Interviewer: Martin Richardson Person Interviewed: Bill Austin Location: Greenwood, Florida Bill Austin – he says his name is NOT Williams – is an ex-slave who gained his freedom because his mistress found it more advantageous to free him than to watch him. Austin lives near Greenwood, Jackson County, Florida, on a small farm that he […]
Interviewer: Martin D. Richardson Person Interviewed: Neil Coker Location: Grandin, Florida Interesting tales of the changes that came to the section of Florida that is situated along the Putnam-Clay County lines are told by Neil Coker, old former slave who lives two miles south of McRae on the road Grandin. Coker is the son of
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.
Interviewer: Jules A. Frost Person Interviewed: Mama Duck Location: Tampa, Florida Age: 109 “Who is the oldest person, white or colored, that you know of in Tampa?” “See Mama Duck,” the grinning Negro elevator boy told me. “She bout a hunnert years old.” So down into the “scrub” I went and found the old woman
Interviewer: James Johnson Person Interviewed: Douglas Dorsey Location: South Jacksonville, Florida Age: 86 In South Jacksonville, on the Spring Glen Road lives Douglas Dorsey, an ex-slave, born in Suwannee County, Florida in 1851, fourteen years prior to freedom. His parents Charlie and Anna Dorsey were natives of Maryland and free people. In those days, Dorsey
Interviewer: Rachel DavisPerson Interviewed: Young Winston DavisLocation: Jacksonville, FloridaAge: 62Occupation: Preacher Young Winston Davis states that he was born in Ozark, Alabama, June 28, 1855 on the plantation of Charles Davis who owned about seven hundred slaves and was considered very wealthy. Kindness and consideration for his slaves, made them love him. Reverend Davis was
Interviewer: Viola B. Muse Person Interviewed: Irene Coates Location: Jacksonville, Florida Immediately after slavery in the United States, the southern white people found themselves without servants. Women who were accustomed to having a nurse, maid, cook and laundress found themselves without sufficient money to pay wages to all these. There was a great amount of
Interviewer: Rachel A. Austin Person Interviewed: Florida Clayton Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 82 The life of Florida Clayton is interesting in that it illustrates the miscegenation prevalent during the days of slavery. Interesting also is the fact that Florida was not a slave even though she was a product of those turbulent days. Many years
Interviewer: James Johnson Person Interviewed: Claude Augusta Wilson Location: Sunbeam, Florida In 1857 on the plantation of Tom Dexter in Lake City, Columbia County, Florida, was born a Negro, Claude Augusta Wilson, of slave parents. His master Tom Dexter was very kind to his slaves, and was said to have been a Yankee. His wife
Interviewer: Viola B. Muse Person Interviewed: “Father” Charles Coates Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 108 “Father” Charles Coates, as he is called by all who know him, was born a slave, 108 years ago at Richmond, Virginia, on the plantation of a man named L’Angle. His early boyhood days was spent on the L’Angle place filled
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
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
Interviewer: Pearl RandolphPerson Interviewed: Willis DukesLocation: Madison, FloridaAge: 83 Born in Brooks County, Georgia, 83 years ago on February 24th, Willie Dukes jovially declares that he is “on the high road to livin’ a hund’ed years.” He was one of 40 slaves belonging to one John Dukes, who was only in moderate circumstances. His parents
Person Interviewed: Mary Minus Biddie Location: Eatonville, Florida Age: 100 Slave Customs Mary Minus Biddie, age one hundred five was born in Pensacola, Florida, 1833 and raised in Columbia County. She is married, and has several children. For her age she is exceptionally active, being able to wash and do her house work. With optimism
Interviewer: Pearl Randolph Person Interviewed: Rebecca Hooks Location: Lake City, Florida Age: 90 Rebecca Hooks, age 90 years, is one of the few among the fast-thinning ranks of ex-slaves who can give a clear picture of life “befo’ de wah.” She was born in Jones County, Georgia of Martha and Pleasant Lowe, who were slaves
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
Interviewer: Rachel A. Austin Person Interviewed: Douglas Parish Location: Monticello, Florida Age: 86 Douglas Parish was born in Monticello, Florida, May 7, 1850, to Charles and Fannie Parish, slaves of Jim Parish. Fannie had been bought from a family by the name of Palmer to be a “breeder”, that is a bearer of strong children
Interviewer: Rachel A. Austin Person Interviewed: Margrett Nickerson Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 89-90 In her own vernacular, Margrett Nickerson was “born to William A. Carr, on his plantation near Jackson, Leon County, many years ago.” When questioned concerning her life on this plantation, she continues: “Now honey, it’s been so long ago, I don’ ‘meber
Person Interviewed: William Neighten Location: Dade County, Florida William Neighten gave his address as 60th Street, Liberty City. He was only a baby when freedom came, but he too, “stayed on” a long time afterward. He did not know his real name, but he was given his Massy’s name. “Don’t ask me how much work
Interviewer: J. M. Johnson Person Interviewed: Mack Mullen Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 79 Mack Mullen, a former slave who now lives at 521 W. First Street, Jacksonville, Florida, was born in Americus, Georgia in 1857, eight years before Emancipation, on a plantation which covered an area of approximately five miles. Upon this expansive plantation about
