Slave Narrative

Slave Narrative of Alec Bostwick

Person Interviewed: Alec Bostwick Location: Georgia All of Uncle Alec Bostwick’s people are dead and he lives in his tiny home with a young Negress named Emma Vergal. It was a beautiful April morning when his visitor arrived and while he was cordial enough he seemed very reluctant about talking. However, as one question followed another his interest gradually overcame his hesitancy and he began to unfold his life’s story. “I wuz born in Morgan County, an’ I warn’t mo’ dan four year old when de War ended so I don’t ricollect nothin’ ’bout slav’ry days. I don’t know much … Read more

Slave Narrative of Willis Cofer

Interviewer: Grace McCune Person Interviewed: Willis Cofer Location: Athens, Georgia Willis was enjoying the warm sunshine of an April morning as he sat on his small porch. Apparently, he was pleased because someone actually wanted to hear him talk about himself. His rheumatism had been painful ever since that last bad cold had weakened him, but he felt sure the sunshine would “draw out all the kinks.” Having observed the amenities in regard to health and weather, the old man proceeded with his story: “Eden and Calline Cofer was my pa and ma and us all lived on de big … Read more

Slave Narrative of James Bolton

Interviewer: Sarah H. Hall Person Interviewed: James Bolton Location: Athens, Georgia Age: 85 “It never was the same on our plantation atter we done laid Mistess away,” said James Bolton, 85 year old mulatto ex-slave. “I ain’t never forget when Mistess died—she had been so good to every nigger on our plantation. When we got sick, Mistess allus had us tended to. The niggers on our plantation all walked to church to hear her funeral sermon and then walked to the graveyard to the buryin’.” James, shrivelled and wrinkled, with his bright eyes taking in everything on one of his … Read more

Slave Narrative of Ellen Claibourn

Interviewer: Mrs. Margaret Johnson Person Interviewed: Ellen Claibourn Location: Augusta, Georgia Ellen was born August 19, 1852, on the plantation of Mr. Hezie Boyd in Columbia County, her father being owned by Mr. Hamilton on an adjoining plantation. She remembers being given, at the age of seven, to her young mistress, Elizabeth, who afterward was married to Mr. Gabe Hendricks. At her new home she served as maid, and later as nurse. The dignity of her position as house servant has clung to her through the years, forming her speech in a precision unusual in her race. “I ‘member all … Read more

Slave Narrative of Rias Body

Interviewer: J. R. Jones Date of Interview: July 24, 1936 Person Interviewed: Rias Body Place of birth: Harris County, near Waverly Hall, Georgia Date of birth: April 9, 1846 Present residence: 1419-24th Street, Columbus, Georgia Rias Body was born the slave property of Mr. Ben Body, a Harris County planter. He states that he was about fifteen years old when the Civil War started and, many years ago, his old time white folks told him that April 9, 1846, was the date of his birth. The “patarolers,” according to “Uncle” Rias, were always quite active in ante-bellum days. The regular … Read more

Slave Narrative of Henry Bland

Interviewer: Edwin Driskell Person Interviewed: Henry Bland Location: Georgia Age: 80’s Henry Bland is one of the few living ex-slaves who was born on a plantation near Edenton, Ga., in 1851. His parents were Martha and Sam Coxton. In this family group were three other children, two girls and one boy, who was the oldest. When questioned regarding the birthplace and the movements of his parents, Mr. Bland stated that his father was born in Hancock County, Ga. His mother along with her mother was brought to Georgia by the speculator with a drove of other slaves. The first thing … Read more

Slave Narrative of Anderson Furr

Interviewer: Sadie B. Hornsby Person Interviewed: Anderson Furr Location: Broad Street, Athens, Georgia Anderson Furr’s address led the interviewer to a physician’s residence on Broad Street, where she was directed to a small frame house on the rear of the lot. The little three-room cottage has a separate entrance from Pulaski Street. Three stone steps lead from the street to the narrow yard which is enclosed by a low rock coping. Anderson rents only one room and the remainder of the house is occupied by Annie Sims and her husband, George, who works at the Holman Hotel. Reclining comfortably in … Read more

Slave Narrative of Arrie Binns

Interviewer: Minnie Branham Stonestreet Person Interviewed: Arrie Binns Location: Washington-Wilkes, Georgia Arrie Binns lives in Baltimore, a negro suburb of Washington-Wilkes, in a little old tumbled down kind of a cottage that used to be one of the neatest and best houses of the settlement and where she has lived for the past sixty-odd years. In the yard of her home is one of the most beautiful holly trees to be found anywhere. She set it there herself over fifty years ago. She recalled how her friends predicted bad luck would befall her because she “sot out er holly”, but … Read more

Slave Narrative of Carrie Nancy Fryer

Interviewer: Miss Maude Barregan Person Interviewed: Carrie Nancy Fryer Location: Augusta, Georgia Age: 72 An angular, red-skinned old Negro women was treading heavily down the dusty sidewalk, leaning on a gnarled stick and talking to a little black girl. A “sundown” hat shaded a bony face of typical Indian cast and her red skin was stretched so tight over high cheek bones that few wrinkles showed. “Auntie,” she was asked, “have you time to tell me something about slavery times?” “No’m, I sorry,” she answered, “but I gwine to see a sick lady now, and I gots to ‘tend to … Read more

Slave Narrative of Jasper Battle

Interviewer: Grace McCune Person Interviewed: Jasper Battle Location: 112 Berry St., Athens, Georgia Age: 80 The shade of the large water oaks in Jasper’s yard was a welcome sight when the interviewer completed the long walk to the old Negro’s place in the sweltering heat of a sunny July afternoon. The old house appeared to be in good condition and the yard was clean and tidy. Jasper’s wife, Lula, came around the side of the house in answer to the call for Jasper. A large checked apron almost covered her blue dress and a clean white headcloth concealed her hair. … Read more

Slave Narrative of George Eason

Interviewer: Edwin Driskell Person Interviewed: George Eason Location: Georgia Mr. George Eason was born in Forsyth, Ga., on the plantation of Mr. Jack Ormond. In addition to himself there were six other children, one of whom was his twin brother. He and his brother were the oldest members of this group of children. His mother, who was the master’s cook, had always belonged to the Ormond family while his father belonged to another family, having been sold while he (George) was still a baby. It so happened that Mr. Ormond was a wealthy planter and in addition to the plantation … Read more

Slave Narrative of Julia Bunch

Interviewer: Leila Harris Person Interviewed: Julia Bunch Location: Georgia Age: 85 Seated in a comfortable chair in the living room of her home, Julia Bunch, Negress of 85 years, presented a picture of the old South that will soon pass away forever. The little 3-room house, approachable only on foot, was situated on top of a hill. Around the clean-swept yard, petunias, verbena, and other flowers were supplemented by a large patch of old-fashioned ribbon grass. A little black and white kitten was frisking about and a big red hen lazily scratched under a big shade tree in search of … Read more

Slave Narrative of Alice Battle

Interviewer: Elizabeth Watson Person Interviewed: Alice Battle Date of Interview: 1936 Location: Hawkinsville, Georgia During the 1840’s, Emanuel Caldwell—born in North Carolina, and Neal Anne Caldwell—born in South Carolina, were brought to Macon by “speculators” and sold to Mr. Ed Marshal of Bibb County. Some time thereafter, this couple married on Mr. Marshal’s plantation, and their second child, born about 1850, was Alice Battle. From her birth until freedom, Alice was a chattel of this Mr. Marshal, whom she refers to as a humane man, though inclined to use the whip when occasion demanded. Followed to its conclusion, Alice’s life … Read more

Slave Narrative of Benny Dillard

Interviewer: Grace McCune Person Interviewed: Benny Dillard Location: Athens, Georgia Age: 80 Benny’s rocky little yard is gay with flowers and a flourishing rose vine shades the small porch at the front of his ramshackle two-room cabin. The old Negro was busily engaged at washing his clothes. He is of medium size, darker than gingerbread in color, and his clothing on this day consisted of a faded blue shirt, pants adorned with many patches, and brogans. A frayed sun hat covered the gray hair that is “gittin’ mighty thin on de top of my haid.” Benny was singing as he … Read more

Slave Narrative of Julia Cole

Interviewer: Corry Fowler Person Interviewed: Julia Cole Location: Athens, Georgia A knock on the door of the comfortable little frame house which Julia Cole shares with her daughter, Rosa, brought the response, “Who dat?” Soon Rosa appeared. “Come in Honey and have a cheer,” was her greeting and she added that Julia had “stepped across de street to visit ’round a little.” Soon the neighborhood was echoing and reverberating as the call, “Tell Aunt Julia somebody wants to see her at her house,” was repeated from cabin to cabin. A few moments later Julia walked in. Yellowish gingercake in color, … Read more

Slave Narrative of George Brooks

Date of birth: Year unknown (See below) Place of birth: In Muscogee County, near Columbus, Georgia Present Residence: 502 East 8th Street, Columbus, Georgia Interviewed: August 4, 1936 Age: 112 This old darky, probably the oldest ex-slave in West Georgia, claims to be 112 years of age. His colored friends are also of the opinion that he is fully that old or older—but, since none of his former (two) owners’ people can be located, and no records concerning his birth can be found, his definite age cannot be positively established. “Uncle” George claims to have worked in the fields, “some”, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Easter Brown

Interviewer: Mrs. Sadie B. Hornsby Person Interviewed: Easter Brown Location: Athens, Georgia Age: 78 “Aunt” Easter Brown, 78 years old, was sweeping chips into a basket out in front of her cabin. “Go right in honey, I’se comin’ soon as I git some chips for my fire. Does I lak to talk ’bout when I wuz a chile? I sho does. I warn’t but 4 years old when de war wuz over, but I knows all ’bout it.” “I wuz born in Floyd County sometime in October. My pa wuz Erwin and my ma wuz Liza Lorie. I don’t know … Read more

Slave Narrative of Georgia Baker

Interviewer: Mrs. Sadie Hornsby Person Interviewed: Georgia Baker Location: Athens, Georgia Georgia’s address proved to be the home of her daughter, Ida Baker. The clean-swept walks of the small yard were brightened by borders of gay colored zinnias and marigolds in front of the drab looking two-story, frame house. “Come in,” answered Ida, in response to a knock at the front door. “Yessum, Mammy’s here. Go right in dat dere room and you’ll find her.” Standing by the fireplace of the next room was a thin, very black woman engaged in lighting her pipe. A green checked gingham apron partially … Read more

Slave Narrative of John Cole

Interviewer: Edward Ficklen Person Interviewed: John Cole Location: Billups Street, Athens, Georgia Age: 86 A Slave Remembers The front door of a little vine-clad cottage on Billups Street, in Athens, Georgia quaked open and John Cole, ex-slave confronted a “gov’mint man.” Yes, he was the son of Lucius Cole and Betsy Cole, was in his 86th year, and remembered the time “way back” when other gov’mint men with their strange ways had descended on Athens. And far beyond that, back to the time when they had tried him out as a scullion boy in the big town house where his … Read more

Slave Narrative of Pierce Cody

Interviewer: Adella S. Dixon Person Interviewed: Pierce Cody Location: Georgia Pierce Cody was the eldest son of Elbert and Dorothy Cody. His father was born in Richmond, Virginia, his mother in Warren County. When the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, he, the eldest child in a large family, was in his early teens. This group lived on the place owned by Mr. Bob Cody, [HW: whose] family was a group of ardent believers in the Hardshell Baptist faith. So firm was their faith that a church of this denomination was provided for the slaves and each one required to become a … Read more