Aunt Mariah Heywood, born in 1855, was 'Allston labor' on Waccamaw Neck.
Given as a bridal present to 'Miss Susan Alston by her father, Mr.
Duncan Alston of Midway Plantation Waccamaw, Aunt Mariah has for the
last fifty years lived much in the past when 'I wuz raise on the cream
of the earth' and her head is just a little higher and her backbone just
a little stiffer than that of the average colored person because of
pride--family pride--in her people--her white people. And as one can
readily see from her testimony, her chief cause for her pardonable
snobbery seems to be that her Massa was the last man to surrender and
"swear gainst his swear."
Her sons, one of whom is a preacher in the Methodist Conference and 'one
a zorter--a locust' and her youngest son John (who got all the credrick)
have built her a comfortable house (painted a bilious yaller) which she
keeps clean and sweet with flowers in the front yard--two treasured
plants having been sent by her brother (born after mancipations) clean
from Pittsburgh.
The fact that she was raised by aristocrats shows plainly in her dealing
with both races and she is a leader in church activities and her opinion
valued when a vote is taken about school matters.
Being the oldest 'communion steward' she is affectionately spoken of as
'THE MOTHER OF HEAVEN'S GATE'--the Methodist church founded in Murrells
Inlet community by colored leaders shortly after Mancipation.
"Aunt Mariah, you home?"
"Missus, what you brought me?"
"------------
"I too thank you."
(Soon she began to reminisce)
"You could hear 'em over there slamming and banging. The Yankee tear up
the Dr. Flagg house but they didn't come Sunnyside. Bright day too! Old
man Thomas Stuart lead 'em to Hermitage. Had team they take from Mr.
Betts and team they take from Dr. Arthur to Woodland. Free everywhere
else and we wasn't free Sunnyside till June third or second. Sunday we
got our freedom. Bright day too. Our colored people fare just like the
white; wearing, eating, drinking. I wuz raise on the cream of earth.
"They wuz glad. Sign a contract for your boss you would work the same
and get pay the end of the year-and tend you when you sick all the
same." (The same medical attention to be given that was given before
'Freedom') "Big guns shooting! House jar to Sunnyside and one day water
shake out the glass! Miss Susan take her spyglass and stand behind one
them big posses (posts) and spy them big boats shooting. And boss say,
'Don't get in front of them posses-they might shoot you!'
"Yankee come to Mrs. Belin and Parson Betts. And they tell Mrs. Belin,
they want her to know no more slave holding and she thank 'em and she
say, HE people wuz always free! Grandma Harriet, (Harriet Mortor wuz her
title but that time they always gone by they Master title). Joe Heywood
wuz Joe Belin--he was Parson Belin man--he take the Heywood title after
mancipation. Poinsette (Uncle Fred) ALWAYS carry that title. That day,
all the right hand servant always take they Massa title. When the big
gun shooting, old people in the yard, 'Tank God! Massa, HE COMING!'
(Referring to 'Freedom') 'HE COMING!' (Guns gone just like thunders roll
now!) Chillun say, "What coming? What coming? What coming, Grandma?"
'You all will know! You all will know!'
"Massa live 'Wee ha kum' for years. We are fifty-five (55) chillun. Mary
Rutledge Allston and I one year chillun." (She and Mary R. Allston born
same year.) "My missus have four chillun--Mary Rutledge, Susan Bethune,
Marsa Pink and Marse Fanuel. (Benjamine Nathaniel!)
"Four years of the war been hold prayer-meeting." (Praying for
'freedom'). Lock me up in house. Me, I been PREsent to Miss Minna--'Miss
Mary! We, us lock up! My brother and I listen! (Two brother mancipation
chillun. Smart Robert Brockington and Harrison Franklin Brockington in
Pittsburgh. I nuss (nurse) him--jess like you hold that book.) Old
people used to go to Richmond Hill, Laurel Hill and Wachesaw have these
little prayer-meeting. All bout in people house. Hold the four year of
the war. Great many time the chicken crow for day. Hear the key. We say
'Yeddy!' Change clothes. Gone on in the house. Get that eight, seven
o'clock breakfast.'
"Parson Glennie (Rector All Saints, Waverly lived at Rectory there and
did wonderful work teaching and preaching to slaves as well as
whites--preaching at beautiful St. Mary's chapel, built by Plowden
Weston at Hagley for the slaves of materials from England--baptismal
font from this chapel now in Camden Episcopal church and stained glass
also removed before chapel burned some few years ago. At this
period--prior to mancipation Waccamaw slaves were usually educated in
the faith of their masters--the Episcopal.) Parson Glennie come once a
month to Sunnyside. Parson Glennie read, sing, pray. Tell us obey Miss
Minna. (I wuz little highest.) Two of us 55 chillun! We'd fight. She
knock me. I knock back! Wouldn't take a knock! She say, 'I tell Parson
Glennie! Lord won't bless you! You bad.' I say, 'You knock me, I knock
you!'
"Have a play-house. Charlie buy from Mott. Used to summer it at
Magnolia. Row from Bull Creek once a month to Chapel. (10 miles or
more) Put them All Saints eleven o'clock service. Four best men his
rowsmen. Fuss (first) year war we tuh Bull Creek. Nobody go (to All
Saints) but Missus and Massa and the four rowsmen.
"Flat going from Midway to Cheraw. Best rice on flat. (Couldn't grind
corn) Kill chicken. Gone to protect from Yankees--to hide! When they
come (to Cheraw). Sherman coming from MONDAY till SATDY! Come on RAIL!
Said 'twas a shocking sight! When Sherman army enter Cheraw, town full
of sojers. Take way from white people and give horses colored people!
Didn't kill none the horses. (On Sunnyside on Waccamaw) Cheraw Yankee
kill horses! (Indeed--YES! It is history in Marlboro, near Cheraw they
were killed and thrown in the wells to pollute the water.)"
"Mr. Charley horse, couldn't nobody ride but him! Father-in-law (Mr.
Duncan to Midway) had a pair of grey--BUCK and SMILER. Driver, Tom Carr.
Come in carriage every month to Sunnyside. Get the family. Go and spend
ten days--Midway! Family wuz MYSELF, MISS MINNA, and the three and the
Massa and Miss Susan. Mary Huger one my Missus sister. One marry a Huger
to Charleston.
"Major Charles say he'd die in Sunnyside yard fore he'd go there
(Georgetown) and take off his hat and 'swear gainst my swear.' He'd die
in Sunnyside yard. My Massa, Major Charles Alston, was the last one to
gone to Georgetown and gone under that flag! He was Charles Jr., but
after Confederick war he was Major Charles! Major Charles the last man
off Waccamaw gone under the flag! At Georgetown. Went down in row-boat.
My fadder gone and tell old man Tom Nesbitt to have his boat and four of
his best mens. Got to go off a piece! Pa gone. Have boat ready. Ma got
up. Cook a traveling lunch for 'em. Fore day! Blue uniform. Yellow
streak down side--just like this streak in my dress. Yellow bar!" (Most
of 'em had to rob dead yankees or go naked) "LAST GENTLEMAN GONE UNDER
THE FLAG!
"Walking up and down the piazza! Say, Can I go to town and swear gainst
my slave?" Can I? Up and down!
"I hear bout them slave try to run way. Aunt Tella Kinloch eye shot out.
Marsh (baby) cry! Mother say take her apron and stuff the child mouth.
Blockade (patrollers) wuz hiding. Shot in range of that sound. Row! Row!
Row! Put everything in jail! All in jail! Mr. McCuskey tell us! He wuz
one of the men help lynch. I got married 1873. They wuz talking bout the
time (war) "Mr. McCuskey told us Nemo Ralston was one. Say he never see
a fatter man. Fat in there in shield! Like a fattening hog! (They
running way from Oregon--Dr. McGill place). Say they put four horses to
him--one to every limb. Stretch 'em. And cut horses and each horse carry
a piece! Mr. McCuskey was one help lynch Nemo.
"Uncle William Heywood didn't birth till after mancipation. Not a thing
to do with slavery time! But I know when the big gun shooting to free
me! Yankee come and free Waccamaw! No slave hold. Whole neck free but
us! Last people free on 'Neck.' MY MAJOR last one to went under flag to
Georgetown! Old man Moses Gibson and Peter Brockington build Sunnyside
kitchen.
"I wuz birth November 5th, 1855. Mr. Buck say, 'Aunt Mariah, know your
birth?'
"'Yes, sir!'
"'Aunt Mariah, you too old to work! You born 1800, go on home raise your
chicken!'"
Aunt Mariah Heywood
Age--82
Murrells Inlet, S.C.
Project 1885-1
FOLK LORE
Spartanburg, S.C.
May 10, 1937
Edited by:
Elmer Turnage