Slave narratives, a folk history of slavery in the United States from interviews with former slaves. South Carolina Narratives, Volume XIV, Part 4: a machine-readable transcription.

Mary Raines. Ex-slave 99 years old. 004 001

Project #1655 w. W. Dixon jo Wjmieboro S C u J ~J ~J J ~ .~ I MARY RAINES EX SLA~VE 99 YEARS OLD Mary Rainee ia the oldect living person, white or black, in Fair. field County. If ehe survivee until next Decexi~ber, she will have attained her century of years. She lives with her widciwed daughter, Fannie MoCollough, fifty-seven years old and a ~ on, Joe Raines aged 76 years They rent a ~y~j. room frame house, on lands of Mrs. Saille Wylie, Chester Couxity, S. C. Joe, the son, is a day laborer on nearby farms. Fannie cooks for Mrs. W. T, Raines. Old Mcther Mary, has been receiving a county pension of $5.00 per month for e everal years. How old would blar~e William Woodw~u d be if he hadn t died befot I gwine to die? A hundred and twenty, you 8ay? Well, dat s bout de way I figured ire age. Hi~i was a nephew of blarse Ed, de Lust Marse Ed P. blobley. llu~L 8&~T d*t when him come twenty. one, old marster give him a birthday dinner and ~vite folk8 to it. Marne Riley Mc~etor, from Winn boro, S. C., wae dore a flyin round my young mietrees Mie e Jiariett Mar~o Riley wae a young doctor, ridin round wid eaddlebage. While they wae all settin down to dinner, de young doctor have to git up in a hurry to go see fl~T XJ~JTtt~T Left his plate piled up wid turkey, nice dreasint, rice and gravy, candy tatoes, and. apple n~rma1ade and cake De wine canter was a settin on de hogany sideboard. All dis him leave to go see n~.imny, who was a squafli& lak a passle of patarollers (patrollers) was a layin de lash on her. When de young doctor go and come back, hiu~ say as how ~ n*i~ny done got all right and her have a gal baby. Then him saydat Marse E~, his uncle, took him to de quarter where maim~r was, look me all over and say: Ain t her a good one? ~&zst weig~t ten pounds I a gwine to na~ dia baby for your ~ma Willia~a.

005 002

s Tell her I name her, ~ry, for her, but I ispects ao~ folks ll call her t Polly just lak they cal . your i~ma, Folly . I was a strong gal, went to de field when I s twelve years old, of cotton, long wid de grown ones and pick my 150 pounds of I wasx~ t scared of de cows they s et me to milkin and ChUrniU . Dat took me out of de field. House servants bove de field ser- days. If you didn t git better rations and things to eat in de house, it was your o~n fault, I tells yoni You just have to help de chiflun to take thin~a and while you dom dat for thema, you take thii~s for yourself. I never eaU. it atealin . I just call it takin de jams, de jellies, de b18cuits, de butter and de lasses dat I heve to reach up and steal for them c~hil~lun to hide way in deir little atommtchea, and me, in my big belly. When Joe drive de youw~ doctor; Marse Riley, out to see Mise Harriett, while ~rse Riley dein his courtin in de pe.r~or, Joe was dciii his courtin in de kitchen. Joe was as sm~rt as de nex one, Us n~de faster time than them in de parlor; us beat them to de mr~rriage. ~.rse Riley call it de altar, but Joe always laugh and say it was de halter. Many is de time I have been home them sixteen chillun, when him was a gallavantin round, ami I wished I a got a real halter on dat husband of mine. t, I t 1on~s to de Gladden e Grove African Ma~,thodist Piscopal Church. Too old to shout but de great day is oomin vthen Pli shout and sing to de music of dat harp of 10,000 strIngs up yonder. ~i& Wo&t dat be a joyful day, when dose old aiim bones gonna rise again. (Then the old darkey became auf- fused in tears, lapsed into a sileuoe and apathy, from which she couldn t be aroused, Finally ehe slumbered and snored. It would have beex~. UX~kind to ques- tion her further.)# hoe n~ acre cotton. As Bless G~d& vanta, them irid had

Stories from ex-slaves. 009 005

project 1865.-1 . POLKLORE ~ ~on1 ~ Editei by : ~ 5 spartarib~irg Dist.4 ~ Elmer Turna~ June 1~, 1937 STORL~S FROM EX.SLAVES I ~as born :1.n 1835 in Lexington County, ~s.O. I ktaovv I ~vas 12 years old. ~e last year of de war. I belonged to John Hiller in Lexirx~ton County, near Columbia, ~.O. Old Marse Hiller was strict to his slaves, wasn t mean, but o ~ten vvhipped em. I thought it was all right then. ;Then de Yankees come through burning, killing and stealing stock, I was in marse s yard. Dey come up whar de boss was standing, told him dere was going to be a battle, grabbe him and hit hirn. Dey burned his house, stole de stock, and one larikee stuck his sword to my breast at~d said ~er me to corne wid him or he ~vvould kill me. O course I lNerit along. Dey took me as fer as Broad River, on t other side o Chapin; then turned me loose and. told me to run fast or they would shoot me. I ~vent fast and found my way back home by watching de sun. Dey told ine to not ~o back to dat old mari. ttDe slaves never learnt to read and write. I ~ any o dem was caught trying to learn to read or write, dey was ~Iiipped bad. I kotched on to what de white chilluns said, and learnt by myself to say de alphabet. We went to de white churches atter de war, and set in de gallery. Den de niggers set up a brush harbor church fer ~ selves. We went to school at de church, and atter school was out in de atternoori, we had preaching. Befo freedom come, de patrollers v~as strong dere, and whipped. any niggers dey kotched. out without a pass; vvouldn t let dem go to church without a pass.

010 006

Folklore: Stories Prom Ex~-.S1aves . ~ Page 2 ~ ; (3 Lots o:f hunting round dere, dey hunted rabbit~, squirrels, foxes arid possums. Dey fished like d.ey do novv. De white folks had old brick ovens away from de house, arid wide fireplaces in de kitchens. Dey cooked many t~uings on Satur-~ days, to last several days. Saturday afternoons, we had. off to catch up on washing arid other things we wanted to do. I member de ~u Klux arid de Red Shirts, but don t member anything dey did dere. We had corn-~shuckin~s and cotton pick~.ngs, when de white people ~ould have everybody to come and. help. us niggers vvould help. Dey had big suppers afterwards. . We had plenty to eat from de garden of deboss, a big gar.. den dat furnished all de slaves. Den de boss ~i1led hogs arid had other things to eat. Mo~t o de thia~s raised in de garden, was potatoes, turnips, collards and peas. ~ Some of us had witches. One old woman was a witch, and she rode me one night. I couldn t get up one night, had a ketching of my breath and couldn t rise up. She held me down. in dem days, was lots o fevers with de blks. Dey cured.. em and other sickness wid teas from root herbs arid barks. lbr&harn Lincoln was a good man. He s .id you folks ought to let dem niggers loose and let dem go to work. He come wid his two men, Grant and Sherman, and captured d slave bosses. Jeff Davis was one o de forerunners of de war. Don t know much about him. Booker T. Washington is a good man. Think he is in office fer a good purpose. I been married four times, Was young man when I mar~ ned first time. Gussie Gallman, my last wife, is living wid me. Source: Sam Rails (84), Newberry, S.C. Interviewer: G.L. S~mer, Newberry, S.C. (6/9/37)

Stories from ex-slaves. 016 012

project i8a5~..1 polkiore Edited ~by: 12 3part~nbur8, Dis~.4 Elmer Turna&~e Jan. 1?, 193? STORIES FROM EX~.SUVES t?My Deo~1e tells me a lot about when I wa~ a lii wee boy. I has a clear mind and I allus has had one. ~y ~o1ks did not talk up people s age like Loiks do dese d~-qs. Every place dat I be now, specially round dese ~overnment folks, rirst thin~ dat dey wants to know is your naine. Well, dat i~ quite natu al, ~rut de very next questiori is how old you is . I don t know why it is but dey sho do dat. As my folks never talked age, it never worried me till jes here of late. So dey says to nie dat last v~eek I give one a~e to de man, and flO~N I gives another. Soon I see d dat arid I had to rest my mind. on dat as well as de mind of de ~overnment folks. So I settled it at ~o years old. Dat ~~ives me resect from everybody dat I sees. Den it is de truth, too, kaise I come along wid everybody dat is done ~one and died now. De few white Loiks what I was coritemperment (con..~ terr~porary) wid, lows dat I is O arid dey is dat, too. tfYou know dat I does member when dat Sherman man went t~iroL~h here wid dem awful mens he had. Dey lowed dat dey was gwine to Charlotte to git back to Columbia. I never is beard of sech befot or since. ~e lived at old man Jerry i~oss s in Yorkville, way back den. Yes sir, everyone said Yorkville, den, ~ but dey ain t never called Gaffney like dat. Stories goes round bout Sherman shooting yolks. Some say dat he shot a bi rock off n de State House in Col..~ umI~1a. My Ma and my Pa, Henry an~t Charity Rice, hid me wi-d dem when Sherman come along. Us never see d him, Lawd God no, us never wanted to see him.

017 013

5tories Prom Ex..Slaves -~ 2~-.. 13 - Po1~ allus crying iaard tunes dese days, ain t no hard. times flow 1ii~e it was atter Sherman went through yorkville. My ma arid oa give me ash cake arid simrnon beer to eat ~or days atter dat. White folks never had. no mo , not till a new crop was ~row d. Dat year de ~ ~ easoris was good arid gardens done well. Till den us nearly starved ~ :~rid v~e never had. rio easy time ~ittiri~ garden seed to plant, neither. AYes sir, if l s handy to locust I makes 1o~ust beer; den ~ ii I s h~ridy to sinunons, why ciet i I makes simmon beer. Now it s jes ~ ~or to pass de time dat us does dat. But swine back to de war; den it ~ v~as for necessity. Dese young uns now don t know what hard times is. ~ Dey all has bread and meat anu co wee, no matter bow poor dey is. I~ . dey had to live :~or days arid weeks on ash cake and sirrLmorl beer, as us did den, arid work and wait on a crop vvid nothin~ but dat in deir ~ bellies; den dey could grumble hard times. I ailus tells em to shut ~ up when dey starts anything like dat around me. ~f When dat crop come along, we sho did ~al1 in and save ~ ~ . all us could for de next year. Every kind of seed and pod dat grow d . :~f~ saved and dried for next spring or tall planting. Atter folks is once had. deir belly aching and gro~1ing Lor victuals, dey ain t never ~wine to throw no rations anL things away no mo . Young olks is power ul wasteful, but if sornett ing come along to break up deir good time like it did to us when dat man Sherman held everything up, dey . sho will take heed, ana. dey won~t grumble bout it neither, cause dey won t have no time to grumble. tThings passes over cjuicker sometimes dan we figures out ~ dat dey will. Everything, rio matter how good it be or how hard, pass-. - es over. Dey jes ~does lIke dat. So dem Yankees went on somewhars, I never kriow d whar, and. everything round Yorkville was powerThl relieved.

018 014

Stories Prom EX~S1aves ~- 3-.. :14 Den ~e Comfederate soldiers startec coming across ~Broad River. BeTh dey got home, word had done got round dat our folks had surrendered; but dem Yankees never rit (fought ) us out ..-.. dey starved us out. If thinf~s had been equal us would a-been ightiri~ dem till ais day, dat us sho would. I can still see dem soldiers oi ours coming across Broad River, all dirty, filthy,~ and lousy. Dey was most starved, and so poor aria lanky. And deir hosses was in de same fix. lvien and hosses had ~uiovt d plenty till dat Sherman come along, but most o~ dem never kriow d plenty no more, De men got over it better dan de hosses. ~Tomen folks cared for de men. Dey brewed tea from sage leaves, sassafras root and other herb~teas-~ Nobody never had no money to tetch no medici~ from de towns ~id, so dey made liniments and salves from de things dat grow d. around about in de woods and ~ardens. I told you bout how small I was, but my brotner, Jim Rice, went to Charleston and helped to make dem breastworks down dar. I has never see d dem, but dem dat has says dat dey is still standing in good conditions. Cose de Yankees tore up all dat dey could when dey got dar. Lots of rail fences ~as made back in dem days. Folks had. a no fence law dat meant dat everybody fenced in deir fields and let de stock run free. Hogs got wild and turkeys was already wild. Sometimes bulls had t~o be shot to keep dem from tearing up everything. But folks never fenced in no panture den. Dey put a rail fence all around ae fields, arid. in dem days de fields was never bigger dan ten or fifteen acres. Logs was plentiful, and some nig~-;ers, called rail splitters , never done nothing else but split rails to mate fences. If I recollects right, Wade Hampton brthke down fence laws in dis country. I sho heard him talk in Yorkville. Dey writ

019 015

gtories Fron Ex.-Slaves 4~-~ about 1-ijilh in de Yorkvillelnquirer at~c dey still has dat paper over dar t il 1 ri ow . De Re a Sh ir t s e orne al o n~ a rici g ot Wade Hampt on in . He scared de Yankees anc~ Carpetbaggers aric~ all sech Loiks as dein away ~ rorn our country. Dey went back whar dey come rrom, I reckon. De Ku Klux was de terriblest folks dat ever crossed my cath. ~ho dey was I ain t never know d, but dey took Alex Leech to Black s Ford on Bullet Creek and killeci him for being a radical. it was three weeks beTh his folks got hold of his body. Dr. Bell s calves got out arid d1~. ri6t come back or a 1on~ time. I~i1TS. Bell ~ear d dat dey vvas ~itting wild, so she sent de milk ~iri down on de creek to ~it dem calves. Dat girl had a ti~ne, but she found em arid drove em back to de lot. De calves give her a big criase arid jumped de creek near a bi;~ raft ot logs dat had done washed up from freshets. ~~U1 over dein logs she saw possums, ~i~usrats arid buzzards a~setting arounci1 She took her stick ana ctrove dem all ciW!ai, vvid dem buzzards puking at her. ~Jhen dey had. left, she see d uncle ~Uex laying up dar halt e t up by all dem varmints. She know d dat it must be him. When she left, dem buz.~ zards went back to deir perch. First thing dey done was to lap up dejr own puke beTh dey started on uncle Alex again. Yes sir, dat s de way turkey buzzards does. Dey pukes on folks to keep dem away, and you can t go near kaise it be s so nasty; but dem buzzards don t waste nothing. Little youni~ buzzards looks like down till dey gits over three days old. You can ~o to a buzz~rd roost and see for your~ self, but you skiD better stay out ri de way o ~ de old buzzara s puke. Dey sets around de little ones and keeps everything off by puking. Pacolet use~ to be called Buzzard Roost, aaise in de old. days dey had. a rail outside de bar~room dat de drunks used~to nang

020 016

~ 5torieS Prom. Ex~.S1aves 5rn.... 16 over arid puke in a gully. De buzzards would stay in dat gully and. lap up dem drunkards puke. One rii8ht a old man went in a drunkard s sleep In de bar-room. De bar tender s~oved him out when he got ready to close, and he rolled up against dis here rail dat I am te1lin~ you about. He lowed dat next morning when he woke up, two buzzarde was settin~g on his shirt front eating up his puke. He said, You is too soon , and grabbed one by de le~ and wrung his head off. But beTh he could git its head Wrung off it had done puked his own puke back on him. He said dat was de nastiest thing he evei~ ~ot into, arid dat he never drunk no more liquor. Dem days is done past arid gone, arid it ain t nobody hardly knows Pacolet used to be called Buzzard Roost. Lawd have mercy, white folks ~ Here I is done drapped plumb off ri my subject; butaoldman s mind will jes run waa ry at tirnes.Me and Jo , Alex s son, went to see de of~icer bout gitting Joe s pa buried. He low d dat ~tlex s b dy was riddled wid bullets; s we tookhim and put his bones arid a little rotten flesh dat dem buzzards had left, in de box ~ve made, arid fetched it to de sIte and buried him. Nobody ever seed Alex but me, Joe, and dat gal dat went atter dem calves. Us took shovels and throw d his bones in de box. When we got de top nailed on, we was both sick. Nor, things like dat don t come to pass. I still thinks of de avvful days and creeps runs all over me~~yet. ~ MAll thy brothers, sisters, mother and Lather is done gone. And I is looking to leave beTh a great while. I is trying every da~ to git ready, Lawd. I been making ready for years. Smart mens tries to make you live on, but dey can t git above daath. Tain t no use. Source: Jesse Rice (8Q),-~Littlejohn, St., Gaffriey, S.C. IntervIewer: Caidwell Sims, tJiaion, S.C. 1/8/38

The pot of gold. 023 019

Project #1655 Stiles M. Scruggs Co1U~gIbia, S. C. ~ 390352 . i~~HE POT OF GOLD. Martha Riohardsou, ~ho tells this story, liTes at 924 Senate Street, Co1um~bia, S. C. lier father was an Indian and her mother a niilatto. 8h~ was born in Columbia, tn 1860 and was live years old, when General W. T. Sher~an s i~ederal troops captured ahud burned the city ~ in 1865. When I gits big nough to pick up chips for de ooolc stove we was livin In de rear of Da~iiel Gardner e hoi~ on Main Street and n~ n~mi~ was workin as oxie of de oooks at de Columbia Botel. De hotel was run by ~ster Lowx anee, where de Loriok & Lowrdoe store is nov. ~My dadd~y, like de general run of Indians, love to hunt but de ga~~ not bring ~ioh cash in. My mai~ often give him some change (money) and he riot work imioh but he always good to i~i~ and she lore him and not fuss at him, nnoh. I soon learn dat it it had not been for nmnun~, we wouldn t a had ~ch to eat and wear. We go lone lak dat for a good while and i~ n~iai~ have friends nough dat ehe seldom had to ask for a job. ~De game ~as SO soaroe dat z~j daddy sometimes n~ke a little ~ney a show in people how to ~1ce I~n&tan medicine dat w~a good for many oomplaiiits how to coirer deir houses, and how to kill deir hogs, cordin to de x~on. fie tell us many tiiaes bO~It de great Catawba Indians, who i~ke all deir own medicines and kill bears and dress in deir skins, after feastin on deir flesh. H. was a good. talker. RYOU kflOW~, I sois so iaioh ekinxpin , to make ends meet at home, as we go tlo~ dia way, dat I has never ~rried. My m~iw~ tell mes &noy, you a pretty child. You grow ~ip and ~rry a fine, lovin man 1e3c your daddy ~ and be happy. I ICiMa eiii :e b~ I thinks a lot. If ~j d&ddy had worked and saved lek i~y ~

024 020

a, o.. we would be way head of what we ja, and i~ brudders ~ay so, too. But we fond of o~ir daddy, he so good lOOlciri and all. *tWhat do flOat ottin thing I ever see? Well, I think de Red Shirt ca~ paign wa8 . You neyer ~ee so nach talkin fi~htin and fussin a~ dat. You know de Yankees was still here and they not fraid, and de Hampton folka wa8 not fraid, so it was a case of knock down and drag out moat of de time, it seem to i~ie. Long at de end, dore wa~ two governore; one was in de Wallace House and one in de Capitol. Men went bout town wid deir guns. MaIIW keep busy cooki&, nu38in , and washin , and us chillun help. You know I had two brudders older than me and a little baby brudder bout a year old, when. fly nsim~ rent a small farm froxa Master Greenfielci, down at de end f Calhoun Street, near de Broad River. We plant cotton. I was then eleven years old and IV brudders was twelve and thirteen. My ~ai~ help us plant it befo she go to work at de hotel. Shi was home washin one day, when n~r brudders and 31 was ohoppin~ cotton. We chop tu bout eleven o c .o ok dat mornin and we say : When we gits out de rows to de big oak tree we ll sit down and rest. We ohillun lak each other and wo joke and work fast tu we conies to de end of de r~s and in de shade of de big oak. Then we sets down, dat is, n~j oldest brudder and me, cause n~r young brudder was a little behind us in hi s ohoppin As he near de fini sh, his hoe hit somethin hard and it ring. Re rake de dirt way and keep diggin light lak. ~ Rhat you dom ru I say. He s ay s Tryin to find out ~hat dis is. It seem to be a pot lid. Th n we jump up and go to him and all of us grabble dirt way and sho nough it was a pot lid and it was on a pot. We digs it out, thinkin it would be a good thing to take hone. It was 80 heaV. it t.k~ us all to lift it out.

025 021

5. 21 It was no sooner out than we takes off de lid and we is sho s prised at what we see. Big silver dollars la~, ai . over de top. We takes two of them and drops them together and they ring just lak we hear them ring on de counters. Then we grabble in de pot for ~re. De silver went d~n bout two inches deep. Twenty dollar gold pieces rim down bout four inches or ~o and de whole bottom was full of big bundles of twenty dollar greenbacks. WW0 walks up to de house feelin pretty big and i~ oldest bruddor was sing in : Ea~k amd b~zzard went to law, Hawk come back wid a broken j ~. t MaIW say widout lookin at us : What you ail 00~j~~ to dinner so soon. for? t Then ehe looked up and s es de pot ~d say : ~ ~ ~ ~ what you all o Th~ we puts de big pot down tn de ~iiddle of de floor and takes off do lid, and meiw~ say: Ohi Let s see what we hasi 8h. begin to empty de pot and to count de ~rney. She tell us to watch de door and see dat nobody got in, cause she not at home I t, She say de ~ney ~ to $5 700, and she swear us not to say nothint bout findin it. She would see what she could find o~tt bout it. Weeks atter dat, shs tell us a big white friend t.ll her he hoar a friend of his buried some i~ney end went to war widout teflin anybody ~here it was. Maybe he was . killed and dat all we ever hear. Mit meawiiy~ kept it and we all work on just do same and she buy these two lots on Senate Street. She buila d two-story house here at 924, where you sittizi now, and de cottage nez door. She always had rent ~ney oomin in ever since. By and by ah. die aftsr x~j Indian pappy go ~y end nver come bad~::. Then .11 de ohillun dis, ceptin me. I am so happy dat I is able to spend i~ old days in a sort of ease,

026 022

4. 22 after atrugglin ~et ot n~r young life and gttttn no loarnin at school, dat I sometimes e ing n~r meaz~y e old ng, runnin eoaethin lak die: I Poeeum up de sininon tree Sparrow on de ground Poesum throw de e~mrne down Sparrow ehalCe thorn round .~

Isom Roberts. Ex-slave 80 years old. 030 026

project #1655 HenrY Grant 3 9 0 3 5 4 ~ . ~t 26 Columbia, ~. C. 180M RO~3ERTS :~x-5LAvE 80 YEARS OLD ~ ~ Isom Roberts rents one room at 1226 W~averly Street, Colunibia, S. C., arid livez alone. However frail he appears, he is able to support himself by ~vorking in the yards about the city. . s, ~li,~sir, white folks, I is eighty yearsold, or leastwise I is s~ close to it, dat it don t make much difference. But even if I is dat old, it don t seem so long since I was a little boy. Years flies by mighty fas to old folks cause deir memberonce is shorter v~kiile young folks members everything, and in dat way months and years drags long slower to them. t, I was a very small boy when de Civil ~Var was gwine on. It seems like I knows all bout Sherman s army comnin through dis State, a burnin Colum bis. and d~stroyi~i and takin away everything what folks had. I has heard so much bout slavery and all them times, from my mammy and daddy, dat it pears to me dat I sperienced it all. I spects knowin bout things is just bout as good a~id true as seem them. Don t you? t, My daddy ~md mamnniy b long to Marster SamL~ouie, who had a big pl&n- tati on over in Calhoun Cotuity . ~ had bo ut fifty r more grown si ayes, sides me.ny chillun of de slaves~ Old marster was a good farmer; raised big crops end saved what he made. He shoe was a fine business r~n but he was mighty hard on everybody he had anything to do wid He to Id his slaves to work hard and make him a heap of money and that he would keep it, in case of hard times. Times i~rns all de time hard wid old marstef but de nig gera never got no money. When news spread round dat de Yankees was cornin to free de niggers, he called ai . de slaves up in de yard and showed them

031 027

2. 2~ a big sack of money, what they had made for him, arid told th~i dat he was gwine to kill all of them beTh de Yankees set them free and that they wo~1thi t riGed no money after they was done dead. All de slaves was mighty sad and tro ubled all dat day when old marst er made dat speech to them. But 3otflethifl happened . It most make s nie tremble to talk to you bo ut it now. Providence,or some kind of mercy spirit,was sho walkin round dat plantation dat night. 3ometin~ in de night it was whisperod round amongst de slaves dat o id rnarster done took de smallpoxes and was mighty cick. Manm~y said he mu3t have been terrible sick, cause they buried him two days after ciat. n After old r:~rster flew away, everything was different on de plantation. Miss Nancy, dat was old nAarster s wife, told de slaves dat when de Yankees freed them, they could stay right there and work on shares or by the day,which ever v~ay they wanted. Many stayed on de plantation after freedom ihile others went away. Me and my folks 8tayed on wid Miss I~ancy until she die. Then us moved on another plantation in de lower side of de county. I stayed dare untu my wife died, seventeen years ago. If Does I member anything bout how de slaves was treated in slavery time? Well, I members a little myself and a heap of what others bcld riio~ Wid dis I has done told you, I believes I want to stop right dere. A low fence is easier to git over then a high one . Say little and you ain t gwine to have s. heap to .. splain hereafter. Dere is a plenty of persons dat has lost deir heads by not lettin deir tongues rest. Marster Sam Loule is dead flOWo H6 can t dis- turb nobody in his grave. H5 had his faults and done many th inge wrong but show me dat person what don t mis-stop sometimes. A .l of us, both white and black, is prone to step asic1~ i~cr arid then. To tell de truth, old marster nover knowed what SUflday was. ~verybbdy on de plantation worked on dat day as

032 028

30 28 saine as any other day. t, ~3ut Boss 1f my old mar ter wa~ rough and hard and break de Sabbath E~nd all d~t he was no worser then what young white folks and niggers is de~ days. You cari see them any time, floppin bout in dese automobiles, a drinkin and a carryin on. Sich stuff is abomination in de sight of a decent person, much less dat One ~ip yonder.(He pointed upward). t, I s gwine to tell you boss, dat slavery tin~e was beiter forde avor~ age nigger thcri what they i~ gittin now. Folks say dat slavery was wrong ~nd I spose it was, but to be poor like a heap of nig~ers is now, is de worse thing dat ha~ ever come upon them I thinks Dis ~ttin something wrong, ain t right. De North had iio business sollin niggers to de South anti de South ~ hc.d business i them from de North and rnakin slaves of them. Everything went on pretty nice for awhile, then de North got jealous of deSouth and do South got spicious of de North. I believes dat if you can t go over and you can t go under, then you should try to g~ round. If de Uig men up North and here in de South had been good nough and s~nart nough, they night could a gone round dat terrible Civil War. I believes dat. t, I !1c~rry Lucy Nelson when I was bout thirty years old. ~he was a bright skin nigger, much brighter than I is. She was hi~i tempered end high spirited, too. She was sho smart, and de best cook I has ever seen. Just plain corn bread, dat oho cooked in do hot ashes of de fireplace, teste sweeter and better than de cake you buy now. But de least thing wou .d git her temper roused. I has knowed her to complain wid de old hound dog us had, Cause he didn t run some rabbits out de woods for me to shoot. Fusa wid de cats, cause they didn t ketch de mouses in .de house. Quarrel wid de hens,

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4. 0(1 cause they oet, cackled, scratched and wailowed holes in de yard and wouldn t lay. told d3 old rooster many tin~es dat she was gwine to chop his he~.d off if he didn t crow sooner and louder of mornin s and wake me up so I could go tO Work All dis sounds foolish I knows but yo u see how bent my back iso ~ie1l, I spects it Was bent from totin so many buckets of water from de spring for her to wash ~id soon of mornin s, so ~ could then do a day s work. My ~vife thought she ~ as dom right by workin like she did. She thought dat she was helpin me rnokc e. livin for our big family of eight chillUfl. Yes ~iir I knows now ~he was right but hard work broke her health and brought her to her bed where she lingered bout one year and then she went away froni me. All dis took place seventeen years ago and, from then to dis, I aiii t seen no woman I would have for a wife, cause I ain t gwine to find no woman Lucy s equalo ~ll i~y chillun are dead,~ cept two, and I don t know where they is0 t Does poor folks have any blessings and pleasure? ~Jel1, yes sir, in a way. You see they don t have no worrirnents over what they has like rich folks. ~hey can sleep as hot as they want to in do summer time and r~tise as big families as anybody. Sho , poor folks, and especially iiiggers, has a good time on hog~kilLL~ days. In early summer corne them juiby brierberries dat they enjoy so much. They last until watermelon season. Then they has possuni and tators i~ c~e fall. Most all livin beings ha3 deir own way of dom ti~ings and deir way of existin . De hog roots for his, de squirrel climbs for his, de chickens scratcnes for deirs, and de nigger, well, if dere ein t nobody lookin I reckon they could slip doirc right handy. N ~ sho has enjoyed talkin to you dis evening and now, if you will 8CU~~ me, I s gwine home and cook me a pot of turnips. I can almost taste

034 030

5. them flOWs I is so hungry.

Alexander Robertson. Ex-slave 84 years old. 035 031

project 1/:1655 1~f~ w. Dixon 390244 ~ Wuinsooro, . ~ ALE~ ~1~1)ER ROBERT ~ ON EX-SLAVE 84 Y~ARS OLD. ~lexander Robertson lives as a member of the household of his son, Charley, on the General Bratton plantation, four miles southeast of ~hite Oak, S. C. It is a box-like house, chimney in the center, four rooms, a porch in front and morning g)~ory vines, in bloom at this season, climbing around the sides and supports. DQes Alexander si-b here in.-the autum.n sun.~ shine and while th hours away? Nay. ~ ... ~o~b he. is still one of the active, working membersof the family, ever~in the fields with his ~rahdchildren, poke around his neck, extracting fleecy cotton from the boils and putting it deftly into the poke. He can carry his row equally as well as any of the six grand~ children. He has a good appetite at meal time, digestive organs good, sleeps well, and is th early riser inthe mornings. He says the Negro half of his nature objects to working on Saturday afternoon, and at suc1i times his tall figure, with a green patohcloth over the left eye, which is sightless, may be seen stro1lin~ to and fro on the streets of Winneboro. ~ . ttWell, weliL If it ain t deyoungun datuse to selirne sugar, coffee, fat backand meal,, when he clerk for Calvin Brice& Company, at Woodward, in / t 84 and long dere . ~ ~ ~ : - UI hopes you is well dis mornin ~. I s told to come- t~ Wirmsboro an~d gits blazilce for a pension. Andy Foster, man I knows, d rect me up dese steps and bless God. I finds you. You waxma ask me some questions? Well here I is, ~ more than glad to answe; if I can.. IVhere I born? Strange as it seems, I born . right here in Wiimsboro My name set down in a book : Alexander - boy~ bother, ~:; ~ iIanzsa~, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ de way it was read to me by Dr. i3eaty, dat ~ ~ ~ ~ : ~ ~ a~~d ~ 1iTe in R ~c1~ Ri1l ~. If slavery had never been done t~y

036 032

.~ ~ ~ 2~ ~ 32 nid, dat would be rr~r master today, cause him lak hound dogs and I lak a hound doc. flat kind of breed got a good nose and make good possum dog. Marster Jim t~e l me one time, dat de first dog sprung from a wolf, and ~ fust dog was a. hound dog. Dat out dat fust clog, (must to a been a bitch, don t you reckon?) come all iogs. I follow his talk wid belief, bout de setters, pointers, and blood hounds, -even to de Lices, but it strain dat belief ~vi~en It git to de little useless hairy pupde ladiesrlead rot~d vrid a silver collar and a shit chain~ Well, you don t care to hear anymore bout dat? V~hat is de question? ttMy master at de fust, was L~arster Jim ~3tewart and my mistress was his wife, Utistress Clara. They have two chillun. I tmember Marster Jim and Lass Lizzie; they live in a fine house b~fo de war, trcund yonder dos to ~ Zj~~ College. ~y mother was de cook end I was de house boy. They~ had a big plantation bout two miles out, sorta southwest of Boro, I mean Winnsboro, of course, but de co~ntry people still callit Iioro. l on dat plantation was r~any two room houses, brick chimneys in de middle, for de p1 ~ntation slaves. In de growint season I gowid marster ever~r~day, not tQ drive, too small for dat, just to hold de hoss, when him git out and then I run errands for him, rounc3 de house and in de fields. - j My mother had another child, Willie Finch. A colored man name of Finch is his father but her and de white folks never tell me who my father was. I have to find out dat for i~ aeif, after freedom, when I was lookin ro~d for a name. From all I hear atid pear in de lookin blass, I see I was he~lfwhite for sure, and from de things I hear, I conclude I was a Rob~ ertsox~ which have never been denied. ~&aybe it best just to give no front : fl~*~S . Though half a ni~er, I have tried to I ive up to dat name never took ~ :~. ~ ~ ~ : ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ J

037 033

.~ ~ 33 it in dat court house over yond r, never took j-b in dat jail or dat cala- boose. i~S paid my debts doflar for dollar and owe no man nothin but good w~.1l. ~hat de Yax~kees do when they come? Let other people tell dat, but seem lak they lay de whole town in ashes, cept de college and our house close to it, dat they use for de officers whilethey was in ~oro. ~hy they hear sumpint bout de Davis name techint de St. John tpiscopai Cht~rch and they march t round dere one cold February Sunday ~0~j~t ~ set it afire snd burn it up. - I~other and ne went to de plantation and stayed dere tu they left. ttT~hen freedom come, I was twelve years old. Mother marry a Finch; ~Bi1i ij ras de name of him. Our nex move was to Dr. Madden ~ place, just~no~ th - of ~oro. Us farm up dore and I do de hoein . I live der thirteen years. I ~t to feelin ~ my oats and tired of workin for a~ plum black nigger, I did. i~Iaybe I- oug1~t~ to been more humble but I wasn t. t I ask myself one night : ~hat yo - gonna do, stay here forever for your vittles and clothes? Then come over rr~r mind I old nough for to marry. ~Tho I gwine to marry? It pop right in dis hea4, Sarah was de gal for me. I rode old Book down dore de next Sunday; dat was in December. 1 come right to de point wid her end de old folks. They tiow they have no ~jections if I could take care of her I say I try to .~ They say : Dat am ~ t nough, t range yourself for another year and. then come and g t her . 0De Lord directs me. l s down here payin my poll~too. Mars-ter Tom Shanty Brice come in as us come out. I ask him if he need a hand for nex year. 11e took me up from top to bottom and say : ~hs your naine ? I show him n~r : .tax receipt. lie hire me than and dore. I ~o right straight to Sarah and us ~ ~I; de old f lke. Rev. Gordon marry us de 29th of January, 1879. Us has ~ ~ ~

038 034

- . ~ ~ ~ ~1 f ~~ 4. .. ~ ~ ~ ~ . : seven chillun. Alex, dat s de one name for me, is in Tampa, Florida. Carrie marry a Coleman and is in Charlotte, N~ C. Jimmie is dead. Thomas V ~ ~ Charleston, S. C. Emma rparry a Belton and lives wid her husband in ~fld~eway, S. C. I stay wid nty son, Chancy, up de country. ttI voted one time :i~n 1876, for Goy. Chamberlain, but when I moved to Larster Tom ~ I thought so much of him, I just quit voting. I -. ~ou1d lak to vote one more time to say: ~I have vote one time wid de black part of ~v nature, dis taie I votes\wid de white side of ri~r nature. V~hat you laughin1 bout? If it was de call of dark blood de fust time, nmybe~itts de call of de white blooddis time. You have no idea de worry azid de pain a mulatto have to carry all his eighty-four years. Forced to sociate wid one side, proud to be related to de other side. Neither side lak de color of your skin. I jine de Methodist church here in i~oro and tend often as I can I ~ dat - ~ ~ and. as I hear my preacher Owens ~preach,/dere will be no sex in hebben, I ~hopes and prays dat d.ere ll be xio sich thing as a color line in hebben. Who de best white men I ever know? ~:Ir. Tom i3rice,Mr. W. L.Ros borough, ~. Watt Sinonton, and Mr. August Nicholson. i~asterBill ~3eaty, dat - marry my young mistress Elizabeth, was a fine n~.n. What I ththk of Abe Lincoln? What I think of Mr. Roosevelt? Dere de color come up again. De black say 1k . Lintoln de best Pi esident us ever have ; de white s ay - us never have had and never will have a Pre s ident equal of Mr. Roosevelt. ~ . ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~g ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Charlie Robinson. Ex-slave 87 years old. 039 035

Project #1655 ~.W,Djxon 390353 ~j~~sboro, S. C. ~ 35 CHARLIE ROBINSON EX SlAVE 87 YEARS OLD. Charlie RobinBon lives nine m le northwest of Wiimsboro, S. C.,, o~ lands of Mr. R. W. Lenino~. There is one other ocoupant in the four room house, John Giles, a share cropper. The hou8e has two fireplace6, the brick chinniey being oou8triioted in the center of the two main roo~. The other two rooxnz are shed rooms. Charlie ekes out a 1iviti~ as a day laborer oIl the farm, ~They been tellin me to come to de social circle and see bout n~ pen sion but I never is got dore. It been so hot, I hate to hotfoot it nine miles to Wimisboro and huff dat same distanoe back on a hot summer day. Glad you come ou-b here but sorry of de ~y, ca~.ise it is a Friday and all de jay-bird8 go to see de devil dat day of de week. s a bad day to be ~1n a garment or quilt or starb de lye hopper or sinvnon beer keg or just anything important to yourself on dat day. Dere is just one good Friday in de year and de others is given over to de devil his im, and de jay-birds Does I believe all dat? I believes it nou~,h not to patch dose old breeches tu t~omorrow and not start i~r siimi~n beer, when de frost fall on them dis fall, on a ~ riday You wants n~ to set down so you can ask me suinpin ? I ll do dati Of course I Willi (He proceeded to do so wiping his nose on his sleeve and ~ sprawling down on the dooreill), 1~~r pappy name George, black George they caLl. ~ him in slavery time, cause dere was a six~ll YalIOW slave on de place, named ~ George . ~ meiw name Ca line My pappy t long to de MoNeals and n~r niaii~ ~ ~ long to Marse Joe Beard. His wife ias n~ mistress. lier name Mies Gracie.

040 036

2~ 3G Nitials 1 Dat sumpin not i~ ~ lingo B08 s . You want to know what n~ pappy s old inarster imn~? Seem to ~: they oa .l him ~rse Gene, though it been so long i: done forgot * When n~r inarster went to de war him got a ball through his leg. Bad treatment of dat leg give him a limp for de balance of his ~days. White fo1k~ call him Hoppin Joe Beard and sometime Lopin Joe . Marster and mistress have two ohillun. I play marbles wid them and make m~id pies. Deir names was Marse Wjllia and Miss Rhoda. My brudders and sistere was Jeff, Roland, Jane and. Fannie. All dead t cept Fannie Her marry a big long nigger name Sa~il Griffin. Last I heard of them, they was livin in Columbia, S. C. t I start workin in de field de s econd year of de war, 1862 It sho ~de me hungry. I members now, how I git a big tin oupful of pot liquor froia de greens, crumble oor~i bread in it at dinner time and joy it as de beetest part of de dinner. Us no suffer for swapin to eat. I go all s~ner in u~r shirt~tail and in de winter I have to do de best I can, widout any shoes Ever s moe then, I just lak to go barefooted as you sees ~ now. ~ pappy ~it a pass and come to see manii~j every Saturday night. My mars~ ~ ter had jtzst four slave houses on de place. Spect him have bout eig1~t women, ~ dat n~n come from other places to see and ~rry them and have ohillun. I doesn t member nary one of de women havin a hu3band livin wid her every night. ItWhO do de plowin I Women end boys~ do de plowin Had good nough houses, though they was made of logs, cup and saddle~i at both and covered wid white oak board shingle8 Had stick and mud ohinnaeya. U1~e Yankees made a clean sweep of everything, hoeses, ~~le8, cows, hogs, meat and lasses. GUt SO D~.d WhOfl thy couldn t find any seltz they lxtrn up everything. Ikzll Maree Joe B beard, just oauae hint fl&tfl~ Be.H. De one dat do

041 037

r ~ . .. 3C37 ~ dat Was just a smart aieok and de ca ~ or i. crowd shame him and m~ him ~ slink way, out de house. When freedom oo~, Maree Joe stay one year then leave Sell out and ~ move to Waihalla and us i~ve to ~appy on de McNeal plaoe. Dat year tis ail j med de church, Union Church. I ~ b longe to New Hope Methodist Church. Us nex Dove to Mr. Bill Cra~rtord a place. Mr. Cra~ford got to be school oommiasioner on de publican ticket and white folks call him ~scaiawag. Him have pappy and all de colored folks go to do leotion box and vote. Ku Kiuz come dore fle night end whip every nigger ~n they could lay deir haflda on. Things quiet down then but us no ~re go to de Ileotion box and vote. u Bout dis tinE thoughts of de gals got in u~r bead and feets at de ean~ time. I was buyin a biled shirt and oelhtloid collar, in Nr. Sailing Wolf s store, one Saturday, and in walked Ce~ly Johnson. I conmience to court her right then and dore, befo I over git inside dat shirt and collar. Her have dark skin ~ and ~s good to look at I tell you . . I d.-saeh-shay bout dat gal lok a chicken rooster spread his wing round a pretty black puUot, tU I wear out her in difference and her ~ke me happy by u*rryin me. fier was too good lookin and too bad dom though, for ~. ~ 3h. left by de light of de ~on when us was livin on do Cuimninga place, bove town. Excuse me n~, dat s still a fresh subject of torm.xzb to ~ Let s talk bout chances of gittin dot pension, when I can git another clean white shirt,. lay round de white folks again, and git dis belly tall of pot liquor.* . ~

Al Rosboro. Ex-slave 90 years old. 042 038

390281 AL ROSBORO EX~ SLkVE 90 YEARS OLD. Project #1655 w. w. Dixon Winnsboro, s. C. .38 A . Rosboro, with his second wife, Julia, a daughter, and six small grandchildren, lives in a three~room frame house, three hundred yards east of a~id - the Southern Railway tracVj,~S ~ about two miles south of Woodward, S. C., in Fairfield county. Mr. Brice cives the plot of ground, four acres with the house, to Al, rent free. A white man, Liz . W. L. Harvey doea the ploughing of the patches for him. Al has cataracts on his eyes and can do no work. since this story was written he has received his first old age pension check of eight dollars from the Social %-~elfare L~oard in Columbia, b. C. Does I know what a nonecenarian is? No sah, what dat? Old folks? Well dats a mighty lone name and I been here a m (~ hty long time Glad you say it s a ~ honor and a privilege by de mercy of de Lord. I s thankfult You wants to know where I was born snd who my white folks then? tu was bornjust one end a half mile b!low Vthite Oak, S. e ,0~ de old 1J)arse Billie Brice plaoe. ~r pap~y b longto old i~1 ss Jennie ~ but rnaE)lny b lon~ to Marse William Brice. Her name Axm ~y old mistress name Liary, daughter of de Sirriontons, on Du~pers Creek. S tIYOU wants de fust thing I members, then travel t10~ de years tu I come t;o seltin rig5ht here in dis chair. \~ell, reckon us git through today? Take a power1~u1 si~ht of dat pencil to put it all dcvwn . S ~ . Let me see. F~st thing I members well, was a big crowd wid. picks ~ ,. ~ and shovels, a buildin de-railroad track right out de other side of de bi~ road in froat of old mar~terts.,house. De ~same ~ ailroad dat is dere today. When defust eugine come ti irougii, pui~f~in am~ tootin , lak to soare ~ everybody to ~ ~ ~ ~

043 039

- ~ - ~ -- -~ -. ~ - ~ : ~ ~ ~ -~ -~ r ~ ~: -~ : : ~ death. People got use to it but de mules and hosses of old marster seem ! lak they never did. A train of cars a movin tlong is still de gr&ndest sight to my eyes in de world Excite me more now than greyhound busses, ~or airplanes in de sky ever do. - tu ~ members my young misses end young xnarsters. Dore was- Marse John; he was kilt in de war. L~arse Jim, dat went to de wars come back, marry, and live right here in Winnsboro. Marse Jim got a grandson dat am in de army a saum air ships. Then dore was i&raeVJilliaxa; he moved off. One j of de gals marry a Robertson, I can t member her name, tho I help her to make mud pies m~my a day and put them on de chicken o p in de sun, ~ to dry. . Her had two dolic; deir names was Dorcas and Pri&cilia. ~hen de pies got - a~, she d take them under do big oak tree, fetch out de ~olis and talk a ~. whole lot of child mother talk bout de pies, to de Dorcas and Priscilla rag ~- dolls. - It was big fun for her tho and I can hear her laugh right now lak .: :~ - ~ . ~lo did when she mince round over them dolls and pies. Dere was some poor ~ ; folks livin close by and. she d send me over to vite deir chillun over to ~.- play wid her. They was name L4arshall Say they come from Virginny and was ~-: kinto de highest judge in de land. -They was poor but they was proud. ~is~ ~. tress felt sorr~r for them but theywouldn t cept any help from her.~ ~ - ~ -- - - ~ - Well,when I git twelve years old, n~iarster give me to his son, ~ ~arse Calvin, and give Marse Calvin a plantation dat his son, Homer, live on -now.~ I member now old rnarster -s overseer commt to de field; his name was ~ MoElduff. Him kay: Al, Marse Wiliiax~ saycorne to de house . I goes dore r- ~ de r~iri. ~hen I git dore, him slow: Calvin, Iwants you to take Al,1 ~- - . give hirnto you. ~Al, you take good care of your young marster . I always ~ did and W Marse Calvin was livin hetd tall you de same. ~ ~ - .-. . . ~ - - ~ ~5 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~} ~ J

044 040

~. . : ~ ~ ~ ~ 3~, 4() I forgit to tell you ong. thing dat happen dov~n dere befo I 1 eft Dere was a powerful r ich family do~n d ere name C o~el .j :. I forg its de fust name. Him brudder tho , was sheriff and live inWirinsboro. Dere was a rich Mobley family dat l ve jinin him, two miles sunrise side of him. One day de Cockrell oows:got out and played thunder wid. Mr. Mobley s corn. Mr. Mobley kilt two of de cows. Dat made de Cockrells mad. They too proud to ~o to law bout it; they just bide deir time. Oneday Marse Ed Mobley s mules got out, come ~allopin round and stop in de Cockrell wheat field. 111m take his rifl and kill two of them mules. Dat made Mr. Mobley mad but him tQQ proud to ~o to law bout it. ~3e Mobley s just bide deir time. Lection corne round for sheriff nex surmer. No Cockrell was lected sheriff dat time. You ask Mr. thigh Wylie bout dat nex time him ~ come to de Boro~ Him tell you all bout it. : ttDat call to my mind~another big men, dat live boire ~Thite Oak then, 1 ~ Marse Gregg Cameron. 11e was powerful rich, wid many slaves. Himlak to bar room and drink. H~a come by marster s house one da~r, fell ff his hoss and de hoss gallop on up de road. Dat was de fust drunk man .1 ever see. Marster ~- dldn tknow what to do; him come into de house and ask Mistress Mary. Him tell her him didn t want to-scandal de chilitin. She say: What would de good Sarna - ritan do? Old marster go baok, ~fetch dat ~roanin cussin old man and put : ~ to bed, bathe his head, inalce Sam, de driver, hitch up de buggy, make est go wid him, and. t&~e Marse Gregg home. I n&~ier see or hear tell o~ dat vthite ~ man an~pnore, til one day after freedom when I corne down here to Robinson s : Circus. ulm drop dead dat day a~t de parade, when de steam piano come long ~ a *~Q04,jflt ~ t Spect de citement steam, and tootin was too n~ich for him. ~ : ~ ~ Ni~gers r~e7er learn to read and write. It was ~inst de law. ~Thite k~: ~ ~ ~ ~ :C XLks ~ea~ they WOuld write deu passes and git way to de free states, ~ 4~ -~ ~ ~ ~ ~

045 041

r 4. 41~ 1tUs slaves ttend Concord Church,,tho Narse Calvin jine de Seceders and tend New Hope. Why us co to Concord? Cause it too far to walk to New Elope and not too far to walk to Concord. Us have not nou~h mules for all to :~:~ ride, and then de mules need a rest. I novr b longs to Lethany Presb~rberian Church at ~11iit e Oak Ye s sah I thinks everybody ought to j me de church for it s de railroad train to git to hebben on. tLM~arse Calvin went to de war. Hiiii got shot thru de hand. Yankees c~o31~ and burn up everything him have. Wneeler s~nien just bad. - : ttAfter freedom I Cot mannish. Wid not a drop of blood in rap but de : - pure Ptfrioan, I sets out to find a niate of de pure breed. Bout de onliest - place I could find one of dis hatchin , was de Gaillard cjuarter. I niarry Gabrielle. Live Lust years at de Walt I3rice ~Cullough place, then move to .. de Vins n place, then to de preacher Erwin place. Da~ was -a fine preacher, ~ - I : ~ pastor for Concord. Hirn lak to swap hosses. ~4h~n hirn come down out de ~ - pulpit him looks ro~d, see ahOsS hin lak, soon as riot him g home to dinner ~: wid deowner o ~ dat. hoss. After dinner him say: If it ~rasn -b de Sabbath, -... how would you trade dat hoes fo-r n~,r.hoss? More words pass bet~reen them, j st ~ . supposint all de -birne it was ~onday. Then Mr. Erwin ride back dere nex day ~ and come back wid de 3aoss him took a fancy for-. . - ~ ~ ttW4r ~rw in i~ve ~then~he git a call to -Texas. I moves to deEpb ;~ - - Sinoiiton place. Frcxnt dere I Coes to d Jim Brice place, now owned-by young ~: ~rse James Brioe. I beendere 32 years. Gabrielle and me generate.thirteen :~ -~--ehiilun; full bloodednatural born Africans, seven boys and six gals. Then k-,. ~ ..-- G~brielle die and I-marry Julia Jenk~s. Us have five chillun, one boy ~d four gal s I s done a heap for ~ country I want s Nr, Roo sevelt to hear irtaybe b.i~m make de ooun~ry do sumpin for rne.tt ~ ~ .. .: ~ . ~ ~ - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : ~ -. I ~ ~ ~

Tom Rosboro. Ex-slave 79 years old. 046 042

Project #1655 ~T. W. Dixon Winnaboro, S. C. 390334 . . 42 TOM ROSBORO EX~~~SLAVE 79 YEARS OLD. Torn Rosboro lives with his daughter, 3~ste11e Perry, In a three-room frame house, on Cemetery Street, Winnsboro, S. C. The house stands on a half..acre plot that is used for ~ardentruck. Estelle owns the fee in the house and lot. Tom peddles the truck, eggs, and chickens, in the town and the suburban Winnsboro mill village. tIMy pappy was name Tom, just laic I is name Toni. My mammy was name Sarah but they didn t b long to de same marster. Pappy b long to old Marse Eugene McNaul. )&7im~r b long to old Marse John Propst. De ownership of de child fo1~ lowed de mammy in them days. Dat throwed me to be a slave of old Marse John Propst. My young marsters was naine Marse Johnnie, Marse Clark, Marse Floyd, and. Marse Wyatt I had two young mis ses Mise Elizabeth marry a McElroy and Miss Mamie marry a L&ndeoker You know 1~1arse Ernest Propst dat run dat ladies garment store and is a member of de Winnsboro Town Council? Yes? Well, dat is one of Marse Floyd Propst chillu.n. t I hear mamu~ say dat daddy s mistress was name Miss Eirm~a but her mistress and ii~~ mistres s was name Mis s Margaret My daddy have to have a pass every time he come to see mamnty. Sometime they give him a general pass for de year. Some- time him lose de pass and then such a gwine on you never did see de lak. Make more miration (.hullaba~.oo) over it than if they had lost one of de chillun. They was soared de patarollere (patrollers) wo~ild oonte ketch him, and lay de leather whip on his naked back. fie wouldn t dare stay long. Him would go back soon, not on de big road but through de woods and fields, so as not to meet de patarollers.

047 043

2. 43 Who was n~r brothers and sisters and where is they? Brother Ben arid Sister ~ainie is dead and in glory. flat s all de chillun n~ami~r had a chance to have, cause she was a good woman and would never pay any tention to de men slaves on de Propst place. 11er was faithful to pappy through thick and thins whichever it be. I doesn t ~mber imich tb~t de Yankees, though I does members de Ku Klux. They visit pappy s house after freedom, shake him, aud.~threater~, dat,if hint didn t quit listenin to them low-down white trash soalawags and oarpetba~gbers they would cone back and whale de devil out of him, and dat de Klan would take notice of him on tiection day. Vihen I was bout seventeeti years old, I come to de Boro (Wixmsboro) one Saturday evenin and eon a tall willowy gal, black she was but s~hixiy, puttin them foots of her n down on de pavement tua pretty gamecock pullet kind of way, as if to say: Roosters look at me.t I goes over to Mr. Landecker s store, de Mr. Lendeoker dat marry Miss Mamie Propet, and I begs him to give n~ a cigar. I lights dat cigar and pute out after~her. I ketches up wid her just as she was commt out of Mr. Sailing Wolfe s Jew store. I brush up ~ giust her and say: Exouse me lady. Her say: I grants your pardonMister. I spects smoke got in your eyes and you didn t see me. I say: Well, de snake is out of my eyes now and they will never have sight for any other gal but you as long as I live. Black as she was, her got red in de face and say: Who is you7 I say: Torn Rosboro. What might be your name, lovely gal? Her say: My name is Nattie Nelson. I say: Please to rne~t you, Sugar Plum. Her say: I. live ;dOWU at Simpson s Turnout. Glad to have you corne down to see me sometime. After dat us ~ a nisetin in Wixmsboro every Saturday til one day us ~ went round to Judge Jno. J. Neue law office and him married us. Me and I&~t have our trials

048 044

3. 44. and tribulations and has went up and down de hills in all kind of weather. Us never ceased to bless dat day dat I run into her at ~ Sailing Wolfe s store. ttHow come I name Rosboro? I just picked it ~p as a mighty pretty nai~. Sound better than Propet or MeNaul and de Rosboro white folks was big buokra in dat time. U s had lots of chillun; raise some and lost some . I~ have a son, Charlie, dat s a barber in Washington~ D. C. I#ioy, a daughter, marry Tank Hill. Na~u n~.rx7 Bax~ks Smith. Este .le marry Jim Perry but her is a widow nowb Her bought a house and lot wid de insurance ~ney from Dr. ~LcCauta. She has a nice house ou Cemetery Street, wid water and lectric lights. Her got four chillun. When i~r wife die, two years ~ ago I move in wid Estelle and her four ohullun. Her make money by washin and ironint for de white folks Me end d&, chillun picks cotton and tends to de Inakin and de peddlin of garden truck and sich lak. Ah, ~~us ~ is a happy family but I am t bove usin some of dat old age pension money, if I can g it it.

Interview with Reuben Rosborough, Ridgeway, S.C., ex-slave - 82 years, 3 months old. 049 045

Project #1655 W.LDixo~ 3~O2 ~~ ~%inneboro, S. C. ~J ~J~ .35 DITERVIEE ~iru R~tJB~2~I ROSBOROTThI, RID~VAY,8C, ~.SLAV~ ~ 82 YEAB 3 MOW~I~8 OLD No sir, i: can ~e~ber nathin bout de State of Vsrgi~my, ~ere peppy said tie we.a born. He told ~e when I ~as bout two years old he and w~mn~ Kitty wgs took froz%1 8OU1&WhSZ i~ dat state to Ricb~nd, wid de understandin to eel . us aa a family, and to give a man ns~e Johnson, de preference. }~e sq de trader couldnt find de w~n Johnson, and sold us to ~iy ~rster9 John Roeborough. My peppy ne~e Wi11ia~, ~iy brothers, Torn and Willie and my sisters, lEery arid Alice. H Ity ~rster was a kind and tender i~an t o slev~ea You ses a man love hosses and animals? Well, dat e de way he love us though i~aybe in bigger portion, I low. M~rater John never izrry. $st down dore dat he wa~ good enough to buy ~ old gran ~ii~iy Mery, though she never could da uiuch work. I. ~ knowed dat our gran psppy was a white ~an back in Yerginny, but det was her secret dat she kept 1ocked~ in hr breast and carried it wid her to de grave. You say I s very light color myself~ So I je, so was she, so a was peppy. Fais your iuiud us had none of de white Roeborough in us Us conie ou one side fro~i de F.F.V s. l s proud of dat and you can put down dare dat derer no poor white trash blood in dese old veins, too. u De last pert of de war I worked ao~ in de fi eid but riot enough to hurt. Vy ~arater was a Preebyteriar~,b longed to Aiiiwell Church~ T~ or three acres in ceiaetery Ore now, but they done rove de churth into de town of Ridgeway. s, Money was not worshipped then like it is now. Not much use of it.

050 046

1 s ~ 4) ~ )~rster raised ail we set and made all we weex right dere on de place bout five wiles north of Ridgeway. ~ I guess Marster John had fort~y slaves. U. live in two. atory log house wid plank floor. Marater John die, us acend. to his brother Robert and his wife )Aiatre~s Mary. I played wid her chillun. Logan was one and Janie the ot)ier.My mar~ter an~ ~istrees was good to ns. I use t~ dr~v& de mules to de cotton gin. All I had to do was to set on de long beam and crack n~y whip every nov and then and de mules would go round and round. Dore was three hundred and eeventy-~six acres in dat places I ovu par1~ of it today. I b longs to Good Hope Church. I sure bel ievee in de Lord and det His ~aerc ies is frow everlast ~ to sverlaetir~ to th~ dat fears Hifi. a. ~ember but little bout de war for freedoni, cept dat eo~e of de claves of ~rster wea sent to de LTout to use pick and shovel to throw up breast wrks, and things of dat nature. Wy pappy was de foremen azid stayed et home carry on whilst Marst~er Robert go. e Deed I recollects bout de Yankees. They come and ask my peppy, de fore~ II~an~ ~here vas de mules end hos~es hid outZ Pappy s~y ~e don t know, he didnt carry them off. They find out a boy dat knowed; make hiii tell, and they went and got de mules and hosa.a. They took everything and left. ~ Doctor Scott was our doctor. ere was inthexn days Iota of rattlesnakes; had to be keerful of then, Then us hear lots and had Iota of chills and fever. They found de rea~edy, but they was way off bout ihat make them come on yuu. $o~e 1cv it was de ~iasuia dat de devil bring round you froir de swamp end satt le round yo tir fac e whilst yo u and soon as he git you to snore you sniffed ii to your liver, lights and gall, then dat ~iake bile, end then you was wid de chilla a. coinin every other day and de fever aU de day. Marster Doctor I{ayne done find out dat de skeeter bring de fever and de chills end

051 047

-~__ 3. ~17 funny, he low dEPt it ie de tonale ekeeter bite dat dose de buaineas. You believe dat? ididnt at fir3t, ~ti1 old Doctor Under teU u dat it was klO I1~U d51 to believe thci~ dat ail disease come into de wori~ when a f eDle bits a apple in de garden of F4en. K ~ th nk ~. Lincoln ires raised up by de Lord just like MOeGs to treA s. ~culimrb people. I think Ri . Roosev~1t is de Joshua dat co~ after hi~n. No preeideiit has done as much for de poor of both races as de one uow president. God b1e~s him and EtaiEL him in his visions and workto bring de biugdoz~ of heaven into and upon de earths ~

Going down to die (folklore). 052 048

48 Project # 16~5 ) #~r~AA Approx. 430 Words. C. 8. Murray Charleston, S. C. GOING DOWN TO DIE ( FOLKLORE) STORY TOLD BY EX-SLAVE Boss Man, you talk about de brave soi. dier w~o been in de last big war and how dey look death In de eye and spit on ~iim. I ain t see dat war, It been cross de water. But I know sump erk 1bout de Civil War. I been young lad when de big gun shoot and de Yankee pile down from de ~~rth. Talk bout being brave. De bravest thing I ever see was one day at Ashepoo junction. Dat was near de end of de war. Grant was standing up before Richmond; Skier. man was marching tuznp tuinp through Georgia. I was a stripling lad den and boylike I got to see and hear everything. One day more t~an all, de overseer sent my pappy to Ashepoo junction to get de mail. I gone long wid him. Seem like I jest had to go dat day. I member dat morning well. When I get to de junction de train start to come In. What a lot of traint De air fair smoke up wid dem. They come shouting in from Ctie.rle eton bound up eountry. I stand wid my pappy near de long trestle, and see de train rock by. One onjine in front pulling one in de back puehitg, pushing, pushing. De train load down wid soldier. They thick as peas. Been so many a whole ton been riding on de car roof. They shout and tioller. I make big

053 049

Project #-1655~ Page - 2 49 C. S. Murray Charleston, S. C.. aznaze to see such a lot of soldier - all going down to die. And they start to sing as they cross de trestle. on e pick a banjo, one play de fiddle. They sing and whoop, they laugh; they holler to de people on de ground, and sing out, Good bye. All going down to die. And it seem to me dat is de most wonderful sight I ever see. All them soldier, laughing light, singing and shouting dat way, arid all riding fast to battle. One soldier man say in a loud voice: Well, boys we going ~ to cut de Yankee throat, We on our way to meet hirn and he better tremble. Our gun greeze up, arid our bayonet sharp. Boys we going to eat our dinner in hell today. I turn to my pappy ~nd ax him how can man ~3.ct like dat when they going down to die. He answer me: Dat ain t nutting. They n u~e~ to dat. Ain t you know soldier differ ent? But I say: 9appy, you hear dem talk bout eat din ner in hell? He answer me back : They been in de army long time. They don t study hell anymore. De train still rumble by. One gang of soldier on de top been playing card. I see um hold up de card as plain as day when de luck fal 1 ri gttt The y go ing to fac e bul le t but yet they play card, and sing and laugh like they in their own k~ouse . e e All going down to die.

054 050

50 Page 3 Pro,ject #~1655 C. S. Murray Charleston, 5. C. De train pull cross de trestle. I stand up and watch um till he go out of sight round de bend. De last thing I liear is de soldier laugh and sing . . All going down to die. SOURCE: Interview with William Rose, 80, ex-slave of Edisto Island, 3. C., in 1936.

Benjamin Russell. Ex-slave 88 years. 055 051

Project #1655 w. w~, Dixon Winzieboro, s. C. 33030 ~. ~. 51 BZNJkMIN RUS3~LL n ~ was born fourteen ~ii1es north of Chester, S. C. the property of Mrs. ~ ebecca Nence. After eighty-eight years .L have a vivid roc olloction of her oynipathy and the ideal relations ~he maifltained with her slaves. 3, My father was just Baker my mother just Mary My father was bought out of a. drove of slaves from Virginia. ~ have been to~4 my mo~ thor was born on t1i~ Youagblood place. (Youngblcod uarn~ of my mi~tro~ pso:~lo i~~ i York Uounty.) My father was a slave of a ~ . itusseU arid lived two or three miles fron the Nance place, where mother lived. ~te could only visit her on a written pass. A~s he was religiously inclined, dutiful and faithful as a slave, my mother encouraged the relation that included a slave marriage between my father and mother. My mother in time, had a log house for herself and children. *e had beds rna~e by the plantatio~i a carpenter. Aa a boy I remember p1o~i~ from sun to sun, with cia hour s intermission for dinner, and f eeding the horses. $3 Money? Yes, sornetinies white folks ex~d visitors would give me ~oppar~ 3-cent pieces arid once or twice dimes Used them to buy extra clothing for Sundays and fire crackers and candy, at Christmas. We had good food. (n the busy seasons on the farm the niistre3s saw to it that the slaves were properly fed, the food cooked right and served from the big kitchen. we were given plenty of milk and sometimes butter. wore permitted to have a fowl-house for chickens, separate froia the white folks. *e imre r. clothes end stout brogan shoes in winter; went barefooted from April until November and wore cotton clothes in sujnri~r, The meeter and aora of the

056 052

4~j1 d women elavee epwi the thread, wove the cloth and made the clothes. ~Ly mother lived in a twcr~etory farm hou~e. Her children were; Wilhiem~ Vattie and ThO~fl 8. We never had an overseer on the place. Sometimes she d whip the colored children, hut only when it wae needed for correction. GGy~~, sir, I went with i~ young ntaeter, William, to Chester Court House, and s~w slaves put on a block and auctioned off to the highest bidder, just like land or mules and cattle, Did we learn to read and write? Wiwere taught to read, but it was against the law to teach a slave to write. The LsgiBiature passed an act to that effect, ~ number of cases i~i which slaves could write, the slave would forge a pass and thereby get away to free territory. They had a time getting them back. on one oceaeion I run in on ray young master Wil iax~ teaching my t.~icle Reuben how to write, They shoved their confusion, *Ail slaves wdro compelled to attend church on Sunday, k gallery around the interior of tho church, contained the bLacks. They were ~~rrnitted to join ~.n the singing, Favorite preacher? ~N.ll, I guess iay favorite preacher was Robert Russell, He was allowed sometimes to use the ~ hite folks school, which wasn t niuch in those drys, just a little log house to hold forth in winter. In summer he got permission to have a brush arbor of pine tops, where large numbers cane, Here they Sang Negro Bpirituals, I re~mber o~e was called: ~Steal away to Jesus . G 0ftunaway slaves 0t Ye s we had one wo~n who was o ontrary enough to run away; &ddie, she run off in the woods, My mistress hired her out to the McDonald family, ~e came back and we had to pelt and drive her away. GGHOW did we get nsww? 1i~~ay plantations were strict about this, btrt the greater the precaution the alerter became the slaves, the ~rider

057 053

3. t~e~ ~ they opened their ears arid the more eager they bec~s for outsite irtfor~ mation. Abe sources were: Girls that waited on the tables, the ladies inside and the drivers ; they would pick up everything they heard and pass it on to the other slaves. ~att%rday afternoons~t Theae were given to women to do the family washing, ironing, etc ~ and the men cut fire wood, or worked in the gar~ den, and special truck crops. Christmas? Christrn~e was a holiday, but the fourth of July meant very little to the slave peop1e. ~Daucers? There was lots of dancing. It ~ the pastime of the slave race. The children played shimmy and other games, imitating the white children, sor~tirnes with the white folks. * The master and mietrees were very particular about the slave girls. For instance, tney would be driving along and pass a girl walking with a boy. ~aen she ossue to the house she would be sent for and ques tionect soi~iething like this : \Yho was that young niaa? Hcw come you With him? Don t you ever let me see yo u With that ape again ~ if you couno~ pick a ~nata better than that I ll do the picking for The explana~ tion: The girl must bre~ good ~trong serviceable children. 4* No I never saw a ghost but there was a general belief among the race in ghosts, spitit3, hatints and conjt&ration. ~ny believe in them yet I can never forget the fright of the tine my young niaster,Wil~ l~am was going off to the war. The eve~aing before he went a whippoorvill lighted on the Window sill arid uttered the piaizxti~e whip poor~ill.~ All the slaves on the place were frightened c~nd awed and predicted bad luek to Vaster *111. He took sick in war and died, ju~at wasted away. ~e was brought back in rags toward the end of the struggle.

058 054

4. ~ Mistruae a1wa~ya gave the elavea a big diwier on New Year a Day and talked to ua out of the catechiai~4 ~$he impree~ed on ix~ after cIit~ner that tirOEs, that we were free. Some wer s orr~, some hurt, b~zt a few were ailent arid glad. I and r~ny of the oth3r~ had been well treated. When we Ter~s 3i~k ahe Vi3itCd u~ axid sui~noned e. doctor the ffrst thi~tg, but the remedies those daye were castor oil, ~uthine, t~irpentine, mustard p1ast~r and bleeding.

Folk-lore: ex-slave. 059 055

Project 1885 -~1- District ~ Spartenburg, S.C. May 29, 1937 FOLK-LORE: EX SLAVE ~ It1 was born about 1846, cause I was in de war and was 19 years old. when de war was over. I went to Charleston with my master, Ros Atwood, my mistress s brother. My mistress was Mrs. Laura Rutherford and my master at home was Dr. Thomas Rutherford. We was on Morris Island. My father. was Allen Rutherford end my mother Barbara Rutherf rd. My daddy had come frxn 0hili to this COUfltl71 was a harness maker, and belonged awhile to Nichols. We had a good house or hut to live in, and my work was to drive eows till I was old nough to work in de fields, when I was 13. Then I -plowed, hoed cotton, end hoed corn ~ til1 last year of war and denwent to Charl ston. Mas te r paid us no money fo r work. W~ could hunt and fish, and got lots of gam~ around there. We had dogs but our master didn t like hounds. Col. U~z~on Rutherford, doct s son, had me for a pet on the place. They had overseers who was sometimes bossy but they wouldn t allow dem to whip me. One old nigger named learn , vtho come from Africa, was whipped mighty bad one day. The padderollers whip rae one night when I went off to git a pair of shoes for an old lady and didn t git a pass. I was 16 years old then. ~ ~ !?Dootor Rutherford had several farms I reckon around 2,000 acres of ~ land. We Id t have church nor

060 056

2- . . 56 school but sometimes we had to go to de white folks church and set 5~n the gallery. We didn t learn to read and write. The mistress learnt some of de nigger chaps to read arid write e. little. We had Saturday afternoons off to wash up and clean up. When Christmas come the doctor would give us good things to eat. ~hen we was sick he give us medicine, but some of de old. folks ~u1d mkke hot teas from root herbs. ~ We had old time cornshuckiiigs before and after freedom. We made sure enough corn den and lots of it had four cribs full. V~hen freedom come, the old man had fallen off a block and was hurt, so one of de overseers told us was we free and couidgo if/wanted to. Some of dem stayed on azid some got in the big road and never stopped walking. Thenwe worked for 1/3 share of the crops; had our little patch to work, too. I was 31 years old when I married first time. Was living in Mollohon. Her name was Leana and she belonged to Madison Brooks s family, as waiting girl. I was married twice, but had 13 children all by my first wife. I have 14 grandchildren, - great-V ~ and so many/grandchildren I cantt count them. ~ When de Ku Kluxwas in dat country I lived wid a man who was one of them. Th first I knew about it was when I went down to ile mill, de mule throwed me and de meal, . and down de road I went to running and met a Ku Klwc. It was him. I think Abe I4ncoln and Jeff De.~j~ good men, but don t know much about dem. I join de church when I wa~ 68 years old t cause God 8ent me to do it I bel leve all ~ ou$ht to join church. ~. SOURCE : Joe Rutherford (92), Newberry, S C ; Interviewer : G. Lei and .~ . Sworner, NeiYberry, S.C.

(Testimony given by old man born 1861, the Ark Plantation, Horry County - owned by Mr. John Tillman.) 063 059

Project #-1655 ~ FOLIIORE Mrs. enevleve W.. Chandler onion r Murrells inlet, S, C. ~UiQ~ t) Georgetown County Uncle Sabe Rutledge (Testitnony given by old man born 1861, The Ark Plane. tation, Horry County owned by Mr. John Tilirnan) ttFust thing I realize to remember, I ister cry to go to the old. boss ~ old Massa for sugar. Massa say: ~ ~. t Martha what Newman (he cal 1 me that ) crying f or?~ Ma say t Wanter come to you for sugart t, t Br Ing the b oy her e Mar tha I ttHe gie me sugar. tt:Boil salt? Purnpl PurnpL Pump it! Had. a tank. Ru.n from hill to sea. Had a platform similar to wharf. And pump on platform. Fetch good high. Go out there on platfoz m. Force pump. My Grandmother boil salt way after Freedom. We tote water. Tote in pidgin and keel~ er make out of cedar and cypress. No ting to crove em (gr~e tem) compass. Dog- wood and oak rim. Give it a lap. (This was his description, with pantomine, of way pidg;~n and keelera were made by plantation carpenters) ~ t, My Grandmother had two pots going Boil all day ax~. all night. Biling.. Boil till he ticken (thicken) Cedar paddles stir with. Chillun eat with wooden spoons. Clay pot? Just broken piece. Indian had big camping ground on beach near the Ark. After big blow you can find big piece of pot there. I see Indian. Didn t see

064 060

Project#-.1655 ~ Page - 2 Mrs. ~exievieve W-.~ ~ Chandler ~ ~ f30 Murrells i~1 t, S. C. Georgetown County wild one ; see tame one. Indigo? Old man Lashle Tilinian nuster plant 1nd1~o. Seed lak a flax. Put myrtle seed In with indigo to boll. Gather and boll for the traffic. All the big folkses plant~that fore the rice. Rice cane i3i circul~tlon, do way with Indigo. Nuster (used to) farm Indigo just like we work our o orn In t have no thing but ox And the colored folks they ame next to the ox -~ Hill keep advancing out Re ekon you dn t blieve lt but I ken cummember (Uncle Sabe stutters a bit) when all that beach been cultivate field.- Mu.stbe nature for sandhill to move. Time m st got too fast now for the people to llv~. ttStor~~? Oh my Lordi Flagg Storm? Sea naturally climb right over that hill like lt wasn t nothing. Water come to King Road ~e ckon it would a o orne furthe r If the wind dldn t shift. ~ Calls this The Ridge t Why ? I first man settle here . ~ Oak Ridge (It is the highe st land be tween the Wacoamaw river and the ocean ) Just name it so. : Member the shipwreck. Two nien arid lady come to the Ark. Storniy time Massa take them to town. Old. anchor there now. Come a blow you kin see lt. Water rise over .it. b gh tide. ~ S ~Ma tell me bouttheyhad the to do. Blockade at :~ ~ ~ Had t rn out to & ill (The Yankees.csmeto shore

065 061

Project~# i655... . ~ ~ Page - 3 Mr s. ~ ~enev1eve W.- ~ Ch ndier Mu~rre11s Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County to drill. ) Old man John Tiliman lose all he Chlna-a-wayl (chinaware ) Every bit of his china and paints (panes of glas s ) out the window Yanke e gun boa t s ojer ( so Idi er) to Magnolia to drill. They tack em (attacked em) to cut ~ em off When Reb s ta ok ~ ein smal I b oat s g ne ba ck. She had to brace em. Shoot dem ~ ~ell to brace. (Gun boat fired to frighten Rebs who~~ were cutting Yankees off from escape) I hear old ~an Frank Norris - lived right beyond ~ttrill Deas - I hear him (nuster come home to the Ark and trap) ~ I hear him say lot of t~ bog. (Ella, Agnes and Johnnie ~ohn~on fadderbeen there) Bomb shell hit the hill and bury the m In the sand. Had to dig out. - ~ ttOldman John Tiliman my boss. $ho treat hIs people good ~ ~ se e why hi s folk s ~ ( s lave s) we nt t blockade (tried to escape and join Yankee gun-boats). Sho treat ills -colored folks good. My Grandfather, Rodrick~Rutledge, driver from a boy. Time he big nuff to handle it till Preedotu. Couldntt marry widout consent of boss. (Remark from Uncle Sabe s sister, Mom Jane, whO is quite aeid. AI . 3a~! information inhe ri te d - she Fre e~om child) Mom Jane : ItBeen t o devil and e orne ba ck now I ( Comparing si avery to the lower regions)

066 062

Pro~e.at~#_1655.. . . Page - 4 :~ ~rs . ~ en~vieve ~. ~ Chandi er 2 ~ Murrells Inl t, 8. C. Georgetown County Uncle Sabe ~ continuing: Have sick house; have chillun house. (All In this section tell great tales of the chillun house. Sounds ~ a lot like the nurse houses in Russia to day. Ail the babie s were in thi s day nursery in care of the~ older women, too old for field work.) ~ Corn. Meat ~ pig, beef, fish ~ plenty milk. (Some cow tcoffee cow that Is give just enough milk for the coffee ) tiAfly rice? Aunt Jane: (interrupting) Pic~k you teet (teeth) to~ find the ricel Great God% Now I can~buy my ricel Uncle Babe: Could plant ups-land rice to Ark. (This on coast awayfrom fresh water) Ash cake? Meal, salt, water. ~ot a greasel Not a greasel See }&idder cook it many a hundred dayl Moin~ Jan : ~ Ptit it in the stove today, - nothing I : -Rather have it any dayl Babe Wrap lt In brown paper, mostly. Cows free in woods. Alligator tal . good. Snail built up j st like a conch (whelk)f They eat good. Worms like a conch. Bile conch. Git it out shell. Grind it sausage grinder. Litt le onion. Black pep~e r Rather eat conch than any kind of nourishment out of salt water, Main Jane: ~ Oonjur? Wouldntt turn a hucks br ad for em. (Give a crust.)

067 063

Pro~e~t~ #-1655 .. Page ~ 5 63 Mr s . ~ Uene~vieve . ~.- . Ch IId er Murrel is mie t S C. Georgetown County Sabe : Vihat G~d got lot ~ out for a man 11 ge t I t . Flat boat full up (with slaves trying to escape) gone dow n Waccamaw Uncle Andrew Aunt the one got he eye shoot out (by patrollers) took e~n to camp on North Is . Nev er se e s o mu eh a button ~ and pin ih my life I Small-pox in camp. Had to leav.e tem. Captain Ben and Qaptain Toni fadder - look how he diel Looker the bloodi Looker the peoplel Looker the bloodi His boat call The Bull it Up and down Pee Dee river. Meet flati Bore hole In flat and women and clii ilun go down L Tak men off . ~e ~ COME TO T HIS COUNTRY. ( Carne down f rom North be fore Ci~il War ) Them darnish Yankee very percruel. (Peculiar?) - My Great-grandmother Veenia, pirate captured and took all they money in Engi ish war (Revolution ) Dem ~ day Ladle B wear bodkin fastened to long gold chsi n on shoulder - needle in em and thimble arid ting . Coming down from New York to get away from Engi I ah My great grandmother little thlllun. Pirate come to her~Missus. Take all they money come cut bodkin o if her shoulder. Grandmother ma gone on the boat and twiss herself in ~ skirt. Pir&te put em off to Wilmington. Come ~ on do*i settle to Pitch Landing near Socastee. Keep on till tliey get to ~rk. ~ . ~ . My . Great-Grandma Veenia d~dn t have . a teet in

068 064

Page ~ 6 G4 Proje~t # 1655 Mx~ s. ~eneviev~ . W.. ~ Chandler Murrells Inlet, 5. C. Ge orge t own County her head - one hundred ten years old and could eat hard a bread as any we. Uncle Sabe Rutledge Burgess, S. C. - P.O. Horry County Age 76 (Born 1861) Ark Plantation.

Uncle Sabe Rutledge (ex-slave story). 069 065

e~ Project 1655 ~ Genevieve W. Chandler j~c~j~ ~ Ut) Georgetown County, S. C. UNCLE SABE RUTLEDGE (EXIMSLkVE STORY) n They call him Rogeriok Rutledge for ehortneae. ~r Grandpa REA.L name Jim. First time I big enough to realeot (recollect) hia he have on no pante but eoit~ething built kinder like overall and have a apron. Apron button up here where n~r overall buckle and can be let do~n~ All been dye with indigo. Have ~eave ehrt ~ dye with blue indigo boil with myrtle aeed. ~rrtle seed muet..a-did put the color in. Old brogan shoe on he foot. Old beaver hat on he head, Top of crown wear out and I n~mber he ha~v~ ~ paete boa rd cove r over With cloth and sew in he hat crown. ~r Granda. i~ther wear these here gingham cloth call gingham twill. ~ Now the ohillunZ I n~mb3r I ~.s a big boy grown when I get my tiret pants, All boy ohillun wear a shirt ~ long down to knee and lower. Have belt round the middle ~ juet like you belt to hold em.. Chillun have not a ehoel Not a ehoe tor ohillun on ue plantation to the Old Ark~ Firat shoe I have, P~ get a cow hide and tan it. And a ~n name Stalvey make my tiret air of shoes. I wae way near bout grown. ~ke the sole out the thiokneea of the cow hide. Short quarter. No eye ~ juet u~Ice the hole. LaetZ The n~n2 Tee ~enZ Yea n~n j Keep em greaee~ Them shoe never wear outZ ~ We ralee all we get to eat. Hominy, cornbread, peai, potatoee, rice. 1t~riet we plant thie here yellow corn. I cry n~ny a day bout that yellow oorn~ ~J 10883

070 066

Project 165e FOLKIX~RE Genevieve L Chandler 6G Georgetown County1 S. C. P~bge 2 U~iCLE SABE RUTLEDGE (EX.u~3L&VE STORY) We say, }~, this here yellow corn make hominy look like he got egg cook in em; red corn look like hozainy cook in red molaeeeel But yellow corn 8tronger feecU Strouger teedi And F~ know em. ~ Sunday coi~ go to church in that saine blue shirti Little old pole church *.. ~ (gone now) ~ eaU. Dick Green Bay Church . (Named for a loosi character. ) When we go to church before freedom, ~udder and them have to have the ticket. s Old ~n John Tilghn~n at the Ark Plantation have no overees~r have Driver . Met folks on Waccai~w have overseer and DrFver . ~r P~ beea the Ark Drive . ~ Old ~n Zachariah Duno&n been the preacher. ~ That the ea~~ man build t ie firet ~ ~1~n Gate church after freedom. H~ got drift lumber on the river and on the beach. Flat em --~ n~ke a raft and fl,at em over to the ~ ~ bill and the men haul em to ~ Gate with ox. Yea. Heaven Gate built outer pick up lumber, n Before freedom P~raon Glezmie ~ he ~as placopal ~ he would come give us a service once a month on the plantation -~ so ~ther said. I, P~~tchea of indigo all through the mode. You ~ow cow eat indigo. U. have too much ozJ H,ve to haul rail all the time keep up the old fence.

071 067

FOLKLORE Project 1655 ~4 (;7 Genevieve W. Chandler Georgetoi~n County, S. C. I~ge 3 UNCLE SABE RUTLEDGE (Ex-suivE STORY) Woods full up with cow. Cattle loose ~ free. W~ en you want beef have to hunt for ein like we hunts deer now. I n~mber some ox I helped broke, Pete, Bill, Jim, David. Paby was a broivn. Davl& kinder mouse color. We alwaye have the old ox in the lead going to haul rail. Hitch the young steer on behind. Sometimes they give up and the old ox pull em by the necki Break ox al I the time. Fun for us boya ~ breaking ox. So much of rail to haula ( You oantt tell n~ bout thu pension? L4ok like to me somebody trying to smother something. Letters come. Carda come. 1~r name on outside airight. Tell me to put my name on cards and hand em out to x~r friends. Say iend t wenty-~five cents Next t ime say Send thirty.five cents . He coo 1 oft then and another n~n -~ Mr. lbpe come in. Got two letter front him and he tell n~ be still tu I hear from him again. J. E. Pope. Last blank I got from Mr. Pope he eey not to look for more than thirty or thritywtwo dollare a month. Say there ain t going to be no two hundred a month.) How ooir~ I know all thees Buh Rabbit stOry, Mudder epin you know. Have the great oak logs iron fire dog. Have ie chillun to ~it by the fire place put the light.~wood under ~ blase up. W. four ohilltm have to pick seed out the cotton. Work till ten o clock at night and ries early3 Mudder

072 068

Project 1655 ~ FOLKJ RE : Genevieve W, Chandler ~ Georgetown County, S. C. }~ge 4 UNCLE SABE RUTLEDGE ( EX SLA1VE STORY ) and Father tell you story to keep you eye open3 Pick out cotton seed be we job every night in winter tiu~ ~- cept Sundayl When we grow bigger, Mudder make one card. One would spin and then Mudder go to knitting. Night time picking these cotton seed out; day time in winter getting woodi r, Fall --~ harvest peanut, peas, tat.rZ lt ~ member all them Buh Rabbit story~ Mudder tell em End we laugh and wake up~ They was one bout BithRabb~t and Buh ~~id.gaa~. You know Buh I~,tr~dge the onliest one get the best of Buh RathitZ ft Buh Rabbit bet Buh E~tridge ( Buh Rabbit think he so sharp you knows) 11e bet Buh ~trid~e it he fly off domi the road a piece and lit Buh Rabbit can find em. -~- Buh F~tridgs bet him he can tJ So Buh P~tridg. take off and fi7 down the road a piece and lit ~- like a I~tridge will do ~ lit and turn up on he back and rake the leaves over him and kiver (cover) hie body all cept he two foots sticking up like etioka * Now Buh Rabb it come J He hunt and he hunt and he hunts Couldn t find ~ 2I and h. get so hot he take off he coat and hang it on Buh P~tridge footel I, 1~e go on hunting and after *hile he call ut, s ~ Well I can t find Buh P~tr1dge* Can t Lind Buh F~tridgei I, And Buh P~tridg. sing out,

073 069

Project 1655 FOLKLORE I Genevieve W. Chandler Georgetown County, S. C. p~.ge b UNCLE SABE RUTLEDGE (EXasSL&VE STORY ) n t Well, Buh Rabbit, here I 151 You hang you coat on n~ feeti ft Buh Rabbit have to pay the betS ( I don t member what the bet was). So Buh E~tridge was the onliest one I ever hear bout could get the best of Buh RabbitS I, When Father and Mudder tell them story we chullun noddin 5 Some cackle out and all jump up and go back to picking out cotton seedS N There is another one bout Buh Bear. They goes out n~ head. I ll think them Eiuh Rabbit up fore you come back MiesueS And Uncle Sabe, ~ho ~.s sitting on the J.~OK OUT at the Flo~l Beach Fishery, continued to let hie e~rea play all over the sea like searchlights, ready to wave the black flag and n*x~ch down toward the fishery holding it aloft keeping himself in a line with the fish if fish were sighted. Since ~ay before what he called the big war he and hie people have eaten mullet and rice for the three fall months. Eis home w..s visited before Uncle Sabi was located and children and grandsschuldr.n, wife, sister and neighbors were found seated and standing all over the kitchen floor and piazza fl or and steps ~ each one with a generous tin plate of ries and fresh, brown, hot spot ~ a fish not valuable in susr but choice in fall and winter. Two hounds and a large oat worked around among the feastirs for their ~ell chewed bones.

074 070

Project 1655 Genevieve W. Chandler Georgetown County, S. C. FOLK DRE 1~ FSge ~ -~ UNCLE Sh&BE ( EX. SLkVE STORY) SOTJRCZ* Uncle Sabe Rutledge, The Ridge, Burgess, S. C., (Iiorry County) Born riret year of the Ci~i1 War. ( He o~na hie house and land, -~~- some twenty..five acres under cultivation. This is b ~td on what appears to be ~ height of land lying betwe~ the Waooaii*w and the Atlantic. Locally it is kno~i a~ The Sand Ridge .)

Folk-lore: ex-slaves. 075 071

Project 1885 - 1 District #~ nil ~i ~ Edited by: Spartanburg, S.C QV J. Martha Ritter May 31, 1937 FOLX~-LORE : EX -S LAVES - ttI was born in Ed.gefield county, S.C., about 1854. I was the son of Larkin and Cheny Ryan who was the slaves of Judge Piokens Butler who lived at Edgefield Courthouse. I has some brothers and sisters, but don t reraernber them all. We lived in a log house with but one room. We had good ~beds to sleep in, and always had plenty to e at Old Judge But 1er was a good man. I was 10 years old when he died. Before then I worked in and around the house, end freedom come I s tayed with the Butler family two years, then went to Dr. Maxwell s . ~ ttIfl slavery time we had e tra patches of ground to work for ourselves which we sometimes worked on Saturday afternoons as we had dat time off. Judge Butler used to give us a little money,too, before freedom corne, for our work. We bought~ clothes and things we had to have. We had a big plantation garden dat the overseers planted for all on de place to eat out of. We used to hunt possums, rabbits, squirrels, wild turkeys, doves, partridges, end set traps for partridges and s t box gums forrabbits. We had good food then, plenty peas, cornbread, and wild garne. When winter time come we put on wool clothes and hea-vy shoes. Old Marco Butler and his mistress was good, de best folks in de country. They lived in a big house, had a girl and a boy, and over 1000 or maybe 2,000 acres of land, on several farms. One was on Saluda River. His overseers some was no good, but ntaster wouldn t let them treat slaves oruel, just light ~hipp~ng.

076 072

~- tt~ofle of Major Piokens Butler s slaves ever from him, but~ scm~ in de neig~iborhood did rim away, and heard of dem again. - The padorrollers would catch a nigger if have a pass. Some wouldpass and re pass in the road, g t catched and such scuffling would go on~ We worked on Saturda~r afternoons unless boas give time off to work o~ir own little patches or do some other work we had to do. But some would frolic then and wash up for~ Sunday or set around On Sunday we went to church and talked~ to neighbors . On Chf istmas we celebrated by having a big dinner w~ioh the master give us. We had three days holiday or sometimes a week. We had New Year s Day as a special d~r for working, cause it was a sign if we worked good dat day, we would work good. all de year. The white folks had corn-shuckings ~nd cotton pickings in slavery and after freedom, too. Den would have b 1g suppe r. ~ Some ne ighbors walk ~ t en miles like walking to church . or tO school. Didn~t think anything of walking dat far. -2 72 Uwe used to have to wake up at sun up and work till sundown. We didn t learn 1~o read and write; but we had a prayer house on de plantation where we could go to soitietimes, until freedom come, then we went on to it just the same. Old nian Bennefield, a nigger preaoher,talked to us there. I can member one of de favor Ito s ongs we sung: Show pity, O Lord, forgive, Let e er repentant sinner live; Are not thy mercies large and ~ree, May not a s inne r tr~ist in Thee. ~ My crimes are great, and can t surpass, t went away dey never he didn t and maybe

077 073

Some of de games played by children were marbles, jump rope. Once an old man had his dog trained to say his prayers. The dog was fed but wouldntt be allowed to eat until he put his paws in front and bow his head on dera; de old man say to him, 1tNo, no, you die and go to hell if you don t say your prayers. . Once another fellow, a nigger, said he was going to his wifets house to see her; but he had~ to pass his old partner s place on de way, who was dead. V~hen he got opposite the partner s place something, maybe a ghost, caine to hini and wrestled with hirn and wouldn t let him go on to see his wife, so he corne backto his nia~ter s house and stayed. ~Then the slaves got sick they had doctors, and used old herbs. tJe~sal~Oret was a kind of herb for children, tc~ build themup, and there was field grass roots and herb roots which was boiled and tea drunk for fevers. And Primer.. rhine tea lvfiioh was drunk, too. Sometimes they would hang garlic around small boys and girls necks to keep away any d.nd of sickness. We didn t have schools; sf~arted them the second year after freedom. Old General Butler give us old slaves a home each and a small patch to work. ~ I narried v~hen I was 21 years old, the first time in Edgefield County, now called Saluda County. I have six children, nine granc1-~ohi1dren, and four great-grand-mohiidren. I think Abe L~noo n was good man and he was Providential arrangement. I think J0ff Davi$ was good man, same. Booker T. Washington is good man, done lots for young niggers. I rather lik it now, and not s lavery t line I joined church ivhen I . ~ was 18 to turn from evil ways and to live a botter life. : . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~aoac~ ~ ~ye~(83),Newberr~s.c.~by G. Lola ~

Eliza Scantling. Ex-slave 87 years. 082 078

Pp~~~t j~~ 16~~5 390403 FOLKLORE ~ Phoebe Faticette . . H~ipton County . ELIZA SCANTLING EX-SLAVE 87 Years Lt you wants to know about de s lavery times said old Aunt Eliza, you se sure come to de right person; tcause I wuz right dere The statement was easy to believe ; for old Aunt 5 wrinkled face and stiff, bent form bore testimony to the fact that she had been here for many a year. As she sat one cold afternoon in December before her fire of fat lightwood knots, in her one-room cabin, she quickly went back to her childhood days. Her cabin walls and floor were filled with large cracks through which the wind came blowing in, I gits along pretty good. My chillun lives all around here, and my granddaughter tha t s a- s tandin at the window dere take s care of me. Den de goverxmient help~s me out. it sure is a blessing, too - to have sech a good governmentl And Mies Maggie good to me. She br~ght ~ie dis wood, Brought it in her truck herself. Had a colored man along to handle it for her. But I so stiff I sometimes kin hardly move from me waist d~n. And sometimes in de morning when I wake, it is all I kin do to get up an wash me face. But I got to do it. My granddaughter bring me my meal s. I is 87 years old. I know cause I wits so high when de war broke out Lu I plowed m~ Jam~ary to July de year fore p~ ace declare. I remember dat. I vuz a good big girl; but jes a. child - not married yet. Yes m I plowed a mule an a wild un at dat. Sometimes me hands get so cold I jes cry. But dey

083 079

Project #~i65~ Page ~ 2 Phoebe Faucette Hampton C~~~ty all say I twuz a nigger what wuz a niggert In May peace declare. De first president of de country wuz Lincoln. He took his seat in Marcs. But I work for de white pe ople fore dM On a Frida y mornin our Massa ~ Mr Richard Davant come au told us peace declare. He come au told s hIBself. I wuz in de cornhou~e a shuckin corn to go to de mill on Saturday. After freedom all de niggers left cept my Mamma. My father brought us back here to Col. Alex Lawton s place at Robertville. 11. used to belong to ~ Lawton. Many years atter dat Col. Lawton moved to Savannah; but when he died dey brought him back here an buried him at Robert ville. My young Mis~us was de daughter of Mr. Sam Maner, my old Mas sa ; s o when she marry Mr Davant I went wid her Dey had bought a place in Screven, Georgia. Seven year ~ peace dedare we went to Geopg~a. on a Monday ~ a colored man come along an tell Mj38 ~n. de Yankees had took Waynesboro. We ai . went to see it, D0 fire had left de place clean. Could pick up a pin behindit. Other than dat I see nothin . I never see no house burn down. I never hear no gun fire. ~I jes see de unifonn, an see em kill de hog an sling ein cross de saddle. Den when we some back to Robertvifle, we see de destruction left behind. After I git of size, I mind de birds off de corn, an rice an aech like Den I di. take care of de turkeys . A~t we d sweep de yards. Carry de leaves off to de stable in a wheelbarrow.

084 080

~I ~: Proj st #1465 Phoebe Pa tte ~ainpton County W) Page-3 Both ay IIIiS8US wuz good. to me. D. last misius I own treat me jes d.e same as her own child. I stayed r~ight dere in de house wid. her, an if I wuz sick or anything she d take care or me same as her own chillun. I nurse one of .her chillun. An dat child would rather be wid me than wid h r o~ mother t Source: ~1Lz* Scantling, Scotia, S. C.. age 87 years.

Mary Scott. Gourdin, S. C. Ex-slave, about 90 years old. 085 081

- - - . ~.. .. . - ~ -.-~-- .- . -- - ~ - - ~ ; No~srd~___ - ~ Reduced frornWords - Rewritten b~ ~ ~ 81 Code No. - 390166 Project No. 1885 (1) ~ Prepared - by ~rs Lucile Young & H. Grady Davis Place, Florence, S. C. Date, May 25, 1937 Typed by M. C., I~1. Y. A. - Page -~-~- -il ~ary Scott Gourdin, S. C. - Ex-Slave, About 90 years old t~1Tthere and when were you born~ ttOn Gastoii Gamble place, betw een here and Greelevill . In de Gamble s L-~ib1e is my age. Don t know my age. Pretty much know h~ old, I bout 90. iwuz little girl when freedom come.~ Give the names~ of your father and mother. . - ~ - .n Father, John Davis . . Mother, Tina Davis . Belonged to last ~a. Darby Pultoet. Gamble sold mama and three children to Fulton. Belonged to Davis - - - - after freedom. Father belonged to Davis Take first maus ~ s name Sold t Arnold Mouzon. ~ Didn t take Mouzon name - - - ~Where did your father and . mother o orne frora?t ~Rig,~it where Grand~ go, Genbie place. - ~ Didyou have any brothers and sister~-?1 ~ . - - iiJaxa~B and Benjamain. All ded. - ~ - - ~ Describe the beds and where you slept. 9Iad plenty slaves. I don t know exactly how many. In dein t ntes you know, we had to get ticket to go to see dore family. What kind of hause did you have to live j~1tt Be+~1~er dsxL dis. B tter d&n dis Good. house . Sleep on wooden bed. Straw sud- feath rmnattrees,~ -. O ~ ~ ~ Do yo~a ~ernemb r an.yf~hing about yo~u grandparents or any stories told - O ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ $bOUt. ~ the3~L1 - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~/) ~ ~ I ~ g~ L ~4j~ ~ ~ ~ :~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

086 082

#2 tu ain t know my grandmother, grandfather either. VOiat work you do in. . slavery times . Didn t do no kind. of work. Mother milked, tended to de butter.1 . S Did you ever earn any money? - No money. 11What did you eat and how was it cooked? . Boil meat and put peas or greens, rice cooked dry, take up in plate and eat. One girl get done . and wash dishes and put dem up. Did you ever eat any possums? Yes, my brother- catch possum and ra000 n.U - - Fish? - - - Fishing in de branch. - S Did the s laves have the ir own gardens ? Yes, sir, plant big garden, no use plant, go to dere garden and. get it. . ~9~hat clothes d1d you wear ~in cold weather? ~ - t Thick. - I could weave it with stripes and put one ~ check one way and nother strip nother way. t1Hpt ~ireatherV - - - u j~ winter warm o lothes arid shoes. Had Sunday clothes I had a green worsted ~1 t, - - ~LO~Q. Did the s laves have e. church ou your plantation? - Go to~ white people church and sit out of doors and wait till dey come out and den we ~o in and. have ~ pr?aehing. - White or colored preacher? White preacher. - . Was your master a good man?0 ~ S - ~tMr. GaiT~b1e like to drink liquor but still good pe ple. All who I talking about good people. . S - . ~ 1~ / ~1 / ~ ~ ~ ~ / ~ ~ ~

087 083

83 ~hat was Mr Gan~ble s name V ~ .. ~ ~ ~ ~ Mr Gamble name Gatron Gamble. Son living in dat big house and. grandson living dawn dere. How many children did. Mr. Davis have? lie had s orne not many. Mr. Gamble . had some too What kind of house did Mr. C-arable live In? ~ Medium s iz e hous e All had just common houe e t ~ro s ~ihat ab out the overseer? Overseer he see dat you work soon. Driver go in de field and stay t1~. 12 o clock. - . _ How many a res in the plantationV ~ ~ 11DOn t knOW how xnany acres.t Y~hat time did the overs eer wake the s lave s up? ~ ~ ~ ~fake dp( up sobn. Blow horn. ~. .~ Did you have to work hard? - work tu sundown. ~ ~ ~ Did you see any slaves punished? ~ Some punished, but I ain t never see none whip. I heard stick strike de - ground and tie hands e feet . ~ Paddle on dis s ide and den paddle on de other ~ side tu sore . ~ ~ ~ Did you ever see any slaves sold. or auctioned off? My mo~her and us sold. Mrs. Gamble died left my mama for a daily gift. 8e wouldntt allow dem to whip me. I ain t know wheh wo he sell, I wuz a baby. A-. Did you . s ee s laves lU chains? No cha ns. . Did the slaves ~ve a church on pour plantation? ~ ~ ~ ~ Yes, d~e Ganibles make us to go to Sunday school and learn us the Sunday school lessons. I could plow. We went to white church and set down till white people go out and de old iiian dat tend to de church and open up de church ~nd say come in, can t stay outsid . ~

088 084

~f ~ ttWhO preached for you. all? . b~T uncle, Jefferie Pendergrass, mother s brother. If colored people want preacher prei~.ch he go in dere and made de children he quite~and preach a nice s e rxnon and have watch ni ght but not ~ in de church. Do you know any spirituals? n ~ forgets dem things . I us e to be good. s inger but I am t got no teeth. I ain t been looking fer dis. If you hadn t coine,I d been gone. Where would you have gone? Just to v ralk about. All gone to de fie id and de children s o bad. Tell about baptizing. ~ Baptized by de white people. ~ . Did the slaves run away to the North? I ain t know bout dat. ttWhat about patrollers? No pataroll rs. Have to get tioket~rliip dem if dey didn t get it. Colored people domore than white people ~a11aw.. Caused dein to whip dem. My- sister, my sister 1n-law and girl went and tell dora dey gwine have play in white kitchen. ~ir. SamFultcn boss wouldn t go to war. My sister, sister.-in..l~w run up in de 1 oft and te 11 dean c orne down and dey c orne dowfl and jump off de window and land in de mud hole wid dere best dress on. 1~r. Fulton let dem have it in de quarters~ Did you hear of any trouble between the master and the slaves? My grari~xnotherwent off and wouldn t come back. She write:that she get .. - everyday what she o uld get fer Sunday. - Did you - work on Saturday evenings ? - Some of de i~hite people made dem work on Saturday evening. I had a uncle when white people come by going to church he hoeing his rico. Dey didn t S want him work on Sunday. ~iss Elizabeth Gamble tell dem he gwine to chop his rice ~ on Sunday. . ~ . V

089 085

. - lieb - ~ What did you do on Sunday? 85 Go to church. Christmas day? I don t remember what dey cive on Christmas day. Iv~r fa~Lly got clothes. ~Tha~ did you do at a wedding or funeral among the slaves? . Just say got a wife, ain t married. If anybody dod everything stop. What games did you play as a child? know . I don t/what all I played. Do you laiovt any funny stories? No, sir, I used to tell my grands things. . Did you -ever see any ghosts? ~ ~ . - - . V - ~0 ~ am t bell eve in it but I see dem. ~ Jest pass by and dey. want bother -yoi~. Don t ktiow~ where dey come from. Dey look like people. You don t believe in them? ~ . No,sir, but I-~iqw one thing, dey say fox ~ime mad. Say cat ~wine mad. - - but dat am t ~s o. - . I am T ~ scared of nothing. . ~You are not soared at night? . Villen de moon. shining. Moon am t shin~mi ght fall and cripple . When we -holl~ voice way back .dere. ~ . ~ ~ When the s laves became s ic)~ who tended to them? White people tended to dem. Use medici~ie. . Do . y~ . make medicine out of herbs ? - - - - . - No, sir, d n t make it. ! . - . . . .. ~ Did. you ever see at~thody wear a tex~oent piece aroun~ ankle? . n ~ see dem wear it, but I a ~zi. t 1~iow what fer . VVhat do you remember about the war that brought you freedom? I krLow just as good when peace declarecI~ Gun rolled in dat direction. : Must .be.guxis.. ~ Cook say roll thunder roll and I say de sun shine it ain t . .. gwin~... ra~in. I ~z ~bo.o- little to lQiovr but u~r sister say every n~an and every .~ . womaxi ~ot to workfor deniselves. - .. .

090 086

11~6 That did your master say? . UI aintt know what inastersay, he single nian arid didn t talk much. 1 Did you stay with him the year after froedoxaV No, he didn t treat rr~ mother right. Any schools for Negroes? . . . Prefrty good time before schools. Did the slaves buy any land?t . . ~ Nc? land bought ~ . Do you remember your wedding? ~ ~ ~ I member jest as good bout my wedding. I married on Thursday nig~it. Come white people from Kingstree ~nd different ones corn and plie It up and ~7heri I get all dem presents some one stick fire and burn it all dovin. Whom ~ did you marry? . John Scott. ~ ~ Do ~ you hav9 any o} ldren? : .~ * ~:~OflG gone in de . fie14 and die one . . - . ~What are they doing? ~ Working on farms Jane got killed in de wreck. Who is Jane? . ~ ~ . ~}~r daughter. She waz coming to see me. Train wreck and kill her coming from . Norfolk. ~ hoyt long ago was that? ~ . ti, Bout two years ago. ~ What do you think of Abi aha~t LinoolziV ~ . ~ cl see picture of dem. Picture in dere of LIncoln. - ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~Naw that slavery time is ended~what do you think of It ? : I believe colored people do better in de slavery than. now. ~ UDO YOU belong to the church? :~ ~:~YeS, PDOfl~18e: L& d Baptist church. Why do you think people ought to go to churoh? 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 8G

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#7 . To have sorz~ protection and when you go in a church dat is a place for you to be taken care of . Dey am ~ t ~ot no roll ci I Was the overseer poor white trash? n ~ ~ ould hear de people talk boul hirn. Some like him and s orne don t. If I Cot a wife oir~r: yonder, I got to get ticket before I could go to see her. Had to vmrk hard t11 tLet us see the. picture of Lincoln. Dis is it. (Granddaughter shows us Aunt Wary s picture) t Is that the one? . Yea, I think so. Let rie see, dat ain t de one. Here is. (Aunt i~ary showed us a picture which looked to be taken froni some New York newspaper. It vras probal4y a screen star). . - Who told you that was Lincoln? Some preacher or somebody coit~e here and tell me.

Stories of ex-slaves. 093 089

Project. 1885-1 ~ ~~OLXLORE . Edit ed. by : 89 ~ Spartanburg Dist.4 390085 Elmer Turna~e May 25, 1937 STORIES OP EX.~SL VES I was born in Nevvb rry County, near the Laureris County line, above Ohappells Depot. My Lather and. mother were Torn and Prancis Scurry arid belonged as slaves to the Drury Scurry family. Dr. Drury Scurry bought them from Col. Cooper 0 Laurens County. He was a fine man and mighty good to ~is slaves. I worked around the house as a boy, and in the fields when I got old enou~h..Some of the nigger boys hunted possume, rabbits and squirrels. Dr. Scurry had 100 acres in woods. They were just full of squirrels and we killed more squirrels tha~i you can count. . The slaves didn t have a garden, but a~t r.the war, we stayed on wid Marse Scurry4 When freedom come, hecorne to us in the yard where we had congregated arid told us we was free arid could go any.. where we wanted, but ii any wanted to stay on wid him, he would pay wages. All of us stayed or~ wid~ hirn. He.~ive us a one~acre patch of ground to raise anything we wanted to raise. He had white overseers dti~ring slavery, but none ev r whipped us cause the master woulkdn t let them. He had a plantation o about 300 acres and 40 or 50 slaves. They got up.at sun up and worked ~til1 sun-~down each day, but had Saturday afternoons off when dey could do anything deyvvanted to. There wasn t much time for learning to read and write. The white f~1k5 sometimes had ni~gers to go to their church and set in the back or gallery. In our neighborhood, ni~ers had their own church dat they made of poles and brush, and called it, Brush Har-. bot . They made seats from small logs sawed off o~ ro u~h plank. . On~hristrnas day, the master would have a big dinner for his laves arid spread it out in the yard%. Cora4~ucking5 were popular .. . ~ and. so v~erecotton pickinge, where bi~ eats were prepared ~or thos ~- ~ ~- --~-

094 090

~ . Folklore: 5tories Of EX..$lave3 Pai~e 2 9()~ H who helped . They had big feasts at marriages and even the slaves had feasts at their marriages, the master and his family taking part in the ceremonies. I was married in 188?, arid at that time I was 1 i~i ng w j. th 1 ~ r Renw ick1~~ a rid my g frl w it h . Tom ~r ow ri Dr . Brown had us to marry in his yard in the grove, and over 200 persons was there to see it. The next day, he give us a big iniair with all kinds o~ good things to eat, presents arid. dances. We never had any children. After we moved to town, my wife v~ as a nurse or midwiTh among some o1~ the white families for a )ong time. 11n Ku Klux times, I met rive or ten of them in the road otie night. They never bothered me. They had long white sheets over them and the horses. Slits were cut ~or the head, eyes, nose arid mouth. The riiggers had an old field song: Give inc dat good oie time religion which they sans most o the time. There was another song they sang: Dark midnight is my cry ~-- ~ive rae Jesus, You may have all this w rid, but give me Jesus. Some old~ ~time cures Thr the sick was -~- barks o1~ cherry tree, dogwood, and olive bush, made into tea arid drunk. ~. nI thought Abe Lincoinwas a fine man, done mighty good and saved the country. Jeff D~av1s was a good man. Booker Washington was a-great man. I think slavery was bad; yet our white Colks was good to us, but some white masters was mean. i think everybody should belong to the church and be a christ n. SOURCE: Morgan scurry (78), Newberry,S.C.; interviewed by: &1~L. Summer, Newberry, S.C. May l9,~ 193?.

Alfred Sligh. Ex-slave 100 years old. 096 092

Project jfr1655 Stiles M. Seruggs Columbia, S. C. 390286 : 92 ALFREI) SLIGH. EX~~SLIs~VE 100 YEARS OLD. Alfred S11~h, who lives in a rented house at 1317 Gregg Street, says he wa~ born in Newberry County, South Carolina, i~n 1837. Ills hair 5~s white an~d he is feeble. lie goes about the city, on lair days, collecting small sums of money from his ~thite frieii~ds and sometimes from his own race. In this vray he earns most of his 4ncome. My folks was slaves of the ~1igh family for many years, befo was born. Ii~r man~ity and daddy and me b 1on~ to But1ex~ ~iigh, at de time I begin to do chores and take notice of things. I be nearly half grovrn when my young master, I3utler ~1igh, am just four y~ars old. He die, four or five years ago. I guess you member, cause he was a powerful wel14mo~m white man. :~ie wa~ seventy~five years old whenhe die. . De young master, he name for Tfl~j old master. Deold master and most all de white men of denoighborhood, round bout us, march off to de war in 1861. One day I see th~ ridin dovm de big road on many hosses and they wavin deir hats and singin : We g~ine to hand Abe LIncoln on a sour apple treeL and they in fine spirits. L~r young mas~ ter, Butler, who they call Junior at de time, he am tto youn~ to go with them so we stay home and farm. I go with him to de fields and he tell de slaves what to do. Dunn de war I see much of de soldiers v~ o say they not quit fightint tu all de damn~Yankoes am dead. Dis was so, .. dunn e first two years. After dat I see more and more of de dan~ Yankees, as they pass through flic~in punishment on most everybody. . . . ~Sho W$ hear dat all Negroes am free in 1863, but dat ru~jtor not . affect us. We work on, tU Sherman come and burn and slash his way ~ through de state in da spring of 1865. I just reckon I member dat .~ ~

097 093

: ~ ~ ~ .~ : ~ ~ freedom to de end of my life. ~ . ~ ~ We gang up at my grandmother s cabin and she tell us it am so. We ibok scared, lak mules in de midst of a hornet nest, ~ we stood ~ dere. We didn t wait long, for old Mistress Sligh she come long and. say : ~ it am s o you am free . ~ M~~y of de s laves ~ cludin me, tell her we love to stay on. and work as usual ttil de big white folks come. She smile and say: All right, maybe we be able to feed. and clothe you, and when your old master git back from Vi~ginia, maybe he ~ will hire youP Uythen I first marry, which was at de start of rie war, I marry Sarah~, a sl~.ve gal on de Sligh plantation. W~e has several chillun, . befot she die, which was soon after we move to Columbia. De chiliwi, at least ~b!io boys and~ two gals all git gro~n, but they go North a long tini~ ago, and I never h ars from them. ~ . !Y~hen I come to Colwnbia in 1866, 1 find work on houses, and build~ in~ was plentiful then I git ~ long pretty well then, ~ cause if I did not land a.job,I could go to de~Freedxnan s Aid Office at Assembly and Gervais streets and g t rations and a little cash for nty family. After de Freedman s Aid. left town I had~ no trouble findin wOrk. And soon I was pretty prosperous.. I kept that way, sO long as I was able to doit~r share of de work. ~it was in 1913, as I was walkin long Hampton Street, dat I see In~T present wife ~3adie She pas s by me ~ a~d smile and l ok and I smile ~ and look, and she slow up a little ~and say : 11~h ~ happen, big ~bo~f? i.am so ti kied, I say: ~I just have to te~llyou: t.:?~~: - . . ; . ~ ~ . ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .. : ~ .

098 094

.: 3~ ~ ~ 94~ De rose am red, De ~io1et s blue, S ~o kni:Ce can out S My love in twOet S n She say ;~ Pretty good biC boy, pretty goodL Come round and see me sometime. I answer: I sho will, Peaches and Cream . ~nd dat ani just ~rhat I d id We go-b married dat &aine year and we have been happy, ?4j3 I ;it too old and feeble to work much. She work now to de best of her ability and we sointimes has a~ big squeeze to pay de rent. Dat is why I ia hopin to get de old age pensionj made possible by de greatest President of them all. - . Does I recall de~ sassination of de first President dat died;. dat way? ~ Yes sirS, I sh& do. De first one was Abraham Lincoln, a little after de close of de vrar. -lie was s~t while sittin j~ a seat in de theater at Washington. Jaanes A. Garfield, wac de nox one. lie ~s Ot in de depot, at, Washir~gton. De nex one was McKinley. He was shot while at a show place, ~fl Buffalo.~ S

Dan Smith. Ex-slave 75 years. 099 095

Project #1655 ~ P! W. W. Dixon, 390250 Winnsboro, S. C. flAN SMITH ~ ~ Dan Smith lives in one room, rent free, of a three-room frame house, the property of his aon-in law,Jizn Cason. It is situated on the southeast corner of Garden and Palmer Streets in the town of WixmsbOro S G H. is tall, thin and toothless, with watery eyes and a pained expressiox3~ of weariness on his face. He is slow and delibirate in movements. He still works and has j ust finished a day s wo rk mixing mortar in the CO netruction of a brick store building for Mr. L~.uderdale. His boss says: The spirit is willing but -the flesh is weak. There is nothing organically wrqzig with Dan but he appears, in humeri anatomy, as Doctor~ Holmes s One Horse She..y~ must have looked the day before its final collapse. It You been here once befo end now here you is again. You say you warina git additions? Well, I s told you dat I was ~born in Richland County a slave of Marss John Lever and on his plantat ion January de 11th day 1862 when de war was gwine on. How I know? Cause my mammy a~id pappy told me so They call nry pappy Bob and my niainrny Mary Strange as it seem, niy mistress nan~Mery~ just de same aB my nlaTmny, tho inarster wasn t name Bob lak pappy Him name ~rster John and de young narster an only child, was name Marss Jim You better stop right dere tu I tell you pappy no b long to de Levers. Him b long to de Smiths. Him naine Bob Smith after freedom. Dat s how come I be dis day, Dan Smith. You ketch de p!irrt? Well data; de wayit was. w B.f~ pappy take a shine to mammy in slavery tine her got mixed

100 096

2. 9G up wid one of old ~iarse BurreU. Cook s niggers and had a boy baby. ~e was a~ black u long leaf pine tar. Her name him George Washington Cook but all him git called by, was Waeh Cook. My full brudders was Jim, Wee by and Joe o All of them dead and go ne long ago. I, Us chil3un slept on de f1oor~. p.~y had so~ kind of traption or other, ginst de wall of de log ho~ee us live in, for her and de baby child to git in at night. Us have plenty to eat, sich as: peas, tatoes, corn bread, lasses, buttermilk, turnips, couarde end fat meat . ~1 De only thing I member bout my mistress is : One day her c me down ~bo de house and see my brudder Joe 3ucking his thumb Mamn~y tell her her can t make him quit it Mistress go back to de big house and come runniit back with quinine Her rub Joe e th umbe wid dat quinine and t eli mammy to ~to dat once or twLce a day. You ought to see dat baby s face de first time and heard him equal . I It sho stopped him sucking his thumbs J w~ ClOthes? Didn t need no cloth s in~ de summer tira but a r. 1~x de winter, us just stood bout de fire. I m talkin bout us chillun, dont member botrt old folks. n aster and Mistress lived in a big white house, two stories high, tall. brick chimn ye at de gable ends, and wide front and back piazzas de full length of de dv,lling. Us chillun had no shoes. Mamn~r had two pair ai . d e t ime ~ but t hey had wooden bottons ~~ere was no white overseers round, but pataz oUers (patroller.) ketched my pappy once, in de house, jerk hi~ otrt and whup him, while mamrx~ and us chillun yell and cry and beg them to stop. p When de Yankees oon~ mammy hide us chil .un under her bed trap. tion. They act mighty nice to her, so eh, say. * What kinda work ma~w do? Her wu one of de weavere. ~eard her

101 097

30~ tell bout how they x~.ke dethread and de cloth. They had spinnin wheels. Person turn de Wheel wid de hand and walk back arde and for ards drawing out de thread. Dis kind of thread, her say, was rough. Later they got a thing de spinners operate wid deir foots, eettin by de wheel and workin it wid deir foots, sorta lak a ee~iing machine is run. Her low de thread dat come to her in de weave~rooin from dis kind of spinnin was smoother and more finer than de other kind. After de yarn was spin, it was reeled off de spools into hanks and then took to de warper. ~ien she woofed it, warped it, and loomed it into cloth. Her make four yards in a day. s After freedom, pappy coins and take maimny and all us chillun to a terni on Cedar Creek in die county FaLr~ield. I works dere tu 1872 I thinks. I gits concerned bout die .tii~ wid two things, Jinin wid de Lord and jinin wid de womano De Lust was easy o All I had to do was go tode Methodie revivel, shout a little, and jine up befo depreacher. I Just had to be convicted and convinced, but mind you, I was de one to be convinced, de other was not so easy. De Lord was easy to find and quick to take me, but de gal was hard to find anti was slow to take me, cause ehe wa de one to b. convinced dis time, you see. ~I looks all round Cedar Creek. De ones I could git, I wouldn t have, and de ones I would have I couldn t git. So ders it was. I mounts old Betsy, dat was pappy s mule, one Sunday end come to Winnsb ro. I spied a gal at church, !bOUt de color of a rip. pumpkin after de big frosts done fall on it, hair black as a crow and meshed up and crinkled as a cucker burro Just lookin at her made my mouth water. Ne and old Betsy raise de . dust and keep de road hot from C.dar Creek to Winneboro dat summer and fall, and when us seU~ de ia~t bale of cotton, I buys rae a suit of clothes~

102 098

4.. 98 a new hat a pair of boot m a new shirt bottle Hoyt e cologne and rigs myBeif out and goes round arid ask her t marry me. Her name Ida Benja . min. Did her fall for me right away? Did her take me on fuat profeeeion and confession lak de Lord did? No sir-ree bobi Her say : I got to go to school some more, l a too young. ~ot to see papa and mane bOIXt it. Wait bu you come nex time and I ll tell you. I waa oonfuaed then, I gite up, give. her de cologne bottle, and mounts old Betsy, apure her in de side, gallope and cuases al. de way back to Cedar Creek I C0Uf88B to mauim~y. Her laugh and say: Dezi,- yoti knows nothin bottt women and gals. Why jt s mighty plain she gonna say yes, rxexYtime. Just lak her say, Ida did, and us got married de end of de nex school term, in May. s Us had ten chillun. Dan, name for me, is at Concord, N. G. Oscar ja in Concord, N C. Lucinda marry a Haltiwanger and is comfortable in Baltimore ~&I. Aurelia marry a Williazn5 and is in Baltimore. Henrietta marry a Sawney and is in ~harlott e N C . lilly marry Jim Cason and liveright in Winneboro, in de house I have a room in. w ~ got lots of grau childe too many to mention, They take aft er dare grandma, lak to go to school a.nd read de Bible and go to church and Sunday School. I. 1~Vh,xt I have on my mind now is a pension. Wham a man git seventy . five years old, (I hear tolka talk round me) dat man should not be lowed to work on de Supreme Court, him should be give a pension of ~l5,OOO.OO and made to stop work. $i~ tn&y have chillun dat can support him, all de same, dat jedge gits his pension. Then in de name of goodness, why don t they niake me quit mixing mortar when I is eeventy .tive years old end give me $240.00 a year? Sauce for de fat goose Supreme Court Jedge oughta be

103 099

99 sauce for de mortar mixer poor gander I low. It look .ak jestice for de rich J edge and mix more nior~ ar for poor Dan.

Hector Smith. Ex-slave, 79 years. 104 100

- - ~T ~ tT~ ~ ~~.oae .L ~O. LWS YT~~Z~UD_____________ Project, 1885 ti) Red.uoed f ~ ~rda Prepared by Annie Ru.th Dav1~ Rewritten by~~ j y) Place, Marion, S.C. ~ Date, July 22, 1937 ~ ge ~ HECTO~t SMITH Ex...Slave, 79 Years 390150 I born down here in Wahee Neck. B~aater Avant, d.at was my mammy en my tather name Hector Smith. Coase I sin never see hirn cause he die fre I was born, but dat what dey t I1 me. Dat was a pretty rough time wid. de people den. I d~on recolleot ec ~ieh bout de times back dere cause In dat day en time ohi .iun d.Idn! have de heap of knowledge dey have die day en time, but I remembers seem de Yankees en d.e people ~w1ne to de war. Oh, dat was a tough time cause dey use de whip in dem days. Oh, yes um, my Massa whip my gran mammy wid. a leather ctrap. You see she had. a knack of gwine off for some cause or another en meetin de boat what rim up en down dat big Pee Dee river en bring fertilizer en all kind of goods to de peoples. Massa Randall had. told. her not to go nowhe bout dat boat, but some people Is sorta high stntng like en dey go off anyhow no matter bout de whip. Oh, yee um, he eho whip he r like he didn have no s oui to s ave . I couldzi tell you nothin bout how many slaves Massa i(sndali Davis had, but I know dat he had a right smart of them. I know it cause he had so many field hands dey dithi none of em never have to work every day in de field. Oh, dey just knock bout our Massa house en see after de stock

105 101

Ood~e No. ~ No. Words________ Projeet, 1885 ti) \ Red.uoed ~ ~om Prepared. by Annie Ruth. Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. ~ ~ Date, July ~2, 193 ! 2sje2. en auch things as dat what time dey didn have to work in de field. You knows when a thing happen so long back dere, it does vanish from a person s remembrance some of de time en den it . . wander back to you when. you am thirikin bout it. :i: does recofleot dat dere waan nothin mach more for de oolored. peoples in dat day en time den what dey got to eat en de olothea dey had. to wear. My Massa give everyone of he colored family a peek of meal en a quart of syrup en 80 n~uoh of meat every week en low em ail to have a garden of dey own. Oh, dey lork dey garden by~e moonshine en fore light good In de mornin osuse dey had to tarn dey hand to dey ~Ma8ea wo rk when daylight oome he re I tell in you corn bread was sweet to me in dat day en time as pound oaks ever been. Waan never nowa~rs pickin~en ohoosin bout nothin. Oh, I target bout ai . dem poseume en rabbits dat eat right smart in dem days. Use to catch em when dey had swell8 of de water eu dey ~ oome out de wo o de to haut dry land~ It jus t like die, dey oouldn conceal demeelves in de open fields . n dat how.~ o orne we oat oh em e o easy Run em down wid. de dogs en make em take to de water. Dat how we oatoh em. Dat sho was sweet eatin in dem days. Den we had. a log house to stay in what never had but just one room en de furniture we had. was worser den de house.

106 102

Code No ho ~ordi ~ ~ ~ ~ . Fro3eot, l8854~) Rednoed. fi~ m ~ i~nd.e Prepared by Annie Ruth Davie Rewritten by E~lacs, Marion, 8.0. . ~s~ Dste, Jiil~ 22, 1931 ~ ~ Us beds was made wi& four stumps for de cornera dat kiM boards lay arose em to put de mattress on. Some of de colored peoples had. bag mattress stuff wit hay en de others had homespun mattress what was etaff wit die here gray moss you~ see in de woods. En I remembers all bout when te peoples h~ to cook in de ~ireplaoe cause dens wien much stoves in circulation in &~t day en time. WeU i: to& know so much bout dem things peoples sali ghost, but I know Ist I has seen things. I knows once long time back I was gwine long de road. late on a venin dr1v~n me ox~ what I had hitch up to de cart en a ghost or somethin or another cause tat cart wheel to go right in de ditch. ~ Well, d~ ox he pull en he pull but wid all me help, he couldn2 never pun tat cart out. I ax someof dem people bout derf what dey reckon tat was entey say all dey knowto compare it to was a haut or a ghost. No ms~ &Un ee it, just hear lt cause it come right to my back en knocked. It had. been ramm en soon as it quit, te moon shins out bright as ever was day en dat when de liant tur~n te cart loose. WD. next thing I see was one time when me en another fellow was sleepin in te swamp I. coul&n tel). whe ~ te moon nisten en when I come to my senses, dere was one o:~ dem things Just a danglin in te air like dese things

107 103

304e No :No Words ~ ~ ~ ~ . Project, ~885..(1) Reduced. :r~m-~I: ~rde Prep*red~ by Lrmie Ruth Da~ie . R written by~ .~ -~ Piaee, Marion, 8.0, . . 1U~) D*t , Ji~i~ 22, 193 ? Ptge ~4. ~ ShOw people bave. Born. people say dat waa a ghost. Oh, de peoples didn never worry bout no d~ootor den, D.y! do o to r was in de f ield. in dat day en t irne I gwine tell you ju t like I know it, all de older peoples use to get de herbe out de old fields for dey re~ed1ee. My Massa en my Misaue was de ones what doctor mostly In dem times. USe to get old. field ringdom, what smell like dIe here mint1 en boil dat en let it steep. Dat what was good to sweat a fever n aold. out you. Den dere was life sverlastin tea dit was good. for a bad oold en cherry bark what would make de blood .0 bitter no fever never oouldn stand it. Dem what had. de rheumatism had to take dat lion s tonga. or what some peo~lee asile wintergreen tea en some o~ de time, dey take pine top en mix wid d herbs to make a oomplete eaze. Oh, dey make it bad as dey oould so as to weaken de ease. Another thing dat been good for de rheumatism was dat red oak bark dat dey use to bathe de limbs wid.. Willow tea was somethin goad for ohill en fever en catnip en sage tea was de thing for babies. flit ~ke I tel). you tI eolored peoples never get no learnin but what little dey ostoh from de plantation men in dem night schools. Oh, dey give everyone of us a slate en elate pencil en we stady dore in de quarter in de night time by de light of d1e fire. tudted dem Blue Back Webstere. Dat waS de text we know bout den.

108 104

Ct~~e N~. Pro jeot Prepared by Annie Ruth D*~1e Place, Marion, 3.0. Date, July 22, 1937 nI tell you de truth I live so much In darknees den dat I thirik dat t line was bout go od. as d. is t Irne Dldn know no better eenee den. I tell you just like I been know it, de peoples was coward like in dem days. Oould.n never pluck up no ambition to do a heap o! thinge de people do d18 day en time. Dat how-come I rather live in &ie go round. !oi1~!c L Hector Smith, ex.slave, age 79, Wahee section of Marion Co.,8.0. Pereona . Interview, July 1937. r Ito. Wor~e ~ Rednoed from___~worde Rewritten by~ ~ - 1()4~.

Stories of ex-slaves. 114 110

390078 :11e:) Px oject 1885 (1) Folk Lore Edited. by ~ S~rMnburg, S.C. R.V. Wi11iatn~ Distri t no.4 May 28, 1937. STORIES OP EX-SLMIBS unt Jene Smith, 80 years old, seys that she was only eight years old when the war ended, and that her recollections are very meagre as to conditions during slaver~j. Her mother be longed to . John Snoddy who ciwned few miles west of Sparbanburg. lier father was owned of a nearby plantation. She stated that she was old. rock the cradle for the white babies during slavery. ~. She statedthat she could remember seeing some oc~ the slave! being ~ipped on their bare backs with a plaited hickory stick, or thong. She never received any whippings. She said. that a n~n once cut at her with his t~4ng, but that she escaped the blow by dodging. She said she remembered seeing a small child With a piece of bread in its hand when a hog entered the house end in snatching at the bread, caught theshild s hand near the thumb with its tusks. Y~hen running off, the hog carried the child with it, dragging it along into the field. All the other children and some n~n ran after the hog and caught it. Th~ other colored children were whipped, but by staying in the house and watching the babies, keeping them safe from other pigs which had also entered the house, she was not whipped. A~rtJene said that when the Yankee soldiers caat~ to the house, they were just as thick as the fingers on her hands. ~S ~ She held up her hand! for inspection to illustrate how thick a farma by Dr. Miller enoiight to

115 111

-2 :111 s the s oldiers ~~ood in the ranks She said they did not -bake anything, b~u1 that they crawled under the house to get the hen eggs. ~tie soldier, she said, came to the house arid asked if there were any horses on the farm. A colored wo~uan told him that there were no horses on the place, but just at that time, one of the horses in a nearb~r stable neighed, and the soldier threatened the oenan s life for lying to him he says she doesn t remember whether the soldier took the horses but thinks that he did. The soldiers told the colored people that they free, but she said that didn t signif~r much to her mind. Some time afterwards, she said her father came and carri ed her and her mother to his master s place. ~ ~Later, she came to Spartanburg and got a job as a cook aid washerwo~.n. MV~hen asked if she knew anything about conjuring, she tated that she had heard of it but didn t know ai,~rbhing about :1-b. When asked tf she had ever semi a ghost, she said, No, but I heard cne cnoe. She said that one night after her i~aster had Id,lled his s lf in the barn with a p~stol, she heard the doc being shut, the windows being slammed, and the chairs rocking on the front porch all by~ themselves. She declared that the -wind was not blowing end that a ghost was doing all dean things.~ She stated that she had been n~rried twice; had reared a houseful of children; had adopted some sud reared them, but that she didn t have anybody to work for her now but him, referring to hei husband vvho was sitting cc~ a tr~mIc. ~ ~ - . 1~Th~nk th Lord for caning to see me, she said, as the wri-bei left. ~ ~ 8~mcEs JalLe s~1th. Concord Ste, Sparhanburg, ~ c intervtevrer: ~ .S. tupre/

Stories from ex-slaves 116 112

Projeect 188b-~1 ~ . ~o1k1ore ~on-)c~c: Edited by: 112 Spartaribur~, Dist .4 ~ Elmer Turna~e Nov. 9, 1937 . . ~ STOR1:E5 : Roi~i EX-SL~V~S I liked. to ~vent crazy vvhe~i my brother, Bob, went to Ark.. arisas~ Den Marse George Young wrote our names in a book and ~ive it to my xna. It was jes a small mem raridum book. We kept it till Miss Addle, dat is :~/irs. Billy, ~lve ma de Bible storybook, arid den she copied our names in dat one. De little book was about wore out den; so it ~vas burned up vvheri Miss Addle had done finished ~ritin~ our names In de etorybook. Us gwine to keep dat book arid hand it down atter we dane left dis earth. Ma been dead now over fifty years. I sho nu sed Liarse c~or~e s chill~ns Ler hi~~: when I was a little ~a1. Jimmie, V illie, Conquest, Jack, Katie arid Annie was Marse s chilluns. Conquest dead now. ~~rse Georgehad a great big house. He was a jes tice of de peace or s-omethlrig or nother den. I don t know what year my iii~a died, but Marse had her burled at New Chapel. Dat same year we raised a big crop or corn, cotton and peanuts, and had plenty hogs. Marse let us have all we wanted. He let us hang our meat in his smokehouse dat year. Befo~ ma died and I was a little gal, a terrible thing happened to us. Across de E noree on another place, de ~1i11er place, Fannie Miller run away. Dey ouldn .t find her fer a long time. Dey told my marster to git her. One Sunday my ma got ready to dress rae fer Sunday school. She bathed me arid when she looked in de drawer she couldn t find my clothes. Ui o ~ her clothes v~as gone, too. I cried ~ cause I couldn t gp to~ Sunday school . Maude de woman what lived next ~ to us., went to church . She ~ saw Pannie dar wid all ma s clothes . ~ on~~ She told Marse about it and he sont out and had Pannie caught .

117 113

Stories Prom 2x..~$1aves (Mary Smith) Page 2 j 3 ~ She had come to our house and ~ot de ciothe3 Cri Saturday evening. ~. She had dem hid in a old. house on our place. Dey put her in jail, ~ arid den her marster come and whupped her arid sont de clothes back to ma. She never tried to run o~f agin. ~ Jack Gist, a slave of~Gist, run away once and lived in a cave fer Live months be ~o de white folks found him. He went down on de Lorest arid dug acave near de road. in si~ ht of de Harris Bridge which still spans de Pair ~~rest Creek at dat p int. De cave wasn t dug on Governor Gist s land, but on a .~place know ci den as de old Jackson place. In de i~iid hours o ~ night Jack come to see his friends and dey give him things to aat. when dey ~ot him he had a hoe, two &&eese, some chickens and two middles ci meat. Cose de hog and de middles was stole. One night he was crossing de PairiThrest Creek on a oot~ log and he met Anderson Gist, one o~ ae Governor E slaves. Dey talked fer avvhile. Next morning, ~nderson come wid his marster to de cave ~whar Jack was. Dey took all his things on to de big house, and he was whupped arid put back to work. Governor Gist and our xnarster was good to deir slaves and dey didn t punish em hard like some 0 em did. We had lots more den dan we has had ever since. ni never went to de field till atter freedom come. Dey wasn t hard on us in de field3 arid I liked to v~ork. ~e v~orked mostly .~ from sun~up till it was too dark to work. Marster s youngest girl, .~ . iviary Jane Young, married Mr. Dave Lane. Dey didn t have a wedding. ~: ~ My grandpa wa~ a ~tfrican and he talked real funny. He was low, chunky, 1~at and real black. he went around a lot beTh he died, ~ He was de Zather o~ my mother, Clora. Granny, his wife, was called ~end~er and she died de first year o~ freedom. She was sold and t~ liTe~ ou a nei~hbor~n~ pla ntation. We went to 8e her every Saturday. L . I. ~ ~ ..~

118 114

Stories :~tro~n Ex-~SIaves (Mary. $mith) ? ?~e 3~ ~~_________ ~~Ia would always take us to see her, and ii ~ve didn t git to ~o, she t corne to see us. We liked to ~o, and.~arse always give us a pass. De patrollers watch us like a hawk, but v~e 1~ad our passes and. we told dera ii dey bothered us our rnarster vvould haridlle em. He wo~1d, too, cause dat was de law , Grarmy Fender was good looking. She wore purty beads, earrings arid bracelete, arid wrapped her head up in a red cloth. Fier eyes and teeth flashed arid she was always jolly. Sometimes we stay all night, but most ~e time we corne back home. when she corne to see us she alvvays ~stay ai . night. ~tll deold folks had real religion den, arid it kept ein happy. Poiks now are~too fancy fer religion arid it ain t real. I has real religion arid nothin~ don t worry me. I feels happy all de time over it. My marster cive ray u~other de spot o~ ground arid de lumber fer our church which was named New Chapel. De second church is on de same spot. De first preaching was had under a oak tree, o~ arbor. Uncle Tany Murphy was de first preacher. He w~s my ~avorite f all de preachers. Marse read de Bible to us, but sornetinies others read it to ~ too. His son, Bud, dat was killed in de first battle, used to come to de quarters arid read de Bible to us. Alex Hall was de minister dat immersed us all. We was all Methodists, but out 42~~ey baptized ever~ body in de Pair~oreet no matter what church dey went to. Dar was fifty people baptized de day dat I wa8. Milly Bethane made me a big white robe to be baptized in. When I ~ot out I had a white dress to put on. Dey had a tent Ler us . to go. in tc~ chance our clothes. We was baptized in de Pairi~orest jes ~: above de Harris Bridge.. Everybody sung while we was going under de eater. Some o:~ em shouted., too. lt took de earthquake to sLiake re.1i~iou in xur husband. He ~as Etnanuel Gist, de first one. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~t ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

119 115

Stories Prom ~ c~-$1aves (Mary.Smith) Pag ~4 Dat night, de people was ho1ieri.n~ aria woke me up My husband called rae. What dat? he low. I don t know, I says. He got up arid run out. Soon he corne back home and he ~vas shaking all over. He fell on de bed. when de chimney started to fall, I told him to git up. He said he was too scared to git up. I pulled him up arid he was so scared dat he shook all over. I opened de door. He was too seared to stand up. Nextd~y he couldn t work; so he ~vent off . . I I o oke d. fe ~ h im t il 1 way i n de night . Whe ri he d j d c orne home, he was rejoicing. He was ~wid religion and he never give it up. Dat was on de night o~ de earthquake. You could hear people ho1lerin~ fer miles around. Source : Mary Smith (N,.84 ) Buffalo St . Union, S. Q. Interviewer: Caldwell Sims, Union, S.C. (9/14/37)

Experiences of an ex-slave on Wadmalaw Island. Massa was kind to slaves. 120 116

~ojegi j~ibbb j~ugU3tU$ j ~8On ~hari~3t0fl,~.~, ~Qfl1~4 ~ ~ 116 U~JL).J~.) ~ Nce~rd3:~E4 w~u~ci,~s OF AN ~SLAW~ ON 3~!~AW ~ ISLAND ~i~8~ia ~U3 K1n4 TO Siaves k r~~ice ~in~in,a rne~ who is saia ~O be over a huncLret~ years or age,~aa iiveQ on ~arU~aia~iv island pract~caLiy ail O~ h12 i~e.Pil$ experiences autii~g slavery are very intereatit~g ani true to i~xe.An in~ervie~ ~i ~n ~iiu~ rsvsaie&~e roliowing: ~h~ WL~S boon an~ raises on ai3 iaianu and wus Oniy ~ru~ kiere when ~e (~ivii ~r ~iad begun.~ eri tori ~um~er ~ue rireci un mo~aa Carristi seventy of ua to (+reenvUie, South Ua ~L na on account ox i~s mon ~nous ~ec~ons, ~kiich ~aa heiieve~ wou~ui have pre~ veute~ the ~cankee8 anva8iOn ~n r gara ~o the3.r h~e~out. ~ie s~ayect ~en ~reenviiie neariy roue years.iIurin ~ai ~iuie rnoasa p.Lan~e1 lus ia m an we v~urk as ii we wus right here. tiThe Y~nkee~ had gunboats, he cont1nuea, bu~ dey d~tdn~ help dem atoii rur aey cotaun niake e~y a ~~ck ctt~ ~s piace is so unsui~eu tur water bst~1~.Bu~ rorest batSties wus right on Beautor~ i8L~n ~ ami Fors ~toyai.~e een ~*reenviiie dith know eny~ ~ng bou& ~hut wus Soin on except wh~ i~u~ brought ~o u~ coiiu~ people by dose who wue ?ant to da tOwn.MOSaa d~dfl tSII US ~I1f t flg.~Ur ~LTIIO8 four ears we stayed eon Ureen- ~iUe ~ en 8u:J~n~.y one uhuesciay morn~n brign~ an ear~y,~her~iu~n cerne a to ~ eenviiie on uorae b~cka au~ order ebery body ~o zarrender.~oioneis an4 Gen~ra1e came een de c ~y ~ii~out Uc ririn 01 a gun,~~e stayed dere iii harvestin~ tinie by de order8 ~1 :~iaster Ua1~nd i3ai.iey who ~w t o at dat we wus gi yen money as a sbare ~ur our wuric. Mosaas cuetotu at cte ~ict OX de ~eek wue to gave a ciry peck o corn which you ~ia~ ~ gyj~ on ~ai~aay ebenin w hie wurk WUB cb~r.e.Uniy on (Thr S tnUS he kil e en ~1Ie ~ piece o weg~.iJe ctrLber thd de th~tri~ut~~n 0e de ration.J 11 young men wus given

121 117

S ~ ~ I~ AU~U~3;;us ~.~aaso;a ?age i~i li ( iAi~(~~ Oit AN ~ ~llAV ,c3et~i. ~ I~)ur 4uL~rte o corn ~ week,~aIe cie gre~ ~aen wu~i ~ven su ~i~i~r;s,A1i or ua ~ pJ~t~ is much .L~n as we wou~~~ fur our o~n u~e.~e COU,td ral$e rovJIt3.~y rnaeter wu~ a ge~i.em~r~,he treat an. ~ si~aves goo~.;v~y ~aciaer ~r~ me ~ eus ~a t Soi~j 3 de sIave~ hz~ ~o ~urk on Sunday to Z~nish dere week s ~t~k.ir dey ~ do t~1bbO! who i~vu~ a ~egro ~uuii pve a ia~~n v~ryin ~ru~n r t~een ~o t~enty iiv~ chop~-~nJ~y r1;Lgh~ci~8 m~t~e r~ua i~e~ro ar~bbers,cte crackor3 hed ~hate overseer3. tl4ke o~e~ 3.kaves ~i~d ~ h~1~ trum Uere ~iaetas t~% hab ~iieetir~ ~5 ~ou~Ld h~b ours eny night ~e wane ~o eve~i ~dout ~ co~sent.~ er rnaa~ ~ to ~o~ri eny o hia ~1~ve~ CQUJJi ~x haifl ~O ~ i irig~ 1~ur dem eeri Uha ie~t~n.~hen Jews en pecictier~ c~n~e ~it~i ciot~ie3 an gunger to sei1,~ aa ch~uun woui4 go ~O him sn ax rur rnon~y ~ but,~ ~hut ~e ~ He h~ about tour hund e~ ~cr~j oX~ 1~U ~hich he ciivided ifl ~wo helf by ~ ten2e~Ore e~r he ~vuid plant one a~ e~ cie c~ues pasture on de oier~e c~uid a1e~ raise hogs iofl ~ wOoU ku~ bub na~1 ~O cb~nge pas~ure w eri he cL~1.Je peopie on hi~3 plentation ~a~1n~ h~b er~y need ;o ~eaLt. ~rat~i ~im i~ur he lian low u~ vo want rur ~ny ~hang~ Were ~us ~ oi days w~k on ~e pI antaE crn:One 3~ cie whoie t~ , ~ ~ wh ~L~ ~n or a per~ot ~en 1i~i$ p~iu~e.He wus gaven two taarur ii~ d~y4s ~urk. A ~a8 carriec~t Uu~n ~ venty tour ~O ~iQeflLy ~Ve robs WhIch wus ~rty-~iv~ ree; long en rive teet wicie.Ue ~hree tour~ han w~ ~ven One wh~ie ~as~ whicti ~ov~i~ts of ro~ .A.LL ae young chiuiun wus inc~Lua.e~ an 1.a$ gropp.Jie hail ~ian was de oic~ alayea who ctict a t1~L~: t8~ tc~i~ iere clay s work.~ hen i~ ~as t ~vie to ,i~ck co~con,de three x:ourtn hens ~4 ~ p~ tharty pound an c&e hait han ~ei~ty tur aere th~y~S ~urk. Do ~ who a t ~ ended t :~ ~: ~ e g Afl Ofl .L~ ~n C lu ie ct e s h r ee r ~u r ~ h tat . Moas~ heci 8hree kinde o puniahmen* tur cioee who diaobeyeci ~u~n.U~ie ~us de ~wea~bo~. Dat wu~ made de height oX de persun an to 1arges~. US Large nou~h so de er~on

122 118

5I~*~ U..~64i~N ?ruuOCt 1~I6~b hugu t ua ~ .~o odxi hab t o be a ~u ee z ei In ~L)O box is n~ led an e~n ~ ur~er i ~ u ~ een ~e ho t ~ u~ ; eon de ~La1ter at is put iri cte co~i~ie9t,~tapeat p.~ace.~e r~xt e cie ~tock.~oou ~ n~~e on ~fjoor w~h c~e person lyin ort hi~ back wia hone en r et tiSd wood e heavy weight on ~e che~t4)e ahird i~ de ~1bO~.~ou ~re pJ~ce on ~ high sc~r~L~ fur so m~riy hours en ii you Uon~ cry ~o keep e ievei ~ you~.LL ~ai~i e~i you WLL1 sureiy hurt your~eit ai~ your i ieck isn~t bro~zen.~io~t o~ te t~rne ~ey uere u~ ctere ~ ~ couict break dore necks. ~ 3CURCi~ InI~orm~ on t~m an in~erv~ew wi~flMr.}~ri~ice Smi$h,who a3 suposed to be over I hundred y~rs .& ~ i31ana,S,U~ Page iLL ~J~~Ri~UiiZ OF A1~ (~LAV~ cont d~ 11.8

Stories from ex-slaves. 123 119

Project l885.~~l ~oikl ore Spartanburg, Dist .4 Nov. 29, 193? 390332 i~ditedb: 119 ElmerTurnage S STORIES PROM EX~SLAVES S V Lavvsey, honey chile, how does I know jes when I was born. All sech as dat don t mean nothiri~ to us old slave time darkies. De mis tus say, Silas, you sho was thirteen years old ~hen dat Federate War wound upr Dat s all I knows arid dat s what I goes by. De white folks is worrying bout my age being in sech and sech a year arid ala. de like o:e dat. No sech as dat don t worry Silas, kaise he sho don t cive it no mind, dat I doesn t. ttMis?tus call us all to set down on de side steos vvid out hats in our hands. She read dat paper. When she git through, us still sets, kaise no writing never aggrevated us rii~ers way back dar. She wait a ~ew minutes; den she1low: It means dat you all is free, jes V. as free asI.is. D~o1in Pie jumped up and started cryin~. Ve all looked at hirn~, kaise he was a tat lazy thing dat laii.around like dump1in~s a~-1ayin~ over kraut, and ~we axed. him what he was crying for. . He say, I ain t gwine to be no free ni~er, kaise dat brings in de Issue, and I wants to keep my ma and pa, and what is i m swine to do widout Marse Du8e~r? ,.; Ttflat woke us up. Didn t narry nigger on dat entire planta... V tion know what to do widout his marster. It was de awfulest feeling dat everythiri~ in dem quarters laid down wid dat ni$ht, de new feel~. Ing dat dey was free arid neyer had tao marster to tell dem what to do. You felt jes like you had done strayed off a..fishin~ and got lost. V ~ sho won t no funtobe free, kaise we never had nothing. V~ ~ : *Nezt morning Mis tus low, Silas, I wants you to k ep on V ~ ~Ve~p~g my house boy . Dat sound de best t o rite o ~ any news dat I had ot. She hired me a~d I 3es kept on den as I had been gwine be~o .

124 120

.\ ~ ~ .~ ~ . Stories Prom 3~c-~.S1aves (Silas Smith) . : Pace 2 ~ De quarters broke u~p, kaise Marse Duse.y couldn t keep all dem riiggers, so Mis tus low d.. Marse was at de war and Mis tus took things on. flat left nly a few in de quarter. In de meantime, carpet..~ baggers and scalawags had pi.it devilment in some of dem ig nant niggers arid dey thought dat ii dey leave, de U.S. gwirxe to give dem a planta.. tion atter de war had ceased, and plenty mules to make dem rich, like quality v~iite folks. So by dat time dey was a-.raring to git moved off. But I stay on wid Miss Salue, as I called her den. One dark~rainy cold dayastrange~ come riding up on a po, hoss and fetched a note o~ sorrow. Marse Dusey had dcme died some-. whars, arid Mis tus was widowed to de ground. I stayed on, and in a year she died. Mr. Thomas Smith oi~ Hickory Grove is de onliest chile living of my mis tus, and he is 71 years old. ~ ~ Atter Mis tus died, I ~vent to live wid my pa on mr . Baby John Smith s place. He had been my pa s ma rster. Way back den it was so many John5miths. Pearsilke it was mc den dan now. Dat why dey call Mis tus husband John Dusey~. Each Joh~n had a ~r1ll to his name so dat folks could keep dem straight in deir minds Whenever dey would speak of dem. Mis tus sho was good to me. I ~embers her chilluns names well.; ~Tisses Aurita and. xrienta. Miss .~Lrnenta married Mr. Sam Jeffries. Miss Rachael, Mis tus other daughter, married Mr. John Mor~. row. Her Baby John married a~ lady whose name I jes ,remembers, any.~.. ~ way dey had a son called Jeff . He lived be1~ween H5~6kory ~.rove arid. Broad River. ~11 dese Smiths which I gives you renumeratiort of is de Hickory Grove Smiths. You jes has to keep dem si~raight yet. Source: .~S~~8mtt~ (N,8.~), Gafftiey, S.C. Interviewer: aldwell Sims, Union, S.C. (11/12/37) ~ . Ji~7 I ~ ~ ~t ~~4*~4 ~ t~

Mom Jessie Sparrow. Ex-slave , 83 years. 125 121

Code No. Ito. ~ Project, 1885 (1) Reduoed. fro iiords Prepared. by Annie Ru.th Davis Rewritten by~ Place, Marion, S.O~ __________________ 121 Date, May 1 ?, 1937 390038 Page 1. ~ MOM JESSIE 8PA1~ROW Ex..Slave, 83 years. Honey, my whlt3 folks been we11 to.~do peoplea. Dey am been no poor white trash. Dey hab 1stoniehing blood In dey vein. I been b long to Massa Sam 8tev~neon wha lib right down dere cross 01e Smith Swamp. Dey am! ~ no ohillun dey own, but dey is ralee uh poor white girl dere, Betty. Dey e ( give ) ehe eve yt ing ehe ha e en dey 8 chool. ehe too.t~ De oie man, he mind am been Baotly right when he die0 Dey e ay he bury some o he mone y do wn de re on he place j es fore he die. Coase I dunno mithin bout it, but date wha dey tell me. Dey say dey never is find dat money a ter he been dead. Reckon it dere yet, I dunno. Peoples use er aw de time be plough up kegs en box full o money en va uablea wha de well to-do folks be en hIde de re . De white peoples useter bury dey silver en dey money en aw dey va uables late on uh evenin er early on uh moriiin when de Yankees come bout. De Yankees stroy aw us white peo~4eB va uables wha dey is see. Um ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ dein Yankees shoT wa~ Str%lOtiVe whey dey is went. My ole mammy been Sally $tevenson fore she marry en den she waz $ally Bowens. My oie Missue take ehe way from her mammy when she ~ jee uh little email girl en never

126 122

Code NOe 1~o~ Word.s______ ~rojeot, 1885..(i) Re~uoed f~i~~worde Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by . D ~ O t* ~.aoe, ~i~L:.Lufl~ e.v. ____________________ -J- -.__ - -r ~-~----~~ - Datei 1~y 1?, 1937 Page 2. would.n t 1Iow her go In tie colored. 8ettlement no more. She been raise up in de white folks h~uee to be de house girl. Never dia~n t work none tall outsid~e. She sleep on uh pallet right down by d.e 1~ i~seus bed. She sleep d~ere so she kin keep de Miesus klvver (cover) up aw t rough de night. My mammy am never do nuthin but been de house girl. My Missus larnt (learned) ehe how to out en aew so she been good. uh seamstress je dore wu.z anywhey. She help d~e Mis sue make aw de plantation clothes en d.ere am never been no better washer en ironer no whey d~en ray oie mammy was. When I ~tt! uh little email girl, us lib right dere in my oie Missus yard~. Dey le us ohillun play aw us wanna den. I~ever did~ hadder do none hard. work tall. My Massa is some uh time send. we ohillun in de field to scare de crow offen de oorn. Am never been no hoe hand in me life. When d~ey send. we to scare de crow sway, we is ~o in de field. when fuss (firet) sun 1!p en we is stay dere aw day. Coase we is oome to de house when 12 o olook come en ge we sumptin uh eat. Dese white folks tround here don hab no ohillun to scare de orow offen dey corn nowadays. Dey has aw kind. o ole stick sot (set) bout in de field wid. ole pant en coat flying bout on dem to Scare d.c crow way. Dere be plenty crow bout nowadays too. I hears em holler1r~ aw bout in dis eky round bout here.

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Ood.e No. :No. Word.B_________ Pro~eot, 1885 ti) Redueed fi~zn ~rd~ Prepared~ by Annie Rtith Davis Rewritten by~ ~ Plaoe, Marion, 8.0. ______________________ Date, May 17, 1937 2~e 3. ~ ~ I member when I use er nu ee d.e white folks baby. I a . ays d~ I d lub to nu ~e d.e b ab le e but I di d~n t ne ye r lub to nu ee no ug y baby. I lab to hab uh pretty baby to nu ee. Did.n t lak no boy baby neither. Don lak boy baby nohow. Lubbed. little girl baby. Lubbed. to take de little girls en dress em up in dey pretty olothee en carry d~em out under de trees to imise dem whey dere wuz plenty peoples boat to see em. Mammy al ays ud fuss at me bout puttin on dey best olothes but I am never do lak dese mi se do nowadays I take care o my babies, id.n1t never 1low em wallow in de dirt lak y~innah see dese nu ee do bout here dese day en time. i: members one time I been mx ee little boy baby en I is larnt he hair to curl jes u~ pretty. I bresh he hair eve y morning en twist lt round me finger en he is had pretty curl uz dere wuz anywhey. Never lak de Miesus to cut my baby hair off neither when I had. larnt it to curl. I been lub to wash little baby clothes too. I is primp em up so nice. Never did put no starch nu~oh in em. I do me beet on em en when I ge t rough, dey been look too nice to le de child imiss up. Honey, I can stand no ohillun ruse Tround. me no more dese days. Dont hab no chillun russ round me peaceful little place. I tell aw me ohillun en grandohillun en great-.grand ohillun dat I s taud. no chu lun fass round me no more.

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Ood~e :No. b. Words_______ Project, 1885~(1) Red~uoed. frOm__~word.e Pz epaz ed by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by~ Plaos, Marion, 8.0. ~ ~ 12~ Date, May 17, 1937 Pig, 4. ~ My 8aninie, he marry three times en I ax him why he wanna marry so many time. i: am never See no man I le wan aince my oie man die. 1 am wha I uee er to be, child. i: am able to do nuthin more now but dem 1itt1~ bit o clothes wha Miss Betty hab Ooaee she clothes aiii~ hard. to~ wash. Miss Betty mighty clean, honey, she mighty clean. She don itrip she bed. but eve y udder week en den de sheet am dirty one speck. 8he does wash ehe self eve y day en de sheet dOn ge d~ oreae e out dem from one t ime dey wash t il I de ne xt I 8 ay I gwinua wash Miss Betty clothes jes uz long uz de Massa ll le me em, ~ ~ 8ou~ce: Personal interview with Morn Jessie Sparrow, age 83, colored., Marion, 8.0., May 1937.

Mom Jessie Sparrow. Ex-slave, 83 years. 129 125

Code No. ~o. ~ Proje t, :L86~ (1) Rethiced from worde Prepared. by &nnie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, 8.0. ___________________ Date. May 24, 1937 Page 1. MOM ~JE8SIE SPARROW Ex~81ave 83 ye . 390094 I thinno, child, I done member nuthin more den I tell yu.h de udder time. Is yuh been to see Maggie Black yet? I dunno how old. she, but I know ehe been here. No, child, Maggie am dead. She lib right down dere next Bethel Church. She move way from Miss Mulline house whe~i ~us die. Coase I am ne er been in she house a ter ehe move dere, but ~ey say she hab uli mighty restful place dere. Dat wha dey tell me. Maggie oughta could tell ~u.h aw bout dein timee. I am know mithin more to tell yuh. Donv tell yuh aw I know. Who my mammy ~tz ~ My mammy been Salue Stevenson fore ahe marry en den a ter she marry, she waz Saille Bowens. Don know whey dey ge de Bowens from cause my pa been b lorig to be uh Evans Dat how come Mis s Betty know so much bout me She say we aighty nigh de saine age. Coase I don never spute Miss Betty word, but I don t ink SO. No ohild, I dunno. Duzino how many ohillun my mammy is hab. Dey aw been die sech uh long time dat I don forgot. Coase George, de carpenter, my brother. He been train up by ~ih good. carpenter man en Henry, wha paint aw dese house thout here, b long to be annuder one uv we. It jes lak bout my own ohillun, I am member h ~w many dey vni~. I know dere bout t ree fly dem bigguns dead, but aw dem babies, Lawd, I alu member how many dere wu~. Can never recollect nuthin bout how many dere been come here.

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Ood.e I~1o. ~. Word.a Project, 18s5 (i) Rethioed ~~m~~ord.e Prepared by Annie Ru~th Davis Rewritten by Place Marion, 8 ~ O . ~ ~ . j Date, May ~4, 193? Page 2.~ ~ My man~ny been de hoase gi ri in my white folks hou~. She marry when she am but 13 year old.. Dat wha ahe tell me. She say she marry to ge1 outer de big house. Dat how come she to marry 80 BOOfl. Say de white folka take ehe w~y from she mamzx~y when she won1 but uh little small girl eu make ~he sleep right d.ere on uh pal let in de Miesue room aw de time fore she marry. Coase a ter 9he marry, she been d~e houe e gi r . rig ht on but she ne ye r e tay in de Mi s sue house when night oome. 1J8 ehillun am been !low to atay in d~e big houee. Dey hab uh room put on de kitchen fa my mammy en ehe family to lib in. We ohili~n etay right dere in de yard whey my mammy could look a ter us in en around. My mammy hadder etay bout my oie Miasue aw de day en help ehe mt en sew de plantation clothes en wash en Iron. Den ehe hadder help make quilts outer aw de sorap dat been left oTer aTter de garment wuz out out. Ue ohillun been fed. from de table right dere in de Miseus kitchen en some uv de time my mammy ud bring us auuiptin to eat, wha wu.z cook in de I~iiSsus kitchen, en le us eat it in she room. Dey ud gi e us hoininy en milk en meat fa us break ast. My white folks hadd~er uh lot uv cowu en dey ud. gi e us ohillun plenty milk en olabber to eat. We is hab milk en olabber eve y day en dey is gi e U s plenty meat to eat, 80 dey le dat. Child, I sin know no slack eatin Cround my oie Missue. Some uv de time we

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o d.e No I~1o Wor ds___ Projeot, 1885~.~(1) Red~uoed from_~*orda Prepared by Annie Rath DaWIs Rewritten by~ Plaoe, Marion, 8.0. ~ 12/ Date May 24 3. 93 7 P~~e 3 . ~ hab hoeoake en den annuder time dey ud. gPe us obben (oven) bread. Dey oook eve yt lng on d.e fireplace In dem d~aye, eve t ing. Jes hab rod~e put cross d~e fire place in de kitchen wid. pot hang on it. Dat whey dey oook us ration. Dey ud. gi1e us t Inge lak peas en ooll*rd8 en meat fa we dinner. Den dey ud gi . us ith big bowl uv oorn bread en olabber late in de evenin2 cause jee lak I la oall to ytih jeB now, dey is use milk right emart in dem daye. I lak eve~yt ing wha dey le hab to eat den. Dey never eat lak dese peoples eate nowadays. I wons larnt to lak aw kind uv t ing. Dey uee~er oook poke salad wha been season wid meat. Don ytili know wh&1 dat? Poke salad le come up jea .ak doee weed. out dere en dey is out de ~op offen dem en take aw de hard part outer em en den dey la b oil em uh long tl~e wid. meat. Dey le eat right good. too. Don lak spinach en aw dat eumptin en don lak celery neither. Don lait butter put in mithin I eats. I lake me squash fried. down brown lait wid grease in de pan.~ I lake me beets wid. uh little vinegay on em en season wid some sugar sprinkle on em. Don lak em jes wid. mithin but uh little ealt en butter smear aw over dem lait some nv dese peoples bout here eat em no~daye.

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Oode J.~o. No. Words_______ Projeot~ 1885~.-(1) Reduced f~th~iorde Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by ~ ~ fl~oe, Marion, ~$.O. ~ ________________ Date May 24 1 937 Page 4. ~ Ytyaslum, we useter eat plenty uv em possuin~ Eve y one dey le ketch, us parent cook lt. Us eat aw kinder wild animal den seoh uz coon, possum, rabbit, Squirrel en aw dat Hab plenty uv fish in dem ~iays too . Hab pond right next de white folks house en is ketch aw de fish dere dat we is wanTs Some uv de time dey ud fry am en den some uv de time dey ud make uh stew. Dey~ud put uh little salt en onion en grease in de stew en anyt ing dey been go1 hold. UV.)T Massa Sarn~, bec~ hab uh heap uv oolored. peoples eid.es we, but dey lib up on de hill in d.c quarters. My Miesus, she e~e to it ehe self dat dey hab good. bed wha to sleep on en plenty sumptin uh eat. She dooker (dootor) em when dey ge2 sick too en she be mighty anxious ef dey sick muoha. Us hab good. olothee en shoes den too. Coase de peoples1ud wear more clothes den, en dey ud. put on more und.ey shirt in de winter den dey wear in de su~nmer. My white foik9 ud make de plantation clothes outer gingham en jeanes cloth mostly. Dat jeanee cloth be wha dey make little coat en pant outer. Dat euniptin jes lak homespun. No, ohild~ dey aine neter gi!e ~ no money den. Never need no money den. My Massa been provide eve rUing us hab, honey, eve ~t ing. We am lak fa nuth1~i den.

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Code No. i~o. Words________ Bro~~ot, 1885 tI) Reduced fThm ~~oris Prepared. by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place Mari on, S O. ~ ~ 129 Date, May 24, 3,93? Page 5. ~ ~ We ohillun ama been big nough to do mithin but scare d.e crow offen de corn en some uv de time my oie Missus ud. hab we ohillun sweepin outer in de yard. when she be out dere wid. us. Yas um, honey, my white folks al aye ud se e d.at dey colored. peoples ud. go to ohu ch (church) eve1y S~und.ay. We hathier walk dere to de white bIg Methodist Chu oh up de road. en sot en de gallery. Yas mn de white folks is s tay down e n we is go up Ef we chu Inn neye r go my ol e Misaus1ud. teach us de catechism right dere in de back yard.. Hadder wash us face en hand. en come d.ere to she. Yas um, I members dat aw right.~ My white folks~ud ride to ohuTeh in dey big ole oarriage en dey driver~ud hab dey big black hosses bresh jes U7 shiny. I forge de ctriver name. Dey hab uh pair uv dem black ho8see wha! been match hossee en dey le look jes lak En den one day de oie Yankees is come t rough dere en dey is carry one uv dem way. Aster dat dey had er use one uv d.e plantation hoes in de p1a~e uv dis carriage hoes. De Missus~ud. ai1ays take my mammy in de carriage wid. she too. i~ever left her home, so she tell me. Jes stuff she down dere ~tween de seats eomewhey. ~ Morn Jessie Sparrow, age 83, colored, Marion, S.C. Personal interview, May 1937.

Mom Jessie Sparrow. Ex-slave 83 years. 134 130

Oode No. No. I.~e ______ Project No. 1~$5~-(i) Rethioed fX6~ ~ Words Prepared by Axinie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, 8.0. ~ ~ ~ j30 Date, September 7, 1937 Page 1. MOM JZS$IZ SPARROW x Siave, $3 Tears Marion, 8.C. 1No, boney, dere am not a soul live here but me. an Btay in dat other room dere just to be a little bit of oom~*ny for me when night come. He ~in, not a speck of kin to me, not a speck. Oh, he ~y me a little eomethiu, but it not much. Mostly, I does vaut him for protection like. Lin got but just dis one ro~ for myself cause dat ~rt out dere does be just like out in de yard. Dia Mies Uary Watson house en she tell me stay on here dat de house am ~rth no fixin. Don know how long I be here. No, honey, I alu got no property only just myself. Lin got not a bit. Lin got nothin, child. I can d.c no work dese days but dat little bit of iashin ~t Miss Betty bave en dat am nothin to depend on. Just try to do a little sometbin to help myself along. Nothi vorth to speak bout though. Mise Betty say is b ut one age. My daddy belonged to ILias B tty father en dat how-come she know dere sin0 ~uoh difference in us age. My mammy was de house S~w~ on old man ~ Stevenson plantation en dat whe I was born. When we ~ freed, I was a little small girl en my daddy moved us up here in town right over dere on de Gibson place. Tore den, when he bave a mind to see us, he had to come Cross de sweap der. to old man ~m Stevenson place en dat de reason he move us.

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Oo~e No. No.~Tord~g_ .- - Project, i2~5..(i) Red ced. frQ~I~ tords -.- Prei*red.. by Annie Ruth ~.ViB. Reprittezi by. Place, Marion, 8.0. ~ . ~ :131 Date, September 7, 1937 )~.ge .2. Re say it take too much pains to keep dat gwine back en forth. I remembers I finished growin right up here in die town over dere on de Gibson place. My mammy have task to cook dere enmy daddy been de butler man, bu~L; I was ~aU den. Oan recollect euch bout it . Reckon . I wouldn hardly, know de place ~heS I ~s born if I go back dere now. De old man ~im 8teveneon bad. nice house, but it burn down long tise back. D y tel 1 me dat de first court de peoples in Marion did ever know bout meet right dere on dat same spot, Ooaee I don know nothin bout it, but dat what I hear dem say. My Massa had. a big plantation, honey, a big plantation wid beap of colored people house. I remember dey call up dat way froit de bouse on de hilt en all de servants house set up dere. . So I hear my mammy say ehe know bout sosie white folks dat didn half feed dey colored people en didn talf clothe dem in de winter neither, but our ihite folks always treat us mighty good. Put shoes on all us feet in de winter en give us abundance of ration all de time.~ Honey, I hear dem talkin bout dat ~.r, but I can tell you n~thin bout dat. I recollects I see dem Yankees ihen dey o me through my Massa piantaflon en took his beet carriage . horse. Had two of de~ big black carriage horses dat warn match horses en dein Yankees carry one of dem away wid dem. I hear de~ say de white folks would bury dey silver en money in pots en harrels to hide dem from d Yankees. Oh, dem fiddlin Yankee

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Code No. ~ . No.:Worda_~ Project, i~S5-(i) ~ Reduced. zrO~ji~tOrdB Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Bew~~itten by.. . Place, Marion, S.C. ._____~ ~ ~ td2 Date, September 7, 1937 ~ . ax nobody nothin. Just go in d.e house en take dat what dey wanted. Go right in de house en plunder round en take de peoplee beet thinga. Wouldn take no common things. TaBu right, but dey done it. I hear talk dat a ~n plowed up a chest or eomethin another de other day full of money, 80 dey tefle tue. I hear plenty peoplee plow up all kind of things dese days in old fields dat am been broke up or throwed out for years. I hear 80, but I know I am never found none though. ~ al aho been here when dat shake come here, child. I been z~arried ever since I was a grown 1O~9~fl en I ias stayin right over yonder in dat house dere. ICy son Henry was de baby on me lap den en he tell me de other day dat he was ~ bout 50 now. It come 1 ike a wind. ~ right from dat way. Some peple tell me de ground was just a shakin en a mum up, but I don know . how de ground was dom cause I never go on it I hear de lumberation comm or dat wbat I calls it en it come long en hit de side of de house so bard. dat all de dishes was ~uat a rattlin. Zvery time de earth commence shakin, dem dish start jinglin. It oome bout de early part of de night. I didn know what to think it i&S till somebody come dere en say it been a eartlxpiake. Say de ground was just a workin up. I tell you I sin know what it was to be scared of, but dere been de old Ark (boarding house) etandin cross de street den en dem people Was soared. most to death. Dey thought it ~ de Jed~ient 00mm

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Code No. No. TOrd.8 _ Pro ~eot 1~5iii(1) Reduoed. Z ~m~itorcte Prepa~ed. by Anflie Ruth J~avis Rewritten by Place, ~iarion, 8.0. __________________ 133 Date, September 7, 1937 pj~~ ~ ~ on. Reokon I would been soaxed worser d~en I yea, bit I didni get on de ground. No, honey, I reokon de house dat wa~ standin up in dat day en ti~ ~as substantial like en it didn worry none of dem. Ie youeeen ~aggie Black any more? She been right sick, but ehe better now. Tes, she been right puny, Don know what ail her,a ? NEon,7, what can you tell me bout dat white man dat been shoot~up bout Miillins de other day. I hear people talk bout a ~ been shot by another man, but I am know nothin more den dat, Lin hear none of de details oi~ly as dey tell me dey catch de man dat got away next Dillon tryin to get back home. I tell you it a bad plac up dere in Mulline dunn dis tobacco time. Dey tel . me dere besuch a stir up dat people be rob en shoot all bout dere. ~t de reason I stay baok here whet aine nobody to worry me. some of dem be seekin for you when you sie ep en den another time de y get you when you gwine long de road. I don likS so much fuss en rousin en mix up round me. Dat de reason I does stay here by ~yseif.~ De people just livin too fast dis day en time, honey. You blow some of dose people, I sean my race, dey got a little bit of education en alu got no manners. I tel . dem if dey am got no aannere, dey am1 got nothin cause manners carries people wheS a dollar won carry you. Dis education don do everybody no good. It got some of dem standin on de top of dey heads. Dat uhat it done to dem. Qoase dey say everybody

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Code No. ~ No. Word~s_ ~ - Project, i~~5 (1) Reth~oed from~Wo~d~s Prepared by Annt~ Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. . 134 Date Septeaiber .7, 193 7 a~ ~ ; -n - ~ ~ ~ ohiflun got to goto school dis year en dat a good. thing cause dere be 80 many runnin round aakin mischief when ~ey am in school. I used. to tell my ahillun I buy dey book en satchel en keep plenty meat en bread. for dem to eat en dey portion been to go dere en get dey learnin. If dey get whippin at school, I tell dem go back en get more. Didn never entice dem to etay home. , All I know bout brabai~ Lincoln wae dat he Abraham Lincoln en he d.e one oauee freedom. I recollect dey uee6. to Bing eong bout him, but I done forget it SOW. Say dey hung Abraham Lincoln on de SOUr apple tree or old Jeff Davia or somethin like dat. Honey dat all I know. Q~S recollect nothin more den dat bou.t it. ~ Child, dis a pretty bad. time de people got deae daya, I tell you. Qoase I tbankful don nobody worry me. All treats me nice bo th white en black what knows me . I be gwine down de ~reet en folks come out de courthouse en say, Air, dat Morn JessIe? Mom Jessie, don you remember met I say, I know your favor, but I can call your nase. Dey tell me en laugh en let me lone. It just like dia, child, I puts my trust in de Lord en I lives mighty peaceful like. I am got a enemy in de world cause everybody speaks appreciatively of me. Dere somebody bringin me somethin to eat all de time en I don be studyin bout it Mither. Pirat one en den de other bring me a plate en somethin another. Don went me to do no ~ookin,

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Code No. NO. NOrdS______ Project, 1~5~...(1) Rsduoed 1~ ~zn,Word.e Prepared by Aut4e Ruth ~vis Rewritten by. Place, Marion, S.C. ~ ~ Date, September 7, 1937 ~ge 6. Sap I might fall in ~e fire. Honey, d.e lady come by here de other day en tell me I gwtne get de old ~oman money pretty eoozi now dat dere been 80 much talk bout. I be thankful when it get here too, child, cause I iante to get first one thing en de other to do so~ fixin up bout my houae.~ Wiell, honey, I tired flOwOaUSe I a2n much today nohow. ~ Oan recollect nothin elee dia mornin. Don know what you want to hear bout all dem thinga for nohow. Source: Morn Jessie Sparrow, age B3, ex~alave, Bond 8treet, Marion, 8.0. Third R po~t. Personal interview by A,nnie R~ith Davis, Sept. 1937.

Mom Jessie Sparrow. Ex-slave, 83 years. 140 136

o ode No No W~-_~i ~ . ~ . Project, 1~&5-.(1) Reduced fi &~ iorde Prepared by Annie Bitth Davi8 Eewi~itten by~ ~ Place, Marion, S.C. ___________________ 136 Date, Deoe~nber 7, 1937 ~ ~---~ MOM JE$SI~ SPARROW ~xi*.S1ave ~3 Years ) rI A I r Q~U +~LU No, I am cold. I settin in de sun. Mies Ida, she went by here suet now en call at me bout de door been open en lettin dat Cold wind blow in on riiy back Wid all de fire gone out. I tell it am botherin me none I be en aettin out in de sun. Well, I dont feel rauch to speak bout, child, but I knockin round somehow. UieB Ida, she bring me dis paper to study on. She does always be bringin tue de Star cause she know dat I love to ~ee de news of Marion. It right sad bout de Presbyterian preacher, btxt everybody got to die, I say. Right sad though. We hear dat church bell here de other evenin en we never know what it been tollin for. I holier. over dere to Maggie -house en ax her how come de church bell tollin, but she couldn tell me nottU.n bout it. Reckon some chillun had get hold. of~ it, she say. I tell her, dat bell never been ~fl,l by no ohillun cause I been hear death note in it. Yes, honey, de people sho gwtne home (grieve) after Dr. Holladay. III say, I dom very well myself en I thankful I am down in de bed. Mighty thankful I alu down in de bed en can set up en talk wid de people when dey comes to Bee me. I am been up d.ere on your street in a long time. Can do much walkin dese days cause I am got no strength to speak bout. Aine be~i up town dere in bout two months. Mr. Jerrey

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Code No. No. Words______~ Project, 1~85-~(i) Reduced f~or~i~rda Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by ~ Pi~,ce, Marion, S.C. ~ ~ ~ ~ Date, December 7, 1937 Page ~. ~ ~ ax John vans what de matter dat I am been Comm to de store to get my rations en John ~vane tell hini I been under de weather. Somehow another, dey all likes me up dere en when dey dont see nie up town on 8aturday, dey be axin bout nie. Mr. Jervey, he come here de other day en bring me some tobacco en syrup en cheese en some of dem other things what he know dat I used. to buy dere. He teU me dey all was wantin to see me back up dere again. I say, I Cafl~ go up dere cause I give way in my limbs en ju8t comes right down whe I dont have nothin to catch to. Got dis old stick here dat I balances myself on when I goes out round bout de house here. Cose I don venture to steady myself no far ways on it. No, child, I am been up your way in a ong time. I wash for Miss Betty all my best days, but I am been up to de house in many a mornin. Miss Betty like myself now, she old. I tell dem up dere to de house de last time I talk wid. dem, don mind Miss Betty cause her mind. am no good. I say, just gwine on en do what you got to do en let ILiss Betty rest. You se e Mi. s s Be tt y aiway s would. bave he r ~ay en dt s am t no time to think bout breakin her neither. Cose I don know nothin bout it, but Miss Betty say we bout one age. NI reckon Miss Betty got plenty pecans dis year cause s he doe s rake dem up by de tubful s bout di s ti me o f de year. I got my share of dem last year, but I amt got no mind dat I gwine ge t any di s year le s s I go up dere Ye s mazu I go t

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Q ode No . ~ No Word. s____~ Projeot, i~5-(1) Reduced f~ OZn ~ ~~ rds Prepared by Annie Ruth Davia Rewritten by~ ~ Place, Marion, S.C. ___________________ X -) Date, December 7, 1937 ~ ~ my share last year cause when I went to carry Miss Betty W~8hifl home, I Could pick u~p all I wanted while I corne through under de trees. My Lord, Miss Betty, she had a quantity of dern last year, but I am hear what de crop dom dis year. I don care though cause I wouldn eat d,ern nohow widout I beat dem up en I am1 in no shape to go to all dat trouble I love s peanut s good. as anybody, but I couldn never chew dem wid.out dey ~as beat up. Honey, my child en her daughter comm from de northern states dis Christmas to ~ee me. Her name Evelyn, but dey call her Missie. She write here dat she want to corne en I tell my Sammle to send word dey is welcome. Cose dey gwine stay wid my son, 5arnrnie, cause dey got more roorn den I is en dey got a cookin stove, too, but she gwine be in en out here wid her old mammy off en on Yes urn, I wants to see her mighty bad since it be dat she been gone from here 80 long. When she first went up dere, she worked for a white family dere to Hartford, Connecticut, but it won long fore she got in a fidget to marry en she moved dere to Philadelphia. Dat whe she livin now, so my 8arnrnie tell me Den dere another one of my chillun dat I say, I ~Qfl~ never epect to see no more on dis side of de wor)d. velina, she get married en go Way out west to live. She de one what used to nur ~e Lala up de re to Mi s s Owe ne1 house . My God. ho ne y, she been crazy bout Lais.. Don care what she been buy on a

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Ood.e No ~ No Words ~ Project, i~5- (1) Reduced from_~I~rds Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by ~ Place, Marion, S.C. -t-- - .-------. 10 Date, December 7, 1937 PageI. -- Saturday evenin, ehe would save some of it till Monday to Carry to dat child. My ~velina, she always would eat en she used. to bring Lala here wid her a heap of times to get sornethin to eat. She would come in en fetch her dat tin plate up dere full of corn bread en molasses en den she wou.ld go to puttin dem ration way. Would put her own mouth full en den she would cram some of it down Lala s mouth in dQ. child s belly. You see, I always would keep a nice kind of syrup in de safe cause I don like none dese kind of syrup much, but dis here ribbon cane syrup. My Lord, dat child would stand up dere en eat just as long as Evelina poke: it down her. Oh, Lala been just a little thing plunderin bout en I tell Evelina dat she ought not to feed dat child dein coarse ration, but she say, Lala Want some en I gwine give it to ber cause I loves her.~ No, child, Miss Owe ne never didn worry her mind bout whe Evelina been carry dat child. You see, she been put trust in velina. II don know what to tell you, honey. I bout like Miss Betty now. My 1membrance short dese day8. Oh, I hear talk bout all kind of signs de people used to worry over en some of dem still frets bout dem,too. Hear talk dat you mustn t wash none on de New Years I~y. It bad luck, so a heap of dem say. Den some folks say it a sign of death to hear a owl holler at night. Some people can1 bear to hear dem, but don no owls worry me, I say. Lord, Maggie, dis child ax me how a owl holler when it a sign of death. Well, dey does holler a right good

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Code No. NO. WOrds_______ Project, 1~s5-~(1) Reduced f~&~iords Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, )~arion, 8.0. __________________ Date, December 7, 1937 Page ~ space apart. Don holler right regular. I am hear one holler now in a long time but I used to hear dem be hollerin plenty times out dere sornewhe another in dem trees. Say, when some people been hear dem holler on a night, dey would stick a fire iron in de fire en dat would tnake de owl quit off. I hear talk bout a lot of people Would do dat. Den de re another sign de people does have b ut de New Years Day. Reckon dat what dey call it, I don know. No,rnam, I don understand nothin bout it, but I does hear people speak bout dey craves to get a cup of peas en a hunk of hog jowl on de first day of de year. Say, dem what put faith in dem kind. of victuals on de New Years Day, dey won suffer for nothin no time all de next year. Oose~ I don know, but I say dat I eats it cause Ilovee Lt. Well, child, dat bout all I know to speak bout dis evenin. I t ge t ti n so cold, I don know whe I can manage he re muc h longer or no. Qose my Sainmie, he want me to go stay dere wid hirn, but I can stand no chillun fuss round me no more. I tell him de se people bout he re be in en out to ax. bout nie right smart en I think bout I better stay here whe dere am nobody to mind what I do. You see, honey, old people is troublesome en I don want to be noways burdensome to nobody. Yes,marn, I gwine be right here waitin, if de Lord say so, de next time I see you makin up dat path. Source: Mom Jessie Sparrow, age ~3, colored, Marion, 9.0. Personal interview by Annie R. ijavis, Dec., 1937.

Mom Jessie Sparrow. Ex-slave, 83 years. 145 141

od.~ No. . . ~ ~ I :~ ?r jeet, i~5-.(i) . Reduced from.~word. Prepared by nnje Th~th ~via Rewritten by ~ . Place, Marion, S.C. :~ ~ Date, October U, 1937 hge 1. 10M JZSSU SPARBOW Ex Slave 83 Years . 390335 Good n~orning honey I am s much today. How you t s T ~ No, I ~ can talk nothin bout dem timea today. Lin know no lao re ~en I done tel . you I do in very well oon8idertn I an get bout Like I wants. to. Dom very well, honey. Peoples mighty nice to me, white eu black. ~o~e I don venture to get far off de lot, I be so poorly deee days. Aine been bout up town dere in a month since aturday. TMWeU fly ohillun say for me to go live wid dem, but I don want to go down to dat other far end of de town. I tell d~em dey worry: me so dat I think I rather be here in &te piece . o f house Bee I bae BUCh good n~3igThbore bout. me here en~ de re . be so rnuQh a tightin fu gwine on in dat other end of to~in. Au d. people e speaks Will of me, ~ both w~iite en black of ~de~ dat knows me. Tea,maa, Miss Ellen tell me fore ehe die for me to . stay right here in dis house long as I live en am nobody is gwine worry me neither. No, child, Miss Mary Watson don worry me, not~ one speck bout die bouse. Miss Mary de only ohild dat . ~ Miss LIlen got left here. ~ Ni~ honey, I am stu.dyin bout gwine nowhe yet. Ooee de house may fall down on me eau e dat dere old kitchen over dere was go~. when I come here, but it rot down. Dat how-come t ~. abi got no stove. ~ De kitchen rot down en de sain come .:j~ ~fl deeto~Ve enrust it .out. No, dey don worry me none. s ~ tell dem I am g~ nOthin, b t 1. settin here just as satisfied ~ . ~ lik 4. Oo*e I afty get, a little ~ pension soon, but don know when

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Ood.e No. No. Words ~ .Pro3eot, 1~5 (i) Red.uoed fr ~I_word~s Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, 8.0. -~---.~ *~-----~--. ~I42 Date, October ii, 1937 P4e 2. it g wine get here. I am hear tell of nobod.y gettin it yet. I tell lady dat corne here if I get it, it be all right en if I don get it dat be all right too Big sale on today am dere child.? I hear talk bout dey gwine sell all de Witcover property en all dat, but I don know. Dey abO got a pretty day for it. I had on my old thick sweater, but it too hot. I bad to pull it off en put on dis here thin 3aoket. Can go bout too naked, 1~oney.U Yes uin, I know it was you come here de other night. Oose, I Oftfl~ see so good, but I can hear de people voice en tell who dere time I hear dem comm up dat path. You see, I don light my lamp first night nohow, dere be so much grasaround here de rnoaquitoea cornes in en worries me right stnart.U Miss Toxworth en dem fixin to plant dey turnips over dere . Miss .Toxworth, I likes her very well to speak. She good-hearted, kind. en clever. She comes over en talks wid me often cause u.s been friends ever since fore de old. man been gone. Dey am got no kind. of garden yet, but dey fixin to plant a fall garden out dere.0 -~--~ ~ .--~-~ ~----- ~No child, I done put Mie; Betty clothe s down Tell her I am able to wash no more en my Lord, Miss Betty abc hate to hear me say dat. Won dat Miss Betty clothes ~s so hard, but it ~ps de tOtin dein back en forth en den dere be so little bit o f nioney in deM didn pay to hire nobody to carry dem. Co se shi didn1 p~y ~ nothin worth ~ much cause she didn never have

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Code N4~ . . . No . Worde ~ ~ ~. Pro jeot 18~5 ( 1) .Redi1io ed f~ 1U ~io rde Prepared by Annie Ruth Davia Rewritten by Place, Marion, 8.0. ____________________ Date, October II, 1937 . ~ nothin much, but a little ohangin of underclothes en bout one .drees. Just had. to starch bout one petticoat en one dress, but I cans ~r~j ,y wash for myself dese days en I wouldn never venture to do hers no more. No, honey, my Conscience wouldn allow me to overpower Miss Betty for dein little bit - f soinethin en dey am dirty neither. You see, since kiss mma been stayin dere, she in charge de house en uses ai . her tablecloths en euoh as dat. Miss Jmma, she mighty ice to ~e. every time I go up de re en I ein1 been do in nothi n fo r her ne ithe r she see can she find a cup of fresh milk or somethin another to hand. me. Reckon I gwine be lonesome right bout die side next week c~auseall d~e colored schools ~ine be open ~up Monday. You see, dere be be so many echo~ chiflun en teacher livin on dis here etre et Dat child over de re say she gwine be home right sharp after she be finish pickin cotton next week. I say I am be obliged to leave dis country oauee my white folks wouldnm never venture to ~ comae dere to dat other end of town to see me. All dese chillim bout here mighty go od. to me. Don never let me suffer ~ for n~othin. . Dey caut ion me. not to risk to cook no thin over dat- ftreplace cause dey say I might tumble over en can catch myself. No, dey tell mue don do no cookin, I might fall in, en burn up. No, oh~ld, I am chance to cook none on dat fireplace einof I been sick. Diff rent ones brings me some thin dis day en dat day. DOn suspicion nothin bout it till I see d m. comm.. Celeste over dere brings me breakfast en dinner

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Code No. No. WOrdB______ Project, i~5 (i) Reduced ~~ ~In WOrd.8 Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, 9.0. ~ Date, October 11, 1937 P8ieTTLL . . every day en I don never bother wid. no supper cause I laye down too e~aly. Den dey keepe me in plenty bread en rolls en I keeps a little syrup on hand en eats dat if I gets hungry. Dere Marguerite all de time bringin me somethin, if it am nothin but a pitcher of toe. You see, dey makes dey ice en it am costin her nothin. ehen I see her turn out dat piazza, I know she couiin here. I am see her today, but I lookin for her~ Used to wash for dem too. Honey, I done a lot of work bout dis town en I don suffer for nothin. 11 de people bout here be good to zne.N ~ UN0,niam, I am gwine let you take no more pmcturea. Lin gwine take no more I f Miss Montgomery say she Comm here to take more pictures, tell her I sin gwinetake ~o more. No, child, I am studyin bout no pictures. I done want no more. I got one big one up dere on de wall dat show me en my mamaiy. enmy son, Sammie, settin in aautomobile. Dat my picture settin up dere wid de white blouse on. I tell dem I look like somethin den, but I too old en broke up now. My daughter, she want a picture en ehe kept on after us till we went up dere to whe de carnival ivas. Carnival man had a automobile dat he take your picture in en we get in en set down en he snap de pioture. I tell dem dey got one now en dat ought to be sufficient. ~at my mammy settin dere by me. She was eho a fine lookin woman. Lord, Lord, honey, dem chillun love dem pictures, but I am studyin bout wantin my picture soatt er all bout de country. ~

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Code No. .~ No. Words______ Project, 1~5-(i) Reduced from__~words Prepared. by Annie ThItIi DaviB Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. ~ . Date, October 11, 1937 Page ~ ~ . Yes, child, I 8leeps all right. Go to bed. early too fore anybody else round here do. Yes,mam, I goes to bed early en don never get up none till I see day shine in dem cracks. I was figurin somebody else ax me dat de other day. Believe it was Dr. Dibble. My Sammie, he a mammy child. He never stop till he send de doctor here to eee Could he find out de ailment dat seem like was eatin me way. Dr. Dibble come here en set down in dat chair en ax me a heap of questions. Den he test my blood en give me a tonic dat he say would hope me. Yes,mam, dat my Samnite doctor en he goes to see him often, he does have such a misery in his head. Dat de first time Dr. Dibble ever been here, but I likes he manner mighty well. ~r. Zack was a good doctor too. Cose dat what dey tell me, but I am know nothin bout it. No, child, I been healthy~all my days en I aft bad to worry bout no doctor. I tells dem when I falls down, I won last long cause I been hearty all my days. Your sister still in Dr. Dibble store (office), am she? Is she got a cook yet? ~at it, I glad she got somebody to de pend on cause dese young people, can tell bout dem. Dey be one place today en den dey apt to be another place de next day. I used to cook dere to lady house cross de street, but I never didn Co ok no Suixtay dinne r dere ~at lady been take in sewin en she would ~ew en press right on de big Sunday. I tell her dat a sin en she say 8he had to get finish somehow dat de folks was p~shin her for dey clothes. I say, tell, dat you, amt me. I go dere on Sunday mortiin en cook breakfast en clean up en put

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Code No. ~ No. Words________ Project, 1~5-.(1) Reduced from~. words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. ~ - ~-- --~---- :146 Date, October 11, 1937 ~ 6. wood in de kitohen. Den I would go to church en left dem to cook what dinner dey get. Dat de reason I won cook for none dese white folks dis day en time cause when dey paya you dat little bit of money, dey wants every bit your time. I been proud when dat lady move from here cause I ~vas tired walkin de road. back en forth. People come here en beg nie to cook for dein, but I tell dem I gwine stay right here en do my bit o f washin. Gwine ge t along aome how wid it Be the . down de re on de o the r s ide de ~a il de only church I ever been a member of. We got to fix us church twixt now en next year. It need fixin bad. You see, it right on de Main B treet gwine down en doe s be r ight pubi Ic out to de people. I was fixin to. go to church Sunday gone, but my child never come after me. My son, Sammie, never show up, but he cote Sunday evenin laughin. Say, Ma, I ~ know if I corne by your house you would want to go wid me ~ No I am ~ been SO I able to g~ in four Sundays. Child, you ought to had brought your parasol wid you cause you been Bettifl here SO long, you gwixie be late gettin t you started. DiB here another hot day we ~ot come here Well go od day child. Speak bout how you i8 find Maggie Black to ~e when you ~sa back long dat stret dere. 8Q~1;Q~e: Morn Jessie Sparrow, ex~slave, 83 years, Marion, S.C. Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, October, 1937.

Rosa Starke. Ex-slave 83 years Old. 151 147

: Project -p1655 ~ w. w. Dixon 390403 ~ Wiimsboro, S. C. ~ ~ ROSA STARKE EX.~SI4&1TE 83 YEARS OLD. Rosa s grandfather was a slave Of Solicitor Starke. AIthou~h she has had two husbands since slavery, she has thrown their names intothe discard and goes by the name of Rosa Starke. She lives in. a three~room frame house with her son, John Harrison two miles s outh of Winnsboro S C on the plan tation of Mrs. Rebecca V, Woodward. She still does farm work, hoeing and pick ~ cotton. . . I*Ti~e?JT say I was six years old when de wax con~ience poppin in Charleston. Narurrr~r and pappy say dat I was born on de Graham place, one of de nineteen plantations of nvj old marster, Nick Peay, in 1854. My pappy was naine Bob and my mammy name Sauna. They had b longed to old Marse Tom Starke beTh old Marse Nick bought them. My brudders was name Bob and John. I had a sister nan~e Carrie. They was all older than me. ~ . My xnarster, Nick Peay, had nineteen places,~wid a overseer and slave quar ters on every place. Folks dat knows will tell you, dis day, dat them nineteen plantations, in all, was twenty-seven thousand acres. He had a thousand slaves, more or less, too n~any to take a c~sue of. Befo de numerator g t round, some more would be born or bought, and de nominator had to be sent round by Marse Nick, so old Miss Martha, our mistress, say. Her never could know just how many twas. Folks used to come to see her and ask how many they had and her say it was one of them sums in de rithmetic dat a body never could take a slate and pencil and find out de correct answer to. ~ Her was a kdainson befo her marry old rnarster, a grand big buckra. Had a grand maimer ~ no patience wid poor white . They oouldn t come in de front yardj t~y knowed to pass ~ by to de lot hitch up deir hos s and come knock on.

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2. :148 de kitchen door and make deir wants and wishes lcnowed to de butler. You wants me to tell bout what kind of house us niggers live in then? Well, :i.t pend on de nigger and what him was dom Dere was just two classes to de whitefoiks, buckra slave owners and poor white folks dat didn t c~wn no slaves. Dere was more classes xno~st de slaves. De fust class was de house servants. Dese was de butler, de n~.ids, de nur8 s, chambermaids,and de cooks. De next class was de carriage drivers and de gardenera, de carpenters, de bar ber, and de stable men. Then come de next class de wheelwright, wagoners, blacksmiths azid slave foremen. De next class I members was de c~ men and de niggers dat have care of de dogs. All dese have good houses and never have to work liard or git a beati& Then come de cradlers of de v~heat, de thresh rs,, and de millers of de corn and de v~heat,and de feeders of de cotton gin. De low~ est class was de conunon field niggers. A house nigger man might swoop dov~i and n~ate v id a fie Id handt ~ good lookin daughter, now and then, for pure love of her, but you never see a house gal lower herself by n~.rryin and matint wid a common field..~hand nigger. Dat offend de white olks, specially de young misses, who liked de business of match makin and matin of de young slaves. My young marsters ~ was Marse Tom, Marse Nick and Marse 1~ustin. ~y young misses was Miss Martha, Miss Mary, and Miss Anne Eliza. I knows Marse Nick, Jr. marry a Cwiningham of Liberty Hill. Marse Torn. marry a Lyles and Marse Austin marry and move to Abbeville, after de war. Old n~rster die de year befo de war, I thixilc, cause my maIIw and pappy fell in de division to Marse Nick and us leave de Graham place to go to de home plaoe. It was called de Melrose place. Md what a place dat was& ~ on a hill, overlookin de place where de Longetown Presbyterian Cbarch and oeixietery is today. Dere was thirty rooms in it and a fish pond on top of it. A flower yard stretchin clean ~ dawn de hill to

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3.~ :E~9 de bigr~oad, where de big, gate, hangin on big granite pillars, swung open to let de carriages, buggies, and wagons in and up to de house. Can I tell you some of de thin~e dat was in dat house vthen de Yankees corne? Golly no~ flat I can t, but I members some things dat would stonish you as it stonished them. They had I~arseille carpets, linen table oloths, two silver candlesticks in every room, four wine decanters, four nut crackers, and two coffee pots, all of them silver. Silver castors for pepper, sa1t~ and vinegar bottles. All de plates was china. Ninety-ei~ht silver folks, knives, teaspoons and table~spoons. Four silver ladles, six silver sugar tongs, silver goblets, a silver mus tard pot and two silver fruit stands. Al . de fireplaces had brass firedogs and marble mantelpieces. Dere was four oil paintints in de hail; each cost, so Marse Nick say, one hundred dollars. One was his nia, one was his pa, one was his Uncle Austin and de other was of Colonel Lamar. De smoke-house had four rooms and a cellar. One room, every year, was filledwid brown sugar justshoveled in wid spades. In winter they would drive up a drove of hogs from each plantation, kill them, scald de hair off them, and pack de meat away in salt, and hang up de hams and shoulders. round and bout dc smokehouse. Most of de rum and wine was kep in barrels, in de cellar, but dere was a closet in de house where whiskey and brandy was kep for quick use. ~ll back on de east side of de mansion was de garden and terraces, acres of sweet taters, water millions (watermelons) and strawberries and two lons~ rows of beehives. Old rnarster die. De praisers of de State come and figure dat his mules, niggers, cows, hogs, end things was worth ~2OO,OOO.OO. Land and houses I disremember bout. They, anyhow, say de property was over a million dollars. They put a price of $1,600.00 on mar~ny and ~l,5OO.OO on pappy. I member they say I was worth $~4OO.OO. Young Marse Nick tel . us dat the personal property of de estate was

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4, :130 tpraised at ~288,168.78. (a) De Yaukees come set all de cotton and de gin~hou$e afire. Load up ai . de meat; take some of de sugar and shovel some over de yard; take all de wine, rum, and liquor; ~ut de house of all de silver and valuables, set it afire, and leave one thousand niggers cold and hon~ry, and our white folks in a misery they never has got over to de third generation of thema Some of them is de poorest white folks in dis State today. I weeps when I sees them so poor, but they is spectable yet, thank God. . ~fter de war I stuck to de Peaywhite folks, ttil I got married to Will Harrison. I can t say I love him, though he was de father of all my chillun. ~y pappy, you know, was a half white man. Maybe dat explain it. nyhow,when he took de fever I sent for Dr. Gibson, tend him faithful but he die and/felt more like I was free, when I come back from de funeral, than I did when ?v~arse Abe Lincoln set us free. L~y brudder, Bob, had done gone to Florida. :11 nex marry, in a half-hearted way, John Pearson, to help take care of me at~d x~j three ohillun, John, Bob, and Carrie. Him take pneumonia and die, and I never have a speck of heart to marry a colored man since. I just have a mind to wait for de proper sort,till I git to heaven, but dese adult teachers tstro~ dat hope . They read me dat dere is no marryin in heaven. Well well dat il be a great disappointment to some I knows, both white and black, and de ginger-cake women &ak me. I~ I g~~t; any more to tell you? Just dis: Dere was 365 windows and doors to Marse Nick Pesy s house at Melrose, one for every day in de year, my mistress low. And dere was a peach tree in de orchard so crafted dat dat peach tree have ripe peaches on it in May ~une July, August September and October. (a) Probate records of Fairfield County. See Roll 110 of the Judge of Probate for Fairfield County.

Josephine Stewart. Ex-slave 85 years old. 155 151

Project #1655 ~ . ~ w. w. Dixon ~ ~ ~ ~0 ~ ~ Wiansboro, s. C. ~ . . ~ I JOSEPHINE STEWJ~RT ~SL&VE 85 YEARS OLD. Phiriie Stewart, as sh.o is known in the community where she lives, is a small, black negress, who shows her age in appearance ~ud niovernents. She lives with i~obert Wood, a hundred yards back of the Presbyterian Church manse at Blackstoclc, S. G. Robert rood married Phinie s niece, who is now deceased. Phixile has no property, and depends entirely on the charity of Robert Wood f r her support. Does you know where de old iiell liouse is, abdut a mile de other side of~ Blackstock, on de Chester road? ~ Yes? Well, dere is where I was borned, in May, 1853. - ft1 doesn t know who ~ pappy was. You know in them times folks wasn t particular bout marriage licenses and de preacher tying de knot and all dat kind of thing L~ut I does know marnn~r s name Her ri~aii~ was Celle. Dose eyes of ridne is dim but I can see her now, stooping over de wash tub and~ washing de white folks clothes every i~onday and Tuesday. Ils belonged to Marster Charlie ~3ell and his lady, Miss Ma~~ie Bell, our mistress in them slavery days. floes I t~mber who I~Liss Maggie was befo her married Marster Charlie? Sure I does. Mistress was ~. daughter of Miss Aime Jane Neil, who lived to be a hundred and. five years old, and its writ on her tombstone in ~ oncord Cemetery. I speot you has seen it, ain~t you? old Miss Anne Neil was a Irish lady, born in. Ireland across de ocean. She had a silver snuff box; I seen it. She d take snuff out dat box, rub it up

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2. her nose and say: Dc Prince of Whales (Wales) give me dis box befo I come to dis co~intry, and I was presented to his ina,Queen Victoria,by de Duke of Wellington. on ni~r sixteenth birthday.1 Old Miss Anne 3S~eil claims she was born over dere de very night of de battle of Waterloo. And she would go on and low dat when de duke took her by de hand and led her up to de queen, him say: Your Majesty, dis young lady was born on de night of our great victory at Waterloo. ttMy young niistress was named Miss Margaret. She n~.rried I~rse Wade Brice. I was give to them when I was bout five years old and I went along with them to Woodward, S. C. ~r ri~iiuny was give to them, too, at de same time. Us lived in 1~rsc V~ ade s quarter, to le east of de ~white folks house.~ Dere was a row of log houses, bo~xt ten I think. Ma~rrm3y and me lived in one dat had two rooms De chimney was made of sticks and mud.~ but de floor was a good plank floor. De bed was a wood bedstead wid a wheat straw tick. Dere ~ no windows to de house, so it was warm in de winter time and blue blazing hot in de suim~aer time. ~IkT white folks was mighty good to us; they fed us well. Us had wooden shoes and no clothes a tall in de suzr~ner, cept a one piece slip on. ~kT mistress die bout a year after her marry, and then 1~Jarster Wade marry Miss Tilda Watson, a perfect angel, if dere ever was one on dis red earth. She take a liking to me right at de jump, on first sight. I nu$sed all her chillun. They w~ Walter, Ida, Dickey, Lunsford, Wade, Mike, and Wilson. Then I nussed some of her grandohillun. Mr. Brice Waters in Columbia is one of them grandohillun. Wiarse Wade went off to de war and got shot in de hip, but he jined de calvary (cavalry) soon after and was away when de Yankees come

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through. i)e Yankees burned and stole everything on de place. They took off all de sheep, imiles, and cows; killed all de hogs~ cotch all de chiok~ ens, ducks and geese; and shot de turkeys and tied them to deir saddles as they left. D~ gin house made de bi~est blaze I ever has seen. Dere was short rations for all de white folks and ni~gers after dat day. 111n 1870 I was still dere wid L~iarse Wade a~c~ i~iss Tilda, when de devil come along in de shape forint and fashion of a m~n He was name Ha1le~. I was young then, and a fool, wh~n I n~rried dat no ~ nigger. Us had two chillun, a boy, Allen, and a girl, Louise. Louise sickened and died befot she was grown. i~l1en married and i~ad one o~~ild, but him and de child are dead. Ii~ husband ruii away and left us. About de time of de great cyclone, Miss Tatt Nicholson, a cousin of Miss Tilda, corne do~ii and took rae to 0hester, to be a maid at de Nitholson Hotel. Iljked de work, but I ~ot many a scarewhile I was dere. In them days every hotel had a barwhere they would mix whiskey and lemons. Lien could just walk up, put deir foots on de brass rail of de bar counter and order what they want, and pay fifteen cents a drink. Sometimes they t~~ould play cards all night in de bar. One night an old gent stopped his wagon~, dat had four bales of cotton on it, befo de hotel. He corne in to get a drink, saw a game going on and took a hand. i3efo bed time he had lost all his money and de four bales of cotton outside. No, I didn t work in slavery times. Chillun didn t have to work. De only thing I members doing was minding de flies off de table vrid a brush made out of peacock tail feathers. All de slaves had to go to church at Concord twice every i~ nth and learn de Shorter Catechism. I has one of them books now, dat I used seventy 2 o.

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4.154~ . )~ five years ago. ~Tant to see it? (~ i exhibits catechism printed in 1840 for slaves.) tti left de hotel and corne back to Liiss Tjlda Brice. I x~arried Jacob Stewart then, and. he was a good men. Us had no chiliun. lie been gone to glory eight years, bless God. fly68, sir, I members de earthquake. It set a heap of people to praying dat nicht. Even de cows aid chickens got excited. I thought de end of de world had corne. I jined de RedHull baptist Church then, but IT~~r membership is now at de Cross ~~ads ~aptist ~~hurch. Brother Wright, de pastor, comes to see me, as Pm too feeble to gallivant so far to church. Dis house o longs to Joe Rice. i~r nephew rents from l1ira and is good eii.ough, though a poor man, to take care of n~. Please do all you can to get de good President, de Governor, or somebody to hasten up n~r old a~e pension dat l in praying for.

Mack Taylor. Ex-slave 97 years. 161 157

Project #1 55. \v. ~. Dixon, u(irinsboro, s. C. 390427 4 MACK TAYLOR ~ ~ i ack Taylor lives six miles southeast of Ridgeway, S. C., on his farm of ninety-seven acres. The house,in which he residss1,is a frame house con~ t~dning SiX rooms, &1l on one floor. His son, Charley, lives with him. Charley is married and ha~ a small family. ~ t, Howdy do sire I sees you a good deal goiri backwards and forwards to Columbia. I has to set way back in de bus and you sets up to de front. I can t ketch you to speak to you, as you is out and gone befo I can lay hold of you. But, as Brer Fox lowed to Brer Rabbit,when he ketched him v,id a tar baby at a spring, I Is got you now. t l s been wantin to ask you bo~xt dis old age pension. l s been to Winnsboro to see bout it Some nice white ladies took my name : ~fld ~ ask me some questions, but dat seem to be de last of it. Reckon I gwine to get anything? t, Well, I~s beai here mighty nigh a hundred years, and just cause I pinched end saved and didn t throw my money away on liquor, or put it into de palme of every Jezabel hussy dat slant her eye at rue, ain t no valuable reason why them dat did dat way and joyed deirselves can get de pension and me can t get de pension. TaiII t fairs No, sir. If I had a knowed way back yonder fifty years ago what I knows now, I might of gallavanted round a little more wid de shernale s than I did What you think bout it? You say l s forgittin dat religion must be thought about? Well,I can read de Bible a little bit. Don t it say: lWhat you sow you sure to reap? Yes, sir. Us niggers was fetched here gmat our taste. Us fell de forests fox corn, wheat, oats, and cotton; drained de svmmpe for rice; built de dirt

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2~ roads arid de railroads; and us old ones is got a fair right to our part of de pension. t, My mar~ter in slavery times lived on de Wateree River He had a large plantation and, I heard them say, four hundred slaves. He was a hard mareter and had me whipped as many times as I got fingers and toes. I started workin in de field when I was a boy fifteen years old. De work I done was choppin de grass out of de cotton and pickiri de cotton. ~Vhat e bcome of them old. army Worms: d~t had horns, dat us chillun was so scared of wh ls pickin cotton? I never see them dess days but I d rather have them than dis boll weevil I s pestered wid. I My rnarster s name was Torn Clark. ~r mistress was a gentle lady, but field niggers never got to speak to her. All I can say is dat de house slaves say she was mighty good to them. I saw de chillun of de white folks often and was glad they would play wid us colored chillun. VJhat doit nanies? Der. was Marss Alley, Marss Ovid, Marss Hill~ard, and Miss Lucy. I, 034 rriarster got kilt in de last year of de war, and Miss Margaret, dat was our Mistress, run d. place wid overessrs dat would thrash you for all sorts of things. If they ketch you lsan~.n on your hoe handle, they d beat you ; step out of your task a minute Or speak to a girl they d beat you. Oh, it was hell when de overseers was around and de mistress nor none of di young marsters was der. to protect you. Us was fed good, but not clothed so good. in de winter time. I, My pappy didv t b long to do Clarke at de commencement of de war. Old xnareter done sold him, way from us, to Col. Tom Taylor in Columbia. After d. war, h. run a shoe repair shop in Columbia many years befo h, died. His ne~e was Douglas Taylor and dat is de reason I took de name, J4ack Taylor, when I give in my name ~ to de Freedn*u s Bureau, and l s stuck to it ever since.

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3. 159 I. ~ members de YanLeee . Not marty of them c orne to Miss Margaret e place. Them dat did, took pity on her and did nothing but eat, feed deir horses, and gallop away. I, Us was never pestered by de Ku Klux, but I was given a warnin once, to watch my step and vote right. I watched my step and didn t vote ~ta1I, dat year. O ft Mr. Franklin J. Moses was runriin for governor. Colored preachers was preachin dat he was de Moses to lead de Negroes out of de wilderness of corn bread and fat greas, into de land of white bread and New Orleans molasses. De preachers sure got up de excitement !rnongst de colored women folks. They vised them to have nothin to do wid deir husbands if they didn t go to de lect ion box and vote for Moses. I didn t go, and my wife wouldn t sleep wid nie for six months. I had no chillun by her. She died in 1874. After Nancy die, I marry Belle ~awkins . De chillun us had was Georg. Charley ?~ggie and Tor~rny Then Bells died, and I married Hannah Cunningham. Us had no chillun. After she died, I marry a widow, Fannie Goings, and us had no chullun. t, My son, George, is in Washington. My daughter, I~Aggie, is dead. Tommy was in Ohio de last I heard from him. I is livin wid my son, Charley, on my farm. M~T grandson, Mack, is a grown boy and de main staff I lean on as I climb up to de hundred mils post of age. ~. h~,Vo~k ~?) p, ~ b longe to de Reovah Baptist Church. I have laid away four wivss in deir graves. I hav no notion of marryin any mor . Goodn.se and mercy have foilowsd me all de days of my life, and I will soon take up dis old body and dw ll in de house of de Lord forevermore.

Delia Thompson. Ex-slave 88 years old. 164 160

Project #1655 ~ (a W.W.Dixon 390312 Winnsboro, S. C. DELIA THO1~PSON EX~-SLM~E 88 YE%~RS OLD. I s heard tell of you, sud sent for you to eoi~ to see me. Look lak I eau no more git bout on dese under pins .ak I use to. Dere~ de 6wing you can set in or chair r ig~it by me now W rL Oh you rather? s glad you takes de chair, teause I cari keep steady gaze x~re better on dat face of your n. LordLi been here in dis world a long time, so I has. Was born on de Kilgo place near Liberty 11h11, don t know~what county tie, but heard it am over twenty-five miles from dis town. u ~r old marster name Jesse Kilgo, so he was, and Mistress Letha Kilgo, dats his wife, good to him, good to me, good to everybody. I~r young mistress name Catherine, when her marry ~rster Watt Wardlaw, I was give to th u for a housemaid, cause I was trim an~d light eoznplected lak you see I is dis very ~1ay a sebting right here, and talking wid you. Members how twas young missie say: tYou come go in n~r room Delia, I wants to see if I can put up wid you I goes iii dat room, winter time mind you, and Miss Charlotte set down befo de f ire cook one of them pretty foots on de dog, don t you ketch dat wrong, dat it was a lap dog which twasn t but one of de fire dogs. Some persons calls them andy irons (andiron) but I sticks to x~r raisin and say fire dogs. Well, she allowed to me, Delia, put kettle water on de fire So I does in a j iffy. Her next command was: Would you please be so kind as to sweep and tidy up do room ? 11 time turnin dat lovely head of her n lak a bird a buildin her nest, 80 It. was. :t o all dat, thon she say: You is goin to make n~.id, a good onel She give a silvery giggle and aay~ I just had you put on dat water for to see if you was goixi to make any slop. No, No~ You didn t spill a drop, you

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2. 161 ain t goizi tc make no sloppy xoaid~ you just i~ine. Then her call her mother Iii. See how pretty Delia s made dis room, look at them rtins, draw back just right observe de pitcher and de towels on de rack of de washstand, niy I m proud of hen She give old mistress a hug and a kiss, and thank her for de present, dat present was ~. De happiness of dat minute is on me to dis day. My pappy name Ieoa then, but when freedom come he add8 on lianuond. His pappy was a white man, and no poor white trash neither. My ina~m~y iiame Viny. Us live in a log house close up in de back yard, and most all time I was in de big house waiting on de white folks. *1 Did us git at~y ligion told us? Well, it was dis way, mistress talk heap to us about de Lord, but mster talk a heap to us ~bout de devil. Twist and tvreen theme ~pect us heard u~st everything bout heaven and all bout de devil. ~ Ya~kees dat come to our house was gentle~n, they never took a thing, but left provisions for our women folks from their commissary. I ~ first husband was Cupid Benjamin. My white folks give me a white dress, and they got de white Baptist preaoher~ ~ Collins to do de grand act for us. Cupid turned out to be a preacher. Us had three chitlun and every night us had family worship at home s been no common nigger all rt~ life; why, when a child I set up and rock n~j doll just lak white ohullun, and course it was a rag doll, but what of dat. Couldn t I name her for de Virgin Mary, and wouldn t dat name cover and glorify de rags? Sure it wouldt Then I sociate wid white folks all slavery time, marry a man of God and when he die I marry another Tom Thompson, a colored Baptist preacher. You see dat house yonder? Dats where n~j dau~h

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3. 162 ter and1 grando}tillun live. They is colored aristocracy of de ts~wn, but they has a mighty plain name, its just Smith. I grieve over it off and on, a kiM of thorn in de flesh, i~r husband used to say. But both zi~ husbands dead and I aebs here twioe a widow, and I wonders how twill be when I go home up yonder ~ boys them white thunder beads us can see r~ight now. Which one them mon you reckon I l . see first? Well, if it be dat W~7a epeot I ll just want to see Cupid first, cause he was de only one I had ohillun by, and them his graudohillun out yonder.~

Robert Toatley. Ex-slave 82 years old. 167 163

~ ~- ~ Project 74655 L W. Dixon ~Tijansi~cro, Ss C. 390262 :163 i~):3E1~T TOATLEY EX-SLME 82 YEARS OLD. Robert Toatley lives with his daughter, his son, his son s wife, and their six children, near White Oak, seven miles north of Winnsboro, S. C. Robert owns the four room frairie house and farm containing 235 acres. He has been prosperous up from slavery, u~ti1 the boll weevil made its appearance on. his farm and the depression came on the country at large, in 1929. He has been compelled to mortgage his home but is now coming forward again, having reduced the mortgage to a negligible balance,which he expects to liquidate with the present l9~7 crop of cotton. Robert i~s one of the full blooded Negroes of pure African descent. His face, in repose, possesses a kind of majesty that one would expect in beholding a chief of an African tribe. II ~ ras born on de Lizabeth M bley place. Us always called it Cedar Shades . Dere was a half mile of cedars on both sides of de road leading to de fine house dat our white folks lived in. My birthday was ~ay 15, 1855. My mistress was a daughter of Dr. John Glover. I~ nmster n~.rried her when her was twelve years old. Her first child, Sam, got to be a doctor, and they sho did look lak brother and sister. When her oldest child, Sam, come back from college, he fetched a classmate, Jim Carlisle, wid him. I played marbles wid them. Dat boy, Jim, made his mark, got ligion, and went to de top of a college in Spartanburg. Marse Sam study to be a doctor. Ho start to practice and then he marry Miss L zzi Rice down in Barnwell. Mistress give me to them and I went wid them and stayed tu freedon~. ~ ~ U~y childhood was a happy one, a playin and a rompin wid de white

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164 chillun. My master was rich. ~1aves lived in quarters, 300 yards from de big house. A street run through the quarters, homes on each side. Beds was homemade. Mattresses made of wheat straw. Bed. covers was quilts and counter panes, all made by slave wonen. M~7r ~n~r~y s pappy was a slave brick-mason, b longin to a vthite family named Partillo, from~arrington, Virginia. He couldn t be bought 1es~ you bought his wife and. three ohillun vrid him. Never had any money; didntt know what it iras. Liarcurr~r ~ya~ a house woman, and I got just what de white chillim got to eat, only a little bit later, in de kitchen. Dere was fifty or sixty other little niggers on de place. Want to know how they was fed? ~ll, it was lak dis: You ve seen pig troughs, side by side, in a big lot? after all de grown niggers eat and git out de way, scraps and everything eatable was put in them troughs; sometimes buttermilk poured on de mess and sorneti~es potlicker. ~L hen de cook blowed a cow horn. ~UL k as lightnin a passle of fifty or sixty little niggers run out de plum bushes, from under de sheds and houses, and. from ever~r~here. iach one take his place, and souse his hands in de raixture and eat just lak you see pigs shovint I round slop troughs. I see dat sight many times in my dreams, old as I is, eighty- two years last Saturday. ~ot t Twas not tU de year of 66 dat we/ liable info mation and felt free to go where us pleased to go. Most of de niggers left bu-b man~r stayed on and cooked for Dr. Sam and de ~vhite folks. 1Bad white folks corned and got bad niggers started. Soon things got wrong and de devil took a hand in de mess ~ Out of it come to de top de carpet

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de hand or arm they wrote wid. - - ttWhat bout whuppin s? Plenty of it. De biggest whuppin I ev r heard tell of was when they had a trial of several slave men for sellin liquor at ~ spring, dunn in on Sunday. De trial come off at de church ~ bout a month later. They was convicted, and de order of de court was: Edmund to receive 100 lashes; Sam and andy each 125 lashes and Frank and Abram 75 lashes. All to be given on deir bare backs and ruxnps, well laid on ~rid strap. If de courts would sentenoe like dat dose days dere d be more tention to de law. 9You ask me bout ~Er. Lincoln. I knowed two men who split rails side by s ide wid him. They was Mr MoBr ide Smith and Mr David Pink. Poor white :~ people round in s lavery time had a hard time and de se was two of them. ~ ~ :~tr white folks, de Mobleys, made us work on Sunday sometime, wid de ~ ~ . fodd r, ~ and when de plowirit git behind . They mighty ne ighborly to rich neigh :but 4idn~t have ~oh time for poor buokra. I tell you. poor white men have 30 ii~ ~ bas, de sca1awa~and then de Ku Kiux. Nighi~ rider corne by and drap something at your door ~md say : ~ I 11 just leave you s omethirig for d innert Then ride off in a gallop. ~Then you open de sack, what you reckon in dere? Liable to be one thing liable to be another One time it was s ix nigger heads dat was left at de door. V~as it at my house door? Oh, no~ It was at de door of a nigger too active in politics. Old Con~ressrnan Wallace sent Yankee troops, three miles long, down here. Lot of vthi-be folks was put in sail. t?1 married Emma Gree~ jn 1879; she been dead ti~ years. Us lived hus~ band and wife 56 years, bless God. Us raised ten chillun; all is dom well. One is in Winnsboro, one in Chester, one in l~ocic Hill, one in Charlotte, one in Chesterfield, one in New York and two ~wid me on de farm near ~hi~e Oak, which I own. I has 28 ~randchillun~ All us Presbyterians. Can read but cantt write. Our slaves was told if ever they learned to write they d lose

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poor chance to rise, make sump n and be sump n, befo de old war. Some of dese saine poor buekra done had. a chance since then and they way up in ~ now. . They mighty nigh run de county and town of Winnsboro, plum mighty nigh i~-b, I tell you. it makes me sad,on de other side,to see quality folks befo de war, a wanderin trotmd inrags and tatters and deir chillun beggint breads Well, I mus be goin , but befo I gc~ s I warr~ to tell you I members your ina~, Miss Salue Woodwarci. Yourgrandpa was de closest neighbor an~ fust cousin to Dr. Saia. Deir chillixn used to v~isit. Yourina come down and spent de day one time. She was bout ten dat day and she and. de chillun meke me rig up some harnes s for de billy goat and hitch him to a toy wagon. I . can just see dat goat ruirnin away, them little ohillun Lahm out backside de wagon and your ma laughin and a cryin t~0ift~ de same time. I picks her up out de weeds and briars . ~ + ~ ~ :i~. ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . .. . ~ ~. ~ .~ ~ . ~ . . ~ .. ~: ~ ~ ~ ~ .

Slavery reminiscences. 171 167

Project,1885-.1 PoL:KLoa~ ~Qr~n~7 Edited by: Spartanburg Dist . 4 ~ J~J~ww I ~1mer Turnage May 25, 1937 .. SLAVERY REMIN ISOENCES fI was born in the town of Newberry, S.C. I do not remezu.. bersiavery time, but I have heard my father and mother talk about it. They were Wastiington and Polly Holloway, and. belonged to Judge J.B. O Neall. They lived about 3 miles west of town, near Bush River. An old colored man lived nearby. His name wa~ Harry O NeaIl, and everybody said he wasa miser and saved up his money and buried it near the O Neall spring. Somebody dug around there but never found any money. There were two springs, one was called horse spring , but the one where the money wa~ supposed to be buried had a big tree by it. I married Sam Veals, in ~grave1 town oi~ Newberry. I had a brother, Riley, and some sisters. We would eat fish, rabbits, possums and squirrels which folks caught or killed. We used to travel most by Loot, going 8ometirnes ten miles to any place. We walked to school, three or Lour miles, every day when I was teaching school after the war. I was taught, mostly at home, by Miss Saille O Neall, a daughter of Jud~ge J.B. O Neall. !~Y Lather and mother used to go to the white folks church in slavery time. A.fter the war colored churches started. The first one in our section was Brush Harbor. Simon Miller was a fine colored preacher who preached in Brush Harbor on Vandalusah Spring Hill. Isaac Cook was a good preacher. We usedto sing, Gixnme dat good ole.-tiine religion ; I m going to serve God until I die and I am glad saivatioh is free .

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Polk .ore: Slavery Reminiscences Saturday afternoons we had oU and could work for ourselves. At marriages, we had frolics and bi~ dinners. Some of the garnes were: rope juxnpin~ hide and seek, and, rind around the roses. Of course, there were more zames. Some o:f the old fo ks used to see ghosts, but X never did see any. . Cures were made with herbs such as, peach tree leaves, boiled as a tea and drunk for fevers. Rabbit tobacco tlife ever~ 1astin~) was used Lor colds. Small boys would chew and smoke it, as did some of the old folks. I have seven children, all ~rovvri; fourteen ~rand-.children, and several great~grand.~children. Judge O NeaIl was one of the best men and best masters in the country that I knew of. I think Abraham Lincoln was a good man, according to what I have heard about him. Jeff Davis was the same.Booker Washington was a great man to his country and served the colored race. 1 joined the church because I believe the bible is true, and according to what it says, the righteous are the only people God is plea$ed with. Without holiness no man shall see God. Source: Mary. Teals (72), Newberry, S.C. Interviewed by: G.L. Suiruner, Newberry, S.C. May 20, 1937. Page 2 168

Manda Walker. Ex-slave 80 years old. 174 170

Project #1655 ~ ~ w. w. Dixon 390402 Wirmsbor , S. C~ MkNDA WALKER ~-SIAVE 80 YEARS OLD. Manda Walker lives with her 8on in-law, Albert Cooper, in a three- room frame cottage in Winneboro, S. C. Albert s first wife was her daughter, Saille. Fi ~ e of their children and Albert s second wife, Sadie, occupy the house with Albert and i~anda. Does you know where Horse Crick (Creek) branch is, and where Wateree Crick is? Ever been long de public road j~een them ~rater courses? Well, on de sunrise side of dat road, up on a hill, was where n~r slavery time inarster live. UI was born th de yard, back of de white folks house, in alittle log house wid a dirt floor and a stick and raid chin,ney to or~e end of de house. ~j marster was naine Marse Torn Rowe and n~j mistres a naine ~is sy Jane Rowe They de ones dat tell ~e, longtin~ ago, dat I was born befo de war, in 1857. Deir chillun ~ftI 1~(iss Mary and Miss Miami. ~ ~ t I no work nu eh ~ jj3, de end of de war s Then I pick cotton and peas and shell corn and peas. ~&et of de time I play and sometime be maid to n~.y young misses, Both growed ixrto pretty buxom ladies. Miss Miami was a handsome buxom woman; her marry Marse Tom Johnson and live, after de war, near Wateree Church. My pappy name Jeff and long to Marse Joe Woodward. He live on a plantation cross de other side of Wateree Crick. My niarmny name Phoebe. Pappy have to git a pass to come to see inaxmi~, befo de war. Sometime dat cri~k git up over de banik and I, to dis day, members one time pappy come in ail wet and drenched wid water. Him had made de ~uule swim de crick. Him stayed over his leave dat was writ on de pass. Patarollers (patroller.) come ask for de pass. They says

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2. 171 f De time done out nigger . Pappy try to explain but they pay no tention to him. Tied himup, pulled downhis breeches, and whupped him right befo mauw~j and us chillun. I shudder, to dia day, to think of it. Marse Tom and Mise Jane heard de holleri& of us all and come to de place they was ~whuppin him and beg them, in de name of God, to stop, dat de crick was still up end danger.Otis to cross and dat they would make it all right wid e marster. They say of pa.ppy: Jeff swim cross,iet him git de xmile and swim back. They make pa.ppy g t on de mule and follow him down to de crick aild watch him swim dat swif muddly crick to de other side. I often think dat de system of patarollers and bloodhounds did more to bring on de war and de wrath of de Lord than anything else. Ihy de good white folks put up wid. them poor white trash patarollers I never can see or understand. You never see classy white buekra men a patar llin . It was alw~ys some loir daim ~ite men, dat never owned a nigger in deir life, d.oin de patarollint and a strippin de clothes ff men, leic pappy, right de Wives and chillun and beatin de blood out of him. No, six , good white men never dii ty deir hands and souls in sich work of de devil as dat. / MaIW had nine chulluri. All dead cept Oliver. Him still down dore wid de Duke Power Company people, I think. Y~hen I come sixteen years old, lak all gals dat age, I oo~nenee to thixilc bout de boys, and de boys, I spects, conmience to take notice of me. You look lak you is surprised I say dat. You is just puttin On. Old ax~d soleimi as you is, a aettin dore awriti&, I bets a whole lot of de same foolishness have run through your head lok it run through rry s, when he took to goin wid. me ba k in 1873 Nov am t it so? 0Us c~iillun felt de pivations (privations) of de war. Us went in rags ~ and was often hungry. Food got scarce wid de white folks so nuch had to be given up for de arn~. De white folks have to give up coffee and ts. De slaTes

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3. 172 just eat corn-bread., mush, taters and buttermilk. Even de peas was conunanded for de aritiy. Us ~it meat just once a week, and then a mighty little of dat. I never got a whuppin and nianuny never did. git a whuppin . Us all went to Wateree Presbyterian Church on Sunday to hear Mr. Douglas preach. Had two ser~ns and a picnic dinner on de ground t4~een de serinons. Dat was a great day for de slaves. V mt de white folks lef on de ground de slaves had a right to and us sure enjoy de remains and bless de Lord for it. Main things he preached and prayed for, was a success in de end of de war, so inainn~ would explain to us when us semble Troi~d de fireside befo us go to bed. Her sure was a ~ristian and make us all kneel down and say two prayers befo us ~it in bed. De last one was: tNow I lay me down to sleep, I pray de Lord my soul to keep. If I should die befo I wake, I pray de Lord rr~j soul to take. Bless pappy, bless manm~y, Bless xnarster, bless missie, And bless me. M~enIt Wheeler s men was just as hard and wolfish as de Yankees. They say de Yankees was close behind them and they just as well take things as to leave all for de Yankees. Speot dat was true, for de Yankees come nex day and took de rest of de hog meat and cows Had us to run do~wii and ketch de chickens for them. They sear oh de house for money watohe s r ines ~ and s ilverware Took everything they found, but they didn t set de house afire. Dere was just bout five of them prowlin round way from de main arn~r, a foragin , they say. When Miss 1~argaret marry, old marster 801d out and leave de county. Us move to Mr. Wade Rawls and work for him from 1876 to Jerry s death. Is I

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4. 173, told you dat I marry Jerry? Well, I picked out Jerry Walker from a baker s doz en of boys, hot footiri it bout maxm~y s door $tep and. us never had a oros s word all our lives Us had iiine chillun Us moved rouiid from pillar to post, always needy but always happy. Seem lak us never could save anything on his $7.06 a month and a peck of meal and three pounds of meat a week. When de chil .un come on, us try rentin a farm and got our supplies on a crop lien, twenty~ five percent on de cash price of de supplies and paid in cotton in de fall. After de last bale was spid, everyyear, him come home wid de same sick smile and de sanie sad tale: Well, Ms~ndy, as usual, I settled up and it was !kI~aught is ~naught and figger is a figger, all for de ~white n~n and none for de uigger.*~ IDe grave and de resurrection will put everything all right, but I have a instinct dat God li make it all right over and up yonder and dat all our ~ flio-~ ti.ons will, in de ~ long run, turn out to our ternal welfare and happiness.~

Ned Walker. Ex-slave 83 years old. 178 174

Project ~1655 - ~ ~ w. w. Dixon ~ ~ Wirmsboro, S. C, 174 ~Th~D WALKER EX-sI~411E 83 YEARS OLD. Ned Walker lives in the village of ~hite Oak, near Winnsboro, S. C., in a tvTo-room frame houses the dwellinC of his son- in.-law, Leander Heath, vtho married his dauChter, Nora. Ned is too old to do any work of a remunerative character but looks after the garden and chickens of his daughter and son-inlaw. He is a frequent visitor to Wirmehoro, S. C. He brings chickens and garden produce, to sell in the town and the Winnsboro Mill s village. He is tall, thin, and straight,with kind eyes. Being one of the old Gaillard No~roes, transplanted from the Santee section of Berkeley Count~.. in the Low Country, to the red hills ~ Fairfi ld County,in the Up Country, he still retains words and phras es characteristic of the Negro in the lower part of South . Carolina. ttYes sir, It s tall and slim lak a saplin ; maybe dat a good reason I live so long. Doctor say lean people lives lonCer than fat people. ~ tri hear daddy read one time ~ de Bible bout a man havin strength ~ of years in his right hand and honor and riche s in his left ~nd, but whenever I open dat left hand clerc is nothin ii~ it. Spect dat promise is commt tho , when de old age pension money ~its down here from Washington. ~ihen you ~ spect it is commt ? De palm of ray hand s begin to itch for dat greenback money. So you think it s on de way? Well, thank God for dat but it seem most too good to be true. I~OW I ll quit askin questions and. just set here and smoke and answer, whilst you do de puttin? down on de paper. Yes sir, I was born right here inde southeast corner of Winnsboro, on de 0lifton place. De day I was born, it b lortg to n~r raster, David Gaillard. ~1ss Louisa, date Master Davidt ~ wife low to me one day, Ned don t you ever

179 175

. 2. . 17~ call de master, old mas~er~, end don t you ever think of me as old miss . I promise her dat I keep dat always in mind, and I ain t zonna change, though she done gone on to heaven and is in de choir a sin~in and a sinsin them chants dat her co~.i1d pipe so pretty at~ St. Johns, in Winnsboro. You s ee they was Pisoopalians . Dere was no hard shell Baptist and no soft shell Methodist in deir make up. It was all glory, big glory, ~1ory in de very highest rung of Jaoob~s ladder, wid our white f ks. Well, how I is ramblin Yousee dere was Master David and Mis tress Louisa, de king bee and de queen bee. They had a plantation do~ on dc Sazttee, in de Lw ouritry, somewhere bout L~or~cs Corner. One day Master David buy a 1,385 acres. on ~ateree Creek. He also buy de C11ft~~ place, to live in, i~a Winnsboro. I ea&t git n~r mind back to tell you what I wsnts for you to put on de paper. Souse me, forgit everything, ttil you g t my pedigree doinn. ~ ~ I done name Master David and 1~!istressLouisa. Now for de ohillun. Us was told to front de boys name wid ~trse and de young ladies name wid Miss. Now us can ~o and git somewhere. ~ Well, dere was Miss .L~lizabeth; she marry ~r. I)wi~ht. Miss Maria marry another Mr. Dwight. }JIiss Kate marry Mr. Bob Ellison, a sheriff. Her - ~ot two ohillun iii Columbia9 Marse David end Marse Dul3ose Ellison. Then for de boys; they all went to de war. Marse Alley ~ot kilt. Marse Dick rise to be a captain and after de war marry Congressman Boyce s daughter, Miss Fannie. Marse Ike marry and live in de Low ~ountry ; 1~ die bout two years ago ~arse Sam marry a Miss Duflose and went wid General Wade Hampton. ~ ~ . . 2 ~ ~Ma.rse Sam s son out a canal that divide half~ and half de western part of de whole world. Us n1g~ers was powerful scared,, t4~jj Marse David Ga~U~ d 1~ ok a hold~ of de busuies s ~ Why us soared? 1~hy u s fear dat de 4~ ~ ~tj~_ ~ 9~t~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

180 176

176 center of de backbone of de world down dero, when cut, would tipple over lek de halfs of a watermelon and everybody would ~o under de water in de ocean. How could Marse David prevent it? Us niggers of de Gaillard generation have confidence. in de Gaillard race and us whim t sirk or swim wid them in whatever they do. Young Marse David propped de sides of de world up all right, down dere, and they name a big part of dat canal, Gaillard Cut, so they did. (Gaillard Cut, Panama Canal) . ~ ttWell, I keep a raniblint. Wi :l I ever ~~it to Marse Henry, de one dat looked after and caredfor slaves of de fandly most and best? Mars Henry marry a Miss White in Charleston. he rise to be captain and adju~tant 7 of defightint 6th Regiment. After de war him fix itso de slaves stay ai~ together, on dat 1,385 acres and buy de place, as con~inon tenants, on de stailment plan. He send word forde head of each family to come to Winns boro; us have to have names and register. Marse Henry cornx~w.nd; us obey. Dat was a great day. 1~r daddy already had his names Tom. He was de driver of d buggy, de carriage, and one of de wagons, in slavery. 3~arse Henry wrote him a name on a slip and say: Tom as you have never walked much, I name you Walker .~ . It wasn t lone befo daddy, who was de only one dat could read and write, ride down to Columbia and come back wid a mission in his pocket ~ from de ~ Publican Governor, to ~ be Justice of de Peace . - ~ - ttMarse Henry. ladle out some golliwhopshus names dat day. Such as : Caesar Harrison, Edward Cades and Louis Brevard. He say, t Louis I ~ ~ give you de naine of a judge Dan, I cive you a Roman name Pompey . ~ Pompey . turned out to be a preacher and I see your grandpa, . ~rse William ~oodward, :~ ~ ~ de graveyard when ~nc~e~ompey.pr~ached de funeral of old Uncle Wash Moore. Tell you tbout dat if I has time.

181 177

. ~ . ~ . . 4~ ~ .. :177 ttWelI, he give Uncle Sam de name of Shadrock. lNhon he reach ~In~1e Aleck, he low: ~ I adds to your rmmo M.eck, two fine names a preacher s and a ~ s Port er Ramsey . ~ ~ Bout dat time a 1 ittle runt elbow and butt his way right up to de front and say: ~~rse Henry, ~arse HenryL I wants a big buildozint ~ Marse Henry look at him and say: tyOU little shrimp, take dis then. And Maree Henry write on de slip of paper: Mendoza J. Fernandez, and read it out loud. De little runt laugh mighty pleased and some of them Fernandezes round ~ here to dis day. 1ti~~r xnairairy name Bess my ~ granddadcly name June - grandxn~nmy, Ren*h., but all my brothers dead. I~r sisters Clerissie and Phibbie am still livin . Us was born in a two -~tory frame house, chimney in de middle, four rooms do~m stairs and four up stairs. Dere was four families livin in it. Dese was de tcrwn domestics of master. Hirn have another residence on de plantation and a set of domestics but n~r daddy was de coa hinan for both places. De Gaillard quarters was a little town laid out wid stre ts wide nough for a wagon to pass thru. Houses was on each side of de street. A well and oh reh w as in de center of de town. Dere was a gin house, barns, stables, co~wp~n and a big )~II on top of e. hi~h pole at de barn gate. Dere was a big trough at de well, kept full of w~.ter day arid night, in case of fire and to water de stock. Us had peg beds, wheat straw mattress and rag pd~,1lows. Cotton was too valuable. ~ster didn t low de chillun be be worked. He feed slaves on tatoes, rice, corn pone, hominy, frIedmoat, lasses, shorts, turnips, eollards, and s~rin~ beans Us had puxnpkin pie on Sunday. No butter, no si~re~t milk but us got blabber and buttermilk. ~ ~ ~ Oh, then, I bout to f rgit. Dere was a big hail wid spinnin .. r. ::~ ~ ~ ~: ~ ~ ~

182 178

5. 178 wheels in it, where thread was spin. Dat thread was hauled to Winnsboro utnd brou~,ht to de Clifton place in Winnsboro, to de weave house. at house set bout where de Wixmsboro Mill ~.s now. L~Iainrny was head of de weave house force and see to de cloth. IJere was a dye room down dere too. They use red earth scmeti:~e and sometime walnut stain; ~r n~.xmny learn all dis from a white lady, Miss ~purrier, da~ ~aster David put in charge dere at de first. i-low long she stay? I disremembers dat. Us no v~ant for clothes sux~ner or winter. Had wooden bottom shoes, ~ oair in ayea~. ~ Sam Johnson was de overseer. Dere was bout 700 slaves in de Gai~3,~ard quarter and twenty- in~~n, countint de chillun. De young white marsters break de law when they teach daddy to read and write. ~&rse Dick say: To hell wid de law, I ~:ot to have somebody dat can read and write tniong de servants. ~ daddy was his valet. lie put de boy~ to bed, put on deir shoes and brush them off, and all dat kind of tentiQn. ~ UDo church was called bp~hin~:vale. fLfter freedom, ~r a vote, de mem~ bers jines up, out of respectto de family, ~rid de Afican Methodist Piscopalian Church, so as to have as much of de form, idout de substance of them chants, of de master s church. tINo sir, us had no mulattoes on de place. Everybody decent and happy. They give us two days dunn Christmas for c~ebratin 821d dancin ~. I marry Sylvin Field, a gal on de General Bratton Canaan place. Us have th.r~ chillun. Nors. Heath, dat m now livin wid at White Oak, 13es sie Lew, in Tennessee, and busannah, who is dead. What I think of ~e Lincoln? Dat was a mighty man of de Lord. V~hat I think of Jeff De:sris? He all right, tcordin to his education, just lak nj white I What I think of Mr. Roosevelt? Oh, ~enL ~ s our papa. . t Go off L s blabbed nough You bliged to hear bout dat funeral?

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6. Will I pester you for nother cigarette? No sirs I ain t gonna amoke it lak you smoke it. Supposin us was settin here smokin ~ de same? A Gaill(ard come up tiiem steps and see us. Ho say: Sha!ie on dat white man turn his back and walk bad: down. A Woodward come up them steps ~ . and see us. He say: You d~ nig~erI What s all dis? Take~ by de collar, boot me do~na them steps, and come back and have it out wid you. flat s bout de difference of de up and low country buekra. . Now bout~:.Uncle Wash s funeral. Uncle Wash was de blacksmith in de forks of de road cross de railroad from Conc~rd Church. He was a powerful inanL Ihm use de harmner and tongs for all de people miles snd miles round. Him jine de Springvale A.fican Methodist Piscopalian Church, but fell from grace. 111m covet a~ho~ of Marse Walt Brice and was sent to de penitentiary for two years, bout dat hog. Him contacted consumption do-wn dere and come home. His chest was all si~nk in and his ribs full of rheuxnatisi~t. 111m soon went t bed and died. Him was buried on top of de hill,.in de pin s just north of Woodward. Uncle Pompey preached de funeral. White folks was dere. Marse ~il1iam was dere, and his hephew, de Attorney General of Arizona. Uncle Pompey took his text bout Paul and Silas layin in jail end dat it vra~ not t rnally against a church member to go to jail. Him dwell on de life of labor and bravery, in tacklin kickin hosses and mules. How him sharpen de dull plow points and make de corn and cotton grow, to feed and clothe de hungry and naked. He look up thru de pine tree tops and say: ~I see Jacob s ladder. Brother Wash is climbin dat ladder. Him is half way up. Ah~ Brudders and sisters, pray, while I preach dat he enter in them pearly ~ gates I see them ~ ates open. Brother Wash done reach de topmost rung in dat ladder. Let us sing wid a shout, dat blessed h~mu, Dere is a Fountain Filled Wid Blood . Wid de first verse de women ~ ~ I~ ~ ~ ~

184 180

~ot to hollerin and wid de second Uncle Poinpey say : De dyi ~ thief I see hirn de~ to welcome Brother Wash n paradise. Thank GodL Brother Wash done washed as white as snow ~nd landed safe forever more. Dat Attorney General turn up his coat in de ~ ~ rind and say: I ll be darnnL Marse William smil ~ and lov : Oh Toms Don t be too hard on them. L iember He will have mercy on them, dat have xnerc~~ on others . 7. 18()

Daniel Waring. Ex-slave 88 years old. 185 181

Project #1655 ~ .~ Stiles M, scruggs ~ ~ ~ J Columbia, S C. %.)~ ~) ~j DL1~(IEL WIRING EX SLLVE 88 YEARS OLD. . III was born in Fairfield County, South Carolina, in 1849, and E~r pareuts~ Tobias and Bec1c~r Waring was slaves of the Waring family, and the Bookters and Waringa was kin folks. When I was just a libble shaver I was told. I b Ionged to the family of the lateColoriel 3dward Bookter of upper Fairfield County. s The Bookter plantation was a big one, with pastures for cattle, hogs and sheep; big field of cotton, corn and wheat, and bout a dozen negro families IiViII on it mostly out of sight from the Bookter s big . house. Two women and three or four ~pgro chillu.n work there, preparin the ~ food and ~j~t for the stock. I was one of the ohillun. Colonel Booicter s household had three boys; one bigger than me anci two not quite as big as r~. We play together, drive up the cows together, and carry on in friendly fashion all the tine. The nigger chiflun eat with the two black women in a place fixod for them off froxathe kitchen, ~after the white folks finish. We generally have same food and drink that the white folks have. ~en I was bout eleven years old ii~r master took i~ to Columbia one Saturday afternoon, and while Colonel Bookter was round at a livery sto~ble on Assembly Street, he give zr~ some money and tell me I could stroll ro~4 a while I did, and soon find n~rself with bout a dozen of ~ster Ha~ton s boys .A1s ~ we walk long Gervais Street we met a big fine lookin man with a fishin tackle, goin towards the river, and several other white folks was wi ~h him. As we turn the corner, the big man ki da grin arid say to us : Whose niggers are you? The bigger b with us say: We all b lougs to Master Hampton. He laugh some ia~re. and then reach in his pocket and give eaoh one ot us ~ ; .~ ~ .. ~

186 182

2. 1S2 e. ui ~e1, sayin to the white folks: Blest if I know ni~r o~ii niggers, anymore . ~ AYes sir, I was bout fourteen years old when Pres~4ent Lincoln set us all free in 1863. The war was still goi& on and I m tellin you right when I say that n~ folks and friends round me did not regard freedom as a unmixed blessint . * We didn t know where to go or what to do, and so we stayed right where we was ~ and there wasn t much difference to &ir liM.n cause we had always had a plenty to eat and wear. I member r~ ma~i~ tellin me that food W5B gittin scarce, and any black folks begirmi.nt to soratoh for themselTes would suffer, if they take their foot in their hand and ramble ~ bout the lani lak a wolf. ~As a slave on the plantation of Colonel Edward 3ookter, I had a pretty good time. I knows I has work to do and I does it, and I always has plenty to eat and wear in winter and sui~er. If I get sick I has a doctor, ~so we set tight until 1865. After the war we come to Columbia, and ina~i~ n~4e us a livin by washin for white folks and dom other jobs in the kitchen, and I worked at odd jobs, too. % didn t get much n~ney from the Freedmen s outfit, which was stablished in Columbia. The ~iite men who set it up and administered the Freedmen ~ funds and rations let some of their pets have much of it while others got little or nothint ~ existence become ino~easin harder as nigger got ii~re and more in the saddle. During the war and it seem to ~ it would never efld we heard nuioh bout President Li* oln. Niggers seem to thblc he was foolish to get it~to war, but they generally give him credit for direotin it right as far ai he ooul~i* ?resict.nt ~$$ was powerful popular at the beginn ~ in of the .~ /

187 183

3. confliot, he is in 183 but his popularity was far less when the war is over and jail. t I was IflO8t grown at the end of the war, and I was at no time popular with the black leaders and thetr white friends who rule the roost in Columbia for most thirteen years. I went baok to i~ ~vhite friends in Fairfield County and work for years for Mister T. S. Brioe, and others on the plantation. ~- . I has been married three times, and am now livin with n~j third wife. She and me sin maki a sort of livin end is yet able to work. I can only de lightest work and the sweetest thought I has these f days is the n~zi~~ry of n~ ~vthite friends when I was young and happy.

Nancy Washington. Ex-slave, 104 years. 188 184

Code ~o. :No. ~w~s P~oJeot, 1885 11) Reduced. f~m Prepared by Annie ROEtII Davis Rewritten by~ Place, Marion, S.C. _______________ Date, Jnne 2, 1937 Page 1. 1 ~ANOY WASHINGTON 390093 Ex~81ave, 104 years. Come lii child.. Jes ~et right d~ere In d.at chair whey I o ~n be mindiul uv yuh cause I am hear but aorta hard. lak dese dAys. I jes oome In outer de field. whey I been chopping round uh little wH me hoe, but eve t ing is grow so black Tfore me eye d.at I t9.nk I better rest m~self uh little. I tries to help Sam (her eon) aw I o n, but I am mucha count no more. I 104 year old. en I am gwinna be heah much longer. Me ma rk done s t rak ( 8 t rike ) me right .e re dis a ~ te mo on Dat been jes d.e way my oie mammy waz oali.tt Does yuh know whey d.at place call Ash Pole? Dat whey I wa~ raise up when I b long to Massa Giles Evaneon. He wuz uh goo& oie fellow. I am know wha it wa~ to ge no bad treatment by my white people. Dey tell me some uv de coiore~. peoples lib mighty rough in d~at day en time but I ne er know mithin bout dat. I member dey is spank we chillun wid. shlngle but d.ey ne er didn t hit my mu~er. ~1 My Mas s a ne e r hab s o mucha o ob re d. pe ople s lait s orne u y d~em udd.er white folks hab Jes hab my mud.aer en eight head av we ohi 1 lun Hab nough t o g I e e ye yone uv he d.aug hte r uh s e rvant apiece when d~ey ge marry. Ne er hab nuthin but women colored ~ peoples. My lViassa say he am wanT no man colored peoples. (~

189 185

Ood.e No. i To. Words_______ Project, 1885-~(1) Reduced. f~m _words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. ___________________ 185 Datei Jane ~ 1937 Page 2. De preacher 1~ ord wha use er lib right up dere In town, papa hab uh big oie plantation wha been jee laic uh little town. 11e hab hund.red. colored. peoplee en dey Is hab eve t ~ Ing dere Hab dey preachin rIght d.ere on de plantation en aw dat. Qoase my white folks hab uli nice plantation en dey keep uli nice house aw de time. I w~iz de house girl dere en de one wha dey ud hab to wait on de Missus. Dey ud carry me eve ~ ywhey dey go ~l aye know how I wtiz faring. My Mis sus wu.z b 1g e n Independent ~ lak ~ Talk lak she mad aw de but she warnt She ne er wear no oott on bout dere no time. Hab her silk on eve y day en dem long yellow ear bob d,at ud be tetohin right long side she shoulder. I al a ys 1 ook te r de Mie sus en s he chi hun Was h dey fee t en comb d~ey hair en put de chillun to bed. But child, Borne white folks is queer bout t ings. Dey watch yu.h gwine bout man yu.h work en den dey ll wan yuh to do sumptin fa dem. De ole/ take me way from helping de MIs~us en send. me out to plow corn en drap peaa. I wuz shame too cause I ne er lak fa he to treat my Missus dat uh way. De peoples ne er didn t cook in no stove den neither. Dey hab big oie round dirt ubben (oven) to cook dey ration In. Dey make dey ubben outer white clay en hadd.er build uh shelter

190 186

Cod~e No. isr~. Words_______ Project, i885~.(1) Reduced. from___worda Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by~ Place, Marion, S.C. ____________________ Datei ~hi.ne 2; 1937 Page 3. ~ J 3~) over it cause dey ud oook a iter in de yard. Dey ne er oook but jes twice uh week. Cook on Wednesday en d.en ne er oook no more till Saturday. I member de big oie ham dat dey cook en de tatoes en so macha bread. Je~ hab bund.anoe aw de time. I got uh piece uv de oie slavery time ubben heah now. I ge it outer en show it to yuh~. Dis is one av de 1ead~s (lids ) en dey u3.put uh chain en hook on ere en hang it up in d~e fireplace . Dat de way dey cook dey ration. O Lawd, ef T could ge back to my oie hom.~ whey I could look in en see jes one more t~.me, jes one more time, child. ni WOE! jes uh girl when de Yankees come t rough dere. Dey :I.ook jee lait uh big blue cloud commt ~ down dat road. en we ohillun wiu soared uv em. Dat land. 1round bout dere waz tu~ll uv dem Yarikeee marchin en gwine on. Dey ne e~ bother my white folks but in some uv de places dey joe ruint e ye t~ ing . Burnt up en to re down a w. b out de re . Yuh am ne er see noboiy weave no cloth nowadays. In de winter dey use1er al aye put woolen on de little ohillun to keep em from getting burnt up. Peoples wu.z easy to cotch uh fire in dat time. Dey hab plenty uv sheep den en die jes bout de time uv de year dat dey shear de sheep . A . aye nd ahear de eheep in de month uv May. Dey is make aw kinder nice cloth den. I o n charge en spin en make any kinder streak yuh wan . Cosse my madder use er weave de jeanes

191 187

Ood.e No. ~o. Words_______ Project, 1885.-~l) 1~ed.uo,d from words Prepared by Annie Rt~th Davis Rewritten by Plaoe, Marion, 8.0. ___________________ Date, Jane 2, 1937 Pag 4.~ cloth en blanketing. Dey uee er hab some nv dem oornehuoking !bout dere but ~: ne e r take no pa rt in none uv dat A te r freedom deolare, us pul 1 boxes en dip turpentine Bat wha in de style den. . X won but bout 16 when I marryen I hab uh nice wedding. Marry right de re in my Mas sa yard en hab whi te dress 8wa~ to wear. I marry ith settled man offen uh rich man plantation en dey ne er wane me to marry, but dey ne er say xrnthin gainet it. Dey hab good manners den en manners de t ing dat cari7 peoples t raagh anyt4ing, child. ~ ~ 8ourep~ : haney Waahingt on, age 104 col ored Due ty Hills, Marion, S.C. (Personal interview, May1937).

Charley Watson. Ex-slave 87 years old. 192 188

Project #1655 w. w. Dixon :?a ~ n Wixmsboro, S. C. ~i ~i ~j ~. j1~ CB~BLEY WATSON EX~SLAVE 87 YE~&RS OLD. Dis i8 a mighty hot day I tells you, and after climbing them steps I just ~ot to fan n~se1f befo I give answer to your questions. You got any bacco I could chaw aiid a place to spit? Dis old darkie maybe auswer ir~re better if he be allowed to be placed .ak dat at de be~iunin of de sperience. Where was I born? ~hy right dere on de Hog Fork Placo, thought everybody know d dati It was de home p.Lacb of ii~ o1d ~.rster Daniel hail, one of do Rockefellers of his day and generati.on, I teils you, he sho was. My pappy had big nci~e, n~r roarster call him Denmore, n~y inarrm~r went by de name of Mariyer. She was bought out of a drove from Virgixiny long befo de war. They both b lon.g to old rnarster and bless God live on de same p ace in a little log house. Let s see; ii~r brother Bill is one, he livin at de stone quarry at Salisbury, North Carolina. ~r sister Lugenie marry a Bouiware nigger and they tells me dat woman done take dat nigger aiad make sumpin out of him. They owns their o~n automobile and livin in Cleveland, Ohio. Us live in quarters, two string of houses a quarter mile long and just de width of e. wagon road betwixt them. How many slaves masreter had? Dore was four hundred in 1850, dat was de year I was born, so allowing for de natural crease, spect dere was good many more when freedom come. Our beds was made of poles and hay or straw. Was n~r inarster rich? How come he wasn tZ Didn t he have a Florida plantation and a Georgia plantation? Didn t us niggers work hard for our vittles and clothes? It make me laugh de way de niggers talk thut eight hours a day. Us worked by do can and de can t system . ~hat way det you ask me? Well, was dis way; in de mornin

193 189

2. 189rn when it git so you can see, you got to go to work and at night whan it git so dark you can t see you ceasted to ~rk. You see vvhat I mean? My marz s white overseer dopted de can and can t system of work . . hours My znaim~ had to plow same as a man, she did sir. Sometimes they pulled fodder end fooled wid it on Sunday. You is a puahin me a little too fast. Let me gum dis bacco and spit and I can do and say more zaokly what you expect from me My xnarater had sheep, goats, Enlies, horses, stallion, jaokas8, cows and hogs, end. . then. he had a gin, tan yard, spindin rooms weave room, bl ksmith shop and shoe shop. Dore was Wild turkeys on de place, deer in de ~S~i!brakes and shad in de Catawba River. De Indians fetch their pots end jars to sell, and. peddlers come to big house wid their humps on their backs and bright yards of calico and sich things d.e missus lak to teel and s lect from. I see money then, but I never see a nigger irid money in his paws in s lavery time neverl . ~ lis was fed good on corn meal, hog meat, milk, butter, lasses, turnips, beans, peas and apples, never hungry. Boss whip me once for fightin and I never fought anymore I tells you. My mistres s name Miss Sarah lier was a EtOiclin Th she marry. Their ~ c~hillun was z Tom, Billie, Dan and Jason, all dead ~ cept }~reter Jason. De white overseer was Strother Ford. lie give de slaves down the country maybe sometimes, so heard them say, but I didn t see him. Did us sing? Yes sir. W~mt us sing? One was what l s gwine hist rig~at dis minute and sing wid your hive. ( Here Charley sang, Give me dat old time religion . ) t~Js made einmon beer sometime and lye soap just bout in de a~e way,

194 190

19() . 5.. hopper was reoted for dat. Sinunons was put wid locustj hickory aakes was used to make soap. B mry Chri8txnae us got ginger oeke and saseafras tea. Doctor Soott was de doctor for de Blaves. U$ niggere W8i8 E1ight~J sad. when his son Willie e gun went off by accident and kil). him in 1868. De Doctor ~L~P smile again after dat cumbuztiou of dat gun. Does you member de time Mr. Till Dixon was drowned? He your mclf? Twa~ de fourth of July, 1 member dat day, and a boy Freddie liabbernick wa~ . drowned in Catawba in 1903. Dat river take a many soul over dat other shore, I tells you. .

Ex-slave 91 years old, Congaree, South Carolina. There was no God but Mossa an' Missus. 195 191

S 260 264 N Project 935 390131 191 Samuel Addison Richiand County . EX- SLAVE 9 1 YEARS O LD CONGAREEJ SOUTH CAROLINA TEERE WAS NO GOD BUT MOSSA AN MiSSU~ ~ _~~~a ~ -~ -..-.~ - - - ~ j~ ~ ~ ~- My pa name was Nat White who tel). me dat I was bo n about 1842. My ma was naine Jane Thite, My pa u~e to~carry ai . de votes from McCIe11~vi11e to Charlest n. He come from Tibbin~ South Cars. lina. He also been ail round de United States, My Ma s Ma bin naine Kate. I had sense to know em all. ~ ~ I biow a he ap o s o jus had on nice butt ons ~ had plume s in dere hats. Dey wus singin an playin on -a flute dis song, I wish I wtis in Dixie, an dey went ~n de big house an broke up ebery thing. Dey say to me, you are as free as a frog, an dey say to my pa, ail your cb.illun are free. Dey say little niggers is free as a frog an we holler much. I amt ebber do ~ no work, but I kin member I use to wear a you call chambery. Ma cooka pot o peas an weevils wus ai on de top. Ma would den turn mush an cle~n a place on de floor, shemake a paddle ant we eat off de floor. Sh~ use to bake ash cake too. I didn know bout no garden, all I know I eat. Dis what dey put on me I wear *m. I nebber know nothin bout shoes. My master been naine Bill Cooper who had a gal an a son. De gal been naine Mary an de boy Bill like de daddy. Taxbin wus a b i~ hous e but I amt nebber know de number o slaves or mount o lan dat went wid um.

196 192

Page-2. 192 ~ De slaves had a church name Lazarus an some went to de white church, Dey had us bar off fruni.de whites an we use to look t rough a glass . door I member when a preacher . say, tthonor ~ your missus an mossa dat your days may be long for dey is your only God. My Ma tel). me when dey use to lick dem she u~se to sing dis song, do pray for me ezvma say w en de lickin got too hot she say oh God en mo~sa say, show~nie dat damn man~5den he say, I am your only God. My preacher name wus Sabie Mood. De s lay e s t g it any news bu t d ey. had o work on Sun day if de week bin bad. W en it rain dey use to shuck co n. ttW en 13111 Cooper die he holler to me, Pm burnin up an? ma say inissus say, iron me too hot, she meat is red like fire. We use to sing song like dese; Mary bring de news an Martha win de prize. I mus die an will die in dat day See dat oars like feathers springing t, I marry ~ Sarah n December 18th. ~4m de only one I marry an we had abig weddin an plenty o somethin to eat, We had four teen chillun. . t, Pa s ay mo s s a us e to take d e fork an punch ho les ih dore body w en he got mad. People always die frwn de pisin, Dis is ai . I know I ain t go tell no lie, dat what, pa say, I moved here atter de yankees come~

197 193

Page 3- Reference; Uncle Dave White, 91 years :~ld Congaree~ South Carolina.

Uncle Dave White. An old time Negro. 198 194

&~6O~~ ~o Froj~c~ ~Mt~b Le44r~ L.i~cLUieLon 390131 r age i .- No.~:crde:45~ ~~gr.LeStOU,S.~ I UNCLE DAVE ~H1 r.~ An ~Ac~ ~ii!t ~egro uncle ~ve ~h~te,one oi ~t~ie waxiang uibe I~ve8 In a Samp.Le bornestead down s dusty &r2d i4nd swept curved country axae on the ouc skirt o~ kcCienviUe,~orty nth~es ~orck~ c~ ;Thsriee*o~ reats the simp.ie ~han;y ~i i*vid ~hi;e,a~sd Negro sn~ectaCria.L.Ly kti~n ~o the i~egro ax~ct ~thi~e popui.a~io~ ~or ~r~any n~aies arountA as uncie LeveE. }~o quiet unac.tuJcere~ect u~ue oI~ J~ving ar~d his never chezig~z~g gra~efuI c~s~ pcsit~tCn ~ypiraes &tie true ~ou~tic rn L ~~ro ox pre~4flvLL ~ar caya;s race thee ~as niuon~ ~iace ~:d p.Lentiiui. ~ 0115 ~~ni~,but is no~ almost ex;atcc,~avuz~g d~incLLed in the i~ace 01 mure ecisSuate sducs~.on~. IacaiLi~~~e8. Ji~~e ~omesiea,re~uib.Ling a barn n~ore t~&L 8 pi&CS ~O Jive it. io pro~ec~ Lkie hause against ~be ha2ar~oU8 a~fecis ox ~rn~e~aLLirg wi~i~e,~Lorig po.Les are rnale to prop tkie sorn~ha~ ~iapedste~ ahenty. A visit ~o ~s hotus oiie ciark ana dreary ciay in .Lete ~.c ~ber,1ound hini es usual ~~ri the bose 01 8pirii~.He weJ.co~~e~ t~e V183~Or~ ~st.ti a cOrcia.i3~~y thai ~iouid r~va1 tbe meeting ot ~o long ios~ ~raends.The Zron~ ~as rio maar er~rence;the nisari door ~ erouiui the back.i~bere er e conspicuous displays o~ meny a~ci~rs burlap bags, heavy iaderi,hang~u~g trou! high r~ters,~~cL~i conta~te~ cort an~ pe~riu~s, But ~~hy n~ keep i~hstn ~ your tern,Ur~c1e ~veT ~one wcui.a ask. ~eLL suh,j~ keep tx~ab con ~iu grain nuts i~ yuh so mak eye csr~ sta on he replaea. It turther iriapec~on c~ t~~e pre~nises revealed other jreceut~cns he bed tekon ~ agIina~ the unweicomed gueste;a crude Jock on each uoor erul rnar~y other precautionary u~ seau rea COflviC~ ici ~ ~ I)~ ~ ~ ~ ~O H~k~ 110 UVI~IeC esasry ch~ncea at havitg i~. h;LB ~oricLky goo~a FJi~ age is cruiy a rna~ier o~ conJea~ure.~ihe more you .Look at barn the more

199 195

~Lt~b~ j~~r~z Lj~dcij~eion P.ge u UM~LE~ DALi; con~a, Ufl i~~t~ yOU become.~i~s droopy carr~ge anct E~hnve1ea 1e~tture betu~y YOU ~.t fir~i ~igh~.The rars~ ~xc~pression .~iii i~ca~i orte ~o ~ii ~ve that ~ ia g~ou~ c~ne buru~iri~c~ ye~2r& oX~ ago,~xld ~Le~er ii~ wiii appeer thaL ~ i~ no~ k~a~ o.kd, ~e baa kuown *)uncle 1)ave ~or a icng arne ;~or years 2~ had been a ~m~t.ber sighi te see karn~rucigi.r.g the e~ree~s ox ~ne toi~n i~va~i bu~isp bi~g~ ~t~ro~ ~TO$~ ~ ~hc~uJ.cier~ conzaiting euch ku~eboict r~ecesatiee ~ ~ ~tit,~ug &r,etc.,srd ~uc~a ~itic~1e~ ~s tt~e house ~ive~ wou~L~ ~~-ive him out oi ~ieer ~yrnpath~.io every fr3encuiy ~r~e~ng he ~Iway8 ~ad the humble responee oi ~ank Gawd,my e~e is open~ He ~ ~eIl knowr~ ~hroi~ghout the ~o~n .(.)ri~ Su~da~ n~g~t a 8hort ~ ago, ~~iie the eerv~c~a cii a ~ii~e cnurct~ were ir~ pro~resa,ciicLitguashBbi~ sounds or Amen ~e~o heird a~ te~uIar iri~erveAe coming i~c rL~ i~is ouG~icte.On invi~a~rig r~ey ~ C over~ ~taa~ i~ ~8 UflC~L~ i)ave ~ev~ru~y enjoying tth proceodang~.L~en~ ~i~es h~ tias Leers seen ou~ siae ~tie seine chu~ck~ iisi~etirig to the E~ervact~. i~v1~ wish ~Mre.)Minrii.e huge8,ago 43~J 7I Sprang ~treet,i~ei~ t~re ~rkc~r.

Interview with ex-slave. 200 196

390273 Project 1655 FOLKLORE 19G ~rtha S. Pinokney Charleston, s. e. Approx. 631 worde . INTERVIEW WITH EX..SLkVE Everybody :ir.i the town of Mt. Pleaa&nt, Chriet C~uroh Parish (acros8 the Bay from Charleston) cnowe Tine ~Vhite, the ~wa~her, Tena~ the cook, ~1~~wn Tens or Da Tena, the nurse the same indFu~1dua1, accomplished in each art, but beat as e nuree, The houe e where Tena I Fv~ee is the second in a~row of j~egro houses The writer, calling from the gate, was answered by Tene, a middle sized woman of neat fig re. As the writer aecended the step. a friendly cur wagged itself forward and was promptly reproved by Tena, who placed e. chair, the seat of which ehe wiped carefully with her dress. The piazza was clean and on the floor a black baby ;al pt~n a folded cloth, with a pillow under~ its head. The writer was soon on friendly terias with ~um Tena, and was told: As soon as fl~r eye set on you, I see you favor the people I know. ~r people belonged to Mr. WilliaIIi Venning. The plantation was Remley Point. I couldn t zeotly member xv~r pa s name. I member when de war come though. Oh dem drum; I nebber hear such e. drum in zr~ life~ De people like music; dey didn t cire nothing bout de Yankees, but dem bands of music 14~r mpther naine Molly Williams. ~r pa dead long before that. All ~r people dead. I etayin her. with n~ youngest s ister chile youngest son. Be got seven head ob ohillun. e ~ ~ do anything wach or cook ~ airit no more oook though. Oh yes ~ ~

201 197

Project 1655 FOLKLORE ~rtha S. ?inokney ~ :1 ~:J ~ Charleston, 8. C. rage 2 INTERVIEW WITH EX-SL~V~ and her eyes sparkled, I know how to cook de turkey, and de hain wid de little brown spots a .l over de top. Nobody can collec. ii~ soup Lof me; I fir8t go choose n~r soup bone. One wid plenty richness. ~r chile saya t~jl, n~y Tena live I ivouldn t want nobody else. t But I couldn t take de aponsibility now.~ I~1ium Toua, how my ohul~1ren did. you have? fl~ggj~ an Etta an Georgie an Annie, etc., etc. so fa8t and so my that one couldnt~t keep up. ~ ~um T na. How n~ny were there in all your own ohuldx en? I nebber had a chile. ~ ~ Oh, th se were the children you nursed. I niarr~ twice, Caesar Robson an Aleok Whit.. ~ Did you ever sing spirituals? No, ~: nebber had t~e. But you sang lullabies to the children. Oh, i: sing somting to keep de chile quiet. Where is your church, ~urn Tena? De methodist Church right here. I know I g t for die some day. He keep ~ distance, * but when I look an see ii~r flesh, I tenk de Lord for ebber~j year ~uhat pau on n~ head. Taint imj goodness, tie His goodness. Nothing b~xt the pureness of heart Will see Hirn. ; .~ * ~ li v.d a ~ long. tinte.

202 198

Project 1655 98 ~rtha S. P~aokuey }~ge 3 Charleston, s. C INTERVIEW WITH EX-SlAVE Tena was shocked and disgusted at the Idea of the Lord being a ~b1aok mn. She said with perfect ~ oerta Inty that he ~s no such. We all goin to de saine Heaven, and there aint~no black people there, The writer asked Tena her age; before ehe could answ~r, her greatniece caine to the door and said, She eighty eight. Tens was indignant. Her eyes flashed.. I amt goin to hab nobody come along puttin down xi~r age what dunno anyting about it. I ought to be as high as nine. Let ~ be as higha8 uine.~ If I didn t been round de house wici white people I wouldn t hab dis opportunity today, au dey good to ~ a.n gib ~ nut to keep n~r soul an body together. I~y mother raise me right. When de Yankee come through we been at Remley Point. ~r )~ took care ob me. She shut me up and she gard me. De Yankee been go in de colored people house, an dey mix all up, an dey do jus what dey want. Dey been brut iah. De beautiful tureen, stand so high and hab toot so long lifting her hands, an all de beautiful ting smash up, an all de meat an hain in de smoke house 4~. etribute um all out to de people, an d dairy broke up, an de horse an de cow kill. Nothin leave. Scatter ebberyting. Nothin leave. . SOURCE: Tena White, Mb. Pleasant, Christ Church F~rieh, S. C. Agis ApproxinMely 90. FOLKLORE Meaning her age should be in the nineties.

Bill Williams. Ex-slave 82 years old. 203 199

Projeot #1655 w. w. Dixon Winn$boro, Ss C. 39~37~ BILL WILLIAMS EX~SL&VE 82 YEARS OLD. Bill Williams lives on the Durham place, nine miles east of Winnsboro, s C . on the warm charity of Mr. Arthur M. Owens the present owner. He is decrepit and unable to work. UI was born a slave of old Marster John Durhani3 on a plantation bout five miles east of Blackstook, S. C. ~r mistress name Margaret. Deir ohillun wI~.s Miss Cynthia, Marse Johrmie, Marso Willie and Marse Charnel. I forgits de others Then, when young Marse Johnnie marry Miss Minnie Mobley n~j xnamm~j, Kizzie, n~r dad4, Eph, and me was cive to them. Daddy and max~r had four other chillun. They was Eph, Reuben, Winnie and Jordan. Us live in rows of log houses, a path twixt de two rows. Us was close to de spring, ~hero us got water and n~t~r did de white folks washin every week. I kep de fires bui nin round de pots, so de water would keep boum . Dat s bout all de work I members ~ in slav- ery time. Daddy was a field hand and ploughed a big red mule, nanie Esau. How many slaves was dere? More than I could count. In them days I couldn t count up to a hundred. How,then,I gonna bio how many dero was? You have to ask somebody else. I ll just risk sayin dere was big and little Ones, just a. ~ little drove of them dat went to de field in cotton pi okint time a hollerin and a s ir~gin glory hallelujah all day lcng,and pick two bales a day. Marse Joinmie and Miss ~itmie mighty good marster and mistress to deir slaves. We had good rook ohinn~ieys to our houses, plank floors, n~vable bedsteads, wid good wheat straw ticks, and ootton pillows. Other folk~ slaves was complainin bout dirt floors in de houses, boards to sleep on, no ticks, and rags for pillows. Us got flour bread and las ses on Sunday, I m here to tell you.

204 200

20) They sho fetch dat oatechism tround. on Sunday and teiled you who nude you, what Him make you out of and what Hirn make you for Aaicl they say dat from de crown of your head to de top of your big toe de chief end of every finger and every toe even to de ends of your two thumbs, wes made to glorify de Lords Mis sus imre tiou .ar bout dat catechism than de marster. Ber grandpa, old Marster John M~bley was a great Baj~tist. After de crops was laid by, every August, him visit his granddaughter. ~Nhile dero, he take de slaves and dam up de branch, to make a pond for to pool de water. Th ~ he take to de hill j~uet bove, out down pine tops, and make a brush arbor to hold de prachin in. Vite white preachers, Mr. Cartledge, Mr ~ Melliohamp or Mr. Van, to come hold a vival for ail de slaves in and round and bout de country. l s seen 27 go down and cone up out dat pool, a splashin water from deir faces one Sunday evenin . A terrible thing happen one time at de bap tism. It was while de war was gwine on. Narse Johnnle had cox~ back from Virginia, on a furlough for t u days. Old ~rse John come to see him and fetch Rev. Mr. Cart ledge wid him. People was pow fui consarned bout ligion long ~ bout dat time. :~ ~a all de little slave boys jined dat time and dere was a little boy name Ike, ~ a slave of old Doctor John Douglas, dat jined. Him was just bout ~i~r age, seven or eight years old. After him jined, him warms back out of goin do~wn into de water. Dat evenin , after dinner, us was all dressed in a kind of white slip-over gown for de occasion. When it come Ike e time to rece ive de baptism, him was led by his main my, by de hand, to de edge of de water and his hand given to de preacher in charge, who received him. Then he commenced: On de nfesaion-- - . Bout dat time little Ike broke loose, rtm up de bank, and his maxm~r and all de slaves holler: I Ketoh himi Ket oh html Old Marse John holler z Ketch himi They ketch little Ike and fetch him back to old Marse John and his mammy. ~rse John explain to him dat it better to have water in de nose, now, than fire in de soul forever ~ after.

205 201

3. 201 Little Ike say nothi& His maimx~r take his hand and lead him to de preacher de same way her did befot Little Ike went down into de water. PreaJ~her take him but when little Ike got down under dat water de preacher ise de hold and blea s God, in some way little Ike got twixt and t~e~ de preacher s legs and commt out behind him~ turnt him oxtxnersets and climb out on de bank a runnin ~ Little Ike ~ inanin~ cry out : ~ Ketch html Ketch himL Old marster say : ~ No l ~ him go to de devil. Thaxk de Lord him none of our niggers ah~yhow. Him just one of Dr. Do~las Presbyterians niggers dat s destined to hell and be damned, I reokon.*

Jesse Williams. Ex-slave 83 years old. 206 202

Projebb #1655 ~ ~ W.W.Di~on Wixmaboro, s. c, 39O34; ~ 202 JESSE WILLW~S EX-SLME 83 YY~ARS G~De At the end of one of the silent street~ of west Chester, S. C., that pro longs itself into a road leading to the Po s Field and on t o the County Poorhouse, sets a whitewashed frame cottage. It has two rooms, the chiri~ey in the center providing each with a fireplace. A porch, supported by red cedar posts, fronts the road side. In this abode lives Jesse Williams with his daughter, Edna, and her six children, Edna pays the rent, and is a grenadier in the warfare of keeping the wolf from t he door. You say I looks pretty old? V(ei1, you s right bout de old part but I ~ far way from de pretty part. I got a hand glass in n~ house and whian I shaves on Sunday n~rnin s I often wonders who I is ~ I doesn t look lsk me, My best friend oouldn t say I got much on looks, but ii~r old dog rap his tail on de floor l.1k he might say so, if him could speak. l s been off and on dose streets of Chester for eighty three years. I was born e. slave of Marso Adam C. Walker and iuy old miss was Mistress Eliza, datte hIs wife, ~br pappy name Henry and ma~m~r name Maria. I can see them plowin in de field right now. Mamu~ plowin same as pappy and me rwmin long behind takin de dirt off de cotton plants where de twister plow turnt de clods on de plants. Then, when dat cotton fi~e1d git white and red wid blooms in suii~ner arid white agin in de fall, I have to shoulder r~r poke and go to de field and pick dat cotton. I ~tembers de fuet day dat I pick a hundred pounds. Narse Adam pull out a big flat black pocket book and gived me a shinpiaster, and sayz ~Jesse, ever time your bas- kot h iet de beam of de steelyards to 100, you gits a shinpiaster. I n*ke eighty

207 203

2. cerit dat year but I have to git up when de chickens crow for day and git in de field when de clew was heavy on de cotton, Does I think dat was ohesti&? Oh~ no sir& I wa$n t ?ceivint old n~arster. Hirn wink at de~t, 3.fld take a pound off for dew. ltd a made niore tr~ney but they took nie out de field in November, to drive de nules to de hoss~ .~in. Dat was play work, just a settin up dore and poppi& de whip. ~Marster live in a big two-story, eight~roo a house. De kitchen was out from de houses .~efter 0liristn~, dat year, I was house bo~ and drive de buggy for Miss lEliza when her want to go visitin . Iwa$ fed well and spent my money for a knife, candy, ~nd f irecracker., My n~rster and missus have ohil1t~in. They was Peter, Jerry, Mise Elnora, and Miss Saille, dat I play wid in alavery tin~. De Yankees didn t come a~ far up ae Chester, They branched off down bout i3lack8took, took de sunrise side of dat place and march on ~roe~ ~atawba River, at Rocky ~unt. I stay on wid Marso Adam and Mise Eliza, after freadom. I n~.rry a handsome gal. Yes, sir, she dark but not too shady. I harks back to the~n days, as I sets here in dis rocker a talkin to you. DId I tell you her naine? Her name just suit her. Not Jane, Folly, Mag, Saille, and de lak of d.at& Them was too conmion for her. 11er name Catherine, dat just fit her. Us have ten chillim and her and ai . them cept i~ and three chillun done gone over to Jordan. Dore waa just one thi~ bout Catherine dat I ~ dubious bout. She lak to dance and I was too clumsy for to ever cut a double shuffle. I spect I cut a poor figure at de frolics us wont to, Does you thix~k burniia a candle for her would do any good at dis late day? Why I ask you dat? Well, I has heard them say dat white folks does dat sometimes for deir gone~on ones. My daughter, Edna say: It might do you good and it could do manm no ~mrm. I b longs to Mount 1~riah Church in dis very town of Chester. De preacher am Rev. Alexander. Ho low it was su~ peret ition to buru c~.at candle but if I live I ~ s gwine to light one nex ~ Christmas

208 204

3. \~O4 Us had a good n~rster and mistress. They wa~ big buekra, never sociate wid poor white tra8h. They wore de red shirt~. De time come round when they send me to Marse Will fiarden and he pass me on to go see Marse Judge Mackey, who live here then. DId I know Judge Mackey? She I did~ While he was a settin up dero on de bench in de court house, he have all de people laughin . One time de father of Marse W. B. Lindsey beat up a Radical nigger and de case come up befo him for trial. Great citezaent bout it over de whole county. court house packed dat day. Solicitor rise and say: Pl~aee your honor, de fendant, Lindsey, put in a plea of guilty. You might have heard a breast feather of a chicken fall, so very still was de people in dero, though de ni~gers and publi cans was a grinning wid joy. Th~~ Judge Mackey low: Let de fendant stand up. Wid a solemn face and a soleitai talk, him wound up wid: Derefore, de court sentence you to de State Penitentiary at hard labor for a period of ten years (Then him face light up as he ~ nelude ) or pay a fine of one dollar I De white folks holler: Three cheers for Judge Mackeyl De judge git up and bow, and say: Order in de court. ks clerc was no quiet to be got, clerk journed de court. De judge take his silk beaver hat and gold headed cana and n~rch out, while de baliffs hollerz Make ways Make ~y for de honorable judges ~verybo~1y took up dat cry and keep it up long as de judge was on de streets. Oh, how dat judge twirl his cane, smile, and strut. . Did I ever see a spirit? Speot I has and I she have felt one more than once. Speck i: was born wid a caul over my eyes. When de last quarter of de m,00L come in de seventh ~nth of a seventh year 18 de most time you see spirits. Lyin out in de ~on, befo daybreak, l s smelt, l s heard, I s seed and I s felt Catheriiie s spirit in de ~on shadows 1 come nigh ketohin hold of her one night, as I wake up a drearni& bout her but befo I could s et up I hear her pass way,

209 205

4. 205 through de treetops dat I wa~ layin dreamin under. Then enother t~ne1 I was settin here bout four otolook j~, de n~onli~ht a looktht cross de street to de town hail. I 806 aumpin rise and jui~ upon d~at rook a lyin dere ginst de town hail. It was de figger of a man. Who it was I don t biow, though they de call de rook de Aaron Burr Rook s cause he made a speech standin on dat rock, long befo I was bor~a. De people in de library 0831 tell you bout dat speech. Maybe Dr. Lathan tel). you bout it. Ihm nety~fi~e years old dis la8t past twelfth day of May and knows all ~bout de days dat are gone. 1 live wid i~r daughter, Edna, and I ju8t C~fl make it back dore fron de post office every day. ~

Ex-slave story. Uncle Willis Williams. 212 208

Project 1655 ~ . FOLKLORE 208 Genevieve W. Chandler Georgetown County, S. C. #:~/~i ~ /~ ~ J ~ ~ ~ . ~ Li/Jr ~. ~ ~J f- ~ . ~ - EX-SlAVE STORY tJ1~CLE WILLIS ~ILLIAMS ~1 When wuz I born? Born In August. When I wu&- born been Auguet. I wuz aii~n grown pulling boxea, (turpentine boxes) when the ehake wuz. I know the very night the shake cons ~-- on a Wednesday night. I wuz on door etep loo8ing n~r shoe string. Ther wuz more religion then than they le now Praying and prayer meeting for a month. Everybody tend nieeting. n ~ been with the Yankee. I kin tell you bout the Yankee. They cone home there to Rook Creek~ when the war ~uz ~bz eakthg up and carried me to Fayetteville. (N..c . ) Kept me with em till Johnson surrendered in Raie Igh, ~ then they kept me In Goldeboro and took me on to ~tersburg. After everything over they give me free transportatlon back home. Free on train back t Fayetteville. They had put all the Yankee clothes on me, ~ -~ all the blue shirt, blue coat and bumps on the shoulder, ~ and when they start me home took ai . the Yankee clothes way from me~ Put gray clothes on me ax~ sent me baok~ I member they took n~ up in a ~ay-up-yonder building -~ to Riobmond. Couldn t tell you the depth of it~ ~n on the ground looked like boy. n The n*n I belonged to been ~kse John A. Williams. (B rn on the Cape Fear. ) I goes by ~.e8 John name ~- Williams. His eons been John, James, Charlie, Jailli, William, James. James oome home from ara~r sick. Rad the mumps; thirty da.ya furlough. W10889

213 209

Pro~eet 1655 F~JLKLORE Genevieve W. Chandler Georgetown County, S. C. F~~e 2 209 EX SLAVE STORY UNCLE ELLIS WILLIAMS Member when the Yankees oon~. Been Sunday morning. Ride up to the gate on horse8 Old Bose happened to come out and walk to the lot. I happened to be at gate. They took his ~toh out his pocket, hie pletol had it girded to him -~- and took all he whiskey and catch ohiokens and guinea and take them all. Then they gone in the lot and took two breeding n~ree and hitch them in ~wagon and loaded wagon full o~ corn. Then they took the two carriage horses and hitched to carriage, and gone to smoke~houee, and fill that carriage full of all~ea John aides of meat and ham and shoulders. I been following and watching to ee what ai . they going to take, and a eoldier looked at me and say, ; t, t Cone on little Ni~ger~ Wanter go ? I, And I done like another foolJ I rode off behind the two brood ~res, on the corn, and wher. they rested that night, I rested right there. I, ~ was mighty cold up there. I suffered a heap in the cold fore I got back home0 They cive n~ a horee, ~- eaddled and bridled, ~ and a little bayonet gun. Put me on that horse to drive cattle. Tell me to take all I 8 ~~ :Didntt exoeptnobody cattle. Night oo~ put em in pasture put em in e~vbo.4x field - ~ on the oate, rye, uheat. I, Son~tii~s rain aho fall. ~ ~ad to tend that bunch of cattle rain or no rain. Didn t kill one beef and etop~ (Kill) FOUR beevee a day. Go out git the hog and kill em. Skin e~ Didn t scald em and clean em like

Julia Woodberry. Ex-slave, age --. 214 210

Project 1655 FOLKLORE Genevieve W. Chandler 210 Georgetown County, S. C. ~ge 3 EX-SlAVE STORY IJN CLE WILLIS WILLIAMS we do. Just eat the ham. Rest throw way. Gone to Wilmington, Fayette ville, Rookfi8h and Beaver Creek. n General Sherman? 9es I hear bout him? I SEEN hirnS lie had a big name but he warn t such a big nan; he was a little spare made man. I menber now when I seed him the last tinie. He had two matched horses going down to Petersburg. Six guards riding by the side of his turnout. Oh n~ God, what clothes he had onS He was dressed down in finest uniform. t, When I leavb the Yankee they give nie $35.00 in money. I been so fool had never seen no green back. Throwed it away eating crackers and peanuts. And I bought some brogan shoes. If I d a helt on to that, I d a been soma body today. I members it was Sunday morning that General Johnson throwed up his hand at Ral igli. Done with the warS t Before Freedom I have a good enough time. Just lay round the house and ~it on n~r boss, when Freedom come and I did have to get out and work it most kill nieS t, After Freedom niy mother wash for family to Beaver Creek. And after Freedom n~r father went to working on shares. Old !~ss John called em up and tell ~ t, t You free, Asa. You free, Lewis. You free, Handy. You free, Wash.

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Project 1655 Genevieve W. Ch~dier FOLKLORE Georgetown Coui~ty, S. C. 211 Page 4 ~SIAV~ ST ~Y UNCJ~~ WILLIS WILLIM~tS You can do as you please. You have to fadge for yourself now. t ~ss John WiIIiama had four hundred slavee. He was a man ~ the colored people. He didn t work all on his o~i plantation. He d hire out hi~ people to work turpentine. ~- F\~it ein out for so much a year. He d give em Hanket, suit, coat, pants. First of the yesr come, Boss would collect wages for all he hire out. t, That there my second wife. You know ho~ a r~an is. How many wIfe I had? Two or three. Le~mne sees (Looking at present wife) You is onei You the last oneZ Fust one been Jinny Lind. Next one been Wary Dick$on. And Caressa F~ratt been onej And there been another ones I fcrgot that wt~rnan names Got It in rr~y mouth and ~tn t call it~ I ll call the name of them otheri I take up with in a little wh1le~ One w~.s Calme ; one was Tissue; (Tisha?) I take them a little while and if they dIdn t do to suit n~, I put em outi Some I didn t sta~r with long nuff to find out they nari~ Jinny Lind sister was Tiasue. Jinny Lind gone, try her sister. Ju3t a i~.ke cut . If they didn t do b suit me, I d ~lve em the devil and put ~em out t, DOfl? ~ know bout beating woz~. Zorns say that boute t Woir~iu, dog, cypress knee More you beat ein the better they beJ t But 8O!T~ woman, the mcre you beat em the worse the devil gets in e~n. Get so they won t GEE nor RAW .

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Projeot 1655 Genevieve W. Chandler FOLKWRE Georgetown County, S. C. hge 5 EX-SLAVE STORY UNCLE WILLIS WILLIAMS I, When I was house boy for o1d~ Maes John, waiting on white people, that was the best and easiest time I ever had. Ever Satdy drive Maas John to Fayetteville. Ever Satdy they d think that store belong to mel I d eat lumps of brown sugar out the barrel, candy, crackers. Did as I please then; NOWdoasIklnl I Ja~rs of wo~n and ways of snake deeper than the sea I take that to n~an --w ~ few can tell by the trail of a snake ~ether its coming or going ~ - I, ~ hear story bout the rabbit and the fox --~ all them old things Son* times ii~ mind franzy. Been break up too xauoh~ Break t~o ribs to the lumber mill. Jump out a cart one day and urn a ten penny nail through n~ foot. That lay me up two months. Some mean people ketch ~ up by that tree yonder with a oar and that lay n~ up sixty-five days. They pick me up for dead t~tat tinie. All that make r mind get franzy sometimes. Coi and go ~ Conk. and go. SOURCE: Uncle Willi. Williams. Age, 89 to 90 yeare old, Conway, S. C. (Uorry County).

Stories from ex-slaves. 217 213

Project. ~885~..1 ~Ot~r~T~ ~ OL~~ORE ~ V~!M~dV~JO ~ited by: 213 Spartanbur~ Dist.4 Elmer Turnage May 25, 193? STORIES PROM EL.SLAVES I was a Garniany before I married Calvin Wilson. My father wa~ Henry Garrnariy, and. my mother Sidney Bcmzer. My husband was in the Con.federate army with his ma~ter. Dey was near Charlest on on de coast I w~a slave of Lemuel Lane of de Dutch Pork. He was killed after de war, some say by scme o:~ his youiag slaves, but we uns did not know naything about who killed hirn. We had a good house to live in oa Marse Lane s plantation. I used to work around the house arid in de fields. My mother was a good seamstress and helped de white folks sew, arid she learn trne to sew had help too. We didn t get any money for our work. One time~ after de war, dey paid me only ~5.~OO and I quit em. My mother hired me out.to work for her, arid I didn t have any money, still; so I said I betterget me a man of my own. Marse Lane was mean to most of us, but good to nie. He whipped me once and I deserved it because I wouldn t answer him when he called . He jes give me about two licks. He was mean to my mother, but he wouldn t let his white over..~ seer whip us, and wouldn t let de padder-roller8 come around. He said he could look-out for his own slaves. We didn t learn to read and write, but some of de white folks had learned my mother, and she learned me s me. Niggers had t o go t o church at New Hope de wh ite folks c~kiurch, in slavery time and after de war ~ . We had Saturday ait.ernoons to do what we ~w nted, and we washed clothes then.

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Polkiore: Stories Prom Ex-~S1aves Pace 2 214 On Christmas, Marse would cive de slaves some good thin a to eat arid send some to dere families. Niggers had frolics at dere houses sometimes on Saturday night8. When I married, I had a good hot supper. Children played all de oie games like, piay~ba1i (throw-P Ing over the house), marbles and base. Some saw ghosts, but I never saw any o~ dem. Oid-time cures was peach tree ~ieaves boiled and drunk :~or sever; wild cherry bark was good for most anything i~ took at night. I have used it for curing some things. The best cure I know, is turpentine and a little oil mixed. Swallow it and it will Lix you up. 9The Yanks went through our place and took tvvo cxf the best~ horses we had. One had a tail that reached the ground. Dey stole lots o:e victuals. I member de Ku Klux wid dere long white sheets, and den de Red Coats wid white breeches. Dey wouLd walk or ride, but dey never harmed us. I don t know much about Abe Lincoln, but I reckon he was a good man, and Jeff Davis, too. I don t know Booker Wash.. ington but heard he was a good man. I joined de church because de white folks did. Dey wants to go to heaven and I do too. I think everybody ou~ght to try to do right. I used to think we could make heaven down here, but i:f we jes do right, dats all we can do. Source: Emoline Wilson (9Q~, Newberry, S.C. Interviewer: G.L. Summer, Newberry, S.C. May 21, 1937

Stories from ex-slaves. 220 216

Project. 1885-.1 FOLKLORE ~ Edited by: Spartanburg Dist.4 39015G Elmer Turriage June 15, 193? STORIES FROM EX~SLAVES ff1 arri daughter o~ Billy Robertson arid Louisa Robertson; was born about 77 years ago i~ Newberry, on Marse Job Johr~storie s place. ~ father lived with Judge Job Johnstone as his extra man or servant . He lived in the house with him, slept in his room and waited on him when he became old; and, too, ~was the driver o~ his carriage. He drove hirn to other courthouses to hold court. After the war, my father was janitor at Newberry College, and he was liked by professors, students, and everybody who knew him as Uncle Billy . At commencement, he always macle a speech at night on the campus, which the students enjoyed. He told about his travels from Virginia to Newberry before the war. Judge Johnstone never wanted anybody else to be with him when he traveled. I belonged to the Avelleigh Presbyterian Church in Newberry, and was christened in the church by the preacher, the Rev. Buist. Colored people were allowed to be members and set in the gallery when they went to church. After the war, a colored man named Amos Baxter was killed by the Ku Klux at the old courtbbuse.~ My father was on Judge Johnstorie s arm a few miles away. He was 8ent for and caine with an ther colored man to town, and prayed arid preached over the body of Baxter. The Ku Klux came to kill my father for doing thia, but they never caught him. t I, had t o s t ay h orne nao s t of t he t ime a rid help mama keep house. I never worked in the field but once, and the job was so poor they put me back in~the house. That was the old Nance place.

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Polkiore Stories prom EL-Slaves Page 2 21~ Once I saw a man hung in Newberry. He was a negro named Thompson and killed a white man named Reid. He killed hirn at a store in Pornaria arid bUrned it over his body. He was hung near the railroad, and a big crowd was there to see it. That was my first time to see a nan hung, and I promised God it would be my last. . They asked the negro if he had anyth ng to say, and. give him five min utes to talk. He was setting on a box smoking; then he got up and said he reckoned his time was over, he was sorry for all the bad. things he had done; that he had killed a boy once for 25 cents, and had killed a little girl for 20 cents. He was sorry for his wife and three weeks old baby. His wife saw him hung. The Ku Klux wanted to kill any white people who was Repub... licans. They killed some negroes. A white man named Murtishaw killed Lee Nance, a store keeper. I was a little girl and saw it. Some little children was standing out in front. Murtishaw came up and said he wanted to but so~~iething or pretended he wanted to; then he went up to Nance, pulled his pistol quick and shot hini through the throat arid head. Judge Johnst one s kit ehen was away from the ~ house, a brick building. They had large ovens arid wide fireplaces in which they cooked. . My father s favorite horses, when he drove the family, was Knox and Calvin , which they kept for many years. When they died the mistress cried awfully about it. My husband died at old Mr. Dan Ward s place, on College Hill, where he was livizig then.t Souro6: Jane Wilson (77), Newberry, S.C. Interviewer : G.L. Summer, Newberry, s C. ( 8/9/37 ) ~/

Mom Genia Woodberry. Ex-slave, 89 years. 222 218

aod.e icro. ito. W~de Projeot, l885~(l) Reduced. f~Ii~ words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by~ 21.8 Place, ~arion, 3.0. ___________________ nate, Jajie U, 193 ? ~? *ge ~ MOM GE~IA W OODBBRRY . Ex~Slave, 89 years 330127 Glad to see yunnah. Who dese ud&er witi yah? Who yah? Iiawd., ~: glad to see yiuinah. I uu~ee aw Miss Susan fast ohil .un. Je er na ee dem lae uns. Sicily been yo mamma na se. J~i se Massa Ben Gau.se ohild. fast en den 1 rin ee foar head uT Mies Sasan ohi .lun a ten~ehe marry Mae sa Jim ~ Stevenson. Sleep right d~ere wid. dem ohillu.n aw de time, Mies 8uaan ne er didn t suckle none ~v dem ohillun. I tell ~unnah dis aioh, Massa Jim 8tevenson wa~ good to aw us hie eolored. people en Miss Susan waz good. to me. I eho born right down yonner to Massa Ben Ganse plantation. Gade Caesar _efl Mary ~~83ie WOES my parents. Yaa um, I ja glad. to see deee ohillun cause yah . know whey white folks hab fe ei ing fa yah., it ehO make yah h*b feeling fa dey chtlluii. i ob now en I can member eve ty4~ ing but I sin ne er forge wha good times dem wai . ~ My Lawd. I Tas my Lawd d:O P. oples I lb we 1 . de re to Massa Jim teveneon p ~antatiOn. D~ ~hitI folks hab big haase dere wit evs yt ing baut it jee lak uh town. I oouldn t tell yinnah how many solored peoples dey hab dere but I know die, I hear ~ m aa~ dere ~iz more den two hundred nv em tat lib in de ~fl t r. I~ey h~ee wi in ~th field offen to itself der on de plantation en ~E etnuEg aw up en down in two long raw lak. D y ~J set up in good libin ten.

223 219

o&e HG. 1~o. lord. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ Project, 1886. .) . ...; L. Re~x~Oed f~omwordj Prepared by initie R~tth Davis Rewritten by . . 2 Place, Marion, 8.0. ___________________ Date, Jane 11, l937~ ~ P~g ~2L~ . Ooa~ae am lib dere in &e quarter viA. de udder oolored peoples a ter I ge big noagh to be rni ae girl, but I know how dey fare dare. My Massa hab uh smoke hou~ee tall uv meat en uh barn tull nv oorn aw de time en eve y Priday a ternoon SW de oolored. peoples hadder do i~z to go dere to de big hoase en ge dey share uv meat en lasses en oem to las em de whole week. I~1e er hadder worry mithin bout it tall. Dey hab dey gristmill right dare whey dey grind d.at oorn eve y week. luh am ~ see no each barn en heap uv meat dese aye uz dey hab den. Dem hog kuhn days ~z big times fa dem plantation peoples. It Jee lak I tellin yunnah my Massa. gi s he colored peiplee moe eY t ing &.y hab en den he.1 low eve y family to hab uh sore uv land uv dey own to plant. Hadder work dat orop hide night.. Make light wid fat I ight ud et~mp wha to se e by. Dat o rop ~uha de y buy dey 8anday clothes wid. Ne1er had er hunt no clothes but dey 5~nday olothee oause dey hab eethnstreee right dere on de plantation to ~ke aw us udder olothee. Mise Saean larnt Aun ! ~ Cynthia en 8tarrah en Tonna t o out en e ew de re to te big houe. en a ter dat dey ne er do ~thin but make de plantation olothes. Aw de colored peoples dere to Mise Suaan plantation hab dey aertain business to go bout eve y day en dey ue er

224 220

Code J~q. :EIo. Wordi ~ Pro~eot, 1885 ti) . Rednoed. ~im ~ ~ ~erde Prepared by ~unie .R~zth Davis Rewritten by~~ 22() Pla~., Marion, 8.0. ___________________ Date, June 11 1 93 F Page ~ ~ didn t shirk dat neither. Mies Susan am .ow fa no slack way round whey she ~z. Dore been Yaneyki wha hadder Jea wait on Miss 8uBan; Becky, de house girl; Aun B~annah, de one wha ~ co ok in de b ig houa e ; Ann Dicey, wha al ays clean up 8e white folks kitchen; en 8anoo de houe e b oy Den I waz d~e im se dere fa dem ohillun. Je!er )~ ~ it but 1 ha e it ~o do, Hadder stay right dere to de big house aw de time. Mise Susan ne er woaldn t low nie take dem ehillun way offen no whey en evs ybody b* der be mind ul uv wha dey say fore dem ohillun too. I member dat big oie joggling board dere on de front piazza dat I use er ge de ohillun to s1eep~ on eve y evenin I be dere singin one uv dem baby song ~to deohi .d. en it make me hu t lak in me~bosom to be wid my 02e mammy back up dere in de quarter. Cease t am le nobody know dAt.~ Dore alu nobody ne1er been no better den Mise Susan wizz to me. It jes ).ak dis, I was jes uh ohild. den en yuh know lt uh ohild happiness to be raise up wid dey mammy. Den de oolored. pe pleB .ib mighty peaoei~u . lak dere in te quarter cause d~ey ne er hadder wor~ y bout how mithin come. My Massa see dat dey hab decent libin aw de time en Tbttndanee uv V t Ing dey need. Kadder keep round bout dey premises clean up eve whey. j tellin yah, child, my

225 221

Code No. 1go. Wo~de~ .~ . Project, 188541) . Rethiced. f~irnji~orde Prepared by 4.nr4e Rath Davis Rewritten by 221 Place, Marion, S.C. ____________________ Date, June 15, 1937 Page 4~ ~ white folks wuz 1ticular u.v dey colored pebples when dey wulz sick. Dey hab big oie me1icine bo k dat dey take down when one uv dem s I ok e n se e could de y find wha was good. fa dey iilment. Den Mise Suean ud send. in de woods en g~! ~I j~ say mix up fa de remedy en ~ke de me ioine right dem to de big house. Mies Sueantud. a1 aye doctor de plantation peoples en o*rry em nice basket uv t ing evely time dey wiiz sick. Effen Mias Susan t ink dey hab mLzoha oo plaiut, den dey ud. send. fa de plantation doctor boat dore. Anrmder t ing dey ne er &id&t low de colored girls to work none tall fore dey waz shape lak uh oman cause dey fraid. dat might strain dey ne vee. . Lw de colored peoples wha neter hab no work to do bout de big house ~az field handS en dey hadder up at d.e fuet crow nv de cook in de morning en go up to de big ho~t8e en see wha dey wan . em to do dat day. Qoase d.y eat dey break aat fore dey ).eab de quarter. 3ffen de sun look lak it waz gwinna shine, de o erseer ud. send em in de field to work en dey u& stay In de field aw ~y till sun up in de evenin . Carry dey basket ~iv victual en pot 1long wid. em en oook right dero in de ~ field. Joe put dey peas en baoon in de pot en build up big fire baut it olose whey dey was workin cause ve y now eu den dey hadder push de fire to de pot. Den, aome ~ de day dey ud. go in de tatee patch

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Code No. ~ 10. Words ~ ~ Project, 1885-(1) Rednoe&~~zt~ ~rde Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by~ 2P0 Place, Marion, 80. _____________________ Date, Jane 15, 1937 hge 5. ~ ~ en dig tatoe en roast em in de coals Effen it waz uh rainy day, dey ne er go in de field. Shuck corn dat day. Dat w~z how dey done. Aw dem wha work right de re to de b 1g haase a . aye wuz ~ed from Miss Susan table to d.c kitchen. Dere waz Gran uzud.der Phoebe who hadd.er look a ter eve t ing bout Mie s Sus an dairy. De plantation pe opleb ud. bring d~ey gourd eve y momix~g en leab it dere to de dairy fa Gran miidder Phoebe to hab fill wid. clabber fa em to carry home in de evenin . Den when ~ran mudder Phoebe wa~ ~in1sh wid. aw de churning, ehe uee er pour wha clabber wu.z left over In uh big oie wooden tray under uh tree dere close ~to de dairy en call awdem little plantation chillun d.ere whey she wuz. She gite eve yone uv em uh iron spoonen le em eat jes u~ macha dat dab be r uz de y o n hOld . ~ A ter dat ehe oie an up ~ bout de dairy en den she go to de big house en ge her dinner. ~ran madder Phoebe ay ehe could set down en eat wid eati faotion den cause ehe know ehe waz t rough wid wha ~ been her~ portion nY work dat day.~ Den dere iaz Patience wha work to de loom house. 8he help do aw de weav1z~g fa de plantation. Weave aw t roagh de:::wlnter en aw t rough de Bummer. She make aw kinder uv pretty streak in de oloth outer de yarn dat dey dye right dere on de plantation wid t ing dat dey ge aater de wooda . lak walnut . wha ~ ~ make br own en ce dar en ewe et garn make purple. :D.n dey mak e . de blue cloth aater dat t irig dat dey

227 223

o de :~~ )!o . Wordi ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pz oject, 1885.(l) Reduced f~U~r&a Pr pared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by~~ Place, Marion, 8.0. . flate Jane 15 1937 Page 4 rais e right de re on de planta ti on call indigo . De re e UT dat indigo dat does grow up dere on de Sand. Hills dis day en time but am ~ nob ody e r worry boat j t n o mo re . T, Jes nil little way from de loom house waz de shoe house whey Uncle Lon on hadder make shoe aw de day. I member dey is make aw de plantation shoe dere. Make em outer cow hide wha dey hadder tan tust. Jes~put de cow hide in uh trough en kiver it aw o er wid. oak en water en it soak till de hair come offen it. Den dey take it outer dat en beat it crus h log hard. uz dey. o n till dey ge1 it right soft lak. A ter dat dey out de shoe .ak day wan it en sew it up wid. dem long hair wha dey outer de hossea neck. i~at jea de way dey make aw we shoe den. Minus en Chrissue Gause hab job dore to de gin haase. Dey ud. jes put de cott on in dat gin en de e eed. go one way 7 d.e lent go de udder way. Minus ha&der feed. de gin en dem udder helper Md~der hand. de cotton. Den Baochushathier work de screw dat press de bale toged.der. Yunnah chillun alu ne er see mithin lait dat deee days. Dem hoesee pull .dat t ing round. en round en dat screw~ ge tighter en tighter. T~irn oat p i etty uh bale uv o o t t on u~ yunnah s e r hear ~ bout in no time tall. Mi Lawd I member dey is hab bale uv cotton pile wp air bout dat gin house. En dey is hab dey own blacksmith shop dere on de place do~n. to de place call de big water . A,w dem pe oples from plantation *w bout come dore fa Fortune to mend. dey plow en tt ing Isk d~at:,

228 224

. aod.e No. i~ Wor~i ~ ~ Projeot, l885.u~(1) ~ Reduced f~rn words Prepared~ by Annie Rath Davis Rewritten by 224 Place, Marion, 8.0. ~J f Date Jane 1 5 I 93 ! Page 7. Yas um, plantation peoples hadder go dere to de Oie Neck Olu eh eve y 8undsy. I hear em say dat waz uh MethodiSt . Chutoh. Aw dem well to do folks hab dey own pew up dere In de front uv de ohu ch wha dey set on evety Sunday. Dey seat Liz painted pretty lak uh bedstead en den de poor peoples set In de middle nv de ohu oh in de yellow kind. uv seat. Aw de oolored. peoples hadd.er set in de blue seat In de back uv de ohu eh. Peoples neTer rank togecider den lak yuh see d~e peoples rank togedder dese days. Miss Suscu Stevenson en Mise Harriett Woodberry en Miss Maggie licwhlte wn~ de ones what piUl togedder den. Know dey ohil .un time deyhit dat ohu eh door. O n tell em by dey skin. My blessed, ehiliun, dere luz seohuh diffe~ noe. . Dat 01e Ne ek Chu oh de same oh ~ yannah see stand two mile up dat ~ road Dem pe o~ples oughtna hadd.e r move dat ehueh neither oause it been dore long time ~fom dey corne heah. Am beenright to d.o dat. Dem iha~ put dat ohu oh dere bury right dere in dat cemetery right bout whey dey chu oh ~ en dem udder peoples alu hab no right to take dey ohu eh way a ter dey be n gone. T :i~e pe oples ne e r ~ hab no oars lak des e p e opi es hab ~ b oat heali now. My white folks hab carriage en two big oie white hisses wha1 to ride te se vioe en whey dey.wanna go den. Coase dey fle er go aw de time lak dese peoples does dia day en time,

229 225

C O&e 1~o :!6 . 7ord ~~ ~ ~ ~ . Project, 1885 (l) ~ Etedu ed t ~*oi~ds Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by 225 Plaoe, I~rion, 8.0. _____________________ Date, Ju~ne l~, 1931 ?~age 8. ~ ~ Lawd, dem hosses could pull dat carriage toO. Dey ~z name 8elain en Prince. My Massa en Missus hab seat in de beck uv de carriage en I had.der set up d.ere tween dem en de driver en mi ee dem ohillun. Isaac. waz Miss &isan driver en he hab seat aw uv he own on de front whey he could mind. de hoe sea. My Law , I member how I did. use ter ltth to set up dere in Mie e . Susan car nage . Dese peoples d.ese days d.on~ know nuthin bout dem times den. I member how dey use er se 11 de colored pe opJ.ee offen to annuder plantation some uv de time. Man come dere to buy my Gran madcler a1ter Masea Ben Ganse die en tell her to open she month so he otn xamine her teeth. Say ehe say, 1 won do it. Wanna know effen dey waz sound 1fore he buy her. Dftt de way dey d.c when dey sell hossee. ~ 1 member when dem Yankees come rbout dere too. Hear Massa Jim Stevenson say dey mus herry en hide dey va uablee cause de Yankees waz o rnin t roagh dere en sweep ein ont. Dey bury dey ai ver en dey gold. w~toh in de graveyard up in de. Beech Field. (De Beech Pield. waz de place whey de Indian ~8e e r camp long time ago cause de pe oples use er find aw kinder bead. en arrow head wha dey left dere. ) Den Mise B~LSan put trank fall uv her nice t ing to de colored peoples honee. Lin been fraid. de Yankees bother em dere. Didn t no Tankeel come nowhey bout dere till a ter freedom clara en den two uv em come dere en etay right dere to de big hone,. Dey o ne to vide atter de corn. Hab pile uv corn sot aw boat

230 226

Code No. :IIo. 7O2 d ________ Project, 1885,.(l) Reduced ~ ~rde Prepared by Annie Ibith Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. ____________________ Date, June 15 1 937 ffa~ 9 .____ ~ de born (barn) dere wid. name uv de colored peoples stick bout in eve y pile. ~Yas um, I member dat aw right. ~ Marry In March dere left to my pa haase. Us ne er/Maesa Jim Stevenson plantation a ter freedom Tolare. Ne er wanna hi~.nt no better libin den ~ hab dere My Lawd., d.ere waz big doing thont dere when I ge hitch up to Joe Voodb.rry. Pa kill uh ehoat en dey bake cake en hab aw kinder rati on cook up. I hab pretty dress make outer white swiss muslin wha I marry in en aw dem peoples waz dress up dat evenin . Dat was pretty uh eight uz dere e er wuz when dey get to b1ow~ Ing dat cane eu kn kin dem stick en dey aw waz uh jiggin baut. .~ - . - Chillun, seem lak aw de good time gone from heah now. Peoples she gotta scuffle fa wha ~ey hab die *lay en time en den effen dey ge it, dere am no eati faotlon no whey~ bout lt. TTIUg ai gwinna do nobodyno good. effen dey gotta worry dey head. so macha tbout whey dd next commt from. ood, day, honey. Come back g in. Yunnah white en I ~ bla ok but I mb yali. Source: MCM ~NIA~ WOOI1~BERRY(Eagenia ~oodeberry) age ~9, oolore~, Britten s Neck, 8.0. (Personal interview, Ju.ne 193?)

Julia Woodberry. Ex-slave, age --. 231 227

Oc4e No. No. We~~ . . Pro~eot, 1~&5 (1) Reduced f~L~i~rda Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis ~ Rewritten by Place, Marion, 8.0. . ~ . Da te Novembe r 23 193 7 page i .___~ ~ L . JULIA 1OODB~RY Ex Slave, Age___ ~ 39O3?~) Come in, child. Dis am nobody talkin to you from behind dat door, but Julia Woodberry. De door unlatch, just turn de handle en come right in here ~ you can warm yourself by de stove I tell my daughter for her to take de s ick child en walk ~ ove r d re en make Aun L me y a visit, while I wipe round bout dis stove a little speck. Cose I am able to scour none much, but seems like dis old. . stove does keep everything so na~ty up dat I can let things bout it get too worser. Z~o, child., I tell dese chillun I done seen most all my scourln days,, but I think bout I would do this little ~job forAleis di ~ en let her put her mind ~to d.at child. I say, if I able, I loves to wipe.5up Cause it such a satisfaction. It just like die, dere ~ain nothin gwine shine dat floor en make it smell like I want it to, but. soap en water. I don like dese old stoves nohow. I am been raise to dem oauee when I come up, de olden people di,d.n think notbin bout puttin no stoves to dey fireplaces. Oh, dey would bave dese big. old. open fireplaces en would have de grandest. kind. of fires. My Lord, child, dere wouldn never be no .~stjness bout dey fireplace Cauae de people never d.td.n~ burn no.o;oal in dem days. Slavery people been burn dese great

232 228

Oode No. ~ No. Words________ Project, 1~5- (i) Reduced fr m words Prepared. by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by ~ 22Q Place, Marion, s.C. ____________________ Date, November 23, 3.937 ~ L r - ~ big oak logs en dey would make de finest kind of fires, I say. Yes,mam, I been raise up de slavery way en dat how-. corne I don want to be noways d.eparttn from it. Oh, dat was my granddaughter dat had de straw fever. Yes,mam, look like she mendin right smart since she been settin up. De straw fever, dat what I calls it, but I hear people say it de bayfever. ~ De doct r, he just say it de fever, but from de way he give ~e pills, it point to de straw fever. Cose dat wbat we termed it, but like I tell you, some calls it de hay fever. I ~jfl~ never hear talk of dat kind of fever till dese late years. Yes,inam, she had a little cold en c ugh some but not much. You see when she first took down, she took wid. a blindness en a pain in de stomach at de school en oouldnt ~ say nothin. De doc to r say de feve r ~ wa s bout bro ke on he r de n. You see, she bad de pain en, I say, dat a sign de misery broke on her. But dat child, she lay dere on dat bed three weeks en she been mighty weak, mighty weak from de fever, No,marn, she amt have de fever all de time, but dere would come a slow fever dat would rise on her every night en eat up what strength she bad caught dunn de day. Cose she am1 never been hearty cause she been havin dis fever long bout two year s No ma~ she be en te st for de T. B s in de school dis ~

233 229

Code No. . No Words________ Projeot, 1~5~i (1) Reduced ?i~cnn ~worde Prepared. by Annie Ruth ravie Rewritten by ~ Place, Marion, S.C. ~ Da te November 23 193 7 ~ge J. ~ ~- ~- last year en dey say dat she never had. none of dat. Alexa say she gwtne let her get dem shots in time next year. A . . de school chillun took dein last year. Dey tell me dat be to keep..d.iseases down in school. Oose I don know nothin bout it cause I been raise de slavery ~~ay en dat wont de talk den. UMY nb the r she was a fre eborn woman . ~ She come front o if de sea beach in our own oountry~ Her people was dese Ohee Indians en she didnt have no ways like dese other people bout here. Now, I talkin out of her. Lin talkin out of nobody else, but her. She told me she was born on. de sea beach en her parents was Ohee Indians. 1~.t what ehe told us chillun. ~ - Say, when dey stole her en her brother John, dey come dere in dese big old covered wagons en dey stuffed dem way back up i dere en carried dem off. Oh, she say,ehe was a big girl when dey run her down en caught her. Like I tel . you, I talkin out of her. Her en her brother John was out playin one day.~ near their sea beach home. en first thing dey know, dere come one of dem big old covered wagons dere. Say, dey never know what to think till dey see dis white man gettin down off de wagon en start makin for dem en dey get scared learn Cause dey been/white man wont ~ friend, Say, dey broke en run, but de man come right after dem en grabbed dem up wid his hands en stuffed dem way back up in de covered wagon en drove oif. She say, she was runnin hard as ~Bhe could from

234 230

Oode No. . No. Words_______ Project, i~S5-(i) Re~iuced ~ ~rd8 Prepared by Annie Buth Davis Rewritten by~ 2 Place, Marion, 8.0. - -~ ~ - Date, N vember 23, 1937 ~i~i LI~. de man. I remember I heard my mo the r speak bout dat 811e dl reckon her raothe r eve r knew whe dey went She say, dey cried en cried, bwt dat never do no good. No,marn, de lawyer Phillips stole her. He didn buy her cause she told me dey brought dem. right on to his home en put dem out dere. Her en her brother John were made house servants in de big house en dey went front one ~ to de otif r in de Phillips fauiily till after freedom corne here. Ma, she say dat she fared good en dey didn iII treat her no time, but wouldnt never allow dein to get out de family no more dunn slavery days. No,main, she never didII~ bave no hard time comm up. Oose ehe had. to put de white people ohullun to bed at~ night en den she could go to parties cross Oatfish much as she wanted to, but she would bave to be backintime to co k dat breakfast next mornin. You see, dey was house servants en dey stayed right dere in de lawyer Phillip s ~ house all de time. Been raise right down dere in dat grove of cedars cross from de jail. Well, she ~ didn say bout dat. No mam, she didn have no word bout whe if she liked de white folks livin or no when she fir et come dere You know, ~ when you in Rome you hae to do as Rome do. Reckon dat de way de poor creature took it No child she didn tell us nothin bout her home no more den dat she was born a Ohee Indian. Tes,mam, my blessed old mother told me dat a thousand

235 231

Oode No. ~ . No. Words______ Project, 1~85~- (i) Reduced fi~th ~i ~rds Prepared by Annie RLIth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.O. ~ 2~1 Date November 23, 1937 Page 15. ~ My God, my God, child, I couldn never forget my old mo ther ~ s face She bore a round countenance all de time~ wid dese high cheek bones en straight hair. I taikin out o f her ~ now. Yes,mam, can see Ma face dere fore my eyes right now, It de blessed truth, my old mother didn have no common ways bout he r nowhe . I don ~ know 1 lt true (2) 1iO . ~ s or but de people used to sa.y I took after my mother. I A recolleots, when I would be workin round de white folks, dey would ax nie how-come I been have dein kind of way bout me what was different from de other colored people. You ~ know, de Indians de y go t curious . My rnothe r she ~ never take a thing fr m nobody en she was sharp o pic k a fi girt . Ye s marn she was quick a s dat . ( Slaps h e~r ha.nd s to ge ther . ) Be en fas t ge t tin . maul ted. Anybody make her mad, she would leave~ away from dem en dey Wouldnt see her no more in a month or two. Hear boss say dat she was quick tempered. Well child, dat bout all I can know to speak bout die mornin. You see, some days I can get my nieaibrance back better den I can on another day. I say, I gwine get my mind fixed up wid a heap to tell you de next time you come here en if you alu come back, I gwine try en get round dere to your house. God bless you, honey.N 19~z~~ : Jul ta Woodbe rry, Ex-Slave Age 7O ~O Mar ion, S O. . Personal interview by Annie R. Davis, Nov., 1937.

Ex-slave, age --. 236 232

Qod.e No. ~ ~ No. Ws~4s ~ Project, 1~5- (i) . Reduced fr~ ~~rda Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by~ Place, Marion, S.C. ___________________ Date, November 30, 1937 - .-~ ~ JULIA !VOODBERRY 39 32~ ~x- 9lave Age~ Oh, my God a mercy, child, dat been a time when dat shakecoine here. I tell you, dat been somethin. I Bho remember all bout dat cause I been a groivn woman de year dat eartt~uake come here. Yes,rnarn, I gwine tell it to you just like I experience it. we had all just been get over wid us supper en little things dat night en I bad. washed ~untte en }Lr. Rowell s feet ~or dem to lie down en dere come such a sketch of clouds from over in dat direction dat I never know whatto make of it. Auntie en Mr. Rowell never kz~ow what to make of it neither. I remember, I run out to help my sister dat been out to de paddlin block en, honey, you am never live to see no black cloud like dat been. I washed a piece through en den I le ft o if en went bac k in de. house en se t down by de fire to dxy my feet. I set dere awhile en seems like somethin just speak right out de fire, bout dat time, en tell me to ~nove my Zeet dat I was in bad shape. En, child, it de truth of mercy, dere come a big clog of dirt out dat o himney en drap (drop) right down in de spot whe S ~y foot was. I run to Auntie en Mr. Powell to see could dey tell what dat was, but dey been in just as niuch darkness as I been. I look up en seeme~ like de loft had lowered itself I,

237 233

o ode No No WordB_______ Pro3ect, 1~5- ~(i) Reduced f m~~words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by 2 ~ Place, Marion, 8.0. ~ Date, November 30, 1937 Pa~~ ~ en could hear a roartn for miles en ~i1ea bout dere erA could hear de people hollerin every which a way, Yes, main, Could hear dem hol .erin miles en on top of miles bout dere. My God, dem people was soared to lie down dat night en such a prayin en a shoutin as everybody do dat night, I airA never see de like fore den0 Lin see de like since den neither. Next mornln, I go to work for de white folks en dey all go off dat inornin en I tell you, I was soared bout to death in dat big house by myself. I remember I left out de house en been out in de tatoe patch grabb .in tatoes right along en when I raise up, dat thingwas comindown dat tatoe row just a whirlin en a makin right for me. Yes,inarn, I been so scared. I aine see whe I is grow a bit since~de shake. I tell you, I thought it was de Jedgment. Den we hear dere was gwine be another earthquake but de people get on dey knees en dey stay on dey knees en it never come here dat time. Dat one Was in another state, so dey tell me. I hear talk dat all de earth en caved in/you could se e de people down dere but du nobody get dem. Some people say dat been de devil do dat, but I tell dem de devil am bad no euch power. De Lord been de power dat br ing dat shake he re I say

238 234

Ood,e No. .. No. Words__ ~ Project 1~B5 (i) Reduced f~ rn Thord~ Prepared by Annie ~ut~i Davie Rewritten by Place, Marion, 80. ~-~ Date November 30, 1937 Page j ~ ROh, Lord, de people sho fared better in dat day en time den dey do dese days. Qose d y didn ~iave a heap of different kind. of trashy things like dey have dese days, tut dey bad a plenty to eat en a plenty to wear ai . de time en den every~ thing was better in dem times, too. Now, I speak bout what I know bout. De rations eat better en de cloth wear better, too, in dein days den dey do pow. You see, mostly, de people Would make dey own provisions at borne. White folks would raise abundanoe of hogs en cows to run all dey big plantation from one year to de other. Woulcin never clear out of meat no time cause de stock been let loose to run at large in dem days. De moat dat dey bought was dey sugar en dey coffee, but-dent what was industrious en smart, dey made most dey victuals at h m . Made dey own rice en winnowed it right dere home . Oh, dey had. one of de se pestle en mortar to beat it out. Yes,mam, de pestle beenbig at one end sn little at de other end. Den dey would raise turkeys en geese en chickens en dere Wasnt no end to de birds en squirrels en rabbits en fish in dat day en time. Eat is, dem what cared for demselvee, dey bac3. all dem things. Cose dere was some den like dere be now dat been too lazy to work en dey band was empty all de time. ~ I remember, dem poorbuckras would just go bout from one house to another en catch somethin here, dere en yonder.

239 235

Qode No No . Wo~dsL~ -~ - ~ Project, 1~5-~(1) Reduced fromj~worde Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by 235 Place, Marion, 8.0. _ ~ -ui -u----- Date, November 30, 19j7 Den de people never wore none f dese kind of clothes like de people wear dese days neither. ehen a person got a dress den 1dey made it deuiBelve s en dey made dey oin under.. skirts den, too. You see, all dese tinclerakirts en bloomers like de people does buy dese dass, dey didn have nothin like dat den. Used to put 10 ~ yard. in a ~ dress en 10 yards in a underskirt en would tuck dem clean up to dey waist. ~n, child, when dey would iron dat dress, it would stand up in de floor just like dere been somebody in it. When I say iron, I talkin bout de people would iron den, too. Ye e,mam, when I come along, de people been take time to iron dey garments right. Oh, dey clothes would be just as slick as glass. Won a wrinkle nowlie bout dem. Another thing, dey used to bave desedove colored linen dusters dat dey would wear over dey dress when dey would rideto church. Den when dey went in de church, dey would pu .l dem off en put dem on again when dey started ho~ne. Dey was made sort of like a coat suit, except dey was a little fuller en would corne clean down to de tail of de dress. You see~, dey was meant to protect de dress while dey was gwine along de De world sixo gwine worser dese days, honey. Oh, Lord, de people worser. Yes,mam, dey worser, I say. Dey am got de mother wit. Dey weaker en dey wiser, I say, but dey am got de mother wit. Oan set down en talk to de people dese days en dey take dat whab you got to say in like dey used. to.

240 236

No . ~ W rd~s_~: :~ ~ Reduced froni~_words Rewritten by 23G hge ~:; ~L Code No. Project, 1~5 (i) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, November 30, 1937 Zn de people don take de time to teach de ohillun to know good things like dey used to en dat how come dey have sore time to get in so much of devilment dese days. Yes,mam, de people used to have more ohul3.un en dey raised dem, too. Ohillun know more den grown people do dese days, I say. People used to know how to carry demselvee en take care of demselves more den dey do now. Seezis like, de people more rattlin en brazen den what dey used to be. Julia Woodberry, colored, Marion, 5.0. ~ Age, 7040. Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, Nov. 1937. Source:

241 237

O deN . ~___ ~ Pxo~eot, 1~5 (i) . . Rethtoed. f~ o nL.~~~ ~uords Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by PlaQe, Marion, 8.0. __________________ Date November ~ 1937 hge~ I~ ~ JULIA IOODE~RRY 390327 Ex-Slave Age___ Well I can speak bout What I used to hear my auntie en. my mammy en my grandniammy talk bout wbat happen in dey day, but I never didn live tu slavery time. My mammy, she been broke her leg long time fore freedom corne here en I remember she te . . me often times, say, Julia, you didn lack much ofoomin here a alaver~ child. Honey, I mean she been in de family way right sharp fore freedom come here. ~Ly mammy, she was raiee right down dere to de other aide de jail to de edars ~ .~ You know dere whe ~ all dem cedars round dat houBe what bout to fall down. She belong to de lawyer Phillipe dere en he wouldn nevei allow her to get out de family. She had been a ~ free ~man fore he had stole her off de sea beach to be his houae woman. Yea, mam atole my mammy en uncle ~ John too off de sea beach, but j~ noie John went back after freedom come here. My mammy, she been raise from just a child to be de house woman dere to de lawyer Phill ips en she neye r du know not hin bout chopp in cotton till her last baby been bout knee high. ~ III remember how my mammy used to tell me bout dat de colored people won allowed to go from one plantation to another widout dey bad. a mit (permit) from dey Massa. Yes, f18.111 all de nigger a had ~ to have dat at rip he bout dem to keep from get t in a beat in. Oou 4n leave dey home widoizt

242 238

Code No. ~ib. Words ~ ~ ~ ~ Project, 1B~5-~(i) ~educed f~iI~w&i~ds Prepared by Ann ie Th~th Davis Rewritten by 238 Plaoe, Marion, 8.0. ____-~- -- Date, November 5, 1937 . Page~2. showth dat 1mit froni dey MB8SL~.. You eee, de nigger men would want to go to se e dey wives . en dey would have to get a mit fror~ dey MasBa to visit dem. Ooee dey ~ouldn live together cause dey wives would be here, dere en yonder. It been like die, sometimes de white folks would sell d~ wife of one of dey niggere way from dey husband en den another t une dey would sell de husband way from dey wife Ye s mam, white folks had dese guard all patroller, all bout de count ry to catch en whip dem niggers dat been prowl bout widout dat strip from dey Massa. I remember I hear talk dey say, Patroller, Patroller, let nigger pass. Dey would say dat 1f de nigger had de strip wid de~ en if dey idn have it, dey say, Patroller, Patroller, cut nigger slash. Child, I tell you dat been a day to speak bout. Ihen I comealong, de women never vote, white nor colored, en it been but I reme~nber years aince I see a colored person vote, /~ey been gwine to vote in dat dAy en time just like dey was gwine to a show. Ob honey de road would be Lull o f dem. ~ey had to vote. Remember, way back dere, everybody would be singin en a dancin when dey had de election: Hancock ride de big gray horse, Hampton ride de mule, Hancocks got elected, Buckrae all turn fool. . Buggety, buggety, buggety etc. White en black was all in a row dere danoin all night long. Afin made no exception.

243 239

Code No. ~ No. Words ~ ~1 Project, 1~5 (1) Reduced from___Words Prepared by ~nnie Ruth Davis Rewritten by 239 Place, Marion, 8.0. . J ~ ~ ~ i--- ~ ~ Date, November 5, 1937 ~ II ~ hear talk dat when freedom come he re de nigge ra was just turn loose to make dey livin de best way dey could. Say dat some of de white bike give dey niggers somethin to go on en some of dem didu spare dem nothin. Dey tel). me old. $heriuan didns come through dis section of de country, but he sent some~ body to divide out de things like so much corn en so much nieat to de colored people, Now, I talkii~bout dat wbat I hear de old people say. Put everything in Ben Thompson hand. to deal out de colored people share to dein. Yes,rnam, he was de one had. de chair Ta . k bout Sherman give Ben Thonipson de chair, sayin what I hear de old people say. I don know exactly how it was, it been so long since de old people. talk wid. me. ~ t it, it been so long till God knows, I forgot. Well, I used to know a heap of dem songs dat I h~&r my auntie en my grax4mammy sing dere home when I was comm up. Let me see, child, dey was natural born song too. I got somethin to tell you, 3ow ~ hoo, 00 ~ hoo, 00 hoc, I got somethin to tell you, Bow ~ hoo, 00 lioo, 00 ~ hoo. Zn a bow hoo oo oo ~ hoo. Way cross de ocean, Mongst all dem nation, Massa Jesus promise me., He gwine coins by en by, He gwine come by en by.

244 240

Code No~. . ~ ~ No. W~d8~ : ~ ~ Project, I~5.-(1) . Reduced from~worda Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis : Rewritten by 040 Place, Marion, S.C. ~ - ~ ~ ~ _ ~ Date, November 5, 1937 Page 4, Dere many miles round me, De curried be so bold, To think dat her BOfl, Jesus, Oould. write widout a pen, Oould write widout a pen. De very next blessin dat Mary had, ~he had de biessin of~ two, To t hi nk dat he r son Je sus, OouJ.d bring de crooked to straight, Oou .d bring de crooked to straight. Dat was my auntie ~ s grandmother * Eve piece way back yonder in slavery time. ~.t was her piec~~ It just like I tellin you, dat been a day to speak bout. I remember when dey used to spin en weave all d~ cloth right dere home. Yes,mam, I wore ~ny a wove dress to church. Dey would get dis here indigo en all kind of old bark out de woods en boil it in de pot wid de yarn en make de prettiest kind of Colors. Den dey would take dat oolored. yarn en weave all kind of pretty streaks in de cloth. Dey would know just as good h~w many yards of dat thread it would take t make so much of cloth. ~ \ II Ye s mam, i know dere be en be tte r 1 ivin long time ago den dere be now. Know it cause I didn never have no worryations no time when I was comm up. My God, child, I couldnt make a

245 241

Code No. Project, l~S5 (l) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marton, 8.0 Date, November 5, 1937 No. WO3~d8________ Reduced frortt~JT~iords Rewritten by . ~ige~. -~-~ 241 support today if I know my neck had to be hung on de gallows. No,mam, dis here a sin cussed world d~ people livin in dis day en time. Q~rce: Julia Woodberry, colored., Marion, 8.0. Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, October November, 1937.

Julia Woodberry. Ex-slave, age --. 246 242

Code No. No. ~e~e Project, i8~5. (l) Reduced ftoflL~words Prepared by Annie Ruth Eavia Rewritten by 2~ Place, Marion, 8.0. . ~-- -- - -- Date, November i6, 1937 ~ - JULIJ~ ~ODBH~BRY 330328 . Ex-Slave Age~ No main I am ~ thought bout notbin no more to tell you. Death been in de family en seems like I dust been so woTried. up wid. my daughter sick in de house clerc wid de straw fever. De doctor, he say it de fever en dat all we know, but it acts like de straw fever all up en down. I tell dem ohullun d.ere de other night dat I would have to go back en get my mind fixed up wid sometbin to speak bout fore you come here another time. Yes,rnam, have to get my m md together e or anot her N I, ~ be en born down dere in Br itton s Neck but most my d&yS was lived up to Mr. Jim Brown1 s place to Oenten y. My fat he r he was name Tr iday Woodbe r ry en my mot her ~ she come from off de sea beach in slavery time so she told. me. Say dat her old Massa stole her en her brother John, too, from off de sea beach. When freedom come here, her brother John went back to de sea beach, but my mother say dat she wons in no shape to go back. 8he went ~ from . family to family till after freedom was declared en her white folks wouldn never have her ill~treated neither en wou 4n~ nevei let nobody else have her no time. When she was let loose from de white people, she went to Britton s Neck wid. a colored woman. You aee, she was a stranger to de country bout dere

247 243

Ood.e No. No. ~o~ia_______ Pro~eot, i8~5~(i) Reduced. ~i ~k~1j~rd Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by ~ Plaie Mar ion S. O . ~ . ~- ~ - - - -a- ~ :3, Date, November i6, 1937 rage ~. fore freedom come en she been know dat Woman en. dat how come 811e went Wid~ her. I mean she cUdn~ know de people bout dere cause de white folks dtdn allow dey colored people to go bout much in slavery t tme Qouldn go nowhe widout dey had a ticket wid dem. She stayed dere in Britten s Neck till. Pa died en den ehe come back up here to ~Larion to live, but her white people was soatte red all bout deji. No,marn, I am never marry cause you had to court on de sly in dat day en time I tell you I come through de devil day when I come along. I ~ae learned to work by de old, old slavery ~ en, honey, I say dat I just as. soon been come through slavery day a s to come under a tight taskmaesa dat was colored. Tes,mani, if I never did a thing right , my dress was over my head. en I was whipped right dere. - I was engaged by letter, but dey kept me under dey foot so close till I never did.n slip de hay. I remember, I was stayin dere wid Mary Jane Rowell en she kept me cowed down so worser, I never Could& do nothin. NI tel). yod, I been a grown girl dere when I leave Mary Jane Rowell s house en go to cookin en a washin for Miss (Mrs.) Louise Brown. Yes, child, I love Miss Louise Brown to dis very day cause she been just like a mother to me. Tes,mam, Mies Brown las just as good to me as she could be. Mr. Jim Brown, he give me a house dere on his plantation to live in just to

248 244

~Oode No. No. WOrd8 ~ Project, 1BS5 (1) Reduced fibui~worde . Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, ~.rion, 8.0. -~ -~ ~ ~- ~ Date, Noverube~ i6, 1937 Page 3. do de house work to de big house, but seems like de other colored people c n de plantation would be tryin to down me most all de time cause I was workin ahead of dem. I know I would go dere to work many a mornin cryin, from what dem u niggers been m9 thin bout nie, en Miss Brown would cry right along wid me. I tell you, Miss Brown was a tender hearted woman, so to speak bout. I tell MissBrown, ~Oar~lina say I stole a towel off de line En Miss Brown say, Julia, if dere a towel gone off dat line I know 1 ~ gone. No, child, I am never think bout to lay no shame on dese hands. White folks been used to leave money all bout whe I bresh (brush) en dust en I am never bad no mind to tou~th it no time. Yes,mam, I been through a day since 1 corne here. ~relong I move out Mary Jane Rowell s house I been in white people house If it am one olass, it another. De very day dat Dr. Dibble been pronounce me to de hospital, dey come after me to wait on a wonian. Yes,mam, Julia Woodberry am beat de state no time. Oh, I tell you, it de God truth, I bas done every kind of work in my life. Me en my three chillun dere run a farm just like a man. Why, honey, you am know I had three girls? Yes,mam, dem chillun been born en bred. right dere in de country to Oentenary.~ I hear people talkin bout dat thing cal . conjurin, but I don know what to say dat is. It somethin I don1 believe in.

249 245

o ode No . ~ No . ~ Wo rds~ Project, 1U5-.(i) Reduced froin~word.e Prepared. by Annie Ruth DaviB Rewritten by Place, Marion, 8.~C. - - - - ~1 ~ ~ - Date, Novernber i6, 1937 hge4. Dozi never take tip no time wi4 dat cause it de devil s work. Dat de olden talk en I don think not ain bout dat. Don want nobody round me dat believes in it neither. Don believe in it. Dont believe in it cause dat en God spirit don1 go together. I hear talk dat been belong to de devil, but I was so email, I Oouldn realize much what to think cause dat what you hear in dem days, you better been hear passin. No main, dey knock chullun down in dat day en time dat dey see standin up lookin in dey eyes to hear. I has heard people say dat dey could see spirits, but I dont put no mind to dat no time. I believe dat just a imagination cause when God get ready to take you out -dis world, you is gone en you gone forever, I say. Don1 believe in no kere after,neither cause dey say I been born wid veil over my face en if anybody could see spirits, I ought to could. I know I has stayed in houses dat people say was hanted. plenty times en I got to ~ee my first liant yet. Yee,mam, I do believe in de Bible If I badn believed in de Bible I wouldn been saved. Dere obliged to be a hereafter accordin to de Bible. Dere obliged to be a hereafter, I say. I cant read, but I ta~~in what I hear de people say. Dat a infidel what don believe dere a hereafter.N How come I know all dat, I was raise up wid de old people. Come along right b hiud de old race en I would be

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Code No No Word. s_____ Project, 1~5-~(i) Reduced f~rn~word.s Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by. Plao e 1~ar ion S C . ~ ~ Date, November 16, 1937 Page 5~ . dere listenin widout no ears en eeeiii widout no eyes. Yes,main, I took what I hear in,lady, en I am been just now Corne here. I been he:e a time. Dat de reason t done wid de world. God knows I i8 done. I is done. I recolleote, way back yondec, Pa Would sing: Dey am had no eyes for to see, De y am had no ~ te e th fc r to eat, n dey ha to let de cornoake go, Gwine whe ~ all de good niggers 1 Dat was my father s piece dat he used. to sing in slavery time. Dat right cause I can retneruber back more so d~en I Can forward. if ~ . Source: JuilaWoodberry, colored, age ~ about 70 t 75., Marion, S.C. Per sonal interview by Annie Ruth Davis Nov. 1937.

Folk-lore: ex-slaves. 251 247

Project 1885 1 ~ District ~j4 ~Or~ri ~~ Edited by: Spartanburg, S.C. ~ L Fronde Kennedy June :i, 1937 ~ FOLK-LOJ~ : EX~SLAVES While looking for an ex- slave in a certain part of Spartanburg this morning, I was directed across the street to an old man who lives therett. I knooked at the door but received no answer. Then I noti.ced an old man walking around by the side of the house. He was t ll and straight, standing about 6 feet 2 inches. He said that his name was George W ~d and that he was 78 years of age. He stated that he v~as born during slavery, and lived on Peter Sepah s place ~n York County, Peter Sepah s fana, where he was born, was near the North Cai~olina line; it consisted of appr ximately 200 acres. His parents were nam d Dan and Sarah Wood. His mother was given to old man ~3epah by his father as a wedding present, and his grandfather had been given to n older Sepahby his parent as a wedding present. He said itwas the custom in slavery times that a slave be given to the son or daughter by the white people when they got marni~d. He was too young to work, but about the time the war was over, h.e was allowed to drive the horses that pulled the thrasher of wheat His master used to walk a round and around while the wheat was being thrashed, and see that everybody was doing their work all right. His father livdd on another plantation. There was only one family of slaves on the whole plantation. He, his mother, and five children lived in a one room log cabin about 30 or 40 feet from the big house , Their beds consisted

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2 of straw mattresses~ They had plenty to eat, having the same food that the white fo1k~ did. They ate ash cakes mostly for bread, but once a week they had biscuits to eat. \Then the wheat was thrashed, they had b~souits mostly for breakfast; but as the wheat got scarcer they did not have rauch wheat toeat. He said that Buffalo Creek. flowed pretty close to their place and that the creek emptied into Broad River. Shelby, N.C., their market, was about ten miles distant. He thinks that it wa~ easier then than now to get something to 248 eat. The log cabin where he and his mother lived was kept comfortably warm in thewinter time. All they had to do, was to go to the wood-pile and get all the wood they needed for the fIre. His mother worked on the farm, washed clothes and helped with the cooking at his master s house. The slaves stopped work every Saturday afternoon about three o clock; then his mistress would have his riother to~patch their clothes, as she did not like to see their clothes needing patching. tty~je used to have lots of f~ ~,tv he sad, more then the children do now. As children, we used to play marbles around the house; but no other special game. Uncle George said. that the patrollers saw that the colored people were iri their houses at 8 o clock every night. They would come to the house and look in; of course, if a man had a pass to another plantation or some place, that was all right; or if he had some business somewhere. But everybody had to be in the house b~ 8 O clOck. He also stated that if a slave strayed off the plantation and didn t have a pass, if he could out-run the p teroller and get back upon his own place, then he was all right. The only slave he ever saw get a whipping, was one who

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249 i.13 ~ had stayed out after hours; then a switch wae used on him by a ttpaterollertt He said he never saw any slaves in chains or treated badly, for his master was a good man, and so was his II~j~5~5U O~e day his mother went to a ohuroh that was not her own church. On coming back, s he s aw a pateroller odming behind her. She began to run, and he did too; but as he caught up with her, she st~jped over a fence on her master s place and dared the pateroller to do anything to her. He didn t do a thing and would not get over the fenoe whore she was, as he would have been on somebody s place besides his own. H~ said thaf when the. corn..shucking time carne, bothwh tes and blacks would gather at a oertain plantation. Everybody shucked corn, and they all had a good time. ~Wheu the last ear of corn was shucked, the owner of the plantation would be~in to run from the place and all would run after him. VVhen they oa~ght him, he was placed on the shoulders of two men and oarried &round and around the house, all singing and laughing and having a good time. Then they would carry the man into his bouse, pull off his hat and throw it into the fire; place him in a chair; comb his head; cross his knees for him and leave him alone. They ~iould not let him raise a second crop under his old hat - he had to haire a new hat for a new crop. Then they would all, colorod and ~vhite, gather to e at The owner of the f arm would furnish plenty to e at; sometimes he would have some whiskey to drink, but not often, as that was .a dangerous thing to have . Ite said that if ~ man who was ohewing or smoking j met a woman, he would throw his tobacco away before talking with the woman. ~ : ~ ~ ~

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4 )r,~ ~ ~ Ia%) ~ I There was plenty of fruit in those days, so brandy was made and put into barrels in the srnoke- house; and the saine way they had plenty of corn, and would put up a still and put the whiskey they made into barre1~. People in those days, ~ie said, had manners . The vJhite and colored folks would haire their separate sections in the church where they sat. I ve seen a white nan make another white man get Up in church and give his place to a colored man when the church was crowded. He said his father was baptized by R V. Dixon, father of Tom Dixon, who was a Baptist preacher. His mother was s prinkled by a Methodist white preacher, but he was baptized by a colored preacher. ASk~d about marriages among the slaves, he said the ceremony was performed by some tTjack_l6ggedtt colored preacher who pronounced a few words and said they were man and vdfe. He said the colored people did not know much about Jeff Davis or Abraham Lincoln except what they heard about them. All that he remembered was a song that hi~ Miscue ueed to sing: ttJeff Davis rides a big gray horse, Lincoln rides a mule; Jeff Davis is a Line old man, And Lincoln is a fool, another song was: ftItl1 lay $10 down end number them one by one, As eure as we do f~ht t~n, The Yankees will run. One day his Mj~~~~ ~ to their house and s they were free and could go anywhere they wanted to, told bis mother

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~.5.. 251 but she hoped they would stay on that year and help thent make a orop. He said his mother just folded her hands ~tnd put her head down and studied . She decided to stay on that year. The next year, they moved to another plantation, where they stayed for twenty years. Before they were free, every oolored man took t}~ name of his master, but after~ards, I took my father s name. He said that the Yankee soldiers did not come to their place, but they were ready for them if they had come. The 8ilver was buried out in the lot, and stable manure was piled and thrown all about the spot. The two good horses were taken off and hidden, but the oldhorse his master owned was 1eft~ He said that sometimes a Confederate soldIer would come by riding an old horse, and would want to trade horses with his master. Sometimes his master would trade, for hethought his horse would be taken anyway. His master would never get an~rthing to bOOt , as the soldier didn t have th~ to boot when the trade was made. So the soldier would ride off the horse, leaving the poor, broken. do~i one behind. S.ometj~es after the war, the Confederate soldiers would come by the house, sick, wounded and almost starved; but his mistress would fix something to e at for them; then they would go on. ?t,poss~ and taters were plentiful then. ~)hen e. slave wanted to go hunting, he could go; but wo had to work then nobody works now. He said that on rainy days, his mother did not have to go to the field, but stayed at home and sewed or carded. He said that after freedom caine to the slaves, he worked on a farm for ~5.OO a month. After he had been on the farm for many years, he heard that Spartanburg was on a boom, so he came

256 252

252 here and worked at railroading for many more years. He ha$ quit work now; but still does a little gardening for some white folks. He said that the white people in the South understand the colored people. When asked if he had ever seen a ghost, he re~ plied that he had never seen one and had never seen a person who had. I don t believ in those things anyhow, he said. He also stated he had never heard of anybody being conjured either. He said that all the nig~ers in his section were sca1~ed of the niggers from way down in South Caroliha, for their reputation as conjurers was a~.)ainst them, so they always fought shy of them and didn t have anything to do with the nigg rs from way down in South Carolina . SOURCE: George ~oods, 337 N. View St, Spartanburg, S.C. ~Interviewer: F.S. DuPre, Spartanburg, S. C.

Aleck Woodward. Ex-slave - 83 years. 257 253

project ;~1655 253 ~ ~. Dixon 390311 ~dnnsboro, 3. C. ALECK WOODV ~RD, EX..SLA\TE ~ 83 YEMtS. n Yo ~ knows de Sirnont on plac e Mr ~ ~ o od? We 11 dat ~ just where I was born back yonder befo de war a slave of old Marster Johnnie Si~oriton. Five miles sorter south sunset side of ~ioodward Station where you was born, ain t it so? ~iy pappy was Ike ~oodward, ut~ 1).im just call Ike t im.e of slavery and i~r maniny was name Dinaho My brother Charlie up north, if he ain t dead, The lives in ksheville, North Carolina. Two sisters: OIlle, her n~rry an Aiken, last counts, ~ nd she and her family in Charlotto, iiorth Carolina; sister Mattie marry a V~ilson nigger, but I don t know where they is. I Us lived in a four ..room log house, bout sixteen all told. Dere was pappy end rnamray (now you count them) gran pappy, Henry Davis, Gran marany Kisana, Aunt anna, and her seven chillun, and me~ ~nd niy two brothers and two sisters. How m~iy make dat? Seventeen? W ll, dat s de number piled in dore at night in de beds and on de floors. They was scendlous beda; my god, just think of ~ grands, old as I is now, tryin to sleep on them hard beds and other folks piled scriminately all over de lo~ floorsi My ~ran pappy Henry was de o~rpenter, and old rnarster tell him if you make your beds hard, Henry, member you folks got to sleep on them. s, ~ was just a little black feller, running round most of de time in my shirt tail, btr~ I recollect pickin cotton, and piddling round de woodpile, fetchizi in wood for white house and chips and kindling to fresh up de fires. 15e had plerrty to eat cause us killed thfrty~five hogs

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at a time, and de sausages and lights us did. was a sight. Then de lard us made and . de cracklin bread why, I hungerB for de sight of them.. things right now. Us niggers didnt get white flour bread, but de crack- lin bread was called on our place, de sweet savor of life. t, Money? Us had eyes to see and ears to hear, but us just hear bout it, never even seen mo~iey. . t!MYF marater had a fish pond, signs of it dere yet. p. My white folks attended ch~.trch at Con~ord Presbyterian Church. Us went dare too, and us set up iii de gallery. Yes, they asked us. De preacher asked us to jine in sonie of de hymns, especially De Dyin Thief and De Fountain Filled V~id Blood, and dat one boixt~ !Mazing Grace How Sweet de Sound Dat Save a Wretch Like us. SOur young Marater Charlie went off to de war ~ got killed at Second Bull Run. .~ Mareter Watt went xid got a l g shot off soinewheres. Mareter Jim went and got killed, Johnnie too Marster Robert was not old enoug)i to carry a gun. De young mist resses was Mary and Martha. Warst er John old r t mistress and all of them mighty good to us, especially when Christmas come and then at times of sickness. They send for de doctor and set ~ up wid you, such tendiri to make you .~ve them. When de Yanks c.ou~ us all plead for l4arster John and family, and de house not to be burnt. De house big had ten roorrza ~ big plentation run fifteen plowe. flytou ask bo!4 . was dere anyt poor white folks round? ~ot many, but I ~ old Misa Salie Carlisle weaved and t eached de slaves how it wai dOflEI. ~.reter give her a houes to live in, end a garden spot on de place, good woman~ She show me hew to spin and make ball threads ~ittle 2~ 2M

259 255

I 3. 255, as ~~ras . Mar~ter John had. over fifty slaves and they worked hard, sun up to sun down. It~s awondor but I never got a whippirx . s Did I ever see a ghost? Mr. Wood, I seen sumpin once mighty strange I was gwine to s se a gal Nwanie on de widow Mobley plac e and had to pass tween two graveyards de white and de colored. She was de daughter of Rev. Richard Cook. When I was just boixt de end of de white graveyard, I saw two spirits dressed in white. I run all de way to de gal s house ~nd sob when I got dere. ~ laid my head in her lap arid told her boixt~ de spirits and how they soared me. I still weepin wid fear, and she console me, rub my forehead and soothed me. When I got quiet, I aeked her sons day to be my wife and dat s de gal dat come to be years after, my wife. U~ walk to church hand and hand ever afterwards,~ and one day~ Preacher Morris, ivhite man, made us husband and wife. I members de sozig de white folks sung ~at~ day4~ Hark from de tomb a doleful sound. Don t~ you think dat a wrong song to sing ~ on a din dey? Jay to de World was in. ~our heart and dat t une wo uld have been more propriate, seems to ins. - ~ Uarster John give de slaves every other Saturday after dinner~ . in busy seasons and every Saturday evening all other weeks tie had two dootore Doctor Brice at first and ihen he git old us had Doctor Isir.~ kino Was glad. when marster called us up and told us we was free. De Yankees triade a camp on de Doctor Brice place, and foraged de country ai . round. They made me run after chieken~ and I had to give up my ~ . on1ie~t blue hen dat I had. )~r pappy was took off by them to Raleigh, y wid dat I member, was de eadds~t de~y of slavery time.

260 256

4. 250 *~Tanri~e end me, under de providence of de Lord Jehovah, has had three chilltm to live, and they have chiflun too. I owns my own home and land enough to live on, though it is hard o make both ends meet some years. How I got my name yo u~ ask d ~ ? Well aft er freedom us niggers had to come to Wiz~naboro and register. Us talk tb~~t it by de fireside what US WOUld lak. When us come, Marster Henry Gaillard had a big crowd of Gajilard niggere bout him in ~ for names . One of then say tiilarster Henry I don t want no little naine I wants big so undin. name . ~.ret er Henry write on do paper, then he read: Your name is Mendozah J. Fernandez, hope data big enough for you. De little nigger dwerfseem powerful pleased and at epped to de register. De rest of us spoke to Capt alu Gaillard and he said no better name than Woodward., so ua took dat name. Its been a kind of a tection to ils at times, and none of our ininediate family has ever dragge&-it in a Jail or chaingang, Bless. GOdS and I hope us never will.

Ex-slave 83 years old. 261 257

Project ~l665 . w. ~i. Dixon Winneboro, s. C. 257 390292 MkRY WOODY~&RD EX-SLAVE 83 YEARS OLD. UI knows you since you bout dis high (indicating). When was it ? Where I see you? I see you at your auntie s house Dat was your auntie, Miss Roxie Mobley, other side of Blaokstook. You was in a little dress dat day, look lak a gal. Oh Lordy, dat been a long timel What us has ooine thru since dat day and de,days befo~ dat, beyond freedom. I was born a slave of old Marster ~dam Berber, near de Catawba Ri~or side de county, in 1854. l s a mighty. small.. gal but I members when pappy got his . leg broke at de gin-house ~ dat day, in de Christmas week. Seem lek dat was de best Christmas I ever had. Y~hite folks contin and a gwine, badin de. bed do~wn wid pres~nts ~for pappy and rnan~r and me. . . .. What n~r pappy ~name~ Ee was name Joe and inann~r go by Millie . Both ~ long to Marster Adam and Miss Nellie. ~at waa her n~ and a loTely mistress . she be in dat part of de country. lier wa~s ~ sure pretty, walk pretty, and act pretty. Bout all ~ I had to do in sia,very time was to oomb her hair, lace her corset, pull de hem over her hoop and say, You je served, mistreesl fer lak them little words at le last. They have no ohillun and dat was a grief. to her n~re than to Ilarster Adam. Eim oomfort her many times tb0~4~ it a~d low it was his fauli;. Then t!tey spute bout it. Date all de run~us ever was 14~jX~ thea. I tspeote~ if they had had ohillttu they would~i t have been so good to rne~a What you reckon? They give me dolls arid laugh at de way I name . . . th m, talk to them and dre8e. th&k up. . ... . ~ . . When de Yankees come, I was a se~tin in de swine in de trout . . iaz ~ ~: y:rjde right up and say: Where your inistressV . I say: 1

262 258

2. 258i doE:~ t iaiow. They say : tY0~ is lyi& ~ Gi.ve her ~ few lashea and us .1 fizid out. Another sayi No, us oonie to free niggers, not to whip them. Then they ask me for to tell them where de best things was hid, I eay z t I don t know sir ~ Then they ran~aok de bust open de snake house, take de meat, hams, shoulders, lasses barrel, sugar, and meal, put them in a four-horee wagon, set de hot~Be, ginAho~ae end barn afire and go on toward Roo~~y 1~bun. c~r neighbors then, was ~lareter. Aaron Powell and . Sikes Gladden, on Dutchman Creek, ~ ~ ~ after freedom ~ xi~.rry A ! Woo~ard. Us had ohullun. flow many? Let me see; Eli Still alive,~ don t know where he is though. Rosa dead; Susannah live now on Miss Sara Lord s p .aoe, up dere near 1~etford. De rest ~ of de ohillun went Off to Arkansas bout 1855, and us never hoard from them. t I forgot to tell you ~ dat when de Yankees come and find me a settin in dat swing I bad on a string of beads dat 1~iss J~e11ie give to me. Them rascals took n~r beads off m~ neok, and i~hat you reckon they did wid them? Well if you sn t know, I does. De scamps dat is one of them did, took n~ lovely beads and put them round his horse s neek~ .nd ride~ off wid them, leavin me sobbin ii~ life out in dat swing. They say yo~ im.~st love your enemies and pray for them dat spitefully use you but I never have pray for dat Yankee soamp to die day. .Mthough l s Scotch Irish African Sociate Reform Presbyterian, de spirit ha7e never moved me tO pray Cor de horse and rider dat w rb off wid rr~r beads dat n~r mistress give me. ~Vhen I tel). Ilareter William Woodward, n~ husband s old marster, bout it, him say; De low dirt~y skunk, de Lord Il take vengeance on him. Marster William give Alf a half a dollar and t.ll him to git me another etring of beads though Alf never done o .

263 259

3. 259 ~ RAlf was 1~.rster William s ooaohn~n and him and Wade Piohett, dat was a slave of Marster William, took fifteen mules, when de Yankees come, and carried them in de Wateree swamps and stayed ere and saved them. Everytiirie Alf or Wade see ~Aar8ter William, 8.8 de years corned and goed, they fetched up de subject of them mules and git sumpin front hint. One day he laugh and say: Look here ~&lf, I done bout pay for sixteen mules and dere was but fifteen lu de drove. Alf laugh but he al*ays got way wid it *hen he see any of de ~oodwar~ white folks. Well I s glad to go now, though I has 3oyed bein wid yoit. De Lard bless you and keep you. ~

Pauline Worth. Ex-slave, 79 years. 264 260

Oode No ITo . ~ Pro3ect, 18~5- (i) Reduced. from WOrds Prepared by Annie Rutb ~vt8 Rewritten by~ Place, Marion, 8.O . . . .- 2C0 Date, September 15, i937 ~ 1. ~ PAULINE WORTH Ix-Slave, 79 Years 390279 Tes ~Ufll, I know ~ been here in slavery time ~ large enough to do nothin in dat day en time. I reach 79 de first day of November. To be certain dat how old I is, Miss Betty Zvans give ~e~my direct age here de other day She know who I a~ cause I was raise near bout in de same yard dat she was raise in. Mr. Telatby Henry family was ~y white folks. Yes tun I was raise right here in die town. in~ never been nowhere else but Marion. I was small den, but I remembers my old Missus. I eho remembers her all right My old. boas he died. I can remember notbin much bout dem times only I reoollecta when my o 4 Miesue used to get after me en whtp me, I would run under de house. Didn want to sweep de yard en dat how ooze she get after me wid a switch. I was small den en she was tryin to learn me H No, child, I didn live on no plantation. Didn have no quarter for de slaves dere. My white folks live in town en dey 3ust have my mother en her ohillun en another old man. He stayed in de kitchen en would work de garden en go off on e rrands f0 r de Mi s eus My mother en le chillun stayed in a little small one room house in de yard en he stayed in de kitchen. I wasn large enough to do nothin much den only as like I t ll you, my old Miseus tried to learn me to sweep

265 261

Code No. No. Words_______ Project, 1S~5-(i) Reduced f~~ ~i Jords Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Re~ritten by~ Place, Marion, S.C. ~ ~ ~ 261 Date, Bepteniber 1, 1937 Page 2. de yard. I ia.8 small den, child, but I got along all right cause we ate in de white folks kitchen. Oh, no wn, dey C ook in de chinine y long bout de t mie i o orne up No um, du se e no stove s nowlie when I come up. I remembers we had greens like couards en bread en potatoes to eat sometimes, but say remember all what we had. to eat, I couldn never think bout to do dat. I just knows dat I remembers old Missus provide good livin for us all de time. I le t nobody suffer for nothin be dat she know bout it. Old Missus used to give us every speck de clothes we had to wear too dat was made out die here homemade homespun cloth. You see my mother ~s de cook dere. Old Massa used. to keep dry goods store en de first I know bout it, she get de cloth out de store to make us clothes. Den after de old. head. died, old. Missue commence to buy cloth from somebody in de country cause people weave dey cloth right dere on dey own plantation in dat day en time. Had dese here loom en spinning wheel. I remembers old Mi88u8 would take out big bolt of cloth e n ou t out us garme nt s wid her own hands Den she would Ca . 1 us dere en make us try dem on en mine wouldn never be nothin troublesome nowhe bout it. I remembera I used to hear my Missus,when she be readin de paper speak bout Abraham Lincoln en Jefferson ~vis, but I was small den en never paid no much attention to it. Only oared bout my new homespun dress wid.

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T Q ode No No . Words~ Project, i~5~(1) Reduced fror~i___Words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. ___________________ 2C2 Date, September 15, 1937 hge ~. de pockets shinin rigbt in de front part. My Lord, child, I been de proude 8t like of dem pockets. NI hear de older people say de Yankees come en say de Yanke e s wa e he re but I wae small den De y di du do no thin bout dere dat I know of. I was sniall en I didn know. Didn hear de older peoples say nothin bout it neither. Oh, we went to de white peo~i1es service to dat big Methodist church right up dere in dis town what was tore down long time ago. Walked dere to dat church every Sunday en set up in de gallery. ~.t whe all de slaves had place to sit. De only thing I could remember bout gwine to c~iurch dere was what I hear dem say. Dey say, ~I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, etc. Dat ai . I re~ieinbera bout gwine to church dere. ~~erytbing I re~nembers. Don know as I could tell you dat, but I hear my mother repeat it so much when she come home en be teachin Us Our prayer. Den U1~SU8 teach us de same thing till we get large enough to learn de Lord s Prayer. No inani, white folks didn teach US no learnin in dat day en time. Didn hear bout no books only dese almanacs When de white folks throw dem out, dey allow us to pick dem up to play eid. Eat all de books we know bout. Lord, child, dat was soniethin. I~.t was sho a time when dat shake come here. I remembers de ground be shakin en all de people ~s hollerin. Yes wu, I was soared. Soared of dat noise it ~iiaa makin cause I didn know but dat it might been

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Code No. No. WOrds______ Project, 1~5-.(i) Reduced f~6iOrds Prepared by Annie Th~tth Davie Rewritten by~ Place, Marion, S.C. _________________ Date, September 1,5, 1937 ~ag~iL ~ ~ ~ gwine destroy me. I waa hollerin en everybody round in de neighborhood wa~ hollerin. Didn nobody know Wbat to think it wae. Well, I tell you I thought it muet a been de Jedgment Comm. ~ Thought it imist a been somethin like dat. NI dons know nothin bout dat. It just like die, I heard peop le speak bout conjurin, ~~but nobody neye r baa talked to me nothin concernin no conjurin. My mother would.n allow nobody to talk dat kind of apeech to US. No I am never seen none of dem things people say is gho et No am se en none dat I remembe ra . My husband died en I was right in de room wid him en I am see a t hing. ~ r thought bout not hin I i1~e dat . Thought when dey gone dey was gone. ~ When I ~aa able to work, I didn bave no time to bother wid. dein things. DidU have no time to take up wid nothin like dat. I de one dat used. to cook dere to Mis s Eloise Bethea s mamma. Dia here de one dey call Paul me I tell you my old Missus iaa good. to us, child, good. to us all de time. Come bout en d~ootor us herself when we get sick. Wouldn trust nobody else to give us no medicine. I remember she give us castor oil en little salts for some ailments. Didn give us nothin more den dat only a little sage or oatnip sometimes. Dat what was good. for colds.

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Oode No. ~o. Tord~s______ Projeot,18~5 (1) ~eiuos5. f~nmWorda Prepared by Annie Th.tth Davis Rewritten by Plaoe, Marion, 8.0. . ~ ~ 264 Date, September 15, 1937 P~ ge~. I don know, o~it1d. I can tel . which de worser days den or d~ese times. I know one thing, dey dances now nb re den dey used. to . ~ I don go bout much but I can tell you what I hear talk bout. I don know as de people any worser d.ese days, but I hear talk bout more danoes. ~t bout all. Coase de peoples used to ~ . dance bout but dey didn ~ have dese dance halls like dey have now. Didn have none of dem kind. of rousin places den. De peoples didii bave chance to danoe in dat day en time only as dey bave a quiltin en cornehuckin on a night. Den dey just dance bout in old. Massa yard en bout de kitchen. Oh dey have dem quiltin at night en would play en go on in de kitchen. Turn plate en different little things like dat. I do know how dey do it, but I remembers I hear dem talkin somethin bout turnin plate. Vaan big enough to explain nothin bout what de y an. I jus t know s de y would do dat en try to make some kind of motion 1 ike . N }~ney, didn never hear my parents tell bout no stori s. My mother waen de kind to bother wid no stories like dat. ~he tried to always be a Ohristian en ehe never would allow us to tarnish us souls wid nothin like dat. She raise us in de way ehe want us to turn out to be.~ All dese people bout here livin too fastS to pay attention to raisin dey ohil .un dese days. Just livin too fast to do

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T Code No. Project, 1M5-(i) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, September 15, 1937 No. Words_____ Reduced f6m~yords Rewritten by Page6. 265 an~thirx4 dat be lastin like. Dat how come. dere be so muoh de struotiveness bout die se days. ~ Paul tue Worth, age 79 ex-slave Manning 8t . Marion, 8.0. Personal interview, 8ePt.~, 1937 by Annie Bath Davis.

Daphney Wright. 106 year old ex-slave. 270 266

Project ~~ . .655 Po1k1oe~e 2136 Phoebe Faucette Hantpton aounty DAPENEY WRIGI~2 106 Year Old Ex-81aye J~~t around the bend from the old mill pond on the way to Davis ~wimni1ng Pool lives a very old negro w an. Her name ja Daphney Wr ight though that itaine has nev er been heard b~ those who affectionately know her as Aunt Ltfie . She says she Is 106 years old~ She col s to the door without a c&ne and greets her guests with accustomed curt~y. She is neatly dressed and still wears a fresh white cap as she did ~then she worked for the white folks. Save for her wearing glasses and walking slowly, there are no evidences of Illness orinfiral- ties. She has a sturdy frame, and a kindly face shows through the wrinkles. Ni been livin in Beaufort when de war fust (first ) break out , she begins.~~ Mr. Robert Cally was my rr~rsa. Dat wuz in October. De Southern soldiers come through Bluffton on a Wednesday and te . . de white folks must get out de way, de Yanke e s r ight behind eni I De summer p .a ce be en at B .uff ton. De plantation wuz ten miles away. After we refug e from Bluffton, we spent de fust ni~t at Jone svi 11e ~ From dere we went to Hardeeville. We got here on Saturday evening. You know we had to ride by horses ~ in wagons an buggies. Dere weren t no railroads or cars den. Dat why it take so long. ~ Mx . Lawrence McKenzie wuz my Missust child. ~e stayed lid him awhile, tU he find us a place. Got us a little . house. WO sta7ed four years dere, ttil~. de war wuz over.

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r Project ~..l655 . Page - 2 Pt~oebe Faucette . ~ ampton County Dey sent de young ladies on ~ on farther up de country, to a safer place. Dey went to Society Hill. My old Missus stay. She wuz a old lady When de Yankees come she cUed. I wu~ right dere wid her whensbe died. She had been sickly. After de war dey all went back to de old plac . I Irnd married up here, 80 ~th~n dey went back I stay on here. n : been right here when de Yankees come through. . ~ I been ~in inyh use asittin before de fire, jes like I -isnow. t One of t em come up an say, You know who I is t I say, No. - ~ - ~ He say, Well I Is come t o ~ set you ~ free . ~ You ki~n istay Widyour old owners if ~cu wants to, butdey llpay you wages. ~ ~ But dey sure did plenty of mis chie! while dey ~vuz here. . Didn t burn all de houses Pi ok out de big hand~ome house to burn. Burn down Mr. Bill Lawton house. Mr. Asbury Lawton ~ had a fine house. Dey burn dat. (lie Marse Tom I.awton ~ brother. ) Burn Mr. Maner house Some had put a poor white ..~ woman in de house to keep. de pitce; but it didn t make no . difference. . ~ D ioldiers say, Dis rich hou8edon t belong to you. We ~: ; in t o burn dis house I~ ~ ~ ~ . I~~ d go through . de house an take everything Take ny.. ~ thin they could find, Pake from de white an take from de & ooloi d, too. rake everything out de housel Dey take from

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P;o~ct ~ie55 .~ Page - 3 268 Phoebe Faucette Kampton Count7 ~. S ~ S my house Take some thin to eat But I dIdXI t have nt much in my house Had a little pork t a week ~ upply of rations. S . De white folks would bury de silver. But dey couldn t always find it again. One give her silver to de colored butler to bury but he wuz ~ icili ant nobody e lse know where he bury t t I t ~ z 8~t er de war an he wu z n down de road, an Wheeler s Brigade k111 him. ~Been years an years fore everythin could come together again. You know after de war de Confederate money been .5 confiscate . You could be walkin - long de road anytime a& pick up a tendoflar bill or a five dollar bill,butit wu t no g ood o you. After de greenba ok corne money flourish again. S De plantation wuz down on de river. I live dore cept for de four. years we refugee. ~D&t been a beautiful place - dere On de waten When de stars would come out dore over de water it wua a beautiful sighti Sometiles some of us girls would get in a little paddle an paddle out into de river. We d. be scared to go too far c~it, but we d paddle around. ; Scmetime s my father would go out in de night t cat ch de :~ fish with a seite. !~ & come back with a bushel of :ti3h mOst anytime ~ey were nice big mulletsi Ke d divide em t round mongst de colore d folks An t d take some up to de ~iite folks for dere breakfast. My white folks been good I

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Project ~-l655 Page ~ 4 Phoebe Faucette . Hampton County white pe ople . I neye r know no cruel Dey t rea t me j.e s like one of dein . ~ Dey say dey took me whe n I wuz f ive year a old.. An I stay wid dem ti . freedom. I am 106 years old now. Dem people on de water don t eat much meat. Twentyfive cent of bacon Wil . laBt dem a week. Dey cut de meat into little pieces, an fry dem into cracklings, den put dat into de fish stew. It surely makes de stew good. When dey kill a hog dey take it to town an sell it, den use de money for whatever dey want. Dey dontt have to cure de pork an keep it to eat. Dey 3es eat fish. Dey have de mullets, an de oys ter s . an de crab s ~ de se li ttle elaine . Dey have oys ter- stew a Dey have roa s t oys tors, den ~ de ~ raw oys t~T~ An ~ dey have del fried oyst. er a I Dat su re i s g ood . Dey fish from de boat, dey fish from de log, an dey fish long de edge of de water wid a net. Wh fl de tide go down y~. kin walk along ant jea pick up de crab You could get a bucket full in no time. We d. like to go up an down an pick up de pretty shells. I got one here on de mantel now. It ain t sech a big one, but it!s a pretty little sh ll.~ I is always glad to talk bout de old tiaea an de old people. We is livin in peace now, but still B hard time s . W0 ought to be thankful though our country t in war. ~ ~: Source: ~phney Wright, otia, 8. 0.

Stories from ex-slaves. 277 273

ftoj ct 18854 P klore ~Q 1,0 Edited by: Spartanburg, Dist.4 ~ Elmer Turriage Feb. 4, 1938 STOIUES ~OM EX-~SLAVES ?tMarch lb, 1862 is de date I allus takes ~vheri. folks axes how old is you. Dat s de best, to follow one date, den rio argument don t Lollow. ~ 1tSome see d it powerThl hard in slavery, others never see d it so bad. Dat pends onyou a lot, den i~ tpe~d5 on dein dat you stays wid. It still like dat everywhar dat I is been, but I ain t been no Lurther dan Spartaaburg swine north, and to Lyles s Ford gwirie south. ~ Pr9in a wee bi.tty bab~dey teach xrLe t o serve. Befo you serves God you is ~ot to know how to serve man. De Bible speaks of us as servants of de Lawd. Niggers can serve Hirn better dan white folks,- ~ kai$e dat is all deydoes if dey stays whar dey belongs. Young folks andchllluri being raised up real biggity like dey is now, dey can t serve nothing, kaise if you can t serve your earthly father, how is you gwine to serve your Heavenly Father? De big plantation arid house whar Mr. Jirmnie Jeter s sons stay is whar 3~ first see d earthly lieht. Dat, place still look fine, and. it look Line den, too. When I was 8 years old I started out in de field, afo dat I did. jes what all little ni~er boys did, nothing but eat and sleep and play and have a bi~ time wid de little white boys. Lots of my playmates, both white and black, doae gone on nQW. Some done cone to de bad place and soznedone done to Heaven, jest ain t rio use talkir~ , dat s sho nuff de truth. ~ : . ~ ~ ~ War was ra8in~ ail rouiad Charleston and Colunibia when I come in dis world so dey says, Yankees carn~ped in haLf mile of Santuc. I r

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2?4~ I is heard. dat everybody was scared. Has even heard dat I cried when dein Yankees c orne but all j knows is j es what I heard. Folks hears lots arid dey tells it, arid dat s jes what I is do ~ng now -- jes telling what dey told me when I ~ot big. I folks didn t never tell nothing no worse, it wouldn t make no difference, but often dey takes devilish notions arid tells dat what injures, if anybody believes dem. Aunt Phyllis Jeter low when dem Yankees got to Santuc, she was a weaving jes as hard as she could Lor her white folks. She say dat shestarteL~ to run, but dem Yankees c~xxie in de house and throw d away her yarn and took her arid tied. her to a tree. When she hollered, dey whipped her. She say dat dey was drunk, but dey never. burn t up . nothing in de house. Dey went on singin~, and she got me to playing ~ and. got up de yarn from de dirt in de yard arid cleaned it. De Yankees ~ never bothered us no mo , and dey never stayed in Santuc long. - - - . *Once when I was a big boy I ~ot drunk and. pawhipped me so . hard I never got drunk no mo till I was married., and den I 4iumped on . ~ my old. lady for fun and she hit me wid a b~d slat. Dat knocked me ~ sober and I cided de best thing Lor me to do was let liquor go to ~ de devil. When. I was young I allus walked to Union, Dat ain t but ten L miles down de railroad. Den used to walk all over Sarituc and down ~ to Herbert in Pish Dam. Now I is drapoed most all my w~1king. De ~: chilluns travels Last in automobiles, but I jes as lieve walk to ~ Union as to ride in dem things. Wrecks kills you off so quick dat you L. does not have timeto repent. .~ . Walking never has hurt nobody, acid I buys leather and. tacks ~ it on my own shoes, and in dat way it ~ cost me nothing much. loiks goes so east in dem automobiles, and hale de tinie dey ain t in ~ no hurry kaise dey ain t swine to nothing rio way. I sits on my shoei ~ ja de winter and~ I Waika . W~ien I wants to drap in for a chaw at some I E~c~81avee ~ - Bob young

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~c.~Slave: Bob Young friend s house, I does. I sets dar till I gits rested and v~arm and I goes on. If dey eats,. I does too, ana. when I gits to Union my chillun is done out arid gone. 3es de same, I reaches home at night befo dem. Dey has tales to tell about gitting out of gas, and when I axes whar dey been, dey jes as apt to say Spartanburg as any whars. As long as aey has a quarter dey is allus gwthe to ride and come home broke. If you fools wid automobiles, ~ ou is gwine to spend lots of time in jail. I ain t never been in jail and. I thinks it is a disgrace. My chilluri says dat I is old timey and don t know nothing bout living. Jes de saine, I likes slow moving, and takes mine out in walking arid gits home at dark or soon atter. ~ Dese faat ways don t bother me. Dey makes sassy chilluns. Sassy chilluns dat can t serve d.eir pa nee~ riot think dat ~ey can -~ ride t.o de Promise Land in narry automobile dat dey is ever seed. Gwine round in fast circles arid never gittirig nowhars seems to satisfy dem s o I ~ ~ t kn ow w hat is gw i ne t o be C orne of dem. Source: Bob Young (75) Jonesville, S.C. Interviewer: Caidwell Sinis, Union, S.C. 11/10/37 ~