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United States WASHINGTON 1941 SLAVE NARRATIVES A Folk History of Slavery in the From Interviews with Former Slaves TYPEWRITTEN RECORDS PREPARED BY THE FEflERAL WRITERS PROJECT 1 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

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\ ~ ~ ~ VOLUME XIV souTh CAROLINA NARRATIVES PART 2 Prepared by the Federal Writers Project of the Works Progress Administration for the State of South Carolina

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INFORMAN JB Eddington Harriet Edward s Mary Elliott, Rev. John B. Elmore, Emanuel Emmanuel, Ryer Eubanks Pen Evans, Lewis Evans, Phiflip Fair, Eugenia Farrow, Caroline Feaster, Gus Ferguson, Ann Ford, Aaron Foster, Charlotte Franklin, ~rohn Fraser, Emma Frost, Adele 1 2 3 10 11,17,22 27 30 34 38 39,42 43,48,54 72 74 80 84 87 88 Goodwat er Thorna s Grant, Charlie Grant, Rebecca 3~ane Graves, ~Tohn (Uncle Brack) Greely, Si~n1 Green, Elijah Green, W. M. Grey, Adeline Griffin, Fannie Griffin~, Madison Gri~~sby, Peggy Guntharpe Violet Hamilton, John Hamlin, (Hamilton) Susan 223,226,233 Harp, Anson 237 Harper, Thomas 240 Harris, Abe 242 Harrison, ~li 244 Harvey, Charlie ~Teff 247 Hasty, Eliza 252 Haynes, Daily 258 Henderson, Liney 261 Henry, 3~im ~66 Herndon, Zack 271 Heyward, Lavinia 276 Heyward, Lucretia 279 Heywood, Iviariah 282 Hill, Jerry 289 Hollins, Jane 291 HoLnes, Cornelius 294 Horry, Ben 298,308,316,323 Hughes, ~~argaret 327 Htmter, Hester 331,335,341 166 171 177,183 187 190 195 200 203 209 212 215 216 221 Gadsden, Amos 91 G-allman, Janie 97 Gailman, Lucy 100 Galiman, Simon 103,104 Gary, Laurence 106 Gause, Louisa 107 Gibson, Gracie 113 Giles, Charlie 115 Gillison, Willis 117 GiLmore, Brawley 120 Gladdeny, Pick 124 Gladney, Henry 129 Glasgow, Ernoline 134 Glenn, Silas 136 Glover, John 138 Godbold, Hector 143 Goddard, Daniel 149 Godfrey, Ellen 153,159,161,164

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ILLU~TR~\TI ONS Facing page 298 Ben 110 rry

Stories of ex-slaves. 005 001

Project 1885..~1 3300S6 FOLKLORE Edited by: Spartanburg Dist.4 3lmer Turna~e May 25, 1937 STORIES OP EX.-SLAVES I was born in the town of Newberry, arid was a servant of Maj or John P. Kinard I inarr ied Sam Eddingt . I was a Baker, daughter of Mike and Patience Baker. M.yiiother 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. Mania worked in town at hotels; then went back to the country and died. In War time and slavery time, we dida t go to school, cause there was~ no schools for the negroes. ~&fter 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 folks Lutheran church and set in the gallery. On Saturday afternoons we was off, and could do anything ~e wanted to do, but some of the negroes had to work on Saturdays. In th~ country, my mother would card, spin, and weave, and I learned it. I could d lots of it. Source: Harriet Eddington (86), Newberry, S.C. Interviewer: G.L. Summer, Newberry, S.C. May 20,, 1937.

Stories from ex-slaves. 006 002

Project 1885-.1 . ~ ~ FOLKLORE ~ EdIted by: ~ Spartanburg~Dist.4 390158 Elmer TurnagJ~ 2 June 15, :1.93? J) STORIES PROM EX-~SLAVES ttl was born in the section of Greenwood County called the promised land . My parents were Henry and Julis Watkins, I marned Frank Edwards when I was young. Our master, Marshall Jordon, was not so mean. He had lots o slaves and he cive em good quart ers and plenty to eat. he had big gardens, lots o~ hogs and cattle and a big farm. Iviy master hac. two children. Sometimes dey hunted rabbits, squirrels, ~O8sUrnS and doves. ~t1~e master had two overseers, but we never worked at night. We made our own clothes which we done sometiiiies late in evening. We had no school, and didn t learn to read and w ite, not till freedom come when a school started there by a Yankee named Backinstore. Later, our church arid Sunday school was in de yard. 9We had cotton pickings, cornshucking,s and bi~ suppers. We didn t have to work on Christmas. V Crie of de old-time cures was boiling ever..~grass arid drinking de tea. Pokeberry salad was cooked, too. A cure for rheumatism was to carry a raw potato in the pocket until it dried up. I had il children and 8 grandchildren. ttI think Abe Lincoln was a great man. Don t know much about J f Davis. Booker Washington is all xight. I joined church in Flordia, 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.-,~Suznrxier, Newberry, S.C. (6/10/37)

A son of slaves climbs up. 007 003

P LAC E H O L D E R

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2. of the oo .ored ~ clergymen of the Episcopal Church are finished. After I felt that I was fairly well.. fitted to begin n~r clerical work, I chose South Carois. hua as ~ field. My first assignment was at Waooamaw Neck, a little belovr Georgetown, s. C., and a big industrial center. There the Negro population is keen for wine and whiskey. One of the men whom I was interested in, ~s pretty tipsy when I called, and, as I sat and talked with hint, he said: You re drunk, too. This surprised me, and I asked him why he thoughb soa Well you got your vest and collar on backwards, so you must be drIJXikI ~Si~i0., I have had pastorates at Aiken, Peak, Rook Hill, end Walterboro. From Wa .terboro I came to Columbia as paitor of St Anna s Epis copal Church and the missions ofAnn s at New Brookiand and St. Thomas at Eastover. I presume t ) I have clone pretty well in this field, since the Rt. Rev. bishop Kiricoan G~ Finlay, D. D., appointed me arch-deacon for Negro work in upper South Carolina. . As I was coming away from the Bishop s office, I was accompanied by another colored rector who had very short legs I am s ix feet four inches in h ight, and he looked up at me as we walked along and asked quizzically: Eow long should a man s legs be? I smiled and told. him I thought, perhaps1 every mejn should have leg8 long enough tc reach to the ground. Yes, of course, we laughed at each other, but my argument won, because Bishop Finlay is about six feet, three inches, and I told n~r short friend: When Bishop Finlay and I talk, we are able to look each other in the eye on the level. *1 married Susan MoMahan, a colored school teacher, and the Lord has .~! blessed us with a son, John B.d)Jr.. a fine wood worker, like his grandfather was, and two sweet daughters. Alioe, the older one, is a teacher in the public schools of Columbia and Annie is a student. Our home life has always been

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3. pleasant and imusually sunny. $1 had one very humorous experience three years ago when I wa~ invited to deliver an address near Mount Olive, N. C., to a convention of yotwg people. Arriving about 10 o clock that day I was met by a citizen who told me he was assigned to introduoe n~ that evening. As we rode along, I cautioned him not to boost ~ too highl~ He ~ said little . When the big, and, I may say, expectant audience was seated that nicht, he arose and seemed im~oh embarrassed, ultimately saying: Ladies and gentlemen, I have an unpleasant duty to perform this eventhg . Then, pointing at ~ he went on : I dont t know this man, n ~oh Fact is I only kn~ two thin~8 about him. One i~ he has never been in jail ; and the other is I never could figure w3:V.t ~ ~ No, I am not related to the late Boberb Bruoe Elliott by ties of consanguinity. lie was successively twice a member of Congre s from Sowtth Car Glina~ and a member and $peaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1876. Perhaps these h6nors came to him because he had a good education before he met the opportunity for service. . When I think of the t6 t5 _ 70 s period, I am surprised that recent slaves, suddenly placed in administrative ~osiM~ous of honor and tr~b, did as well as they did. t, In the seventy-twO years since s 1avery~ I have noted nnich improvement along the road, and I am sure that our nation has far lees discord now, than it had when I ias a small lad. And, when one can note progress ix~ our march toward the lieht, I guess that ought to be sufficient for i~r optimism.W

Ex-slave stories. 010 006

; ~ ~ ~r*~ ~ ~ ~/ ~? project 188~I ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Polkiore 390420 Edited by: ~ Spartanbu~, Dlst.4 . Elmer Turna~e Dec. 23, 1937 : ~ ~. EX-SL~LVE STORLES 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 Ford. My rather was Emanuel Birnore, arid he lived to be about 90 years old. M~y xnarster was called by everybody, Col. Elmore, arid that is all that I can reme~~~ber about hisnarne.When he went to the war I wanted to go with.hirn, but~I was too little. He jo1ned~ the Spartanburg Sharp Shooters. They had a driliground near the~ Falls. My pa took me to see them drill, ana they were calling him Col. Elrnorethen. When I ~ot h nie I tried to do like hirn arid every~ body laughed at nie.That is about all th~at Iremember about the ~ war, in those days,~ children did riot ~riow thi~s likethay dG now,~. arid~rown folksdid riot know as much either. ~ - . : : ~. I I used to go and watch ~ father work. He was a moulder in the Cherokee Iron Works way back tha1~e when everyt hing was ~ done by hand. He xnoulded everything from knives and Lorks to skillets and wash pots. If yo~i could have seen pa s haxnzner r~ you would have seen SOme~3iO~ worth looking at. It was so big that it jarred th& whole earth when lt struck a li k. of cours it was a - - forge hainnier, driver~ 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 ja it, but ~ when it was running it looked like it was solid. I used to like to sit and watch that old vvheel. The water ran over it and the more wa1~ er caine over t he more fower t he wheel gave out. fr~ ~ ~ R ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I ~ ~- ~ ~ ~ ~L ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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Ex~S1ave: Emanuel Elmore .~ 7 At the Iron ~Vorks they made everything by hand that was used. in a hardware store, like nails, horse shoes arid rims Thr all kinds of wheels, like Wa8orl and. buggy wheels. There were moulds for everythiri~ no matter how large or small the thing to be made was. Pa could almost :i.ck up the ri~ ht mould in the dark, he was so used to doing it. The patterns or the pots arid kettles of dff-~ ferent sizes were all in rows, each row beine a different size. In my mind I can still see them. Hot molten iron from t e vats was dipped with spoons which were handled by two men. Both spoons had lone handles, with a man at each handle. The spoons would hold from four to five galIons of hot iron that poured just like water does. ~As quick as the men poured the hot iron in the mould, another mari came along be~ hindtheni aridclosed themould. 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. ~ ~ Pa had a turn for making covered skillets and fire dogs. Remade them so pretty that white ladies would come and give an order for a pair of dog8 , and tell hirnhow they wanted them to look. He would take Ikis hammer and teat 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,QQQ pounds.

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Ex~S1ave: Emanuel Eirnore 8 The man who got killed was named Alex Go1i ~ht1y. He taught the boys ray a~e how to swim, fish and hunt. his death was the worst thins that had h~ppeaed 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 nia~hed up so bad. In those days-cof ins were nothing but boxes anyway, but Alex s coffin was the most terrible thir~g that I have ever seen. I reckon ii th~ 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 lon~ 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, an~ there they buried ~ini. ivLy father helped to build the coffin at1d 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. My Lather was sold Lour ti~es during slavery. When he was brought to Virginia he was put on the block and a ctioned o~E~ for $4,000. He said that the last time he was sold he o ly brought ~l,5OO. 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 hirn. He stayed there ~or several years and got homesick for South Carolina. He couldn t ~et his marster to sell him back here, so he just refugeed back to Col. Elniore s plarita.~ tiori. Col. Elmore took hirn back and wouldn t let anybody have him. Pa married twic~e, about the same time. He married Dorcas

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Ex-~S1ave: ~rnariue1 Elmore ~. ;;.. 9 Cooper, who be1ori~ed to the Coopers at Staunton Military Academy. I was the Lirst 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 caine to South Carolina he married a girl called Jenny. She never had any children. When he went to Alabama, Dorcas went vvith him, but Jenny stayed with Col. Elmore. Of course, pa just jumped the broom ~or 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 gave her a red apple to eat. She was sold to a man whose name I have. for~ gotten. When~they herded them she got away and was months making her ~way back t o South Carol ma. Those Africans sure were strong. She said that she stayed in the woods at ni~at. ~Negroes along the way- would give her~ br ad arid she wa~ld kill rabbits and squirrels and cook arid eat in the woods. She would get drunk and beat any one that tried to stop her from coining bac-k. When she did get back to Col. Eirnore 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 negvoe~ who were from Virginia and had African blood could stand anything. He was kind to ma. He fed her extra arid she soon got fat a~atrx. She worked hard for Col. xl.more,at~1she and pa sure did love hini. One time a lot of the neg..~ roes in the quarter got drunk and ma got to fighting all of them.

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Ex..~31ave: Emanuel Elmore When she got sobered up she was afraid that Col E .rnore ~as going to send her back to Alabama; so she went and hid In the woods. Pa took Thod to her. In about a month L~o1. Elmore asked where she was, and pa just looked sheepIsh arid grinned. Col. Elmore told pa to go arid bring her back, ~or he said he was tired o~ having his rations carried~to the woods; so ma came home. She had stayed off three months. She never felt well anymore, arid she died in about three more months. Pa arid Jenny kept us till we ~ot 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 arid would not le~ anybody say anything against her. She was good to pa till he died, a real old nian. 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 ov r ma s, because she was so good to us and had cared Lor us while ma and pa were in alabama; then she was good to us after Dorcas died arid when she hid in the woods. It seems that olks 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 rittht now. Source: ~nanuel Elrnore (?7C), Sycamore St., Gaffney, S.C. Interviewer: Caidwell Sims, Union, S.C. 11/16/37

Mom Ryer Emmanuel. Ex-slave, age 78. 015 011

Code No. No. Wotd~t Project, 1~5- (1) Reduced f~oii~iorde Prepared by Annie E~uth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. ___________________ Date, December i6, 1937 Page . MOM RYER EMMANUEL Ex~Slave, Age 7 ~ 39040? Oh, my Lord, child, I am know nothin bout Blavery tune 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. weil, I ll say dat I bout $0 some odds, but I can never seem to get dem oddetogether. I was a big little girl stayin in old Massa yard in dein days, but I wasn big enough to do nothin in de house no ti~ne. My old Massa been Anthony Ross e~ he had set my age down in de Bible, but my old MissuB, she dead en I know dem chi lun wouidn! never know whe to say da:t 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 cal . up my age fast as I could bat my eyes. Say, when de emancipation was, I been 8 IX years old, 80 my znarn~ny tell me Don ~ know what to say dat is, but I reckon it been since freedom. (II been born en bred right ~over yonder to dat big patch o-f 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,niamn, my white folks was proud of dey niggers. Um, yes um, when dey used to bave company to de big house, Miss Ross would bring dem to de door to show dem us chillun. En

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Ood.e No. No. Words_______ Project, 1~5-~(i) Reduced f~O i ~~words Pre~,red by Annie Ruth Davis Rewrttten by~ ~. 12 Place, Marion, 8.0. _____________________ Date, December i6, 1937 Pige 2. ~ my blessed, de yard would be black wid us ohil .~,ui all string tip dere next de door step lookin up in dey eyes. Old. Missus would say, Lint I got a pretty crop of little niggers comm on? De lady, ehe look so please like. Den Miss Ross say, s Do my li ttle nigger s want some bread to gnaw1 on? ~n us chillun say, Yes um, yes sum, we do. 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 sizes. Won none of dem big enough to do nothin. No,rnam, dey bad to be over i6 year old fore old Massa would allow dem to work cauae 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 sonie of dem a house job en would send de others in de field to mind de cowsen de sheep en bring dem up. Wouldn make dem do no heavy work right to~ start wjcj. But ~ de m what was Ider de y had to wo rk in de fie Id. I re okon dey would be workin just bout like dey is now from sunrise in de mornin till sunset in de evenin. ~ Yes, honey, I been come here under a blessin cause my white folks never didn let dey colored people suffer ~o time. Always when a woman would ~get in de ho Se old. Massa would let her leave off wo en stay dere tO de house a month till she get~ mended in de body way. Den she would h ,ve to carry ~eb~hi~dtS ~ get back in de field to work. Oh, dey had. a

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Code No. No. WOrds______ Project, 1~5-~(i) ~ Reduced f-~ ~ ~orda Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by ~ Place, Mariofl, S.C. ~ ~ . Date, December i6, 1937 rage 3. old woman in de yard. to de house to stay dere en mind all de plantation Olitlitin till night come, while dey parents Was workin. Dey would let de ohillun go honte wid dey mammy to spend de night en d n she would have to march dem right back to de yard. de next inornin. We didn do nothin, but play b ut de yard dere en eatwhat de woman feed ~1ts. Yes um, dey would carry us dere when de women Would be gwine to work. Be dere ~fore sunrise. Would give us thre e meals a day cause de old woman aiwayB give us supper fore us mammy come out de field dat evenin. Dem bigger ones, dey would give dem clabber en boil peas en couards sometimes. Would give de little babies boil pea soup en gruel en suck bottle. Yes,rnani, de old woman had to mind all de yearlin ohilluti en de babies, too. Dat all her business was. I recolleote her name, it been Lettie. Would Btriflg Us little wooden bowls on de floor in a lone ~ow ~n 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 ~ never want it. Oh, my Lord, I remember dust as good, when we would see dein bowls of hot ration, dis one en dat one would holler, dat mine, dat mine. Us would just squat dere e n blow en blow cause we wouldn have no m md to drink it while it was hot. Den we would want it to last a long time, too. My happy, I Can see myself set tin dere now 0001m dem Vitale (victuals).

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Code No. No. Words________ Project, 1~5~~~(1) Reduoed. ~ Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by ~ . Place, Marion, 8.0. -~- . ~ Date, December 16, 1937 Page ~4. Nr4ke I speak to you, my white folks was blessed wid a heap of black ohillun, but den dere been a odd one in de C rowd what wasnt noways 1 ike dem .othe rs. All de other ohillun was black skin wid. dis here kinky hair en she Was yellow skin wid right straight hair. My I~ord, old }Lis~sus been mighty proud of her black ohi11un,~but she sho been touches bout dat yellow one. I remeniber, all us Ohillun was playin round bout de step one day whe BLiss Ross was settin eu she ax dat yellow child, say, Who your papa? De child never know no better en she tell her right out e xac tly de one hr mammy had tel 1 her was her papa. Lord MISS Ross, she say, Well, get off my step. Getoff en stay off dere cause youdon noways belong to nie.1 ~e poor child, she cry en she cry so hard till her mammy never know what to cth. 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 ~come dere so much different classes today, I say. Yes,rnazn, dat whe dat old stain come from.N My mammy, she was de housewoman to ~i.e big house en she say dat she would always try to mind her business en she never didn get no whippin much. Yes,marn, dey was mighty good to my mother, but dem other what nev~r do right., ~dey would carry dem to de cow pen en make dem strip. off dey frock, .1)odies ~ 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 o ften t ime s have na ils in dem Hear

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Oode No. No. Words________ Project, i~5~(i) Reduced f~~Tri ~ ~ds Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. : lb Date, December i6, 1937 Page 5. 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 shoulder8 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 wo~ild have de lot scatter bout full of dem what was to get whip on a rnornin. ~You see, de colored people couldn never go nowhe off de place widout dey would get a walkin ticket from dey Massa. Yes,rnam, 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 niornin. ~ Well, I dOII~ know as de white folkewould 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. Oouldn bury dem in de day cause dey wouldn 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 nicht wid dese great big torches of fire. Oh, dey would have fat I ightwood torches. De se here big hand splinters . Had. to

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Code No. No. Words______ Project, 1~85 (i) Reduced fromlTworda Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. ____________________ Date, December i6, 1937 fige 6. carry dein along to ~ee how to ~alk 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.graires die day en time. I Can tell bout whe dere one now. Yes maui, 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 sotnewlie cause de people dig up a skull right out dere in de woods one day en it had slavery mark on it, ~.ey 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, o dey tell me. ~ Hear, urn ~ urn urn, ~nwould hear babies cryin all bout dere, too. No urn, can hear dem much now cause dey bout to be wearin out. I tell you I t S scared every time I go along dere Some of dem die wicked, I say. - Source: Ryer Ernnianuel, colored, age 7~, Claussens, S.C. ~ Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, Dec., 1937.

Mom Ryer Emmanuel. Ex-slave, age 78. 021 017

Code No. ~ No. We~d~_____ Project, 1~5-.(i) Reduced fi~ocLiworda Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, 8.0, __________________ Date, December 26, 1937 ~j~e ~ MOM RY~R ~MWU~L Ex-Slave, Age 7~ 39041 ? NWeii, hOw you feelin die rnornin, honey? I had. tell MiSS Sue dat I would be keepin a eye out dat door dere en when I is see a car stop up to de house, I would try en make it UP dere dis niornin. Yee,mam, is~ 8ue tell rue you was coriiin today en I promise her I would be up dere, but I aim been feelin 80 much to speak bout die rnornin. Den you see, I know I gwine be obliged to run down to de woods en le tch rue up some wood en kindi in fore night fall I been tspect to make ~oota break me up some splinters, but he alu no count worth nothin. Yes,mam, he my grandson. Cose I tries to knock bout eoznewhe en let me get out In de gotton pat h, 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, ~y Lord, right in my chest here, it does thua~p sometimes just like a drum beat n in dere en I can never stand to hurry en walk hard no more ~ dese days . NN0,marn, 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 What de matter honey, you don loves to smell dem chitlin I got boum dere on de stove? I hear some people say dey can stand no chitlin scent nowhe~ bout dein, but I loves dem so much dat it does make my mouth

022 018

Oode No. No. Word~s~ Project, i~5 (1) Reduced from Words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. . Date, December 26, 1937 hge 2. run Water to think bout how me en Koota gwine enjoy dem dis evenin. No,inam, 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 tatoe out de ashes en breaks it open en makes out on dat. My God, child, I think bout how I been bless dat I am never been noways scornful bout eatin chitli . Yes,marn, when I helps up dere to de house wid hog kuhn, Mr. Moses, he does al~~ays say for me to carry de chitlin home to make me en Koota a nice pot of stew. UI tellin you, when us been chillun Comm up, people sho never live like dey do dis day en time. Oh, I can remember just as good when I used to go dat Hopewell Presbyterian Church cross de creek dere. Yes,main, dat been de white people slavery oburoh en dat dey slavery graveyard what settin right dere ~in front de church, too. Dat sho a old, old slavery time church, I say. Massa Anthony Ross would make us go dere to preachin every Sundayen dey was mighty strict bout u.s gwine to prayer service, too. Tie would go up dem steps in dat little room, what been open out OT~ de front piazza to d,,e hurch, en set up in de gallery overhead en de white. folks set down dere below . us. Yes,rnarn, dat whe de oolored. people went to church in dem days en some of dem go dere till dey die cause dat whe dey been join de church. Some of dein does go dere often times dese days,

023 019

Code No. No. Words_______ Project, 1~5-~(1) Reduced from_~~iords Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by ~ Place, Marion, 8.0. . Date, December 26, 1937 Page 3. 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 Massa, he tell all his hands to carry dey obi .lun up dere en get dem baptized. Oh, my happy, dey been fiz us up dat day. Put on us clean homespuns eu long drawers, dat been hang down round us ankles like boots, en all us get a new bonnet dat day. I recolleots, dey wouldmaroh 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 band en a towel in de other band. 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. Den dat one would have to get back en anothe r 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 e ye s - NOh, my Lord, when de Yankees Caine through dere, I hear dem say it was de Republicans. Mr. Ross had done say dat he hear talk dat dey was comm through en he tell h~s niggers to hurry en htde all de plantation rations. Yes,ma!n, 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

024 020

Code No. No. ~ Words_______ Project, iB~5- (1) Reduced f~&~~ords Prepared by Anni~ &~th Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. ~ ~. 20 Date, December 26, 1937 ~ ~flL dem d&znn Yankees get no chance to stick dey rotten tooth in my rations. We say, ~Ma, you got all dese rations here en we hungry. She say, No, dem ration belong to boss en y u chullun 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 Wasnt gwine bother de wornens. Lord, when dem Yankees ride up to de big house, Miss ROSB been scared to open her mouth cause de man wa s in de swanip. No child de y d idn b the r no thin mua h, 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 corne dere en would give demwhat was left. Oh, Lord, us was glad to get dem vitals, too. Yes,inam, 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 de~ri a pile of stuff, too. Old Massa, he been stay inde 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

025 021

Ood.e No. No. Words~ Project, i~5-.~(i) Reduced from_~words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. ~ Date, December 2o, 1937 hge 5 dey been know de Yankees was comm back through to free dein. But riiy mammy, she was a widow woman en old man Anthony Ross never left nothin to her house.0 I tell you, honey, some of de colored people abo 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 Godi Thank GOd! Source: Ryer Zmmanuel colored, age 7~, Olaussens, S.C. Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, Marion, S.C. December, 1937.

Mom Ryer Emmanuel. Ex-slave, 78 years. 026 022

Oode No. . No. Words________ Project, 1~5-.(1) Reduced f~Zi ~rds Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by ~ Place, Marion, S.C. ~ ------w ~- . Date, January 7, l93~ Page l. MOM RT~R ZMMA1~TJ~L Ex-Slave, 7~ Years 390426 Good evenin, child. How you is? How Miss Sue gettin along over dere to Marion? I hope she satisfied, but dere airi nowlie Can cotne up to restin in your own home, I say. No, Lord, people own home don never stop to cuss dem no time. Dere Koota s mamma all de time does say, Ma, am no need in you en Booker stayin over dere by yourself. Com 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 nie a little hoecake en draw rue ~ pot of coffee en set down to eat it in satisfaction. HAf1~er 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 aie Sunday en I had dem all laughin bout what I say dat I bad tell you. My sister, she make out like she don know nothin bout dem olden tinies. Her husband, he done gone en die en she ouSt loo~in round for another one. Reckon dat what ails her. I tell her, I aifl~ see none nowlie dat I would be pleased to take in. But I dOne 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,H

027 023

Code No. . No. Words________ Project, i6E~5-~(1) Reduced from~~*ords Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, 8.0. ~ - . 2~ Date, January 7, 193e Page 2.~ UI remember, Ma used to tell we chillun bout how dey couidri 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. 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,rnarn, white folks never didn 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 uin, all de niggers used to wear dein old Dutch shoe 8 wid . de bras s in de toe s en de Women, dey neye r didn. have notbin cept dem old coarse shoes widout no 1mm. ~ never wear dem out. Yes uin, dey alwaye give us a changin of homespuns, so as to strip on wash day en put on a fresh one. Den I recollects we chullun used to ax us mammy whe us come from en she say, I got you out de hollow log. Well, just like I tell you, slavery chilluri 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 da t man lie if you want h im o r no 13 s oh illun neye r d dn know who us daddy be e n t il I us mammy po mt him out cause all us went in Massa Anthony Ross name. Yes,marn, all us had a different daddy, so my mammy say.

028 024

Ood.e No. No. Words_________ Project, 18~5 (1) Reduced f~Z ~ *~dB Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. ___________________ ~ Date, January 7, .93B Page 3. Who dat come here wid you? Lord, dat don look like no wife. How long you is been married, honey? You am Bay so. Look like you is just bloonlin, I say. Oh, I tell you, I see a heap of things in dem days, but I am 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 80 worser till dey woul& run away en stay in de swamp to save dey hide. But Lord a niercy, 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. Don 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 yo up de tree till some of de white folks been get dere en tell you to conie 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 sniouth. Would let de dog bite you en taste your blood, so dey could find de one dey was .ookin for better de next . time. Yes,rnarn, white people would let de dog gnaw you up en den dey would grease you en carry you home to de horSe

029 025

Code No. No. Words______ Project i&5-.~(i) Reduced from ~ Words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. ~ ~ ~ 25 Date, January 7, 193e ~age~. lot whet dey would have a lash en a paddle to Whip ~OU with Oh, dey would bave 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 giv~e soue 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 rue, I would a jump up en bite dem. She say, You would get double portion den.S Just on account of dat, am many of dem slavery peopleknockin 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 nothin? She say, No white people had us in slavery time.~ My God a mercy, I think now de best titne to live in cause I am gettin no beatin dese days. If I had been big enough to get whip in slavery tune, 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. Oose us had us task to do in dem days, but us never djdn have to bother bout huntin no rations en clothes

030 026

Oode No. No. Words~_~ Project, 1S85-~(1) Reduced from words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by ~ Place, Marion, S.C. ___________________ Date, January 7, 193e rage 5. 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 am nobody else busineBs whet you do it or no. Oh, de youngpeople, dey am nothin dis day en time. Am Worth a shuck no time. De old ones can beat dem out a hollow anywhe . Am 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 bad a rough time. Didn never feel no rest. Dat how come I am get all my growth, I say. Source: Morn Ryer &irnanuel, colored, 7~ years, Olaussens, S.C. Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, Marion, S.C. See ~sXYir~fr1s ~9-~

Stories from ex-slaves. 031 027

project 1885-~1 39~ 43 . FOLXIJORE Edited by: Spart anbur ~ Dist 4 Elmer Thraage May 16, 1937 STOR I ES PROM EX~SUVES White folks,I sl~io fluff did ride wid de Red Shirts fer i~iarse Hampton. Dar was two other darkies ~ivhat rid wid us. Dey is bof daed now. One was Jack Jones, and de t othern I does riot re.. collect his name. Ham and Jack is both daed. Dat leave me de oriliest liVing one what rid in de company. I rid in de company wid i~arse Jimmie Young and he was de Cap uri. He live out yonder at Sardis Church. ~v ybody know Marse Jimmie. He ain t quite as aged yet as I bees. i~ir. J.T. Sexton, he rid from uo around Cross Keys. I~e ~ot cie hole in de wall and I calls on ini ylt, and us talks over de olden days. Miss I3obo s hus.. band, he rid in Liarse Jimmie s company. (:~r. Preston B. Bobo) Our company camped at de oie Brick church out whar de rn~insion set now. lEt has alius been called de Lower ~air~orest Baptist Church, whar de wnite iolks still goes, cet de done move de church down on de new road, further from de ~nansion arid de oie graveyard. I lows dat you knows 1 is speaking o de new mansion .... ~r. Emsiie Nicholson s house on de forest at de Shoals. I is ~ot memory, but I ain t got rio larninE~ di&t 3 is proud oi, kaise I is seed tolks wid laming dat never knowed nothing worth speaking aoout. ~ii de way ~ru , I is done tuck and stucs to my white folks ~.. de ~ernocrat~c white folks, d. t X is. Sho was a pretty sicht to see baut a hun ded mens up on fine horses wid red shirts on. I still sees dem in mp mind clear as day. Our red sr~irts ~astened vvid a strong band round de waist. Dar wasn t nar y speck o white to be seed no whars on em.

032 028

Folkiorel Stories Prom Ex-~S1aves Page 2 28 Dey was raal heavy and strong. Pact, d y was made from red flannel, and I means it was sho nou~h Liannel, too. I ad done kept one o mine here till times ~ot hard and den I tuck and tore it up fer me a undershirt, here past it been two winters when lt ~ot so cold. tOne nicht us~ sot up a1lni~ht and kept a big fire. Next morning it was de biggest -frost all over de ground; but us never ~ot one mIte cold.. De good white ladies of de community male our red shirts fer us. I speets Marse Jimmie ken name some f r you, ~ I ~ot eve y registration ticket in my house, and I still votes allus de democratic ticket. I has longed to de Deaocratic 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. ~ot into de DemocratloClub, and I h~as been in it ever since. It ~ ~ alr~ t gwlne out neither. . : ~ ~ t,i sho seed Hamptonspeak from Dr.~Culp s porch. I voted fer him. At dat time, I lived on de Keenan place. Marse Jimmie Young, he de overseer fer Mr. ICeenan. Mr. Charles Ray owns and lives on lt now. Dat brick church straight up de road from de Keenan place; straight as a bee line . Dat whar us met most o de t line f-er de Red Shirt ~atherin~s. Our Red Shirt Club was called de ~ Fairforest club atter de Lower Pairforest white folks Baptist church. De church has allus sot on de banks o Fairforest Creek. Atter us ~ot Qr~an.~ ~ 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 Democratic names. Lots of. dem scapes m~t knowled e, it has all been so loris ~o ...~ ~.. Dar was Mr. Glimer Greer. Miss Gilmer, Blarikensh.lp what iive~ : out 4ar, ~ she: bi.s riiec~~.. kir. John Sims nother white man 1 members. I ~

033 029

Paie 3 29 Dar was lots o companies iii dis county, burl does not recall how many. TtCaptain Jimmie Young would allus notify when dar was to be a meet1n~. U~dark1es dat longed ud go and tell de white mens to come to de church. Us met sometime r1~ht fo de lection and all ~de companies corne to ether at de oie courthouse dat stood right whar de new one is now. Robinson s Oircus corne t Union. Decircus folks gib everbody a free ticket to de circus dat longed to de Democratic Club. Dey let all de scalawag nig~ers in fer registration tickets dat de Rern.. publicans had done give dein to vote ~er Chamberlain. Dem nig~ers wanted to go to de circus wu se dan dey wanted to de anything else. Dey never dre mt dat dey was not a ~oin~to ~it to vote like de car.. petbag~eTh, arid de sca1aw~s had done tole dem todo. Pact is-, dey neverrnuch cared jes since de got irid circus~. Dem datwanted de reglstrationtickets back when de. come out, never seed nobody to ~it m from nohows RObinson s Circus was so b i~ dat dey -never S showed lt all in .Unionp but what dey had was out on McClure s fleld. It wasn t no houses dar den, and, o~ course; dar wasn t no. mil . rio whar about Union in dem days. All de tents dat was &taked was stak.. - - ed in McClure sole fie-Id over on Tosch Branch. In dem days, dat - field wa de b ~est territory in de clear around Union. Atter dat, all d Red Shirts met on de i~acade in front o de courthouse . Mos :~ all de mens made a- speech. Another darky sung a orig like dis: Marse Hampton was a honest man; ~dr. Chamberlain was a ro~ue Den I ~ song like dis: Marse Hampton et de watermelon, Mr. Chamberlain knawed. de rine, Us jest having Lun den, kaise us had done lected Marse Hamp~ton as de new governor of South Ca linia. S Sourie: Uncle Pen Eubanks, Hampton Ave. Union, S.C. (age 83) - ~Interv1ewer: Caidwell sims, Union, ~.cj. (5/4/3?) ~ ~~_ :S~. S ~ ~ .~ ~ ~ ~ . ; .~ S. ~ ~ ~S~i .~ ~ ~ ... ~.. ~. ~ . ... ~ ~ -~- ~ ~ Polkiore: Stories Dfom Ex-Slaves

Lewis Evans. Ex-slave 96 years. 034 030

ptoject~ .655. ~. w. Dixon, winnsboro, 3. C. 39034b 3() LE~V!IS EVANS EX-SLAVE 96 YEARS Lewis Evans lives on the lands of the estate of the late C. L. Smith, about ten miles southwest of Winnsboro, S. C. The house is a two room frame structure with a chimney in the center He has the house and garden lot, free of rent, for the rest of his life, by the expressectwish of Mr. Smith before his demise. The only other occupant is ~ 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, arid the 3rilall pension Lewis receives. They raise a pig each year. This gives them their meat for the succeeding year. ~ t ~1ho I b lorxg to? Where was I born? White folks tell me I born af- ter de etai s fell, (1333), but maybe I too little to member de day. J~8t have to go by what I hear them say. Think it was bot~ 1841. All accounts is, I was born a slave of Marater John Martin, near Jenkinsville. Old Mietress, his wife, named Miss Margaret. All I can member bout them is dis: They had bout 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 )~arster. I ~ a good size boy then. Mai Bell had ten fernhies when I got dere. Put me to hoein in de field arid dat fall I picked cotton0 ~ year us didn t have cotton planters. I was took for one of de ones to plant de cotton seed by drappin de seed in de drill. I had a bag round my neck, fui . of seeds, from which I d 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

035 031

2. 31 in a bale. Had rope ties and all kinds of bagging. Seems to me I members seeit 1 old flour sacks doubled for to put de cotton bales in, in de screw press. . - t, Us raised many cows, hogs, sheep, and goats on de Bell place. Us worked hardo 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 chimneys, chain and hooks to hold pots bove de fire. Dat s de way to boil things, meats and things oirb de garden. t Whippin s? Yes sir, I got most skinned alive once, when I didn t bring up de cows one Sunday. ~ot in a fight wid one of ~.ss Betsie Aiken ~s hands and let de cows git away, was de cause of de whippin . I was shamed to tell him -bout de fight. M~j. Bell, dis time, whipped me hisse !. H- ~ white folks was psalm singers. I done drove themto de old brick church on Little River every Sabbath, as they call Sunday. Dere was ~iss Mar . g~iret his wife, Miss Salue and Miss Maggie and de two young marsters, Tom and Hugh. D tw bqys and me i~i front and my mistress and de two girls behind. Mai. Bell, when he went, rode his saddle horse. ~ - - N ~ho-eeZ Don t talk to dis nigger Thout patrollers. They run me many a time. You had to have a pass wid your name on it who you b long to where gwine to and de date you expected back. If they fthd your pass was to Mr. James and they ketch you at Mr. Rabb 8, then you got a floggin , sure and plenty. Maj e Bell was a kind master and would give us Saturday. Us would go fishjn or rabbit huntin sor~time. Il Us had two doc1~ ors Dort or Furman and Doctor havis ~ Who fo lia car e for you when you sick. I didn t have no money in slavery time, didn t have no ties for none. Us had no quarters, houses just here and dere on de place, round de spring where us got water.

036 032

3G 32 u My Marster went to de old war arid was a major. He had brass but~ tons, butterflies on his shoulders, and all dat, when he cone back. t, De Yankees come. Fust thing they look for wa~ money. They put a pistol right in my forehead and say: I got to have yoi~n money, where is it? Dore was a gal, Caroline, who had so~ money; they took it away from 1Ler. They took de geese, de chickens and all dat was worth takin off de Place stripped it Took all de meat out de sraokehoitse, corn out de crib, cattle out de pasture, burnt de gin~~house and cotton. V~hen they left, they shot some cows and hogs and left them lying right dore. Dore was a awful smell round dore for weeks after. ~ t, Somethin d rected me, when I was free, to go work whore I was born, on de Martin place. I married Mary Douglas, a good~lookin wench. A Yankee took a fancy to her arid she went off wid. de Yankee. ~he stayed a long time then come back but I d done got ~ eacher Rice to marry me to L~uvinia then. Die second wife was a good gal. I raised ten chillun by her, but l s outlivedthem all but Manuel, Clara and John. When Louvinia passed out, I got Magistrate Smith to une me and Nancy. She s still livin Home sick now, can t do riothin . t, \Thite people been good to me. I ve been livin in dis home, free of rent given me for life by Mr. Jim Smith, cause I was his faithful servant twenty years. t 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 ye u out of /what He made yo u for? I am t forgot de answers to dis day. t Marster Major give us Chrie i~ae dey and a pass to visit bout but we sho had to be back and repo t befo nine o clock dat seine day.

037 033

A ~o ~ I got my naine after freedom. My pappy b long to Mr. David R. Evans. Hi3 naine was Steve; wasn t married reg lar to my ri~unmy. So when I went to take a name in Reconstruct ion white fo ike cive me Lewis Evans. I, ~ b longs to de Baptist church. Am trustin in de Lord. He gives me a conscience and I knows when I s dom right and when de devil is ridin me and l s dom wrong. I never worry over why He made one child white and one child black. He make both for His glory. I sings Swing i~w, Sweet Charlot Jesus swine Carry ~e Home . Am t got many more days to stay I knows I m gwine Home. I

Phillip Evans. Ex-slave 85 years old. 038 034

PrOje1~t ~ ~ : . ~ Dixon ,. 34 ~~jnnsboro, S. C. 39Q340 ~ PHILLIP EVANS :~x-~ si~vi~ 85 YEARS OLD. Philip Evans, his wife, Janie, and their crippled son live together in a two~room frame house with one fireplace. The old w~man has been a wet nurse for many white families in ~innsboro. Neither Philip nor his boy can work. The wife nurses occasionally. t I was born at de General Bratton Canaan place bout six miles, sort of up a little, on de sunrise side of ~Vinnsboro. I hopes you re not corrbrary like, to think it too much against dis old slave when I tells you de day. Jell sir, dat daywas 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. ~ien I gits through ~~id you, I wants you to say if dat birthday have any bfect ~ dis old mans sen~ sibilit y. t, My pappy was naine Dick. Him was bought by General Bratton from de sale of de ~vans estate. My pappy often tell mammy and us chil .un, dat his pappy w~s ketched in Africa and fetched to America on a big ship in a iron cage, long wid a whole heap of other black folie, and dat he was powerful sick at de stomach de time he was on de ship. u My mammy was name Charlott e Her say her know nothin bout her daddy or where he come from. 0ne of my brothers is de Reverend Jackson C. Evans, age 72. Richard, another brother, is 65 years old. Al . of us born on de Cariaan Bratton place. General Bratton love dat place ; so him named it proud, like de I~and of Canaan.

039 035

-.~- ~ ~ ~ ~ 2.. 35: : ~ help to bring my brother Richard, us calls himDick, into de world. Dat is, when mar~iy got in de pains, I run. for de old grarmy on de place to come right away. Us both run all de way back. Good u~ did, for dat boy come right away. I ~31 mbers,to dis hour and minute,dat as soon as dat boy got here, he set de house full of noise, a~cryin like a oat scjuallin . All chillun does dat though, as soon as they corne into de world. I got one sister older than me ; her name Jenny ~ats on Her live ~ iu~ a house on de Canaan place callin dis tance from where I live. Us is Methodists. ~ proud family, brought low by Mr. Hoover and his crowd. Had to sell our land. tSpeot us would have starved, as us too proud to beg. Thank God, Mr~ Roosevelt come long. Him never ask whether us democrat or publican nor was us . black or white ; him just clothe our nakedness-and ease de pains of hunger, and goin fux ther, us goin to be took ~ care of in ur old age Oh, ho~ I love dat mans though they do say 14m got ~ enemies. ~ ~ - - -- - ~ _ t~r_ 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 foot s of aome of them r ich people Howsomever he s ay dat as long as de Lord de Son, and de Holy Ghost is wid de Presjde~t, ittil be all right for us colored folks. It makes no difference bout who is against de Pre s ident 11e says us niggers do~in ~ - South can do nothin but be ~thodist, pray to de I~rd, and shout for de Presi~ dent. I s goint to try to_do som&of de prayin -but dis voice too feeble to do . - j mie-h shouiin ~ . ~ ~What kind of house us li~e i~i. at sls.verytime? ~.oe plank house. ~lI ~ houses~in de qt~arters--made \da~iway. Our beds was good.- Us had a good xnarster~. -- ~. Our livi& hous~ xid vittles was better and healthier than they is now. Big qu~r~ ~ ~ had n~ f~rnilies wid a big dro~e of ohiIli~m. ~ F d them . from big long ~

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~ 3.~ trays set on planks. They eat wid iron spoons,made a-b de blaoksmith sshop. What they eat? Peas, beans, okra, Irish tators, mush, shorts, bread, and milk. Dere was bout five or six acres to de garden. U~ ieeptfat and happy. ttWhO was de overseers? Mr. Wade Rawis was one and ~r. Osborne was another. There was another one but spect I won t name him, cause him had some troube vrid n~r Uncle Dennis. Pears like he insult my aunt and beat her. Uncle Dennis took it up, beat de overseer, and run off to dewoods. Then when he ~it hungry him come home at night for to eat uznin. Dis kept up tu S one day n~r pappy drive a wagon to tovm~ a~d Demnis jined him. Him was a settint on de back of de wagon in de town &nd somebody point him out to a officer. S They clamp hini and put him in jail. After de vestigation~they take hirnt de ~ S ~ whippint post r de tov~n, tie his foots, make him put his hands in de stocks3 55 pulled off his shirt,pull dovin his britches ~and whip him terrible. ~ S ~ No sir, Maz~ster General Bratton didn t ~ low his slave& chillun to work. I just played tround, help feed de stock and pics, bring~in de fruit from de ~orchard and sich like. ~ ~ ~ . ~ Yes sir, marster give me smalicoins. What I do wid de money? I buy S : a pretty oa~~ne time. Just don t members what I did wid i~ all. S ~ went fishi& in- d~ Me ,ton Branch wid hooks Ket oh rook S - 55 perch and catfish. They eat niightygood. I like de shorimiri bread and ~u~ar . 55 cane lasses best a~~1 de Lust time I ever do wrong was bout=de ~waterrnelons. S t1Qur 8hoes was ~iiade on de place. They had wooden bottoms. My daddy, . being de fore~n, was de only siavedat was g~v de hon~or ~o wear boots. ~ S :~ ~ ~Dere we:~ just two mulattoe on de place. ~ One was a 4aughter of m~j aunt. . a de ni~gers was crazy tbO~ her and. ~wid de ~nsent of i~ aunt, marster give 1~ ~ k2flfolke :Ln ~Arkarteas De o~bher was n~e, Rufus My niarster~ ~s /

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4. b~ 3? riot his daddy. No use to put down dere in writing just who his pappy was. tt3tealjflg was de main crime De whippin s was put on de backs and if you scowled, dat would git you a whippin right dere and then. t, tes sir, dere is haunts, plenty of them. De devil is de daddy arid they is hatched out in de SWampso MY brother say they is demons of hell and has de witches of do earth for their hosses. De neighbors bout was de Neils, de Rawls, de Sinithe, and de Mobleys. iarSe Ed Mobley was great for huntin . 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 son~tirx~s. My marster was a general in de Secession War. After dat, him a con- ~- trouer of de Stateo Hirn run old Buttermilk ~al1ace out of Congress. Then he was a Congressman. - tMymistross was Miss Bettie. Eier was a Du ose0 lier child, Miss Isa. bella, marry some big man up North and their son, Theodore, is de bishop of de high Piacopal Church of Mississippi. ttNow I repeats de question: Does you think I s a fool just cause l a born on dat f st day of April, 1852? You rxade me feel religious askin aU them questions. Seeuii.ike a voice of all de days dat am gone turn over meandpress on de heart, ~nd dis room feet. me like was in a church. If you ever pass de Canaan place I d be mighty happy to ses you again. -

Stories from ex-slaves. 042 038

project 1865..1 FOLKLO RE E~ it e d by : b(. 8 ~partanburg Dist .4 39O15~3 Elmer Turriage ~Tune 16, 1937 STORIES PROM EX~SLAVES I was born In old ~bbevi11e County, S.C. about 1881; was reared in what is now greenwood County. My Lather was ~1nston .4rnold arid. my mother, Sophronia Lomax .iznold. They belonged to the Arnold i~ax~~iIy during slavery time. I was just a &man child during the Confederate ~ar, and don t remember anytLin~ about it. I heard my mother tell about some things though. The slaves earned no money and were just given q~uarters to live in and something to eat. ~ iY rather was a blacksmith on master s place, and after the war, he was blacksmith ~or 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 ni~ht~..riders, butdon t remember that they didany~harm much except they got after a man once. ~Then 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. I married in a negro church when I was young. I marrIed Prank Pair who carne 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 Washin~ton is a leading colored man and has done 8ood. Il joined the bhurch 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. SOUrC : Eugenia Pair (76), Greenwood, S.C. Interviewed ~y: c~.L SUInnler,New,berry, ~. . (5/10/37)

Stories from ex-slaves. 043 039

project 1885-J Polkiore 330385 ~d1ted by: 39 Spartat1bUr~, Dist.4 Elmer Turna~e Oct. 14, 1937 . STORIES PROM ELSL~V~S ttI lives in Newberry in a small three~room house which be~ longs to my son. I-le helps me some ?cause I can t work except jest a little rcund de house. I don t know much bout de ~var times. ~l1 i know is what I told you befo . .1 member when de war quit arid freedom come. Most of de slaves had to ind ~ork where dey could. Some had to work as share~..croppers, some ~er wages, and later on, some rented small plots ot land. ~ any ni~gers since de war moved to town and ~orked as day hands, such as carpenters, janitors, dray drivers~and de like. De old ti~te folks had blacksmith shops on de arrr~ and made most o ~ de tools dey used. Dey hadplerity toea.t. We~riever ~arited fer nothin~ and always lived good. I had it better den dan I does now. - In slavery when de patrollers rode up arid down de roads, once a nigger boy stole out to see his gal, all dressed up to kill. De patroilers Thund him at his gal s house and started to take off his coat so dey could ~vhip him; but he said, Please don t let my ~al see undermy coat, cause I ~ot on a bosom and no shirt . (The custom was to ~cear stiff, vvhite bosoms held up around the neck when rio Shirt was on. This save the appearance of a shirt.) My sister-in.~law and ~other..~in~law both come from Virginia but I don t member anything dey said bout dat country. My sister~.. in~1aw went back dere atter freedom come, but her mama died here. Us slaves went to de white olks church at Cross Roads, arid our mistress made us ~o. She often would teach us to read and

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~ .- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~---- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ r~-~- ~ St or ies Prom ~. Slavea ~ - (earol me ?arrow ) Page 3 4~i~ 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 anda long coat.1Our white folks had a big kitchen way off from de ~ O 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, arid she ruade 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 ~tve ~ us good butter and miih, molasses, meats arid other good things to eat. ~ ~- We always worked on week days except Saturdays,- and sometimes on dat ~ day until 12 o clock. We always~had Christmas and Easter hollidays. ~ We had cor .-~hucking& and cotton.-pickings. De niggers ~ would singS: Job, Job, farm in~ a row; Job, Job, farm in a row!. ~ Soruetitnes on moonlight nights we had p rxder pullings arid when we got - through we had big suppers, always wid-good potatoes or pumpkin pie$,~ de best eating ever. We made corn bread widplenty o~ inilk,eggs and. lard, and sometimes w1d~ sweet potatoes, debest corn br ad in d ~- - world. Simmori. bread was made wid sifted simmon juice cooked Wid flou I married first time-to Joe Todd, and ~ad a big wedding: what~ niy mistreas give me -i.tt~ her back yard. She had a big shoat killed ~ I ~er de wedding dinner . My mistress denwas Miss Cornelia Ervin. When Imarried de second time, I niarrie~1 in-town to West Parrow, in de colored people~s Baptist church, by Rev.. West Rutherford, a.-nigger ~ preacher, de- pastor. My second husband died, too, a Lew years ago. ~ - .. I can t member xnucb~ bout old songs but a Ba~pt ist soxig I.~.. . was: Down to de water, River o~ Jord~ Down to de water, River .o~ . Jrdon; Dere my Savi r was baptized. . .

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~toriesProrn Ex~S1aves ~ (Caroline Parrow) Pa6e 3 another version went thus~ ~~~Qo~ne along, corne along, my dear 1ovin~ brother, Come a1or~ and let s ~o home; Dov~fl into de River where my Savior was baptized. De present ~erieration of ni~gers ain t like de ones when I conie along. Dey don t ~vork like I did. III don t know much about Abraxrtharn Lincoln, Jefferson Davis or Booker Wasl in3ton. I just hear about Booker Nashingtori, reckon he is all right. . I think slavery helped me. I did better den dan I do nov~. Vhen I joined de church I was grown and married, and had two chilluris. I joined de church because I thought I ought to settle dov~n arid do better Ler my ~amily, and quit daricir~ arid ~rolicing. Source: Caroline Parrow (N.aO), Newberry, S.C. Interviewer: GL. Summer, Newberry,~ ~.o. (9/lo/37)

Stories from ex-slaves. 046 042

project. .885..1 POLKLORE 39~55 1~dited by: 42 ~partaflbUrg Dist.4 . Elmer Turnage May 24, 1937 STORIES PROM EX-~SUVES ft1 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~iouse, and helped as a servant-girl. My mistress smoked a pipe, and $ometimes 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. I married twice. My first husband was Joe Todd, and after he died, I married West Parrow. He was a dray..~man in town ~or many years. . The folks back home had fine farms, goodgardens, and took pride in raising all kinds ~f 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. . Atter dewar, we stayedon awhile. My mistress took me t o de white folks t 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)

Stories from ex-slaves. 047 043

project.1885-~1 . ~ ~ POLKLORE . ~ j ~j Edited by : ~partanburg Dist.4 Elmer Turnage ~ June 28, 193? STO~R lES PROM EL~SLA yES ~ ~ . I do not knows when er whar Iwas born. My Lather was Price Feaster; mother was Lucy Richards Feaster. She be1ong~d to Mr. Berry Richards dat lived tween Maybinton and Gosheri Hill Township, on de Richards Quarter . My sister name Harriet; brothers was Albert and Billy, and dats all de chilluris 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 rum one side to de other fer de slats . No sir, I doesn t know nothing bout no ~randmaw and grandpaw. . De.furs work dat I done was ~drappirig peas. Albert was p1ow..~hand when I corne into de world. Harriet was up big enough ~t O plant corn and peas t oo. Billy looked atter de stock arid 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 frwn dem. I bought candy wit de money; people was crazy bout candy den. Dat s de reason I ain t got no toofies now. 01e lady Abbie looked out fer our rat ions De mens eat oa~ one side and de gals on t other side de trough. We eat breakfast when de birds furs commence singing off n &e roost. Jay birds ud allus call de slaves Dey lowed : it s day, it s day, and you had to ~t up. Dere wasn t no waiting bout it.

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POLKLORE 5tories Prom ~X S1aves Page2 44 De whipperwill say, cut de claip out de whiteoak~ 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, oie rnarse shO would whip you if you did. Dove was furs thing dat bring somethIng back to Noah when de flood done gone frwn over de land. When Freedom come, birds change song. One say, don t know what you gvvine to do now. n other one low, take a ~!ie~1, take a ~ie~ Nig~ers live fat den wid bacon sides. . Mr. Billy Tuompson and Mr. Bill Harris daddy give lieri~s~ in dem days; dese big mens den. Captain Poster clothed de niggers atter Freedom. ROle 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 rnarster didn tkriow. Dey go out an d g it t em a hog ft um a dr ov e of seve nty~f iv e er a hand e d; dat one never be missed. I is awful to hunt; come to Union to sell my rabbits arid ~possums. Mr. Cohen dat run a brick yard, he buy some. 01e man Dunbar run ed a market. He was oie man den. He s de beef market man;~ he take all de rabbits and sell em when I couldn t git a thins fer em. 01e 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. ~y throws all

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FOLKLORE: Storie8 Prom Ex-.~S1aves Page3 45 secI~i as dat away now. Dere was allus a Luss in de house iffen I never had no loadyt. Somehow er another I was allus a fani~ ily man and was lucky to git~ in wid xr~ens dat help me on. Never suffered wid help rwn dese kind. men. tat s de way I got along as well as I has. 01e Missus and Marse learn t me to never tell a lie, arid 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 Gu5, he never tell a~Iie . Be~o t dat, I work fer Lawyer Monroe. He had a brother named Jim and one named George, his name Bill. His sister named MISS S311y. Dar I farm fer dem and work on haLf u.ns. De Yankees camped on his place whar Mr. Gordon Godshall now got a house. N used to go dar rni night ev y night and ev y day. Dey had a pay day de furs and de fifteenth o ~ de month. Dey s terrible ier engans (onions) and eggs. Dey git five marbles and put dein in a ring; put up Lifty cents . Purs ~nian knocks out de middle-~man (marble) got de game. Dey s jes sporty to dat. Never had nothing but greenbacks den. Fifteen cents arid ten cents pieces and twenty-five arid as high as fifty cents pieces was paper in dem t irnes . tDey larn t us a song: Lf I had oie Abe I4ncoln ai . over ~dis world, but I know I can t whip him; but I fight hirn ~ till I die8 . Dey low d, we freeded you ails . ~~nother song was: Salvation free fer all mankind; Salvatiou tree ~er all ~ankind . I was glad er all salvation.

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FOLKLORE: Stories Prom Ex..Slaves Page4 46 Salvation free ~er me ; got up dat song Lure on a moonlight night, and us sing it all night long, going from house to house. t? Motherless chilluris sees hard times; just ain t got no whar to go; goes i~r om do o do dat t~ de song dey got up. I doesn t know whar it come from. Nother one was: When de suri refuse to 8hine; Lord I ~vants to be in de number, when de sun refuse to 8hine. :E:~ 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. We 8ot mud baskets fer cat fish; tie grapevines on dem and put dein in de river. We cotch some wid hooks. I went seining many times arid I set net8; bought 8eins and made de nets. Pull up seIn aster a rain and have seventy...five or eighty fish; some-. times have none. Peter Mi118 made our cat fish stew and cooked ash-.cake bread Ler us to eat it wid. Water~ corne 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 riuts ~-. dat is de hulls. Never had much exchanging oi~ 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. Pire last all night from dat big wood and de house didn t git cold. We had heavy shoes wid wood. soles; heavy cotton socks which was wore de whole year through de cold weather, but we allus go bare~eeted iL.i hot weather. Young boys thirteen to fiiteen years old had de foots measured. Whentracks be seed in de wa rnelon patch, dey was called up, and if de measurements oi~ dere tracks fitted de ones in de

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POLKLORE: Stories From Ex-~$1aves Pa8e 5 b wa rnelori patch, dat was de guilty nigger. I dar, you had to talk purty den. When I go in de wa rnelon patch, I git de old mis~US to say fer me to go; den I could eat arid. nothing was said bout it. Sunday clothes was died. red Ler de aals; boys wore de same We made de gals hoops out n grape vines. Dey give us a dime, it dey had one, ~er a set or hoops. ttThanft no dressiu~ up ~er marring inslavery times; just say, gwine to be.a marriage 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 ~er three weeks bef o it was eat. Source: Gus Feaster (9?), 20, Stutz Ave., Union, 5;C. Interviewer: Caidwell Sims, Union, S.C.

Stories from ex-slaves. 052 048

project 1885- l 39O17~ ~ 18 FOLKLORE J.I sJ Edited by: ~partanburg Dist.4 Elmer Turna~e July 7, 1937 STORIES PROM EX..~SLAVES I ain t never give you dis information. Miss Sue&e and miss Tomniie Carlisle, Marse Tom s onliest daughters, died. befo de surrender. ~iss Susie slipped one day wid de scissors In her hand, and when she did dein scissors tuck arid stuck in one her eyes and put it plum smack out and she never did. see . f - out ri it no nio . Dat made it so sad, arid every body cried wid. her but it never done her narry bit o~ good. ~ !hen dem ~OUfl ladies died, I left out and run off from my ma and come to Union. Mr. Eller kept a bi~ sto jest as you corne into town. It was jest about whar Mr. Mobley Jeter s is now. Dat s in demiddle of town, but in de fur off days -I is speakin~ about, it was de very outskirts of dis town. I is seed dis town ~grow, dat is what I is. Mr. EUer tuck me to be his driving boy, and dat sto sot jest exactly whar de Chevet Charage (Chevrolet Garage) sets now. When I been dar six years, my tua come. to Union and. she found me dar. Us was dat glad. to lay eyes -on one another dat we jest shouted ~ur joy and my Ma tuck ahd smacked nie wid. her lips right in de mouth. She told me-dat my pa had done got shot a fixing dein old breastworks down in Charleston arid dat called. fur a b-is cry from me and her both. Mr. Eher, he went out n de back o~ his sto till us quit. He let me go back home to de Carlisle place wid my na. Everything done changed and I brung niy ma back to Union and kept her, kaise I was a man Mi Lull d~n~i

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$torie3 PI OIIl Ex Slaves (Gu8 Peaster) Pa~e2 : 49. !!iawyer Shand tuck my ma to work fur him arid I started beine his coachman. He oie 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 Dougla8 Heights and he had de biggest house dar. Dat was way befo Captain Douglas 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 aees~. His driveway was flanked wid water oaks and it retched down t Main street. De grounds was on each side dat drive arid dey retched to whar de white folks is got a school (high school) now. On de other side of dat d-rive his grounds hit Miss Pant s~ (Mrs. John Pant s property). ~ ... . . YOU could clam up Cap Douglas stairs and ~it in a run~around~. (cupola) and see de whole town through dein. glass winders; (This cupola is still on the house.) Never had none o~ dem things in Union afo dat. Sortie 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 wi~d all de fine L ixings .~olks has in Union, dar ain t narry one got none o~ dem things and dey sho is purty. Let me drap back, kaise X is gone tob fer along; you wants olden times. On our plantation Marse Tom had a nigger driver. Jie hoop arid holler and wake us up at break of day. But beTh freedom come long, Marse got a bell; den dat nigger driver rung dat bell~ at break of day . He w~s a sorry nigger dat never had no quality in him a tall, no sir.ee.

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Stories Prom EX-Slav $ (Gu8 Feaster) Pace 3 5O.~ Us had to feed de mules in de dark of mornings and de black of night when craps needed workiri~ bad. Seed many as a dozen hoe.womens in de field at one time. Dey come when dey finished brealclast and de plows had got a start. Dey used mulberry skins from fresh mulberry saplins to tie around der : waists Ler belts. If your sthgletree chain broke, you fixed it ~wid mulberry skin~ 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 ii he knowed it. He burnt you up ~ bout stealing, dat he would. Dey never wanted us to git no larriing. 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 bal . from de oak trees, and on Sad4a~ ~ and Sun day s 1 ip off w h ar de wh it e f ol ks w ou 1 n t know b out it . He use stick fer pen and drap oak ball in w~ter 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 writ e and dey wanted t o 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 had done tuck an~ died to embers. Jule and Bill s~ed him and~dey broke arid run an&pushed Edmund plum under dem pots. De embers burnt his face and de hair ?~ ~ his head. Marse Tom wo (wore) Bill and Jule out fer it. Missus lowed den dat Edmund de smartest nigger on dat plantation.

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Storieg ) romEL.~SIaves (Gus Feaster) Page 4 51 We had Sadday afternoonsto do ourwork and to wash. ~e had ai . de hollidays off and a bi.~ time Christmas and July Fourth. Going to funerals we used all Marse s wagons. c~uiok as de funeral start, de preacher give out a funeral hyxnrt~ ~Lll in de procession tuck up detune and as de wagons move along wid de mules at a slow walk, everybody sing deJ~ hymn. When lt done, another was lined out and dat kept up t ill we reach de graveyard. Den de preacher pray arid we sing some nio .. In dein days funerals was slow fer both de white arid 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 arid a faster hymn was suns 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. fll~s a child everybody in dem days played marbles. tiMa sung some o:e de oldest hymns dat I is ever heard: (He sang) OZlon, O Zion, O Zion, wanta git home at last . (Another) Is you over, Is you over, Is you over and the basa come back, Yes thank God, Yes thank God,. Yes thank God, I la over. How did you cross? .Lt de ~ferry, at de ferry, at de ferry, Yes, thank God I i8 over. If I sing dem n w folks laughs at me, but ma sho teached dein to her chilluris. When b ys and gals gits u~ 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 halt.dollar if you come out t onight ; I 11 g ive you half.. dollar If you come out tonight.

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Stories :~~rom EL-Slaves (Gus Peaster) Page 5 : 52 Den de ~a1s charmed us wid honeysuckle and rose petals hid in dere bosoms. Now de gals goes to de ten cent sto and buy8 cheap per~fume. In dein days dey dried cheneyberries (ctiinaberries) and painted dem arid wo dem on a string around ~dex~ necks to charm us. . ~When us very little, ma say at night when she want us to go to bed and we be playir~ marbles, setter come on in de house or Raw Head and Bloody Bones 11 git you. From en on I is seed 8pOOkS. ttOur work song was, John Henry was a man; he worked all over dis town . Dey still uses dat song. In slavery some holler when dey be in de fleld like owls; some like crows; and some like pea..fowls. Missus had de purtiest pea fowls in de whole country. Don t see non now, but dar ain t nothing dat flies purtier. Me arid Wade Carlisle was possum hunting one &ight in de fall when de dogs bedded a possum in a grave. We dug down and got de possum. He wasdat big and fat and his hair was so shiny and purty dat we lowed dat he d finest possum we had cotch dat Lau. ~J~st den, Wa4e 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 fro rit of us and all over Wade s sh ovel Our t~c o dogs tuck and run and holler and stick dey tails betwix dey legs 1 ike s omebody a-wh ipp in~ dem. . Dein dogs never st opped running and hewling ttill dey ~eached 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.

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3tories Prom F~..SIave$ (Gus Pea8ter) Pace 6 fi hollered, Wade, fer de Lawd in Heaven sake, drap dat possum. He drapped it and we run 1~j ~ we got home. ~Vade still had dat shovel ~ or was it a axe ~ jest recollects which, anyway, he still had it in his hand; and when I looked at it, it was 8till shining. I pinted ray Cinger at it, kaise I was dat scared dat no -words wouldn t come from my mouth. lade 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 hunt Ing in no graveyard at night since dat ; and if de good Lawd~ give me sens I is got now, I ain t never gwine to do it no mo . It ain t no good a... sturbi.ngdead~foiks. All befo dat I 18 heardit gits you in bad, andnow since den I knows it.9 Source: GUS Feaster (col. 97), 20 Stutz Ave., Union, S.C. Interviewer: Caidwell Sinia, Union, S.C. (7/1/37) J

Folk-lore: Negro slave. 058 054

Project 1885 1 Froni Misc. Field Notes Edited by: 54. District No. 4 39007S Lartha Ritter May 17, 1937 FOUC~LORE: NEGRO SLAVE. Slave Time Customs on the Plantation of Thomas Anderson Carlisle, ttCapt my old Master s daughter, Mrs. George I~errin (Ida Rice) and Miss Peake (i~rs. Keitt Peake) tiows I is done pas 84. Miss Ida was 84 when she died and I was allus no older dan she was, and a long ways at dat. I allus figers dat Ah is 97. Miss Agnes ( ~ rs. ~itt Peake) and Miss Ida was lii gals when I driv dem to and from school ever day fer oie Marse You see I had to be a big boy to drive de Marse s chilluns to school, specially when dey was lii gals ~ I is a great deal older than Mr. Bjll Harris ~ I met him dis mornin wid sweet tater in his pocket He lowed, Gus, you is jes bout de oldes nigger in dis county, amt you? I raised my hat to tj~ and lowed, 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-gittin 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. ~Vhen de waggin done got plum away us would take dry pine needles and kivver up all de waggin ~raoks and hoof prints after us had done raked de dirt smooth over dein. We stayed wid de silver and stuff and drink coffee and eat black crus ; dat de sw~etnin bread dat us had durirt de war. Couldn t git no sugar den. Sometime we used sassafras tea as we never had no coffee to grind. ae white folks was jes

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2. as bad off 8 we was. From de big house dey brung our mess of vittals after. dark had done fell. ttpoke salad was et in dem days to clean a feller out. Hit otnu up tender every spring end when it cut deep down in sand it looked white. It s an herb. Cut it; wash it and par boi ; 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 I Dat not only fill up y ur bel ly, but make you. fat and strong . ttScmetime de darkies would eat to much and g t 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 111 chilluns. Fer de lii chilluns and babies dey would take and ohaw up pIne needles and den spit it in de ill chilluns mouths and make dem swallow. Den when dey was a teaehi& de babies to eat dey done de food de very s arne way. Dem old wirnmens made pine rosin pills froet 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 gt~n fer to g t gum to ohaw. Twaen t no sech thing as chawin gum till thirt;y years ago. Sweet g~nTt, it s good fer d indigestion and fer de toofies, when it don t git yer mouth all s tuck so as you can t say nothing. ~

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3 I spects dat de chief reason how come it done gone plum out o date. I most fergot to Inform you dat resin pills is still de best thing dat I knows to start your wat r off when it done stopped on ye. ?tIt was a special day on each plantation when de Master and de o seer give out de week s rations, like dis: Four poun~1s o bac~i; one peck o meal; quart o ~ flour; quart o molasses ; -dey was dat black; . and dey was de rations fer a whole endurin week. Had a big ohoppin block where all de meat was chopped on. In dem days every bit o de meat was raised on de plantation from de Master s hogs. Into de grooves o dis choppin block would git lodged small pieces o meat. Choppin ~ax was heavyand br ad. Heavy rations come out on Friday. On 8ad day come de shoulder meat fer Sunday mornin kf and de flour come on Sad day also~. Our Master ~ give us hominy fer Sunday mi brekfas kaise us had red meat wid gravy den. My Master was Marset~ Torn Carlisle of ~oshen Hil 1. He de one give us dem Sunday specials De niggers on de other surroundin plantations never got no seoli sideration as I ever heard of. Me and John minded de~Missus cows. When de red meat ohoppin was done all de plantation chilluns would be dar to git what fall in de grooves o de block. One day John lowed to me if you puts your ol black hand on dat block fore I does today, I is a gwine to chop it off. I never said nary a word, but I joe roll my eyes at him. I got dar arid broke

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~4 and run fer de block. I got big piece and when John coene up I was eating it. I say, Nigger, you is too late and lazy fer any thing. Bout that time he reach over fer a scrap I nev~er seed. I push hirn back and reach fer hit. John took up de choppin ax and come right down on my finger, fore I could git it out de way. Dat s why you see dis scar here now. Dat nigger lay my finger plum wide ~ open, fact is dat he jes left it a hang in . Marse s doctor and he fix it back. Den hq whip John hiaseif; never low de overseer to do it dat time. Marss Tom pretty good to us; never whip much; never low de overseer, Mr. Wash Evans, to whip too muchneither. He would have liked to whip mo . den ~he did, if de Marse would lowed it, but he wasn t so bad. Mr. Evans wasn t no po white trash, but he was kinder middlin li~ce. De E~vans is done riz high up now. - ~ and Anderson was my young marsters . Dey was long bout my own age. Dey went to school at Goshen Hill. De school was near de store, some folks called it de tradin post iii dem days. De had barrels liquor settin out from de store in a long row. Sold de likker to de rich mens dat carried on at de race track near by. Folks in Goshen was all rich in dein days. Rogers Church where de Carlisles, Jeters, Sims, Selbys, Glens, and lots of other folks went too end de slaves, was de richest country church in dis part o de whole state, so I is often been told. Ebenezer, over in Maybinton, was de onliest church in de whole country dat tried to strive wid Rogers in de way o finery and style. De Hendersons, Maybins,

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..5- 58 Hardy6, D iglasses, Cofields, Chicks and 0xners was de big folks over dar. Both de churches was Methodist. tiEvery suimner de carried on Camp Meetin at Rogers. All de big Methodist preachers would come from way off den. Dey was enter ~ained in de Carlisle big house. Missus put on de dog (as de nig~ers says now) den. Every t~iI~g was cleaned up jes fore de ineetin like us did fer de ear1y~spring cleanin . Camp Meet in come jes after de craps was done laid by. Den all craps was done laid by e July de Fourth. It was unheard of ~ out fer anybody to let de Fourth come wid/de craps out n de way. Time s is done changed now, Lawd. Den de fie lds was heavy wi. d corn head high and cotton up aroun de darky s waist! Grass was all oleeiied out o de furrow s on de las go ~ ~d De fIelds and even de terraces was put iii apple plo order fer de gatherin o de craps in de fall. As you e~l 1 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 dem days de~barb~oues was usually held on de plantation o Marse Jim Hill in Fish Darn. Dat was not fer from Goshen. Marse Jim had a purty spring dat is still all walled up wid fine rocks. De water come out n dese rocks dat cold dat you o an t hold your hand in it fer more dan a minute at de longest. Dar is a big flat rock beyond de spring dat I specs kivvers more dan en acre and a half o 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.

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.6- 59 WIld ferns growod 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 iii; and no worry tbout where it was a~ coming fromi - 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 wirnmen folks bake pies, cakes and custards fer de barbecue, jes zaotly like hit was fer de white folks barbecue deseif I - - - Young ones carried on- like young colts afrohem in de pasture till dey haddone got so full o vittles dat dey could nOt eat ~iother bite. Den dey roamed on off and set down somewheres to sleep in de shade o de trees. When de sun started to going down den de old folks beginto 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 T de coiv~ to milk. The master s work had to go on around de big house, kaisa all de darkies had been lowed to have such a pleasant day. Next day being Sad day was on dis occasion not only ration day, but de day to git ready fer de ihite folks Camp Meetin which I has already called to recollection several times. I has to drap back to my own plantation now; kaise I guesses dat de e thin~ took place on all de - ~ ~

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7- neighborin places in preparation fer de white folks big Meetint. But I hotter confine my relations to dat what I really knows. At de barbecue I seed niggers from several neighborin plantations and I can tell you bout dat. But I draps now to de doings o my own ~wh ite folks. AS I has said once,de fields was in lay by shape and de Missus done already got de house olaaned. 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 dein days as you well knows; b~it . us had a dry well under our big house.~ It was deep and every thing k~ep real cook down dar. Steps led down into it. and it a lus b real dark dawn dar. De rats run aroun down dar and de younguns skeert to go down fer anything. S~ us carry a . (~1\ t) lightvrood not fer light when us put anything in it or take anything out. Dar ain t no need fer me to tell you bout de well house where us kept all de milk and butter, fer it was detalk o de country bout what nice fresh milk and butter de irtissus allushad. A hollow oaklog was used fer de milk trough. Three times a day Cillahad her 1 1 boy run fresh cook well water all through de trough. Dat keep de milk from gwine to whey and de butter fresh and cool. 1n de dry well WS8 kept de canned things and dough to set ti 11 it had done riz! IVhen company come like dey allus did fer de camp meetings, shoalts and goats and maybe a sheep or lamb or two WS8 kilt fer barbecue out by Cilia s cabin. Dese carcasses was kept down in de dry weil over night arid put over de pit

065 061

-8 early de next morning after it had done took salt. Den dar was a big box k vvered wid screen wire dat victuals was kept in in de dry well. Dese boxes was made rat proof. V~hulst de meats fer de company table was kept barbecued out in de yard, de cakes, pies, bretdi, and t other fixings was done in de kitchen out in de big house yard. Baskets had ter be packed to go to camp meetint Tables was built up at Rogers under de big oak trees dat has all been out down now. De tables jes gro*ried and oreeked and sighed wid victuals at dinner hour every day dunn de osnip i s Missua fetch her finest linens and silver and glasses to out shine dem brung by de t other white folks o quality. ifl dGm days de white folks quality in onion most all come from Goshen Hill and Fish Darn. 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 obst to de spring. Us had table cloths on our table also end us et from de kitchen china and de kitchen silver. - ttyo~~ gals oouldn t eat much in public, kaise it ain t stylish fer young courting gale-to let onlike c~y has any appetite to speak of. I sees dat em a custom dat still goes amongst de winnnen folks, not to eat, so heavy. Cullud gals tried to do jes like de young white missus would do. After everything was done eat it would be enough to pack up and fetch back home to f ed ai . de hungry niggers what roams roun here in Union now. Dem was de times when everybody had nuff to eat and more dan dey wanted and plenty olothee to wear I

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62 During de preaohin~ us darkies sot in de back o de church. Our white folks had some benches dar dat didn t nobody set on cept de slaves. Us wore de best clo es dat us had. De Marse give us a coat and a hat and his sons give all de old hats and coats ro~d Us wore shirts and pants made from de looms. Us kept dem elean t and Ironed jes like de Marster and de young marsters done the r n. Den ~is wore a string tie, dat de white folks done let us have, to church. Dat bout de onliest time dat a darky was seed wid a tie. Some de oldest men even wore a cravat, dat dey had done got from de old marster. Us combed our hair on 5uxiday fer church. But us never bothered much wid ~it no other time. During slavery ~cme o de old men had ~hort plaits o hair. De gals come out in de starch dresses 1er de cs~rnp meeting. Dey took dey hair down out n de strings fer de meeting. In dem days all de darky wiinmens wore dey hair in string cep when dey tended church or a~edding. At de camp meetings de wiminens pulled off de head rags, cept de maninies. On dis occasion de mainmies wore linen haad rags fresh laundered. Dey wore de best aprons wid long streemers ironed and starched out a hanging dowa dey backs. All de other darky wimmens wore de black dresses and dey got hats from some dey wh its lady fa lks ; t as us mens got hats from our n. Dem wiuuneus dat couldn t 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.

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10 63 etAt night when de rn~~ting dun buabed till flex day was when de darkies really did have dey freedom o spirit. Ag de waggin be creeping along in de late hours o moonlight and de darki s would raise a tune. Den de air soon be filled wid the sweetest tune as us rid on home and swig all de old ~T1flflS dat us loved. It was allus some big black nigger wid a deep bas s voic e like a frog d at ud Start up de tune Den de others mens jine in, followed up by de fine lilt voices o de gals and de cracked voices o de- old wimmens and de granni s. ~Vhen us reach near de big house us soften down to a deep hum dat de missus like I Sometime she t up de window and tell us sing S*ing Low Sweet 0ha ot ~ for her and de vis iting guests. Dat all us want to hear. . U~ open up and de niggers ~ar de big house dat hadn t been to church would wake up and oome out to do eabin door and j lue in de refrain. From dat we d swing on into all de old spirituals dat us love so well and dat us knowed how to sing. Missus often low dat her darkies could sing wid heaven s e ~ation (inspiration). Now and den some old mammie would fall out n de waggin a shoutin Glory and H81 lelujah end Amen I After dat us went off to lay down fer de night. - ~ Young Newt and Anderson was de boys what was near de age of me and John. Co s~ dey went to school every day it was in eess~on. Dey had dey own hosses and dey rid em to school. When dey oomo home dey would throw de reins to me end John end us took ~ dem hoe ses and rub dem down and feed ein. I

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11 64 Lots of times Newt and Anderson would tell me and John to come and g t under de steps while oie Marse was eating his supper. When he git up from de table us iil~ niggeri would ailus hear de sliding o his chair, kaize he was sech a big fat man. Den he go into de irtissus room to set by de fire. Dar he would warm his feets and have his Julip. Qulok as lightning me and John scamper from under de 8 tops and b re ak fer do b ig cape jasamine bushes long de front walk. Dar we hide, till Anderson and Ne wt came out a fetching ham biscuit in dey hands fer us. It wo ld be so full of gravy, dat sometime degi avy would take and run plumb down to d e end e ~y elbow and drap off, fo I could git it~ licked offn my wrists. Dem was de best rations dat a nigger ever had. Y~hen dey had honey on de white folks table, de boys never di~ fail to f etch a honey biscuit widdern.,. Dat was so good dat I jest take one nieasley it bite of honey and melted butter on my~ way to de ~ ~ quarter~ . I would jest taste a leetle. When I git to Memmy den me and Mezrmiy~ set off to ourseif s and taste it till lt done ail gone. Us had good times den; ~ike I v~r is had bef or sinon. ttSOO~ atter dat dey sent me and John to de field to lam drapping. I had to Irap peas in every hther hill and ~Iohn had to drap de oorn in de rest. De overseer, Oie man ~ (ash Evans, come dcwn dar to see how us was a doing. Den us got dat skeert dat us got de corn and peas mixed up. He stirted to hit us wid do whip dat he had hung ro~d his waist, Bout dat time Marse Tom rid up. He made de overseer git out n dem corn rows and let us lone. After dat us got

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p12.. 65 long fine wid our drapping. When it come up everybody could see dorn rows dat us had done got mixed up on when de overseer was dar. Marse Torn was dat good to his hands dat dey all love him all de t5~me. But one day #ien oie man Evans come through de fi~ld and see dem rows he did call me and John off and whip us. Dat de most dat I ever got *ipped. Marss got shed o de overseer soon atter dat. ~ It was j*st like dis. 01e man Wash Evans was a wicked mari. tie take vantage of all de slaves when he git half chance. He was great source of worrirnent to my Mammy, oie lady Lucy Price and nother oman, oie lady Lucy Charles. Course he vantag.e over all de dark&es and fer dat reason he could~ sway everything his way, mostail de time. But my mammy and oie lady Lucy was ligious wirnmens. Dat didn t make no diffuns wid wicked old man Evans. One day Missus sont my meramy and de other oie lady Lucy to fetch her some blackberries by dinner. Me end J9hn was wid d~n a pickin and fillin o, de big buckets from de lii buckets when oie man Evans corne dey riding up. He argued wid both maxrniy and oie lady L&~cy and/kept telling him dat de missus want her berries and dat dey was ligious wimrnens anyhow and did&t practice no life o sin and vile wickedness. Finally he got down off n his hoss and pull out his whip and low if dey didn t submit to him he gw ine to beat dem half to death. A1~me and John took to de woods. B~t we peep. My mammy end old lady Lucy start to crying and axing him not to whip dem.

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- 13.. 4 66 Finally dey aot like dey gwine to indulge in de wickedness wid dat oie man. But when he tuck off his whip and some other garments, my Manm~r and oie lady L~icy grab him by his goatee ~d fiart~her down and hist him over in de middle of de n blackberry bushes. Wid dat dey call me and John. Us grab all de bukkets and us all put out fer de big house Las as our legs could carry us. Qle man Evans jest er hollering and er otissing down in dem briars. quick as us git to de big house us run in de kitchen. Cilia call Missus. She come and ax what ailing us and why we is so ashy looking. Well, my Maxruny and oie lady Lucy tell de whole story of dey humiliations down on de ~reek. . Mj~~u~ lowed dat i~t d~d3~t t make no diffuns ~ if Mars was in Union, she gwinteraot prompt. So she sent fer Mr. ~vans and he took real long to git dar, but when he do come, Mt~sus, she low Mr. Evans, us does not need yo services on dis plantati on no Sir ~ lie low Marse aini1t hei.. Missus law I does not went toa gue de point wid ye, Mr. Evans, for yo services has come to an end on dis plantationi Wid dat oleman Ev&~~ g off wid his head a-hanging in shame US niggors went out end tolo de news wid gladness shining out f rom our eyes kaise us was d at glad dat we did not know what to do. All de fields was enclosed wid a sp it rail fence in dem days. De ~flnde took dey rations to de field early every morning and de wimmens slaik work round eleven by de sun fer to build de fire ~id cook dinner. Mi~sus low her niggers to git butt ~milk and olabber, when de ocmB . in full, to oarry

071 067

q~ (~ 14- ~ o to de field fer drinking at noon, dat is twelve o clock. All de things was fetched in waggins end de fire was built and a pot w~as put to bile wid greens when dey was in season. Over coals meat was baked and meal in pones was wwapped in poplar leaves to bake in de ashes. Taters was dane de same way, both sweet taters and Irish. Dat made a good field hand dinner. Plenty ~ras allud had and den lasses was also fetched along. Working niggers does on lessdese days. Does you- know dat de poplar leaves was wet ab de meal pone was put in it? Well, it was, and when it gpt done de ashe8 was blowed off wid your breath and den de parched leaves folded back from de cooked pone. De poplar leaves give de ash cake a nice fresh sweet taste. All forks and spoons was made out n sticks den; dven dem in de big house, kitchen. Bread bowls and &ugh trays was all made by de skilled slaves in de Marse s shop, by hands . dat was skilled to sech as dat. Young ohilluns and babies was kept at home by de fire and nursed and cared fer by de ole wi~nxnens dat couldn t do no field work. De chief one on our plantation during my inembranee was oie aunt Abbie. She had head o de chilluns all over de plantation when dey mamies was aworking in de field. Marse Tom used. to ride thrGugh de quarters every day to see about oie lady Abbie and de chilluns when dey parents was at work in de fields during de work1~ season. Oie lady Abbie had to see to it dat dey was kept warm by de fire and dat dey clothes was kept up wid *ile dey maniities was in de field. Dem obilluns on our plantation was well looked after. De seamstr sses also kept our work clothes patched and darned, till new ones was wove fer us,.

072 068

-15. . 68 Sides dat dein chilluns was fed. Each child had ~ maple fork and spoon to eat wid. Lii troughs was made fer dem to eat de milk and bread from. Shorts , low stools, was made fer dem to set up to de troughs to, whilst dey was eating. De other oie ladi s helped wid de preparations of dey messes o vittal2. One oie woman went her rounds wid a wet rag a wiping dem chilluns dresses when dey would spill dey milk and bread. Marse Tom and sometime Mis~us come to see de lii babies whilst deywas a eating. De other oie iadies tended to de srtiail babies. Soi~etii~ies it was many as fifteen on de plantation at one tlme dat was too little to walk. Dey manunies was not worked on our plantation till~ de babies was big nough to take~a bottle. And in dem days no bottle was given no baby under a year old. De wimmins in family way was better eared for den dose young niggers now a days. Marse Tom never bred rio slaves but he did care fer his niggerswhen dey married and got dey own chilluns. I has done related to you how dey fixed de medicines and things. Dem babies was washed every day if dey marrnnieswas in de field, dat never made no diffuns, kaise it was de old ladies j bs to see to it dat dey was. Younguns on de plantation was bathed two or Q three times a week. Mullin leaves and salt was biled in great big pot to put in de babies wash water and also in de chilluns water. Dj5 would keep em from gitting sick. Den dey was ailus greased atter de washing to keep de skin from busting open. Mosely dey was greased wid tal low front de mutton. Mr. Anderson took medicine and atter dat he doctor all de slaves fer his paw free.

073 069

16 69 While de Yankees had everything closed up down in ~arIeston it was h ~rd to git anything in dis country into de 3t0 s Us allus traded at de post (Goshen Hill Trading Post). If I recolleots correctly it was during dis period dat Marse Torn let my Manmiy go up to de post to fetch back her a bonnet. Up dar dey took cotton and corn and anything like dat in trade dat dey could sell to de folks ~ dat was working on de rai lroad bed dat was gwine through dat o ountry (Seaboard Airline), So Mammy took a lot of cotton wid her to de post. She knowd dat it was gwine to take lots to git dat bonnet. It weren t but three and a half miles de short way to de post from our place. I s gWiflO long wid her and so I had to wear some pants to go to d e post a s dat was b 1g doings fer a UI ~ darky boy to git to go to de trading center. So aunt Abbie fotched me~ . a pair of new pants dat was dat stiff, dat dey made me feel like I was all olo8ed up in a jacket, atter being used to only a shirt- taill ~ - Well, it wasn t fur and us arriv dar early in de day. Man~i~y said howdy to all de darkies what dar and I look at dem from behind her skirts I fe lt real curious.~like all in side. But she ne~r give me no mind what.ever. She never act like she knowd dat I was pulling her dress at all. I seed so rna.ny things dat I never had seed befo , not in all my born days. Red si;i cke ~ candy was a laying right dar fo my eyes j like de folks from de big house brung us at Christmas. It was not near Chrjsj~a~ den, kaise it was jest cotton picking time end ~ I wondered how come dey was having candy in de store fer, now-how.

074 070

-17-. ~ 7() M~fl~fly look down at me and she say to de white man wid a beard, Marse, please sir, give me five cent worth peppermint candy. Den when he hand her de bag she break off il piece and hand it to me, and wall her eyes at me and say in a low voice, ~Qn~ you dare git none dat red on yo ~ clean .shirt, if you wants to git home widout gitting wo plumb smack out. Den she talk about de bonnets. Finally she gil; one fer ten dollars worth o cotton. Money wasn t nothing in dem times .-- ~3y dis time us had done s tarted on our return home nd I was starting to feel more like I allus felt. ~ Nigger, what dat you is done gone and got on dat clean thirt? Didn t you hear me tell you not to git dat new shirt alired? Look dar a streaming dawn off n your chin at dar red. How is I gwine to ever teach you anything, when you act jest like a nigger from some pore white trashes poor land? ; When we gits to dat branch now I ~ got to stop and was h dat dirty b lack mouth and den I can t g t dat red candy off n dat shirt. What oie lady Abbie gwine to say to ye ~then she see you done gone and act like you ain t never seed no quality befo ? . ~ Atter I has done tole you all de way from home how you must sot at de post den you goes and does like you is. Airit never gwine to carry you nowhars gin long as I lives. Bead dat lazy, good- fer-nothing back so as I won t git you wet al I de way down your belly, you hear me~ Now you is looking like you belongs to Marse Tom gin. Gimme dat

075 071

18 - 71 candy right now; I gwine to see to it d~t you gits back home looking like j~g afte r al 1 my worriments wi cl ye ~ Ma2TITLy seed dust a flying and de hoes come a-bringing Marse Tom down de road. Mairrny drap everything in the dust and grab her apron to drap a curtsy. 4She low t G t dat hat off dat head and bow your head he git hear I ttllowdy, Lucy, what is you end dat ybungun been, anyhow? Us been to git me a bonnet, Marse Ton~ and it took all de ten dollars worth of cotton to fetch it back wid. Yes, L~~oy, money does not go far these days, since the Yankees got everything No Sir, No Sir, ~Aarse,t and he rid on, leaving us behind in de d~ist. ~ Interviewt with ~us Feaster ( C 97), ex-~slave, living at 20 Stutz Ave., Union, 8. C.; interviewer . Caidwell Lims, Union, South Carolina.

Ann Ferguson. Ex-slave 74 years. 076 072

~. ~ ~ ~ - ~ . ~ .. ~ ~ .-. ~ ~ ~ _____ project #- 1655 390399 Approx. 388 words 72 Phoebe Faucette Hampton County AN~ F ~RGU8ON EX-SLAVE 74 YEARS ~ Annie sat in the sun of a fall afternoon on the steps of her house across from the Baptist Church at Estill, S. O. Her short, stout form and her kind, deeply wrinkled face beneath he~2 ~thite c~ap, were, aa always, a pleasinglyfamiliar sight. - It se sure you se corne, Wiissus I se been jes a-sittin . here awaitin for somebody to come. I m gittin on in years flow. ideen right herefor fourteen years. I was sick last night. ~- Suffers widhigh~blood, ~es m. ~ ~ . H ~Could I tell you~tbout de times before do war? Well~rna aiu, ~ . I~as jesta baby den; so Icain t to say know baut it for meseif, Hbut I knows what mernother told me boutit. -. My mother was at OldAllendale when deY~nkees conie through. She was iri de kitchen at dc-time. 1 was ~quite small. ~ Round two years old - now ~h w old dat make me, ivliss? 74? ~Voli, I ki~ows I is ~gittin t ~0fl~~, I remember dem talkin bout it all. Dey ~ searc~hed-de house, and take out what dey want, den set de house : afire. Ma, she ni.nout den an whoop~ ant hollero De lady of de house wuz dere but de Mas sa had went off De place wuz dat of : ~ ~ ~ Buckn~ . My mother ~-been belong to de ~ Bucknors . - After dat, ~ dey moved to de ld home place of . de Bucknors down~ here at RobertH~ ville~. Dey had two places. Dey jes ~iad to start farming all 1~:over again.~ We livea d re a goodbit after freedom, ma say. My ~~..rnother stay wid t~ii~ for ~bout three yeai~s after freedan. ~ Fore freedom my mother used to go to de white folks church = ~ White and blaok used to worship together den. She 3ined at de ~

077 073

Project # 1655 phoebe Faucette Hampton County Page-2 73 Old Cypress Creek Baptist Church at 1~obertvi11e. A white preach~ er baptized her dere. De old church is dere~ at Robertville now. After freedom de colored folks had dey own churches. ttDey tell nie~dat In slav ry time, sane of de overseers treat tem mighty mean. Some of tem work em in de day, en in de night, weaving. Now some of em treat tern good; but some of tem - treat em mean. Dey have to run away into de bay0 ~ . ~ Do I know of anybody what-sees ghosts? Yestrn, dere sa lady - over dore what say she always see a ghost corne and whip a woman dat asittint on de steps. Sometime she say she soin to report - it to depolice, but I ain t never seen none, ceptin ln my drearns. ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ -~ ~ ~ - ~i _s~1I~ is glad you om~,1~ issus~ Lbeen jes awa1tintfo~ somebody~! ~ ~ ~ Source: Ann~ ~e~gu~or~, ex-sli~e 74 years, ~stil1, S. C. . ~ . ~ ~ . . ~ ~ ~ . .. ~ . . ~ . ~ ~ ~ .:~ ~ ~ : :~ ~ : ~ ~ . ~: . ~ ~ ~: ~.

Aaron Ford, ex-slave. 078 074

o de No No ~Woi ds_____~ Project, 1~5-~(1) Reduced f~th~Words Prepared by Annie ~ith Davis Rewritten by ~ Place, Marion, 8.0. ~ Date, September 21, 1937 ~e l.~ Aaron ~Tord, ~Qfl#)4~:) Ex-Slave V%JV~. III was born bout two miles bove Lake View on Zonta Rogers place. BOYS used. to tel). me I was born on Buck Branch Think I wa~ born de 1 2th. day ~ o f February cause I ~vas bout i6 years old when freedom come. Ano~ther person born de same day en de same year en I might look on dey tombstone en get de date.N NMiles Tord was my father en my mother, Jennie Ford, but dey didn live on de same place. Father belonged to Aliaa Ford at Lake View en mother come from Timinonsville what used to be called Sparrow Bwanip Railroad run through de re change name from Sparrow Swamp to Timrnonsville ~ Just like I tell you, Zonia Rogers was my boss en h wasn ~ 80 b&d. He whip me a few time8 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 san. Give hie slaves good pole house s 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 ~? quarter. Sometimes dey slept on de floor en den another time, some bad homemade bed stead wid de framework made out o f black gum NWe had meat en corn bread to eat ail de time en dey gave us frted meat en rye bread en flour bread to eat every now en

079 075

Oode No. No. Words________ Project, 18~t5-(1) Reduced f1~ Words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by~ Place, Marion, 8.0. ~ ~ . 75 Date, September 21, 1937 ?agi~2.~ den. Made rye bread in time of de war, but didn get much flour bread to eat. Massa 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 m~Qh to catch possums, but was great hand to catch rabbits. Boss bad dogname Trip dat he wouldn have taken *200.00 for. If I hid him now, I wouldn take $200.00 for him neither oause dat dog would stay at a tree all night. See him stay dere from early in de day till dark.~ MSlavee 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 3uet half eool. Yes, sir, I know all bout how de cloth was made in dat day en time. Three treadle made dis here ~eaxies lath dat was for de nigger clothes en white people wore four treadle cloth. Had Sunday clothes lU slavery t ime too en made de shoe s right de r e borne . Tanned de leather en made shoes called nigger brogana dat dey used in de turpen.. tine woods. Dese here low quarters. I married in 1873. Just had common Oloth s when I was married.~ III remember my grandfather all right. He de one told me how to Catch otters. Told me how to set traps. Heard my grande. father tel I bout whippin ~ slav es for etealin ~ Grandiathe r told me no t to take thing e dit we re no t mine I L a p tie of corn was

080 076

Code No. No. Words______ Project 1~5~(i) Reduced fi om tords Prepared by Annie Ruth DaVIS Rewritten by~ Place, Marion, B.C. ~ Date, September 21, 1937 Page 3. ~ ~ left at night, I was told not to bother it. In breakin corn, sonieti~nes people would make a pile o~ 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 peopl~e things.U TMDe first work dat I remember bout dom in slavery time, I hold mules for my boss. Drove iiagon f~r Mr. Rogers. If people wanted any haulin done, he told ~e to help de~ en collect for it. 11e never wouldn ax any questions bout what I collected for de haulin. Just let ~e have dat money. I remember I bought cloth dat cost l2~ cents a yard wid de first money I get. Den I bought a girl 10 cents worth l candy en sent itto her. Rear she stainped it in de ground wid her foot. Girl never even menti n d it to me en I sin never bothered wid he r aga in. Di s gi rl en me bout de same age ~ Don remember ~uuch bout my first Missus only dat she ~bad a bump on her neck.~ Second Missue 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 t ime I take dogs en slip out in de woods en hunt rabbits. White man tell on me en my boas am never said notbin bout dis to me yet. Never had no overseer en no driver whe I s~tay.U Oh, dere was bout two or three hundred acres in de Rogers place. Slaves worked from daylight till dark in d.c winter time. Al~.ys be up fore day cause my boss generally

081 077

Code No. No. Words_______ Project, i~5.-(i) Reduced f~m ~Words Prepared by Annie Ruth DaVis Re irritten by Place, Marion, 8.0. 77 Date, September 21, 1937 h~ -L ;-- -~ -~ called de slaves fore day. Hear him say, Rob, come, corne. Aaron, corne corne We dithi wo rk hard though. Didn~ iork ill hot BUfl in June, July en August cause in slavery time dey allow us to take out at 10 or Il o clock en go swirnrnin. Den we bad 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 t irne Poor man give bout l~ hours for ~oon whe I get two hours back home en I never go back de next day. Boas say, Why don you go back to work? I tell him dat fellow WOU1&i give me long enough time for noon. My boas wouldn force me to go back when I tell hirn dat. $1 see one or two slaves whipped in alavery 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 verett Nichols wouldn never whip his slaves. He had son dat whipped some rough darkies dat he go t off another plac e cause old man Nichol s ~ 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 hadrun 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

082 078

Code No. No. Words_______ Project, 1~5-(1) Reduced ~d~ni~Ji~rds Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, 8.0. ____________________ Date, September 21, 1937 ge~ ~ ~ ~ at Marion, but I never saw any sold. Just hear bout dat, but I remembers I saw dis. Saw six men tied together wid. a chain one 8aturday evenin dat was comm from Virginia en gwtne to Texaa.~ Some people helped de slaves to read en write en some of dem dtdn Boy learnt one of my uncles to read, but didn want him to write. People learn to s~ll in dem times better den dey do now. Some of de slaves could 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 mother s father could write a pass. Dere waan no church on ~de plantation whe I stay. Had preachin tu Mr Tord s yard Some t unes en den another t line de slaves went to white people s church at Bear Swamp. Boss tel . slaves to go to metin cause he say he pay de preacher. mean Lare, white man~, gave ou~t speech to de slaves one day dere tO N ichole, Slaves sat in gallery when dey go dere He tell dem to obey dey Massa en Missue. Den he say, God got a clean kitchen to put you in. You think you gwine be free but you am gwine be free long as dere an ash in Aahpole Bwamp. 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 ~hite folks had left. ~at never happen till after de war was over.

083 079

Code No. No. Words_______ . ~ ~ ~ Project, ie~5-~(i) Reduced f~miiiJords Prepared by Annie Rut~a Davis Rewritten by Place, Ma3~ion, S.C. - -~ . 79 Date, September 21, 1937 rage 6. ~ II slio remember when freedom come here. Remember when my boss told me I was free. My father come d~ere en aay he wanted his boys. Boac called, Aaron, come here, your daddy wants you. I want you to go ~ He told. me not to go till de news came though. Pleaee me I felt like a new san. N III hate to speak what I think bout slavery. Think it a pity de slaves freed cause I know I m worried m re 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 built de~ church for de people en dey ought to go dere en be up en dom in de church. Dat dey dut~.~ ~ ~ - $o~Qe : Aax~on Tord, Ex Slave, Age ~O 9O, (No other information given by interviewer.) Personal interview by H. Grady Davis, June, 1937.

Folk-lore: ex-slaves. 084 080

Project 1885 .1- 390092 District ~7~14 . () Spartanburg, s. o. May 28, 1937 POLK LORE : EX~S LAVES . Six miles east of Spartanburg on LF.D. No.2, the writer found A nt Charlotte Foster, a colored woman who said she was 98 years old. lier mother was Mary Johnson and her father s nsme was John Johnson. She is living with her oldest daughter, whose husband is J0h~ Montgomery. She stated she knew all about slavery times, that she and h r mother belonged to William Beavers whO had a plantation right on the main road from Spartanhurg to Union, that the farm was near Big Brown Creek, but she didn t know what larger stream the creek flowed into. Her father lived on another place somewhere near Limestone. She and her m ther were haxids on the farm and did all kinds of hard work. She used to plow, hoe, dig and do anything the men did on the plantat Ion. I worked in the hot sun. Every now and then she would get a sick headache and tell her master she had it; then he wou1d~ tell her to go sit down awhile and rest until it got better. She had a good naster; he was a Christianif there ever was one. He had a wife that was fussy and mean. tu didn t call her Mistus, I called her Minnie. Bat, she quickly added, Master was good to her, just as kind and gentle like. When asked what was the matter v~ith 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.

085 081

-2- 81 Every Sunday he would cal . us chilluns by name, would sit down and read the Bible to us; then he would pray. If that man ain t in the Kingdom, then nobody s the re 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 whipped. Asked why the slave~. were being beaten, she replied rather vehemently, Just because ~hey wanted to beat em; they could do it, and they did. t She said she had seen the blood running down the backs of some slaves after they had been beaten. 4Dne day a girl about 16 years of age came to herhouzeand said she d just as leave be dead as to take th beatings her master gave her, so one day she did go into the woods and eat sortie poison oaka She died, too. - 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 ofsteeple and placed a bell in the steeple. Dat woman had to go around with that bell ringas Ing all the time. :t~ 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 t ~ meat. There was plenty of deer den, plenty of wild turkeys, and wild hogs. Master told me *kenever I seed a deer to holler and he would kill it.

086 082

-3 Q ) 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. After the Civil War was over and the Yankee soldiers caine 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 cartie Abe Lincolnriding a horse, right behind them. She Id t have much to s ay about Jeff Davis, except she heard the g rown people talking about him. Booker Washir.~gton? 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, bi~t if you educate people too high it make a fool out o f then~. 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 t hey am t~ taught to work? Well, I guess I would steal too before I starved to death, but I am ~ t had to s teal yet . No ma i ~an say he ever gave me a dollar but what I didn t earn myself. I was taught to work and I taught my chilluns to work, but this present crowd of niggers L 4 They won t do.

087 083

-4.. ~ 83 She stated her mother had ~vre1ve children and the log house they lived in was weatherboarded; it was much warmer in such a house during cold weather than the }~ouses are now. tiEvery 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 fAret and placed the straw in the mattresses. They beat the beds you can get now. These men make halfbeds, den sell em to you,but dey ai n t no good . Dey t know how to make ~ - Aunt Charlotte said she remembered when the stars fell. That was somethingawful to see.- Dey just fell in every direction. Master said to wake the chilluns up and let ten see it. Everybody thought the world was coming to an end. We went out on de front porch to look at the sight; Wetd 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. t (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.) SoTJ:Rc:E : Aunt Charlotte Foster, RFD #2, Spartanburg, ~ S.C. Interviewe r : F. . DuPre, Spartanburg, S C.

John Franklin. Ex-slave 84 years old. 088 084

proj~eCt f1655 Stiles M. Scruggs I:~or~,)7c~ . . Columbia, S. C~ ~ ~ ~ 84 ~ JOH1~ FRAi~11I1 ~ Ex 8LA,1rI~: 34 YEARS OLD. ft I is the son of John FraE.IClbi and Susan Bobo Franklin. I w~s born August 10th, 1853 i.n Spartanburg County. My daddy was a slave on the plantation of I~ar6ter Henry Franklin, sometimes called Hill and my rna~mr~ was a slave on the plantation of IVJ~.rster Benjamin Bobo. They was brother iri law s and lived on a planation joining each other. My white marsters and their mistresses was good to us and to ail 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 bout eleven years old. In 1861, my rnarsters go away with their neighbors, to fight the daitni Yankees and the plantation was left in charge of the mistresses and worked by the slaves. The slaves all raised bundance of rations, but pretty soon there was a scarcity cause they ~was no . o~offee at the store and stragglin Yankees or what they call Rebel soldierst come long every few days and take all they can carry. That shortage begun in 1862, and it kept on gettin worse all the time and when Lincoln s et 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 long with other niggers to fight for t Uncle and we never see him no more Soon after that me and mammy told our mistress goodbye, and move do~wxi to her daddy s place, bout ten miles from Chapin. I ~was ten years old that year and we raise corn, beans, taters 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.

089 085

2. So we do pretty well for a year or tw~ and we keep up our tradin trips to Co1umbi~, which counts for me and Ben. Lyles, n~r oousir. bout my age, comm1 to Columbia on February 16 1868 ~ We sold out and stayed all night. at the home of Ben s uncle. He had u~ do some tasks bout his home on Lincoln Street the next day and it was way in the day befo we start home. ~e walk north on what was knov~ then as the Winneboro road ?tjl we come to Broad ~ road, and we take it. There was One or two farm houses north of Eln~vood Street on the V~jnnsboro road at that time and only one house on Broad River road, the farm house of Mr. Coogler, which is still standint ~ There was a big woodsl~dat the forks of the Winnsboro road and Broad River oad. ttAfter we walk tlong the Broad River road,what seem t us for a quarter of a mile, we see four or five old men standin ~ the left side of the road wavint a white flag. We walks out in the woods on the right side opposite and watches. Soon we see what seem lak a thousand men on hoe ses coiain briskly long The men keep wavin the white flag After many had passed, or~big bearded maxi rein up his hoes end speak with the men W5,Vjflt the white flag. They tell the soldier there am no Rebel soldier1 in Colunbia and the blue-clad army am welcome; beggint them to treat the old folks, women and children, well. The Yankee soldier set straight and solemn on his hoes, and when the old men finish and hand him a paper, he salute and tell them, ~ Your mes sage will be laid General ~hern~n . y All this time the ground am shakin fromthe roar of big guns cross the river. Ben and me run thru the woods to our footlog and see thousands still comiri into Columbia, all long. We get fraid and stayed in the woods tu we get out of sight of the soldiers. But we ain t got far over the top of the hill tu we come face to face with more men on hosses. One

090 086

of the men, -who eeem to be the leader, stop his hose and ask US boys some questions. We answer as best we can, when he grin at us and pull out some money and give us a nickel a piece. We travel on toward Chapin and meet our manirnies and many other people, some them white. They all seem scared and my inai~miy and Ben s n~anmiy and us turns up the river and camps on the hill for the night, in the woods. We never sleep much, for it was most as light as day, and the smell of smoke was terrible. We could see people ru~nin in certain ps.rts of Columbia, sometimes. I~ext mornin we look over the city from the bluff and only a few houses was standin and hundreds of tumble-d~own chimneys and the whole tov~n was still smokin . I dreams yet b~t that awful time, but I thank God that he has permitted me~ to live long enoug~i to s e e the o ity rebuilt and it stretch ing far over thearea where we hid in the trees.~1 ~. 8C

Emma Fraser - ex-slave. 091 087

Project #~1655 )OtV)fl POLKLORE~ 8~ Cassels R. Tiedeman J Ju l)1~:1c . Ch~rlestOfl, S. . EMMA FR SER SLAVE ~rna Fraser, a pathetic old character, probably on account of iflafly hardships and the la ck of family to care for her properly, shows the wear and tear of years. She was born, in slavery, on a plantation near Beaufort, of a mother whom she scarcely remembers, and cannot recall the name of t~e plantation, nor the name of her mother s o~ier. She talks very ~ little but is most emphaticabout the time of her birth. L born in rebel ~ time, on de plantation down by Beaufort. My ma say Ia leetle gal when dey shoot de big gun on Fort Sumter. All deni people done dead an gone now. I amt Imow dey name any mo ~iid d e t r oublula t i on and b omb at ~Ofl: I hab to t end wid an de brain all~~ore down, you aintblame me for not knov . - - I wants to gO to :dobben now an when de roil is call up dere nt I be dore de Lord he find a Mding place foi~ me . - Igoes to chu ch when I kin an sing too, but ef I sing an . it dean mobe(move) m any, den dat a sin on deHoly Ghost; I be tell a lie on de Lord. No I amt sing vihen it doan mobe me . ~ You 1 ~ ~ ax me t o do dat . . - One day I see a. big automobile on de street wid. a old S genmiun (gentleman) ob slavery time settin in em. I goes up toem ant ax how old he t ink I is, ant he say dat I come way, ~. ~ way back dere in de slavery day, ant he know what he say. ~ Source.: Interview with the writer : ~ ~ Emma Fraser, 98 Coming St, Charleston, S. C. A~pprox . 80 year s old.

Adele Frost. Ex-slave 93 years of age. 092 088

S-260-264 N Hattie Mobley 390130 88 Project 935 Riohiand County ADELE FROST EX-SLAVE 93 ~ YEARS~. OF ~ AGE I was bo n in Adams Run, South Carollna, January 21st. 1844. My father name was Robert King, an my mother wa~ MInder King. My father was bo n in Adams Run but my mother carne from Spring Grove~ South Carolina. I had e1~ht brothers an sisters, Maria, Lovie, Josephine, Eliza, Victoria, Charlie an Robert King. The other two died w en dey was bgbies. Only three of us is alive now. Maria, who lives in Adams Run is 95 years old. I was brought heh at the age of twelve to be maid for Mr. Mitchell, from who ~ didn t git any money but a place to stay an a plenty of food an clothes. My bed was the oie time four post with pavilion hangin over the top. lid use to wear thin clothes in hot weather an warm comfortable ones in the winter. On Sunday I wear a oie time bonnet, a m hole apron, shoes an stockin . My Master was kind to his alaves an his overseer was all Negroes. He had a large fa m at Parkers Ferry. He worked his s lave s t I I twe lv e in the day ant the re s of the day they could do their own work. nI never gone to school in my life an massa nor rnissus ever help me to read. t On the plantation was a nieetin house in which wen used to have meetin s ev~ry Chuseday night, Wednesday night, an Thursday night. I use to attend the white church. Doctor Jerico was de pastor.

093 089

Page 2.. 89 Collud people had no preacher but dey had lead r. Every slave go to church on Sunday cause dey didn t have. any work to do for Massa . My grandma use to teach the catekism an how to ~:s1ng. TtCo n shuekin was always done in de night. Dere was also a dance, Es de distance was five miles we would walk dere, work an dance aU. night art come back early nex rnornin~. Fun rals was at night an w en ready to go to the graveyard every body would light a lightud knot as torch while every body sing. This is one of the songs wen use to s irig, tGoint to carry dis body To the grave-yard, Grave-yard dOn you know me? To lay dis body down. . These are some the games wen use to play, - Have a b.an fUl ~f co n den say,~ . . t Trow kissey Wilson let him go while the res is to guess how many co n is lef in his han s. We ain t had no doctor, o r Missus an one of de slave would tend to the sick. ~ The yankees take t ree nights to march through I was afraid of dein an c:Lim into a tree. Onecall me down an say, I am your frien He give me a piece of money an~ I wasn t fraid no mo. After de war I still work as a maid for Mr. Mitchell.

094 090

I Page 3 :~ 9() My b~sband was an 1. Frost We dldn t have no ~ jus married at de jedge office. We had three chiflun. I joined the church cause I wanted to be a christian an I think every body should be. I move here wid my gran daughter, bout ten year ago. ~ Reference; Interview with ( Mrs)Adele Frost who le supported by her Master s people.

Amos Gadsden. 095 091

Project #-1655 FOLKLORE Martha S. Pinckney ~ ; 91_ Charleston, S. C. 3S~Q23 AMOS GADSDEN My name is Amos Gadsden, not Gadson, like some call lt the same old name Gadsden ~ he added, with a friendly smile. I was born at St. Philip s Street; that is where old Miss lived then. (We belonged to old Mr. Titus Bissell) I don t rightly know what year, but I was nineteen years old before the War, when the family Bible was lost; old Mistress had m~ birth written in the Bible. I keep my age by Mas xaenry, he died three years ago; he was 83, and I was five years older than he was, so I am 88. Oh, yes, I can remember slaveryL My grandiuotherwas a daily gift to old Mistress when they were both children. Grandmother was nurse to the children; she lived over a hundred years and nursed all the children and grandchildren. She died at the Bisselits home on Rutledge Avenue years arxl years after slavery. Mother Ellen was laun-~ dress; she died first part of the War. My father tended the yard an d Wa s coa ohman. I never got a slap from my mistress; I was treated like a i~~hite person; if my mistress talked to me to correct me, I want to cry. Sometime I slept at the foot of my mi stres s bed. whatever the occasion, Amos was very proud of it, and mention~ ed: it a second time in his story, and added it ain t every little boy that could say that. We spent the summers in Charleston ~ winters on the plantation; Cypress Plantation wl4ch belonged to Mr. ~issell s father, Mr. Baker, was near Green Pond. The smoke house was there full of meat; the fields and the garderx8 were there and everybody

096 092

Project #-1655 Page - 2 Martha S. Pinckney Charleston, S. C. had plenty to eat - but still there w ~s bad people just like they are now. You can make yourself respectable, but some never do it. The bad ones had to be punished; they got a few lashes on ~u.m. Now they go to 4ourt, and they go to jail If there was a place to whip bad coons, they wc*~ld be scared to behave like they do now - the jails wouldn t be so full. There was no bad treatment of our people. Some neighbors that never owned any slaves, ~4red negro help and ill-treated thorn - old mistress felt so bad about this. tB ~ grew up with t he whi te chi Idren in the f am i ly but I J was trained to step aside at all times for white people. My grandmother s name was Affy Calvert; she was a daily gift to old Mistress; she was given to her when t1~y were both children and trained up in her service. Old ~istreas died long before her because she lived over a hundred years, and nursed all the children and grandchildren. She brought me up more than my mother; she and I nevergave up the family. Amos ma ke s a s t range at atement : Old Mausa Mr T L . Bissoll, (voice lowered) was a Yankee, but he lived long be fore the War, with an indulgent smile, and in a lower voice, with his hand up to his mouth he continued as though communieating a dangerous confidence, OIL, yes, Ma am - but he was a Yankee! What Amos meant wil . remain a family secret. II was trained by old Tony for yard boy before the War. I looked out that no harm came to t1~ older children, but one

097 093

Project #1655 Page ~ 3..~ 93 Martha S. P1nckxit~y Charleston, s. c. day they got away from me, Amos chuckled, they went to play on the logs in the lumber yard, around what is now Halsey s Mill. The water was full of timber, open to the river, (Ashley) and the tide was running out. One of the boys got on a log, and two others on another log, and the little scamps paddled the logs out, but when they found themselves in the tide they were scared, and screamed at the top of their voices. I W~Sn~t far off and heard them. I was scared too. I jumped into the water and swam to get a bateau; vthen they saw me they hushed. The tide had carried them s~e distance before I caught up with them was down near Chiso jn s Rice Mill. Mr. Chisoim saw it; he gave me a five dollar bill, Confederate money, for saving the children. Amos throws a new light on old history; - Before the War come here it was down in Beaufort, on the Port Royal Road; Confederates on one side, Yankees on the other, and things happen here that belong to War. One evening, early dusk, be~ cause it was winter, I was with two white boys on the corner of Hase .). street and East Bay. We stopped to watch a balloon slowly floating in the sky. I never saw anything like it beefore - it looked so pretty ~ and while we were looking a streak of fire came straight down from the balloon to Russell s Planing Mill at the foot of Hesell street, * right by us. In a short time the mill was on fire ; nothing could put it out. One place after another caught, and big flakes of fire were

098 094

Project #~1655 Page ~ 4 Martha S. Plnckney Charleston, s. C. bursting up and flying through the air, and falling on other buildings . ( Illus trating wi th his arms hand s and whole body ) The fir st chur eh that burned wa s the Circular Church on Mec ting Street; then Broad street arid the Roman Catholic Church, arxl St. Andrews flail. Yes, Ma an , course I remember St. Andrews Hall right next to the Roman Catholic Cathedral on Broad street L That was 1861, before I went to Virginia with Dr. H. E. Bissel. That balloon w ent on down to 3eaufort, I s pose Yes Matam, I s~~Lj~t drop that fire on Russell s Mill. n : went to Virginia with Dr. i. E. Bissill in the Army; he was a surgeon. A camp of ~negroes went ahead to prepare the roads; pioneers, they called them. ~ I remember Capt. Colcock, (he mentioned seve rai other officers ) Honey Hill - terrible fighting - fight and fighti had to platoon it. I was behind the fighting with Dr. BisselI. I held arms and legs while he cut them off, tiL after a while I didn t mind it. ~1ard times came to the Army; only corn to eat. When the bombardment came to Charleston the family moved to Greenville; I was in Virginia with the Doctor. The railroad bridge across the Ashley River was burned to prevent the Yankees from coming into Charleston; the ferry boat Fannie crossed the river to make connections with the Savannah Railroad. The 54th Massachusetts Regiment was coming down to Charleston; they destroyed railroads as they came. Sherman set fire everywhere he wont ~ didn t do much fighting, just wanted to destroy as he went. .~ ~

099 095

Project 1F 1655 . Page - 5 Martha 3. Pinckney Charleston, S. C. After Freedctn. we went back to the Plantation; lived catch as catch can. The smoke house had been emptied by the Yankees, and no money. Lieutenant Duffy, at the Citadel, fell in love with me and offered me a place to work with him fox money. I took~it and workedfor him tilhe left - but Ididn t give up the family . I work for Mas ~itua now; haven t stopped calling Ar. Orvel Biasell Mas today; I raised him but I still call him Mas. Orvel. My young Miseus was the one who taught me; she kept a school for us ; we took it for a play school; when I was a little boy I ~ knew the alphabet. ~ je buried our valuables in sacks in holes, then put plante over the hiding places. ~he silver was buried by Cypress Pond; end we saved ai . buried valuableS. ~ To show how-Mae. Titus (Bissell) will look out for me - a. men I rented from wanted to put some coon in my room. I had paid him the rent, but one day I came and~find my things b Ging put out I went right to Mas. Titus and t old him W!S mad, and, excusing t I~ words hi said do you mean that damned so-and-so is putting your things out i~ll, ~ Il go ~- ~ ~ so we went, and the man was so soamd he wanted to put t2ie things back but Mas Titus said. : He nt bother with any such damned person as y~z are. I ll find a proper place for him, ~ and he found me a good room on Short Street where I stayed for 8 years until the house was sold - that maice I ~novs on Elliott street v*iere I am now. ~

100 096

Proj e t #-i655 Page 6 ~ 9~ ~ Martha S. Pinckney Charleston, s. C. My wife a long dead and I have no children - this is my ulece; my brother s daughter. He went from this State three year s ago end we have never heard a word from him e moe I take eare of her. Does she do right by me? She got toi ~ I make hen . Source: Amos Gadsden, 88, 20 E11~ott Street, Charleston, $.C. a, ~ King, William L. in ttThe Newspaper Press of Charleston, S. ~q ft Lucas and Richardson (Book Press ) 1882 - 200p - pp-1~ 121. Charleston Library Society. ~ ~ ~ Confirms the statement that the fire of 1861 started in the Russ s Planing Mill, though!. flO mention is made .of it. origin.

Folk-lore: ex-slaves. 101 097

Project 1885 lM~1.. . District #4 Spartanburg~ s. C. 90073 From Field ~otes Folk-Lore May 26, 1937 FOLK LORE : EX-SLAVES: Journeying on Cudd Street this morning and stopping at the Old Ladies Home (an institution for negroes), the writer found two ex-Slaves sitting on the porch passing the time of day with those.~who passed the house. They both spoke ver~r respectfully and asked rae to come in. ~ One was seated and she asked rae to have a seat by her. Her name was Janie Galiman and she said she was 84 years of a~ . JJpon my tel ling he r my name she stated she knew my~ father and grandfather and had worked ~or them in days gone -by. If your father or Mr. Floyd was. living I wouldn t want for a thing t. - - - ~: - She was borninslavery on the plantation of Bill Keenan in Union County. The place was situated between Pacolet River and Fairfor st Creek and near where Governor~ Gist had a plantation. Her mother and father were both owned by Bill Keenan and he was a good master. She never saw any of the slaves get a whipping and never saw any s-lave in chains . - When she, her father, and mother were set free, she said, ItMy master gave my father a barrel of meal, a cow and a calf and a wagon of corn when he sot him free He gave every one of his slaves the same. He had a big plantation, but I don t know how many acres of land there was, but it was a big place.

102 098

98 -2 She was married three times and her mother had 12 children, but she has never had any. Her. young life was spent in playing with the children of the white overseer. They used to jump rope most of the time. Whenever the overseer left home to spend the night anywhere, his wife would send for her to spend the night with the family. The overseer w~s poor whit~ trash . She had plenty to eat in slavery days. Her father and mother had their own- garden, and she did her share of eating the~ vegetables out of the garden. She remembered seeing plenty of wild turkeys ~ as a child, but as for hogs and cattle, she did not rem mber them running wild. She had heard of conjuring, but she did not know how it was do-ne ~ never saw anybody who had been con -~ ~ jured yet she had seen ghost~s two or three t~bnes. One night ~he eaw a light waving up against a piece of furniture, then come towards her, then flicker about the room, but she wasn t able to ~ee anybody holding the light. She had heard of headless men walking around, yet had never seen any. A neighbor told her a woman ghost came to her house one night, just sat on the front steps and said nothing, repeated her visits several nights in suocession, but said no word as she sat on the front step. One night the neighbort s husband asked the ghost what did she want, why she sat on the steps and said nothing. The ghost then spoke and told him to t ll w h r. R followed her and she led him to the basement of the house and told Mm to dig in the corner. He did and

103 099

.-3- ~ 99 pretty soon he unearthed a jar of money. The woman ghost told hirn to take just a certain ~niount and to give the rest to a certain person. The ghost told the man if he didn t give the money to the person she named, she would come back and tear him apart. He very obediently took the small amount of the money and gave the balance where the ghost directed, and he never saw the woman sitting on his steps any more. Another time she heard footsteps approaching a certain house in the yard, but she could never see anybody walking, though she could distinctly hear the gravel crunching as the ghostwalked along. ttGod is the only one who can do any conjuring. I don t believe anybody else can. SCYtTRCE: Aunt Janie Galiman, 391 Cudd St,~ Spartanburg, S. C. ~ Interviewer: w. S~ DuPre, Spartanburg, S. C.

Folk-lore: ex-slaves. 104 100

Projec1~ 1885 ~ . Spartanburg, S.C. 90113 Edited by: May 31, 1937 Martha Ritter District ~ ~ OLK LORE : EX- S LAITES ?tI was born in Edgefield County, S.C. (now called Saluda County) in 1857. My father and mother was Bill and Mary Kinard who was slaves of John Kinard. The year I was born, I allus heard say, there was a big fire near Columbia, S. C~ It started in the woodz near the river, sprea& over all parts~ there and the people, womens with riew~born infants, had to leave in a hurry, goiflc? back from the fire and crossing the river, to Edge~ field County, I member there was a big fire in Prosperity back in about 1875. I wasa girl in slavery, worked in the fields from the time I could work at all, and was whipped if I didn t work. I worked hard. I was born on Jorm Bedenbaughts place; I was put up on the block and sold when a girl, but I o ned and held tight to my mistress s dress, who felt sorry for me and took me back vith her. She was Mrs. Sarah Bc~enbaugh, as fine a woman as ever lived. ~ Marse Bedenhaugh had a 5-horse farm, and about ~ 20 slaves. V~~did~ t have time to teach them to read and write; never went to church never went to any school. After the war some started a nigger school and a brush.! arbor church for niggers. ~When the yankees went through their soldiers st le everthing, all horses ani supplies. The soldiere Stopped . at places, and like the soldiers who come home foot sore they was lousy and dirty. Our soldiers corne with canteen shoes ~

105 101

and old blsnket& swung on their backs and shoulders. The people would send wagons out to meet thorn and bring them in, some of them could hardly walk. The Yankee sold&ers would take our rations at our gates and eat them up. They would blow bugles at we ohiidren and beat drums. Our old ~1issus would t ake victuals to them. t*The paterollers down there where we lived was Geo. Harris, Lamb Crew, Jhn Jones, and Theo..~Merchant. They bothered us lots. On the first day ~t the month, some was put up on the whipping block and whipped with an oak pa~.dle with holes in it to make blisters; then de blisters were cut open with cowhide whips. n When freedom corne all slave s went to s orne place to get work.. My father give me six cuts a day to work in the house to spin the yarn. Mymistress used to have me pick up de sheck-les for her when she was making a homespun dress . In the winter t ime we had homespuns, to o, but Some times had flannel underwear. rhelpea at the corn mill, too, always went there end tote a half bushel corn many days. The mill belonged to . McNary. I works d hard, plowed, cut wheat, split cord wood, and other work just like a man. ~.- Y~hen any niggers died they had funerals like they do now, cept the pallbearers den would sing. They carried the bodies in wagons, and the preacher would say words while they was go ing to th e grave.

106 102

102 When the soldiers was here, I member how they would sing: I m all de way from Georgia, I m all the way to fight, I left my good old niother, To o~ne here to fight. Joe Bowers, Joe Bowers, He had another wife, He s all de way from Missouri, ~ To come here to fight. I didn t like slavery. I d rather live like now. I thought Abraham Lincoln was a big man, a fine man. I thought Jeff Davis was all right. I don t know nothing about Booker Washington. SOURCE: li~cy Gal1ma~i (80), Newberry, S.C. Interviewer: G.~Lelsnd Suniner, 1707 Lind6ey~St, ~ Newberry, S. C.

Stories from ex-slaves. 107 103

Project 1885~1 ~ ~ FOLKLORE ~~u5 . ~Edited by : 103 Spartanburg Dist.4 Elmer Turria~e ~1ay 24, 1937 STORIES PROM EX~-~SLAVES I was born about 1857, and belonged to Marse Gallman who lived In the Dutch Pork, on de old road S.C. There was not a better man to his slaves. When ~vent through, they never hurt anybody at our place. rollers never did harm any o~ Marse George s slaves not allow it. ifter the war wh n I married, I moved to Nevvberry, but first, I moved to the Jalapa section and lived there ten years. n ~ allus member the old wheat mill dat old Captain Ellerson had. in Dutch Pork, on Cannons ~ Creek. All the neighbors would take theirwheat there to grind. . ~ - 5ource: Simon Gallinan (60), Nevvberry, S.C. ~ mt erv iewer : G . L . Summer Newberry s . C . ( 5/ 18/37). George to Pomaria, the Ku Klux The Padder~ he would

Ex-slave stories. 108 104

r -~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ . ~ ~r: 1~ ~ ~ ~. ~ .. ~ ~ . 39036G edited by: ~ Spartanburg Dist . 4 elmer Turnage 104 ~ Oct. 25, 1937. ~J .~ . . EX -SUVES STORIES - I live in de house wid my grand~.niece and her husband. It is a two~.rooni house which dey rent; and dey take care o~ me. I am old, weak and in bedmuch o ~ de time. I can t work arxy~ rio~v. My grar4 niece had to give up her jo~b soshe could stay home and take care of me. Dat makes it hard fer.us. - ~ . - I don tremember much aboutde war nor de KuKlux cept ~vhat I done tolayou befo . Dey never bothered~us. My master would not let em bother us. He was George Gailman and h had a big Larmand lots oi slaves. Just atter freedom c.ornehe madea coffin shop in back of his house in a little one~room shack. He made coffins ~er people about de country. Itgot tobe han ted, arid sometimes riiggers could see ghosts around dere at ~night, so ~dey say. I never saw none~ :1 ~ ~ ~ ~ -- - ~- ?tMaster George- and hismistress was good. to de niggers. Dey a ~ay8 give dera plentyto eat. I haOE it good, aridnever bothered a-bout nothing den. De slaves never learn t to read and write ; but dey ~ went to de white~lks church. Dey had~ to go and set in de back or in de gallery. f ~ - -.- When freedom come, deslaveshired~out inostlyas share-. croppers. ~L little later, some got small farms to rent. Since dat - . time ~iey have worked atmost atiythin~ dey could get to do. De ones -- : ~ rn~~d to .to~n ~vorkedat odd. jobe, some at carpenter work, janitor work or street work; but most o~ dein worked in fields around town. ~: ~ ~ ~ . . I married Hattie Eckles. When she died. I went to ~TaIapa end. 1 ~ived ten years d~ere, ~exi atter I ~ot too old to work, I conte to ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ z~ ~ g~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~j ~ ~ ~ ~- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

109 105

E~x-~Iavei Stories town a~d lived wid my kin. tI was about twelve years old. when dey made me go to de ~ field to work. BeTh dat and a~ter dat, too, I worked around de barn. and took care of de stock. ~ ~ ~ . Ls fer eats, we had ~Ienty. iVe had ~oodco1Iards, turnips and other good ve~etabies. De rn~ster ha~ his o~n hoes, too, and we ~ ~ had plenty meat to eat. . . ~ ~ Ohx~ istmas was a big day Ler us . We never worked dat day . We had ~o d 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 orsornethingelse. .. ~ ~ ~ - . ~ 11 I know aboutsiavery beiri~ all right, is. dat I had. a ~ good time, betterdan now. abraham Lincoln was a goodrnan. I don t kn~ow n~ihi~ agint:him. Neverheard ariythin~ about JeffersoriDavis. I thinkBo ker W~hiri~ton Is a ~bOd man. He do good Ler de niggers : in giving dem education. . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I joined de church when I wa8 yc~rn~g becaus others was : joirli.rL&. I thInk everybody ought tobe1ori~ to de ~church. . ~ Source: Simon Galiman (.8~fl, Ne&berry,S.C. ~ ~ ~ Interviewer:G.L. Summer, Newberry, S.C. 19/3/37) . : ~ . . ~ ~ . . :.~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Page 2 .

Folk-lore: ex-slaves. 110 106

Project 1885 -1 ~ . Dj~~rj~~ #4? ~Qfl1flA Edited by: Spartanburg, S.C. ~JLJ~LV~t S Marth2. Ritter June 1, 1937 ~OLK-L~: EX SLAVES I was born in 1861, at Gary s Lane, in Newberry County, S.C. My father ~d 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 plantatthn. After freedorneorne he told them they could go where t1~1 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 Doo wouldn t allow them on his place. - - We was allowed to hunt, and we hunted rabbits, possums, a few foxes in -the neighborhood, partridges, squirrels, and doves. - - - Itwe went to school after freedom corne; we had a school for nig~ers and had a church for nhggers, 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. ~i think Abe Ljnooln 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. Le .and Swr~ner, 1707 Lindsey St, Newberry, S.C.

Louisa Gause. Ex-slave, age 70-75. 111 107

Code No. No. ~ Project, 1~5~-~(1) Reduced from w6rds Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis . Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. _________________ Date, Decezuber 2, 1937 Page 1. ~ LOUISA GAUSE ~x-81ave Age 7OE-75. UI been born down yonder to old man Wash (Washington) Wood~berry s plantation. Pa Oudjo, he been keep my age in de Bible en he tell nie dat I come here de first year of freedom. Monday Woodberry was my grandfather en Qelina Wood.berry, my grandmother. I tell you, I is seen a day, Since I come here. ~Ly mammy, she been droWn right down dere in de Pee Dee river, for I get big enough to make motion en talk what I know. Dat how-come it be dat Pa Qudjo 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 denver to de8andHille to se e bout grandmarnmy cause she been took down wid de fever en was bad off. Pa Oudjo tell her de river been mighty high, but dat be 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. Cose I never recollect nothin bout dat day cause I won nothin, so to speak, but a su.cklin child den. But 1 hear Pa Oudjo speak bout de water wash rougher en rougher en knock side dat boat just like it been Comm out de ocean. Say, fore he think bout he iii troubles de wind just snatch he hat

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Code No. No. Words______ Project, 1885-.(1) . Reduced froth~_ ~~~_words Prepared by Annie Ruth flavis Rewritten by Place, Marion, 8.0. __________________ 108 Date, December 2, 1937 Wge 2. 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,marn, de boat turned over en dumped us all out in dat big old crazy riv r. Pa Oudjo say, if he am never had no mind to pray fore den, he know,when be see dat boat gwine down dat stream, dere won nothin left to do, but to pray Pa Cud jo te I I dat he make fo r de bank fast a s 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 niind what he was gwine let loose no tinte. But poor Ma, she been a buxoni~ woman, so dey tell rue, en when she hit de bottom o f dat ~river she never didn come to de top no more. Like I tell you, I never been-long corne here den en I am been fast gwine under de water cause dere Went no heaviness nowlie 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 detn. You see, dey had come along en pick me up bout a mile from dere. float1~ down de river. Now, I tellin you what come out of Pa Cudjo mouth. Pa Oudjo say, when he s e e me he be en so happy he pray en he eu s s Say, he thank de Lord. for savin me en he thank de devil for lettin me loose. Tes,marn, I tell you, I been raise up a motherless 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

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Code No. NO Words_______ Project, 1~5-~(i) Reduced from_~Tiords Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. . ~ :109 Date, December 2, 1937 ge 3. can make it. Cose Pa Oudjo, he been mighty good. to me, but he used to have dem cussin 8pe118, my Lord. Been love to k e ep up fun al 1 d~e t line Oh, de colored people never bad. no liberty, not one speck, in slavery time. Old man Wash Woodberry, he was rough wid his niggers, but dem what lived on MtSB Susan Stevenson s plantation, dey been fare goodall de time. I know what I talk bout cause I been marry Cato Gause en he tell me dey been 1 ive. swell to Miss Susan s plantat ion. flat whe S he be en born en raise up. Hear Pa Oudjo talk bout dat Miss Harriet Woodberry whip my mother one day en she run away en went down inwoodberry en stayed a long time. Say, ) (fl 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 tolive u~nder a whip massa en oouldn. do nothin, 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. Oh, my Lord, dey would give de colored people dey allowance to last dem a week to a time, bu~t dey never di4n

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Qode No. No. Words~ Project, 1~5-(1) Reduced froni words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, S.C. ____________________ ( Date, Deceniber 2, 1937 ~ag k.~ give dem nothin widout dey work to get it en dat been dey portion. I remember, I hear Cato tell bout Mr. Bobbie say, Morn Dicey, dey tell me dey catch Baecthus stealin Pa s watermelons out de field de other night. (Baochus was Morn Dicey s son). Grandmother Dicey say, Oh, he never take nothin but dem little rotten end ones. Den Mr. Bobbie say, Well, dey tell me, dey catch Bacohus stealin de horse s 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. flat it, some white folks was better to dey colored people den others would be. ~ Would give dem so much of meal en meat en molasse s to last dem a week en dey would feed all de niggerchillun to de big house ttween meals. Have cook woman to give dem all de milk en clabber dey wanted dere to de white people yard. De overseer, he would give you a task to do en you had to do it, too, 1.f you never been want your neck broke. Yes, marn, de overseer would stock you down en whip you wid a buggy whip. Borne of de time, when de colored people wouldn 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 bad run away, he would send de nigger dog to hunt dein. My God, child, dem dogs would sho 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 .~ .~

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Code No. No. Words~ Project, 1~5-~(1) Reduced fromi__words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, 8.0. ___________________ Date, December 2, 1937 Page 5. 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. Don look like no other kind of dog. When dey would find de one dey Was huntin, dey would just stand right d.ere en look up in de tre e en how . .~ lifle 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 N~eck Obureh 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 dein 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 Cudjo, he got right one day to de big house.,en he had to pray wid he head in de pot. UNo,rnam, de colored people never didn have no liberty ~no time in dem days. Qose dey bad 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. No, 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 dernselv s.

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Code No. Project, I~5-~(i) Prepared ~ Annie Th.ith Davis Place, Marion, 8.0. December 2, 1937 Mo. Words_________ Reduced from ~ Rewritten by ~ --~--.---- -~ Now, Pa Oudjo, if he been here, my Lord, I could.n never say what he might could tell you. Like I say, he been a Cussin man en he die wid a bright mind. Cose I never corne here what dey call a slavery child, but I been hear slavery people speak dey mind. plenty times. Source: Louisa Gause,.colored, age 7O~75, Brittons Neck, S.C. Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis.

Gracie Gibson. Ex-slave 86 years old. 117 113

~oject ~I655 ~ ~ t w. w. Dixon 3 9 0 29 4 ~ i ~ Wjm~~boj~o, S. C. GRACIE GIBSON EX- SL&VE 86 YEARS OLD. UI was born at Palatka, Florida. I was a slave of Captain John Kinslar. Wish a .1 white men was just like him, and all white women like Miss l~llaggie Dickerson, de lady that looks after me now. ttCaptain John wouldn t sell his niggers and part de members of de family. He fetched us all, Daddy George, mammy Martha, Gran dad Jesse, Gran rnamiay Nancy, and xr~r two brothers, Flanders and Henry, from Florida to Riehiand County, South Carolina, along wid do rest. ttMy mistress was n~,med Mary. ~rster John had a daughter named Adelaide ~ bit they call her Ada. I was calle d up on one of her birthdays and 1~4arster Bob sorts looked out of de oorner of hie eyes, first at me and then at ~ ~4a~ then he make a little speech. He took n~r hand, put it in Miss Ada s hand, and Say : Dis your birthday present)darlin . I make a curtsy and 1~Jiss Ada s eyes twinkle li ~e a star &nd she take me in her room and took on powerful over ~. We lived in a two~ room log house daubed wid mud and it had a wood and mud chimney to de gai~le end of one room. De floor was hewed logs laid side by sidec .ose together. U~ had all wo needed to eat. De 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; wheat straw wa~ then put into de barrel, hickory ashes was then emptied in, then water, and then it set bout ten days or more. Then old fats e.nd 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. Dj3 ~ lye-soap, good to wash w~d.

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ttSiaves had own garden. Some of de old women, and women bearin chillun not yet born, d Id oardin wid hand- cards ; then some would get at de spinnin wheel and spin thread, three outs 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 atockin s. Mighty nigh all de ohillun had a little teency bag of asafetida, on a string round they necks, to keep off diseases. ~u5 slaves had stitions and grieve if a black oat run befo uBjorsee de new moon thru de tree tops, and ~when we start somewhere and turn back, us sho ii~.de a orosc-mark and spit in it beTh we commence walkin again. t I member V s men come to our house first, de Yankees. They took things just like de Yankees did dat come later. ~arster John was a Captain, off fightin for Gonfeds bu~ dat didn t~ stop ~ieel~r s men from kin thing8 they wanted no s ir ~ They took what they wanted ~asn t long after then dat the Yankees come and took all they could and burnt what they couldn t carry off wid thea. After de war I marry Abe Smith and had two chillun by him, Clifton and Hai. De boy died and liatt le marry a man named bee She now lives at V~hite Oak. t ~T husband die, I n~~rry Sam Gibson, and had a nice trousseau dat time. Blue over skirt over tunto, pbttiooats wid. tattin at de borders, red stookin s andgaiter shoes. I had. a bustle and a wire hoop and wore a veil over n:~r hair. 2. 114

Stories from ex-slaves. 119 115

project, 1885~1 FOLKLORE . #~Qnh1,, Edited by: Spartanbur~ Dist.4 ~ Elmer Turnage May 31, 1937 . STORIES FROM EX-~SLAV~S 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. Bates place deep in de forest. De solliers would drink by de barrels. Mr. Will Bates, Dr. Bates son, helped nie out of skirnage one time. Don t never go in no war, less you is gwine to give orders like iny marse Jack. Dat is, onless you is gwine to act as bodyguard. Time of de war, old man Sammy H.ar~on had a state still. He iever sold no likker to no private. De bluecoats, dey blockade Charleston and Savannah. Miss Jariie couldn t get no spices fer her cakes, neither could she get no linen and other fine cloth fer her dornrnent. Couldn t nothing get by dat block-. ade. So Mr. Sammy, he make de likker by de barrels. Dem dat had wagins corne and fotch it off, as many barrels as de mules could draw, ter de sold~iers. I drunk much as I wanted. De drum taps say, tram lam-.lam, Lollowing on de air. De sperrits lilt me into a 6ance, like dis, (he danced some) cept I was light on my foots den ~-. atter I had done drunk, anyhow. De sharp...shooters ot atter me on~ day. Mr. Dewey, one of de rangers, sent fer de cannon balls. Dese run de bluecoats. I went to PetersbU4~S wid Capt. Douglas, dat Miss Janie s second husband . Our train went dat Last, dat it took my brea.f away. But de cars goes x~uch faster, gwine to Patter-.a.-rac now.

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Polkiore: Storie8 from ~~31aVe$ Pa~ge 2 ttAll de picket-~rnen had dogs. Lots of de soldiers had niggers wid dem. At night in de camp when de Yankees would corne spying around, de do8s ~vou1d bark. De nig~ers would holler. One Coxffederate officer had a speckledy dog that could smell dem ~ri1~es far off. When de Yankees got dare, everything was ready. When us want information ~er direction and time, all us had to do was to look up through de pines ~er it. One song I remembers is, would like t~ catch-a feller looking like me . another was, I feel as happy as a big sun~ flower. (Charlie can sing them both, and dance accornpanimen~ t At Petersburg, April 1863, de ~Yankees act like dey was gwine to blow everything up.~ I crawl alori~g de ground vvid my Marster, and try to keep him k~vered 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 loo~ing 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 gvvine to tell you about deserters and refugees. Ain t nobody got no business in automobiles cept lawyers, doctors, and fools. Source: Charlie Giles, Rt.3, Box 274, Union, S.C. Caidwell Sims, Union,S.C. 2/8/37. 11G

Willis Gillison. Luray, S.C. 121 117

Project #-1655 ~ Folklore . - Phoebe Faucette . Haupton County . . . WILLIS GILLISON Luray, S.C. \ There ~s no doubt that Uncle Gillison Is old. He Is knock-kneed and walks slowly. Eis long thin hands clutch his chair strongly for support as he continually shifts his position. ~then he brings his hands to the back of his head, as he frequently does, in conversation, they tre~able as with palsy. He enjoys talking of the old times as do many of his contemporaries. ttyes, Maarn, he starts off. I been heah when de war was on. I seen ~aen de drove of people corne 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. t~?jr jesse Smith wife been my young Mlssus. Dey lived at Furman . My mother mind Lir. Trowell s father His name was Mr Ben T r owe Il e al 1 hirn Bub Ben Bub was fo r brother. ~at de way we call folks den didn t call em by dere names straight out. Lir. Trowell s mother we call, Muss, for Miss. Sort of a nickname. We call Mr. Harry Fittsgrandmother, 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 dore own name - some were, and sme 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

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Project #~1655 Page - 2 118 Phoebe Faucet te Hampton County years old. I knows iw~r. Tom Lawton. Dey was rich people. My old 1~1assa and him been boys together. Dey was a place call de Trowell Mill Pond right at de Lawton place . Mr Lawton was sure ri. eh, tcause we all had a plenty - plenty to eat, and ~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. Yes Liaam, de records was burn. Dey had a courthouse at Gillisonville in dein times. Dat 1~act bout it Miss. Now I don t want you to say a nigge r spute. your word, or nuthin like that~ (this, in response to the visitor having remarked that the records were bur ned at ~eaufort) but I don t think that Beaufort 1~T~5 built up till after the war. Gillisonville was right muchly built up. I don t think de records was burn at ~eaufort. I think it was at de courthouse at Gillisonville dey was burn up. 1~ow de district was cal. I ~eaufort District, but de courthouse was at Gillisonville. Gillisonville was where dey had de trial of de Mr. rnartin dat kill Mr. Peepj.es. De Morrisons lived at Gililaonville. Plenty of emi I kin tell you where two of de old Robert homes used to be. One was back dis ~vay toward Scotia from Robertville. Dat was de Mr. Jbhn H. R0bert place. Had a whole string of cedar trees going up to his place. Now den, bout two miles out

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Project #~.1655 Phoebe Faucette ~npton County Page ~ from Robertvllle going from de white folk church out toward Black Swamp was another Robert place. Dat where old Major Robert lived. He had a whole tun (turn) of slaves. Dere 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 don t know of no other Robert home. Dat s all I kin tell you bout de old times, Missus. I don t want to tell you what ain t true. ~jllj~, Gillison, 75 years old, (Exm slave) Luray, S.C. - R.F.D. Source: 119

Stories from ex-slaves. 124 120

Project 1885.-1 FOLKLORE . 390167 Edited by: Spartanbur~ Di8t.4 . Elmer Turnage 12() June 10, 1937 STO R lES PROM 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 have 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 hail 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 tter 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 Lound out dey was beine give away, dey suspicioned John. Dey went to him and made hirntell how he knew who dey was. Dey kept hirn in hiding, and when he told his tricks, dey killed him. ~ When I was a boy on de Gilmore ~1ace~, de Ku Klux would come along at night a riding de ni~gers like dey was ~goats. Yes sir, dey had em down on a11.-~ours a crawling, and dey would be on dere backs. Dey would tarry de niggers to Turk Creek bridge and make dem 8et up on de bannisters of de bridge; den dey would shoot em offen de bannisters into de water. I dare dem was de awfulest days I ever is seed. A darky naine Sam Scaife dr~iited a hundred yard8 in de water down stream. His Loiks took arid got him outen dat bloody water and buried him on de bank o ~ de creek.

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Polkiore: Stories Prom Ex...Slaves Page 2 121 De Ku Klux would not let dem take him to no graveyard. Pact Is, dey would not let many oi~ de nig~ers take de dead. bodiea of de folks rio 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 ~o fer and. bad. Sam s Loiks, dey throwed a lot o~ Indian.head rocks all over his grave, kaise is was so shallah, and dem rocks kept de wild animals from a bothering Sain. You can 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 arid buried hirn on de bafl~s of de stream right by de side ofa Indian mound. You can see dat Indian mound to dis very day. It is bi as inyhouse Is, over dare on de Chester side. De Ku Klux and de nig~er8 fit at New Hope Church. ~ big rock marks de spot today. De church, It done burnt down. . De big rock sets about seven rnile8 east of LockI ~rt on de roadto Chester. De darkie8 killed some~of de Ku Iclux and dey took dere dead and put dem in Pilgrims Church. Den dey sot t4r. to dat church and It burnt everything up to de very bones of de white folke. And ever since den, dat spot has been known as ~Burnt pilgrim . De darkies left moat of de folks rIght dar fer de buziards and other wild things to eat up. Kaise dem niggers had to git awayfroxn 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 . 1L darky name Austin $ander8, ht ~as carring some victuals ~ his sQn. De Ku Klux cotch hirn and dey axed him whar he ~as

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Folklore: Storie8 Prom Ex-.Slaves Pace 3. :122 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 ~eColluzn was one oi~ dein Ku Klux, arid de Yankees sot out fer to ketch him. Doc., he rid a white pony called Parinie . All de darkies, dey love Doc, so dey would help him fer to ~it away from de Yankees, even though he was aKu Klux. It s one road what forks, atter youcvosseaWood s Perry. Don t nobody go over dat old road now. One fork 80 to Lead~ and one to Chester. nell, right in dis Lork, Mr. Buck Worthy had done built him a grave in de Woods Pbrry Graveyard . Mr. Worthy had done built his grave hisseLif, It was bui .t out of marble and it was kivered up wid a marble slab. Mr. Worthy, he would take arid go dar and open it up and git in it on pretty days. so old Doc. he kn wed about dat grave. He was going to 8ee a sick ladyone night when dey~got atter hirn. He was on old Fannie. Dey was about to kotch de old Doc. when he reached in site o ~ dat ~raveyard. Itwas dark. so Doc., he drive de horse on pass de fork, and den he stop and hitchher 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 hisse i iri his horse blanket, and when de Yankees left, he went to sleep in dat crave 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 n daytime. We would fetch him his victuals. )I~ sister was sick

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Folklore: Stories Prom Ex-.Slaves Page 4 o ,, three week8 tfore 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 corain~ to our hou8e. Oourse we never know d nothing bout no doctor at all. Dar was a nigger widwooden bottom shoes, dat stuck to dein Yankees and other p~ white trash round dar. He lowed wid his big ruough dat he gwine to ~ind de doctor. He told it dat he had seed Pannie in de grave~ yard at night. Us heard it and told de doctcr.~TJs 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 kis 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 gittin~ 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 Pannie, she would 8it up on her hind legs when de doc WOUld play his fiddle. Source:Brawley Gilmore (col), 34 Hamlet St., Union, S.C. . Interviewer: Caldwel . Sims, Union, S.C. (12/3/36)

Ex-slave. 128 124

393115 Project 1885 1 Zx-~s1ave~ (Pick Gladdeny Pomaria, Rt . . 3 S ~ ~ . In~terviewer ~ ~ Caidweil S line, Union, S ~ C. EARLY RECOLLECTIuI~S . Typisi~ Louisii~D.awkins, Ht. 4, Union, S~ C.. ~ h sees~ all through tj~~ now. ~aw, sir, ~th doesn t ~ Iwow what~ Ah. wuz bawn, maybe in Fairfield, rna~be lxi the Duthh Fork, Ah do esn t know Ah won t dar . ~.. it wtiz on May ~!-~ 1856. Ah spec ~i could ve bee born on Ivir. Joe ~ iar s p~ae e yoti knows dat down on. ~ He liar ~ Cre ek . ~ - h se old enough to go to de speechia dat Dan White made ~ t Maybin.ton 1~ytt (emariicipation speech at i~Iaybinton, ~ -~s~e~ c~). rou axes i~ie thorethan ~ can answer, Si-te of ~ fdlk~ dar all day s ettin aroth . Us clam trees so us C ould s ee afld hear . I sho did listen but I don t member n~thin what de man say. ~. knows dis dat I still hears dat b and music ringing in ray ears . At dat tine. J. was s young dat all ~L cared about on. dat day, was th ~ e bras s band what let out so much music ~ Niggers being free xie~ernieant nothing to us chaps, cau.se we never had no mind ~fer all stich as that nohow. Dat de first band. dai ~ . I ever seed, and to tell you de truf I never seed no more ~ ~ til~ the V Z~ld~W82~ fotch de soldiers all through here. ~ ~ ~aAds ch ~s, nie so much dat dey j~iat plumb tickles the tip:a o~ rn~j toeii. on both lesta. . . ~ ~ / I ~

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125 . squire ~Vu11iam A~iardy was de man dat I worked for when ~ I had aone turned five. ~ Dey teach nie ta bring in chips, kindling wood, fire wood and water. I learnt to make Iviarse s fire ever morning. Dat wontt no trouble, cause all I had to do was rake back de ashes from the coals and throw on some chips and 1ightwood~and de fire come ri~tt up. won t long sore L was big en:ugh to draw water and b-ring in big wood. You knows what big fire . places they got d.ovin dar catise~quire liardy-~Mr. Dick~s Pa and Pa and Heyward and ank ~ grandpa. . - Squirehardy was a goodman 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 co ld te~1 you way b a k b efore de squire. ~ s time ~ I was right da~/at . Squire Hardy ~ s .dat day treedoxa ~c orne axe. de band ~ come to Maybinton~ . . . . WGoing farther back than this~,droves of niggers used to come down the road by &~iire liardy s front gate. Yes sir, a overse er used t o e orne through here driving . niggers ; just like us drives cows and. hogs up around this. big road. th se days and thne s ~ ~ One day Squire &u~ dy went ~ out and stopped a drove coming down de road in the dust. ite pick Ithu out a good natured looking darky and give the . overseer one eye contrary niggers, what nobody did;Lt 11ko for the good~iatured ones. ain t got nc~ . . mors to ~ay~ I dosa not re~uember but I has beared about

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the time when my nia moved froim Rellar s Plantation iii the D~itch Fork~to the Torn Lyles quarter in. Fairfield. !~r ~ t ~ name daIly Murphy . Her mas ter was Dave Mtir~hy. He stayed at Tom L~rles. Mistus Betsy (Dave Murphy) cared for her. Mr. Dave Mtirphy overseed for- Capt. Torn. I.~yles who lived about two miles from. t~r1es ~ Ford on Broad -River. - - . .- UI doxi~ t know what things has gone to . So- much diffence in everthing now than it was back 1h dein. days. L~on 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 tmuckt go in one ear arid C orne ~tit tothertn wid me . Dat s de talk fer dese young riiggers dats eddieated,~ and I ain t dat bad off. ~ - ~Winnsboro fust town :i: ever seed but it don t favor itself now.~ ~ - l(aybixiton the place I love best in all the world. Most thy life is right here I 11 be buried in Hardy . graveyard, whar my white fo .k dat was so - - good to nie lie s le eping, and dat s whar my ma axid pa and o thers that I loves lies too. ~ - - ~Poat~ offi~e at ~bi~:ton is whar Miss aessie Oxner ~ - - sta~r~ silt thrner-, h~ pa kept de post office from de time it started~ tiU they stopped it, fur - as I knows~ ~t - look better thea ~~h~-- it ~dees now. ~ ~ ~i1l Orner pretty . !oCd m~n4 - - -- - - ~ . - ~ . - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~-J -- ~ --- -~- - ~_!;~ ~ -- 126, -1 - ~-

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I 4~~mh~4 ~L(i~ ( ne was a s~tt1edrnaii. his wife was a good-looking lay who before her marriage was a ~ethune. Dar was a big store ~ at the end of Mr . W~ B. ~thitney s plantation. Dis along to d first of Freedom. Mr. S .attery lived twixt the May3ins and the .~hitney s house. The store upon the end was kept by Mr Pettus Chick and A~ir . Bill Oxner It was a go od store. Didn~t ha~re to go to Newber~ y to git no candy and Bacco And Dr. Jim Ruff 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. Jeff Stewart. I been knowed ~aybintown all my life ~ But when i come along stages had. done gone out but that s where dey stopped when they e orne from spring Ei 11 . I sIe. heared dat. de Buck had large stables and a lots of folks stop there and rested-overnight on their way to the springs.(Gienn s, Chick s, and West springs ) . ~ ~TJsed to rather dance than to eat 3tarted out at sundown and gi.t b ack to the Whitney s at daybreak, den fro~ ~dar run all de way to Squire E~ardy s to git dar by sunup ~ Pats our feets and knocks t in pans was the music dat us niggers danced t o all ni~it long . Put on my cleaa clothes dat was ziiade right on the plaxitation ax4 wear tiiexa to the dance ~ Gals wore their boxaesp~i

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128 stockings. Wore the dresses so long dat ~er:.kivered. their shoes. ~Ey britches w~ ~ copperu~s colored and I had oil a home wore shirt with a pleated bosom~ lt was dyed red and had wristbands. j wore that shirt for five years. Didn t have n~ nigger o hurche s down dar den . went tAD Chapmati s ~tand~ it had a brush top and log seats. The darkies from the k~ardy Plantation walked five miles to hear a nigger from Union preach. lie driv a one horse wa,~giri and course he stayed around from pl c~ to place and the fo iks take tare of him and his mule . Big Jini Henderson owned chapman s stand ~which was in theGlymp quarter. hie Glymp quarter still got the best 1~nd in ou~r settlement yet. All my ~qu~aixitances done left me, fac t is, most of them done crossed over de river. Folks meets ~ me a~id spealth familiar. I axes, 1 Who is that? I used ~ deal with ~vJr. Bee Thompson in Union. g( itse got sc~nebusiness to tend to in. Union soon and I spec I be up th re in short to see is it anything faniiliar dar. ~

Henry Gladney. Ex-slave 82 years old. 133 129

Proj~ot f1655 . ~ . ~ ~ ~~ W.L.Dixon ~9O251 Wixmsboro, s. c. J - ~ ~ ~-. 129 HENRY GIADNEY ~ ~ 82 YEARS OLD. - - Henry Gladney lives with his wiCe, his son, Murdock, his daughter in-law, Rose, and 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 tor Mr. Cathoart and piddles a -little at tha planing mills at Adgers. Hj~ son does the ploughing~. The daughter~in 4aw end grandchildren hoe and .picl;: cotton and assist in the farm work. Henry is of me~ium height, dark brown complexion, and is healthy but not vigorous. ~ I lives out on de John H. Cathcart place1 close to V~hite Oak. In slavery time iiy mammy b long to old L~arse ~Jo1mnie Mobley, and us lived in de quart r bout three miles to de west of Woodw~rd station, tho dore was no station dere when I was a boy. De itation was down de railroad from dere and then i-t; was called Yonguesville. My rn&rnmy name Lucy, nry pappy name ~i1liam, E~r sisters was Louise, ~t~lsie, ~d Adeline. T~ bruddersname Tim axid Curtis. 1 wasn t a very big boy in slavery time, tho I tmember choppint and . - - ~ ttozt pickin cotton and peas long . side inan~r~r in de field. Pappy wss- call ed 11 11 de Giant , cause hurt was so big and strong. They have mighty bad plantation roads ~ in them days . I s ee my pappy g t under ~e wagon once . when it W3~ bogged up to d ~ib and lift arid heft dat wo~gon and set it outside de ruts it was bogged down in. Him stayed at de black-smith sho~p, work on de wagons, - .. shoe de im~le s and hos ses make thinges sharpen de plow pa ints and fix de iron rings in de wagon wheels-.~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ : ..~ ~ *IM~r pappy didn t low other slave n~n to look atiny rnaumiy. I see hi~. grab Uncle Phil once tlwow ~ him do~wt on de floor, and when him quit stQmp~ i 1~ U~le Thil, they ~tav~e to send ~Cor ~ Dr. Newton, cause pappy done broke Uncle 0 lei. ~r o:Ld ~ no lak dat way one of his slaves ~as crippled f *1~

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: ~ ~ -~~ ~ ~ 2, 130 up. Him low to whip pappy for it. Pappy ~t;eI1 ina nnty to go tell Marse John if he whip him, he would run off and ~o to de North. She be~ for pappy so, dat nothin was done bout it. Spect Marse John fear to lose a good-blacksmith wid two good legs, jusb b ut a small niccer ~an vrid one good leg and one bad leg. - ~ come to de time old niarster have so mai~y slaves he- don t know what to do wid them all. ~1e give some of them off to his chillun. He give them mostly to his dau~~hters, Miss Marion, Miss N~ancy, and Miss Lucretia. I was give to hais grandson, Marse John Mobley McCrorey, just to wait on hirn and play wid him. Little Marse John treat me good sometime and kick me round somebime . I see now dat I was just a little dog or monkey, in his heart and mind, dat mused him to pet or kick as it pleased hirn. ~ Hirn give me de only money I ever have freedom, a big copper two~cent piece wid a holein it. .1 run a striiig thn~dathole and tied it round my ~ neck and felt rich a11 de time. L1ttl~ nicger$ always wanted to see dat money and I was proud to show it to them very- time. ; tLittle. MSrse JOhX1~S mother was another dau~iter of old Marster John, Her name was Dor as. They live in Florida. I was took way do~n dere, cried pow ful to ieave my inazmny, but I soon got happy down dereplayin in do sand wid Marse John and his littl-e brtidder, Charlie. Don t member nothin t bout de war or de Yankees . Freedom oon~e I come back to de Mobley qUarters . to ~ I work for old Marster John up t~jj after Hampton was ~Zleoted. I marry Florie Williams, a pret~ty black gal on de Molley quar ers. Us is had seventeen ohillun. So far as I Icaow they is all U.V1U 8ome in florida, ~ some in Sparrows ~ nt, Virginia, some in Chartotte, 1~. C., and some in Colurn: Ma, S. C, Mardocic a~d his wife, Katie, and deir s~c ch llthi iive in de saine p h~uee ~wi~ me, ~ : ~ ~ .~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ . . . ~ L; j I ~ ~I ~

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~. ~ . My old mars~er have two daughters dat marry MoCroreys. Miss Lucretia marry James McCrorey and Miss Doreas marry John MeCrorey. Miss Lucretia have a son name ~ Miss Dorcas have a son naine John. In ta1kin~ wid old mistress, fusion would corne bout which John of de grandsons was bein nieant and talked bout. Old Marster John settle dat. ttQld i~~ arster John and old mistress (her name Katie) had de same birthday, Iv~arch de 27th, thOt old Liarster John was two years older than old Mistress Kate. They celebrate dat day every year. All d~ ohi1lun~ixi~laws and grandehillun come to de mansion, have a bi~ dinner and a b1L~ time. After dinner on ~ day, all de men folks ~ semble at ~ de woodpile . De sun was shinin and old rnarster have me bring out a chair for him but d 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? ~ T ~ never be straight agin. Igot out of axmnunitionat de secon battle of Bull Run, was runnin after a Yardcee to ketch him, threw n~j gun ~way to run faster, ~0~oh~him as he was bout to git over a Thnce and choked his stiff neck so hard in de scuffle dat I broke datfinger~. General Lee hearint bout it, ~ me from de infancy (in.Caniry) to de calvary (cavalry~) dat I might not run de danger any more . ~ Old niarster lauch and say : Jim, can you beat dat ? ~ Marss J im Mobley ~ay : tWell you all know what I. done at Gettysburg? If all had done laknie dat day, us would have won de war. Whenever I see a bullet comint my way, I took good aim at de bullet wid a double charge of powder in n~j musket. ~r aim was so good dat it drove de ene xy ball back to kill a Yankee and glanced aside at de right time to kill another Yankee. I shot a i~housand times de fust~day of de battle and two thousand times de sec~ ~iit da~r and kilt s ix thousand Yankees at Gettysburg ~ Old marster ~ his sides and fell out de chair a 14~1~5.U ~ ~Nhen him git back in de chair, him ~

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4. 132 say: Zebulon, what you got to say? ~arse Zeb, p intin to his empty pa~its leg, say: tM~ and some officers 1tended achicken fight on de banks of de Chickenhoridny River de day befo 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 honiiny on de banks of de Chickenhominy Creek dat night and then de battle of Cold Harbor come de nex day. I had eat so imich chicken and horniny my belly couldntt hold it all. Some had run do~rn my right leg. Usdouble quicked and run so fast thru swamps n x day, after Yankees, my right leg couldn t keep up wid n~r left leg. After de battle I *ent 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 \Thite House steps, andsiushedsome of dat chicken and hominy on de carpet right befo President Lincol& s chair. - tt~7ej~,ybody laugh so loud dat o14 mistress come out and want to 1~iow what for they was ~aughin bout. All dat had to be gone over agin. Then her : laugh and latigh and laugh. She turnt round to xr~,r young lilarster John s~d say: J hn, can you beat datV 11e say: Henry, go git grandma a chair. I done dat. ~ Then ~r~r young marster. start. Hirn say: One day down in Florida, ~I saddle my 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 u.s got dere. Big trees on de banks and round, widlong moss hangin from de limbs. I baited niy hook wid a small, wigglin , livs, minnow and throwed out into de water Nothin happen In de warm sunshine I roust have gone to sleep, when I was startle out my doze by Henry a shoutin : Marse Johnnie, Mars e Johnnie your cork done gone down out of s ight L I made a pull but felt at once it would take both hands to land dat fish I took both hands put n~r

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5. ~ 4 foot ginst de roots of a great live oak and h isted dat fish in de sky. It was so big i-b shut out de light of de stm. When it come down, dat fish strip off de limbs of de trees it hit while comin :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 g t de fish home. When us got it home and cut it open, dere was 119 fishes varyin from de size of de minnow up to de big fish. i~arse Ed P. say: Y~as de little minnov~ dead or live when you found him in de belly of de 119th fish?~ H~e was still wi~g1in &ay my young mariE ter. Old marster say: It was a whale of a fish, wasn t it7grandson ? Young niarster say: It was, grandpa. De river baiik show dat de water went down twa inches after I pulled him out. Maybe it was a whale , said Marse Ed P. In fact, itwas , said Marse Johnnie, cause on one of de ribs under de belly was some tatooin . What was de tatooin ? ask old mistress, just as innocent as a baby. Deword Nenivah ,say Mar~e litt~e John. Wh~t it might have ~ been de whale dat swallowed Jo~iah s ay Mi s s Kat le . j It w, say myyoun~ marster, for just under Nenivah was de name Jonah. After a good laugh old marster say: Your naine is chang d from John Mobley McCrorey to JOhn L&mchawsome MoCrorey. KiX~ folks call him i3arron after dat. Him lak dat but when they got to 3.1 him, lyin J0}~ Mcc rorey hirn ~ ~ it red in Ae face and wani~ to f ~ht .~ ~ : Poor Marse JohnnieL Wonder if him still livin . SHim marry a rich ~woman in Florida but her soon vorcehim. ~t4hat her vox~ce him for? Patty- . bility and teniper they say ~hat I ineani by pattybil ity2 I. sp et dat mean de time they vras gittin up in de mornin and her lam him cross de head wid de hairbraah and hiintake dat same hairbrush,, push her down~ cross de bed and giv her a good spankin Now ~rou re laughin agin but it was no laughin wid her dat. rnornin de way I hear them tell it. ~i~3~I/ ~

Stories from ex-slaves. 138 134

Project. 18854 ~R1LDLXLORE p~ Edited by: 134 Spartanb ur~ . 4 ~) 30140 EImer Turriage July 15, 1937 STORIF~ FROM EXd..SIAV2S ?tI Was born in ~ewberry county, South Carolina, in the~ Near Indian Creek above Jalapa. My mammy arid pa was Charlie and. Prances Gilliarn. We belonged to Marse Pettus arid Harriet Gilliarn who had a big plantation. I married George Glasgow in the yard o~ Reid place, by a nigger preacher. My husband died about 15 years ago. I was a young chIld when de war stOpped, and don t re-. member so much about slavery tixne8. Marse P ttus arid Miss Harriet was good to U8. I never got a whipping, except Misses whipped me once wid just one lick. Dey give us a small patch o bout half acre Ler us to raise cotton or anything we wanted t o 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 fDrernan of a crowd o~ slaves, and dere was a white over. seer, too. ~ Master Gilliain had a boy dey called Bad . He still lives in Arkansas. Dey all moved to state of ~Lrkansas sometime atter de war. My master was a good man, ~a church man, and he was 8teward in Tranquil Methodist 0hurch. 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)

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. . Pace 2 135 De first time I corne to town was when I was a little child, arid vvhen we got to College Hill, about ten miles from home, I started to run back home because I heard de train whistle blow. . Mi.$s Harriet always give us chilluns mackaroot tea fer worrn~ . 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 wasni t good much, I re ckon~ but I had a good time ... didn t nothing bother me. When freedom come, all of ~ Ui stayed with de master until he and his folks moved away. Old Dr. Clark was de best d ctor 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 . Sli~h lived above 4ere . I. waited on her when she was sick. When she died, she made her son promise not to hold against me what I ewed her .... just let it~o ..- and told him not to ever let me go hungry. . Once when Master Gilliam took one o ~ hisslaves to church at old Tranquil, he told him dat he nuistn t shout dat day ~.. said he would give~ him a pair of new boots if he didn t shout. About de middle of services, de old nigger couldn t ~ stand it flO longer. He jumped up and hollered: . Boots or no . boots-, I swine to shout today . . . jined de church atter I got married, cause I wanted t o do r ight and serve de Lord Source: Eaioline Glasgow (78), Newberry, S.C. interviewer: G.L~ Summer, Newberry, S.C. (7/8/37)

Stories from ex-slaves. 140 136

Project 1885-I . POLXLORE . Edited by:. Spartanbur~, Dist.4 390231 Elmer Turna~e Sept. 16, 1937 STORIES PROIvI ~X..~SLJ~VJ~S II live on Mr. Sim Bickley s farm, about five miles north. west ~ Ne~berry Courthouse. I have a ~air1y good house to live in.. ~ I work on the Larm, myse1~, and make a pretty good. 1ivin~ from it. I live with i~ y second wile. I had. two children bjtt they both died. fi was born on Dr. Geo. W. Glenn s plantation, about six miles north of Newberry. I~y parents, Berr) arid ~rarices Glenn, were slave$ o:f Dr. Glerm. I was seven years old. when freedom come. Dr. Glenn gave us good quarters to live in and plenty to eat. Hewas a good mari arid was not hard on slaves; but the mistress was m an to some of the slaves that come fromthe Glenn side.She was good to the slaves that come into her from her daddy. ft1 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, couards, cabba~es andsome okra, butlittlebeans except corr~ ~ield beans. 7 bad 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. ft1 was married the first time on the Glasgow place by a colored~--preacher named Boyd. Her daddy didn t v~ant us to marry; he didn t like rue. I slipped to the field where she was working and stole her; went to the preacher and ~ot married. I married the second time in ~ college Hill. ~ ~ ~& band of Comfederate soldiers in 1865 went past the ma8ter s bouse on their way ro~ war, and Mistres8 had dinner for them.

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Stories Prom Ex.-Slave8 ~ (Silas Glerm) Page 2 137 They eat out under big shade trees in the yard where Ma$ter always kept a lori~g table.for dinners they had sometimes. When fr~edom come, the master called all his slaves up to the house one night and spoke to them. He said they was free, but any v~ho wanted to stay on with him and help make the crop that year could stay and he wouldpay wages. All stayed that year. The Ku Klux arid Red Shirts didn t like negroes. They . would catch them and whip them. ~- . ~ ~ It was a lon~g time after the war before the negroes had a schooL They went to white folks churchs for a long time. Some of them had bruehharbors 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 arid believe he is a good man arid doIng a good turn for the negroes. ni thinkslavery was wrori~ don t think~one man ought to ownanother man. ~ ~ - Ijoined the church when Iwas about 25 or 30 years old. Source~ ~ilas Glenn (79), Newberry, S.C. RPD ~ Interv~i wer: G.L. Summer, Newberry, S.C. 8/9/37. ~ ~:. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ . ~ ~

Ex-slave, 77 years. Timmonsville, S.C. 142 138

~od.e I~O. :No. Words..____ Project., 1885..(1) Rednoed from words Prepftred by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by ~ Place, Marion~ 8.0. . . . Date Augas t U ~ I 93 7 Pige 1. JOHN ~ GLOV3R Ex~u Slave, 77 Years 390289 . Tiinmoneville1 3~O. ~Born on Rafter Creek bout 20 miles from Timmoneville on E .ija Carson place. My white folks live in big two story house dere cause my Massa waS a barikholder in Charleston en d~at de reason he go back en forth to Charleston every week or two. My Massa a good man, a good. man, en I hope he reetin in Heaven die day,~< ~ . . ~ De Carsons had bout 2,000 acres o~ land en 100 head of slaves on ~ey plantation. Have long row of house up in de qu~arter whe all de slaves live. We have a very good. livin in dat day en time. Ead more to eat &en we do dese days cause rations won scarce like dey is now. ~at potatoes en~ peas en corn bread en homemade grite mostly, but i: likes everything to~eat, Captain. Den dey give us a garden to make us greens en things like dat en we is catch possum heap of de time. Uncle Ben (father s i ather) was a great possum hunter,. but he died. fate I get big enough to go huntin wid him. He went possum huntin every night till something went up de tree GUS night en possum talk to him. He used to go huntin on a .-. 8unday night en dat how come de . possum talk to him You d1dSI See de peoples wear much different clothes like dey wear dies days, but what dey hive was very d~eoent.

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Code 1~To. ~ ~Io. Werde I ~ ~ ~ojeot, l8b5~.(l) Reduced fiim__Tiiorda prepared. by Annie Ruth Davis ~ Rewritten by~ Plaee, Marion, 8.0. ____________________ j39 Date, Au~gast Il 1937 Page2. ~ ~ Jast have bout one piece, Captain, make out of some kind. of homeraad.e cloth 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 am see no fittin cloth since dey used to raise sheep en have dey own wool en have loom en spin. Look like G d. emile on us in dat day en time. I work round de white folks house fpre freedom come, but I go back to de q~uarter en sleep when night come. Dem dat live in de quarter have lumber bed. wid. mattress macle out of sacks en hay. Den when dey ring dem belle 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. ~York from de 8u.nri8e in de mornin to de sundown in de evenin. Dey have a d.ri~er dat tote whip en see dat you do what you know to do. :Did.n have no ~ai . in dat day, but if you sin do your task 11 dey catch you, dey punish youby de whip. Some of de time, dey put em in d.e BO?fW;bOX Whilt dey press bales o! ootton wid.. Put ein in dare en run pries right down ~ oan orush en dey eoulttn movetil . dey take em out in de inornin en whip em en put em to workf See plenty whipped on deplace. Dey make one fellow go over a barreL~ ~ en de other peoples hold. he head. down en de driver whip him. Give em 60 en 75 licks fore dey atop sometimes. Uee cI~ains to hold. em when dey break rbpea so dey oould.n get away.!~

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Code No. ~ No. ~Tords ~ Project, 1885a.(l) Reduced from ~orde Prepared. by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, 8.0. ~ j4() Date, 4iigust 11, 1937 ~ ~ ~ ni see em Sell slaves heap of tlme~. See em gwine aloz~ in droves en eayln dey waS gwine to market. Seil em If dey alu stay on de place en work. Bid. em off just like horse en males. What am I bld for dl~ one? Come en open you mouth en examine you teeth en dey would& miss you a year. ~ -~ Oh, Gracious God, d.Idn get marrled~tlll after shake was en I reo~on I bout 30 years old. ~den. Captain, we ~ thought lt Was de Jedgment C Judgment) . ~ It coins like lt waS thund.erin In de earlh, rollin In de earth en de earth was gwlne en comm. We pray en ai . de cows en ohiokens was yell.~ ~ ~ - I Ing. kLaat)dat night bout 30 mInutes dat ~you could. look at . ~ -anything en lt look like top spinning. We was all good. bout ~ two years after dat. ~ ~ 1~ty white folks &Idn teachnone of d.ey slaves to read. en write en didri let em go bout from~ one plantation to de 9 ther no time All its know is when we go to ~d.ey rneetln~ en dey~pray wld us. Peoples used. to sing en pray In de Quarter on Salnirday night en when dey dig grave en have a funeral. Dey did.n do bout buryinge den like dey do now. Burying dem times en d.e funeral would ai . be over at de burying. Slaves d~i4u have no way to go to de funeral but to walk. Den a white man would atop you en if you kave a tioket wid. you d~at have pasa word. on it, you oould go on.

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Ood.e No. 1 ~o. Words_________ 2rojeot, 188~.(1) Reduced fr m words Prepared by annie Ruth Dav1~ Rewritten by~ P .aoe, Marion, S. C. ___________________ Date, August li, 1937 Page 4. ni 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 black horse wear black, de one on white horse wear white, en de one on de red, horse wear red~, De horsee had. sense enough to d.ouble up when dat insu hollo from de top of dem. Dey was wearing soldier clothes en dey come up to you house en set place ~ n fire, kill cow or anything dey want to. Dey burn up Carson houee en stay dere till next day. Dey talk to my mamma oau9e our house de next one to de white folks house. De white fo1k~ done been gone. Dey aek~ her whe dey hide dey money en ehe know d~ey hid.e lt to Stafford Hill, six miles from de house, but ~ehe dld.n tell dem. Don know yet what beoaine of tie money, but dent Ya eee : load dan oU chest on de wagon en took all de slaves t wanted to run away wid dem en left dere. Slaves d~ldnt know what to d~o de first year after freedom en den de Yankees tell de white folke to give de slaves one-~ third of d.ey crops. What de slaTes gwine buy land wid. den, Captain? Wont a God thing to eat In dat time. Ead to plow corn wid. ox cause de Yankees took ai . de horses en imiles dey wanted. My mother worked on three years dere for de white ~ folks in dey give her one bushel of corn en dey take two. ~ j ~ ~~One bushel o:~ corn en dey take two.) Measured by de same baeket.~

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Code J-go. Is~o. Word.s_______ t ~rojeot, l885~.(l) Reduced fro~~~ords Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by~ # Place, Marion, ~.O. __________________ 142 Date ~Lugas t 11 195 7 Page 5 . Well, I can tell you bout people, but I oan tell you bout my poor soul. I think Iknow I m blese to be here en raise three generation clear up d~ie worla. 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 die troublesome world. During slavery time, didn know what hard times *as. I know you Ces in de Bible dat God sorry he made man done so. I m sorry dat de last war don . avery time you fight war makes times harder. See three war en every one I see makes time worse. Money geta balled up in one or two hand. Looks bad. to me. Di&n know what it was one time to be hungry. ~u:!o~e~1 John Glover, Ex Slave, 77 Years, Timinonaville, S.C. ~Pereonal interview by Lira. Luolle Young and. H. G~rady Davis.)

Hector Godbold. Ex-slave, 87 years. 147 143

Code No. &~. ~ Project, 188541) iteiuoei. fiOin word.e Prepared by Annie Ruth Davle Rewritten by~ Place, Marion, S.C. ______________________ Fit) Date Juiie 28 1 937 Page 1. . ~ ~ HECTOR GODBOLD 33Q~4~3 Ex-8lave, 87 Yeara What you gwlne d.o wid. me? I aho been here In slavery time. Talk to d~em soldiers when d~ey was retreatin dey way baok home. My old. Missus was Miss Mary Godbold. en den she marry a iIase .d~en. Dey buy my mami~ia from de old. man ~rarik Miles right over yonder. Harry en Cindy G~ dbold. was my parents. We live in a one room house in de slave quarter dere on de white folks plantation. My Gos., sleep right dere on de floor. Ha~ gran parents dat come here over de water from Africa. Dey tell me dat whe dey come from dey don never let no man en he~ wife sleep together cause d.ey is soared of em catohin diseasefrom one another. Dat sho a good thing, you know dat. I think dat sho a good thing. Dey am 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 o ~ pot licker wid. plenty corn bread en fried meat en dat bout all we ever eat. Dey is let us have a garden of we o~i dat we ha~ 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 come 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 OhriRtmus day. 8weet molasses bread was de thing dat day. Coase dey give us a big supper when dey

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Cote :No. II~. w~&1 ~ Project, 1888.(1) ~ ~ ~ Prepared by Annie Rath D~yie Rewritten by~ P1&oe, Marion, 3.0. i 144 Date, June 28, 1937 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ had. dem cornahuoking day. Oh, dey ha& a frolic den dat last way up to d~e midnight. 1 never live dere to de Hase 4en plantation wid. my parente long fore dey hire me out to Masea John Mace en I stay dere till me en Maggie (hie wite) oome here to live. Nuree six head of ohil .un tor de white folke dire. I hear em Bay my Misaim was a Watson fore ehe marry Massa John Maoe. Lord, Lord, love dem ohillun to death. If Moees Mace been livin, you wouldn be taUrin to no Hector Godbold. bout here dese days. He de one what give me en Maggie dat four room ~ houee you eee settin . My Miesue give me a good. beatin one time when I did drop one of d~ern baby. Just put inc 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 eu let my mamma corne dere en suckle dat ohi 4. One d.ay.I go dere en another ~e1low oome dere what dey call John. He en my mamma get in a argi~tment like en ~he let out en cut my mamma a big lick right orose de leg en de blood just pour out dat thing like a done a what. My mamma took me en oome~ onto de houee en when Mies Jane see dat leg, she say, Cindy, what de matter? My mamma say, John call me a liar en I never take it. Mise ~Jane tell em tO send after 8am Watson right den. 8am Wat8on was a rough old overseer en he been so bowlegged dat if he stand straddle a barrel, he be settin downon it just as good as you aettin dere. Sam Watson come dere en make dat fellow

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Ood~e :&o. . 1~o. Words ~ ~ ~ ~ Pz~ojeet, 1885.~(1) Red~uoe . tx~ words Prepared by. Annie i~ttth Davia Rewritten by ~ Plaoe, Marion, 8.0. ______________________ :145 Date Juzie 28 3. 93 7 P age J. ~ ~ lay down on a plank in de fence jam en he take dat oat o nine tail he have tie round his waist en strike John 15 times. De blood run down off him just like you See a stream run in dat woods. Dat silo been so osuse all we ohillun stand bout d.ere en look on it. I suppose 1 was bot~t big enough to plough den. When dey let John b ose from dere he go in de woods en never come back no more till freedom come here. I tellin you when he come back, he come back wid de Yankees. . Oh, de colored peoples never know nothin more den dogs in dem times. Ilever eouldn go from one plantation to de other widout dat dey had a tjoket wid~ em. I see Sam Watson catch aan~~~o~ ~em dat had run wayen buff e gagem. Never have no jails nowh& in dat day en time. Deyeho eel . d.e oolore& peoples way plenty times oause I see dat done right here to Mai iou. 5tand em up on a blo k eu sell em to a speoulator ~ dere. Ihearem bid offa oman en her baby dere en den dey ~ bid off my auntie eu uncle way down to de country. Dey wouldn . ~take no whippin off dey Massa en dat how.oom dey get rid of em. Mygran psppy been wort.h$ i,O~.O en it de Lord s truth I tellin yo~1 he drown fore he let em whip him. Den my gran mammyuse to ran way en catch rides-long de roads cause de peoples let em do dat den Ooa~e if dey ~ catch her dey dIdXI never do her no harm cauSe she was one of dem breed omans. ~ Neyez know nothin b out gwine to echo 01 in dom times Jast piok up what learnin we get here dere en eve rywhe . Learnt

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~oa.e :No. No. ~YOrdB_________ Project, 1885~.(1) Red.uoed. f~om ord.e Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by~ Place, Marion, S.C. _____________________ 14G Date, June 2$, 193 ? ~ ge 4. Bomething to de white folka meetin house dere to Antioch aettin on de back eid.e of d~at church on dein benehee what de alaves had. to Set on. I is know dia nrnoh dat I voted three times to de courthouse In Marion way back in dein days. SIio, we ohillu.n play game en frolic heap of de time. 8hinny 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 o~ de grandest hollerere you ever hear tell bout. Use to be just de same as a parrot. Here how one go: O - OtT 013 .0 ~ OU, DO - MI NICI ~ Q, BLACK ~ great K i~ig . d~at a in ~ nothin ~ ~ Am never believe in none of dem charme people talk bout en am know nothin bout no conjuring neither, but I know die much en dat a spirit sho slapped Maggie one night bout 12 o clock. Den another time me en her was comm 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 eay, gurgle., gurgle, gargle, i: look back en she been pourin lt out on de ground. 8he say she do dat to make de spirit c~uit followin after her. Dat epirit aho been dere cause I see dat licker disappear dere on de ground wid me own eyes. 0Sho, dey had doctors in dat day en time. Had. plant doctors dat go from one plantation to another en doctOr de peoples. Dr.

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Ood~e 1~o. ire. WOrds_________ Project, 1885.41) Reduced from___~rds Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by~ flace~, Marion, 8.0. ___________________ Date, J~iue 28, 1937 Pa~ 5. ~ Monroe was one o! dem doctor bout here en dere am never been no better cures nowhe den dein plant cures was. I get Maggie so she oan move bout dat way. $he won able to walk a step dfl I bol . some ooon root en put a little whiskey in lt en make her drink dat. lt silo raise her up too. Dem ooon root look just like dese ohufas what you does find down side d.c river. Dat sho a eure for any rheumatism what is. ~ I know dat all right. Mighty right, I remembers when freedom was declare. I think dat muet a been de plan o~ God cause lt just like dis, if lt hadn~ been de right thing, it wou .dn been. I know it a good. thing. De North was freed 20 years head of de South en you know lt a good thing. I a history man en I recollects dat de history say de North was freed 20 years fore de South I slio hear dem guns at Fort 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 oome dere to de white folks house one of dem time, when my Massa was way from home workin dere on de Manchester Railroad, en ax my Missus whe dey horsei~ 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.

152 148

Cod.e No. Project, 1885 (i) Prepared. by Annie Ruth Davie Place, Marion, S.C. Date, Jane 28, 1937 :No. Words_______ Re~uoed from___word.s Rewritten by Page ~ n! 87 year old now en I here to tell you ~at I never d.one nobody no mean trick in all me life. I does fight cause I cut a man up worth 19 stitches one of dem times back d.ere. Two of ein been on me one time en I whipped. both of em. ~: tenin you I been good. as ever was born from a oman. it just like die I say fight all right, but don never turn no mean trick back. T~irn it to sod, d.at what do. Dem what go to church. in de right way., d.ey don have no vengeful spirit bout em. I sho goes to church cause d.e church d.e one thing dat does outstand everything ~ everything. ~ Rector God.bold, ex slave, age 87, Pee Dee, Marion Co.,S.C. ~ (Personal interview, Jane 1937). 8ource: 148

Daniel Goddard. Ex-slave 74 years old. 153 149

Project #1655 1~9 3t1103 M. Scrugge ~ Columbia, 8. 0. ~ DANIEL GODDARD e, My name i3 Daniel Goddard. I wa; born in Columbia, S C. Feb 14, 1863, to slave parents, You know I recall no eontact5 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 31av08 in the United States had been set free when President Lincoln, shortly before my b irth, Jsnuary, 1863, struck the shacklee from bondage. s The ConfeIerate statea had seceded from the Union and they paid no attention to the freedom procle~ation during the war. $o the slaves in the South, generaUy speaking, stayed on until the Confederacy oollapeed in April, 1865, and even then, eo~e of the slave3 were alow to strike out for themselvee, until the Fsderal governi~ent made ample preparatione to take care of them. p, Now you ask, if I heard about escapes of e .avea. Sure I did and I he~trd my pareflt3 discues the sffort~.. of elavos to ehake off the ehaokle3 This waa probably true because my fath.r s brother, Thoiaie, was a member of the slave ehip which Was taki~g him end 134 others from Virginia to New Orleans. A few miles south of Charleston, the elavea revolted, ptzt the of flcere ~nd crew in irons, arid ran the ship to Naasau. t There they went ashore and the British Government refused to surrender them. They settled in the Bahama Islands and some of their descendants are there today. That was about 1830, 1 think, because my Uncle Thomas was far older than ri~y father. I heard about the other slave revolts, where that African prince one of a large number of slaves that were

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z. kidnaped, took over the SPaXiis)I ship L Mm4a, killing two of the offic.ri. The rerneining officsr s promised to return the slaves to Africa but slyly turned the ship to port in Connecticut. There the Spanish minister at Waah irigton demanded the slaves s. pirate. Appeal was made to the courts and the United States Court ruled that slavery vas not legal in Spain and dedared the slaves frei. n ~ Nat Turner insurrection in Virginia and the V.eey uprising in Charleston was discuseed often, in ~y presence, by my parant. and friends. I learned that revolte of slaves in Martinique, Antigua, Santiago, Caracas end Tort ugus was known all over the South. Slaves were abotrt a. well aware of what was going on, as their masters wire. H~ever the ~iaaters made it harder for their slaves for a while. b, I have a clipping now worn yellow with age which says the tdere1 census of l86O~ ebowsd there wire ~ free Negro.. and 3,952,760 slaves in the United States at that tima. ~ ~ at all surprised at the number of free Negroes. Many South ~&rolina families freed a number of their slave.. 8o~ slaves had the luck to be ibis to buy their fresdom and many others .a~ capect to fr s ires.. Th problem of slavery as a rul., wee a question of wita, the slave to escap &aid the master to keep him from escaping. * I once talked with ~red rick Doug1a.s~ perhaps the most imin&~t ~.gro to appar so fer in America. II. told m. he was born a slave in ~ry1and, in 1817, and that h. served thero sa a slays for ten y.ari. Hi esca.p~d to Mo~s~ aw~husetts where he was aided in education ~d ~ployasnt by the Garrison. and other abolitionista, and boam a leader of his race. H. wi.~ United States Minister to Haiti at the time I met him and was eminent as an orator. H. died in 1895. I You ask, what do I think of the Presidents. Well, t have always been

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3. :15:1 such an admirer of ~ndrew Jackson, a 8o~rbh srtnia&i, that I u~y be preju.. diced a little Th, rea on I admire him ao much is because he stood for the thiion, and he didn t mean raaybe, when he said it. He aer~d hia time arid God took him, juet u he took Moaes. s Then Lincoln was raieed up for a apecific purpose, to end elavery, which was a menance to both whit.e end b1ack~, ae I see it. And ~reaident wileon kept the faith of the fathers, when he decided to put the c~erman Kaieer where he could rio longer throw the world into discord. 3ix~ there has only been one President whose heart wee touched by the cry of distre5s of the poor and needy wid hie name is Franklin D. Rooaevelt. H j. one white mau who hae turned the biae of the Negroea from the bait of pertie~ poli~ tica. I, Yea, air, I recall the reconatruction period here in Columbia. My p~rent3 lived until I was about grown and we kept the mitdle of the road, in the matter of eelling out to the Federal aoldiars and carpet b~ggera on the one hand or to deai~ning politiciane On the other. But my father was an admirer of Gen eral Jlempt on because General Hampton o~imed ~z~y Negro es at one time and had. treated them well. Between Hampton and Ohainberlain for governor, in 1876, most of my negro friends voted for Hampton. e ~Vhat have I been doing eines I grew up? Well, I have been busy tryIng to make a living. I worked for various ihite folks in this community and sometime for the railroads here in a minor capacity My younger years wore spent in the qusat of an education. For the past thirty years I have been the porter for the State Paper Company, Columbia s xxrning newspaper. As I became proficient tn the work, the Gonzales boys grew fond of me. While the youngest one Hon. William E . Gon~alea wee absent in the diploma~. tic service in Cuba end in Peru fcr eight years for t reaident ~ileon, I

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4. 152 looked after the needs of Mr. Ambrose Gonzales. Shortly before he died, Hon William E . Gonzales t etarned He -has since been editor and publisher of the State 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 t shall never enjop any pension money. I would not leave serving my friend, Captain William E. Gonzale3, for any pension that might be offered me. N~ B. This man, is well educated, speaks no dialect. He receiired his education from Northern tiachers 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, 8. C.

Aunt Ellen Godfrey (ex-slave). 157 153

Pro~ct #~1655 33fl~vi FOL1 ~ORE 15~ Mrs.Genevieve W.. Ch ncller -~ ~ Murrells Inlet, S. C. Ge orge t own County ~ AUNT ELLES GODFREY ~~ (Ex-Slave) (Verbatim Conversation) 4 (Aunt Ellen is a misfit in her present envi ~onment. Born at Longwood Plantation on Waccamaw in 1837, all she kn ws is the easy, quiet life~ of the country. And the usy, bustling RACE PATH near which her Grandson lives with whom she makes her home doesn t make a fitting frame for the old. lady. All day she sits in a porch swing and when hungry, visits a neighbor. The neigbbors (colored ~ all) vie with each other in tryingto 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 te ls f the old days and of the experiences that made the greatest impression the exciting time s during the Confedrick ~ war - the Reb time day ) Visitor: 1t~~j~ Eilen home?tt Aunt Ellen s neighbor (from the washtub): Notum. She right cross there on the tflace ~athttt ~(~o 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 4~unt Ellen?1 Neighbor: NO~~ Itm off all day. I work for Miss Bernice ~ Visitor: ~M1SS Bernice who?

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Project#-1 . 6555 ~ ~ . Page - 2 154 Mrs-. .. Genevieve ~ C~nd1er L~urre11s Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County Neighbor: Miss Bernice something nother. I cantt iteep up with that lady titlel See Aunt Ellen white cap yonder? Aunt Ellen (Sitting on chair at back door leaning on cane.) nI want everybody come to my birthday! Seventh o~ October comIng be a hundred. Baby one dead jew (due) tirnet Five daughter - one sanctify ~pre cher. Seven one ~ one Portssmith Virginia. All deadL All deadi Marry three times; all the husband deadL My last baby child - when the Flagg stonri ~ killeverybody on the beach, (1893) the last child I have out ~ my body be n a year oldL ~ ~ ft La st t irne I gone s e e th e old D~c t or rap ~ rap i Doctor: Come j1~1~tt Gone in. ~ Doctor: Great God! Looker Aunt Elleni For the good you take care Daddy Harry~God left you live long times ~ Ellen: Flat eni aU up to Mariborol (All the slaves) Ten days or two weeks going. - PeeD e bridge stops Go iti gent le~ men barni - Turn duh bridget Been d.ere a week Rad to go and look the l use on we. Three hundred head o people been dore. Cou 4ntt .pull we clothes off. (On flat.) Boat.nam Riprey. Woman confine on boat Name the baby lE Mama naine Sibby. ~ ~Neighbor: Aunt Elleii been looking for you ai . dayl Keep

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Project # 1655 ~ ~ Page ~ 3 155 Mrs. G~nevjeve w-.~ Chandler Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County saying she got to go borne. A white lady coming and she got to be therel ) Aunt Ellen: Doctor come on boat. By name E~octor Lane. White lady corne tend woman. Get to Marlboiv where they gwine . ~ Put in wagon . Carry to the street . M~j or Drak~ Plantation. One son Pet Drake. . ~ 1fe leetle bit of a wanan. I see Abram Lincoln son Johnny~ Talk with hirns Gimme tobacco. I been to~1oom. lJeav . Sheckle flying flying shecklet (Singing ): Tech (touch ) me all round my ~ waist t ~on t tech my water~fall~ - Gay gal setting on the rider fencel Don t tech my water~falU Clothes gone to wash this morning: (Can t go today.) Clothes gone. I been here~ so long I ax Jesus one day carr~j me next dayl Cantt make up my bed. Like an old hog sleep on a tus~ sick. (I always heard it tToad on a tussockt ~j~d you?) (Four lean oats prowled about sniffing around the woodpile where a boy was scaling some pale, dead fish.) Visitor: Aunt Ellen, how could you cook on the fla.t? Aunt Ellen.: Dirt bank up. Fire make on dirt~ Big pot. Cook. Fry meat. Come PeeDee get off fiat. Bake. Bake. ~ Iron bven . ~ S.t.ay PeeDee week. Bake Pli ~ coals on oven ~ ~ top. (Another slave told of scaffold four posts buried

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Project #-1655 . ~ Page ~ 156 Mrs. Genevieve ~.. Ch rniier Iv~urr e 11 s mi et S C . Georgeto~i County and logs or planks across top with earth on planks. ~ On this pile. of earth, fire was wade and on great bed of coals oven could be heated for baking. Oven means the great iron skillet~like vessel with three legs and a snug lid. Thj~ 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.tt (Her ges~ ture s showed . earth wa s mounded up.) Visitor: tiLike a potato bank? A potato hill? Ellen: Dat s it~ Pile 1em! Gone in dirt camp to hide we from Yankee. Have a Street Row of house. Yankee coming. OEone in dirt camp. i been weave. My loom at door. 81x loom on dat side! Six loom on dis sideL I see tern coming. Hat crown high as this (She measured off almost half of her walking stick which had a great, tarnished plated silver knob.) And I tell tem Yankee comings I talk with Abr~n Lincoln own son Johnny and, bless your. heart I glad for Freedom till I fooll (Singing)

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Project #~-I655 Mrs. .~ Genevieve W. Chandler Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County Page-3 15~ Freedom forevert Freedom everym~re ~ Want to see the ~ Debbi.i. run Let the Yankee fling a ball The Detnocrack will take the swampt ttMassa been hid . Been in swamp. (This is history. the old men, too old for the army, hid in Marlboro swamps 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 ~ worr~4ng about her feeble old grandfather down ~ere with the mocassins) Ellen: Yankee officer come. Vthere Mahams Ward and John J. Woodwa~d.? Come to tell tem take dese people out the dirt camp I Pu:t we in flat. Carry backl (In first story Aunt Ellen told. the Yankee Captain said, Tell em be Georgetown to salute the flagi ) ~ ~ Put food and chillun in flat. We been walk. (Walking back to ~ Waccamaw) We gone . ~ (See ~UThI See their feet like the children of Israel in Green Pastures L ) In ~ s house. Man say, Come outi You steal my turnipi yii,~~ arbor. Night come. Make camp. Way down the road somewherel Make a big bush can:p A . squeeze under there Left Marlboro Monda. Corne Conway Friday sun downi ~it Bucksville, hit a friend. : Say t Peop~.e ng Middle night Snow on ground Get up. All and

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Project #- ~ .655,. ~ Page - 5 J5 Mrs. Genevieve L ~ Ch~~~jj, er Murrells Inlet, S~ C. Georgetowi County . Cook. Cook ~1 nightL Rice. Bake tater. Collard. Cook. Give a quilt over you head. 1 sleep. I sleep in the cot.. ton. I roost up the cotton gone in there.tt (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 thoop and hohen Three flat gone round wid all the vittles . (And with the very young and very old) Easier coming home. Current helped. 0oing up against the current, only poles and cant~ h oks ~- tedious going) ~ttGit Tip T0p (Plantation) aU right. Come home deni Git to double trunk (rice fi~id trunk) at Tip Top Whoopi Come bring flati Mother Mo1i~ dead on flat~ Bury she right t o Longwood crave -.yard Nus s . (nur se ) thut 1 Hemingway bury there. Horse kill em in thrashing mill. Child naine Eg.iburt~ bury there t oo Hr se gwine round in thra shing He li ok the hor s e Ho rs e kick t em Ythole gang white ju:r~ comel - t, Sing and pray a U the time Pray your hous e . . Pray all tile time. (I wish to God I could get some of you clami) Salem ~apti st? I helped build SalemL I a choir in SalemL - S : Aunt Ellen Godfrey Age 99 years 10 months Conway, S. C.

Mom Ellen Godfrey (ex-slave--age 100). 163 159

Project 1655 Genevieve w. Chandler FOLELORE ~ Georgetown County, S.~C. MOM ELLEN GODFREY (Ex s .ave -~ L~e 100) n ~ ~ waltin on the leese (RELIEF) ~ He was to have my birthday the seven of October. tt Slavery time Maussa buy ein. We Maussa buy me one good shoe. Send slam to England. Gie nie (give me) god clothes and shoe. I been a-weave. When the Yankee come I beom on the loom. Been to Marlboro . district. A man place they call D ~tor Major Drake, Got a son naine Cap and Pet, 0h, JesusZ I been here TOO long. In my 99 now. Come seven o October (1937) 1 been a hundred. t, 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! Maus~a in swamp. ~ I ixi~buckra house. I tell Yankee: Them gonel Gone tobeachi Yankee say: ~ Ut Tell ein to be inGeorgetown to bow unto flag . t, That time I been twenty-three y ars old. Old Doctor Flagg didn t born then. He a pretty child and so fat. Love the doctor too niuch. . Born two weeks after Freedom. He Ma gone to town. Melia Holmes? She - am t no more than chi .lum to me . Laura and. Serena two twin sister. . When the Freedom I was twenty three -~- over the twenty five. Great God, have a mercy! McGill people have to steal for somethIng to eat. Colonel Ward. keep a nice place. Gie em (give them) rice, peas, four cook for chillum, one ~rse. Make boy go in salt crick get em c1an~. ~ ~ That same Doc tor Flagg Grandpa Give you cow elabber . Share5~ em and : put you bittle fox eat ~ . ~

164 160

Project 1655 Genevieve W. Chandler FOL~IORE Georgetown ~ S. C. . Page 2. t, Gabe Knox? (A very old colored man who has been dead ten years) I nurs e Gab e I I nurs et em. He Pappy my c OUS lfl I b een a b 1~ young woman when he born. t Albert Calma? He a Christian-hearted people. Christian-heart - A boy. I cive my age. My birthday get over I want to go right home to Heaven. - ~ t, I gone to aee Doctor Wardie when I in my 95. He say: tttGreat Dowj Looker Aunt Ellen~ ~ In you 95~ That make you live to good age you take such~good care you husband~ -Harry Godfrey.

Conversation of Aunt Ellen Godfrey---age 99 years. 165 161

390202 Conversation of Aunt ~Uen Godfrey~..age 99 years 161 Corrway~, 3. C. June 25th. Vio ld gon.e wid you Missua but I waiting on th& Relief . Ho wuz going to bring me the dress and ehos and ting. My birthday the seven of October coining. ~e Massa have give we good shoe. Right here Lon~wood Plantation. Ma3sa was kind--you know. Send slwn to i~rig1axid gie me good clothes and shoe. I been a weave ~ the Yankee come. Lbeezi on the loom to Marlboro deestrict ~ A man place they call Doctor Major Drake. Got a ~on na:io Cap and Pet. Oh, Jesus, been here too long! In my ninety-nine now. Come seben of October been a hwidrsd. Three flat (flat boats used for rice field work ) carry two hu~adrad o people and all they things ~e hide fror~ Yankee but Yankee corna and git we. Ask whey (where) Massa. (Massa in swampi I in buckra house. I say Dem gonel ~ to bac Say, Tell em to be in Georgetown to bow unto the flag. Dat time I been tw ut~y-three year old. Doctor Flagg didn t born He a pretty child and so fat Love duh Doctor too muchi Born two weeks after freedom. He Ma gone ~eorgotown. Granny git em ther~.. MoUs HolrnesS Amt no more dan chillun to tueZ (Aunt Melia is eighty-eight or nine bany and cripple) She have two twin sister laura and~ Serena. When the freedom I waz twenty4hree years old.~- ovar the twenty~ five. Great God hab a inercyi Couldn t do dati Colonel Ward keep a nice place. Doctor McGill people hab to steal for sotneting to eat. Gie em rice - ~peas. Four cook for chillun. One nurse . (Aunt Ellen said Nuss ) 9 Make the boy go get em clam. That same Dr. Ward GrandPa. Great big sack to clamS Give you cow clabber. Shay n~i9. (Share them ~- the clabber) and put on bitt le for eat o Hager BrownS She darter (daughter) got a abscess in her stomach. Save Rutledgel I nuss (nurse) $abe. I nuss em. Her pappy my cousin. I been

166 162

2. 1G2 big young women, I nass Sabe. u Albert Calma a christian- hee.rted people . Christian hearted ~boy~~elief com ;# I gi em my age. My birthday over, I wanter go right home to Heaven. G roat DowZ Lc~oker Aunt Elleril (That is what Dr. Wardie say when X gone (see um) In you ninety-five3 What nieke you good, you take Care of you hus~ band Harry Godfrey waiting mani Marry twice time. He duh last--~ s, Andrew Johnson? Dropsy? I have vdcl every chullu~ -Oh, I buss ~urst) one time. Buss here (fliustrating by drawing line acros3 stomach) flu it get to my gro~.n. it stopS Every time I get family I swell. Never have a doom tor Graxuiy for me yet. My Mary good old Granny~ Catch two set o twin for ne. Isaac arid Rebecca; David and Caneezer. 4, Sell all my fowl and ting~ ~five do1lars-~me and old man two come to town to we chilluri. ~ Been Marlboro four year. Yankee focrt~ where they put on stfrrup red. - Most stand lak a )fr~. Srnoak . Big tall,-~Abx aharn Lincoln own eon Johnny t You jess as free as ribbon on my hEU That what he say. I been weave. SheckleP ( urrb Ellen work8d~ toot and hand and m txth in illustrating how the shuttle worked back andforbh~ .and the music it made) . ! Couch? Eat m many timeS Take em biles Grind em upJ t. Welcome Beas? She son get kill in Charston, Welcome Beas ~on courtingmy gal. : - p, Tom Duncan? ~e child to nie. He wife Suzannah. I know duh fambly. I gone knock to ~uh door. Come iiil Come inS ~ Coins inS Here duh bearcU (~.~Md Aunt Ellen measured on her cheat to show how long D~ Tlagg s beard was).

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3. s Old Daddy Rodgers and merry wuz she J The old man wuz cripple And Mary wuz blii~d. Keep you hat on you head. ~ Keep you head warm And set down under that sycamore tree S My kitBi ~r kiteS ~ My kiteS My kiteS Two oxen tripeS T~o open dish o cabbageS My little dogS .~ ~spotted hawgl My two ~young pig a etarvitigi Cow iii -ehe ccttc~ipatehD Tell boy a). . dog~ drive~ pig oi.zt cottoni~ Heah duh aong; ~ ~ ~ ~ Send Tom Taggui~ ~ To dr ve Bone Baggum Out the world o wiggy wag~um2 (ThIs last song chanted out by Aunt Eleanor Godfrey, age 99~ is really a gem. She Said Bone Baggum boney old white cow. Wiggy wagguin is a picture word making one see the soft, wagging tufts of ~iite cotton) Given by Aunt Ele~~~~OEodfrey ~ ~ Age 99 (100 come BOSh of Oct.) -~ June 25th,1937 Conway, S. C. 163

(Mom Ellen sings*****). 168 164

Project 1655 Genevieve W. Chandler FOLKLORE. 164 Georgetown County, S. C. (MOM ELLEN SINGS*****) BONE BAGGUM (Bas o bones?) $ehd Torn Taggu (a man) To drive Bone Baggum (a boney critter) Out the world wiggly waggum. ( cott on patch) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Rock a bye! Rock-a-bye! Down cOme baby cradle and all! Roll eml Ro1l er~L Ro11 em~ Roll em and bel1~em1 ~ And t em in the oven L ~ i I~I~ when I wa~ a woman Ben wa~ boyl11 (Ben now 88) ~ ~ e, ft Go to writln L : If yot~ want to know nay name Go to Uncle Amos house. Big foot nigger and he six foot high. Try to bussin at my waterfa . .L (Kls8in her waterfa11-~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 Z

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Project 1655 Genevieve W. Chandler Georgetown Co~~ty, s. C. FOLKE~O~E Page 2. 165 Don t touch my waterfall ~ t, I s Ing tha t s Ing em and nia~i bus s out and cry L My God L You talk 1~!3? I ain t want himL I kick him with that sanie word. They 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. t Mr. Godfrey my last husband, he worth all the tw I got. I have the chuiluit. ~ Wenus Jane Pat tent Kate Harry, Edmund, Je emea~~~ SOURCE ~ ~Mom Elimi OEodfrey Age 100 October 1937 Conway, S. C.

Master was never so morocious. 170 166

O.~ 4 ~ ~ Fege 1 166 ~ ~0j~C~ ~16~ 390137 i~stt4w ia~is~xi . MA8~~R ~AS i~V~R 30 MO~O~iUu8 .- ~ ~ ~ .. ~ _~_.._. ~ SLA~V~ GAL~~i) GOw~t ~r i~i 8H ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ SLAVE BORN ~l Th A CALL _~~__4_ ~ I come trum ~It .Pleiaan~ an ~ s be n January lb,I8b~ on kr.Liaa ~in ulng piint~tion on the Qooper itiver.1. wus 1en Six years o~e w en the war broke out en could mstbsr a good many ~hinga.ky u* an pi b~,n nan. Auj ulme an ~homa.a ~ oodwa~ r who had ighL boys an eight gala. 1 us, to help my grau ' ti? round tPii kitchen who iwo ttiecook 1~or the renibly.i sin the older ox ~he ~ Iwo who ia aLive.Peter,tfli on, a.Livs,Ltvi n my place now,but i ain t hear trum diR for ;ws years .1 don know Xor certain dat he e alive or not. lb lav.ry the poopli uae ~o go an cetch poaauwa an rabbite a~ as to ~ hab meat to at.i)e draber uee to ohoo; cows an an di night de sJ.avee go an skin um an masus um round. to aLL the aiavee, apeciai.i w en cows come fruLc ~ anodi~er pJen~aiion.Hc go round an te.LL ibe slaves dey be;~er go an g~b some r.i~sb ron ail go.Any cime any one say s hab nah ~t wus uu~ratOo~ e mean cow~ ~ ~teit.Qur boas a~i,n t nebbir catch onnor cLid s ebber miss any cow; .~me Simmons, de co.Llud driber wue under Sam Black,ihe whi$s overaeer~Sam tSlack wuan t mean, hi jus had ~o carry ~ ordara ~r Lias inning,our masl.r.iJer, wus a vegetable garden iai had shinga ~or clii year round oo wi could hab oup an soup couiu be n the Big Houes. Oui day w en I wile blUt Xourte.n i. did aup~n an ~ didn like it.~ bunch of gale bin home en me wh..l my short ovir my hiad an tsrt to be. at mi righ;. i~or. the gale.Oiy begged her not ~o lick me an she got mad jus 1~or dat. 1: ~ Cottldn * help myasli cue obi te de ahirt over my hs*d wood a etring,vy han a in li ~it~ tu in de shirt wood the atring.ln hot w.d~sr gala an beya go in

171 167

s -~6O ~64-N Project ~L6bb . Augustua Ladion Page n: 167 ~X 8LAV~ coni (d. den uncter 8hi3~t8 an no;~iin eA e. ~3oy2 in ciste ciayv could X~ght but coulan throw any one on the groun . ~e had to a;an up an eider beat or git beat. I wus ularried in ib72 ~o ~.eatharino,my wit..At our weddin we tiad plenty ~ est.~there wus posaums,wine,caks,an plenty o rruits.i. ~iaia on a black suii, black shoes,wbite tie an ~hirte~a;harine ha~ on a~L1 white.L stay ~ooa atb*~i rifle people ror e year vii i wus abled to buil on my lan .i am a xadaer ox nineteen cha.uun;tsn boys an nine gaieoniy two now J.3v~n Lias. inning wuen a mean inan,He co ithin lick pa cue dey grow up i o gedder or at ieast he didn ~ry.But he .Liked his ~man slave.One day ma 1~ua in de rieJ ~ ion, sri he went chin an try ;o r~pe er.Ma pufl. his ears aluioa 0x1 80 bi le~ er ou an gone au ~e11 pa he bester talk to ma.Pa wus workin in ~i. ~a~t p~i an w en i~ir.mnnari~ ten twn he jue 1augL~ cus e know ~hy ma did is. L)ere WU3 a raiubiy ioctor on ~e pLanta~ion name Jauiea Hibb~na.~iy eye to run wat er a lot an he take out my eye an couidn put it back an,~a~a j. am b~b,n now.FIe ax n~ an pa nos to say anyt~ung bout it cue he i hie job an hab bi. .Licenae take wsy.So ma an pa even didn say any even so Mr11 inning as to She truth oZ my b1in neas.~ j WU2 by ihe ~nigger luartera one day i n B~Lake,~tie overseer sLart~ to lick a aLavi.She take tti whip rrum him an close dl d~O~ an give him s snake beesin . Our boas had bous abree bund ed acres o Ian an ober a hund e~ ajavea. . overseer never wake d aiavsa.Qey could go in the Xiei any ~me in ihe DIO~flifl CUB ebery body wue giv i their t&I *rk on Monday Mornin .No body . neb r wirk w en it rain er coJ.i~Nuttin asks Lias binning so ~ad ai w en one use why J, 02 t t hing

172 168

project ~I6bb AUgU3tU~ Ladaon ~ iiI 168 ~X-814V~ cone ci. woU.L~1 siea~Lac make hain i~orocaoua.Any one ~ie ceich s~eajmn wus sure to ga~ a good whippin .He diiln like ror any one ~o ragh~ eic~er. Dey ;t1i. ~ie ~ ~ ahippe~ to 1~ew Or.Leans day kia~ ;o be dregs up in nice cio;heB.Jiiy pa could rea an ~~rics cua he live an t~ae city bere.Hls rfliSSUS tiach him. isaac ~igZaIi run way an went ~o Florida an ni~es a whi;e man on a horse with a gun.He ax Ui man tor a p~e o ~obacco.The man give ham ~e gun ~o hoLe while he gi; th ;obacco t~: him.i.aaec ;ake the gun an poin; i~ at ~he manan ax iE, yOu know wha in cue gunP De man got rrigf~i;en an he ~eii de tuah you bec;er be gon or J~Li e~ip~y i~ in you. rhe man gone an come back ~OOd a gloup o men an houndogs.He d jus make it ~o de river fore ihe ciogs cetch h~tn.He had a ~~ce o iight-wood knot an ebery time a ~og g~t near he hit um on de neck an ICJ..L~ all o them.Thc men wenn back to git more help ant doge but w en dey gi; back isaac wus gone. Uer e wus a coLLud church ~ irt eon males ~ rum ~ .?leaaant w are we ent so aervice.~t)e pracher wue n~sne John Henry ~ use to like to sing dia song: ktun away run ai~ey k~un away1 r un away SOjUs ot ~he CT018. UHOBUS Ho~Le on,bole on Hois on,hoi.e on Hole on,hoie on Hole on sojue of ihe cross. Ma too use to sing dat aong.

173 169

8 26O~2~4~ project ~I6bb Auguaiua Ladson ~ S S ~ Page 1V 169 5 :L~:x 3LAv:~ cont ct . ere use to be dances almos ebery week an the older boys an gals i~i~lk i~we1ve miles das o be dere.Bome iiime Lhere ~ue a lauibor.ine beaier, some rinie d.ey use Oie ~vas1i cuba an boac i~ ~oo~i, s~ick~,a~ some time cisy jus clap t ~ie1 r han 2.~ ~ en any one aie ciey wus bury ~n t he tuorn n or early an ernoon. j always piay wood gt~osv cue wus bo xi with a cal.L .l kin see the ~ ghost jus is plain is ebber.Souie t.~rne i see some ~ know ant again others i. ~OU know.Only ~ing you can ses their roe; cue dey walk OU de ground.~4en i. use to see deii my sister v~uld put sand on de rire den ctey would go an 1 woui~n see any ror e long vime.One uiornin my uncle wus passin a church an a gtiost ap~ pear on tt~s porch.My uncle had a d g ~od im He sear; to run an the log :. atari to run ioo,an doen the rOe4 ~ey went.he didn hab on any;~iang bui his S ahir~ an kie say tie run 50 Xaa *ii. the ~i.nct bad his shirt tail stir as a boardJie couidn out run ~he uog,nor coula the dog ou$ run un. )ia is a spiri~uai aey use to sing 4urin skavery: Gl in~j up de walls or Zion S Ah,Lord, (iimb up cie wails o~ Zion h,Lord,(J.imbin up ~Le wa.Lis ox Zion b,Lord. Ciiuibin up de wails or Zion b,Lor 4, ~reai camp meetin in the promise Ian . My pa uie to ting dis eong See w en rie. ktial an gone, See ~ e rise Ries an gone.

174 170

S -26v 26 4 ~ Froject 1ji6bt~ AugUSVUS Laason ?gae V ~ 3LAV~ corit ct. (+011e ~o I~*a~L.~Li~ee On a Sunctay Morning. (Th,ciy Jesus rise an gone ~o (~aI~iee On a Sunday Morning. ~e use to ~ng dis in expetierice meec n a Go round,go round Li:~ok ai the mornan sear, (10 rounct,go round Go~ a aoui. ~o save. t~ HOttuS . ~ju5nb ~ oie satan .L 1~U.LWi have $~) pray, Satan broke CiIct ~oiy Law 1. ~ a eoui. to save. dis too: ktoom itriougti,room anou~h ujoQin anough rooui anough itoom anough in de Heaven i. know, ~ .L can s aiay away, t~ om anough in de Heaven .L know, .1 can t stay away. .Lu;erview with !homaa (~oodwaier,i.O8 Anson Street. P.S. The *riaUona o1~ words and senLenses aeacribe inberviewa wa&n )ey use ~o s~n~ individuals nit uraLly.

Charlie Grant. Ex-slave, 85 years. 175 171

node No. Io. ~Weriti~ ~ ~ Project, 1885.(l) ~ tro~ ~ words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by~~ Place, Msr~.on, S.C. ~ 17 Da te Aiigue t 31 1 93 7 . ~a~e J~ ~ OEARLI:E GRAIJT 390278 i~x-8lave, 85 Years ItI born de 24th day of Febru~ary, 1852 bout l~ miles of Liars Bluff. My father, Western Wilson, belonged. to Col. ~Vi1liam Wilson en my mamma naine Ohrleie Johnson. She belonged to Dr. William Johnson en we stay dere wid. him sour or rive ~rears after freedom. Dr. Johnson old homi still standin yonder. It dc Rank~n hOme . I d~r1ve . oarts under dat house lote of times in s lave ry t ime . t The hous e is bu i I t high o if the ground~. ) Dr. Johrisonwas a mighty able man, a stiffone, able one. He ~ kill one hundred he d. of hogs to feed hi~ nlg~ere wid. Oh,~i don know how nm.ny acres of land. in his plantation, but I reokon~ dere be bout 3. 000 or more acres of land. He have slave hous~e all de way from de side ofhis house to Tyner. De overSeer stay on de lower end. of street dat bout ~ mile long en all d.c niggers house up from de overseer to Dr. Johnson hou~e. Over hundreds of dem dere. Dr. Johnson en his wife was good to dey nig~ers as dey could want anybody to be. Had plenty to eat en plenty ~lothee to wear all de time. He give alid.e slaves out ~ something on Saturday or he give ~em more any time dey needed lt. J~et go en say, ~Boss, I ~j~t got no rations en I need. some. Dey give us meat en bi~ad en molasses to eat mostly, but didn have no wheat flour den. Dey plant 10 or 20 acres

176 172

O ode No No . Words ~ ~ Project, 188541) Reduced rThm wor~is Pr pn eL by Annie 1~uth Davie Rewritten bf ~ Pisse, Marion, SEQ. _____________________ 172 Bate, AuguSt 31, 1937 Pag 2. of eprangle top cane en make de molasses en eugar out dat. Bill Thom&e mash it together en cook it ~or de moijisee. Den he take cane en sook it down right low en make augsr, but it waeut like de eugar you buy at de store now daye. Oh, yea, de slaves had dey own gardendat dey work at night en especially moonlight nights oauee dey had to work in de tield all day till eundown. Mamma had a.big garden en plant oollard.s en everything like dat you want to eat. ~A11 de niggere dat live in de quarters had bunk beds to sleep on what was thing dat have four lege en mattress put on it s Have mixed bed. dat dey make ~ out o f cotton en shucks . De boy ohillun have shuck bed en de girl chullun have cotton bed. ~ De peoples bout dere have good clothes to wiar in dat day en time . Dey was ~ homemade do thee . My mamwa spin en send dem to de loom hou~e en den dey dye d m wid. persimmon juice en different things like dat to make all kind. o~ colora. Dey give us oottofl suIt to wear on Sunday en de niceSt leather ehoee dat dey make right dere at home. Clean de hair off de leather just as clean as anything en den de eho ernaker out en sew de shoes. Vidge ;i~ ra13k father de shoemaker Vid~ge Frank live down dere at O laus sen . di~ side de planing mill . --- WI hear dem tell dat my grs~ndpsrents corne from Afrioa. Dey tooled dem to come or I oails it foolin dein. De peoples . go to frioa en when dey go to dook, dey blow ~hietle en de peoples oeme from all over 4e sountry to see what it was. Dey

177 173

code No. j~c~ Words__________ Project, l885~.(1) Reduced ~ words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by~ Place, Marion, S.C. 173 Date, August 31, 1937 Page 3. ~ fool dem on de vessel en give dem something to eat. Shut dem up en don let dem get out. some of dein jump over board. en try to get homes but dey eouldn swim en go down. Lots of dem still lost down dere in de sea or I reckon dey still down d.ere cauSe dey am got back yet. De peoples tell dem d~ey gwine bring dein to a place whe dey can live. ni tellin you dat was a good. place to.~ive in slavery time. I d.ldn 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 ~Ighty hard. De overSeer, he pretty rough sometimes He tell dein what time to get up en sound de horn for dat time. Had. to go to work fore daybreak en if dey did,n be dere on time en work like dey ought to, de overeeer eho whip~ern. Tie de slaves olear de rround by dey thumbs wld. nigger cord en make dem tiptoe en draw it tight as could ~be. Pu~ clothes off dem fore dey t~e dem up. Dey di~n care nothin bout It.,. Let everybody look on at lt. I know when dey whip my mamnia. G~at God, in de mornin~ Dey sho had. whippin poets en whippin ho~~ too In dem days, but didn have no jail. I remember dey whipped dem by d.c gin house. De men folks was put to de poet what had holes bore&in it whe dey pull strings through to fasten dem up In dere....~ Dey catch nigger wid. book, dey ax you what dat you. got d.ere en whe you get it from, Tell you bring it here en d~en dey carry you to de whippin poet for dat. flo men folke whip me. . Women folks whip me wid. four plaitted

178 174

Code No. ~o. Words ~ Pro jeot, 188~..(1) I~ed.uoed fi~~~rn~ ~ Prepare~i by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, 5.0. ~ J74 Date, Augaet 3 ., 1937 Page 4. ~ raw cowhide whip. J~Iiggers went to white peoples church in ~at d.ay en time. Dr. Johnson riie by him~e1f en bought carriage Thr niggers to drive his girls dere to Hopewell Church below Claussen. You know whe dat i~, d~on you? Mise Li~zie (Dr. Johrieonts d~au~hter) good teacher. She sent me to de gallery en I recolleot it well she told. me one Sunday dat 1ff I d.Hn ohange my chat, dey were gwine to whip ~ne. She say, You ohillun go up in d.e gallery en behave yourself. If you doX~, I gwine beat you Monday. Dey had~ oat ohiem what dey teach ~ you en she say, Charlie who mad~e you? I tell her papa made me o $he ax me another time who mad.e me en I tell her d.~ same thing another time. I thought I wae right. I sho thought I waa right. She took d.e Bible en to .~ me Go~ mad.e me. I eho thought papa made me en I go home en t .1 papa Mies Li!!ie say she gwine beat me Monday mornin. He ax me what I been dom cuttin up in church. I may, I wa~n dom nothin. 8he ax me who mad.e me en I tell her you made me. He told. me dat God. made me. 8ay he made ~iiss Li~1e en he maci.e everybody. t~in nobody tell me dat fore den,~ but.~ I saved. my beaten cause I changed. my chat. si hear tell bout de eLaves would ran away en go to Canada. Put nigger doge after dem, but so~ae of dem would get dere somehow or another0 If I wae livin on your place, I woulOEnt dare to go to another house widout I bad. a permit from my Massa or de overseer. We slip off en de patroller catch en whip ue~~ One

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C o d.e ~o I~o Words ~.. Project, 1885.~(i) ~ from_~~ ~Wor~.a Prepsred~ by ~~nnie Rath Davie R~~rrj~i~ bj ~ Place, Marion, 8.0. . 175 Date, August 31, 193 ? hji~V. ~ time d.ey give my d~ad. 1y a quilting en ax several ~omen to come dex e. Del had a lot of ohillun to oover en give a quilting so dey can cover d.em up. Mietreee tel . d.em to give o en eo He mach en d.atmaoh ecraps from d.e loom houee. I wae aettin dere in de corner en d~ey blow oane. c~ominon reed~ make mu~io en anoe by it. Dat d~e only way niggers had. to make nnieio. Dance en blow.oarie dat night at grandmother*8 house (Wilson place) . Dey wae juet a pattin en danoin en gwine on. I wae sittin up in d.e corner en look up en patrol wa~ etandin in de oor en cal . patrol. When~ dey hear dat, dey know something gwine to do. Dey took Uncle Mie Gibeon en whip him en den dey take one by one out en whip dem. then dey got houee ~pretty thin en was bout to ~get old. man GibBon, he take ~ hoe like you. work wid. en put it ~ In de hot ashes . People had. to cu.t wood. en keep fire burnin all de year oau.se didn have no matches den. Old. man Gibson went to de door en throwed. de hot ashes in de patrol f oe. Dey tryto whip us, but de old. man Gibson t.ll dem dey got no right to whip hi~ nig~ers . We ran from whe~ we at to our home. Dey trIed tour yeara to catch my daddy, but dej oouln neye r catch him. Be was a slick nigger. I dont remember what kind of medicines dey u~e in slavery time but I know my mamma ~Le ed. to look after d.e slaves when dey get sick. Saw one child bout year or two old took sick en died en Lester ~Ina11 want me to dig it up en carry him to de off joe.

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Code ITo. rro. Words ~ Proj ct, 1885 (l) . Reduced f ni worde Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by~ Plaoe, Marion, 8.0. _____________________ 176 Date, Augaet 3 ., 1937 ~age6. - I ~ dey gwine be dere, but dey never oome. I took it out en laid. it on de bank in sheet dat dey give aie. Den I picked it up en oarried. it in de house. It smeared me up right bad, but I carried it in de office en he look at it. Reput it in de corner en say, Y u can go. Pay me $ 2.00. Dr . Johnson want to out dat ohild~ ~ open. Dat what he want ~wid it. I know dia muoh~ dat d~ey use different kind. of roots for d.ey medicines en I see dem wear dime in dey olothes dat d.ey tel). me was to keep off de rheumatism. 8en to Philadelphia tO get dat kind. o! dime. I tellin you time hard. d.ese days. I had. strike here en eau : WOl k, bUt I dom de best I oan . Miss ~ RobInson help me 6~aughter do &e -best she can. Do washin en ironin. Mies Robinson sayshe gwine give me ol~ age penrion.~ I ask Miss Robine n,I say, I livin now en can get nothin. If I die, would you help~ my chillun bury e 5he say, I will do de best i: can to help put you away nice . Mi~ Robinson good lady. ~ - Charlie Gwit, ex~slave, age85, Florence, 8.0. PerSonal inter~iew by H. Grady Davis and Mm. Luche Young, Plorenee, S.C., May 11, 1937.

Ninety two year old negro tells of early life as slave. 181 177

Project #- 1655 /~ ~ .~ Folklore ~%- .~ .- .~: ~ ~ Phoebe Faucette C4~ 1~ 7) 1? Hampton County ~ f~ ) ~ C~. ~ NINETY TWO YEAR OLD NEGRO T?.LT~ OF EARLY L IFE AS SWPE In Hampton County at Lena, S. C., there lives an ld negro woman who has just passed her ninety-second birthday, and tells of those days long ago when man ~s bound to man and families were torn apart against their will. Slowly shedraws the cur~ tain of Time from those would-be-forgotten sc~fles 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, unie, that you remembe r about the old days before the Civil War. Just what you ve told your grand-daught er - May and her friend, Ah ce here many t imes, - I s what I want to hear ~ - ~ Tell her, mamma, said Alice with a whoop of laughter, ! about the time when your 1~issus sent you to the store with a note Oh thati Not that Missus? ~ Ye s Aunt le that & . Well, ~ was just a little girl about eight years old, stay. Ing in Beaufort at de Missus~ house,.polishlng her brass and~ irons, and scrubbing her floors, when one morning she say to me, ~~Jar4e, ta~ this note down to Mr. Wilcox Wholesale Store on Ba7 Street, and fetch nie back de package de clerk gie (give) yo ~ III took de note. De man read it, and he say, 13h ~ huh . ~ ~ Den he turn away and he come back wid ~a little package which I t lt back to de Missus.

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Project #.1.i655 Page - 2 :1 Phoebe Faucette Hampton Coliney . t, Sh e open I t when I br Ing I t In and s ay I Go ups ta lr s, 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 wha t she wa s whipp in me b ou t ; but she pour i. t on and she pour it on. ltpur~e ct .y she say, You t ~ say Marse Henry Mis s? You can t say Mar se Henry ~ t Yes m. Yes rn. I kin say, Marse Henryti 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 H ~ cUd )~ou happen to go to Beaufort, Auntie? You told me you were raised right here in Hanptori County on the Stark Plantation. ~ . I was, Miss. ~ut my mother and four of us children (another was born soon afterwards) were sold t~o ~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 Mars~ Tom Willingham; but my mothe r bel ong t o ano the r whi t e man. Mars e T om was always trying to buy us 30 we could ail be together, but de man wouldn t sell us to him. Marse Tom was a Christian gentle . maul I believe he seek religion same as any colored person. And prayl Oh, that was a blessed white maul A blessed white

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.. project # 1655 Phoebe Faucette Hampton County Page ~. 3 :179. mani And Miss Mamie, his daughter, was a Christian lady. Every Wednesday afternoon she d f111 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 shetd read de scriptures to urn, and she d kneel down and. pray eor um. But we had to leave all de folks we knew when we was took to Beaufort. All of us chillun, too little ~o work, used to have to stay at de Street . Dey d have some o ~d folks to look a ft er u s - some old man or s orne old woman ~ d oie an off a place on de ground rear de washp t where dey cooked . . de peas, clean it off real clean, den pile de peas out dere . . .~ ~u~m ~ on de ground for us to eat. We d pick,4ip 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 xn& e a stiff dough that could be patted into shape with de hands. De cakes w uld be p~ right into the rire, and i~vould be washed off clean after they were racked out fro m de coals. .. Sometimes de Massa would have me mindin de birds off de corn. But fore I left Beaufort, I was dom de Missus washin and ironin I was fifteen years old when I left ~eaufoi t, at de time freedom v~s declared. We were aU re united den. First, my mother and de young chillun, den I got back. My uncle, Jose Jenkins cane to Beaufort a~ stole . ~ ~l, me by night fr01 my Missus. He took me wid him to his home

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Project #-1655 Page - 4 Phoebe Paucette Hampton County In Savannah. We had been done freed; but he stole me away from de hou s e When my father heard that I wasn ~ t w Id de others, he sent my grandfather, Isaac, to hunt me. ~Vhen he find me at my uncle s house he took me back We walk ed all back - sixty-four miles. I was foundered. ~ know if n a foundered person will jumpover a stick of burn inc lightwood, it will make um feel better. Tell us, Auntie, more about the time when you and your mother and brothers and sisters had just gone to Be~ufort. Well iiiam. My mothe r say she didrit t know a soul All de time she d be prayin to de Lord. Shetd take us chi iun to de woods to pick up firewood, and wetd turn around to see her down on her knee s behind a stump, ~ Vit d see her w~p1n her eyes wid de Gorner of her apron, first one eye, den de other, as we corne 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 leo Iced out de door and dere she saw commt 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, VSarah, Sarah, Saraht . Yes, Sir. ~ What is you~ . fr ttin bout so? ~ 511 , I m a stranger here, partei from my husband, with five little chillun and not a morsel of bread.

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Project # .655 Page - 5 181 phoebe Faucette Hanpton County tIYOU say you re parted from your husb~ad? 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 sa ~yin Wonder who lt is that s int 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 chilltns. Soon de other white folks from round about heard of her and she was gettin all de washin she needed. She would wathfor de Missus dunn 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 amt 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 gts 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 HIrn for de food. t s de one that sent it, and I thanks Him. Then, on my knees, I thanks him.

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project #- 1655 Phoebe Faucette Henlpton County Page-6 / - 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.~ ~ ~8 1_ ~

Rebecca Jane Grant. 187 183

Project #-1655 Phoebe Faucette 390013 183 Hampton County REBICCA JANE GRANT ~ Yes, Malana, Aunt Beckle said, I remembers you, you Miss Mami e Willingham grand daughter . She was sure a good woman. She d fill her buggy with sugar, tea, coffee and tobacco, and go every Thursday to see the si ck and old people She dn t except none ~tuite or colored. No ni she wouldntt exc~pt nonel That s the kind of folks you spning from. You s got a good heritage. The most of what I remenibers before the war was when I was in ~eaufort. They used to take care of the widOws then. Take it b~ tux~s. There was a lady, Miss Mary Ann Baker, whose husband had been an organist in the church. When he died they would ail take turns caring for Miss Mary Ann. I remember I d meet her on de street and I d say, Good mornint Miss Mary Ann. Morning Janie. How you this mornin Miss Mary Ann? She d say, Death come in and make and hard livix~g make contrlvan ee ~ Sh ~ take ~ny old coat or anything and make it over to fit her children, and look good, too. She was a great seamstress. You dsee her children when they turn out on de street and they looked the same as some ric~h white people s children. Nearly all of her children was girlsf Had one boy, as well as I kin remember. Dey used to make de clothes for de slaves in de house. Rad 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 ~ somegreen, ~me blue, and pretty colors. And it was strong cloth, too. Times got so ~ hard: during de wer dat de white folks had to use dc cloth

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Project # 1655 Thoebe Paucette ~ hampton County woven by hand, themselves. De ladies would wear lustles, and whoops made out of oak. Old times, they d make underbod.les with whalebone in lt. There was & mething they d put over the ~hoop 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 something they had to fasten it up to. &nd the littlebabes 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. t, One day when I was nurs Ing my Mi s su& son - him and I been one age, bout the same age - he go up town arid buy a false face. Now I didn t see nuth.tn like dat before! 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 lt had of killed it, it wouldn t been me. It d been demi 0ause I ain~t never seen sech a thing before. You say what sthoolin de slaves got? They didn t get none - unless it was de bricklayers . and such like and de seamstresseS, If d masters wanted to learn them, they d let em hold de book. But they would4 t miss de catechism. Mid they was taught they must be faithful to the Missus and Maraa s work like you would to yoav heavenly Father s work. dn t hay e no co bred churche B . De driver s an~ de over- Page-2

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Project #- 1655 Page - 3 18~ P~hoebe Fa~.cette Hampton County seers, de house-servants, de bricklayers and folks like dat d go to de white folk s church. But not de field hands. Why dey oouldxi 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 si~1 Oh they d sing L I remember two of t em spe o ially. One wa s a flan and he d sing bast. ~ ~ he d roil it downi The other was a wcznan, and she d sing sopranol They had colored preseh. ers to preach to de field hands down in de quarters. Dey d pre ach in de street Me et next day t o de mar sat s and turn in de report. How many pray, how many ready for baptism and all like dat. Used to have Sabbath School in do 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 ehillun Sabbath School. Learn them de Sabbath catechism ~ 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 pers on. The words are : I waiit to be an angel, 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, axxi praise Him day and night. Old Parson Winborn Lawton used to preach for us after the war ~ until we got our chureh organi zed. lie had a daughter named

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Project #-1655 Page ~ 4 ~phoebe Faucette 186 Hampton County Mi ss Anna Lawton. At the white s chur cli at Lawtonville they had a colored man who used to sing for them, by the name of Moses Murray. He d sit there back of the organ and roll down on them bast. Roll down just like de organ roui He was Moses Lawton at that time, you know. You know how old I am? I m in my 94th year. Ella hasa dream book she looks up my age in and tells me what luck I have, and all that. I generally had good luck. Source : Rebe eca Jane Gran t 93 ye ar s old Le na S C. /

Stories of ex-slaves. 191 187

390081 Projeot 1885..(1) FOLKLORE Edited by: I8~ Sparbanburg, S.C. R.V. W1111~~ Distri i No.4. May 26, 1937. STORIES OF EX~..SWTES MOST everybody k~iow my name. You gotta help me, Oh, yeah, dat swhat I goes by. It s Brack;..dey calls me oie uncle Brack~ - Look out, over dan said a negro who was standing nearby. Uncle Brack, you know you is got mo names dan dat. wpy, everwhar you goes, dey calls you a different naine. Shot up, you sassy-~mouth nigger~ Uncle Brack waved his stick as the younger negro moved out of its ~ roach. Uncle Brack walks with two sticks nearly ail the time. He is bent almost double. ~ He de greatest nigger rascal a-gwine, Uncle l3raok said. ~ 11e jest dream all de tune, and drea~n~ don t nebber amount to hi Dean dreams what he carri es on ~id in de daytime, dey is i~that makes him tell so n~ny lies. De idea, talking like I has a different naine everwhar I goes, when I don t go nowhar. Why, I can t hardly hobble to de sto . Dey mus help me. I took down sick in No vember. Mr. Rice ~ ont me Ithings You gov mexrb folks sin t s ont me irnich as Mr. Rice and de good white folks. what likes me. I se ba wn ten years when Freedom oons out. B nn seventy-odd years since Freedcm, ain t it, Cap? Dr. Jim Gibbs was migh1~r good to me. You sees dat ISse a-gwine about now. Dr. Gibbs ocnie from Ailcen to Union and sot

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188 up a drug sto whar Cohen s is now. Dr. Gibbs was a Charleston man, but I is a Kentuc1~ darky. Dr. Gibbs brurtg ins from Kentucky to Charlest i when I was five years old. L~r ma was de one dat dey bought. Dr. Gibb t wife was a Bohen up in Ken-. tuo1~y. lNhen Dr. Gibbs fetch his wife to Charleston, he bought n~r ma from his wife s ~ and she fetch me along too. ~ It ten o clock beTh I can creep. tIat de reas i dat i: has to beg. Wasn t fer iriy age, I wouldn t ax nobody fer nothing. De Lawd done spared me fer soanethint and I carries on de best dat I can. Doctor se~r he couldn t do no good. Dat been five years ago de fust time I tuok down. Doctors steadies about money too much. I ti ustes 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 walk0 (Uncle Brack pu~ched his fo ot i~ith a stick; then looked up and s aw two negro girls approach-. ing.). ~ As the girls got opposite Uncle Brack, he threw his stick in front of them and they exclainied, Is dat you, Uncle Brack? How did you get up here? Uncle Brack replied, I never meant fer you to git byrne. Joe kaize I$se oie, ain t no reason fer you not speaking to me. As the girls walked on, Uncle Brack said, I flirts wil all de colored gals, and I also has a passing word for dv white ladies as dey goes by. nI used to work at the baker shop over dar when Mr. James ohilluna was little saplings. se gwine on eighty-.six and d~a big boys raise dey hats to me. White people has respec for mae kaize I ain t never been in jail. I ~2OW8 hOW to carry 3m/self, and I specs to die dat way if I can. Lii chile what jus could

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3 talk good gived me a penny dis ma wning. HI used to could read. I learnt to read in Aiken, ~ whenschoolfustbrokeouttodecolored people. Northern J ~ people teached me to read long time ago. Now my eyes is dim. SOURCE: JOHN GRAVES, (Col. 86) N. Church St., Union, S.C. Interviswer: Caldwell Sims, Union, S.C. (2/27/37) a 189

Stories of ex-slaves. 194 190

190 project 18854 . POLXLORE 39023G 5partanbUr~ Dist 14 Sept. 8, 1937 STORIES OP EX~SI VES Miss Alice Cannon give me my age from de foundation of ray mother. Dey been bringing my things out to me ~ is dat what you se do1ri~, settirx~ down here by me? I was born on de first Christmas Day I means de 25th of December, 1855; in Newberry County on de ~am Cannon place. You had to turn off de Ashford Perry Road about seven arid a half miles from de town of Newberry. My mother was Prances Cannon of near Cannon Creek Church. - I 1 .~ try to ~ive you a straight definition. O ,d mari Sirn Galiman was my old raissus brother; she waslVliss Viny Cannon. My boss was overseerfor Mr. Geo.. Galirnan. ~e was otiMr. George splace. When Mr. Gailman started overseeing, Mr. Sim Gallrnan come over dar for demto take his place and care for hirn. . My boss ~Sam Cannon pr inised me a place . Miss Viny Cann n suckled m and h r son Henry at de sanie time, me on one knee and. Henry on t olther. Dey cale me Timber . Miss Salue said tous atter ~ Freedom, You ain t got no marsters . I cried. ~iy Malet me stay wid Mise Salue. Mr Henry GaIlrn.ari promised tornarry Miss Sally Cannon, -. my young inissus; but he went to- de war and. never come back hometlo mo . Mr. Jeff Ga:Llrnan went, but he come back wid one arm. Mr. Tom Galirnan wen,t andrnarried his first cousin, Miss Addle Cannon; he never~ot to .~o to de war. . -- . . $~ ~a.ther was a fu1L.b1oo1d~d Indian from Vir~ini.a, He w~s a refugee. But you know dat dey had a way of selling people back den. Somebody oau~ht ~iim and~o)4 him at one of dem sales. De man what ~ . ~ . . . Edited by~ ~1mer Turna~e ~: ~~ ~

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3tories Of EX.~31aves ..~...(Sirii Greeley) bought hirn was IvLr. Jeff Buzzards He went back to Virginia atter de surrender. I would riot go. He took another woman on de place, arid ray mother ~ou1d not let me go. De woman s name dat he took was Sara Dan-. by. She had two brothers and a sister -.~ $amuel,Coffee, arid Jenny. i~y mother was mixed Indian and. ifrican blood. My folks got stroyed up in a storm. My grandrather ~as named Isaac Haltiwariger. My grandmother, his vvife, was named Annie. Dey had one child who was my mother; her name Prances. My grandmother s name was Molly Stone. tt:~dy parents, talking bout de Africans, how funny dey tak~ked. Uncle Sonny and uncle Edmund. Buff was twO o~ de old uns. old man Charles Slibe was de preacher. He was a Iviethodist. My fether was a Baptist. His white folks, de Billy Caidwelis, preoared de barn for him to preach to dere slaves. In da~ day, all -de Africans was low ~ chunky fellers and~ raal black. Dey saId dAt hi Africa, little chu-. luns run round de house arid de fattest one fail behind; den dey kill him arid eat him. Dat s de worst dat I ever heard, O Lawdl II hates dat Liissus didn t whip me mo arid let me be teached to read and write so dat I wouldn t be so ignant. Por de neuralgia, take and tie two or three nutmegs around yo neck. Tie brass buttons around de neck to stop de nose a-.bl~ding. Greeley s house has four rooms and it is in great need of repair. It is badly kept and so are the other houses int?Powler?s Row . He lives with his wife, Eula, out she was not lithine during the visit. My house longs to a widder woman. She white but I does not know her name. Her collecto~ is Mr. Wissnance (Whisenant ) . He got a officeover 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 ~win down. Rest of de houses on de Row is repaired, but ~iine ain t yet; Page 2 191

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Stories of EL.S1~v.es ~ (Sim Greeley) ~ Pace 3 j,9 ~. ~ so she have Mr. TNissnance drap off twenty~.five cents, and. now I is paying only seventy.~five cents a v~eek. Me and. Eula has to go anion~st de white folks fer bread arid other little things. Ain t got no bread from Uticle Sam since last ~u~ust, See my tater patch, wid. knee~ high vines. - De case worker want to git my age and whar l s born. I tolk her jest what I told you. She say she ~ot to have proof; so I told her to write Mr. Cannon . lease who was de sherif~ 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 ray kerrect age anyway. it turn t out jest zactly like I told you it was. What worried nie de mostest, Is dat she never knowed Mr. Cannon ~1ease. Is you ever heard. of sech a thing as a lady like dat not knowing Wir. Blease~ - - - ttNow Mr. Dr. Snyder is a man dat ain t setting here sleep. He s-a inill oriaire,kaise he run Wofiord College and it musttake a million dollars to do dat, it sho must. My cas worker knowed him. De case worker calls me ?preachert, but I ain t ~ot 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-givehim Henry His Ma never give him none. Some Lolks load8 down babies and kills dein wid names, but his I~a never wanted to do dat. so us jest calls him Henry Roosevelt. Us does not drap none and us does not leave none out, - - . jent to hurch one night and left my pocketbook in a box on my mantel. Had ~l2O.OO in it in 1pap~er, and ~8 in silver. Some ni~gera dat bad been!vatchin~ me broke down my do dat I had locked. Dey took de ~i2O and left~de ~8. Went home and I seed dat broke do , ~

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~ ~ ~ ~ ~- ~ stories o:ff Ex..~SLaves ~ (Sirn Greeley) Pace 4 : ~3 I went straight to my mantob and $ee d what was done. Dey neve,r 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 Lortune teller, a man; he say I know dat you lost a. lot. De one X thought got de money, he said, was not de right one. }Iesay dat three hobo~.~: got it. One had red hair, one sandy hair and de other had urly hair. He say somebody done cited dem and dey sho going to be caught dis very day. He say dat dey cone froni, $heville. But he was wroM, kaise dey ain t never caught uo three hobos dat I everlearn t about. ~One day when I was plowing, I struck de plow ginst some~ thins . My plow knocked &~f de . I heard money rattle . It ring... ed three times. 1 couldn t see nothing, so I called my wife and son and dey looked, butwe never Thund but Live cents. Never In my life d~d J; hearoi a bank inslavery times. Everybody buried dere money and sometimes dey Thrgot where dey put it, I Thought dat I had run - on some o:f ~ dat money den but I never Lound none . L ts o~ money buried soznewhars, and ffolks died and never remembered whar it was. IL nigger republican leader ~ot kilt. I hel t de hosse.s f~r de Ku klux. Great God~.a~.mighty, ~Dave and Dick Gist and Mr Oald.well run de at de Rutherford place in d~ni t imes . Peeder of dem ho~ses was Edmund Chalmers. Mr Dick say Hell o Edmund how come dem mules so po when you ~ot good corn everywhar ~ what, you stealing corn, too? ~. Qatzel say, Yes, I cotch hixnwid abasket on his shoulder. Whar was you ca~rryin~ it? Edmund say, To ~, C ldwell . Mr. Caldwell~say he ain t see d no corn. Dey took Edmund to de jail. He had been taking cora and selling it to de carpetbag~. gez s, and d~at ~ Was Ler d~e Ku Klux hosses. ~ ~ ~ ~ . . . . . . ~

198 194

~w ,~ ~ ~ ~ ~J ~w~w ~ ~ ~t or ie~ Of EX.~ Slaves ~ ~ (S im Gre e ley ) Pa e ~ j~j~ 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..~ tied. near de Gibson place . I ~ed de Gibson boys oz...dogs . about dat time fer dem. . ni want to ~it right wid you, now; so I can meet you lovely. In 73, I thought $omeone was 8hakiflg xny~ ho se; I corne out doors wid my sun; see d white arid colored coin ing tog~her.~ Everrbody was scared. All got to holleringand some prayed. I thought dat deearth gwine to be shook to piece8 by:rnornixi~. I thought of old-Nora (Noah). : Dein Bible folks ~ee d a little hand.8pan cLoUd. Nora had don built hini a house three storie8 hi~h. Dat little cloud busted. Water riz in de $econd$tory of dewl ked. king s palace. He~sont~ex~ -- de northern lady. When she come a-ehak1n~ nd a~twisting in 4e room d kin f e1~l-back iflbi8 chair. He saydat hegive her anythin~ She . want,- all 811 ~otto do is ask f r it. Shesayto cut off John . Wesley a heAd. and bring it to her. De king had done got so su1uc~ tiou~ dat hed ne it. flat king and. all of dem ~ot drowned. Nora put~ a lot t t hines in de ark dat ~he cpt~ld have left out se eh a~ snakes and other ~a,rthents; but de ark floatedoffanyhow. No sir, dat ~ de CIfftc~ noo~, ~dat was Nora s flOEod. . ~ So ce: .S~iQ~ eiey (82), 280 ?owier s Ro~, Spartaxaburg, S.C. ~: C~ ~ ~1 ~ Uni.on, S.C. (8/27/371. ~ . ~ .~ .~.. .. .~ : ~ ~ .~ j a ~ ~ C~ ~ ~

Ex-slave born December 25, 1843. 199 195

8~~6O 264 4~ P 1 -~ r3r~ Fr0j0C ~ 39O13~ No~or~a:I497 ~j~L J Augustul LaUem ) Char~Lea;ou,S.C. ~-8LAVE BORN D1~C~L1BZ~ ~b,J843 C~ ~ARD MASTER ~ CT~J GIV1L ~AR-~L~AV~G H~ (f ~:L ~as bo ri in wiar~.a~on at 82 King S~reet,fl.ceaibsr ~5,I843.me house is a~iLL i~hsrs wtio recent owner is Judge dha.Ley.My m~ an pa was Kate an John Ureen.My nia had seben ctii.uun (boys) en i~ em itie isst or n.Tb ir names was: Henry,SCipiO,&LLi~,Natk1aniii,ttOberc Iiike.LL~ari inyaeIf . ~ iha 5euth ~ast of ealhouri ~~ree~,wbich was chin ~ounctry ~ree~,to ;he k3at~ery ~aa the city .Li~U~ &n i~rom i~t~e ~ortti ~ es~ ox Boundry ~reii ~or ~ev a1a rni.Lea wsa nQUl;Ln but 2~s a~ .i~an~1.LLi. r~y bro~iera was ra n~ han s i~or our ~a~or,C~iorgs u.Jonsa.i dia a.~ uie house work ~i~L ~tii wa~ w e~ I was given ~o . ~ . ~ ~ ~ _i Mr.~ni,Jonsa~5 aon,~#m.k1.Jonea a~ ~ia ~ii~y gi~e servant who au;y was o cican . bis boove,ahoes,aword,an make his cortee He was I~ irs Liiu~enant of thi South Car Iina Ge~pany ktsgimenc.Bein his aervanv~,iwear a.LL. his cas on c1o~hea wiuch ~L ~~aa g.Lad to havi.My ahOea wee ca.LL brogan thai haa b~a~ on the toe,W eri a slav, hait one of im you couicin t ~ej~.i em he wean s dries ;o ~ ~ I Ae the daiiy give sir vsnt of itir.~tiu.H.Jonea I had ~o go ~o Virginia aurin ;he wa$,Jn the ba~~Le ai ~tichrnond Gen ai Lie hact Gen iL Grant aimos bea~en.I~s drive h~~i aimou~ in thi Potomac ktiver,au ;r~ien sake seven pe~cea 01 rtia ar~iiiery.w en Gen al tirant Bee bow near dereat hs waa,t~e put up a white LLag sa a ~ignti i~or time out to bury h~B dea~a.&haL flag a~ay up ~or three weeks whij.e t~in a3 ~krant was diggin Erenchea.1n skie meanttiie he gO~ ineasage EQ Pria Ident Lincoiri sakira him to sen a resnzorcstnant of aojua.Gen si 3hsr~an ~aa in charge of the regiment who ein word so 1.i.n sJ (+rarit to tio.L his poeiEion iii he had cap;ur i~ojumbia,8avannsh,burn ou~ iJharJ.ee;on whi.Le on hie way with title dia paceh of 4q5~OOO mIm.~i4 n Gen al Snirvian ~ot ~o Virgiriia~the battle was renew

200 196

SI.. 260 264~ F~ojeCL ~I6~b A~UgUSVU5 Lacison Page n: 19() i~X-8LAVi~ coni a. ~.n cor~taraued tor seven days a~ itis sri ox v~hich ~en a1 Lee surrender io Gen a.L Graxit.i)Uritt tb sever~ d~ya righ; the bac~ie go~ so hoi tij. ~ ~ Jones u s4e ~ escape an ~ was ~wo ~aya fore ~L know he was gons.One of ~ti, ~.ri ais sen me hotus an J~ go~ hers ~wo ctaya x~ore Mr.~i~iexi gO~ k~ome.k1e wer~~ up In the anic an stay ~tisrs iii ~he was was enci .i. carry a.u. his meais ~o him an teLL him &U~ Ehi newa.lVlastir show was ~ rragh~en inan~i. was sorry ror t~im. J~&E ba~ie as ttichrnon~,~irginia ~as ~ie wore in cier~.cc.n hisiory. ~ ~r.Ueorge ~.Jonea,my~.rnas~erran a b.Lockaae skie ha~ sh~j;~ roamiri ~ sea to capture p~.racea eh~i.ps .14 hai s aaugh~er,i!~.u.en,who was a,i~ways kin ~o ~he a.Levee.Mas;er baU a 1river,~iiiiam Jenkins,an an a oversesr,H.nry Brown. both was wh~e.~hs driver ses ~ha~ the work was done by ~bi supirvasion ox ~ie overseer.MasLer fa IIL auiOun~sct ~o ~wsn~yaPx1ve ac~sa ~ii;h boue eagh~eori siaves. ihe overseer bLow the hO n wh~ch was a conch aheLJ~H a~ in the morn~n an every sLave better answer w en ~he rOLL was caLl at aevst.rhs siavea dLd~n it1aVe have to wurk on ~f&L aay. ~t.~(y5fl ha~ a privais jaui on ~ueen Street near ;bs ~Jarters Motei.rl. was very cru&L ;be d Lick his slaves so tea*ti.Very sei.dotn one at lus sieves survive a whippiri .~s was ~I~s Oppositi to Gov~nor Aikan,~sho Live ou the North~b~es~ . ~ corner or ~iizabeth an Judith Strssts.Hi had several race p.Lantai~ons,hunaiets of h~ sLaves he d~dn t know. NO~ ;ai John ~ ~ihoun boay was carried down ~ oundry ~rest was ~he name change in his honor.}~e is bury an &t.PbiLUp Church yara, crosa trie s ~ root wi ~h a Leur a.L t i~ Is pi ant ea a ~ hi s head.~eu r min an me ~1g hi ~ g ri vs an 1 Cisar Lbs spOt w ers bai monumoet ~Ow tsii .Ths monumsnt was 1?U~ UP by Pat CI.L1ing~on,a ~harieeton iiaaOnJ nsvsr did uk. (aLbOUZL cIu~S he hated tne Negrs;no iian was ~sr hatsd as ~ucb as him by a group or psopis

201 197

~26O~~26 441 Projo~ fri6~ ~uguStUS Ladson Page ILL 19 ~ J~( 8LAVE cozi~ ~1. m~ ~ork House (Sugar House) was ou M.gaziyie S~reet,buil~ by Mr.Co.i.vm bu~ C.~ruvibone.On TharJi~aer ~trest i~ the s~.ve market rr,u/wkiicb slaves was Gaken ~o Vangue ange an auC~iOne~ ot1. ~t iM foot of Lwrence ~tr..t,oppc 8jtG ~3;a8t Bay Street,on Ehe e~tier side o~ the tro~LLy tracks as w ere~r. Aionza ~~hite ksp~ an a.u. s.Lave8~,1roin his kitchen.FIe was a sLave broker wtio had a house i~ia~ exc en almos ~ o ihe ~ rain ~ ~ck~ which ~s bout three cLne~t yara gOin LO tkii W*~IT~rOUt.NQ train or iroii.y tracks was ~kiene then cau8e ctiene was On.Ly one nai roact hsrs,the Soutti rn,e.n the ctepot was o~ Ann Street w en thi Beggin Mi.Lk now is. . ~i~ ~fl e.Lavee run away an their maa~era ce~cb ~i ,~o the stockade they go w ete ~bSy U b~ whipp* ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ n~o~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .~ ~ ~ I~ C~e~ ~ ~ ~Li ~ i~D ~. ~ ~ ~ ~5 ~ t~aa kl.L.L )tOUt L!~8IS~ O~ U~~BBU8. ~ne song I Icnow ~L us. *u sing ~o iii. ei~avea w sn master went way, but j~ wQo:LcJn t be so xooi. as io .i,t rum h~r oee.~hat ~L kan member OX~ i~ is: Maa~er gons away ~ Eut aark~iea stay ai ti ine, itie year Ct jubi.Lee is come An ireecloni wi.u begun. A group ot ~hi~e min i~as in ~c~oi ~ii~son drug ~ore one day wen L went to buy aOm ttiing.abey con~iience to ax DIS ~usa~iona concernin somi hae~oricai. happenin s an I anawsi itiim a~Li~.8o 4~r.a~iiaon bet ms ~ha~ J. cou1ct!1 ~ ie~LL who far~c~ tri. ii~ ahoj on ort Su ter.i *eu. him L aict know an hi o~er a 1o.i.ia~ ii i: wt night.~ i.LL bini L waan t goin tL.L ilSe ttII do.LLar was given 0 Oni o~ the m .}~ did so an i: to.Ld ~hsm i~ Was ~4wa?d ~tutfin ~

202 198

5.~6u ~b4 iN ?n~oJec~ j~i:b:~b Auguatus Laaaon Page iV 138 EX~ SIAVE cont a. ~he nra shoi an ~ie ctoiJ~ar was mine.~ricieraon was ue~ermine not to ieave ilie ~ort bui w n boue tour srie.Li~a ha~ ki~,i ii~e tort he was g~i*d to be ab~Le to come out.~ en ~hermanwas comin ~irough ~o~umbia,he Iirs~ an a sheiJ. ioaged in the 8Outh ~&s~ t r1~ Of the Dtaie llouae wlriicti was forbidden ~I be fix . Re was comi.n~ dowa Main Sirset w .n ~ t~tppene . ~L~k1I lira cwo popi~ ~ria~ was hung ~.n ihariea~on ~as Harry an Tanie; husban an wile who was saa~ss oi~ Mr.(Thrist~~pher Biack.~r.Biack h~ then ~ ~ ~ ~.~.anned ~c ~.Li ~r1S wnw.~e u~by.~iney pv.~.s~n ~t i~ b~ea~fa~~ ~ r~u~ ~ ~ ~wu ~ ~fL~ ~ ~ ~ -. v~x .~.eep,~ney ~ wuuJ4 a been ~sad. ~ ~~~iCtB ~ J.~ua ~acan~ .y.An ~ w&~ ~ ~ ~ pO:L5~ ~ ~c,s~j ~LLr ~ ~ .~Vti~8 ~ ~ ~ u~ vii.k ~ .~ .ai ~ ~ X Avenue. b~~ 5fl any ira your owner x amb.Ly was gain to be married $he sLaves was dress in linen c.Lo~hea &o wi~nsss tti ceremo~~.~niy apeci~J. b.Lavea was crioaen ~ be a~ erie Wedd~i&.a.LtiYeg ~SB a~ays ax h~w tuey ~ iae o~e whu was C~mJ4.~L ~ trx~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~.4o~ ~ . ~M ~ ~ ~ .~beU by sayin nice ~k1iriga bout ~bs person en ba;e thi person SE Ui~ came time. S.Lavea was a.i~ways bury in 4~s nigfl~ sa no 0flecou~La s;op ;o do i~ in ~be ~ay.Oie boards ~$a use EQ maki ~he coffin thai was biackeue~ with shoe po.LisIi. *ft~er t~e war L ~id garden wurk r.~ij.i a Bee on James ieJ.ar give Lrack Ct ian to the Negroes zor a acboo.L jus aZur ibs aar;he put up a stied like buiiain with a Zew chairs in it ..L~ was at *tie p.LaCe CLL.L (Ut Bridge. r Henry McKivLsy,s negro wk~o ran as ~easmmn rroin (barieston jus after ~be war,~Livsd On (~L1J1CUn 8ireet .~e wta a m.fl cexrier.}Ie made an oath ~o A~Lmigtity Goa fiat if hi was e~L.ciea,bea neier betray bis ~rua .1n one of bi~ apeecties he asid: j. hope God iii. parai ze me ahouLi ~L 40 as others bave

203 199

5.. 26e- ~4 t ~ ~ ~TOj6C~ ~i65b -~( AugUStUS Ladson Page V ~X~ SLkV~ conte~. dOIlI. tHS WSS .ticted an nevsr see the Uongreas.Ons wha;e man 1~rom Orangeburg, $emue.L Uibbin,bough; him out.M thrse iseka ister McY4niey took a acroke ;ha~ carry hiui ~o a ear.Ly gravsJames ~right,e~ Negro juiige o~ eharieston in ~b~/t~ ~ ~ ~ 8oJ~$ ou; ior ;an thousand clo.LLara a d.ii~. O1~ 1MILCh hi bain ; receive yst.Hs c~o~a ;tie bridge an aiay ~n a o.i~e house an aie ;hsre.rhe Probate Juuge, A.~hip er,reXuseU ~ give up ~bs books o~ Judge ~righi ~to ths whiie man h. ~Je.u ou; ;o .Ju~gs W~apper ~aen; in kSsau~or; jaii. an di there cause he wou.LQ.n0 give up ;hs bookB.~righ~ ksp$ auch a poor rscorci tbaI~ Judge ~hipper ~as ~xsheinid to havi them expoae,in ~nat e why he ctid.n ; give up the books. Henry &ia~LLa,owner Ox ~be Sma.LLB Lo; on vomir Street was second Lieutenant on LEu ~O~CS 1orc .Henry ~ardham ~as Second Aeslsianc e Lieu;enant.Capi~ain Janies ~diJ~L*ma,~~aru Aaais;anEs Lieu;etan; who become U~ptcir. o~ the ~ )ep~rEmen& an Larme ;tie Uaro4~ina Light n antry which ~a8 recogriiz I .L Ben ii.LLman ca.LL ;bsrn on ;tis L*rSSfl an caki bsar guns. j Is. janitor a~ Bsnsdic~ to~LLege in ~oiu~bia rot swo years anar Ciaf/.uri in Ure~igeburg ~or cws.Lvi.The Fresidezi;s under which J. worke was: &LLen ~eba~sr,grandson or tkis dictionary maker;J.(.Vookan Ur.Dun~iri. ~ I%~ow au. ;ha; is pass an i m .Livin Xrom han co mouth.Ths banks ;ook a.Li my money an j can t wsrk.i. dO ;hs co~Li.ectin ior my .Ln iord an he give mi a rooui ~rsi.~i~ 1* WaBn E for ;ha; ~ don t know what i d do. 50 uiiC~ interview with ELijah (insu i~6 ~J.izsbetb tr.. ,Qbarieaton,/3.G.

Stories of ex-slaves. 204 200

project 1885-~1 ~ . . ~ POLKLORE ~dite . by : 200 spartariburg, Dist.4 390229 . Elnier Turriage Sept.-7, 1937 STORIES OF EX-~SLAVES ~Cap, I was born on de Bonner place, five miles from Gaff.~yJest about de very first recollection dat sticks wid me, is my mammy a.-k~iding me when de Ku Klux wasriding. 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 beas quiet as possible. Both my parents went arid U4 in de d~e of de woods. De Ku Klux pass.ed on by wi.dout even holding up dere hosses.~ ttDurin~g slav ry my mother went to Mississippi wid her mie.- tress, ~&ttimesse Smith floss. Soon atter Freedom dey come back to Smith s Ford on de Pacolet. Steers pulled slides , wid de white folks belongings on de slides. We nig~gers went to meeting on de slides. De ends of de slides was curved upward. ~Then we ~otto meetiri~, we went ~ under de brush arbors. Fresh brush was kept~cut so dat de sun. would not~shine through. Uriderde arbors we saton slabs and de preacher st ood on de ground. ~Te had better meet ings den dan dey have . Everybody had better religion den dan dey does now. In dem days re.ligion went further dan it does now. Yes sir, religiQn meant some.thing den, and went somewhars. My pappy rode a ~inny to preaching. ; Der was not as much devilment as dere is now. Times ~was S ~better Ler i4 One day last week I went t o meet ing and took dinner . We eat on a slab t able and had ice t ea t o dz i Meas ~as dere drinking on de side and all other devilment dey could carry on in sieht . o de chure~x. De preacher eat wid us. sonie eat out of dere buckets and iould not come and be wid de crowd. LOng time ago, no.bo4y didn t act ~eedy ).~ike dat. Girls cut up like boys now, and nobo&y clokntt look dowrL on dem. ~ ~5 ~ ~ .~. .~ : ~ ~. ~ ~ .. .. . ~ ~ . .~: ~ t

205 201

Stories of ~L-S1aves (~ ~ Green) Pace 2 201 ;~1;~~ When I was a boy, gir~.s acted like de old ~oiks arid dey ~ ~ . ~ ~. :~ did not carry on. Nobody ever heard of a girl drinking and smoking J~ den. If a girl made a mistake in de old days she ~ throwed over-. board. Why when I was little, us boys went in a~washin~ wid de ~gir1s and never thought nothing bout it. ~1e was most grown befo we know d a thing bout man and woman. I was fiCteen years old. when I ~ot my Lirst shoes and dey had brass toes. ~1e played ball ~ wid de girls in de house, and sung songs like Goosey, Goosey Gander . ~ . We had wheat breadonly once a week, said Jesse Steven..~ son who came up and entered the conversation, and dat was on Sunday. I had a good time at Green s wedding. Green married Carrie Phillips who lived two miles above me. Vie boys talked to de girls in school. We was around tvventy years old bei~o we vvent to school. Of course dat was atter Freedom. De teacher ~ould light on both oi~ us fer talking across de books. Carrie was about a year younger dan Green. Green, tell de gentleman t,iriterviewer what you said when you ax d uncle Ben Ler Carrie. I say, said Green, ~come out into de cool of de yard, please sir, if you will uncle Ben; I has a question 0 de utmost concern to us both to lay a~ your feet . Uncle Ben say, Look here, youngnigger, don t you know dat iain t got no business gwineout in rio night dew ~ what ails you nohow? I lows, Uncle Ben, it is a great raatter ot~ life and death dat I wishes to consult wid you over . He clear his throat arid spit in de Lire arid say, Wait, I ll come if it s dat urgent. I took h~m under a tree so dat no dew ~vouldn t drap on his head and give him a cold. I said, I want to marry your dau~hter, uncle Ben. He say, ?7hich one is dat dat you wishes, Sir De purttiest one, Qarrie, says I, dat is, if you ain t ~ot no objection.

206 202

Stories Of ~c-.S1aves ~ t7.M~Green Page 3 202 BeTh I axed Ler Carrie I was loving two gals, but of course ~: drapped de ot~aer n after uncle Ben give me a favorable answer. Me and Carrie married at Miss Twitty Thom;jsori s house. Dat whar uncle Ben had raised Carrie. Carrie s xnissus give her a good wedding supper wid chicken, ham, turkey, cake and coffee, arid tater salad. Seventy-~five people is what Miss Tvvitty 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 arid a wnite veil. We used dat veil to keep de skeeters off n our first tv~o babies. It made de best ~keeter net. We married one Sunday morning at leven o clock arid had dinner at twelve; give de preacher twerity-.five cents. Never rio one give us rio ~resents. 7~e stayed at my oappy s house fer years. He give us a bed, a bureau and. a washstand. Carrie s folks give us de bed clothes, and. dats vvhat we started on. Jesse, tell de gentleman what you did. at my wedding. t? I stood wid ~reen? said Jesse 5te~ensori, and I had on a brown suit wi~d grey stripes gwirie up arid down it. ~itter de ceremony, ~ ail de gais wanted to swing me arid Green, but Carrie grabbed him and shake her head and grin; so I gbt all de swinging. Green said, Me ~d Carrie never went no whar atter our marriage. 71e stayed on wid my pappy and worked. ~ e been doing well ever since. Source: WIIM. Green (71); Jesse Stevenson (71), Rt.i, Gaffney,S.C. . Interviewer: Caidwell 3ims. 8/23/37

Adeline Grey. 82 year old ex-slave. 207 203

Proj;ct ~ 390425 Approx. 390 words r~ c~ phoebe Faucette ~ Hainpt on County ~ ~ ADELINE GREY 82 ~1&R OLD ~ Ex-Slave Adeilne Grey seemed In good health as she sat before her granddaughter s comfortable, ~ I ~ spoke quietly, with 1~-~- ~ ~A~&~L-i) little excitement, and(~ read*~eeall of)events of her early childhood. ~: was a girl when freedom was declare, ant I kin reinember bout de times. My Ma used to belong to oie man Dave ~ Warne r I r ernenib er how she us ed to wash and ir on ~ cook for de white folks dunn slavery time. - I member when de Yank es come through. I wuz right to de old boss place. It wuz on de river side. Miss Jane War nor, 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 burnde girthouse, de shop, de buggyhouse, -de turkeyhouse ant de fowThouse Start to set de corxthouse afire,.but my Ma say: Please sir, don t burn de oornhouse. Oie it to me an my chillun So dey put de fii~e out. I member when dey started to break- down de smokehouse door, an oie Missus corne out ant say: Please don t break de door open, I got de key. So dey quit. I remember when dey shoot doivn de hog. I remember v~ien dey shoot de two geese in de yard. Dey choked my Ma. Dey went to her ant dey say: Where is aU de white people gold ant silver? My Ma say she don t know You does kn - - dey say, ant choke her till she du t talk. Dey went Into de company room where de oie Miss wuz stayin ~ start tearin

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p~j~t~ ~i6~ Page ~ 2 204 phoebe Faucette Hampton County up de bed. Den de captain come an1 de oie Miss say to him: Please don t let em tear up my bed,! ant de captain went in dere ant tell em Come out%.~ De oie ~1iss wasn t scared. But de young Miss May was sure scared. She was courtin at de time. She went oft ant shut herself up in a room. De oie Miss ask de captain: tpiease go in an talk to de Miss, she so scared . ~o he went in ant soon he bring her out. ~ We chillun wasn t scared. Bu:t; my brother run under de house. De soldiers went under dere a-pokin de bayonets into do-ground to try to find where de si iver buried, an dey ran cross him. t What you dom under heah? .~ dey say. I se jes runriin de chickens out, sir,! he say. 1W011, you kin go on out~! dey say. Wo amt gwine to hurt ~ou~t tI remember when dey kill de hog ant cook tern. Cook on de fir e wher e de 1 it t . e ah op b e en Coo k em an ~ e at em. Vthy didn t dey cook tern on de stove in de house? dri t have no stoves. Joe had to cook on de fireplace. Rad an oven to fit in d~ fireplace. I remember when my Ma saw de Yankees comint dat mornin she gr b de sweet potatoes dat been in dat oven and throw em in de barrel of feathers dat stayed by de kitchen fireplace. 3es a barrel to hold chicken feathers when you pick tem. Dat s all we had to eat dat d ay Dem Yanke e s put de me at in de sa ek au go on off. It was late den, about dusk I remenb er how de Miasus br1n~

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Proje ct ~ Page ~ 3 205 Phoebe Feu cette Hampton County u~ all ~ de fire. It was dark den. Well chillun, t 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 anj nb. t Den we thillun all start cryin. We still a-sittin dere when my Ma come back. She say she slip behind, an slip behind, slip behind, an ~then she come to a little pine thicket by de side of de road, she dart into it, drop de sack of meatdey had her carryin, ~ ant start out f or home Ythe n w e had a Il mak e ove r he r, we say t o her den: t Wel I why id t you br ing de s a ck of me at t long wid you? Dey took de top off oie Marse John carriage, put meat in it ant made him pull it same as a hc~r se Carry him way down to Lawtonville had to pill it through de branch ant all. Got de rock~a-way back though - an~ de ole man. I remember dat well. Had to mend up de oie rock-a-way. An it made de oie man sick. He keep on sick, sick, until he died. I reimber how he d say: Don t you all worry . An~ t d go out in de or chard )e d say : t b othe r him I Jes let him bel He want to prayl Atter a whIle he died an dey buried him. His nmie was John Stafford. Dey Massa wasn t dere. I guess he was off to de war. tBut after freedom was de time i~then dey suffered more dan before. Dese chillun don t know how dey blessed. My Ma coo Iced for d e vth it e f ol ka f or one year aft er freedom.

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Project ~ Page ~ 4 200 Phoebe Faucette Hampton County :i: remember dey cook bread, an dey ain t have nuthin to eat on it. Was thankful for a mbread hoecake baked in de fi re pla ce . But dey ha d so me thing s Had burl e d some meat, an some syrup. An dey had some corn. My Ma had saved de corrthouse. De rice burn up In de glthouse.~ After freedom, dey had to draw de best thread out of de old clothes ant weave itagain. 01e Miss had give my Ma a good moss mattress. ~ut de Yankees had carry dat off. Rip it up, throw out de moss, an put meat In lt. Fill it fUll of meat. I remember she had a red striped shawl. One of de Yankee take dat an start to put In under his saddle for a saddle cloth. My brother go up to him ant say: Please sir, don t carry my Mat s s1~awl Dat de only one she got . ! So he give j t back to him. To keep warm at night dey had to make dere ~x&llet down by de fire ; when all wood burn out put on another pie ce Dl dn t have nuth In on de be d to si e ep on. ~: remember when de oie Miss u ed to have. to make soap, out of dese red oaks. Burn de wood, an catches de ashes. P~.it de ashes in a barrel wid a trough under it, an pour de water through de ashes. If de ly water dat come out could eut a feather, lt was strong. Used to weave cloth after freedom. Used to give a broc oh (han k ) or t wo to we ave at night t se s orne time s thread de needle for my Ma, or pick out de seed out de cotton an m~ e it into ro 1 . a t o ap in Somet line s I d work

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Pr~J8;:t # .I655 Page ~ 5 2O~ Phoebe Faucette Hampton County de foot pedal for my Ma. Den dey d warp de thread. If she want to dye it, she d dye lt. She d get indIgo - you know dat bush an boil it. ~t was kinder blue. It would make good cloth. Sometimes, de cloth wuz klndex~ strip, one strip of white, an one of blue. I rem~nber how dey d warp de thread across de yard after lt ~iz dyed, ant I remember seem my Ma throw dat shuttle through ant weave dat cloth. I member when de oie Miss made my Mamma two black dresses t o we ar throu~i de wi nt e r. ~ d Ice ep t ~ de an ; ha d two so s he cou Id chaxi go . I dont know thy dey didn t burn de house. Must have been c~se de captain wuz along. De house dere now. One of de. chimney down. I don t think dey ever put it up again. Colored fo lits are in it now . t,1 never did know my Pa. He was sold off to Texas when I was ~young. My mother would say, Well, chillun, you amt never Iai wn 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 hor se s a n he want one of them t o b e sent to us chillun he~h; but no arrangen~nts had been made to get lt to us ~You s ee he bad th j . hin out dore . too. . Atter freedom, my Ma plow many a day, same as a man, for

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pr~eci~ Phoebe F~.icette Hampton County Page-6 208 us chillun. She work for oie man Bill Mars. Den she marry again. Part of de time dey work far Mr. Benny Lawton, de ono~aIbU1 fl~fl~ what lost his ann in de war. Dese chillun don t know what hard times is. Dey don t knc~& how to prociate our blessings. Source: Adeline Grey, 82-year old resident of Luray, S. C.

Interview with Fannie Griffin. Ex-slave 94 years. 213 209

Proje* #1655 ~QrI1 c~rz Everett R. Pierce ~. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 209 Columbia, S. C. ~ INTERVIEW WITH F~A~N1~IE GRIFFIN EX- SLA~VFi 94 YEARS. You wazrt;s me to tell you all what I 3~er bout slavery in slavery time? Well ~na ant, I was just a young gal then and l s s. old woman now, nigh on to ninety~four years old; I might be forgot sanie things, but I ll tell you what I members best. My ~ssa, Massa Joe Beard, was a good n~wii, ~but he wasn t one of de richest men. fie only had six slaves three men and three women, but he had a big plantation and would borrow slave8 fromhis brother in- law on de joining plantation, to help wid de crops. I was de youngest slave, so Missy Grace, date Massa Joe s wife, keep -~e in de house most of de time to oo~k and keep de house cleaned up. ~ I milked de cow and worked in de garden too My n~.saa was good to all he slaves, but Missy Grace was mean to us. She whip u a heap of times when we ain t done nothing bad to be J~hip for When she go to whip me, she tie n~ wrists together vrid a rope and put that rope thrt a big staple in de oelling and draw me up off de floor and give ~e a hundred lash s I think bout imj old mwi~r heap of t mies now and how I s seen her whipped, wid do 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 soi~ times de white folks let us go to their church, but we never jine in de singing, we juat set and liaten to them preaob and pray. De graveyard was right by do church arid heap of de oolored people was soared to go by it at night, they say they see ghosts and hanta, and sperits but I a&t

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2. neuer ~s e none, don t believe there is none. I more soared of live people than I is dead ones ; dead people am t gwine to harm you. Our massa 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 aintt had no kind of mediciz~e to give us cepting sperita of turpentine, castor oil and a little blue ~es They aintt had all kinds of pills and stuff then, like they has now, but I believ~ we aintt been sick as n~zch then as we do now. I never heard of no oo~sumption them days ; us had pneumonia sometime tho . You wants to know if we had any parties for pastime? Well ma1e~m, not fl~X3y. We never was allowed to have no parties for dances only from Christmas Da~j to New Year s eve We had plenty good things to eat on Christmas Day and Santa Claus was good to us too. Wet d have all kinds of frolics from Christmas to ~ew Years but never was allowed to have no fun after that time. I members one tine I slip off fro~n de missus and go to a dance and. when I come back, de dog in de yard dn t seem to know ~ end he bark and wake de niissus up and the whip me something awful. I sho didn t go to no more dances widout asking her. De patarollere (patrollers) would ketch you if you went out after dark We most times stay at home at night and spin cloth to umke our clothes We make all our clothes and our shoes was handmade too. We didn t have fancy clothes like de people has now. I likes it better being a slave, we got along better th xz, 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 miesue tell us to put on a big pot of peas to

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3. 211 cook, so we put some white peas in a big pot and put a whole ham in it, so that we ~ 41 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 stroyed ~ moat everything we had. They c~ in de house and told de missus to give them her money and jewels. She started crying and told them she am t got no money or j ewels eapting de ring she had on her finger. They got awfully mad and started straying everything. They took de cows and horses burned de gin, de barn, and all de houses cept de one massa and inissue was living in. They didn t ~~Iave us a thinig cept some big hominy and two beiks of sweet potatoes. We chipped up some sweet potatoes and dried them in de sun, then we parched them and ground them up and that s all we had. to use for coffee. It taste pretty good too. For a good while we just live on hominy and coffee. No ma am, we ain t had. no celebration after we was freed. We ain t know we was free til a good while after. We ain t know it tu General Wheeler come thru and tell us. After that, de n~.ssaand misaus let all de slaves go oepti.ng me ; they kept ~- to work in de house end de garden. Home address: . 2125 Calhoun St. Columbia, 8

Stories from ex-slaves. 216 212

project,.1885.1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ FOLKLORE ~ . Edited by:. O $part anb urg Dl s t 4 3 9 0 1 54 ~n~er Tur nage~ June22, 1937 . STOR lES PROM EX-. SLAVES I will be 85 years old dis coming August. MY master said I was 14 years old de August coming after freedom. ~ymasterwas Billy Scott ~who had seven or eight hundred acres of land, and 48 8laves. He wouldn t have no white overseers, but had some nigger foremen dat sometimes whipped de nigg rs, and de master would whip dem, too. He was a~air man, not so good arid riot so mean. He give us poor quarters to live in, and some... times plenty to eat, but aometimes we went hungry. He had a big garden, plenty cows, hogs and sheep. De ~most we had ter eat -was corn, couards, peas, turnip~~ eens and honie...made molasses. We had wheat bread on Suxidays. It was ir~adefrom flour grind- at u.v own mill . ~ We didn t have but one day off, -that was Christmas Day and denwe had to grindour axes. . 0We made our clothes ~ out of cottonand wool mixed, made dem-at homewid. our own cards and spinning wheels. We-made our shoes out o ~ leather tanned at home, but had to use w olenshoes a~ter de war, which would wear but and split open in three weeks, - - - t My daddy was Amos Wilson and mammy was Canine Griffin. I had some brothers and sisters. When fre dom come, de master orne t o ~ us- and to ld us de damn Yankee s d o n~e free d us w hat you gwinter do? I~ you want ter 8tay On wid me, I wili give you work. We stayed Thr awhile. - ~- - ~ The patrollers caught me-~ot~ce when I run off. I run fast and lost my hat and dey got it. I saw somes laves sold on de ~ ~ block. D y was put irA 5. ring and sold by crying out de price. e ~4 -~

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Folklore Stories Prom i~x SIaves Page 2 21~3 ~Te didn t learn to read arid write, not allowed to. De ni~ers ~ent to de corn shuckings arid was ~1ve pumpkin custards to eat and liquor. Dey wasn t allowed to dance, but sometimes v~e had secret dances, shut up in de house so de master couldn t hear us. ?tAfter de war, we v~erit hunting and fishing on sundays. ~7e never had Saturday afternoons off. ~e killed ~ild deer and other thi~~s. Once de master killed 14 squirrels in three quarters o~ hour. ~ We rai~ed our own tobacco, the master did, ~or home use. ~ost alw~..ys a small patch ~as planted. ?JJe master once saw ~hosts. He corne from his sisters and p~ss~d de ~raveyard arid saw 9 cows with no heads. His horse jest flew home. I~iost white yolks didn t believe in ghosts, but dat is one tiae de ~n~ster believed he savv some. I went wid de Red Shirts, belonged to de corn~any arid went to meetings w id dem. I voted fer Hampton. Befo dat de Ku Klux had bad ni~ers dodging IIk birds in de woods. Dey caught some and threw dem on de ground and vvhipped dem, but de master sa~i he don t know riotiiin~ bout it as he was asleep. Dey caught a nigger pr~acher once and made hi~rn dance, put him in muddy water and walloped him around in de mud. Once seven Indians come in our neighborhood and call er meat, meal and salt. Dere was three men arid Lour women. Dey cooked all night, murmuring something all de tirr~e. Next morning three squirrels vvas ~ound ;:~~ a tree, and de Indians shot em down wid bow and arrow. ne time I saw horses froze to death. De~y couldn .t get dere breath, and de people took warm water and wash dere boreheads. I was a small boy den. My master had 45 guineas. I married Nancy Robinson who belori~ed to Robert Calmes. She Was liviri~ at de Gillam place near Rich Hill.

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f poiklore Stories Froiii Ex..Slaves Pace 3 214 ~We used to ask a riddle like this~ Love I s4and, Love X sit, Love I hold in m~ right hand. What is jt~ it was made up when an old. woman had a little dog named Love . She killed it and put a part of it alter it was baked, in her stockings ; part in her shoes-; part in back of her dress, and~part hi her gloves. Ani~er wasgoing to be hung the next Friday, and told if he guess the riddle he would be ~urried loose He couldn t guess it but was turned ~l ose ~nyway. f?I~ think Abe Lincoln rni~ht ter done g td, but he had us all scared to death, took our mules and burned our places. Don t know ariytilin about-Jeff Davis. Booker Washingt~on is all ri~ght. I joined de church when 28 years old, because I thought it was r ight . Wanted to ~it right ~and git t o G0d IS Kingdom. I think everybody ought to join de church. ~ - ~ o? course I rather it rio-t be~ Slavery tinie,- but I ~ot more ter eat den dan no*, Den we didn t know ~ what ter dot, but now we pe-rish ter death. ~ . ~ Source: Madison Griffin ~84), Whitniire, S.C. - . ~ Interviewer: G.L. Summer, Newberry, S.C. (6/18/1937) ~ . ~ ; ~ ~ ~ ~. 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Stories from ex-slaves. 219 215

project. 1885~1 FOLKLORE ~ ~ ~d~ite~ by: $partaribur~ ~i8t.4 ~ui2~ Elmer Turnage ~ June 7, 1937 STORIES PROM EL~SLAVES v?I was born in old Ed~efie1d county, about three miles be..~ low what ~8 flOW Saluda Courthouse. . I was a slave of &lec Grigsby. He was a fair Inar8ter, but his wife was awful mean to us. She poked my head in a rail ferice 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 inarster s house, When the busb..~whackers and patrollers corne around dere, us rii~gers suffered lots with beatings. Some p ~ dem was killed. The old Thlks had corn..~shuckings, frolics, perider pu1liri~s, and quiltings. They had quiltin~s on Saturday nights, with eats and frolics. Then dey danced, d y always us d fiddles to nia~e the music. The men folks hunted much; doves, partridges, wild turkeys, deer, 8quirrels and rabbits. Sometimes dey caught rabbits in wooden boxes, called rabbit-gums . it had a trap in the middle, which~wa5 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 xnarster had a big whiskey still, arid sold. lots o~ liquor to people around there,~ Source : Peggy Grigsby ( 106 ) Newberry, S.C. Interviewer: G.L. Summer, Nevvberry, S.C. 5/10/37. S

Violet Guntharpe. Ex-slave 82 years old. 220 216

Project #1655 ~ W.W.Dixon 390305 ~ 216 ~ Wjnnsboro, S. C. VIOLET GUNTHARPE ~-~SI~A.VE 82 YEAI?S OLD. III was born a slave in de Rocky ~ount part of Fairfield County, up close to Great Falls. I hear them falls a roarint ~ and I see them waters flashin in de sunshine when I close ~ eyes. My pappy name Robert and x~r ~jn~r~ name Pliyll is They t long to de old time ristocata, de Gaithor family. DGeS you lcno* Mies Mati~ie Martin, which was de secretary of Governor An8el? ~ Dat one of my young mistresses and another is dat pretty red headed girl in de telegraph office at Wixinsboro, dat just sit dere and pass out lightnin and lec tricity over de wires wheresomever she take a notion. Does you know them? Well, befo their mane. marry Marster Starke Martin,~ her was Sally Gaither, i~ young missus iii. slavery tine. Her die and- go to Heaven last year, please God. Marster Richard was a good narster to his slaves, though he took no foolishn sa and worked you from sun to su*. Speot him had bout ten - -family of s laves axid bout f~y big and I itt .e slaves altogether on dat plantation befo them Yenke s ooine and make a mess out of their lives. Honey, us wasn t ready for de big change dat oome& Us had no education, no land, no 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 d~ great ta~1a, but us oolored folks was left widout any place to lay our heads. De Yankees sho throwed us in de briar patch but us not bred and born dore lak de rabbit. Us born in a good log house. De cove ~as down

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~. . dore in de eanebrakes to give us milk, de hogs was fattenin on hickory nuts, acorns, and shucked corn, to give us ~at and grease; de sheep wid their wool, and de cotton iii de gin house was dere to give us clothes. De horses and mules was dere to help 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 round de 8ky, right now. Weil, after ravagin de whole country s ide 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 weepin in hushed voices, de niggers on de place not I IOWIn ~what to do next, and de piccaninnies suokin their thumbs for want o aumpint to eat; mind you twas winter time too. Lots of de chillun die, as did de o 4 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 arn~r. De balance settle down wid de white folks and sinmier In their misery all thru de spring time, tu plums, mulberries, and blackberries corne, and de shad come up de Catawba River. My ma~tm~j stay on wid de same marster tu 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 tentions was, befo I get him to bleat out dat he love ~ . Him n~ Thad Guntharpe I glance at him one day at de pigpen when I was s loppin~ de I say : Mr Gun~ bharpe, you follows me night and nxrnin to dis pigpen; do you happen to

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3. 218 be in love wid one of these pi~? le ~o, I d 1ii~e to know which one 1jj5 then sometime I come down here by myself and tell dat pig bout your feotions. Tb.ad didn t say nothin but just grin. Hirn took de slop buoket out of ~ ha d and look at it ail ~ round it put ~ up ~s ide davni on de ground, and set me down on it; then he fall down dere on de grass by me and blubber out and. warm xs~r fingers in his hands. I just took pity on him and told him mighty plain dat he must liniber up his tongue and ask sumpin say what he mean, wantin to visit them pige so often. Us carry on foolibimesa bout de little boar shoat pig and de litti. sow pig, then I squeal in laughter over how he ecrouge so olos ; de slop bucket tipple over and I lost n~r seat. Dat ever remain de happiest minute of i~r 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 town of Grimkeville. 1 was lonely down dore all d time. I s halfway soared to death of de skeeters baut n~ legs in day timeand old Captain Thorn s ghost in de night tixi~. You never heard bout dat ghost? If you went to sohool to Mr. Luke Ford sure he must of tell you bout de t~iae a slave boy killed his inarster1 old Captain Thorn. fie drag and throwed his body in de river. When they find his body they ketch John, de slave boy, give him a tria . by six white men, find hini guilty and heoonfess. Then they took de broad axe, cut off his head, mount it on a pole and stick *t up on de bank where they find old Captain Thorn. Dat pole and head stay dere tu. ~ it rot do~n. Captain Thorn s ghost pear and disappear long d~at river bank ever since in de night time. My pappy tel . me he see it and see de boy s ghost too.

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4. 219 De ghost rode de minds o1~ many~ colored fo .ks. Some say dat de ghoat had a heap to do wid deaths on dat river, by drow~iing. On sad thing happen; de ghost~aM de malaria run ue L~ de river. U~ moved to Marster Starke P. Ma~tj~ ~ plaoe. Himwas a aett~.n at a window in de house one nicht and soniebody crept up dore and Lili his head full of buelc. shot. Marster Starke waa Miss Salle s hu8band, and Miss Mattie and Miss May s papa. Oh, de misery of dat night to n~r white folk8I WhO did it? God kflOWBI They sent poor lienry Nettles to de penitentiary for it, but most white folks and all de colored did&-t believe ho done it. Y~hite folks aay a white man done it, but our color biOw it was de work of dat slave boy s ghost. My white folks cone here fro~a Maryland, I heard them say. They fought in de Revolution, set up a tanyard when they got here, end then ihen cotton come, n~r inarster s pappy was de f~ist to ptit up a ho8s~gin and screw pit in Rocky Mount section. I glories in their blood, but dere none by de name ro~ind here now, eept colored folks. Marster~~Wood you read a heap of books. Did you ever read bout foots ~of ghosts? The~r got foots and can jump and walk. No they don t run, why? Cause seem lok their foots is too big. Dat night Marster Starke :~&rtin was killed it ias a snowin De whole earth was covered wid * white blanket. It snowed and snowed ~nd snowed. Us aeasure how big dat snow was next ux~riiin and how big dat ghost track. De snow was seven inches and a little bit deep. De ghost track on t p 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 twas 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 ~ white folks.

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5. 22() Dere s a great day a commt when de last tr~impet will sound and de devil and all de ghosts will be oha~ned and they can t romp round de old river and folks house8 in de night time and bring sorrow and pain in de wa1~ of them big traoks.

Interview with ex-slave. 225 221

I Project #-1655 ~Qrr)nG FOLKLORE 221 Gyland H. Hamlin Charleston, S. C. INTERVIEW ~ITH EX-SLAVE Good a ternoon, suh. Yassuh, I~ze gittin on up in de years. I be elghty-one year oie nex May. I name Jahn Hamilton ant I lib at sickty t ree Amherst Street. I tmember surnptln bout siabery. I wuz bout big as dat gai swine dere w en de ~ ru . war broke out Indicat - ck~i~t~ ing ~ passing down the street vtho appeared to be about eight yoars old. tti belong to I~ia ssa Seabrock, an he lib at V~ ite Point, ten mile from Adams Run. De Maussa, he been daid but he got some boys. Dem boys all scatter dough. Yassuh, oie Iviaussa treat us good. I not big nough to wuk, I jus a li t ~ boy den . My fadder name kthode Hamilton, t . t e hab two aci e to wuk. Dere didn t been no hass, an e grub it wid de hoe. Some slabes no good an not satisfy fo tab vvuk. Dey run way fum de plantation. Dere been big dawgs high as stree t~cy~r yassuh, high as- dat street-cyar . Dey ~ nigger- dawg ant dey trace nigger an put dem nigger back to wuk. Dere been a ~nkee man name Tom C~dry. I kin sho de house e been in. He say te tired see colored mans wuk hard t git nuttin He put co bred mans on ban j oo (vendue) table an1 t~ be free. tel didn t be marry till I g t in my t irty year. My wife, she bout slckty fibe year oie . V~e got fibe chillun libbin , bout twelbe haid in all. Grand- chillun? Bout

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Project #~ I655 ~ Page ~ 2 Gyland H. Hamlin Charleston, s. o. sebben haid ant one gal. Hab great grand.~chillun, too. f,1 ajntt been know nuttint bout jailhouse. Ain t see ~ jailhouse in my life. I hab to look all day to find one in Charleston, an don t know where bouts de court-house. kin t gwine to jailhouse. Nobody hab to rest me no how. III be a Babtis . I babtize in de ribber, de Edisto ribber. I tryin git to Hebben. Hebben be glory. Yassuh, Hebben be glory. You got to lub all GOd S chillun to git dei e. God send w ite folks ant colored folks, an dey must he p each odder an 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 tohe p me. Dese pore colored folks ain t got nuttin . Nawsuh, I ain t be too ole to wuk an1 mek a honest libb~n like lot o dem no good nigger what too stiff fo to speak. I wuk some flower~ yard fo some w ite folks, an1 i wuk a li l gyarden. Yassu~h, I hoi up berry well, but ~: can t see at night wten de sun go down. My sight gone back den. I got git long now. You gimme a nickel or dime? Ttank you, suh. Ttank youkin ly. Source: Personal interview with John Hamilton, colored, of 63 Antherst~Street, Charleston, S. C.

Old Susan Hamlin - Ex slave. 227 223

Project #-1655 FOLKLORE )03 Jessie ~ Butler 390263 Charleston, s. a. . OLD SUSAN HAMLIN ~ EX SLAVE (Verbatim Conversation) Old Susan harnlin, 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 friend, ~nc1 the fol lOWiflp, conversation took place: ~ ~ H0~, are you, Susan, do you remember me?tt Yes, Matam, I member yo face, ~issus, but I can t member yo name. I gettin oie. Dis eye (touching the right one) leabin me. 01e age you know. Somet ing got tu~h gie way.tt ~Don~t you remember I carne to see you onemorning, and you told me all about old times? Yes, Ma am, (with enthusiasm) ome tuh see me gain, I tell you some mo . I like tuh talk tbout dem days; taint many people left now kin tell bout dat time. Eberybody de ad I gee s ~ r ound tuh d e o I e hou s e an ~ I t j nk t b ou t all dem little chilien I is nuss, (calling them by Mine) dey all sleep, all sleep in de grount. Nobody lef but oie Susan. ~li my fambly, de massa, de missus, all de little chilien, ail sleep. Only me one lef only oie Susan. Sometime I wonder how it is. I ober a hund ed, I stahtin (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?

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project#-1655 . Page - 2 224 Jessie ~ ~3ut1er Charleston, s. C. VJeli, ~issus, some is wuss but not all. Some stray jus like dey always done but dey li come back. I stray vv~ay myself but dey li cox~e back jus like I did. Gib um tinie dey come back . . I git converted you 1~now . Yes, you told me about that. Yes, IVla am, I see de Sabior. He shov~ me hoe He die. I nebber forget dat day. Dere He hang, so - (with arms outstretched) an1 He show me de great bri~htnes:,an He show me de big ~in on my back, black as dat cyar (car). Den I pray ant I pray, an~ it fail off. Den I praise Hirn. Nebber since dat day is I forget what I see. ~ then I see dat reconcile Sabior countenance, - ohL - ~ 1 nebber forget. No, I~ia am, I nebber forget dat reconcile counte~ nance. As I tell yuh, I stray tway, but not after I see dat reconcile coantenance. I pray and praise Him. Some~ times all by myself I get so happy, jes t inkin on Hin~ I cyant forget aildat Be done fuh me. People tell me I ought not walk round by myself so. I tell um I don t care vihere I drop. 1 member when my ma was CLyin I beg urn not to leabe me, she say: What I got ~yuh, 1 ~ want tuh stay ~uh fuh? I want tub go, I want tuh see muh Jesus t I know what sb~ mean now. I ~ t care if I drop in de street, I don t care if I drop in my room, I don t care where I drop, I ready tuh go.

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Project #-1655 ~ Page 3 2P5 Jessie Butler Charleston, s. c. lui you. got tuh do is libe right, ~uh got tuh ilbe (live) de life. V~hat is de life? - - Purity. ~ W~iat Is Ptxrity? - Righteousne3s. ~ What 1~ l~ighteousness?~ - Tuh do de right t ing. - Libe righi, ~ pray an ~praise. Belieb on de delibrin (delivering) Sablor. Trust flim. He lead yuh. He show yu.h de way. Dat all ~yuh got ~tuh do. ~eljebe pray - praise. Ebery night befot I lay on my bed git on my knees an look.up tuh Elm. Soon I wake in de mornin I gibe Hirn t ranks . ~ben sometime in de day I ~ git on my knees an pray. He been good tome all dese ye~az~. He amt for get me. I aintbeen sick for ober twenty-five years. G~ d tting too, nobody left thh tek care of me. Dey all gone.~ ~ ~ But I donTt care now, just so~ ~ kin.. see my Jesus when I gor1e.~ I goin down now tuh seemy people~ I use to cok fuh.~ I too ol now tuh cook, I use tuh cook fine Come tuh see the again, nhissus, come tuh see de oie monkey, I tell yuh mo bout dose times. ~ You know I kin trnernber dem when Ibeen a big girl, mostgr wn, when de bombardment come ober de city.t : Source: ~riter1s conversation with Susan Hanlin, 17 Henrietta Stres, harleston, S. O. ~ /~

Interview with ex-slave. 230 226

Project #~1655 Jessie A. Butler Charleston, S, C. Approx. 1739 Words 220 INTERVIEW WITH EX- ZLAVE On July 6th, 1 interviewed Susan Hainlin, ex.-slave, at J~7 Henrietta street, Charleston, S. C, She was sitting just inside of the front door, on a step leading up ~o the porch, and upon hearing me inquire for her she assumed that I was from the Welfare office, fr~ whichshe had received 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 ezperience as a slave, During our conversation she mentIoned her age, Why thatts very interesting, Susan, I told here If you are tIiat~ oldyou probably r~nember~the Civil War arid slavery days. Yes ~Mata:Lil, I been a slavemyself, t she said, and told me the following story: ~ UI kIn remember some things like it was yesterday, but I is 104 years old. now, and age is startling to get me, I can ~ remeinbereverything like I use to. I getting old, olc1~ ~pu know I is old when I been a grown woman - when the C vil War broke out I was hired out ~ then, to a Mr. McDonald, who lived on Atlantic ~treet, and I remembers ~then de first shot was fired, and the shells went right over de city. I got seven dollars a mOnth for looking &fter children, not taking themout, you understand, just minding tJa~em, I did. not get th~ m ney, musa got It. ~ fl ~~ t ~ yo~ think that was fair? I asked . If you were fed and clothed by him, shouldn t he be paid for your ~~w~~kV ~Course it been fair, she answered, ni belong \\ 390431

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Project # -1655 Page 2 227 Jessie A. Butler Charleston, S, C, to him and he ~ot to get soinethin~.. to take care of me, My name before I was married was Susan Calder, but I married a man name Hamlin. I belonged to LIr. Edward Fuller, he was president of the First National flank, He was a good man to his people till de Lord t~ook him, . Mr. ~iller got his slaves by marriage. He married Miss Mikell, a lady what lived on Ed1st~ Island, who was a slave owner, and we Ltved on Edisto on a plantation, I don t remember de name cause when Mr. Fuller got to be president of de b ank we e orne to Charl o s ton t o I j v e He s e Il out the plan~ tat ion and say them (the s laves ) 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 c ie and sonic is stay, but my nia and us children come with Mr~ i~ller. We lived on St. Philip street. The house still there, good as ever, I ~o round there to see it all de time ; the ci stern still there too where we used to sit ro~d and drink thecoidwater, and eat, and talk and laugh. Mr. Fuller have lots of servants and the ones he didn t need hisseif 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 hail that they had for the colored peQple I don t know about s lavery but I know al. 1 the slav ery I know about,

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Project # ~ 1655 Page ~ 3 228 Jess5~.e ~ ~utIer Chai~1estOfl, S, C. the people was good to me. Mr, Fuller was a good man and hi~ wifo s people been grand people, all good to the~ir slaves. Seeiu like Mr. Fuller just glt his slaves so he could be good to dem. He macle all the lIttle colored chilien love him. If you donTt believe they loved him what they all cry, and scream, and holler for vthen dey hear he dead? Oh, Mausa dead fly Mausa ~iead, what I ~oing to do, my Mausa dead. Dey tell dem t aint no use to cry, datcan t bring him back, but de c:t~illen keep on crying. ~Ie used to call him Mausa Eddie but he nanied Mr. Edward Fuller, 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 a~ive him niost a book, and what he give me? A dime, He ask me all kind of questions. He ask me cils and he ask me dat, didn t de white people do diS. and did. dey do dat but Mr. F~fl.ler was a good in~n, he was sure good to me and all his people,~ dey all like h n, God bless him, he In. de ground now but I ain t going to let nobody lie on him. You imow he good when even the little chilien cry and holler when he dead, I tell you dey couldn t just fix us up an~ kind of way when we going to Sunday ~ Vie had to be dressed nice, if you pass him and you ain t dress to suit hirn~he send you right back and say tell your nia tosee dat you dress right. Dey couldn t send you out in de cold barefoot neither. I member 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

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Project #-1655 Page ~ 4 ~29 j Jessie A. Butler Charleston., S. C~ cold and say how you goin~~ to send nie out wici. no shoe, and it cold? Mausa hear how I ta1kin~ and turn he back and. 1au~h, den he call to my ma to ~)one in dc house and find shoe to put on my feet ar~1 dontt let him see me barefoot again in cold weather. When de war start ~oing good and de shell fly over Charleston he take all us ~ up to Aiken for protection, Talk bout marching through Geprgia, dey stire march throu~th Aiken, soldiers was everywhere. 1~~Iy ma had six chIldren, three boys and three girls, but ~I de only one left, all my white p~op1e and all de color~ ed people gone not a soul left ~ but me. I am t been sick in 25 years.. 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 want to . The Welfare us e to help me bi~t dey~ shut down now, I can t find out if dey going to open again or not. Miss (Mrs.) Buist and MIss Prin~le, dey help me when~ I . c an go there but all my own dead. - Were most of the masters kind? I asked. V~eli you know, ~ she answered, t 1mo s den was just like dey is now, s~nie was kind and some was mean; heaps of wickedness went on just de same as now. All my peoplewas good people. I see some wickedne s s and I hear bout all kinds of t ings but ~ou don t know whether it was lie or not. Mr. Fuller been a Christian man. Do you think it would have been better if the negroes

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Project # . .655 Page ~ 5 230 Jessie A. Butler Charleston, S. C, had never left Africa? was the next question I asked. No ~ (emphatically) dem heathen didn t have no religion. I tell you how I t ink it is, The Lord made t ree nations, the white the red and the black, and put dem in different places on de earth where dey was i~o stay.~ Dose black igno~ ramuses in Africa forgot God, and didn t have no reli~ion and God blessed and prospered the ~iite people dat did reniein~ ber him and sent dem to teach de black people even if dey have to arab dem and bring dem into bondage till dey l arned 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 white people and He put de red and de black people inder dem so dey could teach dem ~uicI bi~ing dem into sense ~rjd God. Dey had to get dore brains ri~it, snd honor God, and learn uprightness wid God caus e am t He 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. Hirn if it tek bondage to bring you to your 1~ees. You know I is got converted. I been in Big Bethel (church) on my lmees 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

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Project #~1655. . . Page 6 231 - Jessie A~ Butler Charleston, S, o. look up and I see de glory, I see a big beautiful 1i~t, a groat IlRht, and in de middle is de Sabior, hanging so (extending her arms) just like He died, Den I gone to prayins~ gooa, and I can feel de sheckles (shackles) loose up and rnovinp.. and de pack fall off. I don t know where it went to, I see de an~~1~ in de Heaven, and hear dem say Your sins are forgiven. I scream and fell Of~ so, (Swoon.) ~Th.en I come to dey has laid me out straip~t and I know I is converted cause you can t see no such eight ~nd 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 naine, Den dey put inc wid do seekers but I know I is already saved,t1 T1Did 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 ~ot to feed dern, ~ she said viith 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 days, just as it do now, some good, some mean, black and white, it just dore nature, if dey good dey coing to be kind to everybody, 1f dey mean dey goIng to be moan to everybody. Sometimes chilien was sold ~ay from dey parents. De ~Iausa would corne and say T1Vthere Jennie, t tell um to put clothes on dat baby, I went 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. I~r. ~killer

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Project #~1655 Page ~ r, ~ ~Jessie A~ Butler Chailestofl, s. C, dldntt sell none of us, we stay wid our nia s till we grown. I stay wid my ma till she dead. tYou know I is mix blood, my grandfather bin a white man and my grandmother a mulatto. She been marry to a black so dat h w I get fix like I is, I got both blood, so how I going to quarrel wid either side? SOUBCE: Interview with Susan Hamlin, 17 Henrietta jj~reet. NOTE 4e Susan lives with a mulatto family of the better type. The n~ne is Hamlin not Hamilton, and her name prior to her marriage was Calder not Collins, I paid particular attention to this and had thera spell the ns~ies for nie. I would judge Susan to be in the late nineties but she is wonderful1y.~ well preserved. She now claims to be 104 years old.

Ex-slave 101 years of age has never shaken hand since 1863. 237 233

~26O~644~ Page I pro~ec& J~Ibbb No .1~ords :119b ~ ~~gU~tU3 bSc1~Ofl 3S04 ~ ~ risstOn,S.G. ~ ~~3LA~V~Z 101 Y~LkR5 OF AGE HAS I~i:~V~R SHAJC~1 R~DS SiNCE 1b63 ~ G~ i ri a hund e~ ~n one years oi~ now,son.D. onLy one Livin in my croi~d ~ruci cis days .i. wua a a~avoMr.~u~uer,cny master,who i~as presidenc or t~ie Firs Nat~ma~L ~arnc,o~necL ttIO xainb~Ly ~f u~ except my xacber.~here were eight men ~n WO!fl~i!1 with xiv. gins an six boys -workin tor ~i~rn.~1o~t o then i~us hired out. 0e ~ IQUSe in which we s~aye~ is s~i~i. ioro watn de sisterns an s.La~ quarters. ~ a1~8ys go ~o see ie oii~ I iorne whicn is on S~.P~Li1ip Street. M~ ~na kiaa ~ rie boys an t r e girLs who ai~ ~e.Li~ at their work.Hope t~ike~L~uiy ei.aest breader,an James ~us ci. shoe!naker.~iLLiacn ~ u~.i~er,son ot our tner,iwus cta bric1ciayer.Marguri~e an t.a~iarmne \~U8 de maids an liook a~ ~ie ChiJ~1ren. ~y pa b ~Long to a ~an on 1~dis~o is.Land.Fruui iNhac he saad,~iis tnaster was very ~aear:~ ~ reaj. name wus Adam Co.LLins buibe took his rnas~er nemehe wus de Coacht~ian.~a ~id supin one ~ay en ~iis niaster ~hippea. tiitn.De next day which wu~ ~ carry t~iim bout io~r rni.Les trum notue in de ~oOi8 an give him de sanie rnOunL 31 .Lickin tie wus given on Sunctay.He sied him co a cree an urthitc~ied cte horse o ii couidri & git iie up an ki.Li. e seIz.Pa den gone ~o tie landmn an ce~cki a boat ~at wus coalin to Ghari.eston wooU ra m prOUuct3.Hepermi~ed by bis ~W4 tnastsr to go to town on errands,wtn.ch h.ipe~ ~ii ~O go ou de boat without bein ~uestion .i~i en he got here he gone on de wat.r rront an ax ~or a job on a ehip so he couLd git to do North.He go~ de job an eail wooi~ cie ship.Dey search ~e i8~LBfld up an down ror him ~ioo1 houndogs en w en i; wus t ought he wus drowned

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$~26O 264 ~4 ~ Project frl8bb AugU3~Ua La~aon PagE;~. Ii - ~Xa~SLAV~ cont U. cause cloy track him to ue river,Uid dey give up.One or his master rrisn~ gone to New York en went in a store w ere pas wus empioys~ as a cjsrk.he reconize pa i~ easy la pa r econi2e hjm.He gone back hone an t eli. pa mast er who ~ know den dat pa wusn ; commt back an berore he thed he sign papers dat pa wus rree.Pa nia wus cie$~ an he cane down to bury her by de permission or tu.s master son who had proiniaed no ha m woutg corne to ttha,bu~ iey wusrixin pians~to keep him,eo he ~vent ~ cte .oor~ House an ax ~o be soia cause any siave could soli. e seir : e could gic ~o de utor~ House.But ~ wus on recorU down dore so dey cou~an ~ seii lui an ioj~i ~um hi.s master peop.Le Cou.Liln v ho.L1 him a s.L~ve. People den use vo do de same t ings dey ~O no ~.Some marry an some live toget tier jus like now.One t Ing no inini~t er nebber say in r eadin de mat riniony ~Lst no man put asouncier cause a coup.i.e wou.Ld be married tonight an tomorrow one wouJ.d be taken away en be acid. ALL slaves wus married in ~ere niasL$! k~iouse,irx Ue .Livin recul wliere aiaves an dare misaus an niQasa hua ~o witfloss de ceremony.Brides use to wear seine or u. rinest dress an ir dey cou.La arxora ii,have ~e bess kind OX xurnicure.Your master nor your missua objected to good t inga. i ~Li aLways mib r C.Lory,cls waaher.She wus very h~gh-; ipered.8he wus a muJ.e~~a w~b beauiitui. tiair she couiu ait on;Clory didn t take rooiishneea rruin anybody.One aay our misaus gone in a. laundry an lInd rault wich de cth~he8, Ciory ~~xi ~ do a t 2~ng but pick her up bodily an throw er ou~ de door.Dey had to a,n rur a dactor cause she pregnant an lese than two hours de baby wus bo n.~r~a dat she b.gged to be sOid fur she didn~to kill miaeus,but our mas- r ain t nebber want 10 stLi his siaves.BuE clac didn t keep Glory Xruin gi~iin ~ a bruta). whippin .Dsy whip er uniii dere wusn t a whi~ spot on her body.Dat

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3- 26u~264 N project ~ AUgU3~US Lauson Page III 235 ~ 3LAV.f~ cont A. wut~ de wora& I ebber see a ~iuman bein got such a beai~n .i ; ough~ she wus goin jo cliG,bUt she goc v.511 an claan i ge~ any bei~er bui meaner Until OU~ master decide 1V US bes io ren~ t ier oui.Sbe wa.uirigiy agree since she wusri ~ round ~ ~a~ea an de~esE ootti ox ~nem a.n su. de r~inbiy. d en any s~~ve wus ~tuppeA au. de o~iher slaves wus made to wa~ck~.I see wQr~en hung trum de cei.Liri oX buildin s an whipped Seit h only supin sied round net lOs~e~ part ox de body,un;i.L w en dey wus taken dowu,dere wuan t breatri in de body.i he~d some terribi~y bad experiences. Yankees use to corne ~ rou~t~ ue s~ree~a,e8pecaa1ly de Big Market,~uncin ~cio~e ~ho want ~o go ~o de rree couni~ry as ~ey ca.u ii.Men an women wus always tnissin an nobody COUld give count ox dero cii8appe~re.nce.Do men wus tsain up i~or~ ~ur sojue. Lie wtu~a race is so brazen.~)ey come here an run de indians rrum dere Own ian ,bu~ dey cOul~n ; make den slaves cause dey woUldn t stan ror i~.IxicLians use to gi~ up in ~reea an aho~ dem wish poison arro~v..~ en dey cou.Ldn i make dem slaves den dey gone to Arrica an bring dore biack brother an sister.Oey say mon~ tt1emaelves, ~4e g*ine ~n~x dem up er~ make ourselves kirx~ . ~)ata Q oniy way we ii gii even wi~t~i de Indians. Au ~iuie,nigk~ an day,you could hear men an women screatnin ~o de ~ip ai: dere voices as si~her rna,pa,sister,or brother wus take without any war fin 8x1 eiL.S~ie urne moifler who had oniy one chile wus separated rur Lite. People wus aiw~ys ctyin Iri.ln a broken hears. One night a CoUpie married an de nexr mO~flifl de boss sell de wire.

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.~ 5 .260 264 N Project #188b AugU~U8 Ladeon Page IV . F1x sI~A1r~~ c~t U. De gai. ma got in in UI a;reet an Cursed de whiEs woman rur aLL she C U~Lct rind. She aaid da~ aamn whiGe,pais race baa~arct ~eii my daugh;er who ju8 married J.a8 nigh~, an other $ iriga.The whi~e nan ~reaien her to cail de polie. ix ahe didn t atop,bui de coliuct woman aa2cL: hi~ me ox ca.u de p&Lice.I redder die thin to stan dis any iongerV De police took her to ae work House by de ~h1L e ~onrnn orctera an wh~L became ox er,i never i~iear. ~ ei de war began we wu~ ~a&en ~o Aiken,$outh C~ iina w ero we scay un;;LL cte Yankees corne t rough ~ie could see bails saum rough de air w en Sherman WU3 coinin .Burnbs hi~ ~reea au our yaru.a~.n de xreed~ gun wus rirect,! ~us on my nees ecrubbin .Dey cell me I wu~ rree but I didn t b Ueve it. In de days or eia~ery woman wu~ ju. giien t~me nough to ctei*ver dore babiee.Dey deliver de baby bout eight in de mornin an twelve had ~oo be back to work. :i wue a member oX ~nmanu&L ~.Xrican Meuiodist ~piacopai ~hurcb tor 67 yeara.Big Zion,acroaa de atreet WU8 my churcb berore den an berore ~ Old Bet~~ie~ w en i LL Ved On de o;kie~ enct or town. Sence Lincoln shook hands with hua aaeaain who a~ de a~tne tame aboot him,Zrum Ua~ daY I atOP ahakin hande,even in de church,an you know how long das WUB4 don ; b ii.~ve in kiasin neider lut ail carry dere rneanneaaes. L De1aa~er wue betrayed by one ox nia boeom rrierx with a k188. SOURCE $~ . ~Lntorview with (Mrs.) SU8*fl Hsuii.L~on,i~7 Henristia Street,who claicie to be ioi: ysars or age.She baa never besniick ror twenty ysare and wilke as ihougfl juat 40,$he waa hired ou~ by her master rot eeven doiiara a month which bad o be given her maat r.

Ex-slave 87 years old. 241 237

Pro3ect j~l655 ~ Stiles M. Scrug~s . ~ ~ ~ . ~. Columbia, ~ C. ~ 390247 . . 237 M SON KkP~P EX-~L~VE 87 YEARS OLD. Anson Harp, eighty seven years old, lives out in the country Ofl Route ~3. He still works on the few acres he owns, raising vegetables for himself and a fevibaskets to sell, He is gray haired, medium sized man and his geniality is freq~uently noticed by wii~ite snd ~Je~ro friends vrlio know him. - - - - II was iorn in Mississippi in 1850,on a big plantation dat b long to Master Tom Harp. I can see dat big rushin river now, ce~tin the mosquitoes. My-daddy and. rnanimy b long to ~ster harp and we live in a cabin bout mile from the big house of ~j riast r s home. One day wherithe slaves was chQppth cotton, a strange white ~ man come and. watch us, and in a day or two me and three other chillun- was - . . ca led in the yard ofthe ~i~ house end told wegoin tO ~it tQ ~O wid th stranger. My c~addy and maxm~xy and the other chillunt s daddy and marrmiy all ~ when we ~was put in a bi~ wa~on and carried tvray to somewhere. ~We ~its plenty of rati ns onthe way and when we ~its to Aiken one mornin .,-we was told wewas close to h me and soon we was onthe big plantation of Master James Henry hammond.- We find other boys there, too. We go to t1i~efieldiand-chop ootton~ after we rest up. No sah, wewasn t flogged often. One time ~he crown men and viomen was choppin -~r~ ~ to -=. . . o r one, ~ and a straw-bos s slave twit us and call us . The white over seer, who was tiding by, heard him. 11e shake ~ hiS whip at the straw bobs - --~ arid tell hiiu t~e you~n~ niggers not-~et speo~ed-~ rnake a half hand and you do pretty we1l~to ttend to your own kn~ttin . . ~ L ~ been there for a pretty long time befo I really talks to fl)~T great white master, ~hmes henry Eaninon&. He not at home nach, and when I ~

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-~- .~ ~ ~ he was home, many bi~ white nien wid him niost every day. ~ ~ ~ One Saturday, we always had a half holiday on Saturday, me and rr~r friends boutthe same ak~e, was plc.y nT a game on a big lot behind the barn. ~e quit ? rellint and playin when we see L ~ster Harrrnond and three or four vrh~te men at the barn. They was lookin at and talkint bout i~aster Hanunond s bi~ black stallion. Master Hammond lead him out f the stall and he stand on his hind feet. - ~tt ~e1~ Senakor,~ says one ~bi~ nianto i~iaster Hainr~ond, I has come a long w~Ts to see this fa~uous hoss. It s no wonder he was s lected as amodel for the war h~ss: of General Jackson. I- seen his statue ~n Washington and Nash~ ~~ri11eet - ~ - - ~ ~ -- ~- L ~ - n tJ~~d I see ulm in New Orleans , says another big man, in a fine black slick suit. ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ - 1 ~ dare, GOVe~fl~r , Says theother biC ~ also dressed~5ustlak . ~ .~ he goln to church, Tthis grand stallionlook tocl y well as he did vthen I use ~ him for xuy ~modelt ~ ~ .. ~ ~ ~ ~ ttThCfl theyall pat the hoss s nose. and stroke birn doi~in his mane, and the big buckra hoss steps1 just laktiie fine ~e itlemen he is, ba~k to his stall, - vthiie all the big men wave him ~oodbye~ - ~ ~ - ~ T I ~ I not take the~name ofHat!unondafter we free~-~ cause too many of his slaves do. I kept the name of n~j old master and the one nydaddy and ~ niaii~oy had. No, I never hear of them in Mississippi. Lakas not t1~ey was ~~la - - and taken far ~away, lak me. I : nI waseleven in 1861, when the war start, tcordin to n~r count. Master Ha!~u1on~ ~as har~d1y ever at home no more. 11e, too, was angry at President Linoolx~ ~d I io~e i~ ~ster, so i used to wonder v~at so~ of ~ ~he Presi~ ~eut was. ~r Msster Hananond sure did honor President Davis. I hear him ~

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: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ say once~ dat President Davis vrac a Chesterfield and dat the Lincoln fellow is coarse and heartless. Tun 1862 I was twelve years old, big for uiy a~e, and I do rnor than half as much work as any ~ro~rn s lave At dat time vie s ee many free ~ niggerG, and nearly ail of them sorry lookin . They eat off- of slave fami~ lies, when~they could git it. . ni corne to~ Columbia in 1865, afterall the n ~ers ever jwhere.am sot free. I work forwhite folks ~out town and when the Tr edi~ian s aid was set up, I goes lon< wid-some new found frie~ic1z to the aid headquarters, and w~s the last one to be heard. The others ~ot bundles of tood and I see one ~_t a piece ofmoney, too. When I ~ot to the white man in charg , he eye me and say: - what darnti rebel did you slave for?t I forgot ~out vthat~ i~arn there for and I ~ayi I never slave for no damn r&el.~ I work for Governor ilainmoMand he is the f n st buckra that is. ~ ~ - . ~ t1Then the~ a-id rnA~n say:~ t~at damn rebel Hammond ~and all i k him vet unhung, should be~ and. yo~i wid him. ~ Go -let him feed and clothe you~ ~Then yO}l~ come- here agai ~naybe you have nou~h sense to ask for favors decent. I so~inad, I hardly mernber just w~iat happen, ceptin I corne way just lakI go, mpty handed. . . . ~ . - . . It ~ ~ ~ an old m~n as you see but I ant happ~ to know dat the -. . white folks has always -been ready to help- me make a. livin I now own a ~ patch of ground, where -I makes a livint ~ the shares. i~y boy, a son byr~r second wife, *orkj~it, and he tak $ car of me now. If I had been as big, : and Imowed as much at the start of the war as I did at the end of it 1 would surely have tone to the frorrb wid i~ white master.t ~ ~ . : ~ ~ ~ . . . . ~ ~*t~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ j ~ ~ ~

Stories from ex-slaves. 244 240

Pro~ect 1885...1 ~ POLKLOR~E ~Or~nn, ~ Edited by: 24() Spartanburg Dist.4 ~UUOb Elmer Turnage May 25., 1937 STORIES PROM EX.~SL.~VES I was born in Pairfield County, s.C. nea( Broad ~iver. I ~as i~e 50fl Of Joh~a arid Harriet Harper. I worked in slavery time and vvas a slave of ~Tohn Stanley who was a good mari and easy to work with. He give me a good whipping once when I was a boy. Vie earned no morley but had our place to sleep and something to eat and wear. We didn t have any gardens, out master had a big plantation and lots of slaves, and worked a garden himself. I remember he whipped moth r once the last year of the war, ...... Just about to ~et ~ eedom. Master b~longed 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 aschool on de plantation for his ni~gers. After the das s work was~ over, we frolicked, -and Staurday afternoon we had off to do what we wanted. We had to go to the white Thlks church and set in back o~ d church. Corn ahuckings, cotton pick.. in~ and carding and quilting, the old ~oiks had when dey had b1~ times and bi~ eats. ~ ttweddjngs and ~unerals of slaves were about like white Thlks. Some would go walking and singing to de grave in back o ~hearse or body. There was a conjurer in our neighborhood who could make you do wnat he wanted, sometimes he had i~o1ks killed. The Yankees march~.. ed throu~h.our place,stole catti ~.. e, and meat. We went behind dem and picked up lot8 dat dey dropped when ~y~left. when de war was over, de nig~ers was promised small farms but dey didn t ~et em.

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Folklore: Stories From Ex-Slaves Paie 2 241 I have been preach.in~ many years in colored Methodist churches. I have 7 children, 22 ~rand-~chi1dren but rio great-~.grand..~ children . I think Abraham LincolA was a ~reat man, and Jefferson ~vis, too. Booker ~iashington was a grand edu ator ~or the colored race. Bishop S.D. Ohappell, colored preacher of the OM.E. church South, one time president of Allen University at Columbia,S.C. was a great colored man, too. Fie went to Nashville, Tenri. as secre~ary-. treasurer of the Sunday School Union. t?1 don t believe slavery vvas good --~ much better for all of us now. I joined the church when I was young, because I thought it right to be a in mber. think everybody ought to ~oin some church, and they oughtto join early in life, when quite young. Source: Rev. Thomas Harper (84), N~wberry,S.C., interviewed by: ~.L. Summer, Nev~berry, S.C. iv~ay 21, 1937.

Abe Harris. Ex-slave 74 years old. 246 242

~ Pr ~ject -j~1655 ~ ~ ~ :~ ~ ~ w. ~ ~ i~ Wjxmsboro, S. C. . . 390342 ~ 242 ~BE HARRIS ~~-8LA.VE 74 ~iT~ARS ~ OLD. Abo Harri$ lives about nine mu s . southv~rest of the town of Wii~sboro, South Carolina. His home ta a two-room frame house, with rock chim- - neys of rough. masonry at each gable end. It is the proper-by of Ma . Daniel Heyward. ~ be is one~fourth whi e and. this mixture shovs in his featurcs. lie is still vigorous and capable of ii~ht manual labor. ~ tt~r father vras Samuel Lyles. 1~r uother s name v~as Phenie Lyles. ~y - father and. mother had - fifteen chillun. I am de only one livin ~ ~ Lie last one to die was n~r brother, Stocklin, that tended to de flowers and gardens ~ - - ~ of people in Wiimsboro for many years. He was found dead, one mornin j~ de FQrtune Park woods. - - ~ -- ttL~T parents long to Captain Tom Lyles in slavery time . Father was - de hog ~ He tondedto de~ ho5s; d dntt pasture them as they do now. Marsterliad a droveofeighty or more Lu de fall-of de year befo hog kuhn time. They ~riui bout 1n de woods for acorns and hickory nuts and my Lather had to keep up wid them and brixigthem home. He pen them, feed them, and slop them -atnight. . - - - - - - - - tt* white folks was delUst 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 ~r old ~ marster Torn, I ive up tu de C~V11 War and ~lthough he oouldu t walk,.he equip and pay a man to ~o in)iis place. When 8hern~an s men~ conie to dehouse, he was in bed. wid. a dis~ocated hip. They thought he was ~ ~ ~ : : .: ~: ~ : ~ ~ ::~ ~ . ~ S ~ S S ~ -~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .~ ~ ~. ~ . .. . ~ . . ~ ~

247 243

2. 243~ shamrlirL , playin possum, so to speak. One of de raiders, a Yankee, come wid a 1i~hte.d torch and say: Unless you give nie de silver, de gold, and de money, I ll burn you alive.t Hi~m reply: I haven t n~ny more years to live. Burn and be dan~ned& De Yankee was surprised at~-his bravery, ordered father to take de torch from under de bed and say: You bout de bravest man I ever see in South Carolina. His wife, old Miss ~ary, v~as sister to Cong~essman Joe Woodward. Deir house and plantation was out at Buckhead. was a boy eleven years old and was in de house when he died, in 1874. ~ e was de-olciest person I ever saw, eighty seven. lie had several chillun. Thomas marry Eliza Peay, de baby of Coi. Austin Poay, one of de rich race horse folks. Marse .i3oylcin marry Lass Cora Dantzler of Orangeburg. Him went to de v~ar. Then Nicholas, Austin, John, and ~3elton, all went to do CLVi . Wa~. Austin ~was killed at second Bull Run. Marse Nicholas go to Alabama and beeome~ sheriff out dore. !vlarse John nmrry Niss Norris and was clerk of court here for twenty-eight years~. One of Jilarse John s sons is Senator Lyles, de ~tton buyer here in Winns~ boro. De youngest boy, just a lad at freedOm, marry Mss Cora Irby. Two of deir chillun marry Marse Jim and ~iJarse Bill Mobley in Co1umbiai~ . Ds~youn~est child, Mise i~ebecoa marry Marse DuBose L~llison in ~in.nsboro. ~- ttFirsttime Ii ~.rry &iily Kinlock and had. one child. marry Lizzie Brown. fls~ had~ six ohillun. When Lizzie die, I Frances Young. Us too old to have ohillun. I live at Rion, S. C. Just piddle ro~d wid chickens and garden truck. I sells them to de stone cutters and de mill people of~Winnsboro. l s past de age to work hard, and I n. mighty sorry dat our race was set free to soon. Emily marry die. Then I a widow,

Eli Harrison. Ex-slave 87 years. 248 244

Project #1655 v~. W. Dixon, 390256 2 Winnaboro, 3. C. . ELI FLARRISON :~ .i Harrison lives on a small ten-acre traci of land near Dutchman Creek, in Fairfield County, approximately seven miles southeast of Winnsboro. The house, which ~ he owns, is a small shack or ahanty constructed of scantlings and slabs. He lives in it alone and does his own cooking. H5 has been on the relief roll for the past three years, and ekes out a su~bsi tence On the charity ~of the LongI~own and Ridgoway people. He is small, wiry, and healthy, weighing about 110 pounds. t I sure~ has had a time a finding you! I was up here to Winnaboro befo dis Welfare Society, tryin to git a pen3ion and they ask me who know niy age. I tell thei~ 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 toyou. Is _I b long, in ry, to your step-mother s people de Harrisons, in Longtown You members comm down when I was a ye wig men and you was a boy? Don t you~ member us playin in de send in front of de old Harri. son house? Dat house o1der!~ than you and me.. Member how I ahow you ha to call de doodles from de sand? How was it? I just git do~in on my hands and knees in de send and say : Doodle doodle doodle doodle come up your house is afirsi Them black little doodles would come right up out of de sand to see what guns on up dere boys de sand. Mighty glad yo keeps dat in your xnem ry, tu dia blessed day. I ~ b long to old Maree Eli Harrison, de grandpa of your etsp-mother.

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2. 245 I was born and raised on his Wateree River plantation. They called it Hai -. neon Flats til de Southern Power Company and de Dukes taken over de lend, de river, de bull-frogs, de skeeters, whoop owls, and everything else down here De Harrisons owned dat place befo 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 igtown. Marso John D. tell me dat, and fust thing you know they was eallin it Longf~own end date what it . called today. n Old Marse Eli is a quiet men but him have two bruddere dat wasn t so quiet . They was Mar se Aaron Burr Harri son and 1~1arse John R . Harrison. All of ih~mhave race horses. I, bein little, ride dehorses in de races at de last. De tracks I ride on? One was up near Great Falls, tween old Marse Strother Fords and de Martin place. De other was out from Simpson. Turn Oui~. D. Hamptons used to have horses on dose tracks. My mi stress name Mary My yo wig rnarst ers name : Sylvester Lund.ford, David and John D . They ail dead but de old house is still dere on de roadside arid I alone ia live to tell de tale. p, Der. . one thing I wants to tell you bout old Marss John. Hirn was suaded by de Hamptons, to buy a big plantation in Missi8sippi. Hirn go out dere to raise cattle, race horses, cotton~ sugar cane and nigger.. ~Nhen him di e after so long a tine they t eke him out of his ~ grave s De Her-. risen. done built a long, big, ~ rock, family vault in de graveyard here to put au de dead of de family name~ in. Well, ~at 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 Mars. John . body done turned to solid rock. what you t1~ink of dat? And what you think of dis? They put him in de vault in de summertime. Dat faU a side show was goin on in Columbia, showin a petrifi,d

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~ 3. 1~ man ~ yO U had to pay twenty-five c enta to go in and Bee it De show leave and go up North. Bout Christmas, de family go together to de vault, open it, and bless God dat rock body clone got up and left dat vault. That you think boub dat ? what people say? Some say one thing, some say another. Niggare all low, Marse John done rose from de dead. white folks say; Somebody done stale dat body of Mar se John and rnak in a fortune out of it in de side show line. s Well, I s told you nough for one day. I s impatient to git back doi~i yonder to thorn 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 froci Simpson s to Columbia.

Reminiscences. 251 247

. ;~ . ~-. ~ ~ . ~ .~ . . . ~ : ~ ~ . ~ project 1885-1 . ~ POLKLORE . ~ Edited by: ~ Spartanbur~ Dist.4 ~u~~tu Elmer Turri~ge Sept. 20, 193? ~ REIVIIN ISCENOES ft1 ~as born Ju~y 16, 1852 at Jeter s old. mill place in Santuc township. The Neal s Shoal darn now marks the site of the old Jeter rriil.1. My ~amiIy consisted of my parents arid an older brother. My mother~was Maridy Clark of Union township. M~ grandfather Olark~ i~noved to the Jeter mill and r n it for Mr. 7eter. My father, Torn Olark, was a laborer for the Jeters and old man Torn 8itn~ up on ~ Broad River at what was then known as 3irnstown. The Torn Sims and Nat Gist families owned everything in Santuc to Qvnship until their lands hit the Jimmie Jeter place. When I was twelve, my Lather went to the Confederate war. He joined.the Holcornbe Lesion oi~ Union County and they went i~raed~ lately to Charles-ton. They drilled near the village of Santucin - what wastheri called Mulligan s Old Field, now owned by Rien- Jeter. This was the only musteritig ~rqund in our part of the couhty., The - soldiers drilled once a week, and Lor th general muster, all of t he cornpanie8 from Sedal ia and Or oss Keys corne ~ t here once a month. ~Durin~ the -swnrner tinie they had ~hat they called ~eneral drill for a weelcor ten days.Of course on this occasion the soldier$ camped overthe field in covered wa~gons.Some came in buggies. Slaves, called -wait..men cared for the stockand did the coOking and other menial dut-ies ~or theiz masters. . ~ ~ . ~ The ~eueral store.. at $antuc and- the store at the Cross ~oe4s at ~ ieh Darn did good business cki~in~ the summer while the : : soldiers were in camp. The cross roads have lon~g been done away with at :R isb~ Darn. The st ore was under a bi.~ oak in front of t he

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~.. Reminiscences ~ (Charlie Harvey) ~: Page 2 248 house now owned arid lived in by ~.H. Gist. The Cross Roads were made by the Fish Darn Perry Road arid the old Ninety.-.Six Road. They tell me that the old Ninety..~5ix Road v~as started as an Indian trail by the Oherokeelndians, way yonder before the Revolution. I have been told that a girl named ~mily Gei~e~ rode that ninety~six miles Z i~ri one day to carry a message to an ~&mericangeneral. The message kept the general and h1~ army from bein~g captured by the red~coats. Near the Kay Jeter place jt~st belov the Ninety six road there v~ as a small drill ground. The place is now known as the Pitt~ man placeand is owned by thewife ofDr. J.T. Jeter of Santuc, I believe. Mr. Kay would send a slave ona ~horse or a mule to noti~ ~y the men to come arid drill there. Prom here they went on to Mulligan s Pield some five or six miles away for the big drills. is I have told you, Mulligan s Field was the bi~~fieid for all that countryside. They tell me that the same driliin~ tactics used then aridthere, are the same used right down yonder at Camp Jackson. ~ ~Por about four of live years after the Confederate War, we had very little to eat. Vie had given everything we could to th soldiers. Afterthe ?May Surrender there came a bi~floodand ~ wa$hed everythin~ away, and th~e crops were sopromising that August. ~8-7~ou know, that wa8 in 65.~Th&rairxs and the high water destroy~ ed everythiri~.~J do not believe that Broad RIver and the Porest and Tyger have ever been as ~ be~fore or since. - On Henderson s Island they saved noliv stock at all. The~ just did~mana~e to 8ave themselve . ~ hey had a hard. time getting the slav s to the mainland. Mrs. Saille Henderson, her step.~8on, ~ ~ k and her son, Jim, and daughter . Lyde were in the Henderson house ehen the freshet darne down upon them. They had to ~o up on the second floor of their house but the water carne up there.

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Reminiscences ~ (Charlie Harvey) ~e ~~ ~ ~ 2~3 Mr. Ben Hancock was the ferryrna~ at Henderson s Perry at this time. Now you know, Henderson s Ferry 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 o ~ the 3road. Well, ivir. Hancock was the best boatman in his clay. He knew about the Heridersoris, so he ~tried to go to thera but ~aiIed the first three times. The fourth time, he got to the hot~se; 7~hen he got there, he ~oun.d the ~vhites and twenty...five slaves trap~ ped with them. ~ ~ barrel of flour had cau8ht in the stairway that had. vvashed down the flyer from somewhere above. This was pulledup~ stairs and that is what Mrs. Heridersonfedher family arid slaves on for about five days, or until they were rescued by ~iiir. Hancock. Ca.pt.jack blew his opossum horn every two hours throughoutthe day and night to let the people ov r on the mainland know that they were stIll safe. ~ - ~Por the rest ~0 that year, river folks had very little to -- eat until food~ crops were produced the next sprin~. - - My own Lather was shot down for the first time at the Second Battle o~Manas8as. Here he 8ot a lick over his legt ey~e that wa$ab~ut the $ize of abuliet; but he~ said that he thought the lick carne from a bit of shel1~ They carried hirn toa temporary xnakeJshift ho8pital that had been ixuprovised behind the breastworks. A soldier who wasrecovering froni a wound riu~sed him as best be could. The second time my rather was wounded was in Kingst n,LC. He shot a Yankee from behind a tree and he saw the blood spurt from bim as he fell. Just about that timehe saw another Yankee behind a : tree leveling a ~ at him. Father three up his g~n but too late, ~: . ~ t~e Yankee shot a~d tore his arm all to pieces. The bullet went

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Reminiscences ~ (Charlie Harvey) ?age 4 through his arm and struck the corner of his mouth knocki.n1g out part of his jaw bon ~ Then it ~vent 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 Thto. He lay on the battlefield for a whole day and night;. then he was carried to a house where some kind ladie-s acting as nurses cared ~for hirn for over four months. He was seri~t hame and. dismissed from the army just amile below Maybinton, ~3. . in Newberry County. rather was unable to do any kind of work for over two years. The war closed a year afterhe got home. Prom that time on~I cared for - - my mother arid ~ather. ~ - - - We. had rnovedto the plantation of ~vIr. Ben Maybinin May-S binton before my father was sent home wounded. Path~r lived until r ~iarch, Ist, 1932 when he died at the-ripe old- age of 102. When he diedwewere livit~ig at one of thejeter plantations near Xelley s Chapel, in Fish Dam township, oOEe~half mu from Old Ninety.~.3ix Road. Father is buried at Kelley s Chapel. ~ - - - - ttMr. Harveyhas a bullet that ~ov. Scott issued to the - ~ negroes duringreconstruction times when he wa~ ~overnor of:South Carolina under the carpetbag rul . Scott issued these bullets to the n groes to kill and plunder with. Mr. Harvey says that bullets - ~ like this one were the causeof many negrc~s finding~their graves -. in thebottoxn otBroad River. Lr:Lr. Harvey, so it is said, is~still -~ x:tr Klux. They w~re the chief instruments in getting hint intothe ~ County Haine of.~ Union in 1925; ~ ~ . . ~ . ~ The Ku Klux made a boattwen-ty..five Leet long to carry -t~enegroea dowu the rivers They would take the negroes own gtrn8, ~ . ~ --:~j~ - ~ .

255 251

~t } ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ -~ ~ ~ ~ Remlnl$eenCe8 ** (Charlie Harvey) PACe 6 most o ~ t hein had two guns and t le t he guns ax ound t he jr ne eks in the ThlIowirig manner: The barrel of one g~n was tied. with wire. ~ around the negro s neck, arid. the stock of the other gun was fastened with wire arouridthe ne~ro s necke When the captain would say, ~M-~E~N , over the side of the boat thenegro went, with his guhs and. bullets taking him to a watery grave in the bctttom of Broad ~iver. The wooden parts of the ~unswou1d rot, arid sometimes the bodies would wash down on the rocks at Neal &.Shoals what was then Jeter s Old Mill. Old ~~un stocks have b en takenfrQm there as iriementoes. - . : Bill Fitzgerald was my first Ku Klux Captain. He or~an~ ized the clan in Newberry. ~1hen I came to the Klan over on the Un on side, Judge ~V.H. Wai1ace~ and Mr. Isaac MoKissick Were leaders. : ttWhen we~got the riegroeslfrom the cotthty jail, the same . jaJ.lthat we have now,~that~were arrested for ki11it~ Matt Stevens, I broke the lock on the jail door. Buck All n. was the blacksmith. He held a sledge hammer under the lock vthile I threw a steel hammer overhanded on the lock to break it. . . . . - ? ~ think ~be Lincoln wouldhave done the south some~good if they had let him live. Re had a kind he rt andkriew ~hat~su~ferin~ was. Lee would have won the war if the mighty Storiewalljackson had lived, . - Stonewall w.s~ ahead of them all. I had two uncles, Jipp and~Charlie Clark in St onewal1~ s company . Thsy w ould never t alk muth abo ut him .. . a~1tei jiis ~atb. lt imrtSthemtQo much, for$tonewa1I~s men loTed b~tnz~ao muc~Ii~ Jeff~Davis was a ~reat:m~.n,tOo.~ - : . ~ * . ~ ... .. . ~ ..$oi*ce:~. Mz ,C~ar1ie je~Har,ey,. Rt.4, Box 85, trnion,$.C. Xnterv1ewe~ : ~&I~~11 Bljis Union, S C. 8/18/3V. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I4 ~ f s

Eliza Hasty. Ex-slave 85 years old. 256 252

Pro5ect 4~l655 . v~ ~ ~ w. w. Dixon ~ ~ Winnsbbro, S. C. 390268 ~ 252 . ELIZ& RA.STY ~ ~~ST4VE 85 YEARS OLD. - Eljza Hasty lives with her son-in~law and her daughter, Philip I~oore and Daisy Moore, in an old time ante bellwn 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, xiow o~ned by John D. ~Iobley. He rentsit to Philip Moore, a well behaved Negro citizen, who, out of respect for his niother~in law, E~iza, supporteh r in the sore trials and helpie~ snes s of blindness . and od age . The~ home is five mile s southeast of Blacketock, S. C. ~ ~ ~ ItBoss, you is a good lookin ~ from de sound of your voice. Blind folks has ways of findin out things that them wid eight know nothin bout and nobody can eplain. De iblifldXIe8S sharpens de hearin , creases de tech, prickles de skin,qui.ckens de taste, and gives you ~1e nose ofa s tter, pointer or hound do~ . Was I always I blind? Jesus, no I I just got de fliction several ~ . ~ - - years ago. I see well euo~ji, when I was ayoung gal, to pick out a preacher ~ for n~j fust husiand. So I dld& How n~n~r times I been married? Just two tixnes; both husband8 dead. Tellyou b t theni direotly.~ ~ *Wh~t dat? Er ha, ha, ha, ha, er ha, ha, haL Oh Jesus, you makes ~ie~ 1~ugh,-whitefo11cs1 De idea of n~r ~ossin my sIght a lobkin round for a third hueband~ You sho is agreeable. Ain t been so.tickled since deseoont ~ ~ tinie I was a widow. You 1a.ow nry seoon~ husband was bad after blind tiger liquor, and hariob eyed, brassy, hussy women. Wefl, I cornes do1Ni~ t W-izmsboro today to seek I should say~to find out, . C9,~se~Qu ~~ I~eau t see, bout de pens Onth y~is givin out to de aged ~ aM blind. ~ white folks say dat you w nna see me and here I is. . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . %.~ ..~. . ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ . ~ ~ ~ :~,;. ~:: .. H . ~ ~ ~

257 253

. ~ . . -~ ~. ~ .~ : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 253 ~ Yes sir, I v ra~ born two miles south of Woodward and one mile south of old Yoiiguezville, on de Sterling place. I born a slave of old M~ .rse John S erling. ~1im have a head as red as a pecker~w ~od bird dat ~ just de~ sash sheys t round de top of dead trees and~ make sich a rat~ -tata~ta~ie after worms. His way of gittin his meat for dinner. My mii. tress n~xae Betsy. Deir fust child was Robert, dat never marry; himteach. nearly every school in Fairfield County, off and on befo he died. Thea dere was young ~w1arster Tom, small little man, dat carry his S~ceoder ~ ligiorL SO far, him become furiatcd and carry dat- ligion right up and . ~ ~ into de Secession War. ~ake a good soldier, tooL GenQral i3ratton call him, My Little ~ackass of de Sharp Shooters L Marte Torn pz oud of dat name, fronidemouth of a great man lak General John Bratton. Marso Tom heard de Lust gun fire at Fort:Sumter, and laid. down his c~n, him says under a~ big horse apple tree at Applemattox . Miss Saille, one of de ohillun, marry Mr. Chris )~lder, of Black sto~ok. Miss Hepzibah, they call her Heppie, marry a man named Boyd in ~Chester County. -~ Qss Mary Izabeila, they call~her Bell, marry Marse John Douglas; they are de ceators of dat very angel whose house us is setti& in right dis ndnut e . ~er naine is Martha but when ~rown-up they sublet (m~~.g change) dat ziame toMattie, andwhen her marry, her become Mrs. -- Thomas P. Bryson. Her is a-widaw, just lak I is a widow. D only d~f~1!erence i~s, I s black a d her is white . --. Her can see well enough to run -after and ketch another man but I s blind and cant t see a man much lessohas e acter him. ~ dere it isI ~Wkiatfor you laughin bout? No laughin business wi4me. - - ~ ~

258 254

: . . ~ ~ - ~ ~ - . ~ ~ ~ --. ~- ~. 3e ~ ~ 254 ~My pappy no ~ long to Marse John Sterling : him slave of de Stinsons. Have to git a pass to come to see n~r Ina~nrny, Mary. Hirn name Aleck. ~ After de warhim take de name of M.exander Roseboro. Him lak a big long nsme dat would make fo1k~ set upend t ke notice of him. ~u8- 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 one Pillows? De pillows was just anything you could snatch and put under - your head.- Yes sir, us had plenty to eat. - They struot us inde-shortcatechism, make u~ ~ tochureh, and sit ~u~p in de galleryand une in de singin on Sundays. Us was well tended bo when sick. Marst r didn t have many slaves Members only two they have, sides us; they was Une-le Ned ~nd Cindy. Seem lak dere was another. Oh ~es~ .- .ltwasFred, a all round deci~ea~ion boy, to do anythingand ever~rbhing. He was a sorta ehix t-~tail boy dat pestered me-soinatime wid g~. goo eyes, a standin in -de kitchen door, draprin his weight from one foot to de other, a lookin at me *liile I ~s a ohurnin or washin~ de dishes. Dat boy both ~x~*ankle and 1mook-~kne.e&. ~hen you hear him oomi& from de horse lot to de house, hjs legs talk to one another, just lak sayin : You let me p~ss dis time, let you pas s nex t 1mo . I let you know I had no time for dat\ape ~ Wh n I~ did git ready to marry, I fi1 high -as a eagle and ketch ~ p-re~her ~of~c1e~ WordL Who it was? Himwas a Baptis preacher, naine Slo~i Dixon. ~. Spect you hear tell of -hirn. ~ No? Well, hirn b long, in slaverytime, to ~your ~&unt i~ ~ . people in Liberty Hill Kershaw County. You members your Aunt Roxi~ dat ixiarry Marse Ed D Mobley, her fust cousin, don t you? . . - - ~I love Solomon and went down under de water to be buried wid him in ~ : ba~isrn, I sho did, and I oome up out of dat water to be united wid him in wecELook. 1fl~ieu us marx ~r, }~ have on a long-tail coat, salt and pepper trousers, ~*- ~ - ~ k&~~ r

259 255

~ . ~ ~. ~ ~ ~ ~ 4. 255 box-toed shoes, and a red lead pencil over his ear, just as long as de one I spec1.~s you :i.s writin wid, tho I cantt see it. How~I dressed? I members zaetly. 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 underskirt. ~ Dese all eome up to my waist and was held together by de string dat held my bustle in place. All dis and rr~r corset was hid by de ~Uow white pleated pique bodice, dat drapped gracefully from fly shoulders. Round my neck was a string of green jade beads. I wore red stockint s and xiry foots was stuck in sort black, cloth, gaiter shoes . L~y-~ go-away-that was stcnishment to everybody. It was made out of redplush velvet and trimmed wid vrhitesatiniribbons. In de front, a ostrich : feather stood up high and ~ro big turkey feathers flanked de sides. Oh, de treasures of memory to de blindL I s ~happy to sit here and talk to you bout dat~day~ I sho is~ . ~ Us live at Marse John Douglas for a time and dat~ where my fusi child was born. ~1 name her for your Aunt Roxie, tho I give her de full name, Roxanzia Dixon. Her marry John Craig. : They live on your grathpa Woodwardt.s old Nickey place, four miles southeabt o~f i3lackstock. I had another baby and I name her Daisy. Her rriarry Philip1~ 1oore. I lives wid - t~m in de old William Douglas mansion. Nearly all devthite folks l~eaviri decountry de e days and de colored folks gits~define oou~~housOs to live in. . ; ~ ~ ~ :. a after de yeari fly by, ~ husband So1orno~n, ~o to de mansion .~ \ prepared for hi~n *nd me in hebben. I wait a year and a day and~ marry ~Iilliam Hasty. Maybe I was a little hasty b~ut dat but spe ots it was n~r fate.

260 256

Hirn dririlc liquor and you know dat don t run to de still waters of peace and happine s s 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. ~ Bible s~y dat kind of drowsiness soon clothe a man in rags. Him dead now. God rest his soulL ~De Yankees come. They took notice of meL They was a bad lot lat disgrace ~r. Lincoln dat sent them here. They insult women both white and black, but de Lord was mindful of his ov~. - 1 knows nothint else to tell you, tless you would be pleased to hear bout what de cyclone did to ii~r old missus and de old Sterling house. Some~ - where bout 1880 -s one of them super knock&hal (equinoctial) storms come long, commencin over in Alabarr~a or Georgia, crossed de Savannah River, sweep through : South Carolina, layin treei to de ground, cuttin a path a quarter of a mile - ~ - wide, as it traveled from west to east. Every housse it tech, it carry de~ planks and shixigl~s anc1~si 1s and joists waywldit. Deold Sterling hou-sevtas 4n ~: path. Dere we~s a big oak tree in de front yarOE. Old miss and her s n, Rob rt, ~ -vras dere and Miss Heppie, a granddaughter, was in dat house. De storm hit dat -~ house 1bout 9 o clock dat nicht and. never left a bit of it, cept some of de bricks. Some of de logs and sills was found d next day over at de other side of de railroad~traok. 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 cd old miss against de bi~ aak tree and kiliher. It blowed i &iss Heppie in de top of dat tree where ~he *~s s.ettiu a cryin end couldn t git do~wii, a~id it never harm a hair of Marse Ro~rt s head. 111m look r~und for- Miss Ileppie, ~ ~ ~ couLdn tfind her, went off to get help, and when they come back, they havet ~ ~ :- git a ladder from old Mr. Bob Mobley s house to git her dawn. ~1 ~ ~ ~ h~ ?~ ~ ~ 5. - 250

261 257

~ ~ s .~ . ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ .. ~ : ~ ~ ~.. ~ We11, here comes i ~j daughters I hear one outs ide but I bet you don t hear a thing . Dats deir steps I hear Glad ~ for you ~o meet them. They is mighty fine gals if I do haire to say so . ~ They come up wid good white folks, de Mills . Marse Jim Mills have family prayer in de mornin and f~amily prayer befo they ~o to bed. Dat wa~ de fust thing wid him and de last thing wid. de Mills family. ~If all de families do dat way, dere would be de answsr~to de prEy~r, ~ Dy kingdom corne, Dy will be done, on earth ~ as tis in hebben .~ ~ Well, cive n~ my stick. Here they is. I bids you goodbyc~ and God bless you.~ ~ ~ ~ . : ~ ~:. . :, ~ ~ ~: - * t~* ~

Ex-slave, 91 years old, Arthurtown S.C. 262 258

258 Reference; ~Persona1 interview with AuntDoUy Ha~nes, age 91 Arthurtown, s~ o.

263 259

390132 259 AUNT DOLLY HAY~ES EX-~SLAVE 9 1 YEARS OLD ARTHITRT OWN S C. I nebber viiiz no rockin chair setter. I amt nebber had no tise to set down and do nuthin . I wuz born at Euta~South Carolina. We belong to Marse Charlie Bauxner. }ily ~1a died and lef four motherless chil .un but de missus wuz mighty good to us~ call us her ehillun. Pa rung de bell on de plantation fur ter wake de s1a~es up fur to go to de fiel . My Missus wuz blind but she wuz a mighty kin lady. Mek de cook bring plate of vittais to see ef it wiiz heavy nough for her little chillun. After freedom all us moved wid de )i~arse and Missus to Childs, South Carolina and. I mar d Paul Haynes, who belonged to old Colonel Hampton. ~ Paul wanted to preach but nedder of U8 had no learnin ant I say to Paul, Does you think you got nough learnin to lead a flock of people? I don wan ~you to git up an mek me shame. I tell hirn to go to de Benedtpts an see what book he needs to study, come by town bring i~e a pair of broggans for me, cause I wuz a-gwine to wuk and he wuz a-gwine to school. For t ree long years I plowed de farm an sent Paul to de Benedicts tu he wuz edicated. De briars cut my legs an de breshes tore my skirt, but I tuck up de skirt an plow right on tu I bought my little farm. Paul bin dead now bout twelve years, but he preached right up to de day he died. 1 got a neffu but I lives alone, wen deys some one in de house I puts down and dey picks up- I cleans up and dey tears up.

264 260

2GO) Page~2 I owe nobody mithin Wen de nurvue spe lis leave s nie an I feels a little strong in de legs I wuks inah garden. I loves to be dom soniethint to keep clean, cause I jes air~t no rockin chair settert1.

Liney Henderson. Ex-slave, 70 years. 265 261

Code No. ~ No. ~fts ~ ~ Project, is~5-~(i) Reduced 1~uI~ words Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place, Marion, 8.0. __________________ 261 Date, November II, 3,937 ~ LII~Y ~ND~RSON Zx- Slave 70 Year s 390376 Accordin to de way dey figure s up niy age de y say I 70 now en I believes dat right, too, en de gov rnment ought to give me sornethin. When we wa~ born, de white folks put us ohilluri age down in de Bible en I know from dat I been 19 years old de year of de shake1 Cose I gets clothes give to me, but no help no more den dat en all dis here wood en coal bill put on me . No mam, am got no support to help ~ out no ti~ne, But justice will plum de line some day. I just gwine leave it in de hands of deLord. kin gwine cry over it. I tell you, I been wid white folks all my days en I was prope r cared for long ~ as I been in &ey protect ion. I suffers now more den I is ever think bout would come to me. Yes,main, I done raise over 20 head of white ohil .un. ~at de God truth. I~ been in de white folks kitchen all ray days en if I f el right, I think dey ought to take of me in my old age. I don brag on myself, but if I could work like I used to, I wouldn ax nothin from nobody. I had a family of white people to send for me de other week to come en live wid. dem en dey would take care of me~, but I never had nobody to trust aim Salue Wid. You see, child, she auch a helpless, poor creature just settin dere in dat bed all de time en can see to do one thing widout I give her my hand. Qose de goverxiinent helps aun 8aiiie, but dat a in me En hone y I am even able to stand up en i ron I has dis rheumatism so bad. It bu~tg me so terrible at night,

266 262

Code No. No. Words________ Project, 1$~5~-(i) Reduced fioth~Twords Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by Place Mar ion S. C . ____________________ 262 Date, November II, 3,937 ige ~ ~ I hae to keep my foots out from under de cover. It a sort of~ burnin rheumatism like. Yes,znarn, it does worry me right smart. I, Oh, my Lord, I was raise down dere to old Dr. Du~rant plantation. Yes,mam, dein Durants had everything right to dey hand. Never had to want for a glass of water or nothin en didn none of Dr. Durant s colored. people never had no trouble wid de law from de time ~e 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 bave, 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 1 been see dem take buc ke t on a buc ke t o f ni ilk to dat pen Whe n my mo the r was dere heipin dem, dey used to beena week to a time tryin up lard en makin blood puddin en sau~ge en joinin up ears en things like dat. Yes,marn, all dey planta~tion niggers what been helpin dat day set for hog kuhn would eat to de white folks yard. Dey would just put two or three of clese big wash pot out in de yard en full dein up wid backbone en baslets en rice to satisfy dem hungry niggers wid en would bake de Corn bread to de Missue kitchen. I mean dey would have hog kuhn days den, too. Would have dese long old benches settin 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

267 263

Code No. No. Words_______ Project, 1SE~5~(1) Reduced ~~rn~ords Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by~ Place, ~arion, S.C. -~ Date, November 11, 1937 Pag ~~T. ~ en I mean dey was hogs, not pigs. ~e number dey would kill would be accordin to how many bands was helpin de day dey pick to kill. You see, dey would kill dem oneday en hang dem up en den dey would set de next day to cut der~ 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, couldnt trust to do nothin like dat des& days. Zn dey had de nicest homemade butter en whip cream dere all de time. 5eems like things was just more plentiful en dey w~~s 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. D~irant s plantation. When freedom come here, dere couldnt no head never get~ dein colored people to leave from dere. Yes,mam, dey great grand.chillun dere carryin on to dis very day. Dem Du~rant chillun am never had to hunt for no ha~id to do soniethin for dem. Yes,rnam, 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. Zn it de bie~sed truth, old. Dr. Durant had his ownoarpenters right dere on de plantation to make de corpse b xes en line dem en all dat en dig de grave s Dat ~ was a day, honey en dat a day gone from here, ~ say.H

268 264

Qode No. No. Words______ Project, 1~s5-(i) Reduced ff rn words Prepared. by Annie Ruth Davis Rewritten by ~ Place, Marion, S.C. ____________________ Date November 1 . 3.937 ~ ig~ - ~ ~---~ --- III am never been one of dese peck abouts when I was Conan on cause I didn done nothin, but nurse de white folks chillun dat was Comm Up. Yes,!nam, I would go all bout wid de whi te people Dey never t leave nie home . Lord, de head chiflun what I mirse, dey got seven en eight/of chillun of dey own now. Like I be en tellin you, some of dem beg me to oome en ive wid dein, but my God, I can struggle wid de~ chillun no more after I done wash baby breeches all my best days, so to speak. Yes, ~y Lord, dem chillun would get dey 10:30 lunch in de mornin en I been get mine, too. Lin never had to work in de field in all my life. Anybody can tell you dat what know me I has a little boy stayin here wid me en aufl Saille what was give to me. I don never think hard of de p ople for not fussin bout him stayin here cause he helps ~e so much. No,rxiarn, I know his mother fore she die en he been stayin wid. his aun en she ehillun en dey treat him mean. He been raise to himself en he can stand no other chillun en he come home from school one day en ax meto let him stay here widme. No, child, he ~ amt no trouble cause de Lord. give me dat child. He Can stay out d.ere in dat yard right by himself en play all day fore he would ever ge t di rty up. Well, I tell you, I don know hardly what to say bout h~w de world gwine dese days. I ~ just afraid to say bout it.

269 265

Code No. ~ Project, i~~-.(i) ~ . ~ Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis Place, Marion, 8.0. Date, November U, 1937 No. Worda. Reduce d from~wo rds Rewritten by 265 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 ~or de people to be on dey knees en prayin. De people ta .kin 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 ake up in de inornin en find us all in destructiveness. I say, de Lord all what can save dis t Liney Henderson, age 70,colored, Marion, 8,0. ~rce: Personal interview by Annie &ttn Davis, Nov., 1937.

Jim Henry. Ex-slave 77 years old. 270 266

: Project fi655 W. W. Dixon WinusborO, S. e. 390412 .~ ~JIM. 1tE~RY ~SLAyiE~J7~ Y~RS OLD. Jim Henry 1 ives with hiswife Mary, in a four-.room frame house three miles southeast of Winnsboro, S. C. He ow~ the hotise and nine acres of land. He has only one arm, the other having been ataputated twenty years agO He em- . ploys a boy to plough, and he and his wife make a 1jvin~ on the property. ni was born in the Bratton slave quarter, about six miles northeast of Wixinsboro. I was born a slave of General John Bratton. He use to tell me I come from stjn~uished StOCka dat he bought x~r father, Jai~es, frox~ de Patrick Henry fatli !y in Virginia. Dat s de reason xr~r pappy and us took dat name after freedom. ~ - My mother, Silva, and her mother, was bought fromde Rutledge fsn4ly in Charleston, by General Bratton. My grandfather, on n~j mcther s side., was name Edvrard Rutledge. No, sir, I don t mean he was a white x~n; he just gingercake color, so n~r mother say. My pappy say his father was a full blooded mdian, so, dat makes three bloods~in n~r veins, white folks, Indian folks, and Megro O Derefore us been thrifty like de white man, crafty like de Indians and hard workin like de Negroes. ~ In slavery time,us lived in one of de nice log houses in de Bratton quai ters. Our beds was pole beds, wid wheat straw ticks, end cotton pillows. De Brattons was always sheep raisers and ~us had wool en blanket s and woolen clothes in de~ wint~i . My mother was ne of de seamstresses ; she.~ make clothes for de slaves. Course,)I m tellin you what she tell me, mostly. I was too little to member imich bout slavery time. All delittle niggers ruzi ~ round in cleir shirt tails in suniner time; never work any, just hunt for grapes, muscadines, straw-

271 267

2. 267 berries, chinquapin8, hickory nuts, calamus root, slippery elmer (elm) bark, wild cherries, ia~1berries, and red and black havis, and was as happy as de days was long. UI just cari member d.e Yankees. Don t member dat they was so bad. You know they say oven de devil ain t as black as he is pain~bed. 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 ~ cause General Bratton was a high ~ree mason. ~1Thile 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 hillun was put in charge, in de daytime~wid an old ~ as they called them in them days. Dore was so many, twenty five or thirky, dat they had to be fed out of doors. M; sundo~n they was ~ sembled in a tent, and. deir matninies wou-ld come and git them and tak them home Dore us od to be some s crappin over de pot liquor dat was brought out in big pans. De little chillun would scrouge around wid d.eir tin cups and dip into de pan for de~ bean, pea, or~ turnip pot liquor. Son~ funuy scraps took place, wid de old mauixia tryin to separate de squallin pushin fightin chillun. - lIfl~ overseers was Wade Rawis and a Mr. Tiinms. ~fter freedom, us moved to Wir~nsboro, to Dr. Will Sratton ~ f~js~ near Mt Zion College I went to s chool to Mr. Richardson and Yiss Julia Fripp, white teachers employed by northern white people. I got very li~ious bout dat time, but de brand got all rubbed out, wheli us went to ~work forMajor Woodward. His ligionwas to p ay de fiddle, go fox huntin end ride tround git~in Negroes to wear a red shirt and vote de democrat ticket I went long wid him and done ri~r part . ~ They t eU a tale on L(ars e Tom Woodward and I spects it s true: He was r~~~Iint for some kind of office and was in, nex day, up in de

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3. 268 dark corner of Fairfield to meet people. Him hear dat a old fellow name Uriah Y right, controlled all de-votes at dat box and dat he was a fox hunter to beat de band He quire ~ round ~ bout Mr . i z dogs lie f md out dat a dog name Ring Smitht ~ de best te~~triket~ J0 y Wright was de name of de cold !trai .ert, and L~~o11y C1ovin~y~ was de fastest dog of de pack. Marse Toni got all dis well in his mind, and e day rode up to old Mr Wigh s ~ bout d inner tim. De old man had just come in from de field. Marse Torn rode up to de gate and say: Is dis Dr. Wright? De old xim~i say: tDatts what de people call me tround here. Marse Tom say: ~ name is.Woodward. I am on n~ first political legs, and am go it t round to s e e and be seen, if no t by everybody, certainly by de most prominent and ~ fluential citizens of each section. Then de old man say: T Git devin. Git dov~n. You are a monstrous likely man. It li take you in to see Pinky, n~ wife, and wetil see what she hasto ~ay bout it. M rse Tom got down off his horse and was a goin to de house talkint all de time bout crops. Spyin de ~ dogs lyi& ~ round in de shade, him say: Dr. Wright, I am a ouliar man. I love de ladies and admire them rm~ch but, if you 1I pardon i~ weab~es a fine hound dog comes nearer perfection, in x~ eye than any-. thing our Father in heaven ever made to live on this green earftl t ~ what do you. laiow bout hounds ? Old man Uriah int from de ~- houe e ana followin Marse Tom to where de does was Mars e Tom s et dov~ De vthol~ pack come to where he was, sniffed and smel-t him, and wag deir tails in a friendly way. Marse Tom say: What is de naine of dis clog? Ring Smith, did you say, Doctor? A~ u~ncomrnou fine dog he seems to rae. If derebe any truth i~ signs, he oughta be a good strike.t De old n~.n reply: Good strike, did you say? If dere was 5,000 dogs herea I would beta~iilhioudOllar8 dat Riiig Smith would open three miles ahead of the best in de bunch. And you might go befo a trial justice and. sweai~ it was

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4:. 2G9 a fox, when he opened on, de trail. ttLf arse Tom nex examined de pale black and tan dog, which was Jolly Wright, de coldest trailer, Feelin his nose and eyein him all. over, he say at last: tDr. Wright, I think dis is one of de most reixiarkable dogs I has ever seen. I would say he is de coldest brauer of your pack? t, Coldest, did you say? ~hy he can smell them after they have been along three or four weeks . Molly Clowriey was nex picked out by Marse Tom, and come in for his turn. Here ought to be de apple of your eyes, tSr. Wright, say Marse Tom, for if I know .nything bout dogs, this is the swiftest animal dat ever run on four feet. Tell me now, honor bright, can t she out runanything in these parts? t Run, did you say? No. She can t run a bit. But dere ain t a ci ow nor a turkey buzzard dat ever cro s sed de dark corner dat can hold. a . candle to her f lyin . I vs seen her run under th x~ and :outrun deir shadows many times . ~ Dinner is bout ready, and I want you to meet Pi~ky. Marse Tom was took in de house and de old man led him round like a fine horse at a shaw~ or fair. 1~Thy, Pinky, he is slTlari;; got more eense than all de candidates put together. He is kin to old preacher Billy Vloodvrard, de smartest man, I heard n~ daddy say, in Europe, Asia, JLfrica, North Merica, or South Merica. 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 Devil s Dream . iNhen he finished, Marse Tom grab de fiddle and played: Hell BrokeLoose In Georgia , wid such power &nd skill dat de old man, lJriah, hugged Mj55 Pthky and cut de Pigeon Wing all over de floor. Marse Tom, they say, carry every y ote at dat dark corner box. I fall in love with Mary hail. G~t her, slick as a fox. Us had ten chulun. ~ Eight is livin . ~obert is at~ de Winnsboro Cotton Mills Ed in de same place. Estelle marry a Ford) and has some land near Winnsboro. ~iaggie marry a

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5. L 27() Pickett. Her husband took her to ~Tashington. John Wesley is at Greensboro. Florence marry a Barber and. lives in Winston Salem, N. C. Charley is in W~nns ~oro. Corinne marry a LleDuff and is in Wimisboro. tMighty glad to talk to you, and. will con~e some day and try to bring you a possuxa. You say you would like to have one bout Thanksgivin Day?

Stories from ex-slaves. 275 271

Project 18854 .~ . POL~LORE 390110 Edited by: 2~(1 $partanburg Dist.4 Elmer Turnage June 1, 1937 STORI~ PROM EX-~SLAVES Yas Sir, my oie Marster had lots o land, a big planta.. tion down at Lockhart whar I wa~ born, called de Herndon Plan.. tation. Den he live in a big house jes outside o Union, called Herndon Terrace , and 8ides dat, he was de biggest lawyer dat was in Union. ~Purst merabranee 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 g t her some oak bark. De furs one back wid de bark ud git de furs gingerbread cakedat was done. My. sister sot me down, a slid14ing down de side o her laag, atter she hadearried me wid her down de side o de hill. Dembig chapsstarted to fooling timeaway. 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 ri my hand and let rae pull up to de do . She cook de gingerbread, and when de other chilluns got back, I was a setting up eating de Lurs 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 hoidlive coals. Live coals went under it, too. Mother wanted oak chips and bark, cause dey made sech good hot coals and clean ashes. ~tPots 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.

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Folklore: Stories Prom ~x-S1aves Page 2 . 272 Bread was cooked in a baker like de ginger cake was. Dey roasted both kinds o taters in de ashes and made corn bread in de ashes and called it ash cake, den. Us lived in a one room lo~ house. Per 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. Q course de shingles was hand made, never know d how to make. no other n. 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 o slat8. Ropes could be stretched to make de bed lay good. Us never had a chair in de house. Ivly paw made benches Ler us to set by de fire on. Marse Zack let de overseer git planks fer us. My paw was called Lyles Herridon. We had a large plank table dat paw made. Never had no mirrows. Went to de spring to see ourseifs on a Sunday morning. Never had no s ch things as dressers in dem days. All us had, was a table, benches and beds. And my paw made dem. Had plenty wood ferfire 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 dein days, dat wudd n nothing out de ordinary. All you had to do, was to kill a beef atid take de taller from his tripe and kidneys. ~See, it de fat yougits and boil it out. Stew it down jes as folks does hog lard dese days. De candle moulds was made out k tin. Per de wicks, all de wrapping string was saved up, and dar wasn t much wrapping string in dem times. Put de string right downde middle. o de mould and paur de hot taller all around it. De string will be de wick fer de candle.

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Folklore: $torles Prom Ex..Slaves Page 5 273 Den de moulds was laid in raal cold water 80 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 Lau 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, Pair, lived to-S 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, l9~, I members. Nothing didn t look natual cept de jail. Evtything 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), settiagall 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 ~ .8OO so as dey allus told me. Marse Zack h~da h~nd ed slaves on dat planta-. tion. Stout, healthy ones, brungfrom ~l,OOO on up to ~2,OOO a head.~ When I was a young kid, I hea rd dat he was offered ~8OO fer xne, 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 :iowed. dat God never intent fer no soul8 to be bred as if dey wa~ cattle, and he never practice no sech.. tI is old and I dpes not realize who Marse Zack s over-. seer was, kaise dat been a long while. I was ~r. Bates house-.boy.

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Polkiore: $torie8 Prom Ex...Slaves Pace 4 274 1 allus heard dat Dr. -Bates bought my maw fer ~1,5OO, at de same time he bought me. He cive ~ 2,OOO fer ray paw. i~ brother, Jim, was bought fer ~1,8OO. Adoiphus, bout fifteen years old, sold ~er bout :~l,4OO; arid my onhiest sister, Matilda, was bought fer a maid sal, but I cannot recollect fer what price. She was purty good sise gal den. ~Ul o~ dem is dead now but me, even all my white yolks is done gone. I sees a lonely time now, but fly daughter treat me kind. I live wid her now. Dr. Bates brother, Pair, was single mari dat live in de house wid Dr. Bates fer thirteen years. I lived in slavery fer over twenty..~one years. Yas, l s twenty-..one when Preedona come; arid den Dr. Bates up arid 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. ?~hen he married d second time, Mr. Fair, up and went cver to de Keenan place to live. He never did marry, hi~elf, though. As house~boy dar, I mind de flies from de table and tote dishes to and fro from de kitch n. 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 rio company in dem days, neither. - Rations was give out ev y week from de srnokehouse, ~ Twenty..five 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, coats and sheep jes ru~i wild on Tinker and Brushy Pork Creeks.

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Polkiore: Stories Prom Ex-.Slaves Page 5 275 on Sat day us git one peck meal; three pounds o meat and. one~ half ~a11on black molasses fer a person; and dat s lot mo dan dey gits in dese days and times. Sunday morning, us ~it two, or maybe three pounds o flour. Didntt know nothiri~ 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). }~1arse s coachman called Tom Cuff , kaise he bought from old Dr. Cuip. He driv ~wo black hos es to de ~arriage. Marse s saddle hoss was kinder reddish. G~en ally he do his practice on hossback. He good doctor, and carry his rned&cine in saddl bags. It was leather and fall on each side o de hoss s side0 when you put ~somettiing 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, tuings was k pt in de milk.-house. Well water was changed ev ~ day to keep things cool. Ev ybody drink milk in de surnnier, and leave off hot tea, and de white folks Ofli~ drink coffee fer dere breakfast. T other times dey also drink milk. It bees better fer your health all de time. At de mouth o Brushy Fork and Tinker Creek whar dey goes together dar is a large pond o water. Us n used to fish in dat pond. ~ One day me and Mat ilda tuck off a...fishing . I fell in dat pond, arid when I riz up, a rafto brush held my head under dat water and I couldn t git out no way . Tilda sees my dangerment, and 8he jump in dat deep water and pull me from under dat raff. She c o ul t t sw im b ut us b ot h go t out Can t t h ink n o trio t oday . Source: Zack Herndon, Grenard St., Gaffney, S.C. (col. 93) ~ Interviewer: Caidwel . Sims, Union,5,C. 5/11/37

Lavinia Heyward's story of slavery and Reconstruction. 280 276

Project #1655 ~i1o M.~oruggs CO1WJ1bi&,~S..C.~ 390395 . 27G L&VINIA B~~YWARD S STORY OF SILVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION. Lavinia Heyward, a Negro woman 67 years old, living at 515 Marion Street, Columbia, S. C., is a daughter of ex-slaves. kier parents were Peter Jones and Rachel Bryant Jones. They married in Coluxnbia, soon after they were freed, in 1865. Lavinia reviews her niother s experiences with a fai~us South arcljna family, before and after bondage, and takes a glance at Qolwabia s progress in the past half century. Sho I s been here 67 years and I s seen a stragglin town of 10,000 grow from povert~y to de present great city and riches Shucks I spects/if you was to set me down at Broad River bridge and tell me to go home, I might git lost tryin to Lind n~r way to ~where I has lived for max~ ar. DUriII my time I s sho seen dis city sad end glad, and I s happy to say dat it seem to be feelin a right smart lak itself now. My marthiiy, end her daddy and maimny, was bou~ht from de Bryants at Beaufort by de Rhett family, when n~r mannny was a little pickaninny. She not able to ten nothin b~t her speriences with de Bryants, but she sh& recall a lot of things a.fter she j me de Rhetts She live with them ~ tu she was just turnin twelveyears old, then she corne to Columbia as a slave of Master John T. Rhett. 11e move here, as a refugee, in 1862. Master Rhett was not healthy nough to go to war but some of his folks go. n Que of Master Rhe s brothers ~ who was too old to go to war, march way to fight Yankees at Honey Ulil. De Yankee fleet ~ send an arit~j in boats to cut de Charleston and Savannah Railroad, and de Confederates inset them at Honey IIiU~ half .I fty tween Beaufort and Sav*nnah. In a bloody battle dore de Confederates

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2. 277 won. Master Rhett, of Beaufort was wounded dere, and hie brother, John, leave Columbia and go dere to see him whik, he was in bed, battlin for life. My n~nm~r never work in de field at Beaufort, nor after she oo~ to Coluin bia. She was kept on duty in de big house and learned to sew and make garmente, quilta, and things. She also learn to read, write, and cipher, and she could sing inaily of de church songs them daye. She play with de white chillun dat oo~ to see de .R}~etts in Beaufort and iii Columbia. Ihe tell a~ bout thii~a in~ Beau fort where de Rh~tte live then. She say de Rhetts has been buckra sirtce de time when Colonel William Rhett go o~it in his battle ships to chase and kill pirates, in de days when Carbiina was ruled~ by de King of England. She say they o~m many big plantatione in Beaufort County s334 raise big crops of rice aridsea island cotton. ~he sayde sea island cotton Was ao costly that it was ha dpicked by slaves and placed in hundred pounds sacks. Then it was shIpped to France and degrowers reap a rich harvest. Mam~r tell us ohillun dat de Rhett8 sho was de big folks of 8outh Caro lina, and I reckons dat s so, cause de books, swords, guns, windlasses and things lek dat, in a room at de John T. Rhett home, show vthat th~ y has been dein for several hundred years. uP~L, yes, you wants to know where bouta John T. Rhett live in Columbia? He live at de bouse now number 1420 WashingtOn Street rIght cross de street from where de parsonage of the Washington Street Methodist Church now stands . I go dere with ~ often, and play round de yard. Mamm~r always work dore as long as 8he able to ee ve a tall. Sh take sick and die in 1883. Master John T. fihett was n~yor of de city thre times, in 1882, 1884 and in 1886 I knows well cause he see to it dat us ohillun go to school long bout then, and not a one of us has been unable to read, write, and cipher since. He see

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3. 278 dat we gits chances to become useful citizens, and his very name is sweet to ~ since he died. You ask if I knows R. Goodwin Rhett of Charleston? I sho does ; I has talked with him and he ask n~ many questions. He was born in Co1uj~bja but x~ve to Charleston many years ago and, lok the buckra dat he is, he climb to de top as de mayor of Charleston, big banker, and president of de Chatnber of Commerce of de United States. So you see, my man~ was lucky in livin with such a fine family. - . You asks if n~i ~ ( husband ) has come down from de Heyward family of de C~mbahee River slaves? No. He conte from de North and he say dere was Heywards up dere, both white and black. He got that naine in de North. He has been a carpenter 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 xz~v maimt~r tell us to. Ax~d we git lox2~ pretty well by trustin in God and dom o r best.*

Folklore stories from ex-slaves etc. 283 279

390040 Project #- 1655 Approx. 530 Worda Mrs. Chiotilde R. Martin . FOLKLORE 2i9 Beaufort County FOLKLORE Stories from Ex slaves Lucretla Heyward Ex-slave Age - 96 W en gun fust sb~oot on Hilton Head isia4, i been 22 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, wtio had uh plantation on Farn (Parris) Islandt. De overseer been Edward Blunt. He been poor white trash, bu~t he wuk ba&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, Mos s - I can t member de odders, it been so long ago. I hab one sister Eliza she die de odder day. W en I been little gal, I~ w uk in de house. Wuk all day. I polish knife and fork, inek bed, sweep floor, nebber hab time for play game. W en I git bigger, dey send me to school to 1il1138 Crocker to learn to be seamstruss. W n I small, I sleep on floor in Miss Blunt room. I eat 1004 left ober from table. Dey nebber learn me to read and write. I ain t hab time for secb t ing. I go to chu ch in white Baptie ehu ch. Nigger hab for sit up stair, white folks sit down stair. If nigger git sick, dey send for doctor to tend um. Mr. Blunt nebber lick me, but Miss Blunt cut my back w en I don t do to suit her Nigger gi t back

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Project #-16553 Page - 2 28() Mrs. Chiotilde R. Martin Beaufort County cut w en dey don t do wuk. or w en dey fight. Dey hab ub jail in town, run by Mr. McGraw. I! nigger be too bad, run street and ing, he gi t in jail and Mr. McGraw lick um. 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 dodt to git dat. ~ W en Yankee beencome de Blunts leab Beaufort, and I walk out house and go back to Farn Islandt. De Yankee tel we to go en Buckra corn house and git w at we want for eat. Den I come back to Beaufort and go to wuk in cotton house (gin.) De Yankee pay we for wuic and I tek my money and buy twenty acre ob lana on Farn Islandt. I ain t had dat land now cause de Governmen~t tek em for he self and me~me move. (This was when tk~e Government bought Parris Island for a ~ ~ . \ ~ . ~ . ~. ~ naval station.) ~ I been hab two husband. De fust name Sephus Bro~wn. How I member w en he die, it been de year ob de ninety-tree storm. My odder husband been Cxtpid Beyward - he daid (dead) too. I hear tell ob de Ku Klux, but I nebber shum ( see them). I don t know nuting bout no night rider. See um sell. siebe? I see um. Dey put um on banjo table and sell um just lak chicken, Nigger ain t no more den chicken and animal, enty? (isn t it so?)

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project # 1655 Page - 3 Mrs. Ch .otilde R. Martin Beaufort County Abraham Lincoln? Stio I members him. He de one w at gib us freedom, enty? He come to Beaufort. He come to ~ j~~_ de war. He sho been one fine man. He come to Beaufort on uh ship and -go ai . round here, but I nebber skutzn. CJI) JefferSon Davis? N I nebber ~iear ob him. Booker T. Was~iington. I members him. I hear him mek speech in Beaufort. It been uh bee~.utiful speecti. Datbeen one smaa t col ored man. w, at I t ink ~ bout sla~ery? Huh - nigger git back cut in slabery time, enty? Does I hate Mr. Blunt? No, I am t hate urn. He poor w~1 j te tra ab b~ t ~ tie da Id ~ now . He hab he sel f to 10 ok out for, enty~ He wuk,Iie sabe b~e money for buy slabe and land. He git some slabe, but he nebber git any-land - de war cum.

Aunt Mariah Heywood. 286 282

Project #-~1655 ~ FOLKLOI 282 Mrs. Genevieve W. Chandler 390213 Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County AUNT MARIAIT HEY~OOD Aunt i iariah Hey~ ood, born In 1855, was TAliston lahort on ~Naccarnaw Neck, Given as a brjUal present to tMj55 C&ti~ Susan,~ by her father, Mr. Du.ncan,~of I~idway Plantation V~iaccamaw, Aunt i~iariah has for the l~.st fifty years lived much in the past when I ~iz raise on the cream of the earth and her head is just a little higher and her back-S 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 s ~e from her te stimony, her chief cause for her pardonable snobbery seems to be that her I~ 1assa was the last man to surrender and tts~ear gainst his swear. Her sons, one of whom is a preacher in the Liethodist Conference arid tone a zorter - a locust!1~.and her youngest 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 pl8nts 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 leader in church activities and her opinion valued when a vote is taken about school matters. Being the oldest corumunion steward she is affection a tely s poken of a s ~ THE M~1THE1t~ OF BEA S - the

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Project #-~J-655 ~ ~ Page - 2 283 Lirs. &enevleve ~.. Chandler Murrells Inlet, S. C. Ge orgetown County i~~ethodist church founded In Murrells Inlet community by colored leaders shortly after Mancipation. . ttAuflt Mariab, you hothe? :Missus, what you brought ~ne? t III too thank you. (soon she began to rerninesce) UYou could hear em over there slammingand banging. The Yankee tear up the Dr. Flagg house but they didn t come Sunnyside. Bright day t oL Old man Thomas Stuart lead em to Hermitage. Had team they take from ~ Betts and team they take from i)r. Arthur to Woodland. Free everywhere else and we wasn t free Sunnysi.de till June thirdor 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. ~ They wuz glad. 5ign 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. ~ (The same medical attention to be given that was given before Freedom ) Big guns shootingL House jar to Sunnyside and one day water shake out the glass~ ~ Su~an take her spyglass and stand behind one them big posses (posts) and spy them big boats shootingL And boss say, Donut get in front of them posses - they might

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Page 3 284 Project #-~1655 L~rs. Gen3vjeve ;;. Chandler L:urrells Inlet, S. C. Georgeto\~Jn County shoot youl ?~Yankee corne to Mrs. ~elin and Parson Betts. And they tell Lirs. l3elln, they want her to know no more slave holding and she thank em and she say, II~ people wuz always~free1 Grandma Harriet, (Harriet iortor wuz her title but that time they always gone by they Master title). Joe Heywood wuz Joe Behn ~e was Parson i3elln man he take the Heywood title after maricipation. Poinsette (Uncle Fred) ALWAYS carry that title. That day, all the right hand servant always take they Massa title.) ~hen the big gu.n sh oting, old people in the yard, Tank G~dI L~assa, HE COMINGI (Referring to Freedom ) HE COMINGI (Guns gone just like thunders roll nowL ) Chillun say, ~hat coming ? what coming ? ~that coming, Grandma?~ You all will know L You al 1 viill know ~ Massa live ~Wee ha kum for years. ~e are fifty~five (55) chillun. Mary Rutledge Allston and I one year chillun. (She and Mary R. Aliston born same year.) ttMy i~iissus have four chillun ~ Mary Rutledge, Susan bethune, Liarsa Pink and Liarse Fanuel . ( 3enj amine Nathaniel L) Four years of the war been hold prayer-meeting. t (Praying for freedom ) . Lock me up in house Me I ~ been PRESent to Miss Minna ~ Miss Maryl We, us lock upt My brother and I listens (Two brother mancipation chillun. Smart Robert Brock-. Ington and Harrison Franklin Brockington in Pittsburgh. I

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Project # - 1655 Page - 4 285 Mrs 0enevleve v~ Chandler Murrells Inlet, S. C. George town County fluss (nurse) him . - jess like you hold that book.) Old~ people used to go to Richmond Hill, Laurel Hill and Wachesaw have these little prayer-ineeting. All bout in people house. Hold the four year of the war. Gi~eat many 1~1me the chicken crow f or d ay He ar the key . ~ s ay 1 Ye ddy I Change ~ - clothes. Gone on in the house. Get that eight, seven otclock breakfast. Parson Glennie (Rector Ql Saints, Waverly lived. at Rectory there and did wonderfu.l work teaching ~.nd preaching to slave s as weil as ~ whites - preaching at ~beautiftl St. )iary s iliapel, built by-Plowden Weston at Hagley for the slaves of materials from i~n ;land ~ 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 ~pi s- copaI.~ ~Parson Glenniecome once a month to Sunnysi~e. Parson Glennie re-ad,-~sing, pray. Tell-us obey Miss Wiinxia. ~ (I wuz little highest . ) Two of us 55 chillunL Wet d fight. She knock me. I knock back& Wouldn t take~a knocid She say, Itell Parson Glenniel Lord won t bless youl You I ~ I say You knock me I ~ 1mo c k you L ~ - Have a play-house. Charlie buy from Mtt. Used to swiu~r lt at Magnolia. Roi from Bull Creek once a month to

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Pro~ect-#-1655. ~ ~ ~ Page - 5 L~rs . ~.Genevieve __w_.~ ~ Ch ndle r Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County 286 Chapel. (10 miles or more) Put them All Saints eleven o clock service. Fou ~ best men his rowsmen. Fuss (first) year war we tuh Bull Creek. Nobody go (to All Saints) but Lijssusand Massa and the four rowsmen . - Flat going fr m Midway to Cheraw. Beat ri ce on flat. udn t grind corn ) Kill chicken. Gone to protect ~ from Yankees ~ to hides Vthen they come (to Cheraw). Sherman corning from MONDAY till SATDYL Come on RAILL Said ttwas a shocking s ight I ~hen She rman army e nt e r Che raw t own fu 11 of so j ers. Take way from ~i1te people and give horses colored people~ Dt j kill none the horses ~ (On Sunnyside on Waccamaw ) Cheraw Yankee killh rsest~ (Indeed - YESI Itls historyin I~iar1boro, near -Cheraw they were killed and ~brown in the wells to pollute - the wat er. )It - ~ ~ Mr.~ Charley horse, couldn t nobody rIde but himi Father- in-law (Mr . Duncan to Midway ) had a pal r ~ of grey - BU~X and ~ Driver, TOrn Carr. Corn in carriage every month to Sunnyside Get the family . G~ and spend ten- days - Midway t Family wuz ~IYSELF~ MISS MINNA, and the three and the Ma8sa and Mis8 Su8&n. ~Iary Huger~one my Mi~ssus-sis~ter. One-niarry a - ~ Huger to Oharleston. ~ -~ Maj or Cha rie s say he ~ d die in Sflnnysi de. yard f or e t d go ~: there (Georgetown) and take off his hat - and tswear gainst my ~ . swear ~ ~ d die in Suimyside yard. ~ My Massa, Maj or Charles A1i:~Ofl, was the last one to gone to Georgetown and gone under ~

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Project #-1655 Page - 6 287 Mrs. enev1eve~. Chandler Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County that flags He was Charles Jr . but after Confederick wa~ he was kiajor Charlesi ~ajor Charles the lastman ~f ~accarnaw gone under the flags At Georgetown. ~ent down in row~boat. My fadder gone and tell old man Tom Nesbitt to have his boat and f our of hi s be s t mens Got to go o if a pie ce I Pa gone. Have boat ready. Ma got up. Cook a traveling lunch for em. Fore day! Blue uniform. Yellow streak dov~i side - just like this streak in my dress. Yellow bare (Most of tem had to rob dead yankees or go naked) 1tLAST GENTLEMAN GONE UNDER TEE FI4~G I Can - 1tV~a1kirig up and down the piazza I Say /1 go to t wn and swear gainst my slave? CanI? Up and downi tI hear bout them slave try to run way. ~~unt Tella Kin~ loch eye shot out. Marsh (baby) cry* Mother say take her apron and stuff the child mouth. Blockade ~patrollers) wuz hiding. Shot in range of that sound. HowL I~.owI RowL Put everything in jaill kLll in jaill Ivir. L IcCuskey tell usi He wuz one of the men help lynch. I got married 1873. They wuz talking bout the time (war) Mr. McGuskey told us Nemo Hal s ton was one Say he n ev er s e e a fa tt er man Fat in there in shieldi Like a fattening hogi (They running way from Oregon - ~r McGill place ) . Say they ut four horses to him one to every limb. Stretch tem. And cut horses and each horse carry a piecel Mr. MeCuskey was one help

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Project #~1655 ~ Page ~ 7 288 Lirs. 0enevi~ve 7. Chandler ~IurreI1s Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County lynch Nemo. Uncle William ~ey~iood didn t birth till after mancipation. Not a thing to do with slavery time1~ But I Imow when the big gun shooting to free me~ Yankee come and free Viaccamawl No slave hold. tho1e~t~eck free but ust Last people free on Neck. MY MAJOR last one to went under flag to Georgetown& Old man Moses G b~~~ and Peter Brockington build Sunnyside kitchen. I wuz birth November 5th, 1855. Mr. Buck say, tAunt Mariah know your ht tttyes, sin tAunt Maniah, you too old to worki You born lBOO7go on home raise your chickeni ~ Aunt Mariah Heywood ~ge ~ 82 Murrells Inlet, S. C.

Slave stories. 293 289

Project 1885rn-1 . . P0LZ: LORE ~ f ~Pip J~d1ted by: 289 . Spartanburg,S.C. %~Lh1J31 . Elmer Turna~e May 10, 1937 . SLAVE STORIES Liv1n~ with his married daughter is an old. ~eg~ o slave by the name of J rry Hill. He was born Jan. 12, 1852. He arid. his mother were owned by Jim Pernandes who had a plantation between Union and Jonesville, S.C. His father was a slave owned by another 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 Pairforest Creek. He was always treated kindly by his master. He was taught to plow and work on the farm, vvhich he did regularly; though he always-took his time and ~oU~ not let anybody hurry~ him. He said that he had always taken his time to do his farm work, so got along finewith all f r whom heworked.He says that he always had plenty to~ eat; yet most o~f the ni~gers had toeat Ash-bread. This is orn-bread which is cooked in hot ashes raked fr~m the fireplace. Once aweek he was~iv~ri bi5cuit3. though this was a~ luxury to colored ~o1ks. He said, that when a slave had to have a whipping, he was taken to a. whipping post in Jonesville. .~ bullwhip was us dfor the punsihrnent and it brought the bloodfrom the bare back of the man or~ woman being whipped. One day a grown slave was ~iven 150 ~ashes w~th the bull-whip, Lor teaching the youn~ ~ boys~ to gamble. He saw this puti~shment administered. He had cl rnb1~~ ed a tree where he could ~et a better view. He said~that several slaves were beine whipped that day for various things, and there were several men standing around watching the whipping. He said that h. was laughing ~t the victim, when some by-stander looked up and sawhim; that boy needs 150.lashes, too, he said~.

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Folk Lore: $lave Stories Paie 2 290 He is 1au~hin~ at the punishment beine ~iveri. So his master told. the by.~stander to get the boy and give him the 1ashin~ if he thought he needed it. When he was led up to the whipping post, some man ther shook his head at the by..stander; so the boy did not ~et shipped. Jerry says that the sister of Jim Pernand~s used to carry a bull~ whip around her rieck when she walked out on the farm, and would ap-. ply it het self to any slave she thought needed it. When the Tffankee soldiers came, he said, my master had to hide out for awhile, as he had gotten into some troublewith them at Union. They would search the house occasionaly and then ~o into the woods looking for hirn. One day the soldiers caught him down on the branch arid killed him. As the Yankee soldiers would come to the plantation, they vvould leave their vvorn-~ou~t horses and take our good ones. They also stole meat, hams, sugar etc.; but they were pretty quiet most of the time. One o ~ our nei~ hbors caught a Yankee stealia~ his horse arid killed him right there. His name was Bill Isom; All his family ~s now dead. The~ soldiers would slip around and steal a good horse arid ride it:of ~. 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 ~ lways ~ot on. SOURCE: Jerry Hill, 265 Highland St., Spartanburi~,S.C. Int rviewed by: P.S. DLPre, Spartanburg Office, Dist. 4.

Jane Hollins - age 97. 295 291

.. ~ I ~ ~: :: ~ ~: ~ ~ ~ Project #~l655 390364 ~ i~oucioi~ 291 Martha S. Pinckney ~ : Charleston, S. C ~ . . . JANE HOLLINS . . . ~ ~. AGE97 Jane was found in the sunshine on her piazza, busily occupied,. : as she always would be. ~Iith hor full cotton skirt she b-rushed of~C thehard~wood bench, andasked the writer~tohave a s at; . this being declined, ~he said, ~ ~ Then I ll sit, because I m old and get tired. ~ . . ~ ~vc.nt wi th old ~ Jane ? From old i~iausa time you~ can get my age ~ you can pute it up.: (compute) I was 95~June before this last June gone. ~ I ~ot a son 70 what lives in the ountry - he pay my rent. ~ I~dunno how many children I~had; my son July - - Ladson lives here withm&~he-gone out now. One son is gone ff somewhere in the vorld;. he s married and ~has a family ~ I . dunno where he is-somewhere inbhe worIdLTt ~ -spreading.~out her~anns. :~ - ~ 1 coiiie ~rom Eut~.wvil1e and lielvidere ~and Belrndnt. M~ ~ster? - ~ Charles Sinkler, Belvidere ?lantation~ (a few miles from Eutaw~ ~ ~ vtfle) Mausa went toEutaw for Miss - I remember au two p1~ce, ~ ~elvidere and-Eutaw. We live ~at i3e-lvidere. iiy~naster housebeen ~. : beautiful ~ e deyyetl (inher deep f eling-and excitement she ~ ~ lapsed Into GuI~LahJ. That was the plantation where we lived ~ ~ -~ aid the b aublful steps went up at the bask t~o the tpantry and ~to ~ ~ . the~1de was the srzioke houie , she jumped up and illustrated ~ ~ t the ~smoke e orne up from here aud th &- mea t wa s hat ~. U here , I~ she showed vital interest in ever7thing she told, and was absorbed ~ in her subjeet, as when we relate ex~ nonce s which we have loved . ~ ~ know what Daily ft ? - I was Daily Gift Mausa give ~ ~- ~ it I

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. . .~ ~ . . ~ . . .~. ~ ~ 292. Project # 1655 Martha s. Pinckney Charleston, S. C. Page - 2 me to Miss Margaret, his daughter, when she was married to Mr. . Gaillard - I give to Miss ti argaret - I~neverw~ssold. She repeated twice, and was very proud of it that she was a Free . Gift . ~ 1 never was sold, and~.myMainanever~irrass ld. (Faith- fui se rvant s ~ remained for generations in one family inherited . anc:i wille~1 like~ other valued~ property) - ~iat I do? ~ ~ I milk .cowstt, and she illustrated. .~ I do ~ outside work wid de hoe plant corn, potato, peas, noel She. ~ . . b amed with pride ~aii1 pleasure . as she told of each thing . she ~- I ~could do ~ - Help fix the :hogs -you know, niake lard and crack- .~ . -. lings to put in bread. ~h n dinner time they blow the ~ ~ /. conk and everyb.ody come for dinner. ~I not theco k. The cook, Delia, atout rotuid,(illustrated) she do cookL We ~.us make :. ~ ~out now~with dese vittlesY~ . ~ . -. We went tTo churcbal . de time - An L sing ant shout ind - H~avenl~y laridi -De church been on de plantation. Mausa had. a ~ wh te~rninister ~ us. H~is ~name~ Mr. ~iinbey. .. I believe 11n ~ .. ~ G~od. Heaven a restint place - there we is all one spirit .~ ~ the sp-lrit ~gc~ about jus how we go about here. ~ .: ~ Do they comeback? Did you ever see one? ~he was ask d. ~ -- i hear ~bout dat, she~ frowned ~1ut I never~ see um. My matna, Eve, died after freedom. My niaxna gone - she never come ~ ba k. - m~ ehildren n~rer corne back to nie any time. I dont know. ~Qw mauy of rn~ ohi14~rezi dead. ~y daughters, dey lookin to . ~ . . :~~ ~

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. . ~ ~ .~ ~ . ~. ~ . . ~ . ~ : Project # 1655 ~ Page ~ 3 293 T( artha ~. Pincirney Charleston, S. O. ~thernse1ves.tt TtI corne to Charleston long after Freedom. I remember aU two place ~ Belvidere E~id Eutawvllle. Belmont I cant forget ~ de name ~a1Ilard I s~ant~forget,~ cause I ~was Fr~ Glft.J Dese ~ ~ tine a~t likede times waybkder~.~~ ~ : - t,1 been a m d-wlfe here ~6O ~ars. My name writ right down dere and~you can find it. No J~ong r than thIs m rnln I bu-rn~ ~ uI~ some~ pap ers I amt have any rernembr once n~ more . Here ~ - - she went ~-1nto the house and got some sheets -of paper ~ 1 want~ - - to be truthfaito you, dese w&s my nursery book. ~ - . . ttitlTl. too old to s1ng~ Idid know ~ rituals but cant rerneniber-~ the~n I tell you des things, then they go out of my remember- ing ~ - - : - ~ ~ . - ~ ~ ~ I My sister beensearnstress in de ho se- hername Rachel ~ I ~ do dep ~nt1ng ~I ~can work. at anybhlng - after supper, before : dark corne, do cutting out for next days work. ~ ~ - ~ I ~cut~ outa suit formy master~sh said proudly ~pants,~ and .a waistcoat - you know? Tilenshe remembered.suddenly that she ~ ~ could spin ~ card the cottQfl and ipin it into yarn ~ t~ glad I ~ - ~ can remember things~ do in -those days - T. ~er far ewell b eaiedi ctjon was : ~ 1 ~ trust de Lord will carry you . .~ ~i wr~h~r you wait to goL ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . - ~ ~ ~: Sour e: J~a. ie Hollixis, age 97, the Lane at 50 Ashe St, Charleston, . ~ ~ 8. C. ~ ~ ~ .~ .. ~ : ~ ~ : ~ ~

Cornelius Holmes. Ex-slave 82 years old. 298 294

7. ~ . ~ ~ . ~ 294 Projecl ~i.655 w. w. Djx~~ Winnsboro, S. C. Cornelius Holmes lives with his wif~, Nancy, in a twou~room annex to the house that his son, David, occupies.. It is on the old Harden place, nine miles northwest of Wirmsboro, S. C. tfhe land and the house belong to ~r. John ~eans Harden, a resident of Wiruisboro. Cornelius is intelligent, courteous.in manner, tidy in appearan~e, and polite. His occupation is that of basket..inaking, in~thich he is an adept. He picks up a little money by ~repairing. chairs and putting split- bottoms in them. ~ UI was born incle town of Edgefield, South Carolina, November 29th, 1655, teordint to de Bible, and was a slave of ~iarse Preston Brooks. Dat name seem to make you set up and take not ice of me . . - tIHOW corn I a slave of Marse Preston? Well, ~ it was dis way. My grands b long to de M ans~ family of Fairfield County,. tround old i3ue1the~d ~seotion. My grandpa~ Wa8h, tell me Marse Preston come dere visitin de Harpers, nother buekra family dat live further toward de ~3road River side of decoinaty. When he ~it up dere, it oome over his membrance dat de 1~eanses was some pumkins - too as we-Il as him and de Harpers . Llaybe he done heard bout Miss Martha, how her could ride a horse and dance a cotillion _in Columbia, when Maxse ~PhU~ Hugh was de governor. Well, de part toes, heoomes over derebut didn t dolaic they does now,bust right in~and ~bla~ ~ - ~I~s fectiori~ to de gal. Him fXist, 8OleZ1~ lak, ask~ to see demarster and ask--him if he object to him pursuing Mies Martha, in de li&ht of becomin - -hie son~rin~law? Then, ~when dat was settled, M&rse Preston and Miss ~ Martha ~a1lop~ arid race all round de oountry but4de hos eL~was always.neok and neck. Dat fall, dat race ezided in a tie. Dat what Grandpap Wash tell me. 390285 CORNELIUS HOL~O~S E~-SL~&VE 82 YEARS OLD. ~. ~

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2, After they marry my mother Scylla was give to Miss Martha and company her to Ed~gefield. Dere ~he marry de carriage driver, ~iillard, who was mypappy. I was born in a roomtjojnjnl de kitchen and a part of de big kitchen De plantat ion was out in de &~untry . ~ r I never was dere, so I can t tell you riothin -bout dat. De fact is, I was just a small boy and most I know, eome s from mother and grandpap. They low~ i~arse Pre eton was in Washington mo st o f de time . One day he marched right in de~ Senate, ~4 his gold head cane, and beat a Senator til him fainted, b ut sumpin dat Senator say bout him old kinsn~an, SexiatorButler. Dat turn de world up side down. Talk bout peach~~ L~iarse Preston. I&rse ?reston resign and comehome. De town of Edgefield, de county of Edgefield, de state of South Carolina, and Miss Martha,~ rise to vindicate Marse ~restonand lect him back to Washington. Marse--Preston go b~ack and stay dere tu he die, in 1859. His body waff brought back to Edgefield . De r~ year de ~war come o ~. Is to young to member xm~ich bout it but x~r pappy die while it was goin ot~ Hini have three ohiflun by mother: i~e~ Acidie, end Nancy. They is ~ ~ dead- 1:riow but -I members them ~crawlin round on de plank floor in de winter~ time and in de sand in . de swmner ~time. ~ - _ ll never worked in slavery time. Us eat from de dai.ry and de kitchen, -justwhat mistress and her ohillun oct. One thing I l~k then was ~p~toes. They wasn t ~b~1g xnatoes lak they is now. They was bout de s ize of marbles . ~ Us cooked them wid sugar and they was mighty good dat way. . -- tIIk,yr mistress had chillun by MarsePrest xi. Sho 1 recollect them. ~ - Dere was- Preston; de last I hear oftim, ~ him ~liviu in Tennessee Then ~ ~ ~ ~ . . M ~ ~ ~

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J~, ~ ~ _ ~f- ~ ~- - - -- - ~ ~ - ---- ;- -~-_~J-~-_~ -~ 29G dere was i~iss Mary; her marry I~i1r. George Addison of Edgefield. Miss Carrie; her marry Marse Capers Byrd. De ~ Miss Martha, marry Col. Mo ee of Greenville, S. C. - - Does I members bout de Yankees ? Not~much, I t member$ more t bout Whert ~ men . They come - and t ke nearly every-bhing wid de ex- cuse dat de Yankees was not far behind and when they- come, they would - - take all, so they just as wefl take most cif what w~ in sight. - - When freedomcome, my pappy-was dead. Mother brought me baok to Fairfield Count~r and give me to my grandpap, Washington Holmee. Us 1 ive on ~ Po s sum Branch ; now own by Mr. Jim Thung. ~ I stay dere t il I ~ f come twenty-one . Then I marry Magg le Gladden ~ caus e I love her Us had four ohillun, iii de twenty years her live. Henry is in Philadephia. - - : Da~jd de oldest, is fifty years old, livin out in d-e county fromW rms- - boro Luladied, unmarried Carrie lives here,inWixtnsboro; her husband is Arth r Rosbor , dat you- white fo1k~ all -1~o~v so well. When Maggie die, - I marry Nancy Holmes, a widow. Us have had no chillun~ - - - - _ - - ~ No~ you ~ts finished wid me and youwants-me to relax, y u say, and talk to you freely~ bout de past and slavery, de present and social conditions and de i~ generation and de future I Wel J. - dat is a heap ~f : tertitory. 1 iow ret s think. You see I ~ t a- heap awhite blood in me, sud a heap of de Negro too.- Slavery did de white race a whole lot a good ~but it WE~SD~ t lastin good. fl~ ~ did de Negro good, dat will be lastin good : forever. De Negrowoi en protected de pure white woinin -from entieement ami ~- - - - se~~tiou Of - 4~ white man in ~3~avery times : ~ grandpap say he never hear~of a oad w~i .1e woinau ~ freedom. I lee.T~ it wi.d you if ~ ~t~y de~

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4. ~ ~. 297 t lfle$? Dat was worth more to de South, my 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. ttNOW it was de finest th!ng could have happen for de Negro, to have been snatched out of Africa and brought here in touch wid ci~i1ization and Christianity. It ~wi11 work out i~nto1d~ benefit to de race. ?~:out social conditions? ~e Bible say, De poor you will have-wid you always. Thot. de slave question am settled, de race~ question Will be wid us a .w~ys, ~ til Jesus come de secondti~xne. It s in ourpolitics, in our justice: courts, on o~~r highwaps,- on our side walks in our manners in ~ our li~ion, and j~n our thoughts, all ~ day and every day. t1De good )&rster pity both sides. In de end, will it be . settle by. hate or by de Pol ~ ~f ~ . love your u~i~h~r ~ as you do yourself ? Y1ho knows? Dere -not x uch pronilse at d~- mediate mome t of de T .sin~ generati~on, of either side, and I means i1o~disrespect to you. Mygrandpap say ~io race can rise higher than its women. De future of ~de Negro ra e, dep~nds on its mothers. I leave you to an~er de last half of de.question.U2 .1 .. ~ ~ ~

Uncle Ben Horry. 302 298

Project ~- 1655 ~r~r~t r FOLKLORE E) i~rs. Genevieve J. Chandler %)~~u~Oj fiS Murrells Inlet, S. C. Ge orget o; ;n County UNCLE BEN HORRY (Uncle ~en lives in his own cabin with his second wife, Stella. Foni:erly almost inaccessible, the new ~oastai Eigh,way has put uncle ~en and Aunt ~te11a in the viorld. The niral electricity program has current right attheir door. Aunt Stella was askcd ~thy doritt you have 1i~hts, Aunt Stella? and she replied, white folks run me if I do that~ So you see the old couple still live with many old and ~d 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 o~ their old masters.) !tiught now, I oldest one from Long~iood to Prospect ~ see dore? (PDintin~ to forest wall - great pines and live~oaks in front of the cabin ) - Lookt I know when he cleared and plant I Josh dard have potato there I have msnure and plant tater. I been here, d~~~hterI t (He pronounces it Dater with a short eat) (Aside: Stella, mind nowt Don t ~arrel me to ni~ht1 ~at you do?tt . Aunt Stella: The second wife - some years his junior - probably 65 - 1 do nuff~ ) Got~ to go up there and cook supper to the Schoolfield house. (This was Uncle Bents announcement as he crawled into the car with a bucket in which were his shoes. H~ was walking down the Coastal Highway and not staying where he be-

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Project#.1655-. ~ Page - 2 ) Mrs . -~ Genevieve ~ ~L Ch ndier Murr lls Inlet, S. C. Ge orgetown County longed ~ on theshoulderl) ttGOt to cook crab and ister (oyster). r Ain t got much to cook. They don t eat much. Got a gal there to fry fish. They give me recommend for cook. Been get the sea foods for tem for five year. Iron oven the way we raise. (Aside to his wife) ~Stella, if that man come there, see that sack there? Tell that man I put fire there. Gie tem fork and knife. Tell tem eat all he wanti ) (Uncle Ben arranges oysterroasts.) ~ That man to Schoolfield house want me to stay ~id sleep wid em. All women gone. Tell me keep the man and. lock upthe house ~then hegone. I tell temtoO much 01 tiefL . ~. ~ .~ Lillie: &tnt Stella, ain t you fraid when Unc~le Ben stay out all night?t ~ Uncle Ben: ttStella keep pot o~ water boil and tief come ~ she trow ~ Visi tor : Uncle Ben tell Lillie bout your father ai d the whiskey jug.1 - Uncle Ben: You see,t Brookgreen we nuster plant rice and my fadder had the barn key. He kinder boss man. He nuster (used to) take me and go out woods night time. ~ - (Aside to mother of child at pump - Take care dat child I ~ ) ttFadder take me out woods night time ~ (What you say, Prlmus? ) and I hold storch (torch) for him see for

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Project #..1655 i~rs Genevieve W.. Ch~nd1er Lurrells Inlet, S. C. (je or getown County Page ~ 3 trash (thrash) out rice what he take out the barn. iijce been money dem t irne you know And he take he ri ce and gone on down bo town for get he liquor. And he come from town vrld vjliishey. Boss find it out, Five or six chlllun and always give us rations. Broke that jug and when they call his name (put rations in pile you know ~ pile for every one been in fambly) when they call my fadder naine but a piece ~ broken jug there is discou~?age him from whiskey ~ He corne from town and been drop the jug and it break up. And Boss know. Far as I can remember he keep cive I~n that broken ju~ bout a year. YOU see he sponsihie for key. Seem like I member right where we go beat that rice. Pine tree saw off and chip out make as good a mortar as that one I got. Dan l, Summer, De~ finel Define the oldest brother my fadder have, Young MiSSUS Bess, Florence, Georgia, Alice. Those boys the rnusicianer go round play for the girl. (Aunt Stella: Interrupting, You orter be carry money with you. Get the meat. I ain t going no whey (where). Lillie : To Primu s who ha s walked up. Handful back yet? (Handful his wife s basket name.) Primus: No. This man bacco barn burn up.tt Lillie: What? Primus: Wir. Len barn. ~ been asleepi Lillie: Rich most cure all his n. Taint minet Rich tease 300

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Project # 1655 Page - 4 Mrs.~enevieve W. Chandler Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetovim County me. He say, M~ bacco; YOUR kitcheni IThiat you all think bout that tale the Elder tell Sunday bout his Great Uncle and the snakes t (To Uncle Ben) Vthat ~rou tink bdut it i You tink a man truss to go in cypress hollow wid rattle snake? Let me see hoN was ItiTt (Deep thought as he rubbed his face in his palm; smile as recol1ec~ tion came) On Rutledge Plantation a man wouldn t take no beating. Found a large hollow cypress tree been rotten out long years. Gone in. Lie down sleep. Fore day wake upi Feel s~iething crawl over him. Nother one crow like garne chickent (Negroes all say rattlers crowt) Smell him. Crawl over him. Crawl out. Get out. Revents had it wuz a man in a cypress tree ard seven how much wuz it? Twelve? These twelve monster snake crawl over him. If you move he strike. ~ I~ight there where Dr. bard stay had a big old stable - see these two hole in my jaw. Had a stable high as that tree. Big Jersey bull gone in there eating that straw like we thrashing. Big rattle-snake pop um. F~.l dead. Lillie: Stella: Uncle Ben: ~tel1a: Uncle Ben:

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Project i 1655 i~rs . Genev ieve W.. ~ Ch ndle r LIurrells Inlet, S. C. Ge orget o~vn County Pahe - 5 !t1~ow doe&we mark siioat? Under-sbit; upper-bit. Swallow fork in the right yearL And a square crop in the lefti t~How much been t ask ? A quar ter (acre ) if you mashing ground. Ten compass digging ground. Cutting rice on ~ half acre a (av ful job. ) Ste lla: ~ en: Stella: Ben Plow; harrow tern. ttAin?t you ~nash ~ tt~iash a bed a da~r three task deep. Mashing raw ground half acre some quarter Iv~ash em - take hoe full up them hole, level dem, chop dem big sodL (age 65) You ~ot a mis~sheen (machine). Ox pull dat mis.-sheen~ Dat mis sheen come in YOU day, darlingi My day I trenching hoe trench datL ~I done dat, Stella. You come on sow in trench lak (like) dey SON turnip. YOU day got mis.~ sheen1 Ox pull tem. Great I AMt Llissus, fifteen to old isl&it (island), twenty silver Islant, (I been Silver Islant. Cross old islant ~o Silver islant.) Josh Ward one some four or five hundred ~. acre, Something been here, darling~ Something been hereL Left Brookgreen go Watsaw; left Watsaw gone Longwood. Plant ALL DE~ p.Leritation. I wc~k there. Cut rice there. Cutting rice task been half acre a Stella: Ben:

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Project #~l655 . Page - 6 ~ 303 Mrs. Genevieve ~.. Chandler Murrells Inlet, S. C. ~ Ge org e t own County day. ttsquirrel creek? Cedar tree and cypress hang low. Squirrel love dem ball. Tree work up wid dem. Good place for go shoot squirrel. Give tern name Squirrel Creek. Bury live? I did hear some talk o that. I didn t know whether they bury em to s~ay tem (scare em) or what. I Dli) hear tell bout lt. I most know that man name. Some these white people that d y some thing t The~y e I ther manage you or kill you. (To Primua who was a listener to Uncle Ben stand~ Ing propped by a pos t of the po rch where ~ Un de Stella, and the white visitor sat) u Prime I V~h~ you kee p that chur eh door be k Sunda y and not le t the LII s su s out ? ~ (Grinning ~ and he hadn t grinned Sunday but stead~ fastly shook his head when, after a three hour service, guests thou~it It time to go) Second man next to nie, Asham, Secretary, tell me keep door shet through secrament.t14 (Who is qilte deaf ~ ignoring interruption when asked about Oregon Plaitatlon which was owned by a family who, from all accounts, had a cruel overseer.) ~. Lillie: Ben, Aunt Primus: Ben:

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Project #-1655 ~ Psge ~- 7 Mrs . Genevieve w-.. Chandler 304 Murrells Inlet, S. C. Ge orge t own C unty t,1 didn t have~to much to do to Oregon in them dark days. If I go from i3rookgreen, I go Cap n Josh git my mlttment. Anybody bother me I say, I not a run~way niggerl I got mittmentlt ~ ~ Very FUSS girl ~ FUSS one I go with name wuz Teena. How many girl? Great God! I tell you! FUSS one Teena; next Candis. Candis best looking but Teena duh largesti Go there every Sunday after school. (Oatland Plantation blong to Marse Benjamine Aliston. ) Stay till sunset. Got to have paper. Got to carry you paper. Dem patroller put you cross a logL Beat you to death. I see them beat Ben Sharp. Beat tem till Ben kin hardly git cross fence. Jump over fence give tem last chopL ~atroll jess like road men nowl (Stellal That man ~i n t comingL I got to got Got to cook my supper Cook dem crab -) Bloodt Christi Yes, man. Listen me Lemme tell you wha t I see wid my eye now t (hera he pri~ed both eyes wide with his ten fingers) If I much of age re ckon they have to kill me I I see ga sh SO LONG (measuring on for e -f Inger ) In my Mama - my own Mama L (aside to Lillie) I shame fore Miss JinnyL If one them driver want you (want big frame gal like you Lilliel) they give you task you CAN T DO. You getting this beating not for you task - for you fleshi Li 111e : ~ That WLL~ nat ion ge t mi x up s o ( Ra ce s)

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Project#- .655 ; Page ~ 8 c~r~r Mrs. Genevieve ~.. Chancfler t) M-) Murrells Inlet, S. C. georgetown County Ben: Susan wuz a house woman, to bucicra woman like a you~ to IYIj5~ Jin. ~ (Susan worked In the house - no field hand - like Lillie Works for Misa Jin) To my knowing she had three white thillun. Not ~ANT t em HAB t ~ Boy ~(you know em Lili) near bout clean as them boy of Missust Tief chillun show up sol V~oman over-power! My mother nuss (nurse . ) ~ Get up so high - natural fluss for white peopleo Place they call dub Bull Pen. In Bull Pen thing they call tPONYt~. Got to go on there on th IPONY.t Lilie: - ttRIDE you on it, Uncle Ben? Ben: Am t t going ride you on ~ PONYt ; going RIDE Y~U1 I stay there look wid DESE flERE (eyes)~ Want you to knovt one thing - MY OWN DADDY DERE couldn t move L Couldn t yenture dat obe r-sheer t ( Colored ove rseer ) Everybody ant t go to boss folksl (Meaning only hGuse servants could contact lYlissus and Massa). Some kin talk it to Mi~~ Bess. Everybody don t see Miss Bess. Kin see the bloodof dat ober-sheer fuss year atter Freedom; and he blood there today Atter Free dom mens come from French Broad and you I~now the colored people - we go there whey (where) they music. Agrippa daddy name Parrish - Redmond one he child outside. (Outside chillun are those not born to a man s legal wife) Hesay, to gal Go that barn YOU GO. You could yeddy him SL?~P cross

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Project # - .655 ~ Page 9 Mrs . Genevieve ~-. . Chandler 30() Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County dat creekt ~en fowl crow (daylight) and you yeddy him SQ~UALL, y u be st git to flat I I s tand dere and my Daddy HAVE to s tand dere and seel Josh 1d~ard from French Broad - hundred mile away. (Boss Massa summering it in mountains~ and~negro over seer just fresh out of Africa TURNED LOOSE. Thite obersheer a little different for one reasont white obersheer want to hold his job. (On V~accamaw - and same true of all south as all know ~ white overseers worst kind of t~hite trasht respected less by negroes~ than by whites) Nigger obersheer don t care too much. He know he going stay on plantation anyhow. Now, dater, I tell you bout the loom and weaving next tirne~ And we left Uncle Ben Horry - age 87 - Liurrells Inlet, S. C. August 1937. to go on ~to the Schoolfield house an~ cook: supper for a house-party. This week he stepped up to Con-o-way. Says he had to walk it twice a week - formed the habit when he was on old river Steamer Burroughs and had to walk up to Conway Monday and back home Saturday. Ab~~t thirty miles (or more from his place) to Conway. At 87 he still takes this little exercise almost weekly. Having such a struggle holding on to his jand. Ail the lawyers saying t~jg j here and trying to rob hirns Poor Uncle Ben needs desperately a Massa to

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Project #- 1655 ~ . Mrs.Geneviove ~.. Chandler Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County Page - 10 3O~ help hirn 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 (according~ to uncle Ben) because he led Yankees to where silver, etc., was buried. Have heard story from other old livers.) ~

Uncle Ben Horry. 312 308

Ex Slave Story. Project ~ 2570 Tirs. Genevieve W. Chandler, i:~urrell s Inlet, S.C. 390203 . 308 Georgetown county. IThTCLE B~ H01~R~ Uncle B~n and. his wife, aunt Stella, live in their twou rooiii whiteu~washed cabin that sits sideways to the King s Hig1~zway, which Uncle Ben always calls t the King Road near Murrell s Inlet, S.C. Paving and straightening this old ii s Road, n~ US 17 has put the two old people in 6he world. Around the cab ~ii lie the fourteert and three quart~er acres that were paid for by Uncle Ben and his father, six or eight aor~s cleared, the rest woodlands 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 ( Murrell s Inlet is situated on the line between Horry and Georget~ counties) a distance of approximately thirty miles depending on whether one sticks to the paved highway or takes short outs through the woods in preference to riding. One day he had walked to Conway and back by eleven clock in the morning4~) Uncle s scrappy conversation will tell how he earns his bread, fears and fights the L w provides for Stella s future, and works for and honors white folks. )3rookgreen which he mentions as the plantatiOn on which he was bOrn and raised, is an open-air museuni, donated to South Carolina by A. iii. Huntingclon, and vis ited by thou sands of toi~r ists. (See ~ .T~O~La)~ t, I the oldest liver left on Waccamaw Neck that belon~ to Brookgreen, Prospect, ( now Arcadia ) Longwood, Aldorly Plantations. I been here4 I seen thingsJ I te 11 you. Thousand of them things happen but I try to forget em Looker ~ He pointed to what appeared to be primeval fore5t i~ front of his battered little porch. That woods you see been Colonel Josh Ward s taters patch. Right to Brookgreen Plantation where I born. 1v~r Lather Duffine ( Divine ) Horry and i~y

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2. 309 brother is Richard lorry. Dau l and Summer two both n~r uncle0 You can put it down bhey were Colonel Ward s iriusiciener. 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 differen~b. before strange city people fetched different steps here. But then, they could use they feet all rights u My 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 Waccainaw. He start that big gold rice in the country. He the head rice Q~p n in dem time. ~r father the head man, he tote the barn key. ~ice been money dem day and time. My father love he liquor. That take money. He ain t have money but he have the ~ r~.ce barn key and rice been money~ So n~r father gone in woods ( he have a head, my fatherJ) take a old stump, have ~ hollow out. Now he ( the stump) seine as morbar to the barn. yard. And n~r father keep a pestle hide handy. Hide :~.2. pestleJ Them pestle make outer heart pine. \Then that pestle been miss ( missed) I ~vuzn t know nothirig~ The ws~r ~ knows my age, when the slavery time war come I been old enough to go in the woods with n~r 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 n~j father go to get provision like sugar, coffee, pepper and salt. With the money he get when he sell that rice, he bu~ liquor. He been hide that sack o 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 toi~n he make a miss ( step) when he onloading ar.d fell and broke ho jugi The Big Bess see; he smell; and he see WHY my father make that miss step; he already sample that liquors But the ~ ain t sa~ too mutch. Sattdty time come to ration off. Every head on the Plantation to Brookgreen line up at sx~oke-house to draw he share of moat and rice and grits and meal. ( This was fore n~T father been pint ( appointed ) head man. This when they had a tight colored man in that place by neme Fraser. They

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3. 310 say Fraser come straight from Africa ). Well, Sat d y when tinte come to give my father ho share of rations, the headman reach down in the corner and. pull out a pieoe of that broke whiskey jug and put on top rr~r father rations where all could sees. Colonel ~ard cause that to be done to broke him off from that whiskey jug. ~j father was a steady liquor man till then and the Boss broke him off. t Slavery going in. I meTabers Marse Josh and Miss Bess had coene from French Broad ( Springs ) where they sununered it. They brought a great deal of this cloth they call blue drilling to make a suit for every boy big enough to ~ear a suit of clothes a~nd a pair of shoes for every one0 I thought that the happiest t set up I had in boyhood. Blue dru ling pants and coat and shoe And Sund y come we have to go to the Big 11ouse for Liarse Josh to see how the clothes Lit. And him and ~iss B ~~ make us run races to see who run the fastest. That the happiest time I members when I ~ a boy to Brookgreen. 7, Two Yankee gun boats come up ~aocai~w rivers Come by us Plantati i. One stop to Sandy Island, Hontarena landing. One gone Watsaw( ~ Tachosaw landing) Old Marse Josh and all the white buokra ~ cone to ii~rlboro county to hide from Yankee. Gon up WaccamEw river and up Pee Dec river to L~arlboro county, in a loat by name Pilot Boy. Take Colonel Ward and all the Cap n to hider from gun boat till peace declare. I thix c Pilot Boy been a rear-~wheeler. Most boats like the Old Planter been side wheeler. t They sey 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 bumright den. That the biggest rice mill on ~accaTaaw river. Twuzn t the Yankee burn dem mill. Dose white mens have a idea the Yankee mean to burn dose mill so they set em afire before the Yaiikee come. Nothing left to Laurel lull today but the rice mill tower. That old brick tower going to BE there. Fire can t iiarin em. t, The worst thing I members was the colored oberseer. He was the one straight from Africa. He the boss ove r al 1 the mens ~1 womens and if o~ans don t do all he say, he lay task on em they ain t able to do. !~r mother won t do all he say. When he say ~0~1 ~O bar~i and stay till I come ~ she ain t do ~lem. So he have

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r 4. ati i.~ in for my mother and lay task on em she am ~ ~ able for do. Then for punishment in~r mother j~ 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 this0 And she been give twenty five to fifty lashes till the blood flow. And i~ father and me stand right there and look and ain t able to lift a hand4 Blood on floor in that rice barn when barn tear down by Hont ngdon ( A.M. Huntingdon ) If Marse Josh been Imow ~out that obersheer, the oberseer can t ~O ein; but just the house serv~ant get Uarse Josh and Miss Bess ear. Them things different when rr~r father been make the head ~ mcii. V~hat I tell you happen fore Freedoms when I just can remember. t? 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 se 1 1 the plantat ion out Where we going to ? Am t ~ we got house and rations there? t, How many ohillun I got? Lexinne sees Lemin! see how ~ head of ohillun. You, Stella~ Help nie now~ Don t let me tell the Missis wrong. Charles Henry, thirty eight, dere in New York. Ben lorry I gie em directlyih?( Lift~~~g cap and s oratching high forehead and gray wool ) . ~ Twenty four. I going to give you all I got ~ All I lanow about4 Bill liorry that s a: boy, he twenty. Dinah, ha s a gal, twenty five. Ohr ist me she bout twty. Mary Horry, I would saytf fteen When the last war o ne~ the last war deputize them boy and take em way up 1~orth 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 t How old I is? Slowly and deliberately n December 13th., 1852. Eighty five years or more. ~then my mother dead to Brookgreeq~E woi~ld say I bout thirty three year old.. It After Freedom, from iiw behavior wid xi~,r former owner, I v~iz pinted ( appointed) head man cui Brookgreen Plantation. By that put drop in my hand ( getting the drop on others) When kennel been dug out ( canal dug ) from the Oaks Plantat ion to Dr. Wardie G Flagg house, I v~z pint ( appointed ) head man. Take that down,

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5. I ~ is sis. Kexme . ( canal ) cut 1877. Near as I 1cm, I must task it on the keimel ( canal) and turn in every man s work to Big Bosse That kennel( canal) bigger than one~ Mr. Hontingdon dig r~ht now with machines t i:~issus1 slavery time people done something Uncle alDe Lance, born on Sandy Island the first year of the Civil Wai , a visitor at Uncle Ben s : Yes sir. All them rice field been nothing but swamp. Slavery people cut ke~nel( canal) and dig ditch through the raw ~amp. All these fields been thick woods. Ditching man task was ten compass . Uncle Ben continues: t, Storm? A n -~ I tell you I BE~ here~ Yes, sir. ~ore than one storm I live through2 Been through the Flagg storm. Been turn over twice outside there in the sea, One time been have the seine. T3een rough. Have weather. Ibid 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. n ~e3xther another time. Had a boat full of people this last go tround. Wuz Miss Mary, he aunty and the lawyer. I take tiiera fishing outside in oshun. Been in the Inlet mouth. Come half way to Drunken Jack Island. Breaker start to lick in the boatj I start to baiU nave a maters ( toma~oes) can for bail with. ~nd that been danjus( dangerous); have too much women~ in there; dey couldn t swim like a man, And it happen by accident, when the boat swamp and full with water, ot~r FEI~T TOUCH BOTTOM. When he ( the boat ) turn over, I didn t aim to do no,thing but swim for myself. V~n t able to help nobody. B~t here out feet touch bottom. Only an accident from Gods t? 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 cause it been cold wedder ( weather ) Old before time yawl boat, carry eight oar, four to each side. Young man then ; 1877. After the wedder ( weather ) surrender, we we gone back in dere and find cork going up and down and save us net and aUJ I, When the Flagg storm been, 1893, I working for Ravanel and Holmes. I we.~

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6. 313 taken up in that storm in a stea~ner boat, Leave Charleston generally about j, five in morning. That trip never roach Georgetown till nine that night. Meet a man 0x1 that trip got he wife hug to mast in a little kinder life boats Had he two ohillun; rope wrap em to that mast. Save man and wife and ohillun and gone back and save he trunk. After that they quit call me tflen t ; they call me Rooster After Flagg storm, Colonel V~ard take me and Peter Carr, us two and a }~h horse, take that shore ( follow the ocean shore line ) to Little River, Search for all them what been dth ovnied. Find a trunk to Myrtle Beach. Have. all kinder thing in em; comb for you hair, thing you put on you wrist. Find dead horse, cow, ox, turkey, fowl - everything. Gracious Gods Dontt want to see no more thing like thatj But no dead body find on beach outside Flagg fazaily. Find two of thea chillun way dov~n to Dick Pond what drownded to Magnolia Beach; find them in a distance apart from here to that house. Couldn t dentify wedder I~iss or who. All that family drov~n out because they wouldn t go to this lady house on hi~hor ground. /ouli~n t let none of the rest go. Servant all drown4 Betsy, Kit, i~om Adelel Couldn t dentify who lost from who save ~ill next morning. 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, ir~,r house wash down off he blocks. Didn t broke up. t, Religion? Reckon Stella got the morest of dat. I sometimes a little quick, Stolle., she holds one course. I like good song. One I like best? t Try us, Oh Lord, And search the ground Of every sinful heart ~ ( Unole Ben stopped to think ). What eer of sin In us be found Oh, bid it all depart J I, Reason I choose that for a favorite hymn, I was to i3rookgreen doing some work for Dr. Wardie Flagg and I had to climb as high as that live oak tree, end I f41 high as

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7. 314 that treed I lay there till I doze off in sleep. And I tell you what happen ~o me curious. ~Th 1e I was sleep I seen two milk v~hite chickens~ You 1~iow what them two ~rh tO fowl do? They gone and sit on n~r mother dresser ri:hi~ before the glass and sing; that song. Them COULD sings And it seem like a woman open a vial and pour snrnething on me. I~ spirii~ual mother ( in d~n day every m~nber 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 ~ne since that day. God ain t ax about you color; God ax about you heart . t Make my living with the ister ( oyster ). Before t~e ( foi ~nerly) I get seventy ~ ve 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 * th sometimes ten, sometimes fifteen or twenty bushels. I make white folks a roast; white folks coins to Unol~ Ben from all over the country Florence, Di1lo~, :Jullins every kind of place. Same price roast or raw, fifty cents a bushel. t? ~ bout to qui.t up with sell. All the lawyer. Turn all n~r papers over to Mr. l3urris. I got too much of paper in that Con o~way. Coure House,. G~t more paper in there than the house worth~ Have to step to Con~vay all the tii~ie Struggle and starve ~~self out for these fifteen acres1, Thirty miles to Con o way. Thirty miles back by the course I travels. All thera tric1~t mens try to go and get old &n s lend sign to em. That s the maines t thing take me to Con~o wsy ovei~r week. They all talk so sugar mouth t il I my name dawn; then v~ hen rr~r naine write is anothe r thing. When I in -h oo much trouble, I just has to step up to Con~o-~way and see Mr. T3urr s. HeTs a good. man, It They try to mix old Ben up in this whiskey business, It look too brutish to me. t Lassis, I want to tell you all I kin but the old man punish with this bone feloxa ( felon) . ~7orse n I ever been punish in all n~,r eighty five year. Crab bite Iem and ister ( oyster) cut ~ em ( hand ) Woraan die and bury Sunday have ha ~nd just like this. If you say so, l~~ll go to doctor. Don t wa~nt no blood poison. He ( :)one felon) did act like he trying to dry up. I tIS pea leaf on en~. Can t put rr~r ht~~d to niy head, The next day Uncle Ben was found with the doctor s white bandage very muddy. Uncle Ben had gotten out of bed to go get oysters and even the bone felon did

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8. 315 ~ ~ ~ no-l; s1~op him. Uncle Ben is still hale and hearty, having triumphed over the bone Iq~ 4) felon, and one of the noted characters of that region. N

(Uncle Ben and visitors). 320 316

Proje5t#-1655~. 390214 FOII~ JORE Mrs. enevieve ~~Ch nd1er . 31G Murrells Inlet, S. C Georgetown County . (Uncle Ben Horry (Rob s time nigger - over 80) (Uncle Ben and visitors) Uncle Ben: (To white children) Go on see 1f you can find one or twoplum on duh tree. I been want to go to town wid you - dat all right daughter. (He pronounces it Dater long Italian A ) Chillun, ain t find duh plum, enty? IDem Sandy Island people come and clean the tree. Too sorry wonneh ain t get them plumi Stel a gone in creek fishing. Him and Lula gone - Lula McCoy. You say me?~ (To nel ghbor walking &~ up) ttFour men been here load they car up wid hand. . How come you am t gone to the ~ (To work in the tobacco fields in trucksent to find hands) Pauline Pyatt : ~ ~f they am t pay my price I am t going leave home I am t gone for 75~ a day. Feeni& Deas gon ye Uncle Ben: Near bout blind. Couldn t see out no eye nor nare (neither ) one ~ my. ye. Do cto r put sumptin in tem do me too much o good. How 1 is? Fall out? Deth - come I fixt Don t know bout youl Pauline : I fix ~ Mar y Gary : You f ix Une le Ben ? Uncle Ben: 1 gwine fixL Pauline: YOU aintt fix?

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Project #-1655 Page - 2 Mrs. Genevieve ~. Chandler i~iurrells Inlet, S. C. Geo rgetown County ~ Fore freedom? Fore freedom? Well now, fore freedom we were treated by our former owners I will say good - cord~ ing to situation of time. Every year when Massa and Missus gone mountains, they call up obersheer (overseer) and say, Don t treat them anyway severe. Don t beat them. Don t maul them ~ (Mr Heminingway been severe.) Anybody steal rice and they beat them, Miss Bessie cry and say, Let em have ricel My rice ~ my niggerL Brookgreen and Springfield every Sunday morning, every gal and the young one must dress up and go to the yard and Miss i3essis give ~em candy. Don t want too much ot beating. Glad to see young women dance. BUt some cruel to the colorod Some on Prospe et ~ - t t and t Woodland t - -.~ ~ UI fix all rightt. I going fudder dan duh graves I been Tarbox. (To Mr. Tarbox) ~Dov~ n by Gaule? (Gallie s house) t,1 ain t see nobody. ~that you see? Aintt see nobody tall - tall -. Alice~ I see Alicel Ain~t see nobody else? Nobody elsel Nobody else? Nobody else. She by herselfl Uncle Ben Reminisces Uncle Ben: Pauline: Uncle Ben: Pauline: Uncle sen: Pauline: Uncle Ben: Pauline: Uncle Ben: Pauline:

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Pro~ect#..~1655 Page - 3 318 Mrs . Gen.ev j eve W... Ch ndler Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetown. County treat all r1~ht. t!1 lcnow the Yankee boat come to Inlet and went to Oaks sea~shore with load of cotton. Band of our sojer gone (Rebs OUR sojerL), and Yankee sojer come off In a yawl boat and our sojer caught two of them men and they hang that man to Oaks sea..shore. And when the Yankee find out do my Lordi A stir beent A stir herel Shell clean to Sandy Islandi Kn~~k hole through the sick~house (at Brookgreeni) Pumpi Well, ain t it? Brick work pump. Well. Handle. You turni Turn. One bucket g ne up; one gone down Ward take care of hi s nigger, she ~ Best man ~ own slavel Ward and Ploughdon she treat they nigger right I Live Laurel HIll. Ward had on Prospect and Brook-green. ~ know what I see? LIght there to Oaks sea-sho after them people done that murdering with that man? Take all the slave, get on flat and gone out way of shell. Gone sand hole. Take all the people from Brookgreen and Springfield - and carry dem tc~ Marlb ro Boat tow flat. Carmichael came through and established the freedom through here. They come back from Marlboro wh re they refugee to and Maharn Ward come back on the flat. And this Ward, share out the rice broke open barn. ~e people? Anything like a silver, bury right there in that gardenl Right to Brookgreen garden,

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Pro,~ect #- 1655 Mrs. Genevieve ~ Chandler Iviurrells niet, S. C. Georgetown County Page ..4 what liontington got now. Ail ~~ard thing bury there Them old time people kill you you meddle them thing. Cry out, L Iassa rring~l ~ better let em stay th~r~1 t, ~1 ~ ~. ~: . After reedom iLISS -essie gone to she~house in Charston - Rutledge Street Charston. And you could see way out in ocean. t~My fadder ~ him and Uncle Dan l and Uncle Summer uster been fiddler. Gone all round when the white people gone to Prospect to ball and sich as that. Dem vthite people didn t treat you so brutishi Dem obersheerl (Aside) Wonder Christ sake why Lula stay out that creek so longitt Pauline: F~nO season for corni Ben: Sho isi (Uncle Ben keeps a little grocery and fruit for sell. Customer comes) Missus, Take twenty cent out a dollar. Pauline: ~ My grand~mother in tb~.t storm. They leave that Thursday. I been to Oaks. Vthen Flagg storm wuz~. ~ichmond come off Magnolia beach to Oaks Plantation and. get the washIng ~ the missus cle~n clothes. Had to swim the horse off the beach to get the clothes. I been on the beach Thursday ~ and cousin Joshu~.-way. Pony Myers daughter born In Brookgreen street day of storm. Pony Myers wife name Adele. 3:19

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Pr~je4~t . #4655 . Page 5 Mr s . ~ Genevieve W~ ~ Ch ndl er 320 Murrells Inlet, S. C. Georgetown County Marsa Arthur had one little twin. Joshua Stuart and Ben find dem to the end of Myrtle Beach. ~rthur twin baby - bout that high - little walking chillun. Look how curious thing isi Them twO chillun drown and. find to the foot of Myrtle Beach~ (fifteen or twenty miles north). Find Tom Duncan mother. rind ~ Fran ci s mot her - Franci s Gadsden. Doe tor Ward pa find him by duh vest. Vest sticking out duh muda Watch going. My grand-mother was keep a walking from doorto door. - Find a mer-maid and kept to Magnolia. (Pauline said, tmere_maidt) Doctor Ward and dem shut emup a month. Mer- maid. liada storm ball. ~eep a turninground. Keep atefling him (Thy. Arthur) storm coming. lie wouldntt b lieve em. (Bar meter - called by Uncle Isaac s wife, gatekeeper at Brookgxeen -chronometer . ) ~e wouldn t t lieve And ~a cus s Ing ~m8ri~ kil the tim cuss~ Mere-maId got a forked tail ~just like shark. From h