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 1941 \ VOLUME XIV SOUTH CAROLINA NARRATIVES PART 2 Prepared by the Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration for the State of South Carolina INFORMANTS Eddington, Harriet 1 Goodwater, Thomas 166 Edwards, Mary- 2 Grant, Charlie 171 Elliott, Rev. John B. 3 Grant, Rebecca Jane 177 ,183 Elmore, Emanuel 10 Graves, John Emmanuel, Ryer 11,17,22 (Uncle Brack) 187 Eubanks, Pen 27 Greely, Sim. 190 Evans, Lewis 30 Green, Elijah 195 Evans, Phillip 34 Green, W. M. Grey, Adeline 200 203 Fair, Eugenia 38 Griffin, Fannie 209 Farrow, Caroline 39,42 Griffin., Madison 212 Feaster, Gus 43,48,54 Grigsby, Peggy 215 Ferguson, Ann 72 Guntharpe, Violet 216 Ford, Aaron 74 Foster, Charlotte 80 Franklin, John 84 Hamilton, John 221 Fraser, Emma 87 Hamlin, (Hamilton) Frost, Adele 88 Susan Harp, Anson 223 ,226 ,233 237 Gadsden, Amos 91 Harper, Thomas 240 Gallman, Janie 97 Harris, Abe 242 Gallman, Lucy 100 Harrison, Eli 244 Gallman, Simon 103,104 Harvey, Charlie Jeff 247 Gary, Laurence 106 Hasty, Eliza 252 Gause, Louisa 107 Haynes, Dolly 258 Gibson, Gracie 113 Henderson, Liney 261 Giles, Charlie 115 Henry, Jim 266 Gillison, Willis 117 Herndon, Zack 271 Gilmore, Brawley 120 Heyward, Lavinia 276 Gladdeny, Pick 124 Heyward, Lucretia 279 Gladney, Henry 129 Heywood, Marian 282 Glasgow, Emoline 134 Hill, Jerry 289 Glenn, Silas 136 Hollins, Jane 291 Glover, John 138 Holmes, Cornelius 294 Godbold, Hector 143 Horry, Ben 298, 308, ,316 ,323 Goddard, Daniel 149 Hughes, Margaret 327 Godfrey, Ellen 153, 159,161,164 Hunter, Hester 331, ,335 ,341 IHUSTftVriONS Facing page Ben Horry 298 Project 1885-1 3SG0GS FOLKLORE wwwv Edited by: Spartanburg Dist.4 Elmer Turnage May 25, 1937 STORIES OF EX-SLAVES "I was born in the town of Newberry, and was a servant of Major John P. Kinard. I married Sam Eddington. I was a Baker, daughter of Mike and Patience Baker. My ^mother was a free woman. She had her freedom before the war started; so I was not a slave. I worked on the farm with my mother when she moved back from town. Mama worked in town at hotels; then went back to the country and died. In war time and slavery time, we didn't go to school, 'cause there was no schools for the negroes. After the war was over and everything was settled, negro schools was started. We had a church after the war. I used to go to the white folks1 Lutheran church and set in the gallery. On Satur- day afternoons we was off, and could do anything we wanted to do, but some of the negroes had to work on Saturdays. In the country, my mother would card, spin, and weave, and I learned it. I could do lots of it." Source: Harriet Eddington (86), Newberry, s.C. Interviewer: G.L. Summer, Newberry, S.C. May 20, 1937. Project 1885-1 FOLKLORE Edited by: *¦ ~ Spartanburg Dlst.4 390158 Elmer Turnage** & June 16, 1937 STOHIES FROM EX-SLAVES "I was born in the section of Greenwood County called 'the promised land*. My parents were Henry and julis Watkins,. I mar- ried Prank Edwards when I was young. Our master, Marshall Jordon, was not so mean. He had lots o' slaves and he give 'em good quart- ers and plenty to eat. He had big gardens, lots of hogs and cattle and a big farm. My master had two children. "Sometimes dey hudted rabbits, squirrels, possums and doves. "Be master had two overseers, but we never worked at night. We made our own clothes which we done sometimes late in evening. "We had no school, and didn't learn to read and wiite, not 'till freedom come when a school started there by a Yankee named Backiastore. Later, our church and Sunday school was in de yard. "We had cotton pickings, cornshuckings and big suppers. We didn't have to work on Christmas. "One of de old-time cures was boiling fever-grass and drinking de tea. Pokeberry salad was cooked, too. i cure for rheu- matism was to carry a raw potato in the pocket until it dried up. "I had 11 children and 8 grandchildren. "I think Abe Lincoln was a great man. Don't know much about Jeff Davis. Booker Washington is ail iight. "I Joined church in Ilordia, the Methodist church. I was 50 years old. I joined because they had meetings and my daughter had already joined. I think all ought to join de church." Source: Mary Edwards (79), Greenwood, s.C Interviewed by: G.L.-^Summer, Newberry, s.C. (6/10/37) Project #1655 Stiles M. Scruggs 3 Columbia, S.C. A SON OF SLAVES CLIMBS UP. The Rev. John B. Elliott, A.B.A, A.M.,D.D., 1315 Liberty Hill Avenue, Columbia, S.C, is the son of slaves. He was born at Mount Olive, N.C., in 1869, and missed being a slave by only four years. His college degrees were won at Shaw University, Raleigh, N.C., and the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred on him by Allen University of Columbia, S.C. Sitting on the parsonage piazza recently, the Rector of St. Anna's Epis- copal Church talked about his struggle for education, and his labors up from slavery. "I was born at Mount Olive, N.C., the son of Soloman Elliott and Alice (Roberts) Elliott. They were slaves when they married, and I escaped bondage by only four years, since slaves were not freed in the South, until 1865. "My father was owned by Robert W. Williams, of Mount Olive, and he was the most highly prized Negro in the vicinity. He was a natural carpenter and builder. Often he would go to the woods and pick out trees for the job in hand. Some of the houses he built there are standing today. Mother was equally trained and well equipped to make a home and keep it neat and clean. When they were free in 1865, half the community was eager to employ them and pay them well for their services. And, when I came along, they were living in their own house and prospering. "I chose a religious career when quite a boy, and, when I was ready for college, I was much pleased. I finished at Shaw University at Raleigh, took a year's study at Columbia University in New York and then finished a religious course at the Bishop Payne Divinity School at Petersburg, Virginia, where most of the colored clergymen of the Episcopal Churofa are finished* After I felt that I was fairly well fitted to begin my clerical work, I chose South Caro- lina as my field* *% first assignment was at Waccamaw Heck, a little below Georgetown, S* C*, aad a big industrial center* There the Negro population is keen for wine and whiskey* One of the men whom I was interested in, was pretty tipsy when I called, and, as I sat and talked with him, he said* fYou're drunk, too*1 This surprised me, and I asked him why he thought so* fWell, you got your vest and collar on backwards, so you must be drunkl' nSince, I have had pastorates at Aiken, Peak, Rock Hill, and Walterboro* Prom Walterboro I came to Columbia as padtor of St* Anna's Episcopal Church and the missions of Ann's at New Brookland and St* Thomas at East over* I presume I have done pretty well in this field, since the Rt* Rev* Bishop Kirkman G# Pinlay, D# D#, appointed me arch-deacon for Negro work in upper South Carolina* ttAs I was coming away from the Bishop's office, I was accompanied by another colored rector, who had very short legs* I am six feet, four inches in height, and he looked up at me as we walked along and asked quizzically: fHow long should a man's legs be?' I smiled and told him I thought, perhaps, every man should have legs long enough to reach to the ground* Yes, of course, we laughed at each other, but my argument won, because Bishop Pinlay is about six feet, three inches, and I told my short friend* 'When Bishop Pinlay and I talk, we are able to look each other in the eye on the level •' *I married Susan McMahan, a colored school teacher, and the Lord has blessed us with a son, John B* Jr*, a fine wood-worker, like his grandfather was, and two sweet daughters* Alice, the older one, is a teacher in the public schools of Columbia and Annie is a student* Our home life has always been 3« pleasant and unusually sunny• * I had one very humorous experience three years ago when I was invited to deliver an address near Mount Olive, N# C#A to a convention of young people* Arriving about 10 o! clock that day, I was met by a citizen who told me he -was assigned to introduce me that evening* As we rode along, I cautioned him not to boost me too highly* He said little. * ttTI?hen the big, and, I may say, expectant audience was seated that night, he arose and seemed much embarrassed, ultimately saying: !Ladies and gentlemen, I have an unpleasant duty to perform this evening•• Then, pointing at me, he went on: vl don't know this man, much* Fact is, I only know two things about him* One is, he has never been in jailj and the other is, I never could figure why*1 ttHo, I am not related to the late Robert Bruce Elliott by ties of con- sanguinity* He was successively twice a member of Congress from South Carolina* and a member and Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1876* Perhaps these honors came to him because he had a good education before he met the opportunity for service* ^Tfhen I think of the f60fs - f70fs period* I am surprised that recent slaves, suddenly placed in administrative positions of honor and trut$, did as well as they did* * In the seventy-two years since slavery, I have noted much improvement along the road, and I am sure that our nation has far less discord now, than it had when I was a smll lad* And, when one can note progress in our march toward the light, I guess that ought to be sufficient for ny optimism*11 project 1885-1 '" " folklore 390420 Edited by: w A Spartanbufcg, Dist.4 Elmer Turnage ** Dec. 23, 1937 (tltftsrt ) EX-SLAVE STORIES "I was born on June 20th and I remember when the war broke out, for I was about five years old. We lived in Spartanburg County not far from old Cherokee lord. My father was Emanuel Elmore, and he lived to be about 90 years old. HMy marster was called by everybody, Col. Elmore, and that is all that I can remember aboat his name. When he went to the war I wanted to go with him, but I was too little. He joined the Spartanburg Sharp Shooters. They had a drill ground near the. falls. Igy pa took me to see them drill, ana they were calling him Col. Elmore then. When I got home I tried to do like him and every- body laughed at me. That is about all that I remember about the war. In those days,; children did not know things like thay do now, and grown folks did not know as much either. *I used to go and watch my father work. He was a moulder in the Cherokee Iron Works, way back thafce when everything was done by hand. He moulded everything from knives and forks to skillets and wash pots. If you could have seen pa's hammers, you would have seen something worth looking at. It was so big that it jarred the" whole earth when it struck a lick. Of course it was a forge hammer, driven by water power. They called the hammer 'Big Henry'. The butt end was as big as an ordinary telephone pole. "The water whe$l had fifteen or twenty spokes ia it, but when it was running it looked like it was solid. I used to like to fit and watch that old wheel. The water ran over it and the more ^fister came over* the more power the wheel gave out. ililllliiiiiiii^^ Ex-Slave: Booanuel Elmore -- 2 -- *y nAt the Iron Works they made everything by hand that was used in a hardware store, like nails, horse shoes and rims for all kinds of wheels, like wagon and buggy wheels. There were moulds for everything no matter how large or small the thing to be made was. Pa could almost pick up the ri^ht mould in the dark, he was so used to doing it. The patterns for the pots and kettles of dif- ferent sizes were all in rows, each row being a different size. In my mind I can still see them. ??Hot molten iron from the vats was dipped with spoons which were handled by two men. Both spoons had long handles, with a man at each handle. The spoons would hold from four to five gal- lons of hot iron that poured just like water does. As quick as the men poured the hot iron in the mould, another man came along be- hind them and closed the .mould. The large moulds had doors and the small moulds had lids. They had small pans and small spoons for little things, like nails, knives and forks. When the mould had set until cold, the piece was prized out. wPa had a turn for making covered skillets and fire dogs. He made them so pretty that white ladies would come and give an order for a »pair of dogs', and tell him how they wanted them to look. He would take His hammer and beat them to look just that way. "Rollers pressed out the hot iron for machines and for special lengths and things that had to be flat. Railroad ties were pressed out in these rollers. Once the man that handled the hot iron to be pressed through these rollers got fastened in them him- self. He was a big man. The blood flew out of him as his bones were crushed, and he was rolled into a mass about the thickness and width of my hand. Each roller weighed about 2,000 pounds. Ex-slave: Emanuel Elmore __ 3 __ 8 "The man who got killed was named Alex Golightly. He taught the boys my age how to swim, fish and hunt. His death was the worst thing that had happened in the community. The man who worked at the foundry, made Alex a coffin . It had to be made long and thin because he was mashed up so bad. In those days-coffins were nothing but boxes anyway, but Alex's coffin was the most terrible thing that I have ever seen. I reckon if thsty had had pretty coffins then like they do now, folks would have bought them to sleep in. "Hundreds went to Alex's funeral, white and black, to see that Ions narrow coffin and the grave which was dug to fit it. On the way to the graveyard, negroes sang songs, for Alex was a good man. They carried hi:,, to the Cherokee graveyard on the old Smith ford Road, ana there they buried him. My father helped to build the coffin arid he helped haul him to the graveyard, pa worked at the Iron foundry until he was very old. He worked there before I was ever born. MMy father was sold four tL.es during slavery, 'tfhen he was brought to Virginia he was put on the block and auctioned off for f4,0O0. He said that the last time he was sold he ofcly brought |l,500. He was born in Alabama. When he was bought he w§s carried from Alabama to Virginia. It was Col. Elmore who took him. He wanted to go to Alabama again, so Col. Elmore let a speculator take him back and sell him. He stayed there for several years and got homesick for South Carolina. He couldn't get his marster to sell him back here, so he just refugeed back to Col. Elmore«s planta- tion. Col. Elmore took him back and wouldn»t let anybody have him. "Pa .married twice, about the same time. He married Dorcas Ex-Slave: Emanuel Elmore u- 4 9 Cooper, who belonged to the Coopers at Staunton Military Academy. I was the first child born in Camden. She had sixteen children. I was brought to Spartanburg County when I was little. Both ma and pa ware sold together in Alabama. The first time pa came to South Carolina he married a girl called Jenny. She never had any children. When he went to Alabama, Dorcas went with him, but Jenny stayed with Col. Elmore. Of course, pa just jumped the broom for both of them. "When pa left Alabama to^ refugee back, he had to leave Dorcas. They did not love their marster anyway. He put Dorcas up on the block with a red handkerchief around her head and gfive her a red apple to aat. She was sold to a man whose name I aave for- gotten. When-they herded them she got away and was months making her way back to South Carolina. Those Africans sure were strong. She said that she stayed in the woods at night. Negroes along the way would give her bread and she would kill rabbits and squirrels and cook and eat in the woods. She would get drunk and beat any one that tried to stop her from coming back. When she did get back to Col. Elmore's place, she was lanky, ragged and poor, but Col. Elmore was glad to see her and told her he was not going to let anybody take her off. Jenny had cared so well for her children while she was off, that she liked..her. They lived in the same house with pa till my mother died. "Col. Elmore said that negroes who were from Virginia and had African blood could stand anything. He was kind to ma. He fed her extra and she soon got fat a&ain. She worked hard for Col. El- more, and she and pa sure did love him. One time a lot of the neg- roes in the quarter got drunk and ma got to fighting all of them. Ex-Slave: Emanuel Elmore — 5 — . ^ 10 When she got sobered up she was afraid that Col Elmore was going to send her back to Alabama; so she went and hid in the woods. Pa took food to her. In about a month ^ol. Elmore asked where she was, and pa just looked sheepish and grinned. Col. Elmore told pa to go and bring her back, for he said he was tired of having his rations carried to the woods; so ma came home. She had stayed off three months. She never felt well anymore, and she died in about three more months. Pa and Jenny kept us till we got big and went off to ourselves. "Jenny was born and raised in south Carolina, and she was good to everybody and never fought and went on like ma did-. Ma liked her and would not le£ anybody say anything against her. She was good to pa till he died, a real old man. Jenny never had any children. She was not old when she died, but just a settled woman. We felt worse over her death than we did over ma's, because she was so good to us and had cared for us while ma and pa were in Alabama; then she was good to us after Dorcas died and when she hia in the woods. "It seems that folks are too tender now. They can*t stand much. My ma could stand more than I can. My children can»t stand what I can right now. * Source: Emanuel Elmore (7$(), Sycamore St., Gaffney, S.C. Interviewer: Caldwell Sims, Union, S.C. 11/16/37 Code Ho. Project, l£g5-(l) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, December lb, 1937 No. Wordsr Reduced from. Rewritten by" word 8 Page l. MOM RYER EMMANUEL Ex-Slave, Age J& 390407 "Oh, my Lord, child, I ain' know no thin bout slavery time no more den we was just little kids livin dere on de white people plantation. I was just a little yearlin child den, I say. Been bout six years old in slavery time. Well, I'll say dat I bout SO some odds, but I can* never seem to get dem odds together, I was a big little girl stayin in old Massa yard in dem days, but I wasn' big enough to do nothin in de house no time. My old Masea been Anthony Ross en he had set my age down in de Bible, but my old Missus, she dead en I know dem chillun wouldn' never know whe» to say dat Bible at dese days. Old Miss, she been name Matt Ross. I wish somebody could call up how long de slaves been freed cause den dey could call up my age fast as I could bat my eyes. Say, when de emancipation was, I been six years old, so my mammy tell me, Don1 know what to say dat is, but I reckon it been since freedom." WI been born en bred right over yonder to dat big patch of oak trees bout dat house what you see after you pass de white people church cross de creek dere, De old man Anthony Ross, he been have a good mind to his colored people all de time. Yes,mam, my white folks was proud of dey niggers. Urn, yes'um, when dey used to have company to de big house, Miss Ross would bring dem to de door to show dem us chillun. En Oode No* Project, I8g5-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, 8*0* Date, December l6, 1937 Ho. Words Reduced from. Rewritten by" Page 2* words my blessed, de yard would be black wid us chillun all string up dere next de door step lookin up in dey eyes. Old Missus would say, 'Ain' I got a pretty crop of little niggers comin on? * De lady, she look so please like* Den Miss Boss say, •Do my little niggers want some bread to gnaw, on?' En us chillun say, 'Yes'um, yes'um, we do.1^ Den she would go in de pantry en see could she find some cook bread to hand us. She had a heap of fine little niggers, too, cause de yard would be black wid all different sises. Won1 none of dem big enough to do nothin* No,mam, dey had to be over 16 year old fore old Massa would allow dem to work cause he never want to see his niggers noways stunt up while dey was havin de growin pains. Den when dey was first, grow up, dey would give some of dem a house job en would send de others in de field to mind de cows en de sheep en bring dem up. Wouldn* make dem do no heavy work right to start wid. But dem what was older, dey had to work in de field. I reckon dey would be workin just bout like dey is now from sunrise in de mornin till sunset in de evenin.H MYes, honey, I been come here under a blesein cause my white folks never didn» let dey colored people suffer xso time. Always when a woman would get in de house, old Massa would let her leave off work en stay dere to de house a month till she get mended in de body way. Den she would have to carry debJg EousS en get back in de field to work. Oh, dey had a Code No. Project, 18S5-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, December l6, 1937 No. Words Reduced from words Rewritten by j. Page 3. 13 old woman in de yard to de house to stay dere en mind all de plantation chillun till night come, while dey parents was workin. Dey would let de ohillun go home wid dey mammy to spend de night en den she would have to march dem right back to de yard de next mornin. We didn» do no thin, but play bout de yard dere en eat what de woman feed us. Yes1 urn, dey would carry us dere when de women would be gwine to work. Be dere fore sunrise. Would give us three meal 8 a day cause de old woman always give us supper fore us mammy come out de field dat evenin. Dem bigger ones, dey would give dem clabber en boil peas en collards sometimes. Would give de little babies boil pea soup en gruel en suck bottle. Yee,mam, de old woman had to mind all de yearlin chillun en de babies, too. Dat all her business was. I recolleots her name, it been Lettie. Would string us little wooden bowls on de floor in a long row en us would get down dere en drink just like us was pigs. Oh, she would give us a iron spoon to taste wid, but us wouldn* never want it. Oh, my Lord, I remember just as good, when we would see dem bowls of hot ration, dis one en dat one would holler,«dat mine, dat mine.i Us would just squat dere en blow en blow cause we wouldn1 have no mind to drink it while it was hot. Den we would want it to last a long time, too. My happy, I oan see myself settin dere now coolin dem vitals (victuals).M Oode No* Project, I8g5-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, December 16, 1937 No. Words_________ Reduced from___words Rewritten by %, Page 4. 14 "Like I speak to you, my white folks was blessed wid a heap of black chillun, but den dere been a odd one in de crowd what wasn1 noways like dem others. All de other chillun was black skin wid dis here kinky hair en she was yellow skin wid right straight hair. My Lord, old Missus been mighty proud of her black chillun,..but she sho been touches bout dat yellow one. I remember, all us chillun was playin round bout de step one day whe* Miss Ross was set tin en she ax dat yellow child, say, •Who your papa?1 De child never know no better en she tell her right out exactly de one her mammy had tell her was her papa. Lord, Miss Ross, she say, 'Well, get off my step. Get off en stay off dere cause you don1 noways belong to me.» De poor child, she cry en she cry so hard till her mammy never know what to do. She take en grease her en black her all over wid smut, but she couldn' never trouble dat straight hair off her noway. Dat how-oome dere so much different classes today, I say. Yes,mam, dat whet &&% old stain come from." "My mammy, she was de house woman to de big* house en she say dat she would always try to, mind her business en she never didn! get no whippin much. Yes>mam, dey was mighty good to my mother, but dem other what never do right, dey would carry dem to de oow pen en make dem strip off dey frock, bodies clean to de waist. Den dey would tie dem down to a log en paddle dem wid a board.' When dey would whip de men, de boards would often times have nails in dem. Hear Code No. Project, 1SS5-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, December l6, 1937 No. Words___ Reduced from_ Rewritten by" word 8 Page 5. 15 talk dey would wash dem wid dey blood. Dat first hide dey had, white folks would whip it off dem en den turn round en grease dem wid tallow en make dem work right on. Always would inflict de punishment at sunrise in de mornin fore dey would go to work. Den de women, dey would force dem to drop dey body frock cross de shoulders so dey could get to de naked skin en would have a strap to whip dem wid. Wouldn' never use no board on de women. Oh, dey would have de lot scatter bout full of dem what was to get whip on a mornin." "You see, de colored people couldn' never go nowhe' off de place widout dey would get a walkin ticket from dey Massa. Yes,mam, white folks would have dese pataroller walkin round all bout de country to catch dem colored people dat never had no walkin paper to show dem. En if dey would catch any of dem widout dat paper, dey back would sho catch scissors de next mornin." "Well, I don' know as de white folks would be meanin to kill any of dey niggers, but I hear talk dey would whip dem till dey would die some of de time en would bury dem in de night. Couldn1 bury dem in de day oause dey wouldn1 have time. When dey would be gwine to bury dem, I used to see de lights many a time en hear de people gwine along singin out yonder in dem woods just like dey was buryin buzzards. Us would set down en watch dem gwine along many a night wid dese great big torches of fire. Oh, dey would have fat lightwood torches. Dese here big hand splinters. Had to Code No. Project, 1SS5-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, B.C. Date, December l6, 1937 Ho. Words Reduced from_ Rewritten by" words 1G Page 6. carry dem along to see how to walk en drive de wagon to haul de body. Yes, child, I been here long enough to see find all dat in slavery time. All bout in dese woods, you can/ plenty of dem slavery.graves dis day en time. I can tell bout whe' dere one now. Yes,mam, dere one right over yonder to de brow of de hill gwine next to Mr/ Claussens. Can tell dem by de head boards dere. Den some of de time, dey would just drop dem anywhe' in a hole along side de woods somewhe' cause de people dig up a skull right out dere in de woods one day en it had slavery mark on it, dey say. Right over dere cross de creek in dem big cedars, dere another slavery graveyard. People gwine by dere could often hear talk en couldn' never see nothin, so dey tell me. Hear, um - um - urn, en would hear babies cryin all bout dere, too. No'um, can1 hear dem much now cause dey bout to be wearin out. I tell you, I is scared every time I go along dere. Some of dem die wicked, I say." Source: Ryer Emmanuel, colored, age 7&> Claussens, S.C. Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, Dec., 1937. Code No* Project, 1S85-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.O* Date, December 26, 1937 Ho. Wpgcte Reduced from words Rewritten by Page l. 17 MOM RYER EMMANUEL Ex-Slave, Age 78 390417 ttWeii, how you feelin die mornin, honey? I had tell Miss Sue dat I would be keepin a eye out dat door dere en when I is se# a car stop up to de house, I would try en make it up dere die mornin. Yes,mam, Miss Sue tell me you was comin today en I promise her I would be up dere, but I ain1 been feelin so much to speak bout die mornin. Den you see, I know I gwine be obliged to run down to de woods en fetch me up some wood en kindlin fore night fall. I been *8pect to make Koota break me up some splinters, but he aisf no count worth nothin, Yes,mam, he my grandson. Cose I tries to knock bout somewhe1 en let me get out in de cotton patch, I can put in a good sturdy job any day. You see, my eyes does be pretty good cause dey got on dey second glove, I say. Can see good to my age. But oh, my Lord, right in my chest here, it does thump sometimes just like a drum beatin in dere en I can1 never stand to hurry en walk hard no more deBe days." "No,mam, it don* bother me noways to leave dat door open. I keeps it dat way bout all de time, so as I can look out en see what gwine along de road dere, Tfhat de matter, honey, you don1 loves to smell dem chitlin I got boilin dere on de stove? I hear some people Bay dey can* stand no chitlin scent nowhe' bout dem, but I loves dem so much dat it does make my mouth Code No. Project, 1SS5-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, December 26, 1937 Ho* Words Reduced from___words Rewritten by Page 2. 18 run water to think bout how me en Koota gwine enjoy dem die evenin. No,mam, us don' never eat us heavy meal till dat sun start gwine down behind dem trees cross de creek yonder. roastin You see, I does keep some 'tatoes/dere in de coals on de hearth en if us belly sets up a growlin twixt meals, us just rakes a ftatoe out de ashes en breaks it open en makes out on dat. My God, child, I think bout how I been bless dat I ain» never been noways scornful bout eatin chitlins. Yes,mam, when I helps up dere to de house wid hog killin, Mr. Moses, he does always say for me to carry de chitlin home to make me en Koota a nice pot of stew." MI tellin you, when us been ohillun oomin up, people sho never live like dey do die day en time. Oh, I can remember just as good when I used to go dat Hopewell Presbyterian Ohurch cross de creek dere. Yes,mam, dat been de white people slavery church en dat dey slavery graveyard what settin right dere in front de church, too. Dat sho a old, old slavery time ohurch, X say. Massa Anthony Ross would make us go dere to preaohin every Sunday en dey was mighty strict bout us gwine to prayer service, too. Us would go up dem steps in dat little room, what been open out on de front piazza to o> church, en set up in de gallery overhead en de white folks set down dere below us. Yes,mam, dat whe» de colored people went to church in dem days en some of dem go dere till dey die oauie dat whe' dey been join de churoh. Some of dem does go dere often times dese days, Code No. Project, 1S85-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, December 26, 1937 No. Words____ Reduced from Rewritten by" Page 3. words 19 too, when de white people axes dem to sing to dey church. I remember, when I been baptize dere, I was just a little small child. Oh, de white preacher baptized all us little niggers dere. Old Maesa, he tell all his hands to carry dey chillun up dere en get dem baptized. Oh, my happy, dey been fix us up dat day. Put on us clean homespuns en long drawers, dat been hang down round us ankles like boots, en all us get a new bonnet dat day. I recollects, dey would march us right up to de front of de church en de preacher would come down to whe' we was standin wid a basin of water in one hand en a towel in de other hand. He would take one of us chillun en lay he wet hand on dey head en say, 'I baptize dee in de name of, etc.1 Den dat one would have to get back en another one would step up for dey turn. De preacher, he would have a big towel to wipe his hands wid en every child's mammy would be standin right be- hind hind dem wid a rag to wipe de(drain) dren water out dey eyes." "Oh, my Lord, when de Yankees come through dere, I hear dem say it was de Republicans. Mr. Ross had done say dat he hear talk dat dey was comin through en he tell his niggers to hurry en hide all de plantation rations. Yes,mam, dey dig cellars under de colored people houses en bury what meat en barrels of flour dey could en dat what dey couldn1 get under dere, dey hide it up in de loft. Mr. Ross say, 'Won' none of Oode No. Project, 1SS5-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, December 26, 1937 No. Words Reduced from___words Rewritten by ______ * Page 4. 20 dem damn Yankees get no chance to stick dey rotten tooth in my rations.' We say, »Ma, you got all dese rations here en we hungry.1 She say, •No, dem ration belong to boss en you chillun better never bother dem neither.' Den when Mr. Ross had see to it dat dey had fix everything safe, he take to de swamp. Dat what my mammy say cause he know dey waen1 gwine bother de womens. Lord, when dem Yankees ride up to de big house, Miss Rose been scared to open her mouth cause de man was in de swamp. No, child, dey didn1 bother nothin much, but some of de rations dey get hold of. Often times, dey would come through en kill chickens en butcher a cow up en cook it right dere. Would eat all dey wanted en den when dey would go to leave, dey been call all de little plantation niggers to come dere en would give dem what was left. Oh, Lord, us was glad to get dem vitals, too. Yes,mam, all dey had left, dey would give it to de poor colored people. Us been so glad, us say dat us wish dey would come back again. Den after dey had left us plantation, dey would go some other place where dere was another crowd of little niggers en would left dem a pile of stuff, too. Old Massa, he been stay in de swamp till he hear dem Yankees been leave dere en den he come home en would keep sendin to de colored people houses to get a little bit of his rations to a time. Uncle Solomon en Sipp en Leve, dey been eat much of boss' rations dey wanted cause Code No, Project, 13&5-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Harion, S.C. Date, December 2o, 1937 No. Words Reduced from_ Rewritten by" words Page 5 21 dey been know de Yankees was comin back through to free dem. But my mammy, she was a widow woman en old man Anthony Ross never left nothin to her house.n *l tell you, honey, some of de colored people sho been speak praise to dem Yankees. I don* know how-come, but dey never know no better, I say. Dey know en dey never know. One old man been ridin one of dese stick horses en he been so glad, he say, »Thank GodJ Thank GodlM Source: Ryer Immanuel colored, age 7&> Olaussens, 8.0. Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, Marion, S.O. December, 1937. Code No. Project, lgg5-(l) Prepared by Annie Rath Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, January 7, 1938 No, Words___ Reduced from_ Rewritten by" _word8 22 Page l, MOM RYER EMMANUEL Ex-Slave, 7S Years 390426 "Good evenin, child. How you is? How Miss Sue gettin along over dere to Marion? I hope she satisfied, but dere ain' nowhe' can come up to restin in your own home, I say. No, Lord, people own home don1 never stop to cuse dem no time, Dere Koota's mamma all de time does say, 'Ma, ain' no need in you en Booker stayin over dere by yourself, dome en live wid us.' I say, 'No, child. Father may have, sister may have, brother may have, en chillun may have, but blessed be he dat have he own.' I tell all my chillun I rather stay here under my own roof cause when I takes a notion, I can go in en bake me a little hoecake en draw me a pot of coffee en set down to eat it in satisfaction." ••After you was gone de other day, I thought bout right smart to speak to you, but when I gets tired, I just get all fray up somehow. My sister, she come to see me Sunday en I had dem all laughin bout what I say dat I had tell you. My sister, she make out like she don* know nothin bout dem olden times. Her husband, he done gone en die en she out lookin round for another one. Reckon dat what ails her. I tell her, I ain' see none nowhe' dat I would be pleased to take in. But I don' care what she say, us sho been here in slavery time cause my mother didn' have b^ut one free born child en dat one come here a corpse•" Code No. Project, 1SS5-(D Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.G. Date, January 7, 1938 No. Words Reduced from_ Rewritten by" words Page 2, 2** XJ "I remember, Ma used to tell we chillun bout how dey couldn' never do nothin in slavery time, but what de white folks say dey could do. I say, 'If I been big enough in dem days, I would sho a let out a fight for you. i You see, I was a little small child den en I never know no better den to speak dat way" ,!My mother, she was de house woman to de big house in slavery time, but she never didn' get no money for what she been do. No,mam, white folks never didn1 pay de poor colored people no money in dat day en time. See, old boss would give dem everything dey had en provide a plenty somethin to eat for dem all de time, Yes'um, all de niggers used to wear dem old Dutch shoes wid de brass in de toes en de women, dey never didn' have nothin 'cept dem old coarse shoes widout no linin. Couldn1 never waar dem out. Yes1 urn, dey always give us a changin of homespuns, so as to strip on wash day en put on a fresh one." "Den I recollects we chillun used to ax us mammy whe« us come from en she say, 'I got you out de hollow log.1 Well, just like I tell you, slavery chillun had dey daddy somewhe' on de plantation. Cose dey had a daddy, but dey didn' have no daddy stayin in de house wid dem. White folks would make you take dat man whe' if you want him or no. Us chillun never didn1 know who us daddy been till us mammy point him out cause all us went in Massa Anthony Ross1 name. Yes,mam, all us had a different daddy, so my mammy say." Oode No. Project, 1SS5-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.O. Date, January 7, 193S No. Words Reduced from_ Rewritten by" words 24 Page 3. "Who dat come here wid you? Lord, dat don* look like no wife. How long you is been married, honey? You ain' say so. Look like you is just bloomin, I say." "Oh, I tell you, I see a heap of things in dem days, but I ain' got my studyin cap on right now en I can' call up nothin right sharp. Us never know nothin bout us was gwine get free in dat day en time. Us was same as brutes en cows back dere cause us been force to go by what white man say all de time. Oh, dey would beat de colored people so worser till dey would' run away en stay in de swamp to save dey hide. But Lord a mercy, it never do no good to run cause time dey been find you was gone, dey been set de nigger dog on you. Yes,mam, dey had some of dese high dogs dat dey call hounds en dey could sho find you out, too. Oh, dem hounds would sho get you. Don1 care whe' you was hidin, dem dogs would smell you. If you been climb up a tree, de dog would trail you right to de foot of dat tree en just stand up en howl at you. Dey would stand right dere en hold you up de tree till some of de white folks been get dere en tell you to come down out de tree. Den if you never do like dey say, dey would chop de tree down en let you fall right in de dog's mouth. Would let de dog bite you en taste your blood, so dey could find de one dey was lookin for better de next time. Yes,mam, white people would let de dog gnaw you up en den dey would grease you en carry you home to de horse Code No, Project, 1S85-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, 8.0. Date, January 7, 193& No. Words____ Reduced from. Rewritten by" words Page 4. lot whe' dey would have a lash en a paddle to whip you wid. Oh, dey would have a swarm of black people up to de lot at sunrise on a rnornin to get whip. Would make dem drop dey body frock en would band dem down to a log en would put de licks to dem. Ma was whip twice en she say dat she stay to her place after dat. I hear talk dey give some of dem 50 lashes to a whippin. Dat how it was in slavery time. Poor colored people couldn' never go bout en talk wid dey neighbors no time widout dey Massa say so. I say, 'Ma, if dey been try to beat me, I would a jump up en bite dem.' She say, 'You would get double portion den.1 Just on account of dat, ain' many of dem slavery people knockin bout here now neither, I tell you. Dat first hide dey had, white folks just took it off dem. I would a rather been dead, I say. I remember, we chillun used to set down en ax Ma all bout dis en dat. Say, !Ma, yunnah couldn' do nothint' She say, 'No, white people had us in slavery time.* "My God a mercy, I think now de best time to live in cause I ain' gettin no beatin dese days. If I had been big enough to get whip in slavery time, I know I would been dead cause I would been obliged to fight dem back en dey would kill folks for dat in dem days. If anybody hurt me, dey got to hurt back again, I say. Cose us had us task to do in dem days, but us never didn* have to bother bout hunt in no rations en clothes Code No. Project, 1885-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.O. Date, January 7, 193$ No. Words___ Reduced from_ Rewritten by" words Page 5. 26 no time den like de people be burdened wid dese days. I tell you, what you get in dese times, you got to paw for it en paw hard, but ain* nobody else business whe* you do it or no." H0h, de young people, dey ain' nothin dis day en time. Ain' worth a shuck no time. De old ones can beat dem out a hollow anywhe'. Ain' no chillun raise in dese days, I say. After freedom come here, I know I been hired out to white folks bout all de time en, honey, I sho been put through de crack. Lord, I had a rough time. Didn' never feel no rest. Dat how-come I ain' get all my growth, I say.M Source: Mom Ryer Emmanuel, colored, IS years, Olaussens, S.O. Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, Marion, S.O. Project 1885-1 39CQ41 a1"' fOLKLORE ^WW7g Edited by: t de done move de church down on de new road, further from de mansion and "de ole graveyard. I lows dat you knows I is speaking o' de new mansion — i;r. Emslie Nicholson's house on de forest at de Shoals. I is ^ot memory, but I ain't got no laming; dat I is proud of, kaise 1 is seed folks wid laming dat never knowed nothing worth speaking about. All de way ffruf, I is done tuck and stuc& to my white folks -- de Democratic white folks, it I is. "Sho was a pretty si^ht to see 'bout a hunfded mens up v. on fine horses wid red shirts on. I still sees dem in mp mind clear as day. Our red shirts fastened wid a. strong band 'round de waist. Dar wasn't nar'y speck o! white to be seed no whars on 'em. Folklore^ Stories From Ex-Slaves Page 2 gg Dey was raal heavy and strong. Pact, dey was made from red flannel, and I means it was sho 'nough flannel, too. I bad done kept one o* mine here till times got hard and den I tuck and tore it up fer me a undershirt, here past it been two winters when it got so cold. "One night ua sot up all night and kept a big fire. Next morning it was de biggest frost all over de ground; but us never got one mite cold. Be good white ladies of de community male our. red shirts fer us. I 'spects Marse Jimmie ken name some fer you. "I got eve'y registration ticket in my house, and I still votes allus de democratic ticket. I has longed to de Bemocratic club ever since de red shirt days and I has voted dat way all de time. I was jes* turn't seventeen when I jined de Red Shirts and got into de Democratic Club, and I has been in it ever since. It ain*t gwine out neither. "I s-ho seed Hampton speak from Br. Culp's porch. I voted fer him. At dat time, I lived on de Keenan place. Marse Jimmie Young, he de overseer fer Mr. Keenan. Mr. Charles Ray owns and lives on it now. Bat brick church straight up de road from de Keenan place; straight as a bee line. Bat whar us met most o» de time fer de Red Shirt gatherings. Our Red Shirt Club was called de 'Fairforest' club atter de Lower Fairforest white folks Baptist church. Be church has allus sot on de banks o' Fairforest Creek. Atter us got organ- ized, I used to tote our flag. I was de onliest darky dat toted it. "I is done handed you a few names; dey is .all Bemocratic names. Lots of dem 'scapes mji knowledge, it has all been so long ggo. Bar was Mr. Gilmer Greer. Miss Gilmer Blankenship what lives out dar, she his nie Nancy, who is his third wife and much younger than Lewis* She does all the work about the home* They exist from the produce of the garden, output of fowls, and the small penaion Lewis receives* They raise a pig each year* This gives them their meat for the succeeding year* * Who I b*long to? Where was I born? White folks tell me I born af- ter de stars fell, (1333), but maybe I too little to fmember de day* Just have to go by what I hear them say* Think it was fbout 1841* All accounts is, I was born a slave of Marster John Martin, near Jenkinsville* Old Mis- tress, his wife, named Hiss Margaret* All I can 'member 'bout them is dis: They had fbout fifteen slaves, me 'mongst them* His daughter married a doc- tor, Doctor Harrison* I was sold to Maj* William Bell, who lived 'bout ten or twelve miles from old Marster. Ifs a good size boy then* Maj* Bell had ten fam- ilies when I got dere* Put me to hoein* in de field and dat fall I picked cot- ton* %xt year us didn't have cotton planters. I was took for one of de ones to plant de cotton seed by drappin1 de seed in de drill* I had a bag Vound ray neck, full of seeds, from which Ifd take handfuls and sow them 'long in de row* Us had a horse-gin and screwpit, to git de cotton fit for de market in Charleston* Used four mules to gin de cotton and one mule to pack it 2. 31 in a bale* Had rope ties and all kinds of bagging* Seems to me I 'members seeinf old flour sacks doubled for to put de cotton bales in, in de screw- press* w Us raised many cows, hogs, sheep, and goats on de Bell place* Us worked hard* Us all had one place to eat* Had two women cooks and plenty to eat, cooked in big pots and ovens* Dere was iron pegs in and up de kitchen chinmeys, chain and hooks to hold pots fbove de fire* Datfs de way to boil things, meats and things out de garden* 11 Whippinfs? Yes sir, I got fmost skinned alive once, when I didnH bring up de cows one Sunday* Got in a fight wid one of MLss Betsie Aikenfs hands and let de cows git away, was de cause of de v/hippinf* I was 'shamed to tell him fbout de fight* Maj* Bell, dis time, whipped me his self • *•" My white folks was psalm singers* I done drove them to de old brick church on Little River every Sabbath, as they call Sunday* Dere was Miss Mar*- garet, his wife, Miss Sallie and Miss Maggie and de two young marsters, Tom and Hugh* Be two bpys and me in front and my mistress and de two girls be- hind. Maj* Bell, when he went, rode his saddle horse* * Uho-eeJ Don*t talk to dis nigger fbout patrollers* They run me many a time* You had to have a pass wid your name on it, who you bflong to, where gwine to, and de date you expected back* If they find your pass was to Mr* Jamesf and they ketch you at Mr* Rabbfs, then you got a floggin', sure and plenty* Maj* Bell was a kind master and would give us Saturday* Us would go fishinf or rabbit huntin* sometime* n Us had two doctors, Doctor Furman and Doctor Davis* White folks care for you when you sick* I didn't have no money in slavery time, didn't have no use for none* Us had no quarters, houses just here and dere on de place* •round de spring where us got water* 32 rl My Marster went to de old war and was a major* He had brass but- tons, butterflies on his shoulders, and all dat, when he come back* tf De Yankees come* Fust thing they look for was money* They put a pistol right in my forehead and say: fI got to have your money, where is it?* Dere was a gal, Carolina, who had some money; they took it away from her* They took de geese, de chickens and all dat was worth takin1 off de place, stripped it* Took all de meat out de smoke-house, corn out de crib, cattle out de pasture, burnt de gin-house and cotton. When they left, they shot some cows and hogs and left them lying right dere* Dere was a awful smell round dere for weeks after* 11 Somethinf dfrected me, when I was free, to go work where I was born, on de Martin place. I married Mary Douglas, a good-lookin1 wench* A Yankee took a fancy to her and she went off wid de Yankee* She stayed a long time, then come back, but Ifd done got Preacher Rice to marry me to louvinia then* Dis second wife was a good gal* I raised ten chillun by her, but Ifs outlived them all but Manuel, Clara and John* \lhm Louvinia passed out, I got Magistrate Smith to jine me and Nancy* Shefs still living Home sick now, canft do nothin1* w White people been good to me* Ifve been livin1 in dis home, free of rent, given me for life by Mr* Jim Smith, 'cause I was his faithful servant twenty years* H Many times I*s set up in de gallery of de old brick church on Little River* They had a special catechism for de slaves, dat asked us who made you, and what He made you out of,/what He made you for? I ainH forgot de answers to dis day* H Marster Major give us Chrisfmas day and a pass to visit •bout but we shof had to be back and repoH befof nine ofclock dat same day* 3C " I got my name after freedom. My pappy 't^long to Mr* David R* Evans# His name was Steve; wasnft married regflar to my mammy* So when I went to take a name in Reconstruct ion ? white folks give me Lewis Evans • 11 I bflongs to de Baptist church• Am trustin1 in de Lord* He gives me a conscience and I knows when I's doinf right and when de devil is ridin1 me and Ifs doin1 wrong* I never worry over why He made one child white and one child black* He make both for His glory* I sings 'Swing Low, Sweet Char- iot, Jesus Grwine Carry Me Home** Ainft got many more days to stay* I knows Vm gwine Home** Project #1655 ,*. w. Dixon, v/innsborof 5* C* 390340 34 PHILLIP EVANS 3X-3LAVS 85 YEARS OLD* Phillip LYans, his wife, Janie, and their crippled son live together in a two-room frame house with one fireplace• The old woman has been a wet nurse for many white families in ^innsboro* Neither Phillip nor his boy can work. The wife nurses occasionally• ,f I was born at de General Bratton Canaan place 'bout six miles, sort of up a little, on de sunrise side of Y/innsboro* I hopes you're not contrary like, to think it too much against dis old slave when I tells you de day* V/ell sir, dat day was de fust day of April but pray sir, don't write me down a fool 'cause I born on dat p'ticular April Fool Day, 1852. When I gits through v/id you, I wants you to say if dat birthday have any 'feet on dis old man's sen- sibility* M My pappy was name Dick* Him was bought by General Bratton from de sale of de Svans estateo My pappy often tell mammy and us chillun, dat his pappy was ketched in Africa and fetched to America on a big ship in a iron cage, 'long wid a whole heap of other black folks, and dat he was powerful sick at de stomach de time he was on de ship* 11 My mammy was name Charlotte* Her say her know nothin1 *bout her daddy or where he come from* One of my brothers is de Reverend Jackson C* Evans, age 72* Richard, another brother, is 65 years old* All of us born on de Ca- naan Bratton place* General Bratton love dat placej so him named it proud, like de Land of Canaan* IPPFW f "'7v-'*.'v:rv;s»frw-*v •',-^^^^SwS^^?^^ 3S "I help to bring ray brother Richard, us calls him Dick, into de world* Dat is, when mammy got in de pains, I run for de old granny on de place to come right away* Us both rim all de way back* Good us did, for dat boy come right away* I * members,to dis hour and minute*dat as soon as dat boy got here, he set de house full of noise, a^cryin1 like a cat squallin1* An ohillun does dat though, as soon as they come into de world* I got one sister older than mei her name Jenny Watson* Her live in a house on de Canaan place, callin* dis- tance from where I live* Us is Methodists* A proud family, brought low by Mr* Hoover and his ex^owd* Had to sell our land* fSpect us would have starved, as us too proud to beg* Thank. God, Mr*" Hoosevelt come *long* Him never ask whether us democrat or fpublican nor was us black or white; him just clothe our, nakedness and ease de pains of hunger, and goin1 further, us goinf to be took care of in our old age* Oh, how I love dat man; though they do say him got enemies*• - "¦ "%_ brother, de preacher, says dat occasioned by de fact dat de President got a big stick and a big foot, dat sometime he tromp on de gout foots of dome of them rich people* Howsomever, he say dat as long as de Lord, de Son, and de Holy Ghost is wid de President, it111 be all right for us colored folks* It makes no difference Tbout who is against de President* He says us niggers down South can do nothin1 but be Methodist, pray to de Lord, and shout for de Presi- dent* Ifs goin1 to try to_do some_of de prayin* -but dis voice too feeble to do much shoutin*#_ ^What kind of house us live in at slavery time? Nice plank house* ^11 jie houses._in de quarters -madeda$riroy* Our beds was good*- Us had a good marster* Our livia1^housesand vittles was better and healthier than they is now* Big qu£r- ters had many fg&^^ big drove of ehillun* Fed them from big loi% ¦:¦ -^:tP^?:^^^. 3 • trays set on planks. They eat wid iron spoony made at de blacksmith1 sshop« VJhat they eat? Peas, beans, okra, Irish *tators, mush, shorts, bread, and milk* Dere was 'bout five or six acres to de garden. Us Kept fat and happy. "Who xras de overseers? Mr. Wade Rawls was one and Mr. Qsbome was another. "There was another one but fspect I won't name him,1 cause him had some troube wid my Uncle Dennis. 'Pears like he insult ray aunt and beat her. Uncle Dennis took it up, beat de overseer, and run off to de woods. Then when he git hungry, him come home at night for to eat sump in1. Bis kept up 'til one day bqt pappy drive a wagon to town and Dennis jined him. Him was a sett inf on de back of de wagon in de town and somebody point him out to a officer. They clamp him and put him in jail. After de fvestigation they take him to de whippin1 post of de. town, tie his foots, make him put his hands in de stocks, pulled off his shirt, pull down his britches and whip him terrible. ;ttHo sir, Marster General Bratton didnft flow" his slaves' ehillun to work* I just played *round, help feed de stock and pigs, bring in de fruit from de orchard and sich like. "Yes sir, marster give me smalls coins* What I do wid de money? I buy a pretty ea$&&&© time* Just don't 'members what I did wid it all. ^TJs went fishin1 in de Melton Branch,, wid hooks* Ketch rock rollers, perch and catfish* They eat mighty good* I like de shortnin' bread and 3ugar cane flasses best and. de fust time I ever do wrong was ~*bout-de watermelons. , nGur shoes was made on de place. They had wooden bottoms* % daddy# being de foreman, was de only slave dat was give de honor to wear boots* %ere was just two mulattoes on de place* One was a daughter of h^t aunt* J&l;;;4e;,ni^rs\-wys craay lbourfe her and wid de cpnsetrfc of ^ tea&> marster give ;^$a^ :^\^^w-{in^B':'p^^:0t &^s* .l|r^marst^;.ims ,. 4. v 37 not his daddy. No use to put down dere in writing just wfao his pappy was. "Stealing was de main crime* De whipping was put on de backs, and if you scowled, dat would git you a whippin1 right dere and then. 11 Tes sir, dere is haunts, plenty of them. De devil is de daddy and they is hatched out in de swampso My brother say they is demons of hell and has de witches of de earth for their hosses^ "De neighbors fbout was de Neils, de Rav/ls, de Smiths, and de Mobleys. Ivarse Ed Mobley was great for huntin1. Marse General Bratton was a great sheep raiser* In spite of dat, they got along; though de dogs pestered de sheep and de shotguns peppered de dogs sometimes* "Lftr marster was a general in de Secession War* After dat, him a con- troller of de State* Him run old •Buttermilk1 viallace out of Congress* Then he was a Congressman. "My mistress was Miss Bettie* Her was a DuBose* &er child, Miss Isa- bella, marry some big man up North and their son, Theodore, is de bishop of de high 'Piscopal Church of Mississippi- "Now I repeats de question: Does you think Ifs a fool just fcause Ifs born on dat fust day of April, 1852? wYou made me feel religious askin1 all them questions* Seem like a voice of all de days dat am gone turn over me and press on de heart, and dis room *fect me like I was in a church. If you ever pass de Canaan place Ifd be mighty happy to see you again•" project 1885-1 FOLKLORE Edited by: v. oD Spartanburg Dist.4 390153 Elmer Turnage M June 16, 1937 STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES rtI was born in old Abbeville County, S.C. about 1861; was reared in what is now Greenwood County. My father was Winston Arnold and my mother, Sophronia Lomax Arnold. They belonged to the Arnold family during slavery time. I was just a small child during the Confederate *Var, and don't remember anything about it. I heard my mother tell about some things though. The slaves earned no money and were just giuen quarters to live in and something to eat. My father was a blacksmith on master's place, and after the war, he was blacksmith for himself. I heard him tell about the patrollers. They had lots of cornshuckings and cotton pickings, but they never worked at night. "I remember the night-riders, but don't remember'that they did.any, harm much except they got after a man once. "When any of us got sick we sent for a doctor, but old- time folks I heard about, would use herbs, tree barks, and the like of that to make teas to drink. f,I married in a negro Ghurch when I was young. I married Prank Fair who came from Newberry County, S.C. After the cere- mony, the neighbors gave me a nice dinner at the church. "I don't remember anything about Lincoln or Jeff Davis, but I think Booker Washington is a leading colored man and has done good. "I joined the church when I was nine years ol&,because my father and mother belonged, and so many young people were joining. I think everybody ought to join a church." Source: Eugenia Fair (76), Greenwood, S.C. Interviewed Iffy: G.L Summer, Newberry, s.C. (6/10/37) project 1885-1 . Folklore ^9(138^ Edited by: oU SDartanburg, Dist.4 OJUJU Elmer Turnage Oct. 14, 1937 STORIES FROM EX-SL4V2S "I lives in Newberry in a small three-room house which be- longs to my son. He helps me some 'cause I can't work except jest a little 'round de house. "I don't know much 'bout de war times. All I know is what I told you befo'. I 'member when de war quit and freedom come. Most of de slaves had to find work where dey could, some had to work as share-croppers, some fer wages, and later on, some rented small plots of land. Many niggers since de war moved to town and worked as day hands, such as carpenters, janitors, dray drivers and de like. HDe old time folks had blacksmith shops on de farm and made most of de tools dey used. Dey had plenty to eat. We never wanted fer nothing and always lived good. I had it better den dan I does now, _ "In slavery when de patrollers rode up and down de roads, once a nigger boy stole out to see his gal, all dressed up to kill. De patrollers found him at his gal's house and started to take off his coat so dey could whip him; but he said, 'Please don't let my gal see under my coat, 'cause I got on a bosom and no shirt'. (The custom was to wear stiff, white bosoms held up around the neck when no shirt was on. This gave the appearance of a shirt.) "My sister-in-law and mother-in-law both come from Virginia but I don't 'member anything dey said 'bout dat country. My sister- in-law went back dere atter freedom come, but her mama died here. "Us slaves went to de white folks' church at Cross Roads, and our mistress made us go, She often would teach us to read and ^f^f?!^^^ Stories from Ex-Slaves— (Caroline farrow) Page'-.¦'$¦ write at home when we would try to learn. Mistress had a nigger driver fer her carriage, and when he drove he wore a high beaver hat and a long coat./Our white folks had a big kitchen way off from de house. Dey had a big wide fireplace where dey cooked over de fire in skillets. My mistress had me to work in de house, kind of a house- girl, and she made me keep clean and put large ear rings in my ears so I would look good. When Christmas come, Marse and Mistress always give de slaves good things to eat. Dey had lots of cows, and dey give us good butter and milfc, molasses, meats and other good things to eat. We always worked on week days except Saturdays, and sometimes on dat day until 12 o'clock. We alwayshad Christmas and Easter hollidays. "We had corn-shuckings and cotton-pickings. De niggers would sing: 'Job, Job, farm in-a row; Job, Job, farm in a row. Sometimes on moonlight nights we had pender pullings and when we got through we had big suppers, always wid- good potatoes or pumpkin pies, de best eating ever. We made corn bread wid" plenty of milk, eggs and lard;-and sometimes wid- sweet potatoes, de best corn bread in de world. »Simmon, bread was made wid sifted 'simmon ^uice cooked wid floui "I married first time -to Joe Todd, and had a big wedding- what my mistress .give me in her back yard. She had a big shoat killed fer de wedding dinner. My mistress den was Miss Cornelia Ervin. When I married de seeoad time, I married in town to West farrow, in de colored peopled Baptist church, by Rev. West Rutherford, a nigger preacher, de pastor, $y second husband died, too, a few years ago. "I can't 'member much 'bout old songs, but a Baptist song was: 'Dowa to de water, River of Jorifat; Down to de water, River of Jordan; iere my Savior was baptized.* 1h^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^M^^S^MMiM^iMfi^&^^Mk^^^f^^^MMi~i£^M^i^ii^^^^^^SS^^^&^^^^ii Stories. Prom Ex-Slaves -- (Caroline farrow) Page 3 Another version went thus: '"Come along, come along, my dear loving brother, Come along and let's go home; Down into de River where my Savior was baptized.' "De present generation of niggers ain't like de ones when I come along. Dey don't work like I did. "I don't know much about'Abramham' Lincoln, Jefferson Davis or Booker Washington. I just hear about Booker Washington, reckon he is all right. "I think slavery helped me. I did better den dan I do, now. When I joined de church I was grown and married, and had two chilluns. I joined de church because I thought I ought to settle down and do better fer my family, and quit dancing and frolicing." Source: Caroline Farrow (N.80), Wewberry, S.C. Interviewer: G.L. Summer, Newberry, S.C. (9/16/37) 41 Project. 1885-1 **„*,— FOLKLORE 330055 Edited by: 40 Spartanburg Dist.4 Elmer Turnage May 24, 1937 STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES MI was born in Newberry County, Near Chappells depot. My master, in slavery time, was John Boazman. He was a good man to his slaves. I was raised in the big-house, and helped as a servant-girl. My mistress smoked a pipe, and sometimes she would have me to get a red coal from de fire and put it in her pipe. I did dat wid tongs. I lived there a long time. I come to Newberry over 40 years ago and worked wid de white people in town. nI married twice. My first husband was Joe Todd, and after he died, I married West Farrow. He was a dray-man in town for many years. "The folks back home had fine farms, good gardens, and took pride in raising all kinds of things in the garden. They allus planted Irish potatoes the second time in one season. "They cooked in big open fireplaces, in kitchens that set away off from the house. A big spider was always used for cooking over the fireplace. "After de war, we stayed on awhile. My mistress took me to de white folks1 church and made me sit in the gallery; then brought me home.* Source: Caroline Farrow (80), Newberry, S.C. Interviewer: G.L. Summer, Newberry, S.C. (5/18/37) project 1885-1 ^00170 FOLKLORE OOUlfU Edited by: 40 Soartanburg Dist.4 Elmer Turnage June 28, 1937 STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES "I do not knows when er whar I was born. My father was price Feaster; mother was Lucy Richards Feaster. She belonged to Mr, Berry Richards dat lived «tween Maybinton and Goshen Hill Township, on de 'Richards Quarter'. My sister name Harriet; brothers was Albert and Billy, and dats all de chilluns dere was in de family. My furs' recollection dat I knows was when we went to de Carlisles. I was so young dat I can't recall nothing much 'bout de Feaster plantation, our beds was home- made and had ropes pulled tight frum one side to de other fer de slats. No sir, I doesn't know nothing 'bout no grandmaw and grandpaw. "De furs' work dat I done was drapping peas. Albert was plow-hand when I come into de world. Harriet was up big enough to plant corn and peas, too. Billy looked atter de stock and de feeding of all de animals on de farm. My furs' money was made by gathering blackberries to sell at Goshen Hill to a lady dat made wine frum dem. I bought candy wit de money; people was crazy 'bout candy den._ Dat's de reason I ain't got no toofies now. "Ole lady Abbie lookea out fer our rations. De mens eat on one side and de gals on t'other side de trough. We eat breakfast when de birds furs' commence singing off»n de roost. Jay birds 'ud allus call de slaves. Dey lowed: it's day, it's day/ and you had to g\t up. Dere wasn't no waiting 'bout it. FOLKLORE: Stories From Ex-Slaves page 2 44 De whipperwill say, 'cut de chip out de whiteoakj you better git up to keep frum gitting a whipping. Doves say, 'who you is, who you is.* Dat's a great sign in a dove. Once people wouldn't kill doves, ole marse sho would whip you if you did. Dove was furs' thing dat bring something back to Noah when de flood done gone frum over de land. When Freedom come, birds change song. One say, 'don't know what you gwine to do now.» »n other one low, 'take a lien, take a JLie.%' Niggers live fat den wid bacon sides. "Mr. Billy Thompson and air. Bill Harris* daddy give llens^ in dem days; dese big mens den. Captain Poster clothed de niggers atter Freedom. "Ole lady Abbie give us mush and milk fer breakfast. Shorts and seconds was mixed wid de mush; no grease in de morn- ing a-tall. Twelve o'clock brung plenty cow-peas, meat, bread and water. At night us drunk milk and et bread, black bread made frum de shorts. Jes' had meat at twelve o'clock, 'course 'sharpers' 'ud eat meat when marster didn't know. Dey go out and git *em a hog frum a drove of seventy-five er a hand'ed; dat one never be missed. "I is awful to hunt; come to Union to sell my rabbits and fpossums. Mr. Cohen dat run a brick yard, he buy some. Ole man Dunbar run'ed a market. He was ole man den. He's de beef market man; he take all de rabbits and sell »em when I couldn't git a thing fer 'em. Ole lady living den, and when I git home she low is I got any 'loady' (something to eat). I come in wid beef and cow heads. Cow foots was de best meat. Dpy throws all FOLKLORE: Stories Prom Ex-Slaves Page 3 - .4*5 sech as dat away now. Dere was allus a fuss in de house iffen I never had no 'loady. Somehow er another I was allus a fam- ily man and was lucky to git in wid mens dat help me on. Never suffered wid help frum dese kind men. Dat 's de way I got along as well as I has. Ole Missus and Marse learn't me to never tell a lie, and she teached me dat's de way to git along well. I still follows dat. "Up in age, I got in wid cap'n Perram (Mr. George Perrin). He was de banker. He say 'bout me, 'what I likes ?bout Gus, he never tell a.lie'. "Befo» dat, I work fer Lawyer Monroe. He had a brother named Jim and one named George, his name Bill. His sister named Miss Sally. Dar I farm fer dem and work on half'uns. De Yankees camped on his place whar Mr. Gordon Godshall now got a house. N'used to go dar mi1night ev'y night and ev'y day. Dey had a pay day de furs' and de fifteenth of de month. Dey's terrible fer'engans' (onions) and eggs. Dey git five marbles and put dem in a ring; put up fifty cents. Furs' man knocks out de middle-man (marble) got de game. Dey's jes' sporty to dat. Never had nothing but greenbacks den. Fifteen cents and ten cents pieces and twenty-five and as high as fifty cents pieces was paper in dem times. "Dey larn't us a song: 'If I had ole Abe Lincoln all over 4is world, but I know I can't whip him; but I fight him •till I dies'. Dey low'd, fwe freeded you alls'. - ^Another song was: 'Salvation free fer all mankind; Salvation free fer all mankind'. I was glad er all salvation. FOLKLORE: Stories from Ex-Slaves Page 4 QQ 'Salvation free fer me»; got up dat song furs* on a moonlight night, and us sing it all night long, going from house to house. "Motherless chilluns sees hard times; just ain't got no whar to go; goes from do1 to do1,1 dat's de song dey got up. I doesn't know whar it come from. TNother one was: 'When de sun refuse to shine; Lord I wants to be in de number, when de sun refuse to shine. If I had a po* mother she gone on befo», Lord I promise her I would meet her when de saints go marching in.» Dat's what lots people is still trying to do. rtWe sot mud baskets fer cat fish; tie grapevines on dem and put dem in de river. We cotch some wid hooks. I went seining many times and I set nets; bought seins and made de nets. Pull up sein after a rain and have seventy-five or eighty fish; some- times have none. Peter Mills made our cat fish stew and cooked ash-cake bread fer us to eat it wid. Water come to our necks while we seining and we git de fish while we drifting down stream. "We wear cotton clothes in hot weather, died wid red dirt or mulberries, or stained wid green wa'nuts — dat is de hulls. Never had much exchanging of clothes in cold weather. In dat day us haul wood eight or ten feet long. De log houses was daubed wid mud and dey was warm. Fire last all night from dat big wood and de house didn't git cold. 7/e had heavy shoes wid wood soles; heavy cotton socks which was wore de whole year through de cold weather, but we allus go barefeeted in hot weather. Young boys thirteen to fifteen years old had de foots measured. When tracks be seed in de wa'melon patch, dey was called up, and if de measurements of dere tracks fitted de ones in de FOLKLORE: Stories from Ex-Slaves Page 5 k A*t wa'melon patch, dat was de guilty nigger. I »clar, you had to talk purty den. When I go in de wa'melon patch, I git de old missus to say fer me to go; den I could eat and nothing was said •bout it. "Sunday clothes was died red fer de gals; boys wore de same. We made de gals' hoops out'n grape vines. Dey give us a dime, i£. dey had one, fer a set of hoops. "Twan't no dressing up fer marring in slavery times; just say, 'gwine to be.a marria.ge tonight* and you see »bout 40 or 50 folks dar to see it. If it be in wa'melon time, dey had a big feast atter de wedding. Old man preacher Tony would marry you fer nothing. De keep de wedding cake fer three weeks befo1 it was eat." Source: Gus Peaster (97), 20, Stutz Ave,, Union, S;C. Interviewer: Caldwell Sims, Union, S.C. project 1885-1 39017? 48 FOLKLORE O JU1 M Edited by: Spartanburg Dist.4 Elmer Turnage July 7, 1937 STORIES tfROM EX-SLAVES "I ain»t never give you dis information. Miss Susie and Miss Tommie Carlisle, Marse Tom's onliest daughters, died befo1 de surrender. Miss Susie slipped one day wid de scissors in her hand, and when she did dem scissors tuck and stuck in one her eyes and put it plum' smack out and she never did see out'n it no mo», Dat made it so sad, and every body cried wid her but it never done her narry bit of good. "When dem young ladies died, I left out and run off from my ma and come to union. Mr. Eller kept a big sto» jest as you come into town. It was jest about whar Mr. Mobley Jeter's is now. Dat's in de middle of town, but in de fur off days I is speaking about, it was de very outskirts of dis town. I is seed dis town grow, dat is what I is. Mr. Eller tuck me to be his driving boy, and dat stof sot jest exactly whar de Chevet Gharage (Chevrolet Garage) sets now. "When I been dar six years, my ma come to Union and she found me dar. Us was dat glad to lay eyes on one another dat we jest shouted fur joy and my Ma tuck and smacked me wid her lips right in de mouth. She told me dat my pa had done got shot a fixing dem old breastworks down in Charleston and dat called fur a big cry from me and her both. Mr. Eller, he went out»n de back of his sto» Hill us quit. He let me go back home to de Carlisle place wid my ma. Everything done changed and I brung my ma back to union and kept her, kaise I was a man in full &$jwi gtories From Ex-Slaves (Gus Feaster) Page2 ^o •fLawyer Shand tuck my ma to work fur him and I started being his coachman. He ole and he live in Columbia now. When he done dat, me and ma lived in one of his houses. He lived on what you knows as Douglas Heights and he had de biggest house dar. Dat was way befo' Captain Dou&las moved from Goshen Hill. Den Captain Douglas tuck de day and built dat house you sees now aheading what dey calls Douglas Heights atter Lawyer Shand's house was to' (tora) down. De house sot right on top de hill in de middle of de street you sees. His driveway was flanked wid water oaks and it retched down to Main street. De grounds was on each side dat drive and dey retched to whar de white folks is got a school (high school) now. on de other side of dat drive his grounds hit Miss Fant's. (Mrs. John Fant's property). ''you could clam up Cap Douglas* stairs and git in a run-around- (cupola) and see de whole town through dem glass winders, (This cupola is still on the house.) Never had none of dem things in Union afo' dat. Some years atter dat, when Col. Duncan had his house run over (remodeled) he had one of dem run-arounds put on his'n. To dis day wid all de fine fixings folks has in Union, dar ain't narry one got none of dem things and dey sho' is purty. "Let me drap back, kaise I is gone tod fer along; you wants olden times, on our plantation Marse Tom had a nigger driver. Jie 'hoop and holler and wake us up at break of day. But befo' freedom come 'long, Marse got a bell; den dat nigger driver rung dat belli at breal of day. He wgs a sorry nigger dat never had no quality in him a'tall, no sir-ee. Stories from Ex-Slaves (Gus Feaster) Page 3 Qn "Us had to feed de mules in de dark of mornings and de black of night when craps needed working bad. Seed many as a dozen hoe-womens in de field at one time. Dey come when dey finished breakfast and de plows had got a start. "Dey used mulberry skins from fresh mulberry saplins to tie around dere waists fer belts. If your singletree chain broke, you fixed it wid mulberry sking; same wid your galluses. Mulberry is mighty strong and easy to tie anything dat break. "Marse Tom never whipped 'bout nothing much but stealing. He never let his overseer do no whipping if he knowed it. He burnt you up 'bout stealing, dat he would. "Dey never wanted us to git no laming. Edmund Car- lisle, smartest nigger I is ever seed. He cut out blocks from pine bark on de pine tree and smooth it.,Git white oak or hickory stick. Git a ink ball from de oak trees, and on Sadday- and Sunday slip off whar de white folks wouldn't know 'bout it. He use stick fer pen and drap oak ball in water and dat be his ink atter it done stood all night. He larnt to write his name and how to make figures. Marse Jule and Bill, two of Marse Tom's boys, found out dat Edmund could write and dey wanted to whip him, but Marse Tom wouldn't let »em. "One morning Edmund was making a big fire 'round all de pots, kaise we was butchering forty hogs, Edmund had his head under de pot a blowing up de fire dat haa done tuck and died to embers. Jule and Bill seed him and dey broke and run and pushed Edmund plum' under dem pots. De embers burnt his face and de hair off'n his head. Marse Tom wo' (wore) Bill and Jule out fer it. Missus 'lowed den dat Edmund de smartest nigger on dat plantation. Stories iTom Ex-Slaves (Gus Feaster) Page 4 51 "We had Sadday afternoons to do our work and to wash. tfe had ali de hollidays off and a big time Christmas and July Fourth. "Going to funerals we used all Marse's wagons. Quick as de funeral start, de preacher give out a funeral hymn. All in de procession tuck up de tune and as de wagons move along wid de mules at a slow walk, everybody sing dajb hymn. When it done, another was lined out, and dat kept up «till we reach de graveyard. Den de preacher pray and we sing some mo*. In dem days funerals was slow fer both de white and de black folks. Now dey is so fast, you is home again befo* you gits dar good. "On de way home from de funeral, de mules would perk up a little in dey walk and a faster hymn was sung on de way home. When we got home, we was in a good mood from singing de faster hymns and de funeral soon be forgot. "As a child everybody in dem days played marbles. "Ma sung some of de oldest hymns dat I is ever heard; (He sang) »0 Zion, 0 Zion, 0 Zion, wanta git home at last*. (Another) *Is you over, Is you over, Is you over' and the bass come back, »Yes thank God, Yes thank God, Yes thank God, I is over. How did you cross? At de ferry, at de ferry, at de ferry, Yes, thank God I is over.» If I sing dem now folks laughs at me, but ma sho'teached dem to her chilluns. "When boys and gals gits up some size dey feels dey- selves. At dat age, we went bird thrashing in de moon light. Den we sing dis vulgar song, 'I'll give you half-dollar if you come out tonight; I'll give you half-dollar if you come out tonight. Stories from Ex-Slaves (Gus leaster) Page 5 '' Qg Den de gals charmed us wid honeysuckle and rose petals hid in dere bosoms. Now de gals goes to de ten cent sto» and buys cheap perfume. In dem days dey dried cheneyberries (chinaberries) and painted dem and wo* dem on a string around ;dere. necks to charm us. "When us very little, ma say at night when she want us to go to bed and we be playing marbles, 'Better come on in de house or Raw Head and Bloody Bones »11 git you. from den on I is seed spooks. "Our work song was, 'John Henry was a man; he worked all over dis town1. Dey still uses dat song, in slavery some holler when dey be in de field like owls; some like crows; and some like pea-fowls. Missus had de purtiest pea-fowls in de whole country. Don't see none now, but dar ain't nothing dat flies purtier. "Me and Wade Carlisle was 'possum hunting one might in de fall when de dogs bedded a 'possum in a grave. We dug down and got de 'possum. He was dat big and fat and his hair was so shiny and purty dat we 'lowed dat he de finest 'possum we had cotch dat fall. "Jest den, Wade struck de box dat de dead man was a-lying in. Jest as he did dat, a light jumped out'n dat grave right in front of us and all over Wade's shovel. Our two dogs tuck and run and holler and stick dey tails betwix dey legs like somebody a-whipping dem. Dem dogs never stopped running and hwling 'till dey peached home, me and Wade right behind dem. Wade had dat 'possum in his hand. Dat light now and den jump right in front of us. Stories From Ex-Slaves (Gus Jeaster) Page 6 50 "I hollered, 'Wade, fer de Lawd in Heaven sake, drap dat 'possum.' He drapped it and we run 'till we got home. Wade still had dat shovel — or was it a axe —, I jest recollects which, anyway, he still had it in his hand; and when I looked at it, it was still shining. I pinted my finger at it, kaise I was dat scared dat no ^words wouldn't come from my mouth, u'ade throwed it in de wood pile and we run in-de house wid it still shining at us. "I stayed dar all night, and I ain't never been hunting in no graveyard at night since dat; and if de good Lawd give me sense I is got now, I ain't never gwine to do it no mo'. "It ain't no good a-'sturbing dead folks. All befo' dat I is heard it gits you in bad, and now since den I knows it.* Source: Gus leaster (col. 97), 20 Stutz Ave., union, S.C. Interviewer: Caidwell Sims, Union, S.C. (7/1/37) j V\-\ «<¦" V Project 1885 - 1 From Misc. Field Notes Edited by: 54 District No. 4 390075 K art ha Ritter May 17, 1937 FOLK-LORE: NEGRO SLAVE. Slave Time Customs on the Plantation of Thomas Anderson Carlisle* "Cap1, my old Master1 s daughter, Mrs* George Perrin (Ida Rice) and Miss Peake (Mrs* &eitt Peake) flows I is done pas' 84* Miss Ida was 84 when she died and I was allus mof older dan she was, and a long ways at dat* I allus figers dat Ah is 97. Miss Agnes (krs* &eitt Peake) and Miss Ida was lil1 gals when I driv' dem to and from school ever1 day fer ole Marse* You see I had to be a big boy to drive de Marsefs chilluns to school, Specially when dey was lilT gals 1 I is a great deal older than Mr. Bill Harris• I met him dis mornin wid sweet *tater in his pocket* He flowedi tGus, you is jesf tbout de oldes1 nigger in dis county, aint you?1 I raised my hat to tim and flowed, Yessir, guess I is, Cap* "Had to stay out and guard de silver and de gold jewels in de pines when my white folks hid it dar to keep de Yankees from a-gittin1 it* Dey driv* de waggins in de pines end us unload de jewels and things and den dey would drive de waggins out de wood. 'vVhen de waggin done got plum away us would take dry pine needles and kiwer up all de waggin bracks and hoof prints after us had done raked de dirt smooth over denu We stayed wid de silver and stuff and drink coffee and eat black crus*; dat de sw^etnin' bread dat us had durin1 de war* Couldnft git no sugar den* Sometime we used sassafras tea as we never had no coffee to grind* fle white folks was jesf - 2 - 55 as bad off as we was* Prom de big house dey brung our mess of vittals after dark Had done fell* "Poke salad was et in dem days to clean a feller out* Hit cum up tender every spring and when it cut deep down in sand it looked white. Itfs an herb* Cut it; wash it and par boijj pour off water and ball up in balls in your hand; put in frying pan of hot grease (grease from ham or strip meat) and fry* Season with black pepper and salt and eat with new- spring onions* Tender white stems are better than the salad and of course earlier* Ash cake was good wid poke salad and clabber or butter milk and best of all was sweet milk! Dat not only fill up your belly * but make you fat and strong* "Sometime de darkies would eat too much and git de colic* Fer dis dey would take and chaw pine needles and it would be all over wid den* On all de plantations dar was old womens, too old to do any work and dey would take and study what to do fer de ailments of grown folks and lil* chilluns* Per de lil1 chilluns and babies dey would take and chaw up pine needles and den spit it in de lilf chilluns mouths and make dem swallow* Den when dey was a teachin* de babies to eat dey done de food de very same way* Dem old wimmens made pine rosin pills from de pine rosin what drapped from de pine trees and give de pills to de folks to take fer de back ache* Dey allus kept de pine trees gashed fer dis purpose* Den day also gashed de sweet gum fer to git gum to chaw* fTwasnft no seoh thing as chawin1 gum till thirty years ago* Sweet gum, itfs good fer de indigestion and fer de toofies, when it don't git yer mouth all stuck so as you canft say nothing* - 3 - I *spects dat de chief reason how come it done gone plum out o1 date* I most fergot to inform you dat resin pills is still de best thing dat I knows to start your "water" off when it done stopped on ye* "It was a special day on each plantation when de Master and de ofseer give out de weekfs rations, like dis: Four pounds of bacttn; one peck of meal; quart o' flour; quart of molasses;-dey was dat black; and dey was de rations fer a whole endurin1 week* Had a big choppin1 block where all de meat was chopped on* In dem. days every bit o1 de meat was raised on de plantation from de Master1 s hogs* Into de grooves of dis choppin1 block would git lodged small pieces of meat* Choppin1 ax was heavy and broad* Heavy rations come out on Friday* On Sad1 day come de shoulder meat fer Sunday mornin1 brekfas1 and de flour come on Sad May also* Our Master give us hominy fer Sunday mornin1 brekfas1 $ kaise us had red meat wid gravy den. My Master was MarseV Tom Carlisle of Goshen Hill* He de one give us dem Sunday specials* De niggers on de other surroundin1 plantations never got no seoh 'sideration as I ever heard of* !fMe and John minded de Missus1 cows* When de red meat choppin1 was done all de plantation chilluns would be dar to git what fall in de grooves ofde block* One day John 1 lowed to me if you puts your ol* black hand on dat block ffore I does today* I is a gwine to chop it off* I never said nary a word, but I jesf roll my eyes at hJjiu I got dar and broke 56 - 4 - Of and run fer de block* I got big piece and when John come up I was eating it* I say, Nigger, you is too late and lazy fer any- thing* fBout that time he reach over fer a scrap I never seed* I push him back and reach fer hit* John toolp up de choppin1 ax and come right down on my finger, ffore I could git it out de way. Datfs why you see dis scar here now. Dat nigger lay ray finger plum wide open, fact is dat he jes1 left it a hangin1• Marsefs doctor and he fix it back* Den hq whip John his self; never flow de overseer to do it dat time* iViarse Tom pretty good to us; never whip much; never flow de overseer, Mr* Wash Evans* to whip too much neither* He would have liked to whip moV dan he did, if de Marse would ? lowed it, but he wesnft so bad* Mr* Evans wasnft no pof white trash, but he was kinder middlin1 like* De Evans is done riz high up now* "Newt and Anderson was my young marsters* Dey was flong fbout my own age* Dey went to school at Goshen Hill* De school was near de store, some folks called it de tradin1 post in deta days* De had barrels of liquor settin1 out from de store in a long row. Sold de likker to de rich mens dat carried on at de race track near by* Polks in Goshen was all rich in dem days* Rogers Church , where de Carlisles, Jeters, Sims, Selbys, Glens, and lots of other folks went too and de slaves, was de richest country church in dis part of de whole state, so I is often been told. Ebenezer, ever in Maybinton, was de onliest church in de T*iole country dat tried to strive wid Rogers in de way of finery and style* De Hendersons, Maybins, -5- 58 Hardys, Douglasses, Cofields, Chicks and ^xners was de big folks over dar* Both de churches was Methodist* "Every summer de carried on Camp Meetin1 at Rogers? All de big Methodist preachers would come from way off den* Dey was entertained in de Carlisle big house* Missus put on de dog (as de niggers says now) den* Every tft&Bg was cleaned up jesT ffore de meetin1 like us did fer de early-spring cleanin1 • Camp Meetin1 come jes1 after de craps was done laid by* Den all craps was done laid by befo* July de Fourth* It was unheard of out fer anybody to let de Fourth come wid/de craps outfn de way* Times is done changed now, Lawd* Den de fields was heavy wid corn head high and cotton up aroun1 de darky1 s waist i Grass was all cleaned out of de furrow1 s on de lasf go f round* De fields and even de terraces was put in fapple pie* order fer de gatherin1 o* de craps in de fall* nAs you all knows de Fourth has allus been nigger day* Marse and Missus had good rations fer us early on de Fourth* Den us went to barbecues after de mornin* chores was done* In dera days de barbecues was usually held on de plantation of Marse Jim Hill in Fish Dam* Dat was not fer from Groshen* Marse Jim had a purty spring dat is still all walled up wid fine rocks* De water come outfn dese rocks dat cold dat you can't hold your hand in it fer more dan a minute at de longes1* Dar is a big flat rock beyond de spring dat I 'specs kiwers more dan an acre and a half of ground* A creek run along over dis rook, where de mules and de hosees could rest in de shade of de trees and drink all de water dat de wanted* -6- * 59 Wild ferns growed waist high along dar den. All kinds of purty flowers and daisies was gathered by de gals. Dem was de best days dat any darky has ever seed* Never had nothing to aggrevate your mind den. Plenty to eat; plenty to wear; plenty wood to burn; good house to live in; and no worry *bout where it was a- coming from I "Old Marse he give us de rations fer de barbecues. Every master wanted his darkies to be thought well of at de bar- becues by de darkies from all de other plantations. De had pigs barbecued; goats;and de Missus let de wimmen folks bake pies, cakes and custards fer de barbecue, jesf !zactly like hit was fer de white folks barbecue deself 1 "Young ones carried on like young colts a- frolicin1 in de pasture till dey had done got so full of vittles dat dey could not eat mother bite. Den dey roamed on off and set down somewheres to sleep in de shade of de trees. T/Vhen de sun started to going down den de old folks begin to git ready to return back to dey home plantations, fer dar was de master's stock and chickens to feed and put up fer de night, to say nothing o1 de cows to milk. The master* s work had to go on around de big house, kaise all de darkies had been f lowed to have such a pleasant day. Next day being Sad1 day was on dis occasion not only ration day, but de day to git ready fer de white folk£ Camp Meetin1 which I has already called to recollection several times. "I has to drap back to my own plantation now; kaise I guesses dat de mao thint took place on all de " " -7- 60 neighborin1 places in preparation fer de white folks !big Meeting But I better confine my relations to dat what I really knows* At de barbecue I seed niggers from several neighborin1 plantations and I can tell you 'bout dat* But I draps now to de doings o1 my own white folks• "As I has said once*de fields was in lay-by shape and de Missus done already got de house cleaned* De ohilluns was put in one room to sleep and dat make more room fer de preachers and guests dat gwine to visit in de big house fer de nex* six weeks* Den de plans fer cooking had to be brung •bout* Dey never had no ice in dem days as you well knows; but us had a dry well under our big house* It was deep and every- thing kdep real cook down dar* Steps led down into it* and it allus be re^il dark down dar* De rats run aroun1 down dar and de younguns skeert to go down fer anything* So us. carry a (KT\ot) lightwood not fer light when us put anything in it or take anything out* Dar ainft no need fer me to tell you fbout de well house where us kept all de milk and butter, fer it was de talk of de country fbout what nice fresh milk and butter de missus allus had* A hollow oak log was used fer de milk trough* Three times a day Cilia had her lil1 boy run fresh cook well water all through de trough* Dat keep de milk from gwine to whey and de butter fresh and cool* In de dry well was kept de canned things and dough to set till it had done risl %en company come like dey allus did fer de camp meetings, shoalts and goats and maybe a sheep or lamb or two was kilt fer barbecue out by Cilia*s cabin* Dese carpasses was kept down in de dry well over night and put over de pit Ife. - 8 - early de next morning after it had done took salt* Den dar was a big box kiwered wid screen wire dat victuals was kept in in de dry well* Dese boxes was made rat proof* "INhilst de meats fer de company table was kept barbecued out in de yard, de cakes, pies, breadi* and tfother fixings was done in de kitchen out in de big house yard* Baskets had ter be packed to go to camp meetin1 * Tables was built up at Rogers under de big oak trees dat has all been cut down now* De tables jes1 gro*med and creeked and sighed wid victuals at dinner hour every day durin* de camp meetin1 • "Missus fetch her finest linens and silver and glasses to out-shine dem brung by de t'other tfhite folks of quality* In dem days de white folks o* quality in #nion most all come from ffoshen Hill and Fish Dam* After de white folks done et all dey could hold den de slaves what had done come to church and to help wid de tables and de carriages would have de dinner on a smaller table over clost to de spring* Us had table cloths on our table also and us et from de kitchen china and de kitchen silver* lfYoung gals couldnft eat much in public* kaise it ain't stylish fer young courting gals to let on like $$y has any appetite to speak of* I sees dat am a custom dat still goes amongst de wiramen folks, not to eat, so heavy* Cullud gals tried to do jes1 like de young white missus would do# "After everything was done eat it would be enough to pack up and fetch back home to feed all de hungry niggers what roams roun1 here in Union now* Dem was de times when every- body had 'nuff to eat and more dan dey wanted and plenty olothes to wear* 61 - 9 - "During de preaching us darkies sot in de back of de church* Our "white folks had some benches dar dat didn't nobody set on fcept de slaves* Us wore de best cloTes dat us had* De Marse give us a coat and a hat and his sons give all de old hats and coats fround* Us wore shirts and pants made from de looms* Us kept dem clean*t and ironed jes1 like de Marster and de young marsters done their'n* Den us wore a string tie, dat de white folks done let us have, to church* Dat fbout de onliest time dat a darky was seed wid a tie* Some de oldest men even wore a cravat, dat day had done got from de old marster* Us combed our hair on Sunday fer church* But us never bothered much wid it no other time. During slavery some o* de old men had short plaits o* hair* !,De gals come out in de starch dresses tfer de camp meeting* Dey took dey hair down out'n de strings fer de meeting* In dem days all de darky wimmens wore dey hair in string ,cept when dey f tended church or a -ijftdding* At de camp meetings de wimmens pulled off de head rags, 'cept de mammies* On dis occasion de mammies wore linen head rags fresh laundered* Dey wore de best aprons wid long streamers ironed and starched out a hanging down dey backs* All de other darky wimmens wore de black dresses and dey got hats from some dey white lady folks; jes1 as us mens got hats from ourfn* Dem wimmens dat couldnft git no hats, mostly wore black bonnets* De nigger gals and winches did all de dressing up dat dey could fer de meeting and also fer de barbecue* 62 - 10 - 63 TtAt night when de noting dun busted till nex1 day was when de darkies really did have dey freedom o1 spirit* Ad de waggin be creeping along in de late hours of moonlight and de darkies would raise a tune* Den de air soon be filled wid the sweetest tune as us rid on home and sung all de old hymns dat U3 loved* It was allus some big black nigger wid a deep bass voice like a frog dat ud start up de tune* Den de others mens jine in, followed up by de fine lil{ voices of de gals and de cracked voices of de old wiirtmens and de grannies* When us reach near de big house us soften down to a deep hum dat de missus like I Sometime she hisft up de window and tell us sing fSiring Low Sweet Chafotf for her and de visiting guests. Dat all us want to hear* Us open up and de niggers near de big house dat hadnft been to church would wake up and oome out to do cabin door and jine in de refrain* From dat wefd swing on into all de old spirituals dat us love so well and dat us knowed how to sing* Missus often flow dat her darkies could sing wid heaven's fs$fcfration (inspiration)* Now and den some old mammie would fall outfn de waggin a shout in1 $lory and Hallelujah and AmenJ After dat us went off to lay down fer de night* f,Young Newt and Anderson was de boys what was near de age of me and John* Cof s& dey went to school every day it was in session* Dey had dey own hosses and dey rid fem to school* When dey oome home dey would throw de reins to me and John and us took dem hosses and rub . Herds Reduced from Rewritten by" Words Page 1. -4 Aaron -Ford, Ex-Slave 390249 "I was born bout two miles bove Lake View on Zonia Rogers place. Boys used to tell me I was born on Buck Brancb. Think I was born de 12th. day of February cause I was bout 16 years old when freedom come. Another person born de same day en de same year en I might look on dey tombstone en get de date." "Miles Ford was my father en my mother, Jennie Ford, but dey didn1 live on de same place. Father belonged to Alias Ford at Lake View en mother come from Timmonsville what used to be called Sparrow Swamp. Railroad run through dere change name from Sparrow Swamp to Timmonsville." "Just like I tell you, Zonia Rogers was my boss en he wasn* so bad. He whip me a few times when I did things dat I oughtened to do. Sometimes I was pesty en he whip me wid a switch, but he never whip so hard. I tell de truth, Zonia Rogers was a good man. Give his slaves good pole houses to live in up in de quarter. Never had but five slaves to start wid en dat de reason he just had two slave house in de quarter. Sometimes dey slept on de floor en den another time, some had homemade bedstead wid de framework made out of black gum." "We had meat en corn bread to eat all de time en dey gave us fried meat en rye bread en flour bread to eat every now en Oode No. Project, 18S5-U) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, 8.0. Date, September 21, 1937 No. Words________ Reduced from____Words Rewritten by Page 2. 75 den. Made rye bread in time of de war, but didn' get much flour bread to eat. Ma sea would weigh meat out on his hand. If anybody wanted meat, he hand it to dem on his hand en say, •Here it is.' Den some of de slaves had gardens dat dey work at 12 o'clock en at night. Never was rn^ch to catch possums, but was great hand to catch rabbits. Boss had dog name Trip dat he wouldn1 have taken $200.00 for. If I had him now, I wouldn* take $200.00 for him neither cause dat dog would stay at a tree all night. See him stay dere from early in de day till dark." "Slave8 wore one piece garment in de summer en used thick woolen garment in de winter. When I got large, had wrapper en little breeches to wear. Sometimes de clothes was all wool en sometimes dey was just half wool. Yes, sir, I know all bout how de oloth was made in dat day en time. Three treadle made die here jeanes oloth dat was for de nigger clothes en white people wore four treadle cloth. Had Sunday clothes in slavery time, too, en made de shoes right dere home. Tanned de leather en made shoes oalled nigger brogans dat dey used in de turpen- tine woods. Dese here low quarters. I married in 1673* Just had common clothes when I was married.¦ "I remember my grandfather all right. He de one told me how to catch otters. Told me how to set traps. Heard my grand- father tell bout whippin slaves for steal in, Grandfather told me not to take things daw were not mine. If a pile of corn was Gode No. Project, 1SS5-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Bate, September 21, 1937 No. Words Reduced from Rewritten by" Words Page 3. 76 left at night, I was told not to bother it. In breakin corn, sometimes people would make a pile of corn in de grass en leave it en den come back en get it in de night. Grandfather told me not to never bother nothin bout peoplete things.N "De first work dat I remember bout doin in slavery time, I hold mules for my boss. Drove wagon for Mr. Rogers. If people wanted any haulin done, he told me to help dem en collect for it. He never wouldn1 ax any questions bout what I collected for de haul in. Just let me have dat money. I remember I bought cloth dat cost 12i cents a yard wid de first money I get. Den I bought a girl 10 cents worth of candy en sent it to her. Hear she stamped it in de ground wid her foot. Girl never even mentioned it to me en I ain' never bothered wid her again. Dis girl en me bout de same age.* "Don' remember much bout my first Missus only dat she had a bump on her neck. Second Missus was good to me en just like I tell you, Zonia Rogers was a good man. He hired white men to plow, but he never put nobody ahead of me no time. I take doge en slip out in de woods en hunt rabbits. White man tell on me en my boss ain1 never said nothin bout dis to me yet. Never had no overseer en no driver whe1 I s*ay.» "Oh, dere was bout two or three hundred acres in de Roger8 place. Slaves worked from daylight till dark in de winter time. Always be up fore day cause my boss generally Code No. Project, 1885-(1) Prepared hy Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, 8.0. Date, September 21, 1937 No. Words Reduced frorn. Rewritten by" Word 8 Page 4. called de slaves fore day. Hear him say, 'Rob, come, come. Aaron, come, come.1 we didn1 work hard though. Didn' work in hot sun in June, July en August cause in slavery time dey allow us to take out at 10 or 11 o'clock en go swimmin. Den we had to be back in de field bout three o'clock. Had plenty poor white neighbors bout dere en boss hire me to man like dat one time. Poor man give bout l£ hours for noon whe' I get two hours back home en I never go back de next day. Boss say, 'Why don' you go back to work?' I tell him dat fellow wouldn' give me long enough time for noon. My boss wouldn' force me to go back when I tell him dat." "I see one or two slaves whipped in slavery time, but I didn' see anybody whipped bad. If a slave on one place was accused of takin a thing on another place, dey have a trial bout it. Justice might tell dem how many licks to give him en point man to do it. I hear dat some been whipped way off till dey died, but old man Everett Nichols wouldn' never whip his slaves. He had son dat whipped some rough darkles dat he got off another place cause old man Nichols wouldn' want strange darkies to marry girls on his place. I hear way up de country dat dey whipped dem till dey died right dere." "Dey had jails in slavery time at Marion for de slaves. If dey caught slaves dat had run away, dey would put dem in jail till dey Massa sent after dem. Sometimes dey would hold dem en sell dem for debt. Dey tell me some put on stand en sold dere Code No. Project, lSg5-U) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.0« Date, September 21, 1937 No. Words Reduced from. Rewritten by" KDxds Page 5. 78 at Marion, but I never saw any sold. Just bear bout dat, but I remembers I saw dis. Saw six men tied together wid a chain one Saturday evenin dat was oomin from Virginia en gwine to Texas.* ttSome people helped de slaves to read en write en some of dem didn1 • Boy learnt one of my uncles to read, but didn' want him to write. People learn to spell in dem times better den dey do now. Some of de slaves oould read de Bible en den others of dem could write dese pass dat dey had to get from dey Massa fore dey could go from one plantation to another. I recollects my mother1s father could write a pass." "Dere wasn1 no church on de plantation whe1 I stay. Bad preachin in Mr. Ford's yard sometimes en den another time de slaves went to white people's ohurch at Bear Swamp. Boss tell slaves to go to meetin oause he say he pay de preacher. Dean Ears, white man, gave out speech to de slaves one day dere to Nichols. Slaves sat in gallery, when dey go dere. He tell dem to obey dey Massa en Missus. Den he say, *God got a clean kitchen to put you in. You think you gwine be free, but you ain' gwine be free long as dere an ash in Ashpole Swamp.'White folks complain bout de slaves gettin two sermons en dey get one. After dat, dey tell old slaves not to come to church till after de white folks had left. Dat never happen till after de war was over." Code Ho. Project, 1SS5-U) Prepared By Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, September 21, 1937 No. Words Reduced from_ Rewritten by" Words Page 6. »**i 79 "I sho remember when freedom come here* Remember when my boss told me I was free. My father come dere en say he wanted his boys. Boss called, 'Aaron, come here, your daddy wants you. I want you to go.' He told me not to go till de news came though. Please me, I felt like a new man." NZ hate to speak what I think bout slavery. Think it a pity de slaves freed cause I know I'm worried more now den in slavery time. Dere got to be a change made. People got to turn. I belong to de Methodist Ohurch en I think everybody ought to belong to de church. God bailt de ohurch for de people en dey ought to go dere en be up en do in in de church* Dat dey duty.* Source; Aaron Ford, Ex-Slave, Age 80-90, (No other information given by interviewer.) Personal interview by H. Grady Davis, June, 1937.. Project 1885 -1- 390092 o/> District #4 OU Spartanburg, S# c« May 28, 1937 FOLK-LORE: EX-SLAVES Six miles east of Spartanburg on R.F.D* No* 2, the Y/riter found Aunt Charlotte Poster, a colored woman who said she was 98 years old* Her mother was Mary Johnson and her father1 s name was John Johnson^ She is living with her oldest daughter, whose husband is John Montgomery* She stated she knew all about slavery times, that she and her mother belonged to William Beavers who had a plantation right on the main road from Spartanburg to Union, that the farm was near Big Brown Creek, but she didnft know what larger stream the creek flowed into* Her father lived on another place somewhere near Limestone* She and her mother were hands on the farm and did all kinds of hard work* She used to plow, hoef dig and do anything the men did on the plantation* "I worked in the hot sun*ft Every now and then she would get a sick headache and tell her master she had itj then he would tell her to go sit down awhile and rest" until it got better* She had a good master; he was a Christian if there ever was one* He had a wife that was fussy and mean* nI didnft call her Mistus, I called her Minnie." But, she quickly added, "Master was good to her, just as kind and gentle like*" When asked what was the matter with the wife, she just shook her head and did not reply* Asked if she had rather live now or during slavery times, she replied that if her master was living she would be willing to go back and live with him* - 2 - 81 "Every Sunday he would call us chilluns by name, would sit down and read the Bible to usj then he would pray* If that man ainft in the Kingdom, then nobody1 s there/1 She said her master never whipped any of the slaves, but she had heard cries and groans coming from other plantations at five o*clock in the morning where the slaves were being beaten and vdiipped* Asked why the slavey were being beaten, she replied rather vehemently, "Just because they wanted to beat femj they could do it, and they did*" She said she had seen the blood running down the backs of some slaves after they had been beaten* One day a girl about 16 years of age came to her house and said she*d just as leave be dead as to take the beatings her master gave her, so one day she did go into the woods and eat some poison oak* "She died, too*11 On one plantation she saw an old woman who used to get so many beatings that they put a frame work around her body and ran it up into a kind of steeple and placed a bell in the steeple* tfDat woman had to go around with that bell ring- ing all the time." "I got plenty to eat in dem days, got just what the white folks ate* One day Master killed a deer, brung it in the house, and gave me some of the meat* There was plenty of deer den, plenty of wild turkeys, and wild hogs* Master told me itfaenever I seed a deer to holler and he would kill it*" -\ - 3 - 82 "When slaves were freed her mother moved right away to her father's place, but she said the two sons of her master would not give her mother anything to eat then* "Master was willing, but dem boys would not give us anything to live on, not even a little meal.tT "After the Civil War was over and the Yankee soldiers came to our place, dey just took what they wanted to eat, went into de stable and leave their poor, broken-down horses and would ride off with a good horse. They didn't hurt anybody, but just stole all they wanted*" One day she said her master pointed out Abe Lincoln to her* A long line of cavalry rode down the road and presently there came Abe Lincoln riding a horse, right behind them* She didn't have much to say about Jeff Davis, except she heard the grown people talking about him* "Booker Washington? Well, he was all right trying to help the colored people and educate them* But he strutted around and didn't do much* People ought to learn to read the Bible, but if you educate people too high it make a fool out of them* They won't work when they gets an education, just learns how to get out of work, learns how to steal enough to keep alive* They are not taught how to work, how do you expect them to work when they ain't taught to work? Well, I guess I would steal too before I starved to death, but I ain't had to steal yet* No man can say he ever gave me a dollar but what I didn't earn myself* I was taught to work and I taught my ohilluns to work, but this present crowd of niggers 1 They won't do*" -*- 83 She stated her mother had twelve children and the log house they lived in was we at her boarded; it was much wanner in such & house during cold weather than the houses are now* "Every crack was chinked up with mud and we had lots of wood*" Her mother made all their beds, and had four double beds sitting in the room* She made the ticking first and placed the straw in the mattresses* "They beat the beds you can get now* These men make half beds, den sell 'em to you, but dey ainft no good* Dey don't know how to make fem*lf Aunt Charlotte said she remembered when the stars fell* "That was something awful to see* Dey just fell in every direction* Master said to wake the chilluns up and let fem see it* Everybody thought the world was coming to an end* We went out on de front porch to look at the sight; wefd get scared and go back into de house, den come out again to see the sight* It was something awful, but I sure saw it*" (Records show that the great falling of stars happened in the year 1833, so Aunt Charlotte must be older than she claims, if she saw this eventful sight* Yet she was positive she had seen the stars falling all over the .heavens* She made a sweep of her arm from high to low to illustrate how they fell*) SOURCE: Aunt Charlotte Foster, RPD #2, Spartanburg, S.C. Interviewer: F* S. DuPre, Spartanburg, S* C* Project #L655 Stiles 1U Scruggs 70007P Columbia, S. C* OOUCIU g^ JOHN FRANKLIN ? EX-SIATIS 84 YEARS OLD* "I is the son of John Franklin and Susan Bobo Franklin. I was born August 10thf 1853 in Spartanburg County# % daddy was a slave on the plantation of Marster Henry Franklin, sometimes called Hill and my mammy was a slave on the plantation of JMarster Benjamin Bobo. They was brother- in-law1 s and lived on a planation joining each other* "My white marsters add their mistresses was good to us and to all their slaves• We have plenty to eat and wear, on the Bobo plantation, from the time I can remember up to the time I was fbout eleven years old. In 1861, my marsters go away with their neighbors, to fight the damn Yankees and the plantation was left in charge of the mistresses and worked by the slaves• The slaves all raised fbundance of rations, but pretty soon there was a scarcity * cause they was no coffee at the store and stragglin1 Yankees or what they call fRebel soldiers1 come flong every few days and take all they can carry* "That shortage begun in 1862, and it kept on gettin1 worse all the time, and when Lincoln set all niggers free, there was such a shortage of food and clothes at our white folks houses, that we decided to move to a Dutch Fork plantation. % daddy go flong with other niggers to fight for 1 Uncle Abe1 and we never see him no more. Soon after that me and mammy told our mistress goodbye, and move down to her daddy1 s place, *bout ten miles from Chapin. I was ten years old that year and we raise corn, beans, ftaters and chickens for ourselves and to sell, when we could go to Columbia and sell it and buy coffee and other things that we could not raise at home. 85 So we do pretty well for a year or two and we keep up our tradin1 trips to Columbia, which f counts for me and Ben Lyles, my cousin !bout my age, comin' to Columbia on February 16, 1868. We sold out and stayed all night at the home of Ben's uncle. He had ms do some tasks fbout his home on Lincoln Street the next day and it was way in the day befo' we start home. We walk north on what was known then as the Winnsboro road ftil we come to Broad River road, and we take it* There was one* or two farm houses north of Elmwood Street on the Miiuisboro road at that time and only one house on Broad River road,' the farm house of Mr* Coogler, which is still standin1 • There was a big woodsland at the forks of the Winnsboro road and Broad River foad* 11 After we walk 'long the Broad River road, what seem tss^"^i^ii^^3;5«te^Aa;wB^l Page 2 1051' town and lived wid my kin. "I was about twelve years old when dey made me go to de field to work. Befo* dat and after dat, too, I worked around de barn and took care of de stock. • "As fer eats, we had plenty. ¥e had good collards, turnips and other good vegetables. De master has his own hogs,, too, and we had plenty meat to eat. — "Christmas w.as a big day fer us. We never worked dat day. We had good dinner, and could do what we wanted to do. We never had to work in de fields on "Saturday. We would do washing or go hunting or something else. . . "All I know about slavery being all right, is dat I had a good time, better .dan now. Abraham Lincoln was a good man. I don't know nothing agin'-him. Never"heard anything about Jefferson Davis. I think Booker Washington is a good man. He do good fer de niggers in giving dem education. "I joined de Ghurch when I was young because others was joinings I think everybody ought to belong to de church." Source: Simon Gallman (-80). Nes^berry, S.C. Interviewer:"G.L. Summer, Newberry,,S.C. "(9/2/3?) ^liStft' Project 1885 -1- District #4 ^Qfll fl^ Edited by: * *,* Spartanburg, S.C# 03UJ.U** Martha Hitter -LUU June 1, 1937 ^OLK-LCRE: EX-SLAVES "I was born in 1861, at Gary's Lane, in Newberry County, S.C. My father and mother and me were slaves of Dr. John Gary who lived in a big fine house there. They had lots of slaves, and a large plantation. After freedom come he told them they could go inhere they wanted to, but they stayed on with Doc Gary. He was a good master; he never allowed any paderollers around his place; he always give the slave a pass when he went off. When de Ku Klux went up and down the road on horses, all covered with white sheets, old Doc wouldn't allow them on his place. "We was allowed to hunt, and we hunted rabbits, 'possums, a fev/ foxes in the neighborhood, partridges, squirrels, and doves. "We went to school after freedom come; we had a school for niggers and had a church for niggers, too. "Doc Gary had a big piano in his house, and most everybody else had a fiddle or Jews harp. He had a wide fireplace in his kitchen where he cooked over it, in skillets. ttI think Abe Lincoln was a fine man and Jeff Davis was all right. Booker Washington is a smart fellow." SOURCE: Laurence Gary (76), Newberry, S.C. (Helena) Interviewer: G. Leland Summer, 1707 Lindsey St, Newberry, S.C. Code No. Project, 1SS5-U) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C Date, December 2, 1937 No. W«g&B , Reduced from Rewritten by" words 107 Page 1. LOUISA GAUSE Ex-Slave, Age 70-75 390374 MI been born down yonder to old man Wash (Washington) Woodberry^ plantation. Pa Oudjo, he been keep my age in de Bible en he tell me dat I come here de first year of freedom. Monday Woodberry was my grandfather en Oelina Woodberry, my grandmother. I tell you, I is seen a day, since I come here. My mammy, she been drown right down dere in de Pee Dee river, fore I get big enough to make motion en talk what I know. Dat how-come it be dat Pa Oudjo raise me. You see, Pa Oudjo, he been work down to de swamp a heap of de time en been run boat en rafter up en down dat river all bout dere. Ma, she get word, one day, she better come cross de river to de Sand Hills to see bout grandmammy cause she been took down wid de fever en was bad off. Pa Oudjo tell her de river been mighty high, but dat he would risk to take us. Say, Ma, she get in de boat wid Pa Oudjo en take me in her lap en dey start cross de river. De wind, it begin gettin higher en higher en de boat, it go dis way en den it go de other way. Oose I never recollect nothin bout dat day cause I won1 nothin, so to speak, but a sucklin child den. But I hear Pa Oudjo speak bout de water wash rougher en rougher en knock side dat boat just like it been comin out de ocean. Say, fore he think bout he in trouble, de wind just snatch he hat Code No, Project, 18S5-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, December 2, 1937 No. Words____ Reduced from_ Rewritten by" words Page 2. 108 right out in de water en when he reach out after it, he hear Ma holler en de next thing he know, us all been throwed right out in de water. Yes,mam, de boat turned over en dumped us all out in dat big old crazy river. Pa Oudjo say, if he ain« never had no mind to pray fore den, he know,when he see dat boat gwine down dat stream, dere won1 nothin left to do, but to pray. Pa Cud jo tell dat he make for de bank fast as he could get dere cause he know de devil been in de river dat day en he never know whe» he might go. I reckon you hear talk bout, Pa Oudjo, he been a cussin man. Never had no mind what he was gwine let loose no time. But poor Ma, she been a buxom woman, so dey tell me, en when she hit de bottom of dat river, she never didn* come to de top no more. Like I tell you, I never been long come here den en I ain1 been fast gwine under de water cause dere won* no heaviness nowhe' bout me. Pa Oudjo say, he pray en he cuss en when he look up, he see a boat makin up de river .wid two men in it en me lyin dere 'tween dem. You see, dey had come along en pick me up bout a mile from dere floatio down de river. Now, I tellin you what come out of Pa Oudjo mouth. Pa Cudjo say, when he see me, he been so happy, he pray en he cuss. Say, he thank de Lord for savin me en he thank de devil for lettin me loose. Yee,mam, I tell you, I been raise up a motherlees child right dere wid Pa Oudjo en I been take de storm many a day. I say, if you is determine to go through wid a thing, God knows,you Code No. Project, 1£S5-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, 8.C. Date, December 2, 1937 No. Words Reduced from words Rewritten by Page 3. 109 can make it. Cose Pa Gudjo, he been mighty good to me, but he used to have dem cussin spells, my Lord. Been love to keep up fun all de time." M0h, de colored people never had no liberty, not one speck, in slavery time. Old man Wash Woodberry, he was rough wid his niggers, but dem what lived on Miss Susan Stevenson's plantation, dey been fare good all de time. I know what I talk bout cause I been marry Oato Gause en he tell me dey been live swell to Miss Susan's plantation. Dat whe» he been born en raise up. Hear Pa Cud jo talk bout dat Miss Harriet Woodberry whip my mother one day en she run away en went down in Woodberry en stayed a long time. Say, some of de Woodberry niggers stayed down dere till after freedom come here. Yes,mam, white folks would whip dey colored people right dere, if dey didn' do what dey tell dem to do. Oh, dey was awful in dat day en time. Colored people had to live under a whip massa en couldn* do no thin, but what he say do. Yes,mam, dey had dese head men, what dey call overseers, on all de plantations dat been set out to whip de niggers. I tell you, it was rough en tough in dem days. Dey would beat you bout to death. My grandfather en my grandmother, dey die wid scars on dem dat de white folks put dere." M0h, my Lord, dey would gifce de colored people dey allowance to last dem a week to a time, but dey never dicta' Oode No* Project, 1SS5-U) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, December 2, 1937 No. Words,___ Reduced f rom_ Rewritten by" ¦f?i words Page 4. 110 give dem nothin widout dey work to get it en dat been dey portion. I remember, I hear Oato tell bout Mr. Bobbie say, "Mom Dicey, dey tell me dey catch Bacchus stealin Pa's watermelons out de field de other night.M (Bacchus was Mom Dicey's son). Grandmother Dicey say, M0h, he never take nothin but dem little rotten end ones." Den Mr. Bobbie say, "Well, dey tell me, dey catch Bacchus stealin de horse»8 corn out de feed trough de other night." En grandmother Dicey say, "Well, if he did, he never take nothin, but what been belong to him.M Dat it, some white folks was better to dey colored people den others would be. Would give dem so much of meal en meat en molasses to last dem a week en dey would feed all de nigger chillun to de big house 'tween meals. Have cook woman to give dem all de milk en clabber dey wanted dere to de white people yard." MDe overseer, he would give you a task to do en you had to do it, too, if you never been want your neck broke. Yes, mam, de overseer would stock you down en whip you wid a buggy whip. Some of de time, when de colored people wouldn1 do what dey been put to do, dey would hide in de woods en stay dere till de overseer come after dem. Oh, dey would find dem wid de nigger dog. When de overseer would find out dey had run away, he would send de nigger dog to hunt dem. My God, child, dem dogs would eho find you. Some of de time, dey would run you up a tree en another time, dey would catch you whe» dere won' no tree to go Code No, Project, 1S85-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.O. Date, December 2, 1937 No. Words Reduced from_ Rewritten by" words Page 5, 111 up en grab you en gnaw you up. Yes,mam, de overseer would hear you hollerin or else he would hear de dog barkin at you up de tree. Dem nigger dogs, I know you is see dem kind of dogs. Dey is high, funny lookin dogs. Don1 look like no other kind of dog. When dey would find de one dey was huntin, dey would just stand right dere en look up in de tree en howl.M MDe colored people never had no church dey own in slavery time cause dey went to de white people church. Yes, mam, I been dere to de Old Nfeck Church many a day. In dat day en time, when de preacher would stand up to preach, he would talk to de white folks en de colored people right dere together. But when de colored people would get converted in dem days, dey never been allowed to praise de Lord wid dey mouth. Had to pray in dey sleeve in dem days. De old man Pa Cud jo, he got right one day to de big house, en he had to pray wid he head in de pot." MNo,mam, de colored people never didn1 have no liberty no time in dem days. Cose dey had dey little crop of corn en »tatoe en thing like dat bout dey house, what dey would work at night, but dat won' nothin to speak bout. Oh, dey would put fire in a fry pan en fetch it up on a stump to see to work by." wNo, child, white people never teach colored people nothin, but to be good to dey Massa en Mittie* What learnin dey would get in dem days, dey been get it at night. Taught demselves." Code No. Project, 1S85-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.O. December 2, 1937 No. Words___ Reduced from_ Rewritten by" Page b. words 112 "Now, Pa Oudjo, if he been here, my Lord, I couldn' never say what he might could tell you. Like I say, he been a cuss in man en he die wid a bright mind. Cose I never come here what dey call a slavery child, but I been hear slavery people speak dey mind plenty times." Source: Louisa Gause, colored, age 70-75* Brittons Neck, S.O. Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis. Project #1655 W. W. Dixon 390294 Winnsbotfo, S, C. GKACIE GIBSON EX-SIAVE 86 YEARS OLD. 113 111 was born at Palatka, Florida. I was a slave of Captain John Kinsler. Wish all white men was just like him, and all white women like Miss Maggie Dickerson, de lady that looks after me now. "Captain John wouldn't sell his niggers and part de members of de family. He fetched us all, Daddy George, Mammy Martha, Gran1 dad Jesse, Gran'mamiqy Nancy, and my two brothers, Flanders and Henry, from Florida to Richland County, South Carolina, along wid de rest. tt% mistress was named Mary. Marster John had a daughter named Adelaide, but they call her Ada. I1 was called up on one of her birthdays, and Marster Bob sorta looked out of de corner of his eyes, first at me and then at Miss Ada, then he make a little speech. He took iqy hand, put it in Miss Ada's hand, and Say; fDis your birthday presentjdarlin1 • ' I make a curtsy and Miss Ada's eyes twinkle lifce a star and she take me in her room and t ook on powerful over jae. wWe lived in a two-room log house daubed wid mud and it had a wood and mud chimney to de gable end of one room. De floor was hewed logs laid side by side close together. Us had all we needed to eat. 1lDe soap was made in a hopper for de slaves. How dat you ask? A barrel was histed on a stand 'bove de ground a piece j wheat straw was then put into de barrel, hickory ashes was then emptied in, then Tfater, and then it set fbout ten days or more. Then old fats and old grease, meat skins, and rancid grease, was put in. After a while de lye was drained out, put in a pot, and boiled wid grease* Dis was lye-soap, good to wash wid. *• 114 "Slaves had own garden. Some of de old women, and women bearin' chillun not yet born, did oardin' wid hand-cards; then some would get at de spinnin1 wheel and spin thread, three cuts make a hank* Other women weave cloth and every woman had to learn to make clothes for the family, and they had to knit coarse socks and stockin's* Mighty nigh all de chillun had a little teency bag of asafetida, on a string 'round they necks, to keep off diseases* nUs slaves had 'stitions and grieve if a black cat ran befo' us,0r see de new moon thru de tree tops, and when we start somewhere and turn back, us shof made a cross-mark and spit in it befd' we commence walkin1 again* 111 fmember YJheeler's men come to our house first befo1 de Yankees* They took things just like de Yankees did dat come later* «%rster John was a Captain, off fightin1 for Confeds but dat didn't stop INheeler's men from takin1 things they wanted, no sir* They took what they wanted* wasn't long after then dat the Yankees come and took all they could and burnt wimt they couldn't carry off wid theau "After de war I marry Abe Smith and had two chillun by him, Clifton and Hattie* De boy died and Hattie marry a man named Lee* She now lives at White Oak* "My husband die, I marry Sam Gitoson, and had a nice trousseau dat time* Blue over-skirt over tunic, petticoats wid tattin' at de borders* red stockin's and gaiter shoes* I had a bustle and a wire hoop and wore a veil over my hair#M project 1885-1 FOLKLORE ^Q0111 Edited by: i i ** Spartanburg Dist.4 COJlXc- Elmer Turnage -LJL%J May 31, 1937 STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES "I was Capt. Jack's body-guard in during de whole entire war. I means Capt. Jack Giles, his own self. And I is pushing close to a hundred. Dey used to make likker in de holler down on Dr. Bates1 place deep in de forest. De soltiers would drink by de barrels. Mr. Will Bates, Dr. Bates* son, helped me out of skimage one time. "Don't never go in no war, 'less you is gwine to give orders like my marse Jack. Dat is, onless you is gwine to act as bodyguard. Time of de war, old man Sammy Harmon had a state still. He never sold no likker to no private. De bluecoats, dey blockade Charleston and Savannah. Miss Janie couldn't get no spices fer her cakes, neither could she get no linen and other fine cloth fer her 'dornment. Couldn't nothing get by dat block- ade. So Mr. Sammy, he make de likker by de barrels. Dem dat had wagins come and fotch it off, as many barrels as de mules could draw, fer de soltiers. I drunk much as I wanted. De drum taps say, 'tram lam-lam, following on de air. De sperrits lift me into a dance, like dis, (he danced some) 'cept I was light on my foots den — atter I had done drunk, anyhow. MDe sharp-shooters got atter me on£ day. Mr. Dewey, one of de rangers, sent fer de cannon balls. Dese run de bluecoats. "I went to Petersburg wid Capt. Douglas, dat Miss Janie's second husband . Our train went dat fast, dat it took my breaf away. But de cars goes dCuch faster, gwine to Patter-a-rac now. Folklore: Stories from Ex-Slaves Page 2 1 1 f i *A11 de picket-men had dogs. Lots of de soldiers had niggers wid dem. At night in de camp when de Yankees would come spying around, de dogs would bark. De niggers would holler. One Confederate officer had a speckledy dog that could smell dem Yankees far off. When de Yankees got dare, everything was ready. When us want information fer direction and time, all us had to do was to look up through de pines fer it. "One song I remembers is, 'would like tj) catch-a feller looking like me'. Another was, 'I feel as happy as a big sun- flower.' (Charlie can sing them both, and dance accompaniment) "At Petersburg, April 1863, de .Yankees act like dey was gwine to blow everything up. I crawl along de ground wid my Marster, and try to keep him kdvered as best as I could. Us reached Chica-hominy River and go over to Petersburg. Den dey blow up Richmond. De river turn to blood while I was looking at it. De cannons deafened me and I has been hard of hearing ever since. Some de blue tails dumb de trees when us got atter dem. "Next time I*se gwine to tell you about deserters and refugees. Ain't nobody got no business in automobiles 'cept lawyers, doctors, and fools.w Source: Charlie Giles, Rt.3, Box 274, Union, S.C. Caldwell Sims, Union,S.C. 2/8/37. Project #-1655 ' Folklore ¦ - ^ + hh Phoebe Paucette AAr Hanpton County WILLIS GILLISON Luray, S.C. There is no doubt that "Uncle Gillison" is old* He is knock-kneed and walks slowly. His long thin hands clutch his chair strongly for support as he continually shifts his position. When he brings his hands to the back of his head, as he frequently does, in conversation, they tremble as with palsy. He enjoys talking of the old times as do many of his contemporaries. "Yes, Maam," he starts off, "I been heah when de war was on. I seen when de drove of people come up. Dey was dress in blue clothes. Call dem Yankees. Had de Scouts, too. But dey was de Southerners. I knowed all demI I wasn't nuthin' but a little boy but I kin remember it. "Mr. Jesse Smith wife been my young Missus. Dey lived at Purman. My mother mind Mr. ^rowell's father. His name was Mr. Ben Trowell. I call him, Bub Ben. Bub was for brother, i-'at de way we call folks den - didn't call «em by dere names straight out. Mr. Trowell1s mother we call, Muss, for Miss. Sort of a nickname. We call Mr. Harry Pitts grandmother, Muss, too. "My daddy was name Aleck Trowell. After freedom he was call by his own name, Aleck Gillison. After freedom some was call by dere own name - some were, and some weren't. My father was sold from a Gillison, first off. "How old I is? Well, Missus, I been put on de road to 75 years, but I'm more than dat. I'm between seventy and eighty Project #-1655 Page - 2 ±±& Phoebe Faucette Hampton County years old* "I knows Mr* Tom Lawton. Dey was rich people* My old Massa and him been boys together* Dey was a place call de Trowell Mill Pond right at de Lawton place* Mr* Lawton was sure rich, 1 cause we all had a plenty - plenty to eat, and s'ech likes - Mr. Lawton was richi When Mr* Trowell got up a little higher than what he was, he trade his Lena place for a place at Staf- ford* De Stafford place was some better* !rYes Maam, de records was burn. Dey had a courthouse at Gillisonville in dem times* Dat fact !bout it Miss* Now I donft want you to say a nigger f spute, your word, or nuthin1 r like thata (this, in response to the visitor having remarked that the records were burned at ^eaufort) but I don't think that Beaufort was built up till after the war* Gillisonville was right muchly built up* I donft think de records was burn at Deaufort* I think it was at de courthouse at Gillisonville dey was burn up* Now de district was caL1 ^eaufort District, but de courthouse was at Gillisonville* Gillisonville was where dey had de trial of de Mr* ^artin dat kill Mr* Peep3.es* De Morrisons lived at Gillisonville* Plenty of femi "I kin tell you v/here two of de old Robert homes used to be* One was back dis way toward Scotia from Robertville* Dat was de Mr# John H. R0bertf place* Had a whole string of cedar trees going up to his place. Now den, fbout two miles out Project #-1655 Page _ 3 . * (. Phoebe Faucette XX c/ Hampton County from Robertville going from de white folk1 church out toward Black Sv/amp was another Kobert place? Dat where old Major Robert lived# He had a whole tun (turn) of slaves• E>ere was no Robert live right in de village of Robertville. ^e Lawtons was de only people live right in Robertville - and one family of Jaudons* I donft know of no other Robert home« ,fDatfs all I kin tell you fbout de old times, Missus* I don't want to tell you what ainft true#H Source: Willis Gillison, 75 years old, (Ex-slave) Luray, S. C. - R. F. D. Project 1885-1 FOLKLORE 390167 Edited by: .„ Spartanburg Dist.4 Elmer Turnage jL/^w June 10, 1937 STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES "We lived in a log house during the Ku Klux days. Dey would watch you just like a chicken rooster watching fer a worm. At night, we was skeered to aave a light. Dey would come around wid de "dough faces' on and peer in de winders and open de do'. Iffen you didn't look out, dey would skeer you half to death. John Good, a darkey blacksmith, used to shoe de horses fer de Ku Klux. He would mark de horse shoes with a bent nail or something like that; then atter a raid, he could go out in the road and see if a certain horse had been rode; so he began to tell on de Ku Klux. As aoon as de Ku Klux found out dey was being feive away, dey suspicioned John. Dey went to him and made him tell how he knew who dey was. Dey kept him in hiding, and when he told his tricks, dey killed him. *When I was a boy on de 'Gilmore place', de Ku Klux would come along at night a riding de niggers like dey was goats. Yes sir, dey had 'em down on all-fours a crawling, and dey would be on dere backs. Dey would darry de niggers to Turk Creek bridge and make dem set up on de bannisters of de bridge; den dey would shoot 'em offen de bannisters into de water. I »clare dem was de awfulest days I ever is seed. A darky name Sam Scaife drifted a hundred yards in de water down stream. His folks took and got him outen dat bloody water and buried him on de bank of de creek. Folklore: Stories Prom Ex-Slaves Page 2 1£1 De Ku Klux would not let dem take him to no graveyard, fact is, dey would not let many of de niggers take de dead bodies of de folks no whars. Dey just throwed dem in a big hole right dar and pulled some dirt over dem. fer weeks atter dat, you could not go near dat place, kaise it stink so fer and bad. Sam's folks, dey throwed a lot of 'Indian-head' rocks all over his grave, kaise is was so shallah, and dem rocks kept de wild animals from a bothering Sam. You ean still see dem rocks, I could carry you dare right now. "Another darky, Eli McCollum, floated about three and a half miles down de creek. His folks went dare and took him out and buried him on de baiiks of de stream right by de side of a Indian mound. You can see dat Indian mound to dis very day. It is big as my house is, over dare on de Chester side. "De Ku Klux and de niggers fit at New Hope Church. A big rock marks de spot today. De church, it done burnt down. De big rock sets about seven miles east of Lockhfart on de road to Chester. De darkies killed some of de Ku Klux and dey took dere dead and put dem in Pilgrims Church. Den dey sot fire to dat church and it burnt everything up to de very bones of de white folks. And ever since den, dat spot has been known as "Burnt Pilgrim'. De darkies left most of de folks right dar fer de buzsards and other wild things to eat up. Kaise dem niggers had to git away from dar; and dey didn't have no time fer to fetch no word or nothing to no folks at home. Dey had a hiding place not fer from 'Burnt Pilgrim*. A darky name Austin Sanders, h« was earring some victuals $6 his son. De Ku Klux cotch him and dey axed him whar he was Folklore: Stories Prom Ex-Slaves page 3. iPP a gwine. He lowed dat he was a setting some bait fer coons. De Ku Klux took and shot him and left him lying right in de middle of de road wid a biscuit in his dead mouth. "Doctor Megollum was one of dem Ku Klux, and de Yankees sot out fer to ketch him. Doc, he rid a white pony called ?Fannie'. All de darkies, dey love Doc, so dey would help him fer to git away from de Yankees, even though he was a Ku Klux. It's one road what forks, atter you crosses Wood's Perry. Don't nobody go over dat old road now. One fork go to Lead's and one to Chester. Well, right in dis fork, Mr. Buck Worthy had done built him a grave in de 'Woods Perry Graveyard'. Mr. Worthy had done built his grave hisself. It was built out of marble and it was kivered up wid a marble slab. Mr. Worthy, he would take and go dar and open it up and git in it on pretty days. So old Doc, he kndwed about dat grave. He was going to see a sick lady one night when dey got atter him. He was on"old Pannie. Dey was about to kotch de old Doc when he reached in site of dat graveyard. It was dark. So Doc, he driwe de horse on pass de fork, and den he stop and hitch her in front of some dense pines. Den he took and went to dat grave and slip dat top slab back and got in dar and pulled it over him, just leaving a little crack. Doc lowed he wrapped up hisself in his horse blanket, and Ithen de Yankees left, he went to sleep in dat grave and never even woke up till de sun, it was a shinning in his face. "Soon atter dat, my sister took down sick wid de misery. Doc, he come to see her at night. He would hide in de woods in daytime. We would fetch him his victuals. MJt sister was sick Folklore: Storied From Ex-Slaves Page 4 jqo three weeks 'fore she died. Doc, he would take some blankets and go and sleep in dat grave, kaise he know'd dey would look in our house fer him. Dey kept on a coming to our house. Course we never know'd nothing 'bout no doctor at all. Dar was a nigger wid wooden bottom shoes, dat stuck to dem Yankees and other po' white trash 'round dar. He lowed wid his big mough dat he gwine to find de doctor. He told it dat he had seed Fannie in de grave- yard at night. Us heard it and told de doctor."Us did not want him to go near dat graveyard any more. But Doc, he just laugh and he lowed dat no nigger was a gwine to look in no grave, kaise he had tried to git me to go over dar wid him at night and I was skeer'd. "One night, just as Doc was a covering up, he heard dem wooded shoes a coming; so he sot up in de grave and took bis white shirt and put it over his head. He seed three shadows a coming. Just as dey got near de doc, de moon come out from 'hind a Cloud and Doc, he wave dat white shirt and he say dem niggers just fell over grave-stones a gitting outen dat graveyard. Doc lowed dat he heard dem wooden shoes a gwine up de road fer.three miles. Well, dey never did bother the doctor any more. "Doc, he liked to fiddle. Old Fannie, she would git up on her hind legs when de doc would play his fiddle.* Source:Brawley Gilmore (col), 34 Hamlet St., Union, S.C. Interviewer: Caldwell Sims, Union, S.C. (12/3/36) 390115 124 Project 1885 - 1 Ex-slave-*-(Pick Gladdeny, Pomaria, Rt..3, S. 6. Interviewer; Caldwell Sims, Union, S. C. EARLY HECQLi^CTIuKS- I!ypist: Louise Bawkins, fit. 4, Union, S. C. **AJi sees all through 'im now* Haw, sir, Ah. doesn't know whar Ah wuz bawn, maybe in Fairfield, majpbe in the Duthh Fork, Ah doesn't know, Ah won't dar. .It wuz on May 15, 1856. Ah 'spec Ah could've been born on Mr. Joe Hellac's place, you knows dat down on He liar Creek. "Ah'se old enough to go to de speechi^' dat -Dan $hite made oh "Maybinton Day" (emanicipation speech at Maybinton, S. C). You axes me more than A can answer, Site of. folks dar all day, settin' arouh. Us clam trees, so us could see and hear. 1 sho did listen but I don't, 'member no thin' what de man say. - 1 knows dis dat I still hears dat band music ringing in my ears. At dat time ± was so young dat all 1 cared about on dat day, was th e brass band what let out so much music. Mggers being free neger meant nothing to us chaps, cause we never had no mind fer all such as that nohow. Dat de first band da* I ever seed, and to tell you de truf I never seed no more till the World-War fotch de soldiers all through here. Bands charms me so much dat dey just plumb tickles the tips of my toe* on both feets. \ -2- 125 "Squire William Hardy was de man dat I worked for when I had done turned five. Bey teach me to bring in chips, kindling wood, fire wood and water. I learnt to make Marse's fire ever morning. Dat won't no trouble, cause all I had to do was rake back de ashes from the coals and throw on some chips and lightwood~and de fire come ri#rt up. Von't long 'Iffbre i was big enough to draw water and bring in big wood. You knows what big fire places they got down dar cause Squire Hardy—Mr. Dick's Pa, and Pa and Heyward and Frank's grandpa. "Squire Hardy was a good man so was Mr. Dick. Mr. for Dick was dat smart till he just naturally never^ot nothing that was told to him. If he was a-living, he could tell you way back before de Squire's, time*I was right danfct Squire Hardy's dat day Freedom come and de band come to Maybinton. "Going farther back than this.droves of niggers used to come down the road by Squire Hardy's fronj§ gate. Yea, sir, a overseer used to come through here driving- niggers j just like us drives cows and hogs up around this big road these days and times.' One day Squire Hardy went out and stopped a drove coming down de road in the dust. He pick him out a good natured looking darky and give the overseer one eye contrary niggers, what nobody didn't like for the good-natured ones. Ain't got no more to say* I does not remember but I has heared about -3- the time when my ma moved from Kellar's Plantation in. the Dutch ForMto the Tom Lyles quarter in Fairfield. Jama's name Sally Murphy* Her master was Dave Mur|*hy. He stayed at Tom Lyles. Mistus Betsy (Dave Murphy) cared for her. Mr. Dave Murphy over seed for Capt. Tom Lyles who lived about two miles from Lyles1- Ford on Broad -Biver. . r - " ®I donrt know what things has gone to. So much diffence in everthing now than it was back ifc. dem days. Don't know nothing about no Booker T. Washington. I sees much but hears little 'bout dat what I doesn't see. Yes, siree boy, all such little *muck' go in one ear and come but tother'n wid me. Dat's de talk fer dese young niggers dats eddieated, and 1 ain*t dat bad off. ttWinnsboro fust town 1 ever seed , but it don't favor itself now. - «*Maybinton the place I love best in all the world. Most my life is right here . I'll be buried in Eardy graveyard, whar my white folks dat was so good to me lie sleeping, and dat's whar my ma and pa and others that 1 loves lies too. • *Fost offiee at Mabinton is whar Miss Bessie Oxner A stay. Bill, earner, her pa kept de post offiee from de time it started till they stopped it, fur as I knows* look Better theit thaa it doesnow. • Kr» Bill Qmer pretty go#d man. -4- iie was a settled man. His wife was a good-looking lady who before her marriage was a bethune. "Dar was a big store at the end of Mr. W. B. Whitney's plantation. Dis along tord first of Freedom. Mr. S3iattery lived twixt the Maybins and the .hitney's house. The store upon the end was kept by Mr. Pettus Chick and Mr. Bill Oxner. It was a good store. Didn't have to go to Newber' y to git no candy and 'Bacco. And Dr. Jim Buff was de doctor what tended to folks in dem parts when dey got sick. "De old Buck when I first knowed it was run fer a dwelling house by Mr. &eff Stewart. I been knowed Maybintown all my life . But when i come along stages had done gone out but that's where dey stopped when they come from Spring Kill. I'se heared dat de Buck had large stables and a lots of folks stop there and rested overnight on their way to the Springs.(Glenn1 s} Chick's, and West Springs .) "Used to rather dance than to eat . Started out at sundown and git back to the Whitney's at daybreak, den from dar run all de way to Squire Hardy's to git dar by sunup. Pats our feets and knockstin pans was the music dat us niggers danced t o all night long. Put on my clean clothes, dat was made right on the plantation and wear them to the dance. Gals wore their homespia 12 0[m2 -5- 128 stockings* Wore the dresses so long dat ikey kivered their shoes* My britches w^fce copperas colored and I had on a home woce shirt with a pleated bosom* It was dyed red and had wristbands* 1 wore that shirt for five years. "Didn't have no nigger churches down dar den. ¥ea went to Chapman's Stand* It had a brush top and log seats. The darkies from the Hardy Plantation walked five miles to hear a nigger from Union preach. Me driv a one horse waggin and course he stayed around from place to place and the folks take care of him and his mule. Big Jim Henderson owned Chapman.1 s stand which was in theGlymp quarter. Ihe Glymp quarter still got the best lend in our settlement yet* All my>quaintances done left me. fac » is, most of them done crossed over de river. Folks meets me and speaks familiar. I axes, "Who is that?" I used to deal with Mr. Bee Thompson in Union. I*se got some business to tend to in Union soon and X spec I be up there in short to see is it anything familiar dar. '' PrcgSct fl655 W. W..Dixon Wiamsboro, S, C, ^ 390251 129 HENRY GIADNEY EX-SLAVE 82 YEARS OLD, Henry Gladney lives with his wife, his son, Murdock, his daughter- in-law, Rostand seven grandchildren» They live near White Oak, S* C*, in a two-room frame house with a one-room box board annex* He works a one-horse farm for Mr* Cathcart and piddles a little at the planning mills at Adgers* His son does the ploughing• The daughter-in-law end grandchildren hoe and pick cotton and assist in the farm work* Henry is of mecfium height, dark bro\ra. complexion, and is healthy but not vigorous* nI lives out on de John PI* Cathcart place, close to HHhite Oak* In slavery time my mammy bflong to old Marse Johnnie Mobley, and us lived in de quarter 'tout three miles to de west of Woodward station, tho* dere was no station dere when I was a boy* De "station was down de railroad from dere and then it was called Yonguesville* % mammy name Lucy, my pappy name William, say sisters was Louise, &lsie, and Adeline* % brudders name Tim and Curtis• 111 wasn!t a very big boy in. slavery time, thoT Ifmember choppin1 and botf03^ pickin1 cotton and peas flong f side mamrny in de field* Pappy was-call- ed f,Bill de Giant1, f cause him was so big and strong* They have mighty bad plantation roads in them days* I see my pappy git under de wagon once when_ it was bogged up to de &ub and lift and heft dat wagon and set it outside de ruts it was bogged down in* Him stayed at de blacksmith shop, work on de wagons, shoe de mules and hosses, make hinges, sharpen de plow points and fix de iron rings in de wagon wheels^ ^ ?; - $Wf pappy didnH 'low other slave men to look at.my mammy* I see his grab Unol^ Phil omee* throw him ^down on de floor, and when him quit stomp- ^ ^ Newton, 'cause pappy done broke Uncle ¦¦|^ of. his .slaves was orippled :^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^M^^^&M^^SmMM^^^^^^^^MM^M^^^M 130 up* Him flow to whip pappy for it* Pappy tell mammy to go tell Marse John if he whip him, he would run off and go to de North• She beg for pappy so, dat nothin' was done !bout it* 'Spect Marse John fear to lose a good-blacksmith wid two good legs, just 'bout a small nigger man wid one good leg and one bad leg* *It come to de time old marster have so many slaves he-don't know what to do wid them all* He give some of them off. to his chillun* He give them mostly to his daughters, Miss Marion, Miss Fancy, and Miss Lucretia* I was give to his grandson, Marse John Mobley McCrorey, just to wait on him and play wid him* Little Marse John treat me good sometime and kick me fround sometime* I see now dat I was just a little dog or mon- key, in his heart and mind, dat 'mused him to pet or kick as it pleased him* Him give me de only money I ever have befo1 freedom, a big copper two-cent piece wid a hole in it* I run a string thru dat hole and tied it 'round m^ neck and felt rich all" de time* Little niggers always wanted to see dat. money and I was proud to show it to them every time* "Little Marse John's mother was anotheV dau^&ter of old.Marster John* Her name was Dorcas* They live in Florida* 1 was took 'way down dere, cried powfful to leave jry mammy, but I soon got happy down dere playin' in de sand wid Marse John and his little brudder, Charlie* Don't 'member nothin1 'bout de war or de Yankees* Freedom come, 1 come back to de Mobley quarters to mammy* I work for old S&trster John up ftil after Hampton was Elected* I marry Florie Williams, a pretty blaok gal on de Mobley quarters* Us is had seventeen chillun* So far as I know they is all livin1 ? Some.in ^lorida, gome in Sparrows Itoiiaafc* Virginia, some in Chariotte, 1$» C«, and some in Colum- bia, S* C# l&irdock a$& his wife, Katie, and deir six chilli life in de same lllltft^ n% old marster have two daughters dat marry McCroreys. Miss Lucretia marry James McCrorey and Miss Doreas marry John McCrorey* IJEiss Lucretia have a son name John* Miss Dorcas have a son name John* In talkin1 wid old mistress, * fusion would come 'bout which John of de grandsons was bein1 meant and talked fbout. Old Marster John settle dat* M01d Marster John and old mistress (her name Katie) had de saiae birthday, March de 27th, tho? old Marster John was two years older than old Mistress Sate* They celebrate dat day every year* All dfe ohillun-in-laws and grandchillun come to de mansion, have a big dinner and a big time* After dinner one"day, all de men folks 'semble at de woodpile* De -sun was shinin1 and old marster have me bring out a chair for him but de balance of them set on de logs or lay * round on de chips* Then they begun to swap tales. Marse Ed P. Mobley hold up his hand and say: 'See dis stiff finger?: Itfll never be straight agin* I got out of ammunition at de secon1 battle of Bull Run, was runnin1 after a-Yankee, to ketch him, threw my gun *way to run faster, kre%ok him as he was !bout to git over a fence and choked his stiff neck so hard in de scuffle dat I broke dat finger* General Lee hearin1 fbout it, fcfo#ftgs& me from de infancy (infantry) to de calvary (cavalry) dat I might not run de danger any more*1 Old marster laugh and say: fJim, can you beat dat?1 Marse Jim Mobley say: -'Well, you all know what I. done at Gettysburg? If all had done lak me dat day, us would have won de war* Whenever I see a bullet comin1 my way, I took good aim at de bullet wid a double charge of powder in my musket* ~ % aim was so good dat it drove de enemy ball back to kill a Yankee and glanced aside at de right time to kill another Yankee* I shot a thousand times de fust-day of de battle and two thousand times de sec- on1 day and kilt six thousand Yankees at Gettysburg*f Old marster al&p his sides and fell out de chair a l&ufe&in1* INhen him git back in de chair, him * 132 say: 'Zebulon, what you got to say?f Marse Zeb, p'intin' to his empty pants leg, say: fMe and some officers ' tended a chicken fight on de banks of de Chickenhominy River de day befoT de battle of Shilo* De cocks fight wid gaves on deir heels• Dere was five hundred fights and two hundred and fifty roosters was kilt* Us have big pots of chicken and big pots of hominy on de banks of de Chickenhominy Creek dat night and then de battle of Cold Harbor come de nex' day* I had eat so much chicken and hominy my belly couldn't hold it all* Some had run down my right leg* Us double quicked and run so fast thru swamps nex* day, after Yankees, ray right leg couldn't keep up wid wj left leg* After de battle I went back to look for dat leg but never could find it* Governor Zeb Vance tell me afterwards, dat leg of mine run on to Washington, went up de white House steps, and slushed some of dat chicken and hominy on de carpet right befo' President Lincoln's chair*' "Everybody laugh so loud dat old mistress come out and "want to know what for they was laughin' 'bout* All dat had to be gone over agin* Then her laugh and laugh and laugh* She turnt 'round to my young l&rster John and say: 'John, can you beat dat?' He say: 'Henry, go git grandma a chair?' I done dat* Then my young marster start* Him say: 'One day down in Florida, I saddle rmf pony, took Henry dere up behind me and went a fishin' on de St* John River* I had some trouble a gittin' thru de everglades when I want to fish but us got dere* Big trees on de banks and 'round, wid long moss hangin' from de limbs? I baited my hook wid_ a small, wigglin', live, minnow andthrowed out into de water* Nothin' happen* In de warm sunshine I must have gone to sleepj when I was startle out ray doze by Henry a shoutin': 'Marse Johnnie, liarse Johnnie, your cork done gone down out of sightt' I made a pull but felt at once it would take both hands to land dat fish. I took both hands, put my 138 foot *ginst de roots of a great live oak and h'isted dat fish in de skv. v It was so big it shut out de light of d© sun# When it come down, dat fish strip off de limbs of de trees it hit while cornin1 :to de ground* I sent Henry back to de house on de pony, for de four-hoss wagon and all de men on de place, to git de fish home* When us got it home and cut it open, dere was" 119 fishes varyin1 f rom de size of de miianow up to de big fish*1 Marse Ed P* say: *las de little minnow dead or flive when you found him in de belly of de 119th fishtt *Ee was still wigglin*, say my young mars- ter* Old marster say: fIt was a whale of a fish, wasn!t it^grands on ?! Young marster say: "fIt was, grandpa* De river bank show dat de water went down two inches after I pulled him out.1 fMaybe it was a whale*, said Marse Ed P* fIn fact, it was1, said Marse Johnnie, f fcause on one of de ribs under de belly was some tatooinS1 tU¥hat was de tatooin'?1 ask old mistress, just as innocent as a baby* fDe word Nenivah1, say Marse little John* fT?ifhy it might have been de whale dat swallowed Jobah1, say Miss Katie* fIt was1, say my young marster, ffor just under Nenivah was de name Jonaht* After a good laugh old marster say: fYour name is changed from John ifobley McCrorey to John Munchawsome McCrorey*1 Kin folks call him Barron after dat« Him lak dat but when they got to callin* him, lyin* John McCrorey him git red in-de face and want to fight* wPoor liarse Johnnie* Wonder if him still living >Him marry a rich woman in Florida but her soon fvorce.him* Tftiat her fvorce him for? *Patty- bility and temper, they say* lhat I means by pattybilityl Inspect dat mean ¦ ¦ " ¦ I de time they was gittin' up in de mornin* and her lam him f cross de head wid de hairbrash and him take dat same hairbrush, push her down fcross de bed and give her a good spankin1 • How you!re laughin1 agin but it was no laughin1 wid her dat mornin1, de way I hear them tell it*1* Ib-ww .$^^Bib&&&* }¦ project. 1885-1 H&LKLORE 'aaoiyin Edited by; -134 Spartanburg Dist.4 03U14U Elmer Turnage -Z-*J^ July 15, 1937 STORIE® PROM EX-SLAVES *I was born in ^ewberry °ounty, South Carolina, in the -Near Indian Creek above Jalapa. My mammy and pa was Charlie and Frances Gilliam. We belonged to Marse Pettus and Harriet Gilliam who had a big plantation. I married George Glasgow in the yard of Reid place, by a nigger preacher. My husband died about 15 years ago. MI was a young child when de war stopped, and don't re- member so much about slavery times. Marse pettus and Miss Har- riet was good to us. I never got a whipping, except Misses whipped me once wid just one lick. Dey give us a small patch of ?bout half acre fer us to raise cotton or anything we wanted to on it. De master had a big garden and give his slaves plenty vegetables. We had plenty to eat all de time. My pa, Charlie, was de foreman of a crowd of slaves, and dere was a white over- seer, too. "Master Gilliam had a boy dey called »Bwd». He still lives in Arkansas. Dey all moved to state of Arkansas sometime atter de war. My master was a good man, a church man, and he was steward in Tranguil Methodist church. Around de place at home he was always singing and in good humor. I 'member one song he sung dat was like dis: "Lord, lord, Heaven —sweet Heaven, Lord, Lord, Heaven —Sweet Heaven, How long will it be? {repeated three times) Page 2 i35 "De first time I come to town was when I was a little child, and when we got to College Hill, about ten miles from home, 1 started to run back home because I heard de train whistle blow. "Miss Harriet always give us chilluns 'mackaroot tea1 fer worms. It's made from roots of a plant dat grow in de woods. We had to drink it before breakfast, and it shore had a bitter taste. "Slavery wasn't good much, I reckon? but I had a good time ... didn't nothing bother me. When freedom come, all of us stayed with de master until he and his folks moved away. "Old Dr. Clark was de best doctor in de state. He lived at Jalapa. He used to give barbecues at his home in de yard under big trees. He had niggers dere, too. Dey eat by dem- selves. Old Mrs. Sligh lived above dere. I waited on her when she was sick. When she died, she made her son promise not to hold against me what I wwed her — just let it go — and told him not to ever let me go hungry. "Once when Master Gilliam took one of his slaves to church at old Tranquil, he told him dat he mustn't shout dat day -- said he would give, him a pair of hew boots if he didn't shout. About de middle of services, de old nigger couldn't stand it no longer. He jumped up and hollered: 'Boots or no boots, I gwine to shout today'. "I jined de church atter I got married, 'cause I wanted to do right and serve de Lord." Source: Emoline Glasgow (78), Newberry, S.C. Interviewer: G.L> Summer, Newberry, S.C. (7/8/37) Project 1885-1 fOLKLORE *t\M*%4 Edited by:. * nf\ Spartanburg, Dist.4 390231 Elmer Turnage-*-ou Sept. 16, 1937 STORIES IROM EX-SLAVES "I live on Mr. Sim Bickley's farm, about five miles north- west of Newberry Courthouse. I have a fairly good house to live inv.I work on the farm, myself, and make a pretty good living from it. I live with my second wife. I had two children b.ut they both died. "I was born on Dr. Geo. W. Glenn's plantation, about six miles, north of Newberry. My parents, Berry and Frances Glenn, were slaves of Dr. Glenn. I was seven years old when freedom come. "Dr. Glenn gave us good quarters to live in and plenty to eat. He was a good man and was not hard on slaves; but the mistress was mean to some of the slaves that come from the Glenn side. She was good to the slaves that come into her from her daddy. *I didn't work much around the place when I was small, just did little things to help. The master had a big garden and raised lots of green vegetables like turnips, collards, cabbages and some okra, but little beans except corn-field beans. We had plenty clothes. "The master whipped us sometimes when we needed it. They would not learn us to read and write. Some of the slaves went to the white folks' church. "I was married the first time on the Glasgow place by a colored-preacher named Boyd. Her daddy didn't want us to marry; he didn't like me. I slipped to the field where she was working and stole her; went to the preatcher and got married. I married the second time in town/ on College Hill. nA band of Confederate soldiers in 1865 went past the mas- ter's house on their way from war, and Mistress had dinner for them. Stories from Ex-Slaves - (Silas Glenn) Page 2 13*7 They eat out under big shade trees in the yard where Master always kept a long table.for dinners they had sometimes. When freedom come, the master called all his slaves up to the house one night and spoke to them. He said they was free, but any who wanted to stay on with him and help make the crop that year could stay and he would_pay wages, ill stayed that year. *The Ku Klux and Red Shirts didn't like negroes. They would catch them and whip them. - • "It was a long time after the war before the negroes had a school. They went to white folks churchs for a long time. Some of them had ?brush harbors' for their churches, and schools, too. nI don't know nothing about Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. I can't give much about Booker Washington, except I heard of him and believe he is a good man and doing a good turn for the negroes. nI think slavery was wrong; don't think one man ought to own another man. "I Joined the church when I was about 25 or 30 years old." Sourcer Silas Glenn (79), Newberry, S.C. RfD Interviewer: G.L. Summer, Newberry, S.C. 8/9/37. Code Ho. Projeot* 1885-(1) Prepared by Annie Rath Davis Plaoe, Marion, S.C. Date, August 11, 1937 Ho, Words____ Reduoed frora_ Rewritten by" words 138 Page 1« JOHST GLOVHR Ex-Slave, 77 Years Timmonsville, S^0# 390283 "Born on Rafter Greek bout 20 miles from 3?immonsville on Elija Garson plaoe. My white folks live in big two story house dere oause my Massa was a bankholder in Charleston en dat de reason he go baok en forth to Charleston every week or two. My Massa a good man, a good man, en I hope he restin in Heaven dis day*^ "De Carsons had bout S,000 aores of land en 100 head of slaves on dey plantation. Have long row of house up in de quarter whe( all de slaves live. We have a very good livin in dat day en time. Had more to eat den we do dese days oause rations won* soaroe like dey is now. Eat potatoes en peas en oorn bread en homemade grits mostly, but 1 likes everything to eat, Captain. Den dey give us a garden to make us greens en things like dat en we is oatoh possum heap of de time. Unole Ben (father's father) was a great possum hunter, but he died fofce I get big enough to go hunt in wid him. He went possum huntin every night till sometMng went up de tree one night en possum talk to him. He used to go huntin on a Sunday night en dat how-come de.possum talk to him." "You didn* see de peoples wear much different clothes like dey wear dese days, but what dey have was very deeent. Oode lo» Ho. Words Projeot, 1885-(l) Reduced from____words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Plaoe» Marion, S#C. ____________________ J39 Date, August 11, 1937 Page 8. Just have bout one pieoe, Captain, make out of some kind of homemade oloth wid no extra for Sunday. Wear same kind of pants on Sunday dat wear every day en same kind of shoes call brogans wid brass toes. I ainr see no fittin oloth slnoe dey used to raise sheep en have dey own wool en have loom en spin* Look like God smile on us in dat day en time." "I work round de white folks house fore freedom oome, but I go back to de quarter en sleep when night oome. Dem dat live in de quarter have lumber bed wid mattress made out of saoks en hay. Den when dey ring dem bells en blow dem horns in de mornin, dat mean you better get up en go bout your task for dat day«* "Oh, dey work us hard en late in dem times. Work from de sunrise in de mornin to de sundown in de even in. Bey have a driver dat tote whip en see dat you do what you know to do. Didn1 have no jail in dat day, but if you ain* do your task en dey oatoh you, dey punish you by de whip* Some of de time, dey put em in de sorew box what dey press bales of ootton wid. Put em in dere en run press right down whe ¦ can* orush en dey oouldn1 move till dey take em out in de mornin en whip em en put em to work. See plenty whipped on de plaoe. Dey make one fellow go over a barrel, en de other peoples hold he head down en de driver whip him. Give em 50 en 75 licks fore dey stop sometimes. Use chains to hold em when dey break ropes so dey oouldn1 get away«,! Code ffo» Project, 1885*(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, August 11, 1937 Ho. Words___ Reduced from_ Rewritten by" words Page 3< 140 "I see em sell slaves heap of times. See em gwine along in droves en sayin dey was gwine to market. Sell em if dey ain' stay on de place en work. Bid em off just like horse en mules* What am I bid for dis one? Gome en open you mouth en examine you teeth en dey wouldn* miss you a year." w0h, Gracious God, didn' get married^ till after &*(*^~ shake was en I reckon X bout 30 years old den. Captain, we thought it was de Jedgment (Judgment). It come like it was thunderin in de earth, rollin in de earth en de earth was gwine en oomin. We pray en all de cows en chickens was yell* ing. \ Last) dat night bout 30 minutes dat you could look at anything en it look like top spinning. We was all good bout two years after dat." "My white folks didn' teach none of dey slaves to read en write en didn' let em go bout from one plantation to de other no time. All us know is when we go to dey meet in en deypray wid us. Peoples used to sing en pray in ae quarter on Saturday night en when dey dig grave en have a funeral. Bey didn' do bout buryings den like dey do now. Burying dem times en de funeral would all be over at de burying. Slaves didn1 have no way to go to de funeral but to walk. Den a white man would stop you en if you have a tioket wid you dat have pass word on it, you oould go on." Code Ho* Bo. Words________ Project, 1885-(1) Reduced from____words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Plaoe, Marion, S. C. ____________________ Date, August 11, 1937 Page 4. "I oan tell you all bout when dem Yankees oome through dere. Some was on black horses, some on red horses, en some on white horses. De one dat on blaok horse wear black, de one on white horse wear white, en de one on de red horse wear red, De horses had sense enough to double up when dat man hollo from de top of dem. Dey was wearing soldier olothes en dey oome up to you house en set plaoe on fire, kill eow or anything dey want to. J>e7 burn up Carson house en stay dere till next day. Dey talk to my mamma cause our house de next one to de white folks house. De white folks done been gone* Dey ask her wher dey hide dey money en she know dey hide it to Stafford Hill, six miles from de house, but she didn* tell dem. Don* know yet what became of de money, but dem Yankees loaded an old chest on de wagon en took all de slaves dat wanted to run away wid dem en left dere.w "Slaves didn1 know what to do de first year after freedom en den de Yankees tell de white folks to give de slaves one- third of dey orops. What de slaves gwine buy land wid den, Captain? Won* a God thing to eat in dat time. Had to plow oorn wid ox oause de Yankees took all de horses en mules dey wanted. My mother worked on three years dere for de white folks en dey give her one bushel of corn en dey take two. ^One bushel of corn en dey take two*/ Measured by de same basket** Oode Ho. Ho. Words________ Project, 1885-(1) Reduced from worda Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Plaoe, Marion, 3.G. ____________________ 142 Bate, August 11, 1937 Page 5. "Well, I can* tell you bout-people, but I oan tell you bout my poor soul. I think I know !*m bless to be here en raise three generation olear up dis world. All my ohillun dead en gone en God left me to live among dese wild varments here. I have to ory sometimes when I think how dey die en leave me in dis troublesome world. During slavery time, didn1 know what hard times was. I know you see in de Bible dat God sorry he made man done so. I'm sorry dat de last war done. Every time jovl fight war makes f times harder. See three war en every one I see makes time worse. Money gets balled up in one or two hand. Looks bad to me. Didn1 know what it was one time to be hungry," Souroe; John Glover, Ex-Slave, 77 Years, Timmonsville, 3.0. (Personal interview by Mrs. Luoile Young and E. Grady Davis.) Code No* Project, 1885-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, June 86, 1937 JSO • *wWWHB____ Reduced from_ Rewritten by" words Page 1. HECTOR GODBOLD Ex-Slave, 87 Years 330148 143 "What you gwine do wid me? I sho been here in slavery time. Talk to dem soldiers when dey was retreat in dey way baok home* My old Missus was Miss Mary Godbold en den she marry a Haselden. Dey buy my mamma from de old man Prank Miles right over yonder, Harry en Oindy Godbold was my parents* We live in a one room house in de slave Quarter dere on de white folks plantation. My God, sleep right dere on de floor. Had gran'parents dat oome here over de water from Africa, Dey tell me dat whe' dey oome from dey don" never let no man en he wife sleep together cause dey is soared of em catchin disease from one another, Dat sho a good thing, you know'dat. I think dat sho a good thing." nDey ain' never give none of de colored peoples no money in dat day en time, Coase dey give us plenty something to eat* Fed us out a big bowl of pot licker wid plenty oorn bread en fried meat en dat bout all we ever eat. Dej is let us have a garden of we own dat we had to work by de night time. You see de colored folks know dey had to get up soon as dey hear dat cow horn blow en dat been fore daylight oome here. Oh, dey work from dark to dark in dat day en time. Didn' but one day out all de year stand dat was a week day en dat was de big Ohristmus day. Sweet molasses bread was de thing dat day. Coase dey give us a big supper when dey Oode Ho* Project, 1885-(1) Prepared by Annie Bath Davis Place, Marion, 3.0, Date, June 88, 1937 Ho* Words Reduced from_ Eewritten by" words 144 Page |. had dem corns hacking day. Oh, dey had a frolio den dat last way up to de midnight." "I never live dere to de Haselden plantation wid my parents long fore dey hire me out to Mas8a John Mace en I stay dere till me en Maggie (his wife) oome here to live. Narse six head of ohillun for de white folks dere. I hear em say my Missus was a Watson fore she marry Massa John Mace. Lord, Lord, love dem ohillun to death. If Moses Maoe been livin, you wouldn* be talkin to no Hector Godbold bout here dese days. He de one what give me en Maggie dat four room house you see settin dere. My Missus give me a good beat in one time when I did drop one of dem baby. Just put me head under her foot en beat me dat way." "Another thing I had to do was to carry de baby cross de swamp every four hour en let my mamma oome dere en suckle dat ohild. One day I go dere en another fellow oome dere what dey oall John. He en my mamma get in a argument like en he let out en out my mamma a big lick right cross de leg en de blood just pour out dat thing like a done a what. My mamma took me en oome on to de house en when Miss Jane see dat leg, she say, "Cindy, what de matter?" My mamma say, "John call me a liar en I never take it." Miss Jane tell em to Bend after Sam Watson right den. Sam Watson was a rough old overseer en he been so bowlegged dat if he stand straddle a barrel, he be settin down on it just as good as you settin dere. Sam Watson oome dere en make dat fellow Code Ho. Project, 1885-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Plaoe, Marion, S.C. Date, Jane 28, 1937 Ho. Words Reduced from_ Rewritten by" words 145 Page 3* lay down on a plank in de fence jam en he take dat oat o1 nine tail he have tie round his waist en strike John 75 times. De blood run down off him just like you see a stream run in dat woods. Dat sho been so cause all we ohillun stand bout dere en look on it. I suppose I was bout big enough to plough den. When dey let John loose from dere, he go in de woods en never come back no more till freedom come here. I tellin you when he come baok, he come back wid de Yankees." "Oh, de oolored peoples never know nothin more den dogs in dem times. Never oouldn* go from one plantation to de other widout dat dey had a ticket wid em* 1 see Sam Watson oaten many of dem dat had run way en buff en gag em. Sever have no jails nowhe1 in dat day en time* Dey sho sell de oolored peoples way plenty times oause I see dat done right here to Marion* Stand em up on a block en sell em to a speculator dere* I hear em bid of f a 'oman en her baby dere en den dey bid off my auntie en uncle way down to de country. Dey wouldn* take no whippin off dey Mass a en dat how-come dey get rid of em. My ^ran'pappy been worth $ 1,009 en it de Lord's truth I tellin you* he drown fore he let em whip him* Den my gran'mammy use to ran way en oateh rides long de roads oause de peoples let em do dat den. Ooase if dey catch her,,dey didn' never do her no harm oause she was one of dem breed 'omans." "Hever knew nothin bout gwine to school in dem times. Just pick up what learnin we get here, dere, en everywhe'* Learnt Oode Ho* Projeot, 1886-(1) Prepared by Annie Rttth Davis Place, Marion, S.G. Date, June 28, 1937 Ho. Words___ Reduced from_ Rewritten by" words Page 4. 14G something to de white folks meetin house dere to Antioch settin on de baok side of dat ohuroh on dem benches what de slaves had to set on. I is know dis much dat I voted three times to de courthouse in Marion way baok in dem days.n wSho, we chillun play game en frolic heap of de time. Shinny was de thing dat I like best. Just Jiad stick wid crook in de end of it en see could I knook de ball wid dat* I sho remembers dat. Den I was one of de grandest hollerers you ever hear tell bout. Use to be just de same as a parrot. Here how one go: 0 - OU - 00 -0 - Off, DO - MI - MCI - 0, BLACK - GA - LE - LO, 0-OU-0U-0- OU, WHO - 0 - OU - OU. Great King, dat ain' nothin." "Ain1 never believe in none of dem charms people talk bout en ain' know nothin bout no conjuring neither, but I know dis much en dat a spirit sho slapped Maggie one night bout 18 o'clock. Dbii another time me en her was oomin home from a party one night en I had a jug of something dere wid me en Maggie ax me for it. Say something was followin after her. De next thing I know I hear dat Jug say, gargle, gurgle, gargle? I look back en she been pourin it out on de ground. She say she do dat to make de spirit quit followin after her. Dat spirit sho been dere cause 1 see dat lioker disappear dere on de ground wid me own eyes." "Sho, dey had dootors in dat day en time. Had plant doctors dat go from one plantation to another en doctor de peoples. Dr. Oode Ho. Project, 1885-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place., Marion, S.C. Date, Jane 88, 1937 He. Words____ Reduced from Rewritten by" words Page 5* Monroe was one of dem doctor bout here en dere ain' never been no better cures nowhe1 den dem plant euros was. I get Maggie so she can move bout dat way. She won1 able to walk a step en I boil some ooon root en put a little whiskey in it en make her drink dat. It sho raise her up too. Dem ooon root look just like dese ohufas what you does find down side de river. Dat sho a cure for any rheumatism what is. I know dat all right." "Mighty right, I remembers when freedom was declare. I think dat must a been de plan of God oause it just like dis, if it hadn' been de right thing, it wouldn1 been. I know it a good thing. De North was freed 20 years head of de South en you know it a good thing. I a history man en I recollects dat de history say de North was freed 20 years fore de South was." "I sho hear dem guns at Port Sumter dere en I remembers when dem soldiers come through dis way dat de elements was blue as indigo bout here. Had parade bout five miles long wid horses danoin bout en fiddles just a playin. Some of dem Yankees come dere to de white folks house one of dem time, when my Mass a was way from home workin dere on de Manchester Railroad, en ax my Missus whe' dey horses was. Dem horses done been hide in de bay en dey never get nothin else dere neither, but a little bit of corn dat dey take out de barn." Code No. Project, 1885-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.O. Bate, June 28, 1937 lo. Words___ Reduced from_ Rewritten toy" words Page 6* 148 "I 87 year old now en I here to tell you dat I never done nobody no mean trick in all me life. I does fight cause I out a man up worth 19 stitches one of dem times back dere. Two of em been on me one time en I whipped both of em. I tellin you I been good as ever was born from a *oman. It Just like dis, I say fight all right, but don' never turn no mean trick back. IParn it to God, dat what do. Dem what go to church in de right way, dey don' have no vengeful spirit bout em. I sho goes to church cause de church de one thing dat does outstand everything - . . everything." Source: Hector Godbold, ex-slave, age 87, Pee Dee, Marion Go.,3.0. (Personal interview, Jane 1937). project #1655 j^g Stiles M* Scruggs OGflOQ > Columbia, S. C* OOU£0*. DANIEL OGDDARD BX-SLAVB 74 YEARS OLD. 11 Ify name is Daniel Goddard* I was bora in Columbia, S* G* Feb* 14, 1863, to slave parents* You know I recall no contacts I made in slavery for I was too young during that period• You know too, if I had been born in Massachusetts, for example, I should have been free, because all slaves in the United States had been set free when President Lincoln, shortly be- fore my birth, January, 1863, struck the shackles from bondage? * The Confederate states had seceded from the Union and they paid no attention to the freedom proclamation during the war* So the slaves in the South, generally speaking, stayed on until the Confederacy collapsed in April, 1865, and even then, some of the slaves were slow to strike out for themselves* until the Fsderal government made ample preparations to take care of them* " Now you ask, if I heard about escapes of slaves* Sure I did and I heard my parents discuss the efforts of slaves to shake off the shackles* This was probably true because my fatherfs brother, Thomas, was a member of the slave ship which was taking hla and 134 others from Virginia to New Orleans* A few miles south of Charleston, the slaves revolted, put the of- ficers and crew in irons, and ran the ship to Nassau* 11 There they **nt ashore and the British Gtoverament refused to sur- render them* They settled in the Bahama Islands and some of their de- scendants are there today* That was about 1830, I think, because my Uncle Thomas was far older than my father* I heard about the other slave revolts, where that African prince, one of a large number of slaves that were 150 kidnaped, took over the Spaniah ahip L'Anada, killing two of the officers. The remaining of fie era promised to return the slaves to Africa but slyly turned the ahip to port in Connecticut• There the Spaniah minister at Wash* ington demanded the slavesf as pirates* Appeal was made to the courts and the United States Court ruled that slavery was not legal in Spain and de- clared the slaves free* " The Nat Turner insurrection in Virginia and the Vesey uprising in Charleston was discussed often, in my presence, by my parents and friends. I learned that revolts of slaves in Martinique, Antigua, Santiago, Caracas and Tortugus, was known all over the South* Slaves were about aa well aware of what was going on, aa their masters were. However the masters made it harder for their slaves for a while. " I have a clipping, now worn yellow with age, which says the Federal census of I860, showed there were 487,970 free Negroes and 3,952,760 slaves in the United States at that time* 1 am not at all surprised at the number of free Negroes. Many South Carolina families freed a number of their slaves« Some slaves had the luck to be able to buy their freedom and many others es- caped to free areas* The problem of slavery as a rule, was a question of wits, the slave to escape end the master to keep him from escaping* * I once talked with Frederick Douglass * perhaps the most eminent ^egro to appear so far in America. He told me he was bora a slave in Maryland, in 1817 f and that he served there as a slave for ten years. H* escaped to *as~ aachusetts, where he was aided in education and employment by the Garrisons and other abolitionists, and became a leader of his race* Ho was United States Minister to Haiti at the time I met him and was eminent as an orator* lie died in 1395* " You ask, what do I think of the Presidents. WeU, I have always been 3- 151 such an admirer of Andrew Jackson, a South Carolinian, that I may be preju- diced a little* The reason I admire him so much, ia because he stood for the Union, and he didnH mean maybe, when he said it* He served hia time and Sod took him, just as he took Moses* lf Then Lincoln waa raiaed up for a specific purpose, to end slavery, which waa a manance to both whitea and blacks, as I see it* And * resident wilson kept the faith of the fathers, whan he decided to put the German Kaiser where he could no longer throw the world into discord* But there has only been one President whose heart waa touched by the cry of distress of the poor and needy and his name is Franklin D* Roosevelt* He is one white man who has turned the bias of the Negroes from the bait of partisan poli- tics* n Yea, sir, I recall the reconstruction period here in Columbia* My parents lived until I was about grown and we kept the middle of the road, in the matter of selling out to the Federal soldiers and car pair bagger a on the one hand, or to designing politiciana on the other* But my father was an admirer of (Jeneral Hampton, because General riampton owned aiany Negroes at one time and had treated them well* Between Hampton and Chamberlain for governor, in 18T6, moat of my tfegro friends voted for Hampton* " What have I been doing aince I grew upf Well, I have bean busy try- ing to make a living* I worked for various white folka in this community and sometime for the railroada here, in a minor capacity* My younger yeara were spent in the quest of an education* For the past thirty years I have been the porter for the State Paper Company, Columbia1 a morning newapaper* As I became proficient in the work, the GRmzales boys grew fond of me* While the youngest one, Hon* William E* Gkm^ales, was absent in the diploma- tic service in Cuba and in Peru for eight yeara for ^resident Wilson, I 4- 152 looked after the needs of Mr* Ambrose Gonsales. Shortly before he died, Hon» William E. Gonzales ^returned* He has since been editor and publisher of the •State1, as well as principal owner• "You ask, if I have applied for an old age pension* No, I have not. I am old enough to qualify, I guess, but I understand, you cannot get a pension if you have a job. If that is so, I shall never enjoy any pension money. I would not leave serving my friend, Captain William E» Gkmzales, for any pension that might be offered me. N. B. This man is well educated, speaks no dialect. He received his edu- cation from Northern taachers in Freedman aid, equal to the modern high school curriculum. He afterward studied in Boston. He reads, writes, and speaks/ excellent English* Address: 1022 Divine Street, Columbia, S* C» Project #-1655 39(1919 FOLKLORE A K*\ Mrs* Genevieve W» Chandler v*jvc±c a.*ju Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County AUNT ELLEW GODFREY (Ex-Slave) (Verbatim Conversation) •k (Aunt Ellen is a misfit in her present environment. Born at Longwood Plantation on Waccamaw in 1837, all she knows is the easy, quiet life of the country. And the busy, bustling 'RACE PATH1 near which her Grandson lives v/ith whom she makes her home doesn't make a fitting frame for the old lady. All day she sits in a porch swing and v/hen hungry, visits a neighbor. The neighbors (colored - all) vie with each other in trying to make her last days happy days. She says they do her washing and provide necessary food. When you start her off she flows on like the brook but usually her story varies little. She tells of the old days and of the ex- periences that made the greatest impression - the exciting times during the ' Confedrick'1 war - the 'Reb time day.*) Visitor: "Aunt Ellen home?" Aunt Ellen's neighbor (from the washtub): "No'um. She right cross there on the 'Race Path'" (So called because in Conway's early days races were run - horse races - on this street.). Visitor: "Are you one of the neighbors who take such good care of Aunt Ellen?" Neighbor: "No»um. I»m off all day. I work for Miss Bernice." Visitor: "Miss Bernice who?" Project #-16555 ' Page - 2 154 Mrs-* Grenevieve ^ ' Chandler Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County Neighbor: "Miss Bernice something nother. I can't keep up with that lady titleI See Aunt Ellen white cap yonder?" Aunt Ellen (Sitting on chair at back door leaning on cane.) "I want everybody come to my birthday I Seventh o* October coming be a hundred. Baby one dead jew (due) time I Five daughter - one sanctify preacher. Seven one - one Ports- smith Virginia. All deadl All deadl Marry three times; all the husband deadl My last baby child - when the Plagg storm kill"everybody on the beach, (1893) the last child I have out my body been a year oldl "Last time I gone see the old -Doctor, rap I rap I Doctor: "Come inl" Gone in. Doctor: "Great GodI looker Aunt Elleni For the good you take care Daddy Harry God left you live long timel" Ellen: "Plat fem all up to Marlboro I (All the slaves) Ten days or two weeks going. PeeDee bridge, stop I Go in gentle- men barn*- Turn duh bridge I Been dere a week. Had to go and look the louse on we. Three hundred head of people been dere. Couldn*t pull we clothes off. (On flat.) Boat name Riprey. Woman confine on boat. Name the baby »RIPREYl» Mama name Sibby." {Neighbor: "Aunt Ellen been looking for you all day! Keep Project #-1655 Page - 3 155 Mrs. Genevieve W-.- Chandler Murrells Inlet, S. C, Georgetov/n County saying she got to go home. A white lady coming and she got to he there I") Aunt Ellen: "Doctor come on boat. By name Doctor Lane. White lady come tend woman. Get to Marlboro where they gv/ine. Put in wagon. Carry to the street. Major Drake Plantation. One son Pet Drake. Wife leetle bit of a woman. "I see Abram Lincoln son Johnnyl Talk with him I Gimme tobacco. I been to -loom. Weave. Sheckle flying - flying she ckle I (Singing): "Tech (touch) me all round my waist I Don't tech my water-fallI Gay gal setting on the rider fence! Don't tech my water-falll" "Clothes gone to wash this morning* (Can't go today,) Clothes gone. "I been here, so long - I ax Jesus one day carry me next day I Can't make up my bed. Like an old hog sleep on a tus- sick." (I always heard it *Toad on a tussock' - and you?) (Pour lean cats prowled about sniffing around the wood- pile where a boy was scaling some pale, dead fish.) Visitor: "Aunt Ellen, how could you cook on the flat?" Aunt Ellem "Dirt bank up. Fire make on dirt* Big pot. Cook. Pry meat. Come PeeDee get off fiat. Bake. Bake. Iron 6ven» Stay PeeDee week. Bake. Pile* coals on oven top." (Another slave told of scaffold - four posts burled Project #-1655 Mrs* Genevieve ^•'Chandler Murrells Inlet, S« G. Georgetown County ¦ Page - & 156 and logs or planks across top with earth on planks. On this pile, of earth, fire was made and on great bed of coals oven could be heated for baking. »0ven* means the great iron skillet-like vessel with three legs and a snug lid. This oven bakes biscuit, pound cake, and some old timers insist on trusting only this oven for their annual fruit cake. It works beautifully on a hearth. Put your buttermilk biscuit in, lid on and pile live-oak coals on top. Of course only the ones who have done this a long time know when to take the lid off.) "Dirt camp to stay in - to hide from Yankee." (Her ges- tures showed earth was mounded up.) Visitor: "Like a potato bank? A potato hill?" Ellen: "Dat's itt Pile *eml Gone in dirt camp to hide we from Yankee. Have a Street Row of house. Yankee coming. Gone in dirt camp. "I been weave. My loom at door. Six loom on dat sidel Six loom on dis sidel I see fem coming. Hat c rown high as this." (She measured off almost half of her walking stick - which had a great, tarnished plated silver knob.) "And I tell *em 'Yankee comingi» I talk with Abram Lincoln own son Johnny and, bless your heart I glad for Freedom till I foolI" (Singing) Project #-1655 Page - 4 a n*y Mrs. Genevieve W. Chandler -*¦*¦* * Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County •Freedom forever I Freedom everymorel' Infant to see the,Debbii run • Let the Yankee fling a ball The Democrack will take the swamp I' "Massa been hide. Been in swamp." (This is history. All the old men, too old for the army, hid in Marlboro swamps and were fed by faithful slaves until Yankees passed on. My grandmother and mother gave vivid accounts of this - my mother telling of the sufferings of the women - mental - worrying about her feeble old grandfather down tnere with the mocassins) Ellen: "Yankee officer come. lYi/here Mahams Ward and John J. Woodwafid? Come to tell 'em take dese people out the dirt campl Put we in flat. Carry backt' (In first story Aunt Ellen told the Yankee Captain said, 'Tell fem be Georgetown to salute the flagl') "Put food and chillun in flat. We been walk." (Walking back to Waccamaw) We gone. (See 'unit See their feet like the children of Israel in Green Pastures I) In man's house. Man sot-, «Come out I You steal my turnip I' Brush arbor. Night come. Make camp. Way down the road somewhere I Make a big bush cemp. AIL squeeze under there. Left Marlboro Monday. Come Conway Friday sun down! Hit Bucksville, hit a friend. Say 'People hungry I' Middle night. Snow on ground. Get up. Project #-1655 . page - 5 15ft Mrs. Genevieve-'¦#•*" Chandler -*-^«~» Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetom County Cook. Cook all night I Rice. Bake tater. Collard. Cook. Give a quilt over you head. I sleep. I sleep in the cot- ton. I roost up the cotton gone in there." (Burrowed down in the cotton - 'rooted' it up)" December. Winter time. Cook all night. Corn-bread, baked tater, collard. Git to Bucksport, people gin to whoop and hollerI Three flat gone round wid all the vittles." (And with the very young and very old) Easier coming home. Current helped. Going up against the current, only poles and cant hooks - tedious going) "Git 'Tip T0p' (Plantation) all right. Come home denl Git to double trunk (rice-field trunk) at 'Tip Top* Whoopl Come bring flatI Mother Molly dead on flati Bury • she right to Longwood grave-yard. Nuss. (nurse) Sam'l Hemingway bury there. Horse kill »em in thrashing mill. Child name Egiburi? bury there too. Horse gwine round in thrashing. He lick the horse. Horse kick »em. Vilhole gang white jury comet "Sing and pray all the time. Pray your house. Pray all the time. (I wish to God I could get some of you clamt) "Salem Baptist? I helped build Salemi I a choir in Saleml" > Aunt Ellen Godfrey Age 99 years 10 months Conway, S. C. Project 1655 Genevieve W. Chandler FOLKLORE 159 Georgetown County, S« C. MOM ELLEN GODFREY (Ex-slave —- Age 100) w I'm waitin' on the leese (RELIEF)* He was to have my birthday the seven of October. w Slavery time Maussa buy'em. We Maussa buy me one good shoe. Send slam to England. Gie me (give me) good clothes and shoe. I been a-weave. When the Yankee come I been on the loom. Been to Marlboro district. A man place they call Doctor Major Drake. Got a son name Cap and Pet. Oh, Jesus I I been here TOO long. In my 99 now. Come seven o' October (1937) I been a hundred. 11 Three flat (big flat-boats) carry two hundred head o' people and all they things. We hide from Yankee but Yankee come and get we. Ask where Maussa! Maussa in swamp. I in buckra house. I tell Yankee: Them gone I Gone to beachl* Yankee says Wf Tell^m to be in Georgetown to bow unto flag1. 11 That time I been twenty-three years old. Old Doctor Flagg didn!t born then. He a pretty child and so fat. Love the doctor too much. 3orn two weeks after Freedom. He Ma gone to town. Mella Holmes? She ain't no more than chillum to me. Laura and Serena two twin sister. When the Freedom I was twenty-three — over the twenty-five. Great God, have-a-aercyl McGill people have to steal for something to eat. Colonel Ward keep a nice place. Gie'era (give them) rice, peas, four cook for chillum, one nurse. Make boy go in salt crick get'em clam. That same Doctor Flagg Grandpa. Give you cow clabber. Shareyem and put you bittle for eat. Project 1655 Genevieve W« Chandler FOLKLORE *{*(} Georgetown County, S. C. 1DU Page 2. " Gabe Khox? (A very old colored man who has been dead ten years) I nurse Gabel I nurse»em. He Pappy my cousin. I been a bi& young woman when he born. 11 Albert Calina? He a Christian-hearted people. Christian-heart A boy. I give my age. My birthday get over I want to go right home to Heaven. tt I gone to see Doctor %rdie when I in my 95. He say: 11»Great Dow I Looker Aunt Ellen1 In you 951 What make you live to good age you take such good care you husband—-Harry Godfrey. * 390202 Conversation of Aunt Ellen Godfrey-*—age 99 years, 161 Conway, S* C* June 25th. w Would gome wid you Missus, but I waiting on the •Relief f* He wuz going to bring me the dress and shoe and ting* Mjy birthday the seven of October coming* We Massa have give we good shoe* Right here Longwood Plantation* Massa was kind—you know* Send slam to England gie me good clothes and shoe* I been a weave when the Yankee come* I.been on the loom to Marlboro dsestrict* A man place they call Doctor Major Drake* Got a son nane Gap and Pet* Oh, Jesus, been here too long! In my ninety-nine now* Come seben of October been a hundred* Three flat "(flat boats used for rice field work) n carry two hundred fo people and all they things* We hide from Yankee but Yankee come and git we* Ask whey "(where) w Massa* (Massa in swamp I I in buckra house* I say, fDem gonel Gone to beach*f Say,1 Tellfem to be in Georgetown to bow unto the flag*1 Dat time I been tweafcy-three year old* Doctor Flagg didnft born* He a pretty child and so fat! Lave duh Doctor too much! Born two weeks after freedom* He Ua gone Georgetown* Granny gitfem thsrs* Melia HolmesJ Aint no more dan chillun to mel "(Aunt Melia is eighty-eight or nine •*—beny and cripple)11 She have two twin sister Laura and Serena* When the Freedom I muz twenty-three years old*—-over the twenty«five* Great God hab a mercyt Couldn't do datl Colonel Ward keep a nice place* Doctor McGill people hab to steal for sometirig to eat* Giefem rice-—peas* Four cook for chillun* One nurse*. (Aunt Ellen said fNussf) n * Make the boy go getfem clam* That same Dr* Ward GrandPa* Great big sack fo claxal Give you cow clabber* Shay'm1** (Share them -—-"the clabber)* and put on bittle for eat* * Hagar Browni She darter (daughter) got a abscess in her stomach* Save Rutledgel I nuss (nurse) Sabe* I nussfem* Her pappy my cousin* I been 162 big young women, I nuss Sabe* * Albert Calina a Christ ian-hearted people • Christian hearted :boy*Belief corned 1 giefem my age* My birthday over, I wanter go right home to Heaven* Great Dowl *Looker Aunt EllenJf (That is what Dr* Wardie say when X gone (seefum) *Tn you ninety-fiveJ What make you good, you take care of you hus- band* f Harry Godfrey waiting man! Marry twice time* He duh last—- " Andrew Johnson? Dropsy? I have wid every chillun-*--Oh* I buss (burst) one time* Buss here" (illustrating by drawing line across stomach) * -Till it get to my grain it stop! Every time I get family I swell* Never have a doc** tor *Grrannyf for me yet* My Mary good old Granny* Catch two set fo twin for me* Isaac and Rebecca; David and Caneezer* * Sell all my fowl and ting*-»~five dollars-**~nie and old man two come to town to we chillun* Been Marlboro four year* Yankee foot where they put on stirrup red* Most stand lak a Mr* Smoab*-** Big tall--Abraham Lincoln own son Johnny! f You jess as free as ribbon on my hatJf That what he say* I been weave* Shecklel*(Auai Ellen worked foot and hand and mouth in illustrating how the shuttle worked back and forth---~and the music it made)** w Conch? Eatfm many time! Takefem bile! Grindfem upl " Welcome Beas? She son get kill in Charston, Welcome Beas son courting my gal* * Tom Duncan? **e child to me* He wife Susannah* I know duh fambly* I gone knock to fuh door* 9 Come in I Come int Come in! 9Here duh beard I " (And Aunt Ellen measured on her chest to show how long Dr* Flagg's beard was)* 3* 163 11 Old Daddy Rodgers and merry wuz she * The old man wuz cripple Amd Mary wuz blind* Keep you hat on you head. Keep you head warm And set down under that sycamore treeJ Ify kits* ISy kitel % kitel Ify kite* Two oxen tripe* Two open dish fo cabbage* % little dog* _ M|y spotted hawgf My two young pig a starving* "Cow in the cotton patch* Tell boy pall dog. drive pig out cotton* Heah duh song; "Send Tom Taggum To drive Bone Baggum Out the world fo wiggy waggum*" (This last song chanted out by Aunt Eleanor Godfrey> age 999 is really a gem* She said fBone Baggum* boney old white cow* fWiggy waggumf is a picture word making one see the soft, wagging tufts of vnhite cotton) Given by Aunt EleanoJ^tJodfrey Age 99 (100 come seben of Oct») June 25th ,1937 Conway, S# C# Project 1655 Genevieve W. Chandler FOLKLORE. 164 Georgetown County, S. C» (MOM ELLEN SINGS*****) BONE BAGGUM (Bag o» bones?) Solid Tom Taggum (a man) To drive Bone Baggum (a honey critter) Out the world o1 wiggly waggunu (cotton patch) Rock-a-byel Rock-a-bye1 Down come baby cradle and allI Roll'eml Roll'em.1 Roll'emi Roll'em and boll'emI And put'em in the ovenj nI KNOW when I was a woman Ben was boyin (Ben now 88) w Go to writin».tt: If you want to know my name Go to Uncle Amos house* Big foot nigger and he six foot high# Try to bussin' at my waterfall! (Kissin* her 'waterfall- head-dress #) Oh, the gay gal Settin' on the rider (fence 'rider' on 'stake and rider fence') Gay gal waterfall. Don't tech (touch) my waist But bounce my shirt! Project 1655 Genevieve W. Chandler FOLKLORE ACK Georgetown County, S. C. XDO Page 2. Don't touch my waterfalllw ttI sing that sing to1 em and man buss out and cry* 'My Godl You talk MB?' I ain't want himl I kick him with that same word. MThey was Zazarus and Lavinia, Dead can't wash for myself* I go wash and lay Lavinia out. And he husband wanter (want to) marry with me. I kick him with that same sing. Hint to wise. If he couldn't understand that he couldn't understand nothing. tt Mr. Godfrey my last husband, he worth all the twd I got. I have the chillua. Wenus, Jane, Patient, Kate, Harry, Edmund, Jeemea-™tt SOURCES Mom Ellen Godfrey Age 100 October 1937 Conway, S. C. ^ejeofc ifl6i5 390137 No^erdm:M64 ju^ustus jLeuison Ctn&r.t3ai&tt|d*0* mASi^H WAS iJ^YSH 30 M0RCUXUU8 SUV2B CAU^D COW-UflkT FlSH SLAVS BURN YaTH A*GAIL* i come frum Mt*Pleasent an9 ma befn January I5,lfcb5 on Mr .Lias Win* King plant$sion on she Ooeper River*! wua den six years oie w9en the war broke out m* couJLdfmember a goad many shings*My ma an1 pa bin nmne Anjulina an1 ihemeta "oedwater who had eight boys an9 eight gals# i use to help my gran*- sia * round the kitchen who wua the cook far the fambiy*! am the older oi the iwo who ia aiive*Peter, she qm alive, live an my place now, but 1 ain't hear frum dot far swe years .1 dan* know for certain dat he's alive or net. lb slavery (ha people use so go an* cetch possums an9 rabbits so as to hab meat to eai.i>e driber use so shoo* cows an' an tie night de slaves go an1 skin urn an* issue urn 'round to ail the slavest'speciaii wfen cows come rrutc anodder piensation*Ho go #round an1 ten she slaves day besser go an' git some r±sh 'fere ail go#Any sime any one say a hab fish it wus understood e mean cow* meat .Our boss ain*t nebber cetch on nor did e ebber miss any cowrie Simmons, de collud driber wus under Sam Black,she white overseer#Sam Slack wusnfs mean, he jus9 had so carry out orders oX Lias "inning,our maaser*^ere wus a vegetable garden dat bad things tor she year round so we could hab soup an' soup could be in the Big House* One day w9en 1 wus 'bout fourteen i did sup in an9 ma didn9 like it** bunch of gals bin home an1 ma wheel my abort over my head an9 atart to be at me right 9fere the gals .Day begged her not so lick me an1 she got mad jus9 for dat* I couldn't help myself cue aha tie' de shirt over my head wood a string,ay ban's «&' all vti£ tie9 in de shirt wood the stnng.m hot wedder gala an9 boys go in 3-260-264-N Project fl6bb Augustus Ladson Page II j[6T SX~SLAVE con*(cu dere under shirts an1 no chintt eiae, Boys in dese days could light but coulcm' throw any one on the ground ue had to stan* up an eider beat or git beat* i wus married in ib72 to u&tharine^ray wile* At our weddin9 we had plenty it eet#xhere wus possums,winefcake^an* plenty o'rruits#i had on a black suit, black shoes,itoite tie an* shirt/etherine had on ail white»i stay1 wooct Catha- rine peopie lor a year f til i wus abied to buii9 on my ian*#l am a redder or nineteen chiiiunjten boys an# nine galsjoniy two now iivin* Lias "inning wusn9 a mean man .He couldnf lick pa cue dey grow up to - gadder or at least he didn* try#Bui he liked his wman slave.One day ma .us in ds rield *°^in' *lone ane he went there an1 * *y to rqpe 9er#Ma pull his ears almos9 oxx so he let fer off an9 gone an1 tell pa he better talk to ma,Fa wus workin1 in the salt pen an* w9en m% inning tell him he jus* laugh cus e know w why ma did it* JUere wus a rambiy doc cor on de plantation name James Hibbms.&y eye use to run water a lot anf he take out my eye an1 couidn* put it back m,aats why i a© bimf now»He ax ma an1 pa not to say anything fbout it cus he'd lost his job an* hab his license take 'way.So ma anf pa even dicta' say any- thing even to Mr.-"inning as to the truth or my blin'neasu 1 wus by the "nigger quarters91 one day w'en Blake,che overseer scarf to lick a slave.She take the whip frum him an1 close de door an* give him a snake beatin1. Uur boss had 9bout shree bundled acres o9 lan1 an1 ober a hund'ed alaves.De overseer never wake de slaves.Uey could go in the lie!1 any time in (he mornin1 cus ebery body wus given their tas9 work on Monday Mornin*«No body neber werk w9en it rain er coie^uttin9 make Lias Vanning se sad as w9en one I S-260-S64-N Project #I6bb Augustus Ladson Pa|e III 168 iX-SUVS com *d. would steaijit make him morocious.Any one he cetch stealin* wus sure to git a good whippin'#He dicta1 like lor any one to light eider * tfey tell me da* w'en s^av08, mis shipped so New Orleans day had so be dress-up in nice cioshes*My pa could rea* an1 wise cus he live9 in sj&e city here.his missus seach him. Isaac Wigrali run 9way an1 went so Florida an1 meet a whise man on a horse with a gun#He ax de man for a p|?jjifcs o# tobacco/rhe man give him de gun so hole while he gis she tobacco t'j* hiauiaaec sake she gun an9 poins it at she man an1 ax 9ito,Myou know wha9 in dis gunj^e man go s frighsen9 an* he sell de mafc "you besser be gone or 1*11 empty is in you#fhrhe man gone an* come back wood a g*oup o1 men an1 houndogs#He'd juaf make it so de river 9fore she dogs catch hitzuHe had a pefce of light-wood knot an' ebery time a gog git near he hit um on de neck an1 kill* all o9 shenuxhe men wens back to git more help an1 dogs but wfen dey gis back laaac wus gone* Mere wus a coliud church fifteen miles frum Mt•Pleasant w9ere we went so service.De preacher wus name9 John Henry uoe.i use so like to sing dis song: Hun away,run away Kun away^run away Sojus of she cross* UHORUS Hole on,hole on Hole on,hole on Hole on,hole on Hole on , so Jus of she cross* tta too use to sing dat song* S-260-264-*! project $!6t>5 Augustus Ladson Page IV i 69 SX-3LAVB! cont *d. j>ere use to be dances almos' ebery week an9 the older beys an1 gals s/alk twelve miles dis to be dere.Some time there v.us a t am bonne beater, tome time dey use' ole wash tubs an* beat it woodr sticksfanf some time dey jus1 clap their han*s«W en any one die dey wus bury in the mornin* or early afternoon* i always play wood ghost cus X wus bofn with a °caXiM#i kin see the ghost jus' is plain is ebber.Sorae tj.roe X see some X know an1 again others X don' know#Oniy tbing you can1 see their feet cus dey walk on* de grounds'/on x use to see dem my sister would put sand on de fire den dey would go an1 1 wouidn1 see any for a long time .One mornin* my uncle wus pas sin1 a church anf a ghost ap- pear1 on the porch.My uncle had a dog wood *im .He start to run an1 the dog start co run too,an' down the road dey went.He dicta* hab on anything but his shirt an* he say he run so fas1 ftix the wind had his shirt-tail stif as a board.He couidn* out run the dog,nor could the dog out run 'ia, Dis is a spiritual dey use to sing durin1 slavery: Ulimb up de walls of Zion Ah,Lord> Uiimb up de walXs of <£ion AhfLorcl#(;xlmbin, up de walls of Zion AhfLord. Glim bin1 up de wails or zdon Ah9Lord9 at eat camp meet in4 m the promise lan% My pa use to sing dis song; See wfenf6 rise Kiae an9 gone, See *-fen 4e riae His. an' gone. S-26*-264-w Project 3fi6bb Augustus Laason Pgaa V iS)C-3LAVi£ cont'd* (fona 50 uaiiiee on a Sunaay Morning* Oh,my Jesus rise an1 gone *o ttalnee On a Sunday Mornings tira usa co sing dis in expeiience meeim'ss Go round,go round Look at the mornin* star, uo round,go round Got a soul co savs, UHUrtUS 5iU3n* 101 oia sasan 1 tfouian* have to pray, Satan broke (fad's Hoiy Law l gok a soui to save* Dey usa 10 sing dis isooj Koom Ano ugh, room anou^h hoom anough ,room anough Koom anougb in da Heaven l know, 1 ean't stay away, noora anougb in da Heaven i know, i can*c stay away. SOUKQS 170 interview with Ihomaa Cioodwatar9i08 Anaon Stress* P#S* The variations of words and sent ensas describe interviews witn individuals,naturally* Oode ITo. Ifo.^fbyftr » Project, 1885-(1) Reduced from_____words Prepared by Annie Ruth Bavis Rewritten "by ._,- Place, Marion, S.C._______________________ 171 Date, August 51, 1937 Page 1. GHABLIB Q&iJST iqf1P7A Sx-Slave, 85 Years OJU£JO "I born de 24th day of February, 1852 bout 1# miles of Mars Bluff. My father, Western Wilson, belonged to Col. William Wilson en my mamma name Ohrisie Johnson. She belong- ed to Dr. William Johnson en we stay dere wid him four or five years after freedom. Dr. Johnson old home still standin yonder, It de Rankin h0me. I drive ©arts under dat house lots of times in slavery time." (The house is built high off the ground.) "Dr. Johnson was a mighty able man, a stiff one, able one. He kill one hundred head of hoge to feed his nigg-ers wid. Oh, 1 don1 know how many acres of land in his plantation, but I reckon dere be bout 1,000 or more acres of land. He have slave house all de way from de side of his house to (Pyner. Be overseer stay on de lower end of street dat bout % mile long en all de niggers house up from de overseer to Br. Johnson house. Over hundreds of dem dere." "Dr. Johnson en his wife was good to dey niggers as dey could want anybody to be. Had plenty to eat en plenty ©lothes to wear all de time. He give all de slaves out something on Saturday or he give dem more any time dey needed it. Just go en say, 'Boss, I ain1 got no rations en I need some.' Dey give us meat en bread en molasses to eat mostly, but didn1 have no wheat flour den. Dey plant 10 or 80 acres Coda No. Project, 1885-(1) Prepared by Annie Bath Davis Plaoe, Marion, S.C. Bate, August 31, 1937 Ho. Words Hedueed from_ Rewritten by" words Page 2. 172 of strangle top oane en make de molasses en sugar out dat* Bill Thomas mash it together en oook it for de molftases* Den he take oane en eook it down right low en make sugar, hut it waan' like de sugar you buy at de store now days. 0h> yes, de slaves had dey own garden dat day work at night en especially moonlight nights eause dey had to work in de field all day till sundown. Mamma had a big garden an plant oollards en everything like dat you want to eat." "All de niggers dat live in de quarters had bunk beds to sleep on what was thing dat have four legs en mattress put on it. Have mixed bed dat dey make out of ootton en shucks. De boy ohillun have shuok bed en de girl chillun have ootton bed." "De peoples bout dere have good clothes to wear in dat day en time. Dey was homemade clothes. My mamma spin en send dem to de loom house en den dey dye dem wld persimmon juice en different things like dat to make all kind of oolors. Dey give us ootton suit to wear on Sunday en de nicest leather shoes dat dey make right dere at home. Clean de hair off de leather just as clean as anything en den de shoemaker out en saw de shoes. Vidge frank father de shoemaker. yidge Frank live down dere at Claussen dis side de planing mill." "I hear dem tell dat my grandparents oome from Africa* Bay fooled dem to oome or I ©alls it foolin dem* De peoples go to Africa en when dey go to dock, dey blow whistle en de peoples oome from all over de country to see what it was. Dey Code lo. Projeot, 1885-(l) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.G. Date, August 31, 1937 lo. Words____ Seduced from_ Rewritten by" word* Page 3, 173 fool dem on de vessel en give dem something to eat. Shut dem up en don1 let dem get out. Some of dem jump over board en try to get home, but dey oouldn' swim en go down, lots of dem still lost down dere in de sea or I reckon dey still down dere oause dey ain' got baok yet. De peoples tell dem dey gwine bring dem to a place whe1 dey can live." nI tellin you dat was a good place to-live in slavery time. I didn' have to do nothin but mind de sheep en de cows en de goats in dat day en time. All de slaves dat was field hands, dey had to work mighty hard. De overseer, he pretty rough sometimes. He tell dem what time to get up en sound de horn for dat time. Had to go to work fore daybreak en if dey didn1 be dere on time en work like dey ought to, de overseer sho whip dem. Tie de slaves clear de ground by dey thumbs wid nigger cord en make dem tiptoe en draw it tight as could ,be. Pull clothes off dem fore dey tie dem up. Dey didn1 care nothin bout It* Let everybody look on at it. I know when dey whip my mamma. Gr*at God, in de morninl Dey sho had whippin posts en whippin houfc^s too in dem days, but didn1 have no jail. I remember dey whipped dem by de gin house. De men folks was put to de post what had holes bored, in it whe1 dey pull strings through to fasten dem up in dere. Dey oatoh nigger wid book, dey ax you what dat you got dere en whe1 you get it from, fell you fering it here en den dey carry you to de whippin post for dat. So men folks whip me. Women folks whip me wid four plaitted Code Ho. Project, 188ft-(l) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, liar ion, S.C. Bate, August 31, 1937 Ho. Words___ Reduced from_ Rewritten by" words ±74 Page 4. raw cowhide whip." "Hirers went to white peoples church in dat day en time. Dr. Johnson ride by himself en bought carriage for niggers to drive his girls dere to Hopewell Church below Claussen. You know whe' dat is, don' you? Miss Litfeie (Dr. Johnson'B daughter) good teacher. She sent me to de gallery en I reoolleot it well she told me one Sunday dat if I didn' change my chat, dey were gwine to whip me. She say, 'You ohillun go up in de gallery en behave yourself. If you do»|, I gwine beat you Monday.' Dey had oattoftlftm what dey teach you en she say, 'Charlie, who made you?1 X tell her papa made me. She ax me another time who made me en I tell her de same thing another time. I thought X was right* I sho thought I was right. She took de Bible en told me God made me. I 8ho thought papa made me en X go home en tell papa Miss Lizsie say she gwine beat me Monday morn in. He az me what I been do in outtln up in church. 1 say, •! wasn' do in no thin. She ax me who made me en I tell her you made me.1 He told me dat God made me. Say he made Miss Lizzie en he made everybody. *in' nobody tell me dat fore den, but I saved my beaten eause I changed my ohat." **I hear tell bout de slaves would run away en go to Canada. Put Bigger dogs after dem, but some of dem would get dere some-, how or another,, If I was livin on your plaoe, X wouldn' dare to go to another house widout I had a permit from my Mass a or de overseer. We slip off en de patroller oatoh en whip us„ One Code So. Io. lords Project, 1885-(1) Reduced from Irords Prepared fey Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten fey _ Plaoe, Ifiarion, S.G» ___________________ 175 Date, August 31, 1937 Page 6. time dey give my daddy a quilting en ax several women to oome dere. Dey had a lot of chillun to cover en give a quilting so dey oan cover dem up. Mistress tell dem to give so en so dis much en dat much scraps from de loom house. I was settin dere in de corner en dey blow cane. Common reed make music en dance by it. Dat de only way niggers had to make music. Dance en hlow.oane dat night at grandmother's house (Wilson plaoe). Dey was just a pat tin en danoin en gwine on. I was sittin up in de corner en look up en patrol was standin in de door en call patrol. When dey hear dat, dey know something gwine to do. Dey took Uncle Mac Gibson en whip him en den dey take one by one out en whip dem. then dey got house pretty thin en was bout to get old man Gibson, he take hoe like you work wid eh put it in de hot ashes. People had to out wood en keep fire burnin all de year cause didn* have no matches den. Old man Gibson went to de door en throwed de hot ashes in de patrol face. Dey try to whip us, but de old man Gibson tell dem dey got no right to whip his niggers. ¥e run from whe* we at to our home. Dey tried four year& to catch my daddy, but dey oouln1 never catch him. He was a slick nigger." "I don* remember what kind of medicines dey use in slavery time, but I know my mamma ttsed to look after de slaves when dey get sick. Saw one child bout year or two old took sick en died en Lester Small want me to dig it up en carry Mm to de office. Code Ho. Project, 1885-(l) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, August 31, 1937 Ko. ¥ords___ Reduced frorn^ Rewritten by" words Page 6. 176 I expect dey gwine be dere, but dey never come. I took it out en laid it on de bank in sheet dat dey give me. Den I picked it up en carried it in de house. It smeared me up right bad, but I carried it in de office en he look at it. He put it in de oorner en say, 'You can go.' Pay me $ 2.00. Dr. Johnson want to cut dat child open. Dat what he want wid it. I know dis much dat dey use different kind of roots for dey medicines en I see dem wear dime in dey clothes dat dey tell me was to keep off de rheumatism. Send to Philadelphia to get dat kind of dime." WI tellin you time hard dese days. I had strike here en can* work, but I doin de best I can. Miss Robinson help me daughter de de best she can. Do washin en ironin. Miss Robinson say she gwine give me old age pension. I ask Miss Robinson, I say, 'I livin now en can1 get nothin. If I die, would you help my chillun bury me?' She say, 'I will do de beet I can to help put you away nice.* Mise Robinson good lady," Source: Charlie Gafant, ex-slave, age86, Florence, S.C* Personal interview by H. Grady Davis and Mrs* Luoile Young, Florence, S.C, May 11, 1937, Project #-1655 A ¦ ^_ Folklore Phoebe Paucette jkk _ ""-> / / /' r) Hampton County /J'Z&K/ / (/{^{^^¦£-*- \L,.^<^ NINETY TWO YEAR OLD NEGRO TELLS OF EARLY LWS AS SLAVE In Hampton County at Lena, S. C, there lives an old negro woman who has just passed her ninety-second birthday, and tells of those days long ago when man was bound to man and families were torn apart against their will. Slowly she draws the cur- tain of Time from those would-be-forgotten scenes of long ago that cannot ever be entirely obliterated from the memory. "Well, just what is it you want to hear about, Missus?" "Anything, everything, Auntie, that you remember about the old days before the Civil War. Just what youfve told your grand-daughter, May, and her friend, Alice, here, many times, is what I want to hear." "Tell her, mamma," said Alice with a whoop of laughter, "about the time when your Missus sent you to the store with a note1" "Oh thatI Not that Missus?" "Yes, Auntie thati" "Well, * was just a little girl about eight years old, stay* ing in Beaufort at de Missus* house, polishing her brass and- irons, and scrubbing her floors, when one morning she say to me, 'Janie, take this note down to Mr. Wilcox Wholesale Store on Bay Street, and fetch me back de package de clerk gie (give) you.1 "I took de note. De man read it, and he say, ,Uh - huh*. Den he turn away and he come back wid a little package which I took back to de Missus. Project #-1655 page . g -f^ft Phoebe Paucette 1'° Hampton County "She open it when I bring it in, and say, tQo upstairs, Miss I« "it was a raw cowhide strap bout two feet long, and she started to pourin' it on me all de way up stairs. I didn't know what she was whippin' me bout; but she pour it on, and she pour it on. "Turrectly she say, 'You can't say "Marse Henry", Miss? You can't say, "Marse Henry"I' "Yes'm. Yes'm. I kin say, tjjarse HenryU "Marse Henry was just a little boy bout three or four years old. Come bout halfway up to me. Wanted me to say/^ Massa to him, a babyl" "How did Jrou happen to go to Beaufort, Auntie? You told me you were raised right here in Hanpton County on the Stark Plantation." I was, Miss. **ut my mother and four of us children (another was born soon afterwards) were sold to ^r. Robert Oswald in Beaufort. I was de oldest, then there was brother Ben, sister De^ia, sister Elmira, and brother Joe that was born in Beaufort. My father belong to Marse Tom Willingham; but my mother belong to another white man. Marse Tom was always trying to buy us so we could all be together, but de man wouldn't sell us to him. Marse Tom was a Christian gentle- man! I believe he seek religion same as any colored person. And pray I Oh, that was a blessed white mani A blessed white Project #-1655 page .3 * ^q Phoebe Paucette x/'c* Hanpton County manl And Miss Mamie, his daughter, was a Christian lady. Every Wednesday afternoon she'd fill her basket with coffee, tea, sugar, tobacco and such things, and go round to de houses where dere was old folks or sick folks. She'd give um de things; and she'd read de scriptures to um, and she'd kneel down and pray for um. But we had to leave all de folks we knew when we was took to Beaufort. "All of us chillun, too little to work, used to have to stay at de * Street * • Dey'd have some old folks to look after us - some old man, or some old woman. Dey'd clean off a place on de ground near de washpot where dey cooked de peas, clean it off real clean, den pile de peas out dere um on de ground for us to eat. We'd pick/^ip in our hands and begin to eat. Sometimes dey'd cook hoe cakes in a fire of coals* Dey'd mix a little water with de meal and m&e a stiff dough that could be patted into shape with de hands* De cakes would be put right into the fire, and would be washed off clean after they were racked out from de coals* Sometimes de Massa would have me mindin' de birds off de corn* But 'fore I left Beaufort, I was doin* de Missus' washin' and irohin' • I was fifteen years old when I left Beaufort, at de time freedom was declared* We were all re- united den. First, my mother and de young chillun, den I got back* My uncle, Jose Jenkins come to Beaufort and stole me by night from my Missus* He took me wid him to hie home ll^fefc^X:,-. Project #-1655 Page - 4 180 Phoebe Faucette Hampton County in Savannah, We had been done freed; but he stole me away from de house. When my father heard that I wasn't wid de others, he sent my grandfather, Isaac, to hunt me. «Vhen he find me at my unclefs house, he took me back. We walk- ed all back - sixty-four miles. I was foundered. You know if'n a foundered person will jump over a stick of burn- ing lightwood, it will make urn feel better." "Tell us, Auntie, more about the time when you and your mother and brothers and sisters had just gone to Beaufort. "Well mam. My mother say she didn't know a soul. All de time she'd be prayin' to de Lord. She'd take us chillun to de woods to pick up firewood, and we'd turn around to see her down on her knees behind a stump, aprayin'. We'd see her wipin' her eyes wid de corner of her apron, first one eye, den de other, as we come along back. Den, back in de house, down on her knees, she'd be aprayin'. One night she say she been down on her knees aprayin' and dat when she got up, she looked out de door and dere she saw comin* down out de elements a man, pure white and shining. He got right before her door, and come and stand right to her feet, and say, *Sarah, Sarah, Sarahl" "Yes, Sir." "ifflhat is you- fr*ttin' bout so?" "Sir, I'm a stranger here, parted from my husband, with five little chillun and not a morsel of bread." Project #-<1655 Page - 5 iR-f Phoebe Paucette x x Hanpton County "You say you're parted from your husbaid? You*re not parted from your husband. You're jest over a little slash of water. Suppose you had to undergo what I had to. I was nailed to the Cross of Mount Calvary. And here I am today. Who do you put your trust in? "My mother say after dat, everything just flow along, just as easy. Now my mother was an unusually good washer and ironer. De white folks had been sayin*, 'Wonder who it is that's makin* de clothes look so good.' Well, bout dis time, dey found out; and dey would come bringin' her plenty of washin' to do. And when dey would come dey would bring her a pan full of food for us Chilians. Soon de other white folks from round about heard of her and she was gettin' all de washin* she needed. She would wash for de Missus durin1 de day, and for de other folks at night. And dey all was good to her. "One day de Missus call her to de house to read her something from a letter she got. De letter say that my father had married another woman. My mother was so upset she say, 'I hope he breaks dat woman's jawbone. 'She know she aint his lawful wife.' And dey say her wish come true. Dat was just what happened. "But we all got together again and I thanks de good Lord. I gets down on my knees and prays. I thanks de Lord for His mercy and His goodness to me every day. Every time I eats, I folds my hands and thanks Him for de food. He's de one that sent it, and I thanks Him. Then, on my knees, I thanks him. Project #-1655 Page - 6 18*^ Phoebe Paucette 'w Hampton County 'Aunt Jane receives an ample pension since her husband fought on the side with the Federals. He was known as James Lawton before the war, but became, James Lawton Grant after the war. Source: Mrs. DeLacy Wyman, Mgr. Pyramid Pecan Grove, Lena, S.C. ^ebecca Jane Grant, ninety-two year old resident of Lena, S. C. Project #-1655 Phoebe Paucette 390013 18*5 Hampton County a«jc# REBECCA JANE GRANT "Yes, Ma'am," Aunt Beckie said, "I remembers you, you Miss Mamie Willin#iam' granddaughter. She was sure a good woman. She'd fill her buggy with sugar, tea, coffee and tobacco, and go every Thursday to see the sick and old people. She wouldn't except none - white or colored. No'm she wouldn't except none I That's the kind of folks you sprung from. You's got a good heritage. "The most of what I remembers before the war was when I was in ^eaufort. They used to take care of the widows then. Take it by turns. There was a lady, Miss Mary Ann Baker, whose husband had been an organist in the church. When he died they would all take turns caring for Miss Mary Ann. I remember I'd meet her on de street and I'd say, 'Good mornin' Miss Mary Ann.1 'Morning Janie.' 'How you this mornin' Miss Mary Ann?' She'd say, 'Death come in and make alterations, and hard living make contrivance.' She'd take any old coat, or anything, and make it over to fit her children, and look good, too. She was a great seamstress. You'd see her children when they turn out on de street and they looked the same as some rich white people's children. Nearly all of her children was girls. Had one boy, as well as I kin remember. MDey used to make de clothes for de slaves in de house. Had a seamstress to stay there in de house so de mistress could supervise the work. De cloth de clothes was made out of was hand woven. It was dyed in pretty colors - some green, some blue, and pretty colors. And it was strong cloth, too. Times got so hard during de war dat de white folks had to use de cloth Project #-1655 ^ m 2 Phoebe Faucet te s lo-l Hampton County woven by hand, themselves. De ladies would wear bustles, and whoops made out of oak. Old times, they'd make underbodies with whalebone in it. There was something they'd put over the ijShoop they call, »Follow me, boy* ? Used to wear the skirts long, with them long trains that trail behind you. You'd take and tuck it up behind on some little hook or some- thing they had to fasten it up to. &nd the little babes had long dresses. Come down to your feet when you hold the baby in your lap. And embroidered from the bottom of the skirt all the way up. Oh, they were embroidered up in the finest sort of embroidery. f,One day when I was nursing, my Missus* son - him and I been one age, 'bout the same age - he go up town and buy a false face. How I didn't see nuthin' like dat before I He put dat thing on and hide behind de door. I had de baby in my arms, and when I start toward de door with de baby, he jump out at me I I threw the baby clean under the bed I was so scared. If it had of killed it, it wouldn't been me. It'd been deml Gause I aint never seen sech a thing before. "You say what sdioolin' de slaves got? They didn't get none - unless it was de bricklayers and such like, and de seamstresses. If de masters wanted to learn them, they'd let 'em hold de book. 'But they wouldn't miss de catechism. And they was taught they must be faithful to the Missus and Harsa's work like you would to your heavenly Father's work. "Didn't have no colored churches. De drivers anfl de over- Project #-1655 page . 3 >«q« Phoebe Feucette x^^ Hampton County seers, de house-servants, de bricklayers and folks like dat'd go to de white folkfs church. But not de field hands. Why dey couldn't have all got in de church. My marsa had three or four hundred slaves, himself• And most of the other white folks had just as many or more. But them as went would sing I Oh they'd singi I remember two of fem specially. One was a man and he'd sing bas^. Oh, he'd roll it down I The other was a woman, and she'd sing sopranol They had colored preach- ers to preach to de field hands down in de quarters. Dey'd preach in de street. Meet next day to de marsa's and turn in de report. How many pray, how many ready for baptism and all like dat. used to have Sabbath School in de white people's house, in de porch, on Sunday evening. De porch was big and dey'd fill dat porchI They never fail to give de chillun Sabbath School. Learn them de Sabbath catechism, ""e'd sing a song the church bells used to ring in Beaufort. You never hear it any more. But I remembers it." The old woman sang the song for me as melodiously and beautifully as any young person. The words are: WI want to be an anfeel, and with an angel stand, A crown upon my forehead, a harp within my hand. Right there before my Saviour, so glorious and so bright, I»ll hear the sweetest music, and praise Him day and night." "Old Parson Winborn Lawton used to preach for us after the war until we got our church organised. He had a daughter named Project #-1655 Page - 4 -fflfi Phoebe Paucette 1UU Hampton County Miss Anna Lawton. At the white folk's church at Lawtonville they had a colored man «iho used to sing for them, by the name of Moses Murray. He'd sit there back of the organ and roll down on them basjB, Roll down just like de organ roll I He was Moses Lawton at that time, you know* "You know how old I am? I'm in my 94th year. Ella has a dream book she looks up my age in and tells me what luck I have, and all that, I generally had good luck," Source: Rebecca Jane Grant, 93 years old, Lena, S, C, 390081 Project 1885-(1) FOLKLORE Edited by: j[Q7 Sparfcanburg, S*C* r#v. Williams District No*"4. May 26* 1937* STORIES OF EX-SLAVES "MosT everybody know my name* You gotta help me* Oh, yeahj dat's what I goes by* It's Brack; dey calls me ole uncle BrackJ "Look out, over darl" said a negro who was standing nearby* "Uncle Brack, you know you is got mo' names dan dat* Why* everwhar you goes, dey calls you a different name*" "Shet up, you sassy-mouth niggeri* Uncle Brack waved his stick as the younger negro moved out of its reach* Uncle Brack walks with two sticks nearly all the time* He is bent almost double* "He de greatest nigger rascal a-gwine," Uncle Brack said* "He jest dream all de time, and dreams don't nebber amount to nothin1* Dem dreams what he carries on wid in de daytime* dey is what makes him tell so maoy lies* De idea* talking like I has a different name everwhar I goes* when I donft go nowhar* lffhy* I can't hardly hobble to de stof* "Dey mus, help me* I took down sick in November* Mr* Rice sent me things* Tou govfment folks ain't sont me much as Mr* Rice and de good white folks what likes me* I'se bawn ten years when Freedom con» out* Benn seventy-odd years since Freedom* ain't it* Cap? "Dr* Jim Gibbs was migjhly good to me* You sees dat Itse a~gwine about now* Dr* Gibbs come from Aiken to Union and sot -2- 188 up a drug stof whar Cohen's is now* Dr* Gibbs was a Charles- ton man, but I is a Kentucky darky* Dr* Gibbs brung me from Kentucky to Charleston when I was five years old# % ma was de one dat dey bought• Dr* Gibb** wife was a Bohen up in Ken- tucky, When Dr* Gibbs fetch his wife to Charleston, he bought my ma from his wifefs pa, and she fetch me along too, flIt ten of clock befo1 I can creep* Dat de reason dat I has to beg, Wasnft fer my age, I wouldnft ax nobody fer nothing* De Lawd done spared me fer sooaethin1 and I carries on de best dat I can. Doctor say he couldn't do no good* Dat been five years ago de fust time I tuck down* Doctors steadies about money too much* I trustes de Lawd, He spare me to dis day, I can't hardly walk, and I jus* can't bear fer nothing to touch dis foot* I has to use two sticks to walk* (Uncle Brack punched his foot with a stick; then looked up and saw two negro girls approach- ing* )• As the girls got opposite Uncle Brack, he threw his stick in front of them and they exclaimed, !tIs dat you, Uncle Brack? How did you get up here?" Uncle Brack replied, l!I never meant fer you to git by me* Jes kaize I8se ole, ain't no reason fer you not speaking to me*M As the girls walked on, Uncle Brack said, WI flirts wil all de colored gals, and I also has a passing word for dm white ladies as dey goes by*" "I used to work at the baker shop over dar when Mr* James* chilluns was little saplings* Ifse gwine on eighty-six and dam big boys raise dey hats to me* White people has respec' for me kaize I ain't never been in jail* I knows how to carry myself, and I specs to die dat way if I can* Lil chile what jus' could -3 talk good gived me a penny dis mavming. f,I used to could read* I learnt to read in Aiken, when school fust broke out to de colored people. Northern ; j i / people teached me to read long time ago. Now my eyes is dim** i SOURCE: JOHN GRATES, (Col. 86) N. Church St., Union, S.C. Interviav/er: Caldwell Sims, Union, S.C. (2/27/37) 4 189 project 1885-1 FOLKLORE 390238 Edited by: 190 Spartanburg, DistU Elmer Turnage Sept. 8, 1937 STORIES Of EX-SLAVES "Miss Alice Cannon give me my age from de foundation of my mother. Dey been bringing my things out to me — is dat what you'se doing, setting down here by me? I was born on de first Christmas Day, I means de 25th of December, 1855; in Newberry County on de Sam Cannon place. You had to turn off de Ashford ferry Road about seven and a half miles from de town of Newberry. My mother was Prances Cannon of near Cannon Creek Church. r "I'll try to give you a straight definition. Old man Sim Gallman was my old missus' brother; she was Miss Viny Cannon. My boss was overseer for Mr. Geo.. Gallman. We was on Mr. George's place. When Mr. Gallman started overseeing, Sir. Sim Gallman come over dar for dem to take his place and care for him. "My boss, Sam Cannon, promised me a place. Miss ?iny Cannon suckled me and her son Henry at de same time, me on one knee and Henry on t'other. Dey calls me 'Timber'. Miss Sallie said to us atter Freedom, 'You ain't got no marsters'. I cried. My Ma.let me stay wid Miss Sallie. Mr. Henry Gallman promised to.marry Miss Sally Cannon, my young missus; but he went to- de war and never come back home no mo*. Mr. Jeff Gallman went, but he come back wid one arm. Mr. Tom Gallman went and married his first cousin, Miss Addie Cannon; he never got to go to de war. *»$y father was a full-blooded Indian from Virginia. He wqs a refugee.. But you know dat dey had a way of selling people back den. f^ebody caught him android him at one of dem sales. De man what Stories Of Ex-Slaves --(Sim Greeley) Page 2 191 bought him was Mr. Jeff Buzzard. He went back to Virginia atter de surrender. I would not go. He took another woman on de place, and my mother would not let me go. De woman's name dat he took was Sara Dan- by. She had two brothers and a sister -- Samuel,Coffee, and Jenny. "My mother was mixed Indian and African blood. My folks got 'stroyed up in a storm. Wy grandfather was named Isaac Kaltiwanger. My grandmother, his wife, was named Annie. Dey had one child who was my mother; her name Frances. My grandmother's name was Molly Stone. "My parents, talking 'bout de Africans, how funny dey taiked. Uncle Sonny and uncle Sdmund Ruff was two of de old'uns. Old man Charles Slibe was de preacher. He was a Methodist. My father was a • Baptist. His white folks, de Billy Caldwells, prepared de barn for him to preach to dere slaves. In dat day, all de Africans was low chunky fellers and raal black. Dey said dat in Africa, little chil- luns run 'round de house and de fattest one fail behind; den dey kill him and eat him. Dat's de worst dat I ever heard, 0 Lawdr MI hates dat Missus didn't whip me mo' and let me be teached to read and write so dat I wouldn't" be so ignant. "Jor de neuralgia, take and tie two or three nutmegs around yo' neck. Tie brass buttons around de neck to stop de nose a-bleteding. Greeley»s house has four rooms and it is in great need of repair. It is badly kept and so are the other houses in'^owler's Row". He lives with his wife, Eula, out she was not name during the visit. *My house 'longs to a widder woman. She white but I does not know her name. Her collector is Mr. Wissnance (Whisenant). He got a office.over here on E. Main St., right up in de town. I rents by de month but I pays by de week — a dollar. De house sho is gwine down. Rest of de houses on de Row is repaired, but mine ain't yet; Stories Of Ex-Slaves — (Sim Greeley) Page & so she have Mr. Wissnanee drap off twenty-five cents, and now I is paying only seventy-five cents a week. Me and Eula has to go amongst de white folks fer bread and other little things. Ain»t got no bread from 'Uncle Sam* since last August, See my tater patch, wid knee- high vines. "De case worker want to git my age and whar I»s born. I tolk her jest what I told you. she say she got to have proof; so I told her to write Mr. Cannon Blease who was de sheriff^ I means de High Sheriff, fer nigh thirty years in Newberry. And does you know, she never even heard of Mr. Cannon Blease. Never had no money but Mr. Blease knowed it, so he up and sont my kerrect age anyway. It turn't out jest 'zactly like I told you it was. What worried me de mostest, is dat she never knowed Mr. Cannon ^lease. Is you ever heard of seeh a thing as a lady like dat not knowing Mr. Blease? *Now Mr. Dr. Snyder is a man dat ain't setting here 'sleep. He's a mill'onaire, kaise he run Woffor.d College and. it must take a million dollars to do dat, it sho must. My case worker knowed him, *De case worker calls me 'Preacher', but I ain't got up to dat yet — I ain't got dat fer. I been sold out twice in insurance. I give my last grand-baby de name 'Roosevelt', and his daddy give him 'Henry'. His Ma never give him none. Some folks loads down babies and kills dem wid names, but his fija never wanted to do dat. so us jest calls him Henry Roosevelt. Us does not drap none and us does not leave none out, *!©nt to church one night and left my pocketbook in a box on my mantel. Had #120.00 in it in paper, and $8 in silver. S©me niggers dat had been watching m© broke down my do' dat I had locked, ley took d© #120 and left^de #8. Went home and I seed dat broke &o». ^t^W-'^^^^^^W^^^^^^WW^^^^^^ Stories Of Ex-Slaves -- (Sim Greeley) Page 4. I went straight to my mantel? and see'd what was done. Dey never bothered de books and papers in dat box. Next morning, de nigger what lived next do* to me was gone. I went to a old fortune teller, a man; he say I know dat you lost a lot. De one I thought got de money, he said, was not de right one. He say dat three hobos,:- got it. One had red hair, one sandy hair and de other had curly hair. He say somebody done cited dem and dey sho going to be caught dis very day. He say dat dey cone from.Asheville. But he was wroAg, kaise dey ain't never caught no three hobos dat I ever learn1t about. *0ne day when I was plowing, I struck de plow 'ginst some- thing. My plow knocked off de handle. I heard money rattle. It ring- ed $hree times. I couldn't see nothing, so I called my wife and son and dey looked, but we never found but five cents. Never in my life did I hear of a bank in.slavery times. Everybody buried dere money and sometimes dey forgot where dey put it, I thought dat I had run on some of dat money den, but I never found none. Lots of money buried somewhars, and folks died and never remembered whar it was". "J, nigger republican leader got kilt. I hel't de hosses fBr de Ku klux. Great God-a-mighty, Dave and pick Gist and Mr Cald- well run de sto* at de Hutherford place in dem times, feeder of dem hosses was Edmund Chalmers. Mr. Dick say, 'Hello, Edmund, how come- dem mules so po» when you got good corn everywhar — what, you stealing corn, too?' Mr. Qatzel say, 'Yes, I cotch him wid a basket on his shoulder.»~ 'Whar was you carrying it?' Edmund say, 'To Mr, Caldwell'. Mr. Caldwellsay he ain't see'd no corn. Dey took Edmund to de jail. He had been taking cora and selling it to de carpetbagg gears, and dat ores ma fer de Ku Elux h©sses. Stories Of Ex-Slaves .. (Sim Greeley) l^^e i "Dere was a Mr. Brown, a white man, dat come up to live in Newberry. Dey called him a refugee. Us called him Mr. 'Refugee Brown'. He was sorter destituted and not a bit up-to-date. He set- tled near de Gibson place. I fed de Gibson boys' fox-dogs about dat time fer dem. "I want to git right wid you, now; so I can meet you lovely. In '73, I thought someone was shaking my house; I come out doors wid my gun; see'd white and colored coming together. Everybody was scared. All got to hollering and some prayed. I thought dat de earth gwine to be shook to pieces fcy jaorning. I thought of old-Nora (Noah). "Dem Bible folks see'd a little hand-span cloud. Nora had done built him a house three stories high. Dat little cloud busted. Water riz in de second story of de wicked king's palace. He sont fer de northern lady. When she come a-shaking and a-twisting in de room de king fell back in his chair. He say dat he give her anything she want, all she got to do. is ask fer it. She say to cut off John Wesley's head and bring it to her. De king had done got so suluc- tious dat he done it. Mt king and all of dem got drowned. Nora put a lot-, of things in de ark dat he could have left out, sech as snakes and other varments; but de ark floated off anyhow. No sir, dat wasn't de Clifton flood, dat was Nora's flood." Sourcej ilia* Gteeiey (§8), 880 fowler's low, Spartanburg, S.C. Iatej^ S.C. (8/ST/37} K^^p^,^:^'?i^^#^;^^^t/ ¦:-:M S-260-264-W Pr©je« #X6 Augustus? La ChariestonfS#C# Page X 1 QfS Project fits* 390138 No%ords:I497 X* Augustus? Ladson ouuxou SJt-SLAVE BORN DlflCSMBSR 2b,1843 COWARD MASTER RAN CTO CIVIL tiAR—LJEAVlNG HIM 1 i«as bo*n m UharXesten at 82 King Street, Dec amber 25,1843 .me no use is stall there who1 recent owner is Judge 'rihaJLey«kuy ma an* pa was Kate an9 John ureen«My ma had saber) chxxxun (boys) en X em the xast of *em«Their names was: Henry, Scipio, *-xxis,.Nathaniexfhobert ,l/ikeiX,an9 myself* srom ihe Seuth-iSast of Galhoun Street,which was then Sundry atreet,ie she Battery was the city ximat an1 from the Korth-^est oi Boundry °treet tor eev'als mil ©a was nothm* but f**m xancuAxx my brothers was rafm hanfa for our master,George w«Jones*x did axx the house work *tii the wav w9em X was giver te iir/vrm.Jones*s son,tfautt*Jones as his "daiXy give servant•' who9 duty was to cxean bis boots,ahoes,sword,an* make his coffee «He was Kirs1 Lieutenant of the South Car'line Company Ksgiment•Eein9 his servant,xwear axx his cas* oil clothes which 1 was gxad to havejay shoes was caxx* bregan that haa b*&ss on the toe^*en a slave had one of 'em you couxdn't texx fem he wasn't aress1 to death* As the "daixy gave servant "of A&r«'*ia«H« Jones X had to go to Virginia auric' the wafum the battxe at hichmond Gen1 ax Lee tod Gen9ax Grant axmos* beaten#Be drive hitm aXmes* in the Potomac Kiver,an* then take seven peices ox his artillery.^'en Genfel tfrant see how near defeat he was,he put up a white fxag as a signal for time out to bury has deads«iiiiem got fa©me*He went up m the attic an1 stay* there 9tii the way was end'.i carry ail his meals to him an* ten him all the newscaster show was a frighten1 nian;i was sorry for hinu ibat battle at Kichmond,Virginia was the wors* in American history* ? i*r*(/eorge A• Jones,my, master,ran a biockaae «He had ships roamm* the sea to capture pirates ships *Fe had a aaughter,ifiiien,wfcc was always km* to the slaves*Master had a driver,#iiiiam Jenkins,an* an1 s* overseer,Henry Brown* Both was white.xhe driver see that the work was done by the supervision ox (he overseer •Master* fafm amounted to twenty-five acres with 'bout eighteen slaves* xhe overseer blow the hofn ,which was a conch shell,at six in the mornm9 an1 every slave better answer w9en the roil was call1 at seven*rhe slaves didn't have have to work on ^;Wfaay. Mr.nyan had a private jail on ^ueen Street near the planters Hotel*"* was very cruel ;he'd lick his slaves to death*very seldom one of his sieves survive9 a whippin**"* was tlfee opposite to Govdnor Aiken,who live9 on the Northwest corner or Elizabeth an9 Judith Streets.He had several rice plant at ions ,hunaiette of his slaves he didn't know* Not 9tii John U*Oeihoun9 body was carried down "oundry Street was the name change4 in his honor.He is bury m St*Phinip Church yard/cross the strnet with a laurel tree planted at his head**eur men an' me dig hi* grave an9 1 clear9 the spot w'ere hit monument now stanf*rhe monument was put up by Pat Wellington,a Charleston mason.i never did like Ualheun 'cause he hated the Negro;no man was ever hated as much as him by a group or people S-260-264-N project £l6bb Augustus Ladson page III 19' SX-SLAVE com^i m* Work House (Sugar House) vies on Magazine Street,built by Mr •Colum- bus C#±rumb©ne*On Oharlmer Street is the slave market from which slaves was taken to Vangue **enge an1 auctiene* oti.^t the foot of Lawrence Street,oppc* site &ast Bay Street,on t he ether side of the trolly tracks is w'ere Mr* Alonse tfhite kept an1 sen siaveafrom his kitchen«He was a slave-broker who bad a house that exten* almos1 to the tram tracks which is 'bout three hun~ area yards goin* to the waterfront#>No train or trolly tracks was there then 'cause there was only one raiiroad here,the Southern^' the depot was of Ann Street wfere the Baggin9 Mill now is. tf'en slaves run away an1 their masters cetch them,to the stockade they go w'ere they'd he whipp* *?*r> **ii« w%«k for * nuuofex oi vlou«u**ju^ ae i§i\ ^uw *a&.& vtw^',> —*% 4 o^»; && C<94C*« Wi* — re**Cix <*u ' r*±>&£* i*Ui w&o o. luinJ^X &£ltiie« iva ^i^ut ae we^i naa kin your master or missus* une song 1 Know 1 use to sing to the slaves w'en toaster went 'way. but i woeitin't be so tool as to let him hoar me«Vhat 1 km 'member of it is: master gone away But darkies stay at home, xhe year of jubilee is come An* freedom win begun• A group of white men uaa in doctor Alison1 drug store one day w'en 1 went to buy something* a hey commence* to ax me questions concerning some historical heppenin's an1 X answer them aii«3o Dr#tfiiaon bet'me that l couldn't tell who fired the lira1 shot on Jfort Sumter«X ten him 1 aid knew an* he offer*a donar if 1 was right a tell him 1 wasn't go in' tell 'less the dollar was given «o one of the mtauHe did so an1 I told them it was Sdward ftuffin ^ jirecl .*.» S»26U-264-fc Project ^I6d5 Augustus Ladaon page iV j^jg ]£X-SUVE cont'd* the lira9 ahos an' she dollar wa8 mine tender son was determine1 not to leave the *%ort but wfen *bout four sheila ha a hit the jj'ert he was glad to be able co come ouU *s*D-,> b^on' _i sxeep^ney iv* would a been dead* in. w;uwa **L% oj*l ^«u»^ ^ muu u **$ v£ myself by sayin* nice (hinge 'bout (he person en hate9 (he person as the same time* Slaves was always bury in *£e night aa no °^ecould stop (o do it an (he day.Uie boards waa use9 so make she coffin (hat was blackened with shoe polish. After the war X did garden work • ur#&sjLiea Bee on James iaiar' give track of ian9 to the Negroes lor a school jua* alter she war;he put up a shed-like buiidin9 with a few chairs in it *is was at the place call Cut Bridge* Henry McKiniey.a Negro who ran aa congressmen from Charleston jua9 after the war9iived on Oalhoun Street *~e was a mail carrier •He made an oath to Almighty God that if he waa CJLtcke*t^*lcl never betray hia srusf#in one of bis speeches he said:"! hope God >iii par ante me should i do as others have Project fi6bi> Augustus Ladson Page V iSX-SLAVlS confcftd* done* "He was elected an9 never see (be Oongresa*One white man from Orangeburg, Ssmuei i*Lb bin, bough* him out•An* three weeks later McKiniey took a stroke that carry him to a* early grave#James aright,a Negro judge of Charleston in 1876 soi1 out for (en thousand do liars-a dijte of which he hasn'f receive9 yet#He ?cross the bridge an* stay1 in a9 oie house anf die there.The Probate Judge, At^bippertrefused ta give up the books of Judge bright to the white man he 3 611 oui 10 • Judge Shipper went in Beaufort jail an9 die (here * cause be wouldn't give up the books .Wright kept such a poor record (hat Judge Shipper vas ashamed to have them expose*,en9 that's why be didn9t give up the books* Henry Smalls,owner ox The 5mans Lot on iiomin1 Street was Second Lieutenant on the Police *orce«Henry Fordfaam was Second Assistance Lieutenant •Captain James *diiiems,xhira Assiatancfe Lieutenant who become Urptain oi the teixiiary JUepartmenft an4 forme9 the uaro^ina Light imantry which waa recogni29 ftii Ben Tinman can* them on the tfreen an9 take their guns. 1 waa janitor at Benedict Uoixege in Columbia for two years an9e$ Ciaf^fim m Orangeburg for tweive»xhe Presidents under which i worke9 was: Allen webster,grandson of the dictionary maker;J#U«^ook;an9 JJr*Buntin« mow all that is pass9 an1 I'm iivin9 from han* to mouth •Th* banks took an my money an9 1 can't work.i do the coiiectin9 for my lan'iord an9 he give me a room iree.ir it wasn't for that - don't know what i9d do* 199 30UKC& Intervitv with JSlijab *r«tn ,i:>6 ttliMibetta tr«tfc,Cbarle8ton,/S.C. project 1885-1 :. FOLKLORE Edited by: £00 Spartanburg, Dist.4 390229 Elmer Turnage Sept-7, 1937 STORIES OF EX-SLAVES *Cap, I was born on de Bonner place, five miles from Gaff- >ney.', Jest about de very first recollection dat sticks wid me, is my mammy a-hiding me when de Ku Klux was riding, she heard de hosses a-trotting and she rushed us out'n our beds and took us and buried us in de fodder out in our barn, and told us to be as quiet as possible. Both my parents went and nid in de edge of de woods. De Ku Klux pass- ed on by wlfiout even holding up dere hosses., "During slavery my mother went to Mississippi wid her mis- ' tress, Alrtimesse Smith Ross. Soon atter Freedom dey come back to SQiith's Ford on de Pacolet. Steers pulled 'slides1, wid de white folks belongings on de slides. We niggers went to meeting on de slides. De ends of de slides was curved upward. When we got to meeting, we went under de brush arbors. Fresh brush was kept cut so dat de sun would not shine through. Under de arbors we sat on slabs and de preacher stood on de ground. We had better meetings den dan dey have now. Everybody had better religion den dan dey does now. In dem days re- ligion went further dan it does now. Yes sir, religion meant some- thing den, and went somewhars. My pappy rode a ginny to preaching. "Dere was not as much devilment as dere is now. Times was better fer niggers. -One day last week I went to meeting and took dinner. We eat-on a slab table and had ice tea to drink. Meas was dere drinking on de side, and all other devilment dey could carry on in sight of de church. De preacher eat wid us. Some eat1 out of dere buckets and *ould not come and be wid de crowd. Long time ago, no- body didn't act greedy Mke dat. Girls cut up like boys now, and no|©dy dofi»t 3.00k down on dem. II Stories of Ex-Slaves --(W.M. Green) Page 2 2QX ^'1 nWhen I was a boy, girls acted like de old folks and dey j did not carry on. Nobody ever heard of a girl drinking and smoking -jj deru If a girl made a mistake in de old days she was throwed over- || board. Why when I was little, us boys went in a-washing wid de ]! girls and never thought nothing 'bout it. We was most grown bef o f | we know'd a thing !bout man and womaat I was fifteen years old when I got my first shoes and dey had. brass toes. We played ball wid de girls in de house, and sung songs like: fGoosey, Goosey Gander f.* - ftWe had wheat bread, only once a week,tf said Jesse Steven- son who came up and entered the conversation, ftand dat was on Sunday. I had a good time at Greenfs wedding. Green married Carrie Phillips who lived two miles above me. We boys talked to de girls in school. We was around twenty years old befof we went to school. Of course dat was atter Freedom. De teacher would light on both of us fer talking across de books, Carrie was about a year younger dan Green. Green, tell de gentleman (interviewer) what you said when you ax'd uncle Ben fer Carrie." f!I say," said Green, ffcome out into de cool of de yard, please sir, if you will uncle Ben; I has a question of de utmost concern to us both to lay a$ your feetf, Uncle Ben say, fLook here, young nigger, don't you know dat rain't got no business gwine out in no night dew -- what ails you nohow?' I 'lows, 'Uncle Ben, it is a great matter of life and death dat I wishes to consult wid you over'. He clear his throat and spit in de fire and say, 'Wait, I»ll come if it's dat urgent.' I took him under a tree so dat no dew wouldn't drap on his head and give him a cold. I said, 'I want to marry your daughter, uncle Ben.' He say, 'Which one is dat dat you wishes, Sir?' 'De purttiest one, Carrie,' says I; 'dat is, if ¦ you ain't got no objection.' ;i 7 * 4 m Stories of Ex-Slaves -- 77.m.Green Page 3 2Q& :! "Befo' I axed fer Carrie I was loving two gals, but of course I drapped de other*n after uncle Ben give me a favorable answer. Me and Carrie married at Miss Twitty Thompsons house. Dat whar uncle Ben had raised Carrie. Carrie's missus give her a good wedding supper wid chicken, ham, turkey, cake and coffee, and tater salad. Seventy-five people is what Miss Twitty let Carrie ax to dat supper. All dem niggers was dere, too. "I had on a grey suit wid big stripes in it. Carrie had on a white dress and a-white veil. Yv'e used dat veil to keep de skeeters off'n our first two babies. It made de best akeeter net. We married one Sunday morning at 'leven o'clock and had dinner at twelve; give de preacher twenty-five cents. Never no one give us no presents. 'He stayed at my pappy's house fer years. He give us a bed, a bureau and a washstand. Carrie's folks give us de bed clothes, and dats what we started on. Jesse, tell de gentleman what you did at my wedding." "I stood wid green? said Jesse Stemenson, "and I had on a brown suit wid grey stripes gwine up and down it. Jitter de ceremony, all de gals wanted to swing me and Green, but Carrie grabbed him and shake her head and grin; so I got all de swinging." Green said, "Me and Carrie never went no whar atter our marriage. 7/e stayed on wid my pappy and worked, lie been doing well ever since." Source: W.M. Green (71); Jesse Stevenson (71), Rt.l, Gaffney,S.C. Interviewer: Caldwell Sims 8/23/37 Project jM.655 390425 Approx. 390 words Phoebe Faucette FOLKLORE Hampton County ADELINE GKEY 82 YEAR OLD Ex-Slave Adeline Grey seemed in good health as she sat before her granddaughter's comfortable, fire. She^spoke quietly, with little excitement, andfa ready recall of)events of her early childhood. nI was a girl when freedom was declare, an1 I kin remem- ber 'bout de times. My Ma used to belong to ole man Dave Warner. I remember how she used to wash, and iron, an1 cook for de white folks durln' slavery time. "I member when de Yankees come through. I wuz right to de old boss1 place. It wuz on de river side. Miss Jane War- ner, she wuz de missus. De place heah now - where all de chillun raise. Mr. Rhodes got a turpentine still dere now - jes after you pass de house. Dey burn de ginhouse, de shop, de buggyhouse, de turkeyhouse an* de fowlhouse. Start to set de cornhouse afire, but my Ma say: •Please sir, don't burn de cornhouse. Gie it to me an1 my chillun.1 So dey put de fii*e out. I member when dey started to break down de smokehouse door, an' ole Missus come oat anf say: 'Please don't break de door open, I got de key.' So dey quit. I remember when dey shoot down de hog. I remember when dey shoot de two geese in de yard. Dey choked my Ma. Dey went to her an' dey say: 'Where is all de white people gold an' silver?' My Ma say she don't know. 'You does knowl'- dey say, an* choke her till she couldn't talk. Dey went into de company room where de ole Miss wuz stayin* an' start tearin' 203 Project #~16§5 Page - 2 204 Phoebe Paucette Hampton County up de bed. Den de captain come an1 de ole Miss say to him: •Please don't let »em tear up my bed,! an' de captain went in dere an1 tell fem 'Come out t'. ¦ De ole Miss wasn't scared. But de young Miss May was sure scared. She was courtin' at de time. She went off an1 shut herself up in a room. De ole Miss ask de captain: •Please go in an' talk to de Miss, she so scared1.' So he went in an1 soon he bring her out. We chillun wasn't scared. But my brother run under de house. De soldiers went under dere a-pokin' de bayonets into de ground to try to find where de silver buried, an' dey ran 'cross him. 'What you doin' under heah?». dey say. 'I'se jes runnin' de chickens out, sir,? he say. 'Well, you kin go on out;' dey say. 'We aint gwine to hurt yau'.' •I remember when dey kill de hog an' cook 'em. Cook on de fire where de little shop been. Cook 'em an* eat 'em. Why didn't dey cook fem on de stove in de house? Didn't have no stoves. Jes had to cook on de fireplace. Had an oven to fit in de fireplace. I remember when my Ma saw de Yankees comin1 dat mornin' she grab de sweet potatoes dat been in dat oven and throw »em in de barrel of feathers dat stayed by de kitchen fireplace. Jes a barrel to hold chicken feathers when you pick !em. Dat s all we had to eat dat day. Dem Yankees put de meat in de sack an1 go on off. It was late den, 'bout dusk. I remember how de Missus bring Project #-<1655 Page - 3 205 Phoebe Faucette Hampton County us all !round de fire. It was dark den. •Well chillun;! she say, 'I is sorry to tell you, but de Yankees has carry off your Ma. I don't know if you'll ever see her any mo. t Den we diillun all start cry in.' t We still a-sittin1 dere when my Ma come back. She say she slip be- hind, an1 slip behind, slip behind, an1 when she come to a little pine thicket by de side of de road, she dart into it, drop de sack of meat dey had her carrying an1 start out for home. IShen we had all make over her, we say to her den: 'Well why didn't you bring de sack of meat 'long wid you?' Dey took de top off ole Marse John carriage, put meat in it, an1 made him pull it same as a horse. Carry him way down to Lawtonvllle, had to pull it through de branch an' all. Got de rock-a-way back though - an' de ole man. I remember dat well. Had to mend up de ole rock-a-way. An' it made de ole man sick. He keep on side, sick, until he died. I remember how he'd say: 'Don't you all worry'. An* he'd go out in de orchard. Dey'd say: 'Don't bother himl Jes let him be I He want to prayl' Atter a while he died an1 dey buried him. His nane was John Stafford. Dey Massa wasn't dere. I guess he was off to de war. "But after freedom was de time when dey suffered more dan before. Dese chillun don't know how dey blessed. My Ma cooked for de ntfiite folks for one year after freedom. Project #^-1655 Page - 4 2()(3 Phoebe Paucette Hampton County 1 remember dey cook bread, an1 dey ain't have nuthin' to eat on it. Was thankful for a combread hoe cake baked in de fireplace. But dey had some things. Had buried some meat, an' some syrup. An' dey had some corn. My Ma had saved de cornhouse. De rice burn up in de glnhouse." After freedom, dey had to draw de best thread out of de old clothes an1 weave it again. Ole Miss had give my Ma a good moss mattress. But de Yankees had carry dat off. Rip it up, throw out de moss, an* put meat in it. Pill it full of meat. I remember she had a red striped shawl. One of de Yankee take dat an1 start to put in under his saddle for a saddle cloth. My brother go up to him an* say: 'Please sir, don't carry my Ma's shawl. Dat de only one she got.' So he give it back to him. To keep warm at night, dey had to make dere pallet down by de fire j when all wood burn out, put on another piece. Didn't have nuthin' on de bed to sleep on. WI remember when de ole Miss used to have to make soap, out of dese red oaks. Burn de wood, an' catches de ashes. Put de ashes in a barrel wid a trough under it, an' pour de water through de ashes. If de lyewater dat come out could cut a feather, it was strong. "Used to weave cloth after freedom. Used to give a brooch (hank) or two to weave at night. Ifse sometimes thread de needle for my Ma, or pick out de seed out de cotton, an' mske it into rolls to spin. Sometimes I'd work Project #-1655 Page - 5 20? Phoebe Paucette Hampton County de foot pedal for my Ma, Den dey'd warp de thread. If she want to dye it, she'd dye it. She'd get indigo - you know dat bush - an' boil it. *t was kinder blue. It would make good cloth. Sometimes, de cloth wuz kinder strip, one strip of white, an' one of blue. 1 remember how dey'd warp de thread across de yard after it wuz dyed, an1 I remember seein* my Ma throw dat shuttle through an' weave dat cloth. I member when de ole Miss made my Mamma two black dresses to wear through de winter. She'd keep 'em cleanj had two so she could change. i I don t know mhy dey didn't burn de house. Must have been 'cause de captain wuz along. De house dere now. One of de chimney down. I don't think dey ever put it up again. Colored folks are in it now. MI never did know my Pa. He was sold off to Texas when I was young. My mother would say, 'Well, chillun, you aint never known your Pa. Joe Smart carry him off to Texas when he went. I don't guess you'll ever see him'..' My father wuz name Charles Smart. He never did come back. Joe Smart come back once, an* say dat our father is dead. He say our Pa had three horses an* he want one of them to be sent to us chillun heah; but no arrangements had been made to get it to us. You see he had chillun out dere,. too. "Atter freedom, my Ma plow many a day, same as a man, for Project- #-.1655 Page - 6 208 Phoebe Paucette Hampton County us chillun. She work for ole man Bill Mars» Den she marry again. Part of de time dey work for Mr. Benny Lawton, de one-arm man, what lost his arm in de war. Dese chillun don't know what hard times is. Dey don't know how to pre- ciate our blessings. Source; Adeline Grey, 82-year old resident of Luray, S. C. Project #1655 q q n -j o r Everett R* Pierce J0U100 2Q9 Columbia, S# C* INTERVIEW WITH FAMIE GRIFFIN EX-SIAVE 94 YEARS. "You wants me to tell you all what I fmembers 'bout slavery in slavery time? Well mafam, I was just a young gal then and Ifs a old woman now, nigh on to ninety-four years old} I might be forgot some things, but I'll tell you what I fmembers best* Ify massa, Massa Joe Beard, was a good man, "but he wasnft one of de richest men* He only had six slaves , three men and three women, but he had a big plantation and would borrow slaves from his brother-in-law on de fjoining plantation, to help wid de crops* I was de youngest slave, so Missy Grace, dats Massa JoeYs wife, keep me in de house most of de time, to cook and keep de house cleaned up* I milked de cow and worked in de garden too* My massa was good to all he slaves, but Missy Grace was mean to us* She whip us a heap of times when we ainft done nothing bad to be whip for* When she go to whip me, she tie my wrists together wid a rope and put that rope thru a big staple in de ceiling and draw me up off de floor and give me a hundred lashes* I think fbout my old mammy heap of times now and how lvs seen her whipped, wid de blood dripping off of her* All that us slaves know how to do, was to work hard* We never learn to read and write nor we never had no church to go to, only some- times de white folks let us go to their church, but we never jine in de singing, we Just set and listen to them preach and pray* De graveyard was right by de churoh and heap of de colored people was scared to go by it at night, they say they see ghosts and hants, and sperits but I ainft 210 never see none, donft believe there is none* I more scared of live people than I is dead ones; dead people ainft gwine to harm you* Our mass a and missus was good to us when we was sick; they send for de doctor right off and de doctor do all he could for us, i but he ain't had no kind of medicine to give us cepting sperits of turpentine, castor oil, and a little blue mass* They ain't had all kinds of pills and stuff then, like they has now, but I believd we ainYt been sick as much then as we do now* I never heard of no eon- sumption them days; us had pneumonia sometime tho1* You wants to know if we had any parties for pastime? Well ma1 am, not many* We never was allowed to have no parties dor dances, only from Christmas Day to New Year1 s eve. We had plenty good things to eat on Christmas Day and Santa Claus was good to us too* Wefd have all kinds of frolics from Christmas to Hew Years but never was allowed to have no fun after that time* I fmembers one tizre I slip off from de missus and go to a dance and when I come back, de dog in de yard didn't seem to know me and he bark and wake de missus up and she whip me something awful* I sho didn't go to no more dances widout asking her* De patarollers (patrollers) would ketch you too, if you went out after dark* We most times stay at home at night and spin cloth to make our clothes* We make all our clothes, and our shoes was handxsade too* We didnft have fancy clothes like de people has now* I likes it better being a slave, we got along better than, than we do now* We didn't have to pay for everything we had* De worst time we ever had was when de Yankee men come thru* We had heard they was coming and de missus tell us to put on a big pot of peas to «• 211 cook* so we put some white peas in a big pot and put a whole ham in it, so that wef4 have plenty for de Yankees to eat* Then when they come, they kicked de pot over and de peas went one way and de ham another* De Yankees fstroyed ,most everything we had* They come in de house and told de missus to give them her money and jewels* She start-* ed crying and told them she ainft got no money or jewels, fcepting de ring she had on her finger • They got awfully mad and started fstroying everything* They took de cows and horses, burned de gin, de barn, and all de houses fcept de one massa and missus was living in* They didnft &tave us a thing fcept some big hominy and two banks of sweet potatoes* We chipped up some sweet potatoes and dried them in de sun, then we parch- ed them and ground them up and thatfs all we had to use for coffee* It taste pretty good too* For a good while we just live on hominy and coffee* No ma1 am, we ainft had no celebration after we was freed* We ainft know we was free Hil a good while after* We ainft know it ftil General Wheeler come thru and tell us# After that, de massa and missus let all de slaves go ,cepting me: they kept me to work in de house and de garden*1* Home address: 2125 Calhoun St* ^Columbia, S* C# project.1885-1 < I ¦ FOLKLORE Edited by: pfQ Spartanburg Dist.4 390154 Earner ^mage^ June 22, 1937 STORIES 1ROM EX-SLATES »I will be 85 years old dis coming August. My master said I was 14 years old de August coming after freedom. "My-master was Billy Scott who had seven or eight hundred acres of land, and 48 slaves. He wouldn't have no white overseers, but had some nigger foremen dat sometimes whipped de niggers, and de master would whip dem, too. He was a fair man, not so good and not so mean. He give us poor quarters to live in, and some- times plenty to eat, but sometimes we went hungry. He had a big garden,-plenty cows, hogs and sheep. De jnost we had ter eat, was corn, collards, peas, turnip-greens and home-made molasses. We had wheat bread on Sundays. It was made from flour grind at our own mill. He didn't have but one day off, that was Christmas Day and den we had to grind our axes. "We made our clothes out of cotton and wool mixed, made dem at home wid our own cards and spinning wheels. We-made our shoes out of leather tanned at home, but had to use woolen shoes a|ter de war, which would wear out and split open in three weeks. "My daddy was Amos Wilson and mammy was Carline Griffin. , I had some brothers and sisters. When freedom come, de master come to us and told us de damn Yankees done freed us, 'what you gwinter do? If you want ter stay on wid me, I will'give you work.' We stayed fer awhile. •The patrollers caught me-,once when I run off. I run fast and lost my hat and dey got it. I saw some slaves sold on de block. Dey was put in a ring and sold by crying out de price. folklore: Stories From Ex-Slaves Page 2 213 7;e didn't learrn to read and write, not allowed to. De niggers went to de corn shuckings and was give pumpkin custards to eat and liquor. Dey wasn't allowed to dance, but sometimes we had secret dances, shut up in de house so de master couldn't hear us. "After de war, we went hunting and fishing on Sundays, we never had Saturday afternoons off. We killed wild deer and other things. Once de master killed 14 squirrels in three quarters of hour. "We raised our own tobacco, the master did, for home use. Iviost always a small patch was planted. ,fDe master once saw ghosts. He come from his sisters and « passed de graveyard and saw 9 cows with no heads. His horse jest flew home. Most white folks didn't believe in ghosts, but dat is one time de master believed he saw some. "I went wid de Red Shirts, belonged to de company and went to meetings wid dem. I voted fer Hampton. Befo' dat, de Ku Klux had bad niggers dodging like birds in de woods. Dey caught some and threw dem on de ground and whipped dem, but de master say he don't know nothing 'bout it as he was asleep. Dey caught a nigger preacher once and made him dance, put him in muddy water and walloped him around in de mud. "Once seven Indians come in our neighborhood and call fer meat, meal and salt. Dere was three men and four women. Dey cooked all night, murmuring something all de time. Next morning three squirrels was found up a tree, and de Indians shot 'em down wid bow and arrow. "One time I saw horses froze to death. Dey couldn't get dere breath, and de people took warm water and wash dere foreheads. I was a small boy den. My master had 46 guineas. "I married Nancy Robinson who belonged to Robert Calmes. She was living at de Gillam place near Rich Hill. , Folklore: Stories from Ex-Slaves Page 3 2iM *We used to ask a riddle like this: Love I stand, Love I sit, Love I hold in my right hand. What is it? it was made up when an old woman had a little dog named *Love». She killed it and put a part of it, after it was baked, in her stockings; part in her shoes; part in back of her dress, and part in her gloves. 1 nigger was going to be hung the next Priday, and told if he guess the riddle he would be i,urned loose. He couldn't guess it, but was turned .loose anyway. "I* think Abe Lincoln might ter done g6M, but he had us all scared to death, took our mules and burned our places. Don»t know anything about Jeff Davis. Booker Washingt-on is all right. "I joined de church when 28 years old,.because I thought it was right. Wanted to git right -and git to God's Kingdom. I think everybody ought to join de church. "O' course I rather it.hot be slavery time-,- but I got more ter eat den dan now. Ben we didn't know.what ter do, but now we perish ter death.'* - Source: Madison Griffin <84), Whitmire, S.C. Interviewer: G.L. Summer, Newberry, S.C. (6/18/1937) project 1885-1 FOLKLORE OOmoo Edited by: Qlft Spartanburg Dist.4 OWlcc Elmer Turnage June 7, 19S7 STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES "I was born in old Edgefield county, about three miles be- low what is now Saluda Courthouse. I was a slave of Alec Grigsby. He was a fair marster, but his wife was awful mean to us. She poked my head in a rail fence once and whipped me hard with a whip. I lived in that section until eight years ago, when I come to Newberry to live with my daughters. "i worked hard in cotton fields, milked cows and helped about the marster's house. When the bush-whackers and patrollers come around dere, us niggers suffered lots with beatings. Some of dem was killed. "The old folks had corn-shuckings, frolics, pender pullings, and quiltings. They had quiltings on Saturday nights, with eats and frolics. When dey danced, dey always used fiddles to make the music. "The men folks hunted much; doves, partridges, wild turkeys, deer, squirrels and rabbits. Sometimes dey caught rabbits in, wooden boxes, called 'rabbit-gums1, it had a trap in the middle, which was set at night, with food in it, and when the rabbit bite, the tray sprung, and the opening at the front was closed so he couldn't get out. "The marster had a big whiskey still, and sold lots of liquor to people around there,;" Source: Peggy Grigsby (106), Newberry, S.C. Interviewer: G.L. Summer, Newberry, S.C. 5/10/37. Project #1665 OQHOnr ^n w. w* Dixon 390305 21b Winnsboro, S# C* VIOLET GUNTHARPE BX-SIAVE 82 YEARS OLD. ttI was born a slave in de Rocky Mount part of Fairfield County, up close to Great Palls • I hear them falls a roarin* now and I see them waters flashin1 in de sunshine when I close my eyes* %• pappy name Robert and my maxni^jr name Ehyllis* They bflong to de old time fristocats* de Gaither family* Does you know Miss Mattie Martin, which was de secretary of Governor Ansel? Dat one of ray young mistresses and another is dat pretty red headed girl in de telegraph office at Winnsboro, dat just sit dere and pass out lightnin1 and ,lec- tricity over de wires wheresomever she take a notion* Does you know them? Well, befo1 their mama marry Marster Bfcarke Jilartin, her was Sally Gaither, my young missus in slavery time* Her die and go to Heaven last year, please God* Marster Richard was a good marster to his slaves, though he took no foolishness and worked you from sun to sua* fSpect him had fbout ten family of slaves and lbout fifty big and little slaves altogether on dat plantation befo1 them Yankees come and make a mess out of their lives* Honey, us wasn*t ready for de big change dat come* Us had no education, no land, no mule, no cow, not a pig, nor a chicken, to set up house keeping* De birds had nests in de air, de foxes had holes in de ground, and de fishes had beds under de great falls, but us colored folks was left widout any place to lay our heads* De Yankees shov throwed us in de briar patch but us not bred and born dere lak de rabbit* Us born in a good log house* De cows was down 517 dere in de canebrakes to giro us milk, de hogs was fattenin* on hiokory nuts, acorns, and shucked corn, to give us meat and grease; de sheep wid their wool, and de cotton in de gin house was dere to give us clothes* De horses and mules was dere to kelp dat corn and cotton, but when them Yankees come and take all dat away, all us had to thank them for, was a hungry belly, and freedom* Sumpin' us had no more use for then, than I have today for one of them airplanes I hears flyin* fround de sky, right now* Well, after ravagin1 de whole country side, de army got across old Catawba and left de air full of de stink of dead carcasses and de sky black wid turkey buzzards* De white women was weepin1 in hushed voices, de niggers on de place not knowin* what to do next, and de piccaninnies suckin1 their thumbs for want of sumpin1 to eat; mind you 'twas winter time too* Lots of de chillun die, as did de old folks, while de rest of us scour de woods for hickory nuts, acorns, cane roots, and artichokes, and seine de river for fish* De worst nigger men and women follow de anny* De balance settle down wid de white folks and simmer in their misery all thru de spring time, ftil plums, mulberries, and blackberries come, and de shad come up de Catawba River* % mammy stay on wid de same marster ftil I was grown, dat is fifteen, and Thad got to lookin! at me, meek as a sheep and dumb as a calf* I had to ask dat nigger, right out, what his ftentions was, befo1 I get him to bleat out dat he love me* Him name Thad Guntliarpe* I glance at him one day at de pigpen when I was sloppin§ de hogs, I say; flfo% Gun- Sharpe, you follows me night and mornin1 to dis pigpen; do you happen to »? 218 be in love wid one of these pigs? If so, I'd like to know iwhich one 'tis; then sometime I come down here by xnyself and tell dat pig 'bout your 'feetions*' Thad didn't say nothin' but just grin* Him took de slop bucket out of my hand and look at it, all 'round it, put up side down on de ground * and set me down on itj then he fall dorm dere on de grass by me and blubber out and warm my fingers in his hands. I just took pity on him and told him mighty plain dat he must limber up his tongue and ask sumpin', say ishat he mean, wantin' to visit them pigs so often* Us carry on foolishness 'bout de little boar shoat pig and de little sow pig, then I squeal in laughter over how he scrouge so cloe$; de slop bucket tipple over and I lost ny seat* Dat ever remain de happiest minute of my eighty-two years* After us marry, us moved on de Johnson Place and Thad plow right on a farm where dere use to be a toroi of Grinkeville* I was lonely down dere all de time* I's halfway scared to death of de skeeters 'bout my legs in day time and old Captain Thorn's ghost in de night time* You never heard 'bout dat ghost? If you went to school to Mr* Luke Ford sure he must of tell you 'bout de time a slave boy killed his marster* old Captain Thorn* He drag and throwed his body in de rivei^* When they find his body they ketch John, de slave boy, give him a trial by six white men, find him guilty and he confess* Then they took de broad axe, cut off his head, mount it on a pole and stick 4t up on de bank where they find old Captain Thorn* Dat pole and head stay dere ftil it rot down* Captain Thorn's ghost 'pear and disappear 'long dat river bank ever since in de night time* % P*Ppy tell me he see it and see de boy's ghost too* 4. 219 De ghost rode de minds of many colored folks # Some say dat de ghost had a heap to do wid deaths on dat river, by drowning• One sad thing happen; de ghost add de malaria run us off de river? Us moved to llarster Starke P« Martin's place* Him was a settin' at a window in de house one night and somebody crept up dere and fill his head full of buck-shot• Marster Starke was Miss Sallie's husband, and Miss Mattie and Miss May's papa* Oh, de misery of dat night to ay white folks* 1»ho did it? God knowsi They sent poor Henry Nettles to de penitentiary for it, but most ^white folks and all de colored didu't believe he done it* TNhite folks say a white man done it, but our color knew it was de work of dat slave boy's ghost* Ify white folks come here from Maryland, I heard them saye They fought in de Revolution, set up a tanyard when they got here, and then when cotton come, my marster's pappy was de fbst to put up a hoss-gin and screw pit in Rocky Mount section* I glories in their blood, but dere none by de name 'round here now, 'cept colored folks• Mar ster^ Wood you read a heap of books• Did you ever read 'bout foots of ghost8? They got foots and can jump and walk* He they don't run, why? 'Cause seem lak their foots is too big« Dat night Marster Starke Martin was killed it was a snowin' * De whole earth was covered wid a white blanket* It snowed and snowed and snowed* Us measure how big dat snow was next mornin' and how big dat ghost track* De snow was seven inches, and a little bit deep* De ghost track on top de snow big as a elephant's* Him or she or it's tracks 'pear to drap wid de snow and just rise up out de snow and disappear* De white folks say ftwas a man wid bags on his foots, but they never found de bags, so I just believe it was ghost instigate by de devil to drap down dere and make all dat misery for my white folks ? 5. 220 Dere's a great day a comin1 when de last trumpet will sound and de devil and all de ghosts will be ohained and they canft romp 1 round de old river and folks houses in de night time and bring sorrow and pain in de wake of them big tracks •* / Project #-1655 7Q()OAQ FOLKLORE 221 Gyland H. Hamlin OOU^fD Charleston, S. C* INTERVIEW WITH EX-SLAVE "Good a!ternoon, suh. Yassuh, I*ze gittin1 on up in de years* I be eighty-one year ole nex1 May. I name John Hamilton an1 I lib at sickty-t!ree Amherst Street. tfI * member sumptin1 !bout slabery. I wuz fbout big as dat gal gwine dere w!en de Pedfrul 'war broke out/1 indicat- ing aC^jirogr* passing down the street who appeared to be about eight years old. 111 belong1 to Maussa Seabrook, an1 he lib at Wiite Point, ten mile from Adams Run. De Maussa, he been daid but he got some boys* Dem boys all scatter1, dough* Yassuh, ole Maussa treat us good* I not big !nough to wuk, I jus1 a li!l boy den. My fadder name1 Rhode Hamilton, an1" fe hab two acre to wuk* Dere didn't been no hoss, an1 fe grub it wid de hoe* "Some slabes no good an1 not satisfy fo! tuh wuk. Dey run fway fum de plantation* Dere been big dawgs .high as street-cyar, yassuh, high as dat street-eyar* Dey name1 nigger-dawg an1 dey trace nigger an1 put dem nigger back to wuk* Dere been a jrankee man name1 Tom Cyidry* I kin sho! de house fe been in. He say fe tired see colored mans wuk hard an1 git nuttin1. He put colored mans on banjoo (vendue) table an1 fe be free* tfI didnft be marry till I git in my t'irty year. My wife, she fbout sickty-fibe year ole1. Vile got fibe chillun libbin*, *bout twelbe haid in all* Grand-chillun? *Bout Project #-1655 Page - 2 222 Gyland H. Hamlin . Charleston, S. C. sebben haid anf one gal. Hab great grand-chillun, too. "I ainft been know nuttin1 'bout jailhouse* Ain't see a jailhouse in my life. I hab to look all day to find one in Charleston, an' don't know where 'bouts de court-house. Ain't gwine to jailhouse. Nobody hab to 'rest me no how. MI be a Babtis'. I babtize' in de ribber, de Edisto ribber. I tryin' git to Hebben. Hebben be glory. Yassuh, Kebben be glory. You got to lub all God's chillun to git dere. God send v/'ite folks an' colored folks, an' dey mus' he'p each odder an1 wuk togedder. Dey got to lib in union. Yassuh, got to lib in union to git to Hebben. "I 'pend on de w'ite folks to he'p me. Dese pore colored folks ain't got nuttin'. Nawsuh, I ain't be too ole to wuk an' mek a honest libbin' like lot o' dem no good nigger what too stiff fo! to speak. I wuk some flower-yard fo' some w'ite folks, an' I wuk a li'l gyarden. "Yassuh, I hoi' up berry well, but I can't see at night w'en de sun go down* My sight gone back den. I got git 'long now# uYou gimme a nickel or dime? T'ank you, suh. T'ank you kin'ly#H Source: Personal interview with John Hamilton, colored, of 63 Amherst Street, Charleston, S# C. Project #-1655 OOHOOO POLKLOSE 223 Jessie a. Butler 330263 ^'w° Charleston, S. C. OLD SUSAN HAIvILIN - EX SLAVE (Verbatim Conversation) Old Susan Hamlin, one hundred and four years old, was strolling down lower King St.,'about a mile from where she lives, when she was met by a white fffriend," and the fol- lowing conversation took place: tfHow are you, Susan, do you remember me?" 11 Yes, Ma*am, I fmember yo face, Mssus, but 1 can!t !member yo name. I gettin1 ole# Dis eye (touching the right one) leabin1 me. Ole age you know. Sometfing got tuh gie way." "Don!t you remember I came to see you one'morning, and you told me all about old times?" "Yes, Ma!am, (with enthusiasm) come -tuh see me fgain, I tell you some mo*. I like tuh talk !bout dem days; !taint many people left now kin tell !bout dat time. Eberybody dead* I goes fround tuh de ole house, an1 I t!ink fbout all dem little chillen I is nuss, (calling them by fiame ) dey all sleep, all sleep in de groun1. Nobody lef1 but ole Susan. ^11 my fambly, de massa, de missus, all de little chillen, all sleep. Only me one lefT, only ole Susan. Sometime I wonder how it is. I ober a hund'ed, I stahtin1 (starting) tuh forgit de years." "Tell me one thing, Susan, you have lived a long time, do you think the young people of today are better or worse than in the old days?" Project t#-1655 Page - 2 224 Jessie &• Sutler Charleston, S. C. "Y/ell, Missus, some is wuss but not all* Some stray jus1 like dey always done but dey!ll come back* I stray 'way myself but dey111 coipe back jus1 like I did. Gib urn time dey come back*. I git converted you know.11 "Yes, you told me about that." "Yes, Mafam, I see de Sabior. He show me hoe He die* I nebber forget dat day* Dere He hang, - so - (with arms outstretched) an1 He show me de great brightness, an1 He show me de big sin on my back, black as dat cyar (car)* Den I pray an1 I pray, an1 it fall off. Den I praise Him. Nebber since dat day is I forget what I see* When I see dat reconcile Sabior countenance, - ohI - - - I nebber forget. No, Ma'am, I nebber forget dat reconcile counte- nance • As I tell yuh, I stray fway, but not after I see dat reconcile countenance. I pray and praise Him. Some- times all by myself I get so happy, jes t!-inkin! on Him* I cyant forget all dat He done fuh me." "People tell me I ought not walk fround by myself so. I tell urn I don't care v/here I drop# I !member when my ma was dyin1 I beg urn not to leabe me, she say: "Wha' I got yuh, wha1 I want tuh stay yuh fuh? I want tuh go, I want tuh see muh Jesus.! I know what she mean now. I don!t care if I drop in de street, I donft care if I drop in my room, I don't care v/here I drop, I ready tuh go." Project-#-1655 Page - 3 225 Jessie A. Butler" 6 ^^° Charleston, S. C. "All you got tuh do is libe right, yuh got tuh libe (live) de life. What is de life? - - Purity. - - What is Purity? - Righteousness* - What is Righteousness? - Tuh do de right t'ing. - Libe right, • - pray ah' .praise, Beliebe on de delibrin (delivering) Sabior. Trus1 Him. He lead yuh. He show yuh de way. Dat all yah got tuh do. Beliebe - pray - praise. Ebery night befo' I lay on my bed I git on my knees an' lookup tuh Him. Soon I wake in de mornin' I gibe Him t'anks. Eben sometime in de day I git on my knees an' pray. He been good to me all dese years. He aint for- get me, I aint been sick for ober twenty-five years, Good t'ing too, nobody left tuh tek care of me. Dey all gone. But I don't care now^ jus' so ^ kin see my Jesus when I gone, "I goin' down now tuh see my people I use to" cook fuh, I too ole now. tuh cook, I use tuh cook fine. Come tuh see me again, missus, come tuh see de ole monkey, I tell yuh mo' 'bout dose times. You know I kin 'member dem when I been a big girl, most grown, when de bombardment come ober de city," - Source: Writer's conversation with Susan Hanlin, 17 Henrietta Stree, Charleston, S, C, Project #-1655 Jessie A. Butler Charleston, S. C# 390431 Approx. 1739 Words 226 INTERVIEW WITH EX-SLAVE On July 6th, I interviewed Susan Hamlin, ex-slave, at 17 Henrietta street, Charleston, S. C. She was sitting just inside of the front door, on a step leading up to the porch, and upon hearing me inquire for her she assumed that I was from the Welfare office, from which she had re- ceived aid prior to its closing. I did not correct this impression, and at no time did she suspect that the object of my visit was to get the story of her experience as a slave. During our conversation she mentioned her age. "Why thatfs very interesting, Susan," I told her* "If you are that old you probably remember, the Civil War and slavery days. tr it Yes Ma'am, I been a slave myself," she said, and told me the-following story: "I kin remember some things like it was yesterday, but I is 104 years old now, and age is startimg to get me, I can'-fc remember everything like I use to. I getting old, oldg) y_ou know I is old when I been a grown woman when the Civil War broke out. I was hired out then, to a Mr. McDonald, who lived on Atlantic .street, and I remembers when de first shot was fired, and the shells went right over de city. I got seven dollars a month for looking after children, not taking them out, you understand, just minding th,em. I did not get the money, Mausa got it." 4 "Don't you think that was fair?" I asked. "If you were fed and clothed by him, shouldn't he be paid for your work?" '^Course it been fair,B she answered, "I belong \ Project #-1655 Page - 2 227 Jessie A# Butler Charleston, S# C. to him and he got to get something to take care of me," "My name before I was married was Susan Calder, but I married a man name Hamlin, I belonged to Mr. Edward Puller, he was president of the First National Bank, He was a good man to his people till de Lord frook him. Mr. Fuller got his slaves by marriage. He married Miss Mikell, a lady what lived on Edisto Island, who was a slave owner, and we lived on Edisto on a plantation. I don't remember de name cause when Mr. Fuller got to be president of de bank we come to Charleston to live. He 3ell out the plan- tation and say them (the slaves) that want to come to Charleston with him could come and them what wants to stay can stay on the island with his wife's people. We had our choice. Some is come and sane is stay, but my ma and us children come with Mr. Fuller. We lived on St, Philip street. The house still there, good as ever, I go 'round there to see it all de time; the cistern still there too, where we used to sit 'round and drink the cold Water, and eat, and talk and laugh. Mr. Fuller have lots of servants and the ones he didn't need hisself he hired out. The slaves had rooms in the back, the ones with children had two rooms and them that didn't have any children had one room, not to cook in but to sleep in. They all cooked and ate downstairs in the hall that they had for the colored people, I don't know about slavery but I know all the slavery I know about, Project #-1655 Page - 3 ^8 Jessie A. Butler Charleston, S. C. the people was good to me. Mr. Puller was a good man and his wife's people been grand people, all good to their slaves. Seem like Mr. Puller just git his slaves so he could be good to dem. He made all the little colored chillen love him. If you don't believe they loved him what they all cry, and scream, and holler for when dey hear he dead? 'Oh, Mausa dead my Mausa dead, what I going to do, my Mausa dead.' Dey tell. dem faint no use to cry, dat can't bring him back, but de chillen keep on crying. We used to call him Mausa Eddie but he named Mr. Edward Puller, and he sure was a good man. "A man come here about a month ago, say he from de Government, and dey send him to find out 'bout slavery. I give him most a book, and what he give me? A dime. He ask me all kind of questions. He ask me dis and he ask me dat, didn't de white people do dis. and did dey do dat but Mr. Puller was a good man, he was sure good to me and all his people, dey all like him, God bless him, he in de ground now but I ain't going to let nobody lie on him. You know he good when even the little chillen cry and holler when he dead. I tell you dey couldn't just fix us up any kind of way when we going to Sunday School. We had to be dressed nice, if you pass him and you ain't dress to suit him he send you right back and say tell your ma to*see dat you dress right. Dey couldn't send you out in de cold barefoot neither. I •meiriber one day my ma want to send me wid some milk for her sister-in-law what live 'round de corner. I fuss cause it Project #-1655 Page . 4 Jessie A. Butler Charleston, S. C, cold and say 'how you going to send me out wid no shoe, and it cold?' Mausa hear how I talking and turn he back and laugh, den he call to ray ma to gone in de house and find shoe to put on my feet and don't let him see me barefoot again in cold weather• When de war start going good and de shell fly over Charleston he take all us up to Aiken for protection. Talk 'bout marching through G-eprgia, dey sure march through Aiken, soldiers was everywhere. "My ma had six children, three boys and three girls, but I de only one left, all ray white people and all de color- ed people gone, not a soul left but me. I ain't been sick in 25 yeai'3.. I is near my church and I don't miss service any Sunday, night or morning. I kin walk wherever I please, I kin walk to de Battery if I v/ant to. The Welfare use to help me but dey. shut down now, I can't find out if dey going to open again or not. Miss (Mrs.) Buist and Miss Pringle, dey help me when I-can go there but all my own dead." "¥/ere most of the masters kind?" I asked. "Well you know," she answered, "times den was just like dey is now, sd>me was kind and some was mean; heaps of wickedness went on just de same as now. All my people was good people. I see some wickedness and I hear 'bout all kinds of t'ings but £ou don't know whether it was lie or not. Mr. Puller been a Christian man." "Do you think it would have been better if the negroes Project #-1655 Page . 5 230 Jessie A# Butler Charleston, S# C. had never left Africa?" was the next question I asked* "No Ha'am," (emphatically) dem heathen didn!t have no religion* I tell you how I tTink it is* The Lord made tfree nations, the white, the red and the black, and put dem in different places on de earth where dey was to stay*- Dose black igno- ramuses in Africa forgot God, and didnTt have no religion and ^od blessed and prospered the white people dat did remem- ber him and sent dem to teach de black people even if dey have to grab dem and bring dem into bondage till dey learned some sense* The Indians forgot God and dey had to be taught better so dey land, was taken away from dem* God sure bless and prosper de v/hite people and He put de red and £e black people under dem so dey could teach dem and bring dem into sense wid God* Dey had to get dere brains right, and honor God, and learn uprightness wid God cause ainft Pie make you, and ain*t His Son redeem you and save you wid His precious blood* You kin plan all de wickedness you want and pull hard as you choose but when the Lord mek up His mind you is to change, He can change you dat quick (snapping her fingers) and easy* You got to believe on. Him if it tek bondage to bring you to your knees* You know I is got converted* I been in Big Bethel (church) on my knees praying under one of de preachers* I see a great, big, dark pack on my back, and it had me all bent over and my shoulders drawn down, all hunch up* I Project #-1655, p _ _ 6 Jessie A. Butler S Charleston, S# c. look up and I see de glory, I see a big beautiful light, a great light, and in de middle is de Sabior, hanging so (extending her arms) just like He died. Den I gone to praying good, and I can feel de sheckles (shackles) loose up and moving and de pack fall off* I don't know where it went to, I see de angels in de Heaven, and hear dem say 'Your sins are forgiven." I scream and fell off so. (Swoon.) When I come to dey has laid me out straight and I know I is converted cause you can't see no such sight and go on like you is before. I know I is still a sinner but I believe in de power of God and I trust his Holy name. Den dey put me wid de seekers but I know I is already saved." "Did they take good care of the slaves when their babies were born?" she was a&ked. "If you want chickens for fat (to fatten) you got to feed dem," she said with a smile, "and if you want people to work dey got to be strong, you got to feed dem and take care of dem too. If dey can't work it come out of your pocket. Lots of wickedness gone on in dem &ay3, just as it do now, some good, some mean, black and white, it just dere nature, if dey good dey going to be kind to everybody, if dey mean dey going to be mean to everybody. Sometimes chillen was sold away from dey parents. De Mausa would come and say "Where Jennie," tell urn to put clothes on dat baby, I want um. He sell de baby and de ma scream and holler, you know how dey carry on. Geneally (generally) dey sold it when de ma wasn't dere. T$r9 Puller Project #-1655 Page - 7 23* Jessie A* Butler Charleston, S* C* clidn!t sell none of us, we stay wid our ma!s till v/e grown* I stay wid my ma till she dead* 11 You know I is mix blood, my grandfather bin a white man and my grandmother a mulatto* She been marry to a black so dat how I get fix like I is# I got both blood, so how I going to quarrel wid either side?" SOURCE: Interview with Susan Hamlin, 17 Henrietta ^street? NOTE * Susan lives with a mulatto family of the better type* The name is Hamlin not Hamilton, and her name prior to her marriage was Calder not Collins• I paid particular attention to this and had them spell the names for me* I would judge Susan to be in the late nineties but she is wonderfully well preserved* She now claims to be 104 years old* S-260-264-M Page I Qo^ Project fI8bb No^ords:II95 <^*0 Augustus Ladaon /3304> ; G&ari$st on,S*u« SX-SUV3 101 YiARS OF AGE has iisver shaken nmos sincs isea Was On Knees Scrubbing when Freedom Gun Fired ifm a hund'ed an* one years old nowfaon»De only one livm1 in my crowd fruai da days 1 wuat a siavo*fltr#*'uiierfu2y masterfwho was president ox the Firs' national dank,owned the leunbiy of urn except my rat her •There were eight .men an' women with live girls an* six boys workinf ior hia#Most of thorn wus hired out • D* house in which we stayed is si in dere with de si 3 terns an9 slave quarters, i &lwdys go 10 see de old home whicn is on St •Phillip St reet« my ma had t*ree boys an* tfree gins who did wen at (heir work*Hope ttikeiifniy eldest bredder,anf James wus de shoemaker •^iiiiaai Fuller,son of our tauss er,wus de bricklayer•Margurise an* tjaiharine wus de maids anfJlook at de children. my pa b'long to a man on adiaso isiand.Frum what he said,his master was very mear. p'a real name wus Adam Conins but he took his master1 namejhe wus de coachman.Pe did supin one day en his master whipped him.De next day which wus Monday,pa carry him f bout tour miles rrum home m de woods an1 give him de same •mount ot iickin* he wus given on Sunday#He tied him to a tree anf unhitched de horse ao it couldn't git tie-up an1 kill e selr#Fa den gone so de landin* an' cetcn a boat dat wus comin1 to Charleston wood fafm products.He permitted by his (w Augustus Lauson Page III 285 EX-SLAVE cont *d. wus ae worst i abbar 3ae a human bam* got such a beatm'.l t'ought; she wus gomf to die,but aha go; ^eii an1 didn't gat any better but meaner until our master decide is mis bes* to ran* ner out«5he willingly agree* since she wusn*i fround missus •She hated anf desesi' ooth 01 *nem an* all da rembiy. id'en any sieve wus shipped an da o&har slaves wus made to watch.I sea women hung trum da ceiim' oi buildm*s an* whipped with only supin tied 'round bar lowea part oi da bodyfuntil wfen dey wus taken down,dere wusnft breath m de body.1 had some terribly bad experiences* Yankees use to come 5'rough de streats,especially de Big Market f huntm* inose who want to go to deMrree country" as day ceil* it«Men en1 women wus always missm* an* nobody could give 'count ox dera disappearance^* men wus train* up iMortft fur so jus* ile white race is 30 brazen*tfey come here an* run de Indians l'rum dera own ianf,but dey couldn*t make dam slaves 'causa dey wouidn** stan* lor ik•Indians use ro git up in trees an* sh ot dam with poison arrow..»fen dey couldn*t make dam slaves den day gone to Axrica an* bring dare black brother an* sister Say say 'tnong themselves,'*** gwme mix dem up en make ourselves king, Jatsd c»nly way we'll git even with de Indians*f* All timafnight an* day,you could hear men an* women screamin' so de tip or dera voices as either ma^pa^sist er ,or brother wus take without any war- nin* an9 sell.Some time mother who had only one chile wus separated rur lite. People wus always dyin* irum a broken heart* On* night a couple married an* de nexX mormn* da boss sell da wire. 3-26Q-264-N Projact #I88b Augustus Ladaon Paga IV 236 EX-SLAVS contfd. Do gai ma got in in da street an* cur sad da whitre woman fur all she could lira. She said^dat damn whicetpaie-race bastard sail my daughter who juaf married las9 night,Manf other t9ings.The white'eraan traaian9 her to call de polica ii she didn't stop,but da collud woman said:"hit me or call de pftlice.I redder die dan to stan9 dia any longer? De ponce took har to da work House by de white woman orders an9 what became ox terli never hear. »9en de war began we wus taken so Aiken,South Ge9iina w'ero we stay9 until de Yankees come t9rough .#e could see bails saiiin9 tfrough de air wfen Sherman wus commf.Bumbs hit trees in our yardmen de ireadom gun wus rired9l iyus on my 9neas scrubbm9.Dey tail ma l wus rree but I didnft bflieve it. in da days or slavery woman wus jus1 given time 9nough to deliver dere babies.Dey deliver de baby 'bout eight in de mornin9 an9 twelve had 100 be back to work. I wus a member or anmanuei African Metnodi3t Episcopal Church tor 67 years.Big Zion,across da street wus my church before den an9 before Old Betiiei wfen 1 iivad on de othe? end or town* Sence Lincoln ahook hands with his assasin who at de same time shoot him,frum dat day 1 atop shakin9 hand3,even in de church,an1 you know how long dat wus.l don't b'lieve in kissin9 neider rur ail carry dare meannesses. De Master wus betrayed by one 01 his bosom rrien9 with a kiss. SOURCS Interview with (Mrs.) Susan Hamilton,i7 Henrietta Street,who claims to ba 101 years or age.She has never bean aick for twenty years and walks aa tbouga just 40.She was hired out by har master for seven dollars a month which had to be given har master. Project #1655 Stiles M« Scruggs Columbia, S* C# 390247 237 ANSOM BMP EX-SIAVE 87 YEARS OLD, Anson Harp, eighty-seven years old, lives out in the country on Route $5* He still works on the few acres he owns, raising vegetables for himself and a few baskets to sell* He is gray-haired, medium, sized man and his geniality is frequently noticed by white and ilegro friends who know him* - nI was born in Mississippi in 1850, on a big plantation dat b'long to Master Tom Harp* I can see dat big rushin1 river now, fceptinr the mosquitoes* %-daddy and mammy bflong to Master Harp and we live in a cabin !bout a mile from the big house of my masterTs home* II One day when the slaves was choppin1 cotton, a strange-white man come and watch us, and in a day or two me and three other chillun was called in the yard of the big house and told we goinf to git to go wad the stranger* My "daddy and mamrny and the. other chillun1 s daddy and mammy all cry when we was put in a big wagon and carried fway to somewhere* nWe gits plenty of .rations on "the way and when we gits to Mken one mornin1 ,-we was told we was close to home and soon we was on the big plantation of Master James -Henry Hammond*- We find other boys there, too* __ We go to the fields" and-chop cotton* after we rest up*. Mo sah, we .'wasn't flogged often* One time the grown men and women was choppin1 two rows to our one, and a straw-boss slave twit us and call us lazy* The white over- seer, who was riding by, heard him* He shake his whip at the straw-boss and tell him: fThe young niggers not yet 'specked to make a half hand and you xio pretty well ""to * tend to your own knittin** III beesi thei*e for a pretty long time befo* I really talks to 'gjjroifct ,^ He not at home s&ich, and when i:^£ui^HSi^^^^ 'iMMSi r-Vf'v-'--rj:'--V'?''^^ he was home, many big white .men wid him fmost every day* nOne Saturday, we always had a half holiday on Saturday, me and my friends Tbout the same age, was playin1 a game on a big lot behind the barn. V.re quit yellin* and playin* when we see Master Hammond and three or four white men at the barn. They was lookinf at and talkin1 *bout Master Hammond1 s big black stallion* fester Hammond lead him out of the stall and he stand on his hind feet. " ~ - n .'Well Senator,1 says one hig man to Master Hammond/ !I has come a long ways to see this famous hoss. It's no wonder he was sflected as a model for the war h6ss. of General Jackson* I seen his statue in Washington and Nash- ville.1 •'_"""'.'. 11 *And I see him in Hew Orleans1, says another big man, in a fine black slick suit* " " !I Tclare, Governor1, says the other big man, also dressed just, lak he go in1 to church, *this grand stallion'look today well as he did when I use him for my model1 ? _- ttThen they, all pat the hoss*s nose, and stroke him down his mane, and the big buckra hoss stops,- just lak the fine gentlemen he is, back to his stall, •while .all the big men wave him goodbye^ - . - " -.. ? llIo, I not take the name of Hammond after we free," * cause too many of his slaves-do* I kept the naoae of my old master and the one my daddy and mammy had* Ho, I never hear of ~them in Mississippi* Lak as not they was sold - and taken far away, lak me* **! was~~eleven in 1861, when the war start, fcordin1 to my oount* Mastee Haroond^f hardly ever at home no more* He, too, ipas angry at President tineolii and I love my master, so I used to wonder what sort of jeb&x* the Presi- :i'i^&#.' V'5|^:"Marter, Hamend sure- did honor President Davis* I hear him WSS^S^MMM^wi say once/dat President Davis -was a Chesterfield and dat the Lincoln fellow is coarse and heartless. nIn 1862 I was twelve years old, "big for ray age, and I do more than half as much work as any "grown slaves At dat time we see many free niggers, and nearly all of them sorry lookin*? They eat off of slave fami- lies, when they could git it* nI -come to- Columbia in 1866, after all the niggers everywhere .am set free* I work for-white folks 'tout town and when the "Freedman's aid-was set up, 1 goes * long wid-some new found friends to the aid headquarters, and was the last one to be heard* The others got bundles of food and I see one git a piece of money, too* When I got to the white man in charge, he eye me and say: - !What damfc rehel did you slave for?1 I forgot Tbout Tjhat I~am there for and I say: !I never slave for no damn rebel*" I work for Governor Hammond and he is the finest buckra that is*1" ¦"..-.-"¦ "Then the. aid man say: 'Dat damn rebel Hammond and all lak him yet unhung> should "be* and. you wid him* - Go -let him feed and clothe you* When you" come.; here again maybe you have fnought sense to ask for favors decent.? I so,mad, I hardly fmember just what happen, fceptinr I come fway just lak I go, empty handed. nI anLnow an old man, as you see, but I am happy, to know dat the white folks has always -been ready to help-me- make a. livin* * 1 now own a - patch of ground, where i makes a livin1 on the shares* % boy, a son by my second wife, %orki;^it, and he takes care of me now* If I had been as big, and loiowed as much at the start of the war as I did at the end of it, 1 would surely have gone to the front wid my white master^ ¦Mi '¦¦'^'\ ;/¦¦'¦ ^^^^^^^gg^^^i ^MMi^Pi Profleet 1885-1 FOLKLORE OQnnoo Edited by: 240 Spartanburg Dist.4 OOUUOb Elmer Turnage May 25, 1937 STORIES FROM EX-SLA¥ES rtI was born in ^airfield County, s.C. neajt Broad #iver. I was de son of John and Harriet Harper. I worked in slavery time and was a slave of 3ohn Stanley who was a good man and easy to work with. He give me a good whipping once when I was a boy. We earned no money but had our place to sleep and something to eat and wear. We didn't have any gardens, Dut master had a big plantation and lots of slaves, and worked a garden himself. I remember he whipped mother once the last year of the war, -— just about to get freedom. "Master belonged to patrollers, and let dem come on the place and punish the slaves if needed. They whipped my sister once. He had a house to lock slaves in when dey was bad. He learned us to read and write. He had a school on de plantation for his niggers. After the da£s work was over, we frolicked, and Staurday afternoons we had off to do what we wanted. We had to go to the white folks church and set in back of de church. Corn ahuckings, cotton pick- ing and carding and quilting, the old folks had when dey had big times and big eats. "Weddings and funerals of slaves were afoout like white folks. Some would go walking and singing to de grave in back of hearse or body. There was a conjurer in our neighborhood who could make you do what he wanted, sometimes he had folks killed. The Yankees mareh- ed through our place, stole cattle, and meat. We went behind dem and picked up lots dat dey dropped when filay left, fhen de war was over, de niggers was promised small farms but dey didn't get *em. Folklore; Stories From Ex-Slaves Page 2 Odi "I have been preaching many years in colored Methodist churches. I have 7 children, 22 grand-children but no great-grand- children. rt I think Abraham Lincoln was a great man, and Jefferson ©avis, too. Booker Washington was a grand educator for the colored race. Bishop S.D. Chappell, colored preacher of the A.M.E. church South, one time president of Allen University at Columbia,S.C. was a great colored man, too. He went to Nashville, Tenn. as secre&ary- treasurer of the Sunday School Union. "I don't believe slavery was good --- much better for all of us now. "I joined the church when I was young, because I thought it right to be a member, i think everybody ought to .Join some church, and they ought to join early in life, when quite young." Source: Rev. Thomas Harper (84), Newberry,S.C., interviewed by: g.L. Summer, Newberry, S.C. kay 21, 1937. Project #1655 W. W. Bixon Wimxsboro, S« C, ¦"'p* W!!^^^^^^^^¥f^^^^^^>^^^^^ 390342 ABE HARRIS EX-SLAVE 74 YEARS OLD* Abe Harris lives about nine miles southwest of the town of Winns- boro, South Carolina* His home la a two-room frame house, with rock chim- - neys of rough masonry at each gable end* It is the property of Mr* Daniel ^ Heyward* Abe is one-fourth white and this mixture shows in his features* He is still vigorous and capable of light manual labor* nMy father v/as Samuel Lyles* My mother's name was Phenie Lyles* % - father and mother had fifteen, chillun* I am de only one livin* * Be last one to die ms my brother, Stocklin, that tended to de flowers, and gardens of people in Vfinnsboro for many years* He was found dead, one mo rain', in de Fortune P&rk woods* - " " - n% parents bflong to Captain Tom Lyles, in slavery time* Father was de hog man*" He 'tended to de hogs; didn't pasture them as they do now* Mars- terhad a drove of eighty or more in de fall of de year befo1 hog killin1 time* They run fbout in de woods for acorns and hickory nuts and uny father had to keep up wid them and bring them home* He pen them, feed them, and slop them -at night* - " .'"" tt% white folks was deiUst white settlers in de county* De fust one was name Ephram, so I hear them tell many times* They fought in all wars dat have been fought* % old marster, Tom, live up ftil de Civil War and .Although he oouidaft walk, he equip and pay a man to go in his place* "When Sherman's man come to de house, he was in bed wid a dislocated hip* They thought he was 2. 243 shammin1, playin1 •possum, so to speak. One of de raiders, a Yankee, come wid a lighted torch and say: fUnless you give me de silver, de gold, and de money, I111 burn you alive.1 Him reply: * I haven't many more years to live. Burn and be damned!! De Yankee was surprised at-his bravery, ordered father to take de torch from under de bed and say: fYou 'bout de bravest man I ever see in South Carolina.' uHis wife, old Miss Mary, was sister to .Congressman Joe Woodward. Deir house and plantation was out at Buckhead. I was a boy eleven years old and was in de house when he died, in 1874. He was de-oldest person I ever saw, eighty- seven. Ke had several chillun. Thomas marry Eliza Peay, de baby of Col. Austin Poay, one of de rich -race horse folks.. Marse Boykin marry Miss Cora Dantzler of Orangeburg. Him went to de war. Then Nicholas, Austin, John, and Belton, all went to de Civil Waif. Austin was killed at second Bull .Run. l&trse Nicholas . go to Alabama and become sheriff out dere. Marse John marry Miss Horris and was clerk of court here for twenty-eight years. nOne of Marse John's sons is Senator Lyles, de cotton buyer here in Winns- boro. De youngest boy, just a lad at freedom, marry Miss Cora Irby. Two of deir chillun marry Marse Jim and Marse Bill Mobley in Columbia#, Da youngest child, Miss iiebecca marry iSarse DuBose ^llison in Winnsboro. "First time I .marry Emily Kinlock and had one child* Emily die. Then I marry Lizzie Brown* Os* had; six chillun. When Lizzie die, I marry a widow, Frances Young* Us too old to have chillun. flI live at Rion, S. C* Just piddle 'round wid chickens ajad garden truck. I sells them to de stone cutters and de mill people of Winnsboro. Ifs past de age to work hard, and I f;m mighty sorry dat our race 7/as set free too soon*11 Project #1655 OGHOCC W# W* Dixon, oaU^Ob 244 Winnsboro, S* G# SLI HARRISON EX~3IAVB 87 Y1ARS< Eli Harrison lives on a small ten-acre tract of land near Dutchman Creek, in Fairfield County, approximately seven miles southeast of Winns- boro* The house, which he ownsf is a small shack or shanty constructed of scantlings and slabs* He lives in it alone and does his own cooking* Ha has been on the relief roll for the past three years, and ekes out a subsistence- on the charity of the Longtown and Ridgewsy people* He is small, wiry, and healthy, weighing about 110 pounds* M I sure has had a time a finding you* I was up here to Winnsboro befof dis Welfare Society, tryin1 to git a pension and they ask me who know ray age* I tell them a whole lot of people out of town knows it* Then they ask if anybody in town know my age* I gived in your name* They say they will take your affidavit for it and tell me to bring dis paper to you* * I bflong, in slavery, to your step-motherfs people, de Harrisons, in Longtown* You 'members cominf down when I was a young man and you was a boy? Donft you f member us play inf in de sand in front of de old Harri- son house? Dat house older than you and me* 'Member how I show you how to cull de doodles from de sand? How was it? I just git down on my hands and knees in de sand and say: 'Doodle, doodle, doodle, doodle, come up your house is afireJf Them black little doodles would come right up out of de sand to see what gwine on up dere fbove de sand* Mighty glad you keeps dat in your ssemfry, ftil dis blessed day* n I b'long to old Ifarse Eli Harrison, de grandpa of your step-mot her* 245 I was born and raised on his Wateree River plantation. They called it Har- rison Flats, vtil de Southern Power Coiapany and de Dukes taken over de land, de river, de bull-frogs, de skeeters, whoop owls, and everything else down here* De Harrisons owned dat place befof de Revolutionary War, they say* De skeeters run them out and de folks built a string of houses out of logs, all 'long de roadside and call it Longtown* Marse John D. tell me dat, and fust thing you know they was callin9 it Longtown and dats what it's called today* * Old Marse Eli is a quiet man but him have two brudders dat wasn't so quiet ? They was Marse Aaron Burr Harrison and Marse John R* Harrison* All of them have race horses* I, beinf little, ride de horses in de races at de last* De tracks I ride on? One was up near Great Falls, 'tween old Marse St rot her Fords and de Martin place* De other was out from Simpsons* Turn Out* De Hamptons used to have horses on dese tracks* " Mjr mistress name Mary* My young mar stars name: Sylvester, Lunds- ford, David, and John D. * They all dead but de old house is still dere on de roadside and I alone is live to tell de tale* " Dare's one thing I wants to tell you fbout old Marse John* Him was 9suaded by de Hamptons, to buy a big plantation in Mississippi* Him go out dere to raise cattle, race horses, cotton, sugar cane and niggers* When him die, after so long a time they take him out of his grave* De Har- risons done built a long* big* rock, family vault in de graveyard here to put all de dead of de family name in* Well, what you reckon? Why when dat coffin reach Ridgeway and they find it mighty heavy for just one man's body they open it and find Marse Johnfs body done turned to solid rock* What you think of dat? And what you think of die? They put him in de vault in de sum- mertime* Dat fall a side show was goinf on in Columbia, showin# a petrified man, you had to pay twenty-five cents to go in and see it* De show leave and go up Norths fBout Christmas, de family go together to de vault, open it, and bless God dat rock body done got up and left dat vault• What you think fbout dat? What people say? Some say one thing, some say another• Niggers all flow, •Mar9e John done rose from de dead.* white folks say: •Somebody done stale dat body of Marse John and makinf a fortune out of it, in de side show line** w Well, Ifs told you 'nough for one day* Ifs impatient to git back dovan yonder to them white ladies wid dis paper, so as .to speed up dat pension as fast as I used to speed up them race horses I use to ride on de old race track road from Simpson9s to Columbia* " Project 1885-1 £47 I0LKL0RE lOnOAn Edited by: Spartanburg Dist.4 OOUtLHU Elmer Turnage Sept. 20, 1937 REMINISCENCES «I was born July 16, 1852 at Jeter's old mill place in Santuc township. The Neal's Shoal dam now marks the site of the old Jeter mill. My family consisted of my parents and an older brother. My mother was Mandy Clark of Union township. My grandfather Clarkv moved to the Jeter mill and ran it for Mr. Jeter. My father, Tom „Clark, was a laborer for the .Jeters and old man Tom £ims up on - Broad River at what was then known as Simstown. The Tom Sims and Nat Gist families owned everything in Santuc township until their lands hit the Jimmie Jeter place. "When I was twelve, my father went to the Confederate ¥ar. He joined the Holcombe Legion of Union County and they went immed- iately to Charleston. They drilled near the village of Santuc in~ what was then called Mulligan's Old field, now owned by Rion Jeter. This was the only mustering ground in our part of the county. The soldiers drilled once a week, and for the 'general muster, all of the companies from Sedalia and Cross Keys come-there once a month. During the summer time they had what they called general drill for a week"or ten days. Of course on this occasion the soldiers camped over the field in covered wagons. Some came in buggies. Slaves, called 'wait-men1 cared for the stock and did the cooking and other, menial duties for their masters. "The general store at Santuc and the store at the Cross Roads at.fifth Dam did good business during the summer while the soldiers were in camp. The »cross roads' have long been done away withatutlshI)am. The store was under a big oak in front of the Reminiscences — (Charlie Harvey) Page 2 MS house now owned and lived in by W.H. Gist. The Cross Roads were made by the Fish Dam Jerry Road and the old Ninety-Six Road. They tell me that the old Ninety-Six Road was started as an Indian trail by the Cherokee. Indians., way yonder before the Revolution. I have been told that a girl named Emily Geiger rode that ninety-six miles in one day to carry a message to an American general. The message kept the general and his army from being captured by the red-coats.. "Near the Kay Jeter place just below the Ninety-six road there was a small drill ground. The place is now known as the Pitt- man place and is owned by the wife of"Dr. J.T. Jeter of Santuc, I believe. Mr. 'Kay* would send a slave on.a'horse or a mule to noti- fy the men to come and drill there. From here they went on to Mulligan's Field some five or six miles away for the big drills. As I have told you, Mulligan1s Field was the big field for all that countryside. They tell me that the same drilling tactics used then and"there, are the same used right down yonder at Camp Jackson. "For. about four of five years after the Confederate War, we had very little to eat. We had given everything we could to the soldiers. After the 'May Surrender1 there came a big flood and washed-everything away, and the crops were so promising that August. As you know, that was in '65. The"rains and the high water destroy- ed everything. JE do not believe that Broad River and the Forest and Tyger have ever been as o|gh before or "since. "On Henderson's Island they saved no livestock at all. They just did "manage to save themselves. They had a hard time getting the slaves to the mainland. Mrs. Sallie Henderson, her step-son, Jack and her son, Jim, and daughter, Lyde were in the Henderson homae when the freshet/dame down upon them. They had to go up on the second floor of their house but the water came up there. Reminiscences — (Charlie Harvey) page 3 24Q "Mr. Ben Hancock was the ferryman at Henderson's ferry at this time. Now you know, Henderson's Perry is on the Enoree just above where it empties into the Broad. Henderson's Island is in the middle of Broad River in full sight of where old Enoree goes into the channel of the Broad, Well, Mr. Hancock was the best boatman in his day. He knew about the Hendersons, so he tried to go to them but failed the first three times. The fourth time, he got to the hoase, ??hen he got there, he found the whites and twenty-five slaves trap- ped with them. - - ' "1 barrel of flour had caught in the stairway that had washed down the fiver from somewhere above. This was pulled up- - stairs and that is what Mrs. Henderson fed her family and slaves on for about five days, or until they were rescued by Mr. Hancock. Oapt.'Jack blew his opossum horn every two hours throughout the day and night to let the people over on the mainland know that they were still safe. "For the rest of that year, river folks had very little to eat until food crops were produced the next spring. *My own father was shot down for the first time at the Second Battle of Manassas. Here he got a lick over his left eyas that was.about the size of a bullet; but he said that he thought the lick came from a bit of shell. They carried him to a temporary make-shift hospital that had. been improvised behind the breastworks. A soldier who was recovering from a wound nursed him as best he could. "The second time my father was wounded was in Kingston,N.C. He shot a Yankee from behind a tree and he saw the blood spurt from him as he fell. Just about that time he saw another Yankee behind a tree leveling a gua at him. father threw up his gun but too late, the Yankee shot and tori his arm all to pieces. The bullet went Reminiscences — (Charlie Harvey) r?'f!^^^^S^^^^'^^'f)m^f^^^i^y^.-^V^^', *;???^^^|?f^f|Wl through his arm and struck the corner of his mouth knocking out part of his jaw hone. Then it went under the neck vein and finally it came out on his back knocking a hole in one of his shoulder blades large enough to lay your two thumbs in. His gun stock was also cut into. He lay on the battlefield for a, whole day and night; then he was carried to a house where some kind ladies acting as nurses cared "for him for over four months. He was sent home and dismissed from the army just a mile below Maybinton, S.C. in Newberry County. Father was unable to do any kind of work for over two years. The war. closed a year after he got home, from that time oh.I .cared for - my mother and father. '---'. f,We had moved, to the .plantation of Mr. Ben Maybin.in May- binton before my father was sent home wounded. Father lived until March, 1st, 1932 when he died at the ripe old-age of 102. 7/hen he died we were living at one of the Jeter plantations near Kelley's Chapel, in Fish Dam township, one-half mile from Old Ninety-Six Road. Father is buried at Kelley's Chapel. nMr. Harvey has a bullet that Gov. Scott issued to the negroes during.reconstruction times when he was governor of-South Carolina under the carpetbag rule. Scott issued these bullets to the negroes to kill and plunder with. Mr. Harvey says that bullets like this one were the cause of many negroes finding "their graves in the bottom of Broad River. Mr, Harvey, so it is said, is "still a EXT Klux. They were the chief instruments in getting him. into the County Home of Union in 1925r "The Ku Klux made a boat twenty-five feet long to carry fit;,;negroes downthe river. They would take the negroes* own guns, jti v--.-'" ¦ ¦¦¦' ~ ' ' ¦"¦¦ ..-., mm&$fc: :<,i :•>;..« :;;*M£imSM£MlM , 'y/swrsj. «?•"*•«">«>!) Reminiscences ** (Charlie Harvey) Page 6 £31 most of them had two guns, and tie the guns around their necks in the following manner: The barrel of one gun was tied with wire around the negro's neck, and the stock of the other gun was fastened with wire around the negro's neck. When the captain would say, . - - j 'A-M-E-N', over the side of the boat the negro went, with his guns i and bullets taking him to a watery grave in the bottom of Broad ;. River. The wooden parts of the guns would rot, and sometimes the j bodies would wash down on the rocks at Neal »¦&•-Shoals, what was then " '- Jeter's Old Mill. Old gun stocks have been taken from there as ; mementoes. I "Bill Fitzgerald was my first Ku EXux Captain. He organ- - J ized the clan in Newberry, When I came to the Elan over on the Union side, Jadge W.H. Wallace and Mr. Isaac McKissick were leaders. f •?When we got the negroes from the county Jail, the same | jail that we have now, that were arrested for killing Matt Stevens, J I broke the lock on the jail door. Buck Allen was the blacksmith. He held a sledge hammer under the lock ^shile I threw a steel hammer - overhanded on the lock to break it. - " | "I think Abe Lincoln would have done the South some good if they had let him live. He had a kind heart and knew what suffering was.j Lee would have won the war if the mighty stonewall Jackson had lived. .% Stonewall was ahead of them all. I had two uncles, Jipp and Charlie f Clark in Stonewall^s company. They, would never talk much about him .'\ after his death. It 1iurt$theartoo much, for Stonewall»s men loved I him so m»ch. Jeff Davis was a great man, too.* - I i llr. Oharlle Je&£ Har^jr, Rt.4, Box 85, Union. 8,0« | iyi^fe^'J^ ¦' '•,'¦' ' "'¦ •-. '''•.'/-: ' '.'¦'',"'•.''¦', ."•' ' ' ¦¦¦¦' /'''' " '•. "" '¦'-.' ' ¦ ' ' ¦¦'¦''''.- -,¦'¦•¦¦¦ '''¦,¦'-' '¦ Project #1655 W. w. Dixon Winnsbbro, S« Cm ^^^^^^^^^^^^P^^^^^^^^^P 3902B8 2m ELIZA MSTY EX-SUVE 85 YEARS OLD. Eliza Hasty lives with her son-infclaw and her daughter, Philip Moore and Daisy Moore, in an old time ante bellura home. It has two stories, eight rooms, and front and back piazzas, supported by slender white posts or columns. It is the old William Douglas homestead, how owned by John D# Hobley. He rents.lt to Philip Moore, a well behaved Negro citizen, who, out of respect for his mother-in-law, Eliza, supports her in the sore trials" and helplessness of blindness and old age* The home is five miles southeast of Blackstock, &• C* "Boss, you is a good lookin* man, from de sound of your voice. Blind folks has ways of findin1 out things that them wid Sight know nothin1 *bout and nobody can eplain* De Mihdness "sharpens de hearing * creases de tech, prickles de skin, _quickens de taste, and gives you de nose of a setter, pointer or hound dog* Was I always blind? Jesus, no* I just got de ffliction several years ago* I see well enough, when I was a young gal, to pick out a preacher for iay_fust husband* So I did* How many times I been married? Just two times j both husbands dead* Tell you f,bdut them directly * ^What dat? Er ha, ha, ha, ha, er ha, ha, hai Oh Jesus, you makes me laugh,-white folks* De idea of my iossin* my sight a lobkin1 * round for a third husband! You shof is agreeable. Ain*t been so tickled since de secon1 time I was a widow* You know my secon1 husband was bad after blind tiger liquor, and harlot eyed, brassy, hussy women* "Well, I comes dowSTto Wixmsboro today to see* I should say to find out, 1 cause you know I can't see, rbout de pension they is givin* out to de aged and blind. % white folks say dat you wanna see me and here I is* ^^^^^Ms^M^^i^^^^M^M^M^^^^Ii^Mi'i^k^ K?.<" ;UT*- 253 ttYes sir, I was born two miles south of Woodward and one mile south of old Yonguesville, on de Sterling place* I born a slave of old M&rse John Sterling. Him have a head as red as a pecker-wffod bird dat just de-sash-sheys fround de top of dead trees, ancT make sich_a rat~ta~ _ ta-tapi&e after worms. His way of gittin* his meat for dinner. % mis- tress name Betsy. Deir fust child was Robert, dat never marry; him teach nearly every school in Fairfield County, off and on befo1 he died. Them dere was young Marster Tom, small little man, dat carry his S*c-eoder 'ligion so far, him become fjPuriatcd and carry dat- !ligion right up and into de Secession War. Make a good" soldier, tool General Bratton call him, f% Little Jackass of de Sharp Shooters11 Marse Tom proud of dat name, from.de mouth of a great man lak General John Bratton* nMarse Tom heard de fust gun fire at Port Sumter, and laid down his gun," him say, under a big horse apple tree at 'Applemattox1 • ttMiss Sallie, one of de chillun, marry Mr. Chris Elder, of Black- stock* Miss Hepzibah, they call her Heppie, marry a man named Boyd, in Chester County. Miss Mary Isabella, they call her Bell, marry Marse John Douglas; they are de f castors of dat very angel #10 se house us is settin1 in right dis minute• Her naane is Martha but when grown-up, they sublet (meaning change) dat name to Mattie, and when her marry, her become Mrs. Thomas P. Bryson. Her is a-widow, just lak I is a widow. ~ De only difference is, I*s black and her is white. Her can see well enough to run after and ketch another man, but I's blind and can1t see a man, much less chase agter him. So dere it isi TShat for you laughin* 'bout? No laughin1 business wid me* :--V:"':^ri;^S^§^S 3*. \ u% pappy no b'long to Marse John Sterling: him slave of de Stinsons. Have to git a pass to come to see my raammy, Mary. Him name Meek. After de -war him take de name of Alexander Roseboro. Him lak a big long aame dat would make folks set up and take notice of hinu tfUs live in a little log-house wid a dirt floor. Us had mighty poor beds, I tell you* Us just had planks to lay de -wheat straw mattress ¦on* Pillows? De pillows was just anything.you could snatch and put under your head* "Yes sir, us had plenty to eat* 11 They * struct us in de-short catechism, make u§ go, to church, and sit up in de gallery and jine in de singin' on Sundays* Us was well •tended", to -when sick* Marster didnft hare many slaves* 'Members only two they have, •sides usj they was Uncle Ned and Cindy* Seem lak dere was another* Oh jfesl It was Fred, a all * round de creation boy, to do anything and everything* He was a sorta shirt-tail boy dat pestered me sometime wid go&~goo eyes, a standin* in de kitchen door, drappin1 his weight'from one foot to de other, a lookin* at me while I was a churnin1 or washin1 de dishes* Dat boy both box-ankle and knock-kneed* Yfhen you hear him comin' from de horse lot to de house, his legs talk to one another, just lak sayin*: fYou let me j^ss dis time, I let you pass nexf time*1 I let you know I had no time for dat\apel When I did git ready to marry, 1 fly high -as a eagle and ketoh a- preacher of/de Wordi Uho it -was? Him was a Baptis' preacher, name Soloaoa Dixon. •Spect you hear tell of him. No? Well, him b»long, in slavery time, to your Aunt Soxie^ people in Liberty Hill, Ker shaw County. You ?members your Aunt Roxie" dat marry Marse Ed D. Mobley, her fust cousin, don't you? *•! lore Solomon and went down under de water to be buried wid him in - ba|^ism# 1 sho1 did, and I ccane up out of dat water to be united wid him in we&lbcle* Ifeea m isarty* fcim have on a long-tail coat, salt and pepper trousers, 4 • ¦0«i box-toed shoes, and a red lead pencil over his ear, just as long as de one I 'spects you is writin1 wid, tho1 I can't see it* "How I dressed? I Members fzactly* I wore a blue worsted shirt, over a red underskirt, over a white linen petticoat wid tuckers at de hem, just a little long, to show good and white 'long wid de blue of de skirt and de red of de under skirt ? Dese all came up to my waist and was held together by de string dat held my bustle in place. All dis and my corset was hid by de fl&ow white pleated pique bodice, dat drapped gracefully from' my shoulders* fHound my neck was a string of green "jade beads* I wore red stockinTs and my foots was stuck in soft, black, cloth, gaiter shoes* ft%" go-away-hat was fstonishment to everybody* It was made out of- red plush velvet and trimmed wid white satin iribbons* In de front, a ostrich feather stood up high and two big turkey feathers flanked de sides* Qh, de . treasures of memory to de blind! I*s happy to sit here and talk to you fbout dat. dayl I shof is* ttUs live at J&rse John Douglas for a time and &a$s where ray fust child was borri* I name her for your Aunt Roxie, tho* I give her de full name, Roxanna Dixon* Her marry John Craig* They live on your grandpa WoodwardVs old Nickey place, four miles southeast of Blackstock* I had another baby and I name her Daisy* Her marry Philip Moo re* I lives wid them in de old William Douglas mansion* Nearly all de white folks teavin1 de country dese days and de colored folks gits de fine cota&%y houses to live in* . ^Wellj after de years fly by, isy husband, Solomon go to de mansion prepared fm? him tod me in hebben* I wait a year _and a day and. marry William Hasty* Ifaybe I was a little hasty !bout dat, but 'spects it was my fate* ^^Ff^lW^^ ¦6.. 230 Him drink liquor and you know dat don't run to de still waters of peace and happiness in de home. Him love me, I no doubt dat, but he get off to de bar room at Blackstock, or de still house in bottom lands, get drunk and spend his money* De Bible say dat kind ~of drowsiness soon clothe a man in rags* Him dead now> God rest his soult nDe Yankees come* They took notice of me* They was a bad lot dat disgrace Mr* Lincoln dat sent them here* They insult women both ?rtiite and clack, "but de Lord was mindful of his own* "I knows nothin1 else to tell you, *less you would be pleased" to hear .. fbout what de cyclone did to my old missus and de old Sterling house* Some- where fbout 1880!s one of them super knockahal (equinoctial) storms come flong, commencin* over in Alabama or Georgia, crossed de Savannah River, sweep through South Carolina, layin1 trees to de ground, cuttin1 a. path a quarter of a mile wide, as it traveled from west to east* Every house it tech, it carry de planks and shingles and sills and joists fway wid it* De old Sterling house was in cite ~ path* Dere was a big oak tree in de front yard"* "Old miss and her son, Robert, was dere and Miss Heppie, a granddaughter, was in dat house* De storm hit dat -. house '•bout 9 o'clock dat night and never left a bit of it, fcept some of de bricks* Some of de logs and sills was found de nexf day over at de other side of de railroad "track* Some of de planks was found six miles east, some of de -" shingles across Catawba River, 25 miles east, and curious to say, de wind blow-" . ed old miss against de big oak tree and kill her* It blowed Miss Heppie in de top of dat tree where she was sett in1 a cryin1 and couldn!t git down, and it " ~ never hama hair of Marse Robert's head* Him look 'round for Miss Heppie * eouldnft_find her, went off to get help, and when they come back, they have to git a ladder from old'Mr• Bob Mobley's house to git her down* & I has to keep my foots out from under de cover. It a sort of burnin rheumatism like. Yes,mam, it does worry me right smart." M0h, my Lord, I was raise down dere to old Dr. Durant plantation. Yes,mam, dem Durants had everything right to dey hand. Never had to want for a glass of water or nothin en didn1 none of Dr. Durant's colored people never had no trouble wid de law from de time de law take care to dis. I remember old Massa would always kill his plantation people a cow on de fourth of July en couldn' never count de number of hogs dey would have, dere be so many. Honey, dey would take dem hogs up dis time of de year from out de swamp en put dem in dey fattenin pen. Lord, Lord, de many a time dat I been see dem take bucket on a bucket of milk to dat pen. When my mother was dere helpin dem, dey used to been a week to a time tryin up laid en makin blood puddin en sausage en joinin up ears en things like dat. Yes,mam, all dey plantation niggers what been helpin dat day set for hog killin would eat to de white folks yard. Dey would just put two or three of dese big wash pot out in de yard en full dem up wid backbone en haslets en rice to satisfy dem hungry niggers wid en would bake de corn bread to de Missus kitchen. I mean dey would have hog killin days den, too. Would have dese long old benches sett in out dere under de trees to work on - long benches, child. Some days, dey would kill 15 hogs en some days, dey would kill 20 hogs Oode No. Project, 1S85-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, %rion, S.C. Date, November 11, 1937 No. fords Reduced from Rewritten by" words 263 Page J. en I mean dey was hogs, not pigs. De number dey would kill would be accordin to how many hands was helpin de day dey pick to kill. You see, dey would kill dem one day en hang dem up en den dey would set de next day to cut dem up. Oh, dey would hang dem up right out to de eyes of everybody en didn* nobody never have no mind to bother nothin. My Lord, couldn1 trust to do nothin like dat dese' days. En dey had de nicest homemade butter en whip cream dere all de time. Seems like things was just more plentiful en dey was better in dat day en time." "It just like I tellin you, it de way of de past, every- thing had to be carried out right on Dr. Durant«s plantation. When freedom come here, dere couldn1 no head never get dem colored people to leave from dere. Yes,mam, dey great grand- chillun dere carryin on to dis very day. Dem Durant chillun ain1 never had to hunt for no hand to do somethin for dem. Yes,mam, my white folks had dey own colored people graveyard what was corn crated in en it still dere right now. when one of de colored people on de plantation would die, dey white folks would be right dere to de funeral. En it de blessed truth, old Dr. Durant had his own carpenters right dere on de plantation to make de corpse boxes en line dem en all dat en dig de graves. Dat was a day, honey, en dat a day gone from here, I say." Oode No. Project, 1S85-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.C. Date, November 11, 1937 No. Words___ Reduced from. Rewritten by" words 264 Page 4. "I ain» never been one of dese peck abouts when I was comin on cause I didn* done nothin, but nurse de white folks chillun dat was comin up. Yes,mam, I would go all bout wid de white people. Dey never didn1 leave me home. Lord, de head chillun what I nurse, dey got seven en eight/of chillun of dey own now. Like I been tellin you, some of dem beg me to come en Jive wid dem, but my God, I can1 struggle wid dem chillun no more after I done wash baby breeches all my best days, so to speak. Yes, my Lord, dem chillun would get dey 10j30 lunch in de mornin en I been get mine, too. Ain* never had to work in de field in all my life. Anybody can tell you dat what know me.M MI has a little boy stayin here wid me en aun1 8allie what was give to me. I don1 never think hard of de people for not fussin bout him stayin here cause he helps me so much. No,mam, I know his mother fore she die en he been stayin wid his aun« en she chillun en dey treat him mean. He been raise to himself en he can1 stand no other chillun en he come home from school one day en ax me to let him stay here wid me. No, child, he ain* no trouble cause de Lord give me dat child. He can stay out dere in dat yard right by himself en play all day fore he would ever get dirty up.M "Well, I tell you, I don1 know hardly what to say bout how de world gwine dese days. I just afraid to say bout it. Oode No. Project, 1SS5-(1) Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, S.O. Date, November 11, 1937 No. Words|.___ Reduced from_ Rewritten by" words eTT I know one thing, I used to live better, but President Roosevelt, seem like he tryin to do de right thing. But if I could be de whole judge of de world, I think de best thing would be for de people to be on dey knees en prayin, De people talkin bout fightin all de time en dis here talk bout fightin in de air, dat what got my goat. Might lay down at night sound en wake up in de mornin en find us all in destructiveness, I say, de Lord all what can save dis country," flource: Iiiney Henderson, age 70, colored, Marion, S.O, Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, Nov., 1937, Project #L655 W# W* Dixon ^^ M^ ^ . Winnsboro* 8. 0. 390412 266 jutmssBX EX-SLAVE 77 YEARS OLD, Jim Henry lives with his wife, Mary, in a four-room frame house, three miles southeast of Winnsboro, S* C* He owns the house and nine acres of land* He has only one arm, the other having been amputated twenty years ago* Ho em- ploys a boy to plough, and he and his wife make a living on the property• ttI was born in the Bratton slave quarter, about six miles northeast of Winnsboro • I was born a slave of General John Bratton* He use to tell me I come from fstinguished stock, dat he bought my father, James, from de Patrick Henry family in Virginia* Datfs de reason my pappy and us took dat name after freedom* MMy mother * Silva, and her mother, was bought from de Rut ledge family in Charleston* by General Bratton* % grandfather* on my mother's side, was name Edward Rutledge* No, sir* I don't mean he was a white man; he just ginger- cake color, so icy mother say* My pappy say his father was a full-blooded Indi- an, so, dat makes three bloods, in my veins, white folks, Indian folks, and Negro folks• Derefore*us been thrifty like de white man, crafty like de Indians* and hard workin1 like de Negroes* f,In slavery time* us lived in one of de nice log houses in de Bratton quar- ters* Our beds was pole beds, wid wheat straw ticks* and cotton pillows* De Brattons was always sheep raisers, and us had woolen blankets and woolen clothes in de. winter* Ify mother was one of de seamstresses; she make clothes for de slaves* Course»Ifm tellin1 you what she tell me, mostly* I was too little to •member much 'bout slavery time* All de little niggers run * round in deir shirt- tails in suaaner time; never work any* just hunt for grapes* muscadines* straw** 2* 267 berries, chinquapins, hickory nuts, calamus root, slippery elmer (elm) bark, wild cherries, mulberries, and red and black haws, and was as happy as de days was long* UI just can fmember de Yankees* Donft * member dat they was so bad* You know they say even de devil ainft as black as he is painted* De Yankees did take off all de mules, cows, hogs, and sheep, and ransack de smoke-house, but they never burnt a thing at our place* Folks wonder at dat* Some say it was f cause General Bratton was a high f gree mason* nWhile Marse John, who was a Confederate General, was off in de war, us had overseers* They made mother and everybody go to do field* De little chillun was put in charge, in de daytime, wid an old tmaumal, as they called them in them days* Dere was so many, twenty-five or thirty, dat they had to be fed out of doors< At sundown they was 'sembled in a tent, and deir mammies would come and git them and take them home* Dere used to be some scrappin* over de pot liquor dat was brought out in big pans* De little chillun would scrouge around wid deir tin cups and dip into de pan for de. bean, pea, or turnip pot liquor* Some funny scraps took place, md de old mauma tryin1 to separate de squallin*, pushin1, fightin1 chillun* ttB© overseers was Wade Pwawls and a Mr* Timms* After freedom, us moved to Winnsboro, to Dr* Will Eratton*s farm near lit* 2 ion College* I went to school to Mr* Richardson and Fiss Julia Fripp, white teachers employed by northern white people* I got very fligious *bout dat time, but de brand got all rubbed out, when us went to work for Major Woodward* His 'ligion was to play de fiddle, go fox huntin1, and ride fround gittin1 Negroes to wear a red shirt and vote de democrat ticket* 1 went flong wid him and done uiy part* They tell a tale on lilarse Tom Woodward and I fspects it*s true: ttHe was runnin1 for some kind of office and was goin1, nexf day, up in de 3. 268 dark corner of Fairfield to meet people* Him hear dat a old fellow name Uriah Wright* controlled all de-votes at dat box and dat he v/as a fox hunter to beat de band. He 'quire 'round, 'bout Mr* Wright's dogs* He find out dat a dog name 'Ring Smith' was de best ' strike '* Jolly Wright was de name of de cold-'trailer' * and Molly Clowney. was de fastest dog of de pack* Marse Tom got all dis well in his mind, and nex1 day rode up to old Mr* Wright's* 'bout dinner time* nDe old man had just come in from de field* l&trse Tom rode up to de gate and say; 'Is dis Dr* Wright?' De old roan say: 'Dat's v/hat de people call me 'round here*' Marse Tom say: '% name is Woodward* I am on my first political legs, and am goin' 'round to see and be seen, if not by everybody* certainly by de most prominent and 'fluential citizens of each section*' Then de old man say: 'Git down* Git down* You are a monstrous likely man* I'll take you in to see Pinky, icy wife* and we'll see what she has to say 'bout it*' nMarse Tom got down off his horse and was a goin' to de house talkin' all de time 'bout crops* Spyin' de dogs lyin: 'round in de shade, him say: 'Dr* Wright, I am a 'culiar man* I love de ladies and admire them much but* if you'll pardon icy weakness, a fine hound dog comes nearer perfection* in my eye* than any- thing our Father in heaven ever made to live on this green earth I' n **Jbid what do you know 'bout hounds?* Old man Uriah asked, turnin' from de house and followin' Marse Tom to where de dogs was* Marse Tom set down* Be whole pack come to where he was* sniffed and smelt him* and wag deir tails in a friendly way* Marse Tom say: fWhat is de name of dis dog? Ring Smith* did you say, Doctor? An uncommon fine dog he seems to me* If dere be any truth ia signs, he oughta be a good strike*' De old man reply: 'Good strike* did you say? If dere was 5,000 dogs here* I would bet a .million dollars dat Ring Smith would open three miles ahead of the best in de bunch* And you might go befo' a trial justice and sweat? it was 4. 2G9 a fox, when he opened on de trail•' nMarse Tom nex1 examined de pale black and tan dog, which was Jolly Wright, de ©oldest trailer* Feelin1 his nose and eye in1 him all over, he say at last: fDr# Wright, I think dis is one of de most remarkable dogs I has ever seen* I would say he is de coldest trailer of your pack?1 11 f Coldest# did you say? "Why he can smell them after they have been along three or four weeks •* Molly Clowney was nex1 picked out by Marse Tom, and come in for his turn* 'Here ought to be de apple of your eyes, Br* Wright,1 say Marse Tom, 'for if I know anything 'bout dogs, this is the swiftest animal dat ever run on four feet* Tell me now, honor bright, can't she out run anything in these parts?1 11 'Run, did you say? No* She caaft run a bit* But dere ainft a crow nor a turkey buszard, dat ever crossed de dark corner, dat can hold a.candle to her f lyin1 • I've seen her run under them and/outrun deir shadows many times ? Dinner is fbout ready, and I want you to meet Pinky*1 "Marse Tom was took in de house and de old man led him f round like a fine horse at a show or fair* 'TJhy, Pinky, he is smartj got more sense than all de candidates put together* He is kin to old preacher Billy Woodward, de smartest man, I heard my daddy say, in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, or South America.1 They say Marse Tom promised befo* he left to pass a bill dat no fence was to be higher than five rails, to suit fox hunters* Then de old man tell Miss Pinky to bring his fiddle, and he played !De Devil1 s Dream1 • TOien he finished, Marse Tom grab de fiddle and played: fHell Broke" Loose In Georgia1, wid such power and skill dat de old man, Uriah, hugged Miss Pinky and cut de fPigeon Wing1 all over de floors Marse Tom, they say, carry every vote at dat dark corner box* nI fall in love with Mary Hall* Got her, slick as a fox* Us had ten chil- lun* Eight is livin1* Robert is at de TJTinnsboro Cotton Mills* Ed in de same place. Estelle marry a Ford, and has some land near Winnst>oro» Maggie marry a 270* ¦; Pickett* Her husband took her to Washington* John Wesley is at Greensboro• Florence xaarry a Barber and lives in Winston Salem, N* C# Charley is in Winns- toro* Corimte marry a McDuff and is in Winnsboro* "Mighty glad to talk to you, and will come some day and try to bring you a Tpossum* You say you would like to have one !bout Thanksgivin* Day?tt Project 1885-1 or*n« •« ^ FOLKLORE 390110 Edited by: 271 Spartanburg Dist.4 Elmer Turnage June 1, 1937 STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES *Yas Sir, my ole Marster had lots o» land, a big planta- tion down at Lockhart whar I was born, called de Herndon Plan- tation, Den he live in a big house jes' outside o' Union, called 'Herndon Terrace*, and 'sides dat, he was de biggest lawyer dat was in Union. "Furs' 'membrance was at de age o? three when as yet I couldn't walk none. My mother cooked some gingerbread. She told- de chilluns to go down a hill and git her some oak bark. De furs* one back wid de bark »ud git de furs' gingerbread cake dat was done. My, sister sot me down, a slid^ing down de side o' her laag, atter she had carried me wid her down de side o' de hill. Dem big chaps started to fooling time away. I grab up some bark in my hand and went toddling and a crawl- ing up to de house. My mother seed me a crawling and toddling, and she took de bark out'n my hand and let me pull up to de do'. She cook de gingerbread, and when de other chilluns got back, I was a setting up eating de furs' cake. "She put gingerbread dough in a round oven dat had laags on hit. It looked like a skillet, but it never had no handle. It had a lid to go on de top wid a groove to hold live coals. Live coals went under it, too. Mother wanted oak chips and bark, 'cause dey made seen good hot coals and clean ashes. *Pots biled in de back o' de chimney, a hanging from a pot rack over de blazing fire. It had pot hooks to git it down. Folklore: Stories From Ex-Slaves Page Z 2*72 "Bread was cooked in a baker like de ginger cake was. Dey roasted both kinds o» Haters in de ashes and made corn bread in de ashes and called it ash cake, den. "Us lived in a one-room log house. Fer de larger families, dey had two rooms wid de fire place in de middle o' de room. Our'n was at de end by de winder. It had white or red oak, or pine shingles to kivver de roof wid. o» course de shingles was hand made, never know»d how to make no others. "All beds was corded. Along side de railings, dar was holes bored to draw de ropes through, as dese was what dey used in dem days instead of slats. Ropes could be stretched to make de bed lay good. Us never had a chair in de house. My paw made benches fer us to set by de fire on. Marse 2ack let de overseer git planks fer us. My paw was called Lyles Herndon. We had a large plank table dat paw made. Never had no mirrows. Went to de spring to see ourselfs on a Sunday morning. Never had no sech things as dressers in dem days. All us had, was a table, benches and beds. And my paw made dem. Had plenty wood fer fire and pine knots fer lights when de fire git low or stop blazing. "Us had tallow candles. Why ev'ybody know'd how to make taller candles in dem days, dat wudd'n nothing out de ordinary. All you had to do, was to kill a beef and take de taller from his tripe and kidneys. vSee, it de fat you gits and boil it out. Stew it down jes* as folks does hog lard dese days. De candle moulds was made out'A tin. Fer de wicks, all de wrapping string was saved up, and dar wasn't much wrapping string in dem times. Put de string right down de middle o» de mould and pour de hot taller all around it. De string will be de wick fer de candle. -"? folklore: Stories From Ex-Slaves Page 3 2"73 Den de moulds was laid in raal cold water so dat de taller shrink when it harden, and dis »low de candle to drap easy from de mould and not break up. Why, it's jes' as easy to make taller candles as it is to fall off'n a log. "firs* lamp dat I ever seed was a tin lamp. Dat was at Dr. Bates' place in Santuc. Him and his brother, fair, lived to- gether. It was a little table lamp wid a handle and a flat wick. He had it in his house. I was Dr. Bates' house-boy. "My son tuck me back to Union last year, 193/, I 'members. , Nothing didn't look natual 'cept de Jail. Ev'ything else look strange. Didn't see nobody I knowed, not narry living soul. Marse big white house, wid dem ^allems (columns) still setting dar; but de front all growed up in pine trees. When I slave time darkey, dat front had flowers and figgers (statues), setting all along de drive from de road to de big house. T'aint like dat now. "Atter Mr. Herndon died, I was sold at de sale at Lock- hart, to Dr. Tom Bates from Santuc He bought me fer $1800 so as dey allus told me. Marse Zack had( a hund'ed slaves on dat planta- tion. Stout, healthy ones, brung from $1,000 on up to |2,000 a head. When I was a young kid, I heard dat he was offered $800 fer me, but he never tuck it. Dis de onliest time dat I was ever sold. Marse Zack never bred no slaves, but us heard o' sech afar off. He let his darkies marry when dey wanted to. He was a good man and he allus 'lowed de slaves to,marry as dey pleased, 'cause he lowed dat God never intent fer no souls to be bred as if dey was cattle, and he never practice no sech. rtI is old and I does not realize who larse Zack's over- seer was, kaise dat been a long while. I was Dr. Bates' house-boy. Folklore: Stories Prom Ex-Slaves Page 4 274: I allus heard dat Dr. Bates bought my maw fer #1,500, at de same time he bought me. He give $2,000 fer my paw. My brother, Jim, was bought fer $1,800. Adolphus, 'bout fifteen years old, sold fer 'bout $1,400; and my onliest sister, Matilda, was bought fer a maid gal, but I cannot recollect fer what price. She was purty good sise gal den. All o' dem is dead now but me, even all my white folks is done gone. I sees a lonely time now, but my daughter treat me kind. I live wid her now. "Dr. Bates' brother, Fair, was single man dat live in de house wid Dr. Bates fer thirteen years. I lived in slavery fer over twenty-one years. Yas, I's twenty-one when Freedom come; and den Dr. Bates up and marry "ir. Henry Sartor's daughter, Miss Ma'y. Don't know how long she live, but she up and tuck and died; den he pop up and marry her sister, Anne. It was already done Freedom when he marry de furs' time. When he married dd second time, Mr. Fair, up and went over to de Keenan place to live. He never did marry, hiself, 'though. "As house-boy dar, I mind de flies from de table and tote dishes to and fro from de kitchen. Kitchen fer ways off from de house. James Bates, his cook, sometime I help wash de dishes. Marse never had no big house, kaise he was late marrying. Dar wasn't no company in dem days, neither. "Rations was give out ev'y week from de smokehouse. Twenty-fjve or thirty hogs was killed at de time. Lots o« sheep and goats was also killed. All our meat was raised, and us wore wooden-bottom shoes. Raised all de wheat and corn. Hogs, cows, goats and sheep jes» ruh wild on Tinker and Brushy Fork Creeks. 'J Folklore: Stories From Ex-Slaves Page 5 &'75 On Sat'day us git one peck meal; three pounds o' meat and one- half gallon black molasses fer a person; and dat's lot mo' dan dey gits in dese days and times. Sunday morning, us git two, or maybe three pounds o' flour. Didn't know nothing 'bout no fat- back in dem times. Had sassafras and sage teas and 'dinty tea (dinty tea is made from a wild S.C. weed). "Marse's coachman called Tom 'Cuff, kaise he bought from old Dr. Culp. He driv two black hosses to 4e aarriage. Marse's saddle hoss was kinder reddish. Gen'ally he do his practice on hossback. He good doctor, and carry his medicine in saddle bags. It was leather and fall on each side o» de hoss's side. When you put something in it, you have to keep it balanced. Don't never see no saddle bags; neither does you see no doctors gwine round on no hosses dese days. "Never seed no ice in dem days 'cep in winter. Summer time, things was kept in de milk-house. Well water was changed ev'fr day to keep things cool. Ev'ybody drink milk in de summer, and leave off hot tea, and de white folks only drink coffee fer dere breakfast. T'other times dey also drink milk. It bees better fer your health all de time. fAt de mouth o' Brushy Fork and Tinker Greek whar dey goes together dar is a large pond o» water. Us n'used to fish in dat pond. One day, me and Matilda tuck off a-fishing. I fell in dat pond, and when I riz up, a raft oT brush held my head under dat water and I couldn't git out no ways. 'Tilda sees my dangerment, and she Jump in dat deep water and pull me from under dat raff. She couldn't swim but us both got out. Can't think no mo' today." Source; Zack Herndon, Grenard St., Gaffney, S.C. (col. 93) Interviewer: Caldwell Sims, Union,S.C. 5/11/37 Pfroject #1655 Stiles M# Scruggs coiumbia^so.c^ 390395 276 LAVINIA HEYWARDfS STORY OF SLAVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION Lavinia Heyward, a Negro woman 67 years old, living at 515 Marion Street, Columbia, S# C#, is a daughter of ex-slaves• Her parents were Peter Jones and Rachel Bryant Jones* They married in Columbia, soon after they were freed, in 1865• Lavinia reviews her motherfs experiences with a famous South Carolina family, before and after bondage, and takes a glance at Columbia1a progress in the past half century* ^Sho1 Ifs been here 67 years, and I*s seen a stragglin1 town of 10,000 / grow from poverty to de present great city and riches• Shucks, I fspects£if you f was to set me down at Broad River bridge and tell me to go home, I might git lost tryin1 to find ay way to where I has lived for many years• Durin1 my time Ifs sho1 seen dis city sad and glad,and Ifs happy to say dat it seem to be feelin* a right smart lak itself now* "Ify mammy, and her daddy and mammy, was bought from de Bryants at Beau- fort by de Rhett family, when my mammy was a little pickaninny• She not able to teli nothin* fbout her fsperiences with de Bryants, but she sho1 recall a lot of things affcer she jine de Rhetts* She live with them f til she was just turnin1 twelve years old, then she come to Columbia as a slave of Master John T« Rhett• He move here, as a refugee, in 1862 • Master Rhett was not healthy •nough to go to war but some of his folks go# "One of Master Rhett1 s brothers, who was too old to go to war, march fway to fight Yankees at Honey Hill. De Yankee fleet-send an army in boats to cut de Charleston and Savannah Railroad, and de Confederates meet them at Honey Hill, half «f •tween Beaufort and Savannah* In a bloody battle dere de Confederates 2c 277 won* Master Rhett, of Beaufort was wounded dere, and his brother, John, leave Columbia and go dere to see him whilo he was in bed, battlin* for life* nMy mamny never work in de field at Beaufort, nor after she come to Colum- bia* She was kep1 on duty in de big house and learned to sew and make garments, quilts, and things* She also learn to read, write, and cipher, and she could sing many of de church songs them days* she play with de white chillun dat come to see d* Rhetts in Beaufort and in Columbia^ She tell me fbout things in.Beau^ fort, where de Bh^tts live then* "She say de Rhetts has been buckra since de time when Colonel William Rhett go out in his battle ships to chase and kill pirates, in de days when Carolina was ruled by de King of England* She say they own many big plantations in Beaufort County «Bd raise big crops of rice and sea island cotton* She say de sea island cotton was so costly that it was hahdpioked by slaves and placed in hundred pounds sacks* Then it was shipped to Prance and de growers reap a rich harvest* •itamqr tell us chillun dat de Rhetts sho* was de fbig folks1 of South Caro- lina, and I reckons dat*s so, fcause de books, swords, guns, windlasses and things lak dat, in a room at de John T# Rhett home, show what th*y has been do in1 for several hundred years* **8k# ye8' y°u TO*3*15 *° know where * bouts John T* Rhett live in Columbia? He live at de house now number 1420 Washington Street, right f cross de street from where de parsonage of the Washington Street Methodist Church now stands* I go dere with many, often, and play fround de yard* Macaray always work dere as long as she able to serve a-tall« She take sick and die in 1883* ^Ifeister John ?* Rhett was mayor of de city three times, in 1882, 1884 and in 1886* I knows well, fcause he see to it dat us chillun go to school, 'long fbout then, and not a one of us has been unable to read, write, and cipher since* He see 3* 278 dat we gits chances to become useful citizens, and his very name is sweet to me since he died* "You ask if I knows R* Goodwin Hhett of Charleston? I shof does; I has talked with him and he ask me many questions. He was bora in Columbia but move to Charleston many years ago and, lak the buckra dat he is, he climb to de top as de mayor of Charleston, big banker, and president of de Camber of Commerce of de United States• So you see, my mammy was lucfcy in livin1 with such a fine family* ttYou asks if ray man ( husband ) has come down from de Heyward family of o de Cfimbahee River slaves? No* He come from de North and he say dere was Heywards up dere, both white and black* He got that name in de North* He has been a car- penter, hired by de month, at de State Hospital for many years, and we bought dis two-story home by de sweat of our brow* We lives, and has always lived, as my mamtiy tell us to* And we git flong pretty well by trust in1 in God and do in* our best** Project #-1655 Mrs. Chlotilde R. Martin Beaufort County 390040 Appro x.. 530 Wordsi o*--n FOLKLORE &SV FOLKLORE Stories from Ex-slaves Lucretia Heyward Ex-slave Age - 96 W»en gun fust shoot on Hilton Head Islari!t, I been 38 year old. Muh Pa name Tony MacKnight and he b*long to Mr. Stephen Elliott. My Ma name Venus MacKnight and she b*long to Mr. Joe Eddings, who had uh plantation on Parri (Parris) Islandt. De overseer been Edward Blunt. He been poor white trash, but he wuk ha&'d and save he money and buy slave. He buy my Ma and bring she to Beaufort to wuk in he house by de; Baptist chu'ch. I been born den. I hab seven brudder name Jacob, Tony, Robert, Moses - I can't 'member de odders, it been so long ago. I hab one sister Eliza - she die de odder day. Wen I been little gal, I wuk in de house. Wuk all day. I polish knife and fork, raek bed, sweep floor, nebber hab time for play game. Wen I git bigger, dey send me to school to Miss Crocker to learn to be seamstruss. Wen I small, I sleep on floor in Miss Blunt room. I eat food left ober from table. Dey nebber learn me to read and write. I ain't hab time for sech t'ing. I go to chu*ch in white Baptis* chu'ch. Nigger hab for sit up stair, white folks sit down stair. If nigger git sick, dey send for doc- tor to 'tend urn. Mr. Blunt nebber lick me, but Miss Blunt cut my back w'en I don't do to suit her. Nigger git back Project #-1655 Page - 2 280 Mrs. Chlotilde R. Martin Beaufort County cut w'en dey don't do wuk or w'en dey fight. Dey hab uh jail in town, run by Mr. McGraw. If nigger be too bad, run street and t'ing, he git in jail and Mr. McGraw lick urn. I been lock in jail one time. Dey hang me up by wrist and beat me twenty-five lick wid uh cowhide. I forgit w'at I dont to git dat. W'en Yankee been come de Blunts leab Beaufort, and I walk out house and go back to Parri Islandt. De Yankee tell we to go en Buckra corn house and git w'at we want for eat. Den 1 come back to Beaufort and go to wuk in cotton house (gin.) De Yankee pay we for wuk and I tek my money and buy twenty acre ob land on Parri Islandt. I ain't had dat land now 'cause de Government tek em for he self and meKme move. (This was when the Government bought Parris Island for a naval station.) I been hab two husband. De fust name Sephus Browwn. How I 'member w'en he die, it been de year ob de ninety-tree storm. My odder husband been Gupid Heyward - he daid (dead) too . I hear tell ob de Ku Klux, but I nebber shum (see them). I don't know nutlng 'bout no night rider. See urn sell slabe? I see urn. Dey put urn on banjo table and sell um just lak chicken. Nigger ain't no more den chicken and animal, entyf (isn't it so?) project #-1655 Page - 3 281 Mrs. Chlotilde R. Martin Beaufort County Abraham Lincoln? Sho* I 'members him. He de one Wat gib us freedom, enty? He come to Beaufort. He come ' fo Stap- fgBBt de war. He sho been one fine man. He come to Beaufort on uh ship and go all * round here, but I nebber shum* 4MMHB Jefferson Davis? No I nebber hear ob him. Booker T. Washington* I 'members him* I hear him mek speech in Beau- fort. It been uh beautiful speech* Dat bwen one smaa't col- ored man* W»at I t'ink «bout slabpery? Huh - nigger git back cut in slabery time, enty? Does I hate Mr. Blunt? No, I ain11 hate um* He poor white trash but he daid flNMfc now* He hab he self to look out for, enty? He wufc, he sabe he money for buy slabe and land. He git some slabe, but he nebber git any land - de war cum* Project #-1655 on«~«A FOLKLORE 282 Mrs. Genevieve W. Chandler OOu213 Murrells Inlet, S. G. Georgetown County AUNT MARIAH HEYViiOOD Aunt Ivlariah. Heywood, born in 1855, was 'Allston labor' on Waccamaw Neck, Given as a bridal present to 'Miss Susan^ by her father, Mr. l>uncanAof Midway Plantation Waccamaw, Aunt Mariah has for the last fifty years lived much in the past when 'I wuz raise on the cream of the earth' and her head is just a little higher and her back- bone just a little stiffer than that of the average color- ed person because of pride - family pride - in her people - her white people. And as one can readily see from her testimony, her chief cause for her pardonable snobbery seems to be that her Massa was the last man to surrender and "swear gainst his swear #tf Her sons, one of whom is a preacher in the Methodist Conference and fone a zorter - a locust !^and her young- est son John (who got all the credrick) have built her a comfortable house (painted a bilious yaller) which she keeps clean and sweet with.flowers in the front yard - two treasured plants having been sent by her brother (born after mancipations) clean from Pittsburgh. The fact that she was raised by aristocrats shows plainly in her dealing with both races and she is a lead- er in church activities and her opinion valued when a vote is taken about school matters* Being the oldest 'communion steward1 she is affection- ately spoken of as 'THE MOTHER OP HEAVEN'S GATE' - the Project #-1655 Page - 2 283 Mrs* ^enevieve W« Chandler Murrells Inlet, S. C* Ge org e t own G ount y Kethodist church founded in Murrells Inlet community by color- ed leaders shortly after Mancipation* tfAunt Mariah, you home?11 uMissus, what you brought me?t! 111 too thank you.u (Soon she began to reminesce) !rYou could hear !em over there slamming and banging* The Yankee tear up the Dr. Plagg house but they didn!t come Sunny- side* Bright day tool Old man Thomas Stuart lead !em to Hermitage. Had team they take from ^r* Betts and team they take from Dr# Arthur to Woodland* Free everywhere else and we wasn!t free Sunnyside till June third or second* Sunday we-got our freedom* Bright day too* Our colored people fare just like the white; wearing, eating, drinking. I wuz raise on the cream of earth* nThey wuz glad* sign a contract for your boss you would work the same and get pay the end of the year - and tend you when you sick all the same.u (The same medical attention to be given that was given before •Freedom1 ) uBig guns shootingl House jar to Sunnyside and one day water shake out the glass! Miss Susan take her spyglass and stand behind one them big posses (posts) and spy them big boats shootingl And boss say, !Don*t get in front of them posses - they might Project #-1655 Page - 3 284 llrs. Genevieve Vy. Chandler LIurrells Inlet, S# C# Georgetown County shoo t you I! "Yankee come to Mrs. Belin and Parson Betts. And they tell Mrs. Belin, they want her to know no more slave holding and she thank fem and she say, HE people wuz always'freei Grandma Harriet, (Harriet Llortor wuz her title but that time they always gone by they Master title). Joe Heywood wuz Joe Belin - he was Parson Belin man - he take the Heywood title after mancipation. Poinsette (Uncle Fred) ALWAYS carry that title. That day, all the right hand servant always take they Massa title.) When the big gun shooting, old people in the yard, 'Tank Godi Massa, HE COMING I« (Referring to 'Freedom') 'HE COMING I1 (Guns gone just like thunders roll nowl) Chillun say, !,What coming? What coming? VJhat coming, Grandma?' 'You all will knowi You all will know I' "Massa live "Wee ha kum' for years* We are fifty-five (55) chillun. Mary Rutledge Alls ton and I one year chillun." (She and Mary R. Allston born same year.) "My missus have four chillun - Mary Rutledge, Susan Bethune, Marsa Pink and Mars© Fanuel. (Benjamine Nathaniel I,) "Pour years of the war been hold prayer-meeting." (Praying for 'freedom'). I*ock me up in house. Me, I been PRESent to Miss Minna - 'Miss Maryt We, us lock up* My brother and I listen I (Two brother mancipation chillun. Smart Robert Brock- ington and Harrison Franklin Brockington in Pittsburgh. * Project #-1655 Page - 4 £85 Mrs. Genevieve W-.- Chandler Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County nuss (nurse) him - jess like you hold that book.) Old people used to go to Richmond Hill, Laurel Hill and Wachesaw have these little prayer-meeting. All bout in people house. Hold the four year of the war. Great many €ime the chicken crow for day. Hear the key. We say 'Yeddyl' Change clothes. Gone on in the house. Get that eight, seven o'clock breakfast. "Parson Glennie (Rector All Saints, Waverly lived at Rectory there and did wonderful work teaching and preaching to slaves as well as whites - preaching at beautiful St. Mary's chapel, built by Plowden Weston at Hagley for the slaves of materials from England - baptismal font from this chapel now in Camden Episcopal church and stained glass also removed before chapel burned some few years ago.) At this period - prior to mancipation Waccamaw slaves were usually educated in the faith of their~masters - the Epis- copal.") Parson Glennie.come once a month to Sunnyside. Parson Glennie read, sing, pray. Tell-us obey Miss ISinna. (I wuz little highest.) Two of us 55 chillunl We'd fight. She knock me. I knock backl Wouldn't take.a knock! She say, *I tell Parson Glenniel Lord won't bless youl You bad.1 I say, 'You knock me, I knock youl» "Have a play-house. Charlie buy from Matt. Used to summer it at Magnolia. Row from Bull Creek once a month to Project^#-1655. " Page - 5 286 urs-« ~trenev-ieve--W.». Chandler Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County Chapel. (10 miles or more) Put them All Saints eleven o'clock service* Four" best men his rowsmen. Puas (first) year war we tun Bull Creek. Nobody go (to All Saints) but L-iissus "and Massa and the four rowsmen. "Plat going from Midway to"Cheraw. Beat rice on flat. (Couldn't grind corn) Kill chicken. Gone to protect from Yankees - to hidei VHhen they come (to Cheraw). Sherman com- ing from MONDAY till SATDYl Come on RAILt Said 'twas a shock- ing sight I When Sherman army enter Cheraw, town full of sojers. Take way from white people and give horses colored people I Didn't kill none the horses. (On Sunnyside on Waccamaw) Cheraw Yankee kill horsesV (Indeed - YESl "It.is history in Marlboro, near Cheraw they were killed and thrown in the wells to pollute the water.)n "Mr. Charley horse, couldn't nobody ride but himi Father- in-law (Mr. Duncan to Midway) had a pair of grey - EUGK and SMILER. Driver, Tom Carr. Come in carriage every month to Sunnyside. Get the family. Go and spend ten-days - Midway I Family wuz JBY8ELF, MISS MINHA, and the three and the Massa and r %ss Susan. Mary Huger one my Missus-sister. One marry a Huger to Charleston. ,"Major Charles say he1d die in Sunnyside yard fore he»d go there (Georgetown) and take off his hat and * swear gainst my swear.* He'd die in Sunnyside yard. My Massa, Major Charles j&£st;©n, was the last one to gone to Georgetown and gone under Project #-1655 Page - 6 287 Mrs. ^enevieve **'. Chandler Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County that flag! He was Charles Jr., but after Confederick wa^l he was Major Charles I ^ajor Charles the last man off Waccamaw gone under the flagl At Georgetown, ^ent down in row-boat. My fadder gone and tell old man Tom Nesbitt to have his boat and four of his best mens. Got to go off a pieeel Pa gone. Have boat ready. Ma got up. Cook a traveling lunch for * em. Fore dayl Blue uniform. Yellow streak down side - just like this streak in my dress. Yellow barl" (Most of "em had to rob dead yankees or go naked) "LAST GENTLEMAN GONE UNDER THE FIAGi "iValking up and down the piazza I Say, /l go to town and swear gainst my slave?" Can I? Up and down I "•I hear bout them slave try to run way. Aunt Telia Kin- loch eye shot out. Marsh (baby) cryl Mother say take her apron and stuff the child mouth. Blockade (patrollers) wus hiding. Shot in range of that sound. Rov/l Row I Row I Put everything in jaill All in jaill Mr. McCuskey tell us I He wuz one of the men help lynch. I got married 1873. They wuz talking bout the time (war) "Mr. McCuskey told us Nemo Ralston was one. Say he never see a fatter man. Fat in there in shield! Like a fattening hogl (They running way from Oregon - %. McGill place). Say they put four horses to him - one to every limb. Stretch »em. And cut horses and each horse carry a piecei Mr. McCuskey was one help Project #-1655. Page - 7 288 Mrs. Genevieve XI. Chandler Murrells Inlet, S» C. Georgetown County lynch Nemo* "Uncle William ^ey/zood didn!t birth till after mancipation. Not a thing to do with slavery time I. But I knov; when the big gun shooting to free me I Yankee come and free Waccamawl No slave hold, ^hole tieck free but usi Last people free on 'Neck.1 MY MAJOR last one to v/ent under flag to Georgetown! Old man Moses Gibson and Peter Brockington build Sunnyside kitchen. ltI wuz birth November 5th, 1855. Mr. Buck say, *Aunt Mariah, know your birth?1 !t«Yes, sirP fAunt Mariah, you too old to workl You born 18007go on home raise your chickenlf Aunt Mariah Heywood ^ge - 82 Murrells Inlet, S. C. Project 1885-1 FOLKLORE OOnnri Edited by: 289 Spartanburg.s.C OOUJOl Elmer Turnage May 10, 1937 SLAVE STORIES Living with his married daughter is an old negro slave by the name of Jerry Hill. He was born Jan. 12, 1852. He and his mother were owned by Jim Fernandes who had a plantation between Union and Jonesville, S.C. His father was a slave owned by an- other white man on an adjoining plantation. "Uncle" Jerry was nine years old when the war began, and thirteen when he was set free. He was born near Rocky Creek which ran into Fairforest Creek. He was always treated kindly by his master. He was taught to plow and work on the farm, which he did regularly; though he always took his time and would not let anybody hurry, him. He said that he had always taken his t ime to do his farm work, so got along fine with all for whom he worked. He says that he always had plenty to eat; yet most of the "niggers" had to eat Ash-bread. This is corn-bread which is cooked in hot ashes raked from the fireplace. Once a week he was 4*ven biscuits, though this was a luxury to colored folks. He said, that when a slave had to have a whipping, he was taken to a whipping post in Jonesville. A bull- whip was used for the punsihment and it brought the blood from the bare back of the man or woman being whipped. One day a grown slave was given 150 lashes with the bull-whip, for teaching the young boys, to gamble. He saw- this punishment administered. He had climb- ed a tree where he could get a better view. He said that several slaves were being whipped that day for various things, and there were several men standing around watching the whipping. He said that h» was laughing it the victim, when some by-stander looked up and saw him; "that boy needs 150 lashes, too," he said. Polk Lore: Slave stories Page 2 £9() "He is laughing at the punishment being given." So his master told the by-stander to get the boy and give him the lashing if he thought he needed it. When he was led up to the whipping post, some man there shook his head at the by-stander; so the boy did not get shipped. Jerry says that the sister of Jim Fernandas used to carry a bull- whip around her neck when she walked out on the farm, and would ap- ply it hefcself to any slave she thought needed it. "When the Yankee soldiers came," he said, "my master had to hide out for awhile, as he had gotten into some trouble'with them at Union. They would search the house occasionaly and then go into the woods looking for him. One day the soldiers caught him down on the branch and killed him. As the Yankee soldiers would come to the plantation, they would leave their worn-out horses and take our good ones. They also stole meat, hams, sugar etc.; but they were pretty quiet most of the time. One of our neighbors caught a Yankee stealing his horse and killed him right there. His name was Bill Isom. All his family is now dead. The soldiers would slip around and steal a good horse and ride It off. We would never see that horse again. After we were told by my master that we were now free and c-ould go to work whereever we chose, my mother hired me out to a man and I stayed with him two years. It was pretty hard to make a living after we were free, but I worked hard and always got on." SOURCE: Jerry Hill, 265 Highland St., Spartanburg,S.C. Interviewed by: i\S. DuPre, Spartanburg Office, Dist. 4. Project #-1655 390384 FOLKLORE 2*M Martha S. Pinckney ^ 'A Charleston, S. C. JAHE HOLLINS AGE 97 Jane was found in the sunshine on her piazza, busily occupied, as she always would be. With her full cotton skirt she brushed off the hard-wood bench, and asked the writer'to. have "a. seat; this being declined, she said, "Then I'll sit, because I'm old and get tired. "How what you want with old Jane? Prom old Mausa time you-can get my age - you can ' pute it up.: (compute) I was 95'"June before this last June gone. I got a son 70 what lives in the country - he pay my rent.. I dunno how many children I,had; my son July - " Ladson lives here with me - he gone out now. One son is gone off. somewhere in the world; he's married and has a family - I dunno where he is - somewhere in the worldt" * spreading out her arms. "I come froar Eutawville and Belvidere and Belmoht. My faster? - Charles Sinkler, Belvidere Plantation, (a few miles from Eutaw* . ville) Mausa went to-Eutaw for Miss - I remember all two place, Belvidere and Eutaw. We live at Belvidere. "My .master house been beautiful - "e dey yet I (in-her deep feeling and excitement she " lapsed into GullahJ." That was the plantation where we lived - and. the beautiful steps went up at the back to the l pan try and to the"side was the smoke house1, she jumped up and illustrated - _. _ 'the^smdke come up from here, and the*-meat was hangin' all here*, sM siipwM vital interest in everything she told, and was absorbed ;p ?^':^%ii'?il^j^t^..;iLS when we rebate experiences which -we 'have, loved:*- ¦' ^§j^ ^^-ilM^lw^at"'*1&i£y;:l^££*'t" - T:fWasI3aily ¦ Gift - 'Jfett** giv©-;-y^mim^ >¦:¦ '¦ .',';- '.'-¦•'¦ ¦ :•,'.,„••-; . r/i:;.." •¦. ... ¦•.'... ..-••¦ .. ............... . t .¦''-. ¦-',¦¦. •, ¦. . •,-., •'/:.•: ^'¦¦¦&; my*:? ¦:•¦¦>: --"^(^v:1-.".'-.:; ':::''••'¦':-V;-':./•::',.'>'¦;¦'. -¦•¦..: ¦* '¦ • '¦ ••'¦ ';;- •.¦"'':,-'--" ¦ ' ¦ ' ' ' ¦; • ' ,".'..¦../-.^ ^'>V:evA?|||^|l ';¦"';. '*>? ^^-^Z^^W^^^^^^I^^^^^^ Project #-1655 Martha S. Pinekney Charleston, S. C. Page - 2 me to Miss Margaret, his daughter, when she was married to Mr. G-aillard - I give to Miss Margaret - I never was sold." She repeated twice, and was very proud of it that she was a "Free Gift". "I never was sold, and my Mama never'was sapid." (Faith- ful servants remained for generations in one family, inherited and willed like other valued property) "What I do? -• I milk cows", and she illustrated* "I do outside work wid de hoe - plant corn, potato, peas, ricel" She beamed with pride and pleasure as she told of each thing, she could do - "Help fix the hogs, you know, make lard and crack- lings to put in bread. Vihen dinner" time they blow the big \s conk and everybody come for dinner. I not the cook. The eook, Delia, stout round,(illustrated) she do cookt We jus* make out now with dese vittles.^ "We went to church all de time - an1 I sing an* shout in de ^Heavenly land I *% church been on de plantation. Mausa had "a white"minister for us. His name Mr. Qwlnbey. IJbelieve in God* Heaven a restin1 place - there we is all one spirit - the spirit go about jus1 -how we go about here." r- "Do they come back? Did you ever see one?" she was asked. *I hear 'bout dat," she frowned, wbut I never-see urn. .Hy mama, ®ve, died after freedom. My mama gone - she never come '\i'0t-.-*']i^''Q^ild^finii^r come back to me any time. I dont know ¦;.-J$i rn^ty:;o^'-ii^';'c^ii^^;.'d©ad. My daughters, dey lookin' to xlMM^MSMMA Project fr-1655 ?&Re „ 3 OQf* Martha s. Pinckney & W7° Charleston, S. C. /o themselves." "I come to Charleston long after Freedom. I remember all two place - Belvidere and Eutawville.; Belmont I cant forget - de name Gaillard I cant forget, causa I-was 'Free Gift.' Dese: time aint like de times way back dere,**"^ "" - WI been a mid-wife here 60 years. My name writ right down dere and-you can find it* No JLonger than this mornin* I burn, up some papers. I aint have" any remembrance any more. Here she went -into the house and got some sheets of paper - "I want to be truthful _to you, dese was my nursery book." 11 I'm- too old to sing - I did know_ spirituals but cant remember- them - I tell you dese things, then they go out of my remember- ing." "My sister been seamstress in de house - her name Rachel - I do de pointing lean work-at anything ~ after supper, before dark come, do cutting out for next days work." it " - : ¦ ' V "" v^ I cut out a suit for~my master, she said proudly - pants, and ~ ¦_".'".'_"'.". « ' "" / . " ~ '.' a waistcoat.- you know? Then she remembered .suddenly"that she could spin - card the cotton and spin it into yarn - fI glad I can remember things-I do in those days - •:«fs^| Project W1655 rJyr}"'.'"'-* w.w.Dixon 390285 . . 094' Winnsboro, S# C. ^ *W7*± CORNELIUS HOLMES EX-SIAVB 82 YEARS OLD. Cornelius Holmes lives with his wife, Wancy, in a two-room annex to the house that his son, David, occupies* It is on the old Harden place, nine miles northwest of Winnsboro, S. C* The land and the house belong to Mr* John Means Harden, a resident of Winnsboro* Cornelius is intelligent, courteous.in manner, tidy in'appearance, and polite•" His occupation is that of basket-making, in which he is an adept* He picks up a little money by repairing chairs and putting split-bottoms in them* nI was born in de town of'Edgefield, South Carolina, November "29th, 1855, ^cordin* to de Bible, and was a slave of Marse Preston Brooks* Dat name seem to make you set up and take notice of me* - ttHow come I a slave of Marse Preston? Well, it was dis way* My grands b1 long to de Means family of Fairf ield County, f round old Buckhead .section* % grandpap. Wash, tell me Marse Preston come dere visitin1 de Harpers, !nother buckra family dat live further toward de Broad Kiver side of de county* When he git up dere, it come over his fmembrance dat de Meanses was some punkins too,, as well as him and de Harpers* Ifeybe he done heard !bout Miss Martha, how her could ride a horse and dance a cotillion in Columbia, when Marse $ohn'Hugh was de governor* Well, de part goes, he coiaes over dere but didn't do~lak they does now, bust right in and 'felape his •fections to de gal* Him fust,fiOl6Wft lak, ask to see de marster and ask him if he object to him pursuing Miss Martha, in de light of becomin1 his son-in-law? Then, when dat was settled, Marse Preston and Miss Martha gallop and race all f round de country but*dei hosees-jwas always neck and neck* Pat fall, dat raoe ended in a tie. Dat what Grandpap Wash tell ma. "After they marry, ray mother, Scylla, was give to Miss Martha and fcompany her to Edgefield* Dere 6h« marry de carriage driver, Hillard, who was my pappy* I was born in a room ^oinin1 de kitchen and a part of de big kitchen# De plantation was out in de country* I never was dere, so I canft tell you nothin1 H>out dat* De fact is, I was just a small boy and most I know, comes from mother and grandpap* They flow. Marse Preston was in Washington most of de time* One day he marched right in de Senate, ,Wi4 &xs gold head cane, and beat a Senator 'til him fainted, fbout sumpin1 dat Senator say Tbout him old kinsman, Senator Butler* Dat turn de world up side doroi* Talk fbout tpeachin* Marse Preston* Marse freston resign and come home* De town of Edgefield, de county of Edgefield, de state of South Carolina, and Miss Martha, rise to vindicate Marse Preston and f lect him back to Washington* ttMarse Preston go back and stay dere *til he die, in 1859* His body was brought back to Edgefield* Denes1 year de war come on* lfs too young to f member much fbout it but my pappy die while it was go in1 on* Him have three chillun by mother: Me, Addie, and Kancy* They is dead now but 1 f members them crawlin1 f round on de plank floor in de winter time and in de sand in de summer time* ."I never worked in slavery time* Us eat from de dairy and de kitchen, -justfwhat mistress and her chillun eat* One thing I lak then was fmatoes* They wasn't %4| fmatoes lak they is now* -They was fbout de size of marbles* Us cooked them wid sugar and they was mighty good dat way* *% mistress had chillun by Marse Preston* Shof ~l recollect them* Der© war Preston* de last I hear of him,#him livin1 in Tennessee* Then mmm^wj dere was iass Ifary; her marry Mr* George Addison of Edgefield* Miss Carriej her marry Marse Capers Byrd* De yoftjig'esl?, I&ss Martha, marry Col* McBee of Greenville, S* C* nDoes I 'members 'bout.de Yankees? Nofcimuch* I 'members more 'bout 'Wheeler's men* They come and take nearly everything, vdd de ex- cuse dat de Yankees was not far behind and when they come, they would take all, so they just as well take most df what w%s" in sight* "When freedom come, my pappy was dead. Mother brought me back to Fairfield County and give me to my grandpap, Washington Holmes* Us live on 'Possum Branch; now own by Mr* Jim Young* I stay dere 'til I 'come twenty-one* Then I marry Maggie Gladden, 'cause I. love her* Us had four chillun, in de twenty years her live* Henry is in Philadephia* David, de oldest, is fifty years old, livin' out in de county f rom Winns- boro* Lula died, unmarried* Carrie lives here, in Winnsboro; her huslrand is Arthur RosTx>ro, dat you white folks all know so well* When Maggie die, I marry Nancy Holmes, a widow* Us have had no chillun* "How you is finished wid me and you wants me to relax, you say, and talk to you freely 'bout de past and slavery, de present and social con- ditions, and de risin' generation and de future? Well, dat is a heap of teriitory* Now let's think* You see I got a heap a white blood in me, and a heap of de Negro too# Slavery did de white race a whole lo* a good but it wasn't lastin' good* It did de Negro good, dat will be lastin' good forever* De Negro women protected de pure white woman from entieement an4 seduction of de white man in iiavery time# 3% grandpap say he never hea^| • . • . ¦ - •• i ... . ¦¦ of a bad wffite woinan befo1 freedom, I leave-it wid you if dere's any dese 4. 297 times? 13at was worth more to de South, ray grandpap say, dis santification of de white women, than all de cotton and corn dat de Negroes ever makes, in all de years of slavery times• nNow it was de finest thing could have happen for de Negro, to have been snatched out of Africa and brought here in touch wid civilization and Christianity• It .will work out untold'benefit to de race* fBout social conditions? He Bible say, fDe poor you will have-wid you always*f Thof de slave question am settled, de race question will be wid us always, ftil Jesus come de second time? It-fs in our politics, in our justice courts, on o#r highways,- on our side walks, in our manners, in our fligion, and in our thoughts, all de day and every day* nDe good.Marster pity both sides* In de end, will it be settle by hate or by de policy of, love your neighbor^as you do yourself? Mio knows? .Dere^-not much promise at de ^mediate moment of de risin* generation, of either side, and I means no disrespect to" you* % grandpap say no race can rise higher than its women* De future of de Negro race, depends on its mothers* I leave you to answer de last half of de question^" Project #-1655 loninr FOLKLORE OQC Mr s. • Genevi e ve W. Chandle r 0 CJ U ^ U0 *^° Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County UNCLE BEN HORRY (Uncle Ben lives in his own cabin with his second wife, Stella. Formerly almost inaccessible, the new Coastal Highway has put ^ncle Ben and Aunt Stella in the world. The rural electricity program has current right at-their door. Aunt Stella was ask- ed 'Why don't you have lights, Aunt Stella?' and she replied, 'White folks run me if I do thatP So you see the old couple still live with many old and odd beliefs one being that the white man only is entitled to the good things - the better things. Like most old ex-slaves in South Carolina low country, they love and revere the names and memories of their old masters.) "Right now, I oldest one from Longv/ood to Prospect - see dere? (Pointing to forest wall - great pines and live-oaks in front of the cabin) - Lookl I know when he cleared and plant I Josh Ward have potato there. 1 have manure and plant tater. I been here, daughter l" (He pronounces it 'Dater' with a short 'a') (Aside: "Stella, mind now I Don't quarrel me to-night I What you do?" Aunt Stella: The second wife - some years his junior - prob- ably 65 - "I do nuffi") "Got to go up there and cook supper to the Schoolfield house." (This was %cle Ben's announcement as he crawled in- to the car with a bucket in which were his shoes. He was walking down the Coastal Highway and not staying where he be- Project #-1655-' Page - 2 OQQ Mrs.-Genevieve »¦». Chandler p-t\) * Murrells -i-nlet, S. G. Georgetown County help him out with his land. Not many Uncle Ben!s left to be robbed - (told that the cruel negro overseer was shot down after Free- dom - blood still on ground (accordingly to Uncle Ben) be- cause he led Yankees to where silver, etc., was buried* Have heard story from other old livers*) « . *- jl or-r,^ E* Slave Stoiy* Project # 2570 * Mrs* Genevieve W* Chandler, 0 Murrell's Inlet, S.C* 390203 ^Oo Georgetown county* UNC1E BEN HORRY Uncle Ben and his wife, aunt Stella, live in their two-roam , white-washed cabin that sits sideways to the Kingfs Highway, which Uncle Ben always calls 1 the King Road , f near Murrell's Inlet, S.C. Paving and straightening this old King1 s Road, now US 17, has put the two old people in the world* Around the cabin lie the fourteen and three quarter acres that were paid for by Uncle Ben and his father, six or eight acres cleared, the rest woodland* Uncle Ben earns a living by gathering oysters from the Inlet's waters, opening and roasting the oysters for white visitors* Uncle Ben is a great walker* He walks to Conway, the county seat of Horry ( Murrellfs Inlet is situated on the line between Horry and Georgetown counties) , a distance of approximately thirty miles depending on whether one sticks to the paved highway or takes short cuts through the woods , in preference to riding* One day he had walked to Conway and back by eleven o'clock in the morningi 1 ] Uncle Benfs scrappy conversation will tell how he earns his bread, fears and fights ! the Law f , provides for Stella's future, and works for and honors white folks* Brookgreen , which he mentions as the plantation on which he was born and raised, is an open-air museum, donated to South Carolina by A.M.Huntingdon, and visited by thousands of tourists* (See US17* Tour 1 )* n I the oldest liver left on Waccamsw Keck that belong to Brookgreen, Prospect, ( now Arcadia ) , Longwood, Alderly Plantations* I been herei I seen things*1 I tell you* Thousand of them things happen but I try to forget !em* Looker i n He pointed to what appeared to be prijtieval forest in front of his battered little porch* * That woods you see been Colonel Josh Ward's taters patch* Right to Brookgreen Plantation where I born* % father Duffine ( Divine ) Horiy and my 309 brother is Richard Horry* Den1! and Summer two both ray uncle* You can put it down they were Colonel Wardfs musicianer* Make music for his dater ( daughter) and the white folks to dance* Great fiddlers, drummers* Each one could play fiddle, beat drum, blow fife* All three were treat with the same education* You know, when you going to do anything for them big people you got to do it right* Before time ( formerly) they danced different* ^efore strange city people fetched different steps here* But , then, they could use they feet all right* w Hy father fore he dead been the head man for old Colonel Josh Ward* Lived to Brookgreen* They say Colonel Ward the biggest rice man been on Waccamsw* He start that big gold rice in the country* He the head rice C&p'n in dem time* % father the head man, he tote the barn key* Hice been money dem day and time* My father love he liquor* That take money* He ainft have money but he have the rice barn key and rice been money*1 So ray father gone in woods ( he have a head, ray father*') , take a old stump, have fem hollow out* Now he ( the stump) same as mortar to the barn yard* And ray father keep a pestle hide handy* Hide two pestlej Them pestle make outer heart pine* VThen that pestle been miss ( missed) , I wuzn't know nothing* The way I knows ray age, when the slavery time war come I been old enough to go in the woods with ray father and hold a lightard ( lightwood) torch for him to see to pestle off that golden rice he been tote out the barn and hide* That rice he been take to town Sat'd'y when the Colonel and ray father go to get provision like sugar, coffee, pepper and salt* With the money he get when he sell that rice, he buy liquor* He been hide that sack of rioe fore day clean( daylight ) in the prow of the boat and cover with a thing like an old coat* I members one day when he come back from town he make a miss ( step) when he onloading and fell and broke he jugt The Big Boss see; he smell* and he see WHY ray father make that miss step; he already sample that liquor* But the Boss ain!t sajr too much* Satfdfy time come to ration off* 2very head on the Plantation to Brookgreen line up at smoke-house to draw he share of meat and rioe and grits and meal* ( This was fore my father been pint ( appointed ) head man* This when they had a tight colored man in that place by name Praser* They 3. 310 say Fraser come straight from Africa )* Well, Sat'd'y when time come to give my father he share of rations, the headman reach dovm in the corner and pull out a piece of that broke whiskejr jug and put on top my father rations where all could seej Colonel ward cause that to be done to broke him off from that whiskey jug* % father was a steady liquor man till then and the Boss broke him off* n Slavery going in* I members Marse Josh and Miss Bess had come from French Broad ( Springs ) where they summered it* They brought a great deal of this cloth they call blue drilling to make a suit for every boy big enough to wear a suit of clothes and a pair of shoes for every one* I thought that the happiest 'set up1 I had in boyhood* Blue drilling pants and coat and shoe* And Sundfy come we have to go to the Big House for Marse Josh to see how the clothes fit* And him and I'iss Bess make us run races to see who run the fastest* That the happiest time I members when I vnxz a boy to Brookgreen* n Two Yankee gun boats come up Waocamaw riverj Come by us Plantation* One stop to Sandy Island, Hontarena landing* One gone Watsaw( Wachesaw landing) * Old Marse Josh and all the white buckra gone to Marlboro county to hide from Yankee• Gon up Waccamaw river and up Pee Dee river , to Marlboro county, in a boat by name Pilot Boy* Take Colonel Ward an.d all the Cap'n to hide., from gun boat till peace declare* I think Pilot Boy been a rear--wheeler* Most boats like the Old Planter been side wheeler* R They say the Yankee broke in all the rice barn on Sandy Island and share the rice out to colored people* The big mill to Laurel Hill been burn right den* That the biggest rice mill on ^ccaiaaw river* Twuzn't the Yankee burn dem mill* Dese white mens have a idea the Yankee mean to burn dese mill so they set fem afire before the Yankee come* Nothing left to Laurel Hill today but the rice mill tower* That old brick tower going to BE there* Fire can't harm ,em* tt The worst thing I members was the colored oberseer* He was the one straight from Africa* He the boss over all the mens ad womens and if omans don't do all he say* he lay task on 'em they ain't able to do* My mother wonft do all he say* When he say $ f You go bam and stay till I come * ' she ain't do lem* So he have 311 4* it in for my mother and lay task on fem she ain't able for do* Then for punishment ray mother is take to the barn and strapped down on thing called the Pony* Hands spread like this and strapped to the floor and all two both she feet been tie like this* And she been give twenty five to fifty lashes till the blood flow* And ray father and me stand right there and look and ainft able to lift a handi Blood on floor in that rice barn when barn tear down by Hontingdon ( A*M* Huntingdon ) * If Marse Josh been know 'bout that obersheer, the oberseer can't do 'emj but just the house servant get Harse Josh1 and Miss Bess* ear* Them things different when my father been make the head man* What I tell you happen fore Freedom* when I just can. remember* ft Father dead just before my mother* They stayed right to Brookgreen Plantation and dead there after they free* And all they chillun do the same, till the Old Colonel sell the plantation out* Where we going to? Ain't we got house and rations there? " How many chillun I got? ^emme see* Lemma see how many head of chillun* You, StellaJ Help me now! Don't let me tell the Missis wrong* Charles Henry, thirty eight, dere in New York* Ben Horry - I gie' 'em directly*"( Lifting cap and scratching high forehead and gray wool )* TT Twenty four* I going to give you all I got* All I know about! Bill Horry, that's a boy, he twenty* Dinah, that's a gal, twenty fire* Christine, she bout twenty* Mary Horry, I would saytfifteen* When the last war come, the last war deputize them boy and take !em way up Worth and the gals follow , trail 'em on to New York* That the war when you can't get no sugar and have to put candy in your coffee * M How old I is? " Slowly and deliberately w December 13th*, 1852* Eighty five years or more* Vftien my mother dead to Brookgree^ would say I 'bout thirty three year old* n After Freedom, from my behavior wicl ray former owner, I wuz pinted ( appointed} head man on Brookgreen Plantation* By that put drop in my hand ( getting the drop on others) * When kennel been dug out ( canal dug ) from the Oaks Plantation to Dr* Wardie G Flagg house, I wuz pint ( appointed ) head man* Take that down, 5. 1'issis. Kennel ( canal) cut 1877. Near as I kin, I must task it on the kernel ( canal) and turn in every man's work to Big Boss. That kennel( canal) bigger than one- Mr. Hontingdon dig right now with machine* 11 Hissus* slavery time people done something ." Uncle Gabe Lance, born on Sandy Island the first year of the Civil War, a visitor at Uncle Ben's s Tf Yes sir. All them rice field been nothing but swamp* Slavery people cut kennel( canal) and dig ditch through the raw swamp* All these fields been thick woods* Ditching man task was ten compass • t1 Uncle Ben continues: " Storm? Ainft I tell you I BSTSN here? Yes, sir* ?Iore than one storm I live throughj Been through the Plagg storm. Been turn over twice outside there in the sea* One time been have the seine. Been rough* Have weather* And the breakers take the boat* I swim till I get the rope hold. Two men on the shore have the rope end of the seine rope and I hold to that and that how I save THAT time* w Member another time* Had a boat full of people this last go * round* Yfuz Miss Mary, he aunty and the lawyer. I take them fishing outside in oshun* Been in the Inlet mouth* Come half way to Drunken Jack Island* Breaker start to lick in the boati I start to bail* %ve a maters ( tomatoes) can for bail with. And that been danjus( dangerous); have too much women in there; dey oouldnft swim like a man* And it happen by accident, when the boat swamp and full with water, our F3ST TOUCH BOTTOM. "When he ( the boat ) turn over, I didn't aim to do northing but swim for myself* Wasn't able to help nobody. But here out feet touch bottom* Only an accident from God*1 w One time again I swamp outside, *tween Georgetown and Charleston. Try to bail. Swim with one hand, hold boat with the other. Roughest time I ever see fcause it been cold wedder ( weather ) * Old before-time yawl boat, carry eight oar, four to each side. Young man then j 1877. After the wedder ( weather ) surrender* we we gone back in dere and find cork going up and down and save us net and alii w When the Flagg storm been, 1893* I working for Ravanel and Holmes* I was 6. 313 taken up in that storm in a steamer boat* Leave Charleston generally about five in morning* That trip never reach Georgetown till nine that night* Meet a man on that trip got he wife hug to mast in a little kinder life boat* Had he two chillun? rope wrap fem to that mast* Save man and wife and chillun and gone back and save he trunk* After that they quit call me !Ben f ; they call me fRooster1 * "After Flagg storm, Colonel %rd take me and Peter Carr, us two and a Mi horse, take that shore ( follow the ocean shore line ) to Little River* Search for all them what been ddrowned* Find a trunk to Myrtle Beach* Have all kinder thing in femj comb for you hair, thing you put on you wrist* Find dead horse* cow, ox* turkey, fowl - everything* Gracious GodJ Donft want to see no more thing like thatj But no dead body find on beach outside Flagg family* Find two of them chillun way down to Dick Pond what drownded to Magnolia Beach; find them in a distance apart from here to that house* Couldnft !dentify wedder Miss or who* All that family drown out because they wouldn't go to this lady house on higher ground* T/ouldnft let none of the rest go* Servant all drowni Betsy, Kit, Mom Adelei Couldn!t identify who lost from who save \ill next morniag* Find old Doctor body by he vest stick out of the mud; fetch Doctor body to shore and he watch still aticking* Dr* Wardie Flagg been save hanging to a beach cedar* When that tornado come, ray house wash down off he blocks* Didn't broke up* tf ReligionV Reckon Stella got the morest of dat* I sometimes a little quick* Stella* she holds one course* I like good song* One I like best? " Try us* Oh Lord, And search the ground Of eveiy sinful heart i ( Uncle Ben stopped to think )• What !eer of sin In us be found Oh, bid it all depart i f tt Reason I choose that for a favorite hymn, I was to Brookgreen doing some work for Dr* Wardie Flagg and I had to climb as high as that live oak tree, and I fell high as 7. 314 that tree*' I lay there till I doze off in sleep* And I tell you what happen to me curious* '7hile I was sleep I seen two milk white chickens* You know what them two white fowl do? They gone and sit on my mother dresser ri lit before the glass and sing that song* Them COULD singj And it seem like a woman open a vial and pour something on me* % spiritual mother ( in dem day every member in the church have what they call a spiritual mother ) say, ' That not natural fowl* That sent you for a token* ' Since that timel serve the choir five or six years and no song seem strange to me since that day* God ainft ax about you colorj God ax about you heart • 11 Make ray living with the ister ( oyster )* Before ticHe ( formerly) I get seventy five cents a bushel; now I satisfy with fifty cents* Tide going out, I go out in a boat with the tide; tide bri :g me in frith sometimes ten, sometimes fifteen or twenty bushels* 1 make white folks a roast j white folks come to Uncle Ben from all over the country - Florence, Dillon, Hullins - every kind of place* Same price roast or raw, fifty cents a bushel* n I bout to quit up vriLth sell* All the lawyer* Turn all my papers over to Mr* Burris* I got too much of paper in that Con-o-way* Court House,* Got more paper in there thsn the house worth* Have to step to Conoway all the time* Struggle and starve myself out for these fifteen acres,* Thirty miles to Con-o-way* Thirty miles back by the course I travels* All them tricky mens try to go and get old Ben's land sign to fem* Thatfs the mainest thing take me to Con-o-