Wake County NC

Slave Narrative of Zeb Crowder

Interviewer: T. Pat MatthewsPerson Interviewed: Zeb CrowderLocation: 323 E. Cabarrus Street, North Carolina I wont nuthin’ in slavery time and I aint nuthin’ now. All de work I am able ter do now is a little work in de garden. Dey say I is too ole ter work, so charity gives me a little ter go upon every week. For one weeks ‘lowance o’ sumptin’ ter eat dey gives me, hold on, I will show you, dat beats guessin’. Here it is: 1/2 peck meal (corn meal), 2 lbs oat meal, 2 lb dry skim milk, and 1 lb plate … Read more

Slave Narrative of Bill Crump

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Bill Crump Location: Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 82 I reckon dat I wus borned in Davidson County on de plantation of Mr. Whitman Smith, my mammy’s marster. My daddy wus named Tom an’ he ‘longed ter Mr. Ben Murry fust an’ later ter Mr. Jimmy Crump. Daddy wus named atter his young marster. Dey lived in Randolph, de county next ter Davidson whar me mammy an’ de rest of de chilluns, Alt, George, Harriet, Sarah, Mary an’ de baby libed. Both of de marsters wus good ter us, an’ dar wus plenty ter eat … 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

Narrative – Lunsford Lane

The small city of Raleigh, North Carolina, it is known, is the capital of the State, situated in the interior, and containing about thirty six hundred inhabitants. Here lived MR. SHERWOOD HAYWOOD, a man of considerable respectability, a planter, and the cashier of a bank. He owned three plantations, at the distances respectively of seventy-five, thirty, and three miles from his residence in Raleigh. He owned in all about two hundred and fifty slaves, among the rest my mother, who was a house servant to her master, and of course a resident in the city. My father was a slave … 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 Jane Arrington

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Jane Arrington Location: 301 Fowle Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Date of Birth: December 18, 1852 Age: 84 I ort to be able to tell sumpin cause I wus twelve years old when dey had de surrender right up here in Raleigh. If I live to see dis coming December I will be eighty five years old. I was born on the 18th of December 1852. I belonged to Jackson May of Nash County. I wus born on de plantation near Tar River. Jackson May never married until I wus of a great big girl. … 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 John Beckwith

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: John Beckwith Location: Cary, North Carolina Age: 83 When The Yankees Came An Interview with John Beckwith 83, of Cary. I reckon dat I wuz ’bout nine years old at de surrender, but we warn’t happy an’ we stayed on dar till my parents died. My pappy wuz named Green an’ my mammy wuz named Molly, an’ we belonged ter Mr. Joe Edwards, Mr. Marion Gully, an’ Mr. Hilliard Beckwith, as de missus married all of ’em. Dar wuz twenty-one other slaves, an’ we got beat ever’ onct in a while. When dey told … Read more

Foster C. Davis

Bugler, Inf., Mach. Gun Co., 30th Div., 120th Reg. Born in Wake county; son of Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Davis. Entered the service June 2, 1917, at Wake Forest, N.C. Sent to Camp Sevier. Sailed for France May 25th, 1918. Bugler when entered service. Fought at Ypres, Bellicourt, Hindenburg Line. Was on guard duty when killed during the Hindenburg Drive, Oct. 10, 1919. He was a survivor of a torpedoed British ship. He was the author of “A Call of the Wanderlust.”

Joseph B. Woodleaf

Private 1st Class, Co. F, 42nd Div., 165th Reg.; of Wake County; son of Henry C. and Mrs. Pattie Irene Woodleaf; born April 12, 1894. Entered service May 25, 1918, at Wake Forest, N.C. Sent to Camp Jackson, then to Camp Sevier, then to Camp Upton. Sailed for France July 31, 1918. Fought at St. Mihiel and Argonne Forest. Killed at Argonne Forest Oct. 17, 1918. Buried in France where he fell.

Slave Narrative of George Eatman

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: George Eatman Date of Interview: May 18, 1937 Location: Cary, North Carolina, R. #1 Age: 93 I belonged ter Mr. Gus Eatman who lived at de ole Templeton place on de Durham highway back as fer as I can ‘member. I doan r’member my mammy an’ pappy case dey wuz sold ‘fore I knowed anything. I raised myself an’ I reckon dat I done a fair job uv it. De marster an’ missus wuz good to dere twenty-five slaves an’ we ain’t neber got no bad whuppin’s. I doan ‘member much playin’ an’ such … Read more

R. T. Thompson

Seaman, U. S. Navy; of Wake County; born Aug. 13, 1896; son of T. L. and Mrs. Margaret R. Thompson. Entered service June 1, 1918, at Wake Forest, N.C. Sent to St. Helena, Va., then to U. S. S. Kiowa, seven months; on U. S. S. Kroonland five months. Was in Army at Ft. Oglethorpe three months. Enlisted in Army May 3, 1917. Made seven trips across Atlantic. Mustered out at Newport News, Va., July 1, 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

Earl O. Hodge

Seaman, 1st Class, U. S. N.; from the County of Wake, N.C.; the son of J. W. and Margaret Hodge. Entered the service at Raleigh, N.C., June 9, 1918. Sent to Norfolk, Va. Transferred to U. S. S. “Powhatan,” a transport ship and then to receiving ship at Hampton Roads, Va. Made 10 trips across on transport duty. Mustered out of the service at Hampton Roads, Va., Sept. 10, 1919.

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 Aunt Laura Bell

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Laura Bell Location: 2 Bragg Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 73 An interview with Laura Bell, 73 years old, of 2 Bragg Street, Raleigh, North Carolina. Being informed that Laura Bell was an old slavery Negro, I went immediately to the little two-room shack with its fallen roof and shaky steps. As I approached the shack I noticed that the storm had done great damage to the chaney-berry tree in her yard, fallen limbs litterin’ the ground, which was an inch deep in garbage and water. The porch was littered with old planks and … 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

Cecil L. Stearns

Sergt. 1st Class, Engineers, Co. B, 57th Regt.; of Wake County; son of E. C. and Mrs. Clara B. Stearns. Entered service May 5, 1918, at Florence, S. C. Sent to Ft. Scriven, Ga., transferred to Camp Laurel, Md. Sailed for Brest, France, July 12, 1918. Promoted to rank of Sergt. Jan. 31, 1919. Was in Army of Occupation, Remagen, Geron river patrol, from Jan. 14, 1919, to Oct. 14, 1919. Returned to USA Oct. 27, 1919, Hoboken. Mustered out at Camp Gordon, Ga., Nov. 5, 1919.

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 Sarah Louise Augustus

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Sarah Louise Augustus Location: 1424 Lane Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 80 Age 80 years 1424 Lane Street Raleigh, North Carolina I wus born on a plantation near Fayetteville, N. C., and I belonged to J. B. Smith. His wife wus named Henrietta. He owned about thirty slaves. When a slave was no good he wus put on the auction block in Fayetteville and sold. My father wus named Romeo Harden and my mother wus named Alice Smith. The little cabin where I wus born is still standing. There wus seven children in marster’s … Read more