Marion South Carolina

Slave Narrative of Nancy Washington

Interviewer: Annie Ruth Davis Person Interviewed: Nancy Washington Date of Interview: May 1937 Location: Marion, South Carolina Age: 104 Ex-Slave, 104 years “Come in child. Jes set right dere in dat chair whey I c’n be mindful uv yuh cause I ain’ hear but sorta hard lak dese days. I jes come in outer de field whey I been chopping ’round uh little wid me hoe, but eve’t’ing is grow so black ‘fore me eye dat I t’ink I better rest meself uh little. I tries to help Sam (her son) aw I c’n, but I ain’ mucha ‘count no … Read more

Slave Narrative of Julia Woodberry

Interviewer: Annie Ruth Davis Person Interviewed: Julia Woodberry Date of Interview: October-November, 1937 Location: Marion, South Carolina “Well, I can speak bout what I used to hear my auntie en my mammy en my grandmammy talk bout what happen in dey day, but I never didn’ live in slavery time. My mammy, she been broke her leg long time fore freedom come here en I remember she tell me often times, say, ‘Julia, you didn’ lack much of comin here a slavery child.’ Honey, I mean she been in de family way right sharp fore freedom come here. “My mammy, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mom Jessie Sparrow

Interviewer: Annie Ruth Davis Person Interviewed: Jessie Sparrow Date of Interview: September 1937 Location: Marion, South Carolina Age: 83 “No, honey, dere ain’ not a soul live here but me. Man stay in dat other room dere just to be a little bit of company for me when night come. He ain’ not a speck of kin to me, not a speck. Oh, he pay me a little somethin, but it not much. Mostly, I does want him for protection like. Ain’ got but just dis one room for myself cause dat part out dere does be just like out … Read more

Slave Narrative of Julia Woodberry

Interviewer: Annie Ruth Davis Person Interviewed: Julia Woodberry Date of Interview: November 1937 Location: Marion, South Carolina “Come in, child. Dis ain’ nobody talkin to you from behind dat door, but Julia Woodberry. De door unlatch, just turn de handle en come right in here whe’ you can warm yourself by de stove. I tell my daughter for her to take de sick child en walk over dere en make Aun’ Liney a visit, while I wipe round bout dis stove a little speck. Cose I ain’ able to scour none much, but seems like dis old stove does keep … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mom Jessie Sparrow

Interviewer: Annie Ruth Davis Person Interviewed: Jessie Sparrow Date of Interview: May 1937 Location: Marion, South Carolina Age: 83 “I dunno, child, I don’ ‘member nuthin more den I tell yuh de udder time. Is yuh been to see Maggie Black yet? I dunno how old she, but I know she been here. No, child, Maggie ain’ dead. She lib right down dere next Bethel Church. She move ‘way from Miss Mullins house when Gus die. Coase I ain’ ne’er been in she house a’ter she move dere, but dey say she hab uh mighty restful place dere. Dat wha’ … Read more

Slave Narrative of Julia Woodberry

Interviewer: Annie Ruth Davis Person Interviewed: Julia Woodberry Date of Interview: November 1937 Location: Marion, South Carolina “Oh, my God a mercy, child, dat been a time when dat shake come here. I tell you, dat been somethin. I sho remember all bout dat cause I been a grown woman de year dat earthquake come here. Yes, mam, I gwine tell it to you just like I experience it. We had all just been get over wid us supper en little things dat night en I had washed Auntie en Mr. Rowell’s feet for dem to lie down en dere … Read more

Slave Narrative of Julia Woodberry

Interviewer: Annie Ruth Davis Person Interviewed: Julia Woodberry Date of Interview: November 1937 Location: Marion, South Carolina “No, mam, I ain’ thought bout nothin no more to tell you. Death been in de family en seems like I just been so worried up wid my daughter sick in de house dere wid de straw fever. De doctor, he say it de fever en dat all we know, but it acts like de straw fever all up en down. I tell dem chillun dere de other night dat I would have to go back en get my mind fixed up wid … Read more

Slave Narrative of Pauline Worth

Interviewer: Annie Ruth Davis Person Interviewed: Pauline Worth Date of Interview: September 1937 Location: Marion, South Carolina Date of Birth: November 1 Age: 79 “Yes’um, I know I been here in slavery time, but wasn’ large enough to do nothin in dat day en time. I reach 79 de first day of November. To be certain dat how old I is, Miss Betty Evans give me my direct age here de other day. She know who I am cause I was raise near bout in de same yard dat she was raise in. Mr. Telathy Henry family was my white … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mom Jessie Sparrow

Interviewer: Annie Ruth Davis Person Interviewed: Jessie Sparrow Date of Interview: December 1937 Location: Marion, South Carolina Age: 83 “No, I ain’ cold. I settin in de sun. Miss Ida, she went by here just now en call at me bout de door been open en lettin dat cold wind blow in on my back wid all de fire gone out. I tell her, it ain’ botherin me none, I been settin out in de sun. Well, I don’ feel much to speak bout, child, but I knockin round somehow. Miss Ida, she bring me dis paper to study on. … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mom Jessie Sparrow

Interviewer: Annie Ruth Davis Person Interviewed: Jessie Sparrow Date of Interview: May 1937 Location: Marion, South Carolina Age: 83 “Honey, my white folks been well-to-do peoples. Dey ain’ been no poor white trash. Dey hab ‘stonishing blood in dey vein. I been b’long to Massa Sam Stevenson wha’ lib right down dere ‘cross Ole Smith Swamp. Dey ain’ hab no chillun dey own, but dey is raise uh poor white girl dere, Betty. Dey gi’e (give) she eve’yt’ing she ha’e en dey school she too.” “De ole man, he mind ain’ been zactly right when he die. Dey say he … Read more