South Carolina

Slave Narrative of Samuel Simeon Andrews

Interviewer: Rachel A. Austin Person Interviewed: Samuel Simeon Andrews Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 86 For almost 30 years Edward Waters College, an African Methodist Episcopal School, located on the north side of Kings Road in the western section of Jacksonville, has employed as watchman, Samuel Simeon Andrews (affectionately called “Parson”), a former slave of A.J. Lane of Georgia, Lewis Ripley of Beaufort, South Carolina, Ed Tillman of Dallas, Texas, and John Troy of Union Springs, Alabama. “Parson” was born November 18, 1850 in Macon, Georgia, at a place called Tatum Square, where slaves were held, housed and sold. “Speculators” (persons … Read more

Biography of Nathaniel G. Tracy

It is a pleasure to chronicle the history of a man whose life has been one of honor and usefulness, and although he is considerably past the zenith of his career, Mr. Tracy has accumulated sufficient means to enable him to enjoy most thoroughly the comforts and conveniences of life and the society of his numerous friends. Although he has attained the age of sixty-six years he still keeps up the active and industrious life that brought him in such substantial rewards, and many men much younger than he display less activity, mentally and physically than does Mr. Tracy. He … Read more

Biography of John E. Ball

JOHN E. BALL. One of the progressive farmers of Howell County, Missouri, is John E. Ball, who was born in Abbeville District, S. C., in 1850, a son of James Wilburn and Mary (Mosley) Ball, who were born in the Palmetto State November9, 1817 and 1807, respectively. About 1859 they came to what is now Clay County, Arkansas, by wagon, and there the remainder of their lives were spent, she dying in 1865 and he in 1872. They were farmers by occupation and for some time during the Civil War the father of the subject of this sketch served in … Read more

Slave Narrative of Patience Campbell

Interviewer: James Johnson Person Interviewed: Patience Campbell Location: Monticello, Florida Patience Campbell, blind for 26 years, was-born in Jackson County, near Marianna, Florida about 1883 (sic) on a farm of George Bullock. Her mother Tempy, belonged to Bullock, while her father Arnold Merritt, belonged to Edward Merritt, a large plantation owner. According to Patience, her mother’s owner was very kind, her father’s very cruel. Bullock had very few slaves, but Merritt had a great many of them, not a few of whom he sold at the slave markets. Patience spent most of her time playing in the sand when she … Read more

Slave Narrative of Matilda Brooks

Interviewer: Alfred Farrell Person Interviewed: Matilda Brooks Location: Monticello, Florida Age: 79 A Governor’s Slave Matilda Brooks, 79, who lives in Monticello, Fla., was once a slave of a South Carolina governor. Mrs. Brooks was born in 1857 or 1858 in Edgefield, S.C. Her parents were Hawkins and Harriet Knox, and at the time of the birth of their daughter were slaves on a large plantation belonging to Governor Frank Pickens. On this plantation were raised cotton, corn, potatoes, tobacco, peas, wheat and truck products. As soon as Matilda was large enough to go into the fields she helped her … Read more

Slave Narrative of George Pretty

Interviewer: Viola B. Muse Person Interviewed: George Pretty Location: Vero Beach and Gifford, Florida Age: 84 George Pretty of Vero Beach and Gifford, Florida, was born a free man, at Altoona, Pennsylvania, January 30, 1852. His father Isaac Pretty was also free born. His maternal grand-father Alec McCoy and his paternal grand-father George Pretty were born slaves who lived in the southern part of Pennsylvania. He does not know how his father came to be born free but knows that he was told that from early childhood. In Altoona, according to George, there were no slaves during his life there … Read more

Slave Narrative of Dave Taylor

Interviewer: Jules A. Frost Person Interviewed: Dave Taylor Location: Tampa, Florida A Marine In Ebony From a Virginia plantation to Florida, through perils of Indian war-fare; shanghaied on a Government vessel and carried ’round the world; shipwrecked and dropped into the lap of romance – these are only a few of the colorful pages from the unwritten diary of old Uncle Dave, ex-slave and soldier of fortune. The reporter found the old man sitting on the porch of his Iber City shack, thoughtfully chewing tobacco and fingering his home-made cane. At first he answered in grumpy monosyllables, but by the … Read more

Slave Narrative of William Sherman

Interviewer: J. M. Johnson Person Interviewed: William Sherman Location: Chaseville, Florida In Chaseville, Florida, about twelve miles from Jacksonville on the south side of the Saint Johns River lives William Sherman (locally pronounced Schumann,) a former slave of Jack Davis, nephew of President Jefferson Davis of the Confederacy. William Sherman was born on the plantation of Jack Davis, about five miles from Robertsville, South Carolina, at a place called “Black Swamp,” June 12, 1842, twenty-three years prior to Emancipation. His father who was also named William Sherman, was a free man, having bought his freedom for eighteen hundred dollars from … Read more

Slave Narrative of Anna Scott

Interviewer: Viola B. Muse Person Interviewed: Anna Scott Location: Jacksonville, Florida Anna Scott, an ex-slave who now lives in Jacksonville near the intersection of Moncrief and Edgewood Avenues, was a member of one of the first colonization groups that went to the West coast of Africa following the emancipation of the slaves in this country. The former slave was born at Dove City, South Carolina, on Jan. 28, 1846, of a half-breed Cherokee-and-Negro mother and Anglo-Saxon father. Her father owned the plantation adjoining that of her master. When she reached the adolescent age Anna was placed under the direct care … Read more

Slave Narrative of Charley Roberts

Person Interviewed: Charley Roberts Location: Dade County, Florida Charley Roberys of Perrine, Florida, was born on the Hogg plantation near Allendale, S. C. “Yes, sah, I’ members de vary day when we first heard that we was free. I was mindin’ the little calf, keepin’ it away from the cow while my mother was milkin’. “We have to milk the cows and carry the milk to the Confederate soldiers quartered near us. “At that time, I can ‘member of the soldiers comin’ ‘cross the Savannah River. They would go to the plantations and take all the cows, hogs, sheep, or … Read more

Slave Narrative of Rivana Boynton

Person Interviewed: Rivana Boynton Location: Dade County, Florida Rivana-Williams Boynton was born on John and Mollie Hoover’s plantation near Ulmers, S.C. being 15 years of age when the ‘mancipation came. “Our Boss man, he had planty of salves. We lived in a log houses. My father was an Indian and he ran away to war, but I don’t ‘member anything of my mother. She was sold and taken away ‘fore I ever knew of her. I ‘member that I had to thin cotton in the fields and mind the flies in the house. I had a leafy branch that was … Read more

Biography of Zimri A. Carter

This gentleman was a pioneer in the fullest sense of the term, for he came to Carter County with his father, Benjamin F. Carter, in the year 1813, and settled with him on the land where Chilton is now located, nine miles south of VanBuren. The country was in a wild state at that time, Indians roamed the mead, and wild animals were numerous. The Carter family came from the Palmetto State and Benjamin Carter was about the first white man to settle in the county. He became a farmer and stock-raiser and met with unusual success in these occupations. … Read more

Biography of M. L. Aderhalt

M. L. ADERHALT. This gentleman is one of the most extensive farmers and stock-men of Boone County, Arkansas, and although he resides in Harrison he operates a farm about two miles south of that place. He has made his home in this county since 1867, but was born in the Old North State April 17, 1843, being the third of seven children born to M. E. and Mary E. (Rudisill) Aderhalt, the former of whom is still engaged in farming in his native county of Gaston, N. C. His father, Jacob Aderhalt, came from Germany and settled in North Carolina … Read more

Biography of Holmes Dysinger, Rev.

Rev. Holmes Dysinger has for the past twelve years been connected with the Western Theological Seminary of the Lutheran Church at Atchison, and since 1910 had been dean of the seminary. He had spent more than thirty years in the work of the church as a minister and as an educator, and had been connected with prominent schools and pastorates in nearly all parts of the country. Mr. Dysinger is of an old Pennsylvania family and was born at Mifflin, that state, March 26, 1853. The Dysingers’ original home was in Southern Germany. They came across the ocean and settled … Read more

Slave Narrative of Henry Maxwell

Interviewer: Alfred Farrell Person Interviewed: Henry Maxwell Location: Titusville, Florida Age:  77? Occupation: Field Worker “Up from Slavery” might well be called this short biographical sketch of Henry Maxwell, who first saw the light of day on October 17, 1859 in Lownes County, Georgia. His mother Ann, was born in Virginia, and his father, Robert, was born in South Carolina. Captain Peters, Ann’s owner, bought Robert Maxwell from Charles Howell as a husband for Ann. To this union were born seven children, two girls – Elizabeth and Rosetta – and five boys – Richard, Henry, Simms, Solomon and Sonnie. After … Read more

Slave Narrative of Randall Lee

Interviewer: Viola B. Muse Person Interviewed: Randall Lee Location: Palatka, Florida Randall Lee of 500 Branson Street, Palatka, Florida, was born at Camden, South Carolina about seventy-seven years ago, maybe longer. He was the son of Robert and Delhia Lee, who during slavery were Robert and Delhia Miller, taking the name of their master, as was the custom. His master was Doctor Miller and his mistress was Mrs. Camilla Miller. He does not know his master’s given name as no other name was ever heard around the plantation except Doctor Miller. Randall was a small boy when the war between … Read more

Slave Narrative of Della Bess Hilyard

Interviewer: Alfred Farrell Person Interviewed: Della Bess Hilyard (“Aunt Bess”) Location: Titusville, Florida Della Bess Hilyard, or “Aunt Bess” as she is better known, was born in Darlington, South Carolina in 1858, the daughter of Resier and Zilphy Hart, slaves of Gus Hiwards. Both her parents were cotton pickers and as a little girl Della often went with her parents into the fields. One day she stated that the Yankees came through South Carolina with Knapsacks on their shoulders. It wasn’t until later that she learned the reason. When asked if she received any educational training, “Aunt Bess” replied in … Read more

Slave Narrative of Harriett Gresham

Interviewer: Pearl Randolph Person Interviewed: Harriett Gresham Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 98 Occupation: Field Worker Born on December 6, 1838, Harriett Gresham can recall quite clearly the major events of her life as a slave, also the Civil War as it affected the slaves of Charleston and Barnwell, South Carolina. She was one of a group of mulattoes belonging to Edmond Bellinger, a wealthy plantation owner of Barnwell. With her mother, the plantation seamstress and her father, a driver, she lived in the “big house” quarters, and was known as a “house nigger.” She played with the children of her … Read more

Biography of Hon. Peter G. Stewart

HON. PETER G. STEWART. – Peter Grant Stewart was born on the 6th of September, 1809, in Stanford, Delaware County, New York. When eight years of age he moved to Jefferson, Scohane County, where he received a common-school education, and learned the trade of a watchmaker. He followed the occupation of watchmaker and jeweler in Middlebury until the spring of 1838, when, with a selected stock of watches, jewelry, etc., he started for the West, going by way of Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Toledo and Fort Wayne to Mount Vernon, Indiana, and from there to Morganfield, Union County, Kentucky, where he … Read more

Biography of Mary Morrall Darling

Mrs. Mary Morrall Darling is the daughter of Wamego’s pioneer physician, Dr. Albert Morrall, and she is now living in the same house where she was born May 14, 1872. The Morralls were English people and were colonial settlers in the Carolinas. Her great-great-grandfather was Daniel Morrall who married Lydia Savanen. Her great-grandfather was John Morrall. Her grandfather, George Washington Morrall, was born at Georgetown, South Carolina, August 17, 1786, became an attorney by profession, and practiced at Grahamville and at Beaufort, South Carolina, dying in the latter city February 22, 1836. He married Phoebe Jenkins Tripp, who was born … Read more