[Transcriber's Note:

 This text is mainly written in dialect. As such, the majority of the spelling, grammar, and punctuation irregularities have been preserved, with the exception of a number of typographical errors. A full list of them can be found at the end of the text. ]

 SLAVE NARRATIVES

 _A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves_

 TYPEWRITTEN RECORDS PREPARED BY THE FEDERAL WRITERS' PROJECT 1936-1938 ASSEMBLED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PROJECT WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SPONSORED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

 _Illustrated with Photographs_

 WASHINGTON 1941

 VOLUME XIV

 SOUTH CAROLINA NARRATIVES

 PART 4

 Prepared by the Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration for the State of South Carolina

INFORMANTS

 Raines, Mary 1 Range, Frank 3 Rawls, Sam 5, 7 Renwick, Ellen 9 Rice, Anne 10 Rice, Jessie 12 Rice, Phillip 17 Richardson, Martha 19 Riley, Mamie 23 Riser, Susie 25 Roberts, Isom 26 Robertson, Alexander 31 Robinson, Charlie 35 Rosboro, Al 38 Rosboro, Tom 42 Rosborough, Reuben 45 Rose, William 48 Russell, Benjamin 51 Rutherford, Joe 55 Rutherford, Lila 57 Rutledge, Sabe 59, 65 Ryan, Henry 71, 74

 Satterwhite, Emoline 75 Scaife, Alexander 76 Scantling, Eliza 78 Scott, Mary 81 Scott, Nina 88 Scurry, Morgan 89 Simmons, Ransom 91 Sligh, Alfred 92 Smith, Dan 95 Smith, Hector 100, 105 Smith, Jane 110 Smith, Mary 112 Smith, Prince 116 Smith, Silas 119 Sparrow, Jessie 121, 125, 130, 136, 141 Starke, Rosa 147 Stewart, Josephine 151 Suber, Bettie 155 Swindler, Ellen 156

 Taylor, Mack 157 Thompson, Delia 160 Toatley, Robert 163

 Veals, Mary 167, 169

 Walker, Manda 170 Walker, Med 174 Waring, Daniel 181 Washington, Nancy 184 Watson, Charley 188 White, Dave 191, 194 White, Tena 196 Williams, Bill 199 Williams, Jesse 202 Williams, Mary 206 Williams, Willis 208 Wilson, Emoline 213, 215 Wilson, Jane 216 Woodberry, Genia 218 Woodberry, Julia 227, 232, 237, 242 Woods, George 247 Woodward, Aleck 253 Woodward, Mary 257 Worth, Pauline 260 Wright, Daphney 266

 Young, Bill 270 Young, Bob 273

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon= =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=MARY RAINES=

=_EX-SLAVE 99 YEARS OLD. _=

Mary Raines is the oldest living person, white or black, in FairfieldCounty. If she survives until next December, she will have attained hercentury of years. She lives with her widowed daughter, FannieMcCollough, fifty-seven years old, and a son, Joe Raines, aged 76 years. They rent a two-room frame house, on lands of Mrs. Sallie Wylie, ChesterCounty, S. C. Joe, the son, is a day laborer on nearby farms. Fanniecooks for Mrs. W. T. Raines. Old Mother Mary has been receiving a countypension of $5. 00 per month for several years. 

"How old would Marse William Woodward be if he hadn't died befo' I gwineto die? A hundred and twenty, you say? Well, dat's 'bout de way Ifigured my age. Him was a nephew of Marse Ed, de fust Marse Ed P. Mobley. Him say dat when him 'come twenty-one, old marster give him abirthday dinner and 'vite folks to it. Marse Riley McMaster, fromWinnsboro, S. C. , was dere a flyin' 'round my young mistress, MissHarriett. Marse Riley was a young doctor, ridin' 'round wid saddlebags. While they was all settin' down to dinner, de young doctor have to gitup in a hurry to go see my mammy. Left his plate piled up wid turkey, nice dressin', rice and gravy, candy 'tatoes, and apple marmalade andcake. De wine 'canter was a settin' on de 'hogany sideboard. All dis himleave to go see mammy, who was a squallin' lak a passle of patarollers(patrollers) was a layin' de lash on her. When de young doctor go andcome back, him say as how my mammy done got all right and her have a galbaby. Then him say dat Marse Ed, his uncle, took him to de quarter wheremammy was, look me all over and say: 'Ain't her a good one? Must weighten pounds. I's gwine to name dis baby for your mama, William. Tell herI name her, Mary, for her, but I 'spects some folks'll call her 'Polly', just lak they call your mama, 'Polly'. 

"I was a strong gal, went to de field when I's twelve years old, hoe myacre of cotton, 'long wid de grown ones, and pick my 150 pounds ofcotton. As I wasn't scared of de cows, they set me to milkin' andchurnin'. Bless God! Dat took me out of de field. House servants 'bovede field servants, them days. If you didn't git better rations andthings to eat in de house, it was your own fault, I tells you! You justhave to help de chillun to take things and while you doin' dat for them, you take things for yourself. I never call it stealin'. I just call ittakin' de jams, de jellies, de biscuits, de butter and de 'lasses dat Ihave to reach up and steal for them chillun to hide 'way in deir littlestomaches, and me, in my big belly. 

"When Joe drive de young doctor, Marse Riley, out to see Mass Harriett, while Marse Riley doin' his courtin' in de parlor, Joe was doin' hiscourtin' in de kitchen. Joe was as smart as de nex' one. Us made fastertime than them in de parlor; us beat them to de marriage. Marse Rileycall it de altar, but Joe always laugh and say it was de halter. Many isde time I have been home wid them sixteen chillun, when him was agallavantin' 'round, and I wished I had a got a real halter on dathusband of mine. 

"I b'longs to de Gladden's Grove African Methodist 'Piscopal Church. Tooold to shout but de great day is comin', when I'll shout and sing to demusic of dat harp of 10, 000 strings up yonder. Oh! Won't dat be a joyfulday, when dese old ailin' bones gonna rise again. " (Then the old darkeybecame suffused in tears, lapsed into a silence and apathy, from whichshe couldn't be aroused. Finally she slumbered and snored. It would havebeen unkind to question her further. )

 =Project 935= =Hattie Mobley= =Richland County=

=FRANK RANGE=

=CIVIL WAR SERVANT and HERO=

At the age of one hundred and three, Frank Range is a familiar figure onthe streets of Greenville, talking freely of pre-Civil and Civil Wardays, and the part he played in the war. 

Frank, the oldest of nine children, was born of slave parents, Lenardand Elizabeth Herbert, on the plantation of Mr. Jim Boler, Newberry, South Carolina. He was sold several times, and is known by the name ofone of his owners, John Range. 

During the Civil War his master, Mr. Jim Herbert, carried him to the waras a cook, and when necessary, he was pressed into service, throwing upbreast-works; and while he was engaged in this work, at Richmond Va. Aterrific bombardment of their lines was made, and a part of theirbreast-works was crushed in, and his master buried beneath it. Franticwith fear for the safety of his master, Frank began to move the dirtaway; finally he was able to drag him to safety. Though shot and shellwere falling all around him, he came out unscathed. 

Frank Range returned to Newberry at the close of the war, after which hemoved to Greenville County in 1901, and into the city in 1935. He isnever happier than when, in the center of a group of willing hearers, heis reciting in a sing-song tone the different periods of his life. 

He attributes his longevity to the fact that he has never tastedwhiskey, never chewed tobacco; never had a fight; toothache andheadache are unknown to him; the service of a physician has never beenneeded; he does not know one playing card from another. He can walk fiveor more miles with seeming ease; is jovial and humorous. 

He receives a state pension of twenty five dollars annually. His placeof residence is 101 Hudson St. Greenville, S. C. 

 References;

 Mr. Guy A. Gullick, Probate Judge, Greenville County. 

 Frank Range (information given concerning himself) 101 Hudson St. Greenville S. C. 

 =Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg Dist. 4= =June 15, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"I was born in 1835 in Lexington County, S. C. I know I was 12 years oldde last year of de war. I belonged to John Hiller in Lexington County, near Columbia, S. C. Old Marse Hiller was strict to his slaves, wasn'tmean, but often whipped 'em. I thought it was all right then. When deYankees come through burning, killing and stealing stock, I was inmarse's yard. Dey come up whar de boss was standing, told him dere wasgoing to be a battle, grabbed him and hit him. Dey burned his house, stole de stock, and one Yankee stuck his sword to my breast and said ferme to come wid him or he would kill me. O' course I went along. Dey tookme as fer as Broad River, on t'other side o' Chapin; then turned meloose and told me to run fast or they would shoot me. I went fast andfound my way back home by watching de sun. Dey told me to not go back todat old man. 

"De slaves never learnt to read and write. If any o' dem was caughttrying to learn to read or write, dey was whipped bad. I kotched on towhat de white chilluns said, and learnt by myself to say de alphabet. 

"We went to de white churches atter de war, and set in de gallery. Dende niggers set up a 'brush harbor' church fer demselves. We went toschool at de church, and atter school was out in de atternoon, we hadpreaching. 

"Befo' freedom come, de patrollers was strong dere, and whipped anyniggers dey kotched out without a pass; wouldn't let dem go to churchwithout a pass. 

"Lots of hunting round dere, dey hunted rabbits, squirrels, foxes and'possums. Dey fished like dey do now. 

"De white folks had old brick ovens away from de house, and widefireplaces in de kitchens. Dey cooked many things on Saturdays, to lastseveral days. Saturday afternoons, we had off to catch up on washing andother things we wanted to do. 

"I 'member de Ku Klux and de Red Shirts, but don't 'member anything deydid dere. 

"We had corn-shuckings and cotton pickings, when de white people wouldhave everybody to come and help. Us niggers would help. Dey had bigsuppers afterwards. 

"We had plenty to eat from de garden of de boss, a big garden datfurnished all de slaves. Den de boss killed hogs and had other things toeat. Most o' de things raised in de garden, was potatoes, turnips, collards and peas. 

"Some of us had witches. One old woman was a witch, and she rode me onenight. I couldn't get up one night, had a ketching of my breath andcouldn't rise up. She held me down. In dem days, was lots o' fevers withde folks. Dey cured 'em and other sickness wid teas from root herbs andbarks. 

"Abraham Lincoln was a good man. He said you folks ought to let demniggers loose and let dem go to work. He come wid his two men, Grant andSherman, and captured de slave bosses. Jeff Davis was one o' deforerunners of de war. Don't know much about him. Booker T. Washingtonis a good man. Think he is in office fer a good purpose. I been marriedfour times, Was young man when I married first time. Gussie Gallman, mylast wife, is living wid me. "

 Source: Sam Rawls (84), Newberry, S. C. Interviewer: G. L. Summer, Newberry, S. C. (6/9/37)

 =Project 1885-1= =Folklore= =Spartanburg, Dist. 4= =Oct. 13, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"I live wid my fourth wife and she is much younger dan me. I am unableto work and have to stay in bed lots of de time. My wife works at oddjobs, like washing, ironing and cooking. We rent a two-room house fromMiss Ann Ruff. 

"I belonged to John Hiller. He was a good master but he worked hisslaves hard. Dat was in Lexington County. 

"I heard dat Gen. Grant said de slaves ought to get 40 acres of land anda mule so dey could go to work; but dey never got any dat I knows of. Atter Freedom dey worked as wage earners and share-croppers. Some wentto other farms to get jobs. Dat's about what dey do now, but some of demsaved a little money and bought farms and some started little businessesof deir own. 

"De Ku Klux didn't have much influence wid de slaves or ex-slaves. Assoon as de war broke, dey went riding up and down de public roads tocatch and beat niggers. My brother run off when dey got atter him. Hewent to Orangeburg County and stayed down dere. 

"I voted twice den, once at Prosperity and again at Newberry. I was aRepublican, of course. Some of de Niggers of dis state was elected tooffice, but dey was not my kinfolks nor special friends. I think niggersought to vote so dey could vote fer good white folks; and dey ought torun fer office if dey could be elected by good white folks. 

"I was sixteen years old when de Yankees come through dis country. Deycaught me in de road and made me go wid dem to Broad River where deycamped one night. Den dey turned me loose and told me to git. I run asfast as I could. I followed de setting sun, de road running towards desun all de time, and got home about night. 

"Since freedom is come de niggers have worked mostly on farms asshare-croppers; some as renters wid deir own crops to raise. 

"De present generation of niggers ain't got much sense. Dey work whendey want to, and have deir own way about it. De old niggers was learnedto work when dey was little. 

"I don't know nothing about de Nat Turner Rebellion. I never know'd butone old nigger dat come from Virginia, old Ellen Abner. She lived belowProsperity fer a long time, in de Stoney Hills. 

"Yes sir, I tries to live right and git along wid everybody. "

 Source: Sam Rawls (80), Newberry, S. C. Interviewer: G. L. Summer, Newberry, S. C. 8/23/37. 

 =Project 1885 -1-= =Spartanburg, S. C. = =District #4= =May 31, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Martha Ritter=

=FOLK-LORE: EX-SLAVES=

"I was born on Capt. John P. Kinard's place. My mammy and pa was Lucyand Eph Kinard who belonged to Marse Kinard. Marse Kinard was good tohis slaves--didn't whip them much. He whipped me a little. When I was alittle girl I slept in the big house in the room with my mistress andher husband, and waited on them. I worked when I got old enough, in thefield, and anywhere around. When I wouldn't work good, my mammy whippedme most. 

"I 'member the folks cooked in skillets over an old fireplace. 

"After the war was over and freedom come we stayed on with Capt. Kinard, 'till I married and then went over to Dock Renwick's place where myhusband worked. I married Tom Renwick. We went to the church of thecolored folks after the war, and had preachings in mornings and eveningsand at night, too. We didn't have no nigger schools, and we didn't learnto read and write. 

"The white folks had corn-shuckings, cotton pickings at night, when themistress would fix a big dinner for all working. "

 SOURCE: Ellen Renwick (79), RFD, Newberry, S. C. Interviewer: Mr. G. Leland Summer, 1707 Lindsey St. , Newberry, S. C. 

 =Project 1885 -1-= =District #4= =Spartanburg, S. C. = =June 7, 1937=

=FOLK-LORE: EX-SLAVES=

"I was born in Spartanburg County, S. C. , near Glenn Springs. I can't'member slavery or de war, but my ma and pa who was Green Foster and hiswife, Mary Posey Foster, always said I was a big gal when the warstopped, when freedom come. 

"We belonged to Seth Posey who had a big farm there. He was a good man, but sure made us work. I worked in the fields when I was small, hoed andpicked cotton, hoed corn. They didn't give us no money for it. All wegot was a place to sleep and a little to eat. The big man had a goodgarden and give us something from it. He raised loads of hogs, to eatand to sell. He sold lots of them. The young fellows hunted rabbits, possums, squirrels, wild turkeys, partridges, doves, and went fishing. The Master's wife, Miss Nancy, was good to us. She had one son, William. 

"Yes, I 'member my ma telling us 'bout the padder-rollers. They wouldride around, whipping niggers. 

"My ma said her step-mother sold her. Sometimes they would take crowdsof slaves to Mississippi, taking away mothers from their infant babies, leaving the babies on the floor. 

"We always shuck corn and shell it at night, on moon-light nights wepick cotton. On Saturday afternoons we had frolics, sometimes frolics'till Sunday daylight, then sleep all day Sunday. 

"When we got sick all the medicine we took was turpentine--dat wouldcure almost any ailment. Some of the niggers used Sampson snake weed orpeach leaves boiled and tea drunk. 

"I joined the church when I was 12 years old 'cause the other girlsjoined. I think everybody ought to join a church to get their soulsright for heaven:

"I married Charley Rice in Spartanburg County, at a colored man's house, named Henry Fox, by a colored preacher named 'Big Eye' Bill Rice. I hadfour children, and have five grand-children. I have been living inNewberry about 35 years or more. I worked as a wash-woman many years. 

"When freedom come, my folks stayed on with Capt. Posey, and I washedand ironed with them later when I was big enough. I done some cooking, too. I could card and spin and make homespun dresses. My ma learned me. 

"I don't know much about Abraham Lincoln and Jeff Davis but reckon deywas good men. I never learned to read and write. Booker Washington, Ireckon, is a good man. "

 SOURCE: Anne Rice (75), Newberry, S. C. Interviewer: G. Leland Summer, 1707 Lindsey St. , Newberry, S. C. 

 =Project 1885-1= =Folklore= =Spartanburg, Dist. 4= =Jan. 17, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"My people tells me a lot about when I was a lil' wee boy. I has a clearmind and I allus has had one. My folks did not talk up people's age likefolks do dese days. Every place dat I be now, 'specially round desegovernment folks, first thing dat dey wants to know is your name. Well, dat is quite natu'al, but de very next question is how old you is. Idon't know, why it is, but dey sho do dat. As my folks never talked age, it never worried me till jes' here of late. So dey says to me dat lastweek I give one age to de man, and now I gives another. Soon I see'd datand I had to rest my mind on dat as well as de mind of de governmentfolks. So I settled it at 80 years old. Dat gives me respect fromeverybody dat I sees. Den it is de truth, too, kaise I come along wideverybody dat is done gone and died now. De few white folks what I wascontemperment (contemporary) wid, 'lows dat I is 80 and dey is dat, too. 

"You know dat I does 'member when dat Sherman man went through here widdem awful mens he had. Dey 'lowed dat dey was gwine to Charlotte to gitback to Columbia. I never is heard of sech befo' or since. We lived atold man Jerry Moss's in Yorkville, way back den. Yes sir, everyone saidYorkville, den, but dey ain't never called Gaffney like dat. Storiesgoes round 'bout Sherman shooting folks. Some say dat he shot a big rockoff'n de State House in Columbia. My Ma and my Pa, Henry and CharityRice, hid me wid dem when Sherman come along. Us never see'd him, LawdGod no, us never wanted to see him. 

"Folks allus crying hard times dese days, ain't no hard times now likeit was atter Sherman went through Yorkville. My ma and pa give me ashcake and 'simmon beer to eat for days atter dat. White folks never hadno mo', not till a new crop was grow'd. Dat year de seasons was good andgardens done well. Till den us nearly starved and we never had no easytime gitting garden seed to plant, neither. 

"Yes sir, if I's handy to locust I makes locust beer; den if I's handyto 'simmons, why den I makes 'simmon beer. Now it's jes' for to pass detime dat us does dat. But gwine back to de war; den it was fornecessity. Dese young'uns now don't know what hard times is. Dey all hasbread and meat and coffee, no matter how poor dey is. If dey had to livefor days and weeks on ash cake and 'simmon beer, as us did den, and workand wait on a crop wid nothing but dat in deir bellies; den dey couldgrumble hard times. I allus tells 'em to shut up when dey startsanything like dat around me. 

"When dat crop come along, we sho did fall in and save all us could forde next year. Every kind of seed and pod dat grow'd we saved and driedfor next spring or fall planting. Atter folks is once had deir bellyaching and growling for victuals, dey ain't never gwine to throw norations and things away no mo'. Young folks is powerful wasteful, but ifsomething come along to break up deir good time like it did to us whendat man Sherman held everything up, dey sho will take heed, and deywon't grumble 'bout it neither, cause dey won't have no time to grumble. 

"Things passes over quicker sometimes dan we figures out dat dey will. Everything, no matter how good it be or how hard, passes over. Dey jes'does like dat. So dem Yankees went on somewhars, I never know'd whar, and everything round Yorkville was powerful relieved. Den deConfederate soldiers started coming across Broad River. Befo' dey gothome, word had done got round dat our folks had surrendered; but demYankees never fit (fought) us out--dey starved us out. If things hadbeen equal us would a-been fighting dem till dis day, dat us sho would. I can still see dem soldiers of ours coming across Broad River, alldirty, filthy, and lousy. Dey was most starved, and so poor and lanky. And deir hosses was in de same fix. Men and hosses had know'd plentytill dat Sherman come along, but most of dem never know'd plenty nomore. De men got over it better dan de hosses. Women folks cared for demen. Dey brewed tea from sage leaves, sassafras root and other herbteas. Nobody never had no money to fetch no medicine from de towns wid, so dey made liniments and salves from de things dat grow'd around aboutin de woods and gardens. 

"I told you 'bout how small I was, but my brother, Jim Rice, went toCharleston and helped to make dem breastworks down dar. I has neversee'd dem, but dem dat has says dat dey is still standing in goodconditions. Cose de Yankees tore up all dat dey could when dey got dar. 

"Lots of rail fences was made back in dem days. Folks had a 'no fence'law, dat meant dat everybody fenced in deir fields and let de stock runfree. Hogs got wild and turkeys was already wild. Sometimes bulls had tobe shot to keep dem from tearing up everything. But folks never fencedin no pasture den. Dey put a rail fence all around de fields, and in demdays de fields was never bigger dan ten or fifteen acres. Logs wasplentiful, and some niggers, called 'rail splitters', never done nothingelse but split rails to make fences. 

"If I recollects right, Wade Hampton broke down fence laws in discountry. I sho heard him talk in Yorkville. Dey writ about him in deYorkville Inquirer and dey still has dat paper over dar till now. De RedShirts come along and got Wade Hampton in. He scared de Yankees andCarpetbaggers and all sech folks as dem away from our country. Dey wentback whar dey come from, I reckon. 

"De Ku Klux was de terriblest folks dat ever crossed my path. Who deywas I ain't never know'd, but dey took Alex Leech to Black's Ford onBullet Creek and killed him for being a radical. It was three weeksbefo' his folks got hold of his body. 

"Dr. Bell's calves got out and did not come back for a long time. Mrs. Bell fear'd dat dey was gitting wild, so she sent de milk girl down onde creek to git dem calves. Dat girl had a time, but she found 'em anddrove 'em back to de lot. De calves give her a big chase and jumped decreek near a big raft of logs dat had done washed up from freshets. Allover dem logs she saw possums, musrats and buzzards a-setting around. She took her stick and drove dem all away, wid dem buzzards puking ather. When dey had left, she see'd uncle Alex laying up dar half e't upby all dem varmints. 

"She know'd dat it must be him. When she left, dem buzzards went back todeir perch. First thing dey done was to lap up deir own puke befo' deystarted on uncle Alex again. Yes sir, dat's de way turkey buzzards does. Dey pukes on folks to keep dem away, and you can't go near kaise it be'sso nasty; but dem buzzards don't waste nothing. Little young buzzardslooks like down till dey gits over three days old. You can go to abuzzard roost and see for yourself, but you sho better stay out'n de wayof de old buzzard's puke. Dey sets around de little ones and keepseverything off by puking. 

"Pacolet used to be called Buzzard Roost, kaise in de old days dey had arail outside de bar-room dat de drunks used to hang over and puke in agully. De buzzards would stay in dat gully and lap up dem drunkards'puke. One night a old man went in a drunkard's sleep in de bar-room. Debar tender shoved him out when he got ready to close, and he rolled upagainst dis here rail dat I am telling you about. He 'lowed dat nextmorning when he woke up, two buzzards was setting on his shirt fronteating up his puke. He said, 'You is too soon', and grabbed one by deleg and wrung his head off. But befo' he could git its head wrung off ithad done puked his own puke back on him. He said dat was de nastiestthing he ever got into, and dat he never drunk no more liquor. Dem daysis done past and gone, and it ain't nobody hardly knows Pacolet used tobe called Buzzard Roost. 

"Lawd have mercy, white folks! Here I is done drapped plumb off'n mysubject; but a old man's mind will jes' run waa'ry at times. Me and Joe, Alex's son, went to see de officer 'bout gitting Joe's pa buried. He'lowed dat Alex's body was riddled wid bullets; so we took him and puthis bones and a little rotten flesh dat dem buzzards had left, in de boxwe made, and fetched it to de site and buried him. Nobody ever seed Alexbut me, Joe, and dat gal dat went atter dem calves. Us took shovels andthrow'd his bones in de box. When we got de top nailed on, we was bothsick. Now, things like dat don't come to pass. I still thinks of deawful days and creeps runs all over me yet. 

"All my brothers, sisters, mother and father is done gone. And I islooking to leave befo' a great while. I is trying every day to gitready, Lawd. I been making ready for years. Smart mens tries to make youlive on, but dey can't git above death. Tain't no use. "

 Source: Jesse Rice (80), Littlejohn St. , Gaffney, S. C. Interviewer: Caldwell Sims, Union, S. C. 1/8/38

 =Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg Dist. 4= =June 15, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"I'm living on Mr. Russel Emmitt's place. I never did nothing but drivecows when I was a little boy growing up. Miss Cum and Miss Lizzie Ricewas Marse Alex's sisters. Marse Alex done died, and dey was my mistress. Dey tuck and sold de plantation afo dey died, here 'bout twenty yearsago. Dat whar my ma found me and den she died. 

"My grandparents, Jane and Peter Stevens, brung me up. I was a littlefarm boy and driv cows fer de overseer, Jim Blalock. Miss Cum was reallyMiss Ann. Miss Ann had a hundred niggers, herself, and Miss Lizzie hadmight nigh dat many, asides dem what Marse Alex done left 'em. Deoverseer try to act rough out o' Miss Ann's sight, and she find it outand set him down a peg. 

"Miss Jane have our shirts made on de looms. She let us wear long shirtsand go in our shirt tails, and us had to keep 'em clean, too, 'causeMiss Jane never like no dirt around her. Miss Jane have charge of dewhole house and everything along wid it. 

"Us had three hundred hogs to tend to, two hundred yellings and heifers, and Lawdy knows how many sheep and goats. Us fed dem things and kept 'emfat. When butchering time come, us stewed out the mostest lard and wehad enough side-meat to supply the plantation the year round. Our wheatland was fertilized wid load after load of cotton seed. De wheat usraised was de talk of de country side. 'Sides dat, dare was rye, oatsand barley, and I ain't said nothing 'bout de bottom corn dat laid in decribs from year to year. 

"Our smokehouse was allus full o' things to eat, not only fer de whitefolks but fer de darkies as well. And our barns carried feed fer decattle from harvest to harvest. 

"De fattest of all de hosses, was Miss Ann's black saddle hoss called, 'Beauty'. Miss Ann wo' de longest side-saddle dress dat hung way downbelow her feets. Somebody allus had to help her on and off Beauty, butn'ary one of her brothers could out-ride Miss Ann. "

 Source: Phillip Rice (75), Kelton, S. C. RFD Interviewed by: Caldwell Sims, Union, S. C. (5/7/37)

 =Project #1655= =Stiles M. Scruggs= =Columbia, S. C. =

=_THE POT OF GOLD. _=

Martha Richardson, who tells this story, lives at 924 Senate Street, Columbia, S. C. Her father was an Indian and her mother a mulatto. Shewas born in Columbia in 1860 and was five years old, when General W. T. Sherman's Federal troops captured and burned the city in 1865. 

"When I gits big 'nough to pick up chips for de cook stove, we waslivin' in de rear of Daniel Gardner's home, on Main Street, and my mammywas workin' as one of de cooks at de Columbia Hotel. De hotel was run byMaster Lowrance, where de Lorick & Lowrance store is now. 

"My daddy, like de general run of Indians, love to hunt but de game notbring much cash in. My mammy often give him some change (money) and henot work much but he always good to mammy and she love him and not fussat him, much. I soon learn dat if it had not been for mammy, we wouldn'ta had much to eat and wear. We go 'long lak dat for a good while and mymammy have friends 'nough dat she seldom had to ask for a job. 

"De game was so scarce dat my daddy sometimes make a little money ashowin' people how to make Indian medicine, dat was good for manycomplaints, how to cover deir houses, and how to kill deir hogs, 'cordin' to de moon. He tell us many times 'bout de great CatawbaIndians, who make all deir own medicines and kill bears and dress indeir skins, after feastin' on deir flesh. He was a good talker. 

"You know, I sees so much 'skimpin', to make ends meet at home, as we go'long dis way, dat I has never married. My mammy tell me: 'Honey, you apretty child. You grow up and marry a fine, lovin' man lak your daddy, and be happy. ' I kinda smile but I thinks a lot. If my daddy had workedand saved lak my mammy, we would be 'way head of what we is, and mybrudders say so, too. But we fond of our daddy, he so good lookin' andall. 

"What de most 'citin' thing I ever see? Well, I think de Red Shirtcampaign was. You never see so much talkin', fightin', and fussin' asdat. You know de Yankees was still here and they not 'fraid, and deHampton folks was not 'fraid, so it was a case of knock down and dragout most of de time, it seem to me. Long at de end, dere was twogovernors; one was in de Wallace House and one in de Capitol. Men went'bout town wid deir guns. 

"Mammy keep busy cookin', nussin', and washin', and us chillun help. Youknow I had two brudders older than me and a little baby brudder 'bout ayear old, when my mammy rent a small farm from Master Greenfield, downat de end of Calhoun Street, near de Broad River. We plant cotton. I wasthen eleven years old and my brudder was twelve and thirteen. My mammyhelp us plant it befo' she go to work at de hotel. 

"She was home washin', one day, when my brudders and me was choppin'cotton. We chop 'til 'bout eleven o'clock dat mornin' and we say: 'Whenwe gits out de rows to de big oak tree we'll sit down and rest. ' Wechillun lak each other and we joke and work fast 'til we comes to de endof de rows and in de shade of de big oak. Then we sets down, dat is, myoldest brudder and me, 'cause my young brudder was a little behind us inhis choppin'. As he near de finish, his hoe hit somethin' hard and itring. Ha rake de dirt 'way and keep diggin', light lak. 

"What you doin', brudder?' I say. He say: 'Tryin' to find out what disis. It seem to be a pot lid. ' Then we jump up and go to him and all ofus grabble dirt 'way and sho' 'nough it was a pot lid and it was on apot. We digs it out, thinkin' it would be a good thing to take home. Itwas so heavy, it take us all to lift it out. 

"It was no sooner out than we takes off de lid and we is sho' s'prisedat what we see. Big silver dollars lay all over de top. We takes two ofthem and drops them together and they ring just lak we hear them ring onde counters. Then we grabble in de pot for more. De silver went down'bout two inches deep. Twenty dollar gold pieces run down 'bout fourinches or so and de whole bottom was full of big bundles of twentydollar greenbacks. 

"We walks up to de house feelin' pretty big and my oldest brudder wassingin':

 'Hawk and buzzard went to law, Hawk come back wid a broken jaw. '

"Mammy say widout lookin' at us: 'What you all comin' to dinner so soonfor?' Then she looked up and see de pot and say: 'Land sakes, what youall got?' Then we puts de big pot down in de middle of de floor andtakes off de lid, and mammy say: 'Oh! Let's see what we has!' She beginto empty de pot and to count de money. She tell us to watch de door andsee dat nobody got in, 'cause she not at home!

"She say de money 'mount to $5, 700, and she swear us not to say nothin''bout findin' it. She would see what she could find out 'bout it. Weeksafter dat, she tell us a big white friend tell her he hear a friend ofhis buried some money and went to war widout tellin' anybody where itwas. Maybe he was killed and dat all we ever hear. 

"My mammy kept it and we all work on just de same and she buy these twolots on Senate Street. She build de two-story house here at 924, whereyou sittin' now, and de cottage nex' door. She always had rent moneycomin' in ever since. By and by she die, after my Indian pappy go 'wayand never come back. Then all de chillun die, 'ceptin' me. 

"I am so happy dat I is able to spend my old days in a sort of ease, after strugglin' most of my young life and gittin' no learnin' atschool, dat I sometimes sing my mammy's old song, runnin' somethin' lakdis:

 'Possum up de simmon tree Sparrow on de ground 'Possum throw de 'simmons down Sparrow shake them 'round'. "

 =Project#-1655= =Phoebe Faucette= =Hampton County=

 =Approx. 416 words=

=MAMIE RILEY=

=Ex-Slave=

"Aunt Mamie's" hair is entirely white. She lives in a neat duplex brickhouse with one of her husband's relatives, a younger woman who is a cookfor a well established family in Estill, S. C. When questioned about thetimes before the war, she replied:

"Yes'm, I kin tell you 'bout slav'ry time, 'cause I is one myself. Idon' remember how old I is. But I remember when de Yankees come throughI bin 'bout so high. (She put her hand out about 3-1/2 feet from thefloor. ) We lived on Mr. Henry Solomons' place--a big place. Mr. HenrySolomons had a plenty of people--three rows of house, or four. 

"When de Yankees come through Mr. Solomons' place I wuz right dere. Wewuz at our house in de street. I see it all. My ma tell me to run; but Iain't think they'd hurt me. I see 'em come down de street--all of 'em onhorses. Oo--h, dey wuz a heap of 'em! I couldn't count 'em. My daddy runto de woods--he an' de other men. Dey ran right to de graveyard. Toomucha bush been dere. You couldn't see 'em. Stay in de woods three days. 

"Dey went to my daddy's house an' take all. My daddy ran. My mother an'my older sister wuz dere. My ma grab a quilt off de bed an' coverherself all over wid it--head an' all. And set in a chair dere by defire. She tell us to git in de bed--but I ain't git in. And she yell outwhen she hear 'em comin': 'Dere's de fever in heah!' Six of 'em come tode door; but dey say dey ain't goin' in--dey'll catch de fever. Den somemore come along. Dey say dey gwine in. Dey ain't gwine to take no fever. Fill two sack of 'tatoes. White man ask to search all trunk. Dey taketwo of me Ma's good dresses out. Say to wrap 'tatoes in. I start tocryin' den, an' dey say, 'Well, git us some sacks den. ' I knowed wheresome sacks wuz. I git 'em de sacks. Dey do 'em right. Dey bid 'emgoodbye, an' ax 'em where de man wuz. Dey give me 'leven or twelvedollars. I wuz little an' ain't know. My mother never give it to me. 

"I stay right on dere after freedom, until after I married. "

 Source: Mamie Riley, Negro about 80 years old, Estill, S. C. 

 =Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg Dist. 4= =May 24, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"I was born near Broad River in de Dutch Fork of Newberry County. I wasa slave of Cage Suber. He was a fair master, but nothing to brag about. I was small at slavery time and had to work in de white folks' house oraround the house until I was big enough to go to de field and work. 

"Old Marse Cage always made me fan flies off of him when he lay down totake a nap. The fan was made out of brushes. 

"De white folks had cotton-pickings, corn-shuckings and quiltings. Deyallus had something to eat at the frolics and I had to help wid 'em. 

"I married John Riser. I moved to town several years ago. "

 Source: Susie Riser (80), Newberry, S. C. Interviewer: G. L. Summer, Newberry, S. C. , May 17, 1937. 

 =Project #1655= =Henry Grant, = =Columbia, S. C. =

=ISOM ROBERTS=

=_EX-SLAVE 80 YEARS OLD_=

Isom Roberts rents one room at 1226 Waverly Street, Columbia, S. C. , andlives alone. However frail he appears, he is able to support himself byworking in the yards about the city. 

"Well, sir, white folks, I is eighty years old, or leastwise I is soclose to it, dat it don't make much difference. But even if I is datold, it don't seem so long since I was a little boy. Years flies bymighty fas' to old folks, 'cause deir 'memberance is shorter, whileyoung folks 'members everything, and in dat way months and years drags'long slower to them. 

"I was a very small boy when de Civil War was gwine on. It seems like Iknows all 'bout Sherman's army comin' through dis State, a burnin'Columbia and destroyin' and takin' away everything what folks had. I hasheard so much 'bout slavery and all them times, from my mammy and daddy, dat it 'pears to me dat I 'sperienced it all. I 'spects knowin' 'boutthings is just 'bout as good and true as seein' them. Don't you?

"My daddy and mammy b'long to Marster Sam Louie, who had a bigplantation over in Calhoun County. He had 'bout fifty or more grownslaves, 'sides many chillun of de slaves. Old marster was a good farmer;raised big crops and saved what he made. He sho' was a fine business manbut he was mighty hard on everybody he had anything to do wid. He toldhis slaves to work hard and make him a heap of money and that he wouldkeep it, in case of hard times. Times was all de time hard wid oldmarster but de niggers never got no money. When news spread 'round datde Yankees was comin' to free de niggers, he called all de slaves up inde yard and showed them a big sack of money, what they had made forhim, and told them dat he was gwine to kill all of them befo' de Yankeesset them free and that they wouldn't need no money after they was donedead. All de slaves was mighty sad and troubled, all dat day, when oldmarster made dat speech to them. But somethin' happened. It most makesme tremble to talk to you 'bout it now. Providence, or some kind ofmercy spirit, was sho' walkin' 'round dat plantation dat night. Sometimein de night it was whispered 'round amongst de slaves dat old marsterdone took de smallpoxes and was mighty sick. Mammy said he must havebeen terrible sick, 'cause they buried him two days after dat. 

"After old marster flew away, everything was different on de plantation. Miss Nancy, dat was old marster's wife, told de slaves dat when deYankees freed them, they could stay right there and work on shares or bythe day, which ever way they wanted. Many stayed on de plantation afterfreedom while others went away. Me and my folks stayed on wid Miss Nancyuntil she die. Then us moved on another plantation in de lower side ofde county. I stayed dere until my wife died, seventeen years ago. 

"Does I 'member anything 'bout how de slaves was treated in slaverytime? Well, I 'members a little myself and a heap of what others toldme. Wid dis I has done told you, I believes I want to stop right dere. Alow fence is easier to git over than a high one. Say little and youain't gwine to have a heap to 'splain hereafter. Dere is a plenty ofpersons dat has lost deir heads by not lettin' deir tongues rest. Marster Sam Louie is dead now. He can't disturb nobody in his grave. Hehad his faults and done many things wrong but show me dat person whatdon't mis-step sometimes. All of us, both white and black, is prone tostep aside now and then. To tell de truth, old marster never knowed whatSunday was. Everybody on de plantation worked on dat day as same as anyother day. 

"But Boss, if my old marster was rough and hard and break de Sabbath andall dat, he was no worser than what young white folks and niggers isdese days. You can see them any time, floppin' 'bout in deseautomobiles, a drinkin' and a carryin' on. Sich stuff is abomination inde sight of a decent person, much less dat One up yonder. (He pointedupward). 

"I's gwine to tell you boss, dat slavery time was better for de averagenigger than what they is gittin' now. Folks say dat slavery was wrongand I 'spose it was, but to be poor like a heap of niggers is now, is deworse thing dat has ever come upon them, I thinks. Dis gittin' somethingwrong, ain't right. De North had no business sellin' niggers to de Southand de South had no business buyin' them from de North and makin' slavesof them. Everything went on pretty nice for awhile, then de North gotjealous of de South and de South got 'spicious of de North. I believesdat if you can't go over and you can't go under, then you should try togo 'round. If de big men up North and here in de South had been good'nough and smart 'nough, they might could a gone 'round dat terribleCivil War. I believes dat. 

"I marry Lucy Nelson when I was 'bout thirty years old. She was a brightskin nigger, much brighter than I is. She was high tempered and highspirited, too. She was sho' smart, and de best cook I has ever seen. Just plain corn bread, dat she cooked in de hot ashes of de fireplace, taste sweeter and better than de cake you buy now. But de least thingwould git her temper 'roused. I has knowed her to complain wid de oldhound dog us had, 'cause he didn't run some rabbits out de woods for meto shoot. Fuss wid de cats, 'cause they didn't ketch de mouses in dehouse. Quarrel wid de hens, 'cause they eat, cackled, scratched andwallowed holes in de yard and wouldn't lay. Told de old rooster manytimes dat she was gwine to chop his head off if he didn't crow soonerand louder of mornin's and wake me up so I could go to work. All dissounds foolish I knows but you see how bent my back is. Well, I 'spectsit was bent from totin' so many buckets of water from de spring for herto wash wid soon of mornin's, so I could then do a day's work. 

"My wife thought she was doin' right by workin' like she did. Shethought dat she was helpin' me make a livin' for our big family of eightchillun. Yes sir, I knows now she was right, but hard work broke herhealth and brought her to her bed where she lingered 'bout one year andthen she went away from me. All dis took place seventeen years ago and, from then to dis, I ain't seen no woman I would have for a wife, 'causeI ain't gwine to find no woman Lucy's equal. All my chillun are dead, 'cept two, and I don't know where they is. 

"Does poor folks have any blessings and pleasure? Well, yes sir, in away. You see they don't have no worriments over what they has, like richfolks. They can sleep as hot as they want to in de summer time and raiseas big families as anybody. Sho', poor folks, and especially niggers, has a good time on hog-killin' days. In early summer come them juicybrierberries dat they enjoy so much. They last until watermelon season. Then they has 'possum and 'tators in de fall. Most all livin' beings hasdeir own way of doin' things and deir way of existin'. De hog roots forhis, de squirrel climbs for his, de chickens scratches for deirs, and denigger, well, if dere ain't nobody lookin', I reckon they could slipdeirs right handy. 

"I sho' has enjoyed talkin' to you dis evening and now, if you will'scuse me, I's gwine home and cook me a pot of turnips. I can almosttaste them now, I is so hungry. "

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon= =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=ALEXANDER ROBERTSON=

=_EX-SLAVE 84 YEARS OLD. _=

Alexander Robertson lives as a member of the household of his son, Charley, on the General Bratton plantation, four miles southeast ofWhite Oak, S. C. It is a box-like house, chimney in the center, fourrooms, a porch in front and morning glory vines, in bloom at thisseason, climbing around the sides and supports. Does Alexander sit herein the autumn sunshine and while the hours away? Nay, in fact he isstill one of the active, working members of the family, ever in thefields with his grandchildren, poke around his neck, extracting fleecycotton from the bolls and putting it deftly into the poke. He can carryhis row equally as well as any of the six grandchildren. He has a goodappetite at meal time, digestive organs good, sleeps well, and is theearly riser in the mornings. He says the Negro half of his natureobjects to working on Saturday afternoon, and at such times his tallfigure, with a green patch cloth over the left eye, which is sightless, may be seen strolling to and fro on the streets of Winnsboro. 

"Well, well! If it ain't de youngun dat use to sell me sugar, coffee, fat back and meal, when he clerk for Calvin Brice & Company, atWoodward, in '84 and 'long dere. 

"I hopes you is well dis mornin'. I's told to come to Winnsboro and gitsblanks for a pension. Andy Foster, man I knows, d'rect me up dese stepsand bless God I finds you. You wanna ask me some questions? Well, here Iis, more than glad to answer, if I can. Where I born? Strange as itseems, I born right here in Winnsboro. My name set down in a book:'Alexander-boy-mother, Hannah, wench of James Stewart'. Dat de way itwas read to me by Dr. Beaty, dat marry a Miss Cherry and live in RockHill. If slavery had never been done 'way wid, dat would be my mastertoday, 'cause him lak hound dogs and I lak a hound dog. Dat kind ofbreed got a good nose and make good 'possum dog. Marster Jim tell me onetime, dat de first dog sprung from a wolf, and dat fust dog was a hounddog. Dat out dat fust dog, (must to a been a bitch, don't you reckon?)come all dogs. I follow his talk wid belief, 'bout de setters, pointers, and blood hounds, even to de fices, but it strain dat belief when it gitto de little useless hairy pup de ladies lead 'round wid a silver collarand a shiney chain. Well, you don't care to hear anymore 'bout dat? Whatis de question?

"My master at de fust, was Marster Jim Stewart and my mistress was hiswife, Mistress Clara. They have two chillun. I 'member Marster Jim andMiss Lizzie; they live in a fine house befo' de war, 'round yonder closeto Mt. Zion College. My mother was de cook and I was de house boy. Theyhad a big plantation 'bout two miles out, sorta southwest of Boro, Imean Winnsboro, of course, but de country people still call it Boro. 

"On dat plantation was many two-room houses, brick chimneys in demiddle, for de plantation slaves. In de growin' season I go wid marsterevery day, not to drive, too small for dat, just to hold de hoss, whenhim git out and then I run errands for him, 'round de house and in defields. 

"My mother had another child, Willie Finch. A colored man name of Finchis his father but her and de white folks never tell me who my fatherwas. I have to find out dat for myself, after freedom, when I waslookin' 'round for a name. From all I hear and 'pear in de lookin'glass, I see I was half white for sure, and from de things I hear, Iconclude I was a Robertson which have never been denied. Maybe it bestjust to give no front names. Though half a nigger, I have tried to liveup to dat name, never took it in dat court house over yonder, nevertook it in dat jail or dat calaboose. I's paid my debts dollar fordollar and owe no man nothin' but good will. 

"What de Yankees do when they come? Let other people tell dat, but seemlak they lay de whole town in ashes, 'cept de college and our houseclose to it, dat they use for de officers while they was in Boro. Whythey hear sumpin' bout de Davis name techin' de St. John 'PiscopalChurch and they march 'round dere, one cold February Sunday mornin', setit afire, and burn it up. Mother and me went to de plantation and stayeddere 'til they left. 

"When freedom come, I was twelve years old. Mother marry a Finch; Billwas de name of him. Our nex' move was to Dr. Madden's place, just northof Boro. Us farm up dere and I do de hoein'. I live dere thirteen years. I got to feelin' my oats and tired of workin' for a plum black nigger, Idid. Maybe I ought to been more humble but I wasn't. 

"I ask myself one night: 'What you gonna do, stay here forever for yourvittles and clothes?' Then come over my mind I old 'nough for to marry. Who I gwine to marry? It pop right in dis head, Sarah was de gal for me. I rode old Beck down dere de nex' Sunday; dat was in December. I comeright to de point wid her and de old folks. They 'low they have noobjections if I could take care of her. I say I try to. They say: 'Datain't 'nough, 'range yourself for another year and then come and gither'. 

"De Lord directs me. I's down here payin' my poll, too. Marster TomShanty Brice come in as us come out. I ask him if he need a hand fornex' year. He look me up from top to bottom and say: 'What's your name?'I show him my tax receipt. He hire me than and dere. I go right straightto Sarah and us tell de old folks. Rev. Gordon marry us de 29th ofJanuary, 1879. Us has seven chillun. Alex, dat's de one name for me, isin Tampa, Florida. Carrie marry a Coleman and is in Charlotte, N. C. Jimmie is dead. Thomas is in Charleston, S. C. Emma marry a Belton andlives wid her husband in Ridgeway, S. C. I stay wid my son, Charley, upde country. 

"I voted one time in 1876, for Gov. Chamberlain, but when I moved toMarster Tom Brice's I thought so much of him, I just quit voting. Iwould lak to vote one more time to say: 'I have vote one time wid deblack part of my nature, dis time I votes wid de white side of mynature. ' What you laughin' 'bout? If it was de call of dark blood defust time, maybe it's de call of de white blood dis time. You have noidea de worry and de pain a mulatto have to carry all his eighty-fouryears. Forced to 'sociate wid one side, proud to be related to de otherside. Neither side lak de color of your skin. I jine de Methodist churchhere in Boro and 'tend often as I can and as I hear my preacher Owenspreach, dat dere will be no sex in hebben, I hopes and prays dat dere'llbe no sich thing as a color line in hebben. 

"Who de best white men I ever know? Mr. Tom Brice, Mr. W. L. Rosborough, Mr. Watt Sinonton, and Mr. August Nicholson. Master Bill Beaty, datmarry my young mistress, Elizabeth, was a fine man. 

"What I think of Abe Lincoln? What I think of Mr. Roosevelt? Dere decolor come up again. De black say Mr. Lincoln de best President us everhave; de white say us never have had and never will have a Presidentequal of Mr. Roosevelt. "

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon= =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=CHARLIE ROBINSON=

=_EX-SLAVE 87 YEARS OLD. _=

Charlie Robinson lives nine miles northwest of Winnsboro, S. C. , on landsof Mr. R. W. Lemmon. There is one other occupant in the four-room house, John Giles, a share cropper. The house has two fireplaces, the brickchimney being constructed in the center of the two main rooms. The othertwo rooms are shed rooms. Charlie ekes out a living as a day laborer onthe farm. 

"They been tellin' me to come to de social circle and see 'bout mypension but I never is got dere. It been so hot, I hate to hotfoot itnine miles to Winnsboro and huff dat same distance back on a hot summerday. 

"Glad you come out here but sorry of de day, 'cause it is a Friday andall de jay-birds go to see de devil dat day of de week. It's a bad dayto begin a garment, or quilt or start de lye hopper or 'simmon beer kegor just anything important to yourself on dat day. Dere is just one goodFriday in de year and de others is given over to de devil, his imps, andde jay-birds. Does I believe all dat? I believes it 'nough not to patchdese old breeches 'til tomorrow and not start my 'simmon beer, when defrost fall on them dis fall, on a Friday. 

"You wants me to set down so you can ask me sumpin'? I'll do dat! Ofcourse I will! (He proceeded to do so--wiping his nose on his sleeve andsprawling down on the doorsill). My pappy name George, black George theycall him in slavery time, 'cause dere was a small yallow slave on deplace, named George. My mammy name Ca'line. My pappy b'long to deMcNeals and my mammy b'long to Marse Joe Beard. His wife was mymistress. Her name Miss Gracie. 'Nitials? Dat sumpin' not in my lingo, Boss. You want to know what my pappy's old marster name? Seem to me theycall him Marse Gene, though it been so long I done forgot. When mymarster went to de war him got a ball through his leg. Bad treatment ofdat leg give him a limp for de balance of his days. White folks call him'Hoppin' Joe Beard' and sometime 'Lopin' Joe'. 

"Marster and mistress have two chillun. I play marbles wid them and makemud pies. Deir names was Marse Willie and Miss Rhoda. 

"My brudders and sisters was Jeff, Roland, Jane and Fannie. All dead'cept Fannie. Her marry a big, long nigger name Saul Griffin. Last Iheard of them, they was livin' in Columbia, S. C. 

"I start workin' in de field de second year of de war, 1862. It sho'made me hungry. I 'members now, how I'd git a big tin cupful of potliquor from de greens, crumble corn bread in it at dinner time and 'joyit as de bestest part of de dinner. Us no suffer for sumpin' to eat. Igo all summer in my shirt-tail and in de winter I have to do de best Ican, widout any shoes. Ever since then, I just lak to go barefooted asyou sees me now. 

"My pappy git a pass and come to see mammy every Saturday night. Mymarster had just four slave houses on de place. 'Spect him have 'bouteight women, dat men come from other places to see and marry them andhave chillun. I doesn't 'member nary one of de women havin' a husbandlivin' wid her every night. 

"Who do de plowin'? Women and boys do de plowin'. Had good 'noughhouses, though they was made of logs, 'cup and saddled' at both ends, and covered wid white oak board shingles. Had stick and mud chimneys. 

"De Yankees made a clean sweep of everything, hosses, mules, cows, hogs, meat and 'lasses. Got so mad when they couldn't find any salt, they burnup everything. Pull Marse Joe's beard, just 'cause him name Beard. Deone dat do dat was just a smart aleck and de cap'n of de crowd shamehim and make him slink 'way, out de house. 

"When freedom come, Marse Joe stay one year, then leave. Sell out andmove to Walhalla and us move to pappy on de McNeal place. Dat year usall jined de church, Union Church. I now b'longs to New Hope MethodistChurch. Us nex' move to Mr. Bill Crawford's place. Mr. Crawford got tobe school commissioner on de 'publican ticket and white folks call himscalawag. Him have pappy and all de colored folks go to de 'lection boxand vote. Ku Klux come dere one night and whip every nigger man theycould lay deir hands on. Things quiet down then but us no more go to de'lection box and vote. 

"'Bout dis time thoughts of de gals got in my head and feets at de sametime. I was buyin' a biled shirt and celluloid collar, in Mr. SailingWolf's store, one Saturday, and in walked Ceily Johnson. I commence tocourt her right then and dere, befo' I ever git inside dat shirt andcollar. Her have dark skin and was good to look at, I tell you. Ide-sash-shay 'bout dat gal, lak a chicken rooster spread his wing 'rounda pretty black pullet, 'til I wear out her indifference and her make mehappy by marryin' me. Her was too good lookin' and too bad doin', though, for me. She left by de light of de moon when us was livin' on deCummings place, 'bove town. Excuse me now, dat's still a fresh subjectof torment to me. Let's talk 'bout chances of gittin' dat pension, whenI can git another clean white shirt, lay 'round de white folks again, and git dis belly full of pot liquor. "

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon. = =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=AL ROSBORO=

=_EX-SLAVE 90 YEARS OLD. _=

Al Rosboro, with his second wife, Julia, a daughter, and six smallgrandchildren, lives in a three-room frame house, three hundred yardseast of the Southern Railway track and US #21, about two miles south ofWoodward, S. C. , in Fairfield County. Mr. Brice gives the plot of ground, four acres with the house, to Al, rent free. A white man, Mr. W. L. Harvey does the ploughing of the patches for him. Al has cataracts onhis eyes and can do no work. Since this story was written he hasreceived his first old age pension check of eight dollars from theSocial Welfare Board in Columbia, S. C. 

"Does I know what a nonagenarian is? No seh, what dat? Old folks? Well, dats a mighty long name and I been here a mighty long time. Glad you sayit's a honor and a privilege by de mercy of de Lord. I's thankful! Youwants to know where I was born and who my white folks then?

"I was born just one and a half mile b'low White Oak, S. C. , on de oldMarse Billie Brice place. My pappy b'long to old Miss Jennie Rosboro, but mammy b'long to Marse William Brice. Her name Ann. My old mistressname Mary, daughter of de Simontons, on Dumpers Creek. 

"You wants de fust thing I 'members, then travel 'long de years 'til Icome to settin' right here in dis chair. Well, reckon us git throughtoday? Take a powerful sight of dat pencil to put it all down. 

"Let me see. Fust thing I 'members well, was a big crowd wid picks andshovels, a buildin' de railroad track right out de other side of de bigroad in front of old marster's house. De same railroad dat is deretoday. When de fust engine come through, puffin' and tootin', lak toscare 'most everybody to death. People got use to it but de mules andbosses of old marster seem lak they never did. A train of cars a movin''long is still de grandest sight to my eyes in de world. Excite me morenow than greyhound busses, or airplanes in de sky ever do. 

"I nex' 'members my young misses and young marsters. Dere was MarseJohn; he was kilt in de war. Marse Jim, dat went to de war, come back, marry, and live right here in Winnsboro. Marse Jim got a grandson dat amin de army a sailin' air-ships. Then dere was Marse William; he movedoff. One of de gals marry a Robertson, I can't 'member her name, tho' Ihelp her to make mud pies many a day and put them on de chicken coop, inde sun, to dry. Her had two dolls; deir names was Dorcas and Priscilla. When de pies got dry, she'd take them under de big oak tree, fetch outde dolls and talk a whole lot of child mother talk 'bout de pies, to deDorcas and Priscilla rag dolls. It was big fun for her tho' and I canhear her laugh right now lak she did when she mince 'round over themdolls and pies. Dere was some poor folks livin' close by and she'd sendme over to 'vite deir chillun over to play wid her. They was nameMarshall. Say they come from Virginny and was kin to de highest judge inde land. They was poor but they was proud. Mistress felt sorry for thembut they wouldn't 'cept any help from her. 

"Well, when I git twelve years old, marster give me to his son, MarseCalvin, and give Marse Calvin a plantation dat his son, Homer, live onnow. I 'member now old marster's overseer comin' to de field; his namewas McElduff. Him say: 'Al, Marse William say come to de house'. I goesdere on de run. When I git dere, him 'low: 'Calvin, I wants you to takeAl, I give him to you. Al, you take good care of your young marster'. Ialways did and if Marse Calvin was livin' he'd tell you de same. 

"I forgit to tell you one thing dat happen down dere befo' I left. Derewas a powerful rich family down dere name Cockrell; I forgits de fustname. Him brudder tho', was sheriff and live in Winnsboro. Dere was arich Mobley family dat live jinin' him, two miles sunrise side of him. One day de Cockrell cows got out and played thunder wid Mr. Mobley'scorn. Mr. Mobley kilt two of de cows. Dat made de Cockrells mad. Theytoo proud to go to law 'bout it; they just bide deir time. One day MarseEd Mobley's mules got out, come gallopin' 'round and stop in de Cockrellwheat field. Him take his rifle and kill two of them mules. Dat made Mr. Mobley mad but him too proud to go to law 'bout it. De Mobley's justbide deir time. 'Lection come 'round for sheriff nex' summer. NoCockrell was 'lected sheriff dat time. You ask Mr. Hugh Wylie 'bout datnex' time him come to de Boro. Him tell you all 'bout it. 

"Dat call to my mind another big man, dat live 'bove White Oak then, Marse Gregg Cameron. He was powerful rich, wid many slaves. Him lak tobar-room and drink. Him come by marster's house one day, fell off hishoss and de hoss gallop on up de road. Dat was de fust drunk man I eversee. Marster didn't know what to do; him come into de house and askMistress Mary. Him tell her him didn't want to scandal de chillun. Shesay: 'What would de good Samaritan do?' Old marster go back, fetch datgroanin', cussin', old man and put him to bed, bathe his head, make Sam, de driver, hitch up de buggy, make West go wid him, and take Marse Gregghome. I never see or hear tell of dat white man anymore, 'til one dayafter freedom when I come down here to Robinson's Circus. Him drop deaddat day at de parade, when de steam piano come 'long a tootin'. 'Spectde 'citement, steam, and tootin', was too much for him. 

"Niggers never learn to read and write. It was 'ginst de law. Whitefolks fear they would write deir passes and git 'way to de free states. 

"Us slaves 'tend Concord Church, tho' Marse Calvin jine de Seceders and'tend New Hope. Why us go to Concord? 'Cause it too far to walk to NewHope and not too far to walk to Concord. Us have not 'nough mules forall to ride, and then de mules need a rest. I now b'longs to BethanyPresbyterian Church at White Oak. Yes sah, I thinks everybody ought tojine de church for it's de railroad train to git to hebben on. 

"Marse Calvin went to de war. Him got shot thru de hand. Yankees comeand burn up everything him have. Wheeler's men just as bad. 

"After freedom I got mannish. Wid not a drop of blood in me but de pureAfrican, I sets out to find a mate of de pure breed. 'Bout de onliestplace I could find one of dis hatchin', was de Gaillard quarter. I marryGabrielle. Live fust years at de Walt Brice McCullough place, then moveto de Vinson place, then to de preacher Erwin place. Dat was a finepreacher, him pastor for Concord. Him lak to swap hosses. When him comedown out de pulpit him looks 'round, see a hoss him lak, soon as not himgo home to dinner wid de owner of dat hoss. After dinner him say: 'If itwasn't de Sabbath, how would you trade dat hoss for my hoss?' More wordspass between them, just supposin' all de time it was Monday. Then Mr. Erwin ride back dere nex' day and come back wid de hoss him took a fancyfor. 

"Mr. Erwin move when he git a call to Texas. I moves to de Bob Sinontonplace. From dere I goes to de Jim Brice place, now owned by young MarseJames Brice. I been dere 32 years. Gabrielle and me generate thirteenchillun, full blooded natural born Africans, seven boys and six gals. Then Gabrielle die and I marry Julia Jenkins. Us have five chillun, oneboy and four gals. I's done a heap for my country. I wants Mr. Rooseveltto hear 'bout dat; then maybe him make de country do sumpin' for me. "

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon= =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=TOM ROSBORO=

=_EX-SLAVE 79 YEARS OLD. _=

Tom Rosboro lives with his daughter, Estelle Perry, in a three-roomframe house, on Cemetery Street, Winnsboro, S. C. The house stands on ahalf-acre plot that is used for garden truck. Estelle owns the fee inthe house and lot. Tom peddles the truck, eggs, and chickens, in thetown and the suburban Winnsboro mill village. 

"My pappy was name Tom, just lak I is name Tom. My mammy was name Sarahbut they didn't b'long to de same marster. Pappy b'long to old MarseEugene McNaul. Mammy b'long to old Marse John Propst. De ownership of dechild followed de mammy in them days. Dat throwed me to be a slave ofold Marse John Propst. 

"My young marsters was name Marse Johnnie, Marse Clark, Marse Floyd, andMarse Wyatt. I had two young misses. Miss Elizabeth marry a McElroy andMiss Mamie marry a Landecker. You know Marse Ernest Propst dat run datladies' garment store and is a member of de Winnsboro Town Council? Yes?Well, dat is one of Marse Floyd Propst chillun. 

"I hear mammy say dat daddy's mistress was name Miss Emma but hermistress and my mistress was name Miss Margaret. My daddy have to have apass every time he come to see mammy. Sometime they give him a generalpass for de year. Sometime him lose de pass and then such a gwine on younever did see de lak. Make more miration (hullabaloo) over it than ifthey had lost one of de chillun. They was scared de patarollers(patrollers) would come ketch him, and lay de leather whip on his nakedback. He wouldn't dare stay long. Him would go back soon, not on de bigroad but through de woods and fields, so as not to meet de patarollers. 

"Who was my brothers and sisters and where is they? Brother Ben andSister Mamie is dead and in glory. Dat's all de chillun mammy had achance to have, 'cause she was a good woman and would never pay any'tention to de men slaves on de Propst place. Her was faithful to pappythrough thick and thin, whichever it be. 

"I doesn't 'member much 'bout de Yankees, though I does 'members de KuKlux. They visit pappy's house after freedom, shake him, and threatendat, if him didn't quit listenin' to them low-down white trash scalawagsand carpetbaggers, they would come back and whale de devil out of him, and dat de Klan would take notice of him on 'lection day. 

"When I was 'bout seventeen years old, I come to de Boro (Winnsboro) oneSaturday evenin' and seen a tall willowy gal, black she was but shiny, puttin' them foots of her'n down on de pavement in a pretty gamecockpullet kind of way, as if to say: 'Roosters look at me. ' I goes over toMr. Landecker's store, de Mr. Landecker dat marry Miss Mamie Propst, andI begs him to give me a cigar. I lights dat cigar and puts out afterher. I ketches up wid her just as she was comin' out of Mr. SailingWolfe's Jew store. I brush up 'ginst her and say: 'Excuse me lady. ' Hersay: 'I grants your pardon, Mister. I 'spects smoke got in your eyes andyou didn't see me. ' I say: 'Well, de smoke is out of my eyes now andthey will never have sight for any other gal but you as long as I live. 'Black as she was, her got red in de face and say: 'Who is you?' I say:'Tom Rosboro. What might be your name, lovely gal?' Her say: 'My name isMattie Nelson. ' I say: 'Please to meet you, Sugar Plum. ' Her say: 'Ilive down at Simpson's Turnout. Glad to have you come down to see mesometime. ' After dat us kep' a meetin' in Winnsboro, every Saturday, 'til one day us went 'round to Judge Jno. J. Neils' law office and himmarried us. Me and Mat have our trials and tribulations and has went upand down de hills in all kind of weather. Us never ceased to bless datday dat I run into her at Mr. Sailing Wolfe's store. 

"How come I name Rosboro? I just picked it up as a mighty pretty name. Sound better than Propst or McNaul and de Rosboro white folks was bigbuckra in dat time. 

"Us had lots of chillun; raise some and lost some. I have a son, Charlie, dat's a barber in Washington, D. C. Lucy, a daughter, marry TankHill. Nan marry Banks Smith. Estelle marry Jim Perry but her is a widownow. Her bought a house and lot wid de insurance money from Dr. McCants. She has a nice house on Cemetery Street, wid water and 'lectric lights. Her got four chillun. When my wife die, two years ago, I move in widEstelle and her four chillun. Her make money by washin' and ironin' forde white folks. Me and de chillun picks cotton and 'tends to de makin'and de peddlin' of garden truck and sich lak. Ah, us is a happy familybut I ain't 'bove usin' some of dat old age pension money, if I can gitit. "

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon= =Winnsboro, S. C. =

 =INTERVIEW WITH REUBEN ROSBOROUGH, RIDGEWAY, S. C. =, =_EX-SLAVE--82 YEARS, 3 MONTHS OLD_=

"No sir, I can 'member nothin' 'bout de State of Verginny, where pappysaid us was born. He told me, when I was 'bout two years old he andmammy Kitty was took from somewhar in dat state to Richmond, wid deunderstandin' to sell us as a family, and to give a man name Johnson, depreference. He say de trader couldn't find de man Johnson, and sold usto my marster, John Rosborough. My pappy name William, my brothers, Tomand Willie and my sisters, Mary and Alice. 

"My marster was a kind and tender man to slaves. You see a man lovehosses and animals? Well, dat's de way he love us, though maybe inbigger portion, I 'low. Marster John never marry. Set down dere dat hewas good enough to buy my old gran' mammy Mary, though she never coulddo much work. 

"Us knowed dat our gran'pappy was a white man back in Verginny, but datwas her secret, dat she kept locked in her breast and carried it wid herto de grave. You say I's very light color myself? So I is, so was she, so was pappy. Ease your mind, us had none of de white Rosborough in us. Us come on one side from de F. F. V's. I's proud of dat, and you can putdown dere dat deres no poor white trash blood in dese old veins, too. 

"De last part of de war I worked some in de field, but not enough tohurt. My Marster was a Presbyterian, b'longed to Aimwell Church. Two orthree acres in cemetery dere now, but they done move de church into detown of Ridgeway. 

"Money was not worshipped then like it is now. Not much use of it. Marster raised all we eat and made all we wear right dere on de place, 'bout five miles north of Ridgeway. 

"I guess Marster John had forty slaves. Us live in two-story log housewid plank floor. Marster John die, us 'scend to his brother Robert andhis wife Mistress Mary. I played wid her chillun. Logan was one andJanie the other. My marster and mistress was good to me. I use to drivede mules to de cotton gin. All I had to do was to set on de long beamand crack my whip every now and then, and de mules would go 'round and'round. Dere was three hundred and seventy-six acres in dat place. I ownpart of it today. I b'longs to Good Hope Church. I sure believes in deLord, and dat His mercies is from everlastin' to everlastin' to them datfears Him. 

"'Member but little 'bout de war for freedom, 'cept dat some of deslaves of marster was sent to de front to use pick and shovel to throwup breast works, and things of dat nature. My pappy was de foreman andstayed at home, carry on whilst Marster Robert go. 

"'Deed I recollects 'bout de Yankees. They come and ask my pappy, deforeman, where was de mules and hosses hid out? Pappy say he don't know, he didn't carry them off. They find out a boy dat knowed; make him tell, and they went and got de mules and hosses. They took everything andleft. 

"Doctor Scott was our doctor. Dere was in them days lots ofrattlesnakes; had to be keerful of them. Then us hear lots and had lotsof chills and fever. They found de remedy, but they was way off 'boutwhat make them come on you. Some 'low it was de miasma dat de devilbring 'round you from de swamp and settle 'round your face whilst yousleep, and soon as he git you to snore you sniffed it to your liver, lights and gall, then dat make bile, and then you was wid de chills acomin' every other day and de fever all de day. Marster Doctor Haynedone find out dat de skeeter bring de fever and de chills, and funny, he 'low dat it is de female skeeter bite dat does de business. Youbelieve dat? I didn't at first, 'til old Doctor Lindor tell me dat itwas no harder to believe than dat all disease come into de world when afemale bite a apple in de garden of Eden. 

"I think Mr. Lincoln was raised up by de Lord, just like Moses, to freea 'culiar people. I think Mr. Roosevelt is de Joshua dat come after him. No president has done as much for de poor of both races as de one nowpresident. God bless him and 'stain him in his visions and work to bringde kingdom of heaven into and upon de earth. "

 =Project #-1655= =C. S. Murray= =Charleston, S. C. =

 =Approx. 430 Words. =

=GOING DOWN TO DIE=

(=FOLKLORE=)

=STORY TOLD BY EX-SLAVE=

Boss Man, you talk about de brave soldier who been in de last big warand how dey look death in de eye and spit on him. I ain't see dat war. It been 'cross de water. But I know sump'en 'bout de Civil War. I beenyoung lad when de big gun shoot and de Yankee pile down from de north. 

Talk 'bout being brave. De bravest thing I ever see was one day atAshepoo junction. Dat was near de end of de war. Grant was standing upbefore Richmond; Sherman was marching tump-tump through Georgia. I was astripling lad den and boy-like I got to see and hear everything. One daymore than all, de overseer sent my pappy to Ashepoo junction to get demail. I gone 'long wid him. Seem like I jest had to go dat day. 

I member dat morning well. When I get to de junction de train start tocome in. What a lot of train! De air fair smoke up wid dem. They comeshouting in from Charleston, bound up-country. 

I stand wid my pappy near de long trestle, and see de train rock by. Oneenjine in front pulling one in de back pushing, pushing, pushing. Detrain load down wid soldier. They thick as peas. Been so many a wholeton been riding on de car roof. They shout and holler. I make big amazeto see such a lot of soldier--all going down to die. 

And they start to sing as they cross de trestle. One pick a banjo, oneplay de fiddle. They sing and whoop, they laugh; they holler to depeople on de ground, and sing out, "Good-bye. " All going down to die. 

And it seem to me dat is de most wonderful sight I ever see. All themsoldier, laughing light, singing and shouting dat way, and all ridingfast to battle. 

One soldier man say in a loud voice: "Well, boys we going to cut deYankee throat. We on our way to meet him and he better tremble. Our gungreeze up, and our bayonet sharp. Boys we going to eat our dinner inhell today. "

I turn to my pappy and ax him how can man act like dat when they goingdown to die. He answer me: "Dat ain't nutting. They n'use to dat. Ain'tyou know soldier different?"

But I say: "Pappy, you hear dem talk 'bout eat dinner in hell?"

He answer me back: "They been in de army 'long time. They don't studyhell anymore. "

De train still rumble by. One gang of soldier on de top been playingcard. I see um hold up de card as plain as day, when de luck fall right. They going to face bullet, but yet they play card, and sing and laughlike they in their own house ... All going down to die. 

De train pull 'cross de trestle. I stand up and watch um till he go outof sight 'round de bend. De last thing I hear is de soldier laugh andsing ... All going down to die. 

 SOURCE: Interview with William Rose, 80, ex-slave of Edisto Island, S. C. , in 1936. 

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon= =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=BENJAMIN RUSSELL=

=_EX-SLAVE 88 YEARS. _=

"I was born fourteen miles north of Chester, S. C. The property of Mrs. Rebecca Nance. After eighty-eight years, I have a vivid recollection ofher sympathy and the ideal relations she maintained with her slaves. 

"My father was just Baker, my mother just Mary. My father was bought outof a drove of slaves from Virginia. I have been told my mother was bornon the Youngblood place. (Youngblood name of my mistress' people in YorkCounty. ) My father was a slave of a Mr. Russell and lived two or threemiles from the Nance place, where mother lived. He could only visit heron a written pass. As he was religiously inclined, dutiful and faithfulas a slave, my mother encouraged the relation that included a slavemarriage between my father and mother. My mother in time, had a loghouse for herself and children. We had beds made by the plantation'scarpenter. As a boy I remember plowing from sun to sun, with an hour'sintermission for dinner, and feeding the horses. 

"Money? Yes, sometimes white folks and visitors would give me coppers, 3-cent pieces, and once or twice dimes. Used them to buy extra clothingfor Sundays and fire crackers and candy, at Christmas. We had good food. In the busy seasons on the farm the mistress saw to it that the slaveswere properly fed, the food cooked right and served from the bigkitchen. We were given plenty of milk and sometimes butter. We werepermitted to have a fowl-house for chickens, separate from the whitefolks. We wore warm clothes and stout brogan shoes in winter; wentbarefooted from April until November and wore cotton clothes in summer. The master and some of the women slaves spun the thread, wove the clothand made the clothes. My mother lived in a two-story farm house. Herchildren were: William, Mattie and Thomas. We never had an overseer onthe place. Sometimes she'd whip the colored children, but only when itwas needed for correction. 

"Yes, sir, I went with my young master, William, to Chester Court House, and saw slaves put on a block and auctioned off to the highest bidder, just like land or mules and cattle. Did we learn to read and write? Wewere taught to read, but it was against the law to teach a slave towrite. The Legislature passed an act to that effect. A number of casesin which slaves could write, the slave would forge a pass and therebyget away to free territory. They had a time getting them back. On oneoccasion I run in on my young master, William, teaching my Uncle Reubenhow to write. They showed their confusion. 

"All slaves were compelled to attend church on Sunday. A gallery aroundthe interior of the church, contained the blacks. They were permitted tojoin in the singing. Favorite preacher? Well, I guess my favoritepreacher was Robert Russell. He was allowed sometimes to use the whitefolks school, which wasn't much in those days, just a little log houseto hold forth in winter. In summer he got permission to have a brusharbor of pine tops, where large numbers came. Here they sang Negrospirituals. I remember one was called: 'Steal away to Jesus. '

"Runaway slaves? Yes, we had one woman who was contrary enough to runaway: Addie, she run off in the woods. My mistress hired her out to theMcDonald family. She came back and we had to pelt and drive her away. 

"How did we get news? Many plantations were strict about this, but thegreater the precaution the alerter became the slaves, the wider theyopened their ears and the more eager they became for outsideinformation. The sources were: Girls that waited on the tables, theladies' maids and the drivers; they would pick up everything they heardand pass it on to the other slaves. 

"Saturday afternoons? These were given to women to do the familywashing, ironing, etc. , and the men cut fire wood, or worked in thegarden, and special truck crops. Christmas? Christmas was a holiday, butthe fourth of July meant very little to the slave people. Dances? Therewas lots of dancing. It was the pastime of the slave race. The childrenplayed shimmy and other games, imitating the white children, sometimeswith the white folks. 

"The master and mistress were very particular about the slave girls. Forinstance, they would be driving along and pass a girl walking with aboy. When she came to the house she would be sent for and questionedsomething like this: 'Who was that young man? How come you with him?Don't you ever let me see you with that ape again. If you cannot pick amate better than that I'll do the picking for you. ' The explanation: Thegirl must breed good strong serviceable children. 

"No, I never saw a ghost, but there was a general belief among the racein ghosts, spirits, haunts and conjuration. Many believe in them yet. Ican never forget the fright of the time my young master, William wasgoing off to the war. The evening before he went, a whippoorwill lightedon the window sill and uttered the plaintive 'whip-poor-will. ' All theslaves on the place were frightened and awed and predicted bad luck toMaster Will. He took sick in war and died, just wasted away. He wasbrought back in rags toward the end of the struggle. 

"Mistress always gave the slaves a big dinner on New Year's Day andtalked to us out of the catechism. She impressed on us after dinner thattime, that we were free. Some were sorry, some hurt, but a few weresilent and glad. I and many of the others had been well treated. When wewere sick she visited us and summoned a doctor the first thing, but theremedies those days were castor oil, quinine, turpentine, mustardplaster and bleeding. "

 =Project 1885 -1-= =District #4= =Spartanburg, S. C. = =May 29, 1937=

=FOLK-LORE: EX-SLAVE=

"I was born about 1846, 'cause I was in de war and was 19 years old whende war was over. I went to Charleston with my master, Ros Atwood, mymistress's brother. My mistress was Mrs. Laura Rutherford and my masterat home was Dr. Thomas Rutherford. We was on Morris Island. 

"My father was Allen Rutherford and my mother Barbara Rutherford. Mydaddy had come from Chili to this country, was a harness maker, andbelonged awhile to Nichols. We had a good house or hut to live in, andmy work was to drive cows till I was old 'nough to work in de fields, when I was 13. Then I plowed, hoed cotton, and hoed corn 'till last yearof war and den went to Charleston. 

"Master paid us no money for work. We could hunt and fish, and got lotsof game around there. We had dogs but our master didn't like hounds. 

"Col. Daryton Rutherford, doct's son, had me for a 'pet' on the place. They had overseers who was sometimes bossy but they wouldn't allow demto whip me. One old nigger named 'Isom', who come from Africa, waswhipped mighty bad one day. The padderollers whip me one night when Iwent off to git a pair of shoes for an old lady and didn't git a pass. Iwas 16 years old then. 

"Doctor Rutherford had several farms--I reckon around 2, 000 acres ofland. We didn't have church nor school but sometimes we had to go to dewhite folks church and set in the gallery. We didn't learn to read andwrite. The mistress learnt some of de nigger chaps to read and write alittle. 

"We had Saturday afternoons off to wash up and clean up. When Christmascome the doctor would give us good things to eat. When we was sick hegive us medicine, but some of de old folks would make hot teas from rootherbs. 

"We had old time corn-shuckings before and after freedom. We made sureenough corn den and lots of it--had four cribs full. When freedom come, the old man had fallen off a block and was hurt, so one of de overseerstold us we was free and could go if we wanted to. Some of dem stayed onand some got in the big road and never stopped walking. Then we workedfor 1/3 share of the crops; had our little patch to work, too. 

"I was 31 years old when I married first time. Was living in Mollohon. Her name was Leana and she belonged to Madison Brooks's family, aswaiting girl. I was married twice, but had 13 children all by my firstwife. I have 14 grandchildren, and so many great-grandchildren I can'tcount them. 

"When de Ku Klux was in dat country I lived wid a man who was one ofthem. The first I knew about it was when I went down to de mill, de mulethrowed me and de meal, and down de road I went to running and met a KuKlux. It was him. 

"I think Abe Lincoln and Jeff Davis good men, but don't know much aboutdem. 

"I join de church when I was 68 years old 'cause God sent me to do it. Ibelieve all ought to join church. "

 SOURCE: Joe Rutherford (92), Newberry, S. C. ; Interviewer: G. Leland Summer, Newberry, S. C. 

 =Project 1885 -1-= =District #4= =Spartanburg, S. C. = =June 7, 1937=

=FOLK-LORE: EX-SLAVE=

"I was born about 1849 in the Dutch Fork section of Newberry County, S. C. I was slave of Ivey Suber and his good wife. My daddy was BillSuber and my mammy was Mary Suber. I was hired by Marse Suber as a nursein the big house, and I waited on my mistress when she was sick, and wasat her bed when she died. I had two sisters and a brother and when wewas sold they went to Mr. Suber's sister and I stayed with him. 

"My master was good to his slaves. He give them plenty to eat, goodplace to sleep and plenty of clothes. The young men would hunt lots, rabbits, possums, and birds. My white folks had a big garden and we hadeats from it. They was good cooks, too, and lived good. We card and spinand weave our own clothes on mistress's spinning wheels. 

"Marse Suber had one overseer who was good to us. We went to work atsun-up and worked 'till sun-down, none of us worked at night. Wesometimes got a whipping when we wouldn't work or do wrong, but itwasn't bad. 

"We never learned to read and write. We had no church and no school onthe plantation, but we could go to the white folk's church and sit inthe gallery. Some of us was made to go, and had to walk 10 miles. Ofcourse, we never thought much about walking that far. I joined thechurch because I was converted; I think everybody ought to join thechurch. 

"The patrollers rode 'round and ketched slaves who ran away withoutpasses. They never bothered us. When our work was over at night, westayed home, talked and went to sleep. On Saturday afternoons whitefolks sometimes give us patches of ground to work, and we could wash upthen, too. We raised corn on the patches and some vegetables. On Sundaywe just rested and went to neighbor's house or to church. On Christmaswe had big eats. 

"Corn-shuckings and cotton-pickings always had suppers when work wasdone. Master made whiskey up at his sister's place, and at these suppershe had whiskey to give us. 

"When we was sick we had a doctor--didn't believe much in root teas. 

"I married when I was 15 years old at a white man's place, Mr. SamCannon's. A negro man named Jake Cannon married us. Supper was give usby Mr. Sam Cannon after it was over. 

"When freedom came, my mother moved away, but I stayed on. 

"I think Abraham Lincoln was a good man, and Jeff Davis was a good man. I don't know anything about Booker Washington. "

 SOURCE: Lila Rutherford (86), Newberry, S. C. , RFD Interviewer: G. Leland Summer, 1707 Lindsey St. , Newberry, S. C. 

 =Project #-1655= =Mrs. Genevieve W. Chandler= =Murrells Inlet, S. C. = =Georgetown County=

 =FOLKLORE=

 =Uncle Sabe Rutledge=

 (=Testimony given by old man born 1861, The Ark Plantation. Horry County--owned by Mr. John Tillman=)

"Fust thing I realize to remember, I nuster cry to go to the oldboss--old Massa--for sugar. Massa say:

"'Martha, what Newman (he call me that) crying for?' Ma say, 'Wantercome to you for sugar!'

"'Bring the boy here, Martha!'

"He gi'e me sugar. 

"Boil salt? Pump! Pump! Pump it! Had a tank. Run from hill to sea. Had aplatform similar to wharf. And pump on platform. Fetch good high. Go outthere on platform. Force pump. My Grandmother boil salt way afterFreedom. We tote water. Tote in pidgin and keeler--make out of cedar andcypress. No 'ting to crove 'em (groove 'em) compass. Dog-wood and oakrim. Give it a lap. (This was his description, with pantomime, of theway pidgin and keelers were made by plantation carpenters)

"My Grandmother had two pots going. Boil all day and all night. Biling. Boil till he ticken (thicken) Cedar paddles stir with. Chillun eat withwooden spoons. Clay pot? Just broken piece. Indian had big campingground on beach near the Ark. After big blow you can find big piece ofpot there. I see Indian. Didn't see wild one; see tame one. 

"Indigo? Old man Lashie Tillman nuster plant indigo. Seed lak a flax. Put myrtle seed in with indigo to boil. Gather and boil for the traffic. All the big folkses plant that fore the rice. Rice come in circulation, do way with indigo. Nuster (used to) farm indigo just like we work ourcorn. Didn't have nothing but ox. And the colored folks--they came nextto the ox--Hill keep advancing out. Reckon you wouldn't blieve it, but Iken cummember (Uncle Sabe stutters a bit) when all that beach beencultivate field. Must be nature for sand hill to move. Time most got toofast now for the people to live. 

"Storm? Oh my Lord! Flagg Storm? Sea naturally climb right over thathill like it wasn't nothing. Water come to King Road. Reckon it would acome further if the wind didn't shift. 

"Calls this 'The Ridge. ' Why? I first man settle here. Oak Ridge. (It isthe highest land between the Waccamaw river and the ocean. ) Just name itso. 

"Member the shipwreck. Two men and lady come to the Ark. Stormy time. Massa take them to town. Old anchor there now. Come a blow you kin seeit. Water rise over it high tide. 

"Ma tell me bout they had the to-do. Blockade at Inlet. Had 'em out todrill (The Yankees came to shore to drill. ) Old man John Tillman loseall he China-a-way! (chinaware. ) Every bit of his china and paints(panes of glass) out the window. Yankee gun boat sojer (soldier) toMagnolia to drill. They tack 'em (attacked 'em) to cut 'em off. WhenRebs tack 'em, small boats gone back. She had to brace 'em. Shoot demshell to brace. (Gun boat fired to frighten Rebs who were cuttingYankees off from escape) I hear old man Frank Norris--lived right beyondVettrill Deas--I hear him (nuster come home to the Ark and trap)--I hearhim say lot of 'em bog. (Ella, Agnes and Johnnie Johnson fadder beenthere) Bomb shell hit the hill and bury them in the sand. Had to digout. 

"Old man John Tillman my boss. Sho treat his people good. Don't see whyhis folks (slaves) went to blockade (tried to escape and join Yankeegun-boats). Sho treat his colored folks good. My Grandfather, RodrickRutledge, driver from a boy. Time he big nuff to handle it till Freedom. 

"Couldn't marry widout consent of boss. " (Remark from Uncle Sabe'ssister, Mom Jane, who is quite acid. All her information inherited--sheFreedom child) Mom Jane: "Been to devil and come back now!"

(Comparing slavery to the lower regions)

Uncle Sabe--continuing:

"Have sick house; have chillun house. " (All in this section tell greattales of the 'chillun house. ' Sounds a lot like the nurse houses inRussia today. All the babies were in this day nursery in care of theolder women, too old for field work. ) "Corn. Meat--pig, beef, fish--plenty milk. " (Some cow 'coffee cow'--that is give just enoughmilk for the coffee. )

"Any rice?"

Aunt Jane: (interrupting) "Pick you teet (teeth) to find the rice! GreatGod! Now I can buy my rice!"

Uncle Sabe: "Could plant up-land rice to Ark. (This on coast away fromfresh water)

"Ash cake? Meal, salt, water. Not a grease! Not a grease! See Muddercook it many a hundred day!"

Mom Jane: "Put it in the stove today, --nothing! Rather have it any day!"

Sabe: "Wrap it in brown paper, mostly. Cows free in woods. Alligatortail good. Snail built up just like a conch (whelk). They eat good. Worms like a conch. Bile conch. Git it out shell. Grind it sausagegrinder. Little onion. Black pepper. Rather eat conch than any kind ofnourishment out of salt water. "

Mom Jane: "Conjur? Wouldn't turn a hucks bread for 'em. " (Give acrust. )

Sabe: "What God got lot out for a man he'll get it. "

"Flat boat full up (with slaves trying to escape) gone down Waccamaw. Uncle Andrew Aunt the one got he eye shoot out (by patrollers) took 'emto camp on North Island. Never see so much a button and pin in my life!Small-pox in camp. Had to leave 'em. 

"Captain Ben and Captain Tom fadder--look how he die! Looker the blood!Looker the people! Looker the blood! His boat call 'The Bull River. ' Upand down Pee Dee river. Meet flat! Bore hole in flat and women andchillun go down! Take men off. He COME TO THIS COUNTRY. (Came down fromNorth before Civil War) Them darnish Yankee very percruel. (Peculiar?)

"My Great-grandmother Veenia, pirate captured and took all they money inEnglish war. (Revolution) Dem day Ladies wear bodkin fastened to longgold chain on shoulder--needle in 'em and thimble and ting. Coming downfrom New York to get away from English. My great grandmother littlechillun. Pirate come to her Missus. Take all they money--come cut bodkinoff her shoulder. Grandmother ma gone on the boat and twiss herself inMissus' skirt. Pirate put 'em off to Wilmington. Come on down settle toPitch Landing near Socastee. Keep on till they get to Ark. 

"My Great-Grandma Veenia didn't have a teet in her head--one hundredten years old and could eat hard a bread as any we. "

 Uncle Sabe Rutledge Burgess, S. C. --P. O. Horry County Age 76 (Born 1861) Ark Plantation. 

 =Project 1655= =Genevieve W. Chandler= =Georgetown County, S. C. =

 =FOLKLORE=

=UNCLE SABE RUTLEDGE=

=(EX-SLAVE STORY)=

"They call him Rogerick Rutledge for shortness. My Grandpa REAL nameJim. First time I big enough to realect (recollect) him he have on nopants but something built kinder like overall and have a apron. Apronbutton up here where my overall buckle and can be let down. All been dyewith indigo. Have weave shirt--dye with blue indigo boil with myrtleseed. Myrtle seed must-a-did put the color in. Old brogan shoe on hefoot. Old beaver hat on he head. Top of crown wear out and I member hehave paste-board cover over with cloth and sew in he hat crown. MyGrandmother wear these here gingham cloth call gingham twill. 

"Now the chillun! I member I was a big boy grown when I get my firstpants. All boy chillun wear a shirt----long down to knee and lower. Havebelt round the middle--just like you belt to hold 'em. Chillun have nota shoe! Not a shoe for chillun on us plantation to the Old Ark. Firstshoe I have, Pa get a cow hide and tan it. And a man name Stalvey makemy first pair of shoes. I was way near bout grown. Make the sole out thethickness of the cow hide. Short quarter. No eye--just make the hole. Last! Yes man! Yes man! Yes man! Keep 'em grease! Them shoe never wearout!

"We raise all we get to eat. Hominy, cornbread, peas, potatoes, rice. Morest we plant this here yellow corn. I cry many a day bout that yellowcorn! We say, 'Pa, this here yellow corn make hominy look like he gotegg cook in 'em; red corn look like hominy cook in red molasses!'

"But yellow corn stronger feed! Stronger feed! And Pa know 'em. 

"Sunday come go to church in that same blue shirt! Little old polechurch--(gone now)--call 'Dick Green Bay Church'. (Named for a localcharacter. ) When we go to church before freedom, Mudder and them have tohave the ticket. 

"Old man John Tilghman at the Ark Plantation have no overseer--have'Driver'. Most folks on Waccamaw have overseer and 'Driver'. My Pa beenthe Ark 'Driver. '

"Old man Zachariah Duncan been the preacher. That the same man build thefirst 'Heaven Gate' church after freedom. He got drift lumber on theriver and on the beach. Flat 'em--make a raft and float 'em over to thehill and the man haul 'em to 'Heaven Gate' with ox. Yes. 'Heaven Gate'built outer pick up lumber. 

"Before freedom Parson Glennie--he was 'Piscopal--he would come give usa service once a month on the plantation--so mother said. 

"Patches of indigo all through the woods. You know cow eat indigo. Ushave too much ox! Have to haul rail all the time keep up the old fence. Woods full up with cow. Cattle loose--free. When you want beef have tohunt for 'em like we hunts deer now. I member some ox I helped broke. Pete, Bill, Jim, David. Faby was a brown. David kinder mouse color. Wealways have the old ox in the lead going to haul rail. Hitch the youngsteer on behind. Sometimes they 'give up' and the old ox pull 'em by theneck! Break ox all the time. Fun for us boys--breaking ox. So much ofrail to haul!

"(You can't tell me bout this pension? Look like to me somebody tryingto smother something. Letters come. Cards come. My name on outsidealright. Tell me to put my name on cards and hand 'em out to my friends. Say send twenty-five cents. Next time say 'Send thirty-five cents'. Hecool off then and another man--Mr. Pope come in. Got two letter from himand he tell me be still till I hear from him again. J. E. Pope. Lastblank I got from Mr. Pope he say not to look for more than thirty orthirty-two dollars a month. Say there ain't going to be no two hundred amonth. )

"How come I know all these Buh Rabbit story, Mudder spin you know. Havethe great oak log, iron fire dog. Have we chillun to sit by thefireplace put the light-wood under--blaze up. We four chillun have topick seed out the cotton. Work till ten o'clock at night and rise early!Mudder and Father tell you story to keep you eye open! Pick out cottonseed be we job every night in winter time--'cept Sunday! When we growbigger, Mudder make one card. One would spin and then Mudder go toknitting. Night time picking these cotton seed out; day time in wintergetting wood!

"Fall----harvest peanut, peas, 'tater!

"I member all them Buh Rabbit story! Mudder tell 'em and we laugh andwake up! They was one bout Buh Rabbit and Buh Patridge. You know BuhPatridge the onliest one get the best of Buh Rabbit!

"Buh Rabbit bet Buh Patridge (Buh Rabbit think he so sharp you know!) Hebet Buh Patridge if he fly off down the road a piece and lit Buh Rabbitcan find 'em. --Buh Patridge bet him he can't! So Buh Patridge take offand fly down the road a piece and lit--like a Patridge will do--lit andturn up on he back and rake the leaves over him and kiver (cover) hisbody all 'cept he two foots sticking up like stick!

"Now Buh Rabbit come! He hunt and he hunt and he hunt! Couldn't find 'emand he get so hot he take off he coat and hang it on Buh Patridge foots!

"He go on hunting and after while he call out, "'Well I can't find Buh Patridge! Can't find Buh Patridge!'

"And Buh Patridge sing out, "'Well, Buh Rabbit, here I is! You hang you coat on my feet!'

"Buh Rabbit have to pay the bet! (I don't member what the bet was). SoBuh Patridge was the onliest one I ever hear bout could get the best ofBuh Rabbit!

"When Father and Mudder tell them story we chillun noddin'! Some cackleout and all jump up and go back to picking out cotton seed!

"There is another one bout Buh Bear. They goes out my head. I'll thinkthem Buh Rabbit up fore you come back Missus!"

And Uncle Sabe, who was sitting on the 'LOOK OUT' at the Floral BeachFishery, continued to let his eyes play all over the sea likesearchlights, ready to wave the black flag and march down toward thefishery holding it aloft keeping himself in a line with the fish if fishwere sighted. Since way before what he called 'the big war' he and hispeople have eaten mullet and rice for the three fall months. His homewas visited before Uncle Sabe was located and children andgrand-children, wife, sister and neighbors were found seated andstanding all over the kitchen floor and piazza floor and steps----eachone with a generous tin plate of rice and fresh, brown, hot 'spot'----afish not so valuable in summer but choice in fall and winter. Two houndsand a large cat worked around among the feasters for their well chewedbones. 

 SOURCE: Uncle Sabe Rutledge, The Ridge, Burgess, S. C. , (Horry County) Born first year of the Civil War. 

 (He owns his house and land, ----some twenty-five acres under cultivation. This is located on what appears to be a 'height of land' lying between the Waccamaw and the Atlantic. Locally it is known as 'The Sand Ridge'. )

 =Project 1885 -1-= =District #4= =Spartanburg, S. C. = =May 31, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Martha Ritter=

=FOLK-LORE: EX-SLAVES=

"I was born in Edgefield county, S. C. , about 1854. I was the son ofLarkin and Cheny Ryan who was the slaves of Judge Pickens Butler wholived at Edgefield Courthouse. I has some brothers and sisters, butdon't remember them all. We lived in a log house with but one room. Wehad good beds to sleep in, and always had plenty to eat. Old JudgeButler was a good man. I was 10 years old when he died. Before then Iworked in and around the house, and freedom come I stayed with theButler family two years, then went to Dr. Maxwell's. 

"In slavery time we had extra patches of ground to work for ourselveswhich we sometimes worked on Saturday afternoons as we had dat time off. Judge Butler used to give us a little money, too, before freedom come, for our work. We bought clothes and things we had to have. We had a bigplantation garden dat the overseers planted for all on de place to eatout of. 

"We used to hunt 'possums, rabbits, squirrels, wild turkeys, doves, partridges, and set traps for partridges and set box gums for rabbits. We had good food then, plenty peas, cornbread, and wild game. Whenwinter time come we put on wool clothes and heavy shoes. 

"Old Marse Butler and his mistress was good, de best folks in decountry. They lived in a big house, had a girl and a boy, and over 1000or maybe 2, 000 acres of land, on several farms. One was on Saluda River. His overseers some was no good, but master wouldn't let them treatslaves cruel, just light whipping. 

"We used to have to wake up at sun-up and work till sundown. We didn'tlearn to read and write; but we had a prayer house on de plantationwhere we could go to sometimes, until freedom come, then we went on toit just the same. Old man Bennefield, a nigger preacher, talked to usthere. I can 'member one of de favorite songs we sung:

 'Show pity, O Lord, forgive, Let e'er repentant sinner live; Are not thy mercies large and free, May not a sinner trust in Thee. '

 'My crimes are great, and can't surpass, ---------------------------------------'

"None of Major Pickens Butler's slaves ever went away from him, but somein de neighborhood did run away, and day never heard of dem again. 

"The paderrollers would catch a nigger if he didn't have a pass. Somewould pass and re-pass in the road, and maybe get catched and suchscuffling would go on!

"We worked on Saturday afternoons unless boss give time off to work ourown little patches or do some other work we had to do. But some wouldfrolic then and wash up for Sunday, or set around. On Sunday we went tochurch and talked to neighbors. On Christmas we celebrated by having abig dinner which the master give us. We had three days holiday orsometimes a week. We had New Year's Day as a special day for working, 'cause it was a sign if we worked good dat day, we would work good allde year. The white folks had corn-shuckings and cotton pickings inslavery and after freedom, too. Den would have big supper. Someneighbors walk ten miles, like walking to church or to school. Didn'tthink anything of walking dat far. 

"Some of de games played by children were marbles, jump-rope. 

"Once an old man had his dog trained to say his prayers. The dog was fedbut wouldn't be allowed to eat until he put his paws in front and bowhis head on dem; de old man say to him, 'No, no, you die and go to hellif you don't say your prayers. '

"Once another fellow, a nigger, said he was going to his wife's house tosee her; but he had to pass his old partner's place on de way, who wasdead. When he got opposite the partner's place something, maybe a ghost, came to him and wrestled with him and wouldn't let him go on to see hiswife, so he come back to his master's house and stayed. 

"When the slaves got sick they had doctors, and used old herbs. 'Jerusalem Ore' was a kind of herb for children, to build them up, andthere was field grass roots and herb roots which was boiled and teadrunk for fevers. And 'Primer-rhine' tea which was drunk, too. Sometimesthey would hang garlic around small boys and girls necks to keep awayany kind of sickness. 

"We didn't have schools; started them the second year after freedom. OldGeneral Butler give us old slaves a home each and a small patch to work. 

"I married when I was 21 years old, the first time in Edgefield County, now called Saluda County. I have six children, nine grand-children, andfour great-grand-children. 

"I think Abe Lincoln was good man and he was Providential arrangement. Ithink Jeff Davis was good man, same. Booker T. Washington is good man, done lots for young niggers. I rather like it now, and not slavery time. I joined church when I was 18 to turn from evil ways and to live abetter life. "

 SOURCE: Henry Ryan (83), Newberry, S. C. ; by G. Leland Summer, Newberry, S. C. 

 =Project 1885-1= =Folklore= =Spartanburg, Dist. 4= =Oct. 11, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"I live in a rented three-room house with my daughter. I am too old todo much work, but I work where I can get little jobs that I can do. 

"The slaves did not expect anything after Freedom, for the South was insuch a bad fix. They just got jobs where they could find them. Most ofthem worked as share-croppers or wage hands on the farms, and haveworked like this since that time. Some few have rented farms. When anymoved to town they got jobs where they could. 

"I never thought much about Reconstruction. Some slaves voted at first, but when Wade Hampton was elected they didn't get to vote much. 

"I think the younger generation has too much freedom and doesn't stayhome enough. They want to have their own way. 

"Over in old Edgefield where I was raised we had plenty to eat; plentypeas, corn bread, turnips and other things. We hunted wild game, too. Iwas a slave of Major Pickens Butler. He was a good man and sometimesgave us a little money for our work. Our master gave us a small patch ofland to work for ourselves and plant anything we wanted. 

"No, I never think anything about voting. I am satisfied just to getalong. "

 Source: Henry Ryan (N--83), Newberry, S. C. Interviewer: G. L. Summer, Newberry, S. C. 8/18/37. 

 =Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg Dist. 4= =May 25, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"I am bad-sick woman, in bed and can't hardly talk and can't 'membermuch. I was born near Broad River in de Blair section. I belonged inslavery to de Blair family. My mudder and papa was Grace and SamuelBlair, and dey belonged to Capt. Blair. When dey was sold, I was put inde house wid a good free nigger woman to raise me and to stay 'till dewar was over. Den I come to de Blair house, and helped around de house. My sisters could card, spin and weave, and I helped dem wid it. I didn'thave but one dress. When it got dirty, I went down to de creek andwashed it and put it against de lims to dry, but I had to put it back onbefore it got good dry. 

"When I got old enough, I worked in de field, hoeing and pickingcotton. "

 Source: Emoline Satterwhite (82), Newberry, S. C. Interviewer: G. L. Summer, Newberry, S. C. May 19, 1937

 =Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg, Dist. 4= =Sept. 9, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES OF EX-SLAVES=

"Marster Charner Scaife a-laying on his bed of death is 'bout de firstthing dat stuck in my mind. I felt sorry fer everybody den. Miss MaryRice Scaife, his wife, was mean. She died a year atter. Never felt sadnor glad den; never felt no ways out of de regular way, den. 

"Overseers I recollects was, Mr. Sam Hughes, Mr. Tom Baldwin, and Mr. Whitfield Davis. Mr. Baldwin was de best to me. He had a still-house outin a field whar liquor was made. I tote it fer him. We made good cornliquor. Once a week I brung a gallon to de big house to Marster. Once Igot happy off'n it, and when I got dar lots of it was gone. He had mewhipped. Dat de last time I ever got happy off'n Marster's jug. 

"When I was a shaver I carried water to de rooms and polished shoes ferall de white folks in de house. Sot de freshly polished shoes at de doorof de bed-room. Get a nickle fer dat and dance fer joy over it. Two biggals cleaned de rooms up and I helped carry out things and take up ashesand fetch wood and build fires early every day. Marster's house had fivebedrooms and a setting room. De kitchen and dining-room was in de backyard. A covered passage kept dem from getting wet when dey went to dedining-room. Marster said he had rather get cold going to eat dan tohave de food get cold while it was being fetched to him. So he had dekitchen and dining-room jined, but most folks had de dining-room in debig house. 

"It took a week to take de cotton boat from Chester to Columbia. Sixslaves handled de flat-boat. Dere was six, as I said, de boatman, twooarsmen, two steermen and an extra man. De steermen was just behind deboatman. Dey steered wid long poles on de way up de river and paddleddown de river. De two oarsmen was behind dem. Dey used to pole, too, going up, and paddling going down. Seventy-five or eighty bales wascarried at a time. Dey weighed around three hundred pounds apiece. InColumbia, de wharfs was on de Congree banks. Fer de cotton, we got allkinds of supplies to carry home. De boat was loaded wid sugar and coffeecoming back. On Broad River we passed by Woods Ferry, Fish Dam Ferry, Hendersons Ferry and Hendersons Island and some others, but dat is all Irecollect. We unloaded at our own ferry, called Scaife Ferry. 

"I split rails fer fences. On Christmas we had coffee, sugar and biscuitfer breakfast. "

 Source: Alexander Scaife (82), Box 104, Pacolet, S. C. Interviewer: Caldwell Sims, Union, S. C. 

 =Project #-1655= =Phoebe Faucette= =Hampton County=

 =FOLKLORE=

=ELIZA SCANTLING EX-SLAVE=

=87 Years=

"If you wants to know about de slavery times, " said old Aunt Eliza, "you'se sure come to de right person; 'cause I wuz right dere. " Thestatement was easy to believe; for old Aunt Eliza's wrinkled face andstiff, bent form bore testimony to the fact that she had been here formany a year. As she sat one cold afternoon in December before her fireof fat lightwood knots, in her one-room cabin, she quickly went back toher childhood days. Her cabin walls and floor were filled with largecracks through which the wind came blowing in. 

"I gits along pretty good. My chillun lives all around here, and mygranddaughter that's a-standin' at the window dere, takes care of me. Den de government helps me out. It sure is a blessing, too--to have secha good government! And 'Miss Maggie' good to me. She brought me diswood. Brought it in her truck herself. Had a colored man along to handleit for her. But I so stiff I sometimes kin hardly move from me waistdown. And sometimes in de morning when I wake, it is all I kin do to getup an' wash me face. But I got to do it. My granddaughter bring me mymeals. 

"I is 87 years old. I know 'cause I wuz so high when de war broke out. An' I plowed my January to July de year 'fore peace declare. I rememberdat. I wuz a good big girl; but jes' a child--not married yet. Yes'm Iplowed a mule an' a wild un at dat. Sometimes me hands get so cold Ijes' cry. But dey all say I 'wuz a nigger what wuz a nigger!'

"In May peace declare. De first president of de country wuz Lincoln. Hetook his seat in March. But I work for de white people 'fore dat. On aFriday mornin' our Massa, Mr. Richard Davant come an' told us peacedeclare. He come an' told us hisself. I wuz in de cornhouse a-shuckin'corn to go to de mill on Saturday. After freedom all de niggers left'cept my Mamma. My father brought us back here to Col. Alex Lawton'splace at Robertville. He used to belong to Col. Lawton. Many years atterdat Col. Lawton moved to Savannah; but when he died dey brought him backhere an' buried him at Robertville. 

"My young Missus was de daughter of Mr. Sam Maner, my old Massa; so whenshe marry Mr. Davant I went wid her. Dey had bought a place in Screven, Georgia. Seven year 'fore peace declare we went to Georgia. On a Mondaymornin' a colored man come along an' tell Miss Anna de Yankees had tookWaynesboro. We all went to see it. De fire had left de place clean. Could pick up a pin behind it. Other than dat I see nothin'. I never seeno house burn down. I never hear no gun fire. I jes' see de uniform, an'see 'em kill de hog an' sling 'em 'cross de saddle. Den when we comeback to Robertville, we see de destruction left behind. 

"After I git of size I mind de birds off de corn an' rice an' sech like. Den I'd take care of de turkeys. An' we'd sweep de yards. Carry deleaves off to de stable in a wheelbarrow. 

"Both my missus wuz good to me. De last missus I own treat me jes' desame as her own child. I stayed right dere in de house wid her, an' if Iwuz sick or anything she'd take care of me same as her own chillun. Inurse one of her chillun. An' dat child would rather be wid me than widher own mother!"

 Source: Elisa Scantling, Scotia, S. C. Age 87 years. 

 =Code No. 390166= =Project No. 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Mrs. Lucile Young & H. Grady Davis= =Place, Florence, S. C. = =Date, May 25, 1937= =Typed by M. C. , N. Y. A. =

 =No Words_______________= =Reduced from ____ Words= =Rewritten by=

=Mary Scott=

=Gourdin, S. C. =

=Ex-Slave, About 90 years old=

"Where and when were you born?"

"On Gaston Gamble place, between here and Greeleville. In da Gamble'sBible is my age. Don't know my age. Pretty much know how old, I bout 90. I wuz little girl when freedom come. "

"Give the names of your father and mother. "

"Father, John Davis. Mother, Tina Davis. Belonged to last mausa. DarbyFulton. Gamble sold mama and three children to Fulton. Belonged to Davisafter freedom. Father belonged to Davis. Take first mausa's name. Soldto Arnold Mouzon. Didn't take Mouzon name. "

"Where did your father and mother come from?"

"Right where Grandma go, Gamble place. "

"Did you have any brothers and sisters?"

"James and Benjamin. All ded. "

"Describe the beds and where you slept. "

"Had plenty slaves. I don't know exactly how many. In dem times youknow, we had to get ticket to go to see dere family. "

"What kind of house did you have to live in?"

"Better dan dis. Better dan dis. Good house. Sleep on wooden bed. Strawand feather mattress. "

"Do you remember anything about your grandparents or any stories toldyou about them?"

"I ain't know my grandmother, grandfather either. "

"What work did you do in slavery times. "

"Didn't do no kind of work. Mother milked, tended to de butter. "

"Did you ever earn any money?"

"No money. "

"What did you eat and how was it cooked?"

"Boil meat and put peas or greens, rice cooked dry, take up in plate andeat. One girl get done and wash dishes and put dem up. "

"Did you ever eat any possums?"

"Yes, my brother catch possum and raccoon. "

"Fish?"

"Fishing in de branch. "

"Did the slaves have their own gardens?"

"Yes, sir, plant big garden, no use plant, go to dere garden and getit. "

"What clothes did you wear in cold weather?"

"Thick. I could weave it with stripes and put one check one way andnother strip nother way. "

"Hot weather?"

"In winter warm clothes and shoes. Had Sunday clothes. I had a greenworsted dress. "

"Did the slaves have a church on your plantation?"

"Go to white people church and sit out of doors and wait till dey comeout and den we go in and have preaching. "

"White or colored preacher?"

"White preacher. "

"Was your master a good man?"

"Mr. Gamble like to drink liquor but still good people. All who Italking about good people. "

"What was Mr. Gamble's name?"

"Mr. Gamble name Gastron Gamble. Son living in dat big house and grandsonliving down dere. "

"How many children did Mr. Davis have?"

"He had some not many. Mr. Gamble had some too. "

"What kind of house did Mr. Gamble live in?"

"Medium size house. All had just common house, two-story. "

"What about the overseer?"

"Overseer he see dat you work soon. Driver go in de field and stay 'til12 o'clock. "

"How many acres in the plantation?"

"Don't know how many acres. "

"What time did the overseer wake the slaves up?"

"Wake dem up soon. Blow horn. "

"Did you have to work hard?"

"Work 'til sundown. "

"Did you see any slaves punished?"

"Some punished, but I ain't never see none whip. I heard stick strike deground and tie hands and feet. Paddle on dis side and den paddle on deother side 'til sore. "

"Did you ever see any slaves sold or auctioned off?"

"My mother and us sold. Mrs. Gamble died left my mama for a daily gift. She wouldn't allow dem to whip me. I ain't know when we be sell, I wuz ababy. "

"Did you see slaves in chains?"

"No chains. "

"Did the slaves have a church on your plantation?"

"Yes, de Gambles make us to go to Sunday school and learn us the Sundayschool lessons. I could plow. We went to white church and set down tillwhite people go out and de old man dat tend to de church and open up dechurch and say come in, can't stay outside. "

"Who preached for you all?"

"My uncle, Jefferie Pendergrass, mother's brother. If colored peoplewant preacher preach, he go in dere and made de children be quiet andpreach a nice sermon and have watch night but not in de church. "

"Do you know any spirituals?"

"I forgets dem things. I use to be good singer but I ain't got no teeth. I ain't been looking fer dis. If you hadn't come, I'd been gone. "

"Where would you have gone?"

"Just to walk about. All gone to de field and de children so bad. "

"Tell about baptizing. "

"Baptized by de white people. "

"Did the slaves run away to the North?"

"I ain't know 'bout dat. "

"What about patrollers?"

"No patarollers. Have to get ticket, whip dem if dey didn't get it. Colored people do more than white people allow. Caused dem to whip dem. My sister, my sister-in-law and girl went and tell dem dey gwine haveplay in white kitchen. Mr. Sam Fulton boss wouldn't go to war. Mysister, sister-in-law run up in de loft and tell dem come down and deycome down and jump off de window and land in de mud hole wid dere bestdress on. Mr. Fulton let dem have it in de quarters. "

"Did you hear of any trouble between the master and the slaves?"

"My grandmother went off and wouldn't come back. She write that she geteveryday what she could get fer Sunday. "

"Did you work on Saturday evenings?"

"Some of de white people made dem work on Saturday evening. I had auncle when white people come by going to church he hoeing his rice. Deydidn't want him work on Sunday. Miss Elizabeth Gamble tell dem he gwineto chop his rice on Sunday. "

"What did you do on Sunday?"

"Go to church. "

"Christmas day?"

"I don't remember what dey give on Christmas day. My family gotclothes. "

"What did you do at a wedding or funeral among the slaves?"

"Just say got a wife, ain't married. If anybody ded everything stop. "

"What games did you play as a child?"

"I don't know what all I played. "

"Do you know any funny stories?"

"No, sir, I used to tell my grands things. "

"Did you ever see any ghosts?"

"I ain't believe in it, but I see dem. Jest pass by and dey want botheryou. Don't know where dey come from. Dey look like people. "

"You don't believe in them?"

"No, sir, but I know one thing, dey say fox gwine mad. Say cat gwine madbut dat ain't so. I ain't scared of nothing. "

"You are not scared at night?"

"When de moon shining. Moon ain't shine might fall and cripple. When weholler voice way back dere. "

"When the slaves became sick, who tended to them?"

"White people tended to dem. Use medicine. "

"Do you make medicine out of herbs?"

"No, sir, don't make it. "

"Did you ever see anybody wear a ten-cent piece around the ankle?"

"I see dem wear it, but I ain't know what fer. "

"What do you remember about the war that brought you freedom?"

"I know just as good when peace declared. Gun rolled in dat direction. Must be guns. Cook say roll thunder roll and I say de sun shine it ain'tgwine rain. I wuz too little to know but my sister say every man andevery woman got to work for demselves. "

"What did your master say?"

"I ain't know what master say, he single man and didn't talk much. "

"Did you stay with him the year after freedom?"

"No, he didn't treat my mother right. "

"Any schools for Negroes?"

"Pretty good time before schools. "

"Did the slaves buy any land?"

"No land bought. "

"Do you remember your wedding?"

"I member jest as good 'bout my wedding. I married on Thursday night. Some white people from Kingstree and different ones come and pile it upand when I get all dem presents some one stick fire and burn it alldown. "

"Whom did you marry?"

"John Scott. "

"Do you have any children?"

"One gone in de field and dis one. "

"What are they doing?"

"Working on farms. Jane got killed in de wreck. "

"Who is Jane?"

"My daughter. She wuz coming to see me. Train wreck and kill her comingfrom Norfolk. "

"How long ago was that?"

"'Bout two years ago. "

"What do you think of Abraham Lincoln?"

"I see picture of dem. Picture in dere of Lincoln. "

"Now that slavery time is ended, what do you think of it?"

"I believe colored people do better in de slavery than now. "

"Do you belong to the church?"

"Yes, Promise Land Baptist church. "

"Why do you think people ought to go to church?"

"To have some protection and when you go in a church dat is a place foryou to be taken care of. Dey ain't got no religion. "

"Was the overseer 'poor white trash?'"

"I could hear de people talk 'bout him. Some like him and some don't. IfI got a wife over yonder, I got to get ticket before I could go to seeher. Had to work hard too. "

"Let us see the picture of Lincoln. "

"Dis is it. " (Granddaughter shows us Aunt Mary's picture)

"Is that the one?"

"Yea, I think so. "

"Let me see, dat ain't de one. Here is. " (Aunt Mary showed us a picturewhich looked to be taken from some New York newspaper. It was probably ascreen star). 

"Who told you that was Lincoln?"

"Some preacher or somebody come here and tell me. "

 =Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg--Dist. 4= =May 18, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"Aunt" Nina Scot sat on her front porch. She was drinking some liquidfrom a bottle which she said would help her trouble. Being short ofbreath, she was not able to talk very much. She said that she was verysmall at the time she was set free. "My Marster and his folks did nottreat me like a nigger, " she said, "they treated me like they did otherwhite folks. " She said that she and her mother had belonged to Dr. Shipp, who taught at Wofford College, that they had come here fromChapel Hill, N. C. And that she was a tarheel negro. She said that whitepeople in slavery days had two nurses, one for the small children andone for the older ones. "Yes sir, those were certainly fine people thatlived on the Campus during those days. (Wofford Col. Campus) When the'raid' came on, people were hiding things all about their places. " Shereferred to the Yankee soldiers who came to Spartanburg after the closeof the Civil War. "My mother hid the turkeys and told me where she hadhidden them. " Dr. Shipp came up to Nina one day and asked her where theturkeys were hidden. She told him they were hidden behind a clump ofsmall trees, and pointed them out to him. "Well, " he said, "tell yourmother to go and hide them somewhere else and not to tell you about it. You would tell the Yankees just where those turkeys were hidden. " AuntNina recalls that Mr. And Mrs. Dr. Duncan (formerly of Wofford College)had a habit of getting a slice of bread and butter for all theneighboring children (black or white) whenever their nurses brought themto their home. 

 SOURCE: "Aunt" Nina Scott, 260 N. Converse St. , Spartanburg, S. C. Interviewer: F. S. DuPre, Spartanburg Office, Dist. 4 (May 17, 1937)

 =Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg Dist. 4= =May 25, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES OF EX-SLAVES=

"I was born in Newberry County, near the Laurens County line, aboveChappells Depot. My father and mother were Tom and Francis Scurry andbelonged as slaves to the Drury Scurry family. Dr. Drury Scurry boughtthem from Col. Cooper of Laurens County. He was a fine man and mightygood to his slaves. I worked around the house as a boy, and in thefields when I got old enough. Some of the nigger boys hunted 'possums, rabbits and squirrels. Dr. Scurry had 100 acres in woods. They were justfull of squirrels and we killed more squirrels than you can count. 

"The slaves didn't have a garden, but after the war, we stayed on widMarse Scurry. When freedom come, he come to us in the yard where we hadcongregated and told us we was free and could go anywhere we wanted, butif any wanted to stay on wid him, he would pay wages. All of us stayedon wid him. He give us a one-acre patch of ground to raise anything wewanted to raise. He had white overseers during slavery, but none everwhipped us 'cause the master wouldn't let them. He had a plantation ofabout 300 acres and 40 or 50 slaves. They got up at sun-up and worked'till sun-down each day, but had Saturday afternoons off when dey coulddo anything dey wanted to. 

"There wasn't much time for learning to read and write. The white folkssometimes had niggers to go to their church and set in the back ofgallery. In our neighborhood, niggers had their own church dat they madeof poles and brush, and called it, 'Brush Harbor'. They made seats fromsmall logs sawed off of rough plank. 

"On Christmas day, the master would have a big dinner for his slaves andspread it out in the yard. Corn shuckings were popular and so werecotton pickings, where big eats were prepared for those who helped. They had big feasts at marriages, and even the slaves had feasts attheir marriages, the master and his family taking part in theceremonies. I was married in 1887, and at that time I was living withMr. Renwick, and my girl with Dr. Tom Brown. Dr. Brown had us to marryin his yard in the grove, and over 200 persons was there to see it. Thenext day, he give us a big 'infair' with all kinds of good things toeat, presents and dances. We never had any children. After we moved totown, my wife was a nurse or midwife among some of the white familiesfor a long time. 

"In Ku Klux times, I met five or ten of them in the road one night. Theynever bothered me. They had long white sheets over them and the horses. Slits were cut for the head, eyes, nose and mouth. 

"The niggers had an old field song: 'Give me dat good ole time religion'which they sang most of the time. There was another song they sang:'Dark midnight is my cry--Give me Jesus, You may have all this world, but give me Jesus. '

"Some old-time cures for the sick was--barks of cherry tree, dogwood, and olive bush, made into tea and drunk. 

"I thought Abe Lincoln was a fine man, done mighty good and saved thecountry. Jeff Davis was a good man. Booker Washington was a great man. Ithink slavery was bad; yet our white folks was good to us, but somewhite masters was mean. I think everybody should belong to the churchand be a Christian. "

 SOURCE: Morgan Scurry (78), Newberry, S. C. ; interviewed by: G. L. Summer. Newberry, S. C. May 19, 1937. 

 =S-260-264-N= =Project #935= =Hattie Mobley= =Richland County= =South Carolina=

=Uncle Ransom Simmons=

=Richland County, South Carolina. =

Uncle Ransom is one of the few remaining slaves who still lives andwhose mind is still clear and active. He has just passed his one-hundredand fourth birthday, was born in Mississippi, and brought to SouthCarolina by his master Wade Hampton, the father of the illustriousGeneral Wade Hampton, before the Civil War. 

When the war broke out and General Wade Hampton went to war Uncle Ransomcried to be allowed to follow his young master. He went and served as abody guard. Uncle Ransom learned to read the Bible while attending anight school held for slaves before freedom, and it was only in recentyears that he was taught to write his name. 

This old man lives alone in a shack at Taylor, a little village on theoutskirts of Columbia. He is furnished with all the milk and ice creamhe can eat by the Columbia Dairy. He purchases a little food with thestate pension of twenty-five dollars a year paid to Negroes who servedthe Confederacy in some military capacity. 

Uncle Ransom says his master was the kindest man in the world, and thatas far as he is concerned, he has never had a worry in his life, and ashe said this, his face radiated with a broad and satisfied smile. 

 Reference: Personal interview with Ransom Simmons age 104. 

 =Project #1655= =Stiles M. Scruggs= =Columbia, S. C. =

=ALFRED SLIGH=

=_EX-SLAVE 100 YEARS OLD. _=

Alfred Sligh, who lives in a rented house at 1317 Gregg Street, says hewas born in Newberry County, South Carolina, in 1837. His hair is whiteand he is feeble. He goes about the city, on fair days, collecting smallsums of money from his white friends and sometimes from his own race. Inthis way he earns most of his income. 

"My folks was slaves of the Sligh family for many years, befo' I wasborn. My mammy and daddy and me b'long to Butler Sligh, at de time Ibegin to do chores and take notice of things. I be nearly half grownwhen my young master, Butler Sligh, am just four years old. He die, fouror five years ago. I guess you 'member, 'cause he was a powerfulwell-known white man. He was seventy-five years old when he die. 

"De young master, he name for my old master. De old master and 'most allde white men of de neighborhood, 'round 'bout us, march off to de war in1861. One day I see them ridin' down de big road on many hosses and theywavin' deir hats and singin': 'We gwine to hang Abe Lincoln on a sourapple tree!' and they in fine spirits. My young master, Butler, who theycall Junior at de time, he am too young to go with them so we stay homeand farm. I go with him to de fields and he tell de slaves what to do. Durin' de war I see much of de soldiers who say they not quit fightin''til all de damn-Yankees am dead. Dis was so, durin' de first two years. After dat I see more and more of de damn-Yankees, as they pass through'flictin' punishment on 'most everybody. 

"Sho' we hear dat all Negroes am free in 1863, but dat rumor not affectus. We work on, 'til Sherman come and burn and slash his way through destate in de spring of 1865. I just reckon I 'member dat freedom to deend of my life. 

"We gang up at my grandmother's cabin and she tell us it am so. We lookscared, lak mules in de midst of a hornet nest, as we stood dere. Wedidn't wait long, for old Mistress Sligh she come 'long and say: 'Sho'it am so, you am free. ' Many of de slaves, 'cludin' me, tell her we loveto stay on and work as usual 'til de big white folks come. She smile andsay: 'All right, maybe we be able to feed and clothe you, and when yourold master git back from Virginia, maybe he will hire you!'

"When I first marry, which was at de start of de war, I marry Sarah, aslave gal on de Sligh plantation. We has several chillun, befo' she die, which was soon after we move to Columbia. De chillun, at least two boysand two gals, all git grown, but they go North a long time ago, and Inever hears from them. 

"When I come to Columbia in 1866, I find work on houses, and buildingwas plentiful then. I git 'long pretty well, then, 'cause if I did notland a job, I could go to de Freedman's Aid Office at Assembly andGervais streets and git rations and a little cash for my family. Afterde Freedman's Aid left town I had no trouble findin' work. And soon Iwas pretty prosperous. I kept that way, so long as I was able to do myshare of de work. 

"It was in 1913, as I was walkin' 'long Hampton Street, dat I see mypresent wife, Sadie. She pass by me, and smile and look and I smile andlook, and she slow up a little and say: 'What's happen, big boy?' I amso tickled, I say: 'I just have to tell you:

 'De rose am red, De violet's blue, No knife can cut My love in two. '

"She say; 'Pretty good, big boy, pretty good! Come 'round and see mesometime. ' I answer: 'I sho' will, Peaches and Cream'. And dat am justwhat I did. We got married dat same year, and we have been happy, 'til Igit too old and feeble to work much. She work now to de best of herability and we somtimes has a big squeeze to pay de rent. Dat is why I'mhopin' to get de old age pension, made possible by de greatest Presidentof them all. 

"Does I recall de 'sassination of de first President dat died dat way?Yes sir, I sho' do. De first one was Abraham Lincoln, a little after declose of de war. He was shot while sittin' in a seat in de theater atWashington. James A. Garfield, was de nex' one. He was shot in de depot, at Washington. De nex' one was McKinley. He was shot while at a showplace, in Buffalo. "

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon, = =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=DAN SMITH=

=_EX-SLAVE 75 YEARS. _=

Dan Smith lives in one room, rent free, of a three-room frame house, theproperty of his son-in-law, Jim Cason. It is situated on the southeastcorner of Garden and Palmer streets in the town of Winnsboro, S. C. He istall, thin and toothless, with watery eyes and a pained expression ofweariness on his face. He is slow and deliberate in movements. He stillworks, and has just finished a day's work mixing mortar in theconstruction of a brick store building for Mr. Lauderdale. His bosssays: 'The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. ' There is nothingorganically wrong with Dan but he appears, in human anatomy, as DoctorHolmes's One Horse Shay must have looked the day before its finalcollapse. 

"You been here once befo' and now here you is again. You say you wannagit additions? Well, I's told you dat I was born in Richland County, aslave of Marse John Lever and on his plantation, January de 11th day, 1862, when de war was gwine on. How I know? 'Cause my mammy and pappytold me so. They call my pappy Bob and my mammy Mary. Strange as itseem, my mistress name Mary, just de same as my mammy, tho' marsterwasn't name Bob, lak pappy. Him name Marster John and de young marster, an only child, was name Marse Jim. You better stop right dere 'til Itell you pappy no b'long to de Levers. Him b'long to de Smiths. Him nameBob Smith, after freedom. Dat's how come I be dis day, Dan Smith. Youketch de p'int? Well dats de way it was. 

"Befo' pappy take a shine to mammy in slavery time, her got mixed upwid one of old Marse Burrell Cook's niggers and had a boy baby. He wasas black as long-leaf pine tar. Her name him George Washington Cook butall him git called by, was Wash Cook. My full brudders was Jim, Wesley, and Joe. All of them dead and gone long ago. 

"Us chillun slept on de floor. Mammy had some kind of 'traption orother, 'ginst de wall of de log house us live in, for her and de babychild to git in at night. Us have plenty to eat, sich as: peas, 'tatoes, corn bread, 'lasses, buttermilk, turnips, collards and fat meat. 

"De only thing I 'member 'bout my mistress is: One day her come down tode house and see my brudder Joe sucking his thumb. Mammy tell her, hercan't make him quit it. Mistress go back to de big house and comerunnin' back with quinine. Her rub Joe's thumbs wid dat quinine and tellmammy to do dat once or twice a day. You ought to see dat baby's face defirst time and heard him squall! It sho' stopped him sucking his thumbs!

"Clothes? Didn't need no clothes in de summer time but a shirt. In dewinter, us just stood 'bout de fire. I'm talkin' 'bout us chillun, don't'member 'bout old folks. 

"Master and Mistress lived in a big white house, two stories high, tallbrick chimneys at de gable ends, and wide front and back piazzas de fulllength of de dwelling. Us chillun had no shoes. Mammy had two pair allde time but they had wooden bottoms. Dere was no white overseers 'round, but patarollers (patrollers) ketched my pappy once, in de house, jerkhim out and whup him, while mammy and us chillun yell and cry and begthem to stop. 

"When de Yankees come, mammy hide us chillun under her bed 'traption. They act mighty nice to her, so she say. 

"What kinda work mammy do? Her was one of de weavers. Heard her tell'bout how they make de thread and de cloth. They had spinnin' wheels. Person turn de wheel wid de hand and walk back'ards and for'ards, drawing out de thread. Dis kind of thread, her say, was rough. Laterthey got a thing de spinners operate wid deir foots, settin' by de wheeland workin' it wid deir foots, sorta lak a sewing machine is run. Her'low de thread dat come to her in de weave-room from dis kind ofspinnin' was smoother and more finer than de other kind. After de yarnwas spin, it was reeled off de spools into hanks and then took to dewarper. Then she woofed it, warped it, and loomed it into cloth. Hermake four yards in a day. 

"After freedom, pappy come and take mammy and all us chillun to a farmon Cedar Creek, in dis county, Fairfield. I works dere 'til 1872, Ithinks. I gits concerned 'bout dis time wid two things, jinin' wid deLord, and jinin' wid de woman. De fust was easy. All I had to do was goto de Methodis' revival, shout a little, and jine up befo' de preacher. I just had to be convicted and convinced, but mind you, I was de one tobe convinced, de other was not so easy. De Lord was easy to find andquick to take me, but de gal was hard to find and was slow to take me, 'cause she was de one to be convinced dis time, you see. 

"I looks all 'round Cedar Creek. De ones I could git, I wouldn't have, and de ones I would have I couldn't git. So dere it was. I mounts oldBetsy, dat was pappy's mule, one Sunday and come to Winnsboro. I spied agal at church, 'bout de color of a ripe pumpkin after de big frosts donefall on it, hair black as a crow and meshed up and crinkled as a cuckerburr. Just lookin' at her made my mouth water. Me and old Betsy raise dedust and keep de road hot from Cedar Creek to Winnsboro dat summer andfall, and when us sell de last bale of cotton, I buys me a suit ofclothes, a new hat, a pair of boots, a new shirt, bottle Hoyt's cologneand rigs myself out and goes 'round and ask her to marry me. Her nameIda Benjamin. Did her fall for me right away? Did her take me on fustprofession and confession lak de Lord did? No sir-ree bob! Her say: 'Igot to go to school some more, I's too young. Got to see papa and mama'bout it. Wait 'til you come nex' time and I'll tell you. ' I wasconfused then, I gits up, gives her de cologne bottle, and mounts oldBetsy, spurs her in de side, gallops, and cusses all de way back toCedar Creek. I confess to mammy. Her laugh and say: 'Dan, you knowsnothin' 'bout women and gals. Why it's mighty plain she gonna say yes, nex' time. ' Just lak her say, Ida did, and us got married de end of denex' school term, in May. 

"Us had ten chillun. Dan, name for me, is at Concord, N. C. Oscar is inConcord, N. C. Lucinda marry a Haltiwanger and is comfortable inBaltimore, Md. Aurelia marry a Williams and is in Baltimore. Henriettamarry a Sawney and is in Charlotte, N. C. Lilly marry Jim Cason and liveright in Winnsboro, in de house I have a room in. 

"I got lots of gran'childs, too many to mention, They take after deregrandma, lak to go to school and read de Bible and go to church andSunday School. 

"Whut I have on my mind now is a pension. When a man git seventy-fiveyears old, (I hear folks talk 'round me) dat man should not be 'lowed towork on de Supreme Court, him should be give a pension of $15, 000. 00 andmade to stop work. Him may have chillun dat can support him, all desame, dat jedge gits his pension. Then in de name of goodness, why don'tthey make me quit mixing mortar when I is seventy-five years old andgive me $240. 00 a year? Sauce for de fat goose Supreme Court Jedge, oughta be sauce for de mortar mixer poor gander, I 'low. It look lakjestice for de rich jedge and mix more mortar for poor Dan. "

 =Code No. = =Project, 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date, July 22, 1937=

 =No. Words=________ =Reduced from______words= =Rewritten by= _______________________

=HECTOR SMITH=

=Ex-Slave, 79 Years=

"I born down here in Wahee Neck. Easter Avant, dat was my mammy en myfather name Hector Smith. Coase I ain' never see him cause he die fore Iwas born, but dat what dey tell me. Dat was a pretty rough time wid depeople den. I don' recollect so much bout de times back dere cause indat day en time chillun didn' have de heap of knowledge dey have dis dayen time, but I remembers seein de Yankees en de people gwine to de war. Oh, dat was a tough time cause dey use de whip in dem days. Oh, yes'um, my Massa whip my gran'mammy wid a leather strap. You see she had a knackof gwine off for some cause or another en meetin de boat what run up endown dat big Pee Dee river en bring fertilizer en all kind of goods tode peoples. Massa Randall had told her not to go nowhe' bout dat boat, but some people is sorta high strung like en dey go off anyhow no matterbout de whip. Oh, yes'um, he sho whip her like he didn' have no soul tosave. "

"I couldn' tell you nothin bout how many slaves Massa Randall Davis had, but I know dat he had a right smart of them. I know it cause he had somany field hands dey didn' none of em never have to work every day in defield. Oh, dey just knock bout our Massa house en see after de stock ensuch things as dat what time dey didn' have to work in de field. "

"You knows when a thing happen so long back dere, it does vanish from aperson's remembrance some of de time en den it'll wander back to youwhen you ain' thinkin bout it. I does recollect dat dere wasn' nothinmuch more for de colored peoples in dat day en time den what dey got toeat en de clothes dey had to wear. My Massa give everyone of he coloredfamily a peck of meal en a quart of syrup en so much of meat every weeken 'low em all to have a garden of dey own. Oh, dey work dey garden byde moonshine en fore light good in de mornin cause dey had to turn deyhand to dey Massa work when daylight come here. I tellin you corn breadwas sweet to me in dat day en time as pound cake ever been. Wasn' nevernoways pickin' en choosin bout nothin. Oh, I forget bout all dem possumsen rabbits dat eat right smart in dem days. Use to catch em when dey hadswells of de water en dey come out de woods to hunt dry land. It justlike dis, dey couldn' conceal demselves in de open fields en dathow-come we catch em so easy. Run em down wid de dogs en make em take tode water. Dat how we catch em. Dat sho was sweet eatin in dem days. "

"Den we had a log house to stay in what never had but just one room ende furniture we had was worser den de house. Us beds was made wid fourstumps for de corners dat had boards lay cross em to put de mattress on. Some of de colored peoples had bag mattress stuff wid hay en de othershad homespun mattress what was stuff wid dis here gray moss you see inde woods. En I remembers all bout when de peoples had to cook in defireplace cause dere wasn' much stoves in circulation in dat day entime. "

"Well, I don' know so much bout dem things peoples call ghost, but Iknow dat I has seen things. I knows once long time back I was gwine longde road late on a evenin drivin me ox what I had hitch up to de cart ena ghost or somethin or another cause dat cart wheel to go right in deditch. Well, de ox, he pull en he pull, but wid all me help, he couldn'never pull dat cart out. I ax some of dem people bout dere what deyreckon dat was en dey say all dey know to compare it to was a hant or aghost. No 'mam, didn' see it, just hear it cause it come right to myback en knocked. It had been rainin en soon as it quit, de moon shineout bright as ever was day en dat when de hant turn de cart loose. "

"De next thing I see was one time when me en another fellow was sleepinin de swamp. I couldn' tell whe' de moon rise den en when I come to mysenses, dere was one of dem things just a danglin in de air like desethings show people have. Some people say dat was a ghost. "

"Oh, de peoples didn' never worry bout no doctor den. Dey doctor was inde field in dat day en time. I gwine tell you just like I know it, allde older peoples use to get de herbs out de old fields for dey remedies. My Massa en my Missus was de ones what doctor mostly in dem times. Useto get old field ringdom, what smell like dis here mint, en boil dat enlet it steep. Dat what was good to sweat a fever en cold out you. Dendere was life everlastin tea dat was good for a bad cold en cherry barkwhat would make de blood so bitter no fever never couldn' stand it. Demwhat had de rheumatism had to take dat lion's tongue or what somepeoples calls wintergreen tea en some of de time, dey take pine top enmix wid de herbs to make a complete cure. Oh, dey make it bad as deycould so as to weaken de case. Another thing dat been good for derheumatism was dat red oak bark dat dey use to bathe de limbs wid. Willow tea was somethin good for chill en fever en catnip en sage teawas de thing for babies. "

"It like I tell you de colored peoples never get no learnin but whatlittle dey catch from de plantation men in dem night schools. Oh, deygive everyone of us a slate en slate pencil en we study dere in dequarter in de night time by de light of de fire. Studied dem Blue BackWebsters. Dat was de text we know bout den. "

"I tell you de truth I live so much in darkness den dat I think dat timewas bout good as dis time. Didn' know no better sense den. I tell youjust like I been know it, de peoples was coward like in dem days. Couldn' never pluck up no ambition to do a heap of things de people dodis day en time. Dat how-come I rather live in dis go round. "

 _Source_: Hector Smith, ex-slave, age 79, Wahee section of Marion Co. , S. C. Personal interview, July 1937. 

 =Code No. 390144= =Project, 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date, July 14, 1937=

 =No. Words________= =Reduced from_____words= =Rewritten by= ______________________

=HECTOR SMITH=

=Ex-Slave, 79 years=

"I studied en studied what songs would suit, but dem old familiar hymnsbout all I know dese days. You see dem old familiar hymns what de spiritsings. It just like I tell you, I put all dem other kind of songs awaywhen I is change to a better way of livin. I does remember first one enden de other of dem frolicksome song dat my grandparents learnt me. "

NOBODY BUSINESS BUT MINE

 I. Rabbit in de hollow, I ain' got no dog, How can I catch em? I do know! I do know! O Me! O Mine! Sorry dat if I leave my home, I gwine to my shack Wid de chicken on my back, Nobody business but mine. 

 (_Continued on next page. _)

 II. Rabbit in de hollow, Ain' got no dog, How can he catch em? I do know! I do know! O Me! O Mine! Let every nigger have his way, Gwine to his shack Wid he chicken on his back, Nobody business but his. 

 _Source_: Hector Smith, ex-slave, 79 years. , Wahee section of Marion Co. , S. C. Personal interview, July 1937. 

 =Code No. = =Project, 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date, July 14, 1937=

 =No. Words______7____= =Reduced from_____words= =Rewritten by= ________________________

=_WAY DOWN IN DE LONESOME VALLEY_=

 I. De mockin birds a singin so sweetly, So sweetly, so sweetly. De mockin birds a singin so sweetly, So sweetly, so sweetly. Way down in de lonesome valley. 

 II. Dey tell you one thing en dey mean another, Mean another, mean another. Dey tell you one thing en dey mean another, Mean another, mean another. Way down in de lonesome valley. 

 III. Some say, what make de young girls so deceivin? So deceivin, so deceivin? Some say, what make de young girls so deceivin? So deceivin, so deceivin? Way down in de lonesome valley. 

"Dat go way back dere. De peoples didn' have nothin more den a mouthorgan to make music wid in dem times. "

 _Source_: Hector Smith, age 79, ex-slave. , Wahee section of Marion Co. , S. C. Personal interview, July 1937. 

 =Code No. = =Project, 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date, July 14, 1937=

 =No. Words____8______= =Reduced from_____words= =Rewritten by= ________________________

=_HOLD DE DEAL_=

 I. Kitty, Kitty died O--O, Kitty had a man. Rather kiss a monkey, Den to kiss a nigger man. Hold de deal! Hold de deal! I'm gwine to get drunk again. 

 II. Nigger on de horseback, Thought he was de king. Come along alligator, En let de nigger in. Hold de deal! Hold de deal! I'm gwine to get drunk again. 

 _Source_: Hector Smith, age 79, ex-slave, Wahee section of Marion Co. , S. C. Personal interview, July 1937. 

 =Code No. = =Project, 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date, July 14, 1937=

 =No. Words____9______= =Reduced from_____words= =Rewritten by= ________________________

=Hector Smith=

=ex-Slave, 79 years. =

"I use to holler a heap in late years but after I lay it down, all datleave me. "

 Bulldogs a barkin, Howl! Howl! Bulldogs a barkin, Howl! Howl! Bulldogs a barkin, Howl! Howl! Ah--oodle--oodle--ou, Ah--oodle--oodle--ou, Ah--ou--ah--ou, Ah--oodle--ou, Ah--ou--ah--ou, Ah--oodle--oodle--ou. 

 _Source_: Hector Smith, 79 years, ex-slave, Wahee section of Marion Co. , S. C. Personal interview, July 1937. 

 =Project 1885-(1)= =Folk Lore= =Spartanburg, S. C. = =District No. 4= =May 28, 1937. =

 =Edited by:= =R. V. Williams=

=STORIES OF EX-SLAVES=

"Aunt" Jane Smith, 80 years old, says that she was only eight years oldwhen the war ended, and that her recollections are very meagre as toconditions during slavery. 

Her mother belonged to John Snoddy, who owned a farm a few miles west ofSpartanburg. Her father was owned by Dr. Miller of a nearby plantation. She stated that she was old enought to rock the cradle for the whitebabies during slavery. 

She stated that she could remember seeing some of the slaves beingwhipped on their bare backs with a plaited hickory stick, or thong. Shenever received any whippings. She said that a man once cut at her withhis thong, but that she escaped the blow by dodging. 

She said she remembered seeing a small child with a piece of bread inits hand when a hog entered the house and in snatching at the bread, caught the child's hand near the thumb with its tusks. When running off, the hog carried the child with it, dragging it along into the field. Allthe other children and some men ran after the hog and caught it. Theother colored children were whipped, but by staying in the house andwatching the babies, keeping them safe from other pigs which had alsoentered the house, she was not whipped. 

Aunt Jane said that when the Yankee soldiers came to the house, theywere just as thick as the "fingers on her hands. " She held up her handsfor inspection to illustrate how thick the soldiers stood in the ranks. She said they did not take anything, but that they crawled under thehouse to get the hen eggs. One soldier, she said, came to the house andasked if there were any horses on the farm. A colored woman told himthat there were no horses on the place, but just at that time, one ofthe horses in a nearby stable neighed, and the soldier threatened thewoman's life for lying to him. She says she doesn't remember whether thesoldier took the horses but thinks that he did. 

The soldiers told the colored people that they free, but she said thatdidn't signify much to her mind. Some time afterwards, she said herfather came and carried her and her mother to his master's place. Later, she came to Spartanburg and got a job as a cook and washerwoman. 

When asked if she knew anything about conjuring, she stated that she hadheard of it but didn't know anything about it. When asked if she hadever seen a ghost, she said, "No, but I heard one once. " She said thatone night after her master had killed "hisself" in the barn with apistol, she heard the doors being shut, the windows being slammed, andthe chairs rocking on the front porch all by themselves. She declaredthat the wind was not blowing and that a "ghost was doing all demthings. "

She stated that she had been married twice; had reared a houseful ofchildren; had adopted some and reared them, but that she didn't haveanybody to work for her now but "him, " referring to her husband who wassitting on a trunk. 

"Thank the Lord for coming to see me, " she said, as the writer left. 

 SOURCE: Jane Smith, Concord St. , Spartanburg, S. C. Interviewer: F. S. DuPre

 =Project 1885-1= =Folklore= =Spartanburg, Dist. 4= =Nov. 9, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"I liked to went crazy when my brother, Bob, went to Arkansas. Den MarseGeorge Young wrote our names in a book and give it to my ma. It was jes'a small mem'randum book. We kept it till Miss Addie, dat is Mrs. Billy, give ma de Bible storybook, and den she copied our names in dat one. Delittle book was about wore out den; so it was burned up when Miss Addiehad done finished writing our names in de storybook. Us gwine to keepdat book and hand it down atter we done left dis earth. Ma been dead nowover fifty years. 

"I sho nu'sed Marse George's chilluns fer him, when I was a little gal. Jimmie, Willie, Conquest, Jack, Katie and Annie was Marse's chilluns. Conquest dead now. Marse George had a great big house. He was a jes'ticeof de peace or something or 'nother den. I don't know what year my madied, but Marse had her buried at New Chapel. Dat same year we raised abig crop of corn, cotton and peanuts, and had plenty hogs. Marse let ushave all we wanted. He let us hang our meat in his smokehouse dat year. 

"Befo' ma died and I was a little gal, a terrible thing happened to us. Across de Enoree on another place, de Miller place, Fannie Miller runaway. Dey couldn't find her fer a long time. Dey told my marster to gither. One Sunday my ma got ready to dress me fer Sunday school. Shebathed me and when she looked in de drawer she couldn't find my clothes. All of her clothes was gone, too. I cried 'cause I couldn't go to Sundayschool. Maude, de woman what lived next to us, went to church. She sawFannie dar wid all ma's clothes on. She told Marse about it and he sontout and had Fannie caught. She had come to our house and got de clotheson Saturday evening. She had dem hid in a old house on our place. Deyput her in jail, and den her marster come and whupped her and sont declothes back to ma. She never tried to run off agin. 

"Jack Gist, a slave of Gov. Gist, run away once and lived in a cave ferfive months befo' de white folks found him. He went down on 'de forest'and dug a cave near de road in sight of de Harris Bridge which stillspans de Fairforest Creek at dat p'int. De cave wasn't dug on GovernorGist's land, but on a place know'd den as de old Jackson place. In demid hours of night Jack come to see his friends and dey give him thingsto eat. When dey got him he had a hog, two geese, some chickens and twomiddles of meat. Cose de hog and de middles was stole. 

"One night he was crossing de Fairforest Creek on a foot-log and he metAnderson Gist, one of de Governor's slaves. Dey talked fer awhile. Nextmorning, Anderson come wid his marster to de cave whar Jack was. Deytook all his things on to de big house, and he was whupped and put backto work. Governor Gist and our marster was good to deir slaves and deydidn't punish 'em hard like some of 'em did. We had lots more den dan wehas had ever since. 

"I never went to de field till atter freedom come. Dey wasn't hard on usin de fields and I liked to work. We worked mostly from sun-up till itwas too dark to work. Marster's youngest girl, Mary Jane Young, marriedMr. Dave Lane. Dey didn't have a wedding. 

"My grandpa was a African and he talked real funny. He was low, chunky, fat and real black. He went around a lot befo' he died. He was de fatherof my mother, Clora. Granny, his wife, was called 'Fender' and she diedde first year of freedom. She was sold and lived on a neighboringplantation. We went to see her every Saturday. Ma would always take usto see her, and if we didn't git to go, she come to see us. We liked togo, and Marse always give us a pass. De patrollers watch us like a hawk, but we had our passes and we told dem if dey bothered us our marsterwould handle 'em. He would, too, 'cause dat was 'de law'. Granny Fenderwas good looking. She wore purty beads, earrings and bracelets, andwrapped her head up in a red cloth. Her eyes and teeth flashed and shewas always jolly. Sometimes we stay all night, but most de time we comeback home. When she come to see us she always stay all night. All de oldfolks had real religion den, and it kept 'em happy. Folks now are toofancy fer religion and it ain't real. I has real religion and nothingdon't worry me. I feels happy all de time over it. 

"My marster give my mother de spot of ground and de lumber fer ourchurch which was named New Chapel. De second church is on de same spot. De first preaching was had under a oak tree, or arbor. Uncle Tony Murphywas de first preacher. He was my favorite of all de preachers. Marseread de Bible to us, but sometimes others read it to us, too. His son, Bud, dat was killed in de first battle, used to come to de quarters andread de Bible to us. 

"Alex Hall was de minister dat immersed us all. We was all Methodists, but out dar dey baptized everybody in de Fairforest no matter whatchurch dey went to. Dar was fifty people baptized de day dat I was. Milly Bethane made me a big white robe to be baptized in. When I got outI had a white dress to put on. Dey had a tent fer us to go in to changeour clothes. We was baptized in de Fairforest jes' above de HarrisBridge. Everybody sung while we was going under de water. Some of 'emshouted, too. It took de earthquake to shake religion in my husband. Hewas Emanuel Gist, de first one. 

"Dat night, de people was hollering and woke me up. My husband calledme. 'What dat?' he 'low. 'I don't know, ' I says. He got up and run out. Soon he come back home and he was shaking all over. He fell on de bed. When de chimney started to fall, I told him to git up. He said he wastoo scared to git up. I pulled him up and he was so scared dat he shookall over. I opened de door. He was too scared to stand up. Next day hecouldn't work; so he went off. I looked fer him till way in de night. When he did come home, he was rejoicing. He was wid religion and henever give it up. Dat was on de night of de earthquake. You could hearpeople hollering fer miles around. "

 Source: Mary Smith (N, 84), Buffalo St. , Union, S. C. Interviewer: Caldwell Sims, Union, S. C. (9/14/37)

 =S-260-264-N= =Project: #1885= =Augustus Ladson= =Charleston, S. C. =

=EXPERIENCES OF AN EX-SLAVE ON WARDMALAW ISLAND=

=_Massa Wus Kind to Slaves_=

Prince Smith, a man who is said to be over a hundred years of age, haslived on Wardmalaw Island practically all of his life. His experiencesduring slavery are very interesting and true to life. An interview withhim revealed the following:

"I was bo'n an' raise' on dis island and was only frum here when deCivil War had begun. W'en Fort Sumter wus fired on mossa carried seventyof us to Greenville, South Ca'lina on account of its montanous sections, which was believed would have prevented the Yankees invasion in regardto their hide-out. " We stayed een Greenville nearly four years. Durin'dat time mossa planted his fa'm an' we wurk as if we wus right here. 

"The Yankees had gunboats, " he continued, "but dey didn' help dem atollfur dey couldn' make any a'tack dat dis place is so unsuited fur waterbattles. But forest' battles wus fight on Beaufort Island and PortRoyale. We een Greenville didn' know enyt'ing 'bout whut wus goin' onexcept what wus brought to us collud people by dose who wus sent to datown. Mossa didn' tell us eny ting. Fur almos' four 'ears we stayed eenGreenville w'en suddenly one Chuesday mornin' bright an' early, Sheridancame into Greenville on horse backs en' order ebery body to sarrendar. Colonels an' Gen'rals came een de city widout de firin' of a gun. Westayed dere 'til harvestin' time by de orders of Master Osland Baileywho saw to it dat we wus given money as a share fur our wurk. 

"Mossa's custom at de end of de week wus to give a dry peck o' cornwhich you had to grin' on Sat'day ebenin' w'en his wurk wus done. Onlyon Chris'mus he killed en give a piece o' meat. De driber did dedistribution o' de ration. All young men wus given four quarts o' corna week, while de grown men wus given six quarts. All of us could plantas much lan' as we wuld fur our own use. We could raise fowls. My masterwus a gentleman, he treat all his slaves good. My fadder an' me wus hisfavorite. 

"Some o' de slaves had to wurk on Sunday to finish dere week's wurk. Ifdey didn' de dribber who wus a Negro would give a lashin' varyin' frumfifteen to twenty five chops. Only high-class massas had Negrodribbters, de crackers had white overseers. 

"Like odder slaves had to hide frum dere mastas to hab meetin', us couldhab ours any night we want to even widout his consent. When masta wentto town any o' his slaves could ax him to buy t'ings for dem eenCha'leston. When Jews en peddlers came with clothes an' gunger to sell, we as chillun would go to him an' ax fur money to buy whut we want. 

"He had about four hund'ed acres of land which he divided in two half bya fence. One 'ear he would plant one an' let de cattles pasture on deoder. We could also raise hogs 'long wood his but had to change pasturew'en he did. De people on his plantation didn' hab any need to stealfrom him fur he didn' 'low us to want fur any thing. 

"Dere wus three kinds of days wurk on de plantation: One is de wholetas', meanin' a whole han' or a person een his prime. He wus given twotas' fur dis day's wurk. A tas' carried frum twenty four to twenty fiverows which wus thirty-five feet long en twenty five feet wide. De shreefourth han' wus given one whole tas' which consists of twelve rows. Allde young chillun wus included in dis group. De half han' was de oldslaves who did a half tas' for dere day's work. When it was time to pickcotton, de shree fourth han' had to pick thirty pound' an' de half han'twenty fur dere day's wurk. Dose who attended to the gin only include dethree fourth han'. 

"Massa had shree kinds o' punishment fur dose who disobeyed him. One wusde sweatbox. It wus made de height of de person an' no larger. Jus'large 'nough so de person woodn' hab to be squeezed in. De box isnailed an' een summer is put een de hot sun; een de winter it is put inde coldest, dampest place. De next is de Stock. Wood is nailed on floorwith de person lyin' on his back wid hans an' feet tied wood a heavyweight on de chest. De shird is de Bilboa. You are place on a highscaffold fur so many hours an' if you don' try to keep a level head, you'll fall an you will surely hurt yourself if your neck isn't broken. Most o' de time dey were put dere so dey could break dere necks. "

 _SOURCE_

 Information from an interview with Mr. Prince Smith, who is supposed to be over a hundred years of age, Wardmalaw Island, S. C. 

 =Project 1885-1= =Folklore= =Spartanburg, Dist. 4= =Nov. 29, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"Lawsey, honey chile, how does I know jes' when I was born. All sech asdat don't mean nothing to us old slave time darkies. De mis'tus say, 'Silas, you sho was thirteen years old when dat 'Federate War wound up!Dat's all I knows and dat's what I goes by. De white folks is worrying'bout my age being in sech and sech a year and all de like of dat. Nosech as dat don't worry Silas, kaise he sho don't give it no mind, dat Idoesn't. 

"Mis'tus call us all to set down on de side steps wid our hats in ourhands. She read dat paper. When she git through, us still sets, kaise nowriting never aggrevated us niggers way back dar. She wait a fewminutes; den she 'low: 'It means dat you all is free, jes' as free as Iis. ' 'Dumpling Pie' jumped up and started crying. We all looked at him, kaise he was a fat lazy thing dat laid around like dumplings a-layingover kraut, and we axed him what he was crying for. He say, 'I ain'tgwine to be no free nigger, kaise dat brings in de Issue, and I wants tokeep my ma and pa, and what is I'm gwine to do widout Marse Dusey?'

"Dat woke us up. Didn't narry nigger on dat entire plantation know whatto do widout his marster. It was de awfulest feeling dat everything indem quarters laid down wid dat night, de new feeling dat day was freeand never had no marster to tell dem what to do. You felt jes' like youhad done strayed off a-fishing and got lost. It sho won't no fun to befree, kaise we never had nothing. 

"Next morning Mis'tus low, 'Silas, I wants you to keep on being my houseboy. ' Dat sound de best to me of any news dat I had got. She hired meand I jes' kept on den as I had been gwine befo'. De quarters broke up, kaise Marse Dusey couldn't keep all dem niggers, so Mis'tus low'd. Marsewas at de war and Mis'tus took things on. 

"Dat left only a few in de quarter. In de meantime, carpetbaggers andscalawags had put devilment in some of dem ig'nant niggers and deythought dat if dey leave, de U. S. Gwine to give dem a plantation atterde war had ceased, and plenty mules to make dem rich, like quality whitefolks. So by dat time dey was a-raring to git moved off. But I stay onwid Miss Sallie, as I called her den. 

"One dark, rainy cold day a stranger come riding up on a po' hoss andfetched a note of sorrow. Marse Dusey had done died somewhars, andMis'tus was widowed to de ground. I stayed on, and in a year she died. Mr. Thomas Smith of Hickory Grove is de onliest chile living of mymis'tus, and he is 71 years old. 

"Atter Mis'tus died, I went to live wid my pa on Mr. 'Baby' John Smith'splace. He had been my pa's marster. Way back den it was so many JohnSmiths. 'Pears like it was mo' den dan now. Dat why dey call Mis'tus'husband 'John Dusey'. Each John had a frill to his name so dat folkscould keep dem straight in deir minds whenever dey would speak of dem. Mis'tus sho was good to me. I 'members her chilluns' names well; MissesAurita and Amenta. Miss Amenta married Mr. Sam Jeffries. Miss Rachael, Mis'tus other daughter, married Mr. John Morrow. Her 'Baby' John marrieda lady whose name I jes' disremembers, anyway dey had a son called'Jeff'. He lived between Hickory Grove and Broad River. All dese Smithswhich I gives you renumeration of is de Hickory Grove Smiths. You jes'has to keep dem straight yet. "

 Source: Silas Smith (N, 85), Gaffney, S. C. Interviewer: Caldwell Sims, Union, S. C. (11/27/37)

 =Code No. = =Project, 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date, May 17, 1937=

 =No. Words _____= =Reduced from ____ words= =Rewritten by= =_____________=

=MOM JESSIE SPARROW=

=Ex-Slave, 83 years. =

"Honey, my white folks been well-to-do peoples. Dey ain' been no poorwhite trash. Dey hab 'stonishing blood in dey vein. I been b'long toMassa Sam Stevenson wha' lib right down dere 'cross Ole Smith Swamp. Deyain' hab no chillun dey own, but dey is raise uh poor white girl dere, Betty. Dey gi'e (give) she eve'yt'ing she ha'e en dey school she too. "

"De ole man, he mind ain' been zactly right when he die. Dey say he burysome o' he money down dere on he place jes 'fore he die. Coase I dunnonuthin 'bout it, but dats wha' dey tell me. Dey say dey never is finddat money a'ter he been dead. Reckon it dere yet, I dunno. Peoplesuse'er aw de time be plough up kegs en box full o' money en va'uableswha' de well-to-do folks been hide dere. "

"De white peoples use'er bury dey silver en dey money en aw deyva'uables late on uh evenin' er early on uh mornin' when de Yankees come'bout. De Yankees 'stroy aw us white peoples va'uables wha' dey is see. Um----dem Yankees sho' was 'structive whey dey is went. "

"My ole mammy been Sally Stevenson 'fore she marry en den she wuz SallyBowens. My ole Missus take she 'way from her mammy when she wuz jes uhlittle small girl en never wouldn't 'low her go in de coloredsettlement no more. She been raise up in de white folks house to be dehouse girl. Never didn't work none tall outside. She sleep on uh palletright down by de Missus bed. She sleep dere so she kin keep de Missuskivver (cover) up aw t'rough de night. My mammy ain' never do nuthin butbeen de house girl. My Missus larnt (learned) she how to cut en sew soshe been good uh seamstress is dere wuz anywhey. She help de Missus makeaw de plantation clothes en dere ain' never been no better washer enironer no whey den my ole mammy wuz. "

"When I wuz uh little small girl, us lib right dere in my ole Missusyard. Dey le' us chillun play aw us wanna den. Never did hadder do nonehard work tall. My Massa is some uh time send we chillun in de field toscare de crow offen de corn. Ain' never been no hoe hand in me life. When dey send we to scare de crow 'way, we is go in de field when fuss(first) sun up en we is stay dere aw day. Coase we is come to de housewhen 12 o'clock come en ge' we sumptin uh eat. Dese white folks 'roundhere don' hab no chillun to scare de crow offen dey corn nowadays. Deyhas aw kind o' ole stick sot (set) 'bout in de field wid ole pant encoat flying 'bout on dem to scare de crow 'way. Dere be plenty crow'bout nowadays too. I hears em hollerin aw 'bout in dis sky 'round 'bouthere. "

"I 'member when I use'er nu'se de white folks baby. I al'ays did lub tonu'se de babies, but I didn't never lub to nu'se no ug'y baby. I lub tohab uh pretty baby to nu'se. Didn't lak no boy baby neither. Don' lakboy baby nohow. Lubbed little girl baby. Lubbed to take de little girlsen dress em up in dey pretty clothes en carry dem out under de trees to'muse dem whey dere wuz plenty peoples 'bout to see em. Mammy al'ays 'udfuss at me 'bout puttin' on dey best clothes, but I ain' never do lakdese nu'se do nowadays. I take care o' my babies, didn't never 'low emwallow in de dirt lak yunnah see dese nu'se do 'bout here dese day entime. "

"I 'members one time I been nu'se little boy baby en I is larnt he hairto curl jes uz pretty. I bresh he hair eve'y morning en twist it 'roundme finger en he is had pretty curl uz dere wuz anywhey. Never lak deMissus to cut my baby hair off neither when I had larnt it to curl. "

"I been lub to wash little baby clothes too. I is primp em up so nice. Never did put no starch much in em. I do me best on em en when I ge't'rough, dey been look too nice to le' de child muss up. "

"Honey, I can' stand no chillun fuss 'round me no more dese days. Don'hab no chillun fuss 'round me peaceful little place. I tell aw mechillun en grandchillun en great-grandchillun dat I can' stand nochillun fuss 'round me no more. My Sammie, he marry three times en I axhim why he wanna marry so many time. I ain' never see no man I is wan'since my ole man die. "

"I ain' wha' I use'er to be, child. I ain' able to do nuthin more nowbut dem little bit o' clothes wha' Miss Betty hab. Coase she clothesain' hard to wash. Miss Betty mighty clean, honey, she mighty clean. Shedon' strip she bed but eve'y udder week en den de sheet ain' dirty onespeck. She does wash she self eve'y day en de sheet don' ge' de creaseout dem from one time dey wash till de next. I say I gwinna wash MissBetty clothes jes uz long uz de Massa'll le' me em. "

 _Source_: Personal interview with Mom Jessie Sparrow, age 83, colored, Marion, S. C. , May 1937. 

 =Code No. = =Project, 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date. May 24, 1937=

=MOM JESSIE SPARROW=

=Ex-Slave, 83 years. =

"I dunno, child, I don' 'member nuthin more den I tell yuh de uddertime. Is yuh been to see Maggie Black yet? I dunno how old she, but Iknow she been here. No, child, Maggie ain' dead. She lib right down derenext Bethel Church. She move 'way from Miss Mullins house when Gus die. Coase I ain' ne'er been in she house a'ter she move dere, but dey sayshe hab uh mighty restful place dere. Dat wha' dey tell me. Maggieoughta could tell yuh aw 'bout dem times. I ain' know nuthin more totell yuh. Don' tell yuh aw I know. "

"Who my mammy wuz? My mammy been Sallie Stevenson 'fore she marry en dena'ter she marry, she waz Sallie Bowens. Don' know whey dey ge' de Bowensfrom cause my pa been b'long to be uh Evans. Dat how come Miss Bettyknow so much 'bout me. She say we mighty nigh de same age. Coase I don'never 'spute Miss Betty word, but I don' t'ink so. "

"No, child, I dunno. Dunno how many chillun my mammy is hab. Dey aw beendie sech uh long time dat I don' forgot. Coase George, de carpenter, mybrother. He been train up by uh good carpenter man en Henry, wha' paintaw dese house 'bout here, b'long to be annuder one uv we. It jes lak'bout my own chillun, I ain' 'member how many dey wuz. I know dere 'boutt'ree uv dem bigguns dead, but aw dem babies, Lawd, I ain' 'member howmany dere wuz. Can' never recollect nuthin 'bout how many dere been comehere. "

"My mammy been de house girl in my white folks house. She marry when sheain' but 13 year old. Dat wha' she tell me. She say she marry to ge'outer de big house. Dat how come she to marry so soon. Say de whitefolks take she way from she mammy when she won' but uh little small girlen make she sleep right dere on uh pallet in de Missus room aw de time'fore she marry. Coase a'ter she marry, she been de house girl right onbut she never stay in de Missus house when night come. Us chillun ain'been 'low to stay in de big house. Dey hab uh room put on de kitchen famy mammy en she family to lib in. We chillun stay right dere in de yardwhey my mammy could look a'ter us in en 'round. My mammy hadder stay'bout my ole Missus aw de day en help she cut en sew de plantationclothes en wash en iron. Den she hadder help make quilts outer aw descrap dat been left o'er a'ter de garment was cut out. "

"Us chillun been fed from de table right dere in de Missus kitchen ensome uv de time my mammy 'ud bring us sumptin to eat, wha' wuz cook inde Missus kitchen, en le' us eat it in she room. Dey'ud gi'e us hominyen milk en meat fa us break'ast. My white folks hadder uh lot uv cows endey'ud gi'e us chillun plenty milk en clabber to eat. We is hab milk enclabber eve'y day en dey is gi'e us plenty meat to eat, so dey is dat. Child, I ain' know no slack eatin' 'round my ole Missus. Some uv de timewe hab hoecake en den annuder time dey'ud gi'e us obben (oven) bread. Dey cook eve'yt'ing on de fireplace in dem days, eve't'ing. Jes hab rodsput 'cross de fireplace in de kitchen wid pot hang on it. Dat whey deycook us ration. Dey'ud gi'e us t'ings lak peas en collards en meat fa wedinner. Den dey'ud gi'e us uh big bowl uv corn bread en clabber late inde evenin' cause jes lak I is call to yuh jes now, dey is use milk rightsmart in dem days. I lak eve'yt'ing wha' dey is hab to eat den. Deynever eat lak dese peoples eats nowadays. I won' larnt to lak aw kind uvt'ing. Dey use'er cook poke salad wha' been season wid meat. Don' yuhknow wha' dat? Poke salad is come up jes lak dose weed out dere en deyis cut de top offen dem en take aw de hard part outer em en den dey isboil em uh long time wid meat. Dey is eat right good too. Don' lakspinach en aw dat sumptin en don' lak celery neither. Don' lak butterput in nuthin I eats. I laks me squash fried down brown lak wid greasein de pan. I laks me beets wid uh little vinegay on em en season widsome sugar sprinkle on em. Don' lak em jes wid nuthin but uh little salten butter smear aw o'er dem lak some uv dese peoples 'bout here eat emnowadays. "

"Yas'um, we use'er eat plenty uv em possum. Eve'y one dey is ketch, usparent cook it. Us eat aw kinder wild animal den sech uz coon, possum, rabbit, squirrel en aw dat. Hab plenty uv fish in dem days too. Hab pondright next de white folks house en is ketch aw de fish dere dat we iswan'. Some uv de time dey'ud fry em en den some uv de time dey'ud makeuh stew. Dey'ud put uh little salt en onion en grease in de stew enanyt'ing dey been ge' hold uv. "

"Massa Sam been hab uh heap uv colored peoples 'sides we, but dey lib upon de hill in de quarters. My Missus, she see to it she self dat dey habgood bed wha' to sleep on en plenty sumptin uh eat. She docker (doctor)em when dey ge' sick too en she be mighty anxious ef dey sick mucha. Ushab good clothes en shoes den too. Coase de peoples'ud wear more clothesden, en dey'ud put on more undey shirt in de winter den dey wear in desummer. My white folks'ud make de plantation clothes outer gingham enjeanes cloth mostly. Dat jeanes cloth be wha' dey make little coat enpant outer. Dat sumptin jes lak homespun. "

"No, child, dey ain' ne'er gi'e us no money den. Never need no moneyden. My Massa been provide eve't'ing us hab, honey, eve'yt'ing. We ain'lak fa nuthin den. We chillun ain' been big 'nough to do nuthin butscare de crow offen de corn en some uv de time my ole Missus'ud hab wechillun sweepin' outer in de yard when she be out dere wid us. "

"Yas'um, honey, my white folks al'ays'ud see dat dey colored peoples'udgo to chu'ch (church) eve'y Sunday. We hadder walk dere to de white bigMethodist Chu'ch up de road en sot en de gallery. Yas'um de white folksis stay down en we is go up. Ef we chillun never go, my ole Missus'udteach us de catechism right dere in de back yard. Hadder wash us face enhand en come dere to she. Yas'um, I 'members dat aw right. "

"My white folks'ud ride to chu'ch in dey big ole carriage en deydriver'ud hab dey big black hosses bresh jes uz shiny. I forge' dedriver name. Dey hab uh pair uv dem black hosses wha' been match hossesen dey is look jes lak. En den one day de ole Yankees is come t'roughdere en dey is carry one uv dem 'way. A'ter dat dey hadder use one uv deplantation hoss in de place uv dis carriage hoss. De Missus'ud al'aystake my mammy in de carriage wid she too. Never left her home, so shetell me. Jes stuff she down dere 'tween de seats somewhey. "

 _Source_: Mom Jessie Sparrow, age 83, colored, Marion, S. C. Personal interview, May 1937. 

 =Code No. = =Project No. 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date, September 7, 1937=

=MOM JESSIE SPARROW=

=Ex-Slave, 83 Years=

=Marion, S. C. =

"No, honey, dere ain' not a soul live here but me. Man stay in dat otherroom dere just to be a little bit of company for me when night come. Heain' not a speck of kin to me, not a speck. Oh, he pay me a littlesomethin, but it not much. Mostly, I does want him for protection like. Ain' got but just dis one room for myself cause dat part out dere doesbe just like out in de yard. Dis Miss Mary Watson house en she tell mestay on here dat de house ain' worth no fixin. Don' know how long I behere. No, honey, I ain' got no property only just myself. Ain' got not abit. Ain' got nothin, child. I can' do no work dese days but dat littlebit of washin dat Miss Betty have en dat ain' nothin to depend on. Justtry to do a little somethin to help myself along. Nothin worth to speakbout though. "

"Miss Betty say we bout one age. My daddy belonged to Miss Betty fatheren dat how-come she know dere ain' much difference in us age. My mammywas de house 'oman on old man Sam Stevenson plantation en dat whe' I wasborn. When we was freed, I was a little small girl en my daddy moved usup here in town right over dere on de Gibson place. Fore den, when hehave a mind to see us, he had to come cross de swamp dere to old man SamStevenson place en dat de reason he move us. He say it take too muchpains to keep dat gwine back en forth. I remembers I finished growinright up here in dis town over dere on de Gibson place. My mammy havetask to cook dere en my daddy been de butler man, but I was small den. Can' recollect much bout it. Reckon I wouldn' hardly know de place whe'I was born if I go back dere now. De old man Sam Stevenson had nicehouse, but it burn down long time back. Dey tell me dat de first courtde peoples in Marion did ever know bout meet right dere on dat samespot. Coase I don' know nothin bout it, but dat what I hear dem say. "

"My Massa had a big plantation, honey, a big plantation wid heap ofcolored people house. I remember dey call up dat way from de house on dehill en all de servants house set up dere. So I hear my mammy say sheknow bout some white folks dat didn' half feed dey colored people endidn' half clothe dem in de winter neither, but our white folks alwaystreat us mighty good. Put shoes on all us feet in de winter en give usabundance of ration all de time. "

"Honey, I hear dem talkin bout dat war, but I can' tell you nothin boutdat. I recollects I see dem Yankees when dey come through my Massaplantation en took his best carriage horse. Had two of dem big blackcarriage horses dat was match horses en dem Yankees carry one of demaway wid dem. I hear dem say de white folks would bury dey silver enmoney in pots en barrels to hide dem from de Yankees. Oh, dem fiddlinYankees ax nobody nothin. Just go in de house en take dat what deywanted. Go right in de house en plunder round en take de peoples bestthings. Wouldn' take no common things. Wasn' right, but dey done it. Ihear talk dat a man plowed up a chest or somethin another de other dayfull of money, so dey tells me. I hear plenty peoples plow up all kindof things dese days in old fields dat ain' been broke up or throwed outfor years. I hear so, but I know I ain' never found none though. "

"I sho been here when dat shake come here, child. I been married eversince I was a grown 'oman en I was stayin right over yonder in dat housedere. My son Henry was de baby on me lap den en he tell me de other daydat he was bout 50 now. It come like a wind right from dat way. Somepeople tell me de ground was just a shakin en a mixin up, but I don'know how de ground was doin cause I never go on it. I hear delumberation comin or dat what I calls it en it come long en hit de sideof de house so hard dat all de dishes was just a rattlin. Every time deearth commence shakin, dem dish start jinglin. It come bout de earlypart of de night. I didn' know what to think it was till somebody comedere en say it been a earthquake. Say de ground was just a workin up. Itell you I ain' know what it was to be scared of, but dere been de oldArk (boarding house) standin cross de street den en dem people wasscared most to death. Dey thought it was de Jedgment comin on. Reckon Iwould been scared worser den I was, but I didn' get on de ground. No, honey, I reckon de house dat was standin up in dat day en time wassubstantial like en it didn' worry none of dem. "

"Is you seen Maggie Black any more? She been right sick, but she betternow. Yes, she been right puny. Don' know what ail her. "

"Honey, what can you tell me bout dat white man dat been shoot up boutMullins de other day. I hear people talk bout a man been shot by anotherman, but I ain' know nothin more den dat. Ain' hear none of de detailsonly as dey tell me dey catch de man dat got away next Dillon tryin toget back home. I tell you it a bad place up dere in Mullins durin distobacco time. Dey tell me dere be such a stir up dat people be rob enshoot all bout dere. Dat de reason I stay back here whe' ain' nobody toworry me. Some of dem be seekin for you when you sleep en den anothertime dey get you when you gwine long de road. I don' like so much fussen rousin en mix up round me. Dat de reason I does stay here by myself. "

"De people just livin too fast dis day en time, honey. You know some ofdese people, I mean my race, dey got a little bit of education en ain'got no manners. I tell dem if dey ain' got no manners, dey ain' gotnothin cause manners carries people whe' a dollar won' carry you. Diseducation don' do everybody no good. It get some of dem standin on detop of dey heads. Dat what it done to dem. Coase dey say everybodychillun got to go to school dis year en dat a good thing cause dere beso many runnin round makin mischief when dey ain' in school. I used totell my chillun I buy dey book en satchel en keep plenty meat en breadfor dem to eat en dey portion been to go dere en get dey learnin. If deyget whippin at school, I tell dem go back en get more. Didn' neverentice dem to stay home. "

"All I know bout Abraham Lincoln was dat he Abraham Lincoln en he de onecause freedom. I recollect dey used to sing song bout him, but I doneforget it now. Say dey hung Abraham Lincoln on de sour apple tree or oldJeff Davis or somethin like dat. Honey, dat all I know. Can' recollectnothin more den dat bout it. "

"Child, dis a pretty bad time de people got dese days, I tell you. CoaseI thankful don' nobody worry me. All treats me nice, both white enblack, what knows me. I be gwine down de street en folks come out decourthouse en say, 'Ain dat Mom Jessie? Mom Jessie, don' you rememberme?' I say, 'I know your favor, but I can' call your name. ' Dey tell meen laugh en let me lone. It just like dis, child, I puts my trust in deLord en I lives mighty peaceful like. I ain' got a enemy in de worldcause everybody speaks appreciatively of me. Dere somebody bringin mesomethin to eat all de time en I don' be studyin bout it neither. Firstone en den de other bring me a plate en somethin another. Don' want meto do no cookin. Say I might fall in de fire. Honey, de lady come byhere de other day en tell me I gwine get de old 'oman money pretty soonnow dat dere been so much talk bout. I be thankful when it get here too, child, cause I wants to get first one thing en de other to do some fixinup bout my house. "

"Well, honey, I tired now cause I ain' much today nohow. Can' recollectnothin else dis mornin. Don' know what you want to hear bout all demthings for nohow. "

 _Source_: Mom Jessie Sparrow, age 83, ex-slave, Bond Street, Marion, S. C. --Third Report. 

 Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, Sept. , 1937. 

 =Code No. = =Project, 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date, December 7, 1937=

=MOM JESSIE SPARROW=

=Ex-Slave, 83 Years=

"No, I ain' cold. I settin in de sun. Miss Ida, she went by here justnow en call at me bout de door been open en lettin dat cold wind blow inon my back wid all de fire gone out. I tell her, it ain' botherin menone, I been settin out in de sun. Well, I don' feel much to speak bout, child, but I knockin round somehow. Miss Ida, she bring me dis paper tostudy on. She does always be bringin me de Star cause she know dat Ilove to see de news of Marion. It right sad bout de Presbyterianpreacher, but everybody got to die, I say. Right sad though. We hear datchurch bell here de other evenin en we never know what it been tollinfor. I holler over dere to Maggie house en ax her how-come de churchbell tollin, but she couldn' tell me nothin bout it. Reckon some chillunhad get hold of it, she say. I tell her, dat bell never been pull by nochillun cause I been hear death note in it. Yes, honey, de people shogwine horne (grieve) after Dr. Holladay. "

"I say, I doin very well myself en I thankful I ain' down in de bed. Mighty thankful I ain' down in de bed en can set up en talk wid depeople when dey comes to see me. I ain' been up dere on your street in along time. Can' do much walkin dese days cause I ain' got no strength tospeak bout. Ain' been up town dere in bout two months. Mr. Jervey axJohn Evans what de matter dat I ain' been comin to de store to get myrations en John Evans tell him I been under de weather. Somehow another, dey all likes me up dere en when dey don' see me up town on Saturday, dey be axin bout me. Mr. Jervey, he come here de other day en bring mesome tobacco en syrup en cheese en some of dem other things what he knowdat I used to buy dere. He tell me dey all was wantin to see me back updere again. I say, I can' go up dere cause I give way in my limbs enjust comes right down whe' I don' have nothin to catch to. Got dis oldstick here dat I balances myself on when I goes out round bout de househere. Cose I don' venture to steady myself no far ways on it. "

"No, child, I ain' been up your way in a long time. I wash for MissBetty all my best days, but I ain' been up to de house in many a mornin. Miss Betty like myself now, she old. I tell dem up dere to de house, delast time I talk wid dem, don' mind Miss Betty cause her mind ain' nogood. I say, just gwine on en do what you got to do en let Miss Bettyrest. You see, Miss Betty always would have her way en dis ain' no timeto think bout breakin her neither. Cose I don' know nothin bout it, butMiss Betty say we bout one age. "

"I reckon Miss Betty got plenty pecans dis year cause she does rake demup by de tubfuls bout dis time of de year. I got my share of dem lastyear, but I ain' got no mind dat I gwine get any dis year less I go updere. Yes, mam, I got my share last year cause when I went to carryMiss Betty washin home, I could pick up all I wanted while I comethrough under de trees. My Lord, Miss Betty, she had a quantity of demlast year, but I ain' hear what de crop doin dis year. I don' carethough cause I wouldn' eat dem nohow widout I beat dem up en I ain' inno shape to go to all dat trouble. I loves peanuts good as anybody, butI couldn' never chew dem widout dey was beat up. "

"Honey, my child en her daughter comin from de northern states disChristmas to see me. Her name Evelyn, but dey call her Missie. She writehere dat she want to come en I tell my Sammie to send word dey iswelcome. Cose dey gwine stay wid my son, Sammie, cause dey got more roomden I is en dey got a cookin stove, too, but she gwine be in en out herewid her old mammy off en on. Yes'um, I wants to see her mighty bad sinceit be dat she been gone from here so long. When she first went up dere, she worked for a white family dere to Hartford, Connecticut, but it won'long fore she got in a fidget to marry en she moved dere toPhiladelphia. Dat whe' she livin now, so my Sammie tell me. "

"Den dere another one of my chillun dat I say, I don' never 'spect tosee no more on dis side of de world. Evelina, she get married en go wayout west to live. She de one what used to nurse Lala up dere to MissOwens' house. My God, honey, she been crazy bout Lala. Don' care whatshe been buy on a Saturday evenin, she would save some of it tillMonday to carry to dat child. My Evelina, she always would eat en sheused to bring Lala here wid her a heap of times to get somethin to eat. She would come in en fetch her dat tin plate up dere full of corn breaden molasses en den she would go to puttin dem ration way. Would put herown mouth full en den she would cram some of it down Lala's mouth in dechild's belly. You see, I always would keep a nice kind of syrup in desafe cause I don' like none dese kind of syrup much, but dis here ribboncane syrup. My Lord, dat child would stand up dere en eat just as longas Evelina poke it down her. Oh, Lala been just a little thing plunderinbout en I tell Evelina dat she ought not to feed dat child dem coarseration, but she say, 'Lala want some en I gwine give it to her cause Iloves her. ' No, child, Miss Owens never didn' worry her mind bout whe'Evelina been carry dat child. You see, she been put trust in Evelina. "

"I don' know what to tell you, honey. I bout like Miss Betty now. My'membrance short dese days. Oh, I hear talk bout all kind of signs depeople used to worry over en some of dem still frets bout dem, too. Heartalk dat you mustn't wash none on de New Years' Day. It bad luck, so aheap of dem say. Den some folks say it a sign of death to hear a owlholler at night. Some people can' bear to hear dem, but don' no owlsworry me, I say. Lord, Maggie, dis child ax me how a owl holler when ita sign of death. Well, dey does holler a right good space apart. Don'holler right regular. I ain' hear one holler now in a long time, but Iused to hear dem be hollerin plenty times out dere somewhe' another indem trees. Say, when some people been hear dem holler on a night, deywould stick a fire iron in de fire en dat would make de owl quit off. Ihear talk bout a lot of people would do dat. Den dere another sign depeople does have bout de New Years' Day. Reckon dat what dey call it, Idon' know. No, mam, I don' understand nothin bout it, but I does hearpeople speak bout dey craves to get a cup of peas en a hunk of hog jowlon de first day of de year. Say, dem what put faith in dem kind ofvictuals on de New Years' Day, dey won' suffer for nothin no time all denext year. Cose I don' know, but I say dat I eats it cause I loves it. "

"Well, child, dat bout all I know to speak bout dis evenin. It gettin socold, I don' know whe' I can manage here much longer or no. Cose mySammie, he want me to go stay dere wid him, but I can' stand no chillunfuss round me no more. I tell him dese people bout here be in en out toax bout me right smart en I think bout I better stay here whe' dere ain'nobody to mind what I do. You see, honey, old people is troublesome en Idon' want to be noways burdensome to nobody. Yes, mam, I gwine be righthere waitin, if de Lord say so, de next time I see you makin up datpath. "

 _Source_: Mom Jessie Sparrow, age 83, colored, Marion, S. C. Personal interview by Annie R. Davis, Dec. , 1937. 

 =Code No. = =Project, 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date, October 11, 1937=

=MOM JESSIE SPARROW=

=Ex-Slave, 83 Years=

"Good morning, honey, I ain' much today. How you is? No, I can' talknothin bout dem times today. Ain' know no more den I done tell you. Idoin very well considerin I can' get bout like I wants to. Doin verywell, honey. Peoples mighty nice to me, white en black. Cose I don'venture to get far off de lot, I be so poorly dese days. Ain' been boutup town dere in a month since Saturday. "

"Well, my chillun say for me to go live wid dem, but I don' want to godown to dat other far end of de town. I tell dem dey worry me so dat Ithink I rather be here in dis piece of house. See, I has such goodneighbors bout me here en dere be so much a fightin en gwine on in datother end of town. All de peoples speaks well of me, both white enblack, of dem dat knows me. Yes, mam, Miss Ellen tell me fore she diefor me to stay right here in dis house long as I live en ain' nobody isgwine worry me neither. No, child, Miss Mary Watson don' worry me, notone speck bout dis house. Miss Mary de only child dat Miss Ellen gotleft here. No, honey, I ain' studyin bout gwine nowhe' yet. Cose dehouse may fall down on me cause dat dere old kitchen over dere was goodwhen I come here, but it rot down. Dat how-come I ain' got no stove. Dekitchen rot down en de rain come in on de stove en rust it out. No, deydon' worry me none. I tell dem I ain' got nothin, but I settin here justas satisfied like. Cose I may get a little pension soon, but don' knowwhen it gwine get here. I ain' hear tell of nobody gettin it yet. Itell lady dat come here if I get it, it be all right en if I don' getit, dat be all right too. "

"Big sale on today, ain' dere, child? I hear talk bout dey gwine sellall de Witcover property en all dat, but I don' know. Dey sho got apretty day for it. I had on my old thick sweater, but it too hot. I hadto pull it off en put on dis here thin jacket. Can' go bout too naked, honey. "

"Yes'um, I know it was you come here de other night. Cose I can' see sogood, but I can hear de people voice en tell who dere time I hear demcomin up dat path. You see, I don' light my lamp first night nohow, derebe so much grass round here de mosquitoes comes in en worries me rightsmart. "

"Miss Foxworth en dem fixin to plant dey turnips over dere. MissFoxworth, I likes her very well to speak. She good-hearted, kind enclever. She comes over en talks wid me often cause us been friends eversince fore de old man been gone. Dey ain' got no kind of garden yet, butdey fixin to plant a fall garden out dere. "

"No, child, I done put Miss Betty clothes down. Tell her I ain' able towash no more en my Lord, Miss Betty sho hate to hear me say dat. Won'dat Miss Betty clothes was so hard, but it was de totin dem back enforth en den dere be so little bit of money in dem, didn' pay to hirenobody to carry dem. Cose she didn' pay me nothin worth much cause shedidn' never have nothin much, but a little changin of underclothes enbout one dress. Just had to starch bout one petticoat en one dress, butI can' hardly wash for myself dese days en I wouldn' never venture to dohers no more. No, honey, my conscience wouldn' allow me to overpowerMiss Betty for dem little bit of somethin en dey ain' dirty neither. Yousee, since Miss Emma been stayin dere, she in charge de house en usesall her tablecloths en such as dat. Miss Emma, she mighty nice to me. Every time I go up dere en I ain' been doin nothin for her neither, shesee can she find a cup of fresh milk or somethin another to hand me. "

"Reckon I gwine be lonesome right bout dis side next week cause all decolored schools gwine be open up Monday. You see, dere be so many schoolchillun en teacher livin on dis here street. Dat child over dere say shegwine be home right sharp after she be finish pickin cotton next week. Isay I ain' be obliged to leave dis country cause my white folks wouldn'never venture to come dere to dat other end of town to see me. All desechillun bout here mighty good to me. Don' never let me suffer fornothin. Dey caution me not to risk to cook nothin over dat fireplacecause dey say I might tumble over en can' catch myself. No, dey tell medon' do no cookin, I might fall in en burn up. No, child, I ain' chanceto cook none on dat fireplace since I been sick. Different ones bringsme somethin dis day en dat day. Don' suspicion nothin bout it till I seedem comin. Celeste over dere brings me breakfast en dinner every day enI don' never bother wid no supper cause I lays down too early. Den deykeeps me in plenty bread en rolls en I keeps a little syrup on hand eneats dat if I gets hungry. Dere Marguerite all de time bringin mesomethin, if it ain' nothin but a pitcher of ice. You see, dey makes deyice en it ain' costin her nothin. When I see her turn out dat piazza, Iknow she comin here. I ain' see her today, but I lookin for her. Used towash for dem too. Honey, I done a lot of work bout dis town en I don'suffer for nothin. All de people bout here be good to me. "

"No, mam, I ain' gwine let you take no more pictures. Ain' gwine take nomore. If Miss Montgomery say she comin here to take more pictures, tellher I ain' gwine take no more. No, child, I ain' studyin bout nopictures. I don' want no more. I got one big one up dere on de wall datshow me en my mammy en my son, Sammie, settin in a automobile. Dat mypicture settin up dere wid de white blouse on. I tell dem I look likesomethin den, but I too old en broke up now. My daughter, she want apicture en she kept on after us till we went up dere to whe' de carnivalwas. Carnival man had a automobile dat he take your picture in en we getin en set down en he snap de picture. I tell dem dey got one now en datought to be sufficient. Dat my mammy settin dere by me. She was sho afine lookin woman. Lord, Lord, honey, dem chillun love dem pictures, butI ain' studyin bout wantin my picture scatter all bout de country. "

"Yes, child, I sleeps all right. Go to bed early too fore anybody elseround here do. Yes, mam, I goes to bed early en don' never get up nonetill I see day shine in dem cracks. I was figurin somebody else ax medat de other day. Believe it was Dr. Dibble. My Sammie, he a mammychild. He never stop till he send de doctor here to see could he findout de ailment dat seem like was eatin me way. Dr. Dibble come here enset down in dat chair en ax me a heap of questions. Den he test my blooden give me a tonic dat he say would hope me. Yes, mam, dat my Sammiedoctor en he goes to see him often, he does have such a misery in hishead. Dat de first time Dr. Dibble ever been here, but I likes he mannermighty well. Dr. Zack was a good doctor too. Cose dat what dey tell me, but I ain' know nothin bout it. No, child, I been healthy all my days enI ain' had to worry bout no doctor. I tells dem when I falls down, Iwon' last long cause I been hearty all my days. "

"Your sister still in Dr. Dibble store (office), ain' she? Is she got acook yet? Dat it, I glad she got somebody to depend on cause dese youngpeople, can' tell bout dem. Dey be one place today en den dey apt to beanother place de next day. I used to cook dere to lady house cross destreet, but I never didn' cook no Sunday dinner dere. Dat lady been takein sewin en she would sew en press right on de big Sunday. I tell herdat a sin en she say she had to get finish somehow dat de folks waspushin her for dey clothes. I say, 'Well, dat you, ain' me. ' I go dereon Sunday mornin en cook breakfast en clean up en put wood in dekitchen. Den I would go to church en left dem to cook what dinner deyget. Dat de reason I won' cook for none dese white folks dis day en timecause when dey pays you dat little bit of money, dey wants every bityour time. I been proud when dat lady move from here cause I was tiredwalkin de road back en forth. People come here en beg me to cook fordem, but I tell dem I gwine stay right here en do my bit of washin. Gwine get along somehow wid it. "

"Bethel, down dere on de other side de jail, de only church I ever beena member of. We got to fix us church twixt now en next year. It needfixin bad. You see, it right on de Main street gwine down en does beright public out to de people. I was fixin to go to church Sunday gone, but my child never come after me. My son, Sammie, never show up, but hecome Sunday evenin laughin. Say, 'Ma, I know if I come by your house, you would want to go wid me. ' No, I ain' been so I able to go in fourSundays. "

"Child, you ought to had brought your parasol wid you cause you beensettin here so long, you gwine be late gettin whe' you started. Dis hereanother hot day we got come here. "

"Well, good-day, child. Speak bout how you is find Maggie Black to mewhen you pass back long dat street dere. "

 _Source_: Mom Jessie Sparrow, ex-slave, 83 years, Marion, S. C. Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, October, 1937. 

=Project #1655==W. W. Dixon==Winnsboro, S. C. =

=ROSA STARKE==_EX-SLAVE 83 YEARS OLD. _=

Rosa's grandfather was a slave of Solicitor Starke. Although she has hadtwo husbands since slavery, she has thrown their names into the discardand goes by the name of Rosa Starke. She lives in a three-room framehouse with her son, John Harrison, two miles south of Winnsboro, S. C. , on the plantation of Mrs. Rebecca V. Woodward. She still does farm work, hoeing and picking cotton. 

"They say I was six years old when de war commence poppin' inCharleston. Mammy and pappy say dat I was born on de Graham place, oneof de nineteen plantations of my old marster, Nick Peay, in 1854. Mypappy was name Bob and my mammy name Salina. They had b'longed to oldMarse Tom Starke befo' old Marse Nick bought them. My brudders was nameBob and John. I had a sister name Carrie. They was all older than me. 

"My marster, Nick Peay, had nineteen places, wid a overseer and slavequarters on every place. Folks dat knows will tell you, dis day, datthem nineteen plantations, in all, was twenty-seven thousand acres. Hehad a thousand slaves, more or less, too many to take a census of. Befo'de numerator git 'round, some more would be born or bought, and denominator had to be sent 'round by Marse Nick, so old Miss Martha, ourmistress, say. Her never could know just how many 'twas. Folks used tocome to see her and ask how many they had and her say it was one of themsums in de 'rithmetic dat a body never could take a slate and pencil andfind out de correct answer to. 

"Her was a Adamson befo' her marry old marster, a grand big buckra. Hada grand manner; no patience wid poor white folks. They couldn't come inde front yard; they knowed to pass on by to de lot, hitch up deir hoss, and come knock on de kitchen door and make deir wants and wishes knowedto de butler. 

"You wants me to tell 'bout what kind of house us niggers live in then?Well, it 'pend on de nigger and what him was doin'. Dere was just twoclasses to de white folks, buckra slave owners and poor white folks datdidn't own no slaves. Dere was more classes 'mongst de slaves. De fustclass was de house servants. Dese was de butler, de maids, de nurses, chambermaids, and de cooks. De nex' class was de carriage drivers and degardeners, de carpenters, de barber, and de stable men. Then come denex' class de wheelwright, wagoners, blacksmiths and slave foremen. Denex' class I 'members was de cow men and de niggers dat have care of dedogs. All dese have good houses and never have to work hard or git abeatin'. Then come de cradlers of de wheat, de threshers, and de millersof de corn and de wheat, and de feeders of de cotton gin. De lowestclass was de common field niggers. A house nigger man might swoop downand mate wid a field hand's good lookin' daughter, now and then, forpure love of her, but you never see a house gal lower herself bymarryin' and matin' wid a common field-hand nigger. Dat offend de whitefolks, 'specially de young misses, who liked de business of match makin'and matin' of de young slaves. 

"My young marsters was Marse Tom, Marse Nick, and Marse Austin. My youngmisses was Miss Martha, Miss Mary, and Miss Anne Eliza. I knows MarseNick, Jr. Marry a Cunningham of Liberty Hill. Marse Tom marry a Lylesand Marse Austin marry and move to Abbeville, after de war. Old marsterdie de year befo' de war, I think, 'cause my mammy and pappy fell in dedivision to Marse Nick and us leave de Graham place to go to de homeplace. It was called de Melrose place. And what a place dat was! 'Twason a hill, overlookin' de place where de Longtown Presbyterian Churchand cemetery is today. Dere was thirty rooms in it and a fish pond ontop of it. A flower yard stretchin' clean down de hill to de big road, where de big gate, hangin' on big granite pillars, swung open to let decarriages, buggies, and wagons in and up to de house. 

"Can I tell you some of de things dat was in dat house when de Yankeescome? Golly no! Dat I can't, but I 'members some things dat would'stonish you as it 'stonished them. They had Marseille carpets, linentable cloths, two silver candlesticks in every room, four winedecanters, four nut crackers, and two coffee pots, all of them silver. Silver castors for pepper, salt, and vinegar bottles. All de plates waschina. Ninety-eight silver forks, knives, teaspoons and table-spoons. Four silver ladles, six silver sugar tongs, silver goblets, a silvermustard pot and two silver fruit stands. All de fireplaces had brassfiredogs and marble mantelpieces. Dere was four oil paintin's in dehall; each cost, so Marse Nick say, one hundred dollars. One was his ma, one was his pa, one was his Uncle Austin and de other was of ColonelLamar. 

"De smoke-house had four rooms and a cellar. One room, every year, wasfilled wid brown sugar just shoveled in wid spades. In winter they woulddrive up a drove of hogs from each plantation, kill them, scald de hairoff them, and pack de meat away in salt, and hang up de hams andshoulders 'round and 'bout de smokehouse. Most of de rum and wine waskep' in barrels, in de cellar, but dere was a closet in de house wherewhiskey and brandy was kep' for quick use. All back on de east side ofde mansion was de garden and terraces, acres of sweet 'taters, watermillions (watermelons) and strawberries and two long rows of beehives. 

"Old marster die. De 'praisers of de State come and figure dat hismules, niggers, cows, hogs, and things was worth $200, 000. 00. Land andhouses I disremember 'bout. They, anyhow, say de property was over amillion dollars. They put a price of $1, 600. 00 on mammy and $1, 800. 00 onpappy. I 'member they say I was worth $400. 00. Young Marse Nick tell usdat the personal property of de estate was 'praised at $288, 168. 78. [A]

"De Yankees come set all de cotton and de gin-house afire. Load up allde meat; take some of de sugar and shovel some over de yard; take all dewine, rum, and liquor; gut de house of all de silver and valuables, setit afire, and leave one thousand niggers cold and hongry, and our whitefolks in a misery they never has got over to de third generation ofthem. Some of them is de poorest white folks in dis State today. I weepswhen I sees them so poor, but they is 'spectable yet, thank God. 

"After de war I stuck to de Peay white folks, 'til I got married to WillHarrison. I can't say I love him, though he was de father of all mychillun. My pappy, you know, was a half white man. Maybe dat explain it. Anyhow, when he took de fever I sent for Dr. Gibson, 'tend him faithfulbut he die and I felt more like I was free, when I come back from defuneral, than I did when Marse Abe Lincoln set us free. My brudder, Bob, had done gone to Florida. 

"I nex' marry, in a half-hearted way, John Pearson, to help take care ofme and my three chillun, John, Bob, and Carrie. Him take pneumonia anddie, and I never have a speck of heart to marry a colored man since. Ijust have a mind to wait for de proper sort, till I git to heaven, butdese adult teachers 'stroy dat hope. They read me dat dere is nomarryin' in heaven. Well, well, dat'll be a great disappointment to someI knows, both white and black, and de ginger-cake women lak me. 

"Is I got any more to tell you? Just dis: Dere was 365 windows and doorsto Marse Nick Peay's house at Melrose, one for every day in de year, mymistress 'low. And dere was a peach tree in de orchard so grafted datdat peach tree have ripe peaches on it in May, June, July, August, September, and October. "

[A] Probate records of Fairfield County. See Roll 110 of the Judge ofProbate for Fairfield County. 

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon= =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=JOSEPHINE STEWART=

=_EX-SLAVE 85 YEARS OLD. _=

Phinie Stewart, as she is known in the community where she lives, is asmall, black negress, who shows her age in appearance and movements. Shelives with Robert Wood, a hundred yards back of the Presbyterian Churchmanse at Blackstock, S. C. Robert Wood married Phinie's niece, who is nowdeceased. Phinie has no property, and depends entirely on the charity ofRobert Wood for her support. 

"Does you know where de old Bell House is, about a mile de other side ofBlackstock, on de Chester road? Yes? Well, dere is where I was borned, in May, 1853. 

"I doesn't know who my pappy was. You know in them times folks wasn'tparticular 'bout marriage licenses and de preacher tying de knot and alldat kind of thing. But I does know mammy's name. Her name was Celie. Dese eyes of mine is dim but I can see her now, stooping over de washtub and washing de white folks' clothes every Monday and Tuesday. 

"Us belonged to Marster Charlie Bell and his lady, Miss Maggie Bell, ourmistress in them slavery days. Does I 'member who Miss Maggie was befo'her married Marster Charlie? Sure I does. Mistress was a daughter ofMiss Anne Jane Neil, who lived to be a hundred and five years old, andits writ on her tombstone in Concord Cemetery. I 'spect you has seen it, ain't you? Old Miss Anne Neil was a Irish lady, born in Ireland acrossde ocean. She had a silver snuff box; I seen it. She'd take snuff outdat box, rub it up her nose and say: 'De Prince of Whales (Wales) giveme dis box befo' I come to dis country, and I was presented to his ma, Queen Victoria, by de Duke of Wellington on my sixteenth birthday. ' OldMiss Anne Neil claims she was born over dere de very night of de battleof Waterloo. And she would go on and 'low dat when de duke took her byde hand and led her up to de queen, him say: 'Your Majesty, dis younglady was born on de night of our great victory at Waterloo. '

"My young mistress was named Miss Margaret. She married Marse WadeBrice. I was give to them when I was 'bout five years old and I wentalong with them to Woodward, S. C. My mammy was give to them, too, at desame time. Us lived in Marse Wade's quarter, to de east of de whitefolks' house. Dere was a row of log houses, 'bout ten I think. Mammy andme lived in one dat had two rooms. De chimney was made of sticks andmud, but de floor was a good plank floor. De bed was a wood bedstead wida wheat straw tick. Dere was no windows to de house, so it was warm inde winter time and blue blazing hot in de summer time. 

"My white folks was mighty good to us; they fed us well. Us had woodenshoes and no clothes a-tall in de summer, 'cept a one-piece slip on. Mymistress die 'bout a year after her marry, and then Marster Wade marryMiss Tilda Watson, a perfect angel, if dere ever was one on dis redearth. She take a liking to me right at de jump, on first sight. Inussed all her chillun. They was Walter, Ida, Dickey, Lunsford, Wade, Mike, and Wilson. Then I nussed some of her grandchillun. Mr. BriceWaters in Columbia is one of them grandchillun. 

"Marse Wade went off to de war and got shot in de hip, but he jined decalvary (cavalry) soon after and was away when de Yankees come through. De Yankees burned and stole everything on de place. They took off all desheep, mules, and cows; killed all de hogs; cotch all de chickens, ducksand geese; and shot de turkeys and tied them to deir saddles as theyleft. De gin-house made de biggest blaze I ever has seen. Dere was shortrations for all de white folks and niggers after dat day. 

"In 1870 I was still dere wid Marse Wade and Miss Tilda, when de devilcome along in de shape, form, and fashion of a man. He was name SimonHalleg. I was young then, and a fool, when I married dat no 'countnigger. Us had two chillun, a boy, Allen, and a girl, Louise. Louisesickened and died befo' she was grown. Allen married and had one child, but him and de child are dead. My husband run away and left us. 

"About de time of de great cyclone, Miss Tatt Nicholson, a cousin ofMiss Tilda, come down and took me to Chester, to be a maid at deNicholson Hotel. I liked de work, but I got many a scare while I wasdere. In them days every hotel had a bar where they would mix whiskeyand lemons. Men could just walk up, put deir foots on de brass rail ofde bar counter and order what they want, and pay fifteen cents a drink. Sometimes they would play cards all night in de bar. One night an oldgent stopped his wagon, dat had four bales of cotton on it, befo' dehotel. He come in to get a drink, saw a game going on and took a hand. Befo' bed time he had lost all his money and de four bales of cottonoutside. 

"No, I didn't work in slavery times. Chillun didn't have to work. Deonly thing I 'members doing was minding de flies off de table wid abrush made out of peacock tail-feathers. 

"All de slaves had to go to church at Concord twice every month andlearn de Shorter Catechism. I has one of them books now, dat I usedseventy-five years ago. Want to see it? (She exhibits catechism printedin 1840 for slaves. )

"I left de hotel and come back to Miss Tilda Brice. I married JacobStewart then, and he was a good man. Us had no chillun. He been gone toglory eight years, bless God. 

"Yes, sir, I 'members de earthquake. It set a heap of people to prayingdat night. Even de cows and chickens got excited. I thought de end of deworld had come. I jined de Red Hill Baptist Church then, but mymembership is now at de Cross Roads Baptist Church. Brother Wright, depastor, comes to see me, as I'm too feeble to gallivant so far tochurch. 

"Dis house b'longs to Joe Rice. My nephew rents from him and is goodenough, though a poor man, to take care of me. 

"Please do all you can to get de good President, de Governor, orsomebody to hasten up my old age pension dat I'm praying for. "

 =Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg Dist. 4= =May 24, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"I was born near old Bush River Baptist Church in Newberry County, S. C. This was the white folks' church, but the colored folks have a BushRiver church in that section now. I was grown when the war started. Iwas a slave of Bonny Floyd. He was a good man who owned several slavesand a big farm. I was the house-girl then, and waited on the table andhelped around the house. I was always told to go to the white folks'church and sit in the gallery. 

"When the Patrollers was started there, they never did bother Mr. Bonny's slaves. He never had any trouble with them, for his slaves neverrun away from him. 

"The Ku Klux never come to our place, and I don't remember seeing themin that section. 

"We took our wheat to Singley's Mill on Bush River to be ground. We madeall our flour and grain. We plowed with horses and mules. 

"I am an old woman, sick in bed and can't talk good; but glad to tellyou anything I can. "

 Source: Bettie Suber (96), Newberry, S. C. Interviewer: G. L. Summer, Newberry, S. C. (5/18/37). 

 =Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg, S. C. = =May 25, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"I was born on the Enoree River in Newberry County. Tom Price was mymaster. I married Nathan Swindler when I was about grown. My father andmother was Dave and Lucy Coleman. I had a brother and several sisters. We children had to work around the home of our master 'till we was oldenough to work in de fields, den we would hoe and pick cotton, and doany kinds of field work. We didn't have much clothes, just one dress anda pair of shoes at a time, and maybe one change. I married in a ole silkstriped dress dat I got from my mistress, Miss Sligh. We had no'big-to-do' at our wedding, just married at home. In cold weather, I hadsometimes, heavy homespun or outing dress. When Saturday afternoonscome, we got off from work and do what we want. Some of us washed for deweek. We had no schools and couldn't read and write. Sometimes we couldplay in our yards after work was over or on Saturday afternoons. OnChristmas the master give us something good to eat. We didn't havedoctors much, but de ole folks had cures for sickness. Dey madecherry-bark tea for chills and fever, and root-herb teas for fevers. Lots of chills and fevers then. To cure a boil or wart, we would take ahair from the tail of a horse and tie it tight around both sides of thesore place. I think Abe Lincoln was a great man, and Jeff Davis was agood man too. I think Booker Washington was a great man for de coloredrace. I like it better now than de way it was in slavery time. "

 Source: Ellen Swindler (78), Newberry. S. C. Interviewed by: G. L. Summer, Newberry, S. C. , May 20, 1937. 

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon, = =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=MACK TAYLOR=

=_EX-SLAVE 97 YEARS. _=

Mack Taylor lives six miles southeast of Ridgeway, S. C. , on his farm ofninety-seven acres. The house, in which he resides, is a frame housecontaining six rooms, all on one floor. His son, Charley, lives withhim. Charley is married and has a small family. 

"Howdy do sir! I sees you a good deal goin' backwards and forwards toColumbia. I has to set way back in de bus and you sets up to de front. Ican't ketch you to speak to you, as you is out and gone befo' I can layhold of you. But, as Brer Fox 'lowed to Brer Rabbit, when he ketched himwid a tar baby at a spring, 'I is got you now. '

"I's been wantin' to ask you 'bout dis old age pension. I's been toWinnsboro to see 'bout it. Some nice white ladies took my name and askme some questions, but dat seem to be de last of it. Reckon I gwine toget anything?

"Well, I's been here mighty nigh a hundred years, and just 'cause Ipinched and saved and didn't throw my money away on liquor, or put itinto de palms of every Jezabel hussy dat slant her eye at me, ain't novaluable reason why them dat did dat way and 'joyed deirselves can getde pension and me can't get de pension. 'Tain't fair! No, sir. If I hada knowed way back yonder, fifty years ago, what I knows now, I might ofgallavanted 'round a little more wid de shemales than I did. What youthink 'bout it?

"You say I's forgittin' dat religion must be thought about? Well, I canread de Bible a little bit. Don't it say: 'What you sow you sure toreap?' Yes, sir. Us niggers was fetched here 'ginst our taste. Us fellde forests for corn, wheat, oats, and cotton; drained de swamps forrice; built de dirt roads and de railroads; and us old ones is got afair right to our part of de pension. 

"My marster, in slavery times, lived on de Wateree River. He had a largeplantation and, I heard them say, four hundred slaves. He was a hardmarster and had me whipped as many times as I got fingers and toes. Istarted workin' in de field when I was a boy fifteen years old. De workI done was choppin' de grass out of de cotton and pickin' de cotton. What's become of them old army worms dat had horns, dat us chillun wasso scared of while pickin' cotton? I never see them dese days but I'drather have them than dis boll weevil I's pestered wid. 

"My marster's name was Tom Clark. My mistress was a gentle lady, butfield niggers never got to speak to her. All I can say is dat de houseslaves say she was mighty good to them. I saw de chillun of de whitefolks often and was glad they would play wid us colored chillun. Whatdeir names? Dere was Marse Alley, Marse Ovid, Marse Hilliard, and MissLucy. 

"Old marster got kilt in de last year of de war, and Miss Margaret, datwas our Mistress, run de place wid overseers dat would thrash you forall sorts of things. If they ketch you leanin' on your hoe handle, they'd beat you; step out of your task a minute or speak to a girl, they'd beat you. Oh, it was hell when de overseers was around and demistress nor none of de young marsters was dere to protect you. Us wasfed good, but not clothed so good in de winter time. 

"My pappy didn't b'long to de Clarks at de commencement of de war. Oldmarster done sold him, 'way from us, to Col. Tom Taylor in Columbia. After de war, he run a shoe repair shop in Columbia many years befo' hedied. His name was Douglas Taylor and dat is de reason I took de name, Mack Taylor, when I give in my name to de Freedman's Bureau, and I'sstuck to it ever since. 

"I members de Yankees. Not many of them come to Miss Margaret's place. Them dat did, took pity on her and did nothing but eat, feed deirhorses, and gallop away. 

"Us was never pestered by de Ku Klux, but I was given a warnin' once, towatch my step and vote right. I watched my step and didn't vote a-tall, dat year. 

"Mr. Franklin J. Moses was runnin' for governor. Colored preachers waspreachin' dat he was de Moses to lead de Negroes out of de wilderness ofcorn bread and fat grease into de land of white bread and New Orleansmolasses. De preachers sure got up de excitement 'mongst de coloredwomen folks. They 'vised them to have nothin' to do wid deir husbands ifthey didn't go to de 'lection box and vote for Moses. I didn't go, andmy wife wouldn't sleep wid me for six months. I had no chillun by her. She died in 1874. After Nancy die, I marry Belle Dawkins. De chillun ushad was George, Charley, Maggie and Tommy. Then Belle died, and Imarried Hannah Cunningham. Us had no chillun. After she died, I marry awidow, Fannie Goings, and us had no chillun. 

"My son, George, is in Washington. My daughter, Maggie, is dead. Tommywas in Ohio de last I heard from him. I is livin' wid my son, Charley, on my farm. My grandson, Mack, is a grown boy and de main staff I leanon as I climb up to de hundred mile post of age. 

"I b'longs to de Rehovah Baptist Church. I have laid away four wives indeir graves. I have no notion of marryin' any more. Goodness and mercyhave followed me all de days of my life, and I will soon take up dis oldbody and dwell in de house of de Lord forevermore. "

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon= =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=DELIA THOMPSON=

=_EX-SLAVE 88 YEARS OLD. _=

"I's heard tell of you, and sent for you to come to see me. Look lak Ican no more git 'bout on dese under pins lak I use to. Dere's de swingyou can set in or chair right by me, now which you rather? I's glad youtakes de chair, 'cause I can keep steady gaze more better on dat face ofyour'n. Lord! I been here in dis world a long time, so I has. Was bornon de Kilgo place near Liberty Hill, don't know what county 'tis, butheard it am over twenty-five miles from dis town. 

"My old marster name Jesse Kilgo, so he was, and Mistress Letha Kilgo, dats his wife, good to him, good to me, good to everybody. My youngmistress name Catherine, when her marry Marster Watt Wardlaw, I was giveto them for a housemaid, 'cause I was trim and light complected lak yousee I is dis very day a setting right here, and talking wid you. 'Members how 'twas young missie say: 'You come go in my room Delia, Iwants to see if I can put up wid you'. I goes in dat room, winter timemind you, and Miss Charlotte set down befo' de fire, cook one of thempretty foots on de dog, don't you ketch dat wrong, dat it was a lap dogwhich 'twasn't but one of de fire-dogs. Some persons calls them andyirons (andiron) but I sticks to my raisin' and say fire-dogs. Well, sheallowed to me, 'Delia, put kettle water on de fire'. So I does in ajiffy. Her next command was: 'Would you please be so kind as to sweepand tidy up de room'? All time turnin' dat lovely head of her'n lak abird a buildin' her nest, so it was. I do all dat, then she say: 'You isgoin' to make maid, a good one!' She give a silvery giggle and say: 'Ijust had you put on dat water for to see if you was goin' to make anyslop. No, No! You didn't spill a drop, you ain't goin' to make nosloppy maid, you just fine. ' Then her call her mother in. 'See howpretty Delia's made dis room, look at them curtains, draw back justright, observe de pitcher, and de towels on de rack of de washstand, myI'm proud of her!' She give old mistress a hug and a kiss, and thank herfor de present, dat present was me. De happiness of dat minute is on meto dis day. 

"My pappy name Isom then, but when freedom come he adds on Hammond. Hispappy was a white man, and no poor white trash neither. My mammy nameViny. Us live in a log house close up in de back yard, and most all timeI was in de big house waiting on de white folks. 

"Did us git any 'ligion told us? Well, it was dis way, mistress talkheap to us 'bout de Lord, but marster talk a heap to us 'bout de devil. 'Twist and 'tween them, 'spect us heard most everything 'bout heaven andall 'bout de devil. 

"Yankees dat come to our house was gentleman, they never took a thing, but left provisions for our women folks from their commissary. 

"My first husband was Cupid Benjamin. My white folks give me a whitedress, and they got de white Baptist preacher, Mr. Collins to do degrand act for us. Cupid turned out to be a preacher. Us had threechillun and every night us had family worship at home. I's been nocommon nigger all my life; why, when a child I set up and rock my dolljust lak white chillun, and course it was a rag doll, but what of dat. Couldn't I name her for de Virgin Mary, and wouldn't dat name cover andglorify de rags? Sure it would! Then I 'sociate wid white folks allslavery time, marry a man of God and when he die, I marry another, TomThompson, a colored Baptist preacher. You see dat house yonder? Datswhere my daughter and grandchillun live. They is colored aristocracy ofde town, but they has a mighty plain name, its just Smith. I grieve overit off and on, a kind of thorn in de flesh, my husband used to say. Butboth my husbands dead and I sets here twice a widow, and I wonders how'twill be when I go home up yonder 'bove them white thunder heads us cansee right now. Which one them men you reckon I'll see first? Well, if itbe dat way, 'spect I'll just want to see Cupid first, 'cause he was deonly one I had chillun by, and them his grandchillun out yonder. "

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon= =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=ROBERT TOATLEY=

=_EX-SLAVE 82 YEARS OLD. _=

Robert Toatley lives with his daughter, his son, his son's wife, andtheir six children, near White Oak, seven miles north of Winnsboro, S. C. Robert owns the four-room frame house and farm containing 235 acres. Hehas been prosperous up from slavery, until the boll weevil made itsappearance on his farm and the depression came on the country at large, in 1929. He has been compelled to mortgage his home but is now comingforward again, having reduced the mortgage to a negligible balance, which he expects to liquidate with the present 1937 crop of cotton. 

Robert is one of the full blooded Negroes of pure African descent. Hisface, in repose, possesses a kind of majesty that one would expect inbeholding a chief of an African tribe. 

"I was born on de 'Lizabeth Mobley place. Us always called it 'CedarShades'. Dere was a half mile of cedars on both sides of de road leadingto de fine house dat our white folks lived in. My birthday was May 15, 1855. My mistress was a daughter of Dr. John Glover. My master marriedher when her was twelve years old. Her first child, Sam, got to be adoctor, and they sho' did look lak brother and sister. When her oldestchild, Sam, come back from college, he fetched a classmate, JimCarlisle, wid him. I played marbles wid them. Dat boy, Jim, made hismark, got 'ligion, and went to de top of a college in Spartanburg. MarseSam study to be a doctor. He start to practice and then he marry MissLizzie Rice down in Barnwell. Mistress give me to them and I went widthem and stayed 'til freedom. 

"My childhood was a happy one, a playin' and a rompin' wid de whitechillun. My master was rich. Slaves lived in quarters, 300 yards from debig house. A street run through the quarters, homes on each side. Bedswas homemade. Mattresses made of wheat straw. Bed covers was quilts andcounter-panes, all made by slave women. 

"My mammy's pappy was a slave brick-mason, b'longin' to a white familynamed Partillo, from Warrington, Virginia. He couldn't be bought 'lessyou bought his wife and three chillun wid him. 

"Never had any money; didn't know what it was. Mammy was a house woman, and I got just what de white chillun got to eat, only a little bitlater, in de kitchen. Dere was fifty or sixty other little niggers on deplace. Want to know how they was fed? Well, it was lak dis: You've seenpig troughs, side by side, in a big lot? After all de grown niggers eatand git out de way, scraps and everything eatable was put in themtroughs; sometimes buttermilk poured on de mess and sometimes potlicker. Then de cook blowed a cow horn. Quick as lightnin' a passle of fifty orsixty little niggers run out de plum bushes, from under de sheds andhouses, and from everywhere. Each one take his place, and souse hishands in de mixture and eat just lak you see pigs shovin' 'round sloptroughs. I see dat sight many times in my dreams, old as I is, eighty-two years last Saturday. 

"'Twas not 'til de year of '66 dat we got 'liable info'mation and feltfree to go where us pleased to go. Most of de niggers left but mammystayed on and cooked for Dr. Sam and de white folks. 

"Bad white folks comed and got bad niggers started. Soon things gotwrong and de devil took a hand in de mess. Out of it come to de top, decarpetbag, de scalawags and then de Ku Klux. Night rider come by anddrap something at your door and say: 'I'll just leave you something fordinner'. Then ride off in a gallop. When you open de sack, what youreckon in dere? Liable to be one thing, liable to be another. One timeit was six nigger heads dat was left at de door. Was it at my housedoor? Oh, no! It was at de door of a nigger too active in politics. OldCongressman Wallace sent Yankee troops, three miles long, down here. Lotof white folks was put in jail. 

"I married Emma Greer in 1879; she been dead two years. Us lived husbandand wife 56 years, bless God. Us raised ten chillun; all is doin' well. One is in Winnsboro, one in Chester, one in Rock Hill, one in Charlotte, one in Chesterfield, one in New York and two wid me on de farm nearWhite Oak, which I own. I has 28 grandchillun. All us Presbyterians. Canread but can't write. Our slaves was told if ever they learned to writethey'd lose de hand or arm they wrote wid. 

"What 'bout whuppin's? Plenty of it. De biggest whuppin' I ever heardtell of was when they had a trial of several slave men for sellin'liquor at da spring, durin' preachin', on Sunday. De trial come off atde church 'bout a month later. They was convicted, and de order of decourt was: Edmund to receive 100 lashes; Sam and Andy each 125 lashesand Frank and Abram 75 lashes. All to be given on deir bare backs andrumps, well laid on wid strap. If de courts would sentence like dat desedays dere'd be more 'tention to de law. 

"You ask me 'bout Mr. Lincoln. I knowed two men who split rails side byside wid him. They was Mr. McBride Smith and Mr. David Pink. Poor whitepeople 'round in slavery time had a hard tine, and dese was two of them. 

"My white folks, de Mobleys, made us work on Sunday sometime, wid defodder, and when de plowin' git behind. They mighty neighborly to richneighbors but didn't have much time for poor buckra. I tell you poorwhite men have poor chance to rise, make sump'n and be sump'n, befo' deold war. Some of dese same poor buckra done had a chance since then andthey way up in 'G' now. They mighty nigh run de county and town ofWinnsboro, plum mighty nigh it, I tell you. It makes me sad, on de otherside, to see quality folks befo' de war, a wanderin' 'round in rags andtatters and deir chillun beggin' bread. 

"Well, I mus' be goin', but befo' I goes I want to tell you I 'membersyour ma, Miss Sallie Woodward. Your grandpa was de closest neighbor andfust cousin to Dr. Sam. Deir chillun used to visit. Your ma come downand spen' de day one time. She was 'bout ten dat day and she and dechillun make me rig up some harness for de billy goat and hitch him to atoy wagon. I can just see dat goat runnin' away, them little chillunfallin' out backside de wagon and your ma laughin' and a cryin' 'bout desame time. I picks her up out de weeds and briars. "

 =Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg Dist. 4= =May 25, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=SLAVERY REMINISCENCES=

"I was born in the town of Newberry, S. C. I do not remember slaverytime, but I have heard my father and mother talk about it. They wereWashington and Polly Holloway, and belonged to Judge J. B. O'Neall. Theylived about 3 miles west of town, near Bush River. An old colored manlived nearby. His name was Harry O'Neall, and everybody said he was amiser and saved up his money and buried it near the O'Neall spring. Somebody dug around there but never found any money. There were twosprings, one was called 'horse spring', but the one where the money wassupposed to be buried had a big tree by it. 

"I married Sam Veals, in 'gravel town' of Newberry. I had a brother, Riley, and some sisters. 

"We would eat fish, rabbits, 'possums and squirrels which folks caughtor killed. We used to travel most by foot, going sometimes ten miles toany place. We walked to school, three or four miles, every day when Iwas teaching school after the war. I was taught mostly at home, by MissSallie O'Neall, a daughter of Judge J. B. O'Neall. 

"My father and mother used to go to the white folks' church, in slaverytime. After the war colored churches started. The first one in oursection was Brush Harbor. Simon Miller was a fine colored preacher whopreached in Brush Harbor on Vandalusah Spring Hill. Isaac Cook was agood preacher. We used to sing, 'Gimme dat good ole-time religion'; 'I'mgoing to serve God until I die' and 'I am glad salvation is free'. 

"Saturday afternoons we had 'off' and could work for ourselves. Atmarriages, we had frolics and big dinners. Some of the games were: ropejumping; hide and seek, and, ring around the roses. Of course, therewere more games. 

"Some of the old folks used to see ghosts, but I never did see any. 

"Cures were made with herbs such as, peach tree leaves, boiled as a teaand drunk for fevers. Rabbit tobacco (life everlasting) was used forcolds. Small boys would chew and smoke it, as did some of the old folks. 

"I have seven children, all grown; fourteen grand-children, and severalgreat-grand-children. 

"Judge O'Neall was one of the best men and best masters in the countrythat I knew of. I think Abraham Lincoln was a good man, according towhat I have heard about him. Jeff Davis was the same. Booker Washingtonwas a great man to his country and served the colored race. 

"I joined the church because I believe the bible is true, and accordingto what it says, the righteous are the only people God is pleased with. Without holiness no man shall see God. "

 Source: Mary Veals (72), Newberry, S. C. Interviewed by: G. L. Summer, Newberry, S. C. May 20, 1937. 

 =Project 1885-1= =Folklore= =Spartanburg, Dist. 4= =Oct. 21, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"I don't own no house. I live in a rented house. Yes, I work fer myliving. I don't 'member much 'bout slavery except what I heard my daddyand mammy say. My pa was Washing Holloway and my ma was Polly Holloway. Dey belonged to Judge O'Neall, and lived at his place 'bout three milesfrom town, near Bush River. 

"Judge O'Neall's house was real old, and dey had a store near it calledSpringfield, a kind of suburb at dat time. 

"After de war, we didn't have much clothes, 'cause everything was sohigh. Judge O'Neall died befo' de war was over, and his wife went toMississippi to live wid her married daughter. After de war, Miss Sallie, who was Judge O'Neall's daughter, learn't me to read and write, andother things in books. 

"My father and mother went to de white folks' church in slavery time. After de war, de negroes built deir first church and called it a 'brusharbor'. A negro preacher named Simon Miller was a good man and done lotsof good when he preached in de brush arbor. Dis was on de old BanduslianSprings hill, near de south fork of Scotts Creek. "

 Source: Mary Veals (73), Newberry, S. C. Interviewer: G. L. Summer, Newberry, S. C. (9/30/37). 

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon= =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=MANDA WALKER=

=_EX-SLAVE 80 YEARS OLD. _=

Manda Walker lives with her son-in-law, Albert Cooper, in a three-roomframe cottage in Winnsboro, S. C. Albert's first wife was her daughter, Sallie. Five of their children and Albert's second wife, Sadie, occupythe house with Albert and Manda. 

"Does you know where Horse Crick (Creek) branch is, and where WatereeCrick is? Ever been 'long de public road 'tween them water courses?Well, on de sunrise side of dat road, up on a hill, was where my slaverytime marster live. 

"I was born in de yard, back of de white folks' house, in a little loghouse wid a dirt floor and a stick and mud chimney to one end of dehouse. My marster was name Marse Tom Rowe and my mistress name MissyJane Rowe. They de ones dat tell me, long time ago, dat I was born befo'de war, in 1857. Deir chillun was Miss Mary and Miss Miami. 

"I no work much 'til de end of de war. Then I pick cotton and peas andshell corn and peas. Most of de time I play and sometime be maid to myyoung misses. Both growed into pretty buxom ladies. Miss Miami was ahandsome buxom woman; her marry Marse Tom Johnson and live, after dewar, near Wateree Church. 

"My pappy name Jeff and b'long to Marse Joe Woodward. He live on aplantation 'cross de other side of Wateree Crick. My mammy name Phoebe. Pappy have to git a pass to come to see mammy, befo' de war. Sometimedat crick git up over de bank and I, to dis day, 'members one time pappycome in all wet and drenched wid water. Him had made de mule swim decrick. Him stayed over his leave dat was writ on de pass. Patarollers(patrollers) come ask for de pass. They say: 'De time done out, nigger. ' Pappy try to explain but they pay no 'tention to him. Tied himup, pulled down his breeches, and whupped him right befo' mammy and uschillun. I shudder, to dis day, to think of it. Marse Tom and Miss Janeheard de hollerin' of us all and come to de place they was whuppin' himand beg them, in de name of God, to stop, dat de crick was still up anddangerous to cross, and dat they would make it all right wid pappy'smarster. They say of pappy: 'Jeff swim 'cross, let him git de mule andswim back. ' They make pappy git on de mule and follow him down to decrick and watch him swim dat swif' muddly crick to de other side. Ioften think dat de system of patarollers and bloodhounds did more tobring on de war and de wrath of de Lord than anything else. Why de goodwhite folks put up wid them poor white trash patarollers I never can seeor understand. You never see classy white buckra men a paterrollin'. Itwas always some low-down white men, dat never owned a nigger in deirlife, doin' de patarollin' and a strippin' de clothes off men, lakpappy, right befo' de wives and chillun and beatin' de blood out of him. No, sir, good white men never dirty deir hands and souls in sich work ofde devil as dat. 

"Mammy had nine chillun. All dead 'cept Oliver. Him still down dere widde Duke Power Company people, I think. When I come sixteen years old, lak all gals dat age, I commence to think 'bout de boys, and de boys, I'spects, commence to take notice of me. You look lak you is surprised Isay dat. You is just puttin' on. Old and solemn as you is, a settin'dere a writin', I bets a whole lot of de same foolishness have runthrough your head lak it run through Jerry's, when he took to goin' widme, back in 1873. Now ain't it so?

"Us chillun felt de pivations (privations) of de war. Us went in ragsand was often hungry. Food got scarce wid de white folks, so much had tobe given up for de army. De white folks have to give up coffee and tea. De slaves just eat corn-bread, mush, 'taters and buttermilk. Even depeas was commanded for de army. Us git meat just once a week, and then amighty little of dat. I never got a whuppin' and mammy never did git awhuppin'. 

"Us all went to Wateree Presbyterian Church on Sunday to hear Mr. Douglas preach. Had two sermons and a picnic dinner on de ground 'tweende sermons. Dat was a great day for de slaves. What de white folks lef'on de ground de slaves had a right to, and us sure enjoy de remains andbless de Lord for it. Main things he preached and prayed for, was asuccess in de end of de war, so mammy would explain to us when us'semble 'round de fireside befo' us go to bed. Her sure was a Christianand make us all kneel down and say two prayers befo' us git in bed. Delast one was:

 'Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray de Lord my soul to keep. If I should die befo' I wake, I pray de Lord my soul to take. Bless pappy, bless mammy, Bless marster, bless missie, And bless me. Amen!'

"Wheeler's men was just as hard and wolfish as de Yankees. They say deYankees was close behind them and they just as well take things as toleave all for de Yankees. 'Spect dat was true, for de Yankees come nex'day and took de rest of de hog meat, flour, and cows. Had us to run downand ketch de chickens for them. They search de house for money, watches, rings, and silverware. Took everything they found, but they didn't setde house afire. Dere was just 'bout five of them prowlin' 'round 'wayfrom de main army, a foragin', they say. 

"When Miss Margaret marry, old marster sold out and leave de county. Usmove to Mr. Wade Rawls' and work for him from 1876 to Jerry's death. IsI told you dat I marry Jerry? Well, I picked out Jerry Walker from abaker's dozen of boys, hot footin' it 'bout mammy's door step, and usnever had a cross word all our lives. Us had nine chillun. Us moved'round from pillar to post, always needy but always happy. Seem lak usnever could save anything on his $7. 06 a month and a peck of meal andthree pounds of meat a week. 

"When de chillun come on, us try rentin' a farm and got our supplies ona crop lien, twenty-five percent on de cash price of de supplies andpaid in cotton in de fall. After de last bale was sold, every year, himcome home wid de same sick smile and de same sad tale: 'Well, Mandy, asusual, I settled up and it was--'Naught is naught and figger is afigger, all for de white man and none for de nigger. '

"De grave and de resurrection will put everything all right, but I havea instinct dat God'll make it all right over and up yonder and dat allour 'flictions will, in de long run, turn out to our 'ternal welfare andhappiness. "

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon= =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=NED WALKER=

=_EX-SLAVE 83 YEARS OLD. _=

Ned Walker lives in the village of White Oak, near Winnsboro, S. C. , in atwo-room frame house, the dwelling of his son-in-law, Leander Heath, whomarried his daughter, Nora. Ned is too old to do any work of aremunerative character but looks after the garden and chickens of hisdaughter and son-in-law. He is a frequent visitor to Winnsboro, S. C. Hebrings chickens and garden produce, to sell in the town and theWinnsboro Hill's village. He is tall, thin, and straight, with kindeyes. Being one of the old Gaillard Negroes, transplanted from theSantee section of Berkeley County, in the Low Country, to the red hillsof Fairfield County, in the Up Country, he still retains words andphrases characteristic of the Negro in the lower part of South Carolina. 

"Yes sir, I's tall and slim lak a saplin'; maybe dat a good reason Ilive so long. Doctor say lean people lives longer than fat people. 

"I hear daddy read one time from de Bible 'bout a man havin' strength ofyears in his right hand and honor and riches in his left hand, butwhenever I open dat left hand dere is nothin' in it. 'Spect dat promiseis comin' tho', when de old age pension money gits down here fromWashington. When you 'spect it is comin'? De palm of my hand sho' beginto itch for dat greenback money. So you think it's on de way? Well, thank God for dat but it seem 'most too good to be true. Now I'll quitaskin' questions and just set here and smoke and answer, whilst you dode puttin' down on de paper. 

"Yes sir, I was born right here in de southeast corner of Winnsboro, onde Clifton place. De day I was born, it b'long to my master, DavidGaillard. Miss Louisa, dats Master David's wife, 'low to me one day, 'Ned don't you ever call de master, old master, and don't you everthink of me as old miss'. I promise her dat I keep dat always in mind, and I ain't gonna change, though she done gone on to heaven and is in dechoir a singin' and a singin' them chants dat her could pipe so prettyat St. Johns, in Winnsboro. You see they was 'Piscopalians. Dere was nohard shell Baptist and no soft shell Methodist in deir make up. It wasall glory, big glory, glory in de very highest rung of Jacob's ladder, wid our white folks. 

"Well, how I is ramblin'. You see dere was Master David and MistressLouisa, de king bee and de queen bee. They had a plantation down on deSantee, in de Low Country, somewhere 'bout Moncks Corner. One day MasterDavid buy a 1, 385 acres on Wateree Creek. He also buy de Clifton place, to live in, in Winnsboro. I can't git my mind back to tell you what Iwants for you to put on de paper. 'Scuse me, forgit everything, 'til yougit my pedigree down. 

"I done name Master David and Mistress Louisa. Now for de chillun. Uswas told to front de boys name wid Marse and de young ladies name widMiss. Now us can go and git somewhere. 

"Well, dere was Miss Elizabeth; she marry Mr. Dwight. Miss Maria marryanother Mr. Dwight. Miss Kate marry Mr. Bob Ellison, a sheriff. Her gottwo chillun in Columbia, Marse David and Marse DuBose Ellison. Then forde boys; they all went to de war. Marse Alley got kilt. Marse Dick riseto be a captain and after de war marry Congressman Boyce's daughter, Miss Fannie. Marse Ike marry and live in de Low Country; he die 'bouttwo years ago. Marse Sam marry a Miss DuBose and went wid General WadeHampton. 

"Marse Sam's son cut a canal that divide half and half de western partof de whole world. Us niggers was powerful scared, 'til Marse DavidGailliard took a hold of de business. Why us scared? Why us fear dat decenter of de backbone of de world down dere, when cut, would tipple overlak de halfs of a watermelon and everybody would go under de water in deocean. How could Marse David prevent it? Us niggers of de Gaillardgeneration have confidence in de Gaillard race and us willin' to sink orswim wid them in whatever they do. Young Marse David propped de sides ofde world up all right, down dere, and they name a big part of dat canal, Gaillard Cut, so they did. (Gaillard Cut, Panama Canal)

"Well, I keep a ramblin'. Will I ever git to Marse Henry, de one datlooked after and cared for slaves of de family most and best? MarseHenry marry a Miss White in Charleston. He rise to be captain andadjutant of de fightin' 6th Regiment. After de war him fix it so deslaves stay altogether, on dat 1, 385 acres and buy de place, as commontenants, on de 'stallment plan. He send word for de head of each familyto come to Winnsboro; us have to have names and register. Marse Henrycommand; us obey. Dat was a great day. My daddy already had his name, Tom. He was de driver of de buggy, de carriage, and one of de wagons, inslavery. Marse Henry wrote him a name on a slip and say: 'Tom as youhave never walked much, I name you Walker. '

"It wasn't long befo' daddy, who was de only one dat could read andwrite, ride down to Columbia and come back wid a 'mission in his pocketfrom de 'Publican Governor, to be Justice of de Peace. 

"Marse Henry ladle out some 'golliwhopshus' names dat day. Such as:Caesar Harrison, Edward Cades and Louis Brevard. He say, 'Louis, I giveyou de name of a judge. Dan, I give you a Roman name, Pompey. ' Pompeyturned out to be a preacher and I see your grandpa, Marse WilliamWoodward, in de graveyard when Uncle Pompey preached de funeral of oldUncle Wash Moore. Tell you 'bout dat if I has time. 

"Well, he give Uncle Sam de name of Shadrock. When he reach Uncle Aleck, he 'low: 'I adds to your name Aleck, two fine names, a preacher's and ascholar's, Porter Ramsey. ' 'Bout dat time a little runt elbow and butthis way right up to de front and say: 'Marse Henry, Marse Henry! I wantsa big bulldozin' name. ' Marse Henry look at him and say: 'You littleshrimp, take dis then. ' And Marse Henry write on de slip of paper:Mendoza J. Fernandez, and read it out loud. De little runt laugh mightypleased and some of them Fernandezes 'round here to dis day. 

"My mammy name Bess, my granddaddy name June, grandmamny, Renah, but allmy brothers dead. My sisters Clerissie and Phibbie am still livin'. Uswas born in a two-story frame house, chimney in de middle, four roomsdown stairs and four up stairs. Dere was four families livin' in it. Dese was de town domestics of master. Him have another residence on deplantation and a set of domestics, but my daddy was de coachman for bothplaces. 

"De Gaillard quarters was a little town laid out wid streets wide 'noughfor a wagon to pass thru. Houses was on each side of de street. A welland church was in de center of de town. Dere was a gin-house, barns, stables, cowpen and a big bell on top of a high pole at de barn gate. Dere was a big trough at de well, kept full of water day and night, incase of fire and to water de stock. Us had peg beds, wheat strawmattress and rag pillows. Cotton was too valuable. 

"Master didn't 'low de chillun to be worked. He feed slaves on 'tatoes, rice, corn pone, hominy, fried meat, 'lasses, shorts, turnips, collards, and string beans. Us had pumpkin pie on Sunday. No butter, no sweet milkbut us got blabber and buttermilk. 

"Oh, then, I 'bout to forgit. Dere was a big hall wid spinnin' wheelsin it, where thread was spin. Dat thread was hauled to Winnsboro andbrought to de Clifton place in Winnsboro, to de weave house. Dat houseset 'bout where de Winnsboro Mill is now. Mammy was head of de weavehouse force and see to de cloth. Dere was a dye-room down dere too. Theyuse red earth sometime and sometime walnut stain. My mammy learn all disfrom a white lady, Miss Spurrier, dat Master David put in charge dere atde first. How long she stay? I disremembers dat. Us no want for clothessummer or winter. Had wooden bottom shoes, two pair in a year. 

"Mr. Sam Johnson was de overseer. Dere was 'bout 700 slaves in deGaillard quarter and twenty in town, countin' de chillun. De young whitemarsters break de law when they teach daddy to read and write. MarseDick say: 'To hell wid de law, I got to have somebody dat can read andwrite 'mong de servants. ' My daddy was his valet. He put de boys to bed, put on deir shoes and brush them off, and all dat kind of 'tention. 

"De church was called Springvale. After freedom, by a vote, de membersjines up, out of respect to de family, wid de Afican Methodist'Piscopalian Church, so as to have as much of de form, widout desubstance of them chants, of de master's church. 

"No sir, us had no mulattoes on de place. Everybody decent and happy. They give us two days durin' Christmas for celebratin' and dancin'. 

"I marry Sylvin Field, a gal on de General Bratton Canaan place. Us havethree chillun. Nora Heath, dat I'm now livin' wid, at White Oak, BessieLew, in Tennessee, and Susannah, who is dead. 

"What I think of Abe Lincoln? Dat was a mighty man of de Lord. What Ithink of Jeff Davis? He all right, 'cordin' to his education, just lakmy white folks. What I think of Mr. Roosevelt? Oh, Man! Dat's our papa. 

"Go off! I's blabbed 'nough. You 'bliged to hear 'bout dat funeral?Will I pester you for 'nother cigarette? No sir! I ain't gonna smoke itlak you smoke it. Supposin' us was settin' here smokin' them de same? AGaillard come up them steps and see us. He say: 'Shame on dat whiteman', turn his back and walk back down. A Woodward come up them stepsand see us. He say: 'You d-- nigger! What's all dis?' Take me by decollar, boot me down them steps, and come back and have it out wid you. Dat's 'bout de difference of de up and low country buckra. 

"Now 'bout Uncle Wash's funeral. Uncle Wash was de blacksmith in deforks of de road 'cross de railroad from Concord Church. He was apowerful man! Him use de hammer and tongs for all de people miles andmiles 'round. Him jine de Springvale Afican Methodist 'PiscopalianChurch, but fell from grace. Him covet a hog of Marse Walt Brice and wassent to de penitentiary for two years, 'bout dat hog. Him contactedconsumption down dere and come home. His chest was all sunk in and hisribs full of rheumatism. Him soon went to bed and died. Him was buriedon top of de hill, in de pines just north of Woodward. Uncle Pompeypreached de funeral. White folks was dere. Marse William was dere, andhis nephew, de Attorney General of Arizona. Uncle Pompey took his text'bout Paul and Silas layin' in jail and dat it was not 'ternally againsta church member to go to jail. Him dwell on de life of labor andbravery, in tacklin' kickin' hosses and mules. How him sharpen de dullplow points and make de corn and cotton grow, to feed and clothe dehungry and naked. He look up thru de pine tree tops and say: 'I seeJacob's ladder. Brother Wash is climbin' dat ladder. Him is half way up. Ah! Brudders and sisters, pray, while I preach dat he enter in thempearly gates. I see them gates open. Brother Wash done reach de topmostrung in dat ladder. Let us sing wid a shout, dat blessed hymn, 'Dere isa Fountain Filled Wid Blood'. ' Wid de first verse de women got tohollerin' and wid de second', Uncle Pompey say: 'De dyin' thief I seehim dere to welcome Brother Wash in paradise. Thank God! Brother Washdone washed as white as snow and landed safe forever more. '

"Dat Attorney General turn up his coat in de November wind and say;'I'll be damn! Marse William smile and 'low: 'Oh Tom! Don't be too hardon them. 'Member He will have mercy on them, dat have mercy onothers'. "

 =Project #1655= =Stiles M. Scruggs= =Columbia, S. C. =

=DANIEL WARING=

=_EX-SLAVE 88 YEARS OLD. _=

"I was born in Fairfield County, South Carolina, in 1849, and myparents, Tobias and Becky Waring was slaves of the Waring family, andthe Bookters and Warings was kin folks. When I was just a little shaverI was told I b'longed to the family of the late Colonel Edward Bookterof upper Fairfield County. 

"The Bookter plantation was a big one, with pastures for cattle, hogsand sheep; big field of cotton, corn and wheat, and 'bout a dozen Negrofamilies livin' on it, mostly out of sight from the Bookter's big house. Two women and three or four Negro chillun work there, preparin' the foodand carin' for the stock. I was one of the chillun. Colonel Bookter'shousehold had three boys; one bigger than me and two not quite as big asme. We play together, drive up the cows together, and carry on infriendly fashion all the time. The nigger chillun eat with the two blackwomen in a place fixed for them off from the kitchen, after the whitefolks finish. We generally have same food and drink that the white folkshave. 

"When I was 'bout eleven years old my master took me to Columbia oneSaturday afternoon, and while Colonel Bookter was 'round at a liverystable on Assembly Street, he give me some money and tell me I couldstroll 'round a while. I did, and soon find myself with 'bout a dozen ofMaster Hampton's boys. As we walk 'long Gervais Street, we met a bigfine lookin' man with a fishin' tackle, goin' towards the river, andseveral other white folks was with him. As we turn the corner, the bigman kinda grin and say to us: 'Whose niggers are you?' The bigger boywith us say: 'We all b'longs to Master Hampton. ' He laugh some more andthen reach in his pocket and give each one of us a nickel, sayin' tothe white folks: 'Blest if I know my own niggers, anymore'. 

"Yes sir, I was 'bout fourteen years old when President Lincoln set usall free in 1863. The war was still goin' on and I'm tellin' you rightwhen I say that my folks and friends round me did not regard freedom asa unmixed blessin'. 

"We didn't know where to go or what to do, and so we stayed right wherewe was, and there wasn't much difference to our livin', 'cause we hadalways had a plenty to eat and wear. I 'member my mammy tellin' me thatfood was gittin' scarce, and any black folks beginnin' to scratch forthemselves would suffer, if they take their foot in their hand andramble 'bout the land lak a wolf. 

"As a slave on the plantation of Colonel Edward Bookter, I had a prettygood time. I knows I has work to do and I does it, and I always hasplenty to eat and wear in winter and summer. If I get sick I has adoctor, so we set tight until 1865. After the war we come to Columbia, and mammy made us a livin' by washin' for white folks and doin' otherjobs in the kitchen, and I worked at odd jobs, too. 

"We didn't get much money from the Freedmen's outfit, which was'stablished in Columbia. The white men who set it up and administeredthe Freedmen's funds and rations let some of their pets have much of it, while others got little or nothin'. An' existence become increasin'harder as nigger got more and more in the saddle. 

"During the war, and it seem to me it would never end, we heard much'bout President Lincoln. Niggers seem to think he was foolish to getinto war, but they generally give him credit for directin' it right asfar as he could. President Davis was powerful popular at the beginnin'of the conflict, but his popularity was far less when the war is overand he is in jail. 

"I was 'most grown at the end of the war, and I was at no time popularwith the black leaders and their white friends who rule the roost inColumbia for 'most thirteen years. I went back to my white friends inFairfield County and work for years for Mister T. S. Brice, and others onthe plantation. 

"I has been married three times, and am now livin' with my third wife. She and me am makin' a sort of livin', and is yet able to work. I canonly do de lightest work and the sweetest thought I has these days isthe memory of my white friends when I was young and happy. "

 =Code No. = =Project, 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date, June 2, 1937=

=NANCY WASHINGTON=

=Ex-Slave, 104 years. =

"Come in child. Jes set right dere in dat chair whey I c'n be mindful uvyuh cause I ain' hear but sorta hard lak dese days. I jes come in outerde field whey I been chopping 'round uh little wid me hoe, but eve't'ingis grow so black 'fore me eye dat I t'ink I better rest meself uhlittle. I tries to help Sam (her son) aw I c'n, but I ain' mucha 'countno more. I 104 year old en I ain' gwinna be heah much longer. Me markdone strak (strike) me right dere dis a'ternoon. Dat been jes de way myole mammy waz call. "

"Does yah know whey dat place call Ash Pole? Dat whey I wuz raise upwhen I b'long to Massa Giles Evanson. He wuz uh good ole fellow. I ain'know wha' it wuz to ge' no bad treatment by my white people. Dey tell mesome uv de colored peoples lib mighty rough in dat day en time but Ine'er know nuthin 'bout dat. I 'member dey is spank we chillun widshingle but dey ne'er didn't hit my mudder. "

"My Massa ne'er hab so mucha colored peoples lak some uv dem udder whitefolks hab. Jes hab my mudder en eight head uv we chillun. Hab 'nough togi'e eve'yone uv he daughter uh servant apiece when dey ge' marry. Ne'erhab nuthin but women colored peoples. My Massa say he ain' wan' no mancolored peoples. "

"De preacher Ford, wha' use'er lib right up dere in town, papa hab uhbig ole plantation wha' been jes lak uh little town. He hab hundredcolored peoples en dey is hab eve't'ing dere. Hab dey preachin' rightdere on de plantation en aw dat. "

"Coase my white folks hab uh nice plantation en dey keep uh nice houseaw de time. I wuz de house girl dere en de one wha' dey'ud hab to waiton de Missus. Dey'ud carry me eve'ywhey dey go. Al'ays know how I wuzfaring. My Missus wuz big en independent lak. Talk lak she mad aw detime, but she warnt. She ne'er wear no cotton 'bout dere no time. Habher silk on eve'y day en dem long yellow ear bob dat'ud be tetchin rightlong side she shoulder. I al'ays look a'ter de Missus en she chillun. Wash dey feet en comb dey hair en put de chillun to bed. But child, somewhite folks is queer 'bout t'ings. Dey watch yuh gwine 'bout yuh work enden dey'll wan' yuh to do sumptin fa dem. De ole man take me 'way fromhelping de Missus en send me out to plow corn en drap peas. I wuz shametoo cause I ne'er lak fa he to treat my Missus dat uh way. "

"De peoples ne'er didn't cook in no stove den neither. Dey hab big oleround dirt ubben (oven) to cook dey ration in. Dey make dey ubben outerwhite clay en hadder build uh shelter over it cause dey'ud cook outerin de yard. Dey ne'er cook but jes twice uh week. Cook on Wednesday enden ne'er cook no more till Saturday. I 'member de big ole ham dat deycook en de tatoes en so mucha bread. Jes hab 'bundance aw de time. I gotuh piece uv de ole slavery time ubben heah now. I ge' it outer en showit to yuh. Dis is one uv de leads (lids) en dey'ud put uh chain en hookon dere en hang it up in de fireplace. Dat de way dey cook dey ration. OLawd, ef I could ge' back to my ole home whey I could look in en see jesone more time, jes one more time, child. "

"I wuz jes uh girl when de Yankees come t'rough dere. Dey look jes lakuh big blue cloud comin' down dat road en we chillun wuz scared uv em. Dat land 'round 'bout dere wuz full uv dem Yankees marchin' en gwine on. Dey ne'er bother my white folks but in some uv de places dey jes ruinteve't'ing. Burnt up en tore down aw 'bout dere. "

"Yuh ain' ne'er see nobody weave no cloth nowadays. In de winter deyuse'er al'ays put woolen on de little chillun to keep em from gettingburnt up. Peoples wuz easy to cotch uh fire in dat time. Dey hab plentyuv sheep den en dis jes 'bout de time uv de year dat dey shear de sheep. Al'ays'ud shear de sheep in de month uv May. Dey is make aw kinder nicecloth den. I c'n charge en spin en make any kinder streak yuh wan'. Coase my mudder use'er weave de jeanes cloth en blanketing. "

"Dey use'er hab some uv dem corn-shucking 'bout dere but I ne'er take nopart in none uv dat. A'ter freedom declare, us pull boxes en dipturpentine. Dat wha' wuz in de style den. "

"I won' but 'bout 16 when I marry en I hab uh nice wedding. Marry rightdere in my Massa yard en hab white swass dress to wear. I marry uhsettled man offen uh rich man plantation en dey ne'er wan' me to marry, but dey ne'er say nuthin 'gainst it. Dey hab good manners den en mannersde t'ing dat carry peoples t'rough anyt'ing, child. "

 _Source_: Nancy Washington, age 104, colored, Dusty Hills, Marion, S. C. (Personal interview, May 1937). 

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon= =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=CHARLEY WATSON=

=_EX-SLAVE 87 YEARS OLD. _=

"Dis is a mighty hot day I tells you, and after climbing them steps Ijust got to fan myself befo' I give answer to your questions. You gotany 'bacco I could chaw and a place to spit? Dis old darkie maybe answermore better if he be allowed to be placed lak dat at de beginnin' of de'sperience. 

"Where was I born? Why right dere on de Hog Fork Place, thoughteverybody knowed dat! It was de home place of my old Marster DanielHall, one of de Rockefellers of his day and generation, I tells you, hesho was. My pappy had big name, my marster call him Denmore, my mammywent by de name of Mariyer. She was bought out of a drove from Virginnylong befo' de war. They both b'long to old marster and bless God live onde same place in a little log house. Let's see; my brother Bill is one, he livin' at de stone quarry at Salisbury, North Carolina. My sisterLugenie marry a Boulware nigger and they tells me dat woman done takedat nigger and make sumpin' out of him. They owns their own automobileand livin' in Cleveland, Ohio. 

"Us live in quarters, two string of houses a quarter mile long and justde width of a wagon road betwixt them. How many slaves marster had? Derewas four hundred in 1850, dat was de year I was born, so allowing for denatural 'crease, 'spect dere was good many more when freedom come. Ourbeds was made of poles and hay or straw. Was my marster rich? How comehe wasn't? Didn't he have a Florida plantation and a Georgia plantation?Didn't us niggers work hard for our vittles and clothes? It make melaugh de way de niggers talk 'bout eight hours a day. Us worked by de'can and de can't system'. What way dat you ask me? Well, was dis way;in de mornin' when it git so you can see, you got to go to work and atnight when it git so dark you can't see you ceasted to work. You seewhat I mean? My marster's white overseer 'dopted de 'can and can'tsystem' of work hours. My mammy had to plow same as a man, she did sir. Sometimes they pulled fodder and fooled wid it on Sunday. 

"You is a pushin' me a little too fast. Let me gum dis 'bacco and spitand I can do and say more 'zackly what you expect from me. My marsterhad sheep, goats, mules, horses, stallion, jackass, cows and hogs, andthen he had a gin, tan yard, spinnin' rooms, weave room, blacksmith shopand shoe shop. Dere was wild turkeys on de place, deer in de cane brakesand shad in de Catawba River. De Indians fetch their pots and jars tosell, and peddlers come to big house wid their humps on their backs andbright yards of calico and sich things de missus lak to feel and s'lectfrom. I see money then, but I never see a nigger wid money in his pawsin slavery time, never!

"Us was fed good on corn meal, hog meat, milk, butter, 'lasses, turnips, beans, peas and apples, never hungry. Boss whip me once for fightin' and Inever fought anymore, I tells you. 

"My mistress name Miss Sarah. Her was a Hicklin befo' she marry. Theirchillun was: Tom, Billie, Dan and Jason, all dead 'cept Marster Jason. De white overseer was Strother Ford. He give de slaves down the countrymaybe sometimes, so heard them say, but I didn't see him. 

"Did us sing? Yes sir. What us sing? One was what I's gwine hist rightdis minute and sing wid your lieve. (Here Charley sang, 'Give me dat oldtime religion'. )

"Us made 'simmon beer sometime and lye soap just 'bout in de same way, hopper was 'rected for dat. 'Simmons was put wid locust; hickory asheswas used to make soap. Every Christmas us got ginger cake and sassafrastea. 

"Doctor Scott was de doctor for de slaves. Us niggers was mighty sadwhen his son Willie's gun went off by accident and kill him in 1868. DeDoctor never smile again after dat cumbustion of dat gun. Does you'member de time Mr. Till Dixon was drowned? He your uncle? 'Twas defourth of July, I 'member dat day, and a boy Freddie Habbernick wasdrowned in Catawba in 1903. Dat river take a many soul over dat othershore, I tells you. "

 =S-260-264-N= =Project 935= =Samuel Addison= =Richland County=

=EX-SLAVE 91 YEARS OLD, CONGAREE, SOUTH CAROLINA=

=_THERE WAS NO GOD BUT MOSSA AN' MISSUS_=

"My pa name was Nat White who tell me dat I was bo'n about 1842. My mawas name Jane White. My pa use to carry all de votes from McClellanvilleto Charleston. He come from Tibbin, South Carolina. He also been all'round de United States. My Ma's Ma bin name Kate. I had sense to know'em all. 

"I know a heap o' sojus had on nice buttons an' had plumes in dere hats. Dey wus singin' an' playin' on a flute dis song, 'I wish I wus inDixie, ' an' dey went in de big house an' broke up ebery thing. Dey sayto me, 'you are as free as a frog, ' an' dey say to my pa, 'all yourchillun are free. ' Dey say 'little niggers is free as a frog' an' weholler much. 

"I aint nebber do no work, but I kin 'member I use to wear a pant youcall chambery. Ma cook a pot o' peas an' weevils wus always on de top. Ma would den turn mush an' clean a place on de floor, she make a paddlean' we eat off de floor. She use to bake ash cake too. I didn' know'bout no garden, all I know I eat. Dis what dey put on me I wear em. Inebber know nothin' 'bout shoes. 

"My master been name Bill Cooper who had a gal an' a son. De gal beenname Mary an' de boy Bill like de daddy. 

"Tarbin wus a big house, but I aint nebber know de number o' slaves or'mount o' lan' dat went wid um. 

"De slaves had a church name Lazarus an' some went to de white church. Dey had us bar off frum de whites an' we use to look t'rough a glassdoor. I member when a preacher say, 'honor your missus an' mossa datyour days may be long for dey is your only God. ' My Ma tell me when deyuse to lick dem she use to sing dis song, 'do pray for me' en ma sayw'en de lickin' got too hot she say 'oh God' en mossa say, 'show me datdamn man', den he say, 'I am your only God. My preacher name wus SabieMood. 

"De slaves couldn't git any news, but dey had to work on Sunday if deweek bin bad. W'en it rain dey use to shuck co'n. 

"W'en Bill Cooper die he holler to me, 'I'm burnin' up' an' ma saymissus say, 'iron me too hot, she meat is red like fire. '

"We use to sing song like dese;

 'Mary bring de news an' Martha win de prize. I mus die an' will die in dat day See dat oars like feathers springing'

"I marry Sarah on December 18th. Him de only one I marry an' we had abig weddin' an' plenty o' somethin' to eat. We had fourteen chillun. 

"Pa say mossa use to take de fork an' punch holes in dere body w'en hegot mad. People always die frum de pisin. 

"Dis is all I know I ain't go tell no lie, dat what pa say, I moved hereatter de yankees come. "

 Reference;

 Uncle Dave White, 91 years old Congaree, South Carolina. 

 =S-260-264-N= =Project 1885= =Laura L. Middleton= =Charleston, S. C. =

 =No. Words: 452=

=UNCLE DAVE WHITE=

=_An Old Time Negro_=

Uncle Dave White, one of the waning tribe lives in a simple homesteaddown a dusty and wind-swept curved country lane on the out skirt ofMcClenville, forty miles North of Charleston rests the simple shanty ofDavid White, aged Negro, affectionally known to the Negro and whitepopulation for many miles around as "uncle Dave". 

His quiet unadulterated mode of living and his never changing gratefuldisposition typifies the true Southern Negro of pre-Civil War days; arace that was commonplace and plentiful at one time, but is now almostextinct, having dwindled in the face of more adequate educationalfacilities. 

His homestead, resembling a barn more than a place to live in. Toprotect the house against the hazardous affects of imperilling winds, long poles are made to prop the somewhat dilapidated shanty. 

A visit to his home, one dark and dreary day in late December, found himas usual in the best of spirits. He welcomed the visitors with acordiality that would rival the meeting of two long lost friends. Thefront has no main entrance; the main door is around the back. There areconspicuous displays of many ancient burlap bags, heavy laden, hangingfrom high rafters, which contained corn and peanuts. 

"But why not keep them in your barn, Uncle Dave!" one would ask. 

"Well, suh, I keep mah co'n and grain nuts in yuh so mak eye can sta' on'em, " he replies. 

A further inspection of the premises revealed other precautions he hadtaken against the unwelcomed guests; a crude lock on each door and manyother precautionary measures convicted, that he was willing to take nounnecessary chances at having his worldly goods stolen. 

His age is truly a matter of conjecture. The more you look at him themore uncertain you become. His droopy carriage and shriveled featurebetray you at first sight. The first impression will lead one to believethat he is about one hundred years of age, and later it will appear thathe is not that old. 

We had known "uncle Dave" for a long time; for years it had been afamiliar sight to see him trudging the streets of the town with burlapbags thrown across his shoulders containing such household necessitiesas grits, salt, sugar, etc. , and such articles as the house wives wouldgive him out of sheer sympathy. To every friendly greeting he always hadthe humble response of "Tank Gawd, my eye is open. "

He is well known throughout the town. One Sunday night a short time ago, while the services of a white church were in progress, distinguishablesounds of Amen were heard at regular intervals coming from the outside. On investigating they discovered that it was "uncle Dave" reverentlyenjoying the proceedings. Many times he has been seen outside the samechurch listening to the services. 

 _SOURCE_ Interview with (Mrs. ) Minnie Huges, age 43, 179 Spring Street, welfare worker. 

 =Project 1655= =Martha S. Pinckney= =Charleston, S. C. =

 =FOLKLORE=

 =Approx. _637_ words=

=_INTERVIEW WITH EX-SLAVE_=

Everybody in the town of Mt. Pleasant, Christ Church Parish (across theBay from Charleston) knows "Tena White, the washer, " "Tena, the cook, ""Maum Tena" or "Da Tena, the nurse"--the same individual, accomplishedin each art, but best as a nurse. 

The house where Tena lives is the second in a row of Negro houses. Thewriter, calling from the gate, was answered by Tena, a middle-sizedwoman of neat figure. As the writer ascended the steps a friendly curwagged itself forward and was promptly reproved by Tena, who placed achair, the seat of which she wiped carefully with her dress. The piazzawas clean and on the floor a black baby slept on a folded cloth, with apillow under its head. The writer was soon on friendly terms with MaumTena, and was told: "As soon as my eye set on you, I see you favor thepeople I know. My people belonged to Mr. William Venning. The plantationwas Remley Point. I couldn't zactly member my pa's name. I member whende war come though. Oh dem drum; I nebber hear such a drum in my life!De people like music; dey didn't care nothing bout de Yankees, but dembands of music! My mother name Molly Williams. My pa dead long beforethat. All my people dead. I stayin' here with my youngest sisterchile--youngest son. He got seven head ob chillun. "

"I can do anything--wash or cook--aint no more cook though. Oh yes" andher eyes sparkled, "I know how to cook de turkey, and de ham wid delittle brown spots all over de top. Nobody can collec' my soup for me; Ifirst go choose my soup bone. One wid plenty richness. My chile say, 'While my Tena live I wouldn't want nobody else. ' But I couldn't take desponsibility now. "

"Maum Tena, how many children did you have?"

"Maggie an Etta an Georgie an Annie, etc. , etc. " so fast and so manythat one couldn't keep up. 

"Wait, Maum Tena. How many were there in all--your own children?"

"I nebber had a chile. "

"Oh, those were the children you nursed. "

"I marry twice. Caesar Robson an Aleck White. "

"Did you ever sing spirituals?"

"No, I nebber had time. "

"But you sang lullabies to the children. "

"Oh, I sing someting to keep de chile quiet. "

"Where is your church, Maum Tena?"

"De Methodist Church right here. I know I got for die some day. He keepme distance, [B] but when I look an see my flesh, I tenk de Lord forebbery year what pass on my head. Taint my goodness, tis His goodness. Nothing but the pureness of heart will see Him. "

[B] Has lived a long time. 

Tena was shocked and disgusted at the idea of the Lord being a "blackman. " She said with perfect certainty that he was "no such. "

"We all goin to de same Heaven, and there aint no black people there. "

The writer asked Tena her age; before she could answer, her great-niececame to the door and said, "She eighty-eight. " Tena was indignant. Hereyes flashed. "I aint goin to hab nobody come along puttin down my agewhat dunno anyting about it. I ought to be as high as nine. Let um be ashigh as nine. "[C]

"If I didn't been round de house wid white people I wouldn't hab disopportunity today, an dey good to me an gib me nuf to keep my soul anbody together. My mother raise me right. When de Yankee come through webeen at Remley Point. My Ma took care ob me. She shut me up and she gardme. De Yankee been go in de colored people house, an dey mix all up, andey do jus what dey want. Dey been brutish. 

"De beautiful tureen, stand so high and hab foot so long" lifting herhands, "an all de beautiful ting smash up, an all de meat an ham in desmoke house de stribute um all out to de people, an de dairy broke up, an de horse an de cow kill. Nothin leave. Scatter ebberyting. Nothinleave. "

[C] Meaning her age should be in the nineties. 

 =SOURCE: Tena White, Mt. Pleasant, Christ Church Parish, S. C. = =Age: Approximately 90. =

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon= =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=BILL WILLIAMS=

=_EX-SLAVE 82 YEARS OLD. _=

Bill Williams lives on the Durham place, nine miles east of Winnsboro, S. C. , on the warm charity of Mr. Arthur M. Owens, the present owner. Heis decrepit and unable to work. 

"I was born a slave of old Marster John Durham, on a plantation 'boutfive miles east of Blackstock, S. C. My mistress name Margaret. Deirchillun was Miss Cynthia, Marse Johnnie, Marse Willie and Marse Charnel. I forgits de others. Then, when young Marse Johnnie marry Miss MinnieMobley, my mammy, Kizzie, my daddy, Eph, and me was give to them. Daddyand mammy had four other chillun. They was Eph, Reuben, Winnie andJordan. Us live in rows of log houses, a path 'twixt de two rows. Us wasclose to de spring, where us got water and mammy did de white folkswashin' every week. I kep' de fires burnin' 'round de pots, so de waterwould keep boilin'. Dat's 'bout all de work I 'members doin' in slaverytime. Daddy was a field hand and ploughed a big red mule, name Esau. Howmany slaves was dere? More than I could count. In them days I couldn'tcount up to a hundred. How, then, I gonna kno' how many dere was? Youhave to ask somebody else. I'll just risk sayin' dere was big and littleones, just a little drove of them dat went to de field in cotton pickin'time, a hollerin' and a singin' glory hallelujah all day long, and picktwo bales a day. 

"Marse Johnnie and Miss Minnie mighty good marster and mistress to deirslaves. We had good rock chimneys to our houses, plank floors, movablebedsteads, wid good wheat straw ticks, and cotton pillows. Other folks'slaves was complainin' 'bout dirt floors in de houses, boards to sleepon, no ticks, and rags for pillows. Us got flour bread and 'lasses onSunday, too, I'm here to tell you. 

"They sho' fetch dat catechism 'round on Sunday and telled you who madeyou, what Him make you out of, and what Him make you for. And they saydat from de crown of your head to de top of your big toe, de chief endof every finger and every toe, even to de ends of your two thumbs, wasmade to glorify de Lord! Missus more 'ticular 'bout dat catechism thande marster. Her grandpa, old Marster John Mobley was a great Baptist. After de crops was laid by, every August, him visit his granddaughter. While dere, he take de slaves and dam up de branch, to make a pond forto pool de water. Then he take to de hill just 'bove, cut down pinetops, and make a brush arbor to hold de prachin' in. 'Vite whitepreachers, Mr. Cartledge, Mr. Mellichamp or Mr. Van, to come hold a'vival for all de slaves in and 'round and 'bout de country. I's seen 27go down and come up out dat pool, a splashin' water from deir faces, oneSunday evenin'. A terrible thing happen one time at de baptism. It waswhile de war was gwine on. Marse Johnnie had come back from Virginia, ona furlough for ten days. Old Marse John come to see him and fetch Rev. Mr. Cartledge wid him. People was pow'ful consarned 'bout 'ligion 'long'bout dat time. Me and all de little slave boys jined dat time and derewas a little boy name Ike, a slave of old Doctor John Douglas, datjined. Him was just 'bout my age, seven or eight years old. After himjined, him wanna back out of goin' down into de water. Dat evenin', after dinner, us was all dressed in a kind of white slip-over gown forde occasion. When it come Ike's time to receive de baptism, him was ledby his mammy, by de hand, to de edge of de water and his hand given tode preacher in charge, who received him. Then he commenced: 'On deconfession----'. 'Bout dat time little Ike broke loose, run up de bank, and his mammy and all de slaves holler: 'Ketch him! Ketch him!' OldMarse John holler: 'Ketch him!' They ketch little Ike and fetch him backto old Marse John and his mammy. Marse John explain to him dat it betterto have water in de nose, now, than fire in de soul forever after. Little Ike say nothin'. His mammy take his hand and lead him to depreacher de same way her did befo'. Little Ike went down into de water. Preacher take him but when little Ike got down under dat water, depreacher lose de hold and bless God, in some way little Ike got 'twixtand 'tween de preacher's legs and comin' out behind him, turnt himsommersets and climb out on de bank a runnin'. Little Ike's mammy cryout: 'Ketch him! Ketch him!' Old marster say: 'No let him go to dedevil. Thank de Lord him none of our niggers anyhow. Him just one of Dr. Douglas' Presbyterians niggers dat's destined to hell and be damned, Ireckon. "

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon= =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=JESSE WILLIAMS=

=_EX-SLAVE 83 YEARS OLD. _=

At the end of one of the silent streets of west Chester, S. C. , thatprolongs itself into a road leading to the Potter's Field and on to theCounty Poorhouse, sets a whitewashed frame cottage. It has two rooms, the chimney in the center providing each with a fireplace. A porch, supported by red cedar posts, fronts the road side. In this abode livesJesse Williams with his daughter, Edna, and her six children. Edna paysthe rent, and is a grenadier in the warfare of keeping the wolf from thedoor. 

"You say I looks pretty old? Well, you's right 'bout de old part but I'sfar 'way from de pretty part. I got a hand glass in my house and when Ishaves on Sunday mornin's, I often wonders who I is. I doesn't look lakme. My best friend couldn't say I got much on looks, but my old dog raphis tail on de floor lak he might say so, if him could speak. 

"I's been off and on dese streets of Chester for eighty-three years. Iwas born a slave of Marse Adam C. Walker and my old miss was MistressEliza, dat's his wife. 

"My pappy name Henry and mammy name Maria. I can see them plowin' in defield right now. Mammy plowin' same as pappy and me runnin' 'longbehind, takin' de dirt off de cotton plants where de twister plow turntde clods on de plants. Then, when dat cotton field git white and red widblooms in summer and white agin in de fall, I have to shoulder my pokeand go to de field and pick dat cotton. I 'members de fust day dat Ipick a hundred pounds. Marse Adam pull out a big flat black pocket-bookand gived me a shinplaster, and say: 'Jesse, ever time your basket h'istde beam of de steelyards to 100, you gits a shinplaster. ' I make eightycents dat year but I have to git up when de chickens crow for day andgit in de field when de dew was heavy on de cotton. Does I think dat wascheatin'? Oh, no sir! I wasn't 'ceivin' old marster. Him wink at dat, and take a pound off for dew. I'd a made more money but they took me outde field in November, to drive de mules to de hoss-gin. Dat was playwork, just a settin' up dere and poppin' de whip. 

"Marster live in a big two-story, eight-room house. De kitchen was outfrom de house. After Christmas, dat year, I was house boy and drive debuggy for Miss Eliza when her want to go visitin'. I was fed well andspent my money for a knife, candy, and firecrackers. 

"My marster and missus have chillun. They was Peter, Jerry, Miss Elnora, and Miss Sallie, dat I play wid in slavery time. 

"De Yankees didn't come as far up as Chester. They branched off down'bout Blackstock, took de sunrise side of dat place and march on 'crossCatawba River, at Rocky Mount. I stay on wid Marse Adam and Miss Eliza, after freedom. I marry a handsome gal. Yes, sir, she dark but not tooshady. I harks back to them days, as I sets here in dis rocker a talkin'to you. Did I tell you her name? Her name just suit her. Not Jane, Polly, Mag, Sallie, and de lak of dat! Them was too common for her. Hername Catherine, dat just fit her. Us have ten chillun and her and allthem 'cept me and three chillun done gone over to Jordan. Dere was justone thing 'bout Catherine dat I's dubious 'bout. She lak to dance, and Iwas too clumsy for to ever cut a double shuffle. I 'spect I cut a poorfigure at de frolics us went to. Does you think burnin' a candle for herwould do any good at dis late day? Why I ask you dat? Well, I has heardthem say dat white folks does dat sometimes for deir gone-on ones. Mydaughter, Edna say: 'It might do you good and it could do mama no harm. 'I b'longs to Mount Moriah Church in dis very town of Chester. Depreacher am Rev. Alexander. He 'low it was superstition to burn datcandle but if I live I's gwine to light one nex' Christmas. 

"Us had a good marster and mistress. They was big buckra, never 'sociatewid poor white trash. They wore de red shirt. De time come 'round whenthey send me to Marse Will Harden and he pass me on to go see MarseJudge Mackey, who live here then. Did I know Judge Mackey? Sho' I did!While he was a settin' up dere on de bench in de court house, he haveall de people laughin'. One time de father of Marse W. B. Lindsey beat upa Radical nigger and de case come up befo' him for trial. Great'citement 'bout it, over de whole county. Court house packed dat day. Solicitor rise and say: 'Please your honor, de 'fendant, Lindsey, put ina plea of guilty. ' You might have heard a breast feather of a chickenfall, so very still was de people in dere, though de niggers and'publicans was a grinning wid joy. Then Judge Mackey 'low: 'Let de'fendant stand up. ' Wid a solemn face and a solemn talk, him wound upwid: 'Derefore, de court sentence you to de State Penitentiary at hardlabor for a period of ten years (Then him face light up, as heconclude), or pay a fine of one dollar!' De white folks holler: 'Threecheers for Judge Mackey!' De judge git up and bow, and say: 'Order in decourt. ' As dere was no quiet to be got, clerk 'journed de court. Dejudge take his silk beaver hat and gold headed cane and march out, whilede baliffs holler: 'Make way! Make way for de honorable judge!'Everybody took up dat cry and keep it up long as de judge was on destreets. Oh, how dat judge twirl his cane, smile, and strut. 

"Did I ever see a spirit? 'Spect I has and I sho' have felt one morethan once. 'Spect I was born wid a caul over my eyes. When de lastquarter of de moon come in de seventh month of a seventh year, is demost time you see spirits. Lyin' out in de moon, befo' daybreak, I'ssmelt, I's heard, I's seed and I's felt Catherine's spirit in de moonshadows. I come nigh ketchin' hold of her one night, as I wake up adreamin' 'bout her but befo' I could set up, I hear her pass 'way, through de treetops dat I was layin', dreamin' under. 

"Then another time, I was settin' here 'bout four o'clock in demoonlight a lookin' 'cross de street to de town hall. I see sumpin' riseand jump upon dat rock a lyin' dere 'ginst de town hall. It was defigger of a man. Who it was I don't know, though they de call de rock de'Aaron Burr Rock', 'cause he made a speech standin' on dat rock, longbefo' I was born. De people in de library can tell you 'bout dat speech. Maybe Dr. Lathan tell you 'bout it. Him ninety-five years old dis lastpast twelfth day of May and knows all 'bout de days dat are gone. 

"I live wid my daughter, Edna, and I just can make it back dere from depost office every day. "

 =Code: Folk-Lore= =Project 1885 -1-= =District #4= =Spartanburg, S. C. = =May 26, 1937=

=FOLK-LORE: EX-SLAVES=

Aunt Mary Williams stated she remembered slavery times, for she was agirl large enough to walk four miles to go to work "while slavery wason". She said Mr. Alfred Brown used to own her mother, but she wasraised by Mrs. Margaret Taylor who used to live where the oil mill isnow, below Arkwright Mills. Her father was owned by Mr. Simpson Bobo anddrove his horse for him. She stated she was a good hoe-hand, but didn'tpick cotton, as Mr. Brown didn't raise any cotton, just raised somethingto eat. 

She said her master was a kind man, didn't allow any "paterollers" onhis place, yet she had seen other slaves on other plantations withbloody backs and arms from the whippings they got. When asked why theywere whipped, she replied, "Just because their masters could whip them;they owned them and could do what they wanted to them". Her masterdidn't allow any whipping on his place. One time he kept a slave fromanother plantation who was fleeing the "paterollers" on his place and inhis own house until he was set free. 

"I'se got the looking glasses and the thimble my great-grandmother usedto use when she worked. She was a good weaver and a good sewer. She madea man an overcoat once, but didn't get but $1. 25 for it; she made a pairof men's breeches and got fifty cents for making them. They didn't getnothing for making clothes in those days". 

She remembered when the Yankee soldiers came into Spartanburg. She saidthey took all they could get, stole something to eat, just went into thestores and took liquor and handed it out drink by drink to the othersoldiers. Aunt Mary stated she saw Abe Lincoln when he came throughSpartanburg; said he was armed himself and had soldiers all around him. He told the colored folks who seemed scared of him that he wasn't goingto hurt anybody, not to be scared of him. (Here she must have confusedLincoln with some one else, probably Colonel Palmer, who commanded adetachment in pursuit of Jefferson Davis, which stopped over-night inSpartanburg in April, 1865. FK. )

 SOURCE: Aunt Mary Williams, 391 Cudd St. , Spartanburg, S. C. Interviewer: F. S. DuPre, Spartanburg, S. C. 

 =Project 1655= =Genevieve W. Chandler= =Georgetown County, S. C. =

 =FOLKLORE=

=EX-SLAVE STORY=

=UNCLE WILLIS WILLIAMS=

"When wuz I born? Born in August. When I wuz born been August. I wuz aman grown pulling boxes, (turpentine boxes) when the shake wuz. I knowthe very night the shake come----on a Wednesday night. I wuz on doorstep loosing my shoe string. There wuz more religion then than they isnow. Praying and prayer meeting for a month. Everybody tend meeting. 

"I been with the Yankee. I kin tell you bout the Yankee. They come homethere to Rock Creek when the war wuz breaking up and carried me toFayetteville. (N. C. ) Kept me with 'em till Johnson surrendered inRaleigh, ----then they kept me in Goldsboro and took me on to Petersburg. After everything over they give me free transportation back home. Freeon train back to Fayetteville. They had put all the Yankee clothes onme, ----all the blue shirt, blue coat and bumps on the shoulder, --andwhen they start me home took all the Yankee clothes way from me. Putgray clothes on me and sent me back. I member they took me up in away-up-yonder building--to Richmond. Couldn't tell you the depth of it. Man on the ground looked like boy. 

"The man I belonged to been Mass John A. Williams. (Born on the CapeFear. ) I goes by Mass John name--Williams. His sons been John, James, Charlie, Wallis, William, James. James come home from army sick. Had themumps; thirty days furlough. 

"Member when the Yankees come. Been Sunday morning. Ride up to the gateon horses. Old Boss happened to come out and walk to the lot. I happenedto be at gate. They took his watch out his pocket, his pistol--had itgirded to him--and took all he whiskey and catch chickens and guinea andtake them all. Then they gone in the lot and took two breeding mares andhitch them in wagon and loaded wagon full o' corn. Then they took thetwo carriage horses and hitched to carriage, and gone to smoke-house, and fill that carriage full of all Mass John sides of meat and ham andshoulders. I been following and watching to see what all they going totake, and a soldier looked at me and say, "'Come on little Nigger! Wanter go?'

"And I done like another fool! I rode off behind the two brood mares, onthe corn, and where they rested that night, I rested right there. 

"It was mighty cold up there. I suffered a heap in the cold fore I gotback home. They give me a horse, --saddled and bridled, --and a littlebayonet gun. Put me on that horse to drive cattle. Tell me to take all Isee. Didn't except nobody cattle. Night come put 'em in pasture--put 'emin anybody field--on the oats, rye, wheat. 

"Sometimes rain sho fall. --Had to tend that bunch of cattle rain or norain. Didn't kill one beef and stop! (Kill) FOUR beeves a day. Go outgit the hog and kill 'em. Skin 'em. Didn't scald 'em and clean 'em likewe do. Just eat the ham. Rest throw way. Gone to Wilmington, Fayetteville, Rookfish and Beaver Creek. 

"General Sherman? Has I hear bout him? I SEEN him! He had a big name buthe warn't such a big man; he was a little spare made man. I member nowwhen I seed him the last time. He had two matched horses going down toPetersburg. Six guards riding by the side of his turnout. Oh my God, what clothes he had on! He was dressed down in finest uniform. 

"When I leave the Yankee they give me $35. 00 in money. I been so foolhad never seen no green back. Throwed it away eating crackers andpeanuts. And I bought some brogan shoes. If I'd a helt on to that, I'd abeen some body today. 

"I members it was Sunday morning that General Johnson throwed up hishand at Raleigh. Done with the war!

"Before Freedom I have a good enough time. Just lay round the house andwait on my boss. When Freedom come and I did have to get out and work itmost kill me!

"After Freedom my mother wash for family to Beaver Creek. And afterFreedom my father went to working on shares. Old Maas John called 'em upand tell 'em, "'You free, Asa. You free, Lewis. You free, Handy. You free, Wash. Youcan do as you please. You have to fadge for yourself now. '

"Mass John Williams had four hundred slaves. He was a man had thecolored people. He didn't work all on his own plantation. He'd hire outhis people to work turpentine. ----Put 'em out for so much a year. He'dgive 'em blanket, suit, coat, pants. First of the year come, Boss wouldcollect wages for all he hire out. 

"That there my second wife. You know how a man is. How many wife I had?Two or three. Lemme see! (Looking at present wife) You is one! You thelast one! Fust one been Jinny Lind. Next one been Mary Dickson. AndCaressa Pyatt been one! And there been another one! I forgot that womanname! Got it in my mouth and can't call it! I'll call the name of themothers I take up with in a little while! One was Caline; one was Tissue;(Tisha?) I take them a little while and if they didn't do to suit me, Iput 'em out! Some I didn't stay with long nuff to find out they name!Jinny Lind sister was Tissue. Jinny Lind gone, try her sister. Just a'make out'. If they didn't do to suit me, I'd give 'em the devil and put'em out. 

"Don't know bout beating woman. Some say that bout, 'Woman, dog, cypress knee more you beat'em the better they be!'

"But some woman, the more you beat 'em the worse the devil gets in 'em. Get so they won't 'GEE' nor 'HAW'. 

"When I was house boy for old Mass John, waiting on white people, thatwas the best and easiest time I ever had. Ever Satdy drive Mass John toFayetteville. Ever Satdy they'd think that store belong to me! I'd eatlumps of brown sugar out the barrel, candy, crackers. Did as I pleasethen; NOW do as I kin!

"'Ways of woman and ways of snake deeper than the sea!' I take that tomean----mighty few can tell by the trail of a snake whether its comingor going----

"I hear story bout the rabbit and the fox--all them old things--Sometimes my mind franzy. Been break up too much! Break two ribs to thelumber mill. Jump out a cart one day and run a ten penny nail through myfoot. That lay me up two months. Some mean people ketch me up by thattree yonder with a car and that lay me up sixty-five days. They pick meup for dead that time. All that make my mind get franzy sometimes. Comeand go--Come and go. "

 SOURCE: Uncle Willis Williams. Age, 89 to 90 years old. Conway, S. C. (Horry County). 

 =Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg Dist. 4= =May 25, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"I was a Garmany before I married Calvin Wilson. My father was HenryGarmany, and my mother Sidney Boozer. My husband was in the Confederatearmy with his master. Dey was near Charleston on de coast. I was slaveof Lemuel Lane, of de Dutch Fork. He was killed after de war, some sayby some of his young slaves, but we'uns did not know naything about whokilled him. We had a good house to live in on Marse Lane's plantation. Iused to work around the house and in de fields. My mother was a goodseamstress and helped de white folks sew, and she learn't me to sew hadhelp too. We didn't get any money for our work. One time after de war, dey paid me only $5. 00 and I quit 'em. My mother hired me out to workfor her, and I didn't have any money, still; so I said I better get me aman of my own. Marse Lane was mean to most of us, but good to me. Hewhipped me once and I deserved it because I wouldn't answer him when hecalled me. He jes' give me about two licks. He was mean to my mother, but he wouldn't let his white overseer whip us, and wouldn't let depadder-rollers come around. He said he could look-out for his ownslaves. 

"We didn't learn to read and write, but some of de white folks hadlearned my mother, and she learned me some. 

"Niggers had to go to church at New Hope, de white folks' church, inslavery time and after de war too. We had Saturday afternoons to do whatwe wanted, and we washed clothes then. 

"On Christmas, Marse would give de slaves some good things to eat andsend some to dere families. Niggers had frolics at dere houses sometimeson Saturday nights. When I married, I had a good hot supper. 

"Children played all de ole games like, play-ball (throwing over thehouse), marbles and base. 

"Some saw ghosts, but I never saw any of dem. 

"Old-time cures was peach tree leaves boiled and drunk for fever; wildcherry bark was good for most anything if took at night. I have used itfor curing some things. The best cure I know, is turpentine and a littleoil mixed. Swallow it and it will fix you up. 

"The Yanks went through our place and took two of the best horses wehad. One had a tail that reached the ground. Dey stole lots of victuals. I 'member de Ku Klux wid dere long white sheets, and den de Red Coatswid white breeches. Dey would walk or ride, but dey never harmed us. 

"I don't know much about Abe Lincoln, but I reckon he was a good man, and Jeff Davis, too. I don't know Booker Washington but heard he was agood man. 

"I joined de church because de white folks did. Dey wants to go toheaven and I do too. I think everybody ought to try to do right. I usedto think we could make heaven down here, but if we jes' do right, datsall we can do. "

 Source: Emoline Wilson (90), Newberry, S. C. Interviewer: G. L. Summer, Newberry, S. C. May 21, 1937. 

 =Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg Dist. 4= =Sept. 22, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"I was born in Newberry County near Cannon's Creek section in the DutchFork. I was a slave of Lemuel Lane. He was killed by some slaves justafter freedom. They killed him for his money but didn't find any, it wassaid. When freedom come, my mistress give me some things to eat when weleft. 

"I can't work much any more; I am old and I can't get about. I live withmy son who works when he can find work. We rent a two-room cottage intown. 

"I never heard anything about slaves getting 40 acres of land and amule. None in that section got any. We had to go to work for otherpeople. 

"The Ku Klux Klan never bothered us then, and we never had nothing to dowith them, nor with politics. 

"There was no slaves living in our section who had come from Virginia. "

 Source: Emoline Wilson (90), Newberry, S. C. Interviewer: G. L. Summer, Newberry, S. C. 8/10/37 (See ES IV, MS. #13). 

 =Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg Dist. 4= =June 15, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"I am daughter of Billy Robertson and Louisa Robertson; was born about77 years ago in Newberry, on Marse Job Johnstone's place. My fatherlived with Judge Job Johnstone as his extra man or servant. He lived inthe house with him, slept in his room and waited on him when he becameold; and, too, was the driver of his carriage. He drove him to othercourthouses to hold court. After the war, my father was janitor atNewberry College, and he was liked by professors, students, andeverybody who knew him as 'Uncle Billy'. At commencement, he always madea speech at night on the campus, which the students enjoyed. He toldabout his travels from Virginia to Newberry before the war. JudgeJohnstone never wanted anybody else to be with him when he traveled. 

"I belonged to the Avelleigh Presbyterian Church in Newberry, and waschristened in the church by the preacher, the Rev. Buist. Colored peoplewere allowed to be members and set in the gallery when they went tochurch. 

"After the war, a colored man named Amos Baxter was killed by the KuKlux at the old courthouse. My father was on Judge Johnstone's farm afew miles away. He was sent for and came with another colored man totown, and prayed and preached over the body of Baxter. The Ku Klux cameto kill my father for doing this, but they never caught him. 

"I had to stay home most of the time and help mama keep house. I neverworked in the field but once, and the job was so poor they put me backin the house. That was the old Nance place. 

"Once I saw a man hung in Newberry. He was a negro named Thompson andkilled a white man named Reid. He killed him at a store in Pomaria andburned it over his body. He was hung near the railroad, and a big crowdwas there to see it. That was my first time to see a man hung, and Ipromised God it would be my last. They asked the negro if he hadanything to say, and give him five minutes to talk. He was setting on abox smoking; then he got up and said he reckoned his time was over, hewas sorry for all the bad things he had done; that he had killed a boyonce for 25 cents, and had killed a little girl for 20 cents. He wassorry for his wife and three weeks old baby. His wife saw him hung. 

"The Ku Klux wanted to kill any white people who was Republicans. Theykilled some negroes. A white man named Murtishaw killed Lee Nance, astore keeper. I was a little girl and saw it. Some little children wasstanding out in front. Murtishaw came up and said he wanted to buysomething or pretended he wanted to; then he went up to Nance, pulledhis pistol quick and shot him through the throat and head. 

"Judge Johnstone's kitchen was away from the house, a brick building. They had large ovens and wide fireplaces in which they cooked. 

"My father's favorite horses, when he drove the family, was 'Knox' and'Calvin', which they kept for many years. When they died the mistresscried awfully about it. 

"My husband died at old Mr. Dan Ward's place, on College Hill, where hewas living then. "

 Source: Jane Wilson (77), Newberry, S. C. Interviewer: G. L. Summer, Newberry, S. C. (6/9/37)

 =Code No. = =Project, 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date, June 11, 1937=

=MOM GENIA WOODBERRY=

=Ex-Slave, 89 years=

"Glad to see yunnah. Who dese udder wid yah? Who yuh? Lawd, I glad tosee yunnah. I nu'se aw Miss Susan fust chillun. Ne'er nu'se dem las'uns. Sicily been yo' mamma nu'se. Nu'se Massa Ben Gause child fust en den Inu'se four head uv Miss Susan chillun a'ter she marry Massa JimStevenson. Sleep right dere wid dem chillun aw de time. Miss Susan ne'erdidn't suckle none uv dem chillun. I tell yunnah dis much, Massa JimStevenson was good to aw uv his colored people en Miss Susan wuz good tome. I sho' born right down yonner to Massa Ben Gause plantation. GadeCaesar en Mary Gause wuz my parents. Yas'um, I is glad to see desechillun cause yuh know whey white folks hab feeling fa yah, it sho' makeyuh hab feeling fa dey chillun. I ole now en I can' 'member eve'yt'ingbut I ain' ne'er forge' wha' good times dem wuz. "

"My Lawd! Yas, my Lawd, de peoples lib well dere to Massa Jim Stevensonplantation. De white folks hab big house dere wid eve'yt'ing 'bout itjes lak uh town. I couldn't tell yunnah how many colored peoples dey habdere but I know dis, I hear em say dere wuz more den two hundred uv emdat lib in de quarter. Dey house wuz in uh field offen to itself dere onde plantation en wuz strung aw up en down in two long row lak. Dey wuzset up in good libin' den. "

"Coase I ain' lib dere in de quarter wid de udder colored peoples a'terI ge' big 'nough to be nu'se girl, but I know how dey fare dere. MyMassa hab uh smoke house full uv meat en uh barn full uv corn aw de timeen eve'y Friday a'ternoon aw de colored peoples hadder do wuz to go dereto de big house en ge' dey share uv meat en 'lasses en corn to las' emde whole week. Ne'er hadder worry nuthin 'bout it tall. Dey hab deygristmill right dere whey dey grind dat corn eve'y week. Yah ain' ne'ersee no sech barn en heap uv meat dese days uz dey hab den. Dem hogkillin' days wuz big times fa dem plantation peoples. It jes lak Itellin' yunnah my Massa gi'e he colored peoples mos' eve't'ing dey haben den he 'low eve'y family to hab uh acre uv land uv dey own to plant. Hadder work dat crop in de night. Make light wid fat light'ud stump wha'to see by. Dat crop wha' dey buy dey Sunday clothes wid. Ne'er hadderhunt no clothes but dey Sunday clothes cause dey hab seamstress rightdere on de plantation to make aw us udder clothes. Miss Susan larnt Aun'Cynthia en Starrah en Tenna to cut en sew dere to de big house en a'terdat dey ne'er do nuthin but make de plantation clothes. "

"Aw de colored peoples dere to Miss Susan plantation hab dey certainbusiness to go 'bout eve'y day en dey ne'er didn't shirk dat neither. Miss Susan ain' 'low fa no slack way 'round whey she was. Dere beenYaneyki wha' hadder jes wait on Miss Susan; Becky, de house girl; Aun'Hannah, de one wha' cook in de big house; Aun' Dicey, wha' al'ays cleanup de white folks kitchen; en Sanco, de house boy. Den I wuz de nu'sedere fa dem chillun. Ne'er lak it but I ha'e it to do. Hadder stay rightdere to de big house aw de time. Miss Susan ne'er wouldn't 'low me takedem chillun 'way offen no whey en eve'ybody hadder be mindful uv wha'dey say 'fore dem chillun too. I 'member dat big ole joggling board dereon de front piazza dat I use'er ge' de chillun to sleep on eve'yevenin'. I be dere singin' one uv dem baby song to de child en it makeme hu't lak in me bosom to be wid my ole mammy back up dere in dequarter. Coase I ain' le' nobody know dat. Dere ain' nobody ne'er beenno better den Miss Susan wuz to me. It jes lak dis, I wuz jes uh childden en yah know it uh child happiness to be raise up wid dey mammy. "

"Den de colored peoples lib mighty peaceful lak dere in de quarter causedey ne'er hadder worry 'bout how nuthin come. My Massa see dat dey habdecent libin' aw de time en 'bundance uv eve't'ing dey need. Hadder keep'round 'bout dey premises clean up eve'whey. I tellin' yuh, child, mywhite folks wuz 'ticular uv dey colored peoples when dey wuz sick. Deyhab big ole me'icine book dat dey take down when one uv dem ge' sick ensee could dey find wha' wuz good fa dey ailment. Den Miss Susan'ud sendin de woods en ge' wha' it say mix up fa de remedy en make de me'icineright dere to de big house. Miss Susan'ud al'ays doctor de plantationpeoples en carry em nice basket uv t'ing eve'y time dey wuz sick. EffenMiss Susan t'ink dey hab mucha co'plaint, den dey'ud send fa deplantation doctor 'bout dere. Annuder t'ing dey ne'er didn't 'low decolored girls to work none tall 'fore dey wuz shape lak uh 'oman causedey 'fraid dat might strain dey ne'ves. "

"Aw de colored peoples wha' ne'er hab no work to do 'bout de big housewuz field hand en dey hadder ge' up at de fust crow uv de cock in demorning en go up to de big house en see wha' dey wan' em to do dat day. Coase dey eat dey break'ast 'fore dey leab de quarter. Effen de sun looklak it wuz gwinna shine, de o'erseer'ud send em in de field to work endey'ud stay in de field aw day till sun up in de evenin'. Carry deybasket uv victual en pot 'long wid em en cook right dere in de field. Jes put dey peas en bacon in de pot en build up big fire 'bout it closewhey dey wuz workin' cause eve'y now en den dey hadder push de fire tode pot. Den some uv de day dey'ud go in de tatoe patch en dig tatoe enroast em in de coals. Effen it wuz uh rainy day, dey ne'er go in defield. Shuck corn dat day. Dat wuz how dey done. "

"Aw dem wha' work right dere to de big house al'ays wuz fed from MissSusan table to de kitchen. Dere wuz Gran'mudder Phoebe who hadder looka'ter eve't'ing 'bout Miss Susan dairy. De plantation peoples'ud bringdey gourd eve'y morning en leab it dere to de dairy fa Gran'mudderPhoebe to hab fill wid clabber fa em to carry home in de evenin'. Denwhen Gran'mudder Phoebe wuz finish wid aw de churning, she use'er pourwha' clabber wuz left o'er in uh big ole wooden tray under uh tree dereclose to de dairy en call aw dem little plantation chillun dere whey shewuz. She gi'e eve'yone uv em uh iron spoon en le' em eat jes uz muchadat clabber uz dey c'n hold. A'ter dat she clean up eve'yt'ing 'bout dedairy en den she go to de big house en ge' her dinner. Gran'mudderPhoebe say she could set down en eat wid sati'faction den cause she knowshe wuz t'rough wid wha' been her portion uv work dat day. "

"Den dere wuz Patience wha' work to de loom house. She help do aw deweaving fa de plantation. Weave aw t'rough de winter en aw t'rough desummer. She make aw kinder uv pretty streak in de cloth outer de yarndat dey dye right dere on de plantation wid t'ing dat dey ge' outer dewoods lak walnut wha' make brown, en cedar en sweet gum wha' makepurple. Den dey make de blue cloth outer dat t'ing dat dey raise rightdere on de plantation call indigo. Dere some uv dat indigo dat does growup dere on de Sand Hills dis day en time but ain' nobody ne'er worry'bout it no more. "

"Jes uh little way from de loom house wuz de shoe house whey UncleLon'on hadder make shoe aw de day. I 'member dey is make aw deplantation shoe dere. Make em outer cow hide wha' dey hadder tan fust. Jes put de cow hide in uh trough en kiver it aw o'er wid oak en water enle' it soak till de hair come offen it. Den dey take it outer dat enbeat it 'cross uh log hard uz dey c'n till dey ge' it right soft lak. A'ter dat ley out de shoe lak dey wan' it en sew it up wid dem long hairwha' dey ge' outer de hosses neck. Dat jes de way dey make aw we shoeden. "

"Minus en Chrissus Gause hab job dere to de gin house. Dey'ud jes put decotton in dat gin en de seed go one way en de lent go de udder way. Minus hadder feed de gin en dem udder helper hadder hand de cotton. DenBacchus hadder work de screw dat press de bale togedder. Yunnah chillunain' ne'er see nuthin lak dat dese days. Dem hosses pull dat t'ing rounden round en dat screw ge' tighter en tighter. Turn out pretty uh bale uvcotton us yunnah e'er hear 'bout in no time tall. My Lawd, I 'member deyis hab bale uv cotton pile up aw 'bout dat gin house. "

"En dey is hab dey own blacksmith shop dere on de place down to de placecall de big water. Aw dem peoples from plantation aw 'bout come dere faFortune to mend dey plow en t'ing lak dat. "

"Yas'um, plantation peoples hadder go dere to de Ole Neck Chu'ch eve'ySunday. I hear em say dat wuz uh Methodist Chu'ch. Aw dem well to dofolks hab dey own pew up dere in de front uv de chu'ch wha dey set oneve'y Sunday. Dey seat wuz painted pretty lak uh bedstead en den de poorpeoples set in de middle uv de chu'ch in de yellow kind uv seat. Aw decolored peoples hadder set in de blue seat in de back uv de chu'ch. Peoples ne'er rank togedder den lak yah see de peoples rank togedderdese days. Miss Susan Stevenson en Miss Harriett Woodberry en MissMaggie McWhite wuz de ones wha' pull togedder den. Know dey chillun timedey hit dat chu'ch door. C'n tell em by dey skin. My blessed, chillun, dere wuz sech uh diffe'ence. "

"Dat Ole Neck Chu'ch de same chu'ch wha' yunnah see stand two mile updat road. Dem peoples oughtna hadder move dat chu'ch neither cause itbeen dere long time 'fore dey come heah. Ain' been right to do dat. Demwha' put dat chu'ch dere bury right dere in dat cemetery right 'boutwhey dey chu'ch wuz en dem udder peoples ain' hab no right to take deychu'ch 'way a'ter dey been gone. "

"De peoples ne'er hab no cars lak dese peoples hab 'bout heah now. Mywhite folks hab carriage en two big ole white hosses wha' to ride tose'vice en whey dey wanna go den. Coase dey ne'er go aw de time lak desepeoples does dis day en time. Lawd, dem hosses could pull dat carriagetoo. Dey wuz name Selam en Prince. My Massa en Missus hab seat in deback uv de carriage en I hadder set up dere 'tween dem en de driver ennu'se dem chillun. Isaac wuz Miss Susan driver en he hab seat aw uv heown on de front whey he could mind de hosses. My Lawd, I 'member how Idid use'er lub to set up dere in Miss Susan carriage. "

"Dese peoples dese days don' know nuthin 'bout dem times den. I 'memberhow dey use'er sell de colored peoples offen to annuder plantation someuv de time. Man come dere to buy my Gran'mudder a'ter Massa Ben Gausedie en tell her to open she mouth so he c'n 'xamine her teeth. Say shesay, 'I won' do it. ' Wanna know effen dey wuz sound 'fore he buy her. Dat de way dey do when dey sell hosses. "

"I 'member when dem Yankees come 'bout dere too. Hear Massa JimStevenson say dey mus' herry en hide dey va'uables cause de Yankees wuzcomin' t'rough dere en sweep em out. Dey bury dey silver en dey goldwatch in de graveyard up in de Beech Field. (De Beech Field wuz de placewhey de Indian use'er camp long time ago cause de peoples use'er find awkinder bead en arrow head wha' dey left dere. ) Den Miss Susan put trunkfull uv her nice t'ing to de colored peoples house. Ain' been 'fraid deYankees bother em dere. Didn't no Yankees come no whey 'bout dere tilla'ter freedom 'clare en den two uv em come dere en stay right dere to debig house. Dey come to 'vide outer de corn. Hab pile uv corn sot aw'bout de born (barn) dere wid name uv de colored peoples stick 'bout ineve'y pile. "

"Yas'um, I 'member dat aw right. Marry in March dere to my pa house. Usne'er left Massa Jim Stevenson plantation a'ter freedom 'clare. Ne'erwanna hunt no better libin' den we hab dere. My Lawd, dere sho' wuz bigdoing 'bout dere when I go' hitch up to Joe Woodberry. Pa kill uh shoaten dey bake cake en hab aw kinder ration cook up. I hab pretty dressmake outer white swiss muslin wha' I marry in en aw dem peoples wuzdress up dat evenin'. Dat wuz pretty uh sight uz dere e'er wuz when deyge' to blowing dat cane en knockin' dem stick en dey aw wuz uh jiggin''bout. "

"Chillun, seem lak aw de good time gone from heah now. Peoples sho'gotta scuffle fa wha' dey hab dis day en time en den effen dey ge' it, dere ain' no sati'faction no whey 'bout it. T'ing ain' gwinna do nobodyno good effen dey gotta worry dey head so mucha 'bout whey de nextcomin' from. "

"Good day, honey. Come back 'g'in. Yunnah white en I black, but I lubyuh. "

 _Source_: MOM GENIA WOODBERRY (Eugenia Woodeberry), age 89, colored, Britton's Neck, S. C. (Personal interview, June 1937)

 =Code No. = =Project, 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date, November 23, 1937=

=JULIA WOODBERRY=

=Ex-Slave, Age ____=

"Come in, child. Dis ain' nobody talkin to you from behind dat door, butJulia Woodberry. De door unlatch, just turn de handle en come right inhere whe' you can warm yourself by de stove. I tell my daughter for herto take de sick child en walk over dere en make Aun' Liney a visit, while I wipe round bout dis stove a little speck. Cose I ain' able toscour none much, but seems like dis old stove does keep everything sonasty up dat I can' let things bout it get too worser. No, child, I telldese chillun I done seen most all my scourin days, but I think bout Iwould do this little job for Alexa dis mornin en let her put her mind todat child. I say, if I able, I loves to wipe up cause it such asatisfaction. It just like dis, dere ain' nothin gwine shine dat flooren make it smell like I want it to, but soap en water. I don' like deseold stoves nohow. I ain' been raise to dem cause when I come up, deolden people didn' think nothin bout puttin no stoves to dey fireplaces. Oh, dey would have dese big old open fireplaces en would have degrandest kind of fires. My Lord, child, dere wouldn' never be nonastiness bout dey fireplace cause de people never didn' burn no coal indem days. Slavery people been burn dese great big oak logs en dey wouldmake de finest kind of fires, I say. Yes, mam, I been raise up deslavery way en dat how-come I don' want to be noways departin from it. "

"Oh, dat was my granddaughter dat had de straw fever. Yes, mam, looklike she mendin right smart since she been settin up. De straw fever, dat what I calls it, but I hear people say it de hay fever. De doctor, he just say it de fever, but from de way he give de pills, it point tode straw fever. Cose dat what we termed it, but like I tell you, somecalls it de hay fever. I ain' never hear talk of dat kind of fever tilldese late years. Yes, mam, she had a little cold en cough some, but notmuch. You see, when she first took down, she took wid a blindness en apain in de stomach at de school en couldn' say nothin. De doctor say defever was bout broke on her den. You see, she had de pain en, I say, data sign de misery broke on her. But dat child, she lay dere on dat bedthree weeks en she been mighty weak, mighty weak from de fever. No, mam, she ain' have de fever all de time, but dere would come a slow fever datwould rise on her every night en eat up what strength she had caughtdurin de day. Cose she ain' never been hearty cause she been havin disfever long bout two years. No, mam, she been test for de T. B. 's in deschool dis last year en dey say dat she never had none of dat. Alexasay she gwine let her get dem shots in time next year. All de schoolchillun took dem last year. Dey tell me dat be to keep diseases down inschool. Cose I don' know nothin bout it cause I been raise de slaveryway en dat won' de talk den. 

"My mother, she was a freeborn woman. She come from off de sea beach inour own country. Her people was dese Chee Indians en she didn' have noways like dese other people bout here. Now, I talkin out of her. Ain'talkin out of nobody else, but her. She told me she was born on de seabeach en her parents was Chee Indians. Dat what she told us chillun. Say, when dey stole her en her brother John, dey come dere in dese bigold covered wagons en dey stuffed dem way back up in dere en carried demoff. Oh, she say, she was a big girl when dey run her down en caughther. Like I tell you, I talkin out of her. Her en her brother John wasout playin one day, near their sea beach home, en first thing dey know, dere come one of dem big old covered wagons dere. Say, dey never knowwhat to think till dey see dis white man gettin down off de wagon enstart makin for dem en dey get scared cause dey been learn white manwon' no friend. Say, dey broke en run, but de man come right after demen grabbed dem up wid his hands en stuffed dem way back up in de coveredwagon en drove off. She say, she was runnin hard as she could from deman. I remember, I heard my mother speak bout dat she didn' reckon hermother ever knew whe' dey went. She say, dey cried en cried, but datnever do no good. No, mam, de lawyer Phillips stole her. He didn' buyher cause she told me dey brought dem right on to his home en put demout dere. Her en her brother John were made house servants in de bighouse en dey went from one to de other in de Phillips' family till afterfreedom come here. Ma, she say dat she fared good en dey didn' ill treather no time, but wouldn' never allow dem to get out de family no moredurin slavery days. No, mam, she never didn' have no hard time comin up. Cose she had to put de white people chillun to bed at night en den shecould go to parties cross Catfish much as she wanted to, but she wouldhave to be back in time to cook dat breakfast next mornin. You see, deywas house servants en dey stayed right dere in de lawyer Phillips' houseall de time. Been raise right down dere in dat grove of cedars crossfrom de jail. "

"Well, she didn' say bout dat. No, mam, she didn' have no word bout whe'if she liked de white folks livin or no when she first come dere. Youknow, when you in Rome, you has to do as Rome do. Reckon dat de way depoor creature took it. No, child, she didn' tell us nothin bout her homeno more den dat she was born a Chee Indian. Yes, mam, my blessed oldmother told me dat a thousand times. "

"My God, my God, child, I couldn' never forget my old mother's face. Shebore a round countenance all de time wid dese high cheek bones enstraight hair. I talkin out of her now. Yes, mam, can see Ma face derefore my eyes right now. It de blessed truth, my old mother didn' have nocommon ways bout her nowhe'. I don' know whe' it true or no, but depeople used to say I took after my mother. I recollects, when I would beworkin round de white folks, dey would ax me how-come I been have demkind of way bout me what was different from de other colored people. Youknow, de Indians, dey got curious ways. My mother, she wouldn' nevertake a thing from nobody en she was sharp to pick a fight. Yes, mam, shewas quick as dat. (Slaps her hands together. ) Been fast gettin insulted. Anybody make her mad, she would leave away from dem en dey wouldn' seeher no more in a month or two. Hear boss say dat she was quicktempered. "

"Well, child, dat bout all I can know to speak bout dis mornin. You see, some days I can get my 'membrance back better den I can on another day. I say, I gwine get my mind fixed up wid a heap to tell you de next timeyou come here en if you ain' come back, I gwine try en get round dere toyour house. God bless you, honey. "

 _Source_: Julia Woodberry, Ex-Slave, Age 70-80, Marion, S. C. Personal interview by Annie R. Davis, Nov. , 1937. 

 =Code No. = =Project, 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date, November 30, 1937=

=JULIA WOODBERRY=

=Ex-Slave, Age= ____

"Oh, my God a mercy, child, dat been a time when dat shake come here. Itell you, dat been somethin. I sho remember all bout dat cause I been agrown woman de year dat earthquake come here. Yes, mam, I gwine tell itto you just like I experience it. We had all just been get over wid ussupper en little things dat night en I had washed Auntie en Mr. Rowell'sfeet for dem to lie down en dere come such a sketch of clouds from overin dat direction dat I never know what to make of it. Auntie en Mr. Rowell never know what to make of it neither. I remember, I run out tohelp my sister dat been out to de paddlin block en, honey, you ain'never live to see no black cloud like dat been. I washed a piece throughen den I left off en went back in de house en set down by de fire to drymy feet. I set dere awhile en seems like somethin just speak right outde fire, bout dat time, en tell me to move my feet dat I was in badshape. En, child, it de truth of mercy, dere come a big clog of dirt outdat chimney en drap (drop) right down in de spot whe' my foot was. I runto Auntie en Mr. Rowell to see could dey tell what dat was, but dey beenin just as much darkness as I been. I look up en seems like de loft hadlowered itself en could hear a roarin for miles en miles bout dere encould hear de people hollerin every which a way. Yes, mam, could heardem hollerin miles en on top of miles bout dere. My God, dem people wasscared to lie down dat night en such a prayin en a shoutin as everybodydo dat night, I ain' never see de like fore den. Ain' see de like sinceden neither. Next mornin, I go to work for de white folks en dey all gooff dat mornin en I tell you, I was scared bout to death in dat bighouse by myself. I remember, I left out de house en been out in de'tatoe patch grabblin 'tatoes right along en when I raise up, dat thingwas comin down dat 'tatoe row just a whirlin en a makin right for me. Yes, mam, I been so scared. I ain' see whe' I is grow a bit since deshake. I tell you, I thought it was de Jedgment. Den we hear dere wasgwine be another earthquake, but de people get on dey knees en dey stayon dey knees en it never come here dat time. Dat one was in anotherstate, so dey tell me. I hear talk dat all de earth caved in en youcould see de people down dere, but couldn' nobody get dem. Some peoplesay dat been de devil do dat, but I tell dem de devil ain' had no suchpower. De Lord been de power dat bring dat shake here, I say. "

"Oh, Lord, de people sho fared better in dat day en time den dey do desedays. Cose dey didn' have a heap of different kind of trashy things likedey have dese days, but dey had a plenty to eat en a plenty to wear allde time en den everything was better in dem times, too. Now, I speakbout what I know bout. De rations eat better en de cloth wear better, too, in dem days den dey do now. You see, mostly, de people would makedey own provisions at home. White folks would raise abundance of hogs encows to run all dey big plantation from one year to de other. Wouldn'never clear out of meat no time cause de stock been let loose to run atlarge in dem days. De most dat dey bought was dey sugar en dey coffee, but dem what was industrious en smart, dey made most dey victuals athome. Made dey own rice en winnowed it right dere home. Oh, dey had oneof dese pestle en mortar to beat it out. Yes, mam, de pestle been big atone end an little at de other end. Den dey would raise turkeys en geeseen chickens en dere wasn' no end to de birds en squirrels en rabbits enfish in dat day en time. Dat is, dem what cared for demselves, dey hadall dem things. Cose dere was some den like dere be now dat been toolazy to work en dey hand was empty all de time. I remember, dempoorbuckras would just go bout from one house to another en catchsomethin here, dere en yonder. "

"Den de people never wore none of dese kind of clothes like de peoplewear dese days neither. When a person got a dress den, dey made itdemselves en dey made dey own underskirts den, too. You see, all deseunderskirts en bloomers like de people does buy dese days, dey didn'have nothin like dat den. Used to put 10 yard in a dress en 10 yards ina underskirt en would tuck dem clean up to dey waist. En, child, whendey would iron dat dress, it would stand up in de floor just like derebeen somebody in it. When I say iron, I talkin bout de people would ironden, too. Yes, mam, when I come along, de people been take time to irondey garments right. Oh, dey clothes would be just as slick as glass. Won' a wrinkle nowhe' bout dem. Another thing, dey used to have desedove colored linen dusters dat dey would wear over dey dress when deywould ride to church. Den when dey went in de church, dey would pull demoff en put dem on again when dey started home. Dey was made sort of likea coat suit, except dey was a little fuller en would come clean down tode tail of de dress. You see, dey was meant to protect de dress whiledey was gwine along de road. "

"De world sho gwine worser dese days, honey. Oh, Lord, de people worser. Yes, mam, dey worser, I say. Dey ain' got de mother wit. Dey weaker endey wiser, I say, but dey ain' got de mother wit. Can' set down en talkto de people dese days en dey take dat what you got to say in like deyused to. En de people don' take de time to teach de chillun to knowgood things like dey used to en dat how-come dey have more time to getin so much of devilment dese days. Yes, mam, de people used to have morechillun en dey raised dem, too. Chillun know more den grown people dodese days, I say. People used to know how to carry demselves en takecare of demselves more den dey do now. Seems like, de people morerattlin en brazen den what dey used to be. "

 _Source_: Julia Woodberry, colored, Marion, S. C. --Age, 70-80. Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, Nov. , 1937. 

 =Code No. = =Project, 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date, November 5, 1937=

=JULIA WOODBERRY=

=Ex-Slave, Age ____=

"Well, I can speak bout what I used to hear my auntie en my mammy en mygrandmammy talk bout what happen in dey day, but I never didn' live inslavery time. My mammy, she been broke her leg long time fore freedomcome here en I remember she tell me often times, say, 'Julia, you didn'lack much of comin here a slavery child. ' Honey, I mean she been in defamily way right sharp fore freedom come here. 

"My mammy, she was raise right down dere to de other side de jail to de'Cedars'. You know dere whe' all dem cedars round dat house what bout tofall down. She belong to de lawyer Phillips dere en he wouldn' neverallow her to get out de family. She had been a free woman fore he hadstole her off de sea beach to be his house woman. Yes, mam, stole mymammy en uncle John, too, off de sea beach, but uncle John went backafter freedom come here. My mammy, she been raise from just a child tobe de house woman dere to de lawyer Phillips en she never didn' knownothin bout choppin cotton till her last baby been bout knee high. 

"I remember how my mammy used to tell me bout dat de colored people won'allowed to go from one plantation to another widout dey had a 'mit(permit) from dey Massa. Yes, mam, all de niggers had to have dat stripsomewhat bout dem to keep from gettin a beatin. Couldn' leave dey homewidout showin dat 'mit from dey Massa. You see, de nigger men wouldwant to go to see dey wives en dey would have to get a 'mit from deyMassa to visit dem. Cose dey wouldn' live together cause dey wives wouldbe here, dere en yonder. It been like dis, sometimes de white folkswould sell de wife of one of dey niggers way from dey husband en denanother time, dey would sell de husband way from dey wife. Yes, mam, white folks had dese guard, call patroller, all bout de country to catchen whip dem niggers dat been prowl bout widout dat strip from dey Massa. I remember I hear talk dey say, 'Patroller, Patroller, let nigger pass. 'Dey would say dat if de nigger had de strip wid dem en if dey didn' haveit, dey say, 'Patroller, Patroller, cut nigger slash. '"

"Child, I tell you dat been a day to speak bout. When I come along, dewomen never vote, white nor colored, en it been years since I see acolored person vote, but I remember dey been gwine to vote in dat day entime just like dey was gwine to a show. Oh, honey, de road would be fullof dem. Dey had to vote. Remember, way back dere, everybody would besingin en a dancin when dey had de election:

 'Hancock ride de big gray horse, Hampton ride de mule, Hancocks got elected, Buckras all turn fool. Buggety, buggety, buggety etc. '"

"White en black was all in a row dere dancin all night long. Ain' madeno exception. "

"I hear talk dat when freedom come here, de niggers was just turn looseto make dey livin de best way dey could. Say dat some of de white folksgive dey niggers somethin to go on en some of dem didn' spare demnothin. Dey tell me old Sherman didn' come through dis section of decountry, but he sent somebody to divide out de things like so much cornen so much meat to de colored people. Now, I talkin bout dat what I hearde old people say. Put everything in Ben Thompson hand to deal out decolored people share to dem. Yes, mam, he was de one had de chair. Talkbout Sherman give Ben Thompson de chair, sayin what I hear de old peoplesay. I don' know exactly how it was, it been so long since de old peopletalk wid me. Dat it, it been so long till God knows, I forgot. "

"Well, I used to know a heap of dem songs dat I hear my auntie en mygrandmammy sing dere home when I was comin up. Let me see, child, deywas natural born song too. 

 'I got somethin to tell you, Bow-hoo, oo-hoo, oo-hoo. I got somethin to tell you, Bow-hoo, oo-hoo, oo-hoo. In a bow-hoo, oo-oo-hoo. 

 Way cross de ocean, 'Mongst all dem nation, Massa Jesus promise me, He gwine come by en by, He gwine come by en by. 

 Dere many miles round me, De curried be so bold, To think dat her son, Jesus, Could write widout a pen, Could write widout a pen. 

 De very next blessin dat Mary had, She had de blessin of two, To think dat her son, Jesus, Could bring de crooked to straight, Could bring de crooked to straight. '"

"Dat was my auntie's grandmother Eve piece way back yonder in slaverytime. Dat was her piece. "

"It just like I tellin you, dat been a day to speak bout. I rememberwhen dey used to spin en weave all de cloth right dere home. Yes, mam, Iwore many a wove dress to church. Dey would get dis here indigo en allkind of old bark out de woods en boil it in de pot wid de yarn en makede prettiest kind of colors. Den dey would take dat colored yarn enweave all kind of pretty streaks in de cloth. Dey would know just asgood how many yards of dat thread it would take to make so much ofcloth. "

"Yes, mam, I know dere been better livin long time ago den dere be now. Know it cause I didn' never have no worryations no time when I was cominup. My God, child, I couldn' make a support today if I know my neck hadto be hung on de gallows. No, mam, dis here a sin cussed world de peoplelivin in dis day en time. "

 _Source_: Julia Woodberry, colored, Marion, S. C. Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, October-November, 1937. 

 =Code No. = =Project, 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date, November 16, 1937=

=JULIA WOODBERRY=

=Ex-Slave, Age ____=

"No, mam, I ain' thought bout nothin no more to tell you. Death been inde family en seems like I just been so worried up wid my daughter sickin de house dere wid de straw fever. De doctor, he say it de fever endat all we know, but it acts like de straw fever all up en down. I telldem chillun dere de other night dat I would have to go back en get mymind fixed up wid somethin to speak bout fore you come here anothertime. Yes, mam, have to get my mind together somewhe' or another. "

"I been born down dere in Britton's Neck, but most my days was lived upto Mr. Jim Brown's place to Centenary. My father, he was name FridayWoodberry en my mother, she come from off de sea beach in slavery time, so she told me. Say dat her old Massa stole her en her brother John, too, from off de sea beach. When freedom come here, her brother Johnwent back to de sea beach, but my mother say dat she won' in no shape togo back. She went from family to family till after freedom was declareden her white folks wouldn' never have her ill-treated neither en wouldn'never let nobody else have her no time. When she was let loose from dewhite people, she went to Britton's Neck wid a colored woman. You see, she was a stranger to de country bout dere fore freedom come en shebeen know dat woman en dat how-come she went wid her. I mean she didn'know de people bout dere cause de white folks didn' allow dey coloredpeople to go bout much in slavery time. Couldn' go nowhe' widout dey hada ticket wid dem. She stayed dere in Britton's Neck till Pa died en denshe come back up here to Marion to live, but her white people wasscattered all bout den. "

"No, mam, I ain' never marry cause you had to court on de sly in dat dayen time. I tell you, I come through de devil day when I come along. Iwas learned to work by de old, old slavery way en, honey, I say dat Ijust as soon been come through slavery day as to come under a tighttaskmassa dat was colored. Yes, mam, if I never did a thing right, mydress was over my head en I was whipped right dere. I was engaged byletter, but dey kept me under dey foot so close till I never didn' slipde hay. I remember, I was stayin dere wid Mary Jane Rowell en she keptme cowed down so worser, I never couldn' do nothin. "

"I tell you, I been a grown girl dere when I leave Mary Jane Rowell'shouse en go to cookin en a washin for Miss (Mrs. ) Louise Brown. Yes, child, I love Miss Louise Brown to dis very day cause she been just likea mother to me. Yes, mam, Miss Brown was just as good to me as she couldbe. Mr. Jim Brown, he give me a house dere on his plantation to live injust to do de house work to de big house, but seems like de othercolored people on de plantation would be tryin to down me most all detime cause I was workin ahead of dem. I know I would go dere to workmany a mornin cryin, from what dem niggers been mouthin bout me, en MissBrown would cry right along wid me. I tell you, Miss Brown was a tenderhearted woman, so to speak bout. I tell Miss Brown, 'Carolina say Istole a towel off de line. ' En Miss Brown say, 'Julia, if dere a towelgone off dat line, I know whe' it gone. ' No, child, I ain' never thinkbout to lay no shame on dese hands. White folks been used to leave moneyall bout whe' I bresh (brush) en dust en I ain' never had no mind totouch it no time. Yes, mam, I been through a day since I come here. Erelong I move out Mary Jane Rowell's house, I been in white peoplehouse. If it ain' one class, it another. De very day dat Dr. Dibble beenpronounce me to de hospital, dey come after me to wait on a woman. Yes, mam, Julia Woodberry ain' beat de state no time. Oh, I tell you, it deGod truth, I has done every kind of work in my life. Me en my threechillun dere run a farm just like a man. Why, honey, you ain' know I hadthree girls? Yes, mam, dem chillun been born en bred right dere in decountry to Centenary. "

"I hear people talkin bout dat thing call conjurin, but I don' know whatto say dat is. It somethin I don' believe in. Don' never take up notime wid dat cause it de devil's work. Dat de olden talk en I don' thinknothin bout dat. Don' want nobody round me dat believes in it neither. Don' believe in it. Don' believe in it cause dat en God spirit don' gotogether. I hear talk dat been belong to de devil, but I was so small, Icouldn' realize much what to think cause dat what you hear in dem days, you better been hear passin. No, mam, dey knock chillun down in dat dayen time dat dey see standin up lookin in dey eyes to hear. I has heardpeople say dat dey could see spirits, but I don' put no mind to dat notime. I believe dat just a imagination cause when God get ready to takeyou out dis world, you is gone en you gone forever, I say. Don' believein no hereafter neither cause dey say I been born wid veil over my faceen if anybody could see spirits, I ought to could. I know I has stayedin houses dat people say was hanted plenty times en I got to see myfirst hant yet. Yes, mam, I do believe in de Bible. If I hadn' believedin de Bible, I wouldn' been saved. Dere obliged to be a hereafteraccordin to de Bible. Dere obliged to be a hereafter, I say. I can'read, but I talkin what I hear de people say. Dat a infidel what don'believe dere a hereafter. "

"How-come I know all dat, I was raise up wid de old people. Come alongright behind de old race en I would be dere listenin widout no ears enseein widout no eyes. Yes, mam, I took what I hear in, lady, en I ain'been just now come here. I been here a time. Dat de reason I done wid deworld. God knows I is done. I is done. I recollects, way back yonder, Pawould sing:

 'Dey ain' had no eyes for to see, Dey ain' had no teeth for to eat, En dey had to let de corncake go, Gwine whe' all de good niggers go. '"

"Dat was my father's piece dat he used to sing in slavery time. Datright cause I can remember back more so den I can forward. "

 _Source_: Julia Woodberry, colored, age--about 70 to 75. , Marion, S. C. Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, Nov. , 1937. 

 =Project 1885 -1-= =District #4= =Spartanburg, S. C. = =June 1, 1937=

 =Edited by:= =E. Fronde Kennedy=

=FOLK-LORE: EX-SLAVES=

While looking for an ex-slave in a certain part of Spartanburg thismorning, I was directed across the street to "an old man who livesthere". I knocked at the door but received no answer. Then I noticed anold man walking around by the side of the house. He was tall andstraight, standing about 6 feet 2 inches. He said that his name wasGeorge Wood and that he was 78 years of age. 

He stated that he was born during slavery, and lived on Peter Sepah'splace in York County. Peter Sepah's farm, where he was born, was nearthe North Carolina line; it consisted of approximately 200 acres. Hisparents were named Dan and Sarah Wood. His mother was given to old manSepah by his father as a wedding present, and his grandfather had beengiven to an older Sepah by his parent as a wedding present. He said itwas the custom in slavery times that a slave be given to the son ordaughter by the white people when they got married. 

He was too young to work, but about the time the war was over, he wasallowed to drive the horses that pulled the thrasher of wheat. Hismaster used to walk around and around while the wheat was beingthrashed, and see that everybody was doing their work all right. Hisfather lived on another plantation. There was only one family of slaveson the whole plantation. He, his mother, and five children lived in aone-room log cabin about 30 or 40 feet from the "big house". Their bedsconsisted of straw mattresses. They had plenty to eat, having the samefood that the white folks did. They ate ash cakes mostly for bread, butonce a week they had biscuits to eat. When the wheat was thrashed, theyhad biscuits mostly for breakfast; but as the wheat got scarcer they didnot have much wheat to eat. He said that Buffalo Creek flowed prettyclose to their place and that the creek emptied into Broad River. Shelby, N. C. , their market, was about ten miles distant. He thinks thatit was easier then than now to get something to eat. 

The log cabin where he and his mother lived was kept comfortably warm inthe winter time. All they had to do, was to go to the wood-pile and getall the wood they needed for the fire. His mother worked on the farm, washed clothes and helped with the cooking at his master's house. Theslaves stopped work every Saturday afternoon about three o'clock; thenhis mistress would have his mother to patch their clothes, as she didnot like to see their clothes needing patching. "We used to have lots offun, " he said, "more than the children do now. As children, we used toplay marbles around the house; but no other special game. "

Uncle George said that the patrollers saw that the colored people werein their houses at 8 o'clock every night. "They would come to the houseand look in; of course, if a man had a pass to another plantation orsome place, that was all right; or if he had some business somewhere. But everybody had to be in the house by 8 o'clock. " He also stated thatif a slave strayed off the plantation and didn't have a pass, if hecould out-run the "pateroller" and get back upon his own place, then hewas all right. The only slave he ever saw get a whipping, was one whohad stayed out after hours; then a switch was used on him by a"pateroller". He said he never saw any slaves in chains or treatedbadly, for his master was a good man, and so was his "Missus". One dayhis mother went to a church that was not her own church. On coming back, she saw a "pateroller" coming behind her. She began to run, and he didtoo; but as he caught up with her, she stepped over a fence on hermaster's place and dared the "pateroller" to do anything to her. Hedidn't do a thing and would not get over the fence where she was, as hewould have been on somebody's place besides his own. 

He said that when the corn-shucking time came, both whites and blackswould gather at a certain plantation. Everybody shucked corn, and theyall had a good time. When the last ear of corn was shucked, the owner ofthe plantation would begin to run from the place and all would run afterhim. When they caught him, he was placed on the shoulders of two men andcarried around and around the house, all singing and laughing and havinga good time. Then they would carry the man into his house, pull off hishat and throw it into the fire; place him in a chair; comb his head;cross his knees for him and leave him alone. They would not let himraise a second crop under his old hat--he had to have a new hat for anew crop. Then they would all, colored and white, gather to eat. Theowner of the farm would furnish plenty to eat; sometimes he would havesome whiskey to drink, but not often, "as that was a dangerous thing tohave". 

He said that if a man who was chewing or smoking met a woman, he wouldthrow his tobacco away before talking with the woman. 

There was plenty of fruit in those days, so brandy was made and put intobarrels in the smoke-house; and the same way they had plenty of corn, and would put up a still and put the whiskey they made into barrels. 

People in those days, he said, had "manners". The white and coloredfolks would have their separate sections in the church where they sat. "I've seen a white man make another white man get up in church and givehis place to a colored man when the church was crowded. " He said hisfather was baptized by Rev. Dixon, father of Tom Dixon, who was aBaptist preacher. His mother was sprinkled by a Methodist whitepreacher, but he was baptized by a colored preacher. 

Asked about marriages among the slaves, he said the ceremony wasperformed by some "jack-legged" colored preacher who pronounced a fewwords and said they were man and wife. 

He said the colored people did not know much about Jeff Davis or AbrahamLincoln except what they heard about them. All that he remembered was asong that his Missus used to sing:

 "Jeff Davis rides a big gray horse, Lincoln rides a mule; Jeff Davis is a fine old man, And Lincoln is a fool. "

Another song was:

 "I'll lay $10 down and number them one by one, As sure as we do fight 'em, The Yankees will run. "

One day his "Missus" came to their house and told his mother they werefree and could go anywhere they wanted to, but she hoped they wouldstay on that year and help them make a crop. He said his mother justfolded her hands and put her head down and "studied". She decided tostay on that year. The next year, they moved to another plantation, where they stayed for twenty years. 

"Before they were free, every colored man took the name of his master, but afterwards, I took my father's name. "

He said that the Yankee soldiers did not come to their place, but theywere ready for them if they had come. The silver was buried out in thelot, and stable manure was piled and thrown all about the spot. The twogood horses were taken off and hidden, but the old horse his masterowned was left. He said that sometimes a Confederate soldier would comeby riding an old horse, and would want to trade horses with his master. Sometimes his master would trade, for he thought his horse would betaken anyway. His master would never get anything "to boot", as thesoldier didn't have the "to boot" when the trade was made. So thesoldier would ride off the horse, leaving the poor, broken-down onebehind. Sometimes after the war, the Confederate soldiers would come bythe house, sick, wounded and almost starved; but his mistress would fixsomething to eat for them; then they would go on. 

"'Possum and 'taters were plentiful then. When a slave wanted to gohunting, he could go; but we had to work then--nobody works now. " Hesaid that on rainy days, his mother did not have to go to the field, butstayed at home and sewed or carded. He said that after freedom came tothe slaves, he worked on a farm for $5. 00 a month. After he had been onthe farm for many years, he heard that Spartanburg was on a boom, so hecame here and worked at railroading for many more years. He has quitwork now; but still does a little gardening for some white folks. Hesaid that the white people in the South understand the colored people. 

When asked if he had ever seen a ghost, he replied that he had neverseen one and had never seen a person who had. "I don't believe in thosethings anyhow, " he said. He also stated he had never heard of anybodybeing "conjured" either. He said that all the niggers in his sectionwere scared of the niggers from way down in South Carolina, for theirreputation as conjurers was against them, so they always fought shy ofthem and didn't have anything to do with the "niggers from way down inSouth Carolina". 

 SOURCE: George Woods, 337 N. View St. , Spartanburg, S. C. Interviewer: F. S. DuPre, Spartanburg, S. C. 

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon= =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=ALECK WOODWARD, =

=_EX-SLAVE--83 YEARS. _=

"You knows de Simonton place, Mr. Wood? Well, dats just where I was bornback yonder befo' de war, a slave of old Marster Johnnie Simonton. Fivemiles sorter south sunset side of Woodward Station where you was born, ain't it so? My pappy was Ike Woodward, but him just call 'Ike' time ofslavery, and my mammy was name Dinah. My brother Charlie up north, if heain't dead, Ike lives in Asheville, North Carolina. Two sisters: Ollie, her marry an Aiken, last counts, and she and her family in Charlotte, North Carolina; sister Mattie marry a Wilson nigger, but I don't knowwhere they is. 

"Us lived in a four-room log house, 'bout sixteen all told. Dere waspappy and mammy (now you count them) gran'pappy, Henry Davis, Gran'mammyKisana, Aunt Anna, and her seven chillun, and me, and my two brothersand two sisters. How many make dat? Seventeen? Well, dat's de numberpiled in dere at night in de beds and on de floors. They was scandlousbeds; my God, just think of my grands, old as I is now, tryin' to sleepon them hard beds and other folks piled 'scriminately all over de logfloors! My Gran'pappy Henry was de carpenter, and old marster tell him'if you make your beds hard, Henry, 'member you folks got to sleep onthem. '

"I was just a little black feller, running 'round most of de time in myshirt tail, but I recollect pickin' cotton, and piddling 'round dewoodpile, fetchin' in wood for white house and chips and kindling tofresh up de fires. Us had plenty to eat, 'cause us killed thirty-fivehogs at a time, and de sausages and lights us did was a sight. Then delard us made, and de cracklin' bread, why, I hungers for de sight ofthem things right now. Us niggers didn't get white flour bread, but decracklin' bread was called on our place, 'de sweet savor of life. '

"Money? Us had eyes to see and ears to hear, but us just hear 'bout it, never even seen money. 

"My marster had a fish pond, signs of it dere yet. 

"My white folks attended church at Concord Presbyterian Church. Us wentdere too, and us set up in de gallery. Yes, they asked us. De preacherasked us to jine in some of de hymns, especially 'De Dyin' Thief' and'De Fountain Filled Wid Blood, ' and dat one 'bout 'Mazing Grace HowSweet de Sound Dat Save a Wretch Like us. '

"Our young Marster Charlie went off to de war, got killed at Second BullRun. Marster Watt went and got a leg shot off somewheres. Marster Jimwent and got killed, Johnnie too, Marster Robert was not old enough tocarry a gun. 

"De young mistresses was Mary and Martha. Marster John, old mistress andall of them mighty good to us, especially when Christmas come and thenat times of sickness. They send for de doctor and set up wid you, suchtendin' to make you love them. When de Yanks come us all plead forMarster John and family, and de house not to be burnt. De house big, hadten rooms, big plantation, run fifteen plows. 

"You ask 'bout was dere any poor white folks 'round? Not many, but I'members old Miss Sallie Carlisle weaved and teached de slaves how itwas done. Marster give her a house to live in, and a garden spot on deplace, good woman. She show me how to spin and make ball thread, littleas I was. Marster John had over fifty slaves, and they worked hard, sunup to sun down. It's a wonder but I never got a whippin'. 

"Did I ever see a ghost? Mr. Wood, I seen sumpin' once mighty strange, Iwas gwine to see a gal Nannie, on de widow Mobley place, and had to pass'tween two graveyards, de white and de colored. She was de daughter ofRev. Richard Cook. When I was just 'bout de end of de white graveyard, Isaw two spirits dressed in white. I run all de way to de gal's house andsob when I got dere. I laid my head in her lap and told her 'bout despirits and how they scared me. I still weepin' wid fear, and sheconsole me, rub my forehead and soothed me. When I got quiet, I askedher some day to be my wife, and dat's de gal dat come to be years after, my wife. Us walk to church hand and hand ever afterwards, and one dayPreacher Morris, white man, made us husband and wife. I 'members de songde white folks sung dat day. 'Hark from de tomb a doleful sound'. Don'tyou think dat a wrong song to sing on a weddin' day? 'Joy to de World, 'was in our heart and dat tune would have been more 'propriate, seems tome. 

"Marster John give de slaves every other Saturday after dinner in busyseasons, and every Saturday evening all other weeks. Us had two doctors, Doctor Brice at first, and when he git old, us had Doctor Lurkin. 

"Was glad when marster called us up and told us we was free. De Yankeesmade a camp on de Doctor Brice place, and foraged de country all 'round. They made me run after chickens and I had to give up my onliest blue hendat I had. My pappy was took off by them to Raleigh, wid dat I 'member, was de saddest day of slavery time. 

"Nannie and me, under de providence of de Lord Jehovah, has had threechillun to live, and they have chillun too. I owns my own home and landenough to live on, though it is hard to make both ends meet some years. 

"How I got my name, you ask dat? Well, after freedom us niggers had tocome to Winnsboro and register. Us talk 'bout it by de fireside what uswould lak. When us come, Marster Henry Gaillard had a big crowd ofGaillard niggers 'bout him beggin' for names. One of them say, 'MarsterHenry, I don't want no little name, I wants big soundin' name. ' MarsterHenry write on de paper, then he read: 'Your name is Mendozah J. Fernandez, hope dats big enough for you. ' De little nigger dwarf seempowerful pleased and stepped to de register. De rest of us spoke toCaptain Gaillard and he said no better name than Woodward, so us tookdat name. Its been a kind of a 'tection to us at times, and none of ourimmediate family has ever dragged it in a jail or chaingang, Bless God!and I hope us never will. "

 =Project #1655= =W. W. Dixon= =Winnsboro, S. C. =

=MARY WOODWARD=

=_EX-SLAVE 83 YEARS OLD. _=

"I knows you since you 'bout dis high (indicating). When was it? Where Isee you? I see you at your auntie's house. Dat was your auntie, MissRoxie Mobley, other side of Blackstock. You was in a little dress datday, look lak a gal. Oh! Lordy, dat been a long time! What us has comethru since dat day and de days befo' dat, beyond freedom. 

"I was born a slave of old Marster Adam Berber, near de Catawba Riverside de county, in 1854. I's a mighty small gal but I 'members whenpappy got his leg broke at de gin-house dat day, in de Christmas week. Seem lak dat was de best Christmas I ever had. White folks comin' and agwine, loadin' de bed down wid presents for pappy and mammy and me. 

"What my pappy name? He was name Joe and mammy go by Millie. Both b'longto Marster Adam and Miss Nellie. Dat was her name and a lovely mistressshe be in dat part of de country. Her was sure pretty, walk pretty, andact pretty. 'Bout all I had to do in slavery time was to comb her hair, lace her corset, pull de hem over her hoop and say, 'You is served, mistress!' Her lak them little words at de last. 

"They have no chillun and dat was a grief to her more than to MarsterAdam. Him comfort her many times 'bout it and 'low it was his fault. Then they 'spute 'bout it. Dats all de rumpus ever was 'twixt them. I'spects if they had had chillun they wouldn't have been so good to me. What you reckon? They give me dolls and laugh at de way I name them, talk to them and dress them up. 

"When de Yankees come, I was a settin' in de swing in de front yard. They ride right up and say: 'Where your mistress?' I say: 'I don'tknow. ' They say: 'You is lyin'. Give her a few lashes and us'll findout. ' Another say: 'No, us come to free niggers, not to whip them. ' Thenthey ask me for to tell them where de best things was hid. I say: 'Idon't know sir. ' Then they ransack de house, bust open de smoke house, take de meat, hams, shoulders, 'lasses barrel, sugar, and meal, put themin a four-horse wagon, set de house, gin-house and barn afire and go ontoward Rocky Mount. Our neighbors then, was Marster Aaron Powell andSikes Gladden, on Dutchman Creek. 

"After freedom I marry Alf Woodward. Us had chillun. How many? Let mesee; Eli still alive, don't know where he is though. Rosa dead; Susannahlive now on Miss Sara Lord's place, up dere near Metford. De rest of dechillun went off to Arkansas 'bout 1885, and us never heard from them. 

"I forgot to tell you dat when de Yankees come and find me a settin' indat swing, I had on a string of beads dat Miss Nellie give to me. Themrascals took my beads off my neck, and what you reckon they did widthem? Well, if you doesn't know, I does. De scamps, dat is one of themdid, took my lovely beads and put them 'round his horse's neck and rideoff wid them, leavin' me sobbin' my life out in dat swing. They say youmust love your enemies and pray for them dat spitefully use you but Inever have pray for dat Yankee scamp to dis day. Although I's ScotchIrish African 'Sociate Reform Presbyterian, de spirit have never movedme to pray for de horse and rider dat went off wid my beads dat mymistress give me. When I tell Marster William Woodward, my husband's oldmarster, 'bout it, him say: 'De low dirty skunk, de Lord'll takevengeance on him. ' Marster William give Alf a half a dollar and tell himto git me another string of beads, though Alf never done so. 

"Alf was Marster William's coachman and him and Wade Pichett, dat was aslave of Marster William, took fifteen mules, when de Yankees come, andcarried them in de Wateree swamps and stayed dere and saved them. Everytime Alf or Wade see Marster William, as de years comed and goed, theyfetched up de subject of them mules and git sumpin' from him. One day helaugh and say: 'Look here Alf, I done 'bout pay for sixteen mules anddere was but fifteen in de drove. ' Alf laugh but he always got way widit when he see any of de Woodward white folks. Well I's glad to go now, though I has 'joyed bein' wid you. De Lord bless you and keep you. "

 =Project, 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis= =Place, Marion, S. C. = =Date, September 15, 1937=

=PAULINE WORTH=

=Ex-Slave, 79 Years=

"Yes'um, I know I been here in slavery time, but wasn' large enough todo nothin in dat day en time. I reach 79 de first day of November. To becertain dat how old I is, Miss Betty Evans give me my direct age here deother day. She know who I am cause I was raise near bout in de same yarddat she was raise in. Mr. Telathy Henry family was my white folks. Yes'um, I was raise right here in dis town. Ain' never been nowhere elsebut Marion. "

"I was small den, but I remembers my old Missus. I sho remembers her allright. My old boss, he died. I can' remember nothin much bout dem timesonly I recollects when my old Missus used to get after me en whip me, Iwould run under de house. Didn' want to sweep de yard en dat how-comeshe get after me wid a switch. I was small den en she was tryin to learnme. "

"No, child, I didn' live on no plantation. Didn' have no quarter for deslaves dere. My white folks live in town en dey just have my mother enher chillun en another old man. He stayed in de kitchen en would work degarden en go off on errands for de Missus. My mother en we chillunstayed in a little small one room house in de yard en he stayed in dekitchen. I wasn' large enough to do nothin much den only as like I tellyou, my old Missus tried to learn me to sweep de yard. "

"I was small den, child, but I got along all right cause we ate in dewhite folks kitchen. Oh, no'um, dey cook in de chimney long bout de timeI come up. No'um, didn' see no stoves nowhe' when I come up. I rememberswe had greens like collards en bread en potatoes to eat sometimes, butsay remember all what we had to eat, I couldn' never think bout to dodat. I just knows dat I remembers old Missus provide good livin for usall de time. Wouldn' let nobody suffer for nothin be dat she know boutit. Old Missus used to give us every speck de clothes we had to wear toodat was made out dis here homemade homespun cloth. You see my mother wasde cook dere. Old Massa used to keep dry goods store en de first I knowbout it, she get de cloth out de store to make us clothes. Den after deold head died, old Missus commence to buy cloth from somebody in decountry cause people weave dey cloth right dere on dey own plantation indat day en time. Had dese here loom en spinning wheel. I remembers oldMissus would take out big bolt of cloth en cut out us garments wid herown hands. Den she would call us dere en make us try dem on en minewouldn' never be nothin troublesome nowhe' bout it. I remembers I usedto hear my Missus, when she be readin de paper speak bout AbrahamLincoln en Jefferson Davis, but I was small den en never paid no muchattention to it. Only cared bout my new homespun dress wid de pocketsshinin right in de front part. My Lord, child, I been de proudest likeof dem pockets. "

"I hear de older people say de Yankees come en say de Yankees was here, but I was small den. Dey didn' do nothin bout dere dat I know of. I wassmall en I didn' know. Didn' hear de older peoples say nothin bout itneither. "

"Oh, we went to de white peoples service to dat big Methodist churchright up dere in dis town what was tore down long time ago. Walked dereto dat church every Sunday en set up in de gallery. Dat whe' all deslaves had place to sit. De only thing I could remember bout gwine tochurch dere was what I hear dem say. Dey say, 'I believe in God theFather Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, etc. ' Dat all I remembersbout gwine to church dere. Everything I remembers. Don' know as I couldtell you dat, but I hear my mother repeat it so much when she come homeen be teachin us our prayer. Den Missus teach us de same thing till weget large enough to learn de Lord's Prayer. No'mam, white folks didn'teach us no learnin in dat day en time. Didn' hear bout no books onlydese almanacs. When de white folks throw dem out, dey allow us to pickdem up to play wid. Dat all de books we know bout. "

"Lord, child, dat was somethin. Dat was sho a time when dat shake comehere. I remembers de ground be shakin en all de people was hollerin. Yes'um, I was scared. Scared of dat noise it was makin cause I didn'know but dat it might been gwine destroy me. I was hollerin eneverybody round in de neighborhood was hollerin. Didn' nobody know whatto think it was. Well, I tell you I thought it must a been de Jedgmentcomin. Thought it must a been somethin like dat. "

"I don' know nothin bout dat. It just like dis, I heard people speakbout conjurin, but nobody never has talked to me nothin concernin noconjurin. My mother wouldn' allow nobody to talk dat kind of speech tous. No, I ain' never seen none of dem things people say is ghost. No, ain' seen none dat I remembers. My husband died en I was right in deroom wid him en I ain' see a thing. Never thought bout nothin like dat. Thought when dey gone, dey was gone. When I was able to work, I didn'have no time to bother wid dem things. Didn' have no time to take up widnothin like dat. I de one dat used to cook dere to Miss Eloise Bethea'smamma. Dis here de one dey call Pauline. "

"I tell you my old Missus was good to us, child, good to us all de time. Come bout en doctor us herself when we get sick. Wouldn' trust nobodyelse to give us no medicine. I remember she give us castor oil en littlesalts for some ailments. Didn' give us nothin more den dat only a littlesage or catnip sometimes. Dat what was good for colds. "

"I don' know, child. I can' tell which de worser days den or dese times. I know one thing, dey dances now more den dey used to. I don' go boutmuch, but I can tell you what I hear talk bout. I don' know as de peopleany worser dese days, but I hear talk bout more dances. Dat bout all. Coase de peoples used to dance bout, but dey didn' have dese dance hallslike dey have now. Didn' have none of dem kind of rousin places den. Depeoples didn' have chance to dance in dat day en time only as dey have aquiltin en cornshuckin on a night. Den dey just dance bout in old Massayard en bout de kitchen. Oh, dey have dem quiltin at night en would playen go on in de kitchen. Turn plate en different little things like dat. I don' know how dey do it, but I remembers I hear dem talkin somethinbout turnin plate. Wasn' big enough to explain nothin bout what deymeant. I just knows dey would do dat en try to make some kind of motionlike. "

"Honey, didn' never hear my parents tell bout no stories. My motherwasn' de kind to bother wid no stories like dat. She tried to always bea Christian en she never would allow us to tarnish us souls wid nothinlike dat. She raise us in de way she want us to turn out to be. All desepeople bout here livin too fast to pay attention to raisin dey chillundese days. Just livin too fast to do anything dat be lastin like. Dathow-come dere be so much destructiveness bout dese days. "

 _Source_: Pauline Worth, age 79, ex-slave, Manning St. , Marion, S. C. Personal interview, Sept. , 1937 by Annie Ruth Davis. 

 =Project #-1655= =Phoebe Faucette= =Hampton County=

 =Folklore=

=DAPHNEY WRIGHT=

=106 Year Old Ex-Slave=

Just around the bend from the old mill pond on the way to Davis SwimmingPool lives a very old negro woman. Her name is Daphney Wright, thoughthat name has never been heard by those who affectionately know her as"Aunt Affie". She says she is 106 years old. She comes to the doorwithout a cane and greets her guests with accustomed curtsey. She isneatly dressed and still wears a fresh white cap as she did when sheworked for the white folks. Save for her wearing glasses and walkingslowly, there are no evidences of illness or infirmities. She has asturdy frame, and a kindly face shows through the wrinkles. 

"I been livin' in Beaufort when de war fust (first) break out", shebegins. "Mr. Robert Cally was my marsa. Dat wuz in October. De Southernsoldiers come through Bluffton on a Wednesday and tell de white folksmust get out de way, de Yankees right behind 'em! De summer place beenat Bluffton. De plantation wuz ten miles away. After we refugee fromBluffton, we spent de fust night at Jonesville. From dere we went toHardeeville. We got here on Saturday evening. You know we had to ride byhorses--in wagons an' buggies. Dere weren't no railroads or cars den. Dat why it take so long. 

"Mr. Lawrence McKenzie wuz my Missus' child. We stayed wid him awhile, 'til he find us a place. Got us a little house. We stayed four yearsdere, 'til de war wuz over. Dey sent de young ladies on--on farther upde country, to a safer place. Dey went to Society Hill. My old Missusstay. Sae wuz a old lady. When de Yankees come she died. I wuz rightdere wid her when she died. She had been sickly. After de war dey allwent back to de old place. I had married up here, so when dey went backI stay on here. 

"I been right here when de Yankees come through. I been in my houseasittin' before de fire, jes' like I is now. 

"One of 'em come up an' say, 'You know who I is?'

"I say, 'No. '

"He say, 'Well, I is come to set you free. You kin stay wid your oldowners if you wants to, but dey'll pay you wages. '

"But dey sure did plenty of mischief while dey wuz here. Didn't burn allde houses. Pick out de big handsome house to burn. Burn down Mr. BillLawton' house. Mr. Asbury Lawton had a fine house. Dey burn dat. (HeMarse Tom Lawton' brother. ) Burn Mr. Maner' house. Some had put a poorwhite woman in de house to keep de place; but it didn't make nodifference. 

"De soldiers say, 'Dis rich house don't belong to you. We goin' to burndis house!'

"Dey'd go through de house an' take everything'. Take anythin' theycould find. Take from de white, an' take from de colored, too. Takeeverything out de house! Dey take from my house. Take somethin' to eat. But I didn't have anythin' much in my house. Had a little pork an' aweek's supply of rations. 

"De white folks would bury de silver. But dey couldn't always find itagain. One give her silver to de colored butler to bury but he wuz kill, an' nobody else know where he bury it. It wuz after de war, an' he wuzwalkin' down de road, an' Wheeler's Brigade kill him. 

"Been years an' years 'fore everythin' could come together again. Youknow after de war de Confederate money been confiscate. You could bewalkin' 'long de road anytime an' pick up a ten dollar bill or a fivedollar bill, but it wuzn't no good to you. After de greenback come moneyflourish again. 

"De plantation wuz down on de river. I live dere 'cept for de four yearswe refugee. Dat been a beautiful place--dere on de water! When de starswould come out dere over de water it wuz a beautiful sight! Sometimessome of us girls would get in a little 'paddle' an' paddle out into deriver. We'd be scared to go too far out, but we'd paddle around. Sometimes my father would go out in de night an' catch de fish with aseine. He'd come back with a bushel of fish 'most anytime. Dey were nicebig mullets! He'd divide 'em 'round 'mongst de colored folks. An' he'dtake some up to de white folks for dere breakfast. My white folks beengood white people. I never know no cruel. Dey treat me jes like one ofdem. Dey say dey took me when I wuz five years old. An' I stay wid dem'til freedom. I am 106 years old now. 

"Dem people on de water don't eat much meat. Twenty-five cent of baconwill last dem a week. Dey cut de meat into little pieces, an' fry deminto cracklings, den put dat into de fish stew. It surely makes de stewgood. When dey kill a hog dey take it to town an' sell it, den use demoney for whatever dey want. Dey don't have to cure de pork an' keep itto eat. Dey jes' eat fish. Dey have de mullets, an' de oysters, an' decrabs, an' dese little clams. Dey have oyster-stew. Dey have roastoysters, den de raw oysters. An' dey have dey fried oysters! Dat sure isgood. Dey fish from de boat, dey fish from de log, an' dey fish 'long deedge of de water wid a net. When de tide go down you kin walk along an'jes pick up de crab. You could get a bucket full in no time. We'd liketo go up an' down an' pick up de pretty shells. I got one here on demantel now. It ain't sech a big one, but it's a pretty little shell. 

"I is always glad to talk 'bout de old times an' de old people. We islivin' in peace now, but still it's hard times. We ought to be thankfulthough our country ain't in war. "

 Source: Daphney Wright, Scotia, S. C. 

 =Project 1885-1= =Folk Lore= =District No. 4. = =May 28, 1937. =

 =Edited by:= =J. J. Murray. =

=STORIES OF EX-SLAVES=

Seated on the front steps of his house, holding a walking cane andtalking to another old colored man from Georgia, who was visiting hischildren living there, the writer found "Uncle" Bill Young. He readilyreplied that he had lived in slavery days, that he was 83 years old, andhe said that he and Sam were talking about old times. 

He was owned by Dave Jeter at Santuc, S. C. ; though he was just a boy atthe time his mother was a slave. He used to mind his "Missus" more thananybody else, as he stayed around the house more than anywhere else. Hisjob, with the other boys, both white and black, was to round up the milkcows late every afternoon. The milk cows had to be brought up, milkedand put up for the night; but the other cows and calves used to stay inthe woods all night long. Some times they would be a mile away from thehouse, but the boys would not mind getting them home, for they played somuch together as they slowly drove the cows in. 

When asked if he got plenty to eat in slavery days, he replied that hehad plenty, "a heap more than I get today to eat". As a slave, he saidhe ate every day that the white folks ate, that he was always treatedkindly, and his missus would not let anybody whip him; though he hadseen other slaves tied and whipped with a bull-whip. He said he hadseen the blood come from some of the slaves as they were whipped acrossthe bare back. He said he had seen the men slaves stand perfectly nakedand take a beating. He also said that he never had a whipping and thathis "Missus" wouldn't let his own mother whip him. She would say, "Don'ttech that boy, as he is my Nigger. " She told him one day that he wasfree, but he stayed right on there with her and worked for wages. He got$6. 00 a month, all his rations, and a place to stay. 

"Uncle" Bill said there was some humor at times when a slave was to bewhipped. His hands and feet tied together, the slave would be laidacross a rail fence, feet dangling on one side and head on the otherside; then the master would give the slave a push or shove and he wouldfall heavily on the ground on his head. Not being able to use his feetor his hands, the slave's efforts to catch himself before he hit theground was something funny. "That was funny to us Niggers looking at it, but not funny to the Nigger tied up so. "

He said some Yankee soldiers came by the house at times, but they neverbothered anybody on the place. "Of-course they would take something toeat, but they never bothered anybody. "

After working for Dave Jeter for many years, he moved up to Jonesville, where he married. He lived in or near Jonesville for about thirty years, then he moved with his son, who was a barber, to Spartanburg, and hasbeen here thirteen years. 

"I never knew anything about rent 'til I got here. I always had a houseto live in, raised my own feed and got my wood off the place. So when Igot to Spartanburg I learned what rent was. I just quit work two yearsago when I had high blood pressure; and now I ain't able to work. Do yousee that Nigger across the street, going to work somebody's garden?Well, if I didn't have high blood pressure, I'd be just as good to workas him. "

"Yes sir, with my peck of meal, my three pounds of meat each week and my$6. 00 a month wages, I had more to eat than I gets now. "

 SOURCE: "Uncle" Bill Young. 202 Young Street, Spartanburg, S. C. Interviewer: F. S. DuPre, Spartanburg Office, Dist. 4. 

 =Project 1885-1= =Folklore= =Spartanburg, Dist. 4= =Feb. 4, 1938=

 =Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=

"March 15, 1862 is de date I allus takes when folks axes how old is you. Dat's de best, to follow one date, den no argument don't follow. 

"Some see'd it powerful hard in slavery, others never see'd it so bad. Dat 'pends on you a lot, den it 'pends on dem dat you stays wid. Itstill like dat everywhar dat I is been, but I ain't been no further danSpartanburg gwine north, and to Lyles's Ford gwine south. 

"From a wee bitty baby dey teach me to serve. Befo' you serves God youis got to know how to serve man. De Bible speaks of us as servants of deLawd. Niggers can serve him better dan white folks, kaise dat is all deydoes if dey stays whar dey belongs. Young folks and chillun being raisedup real biggity like dey is now, dey can't serve nothing, kaise if youcan't serve your earthly father, how is you gwine to serve your HeavenlyFather?

"De big plantation and house whar Mr. Jimmie Jeter's sons stay is whar Ifirst see'd earthly light. Dat place still look fine, and it look fineden, too. When I was 8 years old I started out in de field, afo' dat Idid jes' what all little nigger boys did, nothing but eat and sleep andplay and have a big time wid de little white boys. Lots of my playmates, both white and black, done gone on now. Some done gone to de bad placeand some done gone to Heaven, jes' ain't no use talking, dat's sho nuffde truth. 

"War was raging all 'round Charleston and Columbia when I come in disworld so dey says, Yankees camped in half mile of Santuc. I is hearddat everybody was scared. Has even heard dat I cried when dem Yankeescome, but all I knows is jes' what I heard. Folks hears lots and deytells it, and dat's jes' what I is doing now--jes' telling what dey toldme when I got big. If folks didn't never tell nothing no worse, itwouldn't make no difference, but often dey takes devilish notions andtells dat what injures, if anybody believes dem. 

"Aunt Phyllis Jeter 'low when dem Yankees got to Santuc, she was aweaving jes' as hard as she could for her white folks. She say dat shestarted to run, but dem Yankees come in de house and throw'd away heryarn and took her and tied her to a tree. When she hollered, dey whippedher. She say dat dey was drunk, but dey never burn't up nothing in dehouse. Dey went on singing, and she got me to playing and got up de yarnfrom de dirt in de yard and cleaned it. De Yankees never bothered us nomo', and dey never stayed in Santuc long. 

"Once when I was a big boy I got drunk and pa whipped me so hard I nevergot drunk no mo' till I was married, and den I jumped on my old lady forfun and she hit me wid a bed slat. Dat knocked me sober and I 'cided debest thing for me to do was let liquor go to de devil. When I was youngI allus walked to Union. Dat ain't but ten miles down de railroad. Den Iused to walk all over Santuc and down to Herbert in Fish Dam. Now I isdrapped most all my walking. De chilluns travels fast in automobiles, but I jes' as lieve walk to Union as to ride in dem things. Wrecks killsyou off so quick dat you does not have time to repent. 

"Walking never has hurt nobody, and I buys leather and tacks it on myown shoes, and in dat way it don't cost me nothing much. Folks goes sofast in dem automobiles, and half de time dey ain't in no hurry kaisedey ain't gwine to nothing no way. I gits on my shoe in de winter and Iwalks. When I wants to drap in for a chaw at some friend's house, Idoes. I sets dar till I gits rested and warm and I goes on. If dey eats, I does too, and when I gits to Union my chillun is done out and gone. Jes' de same, I reaches home at night befo' dem. 

"Dey has tales to tell about gitting out of gas, and when I axes whardey been, dey jes' as apt to say Spartanburg as any whars. As long asdey has a quarter dey is allus gwine to ride and come home broke. If youfools wid automobiles, you is gwine to spend lots of time in jail. Iain't never been in jail and I thinks it is a disgrace. My chillun saysdat I is 'old timey' and don't know nothing 'bout living. Jes' de same, I likes slow moving, and takes mine out in walking and gits home at darkor soon atter. 

"Dese fast ways don't bother me. Dey makes sassy chilluns. Sassychilluns dat can't serve deir pa need not think dat dey can ride to dePromise Land in narry automobile dat dey is ever seed. Gwine round infast circles and never gitting nowhars seems to satisfy dem, so I don'tknow what is gwine to become of dem. "

 Source: Bob Young (75) Jonesville, S. C. Interviewer: Caldwell Sims, Union, S. C. 11/10/37

 [Transcriber's Note:

 A number of punctuation errors have been corrected. Other typographical errors are as follows:

 Page 1: "Hariett" changed to "Harriett" (young mistress, Miss Harriett. ) Page 3: "Cival" changed to "Civil" (pre-Civil and Civil War days, ) Page 38: "nonegenarian" changed to "nonagenarian" (what a nonagenarian is?) Page 43: "carpetbagbers" changed to "carpetbaggers" (scalawags and carpetbaggers, ) Page 45: "SC" changed to "S. C. " (RIDGEWAY, S. C. , ) Page 49: "On e" changed to "One" (One pick a banjo, ) Page 53: "Dancers" changed to "Dances" (Dances? There was); "william" changed to "William" (young master, William) Page 56: "we" added between "us" and "we" (told us we was free); "cornshuckings" changed to "corn-shuckings" (old time corn-shuckings) Page 59: "gie" changed to "gi'e" ("He gi'e me sugar. ); "pantomime" changed to "pantomime, " "the" added before "way" (with pantomine, of the way pidgin) Page 62: "to-day" changed to "today" (in Russia today. ) Page 66: "piscopal" changed to "'Piscopal" (he was 'Piscopal) Page 67: "thrity-two" changed to "thirty-two" (thirty or thrity-two) Page 76: "OF-EX" changed to "OF EX-SLAVES" Page 84: "quite" changed to "quiet" Page 86: "Come" changed to "Some" (Some white people); "one" changed to "One" ("One gone in) Page 89: "or" changed to "of" (the back of gallery. ) Page 120: "remembers" changed to "disremembers" (I jes' disremembers, ) Page 143: "be be" changed to "be" (be so many school) Page 149: "folks" changed to "forks" (Ninety-eight silver forks) Page 159: "Reovah" changed to (Rehovah Baptist Church. ) Page 165: "carpet bag" changed to "carpetbag" (de carpetbag, ) Page 183: "do" added after "only" (only do de) Page 187: "cornshucking" changed to "corn-shucking" (corn-shucking 'bout) Page 194: "cordality" changed to "cordiality" (with a cordiality); "dilapedated" changed to "dilapidated" (somewhat dilapidated shanty. ) Page 195: "revently" changed to "reverently"; "out side" changed to "outside" (outside the same church); "necesities" changed to "necessities" (such household necessities) Page 196: "asleep" changed to "slept" Page 217: "but" changed to "buy" (wanted to buy something) Page 231: "no" added after "or" (true or no, ) Page 255: "i" changed to "I" (as I was. ) Page 269: "Twentyfive" changed to "Twenty-five" (Twenty-five cent of bacon) Page 270: "the the" changed to "the" (at the time his)]