The ex-slaves interviewed ranged in ages from 75 to 100 years old. Out
of about thirty-five negroes contacted only two seemed to feel bitter
over memories of slave days. All the others spoke with much feeling and
gratitude of the good old days when they were so well cared for by their
masters. Without exception the manners of these old men and women were
gentle and courteous. The younger ones could pass on to us only
traditional memories of slavery times, as given them by their parents;
on some points a few were vague, while others could give clear-cut and
vivid pictures.
Practically all the Negroes interviewed seemed to be of pure African
blood, with black or dark brown skin, Negroid features, and kinky,
tightly wrapped wool. Most of the women were small and thin. We found
one who had a strain of Indian blood, a woman named Mary, who belonged
to John Roof. Her grandfather was an Indian, and her grandmother was
part Indian, having migrated into South Carolina from Virginia.
Sarah Ray, who was born on the Curtis Lowe place in McDuffie County was
one of the few ex-slaves contacted, who was admittedly half-white.
Although now wrinkled and weazened with age she has no definite Negroid
features. Her eyes are light hazel and her hair fluffs about her face in
soft ringlets instead of the tight kinks of the pure Negro.
"My father was a white man, de overseer," said Sarah. "Leastways, dey
laid me to him."
Sarah was brought up like the Negro children on the plantation. She had
no hard work to do. Her mother was a field hand, and they lived in a
little house in the quarters. "De ve'y fust thing I kin remember is
ridin' down de road in de ox cart wid my mammy," she said. "Ole man Eli
wus drivin'. We wus goin' to Miss Meg's on de odder side o' Hart's
Branch. Marster had give us to Miss Meg when she married Mr. Obediah
Cloud."