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