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CATHARINE WILLIAMS           0181-NC /#212
     MY NAME IS CATHARINE WILLIAMS.  I WAS BORN DECEMBER 25, 1851.  I REMEMBER M
Y MOTHER, BUT I DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MY FATHER.  MY MOTHER'S NAME WAS ADEL
INE WILLIAMS.  MOTHER BAKED ASH CAKES, BUT MY CHILDREN WOULD NOT EAT 'EM.  SHE D
IED 50 YEARS AGO.  I HAD FOUR CHILDREN WHEN SHE DIED, BUT I HAD THREE BOYS AND T
WO GIRLS.  I WAS BORN IN VIRGINIA BUT I CANNOT TELL WHAT PART.  I WAS FOUR YEARS
 OLD WHEN MY MOTHER BROUGHT ME TO NO9TH CAROLINA.  OUR OLD MASTER, DABNEY COSBY,
 MOVED FROM VIRGINIA TO NORTH CAROLINA THEN.  WE CAME STRAIGHT INTO RALEIGH, NOR
TH CAROLINA AND HAVE BEE LIVING IN RALEIGH EVER SINCE.
     WE WERE WILLIAMS WHEN OWNED BY COSBY AND WE WERE NEVER SOLD AGAIN, BUT REMA
INED IN THE SAME FAMILY TILL WE WERE SET FREE AFTER THE SURRENDER.  WE HAD GOOD
FOOD, FAIR CLOTHING AND COMFORTABLE SLEEPING PLACES.  I KNOW WHAT A PALLET IS.
ALL SLEP' ON 'EM A LOT IN SLAVERY DAYS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT WAS HOT WEATHER.  I M
AKES 'EM NOW SOMETIMES.
     MY MISSUS WUS NAMED FANNIE.  I DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY SLAVES THEY OWNED, BUT
MARSTER DID NOT HAVE A PLANTATION, HE LIVED IN TOWN.  HE WAS A BRICK MASON, AND
 HE MADE BRICK.  HE HAD TWO BRICK KILNS.
     OUR MISSUS AND MARSTER WERE KIND TO US BUT THEY DID NOT TEACH US TO READ AN
D WRITE.  I LEARNED TO READ AND WRITE SINCE THE SURRENDER.  I WENT TO CHURCH AND
 SUNDAY SCHOOL.  THERE WERE NO NEGRO PREACHERS, BUT WE ATTENDED THE WHITE FOLKS'
S CHURCH.  WE DID NOT HAVE ANY PRAYER MEETINGS BECAUSE OUR HOMES WERE IN THE WHI
TE FOLKS'S YARD.
     I WAS NEVER WHUPPED, AND MOTHER AND MYSELF WERE WELL TREATED, SO I HAVE NO
COMPLAINT TO MAKE AGAINST OUR WHITE FOLKS.
     THE FIRST WORK I DONE WAS NURSING THE CHILDREN IN THE HOME, NEXT I WAITED O
N THE TABLE, THEN GENERAL HOUSE WORK.
     AT THE LAST DAYS OF THE WAR WHEELER'S CAVALRY CAMPED AROUND MY HOUSE AT NIG
HT.  THEY TOLE US THE YANKEES SOULD BE IN RALEIGH THE NEXT MORNING AND SHORE 'NO
UGH THEY CAME IN NEXT MORNING.  IF THE CITIZENS HAD NOT GONE OUT AND SURRENDERED
 RALEIGH TO THE YANKEES THEY WOULD HAVE TORN RALEIGH TO PIECES.  WE WERE LIVING
ON THE CORNER OF HARGETT AND DAWSON STREETS.  THE YANKEES DONE US NO HARM.  THEY
 DONE ALL RIGHT IN RALEIGH.  THEY DID NOT TAKE NOTHING AROUND HOME.  THEY PUT OU
T GUARDS AROUND THE HOMES BY THE TIME THEY GOT IN.  WE WERE NOT AFRAID OF 'EM, N
ONE OF US CHILDREN, NEITHER WHITE NOR COLORED; THEY PLAYED SUCH PURTY MUSIC AND
WAS DRESSED SO FINE.  WE RUN AFTER THE BAND TO HEAR 'EM PLAY.
     I HEARD TALK OF THE PATTEROLLERS, BUT NEVER SAW ANY.  I KNEW VERY LITTLE AB
OUT THE JAIL IN RALEIGH FOR SLAVES.  I NEVER SAW ANY SLAVES SOLD OR ANY IN CHAIN
S.  I NEVER KNEW OF ANY SLAVES RUNNING AWAY TO THE NORTH.  WE CHILDREN BOTH WHIT
E AND COLORED ENJOYED THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS TOGETHER.  WE PLAYED RUNNING AND JU
MPING AND HIDE AND SEEK.
     WE HAD DOCTORS WHEN WE GOT SICK.  DR JOHNSON WAS ONE OF THEM.  AFTER THE WA
R WE STAYED ON WITH MARSTER AND MISSUS UNTIL THEY DIED.  I HAVE BEEN ON OBERLIN
ROAD ABOUT 25 YEARS.
     NO, SIR, WHAT YOU TALKIN' 'BOUT?  NO, THERE WERE NO NEGRO SCHOOLS IN RALEIG
H AT THE TIME OF THE SURRENDER, BUT I HAVE HAD A GOOD TIME ALL MY LIFE AS FAR AS
 BEIN' TREATED RIGHT IS CONCERNED.  I HAVE NEVER MARRIED.  I WILL HAVE TO FIND T
HAT MAN YET, AND AT THIS AGE I DON'T EXPECT TO FIND HIM.  HA] HA] NEVER FOUND TH
AT MAN YET.  I AM STAYING WITH MY NIECE.
     I-KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ABRAHAM LINCOLN.  HE HELPED US TO BE FREE.  I KNEW NOT
HING ABOUT JEFFERSON DAVIS, BOOKER T WASHINGTON OR ROOSEVELT.  I KNOW VERY LITTL
E ABOUT JIM YOUNG, ONLY HE WAS A POLITICIAN.