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Born in Slavery Project
1885-1 Edited by Elmer Turnage Interviewer: G. L. Summer, Newberry, SC, December 7,
1937 "I own a little farm, abut 22 acres,
and I live on it wid my wife. I ain't been married but once, but we
had 15 chilluns. Dey is all done married and left us. I is gitting
so I can't do much work any more, 'specially plowing. I lives below
Prosperity. I was born above dar, near Beaver Dam Creek on de old
Davenport place. "In old times we had plenty to eat dat we raised on de farm. We had gardens, too. We raised hogs and made our own flour. We never worked on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. On Christmas we got together and tried to have extra things to eat, and maybe a few drinks. "In old times we had lost of corn-shuckings and log-rollings. De niggers all around would come and help, den we would git a feast of lamb or pig that was cooked while we was working. "Some old folks use to make medicines out of herbs. I 'member my ma would take fever grass and boil it to tea and have us drink it to keep de fever away. She used branch elder twigs and dogwood berries for chills. Another way to stop chills from coming was to dip a string in turpentien, keep it tied around de waist and tie a knot in it every time you had a chill.. "Abraham Lincoln was a good man. Seems like all de niggers loved him lots. I don't know much about Jefferson Davis. Booker Washington was a good man. I 'member he was once in Newberry and I heard him preach in de old courthouse. (?) "I joined de church when I was 12 years
old. In dem days de old folks made chillun go to church when dey was
12 years old, and join den. Dat was de reason I joined. I was a
Methodist but I joined de Baptist later, because, well, I saw dat
was de right
way."
Page 74 Henry Ryan "I live in a rented three-room house with my daughter. I am too old to do 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 in such a bad fix. They just got
jobs where they could find them. Most of them worked as
share-croppers or wage hands on the farms, and have worked like this
since that time. Some few have rented farms. When any moved to town
they got jobs where they could. Interviewer: G. L. Summer,
Newberry, SC May 31, 1937 "I was born in Edgefield county, S.C., about 1854. I was the son of Larkin and Cheny Ryan who was the slaves of Judge Pickens Butler who lvied at Edgefield Courthouse. I ahve some brothers and siters, but don't remember them all. We lived in a log house with but one room. We had good beds to sleep in, and always had pelnty to eat. Old Judge Butler was a good man. I was 10 years old when he died. Before then I worked in and around the hosue, and freedom come I stayed with the Butler family two years, then went to Dr. Maxwell's. "In slavery time we had extra patches of grund to work for ourselves which 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 big plantation garden dat the overseers planted for all on de place to eat out 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. When winter time come we put on wool clothers and heavy shoes. Old Marse Butler and his mistress was good, de best folks in de country. They lived in a big house, had a girl and a boy, and over 1000 or 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 treat slaves cruel, just light whipping. "We used to have to wake up at sun-up and work till sundown. We didn't learn to read and write; but we had a prayer house on de plantation where we could go to sometimes, until freedom come, then we went on to it just the same. Old man Bennefield, a nigger preacher, talked to us there. I can 'member one of de favorite songs we sung: "Show pity, O Lord,
forgive, "None of Major Pickens Butler's slaves ever went away from him, but some in de neighborhood did run away, and dey never heard of dem again. "The paderrollers would catch a nigger if he didn't have a pass. Some would pass and re-pass in the road, and maybe get cathced and such scuffling would go on! "We worked on Saturday afternoons unless boss give time off to work our own little patches or do some other work we had to do. But some would frolic then and wash up for Sunday, or set around. On Sunday we went to church and talked to neighbors. On Christmas we celebrated by having a big dinner which the master give us. We had thre days holiday or sometimes a week. We had New Year's Day as a special day for working, 'cause it was a sign fi we worked goo dat day, we would work good all de year. The white folks had corn-shuckings and cotton pickings in slavery and after freedom, too. Den would have big supper. Some neighbors walk ten miles, like walking to church or to school. Didn't think 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 fed but wouldn't be allowed to eat until he put his paws in front and bow his head on dem; de old man say to him, "No, no, you die and go to hell if you don't say your prayers." "Once antoher fellow, a nigger, said he was going to his wife's house to see her; but he had to pass his old partner's place on de way, who was dead. When he got opposite the partner's plafe something, maybe a ghost, came to him and wrestled with him and wouldn't let him go on to see his wife, so he come back to his master's house and stayed. "When the slaves got sick they had doctors, and used old herbs. 'Jersusalem Ore' was akind of herb for children, to build them up, and there was field grass roots and herb roots which was boiled and tea drunk for fevers. And 'Primerrhine' tea which was drunk, too. Sometimes they would hand garlic around small boys and girls necks to keep away any kind of sickness. "We didn't have schools; started them the second year after freedom. Old General 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, and four great-grand-children. I think Abe Lincoln was a good man and
he was Providential arrangement. I think 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 a better life.
"I am bad-sick woman, in bed and can't hardly talk and can't 'member much. I was born near Broad River in de Blair section. I belonged in slavery to de Blair family. My mudder and papa was Grace and Samuel Blair, and dey belonged to Capt. Blair. When dey was sold, i was put in de house wid a good free nigger woman to raise me and to stay 'till de war was over. Den I come to de Blair house, and helped around de house. My sisters could car, spin and weave, and I helped dem wid it. I didn't have but one dress. When it got dirty, I went down to de creek and washed it and put it against de lins to dry, but I had to put it back on before it got good dry. "When I got old enough, I worked in de
field, hoeing and picking cotton."
"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 Bush River church in that section now.
I was grown when the war started. I was a slave of Bonny Floyd. He
was a good man who owned several slaves and a big farm. I was the
house-girl then, and waited on the table and helped around the
house. I was always told to go to the white folks' church and sit in
the gallery. "We took our wheat to Singley's Mill on Bush River to be ground. We made all 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 tell you anything I can."
"I was born on the Enoree
River in Newberry County. Tom Price was my master. I married Nathan
swindler when I was about grown. My father and mother 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 old enough to
work in de fields, den we would hoe and pick cotton, and do any
kinds of field work. We didn't have much clothers, just one dress
and a pair of shoes at a time, and maybe one change. I married in a
ole silk striped 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 had sometimes, heavy homespun or outing dress. When
Saturday afternoons come, we got off from work and do what we want.
Some of us washed for de week. We had no schools and couldn't read
and write. Sometimes we could play in our yards after work was over
or on Saturday afternoons. On Christmas the master give us something
good to eat. We didn't have doctors much, but de ole folks had cures
for sickness. Dey mad cherry-bark tea for chills and fever, and
roo-herb teas for fevers. Lots of chills and fevers then. To cure a
boil or wart, we would take a hair from the tail of a horse and tie
it tight around both sides of the sore place. I think Abe Lincoln
was a great man, and Jeff Davis was a good man too. I think Booker
Washington was a great man for de colored race. I like it better now
than de way it was in slavery time."
"I don't own no house. I live in a rented house. Yes, I work for a living. I don't 'member much 'bout slavery except what I heard my daddy and 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 miles from town, near Bush River. "Judge O'Neall's house was real old, and dey had a store near it called Springfield, a kind of suburb at dat time. "After de war, we didn't have much clothes, 'cause everything was so high. Judge O'Neall died befor' de war was over, and his wife went to Mississippi to liv wid her married daughter. After de war, Miss Sallie, who was Judge O'Neall's daughter, learn't me to read and write, and other things in books. "My father and mother went
to de while folks' church and called it a 'brush arbor'. A negro
preacher names Simon Miller was a good man and done lots of good
when he preached in de brush arbor. Dis was on de old Banduslian
Springs hill, near de south fork of Scotts Creek."
Project
1885-1 Interviewer: G. L. Summer,
Newberry, SC August 10, 1937 "I was born in Newberry County, near Cannon's Creek section in the Dutch Fork. I was a slave of Lemuel Lane. He was Killed by some slaves just after freedom. They killed him for his money but didn't find any, it was said. When freedom come, my mistress give me some things to eat when we left. "I can't work much any more; I am old and I can't get about. I live with my son who works when he can find work. We rent a two-room cottage in town. "I neve heard anything about slaves getting 40 acres of land and a mule. None in that section got any. We had to go to work for other people. "The Ku Klux Lan never bothered us then, and we never had nother to do with then, nor with politics. "There was no slaves living in our section who had come from Virginia." Project
1885-1 Interviewer: G. L. Summer, Newberry, SC May 21, 1937Page 213-14 Emoline Wilson "I was a Garmany before I married Calvin Wilson. My father was Henry Garmany, and my mother Sidney Boozer. My husband was in the Confederate army with his master. Dey was near Charleston on de coast. I was slave of Lenuel Lane, of de Dutch Fork. He was killed after de war, some say by some of his young slaves, but we'uns did not know naything about who killed him. We had a good house to live in on Marse Lane's plantation. I used to work around the house and in de fields. My mother was a good seamstress and helped de white folks sew, and she learn't me to sew had help 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 work for her, and I didn't have any money, still; so I said I better get me a man of my own. Marse Lane was mean to most of us, but good to me. He whiped me once and I deserved it because I wouldn't answer him when he called me. He jes' give me abut two licks. He was mean to my mother, but he wouldn't let his white overseer whip us, and wouldn't let de pladder-rollers come around. He said he could look-out for his own slaves. "We didn't learn to read and write, but some of de white folks had learned my mother, and she learned me some. "Niggers had to go to church at New Hope, de white folks' church, in slavery time and after de war too. We had Saturday afternoons to do what we wanted, and we washed clothes then. "On Christmas, Marse would give de slaves some good things to eat and send some to dere families. Niggers had frolics at dere houses sometimes on Saturday nights. When I married, I had a good hot supper. "Children played all de ole games like, play-ball (throwing over the house), 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; wild cherry bark was good for most anything if took at night. I have used it for curing some things. The best cure I know, is turpentine and a little oil mixed. Swallow it and it will fix you up. "The Yanks went through our place and took two of the best horses we had. 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 Coats wid 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 a good man. "I joined de church because de white
folks did. Dey wants to go to heaven and I do too. I think everybody
ought to try to do right. I used to think we could make heaven down
here, but if we jes' do right, dats all we can do."
Project
1885-1 Interviewer: G. L. Summer,
Newberry, SC September 3, 1937 "I live in de house wid my grand niece and her husband. It is a two-room house which dey rent; and day take care of me. I an old, weak and in bed much of de time. I can't work any now. My grand niece had to give up her job so she could stay home and take care of me. Dat makes it hard fer us. "I don't remember much about de war nor de Ku Klux 'cept what I done told you befo'. Dey never bothered us. My master would not let 'em bothr us. He was George Gallman na dhe had a big farm and lots of slaves. Just atter freedom come he made a coffin shopin back of his house in a little one-room shack. He made coffins fer people about de country. It got to be han'ted, and sometimes niggers could see ghosts around dere at night, so dey say. I never saw none myself. "Master George and his mistress was good to de niggers. Dey always give dem plenty to eat. I had it good, and never bothered abuot nothing den. De slaves never learn't to read and write; but dey went to de whitefolks' church. Dey had to go, and set in de back or in de gallery. "When freedom come, de slaves hired out mostly as share-croppers. A little later, some got small farms to rent. Since dat time dey have worked at most anything dey could get to do. De ones dat moved to town worked at odd jobs, some at Carpenter work, janitor work or street work; but most of dem worked in fields around town. "I married Hattie Eckles. When she died I went to Jalapa and lived ten years dere; den atter I got too old to work, I come to town and lived wid my kin. "I was about twelve years old when dey made me to to de field to work. Befo' dat and after dat, too, I worked around de barn and took care of de stock. "As fer eats, we had plenty. We had good collards, turnips and other good vegetables. De master has his own hogs, too, and we had plenty meat to eat. "Christmas was a big day fer us. We never worked dat day. We had good dinner, and could do what we wanted to do. We never had to work in de fields on Saturday. We would do washing or go hunting or something else. "All I know abut slavery being all right, is dat I had a good time, better dan now. Abraham Lincoln was a good man. I don't know nothing agin' him. Never heard anything about Jefferson Davis. I think Booker Washington is a good man. He do good fer de niggers in giving dem education. "I joined de church when I was young
because others was joining. I think everybody ought to belong to de
church."
Project
1885-1 Interviewer: G. L. Summer,
Newberry, SC May 9, 1937 "I am daughter of Billy Robertson and Louisa Robertson; was born about 77 years ago in Newberry, on Marse Job Johnstone's place. My father lived with Judge Job Johnstone as his extra man or servant. He lived in the house with him, slept in his room and waited on him when he became old; and, too, was the driver of his carriage. He drove him to other courthouses to hold court. After the war, my father was janitor at Newberry College, and he was liked by professors, students, and everybody who knew him as 'Uncle Billy'. At commencement, he always made a speech at night on the campus, which the students enjoyed. He told about his travels from Virginia to Newberry before the war. Judge Johnstone never wanted anybody else to be with him when he traveled. "I belonged to the Aveleigh Presbyterian Church in Newberry, and was christened in the church by the preacher, the Rev. Buist. Colored people were allowed to be members and set in the gallery when they went to church. "After the war, a colored man named Amos Baxter was killed by the Ku Klux at the old courthouse. My father was on Judge Johnstone's farm a few miles away. He was sent for and came with another colored man to town, and prayed and preached over the body of Baxter. The Ku Klux came to 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 never worked in the field but once, and the job was so poor they put me back in the house. That was the old Nance place. "Once I saw a man hung in Newberry. He was a negro named Thompson and killed a white man named Reid. He killed him at a store in Pomaria and burned it over his body. He was hung near the railroad, and a big crowd was there to see it. That was my first time to see a man hung, and I promised God it would be my last. They asked the negro if he had anything to say, and give him five minutes to talk. He was setting on a gox smoking; then he got up and said he reckoned his time was over, he was sorry for all the bad things he had done; that he had killed a boy once for 25 cents, and had killed a little girl for 20 cents. He was sorry for his wife and three weeks old baby. His wife saw him hung. "The Ku Lkux wanted to kill any white people who was Republicians. They killed some negroes. A white man named Murtishaw killed Lee Nance, a store keeper. I was a little girl and saw it. Some little children was standing out in front. Murtishaw came up and said he wanted to but something or pretended he wanted to; then he went up to Nance, pulled his pistol quick and shot him through the throat and head. "Judge Johnston'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 mistress cried awfully about it. "My husband died at old Mr. Dan Ward's
place, on College Hill, wher he was living then
Project
1885-1 Interviewer: G. L. Summer,
Newberry, SC May 19, 1937 "I was born in Newberry County, near the Laurens County line, above Chappells deport. My father and mother were Tom and Francis Scurry and belonged as slaves to the Drury Scurry family. Dr. Drury Scurry bought them from Col. Cooper of Laurens County. He was a fine man and mighty good to his slaves. I worked around the house as a boy, and in the fields when I got old enough. Some of the nigger boys hunted 'possums, rabbits and squirrels. Dr. Scurry had 100 acres in woods. They were just full 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 wid Marse Scurry. When freedom come, he come to us in the yard where we had congregated and told us we was free and could go anywhere we wanted, but if any wanted to stay on wid him, he would pay wages. All of us stayed on wid him. He give us a one-acre patch of ground to raise anything we wanted to raise. He had white overseers during slavery, but none ever whipped us 'cause the master wouldn't let them. He had a plantation of about 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 could do anything dey wanted to. "There wasn't much time for learning to read and write. The white folks sometimes had niggers to go to their church and set in the back or gallery. In our neighborhood, niggers had their own church dat they made of poles and brush, and called it, 'Brush Harbor'. They made seats from small logs sawed off or rough plank. "On Christmas day, the master would have a big dinner for his slaves and spread it out in the yards. Corn shuckings were popular and so were cotton pickings, where big eats were prepared for those who helped. They had big feasts at marriages, and even the slaves had feasts at their marriages, the master and his family taking part in the ceremonies. I was married in 1887, and at that time I was living with Mr. Renwick, and my girl with Dr. Tom Brown. Dr. Brown had us to marry in his yard in the grove, and over 200 persons was there to see it. The next day, he give us a big 'infair' with all kinds of good things to eat, presents and dances. We never had any children. After we moved to town, my wife was a nurse or midwife among some of the white families for a long time. "In Ku Lkux times, I met five or ten of them in the road one night. They never 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 son; 'Give me dat good ole time religion' which they san most of the time. There was another song they san: '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 the country. Jeff Davis was a good man.
Booker Washington was a great man. I think slavery was bad; yet our
white folks was good to us, but some white masters was mean. I think
everybody should belong to the church and be a
christian."
Project
1885-1 Interviewer: G. L. Summer,
Newberry, SC "I was born abut 1849 in the Dutch Fork section of Newberry County, S.C. I was slave of Ivey Suber and his good wife. My daddy was Bill Suber and my mammy was Mary Suber. I was hired by Marse Suber as a nurse in the big house, and I waited on my mistress when she was sick, and was at her bed when she died. I had two sisters and a brother and when we was 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, good place 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 had eats from it. They was good cooks, too, and lived good. We card and spin and weave our own clothes on mistress's spinning wheels. "Marse Suber had one overseer who was good to us. We went to work at sun-up and worked 'till sund-down, none of us worked at night. We sometimes got a whipping when we wouldn't work or do wrong, but it wasn't bad. "We never learned to read and write. We had no church and no school on the plantation, but we could go to the white folk's church and sit in the gallery. Some of us was made to go, and had to walk 10 miles. Of 'course, we never thought much about walking that far. I joined the church because I was converted; I think everybody ought to join the church. "The partrolelrs rode 'round and ketched slaves who ran away without passes. They never bothered us. When our work was over at night, we stayed home, talked and went to sleep. On Saturday afternoons white folks sometimes give us patches of ground to work, and we could wash up then, too. We raised corn on the patches and some vegetables. On Sunday we just rested and went to neighbor's house or go to church. On Christmas we had big eats. "Corn-shuckins and cotton-pickings always had suppers when work was done. Master made whiskey up at his sister's place, and at these suppers he 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. Sam Cannon's. A negro man named Jake Cannon married us. Supper was give us by 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 abut Booker Washington.
Project
1885-1 Interviewer: G. L. Summer,
Newberry, SC "I was born abut 1846, 'cause I was in de war and was 19 years old when de war was over. I went to Charleston with my master, Ros Atwood, my mistress's brother. My mistress was Mrs. Laura Rutherford and my master at home was Dr. Thomas Rutherford. We was on Morris Island. "My father was Allen Rutherford and my mother Barbara Rutherford. My daddy had come from Chili to this country, was a harness maker, and belonged awhile to Nichols. We had a good house or hut to live in, and my 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 year of war and den went to Charleston. "Master paid us no money for work. We could hunt and fish, and got lots of 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 dem to whip me. One old nigger named 'Isom', who come from Africa, was whipped mighty bad one dayh. The padderollers whip me one night when I went off to git a pair of shoes for an old lady and didn't git a pass. I was 16 years old then. "Doctor Rutherford had several farms - I reckon around 2,000 acres of land. We didn't have church nor school but sometimes we had to go to de white folks church and set in the gallery. We didn't learn to read and write. The mistress learnt some of de nigger chaps to read and write a little. "We had Saturday afternoons off to wash up and clean up. When Christmas come to the doctor would give us good things to eat. When we was sick he give us medicine, but some of de old folks would make hot teas from root herbs. "W had old time cornshuckings before and after freedom. We made sure enough 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 overseers told us was free and could go if we wanted to. Some of dem stayed on and some got in the big road and never stopped walking. Then we worked for 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, as waiting girl. I was married twice, but had 13 children all by my first wife. I have 14 grandchilden, and so many great-grandchildren I can't count them. "When de Ku Klux was in dat country I lived wid a man who was one of them. The first I knew about it was when I went down to the mill, de mule throwed me and de meal, and down de road I went to running and met a Ku Klux. It was him. "I think Abe Lincoln and Jeff Davis good men, but don't know much about dem. "I join de church when I was 68 years old 'cause God sent me to do it. I believe all ought to join church."
Project
1885-1 Interviewer: G. L. Summer,
Newberry, SC May 17, 1937 "I was born near Broad River in de Dutch Fork of Newberry County. I was a 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 or around 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 to take a nap. The fan was made out of brushes. "De white folks had cotton-pickings, corn-shuckings and guiltings. dey alluys 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."
"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 his wife, Mary Posey Foster, always said I was a big gal when the war stopped, 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 and picked cotton, hoed corn. They didn't give us no money for it. All we got was a place to sleep and a little to eat. The big man had a good garden and give us something from it. He raised loads of hogs, to eat and 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 padderrollers. They would ride around, whipping niggers. "My ma said her step-mother sold her. Sometimes they would take crowds of 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 we pick cotton. On Saturday afternoons we had frolics, sometimes frolics 'till Sunday daylight, then sleep all day Sunday. "When we got sick all the meidicine we took was turpentine - dat would cure almost any ailment. Some of the niggers used Sampson snake weed or peach leaves boiled and tea drunk. "I joined the church when I was 12 years old 'cause the other girls joined. I think everybody ought to join a church to get their souls right 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 had four children, and have five grand-children. I have been living in Newberry about 35 years or more. I worked as a wash-women many years. "When freedom come, my folks stayed on with Capt. Posey, and I washed and 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 dey was good men. I never learned to read and write. Booker Washington, I reckon, is a good man."
Project
1885-1 Interviewer: G. L. Summer,
Newberry, SC August 10, 1937 "I was born near the village of Maybinton, and lived on old Squire Kenner's plantation. Squire Kenner and his wife, mistress Lucy, was good to me. My mistress was so good I wish I was living with her now, I sho wouldn't have such a hard time getting something to eat. I am old and have rheumatism and can't get about good now. "I live with some of my grandchildren, but they can't make so much for us. We manage to eat, though. We rent a two-room house about two miles from Newberry Courthouse. "I don't know nothing about 40 acreas of land for the slaves after the war. We just stayed on with the master 'til he died, for wages; then we hired out to other people for wages. I don't know nothing 'bout slaves voting after the war. There was no slave uprisings then in our section. "Ever since the war was over, the slaves have worked for wages on plantations or moved to town and got little jobs here and there where they could. Some of the slaves would rent small farms from land owners or work the farms on shares. None of the slaves in our section come from Virginia."
Project
1885-1 Interviewer: G. L. Summer,
Newberry, SC August 23, 1937 "I live wid my fourth wife and she is much younger dan me. I am unable to work and have to stay in bed lots of de time. My wife works at odd jobs, like washing, ironing and cooking. We rent a two-room house from Miss Ann Ruff. "I belonged to John Hiller. He was a good master but he worked his slaves hard. Dat was in Lexington County. "I heard dat Gen. Grant said de slaves ought to get 40 acres of land and a mule so dey could go to work; but dey never got any dat I knows of. Atter Freedom dey worked as watge earners and share-croppers. Some went to other farms to get jobs. Dat's about what dey do now, but some of dem saved a little money and bought farms and some started little businesses of deir own. "De Ku Klux didn't have much influence wid de slaves or ex-slaves. As soon as de war broke, dey went riding up and down de public roads to catch and beat niggers. My brother run off when dey got atter him. He went to Orangeburg County and stayed down dere. "I voted twice den, once at Prosperity and again at Newberry. I was Republican, of course. Some of de Niggers of dis state was elected to office, but dey was not my kinfolks nor special friends. I think niggers ought to vote so dey could vote fer good white folks; and dey ought to run fer office if dey could be elected by good white folks. "I was sixteen years old when de Yankees come through dis country. Dey caught me in de road and made me go wid dem to Broad River where dey camped one night. den dey turned me loose and told me to git. I run as fast as I could. I followed de setting sun, de road running towards de sun all de time, and got home about night. "Since freedom is come de niggers have worked mostly on farms as share-cropers; some as renters wid deir own crops to raise. "De present generation of niggers ain't got much sence. Dey work when dey want to, and dier own way about it. De old niggers was learned to work when dey was little. "I don't know nothing about de Nat Turner Rebellion. I never know'd but one old nigger dat come from Virginia, old Ellen Abner. She lived below Prosperity fer a long time, in de Stoney Hills. Yes sir, I tires to live right and git along wid everybody." Interviewer: G. L. Summer, Newberry, S.C.
June 9, 1937 "I was born in 1835 in Lexington County, S.C. I know I was 12 years old de 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't mean, but often whipped 'em. I thought it was all right then. When de Yankees come through burning, killing and stealing stock, I was in mars'es yard. Dey come up whar de boss was standing, told him dere was going 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 fer me to come wid him or he would kill me. O' course I went along. Dey took me as fer as Broad River, on t'other side o' Chapin; then turned me loose and told me to run fast or they would shoot me. I went fast and found my way back home by watching de sun. Dey told me to not go back to dat old man. "De slaves never learnt to read and write. If any o' dem was caught trying to read or write, dey was whipped bad. I kotched on to what 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. den de niggers set up a 'brush harbor' church fer demselves. We went ot school at de church, and atter school was out in de atternoon, we had preaching. "Befo' freedom come, de patrollers was strong dere, and whipped any niggers dey kotched out without a pass; wouldn't let dem go to church without 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 wide fireplaces in de kitchens. Dey cooked many things on Saturdays, to last several days. Saturday afternoons, we had off to catch up on washing and other things we wanted to do. "I 'member de Ku Klux and de Red Shirts, but don't 'member anything dey did dere. "We had corn-shuckings and cotton pickings, when de white people would have everybody to come and help. Us niggers would help. Dey had big suppers afterwards. "We had plenty to eat from de garden of de boss, a big garden dat furnished all de slaves. Den de boss killed hogs and had other things to eat. Most o' de things raised in de garden, was potatoes, turnips, collards and peas. "Some of us had witches. One old woman was a withc, and she rode me one night. I couldn't get up one night, had a ketching of my breath and couldn't rise up. She held me down. In dem days, was lots o' fevers with de folks. Dey cured 'em and other sickness wid teas from root herbs and barks. "Abraham Lincoln was a good man. He said you folks ought to let dem niggers loose and let dem go to work. He come wid his two men, Grant and Sherman, and captured de slave bosses. Jeff Davis was one o' de forerunners of de war. Don't know much about him. Booker T. Washington is a good man. Think he is in office fer a good purpose. I been married four times. Was young man when I married first time. Gussie Gallman, my last wife, is living wid me."
Project
1885-1 Interviewer: G. L.
Summer, Newberry, S.C. December 17, 1937 "I was raised in Newberry County, S.C. on de place of Mr. Chesley Davis, near Indian Creek. I now live in a rented house in 'Helena'. My grandmother come from Virginia. Old man Tom Davis who lived near Indian Creek was a grandson of Chesley Davis. My daddy was Oxner, his first name was Wash. My mother was named Sidney Davis. My first wife was Polly Miller and de second was Mary Mangum, "Marse would whip his niggers, but he wasn't a hard man. I peeped around de house once when I was a little boy and saw him whipping a slave. "We got our vegetables from de white folks garden. We never had any of our own. We had plenty home-raised meats and flour. We made our own clothes at home by carding, spinning and weaving. We dyed dem by making dyes from de barks of trees or red clay. "Marse had a big plantation, and 75 to 100 slaves. My mother was de house-maid. She never learned to read and write, and none of us did either. "We use to hunt rabbits, possums, wild turkeys and squirrels, and we went fishing, too. We never had to work on Saturday afternoons or Sundays unless we had to take fodder or straw to de barn to keep it from getting wet. "Corn-shuckings and log-rollings was common in dem days. De workers had supper when dey got through. Niggers went to white folks' churches and set in de back or in de gallery. A few years atter de war, de niggers made brush arbors to use for preaching. "Old man Chesley Davis and and two of his boys who liked to drink liquor. His baby boy was bad to drink. We had barbecues in dem days and nearly every man would get drunk. "Later on, old man Davis tried to preach. He preached some at de Baptist church at Bush River, and at Fairview Baptist church, about four miles abouve whare he lived. "I don't remember much about de Ku Klux. I never saw any of dem. I remember a little about de Red Shirts. I don't remember anything about slaves getting forty acres of land and a mule when freedom come. Since de war, de niggers have worked on farms and done odd jobs in town."
Project 1815-1 Frances Andrews "I was born in Newberry County, S. C., near Belfast, about 1854. I was a slave of John Wallace. I was the only child, and when a small child, my mother was sold to Joe Liggins by my old master, Bob Adams. It is said that the old brick house where the Wallaces lived was built by a Eichleberger, but Dr. John Simpson lived there and sold it to Mr. Wallace. In the attic was an old skeleton which the children thought bewitched the house. None of them would go upstairs by themselves. I suppose old Dr. Simpson left it there. Sometimes later, it was taken out and buried. Marse Wallace had many slaves and kept them working, but he was not a strict master. "I married Allen Andrews after the war. He went to the war with his master. He was at Columbia with the Confederate troops when Sherman burnt the place. Some of them, my husband included, was captured and taken to Richmond Va. They escaped and walked back home, but all but five or six fell out or died. "My young master, Editor Bill Wallace, a son of Marse John, was a soldier. When he was sick at home, I fanned the flies from him with a home-made fan of peacock feathers, sewed to a long cane. "After the war, the 'bush-whackers', called Ku Klux, rode there. Preacher Pitts' brother was one. They went to negro houses and killed the people. They wore caps over the head and eyes, but no long white gowns. An old muster ground was above there about three miles, near what is now Wadsworth school." Source: Frances Andrews (col. 83), Newberry, S.
C STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES "I live in a comfortable two-room cottage which my son owns. I can't do much work except a little washing and ironing. My grandchildren live with me. My other children help me a little when I need it. I heard about the 40 acres of land and a mule the ex-slaves would get after the war, but I didn't pay any attention to it. They never got anything. I think this was put out by the Yankees who didn't care about much 'cept getting money for themselves. "I come from the Indian Creek section of Newberry County. After about 1880 when things got natural, some of the slaves from this section rented small one-horse farms and made their own money and living. Some would rent small tracts of land on shares, giving the landlord one-half the crop for use of the land. "Everything is changed so much. I never learned to read and write and all I know is what I heard in old times. But I think the younger generation of negroes is different from what they used to be. They go where they want to and do what they want to and don't pay much attention to old folks anymore. "My mother's mother come from Virginia and my mother's father was born and raised in this county. I don't remember anything about the Nat Turner Rebellion, and never heard anything about it. We never had any slave up-risings in our neighborhood." Source: Frances Andrews (83), Newberry, S.
C.
FOLKLORE: EX-SLAVES "I was born in Laurens County, S. C., at the 'brick house', which is close to Newberry County line, and my master was Dr. Felix Calmes. The old brick house is still there. My daddy was Joe Grazier and my mammy, Nellie Grazier. "We had a pretty good house to live in in slavery time, and some fair things to eat, but never was paid any money. We had plenty to eat like fat meat, turnips, cabbages, cornbread, milk and pot-liquor. Master sent his corn and apples, and his peaches to old man Scruggs at Helena, near Newberry, to have him make his whiskey, brandy, and wine for him. Old man Scruggs was good at that business. The men hunted some, squirrels, rabbits, possums, and birds. "In the winter time I didn't have much clothes, and no shoes. At nights I carded and spinned on the mistress's wheels, helping my mammy. Then we got old woman Wilson to weave for us. "Master had a big plantation of several farms, near about 1,000 acres or more. It was said he had once 250 slaves on his places, counting children and all. His overseers had to whip the slaves, master told them to, and told them to whip them hard. Master Calmes was most always mean to us. He got mad spells and whip like the mischief. He all the time whipping me 'cause I wouldn't work like he wanted. I worked in the big house, washed, ironed, cleaned up, and was nurse in the house when war was going on. "We didn't have a chance to learn to read and write, and master said if he caught any of his slaves trying to learn he would 'skin them alive'. "There was a church in the neighborhood on Dr. Blackburn's place, but we didn't get to go to it much. I was 17 years old when I joined the church. I joined because the rest of the girls joined. I think everybody ought to join the church. "On Saturday afternoons the slaves had to work, and all day Sunday, too, if master wanted them. On Christmas Day we was give liquor to get drunk on, but didn't have no dinner. "When I was sick old Dr. P. B. Ruff attended me. Old Dr. Calmes, I 'member, traveled on a horse, with saddle-bag behind him, and made his own medicines. He made pills from cornbread. "I saw many slaves sold on the block—saw mammy with little infant taken away from her baby and sent away. I saw families separated from each other, some going to one white master and some to another. "I married at 14 years old to Arthur Bluford. We had 10 children. I now have about 8 grandchildren and about 7 or 8 great-grandchildren. I was married in the town of Newberry at the white folk's Methodist church, by a colored preacher named Rev. Geo. De Walt. "When freedom come, they left and hired out to other people, but I stayed and was hired out to a man who tried to whip me, but I ran away. Dat was after I married and had little baby. I told my mammy to look after my little baby 'cause I was gone. I stayed away two years 'till after Dr. Calmes and his family moved to Mississippi." Source: Gordon Bluford (92), Newberry, S.
C.
STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES "I was born in Newberry County, near the Laurens County line, above Little River. Me and my mother belonged to the Workman family. Afterwards, I belonged to Madison Workman. He was a good man to his slaves. My work was around the house and home. I was too young to work in the fields until after the war. "I can't remember much about them times. I married there and soon after come to town and lived, where I have worked ever since. I do washing and other work. "On the farm, the old folks had to cook outdoors, or in a kitchen away off from the house. They had wide fireplaces where they put their pots to cook the meals. "I remember the old Little River Presbyterian Church where people would go on Sundays. They would go in the mornings, and again in the afternoons and have preaching." Source: Jane Bradley (80), Newberry, S.
C.
STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES "I works on de shares and makes a fair living on a rented farm; don't own no land. I was born in Newberry County, near de old Longshore store, about 12 miles northwest of Newberry Courthouse on de Henry Burton place. My parents belonged to Henry Burton in slavery time. He was our marster. I married Betty Burton, a nigger girl whose parents belonged to Marse Henry Burton, too. "We had a good marster and mistress. Dey give us a good place to sleep and lots to eat. He had a big four-acre garden where he raised lots of vegetables fer his slaves. He had plenty meat, molasses and bread. We ground our corn and wheat and made our own feed. "Marster wouldn't let anybody bother his slaves. He wouldn't 'low his overseers or de padrollers to whip 'em. He never whipped one. "We had no school and no church; but was made to go to de white folks church and set in de gallery. When Freedom come, de niggers begin to git dere own church, and built small brush huts called 'brush harbors'. "We didn't do work on Saturday afternoons, but went hunting and fishing den, while de women folks cleaned up around de place fer Sunday. De marster liked to hunt, and he hunted foxes which was plenty around dere den. Now dey is all gone. "We danced and had gigs. Some played de fiddle and some made whistles from canes, having different lengths for different notes, and blowed 'em like mouth organs." Source: C. B. Burton (79), Newberry, S.
C.
Project 1885-1 STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES "I was born in Union County, S. C., not far from the ferry on Tyger River. My mother was a slave of George R. Tucker who lived on the Enoree River. I can't remember slavery times nor the war; but I remember about the end of the war when everybody was coming home. "My mother was a weaver, going to the white folks' houses and weaving clothes for them for small pay. Carding and spinning was done by all the white families at home. "The farms had large gardens and raised most everything to eat. Large patches of turnips, cabbage and green vegetables was the custom at that time." Source: Laura Caldwell (77), Newberry, S.
C.
Project 1885-1 STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES "I was born near old Bush River Baptist Church, in Newberry County, S. C. I was the slave of John Satterwhite. My mother lived with them. I was a small girl when the war was on. My brother went to war with Marse Satterwhite. When de Ku Klux and paddrollers traveled around in that section, they made Mr. Satterwhite hold the niggers when they was whipped, but he most all the time let them loose, exclaiming, 'they got loose'—he did not want many of them whipped. "My mother had a kitchen way off from the house, wid a wide fireplace where she cooked victuals. There was holes in back of de chimney with iron rods sticking out of them to hold de pans, pots, kettles or boilers. "People there did not believe much in ghosts. They were not much superstitious, but one time some of the negroes thought they heard the benches in Bush River Baptist Church turn over when nobody was in the church. "Negroes most always shouted at their religious meetings. Before de negroes had their own church meetings, the slaves went to the white folks' Bush River Baptist church and set up in the gallery. I moved to Newberry when I was young, after I got married." Source: Maria Cleland, Newberry, S. C. (80 years
old).
Project 1885-1 FOLKLORE: EX-SLAVES "I was born about 1857 and my wife about 1859. I lived on Squire Keller's farm, near the Parr place, and after the squire died I belonged to Mrs. Elizabeth (Wright) Keller. My mother died when I was a boy and my father was bought and carried to Alabama. My father was Gilliam Coleman and my mother, Emoline Wright. My master and mistress was good to me. The old Squire was as fine a man as ever lived on earth. He took me in his home and took care of me. After the war the mistress stayed on the place and worked the slaves right on, giving them wages or shares. "The slaves were not whipped much; I 'member one man was whipped pretty bad on Maj. Kinard's place. He had a colored man to do whipping for him—his name was Eph. There was no whiskey on the place, never made any. Us did cooking in the kitchen wid wide fireplaces. "When the Yankees came through at the end of the war, they took all the stock we had. The mistress had a fine horse, its tail touching the ground, and we all cried when it was taken; but we got it back, as some men went after it. "I married in 1874 to Ellen T. Williams. She belonged
to Bill Reagan. After I married I worked in the railroad shops at
"Helena", and sometimes I fired the engine on the road, for about
eight years. Then I went into the ministry. I was called by the
Spirit of the Lord, gradually, and I preached 51 "I have one child, a son, who is in the pullman service at Washington, D. C. "I owned my little house and several acres and am still living on it." Source: Rev. Tuff Coleman and wife (80 and 78),
Newberry, S. C.
STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES "My family belonged in slavery time to old Marse Pierce Lake who was de Clerk of Court in town, or de Probate Judge. He lived at de old Campbell Havird House and I lived dar wid him. My mother belonged to dis Lake family and she was named Martha Lake. I don't know who my father was, but I was told he was a white man. "We slaves had good enough quarters to live in, and dey give us plenty to eat. De house I live in now is fair, but it has a bad roof. It is my wife's chillun's place. My wife had it and left it to dem. She was Ellen Gallman, a widow when I married her. Only my blind daughter now live wid me. I was married five times and had eighteen chilluns by three wives. Each of my wives died befo' I married agin. I didn't separate from any. My mother's father lived wid Marse Lake. He and his wife come from Virginia. "I was a boy in slavery and worked and piddled round de house. Sometimes I had to work de corn or in de garden. We had plenty to eat. As de old saying is, 'We lived at home and boarded at de same place.' We raised everything we had to eat, vegetables, hogs, cows and de like. Marster had a big garden, but he didn't let his slaves have any garden of deir own. We made all our clothes, homespun. My mother used to spin at night and work out all day; lots of niggers had to do dat. "Marse Lake was good to his niggers, but he had to whip dem sometimes, when dey was mean. He had six or eight slaves, some on de upper place and some on de home place. We got up at daylight and worked all day, except for dinner lunch, till it was sundown. "We never worked at night in de fields. Sometimes Marse would have corn-shuckings and de neighbors would come in and help catch up wid shucking de corn; den dey would have something to eat. De young folks would come, too, and help, and dey would dance and frolic. "I didn't learn to read and write. Marse never said anything about it. My sister learned when some of de white women school teachers boarded at Marse Lake's house. De teachers learn't my sister when she was de maid of de house, and she could read and write good. Didn't have a school or church on de plantation. Atter de war, some of de niggers started a brush arbor. Befo' de war, some of us niggers had to come to town wid de white folks and go to deir church and set in de gallery. "De patrollers was sometimes mean. If dey catch'd a nigger away from home widout a pass dey sho whipped him, but dey never got any of us. Dey come to our house once, but didn't git anybody. "We had to work all day Saturdays, but not Sundays. Sometimes de fellows would slip off and hunt or fish a little on Sunday. Women would do washing on Saturday nights, or other nights. We had three days holiday when Christmas come, and we had plenty good things to eat, but we had to cook it ourselves. De marster would give de chillun little pieces of candy. "Chillun had games like marbles and anti-over. Dey played anti-over by a crowd gitting on each side of de house and throwing a ball from one side to de other. Whoever got de ball would run around on de other side and hit somebody wid it; den he was out of de game. We never believed much in ghosts or spooks. I never saw any. "Some of de folks had remedies for curing, like making
hot tea from a weed called 'bone-set'. Dat weed grows wild in de
woods. It was good for chills and fever. De "We used to call de cows on de plantation like dis: 'co-winch, co-winch'. We called de mules like dis: 'co, co', and de hogs and pigs, 'pig-oo, pig-oo'. We had dogs on de place, too, to hunt wid. "When freedom come, de marster told us we could go away or stay on. Most of us stayed on wid him. Soon atter dis, he got mad at me one day and told me to git off de place. I come to town and stayed about two weeks, piddling around to git along. I found out whar my mother was—she had been sold and sent away. She was in Saluda (Old Town). I went to her and stayed two weeks; den she come to Newberry and rented a little cabin on Beaver Dam Creek, near Silver Street. "I remember hearing about de Yankees. When dey come through here dey camped in town to keep order and peace. I remember de Ku Klux, too, how some of 'em killed niggers. I voted in town on de Republican ticket. I am still a Republican. None of my friends held office, but I remember some of dem. Old Lee Nance was one, and he was killed by a white man. "Since de war, de niggers have worked mostly on farms, renting and wage-hands. Some of dem have bought little places. Some moved to town and do carpenter work, and others jes' piddle around. "Some of de dances de niggers had was, 'Jump Jim Crow'; one nigger would jump up and down while tripping and dancing in de same spot. Some times he say, 'Every time I jump, I jump Jim Crow.' We had what was called a 'Juber' game. He would dance a jig and sing, 'Juber this, Juber that, Juber killed a yellow cat'. "I never thought much about Abraham Lincoln nor Jefferson Davis. Only seed de pictures of dem. Reckon dey was all right. Don't know nothing about Booker Washington, neither. "I was 25 years old when I joined de church. I joined because I thought I ought to, people preaching Christ and him crucified; and I thought I ought to do right. Think everybody ought to join de church and be religious. "What I think of de present generation is hard to say. Dey is not like de old people was. De old generation of chilluns could be depended on, but de present niggers can't be. "No, de slaves never expected anything when de war was over, dem in de neighborhood didn't. Some say something about gitting 40 acres of land and a mule, but we never expected it. None ever got anything, not even money from de old marsters or anybody." Source: John N. Davenport (N, 89), Newberry, S. C.
RFD
STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES "I was born, March 10, 1848, on Little River in Newberry county, S. C. My master in slavery time was Gilliam Davenport. He was good to his slaves, not strict; good to his cattle, and expected his negroes to be good to them. But he was quick to resent anything from outsiders who crossed his path. "All that part of the country was good for hunting. The deer, fox, and wild turkey have gone; though a few years ago, some men brought some foxes there and turned them loose, thinking they would breed, but they gradually disappeared. The kildees were many. That was a sign of good weather. When they flew high and around in a circle, it was a sign of high winds. "Fishing in the rivers was much done. They fished with hooks on old-time canes. They had fish baskets, made of wooden splits, with an opening at the end like the wire baskets now used. If they were set anytime, day or night, a few hours afterwards would be enough time to catch some fish. "An old sign was: when the youngest child sweeps up the floor, somebody was coming to see you. If a dish-rag was dropped on the floor, somebody was coming who would be hungry." Source: Moses Davenport (89), Newberry, S.
C.
FOLKLORE: EX-SLAVES "I was a slave of Bill Davis who lived at "Rich Hill", near Indian Creek, in Newberry County, S. C. I was born about 1856, I reckon. My daddy was Ivasum Davis and my mammy was Rhody Davis. Marse Bill was a good master, lived in a big house, give us a good place to live and plenty to eat. He hardly ever whipped us, and was never cruel to us. He didn't let his overseer whip us, and never hit a man. "Aw, we had good eats den. Wish I has some of dem old ash-cakes now which was cooked in de brick oven or in de ashes in de fireplace. My mistress had a big garden, and give us something to eat out of it. We used to go hunting, and killed possums, rabbit, squirrels, and birds. "We had home-made clothes 'till I was big boy. Dey was made from card and spin wheels. "Our work was light; we got up at sun-up at blowing of de horn and worked till sundown. Sometimes we worked on Saturday afternoons when we had to. On Saturday nights we had frolics—men and women. Some women would wash their clothes on Saturday afternoons. Den at night we have prayer meetings. "We had no church on our plantation, not till after freedom, but we learned to read and write and spell. "De padderrolers didn't bother us; our master always give us a pass when we go anywhere. "On Christmas Day master always give big dinners for slaves, and on New Year we had a holiday. "I married Lila Davis at de Baptist Church in Newberry. "When our slaves got sick we sent for de doctor. Some of de old folks in the neighborhood believed in giving root-herb tea or tea made from cherry barks or peach leaves. "When freedom come de master told us we was free and could go but if we wanted to stay on with him, we could stay. We stayed with him for two years and worked by day wages. "The Ku Klux was dere. I heard old folks talk about dem. Dey had white sheets over their heads and white caps on their heads. "The Yankees went through our place and stole cattle. "I thought slavery was all right, 'cause I had a good time. I had a good master. "I joined the church when I was 21 years old because I thought I'd live better. I think all ought to join the church." Source: Wallace Davis (88), Newberry, S. C.;
interviewer: G. Leland STORIES OF EX-SLAVES "I live in a little two-room house beyond Helena where I work a little patch of land which I rent. I don't own anything. I make a living working de land. "I was born on Indian Creek in Newberry County, S. C. about 1856. My mammy was Rhody Davis and my pa was Ivasum Davis. We belonged in slavery to Bill Davis. He lived at de place called "Rich Hill". De old house is done tore down, but young Riser now lives in de new house on de place. "Our master was good to us, but whipped us a little sometimes. He would not allow his overseer to whip any of us. He give us enough to eat and a fair place to live in. We didn't want fer anything. Dey had plenty to eat on de farm, and sure had good eatings. Dere was a brick oven which could cook good bread and cakes. We had a big garden which de mistress looked after, and she had plenty from it which she shared wid de slaves. "De old spinning wheel was used lots of times and dey made all de clothes everybody on de place wore. "We didn't have no church to go to, but dey sometimes made some slaves go to white folks churches where dey set on de back seats. We didn't have schools and couldn't learn to read and write till after freedom come; den some niggers learned at de brush arbors. "Befo' freedom de patrollers marched up and down de road but didn't bother us. Our master always give us a pass when we went somewhere. On Christmas he give us big dinners. "I married Lilla Davis at de white folks' Baptist church in Newberry. "When slaves got sick some of dem took tree barks and made teas to drink, and some made tea from root herbs. We had doctors, too, but dey made lots of deir medicine from de barks and herbs. "I can't remember much what de Ku Klux did, but heard about dem. Just after de war de Yankees marched through our place and stole some cattle and run away wid dem. In some places dey burned down de barns and gin houses. "I had a good master and always had plenty to eat, so I thought slavery was all right. We didn't have nothing of any kind to worry about. "I don't know nothing much about Abe Lincoln or Jefferson Davis." Source: Wallace Davis (N. 88), Newberry, S.
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Project 1885-1 [HW: (Dorroh)] "I live wid my daughter in a four-room house which we rents from Doc Hunter. He got it in charge. My husband died several years ago. "My daddy was Harvey Pratt, and he belonged to Marse Bob Pratt in Newberry. My mammy was Mary Fair, and she belonged in slavery to marse Simeon Fair. When dey married dey had a big wedding. Marse didn't make slave women marry men if dey didn't want to. Befo' my mammy and daddy married, somebody give a note to take to Mrs. Fair, her mistress. Mistress wouldn't tell what was in it, but daddy run every step of de way, he was so glad dey would let 'em marry. "Col. Simeon Fair had a big fish pond on his place down on de branch behind his house, and he had a milkhouse, too. (This is where the Margaret Hunter Park is). "My great-grandmother come from Virginia. She was bought by Marse Fair from a speculator's drove. Slaves had good places to live in and everything to eat. Old Marse sho cared for his slaves. He give 'em plenty of clothes and good things to eat. On Sundays dey had to go to de white folks' church and he made dem put on new clean clothes dat he give 'em. "I was born about two years befo' freedom, and I lost my mammy right atter de war. I remember about de Ku Klux and Red Shirts. "Everything we had was made at home, or on marster's big plantation in de country. Marse told his son, Billy, befo' he died to take care of his niggers and see dat dey didn't want for nothing. "Marse made de slaves work all day and sometimes on Saturdays, but he never let 'em work at night. Sometimes on de plantation dey had corn-shuckings and log-rollings; den dey give de hands good dinners and some whiskey to drink. "One old nigger had a weak back and couldn't work much, so he use to play marbles in de yard wid de kids most every day. "Slaves couldn't go away from de place unless dey had a pass from de marse to show de patrollers when dey caught dem out. "My daddy use to cook at de old Newberry Hotel. He was one of de finest cooks in dis part of de country. De hotel was a small wooden frame building wid a long front piazza. In de back was a small wooden two-room house dat servants lived in. Atter de war, de 'little guard house' stood jes' behind where de opera house now is. "Some of de slaves learned to read and write. Marse didn't keep dem from learning if dey wanted to. Niggers used to sing, 'I am born to die'. Dey learn't it from Marse Ramage's son, 'Jock' Ramage. He learn't 'em to sing it. "Atter de war, Marse told de niggers dey was free. Most of dem stayed on wid him and took his name. Slaves most always took de name of deir marsters. "My mother married at Thomas Pope's place, and he had old man Ned Pearson, a nigger who could read and write, to marry 'em. He married lots of niggers den. Atter de war many niggers married over agin, 'cause dey didn't know if de first marriage was good or not. "Marse Fair let his niggers have dances and frolics on his plantation, and on Saturdays dey danced till 12 o'clock midnight. Sometimes dey danced jigs, too, in a circle, jumping up and down. In dese times de young folks dance way into Sunday mornings, and nobody to stop 'em, but Marse wouldn't let his slaves dance atter 12 o'clock. "Everybody believed in ghosts. Nobody would pass by a graveyard on a dark night, and dese days dey go to cemeteries to do deir mischief, at night and not afraid. Doctors used to have home-made medicines. Old Dr. Brown made medicine from a root herb to cure rheumatism. He called it 'rhue'. He lived in what is now called Graveltown. His old house has been torn down. He made hot teas from barks for fevers. He made a liquid salve to rub on for rheumatism. "When freedom come most of de slaves stayed on. Some man come here to make a speech to de slaves. He spoke in Marse Fair's yard to a big crowd of niggers and told dem to stay on and work for wages. When de Yankees come through here, dey stole everything dey could git deir hands on. Dey went in de house and took food and articles. Marse put guards around his house to keep dem out so dey wouldn't steal all de potatoes and flour he had for his slaves. Ku Klux went around de country and caught niggers and carpetbaggers. De carpetbaggers would hunt up chillun's lands, whose daddys was killed and try to take dem. Dat was when Judge Leheigh was here, and Capt. Bone was postmaster. Dey was Republicans, but when de Democrats got in power dey stopped all dat. "When I married John Dorroh I had a big wedding. We married at de Harp place in Newberry, jes' behind de big house, in a nigger cottage. White folks and niggers come. I was known amongst de best white families 'cause I served as cook for dem. I was married by Rev. J. K. Walls, a nigger preacher from Charleston. "I think slavery ended through de work of Almighty God. My mother always said dat was it. My daddy left here and went to Memphis when I was five years old. He sent home $40. He was in de army wid Major James Baxter. He took care of de guns and things of de Major." Source: Isabella Dorroh (N, 75), Newberry, S.
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Project 1885-1 FOLKLORE: EX-SLAVES "I was born in Newberry County, S. C. below Prosperity on Capt. George De Walt's place. My daddy and mammy was Giles and Lizzie De Walt Downing. My daddy belonged to de Outz family, but changed his name to Downing—his master was Downing Outz. I was born about 1857. My mother had 16 children, some died young. I was a little chap when the war was here, but I remember de soldiers coming home from de war. De Yankees went through here and stole all the cattle and all the eats. De Ku Klux marched down de road dressed in white sheets. Freedom come and most of the slaves went away, but I stayed on wid Marse De Walt. Daddy worked wid Downing Outz for wages. When I was 15 years old I worked in de fields like grown folks. I never learned to read and write. We had no schools then for colored people. De only church we had after freedom come was a small "brush arbor" church. "We hunted rabbits, 'possums, squirrels, wild turkeys, doves and partridges there. "I joined de church when I was 20 years old, 'cause I thought times would be better for me then. Of course, I kind of back-slided little afterwards, but always tried to do right. Source: Laurence Downing (80), Newberry, S.
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