Wake County NC

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 Robert Glenn

Interviewer: T. Pat. Matthews Person Interviewed: Robert Glenn Location: 207 Idlewild Avenue, Raleigh, North Carolina Date of Birth: Sept. 16, 1850 Location of Birth: Orange County NC Age: 87 I was a slave before and during the Civil War. I am 87 years old. I was born Sept. 16, 1850. I was born in Orange County, North Carolina near Hillsboro. At that time Durham was just a platform at the station and no house there whatever. The platform was lighted with a contraption shaped like a basket and burning coal that gave off a blaze. There were holes in this … Read more

Slave Narrative of Willis Cozart

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Willis Cozart Date of Interview: May 12, 1937 Location: Zebulon, North Carolina Place of Birth: Pearson County NC Date of Birth: June 11, 1845 Age: 92 An Interview by Mary A. Hicks with Willis Cozart of Zebulon, (Wake Co. N. C.) Age 92. May 12, 1937. No mam, Mistress, I doan want ter ride in no automobile, thank you, I’se done walked these three miles frum Zebulon an’ walkin’ is what has kept me goin’ all dese years. Yes’m I’se a bachelor an’ I wuz borned on June 11, 1845 in Person County. My … Read more

Slave Narrative of Andrew Boone

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Andrew Boone Location: Wake County, North Carolina. Harris Farm. Age: 90 years Occupation: Worked in show business I been living in dese backer barns fifteen years. I built this little shelter to cook under. Dey cut me off the WPA cause dey said I wus too ole to work. Dey tole us ole folks we need not put down our walkin’ sticks to git work cause dey jes’ won’t goin’ to put us on. Well, I had some tomatoes cooked widout any grease for my breakfast. I had a loaf of bread yesterday, but … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mattie Curtis

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Mattie Curtis Location: Raleigh, North Carolina Location of Birth: Orange County NC Age: 98 Occupation: Sewing Before And After The War An interview with Mattie Curtis, 98 years old, of Raleigh, North Carolina, Route # 4. I wus borned on de plantation of Mr. John Hayes in Orange County ninety-eight years ago. Seberal of de chilluns had been sold ‘fore de speculator come an’ buyed mammy, pappy an’ we three chilluns. De speculator wus named Bebus an’ he lived in Henderson, but he meant to sell us in de tobacco country. We come through … Read more

Lawrence Newton Davis

Hdqrs. Co., Intelligence Dept. 20; of Wake County; son of J. A. and Mrs. May Davis. Husband of Mrs. Leila R. Davis. Entered service May 25, 1918, at Raleigh, N.C. Sent to Camp Sevier, Greenville, S. C. Served under Intelligence Dept. Div. Postal Service. Mustered out at Camp Sevier, Greenville, S. C., Dec. 1, 1918.

Slave Narrative of Mary Barbour

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Mary Barbour Location: 801 S. Bloodworth Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Place of Birth: McDowell County NC Age: 81 Ex-Slave Story An interview with Mary Barbour 81 of 801 S. Bloodworth Street, Raleigh, N. C. I reckon dat I wuz borned in McDowell County, case dat’s whar my mammy, Edith, lived. She ‘longed ter Mr. Jefferson Mitchel dar, an’ my pappy ‘longed ter er Mr. Jordan in Avery County, so he said. ‘Fore de war, I doan know nothin’ much ‘cept dat we lived on a big plantation an’ dat my mammy wucked hard, but … Read more

Biography of Joseph Addison Pope

Joseph Addison Pope. He whose name heads this sketch has been familiar with farm life from his earliest boyhood, and as a follower of this the most useful of callings, he has at all times shown good judgment, and has been successful. He was born in Wake County, N. C., in 1820, in which State his parents, Simon and Martha (Cole) Pope, were also born, the birth of the father occurring in 1793. They made their home in the Old North State until about 1824, then removed to west Tennessee, and both parents died in Benton County in 1840. They … Read more

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

Slave Narrative of Mandy Coverson

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Mandy Coverson Location: 103 South Wilmington Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Location of Birth: Union County NC Age: 78 Ex-Slave Story An interview with Mandy Coverson, 78, of 103 South Wilmington Street, Raleigh. I wuz borned in Union County to Sarah an’ Henderson Tomberlin. My mother belonged to Mr. Moses Coverson, an’ my pappy belonged to Mr. Jackie Tom Tomberlin. I stayed wid my mammy, of course, an’ Marster Moses wuz good ter me. Dey warn’t so good ter my mammy, case dey makes her wuck frum sunup till sundown in de hot summertime, an’ … Read more

Biography of Joseph Addison

JOSEPH ADDISON POPE. He whose name heads this sketch has been familiar with farm life from his earliest boyhood, and as a follower of this the most useful of callings, he has at all times shown good judgment, and has been successful. He was born in Wake County, N. C., in 1820, in which State his parents, Simon and Martha (Cole) Pope, were also born, the birth of the father occurring in 1793. They made their home in the Old North State until about 1824, then removed to west Tennessee, and both parents died in Benton County in 1840. They … Read more

Slave Narrative of Charlie Crump

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Charlie Crump Location: Cary, North Carolina Place of Birth: Evan’s Ferry, Lee or Chatham County, North Carolina Age: 82 Occupation: Farmer An interview with Charlie Crump 82 of Cary (near) I wuz borned at Evan’s Ferry in Lee or Chatham County, an’ I belonged ter Mr. Davis Abernathy an’ his wife Mis’ Vick. My pappy wuz named Ridge, an’ my mammy wuz named Marthy. My brothers wuz Stokes an’ Tucker, an’ my sisters wuz Lula an’ Liddy Ann. Dar wuz nine o’ us in all, but some o’ dem wuz sold, an’ some o’ … Read more

John W. Fleming

Sergt., Med. Dept., USA Gen. Hospital No. 6; of Wake County; son of A. B. and Mrs. Annie Fleming. Entered service June 17, 1918, at Raleigh, N.C. Sent to Ft. McPherson, Ga. Promoted to Sergt. Nov., 1918. Mustered out at Ft. McPherson, Aug. 16, 1919.

Dr. Henry Otis Lineberger

Captain, Dental Corps, Base Hospital No. 65. Born in Wake County; the son of Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Lineberger. Entered the service at Raleigh, N.C., Feb. 10, 1918. Was sent to camp at Philadelphia, Pa., and transferred to Ft. McPherson, Ga. Promoted to rank of Capt. June 10, 1918. Sailed overseas Sept. 13, 1918. Returned to the USA Aug. 6, 1919, and mustered out at Camp Lee, Va., Aug. 27, 1919.

Slave Narrative of Martha Allen

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Martha Allen Location: 1318 South Person Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Place of Birth: Craven County NC Age: 78 Ex-Slave Story An interview with Martha Allen, 78, of 1318 South Person Street, Raleigh. I wuz borned in Craven County seventy eight years ago. My pappa wuz named Andrew Bryant an’ my mammy wuz named Harriet. My brothers wuz John Franklin, Alfred, an’ Andrew. I ain’t had no sisters. I reckon dat we is what yo’ call a general mixture case I am part Injun, part white, an’ part nigger. My mammy belonged ter Tom Edward … 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

Slave Narrative of Hannah Crasson

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Hannah Crasson Location: North Carolina Location of Birth: Wake County NC Age: 84 My name is Hannah Crasson. I wuz born on John William Walton’s plantation 4 miles from Garner and 13 miles from Raleigh, N. C. in the County of Wake. I am 84 years ole the 2nd day uv dis las’ gone March. I belonged to Mr. John William Walton in slavery time. My missus wuz named Miss Martha. My father wuz named Frank Walton. My mother wuz named Flora Walton. Grandma wuz 104 years when she died. She died down at … 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 Robert Hinton

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Robert Hinton Location: 420 Smith Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Date of Birth: 1856 My name is Robert Hinton. I ain’t able to work, ain’t been able to do any work in five years. My wife, Mary Hinton, supports me by workin’ with the WPA. She was cut off las’ May. Since she has had no job, we have to live on what she makes with what little washin’ she gets from de white folks; an’ a little help from charity; dis ain’t much. Dey give you for one week, one half peck meal, one … Read more