"Ex Slave Tales," Cleburne County.

"Ex Slave Tales," Cleburne County.

Folder contains 27 pages of former slave narratives compiled for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the late 1930s.WPA Alabama Writers - ~ EX SLAVES TALES Cleburne County, #2 • I I 4'-/'77 ,, I • / ., /.' • • • AlabaMa • • Margaret Fowler: tv t...~ Jack ~le I!-'- • J?r/,J...

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Published: Alabama Department of Archives and History
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WPA Alabama Writers' Project
Online Access:http://cdm17217.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/wpa/id/824
format Electronic
collection WPA Alabama Writers' Project Collection
building Alabama Department of Archives and History
publisher Alabama Department of Archives and History
topic WPA Alabama Writers' Project
spellingShingle WPA Alabama Writers' Project
"Ex Slave Tales," Cleburne County.
fulltopic WPA Alabama Writers' Project
African Americans--Alabama--Biography; Alabama Writers' Project; Cleburne County (Ala.); Slaves--Alabama--Biography; Slaves--Alabama--Social conditions; United States. Works Progress Administration
description Folder contains 27 pages of former slave narratives compiled for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the late 1930s.WPA Alabama Writers - ~ EX SLAVES TALES Cleburne County, #2 • I I 4'-/'77 ,, I • / ., /.' • • • AlabaMa • • Margaret Fowler: tv t...~ Jack ~le I!-'- • J?r/,J"t '~Iv lJ f- '''" IfHIPAro FOR IOOlCIIIl T n BOOr.: , but i~ us even looked in at de over dat country. Loui. Meadows lives at 1508 Pine street, Anniston. He is a stooped, gr83 little Negro o~ 84 who recalls lIlany 1JIcidenta o~ slavery days. In SCIIP. instanc•• Louis becomes cClld'used _.;Ihis ~ I' \ /II f! history; but fixed ~1rml,y in his Ilind 18 this I "KI.stue, us was whooped ~ us even looked into a book. Us couldn't read a line, pictures, it was Jest too bad.- Louis w.. born in Lee county. AIDOng hi. lIlelllllrie. 18 t.he t1llle he saw Lincoln. -I stood on de .ide o~ de road, - he • aid , -an' seed 1Ir. Lincoln ridin' by wid Mr. Buchanan. (His version is doubttul.) Mr. Buchansn was d~ President den 8Dd IIr Lincoln was runnin' ~er 'lection. Dey was ridin' in one o~ dell carri ges wid de seat high up. It was a roekawa,y carriage. A Digger coach-en, all dressed up, was sittin' up in front an' a litUe black boy was sittin' on de seat beh1Jld. His foots was restin' 011 de 10w steps • .... Lincoln promise de peoples dat ~ he 'lected be wou1d tree all de slave. an' let 'all learn to read an' write. I was Je.t a striplin', but I cou1d hear de black tons talkin' and dey hoped an' prayed he wou1d be 'lected. De,. wanted to be ~re ( __ lIarster was n--S Mr. Porter "adows. U. liVed in Lee Count,., 'tween Opelika an' COlullbus, Georgia. I was 1IorDed on hi. p1sce. Ever1body Ienowed llarster l18adows a.n 2 Even today, it you ask around salaa, you wUl tind dat peoples stU! remember h1lIl. He W&8 good. at his Job. He was a patroller an' it was Jis Job to see dat all de slavea W88 at hOils at de right t.1me. It de,. t.ried to run awa.y, wb,y, it. Je.t didn't. do 'ea DO good. Jllret.er JlBadows tiJld • dea every tiM. He took his dogs an' he hunt. ,_ in cle ewlUllPe, or in de hills, or on de roads an' trails. It didn't. aake no ditterence to hia. He kot.ch d8lll evel'7 t.1ae. -Wid h1lIl busy cbaein' other niggere, dat. lett. ue to be looked af't.er by de overseer. An' hone,., WI mowed what. wh1ppin' was. Dat. over­sser would tie .e niggera down over a log am 1Itip 'ea until d. blood. run on d. ground. Dat. W&8 de overseer'a Job. It warn't. so bad when de young maraters was dere. ne,. was de three boys ot de 01' llarst.er, llaaaas George, DBn'l an' Bennie. He had three girls, too. ne,. was Iliaeie 'Lizabeth, llia81e Jane an' Ilisei. Drcella. ney lived in a big white two-atory house, wid white colulana at. d. trQl1t.. "Us didn't. bave no alav. quart.re; Jeat. houses scat.tered 'rOUDd hsre an' dere at. cle back. Us didn't. mow lIIUch dat went on in de t8lllb17. Us was a1lWl workin'. -All de young msraters went. off to war. I 'lUlIIbere clet llarse George was out maJdn' a ewing ter de c an' I waa at.and1n' dere youJI& I18reterl't. AJl' he aaTt e llinaaaas Gap.' f\dere, too, but he com. back. neT all went and dey all tit, but. de all c_ back. "Us waen't. flowed to praT or real de Bible, _e ot WI couldn't read noways. ney didn't. went d. niggera to pra,y, or re" an' 3 wr1te. lIJ.sic? HOney, de ua knew waa de hoe r1JIg1n' 'roUDd • de cot.ton plant.a. 1: -V 1- -I ....lIIbera dat. a black man who ~a good trade brought. good IlODeY; maybe titteen h~ dollara. A COP.'OD nigger brought. UYen or eight. hundred an' a ~in' boy tive hUDdred. us didn·t. t.h1Jlk us would go back t.o alAve17, tree. • had t.ook de oath dat. aa , long aa dere was breath in de bod,. or blood in de veiDe, dat. never ag1n ~ would we go back to slave17. But. t.h1nga waa hun by 1Il". Lincoln get.t.in' kilt.. It. w.. 1867 ·tore I got. atarted off to achool. "1Ihan de wer cloaed, ever,yt.h1Jlg was bare; bare .. a dirt. road. Maybe 80ldiera would pass over a tiel' wbar com was a-srowin'. Maybe • de,. • ould ruin a treah vegetable garden. "Us all thClllght. dat. lIu'Bter Jeff Davia waa a good aan, but. we Imowed dat. while he was President. us wouldn.t. be tree<!. Dat. w.. w_ .1 hoped Ilar8ter Lincoln w - • But. he loa' his lite ver right.l,y hope t.o do. Dat. wher • :lr'e prtaiaed core dan he could ..". m1st.akasl in prOlll1sin' IIOre dan dey kin dOl in biUn' ott " dan de,. can chew• never "He had promised to pay ter de slaves dat. he ha4 treed; an' he uld a dOlle it.. It. would a took lotea -.1. -But. it. waa God's bleasin' to de black peoplea to c_e out. ~OIII bondage; to belong CIIll.y to delrselvea an' Godl to read 'bout. what.'a goin' on in de world an' write an' t'1gger ter d selvea. AD' honey, it. is good to be rea .1 to rea' when de Jedp1nt. 'bout.. •• Margaret Fowler. J.ok xTtle • Dell. Garlio 11.e8 .t .3 Itone 8treet. Kontgoaer.r. 1M18h Ihe 11 100 )'..re old. Unlike un)' Of the old egro.. at the South. ahe haa no good wo1"d8 tor ala. r.r daTa 01' the old ..atel'll. deolarlng & 'D .daTa '8lU heU.' 8I1e ..t on her tront pol'Clh and ...&1led the tak1.ng ot ohildren t1'OJll motherl and ael11ng the. in 41Uerent part. at the oount1')'. 'I wuz grow d up wh n de war oOlle.' .he aaid. 'an' I WIlS • mother beta' It 0108ed. Sable. WU& snatohed t1'OJll deU- mothlr'l breas' an' sold to speculators. Oh1.Uuns wus separe.ted t1'OJII .18t8l'l1 an' brothers an' nSTer ..w 8 oh other asin. 'Course de)' 01')'1)' th1nlt de)' not 01')' de)' wus aold lak o.ttle! I could teU )'au 'bout lt .n daT. but e.en den 10U oouldn't sue.. de .wtulne.. ot It. 'It '. bad to belong to tolks 4&t own )'au saul an' bod)'; who oan Ue )'au up to • tree, d )'0' t.oe to de tree an' :ro' &n:I1 tastened t1ght aroun' It; who take. long ourlin' out de blood ST 1" 11ck. 'rolke • alle ....)' oou.ld hear d....wtul lngs. De)' s. turrlble part ot 11T1n'.' Della laid .he .... born .t PowhaUn. 'flrg1n1.. and ..t at thirteen oh11dren. • • 2 .- • • "I ne...er leed aJI7 or rq bro'herl an' I htertl 'oep' brother "1111u. I Ihe laid. IH1JI an' .other an' .1 WIlli broU8h' ln a epecu1&tor'l dron '0 Riobllon' an' JlU' in a warehoU'1 wid a droYI or other nigger•• I) 11'1 WIlli all put on a blocJt an' 101' to dl h18be.' bldder. • "I n....er lIed brothlr "lll1aa qin.....7 an' .. 1I'U .014 to a au br the nul or Oarter. 1Ibo WII de aher1tt' or dl ~countr. "!fo'a. daT war'nt no 800d tta.. at hi. hou.e. Re 1I'1Ul a wldo.lr an' hi. daughtlr kept bou.e ror h1m. I llU1'.ed ror hlr. an' one 4.1)' I 1I'U pla71n' wid de babT. It hurt it. U'l han' an' OOllllll8lloed to orr. an' .he Jd:ld: 1dl1Jol on N. plck up a hot lron an' 1'W1 lt all down rq ara an' hen'. It took orr dl r1eah when llhe donI 111. le. ur.ter IIIal'1'1ld ag1n: but thing• • ar'n no bitter. I ..ed hi. wir. blacJt1n' hl;- eTebro1I" wid IIl1Ut one 4.1)'. 10 I thousht I'd blacJt ne Je.' ror run. I rubbed lo.e _10 on rq I,.ebro.. 'rorgot to rub 110 orr. an' ahe kotohed... She .... powertu1 _d an' rel1 I 'You bla deYU. I'll lhow TOU how to cJt ,.our betterl.' II) n lhe plcJt up a ItlcJt or .tOTnood an' nau. it q1n .,. head. I 41dn't kn01l' othin' re 'Ull I 00.. to. 171n' de rloor. I heard de ufltul • .,. to one or dl glrl.. 'I thou&h' 'hicJt akull and 08P or wool 0 14 take it ettlr then that.' "I lI:ep on ItaJ1n' dare. an' onl n1&b' d, aarltel' 0 I ln drunk an' .., at de table wid hil head 101lin' aroun'. I • tln' on dl 'able. an' he look up an' I e .e. I II aklered. an' dat IUdI hla • awtlll _d. lie oalle4 an o.,.eNeer an' tol' hUll '!eke her out an' beat ••e .en.e in beI'.' -I begin to CrT an' run an' run 1n de n1gtlt; but tlnal17 1 run baolt bT de quarteN an' heard ., oa1lin' .e. 1 .ent In. an' reght a '1 de'1 _e tor .e. 1 M"e ... .tan41n' ln tI'ont ot de hou.e. an' 1 WWI toolt aat TerT nlght to Rio 'an' .old to a ~eoulatOl' agln. I ne.,.er eeed aT"~ 1JIO"' -I hu thought l1&li7 t1ae. through all de.e .,ean MW IUIIII1 looked 4&t night. She P"ue4 aT han' 1ft bote ot heft an' .aldl 'Be good an' true' in de Lawd.' ''1'l'Uetin' ft. de on17 bope ot de PO" blaolt oritter. ln de. daT•• V. Jeet pft1ed tel' etre th to endm'e 1t to d' end. We 41dn't 'epeot nothin' but to .ta., in bondace 'Ull we 41ed. '1 1rU 801' b., de ~eoulator to a JUJI 1n MoDonough. • I dOIl't "kolUot hi.· naae. but h. ft. nin' a II1c Mt.l at oDonough (an' t .e to wait on tabl... But when de tlae 0 e aroun' to P&1 tor .., hi. hot.l done tall. Den de At ta aan 4&10 bought de hotel bought e. too. 'Fo! long. dough. I wee 801' to a 114ft b'1 de naae ot Garlio. down in Lou1e1ana. an' I et&Ted wid h1Jl 'Ull I I WWI a regular t181' han'. JI!mit;t: plow1n' an' hoaln' an' ootton. • ·v. heard tallt den 'bout de war. but u. 41dn't P&T1lO 'tenUon. V. nITer dreaaed 4&10 treedOll would •.,.er 0...• Delia 1rU ae1te4 11' the .la.,... e.,.er had &ft'1 pu'U.. or dano.. on her plantatlon. 10'•• ' .he replied. 'u. 41dn't ha.,.e no partle.; noth1n' laIt etat. V. 41dn't ha.,.e no olothe. tor goin' 'roun. I neTer had a under- • • • • •h1M until J .t beto' .., t1r.t oh1l' ... bomed. X never had noth1n' bIlt ••h1 an'. slip tor a dJte8l. an' U 1IUII lI.de out'en de ohea e.' oloth 4&t oou14 be boughtJ unbleached oloth. ooarse. but mate to 1..•• 'u. didn't kno... noth1n' 0 t to rk. U. 15 up b1 three or tour in .e Jlomin' an' ev'rrbod¥ got d'1 II .th1n· to ••t in de It1tohen. 1)'7 didn't .,e UI no Ya7 to cook. nor noth1n' to oook ln our cabinl. Soon as us dre8led UI went b1 de It1toh n an' t our.pl ot corn-bread. 7 an't .ven anT salt in lt d.. lal' 1'ars. t pleoe o~ oombre ... 1IUZ.U u. had tor braIttU•• , • tor 8U '1', u. had de "01' din er u. had bol1ed T1ttl'J • n., p••s • .000e-t1aes beanl. Cott'ee' 0'., UI n• .,.r know noth1n"boIl oott'••• 'On .omin· I'JI bere I had It ed to de fl.1'. an' n • d. Ya7 I 10 • .., pleo. of bread. I didn't know What 0 do. I started b.oIt to tl'7 to t1n' It, an' it • too dark to lie. t I walIt baoIt npt .10.... an' had a dog ciat walked 'Il1d ••• H. "'ent on ahead. an' .tt.r .Whil. I 0 • on l71n' dere guardin' ciat pl.o. ot bre.d. H. neYer touohed lt, so I giVed h1a so e ot it. 'Jus' beto' de war I roarrhd • lIWl nailed Chatfi.ld tJ'OII anoth.r plantationl but he ..... toolt ott' to ...ar an' I nlVer seed h1a • asln. Atter awh11. I marrled • b01 on d. plant.tion nailed 1l11ea GtrUo. 'Yu'a, .... GarUo had two bor' ln d. ...ar. en de1 wwnt ott Ie .... an' al.tu. oried, but lt mad. u. glad to I •• d_ 0l'7. 0'1 -.de u. 0l'7'0 oh• •n 111 kn01lld .... wua tre., •.,el'7bod¥ 1IIlIted to g1t out. De rule 1IUa ciat it' TOU .t.7.d 1n 70' o.bin 1 oould keep it• • .Fowler '_ 'FrUithurst, labama­, C itburne Coun ty- Official Froject, 0.265-6903 ,fork Froje~t, 30II( I) Type of fork Symbol I885( I) • • The Story of Louie ~eadowe, Bx-e1a ve ;age 84 yre. -Born in Lee Coun ty_ "Y ssum,I as nine years 0ld ~u en tU~e ""'ar stakrted. I stood on the side Uv the road ,an' seed r. Lincoln ridin' by-wid J.:r. Eltchenan ,;'e wuz the resident then ,en , Mr.Lincoln wuz runnin' fer 'lection- (?) They wuz ridin' bY,in one uv dem kerridgee "id de seat hi€h up.in front­" Rockaway?" "Yessum,dats it. Tid a nigger coachmen all dressed up,aset­tin up f ont,an' 0 lit~le black boY,sittin' on de seat behin'-his foots l'estin' on the low step- If " ~r.Lincoln romise de people dat ef he 'lected ,he free all dR slaves, an' sen' 'em to s nool,an' let 'em learn to read an' write. I could hear • de nack folks talkin' an' de hoped an! prayed he "ould be 'lected, so dey could be free,an' have a ch ct_1f ".y ,"ssa I'UZ named Forter Meadows, an' he Ii ved in Lee coun ty, between Opelika,an' Columbus-an I '.uz born thah-Evy-body knowed Mist' eado"s, allover dat country_ ven to-daY,ef you ask aroun' Salem,You will find' they still remember him- Because he wuz so ood at his job.He wuz e patty­roller( patroler)It wuz his place to see dat all slaves wuz at home st de right time,en' ef any tried to run awaY,why it jest didn't do 'em no good. ast' eadows fin' 'em ever- ~i~~. He toor hiq dogs an he hunt em in de swamps,or in de hills,or on de roade an trails-it didn' mek no dlfferment to hi~-he ketch 'e every time. Dat lef' us to be looked after by de over­seer- an' we knowed what hi~pin' wuz.To be tied down over a log,an be .hip ped untml the tlood run,an' stood out on the floor; YassWD.dat de over­seer' Job-It vuzn't so bad nen the oung Massas wuz dere_ ist' Meadows had three boys-Massa Gawge,l~ssa Dan1 ,an , Massa Benn1e. He had three girls too.~iss Lizbeth,~:1es_Jane.an' Miss Marcella_Dey live in a b1g.nhite two­story house,"'ith "hits columns at the front.Dey didn't hab no slave -, - J.l.Fowler • 2 quahters; jes bouses scattered aroun' here an' there-at de back. '~e didn't kno I much dat 'ent on in de Family.We vuz always workin!" "All the three young lJarsters 'lent 'off to ar-l reckerlect dat l.:sssa Gawge wuz out me.Jc1n' a swing ~E''' de cook's baby, an 1 tuz s tandin' by .a tchin' him, an' 1 say,' /hah yo' go in ' to fi te?' ,an' he say, 'I.!anassas G:.. Gap'-jes' like dat-an' he did-in three,four days he lent,but in time,he come back-They all aent,en' they all fit,but they all come back-" " e wasn't allowed to praY,or read the Bible-none of 'em couldnt read,any any-way-lf a ni~~er was found lookin(' in a book,he was whipped. They • didn't want the blacks to praY,or read and write,for fear they wouldnt keep their place,an'humble do~m enough­The only music we know was the music of " usi c'l" - "Banjo or p;ui tar?" de hoe aroun' the cotton-plant_ ) But a black man that had a ood trade,brou~ht ~ood money-as much as fifteen-hundred dollars; a common ni ger brOUght seven,or eight hundred 1 dollars;an' e growin' boy brourh t fi VB hundred." "/hen lr.Lincoln was killed,did 'IOU fear vou ,"i~ht return to slavery?" "No llaam,we ,quz done freed;we had took the oath that as long as dare .as brea th in the body,or a drop of blood in the veins, da t ne ver 'gain would we go back into slavery. But by r.Lincoln gettin' killed,things didn't move off as they would ha~-lt WUz 1867 before 1 got started to chool- " "When the Nar closed,ever_thin' was bare-as bare as a dirt road-Maybe soldiers would pass 0 ver & fiel' "'here com was a growin' ,or a vege­table garden,with potatoes,and turnips and collards-ever_thing lookin' green an' fresh ,an , Ihen th 1 ey wuz ~one,a 1 the vegetables, an , com an' fodder,anD even the t lk s as,wuz in the forage lfagon-an' the groll.li wuz trample' down hard-an' it 1 k 00 ed as if anything green would never grow there any more-" hoped ... r.Lincoln e knowed that while he he promised more than he could ood man, "ut life because resident we "We all ~iimght Mr. Jeff DaVis was a wuz ouldn't be freed-an' so ever-body would konker-but he loet his • K. I'Dwlel'. Otti01al ProJeot 6 'it'-::2. o•• 2611­6903 JTn1thur.t.Alab a- ·Ya••X -it ~"ad np e Woz'lt ProJe,t1 10.. Il( X) tne 0" 0 S, bol.IIBlI(X) r oooa.an' a oothel' bat, _ 1 t olos.....• ·Xa!n't tell 10 no h1D' 'bollt '4_ • la' bla. matoh' t'roll d.y Iludd. brea.' Ch1llm oore 4Ba dBl .... HaU-salk. , 801' to de epeoa1atBre- '.e I' e.. a.. aa, M'- C6sa doy o\7-Tou 1 not 'l'7 1lO1d ott 11):a oatUe-golD' lD , , '.tbe oldar the «1 t-t I oould tell 10u 'bout • it II ~, ' th u ka1D' e 'bout the awtl11Jla•• ot 1t-b.lolllC ta' toh1lt8 "hail om IOU, oJ. ' bo4,r- tie IOU IQ a trea, wlth yallr fIloe to the trea, '~ur aft. arollll' It-taa' .d tlght-an' 10111 taat ta.'llad too,1I0 yOIl la' glt a ,-no wa,-then a. lOD 0llrl1D tIt11.p 11'1 11 -outtlD! the blood awl" 11olt-untll • haar a~1'1 UOk-" ·1 w • 110m at Po ,llrslD1a.' we. the younS"- ot tt.11' een oh1l1m a D I newr w ~ ot ., bru44ars '.htBrs axoapt brothar 1111__ ' bla, ''Il3'''', • brollghtl in a apa"l 4row to R1 " put la a 19 - u a, put up block' I' 11ttle 11ke a at p- 44el'o· tha hi. a' b14 81'0 ,a 10 e • all ok. a. • a , .a .... eol' to a aritt at t e Count,-" a h I' 11: pt hOIl.a tel' hill, • t e b bl,an' it hurt 1 111 , I .aur.ad to I' hel'oOn. 1 I eo.. ee4 to 017- a ".0 , 0' '11 t DO ood tan an- Ka • a ri War to' 1IIh1la ,an' hi. • pI IlD' ri'" • ha'f1a' BOO' 'han', ' P do ••in ' one ,an e wh1rled on .a. 01: .#Of p1olt' IlP e fIe ae e hot 11'OJ1. dona 1t-" ·'4 att.r awhilatha • la 14 a. out de. 4 ODea-Id ad ea. la, '0 , her b las. wa 'f\lIl beUel'oK1. t. oll:1Jl' her eya-brow. wi. th ut h'O .. , 2 ~.laft 8tol'7••••• the tlre-p aoe,an' one da,. I in there an' I tho~t I'd laok a,. e,.e-bro.s-~Ils' to' tIln- an' I rIlD a,. tin«er aro1lll' insU. tile that boll«ht the Hotel.boll«ht •• 1000- BIlt be­b,. the n...e ot a"rl1o,401ll:l in Lolli_a,an ' I • ohie.,.,an' robbed it 0.11. rq e,.e-bro-n,an torgot to pe it ott-So •• oo.e in an' se••e that-lI-WII.7,an' she ..ld, 'Toil blaek d.bbll,I'll sho. "Oll how to aook ,.ollr bettere"-an' IIh. ploks I1P a pleo. ot lltoft-1IOod,lII1' tlai,lII 110 ag1.II. m,. .ad,an' I 41411't • .11.0 thin , .ore till I co.s to.17- 1.11.' on the tloor,an I h. n her ..,. to one ot the girlll-' I tho 10 her thlck lIkIlll.an' tha 10 oap ot 01 .0111d takll it beUem that'-" " 1110 I _taTed there tor a e;ood lipell-an ' 0.11.. nl«ht 01' X8Il Carter oo.e in drw1k,an' .et at the ble wi th hi. head ollin 'roUll'.III1' I II wa1 tin' on the ble, an he look I1P &.11.' II.. • •• &.II. he 121 ft .e .. tunD,. look-an' I .....o..red an' sho.ed 1t.III1' that. e h1a ...4,11I1' h....ld to the 0 WI'- 1I••r' hlte her 01110 11I1' 'hlp lIoa. 1111I11. 1.11. her' ,11I1' I rail-I rIlD Ol1t in the .11.1 t,an' kept a-runnin' .-bllt tin..ll,y I rIlD baok b,. the QllartBft_ 'hean Ila arq oallin' me-an' I .11I10 a,an' r1«ht .....,. the,. 00•• tor .e-III1' .. hoe .as.t din' in tront ot the door at the ho Il.., 8.11. ' I wa. took that ftr,. n1Sht to RioMon' an' .old to a .pllO'l..ter ain.I neftr ....,. Xa..,. an,. .ore. " "I h... tholl«ht. ,. tl••11 thro h all d••• ,.eaft how Ils..,. look.d that nl nl tlUl how Bhe pre•••d lIT hlll1' in ote ot he1'll,III1 ..ld'B. «ood,an tnll' in the Lawd.' " "!'ru.s'sing wall the 0.11.4' hope ot the pore blao~ 8l'itter in d.. da,.8-W. ~1111 pra,.ed tor IItrangth to IIldl1 to the 11.II.4. W. 41@ '10 expeot ,.thln« bat to h..ft to 0 on in bon.d IIlde ot a ohllroh Ilntll I .._ tr.e4"- "I .... 11014 b,. the 8pllo'l..tllr to...11.II. in XoDo.oll&h,Oeor la. 1 k int reool- 1.010 hill n .,bllt he II OP8llin' .. blg hotel ..10 1l0Don.ol1 -an ted .e to walton tablee.Bllt b,. the Uae oo.e ..rolln' tor hia to pa,. tor ••,hie Hotel don. t"11,an the J.UlII1ta m to' long I wa. _old to aan • 3 s 7ed .ith him until I was treed- I h '-ploW1n' , hoe1D ' ohopp1D ootton-" "Yss,we hea &87 talk abollt the Wr-bllt ws didn't pa7 np tention-We neft thoaght we'd ewr bs tree-" "lro Ka 'a, e didn't haft no parti..-noth1D lilte the1:-We wOllldnt'a hed no 010.. to' go1D' arollD'-I nsftr had a Wldersltirt llDtil ~..t beto' a1 tirst • ohild was bom-I neftr had noth1D bllt a shillllll7 an' a dip tor a dress ,an ' it aads onten ths cheapes' oloth that oonld be bolltht-unblsaohed allS~_ burg cloth-ooarse-but aade to las'-" • • We didn't mow no then but to r~We was llP b7 three tour in the aom iD'-llftr-bo\l7 got de1 S08thin-tO -e t 1D the big lt1 toh8ll-2hs1 didnt s1 ft us no 7 to cook,nor no thin ' to oook 1D Ollr oab1DS_As BOon as we dress'd .e went bY the ltitchen an got our piece ot com-bre ~ot e_ en7 alt 1D it tho last lears-2hat piecs ot oom-bread to eat on the wa1 to the tiel' was all we had to' brsaktas'-an' to' snppsr,the slllul.llI1t to' dinnsr ws had boilsd Tittles-g ens,peaS,so.et18ss beans-a good dinner- 'Cotts." Ha,ha,he ,.e D• ..,.. lIDowed noth1D'bout oottee- that Whlte tolks eat1D'- "ODe aomu' I re.ember I had s rted to ths tiel' , on "he wa1.1 los' t1D' It- An' It was too dark to see. it. It was thet darkes' tlae Jnst c 81 plsoe 0' bread. I didn't lIDow t to do. I started baolc to t~ to a'tore ths ~ l&ht oo.e. Well, I ""lksd baok,rlght slow-an' I hed a dOff that alwa1 en t wi th ae-an' when I ..s ll:1D baok_slow_hun t1D' -an ' pra11D' to tin' a1 bread,.7 dOg went on ehead,an' I ooms on him-B1 that tims It wes gett1D l1&ht a little,an hs was l71n do ,Jas' a little wa1s trom .1 ,leoe ot bread,not otterin to touch it-Jus' Uar41n' 11:-1 piolced it up ,an 'gl him a pieoe' tlae. " , eat the res'- ~ hurp1 to malee up tor 10s'ti "Ius' betor the War I married a man tra. another pl tiOJl oalled Chat-tleld, but he was took ott to the War tust thing, to build br s' works ,an ' dig trenches. 'I nsftr see hi. an1 more. An' atter a i1e,I marrled a .. l' w Storio..K••. , bo~ on o~r 0 plantatlon-Xiloa Garll0. "Yes,Ka8SA Garl10 h d 0 bo~a in tho War- B1'108 Qarl1! I don't mow U· tho taal~ took it hard-Yea, the lI188h oried-an' we mow 1 t a bo ~t det-bl1t we' a gla4 to 8e. them 01'1. It. tlD1 to aa. '!bo~ aake ( as 01'1 so ml1oh---" "Ono ot th~ bo,s diod ot towr in tho Caapa;tho othor wct thro h the .ar.an' como hOllo 1lJ1' diod.· "When we mowod WO'8 trO••OWr1 bod,. ted to got Ol1t.'!b. ral. wall-lt "011 8ta ,.od in 10~r oabin,it was atill 10llrll-bl1t lt yo~ let' 1 t,1011 ooa14­n't coao baok- But 111108,.,. 010 a waa workin' at .etl1mpka,an ho 811ppell In an' ol1t,an brought ao pl t1 ot 8W1lpin-to-oat ,an' good oloea,bl1t he told ae not to leaw.Re md tolka was gettin Ol1t ewr'-where.Babioa waa ""j,n' bom in tenoe-com.re. an1'lfho • JI¥ aooon' baby was on tho wa,.. So sta,.ed baok;I no,.r 80ed the aOldlera;I heard tell ot' rald1n' near s 10t8 ot tl.es-bl1t I ne,.r got Ol1t Whore I 00111d aee or be seen. " , '!ben one nl t,rlght attsr Chris_aa,I 311a' aa4e I1p 111 lIlinlll to go to etwapka,Where .llUes waa workin-la1in' traok tor the il-road oompan,.. So I 8tarted;one baby in 111 ara8.Mother in .,. pookat,M 1Il1 bundle on 111 baok.I walked that wa1 to lall ,.Alaballa. '!bere I tell In With a orowd ( troa oa. neighborhood goin ' 1;0 ••tl1llpka.an' I went Wi th thea. An ' a8 we wen t up the roall to lfetl1llpa,I looksd dol'lD where the,. was la)'iD' the trao an' Xiles looked I1P.M' saw a., , he got ott troll work, .n' we got 8ettl • in ol1r own hoa8. in If.tl1llpka,an we has ll,.d there ewr ainoe.K_ atter he dled, I 11,.d there aa long a8 I ool11d,an' then oaae here to 11,. Wi th a,. 80n. I had three children-two glrla-Loll1sMa rll0, 'Georglana Del war. Garlio. An' a- bo-,Kaoasla Clar~e 0 110. .. ""'" ....e two gir18 dlod-bl1t 1 t la II~ b01 I 18 llT.la' th -an' I'ae satin' .,. white brsad now. !he bes' tlms of my llfe-but ~hsn the Lawd Bay,'Della.well done.Collle I1P highsr"_ I will be glad to go. • • • - Cle. "lI7 .11&. B1'1Ult 1l00ull0Q4lh..... a OII••b." OOWltJ _ ••0 had 110 .Ul)' olaw. I OllIlt t.ll )lOU d. 1l11llbah••o dU. 't mow h1.ool~ how aan, h. ha d. I 10 now 9~ )'oa" old-u' fhat I r ....b." .0.' 10 de ..., do obUl.. roll .roa' ill d. b1. nur••• rooa-" "Ill.t' lloOo.llotigh.h. rat.ad 1l1ggoh. to ••U-Ul' a~tar the 111 blaok ohillOll pla)' noa' Wltll 'bod .lU1doWll.de, 1. 81 ft do, .uppllJl-a long tro~ out in • 0001 pla.. in the baok ,arA 10 ~111.1 w1~ good. oold butteftlllk.-Ul' ool'll-bread orabod iIl.Ul' do, oallh 18 gl ft a .po... Ul' de)' .ah de)' fill-de de, 10 r.ad)' ~o' b....SO•• aT 4•• J•• t'all oWoh , all d. groun' .a.l••p,an' 14 piokod uP.aD' put on 4., pall.t In d. bl. ohl11e. roo.- ])., wa. Ul old 'oaUl .al104 d. Ilu"o.look aft.r 4... De, g1t good oa"-10' 4.)' would brillg gOOd .0110'." "01' n ••• sh. deaD lal:: to ••• d•• 801' .Ul' sh. or, .ftr ti.o._• • 0 tand.r-hoart.dlbut Ill.t' lloClllloQ4lh 10 Jut lal:: .tIIl. 10 to-da,... Jo. lall&h an go all." Jlat h. wus good to hiB bl ok tolka-Jblka oall.d ll8 ".Olllloap. tree nlgg.I'II"-Wa811 't lIuoh whtpplll' WOIlt on 'rollld our plantat1oa_ ..t on .0.0 aroun' u•• th.)' Whlpp.d untll tho blood rIU1 doWll-BD' .0•• pla••• tel' Ul' HUI.t '. with 1t••• 1I&1t __ tor'd h.al.but whtlll the p.pp.r got 1Il th.n.H sho" 4114 bul'll lal:: fi"_ Ul' th.,'d a. w.11 g.t on to olit flll1ok.O&u•• th., oaat b••till nohow." "On. "O.aD on a plUl tatioll no t .0 t'ar ~Oll u•• WUIl .xp.otill ' • an' th.)' tiod hor up und.r • heok-a-b.n, tn•• an' whlpp,,4 h.r attl sho U.4-an' 1101' an, t • at 1l1ght ot )'ou go 'roWl' that treo.,ou oould h.ar tha t ohllo 01'1-1 .poot )lou oould ,.t-" ".ft..bod)' lald the t was lIurA.r, aD , • • Fowler, .... l- Offioial Project No. ,~~g3 • Fruithurst ,Alabama- Work Project Type of or No., 30II(I) Svmbol,I885(I) "Yes,I was growed IIp when mother befo' it closed. 1I • "Kain't tell you no thin ' 'bout 'dem days any more dan dey was Hell~Suck. in' ba bies snatch' from dey m.udd er~~ breas'an' sol' to de speoalaters- Chillen separated from dev sisters an' brudders- an' never sse dem any m~'- Cose dev cry-You think tLey not cry when sold off like cattle­goin' inter bondage mo' an' mo'-the older the git-? I co ld tell you 'bout it all deY,an' then you kain' even ~ue s 'bout the awfUlness of it-belong \n' to folks hat own you,soul an' ~ody-That can tie you up to a tree, with j'OUr face to the tree,an' ~our arms aroun' it.fas'ened tight-an' you feet fas'ned too,so you kain' git way-no way-then a long curlin whip whis'~in'a'roun' y~u -cuttin! the blood ever' lick-until falks a mile away hear e v"Jry li ck-" "l was born at PO'hatan, VIrginia, An' was the younges' of thirteen chillen a n I never saw an~ of my brudders an' sisters except brother (i lliam_an' him,an' my mammy,an'me,was broup,ht in a spec'laters drove to Richmon' an' put in A hie wa re-house,w1th a drove of other niggahs_ Then we was all put up on a block ~, sol' to the highe~' bidder_ WhY,a blonk l~oks a li ttle like a sten-ladder_" I neva h saw brudde' Hilliam again. Mammy an' me was sol' to a man ny the name of Carter,\'Iho w,",s the Sheriff of the County_" "No, ',he' -a~ 'nt no d ti th H wid f ' 00 mes ere- e was a ower 0 aWhile,an' his daughter kept house fer him,an' I nursed for her-On5 day I --as playin' w~ the baby ,an' j t hu,.t it li' hand,SJl commenced to cry-She was ha v:1n' Sl'me pressin' d~ne,an she ~hirled on me,an pick' up the hot iron,an run it all down my arm sn' hSJl', an' took ,'~ the flesh as she done it-" II 'den e ter sWhile,he ma 'ied agein, No,things wesn' ~ny better_His Wife le id me out dee d onoe-Id ~een her blaokin' her eye-brows with smut fro , - 2 Ex-sla ve Story ,J.!. F. the fire-pJ.ace, an' one day I was ~lack mv eye-brows-jus' fa' fun-in there an' I thought I'd an' I run my finger aroun' inside the more. " p.himneY,an , rubbed it on my eye-brows,an forgot to wipe it off-So 'he come in an' ~ee me tha t _P_' ey, an , she said, 'You black debbil, I'll show you how to mock your be tters' -an 'hs epiAc~s up a piece of stove-wood,an' flpils ·t sgin my head,an' I didn't know no thin , more till I c'me to,lv_ in' on the floor,an I heard her say to one of the girls-'I thou~ht her thick skull,an' tha t cap of wool p.ould take it bettern that'~" "But I staYed there f~r a good spell-an' one night 01' Ken Carter come in ~runk,an' set at he table with his head alollin'roun' ,an' I was waitin' a on the table,an he look up an' see me,an he .>ive me a farm" look_an' I was scared an' showed it,an' that m de him Dad,an' he said to the over_ seer'Take her out an' 'hip some sense in her' ,an' I run-I run out in the nigh t, an' kept a-rllnnin' ,but finally I run back by the Quarters-an' heard Jla mmy callin' me-an' I Ivent in,an' rie-ht away they come for me-an' a hoss was standin' in front of the door at the house,an' I wes took that very ni~ht to RichAon' an' sold to a spec'later a 'ain.I never saw my J.!ammy any "I has thou ht many times throuph all dese years how ~ammy looked tha~ ni ni ht:ln how she pressed my han' in bOfe of hers,an said'Be 'ood,an trus' in the Lewd' , "Trus'sing was the only hope of the pore black .ritter in dem daYS-We just prayed for strength to endure to the end.We didn't expect anything b~t to have to ~o on in bondage till we died. But I dont remember ever to be in­side of a church until I was freed"_ "I was sold by the Spec'later tor' man in MCDo~ough,Geor'lia. 1 kaint recol_ lect his name, but he was openin' a big hotel at JlcDonou~h_an wanted me to wei t on tables. But by the time Come aroun f for him to pay for me ,his Ho tel done fail,an the Atlanta man that bouPht the Hotel,"ought me too- But be­fa' long I was sold to man by the name of Garlic,down in La ui Sana ,an , I • 3 Ex-Slave Stories-I.l.F. fiel' han '-plowin , an' • stayed wi th hi- nn til I WIlS treed- I hoein' an choppin cotton-" "Yes,ve heard iey t alk abaut t "~'e War-'ut ve didn't pay np tention-ife neveY ti.ought we'd ever be free-" "No a 'm,we didn't have no partiss-noth1n 11~e that-We wouldnt'a had no cloes fa' ,0in , aroun'-I never had a underskirt until jast beta' my first child was bom-I never had nothin but a shimmy an' a slip fer a dress,an' it made outen the cheapes' cloth that could be bought-Unbleached ausan­burg cloth-coarse-but made to las'-" " e didn't know nothen but to worle-ie was up by three an four in the morn­in '-Ever-body ~ot dey somthin-to -eat in the big ki tchen-Th.ey didnt gi ve us no way to cook,nor nothin' to cook in our cabins-All. soon as we dress'd we went bv the kitchen an ~ot our piece of corn-bread-not even any ealt in it them last years-That piece of corn-brsad to eat on the way to the fiel' was all we had fa' breakfas'-an' fa' supper,the same.But fa' dinner we had boiled vittles-greens,peaS,sometimes beans-a good dinner- 'Coffee?' Ha,ha,ha ,we n.vwr knowed nothin'bout coffee- that white folks eatin'_ "One momin' I remember I had startsd to ths fiel' an' on ~he way,I los' my ·pisce a' bread. I didn't know what to do. I started back to try to fin' it- An' it was too dark to see. it. It was that darkss' time just a'fore the day;;Hght come. Nsll,I wRlked back,right slow-an' I had a • dog that always ent with me-an' mhen I wes !kin back-slow-huntin'_an' prayin' to fin' my bread,my do~ went on head,an' I come on him-By that ti~e it was gettin Ii ht a little,an he was lyin dovm,jas' a little ways from my piece of brsad,not offerin' to touch it-jus' gyardin' i t-I pi eked it up ,an , give him a piece an' eat the res'-~n h ry to make up for los' time. " "Jus' before the ~ar I married a man from another plantation called Chat_ field; but he was took off to the War fust thing,to bUild breas' works an' • dig trenches,an' I never ses him any more. An' after a while,I married a • • • • • 4 Stories-J.!.F. boy on our O"ID Garlic. " "Yes ,Massa Bryce Garli I don't know if the family took it hard-Yes,the J.!issis cried-an' we know it about dat-but wets glad t.o see them cry. It was fun to us. They make us cry so much---" " no o· h ' 0!'l'~ lied of _ever in the Camps;the other went thro h the War,an' come home an' died." • "When we knowed we's free,every body wanted to get out. The rule was-if you sta yed in your cabin,it was still yours-but if you lef' it,YOu could­n't come back- But Uiles,my ole man was workin' at ~etumpka,an he slipped in an' out,an brought me plenty of sumpin-to-eat ,an' good cloes,but he told me not to leave.He said folks was gettin out ever'-where.Babies was bein' born in fence-corners; anywhere. J.!y secon' baby was on the way.So I stayed back; I never seed the soldiers;I heard tell of 'em raidin' near us lots of times-but I never got out ?There I could see or be seen. " "Then one night,ril':ht after Christmas,I jus' made up my minI!: to go to as we Wetumpka,where ~iles was workin-layin' track for the rail-road company. So I started;one baby in my arms,another in my pocket,an my bundle on my back. I alked that way to Salem ,Alabama. There I fell in with a crowd from ou17 neighborhood 'loin' to }fetumpka,an' I went with them.An' went up the ro d to ~etumpka,I looked down where they was ayin' the track an' ~iles looked uP,an' saw me, an' he got off from ?Tork,an' we got settle in our own house in "'fetumpka,an ve has Ii ved t here ever since.Even after The two irIs di ed_ butit then came here to li va wi th irls-Louisana Garlic,an' Georgiana Del he died,I lived there as lon~ as I could,an' my son. I had three children-two ware Garlic. An' my bOY,Uacasia Clarke Garlic. bread now. The bes' the Lewd say, 'Delia,well done. Come up is my boy I is liVin'with -an' I'se eatin' my white time 0'" my life-but 'vhen I will be ~lad to o~ higher"_ ! • 5 This is thp. tory of Delia Garlio, 43 Stone street,Yontgomery,Alabama­She insists that she is 166 years old-and her adult experienoes at the beginning of the 'far,and before, eeem to oonfirm i t- She gave these general things, very defini te~v.but to questions 0" detail,ss to names,and so-fobth her mind seemed unoertain- But it wes something to be able to remember all the names 0" her ovm children- , ) ~,.te""= CQU.~ ld VA. J'" ~k"- -- E IV! or ~ Co, • '0 - I (I
title "Ex Slave Tales," Cleburne County.
titleStr "Ex Slave Tales," Cleburne County.
url http://cdm17217.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/wpa/id/824
id ADAHwpa824
thumbnail http://cdm17217.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getthumbnail/collection/wpa/id/824
_version_ 1743797182838865920
spelling GSU# SG022774_00840-00867SG022774_00840_00867"Ex Slave Tales," Cleburne County.Folder contains 27 pages of former slave narratives compiled for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the late 1930s.1937 circa1930-1939African Americans--Alabama--Biography; Alabama Writers' Project; Cleburne County (Ala.); Slaves--Alabama--Biography; Slaves--Alabama--Social conditions; United States. Works Progress AdministrationTextDocumentsAlabama. Dept. of Archives and HistoryWorks Progress Administration filesSG022774WPA Alabama Writers' Project, Ex Slave Tales, Cleburne County #2Alabama Dept. of Archives and History, 624 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL 36130EnglishThis material may be protected under U. S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S. Code) which governs the making of photocopies or reproductions of copyrighted materials. You may use the digitized material for private study, scholarship, or research. Though ADAH has physical ownership of the material in its collections, in some cases we may not own the copyright to the material. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in our collections.96 dpi tiffWPA Alabama Writers - ~ EX SLAVES TALES Cleburne County, #2 • I I 4'-/'77 ,, I • / ., /.' • • • AlabaMa • • Margaret Fowler: tv t...~ Jack ~le I!-'- • J?r/,J"t '~Iv lJ f- '''" IfHIPAro FOR IOOlCIIIl T n BOOr.: , but i~ us even looked in at de over dat country. Loui. Meadows lives at 1508 Pine street, Anniston. He is a stooped, gr83 little Negro o~ 84 who recalls lIlany 1JIcidenta o~ slavery days. In SCIIP. instanc•• Louis becomes cClld'used _.;Ihis ~ I' \ /II f! history; but fixed ~1rml,y in his Ilind 18 this I "KI.stue, us was whooped ~ us even looked into a book. Us couldn't read a line, pictures, it was Jest too bad.- Louis w.. born in Lee county. AIDOng hi. lIlelllllrie. 18 t.he t1llle he saw Lincoln. -I stood on de .ide o~ de road, - he • aid , -an' seed 1Ir. Lincoln ridin' by wid Mr. Buchanan. (His version is doubttul.) Mr. Buchansn was d~ President den 8Dd IIr Lincoln was runnin' ~er 'lection. Dey was ridin' in one o~ dell carri ges wid de seat high up. It was a roekawa,y carriage. A Digger coach-en, all dressed up, was sittin' up in front an' a litUe black boy was sittin' on de seat beh1Jld. His foots was restin' 011 de 10w steps • .... Lincoln promise de peoples dat ~ he 'lected be wou1d tree all de slave. an' let 'all learn to read an' write. I was Je.t a striplin', but I cou1d hear de black tons talkin' and dey hoped an' prayed he wou1d be 'lected. De,. wanted to be ~re ( __ lIarster was n--S Mr. Porter "adows. U. liVed in Lee Count,., 'tween Opelika an' COlullbus, Georgia. I was 1IorDed on hi. p1sce. Ever1body Ienowed llarster l18adows a.n 2 Even today, it you ask around salaa, you wUl tind dat peoples stU! remember h1lIl. He W&8 good. at his Job. He was a patroller an' it was Jis Job to see dat all de slavea W88 at hOils at de right t.1me. It de,. t.ried to run awa.y, wb,y, it. Je.t didn't. do 'ea DO good. Jllret.er JlBadows tiJld • dea every tiM. He took his dogs an' he hunt. ,_ in cle ewlUllPe, or in de hills, or on de roads an' trails. It didn't. aake no ditterence to hia. He kot.ch d8lll evel'7 t.1ae. -Wid h1lIl busy cbaein' other niggere, dat. lett. ue to be looked af't.er by de overseer. An' hone,., WI mowed what. wh1ppin' was. Dat. over­sser would tie .e niggera down over a log am 1Itip 'ea until d. blood. run on d. ground. Dat. W&8 de overseer'a Job. It warn't. so bad when de young maraters was dere. ne,. was de three boys ot de 01' llarst.er, llaaaas George, DBn'l an' Bennie. He had three girls, too. ne,. was Iliaeie 'Lizabeth, llia81e Jane an' Ilisei. Drcella. ney lived in a big white two-atory house, wid white colulana at. d. trQl1t.. "Us didn't. bave no alav. quart.re; Jeat. houses scat.tered 'rOUDd hsre an' dere at. cle back. Us didn't. mow lIIUch dat went on in de t8lllb17. Us was a1lWl workin'. -All de young msraters went. off to war. I 'lUlIIbere clet llarse George was out maJdn' a ewing ter de c an' I waa at.and1n' dere youJI& I18reterl't. AJl' he aaTt e llinaaaas Gap.' f\dere, too, but he com. back. neT all went and dey all tit, but. de all c_ back. "Us waen't. flowed to praT or real de Bible, _e ot WI couldn't read noways. ney didn't. went d. niggera to pra,y, or re" an' 3 wr1te. lIJ.sic? HOney, de ua knew waa de hoe r1JIg1n' 'roUDd • de cot.ton plant.a. 1: -V 1- -I ....lIIbera dat. a black man who ~a good trade brought. good IlODeY; maybe titteen h~ dollara. A COP.'OD nigger brought. UYen or eight. hundred an' a ~in' boy tive hUDdred. us didn·t. t.h1Jlk us would go back t.o alAve17, tree. • had t.ook de oath dat. aa , long aa dere was breath in de bod,. or blood in de veiDe, dat. never ag1n ~ would we go back to slave17. But. t.h1nga waa hun by 1Il". Lincoln get.t.in' kilt.. It. w.. 1867 ·tore I got. atarted off to achool. "1Ihan de wer cloaed, ever,yt.h1Jlg was bare; bare .. a dirt. road. Maybe 80ldiera would pass over a tiel' wbar com was a-srowin'. Maybe • de,. • ould ruin a treah vegetable garden. "Us all thClllght. dat. lIu'Bter Jeff Davia waa a good aan, but. we Imowed dat. while he was President. us wouldn.t. be tree<!. Dat. w.. w_ .1 hoped Ilar8ter Lincoln w - • But. he loa' his lite ver right.l,y hope t.o do. Dat. wher • :lr'e prtaiaed core dan he could ..". m1st.akasl in prOlll1sin' IIOre dan dey kin dOl in biUn' ott " dan de,. can chew• never "He had promised to pay ter de slaves dat. he ha4 treed; an' he uld a dOlle it.. It. would a took lotea -.1. -But. it. waa God's bleasin' to de black peoplea to c_e out. ~OIII bondage; to belong CIIll.y to delrselvea an' Godl to read 'bout. what.'a goin' on in de world an' write an' t'1gger ter d selvea. AD' honey, it. is good to be rea .1 to rea' when de Jedp1nt. 'bout.. •• Margaret Fowler. J.ok xTtle • Dell. Garlio 11.e8 .t .3 Itone 8treet. Kontgoaer.r. 1M18h Ihe 11 100 )'..re old. Unlike un)' Of the old egro.. at the South. ahe haa no good wo1"d8 tor ala. r.r daTa 01' the old ..atel'll. deolarlng & 'D .daTa '8lU heU.' 8I1e ..t on her tront pol'Clh and ...&1led the tak1.ng ot ohildren t1'OJll motherl and ael11ng the. in 41Uerent part. at the oount1')'. 'I wuz grow d up wh n de war oOlle.' .he aaid. 'an' I WIlS • mother beta' It 0108ed. Sable. WU& snatohed t1'OJll deU- mothlr'l breas' an' sold to speculators. Oh1.Uuns wus separe.ted t1'OJII .18t8l'l1 an' brothers an' nSTer ..w 8 oh other asin. 'Course de)' 01')'1)' th1nlt de)' not 01')' de)' wus aold lak o.ttle! I could teU )'au 'bout lt .n daT. but e.en den 10U oouldn't sue.. de .wtulne.. ot It. 'It '. bad to belong to tolks 4&t own )'au saul an' bod)'; who oan Ue )'au up to • tree, d )'0' t.oe to de tree an' :ro' &n:I1 tastened t1ght aroun' It; who take. long ourlin' out de blood ST 1" 11ck. 'rolke • alle ....)' oou.ld hear d....wtul lngs. De)' s. turrlble part ot 11T1n'.' Della laid .he .... born .t PowhaUn. 'flrg1n1.. and ..t at thirteen oh11dren. • • 2 .- • • "I ne...er leed aJI7 or rq bro'herl an' I htertl 'oep' brother "1111u. I Ihe laid. IH1JI an' .other an' .1 WIlli broU8h' ln a epecu1&tor'l dron '0 Riobllon' an' JlU' in a warehoU'1 wid a droYI or other nigger•• I) 11'1 WIlli all put on a blocJt an' 101' to dl h18be.' bldder. • "I n....er lIed brothlr "lll1aa qin.....7 an' .. 1I'U .014 to a au br the nul or Oarter. 1Ibo WII de aher1tt' or dl ~countr. "!fo'a. daT war'nt no 800d tta.. at hi. hou.e. Re 1I'1Ul a wldo.lr an' hi. daughtlr kept bou.e ror h1m. I llU1'.ed ror hlr. an' one 4.1)' I 1I'U pla71n' wid de babT. It hurt it. U'l han' an' OOllllll8lloed to orr. an' .he Jd:ld: 1dl1Jol on N. plck up a hot lron an' 1'W1 lt all down rq ara an' hen'. It took orr dl r1eah when llhe donI 111. le. ur.ter IIIal'1'1ld ag1n: but thing• • ar'n no bitter. I ..ed hi. wir. blacJt1n' hl;- eTebro1I" wid IIl1Ut one 4.1)'. 10 I thousht I'd blacJt ne Je.' ror run. I rubbed lo.e _10 on rq I,.ebro.. 'rorgot to rub 110 orr. an' ahe kotohed... She .... powertu1 _d an' rel1 I 'You bla deYU. I'll lhow TOU how to cJt ,.our betterl.' II) n lhe plcJt up a ItlcJt or .tOTnood an' nau. it q1n .,. head. I 41dn't kn01l' othin' re 'Ull I 00.. to. 171n' de rloor. I heard de ufltul • .,. to one or dl glrl.. 'I thou&h' 'hicJt akull and 08P or wool 0 14 take it ettlr then that.' "I lI:ep on ItaJ1n' dare. an' onl n1&b' d, aarltel' 0 I ln drunk an' .., at de table wid hil head 101lin' aroun'. I • tln' on dl 'able. an' he look up an' I e .e. I II aklered. an' dat IUdI hla • awtlll _d. lie oalle4 an o.,.eNeer an' tol' hUll '!eke her out an' beat ••e .en.e in beI'.' -I begin to CrT an' run an' run 1n de n1gtlt; but tlnal17 1 run baolt bT de quarteN an' heard ., oa1lin' .e. 1 .ent In. an' reght a '1 de'1 _e tor .e. 1 M"e ... .tan41n' ln tI'ont ot de hou.e. an' 1 WWI toolt aat TerT nlght to Rio 'an' .old to a ~eoulatOl' agln. I ne.,.er eeed aT"~ 1JIO"' -I hu thought l1&li7 t1ae. through all de.e .,ean MW IUIIII1 looked 4&t night. She P"ue4 aT han' 1ft bote ot heft an' .aldl 'Be good an' true' in de Lawd.' ''1'l'Uetin' ft. de on17 bope ot de PO" blaolt oritter. ln de. daT•• V. Jeet pft1ed tel' etre th to endm'e 1t to d' end. We 41dn't 'epeot nothin' but to .ta., in bondace 'Ull we 41ed. '1 1rU 801' b., de ~eoulator to a JUJI 1n MoDonough. • I dOIl't "kolUot hi.· naae. but h. ft. nin' a II1c Mt.l at oDonough (an' t .e to wait on tabl... But when de tlae 0 e aroun' to P&1 tor .., hi. hot.l done tall. Den de At ta aan 4&10 bought de hotel bought e. too. 'Fo! long. dough. I wee 801' to a 114ft b'1 de naae ot Garlio. down in Lou1e1ana. an' I et&Ted wid h1Jl 'Ull I I WWI a regular t181' han'. JI!mit;t: plow1n' an' hoaln' an' ootton. • ·v. heard tallt den 'bout de war. but u. 41dn't P&T1lO 'tenUon. V. nITer dreaaed 4&10 treedOll would •.,.er 0...• Delia 1rU ae1te4 11' the .la.,... e.,.er had &ft'1 pu'U.. or dano.. on her plantatlon. 10'•• ' .he replied. 'u. 41dn't ha.,.e no partle.; noth1n' laIt etat. V. 41dn't ha.,.e no olothe. tor goin' 'roun. I neTer had a under- • • • • •h1M until J .t beto' .., t1r.t oh1l' ... bomed. X never had noth1n' bIlt ••h1 an'. slip tor a dJte8l. an' U 1IUII lI.de out'en de ohea e.' oloth 4&t oou14 be boughtJ unbleached oloth. ooarse. but mate to 1..•• 'u. didn't kno... noth1n' 0 t to rk. U. 15 up b1 three or tour in .e Jlomin' an' ev'rrbod¥ got d'1 II .th1n· to ••t in de It1tohen. 1)'7 didn't .,e UI no Ya7 to cook. nor noth1n' to oook ln our cabinl. Soon as us dre8led UI went b1 de It1toh n an' t our.pl ot corn-bread. 7 an't .ven anT salt in lt d.. lal' 1'ars. t pleoe o~ oombre ... 1IUZ.U u. had tor braIttU•• , • tor 8U '1', u. had de "01' din er u. had bol1ed T1ttl'J • n., p••s • .000e-t1aes beanl. Cott'ee' 0'., UI n• .,.r know noth1n"boIl oott'••• 'On .omin· I'JI bere I had It ed to de fl.1'. an' n • d. Ya7 I 10 • .., pleo. of bread. I didn't know What 0 do. I started b.oIt to tl'7 to t1n' It, an' it • too dark to lie. t I walIt baoIt npt .10.... an' had a dog ciat walked 'Il1d ••• H. "'ent on ahead. an' .tt.r .Whil. I 0 • on l71n' dere guardin' ciat pl.o. ot bre.d. H. neYer touohed lt, so I giVed h1a so e ot it. 'Jus' beto' de war I roarrhd • lIWl nailed Chatfi.ld tJ'OII anoth.r plantationl but he ..... toolt ott' to ...ar an' I nlVer seed h1a • asln. Atter awh11. I marrled • b01 on d. plant.tion nailed 1l11ea GtrUo. 'Yu'a, .... GarUo had two bor' ln d. ...ar. en de1 wwnt ott Ie .... an' al.tu. oried, but lt mad. u. glad to I •• d_ 0l'7. 0'1 -.de u. 0l'7'0 oh• •n 111 kn01lld .... wua tre., •.,el'7bod¥ 1IIlIted to g1t out. De rule 1IUa ciat it' TOU .t.7.d 1n 70' o.bin 1 oould keep it• • .Fowler '_ 'FrUithurst, labama­, C itburne Coun ty- Official Froject, 0.265-6903 ,fork Froje~t, 30II( I) Type of fork Symbol I885( I) • • The Story of Louie ~eadowe, Bx-e1a ve ;age 84 yre. -Born in Lee Coun ty_ "Y ssum,I as nine years 0ld ~u en tU~e ""'ar stakrted. I stood on the side Uv the road ,an' seed r. Lincoln ridin' by-wid J.:r. Eltchenan ,;'e wuz the resident then ,en , Mr.Lincoln wuz runnin' fer 'lection- (?) They wuz ridin' bY,in one uv dem kerridgee "id de seat hi€h up.in front­" Rockaway?" "Yessum,dats it. Tid a nigger coachmen all dressed up,aset­tin up f ont,an' 0 lit~le black boY,sittin' on de seat behin'-his foots l'estin' on the low step- If " ~r.Lincoln romise de people dat ef he 'lected ,he free all dR slaves, an' sen' 'em to s nool,an' let 'em learn to read an' write. I could hear • de nack folks talkin' an' de hoped an! prayed he "ould be 'lected, so dey could be free,an' have a ch ct_1f ".y ,"ssa I'UZ named Forter Meadows, an' he Ii ved in Lee coun ty, between Opelika,an' Columbus-an I '.uz born thah-Evy-body knowed Mist' eado"s, allover dat country_ ven to-daY,ef you ask aroun' Salem,You will find' they still remember him- Because he wuz so ood at his job.He wuz e patty­roller( patroler)It wuz his place to see dat all slaves wuz at home st de right time,en' ef any tried to run awaY,why it jest didn't do 'em no good. ast' eadows fin' 'em ever- ~i~~. He toor hiq dogs an he hunt em in de swamps,or in de hills,or on de roade an trails-it didn' mek no dlfferment to hi~-he ketch 'e every time. Dat lef' us to be looked after by de over­seer- an' we knowed what hi~pin' wuz.To be tied down over a log,an be .hip ped untml the tlood run,an' stood out on the floor; YassWD.dat de over­seer' Job-It vuzn't so bad nen the oung Massas wuz dere_ ist' Meadows had three boys-Massa Gawge,l~ssa Dan1 ,an , Massa Benn1e. He had three girls too.~iss Lizbeth,~:1es_Jane.an' Miss Marcella_Dey live in a b1g.nhite two­story house,"'ith "hits columns at the front.Dey didn't hab no slave -, - J.l.Fowler • 2 quahters; jes bouses scattered aroun' here an' there-at de back. '~e didn't kno I much dat 'ent on in de Family.We vuz always workin!" "All the three young lJarsters 'lent 'off to ar-l reckerlect dat l.:sssa Gawge wuz out me.Jc1n' a swing ~E''' de cook's baby, an 1 tuz s tandin' by .a tchin' him, an' 1 say,' /hah yo' go in ' to fi te?' ,an' he say, 'I.!anassas G:.. Gap'-jes' like dat-an' he did-in three,four days he lent,but in time,he come back-They all aent,en' they all fit,but they all come back-" " e wasn't allowed to praY,or read the Bible-none of 'em couldnt read,any any-way-lf a ni~~er was found lookin(' in a book,he was whipped. They • didn't want the blacks to praY,or read and write,for fear they wouldnt keep their place,an'humble do~m enough­The only music we know was the music of " usi c'l" - "Banjo or p;ui tar?" de hoe aroun' the cotton-plant_ ) But a black man that had a ood trade,brou~ht ~ood money-as much as fifteen-hundred dollars; a common ni ger brOUght seven,or eight hundred 1 dollars;an' e growin' boy brourh t fi VB hundred." "/hen lr.Lincoln was killed,did 'IOU fear vou ,"i~ht return to slavery?" "No llaam,we ,quz done freed;we had took the oath that as long as dare .as brea th in the body,or a drop of blood in the veins, da t ne ver 'gain would we go back into slavery. But by r.Lincoln gettin' killed,things didn't move off as they would ha~-lt WUz 1867 before 1 got started to chool- " "When the Nar closed,ever_thin' was bare-as bare as a dirt road-Maybe soldiers would pass 0 ver & fiel' "'here com was a growin' ,or a vege­table garden,with potatoes,and turnips and collards-ever_thing lookin' green an' fresh ,an , Ihen th 1 ey wuz ~one,a 1 the vegetables, an , com an' fodder,anD even the t lk s as,wuz in the forage lfagon-an' the groll.li wuz trample' down hard-an' it 1 k 00 ed as if anything green would never grow there any more-" hoped ... r.Lincoln e knowed that while he he promised more than he could ood man, "ut life because resident we "We all ~iimght Mr. Jeff DaVis was a wuz ouldn't be freed-an' so ever-body would konker-but he loet his • K. I'Dwlel'. Otti01al ProJeot 6 'it'-::2. o•• 2611­6903 JTn1thur.t.Alab a- ·Ya••X -it ~"ad np e Woz'lt ProJe,t1 10.. Il( X) tne 0" 0 S, bol.IIBlI(X) r oooa.an' a oothel' bat, _ 1 t olos.....• ·Xa!n't tell 10 no h1D' 'bollt '4_ • la' bla. matoh' t'roll d.y Iludd. brea.' Ch1llm oore 4Ba dBl .... HaU-salk. , 801' to de epeoa1atBre- '.e I' e.. a.. aa, M'- C6sa doy o\7-Tou 1 not 'l'7 1lO1d ott 11):a oatUe-golD' lD , , '.tbe oldar the «1 t-t I oould tell 10u 'bout • it II ~, ' th u ka1D' e 'bout the awtl11Jla•• ot 1t-b.lolllC ta' toh1lt8 "hail om IOU, oJ. ' bo4,r- tie IOU IQ a trea, wlth yallr fIloe to the trea, '~ur aft. arollll' It-taa' .d tlght-an' 10111 taat ta.'llad too,1I0 yOIl la' glt a ,-no wa,-then a. lOD 0llrl1D tIt11.p 11'1 11 -outtlD! the blood awl" 11olt-untll • haar a~1'1 UOk-" ·1 w • 110m at Po ,llrslD1a.' we. the younS"- ot tt.11' een oh1l1m a D I newr w ~ ot ., bru44ars '.htBrs axoapt brothar 1111__ ' bla, ''Il3'''', • brollghtl in a apa"l 4row to R1 " put la a 19 - u a, put up block' I' 11ttle 11ke a at p- 44el'o· tha hi. a' b14 81'0 ,a 10 e • all ok. a. • a , .a .... eol' to a aritt at t e Count,-" a h I' 11: pt hOIl.a tel' hill, • t e b bl,an' it hurt 1 111 , I .aur.ad to I' hel'oOn. 1 I eo.. ee4 to 017- a ".0 , 0' '11 t DO ood tan an- Ka • a ri War to' 1IIh1la ,an' hi. • pI IlD' ri'" • ha'f1a' BOO' 'han', ' P do ••in ' one ,an e wh1rled on .a. 01: .#Of p1olt' IlP e fIe ae e hot 11'OJ1. dona 1t-" ·'4 att.r awhilatha • la 14 a. out de. 4 ODea-Id ad ea. la, '0 , her b las. wa 'f\lIl beUel'oK1. t. oll:1Jl' her eya-brow. wi. th ut h'O .. , 2 ~.laft 8tol'7••••• the tlre-p aoe,an' one da,. I in there an' I tho~t I'd laok a,. e,.e-bro.s-~Ils' to' tIln- an' I rIlD a,. tin«er aro1lll' insU. tile that boll«ht the Hotel.boll«ht •• 1000- BIlt be­b,. the n...e ot a"rl1o,401ll:l in Lolli_a,an ' I • ohie.,.,an' robbed it 0.11. rq e,.e-bro-n,an torgot to pe it ott-So •• oo.e in an' se••e that-lI-WII.7,an' she ..ld, 'Toil blaek d.bbll,I'll sho. "Oll how to aook ,.ollr bettere"-an' IIh. ploks I1P a pleo. ot lltoft-1IOod,lII1' tlai,lII 110 ag1.II. m,. .ad,an' I 41411't • .11.0 thin , .ore till I co.s to.17- 1.11.' on the tloor,an I h. n her ..,. to one ot the girlll-' I tho 10 her thlck lIkIlll.an' tha 10 oap ot 01 .0111d takll it beUem that'-" " 1110 I _taTed there tor a e;ood lipell-an ' 0.11.. nl«ht 01' X8Il Carter oo.e in drw1k,an' .et at the ble wi th hi. head ollin 'roUll'.III1' I II wa1 tin' on the ble, an he look I1P &.11.' II.. • •• &.II. he 121 ft .e .. tunD,. look-an' I .....o..red an' sho.ed 1t.III1' that. e h1a ...4,11I1' h....ld to the 0 WI'- 1I••r' hlte her 01110 11I1' 'hlp lIoa. 1111I11. 1.11. her' ,11I1' I rail-I rIlD Ol1t in the .11.1 t,an' kept a-runnin' .-bllt tin..ll,y I rIlD baok b,. the QllartBft_ 'hean Ila arq oallin' me-an' I .11I10 a,an' r1«ht .....,. the,. 00•• tor .e-III1' .. hoe .as.t din' in tront ot the door at the ho Il.., 8.11. ' I wa. took that ftr,. n1Sht to RioMon' an' .old to a .pllO'l..ter ain.I neftr ....,. Xa..,. an,. .ore. " "I h... tholl«ht. ,. tl••11 thro h all d••• ,.eaft how Ils..,. look.d that nl nl tlUl how Bhe pre•••d lIT hlll1' in ote ot he1'll,III1 ..ld'B. «ood,an tnll' in the Lawd.' " "!'ru.s'sing wall the 0.11.4' hope ot the pore blao~ 8l'itter in d.. da,.8-W. ~1111 pra,.ed tor IItrangth to IIldl1 to the 11.II.4. W. 41@ '10 expeot ,.thln« bat to h..ft to 0 on in bon.d IIlde ot a ohllroh Ilntll I .._ tr.e4"- "I .... 11014 b,. the 8pllo'l..tllr to...11.II. in XoDo.oll&h,Oeor la. 1 k int reool- 1.010 hill n .,bllt he II OP8llin' .. blg hotel ..10 1l0Don.ol1 -an ted .e to walton tablee.Bllt b,. the Uae oo.e ..rolln' tor hia to pa,. tor ••,hie Hotel don. t"11,an the J.UlII1ta m to' long I wa. _old to aan • 3 s 7ed .ith him until I was treed- I h '-ploW1n' , hoe1D ' ohopp1D ootton-" "Yss,we hea &87 talk abollt the Wr-bllt ws didn't pa7 np tention-We neft thoaght we'd ewr bs tree-" "lro Ka 'a, e didn't haft no parti..-noth1D lilte the1:-We wOllldnt'a hed no 010.. to' go1D' arollD'-I nsftr had a Wldersltirt llDtil ~..t beto' a1 tirst • ohild was bom-I neftr had noth1D bllt a shillllll7 an' a dip tor a dress ,an ' it aads onten ths cheapes' oloth that oonld be bolltht-unblsaohed allS~_ burg cloth-ooarse-but aade to las'-" • • We didn't mow no then but to r~We was llP b7 three tour in the aom iD'-llftr-bo\l7 got de1 S08thin-tO -e t 1D the big lt1 toh8ll-2hs1 didnt s1 ft us no 7 to cook,nor no thin ' to oook 1D Ollr oab1DS_As BOon as we dress'd .e went bY the ltitchen an got our piece ot com-bre ~ot e_ en7 alt 1D it tho last lears-2hat piecs ot oom-bread to eat on the wa1 to the tiel' was all we had to' brsaktas'-an' to' snppsr,the slllul.llI1t to' dinnsr ws had boilsd Tittles-g ens,peaS,so.et18ss beans-a good dinner- 'Cotts." Ha,ha,he ,.e D• ..,.. lIDowed noth1D'bout oottee- that Whlte tolks eat1D'- "ODe aomu' I re.ember I had s rted to ths tiel' , on "he wa1.1 los' t1D' It- An' It was too dark to see. it. It was thet darkes' tlae Jnst c 81 plsoe 0' bread. I didn't lIDow t to do. I started baolc to t~ to a'tore ths ~ l&ht oo.e. Well, I ""lksd baok,rlght slow-an' I hed a dOff that alwa1 en t wi th ae-an' when I ..s ll:1D baok_slow_hun t1D' -an ' pra11D' to tin' a1 bread,.7 dOg went on ehead,an' I ooms on him-B1 that tims It wes gett1D l1&ht a little,an hs was l71n do ,Jas' a little wa1s trom .1 ,leoe ot bread,not otterin to touch it-Jus' Uar41n' 11:-1 piolced it up ,an 'gl him a pieoe' tlae. " , eat the res'- ~ hurp1 to malee up tor 10s'ti "Ius' betor the War I married a man tra. another pl tiOJl oalled Chat-tleld, but he was took ott to the War tust thing, to build br s' works ,an ' dig trenches. 'I nsftr see hi. an1 more. An' atter a i1e,I marrled a .. l' w Storio..K••. , bo~ on o~r 0 plantatlon-Xiloa Garll0. "Yes,Ka8SA Garl10 h d 0 bo~a in tho War- B1'108 Qarl1! I don't mow U· tho taal~ took it hard-Yea, the lI188h oried-an' we mow 1 t a bo ~t det-bl1t we' a gla4 to 8e. them 01'1. It. tlD1 to aa. '!bo~ aake ( as 01'1 so ml1oh---" "Ono ot th~ bo,s diod ot towr in tho Caapa;tho othor wct thro h the .ar.an' como hOllo 1lJ1' diod.· "When we mowod WO'8 trO••OWr1 bod,. ted to got Ol1t.'!b. ral. wall-lt "011 8ta ,.od in 10~r oabin,it was atill 10llrll-bl1t lt yo~ let' 1 t,1011 ooa14­n't coao baok- But 111108,.,. 010 a waa workin' at .etl1mpka,an ho 811ppell In an' ol1t,an brought ao pl t1 ot 8W1lpin-to-oat ,an' good oloea,bl1t he told ae not to leaw.Re md tolka was gettin Ol1t ewr'-where.Babioa waa ""j,n' bom in tenoe-com.re. an1'lfho • JI¥ aooon' baby was on tho wa,.. So sta,.ed baok;I no,.r 80ed the aOldlera;I heard tell ot' rald1n' near s 10t8 ot tl.es-bl1t I ne,.r got Ol1t Whore I 00111d aee or be seen. " , '!ben one nl t,rlght attsr Chris_aa,I 311a' aa4e I1p 111 lIlinlll to go to etwapka,Where .llUes waa workin-la1in' traok tor the il-road oompan,.. So I 8tarted;one baby in 111 ara8.Mother in .,. pookat,M 1Il1 bundle on 111 baok.I walked that wa1 to lall ,.Alaballa. '!bere I tell In With a orowd ( troa oa. neighborhood goin ' 1;0 ••tl1llpka.an' I went Wi th thea. An ' a8 we wen t up the roall to lfetl1llpa,I looksd dol'lD where the,. was la)'iD' the trao an' Xiles looked I1P.M' saw a., , he got ott troll work, .n' we got 8ettl • in ol1r own hoa8. in If.tl1llpka,an we has ll,.d there ewr ainoe.K_ atter he dled, I 11,.d there aa long a8 I ool11d,an' then oaae here to 11,. Wi th a,. 80n. I had three children-two glrla-Loll1sMa rll0, 'Georglana Del war. Garlio. An' a- bo-,Kaoasla Clar~e 0 110. .. ""'" ....e two gir18 dlod-bl1t 1 t la II~ b01 I 18 llT.la' th -an' I'ae satin' .,. white brsad now. !he bes' tlms of my llfe-but ~hsn the Lawd Bay,'Della.well done.Collle I1P highsr"_ I will be glad to go. • • • - Cle. "lI7 .11&. B1'1Ult 1l00ull0Q4lh..... a OII••b." OOWltJ _ ••0 had 110 .Ul)' olaw. I OllIlt t.ll )lOU d. 1l11llbah••o dU. 't mow h1.ool~ how aan, h. ha d. I 10 now 9~ )'oa" old-u' fhat I r ....b." .0.' 10 de ..., do obUl.. roll .roa' ill d. b1. nur••• rooa-" "Ill.t' lloOo.llotigh.h. rat.ad 1l1ggoh. to ••U-Ul' a~tar the 111 blaok ohillOll pla)' noa' Wltll 'bod .lU1doWll.de, 1. 81 ft do, .uppllJl-a long tro~ out in • 0001 pla.. in the baok ,arA 10 ~111.1 w1~ good. oold butteftlllk.-Ul' ool'll-bread orabod iIl.Ul' do, oallh 18 gl ft a .po... Ul' de)' .ah de)' fill-de de, 10 r.ad)' ~o' b....SO•• aT 4•• J•• t'all oWoh , all d. groun' .a.l••p,an' 14 piokod uP.aD' put on 4., pall.t In d. bl. ohl11e. roo.- ])., wa. Ul old 'oaUl .al104 d. Ilu"o.look aft.r 4... De, g1t good oa"-10' 4.)' would brillg gOOd .0110'." "01' n ••• sh. deaD lal:: to ••• d•• 801' .Ul' sh. or, .ftr ti.o._• • 0 tand.r-hoart.dlbut Ill.t' lloClllloQ4lh 10 Jut lal:: .tIIl. 10 to-da,... Jo. lall&h an go all." Jlat h. wus good to hiB bl ok tolka-Jblka oall.d ll8 ".Olllloap. tree nlgg.I'II"-Wa811 't lIuoh whtpplll' WOIlt on 'rollld our plantat1oa_ ..t on .0.0 aroun' u•• th.)' Whlpp.d untll tho blood rIU1 doWll-BD' .0•• pla••• tel' Ul' HUI.t '. with 1t••• 1I&1t __ tor'd h.al.but whtlll the p.pp.r got 1Il th.n.H sho" 4114 bul'll lal:: fi"_ Ul' th.,'d a. w.11 g.t on to olit flll1ok.O&u•• th., oaat b••till nohow." "On. "O.aD on a plUl tatioll no t .0 t'ar ~Oll u•• WUIl .xp.otill ' • an' th.)' tiod hor up und.r • heok-a-b.n, tn•• an' whlpp,,4 h.r attl sho U.4-an' 1101' an, t • at 1l1ght ot )'ou go 'roWl' that treo.,ou oould h.ar tha t ohllo 01'1-1 .poot )lou oould ,.t-" ".ft..bod)' lald the t was lIurA.r, aD , • • Fowler, .... l- Offioial Project No. ,~~g3 • Fruithurst ,Alabama- Work Project Type of or No., 30II(I) Svmbol,I885(I) "Yes,I was growed IIp when mother befo' it closed. 1I • "Kain't tell you no thin ' 'bout 'dem days any more dan dey was Hell~Suck. in' ba bies snatch' from dey m.udd er~~ breas'an' sol' to de speoalaters- Chillen separated from dev sisters an' brudders- an' never sse dem any m~'- Cose dev cry-You think tLey not cry when sold off like cattle­goin' inter bondage mo' an' mo'-the older the git-? I co ld tell you 'bout it all deY,an' then you kain' even ~ue s 'bout the awfUlness of it-belong \n' to folks hat own you,soul an' ~ody-That can tie you up to a tree, with j'OUr face to the tree,an' ~our arms aroun' it.fas'ened tight-an' you feet fas'ned too,so you kain' git way-no way-then a long curlin whip whis'~in'a'roun' y~u -cuttin! the blood ever' lick-until falks a mile away hear e v"Jry li ck-" "l was born at PO'hatan, VIrginia, An' was the younges' of thirteen chillen a n I never saw an~ of my brudders an' sisters except brother (i lliam_an' him,an' my mammy,an'me,was broup,ht in a spec'laters drove to Richmon' an' put in A hie wa re-house,w1th a drove of other niggahs_ Then we was all put up on a block ~, sol' to the highe~' bidder_ WhY,a blonk l~oks a li ttle like a sten-ladder_" I neva h saw brudde' Hilliam again. Mammy an' me was sol' to a man ny the name of Carter,\'Iho w,",s the Sheriff of the County_" "No, ',he' -a~ 'nt no d ti th H wid f ' 00 mes ere- e was a ower 0 aWhile,an' his daughter kept house fer him,an' I nursed for her-On5 day I --as playin' w~ the baby ,an' j t hu,.t it li' hand,SJl commenced to cry-She was ha v:1n' Sl'me pressin' d~ne,an she ~hirled on me,an pick' up the hot iron,an run it all down my arm sn' hSJl', an' took ,'~ the flesh as she done it-" II 'den e ter sWhile,he ma 'ied agein, No,things wesn' ~ny better_His Wife le id me out dee d onoe-Id ~een her blaokin' her eye-brows with smut fro , - 2 Ex-sla ve Story ,J.!. F. the fire-pJ.ace, an' one day I was ~lack mv eye-brows-jus' fa' fun-in there an' I thought I'd an' I run my finger aroun' inside the more. " p.himneY,an , rubbed it on my eye-brows,an forgot to wipe it off-So 'he come in an' ~ee me tha t _P_' ey, an , she said, 'You black debbil, I'll show you how to mock your be tters' -an 'hs epiAc~s up a piece of stove-wood,an' flpils ·t sgin my head,an' I didn't know no thin , more till I c'me to,lv_ in' on the floor,an I heard her say to one of the girls-'I thou~ht her thick skull,an' tha t cap of wool p.ould take it bettern that'~" "But I staYed there f~r a good spell-an' one night 01' Ken Carter come in ~runk,an' set at he table with his head alollin'roun' ,an' I was waitin' a on the table,an he look up an' see me,an he .>ive me a farm" look_an' I was scared an' showed it,an' that m de him Dad,an' he said to the over_ seer'Take her out an' 'hip some sense in her' ,an' I run-I run out in the nigh t, an' kept a-rllnnin' ,but finally I run back by the Quarters-an' heard Jla mmy callin' me-an' I Ivent in,an' rie-ht away they come for me-an' a hoss was standin' in front of the door at the house,an' I wes took that very ni~ht to RichAon' an' sold to a spec'later a 'ain.I never saw my J.!ammy any "I has thou ht many times throuph all dese years how ~ammy looked tha~ ni ni ht:ln how she pressed my han' in bOfe of hers,an said'Be 'ood,an trus' in the Lewd' , "Trus'sing was the only hope of the pore black .ritter in dem daYS-We just prayed for strength to endure to the end.We didn't expect anything b~t to have to ~o on in bondage till we died. But I dont remember ever to be in­side of a church until I was freed"_ "I was sold by the Spec'later tor' man in MCDo~ough,Geor'lia. 1 kaint recol_ lect his name, but he was openin' a big hotel at JlcDonou~h_an wanted me to wei t on tables. But by the time Come aroun f for him to pay for me ,his Ho tel done fail,an the Atlanta man that bouPht the Hotel,"ought me too- But be­fa' long I was sold to man by the name of Garlic,down in La ui Sana ,an , I • 3 Ex-Slave Stories-I.l.F. fiel' han '-plowin , an' • stayed wi th hi- nn til I WIlS treed- I hoein' an choppin cotton-" "Yes,ve heard iey t alk abaut t "~'e War-'ut ve didn't pay np tention-ife neveY ti.ought we'd ever be free-" "No a 'm,we didn't have no partiss-noth1n 11~e that-We wouldnt'a had no cloes fa' ,0in , aroun'-I never had a underskirt until jast beta' my first child was bom-I never had nothin but a shimmy an' a slip fer a dress,an' it made outen the cheapes' cloth that could be bought-Unbleached ausan­burg cloth-coarse-but made to las'-" " e didn't know nothen but to worle-ie was up by three an four in the morn­in '-Ever-body ~ot dey somthin-to -eat in the big ki tchen-Th.ey didnt gi ve us no way to cook,nor nothin' to cook in our cabins-All. soon as we dress'd we went bv the kitchen an ~ot our piece of corn-bread-not even any ealt in it them last years-That piece of corn-brsad to eat on the way to the fiel' was all we had fa' breakfas'-an' fa' supper,the same.But fa' dinner we had boiled vittles-greens,peaS,sometimes beans-a good dinner- 'Coffee?' Ha,ha,ha ,we n.vwr knowed nothin'bout coffee- that white folks eatin'_ "One momin' I remember I had startsd to ths fiel' an' on ~he way,I los' my ·pisce a' bread. I didn't know what to do. I started back to try to fin' it- An' it was too dark to see. it. It was that darkss' time just a'fore the day;;Hght come. Nsll,I wRlked back,right slow-an' I had a • dog that always ent with me-an' mhen I wes !kin back-slow-huntin'_an' prayin' to fin' my bread,my do~ went on head,an' I come on him-By that ti~e it was gettin Ii ht a little,an he was lyin dovm,jas' a little ways from my piece of brsad,not offerin' to touch it-jus' gyardin' i t-I pi eked it up ,an , give him a piece an' eat the res'-~n h ry to make up for los' time. " "Jus' before the ~ar I married a man from another plantation called Chat_ field; but he was took off to the War fust thing,to bUild breas' works an' • dig trenches,an' I never ses him any more. An' after a while,I married a • • • • • 4 Stories-J.!.F. boy on our O"ID Garlic. " "Yes ,Massa Bryce Garli I don't know if the family took it hard-Yes,the J.!issis cried-an' we know it about dat-but wets glad t.o see them cry. It was fun to us. They make us cry so much---" " no o· h ' 0!'l'~ lied of _ever in the Camps;the other went thro h the War,an' come home an' died." • "When we knowed we's free,every body wanted to get out. The rule was-if you sta yed in your cabin,it was still yours-but if you lef' it,YOu could­n't come back- But Uiles,my ole man was workin' at ~etumpka,an he slipped in an' out,an brought me plenty of sumpin-to-eat ,an' good cloes,but he told me not to leave.He said folks was gettin out ever'-where.Babies was bein' born in fence-corners; anywhere. J.!y secon' baby was on the way.So I stayed back; I never seed the soldiers;I heard tell of 'em raidin' near us lots of times-but I never got out ?There I could see or be seen. " "Then one night,ril':ht after Christmas,I jus' made up my minI!: to go to as we Wetumpka,where ~iles was workin-layin' track for the rail-road company. So I started;one baby in my arms,another in my pocket,an my bundle on my back. I alked that way to Salem ,Alabama. There I fell in with a crowd from ou17 neighborhood 'loin' to }fetumpka,an' I went with them.An' went up the ro d to ~etumpka,I looked down where they was ayin' the track an' ~iles looked uP,an' saw me, an' he got off from ?Tork,an' we got settle in our own house in "'fetumpka,an ve has Ii ved t here ever since.Even after The two irIs di ed_ butit then came here to li va wi th irls-Louisana Garlic,an' Georgiana Del he died,I lived there as lon~ as I could,an' my son. I had three children-two ware Garlic. An' my bOY,Uacasia Clarke Garlic. bread now. The bes' the Lewd say, 'Delia,well done. Come up is my boy I is liVin'with -an' I'se eatin' my white time 0'" my life-but 'vhen I will be ~lad to o~ higher"_ ! • 5 This is thp. tory of Delia Garlio, 43 Stone street,Yontgomery,Alabama­She insists that she is 166 years old-and her adult experienoes at the beginning of the 'far,and before, eeem to oonfirm i t- She gave these general things, very defini te~v.but to questions 0" detail,ss to names,and so-fobth her mind seemed unoertain- But it wes something to be able to remember all the names 0" her ovm children- , ) ~,.te""= CQU.~ ld VA. J'" ~k"- -- E IV! or ~ Co, • '0 - I (Ihttp://cdm17217.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/wpa/id/824

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