When asked if he had ever heard slaves plot an insurrection, the Parson
answered in the negative.
When asked if he had personal knowledge of an instance of a slave
offering resistance to corporal punishment, the Reverend shook his head,
but said:
"Sometimes a stripped Nigger would say some hard things to the white man
with the strap in his hand, though he knew that he (the Negro) would pay
for it dearly, for when a slave showed spirit that way the master or
overseer laid the lash on all the harder."
When asked how the women took their whippings, he said:
"They usually screamed and prayed, though a few never made a sound."
The Parson has had two wives and five children. Both wives and three of
his children are dead. He is also now superannuated, but occasionally
does a "little preaching", having only recently been down to Montezuma,
Georgia, on a special call to deliver a message to the Methodist flock
there.
[HW: Dist. 6
Ex-Slave #2]
Henrietta Carlisle
JACK ATKINSON--EX-SLAVE
Rt. D
Griffin, Georgia
Interviewed August 21, 1936
[MAY 8 1937]
"Onct a man, twice a child," quoted Jack Atkinson, grey haired darkey,
when being interviewed, "and I done started in my second childhood. I
useter be active as a cat, but I ain't, no mo."
Jack acquired his surname from his white master, a Mr. Atkinson, who
owned this Negro family prior to the War Between the States. He was a
little boy during the war but remembers "refugeeing" to Griffin from
Butts County, Georgia, with the Atkinsons when Sherman passed by their
home on his march to the sea.
Jack's father, Tom, the body-servant of Mr. Atkinson, "tuck care of him"
[HW: during] the four years they were away at war. "Many's the time I
done heard my daddy tell 'bout biting his hands he wuz so hongry, and
him and Marster drinking water outer the ruts of the road, they wuz so
thirsty, during the war."
"Boss Man (Mr. Atkinson), wuz as fine a man as ever broke bread",
according to Jack.
When asked how he got married he stated that he "broke off a love vine
and throwed it over the fence and if it growed" he would get married.
The vine "just growed and growed" and it wasn't long before he and Lucy
married.
"A hootin' owl is a sho sign of rain, and a screech owl means a death,
for a fact."
"A tree frog's holler is a true sign of rain."
Jack maintains that he has received "a second blessing from the Lord"
and "no conjurer can bother him."
Whitley
1-25-37
[HW: Dis #5
Unedited]
Minnie B. Ross
EX TOWN SLAVE HANNAH AUSTIN
[HW: about 75-85]
[APR 8 1937]
When the writer was presented to Mrs. Hannah Austin she was immediately
impressed with her alert youthful appearance. Mrs. Austin is well
preserved for her age and speaks clearly and with much intelligence. The
interview was a brief but interesting one. This was due partly to the
fact that Mrs. Austin was a small child when The Civil War ended and too
because her family was classed as "town slaves" so classed because of
their superior intelligence.
Mrs. Austin was a child of ten or twelve years when the war ended. She
doesn't know her exact age but estimated it to be between seventy and
seventy five years. She was born the oldest child of Liza and George
Hall. Their master Mr. Frank Hall was very kind to them and considerate
in his treatment of them.
Briefly Mrs. Austin gave the following account of slavery as she knew
it. "My family lived in a two room well built house which had many
windows and a nice large porch. Our master, Mr. Hall was a merchant and
operated a clothing store. Because Mr. Hall lived in town he did not
need but a few slaves. My family which included my mother, father,
sister, and myself were his only servants. Originally Mr. Hall did not
own any slaves, however after marrying Mrs. Hall we were given to her by
her father as a part of her inheritance.
My mother nursed Mrs. Hall from a baby, consequently the Hall family was
very fond of her and often made the statement that they would not part
with her for anything in the world, besides working as the cook for the
Hall family my mother was also a fine seamstress and made clothing for
the master's family and for our family. We were allowed an ample amount
of good clothing which Mr. Hall selected from the stock in his store. My
father worked as a porter in the store and did other jobs around the
house. I did not have to work and spent most of my time playing with the
Hall children. We were considered the better class of slaves and did not
know the meaning of a hard time.
Other slave owners whipped their slaves severely and often, but I have
never known our master to whip any one of my family. If any one in the
family became ill the family doctor was called in as often as he was
needed.
We did not have churches of our own but were allowed to attend the white
churches in the afternoon. The White families attended in the forenoon.
We seldom heard a true religious sermon; but were constantly preached
the doctrine of obedience to our masters and mistresses. We were
required to attend church every Sunday.
Marriages were conducted in much the same manner as they are today.
After the usual courtship a minister was called in by the master and the
marriage ceremony would then take place. In my opinion people of today
are more lax in their attitude toward marriage than they were in those
days. Following the marriage of a slave couple a celebration would take
place often the master and his family would take part in the
celebration.
I remember hearing my mother and father discuss the war; but was too
young to know just the effect the war would have on the slave. One day I
remember Mr. Hall coming to my mother telling her we were free. His
exact words were quote--"Liza you don't belong to me any longer you
belong to yourself. If you are hired now I will have to pay you. I do
not want you to leave as you have a home here as long as you live." I
watched my mother to see the effect his words would have on her and I
saw her eyes fill with tears. Mr. Hall's eyes filled with tears also.
Soon after this incident a Yankee Army appeared in our village one day.
They practically destroyed Mr. Hall's store by throwing all clothes and
other merchandise into the streets. Seeing my sister and I they turned
to us saying, "Little Negroes you are free there are no more masters and
mistresses, here help yourselves to these clothes take them home with
you." Not knowing any better we carried stockings, socks, dresses,
underwear and many other pieces home. After this they opened the smoke
house door and told us to go in and take all of the meat we wanted.
On another occasion the mistress called me asking that I come in the
yard to play with the children". Here Mrs. Austin began to laugh and
remarked "I did not go but politely told her I was free and didn't
belong to any one but my mama and papa. As I spoke these words my
mistress began to cry.
My mother and father continued to live with the Halls even after freedom
and until their deaths. Although not impoverished most of the Hall's
fortune was wiped out with the war".
Mrs. Austin married at the age of 16 years; and was the mother of four
children, all of whom are dead. She was very ambitious and was
determined to get an education if such was possible. After the war
Northern white people came south and set up schools for the education of
Negroes. She remembers the organization of the old Storrs School from
which one of the present Negroes Colleges originated.
Mrs. Austin proudly spoke of her old blue back speller, which she still
possesses; and of the days when she attended Storrs School.
As the writer made ready to depart Mrs. Austin smilingly informed her
that she had told her all that she knew about slavery; and every word
spoken was the truth.
[HW: Dist. 5
Ex Slave #1
Ross]
"A FEW FACTS OF SLAVERY"
As Told by CELESTIA AVERY--EX-SLAVE
[MAY 8 1937]
Mrs. Celestia Avery is a small mulatto woman about 5 ft. in height. She
has a remarkably clear memory in view of the fact that she is about 75
years of age. Before the interview began she reminded the writer that
the facts to be related were either told to her by her grandmother,
Sylvia Heard, or were facts which she remembered herself.
Mrs. Avery was born 75 years ago in Troupe County, LaGrange, Ga. the
eighth oldest child of Lenora and Silas Heard. There were 10 other
children beside herself. She and her family were owned by Mr. & Mrs.
Peter Heard. In those days the slaves carried the surname of their
master; this accounted for all slaves having the same name whether they
were kin or not.
The owner Mr. Heard had a plantation of about 500 acres and was
considered wealthy by all who knew him. Mrs. Avery was unable to give
the exact number of slaves on the plantation, but knew he owned a large
number. Cotton, corn, peas, potatoes, (etc.) were the main crops raised.
The homes provided for the slaves were two room log cabins which had one
door and one window. These homes were not built in a group together but
were more or less scattered over the plantation. Slave homes were very
simple and only contained a home made table, chair and bed which were
made of the same type of wood and could easily be cleaned by scouring
with sand every Saturday. The beds were bottomed with rope which was run
backward and forward from one rail to the other. On this framework was
placed a mattress of wheat straw. Each spring the mattresses were
emptied and refilled with fresh wheat straw.
Slaves were required to prepare their own meals three times a day. This
was done in a big open fire place which was filled with hot coals. The
master did not give them much of a variety of food, but allowed each
family to raise their own vegetables. Each family was given a hand out
of bacon and meal on Saturdays and through the week corn ash cakes and
meat; which had been broiled on the hot coals was the usual diet found
in each home. The diet did not vary even at Christmas only a little
fruit was added.
Each family was provided with a loom and in Mrs. Avery's family, her
grandmother, Sylvia Heard, did most of the carding and spinning of the
thread into cloth. The most common cloth for women clothes was homespun,
and calico. This same cloth was dyed and used to make men shirts and
pants. Dye was prepared by taking a berry known as the shumake berry and
boiling them with walnut peelings. Spring and fall were the seasons for
masters to give shoes and clothing to their slaves. Both men and women
wore brogan shoes, the only difference being the piece in the side of
the womens.
One woman was required to do the work around the house there was also
one slave man required to work around the house doing odd jobs. Other
than these two every one else was required to do the heavy work in the
fields. Work began at "sun up" and lasted until "sun down". In the
middle of the day the big bell was rung to summon the workers from the
field, for their mid-day lunch. After work hours slaves were then free
to do work around their own cabins, such as sewing, cooking (etc.)
"Once a week Mr. Heard allowed his slaves to have a frolic and folks
would get broke down from so much dancing" Mrs. Avery remarked. The
music was furnished with fiddles. When asked how the slaves came to own
fiddles she replied, "They bought them with money they earned selling
chickens." At night slaves would steal off from the Heard plantation, go
to LaGrange, Ga. and sell chickens which they had raised. Of course the
masters always required half of every thing raised by each slave and it
was not permissible for any slave to sell anything. Another form of
entertainment was the quilting party. Every one would go together to
different person's home on each separate night of the week and finish
that person's quilts. Each night this was repeated until every one had a
sufficient amount of covering for the winter. Any slave from another
plantation, desiring to attend these frolics, could do so after securing
a pass from their master.
Mrs. Avery related the occasion when her Uncle William was caught off
the Heard plantation without a pass, and was whipped almost to death by
the "Pader Rollers." He stole off to the depths of the woods here he
built a cave large enough to live in. A few nights later he came back to
the plantation unobserved and carried his wife and two children back to
this cave where they lived until after freedom. When found years later
his wife had given birth to two children. No one was ever able to find
his hiding place and if he saw any one in the woods he would run like a
lion.
Mr. Heard was a very mean master and was not liked by any one of his
slaves. Secretly each one hated him. He whipped unmercifully and in most
cases unnecessarily. However, he sometimes found it hard to subdue some
slaves who happened to have very high tempers. In the event this was the
case he would set a pack of hounds on him. Mrs. Avery related to the
writer the story told to her of Mr. Heard's cruelty by her grandmother.
The facts were as follows: "Every morning my grandmother would pray, and
old man Heard despised to hear any one pray saying they were only doing
so that they might become free niggers. Just as sure as the sun would
rise, she would get a whipping; but this did not stop her prayers every
morning before day. This particular time grandmother Sylvia was in
"family way" and that morning she began to pray as usual. The master
heard her and became so angry he came to her cabin seized and pulled her
clothes from her body and tied her to a young sapling. He whipped her so
brutally that her body was raw all over. When darkness fell her husband
cut her down from the tree, during the day he was afraid to go near her.
Rather than go back to the cabin she crawled on her knees to the woods
and her husband brought grease for her to grease her raw body. For two
weeks the master hunted but could not find her; however, when he finally
did, she had given birth to twins. The only thing that saved her was the
fact that she was a mid-wife and always carried a small pin knife which
she used to cut the navel cord of the babies. After doing this she tore
her petticoat into two pieces and wrapped each baby. Grandmother Sylvia
lived to get 115 years old.
Not only was Mr. Henderson cruel but it seemed that every one he hired
in the capacity of overseer was just as cruel. For instance, Mrs.
Henderson's grandmother Sylvia, was told to take her clothes off when
she reached the end of a row. She was to be whipped because she had not
completed the required amount of hoeing for the day. Grandmother
continued hoeing until she came to a fence; as the overseer reached out
to grab her she snatched a fence railing and broke it across his arms.
On another occasion grandmother Sylvia ran all the way to town to tell
the master that an overseer was beating her husband to death. The master
immediately jumped on his horse and started for home; and reaching the
plantation he ordered the overseer to stop whipping the old man. Mrs.
Avery received one whipping, with a hair brush, for disobedience; this
was given to her by the mistress.
Slaves were given separate churches, but the minister, who conducted the
services, was white. Very seldom did the text vary from the usual one of
obedience to the master and mistress, and the necessity for good
behavior. Every one was required to attend church, however, the only
self expression they could indulge in without conflict with the master
was that of singing. Any one heard praying was given a good whipping;
for most masters thought their prayers no good since freedom was the
uppermost thought in every one's head.
On the Heard plantation as on a number of others, marriages were made by
the masters of the parties concerned. Marriage licenses were unheard of.
If both masters mutually consented, the marriage ceremony was considered
over with. After that the husband was given a pass to visit his wife
once a week. In the event children were born the naming of them was left
entirely to the master. Parents were not allowed to name them.
Health of slaves was very important to every slave owner for loss of
life meant loss of money to them. Consequently they would call in their
family doctor, if a slave became seriously ill. In minor cases of
illness home remedies were used. "In fact," Mrs. Avery smilingly
remarked, "We used every thing for medicine that grew in the ground."
One particular home remedy was known as "Cow foot oil" which was made by
boiling cow's feet in water. Other medicines used were hoarhound tea,
catnip tea, and castor oil. Very often medicines and doctors failed to
save life; and whenever a slave died he was buried the same day. Mrs.
Avery remarked, "If he died before dinner the funeral and burial usually
took place immediately after dinner."
Although a very young child, Mrs. Avery remembers the frantic attempt
slave owners made to hide their money when the war broke out. The
following is a story related concerning the Heard family. "Mr. Heard,
our master, went to the swamp, dug a hole, and hid his money, then he
and his wife left for town on their horses. My oldest brother, Percy,
saw their hiding place; and when the Yanks came looking for the money,
he carried them straight to the swamps and showed than where the money
was hidden." Although the Yeard [TR: typo "Heard"] farm was in the
country the highway was very near and Mrs. Avery told of the long army
of soldiers marching to La Grange singing the following song: "Rally
around the flag boys, rally around the flag, joy, joy, for freedom."
When the war ended Mr. Heard visited every slave home and broke the news
to each family that they were free people and if they so desired could
remain on his plantation. Mrs. Avery's family moved away, in fact most
slave families did, for old man Heard had been such a cruel master
everyone was anxious to get away from him. However, one year later he
sold his plantation to Mr George Traylor and some of the families moved
back, Mrs. Avery's family included.
Mrs. Avery married at the age of 16; and was the mother of 14 children,
three of whom are still living. Although she has had quite a bit of
illness during her life, at present she is quite well and active in
spite of her old age. She assured the writer that the story of slavery,
which she had given her, was a true one and sincerely hoped it would do
some good in this world.
FOLKLORE (Negro)
Minnie B. Ross
[MRS. CELESTIA AVERY]
In a small house at 173 Phoenix Alley, N.E. lives a little old woman
about 5 ft. 2 in. in height, who is an ex-slave. She greeted the writer
with a bright smile and bade her enter and have a seat by the small fire
in the poorly lighted room. The writer vividly recalled the interview
she gave on slavery previously and wondered if any facts concerning
superstitions, conjure, signs, etc. could be obtained from her. After a
short conversation pertaining to everyday occurrences, the subject of
superstition was broached to Mrs. Avery. The idea amused her and she
gave the writer the following facts: As far as possible the stories are
given in her exact words. The interview required two days, November 30
and December 2, 1936.
"When you see a dog lay on his stomach and slide it is a true sign of
death. This is sho true cause it happened to me. Years ago when I lived
on Pine Street I was sitting on my steps playing with my nine-months old
baby. A friend uv mine came by and sat down; and as we set there a dog
that followed her began to slide on his stomach. It scared me; and I
said to her, did you see that dog? Yes, I sho did. That night my baby
died and it wuzn't sick at all that day. That's the truth and a sho sign
of death. Anudder sign of death is ter dream of a new-born baby. One
night not so long ago I dreamt about a new-born baby and you know I went
ter the door and called Miss Mary next door and told her I dreamed about
a new-born baby, and she said, Oh! that's a sho sign of death. The same
week that gal's baby over there died. It didn't surprise me when I heard
it cause I knowed somebody round here wuz go die." She continued:
"Listen, child! If ebber you clean your bed, don't you never sweep off
your springs with a broom. Always wipe 'em with a rag, or use a brush.
Jest as sho as you do you see or experience death around you. I took my
bed down and swept off my springs, and I jest happened to tell old Mrs.
Smith; and she jumped up and said, 'Child, you ought not done that
cause it's a sign of death.' Sho nuff the same night I lost another
child that wuz eight years old. The child had heart trouble, I think."
Mrs. Avery believes in luck to a certain extent. The following are
examples of how you may obtain luck:
"I believe you can change your luck by throwing a teaspoonful of sulphur
in the fire at zackly 12 o'clock in the day. I know last week I was
sitting here without a bit of fire, but I wuzn't thinking bout doing
that till a 'oman came by and told me ter scrape up a stick fire and put
a spoonful of sulphur on it; and sho nuff in a hour's time a coal man
came by and gave me a tub uv coal. Long time ago I used ter work fer
some white women and every day at 12 o'clock I wuz told ter put a
teaspoonful of sulphur in the fire."
"Another thing, I sho ain't going ter let a 'oman come in my house on
Monday morning unless a man done come in there fust. No, surree, if it
seem lak one ain't coming soon, I'll call one of the boy chilluns, jest
so it is a male. The reason fer this is cause women is bad luck."
The following are a few of the luck charms as described by Mrs. Avery:
"Black cat bone is taken from a cat. First, the cat is killed and
boiled, after which the meat is scraped from the bones. The bones are
then taken to the creek and thrown in. The bone that goes up stream is
the lucky bone and is the one that should be kept." "There is a boy in
this neighborhood that sells liquor and I know they done locked him up
ten or twelve times but he always git out. They say he carries a black
cat bone," related Mrs. Avery.
"The Devil's shoe string looks jest like a fern with a lot of roots. My
mother used to grow them in the corner of our garden. They are lucky.
"Majres (?) are always carried tied in the corner of a handkerchief. I
don't know how they make 'em.
"I bought a lucky stick from a man onct. It looked jest lak a candle,
only it wuz small; but he did have some sticks as large as candles and
he called them lucky sticks, too, but you had to burn them all night in
your room. He also had some that looked jest lak buttons, small and
round."
The following are two stories of conjure told by Mrs. Avery:
"I knowed a man onct long ago and he stayed sick all der time. He had
the headache from morning till night. One day he went to a old man that
wuz called a conjurer; this old man told him that somebody had stole the
sweat-band out of his cap and less he got it back, something terrible
would happen. They say this man had been going with a 'oman and she had
stole his sweat-band. Well, he never did get it, so he died.
"I had a cousin named Alec Heard, and he had a wife named Anna Heard.
Anna stayed sick all der time almost; fer two years she complained. One
day a old conjurer came to der house and told Alec that Anna wuz
poisoned, but if he would give him $5.00 he would come back Sunday
morning and find the conjure. Alec wuz wise, so he bored a hole in the
kitchen floor so that he could jest peep through there to der back
steps. Sho nuff Sunday morning the nigger come back and as Alec watched
him he dug down in the gound a piece, then he took a ground puppy, threw
it in the hole and covered it up. All right, he started digging again
and all at onct he jumped up and cried: 'Here 'tis! I got it.' 'Got
what?' Alec said, running to the door with a piece of board. 'I got the
ground puppy dat wuz buried fer her.' Alec wuz so mad he jumped on that
man and beat him most to death. They say he did that all the time and
kept a lot of ground puppies fer that purpose." Continuing, she
explained that a ground puppy was a worm with two small horns. They are
dug up out of the ground, and there is a belief that you will die if one
barks at you.
Mrs. Avery related two ways in which you can keep from being conjured by
anyone.
"One thing I do every morning is ter sprinkle chamber-lye [HW: (urine)]
with salt and then throw it all around my door. They sho can't fix you
if you do this. Anudder thing, if you wear a silver dime around your
leg they can't fix you. The 'oman live next door says she done wore two
silver dimes around her leg for 18 years."
Next is a story of the Jack O'Lantern.
"Onct when I wuz a little girl a lot of us chillun used to slip off and
take walnuts from a old man. We picked a rainy night so nobody would see
us, but do you know it looked like a thousand Jack ma' Lanterns got in
behind us. They wuz all around us. I never will ferget my brother
telling me ter get out in the path and turn my pocket wrong side out. I
told him I didn't have no pocket but the one in my apron; he said,
'well, turn that one wrong side out.' Sho nuff we did and they scattered
then."
Closing the interview, Mrs. Avery remarked: "That's bout all I know; but
come back some time and maybe I'll think of something else."