could hear unless dey eaves-drapped. ~The patteroller rode around to see after de slaves axid whipped ~ ~ ~when dey caught em away from home I have 3 ~U slaves whipped. Dey took them into the barn and corn ei~, and whipped emwid a leather strap, called d~ cato nifle talla. Dey hit em ninety~nine licks sorae~ t

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3. times. Dey wou~1dn t allow em~ to call. on de Lord when. dey were whippin ~ em, but deyl t tern~ say tOh~ pray, QhI pray, marster . Dey would say, ~e you goint to I work? Are you goin visitin widout a pass? Are you goin to rim away? Dese is de things dey would ax him, when dey wua whuppin hini. ~ .~ . My old marster s brother Johi~i wus a slave specu1ator~ I member seem him bringin slaves in chains to de plantati n when he wus carryin~ ~ ~j~j t o Richmond to put em on de auction block to be sold. Dey were handcuffed wid a small e hain t o a large e hain b etwe en ~ ~ ~ two men side by . side ; dere wus bout thirty in a drove Dere wus bOUt three or four white men on horses. Dey wus called slave drivers ; some went before an some behind. Dey carried pistols ondere sides, De distance wus~ so fir, dey canped out at night. De slaves set by de fire, and slept on dese trips wid de chains on ~ Evertime de mens come to our house I wus afraid my mother and father wo uld be s o Id away from me If a woman wus a go od. breeder she sold high, sometimes bringin five hundred to a thousand dollars. De man who wus dom de buyiri would inspect dem.. Dey would look in dere mouthes:, ~d look ~ em ove r j ust like buyin. hos ses ~ There were. ne jails on de plantation. *Sometirne s we went to the w hite fo lkses chureh. O

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. 4. 418 De preacher would tell us to obey our inissus and master. Dat s what de preacher tole us. Dey would take us baek home and give us plenty to eat after preachin was over, and tell us t o do what de preacher said. Dey tasked us Saturday mornings, and if we got it done we could go to de branch on a flat rock and wash our clothes. Dey lowed my father to hunt wid a gun. He wus a good hunter an. he brought a lot o game to de plantation. Dey cooked it at de great house and divided it up. My father killed deer and turkey. All had plenty o rabbits, PC asuma, coons an squ ix r~el . tMy father s first wife wus sold tx~rn him, an I am de chile de second wife ~ I had five brothers, Greezie, Isom, Nupez, den SamWoods, who was no slave, den Spenc er Wo o ds he wus no s lave I had five sisters: Mollie, Rasella, who were slaves, an Nancy, Catharine, an Fanny who were n~ot slaves. My father wus named. Ma4or Woods, and mother wus named Betty Woods. Y s Sir, I member gettin sick betorsde surrender, an dey bled me and gave me blue mass pills. Dey wouldflXt tell nie what was. ~e matter. Missus che~wed otir food for us, when we wus small. De babies wu~ fed wid sugar tita and the food inissus chewed. De ir suckled~ mo thera suelcied. dem at dinner, an den stayed in de field. till night. I remember mi. asus chewin fer me, an de first

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5. whippin I got. Missus whi~ped me for pushin my sister in de fire. Sister called me a lie and I pushed her in de fire an burned her hand. Missus whipped me. We never di d f Ight nor p~ish one anothe r afte r dat ~ Marster used . colored overseers when he did not work his men hisse1f~. UI wus very much afraid o de Ku Klux. Dey wore masks and dey could. make you think dey could drink a whole bucket f ;vater and walk widout noise like a ghost. Colored folks wus af~aid of em. Dey wus de fear o de niggers. . I married A~die Shaw In 1888 first, den in 1918 I married agin. I think Abraham Lincoln wus all right. He caused us to be free. Franklin D. Roosevelt is all right; he kept a Lot of people from peithing to death. BN 419

A slave story, Anna Wright. 424 420

Person interviewed: A~A WRIGHT \ ~ ~ ~ r ~ ~ )~ 4~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . . ~ ~ :~ ~ . . :~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ t 4~k:~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ;~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~-r 1r ~1 . ~ r\-t~~cf t~~~4j~rr* ~ ~ ~ ~ District No~ 2 SUbj ect:, No~ Words: 580 Worker: Mary ~icks Editor: Geor,;~e L. nd~w~ N ..~ ~ ~ / .S,, ~ ~ ~ ~ : . ~ ~ ~ 3%~j j~ 420 ~~!71~T

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0 3% ()89 . . . ~ 1 ~ ~ ~ ANNA ~IGHT . An interview with Anna Wright, 72 years of age, of Wendell, North Caro lina . I wus borned de year de war ended soI~can1t tell nothin dat I seed, only what my mammy tol~ me. We lived ~ dar on Mars~e James Ellist ~1a ~tation till I wus five or six years old, so I members de slave cabins an~ de big house. ~ ~ t De plantation wus in Scotland County an de big house set on a little knoll. Back of de big house set de rows of slave cabins an back of dem wus deapple orchard taft de bee orchard. Hit wus a purty place sho nuff, ant dey teils me dat dey wus happy fore de war, case Marse J~ies wus good ter dem~ ~Dere must of been bout two hundret slaves, cordin - j ter de number of cabins. De slaves v~irked hard in de fiel s but unles de wurk wus pushin dey had Sadday evenin off ter go a~fishin er do anything de wanted ter do. ~ Two or three ti~s a year i~arse James let dem have a dance a& invite ~in ail de iieighborhooa sJ~s~. Dey had corn ~hu~kin s ~wer fall an de other slaves !ud come ter dem~ De ~axidy pullints wus a big affair wi.d d~ niggers~ X~ey~d eo~ e bO~~ ~ai ~ ~ ~ ~ eo k d~ 1as~es ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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2. an pull de candy. While dc candy cooleddey d play ..S th appin de handkerthief ~n a heap of other game&~ De ~ courtin couples liked dese ~ g~nes ~ case dey could set out. or play ~n court all dey pleased. Dey often made up dere 11j~t3 ter ax de marster iffen dey could n~rry too, at.; de se p ar-tI e ~ ~ S ~ ~De weddin s wus somethin fine, believe me. De S niggers dressed lak a white folks weddint an de circuit parson married dem in de big house parlour. De rnarster an~ de mi~isus wus dere, an dey always gived presenta ter de bride too. Atter de ceremony wi~is over dar dbe a fea~ an a dance. Lost likely d~C~d be a heap of noise. ~ heard maii~y tell of seberal big weddin s. . ~ ~ ~ i~ainm~~ toIt me dat ~-arse James ~xs a very re1i~ious Ifl~4fl~ an ci~t VAlS Why de preacher married de slave8, ~ whyhe made all of de slaves go ter church on Sunday an saj de b&es&jflt at i~eal times. U~~Iy pappy w~Is named Torn, an he. wurked in de fiel s fer iv~arse James. Hit wus pappy dat haul up de waremelons S ~ de ~ag1II body atte r I Co uld menthe r an dey said dat he haul d.em ~ui~ ~J~averj7tirnes too. W~arse J~rnes raise a plenty melons fer all of de slaves ~ he raise p1ent~ of hogs ter eat de rines. De slaves uater have a watermelon slJ:cint bout once a week an~ sometirne~ dey d invite de

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3. neighbors in. ttYou vrants ter know t~0~j, some Oie slavery foods, well ~ t u tell ~y~OU \~h&t I knows ~ Did. you ever hear of kush? rush v~us cornbread, cooked in de ~ig ~riddie on de fireplace, rn.ashed u~ ~ith raw onions an~ hain ~ ravy poured over hit~ L~ou m~ught think aat i~1t ain t good but h1t~ct i. . ttFried chicken wus seasoned~ drapped in flour an den simmered. in a big pan of ham gravi ~id a lid on hit till hit wu~ tender, den de lid. vms tuck off an~ de chicken ~s fried a golden brown a~ quick as pos~ible. ~ ~ ~Do~s ~ you know de olcL southern way of rnak n baked ~ ci iicken dressint? ~ll~ it wus rnadefrom ~oft cor~i bread wid bacon ~rease, onions, olack pepper an boiled eggs. Some of de folks used cheese too in dis dressin . ~De griddle cakes wu~ flour an meal mixed, put on a bigoleiron griddle on de fireplace ari~ flipped over two ~ times. ~~he cake. wus made of either meal or flour, wrapped in a danip cloth an cooked in de hot asnes on de htath. Taters ws cooi ed in de ashes to~an dey wus good like dat. I se heard m~znzny say dat de slave hiil~~~ uster bake ~ oniona dat way . Fjsh, dem days, wus dipped in meal, fore dey wus cooked, cept cat fish, an dey wu~ stewed wid onions. ~ tCornrneal dunip lin s inka bi led in de turnip greens, c~oliards cabbages, t ~ on, iven ter snap beans, a& at

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supper de pOt licker wu~ eat wid de durnplin ~ s ~ Dat ~ s ~ why de folks wu~ so healthy. . ~ . . akit bout swe ets de blackberry or other . kind of pie :~us cooked in a big pan wid two crusts. Dat ~ade . mere an wus better ter boot. Cakes wus mostly plain or had jelly filmt, teept fer special company. ~ ~ . From the first I could tmeinber de white folks ~ flj~:.gerS alike ain t had much ter eat. A heap of our rations wus vege ables, squirrels, rabbits, possums an~ coons. ~ie d.r~~rik parched meal water fer. coffee wi we done widout a heap pt things, but atter awhile we got richer, an ~ W~rse James got some money for something from de ~o th, so dey got long all right. When i vais twelve we moved ter ~ake County~ out near V~endell an when I wus thirteen I married Sam Wright, an we got along fine till ~e dies bout ten years ~ago. We ain t had but three chilluns but we lived through a h ap or bad depressions. r m ~What we needs mostly am law an justice . Why hit I better when de Ku Kiuxes . had law, aey tells ~ me . Now~a-days . ( de~ nigger fightson d~ streets like dogs~ Bgck den de ~ bosathaxi seed to ~ hit dat dar wu.s law an order in de tQIrrI~I a&. I lii de countr~r too fer dat xziatter~ an dein wus de good ole ~ ~H 4.

Dilly Yelladay. 429 425

subject p~W~ 4~4p~ ~Story te 11er ~i3~yYe11a~ Edi tor Geo ~ L . ~d~ ews N. C. District ~jq. 2 Worker T. Pat Matthews No Wor ds ~O17 425 320200

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426 320200 D1LI2C YELT4AD~~ 909 Mark Street E~Yes sir, I niernbers bout whet my mamn~r toJ.e in~e bout ~AJ~raham Lincoln, Grant, ant a lot of dein. Yankees conthi down ere fore de surrender. Frurn what dey tole nie Sherman knowed de south like a book tfore he come thro last time. Dat he did. Yankees come thro dressed like tramps an dey wus always lookin fur sonie of dere peopl . Bat W!U6 dere scuse . Dey wus at b~g shindigs de southern white folks had fore de war. Man:imy an dad dey said de niggers would git in de slave quarters at night an pray ~ fer fre e:dom an lai Lbout what de Yankees wus dom bout Lincoln an Grant foolin deir marsters so. UOle Jeff Davis said he. wu~ g~ftt to fight de Yankees till hell wus so full of ~ em dat dere legs wus hangin. over de sides, but when dey got lin in a close place he dres in ornans clothes an tried to git away fruilL em but dey seed his boots when h~ started to git ill dat thing dey rode in den, a carriage. Yes data what. it ~us a carriage . Dey seed his boots an knowe.d who it ~rus. Dey jus. 1a Ted an pointed aV ~ ~ said you hoi

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. ~ ~ a. 427 on dere we got you, we knows who you is an~ den dey took im. He wus mighty brave till dey got im in a close p 1a~ . den he quit b ant so 10 ud . Mammy an dad dey sai dere wus a lot of de white folks didn t keer much boat Jeff Davis.~ Dey said he wus jus de bragginest man in de won always wi ~ Dat bird flew mighty high but he had to corne back to de grountan coursa when he lit de e4;~ Yankees wus waitin for im ant ketched iiu. . --- ~. I wus born May 2nd, two years after de surrender. I is 70 years old. ~r mammy belonged to Autsy PooL. Then he died she fell to his son. Billy Pool. There wus six of the chillun, an they w~ given out to the Pool chillun. Dey went like lan does now; dey went to de, heirs 01e man Autsy loved likker so go od he wo uld steal it from hisseif. He d take a drink an~ den blow his breath an. keep wife from sxnellin it. %r uncle Parker Pool tole me de yankees made ~ ~ a slave of him. His Marster wus so good to him he wua. t as happy as he could be fore de Yankees come. fi I wus b am on the Harper Whitaker place near swift creek. Simon Yellady wus rx~r father. He wus born lxi Mississippi an he belonged to Dr. Yelladay.

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3,. 4 ) ;d l~tr father an his brothers run away an went to~ de Yankees. I heard daddy tell bout it. He got sick an dey shipped him back home to North Carolina. Dey shifted niggers from place to place to keep de Yankees .~ frum takin em. When dere got to be toomany Yankees in a place de slaves wus sent out to keep ~m from bein T~ set free. ~~her said onct when she wus carrying the cows to de pasture dey b oked down de rai iroad an everything wus blue. A nigger girl by the name of Susan wus with her. gy mother wus named Rilla Pool. Dey said dey jus fell down an de Yankees commenced sayin Hello Dinah t Hello Susie. Mother an Susan run. Dey just went flyin . When ey crossed a creek inymother lost her shoe in de mud, but she just kept runnin . When she got home she tole her missus de. . yankees were ridin up de railroad just as thick as flies. Den my great-grandmother said, Well I has been prayin long enough l or eni now dey is here ~ ~v~r greatsgrandinother ~ia~ name d Nancy Pool a she vms notafraid of nothin . I wus a little teency thing vthen she died. ~ ~ ~ t%r mother tol we all about dem thnes dey rode de horses up to de smoke housean got de meat. De Yankees went to de clothes line an got de clothes an

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.4. 429 filled de legs an arriis wid ca rn an ~ slung i t over dere saddles an rode ~away Yes de Yankees freed ~ us but dey~ le nuthin ~or us to live on. Dey give us freedom but dey took nios everything an lef us mithin to eat, nUth1~i to live on. ~ We lived in Wake County all de time. I did not git only to the third grade in school. Sister Mary Eliza got to de second grade. Father could write a little, niother couldn t. Couldn t go to school tcept when it wus too wet to work. Work, work, work, thirty acres in c tton an cawn, cawn plowed till de 15th of August, plow, plow, plow hard ground, bad ground. Nine girls ~i one boy wo rkin from sun to sun . W~r mo the r had twenty~thr e e ehi ilun. She w~is just as smart as she could be, worked in de field till just awhile before she died. She been dead bout twenty years. My father been dead bout ten years. He died right here in Raleigh with me at 121 corner Mark an BJ..edsoe Street. IIII ye had a hard time i all my life I am t able to wo rk now but I do e s all I can I have place s to work a little every day for my white folks. I aiu gwine t~ work long as I ~ kin . ~r mother an father said dey had go od niarsters an dey were e razy b out ~ em . some time s

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5. 43() dey sold slaves an den de patterollers whupped em now an~ den, but dey had nuthin to say against dere white folks. Well, I los ~y home I have worked mos uv n~r life since I come to Raleigh it a home but I got o le an cou dn t ke ep up de payme nts an. dey come down ere an took my home. Twas the wurst thing dats come to me in my vthole life. Less you tried it yo can t magine how bad it xr~.kes you feel to have to give up yer home. AC

Hilliard Yellerday (a slave story). 435 431

2 Subj e et : HILLI~D Y~LL~RDA~ -*~ ~ S~~bRY) __~9~_ Reference: HILLIARD fELJ.LERDAY -~-~ 1~tfi~thews E ditor : ~ L . ~3~~OO21 431 No. N.C. District No. Words worker:

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~32OO21 . . 432 . EiLLI~RD Y~ILERDA~ . 1112 Oakwcod Avenues Raleigh North Carolina. ~ ttMy mother and father told me many interesting stories of slavery and of its joys and scrrows. ~om what they told me there was two sides to the pict~u~e. One was extremely bad and the other was good. These featux~es of slavery were also dependent on the phases of human attitude and temperment which also was good or bad. If the master was broadrainded,. with a love in his . heart for his fellowiian, his slaves were at no disadvantage becauseof their low social standing end their lack of a voice in the civil affairs of the community, state,~arid nation. On th e other hand if th master was narrov~minded ~ ~ ovsrbear~ng and cruel the case was reversed and the situation the slavea were placed in caused a condition to exist con~ cerning their general welfare that was bad and the s ~ve was as low socially as the swine or ~ other animals on the plantation. ~ . Some owners gave their slaves the same kind of food served on their own tables arid allowed the Blaves the saine privi lege s enj oyed by thel r own chi Idren. Other mas ters fed their slave e iildren from troughs made very much like those from which the hogs o ~ the plantation were fed.

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433 There were many instances where they were given water in ~thich the crumbs and refuse from the masters table had been placed. They gathered around this food with gourds and muscle shells from the fresh..~water c~eeks and ate from )~Cj~ this trough. Such a ~c~n4ition was very bad indeed. ~ ~ ~My mother was named Maggie Yellerday, and my father was named Sani Yellerday. They belonged to Dr. ~Tonathan Yellerday, who owned a large plantation and over a hundred slaves. Hi~ plantation looked like a small town. ~e had ~/1 lacksmith shops, shoe shops, looms for weaving cloth, a corn rnill~and a liquor distillery. There was a tar(~rard covering more than a quarter of an acre where he tanned the hides of animals to use in making shoes. There was a large bell they used to wake the slaves,in the morning, and to call them to their meals during the day. He had carriages and horses, stable men and carriage men. The carriage master and his family rode in was called a coach by the slaves on the plantation. Hi~ house had eighte n rooms, a large hall)and four large porches. The house set in a large grove about one mile square and the . slave quarters ~ were arranged in rows at the back of master s great house. The nearest cabins were about one hundred yards from it. Dr . Jonathan Ye Ilerday looked after slaves~ health - . and the food was fair, but the slaves were worked by over~ seers who made it hard for them, as he allowed them to

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434 whip a slave at will. 4e had so many slaves he dId not know ail their names. His fortune was his slaves. He did not sell slaves and he did not buy many, the last ten years pre.ceeding the war. He resorted to raising his own slaves. When a girl became a woman she was required to go to a man and become a mother. There was generally a form of marriage. The master read a paper to them telling them they were man and wife. Some were married by the master laying down a bro om and the two slav e ~ man and woman wou id jump over it. The master would then tell them th~y were man and wife and they could go to bed together. Master would some times go and g t a large hale hearty Negro man from some. other plantation to go to his i~egro woman. He would ask the other master to let this man come over to his place to go to his slave girls. A slave girl was expected to have children as soon as she became a woman. Some of them had children at the age of twelve and thirteen years old. Negro men six feet tall went to some of these children. Mother ~ said there were cases where these young girls loved someone else and would have to receive the attentions of men of the master s choice. This was a general custon~. This state of affairs tended to loosen the morals of the Negro race and they have never fully recovered from its e.~fTect. Some slave women would have dozens of men. during their life. Negro women. who had had a half dozen mock husbands in

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435 -4*. slaverytime were plentiful. The holy bonds of matrimony did not mean much to a slave. The masters called themselves Christians, went to church worship regularly and yet allowed this condition to exist. Mother, father,~:sistert~and I were sent as~ refug~ from Mississippi to N.C. They were afraid the -~ankees would get us in Mississippi. I was only four years old when the war ended as I was born.April 6 1861 so I do not remember the trip. ~ We were sent ~ to Warren County to the Brownloe s plantation where we stayed until the war ended. 1tThere:was a question as to just what Mississippi would do and then mother said the Doctor feared we would be taken by the Yankees there so he sent us to N.C. to the above named County. Mother was sent to stay with Mrs.Green Pari~ish arid she took me with her. Mi. Green Parrish was gone to thewar. in the last of the war, he was wounded and sent home. While he was recovering I fanned the riles off him. That s the first thing I reznember about the warb ~h~he got well he went back and then the war soon ended. ~ After the war ended father and the family moved to Halifax County and worked on a farm belonging to Mr. Sterling Johnston. I was in ~iarren County when I first began to remember axiyth~ng and I do not have any~ specific remembrance . of the Yankees. iNe stayed in Halifax County eighteen years, ~ go:Lng from one p lantat ion to another but we made no money. The landlords got all we made except what we ate and wore.

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They would always tell us we ate ours up. Sometimes we would be almost naked, barefooted and hungry when the extop was housed and then the landlord would make us leave. We would go to another with about the same results. There was a story going that each slave would~ get forty acres of land and a mule at the end of the war. The Yankees started this story but the mule and land was never given and slaves were turned out v~ithout anything and with nowhere to go. . We moved to Wake County and I ~rm d until 3203. I had not gotten one hundred dollars ahead in all this time so I got a job with the railroad, ~.A.L. Shops in Raleigh, NSC. and that is the only place I ever made any moaey. ~ Father died in 1900 arid mother in 1923. I worked f-rom 1903 until 1920 with the S. .L. Railroad as flunkey. I worked as box packer and machinist s helper. Mother and father died without ever o~iing a house but I saved iii~ money while working for the Railroad Company and bought this lot l5?X52-~ and had thiS house built on it. The house has five rooms and cost about one thousand dollars. I ve . been. so of late years I could not pay my taxes. I am partially blind and unable to work anymore. EH 43G