4 5 0 0 0 4	1 ~ ~ ~ ~ j, J~	2~
	Interview of Mrs. !~arriah Hines	E. Avenue RIPF.D. 1.	/ ~	4i~
	Oakwood NorfoIk~ Virginia	~ ~	~
	By ~ David Hoggard	~	- )~. ~ - ~ .
::arch 26, 1937

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	Mrs. Marriah Pines - Born July 4, 1835, South Hampton County Virginia0 a slave on James. Pressmans plantation. Now residing on lE. Avenue, Oakwo~ ‚Norfolk,

~	Virginia R.F. D. 1. ~

.	~‚ Even though the general course of slavery was cruel, Marriah Hines was

~/	fortunate enough, not to have to endure its seventies. James Pressman was one of the few slave masters that looked upon the slave with a certain degree of corn— passions to whom Marriah was fortunate, to be owned by. Although slavery in its

	self was cruel; but the fact that Mr. Pressman was generous and kind -~o the slaves ~ that he owned, because of necessity in the process of his far~irw~, should not be

overlooked. it is quite true that slave masters near him did not grant their slaves such priviliges as he did. I do not wish to impress the idea that lJr. Pressman did not approve of slavery, but only his general attitude to~ard his slaves was different from the majority of the slaves holders. From the following story of i~rriah‘s life in E~1avery, it may be clearly seen that her master was an exception. ~

~	her, • ~he rs±ates ‘lier i±fe~ st~ry as toi~iow~~

UI lived with good people, my white folks treated us good. There was plenty of

‘em that didn‘t fare as we did. Some of the poor folks alniosi starved to death.

•iThy the way their masters treated them was scandalous, treated them like cats and dogs. 71e always had plenty of food, never knowed what it was to want food bad enough to have to steal it like a whole lot of ‘em. Master would always give us plenty when he give us our rations. O course we slav~es were given food and clothing and just enough to keep us goin good. ~Thy master would buy cloth by the loads and heaps, shoes by the big box full; den he‘d call us to the house and give each on‘us our share. Plenty to keep us comfortable, course it ~~jb silk nor satin, no ways the best there was, but ‘twas plenty good ‘nough for us, and we was plenty glad to git
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