SLAVE NARRATIVES A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves TYPEWRITTEN RECORDS PREPARED BY THE FEDERAL WRITERS' PROJECT 1936-1938 ASSEMBLED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PROJECT WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SPONSORED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Illustrated with Photographs WASHINGTON 194 L VOLUME V INDIANA NARRATIVES Prepared by the Federal Writers1 Project of the Works Progress Administration for the State of Indiana n INFORMANTS Arnold, George W. Ash, Thomas,and Crane, Mary Barber, Rosa Blakeley, Mittie Boone, Carl Bowman, Julia Boyce, Angie Boysaw, Edna Bracey, Callie Buckner, Dr. George Washington Burns, George Taylor Butler, Belle Carter, Joseph William. Cave, Ellen Cheatam, Harriet Childress, James Colbert, Sarah Cooper, Frank Edmunds, Rev. H. H. Eubanks, John Fields, John W. Fortman, George Gibson, John Henry Guwn, Betty Hockaday, Mrs. Howard, Robert Hume, Matthew Jackson, Henrietta Johnson, Lizzie Jones, Betty Jones, Nathan 1 Lennox, Adeline Rose 120 Lewis, Thomas 123 8 Locke, Sarah H. 128 11 13 McKinley, Robert 131 15 Miller, Richard 134 19 Moorman, Rev. Henry Clay 137 21 Morgan, America 141 22 Morrison, George 145 25 Mosely, Joseph 147 27 Patterson, Amy Elizabeth 150 36 Preston, Mrs. 153 40 Quinn, William M. 155 43 50 Richardson, Candus 158 52 Robinson, Joe 16a 55 Rogers, Rosaline 164 57 Rollins, Parthena 167 61 Rudd, John 169 64 67,72 Samuels, Amanda Elizabeth 173 Simms, Jack 175 77,81 Slaughter, Billy 176 84 Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Alex 181 Stone, Barney 185 96 Suggs, Adah Isabelle 189 98 Sutton, Katie 193 101 Thompson, George 196 105 107 Wamble (Womble), Rev. 198 111 Watson, Samuel 206 113 Whallen, Nancy 209 116 Whitted, Anderson 211 118 Woodson, Alex 214 ILLUSTRATIONS Facing page Peter Dunn Frontispiece John W. Fields 77 Anderson V/hitted 211 m j&-.$lave Stories ){strict.ITo.. 5 fanderburgh '€ oun ty jauana Creel fc ?hi3 i- written from an interview with each of the following; George ?/• T.cla, Professor 7,\ S. Best of the Lincoln High School and Samuel Bell, til of Svansville, Indiana. George '.7. Arnold was horn April 7, 1851, in Bedford County, Tennessee, was the property of Oliver P. Arnold, who owned a large farm or plantation ;n Bedford comity, ^is mother v/as a native of Home, Georgii where she re- ined until twelve years of age, when she v/as sold at auction. Oliver Arnold "bought her, and he also purchased her three "brothers" and Jie uncle. The four negroes were take:? al^ng with other slaves from Georgia Tennessee where they were put to work on the Arnold plantation* On this plantation George ",/. Arnold v/as horn and the child was allowed ;o live in a cabin with his relatives and declares that he never heard one them speak an unkind word about ITaster Oliver Arnold or any member of his bnly. "Happiness and contentment and a reasonable amount of food and clothes iemed to he- all we needed." said the now white-haired man. Only a limited memory of Civil 1.7ar days is retained "by the old man "but [e few events recalled are vividly described "by him. "Mother, my young "brother b sister and I were walking along one day. I donTt remember where we had parted "but we passed under the fort at Jjartrace. A "battle was Jji progress P& a large cannon was fired above us and we watched the huge hall sail throug [he air and saw the smoke of the cannon pass over our heads. V7e poor childrer |re almost scared to death hut our mother held us close to her and tried to •ort us. The next morning,after, we-/ were safely at home,,we were proud |e bad seen that much of the great battle and our mother told us the war was gf^|g|,;fr^adom," ¦ ./ Ifjjjjl^^ :natural,:|p^st|ii|j :«J'^fe&5^$i!3S5& iy^ Es-Slaye Stories District No. 5 4^2. Vander burgh County & lauana Creel - AIT UUHAPPY. E3CPEHIUNCE. a TO ask Uncle George. "I cannot say that they were happy, as it "broke'up a lot of real friend- ships and scattered many families, ''other had a great many pretty quilts and a lot of bedding. After the negroes were set free, Mars. Arnold told us |se could all go and make ourselves homes, so we started out, each of the grown persons/ loaded with great bundles of bedding, clothing and personal belong- ngs. V7e walked all the way to TTartrace to try to find a home and some way to make a living." George 7/; Arnold remembers seeing many soldiers going to the pike road §n their way to Ilurfreesboro. "Long lines of tired men passed through Guy's j] Gap on their way to Murfreesboro." said he, "Older people said that they were sent out to pick up the dead from the battle fields after the bloody [battle of Stone's river that had lately been fought at Ilurfreesboro. Etiey |ook their comrads to bury them at the Union Cemetery near the town of Ifur- [freesboro." "17artrace was a very nice place to make ..our home. It was located on e Uashville and Chattanooga and St. Louis railroad, just fifty-one miles prom Uashville not many miles from our old home." "Mother found work and got along very well but as soon as we children were old enough to work, she went back to her old home in Georgia where a few years later she'died. [believe she lived to be seventy-five or seventy six years of age, but I ever saw her after she went back to Georgia." M!ly first work was done on a farm (there are many,fine farms, in fennessee) id although farm latyor was not very profitable we were always fed *herever ge worked and got some fages. Then I got a job on the railroad. n0u3?; par M:*ifl§. tracked at a place called Silver Springs." said Unole Seorgt^wani *j fel^l ijlllfil^^ Ei-Slave Stories Dist±ict Ho. 5 Vanderburgh County Lauana Greel &• All UNHAPPY EXESRISITCS. Here the story teller paused to collect his thoughts and conquer'the nervous twitching: of his lips. "It was like this: Three of us hoys worked together. 7e were like three brothers, always sharing our fortunes with each other, ?e should never have done it, but we had made a habit of sending to Nashville r-.fter each payday and having a keg of Holland rum sent in by freight. This licmor was handad out among our friends and sometimes we drank too much and we're unfit for work for a day or two. Our boss was a big strong Irishman, red haired and friendly. He always got drunk with us and all would become . sober enough to soon return to our tasks. "The time I'm telling you about, we had all been invited to a candy pull] ing in town and could hardly wait till tine to go, as all the young people of the valley would be there to pull candy, talk, play games and eat the goodies served to us. The accursed keg of Holland rum had. been brought in that morn-j ing and my churn John Sims had been drinking too mueh. About that time our Bosf came up and said, ^John, it is time for you to get the supper ready." John was our cook and our meals were served on ''the caboose where ?;e lived wherever we were side tracked. All the time Johny was preparing the food he was drinking the rum. TJhen tare went in he had many drinks inside of him and a quart bottle filled to take [to the candy pull. 'Hurry up boys and let's finish up and go' he said impati- ently. 'Don't take him' said the other boy, 'Pont you see he is drunk?" So I put ray arms about his shoulders and tried to tell him he had better slee| a while before we Started. The..poor boy was.a breed. His mother was almost white .and his father was a thorough bred Indian and the siiel had a most agg.»a- He made me no answer but running his-hand into his'pocket,v;£ ^thsone thrust, cut a deep, gash in m,m^^^A::':::§. ^aWM^P^^^fe;: ^13.;©*ig|^||f^&&e#-; he irif. 3mQ;$k$d. ¦: m&^/mA. py /&#&&• ;S;^||||t| msmmm jterSlave Stories |District ITo. 5. lauana Ore el $. & 4 | Vanderburgh County something. I reached out my hand and discovered it was the ax. With this awful weapon I struck my friend, my more than "brother. The thud of the ax ["brought me to my senses as our "blood mingled. "7e were both almost mortally (wounded. The boss came in and tried to do something for"our relief hut ^ John said, "Oh, George? what an awful thing we have done? *7e have neter isaid'a cross word to each other and now, look.at us hoth .' "I watched poor John -.?alk away, darkness was falling hut early in the I morning my hoss and I followed a trail of "blood down "by the side of the [tracks. From there he had tea turned into the woods. " 7,'e could follow him I no further. '.7e went to all the nearby towns and villages but we found no * person who had ever seen him. V'e sup-nosed he had died in the woods and watched for the buzzards, thinking thay woaid lead us to his body but he was never seen again. Tor two years I never sat down to look inside a book nor to eat my |food that John Sims was not beside me. lie haunted my pillow and v/ent beside me night and day. His blood was on my hands, his presence haunted me he- lyond endurance. '.That could I do? How could I escape this awful presence? An -old friend told me to put water, between myself and the plac.e where the [awful scene occurred. So, I quit working on the railroad and started work- ing on the river. People believed it that time that the ghost of a per- son you had wronged would not cross water to haunt you. " . life on the river was diverting. Things were constantly happening- land George Arnold put aside some of his unhappiness by engaging in river [activities. KMy first job on the river was as a roust-about oh the Bolliver H Cook . iilpltern wheel packet which carried freight and passengers from Haahville.Tenn^ to.Bvansville, Indiana. I worked a round trip on her then went from IBz-slave -Stories District Ho. 5. gander burgh Comity lauana Ore el L5- a UIIEAPPY ,^—J. *..+ ~ »Jl-.»*.. vy jlj < Ilashville to Cairo, Illinois on the B. C. P:hea. I soon decided to go to "airo and take c plrce on the ridarado, a 3t. Louis and Cincinnati packet :hioh erased fro-r: Cairo to Oirjcimiati. On that bo>.t I v/orkcd as a roust- r/bout for nearly three years." "*.?hat did the roust-about have to do?" asked a neighbor lad. who hs'd come Into the roo:.u "The roust-about is no better than the mate that rules him. If the iX'te ie kindly disposed the roust-about has an "easy enough life. Thi negroes had only a fev; years of freedom and resented cruelty. If the mate became too -moan, a regular fight would follow and perhaps several roust-abouts| vouia bo hurt before it was finished." uncle O-eorge said that food was alvoys plentiful on the boats. Passengers! ¦.lid freight were crowded together on the decks. At night there would be sing-| t~ng and dancing and fiddle music. . ''.'e roust-abouts would get together and hoot craps, dance or play cards until the call came to shuffle freight, then \"q would all get busy and the mate's voice givving orders could be heard for a long distance. "Tnjspite of'these few pleasures, the life of a roust-about is'the life of a dogy I do not recall any unkindnesses of sic very days. I was too young to realise what it was all about, but it could never have equalled the cruel- ty shown the laborer on the river boats by cruel mates and overseers." Another superstition advanced itself in the story of a boat,told byUncle George Arnold. The story follows: ""Then I was a roust-about on the Gold [Dust We were sailing out from Uew Orleans and as soon as we got well out on the broad stream the rats commenced Jumping over hoard. 'See these rats1 said an old river man, 'This boat will never make a return trip!! "At every port some of our crew left the boat but the mate and the cap-tail] I salt they were, all fools and begged us to stay. So a few of us stayed to do | I* »-/»&* ^ «-y h - &¦£ '.'% 111 Bz-Slave Stories ["District Ho. 5* 6. Vender burgh County . t> ilauana Creel *•" . " An unhappy Experience. ™- - .•the necessary work hut the rats kept leaving as fast as they could. ""/Vhen the boat was nearing Hickman, Kentucky, we swelled fire,and hy the time we were in the harp or passengers were "being held to keep them from jumping over hoard. Then the Gap tain told -as "boys to jurnp into the water and save ourselves. Two of us launched a "bale of cotton over-board and jump- ed onto it. As we paddleo. away we had to often go under to put "out the fires as our clothing would bleze up under the flying "brands rthat fell upon ourbodie^ "The "burning "boat was docked at Eiokman. The passengers were put ashore but none of the freight was saved, and from a nearby willow thicket my matey and"i watched the Gold Dust hum to the water's edge. "Always heed the warnings of nature," said Uncle George, "If you see rats leaving a ship or a house prepare for a fire." George '¦''. Arnold said that Bvansville was quite a nice place and a steamboat port even in the early days of his "boating experiences and he de- cided to make his home here.- He located in the town in 1S30. "The Court House was located at Third and Main streets. Street cars were mule drawn and people thought it great fun to ride them." ... He recalls the first shovel, full of dirt "being lifted when the new Courthouse was being erected, and when it was finished two white men Kfcs finishing the slate roof, fell to thei] death in the Court House yard. George V/. Arnold pro-curbed a 3od as porter in a wholesale feed store on May 10, 1880. John Huhhard and Company did "business at the place,at this place he-worked thirty seven years. F.W.Griese, former mayor of Evansville has often befriended the negro man and is ready to speak a kindly wort in His praise. But the face of John Sims still presents itself when George Arnold !!!§§one. "Beter do anything to hurt any other person,nsays he, "The hurt |^^":C;.o©es';haQk to you." • : ¦ «=.-.... "j&g-Slate Stories district lo. 5. Tan&erburgh Comity janana Creel JiJI UIIE^PY SZiPZKIIFCE. George Arnold was married to an Evansville Woman, "but two years ago he toeeame a widower when death claimed his mate. Ee is now lonely, hut were it not for a keg of Holland gin his old age would he spent in peace and happiness. "Beware of strong drink," said Uncle George, "It causes trouble, '-^@fe^ii Lawrence bounty Emery Turner , District #5 Bedford, Indiana ** 8 / REMINISCMCES OF TOO EX-SLAVES • References: A. Thomas Ash, ex-slavef Mitchell, Ind* B* Mrs* Mary Crane, ex-slavef V/arren St., Mitchell, Ind. I have no way of knowing exactly how old I am, as the old Bible containing a record of my birth was destroyed by fire, many years ago, but I believe I am about eighty-one years old* If so, I must have been born sometime during the year, 1856, four years before the outbreak of the War Between The States* Uty mother was a slave on the plantation, or farm of Charles Ash, in Anderson county, Kentucky, and it was there that I grew up. I remeiiber playing with 01f &assafs (as he was called) boys, Charley, Jim and 15111* I also have an unpleasant memory of having seen other slaves on the place, tied up to the whipping post and flogged for disobeying some order although I have no recollection of ever having been whipped myself as I was only a boy. I can also remember how the grown-up negroes on the place left to join the Union Army as soon as they learned of Lincoln's proclamation making them free men* (A) Ed* Note --Mr* Ash was sick when interviewed and was not able to do much tailing. He had no picture of himself but agreed to pose for one later on* I was born on the farm of l&ttie Williams, in 1855 and am eighty-two years old* I came to Mitchell, Indiana, about fifty years ago with my husband, who is now dead and four children and have lived here ever since, I was only a girl, about five or six years old when the Civil War broke out but I can remember very well, happenings of that time* My mother was owned by Wattle Williams, who had a large farm, located in Larue county, Kentucky* My father wasa slave on the farm of a Mr. Duret, nearby* In those days, slave owners, whenever one of their daughters would get married, would give her and her husband a slave as a wedding present, usually allowing the girl to pick the one she wished to accompany her to her new home. When Mr* Duretfs eldest daughter married Zeke Samples, she choose my father to accompany them to their home * Zeke Samples proved to be a man who loved his toddies far better than his bride and before long he was "broke"* Everything he had or owned, including my father, was to bo sold at auction to pay off his debts. In those days, there were men who made a business of buying up negroes at auction sales and shipping them down to New Orleans to be sold to owners of cotton and sugar cane plantations, just as men today, buy and ship cattle. These men were ealled"Kigger-traders" and they would ship whole boat loads at a time, buying them up^ two or three here, two or three there, and holding them in a jail until they had a boat loadf This practice gave rise to the expression, "sold down the river." -3- My father was to be sold at auction, along with all of the rest of Zeke Samples1 property. Bob Cowherd, a neighbor of Matt Duretfs owned my grandfather, and the old man, my grandfather, begged Col. Bob to buy my father from Zeke Samples to keep him from being "sold down the river." Col. Bob offered what he thought was a fair price for my father and a "nigger-trader" raised his bid "25. Col. said he couldnft afford to pay that much and father was about to be sold to the "nigger-trader" when his father told Col. Bob that he had $25 saved up and that if he would buy my father from Samples and g keep the "nigger-trader* from gettin/him he would give him the money. Col. Bob Cowherd took my grandfather's $25 and offered to meet the traders offer and so my father was sold to him. The negroes in and around where I was raised were not treated badly, as a rule, by their masters. There was one slave owner, a Mr. Heady, who lived nearby, who treated his slave worse than any of the other owners but 1 never heard of anything so awful- ly bad, happening to his "niggers". He had one boy who used to come over to* our place and I can remember hearing Massa 7/illiams call to my grandmother, to cook "Christine, give "Headyfs Doc something to eat. He looks hungry*" Massa Williams always said "Heady1s Doc" when speaking of him or any other slave, saying to call him, for instance, Doc Heady would sound as if he were Mr. Headyfs own son and he said that wouldn't sound right. When President Lincoln issued his proclamation, freeing the negroes, I remember that my father and most all of the other younger L slave men left the farms to join the Union army. We had haitf times then for awhile and had lots of work to do* I donft remember just when I m first regarded myself as "free" as many of the negroes didn't understand just what it was all about? (B) Ed. Note: Mrs. Crane will also pose for a picture. 10 Submitted by: j[l William Webb ^uttle - District No. 2 Muncie, Indiana SLAVES IN DELAWARE COUMTY ROSA BARBER Reference: Re>sa Barber, residing at 812 South Jefferson, • Munc&e, Indiana. Rosa Barber was born in slavery on the Fox Ellison plantation at North Carden, in North Carolina, in the year 1861. She was four f years old when freed, but had not reached the age to be of value as a slave. Her memory is confined to that short childhood there and her expediences of those days and immediately after the Civil War must be taken from stories related to her by her parfents in after years, and these are dimly retained. Her maiden name was Roaa Pox Ellison, taken as was the custom, from the slave-holder who held her as a chattel. Her parents took her away from the plantation v/hen they were freed and lived in different localities, supported "by the fat-her who was now paid American wages. Her parents died while she was quite young and she married -Fox Ellison, an ex-slave of the Fox ^llison plantation. His name was taken from the same master as was hers. She and her husband lived together forty-three years, until his death. Kine children were born to them of which only one survives. After this ex-slave husband died Rosa Ellison married a second time, but this second husband died some years ago and she now remains a widow at the age of seventy-six years* She recalls that the master of the Fox Ellison plantation was spoken of as practicing no extreme discipline on his slaves. Slaves, as a prevailing business policy of the holder, were |iot allowed .to look into a book, or any printed matter, and Rosa ^Ji^lyiifture^'w printed, -charts given-hMv, ,;..lto^^ Slaves in Delaware County & IS Roaa Barber her rag dolls, or a ball of yarn, if there happened to be enought of old string to make one. Any toy or plaything was -allowed that did not point toward book-knowledge, Nursery rhymes and folk-lore e stories were censured severly and bad to be confined to events that A conveyed ae uplift, culture or propaganda, or that conveyed no knowledge, directly or indirectly. Especially did they bar the mental polishing of the fehree Rfs. They could not prevent the vocalizing of music in the fields and the slaves found consolation there in pouring out their souls in unison with the songs of the birds. 130136 13 Federal writers* Project Page #1 of the W* P* A* Topic #240 District #6 Anna Pritchett Marion County File #64~& Folklore References (A) Mr* Mittie Blakeley -Ex-slave~ 2055 Columbia Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana* (B) Anna Pritchett -Federal Writer- 1200 Kentucky Avenue* Indianapolis* Indiana* Mrs* Blakeley iwas born* in Oxford, Missouri, in 1858« (A) Her mother died when Mittie was a baby* and she was taken into the "big house* and brought up with the white children* She was always treated very kindly* (A) Her duties were the light chores* which had to be well done, or she i«ts chided* the sarae as the white children would have been* (A) Every evening the children had to collect the eggs* The child, who brought in the most eggs* would get a ginger cake* Mittie most always got the cake* (A) Her older brothers and sisters were treated very rough, whipped often and hard* She said she hated to think* much less talk about their awful treatment* (A) ffhen she was old enough, she would have to spin the wool for 138 Topic #240 Anna Pritehatt t. 14 her mistress, Tiho wove the cloth to make the faially clothes* (A) She also learned to knit, and after supper would knit until hedtixac. (A) She remembers once an old woman nlave had displeased her master about something. He had a pit dup, and boards placed over the hole* The woman -was made to lie on the boards, face down, and she wai beaten until the blood gushed frwt her hodys she ms left there and bled to death * (A) She also remembers how the slaves would go to some cabin at night for their daneesj if one went without a pass, which often they did, they would be beaten severely* (A) The slaves could hear the overseers, riding toward the cabin* Those, who had come without a pass, would take the hoards up from the floor, get under the cabin floor $ and stay there until the overseers had gone* (A) Mrs* Blake ley is very serious and said she felt so sorry fear those # who were treated so such worse than any humn would treat a beast* (B) She lives in a very comfortable clean house, and said she ims doing wv*ry well*91 (B) Submitted January 24, 1953 Indianapolis, Indiana Byi AIKA FRITCBETT ---Field Writer i- 005G Submitted by: Robert C. Irvin 35 Noblesville, Ind. District No. 2 SLAVES IK MADISOr. COUNTY CARL BOONE Reference: Personal interview with Carl Boone, Anderson, Indiana This is a 3tory of slavery, told by Carl Boone about his father, his mother and himself. Carl is the last of eighteen children born to firs. Stephen ^oone, in Marion County, Kentucky, Sept.. 15, 1850. ¦S now resides with his children at 801 west 13th Street, Anderson, ^adison County, Indiana. At the ripe old age of eighty-seven, he still has a keen memory and is able to do a hard day's work. Carl Boone was born a free man, fifteen years before the close of the Civil War, his father hating gained his freedom from slavery in 1829. ^e is a religious man, having missed church service only twice in twenty years. He was treated well during the time of slavery in the southland, but remembers well, the wrongs done to slaves on neighboring plantations, and in this story he relates some of the horrors which happened at that timel Like his father, he is also the father of eighteen children, sixteen of whom are still living. He is grandfather of thiifcy-seven and great grandfather of one child. His father was born in the slave state of Maryland, in 1800, and died in 1897. His mother was born in Marion county, -Kentucky, in 1802, and died in 1917, at the age of one hundred and fifteen years. This story, worS by word, is related by carl Boone as follows: MMy name is Carl Boone, son of Stephen and Hachel Boone, born in Marion County, Kentucky, in 1850. I am father of eighteen children sixteen are still living and I am grandfather of.thirty-seven and Slaves In Madison Gounty 2. J() Carl ^oone great ^randfathor of ono child. I came with my wife, now deceased, to Indiana, in 1891* and now reside at 801 West 13th street in Anderson, Indiana. I wo3 born a free nan, fifteen years before the close of the Civil War. All the colored folk on plantations and farina around our plantation wore slaves and most of them wore terribly s la treated by their masters. After coining to Indiana, I fanned for a few yea fa. then moved to Anderson. I became connected with the Colored Catholic church and have tried to live a Christian life. I have only missed church service twice in twenty years. I lost my dear wife thirteen years OKO and I now live wlti my son. My father, Stephen ^oone, was born in ^arylnad, in 1800. He was bought by a nigger buyer while a boy and was sold to Miley #oone in ^arlon County, Kentucky. Father was what they used to call,fa picked slave,ff was a good worker and was never mistreated by his master. i"ie married my mother in 1826, and they had eighteen chlldreiL Master Miley &oone gave father and mother their freedom in 1829, and gave them forty acres of land to tend as their own. He paid father tfor all the rttf^rk he did for him after that, and was always very kind to them. Wy mother was born in slavery, in Marion County, Kentucky, in 1U02. She was treated very mean until she married my father in 1825. With him she gained her freedom in 1829. I was the last born of her eighteen children. She wasa good woman and joined church after coming to Indiana and died in 1917, living to be one hundred and fifteen years old. I have heard ray mother tell of a gifcl slave who worked In the kitchen of my mother's master. The girl was told to cook twelve eggs Slaves in Madison County 3# 37 Carl ^oone for breakfast. When the eggs were served, it was discovered there were eleven eggs on the table and after being questioned, shd admitted that she had eaten one. *or this, she was beaten mercilessly, which was a common sight on that plantation. The most terrible treatment of any slave, is told by my father in a story of a slave on a neighboring plantation, owned by Daniel Thompson. !tAfter committing a small wrong, iViaster Thompson became angry, tied his slave to a whippihg post and beat iu.m terribly. Mrs. ihompson begged him to quit whipping, saying, !you might kill him,f and the master replied that he aimed £o kill him. He then tied the slave behind a horse and dragged him over a fifty acre field until the slave was dead* As a punishment for this terrible deed, master Thompson was compelled to witness the execution of his own son, one year later• The story is as follows: A neighbor to %•• x'hompson, a slave owner by name of Kay Van- Cleve, had been having some trouble with one of his young male slaves, and had promised the slave a whipping. The slave was a powerful man and Mr. Van Cleve was afraid to undertake the job of whipping him alone. &e called for help from his neighbors, Daniel ^hompson and his son Donald. The slave, while the Thompsons were coming, concealed himself in a horse-stall in the barn and hid a large knife in the manger. After the arrival of the Thompsons, they and Mr. Van Cleve entered the stall in the barn. Together, the three white men made a grab for the slave, when the slave suddenly made a lunge at the elder %»? Thompson with the knife, but missed him and stabbed Donald Thompson* The slave was overpowered and tied£ but too late, young Donald was dead. 4-' 18 Slaves in Madison County Carl ^o one The slave was tried for murder and sentenced to be hanged. At the time of the hanging, the first and second ropes used broke when the trap was sprung. For a while the executioner considered f freeing the slave because of his second failure to hang him, but the law said, "He shall hang by the neck until dead," and the third attempt was successful, " 130152 Federal Writers1 Projcot page #1 of the W# P. A. Toplo #240 District #6 Anna Prltetoetfc Marion County File #S7«* Folklore Reference» (A) litre• Julia Bowaan -^Ex-slave, 1210 !!orth West street, Indianapolis, Indiana. (B) Anna Fritchett, Federal T/riter, 1200 Kentucky avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana. Mrs* Bowman v&s born in y/oodford County, Kemtueky in 1869* (A) Her master, Joel W* Twyman vies kind and generous to all of his slaves, and he had many of them* (A) The Twyraan slaves ,were always spoken of , as the Twyman "Kinfolta." (A) All slaves worked hard on the large farm, as every kind of vegetation was raised* They imro given some of everything that grw on the farm, therefore there was no stealing to got food* (A) The master had his cwn slaves, and the mistress had her cum slaves, and all were treated very kindly* (A) ttrs* Bemoan was taken into the Twyman "big house,11 at the age of six, to help the mistress in any way she could, she stayed in the house until slavery was abolished* (A) ""¦ ** on Topio #240 '-*> Azuaa Pritchatt After freedom, the old waster i»ac taken rery cick and gone of the ferraar slave Tier© sent £ert as he wanted sow© of Ms ^Kinfolks11 around hiia when ho died* (A) Mrs* Bemoan ma r.iven the Twyraan family fclble inhere her birth is recorded with the rest of the Tnymn ffeirdly* She shows it with pride* (B) Krs. Bowman said she never knew mint in slave tiaoa, as aha has known it in these tines of depression, (s) Subr&ttod January 10, 1958 Indianapolis, Indiana 130123 |Wm. R.Mays iDist 4 Johnson Co, 2* ANGIE BOYCE born in slavery, Mar.14,1861 on the Breeding Plantation, Adair Co. Ky# 21 Mrs. Angle Boyce here makes mention of facts as outlined to her by her mother, Mrs. Margaret King, deceased. Mrs, Angle Boyce was born in slavery, Mar. 14, 1861, on the Breeding Plantation, Adair County, Kentucky. Her parents -were Henry and Margaret King who belonged to James Breeding, a Methodist minister who was kind to all his slaves and no remembrance of hi3 having ever [struck one of them/ It is aaid that the slaves were in constant dread of the Rebel [soldiers and when they would hear of their coming they would hide the )aby "Angle" and cover her over with leaves. The mother of Angle was married twice; the name of her first %$§ ussband was Stines and that of her second husband was Henry King. It was lenry King who bought his and his wife's freedom. He sent his wife and )aby Angle to Indiana, but upon their arrival they were arrested and returne< to Kentucky. They were placed in the Louisville jail: and lodged in the ^arae cell with large Brutal and drunken Irish woman. The jail was so ifested with bugs and fleas that the baby Angle cryed all night. The Irhite woman crazed with drink became enraged at the cries of the child ^ id threatened to "bash its brains Jfot against the wall if it did not top crying". The mother, Mrs. King was forced to stay awake all night o keep the white woman from carrying out her threat. The next morning the Negro mother was tried in court and when she foduced her free papers she was asked why she did not show these papers the arresting officers. She replied that she was afraid that they would teal them from her. She was exonerated from all charges and sent back to idiana with her baby. JIM* Angle Boyce now realdeg^ariM^ WUtadiaom St - .ffyamiri *« t~a- Clay County Walter R. Harris Special Assignment District # 3 Life Story of Ex-Slave (Mrs. Edna Boy saw) Personal interview by the writer • Mrs. Boysaw has been a citizen of this community about sixty-five years. She resides on a small farm, two miles east of Brazil on what is known as the Pinkley Street Road* This has been her home for the past forty years. Her youngest son and the son of one of her daughters lives with her* She is still very active, doing her housework and other chores about the farm. She is very intelligent and according to statements made by other citizens has always been a respected citizen in the community, as also has her entire family. She is the mother of twelve children. Mrs. Boysaw has always been an active church worker, spending much time in missionary work for the col- ored people. Her work was so outstanding that she has been often called upon to speak, not only in the colored churches, but also in white churches, where she was always well received. Many of the most prominent people of the community number Mrs. Boysaw as one of their friends and her home is visited almost daily by citizens in all walks of life. Her many acts of kindness towards her neighbors and friends have endeared her to the people of Brazil, and because of her long residence in the community, she is looked upon as one of the pioneers. Mrs. Boysaw1 s husband has been dead for thirtyHFive years. Her children are located in various cities throughout the country. She has a daughter who is a talented singer, and has appeared on programs with her daughter in many churches. She is not certain about her age, but according to her memory of events, she is about eighty-seven. Her story as told to the writer follows: "When the Civil War ended, I was living near Richmond, Virginia. I am not sure just how old I was, but I was a big, flat-footed woman, and had worked as a slave on a plantation* My master was a good one, but many of them were not* In a way, we were happy and contented, working from sun up to sun down* But when Lincoln freed us, we rejoiced, yet we knew we had to seek employment now and make our own way* Wages were low* You worked from morning until night for a dollar, but we did not complain* About 1870 a Mr* Masten, who was a coal operator, came to Richmond seeking labor- ers for his mines in Clay County* He told us that men could make four to five dollars a day working in the mines, going to work at seven and quitting at 3:30 each day* That sounded like a Paradise to our men folks* Big money and you could get rich in little time* But he did not tell all, because he wanted the men folk to come with him to Indiana* Three or four hundred came with Mr* Masten* They were brought in box cars* Mr* Masten paid their transportation, but was to keep it out of their wages* !fiy husband was in that bunch, and the women folk stayed behind until their men could earn enough for their transpc* ^ation to Indiana*" "When they arrived about four miles east of Brazil, or what was known as Harmony, the train was stopped and a crowd of white miners ordered them not to come any nearer Brazil* Then the trouble began* Our men did not know of the labor trouble, as they were not told of that part* Here they were fifteen hundred miles from home, no money* It was terrible* Many walked back to Virginia* Some went on foot to Illinois« Mr* Masten took some of them South of Brazil about three miles, where he had a number of company houses, and they tried to work in his mine there* But many were shot at from the bushes and killed* Guards were placed about the mine by the owner, but still there was trouble all the time* The men did not make what Mr* Masten told them they could make, yet they had to stj^y for they had no place to go* After about six months, my husband who had been working in that mine, fell into the shaft and was injured* He was unable to work Oil for over a year. I came with my two children to take care of him* We had only a little furniture, slept in what was called box beds* I walked to Brazil each morning and worked at whatever I could get to do* Often did three washings a day and then walked home each evening, a distance of two miles, and got a dollar a day* "ISany of the white folks I worked for were well to do and often I would ask the Mistress for small amounts of food which they would throw out if left over from a meal* They did not know what a hard time we were having, but they told me to take home any of such food that I cared to* I was sure glad to get it, for it helped to feed our family* Often the white folks would give me other articles which I appreciated* I managed in this way to get the children enough to eat and later when my husband was able to work, we got along very well, and were thankful* After the strike was settled, things were better. ISy husband was not afraid to go out after dark* But the coal operators did not treat the colored folks very good* We had to trade at the Company store and often pay a big price for it* But I worked hard and am still alive today, while all the others are gone, who lived around here about that time* There has sure been a change in the country. The country was almost a wilderness, and where mjr home is today, there were very few roads, just what we called a pig path through the woods* We used lots of corn meal, cooked beans and raised all the food we could during them days* But we had many white friends and sure was thankful for them* Here I am, and still thankful for the many friends I have*11 130157 25 Federal writers* Reject Page $1 of the W, P# A# Topic $340 District #6 Anna Pritchett Marion County File |€3«& Folklore References (A) Mrs* Callie Bracey •daughter- 414 Blake street, (B) Anna Pritehett -Federal WritersfPreheat- 1200 Kentucky avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana* Krs, Callie Bracey*s laoifoer, Louise Terrell, ms bought# ^hen a child, by Andy pjuablot, a faraer, near Jfeckson, Miss* She had to work very hard in the fields from early morning until as late in tfee evening, as they could possibly see* (A) Ho natter how hard she had trorked all day after coming in from the field, she would have to cook for the next day, packing 1fee lunch buckets for the field hands* It nad© no difference ho«r tired she ms, "when the horn ms blown at 4 a«m#, she had to go into the fiel& for another day of hard work* (A) The women ted to split rails all day long, just like the smu Once she got so cold, her feet seesasd to be frosenj when they named a little, they had swollen so, she oould not war her shoes# She had to Page #£ Topie #340 20 Anna Fritohett wrap her feet in burlap, so she would be able to go into the field the next day* (A) The Bemblets -were known for their good butter • They almys had more than they could use. The meter wanted the slaves to have some, but the Mistress wanted to sell it, she did not believe in giving good butter to slaves and almys let it get strong before she would let them have any* (A) No slaves from neighboring farras were allowed on the Raiablet farm, they would got shipped off as Mr* Raiablet didnot want anyone to put ideas in his slave's heads* (A) On speoial occasions, the older slaves wire allowed to go to the ohuroh of their master$ they had to sit in the baek of the church, and take no part in the service* (A) Louise use given two dresses a yearj her old dress from last ye&r* she wore as an underskirt• She never had a hat, almys more a rag tied over her head. (A) Mrs* Braeey is a widow and has a grandchild living with her* She feels she is doing very well, her parents had so little* end she does era. her onrot hone* Submitted Deees&er 10, 1987 Indianapolis, Indiana By* ASHA PRITCEETT ----Field Writer Ex*Slave Stories District #5 Vanderburgh County * >\ . Lauana Creel \c ( A Slave, Ambassador and City Doctor. This paper was prepared after several interviews had been obtained with the subject of this sketch* Dr. George Washingtin Buckner, tall, lean, whitehaired, genial and alert, answered the call of his door bell* Although anxious to oblige the writer and willing to grant an interview, the life of a city doctor is filled with anxious solicitation for others and he is always expecting a summons to the bedside of a patient or a profes- sional interview has been slated* Dr. Buckner is no exception and our interviews were often dis- turbed by the jingle of the door bell or a telephone call* Dr. Buckner!s conversation lead in ever widening circles, away from the topic under discussion when the events of his own life were discuse- xed, but he is a fluent speaker and a student of psychology* Psychology as that philosophy relates to the mental and bodily tendencies of the subjects African race has long since become one of the major ffirgftcnrx with which this unusual man struggles. ftWhy is the negro?n is one of his deep- est concern^. Dr. Bucknerfs first recollections center within a slave cabin in Kentucky* The cabin was the home of his step-father, his invalid mother and several children. The cabin was of the crudest construction, its only windows being merely holes in the cabin wall with crude bark shut- ters arranged to keep out mm snow and rain. The furnishings of this home consisted of a wood bedstead upon which a rough straw bed and 9 patchwork guilts provided meager comforts for the invalid mother. A \ straw bed that could be pushed under the bed-stead through the day was pulled into the middle of the cabin at night and the wearied children were put to bed by the impatient step-father. The parents were slaves and served a master not wealthy enough to Ex-Slave Stories District #5 £. 28 Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel A Slave, Ambassador, and City Doctor. provide adaquately for their comforts. The mother had become invalid- ate through the task of bearing children each year and being deprived of medical and surgical attention. The master, Mr. Buckner, along with several of his relatives had purchased a large tract of land in Breen County, Kentucky and by a custom or tradition as Dr. Buckner remembers; land owners that owned no slaves were considered wPo' White Trash" and were scarcely recognized as citizens within the stateof Kentucky. Another tradition prevailed, that slave children should be present- ed to the master's young sons and daughters and become their special property even in childhood* Adherring to that tradition the child, George Washington Buckner became the slave of young "Mars* Dickie Buck- ner, and although the two children were nearly the same age the little mulatto boy was obedient to the wishes of the little master. Indeed, the slave child cared for the (caucassian boy's clothing, polished his boots, put away his toys and was his playmate and companion as well as his slave. Sickness and suffering and even death visits alike the just and the unjust, and the loving sympathetic slave boy witnessed the suffering and death of his little white friend. Then grief took possession of the * little slave, ha could not bear the sight of little Pick's toys nor books not clothing. He recalls one harrowing experience after the death of little Dick Buckner. George's grandmother was a housekeeper and kitchen maid for the white family.. She was in the kitchen one late af- ternoon preparing the evening meal. The master had taken his family for a visit in the neighborhood and the mulatto child sat on the veranda and recalled pleasanter days. A sudden desire seized him to look into the bed room where little Mars Dickie had lain in the bed. The evening Ex-Slave Stories District #5 ;3, Of) Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel A Slave, Ambassador and City Doctor, shadqiows had fallen, axagerated by the influence' of trees/ and vines, and when he placed his pale face near the window pane he thought it was the face of little Dickie looking out at him. His nerves gave away and he ran around the house screaming to his grandmother that he had seen Dickie's ghost. The old colored woman was sympathetic, dried his tears, then with tears coursing down her own cheeks she went about her duties. George firmly believed he had seen a ghost and -never really convinced himself against the idea until he had reached the years of manhood. He aemembers how the story reached the ears of the other slaves and they were terrorized at the suggestion of a ghost being in the mas- ter's home. "That is the way superstitions always started" said the Doc- tor, "Some nervous persons received a wrong impression and there were always others ready to embrace the error." Dr# Buckner remembers that when a young daughter of his master married, his sister was given to her for a bridal gift and went away from her own mother to live in the young mistress' new home. "It always filled us with sorrow when we were separated either by circumstances of marriage or death. Although we were not properly housed, properly nour- ished nor properly clbthed we loved each other and loved our cabin homes and were unhappy when compelled to part." "There are many beautiful spots near the Green River and our home was situated near Greensburgh, the county seat of Dreen County. The area occupied by Mr. Buckner and his relatives is located near the river and the meanderings of the stream almost formed a peninsula covered with rich soil. Bucknerfs hfill relieved the landscape and clear springs bub- led through crevices affording much water for household use and near those springs white and negro children met to enjoy themselves. "Forty years after I left Greensburg I went back to visit the springs and try to meet my old friends./ The friends had passed away, only a few Ex*Slave Stories District #5 4. o/-j Vanderburgh County °*' Lauana Creel A Slave, Ambassador and City Doctor. merchants and salespeople remembered my ancestors." A story told by Dr. Buckner relates an evening at the beginning of the Civil War. "I had heard my parents talk of the war but it did not seem real to me until one night when-mother came to the pallet where we slept and called to us to nGet up and tell our uncles good-bye." Then four startled little children arose# Mother was standing in the room with a candle or a sort of torch made from grease drippings and old pieces of cloth, (these rude candles were in common use and afforded but poor light) and there stood her- four brothers, Jacob, John, Bill and Isaac all with the light of adventure shinning upon their mulatto countenances. They were starting away to fight for their liberties and we were greatly im- pressed." Dr. Buckner stated that officials thought Jacob entirely too aged to enter the service as he had a few scattered white hairs but he remem- bers he was brawny and unafraid. Isaac was too young but the other two uncles were accepted. One never returned because he was killed in battle but one fought throughout the war and was never wounded. He remembers how the white men were indignant ftecause the negroes were allQwed to fcnlist and how Mars Stanton Buckner was forced to hide out in the woods for many months because he.had met slave Prank Buckner and hae tried to kill him. Prank returned to Greensburg, forgave his master and procurred a paper stating that he was at fault, afteh which Stanton returned to active service. "Yes, the road has been long. Memory brings back those days and the love of my mother is still real to me, God bless her J" Relating to the value of an education Dr. Buckner hopes every 6au- cassian and Afro-American youth and maiden will strive to attain great lights, His first efforts tb procure knowledge consisted of reciting jA.B.S.s from the McGuffV's Blue backed speller with his unlettered sister |for a teacher. In later years he attended a school conducted by the Ex-Slave Stories £5# £j District #5 Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel A Slave, Ambassador and City Doctor* FreemenTs Association. He / bought a grammar f(^pn a white school boy and studied it at home. When sixteen years of age he was employed to teach negro children and grieves to recall how limited his ability was bound to have been. •'When a father considers sending his son or daughter to school, today, he orders catalogues, consults his friends and considers the location and surroundings and the advice of those who have patronized the different schools* He finally decides upon the school that promises the boy or girl the most attractive and com- fortable surroundings. When I taught the African children I boarded with an old man whose cabin was filled with his own family. I climbed a ladder leading from the cabin into a dark uncomfortable loft where a comfort and a straw bed were my only conveniences.w Leaving Greensburg the young mulatto made his way to Indianapolis where he became acquainted with the first educated negro he had ever met. The negro was Robert Bruce Bagby, then principal of the only school for negroes in Indianapolis. ttThe same old building is stand- ing there today that housed Bagbyfs institution then,*1 ha declares. Dr«, Buckner recalls that when he left Bagbyfs school he was so low financially he had to procure a position in a private residence as house boy. This position was followed by many jobs of sarviiig tables at hotells and. eating houses, of any and all kinds. While engaged in that work he met Colonel Albert Johnson and his lovely wife, both nat- ives of Arkansas and he remembers their congratulations when they learn- ed that he was striving for an education. They advised his entering an educational institution at Terr"e Haute. His desire had been to enter that institution of Normal Training but felt doubtful of succeed- ing in the advanced courses taught because his advantages had been so limited, but Mrs. Johnson told him that "God gives his talents to the Ex-Slave Stories District #5 6* 32 Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel A Slave, Ambassador and City Doctor* different species and fc±x lie would love and protect the negro boy«w After studying several years at the Terre Haute State Normal George W« Buckner felt assured that he was reasonably prepared to teach the negro youths and accepted the professorship of ]L schools at Vincermes, Washington%and other Indiana Villages* nI v/as interested as in the young people and anxious for their advancement but the suf- fering endured by my invalid mother,Kipao had passed into the great be- yond, and the memory of little Master Dickie's lingering illness and untimely death would not desert my consciousness* I determined to take up the study of medical practice and surgery which I did*11 Dr# Buckner graduated from the Indiana Electic Medical College in 1890* His services were needed at Indianapolis so he practiced medicine in that city for a year, then located at EvansVille where he has enjoy- » ed an ever increasing popularity on account of his sympathetic attitude among his people. "When I came to Evansville," says Dr. Buckner, "there were seven- ty white physicians practicing in the area, they are now among the de- parted* Their task was streneous, roads were almost impossible to travel and those brave men soon sacrificed their lives for the good of suffering humanity." Dr. Buckner described several of the old doc- tors as "Striding a horse and setting out through all kinds of weather." Dr. Buckner is a veritable encyclopedia of negro lore. He stops at many points during an interview to relate stories 3b.e has gleaned here and there. He has forgotten where he first heard this one or that one but it helps to illustrate a point. One he heard near the end of the war follows, and although it has recently been retold it ]& holds the interest of the listener. "Andrew Jackson owned an old negro j slave, who stayed on at the old home when his beloved master went into Ex-Slave Stories District #5 7. tit5 Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel x A Slave, Ambassador and City Doctor* politics, became an American soldier and statesman and finally the 7th president of the United-States• The good slave still remained through the several years of the quiet uneventful last years of his master and witnessed his death, which occurred at his home near Nashville, Tennessee* After the master had been placed under the sod, Uncle Sammy was seen each eay visiting Jackson1s grave* "Do you think President Jackson is in heaven?w an kj? acquaintance asked Uncle Sammy* "If-n he wanted to go dar, he dar now," said the old man. tfIf-n Mars Andy wanted to do any thing all Hell couldn't keep him from doinf it*rf Dr* Buckner believes each negro is confident that he will take him- self with all his peculiarities to the land of promise* Each physical feature and habitual idiosyncrasy will abide in his redeemed personality. Old Joe will be there in person with the wrinkle crossing the bridge of his nose and little Stephen will wear his wool pulled back from his eyes and each will recognize his fellow man* "What fools we ail are.11 declar- ed Dr* Buckner. Asked his views concerning the different books embraced in the Holy Bible, Dr* Buckner, who is a student of the Bible said, "I believe almost every story in the Bible is an allegory, composed to illustrate some fundemental truth that could otherwise never have^been clearly pre- sented only through the medium of an allegory." ¦The most treacherous impulse of the human nature and the one to be most dreaded is jealousy." With these words the aged Negro doctor launched into the expression of his political views. "I'm a Democrat." He then explained how he voted for the man but had confidence that his chosen party possesses ability in choosing proper candidates. He is an ardent follower of Franklin D. Roosevelt and speaks of Woodrow Wilson with bated breath. Ex-Slave Stories .^ pis trie t #5 <>4 Vanderburgh County 8* Lauana Creel A Slave, Ambassador and City Doctor. Through the influence of John W. Boehne, Sr., and the friendly advice of other influential citizens of Evansville Dr. Buckner was ap- pointed minister to Liberia/ on Woodrow Wilsonfs cabinetjin the year 1913 ? Dr. Buckner appreciated the confidence of his friends in appoint- ing him and cherishes the experineces gained while abroad. He noted the expressions of gratitude toward cabinet members by the citizens of that African coast. One Albino youth brought an offering of luscious mangoes and desired to see the minister from the United States of America. Some natives presented palm oils, ttThe natives have been made to under- stand that the United States has given aid to Liberia in a financial way and the customs - service of the republic is temporarily administered headed by an American.tt WA thoroughly civilized negro state does not exist in Liberia nor do I believe in any part of West Africa. Supersti*~ tion is the interpretation of their religion, their poritical views are a hodgepodge of unconnected ideas. Strangth over rules knowledge and jealousy crowds out almost all hope of sympathetic achievement and ad- justment.11 Dr. Buckner recounted incidents where jealousy was apparent in the behavior of men and women of higher civilizations than the Afri- can natives. While voyaging to Spain on board a Spanish vessel, he witnessed a very refine^,polite Jewish woman being reduced to tears by r the taunts of a Spanish officer, on account of her nationality. nJeal- / ousy,tt he said, "protrudes itself into politics, religion and prevents; educational achievement. n "During a political campaign I was compelled to pay a robust neg- ro man to follow me about my professional visits and my social evenings with my friends and family, to prevent meeting physical violence to myself or family when political factions were virtually at war within the area of Evansville. The influence of political captains had brought about the dreadful condition and ignorant negroes responded to their i A Slave, Ambassador and City Doctor* political graft, without realizing who had befriended them in need/** "The negro youths are especially subject to propoganda of the four-flusher for their home influence i3,to say the least, negative* Their opportunities limited, their education neglected and they are easily aroused by the meddling influence of the frote-getter and the traitor* I would to God that their eyes might be opened to t;ie light*n Dr* Bucknerfs influence is mostly exhibited in the sick room, where his presence is introduced in the effort to relieve pain* The gradual rise from slavery to prominence, the many trials encount- ered along the road has ripened the always sympathetic nature of Dr* Buck- ner into a responsive suffer among a suffering people* He has hope that proper influences and sympathetic advice will mould the plastic character of the Afro-American youths of the United States into proper citizens and that their Immortal souls inherit the promised reward of the redeeem- ed through grace* ^Receivers of emancipation from slavery and enjoyers of emanci- pation from sin through the sacrifice of Abraham Lincoln and Jesus Christ; Why should not the negroes be exalted and happy?n are the words of Dr# Buckner. Note: G. W* Buckner was born December 1st, 1852. The negroes in Kentucky expressed it ,nIn fox huntin1 time* One brother was born in ^Simmon time11, one in ^Sweet tater time,11 and another in ^Plantln* time*** ----Negro lore # Ex-Slave Stories j ;>f-. ;0 f 36 District #5 '•"-*. Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel The Life Story of George Taylor Burns. Gx-carts and flat boats, and pioneer surroundings $ crowds of men and women crowding to the rails of river steamboats; gay ladies in holiday attire and gentleman in tall hats, low cut vest£ and silk mufflers; for the excursion boats carried the gentry of every area* A little negro boy clung to the ragged skirts of a slave mother,both were engrossed in watching the great wheels that ploughed the Mississippi river into foaming billows. Many boats stopped at Gregory18 Landing, Missouri to stow away wood, for many engines were fired with wood in the early days* he Bum|s brothers operated a wood yard at the Landing and the work of cutting, htte4ttojtand piling wood for the commerce was performed by slaves of the Burns plantation* George Taylor Burns was five years of age and helped his mother all day as she toiled in the wood yards* "The colder the weather,the more hard work we had to do/1 declares Uncle George* George Taylor Burns, the child of Missouri slave parents, recalls the scenes enacted at the Burns.1 wood yards so long ago* He is a resident of Bvansville, Indiana and his snow white hair and beard bear/ testimony that his days &ave been already long upon the earth* Uncle George remembers the time when his infant hands reached in vain for his mother, the kind and gentle Lucy Burns: Remembers a long cold winter of snow and ice when boats were tied up to their moorings* Old master died that winter and many slaves were sold by the heirs, among them was Lucy Burns* Little George clung to his mother but strong "hands tore away his clasp* Then he watched her cross a distant hill, chained to a long line of departing slaves* George nerer saw his parents again and although the memory of his mother is vivid he scarcely remembers his father's face* He said, ^Father was black but my mother was a bright mulatto •* Ex-Slave Stories 2# District #5 3*7 Vanderburgh County The Life Story of George Taylor Burns* Lauana Creel• Nothing impressed the little boy with such unforgettable imagery as the cold which descended upon Greogeryfs Landing one winter. Motherless, hungry, desolate and unloved, he often cried himself to sleep at night while each day he was compelled to carry wood. One morning he failed to come when the horn was sounded to call the slaves to breakfast. "Old Missus went to the negro quarters to see what was wrong." and "She was horrified when she found I was frozen tothe bed." r She carried the small bundle of suffering humanity to the kitchen of her home and placed him near the big oven. Mien the warmth thawed the frozen child the toes fs>31 from his feet. n01d Missus told me I would never be strong enough to do hard work, and she had the neighborhood shoemaker fashion shoes too short for any body's feet but mine*11 said Uncle George. Uncle George doesn't remember why he left Missouri but the sister of Greene Taylor brought him to Troy, Indiana. Here she learned that she could not own a slave within the State of Indiana so she indentured the child to a flat boat captain to wash dishes and %&it on the crew of workers* ' George was so small of statue that the captain had a low tafele and stool made that he might work in comfort. George's mistress received $15,00 per month for the service of the boy for several years. From working on the f*lat boats George became aocustomed to the river and soon received employment as a cabin boy on a steam boat and from that time through out the most active days of his life George Taylor Burns was a steam-boat man. In fact he declares, "I know steamboats from wood box to stern wheel.11 "The life of a riverman is a good life and interesting things happen on the river." says Uncle George. Uncle George has been imprisoned in the big $ail at %w Orleans. fie has seen his fellow slaves beaten into insensibility while chained to the whipping post in Congo Square at Few Orleans. Ex-Slave Stories District -5 5. 38 Vanderburgh County Lauana Greel The Life ^tory of George Taylor burns* iie was badly treatoa while a slave but he has witnesseo even raore cruel treatment administered to his fellow slaves* Among other exciting occurrences rememberer by the ola negro lieu when he recalls early river adventures is one in whc^li a flat bead; sunk nerr !ie\* Orleans. After clinging for many hours to the arifting wreckage he was rescued, half dead from exhaustion. in memory, George Taylor burns stands in the slave mart at Heft Orleans and hears the Auctiuneersf hammer, for he was sold like a beast of burden by Greene Taylor, brother of his mistress* Greene Taylor, however, had to refund the money and return the slave to his mistr9ss when his crippled feet were discovered. 11 Greene Taylor was like many other people I have known* ue 7/as always ready to make life unhappy for a negro." Uncle George, although possessing an unusual amount of intelligence and ability to leans*, has a very limited education. "The negroes were not allowed an education," he relates * ,!lt was dangerous for any person to be caught teach- ing a negro and several negroes were put to death because they could read." bncle George recalls a few superstitions entertained by the rivemen. "It was bad luck for a white cat to come aboard the boat." "ixcrse shoes were carried for /rood luck." "If rats left the boat the crew was uneasy, for fear of a wreck." Undle George has very-little faith in any superstition but remem- bers some of the crews had* Among other boats oil which this old river man was employed are "The Atlantic" on which he was cabin boy* The "Big Gray Eagle" on -which he assisted in many ways. He worked where boats were being constructed while he lived at Sew Albany* k&ny soldiers were returned to their homes by means of flat boats and steam boats when the Civil War had ended and many recruits were sent by water during the war* Just after peace was declared George met Elizabeth Slye, a young slave ? girl who had just been set free* "Liza would come to see her mother who was Ex-Slave Stories page 4# District #5 g^Q Vanderburgh County Ot? Lauana Creel The Life Story of George Taylor Burns. ¦working on a boat.1* "People used to come down to the landings to see boats come in,nsaid Uncle George. George and Liza were free, they married and made New Albany their home, until 1881 when they came to Evansville. Uncle George said the Eclipse was a beautiful boat, he remembers the letter- ing in gold and the bright lights and polished- rails of the longest steam boat ever built in the wegt. Measuring 365 feet in length and Uncle George declares, t!For speed she just up and hustled•ft "Louisville was one of the busiest towns in the Ohio Valley .n says Uncle George, but he remembers New Orleans as the market place where almost all the surpla^s products were marketed. Uncle George has many friends along the water-front towns. He admires the Felker family of Tell City, Indiana. He is proud of his own race and rejoices in their opportunities, Be remembers his fear of the Ku Klu§$s, his horror of the patrol and other clans united to make life dangerous for newly emancipated negroes George Taylor Burns draws no old age pension. He owns a building located at Canal and Evans Streets that xk houses a number of negro families. He is glad to say his credit is good in every market in the city. Although lamed by rhumatic pains and hobbling on feet toeless from his young childhood he has led a useful life. ^Don't forget I knew Pilot Tom Ballard, and Aaron Ballard on the Big Eagle in 1858,n warns Uncle George. wWe Negroes carried passes so we could save our skins if we were caught off the boats but we had plenty of good food on the boats •** > Uncle George said the roustabouts sang gay songs Iwhile loading boats with heavy freight and provisions but on account of his crippled feet he could not be a roustabout • $$&/¦;¦ . 13015! *•• 40 Federal Writers* Project page fl of the W» P* A* Topic $&$& Distriot #6 &xm Pritehett llarion Cmxty Pile #00-* Folklore ww—iinn mi —i—nm Heferedieee (A) lira* Belle Butler ^daughter* 8&§ North Capitolate*me« (B) Anna Pritehett ^Federal Friter- UfcOO Kentueiy Avenue* Belle Butler, the daughter of Chaxiey Ifeyer, tells ©f the hardships her Mother endured during her days of slavery • (B) Cheney ms orated by Jesse Coffer$ "a mean old devil «* He Tfould v&\tp his slaves for the si latest misdeineaner* and nasy times for nothing at all -;Jwrfc enjoyed seeing them suffer* Many a time Jesse wotild whip a slave* iAxtcm him citron, and gouge his e;jna out* Such a eruol aotl (A) Cha&sy^ sister tms also a slave cm the Coffer plantation* One day thalr Eftster decided to iihip theaa hotfru After dipping them very hard* he starred to thrw them dcnw^t, to go aftw their *$*** Chaney gjrabbed eft© of his haw&s* her sister grabbed his ether hand* eaeh girl bit a fiagj&r entirely off of eaoh land of their mater* Topic #840 *; 41 Anna Fritehett This, of course, hurt Lira so -vary bad he had to stop their pvmishiaeni and na^er utterapted to whip them agjain*. He told them he weuld sorely put thorn in his pooket (sell them) if they ever dared to try antlting like that again in life* (A) Hot so long a^ter their f ight, Chaney ms civwn to a daughter of their master, and her sister was Riven to another daughter and taken to Passaie County, rJ#C* (A) Qa the next farm to the Coffer farm, the overseers would tie the slaves to the joists by their thumbs, whip them towaorcifully^ then salt their backs to xaafce them very sore* (A) lihen a sl&vs slowed dcwi cm his eorn hoeing, no natter if he nere sick, or just wry tired, he would get 2»ny lashes and a salted hack* (A) One woiaan left the plantation without a pass* The overseer oaught her and whipped her to death* (A) Ho slave was ever allowed to look at a book, for fear he saight learn to read. One day the old mistress oaught a slave bey with a book, she euraed him and asked him what he laeant, and what he thought he could do with a book* She said he looked like a black dog with a breast pin on, and forbade him to ever look into a book again* (A) All slaves on the Coffer plantation were treated in a most inhur&ri manner, scarcely having enough to eat, unless they would steal it, running the risk of being eaught and receiving a wv&r* beat- inf for the theft* (A) Mrs* Butler lives with her daughters, has worked very hard in Topio #240 ci^ Anna. Pritohett "her days." (B) She has had to £ive up almost everything in the last few years, because her eyesight lias failed* However, she is Y&ry cheerful and enjoys teXlinc the "tales" her nother would tell her* (B) Submitted December 28f 198? Indianapolis* Indiana Ry* amul mircmn____ ~ fm Wriier------------ Slav* slc^y Joseph V/illiam Garter. This information was gained through an interview with Joseph William Carter and several of his daughters. The data was cheerfully given to the writer. Joseph V/illiam Garter has lived a long and he declares, a happy- life, although he was born and reared in bondage, an&»his pleasing personality has always made his lot an easy one and his yoke seemed easy to wear. Joseph V/illiam Garter was born prior to the year 1836. His mother, Malvina Gardner was a slave in the home of &r. Gardner until a man named D. B. Smith saw her and noticing the physical perfection of the child at once purchased her from her master. ilalvina-was agrieved.at being compelled to leave her old home, and her love- ly ^oung mistress, Puss Gardner was fond of the little raullato girl and had taught her to be a useful member of the Gardner family; however, she was iold to "r. Smith and was compelled to accompany him to his home. Both the Gardner and Smith families lived near Gallatin, Tennessee, in Stunner County. The Smith plantation was situated-en the Cumberland River and commanded a beautiful view of river and valley acres but Llalvina was very unhappy. She did not enjoy the Smith family and longed for her old friends back in the Gardner home. One night the little girl gathered together her few personal belongings and started back to her old home. Afraid to travel the highway the child followed a path she knew through he forest; but-alas, she found the way long and beset with perils. A number of uncivil Indians were encamped on the side of the Cumberland moun- &ine and a number of the young brakes were out hunting that night. Their ||ealthy approach was heard by the little fugitive gifl but tod late for her |Ji$ke an escape. An Indian called "Buck" captured her and by all the laws: ^tJ^jgi^..,wa8:-;>i8- own property. She lived;for almost a year;,in- *he;;;,-m ,_- Page £. 44 Joseph William Cartel:.' teet>e with "Buck and during that time learned much ahout Indian hahits. r/hen Ualvina was missed from her new home, ?Tr.--Smith went to the Gardner plantation to report his loss, not finding her there a wide search was made for her "but the Indians kept her thoroughly concealed* Hiss Puss* however, kept up the search* She knew the Indians were encamped on the mountain and "believed she would find the girl with them. The Indians finally broke camp and the members of the Gardner home watched them start on their Journey and !.-!iss Puss soon discovered T!alvina among the other naidens in the procession. The men of the Gardner plantation ,white and "black, overtook the Indians and demanded the girl he given up to them. The Indians reluctantly gave ler to them. Hiss Puss Gardner took her.,.hack and LIr. Gardner paid Mr. " Smith the original purchase price and Malvina was once more installed in ler old. home* Ualvina Gardner was not yet twelve years of age when she was captured by the Indians and was scarcely thirteen years of age when she he came the mother of Joseph V/illiam, son of the uncivil Indian, "Buck". The child was horn in the Gardner home and mother and child remained there* The mother was 1 good slave and loved the mem'bers of the Gardner family and her son and she tere loved by them in return. Puss Gardner married a llr. llooney and Mr. Gardner allowed her to take Joseph V/illiam to her home. The llooney estate was situated up on the Garth- ridge road and some of Joseph William1 s most vivid memories of slavery and ke curse of bondage embrace his lifefs span with the Mponeys. ae story that the aged man relates is of an encounter with an eagle and follows: "George Irish, a white boy near my own age, was the son of the |3aer# His father operated a sawmill on Eledsoe Greek near where it empties ¦the Ooumbearland river. George and I often went fishing together and ^ ^fc,; inn" b-slave Stdiries (th District ran&erburgh County page «3. 40 mana Creel. Joseph Jilliara Carter. had a good dog called Hector. Hector was as good a coon dog as there as to he found in that part of the country. That day we hoys climbed up in the mill shed to watch the swans in Bledsoe Creek and v/e soon noticed a reat "big fish hawk catching the goslings. It made us mad and we decided o kill the hawk. I went hack to the house and got an old flint lock'rifle rs& TTooney had let me carry when we went hunting. '.Then I got hack where orge was, the "big hird was still "busy catching goslings. The first shot fired broke its wing and I decided I would catch it and take it home with fie. The hird put up a terrible fight, cutting me with its hill and talons. ector came running and tried to help me but the bird cut him until his Is brought helt) from the field. Mr. Jacob Greene was Das sing along and me to us. He tore me away from the "bird but I could not walk and the "blood as running from my "body in dozens of places* Poor old Hector, was crippled d "bleeding for the "bird was a big eagle and would have killed both of us f help had not cornel1 The old negro man still shows signs of his encounter th the eagle* He said it was captured and lived about four months in cap- vity but its wing never healed. The body of the eagle was stuffed with teat bran, by Greene Harris, and placed in the court yard in Sumner Gounty* &e Civil War changed things at the Mo one y plantation," said the old man. Before the tfar Mr. Mo one y never had been cruel to me. I was Mistress Puss's iroperty and she would never have allowed me to be abused, but some of the th'er slaves endured the most cruel treatment and were worked nearly to eeath1 Uncle Joe's memory of slavery embraces the whole story of bondage and |ie helpless position held by strong bodied men and women of a hardy race, fverpowered by the narrow ideals of slave owners and cruel overseerers. When I was a little bitsy child and still lived with Mr. Gardner," said ke old man, "I saw many of the slaves beaten to death. Master Gardner . . PK^'-fe.i.W^^.^* ^® whlppin' but every few months he sent to Mississippi . Ex-slave Stories *5th District Vanderburgh County Indiana lauana Creel. Joseph William Carter, page 4. 46 for negro rule.rs to come to the plantation and "/hip all the negroes that had not obeyed the overseers. L "big barrel lay near the barn and that was always the Y7hippin place." Uncle Joe remembers two or three profession' lal slave whippers ana recalls the death of two of the Mississippi whippers. He relates the story as follows: "liars Gardner had one of the finest black smiths that I ever saw. His arms were strong, his muscles stood out on.his ^breast and shoulders and his legs were never tired. Ee stood there and shoed horses and repaired tools day after day and there was no work ever made him tired." ?he oibd negro man so vividly described the noble blacksmith that he almost appeared in person, as the story advanced, "I don't know what he had done to rile up liars Gardner, but all of us knew that the Blacksmith was going |to be flogged. 'Then the whippers from Mississippi got to the plantation. Thi, blacksmith worked on day and night, all day he was shoein horses and 11 the spare time he had he was inakin a knife. 'Then the whippers got there 111 of us were brought out to watch the whixroin but the blacksmith, Jim ir&ner did not wait to feel the lash, he jumped right into the bundh of )verseers and negro whippers and knifed two whippers and one overseer to sath; then stuck the sharp knife into his arm and bled to death." fuicide secerned the only hope for this man of strength. He could not humble Lmiself to the brutal ordeal of being beaten by the slave whippers. When the war started, we kept hearing about the soldiers and finally they let up their camp in the forest near us. The corn was ready«to bring into |e barn and the soldiers told Mr. Mooney to let the slaves gather it and it into the barns. Some of the soldiers helped gather and crib the )rn.; I wanted to help- buj Miss .As was afraid they would press me into .me-hide.in *he;;e$Ilar., . (There;;'was.a-bti ;keg .of\applet;:;©iii|i mMMBBM\ liH^~^^ii^::^k&SlS)Mi^MMiik :'t¥ii;>V^iS&£a§fe! 4? [n the cel&sr and every day Hiss Puss handed down a "biff plate of fresh Ui-er snaps right out of the uven, so I was well fixed." The old man f-emeshers that after the com was I21 the crib the soldiers turned in their lorscs to eat what had fallen to the ground. tefore the soldiers "became encamped at the I-ooney plantation they had camp— ,& iwon a hill and some skirmishing had occurred. Uncle Joe rememhers the fe}--'.rT.ish and seeing cannon halls come over the fields. The cannon halls fere chained together and the slave children would ran after the missils. Bonetir.'.es the chains would cut down trees as the halls rolled through the brest. po you "believe in witchcraft?" was ssked while interviewing the aged negro. I'llo was the answer. "I had a cousin that was a full "blooded Indian and a ^Too doo doctor. He got me to help him with his Yooydoo work. A lot of jople "both white and "black sent for the Indian when they were sick. I told ra I would do the "best I could, if it would help sick people to get well. IL woman was sick with rheumatism and he was going to see her. He sent me in- *to the woods to dig up poke roots to "boil. He then took the "brew to the fiouse where the sick woman lived. Had her to put "both feet in a tub filled srith warm water , into which he had placed the poke root "brew. He told the woman she had lizards in her "body and he was going to jgring them out of tier. He covered the woman with a heavy "blanket and made her sit for a ling [t Itime, possibly an hour, with her feet in the tub of poke root "brew and water. pe had me slip a good many lizards into the 13X113 and when the woman removed per feet, there were the lizards. She was soon well and "believed the liz- prds had come out..of her legs. I was disgusted and would not practice with krcousin again." -— • Pf^^.Aliia-'t.^glit in the Civil War," was asked Ufcole Joe. lllfj|ll|$^^ entered the service and "barfcacued^ i^x-Slave stories %h district Page 6.''" 48 Yan&erburgh Comity Joseph '?illiam Carter. T.au?.na Greel Let until the r?ar closed." Barbacueing had heen Uncle Joe's specialty during slavery days and he- followed the same profession during his service ?ith the federal army. He was freed "by the emancuapation proclamation, and soon met and married Sadie Scott, former Slave of ^r. Scott, a Tennessee tlanter. Sadie only lived a short time after her marriage,. He later married Amy Doolins. Her father was named Garmuel. He was a blacksmith and after he v/as free, the countrymen were after him to take his life. He was shot nine times and finally killed himself to prevent meeting death at the hands of the cJLanjajae-s• Joseph William Garter is a cripple. In 1933 he fell and broke his right thigh-bone and since that time he has walked v;ith a crutch. He stays ur> quite a lot ana is always glad to welcome visitors. He possesses a noble [character and is admired by his friends and iieighbors. Tall, straight, [lean of body, his nose is aquiline; these physical characteristics he in- herited from his Indian ancestors. His gentle nature, v-it and good humor ¦ are characteristics handed to him by his mother and, fostered by the gentle rearing of his southern mistress, [When Uncle Joe Garter celebrated the lOOdth aniversary of his birth a large cake was presented to him. decorated with 100 candles. The party was at- tended by children and grandchildren, friends and neighbors. "What.is your political viewpoint?" was asked the old man. ¦ &y politics is my x3sek love for my country". "I vote for the man, not the [party." pole Joe's religion is the religion of decency and virtue. "I don't want to (be hard in my judgement, "said he, "But I wish the whole world would be decent.| when'I was young man, women wore more clothes in bed than they now wear on pe street." pN$a has always been a lover of horses but he does not care for Automobiles ^^roplanes.""said a daughter of Uncle Joe* Uncle Joe has seven daughi**: K-Slaves Stories -Q feth District Page 7. <*•» anderburgh Comity Joseph /illjam Garter luana Creel Irs he says they have always "been obedient and attentive to their parents. eir mother passed away seven years ago. The sons and daughters of Uncle reir.er.ber their grand-mother and recall stories recounted by her of her Itivity among the Indians. 'Papa had no gray hairs until after mama died. His hair turned gray from lef at her loss." said Mrs. Delia Smith, one of his daughters. Uncle Joe's mile reveals a set of unusually sound teeth from which only one" tooth is pissing. ice all fathers and grandfathers, Uncle Joe recounts the cute deeds and fun- sayings of the little children he has been associated with: how his own Ildren with feather bedecked crowns enacted the capture of their grandmother d often played "Voo-Doo Doctor." •• ele joe stresses the value of work, not the enforced lafcor of the slave but lie cheerful toil of free people. He is glad that his sons and daughters industrious citizens and is proud they maintain clean homes for their fam- (.ies. sSbbEcrfgHgfalgagpgnnf He is happy because his-children have never [town bondage, and he respects the laws of his country and appreciates the [iterest that the citizens of Ivansville have always showed in the negro race. After Uncle Joe became a young man he met many Indians from the tribe iiat had held his mother cantive. Through them he learned much about his L fther which his mother had never told him. Though he was a |ardner slave and would have been Joseph Gardner, he took is fe name of Carter from a step father and was known as Joseph Carter. ' X i".'^0>ffi?$"^$lk '"fj '*'¦;,', ¦PPBBISr^.....-¦¦¦ "-u-...... ;¦¦¦ - ¦ ¦ '..... '........WW±-«W# Mat. 4, Jefferson County JU3007Q 537 Words _ .. ... _^:r~T~^~~^ v. * 50.1 ¦ OHIO COUHTY EX-SLAVE, MRS. ELLE1T CAVE, RELATES HER SCPSRIEUCES Ref. (A) Assistant editor of "The Rising Sun Recorder" furnished the, following story which had appeared in the paper, March 19, 1937. Mrs. Cave was in slavery for twelve years before she was freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. When she gave her story to Aubrey Robinson she was living in a temporary garage home back of the Rising Sun courthouse having lost everything in the 1937 flood. Mrs. Cave was born on a plantation in Taylor County Kentucky. She was the property of a man who did not live up to the popular idea of a Southern gentleman, whose slaves refused to leave them, even after their freedom was declared. When she was a yee& old her mother was sold to someone in Louisana and she did not see her again until 1867, when they were re-united in Carrolton, Kentucky. Her father died when she was a baby. Mrs. Cave told of seeing wagon loads of slaves sold down the river* She, herself was put on the block several times but never actually sold, although she would have preferred being sold rather than the, continuation of the ordeal of the block. I Her master was a "mean man" vho drank heavily, he had twenty slaves I' ¦ I *" [ that he fed now and then, and gave her her freedom after the war only when she would remain silent about it no longer. He-was a Sout 'hern sympath- - iser but joined the Union army where he became a caftain and was in charge of' a Union commissary* Finally he was suspected and,charged with mustering supplies to the rebels. He was imprisoned for some time, then courtmartialei aad sentenced to die. He escaped by bribing his negro guard. 16?s. Cave said that her master's father had many young women slaves § sold his own half-breed children down the river to Xouisiana plantations j.^lfc^;'.^^;--'.^;E^^ :"?:' ^/V~ v?$$£^?fc older w&en she was forced to do all kinds of outdoor labor, she remembered sawing logs in the snow all day. in the summer she pitched hay ox any other man's work in the field. She was trained to carry three tuckets of water at the same time, two in her ahands and one on her head and said she could still do it* On this plantation the chief article of food for the slaves was bran- bread, although the master's children were kind and often slipped them out meat or other food. Mrs. Cave remembered seeing General Woolford and General Morgan of the Southern forces when they made friendly visits to the plantation. She saw General Grant twice during the war. She saw soldiers drilling near the plantation. Later she was caught and whipped "by night riders, or "pat-a- rollers", as she tried to slip out to negro religious meetings. Mrs, Cave was driven from her plantation two years after the war and 240 D^ Anna Pritefaett "kYe often made ash oa&e* (That Is made of biscuit doughs) flhen the dough was ready, we swept a clean place on the floor of the fireplace, sisoothed the dough out with our hands, took sesas ashee, pub them on top of the dough, then put gome hot cools on top of the ashes, and just left it« When it was done, we brushed off tb& coals, took out the bread, brushed off the ashes* child, that was bread** (A) "When we roasted a chicken, we got it all nice and clean, stuffed him with dressing, greased him all cw$r good, put a cabbage leaf on the floor of the fireplace $ put the chicken on the cabbage leaf, then covered him good v/ith another cabbage leaf, and put hot coals all over and around him, and left him to roast* That is ths best way to cook ehicJoen*,* (A) Mrs* Cheatam lives with a daughter, Mrs* Jones* She is a very saiall old lady, pleasant to talk with, lias a very happy disposition* Her eyes, as she said, nhave gotten vejrjr dim,11 and she can't piece her quilts anytaore# That was the way she spenb her spare time* She has beautiful white hair and i» very proud of it* (B) Submitted December 1, 1987 Indianapolis, Indiana By; AMA PRITCHOT Field Writer isE^i^'p&iili 1,300 to District #0 J.O\A/x<„ Vanaerbursh County "^ Liraana Creel James Chlldresa' Story* From an interview with. James Chiltfrese end from John Bell both Xiv- 1ns at 312 3# E* Fifth Street, Evanevllle, Indiana. Known as Un«l© Jlnwy by the siany children that cluster about ts.o a^ed man never tiring of his stories of "When I was a chile.w ' "When I was a chile my daddy ana" meunma was slaves anc5 1 was a s sl!-ve,w so begins many rec©ijnted tales of the lonK a%o. Rorr. at tf&shville* Tennessee In the year 1P60, uncle Jimwle ror'-enbers ths Civil War clays with the excltlnr events as related to 1:1 p own fr^.ily am1 the farollj* of Jrmea Chlldreas, his master. He re* .members sorrow expressed In p*>rtinr; tears when "Uncle Johnle and tfnele Pob stn-ted to war* Ho recalls happy days when the beautiful valley of the Cumberland was abloom with wild flowers and fertile acres were competed with bin.© ^rass. nA be&utlful view could always bo enjoyed from the hillsides and there were many protty home© belonging to the rich citizens, Slave* lw.pt the lawns smooth and. tended the flowers for miles around liashville, when I wes a child** said Uncle Jlrnmie* Uncle Jlumle Ohildreas has no knowledge of hie master's hewing practiced cruelty towards any slave* "We was all well fed, well clothed and lived in cood cabin** I nevor got a cross word from Hbiv John in my llf®,n he declared* "When the slaves got their freedom they rejoiced staying up many nights to eitt&j denoe and enjoy themselvea, although they still depended on old Mars John for food and bed, they felt too excited to'waste in the fields or .©are for the stock* !i?hey hated to leave their 2mmm* but ir* Ghlldres* told them to go out and mall®- hasaew for-thejsiselvee** ¦ jot work ee a houeekeeper and Jcept us all together, Uncle matonm^.... . , ¦ -as****** #§ ¦ m LiuaHA 6r*sl Jsrass Childraes* Sfcoyy, Evftnavllle since 1881, have worked for * good many mm and John B«ll will tell you I have had only friends in the city of Kvanaville," Unole Jlrnmle recalls how the Slavs* always prayed to God for freedom and febs negro preaohera always preached about tlie day when the slave* would toe no longer slaves but free and nappy. "My people loved (iod# they sang soared songs, *Swing Low Sweet 01iarrlot» w&s one of the beat songs they know"* He^e uncle Jimmie sang a atanaa of the aong and said it related to (10(1*8 setting the negroes £**#» wffte negi*oee at m* Childreas* place were allowed to learn a© muon as they eould* Several of the young men could read ana writs* "Our master was a good man and did no harm to anybody," James (Jhildress is a black man, small of etftture,with crisp wooly dark hair* iis Is glad las is not a mulatto but * thorough blooded negro# ,>:« ,|3 ,..,..................... ..........„„.. „,..........................-..........,,„................,...............,___ y~ £&&€&£$%$($$$ 1 7 014, Federal Writer*» Projeet Page #1 of the W. P. A* Topic #40 Distriet #f Anna Pritehett Marion County Filo J44-A Folkloro Inferences (A) Mrs* Sarah Colbert -Ex-Slave- 1505 K9rth Capitol avenue, Indianapoli*, Indiana. (B) Anna Pritohott -Federal Writer- 1200 Kentucky Avenue* lire* Sarah Carpenter Colbert was bora in Allen County, Kentucky in 1850* She was owned by Leige Carpenter* a farmer* (A) Bar father, Isaae Carpenter was the grandson of hie master, Leige Carpenter, who was very kind to him* Isaae worked on the farm until the old master's death* He was then sold to Jim MeFarland in Frankfort Kentucky, Jim's wife was r*xy mean to the slaves, whipped them regularly every morning to start the day right. (A) One Morning after a severe beating, Isaae mat an old slave, who asked him why he let his mistress beat him so muoh. Isaae laughed and asked him what he could do about it* The old man told him if he would bite her foot, the next time she knocked him down, she would stop seating him and perhaps sell him* (A) the next morning he was getting his regular beating, he willingly fell to the floor, grabbed hie mistress' foot, bit her * emejmw Jjem ^ ^ __ fopio #40 s 58 Anna Pritehett rmry hard* She tried Tory hard to poll away from him, ho hold en still felting, sho ran around in tho room, Isaao still holding on* Finally, sho stopped boating him and never attempted to strike him again* (A) Sho next week he was put on the blook, Doing a Tory good worker and a Tory strong man* tho bids wore high* (a) Bis young master, Leigo Jr., outbid everyone and bought him for $1200.00. His young mistress was Tory mean to him. He wont again to his old friend for advice. Shis time he told him to got sons yellow dust* sprinkle it around in his mistress' room and if possible, got some in hor shoes* This he did and in a short time he was sold again to Johnson Carpenter in tho same county. BO was not really treated any hotter there* By thin time he was very tired of being mistreated. He remembered his old master tolling him to neror lot anyone be mesa to him* Bo ran away to his old mistress, told t*r of his many hardships, and told hor what tho old master had told him, so sho sent him book* At tho next sale sho bought him, and ho lived there until slavery was abolished, (a) Hor grandfather. Bat Carpenter, was an ambitious slave% he dug ore and bought his freedom, then bought his wife by paying $50.00 a year to hor master for her* She continued to work on tho farm of hor own maator for a very small wage, (a) Bat»s wife, Matilda, lived on tho farm net far from him, ho was allowed to visit hor every Sunday. One Sunday, Tfcple JM0 59 Anna Pritohett it looked like rain* hie master told him to gather in the oats* he refused to do this and was beaten with a raw hide • He was so angry* he went to one of the witoh «erafters for a charm so he oould fix his old master. (A) The witoh doctor told him to get five new nails, as there were five member* in his master's family, walk to the barn* them walk backwards a few steps* pound one nail in the ground, giving each nail the name of each member of the family, etartizig with the master* then the mlatrees* and so on through the family• Each time one nail wa* pounded down in the ground* walk backward* and nail the next one in until all were pounded deep in the ground* He did as instructed and was mror beaten again* (A) Jane Garmen was the Tillage witch* She disturbed the a lavas with her oat* Always at milking time the cat would appear* and at night would go from one cabin to another* putting out the grease lamps with his paw* No matter how they tried to kill the oat* it just could not be ne* An old witch doctor told them to melt a dime* form a bullet with the ailver* and shoot the oat* Be said a lead bullat would never kill a bewitched animal* The silver bullet fixed the oat* (A) Jane also bewitched the chickens* They were dying so fast anything they did seamed useless* Finally a big fire was built and the dead chickens thrown into the fire* that burned the Topi* #40 Anna Pritohett GO charm* and no sore ohiekona died* (A) Mra • Colbert lire a with hor daugher in a Tory comfortable home* She aeonus very happy and waa glad to talk of hor early days* How aha would laugh when tolling of the ex- periences of hor family. She haa rearod a largo family of hor own* and fee la Tory proud of them* (B) Submitted December 1, 1937 Indianapolis, Indiana By> A3SSA PEirCHETT -------Hold Writer i;: Dist* 4 Johnson County, Ihd* Iftu R» Mays SLAVEH2T, r* July 29, 1937 753 word* VX SLAVEHT DAYS OF MAH0Y COOPER OP LIMCOIN COUHTY, KEOTUCBC Ref s Prank Cooper, 715 Ott St*, Franklin, Ind# Frank Cooper, an aged colored man of Franklin, relates some very interesting conditions that existed in slavery days as handed down to him by his mother * Handy Cooper, the mother of Frank Cooper, was 115 years old when she died; she was owned by three different families: the Goodfs, the Burton,s, and the Cooperfs, all of Lincoln Co* Kentucky* "Well, Ah reckon Ah am one of the oldest colored men hereabouts,11 confessed aged Frank Cooper* "What did you all want to see me about?" Jlfy mission being stated, he related one of the strangest categerles alluding to his motherfs slave life that I Jjave ever heard* "One day while mah many was washing her back my sistah noticed ugly disfiguring scars on it* IxPquiring about them, we found^nuch to our amazement, that they were mamEyfs relics of the now gone, if not forgotten, slave days* "This was her first reference to her "misery days" that she had evah mde in my presence* Of course we ell thought she was tellin* us a big story and we made fun of her* With eyes f la shin*, she stopped bathing, dried her back and reached for the smelly ole black whip that hung behind the kitchen door* BiddinT us to strip down to our waists, my little mammy with the boney bent-ovah back, struck each of us as hard as evah she could with that black-snake whip, each stroke of the whip drew blood from our backs* "%cmn$ she said to us, "you have a taste of slavery days ?" With three of her children now having tasted of some of her "misery days" she was in the mood to tell us more of her sufferings; still indelibly impressed in my mind* ,^_j / rfV.£ 2. -. 62 tlty ole back is bent ovah from the quick-tempered blows feld by the red-headed Miss Burton* fAt dinner time one day when the ehuroin* wasn't finished for the noonday meal1, she said with an angry look that must have been reborn in mah mammy fs eyes — eyes that were dimmed by years and hard living fthree white women beat me from ang&k because they had no butter for their biscuits and cornbread* Miss burton used a heavy board while the missus used a whip* While I was on my knees begginf them to quit. Miss Burton hit the small of mah back with the heavy board* Ah knew no more until kind Mr* Hamilton* who was staying with the white folks, brought me inside the cabin and brought me around with the camphor bottle* Ahfll always thank him - God bless him - he picked me up where they had left me like a dog to die in the blazin* noonday sun* * After mah baok was broteen it was doubted whether ah would evah be able to work again or not* Ah was placed on the auotion block to be bidded for so mah owner could see if ah was worth anything or not* One man bid $1700* after puttin1 two dirty fingahs in iqy mouth to see my teeth* Ah bit him and his face showed angah* He then wanted to onm me so he could punish me* fThinkinf his bid of #1700 was official he unstrapped his buggy whip to beat me, but my mastah saved me* Vly master declared the bid unofficial* fAt this auction my sister was sold for $1900 and was never seen by us again*1 w% mother related some experiences she had with the Paddy-Rollers$ later called the ^Kuklux11, these Paddy-Rollers were a constant dread to the Negroes* They would whip the poor darkeys unmercifully without any cause* One night while the Negroes were gathering for a big party and dance they got ( wind of the approaohing Paddy-Rollers in large numbers on horseback* The Negro men did not k&cm what to do for protection* they became desperate and decided to gather a quantity of grapevines and tied them fast at a dark place in the 3, 63 road* When the Baddy-Rollers came thundering down the road bent on deviltry and unaware of the trap set for them, plunged head-on into these strong grapevines and three of their ixuniber were killed and a score was badly injured* Several horses had to be shot following injuries* "When the news of this happening spread it was many months before the Paddy-Rollers were again heard of #w 301? u Fodopol Mtmt Pff©jeCfc st« Jfo«©.plJ Oounty - ^istapiet; ifX tilotanamkB^ 3rd tone* SSC «8EXVB8 manafcaicE / / v ¦ Albert a trope, Field m*m> PidnalrinWn' Project (55 St# aitoph Oomtfcy * fibtriet #1 ^ R8V« E* II, SKUHDB nor, lu H# a&mtnda too resided at 405 west iiiolaory street in HUdmrfc for the past ten your®. Barn in r^tuftfenrgt Virginia* in 3059* he lived there for eever**! years, later bo isee t®.ken t© alesieslppi by hit meter, and finally to Naehville* T'«sMieit nhere h@ Hired until hit resioval fee T&Mbazt* Mr, xfcw^de Is vary r©iigiouef one! fcr maasy year* has serv- ©d his people 0© © r&nieter of the Ooapel* lie feele deeply that the religion of today he a greatly obangod fron the W©M time ra» Uglon*" In elavery days, the colored people were oo eub^u&tted end tmedueeted that ho clalne they wore eepeelelly cuaeoptifcle to religion, ond poured out their religious feelings in the to* oallad negro apiritunla. i&», afcssa&e is ooiwineed that the superstitlone of the eoierad people &»d their belief in ghoats aM oobblins is due to the feet t!»t their eraotlona @#a worked upon by slave drlvera to keep them in subjugation, oftexitimee vhlta people dreeaad e® $K»«ta, MLgbfaaad the colored people into doing may ttiinge under protest* The "ghoate*' were feared tm iaor© then the elavewdrlvera* the iler of the BebelMea la not rmmtoms& by Mr, H&nnde* but he elaarly rmssN&e the period ffellawlag the n&r teowt* os the i^eonatruetion Period* ^hejtejroea were very happy ^hea they_ learned they were free at ® Jesuit of the «er» a fes? took ©a- ventage of their froedm Immediately, but «*ay, not tewelnft vhftt elae to do, remained with their former meters, B&m re* mined on the plantation* Hire year* after ti*y were free* */* JSKrfc 3tropo, Field Worker {](' Federal Writer** ProJeefc St. ttoeeph County - Dtetrtet -llshcraeka, liidSUinu; OrndttslSy they learned to sere far thmeeliree, often throng In* straetlono reoeffftd fre.i their tasmm metere* anSL then they tow glad to start out to the \ none Who ser¥©d ue be§aos on the fem« .' & @Mop eleter was the heed boas* After t-ho wsr wo a o^or, the sis- tor 00 Hod the oolore& pp-ople together n»1 to 3d fcUoa vksfc they were r*o longer slevee* that tliey tdL^ifc les^o s£ ttwy wished* *7he sSa^ea hod been wterlng eatr««£»or# ehioh bad beau planted erouofl hsrrela filled tfitfe aoll# Hole* ti&d been boreS to the berro&Sf end tihon wnter yes poured to tij© berrelte* it grftda&lly eeq$?®d out throaggh the Violet time ifetepiog the ©ueiiiabore* "After the spoooh, oae eon told the slaves to res^se their eorfc» Stoee I ee« fret, t reused to do so, oan 00 o result* I rcse©i?ed e terrible idoldtiig* 1 mmM<y reeoiwed to get even «ose day, Years afters»»rd# 1 went to the hone of thia mn f*H Archie Korltz, Field Worker Federal Writers1 Project lake County - District #1 Gary, Indiana G8 BC-SIAVES John Eubanks & Family Gary*s only surviving Civil War veteran wa3 born a slave in Barren County, Kentucky, June 6, 1836. His father was a mulatto and a free negro. His mother was a slave on the Everrett plantation and his grandparents ware full-blooded African negroes* As a child he began work as soon a3 possible and was put to v/ork hoeing and pick- ing cotton and any other odd jobs that would keep him busy. He was one of a family of several children, ana is the sole survivor, a brother living in Indianapolis, having died there in 1935. Following the custom of the south, when the children of the Everrett family grew up, they married ana slaves were given them for wedding presents. John was given to a daughter who married a man of the name of Eubanks, hence his name, John Eubanks. John was one of the more fortunate slaves in that his mistress and master were kina and they were in a state divided on the question of slavery. They favored the north. The rest of the children were given to other members of the Everrett family upon their marriage or sold down the river and never saw one another until after the close of the Civil War, Shortly after the beginning of the Civil War, when the north seemed to be losing, someone conceived the idea of forming negro regiments and as an inducement to the slaves, they offered them freedom if they would join the Union forces, John's mistress and master told him that if he wished to join the Union forces, he had their consent and would not have to run away like other slaves were page 2 Archie Koritz, Field worker /u> Federal Writers1 Project ; uVJ lake County-District #1 Gary, Indiana doing. At the beginning of the war, John was twenty-one years of age. When Lincoln freed the slaves by his Emancipation Proclama- tion, £ohn was promptly given his freedom by his master and mistress, John decided to join the northern army which was located at Bowling Green, Kentucky , a distance of thirty-five miles from Glasgow where John was living. He had to walk the entire thirty- five miles. Although he fails to remember all the units that he was attached to, he does remember that it was part or General Sher- man's army. His regiment started with Sherman on his famous march through Georgia, but for some reason unknown to John, shortly after the campaign was on its way, his regiment was recalled and sent else- where • His regiment was near Vicksburg, Mississippi, at the time Lee surrendered. Since Lee was a proud southerner and did not want the negroes present when he surrendered, Grant probably for this reason as much as any other refused to accept Lee1 a sword. When Lee surrendered there was much shouting among the troops and John was one or many put to work loading cannons on "boats to be shipped up the river. His company returned on the steamboat "Indiana." Upon his return to GlasgowJ be saw for the first time in six years, his mother and other members of his family who had returned free. Shortly after he returned to Glasgow at the close of the Civil War, he saw several colored people walking down the highway and was attracted to a young colored girl in the group who was wearing a yellow dress. Immediately he said to himself, "If she ain't married there goes my wife»" Sometime later they met and were married Christmas day in 1866, To this union twelve children were born four of whom are living today, two in Gary and the others in the south. page 3 ,Archie Koritz, Field "yorker Federal Writers* Project ^'{) lake County-District #1 Gary, Indiana After his marriage he lived on a farm near Glasgow for several years, later moving to Louisville, where he worked in a lumber yeard. He came to Gary in 1924, two years after the death of his wife. President Grant was the first president for whom he cast his vote and he continued to vote until old age prevented him from waIky- ing to the polls. Although Lincoln is one of his favorite heroes, Teddy Roosevelt tops his list of great men and he never failed to vote for him. In 1926, he was the only one of three surviving memebers of the Grand Army of the Republic in Gary and mighty proud of the fact that he was the only one in the parade. In 1937 he is the 3ole survivor. He served in the army as a member of Coripany K of the 108th, Kentucky Infantry (Hegro Volunteers). When General Morgan, the famous southern raider, crossed the Ohio on his raid across southern Indiana, John was one or the negro fighters who after heavy fighting, forced Morgan to recross the river and retreat back to the south. He also participated in sever- al skirmishes with the cavalry troops commanded by the famous Ha than Bedfored Forrest, and was a member of the^gegro garrison at Fort Pillow, on the Mississippi which was assaulted ana captured. This resulted in a massacre of the negro soldiers. John was in several other fights, but as he says, "never onct got a skinhurt," At the present time, Mr. Eubanks is residing with his daughter, Mrs. Bertha Sloss and several grandchildren, in Gary, Indiana. He is badly crippled with rheumatism, has poor eyesight and his memory is failing. Otherwise his health is good. Most of his teeth are good and they are a source of wonder to his dentist. He is ninety- page 4 Archie Koritz, Field worker {~,, Federal Writers' Project Lake Coutny - District #1 Gary, Indiana say, !Ifm Union Soldier. V/hat yoh ell doin! heah?« I say, »V/e goin' to !nlist in de ahmy.i He say, *Dat!s Tine1 and he 3ay, t come ! long1 lie say, !git right on white manfs side1- we go to station. Den he say, fYou go right down to de station and give yoh inf orhmation. V/e keep on walkin1 . Den v/e come to a white house wit stone steps in front so we go in. An' we got to !nlistin* p.lace :nd jine up wit de ahmy. ffDen we go trainin1 in d! camp and v/e move on. Come to a little town ..... a little town. V/e come to Boiling Green*, den to Louisille. V/e come to a rivah.....a rivah (painfully recalling) d! Mississippi. ?\/e weah !nfontry and petty soon we gits in plenty fights, but not a scratch hit me. V/e chase dem cavalry. V/e run den all night end next nohnin1 d1 flaptain he say, !Dey done broke down.1 ".Jlien we rest, he say *See dey donf trick you.T I say, !V/e got all d! ahmy men togedder* V/e hold dem back !til help come.1 !rV/e don* have no tents. Sleep on naked groun1 in wet and cold and rain. L!osf d* time we!s hungry but we win d! war and Lahstah Sjabanks tell us v/e no mo ah hisn property, v/e!s free now.1 The old man can talk only in short sentences and his voice dies to a whisper and soon the strain became evident. Ee was tired. V/het he does remember is with surprising clearness especially small details, but with a helpless gesture, he dismisses names and locations. He remembers the exact date of his discharge, March 20, 1866, which his daughter verified by producing his discharge papers. He remembers the place, Vicksburg, the Company ~ K, and the Regiment, 180th. Dropping back once more to his childhood he spoke of an incident which his daughter says makes them all cry when he relates it, although they have heard it many times* page 4 Archie oritz, Field Yforker Federal Writers* Project Lake County - District #1 Gary, Indiana 76 "Mahstah Everett whipt me onct and mothah she cried. Then Mahstah Everett say, 'Why yoh all cry? - Yoh cry I whip anothah of these young uns. She try to stop. He whipt 'nother. He say, !Ifn yoh all don1 stop, yoh be whipt tool ' and mothah she trien to stop but teahs roll out, so Mahstah Everett whp her too. "I wanted to visit mothah when I belong to Mahst1 Embanks, but Becky say, 'Yoh all best not see youh mothah, or yoh wan ' to go all de time1 then explaining, 'she wan1 me to fohgit mothah, but I nevah could. V/hen I cm back from d1 ahmy, I go home to mothah and say 'don' y' know me?' She say, 'Wo, I don' know you.1 I say, 'Yoh don' know me?' She say, 'No, ah don' know yoh.* I say, I'se John.' Den she cry and say how ahd growd and she thought I'se daid dis long time. I done 'splain how the many fights I'se in wit no scratch and she bein' happy." Speaking of Abraham Lincoln's death, he remarked, "Sho now, ah . remembah dat well. We all feelin* sad and all d' soldiers had wreaths on der guns." Upon his return from the army he married a young negress he had seen some time previous at which time he had vowed some day to make her his wife. He was married Christmas day, 1866. For a number of years he lived on a farm of his own near Glasgow. Later he moved with his family to Louisville where he worked in a lumber yard. In 1923, two years after'the death of his wife, he came to Gary, when he retired. Se is now living with his daughter, Mrs. Sloss, 2713 Harrison Boulevard, Gary. Mtm. i^^^sM^^^i^'^'-^Xi.JviJJ/i TiZJZi ,*>BiflMjfeiiaffi^ Cecil C# Miller, ;$ ^S('M (;G5 Tippeeanoe Co* Dist* $8 Interview with Mr* John if* Fields* E&-Slave of Civil War period* September 17% 10§7 John W# Fields, 2120 North Twentieth Street, Lafayette, Indiana* now employed as a domestic by Judge Burnett is a typical example of a ^ino colored .entleraex:* who# despite his lowly birth and adverse circumstances, has labored and economised until he lias acquired a respected pine© in his hone corjiunit^ ? Ho is the mn®r of three properties$ un~mortgaged# and is a zmafoor of the colored Baptist Church of Lafayette* As will later be seen his life has been one of constant effort to better hirtsilf spiritually and physically* He is a fine example of a Ban who has lived a norally and physically clean life* But, as for his life, I will let Mr, Fields apeak for himself * tt tip naiae is John W* Fields and and Vm ei^i1^*^nine(89) years old* I was born March 27 * 1848 in IJtoeneburg, |^^"^hats 115 idles below Louisville* Ky* Ihere was 11 other children besides itself in my family* "When I was six years ofdf all of us children wore taken from toy parents, because my master died and his estate had to be settled* We slaves were divided by this method* Ihree disinterested persons were chosen to co«ae to the plantation and together they wrote the mm* of the different heirs I entailing a fine of fiftgi) dollars and a Jail sentence, 1© were never allowed 78 to go to town and it was f'not until after I ran away that I knew that th«y •old anything but slavsai tobaee© and wiakey* Our ignorance was tha greatest hold the Southj had on ua* He knew we e*uld m away* but what I theat in offender guil+fcr of thia oriase waa aub^eoted to very harah punieh&ent* / ^Whan m masters estate had been Battled, I was t© go with the widowed / ralatiw to hm ptaM,| she swung v* up m har horse behind her and pro- Bleed me all *mxw*re'j? aweet things if I would c*i of Hard %wrkt poor quarters and beard* Wo had no bode at that tine* **o juot "buzzed* on tho floor* I had qxw blanket and mxxy* the nigjUt I oat by tho fireplaee during tho long oold nighte isi tho wtaster* ^ Hy iJletreea had separated m fron all ay family but o&a brother with swoot word©* but that poea sraa dropped after ehe reaehod her plae^* Shortly alter I had been^ there, ehe laarrtod a northern ran by the" one* of David Kill* At flret ho wa© very nice to ua* but ho gradually enquired a xsean aad overbearing manner tosiard ue* 1 rosMKiber one Ineidant that I don't like to reeonber* Qm of the mmm el&vos h&4 been very slekpal she was unable to work just as fast as he thought fthe ought to* He had driven her all day with »& results* That ai.r^t after ooraplotolng our work he called us all together* Be raade wo hold ft li$vt, while he whipped her and then raade one of t • slaves pour salt water on her bleeding back, l^r iaaerda turn yet at thai eight* At t;-« begimdag of the Civil War I was still at thie plao© so a slav®* It looked at tho first of the war as if the south would win, as aaoot of the big battles wore won by the South* Thie was beoaueo m slaves stayed at home and tended tho fame and kept their families* v To eli»&aato this solid support of the South, the EKanoljmtioa Aot was passed, freeing all slaves, post of the slaves were so ignorant they did not realise they were froe* The planters know this and as Kentucky nevor sooooded frte* tho Union, they would seed slaves into Iwfeueky frse other states in the south and hire them out to plantations* For these reasons I did not ro«a so timt I was froe untill 1864* I innediately resolved to rua sway end join tho Qtaiaa Arsy sad tsW brother and I went fce 80 Oeansburg, By* and tried to join* Ity brother was taken* but I was fused as being too young* I raids at Bvansville* Twr* Haute and Indianapolis but waa unable to gat in* I than tried to find work and was finally hired by a man at $7*00 a taonth# That was ay ftrat independent jog* From then on I went from anv job to another working as enerel laborer* I married at 24 years of age and had four ehlldren* liy wife haa been dead for 12 year* and 8 months* Mr# Miller, always retosmbere thatt *The brightest m&$ the prettiest flcwor May be out down, and withered in an hour** v Todayt I am the only surviving zae&ber wlio helped organise the second Baptist Churoh here in Lafayet ef 64 years ago# Xfve tried to live ao~ oording to the way the Lord would wish, God Bless you* "The alook of life is wound but G$ee# Today is yours* tomvvm is not* No one knows when the hands will stop*11 0#eU M Her Tipp#t, Co# Diet. #8 ft 81 IOGR0 F.^L'liOTIE ' ^01 f 2 *$• *K)EJJ FIELDS, ?X«SLAVB# ' gl&G Mr# fields aaye that all negro el&Yeai were ardent bel.ievere in ^feeste, auperoatual xHAraim## tokens end "&i$m+* Ihe following story illustrate* the point* *A turkey gobbler lied ^storionaly disappeared frcw ana ofthe neighboring plantations eivi the local slavos w^re accused of e^tBetiBg the fowl to a boiling pK>t# A ilave eotrvltited of thift .-^s punished sererly* As all of the slaves denied aa&r tawirled^s of the turkey*s vftorei&eiits* they were instrueted to *$ake a seareh of the entire plantation** ^Ga one pert of the plaee then* was & large pe&oh oreh&rd* At the time the trees were full of the green fruit* tta&ear mm of the tr®et was a large cabinet or nsafew ats t ¦ ey were called* One of t e slave© aeeidesitly opmed the safe bM9 Behold* there nee ;j% OeVbler peacefully seated on >" laeoiber of green posehes* *the negro immediately ran baok and notified hie mater of the dieoov^ry* the master returned to the orchard with the store te flad that the tiogre** wild tale ms true* A turtoey gpbblef el tting on a nest of green peaehes A bad eiMt** wThe master had a sen who had b&etx seriously inured seeie tin©* before by a runttnsr tea% arid a few days after tide uausual eeeureaee mtth the turkey, the eon died* After hie teeth* the word of the i turfc«y»8 mstlng voattmi &M. the dotit© ef th* aaiitw»» eon gj>r©«4 to the four wind*, and f<*r 0*6*0 tin* ftftw thi» «tery m» r»l*t»& wher«v«r tii*r# «m a public gathering with tho iMto p#opl« «r «»2» tho al&ve population** All through the south a hor&e^Loe waa considered an csaen of ^ood luck* Kare indeed was the southern h«.«e tiiat did not, have 0210 nailed over Iha door* This inspired the household mid all vdio entered of plosant prospects while within tho hstly to the insuffleant food the alav^ts obtained* Most of the planters expected a chicken to suddenly get heavmdy aspirations once In a while, but as Kr# Fields says, ''When a beautiful 250 pound hog suddenly trios to kidnap hlwaelf, the planter decided to Investigate** It ooeured like thiet nA 250 po nd hog had been fruitless* 3&e planter was certain that the culprit was asiong his group of slaws^ so he decided to personally conduct a quiet inrostij^atien* One night sliorfcly afWr the noon had risen in the sky, two of the negroes ware seated at a table in on© of the cabins talking of the experiences of the day* A knock sounded on the door* Both slaves pimped up and cautiously peeked out of the window* Lei there was the naster patiently waitinj; for an anmfwr* The visiting negro decided that the meter must not see both of then and he asked the other to $*riceal hin nhilo the master was there* th* other slave told him to ellaib isrto the attic and %• perfectly quiet* Wvm this was done, the tenant of the cabin ar&wered the door* Sse isaeter strode in and ga&ed abcut ike cabin* He the» 82 turned abruptly to tha nlmw and growled, * Alright, wh^re 1* that hog you atoladl 'lautaa, ropllsd tha nagro, *t knew nothing atnrot no hog> 3ta mater ms oarfcaln that tha alava was lying and told Kim m> in no uncertain tarma* Tha tarrlflad alaw a&ld* *!»iasaM I kaoir nothing of asp ho?-'» 1 awr Bead hiaw tjja Good 14m up mbow knw/r; I navor sead him* HE knew© ovary thing and HB knasra I didn*t ataal hiiol Tha mn in the attia by thia tliaa wx& arouaad at tha adautidarvbood &onvttr&aticui taking place baloir hJxi* Diaraeardinj; all, ha ralaod hia voioa and yallad, *Haf a a liar* IMaaa, he kooaa just as i&Mh about It as I oo$ Moat of tha strictly nagro folklore Sx&a fadad into the jmat* 2ha youagar na/.:ro ?anarationa who hava boon ra&rod ami aducatad In tha north iiava lost thia baarlng and aaat&uKi tha lora of tha local whita population through thalr daily contact with th© uhitaa* tha older aagro nativca of thia aaetion arc for tha xaoat part aa^loyad an Uor:*a»tia« and through ^^hi® channel rapidly aasisdlatod tha amployara viewpoint in m*®t of hia valiafa tm& oonveraationa* 83 3x-Slave Stories ?• District 5 Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel 84 INDIANS MADE SLAVES AMONG THE NEGROES Interviews with George Fortman* Cor* Bellemeade Ave* and Garvin St*, Evansville, Indiana, and other interested citizens• "The story of ray life, I will tell to you with sincerest respect to all and love to many, although reviewing the dark trail of my childhood and early youth causes me great pain#,f So spoke George Fortman, an aged man and former slave, although the history of his life reveals that no Negro blood runs through his veins• "My story necessarily begins by relating events which occurred in 1338, when hundreds of Indians were rounded up like cattle and driven away from the valley of the Wabash• It is a well known fact recorded in the his- tories of Indiana that the long journey from the beautiful Wabash Valley was a horrible experience for the fleeing Indians, but I have the tradition as relating to my own family, and from this enforced flight ensued the tragedy of my birth*w The aged ex-slave reviews tradition* "liy two ancestors, John Hawk, if a Blackhawk Indian brave, and Racheal, a Chaokatau maiden had made themselves a home suoh as only Indians know, understand and enjoy* He was a hunter and a fighter but had professed faith in Christ through the influence of the missionaries* My greatgrandmother passed the facts on to her children and they have been handed down for four generations* I, in turn, have given the traditions to my children and grandchildren. "No more peaceful home had ever offered itself to the red man than the beautiful valley of the Wabash river* Giant elms, sycamores* and maple tfees bordered the stream while the fertile valley was traversed with creeks and rills, furnishing water in abundance for use of the Indian campers* Indians made Slaves among the Negroes . 2&* S5 ftThe Indians and the white settlers in the valley transacted business with each other and were friendly towards each other, as I have been told by my mother, Eliza, and ray grandmother, Courtney Hawk# nThe missionaries often called the Indian families together for the purpose of teaching them and the Indians had been invited, prior to being driven from the valley, to a sort of festival in the woods* They had prepared muoh food for the occasion* The braves had gone on a long hunt to provide IV meat and the squads had prepared much corn and other grain to be used at the feast* All the tribes had been invited to a council and the poor people were happy, not knowing they were being deceived* ,fThe decoy worked, for while the Indians were worshiping God the meet- ing was rudely interrupted by carders of the Governor of the State* The Gov- ernor, whose duty it was to give protection to the poor souls, caused them to be taken captives and driven away at the point of swords and guns* "In vain, my grandmother said, the Indians prayed to be let return to their homes* Instead of being given their liberty, some several hundred horses and ponies were captured to be used in transporting the Indians away from the valley* Many of the aged Indians and many innocent children died on the long journey and traditional stories speak of that journey as the ftrail of death*» ,f "After long weeks of flight, when the homes of the Indians had been reduced to ashes, the long trail still carried them away fYom their beautiful valley* fi(y greatgrandfather and his squaw became acquainted with a party of Indians that were going to the canebrakes of Alabama* The pilgrims were not well fed or well clothed and they were glad to travel towards the south, be- lieving the climate would be favorable to their health* 11 After a long and dreary journey, the Indians reached Alabama* Rachael had her youngest papoose strapped on to her back while John had cared for the Indians made Slaves among the Negroes - 3 - te(j larger child, Lucy* Sometimes she had walked beside her father but often she had become weary or sleepy and he had carried her many miles of the journey * besides the wsight of blankets and food* An older daughter, CouAiey, also accompanied her parents* "When they neared the cane lands they heard the songs of Negro slaves as they toiled in the cane* Soon they were in sight of the slave quarter* of Patent George's plantation*. The Negroes made the Indians welcome and the slave dealer allowed them to occupy the cane house; thus the Indians becanie slaves of Patent George* 11 Worn out from his long journey John Hawk became too ill to work in the sugar cane* The kindly-disposed Negroes helped care for the sick man but he lived only a few months* Rachel and her two children remained on the plan- tation, working with the other slaves* She had nowhere to go* No home to call her own* She had automatically become a slave* Her children had become chattel* "So passed a year away, then unhappiness came to the Indian mother, for her daughter,Courtney, became the mother of young Master Ford Georgefg child* The parents called the little half-breed "Eliza11 and were very fond of her* The widow of John Hawk became the mother of Patent George fs son, Patent Junior* "The tradition of the family states that in spite of these irregular occurrences the people at the George's southern plantation were prosperous, happy, and lived in peace each with thef others* Patent George wearied of the Southern climate and brought his slaves into Kentucky "where their ability and strength would amass a fortune for the master in the iron ore regions of Kentucky* "With the wagon trains of Patent and Ford George came Rachel Havflc and her daughters, Courtney, Luoy and Rachel* Rachel died on the journey from Alabama but the i^maining full blooded Indians entered Kentucky as slaves* Indians made Slaves among the Negroes iw 4 -£2^ "The slave men soon became skilled workers in the Hillman Rolling Mills* Mr. Trigg was owner of the vast iron works called the "Chimneys" in the region, but listed as the Hillman, Dixon, Bayer, Kelley and Lyons Furnaces? For more than a half century these chimneys smoked as the most valuable devel- opment in the western area of Kentucky* Operated in 1810, these furnaces had refined iron ore to supply the United States Havy with cannon balls and grape shot,and the iron smelting industry continued until after the close of the Civil War. "No slaves were beaten at the George's plantation and old Mistress Hester Lam allowed no slave to be sold. She was a devoted friend to all. ,fA8 Sliza George, daughter of Ford George and Courtney Hawk, grew into young womanhood the young master Ford George went oftener and offcener to social functions. He was admired for his skill with firearms and for his horsemanship. While Courtney and his child remained at the plantation Ford enjoyed the companship of the beautiful women of the vioehity. At last he brought hare the beautiful Loraine, his young bride. Courtney was stoical as only an Indian can be. She showed no hurt but helped Mistress Hester and Mistress Loraine with the house work." Here George Fortman paused to let his blinded eyes look back into the long ago. Then he again continued with his story of the dark trail. "Mistress Loraine became mother of two sons and a daughter and the big white two-story house facing the Cumberland River at Smith Landing, Kentucky, became a place of laughter and happy occasions, so my mother told me many times. / "Suddenly sorrow settled down over the home and the laughter turned / into wailing, for Ford George fs body ms found pierced through the heart and I the half-breed, Eliza, was nowhere to be found* "The young masterfs body lay in state many days* Friends and neighbors came bringing flowers. His mother, bowed with grief, looked on the still face Indians made Slaves among the Negroes - 5 - R$ of her son and under stood — understood why death had cane and why Eliza had gone away* "The beautiful home on the Cumberland river with its more than 600 acres of productive land was put into the hands of an administrator of estates to be readjusted in the interest of the George heirs* It was only then Mis- tress Hester went to Aunt Lucy and demanded of her to tell where Eliza could be found* fffShe has gone to Alabama, Ole Mistus*, said Aunt Lucy, fEliza was scared to stay here*f A party of searchers were sent out to look for Eliza* They found her secreted in a cane brake in the low lands of Alabama nursing her baby boy at her breast* They took Eliza and the baby back to Kentucky* I am that baby, that child of unsatisfactory birth*" The face of George Fortran registered sorrow and pain, it had been hard for him to retell the story of the dark road to strange ears* "My white uncles had told Mistrees Hester that if Eliza brought me back they were going to build a fire and put me in it, my birth was so un- satisfactory to all of them, but Mistress Hester always did what she believed was right and I was brought up by my own mother* ffT% lived in a cabin at the slave quarters and mother worked in the broom cane* Mistress Hester named me Ford George, in derision, but remained ray friend* She was never angry with my mother* She knew a slave had to submit to her master and besides Eliza did not know she was Master Ford George's daughter •tf The truth had been told at last* The master was both the father of Eliza dnd the father of Elizafs son* "Mistress Hester believed I would be feeble either in mind or body because of ray unsatisfactory birth, but I developed as other children did and was well treated by Mistress Hester, Mistress Lorainne and her children* Indians made Slaves among the Negroes _ 6 |» S{) "Master Patent George died and Mistress Hester married Mr • Lam, while slaves kept working at the rolling mills and ajnassing greater wealth for the George families• "Five years before the outbreak of the Civil War Mistress Hester called all the sieves together and gave us our freedom* Courtney, my grandmother, kept house for Mistress Lorainne and wanted to stay on, so I too was kept at the George home* There was a sincere friendship as great as the tie of blood between the white family and the slaves* Ify mother married a negro- ex-slave of Ford George and bore children for him* Her Health failed and when Mistress Puss, the only daughter of Mistress Lorainne, learned she was ill she persuaded the Negro man to sell his property and bring Eliza back to live vnth her*ff ,f:7hy are you called George Fordman when your name is Ford George?" was the question asked the old man* ?? ,r~7hen the Freedsmen started teaching school in Kentucky the census taker called to enlist me as a pupil* 'Vfoat do you call this child?1 he asked Mistress Lorainne* *Vfe call him the Little Captain because he carried himself like a soldier,1 said Mistress Lorainne* !He is the son of my husband and a slave woman but we are rearing hiiru1 Mistress Lorainne told the stranger that I had been named Ford George in derision and he suggested she list me in the census as George Fordsman, which she did, but she never allowed me to attend the Freedmen's School, desiring to keep me with her own children and let me be taught at home* My motherfs half brother, Patent George allowed his name to be reversed to George Patent when he enlisted in the Union Service at the out- break of the Civil War/1 Some customs prevalent in the earlier days were described by George Fordman* vIt was customary to conduct a funeral differently than it is con- ducted now/ he said* "I remember I was only six years old when old Mistress Hester Lam passed on to her eternal rest* She was kept out of her grave several Indians made Slaves among the Negroes - 7 - ^){) days in order to allow time for the relatives9 friends and ex-slaves to be notified of her death. "The house and yard were full of grieving friends* Finally the lengthy procession started to the graveyard. Within the George1s parlors there had been Bible passages read, prayers offered up and hymns sung, non the casket was olaced in a wagon drawn by two horses. The casket was covered with flowers while the family and friends rode in ox carts, horse-drawn wagons, horseback, and with still many on foot they made their way towards the river. Vfaen we reached the river there were many canoes busy putting the people across, besides the ferry boat was in use to ferry vehicles over the stream. The ex-slaves were crying and praying and telling how good granny had been to all of theip and explaining how they knew she had gone straight to Heaven, because she was so kind — and a Christian. There were not nearly enough boats to take the crowd across if they crossed back and forth all day, so my mother, Blizaf improvised a boat or 'gunnel11, as the craft was called, by placing a wooden soap box on top of a long pole, then she pulled off her shoes and, taking two of us small children in her arms, she paddled with her feet and put us safely across the stream. We crossed directly above Iaka, Livingston county, three miles below Grand River. "At the burying ground a great crowd had assembled from the neighbor- hood across the river and there were more songs and prayers and much weeping* i The casket was let down into the grave without the lid being put on and every- body walked up and looked into the grave at the face of the dead woman. They called it the flasr look* and everybody dropped flowers on Mistress Hester as they passed by. A man then went down and nailed on the lid and the earth was thrown in with shovels• Tge ex-slaves filled in the grave, taking turns with the shovel. Some of the men had worked at the smelting furnaces so long that their hands were twisted and hardened from contact with the heat. Their Indians made Slaves among the Negroes - 8 - tyl shoulders were warped and their bodies twisted but they were strong as iron men from their years of toil* '^hen the funeral was over mother put us across the river on the gunnel and we went home, all missing Mistress Hester* TTHy cousin worked at Frinceton, Kentucky, making shoes* He had never been notified that he was free by the kind emancipation Mrs • Hester had given to her slaves, and he came loaded with money to give to his white folks* Mis- tress Lorainne told him it was his own money to keep or to use, as he had been a free man several months* 11 As our people, white and black and Indians, sat talking they related how they had been warned of approaching trouble* Jack said the dogs had been howling around the place for many nights and that always presaged a death in the family* Jack had been compelled to take off his shoes and turn them soles up near the hearth to prevent the howling of the dogs* Uncle Robert told how he believed some of Mistress Hesterfs enemies had planted a shrub near her door and planted it with a curse so that when the shrub bloomed the old woman passed away* Then another man told haw a friend had been s^en carrying a spade into his cousin1 s cabin and the cousin had said, 'Daniel, what foh you brung that weapon into by cabin? That very spade will dig my grave,1 and sure f enough the counsin had died and the same spade had been used in digging his grave? "How my childish nature quailed at hearing the superstitions dis- cussed, I cannot explain* I have never believed in witchcraft nor spells, but / I remember iny Indian grandmother predicted a long, cold winter when she noticed / the pelts of the coons and other furred creatures were exceedingly heavy* T%en / / the breastbones of'the fowls were strong and hard to sever with the knife it was I a sign of a hard, cold and snowy winter* Another superstition was this: fA green winter, a new graveyard - a white winter* a green graveyard*f 1 George Fortman relates how, when he accompanied two of his cousins! into the lowlands —-there were very many Katy-dids in the trees — their voices Indians made Slaves among the Negroes o r*o formed a nerve-racking orchestra and his cousin told him to tiptoe to the trees and touch each tree with the tips of his fingers• This he did, and for the rest of the day there was quiet in the forest* "More than any other superstition entertained by the slave Negroes, the most harmful was the belief on conjurors* One old Negro woman boiled a bunch of leaves in an iron pot, boiled it with a curse and scattered the tea therein brewed, and firmly believed she was bringing destruction to her enemies* t'.Vherever that tea is poured there will be toil and troubles,1 said the old woman* "The religion of many slaves was mostly superstition* They feared to break the Sabbath, feared to violate any of the Commandments, believing that the wrath of God would follow immediately, blasting their lives* "Things changed at the George homestead as they change everywhere," said George Fortman* "When the Civil War broke out many slaves enlisted in hopes of receiving freedom* The George Negroes were already free but many thought it their duty to enlist and fight for the emancipation of their fellow slaves* My mother took her family and moved away from the plantation and work- ed in the broom cane* Soon she discovered she could not make enough to rear her children and we were turned over to the court to be bound out* ffI was bound out to David Varnell in Livingston County by order of Judge Busch and I stayed there until I was fifteen years of age* liy sister learned that I was unhappy there and wanted to see ray mother, so she influen- ced James Wilson to take me into his home* Soon goodhearted Jimmy Wilson took me to see Mother and I wont often to see her*" Sometimes George would become stubborn and hard to control and then Mr* Wilson administered chastisement* His wife could not bear to have the boy punished* f Don't hit him, Jimmie, donft kick him,1 would say the good Scotch woman* who was childless * fIf he does not obey me I will whip him,< James Indians made Slaves among the Negroes ~ 10 • IK j Wilson would answer* So the boy learned the lesson of obedience from the old couple and learned many lessons in thrift through their examples* "In 1883 I left the Wilson home and began working and trying to save son# money* River trade was prosperous and I became a !Roustabout•" The life of the roustabout varied some with the habits of the roustabout and the dis- position of the mate* Vfe played cards, shot dice and talked to the girls who always met the boats* The 'Whistling Coonf was a popular song with the boatmen and one version of fDixie Land*1 One song we o:ften sang when nearing a port was worded fHear the trumpet Sound * — Hear the trumpet sound, Stand up and donft sit down, Keep steppin1 !round and fround, Come jine this elegant band# If you don't step up and jine the bout, Old Missus sure will fine it out, She111 ohop you in the head wifi a golen ax, You never "Will have to pay de tax, Cone jine the roust-a-bout band.11 From roust-a~bout George became a cabin boy, cook, pilot,and held a number of positions on boats, plowing different streams* There was much wild game to be had and the hunting season was always open* He also remembers many wolves, wild turkeys, catamounts and deer in abundance near the Grand River* "Pet deer loafed around the milking pens and ate the feed from the mangers" said he* George Fortuian is a professor of faith in Christ* He was baptized in Concord Lake, seven miles from Clarksville, Tennessee, became a member of the Pleasant Greene Church at Callwell, Kentucky and liter a member of the Liberty Baptist Church at Ejransville* "I have always kept in touch with my white folks, the George family,ff said the man,now feeble and blind* "Four years ago Mistress Puss died and I was sent for but was not well enough to make the trip home*11 Indians made Slaves among the Negroes - 11 - U*! Too young to fight in the Civil 7fer, George was among those who watch- ed the work go on. fI lived at Smiths Landing and remember the battle at Fort Donnelson* It was twelve miles away said a long cinder walk reached from the fort for nearly thirty miles* The cinders were brought from the iron ore mills and my mother and I have walked the length of it many times#,! Still reviewing the long, dark trail he continued* "Boatloads of soldiers passed Smithfs Landing by day and nifeht and the reports of cannon could be heard v/hen battles were fought* We children collected Murniie balls near the fort for a long time after the war*11 Although the George family never sold slaves or separated Negro/families, George Fortman has seen many boats loaded with slaves on the way to slave marts• Some of the George Negroes were employed as pilots on the boats* He also re- members slave sales where Negroes were auctioned by auctioneers, the Negroes stripped of clothes to exhibit their physique* 111 have always been befriended by three races of people, the Caucassian, the African, and the Negro," declares George Fortman* VI have worked as a farmer, a river man, and been employed by the Illinois Centrail Railroad Com- pany and in every position I have 1*9Id I have made loyal friends of my fellow workmen*ft One friend, treasured in the memory of the aged ex-slave is Ollie James, who once defended George in court* George Fortman has friends at Dauson Springs, (Jrayson Springs, and other Kentucky resorts* He has been a citizen of Evansville for thirty-five years and has had business connections here for sixty-two years* He janitor- ed for eleven years for the Lockyear Business College, but his days of useful- ness are over* He now occupies a room at Bellemeade Ave* and Garvin St* and his only exercise consists of a stroll over to the Lincoln High School* There he enjoys listening to the voices of the pupils as they play about the campus* "They are free", he rejoices• "They can build their ora destinies, they did Indians made Slaves among the Negroes - 12 - £)0 not arrive in this life by births of unsatisfactory circumstances* They have the world before them and my grandsons and granddaughters are-among them«w 130141 Federal Writers* Project Page #1 of the W. P. A• Topic #240 & il(\ District #6 Anna Pritohett Marion County File #6Q& Folklore References (A) John Henry cibson -Ex-slave- Colton Streets (D) Anna Pritohett -Federal Writer- 1200 Kentucky Avenue • John Henry Gibson was born a slave, mny years ago, in Scott County, N#C* (A) His old master, John Henry Bidding, was a wealthy farmer* he also owned the hotel, or rooming house© (A) When court was in session, the "higher ups" would coxae to this house, and stay until the court affairs wore settled. (A) Mr* Bidding, who was very kind to his slaves, died when John Gibson wkl very young« All slaves and other property passed on to the son, Joseph Bidding, who in turn was as kind as his father had been. (A) Gibson1 s father belonged to General Lee Gibson, vfno -was a neighboring farmer. He **aw and laet Miss Flifcabeth Ridding1 a maid} they liked each other so very much, Miss Elisabeth bought him from General Gibson, and let him have her maid as his wife* The wife lived only a Topic #240 ii '' Anna Pritohett short time, leaving a little boy# (A) After the Civil mr, a -white man, by the name of Luster, v*as ccsasing tc Ohio, brought John ribson with him. They oaiae to Indianapolis, and Gibson liked it so v/ell, he decided to remainj llTm Luster told him if he ever became dissatisfied to come on to Ohio to him, but he remained in Indianapolis until 1872, then went back south, married, csate back, and made Indianapolis his hoiae. (A) !!r* Gibson is very old, but does not know his exact age* He fought in the Civil mr, and said he could not be very young to have done that# (B) His sight in very nearly gone, can only distinguish light and dark, (b) He is very proud of his name, having been named for his old master, (b) Submitted January 24, 1938 Indianapolis* Indiana Byt A%KA PRITCHETT Field Writer i Submitted by: '" 98 7/iHiain '..ebb Tuttls District Ho. 2 kuncie, Indiana NEGRO SLAVES IK DELPHI ARE COUNTY mS. BETTY GUvVlf Reference: krs. ^attie Cash, daughter, residein;; at 1101 East Second street, Iv,uncio, Indiana. ^rs. Betty Guwn was born ^arch 25, 1332, as a slave on a tobacco plantation, near Canton, ^entuclcy. It was a large plantation whose second largest product was corn. She was married while quite young by the slave method which was a form of union customary between the white masters. If the contracting parties wer - of different plantations the masters of the two estates bargained and the one sold his rights to the one on whose plafatation they would live. Her master bought her husband, brought him and set them up a shack, ^etty was the personal attendant of the distress. ^he home was a large Colonial, mansion and her duties were many and responsible. However, when her house duties were caught up her mistress sent her immediately to the fields* discipline was quite stern there and she was "lined up" with the others on several occasions* Her cabin home began to fill up with children, fifteen in all. The ventilation was ample and the husband would shoot a prowling dog from any of the four sides of the room without opening the door. The cracks between the logs would be used by cats who could step in any- where. The slaves had wmeetinf2 some nights and her mistress would call her and have her turn a tub against her mansion door to keep out the sound. Her master was very wealthy* ^e owned and managed a cotton farm of two thousand acres down in Mississippi, not far from New Orleans* °nce a year he spent three months there gathering and marketing his Slaves in Delaware County 2» C)C) Ivlrs. Betty Guwn K cotton, '"hen he got ready to go there he would coll all his 3laves about him and give them a chance to volunteer. They had heard awful tal :s of the slave auction block at. New Orleans, and the Master would solemnly promise them that they should not be sold if they went down of their own accord. "% distress called me to her and privately told rue that when I was asked that question I should say to him: "I will go." rj-'he faster had to take much money with him and was afraid of robbers. The day they wore to start my distress took me into a private room and had me remove most of my clothing; she then opened a strong box and took out a great roll of money in bills; these she strapped to me in tight bundles, arranging them around my waist in the circle of my body. She put plenty of dresses over this belt and v/hen tohe was through I wore a bustle of money clear around my belt. I made a funny "finger" but no one noticed my odd shape because I was a slave and no one expected a slave to "know better". We always got through safely and I went dovm. with my Mistress every year. Of course my husband stayed at home to see after the family, and took them to the fields v/hen too young to v/ork under the task master, or over-sesr. xhree months was a long tii.e to be separated." "'* 13*9* Hoeing©.? rss»s» Hoe&B&ay is t -« a*ra$}fcci» of on ©®«*©l©ve and IXm ©o ix»oy ©timers do©© not eer© to Ulocuoa tb© A&rk side of clevery ©ad .the craol treofcnmt thet soae of theo rocclvod* f£t©» t&© oivll <^f«p the ©tove© «*» for till© t,x»«t pert wore una&xltd Bad tgDOfent* fouaS It vmf difficult oa ©&Ju©t tb«n» solves to their net* Xlf© ©e fx8©© ?i@s>©oii©* Fovjaer3gr» they 3J.V©©* an tlie 2©»a of tbeir mater© taid wlfchougti eoHpeHed to «ovk loss© 5ia-vH»0f their food (iM lodgliag ©ere provided for tiico* £fter their oranftlpatioii* till© life en© elm©i|e&« Eliey m&® fro© cixl had to thiak far thoneelvee ©ad usk© o living, Cirao© for ¦she ©ap*© then w??© oueh the mm e© during th© dojproafiion* &av©rul of the sieve© stortsd out t© ©©ear© Jbbisf but ©11 found It difficult to ©din©* thesie©lvee to fee ©out Ufa fc«d difficult to ©©ear© tgiployiaottt* ¦¦tooy oaa© be®k to their old ©f/a©m «nd ru«jy »©re ©frold to leave end continued on sucii ©e ©ef ©re* The north eet up ©tore© or rulief stktiojrie wi;ox*o th© negro ©no wn© unable to ©eons?© t£ipio^;*Giit ©ouM obtain food &«nd ©heiter* £*•• &oel6oG£y ©sy© It ©&© suah eh© stc^ &¦& oonditi©^© have been tbe last fee years* . About »U the near© e©o ©'di'ieil at eve eervent eerte m& ©hen they ©©m© north, tfoey moma&ered the ©rat© difficulties? ©* ©ev©r©l of to© colorod folk© ©h*# driven by she torflbl© Xivifig owtfltlont la ti.G south four yo»i*» ©p»# mm® to terj% aitIvIic ^er© tl^ ©#• Ueved thoy v?c3?« c«rptsblo ©f s^vesit nork« However ttic^ ^©re not eeemetoaed to ssfic^ eppli^uo^o ai^ foursd It *my dlffl©?ilt to acjuat tfestteeXveo* it «©* the «^e ©ftar Urn Ms^etfetim* SOfSO 8 Arohi© Ktorite, Fie 3d ®o*lk&& f#teml tfrito**'* i^ojoot i()3 iWtor Gounfcy, r letriot #1 Vr,lpa«*ftiao, Indifffw. htttiqr ©®ti©*« wove kSUai ana voZlg&oua end !md schools for their ele«M» flhotfe they ©ou3d loom to r©ea ond wrltcu ?hoeo olives wore mere gn&eeeeeful in eoourlrig oq^loynonfe* Although the negro loved the Bifol© roost of ?ai hooks, e^na vor© aoetly ^©thodiefce »n6 Baptist©* their dlfft&ent rolltfiotui bellefe le onused by the slave waw toving ehurehee for the ol^vocu tibeteve* ehweh the a ©tor bo3ongod to, the ©lave© oe» longed tot e«3 continued in the eone ofcoreh after the ve*# rdnoe slaves took the nurao of their omjer8f children in the ¦aao fac&ly would tev© difforont neoeft* Jlr» Kootedeyie father ond hi© hrothere end eletere nil had different mtma* On the plentetion they were oollod "Jenee* Jlm#" *8ro«ii*e Jonoa," ®te« ttany on botng freed loft their oM bor-to* ct&d adopted nap siam© tfcet they feook & f&ney to« On© sieve tbet lire, nootaday rcaeiaoere took the name of Green Jotmeon cad evys he often ronor;:9d tlui t ho m&»©2y «®0 grecm. to edcpt mioh e* nets** His Grtindeon In Gur^ Is on esuet doahl© for Clerk Gable, except Tie Is broea* and (feble is white* linny el&V® o^ere gave their sieves ojeibII treats of lead ehidh they eet&M fcond after working hours* A&grthiQg raised belonged to them end they aeuM even sell the products t;mi the zam&& mm their** '•yny slaves wore oble to save mou&h fres these tmofce to pure!*** their freedom Ions 1*efere the taoeipetietn Another eeodltiesi that eofifre&t** the steps* in the aert& «eo that tkay were not und«mtood US» tHof «^o ^3? tho oonHiotKi people* In %tm south th«jr wore truatod «od ooncidorod ti^iofeworth^ ty tuoir «w«p»» Won durii^ the civil ??«r# tliey woro tamotod with tho family immU, »!!*«•, oto#, «hdd the narthem mm «*iB» earobir^ wouM not tvott tbw* pop tbat i»*mor *»»y of tfie ©li*v®« <1W m% lit?® ttMi oartliwo peepl* end *«o*JU»id op r©%«*t3©d to tho oautfc&m . ^ta® «lave o»nawi thaugbt ffoat 8l©¥©£«? ismo FigjUt r-nfi nothing woe ^«>oi3^ tita&t sdttifsg end feujfl:^; Uuoen tootngs i* *^-W waw <50l$*«ti$ mmh mo a pea*s®« #jM ptimfo&mm « tome op outflnofcii© toda^t St* oisusra #jo vbivpta tUcAr ®3«v#s amUy ©tsdnpefi tbaa &o ttw voi«t e«*a lul&td stwej with & long Xoethor «bip# SEnu iloe^B^iiy i« & k«g«P j?iaaaa:.&t «i£GX©»a||al -jog* is f.-:23d 4o#© sofc Ul£0 to dismast* feU© ®m®l ©3U2© oT clfevory wixl onSy #©» «nllc in e g®*$pii3, am^ «tet ta?."i« !a6 » Mr. Hume's owner and asked for help but was told ho would hare to eeek else-* ihere for help* Finally some one was found to assist* Smith was tied to a l»tf and seroroly boatan* then they were afraid to untie him. when the ©rer* "•* finally renturad up and loosened the ropes* Smith kicked him as hard j eould and ram to the Payne estate refusing to return. He was a good j * 109 helper here where he received kind treatment* A had overseer was discharged once by Mr, Payne because of his cruelty to Mr. Xuke Hume. The corncrib was a tiny affair where a man had to dial out one leg at a time, one morning just as Mr. Bone's father was climbing out with hi 8 feed, he was struck over the head with a large club, the next Boming he broke the scoop off an iron shovel and fastened the iron handle to his body. This time he swung himself from the door of the crib and seeing the overseer hiding to strik hint he threw his bar* which made a wound on the man's head which did not knock him out. As soon as Mr* Payne heard of the disturbance the overseer was discharged and Mr. Mack placed in charge of the slaves* One way of exacting obedience was to threaten to send offenders South to work in the fields* The slaves around Lexington* Kentucky, came out ihead on one occasion, Ihe collector was Shrader. He had the slaves hand- cuffed to a large log chain and forced on a flat boat* There were so many that the boat was grounded, so some of the slaves were released to push the boat off* Among the "blacks* was one ?fao could read and write* Before Shrader could c^gin them up again, he was seized and chained* taken to below Memphis Tennessee and forced to work in the cotton fields until he was able to get word from Richmond identifying him* In the meantime the educated negro issued freedom papers to his companions. Many of them came back to Lexington. Kentucky where they were employed* Mr. Hume thought the Emancipation Proclamation was the greatest work that Kbraham Lincoln ever did* The colored people on his plant at ion did »»t learn of it until the following August. Then Mr. Payne and his sons &t*#*& to let them live on their ground with conditions similar to our *«ating system* giving a share of the erop* They remained hero until Jan* 1» 1865 whom they crossed the Ohio at Madison. They had a cow which had Jill given them before the Emancipation Proclamation was issued but this taken away from them* So they came to Ind. homeless, friendless and , penniless* 110 Hr. Hume and his aged vdfe have "been married 62 years and resided In the same conBaunity for 55 years where they are highly respected oy all their neighbors. He could not understand -"die attitude of his race who preferred to remain in slavery receiving only food and shelter* rather than to he free citizens inhere they could have the right to develop their individualism,(a) Virginia Tulley district #2 Jort Tayne, Indiana District #2 * ' 1 -1 | EX-SLAVE OP AT.LTIN COUNTY References: A. T?t# 7/ayne Hews Sentinel November 21, 1931 3* Personal interview Mrs* Henrietta Jackson, Port *.7ayne resident, is distinguished for tv,o reaons; die is a centennarianjana an ex-slave* Residing -f^^^* her daughter, Mrs* Jackson is very active and helps her daughter, who operates a restaurant, do some of the lighter work* At the time I called, an "uguet afternoon of over 90 degrees temperature** Mrs* Jackson was busy sleeping the floor* A little, rather stooped, shrunken body, Mrs* Jackson gets around slowly but withoutfthe aid of a cane or support of any kind* She wears a long dark cotton dress with a bnnclana on her head-withis now quite g::ay* Her skin is walnut brown her eyes peering brightly through the wrinkles* She is intelligent, alert, cordial, very much interested in all that goes on about her* Just how old Mrs* Jack on is, she herself doesn't know, but she thinksshe is about 105 years old* She looks much younger* Her youngest child is 75 and she had nine, two of viiom were twins* Born a slave in Virginia, record of her birth was kept by the master* She cannot re- member her father as he was soon sold after Mrs. Jackson's death* Tifhen still a child she was taken from her mother and sold, &he remem- bers the auction block and that she brought a gp od price as she was strong and healthy* Her new master, Tom Robinson, treated her well and never beat her* At first die was a plough hand, working in the cotton fields, but then she was taken into the house to be ainaid* While there A Virginia Tulley Ft. Wayne, Indiana ( o\ District #2 Kd) lr2 the Civil "Tar broke out * Mrs. Jackson remembers the excitementand the ooming amgoing* Grad ally the fanily lost its wealth, the home was broken up* eveiy thing was destroyedby the aimies* Then came free- dom far the slaves* But Mrs* Jackson stayed on with the master for a- ,hile* After leavirg she went to Alabama where she obtained work ina laundry "ironing whit e folks1 collars and cuffs*1' Then she got married an din 1917 she came to live with her daughter in ^ort ¥ayne# Her husband, Levy Jackson, has been dead 50 years* Of her children, only two are left. Mrs. Jackson is sometimes veiy lonesome for her old home in "Alabamy11* where her friends lived, but for the most part, she is happy and cont sited* 110158 Fedaral m*itersf Projeot page §\ of tha W. P# A# Topia #240 District #6 Anna Pritahatt Marion County File #6Q»* Folklore Reference (A) Mrs* Liaale Johnson, 706 North Senate avenue, Apt. 1* (B) Anna Pritchett, Federal Writer, 1200 Kentucky avenue# Iflrs. Johnson* s father, Arthur Loeklear, was born in Wilming- ton, K«C« in 1322. Ha lived in the South and endured mny hardships until 1862 * He was very fortunate in having a white man befriend him in many ways. This man taught him to read and write. Many nights after a hard days work, he would lie on the floor in fYont of the fireplace, trying to study by the light from the biasing wood, so he might improve his reading and writing. (A) He married very young, and as his family increased, he became ambitious for them. Knowing their future would be very dark if they remained South. (A) He then started a movement to come north. There were about twenty-six or twenty-eight men and women, who had the same thoughts about their children, banded together, and in 1862 they started for somewhere. North* (A) Fag* #f Topic #240 Anna Pr itehett The people selected, had to ha loyal to the cauee of their children1 s future lives, morally clean* truthful, and hard-w>rking* (a) Some had own, ease had carts* They pooled all of their scant belongings, and started on their long hard journey* (A) The wwaen and children rode in the ox-carte, the mm miked. They would travel a few days, then stop on the roadside to rest* The women would wash their few clothes, cook enough food to last a few days more, then they would start out again. They -were six weeks Biaking the trip* (A) Some settled in Madison, Indiana* Two brothers and their families went on to Ohio, and the rest came to Indianapolis* (A) John Scott, one of their number was a hod carrier* He earned $2*60 a day, knowing that would not accumulate fast enough, he was strong and thrifty* After he had worked hard all day, he would spend his evenings putting new bottoms in chairs, and knitting gloves for anyone who wanted that kind of work* In the sinaaer he xaade a garden, sold his vegetables* Be worked very hard, day and night, and was able to save some xaoney* (A) Ha could not read or write, hut he taught his children the value of truthfulness, cleanliness of Bind and body, leyality, and thrift* The father and his sons all worked together and bought ®am ground, built a little house where the family lived may years* (A) Before old Mr* Scott died, he had saved enough wmey to give Page *§& am k repie#40 "^ Anna Pritohett each am #200#00« His hank was tin oaas hidden around in his house « (a) Will Soott, the artist, is a grandson of this John Soott. (A) The thing these early settlers wanted most, was for their children to learn to read and write» So many of them had been caught trying to learn to write, and had had thair thumbs mashed, so they would not be able to hold a penoll* (A.) Mrs* Johnson is a very interesting old woman and reexNsbers so well the things her parents told her* She deplores the "loose living** as she calls it of this generation* (B) She is very deliberate t but seems very mxr^ of the story of her early life* (B) Submitted December 9# 1937 Indianapolis f Indiana By* JKMk FRXTCHBTT ----yield Writer " tx Slave Stories strict I'o. 5. Lio-erhurgh County i:\C- ?I0 1-116 l-auana ^ reel The Story of Betty Jones, ^rom an Interview with Elizabeth Jones at 429 Oak Street, Svansville, Ind. "Yes Honey, I was a slave, I was horn at Henderson, Kentucky and my )ther was horn there. 7e belonged to old liars John Alvis. Our home was 021 Alvis1s Mill and a long plank walk had "been built from the bank of the :hio river to the ilvis home. 77e all liked the long plank walk and the big (house on top of the hill was a pretty place." r Betty Jones said her master was a rich man and had made his money by kising arid selling slaves. She only recalls two house servants were mulat- |oes. All the other slaves were black as the;; could be. Betty alvis lived with her parents in a cab'in near her master fs home for, the hill. 3he recalls no unkind treatment. "Our only sorrow was when crowd of our slave friends would be sold off, then the mothers, brothers, [isters, and friends always cried a lot and we children would grieve to see jhe grief of our parents." The mother of Betty was a slave of John Alvis and married a slave of ler master. The family lived at the slave quarters and were never parted. '"Hother kept us all together until we got set free after the war." declares Betty. Many of the alvis negroes decided to make their homes at Henderson Kentucky. "It was a niee town and work was plentiful." Betty al^is was "brought to Evansville "by her parents. The climate did tot agree with the mother so she went to Princeton, Kentucky "to live with her mrried daughter and died there. Betty Alvis married John H. Jones, a native of Tennessee, a former slave of John Jones, a Tennessee planter. He died twelve years ago. ;1 Betty Jones recalls when Evansville was a small town. She remembers when .the street oars were mule drawn and people rode on them for pleasure. "When JjUPin at Evansville, all the girls used to go down to the hank, wear-r ;J*ir. ntmtitoKtiT1****"**** ,i?gi@Ha&& 3x*Slave Stories District ITo. 5. yanderburgh County Isuana Creel The Story of Betty Jones, n! ing pretty ruffled and every "body would v/ave to the boat men and o7 Submitted by: Eatolla R.Dodson, Bloomington, Ind. 123 INTERTTT^T 'TITII THOMAS 3 j-^TIS, COLORED. Roforonoot (A)——---Thomas Lewis,TTortli Summit Street,Bloomington,Ind» "I was born in Spencer Oounty,Kentucky,in 1357.T was bom a slave.There was slavery all around on all the adjoin- ing places.! was seven years old when I was set free.My father was "killed in the Northern array .!!y mother,step-father and ray mother's four living children came to Indiana when I was twelve years old.My grandfather was set free and given a little place of about sixteen acres.A gang of white men went to ray grandmother's place and ordor*od the colored people out to work.The colored people had worked before for white men, on shares .When the wheat was all in and the corn laid by, the white famers would tell the colored people to get out,and would givo thorn nothing .The colored people did not want to work that way, and refU3od.Thi3 was the cause of the raids by white farmers .lly mother recognized one of the men in the gang and reported hlra to the standing soldiers in Louisville. He was caught and made to tell who the others were until they had 360 men.All were fined and none allowed to leave until all the fines were paid.So the rich ones had to pay for the poor ones .Itany of them left because all were made responsible if such an event ever occurred again. Our fatally left because we did not want to work that way.I was hired out to a family for #20 a year.I was sent for. —2— 124 My mother put herself under the protection of the police until we could get away*T/e came in a wagon from our home to Louisville• I was anxious to see Louisville,and thought it was very wondorful? I wanted to stay there,but we came on across the Ohio River on a ferry boat and stayed all night in New Albany •IText morning the wagon returned home and we cane to Bloomington on the train* It took us from 9 of clock until three in the evening to get hore.There were big slabs of wood on the sides of the tracl: to hold the rails 'together* Strips of iron were bolted to the rails on the inside to brace them apart .There were no wires at the joints of the rails to carry electricity,as wo have now,for there was no electricity in those days* I have lived in Dloonington ever since I came here* I net a family named Dorsett after I came here •They came from Jefferson County,Kentuolcy*Two of their daughters had been sold before the war*After the war*when the black people were free,the daughters heard some way that their people were in 31oomington.lt was a happy time when they met their parents* Once when I was a little boy, I was sitting on the fence while my mother plowed to get the field ready to put in wheat.The white man who owned her was plowing too*Some Yankee soldiers on horses came along*One rode up to the fence and when my mother came to tho end of the furrow,he said to her,"Lady,could you tell me where Jim Downs1 still house is?* My mother started to answer,brut the man who owned her told -3- 125 her to move on• The soldiers told hira to keep quiet,or they would make him sorry• After ho went away,my mother told the soldiers where the house was•The reason her master did not want her to tell whore the house was,was that some of his Bebel friends were hiding there•Spies had reported them to the Yankee soldiers •They went to the house and captured the HoboIs• Next soldiers cane walking*! had. no cap*One_ soldier asked me why I did not wear a cap 0X said I had no cap • The soldier said,"You tell your mistress I said to buy you a cap or I'll come back and kill the whole family*"They bought me a cap,the first one I ever had* The soldiers passed for three days and a Iialf#They wero getting ready for a battle#Tho battle was close*We could hear the cannon*After it was over, a white msjn went to the battle field •He said that for a mile and a half one could walk on dead man and dead horses •Tly mother wanted to go and see it,but they wouldn't let her,for it was too awful* I don't know what town we were near*The only town I know about had only about four or five houses and a mill.I think the name was Fairfield*That may not be the name,and the tov/n may not be there any more*Once they sent my mother there in the forenoon*She saw a flash, and something hit a big barn.The timbers flew every way, and 1 suppose killed men and horses that were in the bara.There were Rebels hidden in the barn and in the houses,and a Yankee spy had found out where they were ?They bombed the barn and surrounded 12G the town*No one was able to leave*The Yankees cane and cap- tured the Rebels* I liad a cousin named Jerry*Just a little while before the barn was struck a white man asked Jerry how he would like to be free • Jerry said that he would like it all right* The white men took him into the barn and were going to put him over a barrel and beat him half to death* Just as they ready were about/to beat him, the bomb struck the barn and^/erry escaped#The man who owned us said for us to say that we were well enough off, and did not care to be free, just to avoid beatings*There was no such thing as being good to slaves* Many people were better than others,but a slave belonged to his master and there was no way to get out of it*A strong man was hard to make work•He would fight so that the white men trying to hold him would be br eat 111 ess. Then there was nothing to do but kill him* If a slave resisted,and his master killed him, it was the sane as self-defense today#If a cruel master whipped a slave to death,it put the fear into the other slaves*>The brother of the man who owned my mother had many black peopleJIo was too mean to live,but he made it# Once he was threshing wheat with a ?groiaid-hogf threshing machine,run by horse power.He called to a woman slave*She did not hear him because of the noise of the machine,and did not answer .He leaped off the machine to whip her.He caught his foot in some cogs and injured it so that it had to be taken off • They tell me that today there is a place where there -5- is a high fenca.If someone gets near,he can hear the cries of the spirits of blade people who were beaten to death.It is Kept secret so that people won't find it out.Such palees are always fenced to keep them secret.Once a man was out with a friend, hunting .The dog chased somet&ing back of a high fence.One man stoated to go in.The other said,"V/hat are you going to do?" The other one said,"I want to see what the dog oh»sed back in there."His friend told him/You'd better stay out of there.That place is hantod by spirits of black people who were beaten to death." Anna Fritehett -Federal Writer* 1200 Kentucky Avenue, Mrs. Look©, the daughter of Wau A. and Prisoilla Taylor, was born in Woodford County, Kentucky in 1868, she went over her early days with groat interest* (A) Jacob Keephart, her master, was -very kind to his sla-res, would never sell them te "nigger trader a." His family was very large* so they bought and sold their slaves within the families and neighbors* Mrs* Locke's father* brothers, and grandmother belonged te the sane Blaster in Henry County, Kentucky* Bar mother and the ten sisters belonged to another branch of the Eeephart family, about seven stiles away* (a) Her father eans te see her mother on Wednesday and Saturday nights. They weald have big dinners en these nights in their eabin* (A) Bar father eradlcd all the grain for the neighborhood* He was a very high tempered nan and would do no work whom angryj therefore. fapio #M0 4 oQ Abb* Pritahatt '^ •vary effort ma nada to keep him in a good humor whan tha work me heavy. (A) Hsr aether dlad whan tha children war© -vary young. Sarah was given to tha Kaaphart daughter as a wadding present and taken to har new home. Sha was always traatad like tha others la tha family. (A) After tha abolition of slavery, Mr. Keephsrt gave Wa. a horse and rations to last for six months, ao the children would not starve. (A) Charles and Lydia French, fallow workers with tha Taylors, want to cinciimatti and in 1867 sent for tha Mrs. Looks and har sister, so they oould go to sohool, as there were no sohools in Kentuoky than* Tha girls stayed one year with tha French family* that is tha longest time they over want to sohool. After that, they would go to sohool for three months at different times. Mrs. Look® reads and writes vary wall* (a) Tha aaster worked right along with tha slaves, shearing the sheep. (A) Tha woman ailk tan or twelve aowa and knit a whole sook in oaa day. They also wove the aaterial for their dresses i it was called "llnaey.* (A) She remeabers one night the slaves ware having a danoo in one of tha cabins, a band of Xu Kluxers came, took all firaarna they oould find, hat no one waa hurt, all wondered why* however, it did net take long for them to find oat why* Another night whan the Kluxers ware riding, the slaves recognised the voice of their young natter. That was tha reason Tojio'^40 130 Anna. Pritohett why the Keephart alavea were never moleated. (A) Christnta was ft jolly tin* for the Xeephart alavea* They would have a vhole week to celebrate, eating, cSaneing, and making marry. (A) nFraa born niggers" were not allowed to aaaooiate with the alavea, aa thay were suppoeed to hare no eense, and would oostaalaata the slaves. (A) Mr a. Look* ia an intelligent old lady, has been a good dreasmakar, and aewed for a great number of tha "first familiea" of Indianapolis. (B) She has been married twice i bar firat husband died shortly after their marriage, and aha vms a widow for twenty-five yaara befora aha took hor second "feature•* (8) She gats the old age pension and ia very happy. (B) Submitted December 17, 1917 Indianapolis, Indiana Byi ABKfe. PEHCTBTT ----yield ffriW------- 130154 Federal Writers' Project Page #1 of the W. P. A* Topio #240 1 31 District £6 Anna Pritohett Marion County File #69HL Folklore Reference (A) Robert MoKlnley -Ex-slavef 1664 Columbia avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana* (B) Anna Pritchett -Federal Writer- 1200 Kentucky avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana* Robert MoKlnley was born in Stanley County, V*C*» in 1349, a slave of Arnold Parker* (A) His saaster was a very cruel man, but was always kind to him, because he had given him (Bob) as a present to his favorite daughter, Jane Alloc, and she would never permit anyone to mistreat Bob, (A) Xlas Jane Alice uas very fond of little Bob, and taught him to read and write* (A) His master owned a large farm, but Jane Alice would not let little Bob work on the farm* Instead, he helped his master in the blacksmith shop* (A) His master always prepared himself to whip his slaves by drinking a large glass of whiskey to give him strength to beat hie slaves* (A) Topic 4240 1 O'w Anna Pritchett Robert remembers seeing his master beat his mother until she would fall to the ground, and he was helpless to protect her* He would just have to stand and watoh# (A) He has seen slaves tied to trees and beaten until the master could beat no longerj then he would salt and pepper their baoks. (A) Once when the Confederate soldiers came to their farm, Robert told them where the liquor was kept and where the stock had been hidden* For this the soldiers gave him a handful of money, but it did him no good for his master took it away from him. (A) The McKinley family, of course, were Parkers and after the Civil war, they took the name of their father who was a slave of John McKinley. (A) A neighbor farmer, Jesse Bayden, was very kind to his slaves, gave them anything they wanted to eat, because he said they had worked hard, and made it possible for him to have all he had, and it was part theirs. (A) The Parker slaves were not allowed to associate with the Hayden slaves. They were known as the "rich niggers, who could eat meat without stealing it. (A) Tfhen the "nigger traders11 came to the Parker farm, the old mistress would take meat skins and grease the mouths of the slave children to make It appear she had given them meat to eat. (a) lfr# IfeKJlnloy is an "herb doctor" and lives very poorly in a dirty little house j he was very glad to tell of hia early life* (B) Page #3 Topi* #240 1 33 Anna Pritohett Re thinks people lire too fast these days, and don*t remember there is a stopping plaoe. (B) Submitted January 10, 1958 Indianapolis, Indiana Byt ANHA. PRITCHETT ------yield Writer 130156 134 Federal Writers • Project page #1 of the W. P. A* Topio #240 District #6 Anna Pritohett Marion County file #6t-A Folklore References* (A) Riohard Killer -an old soldier- 1X09 North West street* (B) Anna Pritohett -Federal Writer* 1200 Kentueky avenue. Richard Miller ras born January 12, 1843 in Danville, Kentucky. Hi* mother was an English subject, born in Bombay, India and ms brought into America by a group of people who didnot mint to be under the English government. They landed in Canada, came on to Detroit, stayed there a short tine, then vent to Danville, Kentucky. There she married a slave named Miller* 'j'hey were the parents of five children. (A) After slavery was abolished, they bought a little farm a few miles from Danville, Kentucky. (A} The nether was very anfeltious for her children, and tent them to the oountry sohool. (a) One day, when the children cans home fr©» sohool, their Bother nas gene} they knew net where, (A) It was learned, she was sending her children to school, and that was not wanted, she was taken to Texas, and nothing, vas heard from her until 1871. (A) Pago #2 Topic #£40 %r Anna Fritohett « ^u Sho wroto her brother she -was coiaming to see thorn* and try to find her children, if any of them were left* (A) The boy* Richard* ms in the array* He was so an&ious to see his nother* to see what she would look like. The last tiaae he saw her* she ms cashing clothes at the branch* and was Hearing a blue cotton dress• All he oould reinember about her tm« her beautiful black hair* and the cotton dress« when he saw hor* he didnot recognise her# but she told him of things he could renimaber that had happened* and that made him think she was his saother* (A) Richard was told who had taken the mother frcaa the children* wont to the nan* shot and killod hiiai nothing was done to him. for hie deed* (A) He reioaembers a slave by the name of Brown* in Texas* who was chained hand and feet to a woodpile* oil thrown over him* and the m>od* then fire set to the wood* and lie was burned to death* (A) After the fire smoldered down* tht, "white woraen and children took his ashes for souvenirs* (A) ?/hen slavery was abolished* a group of them started down to the far south* to buy farms* to try for themselves* got as far as mdison County* Kentucky and were told if they iraot any fSarther south* they would be soade slaves again* not knowing if that ms^ie truth or not* they stayed there* and worked on the Hadison County farms for a very small wage* This separated families* and they mver heard frm each othtfr ever again* (A) Page #8 Topic #240 ^ Q(j ABna Pritchett Those separations are the cause of so Many of the slave race not being able to trace families back for generations, as do the %/hite families* (A) George Band wts a wry powerful slave, almys ready tc fight, never losing a fight, always able to defend himself until one night a band of Ku Kluxers oaxae to his house, took his wife, hung-her to a tree, hacked her to death with knives« Tlien wxmt to the house, got George, took him to see -what they had done to his wife. He asked them to let him go back to the house to get something to wrap hie wife inj thinking he was sincere in his request, they allowed hiia to go# Instead of getting a wrapping for his wife, he got his Winchester rifle, shot and killed fourteen of the Kluxers ? The county was never bothered with the Klan ajain# However, George loft immediately for the North* (A) The first Monday of the :month was sale day* The slaves were chained together and sent down in Mss#f often separating mothers from children, husbands froan wives, rwver to hear of each other again* (A) ?.?r. Miller lives with his fanily in a very comfortable hame# (B) He has only one eye, wears a patch over the bad one* (B) He does not like to talk of his early life as he said It such a ^nigjbrtmre" to him* horover, he answered all questions vwy pleasantly * (B) Submitted December 9, 1087 Indianapolis, Indiana 671 AMHA PRXTGHBty " fimUVriUr..... William R. Mays 1178 words j3V District 4 Johnson County HENRY CLAY MOORMAN Born in Slavery in Kentucky Reference: Henry clay Moorman 427 W. King St., Franklin, Ind. Henry Clay Moorman has resided in Franklin 34 years, he was born Oct. 1, 1854 in slavery on the Moorman plantation in Breckenridge County, Kentucky* Mr. Moorman relates his own personal experiences as well as those handed down from his mother. He was a boy about 12 years old when freddom was declared. His fathers name was Do rah Moorman who was a cooper by trade, and had a wife and seven children. They belonged to James Moorman, who owned about 20 slaves, he was kind to his slaves and never whipped any of them. These slaves loved their master and was as loyal to him as his own family. Mr. Moorman says that when a boy he did small jobs around the plantation such as tobacco planting and going to the mill. One day he was placed upon a horse with a sack of grain containing about two bushels.after the sack of grain was balanced upon the back of the horse he was started to the mill which was a distance of about five miles, when about half the distance of the journey the sack of grain became unbalanced and fell from the horse being too small to lift the sack of grain he could only cry oner the misfortune. There he was, powerless to do any thing about it. After about two hours there was a white man riding by and seeing the predicament he was in, kindly lifted the sack up on the horse and after ascertaining his master!s name bade him to continue to the mill. It was the custom at the mill that each await their turn, and do their own grinding. After the miller had taken his toll, he returned to hia master and told of his experience. Thereafter precautions were taken so he Henry Clay Moorman - Page 2 1 38 would not again have the 3ame experience. The slave owners had so poisoned the minds of the slavex, they were in constant fear of the soldiers. One day when the ffflrfrrf*** slaves were alone at the plantation they sighted the Union soldiers approaching, they all went to the woods and hid in the bushes. The smaller children were covered with leaves. There they remained all night, as the soldiers (about 200 in number) camped all night in the horse lot. 'i'hese soldiers were very orderly; however, thej appropriated for their own use all the food they could find. The slave owners would hide all their silverware and other ic &vtfLoa of worth under the mattresses that were in the negro cabins for safe keeping. There were three white children in the master's family. WIckliff, the oldest boy and Bob was the second child in age* The younger child, a girl, was named Sally and was about the same age as the subject of this article. Both children, being babies about the same age, the black mother served as a wet nurse for the white child, sometimes both the black child and the white child were upon the black mammies lap which frequently was the cause of battles between the two babies. Some of the white mistresses acted as midwife for the black mothers• There were two graveyards cbn the plantation, one for the white folks and one for the blacks. There is no knowledge of any deaths among the white folks during the time he lived on the plantation. One of this black boys1 sisters married just before slavery was abolished. Henry Clay Moorman - Page 3 1 39 He remembers this wedding. In connection with the marriages of the slaves in slavery days, it is recalled that slaves seldom married among themselves on the same plantation but instead the unions were made by some negro boy from some other plantation courting a negro girl on a distant plantation. As was the custom in slavery days the black boy would have to get the consent of three people before he was allowed to enter upon wedlock; first, he would get the consent of the negro girls' mother, then he would get the consent of his own master as well as the black girl's master. This required time and diplcan macy. When all had given their consent the marriage would take place usually on Saturday night, when a great time was had with slaves coming tasaiH from other plantations with a generous supply of fried chicken, haras, cakes and pies a great feast and a good time generally with music and dancing. The new husband had to return to his wan master after 5hw wedding but it was understood by all that the new husband could visit I his wife every Saturday night and stay until Monday morning. He would return every Monday to his master and work as aacusual indefinetely unless by chance one or the other of the tend masters would buy the husband or wife, in such event they would live together as man and wife. Unless this purchase did occur it was the rule in slavery days that any children born to the slave wife would be the property of the girlfs master. When the required consent could not be had from all parties concerned it sometimes caused friction and instances have occured when attempts at elopament was made causing no end of trouble. This con- dition was very rare, as in most all cases of this kind the masters were quite willing for this marriage and would encourage the young couple. It is remembered that there were no illegitimate children born on Henry Clay Moorman - Page 4 *qt\ the Mooftnan plantation* The slaves would have their parties and dances. Slaves would gather from various plantations and these parties would sometimes last all night. It was customary for the slaves to get passes from their masters permitting them to attend, but sometimes passes were J not given for reasons. In line with these parties it is remembered that there existed at that time what was known as the Paddle-Rollers, these so called Paddy-Rollers was made up of a bunch of white boys who would sneak up on these defenseless negroes unawares late in the night and demand that all show their passes. Those that could not show passes were whipped, both the negro boys and girls alike. The loyalty of these poor black boys was shown when they would volunteer to take an extra flogging to protect their girl friends. The Paddy- Rollers were a mean bunch of white boys who reviled in this shame- ful practice. After slavery was abolished, this colored slave family re- mained on the same plantation for one year. They left the plantation via Cloverport by boat for Evansville, Ind., where they remained until the subject of this sketch removed to Franklin, Ind. in 1903 where he took pastorate with the African Methodist Episcopal Church where he served for 12 years. He is now a retired minister residing at 427 W. King St. -50- 10147 " Ml Federal Writers* Project Page #1 of the W. P# A. Topic #840 District #6 Aram Pritchett Marion County File #67-A Folklore References (A) Mrs* America Morgan -Ex-slave* 816 Cai&p Street* (B) Anna Pritohett -Federal Writer- 1200 Kentucky Avenue« America Morgan was born in a lor; house# daubed with dirtf in Ballard County, Kentucky, in 1852 $ the daughter cf Manda and Jordan Rudd* Che remembers very clearly the happenings of her early life0 (A) Her mother, ^anda Huddf wan omed by Clark Jtadd, and the "devil has cure got him#* (/ ) Her father wa© o^med by Mr. Williiigham, *?ho ?me very kind to his slaves« Jordon became a Totdd, because he ms xnarried to Manda en the Rudd plantation. (A) There were six children in the family, and ell imn% well until the death of the aotherj Clark Rudfl shipped her to death when A&eriea was five years old. (A) Six little children were left motherless to face a "frowning werld." (A) Africa was given to her master1 a daughter, Miss Heda# to wait ea her, as her personal property. She lived with her for one year* thsaa Page 42 Topic #*0 [42 Anna Pritohett vac sold for #600.00 to Mr* and Mrs* tffcterback: stayed with them until the end of the Civil mr. (A) The new mistreis was not so kind. Miss Ifeda, who knew her reputation, told her if slie abused America, she would cone for her, and she would loose the $600*00 she had paid for her. Therefore, America was treated very kindly, (A) Aunt Catherine, who looked after all tho children on the plantation, isas very unruly, no on© oould whip her. Onoe Aiaerlca was sent for two men to coeks and tio Aunt Catherine. She fought so hard, it was as riaioh as the men oould do to tie her. They tied her hands, then hung her to the ,1oist and l&shea her with a cow hide. It "was awful to hear her screams." (a) In 1865 her father carae and took her into raduoa, Kentucky, "a land of freedom." (A) When thirteen years old, ;\B»rioa did not know A from B, then "glory to God." A Mr, G**eelaaf , a white mn, from the north, ease down to Kentucky and opened a school for negro children. That was America*a first chanoe to laara. He was very kind and very sympathetic She went to sehool for a very short while. (A) her father was very poor, had nothing at all to give hit children. (A) Antrim*s mistress would not give her any of her olothes. "All site had in this world, was what she had on her back.* Then she was "hired out" for $1.00 a week. {A) " The white people for whom she worked were very kind to her aad Asm Pritehefct J would try to teaoh her when her work was done* she m pi Ten sn old fashioned spelling book and a first reader * She was then "taught Much and began to know life." (A) She was sent regularly to ehuroh and Sunday school* That was when she began to "wake up" to her duty as a free girls (A) The Rsv* D*Y/# Dupee was her Sunday school teacher# from Mm she learned much she had never known before* (A) At seventeen years of age, she married and nfaced a frowning world righ$#" She had a good husband and ten children, three of whoa are living today, one sou and two daughters. (A) She re&embers one slave* who had been given five hundred lashes on his back, throim in his cabin to die* He laid on the floor all nigjrfe, at dawn he catae to hiiaself , and there were blood hounds licking his back* (A) Yfaen the overseers lashed a slave to death, they would turn the bloodhounds out to smell the blood, so they would know "nigger blood,* that would help trace runaway slaves* (A) Aunt Jane stringer was gives* five hundred lashes and thrown in her cabin* ihe next norning when the overseer cazae, he kicked her and told her to get up, and wanted to know if she was going to sleep there all day* When she did not answer him, he rolled her over and the peer woman was deed, leaving several motherless children* (a) When the slaves were preparing to rim away, they would put j Hot pepper on their fmrtj title would oauao the hounds to be thrown off their trail* (A) Page #4 T*pio#M0 -- Anna Pritohett 1 '*<* Aunt Margaret ran off, but the hounds traced her to a treej she stayed up in the tree for two days and would not cone down until they promised not to whip her any more, and they kept their promise. (A) Old mistress* mother was sick a long time, and little America had to keep the flies off of her by waving a paper fly brush over her oe&. She was so man* America was afraid to go too near the bed for fear she might try to grab her and shake her* After she died, she haunted Asaerloa* Anytime she would go into the roomf~ she could hear her knocking on the wall with her cane. Some nights they would hear her walking up and down the stairs for long periods at a tis»* (A) Aunt Catherine ran off, because ttole missie* haunted her so bad* (A) The old master came back after his death and would ride his favorite horse, old Pomp, all night long, once every week* When the boy would go in to feed the horses, old Pomp would have his ears hanging- down, and he would be nJust worn out,11 after his night ride# (A) Anerlea believes firmly in haunts, and said she had lived in several haunted houses since coming up north* (B) Mrs* Morgan lives with her baby bey and his wife# She is rather inteligent, reads and writesf and tries to do all she can to help those who are less fortunate than she* (B) Submitted December 27, 19S7 Indianapolis* Indiana \ ? By* AlKfc PRIYCHEYT ----yield Writer m Iris Cook District 4 Slave Story Floyd County 850 words STORT OP GEORGE MORRISON Reference i George Morrison, 25 East 5th St*, New Albany, Ind* Observation of the writer* (This old negro, known as flUncle Georgew by the neighbors, is very particular about propriety* He allows no woman in his house unless the - m accompanied by a man* He says ffIt jest alnt/proper thing to do, but he came to a neighbors for a little talk#) 111 was bawn in Union County, Kentucky, near Morganfield* l$r inaster was Mr# Ray, he made me call him ]&*• Ray, wouldent let me call him Master* He said I was his little free negro•lt Tflfhen asked if there were many slaves on Mr* Rayfs farm, he said, ,fYesfm, they was seven cabin of us* I was the oldes* child in our family* Mr* Ray said MHe didnft wont me in the tobacco11, so I stayed at the house and waited on the women folk and went after the cows when I was big enough* I carried ray stick over my shoulder for I wus afraid of snakes*ft wMr* Ray was always very good to me, he liked to play with me, cause I was so full of tricks an1 so mischuvus* He give me a pair of boots with brass toes* I shined them up ever day, til you could see your faoe in fem.ft flThere wus two ladies ±x at the house, the Missus and her daughter, who was old enough to keep company when I was a little boy* They used to have me to drive fem to church* I*d drive the horses* Theyfd say, ^George, you come in here to church*f Bjrfc I always slipped off with the other boys who was standing around outside wait in1 for they folks, and played marbles*w 145 2. 146 "Yes * ma1 am, the War sho did affect my fambly* Ity father, he fought for the north* He got shot in his side, but it finally got all right* He saved his money and came north after the war and got a good job* But, I saw them fellows from the south take my Uncle # They put his clothes on him right in the yard and took him with them to fight* And even the whito folks, they all cried* But he came back, he wasnt hurt but he wasent happy in his mind like my pappy was*11 "Yes mafam, I would rather live in the North* The South1 s all right but someways I just don't feel down there like I does up here*" "No ma,am, I was never married* I don't believe in getting married unless you got plenty of money* So many married folks dont do nuthin but fuss and fight* Even my father and mother always spatted and I never liked that and so I says to myself what do I want to get married for* Ifm happier just living by myself*11 "Yes Mafam* I remember when people used to take wagon loads of corn to the market in Louisville, and they would bring back home lots of groceries and things* A colored man told me he had come north to the market in Louisville with his mater, and was working hard unloading the corn when a iwhite man walks up to him* shows hijL some money and asks him if he wanted to be free? He said he stopped right then and went wi*tti the man, who hid him in his wagon under the provisions and they crossed the Ohio River right on the ferry* That*s the way lots of fem got across here*" "Did I ever hear of any ghosts* Yes ma tarn I have* I hear noises and I seed something once that I never could figger out* I Tims goin't thru the woods one day, and come up sudden in a clear patch of ground* There sat a little boy on a stump, all by his-selfj there in the woods* I asks him who he wuz & wuz he lost, and he never answered me* Jest sat there* lookin at me* All of a sudden he ups and runs* and I took out after 3. 146A him* He run behind a big tree, and when I got up to where I last seed him, he wuz gone* And there sits a great big brown man twioe as big as me, on another stump* He never seys a word, jest looks at me* And then I got away from there, yes maiam I really did*11 "A man I knew saw a ghost once and he hit at it* He always said he wasn't afraid of no ghost, but that ghost hit hi$, and hit him so hard it knocked his face to one side and the last time I saw him it was still that way* No m'osi, I don't really believe in ghosts, bufc you know how it is, I lives by myself and I donft like to talk about them for you never can tell what they might do* irLady you ought to hear me rattle bones, when I was young* I caint do it much now for my wrists are too stiff* Tifhen they played Turkey in the Straw how we all used to dance and cut up. We*ed cut the pigeon wing, and buck the wincj* and all* But I got rewmaytism in my feet r i now and ant much good any more, but I sure has done lots of things and had lots of fun in my time*" \*j^»A 130146 * 1-3' Federal Writers* Pro>et Pago #1 of the If. P. A* Topio #240 Diatriat #6 Anna Pritohett Marion County mo #m-a Folklore References (A) Joseph Ifoaley, Ex-8l*raf 2687 Boulevard Place* (B) Anna Pritohett, Federal Writers», 1200 Kentuoky avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana* Joseph Moaley, one of two Ire children* was born Maroh 15, 1353, fourteen miles from Hopkinaville, Kentucky* (A) Hia master, Tim Mosley, was a slave trader* He was supposed to have bought and sold 10,000 slaves* Ha irould go from one state to another buying slaves, bringing in as many as 75 or 80 slaves at one time, (a) The slaves would be handcuffed to a chain, each chain would link 16 slaves # The slaves would walk from Virginia to Kentucky, and some from Mississippi to Virginia* In front of the chained slaves would be an overseer on horseback with a gun and dogs* In back of the chained slaves would be another overseer on horseback with a gun and dogs* They would see that no slave escaped. (A) Joseph's father was the shoemaker far all the farm Page #2 Topic #240 | 40 Anna Pritohett * hands and all adult worker®• He would start in September making shoes for the year* First the shoes for the folks in the house, then the werksrs* (A) No slave ohild ever wore shoes, summer or winter• (A) The father* mother, and all the children were slaves in the same family, but not in the same house * Some with the daughters, some with the sons, and so on* Ho one brother or sister would be allowed to visit with the others« (A) After the death of Tim Moseley, little Joseph was given to a daughter* He was seven years old* he had to pick up chips, tend the cows, and do small jobs around the house j he wore no olothing exeept a shirt* (A) Little Joseph did not see his mother after he was taken to the home of the daughter until he was set free at the age of 13# (A) The master was very unkind to the slaves* they sometimes would have nothing to eat, and would eat from the garbage* (A) On Christmas morning Joseph was told he could go see his mother! he did not know he was fre, and couldnft understand why he was given the first suit of clothes he had ever owned, and a pair of shoes* He dressed in his new finery and was started out on his six mile journey to his mother. (A) Ife was so proud of his new shoesi after he fcad gotten out of sight, he stopped and took his shoes orf as he did not want Page#« Topic #240 4 4q Anna Pritohett ~* thorn dirty before his mother had ••en them, and walked the rest of the way in his bare feet* (A) After their freedom, the family earns to Indiana, (a) The mother died here, in Indianapolis, at the age of 105. (A) Mr. Moseley, who has been in Indianapolis for 56 years, has been paralysed for the last four years. He and a-daughter room with a Mrs. Turner, (B) Be has a very nioe clean roomj a very pleasant old man was very glad to talk of his past life. (B) He gets a pension of ?18.00 a month, and said it was not easy to get along on that little amount, and wondered if the government was ever going to inorease his pension. (B) Submitted December 1, 1957 Indianapolis, Indiana By: AHKA PRITCHETT --------^eld Writer M^'i^ Ex-Slave Stories District #5 - 0f, . Vanderburgh County J • i *; - i j •1 ~ ~ Lauana Creel • A«JU Memories of Slavery and the Life Story of Amy Elizabeth Pattersoiu Eeferences# Interview with Amy Elizabeth Patterson. The slave mart, separation from a dearly beloved mother and little sis- ters are among the earliest memories recalled by Amy Elizabeth Patterson, a resident of Evansville, Indiana* Amy Elizabeth, now known as "Grandmother Patterson11 resides with her daugh- ter Lula B. Morton at 512 Linwood Avenue near Charry Street? Her birth occurred July 12, 1850 at Cadiz, Trigg County, Kentucky• Her mother was Louisa Street, slave of John Street, a merchant of Cadez* 11 John Street was never unkind to his slaves" is the testimony of GR^lkimother Patterson, as she recalls and relates stories of the long ago. "Our sorrow be- gan when slave traders, came to Cadiz and bought such slaves as Jie. took a fancy to and separated us from our families 1 " John Street ran a sort of agency where he collected slaves and yearly sold them to dealers in human flesh• Those he did not sell he hired out to others families* Some were hflred or indentured to farmers, some to stock raisers, some to merchants and some to captains of boats and the hire of all these slaves went into the coffers of John Street, yearly increasing his wealth* Louisa Street, mother of Amy Elizabeth Patterson, was house maid at the Street home and her first born daughter was fair with gold brown hair and amber eyes. Mr* and Krs« Street always promised Louisa they would never sell her as they did not want to part with the child, so Louisa was given a small cabin near the masterfs house • The mistress had a child near the age of the little mulatto and Louisa was wet nurse for both children as well as maid to Mrs* Street* Two years after the birth of Amy Elizabeth, Louisa became mother of twin daughters, Fannie and Martha Street, then John Street decided to sell all his slaves as he contemplated moving into another territory* The slaves were auctioned to the highest bidder and Louisa and the twins mre bought by a mam living near Cadiz but Mr* Street refused to sell Amy Ex-Slaves Stories District #6 page 2* 151 Yanderburgh County Lauana Creel Memories of Slavery and the Life Story of Amy Elizabeth Patterson* Elizabeth* She showed promise of growing into an excellent house-maid and seamstress and was already a splendid playmate and nurse to the little Street boy and girl* So Louisa lost her child but such grief was shewn by both mother and child that the mother was unable to perform her tasks and the child cried continually* Then &r. Street consented to sell the little girl to the motherfs new master* Louisa Street became mother of seventeen children* Three were almost white* Amy Elizabeth was the daughter of John Street and half sister of his children by his lawful wife* Mrs* Street knew the facts and respected Louisa and her child and,says grandmother Patterson, nIhat was the greatest crime ever visited on the United States. It was worse than the cruelty of the overseers, worse than hunger, for many slaves were well fed and well cared for; but when a father can sell his own child, humiliate his own daughter by auctioning her on the slave block, what good could be expected where such practices were allow- ed?11 Grandmother Patterson remembers superstitions of slavery days and how many slaves were afraid of ghosts and evil spirits but she never believed in supernatural appearances until three years ago when she received a message, fy[ through a medium, from the spirit land; now she is a firm believer, not in ghosts and evil visitations, but in true communication with the departed ones who still love and long to protect those who remain on earth* Several years ago a young grandson of the old waman was droemed* The little boy was Stokes Uorton, a very popular child rating high averages in school studies and beloved.by his teachers and friends* The mother, Lulu B* Morton and the grandmother both gave up to grief, in fact they both gave declined in health and mt* liable to carry on their regular duties/ Ex-Slave Stories District #5 page 3. . ^0 Vanderburgh County 10<5 Lauana Creel • Memories of Slavery and the Life Story of ffey Elizabeth Patterson* Grandmother Patterson began suffering from a dental ailment and was com?- pelled to visit a dental surgeon. The dental surgeon suggested that she visit a medium and seek some comforting message from the child. She at once visited a medium and received a message. ^Stokes answered me. In fact he vm.s waiting to communicate with. us. He said 'Grandmother I you and mother must stop staying at the cemetary and grieving for me. Send the flowers to your sick friends and put in more time with the other children. I am happy here, 1 am in a beautiful field, The sky is blue and the ^field is full of beauti- ful white lambs that play with me .fl f The message comforted the aged woman* She began occupying her time with other members of the family and again began to visit with her neighbors. She felt a call two years later and again consulted the medium • That time she received a message from the child, his father and a little girl that had died in infancy. Grandmother Patterson said she would not recall the ones who had gone on to the land of promise. She is a Christian and a believer in the Word of God. Grandmother Patterson, in spite of her 87 years of life (fifteen of -which were passed in slavery) is useful in her daughter's home. Her children and grand children are fond of her as indeed they wall may be. She is a refined woman, gracious to every person she encounters. She is hoping for better oppor- tunities for her race. She Admonishes the younger relatives to live in the fear and love of the Lord that no evil days overtake them. nYes, slavery was a curse to this nation* she declares, *A curse which still shows itself in hundreds of homes -where mulatto faces are evidence of a hixrfbus sin and proof that there has been a time when Imerican fathers sold their child- ren at the slave marts of Joaerica.11 She is glad the ouree has been erased even if by the bloodshed of heroes. Iff. Uonroe 130115 foiat. 4, Jefferson County Slave story ¦ ' 500 Words 153 MRS, PPil3T0!J*S STORY llrs. Preston is -an old, lady, 83 years old, very charming and hospita&te She lives on liorth Lla Street, Had!son Indiana. Uqt first recollections of slavery tciv o£ ¦ sleeping on. the foot of her mistress* "bed, where she could get u,;.' durin-j- the night to "feed" the lira with chips ahe had gathered hefors dark or -:n g-.t .... drink or anything el^e her uistress might want in Hie nighU Her rlIai"Sfc irown1, resided in FratJcfort having taken his "best horses and ho^9 ana leaving his family in the care oi u» overseer on a farm* ;Ke v,*e ofraid the Union soldiers would kill him, hut thought his wife would "be eafe, This opinion proved to "be true. The overseer called the slaves to ^ork a.t four o'clock, *-nd they worked until six in the- evening. ¦hen 2£rsu Preston was a little older, part of her work was to drive a'oout u dozen cove to and from the stable. Many a time she warmed li&r hare fe$t in the cattle bedding. Uhe said they did not- always go barefooted tout their sLq-js v.-ere old or their feet capped in rags. Her next r.romotion was to ^-iotV. in the fields hauling shocks of corn oil a "bally m.le which waa subject-to hucking and throwing its rider over its head* Line was aided "by u little .oy on another xaule. There were men to tie ' the shocks -nd place them on the sails. She remembered seeing liiion end Confederate soldiers shooting across & Hrer near her hone. Eer un<..le fought t»o ye&rs, and returned safely at the end of the war. She did not feel that her Haster and distress h&d mistreated their slaves. At the close of the war, her father was ^iven a house, land, tesa *sd enou^t to start farming for himself. Several years later the IS* Xlux El&n gave thea a ten day's notlee to • 'Usfs, one of the masked band interceded for them by pointing out that they ;^Wf".qjai«t and peaeatole, and a nan.with a orop and t*a children Miild»*t lye leave on so short a notice so the time mm extended anot her J&/H * 154 %m m»* when they too* «9iat til* Elm paid ttoft md ««t mrttu O^jr sMted in tto north imtU tfa* M to ^ their gro^ri.n -4 little pi«e« '¦ •f tfcl* and a lltttc vlmMi of tj»tf Xikm thay do no*., *«» h«r fatter r#» turned to *«*«*. Mrs. Pro«toa r^aiiiea i* w^, i^r ,4tt#r ^ ^^ out, tli* fwtty w*aplag to the m&*9 in ^iT &im ^^ ^^ .fe@m#||#; td * a «ilte «rt»or# How they «w**U4 to thai* *o^r a*itr v*» ,uUt '" tta a new hotiM, provided iieoaS8iti«« aad guards for * ft* we<*k8 until thsgr utr» safe fross the PU Blux Elan, Xri, PrecWa said rjie was the mttmt of tun children, but uov Urns 4l®»# iinea the death of her husb^ thr*« y^s ^ sj vtiit, Ml^| ^ ^ feats* is s© cl-.^ai, one could aiao»t ©at off the Hoor, ¦ J:.. SSMBSiv Ail i30055 55 Federal Writers1 Project Page #1 of the W. P. A. Topic #240 District #6 Harry Jackson Marion County File #50 William M. Quinn (Ex-Slave) 431 Bright Street, Indianapolis, Ind. William M. Quinn, 431 Bright street, was a slave up to ten years of age -"when the soldiers come back home, and the war was over, and we wasn't slaves anymore". Mr. Quinn was born in Hardin County, Kentucky, on a farm be- longing to Steve Stone. He and a brother and his mother were slaves of "Old Master Stone", but his father was owned by another man, Mr. Quinn, who had an adjoining farm. When they were all freed, they took the surname of Quinn. Mr. Quinn said that they were what was called "gift slaves". They were never to be sold from the Stone farm and were given to Stone's daughter as a gift with that understanding. He said that hls^"01d master paid him and his brother ten cents a day for cutting down corn and shuck- ing it." It was very unusual for a slave to receive any money whatsoever for working. He said thatlhis master had a son about his age, and the son and he and his brother Pag© #2 f r/. Topic #240 156 Harry Jackson worked around the farm together, and "Master Stone" gave all three of them ten cents a day when they worked. Sometimes they wouldn't, they would play instead. And whenever "Master Stone" would catch them playing when they ought to have been at work, he would whip them -"and that meant hi3 own boy would get a licking too." "Old Master Stone was a good man to-all us colored folks, we loved him* He wasn't one of those mean devils that was always beating up his slaves like some of the rest of them." He had a colored overseer and one day this overseer ran off and hid for two days "cause he whipped one of old Mas* Stone's slaves and he heard that Mas' Stone was mad and he didn't like it," "we didn't know that we were slaves, hardly. Well, my brother and I didn't know anyhow 'cause we were too young to know, but we knew that we had been when we got older." "After emancipation we stayed at the Stone family for some time, 'cause they were good to us and we had no place to go." Mr. Quinn meant by emancipation that his master freed his slaves, and, as he said, "emancipated them a year before Lincoln did." Mr. Quinn said that his father was not freed when his mother and he and his brother were freed, because his father's master "didn't think the North would win the war." Stone's slaves fared well and ate good food and whi3 own children didn't Page #3 Topic #240 157 Harry. Onhmwimik- treat us like we were slaves." He said some of the slaves on surrounding plantations and farms had it "awful hard and bad." Some times slaves would run away during the night, and he said that "we would give them something to eat." He said his mother did the cooking for the Stone family and that she was good to runaway slaves« Submitted September 9, 1937 Indianapolis, Indiana By: HARRY W. JACKSON iPield writer j;<^54 * 158 Federal Writers* Project Page #1 of the W* P. A* Topic #240 District #6 Harry Jackson Marion County File #48 Ex Slave &S£I (JWw^^-^oCtW/iw) Mrs* Candus Richardson, of 2710 Boulevard Place, was 18 years of age whan the civil War was over* She was borned^ a slave on Jim Scott*a plantation on the "Homer Chitter river" in Franklin county, Mississippi* Scott was the heir of "Old Jake Scott". "Old Jim Scott" had about fifty slaves, who raised crops, cotton, tobacco, and hogs* Candus cooked for Scott and his wife, Miss Elizabeth* They were both cruel, according to Mrs* Richardson* She said that at one time her Master struck her over the head with the butt end of a cow* hide, that made a hole in her head, the scar of which she still carries* He struck her down because he caught her giving a hungry slave something to eat at the back door of the "big house"• The "big house" was Scott's house© Scott beat her husband a lot of times because he caught him praying* But "beatings didn't stop my husband from praying* He Just kept on praying* He'd steal off to the woods and pray, but he prayed so loud that anybody close around could hear, (cause he had such a loud voice* I prayed too, but I always prayed to myself* One thing, Jim Scott beat her hus- band so unmerciful for praying that his shirt was as red from blood stain "as if you'd paint It with a brush** Her husband Page #2 ^ to Topio #240 •• 1°^ Harry OaboraeT^^^^ waa very religious, and she claimed that it waa hia prayers and "a whole lot of other slaves3 that cause you young folks to be free today"• They didn't have any Bible on the Soott plantation she a aid, for it meant a beating or "a killing if you*d be caught with one". But there were a lot of good slaves and they knew how to pray and some of the white folks loved to hear then pray too, 'cause there waa no put-on about it* That*a why we folks know how to sing and pray, * cause we have gone through so much, but the Lord is with us, the Lord's with us, he is". Mrs* Richardson said that the slaves, that worked in the Master's house, ate the same food that the master and hia family ate, but those out on the plantation didn't fare so well; they ate fat meats and parts of the hog that the folks at the "big house" didn't eat* All the slaves had to call Scott and his wife "Master and Kiss Elisabeth1*, or they would get punished if they didn't* Whenever the slaves would leave the plantation* they were supposed to have a permit from Scott, and if they were caught out by the "padyrollers", they would whip them if they didkot have a note from their master* When the slaves went to church, they went to a Baptist church that the Scotts belonged to and sat in the rear of the church* She sermon was never preached to the slaves* "They newer preached the Lord to Pag* #5 . ^ Topic #240 160 Harry Jackson us," Mrs* Richardson said, "They would just tell us to not steal, don*t steal from your master"* A week's ration of food was given each slave, but If he ate It up before the week, he had to eat salt pork until the next rations* He couldn't eat muoh of It, because It was too salty to eat any quanlty of It* "We had to make our own clothes out of a cloth like you use, called canvass"* "We walked to church with our shoes on our arms to keep from wearing them out**. They walked six miles to reach the church, and had to wade across a stream of water* The women were carried across on the men's backs* They did all of this to hear the minister t©ll them "don't steal from your Master"* They didn't have an overseer to whip the slaves on the Scott plantation, Scott did the whipping himself* Mrs* Richardson said he knocked her down once just before she gave birth to a daughter, all because she didn't pick cotton as fast as he thought she should have* Her husband went to the war to be "what you call a valet for Master Jim's son, Sam"* After the war, he "came to me and my daughter**• "Then in July, we could tell by the crops and other things grown, old Master Jim told us everyone we was free, and that was almost a year after the other slaves on the other plantations around were freed". She said Scott, in freeing (f) then said that **he didn't have to give us any thing to eat and that he didn't have to give us a place to stay, but Page #4 Topic #240 *f>A Harry Jackson XU1 we could stay and work for him and he would pay us* Bit we left that night and walked for miles through the rain to my husban's brother and then told them that they all were free* Then we all came up to Kentucky in a wagon and lived there* Then I came up North when my husband died** Mrs* Richardson says that she is "so happy to know that I have lived to see the day when you young people can serve God without slipping around to serve him like we old folks had to do** "You see that penoil that you have In your hand there, why, that would oost me my life 'if old Mas' Jim would see me with a penoil in my hand* But I lived to see both him and Miss Elizabeth die a hard death* They both hated to die, although they belonged to church. Thank God for his mercy! Thank 0od!" MHy mother prayed for me and I am praying for you young folks"* Mrs* Richardson* despite her 90 years of age, can walk a distance of a mile and a half to her church* Submitted August 31, 1937 Indianapolis, Indiana m "rahae* 130138 1G2 Federal Writers* Project Page #1 of the w. T. A* Topic ;, 240 District #6 Anna Pritchett Marion county File #85-A Folklore References (A) Joe Robinson -Px-slave- 1132 Cornell Avenue• (B) Anna Pritchett -Federal T/ritor- 1200 Eentuoty Avenue* Joe Robinson 'was born in Mason County, Kentucky in 1854• (A) His master, Gus liar gill, mis very kind to him and all his slaves* He owned a lar;;e farm and raised every kind of vegetation* He always f;ave his slaves plenty to eat. They never had to steal food* He said his slaves had worked hard to permit him to have plenty, therefore they should have their share* (A) joe, his mother, a brother, and a sister were all on the same plantation* They -were never sold, lived with the same master until they were set free. (A) Joe1 s father ym.s owned by Pube Black, "who ms very cruel to his slaves, beat them severely for the least offense? One day he tried to beat Joefs father, iwho ms a larp,©* strong manj he resisted his raaster and tried to kill him. After that he never tried to -whip him again* However, at the first opportunity, Kube sold him* (A) page #2 Topio 7 240 163 Anna Pritchett The Robinson family learned the father had been sold to some- one down in Louisiana. They never heard from, or of him# apain. (A) I*r« Robinson lives with his wifej he receives a pension, which he said was larely enough for them to live onf and hoped it would be increased, (b) He attends one of the W.P^A. classes # trying to learn to read and write• (B) They have two children who live in Chicago# (B) Submitted January 241 1958 Indianapolis* Indiana Byi AMk PRITCHETT Field writer 130155 164 Federal Writers • Project page #1 of the *• P# a# Topic #840 District #6 Anna Pritchett Marion County File #61-A Folklore References (A) Mrs* Rosaline Rogers -Ex-slave- 110 years old* 910 North Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana, (B) Anna Pritchett -Federal Writer- 1200 Kentucky Avenue* Indianapolis, Indiana* Mrs. Rogers was born in South Carolina, in 1827, a slave of Dr* Rice Rogers, "Mas* Rogers," we called him, was the youngest son of a family of eleven children* He was so very aaan* (A) Mrs* Rogers was sold and taken to Tennessee at the age of eleven for #900*00 to a ©an by the name of Carter* Soon after her arrival at the Carter plantation, she was resold to a man by the naiae of Belby Moore with whom she lived until the beginning of the Civil war, (A) Hen and women were herded into a single cabin, no matter how maoy there were* She remeinbers a time when there were twenty slaves in a ss*ll cabin* There were holes between the legs of the cabin* large enough for dogs and cats to crawl through* The only wans Topie #240 IGO Anna Priteketfc of heat, being a wood fireplace, which, of course, was used for cooking their food* (A) The slaves9 food was corn cakes, side pork, and beansj seldom any sweets except molasses* (A) The slaves were given a pair of shoes at Christmas time and if they were worn out before summer, they were forced to go bare- foot* (A) Eer second master would not buy shoes for his slaves* When they had to plow, their feet would crack and bleed from walking on the hard clods* and if one complained* they would be whipped) therefore, very few complaints were made* (A) The slaves were allowed to go to their master fs churoh, and allowed to sit in the seven back benches j should those benches be filled* they were not allowed to sit in any other benches* (A) The wealthy slave owner never allowed his slaves to pay any attention to the poor "white folks," as he knew they had been free all their lives and should be slave owners themselves* The poor whites were hired by those who didnot believe in slavery, or oould not afford slaves* (A) At the beginning of the Civil war* I had a family of fourteen children* At the close of the war, I was given ny ohoice of staying on the same plantation, working on shares* or taking my family away, letting them out for their food and clothes. I decided to stay on that wayi I oould have my children with me* They were not allowed Pag© Topic #24G 1GG Anna Pritohett to go to school, they were taught only to work* (A) Slave mothers were allowed to stay In bed only two or three days after childbirthj then were forced to go into the fields to work, as if nothing had happened• (A) The saddest moment of ny life was when I -pas sold away from my family• I often wonder what happened to th*mj I haven «t seen or heard from them since* I only hope God was as good to them as He has been to me. (A) "I am 110 years oldj xny birth is recorded in the slave book* I have good health, fairly good eyesight, and a good memory, all of which I say is because of my love for God* (A) Mrs# Rogers is eertainly a very old woman, very pleasant, and seems very fond of her granddaughters, with whom she lives» (B) Submitted December 29, 1937 Indianapolis, Indiana By: ANKA FRITCKETT ----Field TJriier >^l 130150 16? Federal Writers* Project Pag© #1 of the W. P. A. Topic #240 Dirtriot #6 Anna Pritanett Marion county File #66-* Folklore References (A) Mrs, Parthena Rollins, 848 Camp Street (Rear). (B) Anna Fritohett -Federal Writer- 1200 Kentucky Avenue* Mrs. Parthena Rollins was born in Soott County, Kentucky, in 1863, a slave of Rd Duvalle, who was always very kind to all of hl» slaves, never whipping any of the adults. Taut often whipped the children to correct them, never beating them, rhey all had to work, but never overwork, and always had plenty to eat. (A) She remembers so many slaves, who were not as fortunate as they were* (A) Onoe when the "nigger traders" oas* through, there was a girl, the mother of a young babyj the traders wanted the girl, hot would not buy her because she had the child. Eer owner took her away, took the baby from her, and beat it to death right before the aether's eyes, then brought the girl back to the sale without the baby, and she wae bought Immediately, (A) Her new master was so pleased to get such a strong girl who could work so well and so fast* (A) I Tepie ^40 t QS Am* Pritohett The thoughts of the oruel v»y of putting her baby to death preyed on her mind to such an extent§ she developed epilepsy. This angered her new iaaster, and he sent her buok to her old master, and forced him to refund the >soney he had paid for her* (A) Another slave had displeased his master for so&ae reason, he was taken to the barn and killed, and was buried right in the barn* ?To one kner/ of this until they were set free, as the slaves who knew about it were afraid to tell for fear of the uaiae> fate befalling on thesu (A) Parthena also remembers slaves being beaten until their basks were blistered # The overseers w*>uld then open the blisters and sprinkle salt and pepper in the open blisters, so their backs would sE&rt and hurt all the more* (A) H&ny tiaaes, slaves wsuld be beaten to death, thrown into sink holes, and left for the bussarde to swuria and feast on their bodies *( A) So many of the slaves she knew were half fed and half clothed, and treated so cruelly, that it *would i&ke your hair stand on ends*11 (A) Mrs* Rollins is in poor he*ith# all broken up with "rheumtls** (¦) She lives with a daughter and grandson, and said she could hardly talk of the happenings of the early days, because of the awful things her folks had to go through* (B) Submitted December 21, 1957 Indianapolis, Indiana By i JJfJSjk PR! —fmnm Bx-Slavfc Stories * > , District ^5 * ' ' • • -« * > | Q9 Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel Told by John Rudd,an Bx-slave. nYes, I -was a slave/1 said John Rudd, "And Ifll say this to the whole world, Slavery was the worst curse ever visited on the people of the United States/1 John Rudd is a negro, dark and swarthy as to complexion but his nose is straight and aqualine, for his mother was half Indian* The memory of his mother, Liza Rudd, is sacred to John Rudd today and her many disadvantages are still a source of grief to the old man of 83 years• John Rudd was born on Christinas day 1854 in the home of Benjamin Simms, at Springfield, Kentucky. The mother of the young child -was house maid for las- tress Siirms and Uncle John remembers that mother and child received only the kindliest consideration from all members of the Simms family* "While John *vras yet a small boy Benjamin Simms died and the Siinms slaves vrere auctioned to the highest bidders. nIffn you wants to know what unhappiness means," said Uncle John Rudd, ,fJessfn you stand on the Slave Block and hear the Auctioneer's voice selling you away from the folks you love." .Uncle John explained how mothers and fathers were often separated from their dearly loved children, at the auction block, but John and his younger brother Thomas were fortunate and were bought by the same master along with Liza Rudd, their mother. An elder brother, -&enry, was sepaiated from his mother and brothers and became the property of George Snyder and v/as thereafter known as xienry Snyder* TWhen Liza Rudd and her two little sons left the slave block they were the property of Henry Moore who lived a few miles away from Springfield. Uncle John declares that unhappiness met them at the threshold of the mooreTs estate* Li^a was given the position of cook, housemaid and plough-hand while her little feoys were made to hoe, carry wood and care for the small children of the Moore family ? John had only been at the Moore home a few months when he witnessed several slaves being badly beaten» Henry Moore kept a white overseer and several white men were employed to whip slaves? A large barrel stood near the slave quarters Ex>*Slave Stories District #5 page 2. j[70 Vajaderburgh County Told by John Rudd, an Ex-Slave • and the little boy discovered that the barrel was a whipping post* The slaves would be strapped across the side of the fcarrel and tw> strong men would wield the "cat of nine tailsn until blood flowed from gashed flesh, and the cries and prayers of the unfortunate culprits availed them nothing until the strength of the floggers became exhausted. One day, when several negroes had just recovered from an unusual amount of chastisement, the little negro, John Rudd, was playing in the front yard of the iioore's house when he heard a soft voice calling him# He knew the voice belong- ed to Shell Moore, one of his best frieftds at the Eoore estate • Shell had been among those severely beaten and little John had been grieving over his misfor- tunes* "Shell had been in the habbit of whittling out whistles for me and pettin1 of me.!t said the now aged negro* ttI went to see whet he wanted wif me and he said 'Gootiy Johnnie, you'll never see Shellie alive after today*1* Shell made his way toward the cornfield but the little jaegro boy, watching him go, did not realize what situation confronted him* That night the master announced that Shell had run away again and the slaves were started searching fields and woods but 8hell!s body was found three days later by Rhoder McQuirk, dangling from a rafter of Moore's corn crib where the unhappy negro had hanged himself with a leather halter• Shell was a splendid worker and was well worth a thousand dollars* If he had been fairly treated he would have been happy and glad to repay kindness by toil* ttMsi?sKHenry would have been better to all of us, only Mstress Jane was always rilin1 him up*ft declared John Rudd as he sat in his rooking chair under a shade tree* Jane Moore, was the daughter of Old Thomas Rakin, one of the meanest men, where slaves were concerned, and she had learnt the slave drivin1 business from her daddy*11 Uncle John related a story concerning his mother as follows: Mama had been -irorkin' in the cornfield all day 'till time to oook supper. She -was jes' Ex*Slave .Stories page 3* * f-^ District #5 J r-i- Vanderburgh County • Lauana Creel Told By John Rudd, an Ex-slave* standin1 in the smoke house that was built back of the big kitchen when Mistress walks in. She had a long whip hid under her apron and began whippin ifeuria across the shoulders, fthout tellin1 her why. Mama wheeled around froiW whar she was slicin1 ham and started rurmin1 after old Missus Jane* Ole Missus run so fas1 Eama couldAft catch up wif her so she throwed the butcher knife and stuck it in the wall up to the hilt*'1 ftI was scared* I was fraid Y/hen Marse Henry come in I believed he would have luama whipped to death•1t Tftiar Jane?tt said Mars Henry*,f ^She up stairs with the door locked * said Kama." "Then she tole old &ars Henry the truth about how mistress Jane whip her and show him the marks of the whip* She showed him the butcher knife stick- in1 in the wall*n Get yer clothe^ together,tt said iMarse lenByj/* O&oore) John then had to be parted from his mother. Henry Rudd believed that the f Negroes were going to be set free* "War had been declared and his desire was to send Liza far into the southern states where the price of a good jiegro was higher than in Kentucky* When he reached LoMsville he was offered a good price for her service and hired her out to cook at a hotel. John grieved over the loss of his mother but afterwards learned she had been well treated at Louis- ville* John Rudd continued to work for Henry Moore until the Civil War ended* Then Henry Snyder came to the Moore home and demanded his brothers be given into his charge. Henry Snyder had enlisted in the Federal Army and had fought throughout the war. He had entered or leased seven acres of good land seven miles below Gwens- boro# Kentucky, and on those good acres of Davies County farm land the mother and her three sons were reunited* John Rudd had never seen a river until he made the trip to Owensboro with his brother Henry. The trip was made on the big Gray Eagle and Uncle John ;; declares nl was sure thrilled to get that boat, ride** He relates many incidents of f; ¦ - i run-away negroes* Remembers his fear of the Ku Klucks, and remembers seeing | Ex-Slave Stories District #5 page 4» i'72 Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel Told by John Rudd, an Ex-Slave* Seven ex-slaves hanging from one tree near the top of Grimes-Hill, just after the close of the war* Tifhen John grew to young manhood he worked on farms in Davis County near Owensboro for several years, then procured the jobp of portering for John Sporree, a hotel keeper at Owensboro, and in this position John worked for fifteen years* TOiile at ^ronsboro he met the trains and boats• He recalls the boats; Morning Star, and Guiding Star5 both excursion boats that carried gay men and women on pleasure trips up and down the Ohio river• Uncle John married Teena Queen his beloved first wife,at Owensboro* To this union was born one son but he has not been to see his father nor has he heard from him for thirty years, and his father balieves him to have died* The second wife was Minnie Dixon who still lives with Uncle John at Bvansviile* "When asked what his political ideas were. Uncle John said his politics is his love for his government • He draws an old age compensation of 14>^gi dollars a month* Uncle John had some trouble proving his age but met the situation by having a friend write to the Catholic Church authorities at Springfield* Mrs* Simtus had taken the position of God Mother to the baby and his birth and christening had been recorded in the church records • He is a devout Catholic and believes that religion and freedom are the two richest blessings ever given to mankind* Uncle John worked as Janitor at the Boehne Tuberculosis Hospital for eight years* Iftiile working there he received a fall which crippled hiiru He walks by the aid of a cane but is able to visit with his friends and do a small amount of work in his home* 1 1 OU'i Federal Writers1 Project Page #1 of the W* P* A* Toplo #240 Distriot #6 Anna Pritehett Marion County Pile #46-A Folklore Referenoe (A) Amanda Elisabeth Samuels, 1721 Park avenue* (B) Anna Pritohett* Federal Writer* 1200 Kentucky Avenue* Indianapolis* Indiana* Liszie was a child in the home of grandma and grandpa MoMurxy# They were farmers in Robinson County* Tennessee* (A) Her mother* a slare hand* worked on the farm until her young master* Robert MeMurry was married. She was then sold to Rev# Carter Plaster and taken to Logan County* Kentucky* (A) The child* Lissis* was given to young Robert* She lived in the house to help th© young mistress who was not so kind to her* Lizzie was forced to eat ohioken heads* fish heads, pig tails* and parsnips• The child disliked this very much* and was Tory unhappy with her young mistress* because in Eobertfs father** home all slave children were treated just like his own children* They had plenty of good substantial food* and were protected in every way* (A) The old master felt they were the hands of the next generation and if they were strong and healthy* they would bring in Page $2 Topic #240 i;74 Anna Pritehett a larger amount of money when sold* (A) Lizzie*s hardships didnot last long as they were set free soon after young Robert1 s marriage • He took her in a wagon to Keysburg, Kentucky to be with her mother• (A) Lizzie learned this song from the soldiers• Old Saul Crawford is dead, And the last word is said« They were fond of looking back Till they heard the bushes crack And sent them to their happy home In Cannaxi, Some wears worsted Some wears lawn What they gonna do When that1 s all gone# (A) MrSm Samuels is an amusing little woman, she must be about 80 years old, but holds to the age of 60* Had she given her right age, the people for whom she works would have helped her to get her pension* (B) They are amused, yet provoked because Lizzie wants to be younger than she really ia« (B) Submitted December 1* 1957 Indianapolis, Indiana By* AHffA PRIXCHBTT --------Field Writer-------- iJi j&nro* 130120 SX&T9 steay f - 0$, 4t f*f£•wmm County » 170 fiiii; S3U JACK aiKfeS» STORY . . Mr, Stisa*1 was lorn &b£ i-aiaot on M$XL Creek Kentucky, and mm lirm |a&a£isM>» Indiana on Poplar street dlufuu&ly Strife v«»t of the iK>apits&« He ms so young' lit- did a® reat^iler very >^c2; about how ike al*r©» **r* trtfttftd, 'but seemed to »«gr«t v«xy muck th&t ixe £i*d fcoen denied the priT** : ilege of an •dneatleii*. -Mr* S4s»» rmeal^red seoing tfe* line a of eoldiere os tfee Csa$>>elliflJttsg ro*-4# but r«f «np& to tti* -war- *• th« *&«v&lftttt«a•¥«*•• ?Me va* & vary iat«nretiinfi> #14 -aanfi vh*B wo-Xirftt cailed, felt ittt$s*» t«r iiivitac m i&te the houst* 'tmt<&#r lath#r wact*6 to t**lic autslde «&*3*« * U %i% turttwr** -faen his dtfughtar eosvigred IMi iafersuttlta Air. SiaKi* tMfttdl&toly decided that «o could eon.«t "in a© w© "wouion't lie -tlNur* long _m$wwn* • ,• •'* ' .^ttx we coined entrioiee, tl2© dfeugfcier rtawriMd tfefttJttff.f*tlpr wa* T«ry yosag at the 't$u« ol tjfe* war* \vher«aupori he answer**! v*xy t»etlly *lf you &r*& going to t«ll It, go i^®&d« Or ml going to tell it?* . I ;£.&i Beulah Van Meter ^ ^G District 4 Clark County BILLY SLAUGHTER Reference: Billy Slaughter, 1123 Watt St*, J offers onville Billy Slaughter was born Sept* 15, 1858, on the Lincoln Farm near Hodgenville, Ky* The Slaughters who now live between the Dixie Highway and Hodgenville on the right of the road driving toward Hodgenville about four miles off the state highway are the descendants of the old slave1 s master* This old slave was sold once and was given away once be- fore he was given his freedom* The spring on the Lincoln Farm that falls from a cliff -was a place associated with Indian cruelty* It was here in the pool of mter be- low the cliff that the Indians would throw babies of the settlers* If the little children could swim or the settlers could rescue them they escaped, otherwise they were drowned* The Indians would gather around the scene of the tragedy and rejoice in their fashion* The old slave when he was a baby was thrown in this pool but was rescued by white people* He remembers having seen several Indians but not uiany* The most interesting subject that Billy Slaughter discussed was the Civil War* This was ordinarily believed to be fought over slavery, but it really was not, according to his interpretation, which is \musual for an old slave to state* The real reason was that the South withdrew from the Union and elected Jefferson Davis President of the Confederacy* In his own dialect he narrated these events accurately* The southerners or Democrats were called "Rebels11 and "Secess11 and the Republicans were called "Abolitionists*w Another point of interest was John Brown and Harpers Ferry* TfShen Harperfs Ferry was fired upon, that was firing upon the United States* It was Billy Slaughter - Page 2 ^.^-, I • t here and through John Brown's Raid that war was virtually declared* The old Negro explained that Brown was an Abolitionist$ and was captured here and later killed* TOiile the old slave had the utmost respect for the Federal Government he regarded John Brcwn as a martyr for the cause of freedom and included him among the heroes he worshipped* Among his prized possessions is an old book written about John Brownfs Raid* The old slave's real hero was Abraham Lincoln* He plans another pilgrimage to the Lincoln Farm to look again at the cabin in which his Emancipator was born* He asked me if I read history very much* I assured him that I read it to some extent* After that he asked me if I recalled reading about Lincoln during the Civil War walking the White House floor one night and a Negro named Douglas remained in his presence* In the beginning of the Y/ar the Negroes who enlisted in the Union krm$ were given freedom, also the wives, and the children who were not married* Another pr obi eon that was facing the North at this time was that the men who were taken from the farm and factory to the army could not be re- placed by the slaves and production continued in the North as was being done in the south* Not all Negroes who wanted to join the Union forces were able to do so because of the strict watchfulness of their masters* The slaves were made to fight in the southern army whether they wanted to or not* This less- ened the number of free Negroes in the Northern army* As a result Lincoln decided to free all Negroes * That was the decision he made the night he walked the T/hite House floor* This was the old darkeyfs story of the conditions that brought about the Emancipation Proclamation* Freeing the Negroes was brought about during the Civil War but it was not the reason that the war was fought, was the unusual opinion of^fhis Negro*- Billy Slaughter - 3 178 "Uncle Billy's11 father joined the Union army at the Taylor Barracks, near Louisville, Ky*j which was the Camp Taylor during the World Wpr* TJtacle Billy1 s father and mother and their children who were not married were given freedom* The old slave has kept the papers that were drawn up for this act# The old darkey explained that the Negro soldiers never fought in any decisive battles• There must always be someone to clean and polish the harness$ care for the horses9 dig ditches$ and construct parapets* This slaves father was at Memphis during the battle there* The Slaughter family migrated to Jeffersonville in f65* Billy was then seven years old* At that time there was only one depot here - a freight and passenger depot at Court and Wall Streets• What is new tencxm as Eleventh St* was then a hickorymip grove - a paradise for squirrel hunters* On the ridge beginning at 7th and Mechanic Sts# were persimmon trees. This was a splendid hunting haven for the Negroes for their favorite wild animal - the ofpossum# The ridge is known today as possum ridge* The section east of St#Anthonyfs Cemetery was covered^ in woods* Since there were a number of beechnutsj pigeons frequented this place and were sought here* One could catch them faster than he could shoot them* At this time there were two shipyards in Jeffersonville - Barmorefs and Howard's* Barmorefs shipyard location was first the location of a big meat-packing company* The old darkey called it a "pork house11* The old slave had seen several boats launched from these yards* Great crowds would gather for this event* After the hull was completed in the docks the boat was ready to launch* The blocks that served as props were knocked down one at a time* One man would knock down each prop* There were several men employed in this work on the appointed day of the launching of Billy Slaughter - 4 1 VU rt) the boat* The boat \rould be christened with a bottle of champagne on its way to the r iver* "Uncle Billy" worked on a steamboat in his earlier days. This boat traveled from Louisville to New Orleans* People traveled on the river for there were few railroads• The first work the old darkey did was to clean the decks• Later he cleaned up inside the boat, ii£j£^jjs/a^^^ mopped up the floors and made the berths« The next job he held was ladies1 cabin man* Later lie took care of the quarters where the officials of the boat slept• The darkey also worked as a second pantry man* This work consisted of waiting en the tables in the dining room* 3bie men's clothes had to be spotless* Sometimes it vrould became necessary for him to change his shirt three times a day* The meats on the menu would include pigeon, duck, turkey, chicken, quail, beef, pork, and mutton* Vegetables of the season were servod,as well as desserts* It was nothing unusual for a half dollar to be left under a plate as a tip for the waiter* Those who worked in the cabins never set a price for a shoe shine? Fifteen cents was the lowest they ever received* During a yellow fever epidemic before a quarantine could be de- clared a boatload of three hundred people left Louisville at night to go to M^his, Tenn* During the same time this boat went to New Orleans where yellow fever was raging* The captain warned them of it* In two narrow streets the old darkey recalled how he had seen the people fall over dead* These streets were crowded and there were no sidewalks, only room for a wagon* Here the victims would be sitting in the doorways, apparently asleep, only to fall over dead* I'yhen the boat returned, one of the crew was stricken with this dieaase* Uncle Billy nursed him until they reached his home at Cairo, 111* 180 Billy Slaughter - 5 Ho one else took the yellow fever and this nan recovered* Another job "Uncle Billy" held was helping to make the brick used in the U*3# Quarter Faster Depot• Colonel Janes Keigwin operated a brick kiln in what is now a colored settlement between 10th and 14th and Y/att and Spring Sts# The clay was obtained from this field* It was his task to off-bare the brick after they were taken from the molds, and to place them in the eyes to be burned* Y/ood was used as fuel* "Uncle Billy" reads his Bible quite often* He sometimes wonders why he is still left here - all of his friends are gone; all his brothers and sisters are gone* Buffhis he believes is the solution - that there must be someone left to tell about old times* "The Bible," he quotes, "says that tiro shall be working in the field together and one shall be taken and the other left* I am the one who is left," he concludes* Henrietta Karv/owski, Field Worker j 056 Federal Writers* Project * St. Joseph County - District # 1 !.&•*¦ South Bend, Indiana EX-SIAVES BIBLIOGRAPHY £ - Mr. & Mrs Alex Smith, 127 North Lake Street, South Bend, Indiana 05 • Henrietta Karwowski, Field Worker Federal "/ritcrs1 Froject . u0 St. Joseph Count2r, District #1 1 o<-4 South Bend, Indiana BC-SIAVES Mr. and Ivlrs. Alex Smith, an eighty-three year old negro couple were slaves in Kentucky near Paris, Tennessee, as children. They now reside at 127 North Lake Street, on the western limits of South Bend. This couplo lives in a little shack patched up with tar paper, tin, and wood. Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, the talkative member of the family is a smell woman, very wrinkled, with a stocking cap pulled over her gray hair. She wore a dress made of three different print materials; sleeves of one kind, collar of another and body of a third. Her front teeth were discolored, brown stubs, which suggested that she chews tobacco . Mr. Alex Smith, the husband is tall, though probably he was a well built man at one time. He gets around by means of a cane. Lira. Smith said that he is not at all well, and he was in the hospital for six weeks last winter. The wife, Elizabeth or Betty, as her husband calls her, was a slave on the Peter Stubblefield plantstion in Kentucky, the nearest town being Paris, Tennessee, while Mr. Smith was a slave on the Robert Stubhelfield plantation nearby. Although only a child of five, Mr. Smith remembers the Civil War, especially the marching of thousands of soldiers, and the horse-drarwn artillery wagons. The Stubblefields freed their slaves the first winter after the war. On the Peter Stubbplfield plantation the slaves were treated very well and had plenty to eat, while on the Robert Stubbelfield page Z Henrietta Karwowski, Field Worker Federal Writers1 Project ..^ St. Joseph County - District #1 1t>-» South Bend, Indiana plantation Mr. Smith went hungry many times, and said, "Often, I r/ould see a dog with a bit of bread, and I v/ould have been willing to take it from him if I had not been afraid the dog would bite me." Mrs. Smith was named after Elizabeth Stubblefield, a relative of Peter Stubhelfield. As a child of five years or less, Elizabeth had to spin "long reels five cuts a day," pick seed from cotton, and cockle burrs from wool, and perform the duties of a house girl. Unlike the chores of Elizabeth, Mr. Smith had to chop wood, carry water, chop weeds, care for cows, pick bugs from tobacco plants. This little boy had to go barefoot both summer and winter, and remembers the cracking of ice under his bare feet. The day the mistress and master came and told the slaves they were free to go any place they desired, I.Irs. Smith's mother told her later that she was glad to be free but she had no place to go or any money to go with. Many of the slaves would not leave and she never witnessed such crying as went on. Later Mrs. Smith was paid for working. She worked in the fields fornwittelsf and clothes. A fev; years later she nursed children for twenty-five cents a week and rtVittels,n but after a time she received fifty cents a week, board and two dresses. She married Mr. Smith at the age of twenty. Mr. Smith's father rented a farm and Mr. Smith has been a farmer all his life. The Smith couple have been married sixty-four years. Mrs. Smith says, "and never a cross word exchanged. Mr. Smith and I had no children*" The room the writer was invited into was a combination bed-room and living room with a large heating stove in the centre of the small room. A bed on one side, a few chairs about the room. The floor was Page 3 Henrietta Karwowski, Field Worker Federal Writers1 Project St. Joseph County - District #1 South Bend, Indiana 40 1 covered with an oid patched rug. The only other room beside this room vms a very small kitchen. The whole home was shabby and poor. The only means of support the family has is a government old age pension which amounts to about fourteen dollars a month. Their little shack is situated in the the center of a large lot around which a very nice vegetable garden is planted. The property belongs to Mr. Harry Brazy, and the old couple does not pay rent or taxes and they may stay there 03 long as they live, "which, is good enough for us," says I.Irs. Smith. As the writer was leaving Mrs. Smith 3aid, "I like to talk and meet people. Come again." AD:DB 9-10-37 Bobert C. Irvin jjobiesville, Ind. pistrict #2 185 EX-SLAVE, LIFE STORY OF BARHEY STOHE Reference® Personal interview with former slave, Hamilton @o. This is the life story of Barney Stone, a highly respected colored gentleman of Noblesville, Hamilton County seat/ Mr* Stone i3 near nintey-one years old, is in sound physical condition and still has a remarkable maaory. He was a slave in the state of Ken- tucky for more than sixteen years and a soldier in the Union army for nearly two years* He educated himself and taught school (bo col- ored children four years following the tfivil War. He studied in 1868, and has "been a preacher in the Colored Baptist Faith for six- ty nine years, having "been instrumental in the building of seven churches in that time, Mr. Stone joined the K. of P. Lodge, the I.O.O.F. and Masonic Lodge and is still a member of the latter. This fine old colored man ha3 always worked hard for the uplift and advancement of the colored r ace and has accomplished much in this effort in the States of Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana. He, to- gether with his preaching of the gospel, and his lecturing, has fol- lowed farming. He now has a field of sweet corn and a fine, large garden, which he plowed, planted and tended himself and not a weed can be found infcither. He is the only ex-slave now living in Hamilton County, the others all deceased, and is one of three living members pf Hamilton county G.A.R. the other two members deing white* Mr, Stone has given to the writer "My Life's Story", which he desires to call it, and in this atoty he pictures to the reader. Robert C. Irvin -2- jjoblesville, Ind . 1&G district #2 "sixteen years of hell as a slave on a plantation," a story which will convince the reader that, even though much blood was shed in our Civil T7ar, the war was a Godsend to the American Nation. This story is told just as given by Mr. Stone. MY LIFE'S STORY "My name is Barney Stone, I was bom in slavery, May 17, 1847, in Spencer County, Kentucky. I was a slave on the plantation of Lem- uel Stone )all slaves bore the last name of their master) for nearly seventeen years aid was considered a leader among the young slaves on our plantation. M^y Mammy was mother to ten children, all slaves, and my Pappy, Buck Grant, was a buck slave on the plantation of John Grant, his Mastah; my pappy was used much as a male cow is used on the stock farm and was hired out to other plantation owners for that purpose and was regarded as a valuable slave. His Mastah permitted him to visit my mother each week-end on our plantation. My Mastah was a hard man when he was angry, drinking or not feel- ing well, than at times he was kind to us. I was compelled to pick cot- ton and do other work ushen I was a very snail boy, Mastah would never sell me because I w as regarded as the best young slave on the planta- tion. Different from maiy other slaves, I was kept on the plantation from the day I was born until the day I ran away, - Slaves were sold in two ways, sometimes at private sale to a man who went about the Southland buying slaves until he has many in his possession, then he would have a big auction sale and would re-sell them to the highewt bidder, much in the same manner as our live-stock are sold now in auction sales. Professional slave buyers in those Robert C. Irvin Hoblesville, Indiana -3- District #2 -f^? days were called "nigger "buyers". He cape to the plantation with a doctor* He would point out two or three slaves which looked good to him and which could he spared by the owner, and would have the doctors examine the aLavefs he art• If the doctor pronounced the slave as sound, then the nigger "buyer would make an offer to the owner and if the amount was satisfactoryf the slave was sold* Some large plantation owners, hav- ing a large number of slaves, wuld hold a public auction and dispose of some of tiiem, then he would attend another sale and buy new slaves, this was done sometimes to get better slaves and sometimes to make money on the sale of thenu Many times, as I have said before, our treatment on our plantation was horrible* When I was just a small boy, I witnessed my sister sold and taken away# One day one of horses came into the barn and Mastah noticed that she was caripped. He flew into a rage and thought I had hurt the horse, either that, or that I knew who did it. I told him that I did not do it and he demanded that I tell him who did it, if I didn1t« I did not know and when I told him so, he secured a whip tied me t o a post and vftiipped me until I was covered with blood. I begged him, "Mastah, Mastah, please donft whip me, I do not know who did it#" He then took out his pocket knife and I would have been killed if Missus (his dear wife) had not make him quit. She untied me and tage Y/ith chamber lye dally to keep atray evil spirits death crept in and desmnded the price each of vlb nuet pay and Katie anawered tho call* Aunt Katie sprinkled salt in the foot printc of departing quests n Dat*s so dgy kaln leave no Hlv/ill behind em and can n&ver oome agin •thout an invitation ?* ahe explained» She said aho rst enery die* that Bm® year* * Evil spirit!;6 creeps around all nifjht long and evil people *# almys able to hex you *So* you had best be careful how you talks to strangers* Always spit on a coin before You gives it to a ||egger and dont pass too close to a hunchbacked person unless you can rub the hus$> or you will have bed luok as sure as anything** temt Katie deolaeed a rabbit1 a #oet ortfy brou^t &ood luck if the rabbit lied been killed hp a erase eyed negre In a countiy gr&w yard In the clark of the moon and she said that she believed one of that descr- iption a.ould be immA only once 1b a llfetizn© mt poesibly a hundred years* olklore # ietri t 5, * A Slaw auay'e UOlribp** ^ 95 V^oder^urch County* j<*uajm Creel • Sung by Eatie Sutton » Exftlawe of Eroaetrille* laiiax** * A sricty#$&te etork flow dorai froa the ^y# Bock a bye # ry baty bye | Jo toko a bbby gal co fair* To young nieeus iwaitin there j lilien all *ms quiet ae a nouee* m olo mesa* 8 bi& fine ' hooee* Refrain • Dat little gfd me borood rioh en £ree * She'e do eap fror out a suoafo tree i But yew are Jos ae er&et to mo % Ity littla colored chile* Jm lay yo head upon iqy bree j An ree § and ree # an res * an ree* % little colored cbll*« 7o a cabin in a v^ocdlaad drear » You fvo e&se uy a mm^^B heart to ehoeri Xa Mo olo elands cabin* Your hands ry heart striae® (2*»bbi»| 3te lay year head upon rry bree* Jfe$ cim: ,le e|eee en ree an ree i y little colored chile. — Eopeat Kefrain* Yo daddy plough* ale nmaaa'e com* Yo norry dooe the cookiag i She911 ijbm dinner to her hm&ty ehile* v.hea nobody is a looklnf Bon?t be ashartolnf^ chile $ 1 beg* Cuso ;;ou ms hatched from a buBsard'e egg j ?:y little colored chile* Bepeat R«f ndru 196 Dist# Ho# 4 Johnson Co# Slavery William R# Mays 471 words Aug. 2, 1S37 SLAVERY DAYS OF GEORGE THOMPSON As Told by him to the Writer • Ify name is George Thompson, I was born in Konroe County, Kentucky near the Cumberland river Oct# 8, 1854, on the Manfred Furgeson plantation, who armed about 50 slaves* Mister Furgerson was a preacher and had three daughters and was kind to his slaves * I was quite a small boy when our family, which included an older sister, was sold to Ed# Thompson in Kedcalf Co* Kentucky, who owned about 50 other slaves, and as was the custom then we was given the nanxe of our new master, "Thompson"• I was hardly twelve years old when slavery was abolished, yet I can remember at this late date most of the happenings as they existed at that tine* I was so young and unexperienced when freed I remained on the Thompson plantation for four years after the war and worked for my board and clothes as ooaoh lK>y and any other odd jobs around the plantation* I have no education, I can neither read nor write/, as a slave I was not allowed to have books* On Sundays I would gc into the woods and gather ginseng which I would sell to the doctors for from 10/ to 15^ a pound and with this money I would buy a book that was called the Blue Back Speller* Our master would not allow us to have any books and when we were lucky enough to own a book we would have to keep it hid# for if our master would find us with a book he would whip us and take the book from us» After receiving three severe whippings I gave up and never again tried for any learning, and to this day I can neither read nor write • Slaves were never allowed off of their plantation without a written pass, and if caught away from their plantation without a pass by the Pady-Rollers 2. or Gorillars (who were a band of ruffians) they were whipped* As there were no oil lamps or candles,, another bie^ck boy and myself v/ore stationed at the dining table to hold grease lamps for the white folks to see to eat# And we would use brushes to shoo away the flies# 1 In 1869 1 left the plantation to go on my own* I landed in Heart County, Ky0 and went to work for !&•• George Parish in the tobacco fields at 525©00 per year and two suits of clothes;after working tv/o years for Hr« Parish I left* I drifted fron place to place in Alabama and ISssissippi, working first at one place and then another, and finally drifted into Franklin in 1912 and went to work on the Fred Hurry farm on abacs Hurricane road for 10 years© I afterwards worked for Ashy Furgerson, a house mover* I have lived at my present address, 651 Worth Young St« since coning to Franklin* (Can furnish photograph if wanted) Archie Koritz, Field Worker Federal Writers1 Project ^Qo Porter County - District #1 * yo Valparaiso, Indiana HC-SIAVES REV". WAMBLE - GARY, IHDIAHA BIBLIOGRAPHY A - Retr. Wamble 1827 Madison Street Gary, Indiana • U/058 Archie Korits, Field worker Federal Writers* Project ,., Porter County - District #1 1 i)V Valparaiso, Indiana EX-SIAVES Rev, Wamble, Gary, Indiana Rev. Wamble was born a slave in Monroe County, Mississippi, in 1859, The Westbrook family owned many slaves in charge of over- seers who managed the farm, on which there were usually two hun- dred or more slaves. One of the Westbrook daughters married a Mr. Wamble, a wagon-maker. The Westbrook family gave the newly-weds two slaves, as did the Wamble family. One of the two slaves com- ing from the Westbrook family was Rev. Wambled grandfather. It seems that the slaves took the name of their master, hence Rev. Gamble's grandfather was named Wamble. Families owning only a few slaves and in moderate circum- stances usually treated their slaves kindly since like a farmer with only a few horses, it was to their best interest to see that their slaves were well provided for. The slaves were valuable, and there was no funds to buy others, whereas the large slave ownersywere wealthy and one slave more or less made little diff- erence. The Reverend's father and hi3 brothers were children of original African slaves and were of the same age as the Wamble boys and grew up together. The Reverend1 s grandfather was manager of the farm and the three Wamble boys worked under him the same as the slaves. Mr. Wamble never permitted any of his slaves to be whipped, nor were they mistreated, Mr. Westbrook was a deacon in the Methodist Church and had two slave over-seers to manage the farm and the slaves. He was very severe with his slaves and none were ever permitted to leave the farm. If they dSi leave the farm and were found outside, they were page 2 Archie Koritz, Field Worker Federal Writers1 Project 200 Porter County - District #1 Valparaiso, Indiana arrested and whipped. Then Westbrook was notified and one of the over-seers would come and take the slave hone where he would again be whipped. The slave was tied to a cedar tree or post a»i lash- ed with a snake whip . \_._Yv." "ibv- ¦ -.-V.J Rev. Wamble1 s mother was a Deerbrook slave and when the Rever-/ ' / end was two years of age, his mother died from a miscarriage caus- ( ed by a whipping. When the women slaves were in an advanced stag^ of pregnancy they were made to lie face down in a specially dug j depression in the ground and were whipped. Otherwise they were | treated like the men. Their arms were tied around a cedar tree j or post, and they were lashed. Since the Reverend appeared to be a promising slave, both the Westbrooks and the Wambles wanted him, much like one would want a valuable colt today. Since the Reverend1s grandmother was a West- brook and the Wambles treated the slaves much better, she wanted him to become a Wamble. She hid the child in a shed, what would probably be a poor dog-house today, and fed the child during the night time. During this period of his life the Reverend remembers what happened to one of the Westbrook slaves who had run away. One evening he came to the Wabble home and asked for some supper. Wamble took the slave into his home and after feeding him, placed a log chain which was hanging above the fire-place, around the slave*s waist, left him to sleep on a bench in front of the fire-place. The next morning after the slave was given breakfast by the Wambles, Westbrook, his son and over-seer appeared. Rev. Wamble in his hide-out remembers being awakened by the sound of the slave being page 3 Archie Koritz, Field Worker Federal Writers1 Project Ot\1 Porter County - District #1 «U-i- Valparaiso, Indiana whipped and the moaning of the slave. After the whipping, the slave was turned loose* After he had gone about a mile through the bottom-land toward the river, Westbrook turned his hounds loose on the slave's tracks. The hounds treed the slave before he had gone another mile, much like a dog would tree a cat. The Westbrooks pulled the slave down from the tree and the dogs slashed his foot. The slave was then whipped and long ropes plac- ed around him. He was driven back to the Wamble place with whips where he was once again whipped. They they drove him two miles to the Westbrook place where he was whipped once more. Whatever be- came of the slave, whether he died or recovered, is unknown. One unusual feature of this story is that Westbrook who permitted his slaves to be whipped, was a church deacon, whereas Wamble, who never attended church, never whipped or mistreated his slaves. The Reverend states that in the community where he resided the slaves were well treated except for the whippings they re- ceived. They were well-fed, and if injured or sick, were attend- ed by a doctor on the same principal that a person would care for on injured horse or sick cow. The slaves were valuable, and it was to the best interest of the owner to see that they were able to work. In case of slaves having children, the children became the property of the mother's owner. If the south had won the war, Wamble would have been a Westbrook since his mother was a Westbrook slave, and if it lost, he would go to live with his father and take the name of his father, a Wamble slave. So until the war was over he was hid out much like a small child would bring a stray dog home and hide it somewhere for fear that if his parents discovered it, page 4 Archie Koritz, Field Worker Federal Writers1 Project n«o Porter County - District #1 ^^ Valparaiso, Indiana it would be taken away. The living quarters of the slaves were made of logs covered with mud, and the roof was covered with coarse boards upon which dirt about a foot in depth was placed. There were no floors ex- cept dirt or the bare ground. The furniture consisted of a small stove and the beds were two boards extending from two walls, the extending ends resting on a peg driven into the ground. This would make a one-legged bed. The two boards were covered across ways with more boards and the slaves slept on these boards or upon the dirt floor. There were no blankets provided for them. For food the slaves received plenty of meat, potatoes, and what- ever could be raised. If the master had plenty to eat, so did the slaves, but if food was not plentiful for the master, the slaves had less to eat. Only one of the three Wamble boys joined the southern army. Until the war was over, the other two boys who refused to go to war hid out in the surrounding woods and hills. The only time the Reverend's father left the farm was to attend hia master Billy, when he was in a hospital recovering from wounds received in battle. Wamble was a wagon-maker, and he made two or three wagons which usually took about six months, Then he hitched teams to them and went north to Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas and kept going until he had sold the wagons and teams, keeping one wagon and team, with which to return home. Some times the master would be gone for a period of nine to twelve months. During his absence the Reverend's grandfather was in charge of the farm. The grandmother of Rev. Wamble was a full-blooded African negro, brought to this country as a slave at seventeen years of page 5 Archie Koritz, Field "orker Federal Writers' Project 2()o Porter County - District #1 Valparaiso, Indiana age. She was a very large and strong woman and was often hired out to do a man* s work. Slaves were forbidden to have papers in their possession and since they were forbidden to read papers, hardly any slaves could read or write. There never was any occasion or need to do these things. It was not known that the Reverend!s grandmother could read and write until after the Civil War. The Reverend remembers his grandmother "bringing an old newspaper to his hide-out during the Civil War, late at night, after the Wamble / family had retired, and making a candle from fried meat grease and / a cord string, which made a very tiny light. She placed some old j "blankets ov^r the walls so that no light could be seen through the j cracks in the hut. She would then place the paper as near as ' possible to the light, without burning it, and read the paper. It was never discovered where or how she learned to read and write. If a young, good-looking, husky negro was trustworthy, the family would make him the driver of the family carriage. They would dress him in the best clothes obtainable and with a silk- finished beaver skin hat. The driver sat on a seat on the top and towards the front of the carriage. He was compelled to stay on this seat when waiting for any of the family that he might be driving, regardless of the weather or the length of time that he had to wait. The mail was carried in the same kind of vehicle with negro drivers. In each town there was a certain rack at which this mail carriage would stop in each village or wherever the designated stop was made. Upon nearing the rack and coming to a stop, the driver would blow a bugle call which could be heard for miles around, and people hearing this bugle would come and get their mail. The page 6 Archie Koritz, Field V/orker Federal Writers' Project 0 .. * Porter County - District #1 *5lM Valparaiso, Indiana / Reverend remembers that several of these drivers froze to death during the cold weather, and that in the winter, many times the i horses on the mall carriage upon coming to this rack would stop, / and the driver would be sitting frozen to death in his seat, I Men would take him down, carefully saving the silk beaver- / i skin hat for some other driver. J Since the slaves had no votes, they had no interest in politics when they became free and knew nothing about political conditions other than that after the Civil War they were free and had a vote* As a boy the Reverend remembers seeing the white and black soldiers marching on election day. The politicians would always tell the negroes what was good for them and making it appear that it was for their best interest, and they should vote for him, always giving them the desert first and making them think that they were on the level no matter what the meal might be or what hardships they were causing the negro to suffer. On one instance after the negroes were forbidden to vote they marched in a body to the polls and demanded a Democratic ballot and were then permitted to vote. Rev. Y/amble was twenty-sevfgn years of age before he saw and read his first newspaper. He lived with the Wambles for twenty years after the war, when his father, then in partnership with another man, purchased forty acres of land. He attended his first school for a period of two months only in 1871. In 1872 the government built a school on his father's farm and it was taught by a mission- ary. The school term was for a period of three months each year. The Reverend attended this school for seven years. In 1880 he married the first time. His first wife died in page 7 Archie Koritz, Field Worker Federal Writers* Project Porter County - District #1 Valparaiso, Indiana Memphis, Tennessee, in 1888, By this marriage there were four children. On February 1, 1892, the Reverend with his two surviv- j ing children all entered school at a collage in Uttle Rock, Arkan- ) sas. One of his daughters died in the third year of her school year, hut the other graduated from the Normal School and was a teacher for several years. At the present time she is married to a minister in Louisiana and is the mother of ten children and is a nurse. The three oldest children have degrees and the others are expected to do the same. The Reverend married his second wife in 1894. She died in 1907, By this marriage nine children were born. The Reverend has been in the ministry for thirty-seven years. Seeing the need of making more money, two of his sons came to Gary, Indiana, to work in 1924. Now both are working in the post-office. Two years later he came to Gary for the same reason and after work- ing two years in the coke plant, was laid off due to the depression. The youngest daughter of the Reverend by his second marriage grad- uated from a college in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and is now teaching in New York City. Although the Reverend is advanced in years, he is quite active and healthy. He says he has a small pension and is just waiting until it is time to pass on to the next world. He has six children and seventeen grandchildren living. As the Reverend remembered the south, none of the white people worked at manual labor, but usually sat under a shade tree. They were usually clerks, bookkeepers or tradesmen. o ADrDB 9-21-37 ^<<&~en^&X 7t^Xjl^\0 Ex-Slave Stories .- 5th District j !>{){; f 9 ^<^4^eO^X ^~h~*JU^A/^SUd . 0 p , Vanderburgh County " * &\jO Lauana Creel The Biography of a Child Bom in Slavery* Samuel Watson, a citizen of Evansville, Indiana, was born in Webster County, Kentucky, February 14, 1862 • His master1 s home was located "two and one half miles from Clay, Kentucky on Cr&borchard Creek. ftTJncle Sammy" as the negro children living near his home on South East Fifth Street call the old man, possesses an umiaual/clear memory. In fact he remembers seeing the solditees and hearing the report of QTannon while he was yet an%infant. - r- Qne story told by the old negro relates 'how "old missus" saved ttold massafs horses11. The story folloiiirs: The mistress accompanied by a number of slaves was walking out one morning and all were startled by the sound of hurrying horses. Soon many mounted soldiers could be seen coming over a hill in the distance• The child Samuel was later told that the soldiers were making their way to Fort Donelson and were pressing horses into service. They were also enlisting negroes into service when possible. Old master, Thomas Watson, owned many good able-bodied slaves and many splen** did horses. The mistress realised the danger of loss and opening the wbig gate11 that separated the corals fro© the forest lands, Mrs. Watson ran into the midst of A ' the horses shouting and frailing them* The frightened horses ran into the for- est off the highway and toward the river# Ihen the soldiers stopped at the Watson plantation they found only a few old work horses standing under a tree and not desiring these they went on their way* The little negro boy ran and hid himself in the corner made by a great outside chimney, where he was found later, by his frightened mother* Uncle Samuel re- members that the horses came home the following afternoon, none missing. • Uncle Samuel remembers when the war ended and the slaves were emancipated • ttSome were happy t* and some were sad i11 Many dreaded leaving their old homes and their masters1 families. Uncle Samuel fs mother and three children were told that they Y/ere free people and the master asked the mother to take her little ones and go away* complied and took her family to the plantation of Jourdain James, hoping ' " ' / % . Wsiaves Stories , paffe 2*2(1 5th District Vanderburgh County The Biography of a Child Born in Slavery* Lauana Creel to work and keep her family together• Wages received for her work failed to sup- port the mother and children so she left the eiaploy of Mr. James and "worked from place to place until her children became half starved and -without clothing* The older children, remembering better and happier days, ran amy from their v&£xjx&3±m.x mother and iwent back to their old master* Thomas Watson "went to Dixon, Kentucky and had an article of indenture dram up binding both Thomas and Laurah to his service for a long nember of- years* Little Samuel only remained with his mother who took him. to the home of William Allen Price* Mr. Pricefs plantation was situated in Webster County, Kentucky about half-way bet-ween Providence and Clay on Craborchard Creek* Mr* Price had the little boy indentured to his service for a period of eighteen years* There the boy lived and worked on the plantation* He said he had a good home among good people* His master gave him five real whippings within a period of fourteen years but Uncle Samuel believes he deserved every lash administered* Uncle Samuel loved his masterfs family, he speaks of Miss Lena, Miss Luia, Master Jefferson and Master John and believes they are still alive# Their present home is at Cebra, Kentucky* It was the custom for a slave indentured to a master to be given a fair education, a good horse, bridle, saddle and a suit of clothes for his years of t%l, but Mr. Price did not believe the boy deserved the pay and refused to *dpay ' him. A l*auyer friend sued in behalf of the negro and received a judgement of $115*00 (one hundred and fifteen dollars)* Eighteen dollars repaid the laisyeE for his. service and Samuel started out with |95*00 and his freedom* Evansville became the home of Samuel Watson in 1882* The trip was made by train to Henderson then on transfer boat along the Ohio to Evansville* The young negro man was impressed by the boat and crew and said he loved the toTra from the first • gHqpse* Ex-Slave Stories \ 1 5th District page S£Q$ Vanderburgh County \ Lauana Creel The Biography of a Child Born in Slavery# Dr* Bacon,a prominent citizen living at Chandler Avenue and Second Street, employed Samuel as coachman* His next service was as house-man for &evi Igle- heart, 1010 Upper Second Street* Mr* Igleheart grew to trust Samuel and gave him many privileges allowing him to care for horses and to manage business for the family. Samuel "was married in 1890, His wife was born in Evansville and knew nothing of slavery by birth or indenture. Uncle Samuel was given a job at the Trinity Church, corner of Third and Chast- nut Streets* Mr. Igleheart recommended him for the position* He received $30*00 p|>er month for his services for t. period of six years* I:rr. FcWeely employed him for several years as janitor for lodges and secret orders. The old negro was also a paper banger and wall cleaner and did well un- till the panic seized him as it did others* Uncle Samuel was entitled to an old age pension which he recieved from 1924 until 1935 but January 15th, 1936 something went wrong and the money was with held* Then uncle Samuel was sent to the poor house* Still he was not unhappy and did what he could to make others happy* In 1936 he again applied and received the pension* $17*00 per month is paid for his upkeep, his only labor consists of tending a little garden and doing light chores* He lives with Willie.m Crosby on S. E. Fifth Street* Lauana Creel 1415 S. Barker Avenue Evansville, Indiana* 13010b _ IHIS LZ°2* «LAVE STORY 2()9 D1STKICT # 4 FLOYD COUNTY STORY OF NAHCY : IlALLJiN Reference. a, Kancy fallen, 924 rearl St., New Albany, ind. 8. Observation of the writer. Nancy ^hallen is now about 81 years of age, iihe doesn*t know exaotly. She was about 5 year of age when Freedom wasdeclared, Uancy was born and raised in &&rt County near iiar&lnsburg, Kentucky. i>he is very hard to talk to as her memory is falliiig and she on not hear very well. The little negro girl lived the usual life of a rural negro in Civil 'n thlo piano* ";hon miioae £sarri#4 ^terpatte daughter ho was #iiron ynelo Ala* s**& hie moth#r snd feeothnr »o a :.*oam$t» ?llllana won thoa Utmrn &o *Xouns isnntor*' wtiois star ei&an 0X4 siootor saw hie («*odoottia) notbar & fclg roll of hlllo* 94Po#m*elMi oo M® mo mo* ana% to teoop for htot and mm forood to Xooro tho fiaighfcoriiood* Aftor tho war the old darta* rotttmod tho w.mm$ to hia intent* Uaaln lox ronanbarn hts aothor tuning *»*» and othor ofilldro® and running down tho rinar bonfc and aiding In tho *oa&o alX night whan tho ooldloro oana* fan? wore lorgoa'a mm ond teak all avail* anlo catti**od homo* in th© vietnity m& boat tho wooSo lootBing for infiiNw ooX41om« »mt» Moit §*ic*ii*r,w 215 B^tmlim* tho on&es soldtor* wwld ooais rtdtn® alone oafi y th*y *%ooit thin^t **#*« *t*n ttos ««p #&s ovtr did aostor o&iao book boas and %h» nt* grots c >fiUnu#d to Uvo oa at th» piss* as ustttl* ft&ospt for & f«w that **nt«d to ®0 north* Old &Mt#r llvod III a grsat big !«**•• with ciU Ms frally and tbo a»$rot*r lltvd in «&isot3i«r good sl*#d house or uart5p8i ail togst!i*r# fh#r© s*er# a fso ©splits* ' ' *'**r*«»iveS(»w *fj*sd to hsve rail splittln9* and wood chopptfie* me sjsii w-^ud work *11 day, mntk mt a pile of wood a* olg as & hiuee* ft Aeon tiiey'd stop and out a t>|.~ tneel that tlM wIsjsm folks had ftsed up for o*a# the® *m so©» tltas«« T*ve afeot to aeay a ©no** *1 reaMbO' we used to m to reviiPils sa«§et Issue* down host Horse a*e» ^Bterjtoedy sot rollglon eM wo ehore hod ess* tt®ee* we don't ?**• the* kind of tlase any »oret remember I wont back daim to ose of these revieala je«ra afterwards* ssost of the folks I used to mm mm dead o» s*>ne# ?he ps*«dher ©ad© «• sot vp front witii n*«f aa& imp aekedi tae to prsaoh to tbt feUee* But I set that *t*et Sod Hadn't mads m that •»»? Slid I wouldn't do It*11 TVs ssjr Ataahen Uneftlae eaMn aany a its** whon | w*s yean**' It sot aj» oft a -i#i -hillt ®«^ !**» *»*«» ?• ^^ during tn^l«^ tfto hill lot* of tiaMNi* h® h joo was on ^to Old ^stional Bosd thon. f hois* ^isy^ fia*4l It ®l% m mm% t tmamH tmm m*w fs# y#*rs* Aftor tho ar whon I gnsvsd t»p I aarrlsd* md eit'.W on tiio old pimm* t fm*mm: %m m®$ mm i m* m^ ta & n**** f^N^« 216 k ineeMa* nigger from down near Harsa Cawa said m a mule. h»t and* *as jest nateherlw no count* He w^uld lay rtffht dewa it* the ' plow* on* d&y after I hud worked with hla and tried to get his to vdf* right*- I ?*ot wad« I &a#® to ar wife* Belle* I*®* gola* to ret rid of tnnt mule if I hare to trad* hi® far a eat* a* 1 Id his* off* "lien I sens back I had another aul© anA *lf» ft© boot* :ht« mule she was shore skinny but when I fattened her up .yet* wouldn*t hflcww known her*" *finally I loft the old place and we cone north to Indiana* ??e eat tied h#re and *wa b#en here for 50 yearn abaurt* 1 worked in the old ''ailing Mill* 'nd T*we Imm an officer in the Baptist Church at Jrd and *'ain for 41 y*ars*rt #-o 1 feellav© in £$ioflte" (^ere Ml© -econd wife gave a sniff? ""all an*an* I don't believe In ghosts but- I do in spirits* (andother disgusted sniff" frees the second wife) X reaaeiber one ttsse lest after mf first wife died "' wee-a eltttn rlrht in that chair your sittin in now* :"?*- front doer o;.*ned $m& In eotae a hlr? old iwy •'iula# and 1 didn't have no grey tsule* in ehe cj®e Just && easy lik#9 but one foot down ®lanfr and than the othor* and than the other I says *;'!ula git out of rllke and than just dlsjt..;. eared* aft in it© place was ay first wife* in the clathae She waa Juried in* -'he eara® up ta m m& i, pat ny arses around !.art font I couldn't feal nothln* (another sniff froa the se* eoad wife) m*& X e&^s* "yah©* what you ranltf Then she started to ®l* littler tm& ltttiar and lower and finally want riant away throat the flaer* It waa liar spirit thats what it eaa*\ <*Retef says the second «if*«) MAnother tiaa ehe easts fee «e hy three ssnaakff and aada m git up mA sloop on naothor »*& vtmvo It vas bsttor slsoplii*.* ~ mt ll&o id $o bsmfe aowis In Kentucky on visits &* tho folki thoro wont tskt a thin*- for hod and vltU.*s« Hoy* th*? mm m s#lfl»h «o»t «r#n s?tvo a arttite of ustsr s*«f«* *yt«f» th# *'iooil Rdi uo« a* and $agr wif# h#iPOf «• whot away tiai sta^#i3 two Months* "srss 5 t**% i« this hsms#« sad if it svor gots its hsrs aiptn* wa*ra i?oin dovn .in tNsatualcy and novnr o$al&* fc&ofe wo «o*a»M Ths old mm $tr*d his wlfs aosrod a® -.»ut tbs froht door >->nA asa* ed so to orj© bask aflsain and w«fo& talk oamo sors about old ttaas*