N.C. District: No. 2
Worker: T. Pat Matthews
No. Words: 736
Subject: SIMUEL RIDDICK
Story teller: Simuel Riddick
Editor: Daisy Bailey Waitt
SIMUEL RIDDICK
2205 Everette Ave.
"My name is Simuel Riddick. I was born the fourth day February, 1841.
My owners, my white people, my old mistress wrote me a letter telling
me my age. My mother was Nancy Riddick; she belonged to the Riddicks in
the Eastern part of the State. My father was named Elisha Riddick. My
master was named Elisha and my mistress Sarah Riddick. They had three
daughters, Sarah, Christine, and Mary, one boy named Asbury Riddick.
"I was born in Perquimans County, North Carolina and I have lived in
North Carolina all my life. We had good food, for marster was a heavy
farmer. There were about 200 acres cleared on the plantation, and about
25 slaves. The great house was where marster lived and the quarters was
where we lived. They were near the great house. I saw only one slave
whupped. I had mighty fine white people, yes, mighty fine white people.
They did not whup their slaves, but their son whupped my mother pretty
bad because she did not bale enough corn and turnips to feed the
fattening hogs.
"He was a rang tang. He loved his liquor, and he loved colored women.
The ole man never whupped anybody. Young marster married in the
Marmaduke family in Gates County. He sold one man who belonged to his
wife, Mary. I never saw a slave sold.
"I have seen lots o' paterollers. They were my friends. I had friends
among 'em because I had a young missus they run with. Dats why they let
me alone. I went with her to cotton pickin's at night. They came, but
they didn't touch me. My young missus married Dr. Perry from the same
neighborhood in Perquimans County. Bill Simpson married her sister. He
was from the same place. Watson White married the other one. He was
from Perquimans.
"There were no half-white children on Marster's plantation, and no
mixups that ever came out to be a disgrace in any way. My white folks
were fine people. I remember marster's brother's son Tommy going off to
war. Marster's brother was named Willis Riddick. He never came back. I
got a letter from my missus since I been in Raleigh. She was a fine
lady. She put fine clothes on me. I was a foreman on the plantation and
looked after things in general. I had charge of everything at the lots
and in the fields. They trusted me.
"When the war broke out I left my marster and went to Portsmouth,
Virginia. General Miles captured me and put me in uniform. I waited on
him as a body servant, a private in the U.S. Army. I stayed with him
until General Lee surrendered. When Lee surrendered I stayed in
Washington with General Miles at the Willard Hotel and waited on him. I
stayed there a long time. I was with General Miles at Fortress Monroe
and stayed with him till he was in charge of North Carolina. He was a
general, and had the 69th Irish brigade. He also had the Bluecats and
Greentorches.
"I waited on him at the Abbeck House, Alexandria, Virginia after the
war. I stayed with the general a long time after the war. I didn't go
with General Miles when he was ordered to the plains of the west.
"I stayed on the Bureau here in Raleigh. Dr. H.C. Wagel was in charge.
After I left the Bureau I worked at the N.C. State College several
years then I worked with the city at the city parks. I never left the
state after coming here With General Miles.
"I had mighty good white people, was treated all right, was made
foreman and treated with every kindness. I haven't anything to say
against slavery. My old folks put my clothes on me when I was a boy.
They gave me shoes and stockings and put them on me when I was a little
boy. I loved them and I can't go against them in anything. There were
things I did not like about slavery on some plantations, whuppin' and
sellin' parents and children from each other but I haven't much to
say. I was treated good.
"Don't know much about Abraham Lincoln, haven't much to express about
Mr. Roosevelt. He is a mighty pleasant man tho'. I learned to read and
write after the war. I could not read and write when I was a soldier."