Part 6
"Once another fellow, a nigger, said he was going to his wife's house to see her; but he had to pass his old partner's place on de way, who was dead. When he got opposite the partner's place something, maybe a ghost, came to him and wrestled with him and wouldn't let him go on to see his wife, so he come back to his master's house and stayed.
"When the slaves got sick they had doctors, and used old herbs. 'Jerusalem Ore' was a kind of herb for children, to build them up, and there was field grass roots and herb roots which was boiled and tea drunk for fevers. And 'Primer-rhine' tea which was drunk, too. Sometimes they would hang garlic around small boys and girls necks to keep away any kind of sickness.
"We didn't have schools; started them the second year after freedom. Old General Butler give us old slaves a home each and a small patch to work.
"I married when I was 21 years old, the first time in Edgefield County, now called Saluda County. I have six children, nine grand-children, and four great-grand-children.
"I think Abe Lincoln was good man and he was Providential arrangement. I think Jeff Davis was good man, same. Booker T. Washington is good man, done lots for young niggers. I rather like it now, and not slavery time. I joined church when I was 18 to turn from evil ways and to live a better life."
SOURCE: Henry Ryan (83), Newberry, S.C.; by G. Leland Summer, Newberry, S.C.
=Project 1885-1= =Folklore= =Spartanburg, Dist. 4= =Oct. 11, 1937=
=Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=
=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=
"I live in a rented three-room house with my daughter. I am too old to do much work, but I work where I can get little jobs that I can do.
"The slaves did not expect anything after Freedom, for the South was in such a bad fix. They just got jobs where they could find them. Most of them worked as share-croppers or wage hands on the farms, and have worked like this since that time. Some few have rented farms. When any moved to town they got jobs where they could.
"I never thought much about Reconstruction. Some slaves voted at first, but when Wade Hampton was elected they didn't get to vote much.
"I think the younger generation has too much freedom and doesn't stay home enough. They want to have their own way.
"Over in old Edgefield where I was raised we had plenty to eat; plenty peas, corn bread, turnips and other things. We hunted wild game, too. I was a slave of Major Pickens Butler. He was a good man and sometimes gave us a little money for our work. Our master gave us a small patch of land to work for ourselves and plant anything we wanted.
"No, I never think anything about voting. I am satisfied just to get along."
Source: Henry Ryan (N--83), Newberry, S.C. Interviewer: G.L. Summer, Newberry, S.C. 8/18/37.
=Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg Dist. 4= =May 25, 1937=
=Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=
=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=
"I am bad-sick woman, in bed and can't hardly talk and can't 'member much. I was born near Broad River in de Blair section. I belonged in slavery to de Blair family. My mudder and papa was Grace and Samuel Blair, and dey belonged to Capt. Blair. When dey was sold, I was put in de house wid a good free nigger woman to raise me and to stay 'till de war was over. Den I come to de Blair house, and helped around de house. My sisters could card, spin and weave, and I helped dem wid it. I didn't have but one dress. When it got dirty, I went down to de creek and washed it and put it against de lims to dry, but I had to put it back on before it got good dry.
"When I got old enough, I worked in de field, hoeing and picking cotton."
Source: Emoline Satterwhite (82), Newberry, S.C. Interviewer: G.L. Summer, Newberry, S.C. May 19, 1937
=Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg, Dist. 4= =Sept. 9, 1937=
=Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=
=STORIES OF EX-SLAVES=
"Marster Charner Scaife a-laying on his bed of death is 'bout de first thing dat stuck in my mind. I felt sorry fer everybody den. Miss Mary Rice Scaife, his wife, was mean. She died a year atter. Never felt sad nor glad den; never felt no ways out of de regular way, den.
"Overseers I recollects was, Mr. Sam Hughes, Mr. Tom Baldwin, and Mr. Whitfield Davis. Mr. Baldwin was de best to me. He had a still-house out in a field whar liquor was made. I tote it fer him. We made good corn liquor. Once a week I brung a gallon to de big house to Marster. Once I got happy off'n it, and when I got dar lots of it was gone. He had me whipped. Dat de last time I ever got happy off'n Marster's jug.
"When I was a shaver I carried water to de rooms and polished shoes fer all de white folks in de house. Sot de freshly polished shoes at de door of de bed-room. Get a nickle fer dat and dance fer joy over it. Two big gals cleaned de rooms up and I helped carry out things and take up ashes and fetch wood and build fires early every day. Marster's house had five bedrooms and a setting room. De kitchen and dining-room was in de back yard. A covered passage kept dem from getting wet when dey went to de dining-room. Marster said he had rather get cold going to eat dan to have de food get cold while it was being fetched to him. So he had de kitchen and dining-room jined, but most folks had de dining-room in de big house.
"It took a week to take de cotton boat from Chester to Columbia. Six slaves handled de flat-boat. Dere was six, as I said, de boatman, two oarsmen, two steermen and an extra man. De steermen was just behind de boatman. Dey steered wid long poles on de way up de river and paddled down de river. De two oarsmen was behind dem. Dey used to pole, too, going up, and paddling going down. Seventy-five or eighty bales was carried at a time. Dey weighed around three hundred pounds apiece. In Columbia, de wharfs was on de Congree banks. Fer de cotton, we got all kinds of supplies to carry home. De boat was loaded wid sugar and coffee coming back. On Broad River we passed by Woods Ferry, Fish Dam Ferry, Hendersons Ferry and Hendersons Island and some others, but dat is all I recollect. We unloaded at our own ferry, called Scaife Ferry.
"I split rails fer fences. On Christmas we had coffee, sugar and biscuit fer breakfast."
Source: Alexander Scaife (82), Box 104, Pacolet, S.C. Interviewer: Caldwell Sims, Union, S.C.
=Project #-1655= =Phoebe Faucette= =Hampton County=
=FOLKLORE=
=ELIZA SCANTLING EX-SLAVE=
=87 Years=
"If you wants to know about de slavery times," said old Aunt Eliza, "you'se sure come to de right person; 'cause I wuz right dere." The statement was easy to believe; for old Aunt Eliza's wrinkled face and stiff, bent form bore testimony to the fact that she had been here for many a year. As she sat one cold afternoon in December before her fire of fat lightwood knots, in her one-room cabin, she quickly went back to her childhood days. Her cabin walls and floor were filled with large cracks through which the wind came blowing in.
"I gits along pretty good. My chillun lives all around here, and my granddaughter that's a-standin' at the window dere, takes care of me. Den de government helps me out. It sure is a blessing, too--to have sech a good government! And 'Miss Maggie' good to me. She brought me dis wood. Brought it in her truck herself. Had a colored man along to handle it for her. But I so stiff I sometimes kin hardly move from me waist down. And sometimes in de morning when I wake, it is all I kin do to get up an' wash me face. But I got to do it. My granddaughter bring me my meals.
"I is 87 years old. I know 'cause I wuz so high when de war broke out. An' I plowed my January to July de year 'fore peace declare. I remember dat. I wuz a good big girl; but jes' a child--not married yet. Yes'm I plowed a mule an' a wild un at dat. Sometimes me hands get so cold I jes' cry. But dey all say I 'wuz a nigger what wuz a nigger!'
"In May peace declare. De first president of de country wuz Lincoln. He took his seat in March. But I work for de white people 'fore dat. On a Friday mornin' our Massa, Mr. Richard Davant come an' told us peace declare. He come an' told us hisself. I wuz in de cornhouse a-shuckin' corn to go to de mill on Saturday. After freedom all de niggers left 'cept my Mamma. My father brought us back here to Col. Alex Lawton's place at Robertville. He used to belong to Col. Lawton. Many years atter dat Col. Lawton moved to Savannah; but when he died dey brought him back here an' buried him at Robertville.
"My young Missus was de daughter of Mr. Sam Maner, my old Massa; so when she marry Mr. Davant I went wid her. Dey had bought a place in Screven, Georgia. Seven year 'fore peace declare we went to Georgia. On a Monday mornin' a colored man come along an' tell Miss Anna de Yankees had took Waynesboro. We all went to see it. De fire had left de place clean. Could pick up a pin behind it. Other than dat I see nothin'. I never see no house burn down. I never hear no gun fire. I jes' see de uniform, an' see 'em kill de hog an' sling 'em 'cross de saddle. Den when we come back to Robertville, we see de destruction left behind.
"After I git of size I mind de birds off de corn an' rice an' sech like. Den I'd take care of de turkeys. An' we'd sweep de yards. Carry de leaves off to de stable in a wheelbarrow.
"Both my missus wuz good to me. De last missus I own treat me jes' de same as her own child. I stayed right dere in de house wid her, an' if I wuz sick or anything she'd take care of me same as her own chillun. I nurse one of her chillun. An' dat child would rather be wid me than wid her own mother!"
Source: Elisa Scantling, Scotia, S.C. age 87 years.
=Code No. 390166= =Project No. 1885-(1)= =Prepared by Mrs. Lucile Young & H. Grady Davis= =Place, Florence, S.C.= =Date, May 25, 1937= =Typed by M.C., N.Y.A.=
=No Words_______________= =Reduced from ____ Words= =Rewritten by=
=Mary Scott=
=Gourdin, S.C.=
=Ex-Slave, About 90 years old=
"Where and when were you born?"
"On Gaston Gamble place, between here and Greeleville. In da Gamble's Bible is my age. Don't know my age. Pretty much know how old, I bout 90. I wuz little girl when freedom come."
"Give the names of your father and mother."
"Father, John Davis. Mother, Tina Davis. Belonged to last mausa. Darby Fulton. Gamble sold mama and three children to Fulton. Belonged to Davis after freedom. Father belonged to Davis. Take first mausa's name. Sold to Arnold Mouzon. Didn't take Mouzon name."
"Where did your father and mother come from?"
"Right where Grandma go, Gamble place."
"Did you have any brothers and sisters?"
"James and Benjamin. All ded."
"Describe the beds and where you slept."
"Had plenty slaves. I don't know exactly how many. In dem times you know, we had to get ticket to go to see dere family."
"What kind of house did you have to live in?"
"Better dan dis. Better dan dis. Good house. Sleep on wooden bed. Straw and feather mattress."
"Do you remember anything about your grandparents or any stories told you about them?"
"I ain't know my grandmother, grandfather either."
"What work did you do in slavery times."
"Didn't do no kind of work. Mother milked, tended to de butter."
"Did you ever earn any money?"
"No money."
"What did you eat and how was it cooked?"
"Boil meat and put peas or greens, rice cooked dry, take up in plate and eat. One girl get done and wash dishes and put dem up."
"Did you ever eat any possums?"
"Yes, my brother catch possum and raccoon."
"Fish?"
"Fishing in de branch."
"Did the slaves have their own gardens?"
"Yes, sir, plant big garden, no use plant, go to dere garden and get it."
"What clothes did you wear in cold weather?"
"Thick. I could weave it with stripes and put one check one way and nother strip nother way."
"Hot weather?"
"In winter warm clothes and shoes. Had Sunday clothes. I had a green worsted dress."
"Did the slaves have a church on your plantation?"
"Go to white people church and sit out of doors and wait till dey come out and den we go in and have preaching."
"White or colored preacher?"
"White preacher."
"Was your master a good man?"
"Mr. Gamble like to drink liquor but still good people. All who I talking about good people."
"What was Mr. Gamble's name?"
"Mr. Gamble name Gastron Gamble. Son living in dat big house and grandson living down dere."
"How many children did Mr. Davis have?"
"He had some not many. Mr. Gamble had some too."
"What kind of house did Mr. Gamble live in?"
"Medium size house. All had just common house, two-story."
"What about the overseer?"
"Overseer he see dat you work soon. Driver go in de field and stay 'til 12 o'clock."
"How many acres in the plantation?"
"Don't know how many acres."
"What time did the overseer wake the slaves up?"
"Wake dem up soon. Blow horn."
"Did you have to work hard?"
"Work 'til sundown."
"Did you see any slaves punished?"
"Some punished, but I ain't never see none whip. I heard stick strike de ground and tie hands and feet. Paddle on dis side and den paddle on de other side 'til sore."
"Did you ever see any slaves sold or auctioned off?"
"My mother and us sold. Mrs. Gamble died left my mama for a daily gift. She wouldn't allow dem to whip me. I ain't know when we be sell, I wuz a baby."
"Did you see slaves in chains?"
"No chains."
"Did the slaves have a church on your plantation?"
"Yes, de Gambles make us to go to Sunday school and learn us the Sunday school lessons. I could plow. We went to white church and set down till white people go out and de old man dat tend to de church and open up de church and say come in, can't stay outside."
"Who preached for you all?"
"My uncle, Jefferie Pendergrass, mother's brother. If colored people want preacher preach, he go in dere and made de children be quiet and preach a nice sermon and have watch night but not in de church."
"Do you know any spirituals?"
"I forgets dem things. I use to be good singer but I ain't got no teeth. I ain't been looking fer dis. If you hadn't come, I'd been gone."
"Where would you have gone?"
"Just to walk about. All gone to de field and de children so bad."
"Tell about baptizing."
"Baptized by de white people."
"Did the slaves run away to the North?"
"I ain't know 'bout dat."
"What about patrollers?"
"No patarollers. Have to get ticket, whip dem if dey didn't get it. Colored people do more than white people allow. Caused dem to whip dem. My sister, my sister-in-law and girl went and tell dem dey gwine have play in white kitchen. Mr. Sam Fulton boss wouldn't go to war. My sister, sister-in-law run up in de loft and tell dem come down and dey come down and jump off de window and land in de mud hole wid dere best dress on. Mr. Fulton let dem have it in de quarters."
"Did you hear of any trouble between the master and the slaves?"
"My grandmother went off and wouldn't come back. She write that she get everyday what she could get fer Sunday."
"Did you work on Saturday evenings?"
"Some of de white people made dem work on Saturday evening. I had a uncle when white people come by going to church he hoeing his rice. Dey didn't want him work on Sunday. Miss Elizabeth Gamble tell dem he gwine to chop his rice on Sunday."
"What did you do on Sunday?"
"Go to church."
"Christmas day?"
"I don't remember what dey give on Christmas day. My family got clothes."
"What did you do at a wedding or funeral among the slaves?"
"Just say got a wife, ain't married. If anybody ded everything stop."
"What games did you play as a child?"
"I don't know what all I played."
"Do you know any funny stories?"
"No, sir, I used to tell my grands things."
"Did you ever see any ghosts?"
"I ain't believe in it, but I see dem. Jest pass by and dey want bother you. Don't know where dey come from. Dey look like people."
"You don't believe in them?"
"No, sir, but I know one thing, dey say fox gwine mad. Say cat gwine mad but dat ain't so. I ain't scared of nothing."
"You are not scared at night?"
"When de moon shining. Moon ain't shine might fall and cripple. When we holler voice way back dere."
"When the slaves became sick, who tended to them?"
"White people tended to dem. Use medicine."
"Do you make medicine out of herbs?"
"No, sir, don't make it."
"Did you ever see anybody wear a ten-cent piece around the ankle?"
"I see dem wear it, but I ain't know what fer."
"What do you remember about the war that brought you freedom?"
"I know just as good when peace declared. Gun rolled in dat direction. Must be guns. Cook say roll thunder roll and I say de sun shine it ain't gwine rain. I wuz too little to know but my sister say every man and every woman got to work for demselves."
"What did your master say?"
"I ain't know what master say, he single man and didn't talk much."
"Did you stay with him the year after freedom?"
"No, he didn't treat my mother right."
"Any schools for Negroes?"
"Pretty good time before schools."
"Did the slaves buy any land?"
"No land bought."
"Do you remember your wedding?"
"I member jest as good 'bout my wedding. I married on Thursday night. Some white people from Kingstree and different ones come and pile it up and when I get all dem presents some one stick fire and burn it all down."
"Whom did you marry?"
"John Scott."
"Do you have any children?"
"One gone in de field and dis one."
"What are they doing?"
"Working on farms. Jane got killed in de wreck."
"Who is Jane?"
"My daughter. She wuz coming to see me. Train wreck and kill her coming from Norfolk."
"How long ago was that?"
"'Bout two years ago."
"What do you think of Abraham Lincoln?"
"I see picture of dem. Picture in dere of Lincoln."
"Now that slavery time is ended, what do you think of it?"
"I believe colored people do better in de slavery than now."
"Do you belong to the church?"
"Yes, Promise Land Baptist church."
"Why do you think people ought to go to church?"
"To have some protection and when you go in a church dat is a place for you to be taken care of. Dey ain't got no religion."
"Was the overseer 'poor white trash?'"
"I could hear de people talk 'bout him. Some like him and some don't. If I got a wife over yonder, I got to get ticket before I could go to see her. Had to work hard too."
"Let us see the picture of Lincoln."
"Dis is it." (Granddaughter shows us Aunt Mary's picture)
"Is that the one?"
"Yea, I think so."
"Let me see, dat ain't de one. Here is." (Aunt Mary showed us a picture which looked to be taken from some New York newspaper. It was probably a screen star).
"Who told you that was Lincoln?"
"Some preacher or somebody come here and tell me."
=Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg--Dist. 4= =May 18, 1937=
=Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=
=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES=
"Aunt" Nina Scot sat on her front porch. She was drinking some liquid from a bottle which she said would help her trouble. Being short of breath, she was not able to talk very much. She said that she was very small at the time she was set free. "My Marster and his folks did not treat me like a nigger," she said, "they treated me like they did other white folks." She said that she and her mother had belonged to Dr. Shipp, who taught at Wofford College, that they had come here from Chapel Hill, N.C. and that she was a tarheel negro. She said that white people in slavery days had two nurses, one for the small children and one for the older ones. "Yes sir, those were certainly fine people that lived on the Campus during those days. (Wofford Col. Campus) When the 'raid' came on, people were hiding things all about their places." She referred to the Yankee soldiers who came to Spartanburg after the close of the Civil War. "My mother hid the turkeys and told me where she had hidden them." Dr. Shipp came up to Nina one day and asked her where the turkeys were hidden. She told him they were hidden behind a clump of small trees, and pointed them out to him. "Well," he said, "tell your mother to go and hide them somewhere else and not to tell you about it. You would tell the Yankees just where those turkeys were hidden." Aunt Nina recalls that Mr. and Mrs. Dr. Duncan (formerly of Wofford College) had a habit of getting a slice of bread and butter for all the neighboring children (black or white) whenever their nurses brought them to their home.
SOURCE: "Aunt" Nina Scott, 260 N. Converse St., Spartanburg, S.C. Interviewer: F.S. DuPre, Spartanburg Office, Dist. 4 (May 17, 1937)
=Project 1885-1= =FOLKLORE= =Spartanburg Dist. 4= =May 25, 1937=
=Edited by:= =Elmer Turnage=
=STORIES OF EX-SLAVES=
"I was born in Newberry County, near the Laurens County line, above Chappells Depot. My father and mother were Tom and Francis Scurry and belonged as slaves to the Drury Scurry family. Dr. Drury Scurry bought them from Col. Cooper of Laurens County. He was a fine man and mighty good to his slaves. I worked around the house as a boy, and in the fields when I got old enough. Some of the nigger boys hunted 'possums, rabbits and squirrels. Dr. Scurry had 100 acres in woods. They were just full of squirrels and we killed more squirrels than you can count.