WILL SHEETS, Age 76
1290 W. Broad Street
Athens, Georgia
Written by:
Sadie B. Hornsby
Athens
Edited by:
Sarah H. Hall
Athens
Leila Harris
and
John N. Booth
District Supervisor
Federal Writers' Project
Augusta, Georgia
[Date Stamp: MAY 13 1938]
Old Will Sheets readily complied with the request that he tell of his
experiences during slavery days. "No'm I don't mind, its been many a
long day since anybody axed me to talk 'bout things dat far back, but I
laks to have somebody to talk to 'cause I can't git 'bout no more since
I los' both of my footses, and I gits powerful lonesome sometimes.
"I was borned in Oconee County, not far f'um whar Bishop is now. It
warn't nothin' but a cornfield, way back in dem times. Ma was Jane
Southerland 'fore she married my pa. He was Tom Sheets. Lawsy Miss! I
don't know whar dey cone f'um. As far as I knows, dey was borned and
raised on deir Marsters' plantations. Dar was seven of us chilluns. I
was de oldes'; James, Joe, Speer, Charlie, and Ham was my brudders, and
my onlies' sister was Frances.
"You ax me 'bout my gram'ma and gram'pa? I can't tell you nothin' t'all
'bout 'em. I jus' knows I had 'em and dat's all. You see Ma was a house
gal and de mos' I seed of her was when she come to de cabin at night;
den us chilluns was too sleepy to talk. Soon as us et, us drapped down
on a pallet and went fast asleep. Niggers is a sleepyheaded set.
"I was a water boy, and was 'spected to tote water f'um de spring to de
house, and to de hands in de fiel'. I helped Mandy, one of de colored
gals, to drive de calves to de pasture and I toted in a little wood and
done little easy jobs lak dat. Lawsy Miss! I never seed no money 'til
atter de War. If I had a had any money what could I have done wid it,
when I couldn't leave dat place to spend it?
"Dare ain't much to tell 'bout what little Nigger chillun done in
slavery days. Dem what was big enough had to wuk, and dem what warn't,
played, slep' and scrapped. Little Niggers is bad as game chickens 'bout
fightin'. De quarters whar us lived was log cabins chinked wid mud to
keep out de rain and wind. Chimblies was made out of fiel' rock and red
clay. I never seed a cabin wid more dan two rooms in it.
"Beds warn't fancy dem days lak dey is now; leastwise I didn't see no
fancy ones. All de beds was corded; dey had a headboard, but de pieces
at de foot and sides was jus' wide enough for holes to run de cords
thoo', and den de cords was pegged to hold 'em tight. Nigger chillun
slep' on pallets on de flo'.
"Marse Jeff Southerland was a pore man, but he fed us all us could eat
sich as turnips, cabbages, collards, green corn, fat meat, cornbread,
'taters and sometimes chicken. Yes Ma'am, chicken dinners was sorter
special. Us didn't have 'em too often. De cookin' was all done at de big
house in a open fireplace what had a rack crost it dat could be pulled
out to take de pots off de fire. 'Fore dey started cookin', a fire was
made up ready and waitin'; den de pots of victuals was hung on de rack
and swung in de fireplace to bile. Baking was done in skillets. Us
cotched rabbits three and four at a time in box traps sot out in de plum
orchard. Sometimes us et 'em stewed wid dumplin's and some times dey was
jus' plain biled, but us laked 'em bes' of all when dey was fried lak
chickens.
"Oh! dem 'possums! How I wisht I had one right now. My pa used to ketch
40 or 50 of 'em a winter. Atter dey married, Ma had to stay on wid Marse
Jeff and Pa was 'bliged to keep on livin' wid Marster Marsh Sheets. His
marster give him a pass so dat he could come and stay wid Ma at night
atter his wuk was done, and he fetched in de 'possums. Dey was baked in
de white folkses kitchen wid sweet 'tatoes 'roun' 'em and was barbecued
sometimes. Us had fishes too what was mighty good eatin'. Dere warn't
but one gyarden on de plantation.
"Slave chillun didn't wear nothin' in summer but shirts what looked lak
gowns wid long sleeves. Gals and boys was dressed in de same way when
dey was little chaps. In winter us wore shirts made out of coarse cloth
and de pants and little coats was made out of wool. De gals wore wool
dresses." He laughed and said: "On Sunday us jus' wore de same things.
Did you say shoes? Lawsy Miss! I was eight or nine 'fore I had on a pair
of shoes. On frosty mornin's when I went to de spring to fetch a bucket
of water, you could see my feet tracks in de frost all de way dar and
back.
"Miss Carrie, my Mist'ess, was good as she knowed how to be. Marse and
Mist'ess had two gals and one boy, Miss Anna, Miss Callie, and Marster
Johnny.
"Marse Jeff was a good man; he never whupped and slashed his Niggers. No
Ma'am, dere warn't nobody whupped on Marse Jeff's place dat I knows
'bout. He didn't have no overseer. Dere warn't no need for one 'cause he
didn't have so many slaves but what he could do de overseein' his own
self. Marse Jeff jus' had 'bout four mens and four 'oman slaves and him
and young Marse Johnny wukked in de fiel' 'long side of de Niggers. Dey
went to de fiel' by daybreak and come in late at night.
"When Marse Jeff got behind wid his crop, he would hire slaves f'um
other white folkses, mostly f'um Pa's marster, dat's how Pa come to know
my Ma.
"Dere was 'bout a hunderd acres in our plantation countin' de woods and
pastures. Dey had 'bout three or four acres fenced in wid pine poles in
a plum orchard. Dat's whar dey kep' de calves.
"Dere was a jail at Watkinsville, but Marse Jeff never had none of his
slaves put in no jail. He didn't have so many but what he could make 'em
behave. I never seed no slaves sold, but I seed 'em in a wagon passin'
by on deir way to de block. Marse Jeff said dey was takin' 'em a long
ways off to sell 'em. Dat's why dey was a-ridin'.
"Miss Anna larned Ma her A.B.C's. She could read a little, but she never
larned to write.
"Slaves went to de white folkses church if dey went a t'all. I never
could sing no tune. I'se lak my Ma; she warn't no singer. Dat's how come
I can't tell you 'bout de songs what dey sung den. I 'members de fus'
time I seed anybody die; I was 'bout eight years old, and I was twelve
'fore I ever seed a funeral. No Ma'am, us chilluns didn't go to no
baptizin's--Ma went, but us didn't.
"Didn't none of Marse Jeff's Niggers run off to no North, but I heared
of a Nigger what did on de place whar my Pa was at. De only thing I
knowed what might a made him run to de North was dat Niggers thought if
dey got dar dey would be in Heb'en. Dem patterollers was somepin' else.
I heared folkses say dey would beat de daylights mos' out of you if dey
cotched you widout no pass. Us lived on de big road, and I seed 'em
passin' mos' anytime. I mos' know dere was plenty trouble twixt de
Niggers and de white folkses. Course I never heared tell of none, but
I'm sho' dere was trouble jus' de same," he slyly remarked.
"Marse Jeff wukked dem few Niggers so hard dat when dey got to deir
cabins at night dey was glad to jus' rest. Dey all knocked off f'um wuk
Sadday at 12 o'clock. De 'omans washed, patched, and cleaned up de
cabins, and de mens wukked in dey own cotton patches what Marse Jeff
give 'em. Some Niggers wouldn't have no cotton patch 'cause dey was too
lazy to wuk. But dey was all of 'em right dar Sadday nights when de
frolickin' and dancin' was gwine on. On Sundays dey laid 'round and
slep'. Some went to church if dey wanted to. Marster give 'em a pass to
keep patterollers f'um beatin' 'em when dey went to church.
"Us chilluns was glad to see Chris'mas time come 'cause us had plenty to
eat den; sich as hogshead, backbones, a heap of cake, and a little
candy. Us had apples what had been growed on de place and stored away
special for Chris'mas. Marse Jeff bought some lallahoe, dat was syrup,
and had big old pones of lightbread baked for us to sop it up wid. What
us laked best 'bout Chris'mas was de good old hunk of cheese dey give us
den and de groundpeas. Don't you know what groundpeas is? Dem's goobers
(peanuts). Such a good time us did have, a-parchin' and a-eatin' dem
groundpeas! If dere was oranges us didn't git none. Marse Jeff give de
grown folkses plenty of liquor and dey got drunk and cut de buck whilst
it lasted. New Year's Day was de time to git back to wuk.
"Marse Jeff was sich a pore man he didn't have no corn shuckin's on his
place, but he let his Niggers go off to 'em and he went along hisself.
Dey had a big time a-hollerin' and singin' and shuckin' corn. Atter de
shuckin' was all done dere was plenty to eat and drink--nothin' short
'bout dem corn shuckin's.
"When slaves got sick, dey didn't have no doctor dat I knowed 'bout.
Miss Carrie done de doctorin' herself. Snake root tea was good for colds
and stomach mis'ries. Dey biled rabbit tobacco, pine tops, and mullein
together; tuk de tea and mixed it wid 'lasses; and give it to us for
diffunt ailments. If dey done dat now, folkses would live longer. Ma put
asafiddy (asafetida) sacks 'round our necks to keep off sickness.
"Ma said us was gwine to be free. Marse Jeff said us warn't, and he
didn't tell us no diffunt 'til 'bout Chris'mas atter de War was done
over wid in April. He told us dat us was free, but he wanted us to stay
on wid him, and didn't none of his Niggers leave him. Dey all wukked de
same as dey had before dey was sot free only he paid 'em wages atter de
War.
"I 'members dem Yankees comin' down de big road a-stealin' as dey went
'long. Dey swapped deir bags of bones for de white folkses good fat
hosses. I never seed so many pore hosses at one time in my life as dey
had. Dem Yankees stole all da meat, chickens, and good bedclothes and
burnt down de houses. Dey done devilment aplenty as dey went 'long. I
'members Marse Jeff put one of his colored mens on his hoss wid a
coffeepot full of gold and sont him to de woods. Atter dem Yankees went
on he sont for him to fetch back de gold and de fine hoss what he done
saved f'um de sojer mens.
"I heared tell of dem Ku Kluxers, but I never seed 'em. Lawsy Miss! What
did Niggers have to buy land wid 'til atter dey wukked long enough for
to make some money? Warn't no schoolin' done 'round whar us lived. I was
10 years old 'fore I ever sot foots in a schoolhouse. De nearest school
was at Shady Grove.
"It was a long time atter de War 'fore I married. Us didn't have no
weddin'; jus' got married. My old 'oman had on a calico dress--I
disremembers what color. She looked good to me though. Us had 16
chilluns in all; four died. I got 22 grandchillun and one great
grandchild. None of 'em has jobs to brag 'bout; one of 'em larned to
run a store.
"I think Mr. Lincoln was a great man, 'cause he sot us free. When I
thinks back, it warn't no good feelin' to be bound down lak dat. Mr.
President Davis wanted us to stay bound down. No Ma'am, I didn't lak dat
Mr. Davis atter I knowed what he stood for. 'Course dere is plenty what
needs to be bound down hard and fast so dey won't git in no trouble. But
for me I trys to behave myself, and I sho' had ruther be free. I guess
atter all it's best dat slavery days is over. 'Bout dat Booker
Washin'ton man, de Niggers what tuk him in said he done lots of good for
his race, and I reckon he did.
"Somepin' 'nother jus' made me jine de church. I wanted to do better'n
what I was doin'. De Lord says it's best for folkses to be 'ligious.
"No Ma'am, I don't 'spect to live as long as my Ma lived, 'cause dese
legs of mine since I done los' both of my footses wid blood pizen atter
gangreen sot in, sho' gives me a passel of trouble. But de Lord is good
to me and no tellin' how long I'se gwine to stay here. Miss, you sho'
tuk me way back yonder, and I laks to talk 'bout it. Yes, Ma'am, dat's
been a long time back."
ROBERT SHEPHERD, Age 91
386 Arch Street
Athens, Georgia
Written by:
Grace McCune [HW: (White)]
Athens
Edited by:
Sarah H. Hall
Athens
Leila Harris
Augusta
and
John N. Booth
District Supervisor
Federal Writers' Project
Residencies 6 & 7
Robert lives in a small house so old and in such bad repair that a
strong wind would no doubt tumble it down. Large holes in the roof
can be plainly seen from the gateway. The neat yard, filled with
old-fashioned flowers, is enclosed by a makeshift fence of rusty wire
sagging to the ground in places, and the gate rocks on one hinge. There
was some evidence that a porch had extended across the front of the
cottage, but it is entirely gone now and large rocks serve as steps at
the doorway.
Knocks and calls at the front of the house were unanswered and finally
Robert was found working in his garden behind the house. He is a tiny
old man, and his large sun hat made him seem smaller than he actually
was. He wore a clean but faded blue shirt and shabby gray pants much too
large for him. His shoes, bound to his feet with strips of cloth, were
so much too large that it was all he could do to shuffle along. He
removed his hat and revealed white hair that contrasted with his black
face, as he smiled in a friendly way. "Good morning, Missy! How is you?"
was his greeting. Despite his advanced age, he keeps his garden in
excellent condition. Not a blade of grass was to be seen. Asked how he
managed to keep it worked so efficiently he proudly answered: "Well
Miss, I jus' wuks in it some evvy day dat comes 'cept Sundays and, when
you keeps right up wid it dat way, it ain't so hard. Jus' look 'round
you! Don't you see I got de bestest beans and squashes, 'round here, and
down under dem 'tater vines, I kin tell you, dem roots is jus' full of
'taters. My Old Marster done larnt me how to gyarden. He allus made us
raise lots of gyarden sass such as: beans, peas, roas'in' ears,
collards, turnip greens, and ingons (onions). For a fact, dere was jus'
'bout all de kinds of veg'tables us knowed anything 'bout dem days right
dar in our Marster's big old gyarden. Dere was big patches of 'taters,
and in dem wheatfields us growed enough to make bread for all de folks
on dat dere plantation. Us sho' did have plenty of mighty good somepin
t'eat.
"I would ax you to come in and set down in my house to talk," he said,
"but I don't 'spect you could climb up dem dere rocks to my door, and
dem's all de steps I got." When Robert called to his daughter, who lived
next door, and told her to bring out some chairs, she suggested that the
interview take place on her porch. "It's shady and cool on my porch,"
she said, "and Pa's done been a-diggin' in his garden so long he's plum
tuckered out; he needs to set down and rest." After making her father
comfortable, she drew up a bucket of water from the well at the edge of
the porch and, after he had indulged in a long drink of the fresh water,
he began his story.
"I was borned on Marster Joe Echols' plantation in Oglethorpe County,
'bout 10 miles from Lexin'ton, Georgy. Mammy was Cynthia Echols 'fore
she married up wid my daddy. He was Peyton Shepherd. Atter Pappy and
Mammy got married, Old Marse Shepherd sold Pappy to Marse Joe Echols so
as dey could stay together.
"Marse Joe, he had three plantations, but he didn't live on none of 'em.
He lived in Lexin'ton. He kept a overseer on each one of his plantations
and dey had better be good to his Niggers, or else Marse Joe would sho'
git 'em 'way from dar. He never 'lowed 'em to wuk us too hard, and in
bad or real cold weather us didn't have to do no outside wuk 'cept
evvyday chores what had to be done, come rain or shine, lak milkin',
tendin' de stock, fetchin' in wood, and things lak dat. He seed dat us
had plenty of good somepin t'eat and all de clothes us needed. Us was
lots better off in dem days dan us is now.
"Old Marster, he had so many Niggers dat he never knowed 'em all. One
day he was a-ridin' 'long towards one of his plantations and he met one
of his slaves, named William. Marse Joe stopped him and axed him who he
was. William said: 'Why Marster, I'se your Nigger. Don't you know me?'
Den Marster, he jus' laughed and said: 'Well, hurry on home when you
gits what you is gwine atter.' He was in a good humor dat way most all
de time. I kin see him now a-ridin' dat little hoss of his'n what he
called Button, and his little fice dog hoppin' 'long on three legs right
side of de hoss. No Ma'am, dere warn't nothin' de matter wid' dat little
dog; walkin' on three legs was jus' his way of gittin' 'round.
"Marster never let none of de slave chillun on his plantation do no wuk
'til dey got fifteen--dat was soon 'nough, he said. On all of his
plantations dere was one old 'oman dat didn't have nothin' else to do
but look atter and cook for de nigger chillun whilst dey mammies was at
wuk in de fields. Aunt Viney tuk keer of us. She had a big old horn what
she blowed when it was time for us to eat, and us knowed better dan to
git so fur off us couldn't hear dat horn, for Aunt Viney would sho' tear
us up. Marster had done told her she better fix us plenty t'eat and give
it to us on time. Dere was a great long trough what went plum 'cross de
yard, and dat was whar us et. For dinner us had peas or some other sort
of veg'tables, and cornbread. Aunt Viney crumbled up dat bread in de
trough and poured de veg'tables and pot-likker over it. Den she blowed
de horn and chillun come a-runnin' from evvy which away. If us et it all
up, she had to put more victuals in de trough. At nights, she crumbled
de cornbread in de trough and poured buttermilk over it. Us never had
nothin' but cornbread and buttermilk at night. Sometimes dat trough
would be a sight, 'cause us never stopped to wash our hands, and 'fore
us had been eatin' more dan a minute or two what was in de trough would
look lak de red mud what had come off of our hands. Sometimes Aunt Viney
would fuss at us and make us clean it out.
"Dere was a big sand bar down on de crick what made a fine place to
play, and wadin' in de branches was lots of fun. Us frolicked up and
down dem woods and had all sorts of good times--anything to keep away
from Aunt Viney 'cause she was sho' to have us fetchin' in wood or
sweepin' de yards if us was handy whar she could find us. If us was out
of her sight she never bothered 'bout dem yards and things. Us was
skeered to answer dat horn when us got in Marster's 'bacco. He raised
lots of 'bacco and rationed it out to mens, but he never 'lowed chillun
to have none 'til dey was big enough to wuk in de fields. Us found out
how to git in his 'bacco house and us kept on gittin' his 'bacco 'fore
it was dried out 'til he missed it. Den he told Aunt Viney to blow dat
horn and call up all de chillun. I'se gwine to whup evvy one of 'em, he
would 'clare. Atter us got dere and he seed dat green 'bacco had done
made us so sick us couldn't eat, he jus' couldn't beat us. He jus'
laughed and said: 'It's good enough for you.'
"Aunt Martha, she done de milkin' and helped Aunt Nancy cook for de
slaves. Dey had a big long kitchen up at de big house whar de overseer
lived. De slaves what wuked in de field never had to do deir own
cookin'. It was all done for 'em in dat big old kitchen. Dey cooked some
of de victuals in big old washpots and dere was sho' a plenty for all.
All de cookin' was done in big fireplaces what had racks made inside to
hang pots on and dey had big old ovens for bakin', and thick iron
skillets, and long-handled fryin' pans. You jus' can't 'magine how good
things was cooked dat way on de open fire. Nobody never had no better
hams and other meat dan our Marster kept in dem big old smokehouses, and
his slaves had meat jus' lak white folks did. Dem cooks knowed dey had
to cook a plenty and have it ready when it was time for de slaves to
come in from de fields. Miss Ellen, she was the overseer's wife, went
out in de kitchen and looked over evvything to see that it was all right
and den she blowed de bugle. When de slaves heared dat bugle, dey come
in a-singin' from de fields. Dey was happy 'cause dey knowed Miss Ellen
had a good dinner ready for 'em.
"De slave quarters was long rows of log cabins wid chimblies made out of
sticks and red mud. Dem chimblies was all de time ketchin' fire. Dey
didn't have no glass windows. For a window, dey jus' cut a openin' in a
log and fixed a piece of plank 'cross it so it would slide when dey
wanted to open or close it. Doors was made out of rough planks, beds was
rough home-made frames nailed to de side of de cabins, and mattresses
was coarse, home-wove ticks filled wid wheat straw. Dey had good
home-made kivver. Dem beds slept mighty good.
"Dere warn't many folks sick dem days, 'specially 'mongst de slaves.
When one did die, folks would go 12 or 15 miles to de buryin'. Marster
would say: 'Take de mules and wagons and go but, mind you, take good
keer of dem mules.' He never seemed to keer if us went--fact was, he
said us ought to go. If a slave died on our place, nobody went to de
fields 'til atter de buryin'. Marster never let nobody be buried 'til
dey had been dead 24 hours, and if dey had people from some other place,
he waited 'til dey could git dar. He said it warn't right to hurry 'em
off into de ground too quick atter dey died. Dere warn't no undertakers
dem days. De homefolks jus' laid de corpse out on de coolin' board 'til
de coffin was made. Lordy Miss! Ain't you never seed one of dem coolin'
boards? A coolin' board was made out of a long straight plank raised a
little at de head, and had legs fixed to make it set straight. Dey wropt
'oman corpses in windin' sheets. Uncle Squire, de man what done all de
wagon wuk and buildin' on our place, made coffins. Dey was jus' plain
wood boxes what dey painted to make 'em look nice. White preachers
conducted de funerals, and most of de time our own Marster done it,
'cause he was a preacher hisself. When de funeral was done preached, dey
sung _Harps From De Tomb_, den dey put de coffin in a wagon and driv
slow and keerful to de graveyard. De preacher prayed at de grave and de
mourners sung, _I'se Born To Die and Lay Dis Body Down_. Dey never had
no outside box for de coffin to be sot in, but dey put planks on top of
de coffin 'fore dey started shovellin' in de dirt.
"Fourth Sundays was our meetin' days, and evvybody went to church. Us
went to our white folks' church and rid in a wagon 'hind deir car'iage.
Dere was two Baptist preachers--one of 'em was Mr. John Gibson and de
other was Mr. Patrick Butler. Marse Joe was a Methodist preacher
hisself, but dey all went to de same church together. De Niggers sot in
de gallery. When dey had done give de white folks de sacrament, dey
called de Niggers down from de gallery and give dem sacrament too.
Church days was sho' 'nough big meetin' days 'cause evvybody went. Dey
preached three times a day; at eleven in de mornin', at three in de
evenin', and den again at night. De biggest meetin' house crowds was
when dey had baptizin', and dat was right often. Dey dammed up de crick
on Sadday so as it would be deep enough on Sunday, and dey done de
baptizin' 'fore dey preached de three o'clock sermon. At dem baptizin's
dere was all sorts of shoutin', and dey would sing _Roll Jordan, Roll_,
_De Livin' Waters_, and _Lord I'se Comin' Home_.
"When de craps was laid by and most of de hardest wuk of de year done
up, den was camp-meetin' time, 'long in de last of July and sometimes in
August. Dat was when us had de biggest times of all. Dey had great big
long tables and jus' evvything good t'eat. Marster would kill five or
six hogs and have 'em carried dar to be barbecued, and he carried his
own cooks along. Atter de white folks et dey fed de Niggers, and dere
was allus a plenty for all. Marster sho' looked atter all his Niggers
good at dem times. When de camp-meetin' was over, den come de big
baptizin': white folks fust, den Niggers. One time dere was a old slave
'oman what got so skeered when dey got her out in de crick dat somebody
had to pull her foots out from under her to git her under de water. She
got out from dar and testified dat it was de devil a-holdin' her back.
"De white ladies had nice silk dresses to wear to church. Slave 'omans
had new calico dresses what dey wore wid hoopskirts dey made out of
grapevines. Dey wore poke bonnets wid ruffles on 'em and, if de weather
was sort of cool, dey wore shawls. Marster allus wore his linen duster.
Dat was his white coat, made cutaway style wid long tails. De cloth for
most all of de clothes was made at home. Marse Joe raised lots of sheep
and de wool was used to make cloth for de winter clothes. Us had a great
long loom house whar some of de slaves didn't do nothin' but weave
cloth. Some cyarded bats, some done de spinnin', and dere was more of
'em to do de sewin'. Miss Ellen, she looked atter all dat, and she cut
out most of de clothes. She seed dat us had plenty to wear. Sometimes
Marster would go to de sewin' house, and Mist'ess would tell him to git
on 'way from dar and look atter his own wuk, dat her and Aunt Julia
could run dat loom house. Marster, he jus' laughed den and told us
chillun what was hangin' round de door to jus' listen to dem 'omans
cackle. Oh, but he was a good old boss man.
"Us had water buckets, called piggens, what was made out of cedar and
had handles on de sides. Sometimes us sawed off little vinegar kegs and
put handles on 'em. Us loved to drink out of gourds. Dere was lots of
gourds raised evvy year. Some of 'em was so big dey was used to keep
eggs in and for lots of things us uses baskets for now. Dem little
gourds made fine dippers.
"Dem cornshuckin's was sho' 'nough big times. When us got all de corn
gathered up and put in great long piles, den de gittin' ready started.
Why dem 'omans cooked for days, and de mens would git de shoats ready to
barbecue. Marster would send us out to git de slaves from de farms
'round about dar.
"De place was all lit up wid light'ood-knot torches and bonfires, and
dere was 'citement a-plenty when all de Niggers got to singin' and
shoutin' as dey made de shucks fly. One of dem songs went somepin lak
dis: 'Oh! my haid, my pore haid, Oh! my pore haid is 'fected.' Dere
warn't nothin' wrong wid our haids--dat was jus' our way of lettin' our
overseer know us wanted some likker. Purty soon he would come 'round wid
a big horn of whiskey, and dat made de 'pore haid' well, but it warn't
long 'fore it got wuss again, and den us got another horn of whiskey.
When de corn was all shucked den us et all us could and, let me tell
you, dat was some good eatin's. Den us danced de rest of de night.
"Next day when us all felt so tired and bad, Marster he would tell us
'bout stayin' up all night, but Mist'ess tuk up for us, and dat tickled
Old Marster. He jus' laughed and said: 'Will you listen to dat 'oman?'
Den he would make some of us sing one of dem songs us had done been
singin' to dance by. It goes sort of lak dis: 'Turn your pardner 'round!
Steal 'round de corner, 'cause dem Johnson gals is hard to beat! Jus'
glance 'round and have a good time! Dem gals is hard to find!' Dat's
jus' 'bout all I can ricollect of it now.
"Us had big 'possum hunts, and us sho' cotched a heap of 'em. De gals
cooked 'em wid 'taters and dey jus' made your mouth water. I sho' wish I
had one now. Rabbits was good too. Marster didn't 'low no huntin' wid
guns, so us jus' took dogs when us went huntin'. Rabbits was kilt wid
sticks and rocks 'cept when a big snow come. Dey was easy to track to
dey beds den, and us could jus' reach in and pull 'em out. When us cotch
'nough of 'em, us had big rabbit suppers.
"De big war was 'bout over when dem yankees come by our place and jus'
went through evvything. Dey called all de slaves together and told 'em
dey was free and didn't b'long to nobody no more, and said de slaves
could take all dey wanted from de smokehouses and barns and de big
house, and could go when and whar dey wanted to go. Dey tried to hand us
out all de meat and hams, but us told 'em us warn't hongry, 'cause
Marster had allus done give us all us wanted. When dey couldn't make
none of us take nothin', dey said it was de strangest thing dey had done
ever seed, and dat dat man Echols must have sho' been good to his
Niggers.
"When dem yankees had done gone off Marster come out to our place. He
blowed de bugle to call us all up to de house. He couldn't hardly talk,
'cause somebody had done told him dat dem yankees couldn't talk his
Niggers into stealin' nothin'. Marster said he never knowed 'fore how
good us loved him. He told us he had done tried to be good to us and had
done de best he could for us and dat he was mighty proud of de way evvy
one of us had done 'haved ourselfs. He said dat de war was over now, and
us was free and could go anywhar us wanted to, but dat us didn't have to
go if us wanted to stay dar. He said he would pay us for our wuk and
take keer of us if us stayed or, if us wanted to wuk on shares, he would
'low us to wuk some land dat way. A few of dem Niggers drifted off, but
most of 'em stayed right dar 'til dey died."
A sad note had come into Robert's voice and he seemed to be almost
overcome by the sorrow aroused by his reminiscences. His daughter was
quick to perceive this and interrupted the conversation: "Please Lady,"
she said. "Pa's too feeble to talk any more today. Can't you let him
rest now and come back again in a day or two? Maybe he will be done
'membered things he couldn't call back today."
The front door was open when Robert's house was next visited, and a
young girl answered the knock. "Come in," she said. The little house was
as dilapidated in the interior as it was on the outside. Bright June
sunshine filtered through the many gaps in the roof arousing wonder as
to how the old man managed to remain inside this house during heavy
rains. The room was scrupulously clean and neat. In it was a very old
iron bed, a dresser that was minus its mirror, two chairs, and a table,
all very old and dilapidated. The girl laughed when she called attention
to a closet that was padlocked. "Dat's whar Grandpa keeps his rations,"
she said, and then volunteered the information: "He's gone next door to
stay wid Ma, whilst I clean up his house. He can't stand no dust, and
when I sweeps, I raises a dust." The girl explained a 12 inch square
aperture in the door, with a sliding board fastened on the inside by
saying: "Dat's Grandpa's peep-hole. He allus has to see who's dar 'fore
he unfastens his door."
Robert was sitting on the back porch and his daughter was ironing just
inside the door. Both seemed surprised and happy to see the interviewer
and the daughter placed a comfortable chair for her as far as the
dimensions of the small porch would permit from the heat of the charcoal
bucket and irons. Remembering that his earlier recollections had ended
with the close of the Civil War, Robert started telling about the days
"atter freedom had done come."
"Me, I stayed right on dar 'til atter Marster died. He was sick a long,
long time, and one morning Old Mist'ess, she called to me. 'Robert,' she
said, 'you ain't gwine to have no Marster long, 'cause he's 'bout gone.'
I called all de Niggers up to de big house and when dey was all in de
yard, Mist'ess, she said: 'Robert, you been wid us so long, you kin come
in and see him 'fore he's gone for good.' When I got in dat room I
knowed de Lord had done laid His hand on my good Old Marster, and he was
a-goin' to dat Home he used to preach to us Niggers 'bout, and it
'peared to me lak my heart would jus' bust. When de last breath was done
gone, I went back out in de yard and told de other Niggers, and dere was
sho' cryin' and prayin' 'mongst 'em, 'cause all of 'em loved Marster.
Dat was sho' one big funeral. Mist'ess said she wanted all of Marster's
old slaves to go, 'cause he loved 'em so, and all of us went. Some what
had done been gone for years come back for Marster's funeral.
"Next day, atter de funeral was over, Mist'ess, she said: 'Robert, I
want you to stay on wid me 'cause you know how he wanted his wuk done.'
Den Mist'ess' daughter and her husband, Mr. Dickenson, come dar to stay.
None of de Niggers laked dat Mr. Dickenson and so most of 'em left and
den, 'bout 2 years atter Marster died, Mist'ess went to 'Lanta (Atlanta)
to stay wid another of her daughters, and she died dar. When Mist'ess
left, I left too and come on here to Athens, and I been here ever since.
"Dere warn't much town here den, and 'most all 'round dis here place was
woods. I wuked 'bout a year for Mr. John McCune's fambly on de old
Pitner place, den I went to wuk for Mr. Manassas B. McGinty. He was a
cyarpenter and built most of de fine houses what was put up here dem
days. I got de lumber from him to build my house. Dere warn't but two
other houses 'round here den. My wife, Julie, washed for de white folks
and helped 'em do deir housewuk. Our chillun used to come bring my
dinner. Us had dem good old red peas cooked wid side meat in a pot in de
fireplace, and ashcake to go wid 'em. Dat was eatin's. Julie would rake
out dem coals and kivver 'em wid ashes, and den she would wrop a pone of
cornbread dough in collard or cabbage leaves and put it on dem ashes and
rake more ashes over it. You had to dust off de bread 'fore you et it,
but ashcake was mighty good, folks what lived off of it didn't git sick
lak dey does now a-eatin' dis white flour bread all de time. If us had
any peas left from dinner and supper, Julie would mash 'em up right
soft, make little cakes what she rolled in corn meal, and fry 'em for
breakfast. Dem sausage cakes made out of left-over peas was mighty fine
for breakfast.
"When de chillun started out wid my dinner, Julie allus made two of 'em
go together and hold hands all de way so dey wouldn't git lost. Now,
little chillun jus' a few years old goes anywhar dey wants to. Folks
don't look atter dey chillun lak dey ought to, and t'ain't right. Den,
when night come, chillun went right off to bed. Now, dey jus' runs
'round 'most all night, and it sho' is a-ruinin' dis young genrayshun
(generation). Dey don't take no keer of deirselfs. My own grandchillun
is de same way.
"I left Mr. McGinty and went to wuk for Mr. Bloomfield in de mill. Mr.
Bill Dootson was our boss, and he was sho' a good man. Dem was good
times. I wuked inside de mill and 'round de yard too, and sometimes dey
sont me to ride de boat wid de cotton or sometimes wid cloth, whatever
dey was sendin'. Dere was two mills den. One was down below de bridge on
Oconee Street, and de old check factory was t'other side of de bridge on
Broad Street. Dey used boats to carry de cotton and de cloth from one
mill to de other.
"Missy, can you b'lieve it? I wuked for 68¢ a day and us paid for our
home here. Dey paid us off wid tickets what us tuk to de commissary to
git what us needed. Dey kept jus' evvything dat anybody could want down
dar at de comp'ny store. So us raised our nine chillun, give 'em plenty
to eat and wear too and a good roof over deir haids, all on 68¢ a day
and what Julie could make wukin' for de white folks. 'Course things
warn't high-priced lak dey is now, but de main diff'unce is dat folks
didn't have to have so many kinds of things to eat and wear den lak dey
does now. Dere warn't nigh so many ways to throw money 'way den.
"Dere warn't so many places to go; jus' church and church spreads, and
Sundays, folks went buggy ridin'. De young Niggers, 'specially dem what
was a-sparkin', used to rent buggies and hosses from Mr. Selig
Bernstein. He kept a big livery stable den and he had a hoss named
Buckskin. Dat was de hoss what evvybody wanted 'cause he was so gentle
and didn't skeer de 'omans and chilluns. Mr. Bernstein is a-livin' yit,
and he is sho' a good man to do business wid. Missy, dere was lots of
good white folks den. Most of dem old ones is done passed on. One of de
best of 'em was Mr. Robert Chappell. He done passed on, but whilst he
lived he was mighty good to evvybody and de colored folks sho' does miss
him. He b'lieved in helpin' 'em and he give 'em several churches and
tried his best to git 'em to live right. If Mr. Robert Chappell ain't in
Heb'en, dere ain't no use for nobody else to try to git dar. His
granddaughter married Jedge Matthews, and folks says she is most as good
as her granddaddy was."
Robert chuckled when he was asked to tell about his wedding. "Miss," he
said, "I didn't have no sho' 'nough weddin'. Me and Julie jus' jumped
over de broom in front of Marster and us was married. Dat was all dere
was to it. Dat was de way most of de slave folks got married dem days.
Us knowed better dan to ax de gal when us wanted to git married. Us jus'
told our Marster and he done de axin'. Den, if it was all right wid de
gal, Marster called all de other Niggers up to de big house to see us
jump over de broom. If a slave wanted to git married to somebody on
another place, den he told Marster and his Marster would talk to de
gal's Marster. Whatever dey 'greed on was all right. If neither one of
'em would sell one of de slaves what wanted to git married, den dey let
'em go ahead and jump over de broom, and de man jus' visited his wife on
her Marster's place, mostly on Wednesday and Sadday nights. If it was a
long piece off, he didn't git dar so often. Dey had to have passes den,
'cause de patterollers would git 'em sho' if dey didn't. Dat meant a
thrashin', and dey didn't miss layin' on de stick, when dey cotch a
Nigger.
"Dese days, de boys and gals jus' walks off and don't say nothin' to
nobody, not even to dey mammies and daddies. [TR: written in margin:
"Elopement"] Now take dis daughter of mine--Callie is her name--she
runned away when she was 'bout seventeen. Dat day her mammy had done
sont her wid de white folks' clothes. She had on brass-toed brogan
shoes, a old faded cotton dress dat was plum up to her knees,--dem days,
long dresses was stylish--and she wore a old bonnet. She was totin' de
clothes to Mrs. Reese and met up wid dat Davenport boy. Dey traips'd up
to de courthouse, got a license, and was married 'fore me and Julie
knowed nothin' 'bout it. Julie sho' did light out from hyar to go git
Callie. She brung her back and kept her locked up in de house a long
time 'fore she would let her live wid dat Nigger.
"Us had our troubles den, but dey warn't lak de troubles us has now.
Now, it seems lak dem was mighty good days back when Arch Street was
jus' a path through de woods. Julie, she's done been gone a long time,
and all of our chillun's daid 'cept three, and two of 'em is done gone
up north. Jus' me and my Callie and de grandchillun is all dat's left
here. Soon I'se gwine to be 'lowed to go whar Julie is and I'se ready
any time, 'cause I done been here long 'nough."
When the visitor arose to take her departure Robert said: "Good-bye
Missy, come back to see me and Callie again 'cause us laked your
'pearments (appearance) de fust time you was here. Jus' trust in de
Lord, Miss, and He will take keer of you wharever you is."