Raleigh North Carolina

Slave Narrative of Sarah Harris

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Sarah Harris Date of Interview: May 19, 1937 Location: North Carolina Date of Birth: April 1861 Age: 76 Sarah Harris is my name. I wuz borned April 1861, on the plantation of Master John William Walton. My father wuz name Frank Walton and my mother wuz name Flora Walton. My brothers wuz name Lang and Johnny. My sisters: Hannah, Mary, Ellen, Violet and Annie. My grandmother wuz name Ellen Walton. She wuz 104 years old when she died. My mother wuz 103 years old when she died; she has been dead 3 years. She … Read more

Slave Narrative of Harriet Ann Daves

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Harriet Ann Daves Location: 601 E. Cabarrus Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Date of Birth: June 6, 1856 My full name is Harriet Ann Daves, I like to be called Harriet Ann. If my mother called me when she was living, I didn’t want to answer her unless she called me Harriet Ann. I was born June 6, 1856. Milton Waddell, my mother’s marster was my father, and he never denied me to anybody. My mother was a slave but she was white. I do not know who my mother’s father was. My mother was … Read more

Frederick Cain Manning

2nd Lt. Trench Mortar, 4th Battln. Born in Wake County Oct. 19, 1894; son of James S. and Mrs. Lula Cain Manning. Entered service April, 1917, at Raleigh, N.C. Sent to Fortress Monroe, January, 1918. Transferred to Camp Eustus, July, 1918; from there to Camp Newport News, Oct. 7, 1918. Sailed for France and landed Oct. 20, 1918. Sent to Naval Base Hospital No. 1, Oct. 20, 1918. Died in hospital October 24th, from influenza-pneumonia. Buried at Lembecelle Cemetery. Later remains removed and buried at Raleigh, July 25, 1920.

Slave Narrative of Martha Adeline Hinton

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthew Person Interviewed: Martha Adeline Hinton Location: Raleigh, North Carolina Date of Birth: May 3, 1861 I wus born May 3, 1861 at Willis Thompson’s plantation in Wake County about fifteen miles from Raleigh. He wus my marster an’ his wife Muriel wus my missus. My father’s name wus Jack Emery an’ mother’s name was Minerva Emery. My mother belonged to Willis Thompson and my father belonged to Ephriam Emery. Mother stayed with my marster’s married daughter. She married Johnny K. Moore. Marster had three children, all girls; dere names wus Margaret, Caroline and Nancy. There wus … Read more

Slave Narrative of Lucy Ann Dunn

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Lucy Ann Dunn Location: 220 Cannon Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 90 Occupation: House girl Aunt Lucy’s Love Story An interview with 90 years old, 220 Cannon Street, Raleigh, N. C. My pappy, Dempsey, my mammy, Rachel an’ my brothers an’ sisters an’ me all belonged ter Marse Peterson Dunn of Neuse, here in Wake County. Dar wus five of us chilluns, Allen, Charles, Corina, Madora an’ me, all borned before de war. My mammy wus de cook, an’ fur back as I ‘members almost, I wus a house girl. I fanned flies offen … Read more

Slave Narrative of Midge Burnett

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Midge Burnett Location: 1300 S. Bloodworth Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 80 Plantation Life In Georgia An interview with Midge Burnett, 80 years old, of 1300 S. Bloodworth Street, Raleigh, North Carolina. I wus borned in Georgia eighty years ago, de son of Jim an’ Henretta Burnett an’ de slave of Marse William Joyner. I wurked on de farm durin’ slavery times, among de cotton, corn, an’ sugar cane. De wurk wusn’t so hard an’ we had plenty of time ter have fun an’ ter git inter meanness, dat’s why Marse William had ter … Read more

Slave Narrative of Joe High

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Joe High Location: Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 80 Occupation: Gardner Joe High interviewed May 18, 1937 has long been one of the best independent gardners in Raleigh, working variously by the hour or day. My name is Joe High. I lives at 527 So. Haywood. St. Raleigh, N. C. Now dere is one thing I want to know, is dis thing goin’ to cost me anything. Hold on a minute, and le’ me see. I want to be square, and I must be square. Now le’ me see, le’ me see sumpin’. Sometimes folks … Read more

Slave Narrative of Frank Freeman

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Frank Freeman Location: 216 Tuppers Lane, Raleigh, North Carolina Date of Birth: December 14, 1857 Place of Birth: Wake County NC Age: 76 I was born near Rolesville in Wake County Christmas Eve, 24 of December 1857. I am 76 years old. My name is Frank Freeman and my wife’s name is Mary Freeman. She is 78 years old. We live at 216 Tuppers Lane, Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina. I belonged to ole man Jim Wiggins jus’ this side o’ Roseville, fourteen miles from Raleigh. The great house is standin’ there now, and … Read more

Slave Narrative of W. Solomon Debnam

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: W. S. Debnam Location: 701 Smith Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 78 Yes, I remember the Yankees coming to Raleigh. I don’t know very much about those times, I was so young, but I remember the Yankees all right in their blue clothes; their horses, and so on. I’ll be 78 years old the 8th of this comin’ September an’ I’ve heard mother an’ father talk about slavery time a whole lot. We belonged to T. R. Debnam at Eagle Rock, Wake County. His wife was named Priscilla Debnam. My father was named Daniel … Read more

Slave Narrative of Charles W. Dickens

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Charles W. Dickens Location: Raleigh, North Carolina (1115 East Lenoir Street) My name is Charles W. Dickens. I lives at 1115 East Lenoir Street, Raleigh, North Carolina, Wake County. I wuz born August 16, 1861, de year de war started. My mother wuz named Ferebee Dickens. My father wuz named John Dickens. I had nine sisters and brothers. My brothers were named Allen, Douglas, my name [HW: question mark above “my name”], Jake, Johnnie and Jonas. The girls Katie, Matilda Francis, and Emily Dickens. My grandmother wuz named Charity Dickens. My grandfather wuz Dudley … Read more

Slave Narrative of Emma Blalock

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Emma Blalock Location: 529 Bannon Avenue, Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 88 I shore do ‘member de Yankees wid dere blue uniforms wid brass buttons on ’em. I wus too small to work any but I played in de yard wid my oldes’ sister, Katie. She is dead long ago. My mother belonged to ole man John Griffith an’ I belonged to him. His plantation wus down here at Auburn in Wake County. My father wus named Edmund Rand. He belonged to Mr. Nat Rand. He lived in Auburn. De plantations wus not fur apart. … Read more

Slave Narrative of Fannie Dunn

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Fannie Dunn Location: 222 Heck Street, Raleigh, North Carolina I don’t ‘zakly know my age, but I knows and ‘members when de Yankees come through Wake County. I wus a little girl an’ wus so skeered I run an hid under de bed. De Yankees stopped at de plantation an’ along de road fur a rest. I ‘members I had diphtheria an’ a Yankee doctor come an’ mopped my throat. Dey had to pull me outen under de bed so he could doctor me. One Yankee would come along an’ give us sumptin’ an … Read more

Slave Narrative of Reverend Squire Dowd

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Rev. Squire Dowd Location: 202 Battle Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Date of Birth: April 3, 1855 [HW: language not negro, very senternous & interesting.] [TR: The above comment is crossed out.] Reverend Squire Dowd 202 Battle Street Raleigh, N. C. My name is Squire Dowd, and I was born April 3, 1855. My mother’s name was Jennie Dowd. My father’s name was Elias Kennedy. My mother died in Georgia at the age of 70, and my father died in Moore County at the age of 82. I attended his funeral. My sister and her … Read more

Slave Narrative of Herndon Bogan

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Herndon Bogan Location: State Prison, Raleigh, North Carolina Place of Birth: Union County, South Carolina Age: 76 (?) Occupation: Houseboy, Night Watch Railroad Tracks An interview with Herndon Bogan, 76 (?) of State Prison, Raleigh, N. C. I wus bawned in Union County, South Carolina on de plantation o’ Doctor Bogan, who owned both my mammy Issia, an’ my pap Edwin. Dar wus six o’ us chilluns; Clara, Lula, Joe, Tux, Mack an’ me. I doan’ member much ’bout slavery days ‘cept dat my white folkses wus good ter us. Dar wus a heap … Read more

Slave Narrative of Aleck Woodward

Interviewer: W. W. Dixon Person Interviewed: Aleck Woodward Location: South Carolina Age: 83 “You knows de Simonton place, Mr. Wood? Well, dats just where I was born back yonder befo’ de war, a slave of old Marster Johnnie Simonton. Five miles sorter south sunset side of Woodward Station where you was born, ain’t it so? My pappy was Ike Woodward, but him just call ‘Ike’ time of slavery, and my mammy was name Dinah. My brother Charlie up north, if he ain’t dead, Ike lives in Asheville, North Carolina. Two sisters: Ollie, her marry an Aiken, last counts, and she … Read more

Slave Narrative of Elbert Hunter

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Elbert Hunter Date of Interview: May 19, 1937 Location: Method, North Carolina Date of Birth: 1844 Age: 93 I wuz borned eight miles from Raleigh on de plantation of Mr. Jacob Hunter in 1844. My parents were Stroud and Lucy an’ my brothers wuz Tom, Jeems an’ Henderson. I had three sisters who wuz named Caroline, Emiline an’ Ann. Massa Hunter wuz good to us, an’ young Massa Knox wuz good too. My mammy wuz de cook an’ my pappy wuz a field hand. Massa ain’t ‘lowed no patterollers on his place, but one … Read more

Slave Narrative of Julia Crenshaw

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Julia Crenshaw Location: North Carolina As Julia Crenshaw recalled her mother’s story. My mammy wuz named Jane an’ my pappy wuz named Richard. Dey belonged ter Lawyer R. J. Lewis in Raleigh, dar whar Peace Institute am ter day. Mammy said dat de white folkses wuz good ter dem an’ gib ’em good food an’ clothes. She wuz de cook, an’ fer thirty years atter de war she cooked at Peace. Before de Yankees come Mr. Lewis said, dat he dreamed dat de yard wuz full uv dem an’ he wuz deef. When dey … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jones, Julia, Mrs.

Mrs. Julia Jones, daughter of Judge C. C. Dyer, was born in Fort Bend County in 1839. Her father was a native of Tennessee and was born at Dyersburg January 29, 1799, and came to Texas with William Stafford in 1824. In this same year he married Sarah Stafford, who was born February 5, 1809, near Raleigh, North Carolina, Judge Dyer had twelve in family six boys and six girls. He lived to quite an old age, served as county judge of Fort Bend County, and died in 1864 on his farm on the east side of the Brazos River, … Read more

Charles M. Sappenfield

Student Army Training School, A & E. Training School, Raleigh, N.C., Private. Enlisted Oct. 5, 1918; was discharged Dec. 6, 1918, at Raleigh, N.C.

Slave Narrative of Barbara Haywood

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Barbara Haywood Location: 1111 Mark Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 85 Aunt Barbara’s Love Story An interview with Barbara Haywood, 85 years old. Address 1111 Mark Street, Raleigh, North Carolina. Anything dat I tells you will near ’bout all be ’bout Frank Haywood, my husban’. I wus borned on de John Walton place seben miles southeast of Raleigh. My father, Handy Sturdivant, belonged to somebody in Johnston County but mother an’ her chilluns ‘longed ter Marse John Walton. Marse John had a corn shuckin’ onct an’ at dat corn shuckin’ I fust saw Frank. … Read more