i~,o:jeeb #1655
~enry . Grand;
	Columbia, S• C,	390400	..
	~	~	REFLLECTIONS OF EZR~& • ~ADAI~.
			 EX—SL~&VE 83 TEARS OW





Ezra Adama is incapable of self-Support ‚ owix~g to ill health. He is

~	very well taken care of by a nieoe, who lives on the Caughman land just off

~	s. C. ~6, and near Swansea, S. C.

~ — - -.- ~	~My maxnrt~ and pappy b ‚ long to Marster Lawrence Adams ‚ ho had a big
:	plax~ation in de eastern part of Lancaster County. He died four years after

~	de Civil War end is buried right dore on de old plantation, in de Adams family ~ burying grounds • I was de oldest of de five ohillun in our family. I ‘members : • I was a right sme.rt size plow)oy, when freedàm oome. I think I zmiat‘ of been ~ ‘bout ten or eleven years old, then. Dere ‚ s one thing I does know; de Yaxilcees

;~. . didn‘t tech our plaxxbation, when they come through South Carolina. . Up in do

~	no x‘theru part of de county they ‘ did destroy ~ et al I what folks had.

~	“‘You ain‘t gwine to believe dat de slaves on our plantation didn‘t stop

~	workin‘ for old marster, even ~whøp~ they was told dat the~ was free. Us didn‘t

: ‘want no ~re freedom than us wae gittin‘ ou our plantationalready. Us knowed

~	too well dat us was well took care of, wid a plenty of ‘vittles to eat and tight log and board houses to live in. De slaves ‚ where I lived, knowed after dO~ war

~ ~ dat they had abundance of dat somethin‘ called freedom1 what they could ~Öt sat,

.	~ . wear, aM sleep in. Yes ‚ sir, they soon found out dal freedom ain‘t nothin‘,

~	‘less you is got somethin‘ to live ou and a place to call home. Diø livin‘ on liberty is lak young folks Iivin‘ on love after they gite i~rried. It just don ~ ‘t work. No, sir, it las ‚ so long and not a bit ~ longer. Don‘t tell ~ ae& It sho‘

O ~ ~ don‘t hold good ehen you ha. tàwörk, ox‘ when you gite bôngry. You )~e dat

~	pCor i~:‘•te folks and niggerS kias got to work to live, regardis ~s of‘ Ubex:, love,
~	~ O	•	• ~ ~ ~