Virginia

Slave Narrative of John Cameron

Person Interviewed: John Cameron Location: Jackson, Mississippi Date of Birth: 1842 John Cameron, ex-slave, lives in Jackson. He was born in 1842 and was owned by Howell Magee. He is five feet six inches tall, and weighs about 150 pounds. His general coloring is blackish-brown with white kinky hair. He is in fairly good health. “I’se always lived right here in Hinds County. I’s seen Jackson grow from de groun’ up. “My old Marster was de bes’ man in de worl’. I jus’ wish I could tell, an’ make it plain, jus’ how good him an’ old Mistis was. Marster … Read more

Slave Narrative of Jane Sutton

Person Interviewed: Jane Sutton Location: Gulfport, Mississippi Place of Birth: Simpson County MS Age: 84 Jane Sutton, ex-slave, is 84 years old. She is 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs 130 pounds. She is what the Negroes themselves call a “brown-skin.” “I was born in Simpson County, near old Westville, on a big farm what b’long to Marse Jack Berry. I was 12 years old when de surrender come, so my ole Mis’ say. Her name was ‘Mis Ailsey an’ all us cullud folks call her ‘Ole Mi’s. She an’ Old Marster had twelve chillun: Marthy, ‘Lizabeth, Flavilia, Mary, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mollie Williams

Person Interviewed: Mollie Williams Location: Terry, Mississippi Age: 83 Mollie Williams, who lives two miles west of Terry, Miss., tells her story: “Iffen I lives’ til nex’ September 15, I’ll be eighty fo’! I was born ’bout three miles frum Utica on de Newsome place. Me an’ brudder Hamp b’longed to Marse George Newsome. Marse George was named afte’ George Washington up in Virginny whar he come frum. Miss Margurite was our mistiss. My mammy? Well, I’ll have to tell you now ’bout her. “You see, Marse George come off down here frum Virginny lak young folks venturin’ ’bout, an’ … Read more

Slave Narrative of George Jackson

Interviewer: Bishop & Isleman Person Interviewed: George Jackson Location: Steubenville, Ohio Place of Birth: Loudon County, Virginia Date of Birth: Feb. 6, 1858 Age: 79 WPA in Ohio Federal Writers’ Project Bishop & Isleman Reporter: Bishop [HW: Revised] Topic: Ex-Slaves. Jefferson County, District #5 July 6, 1937 GEORGE JACKSON Ex-Slave, 79 years I was born in Loudon County, Virginny, Feb. 6, 1858. My mother’s name was Betsy Jackson. My father’s name was Henry Jackson. Dey were slaves and was born right der in Loudon County. I had 16 brothers and sisters. All of dem is dead. My brothers were Henry, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Julia Williams

Interviewer: Forest H. Lee Person Interviewed: Julia Williams Location: Wadsworth, Ohio Place of Birth: Winepark, Chesterfield County, Virginia Age: 100(ish) Place of Residence: 150 Kyle Street, Wadsworth, Ohio Forest H. Lees C.R. McLean, Supervisor June 10, 1937 Topic: Folkways Medina County, District #5 JULIA WILLIAMS, ex-slave Julia Williams, born in Winepark, Chesterfield County near Richmond, Virginia. Her age is estimated close to 100 years. A little more or a little less, it is not known for sure. Her memory is becoming faded. She could remember her mothers name was Katharine but her father died when she was very small and … Read more

Slave Narrative of Richard Toler

Interviewer: Ruth Thompson Person Interviewed: Richard Toler Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Place of Residence: 515 Poplar St., Cincinnati, Ohio Occupation: Blacksmith Ruth Thompson, Interviewing Graff, Editing Ex-Slave Interviews Hamilton Co., District 12 Cincinnati RICHARD TOLER 515 Poplar St., Cincinnati, O. “Ah never fit in de wah; no suh, ah couldn’t. Mah belly’s been broke! But ah sho’ did want to, and ah went up to be examined, but they didn’t receive me on account of mah broken stomach. But ah sho’ tried, ’cause ah wanted to be free. Ah didn’t like to be no slave. Dat wasn’t good times.” Richard Toler, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Catherine Slim

Interviewer: Bishop & Isleman Person Interviewed: Catherine Slim Location: Steubenville, Ohio Place of Birth: Rockingham, Virginia Age: 87 Place of Residence: 939 N. 6th St., Steubenville, Ohio WPA in Ohio Federal Writers’ Project Bishop & Isleman Jun 9, 1937 Topic: Ex-Slaves Jefferson County, District #2 MRS. CATHERINE SLIM Ex-slave, 87 years, 939 N. 6th St., Steubenville I wuz born in Rockingham, Virginny; a beautiful place where I cum from. My age is en de courthouse, Harrisonburg, Virginny. I dunno de date of my birth, our massa’s wouldn’t tell us our age. My mother’s name wuz Sally. She wuz a colored … Read more

Slave Narrative of Sarah Mann

Interviewer: George Conn Person Interviewed: Sarah Mann Location: Akron, Ohio Date of Birth: 1861 Wilbur Ammon, Editor George Conn, Writer C.R. McLean, District Supervisor June 16, 1937 Folklore Summit County, District #9 SARAH MANN Mrs. Mann places her birth sometime in 1861 during the first year of the Civil War, on a plantation owned by Dick Belcher, about thirty miles southwest of Richmond, Virginia. Her father, Frederick Green, was owned by Belcher and her mother, Mandy Booker, by Race Booker on an adjoining plantation. Her grandparents were slaves of Race Booker. After the slaves were freed she went with her … Read more

Slave Narrative of Thomas McMillan

Interviewer: Bishop & Isleman Person Interviewed: Thomas McMillan Location: Steubenville, Ohio Place of Birth: Monroe County, Alabama Place of Residence: 909 Morris Ave., Steubenville, Ohio WPA in Ohio Federal Writers’ Project Bishop & Isleman Reporter: Bishop July 7, 1937 Topic: Ex-Slaves. Jefferson County, District #5 [HW: Steubenville] THOMAS McMILLAN, Ex-Slave (Does not know age) I was borned in Monroe County, Alabam. I do not know de date. My father’s name was Dave McMillan and my mothers name was Minda. Dey cum from Old Virginny and he was sold from der. We lived in a log house. De beds hed ropes … Read more

Slave Narrative of Reverend Williams

Interviewer: Miriam Logan Person Interviewed: Rev. Williams Location: Lebanon, Ohio Place of Birth: Greenbriar County, West Virginia Date of Birth: 1859 Age: 76 Occupation: Methodist minister Miriam Logan Lebanon, Ohio July 8th Warren County, District 2 Story of REVEREND WILLIAMS, Aged 76, Colored Methodist Minister, Born Greenbriar County, West Virginia (Born 1859) “I was born on the estate of Miss Frances Cree, my mother’s mistress. She had set my grandmother Delilah free with her sixteen children, so my mother was free when I was born, but my father was not. “My father was butler to General Davis, nephew of Jefferson … Read more

Slave Narrative of Perry Sid Jemison

Interviewer: Bishop & Taleman Person Interviewed: Perry Sid Jemison Location: Steubenville, Ohio Place of Birth: Perry County, Alabama Age: 79 Place of Residence: 422 South Sixth Street, Steubenville, Ohio WPA in Ohio Federal Writers’ Project Written by Bishop & Isleman Edited by Albert I. Dugen [TR: also reported as Dugan] Ex-Slaves Jefferson County, District #2 PERRY SID JEMISON [TR: also reported as Jamison] Ex-Slave, 79 years (Perry Sid Jemison lives with his married daughter and some of his grand-children at 422 South Sixth Street, Steubenville, O.) “I wuz borned in Perry County, Alabama! De way I remember my age is, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Nan Stewart

Interviewer: Sarah Probst Person Interviewed: Nan Stewart Location: Ohio Place of Birth: Charleston, West Virginia Date of Birth: February 1850 Age: 87 Sarah Probst, Reporter Audrey Meighen, Author-Editor Jun 9, 1937 Folklore Meigs County, District Three [HW: Middeport] “I’se bawned Charl’stun, West Virginia in February 1850.” “My mammy’s name? Hur name wuz Kath’run Paine an’ she wuz bawned down Jackson County, Virginia. My pappy wuz John James, a coopah an’ he wuz bawned at Rock Creek, West Virginia. He cum’d ovah heah with Lightburn’s Retreat. Dey all crossed de ribah at Buffington Island. Yes, I had two bruthahs and three … Read more

Slave Narrative of Charles H. Anderson

Interviewer: Ruth Thompson Person Interviewed: Charles H. Anderson Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Place of Birth: Richmond, Virginia Date of Birth: December 23, 1845 Place of Residence: 3122 Fredonia St., Cincinnati, Ohio Occupation: Handy man “Life experience excels all reading. Every place you go, you learn something from every class of people. Books are just for a memory, to keep history and the like, but I don’t have to go huntin’ in libraries, I got one in my own head, for you can’t forget what you learn from experience.” The old man speaking is a living example of his theory, and, judging … Read more

Slave Narrative of Jennie Small

Interviewer: Rev. Edward Knox Person Interviewed: Jennie Small Location: Ohio Place of Birth: Pocohontas County, Virginia Age: 80+ INTERVIEW OF EX-SLAVE FROM VIRGINIA Reported by Rev. Edward Knox Jun. 9, 1937 Topic: Ex-slaves Guernsey County, District #2 JENNIE SMALL Ex-slave, over 80 years of age I was born in Pocahontas County, Virginia in the drab and awful surroundings of slavery. The whipping post and cruelty in general made an indelible impression in my mind. I can see my older brothers in their tow-shirts that fell knee-length which was sometimes their only garment, toiling laborously under a cruel lash as the … Read more

Slave Narrative of Fleming Clark

Person Interviewed: Fleming Clark Location: Ohio Age: 74+ My father’s name wuz Fleming Clark and my mother’s name wuz Emmaline Clark. Both of dem wuz in slavery. Der massa’s name wuz David Bowers. I don’t know where dey cum from but dey moved to Bad Creek after slavery days. Der wuz three of us chillun. Charles, de oldest, den Anthony next and den me, de youngest. I wuz workin’ for a white man and wuz old enough to drive cows and work in de ‘bacco fields, pickin’ worms off de leaves. De other brudders worked wid my father on another … Read more

Slave Narrative of Ben Brown

Interviewer: Albert I Dugan Person Interviewed: Ben Brown Location: Keen St., Zanesville, Ohio Age: 100 Occupation: Railroad worker Yes suh I wuz a slave in Vaginyah, Alvamaul (Albermarle) county an’ I didn’t have any good life, I’m tellin’ you dat! It wuz a tough life. I don’t know how old I am, dey never told me down dere, but the folks here say I’m a hunderd yeah old an’ I spect dats about right. My fathah’s name wuz Jack Brown and’ my mammy’s Nellie Brown. Dey wuz six of us chillun, one sistah Hannah an’ three brothers, Jim, Harrison, an’ … Read more

Slave Narrative of Charley Watson

Interviewer: W. W. Dixon Person Interviewed: Charley Watson Location: South Carolina Age: 87 “Dis is a mighty hot day I tells you, and after climbing them steps I just got to fan myself befo’ I give answer to your questions. You got any ‘bacco I could chaw and a place to spit? Dis old darkie maybe answer more better if he be allowed to be placed lak dat at de beginnin’ of de ‘sperience. “Where was I born? Why right dere on de Hog Fork Place, thought everybody knowed dat! It was de home place of my old Marster Daniel … Read more

Slave Narrative of Reuben Rosborough

Interviewer: W. W. Dixon Person Interviewed: Reuben Rosborough Location: Ridgeway, South Carolina Age: 82 “No sir, I can ‘member nothin’ ’bout de State of Verginny, where pappy said us was born. He told me, when I was ’bout two years old he and mammy Kitty was took from somewhar in dat state to Richmond, wid de understandin’ to sell us as a family, and to give a man name Johnson, de preference. He say de trader couldn’t find de man Johnson, and sold us to my marster, John Rosborough. My pappy name William, my brothers, Tom and Willie and my … Read more

Slave Narrative of Robert Toatley

Interviewer: W. W. Dixon Person Interviewed: Robert Toatley Location: Winnsboro, South Carolina Date of Birth: May 15, 1855 Age: 82 Robert Toatley lives with his daughter, his son, his son’s wife, and their six children, near White Oak, seven miles north of Winnsboro, S.C. Robert owns the four-room frame house and farm containing 235 acres. He has been prosperous up from slavery, until the boll weevil made its appearance on his farm and the depression came on the country at large, in 1929. He has been compelled to mortgage his home but is now coming forward again, having reduced the … Read more

Slave Narrative of Benjamin Russell

Interviewer: W. W. Dixon Person Interviewed: Benjamin Russell Location: South Carolina Age: 88 Ex-Slave 88 Years “I was born fourteen miles north of Chester, S.C. the property of Mrs. Rebecca Nance. After eighty-eight years, I have a vivid recollection of her sympathy and the ideal relations she maintained with her slaves. “My father was just Baker, my mother just Mary. My father was bought out of a drove of slaves from Virginia. I have been told my mother was born on the Youngblood place. (Youngblood name of my mistress’ people in York County.) My father was a slave of a … Read more