SUSAN CASTLE, Age 78
1257 W. Hancock Ave.
Athens, Georgia
Written by:
Sadie B. Hornsby
Athens
Edited by:
Sarah H. Hall
Athens
and
John N. Booth
District Supervisor
Federal Writers' Project
Augusta, Georgia
On a beautiful morning in April, the interviewer found Susan sitting in
the door of her cabin. When asked if she would like to talk about the
old plantation days, she replied; "Yes Ma'am, I don't mind tellin' what
I know, but for dat I done forgot I sho' ain't gwine make nothin' up.
For one thing, I ain't never lived on no plantation. I was a house
servant in town." She added: "Do you mind me axin' you one favor?"
Consent was given and she continued: "Dat is, please don't call me Aunt
Susan; it makes me feel lak I was a hundred years old.
"I was borned in Clarke County, March 7, 1860; I believes dat's what dey
say. Mudder was named Fannie and Pappy's name was Willis. Us chillun
called 'im Pappy lak he was de onliest one in de world. He fust belonged
to Marse Maxwell of Savannah, Georgia. I was so little I disremembers
how Pappy come by de name of Castle. In all de seben of us chillun, I
didn't have but one brudder, and his name was Johnny. My five sisters
was Mary, Louvenia, Rosa, Fannie, and Sarah. All I 'members 'bout us as
chilluns was dat us played lak chilluns will do.
"In de quarters us had old timey beds and cheers, but I'll tell you whar
I slept most times. Hit was on a cot right at de foot of Mist'ess' bed.
I stayed at de big house most of de time at night, and 'fore bedtime I
sot close by Mist'ess on a foot stool she had special for me.
"All I ricollects 'bout my gran'ma was she belonged to General Thomas
R.R. Cobb, and us called 'im Marse Thomas. Gran'ma Susan wouldn't do
right so Marse Thomas sold her on de block.
"Us had evvything good to eat. Marse Thomas was a rich man and fed 'is
Niggers well. Dey cooked in a big open fireplace and biled greens and
some of de udder vittals in a great big pot what swung on a rack. Meat,
fish and chickens was fried in a griddle iron what was sot on a flat
topped trivet wid slits to let de fire thoo. Dey called it a trivet
'cause it sot on three legs and hot coals was raked up under it. Hoe
cakes made out of cornmeal and wheat flour sho' was good cooked on dat
griddle. 'Tatoes was roasted in de ashes, and dey cooked bread what dey
called ash cake in de ashes. Pound cake, fruit cake, light bread and
biscuits was baked in a great big round pot, only dey warn't as deep as
de pots dey biled in; dese was called ovens. Makes me hongry to think
'bout all dem good vittals now.
"Oh! Yes Ma'am, us had plenty 'possums. Pappy used to cotch so many
sometimes he jest put 'em in a box and let us eat 'em when us got ready.
'Possums tasted better atter dey was put up in a box and fattened a
while. Us didn't have many rabbits; dey warn't as much in style den as
dey is now, and de style of eatin' 'possums lak dey done in slav'ry
times, dat is 'bout over. Dey eats 'em some yet, but it ain't stylish no
mo'. Us chillun used to go fishin' in Moore's Branch; one would stand on
one side of de branch wid a stick, and one on de udder side would roust
de fishes out. When dey come to de top and jump up, us would hit 'em on
de head, and de grown folks would cook 'em. Dere warn't but one gyarden,
but dat had plenty in it for evvybody.
"In summer time us wore checkedy dresses made wid low waistes and
gethered skirts, but in winter de dresses was made out of linsey-woolsey
cloth and underclothes was made out of coarse unbleached cloth.
Petticoats had bodice tops and de draw's was made wid waistes too. Us
chillun didn't know when Sunday come. Our clothes warn't no diffu'nt den
from no udder day. Us wore coarse, heavy shoes in winter, but in summer
us went splatter bar feets.
"Marse Thomas was jest as good as he could be, what us knowed of 'im.
Miss Marion, my Mist'ess, she won't as good to us as Marse Thomas, but
she was all right too. Dey had a heap of chillun. Deir twin boys died,
and de gals was Miss Callie, Miss Sallie, Miss Marion (dey called her
Miss Birdie), and Miss Lucy, dat Lucy Cobb Institute was named for. My
mudder was Miss Lucy's nuss. Marse Thomas had a big fine melonial
(colonial) house on Prince Avenue wid slave quarters in de back yard of
his 10-acre lot. He owned 'most nigh dat whole block 'long dar.
"Oh! dey had 'bout a hundred slaves I'm sho', for dere was a heap of
'em. De overseer got 'em up 'bout five o'clock in de mornin' and dat
breakfust sho' had better be ready by seben or else somebody gwine to
have to pay for it. Dey went to deir cabins 'bout ten at night. Marse
was good, but he would whup us if we didn't do right. Miss Marion was
allus findin' fault wid some of us.
"Jesse was de car'iage driver. Car'iages was called phaetons den. Dey
had high seats up in front whar de driver sot, and de white folks sot in
de car'iage below. Jesse went to de War wid Marse Thomas, and was wid
him when he was kilt at Fred'ricksburg, Virginia. I heard 'em sey one of
his men shot 'im by mistake, but I don't know if dat's de trufe or not.
I do know dey sho' had a big grand fun'al 'cause he was a big man and a
general in de War.
"Some of de slaves on Marse Thomas' place knowed how to read. Aunt Vic
was one of de readers what read de Bible. But most of de Niggers didn't
have sense enough to learn so dey didn't bother wid 'em. Dey had a
church way downtown for de slaves. It was called Landon's Chapel for
Rev. Landon, a white man what preached dar. Us went to Sunday School
too. Aunt Vic read de Bible sometimes den. When us jined de chu'ch dey
sung: 'Amazing Grace How Sweet de Sound.'
"Marse Thomas had lots of slaves to die, and dey was buried in de
colored folks cemetery what was on de river back of de Lucas place. I
used to know what dey sung at fun'als way back yonder, but I can't bring
it to mind now.
"No Ma'am, none of Marse Thomas' Niggers ever run away to de Nawth. He
was good to his Niggers. Seems lak to me I 'members dem patterollers run
some of Marse Thomas' Niggers down and whupped 'em and put 'em in jail.
Old Marse had to git 'em out when dey didn't show up at roll call next
mornin'.
"Marse Thomas allus put a man or de overseer on a hoss or a mule when he
wanted to send news anywhar. He was a big man and had too many slaves to
do anything hisse'f.
"I 'spect dey done den lak dey does now, slipped 'round and got in
devilment atter de day's wuk was done. Marse Thomas was allus havin'
swell elegant doin's at de big house. De slaves what was house servants
didn't have no time off only atter dinner on Sundays.
"Christmas was somepin' else. Us sho' had a good time den. Dey give de
chilluns china dolls and dey sont great sacks of apples, oranges, candy,
cake, and evvything good out to de quarters. At night endurin' Christmas
us had parties, and dere was allus some Nigger ready to pick de banjo.
Marse Thomas allus give de slaves a little toddy too, but when dey was
havin' deir fun if dey got too loud he sho' would call 'em down. I was
allus glad to see Christmas come. On New Year's Day, de General had big
dinners and invited all de high-falutin' rich folks.
"My mudder went to de corn shuckin's off on de plantations, but I was
too little to go. Yes Ma'am, us sho' did dance and sing funny songs way
back in dem days. Us chillun used to play 'Miss Mary Jane,' and us would
pat our hands and walk on broom grass. I don't know nothin' 'bout
charms. Dey used to tell de chillun dat when old folks died dey turned
to witches. I ain't never seed no ghostes, but I sho' has felt 'em. Dey
made de rabbits jump over my grave and had me feelin' right cold and
clammy. Mudder used to sing to Miss Lucy to git her to sleep, but I
don't 'member de songs.
"Marster was mighty good to his slaves when dey got sick. He allus sont
for Dr. Crawford Long. He was de doctor for de white folks and Marster
had him for de slaves.
"My mudder said she prayed to de Lord not to let Niggers be slaves all
deir lifes and sho' 'nough de yankees comed and freed us. Some of de
slaves shouted and hollered for joy when Miss Marion called us togedder
and said us was free and warn't slaves no more. Most of 'em went right
out and left 'er and hired out to make money for deyselfs.
"I stayed on wid my mudder and she stayed on wid Miss Marion. Miss
Marion give her a home on Hull Street 'cause mudder was allus faithful
and didn't never leave her. Atter Miss Marion died, mudder wukked for
Miss Marion's daughter, Miss Callie Hull, in Atlanta. Den Miss Callie
died and mudder come on back to Athens. 'Bout ten years ago she died.
"I wukked for Mrs. Burns on Jackson Street a long time, but she warn't
no rich lady lak de Cobbs. De last fambly I wukked for was Dr. Hill. I
nussed 'til atter de chillun got too big for dat, and den I done de
washin' 'til dis misery got in my limbs."
When asked about marriage customs, she laughed and replied: "I was
engaged, but I didn't marry though, 'cause my mudder 'posed me marryin'.
I had done got my clothes bought and ready. Mrs. Hull helped me fix my
things. My dress was a gray silk what had pearl beads on it and was
trimmed in purple.
"What does I think 'bout freedom? I think it's best to be free, 'cause
you can do pretty well as you please. But in slav'ry time if de Niggers
had a-behaved and minded deir Marster and Mist'ess dey wouldn't have had
sich a hard time. Mr. Jeff Davis 'posed freedom, but Mr. Abraham Lincoln
freed us, and he was all right. Booker Washin'ton was a great man, and
done all he knowed how to make somepin' out of his race.
"De reason I jined de church was dat de Lord converted me. He is our
guide. I think people ought to be 'ligious and do good and let deir
lights shine 'cause dat's de safest way to go to Heben."
At the conclusion of the interview Susan asked: "Is dat all you gwine to
ax me? Well, I sho' enjoyed talkin' to you. I hopes I didn't talk loud
'nough for dem other Niggers to hear me, 'cause if you open your mouth
dey sho' gwine tell it. Yes Ma'am, I'se too old to wuk now and I'se
thankful for de old age pension. If it warn't for dat, since dis misery
tuk up wid me, I would be done burnt up, I sho' would. Good-bye
Mist'ess."
[HW: Dist. 2
Ex-Slave #17]
ELLEN CLAIBOURN
808 Campbell Street
(Richmond County)
Augusta, Georgia
By:
(Mrs.) Margaret Johnson--Editor
Federal Writers' Project
Dist. 2
Augusta, Ga.
Ellen was born August 19, 1852, on the plantation of Mr. Hezie Boyd in
Columbia County, her father being owned by Mr. Hamilton on an adjoining
plantation. She remembers being given, at the age of seven, to her young
mistress, Elizabeth, who afterward was married to Mr. Gabe Hendricks. At
her new home she served as maid, and later as nurse. The dignity of her
position as house servant has clung to her through the years, forming
her speech in a precision unusual in her race.
"I 'member all our young marsters was drillin' way back in 1860, an' the
Confed'rate War did not break out till in April 1861. My mistis' young
husband went to the war, an' all the other young marsters 'round us.
Young marster's bes' friend came to tell us all goodby, an' he was
killed in the first battle he fought in.
"Befo' the war, when we was little, we mostly played dolls, and had doll
houses, but sometime young marster would come out on the back porch and
play the fiddle for us. When he played 'Ole Dan Tucker' all the peoples
uster skip and dance 'bout and have a good time. My young mistis played
on the piano.
"My granpa was so trusty and hon'able his old marster give him and
granma they freedom when he died. He give him a little piece of land and
a mule, and some money, and tole him he didn't b'long to nobody, and
couldn't work for nobody 'cept for pay. He couldn't free granpa's
chilrun, 'cause they already b'longed to their young marsters and
mistises. He worked for Mr. Hezie Boyd one year as overseer, but he say
he didn't wanter lose his religion trying to make slaves work, so he
took to preaching. He rode 'bout on his mule and preach at all the
plantations. I never 'member seein' granma, but granpa came to see us
of'en. He wore a long tail coat and a _big_ beaver hat. In that hat
granma had always pack a pile of ginger cakes for us chilrun. They was
big an' thick, an' longish, an' we all stood 'round to watch him take
off his hat. Every time he came to see us, granma sent us clothes and
granpa carried 'em in his saddle bags. You ever see any saddle bags,
ma'am? Well they could sho' hold a heap of stuff!
"My pa uster come two or three times a week to our plantashun, an' just
so he was back by sun-up for work, nobody didn't say nothin' to him. He
just lived 'bout three or four miles way from us.
"Yes ma'am we went to church, and the white preachers preached for us.
We sat in the back of the church just like we sits in the back of the
street cars now-days. Some of the house servants would go one time and
some another. All the hands could go but ev'rybody had to has a pass, to
sho' who they b'long to.
"Yes ma'am, the slaves was whipped if they didn't do they taskwork, or
if they steal off without a pass, but if our marster found a overseer
whipped the slaves overmuch he would git rid of him. We was always
treated good and kind and well cared for, and we was happy.
"No ma'am, no overseer ever went to marster's table, or in the house
'cept to speak to marster. Marster had his overseers' house and give 'em
slaves to cook for 'em and wait on 'em, but they never go anywhere with
the fam'ly.
"The house servants' houses was better than the fiel'-hands'--and
Marster uster buy us cloth from the 'Gusta Fact'ry in checks and plaids
for our dresses, but all the fiel'-hands clothes was made out of cloth
what was wove on mistis' own loom. Sometime the po' white folks in the
neighborhood would come an' ask to make they cloth on mistis' loom, and
she always let 'em.
"Yes, ma'am, we had seamsters to make all the clothes for everybody, and
mistis had a press-room, where all the clothes was put away when they
was finished. When any body needed clothes mistis would go to the
press-room an' get 'em.
"During the war mistis had one room all fixed up to take care of sick
soldiers. They would come stragglin' in, all sick or shot, an' sometimes
we had a room full of 'em. Mistis had one young boy to do nothin' but
look after 'em and many's the night I got up and helt the candle for 'em
to see the way to the room.
"Oh my Gawd, I saw plenty wounded soldiers. We was right on the road to
Brightsboro, and plenty of 'em pass by. That Confed'rate war was the
terriblest, awfullest thing.
"Nobody but me knowed where mistis buried her gold money and finger
rings and ear-rings and breat-pins. [TR: breast-pins?] I helt the candle
then, too. Mistis and marster, (he was home then) an' me went down back
of the grape arbor to the garden-house. Marster took up some planks, an'
dug a hole like a grabe and buried a big iron box with all them things
in it; then he put back the planks. Nobody ever found 'em, and after the
war was over we went and got 'em.
"Yes, ma'am, everybody did they own work. De cook cooked, and the
washer, she didn't iron no clothes. De ironer did that. De housemaid
cleaned up, and nurse tended the chilrun. Then they was butlers and
coachmen. Oh, they was a plenty of us to do eve'ything.
"We didn't have a stove, just a big fire place, and big oven on both
sides, and long-handle spiders. When we was fixin' up to go to Camp
Meeting to the White Oak Camp meeting grounds, they cooked chickens and
roasted pigs, and put apples in they mouth and a lot of other food--good
food too. De food peoples eat these days, you couldn't have got _nobody_
to eat. Camp Meetin' was always in August and September. It was a good
Methodis' meetin', and eve'ybody got religion. Sometimes a preacher
would come to visit at the house, an' all the slaves was called an' he
prayed for 'em. Sometimes the young ones would laugh, an' then marster
would have 'em whipped.
"My young mistis had a sister older than her. She married Mr. Artie
Boyd, an' they had a big weddin' but she loved her home and her mother
and father so much she wouldn't leave home. She just stayed on living
there. When her baby come she died, and I tell you, ma'am, her fun'al
was most like a weddin', with so many people an' so many flowers. All
the people from the plantashun came to the house, an' the wimmen had
they babies in they arms. One the ladies say, "How come they let all
these niggers and babies come in the house?" But marster knowed all us
loved mistis, and he call us in. Marse Artie he wrote a long letter an'
all the things he got from mistis he give back to her fam'ly an' all his
own things he give to his brother, an' then he died. Some say his heart
strings just broke 'cause mistis died, and some say he took something.
"No, ma'am, I wasn't married till after freedom. I was married right
here in 'Gusta by Mr. Wharton, the First Baptist Church preacher, an' I
lived and worked here ever since."
[HW: Dist. 7
Ex-Slave #19]
Adella S. Dixon
District 7
BERRY CLAY
OLD SLAVE STORY
[MAY 8 1937]
Telfair County was the home of some colored people who never were
slaves, but hired their services for wages just as the race does today.
Berry Clay, half Indian, half white, was the son of Fitema Bob Britt, a
full blood Indian, who died shortly after his son's birth. His mother
later married William Clay, whose name was taken by the children as well
as the mother. The family then moved to Macon.
Clay, next [TR: 'to the' scratched out] oldest of five children was 89
years old on August 5, 1936, and while he was never a slave, remembers
many incidents that took place then. Not many years after his mother
remarried, she became very ill and he recalls being lifted by his
step-father to kiss her good bye as she lay dying. After her death, the
family continued to live in South Macon where the father was employed as
overseer for a crew at the Railroad yard.
This position often called for the punishment of slaves but he was too
loyal to his color to assist in making their lives more unhappy. His
method of carrying out orders and yet keeping a clear conscience was
unique--the slave was taken to the woods where he was supposedly laid
upon a log and severely beaten. Actually, he was made to stand to one
side and to emit loud cries which were accompanied by hard blows on the
log. The continuation of the two sounds gave any listener the impression
that some one was severely beaten. It is said that Clay, the father,
wore out several huge leather straps upon logs but that he was never
known to strike a slave.
Mr. Wadley, by whom he was employed, was a well-known Macon citizen who
served as President of the Central of Georgia Railroad for many years. A
monument on Mulberry Street nearly opposite the Post Office is a
constant reminder of the esteem in which he was held. His plantation was
a huge one extending from the Railroad yard as far as the present site
of Mercer University. A day of rest was given the slaves about once
every three months in addition to the regular holidays which are
observed today. On holidays, "frolics" at which square dances were the
chief form of entertainment (by the music of a banjo or fiddle) were
enjoyed. Ring games were played by the children. The refreshments
usually consisted of ash cakes and barbecue. The ash cake was made by
wrapping corn pones in oak leaves and burying the whole in hot ashes.
When the leaves dried, the cake was usually done and was carefully moved
to prevent its becoming soiled. [HW: A] skillful cook could produce
cakes that were a golden brown and not at all ashy.
The membership of the local church was composed of slaves from several
plantations. It was an old colored church with a white minister who
preached the usual doctrine of the duty of a slave to his master. The
form of service was the same as that of the white church. One unusual
feature of the plantation was its Sunday School for the Negro children.
Courtships were very brief for as soon as a man or woman began to
manifest interest in the opposite sex, the master busied himself to
select a wife or husband and only in rare cases was the desire of the
individual considered. When the selection was made, the master read the
ceremony and gave the couple a home. He always requested, or rather
demanded, that they be fruitful. A barren woman was separated from her
husband and usually sold.
Very little money was handled by these people. The carriage drivers were
more fortunate than the regular workers for they smuggled things to town
when they drove the master and mistress and sold them while the family
shopped or went visiting. At rare intervals, the field hands were able
to earn small sums of money in this manner.
Food was provided by the owners and all families cooked for themselves
whether they were many or one. The weekly allotments of meal, meat,
etc., were supplemented through the use of vegetables which could always
be obtained from the fields. On special days chicken or beef was given
and each one had a sufficient amount for his needs. Hunting and fishing
were recreations in which the slaves were not allowed to participate
although they frequently went on secret excursions of this nature. All
food stuff as well as cloth for garments was produced at home.
Clay is very superstitious, still believing in most of the signs
commonly believed in those days, because he has "watched them and found
that they are true". He stated that the screeching of the owl may be
stopped by placing a poker in the fire and allowing it to remain until
it becomes red hot. The owl will then leave, but death will invariably
follow its visit.
The attitudes of the two races in the South regarding the war were
directly opposite. The whites beheld it as something horrible and
dreaded the losses that would necessarily be theirs. Sons and fathers
had property to be considered, but they were generous in their
contributions to the soldiers. On the other hand, the slaves rejoiced as
they looked forward to their freedom when the war was over. There were,
however, a few who were devoted to their masters to the extent that they
fought in their stead in the Confederate Army. Others remained at home
and skillfully ran the plantation and protected the women and children
until the end of the war.
When Sherman made his famous "March to Sea", one phalanx of his army
wrought its destruction between this city and Griswoldville. A gun
factory and government shoe factory were completely destroyed. Although
the citizens gave the invaders everything they thought they desired, the
rest was destroyed in most instances. They tried to ascertain the
attitudes of the land owners toward his servants and when for any reason
they presumed that one was cruel, their vengeance was expressed through
the absolute destruction of his property. In nearly every instance smoke
houses were raided and the contents either destroyed or given away.
Barrels of syrup flowing through the yard was a common sight.
At the end of the war, the South was placed under military rule. The
presence of the Yankee guardsmen had a psychological effect upon the
Southerners and they were very humble.
Before the terrors of the war had subsided a new menace sprang up--the
Klu Klux Klan. While its energy was usually directed against ex-slaves,
a white man was sometimes a victim. One such occasion was recalled by
Clay. The group planned to visit a man who for some reason became
suspicious and prepared to outwit them if they came. He heated a huge
pot of water and when a part of his door was crashed in he reached
through the opening and poured gourds of boiling water upon his
assailants. They retreated, [HW: and] while they were away, he made his
way to Atlanta.
Another group which began its operations shortly after the close of the
war was a military clan organized for the purpose of giving the
ex-slaves a knowledge of drilling and war tactics. An order to disband
was received from the "Black Horse Calvary" by the leader of the group.
His life was threatened when he failed to obey so he prepared for a
surprise visit. He fortified his house with twenty-five men on the
inside and the same number outside. When the approaching calvarymen
reached a certain point, the fifty hidden men fired at the same time.
Seven members of the band were killed and many others wounded. There was
no further interference from this group.
Clay and his father ran a grocery store just after Emancipation. He did
not like this type of work and apprenticed himself to a painter to learn
the trade. He is still considered an excellent painter though he does
not receive much work.
He has always taken care of himself and never "ran about" at night. He
boasts that his associates never included a dancing woman. As he has
used tobacco for sixty-five years, he does not consider it a menace to
health but states that worry will kill anyone and the man who wants to
live a long time must form the habit of not worrying. His Indian
blood--the high cheek bones, red skin and straight black hair now tinged
with grey make this unmistakable--has probably played a large part in
the length of his life.
[HW: Dist. 7
Ex-Slave #22]
Adella S. Dixon
District 7
PIERCE CODY
OLD SLAVE STORY
[HW: About 88]
[MAY 8 1937]
Pierce Cody was the eldest son of Elbert and Dorothy Cody. His father
was born in Richmond, Virginia, his mother in Warren County. When the
Emancipation Proclamation was signed, he, the eldest child in a large
family, was in his early teens. This group lived on the place owned by
Mr. Bob Cody, [HW: whose] family was a group of ardent believers in the
Hardshell Baptist faith. So firm was their faith that a church of this
denomination was provided for the slaves and each one required to become
a member. A white minister invariably preached the then worn out
doctrine of a slave's duty to his master, the reward of faithfulness and
the usual admonition against stealing.
The members of this church were required to fast on one day of the week,
the fast lasting all day until seven in the evening. The small boys,
both white and colored, resenting the abstinence from food, usually
secured a reserve supply which was cached during the week and secretly
enjoyed on fast day. Fish were plentiful in all the streams and they
sometimes sneaked away to the river and after enjoying the sport, cooked
their catch on the banks of the stream.
Groups of ministers--30 to 40--then traveled from one plantation to
another spreading the gospel, and were entertained as they traveled. On
one occasion the group arrived at the Cody estate on fast day. The boys
having been on one of their secret fishing trips had caught so many
perch that they were not able to consume them on the banks, so had
smuggled them to the kitchen, coaxed the cook to promise to prepare
them, and had also sworn her to absolute secrecy regarding their origin.
Although the kitchen was not directly connected with the "big house",
the guests soon detected the aroma of fresh fish and requested that
they be allowed to partake of this delicacy. When the boys, as well as
the servants, heard this, they became panicky for they feared the wrath
of the master. But the catch was so heartily relished that instead of
the expected punishment, they were commended and allowed to fish on the
next day of fasting.
As was characteristic of many others, the planter's home was near the
center of a vast estate and in this instance had a tall lookout on the
roof from which the watchman might see for miles around. The "quarters"
were nearby and the care-free children who played in the large yard were
closely watched as they were often stolen by speculators and later sold
at auctions far away. The land was divided into many fields each of
which was used to cultivate a particular product. Each field had its
special crew and overseer.
Cody's father was [HW: one of the] feeders [HW: who] arose at least two
hours before sunrise, to feed the stock. A large number of horses and
more than two hundred head of cattle had to be fed by sunrise when they
were to be turned into the pastures or driven to the field to begin the
day's work. After sunrise, his father's duty [HW: as] foreman for
plowers began. Other workers were hoe hands, additional foremen, cooks,
weavers, spinners, seamstresses, tailors, shoemakers, etc. As everything
used was grown and made on the estate there was plenty of work for all
and in many instances [HW: slaves] learned trades which they liked and
which furnished a livelihood when they were set free.
[HW: When he entered his teens] Cody's first duties began [HW: as] a
plowhand who broke "newground." As all of this land was to be plowed, a
lack of skill in making straight furrows did not matter, so beginners
were preferably used. Shortly after he began plowing he was made
foreman of one of the groups. Thus encouraged by his master's faith in
his ability to do a man's work, he assumed a "grown up" attitude under
the stimulus of his new responsibilities and was married shortly after.
At this time marriages resulted from brief courtships. After the consent
of the girl was obtained, it was necessary to seek permission from the
master, whether she lived on the same or an adjoining plantation. In the
latter case, the marriage rites were performed by her master. The
minister was not used in most instances--the ceremony [HW: being] read
from a testament by the owner of the bride. Marriages were nearly always
performed out of doors in the late afternoon. The bride's wedding dress
was fashioned of cloth made on the plantation from a pattern of her own
designing. Attendants at marriages were rare. After the ceremony, the
guests danced far into the night by music from the fiddle and banjo.
Refreshments consisting of ginger cakes, barbecue, etc., were served.
Such a couple, belonging to two different masters, did not keep house.
The [HW: husband] was allowed to visit his wife on Wednesday night and
Saturday when he might remain through Sunday. All marriage unions were
permanent and a barren wife was considered the only real cause for
separation.
Church services for this group were held jointly with the white members,
the two audiences being separated by a partition. Gradually, the colored
members became dissatisfied with this type of service and withdrew to
form a separate church. The desire for independence in worship must
necessarily have been strong, to endure the inconveniences of the "brush
arbor" churches that they resorted to. As a beginning, several trees
were felled, and the brush and forked branches separated. Four heavy
branches with forks formed the framework. Straight poles were laid
across these to form a crude imitation of beams and the other framework
of a building. The top and sides were formed of brush which was thickly
placed so that it formed a solid wall. A hole left in one side formed a
doorway from which beaten paths extended in all directions. Seats made
from slabs obtained at local sawmills completed the furnishing. In
inclement weather, it was not possible to conduct services here, but
occasionally showers came in the midst of the service and the audience
calmly hoisted umbrellas or papers and with such scant protection, the
worship continued.
Sunday afternoons were quietly spent, visiting being the only means of
recreation. One of the favorite stay at home pastimes was the inspection
of heads. The pediculous condition made frequent treatment necessary for
comfort. The young white men liked to visit the "quarters" and have the
slaves search their heads. They would stretch full length upon the cabin
floors and rest their heads upon a pillow. Usually they offered a gift
of some sort if many of the tiny parasites were destroyed, so the clever
picker who found a barren head simply reached into his own and produced
a goodly number. There existed on this plantation an antagonistic
feeling toward children (born of slave parents) with a beautiful suit of
hair, and this type of hair was kept cropped very short.
Gossip, stealing, etc. was not tolerated. No one was ever encouraged to
"tattle" on another. Locks were never used on any of the cabin doors or
on the smokehouse. Food was there in abundance and each person was free
to replenish his supply as necessary. Money was more or less a novelty
as it was only given in 1¢ pieces at Christmas time. As food, clothing,
and shelter were furnished, the absence was not particularly painful.
Connected with nearly every home were those persons who lived "in the
woods" in preference to doing the labor necessary to remain at their
home. Each usually had a scythe and a bulldog for protection. As food
became scarce, they sneaked to the quarters in the still of the night
and coaxed some friend to get food for them from the smokehouse. Their
supply obtained, they would leave again. This was not considered
stealing.
Medical care was also free. Excellent physicians were maintained. It was
not considered necessary to call a physician until home
remedies--usually teas made of roots--had had no effect. Women in
childbirth were cared for by grannies,--Old women whose knowledge was
broad by experience, acted as practical nurses.
Several cooks were regularly maintained. Some cooked for the men who had
no families, others for the members of the big house and guests. The
menus varied little from day to day. A diet of bread--called "shortening
bread,"--vegetables and smoked meat were usually consumed. Buttermilk
was always plentiful. On Sundays "seconds" (flour) were added to the
list and butter accompanied this. Chickens, fresh meat, etc., were
holiday items and were seldom enjoyed at any other time.
Not only were the slaves required to work but the young men of the "big
house" also had their duties. In the summer they went fishing. While
this sport was enjoyed, it was done on an extremely large scale in order
that everyone should have an adequate supply of fish. The streams
abounded in all kinds of fish, and nets were used to obtain large
quantities necessary. In winter hunting was engaged in for this same
purpose. Rabbits, squirrels, etc., were the usual game, but in addition
the trapping of wild hogs was frequently indulged in. The woods
contained many of these animals which were exceptionally vicious. The
hunters, however, trapped them in much the same way that rabbits are now
caught, without injury to the flesh [TR: 'making the meat more
delicious' marked out]. Deer were also plentiful and venison enjoyed
during its season. Horned snakes were the greatest impediments to more
abundant hunting.
Knowledge of the war was kept from the slaves until long after its
beginning. Most of them had no idea what "war" meant and any news that
might have been spread, fell on deaf ears. Gradually this knowledge was
imparted by Yankee peddlers who came to the plantation to sell
bed-ticking, etc. When the master discovered how this information was
being given out, these peddlers were forbidden to go near the quarters.
This rule was strictly enforced.
Eventually, the Confederate soldiers on their way to and from camp began
to stop at the house. Food and everything available was given to them.
Three of Mr. Cody's sons were killed in battle. As the Northern soldiers
did not come near the home, the loss of property was practically
negligible [TR: '--six cents being all' marked out].
When the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, the slaves were called to
the "big house" in a group to receive the news that they were free. Both
old and young danced and cheered when this information was given out.
Many of the families remained there for a year or two until they were
able to find desirable locations elsewhere.
Cody attributes his ability to reach a ripe old age to the excellent
care he took of himself in his youth. He has used tobacco since he was a
small boy and does not feel that it affects his health. Distilled liquor
was plentiful in his young days and he always drank but never to an
excess.