Untitled Section 001

A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves TYPEWRITTEN RECORDS PREPARED BY THE FEDERAL WRITERS PROJEC I a 1936 1938 ASSEMBLED BY TIlE LiBRARY OF CONGRESS PROJECT WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION FOR TIlE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SPONSOREI) BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Illustrated with Photographs WASHINGTON 1941 SLAVE NARRATIVES

002

VOLt.Th~ V INDIANA NARRATIVES ~ Prepared by the Federal Writers Project of the Works Progress Administration for the State of Indiana

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INFORMANTS Arnold, George W. Ash, Thoraas,and Crane, Mary 8 Lennox, Ad.eline Rose Lewis, Thomas Locke, Sarah H. McKinley, Robert Miller, Richard Moorman, Rev. Henry Clay Morgan, America Morrison, George Mosely, Joseph Patterson, Amy Elizabeth Preston, Mrs. Q,uinn, William M. 155 Richardson~, Candus Robinson, Joe Rogers, Rosaline Rollins, Parthena RUdd, John Sarnuels, Amanda Elizabeth Simms, Jack Slaughter, Billy Smi th Mr and Mrs . Alex Stone, Barney Suggs, Adah Isabelle Sutton, Katie Thompson, George 196 Wamble (Womble ) Rev. Watson, Samuel Whallen Nancy Whitted, Anderson Woodson, Alex Barber, Rosa Blakeley, I~iittie Boone, Carl Bowman, Julia Boyce, ngie Boysaw, Edna Bracey, Callie Buckner, Dr. George V~ashingt on Burns, George Taylor Butler, Belle Carter, Joseph William Cave, Ellen Cheatam, Harriet Childress, James Colbert, Sarah Cooper, Frank Edraunds, Rev. H. H. Eubanks, John Fields, John W. Fortrnan, George Gibson, John Henry Guwn, Betty Jackson, Henrietta Johnson, Lizzie Jones, Betty Jones, Nathan 120 123 128 131 134 137 141 145 147 150 153 li 13 15 19 21 22 25 27 36 40 43 50 52 55 57 61 64 67,72 77,81 84 158 16a 164 167 169 173 175 176 181 185 189 193 Hockaday, Mrs. Howard, Robert Hume, Matthew 198 206 209 211 214 96 98 101 105 107 ill 113 116 118

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Facing page Frontispiece 77 211 ILLUSTRATIONS Peter Dunn Tohn W. Fields Anderson ?ihitted

An unhappy experience. 005 001

~ ct4~ . ~ ~J ~iVL 1~ )~striCt iTO. 5 ~ J~nd.erbUrgh County ~ ~a~ana Cree : ~ .r.T tT~ ~T ~\ ~)1~)V DT~TTi~~1 . .L.~. ~ .~. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~1-ii3 i~ ~ritten from an interview with eauh of the ~ollowtng~ ~eorge ~ ~_ ~110~a, Professor r. s. Bcst 0:2 i~he Lincoln E~i~.h Sehool aM ~~muel Bell, ~Ji :~ Ev~nsvilie Inc~jana. George ~. ruold ~as born AIDrII 7, 1861, in BeCt.ford County, Tennessee. ~ ~7a~ the property of Oliver P. J~rnold., who owned. a large ~rm or plantation n eaford county. 111is mother nas a native 0 florne, Georgi ~)v1here she re.~ iflC~ until t\velve ye~rs o~ ace, when she Vi&S sold. at auction. Oliver ~.rnoici bou~tht her, a:~ he also i~urch~se3. her three brothers aM ~e u:~le. The our negroes were t~:e:~ al~~ with other slaves from Georc.da Tenre~see where they were :out to work 01; the Arnold p1~nt~Ltion. C~i this plantation George d. ~TflOlCL \~~S born and. the child was allowed. )o live in a cabin wIth his relatives aM d.eclares that he never heard one them st~eak an i,tn~:1n~ word about Master Oliver Arnold or any member of his mi.ly. ~ ana ~ontentrnent arid a reasonable amount o ~ ~ood. and. clothes eined to be all we needed.,Tt ~ the now wh~.te-~haired man. ~ ~ Only a limited memory of Civil ~ar days is retained. by the old. man but e ~ew events recalled. are vividly describea by him. Mother, my young brother y Sister and. I were walking along one clay. 1 dontt remember where we had tarted. but we passed under the 1ort at ~Vartrace. A battlewa~J~n progress ud. a large camion ~~as fired. above us and. we watched. the huge ball sail throu~ . he air and saw the smoke o~ the cannon pass over our heads. ~7e poor chil~rer re almost seare to d.eatli but our mother held. us close to her and. tried to r ~rifo:rt us. The next moriiing,a ~ter, We/ were sa~ ly at honig, we were proud ~ had. seen that much o~ the great battle and. our mother told. us the war was ) give:~~ freed.orn.TT \ ~ your family x s j o ic~e when they we re set !re e ?~ was the natural question

006 002

u-Slave. Stories ~ ~ District No~.5 . ~ .. ~2. ~r~riderburgh County S . lauafla Creel . ~ ~ E~ERIENCE. t: To ask Uncle George. Tu cannot say that they were hap*~y, as it brokeup a lot 0 real friendShIPS ~ scattere~. many families. ~otber had. a great many pretty quilts t and~ a lOt of beading. Lfter the negroes were set free, Lars. ~.rnold toN us ~ ~ all go an~ make ourselves homes, so we started. eut, each of the grown I person~/ oaded. with great buniles o~ beCi~ding, clothing and personal belongrigs. 7e walkel all the way to ~7artraee to try to fi ~ a borne ana. some way to make a living. ~ . . ; G~eor~e Ti: rnoli remembers sec in~ many soldiec~ going to the pike roaa. n their way to Murfrees ooro. ~ Long lines. o~ tirei men passed. through G~uy~s c~ap on t:~eir wa~~ to Murfreesboro. saie he, TONer people saiOE that they were sent out to pick up the dead from the battle fields a ter the bloody battle of Stone s river that had lately been fought at L~urfreesboro. They ~ t:~eir oomrad~ to bury them at the Union Cemetery near the town of Mur~ 1 ~ree~boro. TT ~7artrace was.a very n~ee place to make~our home. It was located. on r ITashviile and Chattanooga and St. ~1oui~ railroad~, just ~ifty~xie miles Nashville not many miIe~3 from our oui horne, ~ tTL~other found work and got alc~g very well but as soon as we childien were old enough to work,, went back to her ol~ home in georGia where a few years later she~died~. bEJ~ieve she lived. to be seventy-five or seventy six years o~ age, but I ~3ver saw her after she. went back to Georgia. . ~ItMy first work was done on a ~arrn (there are many:~ine farms in Texmess~e) ~ although farm 1a~i~ was not very profitable ~e were a1~ays rod. therever ~ . - I got some yage~. Then I got a job on the railroad.. ~ ~Oi~.oar. ~ ~v ~ ~ place called. Silver Springs. ~8~.td Uncle Georr ~p~11~1 ~ +1~+~ +~~Ait +~ht~i ~ ~

007 003

~-S1ave Stories . Djst ict ITo. 5 VanderlDurgh County . . . Lauafla Creel . . :~.i UN}L~PPY ExP:I~I:~rc~. Here the story teller paused t~ collect his thoughts and. conquer the nervous -~wit1ching o:~ hi~ lips. ~~It was like t~1is: Three o ~ us boys workea together. 7~: were like three brothers, always sharing our fortunes with each other. Vie ~ never have (lone it, but ~e h~.d made a hr~ oit o send.ing to ~rashvi1Ie ~:fter each :~ai~~Y ana havinc: a keg of ~o1IE~nd rum sent In by frei~ht. This 1~c~uor V7~S han ~d. out among our friends an~ so~r~ett~nes we ~ran1: too npjtch and. ~ wire unfit 1or work ~or a d~a~j or two. Our boss was a big strong Irishman, re& iTt~tire~ and frier~ci1y. He a1~vayc got drunk ~~ith us and. all would. become ~ sober enough to soon return to our tas~:s. ~ The tir~e I m te1I~hg ~ou about, we had. all b ~eu iiivite~i to a candy pull ~ lfl town an~ could hardly wait till ti.~e to go, a~ all the youngpeople o~ the valley would be there to pull candy, talk, play games and oat the goodies served to us. The accursoi keg ~ Holland. ruin hadbeen brought in that morn~. ing and my churn John sims hai been ~rin~in ~: too much. About th~~.t time our Bos c.~e up and sai&, ~John, it is tine ~or ~rou to get the sup~er read.yP J~ ~ v~as our cook an~ our meals were served on ~the caboose where we lived wherever 1~re were &iide tracked. All the time Johny was preparing the~ood he was arinking the rum. Vihen . Je went in he ha~ many drinks insid~e ol him anti. a quartbottle filled. to take to the candy pull. Hurry up boys and. let s ~finish up an ~go he said~ impati~ ntly. DonTt take hIm sai . the other boy, Dont ~ou see he is d~rimkV~ So I put my arms about ~is shoulaers and. tried to tell him he had better slee a While before we ~tarted~. The.POOr boywasa bree~L His mother was almost white and. his fatherv~a~ a tho oug~I~red I~ian an . the sun had a most ~ __ ~ - ~ tetn~e-~ 11e mad~e me no answer but running his~han~ into his pocket, ~ _- ~ ~L ~ ktIff~ an~ with one thrus t cut a de ep gash in my ~ ne ok.. A :~: C o1Iowed~. I remember being knoc~ked over azid my hea~i~ striek

008 004

~-S1ave Stories ~~striCt ~O. 5. ~aiiafla Creel ~ 4 ~~~aerburgh County A ~ T~TT~ 1)~~ - ~&._ ~ L~ .~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~o:r:ething. I reache~ out my hans. ELnd. diseoverec5. it v~as the ax. With this aWftlI wea on I E~tru ~: n~: ~rie n ~, my r~io~e than brother. The thud. o~ the ax ~i3rou~1t rue to my sense$ as ou~ U~~i ~ ~e ~cre boti~ aL:~ost mortally NOUfl~ ~ L The bor~ carr~e ~ ~ trte~. to do ~or~et~nc~ ~t rc~ur relief but Jobil ~a:td, Oh, George~ vfl~t an awful thi~t~ we have d.one~ ~1e have never sa Cva cross v~ord to e. h other a.~d now, Iook~at u~ both . ~ ~ 1 u:~tched. roar Jo1~n ~11: away, ~ari:rIe~s ~~:S f~11~rfli~ hUt early in the ~orni~~i3~ fl1~T boss ana. I fol1owo~~ a tr~il o~ blood aown by the side of the tracks. Fro!n there he hu~. r~t t~u necI into the lvoois. e could. 1ollow him no further. ~7e vient to all the nearb~r tov:~ a~. vifl~~ges but we ~oun . no person who hail ever E~Cii him. re suprosed. 1~e ha5. die~L in the Woods and. watched. for the buzzar~e th~nk ng thay woala lead us to hi~ body but he vms iT~eVer secu again. ~ ~or two years I never sat dc~m to look insid.e a bOok nor to eat my food that John Sims was not besiae r~ie. E e haunted my pillow and ~ent besi~e nie night ~ ~ay1 }Iis bloo. wa~ on my han ~s, hi~ ~reseu1ce haunted. me bern. ~ enthirance. ~7hat could I ~o? How could. I escape this aw 1u1 pr~gence? ~fl:OI~ friend. told. me to put wate rbe ween. myself and the pla e where the awful scene occurred~. So, I quit working on the railroad F~flc~ st~rte~ workS ing 011 theriver. People, believed it that time that the ghost of a pe?-~ son you haa wronged wouN not cross water to haunt you. ~ ~ Life on the river was ~.iverting. Things were consta~t1y happening and George rnol& put asiae some of his unhappiness by enga~i.ng iii river a~ivit.ie8~ ~ ~ . -~ ~ . ~ first job on the river ~ as a roust-about on the Bolliver R Cook - ~ wheel packet which carried freight and. passanger~ from Nashin~1Ie,Tsnn~ ~vansvi11e, Ifl&iaflS. I ~orke~. a ro~urn1. tr:t:p on 1~er then went from

009 005

~.t 1ave Stoztee s . District No. 5. . tiaerburgh County :auan~ Creel e: iir rr.~t,,v 1~t~.r v~ . s.a us~~a. J. ~ r3asa vlfle to Cairo, Illinois on the 3. ~. Rhea. r soon aeciaeo. ~o go to ~iro auG. take o ~pinoe on the naaraao, a St. Louis and. Cincinnati paoket :i~1oh orused. from. (~airo to Ulnoinnati. o,,~. th&~t bo~.t I vzorkcd as a roustc.bout for nec~rlythree years. tzmt aia the roustnthout have to OEoT ssk~a o. neighbor tat who hei come into the roo:.i. The roust about ib no better than the rx~.te that rules him. if the ~wte le ~ind.iy &izposed~ the roust-about has an ~aey enough life. mi negroes had oiily a fe o years of freeOEora an~. resented. onelty. u the mate bec ~fle too 4noan, a rofliar fight would. follow an& perhaps several rouet-aboute :ou be hurt before it vins finished. Uncle George saift that f6od was ztl;~c~s plentiful on the boats. Passengers ~ad~ fre ight were crowde tocether on the decks At night there would. be singrig and danoing aM f d4le music. . ~7e rouet-abouts would. got togethe ant ~hoot oraps, dance or play ocras untIl the call ccne to shuffle freight, then 7e woult (tIl get bus~, suC. the a c voice utning orders ct d, be h~ar& for e. long distance. . . . ~irjs~ite of these few pleasures the life of a roust-about is the life of a dog. : ~ do not resall any unkiMnesses of slcvery days. I was boo young to realize what it wae e.fl about, but it ooul never have eq,ualle( the cruelty shown the laborer on the river boats by cruel mates and overseers. Another superstition advanced itself in the story of a b at1told, byUncle George Arnol&. The story follows: Then I wasa roust-about on ib~ dolt hi~t Tie Were sailing out from New Orleens ant as soon as we got well out on . broid. stream the rats commenced juiiipiiig ?ver board. See these rats sait, ~:~4!iT5rm~,. ns.s boat wilt never make a return~ tp!! . . . : s ~:4 ~!~$ .,~e~iey port :. o~ ~ ~ rew left tb,e boat but . the mate at fl. OptS a~k ~ ~ t ~~fl ~!fl&tU f6ole ant b gpt lis to ata. 5Q, t ftw oX un: stays,t:.to~ 4t~ ? 4;; t % i&$1L,,,*, ~ J, s Ll t % a

010 006

P!x_Slave stories :~l~t i t ITO. 54~ 6.. : ~~c1erhurg1i C ounty . G :Lauafla ~ree1 ~ Unhapr.1y Err.erience. - ~ -the necessary work hD.t t1i~ ~ kept leaving as ~ast ~ t1~ey coui ~. ~ ~7hen the boat ~as nearin~c Eioi~nan, i~entuei:y, we sriialied ~ire,and by ~ the time we were in the harpor passengers Were being heiJ. to kee~ them from . (__~ ~ - jump 1~ OVe~ bop~ra. ~ the (~~apt~u: to1c~ us ioys to ~uy~ into the water ai~ save OUI~Se -VeS. Two o~ us 1 junehe~. a hale o-f cotton over.~boar~1 and. jurn~ ed onto it. ~.s we -oath11e~ ~vr~y we hail to often ~:o untier to ~ut ~ut the fire$ as OUT c1othin~T \7OUid bI~ ze ~ uflth:~r the fiyii~ branis :--that feil upon ourbodie~ YTIIC burning boat ~~ Tas JockeCL at Hiokrnan. The passengec~ were ~ut ashore . but none o the freight ~ s~ved, anJ. from a nearh~ willow thicket my matey ~I~ I ~7~itehei tiLe ~O1d Just burn to the water s ed~e. Always hee~t the w~rnings of nature, ~ ~~id Uncle George, If you see rats leaving a ship or a house prepare for ~ flre. c~eorge .~. Ar~~o1d said that Evansville was quite a nice place and ~ eteamboet port even in the e~..rIy da~is o~ his boating experiences am3. he de cide~ to make his home here. He located in the town in 1880. The Court House was 1ocate~ at Third~ and Ilath streets. 3treet cars were mule drawn andpeople thought it great ftin to ride then. T..~.I~e recalls the first shovel :~u1i of ~Lirt being i~ited when the new Courthouse was beingerected, ana. when it was ~inishe ~ two l7hite men ~k~: finishing the slate roo~, ~eII to thei d~eath in the Court House yard. ~ . . ~ -~ G-eorge ~ Arnold procur~~ed ajob as porter in a who1esa1~ feed. store ~on i~iay 10, 1880. Joi in Iluobard ana CoinDany d.id business at the place,at this place heworked. thirty seven years. P.~V.Griese, former mayor of Evansvili has often befriended the negro man and. i~ reaay to s~eak ~kind1y wort in ~iS ~praj~e~ But the f~oe of John Sims still Dresents itself when George Arno1d~ Is ~ ~1~eter o anythin& t~ hurt any other person says he The hurt iWar~ eomes back t O yOU.tt ~ ~

011 007

~-S1ate Stoflee . t. : !mstrjot No. 6. .. ~L ~ ya~~erburgh County . a j,anna Creel AN UIILflY E~RIZffCE . . . . ... George Arnold was married to an !vaneville Woman, but two yeare ago he ~v eam a widower when death claimed his mate. He is now lonely, but were ~. it not for a keg of !!olland gin his old age would be spent in peace and happiness. Beware of strong drink, said Unole George, It oauses trouble. e ~J J 4 i: ~~L % .. . :. I . ~ . . . p .: . . ~ ~: ..~t~ t. . . .. .t. e . . . . . . . q p tt.lbd. s. 4. . 0 ~ I t ~ ~ : ~ ~ ~: ~ : ~ :... ~: ~ S:~ . --- S~%L;:.~. ~ ~d: :~~ ~ ~. %~ dt 1 . g

Reminiscences of two ex-slaves. 012 008

~. ~ . _1,~ Lawrence Uouuty ~ ~ Y TU.t~01 District #~ Bedrd, Indiana 8 /4(~ R~INISC~NC~~3 OF IWO ~X-~LLV~E~9 . References: A. Thomas Ash, ex-8lave, Mitchell, md. B. Mrs. Mary Crane, ex slave, ~iarren St., Mtchell, lud. I have no way of knowing exactly how old I am, as the old Bible containing a record of my birth was destroyed by fire, n~ny yeare ago, but I believe I am about eighty one years old. If so, I must have been born sometime during the year, 1856, four years before the outbreak of the War Between The States. My nother was a slave on the plantation, or farm of Charles A8h, in Anderson county, Kentucky, and it was there that I grew up. I rozue~ber playing with 01 X~ssa s (as he was called) boys, Charley, ~rim and 13i11. I also have an unpleasant memory of having seen other slaves on the place, tied up to the whipping post and flogged for disobeying soins order althougl I have no recollection of ever having been whipped myself as I was only a boy. I can also remember how the grown up negroes on the pla ce le ft to jo in the Union Army as soon as they learned of Lincoln s proclamation making them free men, (A) ~-. ~ --Mr. Ash was sick when interviewed and was not able to do much talking. He had no picture of himself but agreed to pose for one later on. ~

013 009

~2lNs ~e 9 I was born on the farm of ~ttie ~1j111ama, in 1855 and am alghty . two years old. I came to Mitchell, Indiana, about fifty yeara ago with my husband, who Is now dead and four children and have lived here ever since. I was only a girl, about five or six years old when the Clvii War broke out but I can remember very well, happening8 of that time. My mother was owned by V,att le ~ ill i~ms who had a large farm, located in Larue county, Kentucky. My father wasa slave on the farm of a Mr. Duret, nearby. In those days, slave owners, whenever one of their daughters would get married, would ~lve her and her husband a slave as a wedding present, usually allowing the girl to pick the one she wished to accompany her to her new home. When Mr. Duret s eldest daughter married Zeke Samples, she choose my father to accompany them to their home. Zeke Samples proved to be a man who loved his toddies far better than his bride and before lon~ he was broke . Everything he had or owned, including my father, was to bt~ sold at auction to pay off his debts. In those days, there were men who xr~de a business of buying up negroes at auction sales and shipping them down to New Orleans to be sold to owners of cotton and sugar cane plantations, just as men today, buy and~ ship cattle. These men were cal1ed1~igger~-traders and they would ship whole boat loads at a time, buying them up~ two or three he, two or three there and holding them In a jail uiitil they had a boat load, This practice gave rise to the expression, sold down the river.

014 010

1~3_ 10 My father was to be sold at auction, along with all of the rest of Zeke Samples property. Bob Cowherd, a neighbor of Matt Durst s owned ray grandfather, and the old man, my grandfather, begged Col. Bob to buy my father from Zeke Samples to keep hin~ from being sold dcxvn the river. Col. Bob offered what he thought was a fair price for my father and a nigger trader raised his bid 25e Col. said he couldn t afford to pay that much and father was about to be sold to the nigger~trader when his father told Col0 Bob that he had 25 saved up and that II he would buy my father from Samples and g keep the nigger..trader from gett iWhim he would give him ~ the mo. Col. Bob Cowherd took n~y grandfather s ~25 and. offered to meet the traders offer and so my father was sold to him. The negroes in and around. where I was raised were not treated badly as a rule by the ir masters There was one slave owner, a Mr. Heady, who lived nearby, who treated his slave worse than any of the other owners but I never heard of anything so atful ly bad, happening to his niggers . He had one boy who used to cone over to our place and I can remember hearing Massa Williamz call to my grandmother to cook Clir Ist give Heady s Doc something to eat. He looks hungry. Massa Williams always said Heady B Doc when speaking of him or any other slave, saying to call him, for instance, Doc Heady would sound as if he were Mr s owx s on and he said that wouldn t sound right. . When Preildent Lincoln issued his proclamation, freeing the negroes, I remember that my father and most all of the other younger slave men left the farms to join the Union army. We had haifl times then for awhile and had lots of work to do. I don t rerr~mber just when ~ w first regarded myself as free as many of the negroes ~ didn t understand just what it was all about. (B) Ed.Note: Mrs. Crane will also pose for a picture. .

Slaves in Delaware County. Rosa Barber. 015 011

I ~ ~ Submitted b~: ~ri11jarn ~ebb Tuttle District No. 2 . ~ Muncie, Indiana SLAVES IN DELAWARE COUffl2Y ROSA BARBER Reference: ~t~a Barbar, residin~ at 812 South ~efferson, . Munc~e, Indiana. Rosa Barber was born in slavery on the Fox Ellison plantation at North Carden, /i North Carolina, in the year 1861. She was four? years old when fi~eed, but had not reached the a~e to be of value as a slave. Her memory is confined to that short childhood there and her expe:~iences of those days and immediately after the Civil War iriust be taken from stories related to her by her parents in after years, and these are dimly retained. Her maiden name was Rosa Fox ~ taken as was the custom, from the slave~holder who held her as a chattel. Her parents took her away from the plantaLion when they were freed and lived in different localities, supported by the faltherwho was now paid American wages. ~ Her parents died while she was quite young and she ~narried Fox Ellison, an ex-~sleve of the Fox Ellison plantation. His name was taken from the same master as was hers. She and her husband lived together forty-t iree years, until his death. Nine cbildren were born to them of whichonly one survives. After this ex~slave husband died ~ ~l1ison married a second time, but this second husband died some years a&o and she now ren~in$ a widow at tle age of seventy..six years. She recalls t1~t the master of the Fox ~l1ison plantation was spoken of as practicing no extreme discipline on his slaves. Slaves, as a prevaUing business policy of the holder, were :~ iaot allowed to look into a book, or any printed matter, and Rosa :~i~4 :flbPi0tur6s or printed charts given her. Slie bad to play with ~ I

016 012

2. 12 Slaves in Delawai e O~~~ty Rosa Barber her ra~ dolls, or a ball of yarn, if there hatpened to be enou~ht of old string to make one. Any toy or plaything via~ allowed that did not point toward book knowledge. Nursery rhymes and folk~lore stories were censured seve~ly and had to be confined to events that conveyed ne upl~.ft, culture or propaganda, or that conveyed no knovi1ed~e, directly ~y indirectly. Especially did they bar the mental polishing of tbe ~hree R s. They could not prevent the vobalizing of music in the fields and tiie slaves found consolation there in pouring out theIr souls in unison with the songs of the birds.

Folklore. 017 013

130136 . :13 Federal te Project ~ ~ of the W P A Topio ~24O Di.trict $ ~ Pritohett ~ari u County !~!i84:~ Folkiors References (A ) 1~~r Mittie Blakeley -Ex-slave- 2065 Columbia Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana. ( B ) Arma Pritohett ~Federa1 Writer- 1200 Kentucky Avenue Indianapolis Indiana. Mrs Blakeley ~a born, in Oxford, Missouri1 in I858~ () Her mother died when Mittie wis a baby, and she ~s taken into the big house and brour~ht up ~rith the white children. She waa always treated very kindly. (A) Her duties were the iig~ht ohores, which had to be v~efl done, or 8he ~s chidad, the sa~ as the white children would lave been~ (A) Every evening the children bad to oofleot the eggs The child, ivho brought in the most eggs, would get a ginger cake. Mitti. most always ~ot the cake (A) i~er older brothers and sisters ~re treated very rough, whipped often and hard. She said t~he hated to think, muah lees talk about their awftU treatment (A) . When ehe was old enough, she would have to spin the wool for ~38

018 014

Page #2 Topic #240 Am~ Pritehett ~ ber mietrt~ie, who wove the cloth to xiake the family alotheR (A.) She also le&rned to knit, and after supper would knit Until bedtirnc. (A) She rin~mbore once ~n old wo~*n nlave had dieplea ed her n~tor about eo~nething . Ire bad a pit dug and boards placed over the hole The woiran waa rade to lie on the boardg ~ f ase d~wn, and she ~was beaten Witil the blood gushed from her bo~ ; she ~s left there and bled to . (A) She also renambers how the slaves would go to soirm~ cabin at night for their dances; it on went without a ~*ss, whioh often they did, they would be beaten se ver ly. (A) . The slavea ocnz d hear the ov rsers, riding to, rd the cabin Those who had oor~ without a pass would take the board. up from the floor, get under the cabin floors an~1 stay there Until the overseers had gone. (A) Mrs I3lal ley is very serioua and said ehe felt so sorry for those~ who ~re treated so i~ch worse than anar hu~n wuald treat a beast. (B) She lives in a Y.r7 eoeifortable clean house1 and eaid ~he ~s doing ~.ry well . (3) Bubsiitted January! 24, 1938 Indianapolis Indiana B~i A3~R& PRI~CBFTT ~ w ~:~ ~ ~fU~* ~

Slaves in Madison County. Carl Boone. 019 015

Submitted by: Robert C. Irvin Noblesvllle, md. District No. 2 SLAVES IN i1~ADISO~ COtTNTY CARL BOONE Reference: Personal interview with Carl Boone, 1~nderson, Indiana This is a story of slavery, told by Carl Boone about his father, his mother and himself. Carl is the last of eighteen children born to ars. Stephen ~3oone, in 1~rion 0ounty, Kentucky, Sept. 15, 1850. ~e now resides with his children at 801 West 13th Street, Anderson, L~adison County, Indiana. At the ripe old age of eighty-seven, he still has a keen ~mory and is able to do a hard day s work. Carl Boone was born a free man, fifteen years before the close of the Civil ~1Iar, his father hating gained his freedom from slavery in 1829. 11e is a religious man, having missed church service only twice in twenty years. He was treated well during the time of slavery in the southland, but remembers well, the wrongs done to slaves on ri4~ghboring plantations, and in this story he relates some of the horrors which happened at that timel Like his father, he is also the father of eighteen children, sixteen of whom are still living. He is grandfather of thti~y-seven and great grandfather of one child. His father was born in the slave state of ~~aryland, in 1800, and died in 1897, His mother was born in Marion County, kentucky, in 1802, and died in 1917, at the age of one hundred and fifteen years. Thj~ story, word by word, is related by Carl Boone as follows: VLy naine is Carl Boone, son of Stephen andRachel Boone, born in Marion County, Kentucky, in 1850. 1 am fatber of eighteen children sixteen are still living and I sin grandfather of ~ thirty-seven and

020 016

Slavos 1.n I~LadIeori ~ ounty 2. j6 Carl L~~oone gFeat ~raridfathor of OflO child. I came with my wife, now decesed, tO indiana, in 189I~ and now reside at 801 West 1Z~t1i street In Jtht1OX~8OT), -Litdlana. I w~ born a free inn, fifteen years before the clo~ft) Of the Clvii ~ar. All. the eolor~d lolk on plr31)tI~tio~t8 and iiirit~a around our plarittitiolA WOrC s:L~ives aiid most oi them w ro terribly 18Li WILOd by their masters. After comtr ~ t~o Indiari&~, I furmed for a fe~ yea~s, then moved to Anc1er~on. I became coniiedLed with t}-~ Colored ~atbolic Churc1~ ~irid ~)L1VO tried to live n Christian life. hi~ve oiily mi~sed church ~orv1ce twice in twenty yours. I lost my dear wife thirteen years ~~:; ~n~i I now live witi my son. My fat~or, Stephen ~oono, was born In kary~nad, in 1800. He wus bou,~ht by a nIgger buyer while a boy and wa~i sold to Miley ~ In ~ariori County, 1~entucky. Father was what they ueed to call a picked slave, wa~ a good worker aflU was neVer iu*streated by his ma~tor. ~ married my mother in 1825, and they hiid eighteen chi1dred~. ~astor Miloy ~ save fatiur and nxther Xheir freedom In 1829, and save thorn forty acres of land to tend as their own. He paid father for all the (~x~ he did for hirn after that, and wae always vory kInd to them. My mother was born In slavery, In Marion County, Kentucky, in 1U02. ~he Was treated very mean until ehe married ni~y faLlier in 1825. With hIm ehe gained her freedom in 1829. I was the last born of hr sighteen children. She wasa good woman and joined church after ; OOtflifl~ to Indiana and died ir~ 1917, 1IvIri~ to be one hundred and ~ fifteen years old. I havt~ heard my mother tell of a gi2~1 slave who worked In the kitchen of uiy mother s master. The girl waa told to cook twelve eggs

021 017

Slaves. in ~iad1son County 3 ~ Carl boone for breakfast. When the eggs were served, it was discovered there were eleven eggs on the table and after being questioned, sh admitted that she had eaten one. ~or this, she was beaten mercilessly, which was a common sight on that plantation. T~ most terrible treatment of any slave, is told by my father in a story of a slave on a neighboring plantation, owned by Daniel Thompson. After committing a small wrong, ~aster Thompson became angry, tied his slave to a whippihg post and beat 11L.m terribly. Mrs. ~hompson begged hIm to quit whipping, saying, you might kill him, and the x~aster replied that he aimed ~o kill him. He then tied the slave behind a horse and dragged hirn over a fifty acre field until the slave was dead. As a punishment for this terrible deed, master Thompson was compelled to witness the execution of his own son, one year later. The story is as follows: A neighbor to ~r. ~hompson, a slave owner by name of Kay Van-. Cleve, had been having some trouble with one of his young male slaves, and had promised the slave a whipping. Th6 slave was a powerful man and Mr. Van Cleve was afraid to undertake the job of whipping him alone. ~e called for help from his neighbors, Daniel Thompson and his son D ~9ld. The slave, while the Thompsons were coming, concealed himself in a horse-stall in the barn and hi~ a large knife in the manger. After the arrival of the Thompsons, they and Mr. Van Cleve entered the stall in the barn. Together, the three white men made a grab for the slave, when the slave suddenly made a lunge at the elder Mr. Thompson with the knife, but missed h1rc~ and stabbed Donald Thompson, The slave was overpowered and tied~ but too late, young Donald was dead. ~

022 018

4. s Slaves in Madison C~~~ty Carl Boone The slave was tried for murder and sentenced to be hanged. At the time of the hanging, the first and second ropes used broke when tI~ trap was sprung. For a while the executioner condidered f freeing the slave because of his second failure to hang hirn, but the law said, He shall hang by the neck until dead, arid the third attempt was successful.

Folklore. 023 019

130152 Federal WriterB Project p~, ~ of the W. P A Topto ~24O Distz iot #6 Anm Pritch.tt ~rian Cowit~r File #67. A ~ ---t ~ Folklore ~ ~~-5 - Reforeno s ~I__I ~ (A) Nra. Julia Bov~n ~Ex~ s1ave, 1210 ~Torth Weet street, IMianApolis, India~z~. (~) Arma Pritohett, Fe dero~1 Writer 1200 Tontucky avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana. MrB Y3aw~~.n ~ born in woodford County, 1~entuaky in 1869 (A) Her ir~stGr, Joel Vi Twyix&n WELS kind and generous to ELlI of hi s slaves and he had t~.ny of them. (A) The Tw~n s1avo~ were a1~ayc spoken of, as the pwyir~n tKinfo3k~o (A) All alavet3 woriced hard on the 1ar~o farm, as ivery kiM of vegetation was 11!ieed. They ~re ~Iven sox~x~ of everything that ~ ew on the f&rm1 therefore there wa~ no stealing to got food. (A ) Th ster had h16 awn s1a~vei~, and the ~niatress had her o~n slaysi and ai . ~re treated very kindly. (A) we. Ba~n was tak.n into th. rwyi~n bi~ ou1 ~ at th age of six~1 to help the miatresa in a~y ~y sh oould. She stay ed in th hourn~ until slavery ~i &boliihsd. (A)

024 020

PiLgs~~2 3. ~ropio 4r0 Ani* Pri~hstb After freedom, the old itaster ~i tsk,n very ~ ick and soins ot the forx~r ~1avo~t ~ier~ sez~t for, as he wanted sorrie of iii~ w1~info1ks~ around hi~a when he died, (L) Itrs Bom~iir . i~ ~ven the Twyrrixit faini1~v bible ~vhez e her birth is r~3o~rdod with the rost of the ~rw~rn far~11~r. She shaw. it ~itb prid. (B) ~ )~1rs Bom~n sa~id she nover k~w ~it~nt i~i s3~ve tir~a~ as ehs hae kno~n it in these ti~s of dopreseion. (~3) Sub~iittod January 10, 1988 ~~ianapo1is, Indiana ~y$ MT?(& P~.ITC~!?T? ~~)Ti iT1fr~m

Angie Boyce. 025 021

130123 ~.* W!T1. R~Mays DISt4 3ohi~SOfl Cc. ANGIE BOYCE born In slavery, Mar.14,1861 on the Breeding Plantation, Adair Co. Ky. Mrs. Angie Boyce here makes mention of facts as outlined to her by her mother, Mrs. Margaret ging, deceased. Mrs. Angle Boyce was born in ~i.avery, Mar. 14, 1861, on the Breeding Plantation, Adair County, Kentucky. Her parents were Henry and Margaret King who belonged to James Breeding, a Methodist minister who was kind to all his slaves and no remembrance of h13 having ever struck one of theml ~ ~ It is said that the slaves were in constant dread of the Rebel soldiers and when they would hear of their coming they would hide the aby ??Angie?? and cover her over with leaves~ The mother of Angie was married twice; the name of her first ~ . i.~sband was Stines and that of her second husband was Henry King. It was enry King who bought his and hi s wife ~ s freedom He s ent hi s wife and aby Angie to Indiana, but upon their arrival they were arre8ted and returne ~o Kentucky. They were placed in the Loui3vtlle Jailand lodged in the aine cell with large brutal and drunten Irish woman. The jail was so nfested with bugs and fleas that the baby Angie cryod all n1~ght. The . hite woman crazed with drink became enraged at the cries of the child d threatened to bash its brain~.~t against the wall if it did not top crying . The mother, Mrs King was fore od to stay awake all night o keep the white woman from carrying out her threat. The next mo ming the Negro mother was tried in court and when she Oduced her free papers she was asked why she did not show these papers the arresting officers. She replied that she was afraid that they would ea3. t}iern from her. She was exonei~ d from ai . charges and sent back to diana with her babi.. ~ ~ S~ ~ ~ ~ M~~s . A~igi e y real de e ~ a# 4~9& W.M~U 30U ~ t ~ ~~ui~t1 1 n - T~is~

Life story of ex-slave (Mrs. Edna Boysaw). 026 022

~r~ ~ ~ ~ Clay County Walter R. Barrie 22 Special Assignment District ~ 3 Life Story of Ex Slave (~irs. Edna Boysaw) Personal interview by the writer, Mrs. Boysaw lias been a citizen of this c tununity about sixty-five years. She resides on a small farm, two miles east of Brazil on what is known as the Pinkley Street Road. This has been her home for the past forty years. Her youngest son and the son of one of her daughters lives with her, She is still very active, doing her housework and other chores about the farm. She is very intelligent and according to statements made by other citizens has always been a respected citizen in the ooimnunity, a~s also has her entire family. She is the mother of twelve children. ~iIrs, Boysaw has always been an active church worker, spending much time in missionary work for the col W ored people. ~ Her work was so outstanding that she has been often called upon to speak, not only in the colored churches, but also in white churches, where she was always well received. Many of the most prominent people of the coximiunity number Mrs. Boysaw as one of their friends and her home is visited almost daily by citizens in all walks of life. Her many acts of kindness towards her neighbors and friends have endeared her to the people of Brazil, and because of her long residence in the community, she is looked upon as one of the pioneers. Mrs. Boysaw e husband has been dead for thirty five years. Her children are located iii various cities throughout the country. She has a daughter who je a talented singer, and has appeared on programs with her daughter in many churches. She is not oertain about her age, but according to her memory of events, she is about eighty-seven. Her story as told to the writer follows: VVhen the Civil War ended, I was living near Richmond, Virginia. I am 11/17/37

027 023

y f not sure just how old I was, but I was a big, flat footed woman, and had worked as a slave on a plantation. ~r master was a good one, but many of them were not. In a way, we were happy and contented, working from sun up to Bull down. ~ut when Lincoln freed us, we rejoiced, yet we lciew we had to seek employment now and make our own way. Wages were low. You worked from morning until night for a dollar, but we did not complain. About 1870 a Mr. Masten, who was a coci operator, came to Richmond seeking laborers for his mines in Clay County. He told us that men could make four to five dol lars a day working in the mines going to work at seven and quitting at 3:30 each day. That sounded like a Paradise to our men folks. Big money and you oould get rich in little time. But he did. not tell all, because he wanted the men folk to come with him to Indiana. Three or four hundred came with Mr. )&asten. They were brought in box cars. Mr. Masten paid their transportation, but was to keep it out of their wages. 1~r husband was in that bunch, and the women folk stayed behind until their men could earn enough for their transpe~ ~tion to Indiana. When they arrived about four milee east of Lrazil, or what was known as Harmony, the train was stopped and a crowd of white miners ordered them not to come ai;y nearer Brazil, Then the trouble began. Our men did not know of the labor trouble, as they were not told of that part. Here they were fifteen hundred miles from home, no money. It was terrible. Many walked back to Virginia. Some went on foot to Illinois. Mr. Masten took some of them South of Brazil about three miles, where he had a number of company houses, and they tried to work in his mine there. But many wer ~ shot at from the bushes and killed. Guards were placed about the mine by the owner, but still there was trouble all the time. The men did not make what Mr. Masten told them they could make, yet they had to st~y for they had no place to go. After about six months, i~r husband who had been working hi that mine, fell into the shaft and was injured. He was unable to work

028 024

.~- for over a year. I oame with n~r two children to take Care of him. We had only a little furniture, slept in what was called box beds. I walked to Brazil eacb morning and worked et whatever I could get to do. Often did three washings a day and then walked home each evening, a distance of two miles, and got a dollar a day. 1tMany of the white folks I worked for were well to do and often I would ask the Mistress for small amounts of food which they would throw out if left over from a meal. They did not know what a hard time we were having, but they told me to take home any of such food that I cared to. I was sure glad to get it, for it helped to feed our family. Often the white folks would give me other articles whioh I appreciated. I managed in this way to get the children enough to eat and later when my husband was able to work, we got aloiig very well, and were thaxikful. After the strike was settled, things were better. 1~y husband was not afraid to go out after dark. But the coal operators did not treat the colored folks very good. We had to trade at the Company store and often pay a big price for it. But I worked hard and am still alive today, while all the others are gone, who lived around here about that time. There has sure been a change in the country. The country was almost a wilderness, and where m~r home is today, there were very few roads, just what we called a pig path through the woods. We used lots of corn meal, cooked beans and raised all the food we could during them days. But we had many white friends and sure was thankful for them. Here I am, and still thankful for the many friends I have.

Folklore. 029 025

w ; (~~~LF :1. 30157 F.dor*1 Writers ~rejeot p~ ~ of the W, P. A. ~ropio #240 Distr iot #6 Anna ~itche~t~ Marion CowIL1~r Fils *i~-~~~j ~:~-~pm~L* $~o1kicr. ~ ~ References ~ ~ (A) Wi Callie Braos~r .daughtor.~ 414 Blake roe, ( ) Ax~r* Pritohett .~Fe eraI ~ 1200 1Ce~rbuok~r a~oxnze, Tndianspolia, I:rtdiam, Mrs CaUie Bracey a mother Loulie Terreil, vms bought, vthen a child, by Andy !fl, t~ f~ar~r near Jackson, ~Iiei~ t~he had to work very hard in the fieldi froet ear1~r morning until a~ late in the eveflirLg, as they could poesibly ace. (A) No satter how hard ehe had ~rcrked all day after caraing in from the field, ~he would have to cook toe the next de~y, pac1r~ the lunch buckets for the field ha~da It inide no difference how tired she was, when the horn was b1o~n at 4 a~,, she had to go into the fte34 for another d~r ~f hard ~rk. () The w~n had to a~p1it raila all ds~y ~t*ig, juet like the ~n. Once she got so cold, her teet sesz.d to b. frozenj ~hen th.y~ isi aasd a litti., the~r had aaoUen ao, she could not ~~eftr her ihose. She had t~

030 026

Pag.~~E Topic #240 2G Anm Prit.h.tt ~vrap her feet in burlap, so she would b. able to go into the field the next day. (A) The Reablets ~re knomi for their good butter. 1~h.y al~ays had more t~*n they could use The meter uanted the slav.s to )iave &o~, but the mistress usntsd to sell it, eh. did not believe in giving good butter to s1a~v~s and al v~ays let it ~et strong before she ~uld let them he~ve any. (A) No slaves from neighboring farms ~re allowed on the R&mblet farm, they would got ithipp.d off as V~r. Ran~blet did~ot ivimt anyone to put idsf~s iii his slave s heads. (A) On special occasions, the older slaves i~re allowed to go to the church of their ~.stsr, they had to sit in the back of the church~ and talcs no part in the srv~io. . (A) Louise ~.a gi~ei two dresses a year; her old drosa from last y.a~1 she ~ as ar~ underskirt. 8h. no~r bad a bat, alv~ays ~oro a rag tied o~vsr her head. (A) Mrs. I~racey is a widow and his a grandohild living with her, She tesla ab. is doiug v*ry~ ~1l, her parents had so little, and she doss awn her a~ hcu. Submitted Dsosmber 10, 193? Indlaxiapolis, Ir4iana 3~~s AUA~ PR~~C1IETT uJL~:I~~:~ * t~t,-~

A slave, ambassador and city doctor. 031 027

~x*S1ave Storie8 District #5 ~~~derbUrgh County Lauana Creel A Slave, Ambassador and City Doctor. This paper was prepared after several interviews had been obtained with the 3ubject of this sketch. Dr. George Washingtin Buckner, tall, lean, whitehaired, genial and alert, answered the call of 1~.is door bell. Although anxious to oblige the writer and willing to grant an interview, the life of a city doctor 1$ filled with anxious solicitation for others and he is always expecting a summons to the bedside of a patient or a prof essional interview has been slated. Dr. Buckner is no exception and our interviews were often dis-. turbed by the jingle of the door bell or a telephone call. Dr. Buckner s conversation lead in ever widening circles, away from the topic under discussion when the events of his own life were diseuse-. zed, but he is a fluent speaker and a student of psychology. Psychology as that philosophy relates to the mental and bodily tendencies of the sub ect~ African race has long since become one of the major with which tiis unusual man struggles. Why is the negro? ~ is one of his deepest concerns. Dr. Buckner s first recollections center within a slave cabin in Kentucky. The cabin was the home of his steps-father, his invalid mother and several children. The cabin was of the crudest construction, its only windows being merely holes in the cabin wall with crude bark shutters arranged to keep out w snow and rain. The furnishings of this home consisted of a wood bedstead upon which a rough straw bed and patchwork wuilts provided meager comforts for the invalid mother. A straw bed that could be pushed under the bed-stead tlirougb. the day was pulled into the middle of the cabin at night and the wearied children were put to bed by the impatient step-father. The parents were slaves and served a master not wealthy enough to

032 028

~ix..S1ave Storlea ~istrict #5 ~:2. 2~ VanderbU~t~h County Lauafla Creel A Slave, Ambassador, and City Doctor. provide adaquately for their comforts. The mother had become Invalidate t1irou~h the t~k of bearing children each year and being deprived of medical and $urgical attention. The master, Mr. Buckner, along with $everal of bis relatives had purchased a large trRct of land in Dreen County, Kentucky and by a custom or tradition as Dr. Euckner rernember$; land owners that owned no slaves were considered Po White Trash and were scarcely recognized as citizens within the stateof Kentucky. Another tradition prevailed, that slave children should be present .. ed to the master s young sons and daughters and become their special property even in childhood. Adherring to that tradition the child, George Washington Buckner became the slave of young Mars Dickie Buck.. zier, and although the two children were nearly the same age the little mulatto boy was obedient to the wishes of the little master. Indeed, the slave child cared for the ~aucasIian boy s clothing, polished his boots, put away his toys and was his playmate and companion as well as his slave. Sickness and suffering and even death visits alike the just and the unjust, and the loving sympathetic slave boy witnessed the suffering and death of his little white friend. Then grief took possession of the little slave, he could not bear the sight of little Dick s toys nor books not clothing. He recalls one harrowing experience after the death of little Dick Buckner. George s grandmother was a housekeeper and kit~h ~ maid for the white f~unily.,. She was in the idtohen one late a ternoon preparing the evening meal. The master had taken his f ainily for a visit in the neighborhood and the mulatto child sat on the veranda and recalled, pleasaxiter days. A sudden desire seized him to look into the bed room where little Mars Dickie had lain in the bed. The even~.g

033 029

~x..S1ave Stories t,lstrict #5 ~anderbuTgh County Lauafla Creel ~ Slave, Ambassador and City I~octor. s1iad~ow8 had fallen, axagerated by the influence of tree8j and vines, and when he pl~oed his pale Lace near the window pane he t11o~ht j.~ was the face of litt~e Dickie looking out at ii.im. His nerves gave away and he ran around the house screaming to his grandmother that he had seen Dickie s ghost. The old colored woman was sympathetic, dried his tears, then with tears coursing down her own cheeks she went about her duties. George firnily believed he had seen a ghost and ~never really convinced himself against the idea until he had reached the years of manhood. He re~nembers how the story reached the ears of the other slaves and they were terrorized at the suggestion of a ghost being in the mas~ ter s home. That is the way superstitions always started said the Doc tor, ~Some nervous persons received a wrong impression and there were always others ready to embrace the error. Dr. Buckner remembers that when a young daughter of bis master ~ married, his sister was given to her for a bridal gift and went away ~ from her own mother to live in the young mistress new home, It always ~ filled us with sorrow when we were separated either by circumstances of ~ marriage or death. Although we were not properly housed, properly nourished nor properly clbthed we loved each other and loved onr cabin homes and were unhappy when compelled to part. There are niany beautiful spots near the Green River and our home was situated near Greensburgh, the county seat of Dreen County. The area occupied by Mr. Buckner and his relativps is located near the river and the tue anderinga of the s ta e am alinos t forme d a peninsula e over ed with rich soil. Buckner s hthil relieved the landscape and ole~r springs bubled through crevices 8 fOrding much water for household ~s and near those springs white arid negro children met to enjoy themselves. . Forty years after I left Greensburg I went back to visit the springs ~ and try to meet my old friends .7 The friends had passed away, only a few

034 030

~S1ave Stories District #5 ~~fld rb~ gh County Lauafla Creel A Slave, Ambassador and City Doctor. merchants and salespeople remembered my ancestors. A story told by Dr. Buckner relates an evening at the beginning of the ~ Civil War. I h~d heard my parents talk of the war but it did not seem ~ real to me untii one night whenmother c~e to the pallet where we slept ~ and called to us to Get up and tell our uncles good-bye. Then four ~ startled little children arose~ Mother was standing in the room with a ~ candle or a sort of torch made from grease drippings and old pieces of ~ cloth, these rude candles were in conmion use and a forded but poor light) ~ and there stood her four brothers, Jacob, Joim, Bill~and Isaac all with the light of adventure shin~ting upon their mulatto countenances. They were starting away to fight for their liberties and we were greatlj im.. pressed. . Dr. Euckner stated that officials thought Jacob entirely too aged to enter the service as he had a few scattered white hairs but he reinembers he was brawny and unafraid. Isaac was too young but the other two uncles were accepted. One never returned because he was killed in battle but one fought throughout the war and was never wounded. He remembers how the white men were indignant because the negroes were a1l~wed to thnlist and how Mars Stanton Buckner was forced to hide out in the woods for many months becaus e he ~ had me t slave Frank Buckner and hae tried to kill him. Frank returned to Greensburg, forgave his mastei and procurred a paper stating that he was at fault, afteti which Stantonreturned to active service. EYes, the road has been long. Memory brings back those days and the love of my mother is still real to me, God bless herZ ~ Relating to the value ofan education Dr. Buckner hopes every eaucassiari and Afro American youth and maiden will strive to attain great heights, His first e9orts tb procure knowledge consisted of reciting ~ . A.B,8.3 from the McGufJ y s Blue backed speller with hiS wilettered sister toi a teacher. IZL later years he attended a school conducted by the 4. 30

035 031

. E~z~-S1ave Storlea ~ ~~i ~jstrict #5 L~ ~9~derburgh County Lauafla Creel A Slave, Ambassador and City Doctor, Freemen s As$ociation. I-le f bought a grarrimar r~rn a white 8chool boy and $tudied it at home. When sixteen years of age he was employed . to teach negro children and grieves to recall how limited his ability was bound to have been. When a father considers sending his son or daughter to school, today, he orders catalogues, consults his friends and considers the location arid surroundings and the advice of those who have patronized the different schools. He finally decides upon the school that promises the boy or girl the most attractive and corn fortable urroundings. When I taught the African childr n I boarded with an old man whose cabin was filled with his own fainfl~y. I climbed a ladder leading from the cabin into a dark uncomfortable loft where a comfort and a straw bed were my only conveniences. Leaving Greensburg the youn~g mulatto made his way to Indianapolis where he became acquainted with the first educated negro he had ever met. The r~egro was Robert Bruce Bagby, then principal of the only $chool for negroes in Indianapolis. The same old building is standing there today that housed Bagbyts institution then, he declares. Dr. Buckner recalls that when he left Bagby s school he was so low financially he had to procure a position in a private re~idence as house boy. This position was followed by many jobs of serving tables at hotel \s and eating houses, of any and all kinds. While engaged in that work he met Co1one~~. Albert aohnson and his lovely wife, both natives of Arkansas and he remembers their congratulations when they learned that he was striving for an edu ation. They advised lus entering an educational institution at Terre Haute. His desire had been to enter that institution of Normal Training but felt doubtful of succeed ing in the advanced courses taught because bUis advantagea had been so limited, but Mrs. Johnson told him that God gives his talents to the

036 032

~~S1ave Stories DiStrict #5 6. 32 VanderbUT h County Lauafl9 Creel A Slave, Ambassador and City Doctor. different speciesand kt~ he would love and protect the negro boy. After studying several years at the Terre Haute State Normal George W. I3uckner felt assured that he was reasonably prepared to teach the negro youths and accepted the professorship of ~ schools at Viricennes, Washingtonand other Indiana Villages. I was interested am in the young people and anxious for their advancemen~ but the suffering endured by my invalid mother, ~ho had passed into the great beyond, and the memory of little Master Dickie s lingex~ing illness and untimely death would not desert my consciousness. I determined to take up the study of medical practice and surgery which I did. Dr. Buckner graduated from the Indiana Electic Medical College in 1890. HIs services were needed at Indianapolis so he practiced medicine in that city for a year, then located at Evansc~ille where he has enjoyed an ever increasing popularity on account of his sympsthetic attitude among his people. When I came to Evansville, says Dr. Buckner, there were seventy white physicians practicIng in the area, they are now among the departed. Their task was streneous, roads were almost impossible to travel and those brave men soon sacrificed their lives for the good of suffering htizrrnnity. Dr. Buckner described several of the old doc- (~ ~ .~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ tors as Striding a horse and s tting out through all kinds of weather. Dr. Buckner is a veritable encyclopedia of negro lore. He stops at many points during an interview to relate stories &e has gleaned. here and there. He has forgotten where he first heard this one or that one but it helps to illustrate a point. One he heard near the end of the war follows, and although it has recently been retold it $ holds the interest of the listener. Andrew Jackson owned an old negro slave, who stayed on at the old home when his beloved master went into

037 033

~~.S1ave Stories. District #5 ~~~d~erburgh County Laus.na Creel ~ Slave, Ambassador and City Doctor. p0lltiCS, became an American soldier and statesman and finally the 7th president of the iJnited~States. The good 8lave still remained through the several years of the quiet uneventful last years of his master and witr~essed his death, which occurred at his home near Nashville, Tenneesee. After th master had been placed under the sod, Uncle Sammy was seen each eay visiting Jackson s grave. 0Do you think President Jackson i~ in heaven? an a~ acquaintance asked Uncit Sammy. If~n he wanted to go dar, he dar now, said the old man. f~n Mars Andy wanted to do any thing all Hell couldn t keep him from dom it, Dr. Buckner believo8 each negro is confident that he will take hirn~. self with all hi~ peculiarities to the land of promise. Each physical featu.re and habitual idiosyncrasy will abide in his redeemed personality. Old Joe will be there in person with the wrinkle crossing the bridge of his nose and little stephen will wear his wool pulled back from his eyes and each will recognize his fellow man. What fools we a~l are.~ declar ed Dr. Buckner. Asked his viewsooncerning the different books embraced in the Holy Bible, Dr. Buckner, who is a student of the Bible said, I believe almost every story in the Bible is an allegory, composed to i lustrate some fundemental truth that could otherwise never hav&~been clearly prosonted only tbrough the medium of an al1egor~y. The most treacherous impulse of the human nat!ure and the one to be most th~eaded is jealousy. With those words the aged Negro~octor launched into the expression of his political views. I m a Democrat. He then explained how he voted for the man but had confidence that h18 chosen party possesses ability in choosing proper candidates. He is an ardent follower of Franklin D. Roosevelt and speaks of Woodrow wilson with bated ~ breath.

038 034

r ~c..S1ave Stories - ~jstrict #5 ... . ~anderbUrgh County 8. Lattafla Creel A Slave, Ambassador and City Doctor. Through the influence of John W. Boehne, Sr., and the friendly advice of other influential citizens of Evansville Dr. Buckner was ap ~s pointed niinister to Liberia, on Woodrow Wilson s cabinet~jin the year 1913. Dr. Buckner appreciated the confidence of his friends in appointifl~ him and cherishes the e~perinece~ gained while abroad. He noted ~he expressions of gratitude toward cabinet members by the citizens or that African coast. One Albino youth brought an offerin~of luscious man~oeS and desired to see the minister from the United States of America. Some natives presented palm oils. ~The natives have been made to under stand that the United States ha8 given aid to Liberia in a financial way and the customs - service of the republic is temporarily administered headed by an American. A thoroughly civilized negro state does not exist in Liberia nor do I believe ~ in any part ~f West Africa. Supersti4 tion is the interpretation of their religion, their poritical views are a hodgepodge of unconnected ideas. Strength over rules knowledge and jealousy croEds out almost all hope of sympathetic achievement and adjustment. Dr. Buckner recounted incidents where jealousy was apparent in the behavior of men and women of higher civilizations than the African natives. While voyaging to Spain on board a Spanish vessel, he witnessed a very refine~.,poltte Jewish woman beine reduced to tears by the taunts of a Spanish offieer, on account of her nationality. Jeal- J ~ ~ he said, protrudes itself into politics, religion and prevents~ educational achievement. f During a political campaign I was compelled to pay a robust negro man to follow me about my professional visits and my social evenings with my friends and family, to prevent meeting physieal violen e to myself or family when political factions were virtually at war within the area of Evansville. The influence of political captaln3 had brought about the dread ul condition and ignorant negroes responded to their

039 035

Ex~3laV0 Stories District #5 VandarbU1~h County Lauafla Croel A Slave, Amba33ador and City Doctor. polltl-Cal craft, without rea1izirx~ who h.tc.I befriended t~iern in need%. The no~ro youth3 are e8pecially 8ubject to propo~anda of the four- flU3her.fOr their home influence 13,to say the least, nagative. Their opportunities limited, t~ie1r education neglected and they are ~ easily aroused by the meddling influence of the tote getter and the ~ traitor. I would to God that their eyes might be opened tothe 1i~ht. ~ Dr. Buckner s influence is mostly exhibited in the sick room, where ~ his presence is introduced in the effort to relieve pain. ~ The graduai rise from ~31avery to promInence, the many trials encount-. ~ ered along the road ha8 ripened the always 3ympathetic nature of Dr. Buck~ ~ ner Into a respon8ive 8uSfer axnori~ a 3u.ffor1fl~ people. 11e ha~ hope that proper influenco3 and sympathetic advice will mould the plastic character of the Afro~American youths of the United States into proper citizens and that their ir~irnortal souls Inherit the promised reward o ~ the redeeorn~ ed through grace. Receivers of ernancit~at1on from slavery and enjoyers of emanci- ~ pation from sin through ~he sacrifice of Abraham Lincoln and Jesus Christ; ~ihy should not the negroes be exalted and happy? are the words of Dr. Buclcner. Note: G. W. Buckner was born December Ist, 1852. The negroes in Kentucky expressed lt In fox huntin tinie One brother was born in ~ time , one in USweet tater time, and another in flplantinl time. ~ ~Negro lore

The life story of George Taylor Burns. 040 036

Ex-~S1ave Stories District ~5 ~ Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel The Life Story of George Taylor Burne. (~L~~r\*e ~~-VA~ A4)) Ox~ -oarts and flat boats, and pioneer surroundings; crowds of men and w~men crowding to the rails of river steainboat8; gay ladies in holiday attire and gentleman in tall hats, low out veste and silk mufflers; for the excursion boats carried the gentry of every area. A little negro boy clung to the ragged skirts of a slave mother,both were engrossed in watching the great wheels that ploughed the ~issi~sippi river into roaming billows. Many boats stopped at Gregeryts Landing, Missouri to stow away wood, for niany engines were fired with wood in the early d~ys. I The Burnts brothers operated a wood yard at the Landing and the work of h~44m~ cutting, ~e~~and piling wood for the conunerce was performed by slaves of the Burns plantation. George Taylor Burns was five years of age and helped his mother all day as she toiled in the wood yards. The colder the weather,the more hard work we had to do. declares Uncle George. George Taylor Burns, the child of Missouri slave parents, recalls the scenes enacted at the Burns. wood yards so long ago. lie is a resident of Evansville, Indiana and his snow white ha r and beard bearfi testimony that his days have been already long upon the earth. Uncle George remembers the ti~ne when his infant hands reached in vain for hi s mother, the kind and gentle Lucy Burns : Remembe rs a long cold winter of snow and ice when boats were tied up to their moorings. Old master died that winter and. many slave s we re sold by the he irs among them was Lucy Burns Little George clung to his mother but stronghands tore away his clasp. Then he watched her cross a distant hill, chained to a long line of departing slaves. George never saw. his parents again and although the memory of his mother is vivid he scarcely re~exnbers his father s face. Es said, ~Father was black but my mother ~was a bright mulatto. . S

041 037

Ex -S1av~ Stories ~ 2. District #5 . . Vanderburgh County The Life Story of George Taylor Burns. Lauaxia Cree1~ Nothing impres$ed the little boy with such unforgettable imagery as the oold which descended upon Greogery s Landing one winter. ~iother1ess, hungry, desolate and unloved, he often cried himself to sleep at night while each day he was compelled to carry wood. One morning he failed to corne when the horn was sounded to call the slaves to breakfast, Old 1~issus went to the negro quarters to see vthat was wrong. and She wa~ horrified when she found I was frozen to the bed. She carried the small bundle of suffering humanity to the kitchen of her home and placed htha near the big oven. Y4hen the warmth thawed the frozen child the toes 1~~31 froi-n his feet. UQId LLissus told ne I would never be strong enough to do hard work, and she had the neighborhood shoemaker fashion shoes too short for axiy body s feet but mine. said Uncle George. Uncle George doesntt remember why he left Missouri but the sister of Greene Taylor brought him to Troy, Indiana. Here she learned that she could not o~wn a slave within the State of Indiana so she indentured the child to a flat boat captaL.~ to wash dishes and ~ait on the crew of workers. ~ ~ George was so small of statfrthat the captain had a low table and stool made that he might work in comfort. George s mistress received ~l5,OO per month for the service of the boy for several years. Prom working on the f&lat boats George became accustomed to the river and soon received eiaploytnent as a cabin boy on a steam boat and from that time through out the most active days of his life George Taylor Burns was a steam boat man. In fact he declares, I know steamboats from wood box to stern wheel. The life of a riverman is a good life and interesting things happen on the river. ~ says Uncle George. Uncle George has been imprisoned in the big nail at 1 ~ew Orleans. ~e has seen his fellow slaves beaten into ~ insensibility while chained to the whipping ~ post iii C0x3g0 Square at New Oran. ~ . . .

042 038

Ex Slave Stories r~ -~- 4- -c- - 1 AJ1S JL .C~d jj~~-) ~D. ~anderb~r~h CounLy Lauena ~~reei The iaife .~tory Of C~eor~e Taylor Iurns. ~ie was badl:,r tr~tou while a slave but he has witnessec even more cruel treatment administered to lus fello~ slaves. ~iaon~: other excitin~. occurrences rer:eiib~roL by the ola nerro ~iau when he rec~lIs -t early river adve~itures is one in whc~h a flat ~ sunJ~: ~iorr ~ Orleirns. Mter clinginj~ for many hours to the c~rii~tiri:, wr~cka~,e he was rescued, half dead froi1-i exhaustion. :Ln memory, ~jeor~e Taylor burns stands in the slave mart at ~e~ Orleans and hears the ~ cti~nc~ers haruner, for ho was sold like a beast of burden by Greene Taylor, brother of his mistress. Greene Taylor, ho~ever, had to refund the money and return the slave to his mistress when hiscrippleci feet were discovered. Greene Taylor VJaS like many other people L have kno~m. i~e was always ready to make life unhappy for a ne~ro. Uncle George, althou.h possessing. an unusual amount of intelligence and ability to learO~ has a very limited education. ttThenegroes were not allovied an education,tt he relates it ~is dan:erous for any person to be cau~ht ~aach~ ing a ne~ro and severi~l ne~roes were put to death Uceause they could read.t Uncle Geor~e recalls a fei~i superstitions entertained by the rivermen. It was bad luck for a i~hite c~t to co~~e aboard the boat. ~ t*.or~e shoes were carried for ~ood luck. tt f rats left the boat the crew ~s uneasy, for fear of a wreck. Un lo Geor.e has very ~1ittle faith in any superstition but remem ber s some of the crews had. Among other boats oh which this old river man v~.s employed are The Atlantic on which he was cabin ooy. The Big dray Ea~1e on which he assisted in many ways. He worked where boats were being constructed while he lived at New Albany. I~ny soldiers wore returned to their homes by means of flat boats and steam boat$ ~when the Civil ~ar had ended and many recruits were sent by water during the viar. Just after peace was declared George met Elizabeth Slye, a young slave girl who had just been set free. Liza would come to see her mother who was

043 039

Ex-Slave Stories ~ . ~ ~ page 4. District #5 I:! Vanderburgh County ~ ~ ~ Lauaxia Creel The Life Story oC George Taylor Burns. working on a boat. People used to corne do wn to the landings to see boats come in, said Uncle George. George and Liza were free, they married and made New Albany the ir home unt il 1 88 . when they caine to Evansville. Uncle George said the Eclipse was a beautiful boat, he remembers the 1etter~.. ing in sold and the bright lights and pollshed.rails of the longest steam boat ever built in the weit. Measuring 365 feet in length and Uncle George declares, ttpor speed she just up and hustled. Louisville was one of the busiest towns in the Ohio Valley. says Uncle George, but he reinember8 New Orleans as the market place where almost all the surpl~~produots were marketed. Uncle George has many friends along the water~front to~vns. ~e ad~iires the Felker family of Tell City, Indiana. He is proud of his own race and rejoices in their opportunities, lie remembers his fear of the Ku Klu~, his horror of the . ~atrol and other clans united to make life dangerous for newly einanci.pated negroes George Taylor Burns draws no oldage pension. He o~wns a building located at Canal and Evans Streets that n houses a number~of~.egro families. He is glad to say his credit is good in every market in the city. Although lamed by r1i~imatic pains and hobbling on feet toeless from his young childhood he has led a useful life. Don t forget I knew Pilot T.oiu Ballard, and Aaron Ballard on the Big Eagle in l858, ~ warns Uncle George. We Negr ea carried passes so we could save our skins if we were caught off the boats but we had plenty of good food on the boats. ~ Uncle George said the roust~bouta sang gay songs ~vrhile loading boats with heavy freight and proviaioz~ but on account of his crippled feet he could not ;;; T~~ou:~o~ ~ . ~ . . . . . . ~ . ~ ~

Folklore. 044 040

40 I 3015.1 IPodersi Writers Project Page ji oj~ the W. P. A. Topic j4kO D trlot #6 Anna Pritohebt !hrlon Coun ty flic j o,& na sr.~~cj Folklore .. a-ri-tan ass Reterenoes a- ---u--w-r nfltasun (A ) Mn Belie Putier aimitghtora 8~9 North cavitol snnne. (3) Arma Pritohett -Fednal ?flters 1200 Fen b~c~ Avente. Beile Butler, the daughter of Chanty Ityer, teils of tS hardships her mother endured during her days of emery. (F) Chaney ta owned by Jette Coffer, e. mean old devil.0 He would whip hie eines for the eiirjtteet mtBdetnnor, and is~ tlaes for nothing at all ~jt~t enjoyed seeing them suffer. ~ny s time Jesse would whip a alan, throw him clot, and gouge his ~r out. Such a enel soti (A) Chamey s sister as aiim a elsie ct the Cotter plantation. One day their it*tter decided to *ID thim both. After tpping tin f27 hard, S started to throw them 6cn~, to to after their eyes. Clianoy grabbed Oui of hin hands, ber sister ~nbbed his othar tiand, etch tin bit s ~ entinly off of etch hand of their aster.

045 041

. ?age~~2 Topic #240 ~ 41 t~~m Fritehett This, of course, hurt Uni io very bad he had to t;tcp their puxiishiasnt and never ~ tte~iptad to whip them again. He told then he would eur.I~y put th n~ i:~:t hi~ pocket ( ~ie11 them) if thty e~r dared to try axithing like that again in life. (A) Not so Ion~ after their figJ~t, Chaney ~*s t:iven to a daughter of their mas ter and her s ister ~s ~iven to another ~au~hter and taken to !~a5saio Cow~t~r, 1T.C. (A) : ~ the next farm to the Coffer far~ii, the overeeers wouU tie tho B1av83 to the ~oi ts b~r their huth, ithip them unmorcifully, then ~a1t their ba~ka ~ ~itke thera very aor e . (A) flhon a slave slowed do~ o~i hii~ oor~n hoeing, no ~rMter Lt he were s ick, or jus t vvry tired, h would ~et ~a~i~r lashes ami a salted back. (A) ~ One woi~n left the plantation without a pass The overseer oau~ht her and whipped hex to death . (A) ~ No slave ~as ever allawsd to look at a book1 for fear he might learn to read. One day the old u~istress caught a ala ve boy with a book, she c1~u*sed h1~ and aa c~d hii~ ~that he ni~ant, and ii~*t he thou~t he could do with a book. She said he looked 1i~e a blac& dog with a breast pua on, and for1~ade him to ever look into a book again. (A) All slaves o~t the Cotter planis~tion ~iiere treated ~.n a wet inhumav~ aanner, scarcely hsvin~ cm~ough to eat, unlosa they would steal it, running the ~ isk of being ~aur ~ht~ and reoeiviw, a severs beatmr for the theft. (A) Mrs Butler lives with her daughters, I~as worloed very hard iz~

046 042

1~ge~5 Topic ~24O Anm Pritohett hei days. 1 (B) ~he has had -to give up ~t1moit everythins~ in the last f.v yew, because her oyeai~ht ha~ failed . 1~owever, ~the i~ very obeerful and enjoys tellinC th~ ~ ~. r~other would tell ~r. (13) St~1iaitted Decei~ber 28, 19e? flcU.~An~po1i~ Indiana I~y: AN~U*1 ~R1TV1~TT V~F~TfrIWiu~ _ .-1~

Joseph William Carter. 047 043

~..La ~V6 B~ 17~ ~~~~i.ave D~O~~Lt~b 6th DIstrict y~~derburgh County . . . I~auafla Creel Joseph :~ ~ This information v as ~aine . through an interview with Joseph William Carter ana several o ~ his daughters. The data was cheerfully given to the writer. Joseph ~iilliam C~rter has lived a long anci,he declares, a happy lif , althou~ h he was born ana. reared in bondage_~his pleasing personality has always made Ms lot an easy one an~1 his yoke seemed easy to wear, Joseph ~7iliiam Carter was born prior to the year 1836. His r~other, Malvina Gardner was a slave in the home of Lir. Gardner until a man named. D. B. Smith saw her and noticing the physical :~erfeeticn o~ the chill at once purchased lier from her master. ~alvina was agrievea.at being Compelled to leave her oLi home, ana her love-. Ly~omig mistre~3s, Thiss Gardner was :~on~ of t~e little muliato girl and. had ;aught her to be a useful member o~ the G~ardner family; however, she was ~o1d to Mr. Smith anci~ was comt~el e3. to accorimany hirn to his home. Both the Gardner and. Smith families lived near ~al1atin, Teirne$see, in Sumner County. The Smith plantation was si~tuated .~on the Cumberland River thd commended a he~.utiful view o ~ river an~ valley acres but Llalvina was very unha1D~y. She ~Lid not enjoy the smith family and longed. for her old friends back in the Gardner home, One night the little girl gathered together her Cew per~onal belongings ~ a~ started back to her old home. Afraid to travel the highway the child followed a path ~he knew through forest; but~-alas, ehe round the way long andbeset with perils. A :~mber of uncivil Indians were encamped on the side o~ the Ou~nberland moun-. .:~~:3 : and a number ~of the young braies were out bunting that night. Th ir :1 approach was heard by the little fugitive gifi but toalate Thr her ~ an escape. Aulndian oalle& ~BucktT caPtured her and by aU the laws - ~ was lus own property~ She lived Thr al~iiost a year i.n the

048 044

Ex- Slave Stories ~ 5th Distriot . page g. 44 VanderbUr& County ~I Lauzma Creel. jpseph wnn~ca?~: teepe with Buck and. during that time leaned. much about Indian habits. % aras #f~ r. iThen Italvina was missed from her new home, ?Tr. taith went to the Gar~er plantation to report hie loss, not finding her there a wid.e search was nade for her but the Indians kept her thoroughly,fipza ~aled.. nies mass, however, kept IV!) the search. She Imew the Indianswereencempe~. ou the mountain arid belIeved. she would :tirt& the girl. with them. The Intie.z~s finally broke cama and the members of the Gardner home watched. them start . aaQ% ~~ ~ . m their journey and Miss Pass soon discovered Maivinaarnong the other naidens in the procession. .. . ... I!he men of the Gcr&ner plantation white and. black, overtook the In j,a~s in& demanded the girl be given up to them. The Indians reluctantly gave er to them. I.tiss Puss ardner tooc her.,,,back and. Mr. Gardner paid Mr. ~ Smith the original purchase price and Malvina Wasonce more installed in n old home. ttalvina Gardner was not yet twelve years of age when she was captured by the IndianS and was scarcely thirteen years of age wheli ehe became the mother of Joseph ~?ifliam, son of the uncivil Indian, B~ick . The child Was born in the Gardner home and mother aM child remained there. The mother was 1,% good slave and loved the members of the Gartner family and her son and she ~ lOved by them in return. Gardner married. a itt . Mooney and ~r. Gardner allowed her to take eph William to her home. The Mooney estate waa s i tuzat & up on the Carth idge road and. some of Joseph William s most vivid memories of slavery and Ourse of bondage embraoe his life s span with the MponeyC story that The aged man relates is of an encounter with an eagle ant ~ 41~ws: . !YGeorge Irish, a white, boy near my own age, was the son 6t th : . . ~ . s . lj ~ ~ ~5:1~~!! operated a sanill on B ledsoe Creek, r~ where it emp~ti i K :A 1. L ; ~ ~ river. eor and :t often went fishing together id ~ : . . .. : ,~ .~ ~

049 045

slave St~ries . th District ~~cl.erburgh County ~7age&~3~ 45 auafla Creel. Joc~epn ~i11iam Carter, had a gOQ~1 dog called. T:I~CtO~. Hector ~:~as as gooi a coon aog as there as to be 1ound in that ~rt o:~ the country. That ~ay we ~boys c1im~ed u~ n the mill shea to watch the sw ms in B1e~soe Creek ana ~ soon noticec3. a reat big fish hawk catehin~. the gosithgs. It made us ~ and. we deejc1e~3, o 1d~Ii the hav%~k. I went 1DaC~ to th house and got an o1~ flint lock rifle ars~ Tiooney had let me carry ~7hen ~e went hur~t1~ig. ~Then I got back where or&e was, the big birl was still bus:~i catching go~Iings. m~ ~irst shot fired broke its wing and~ I clecilecl I Woulti catch it ana take it home with e. The birci put up a terrible eight, cuttin~. me with its bill and. talons. ector carne running. ana tried to help me but the bird cut hirn until his w is brought help from the fle1 ~.. Mr. Jacob G~reene was passing alo~ag and. me to us. He tore me away from the bird but I could not walk and. the b1~od. as running from my body in dozens o ~ places. Poor o13. Hector, was crip~led cl. bleeding for the bird was a big eagle ani wou have killed. both o11 us k help ~ not come~ The ola negro man still shows signs o~ his encounter Lth the eagle. He said it was aptured an~ livea ~bo,ut four months in cap~ Lvitybut its wtng never healed.. The boiy o ~ the eagle was stuffed with leat bran, by G-reene Harris, and- Diaced in the court yard in Sumner County. ~he C~~il ~1ar changed things at the Mooney plantation, said the ol ~ man. Before the ~Var Lir. iIoone~ never had. been cruel to me. I was Mistress Puss s rooerty and she would never have allowed. me to be abused, but some of the ~th r slaves enthired. the most cruel treatment and were worked nearly to ~aath Uncle Joe s memory o~ slavery embraces the whole story of bondage and. ie helpless position held. bY strong bod.ied. men and women o~ a hardy race, verpowered. by the narrow ideals of slave owners an~ cruel overseerers.~ When I was a little bitsy child and. still lived. with ~ Gar .ner, saie he old. man, I saw many o~ the slaves beaten to death. Master~ Gard.ner .~ . . L 4fl t do auy of the whIpp in but ever~ Cew months he sent to Mississ i~i~I

050 046

ij: ~ ~ i~x~s1ave Stories . page 4,, ~ 5th District ~ ~ . /1cm ~~~d~erbUTgl1 County jo(~e~Tifl ~ 1n~iana ~auafla Creel. for negro rul~rs to come to the olantatjon and whip all the negroes that ~ had not obeyed the overseei s. big barrel lay near the barn and. that was always the ~hip~in place.TT Uncle Joe remembers two or three profession~ :~ slave whi-m~ers an~ recalls the ~e~th off two o~ the 1ilssissip~~i whippers. He relates ti~e story as follows: Lars Garaner ha~ one of the finest black smiths that I ever saw. His arms were strong, his muscles stood. out on. his breast an~L should~ers and his legs were never tired. He stood there and. shoed . horses and repaired tools day a ter daj ana there was no work ever made him tired. . o~d negro man so vivialy ~e~cribe~ the noble blacksmith that he almost peared in person, as the story advanced. ~ I donTt know what he had. done to rile up Mars Gardner but all o ~ us knew that the Blacksmith was go ing to be flogged. ~1hen the whippers from Li~Si~s1pri got to the plantation. Thc blE.cksrnith worked on day and. night. all ~.ay he was shoein horses and 111 the spare time he had. he v~as ~akin a knife. ~7hei~ the whippers got there 11~ ~f ~ W Te brought out to watch the whip~in but the blacksmith, Jim ~rthier did. not wait to feel the lash, he jumped right into the bun h of sers and negro whipDers and, knifed two whippers and one overseer to ath; then stuck the sharp knife into his arm and. bled to death.t ~ se~emed the only hope for this man of strength. . He could not humble 1lm~el to the brutal ordeal 0 1 be ing beaten bY the slave whippers. . ~::3I1 the war started, we kept hearing atout the sol~iiersand finally they up their camp in the forest near us. The corn was read.y to bring into ~ barn and the soldiers told LTr. Mooney to let the slaves gather it and. ~ it into the barns. Some of the soldiers helped gather and. erib the : 1. ~ Wanted to help. but Miss P)ss was afraid they would press me into ~.-- ~ ~ ~ ! ~ hid.e in the c llar. There was a big keg of apple cider ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

051 047

4r~ n the cel~r ci~~i ever:~ ~-~T ~ SS Puss handed do~~n ~.. big ~ate of fresh n~er slTh:~s riptht out ~-~ the ~v n, so i ~ ~eii :~!1:~.:ea. m~ old man er~~embers thn~t after the corn was in the crib the soldiers turned tn their ivSr~S to e~:t wh~t ~ :f~llen to tbe ~roui~. efore ti~~ ~ol~iors 1eo~me encc~mped at the :~ooney plantation the:.:r had camp t_9. u on a hill and some SkiT~:~EthiflL~: ~I,Cj OCCUTI~d. 1Tflc.l ~ Joe remembers the 1:-~r~nish ~ui(~~ seei~~~ c~T~~on balls corne over the bieids. Th~ cannon bails re chained toc ether aii~ . tile sl~ve oMldren v~~ould run ~fter the ~r~s~jis. o~: iet~.es t~c~ oh~in~ would ~i~t Iov~r:i trees as the b~l1s rolled throur~h the T~B Do :Jou believe in tTitchcra ~t? ~j~ sskei while thterviewin ~.. t:~e aged negro. ~I~o ~~as t~e answer. 1,1 ha~ a cousin that ~:~s a full blooded InCdan and a i:~ doctor. He got me to help him v~ith his Vo~~.oo work. ~ lot ol opic both white arid. bl~c: sent for the In~uian ~vhen they ~7ere sick. I told m I ~~TOUi~~ do the best I could, if1 ~ ~ioulcI helD sick -oeo~le to ~~:et weil. woman wa.s sick ~~ith rhumatisni ami he ~vas ~oin~ t6 see her. lie sent me in ~ o the v:oods to dig u~ poke roots to boil. I~e then took the brew to the Louse where ti~e sich woman lived, R&d her to ~t both feet in a tub ~~ith warm water into which he had placed tlae ~oke root brew. He told ~i~e Woman she ha~ lizards in her body an~ he was going to bring them out of her, He covered the viornan viith a heavy blan:et and made her sit ~or a l~ng l4rne, possibly an hour, with her feet in the tub of poke root brew and water. FI~ had. me sup a good many lizards into the bub and whenthe woman rernove~. Eier feet, there were the l1~ards. She was soon well and believed. the liz~~rds hE~d~ corne out. f h~T legs. I Was d~isgasted. and~ would flot practice with ~y .~ COuS in aga in TI ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ n~o you d~thi t eight in the Civil ~7ar. was asked. Uhele Joe. ~ COU~ ~e I4~ia~, when I got OI~L enough I entered the service and barbecued ~k ~

052 048

i~..~lave ~triOS ~ rth ~ Page 6. 48 v~~derburgh County Joce~h7ifl.i~m_Carter. :auana Creel aeet ~ the :Tar clDsed. Barbacueing ha~ been Uncle Joe s specialty curing slavery ~ ~ iic~ ~ol1 ~ed. the same tro ~essi~n during his service ~jth the federal army. He vras freed by the emancuapation -proclamation, and ~OO~fl met and married Sadie Scott, former Slave o~ Lir. scott, a Tennessee )lanter. 3aCde only lived a short time after her m~arriage . He l~..ter mar- ied r. ~ Doolin~. EIer father was nai~ed Oar~auel. He v~ as a blacksmith and- ~ 1ter he ~as free, the countrymen ~vere after hi:-~ to t :~:e ~s life. He was shot nine times and finally kilie~ himsel ~ to ~)rcveut meeting dee~th at the i:: ~riCS of the ~ ro2e~ph ~ Carter is a cripple. In 1933 he fell an3. broke his right thj~i bOfl~ aYi!~ eince th~.t ti:e he ha~ ;~alke~. :1th a crutch. He stays u~ ~quite a lot ~nci is al~7a~s gI~d. to tTeicome visi~tors. He possesses a noble character ana is adrnirei3. b~ his frienas an~L heighbors. Tall, straight, ~ lean o body, his nose is aouj~line; these physical characteristics he inlierited from his Indian ancesters. ~ E.~entle n~ture, ~)(1tL good humor are characteristics handed to h~~n by his mother arC~ ~Qstered by the gentle ~rearing o ~ ~is southern mistress. ~~~heii TJncie Joe Carter celebrated the lOO~1th aniversary O~ MS birth a large cake was presented to him. dec3rated. viith 100 candles. The party was atten~ed b~- children an~ ~ran~ehildren, friends ana neighbors. 1T~at . is ~ pOlitical viewpoint? was aske~i the ol~ man. ~ Mypolit cs is ~y ~ love for my country T. I vote Thr the man, not thc ~arty. Oie JOC S religion is the religion oi~ decency and virtu . I dontt want to b hard in my judgement,TTsaid he, But I Wish the ~vho1e viorl~ would be decent. ~hen I was young man, women wore more clothes in bed. than they now wear on the street. . . : ~~ has: always been a lover of horses but he does not eare for Automobiles G~ ~ ero~1ane s sa id a d~au~hter o~ Uncle J oe ~ Une le Joe ha s se von dai~gh~. ~ ~ ~

053 049

t~51aVeS S~bor~eS ~ im District Page ~. . ~~~e~bUrgh C ount y ~ ~iiana Creel ~rs, he says they have always been obealent anti. attentive to their parents. ieir mother pa~SeCl away seven years ago. The sous ana daughters o~ Uncle ~ remer~:1Der their grana-~mother and recall stories recountea by her 0 her jt:tvi t~j amonp the inalans Papa htil no gray hairs until after mama aied. His hair turned gray from ~ at her loss. saici mrs. Delia Smith, one of his dau~~hters. Uncle Joe~s tile reveals a set of unustu.&Iiy souii teet~x from which only one~ tooth is ~ssing. :e all ~thers an~ gran~tthers, Uncle Joe recoui~ts the cute cIee~s an . funsayings o:t~ the little children he ~ been associated With: how his own. Iciren with eather bed~oked cro~ns er~actecI the caDture of tiieir grandmother id often DIa~ed tT1~00~00 Doctor. ~ ~ ~ ~eie joe stresses the value o~ work, not the enforced labor o ~ the slave but ~e cheerful toil o ~ free reoi~Ie. He i~ glad. that his sons and ~aughters in~ustrious citizens an is ~rou~L they maintain clean homes for their ~ain~ les. ~ He is happy because his ~chi1ciren have never own bondage, an~ he respects the laws o his country and. ap~reciates the ter ~3t that the citizens of i!~van~vi1ie have always showed in the negro race. After Uncle Joe became a young man he met many indians from the tribe at had held his mother captive. Th~OUg1i them he learned. much about his tuer which his mother had. never told hirn. Though he was a ~araiier slave and would. have been Joseph GarOEner, he took is -~ e name of Carter from a step father antI was. known as Joseph Carter.

Ohio County ex-slave, Mrs. Ellen Cave, relates her experiences. 054 050

~w~ ~e ~ ~tonroe .flist. 4, 3efferson County i.9(~fl ~r~ . ~ ) u ~ ~ r ~j ~. . e r:~j-~ t ~ ~ .~- ~ ~ ~ tJ~ F c2~t ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ .~ . . ~ ~ . ~ OHIO COU3~TY ~-sL~v:E, ~RS ELIE~T CAVE, Ri~L~ThS ~R EXP~~RIIiNCES Ref. ( ) Assistant editor of tThe Rising Sun Recorder furnished the,. f0llowing story which had appeared in the pa-~:;er, )~arch 19, 1937. Mrs. Cave was th slavery for tvielve years before she was freed by the EmancipatiOfl Proclamation. When she gave her story to Aubrey Robinson she was living in a tempo rary garage borne back of the Ri sing Sun courthouse having lost everything in the 1937 flood. 1~:rs. Cave was born on a plantation in Taylor County Kefltucky. She was the property of a man who did not live up to the popular idea of a Southern gentleman, whose slaves refused to leave them, even after their freedom was declared. V/hen she was a ye&r old. her mother was sold to someone in Louisana and she did not see her again until 1867, when they were re-united in Carrolton, Kentu lcy. Her father died when she was a baby. Mrs.Cave told of seeing wagon 1oa~is of slaves sold down the river. She, herself was put on the block several times but never actually sold, although she would have preferred being sold rather than the continuation of the ordeal of the block. ~ Her master was a mean man vtho drank heavily, he had twenty slaves ~ that he fed now and then., and gave her her freedom after the war only when ~ she would remain silent about it no longer. He -was a Sout them syTnpath ~ iser but j oined the Union army where he became a ca~tai~i and was in charge ~ of1~ a Union comm1ssary~ Pinally he was suspected and .~charged with mustering I~pph1es to the rebels~ Be was imprisoned for some time, then courtmartia1~. laud sentenced to die. He escaped by bribing his negro guard. ~:. ~ Mrs. Cave said that her master s father had many young women slaves and~ sold his own half-breed children down the river to Louisiana p1antation~ ~ the work was so serere that the slaves soon died. I, ~ ~ In slavery, iLt s. Care worked aa a m3~id ifl tiLe house untU she 1i~~ I~~& ~ ~* ~ i~j.a.v ~ ~ 537 Words

055 051

~ : : ~ ~ ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .~ ~ ~ ~ ~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 2 ~ ~ ~ ~. . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~reW older ~en she was forced to do all kinds of outdoor labor. ~e ~ememb~~ ~a~ir~g logs iii. the ~flOW all ~:1ay. In the ~uznu~er she pitched hay )r any other mari s worI~ in the f leid She was trained to C arry three buckets of ~rater at the ~axne time, two in her ahands and one on her head ~~dsaid she could still dolt. On this plantation the chief article of food ~ or the s1ave~ was bran bread, a though the master1$ children were hind and often slipped them o~t meat O~ other food. Mrs. Cairo remembered seeing General VToolforcl and Gener~l ~organ of~ the southern forces when thEY ~jnade f~fl(3~y ~j~1tS to the ~1antati0fla She saw General Gr~nt ~tvrice during the war. ~he ~aw ~Idiers ~~iing. near the ~ p1antati0r~. Later she was caught and whipped by ~j~it riders, or pat~ a rollers , a~ she tried to slip out to neCro ~e1igiOU8 ~e~tingS. i ~ Mrs. dave was driven frOl3a her plantation two years ~ after the war and --- to arroUton ~entuCI Y, vthere she found her mother and s~Ofl married ~aes 0a te, a former s1a~e on a plantation near hers in Ta~r1or county. ~ Mrs. had th~rteefl, ~9~ii~AreU. . ~ ~ ~ ~ :~~ :For mary years ~itrs. Ca~ lias ~ii~ed on a farm about tWO and one half mi. ~th of Ri$iU ~ ~verythifl~ she had. was washed away ~n the flood and lived in the court hoUSe garage ~~til her ~iou~Ie4COUld be rebuilt. (A)

Folklore. 056 052

~ . r~T~ i_4, (~~*i I 20142 Federal Writers Proj~ot Page j~&l of tho VI. P. A. Topic 1/~24O Diatriot ~46 Anna Prito~tt Marion County z~ ~1~A Folklore R~ ferenooa 1~-~ ~ (A) ~1r~ Harriet Cheata~ ~Ex~~Slav,, 816 Danish street. (B) Arma Pritoh.tt, Federal Writer, 1200 Kentuc~r Avenue, Inoident8 in the life of ~re. CI~ataa as ehe told t)*~t to fl~3 (B) n ~ ~ aa borne ~ 1843 ~ in Gallatinb Tennessee1 94 year; a~o t1th~ coenixi~ (1937) ~hriatrnas 1y. (A) SOur maste r, Martin Henley, a farvte r, was hard on us s1a~ee, but we were happy in spite of our la&c. (A) ~W~n I was a child, I ttidn~t haie it as hard u sois of t}~ Ghfl4re1~ in the quarters ~ I alvay~ stayed in the big bouse ~ slopt on ths~ floor, r1g~xt near the fireplace with on. quilt for ~y bed and or~ quilt to caver i~ T~n whon I growed up I ~aa in the quarters. (A) .~ ~Att~er the Civil war1 I went to Ohio to oo~~k for Geueral Payne. We had a nioe life in the ~ez~r~tl s hau ~i. (A) 1~I re~n~ber one night, way bi~ok before the ~iyil ware

057 053

Page ~2 Topic ~~24O i~m~& ?rits1~tt ~w. wanted a ~oo~e. I went out to steal or~e ~ that waz~ the only way we 81a re8 would have on . I crept very quiet 4~, put ~ hand in where they was and grabbed, and what 1o you suppose I had? A great big polo oat. ~ ell, I dropped him quick, vveri~t back, took ott all my olotha~ dug a hole ~nd buried them. T~ ne~ci~ night I went to the right place, ~ra~b~d i~ a nice big ~ held his x~eck and feet so ~ couldn t holler, put 1~x~ un~ar n~ ar~n, and ran with him, azi4 did we oat? (4 we often had prayer n~oting out in the p~artera, and to ~ ep the folks in the big house from hearing ua w~ would take pots, turn them down, put eo~thing ui4er t1~m, that let tl* sound ~o in this pots put them in a row by t~ door, then our voices wou 4 not go out a~d we could sing and pray to our heart P s ooutent. (A) At Thank giving tii~ we ~nld haie poi~u1 cake That waa tine We would take our hands and boat and beet our cake dough, p;xt the dough in a skillet, oover it with the lid aM pu~ it in t~ firoplaoe (The covered skillet would i~tat our ovens of today. It would take all day to b~1 , but it sure would be goods not like the cakes you have totay. (A) v~1~n we cooked our regular n~aIa we would put our food in pots, slide t}~m on an iron rod that booked into the fire~place. (They wore cafled pot hooks . ) T}~ pote hung right over the open tire and would bail uatil t~e food ~ &ono (A)

058 054

Page~~$ Topic ~~24O Anna Pritshett ~ often made ash cake . (That is made of biacuit dough. ) ~hen the dough waa re ady, we swept a oie ~ place on the floor of the fireplaoe, si~ooth~d thc dough out with our hathe, took ~ aihea, put them on top of the th>u~h, then put sore hot coala on top of the as1~e, and ju5t left it. When it was done~ w~ brushed off the ooa1~, took out the bread, bru~h,~d off the ashes, child, that was brsad. (A) When v*~ roa8tod a chicken, we got it all nice and clean, ati~ff d hirt with dresain~, ~reaced him all over good, put a c~bba~e leaf on the floor of the fixeplaoe put t1~ chiok~n on the cabbago leaf, then COVOrOd him good vrith ar~other cabbage leaf, a~d put hot ooa1~ all over and around him, and left hua to rosat. That is the best way to cook ohioken. (A) Mrs. Cheat~m lives with a daughter, Mrs. Jones. She is a very siu1l old lady, pleasant to talk with, has a v~ery happy disposition. I~ r eyes as s he ss~id ~ have gotten ve~j dim, and she can t piece her quilts anymore. That w*~ the tray she spsz~ her spare tiu. She has beautiful vrhite hair and i~ ye~uy proud of it. (B) Submitted Deseruber 1, 1957 Indianapolis, Indiana By: A~A PRITCI~TT

James Childress' story. 059 055

E~4xan84SL . ~ ~ Vin ) :) ~ . District #5 .! ~ ~. ~ . 55 wmdorburgh County Ltut9fl& Creel j~ htdr Story. from 971 1X11*rYtCW with James Children and from John bell both liv. ~ri:: ; at $12 :3. 2. Fifth Street, L nnsviile, Indiana, : ~Ot~,fl ~ Uncle Jimmy by the many chtldren that cluster about if.o ar:cd mart nover tirlnr cf bis stories of When I was ~ chile. Whon I nte a chile my dn5 y nnd rrinnrr wa~ sieves tnc~ I was a e sL vo, so be$ins many rec~ a nte5 thles of the Ion ; ar~o. nom at ~ttshvi1le ~ Tennessee In the ye~tx 1P60, Uncle Jinnte ro~ crtbei s tit~ Civil War drugs with the excitinr events as relnted to 1:~tci own f~ ~11y ant the r~rnt o? JrrIciR Cbfldroes, his ma5ter. Ho reis me:nben sorrow expro~stc3 in rcrtinn toz~re when Uncle Johnle anti Uncle :ob str ! ted to witr. He rocvlls huppy dn.yi when the beeutiful valley or th~~ CnntboriFnc!J was abloom with w~.ld flowers arid fertile acres were ca:?5CteCl w~th blue zrnes. ~A beautiful view ooi~tld always be enjoyed from the b.tllaides an there were nnny pretty hOEtnee belonflng to tF~ rIch citizens, Sinn !ccp b the irkwne snooth and tended the flowers for rUles arcnnd Nashville, ~ I t~~z a child . sct~.d Uncle Jitnreie. . Uncle 3i!tlie Ohfldrene lies no know1ed~e of ht.s ?II LStSR S hSLVIXUg practiced cruelty towards any slave. We was all weil fed, well clot~4 ant5 lived in rood c&ins I never zot a cross word from Mere Zobn in fli~~ life, he declared. When the s svee got their freedom they rej!te t $taylnt up XflG ti nights to stnz, drince an6 enjoy tMiwel~vos, although tb~~ still aepended on oltMars John LOX! food and bed, they felt too excited to work in the tiel4 or~oere for the. st ck. They bated to leetvs their ii nes but M~. Children told tbem to go out . and make hoes to~ themselves, . . : ~ tGt 11GWh M ~ t I~we1 elM~: and. kipt us 41 to4 tiar, ~ i:~ ~ ~ tNs N* Ih* ad n Isad vrflX S M t ~n )t ed at

060 056

is.smnI . ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ : ~. g~~~rtst #1 ~ ~ Si 56 ~ Cntt . ~. :~ Ltnnfl* fl*i JEtas c)ISSI4VS. $toflo EvsMVIU since taGt, bStS worked for s good maul mn and Joist :fl1% viii tefl gott t have had onLy~ Manda i~ the oiti It EvtnaviU*4 . U*toZ~ Jimmie ~ ~nosU tin n s tas slay. pn~td to God tor rnstca and the zngro ~ pr,sob.fl *IW*70 prnohed ~boizt tbs ~ dfl ta tim sluveS ~ot d bS no jo~gsr ~23tV~S bnt fr nd h*~P7. tt?Li ~ )sond God, tIWl a*4 stand ~ !! ~ ~ Low Nat oi~gvriot as on of tk~s best eoDgR tifl knew 0. }ifl S ursA. a1a. BUfl4~ ~ *tSfl1~ of tiLl Ofl~ $fld asid it related to God s aetbins tb. xiegz!O S tne. * flbe negroeS at Jab, obfldr.fl pis.. are &Ufl*d to leans much fl~ ~ *oul4* severaL of tha joung ~U could md and tiair ~~atn Wa s good flan and did *0 harrn to a*q~body*0 jean Gidi~~~, Si a ta.k asa,nU of n*tst,Wttb ortip wooli dark sgr, ils te gAS 1* i ftot S mulatto t s ti~a ifl bIDOOSd flSS~O* ~ ~ ~: . ~ ~: ~ ~ : ~ . ~ . ~ ~ - ~ ~ s ~ ~ ~ ~ * . . .~ . - . : ~ ~ ~ 4

Folklore. 061 057

12Q~J4~ r ~ IL)( Fsd ral Writs~~ Projsst Page ~l etthel.P.A. Topis$40 Dietriot ~J4 Anna Prit.hett Marten Co~mty ! t I~ lolkiers ~1__u_ _J_ -i~-r Rsfz sns. LJS~I~ ~S -~-a-~a-aa~ - (A) Mrs. sariih Colbert ~~x~$lay m 3 ~5 )!erth Ci~itol aveni, Indanspoli. Indi~. (3) ~ Pritobett ~ Pedsrs1 Writ.ru 1200 KOntUO~ Menus. ~ r. S arah Carpsnt.r CO1b.rt was born in AUen County, g ntus ~~ in 1855 3h. ~a ownd by Imigs Carpenter, a tarmsr. (A) ~r tather~ lease Carpsnt.r *. the grsMaon of hi. ~atsr, iaLg. Carpenter, who was very kiM to hia. tasse worked on the tarm until the old esster~a death. ~e was then ao 4 to Ji* MeFmriax4 in ?ranktort Kantueky. Jia s wife was ~ ~en to the il~vss1~ ithtppsd them regularly every awix~ing to start the day right. (A) On. ~rnirt~ stter a severs beating, lease ~.t an old slave, who asked him wt~r he let his aistrsu beat him so inu . tasse la~ighsd a~d asked him what h. sould do about it, The old n told him iS he would bit. her toot, the next time abs ~cnosb,d him down, she would stop beating him and psrhape sell hi*. (A) - The next morning h. was gstti~*g his regular beating. he wilth~gly ~U to the fI~or. gxsbhed hie mistress toot, bit her

062 058

p.~ r T.pio ~$4O__ j . Aima Pritsh.tt YST7 hi~. Sk tI t.d v.ry hard to pull ws~y tv~ him, hs bsld ou atiU Iiting0 .I~ run aro~ bi tiw zoom~ lasso .till holding ou. Finally, she stopped b.ating him and xwv*r attomptod to atriks Ida again. (A) V&o nozt woek i~ wa~ put on t~ bloc, biing a ~ good i~rksr and a vsry strong man, the bid.. ~.r. high. (A) gis iow~g master, Iaigo Jr., outbid ovexyo~ and boiaght him tor $2200.00. Eis yot~g mutt... was i.ry moan to him. Bi wont again t. his old friend for advic.. This t:1~ b. told him to get s~ yellow dust, sprinki. it around in his mistress room and it posstbl.,g.tso~in}*rshoo.. !his~didandiua.horttim. I~ was sold agaiu to Johnson Csrp.nt.r in tb. sai county. Hi not really tv.at.d an~ bottor t~rrs. D~ this ti I~. ~ss vry tirod of b.ing aistrsat.4. Ro r~aiab.rsd him old master tolling ~ ~s raNnawa~to hi. old mutAis, t.ia ~ar o.f his m~r haxdships, and told b.~ what tI~ old aastsr had told h~z, so oh. sont him bask. At tks a~xt sal. si~ bought hiLu, aM )~ li v.d tb.ve ~ until slavery wu &olish.d. (A) ~sr grandtathsr, Bat c1I3rTi.flt.r~, was an *7abitiou$ slave; ho dug ors and ~onghb his tr.ed~i. t)~n bought his wife b~ ia~th~ $50.00 a year t. )ssr asator for ksr. S}~ eontinu.d to eork on the tarin ot her own aaato~ Sbr a Tu~y .aaU wag.. (A) Bat s wifS. Matilda, Uve4 on the *~ az,n not tar tr~i~ him, he was s1 ~.I.4 to Tinit her avery 8~*Msy . Ono SuMai~c,

063 059

Psp~S ?opts$40 5~) Anna Priisiatt it look5d lue rain, his mastsr told him to gatlar in th oats, hs refused to do this and waa b.aten with a ~ aw hide lis was so angry, b. went to one of the witoh sraft.ra for e. charm so la oould tix his old aaster. (A) Tia witch doctor told h~.a to got tivs iaw nails, as tiars wers fi~~ ~ers in his iaaiter a family, walk to ths bans, tian walk baokwaz ds a f6w steps ~ poun~1 ons nail in the gz ouM, giving each nail the n~a of each zE~mber of ths tsnily1 starting with tia naatsr, t~ the mi3tress and so on through the ta4lily. ~aoh time one nail wa~ pounded ~iown in th. ground, walk baebrard~ and nail the naxt oxa in Until all wors pounded deep in the ground. lis d~id as instructed and was never beaten again. (A) Jans Gartt~n was the village witah. $ia disturb & iia. slaves with kar oat. Always at milking ti tia eat would ap~ar, and at night would go from oz~ cabin to another, p~rtting oix~ tia grease la~npa With his p. No aatter how t}ay tried to kill the o, it Just could not be tc~ra. 1An old witch dootor to 4 then to n~it a clime D fom a bulist with tue silvsr, and shoot tia oat. 1~ said a 1s4 bU11.t woulct za~ r kill a levitehed animal. Tb. ativr bullet fixed tb oat. (A) Ja_ also bswitoh.~1 tias ehioksns. Tiay were dyin~ so fast .3~rbhing thsy~ dit& soelMd use ..s.. Finally a big tirs wss built and tho d.ead Ohiokena thrown into tia tirs, timt bunisd tia

064 060

P~p#~ :. er . Topis #240 ~ J j Amt~ Prito}~tt chaz ~ aixl no i~r~ o~iokns disd. (A) Mrs. Colbort urn with hr daugi~,r in a vsry comfortable }~ s)~ eeeaa very happ~t and was glad to ttUk of h r early day. how ehe would laugh w~.n t hing of tb ex perienose of ber tentily. 8118 has reared a large family of 1~r owns and feels vsry proud of thei~. (B) 311bnhit~ted D.oenibor 1, 1937 ndftn94~oiB, Indiana By: ~AJbTA PRITC!~TT ~ --

Slavery days of Mandy Cooper of Lincoln County Kentucky. 065 061

i:~. ~ ~ DiBt. 4 Johnson County, md. Wiii. R. )&ys ~ ~ July 29, 1937 753 wor ~ J SLLVERY DAYS OF MMflIY COOPER OF LINCOLN COUNTY, ~ NTUCKX Ref: Frank Cooper, 735 Ott St., Franklin, End. Frank Cooper, an aged colored ~n of Franklin, relates some very irrLeresting conditions t1~.t existed in slavery days as handed down to him by his mother. 1~.ndy Cooper, the mother of Frank Cooper, was 115 years old when she died; s~te was o~ied by three difforozrt familles : the Good s, the i3urtonts, and the Cooper s, all of Lincoln Co. Kentucky. Well, Ah reckon Ah am one of the oldest colored men hereabowts, confessed aged Frank Cooper. What did you all want to see me about? ~r . . mISSIOn being stated, he related one of the strangest oategori~ alluding to his mother s slave life that I 2ave ever heard. One day while mah ir~a~ was washing her back n~r sistah noticed ugly disfiguring soars on it. 1xf quiring about theme W~ found,irnioh to our amazemez*, that they were mami~ s roltos of the now gone, if not forgotten, slave days, This ~was her first reference to her misery days that she ~d evah n~.de in my presence. Of course we all thought she was telling us a big story and we nude fun of her With eyes flashin she stopped bathing, dried her back and reached for the smelly oie black wlji.p that hung behind the kitchen door Biddin us to strip dovin to our waists, ~ little n~inn~r with the boney bent.. ovah back, struck each o f us as hard as evah she could with that black-snake whip each -~ stroke of the whip dr w blood frata our backs. Now , she said to us, you bave a taste of slavery days. With three of her children now having tas~ed of some of her misery day& sh ~aS in th~ mood to tell us more of her sufferings~ still ix~delibly impressed in 1!~T ~fljfl~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .~ ~

066 062

2. . G2 PL~r oie bsok i~ bent ovah from the quick-tempered blows feld b~r the r.d. head.d Miss Burton. At dinner time one day when the ohurnint wasn t finished for the noonday meal she said with an angry b ok that must have been reborn in n~J~ ma3nrny s eyes ~ eyes ti*t were din~ned by years and hard livin three white women beat me from ang$~ beoause they had no butter for their bieouit and cornbread. Miss ~urton uaed a heavy board while the inissue uaed a whip. While I was on my knees beggin them to quit1 Misa Burton hit the email of n~h back with the heavy board. Ah knew no more until kind Mr. Hamilton, who was staying with the white folks, brought me iXIZLdB the cabin and brought me around with the camphor bo~tt1e. Ah ll always thank him ~ God bless him - he picked me up where they had left me like a dog to die in the blazin noonday sun. VAfter xi~.h baok was broken it was doubted whether ah would evah be able to work again or not. Ah was placed on the auction block to be bidded -~ for 80 mah owner could see if ah was worth anything or not. One ~a.n bid $1700. after puttin two dirty fingaha in my mouth to see n~r teeth. Ah bit him and his face showed angah. He then wanted to ~n me so he could punish me. Thinkin hie bid of $1700 was official he unstrapped his bug~r whip to beat me, but n~r mastah saved me. ~r i~ster declared the bid unofficial. At this auction ~r sister was sold for $1900 and was never seen b~ us again. w mother related some experiences she had with the Paddy-Rollers, later called the Kukiux , these Paddy.Rollers were a constant dread to the Negroes They would whip the poor darl ye unmercifully without az~y cause. One night while the Negroes were gathering for a big party and dance the~r got wind of the approaching PaddyimBollers in large nwnbera on ho*sebaok, The Negro men ~id not knmr what to c~ for PrOt00ti0~, th5~J became desperate and decided to gath.~. a q~antit~r of grapevines and tied them fast at a dark place in the

067 063

3, 63 road. ~~hen the Paddy. Rollers came thundering down the road bent on deviltry and unawaro of the trap ~et for thcra, plun ed hoad-oxi into these strong grapevines end three of their number were killed and a score was badly injured. Several horses had to be shot following injuries. When the news of this happening spread it was many months before the Paddy uRollers were again heard of.

Ex-slave Rev. H. H. Edmunds. 068 064

t~oxt 8tv~~, faM ti ka, P~1ea1 *tt~ ~ Projet St. Joeo$2 County ~ ~isthtct fltut tnil t ~ ~3O1Iu (iLl. 01 * .aurvts ~1) V ~ a~-~ . ~ - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ _.A~_ fl~~t2t 2ICE /t a nov0 ::j, ;~ TJ&1tt~d , aos usst utoLt~ ~tr t EfldlDDt9 !Z ILCIflC

069 065

Libel anmi, flaM ~ or1e rrn4MPs I Vfltes Proicet 65 at, a..t Ootmt~ s ~Utrt t n imb, Xt4tnm R~W. It, H. i~DMUNU; lt. u u. ! ;40 ~ p~fl4~ at 403 Went haley t3tN,et tn ~td*rt trn th puot ten yonro. florn in F~jnatbu~ ~ ~ Virginia, in ~fl59, he Und there fcrt actent 7 sz ~~ Later trn was taken to ~~teets~Sp$ by his t~tet~, t*M finally to nnsrsflne, T t~~eaee, tero ho Uni until hie rennst to x3ldafl. ile it4* ta very toitgtoem, nn~ for n~a. ywra In een cd his poopta ns a rdMater ot the Gaep~U. i~ tests deeply that the roflgton of tc~ay hoe ~oot1y chantjed fron the roM tine t~os Ugion.t~ In slavery deys, the colored pooplo woro ~o mxbju~itod t3rd tm~ucats2 thfl be obtins they tioro ospoets IL ly easeo$tt3s to ?G1if~ofl.9 OCKI p wsl out thefr roltgou toe1tn~a in the eo~. celled j~crn opizwithMUa. !JD?. ~~iw4i ta nvlassd thst the eu~trstittons et the ootonl poopte ami their beli*t in &w4 ~bbUns te d as to the tact t i~t their iotione ui4 ~ wOrt md upon by slate drives ta keep than in aUbjwi~tioea. OttcmtUa ttbite p~,pl, dressed os z iosts, tflij~taned. tim colored people into doing inny thtn~a tiMe j~rotat. The ~hoat? ~ no teared ter more than the sien-drives. ~ Vhs tin at the Rebelliert is not ren~S~ b~ Mr. l tunds, but he eiar1~y nasCe the period tolloi4ng the irnr ~moin as tho Reconatacitton Purtad. T~J Wort VOV7 tm~:~~p7 uta they learned thee we. tnt se a result at the war. A te~ took S Ituita~e at tt*t~ tfledSft bflSti*t*279 bUt tDflg tOt 1 1~!tTh$ *tat 324K to d ~ flM~t vith thOU tatet ntsstee. t3 ~ie ~ ro~ atMd Sn the p~attssns rit. isn after they two free.

070 066

isaR AIbIS Stro;o, fold ticwlte (3G PedrnSL Unten ProJect at, ascn C 4n~ a i~i*trtst #1 uis*taR, ti4tarmn DnduBill thor tannd to ~ t ~ tttu*solvcpe, often ttt~ztffi. im. etciotions rooeind fro~ the .. iv Lone vrt ore, nud thai tt y t;ero flad to ststrt out th~ the t or 4 for tts*soivoe. ot c~t~ec, thero w~fleo c~ce;*tona, toe the s3svn to 1*4 bean abused b trust ttms. ton *oTt o~n1y too IM to lonvo their tomer 1)OCI . 91~ toU4MrJLng rctdntsDcnOo in told b7 !lr. Eth*I*~t ~At a boy, t worked in Vir~inU fo~ ~ :~unt~, n ! r. Par~rtoX~. ~ Lind tcr~ z~oriS ulia Soevvod ~t3 bocuce on the Awn, : eldc t~ieter twa the lrned bone, After the t~r una over, tho ala. ter g~13~ t,i the ooloz 1 propic to ct:t anC told tbcn tLnt tho7 tictr no 24n~ur ~ atYsc, that ti~oy ni5.t lotnc IZ the ; ;j~~~ 211e tIntes hAd booei iwtortn~ wtboen ~ioh had boon flmt~ az*ott*L bsrnte flh1Le~2 with soit. Ilele tad betm bozt~4 in the binnoXs, nrvi vhen rn*tcc ~ pounl Lu ths ~*rt c1tc, fl gt iltw~ty . oojw2 out ttrot4t thc hotus thus uutertng the cuutztbcre. ~Ptter tho speech, oat son takt the eiaves to r~wa their tiODlt, (jjp4J0 t wfl$ freo, t rott*e~i to do no, enr~ na n roznit, t z o ott~ s torn ~ thie k%a4r~, t nowU~)1i7 DcWOIV tO get eton COLIS t3c7, Toere attar4ntfl, I vont to thc~ h~:to cC thte ~x~n Cor the ~tpr eaa purpose cC siu4dn~ eevcmj~o. flnovoe , t urm z~ocetve4 Sb kindiy, t~M testai se weil, that nfl tha4ts Of fl% SflZKIO SU Xsh~fl, Po~ 7sn after, r~ trios boss iuta t flsit~ ich otbor tu out ant ~ t~1, ~~_S tata thnt the ;~ct peop le ~Z Of()P to be ~ 4. terei to is ~kn6 people, uM doo$~ DeG lt WO nano niaer.~ ~- LISE

Ex-slaves. John Eubanks & family. 071 067

Arohio Icoritz, Field Worker Federal Writers Project Lake County mstriot #1 Gary, Indiana :~ 3 O5~ ~ JOHN EUBANKS &. ~ FAMILY REFER1~CE A ~ 3olm Eu,banks and family Gaz7, Indiana

072 068

j Archie Kox itz, Field Workei~ Federal Writers Project . lake County District /~ . ~ ~) ary, Indiana John Euhanks & Faini ly Gai y s only survi ~ring Civil War veteran was born a ~1ave in Barren County, 1~entuck~r, Juno 6, 1836. HiS ~ther vas a n~~.Latto and a free negro. H13 mother was a slave on the E~rerrett plantation and hi~ ~andparent s were LU I 1-b boded Afri can negro 08 As a chi ici he began work as soon as possible and was put to ~ror1c hoeing and piok Ing cotton ~nd any other odd jobs that would keep him busy. He was one of a family of several children, c~nct is the sole survivor, a brother living in Indianapolis, having died there in 1935. Following the CUstom of the south, when the children of the Everrett family grew up, they married ana slaves were given than ror wedding presents. .Tohn was given to a daughter wbo married a man of the naine of ELthsnks heno e hi s name John Eubanks John wa s one of the more rortw~iate slaves in that h1~ mistress and naster were kinci. and they were in a state divided on the question of slavery. They favored the north. The rest of the children were given to other nierribers of the E~rerrett family upon their marrtage or sold down the river and no crer saw one another unt1. 1 after the close of the Civil War. Shortly after the beginning of the Civil War, when the north seemed to be losing, someone conceived the idea of forming ~ogro regiments and a s a n inducement to the slaves they offered them freedom ir they wou id join the Union f oro o s John s mi stres s and master told him that if he wished to join the Union forces, he had their consent and would not have to z,un away like other slaves were

073 069

page 2 Archie Koritz, Field Worker ~ Pederal Writers Project ~ Lalce County..Di3triet #1 Gary, Indiana doing. At the beginning of the wax, 3ohn was twenty-one years of age. When Lincoln freed the slaves by his Etriancipation Px oclamat Ion ~ ohn wa s pr onipt ly given hi. s freedom by hi ~ ma st er and mistress. John deoided to join the nox~thern army which was 1ocat~d at Bowling Green, Kentitcky a distance of~ thirty.five miles from Glasgow where John was living. He had to walk the entire thirtyfive miles. A1thou~i he fails to remember all the units that he was attached to, he does remember that it was pert or Geiieral Sher.. man s army Hi s regiment started with Sherman on bi s famous march through Georgia, but for some reason unknown to John, shortly after the campaign was on Its way, his regiment was recalled anti sent elsewhere. His regim~it was near Vicksburg, Mississippi, at the time Lee surrenderei. Since Lee was a proud southerner and did not vi ant the negroes present when he surrendered, Grant pnDbably for this reason as much as any other rerused to accept Lee s sword. Then Lee surrendered there was im~.ch shouting among the troops ax~I John was one or many put to wo rk J.oa ding cannons on boat s to be shipp ed up the river. His company returned on the steamboat Ifldia~ . Upon his retuzth to Glasgow~he saw for.the first time In six years, his mother and other members of his famtly who had retu.rned free. Shortly after he rett~.rned to lasgow at the close of the Civil War, he saw several colored people walking down the highway and. was attracted to a young colored girl in the group who was wearing a yellow dress. Immediately he said to himself, !tlf she ain t married there goes my wife. Sometime later they met ard were married Chili atmas day in 1866 To this union twelve chi ld.ren were born f our of whom are 1ivin~ today, two in Gary and the others in the south.

074 070

page 3 Aichie Koritz, Field ~orker Federal VIriterst Project Lake County Distvict #1 Gary, Indiana After his riiarriage he lived on a farm near Glasgow for several years, later moving to Louisville, where he worked in a luriber yeard. He came to Gary in 1924, two years after the death of his wife. President Grant was the first president for whom he cast his vote and he continued to vote until old age prevented him rx oin walk. ing to the poils. P~lthough Lincoln is one or his favorite heroes, Teddy Roosevelt tops his 1i~t of great men and he never failed to vote for him. In 1926, he was tlae only one of three surviving meinebers of the Grand Army ol* the Republic in Ga~ and mighty proud of the fact t~t ho was the only one in the parade. In 1937 he is the sole survivor. He served in the army as a member of Company K of the 108th, ; Kentucky Infantry (Negro Volunteers). When General Morgan, the famous southern raider, crossed the Ohio on his raid across southern Indians John was one or the negro fighters who after heavy fighting, forced Morgan to recross the river and retreat back to the south. He also participated in several skirmishes with the cavalry troops coenmanded by the famous Nathan Be&fored. Forrest, and was a member of thej~egro garrison at Fort Pillow, on the Mississippi which was assaulted ana captured. This result ed in a massacre of the negro so idlers John wa s in severa 1 other fights, but as he says, never onct got a skinhurt. At the present time, ~Lr. Eu.banks is resiuing with his daughter, ~ttbs Bertha S b as and se~era 1 grandehi Idren in Gary, Indiana He is badly crippled with rhe~matiam, has poor eyesight and his memory is failing. Otherwise his health is good. Most of his teeth are good and they are a source of wonder to his denti st He is ninety..

075 071

page 4 Archie Koritz, F~e1d. Worker Federal Writers Project Lake County District #1 Gary, Indi~ana 1~i ( eight years of age axI his wish in Ji.re now, is to live to be a htmdred. Since his brother and mother both died at ninety-eight ana his paternal grandfather at one hund.red-ten years of age, he ~jas a good chance to r ea lize this ambition. Because of his condition most of this interview was had. from his grandchildren, who bave taken notes in recent years or any incidents that he relates. Ho is proud that r~iost of his fifty grandchildren are high school graduates and that two are attending the University of Chicago. In 1935, he enjoyed a motor trip, when his raniily took him back to Glasgow for a visit. He suffered no ill effects from the trip. D:DB 10 5~37

Ex-slaves. Interview with John Eubanks, ex-slave. 076 072

Archie iO~itZ, Field Worker Federal ~1riters Project L~1:e County, District #1 Gary, Indian~i ~: ~ O t~ s i~:x-s r~v~s A ~ ~rchie Koritz, Field 1iorkcr 616 I~ound Street Valp~rciso, Ind n~

077 073

j:~(~~(;o &rchle Koritz, Field Worker Federal Writers . Projee~t Lake County, District #1 Gary, Indiana Jo~:n Eiibanks, Garyts only no~ro Civil War survivor has lived. to see the ninety~eighth anniversary of his birth and despite his advanced age, recalls with surprising clarity many interesting and sad events of his boyhood days when a slave on the ~erett plantation. I~e was born in Glasgow, i3arron County, Kentucky, June 6, 1839, one of seven children of a ~hattoi of the ~veret~ family. The old man retains most of his faculties, but bears the mark of his extreme age in an obvious feebleness and failing sight and memory. He is physically large, says he once was a husky, weighing over two hundred pounds, bears no scars or deformities and despite the hardships and deprivations of his youth, presents a kindly and tolerant attitude. III remembah well, us young uns on the Everett plantation, he relates, I worked since I can remembah, hoein , pickint cotton and othah chohs round the fahm. We didden have much clothes, nevah no undahweah, no shoes, old ovahalls and a tattahed shirt, wintah and summah Come de wintah, it be so cold nah feet weah plumb numb mos o de time and manya time ~ when we git a chanot-. we druve the hogs from outin the bogs an . put ouah feet in the wabxned wet mud. They was cracked and the skin on the bottoms and in de toes weah cracked and bleedin mos o~ time, wit bloody scabs but de si~.iznmah healed them gin. ttDoes yohall remembab, Granpap, his daughter prompted, Yoh mahstah ~ did he treat you mean? No, his tolerant acceptance apparent in his answer, tt~ weah done thataway. Slaves weah whipt and punished and the . : ~ounguns belonged to the xnahstah to work foah him oh to sell. When ~ ~ ~., . . . V . .

078 074

page 2 Archie Hoa~itz, Field Vlorker Federal lriters Project Lake County .. District #1 Gary, Indian~i I weah tbout siX yeahs old, Mahstah Everett give me to Tony ~b~nks as a weddin present when he married mahstah s daughtah Becky. Becky would n let Tony rrhip her slaves who came from her f~thah s plantation. They ah my prophty, ~he say, ant you caint whip dem. Tony whipt his othah slaves but not Becky s. I remeinbah he continued, how they tied de slave rour~d a post, wit hands tied togedder round the post, then a hixaky lash his back wid a snakeskir~ lash tu hizn back were cut c~nd bloodened, the blood spattered gesticulating with his unusually large hands, l an hisn back all cut up. Den they d pouh salt watah on hem. Dat dry and hahden and stick to hem. He nevah toke it off till it heal. Sometimes I see marhstah Everett hang a slave tip toe. He tie him up so he stan tip-toe ant leave him thataway4 I be twenty.-one wehn wah broke out. Mahstah Eubanks say to me, tYohall done need to run way ifn yohall want to jine up wi~ de ah~ny. He say, tDeh would be a fine effin slaves run off. Yohall don haf to run off, go right on and I do not pay dat fine. He say, nlist in de ab.tny but don1 run off. Now I walk thirty-.five mile from Glasgow to Bowling Green to dis place - to de niistin place from home fouh mile .. to Glasgow ~ to Bowling green, thirty~ five mile, On de road I meet up with two boys, so we go on. Dey run way from ~entucky, and we go together. Then saine Bushwackers come down de road. We s scared and run to the woods and hid. As we run tru de woods, pretty soon we heerd chickens crowing. V~e fill ouah pockets wit stones. We goin to kill chickens to eat. Pretty soon we heerd a man holler, ~You come tround outta der ~ and I see a white man and come out Ee say, ~ Wha t yoh a Il d o in ~ t I turn round and say, tWell boys, come Ofl boys. ant the boys co~ out. The man

079 075

Page 3 Archie Koritz, Field ~orker Federal Writers Project i.oke Co~t~y ~ 1)i~trict #1 Grily, Indicn~ say, tI r~i Union Soldier. ~Jhat yoh eli dom heah? I say, t~ e goin to must in de ahiny. Tie say, tDat S Line ~n~I he say, tcome ~ long ~ ~ git right on white monts side ~ we ~o to st~ition. Den he say, ~You go right down to de stntion ~nd L~ive ~joh inforhmatlon. ~Je keep on walkin ~ 1)~ ~e co::e Lo o ~:~hite house t sto~e steps in front w ~ ~O in. An ye got to nlistln ~lace ~nd jine up ~it de ahmy. ~tDen we go troinin in d camp and vre move on. Come to a ~itt1e to1~in ..... ~ little town. Je come to Bollln~ Groen.. den to Loui~il1e. ~e ~ to a rivah . . . . ~ rivah (pain.fully rec~ fling) d i.I~3S1SS1~)~1. ~ ~iC ~ie~I1 nThntr~r ~nd petty soon we gits in ~1enty f~~hts, but not ~ scratch hit trie. We chase dem cavalr:r. ~ run de:.1 i:ll nicht cr~d next :iohnin d ac~ptain he s~r, Dey done broke down. .hen we rest, he sa~j See dey don trick you. I ~ 17e ~1ot all cl ~-m~ men togedder. We hold dem back tu help co~e. ~ ~Je don have no tents. Sleep on naked groun ~ web ~:nd cold ~nd rain. Lbst d time we s hungry but WC ~in d w~r ~nd 1:~ist~h ~ ~banks tell us we no mo~h hisn property, wets free now. ~ The old man crin talk only in short sentence3 ~nd his voice dies ~ to a v hisper and soon the strain became evident. Le vws tired. Yihet ~ he does remember is with surprising cleorness especially srrmll detcils, ~ but vrith a helpless gesture, he dismisses naines ~nd 1oc~tions. YIe ~ remembers the exact dote O~ his disc1~iarge, iiarch 20, 1866, v hich his d~ug1~ter verified by producing his disc1~irge p oers L~e rerierrhers ~ the place, Vicksburg, the Cor~i~ny i~, ~nd the RegrnLent, 180th. ~ Droping bac1~ once riore to his ch-dd~ood he sPo ~e of or incident ~mich ~ hi~ daughter SCYS makes them all cry when he relates it, although they ~ have heard it many times.

080 076

page 4 Archie ~oritz, Field Worker Federal Writers Project Lake County - D strict #1 Gary, Indiana lvtahstah Everett whipt me onct and mothah she cried. Then Mahstah Everett say, Why yoh all cry? ~ Yoh cry I whip anothah of these young uns. She try to stop. He whipt tnother. f~e say, lin yoh all don stop, yoh be whipt toot and rnothah she trien to stop but teahs roll out, so Mahstah Everett whp her too. I wanted to visit rnothah when I belong to Mahst Et~banks, but Becky say, Yoh all best not see youh inothah, or yoh wan ~ to go all de time then explaining, she wan nie to fohgit niothah, but I nevah could. When I ein back from d abniy, I go home to mothah and say don y know me? She say, No, I dont lrnovi you. I say, tyoh don know me? She say, No, ah don know yoh. I say, Itse ;J-obn. Den she cry and say how ahd growd and she thought I se daid dis long time. I done splain how the many fights Itse in wit no scratch and she bein happy. Speaking of Abraham Lincoln s death, he remarked, Sho now, ah remembah dat well. We all feelin sad and all d soldiers had wreaths on der guns. Upon his return from the army he married a young negress he had seen some time previous at which time he had vowed so~ne day to make her his wife. He was married Christmas day, 1866. For a nwnber of years he lived on a farm of his own near Glasgow. Inter he moved with his family to Louisville where he worked in a lumber yard. In 1923, two years after the death of his wife, he came to Gary, when he retired. ~e is now living with his daughter, Mrs. Sloss, 2713 Harrison Boulevard, Gary. : ~ ~~DB

Interview with Dr. John W. Fields, ex-slave of Civil War period. 081 077

Cecil C. Miller, flppecauoe Go. ~1et. 41 E 77 interview with Mr. John W. Fields, P~-$1avu of Civil War period. September 17, 1957 John?!. Fields, 2120 North Twenti oth Street, Lafayette, Indiana, nOW 6TOpIO~TOd as a donestic by Judge Emmett lu a typioal example of a ~ colored ~ ont1cex~, whoa de~.pitc hit lowly birth and adverse cirounstanoes, has laborect axg~ economIzed until lie has acquired a nizpcoted place in his home conunil;:. Ho is the mzior of three properties, ~2ns1ikortgaged, and is a taiLor of the colored fl %tist church of lafayette. AS Will later be SO~U his life has been one of constant effort to better hins~f spiritually and phys~ca1Iy. He is a fine example of a zaun who baa lived a nonilly and physioally clean lite. But, as for his life, I VIII let 1Ir,1~ iel epeak for hizaselfa et, t! ~ John W, ttelda and aM I m e&ghtyswnins(89) years o34. t was born March 21, 1848 in ~ensburg,t~,~ha4s 115 talles below Louisville, 1~y. There nell other ohiidren besides x~ self in my family. When I was six years ofd, alt of us children were taken from my parents, because my master d&ed end his estate had to be settled. We slaves were divided by this method, Three disintorested persona were ehosen to coete to the plantation and together they wrote the au*tn of the different heirs on a fow slips of paper. These slips were put in a hat and j*SB*& among us elans. Each one took a slip and the ~naas on the slip was the new owner, t happened to dn the nt~e o! a relativ. of ~ master ito was a widow, t oan~t describe the hearts breakaadhorrorifthats.psration. Xnsos4yehxyeanotdax4tt s the last bias Z e4iir mother ter Longer than one nitt, Tanin

082 078

2- t . 78 children tak train ~ rrxot}ter in one clay. Pit. sisters and two brothers wemt to charleston, Virginia, one brother and one sister went to Iscingt t, Ky.j one sister went to uartron, I y., arid one brother and vryself stay.d in oweuoburg, ty. kr nother was later SI1CUPId to visit Snuas~g us children for one wask of each year, so she aould only yii~jn a short t1 at each place. t~ ~Y lif prior to that time was filled with heartsaches and des psCr. We a:ose from to~ar to five O clock in the morning end parents and children wen given hard work, lasting until nIghtfall gans s . our respite4 After a ranger supper, w. g~srally t~1k&1 until we grew sleepy, we had to go to bed. & :~ of us would read, if we were lucky enough to batn ~ hoer, ~\ Zn most of us cotored folks was the great desire t able to md and write. Tie took advantage of every opportunity to ethtcate ourselns. The greater part of the p ~a tation awn.rs were wry harsh if we were cau~tt tz7irij; to leant or writs, It WtS tiLe In that it a t~it san ~-i was caught try ~o educate a zss~ro stan, he was liable to prosecution I ~ T. ~ entailing ta fine of Cift3~ ollan and a. jail sentence. We were never allowect to go to toen and it was /i t untu. atter t man away ttat t kner that they sold ai~thin~ but elana ~ tobacco and ts~iy, Our i~torance na the greatest hold the Srnxthj had on us. We knew we could run away, but what then? hi offender guilt~y of this orSa was subjected to very hank punishment, I te *~ masters si4tate had been settled, t was to go with the Md~SIP4 nlative to her plaoqa,/ sii~o rnnmg n up on her horse behiM her sal pros . . ~ mind me aU armer of sweet things if I would oeirne peacefully. X &Un t fully misse tiat J~S hap$nin~, aM *fOI X kn W it t SI lt . : ~ I~ to *y ne hora /t~on ar nni~ sr ~raie ~ r sauged ieiy )sS5 end she took a. de to when ~d a buash ~ of san burning bnwb, ae said; s*e these j

083 079

~$ 79 a5~ I saids yea. W*11, ~ ha ther&, ehe repl% t, So at the ej e o? six I ~~t*trted ny life sa an ix4opeMsnt sbws. fl om than on s~r lits as it slave waS a re~iti ~jn of hard work, poor quartsrs and board. We had no beds &t that tine, wt~ just bunked ~ the floor. i: tact ~. bl~kt nid IMflfB ItO ~ ~)At t sat by the firoplaoe durlrtg the long cold tdr)its ~ the wintn, \\ ~y ui trns had separated me trari all ny family hut one brother with sweet words, but that posa ne dropped after site reached her place. Shortly alter t had ~ai~ then, ehe narried a northern ran t~ tho~nte of J vid Eilt. ~tt tiret he was very nice to us, but he grtdtMly aoquind a i~oan eat overbe~ ring narin r toward us, I rater one incident that t dontt 11ko to roetoetber. ()r~e of the w*aen slaves had been very sio4nd she ne unable to work just tts fast as he tizw~ght sis ou~tt to. lie het~t driven her all day with no ~ results, That nLjtt after eoe~pletoin~ our ~rk he called us aU teg.th.r. Us rade nid hold s light, while ho t ~rd her and then trade one of t e elans pour salt wai;er on her bleodinc back, )~r innoMs turn yet at that sitht. ~ ~ At t:. ~. ~trs.n~ of the Civil War I S still at this place so a slave, it jooke*i at the tiret of the w as if the south would w t, se toit et the big. battles were won by the SouTh. This was because we elans stayed at hone aM tended the fartas amt kept their ittlin, ~\ 2e eliminate this solid support of the South, the ~sncipatian Act was passed, freeing all elans. ~o t of tete SIUVOS were so &W%OrSI* they did not realise they were tree. The planten knew this nd as Kentucky never seoteded fron the Unten, they would scud elan into tentueky frein other states in the south and hire the out to plantations. p* thase rassis I did zwt rouI ~so that ~: as free untill 1804, I irinedittely ns lnd to Tian a17 and jotn the tion Arqr and e~r bnthn and t went te

084 080

:.. SO ~weiiiburg, Icy. and ~tted to join. i~r broth r wag tiksn~ but r ~*s rs~ ~tuSOd aS bsint; too yo~m~. I !!~4 at ~vanavil1,~ ~errs Iraute azi4 Iz4isnapolis but W~5 unab1~ to ~et tn. I then trl.4 to fixt work and wi s f 1flftl3y hired by a mau at $7,(X) a month. That ws~ u~r ftrat ir4sj~x4ent jod. 1?roni then on I ivent f?o:a one ~ob to ~ther ~r~in~ a~ ; suerai 1aborer~ ~\ i married at ~ ~r.ara ot ag axt~ i~a~ tour o~iiii~n. ~r wtt, ~tas been dead for 12 yeare and 8 u~mthe. ~. Mi~11er, aiwa~ra resxisnber. th*t~ *Th. brig~ht.at ~ ~ protttet flower May 1* out d~n, and withorod in an hour. \\ To~iay, I av~ the only eurvtvi~ ~esaber who helped organise the s.o ~d Bapti et t~hurch hers lit 1*f~yet ~e, 64 ysars~ ago X vs tried to live ao.~ oordliur to the way tha Lcud would wish, aod fisse you. 0Th ~~ook of Lite is wound but o~oo, ?oda~ te yoiure, tot~orn~r t~ not. No ox~o knows whan the handB Will $~~op.

Negro folklore. 085 081

V in M U.r Tipp,., Co. ~jet.4~3 s 14 81 NEGRO r. )L~1t()VE I IQj 72 ;4R, Joim FYp;131)s, ~ 2120 Le ~o a. ~ L11 ATJ37It, INDXJ:J.IA. ~a. Yields $$ ~r thitt all ~se~ro slaves were ardent boUonra in ~oets, aupernatwtl paws, tokan and ~s1~ps, The foflowL ~ story :1fl~ketrnt,es the point. ~ turkey ~oi4~1or had tcyetorionely disappeared fron ono ottlo flei~itboring plantations and the tocal elavos w re t~ccu~od of eonnettng tLc r~t to a boi1tn~ pot, A slave ootMeted of th1 ft ~ ~a punislat snerly, As ail of the tian. douSed any knowTh4s of the turkey s wh~roaboista, they were Instructed te nake ~ eearoJt of the entire pt*ntstiou. on Dite i,*tt of the place therv wets e~ tarte pec~oh oruherd. At the tias the troo*s were full of the ~reon fruit, Under one of the troee was a large oubinet or eare as t ey we~ oallM, c~te of te aistee accidently opened the ate and, flshot4~ there ne :r, Gobblsr peacefully .eate4 on ~ ntaibor of green poaches, *The negro btzediatdy ran back ant n~titiM hie rater of the dtsoovery. The nt~.ster ntunzed tO the orchant with the slave to fiDi that the negro s w114 tnle was true, A turkcy gobi tot sitting ou a r~efl of green peaches Abad as. . The r*ster had a son who had bien seriously SXISjUnd sei. before ~w a rwsev ~ and a tar ~ ~ after this utmanal ooeunnoe with the tuxtaT, ~ ~ died. Attn hie de~tJt, the word of it tarkc~r s nesting nrttun ar4 the dOit. of the seter s eon sprsad to the tour wiSe, amt for Se tine aFter this story Si ?02I*tM ~h nrva~r then na a publie gathering with the white p opte or

086 082

82 Ito atave popuiation~ AU throu h the south n hort~onLoe vain coneideyocj an ~ of ;~ood luck. R*r ix*Ie~ %T~tS the to-~thon1 h ~c that did not:. }iavo on~ ~ailed over ~t;ho door, This hisnrod the ho~sehold and &il who entered of plesant ptO pSiOtS while ;thLln tho h ~a, it while in the hoarse :: ~ should perhaps ~ t into it ViOiOflt srgttaent~ twvor Lit the other pi&rt~ With a broom ft it wan a euro ix4icatio2~ of bad luck. ir Grandad had t1~ rhe uxnatiot, ho wo;xld be sure of reltef 1f ho c~riect t& tuui:uye in his pocket.. of all the Ton C randraents, the ono broken post by tlw negro wat s ThOU $h~L1t !ot Steal t ~ was iftie ~ostly to the lnsufficent rood the claves obtained, Moat of the Planters expected a oh.token to 8UCId T11~ get he wady asp.irattona once in * whIle, but ae It, Fields laya, When ft beautthtl 250 pound hog auddexl~ triGs to kidnap hitrseif~ the ~4anter decided to tnvoati&~ato. it oo ttred 11ko ti~ta t A 250 po ~ud hog had been fruitleafi, The planter tas certain that the culprit was eurng hie group of slane1 eo he decided to personally conduct a quiet investigation. One ni ~t 8hO2 ~1y at~or the noon htd fleet in the sky, two of the negroes were coated at a table in one of the cabine talking of the exporiencos of the day. A biock *ow4ed on the door, ttth sla~a 5w~tped up and cautiously peeked out of the win4rnv. Loi there via the raster pat~.ently ~mitin1~ for an answer, The visiting negro decided that the meter t~ust not soie both of than and he asked the othGr to Kioeal him while the naster wie there, The other slave told him to ItDtb into the attie and be perfectly quiet. Yte this was done, the ten*nt of the osbin answered the door, The master strode in aM ~zed about the cabin, He the

087 083

83 turned abniptly to the stave and growled, flrLg~t, where Is that hot~ i~U toledj ausa, replied tha negro, ~i btow nothini~ about no hog. ~e raster na oortain that the slave was 1yin~ and told hb~ so in no uncertain toits, tie terrifiod sttvu sait, ~Ztssit, I know unthiv~g ~ft ~ boy, t iwver seed him. Ttl. Good ~ tip *bott knows t nevor uai bin. 1*, knuws every t}Ltnc find !Ef: lcnon I didn t etoEti hint ft. tait tri the attic by this tine was cirousad at the thszmdentood ckoxwer atl fl taUnr; flt~oo bo1c~r hfrt0 D1sregard&n~~ all, he ndaod his voice end yelled, ~I!es a lift? , }tasa, ho knouts just as vtuch about St G I ~5o$ Most ot the strlotly negro foL iore has tsd 1 into the past. :2ia ~tco~mger no.. ru :: ear~erationa who have been retared aird educa& d in th~ flCflPth have lost this boertnj a&~ aunuvaod th~ tore of the Io l ~hit ior~ ;iation thz ouSh their daily 002ttft t with t te titus. The older x~egro LIttIVOS of thiS section are for the tiost part employed as dontstits and through this channel rap 41y aasIthlated the e~ploy.n viewpoint in inogt of his voliefa and conversation,

Indians made slaves among the Negroes. 088 084

1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~x-S1av Stories District 5 vamderburgh County Lauazla Creel INDIANS MADE SLAY~S AMONG THE NEGROES Interviews with George Fortnmn. Cor ~e1lemeade Ave and Gar~rin st., Evansville, Indiana, and other interested citizens. ttThe story of my life, I will tel . to you with sincerest respect to ai . and love to many, although reviewing the dark trail of my childhood ai~1 early youth causes me great pain. So spoke George Fortn~.n, an aged man and fortner slave, although the history of his life reveals that no Negro blood runs through his veins. My story necessarily begins by relating events which occurred in 1838, when hundreds of Indians were rounded up like cattle aixi driven away from the valley of the Wabash. It is a well known fact recorded in the histories of Indiana that the long journey from the beautiful Wabash Valley was a horrible experience for the fleeing Indians, but I have the tradition as relating to my awn family, and froen this enforced flight ensued the tragedy of my birth. The aged ex-slave reviews tradit ion. MY two ancestors John Hawk, a l3laokhawk Indian brave, and Racheal, a Chaokatau ~naiden had made themselves a home such as only Indians know, understand and enj oy. He was a hunter ax~d a fighter but had professed faith in Christ through the influence of the missionaries My great~randmother passed the facts on to her children and they have been handed dawn for four generations I in turn, have given the traditions to my children and grandchildren. No more peaceful home had ever offered itself to the red man than the bea~xtjful valley of the Wabash river. Giant elms, syoamoros~ and maple trees bordered the stream while the fertile valley was traversed with creeks and nus, furnishing water in abundance for use of the Indian campers.

089 085

.~.. -2 ~s~ cj~-) Indians made Slaves among the Negroea The Indians and the white settlers in the valley transaoted business with each other and were friemfly towards each other, as I have been iold by my mother, Ellza, and my grandmother, Courtney Hai~,k. The missionaries often called the Indian families together for the purpose of teaohing them and the Indians had been invited, prior to bethg driven front the valley, to a sort of festival in the woods. They had prepared rnuoh food for the ocoasion. The braves had gone on a long hunt to provide meat and the squa~s had prepared muoh corn and other grain to be ~ised at the feast. AU the tribes had been invited to a council and the poor people were ha~py, not knowing they were being deceived. The decoy worked, for while the Indians were worshiping God the nieet.. Ing was rudely interrupted by orders of th~ Governor of the State. The Gov~. ernor, whose duty it was to give protection to the poor soul~, caused them to be taken captives and driven away at the point of swords and guns. In vain, my grandmother said, the Indians prayed to be let return to their haines. Instead of being given their liberty, some several hundred horses and ponies were capt~u ed to be used in transporting the Indians away from the valley. Many of the aged Indians and many innocent children died on the long journey and traditional stories speak of that journey as the trat 1 of death . t ~ After long weeks of flight, when the homes of the Indians had been reduced to ashes, the long trail still carried them away from their beautiful valley. ~r greatgrandfather and his squaw became acquainted with a party of Indians that were going to the oax~ebrakes of Alaba~na. The pilgrims were not well fed or we .l clothed arrl they were glad to travel tawards the south, be~ lieving the climate would be favorable to their health. After a long and dreary journey, the Indians reached Alabama. Raohaol had her youngest papoose strapped on to her back while John had oared for the

090 086

I~d1aflS made Slaves among the Negroes -3.. 86 larger chi id, Lucy. Somet unes she had walked ~ be s ide her father but ~ of~en ~he had become weary or sleepy and he had carrIed her many miles of the journey, besides the weight of blankets and food. An older daughter, Couz~ey, also accompanied her parente. Vhen they neared th cane lands theyheard the songs of Negro slaves ~ as they toiled in the cane. soon they were In sight of the slave quartera of I Patent Ge orge s plantatioi~ The Negr oes made the Indians welcome and the slave dealer allowed them to occupy the cane house; thus the Indians beca~~e ~ slaves of Patent aeorge. UWorn out from his long journey John Hawk became too ill to work in the st~gar cane. The kIndly disposed Negroes helped care for the sick man but he lived only a few months Rachel and her two children remained on the plan.. tation, working with the other s laves She had nowhere to go No home to ~ call her ~. She had automatioally become a slave. Her children had beeoine chattel. So passed a year away, then unhappiness came to the Indian mother, for her daughter, Courtney, became the mother of young Master Ford or ~ child. The parents called the little half-breed Eliza and were very fond of her. The widow of John Haiik became the mother of Patent t s s on, Patent Junior. The tradition of the family states that in spite of these irregular occurrences the people at the G orge s southern plantation were prosperous, ~ happy, and lived in peace each with thee others. Patent George wearied of the Southern climate and brought his slaves into Kentucky where their ability and strength would amass a fortune for the master in the iron ore regions of Kentucky. With the wagon trains of Patent and Ford George oai~ Rachel Hawk and her Courtney, Lucy and Rachel Rachel d led on the j ourney froen ~labama but the ~~ining f~I11 blooded Thdians entered Kentuoky as slaves.

091 087

Indians made S laves among the Negroe ~. 4 The slave men soon beoame skilled workers In the Hilirnan Rolling Mills. ~. Trigg was owner of the vest iron works oalled the Chimneys in the region, but listed as the Hil inau, Dixon, Boyer, Kelley and Lyons Furnaces. For more than a half century these chimneys smoked as the most valuable developinent in the western area of Kentucky. Operated i~i l8lO~ these furnaces had refined iron ore to supply the Urtited States Navy With cannon balls and grape shot,and the iron smelting industry oontiiiued until after the close of the Ciiril War. No s laves were beaten at the Ge s plantation and old Mistress Hester Lam allowed no clave to be sold. She was a devoted friend to all. As Eliza George daughter of Ford George and Courtney Hawk, grew into young womarthood the young master Ford George went oftener and oftener to soo~al functions. He was admired for his skill with firearms and for his horsemanship. While Courtney and his child remained at the plantation Ford enjoyed the coinpanship of the beautthzl woenen of the vicinity. At last he brought h m~ the beautiful Loraine hi s young bride Courtney was stoical as only an Indian can be. She shoiived no hurt but helped Mistress Hester and Mistress Loraine with the house work. Here George Fortinan paused to let his blinded eyes look back into the long ago. Then he again continued with his story of the dark trail. Mistress Loraine became mother of two eons and a daughter and the big white two~story house facing the Currjberland River at Smith Landing, Kentucky, became a place of laughter and happy ocoas ions so my mother told n~ many tin~a. Suddenly sorrow settled dawn over the hcme and the laughter turned I into ~wailing, for Ford George s body ~as found pierced through. the heart and I the iialf~mbreed; Eliza, was nowhere to be found. The young master s body lay in state many days. Friends and neighbors came bringing flowers. His mother, bowed with ~ ief, looked on the still face

092 088

Indians made Slaves among the 1~egroes .I5~ 88 of her eon and understood ~ ux~derstood why death had oo~jte and why Eliza had gone away. The beautift~1 ho~ne on the Cwnberland river with its more than 600 acres of productive land was put into the hand8 of an administrator of estates to be readjustcd in the interest of the George heirs. It was only then Mistress Hester went to Aunt Lucy and demanded of her to tell where Eliza could be found. She has gone to Alabama, 01e Mistu~V, said Aunt Lucy, E~liza was soared to stay here. A party of searchers were sent out to look for Eliza. They found her secreted in a cane brake in the low lands of Alabama nursing her baby boy at her breast. They took Eliza and the baby back to Kentucky. I am that baby, that child of unsatisfactory birth. The face of George Fortan registered sorrow and pain, it had been hard for him to retell the story of the dark road to strange ears. My white uncles had toLl L(istreas Hester that if Eliza brought me back they ~w ere going to b ild a fire and put ins in it, ~ny birth was so unsatisfactory to all of them, but ~istress Hester always did what she believed was right and I waS brought up by my own mother. We 1 ived in a cabin at the s lave quarters and mother worked in the broom cane. Mistress Hester naned me Ford Ceorge, in derision,but remained my friend. She was never angry with my mother. She knows slave had to submit to her master and be sides Eliza did not know she was Master Ford George s daughter. The truth had been told at last. The master was both the father of Eliza dnd the father of Eliza s son. Mistress Hester believed I would be feeble either in mind or body because of my unsatisfactory birth, but I developed as other children did and was well treated by Mistress Heater, Mistress Loraixme and her children.

093 089

8~) Indians mad.e Slavos among the Negroes Master Patent George died and Mistress Hester married Mr. Lam, while slaves kept working at the rolling mills and amassing greater wealth for the George families. F1 re years before the outbreak of the Civil ~Var Mistress Hester called all the slaves together and gave us our freedom. Courtne~r, n~r grandmother, kept house for Mistress Lorainne and wanted to stay on, so I too was kept at the George home. There was a ~inoere friendship as great as the tie of blood between the wt~ite family and the slaves. L~r mother married a negz~ oex-slave of Ford George and bore children for him. Her )~ealth failed and when Mistress Puss, the oiiiy daughter of Mistress Lorainne, learned she was ill she persuaded. the Negro man to sell his ~roperty and bring Eliza back to live with her. ~:thy are you called George Fordxnan when your narre is Ford George? was the question asked the old man. ~? lhen the Freedsmen started teaching school in K~ntucky the census taker called to enlist me as a pi~pil. ~ that do you call this child? he asked Mistress Lorainne. We call him the Little Captain because he carried himself like a soldier, said Mistress Lorainne. He is the son of my husband and a slave wcman but we are rearing him. Mistress Lorainne told the stranger that I had been named Ford George in derision and he suggested she list me in the census as George Fordsn~.n, which she did, but she never allowed me to attend the Freedmen s School, desiring to keep me with her own children and let me be taught at home. ~r mother s half brother, Patent George alloi~ved his name to be reversed to George Patent when he enlisted in the Union Service at the outbreak of the Civil War. Some customs prevalent in. the earlier days were described by George Fordrnan. ~it W~S customary to conduct a funeral differently than it is conducted now, he said. I remember I was only six years old when old Mistress ester Laiti passed on to her eternal rest. She was kept out of her grave several

094 090

Indians made S1 v~es among the Negroes ..7.. 90 days In order to allow time for the relatives, friends and ex-slaves to be not ifie d of her death. The house and yard were full of grieving friends. Finally the lengthy procession started to the graveyard. Within the George s parlors there had been Bible passages read, prayers offered up and hymns sung, now the casket was olaced in a wagon drawn by two horses. The casket was covered with flowers while the family arid friends rode in ox carts, horse~drawn i~a,gons, horseback, and with still many on foot they made their way towards the river. 7lhen we reached the river there were many canoes busy putting the people across, besides the ferry boat was in use to ferry vehicles over the strea~n. The ex~-slaves were crying and praying and telling how good granny had been to all of the~ and explaining how they knew she had gone straight to Heaven, because she was so kind ~- and a Christian. There were not nearly enough boats to take the crowd across if they crossed back and forth all day, so my mother, Eliza, improvised a boat or g~~el , as the craft was called, by placing a wooden soap box on top of a long pole, then she pulled off her shoes and, taking two of us small children in her arms, she paddled with her feet and put us safely across the stream. We crossed directly above laka, Livingston county, three miles below Grand River. At the burying ground a great crowd had assembled from the neighbor.hood across the river arid there were more songs and prayers and much weeping. The casket was let down into the grave without the lid being put on and everybody walked up and looked into the grave at the face of the dead woman. They called it the las~look and everybocty- dropped flowers on Mistress Hester as they passed by. A man then went down and nailed on the lid anct the earth was thrown in with shovels. T)Je ex-slaves filled in the grave, taking turns with the shovel. Saine of the men had worked at the smelting furnaees so long that their hands were twi~sted and hardened fro~n oontaot with the heat Their

095 091

Indians made Slaves aniong t}~ Negroe8 .8- 9~t shoulders were warped and their bodies twisted but they were strong as iron men from their years of toil. ~1hen the funeral was over mother put u~ across the river on the gunnel and we went home, all missing ~1istress Hester. - ttL~y oousin worked at Princeton, Kentucky, nin.king shoes. He had never been noti fled that he was free by the kind emancipation ~Trs Hester had given to her slaves, and he caine loaded with money to give to his white folks. Mis- tress Lorainne told him it was his o~n money to keep or to use, as he had been a free man several months. As our people, white and blac~1c and Indians, sat talking they related how they had been warned of approaching trouble. Jack said the dogs had been howling around the place for znaiiy nights and that always presaged a death in the family. Jack had been compelled to take off his shoes and turn them soles I up near the hearth to prevent the howting of the dogs. Uncle Robert told how he believed some of Mistress Hester s enemies had planted a shrub near her . door and planted it with a ourse so that when the shrub bloomed the old woman passed away. Then another man told how a friend had been s~ei~i carrying a spade ;; into his cousin s cabin and the cousiA had said, Daniel, what foh you brung ~: that weaoon into by cabin? That very spade will dig my grave, and sure ~ enough the couzein had died and~the same spade had been used in digging his grave. How my childish nature qualled at hearing the superstitions dis- ~ eus aed I o annot explain. I have never be lieved in witohoraft nor s pells but I ~ remember my Indian grandmother predicted a long, cold winter vthen she noticed I the pelts of the coons and other furred creatures were exceedingly heavy. ~hen I the breastbones of the fowls were strong and hard to severwith the knife it was a s ign of a o old and snowy winter Another superstition was this : A green Winter, a new graveyard - a white winter, a green graveyard.~ George Fortinan relates how, when he accompanied two of his cousinS into the lowlands - - -there were very many Katy~dids in the trees --- their voices

096 092

Indians made Slave3 among the Negroes -.9-, 92 ~ formed a flerve~ raoking orohe$tra and his cousin told him to tiptoe to the trees and touch each tree with the tips cf his fingers. This he did, and for the rest of the day there was quiet in the forest. Wore than any other superstitiom entertained by the slave Negroes, the most harmful was the belief on oonjurors. ~)ne old Negro woman boiled a bunch of leaves in an iron pot, boiled it with a ourse ani scattered the tea therein brewed, and firmly believed she ~as bringing destruotion to her enemies, t ~herever that tea is poured there will be toi . and troubles said the old woman. The religion of many slaves was mostly superstition. They feared to break the Sabbath, feared to violate any of the Conm~andxaents, believing that the wrath of God would. follow immediatel7, blasting their lives. Things changed at the George homestead as they change everyvthere, said George Fortman. ~Then the Civil War broke out many slaves enlisted in hopes of receiving fr~edoxn. The Gecrge Negroes were already free but many thought it their duty to enlist and fighl for the exnanoipetion of their fellow slaves. My mother took her family and moved away from the plantation and work.. ed in the broom oane. Soon she discovered she could not make enough to rear her children and we were turned over to the court to be bound out. I was bound out to David Varnell in Livingston County by order of Judge Busch and I sta~red there until I was fifteen years of age. ~r sister learned that I was unhappy there and wanted to see my mother, so she influen~ cod James Wilson to take x~ into his home. Soon goodhearted Jiimny Wjl~0~ took me to see Mother and I went often to see her. Somettmes George would become stt~bborn and hard to control and then Mr Wils on administered chast isement His ~wifo o ould not boar to have the boy punished. Don t hit him, Jimmie, don t kick him, would say the good Sootch woman, who was childless. If he does not obey me I will whip hiin,~ James

097 093

L ~ t ~ 10 Indians made S ave8 aniong the Negroes ~i13on would answer. So th~ boy learned the lesson of obedience from the old couple and learned many les$ons in thrift through their exemples. In 1883 I left the Wilson home and began working and trying to save some money. R~.ver k~rade waa prosperous and I became a Roustabout. The life of the roustabout varied some with the habits of the roustabout and the dis-S position of the inat~. Vie p1~a~red cards, shot dice and talked to the girls who always met the boats. The Whistling Coon was a popular song with the boatmen and one version of Dixie Land. One song we often sang when nearing a port was worded tHear the trumpet Sound! Hear the trumpet sound, Stand up and t s it down, Keep steppin round and round, C ae jine this elegant band. If you don t step up and jine the bout, Old ~ssus sure Will fine it out, t j_I ohop TOU in the head wid a golen ax, You never vdll have to pay de tax, Cone jine the roust-a-bout band. From roust ~bout George became a oabin boy, cook, pilot,and held a number of positions on boats, plowing different streams. There was much wild game to be had and the hunting season was always open. He also remembers many wolues, wild turkeys catamounts and deer in abundance near the Grand River. Pet deer ba f~d around the milking pens and ate the feed from the mangers said he. George Fortiaan is a professor of faith in Christ. He was baptized in Concord Lake, seven miles frcmi Clarksville, Tennessee, became e. member of the Pleasant Greene Church at Caliwell, Kentucky and ~ter a member of the Liberty Baptist Church at Eyansville. y, ~ have always kept in touch with my White folks the George am said the man,now feeble and blind. Four years ago Mistress Puss died and I was sent for but was not iivell enough to make the trip home.

098 094

11 ~ Indians made Slaves among the Negroes Too young to fight in the Civil War, George was among those iivho watched the work go on . I 1 Ived at Smiths Landing arid rertexnber the b~itt le at Fort Donnelson. It was twelve miles away and a long cinder walk reached from the fort for r~arly thirty miles. The cinders were brought from the iron ore mills and my mother and I have walked the length of it many times. Still reviewing the long, dark trail he continued. Boatloads of soldiers pa ssed rai s Landing by day and ni~ht and the reports of cannon e ould be heard when battles were fought. We children collected Munn1e~ balls near the fort for a long time after the war. Aith ough t~-~ Ge cr ge fami ly never e old s lave s or separated Negro~ami lies, George Fortrnan has seen many boats loaded with slaves on the way to slave marts. ~rrie of the George Negroes were employed as pilots on the boats. He also reii,embers slave sales where Negroes were auctioned by auotioneers, the Negroes stripped oI clothes to exhibit their physique. t I have always been befriended by three races of people the Caucass Ian, the African, and the Negro, declares George Fortman. ~I have worked as a farmer, a river man, and been employed by the Illinois Centrail Railroad Cornpany and in every position I have held I have made loyal friends of my fellow worlctnen. OflO friend, treasured in the memory of the aged ex-slave is 0111e Jaine s who once de fended Ge orge in e o~u t. George Fortman has friends at Dauson Springs Grayson Springs and other Kentuoky resorts. He has been a citizen of Evan~vi11e for thirty-five years and has had business connections here for sixty~. two years. He janitored for eleven yearsfor the Lookyear Business College, but his days of useful ness are over. He now occupies a room at Bellemeade Me. and Garvin St. and his only exercise consists of a stroll over to the Lincoln Itigh School. There he enjoys listening to the voices of the pupils as they play about the campus. They are free he rej oices They can build the ir oven destinies they did

099 095

12- 95 Indians made Slaves among the Negroes not arrive in this 1 ife by births of unsat isfactory circumstances They have the world before them arid my grandsons and granddaughters are ~nong then .

Folklore. 100 096

130141 Federal Writeri Project page ~ of the W. P. . Toplo #240 ~ 9G District #6 Axu~a Pritohett Marion County~ File #66-A Folklore Referencea (A ) JQh2~ nen~ y ~ lb son - Ex.-alave- C olton Street. (n) Anna Pritohett . Federal Writer. 1200 Jcentuolcy Avenue. John Hexny Gibson v~aa born a slave, n~ny yeara ago, in Scott County, N.C . (A) His old r*ster, Jahn lionry uidding, ~s a woalthy far~rior; he also o~wned the hotel or roornin~ . (A) V~hen court was in aession, the higher ups would corr~ to this house, and stay until the court affairs wore settled. (A) Mr. I3idding1 who ~8 very kind to his slaves, died when John G ibson ~i very young All ala ves and other property passed on to the aon, Joaeph Bidding, who in turn war~ as kind as his father had been. (A) Gibeon s father belonged to General Lee Gibson, ~v1io v~aa a nei~hborin~ ~arnsr. He t~aw and n~t 1~iae Flizaheth f~idding a maid; they liked each other so very ~rnwh, Miss Elizabeth bought him from General Gibson, and let him have her maid as his wife. The wife lived only a

101 097

Pag.#2 Topic ~~24O Alma Prito~ett short time 1eavin~ a little boy. (A) After the Civil war, a white i~an, by the na~ of Luster, was cc~mi:~C tc Ohio~ brought John ihson with him. They oar~e to Indianapolis, and GiF~on likcd ~t ~c well, he decided to reinaini Mr. 1~ust~r told him if he over became dissatisfied to ocrie on to Ohio to him, but he remained in Indianapolis until 1872, then went back south, n~rried, came back, and r~.de Indianapolis his horz~. (A) ~r, Gibson is very old, but does not know his exact age He fought in the Civil ~ar, and said he could not be very have done that. (B) fie sight i~ very nearly pone, can only distinguish 1ip~ht and dark . (i~) fle is very proud of his narrte, having been nair~ed for his ~: ~ young to o1~~I ma:ter, (n) $ubsiitted January 24, 1938 Indianapolis1 Xndiana BY: A!~A PRITCHETT -~a-*-i-r~ ~ u*u U Field Writer

Negro slaves in Delaware County. 102 098

. ~ ~. SUb~111~ted by. ~1() ~ii1~iarn .. ebb Tuttle District ITO. 2 iiuncie, Indiana NEGRO SLAVES I N DELiV:,rAk~ fl ~ UNTY i~:R S . BETTY Gu~,;rI\T Refsreflce L~rs. ~attie Cast, daughter, resiclein, at 1161 East Secona street, I\uncic, indiana. ~ etty ~ w~s born X~arch 25, 1832, as a slaire on a tob~icco p1~ir~tation, near Canton, L~entucky. It was a 1ar~e plahtation vihose second 1ar~est product was corn. S1L~1~ W~S r:iarried wbile quite young by the slave rneth d which was a forni of union customary between the wliLte masters. If the contracting parties werE~ of different plantations tlie masters of the two estates bar~a1ned and tbe one sold his rights to the one on whose pla~tation they would live. lIer master bought her husband, brought him and set the~n up a shack. betty was the personal attendatt of the 1~4stress, The borne was a large Colonial. mansion and her duties were many and responsible. However, when her house duties were caught up her mistress sent her immediately to the fields. ~iscipl1ne was quIte stei~n there and she w~s tlllned uptt with the others on several occasions. Her cabin home began to fill up with children, fifteen in all. Th~ ventilation was ample and the husband would shoot a prowling dog from any of the four sides of the roor~ without opening the door. The cracks between the logs would be used by cats who could step in any~ Where. The slaves had meetin ~ some nights and her mistress would call her and have her turn a tub against her mansion door to keep out the sound. Her master was very wealthy. l.e owned and managed a cotton farm of two thousand acres down in Mississippi, not far from New Orleans. 0flce a year he spent three months there gathering and marketing his

103 099

si~ves in ~e1aware C~~~ty ~ 2. (~) i ~r~. Betty Guwn 0otton~ ~Then he ~ot ready to ~o there he would c~11 all his 31aV0S about h1~m and give them a cb~nce to volunteer. They had heard awful tal ~s of the slave auction ~ioci~ at. New Orleans, and the Master would so~emnly promise tI~ern t~t they sh ul ~ not be sold if they went down o~ their own accord. Lly ~istrees called nie to her and privately told me that when I was asked t1~at question I should say to him: I will ~o. ~he ~i~stor bad to take i~nuch money with him and w~s afraid of robbers. The day they w..~re to start m~ ~~istress took rn~ into a private room and had me remove most of n~ clothing; she then opened a strong box and took out a great roll of money in bills; these she strapped to me in tight bundles, arranging them around my waist in the c rcle o ~iy bo dy . She put p1 enty of cire s se s o1 er this belt ai~d when he was through I wore a bustle of mone clear around rriy belt I made a funny fi~er but no one noticed my odd shape because I was a ~ slave and no one expectod a slave to Imow better . ~Vo always got tbrough safely and I went devin with my Listress every year. Of course my husband stayed at home to see after the family, and took them to the fields when too young to work under the task master, or over~s~ r. hree months was a long ti::~e to be separated. Jhen the Ci~ii ~ar came on there was great excitement among we slaves. We were watched sharply, especIally soldier timber for either army. My husband ran away early and helped Grant to take Fort Donaldson. ~e said he would free himself, which he did; but ~i ~ when we were finally set free all our family prepared to leave. The ! aster begged us to stay and offered us five pounds of meal and two pounds of pork jowl each w~k if we would stay.and work. We all went to I3urgard, kentucky, to live. At that time ~ was about 34 years old. My husband bas been dead a long time and I live with my

104 100

Slaves in Delaware County 3. 101) 1~ rs. Betty (Juwn children. If the ~ tord spares me until next ~arch the 25th, I ~a1l1 be 106 years old. I walk all nbout lively without crutches and eye glasses arid~ I have never been sick until this year when a tooth gave me trouble; but I b~d it pulled.

Ex-slaves. 105 101

Arthie 7t flt*, f.M W~orker Potts t ~Ir1Lt S~ Pire Jest Porte Csrnt~ a Diit* tet fl V i~artie , India T1 30166 toi- A e ftre.LiooZ dsj \ I!

106 102

lhDebS Eat . Uli, floM ~ 4. tis$st wtt~~ i njS 1o~a pen. Cai*S s Ut*rt*b fl Vot~ntso, bdL~an g~1 r~. fistlaSy le t s d~sa~*av at tm snicv~ arid 1L;;.o no :r4xzy others door not onro to dteoe~c the dark stde oS ~itn~r visa tt~ eniol trcc taort ~ th~tt ne~io of th ~ rocattod P.~tt~n the C.vtl ~1np the sinv c wtx~ for tho i;ofl p*~ifl ~me1S1i& ~ t~~ ~nt, :ot~ it ~ diffletalt ~o adjust tha~ oolves to thotr flac, lito nt froo 9 ?e ~4. FOP~01~7~ tii~ uv.a. on the 2~ t~ c~f thoU rmetore nixi t:41thot~b o~* *i1& to york 3m)4; b~:wt, thetr foo6 nriil 1od~tug vote provided Cor thon.. ttt~r th4v can~4potton, this lite su c1*ag~. Thoy no free ori~ hnd to thtni{ cr thoewolvos &~t1 ~n1w ~ Uvtng, ~tnoc for tI.~o ~icc3 thon m~n nach ttie arias t~o dtzrIn~j tho di wo~zr4or~. Uuveai ai the sinn stnrt~d out to bOte jobn, but nit tound U difficult to t~d just t!~io~se1tss to the fl~i lite tYnd GLtflault to SOCUfl) u:Q b rents :::~u~ a~ne beck to their o~C ocincfl tird ni~ ~icre t$t n 2x1 to 1s~vo ~ ontSrwI4~ oit z~cb *c ~bo nottti set ~ stoPos or ruli~4~ tr~t;cxt:o ~cro tU fl~4~ to wi~ t~nnb1o to v~s a o ~ e~1p~o7Qout OOE.cx. obtc4n t~d ~ diott.oz , :!n, .UOCM*tL;y et, . fl as ~33 L tb;~ ~t; ~ ~ Gitttt ~iQ TThVO boon the bist tors rats, About oil the ns~jro uoc &:Sfl~1 at ~z~s rwVt;nt wt*4t ar~ tthcc they onno noz~th, tin occoesteed the ftflC d1tttcu1tt~e (~s inorol 0f t~) colored fette who, dflVan by the ter flbio itvtr~ ~xtt~ttt ns Sn the south toit ysn ajp, saie ta Uni. tttttc bwo th~ b.. U,v ~ tbe7 wcn o~b1Q at sortant *Mrk. fl~ner they n s not snu.too~e~ t* ~M4.er~ spp1i~usn onZ t~&ud Lt tory ditttcnit to OdjUst ~- tha$4NS. lt Sa tb aime after the *meMtp t1L*~. \~ .,~t,

107 103

. . . Antate t~flw., PSOM ~ke ~ . FIILSRI ~ttts Pnj. fl 103 P ,t.i, Ooivtty, t4atr%et fl Vs1~ntao, Thdtn u9~ Galon were ~rd und rofliZoue und 1*4 schools tct ttxoir S1*VS$~ wh*~ro they eeu3d lsir a to raid wx~ t#flto, ?b e~ s Inns wut o zaMbo ~nioceasta1 Sn soauttnc on~flo~ncct. A 1tbaU(~b the fl ~ lov*4 the fltblo r.ioat of t U booia, uni vote r:~oetiy t otb~iJLst~ nr4 Z3nptt ate, tbctr djffn~ c,zft Potl tou boiiete ta caused by the Osvo o~ncn ovir~j churches toe the att%V g ~rfL*te~ot church the zi stor belonijod to, tb flu vos bee lon_ to, at~3 oont2ntM~ Sn the rn~ne ~ Stet the vtsr, ~jn ~ aluns took the unna of ti~ctr ounspo, t4btnm in ~az:io tntdiy riould tv~vo different z~rjo~ Ur, ii imdr~7t n tuthcr ~s his brothen tW~ alitas nil Ucd dtftaront nonce. On tb~ anita tien thej n. ~* ii~ ~ jonn~ Jlrn ~t3ro~tr ~e Jo ~ noa,~ ate. T.1~.r?~ on boing frec4 idtt thetv old ~:a ond edoptsl ~ none that t1~*7 took cr tnnoi to. One nThve ti*t ~rn. roe~m&y reniben took tho none of Green Joizzaon t~n4 .. cvpa ho often ronurI~s3 th~ t ho tnwety *ot~ ~en, to odopt inch n nsra, TiSa ~kfld oe tu Ony te on sot ~cMb2O tar Clerk Onbio1 ~oopt he is br~uu, cnc~ Onbie te ~ttte. i it4~r stave o~nea ~~pve t1~afr s3aves armit treats of lnaacthtob they c~n~ tuai ntte ~~j: !boQn. Aflflbtafl PUt I b lOflf t0 thea 174M they onld non cati the products tnd the aone~ in tt~cfrs. t$4%fl slaves toDe bis to enta t~iOt, frCPfl thea trotte to purcben their ~ ~0~ before the )tneipnton, Aootte eutiditton that oonfr~flad ttw naps ta the ~rttt ~pjg that tkkfl wsre vast adariflaM SUN this W~fl b~ ti* a MttS 900p10. a the south they wen tnatst eM eenattced tnfliorttv by ttietr oi~~a. ~ deirnit t~he cJtflt Un, they war . tnfla6 4th t~e taidZy jasM, s&2flt~ *0.p *IMt~ hit fl*tb~Pb S flS

108 104

pss$ krebSe The4bi,_flei W~V na_i Sante. Pro$wt ?i*te 4nnty htetfl* n Vni~*tnte1 . by, tas tt the w,rth, flou tt#fl ttey troSi tha flairas, tI~ WmAM not ta~at then. Ft~ ttz~t raneoc nvv4y oC t)u claves 4W it:t :t th~j a~th ~. pcopio IM4 ~9*1tGtn4~I GV ret~tzc~ to tho zatthst pientstione. . . 11)0 slave cran ve ttautjit that olvver y wc rt~it md nothing n WDth~ t~k&~At ~ j14fl~ tY1 b,~ti ~ UUU 4 bOtfl S ~ C!1~XJ tfO~PO eoiend, rast tto a p va~n n ~ 14 ~*arttnc u Lofe or utaxbilo t~ny. ftc o~tmoes ~ tt ~ *i tb4? a3eV*~ iS~t~ :u~ vtfl~ . tb 3 ~O the wt~a m~*I k;eb.d t:~3 ~ttt~ u ~an~ irth dutp, c raaF ~11a1 a tiactanaks. ;z1*s. s~ o1~mGay tn u tc4~ D pLGu~at~t~1 ~ ~Jant%n ad don not Uks to dteaiss Mie antol dde u2 fl~we&7 dxl only ro~ ar4Lc tn o cme~ ~ WY #tJAt the IxzG t~~cLtt ~r~ti E1C;V013 dtfwu~oa4 AD sUl

Folklore. 109 105

130153 P~.d.ra1 Writers Project p~. ~i of the W. P A Topic ~&24O j~(J~5 DiBtriot #6 Anna Pritohett 3~rion County !:~L~~ ~ Ref orenee (A ) Robert Ho~rd . Ex~.sIave 1840 Bou1.~vard Place. (B) Anna Pritohett, Federal Writer, 1~OO Kentucky A~nuo0 Robert floivard an ex.olsve wa~ born in 1852 in Clara County, Kentuoky. (A) His x~~etsr, Cheitoxi HcP~iard, was v~ry kind to hi~a. (A) The mother, with her fi~ ohildr en, lived on the Hov~ard fariii in peace and harmony. (A) Nia father, Beverly J~o~rd, ~*s. o~ned by Bill Anderson, *0 kept s~ saloon on the river front. (A) ~Bever1y ~e hired out~ in the house of Bill And.rsoe. He wae alioied to gc to the !!o~ard farrn e~very Saturday night to visit with his wife and chi).dren. This ~iiit ~e always looloed for~rd to ~eith great joy, a th ~! ~ devoted to the father. (A) The Hav*rd ~ ainily ~aa sold only once, being owned first by Dr. F~gs in Hern y County, K.zituek~r. ~h. tai~i1y ~a not separated; the entire family ~ bought and kept together Until slavery ~aa aboliehed. (A)

110 106

par. #2 ~~OpiO#24O toc; An~* pritohedbt Mr. flo~iard seema to be a vsry kind old ~n, livea tu taie home for aged colored p.ople (~ he Alpha Roe. ) ( B) He ha~ no rslativea except a bz oth.r R, o~i~ ~U satisfied 1iViU~ in th home. (B) SubII3i*tod Jarniary 10, 1938 I~:idianapo1is, Intliana By: AINA PRITC1~TT ~u ~ ~ .*i~_~~t

Ref. (A). Mr. Matthew Hume, a former slave. 111 107

Grace ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Diet. 4, ~rsf~eraon County j . L 1223 Woz ds Ref. ( ) Ur. Matthew Hum , a former alars :Mr. Hume had many intereeting expeiisncea to tell concerning ~ks part 9laVerY had played in hie family. o~ the ~who1e the7 were fortunate in ~a viug a good mamter who would not keep an overseer who whippet his ~blacka . k ~ father, Luke Hume, lived in Thimble County Kentucky a~d waa ailowed to rai se for himselt ~.ue acre of tobacco one acre of corn, garden stufl, chickens and have the milk and butter from one cow. He was adviaed to faire his inone~r by the overeeer, but always drank it up, ~ On this plan-. tatlorl all the elavea were free from Saturday noon until Mouda~r moruin~ and on ChristTnae aitd the Pourtli of ~ru1y. A majority of them would go to Bedford or ~iltou and drink, gamble arid fight. On the neighboring Larm the slaves were treated cruelly. Mr. Hume had a brother~iw~1.aw, Steve Lswis~ BhO C arri ed marks on hi s ~ ~A.ck Fo r year s he had a ao re that. would no t heal where his master ha4 struck him with a blackenalce whip. Three good o~eraeer~ were rake Mack and Mr. Cxafton, Mr. DarilelPayns ~. waE the O~Wfl D who asked his people to report ~ny mistreatment to him,. He expected obedience howe~er. \Vheu ~Lt. Hume wae a small boy he was placet in the field to hoe. He alao wat d a new implement. Es was so email he waa unable to keep near enough to the men and~ boye to hear what they were *king about, he reaember~ ect bx~iiigi.ng up the rear one day, when he eaw a large rock he care~uily CDTered~ it with 4irt, then carne down hard on it breaking his ~e. He IIis~ed a whipping and receiv~ed a new tool to replace the ol~ o~ne, aft er this he could iceep near enou&~t to hear what the other wo~kera were talking about. ~ ~ ~ . Mother of hie d~utiee was to go for the cattle, he had to walk~=aro~tnd ~Le ~?oad abo~at . a 2T~il*, but was ~eT~i~tted~ to come back th~ ou~ the tiei4s ~b~ut a q~uarter of a ~iiie. One attsrn~on his xdetz eaa tolt~ him t o bring J ~a ~Oac~ ot wood when he ce~e in. In the ea~o~ea it was the custom to hav~ ~ J ~ Chtldz x~ ~arry~ th* wood tr~a ~he fiel~is. When Ite ce up he saw ~iis ~

112 108

-~ ~ ----~- 2108 trs e Was angry thi a pesvsd him, o that he etalked unto thi hail and iammed hi s woo ~ j nto the b~ About thi a time hi a ml atre s~ ~ie4 hi~ into ma~I1 do Bet and locked the door ~s aad~s .u~h a hour . t hat he brought 16 mother and father to the reacus and was soon released froa ~ie ~rieon. AB 5001* a~ the children were o34 enough they were :placed in the f ie~4. o prepare the ground for setting tobacco plante. mi. waa a yery coxnp1i.~ cated procedure. The ground wae made into hua, each requiriz~g about four feet of eoil. The child had to get aU the cloda broken fine, met place his foot in the center and 1ea~e hie track. The plant ~ were to be set out in the center azid woe to the youngater who had failed to pulverize hie MU. After one plowing the tobacco was band tended. It wae long green and dliided Into two gradsi. It wae pressed by being ~1aced in large hogeheads and weighted down. Oue one occasion they were told their tobacco wae ~e eaten up that the wo rme were ei ttiug on the fence wai tiug for t~e I eayea to grow but neyerthelee,e in aome manner hi. master hid. the defect. and rscei~ed the beet price paid in the com~nity. Trie mietre*a on a neighboring plantation was a d~evout Cat~oIic. aM ha~ all the children come each Sunday aftsr~noon to etudy the catechi em and repeat the Lord s Prayer. She was not very ~ucoeasfu1 in trai~Lng them i~zi the Catholic faith ai whan they grew up most of them were eit~her Bapt jet, ~ G? Methodjete. Mi~~ Blame aatd ah. did a lot of good iu leading th m to Chri~ ~ but.~he did not learn niuch of the eatechiam a~ he only attended for t he ~ treat. Af~ter the ier vice they~ aiwa~rs had candy or a cup of eugar. on the Preston place thers wea a big etrappi~ uegro of eight sen ~wh~a ~ t~* overee r attea~ted to whip recetTing th~ worst of it. it$ t~U WSXIt t~ ~ ~ . Th~e$$ OWfl~D aM asked for he1~ but was tOId h e would haye to ae~k e)~ae. ~ ~ ~ fo~ help. Ptu~Uy some one wi~ fo~md to aeei~%. Smith ~ was tied to a ~ li: *fld~ se!erely beatc~, then the~r were .e:i ald. to untie him, i~hen the o~er. i*er tt~aj~ ~erztur*d U? and 1oe~ez~ed 1;he ~o~es, ~ith kicked him as bart - ~ ~ z an to the I~ne estats ~e~using to return, E. iras a good ~ ~-~- ~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

113 109

--~ ~-- - W helper hers whez e he received kind treatment, ~ A bad overseer was diecha~ged once by Mr. Payne because of his cruelty t. 3fr. I).&kS ~ The corncrib was a tiny affair vthsre a man had to climb out one leg at a time, one morn1i~g just ai Mr. Thaas i father was climbing ~t with his feed, he was struck over the headwith a large club, the next ~rn1ng he broke the scoop off an iron shovel and fastened the iron handle to hie bOdY. This time he s~wung himselt fx~om the door of the crib and seeing the ovex issr hiding to ~trik him he threw hi~ ba~, which made a wound o n the man e head whi oh cii d no t knock him out Ai s*on as Mr. Papi heard of the disturbance the overseer was Uscharged and Mz~. Macic placed in charge of the slaves. One way of exacting obedience was to threaten to send of~endere South to work in the fields. The slaves around Lexington, Kentucky, came out head on one occasion. Ihe collector was Shrader. He had the ;laves handi.. cuffed to a large log chain and forced on a flat boat. ~.ere were so ~ax~ that the boat was grounded, so some of the slaTes were released to push the boat off. ~ Among the blacks~ was one ~io could read and ~r1te. 3.fore Shrader cou !d q~n them up again, he was seized and chained, taken to belo~ Isn~phis Tennessee and forced to work in the cotton fields until he was able to get word from Ric~uuond identitying him. In the meantime the educated negro te eu ed freedom paper s to hi e companions. Many ot~ th&~ caae back to Lexington1 kentucky v~here they were employed. ~ Mr. Hume t~ougW~the )~nancipation Proclamation was the greatest work ~that Zbrahwn Lincoln ever did. The colored people on his pI1!!t &tIOXI did ~ ~not learn of lt until the following J~igust. ThSflMr.P57~1S ~nd his eons ~ *tewed to let them liTe on their ground with nditione siai ~ar to our ~ ~ ~ r~rting ~e~etem, giving a share of the cro~. TheT ~ here until ian. . ~ ~vhsn they croase~ the Ohio at Ma4ieon. They had a cow which. bad b~i~ given them before the ~mancipat1on Proclation w~s is*ued but this ~ ta)t ~ awa~r ~ rom them, So thea came to Xnd. home~eea, friendless and ~4 -~ - -- ~

114 110

4 ~~uii1eea. i.:t() L~r. Hume ami his aged wife have been married 62 yeara and resided in the ~azne conurainity for ~ years where tiiey are highly respected. b~ all their ~e1ghbor~3. He could not understand ~~he attitude of hi~ race who preferred to relflalfl In slavery receiving only food and shelter, rather than to be free citiZefl~3 ~vhere they could have the right to develop their 1zLctiv1dtia1i~n.(A)

Ex-slave of Allen County. 115 111

~Tjj~p~jflj~ Tulley ~i~trict ;~2 ~ I I Fort 7ayne, IncI~ana j~pce~: A Pt. 7ayfle News Sent~n 1 November 21, 1931 3. Per3on~1 interview Mr3. Henrietta Jack~ion, I~1ort ~ayne resident, is distinguished for t~ reaons; the is a centenriariar~rid ~ ex-slave. Residing her daughter, LIrs. Tac}~son is very active and helps her d~ughter, who operates a restaurant, do some of the lighter work. At the time I called, an 2~u(~l~3t afternoon of over 90 degrees temperature~ Mrs. Jackson wa~ b~isy sweeping the floor. A little, rather stooped, shrunken body, Mrs. Jackson gets around slowly out without~ie aid of a cane or support of any kind. She wears a long dark cotton dress with a bnnUana on her headwithis now quite cay. Her skin is walnut brown her eyes peering brightly th rough the wrinkle s. She is intelligent alert, cordial very much interested in all that goes on about her. Just how old Mrs. Tackon is, she herself doesn t know, but she thinksahe is about 105 years old. She looks rfluch younger. Her youngest chile. is 73 and she had nine, two of thorn were twins. Born a slave in Virginia, record of her birth was kept by the master. She cannot re~ nie~nber her father as he was soon sold after Mrs. Jackson s death. when still a child shewas taken fi~m 1~r mother and sold. ~he rernem~ bers the auction block and that she brought a good price a~ she was strong and healthy. Her new master, Torn ~ treated her well and never beat her. At first the was a plough hand, working in the cotton ~ie1de, Dut then she was taken into the house to be ~naid. While there

116 112

~Virginia Tu .ley ~________________________________________________ Ft. W~rne Indiar~. (2) ~ ~Distr1Ct ~2 112 the CivIl ~ar broke out Mr5. Jackeon remenbers the excitemeni~and t}~E ~rt1ing ariigoing. Grad ally the fanily lost its wealtl, the home wa~i broken up. evexythin~ was de~troyedby the arnie3. Then came free.. dom far the slaves. But Mrs. Jackson stayed onwith the master for a~d~i1e. After 1eavix~j she vient to ~1abwna where she obtained work ma laundry ironing white folks collars and cuffs. Then she got married andin 1917 she came to live with her daughter in ~ort ~ayne. Her hu~iband, Levy Jackson, bas be~x dead 50 years. Of her children, only two ~re left. Mrs. Jackson is sometin~s veiy lonesome for her old horn in 1 Alabamy 1, w}ere her friends lived, hut for the moet part, s be I s happy an d co nt i ted.

Folklore. 117 113

~O15(~ Federal Writers Projeot ~ of th, W. P. A. Topto ~24O ~ -~i ~ Distriot #e Anna Pritobett ~L L ~ Marion County Folklore ~ Reference ~__jJ_ ~ i--ii~-~i~ (A) Mrs. Lissie Jo)ms &, 705 North Se~ts avxm, Apt. 1. ( B ) Anna Pr~tchett, Federal Writr, 12~ Kentucky vonia, Mi a Johnson e fathers Arthur Lookloar ~aa born in WilYnington1 N .C in 1822 He lived in the South .~nd endured ~ariy hardships until I 852 E. ~VV~5 ~ver3r fortunate in having a i~hiteman befriend him in many wa .. This nan taught him to read an~ writ. J~an~ nights sftsr a hard day. work, he would lie on the floor in fr tt of the fireplace, trying to study b~ the light from the blazing wood, so h. might imprave hie reading and writing, (A) Re ii*rried very young, and as his family inoreaes~, he beoam ambitious for them. Xnowing their future would be very dark if they r~in.d South. (A) B, then started a aov~nt to o~ north. Thor. wers about t~~nty-six or twenty .ight n sud ~n, ~who had the sa~o thoughts about their children, bendd tog.tbsr, and in 1852 they startd for son~ith.rs, Nor ~t. (A)

118 114

Topio tO Anna Pritehett . . The people seleoted~ had to be lc~ja.1 to the oauoe of th.fr children e future lives, morally olsan, truthtul, and )*rd~rorking. (A) Sonic had oz.n, e~ had carts. They pooled aU o~ their scant belongings, and started on itheir long hi~rd journey. (A) The ~~n and children rode in the ox oart , the n~n ~a1ked. They would travel a few days, then atop on the roadside to reste ThS Women would ~aah the ir few clothes cook . enough food to last a few days mors, then they would start out again. They tare six weeka ~Jcirtg the trip. (i) 3o_~ settled in I~dison, Indiana, Two brothers and their families i~nt 031 to Ohio, a~d the rest oai~ to indiartapolis. (A) John Soott on. of their m~mber ria~ a hod carrier Be earned ~2 .60 a dey, kuowi~ig that wou Id not acawim ~ate last enough, he ~aa str ng and thrifty. After he had worked hard all day he would spend his eveninge putting new bott ia in chairs, and knitting gloves for a~iy~ts ~~1o vanted that kind of w k. lu the iu~r h. ~de a ~rden, sold his v.~etablii Bs worked very har~d, day and nigh, and wa~ able to sate s~ r~nmy. (i~) Re oould not read or writ, but lie taught hiB children the valu. of truthfulness, cleanliness of mind and body, loyality, and thrift. The father and his sone all worloed together an1 bought ~ ground, built a little houa, ithre the family lived ~*my years. (A) Before old Mr. Soott died, he hid saved enough ~ to give

119 115

P~ge~3 -~ ;~:- Topio#240 i~1t) Aimi Pritohitt each acm $200.00. ~is bank was Un ~ hidden arowici in hia hc~is. (A) will Soott, the artist, ii a grandson of this John Scott. (A) The thing thoBo early s.tt1sz~o vanted most, I~~8 for their children to learn to read und v.rite so ix*riy of thorn hid been oaught tz7ing f~ learn to virito, and had had their thumbs inaehsd, so they ~vou1d not be able to hold ~ penoil. (A) Mn Johnson 16 a very inter.etin~ old w a~n and r.ii~era 50 u.ll the thiflg$ bar parente told her. She deplores the loose living, as she ceIIB it of thu generatio~t. (B) She le very deliberate but seems very euro of thi story of her early lit.. (B) Si~1:wdtted Deo inber 9, 1937 nU*i~po1, In .iai* ~ AN!~k ?Rn clmTT -~ra~w~~

The story of Betty Jones. 120 116

* j:~ :~ 1 s~ric~t ~O. ~. ~Ler1Jur~:h County auafla Creel The story o ~ B~etty Jones. rora an I~itervieW wjth Elizabeth Jones at 42.9 OaI~ Street, F~v~nsviiie, in . Yes :one;~T, I was a slave. I was born at Henderson, IentuCkj and my ther V?JS born there. ~e be1on~.:*ed to o1c~ pars John ~ivis. Our home was ~ on ~IviE~1 s :111 L~na a long plank walk haJ. been built from the bank of the ~hio river to t~e ~1vis home. ~Te all liked the long :plank ~za1k ari~L the big iouse on top of thc hill w~s a ~retty ~.lace. ~ Betty Jones said her master was a rich man aria ha~ made his money by ~ising and selling slav~s. The only recallE two house servants were inulat oes. .~Ul the other slE~ves v:ere black a~ they could be. Betty alvis lived. with lier ~irents in a ea~in near her master s home on the hill. ~he recalls iio unkind. treatment~ Our only sorrow was when crowd. of our slave friends would. be sold of ~, then the mothers, brothers isters, ana. friends always cried a lot and we ehil~rcn wouN p~rieve to see he grief o1~ our parents. The mother of Betty was a slave oi~ John Alvis ana married a slave o~ er master. The f~~mi1~y livea at the slave quarters and were never parted~. I~other kept u~ all together until we got sot free a!ter the war. declares Betty. Many o:~ thealvis negroes decid~ed to make t~ieir homes at Henderson e~atueky. ~It was a nice town and. work was plentiful. . Betty ~lvi,~ was brought to Evansville by her parents. The climate did ot agree with the mother So she ~rent to Princeton, i~entueky ~ live with her arried daughter and. died there. ~ . Betty Alvis married John R. Jones, a native of Tennessee, a former slave of Joi~ Jones, a Tennessee planter. He died twelve years ago. ~ h Betty Johes recalls when J~iransvi1Ie was a small town. She remembers. when .-- - - - cars Were mule drawn and people ro .e on them for pleasure. V7hen ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~11e all the girls used to go d~own to the bank, wear~ ~i ~ ~ ~L ~ ~ -~ ~L ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~-

121 117

. ~ ~ ..~ ~. ~ :~s1ave Stories . : ~striCt U~. 5 ~~n~erburgh Oouiity . .; L~uafla :jreel t! The story of Betty Jones. ~ Ing pretty Iea~c~o pp~~ every boay wouU wave to t~ e boat men and st~:.7 ~ at t1~e river s edge m~-tiI the bo~.t Was out of si~tht. Betty Jones re~em oers when the new Court ITou~e was started and. how glad. the men of thc: city 7ere to erect the nice build.incr. She rec~i1s when the old. fr~n:E 1DUII3iIIIES used. for church services ~~:ei~o razed. aM new structures were ereCt~ i~i which to ;?oTs1~:im ~ oa. Che does not believe in evil spirite, j ~ho~ts nor charris a~ ~o many former slaves, but he remembers hearirip: 1~er fri~n~i~ e:~ress su~erstitioris concern1nc~ b1~ok cats. it was also a he1ie~ that t~ build a new k to~en onto your oldi home ~ aiw~ ~s foliowed. by the ~eat~i o:~ ~ r~mber of the i~ime~iate f~.rii1y an~i if a bird flew into a wij~c ow it ~ come to bring a call to the ~ar away land and. some member of the f~r~J~ ro~1d ~ie~ Bett: Jones was not seared when t~ie ~ceiit ~1oo~. came to witMn a block .1 o:~ her door. She had lived throu~th a flood Willie living at Lawrence 9tatjon ~ at :~~rio~a Cow~ty, Indiana. TT~e was aU marooned in our I~omes ~or two week~ ~ arid aU the food we ha~ was brought to our door b~ boats. mite ri~ver was ~ f1oo~. d~ then ana. o~ir hor~e ~j?a~~ ~fl the hi~e Piver P1ats~ tT/hat ~oci ~i!1~ ~ ~ must i~a~:en to us, an . ~e do not save ourselves by trying to run away. Just ~ ~ ~ 88 ~ei~ sty and face it as to try to get away. The old. negro tornan is cared for by her unmarried. d~aughter since hei hU8bcLflC~1 S ieath . The ON woman Is lonely and ~as hapy to recieve c caller. ~he is ilone much of the time as her d~aughtor Is compelled. to do house uork to pro~r~ for her mother and herself. 0f co~irse I m a Christian, sai5. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ the a~ea. nee*ress. I~t~1 a re1i~ious Wonan and hope to meet flY friend.s in ~ eaven, TI would like to go back to Hendor~ on Kent~ieky once more for ~ ~ ~e not been there bor more than twenty ye&rs. I live to wilk the old. ~ tit walk again r~ to irr. Alvis home but I(xn afraid. I ll never get to go. ts too much. ~ - sn~ niemories remain to cont~ort the ~eeb1e~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Folklore. 122 118

~ P)flj4~ Federal Writers Projeot page ~l of the W, P. A. Topic ~24O District ~6 ~ Marion County ~!ti~ Reforenoes (A ) Natmn Jones Ex~slave-~ 409 Blake Str.~t, (B ) Anna Pritohett - Federal unter 1200 Kentueky Avenues Nathan Jones vias boen in Gibson County, Teuneue in 1858 the son of Caroline Powell, one of Parker Crinmt e slaves. (A) Master Crirnni ~vms very abus ive and cruel to his slaves ~ He would beat them for. any little offen~. If. took pleasure in taking little children front their mothers and selling them, sending them a~ far away as poaaible. (A) Nathan e stepfather ~ Willie Joue ~ ~as a very strong ~n, a very rood worker, and knew just enough to be resentful of his master s cruel treat~nt, decided to run a~vt~y, living in the woode for days. Fia master sent out searchers l or him, who always came in without him. The day ot the sale, Willis made his appearazice and i~a~ the first slave t~eputontheblook, (A) His new master, a Mr. Jones of Tipton, Tennessee, was very kind to him. He said it was a real pleasure to ~work for )~r. Jones, as

123 119

P&ge~2 Topic #240 -1 1 q Anna Pritohett ~ L he had euoh a ktnd heart and respeoted his slaves . (A) Nathan rei~embera seeing a1w~ es ~ bOth TflOfl lLfld WOT~IOfljp With thefr hands and feet staked to the ground, their faces dawn, giving them no ahane. to resist the oire~seere, wMppod with cow hides witil the blood gushed from their backs. A very cruel way to treat humen beings. (A) Nathan ~rried very young, worked very hard9 etarted buying a smeil orchard, but ~ms fig~ered out of it, and lost eli he. had put into it. He then went to Missouri, stayed there until the death of his wife He then came to Indiana brin~irtg his e ix children with him. (A) Feor1;yuPfiv~ years ago he merried the second time; to that union ~ere four children. 11e is very proud of his ten children and 0110 stepohild. (A) I:~ie childx en have all been very helpful to him ~until times ttgot bad With th~, ~11d COUld barely exist the~rrnelvea (A) Mr and ~s Jones room with a fa~tUy by the uame of Jameej they have a comfortable olean room and aze oontent ( B) They are both membors of the Free Will Baptist Churchj get the old age pension, and do very welle (B) Submitted Dsosmbor 15, 1931 Indianapolis Indiana By, ~!NA ffifl C~ET~~ ~ wi~~1~

Adeline Rose Lennox - ex-slave. 124 120

Albert Strope, Field Worker Federai Writers Project St. Joseph Count~r ~ District # I ~ Mishawaka, Indiana AD~LINE ROSE I~ENIrOX EX..SIAv~ BI LIOG~p I~C A ~ Acleline Rose Lennox ~ 1400 South Sixth Street EJ.khart Inctiana

125 121

~3Oo79 Albert Strope, Field Worker Federal Writers Project 121 St. Joseph County District # J. Mishawaka, Inc1~.ana ADELINE ROSE LE~TNOX ~ E~Ca.SIME Acte1i~e Rose Lennox was born ot s.L~ve p~r~ents at Middle sometimes known as Paris ~ Tennossee, October 25, .1.849. She lIved with her parents in slave quarters on the plantation or a Mr. Rose i~or whom her parents worked. These quarters were log houses, a distance from the ~naater s man$lon. At the age of seven years, Actoline was taken from her par. ent ~ ~7O WO~ k~ . a t t he }aoi~ae or a s on o1~ Llr Ro s e who h~ d re c ent ly been riarrieci. She remembers ~veii being taken away, for she s~1d she cried, but her new mistress said she was going to have a new ho~io so ~he had to go with her. At the age or fourteen years she did the work of a man in the field, driving a team, plowing, harrowing and seeding. We ai! thought a great deal of Mr. Rose, said Mrs. Lennox, ror b~ was good to us, She said that they wore weil fed, having plenty of corn, peas, beans, ~nd pork to eat, more pork then than now. As Adei.ine Rose, the subject of this sketch was married to Mr. Steward, after she was given her freedom at the close or the Civil War. At this time she was living with her parents who stayed with Mr. Rose for about rive years after the war. To the Steward family was born one son, Johnny . Lir . Steward,~.ed early in 11Th, ~n~d ~ hi~ widow married a second time, tb.is tirne~one George Lennox whose naine she now bears. ~ . . ...~ Johnny ntarriect young and died young, leaving her aione in the world with the exception of her daughter~ n-law. After lier second husband s death she remained near Middle, Tennessee, until .1.924, when she removed to E.Lkhart to spend the remainder Of her life living

126 122

Page 2 Albert Strope, Fiekt Wbrker -is ) ~bi~Ora 1 VInt z Pro Jeot St. Joseph County - District # 1 Mishawak~, Indiana with her ctaughter-in..Law, who had reiuarried and is now living at 1400 South Sixth Street, Elkhart, Inctiana. . /~ In the neighborhood she is known only as Gi~anny.t While I was having this interview, a ec~lored lady passed and. this con~ versa tion fc~1iowed: Good mcrning Granny, how are you this moi~ ning?t Only tolerabie, thank you, replied Granny. The health of Mrs. Lennox t~as been railing Ior the past three years but ~he gets around quite well ror a l~d~ who will be eight eight years old. the twenty-fifth day of this October. She gets an old age pension of about thirteen dollars per month. A peculiar thing about Mr s . Lenno~1 s life I s that sh~ says that she never Imew that she was a slave until she was set free. Her mistress then told. her that she was free and could go back to her father s home which she did rather reluctantly. Mrs. Lennox smokes, enjoys corn bread and boiled potatoes as food, but does not enjoy automobiles as they are too bumpy and they gather too much air, she says. U1 cto not eat sweets, she remarks my one ambition in life is to live so that I may claim Heaven as fly home when t di e There is a newspaper picture in the office along with an article published by the E.Lkhart Truth. This is being sent to Indianapolis today. AD:DB 9..71..37

Interview with Thomas Lewis, colored. 127 123

Monroe (~ounty SUbX!tittCd b7 Distriot ~ 11 ~ ~ flstolla fl.Dodson, Octobep 4,l9~7 flloornington,Thcl. 123 INTEiWTE1~ ~:TITiI T1IO~TAS hE~7I~3 COLORED. ~oforonoo (A ) ~~- -~Thor~ta~i TiOV(it3 ~Torth ~3urirnit Street 3loo~nin~ton, mci. . 1 was born in ~ponoor Oounty,J~ontuoi~y,~n 1357.1 was boni a siave.Thoro wa~ 3la ~r~3ry ail arouna on all the adjoin in~ plaoos.I was seven year3 Old when Z was ~ot free. y father wa~~ ~tille(1 th the ~Torthorn ar my.My uiother, nt~p father and my r.iothor s four living children oa~o to mndiana when I was twolvo years o1d.~.ty grandfather was sot free and given a little piaco of about ~1:~toen aoros.A gang of white ion wont to ny ~randriothor s place and ordoro~i tho ooiorod people out to work.Tho ooiorod POOi)iO had worked before for white ~nen, an ~ .Whon the who~.t was ail in and the corn laid by, the white farriors would toll the colored people to got out,and WOUld givo thorn notiiini~.Tho colored people did not want to work ti~.at way, and rof tu~od.Thie was the oau~o of the raids by white farmers .!ty niothor rooognized one o? the men in the gang and report~xi 1th~ to the standing soldiers in Louisville. He was eau~ht and made to tell who the others were until they had 3GO men.Al1 were fined and none allowed to leave until all the fines wore paid.So tho rIch ones had to pay for the ~ poor ones .! tany of thorn loft because aU wore riade responsible if such an event over ooourrod again. Our family loft beoauso wo did not want to work that way.i was hired o~t to a farxiily for ~2O a year.I was sont for.

128 124

C) -J I 24 My mother put i~r~oif undor the trotoction of the police until we c~ouLi get away.11e cane in a wagon frorri our home to Loui~ivillo,I was anxious to eco Loui~villo,and thought it vraa very ~rondorful I wanted to ~3tay there but wo came on aorosii the Ohio iliver on a ?erry boat and stayed all night in 1\Tow Albany.Noxt morning the wagon returned homo and wo same to L3loorriington on the 1~rain.It took u~ from 9 ~ until three in the evening to get hore.Thore were big slabs of wood on the ~ido~ of the track to hold the rails ~togethor. Strips of Iron v ero bolted to the rails on the in ide to brace thorn apart .There ~iore no wires at the jothth of the raiTh to carry oLotricity,as wo have now,for there was no olootricity in tho~ie days. I have 1iV (J. in 3looningtoii over ~iflOO I carie here. : : r~et a fa~iily naTlod flor~ott after I carie hero Thoy oa~e from Jefferson County,~entu6!:y.Two of their daughters had been sold before the war.Aftor the vrar,when the b1ao1~ people wore froe the daughters hoard so~io way that their people wore in I3loorungton.It was a happy tinio vdien they ~net their paront~. Once when I was a little boy, I was sitting on the fence while my rriother plowed to got the field ready to put in wheat . The white man who owned her was pi owing too Some Yankee soldiers on horAes carie along.One rod~o up to the fence and when my mother carie to th end of the furrow,he Baid to her, Lady,oould ~ou tell nie where Jim Dowm~ still houeo ~ My mother started. to answer,but the nan who owned her told

129 125

.3 J tlbI 1 ier to move on. The 301(U ~ told him to koop quiet or they gould maize him sorry.Aftor ho wont away,rv nothor told the ~oidiors whore the hou~e was.The reason hor master did not want her to toll whore the hou~o iv as,was that some cf his Rebel friends wore hidinj~ thero.Spies iiaJ. reported them to the Yankee sol(iiers.They went to the hou~o and oapturod the n. Next soldiors came walldng.I had no oap.Ono soldIer asked Trie why I did not wear a ~ T. 2 aid had no . The 501(11er said,t!You tell ~jour mistress I said. to buy you a oap or I ll come baok and. kill the wholo ariily. They bought me a oap,the first ono I ever had. The soldiers pa~ed ~or taroo days and a half.They woro getting ready for a battle.Tho battlo was olose.We oould hear the oannon.After it was ovor,a white man wont to the battle field.He said that for a mile and a hal ~ one oould walk on dead men arid dead horsos.~ty mother wanted to go and see it,but they wouLl&t lot her,for it was too awft~l. I don t 1~iow what town wo were . The only town I irnow about had only about four or five houses and a mi 1 . I think the name was Fair~Ield.That niay not be the nario,and the towii may not be there any . Onoe tho~r sent my mother there in the forenoon.She saw a fla~h,and something hit a big barn.The tinibors flow every way,and I suppose killed mon and horses that were in the barn.Thoro wore Rebels hidden in the barn and in the h~uso s and. a Yankee spy had found out whore they were . They bombed the barn and surrounded

130 126

I 2G the towri~No one vras able to leave.The Yan3ceea oarie and oaptured the Rebe1~. I had a cousin named 3erry.3~ist a little while before the barn was struok a white man asked Jerry how he would like to be free.Jerry said that ho would like it all right. The white rien took hini into the barn and were going to put him over a barrel and beat hint half to doath.Just as they ready were about o beat hin, the bomb struok the barn and~. $erry osoa~ed.The man who owned us said for us to say that we were viel 1 enough off and did not care to be froo just to avoid beatings.There was no ~uoh thing as being good to slavo ~.!any 1)l30p10 were better than others,hut a slave belonged to his rrtastor and thero was no way to get out of it.A strong iiian was hard to iiiake work.ite would fight so that the white men trying to hold hin would be breathless.Thon there was nothing to do but kill hiii.If a slave resisted,and his master killed him,it was the sane as self~-.dofenso today.If a oruel master whipped a slave to doath,it put the fear into the other s lave s The brother of the man who ovmod my mother had iriany blaok people.Ho was too moan to livo,but he made it. Once he was threshing wheat with a und-th threshing maohthe,run by horse povror.He oalled to a woman slave.She did not hoar him because of the noise of the maohine,and did not answer He leaped off the r~iao~iino to whip her He oaught his foot in some cogs and injured it so that it had to be taken off. They toll nie that today there is a plaoe where there

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!_Tf~4c~i~7:~)7e p -~5I.. I 2~ is a h1g~i feno .If soneone gets near,he can hear the orieB of the ~3piritB of black people who wero beaten to death.Xt i~3 kept Beoret ~o that people won t find it out.Suoh ~i~loee are alwa~rs fenced to koop thorn eoret .Onoe a man wa~ out with a friend,hunting.The dog oha od ~on ietk1.ng baok of a high fenoe One mari sta~tod to go in. The other aaid, V~at are you going to do? The other one said, I want to see what the dog oi~od iaok in there. His friend told. h1rri, ~ou d botter tay out of thoro.That place is hantod. by spirits of black people who v ero beaten to death. -3O~

Folklore. 132 128

128 Topic #240 Am~ Prite)Iatt Folki s ~ U J1UJ*U~ Referenos a i-~--~-r ~ (A) ~rs. 2*rsJ~ ii. Locks daughter. (~) A~m~ F~ritoh tt - Federal Writsr. 1200 Kintud~ Avinue. Mrs Loc~*1 the daughter of W. A and Priaoifla Taylor, i~s born in Woodford County, ~.ntIOky in 1U9. She nt aver her earl~r days with great intrest. (A) Jacob Keephart, her ~st.r, ~e vz~y kind to his e1a~.s~ would usier sell t)a to nigger traders. His ~ai y ~aa very large,. 0 titi7 bought and leid their slaves within the families and neighbors. (A) Mr. Locke e tather~ brotbor, snd grandmother b.1oe~g.4 to the isas master in lla~ry Co~aty, ~ 1er noth.r and the two sisters b.i~god to another brartob of ith. ~.e~hart tami1~y, about .se~vsu miles ~ (A) 10* father ~ to sos her aothsr cii W.dn.edq and Saturday nigbta. They would t*ve big dimrs en those nights in their oabin. (A) ~ liar father oradjed ai ~ the grai!t for the neighborhood, le ~s a very high towpsred ~* and would do no work when anp yj t~er.tcr., 2O14~J Federal Writsrs Project oft)~W. P.A. District 44 )~zi~ County Fil. ~ UI. J i -~t - ~

133 129

To;ie#MO ~o)t) A~ Pritshstt I ~ .y.z7 ftort ~a ~4. to keep him in a good huaor idien tb. ~ork s h.siy. (A) flar methr died ~hn tha OhiIdZ eXI wire very young. 8arah was to ths K.sphart daughter as a ~ddirig pr.iszr~ aM ta~ to h.r ~w She ~s al~rs trated like th Others in ~. t.~nt2y. (A) After th aboliti~ of .lavery~ Mr. K.,pMrt gave Wa. a and rationa to last for six montba, so the obildr.~ would not : ~ and Lydia Frenoh, fellow workers wit3~ the ?eylors, went to Cinoinnatti and in 1367 sent for th Mrs. Loe~ and her sistr, so they oauld ~o to sohool, as there wir no eahools in Ksntua1~ thsn~ The girls sta~ o~ ~ar wft~ th Frenob f*~tly~ that is th loni~.it tuai they ver went to sobool. After t)zt, they would go te sohool for three months at different tim.. nra. Looks reads ~ writs very will. (A) T~h. ~~etsr w~k*d right along with the slav,,~ sbsarixi~ ~ie sh..p. (A) ~~Iis wm:~n atik ten or tusive s~ and knit a ~tole seek in 1~hs7 tise ~ve tb z~tsrial fer their dresees; it ~s oaUe~ 8h. r~iibsrs i. night th slaves ~r. bevizig a dsno in a~ of the oabin ~ a band of lu K:luxs!e ~ took .11 firearms they ocma .d finde ~ no ~ las hurt, ILU ~end red ~ ho~sever, it cUd not take long tor them to find c~tt wby. Miothr ni~t when the fluxera ~re riding, th slave. reoopLt$ d ~e roLes of their young a~star. Tha~t ~e th reason given hens. hare. starve. (A) on. dai. lineey.~ (A)

134 130

?.pi._ 130 A~ P?itohstt iihy the I~..ph*trt alairsa ~rs ~ mo1..t.~ ~ (L) Chrizt~i waa a jolly tiiu~ for the K..p~art a3avea. Thiy would Imv a uthol wsek to o.1.brat.~ atjjn~~ c~noing, and iniking ~i ry. (A) Fr S born ndtU.ra uir s net allausd te assooisti ~iith th. a1a~si, a~ thy ~re supposed to have no eene, s~nd ~ou1d oontsainats the s3ava. (L) ~1s$. Locke ii an intelligent old lady, has bon a g~ood~ dree8u~~~r , and ewed fcr a ~sat number cf the firat faailiea of Indianapolie. (B) She b&i been iz~ri i.d twic.j hr first huaband died .hortiy after their u~2~riags, anti ~he ~iaa a widow for Wsut~*fiv. yarn bsfors s) took hors ee ond v~mtuz e. (B) She ~ot~ the old age psnsiozt and is very happy, (B) 8~~~~1ti*d D s.~bir 37~ 39$? IMianapolti, Indiana ~$ Am PRZT~MT~ ~

Folklore. 135 131

130154 (A) Robert MoXinl 7 EX SlftYS, 1664 Coluabia avexiue~ ~ Indianapolis, indiana. ( B ) anna Pritch.tt .Fed.ral Writer 1200 Kentuc avenue, Indianapolis, Indiaz~a. Robert McKinley was born in Stanley County, N.C . in 1849, a slave of Arnold Parker. Ria ~ia.tor wae him, becauee h. had given daughter, Jane Alice, and Bob, (A) Kiss Jane Alice uas very fond of litt3i Bob, and taught Mintoreadandwrite. (A) Eis i~ster oinsd a large farm, but Jane Alice would not Ist litti. Bob work on tile tarn. i ~titoad b. h.lp.ct h~s ster in the blacksmith shop. (as) lia asetor alwayi prepared himasif to whip his slaves b~ ~ar ~ g. glas. of whiskey to give him strengith to beat his (A) Pag.~l Topic #240 Ani* Pritohett 131 ~ ~ yolkior. ~t._r~ ~ Ioderai Wr Project ofth.W. P.A. District #6 Miri i County Reference (A) a veri cruel ~n, but ~s aliisys kind to him (Bob) as a present to his fai orito she i,vuld never permit anyone to r~iistr.at drinking slaves.

136 132

p~g ~(C)~.~ o Topic f240 I 3~ A~ PritObItt Robert remembers seeing hi. nastr beat hi. iiOthOZ Ufltil ehe pould fall to the ground, and he ~as helpless to protect her. He w~ild just have to itand and watch. (A) H. has s.en slaves tied to tree. ai~d beaten until the ~xaster could beat no longer j then he woeld salt and pepper their backs (A) Once ~whsn the Confederate soldiers osas to their farm, Robert told them where the liquor was kept and where t1~e etook had been hidden. For this the soldiers gave him a handful of money, ~1t it did him no good for his iriaster took it away from hin. (A) The ~oKinley family, of course, wre Parkers and after th. Ciiril war, the~r took the nai~ of their father who was a slave of John MolCinley. (A) A neighbor far~r, Jesse Hayden, was very kind to his slaves, rave thm anything theywantod to eat, beoa~zse he said they had woriced bard, and macli it possible for him to have all he had, and it was part theirs. (A) The Parker slaves were not allowed to associate with the Hayden slave.. They sers known as the rich nigger., who could eat ii~at without stealing it. (A) When the nigger traders oa~ to the Parker farm, the old mistress would take at skins and grease the mouths of the slave children to ziaks it appear she had given them seat to eat. (A) Mr. MeLtnley is an herb doctor and lives very poorly in a dirty little houeej he ~e very glad to tell o~ hia early life. (3)

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Pag.~3 Topi. 40 Anx* Pritohett He thinks pople liv. too fast these days, and don ~ I t)~) (B) remember there is a stopping plo.. Submitted Jamzary 10. 1938 Indianapoli~s, I~di&i* AN)~A~ PRITCBETT i~WrLter By,

Folklore. 138 134

13015E ~ ~ ; i34 pederal Writ.rs Pr.3.ot p~g. #1 ottb W.P.A. Topio#240 Distriot $ Anna Pritehett }h~.rion County Folklore ~ ~ Referenoss z ~ ~ (A) Richard Xill.r -an old soldier- 1109 Worth Wut street. (3) AEna Pritohott -F.dere1 ~itsr. 1200 K.nb~ioky avea~e. Richard Miller ~.s born January 12 1843 in DsiwiUe, K.ntuok~. His mothez~ 1was an English subject, borxi in Bombay, India end ias brought into America b7 a group of people who didnot izant to b. under the English governn~. They landed in Canada, cs~ on to Detroit, stay.~1 there a short time, then sent to Danvill., ~.ntuoky. There ah. a.rried a slave named Miller ~ were the ~*rente et fi ,e ehildren~ (A) Att.r slavery was abolished, they bought a little farm a few mile. frem Danvi 11e, Kentucky. . ( The ~thor ~aa very a~itious for her OhIIdXIPZL, a~d .es~t thm to the oouatry ashool, (A) . On. day, ~wbAm~ th children ca hc~ae frca~ ishool, their aother ~ ft$ gera; they k~ n~t shore. (A) . It ~ae learned, *he ~as unding her ehiidreiL to school, and that ~ not w~nt.d. Sh ~aa t*ki~n to ro~ias, and nothing~ias heard fr~t hei~ until 1871. (~) ~ ~ ~ ~

139 135

Page #2 Topic #240 Anna Pritohett She ~wroto her brother ~he ~a oo~mthtg to ~ee th.eut1 and txy to find her children1 if &n~r of them ~re left (it) The boy, Richard9 wa in the ari~. He ~a ~o anxiau~ to ees his ~other1 to ~ee what ~be w~1d look like. The lart tiu~i ho saw her, 5he wa~ ~washing c1othe~ at the branch, and w~t~ Wearixtg a blue cotton dress All he. could ren~ember about her ~iae her beaut~tfu1 black ~ir and the cotton dre8s. then ho saw her, ho didriot roeogniz~ her, but ehe told him of thinge he could re~ueraber that had happonid~ and tI~at x*de him think she ~ his mother ( ) Richard ~s told who had taken tho mother fr~ the children, went to the ren, t~hot and killed him; nothing ~ dcrn~ to hirn for hie deed. (A) rn3 rernember8 ~ ilavo by the nau~ of Brown, in Texas who waB chained hand and teet to a woodpile oil thro~vn over him, and the wood, then fire riet to the wood, sad he was burned to daitth~ ( ) After the fire ~rno1dered demi, tht white wa~n and ohildron took his ashes for souvenire. (k) When slavery ~e ~bo1iehed, a ~roiip of them at&rted down to the far 8outh, to buy farms1 to try for the~e1vea, got ac tar as ~1adison Cou2tty, K ntu~aI y end ~sz o told if they .mnt a~y ~ farther south, they would be zmde slaves again, not knowing if that irns ~the truth or not, they stayed thre and worked on the ~d1eou Cow~ty fsrm fOX~ 9~ 1ex7 eit*1i wage This separated fau&~Uiea and they x~ver heard fr~ each oth*~r ever ag~in. ( )

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Page #5 Topic #24:0 136 Am* Pritohett Thoae separation. are the aauae of so n*i~y of the slave raoe tiot b.1r~ able to trace faxailies back for generati i~~ e.. do the vth~.te far~ilios. (A) George Band ~s a very power \il slave, always ready to fight, never losing a ~ht, alv~ s abb to dcfend him~clf unt~1 one night a band of Y:u Kluxers oai~m to his house, took Mo wife, hun~her to a tree, hacked her to death with knives thon wont to the house got George, took ~iin to ~ee what they had done to his rife He asked them to let him go back to the house to get eomethii~g to vvrap hi~ wife in; thinking he ~as 8inoere in hi8 roqueflt, they allo ~ved hirt to go. inatoad of getting f~ ~wappin~ for }ii~ ~ifO, he got hic Winchester rifle, shot and kill~ fourteen of the ~luxerc, The county ~as nover botherod with the Klan a~in, Fo~e ver, c~eorge loft imt~ediately for the North. (A) The fir8t ~iouday of the month ~ ~tle &&y~ Tho &lave~ ~rere ohaine~ together and sent down in Pi~s . often aopar~ting riothers from children, hu ~hand~ from wivv~, never to hear of each other a~~*in. (A) ~t~!r. Miller 1~ve ~rith his fsrdly in a very coesfortable hc~ee. (E) He ha s only o~ eye, w~ a~ s a patch over the t~d one (B) Th, ~oe3 not like to talk of hie early lit. as he said ft sa such a nig) ~re to hi~si; hou o ver, he answered ail que~ti ia very pleasantly. (13) snb~nitted ~ 9, 105? Indieu*po1~a, ZMi*na lys *~ PRXT ii*~ .1_L . lUlL r--

Henry Clay Moorman. Born in slavery in Kentucky. 141 137

William R. M~78 1178 words District 4 Johfl8Ofl Co~ty 1tE~R~ CLAY 1~OORMAN Born in Slavery in Kentucky Refereflce Henry 0lay Moorman 427 W. King St., Franklin, md. Henry Clay Moorman has resided in Franklin 34 years, he was born Oct. 1, 1854 in slavery on the Moox man plantation in Breclcenrid e Cowity, Kentucky. Mr. Mooi~man relates his own personal experiences as well as those handed down from his mother. He was a boy about 12 years old when fre4dom was declared Hi. s ~ s name was Dorah Moorman who was a cooper by trade, and I~ad a wife and seven children. They belonged to J~ames Moorrnan, who owned about 20 slaves, he was kind to his slaves and never whipped any of them. These slaves loved their master and was as loyal to him as his own family. Mr. Ivloorxrian says that when a boy he did small jobs around the plantation such ~a tobacco planting and going to the mill. One day he was placed upon a horse with a sack of grain containing about two bushels~after the sack of grain was balanced upon the back of the horse he was started to the mill which was a distance of about five miles, when about half the distance of the journey the sack of grain became unbalanced arid fell from the horse being too small to lift the sack of gr~in he could only cry oner the misfortune. There he was, powerless to do any thing about it. After about two hours there was a white man riding by and seeing the predicament he was in. kindly lifted the sack u~ on the hors o and aft er ascertaining his master s name bade him to continue to the mill. It was the custom at the mill that each await their turn, and do their own grinding. After the miller had taken his toll, he returned to his master and told of his experience. Thereafter precautions were taken so he

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Henry Clay Moorman - Page 2 38 would not again bave the 8~IIIe experience. The 8lave owners had so poisoned the minds of the slavex, tbe~r were in constant fear of the soldiers. One day when the __tf~1 slaves were alone at the plantation they sighted the Union soldiers approaching, they all went to the woods and hid In the bushes. The smaller children were covered with leaves. There they remained all night, as the soldiers (about 200 in number) camped all night in the horse lot. These soldiers were very orderly; however, the)appropriated for their owr~ U8~ all the food they could find, The slave owners would hide all their silverw are and other Ic arji~Les of worth under the mattresses that were in the negro cabins for safe keeping. There were three white children in the master s family. Wickliff, the oldest boy and Bob was the second child in age. The younger child, a girl, was named Sally and was about the same age as the subject of this article. Both children, being babies about the saine age, the black mother served as a wet nurse for the white child, sometimes both the black child and the white child were upon the black man~miea lap which frequently was the cause of battles between the two babies. Some of the white iuiatresses acted as midwife for the black mothers. There were two graveyards n the plantation, one for the white folks and one for the blacks. ~?here is no knowledge of any deaths among the white folks during the time he lived on the plantation. One of thia black boyst sisters married just before slavery was abolished.

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Henry Clay Moomian - Page 3 139 He remembers this wedding. In connection with the marriagea of the slaves iii slavery days, it is recalled that slaves seldom married ariiong themselve8 on the same plantation but instead the unions were made by some negro boy from some other plantation courting a negro girl on a d istant plantation. As was the custom in slavery days the black boy would have to get the consent of three people before he was allowed to enter upon wedlock; first, he would get the consent of the negro girls mother, ther he would get the consent of his own master as well as the black girl s master. This required time and diplom macy. When all had given their consent the marriage would take place usually on Saturday night, when a great time was had with slaves coming ~Iw~ from other plantations with a generous supply of fried chicken, hams, cakes and pies a great feast and a good time generally with music and dancing. The new husband had to return to his ~wn master after 5hw wedding but it was understood by all that the new husband could visit ~ hi s wife every S aturday night and stay unt il Monday morning He would return every Monday to his master and work as ~usual indefinately unless by chance one or the other of the t~ masters would buy the husband or wife, in such event they would live together as man and wife. Unless this purchase did occur lt was the rule in slavery days that any children born to the slave wife would be the property of the girl s master. When the required consent could not be had from all parties concerned it sometimes caused friction and instances have occured when attempts at elopaxnent was made causing no end of trouble. This con dition was very rare, as in most a . . cases of this kind. the masters were quite willing for this marriage and would encourage the young couple. It is remembered that there were no illegitimate children born on

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I Benry Clay Moorman ?age 4 . the Moo~man plantation. The slaves would have their parties and dances. Slaves would gather from various plantations and these parties would sometimes last all night. It was customary for the slaves to ~et passes from their masters permitting them to attend, but sometimes passes were I not given for reasons. In line with these parties it is remembere,~ that there existed at that time what was known as the Paddle..Rollers, these so called 1?addy...Rollers was made up of a bunch o~ white boys who would sneak up on these defenseless negroes ixriawares late in the night and demand that all show their passes. Those that could not show passes were whipped, both the negro boys and girls alike. The loyalty of these poor black bops was shown when they would volunteer to take an extra flogging to protect their girlfriends. The Paddy~. Rollers were a mean bunch of white boys who reviled in this shame.. ful practice. After slavery was abolished, this colored slave family remained on the same plantation for one year. They left the plantation via Cloverport by boat for Evansville, lud., where they remained until the subject of this sketch removed to Franklin, Irid. in 1903 where he took pastorate with the African Methodist Episcopal Church where he served for 12 years. He is now a retired minister residing at 427 w. King St.

Folklore. 145 141

130147 Fil F dsral Wrftere Projsot p~ ~1 of the W. P. t. TOpto #240 District #1 Ani~* Prit hett ~rion COUUtT Fil. ~7sA ___r_ ~ Folklor ___-_1~m -_1__._ Rsfererioes ~._ ~-l_ -M- ~r -aj~j~~~i (A) Mra~ Aii~:rica Morgan Exe slave. 816 Carip street, (B) Anna ~ritohett ~?oderal ~riter~ 1200 Kentuck~j iv~ronuo. Amen ca !~or~an was borr~ in a lot: house daubed with dirt, in Ballard County~, 1ccntuc:k~ , in 1852, the dau~ht~r cf ~nd~ and Jordo~i Rudd ~ho ro~exiibor~ ~ory clearly thc happor~ings of hor early life (A) 1ier motbor, ~txdc~ ~udd, v~ian cr~nod by Clark ThI&1, ~xid 1 ~devil has oure pot him. (f. ) T~rer father ~ owned by ~r . Wilhirigh~m, who ~wue very kind to his slavea Jor~on bec~n~ a ~udd bcat~uae he was riarried to Mtnda on the Pu~td plarxtation~ (A) There were six chfldren in the f~a~zdly, arid c~ll went wefl until the death of the mothers C1ar~ ~udd ~vhipp~d her to dec~th ihn Am~rioa was five yeare old (A ) Six little ohiidren were left motherlese to f~ce a world. (A) A~ioa ~a. given to ber aa.atsr a d&ughb.r, ries ~ to ~..it 4 01* her, as )r psreo~al property. 8b liTed with her for o~ pear. th*~~

146 142

Topto #$&O 142 A2v* ~ Pr~t.)~tt ~is$ sold. for $ 800.00 to Mr and Mrs t7tt.ik*ck~ stayed with them until the end of the Ciyi~, ~r. (A) Th. now miitreaa was not so kind, MIs s ~Oda vsho knew her reputittion, told her if 6}1S abU5Od A~ terioa, she vrould oon~ for her, and she would loose the ~ OO.OO abo had paid for . 1 hsrefor , xneriea ~as treated very kizidly. (it ) Aunt Jatherine, who looked after Al . tho chi ldr*~i mi the plantation, ~ very unruly, no one oould wI~1p her. Once ALienee ~s sent for two irn to c j~ an~d tjo iturit Cathorino. she fought so herd, it wa~ aa ~mioh aa ~ men eould do to tie her. They tied her hands, then ~iung; her to the jo~t and I~sh~ci h4x with a cow h~ie. it isa awful t~o hc~ar her aore~rns . (it) In 1865 her fathor c~r~ and took her into i ~aduc~a, Kenbaeky, a land of fr.edx~. (A) . ~ When thirteen years old, ~~nierioa did i~ot know A fris B, then gloi y to God ~ A Mr . Geoeleaf,a *ktte ~zi~n, from the north, came da~i to Kent~i ky and opened a aohool for ~egr o children. That isa Amerioa a first chano. be l~era. ho isa ver~r kind tuid very eyapat}istio. She ~cnt to school for a wry short while. (~A) h r father ist very poor, had nothing at aU to ~iv his obiIdr~. (A) America s mistress would not give ~sr az~ ei her otothe.. All aha had in this ~world, isa ~*t abs had ~ her bsrnk.w ~ ~ hire4~t~~t4* $t.OO.$~sk. (A) ~ The vhite people tsr ihas ehe mrb.d i~s? vezy kiM to er and

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P~gs ~ opis 40 Ama ~ ritehott voald try to teaoh her when her w k u~s dons. She ~as givn en old faA.tor~d apsiling book and a first reader. Shs ~s thai ~ugIrt aish and beg*n to know lit..0 (A) 8h. uaa sent regularly to ohiiroh and Sunday echool. !hot s whefl ehe began to wake up s to her duty as a free gir .. (A) Tb. Rev. D.W. Dupes ~e her s~iiday ao}iool teacher, fr & him she lsarned much ahe bad never known bef s. (A) At a ~venteen ~oars of age, she nmrried and fac~ed a frawr&ing world righ~. Sb. hod a good husba~nd and ten ohildrsn, three o~ uhom are 1i~irig today~ on ccii ~ sud tvo daughters . (A) She r m mberL3 one t~i1ave~ who had been gi vei~ ri~ hwib od lashes on }~:Li back, t~iro~n in hie cabin to die. ~e laid on the floor all nicht, at dawn h(~ O ~ to hiiiaelf, and there ~re blood howads lioking his back. (A) ?~2Ofl the overseer3 lashed a slave to death, they ~uld turn the bI odho~mde out to smell the blood, so they ~ou1d know nigger bIOOd,~ that wou1~ help trace ruz*way alavea. (A) Ai~t Ja235 si3sifl~er ~e given ~ivs ~nadred laibes and thrc~s in her oabin. The zaxt morning vthen the o~ereoer oazi~ ho kiC&~d her~ ath told her to ~.t up, sud w~nted to know if she ~a going to s~ssp thor s all da~y. Wb 3~ abs did not answer him, he rolled he~ o~r and the poor ~i~n ~IL* dead, l.a~4n~ s.vex el motherless children. (A) When the slaves ~re pr.psi ing to run amy, ths~ sould pat hot pSpp*L C~ their t.t1 this would sause the ho~mde te be throsn ott t~*ir ia~aii. (*)

Story of George Morrison. 148 144

Topi ~#S1iO An~ Pritahett 1 ~ Aunt Marg~r.t ran off, but the hounds traced her to a tro.j ~h stayed up in the tree for two days and would not come do~m Until they promised not to whip ber ari~r z~re, and they kept their promise. (A) Old mistress mother ~a sick a long t1i2~e, and litti. America had to keep the flies off of her by waving a ~por fly brush over h z bed She v~s so an, Amerioa was afraid to go too near the bed fez tear she might try to grab her and shake her. After ehe died, she haunted America Anyti~ ehe would go izrto the room she oould hear her knocking on the ~U with her oa~e So~ nights they would hear her ~lking up and dawn the stairs for long periods at a tim. (A) Aunt Catherine ran off, because oie miaei& )* nted her so bad. (Ai) The old n~~ter oa~ back after his death and would r~ide his tavorite horse, old Pomp, all night long, once every seek, i~ihn the boy would go in to teed the horses, old Pomp would have his BDS Mngi~ down, and he would be just worn out, after hi. night rid. (ii.) A~rioa belives firmly in haunts and said she had lived in sev*r&1 haunted houses amos coming up north. ( i~) w.. at.rgan lives with hr baby boy~ and his wife. She ii rather inteligent, rada and writes, and tries to do all she can to help those who are leu tortw*t. than she. (B) Submitted Deoember 27, 193 ? Indianapolis, indiana By: ~&~k PRi~~CHETT

149 145

:~1;~3 Iris Cook DistriOt 4 Slave Story Floyd County 850 words I ~ J STORY OF GEORGE I~ORRISON Reference s George Morrison, 25 East 5th New Albany, md. Observation of the writer. (This old negro, known as Uncle George by the neighbora, i8 very particular about propriety. He allowe no wcman in his house unlesB the accompanied by a nsn. Re says It jest a x~t/proper thing to do but he came to a neighbors for a little talk.) ~ t! was bawn in Uniozi County, Kentucky, near Morganfield. 1~r rriaster was 1~ Ray, he made me call hixn ?~ Ray, wouldent let me cal 1 him ~stor. He said I was hie little free negro. When asked if there were many slaves on Lt . Ray s farm1 he said, Yes m, they was seven cabin of us. I was the oldes child in our family. Mr. Ray said He didn t w&nt me in the tobacco , so I stayed at the house and waited on the wc~nen folk and went after the cows when I was big enough. I carried rxiy stick over ~y shoulder for I wuz afraid of snakes Ott Mr. Ray was always very good to me, he liked to play with me, cause I was so full of tricks an so mischuv~s. He give me a pair of boots with brass toes. I shined them up ever day, tu you could see your face in There wus two ladies ~ at the house, the Missus and her daughter, who was old enough to keep company when I was a little boy. They used to have me to drive em to church. I d drive the horses. They d say, ~George, you come in here to churoh. B at I always slipped off with the other boys who was standing around outside waitin for they folks, and played marbles.

150 146

2. 14G Yee, . ma aiii, the War sho did affect in~r fambly. ~r father, lie fought for the north. He cot shot in his side, but it finadly got ai . right. He saved his money and carne north after the war ant got a good j ob But, I saw them feiiow5 fro~n the south take my Uncle They put ~ ~ -- . ~ his clothes on h~in right in the yard and took him with thei~t to fight. And even the white folks, they ai . cried. But he came back, he wasnt hurt but he wasent happy in his mind like my p~ppy was Yes ma am, I would rather live in the North. The South s all right but soineways I just don t feel dawn there like j does up here. No rna am, I was never married. .1 don t believe in getting married unless yo ~i got plenty of money. So maxy married folks dont do nuthin but fuss and fight. Even my father and mother always spattet and I never liked that and so I says to myself what do I waist to get znarried for. I m happier just living by myself. Yes 1~ ain. I remember when people used to ta ce wagon loads of oorx~ to the market in Louisville, and they would bring back home lots of groceries end things. A colored man told me he had come north to the market in Louisville With his uatter, ftfld WftS working hard unloading the corn when a white man walks up to hixa, shows hin s orne nioney and asks him if he wanted to be free? He said he stopped right then and went with the man, who hid him in his wagon under the provisions and they 3ro~sec1 the Ohio River right on the ferry. That s the way lots of ~em g~t across here. Did I ever hear of any ghosts Yes u~ t~t I have t hear noises and I seed sc~nething once that I never could fig~er out. I was goirt t thru the woods one day, and come up sudden in a ~lear patch of ground. There sat a little boy on a stump, all by his-.eelf, there in the woods. I asks him who he wuz & wuz he lost, and henevor ans~vered me, Jest sat there, 100km at me. All of a sudden he ups a~id runs, and I took out after

151 146

3. 146A him. 1~e run behind e. big tree, and when I ~ot up to where I last seed hin, he w.iz gone. And there si1~s a great big braun man twice as big as me~ on another sti~impo- He r~ever se.ys a word, jest looks at me. And then I got away frc~n there, yes zna ara I really did. A man I knew saw a ghost once and he hit at it. He al~a~ys said he wasn t afraid of ~io ghost, but that ghost hit hit, and hit him so hard it knocked his face to one side and the last time I saw him it was still that wa:~r. No ~ a~t, I don l really believe In ghosts, b~b you kniw~ hc~v it is, I lives by ii~self arxd I don t like to talk about them for you never oa~i tell what they might do. Lady you ought to hear me rattle bones, when I was young. I cairit do it much now for my wrists are too stiff. Yihen they played Turkey in the Straw how we all used to dance aud cut up. We ed cut the pigeon wing, and buck the win4, and all But I got rewtuayt ism in i~r feet novT and ant much good any more, but I sure has done lots of things and had lots of fun in i~ny time.

Folklore. 152 147

s. i17 13014f 7.der*.l t. ProJ ot Page ~l St tI~ W. P. A. Topis ~24O District h~ A~ Pritshtt Mariait County Polkiors _~J_. _I-~ (A) Joseph Mousy, Ex-Slave, 2657 Boulevard Plao.. (B ) Anna Pritohett, Fed~ral te 1200 KentucJ y avem~e, Indianapolis Indiana. Joaeph MO$lSY1 OflS of twelve ohiidren, was born Marsh 16, 1B53~ tourteen miles trou Hopkinsvill,, Kentuoky. (A) His naeter, 1~im Mosley, was a slave trader I~ was supposed to have bought and sold 10,000 slaves. ~ would go from one state to another buying slaves bringing in as many u 75 or 80 slaves at on time. (A) The slave e would be han cuffed to a ehain, each chain would link 16 e laves The s 1av~s would walk from Virginia to Kentucky, and eo~ from Mississippi to Virginia. In front ol the chained slaves would be au overseer on horseback with a ~Un and doge In bask of the ohsined slaves would be another oreraeer on horseback with a gun and dogs. They would see that no slave escaped. (t) Joseph s tathr was the ih saaker for all ~he tatm

153 148

Pags #2 Topic #240 Anna. Pritohett hands and ail adult worker,i. Ho would 8tart in Septeixiber making ehoe~ for the yar. Firat the shoes foi the folks in the house then the work~r8 (~) No a1a~o ohild ever wor shoes, ~i~~er or wint.~r. (A) The father, mother, arid all the ohi1d~ en were slaves in the san~ family, but not in the eame ho. ~on~e with the dauglttere, aome with the eons, and so on. No one brother or ieter ~u1d be allowed to vlzit with the othere. (A) After the death of Tim Moieloy, little Joseph was given to a daughter. He wae ee~en years old; he had to pick up chipB, tend the Gowe ~ and do small j obe around. the house j he wore no olothing except a shirt. (A) . Little Joseph did not see hie mother after he wae taken to the home of the daughter until 1~ wae set tree at the age of 13. (A) The maater wa~ very unkind to the elavee; they aoineti~s would have nothing to eat, and would eat from the garbage. (A) On Christinac morning Joaeph was told he could go ee his mothori he did not know he waa fre and couldn t underatand why he was given the firat Suit of clothes he had ever owned, and a pair of shoes He ~ree ~ed in hie new finery arid waa starbed out on his six mile journey to his mother. (A) He was so proud of hi. new shoeB ; afte r ht, k~ad gotien out of sight, he atopped and took his shuea orf ae he did not want

154 149

Topic #240 1 ~) A1nna Pritihett them dirty before hi. mother had s en t1~a, aiid wallad ths rest of the way in his bay. t et. (A) Aibter tI~1r freedom, the family oan~ to Irtdiaxta. (A) The mother died here, in Indianapolii, at the age of 3.05. (A) Mr. Mo eley, WhO haB beeA in Iridianapolie tor 35 yeara, liae been paralyzed for the last four years Re and a ~daughter room with a Mrs ~ Turne r. ~ (B) 1~B h~8 a vo ry nioo olean rooms a vo ry pie aEant old man waa very glad to talk of his past 1if~. (B) He gete a penelon of $18.00 a month, and eaid it wa~ not easy to get along on that little amount, and won~dered if the goy. rnxr~nt was ever going to inorease hie pension. (B) Submittid Dsoeznber 1, 1957 Ituulanapolie, Indiana By: ANNA PRITCHETT -.r~--~ ~

Memories of slavery and the life story of Amy Elizabeth Patterson. 155 150

~x~.S1ave Storie8 District #5 ~4 4~(\;~~ Vaxiderburgh County j ~ ~ . . ~ ~ 4 Lauana Creel Memories of Slavery and the Life Story of A~ny EThzabeth Pattersoh. References. Interview with Amy E1&zabeth Patterson. The slave mart, separation froni a dearly beloved mother and littl s1s ters are among the earliest memories recalled by Amy Elizabeth Patterson, a resident of Evansville, Indiana. Amy Elizabeth, now known as ttGranthnother Patterson resides with her daugha.ter Lula B. Lorton at 512 Linwood Avenue near Charry Street. lier birth occurred July 12, 1850 at Cadiz, Trigg County, Kentucky. lier mother was Louisa Stre t1 slave of Joh~n Street, a merchant of Cadez. tijoim Street was never unkind to his slaves j~ the testimony of ~~dmother Patterson, as she recalls and relates stories of the long ago. Our sorrow be.~ gan when slave traders, came to Cadiz and bought such slaves as ~. took a fancy to and s~parated us from our families I ~ Joh~n Street ran s. sort of agency where he collected slaves and yearly sold them to dealers in human flesh. Those he did not sell he hired out to otherz families. Some were h~red or indentured to farinera, some to stock raisers, some to merchants and some to captains of boats and the hire of aL. these slaves went into the coffers of John Street, yearly increasing his wealth. Louisa Street, mother of kny Elizabeth Patterson, ~was house maid at the Street home and her first born daughter was fair with gold brown hair and amber eyes. Mr. and J~irs. Street always promised Louisa they would never sell her as they did not want to part with the child, so Louisa was given a small cabin near the master s house. The mistress had a child near the age of the little mulatto and Louisa was wet nurse for both children as well as maid to kirs. Street. Two years after the birth of Amy Elizabet~t, Louisa beo ~iae mother of twin daughters, FannIe and ~artha Street, then John Street decided to sell all hie slaves as he oontemplated moving into another territory. The slaves were auctioned to the highest bidder and Louisa and the twina ~ were bought by a man living near Cadiz but Mr. Street refuaed.to sell Az y

156 151

~ $1aves Stories . Djstrjct ~5 page 2. Vanderburgh oun y Lauana Cre~:~i Memories of Slavery and the Life Story of Amy Elizabeth Patterson. E~1jzabeth. She showed promise of growing into an excellant house-.inaid and seamstress and was already a splendid playmate and nurse to the little Street boy and girl. So Louisa lost her child. but such grief was sho~vvn by both mother and child that the mother was unable to perforxa her tasks and the child cried continually. Then 1 ~r. Street consented to sell the little girl to the mother s new ni~ster. Louisa Street became mother of seventeen children. Three i~ere almost white. Amy Elizabeth was the daughter of John Street and half sister of his children by hi s lawful ELfe 1~Lrs ~ Street knew the facts and respected Louisa and her child and,says grandmother Patterson, That was the greatest crime ever visited on the United States. It ~s worse than the cruelty of the overseers, worse than hunger, for many slaves were well fed and well cared for; but when a father can sell his own child, humiliate his own daughter by suctioning her on the slave block, what good could be expected where such practices were allow ed ? Grandmother Patterson remembers superstitions of slavery- days and how many slaves were afraid of ghosts and evil spirits but she never believed in supernatural appearances until three years ago when she received a message, through a medium, from the spirit land; now she is a firm believer, not in ghosts and evil visitations, but intrue conununication with the c1epart~ed ones who still love and loz~g to protect those who remain on earth. Several years ago a young grandson of the old ~weman ~ivaa drowned. The little boy was Stokes ~iorton, a very popular child rating high averages in school studies and belovedby his teachers and friends. The mother, Lulu B~. Morton and the ~ granctmot}ier both gave up to grief., in fact they ~ both gave ~ ~ ~~ 4fl 4 ~ healtI~ ~4 ~ i~eretable to carry on their regular duties. ~

157 152

Ex~S1aVe Storie District #5 Vanderburgh County Lauaria Creel. J~ mories of Slavery and the Life Story of ~tny Elizabeth Patterson. Grandmother Patterson began suffering from a dental ailment and was come pelled to visit a dental surgeon. The dezital surgeon suggested that she visit a medium and seek some comforting message from the ohild. She at once visited a medium and received a message. Stokes answered me. In fact he v~as waiting to communicate with us. He said Grandmotherl you and mother must stop staying at the cemetary and grieving for nie. Send the flowers to your sick friends and put in more time with the other children. I am happy here, I ara in a beautiful field, The sky is blue and the ~ield is full of beautia.. fui white lambs that play with me. The message oomfort~d the aged woman9 She began occupying her time with other members of the family and again began to visit with her neighbors. She felt a call two years later and again consulted the medium That time she received a xaessage from the child, his father and a little girl that had died in infancy. Grand.mother Pattersrn s~dd she would not recall the ones who had gone on to the land of promise. She is a christian and a believer in the Word of God. Grandmother Patterson, in spite of her 87 years of life (fifteen of which were passed iii slavery) is useful in her daughter s home. i~er children and grand children are fond of her as indeed they well may be. She is a refined woman, gracious to every person she encounters. She is hoping for better oppor tunities for her race. She tdmonishes the younger relatives to live in the fear and love of the Lord that no evil days overtake them. Yes, slavery was a ourse to this nation~ she declares, ~A curse which still shows it self in hundreds of ~ home s where mulatto face s are evidence o~ a ~~ous sin and proof that there has been a time when ~erioan fathers sold their child~ ren at the slave marts of America. She is glad the ourse has bee erased even O ~ jf by ~ the ~ bl od hed of hercea .~ ~ page 3. 152

Mrs. Preston's story. 158 153

~ MO1W~~ 130115 . . siave Story ~ ~ Dist. 4, efterBOn County . ~ . . . :i,. 500 Words 153 r~c~ ~t~c,rnn~tc~ c~~r nt-v ~ 4 L~r~kA). ~t ~ ta ;:rs. Fn~ston Is an old, lady, 83 years old, very ciuarrning izid hospitabig ShG lives on :;orth L1~ Street, Z~adiaon ~ Her first r~co11ectioue ci a13VL~Y wc~r~ ~ sIeepin~ on. the foot cf lier ~~istrcs~ bed, where the coui4 ge L t? ~ ~ ~ur ~ the nigLt to feed the f im vii th chips she haX ;~nthered befoxt dL~rIK ox~ :~ ;~t ~ dxirL:c or anflUrkz cite Imr ~2i$tre~j~ ini~~ht vivat ira th~ nicht. :;:er t::~sc. i~ro ~mt resided lii Praukiort h~virig taken M~i bei~t horaes and ho~s, ~~Az1 ~ leavinij his iw~$1y in the cac oi LU overseer on a fan. Fie ~ ~ raic~. the Enion soldiers wotfl.d liii him, but thoti&it his wjfe would be ~ft. it~3 o;~inion proveC to Lt truc, The overseer c~.lled the slaves to WQTk i4~t !our o clock, ~nd they torked until six in the evening. :hen ~:r;:;. Preston w~s~ a lIttle older, part o1 her work was to drive about ~ C&ZOfl COWL; to and from tht stable. 1~a~ a tine she waz~ed her b~c feet ira the cattle b dding. Ehe said they did not ~Uw~ys go bare1~oots4 but their ~T;O~: 5 ~Jere old or thcir ;~eet wrapped in rags. . Her next :~ro::;otion wan to ~ or~ iii the fields hauiin~ shocks of ccjrn ou ts balky ~ulc i~thich warn ~cubjeet to ~bucking and throwIng its rider over its head, ac w&~ aided by ~ little oy on 4iother taule. There were men to tie the Socks ~Md place them on the isle. She remembered seeing tTnion and Confederate soldiers shooting across a Eier near her home. Her uw..le fought t~o years, and returned safely at the end ot tho war. ~: She did not feel that her Liaster ~d :iistren had nistreated their siaves~ At the close of tiw war, her father n~ c:iven a bouse, land, te~t a~ enough to start fanin~ for himself. Several years later the fla Klux ~Qsn. gave thai a ton 4ay~s notice fl *Stte., one of th ~msked hazj4 interceded for them t~ pointtn$ out that th ey H ~-1 ( Ust aM pts*sble, end a man with a crop ~nd tis children conldn t I r ~ ~ .* 0 a.n, a ~wtiee es the time na axtaadc4 umt her

159 154

2 154 tot dq&, when they took what the . U~s aU tla *a4 c~m~ north, They ~ndnt4 5M the north until t~u~ had to iz~ their jx~eeriue ~ s little piso* ~ of tJI1E~ and ~i little flece ~ ~ n.~. they do ~r, tten her : ~i~r roe ~ turned to Kentucky, lir, Preston remained in in4.ta~, s~j~ ~ ~ther n~ bUXISL out, the f aLtliIy eecAptn~ to the cooda jn thcir uig)zt ciot Leb, lao: befrin* .~ ~ ed W ~ thi te nelbbor. how they qpenIed to their z ~ o~auc ste ~iant than z; new hOU~e~ Fro~hid~ necessities u.nd gu~ra tor a~ te~i weeii~a ttntii tey~ nm i~de tram the TU flux Flan, ~n, Prerton t;z4d i*i6 W4~$ the nother 01 ten chilclrtn, Uut n ~ lites alose $1floE~ thC death of her Ixush~d tbre yeun a~o, kL ~ v4 t n~$~Tbors &a~y Mr ~house I s so c I . ~ ~ coUd ~ et eat oj~jr the ~ bar. J I ~1g~ II t. . .

William M. Quinn (ex-slave). 160 155

j 30055 155 Federal Writel 8 Project Page #1 of the . P. A. Topic #240 District ~6 Harry Jackson Marion County ~ ~ 9~I~ (~-$iave) S ~____~I ~_ Street, Ina~~Ind. William M. Quinn, 43~L Bright street, was a slave up to ten years of age - when the soldiers come back honie, and the war was over, and. we ~ t slaves an~imore . Mr. ~inn was born in Hardin County, Kentucky, on a farm belonging to Steve Stone. He and a brother and. his mother were slaves of 1101d Master Stone , but bis father was owned by another man, Mr. Quinn, who had an adjoining farm. When they were all freed, they took the surname of quinn. Mr. quinn said that they were what was called glft slaves . They were never to be sold from the Stone farm and were given to Stone s daughter as a gift with that understanding. He said that hiC~ 0ld master paid him and his brother ten cents a day for cutting down corn and shuck- Ing it.~ ~ S It was very unusual for a slave. ~ to receive any money whatsoever for working. He s~j~d that.bis master had a son about hi s age and the s on and he and his bro thor

161 156

Page~2 Topic #240 Harry Jackson worked around the farm together, and Master Stoned gave all three of them ten cents a day when they worked. 5cmei~iines they ~ ~1d~ t, they would play instead. ~nd whenever ~Mastor Stone would catch thorn playing when they ought to have been at work, he would whip them - and that meant his own boy would get a Ucking too. Old 1~a8ter Stone was a good man to~all us colored folks, we loved him. lie wasn t one ot those mean devils that was always beating up his slaves like some of the rest of them. He had a colored overseer and one day this overseer ran off and hid for two days cause he whipped one of old Mas Stone s sLaves and he heard that Mas Stone was mad and he didn t like 44.~ Il J. we didn t know that we were slaves, hardly. Well, Iny~ brother and I didn t know anyhow cause wo were too young to know, but we knew that we had been when we got ~ ~After emancipation we stayed at the Stone family for sorne time, eause the~j were good to us and we had no place to go.t~ Mr. quinn meant by emancipation that his master freed his slaves, and, as he said, emancipated them a year before Lincoln did. Mr. quinn said that his father was not freed. when his mother and he and his brother were freed, because his father~s master didn t think the North would win the war0 Stone s slaves fared we ,l and ate good food and his own children didn t

162 157

Page #3 Topic #240 ~ Harry Qa~a~~4~ ~Q~ ? ~ ~ ~ e ~ ~ treat us like we were slaves. He said some of the slaves on surrounding plantations and farms had it a~wfui hard and bad. Somo times slaves would ~i.in away during the night, and he saiI that we would give them something to eat. He said his mother did the cooking for the Stone family and that she was good to ~ unaway slaves. Submitted September 9, 1937 Indianapolis, Indiana By:BARRY W. JACKSON ~Te ~ ~r 4~er

Ex slave story. 163 158

Federal Writex e1 Project Page #1 of the W. P. A. Topto #240 District #6 Earry Jackson Marion County ~M~a~At2!1 Mi s. Candus Richardson, of 2710 Boulevard P3.aoe, was 18 years of age when the Civil War was over. 3h. was borne~ a slave on Jim Scott s plantation on the ~Hc~ier Chitter river in F:ranklin county, Mississippi.. Scott was the heir of Old Jake Scott . ~ Old Jim Scott bad about tifti slaves, who raised crops, cotton, tobacco, and hogs. Candus cooked fox Scott ~id his wife, Mies Elizabeth. They were both cruel, according to Mrs. Richardson. She said that at one time her Master struck her oyez the head with the butt ei~ of a cow hide, that made a hole in her head, the scar of ~thioh she still carries. Re struck her down because ho caught hex giving a hungry slave ac~iething to eat at the back door of the big hauseN. The big house Was Scott s houae~ Scott beat hex husband a lot of times because he cau i~ him praying. 3zt ~beatings didn t s top my husband from praying. He just kept on praying. He d steal oft to the woods and pray, but he prayed so loud that anybody close around could fr hear, cause he had auch a loud voice. Ipz ay.d too, but I ~ u alwaye prayed to m~selt. One thing, Jim Scott boat her ~maband so unmerciful for praying that his shirt was as rod from blood stain as it ~ou d~ paint it with a brush . Rex Imibend

164 159

Paie #2 . ~.4 Topic #240 ~ ~LJ%J Harry o8bo~eJ:~J~ was very r.ligioua and she claimed that it was his prayers and a whole lot o~ other slaves that cause you young folks to be free today . They didn t have any ~bl. on the Scott plantation she said, for it meant a beating or Wa killing it you d be caught with oneM. But there were a lot of good slaves and they knew how to pi~ay and some of the white fOlks lovd to hear th i pray toc, cause there was no puton about it. That s why we folks know how to sing and pray, ~cause we have gone through so much, but the Lord is with us, the Lord s with us, he is . Mri3 Richardson said that the slaves that worked in the Master s house, ate the a~ food that the master and his family ate, bcit those out on the plantation didn~ t fare so well; they ate tat meats and parts of the hog that the folks at the big ~ouse didn t eat. All the slaves had to call Scott and his wife Ma.t,r end Miss Elizabeth , or they would got punished it they didn t. Whenever the slaves would leave the plantation, they were supposed to have a pez~it fr~ Scott, and it they were caught out by the *pad~rroll,rsV, they would whip them if they did~2ot have a note frcm their master. When the slave. . went to ~ church, they went to a Baptist church that t~e acotta ~ ~ belonged to and sat in the rear of the cimroh. The i~.~ was fl Y ~! preached to the slaves They: Si~ preached the I~d to

165 160

Pa8e #5 Topic #240 Harry Jackion ug3,~ Mr2. Ric.hax dion said, ~ They would juat toil ue to not ateal, don t steal frOEn your maater . A week s ration of food waa given each slave, but if he ate it up before th~ week, he had to eat sa.tt pork until the next rations He couldnf t eat muoh ot it, because it was too aalty to eat any quanity or it. awe had to make our own clothes out of a cloth like you U301 called canvass . kW. walked to church with our shoes on our arms to keep fz~ u wearing then out~ They walked six mil s to reach the church, and had to wade aoz~oaa a stream of water. The women were carried aerOB8 on the ~ backc. They did all of thia to hear the minister tell then don t steal from your Master . They didn t have an overa aer to whip the s lavea on the Scott plantation, Scott did the whipping himeeif. Mrs. Richardson said he knocked her down once juat before she gave birth to a daughter, all because she didn t pXck cotton as fast as he thought she should have. Hex bueband went to the war to be what you eaU, a val et for. Mae t er Jim ~ a a on, Saxn ~ After the war he came to me and my daughter~. Then in July, we could tel . by the crops and other things grown, old Master Jim toLd us everyone we was fz ee and that was alinoa t a year a.tter the other slaves on the other plantations around were freed~. She said Scott, in freeing ( t ) then Said that Mli. d Xi~ t have to give us any thing to eat and that ho didn~t have to give us a place to stay, but

166 161

Page #4 Topic #240 161~ Harry Jackson we could stay and work tor hit and he would pay us. Bit we left that night and walked for miles through the rain to my huant s brother an~ then told them that they all were tree. Then we aU. ~an~ie up to Kentucky in a wagon and lived there. Then I came up North when my husband died~. Mrs Ri chardion a ays that ah, is so happy to know that I hays lived to see the day when you young people can serve God without slipping around to serve him like we old folks had to do . You see that pencil that you hayo In your hand there why, that would coi t me my life t if oid t Jim would see nie with a pencil in lay hand. i~it I lived to a o both him and Misa Elizabeth die a hard death, They both hated to die, although they bolonged to church. Thank God tor bis mercyl Thank GOdI My mother prayed for me and I am praying for you young folks . ~ Mrs. Richardson, despite her 90 years of age, can walk a distance of a mile and a halt to her church. S Sutnitted August 31, 19~Y7 S Indianapolis, Indiana By: ~LRRY W JACJ ~9~J~ .T~1S, ~~WA~ WiW.r 1~ ~

Folklore. 167 162

130136 162 Fodc~rv1. VritorB Project Page ~l oI the VI F A ~ TopiC ~24O I.)i strict #6 Anna Pr I tehett i~arion Couiity File ~65~ A Folklore References (A ) Jon Robinson .u Ex~~j1cwe~ 1132 Cornell Avenue. (13 ) Anna Pritohett F 6dorai V:ritor..~. 1200 Yentuc~y Avenue. Toe Robinson was born in ~ason County, Kentucky in 1854 . (A) Ills ~ster, Gus Hargill, was very kind to hiN and all his slaves. ire o~cd a lar~~e farm and raised every kind of vegetat~.on. 11e . ~always ~avo his slaves plenty to eat They never had to steal food. 1~e said his slaves had worked hard to permit hin to have plenty, therefore they should have their share. (A) Joe, his r~other, a brother, and a sister were aU on the sanie plantation. They were never sold, lived With the saz~ie n~stor ux~ti3. they were set free. (A) J~?5 father v~as owned by T?ube Black, who was very cruel to his slaves, beat them severely for tthe least offense, One dAy he tried to beat 1Joe B father who was a larre strong ii~nj he resisted hic ir~ster and tried to kill him. After that he never tried to whip him again. However, at the first opportunity, puhe sold him. (A)

168 163

page #2 TOpiO ~ ~ 240 AflX~ Pritohett The Ro~1naon f~rni1y learned the father had been sold to so~~ in Lou! s iana They ncver hoard from, or ~ of him, again . (A) ~r. Robinson lives with his wife; he receives a pension, he said was I aroly enoug~h for them to live on, and hoped it he increased. (13) lie attends one of the W ~P ~ olasses trying to learn to write. (B) They have two childr n who live in Chica.j~o. (B) -4 f:~ ~b one dowrt which would read and Submitted January 24, 1938 Indianapolis, India~na fly: A~~A PRITCItETT ~ ~ -

Folklore. 169 164

130155 * 164 J.d.ral W~ritere Project : Page #1 at th. W. P. A. Topic ~24O Distriet ~6 ~mi~ Pritohett marion County Folklore __ - _ Refer ness u ~ ~ (A) Mrs. Rosaline Roger. ~..elav... 110 years o 4, ~ 910 North Capitol Avenue, Inc1ia~mpolia, Indiana. (3) Anna Pritohett ped.ral Writer 1200 Kentuo1c~r Avenu, Indiampoli., Indiana. Mx s Rogers was born in South Carolir*, Rogers, Mas. Roger&, we oalled him, was of eleven ohi1~dren. ~e was so very mean. (A) Mrs. Rogerc was sold and taken to Tenxieaeee at the age of eleven for $900.00 to a man by the name of Carter, Soon after her arrival at the Carter pl~ntatioxt, she ~B resold . to a z~.n by the na~ of Belby ~oore with whom ~he lived until the begini4n~ of the C1 Vil ~r (A) ~&en and wou~n were herded into a sin,gle cabin, no matter how mar~r t)~ere were She ren~inbers a t~ae u~ien there wsre twenty slaves in a a11 oabin. There were holee btween the logs of t3~. oabirt, large enough for d ogi and cate to crawl through. The only ans in 1827, a slave of the youngest eon of Dr. Rice a family

170 165

Topic #240 165 ~ Prits~is~ of heat, being a wood firspiac., whioh, of course, ~e used for cooking their food. (A) The slaves food ,,a~ corn cake., side pork, and beane; seldom ai~y s~ete except molaeeee. (i) The alave were given a pair of shoes at Christias time and if they ~ere worn out before aunm~r, they usre foroed to go barefoot. (A) Rer eeoond niister would not buy ehoes for his elaves. Whn they had to plow, their feet would oraok and bleed, frcua ~a1king on the hard clods, and if one ocmplained, they would be whipp.dj therefore, very few oompla inte were u~de . (A) The elavee were allowed to go to their i~eter s ohuroh, and allowed to ait in th ee~ven back benoheaj should thoee benches be tilled, they were not alloud to sit in any other benohee. (A) The wealthy slave auner nver allowed hie slaves to pay any attention to the poor white k., as he knew they had been free all their lives and should be slave owners themaelwe. The poor whites wre hired by those who didnot believe in slavery, or could not afford slavee. (A) At the beginning of the Civil ear, I had a family of fourteen ohiidren. At the olose of the ~r, I was given ~r ohoice of .tayin~ on the same p1an~tion, working on shares, or taking ~ family my, lstting them out for their food and cloth... I decided to stay on that say; I could ~vs *y children with me. Th.y ~re not all~ed

171 166

P&g.~8 Topie #240 :EGG Anna Pritohtt to go to school, they wre taught only to works (A) S1a~e ~thers were allmsd to stay in bed only two or three days after childbirth; then ~re forced to go into the fields to work, as 1f nothing had happened. (A) The saddest moment of ~ life ~e when I ~s sold away from lily family. I often wonder ivhat happened to tb.emj I haven t seen or heard from them sino. I 0n13r hop God im.s as good to them as Re has been to ~. (A) ~I am 110 years old; ii~r birth is recorded in the slave book. I have good health, fairly good eyesight, and a rood memor all of which :i say is boause of ~ity love for God. (A) Mrs. Rogers is certainly a very old wo~n, very pleasant, and eee~a very fond of her granddaughters, with whom she lives. (B) Submitted December 29, 1937 Indianapolis Indiana By: ANNA PRITCI1ETT 1~ ~Lr~i~i:aY~tJ ~

Folklore. 172 167

t 30150 F.drS1 Writirs Proj..t Pegs #1 of th w. P. A. Topio $40 Disti~iat #6 ~nm ~rion Cowit~r Folklore -~ - -u~_a. Referenoei ~~1L ~ -m-r-- i--~ (Ah) Mr.. Parthena Rollins, 848 Camp Strsst (Rear). (B ) Anna ~ritoh.tt -?sdral Writer. 1200 KI,UIaZOky L~.. 1~r~ Parth na Rollins ~a born in Soott County, Xexii~ao~y, in 1853, a slave of ~d Duvefl , who ~e alwtye very kind to ail of his i1&~vea, nevsr whipping any of the adulte, ~*it of~tsn whipp.d the children to correct them, never beatin~ thm. they aU h~d to work~ but fl 1?~F o~!7ez~~ork, and tiway. had plenty to eet. (A) S Sb. rsmembrs so ~ny elaii.i *o ~.rs not ae fOIrbW*b. as they ~re. (A) Oitc,, wht the niggsr tradrs oa~ through,. ther ~a a girl, the mother ot a yowtg baby~j the traders vm~ntd the girl, ~*it wou1~~ not 1~*13r her because &i )*d the child. Em ami.r took bor a~, took the bab frO~~ k~ ~ and boat it to dat~t right bfor ths ~sotb.r s .7 a, then brought the girl back to the ssi. WithOIt tlt t*~y, and sus 1~ bought ~~dist.1y. ( ) B z ni~ ~atsi~ ~a so pla d to g t such a ~tr ctig girl ivho could work so w.11 sud eo fait. (A) I

173 168

Pegs ~2 Topic #240 -1.68 AnM Pritohett The thoughts of the cruel ~y of puttii~g her baby to dath preyed on h r mind to such an extent, sh developed epilep6y. This angered her new r~i~ster ~ and he sont her buok to her old n~atr ~ and forced him to refund the ~toney he had paid for her. (A) Another slave had diapl.ased his r~tr for so~ reaaon, he waa taken to the barn and kili.d, and wa~ buried right in the barn. !T~ one kneiv of this tintil they were set free, as the ~1avss who knew about it wore afraid to tell for far of the t~an~ fate befa11i ~ on t)~. (A) 1~arthena also remembers slavos being bt~aten until their ba~ka were blistored. The overseers w~uld then open t1~ blutera and sprinkle salt and peppsr in the open blisters, t~o their bacica would z~xrti~rt and hurt all the ncre (A) )~ny im, s laves w~ld be beaten to death, thro~m into sink holes, and left for the buszards to sw~rm and feast on their bodi.a.(A) ~o 1T~1~~ Of t~ ~ ~avee she knew were h~tlf fed c~nd half olothed, and treated so cruelly, that it ~~.ou1d ~*ke your )*ir stand on sn4e. (A) )~ra Rollins is in poor health, all b roken up With rheu~*tiz. (B) She lives with a daughter and grandeon~ and said she c*~1d bardly talk of the happenings ot the early days, because of the awful thiv1~s her folks had to ~o through. (B) Submitted December fl, 1937 Indi*ns~polie, India~za By~ ~JR& ~nxrn~~r

Told by John Rudd, an ex-slave. 174 169

Ex- S1av~ Stories ~ ~ ~ District ~5 ~ I ~ ~ ~ ~ 169 Vanderburgh County Lauana ~~ree1 Told by John Rudd,ar~ ~x~slave. Yes, I was ~. slave, said John hudd, Arid P11 say this to the whole world, Slavery w~s the worst curse ever visited on the people of the United States.t John Rudd is a negro, dark and swarthy as to complexion but his nose is straight and aqualine, for his mother was half Indians The iriornory of his mother, Liza Rudd, is sacred to John Rudd today and her inan~ disadvarita~es are still a source of grief to the old man of 83 years. John Rucld was born on Christmas day 1854 in the home of Benjamin Sirinas, at Springfield, Kentucky. The mother of the young child was house maid for L.~is~ tress Si~a~is and Uncle John remeithers that mother and child received only the kindliest consideration from all members of the SInrnLS family. ~dhUe John vias yet a sm~tl1 boy Benjamin Sirnrns died and the Sirwns slaves ~rere auo~ioned to the highest bidders. If n you wants to know what unhappiness means, said Uncle John Rudd, Jess n you stand on the Slave Block and hear the auctioneer s \r~ ~ selling you avray from the folks you love. Uncle John explained how mothers and fathers were often separated from their dearly loved children, at the auction block, but John and his younger brother Thomas were fortunate and were bought by the same master along v~th Liza Rudd, their mother. An elder brother, iTienry, was sepatated from his mother and brothers and became the property of George Snyder and was thereafter knov~n as ~1enry Snyder. Ythen Liza Rudd and her two little sons left the slave block they were the property of Henry koore who lived a few ndles away from Springfield. Uncle John declares that unhappiness met them at the threshold of the moore s estate. Liza was guten the position of cook, housemaid and plough~hand while her little boys were made to hoe, carry wood and care for the small children of the Moore family. John had only been at the J~ioore home a few months when he witnessed several slaves being badly beaten. Henry I~oore kept a white overseer arid several white men were employed to whip slaves. ~. large barrel stood near the slave quarters

175 170

# Ex. .Slave Stories ~ . District #5 . pace ~ . 170 Va.nderburgh County Told by Johxi Rudd, an ExasSlave. aiid the little boy discovered that the barrel was a whipping post. The slaves would be strapped e~cross the side of the barre . and two stroxig men would wield the cat of nine tail& until blood flo~wed from gashed flesh, and the cries and prayers of the unfortunate culprits availed them nothing until the strength of the floggers becarie exhausted. One day, when several 4~Legroes had just recovered from au unusual eraount of chastisement, the little negro, John Rudd, was playing in the front yard of the i~ioore s house when he heard a soft voice calling him. He knew the voice belong.. od to shell Moore, one of his best frieMs at the 1~toore estate. Shell had been among those severely beaten and little John had been grieving over his inisfor.. tunes. Ehell had been in the habbit of whittling out ~thistl~s for rrte and pettin of me. said the now aged negro. I went to see what he wanted w~f me and he said Goody Johrinle, you ll never see Shellie alive after tod~ty. Shell made his ~y toward the cornfield but the little egro boy, watchiag him go, did not realize what situation confronted him. That night the master announced that Shell had run away again and the slaves were started searching fields and woods bu~ Shell s body was found three days later by Rhoder I~icQuirk, dangling from a rafter of Loorets corn crib where the unhappy negro had hanged himself with a leather halter. Shell was a splendid worker and was well worth a thousand dollars. If he had. been fairly treated he would have been happy and glad to repay kindness by toil. Mirslfllenry would have been better to all of us, onlyi~istress Jane was always ruin him up. declared John Rudd as he sat in his rocking chair under a shade tree. . Jane Moore, was the daughter of Old Thomas Rakin, one of the meanest men, whe re slave s were concerned, and she had learnt the slave in busines s from her daddy. ~. . Uncle John related a story ooncerniug his mother as follcws:~~Marna had been workin in the cornfield ai . day ~t~il time to cook supper. She was jes ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ J

176 171

Ex~S1ave Stories page 3. ~ District #5 1 /~i ~ Vanderburgh County. ~ Lauana Creel Told By John Rudd an Ex~s1ave . standin in th~ smoke house that was built back of the big kitchen when Mistress J walks in. She had a long whip hid under her apron aiid began whippin ~a~a across the shoulders, thout tellin her why. Maiiia wheeled around froIrIlwhar she was slicin ham and started ruiinint after old k~ssus Jane. 01e Niissus run so fas L~ama couldn t catch up idi her so she throwed the butcher knife and stuck it in the wall up to the hilt. 1 ~ scared. I was fraid when I~rse Henry come in I believed he would have 1~anta whipped to death.t Whar Jane7 said ~ars Henry. She up stairs with the door locked. said Maxim .~ ~ Then she tole ol cl 1~ars Eenry the truth about how mistre s s Jane whip her and show him the marks of the whip She showed him the butcher knife stick- in in the wal1. ~ Get yer o1othe~together, said ~rse Henr7I. (Moore) John then had to be ~ parted f~rom his mother . Henry Budd believed that the Negroes were going to be set fre War had been declared and his desire was to send Liza far into the souther~a states where the price of a good negro was higher than in ~Centucky. When he reached Lotisville he was offered a good price for her service and hired her out to cook at a hotel. John grieved over the loss of hismother but afterwards learned she had been well treated at Louis ville. John Rudd continued to work for Henry ~ore until the Civil War ended. Then Henry Snyder caine to the Moore home and demanded his brothers be given into hie charge. Henry Snyder had enlisted in the Federal Army and had fought throughout the war. B;e had entered or leased segen acres of good land seven/miles below Owens- H boro, Kentucky, and on those good acres of Davies County fa~rin land the mother and her three eons ~ere reunited . John Rudd had never seen a river until he made the trip to Owenaboro vdth his brother Henry. The trip was ~iade on the big Gray ~agle and Uncle John ~ .~ declares ~I ~was sure thrilled to get that boat, ride. He relates many incidents of ~ .~ . ~ ~ L run away negroes Remembers lus fear of the ICu Kluoks ax~d remembers seouig

177 172

Ex-Slave Stories District ~5 . page 4. j ~ 2 Vanderburgh County . Lauana Creel Told. by John Rudd. a t Ex Slave. Seven ex-slaves hanging from one tree near the top of Grimes..Hill, just after the close of the war. When John grew to young manhood he worked on farms in Davis Couxity near Owen.sboro for several years, then procured the jobs of pcrterin~ for John Sporree, a hotel keeper at Owaneboro, and in this position John worked for fifteen years. While at ~wensboro he me~ the trains azid boats. lie recalls the boats; Morning Star, arid Guiding Star; both excursion boats that carried gay men and women on pleasure trips up and down the Ohio river. Uncle John married Teena Q~ueen his beloved first wife,at Owensboro. To -this union was born one son but he has not been to see his father nor has he heard from him for thirty years, and his father balieves him to have died. The second wife was I~ Iimie Dixon who still live s ~th Uncle John at Evansville. ~Then asked what his political ideas were, Uncle Joim said his politics is his love for his government. He draws an bld age compensation of l4~ dollars a month. S Uncle John had some trouble proving his age but met the situation by having a friend write to the Catholic Church authorities at Springfield. I~1irs. Simms had taken the position of God Mother to the baby and his birth and christening had been recorded in the church records. He is a devout Catholic and believes that religion and freedom are the t wo richest blessiz~gs ever given to mankind. Uncle John worked as /anitor at the Boehne Tuberculosis Uoepilal for eight years. ~While working there he received a fall ~which crippled him. He ~alka by the aid of a cane but is able to visit with his friends and do a small amount of work in his home. ~

Folklore. 178 173

-~ i_~, ~ . j Fed.ral Writrs ! Project Page ~1. of the W. Po A. Topic #240 Diatrist #6 ~ Pritohett Marion Cowxt~y Re fi renos ~ ~ (A) Anw.nda Elizabeth Saiiuels, 1721 Park avenus. (B) Anna pritehett, Federal Writer, 1200 Kentucky Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana. Lizzie was a child in the home of grandma and grandpa MoMurry. They wre farmers in Robinson County, Tennessee. (A) liar mother, a slave hand, wor3~od on the farm until her young master, Robert McU~urry was marribd. She was then sold to Rev. Caj*.er Plaster and taken to Logan County, Kentuc ~y. (A) The child, Lizzi~ ~ was given to young Robert. Sb. lived in the house to help the young ti~ae~ who was not so kind to her. Lizzie was forced to eat ohioken. heads fish heads, pig tails, and parsnips. The child disliked this very muoli, and was ye ry unhappy with he r young zaistres e be cause in p~ort s fat~~~s home all slave ohiidren were treated just like his o in ohiidren. They had plenty of good substantial food, and were protected in every wa~y. (A) The old master felt they ~wore the hands of the next generation and if they were strong and healthy, they would brthg in ~! fl14

179 174

Page~2 Topic #240 1 ;~)L4 Anna Pritebett 9. 1~rger amount of money when sold. (A) Lizzie s hardships dtd.not last long as they were set afto r young Robe rt s narriage . He took her in a wagon to Kentuoky to be with her mother. (A) Lizzie learned this song from the soldiozi, Old Sat~1 Crawford is dead, And the last word is said, They were fond of 1~ok.tng back Till. they heard the biashes crack Arid sent them to the~-r happy ho~ In Cannan. Some wears wor6ted Some wears lawn What they gonna do lihen that s all gone. ltre. Samuels ~s an a~usin~ little woman, she must be about 80 years old, but holds to the age of 60. Had she given ber right a~o the people for whom she works would have helped her to get her pension. (B) Tbey are amused, yet provoked because Lizzie wants to be younger than ehe really ta. (B) Submitted Deoe~ber 1, 1957 Indianapolis Indiana By: A~ PRITCHET~T ~ ~ free soon Keysburg, (A)

Mr. Jack Simms' story. 180 175

fl US D* 130120 M~ a~ list, 4, J*U*XS** CM~t7 Z?. **fls *.gt~ t ~ !t~ ~*~rsr~ e9 %~Rfl~sW~ . . . ~ t~ IS%A1 ~ 24k~a~ O W Ref. (A): Persoua3. intenriew, . * . !~ Stat wie born ~d ruj~o4j 0* 14U Creek Zsntucky, ~at4 now +*s Lu iUICiSOfl Indbas on Pap3atr Street dii n4fl zrorth Vest of th izesptt4~ liC tva~ 00 ~OUt~j ht did rw remeaber vn~ ~t*toh about In tb4 AaT*I ~i~: tr~W4, but seemeC to rsijrn very aio~ tiat its ~ bsn 4e1*4 the prIy* beg of ni e4tw4uttc*n, Mr. Si~~ * ab re4 *ning the ttncs o: ~ PA the flzu ~ ~d1sburg roi4.~ but teierrIId! t* ~t, tj~r. a ~~ ~BnG4MtLn~Ww, 7slt na s vers interettiz~. Q14 wi ~ when we~Lint caUs4, h~ ds~s tar invt~s4 Lis thto the iaoz~n~ but~ be: tstMr vaaatect tc~ talk .eutaL4. tin I M l t better1, an his thaz~tter conveyed thi a infcrzi&tton ~ 5~t ja~iateIy decL3d that M8 couic cox~e in ~a we ~tou1d&t be th*n hag *q%ow . . : . . . 4 IStsr *e ~siniaC ~ ~ sutrruice, the t~t~hter nasaked ihM bar . istMr ~ was fly louts at the tune et ths wars terciupon ht anwwsnd n:; t *t&2~ i zou art fln to t,efl it, 6O~%C~. Ort ais,I 8oin to teU SW . ~ ~ t s - . 0 ~ . . ~cA\~ : . . ~ a ~ ~ . : ~ . - ~ .~ . * .. . H ~ . ~1 . . . ~ . ~1 rT~ ~ I e s I :j

Billy Slaughter. 181 176

~eu1ah Van ~eter I 7G District 4 Clark County BILLY SlAUGhTER Reference: BIlly SIau~hter, 1123 Watt St., Jeffersonvill Billy S1au~hter w~s born Sept. 15, 1858, on the Lincoln Farm near Hodgenvillo, Ky. The Slaughters w~io n~w live between the Dixie Highway and Hod~envil1e on the right of the roach th ivin~ toward iod~genvi.11e about four miles off the state highway are the do~cendants of the old slavets master. This old slave was sold once and was given away onc be.. fore he w~s riven his free&~n. The spring on the Lincoln ~rni timt falls from a cliff was a place associated with Indian oruelty. It was here in the pool of v~ter be.. law the cliff that the Indians would threw babies of the settlers. If the little children could swim or the settlers could rescue the~n they escaped, otherwise they were drowned. The L~idians would gather aroi~md the scene of the tragedy and rejoice in their fashion. The old slave ~when he was a baby was thrown in this pool but i~s rescued by white people. He remembers having seen s everal Indians bul not i~iaxiy. The most interesti~iC subject that Billy Slaughter discussed was the Civil War This was ordinarily believed to be fought over slavery, bixt it really was not, according to his interpretation, which is imusual for an old slave to state. The real reason was that the South withdrew froxn. the Union and elected Jefferson Davis President of the Confederacy. In his awn dialect he narrated these events acotirately. The southerners or Democrats were called Rebels and Secess and the Reptiblicans wore oalled Abouti onists. Another point of interest was John Brown and Uarpers Ferry. When harper s Ferry was fired upon, that ~s firing upon the United States. It was

182 177

~i1ly Slaughter - Paj~e 2 ~ l_~ ~4 ~ 4 Iii here and through Johx~ own s Paid that war was virtuafly ar. The old Negro explained that Brawn was ai~ Abolitionist, and ~as captured here arid later kiLled. ~hi1e the old slave had the utino~t respect for the Federal Governme~xb he regarded John Brcwn as a martyr for the cause of freed ~ and included him among the heroes he worshipped. A~nong his prized pcs3ession~ is aX~i old book written about Joh~n Brown s Raid. The old slave s real hero was Abraham Lincoln. 11e plans another pilgrinage to the Lincoln F~rm to look again at the cabin iu which his E~.ncipator was born. He asked me if I read history very much. I assured hirn that I road it to soi~ie extent. After that he asked me if I recalled reading about Lincoln durin~ the Civil ~1ar wal dn~ the ?ihite House floor one ntght and a ~1egro na~ied Douglas remained in his presence. In the be~inxiin~ of the War the Negroes who enlisted in the Union Ax~r were riven freedc~n, also the wives, and the children who were not married. Another proble~i that was facing the North e.t this time was that the men who were taken frcm the farm and faotor~j to the army could not be re~ placed by the slaves and production continued in the Nort~h as was being done in the south. Not all Negroes who wanted to join the Union forces were able to do so because of the strict watchfulness of their mstors. The slaves were made to fight in the southern arx~r whether they wanted to or not. This lees. ened the n~,u~ber of free Negroes in the 1~1orthern arxi~j. As a result Lincoln decided to free al 1 Negroes That was the dec is ion he made the night he ~lked the White House floor. This was the old da~key s story of the conditions that brought about the Emancipa ion Proclar~tion. Freeing the Negroes was brought about during the Civil War but it was not the reason that the war was fought, was the unusual opinion of4~his Negro.

183 178

Bi .ly S1au~hter 3 t Uncle J.y $U father joined the Union arx~r at the Taylor Barracks, near Louisville, Ky, which was the Caai~p Taylor during the World War. Ibole Billy s father and mother and their children who were not ximrried were given freedom. The old slave has kept the papers that were drawn up for th~.s act. The old darkey explained that the Negro soldiers never fought in any decisive battles. There niust always be someone to clean and polish the harness, care for the horses, dig ditches, ax~d construct parapets. This vi s father vas at Memphis during the battle there. The Slaughter family migrated to Jeffersonville in 65. Billy was then seven years old. At that time there was only one c1~epot here a freight and paszenger depot at Court and Wall Streets. 1~That is now 1~i~n as Eleventh St. vras then a hickory~/4 grove ~ a paradise for squirrel hunters. On the ridge beginning at 7th and Mechanic Ste wore persixnr~on trees This was a splendid hunting haven for the Negroes for their favorite wild animal the o possum. The ridge is biaw~i today as ~osst~n ridge. The section east of St.Anthon.yts Cemetery was oovered~ in woods. Since there were a number of beechnuts, pigeons frequented this place and were sought here. One could catch then faster than he o ould shoot them. At this time there were two shipyards iii Jeffersoriville Barmore s and howard s. Barinor& s shipyard lo ation was first the location of a big rneat-po.oking oompary. The old darkey cal led it a pork hOUSe . The old slave had seen several boats launched from these yar. Great crowds would gather for this e~ent. After the hull was completed in the docks the boat was ready to launch. The blocks that serv~ed as props were knocked dawn one at a time. One man would knock div~n each prop. There were se eral men employed in this work on the appointed day of the launching of

184 179

Billy S .au~hter 4 i:~) the boat. The boat ~ou1d bo christened with a bottle of charapa~ne on its way to the r i~er. tU2~o1e B111y worked on a steamboat in his earlier days. This boat travelea from Lonis7ille to Now Orleans. People traveled on the river ror there were f~w railroads. The first work the old darkoy did was to clean the decks. Later he cleaned up inside the boat, ~ iaopped~ up the ~1oorz and made the berths. The next job he held was ladio~ cabin man. Later 1~e took care of the quarters where the officials o~ the boat slept. The cl.arkey also worked as a second pantry rrian. This vrork consisted of waiting on the tables in the dining room. ~he men s clothes had to be spotless. So~ieti ries it would beccsne necessary for him to change his shirt three times a day. The meats on the menu would include pigeon, ducl . turkey, chicken, quail, beef, pork, and mutton. Vegetables of the season were servod,as well as desserts It was ziothing unusual for a half dollar to be left tuider a plate as a tip for the waiter. Those who worked in the cabins nover set a price for a shoe shine. Fifteen cents was the lci~rest they ever received. During a yellow fever epidemic before a quarantine could be de~ cLared a boatload of three hundred people left Louisville a~b night to go to M~his, Tonn. During the same time this boat went to New Orleans where y lla~ir fever was rating. The captain warned thexa of it. In two narr r streets the old darkey recalled how he had seen the people fall over dead. These streets were crowded and there were no sidewalks, only room for a wagon. Here tue victims would be sitting in the doorways, apparontly asleep, only to fall over dead. ~hen the boat returned, one of the crew was stricken with this Uncle Billy nursed him until they reached his home at Cairo, Ill. disease.

185 180

180 Bi11~ S1au~,hter ~ 5 No one else took the yellow fever and this xrnn recovered. Anothor job Uncle Billy t held was holpi.n~ to ~.ke the brick used in the U.S. Quarter Master Depot. Coloetel James Keigw in operated a bricic kiln in what is now a colored settlenient between 10th ax~d 14th arid ~ a xid Spring Sts The clay was obtained from thi s field It was his task to off.-bare the brick after they were taken from the ~mo1ds, and to place them in the eyes to be burned. V ood was i~sed as fuel. Uncle Billy reads his Bible quite often. He sonetimes wonders why he is still left here all of his friends are cone; all hi.s brothers and sisters are gone. Dut fhis he believes is the solution that ~here must be someone left to tell about old times. The Bible, he quotes, says that two shall be working in the field together and one shall be taken and the other left. I ani the one who is left, he concludes.

Ex-slaves. 186 181

Henrietta Kax v,owski, Field Worker Federal Writers Project St. Joseph County - District # 1 South Bend, Indiana ~: (.)56 ~C..SLAVES BIB LIC GRAPHY ~& Mr. & Mr~ Alex Smith, 127 North I~ke Street, South Bend, Indiana

187 182

I ~ * Henriett9 Karwowskl, Field Worker Federal VTritcrz Project 4) St;. Joseph County, District #1 South Bend India fl~i IiIrb and LITS. Al x Smith, an ei~iity-three year old negro couple were slaves in Kentucky near Paris, Tenne$see, as children. They flow rcsid e at 127 North Lake Street, on the .~restern lirnit~ o~ South Bend. This c~upio lives in a little shack patched up with tar paper, tin, and wood. LIrE. Elizabeth Smith, the talkative member or the Thrnily is a ~fl19 Il woman very wrinkled, with a stocking cap pulled over her gray heir. She wore a dress made ol three diiToi~e~it print materi~ls~ sleeves of one kind, collar ol another ~nd body of ~ third. Her front teeth were discolored, brown stubs, vihich sug~e$ted that she chews tobacco. Lir. Alex Smith, the husband is t~1i, though probably he was a well buIlt man at one time. He gets around by means of a cane. iJrs. Smith said that he is not at all well, Dnd he was in the hospital for six weeks last winter. The wife, Elizabeth or Betty, as her husband calls her, was a slave on the Peter Stubblefield plantation in Kentucky, the nearest town being Paris, Tennessee, while Mr. Smith was n s1~ve on the 1~obert Stubb l~ield plant~tion nearby. A ithough only a chi Id of five Mr Smith r erneniber s the Civi J. War, especially the marching of thous~inds of soldiers, and the horse.~drwwri arti.llery wagons. The Stubblefields freed their slaves the first winter after the war. On the Peter Stubb \e1~field plantation the slaves were treated very weil and had plenty to eat, while on the Robert Stubbeif leid

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page 2 Henrietta Karwowskl, Field Worker !ederal ~Vriter~ Project St. Jozeph County ~ District #1 ~ South Bena, Indic-na pIant~tiOn Mr. Smith went hungry many times, and said, .ttO~ten, I would see a dog with a bit of broad, and I would have been willing to take it from him if I had not been afraid the dog would bi~be me. Lirs. Smith w~s named after Elizabeth Stubblefield, a relative of Peter Stub1~eIfie1d. As a child of five years or Ie~s, Elizabeth had to spin long reels five cuts a day, t pick seed from cotton, and cockle burrs frorri w~o1, and perform the duties of a house girl. Unlike the chores of Elizabeth, i~ir Smith had to chop wood, carry water, chop weeds, care for cows, pick bugs from tobacco plants. This little boy I~ad to go bareroot both suriiner rtnd winter, ~nd remembers the cracking of ice under hi$ hare feet. The day the mistress and ina~ter carne and told the slaves they were free to ~o any place they desired, LIrs . Smith s aTiother told her later that she w~s glad to be free but she hcd no place to go or any money to go with. Many of the slaves would notleave and she never witnessed such crying as went on. later Mrs. Smith was paid for working. ~he worked in the fields for wittel~ ai~ clothes. A few years later she nursed children for twenty.~five cents a week and ittels, but after a tin~ she received fifty cents a week, board and two dresses. She married Mr. Smith at the age of twenty. Mr. Sniith~s father rented e. farm and Mr. Smith has been a farmer all his life. The Smith couple have been married sixty-four years. Mrs. Smith says, and never a cross word exchanged. Mr. Smith and I had no obi. ldren . The room the writer was invited into was a combination bed~room and living room with a large heating stove in the centre of the small room. A bed on one side, S few chairs about the room. The floor was

189 184

Page 3 Henrietta Karvzowsld, Field Viorker Federal Viritei~s Project St. Joseph County District ~I South Bend, Indiana ~ ~ ) ~ ~ I ~ covered with an o.Ld patched rue. The only other rooni beside this room was a very small kitchen. The whole home was shabby and poor. The only means of support the f~ir~ily has i~ a government old a~e pension which amounts to about fourteen dollars a month. Their little shack is situated in the the center of a large lot around which a very nice vegetable garden is planted. The property belongs to Mr. Harry Brazy, and the old couple does not pay rent or taxes ~ they may stay there os long ~s they live, which is good enough for us, says TIrs. Smith. As the writer w~ s leaving lIrs ~ Smith said 1 like to ta 1k 3nd meet people. Come again.t AD:DB 9..1O~..37

Ex-slave, life story of Barney Stone. 190 185

Robert C. Irvin ~ob1e8V2lle, md. ~istriCt #2 3 EX~.SLAVE~ LI FE S TORY OP ~ ARI~X( STO1~~E Befere1~C~ Personal interview with former slave, Hamilton eo. This is the life story of Barney Stone, a hIghly respected colored ~ent1eman of Nob .esvi .le, Hamilton County seat/ Mr. Stone 13 near nintey-one years old, is in sound physical condition and still has a remarkable rnenory. I-le was a slave in the state of Ken.. tacky for more tlan sixteen years and a soldier in the Union army for nearly two years. He educated himself and taught school ~o col- ored children four ye ars b liowing the givil War. He s tudied in 1868, and has been a preacher in the Colored Ba~tist Faith for six- ty nine years, having been inetru~iental in the building of seven churches in that time. Mr. stone joined the K. of P. Lodge, the I.o.O.P. and Masonic Lodge and is still a manber of the latter. This fi ne old co bred man bas always worked hard for the uplift and advancement of the colored r ace and has accomplished much in this effort in the States of Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana. He, together with his preaching of the gospel, and his lecturing, has fol lowed farming. He now has a field of sweet corn and a fine, large garden, which h~ plowed, planted axxi tended himself and not a weed can be found in ither. He is the only ex-8lave now living in Hamilton County, the others all deceased, arid is one of three living m~ubers j~f Hamilton county G.A.R. the other two xnanbers eing white. Mr. Stone has given to the writer My Life s Story , which he desires to call it, and in this 8to~y he pictures to the reader,

191 186

Rolert C. Irvin Noble$Ville, Irxi. Di~ trict #2 sixteen years of hell a~ a slave on a plantation,1 a story which will convince the reader t}at, even though much blood was ehed in our Civil War, the war wa~ a God8end to the American ~Tation. This story is told just as given by Mr. Stone. MY LIFE S STORY My naine is Barney Stone I wa$ born in slavery, May 17, 1847, in Spencer C unty, Kentucky. I was a slave on the plantation of Lem~ uel Stone )ail slaves bore the last name of their master) for nearly seventeen years aid was considered a leader among the young slaves on our plantation. M Marxzrny was mother to ten children, all slaves, and viy Pappy, Buck Grant, was abuck slave on the plantation of John Grant, hie Mastah; rriy pappy was uaed much as a male cow is used on t}:~ stock farm and was hired out to other plantation owners for that purpose and was regarded as a valuable slave. His Mastab permitted him to visit my mother each week-end on our plantation. My Mastah was a bard manwben be was angry, drinking or not feelIng well, th;~ri at times he was kirxl to us. I was compelled to pick cotton and do otherwcxrk vA ien I was a very ~nall boy. Mastah would never sell me because Iwas regarded as the best young slave on the plantation. Different from maiy other slaves, I Was kept on the plantation from the day I was born unti 1 the da~y I ran away, Slaves were sold in two ways, sometiix~s at private sale to a man who went about the Southlaid buying slaves until he has many in hie possession, then he would have a big auction sale and would re-sell them to the hig~st bidder, much in the same manner as our live-stock are sold now in auction sales. Professional slave buyers in those -2-

192 187

~jobert C. Irvin ~ ~ ~ Noble8Vjlle trxi iar~ -3- Di8trict #2 days were called unigger buyers . He c~eto the plantation with a doctor. He would point out two or three slaves which looked good to him and which uld be ep~ed by t~ o~er, and would ~ve t~ doctor~ examine the ~lave a heart. If tI~ doctor prenounced the slave as sound, then the nigger biyer would make a~i offer to the owner and if the amount was satisfactory, t1~ slave was sold. Sorr~ large plantation owners, hav ing a large number of slaves, i~ould hold a public auction and dispose of s orne of th ein, then he w u3~I attend another sale and buy new slaves, this wa~ done soiretinies to get better slaves apd sometimes to make money on the sale of theiii. Many tiiaee, a~ I have said before, our treatment on our plantation ~ was horrible. When I was just a sniall boy, I witnessed my sister aold ar~ taken away. One day one of horses came into the barii aril Mastah not Ic ed tha t she w as caripped . He flew into a rage and thought I had hurt the horse, eit}~r that, or that I knew who di~1 it. I told him that I did not ao it and ~ dernani ed that I tel . him who did it, if I didn t. I did not know and when I told him so he s ecured a whip tied me to a post an~ whipped me until I was covered with blood. I begged him Mastah, Mastah, please do n t whip me, I do not know who did it. He then took out his pocket knife and I would have been killed if ~58U8 (his dear wife) bad not make him quit. She untied me aid Cared for me. Many bas been the time, T have seen my mammy beaten mercilessly and fcu: no good reason. One day, not long before the out-break of the C lvi 1 War a n igg e r bi y er C arne and I WI tne s s ed my d ear Mammy and my One year old baby brother, 80 .d. I seen er taken away, never to see her again until I found her twenty-seven years later at Clarksburg, Tennessee. My baby brot~er was with her, but I did not know him until Mammy told me who be was, he had grown into a large man. That was a

193 188

~Robert C. IrTIfl No1~1 e SV il 1 e Inct an a Dj~trict #2 happy meeting. After those experience8 of 8ixteen long years in hell, as a slave, I was very bitter agair~t the white man, until after I i~n away and joined the Union army. At the out-break of the Civil War and when the Northern arniy was marching into the Southland, hui~reds of male slaves were shot down by the Rebels, rather t}~n see them join with the Yankee8. One day wh en I le aimed t }a t the North em tt~oops were very cl os e to our plantation, I ran away and hid in a culvert, but was fouzx~ and I would have been hot had the Yanl e troops not scattered them and that saved me. I joined Tha~c Union army ar~i served one year, eight mouths and twenty~-two days, ~nd fought with them 1h the battle of Port VJagnor, and also in tte battle of Milikin s Bend. When I went into the army, I could nftj~ read or write. The white soldiers took an interest in me and t aught me to wr I t e an d re ad a r~ when t he war was ov er ~ Co u .d write a very good letter. I taught what little I knew to colored chi1d~n after tha ear. I studied day and night for the next three years at the home of a lawyer, educat&ng myself and in 1868, I started preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and have continued to do so for sixty-nine years. In that time I have been instrumental in t}~. buidling of seven churches in Kentucky, Tennessee and Irdiazz~. I did this good work through grate. fulnees to d for my deliverance and my salvation. During my life, I have joined the K. of P. Lodge, and 1.0.0.3 . and Masonic Lodge. I have preached for the up-life and advancement of the colored race. I have accomplished much good in this life and have raised a family of eight chiidrena I love and am loyal to my untry and bave received great coinpensaticn from my government for my services. I am in good heallh and still able t o w ork and I . am thankful to my GOd and my C ountry . -4..

Escape from bondage of Adah Isabelle Suggs. 194 189

(~ n ~ ~ sStorjes from Exa-Slaves k;~ ~ 5th District Vanderbur~h County I~auana Creel. . ~knong the interesting stories connected ~vith former slaves one cf the most outstanding ones is the life story of Adah Isabelle Su~gs, indeed her escape front slavery planned and executed by her anxious nother, Harriott MoClain, bears the earmarks of fiction, but the truth of all relatedoocurences has been 9tabljshed by the aged negro woman and her daughter Mrs. 1-larriott iolloway, both citizens of Evansvil 1 e Indiana . ~ . before Born in slavery/January the twentys-cecorid, 18.52 the child Adah L~cC1ain ~ was the property of Colonel Jackson ~cClain nd Louisa~ his wife. According to the oustoniary practice of raising slave ohildrer~, Adah w~.s left at the negro qusrter~ of the L~cClain plantation, a large estate located in Hendereon county, three and one half miles frein the village of Henderson, Kentucky. There she was cared for by her mother. She retains many imiipressions gained in early childhood of the slave quarters; she remembers the slaves singing and dano. ~ together after the day of toil. Their voices were strong and their songs were sweet. L~ aster was good ta his slaves and iie~er beat them. were her words ooncern~ Ing her master. When Adah was not yet five years of age the mistress, Louisa MoClain, made a trip to the slave quarters to review oonditioia~ ofthe negroes. It was there she discovered ~ that one I ittle girl there had been developing ideas and ideals ; the mother had taught the little one to knit tiny stockings, using wheat straws for knitting needles. Mrs. I~icClain at once took charge of the child, taking her from her ~iother care and establishing her room at the residence of the ~iicClain family. Today the aged ~egro woman recalls the words of praise and encouragement acoor~ ded her accomplishments, for the child was apt, active, responsive to influence and soon learned to fetch any needed volume from the library shelves of the MaClain ~ home. I Escape from Bondage of Adah Isabelle Sugga. 189

195 190

Stones from Ex.-Slaves 5th District ~ Page 2. ~ ( Vauderburgh Couxity Lauana Creel . She ~s contented and he~ppy but the mother knew that much unhappiness inias in store for her young daughter if she remained as she ~s situated. A custom prevailed throu0hout the southern states that the first born of each slavo iriaiden should be the son or daughter of her naster and the gifis were forced into maternity at puberty. The viothers naturally resisted this terrible practice and ~arriott w~s deternined to prevent her child being victimized. One planned escapewas th~rted;whex~ the girl was about twelve years of age the n~other tried to take her to a place of safety but they were overt~ken on the r road to the ferry where they hoped to be put across the Ohio river. They were oarnod heck to the plantation and the mother was mildly punished and imprisoned in an upetair room. . The little girl knew her mother was imprisoned and often climbed up to a window ~there the two could talk together. One night the mother received directions through a dream iii which her escape via:~ planned. She told the child about the drean and instructed her to ~ carry out orders that they might escape together. The girl brought a large knife fro~n kirs. 1t~cClain s p~.ntry and by the aid of that tool the lock was pried from the prison door and the ~nother rade her way into the open world about midnight. 1A1 large tobacco barn became her refuge where she v~aited for her child. The fin had some trouble making her escape; she had become a useful and necessary member of her mistress household and her services ~re hourly in demand. The Daughter young IfliSSR8U Annie MoClain was afflicted from birth having ~ cleft palate and later developing heart dropsy which made regular surgery Imperative. The negro girl had learned to care for the young white woran and could draw the bandages for the surgeon ~whoy Young Mi~us underwent surgical treatment. ~ The memory of one trip to Louisville is vivid in the mind of the old negreas today for she was taken to the city and the party stoppe4 at the ault I~ouse and ~ :at~t; E8ca~e of Adah Isabelle Sug~.

196 191

Stories from Ex.. Slaves 5th District Escape of Adah Ise.belle Stt~g8. page 3. j 9iI~ Vanderbur~h County - Lauara Creel It was a grand place, ~ she declares, as she describes the surroundings; the handsome draperies and the vrinding stairway and other artistic objects seen at the grend hotel. The child loved her young mistress and the young mistress desired the good s1~ve should be always near her; 80, patient waiting was required by the negro r~other before her daughter finally rev.ched their rendezvous. Under cover of night the two ~ugittves traveled the three miles to henderson1 there they secreted themselves under the house of mrs. i~argaret Bentley until darkness fell over the world to cover their retreat. niagine the frightened negroes stee.lthily creeping through the woods in constant fear of bein~ re~ captured. Federal soldiers put them across the river at Henderson and from that point they cautiously advanced tourd Evansville. The husband of ~arriott, Mil~ tau 1~icClaiia and her son Jeror~e were volunteers in a negro regiment. The operation of the Federal Statute providing for the enlistment of slaves made enlisted negroes free as v~ll as their wives and children, 80, by that statute Harriott 1~Clain and her daughter should have been given their freedom. When the refugees arrived in Evansville they were 1~efriended by free negroes of the area. Harriott obtained a position as maid with the ?arvine family, ttMiss Eallie and IvIiss C-erievieve Parvine were real good folks, daclares the aged negro Adah when repeating her story. After working for the Misses Parvine for about two years, the negro mother had saved enough money to place her child in pay school there she learned rapidly. Adah licOlain was rn~rried to Thomas Suggs January 18, 1872. Thomas was a slave of Bill MaClain and it is believed he adopted the name Sugge because a I~r. Suggs had befriended him in time of trouble. Of this fact neither the wife nor daughter have positive proof. The father has departed this life but Adah Suggs lives on ~ith her memories.

197 192

Stories from Ex~S1afes 5th District Escape of Adah Isabelle 8u~g8. Vanderburgh County Lauaiia Creel Varied experiences have attended her ~way. Wifehood and devotion; ntotherhood and care she has known for she has given fifteen children to the world. Among theni were one set of bwins, daughters and triplets ~ two sons and a daughter. She is a belovqd mother to those of her children who remain near her and says she is happy iii her belief in God and Christ and hopes for a glorious hereafter where she can serv~e the Lord Jesus Christ and praise him ~ternally. . V~hat greater hope can be given to the mortal than the hope cherished by Adah 1sabelle Suggs? Lauana Creel 1415 S. Barker Avenue E ansville Indiana. Page4. ~ 92

"A tradition from pre-Civil War days." 198 193

Folki*n, : Dtettt t ~ 30174 \Tai4or thnj, Ccnnty, 1.93 Lrna 1M4. A Trwltflcn fr a Pnectvil ~r flays. BTh1LOcn~Zy s Kaits Sut toe aajod c-elan ~ c~t1c staot EVWISVLU. 4M. esssnaae Ssaaaamffi ~ a~a~ V tThit?e folks jeu zmture13~j different fr ~ dar kios. said Jtu~at Katie Buttai .ox af3,ftVe ~ ac she IQhtCZIOd her bonnet strings ualor her wrins kiodohin. s, ~ dif2orwit in color .in talk arxl in ligie ami beliefs. We s different in uvory vm~y sail atm never be apected to think oa to tivo alike. r3ienlvuealittiogcl ili~ttthr~athrincino1d1og bth. t,~ ~t1w Vize ~ to ne but ohs had to opeS so nich of hot Its at htttt!tn&; tAie t ~tto babies arid takini~ cure of thorn that ehe hardly strer ~ot to even o&r~ her own babies to sleep . s, ~ T~tasue o.nd Ytmk; i4~ t~3jj thS little slave children that the otork br ~ht the White btsbios to their r~thors but that the oisive children tRUt ail hatched out frctt buzzards c~ ttzxl wo believed it ~as true. n y~.1 TJ~ita 4 believes in evil spirite c~m2 that)i then isre r~ olke that eta ut opalin on y ~axx1 if n you Unit boitove it you had better be Oaroftti for there itro folks rijht hero bi t te t;ovn thrjt hure the ~~ ~r to bewitch you eS thon you viii never be happy t~bt. Aunt Katie dociared that the seventh s pf a seventh scn ~ or the s ieth caughter of a eecreath CIQUPJhtQr poecececo the P0 wer to heal diseases and that a child born after the . death of its father pots tosses a etr~x~e oat tmknova power. Tihiie Aurrt Katie was talkin(j ~ a neighbor cava tu to borx1~ a shovel fran he. s No~i ~1M.ed X never ian e ai*hin to~ neboay~. s~te deoisso

199 194

Folki1ore e District ~ 5. .. . .. . Vaix1 r~rcJi Cotm1~ ~ . . (2) Z&~Lafla Creel. A Tre~ILt~ t~ p~..ci41 War Days . 1&ft.z~ the now neighbor 1~ft Aunt Kat.io seid 1 ~~ho jes erbout wanted dat L~hovel ~o oho could hsix me. A wov~m ~ orrowed a pc~~er from r ~r mi&r~r and hexod ~T~Lrr~r by bendtw~ the pokor ~x~d ~rarriy (:ot all twisted up ~id rhuriatis twill her undo etrai~~htened do i.~oker wxi d~i~ ~.nny Lot ao etraQ~ht t ~.u ar~rbody . n ITo1MLLc~m, n6 ~ody w~thter taico ar~rth1n~ of mine out~n thia houee. Aunt i~atio ~uttoii t ~ voioe wu.s t~ un t~xxd her tune unoert~ In but she ro~on~oor. od sQI~ of the Bozx;e ehe he~~rd in al~tvor y da~~e . One wui a lullc~y aune by her riother ~iz~ the e ~j; is ~ on 3eparii~te pc~os of thiB artical. Three years a~o Atint i4atie wac called away on her lact jciurney although ~~}io had alw~ya e~roed the back eu~d front stop~3 of her cot taCo viith oh~rnber lye daily to keep a~rny evil spirite death crept ~n arid de!~T~1od the price each of u~ ~u~t pt~y and Batie arurworod the call. Aunt 1~atie apri~kled salt ir~ the foot printc of dep~trtin~ ~ioota t, Dat c ao dey kath leave ~i i2~lvi~U bolind em and can never coeno n~ n t ti~.out an invit~ition ahe o laiued . ~3he eaid aho io time pl~zited a tree YJIth a curse arid that 12er worst onery (iie~ that s~ year. t. . i~vil 8pirits croep~ arou2:~d all niGht Iwig axici evil people s alwaya abb to hox you So, you had best be careA~l how you tali~a t ~tranj~ors. iwsyEl spit on a. cob~ bo~ore You ~iveE it to a ~e~er ~nd dont ~Et8B too clo8e to a hunchbacked pcrsou unless ~ou cen rub the hui~ or you i~tU have bed luck as eure t~e ~nythin~, Aunt Eatte declaoed a rabbitte i~oot only i~rou~t ~oK1 luck if the rabbit Iu~4 been ~4ZZ.4 t~r a orose e~rea nei~ro ~ a untr~r ~ra~e yard in the th~rk of the r~oon arx~ shi matd tha1~ ehe believed ~me of that deecri tpticb *0U14 b f~n4 only orio in a ltL et~Laa or pou1bZ~ ~ huuired years,

"A slave mammy's lullaby." 200 195

olkiOrO 9 ~jctri~t :~ \~~~1 1 ~ )LirCh Count~j. ~ ~roo1 A Slave ~Wi~r e TA~11s~. 195 Sung by f&t~. Sutt . E~s1ave cd Evnne~rt11.~ In3~iar~. A ortOvz.~thitO ctoit flovt dovvxi fr ~ the s2 y~ i~ockabyS .rbrbsb4Tb~rsI ~2o take a ~by gal co fi.tr, To ~ouflC !~&~~R ~W~itiI~ thers j ~ ~1~3~t1 ~:til ~te c~U.tO~ as a i~ ob ~ae~ o bi~ fine hcueo. Refrain s Dat little gct~l ~c bornod rioh au ~r. She s do ~ fror~ out a ou~h tree j Tkit yct& aro joc a~i &t~ot to ~ ~ littlo coloir~d chil,~ J09 lay yo h ~~ upoei ~ broc j An, roe ar~1 roe t~n ras au ree . ~T Ltttl~ colored hil~. TO ~ c&b~n lu a ~ocdlan1 Urear ~ YOEt~ V0 CCt~O ~7 E~ Ifl1VT~J O he$~rt to oh~er; lxi t~1o oie E~lf~ e c*bin. Yc ur hEuxie rv }ic~ t strtni~a ~rabbinj ae~ laZ YOU? hOed tpcn :ry bree, ba cnu~ ~le u$~oee cxz res ~Lfl rOS I ~ ~:i little oolorod ch2le. Repeat i~efr~in. Yo dt.~ddy plour~he oie ~sea B ocirn. ~:o ~riy dooe the cooking M~i ! ~ LjVO di~tOI t hoi V~hon nobody is a looi~tnj Don t bo as1w~x1.rW chile C~L3o :;o~ ~t~s hatcho(~ rori ~j i1~tlo colored chile. I hunCry chile9 I IboC. E~ 1: t~Ufti~d c eCk; j R ~8~ht R~2r~iu.

Slavery days of George Thompson. 201 196

~ 19G Dist. ito. 4 Johnson Co. Slavery ijilliani ~. Mays 471 v~rords Aug. 2, l~37 SLAVERY DAYS OF GEOflGE TIiOI~SON As Told by him to the Writer. ~r naiae is Ceor~e Thompson, I was born in Monroe County, Kerit~zc1~r near the Cumberland river Oct & 1854, or~ the Manfred Furgeson plaiitation, who cwned about 50 slaves, Mister Fur~erson was a preacher ~nd had. three daughters and was kind to his slaves. ~ I was quito a small bo~ when our family, which inol~ded an older sister, was sold to Ed. Thoxnp&on in Medcalf Co, Ken1~uoky, vrho owned about 50 other slaves,, and as was ~he custom thox~ vie was given the naiae of our new master, ~T~IO~pSO~ . I was hardly twe1v~Po years old when slavery was abolished, yet I can renomber at this late date riost of the happonin~s as they existed at that tine. I was so young and unexperienoed when freed I remained on the Thompson plantation for four years after the war and worked for n~r board and clothes as coach boy and any other odd jobs around the plantation. I have rio education, I can neither read nor write~ as a slave I wa~ not allowed to have books. On Sundays I would cc into the woods and gather ginseng which I would sell to the doctors for from 10~ to l5~ a pound and with this money I would buy a book that was called the Blue Back Speller. Our rriaster would not allow us to have any books and when we were luc~r enough to ~i a book vie would have to keep it hid, for if our irnster would find us with a book he would whip us and take the book from us. After receiving three severe whippings I gave up and never again tried for any learning, and to this day I can neither read nor ir~rite. ~ Slaves were never allowed off of their plantation without a written pass, and if caught away from their plaxita.tion withot* a pass by the Pady.Rollers

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197 H~ ~ or G rillars (who wore a ~jan~j of ruffians) they wore wh~ped. As there were no oil lamnps or ca~idles9 another bI~ck boy arid myself wore stationod at the dinifl~ tablo to hold crease lamps for the white folks to ~ee to ~mt. And we would use brushes to zhoo away the flies. t In 1869 left the plantation to ~o on irr~r o~v~j. I landed in Heart Couxmty3 Kyo and went to work for Nr. George Parish in the tobacco fields at ~25~OO per year and two suits ofolothes;after working two years for r. Parish I left. I drifted from place to place in Alabama and 1~ississippi, wcrking first at one place and then another, and finalIT drifted into Franklin in 1912 and went to work on the Fred I~urry farm on xxxx Hurricane road for 10 years ~ I afterw ard.s worked for Ashy Fur~erson, a house mover. I have lived at m~iy present address, 651 North Youn ~ St. since comin~ to Frankith, (Can furi~ sh photograph if ~ranted)

Ex-slaves. Rev. Wamble, Gary, Indiana. 203 198

Archie Koritz, Field Worker Federa 1 ~Vriters Pro ject Porter County ~ District #1 1 ~ Valparaiso, Indiana :I~c~.SLAv~ REV WAMBL~ ~ GARY, INDIANA BIBLIOGRAPHY A ~ ReV Warable 1827 Madison Street Gary, Indians

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. ~ : 3 ~ I:) 58 Aichie Koritz Fie id ~1orker Pederal Writers Project Porter County District #1 1 ~) Valparaiso, Indiaii~t Rev Wamb le Gary Indiana Rel. Wazitbie was born a slave in Monroe County, LIl3Sissippi, in 1859. The Weatbrook family owned ninny slaves in charge of everseers who managed the farm, on which there were usually two hun.. dred or more slaves. One of the Westbroo daughters married a Mr. Wanible, a wagon-maker. The Westbrook family gave the newly-weds two slaves, as did the Wamble family. One of the two slaves coening frox~i the V les tbrook l ami ly wa s Rev W s grandfather . It seems that the slaves took the name of their master, henco Rev. Wamble s grandZather was named Warrib le. Families owning only a few slaves and in moderate circum.. stances usually treated their slaves kindly since like a farmer with only a few hor3es, it was to their best inte?est to see that their slaves were well provided for. The slave3 were valuable, and there was no funds to buy others, whereas the large slave owner~ were wea ithy a ni one slave more or less niade litt le difference. The Reverend s father and his brothers were ohildren of original African slaves and were of the same age as the Wamble boys and grew up together. The Reverend s grandfather was manager of the farm and the three Wamble boys worked under him the stirne as the slaves, Mr. Wainble never permitted any of his slaves to be whipped, nor were they mistreated. Mr. Weatbrook was a deacon in the Methodist Church and had two slave over seers to manage the farm and the slavea. He was very severe with his slaves and none were ever permitted to leave the farpia. If they d~~i leave the farm and were found outside, they were

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page2 Archle Koritz, Field Wo~Ice~. Federal Writers Pr~oject 2 )O Porter County ~ Di~t~pj~t #1 Va ipara so Indiana arrested and whipped. Then We3tbr ook i~vas notified and one of the over-seer5 would come and take the slave home where he wotdd again be whipped. The slave was tied to a cedar tree or post ani lash.. ed with a snake whip . S ~ ~_\~ ~ Tb , ~ Rev V~amb ~ mother wa ~ ~ Deerbrook s lave and when the Rev.x ../ end was two years of age, his riiother died from a miscarriage caus~ I ed by a whipping. When the women slaves were in an advanced stag~ of pregnancy they were ruade to lie face clown in a specially dug depression in the ground and were whipped. Otherwi4e they were treated like the men. Their arms were tied around a cedar tree j or post, and. they were lashed. Since the Reverend appeared to be s promising slave, both the ~Vestbrooks and the Wambles wanted him, much like one would want a valuable colt today. Since the Reverend s grandmother was a Westbrook and the Wambles treated the slaves much better, she wanted him to become a Wamble. She hid the child in a shed, what would probably be a poor dog-house today, and fed the child during the night time. Dux ing this period of his life the Reverend remembers what happened to one of the Westbrook slaves who had run away. One evening he came to the W~tib1e home and asked for some supper. Wamble took the slave into his home and after feeding him, placed a log chain which was hanging above the fire-place, around the slave s waist, J.ert him to sleep on a bench in front of the fire-place. The next morning after the slave was given breakfast by the Waxnbles, Westbrook, his son and over- seer appeared . Rev Vlamble in his hide-out remembers being awakened by ~ the sound of the slave being

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page 3 Archi e Korit z Fie ici Worker Federal Writers Project ~ ~. Porter County - District #1 Valpax aiso, Indiana whipped and the moaning of the slave. After the whipping, the slave was tu~rned loose, After he had gone about a mile through the bottom..land toward the river, Westbrook turned his hounds loose on the s lave ~ tracks. The houuds treed the ala~re before he bad gone another mile, much like a dog would tz~ee a cat. The ~Vestbrooks pulled the slave down from the tree and the dogs slashed his foot. The s .ave was then whipped and long ropes plac.. ed around him. He was driven back to the Wamble place vrith whips where he was onee again whipped. They they drove him two miles to the Westbrook place where he was whipped once more. Whatever be-i came ~~l the slave, whether he cU~ed or recoirered, is unknown. One unusu~1 feature of this story is that Westbrook who pe~nitted his slaves to be whipped, was a church deacon, whereas Wamble, who never attended church, never whipped or mistreated his slaves. The Reverend states that in the community where he resided the slaves were well treated except for the whippings they re ceived. They were well-fed, and if injured or siok, were attend ed by a doctor on the sanie principal that a person would care for ~3n injux~ed horse or sick cow. The slaves were valuable, and it was to the best interest of the owner to see that they were able to work. In case or slaves having children, the child~ en became the property of the mother s owner If the south had won the wa, Wax~ible would have been a Westbrook since his mother was a V estbrook slave, and if it lost, he would go to live with his father and take the naine of his father, a Wamble slave. So until the war was over he was hid out niuch like a small child would bring a stray dog home and hide it somewhere for fear that if his parents discovered it,

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page 4: ~ Archie Koritz, Field Worker Federal Writers Project Porter County ~ District #1 Va iparaiso, Incliaim it would be taken away. The 1i~ring quarters o1~ the slaves were made of logs covered with mud, arid the roof was covered with coarse boards upon which dirt about a foot in depth was placed. There were no floors except dirt or the bare ground. The furniture consisted of a small stove and the beds weDe two boards extending from two walls, the extending ends resting on a peg driven into the ground. This would make a one. ~legged bed. The two boards were covered across ways with more boards and the slaves slept on these boards or upon the dirt floor. There were no blankets provided for them. For food the slaves received plenty of meat, potatoes, and whatever could be raised. If the master bad plenty to eat, so did the slaves, but if food was not plentiful for the master, the slaves had less to eat. Only 011e of the three Wamble boys joined the southern army. Until the war was over, the other two boys who refused to go to war hid out in the surrounding woods and hills. The only time the Reverend s father left the farm was to attend hia master Billy, when he was in a hospital recovering from wounds received in battle. Wanible was a wagon-maker, and he made two or three wagons which usually took about six months~ Then he hitched toans to them and went north to Missouri Kansas and Arkansa s and kept ~ going until he had sold the ~ragons and teams, keeping one wagon and teaui, with which to return home. Some times the master would be gone for a period of nine to twelve months . During hi s absence the Reverend s grai~dfather was in charge of the Lam. The grandmOther of Rev. WambJ.e was a fuU-blooded African negro brought to this country as a s lave at seventeen years of

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page 5 Archie Koritz, I~ 1e1d orker Fedox~a1 Wrlterst Project 203 Porter County ~ District #1 Valparalso Indiana age. She was a very large and strong woman and was often h1~ed out to do a man s work. Slaves were ol bidden to ha ye papers In their po~~e~siOn and since they were forbidden to read papers, hardly any slaves could read or write. There never was any occ~s1on or need to do these thing$. It wa~ nct known that the Reverend!s grandmother could reaa and write uniil after the Civil War. The ?~everend remembers bi.s granthnother bringing an old r~ewspaper to his hide-.out during the Civil war, late at night, after the Warcible fan~1ly had retired, and making a candle from fried meat grease and a cord string, which made a very tiny light. She placed some old blankets over the walls so that no light could be seen tbrough the j cr~t eks in the hut She woi.tld then p la c e the pap er a s near a s possible to the light, without burning it, and read the paper. It was never discovered ~there or how she learned to read and write. If a young, good-.looking, huslq negro was trustworthy, the f~unily would make him the driver of the family carriage. They would dress him in the best clothes obtainable and with a silkfinished beaver skin hat. The driver sat on a seat on the top ~nd towards the front of the carriage. He was compelled to stay on this seat when waitifl~ for any of the faniily that he might be driving, regardless of the weather o~ the length of time that he had to wait. The mail was carri~ed in the same kind of vehicle with negro th ivers. In each town there was a certain rack at which this mail carriage would stop in each village or wherever the designated stop was made. Upon nearing the rack and cbt~iing to a stop, the driver would blow a bugle call which could be heard for miles around, and people hearing this bugle would come and get their mail. The

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page 6 Archie Koxitz, Field Viorkei~ Federal Writer$t Project ~ ~ Porter County ~ Dist~1ct #1 ~ Va iparal so Indiana Reverend remeniber~ that several of these drLvers froze to death I durixi the cold weather, and that in the winter, many times the j horses on the mail carriage upon coining to this rac ~ would sto~~f and the driver would be sitting frozen to death In his seat, J Men would take him down, carefully saving the silk beaver- ( skin hat for some other driver. ) Since the slaves had no votes, they had. no interest in politics when they became free and knew nothing about political conilitions other than that after the Civil War they were free and had a vote. As a boy the Reverend remembers seeing the white and black soldiers marching on election day. The politicians would always tell the negroes what was good for then and making it appear that it was for their best interest, and they should vote for him, always giving them the desert first and making them think that they were on the level no matter what the meal might be or what hardships they were causing the negro to suffer. On one instance after the negroes were forbidden to vote they marched in a body to the polls and dem~anded a Democratic ballot and were then per~nitted to vote. Rev. Wamble was twenty-seven years of age before he saw and read his first newspaper. He lived with the Wambles for twenty years after the war, when his father. then in partnership with another man, purchased forty acres of land. He attended his first school for a period of two months only in 1871. In 1872 the government built a school on hi~ father s farm and it was taught by a mission ary. The school term wa s for a period of three months each year. The Reverend attended this ~ohool for seven years. In 1880 ho married the first time. His first wife died in

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page 7 Archie ICoritz, Field Worker . Federal Wrltcr3 Project ~ Porter County District #1 ~ Va lparai so Indiana Memphis, Tennessee, in 1888. By this marriage there were four ohi1c1rer~. On Fe ruary 1, 1892, the Reverend with his two survivin~ children all entered school at a collage in Little Rock, Arkan- ) $98. One of his daughters died in the third year of her school year, but the other graduated from the Normal School and was ~ teacher for several years. At the present time she is married to a minister in Louisiana and is the mother of ten children and is a nurse. The tb.ree oldest children have degrees and the others are expected to do the same. The Reverend married his second wife in 1894. She died in 1907. By this marriage nine children were born. The Reverend has been in the ministry for thirty-~seven years. Seeing the need of making more money, two of hi~ sons came to Gary, Indiana, to work in 1924. Now both are working in the post-office. Two years later he came to Gar~y for the sanie reason and after working two years in the coke plant, was laid off due to the depression. The youngest daughter of the Re~rerend by his second marriage graduated froru a college in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and Is now teaching in New York City. Although the Reverend is advanced in years, he is quite active and healthy. He says he has a small pension and is ~just waiting until it is time to pass on to the next world. He has six children and seventeen grandchildren living. As the Reverend remembered the south, none of the white people worked at manual labor, but usually sat under a shade tree. They were usually clerks, bookkeepers or tradesmen. AD:DB 9 21 37

The biography of a child born in slavery. 211 206

~ ~ 1~:~() ~ V~.~derburgh County ~ Lauana Creel The Biography of a Child Born in $lavex y. Samuel Watson, a citi~,en of Favansvi1J.e~ Indiana, was born i.n Webster County, Kentucky, February 14, 1862. His master s home wa~ located two and one half miles fror~ Clai, Kentucky on Crtborohard Creek. . ~tUfl~1O Sa1TnV~ as the negro children living near his home on South East Fifth Street cctli the old mans posse~es an unuaua~7ciear memory. in fact he remembers sec in~ the soldiers and hearing the report of ~~nnon while he w~s yet an ~ infant . ~ One story told by the old negro relates how old inissus se.ved old massa s horses . The story follows: The mistress accomranied by e. number of slaves was ~lking out one ~ and all were startled by the sound of hurry~r~ horses. Soon rn~.ny mounted soldiers could be aeon coming over a hill in the distance. The child Samuel ~as later told that the soldiers were rni~kin~ their way to Fort Donelson and were pressing horses into service. The~r ~were also enliztir.g negroes into zerv ce whei~ possible. Old master, Thomas Watson, owned many good ab1e~.bodied slaires and. many 8plend~d horses. The mistress realized the dari~er of loss and o~enin~ the big gate that separated the o~r~l~ fro; the forest 1~ndz, ~s. Watson ran into the midst of /\ the horses shouting and frailin~ them. Th~ frightened horses ran into the for~ est off the highway and toward the river. When the soldiers stopped at the ~tson plantation thc~y found only a few old work horses standing under a tree and not desiring these they went on their way. ~ The little negro boy ran and h~d himself in the corner made by a great out side chimney, where he waS found later, by his frightened mother. Uncle S&muel re~ members that the horses came home the folio ~i1ng afternoon, none missing. Uncle Samuel remembers ~then the war ended and the slaves were emancipated. Some were happy 1 and seine were sad L ~y dreaded leaving their old. homes and their masters families. Uncle Samuel s mother and three children were told that they viere free people and the master asked the niothe r to take her little one s and go away. ~ s~ ~oomp~ied and tookher family to the plantation of Jourdain Je~nes, hoping I

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-g1~ves Stories ~ page 2 . 2ff 5th District ~ Vanderburgh County The Biography of a Child born in Slavery. Laue~ii~ Creel . t.o work and keep her fa~ra1y together ~ Wages received for her work failed to sup~ port the mothe r and children so she le ft the empi oy of ~r ~ Jams s and w~rked from place to place until her children became half starved and ~without clothing. The older children, reme,therin~ better and happier days, ran a~way from their ~1x~Ext~x mother and vi~nt back to their old master. Thomas Watson .vent to DIxon, Kentucky and had an article of jndenture dra~xi UI) binding both Thomas and Laurah to his service for a 1on~ number of. yeare. Little S~rriuel only rem~ned with his mother ~tho took him to the home of William Alien Price. 1~r. Price~s plantation was situatedin Weh~ter County, Kentucky about ha1f~~r between Providence and Clay on Craborchard Creek. Mr. Price had the little boy indentured to his service for ~ period of eighteen years. There the boy lived and worked on the plantatioii. He caid he had a good home among good people. His master save him five real whippings within a period of fourteen years but tlnole Samriuel believes he deserved every lash administered. Uncle Samuel loved his master s fa~r~.ily~ he speeks cf Miss Lena, kj58 Lula, ~ ~aster Jefferson and 1~aster John and believes they are stilL alive. Their present home is at Cebra, Kentucky. I-b ~was the custom for a:slave indentured to a master to be given a fair education, a good horse, bridles saddle and a suit of clothes for his years of ~ but ~tr. Price did not believe the boy deserved the pay and refused to ~pay f him. A,~~c yer friend sued in behalf of the negro and received a judgenient of e~ll5.oo (one hundred and. fifteen dollars). Eighteen dollars repaid the lawyer for hi s . service amid Sairtuel started out ~1th $95 .00 and his freedom., ~vansville becsthie the home of Samuel Watson ixi 1882. The trip was made by train to Henderson then on transfer boat along the Ohio to F~va~asviile . The youn& negro ~an i~s ~pressed by the boat and crew amid ~aid he loved the : . town from the first glun~pse.

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I page. 3.2O~ Ex..Sl~ve Stories ~ 5th District Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel The Bio~ra~hy of a Child Born in Slavery. Dr. Baccn,a prominent citizen living at Chandler ~.venue and Second Street,, employed Samuel as coachman. His next service was as house. m~,n for Levi Igle.. heart, 1010 Upper Second Street. Mr. I(2lehe~rt grew to trust Samuel and gave him many privileges allowing hini to care for horses and. to iimnage business for the faraily. Samuel was married in 1890, His wife was born in Evansville end kne~ nothing of slavery by birth or indenture. Uncle Samuel ~s given a job at the Tririty Church, corner of Third and Chest.. Streets. i~ir. Igleheert recommended hirn for the~ position. He received ~3O.OO month for his s ~rvices for ~ i~eriod of six years. !~r. 1~cNeely employed him for several years as janitor for lodges aiid secret orders. The old negro w~s also a paper hanger and wall cle~nor and did wel). un~ till bhe panic seized him as it did others. Uncle Samuel was entitled ~o an old c~ e pension which he recieved frein lS~34 until 1935 but January 1~5th~ l~36 something went wrong and the money was with held. Then uncle Samuel ~s sent to the poor house. Still he was not unhappy and did What he could to make others happy. In 1936 he again appliedand rec ived the pension. $17.00 per month is paid for his upkeep, his only labor consists of tending a little garden and doin~ light chores. 11e lives ~with Willlam Crosby on S. E. Fifth Street, Laua~~a Creel 1415 8. Barker Avenue Evansville Indiana.

Story of Nancy Whallen. 214 209

l3010b IRIS L~ COOK ~ ~TCIk~Y 2()9 DI~~ rHiCT # 4 Fi~O~~i) COUNTY sToi-~Y UF NAN~JY ~ 11&LLEN F~cfer~noo. t~ ~anoy ~ial1en, 924 rearl Lt., New A1b~iny, i~d, B. vbaervation ot the Y~riter. Nancy ~hallen i~ flow about 81 years of age. ~he doesn t know exactly. She was about 5 year of age when Freedom wasdeclared, ~~ncy ~qas born ~ind raised in Uart C unty near iiardinsburg, ~entucky. ~3he i~s very hard to talk to as her nie~nory is failing and she c~ not hear very ~eI1. The little negx o girl lived the ut~uaI lifeof a rural negro in ~ Civil ~:ar Time and aftarwaJbds. She rc~einbors the ~ojers corning t~u tne place and aektn~ for food. 3omc of them canped on the farm and talked to hex and tea8ed her. She toila about one big nigger c~11ed ~3~ott on the pince who could outwork all the othor8. Howould hang hifi hat and shirt on a tree limb and ~iork all Uay long in the b1a~~ingsun on the hottest Th. colored 0 1 Ice used t o have revivals out in the woods . They would sornetirne8 bi.UId ~ aort of brush shelter w~ith leaves for a root w:~4 service e would be held here. Proachin aM shouting sometimes 1*ated all d~y ~unda~rsa COlored folks *amo from miles around ehen thsy po~sib1~ could get away. Thee. affaira wore . %teually hild awai troi* th whit tOlk$N ~ seldom if e~ver saw theis 8~th$2 1n1$

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o ~ ~ t ~ ,.1 ~ I IRtS C~)Oi~ Di~:~PRICT ~ 4 FLOYD COUNTY N~1NCY WHALLi~N The old woman remembers the Big Eclipee of the sun or the Day of Ua?k a8 she culled it. The ohiokena ail went to roo~b and the darkies all thcn~ght the end of the world had corne. The ~attie lowed and everyor~o ~vas .cared to death. ~e lived dovtn In i~nt~ucky after the War until she was quite a young wOrnufl arid then cun~e to Indiana where ahe has lived ever since. 3hei I iv e s n ow wi t h he r ~a ught er in New Al bariy.

Interview with Anderson Whitted, colored ex-slave, of Rockville, Indiana. 216 211

( : ~ park Counts E~nil Uob~oxi 9. ~ special ~sci~ni~ent ~)ist. ~. p~ . I flt(~rvici wi~~h ~der~ou ~Ihitt~d, colored o~&laire, o~ Rockvillo, incUana. ir. ~thittod will to U9 years ala ~ ~onth1 October 1D37. lie was born in )ran~e ~ow~ty, North Caro~.i~a. ~iis raother took care of the white ~ni 4rer~ i~o h~r ni,no chIldren Were Yery well trec~ted. The master was a Doctor. Tho fan~Iy w~,re Hickory ~uakers and did not belIeve 1~rt mistreating their c1~vcs, r~lia~c jruii.dth:~ Ui~i. ~ wi. Li. p1~ .~y to eat, and clothing to wear to church ou ~ . I~:o8pit(~) a law that prohibited books to ne~roes, his fw~1ui:! ~ ~ a BlUe, a~~d an e1~i~itary spel1i~ig book. 1~ir. Whitted~ s father l;~?ongo~1 to hi~ i~a~ ~rtc l:ali~.s~rothor end lived fourteen miles away. ~ie w~s a11o-~ied ~ horGo to ~o s~e t1io~i every ~ o i~reeks. The father oot~ld rt~ad, aiid spell ~r~ry w~i1, ~io would, teach them ort his visits. ~ir. \Thitted iearnGd ~o r~d ~ ~31b1t~ ~irst, thon i~ lator yoars bas learned to read o-~hcr thi:iL~. ~ ~ ~ ~ ton for the u~stcr to aearch the negro hut;s, b~t i~:rw T1tit~ed u r~a~ter i~over did. The Doctor often took ~ir. Uhit{;ed r~ ~r~u~cktother with him to help care for the ic~c. ~hOn th~ war broke out t~e ~a~tor a son joined the southern fo?oe s. The son w~&c wouxide~i, Thc~ Dootor ~md i~, i~Ihitte4 s grandn~ot~er went for the boy. On the way home the Doo~or died b~tt the ~ ~raridxaother got the boy home and nureed }~j~ ~ to healths Ufe f~r the negroes was ditferer~t after the ~ bo~aiL tuzinin~ the place, he w~s not good to theia. Mr. Whitted was then 36 y~rz old, ~id th~ older brother was the overseer. The negroes ht~c1 been i~1i.owed a ahare ~ of the crops but t1~e new master rew. ti~sed i~e~ an~r4~i~tng to :14xe on. ifl thf~t 1G~iOU the wheat was ~rT..~ate4 the aiddle cEt June. There wae a big orop tht~t year, bu~b the entire fa~Li1~ ~*F1 turn d out b tore 1~he barv~st,. with ~ 3~r, W)$tt d ~ett hie j4 i~ ~ Iri~L ~ ~ ~z~d th* *bU41?~Xt *it~UIfl~ b~ the ~ ihfle

217 212

~2 hO ran. tltk3 14 miles for his father to fi.~d out !that to d0. The father borrowed t~,o toar~ ~uid v a~o~s, rented a h01480 ill the edge (~f to~ztt, azLd novod tno fe~aily Li. Tho slaves were tread abo~.t t~af tix~e, ~i~d for the first time i~i Uieii~ lixes they ~rore free, and the e~~tire faz~iil~r together. The father vre:it to the ~ov~ernoi for food. The gover~mont ~ia8 allow Ing hard tack ~uid p cl;lecl beef l or the negroes. Tlwy re eivod ~iietr allo~riciat, ~nd were well ~atic~ioa ~jt~ hard tack Leuause they were free. in tt~llii~ aLout tL~c p~i~k1oc~ beef he ~a~s he rzev~r h~s seen ~y:r l~~f ~C4~4 ;1~a~ looked liko it; ho ~1jeyou that it ~rae horee mea~:. The f~&;ier ~thrtod wor~i~ig lii a UIi11 in 1~3~5~ 1e ~ soon briii~~in~ hoi~ae f~c ~d ~t~ff froi~ ~ iore, c~n1 in ti~ie t~ .ey had a crop on thoir li tl~ place. ~:ho u1tor :~ro iJ~o~ ~ I:~i ~~LLZ~ 1OLU~~3 ~i%LtA1 W~1i tO a ~1.Laker ~orina1 ~thool i~i ~e ~ftei ~oo~, Prw;, 1.~arrLs~~i dave hi ~ ~n appotrLtu 3rlt In th~ rovenuc th~partuer~t, t~ :eii a~ he grew older he was tr~ui~rerr~xi to t~e po~it o2~ice dopc~i ti~io~ 11e ~tat~ r~tireU on a pension at the ~ of /5. He is ~til1 1iv ~ In V~i~i~tori, D. C., ~i i~ flow 17 y(~t~3 o:Ld. 1~)urin~) t/Le viar ~r. ~ ran *~ray, going 12 rai los ~o the ca~rtp of the nortiit~. n ~oldi~r~, whore ho ~a~-od two weeks, They cave hir.~ ~ ~urs~ ~Q r1i~, ar~ ~ hua g~tk~ rin~ fuel ~hrouigh the vtoo~ic for tieri. Th~~ wore t1~c iLappi~t ~ h~ had. ever lc~wn hiE;, first freedori. i~r. ~hittod w&s novor sold, but h~ often c,~w procesrioris ~o pa~t after c~ ~lc; t~ w~o~ loaded with proviido~is flrt~t, then the sltwes U,ed toGether fol1owin~ They often took the b~b1es aw~ froza their rn~t~iers1 aiid sold ~them. :~oi~3 old woman, too old to work1 would thon care for the little oxie~ until they were od enou&1 ~o ~ At aix y a~vs old ~.y w.*~s ~ to work t~irming

218 213

1 ~ oorz~, worL~iin~ the tobacco, and pulling ~~eed~ ~t ~.ven t3!~ y Werl taught to U30 & hoe, At 16 they were full hands, working alonE with the older ~nen, I In april 1880 IUr~ b.hittod left Orange County, Lt was so very rough lt was hard to znake a liviag. i~ie just t~tartet out tn ~eaz oh of. a ~.tt~r place, leavi~ hiz wife ~ud seven ohiJ4re~i there~ in Nover~iber h. sent for thea, he w~ia wc~rkin~ at tho brick yards in Rockville. They weru firi~hii~ the court house, ~te wa~ ~o ar~xioue to nake a livin~~ ho often did as much as two neu, One ohild ~as born hsx ~. ~~i6 wife died sooii after ~o~ing~t~ Rocicville. 11e st~y* od ~in~le for three years, but found he eo~ld riot care for hie :~ anily and n~arricd a~ii~. Hi~ ~eoor~d wife cUed a ni~xabor of yearz a& o. Re now spends the winters with hi~ three ii~u~g ~taughtere, and duz~i1ig the ~3ux~iu~er i~ont~, b. &~u~hier ~orne~ to I~~oc~viile to iijoy ~ homo. ~ . ihr. ~hitted & unc1~ ~e1c~e~ tc~ a ~ i~a~ter. Th8 ~ worked harc~ all ci*~y, thon w~re cha~nec together at rJ~t. Ph. uncle ran sway in the az ly part of the ware ~ ~ ~O ycare broke throu~}.i the ~ a~id joi~e~ the northern 6xw, coi~ back after e~ancipati ~n. 213 . . .

The story of Alex Woodson. 219 214

r,i$t.*. 130107 F~Isn Zt*ry, 214 rl,yd C*, irte Coa. ~ The flor y t Uts oodsGn. q0f, t.%~ t3sds*1%. 9% ! 4th ti~ &1b~tny1 lad. Otasnsttcrn of 7?rttn, ~ t*x ~1rad$on te an old 1t~ at~ra1 ~ ht la*ks to 1* btWS*fl&7SM35gttt$h~fl t flhtRftfl.,ftt4Qfl%ofl4c i*$ t~4i~ everdn know theft catnct ag*~ I vtettsd Pits in his ilttL* oet%t e and ~ S 1~rt~~: talk flth ht arid his wits ( its saM) 4PjijntM t~ tust ors~0 Thsy run a t Lttie fl O**fl tn the ~ fro rit too or the efltaj~ ~. ~. ut the Stock wan nully run dota, ?sflther ~tth thb ltttt. storm nntt bU 0ptnathun0 (atd aj~. p n*tDn) thna old fGlke ~nam to p~et &Iott~, - ttld* *cGcltflt waa b*z9~ at !;~c deo.rwt11*, In ~ 4rt J :~unty~ i*ntaet$, Just seven nan liver tram ?luntndville. He vas a ~ et ~a4 my, ~onibly T ysaira or ~on vina ~rnad3s Wut ~se.lweC. fir mas%*r ne 0fl14 ~sraC ~t~rrett who ~ Md about rs ~OO acre pLace end ehOEn ton ta isa ~ t? tiltarna ran ft utero in this p3*0* .. WMn flUSs rant*~t ~tsrntta datvd~r ht wtn ~tnn Unela ALex aM hie mother aM beott~ar an a ;.~reetnt, ~t1tt~e was thbn kn wn sa ~tMn~. Sinter0 When ~ carne 014 ~&astar 8~fl hie (!iad*Gds) mflbor s Mg ~fl et bUis, ~ nsnbacU se bt~ a ~LO ant ~ to knp tr !4a, aid ne toteM to teav th nstghborlv 4. After the war the old dann nturAM the t)t*7 ts Ma ntarnt. u.~Ii. liez rrnesbers hie mother tMLt n~ hta aM Gthflr ehildnn *114 flZE1fltfl~ ~ the rtnr baSt sad ~tdtng t) the nds eU ~1S when the aoliten osas. Thfl van $~*otgan e ~ end tot sU. anUs able estttaaM haven ta the vtethtty aM best the icoode toCfln fet ~ e44ten, anale AISE Mid h ie t:~efl~n at s dt .~ Sn . his big brntii. sad h~t eus eben s *t~h4 five bnkn.

220 215

F . 215 3~~tnttaa tb : fl~fl estdien *1*214 eose rUftt~ *1GM aM y they 0t*ok thtn~js tn . tan Ui. Sat na nu ~j ~iekr cm. b** t2G1~ aM Lbs r ~tfl, c )flttnu*d to tWs on at the pis** u usual, Iscept tsr s fa tln.t nnti~d to ~o !$flh. 314 ~afl*r 1tv~ tu a ~tsst big heufl wtt!~ till Me fl~zutiy sM tbn neprc t Itied in snether gsed ataM hcnas or ~usrters1 oil ZQ~!stha r, Th*P rare n tetv o&::lns, s . ~sirb cu* *. ~y n rthors used t !amn irs, yes ss , we U42 i~ojka n:#uid ccc* tor etlin aroun5, ~44 r~Mst whole hsttgs and ~.#un, arg Falke nuid etn~, arM ~rtt ~rn4. ctrin~ whi k y, ~ b~ whIte tgke ha6 n but we het:*d an4 hnd fun too, so~eUa~a w. w ~ }tave orte iurrMIneC 4L~St4 to have rail er~1Itttn ~ and wiod chopptns, tin ian r~ud ark ~Ui dsy~ and ~mt e~ pile et rood n ~tg as a lutin, it iteon they d $ttp anti **t ~ bt ~ ~MWSi th*t th wt~n folks bU rtatd up for crnt, Them int: acne tIntes, T n flMlnt to QAfly a on .~~ si te~rabe~ we ut *i to ~ to vedette tnetthes1 dawn near MOrG ~ awe. t~ve7bod . y *t n1i~flon ami n shore had soai tt~s ~ , 4~n t bain US~ Ktr4 G? tinee any m~n, ! rt*abn Z iumt bask 4011% tO Ofl cf th*8S ravivain y sfl stter7ntde. ~* t at the toits t ~ue4M. %~ luniv w~M d &tt OE? (~fl*, :2t~ preaaher ma&~ Se ast up trtmt with 14m aM M tned me tG prnth to the to1~s. F~ut t MS that ~ God hadn t aSs ~s th ~t a~&y and I va*44n % de tt,~ t $n nw Abn&sn tino inh cain aany a tu. .. wten z na z.t at tt:;~ 0* S ~ 1* btU0 and t t been to the cprIa~ und.r the hIll iota 3f tial, ~he h usS na on the Od ~tionai flsa than, t 1~w U*? fl flz~4 lt ati up m&iv, X tan ~ t baa th*I* fer flan .. ~ ~ . Alte t1M ~w when X .~p~MsrM up I aairrtst, and att4ed on tba 114 pLu~.~ t fl~~bW ttl* MU7 US X ~fl basS .. it s ti V~P %PMte

221 216

21(3 !t~ aunkin ntg~sr fr3m down near P~orn Cave soi4 rn a. mule, riait n~uie w*a 3est matcMrly tn ount. fle enuid lay rt~ ht cRetin ta Uts r~:i ~, 44 1ai after ~ h~4 efliced flth him and trt*d t~ g t his t~) ~ Pk rtght1 T rot ~nad. I ~ to ~y wtf ~ i3etLS~ 1W, Fiotat t pst rttt of thnt imite U I hiure to trMe tas for a eat, ~ n z his ott, Then ! cone izok t hsd another nuls aM ~15 so boot, ~htm mule ~3hS ~nEt ahorn flt.. ~ny but flen Z fAtt rM~4 her up tyroU ~ tu~n ;~ncw,n her, t.:tnally ! left the ola piac~ and ~o c3r~a north to Pttana. ~e ~stt1e4 here ra~3 ~ n b ~en hare for ~Q y~ar~ nt.:~aurt, I worked tri the old ~ ot1tn~ ..~ili, ~4 ~ been cm ~)fttcet )n the ~apttet Church at 3r4 ~ ~ tth tar 41 ~7e~trn.t* ~Q j ba1~ave tn r~hont~ (~erc~ ~it~ eccJnd wits ~sve a ~mtf fi ~ u ~~a aa~ :t ion t bellen tn ~hoetn but I tic th ~ptrtSa. (andothsr dtsruetad ~ntft ffl~. the eac~M r~.fe) I w,g~jr )fl ttrne jest ttfter t~~y firr~t v~.fe dIed T ~ tui.c~ nttttn ri~t tri that ohatr your aittin th fl3W. 1~ front ciior a~ertod and In tUX3S a b1~ obt ~~rey nijt 0 and ~i dtd&t tune no j3r y r~u1a, tri nt* csThO just ~D Uki, put o~r* foot c3oir; n low0 w4 then the ot!wr, ard then the other I 8*71 7%ite p~5~ cast Of ~no~ .:ou ~n r~.3tn t!~r)ur~h that t1oor~ sun na yours boni, th:t out ~ den th4e looked at rue esdellite aM then jUSt dise1 sand, i~t tn tto place was py first vztfe, In the cloths thi ~as t~urte4 to, ~ he cane u5:~ to r~ ~nd t. put .~t7 5fB ~airsutd her, I~Ut t c )utdfl t Thai nothtn (another entft fna the es. ~ wtts~ snd t ntyS1 :...abe, tthat you rant$7 Then she started to tflt littler aM littler mid laser SM flnai.iy nit rtr$it actsy thr ~n ~ tip~ the floor, it wie her spIrit theta that It ansj (0ras Asia the 0504M elfe.,) ~Ansther ties Bb oS tS se by tIwes *nflke ~4 fl tflt tq

222 217

sM $3 ap on artother be~ ehst tt na batte s1o.ptrt*.* ~- ~t luts to go bask down ta itantuoky sa vtstk as the talkS thera set t~ka a thtn~~ te b8 and. vtflloa, Re. th*y an as at tah nut ann ~ a drthk of ntsr nay. 0irta m un ~iooa ~ot ~ u~ and ~ay wtts h.n~ ra what any M eUty d two menthe, ~se 5 feet tn thU h~,ues9 and. tt R rear ets in h~orn a~tn, n ra &~oin thwn Ut t~ ntufly aM never ocetn Mok tu~ t~t3fl.9 Th nia ~an #!snd hta ~tte b7r ed cas nit the tnnt 4Gev ;rtd ans *4 ~ta to one beck ~s~atn and ~e sd t~Th some ~iwe about G34 %tmfl.