GEORGE TAYLOR ALABAMA NO. 16 MY GRANDFATHER'S NAME WAS MAC WILSON AND MY GRANDMOTHER'S NAME WAS ELLnN WILSON, AND DE OL MISS'S NAME WAS MISS MAMIE HERRIN. ALL DE COLORED FOLKS' CHIL LUN CALLED MISTER HERRIN OL MARSTER, AND HE SURE WAS A GOOD MARSTER, TOO. I REMEMBER DAT AFTER I GOT TO BE A BIG BOY DEY PUT ME IN DE FIELD CHOPPING COTTO N, BUT I NEVER COULD PICK COTTON. I KNOWS DAT MY PAW SAID I WAS TOO CRAZY ABOUT GIRLS, SO HE TOOK ME AND MADE ME PLOW. OL MARSTER HAD A BIG PLACE, I DON'T JES EXACTLY KNOW HOW MANY ACRES DEY WAS , BUT I KNOW US HAD PLENTY OF COTTON, CAUSE SOMETIMES DEY WOULD PICK FOUR OR FIV E BALES A DAY. AND DEN I KNOW DURING COTTON MY PAW HAULED COTTON ALL DAY LONG T O DE GIN WHAT WAS RUN BY FIVE OR SIX MULES. DURING DE BUSY SEASON ON DE PLANTATION OL MARSTER HAD DE OLDER WOMEN COOKIN G AND SENDING DE DINNER TO DE FIELD. DERE WAS TWO BIG BASKETS, ONE TO PUT DE BR EAD IN, AND DE OTHER BASKET TO PUT DE MEAT IN. EVERY MORNING AT THREE O'CLOCK DE WOMEN BEGUN COOKING AND EACH HAND BROUGHT HIS OWN MEAT AND BREAD TO THIS CAB IN TO BE COOKED. EVERY PERSON'S PLATE HAD THEIR NAMES ON EM. EVERYBODY HAD TO B E UP BY DAYLIGHT AND READY TO BEGIN WORK. DE MEN HAD TO GET UP BEFORE DAYLIGHT T O BEGIN TO HARNESS DE MULES, AND SOON AS LIGHT DEY WAS IN DE FIELDS. DERE WAS 25 0 HEAD OF COLORED PEOPLE, EXCUSING CHILDREN. DEY WOULD RAISE FOUR, FIVE AND SIX HUNDRED BALES OF COTTON A YEAR. US WORKED DEN, DERE WEREN'T NO WALKING ABOUT D EN, NOT EVEN ON SATURDAY AFTERNOONS, BUT I BELIEVES I WOULD LIKE IT BETTER DAN I DOES NOW, CAUSE DE CHILLUN WAS TAUGHT TO BE MANNERLY DEN, BUT NOW DEY CUSS IF YOU SAY ANYTHING TO THEM. US HAD A GOOD PLACE TO STAY, DE OL MARSTER'S8 O SE6W S A2BG wO2S OYHOUS E, AND OUT CABINS WAS BUILT OF BOARDS AND WAS IN A ROW. US DIDN'T HAVE NO STOVE S, JES COOKED OUT IN DE YARD OVER A FIRE WITH STAKES ON EACH SIDE OF IT, WITH AN IRON BAR ACROSS EM TO HANG DE POTS ON. OL MARSTnR-RAT OnEDOUT DE FOOD, AND EA CH MAN WAS ALLOWED SEVEN POUNDS OF MEAT, DE WOMEN WAS ALLOWED SIX POUNDS AND FIV E POUNDS FOR EACH CHILD. DEN DEY GIVE US A PECK OF MEAL, FIVE POUNDS OF FLOUR A ND SOME MOLASSES. I NEVER DID EAT AT HOME WITH MY FOLKS, CAUSE I MESSED IN DE BIG HOUSE, AND EVERY TIME DE WHITE CHILLUN EAT, I HAD TO EAT TOO. DERE WAS PLENTY OF PEACH, WA LNUT, AND CHESTNUT TREES ON DE PLACE, AND US COULD EAT ALL DE NUTS US WANTED; AN D DEN DE SLAVES HAD DERE OWN GARDENS IF DEY WANTED TO. DEN I REMEMBER HOW DERE WAS FOUR MEN WHO PUT DE qOGS rN&DEPENS TO FATTEN, SOMETIMES, DEY WOULD PUT AS MANY AS A HUNDRED OR 150 AT A TIME. DEN IT WAS DEIR DUTY TO TOTE FEED FROM DE FIELDS TO FEED nM. MY] WHEN I THINK OF DAT BIG SMOKE HOUSE, MY MOUTH JES WATERS. AT HOG KILLING TIME, DERE WAS CERTAIN MEN TO KILL, AND CERTAIN ONES TO CUT EM UP. DERE WEREN'T NEVER NO SPECIAL TIME TO HOG KILLING, JES WHEN DE OL-MjRSTnR SAID DO IT, WE DID IT. YOU SEE US WAS ALWAYS UNDER HIS DIRECTION, CAUSE IF US WANTED TO GO ANYWHnR E, US HAD TO GIT A PASS, EVEN TO CHURCH. DE WHITE FOLKS HAD METHODIST CHURCH, AND DE COLORED HAD DE BAPTIST CHURCH. I ALSO REMEMBER DE TIME I WAS PUT UP-ON DE kLO K tO2BE2sOLD,&jnD6fHnN&DEMA N ONLY OFFERED FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR ME, AND OL MARSTER TOLD ME TO GET DOWN, THAT I WAS DE MOST VALUABLE NIGGER HE HAD CAUSE I WAS sO StRONG,jND& OulD& OSO MUCH WORK. MY MAW WAS DE WEAVER, AND DERE WAS A WOMAN NAMED ASSELLA WHO DID DE DYErNG. MY PAW GATHERED DE BARK, SUCH AS RED OAK, ELM, MAPLE AND JUNIPER BARK, AND mRY IT AND DEN GRIND IT UP. DEY ALSO USED BORAX, ALUM AND BLUE STONE, TO SET DE DYE . DE WOMEN MADE DE CLOTHES OUT OF DIS CLOTH DAT WAS WOVEN ON DE PLACE. YOU ASKED ABOUT WEDDINGS. US DIDN'T HAVE WEDDINGS LIKE US DO NOW. DE WAY U S MARRIED WOULD BE TO GO TO DE BIG HOUSE, AND OL MARSTER HAD US JUMP OVER A BROO M STICK, AND DEN US WAS CONSIDERED MARRIED. BUT DERE WAS ONE THING DAT US WEREN'T ALLOWED TO DO, AND DAT WAS TO ABUSE OR CUSS OUR WIVES, AND YOU BETTER NO T STRIKE EM, CAUSE IT WOULD BE JUST TOO BAD. YOU KNOW, MISS, I HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME. I REMEMBER WHEN DERE6W SONLY ONE HOUSE BETWEEN SAINT LOUIS STREET AND FRASCATI, AND DAT8+OUSE6W S DE7GUjRDH OUSE. I ALSO REMEMBER DE OLE TIME REMEDIES DAT DEY USWD IN DE OLE DAYS. DEY USE D RED OAK BARK FOR FEVER AND COLDS, AND DEN DERE WAS HOREHOUND, AND BLACK SNAKE ROOT DAT DE OL MARSTER PUT WHISKEY ON. OL MARSTER MADE HIS OWN WHISKEY. jNDO H] YES, DE CALOMUS ROOT GROWED IN DE WOODS WHERE DEY LIVED. I NEVER SAW DEM SEND TO NO STORE FOR MEDICINE. I NEVER HEARD OF NO HOODOO STUFF, TILL I WAS GRO WN, AND ANOTHER THING FOLKS DIDN'T DIE OFF LIKE DEY DO NOW. WHEN ANY ONE DID DI E, DEY ALWAYS HAD A BIG FUNERAL, AND DE MEN WOULD SOMETIMES HITCH UP A OX TEAM O R MULE TEAMS, AS MANY AS COULD GET IN WOULD GO. DE COFFIN WAS HOME MADE AND STA NED. DERE WAS PLENTY OF HANDS TO DIG DE GRAVES, TOO. I TELL YOU, MISS, FOLKS IS PRETTY MUCH DE SAME, IF DE WHITE FOLKS TREAT DE NIGGERS RIGHT, YOU COULDN'T GET DEN TO LEAVE DEM. I REMEMBER WHEN DE YANKEES C OME THROUGH, I WAS STANDING ON DE OL MARSTER'S PORCH, AND I SAW EM COMING, AND W HEN MARSTER GOT UP ON HIS CRUTCH AND GO TO DE STEPS AND INVITE DEM IN, AND BELIE VE ME DEY COME IN TOO. DEY JES NATURALLY TORE UP OL MARSTER'S PLACE; THEN DE FU RNITURE ALL ROUND AND BROKE HEAPS OF IT. I KNOWS BEFORE DEY GOT DERE OL MARSTER HAD MY PAW, AND JERRY LEE, AND MACE POUNCEY, AND ANOTHER MAN TAKE FOUR BjRRnLS OF MONEY AND CARRY IT DOWN TO DE SPRING AND-PUT IT rN&DE sPrrnG,&jnD&I)M cnLlrN G YOU, MISS, YOU COULDN'T ANY MORE GET NEAR DAT SPRING, DAN NOTHING, CAUSE DE QU ICKSAND MADE DEM BARRELS BOIL UP, ONE AT A TIME, AND DE WAY DEY HAD TO GET DEM B ARRELS WAS TO BUILD A SCAFFOLD FROM DE RIVER, AND LET A LINE DOWN AND CATCH AROU ND DEM BARRELS. AFTER WE WAS FREED, OL MARSTER COME IN DE YARD jND pOT rN DE-MIDmLEOF ALL OF US, AND TOLD US DAT DE-ONES DAT WjNTS tO STAY WITH&HrM, tO2ScjnDON ONE SIDE , AND DE OTHERS TO STAND ON DE OTHER SIDE. SO MY PAW GOT ON DE SIDE WITH THOSE WHO WANTED TO LEAVE, AND US LEFT OL MARSTER AND PADDLED DOWN DE RIVER, IN A PADD LING BOAT TO BELLE'S LANDING. AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, I'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME, I EVEN REMEMBER SEErNG-J EFF DAVIS. I KNOWS I AIN'T HERE FOR LONG, BUT I AM READY, CAUSE I'VE BEEN FIGHT ING FOR JESUS 29 YEARS, AND I AIN'T TIRED OF FIGHTING YET. I AM A DEACON IN DE BAPTIST CHURCH. MY GRANDFATHER'S NAME WAS MAC WILSON AND MY GRANDMOTHnR'S-NjME W S nLLnN WILSON, AND DE OL MISS'S NAME WAS MISS MAMIE HERRIN. ALL DE COLORED FOLKS' CHIL LUN CALLED MISTER HERRIN OL MARSTER, AND HE SURE WAS A GOOD MARSTER, TOO. I REMEMBER DAT AFTER I GOT TO BE A BIG BOY DEY PUT ME IN DE FIELD CHOPPING COTTO N, BUT I NEVER COULD PICK COTTON. I KNOWS DAT MY PAW SAID I WAS TOO CRAZY ABOUT GIRLS, SO HE TOOK ME AND MADE ME PLOW. OL MARSTER HAD A BIG PLACE, I DON'T JES EXACTLY KNOW HOW MANY ACRES DEY WAS , BUT I KNOW US HAD PLENTY OF COTTON, CAUSE SOMETIMES DEY WOULD PICK FOUR OR FIV E BALES A DAY. AND DEN I KNOW DURING COTTON MY PAW HAULED COTTON ALL DAY LONG T O DE GIN WHAT WAS RUN BY FIVE OR SIX MULES. DURING DE BUSY SEASON ON DE PLANTATION OL MARSTnR8HAD DEOOLDnRWOMEN COOKIN G AND SENDING DE DINNER TO DE FIELD. DERE WAS TWO BIG BASKETS, ONE TO PUT DE BR EAD IN, AND DE OTHER BASKET TO PUT DE MEAT IN. EVERY MORNING AT THREE O'CLOCK DE WOMEN BEGUN COOKING AND EACH HAND BROUGHT HIS OWN MEAT AND BREAD TO THIS CAB IN TO BE COOKED. EVERY PERSON'S PLATE HAD THEIR NAMES ON EM. EVERYBODY HAD TO B E UP BY DAYLIGHT AND READY TO BEGIN WORK. DE MEN HAD TO GET UP BEFORE DAYLIGHT T O BEGIN TO HARNESS DE MULES, AND SOON AS LIGHT DEY WAS IN DE FIELDS. DERE WAS 25 0 HEAD OF COLORED PEOPLE, EXCUSING CHILDREN. DEY WOULD RAISE FOUR, FIVE AND SIX HUNDRED BALES OF COTTON A YEAR. US WORKED DEN, DERE WEREN'T NO WALKING ABOUT D EN, NOT EVEN ON SATURDAY AFTERNOONS, BUT I BELIEVES I WOULD LIKE IT BETTER DAN I DOES NOW, CAUSE DE CHILLUN WAS TAUGHT TO BE MANNERLY DEN, BUT NOW DEY CUSS F YOU SAY ANYTHING TO THEM. US HAD A GOOD PLACE TO STAY, DE OL MARSTER'S HOUSE WAS A BIG TwO StORY qO S E, AND OUT CABINS WAS BUILT OF BOARDS AND WAS IN A ROW. US DIDN'T HAVE NO STOVE S, JES COOKED OUT IN DE YARD OVER A FIRE WITH STAKES ON EACH SIDE OF IT, WITH AN IRON BAR ACROSS EM TO HANG DE POTS O). 6OL MST RRRA NEDOUT DE FOOD, AND EA CH MAN WAS ALLOWED SEVEN POUNDS OF MEAT, DE WOMEN WAS ALLOWED SIX POUNDS AND FIV E POUNDS FOR EACH CHILD. DEN DEY GIVE US A PECK OF MEAL, FIVE POUNDS OF FLOUR A ND SOME MOLASSES. I NEVER DID EAT AT8+OME6WI,H *Y6FOLK\, CAUSE9I M S EDIN DE BIG HOUSE, AND EVERY TIME DE WHITE CHILLUN EAT, I HAD TO EAT TOO. DERE WAS PLENTY OF PEACH, WA LNUT, AND CHESTNUT TREES ON DE PLACE, AND US COULD EAT ALL DE NUTS US WANTED; AN D DEN DE SLAVES HAD DERE OWN GARDENS IF DEY WANTED TO. DEN I REMEMBER HOW DERE WAS FOUR MEN WHO PUT DE HOGS IN DE-Pn S O6FAT n), SOMETIMES, DEY WOULD PUT AS MANY AS A HUNDRED OR 150 AT A TIME. DEN IT WAS DEIR DUTY TO TOTE FEED FROM DE FIELDS TO FEED EM. MY] WHEN I THINK OF DAT BIG SMOKE HOUSE,-MY-MOUTH-J S6WATnS. AT HOG KILLING TIME, DERE WAS CERTAIN MEN TO KILL, AND CERTAIN ONES TO CUT EM UP. DERE WEREN'T NEVER NO SPECIAL TIME TO HOG KILLING, JES WHEN DE OL MARSTER SAID DO IT, WE DID I,. YOU SEE US WAS ALWAYS UNDER HIS DIRECTION, CAUSE IF S6WjNTED O7 O& )> ( R E, US HAD TO GIT A PASS, EVEN TO CHURCH. DE WHITE FOLKS HAD METHODIST CHURCH, AND DE COLORED HAD DE BAPTIST CHURCH. I ALSO REMEMBER DE TIME I WAS PUT UP ON DE BLOCK TO BE SOLD, AND WHEN DE MA N ONLY OFFERED FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR ME, AND OL MARSTER TOLD ME TO GET DOWN, THAT I WAS DE MOST VALUABLE NIGGER HE HAD CAUSE I WAS SO STRONG,AND COULD DO SO MUCH WORK. MY MAW WAS DE WEAVER, AND DERE WAS A WOMAN-NjMED SSnLLA6> O DID DE