WILLIAM OLIVER               0395-SC /#217
     UNDERGROUND RAILWAY?  THEY GIVE IT THAT-NjME BEING THEY HAD THIS WAY TO TRA
NSFER THE SLAVES.  T O JONES WAS ONE OF THE OFFICERS.  GROWED UP IN ILLINOIS.
     I WAS BORN IN HORRY--EIGHT MILES THIS SIDE OF CONWAY.  THE OLD OLIVER
PLACE.  FATHER CAESAR OLIVER; MOTHER JANIE.  MOTHER BORN NEAR LITTLE RIVER--JEWI
TT PLACE.  JOE JEWITT RAISE MY FATHER.  HAD FOUR BROTHER TWELVE SISTER.
     THREE BOYS SO SCATTERED ABOUT YOU CAN'T TELL ANYTHING ABOUT THEM.  ALL CHIM
NEY CLAY.  ALL CHIMNEYS THAT DAY, CLAY.  MOVED RIGHT AWAY SOON AS FREEDOM CAME.
 WOMEN DONE COOKING AND WASHING SAME AS NOW.  SHUCK MATTRESS.  MY MOTHER WAS A W
EAVER.  OLD TIMEY LOOM.  COTTON AND WOOL.  SHECKEL.
     I REMEMBER ONE SONG MY MOTHER SANG:  DO, LORD, REMEMBER ME] REMEMBER ME WHE
N THE YEAR GO ROUND]  DO, LORD, REMEMBER ME]  WHY CAN'T YOU DIE LIKE JESUS DIED?
  HE LAID IN HIS GRAVE]  HE CRIPPLED SOME.  SOME HE SAVED.
     I CAN'T GET IT ALL.
    -MY FATHnR HEAD MAN ON THE PLANTATION.  INDIGO?  CUT THE BUSH DOWN.  PUT IT
 IN SACKS.  LET IT DRIP OUT.  CALL THAT INDIGO MUD.  RAISE CATTLE AND HOGS LOOSE
 OVER THE COUNTY.  NO CASH MONEY WAS GIVE TO SLAVE.  HAD TO GET A TICKET.  HIRE
THEY SELF OUT AS STEVEDORE--ANYWHERE THEY COULD--AND PAY MASSA SO MUCH FOR THE T
IME.  SMART SLAVE DO THAT.  OH, YES, MY FATHER DO THAT.  IF THEY KEEP THEMSELVES
 ALIVE AFTER FREEDOM, THEY DOING WELL.
     SCHOOLING?  ONLY BY NIGHT.  AND THAT COULDN'T BE  KNOWN.  WHEN HE COULD GET
 ANY BODY TO TEACH HIM A B C BUT WASN'T ALLOWED TO GO TO ANY SCHOOL.
     WE'D EAT PEAS, RICE, CORNBREAD, RYE BREAD, SWEETBREAD.  MOST MOLASSES.  GAM
E WAS ALL OVER THE WOODS.  EVERYBODY COULD HUNT EVERYBODY LAND THOSE DAYS.  HUNT
ING WAS FREE.  WHEN I COME ALONG HAD TO WORK TOO HARD TO HUNT.  COULD GET PIKE O
UT THE LAKES.  GO FISHING SABBATH.  THAT WAS DAY OFF.  SUNDAY FREE DAY.  WILD TU
RKEY.  POSSUM.  DON'T BOTHER WITH NO COON MUCH.  POSSUM AND SQUIRREL ALL WE COUL
D GET.  HAD OUR GARDEN.  DIFFERENT BEAN AND COLLARD.  TURNIP.
     CLOTHES?  REGULAR WOOL AND COTTON.  MAPLE DYE AND INDIGO.  RED, BLUE, GRAY.
  LOT OF GRAY.  BIG SLAVE OWNERS HAD A SHOEMAKER.  PLENTY OF HIDES.  COW HIDES,
DEER HIDES.
     WHEN I MARRIED, WAS WORKING TURPENTINE.  RENT TIMBER AND CUT BOXES.
     THE CRUELEST TREATMENT I KNOW OF IN THE UNITED STATES AND ALL THE OTHER STA
TES WAS DONE IN THE SOUTHWESTERN STATES.  TAKE NEW ORLEANS.  GALVESTON?  WAS FIX
ING TO GET TO TEXAS.  TEXAS BEAT THE COUNTRY FOR CRUELTY.  THEY TELL ME WHEN YOU
R MASTER AND MISSUS IN THIS COUNTRY WANT TO MAKE YOU DO YOUR TASK, THEY THREATEN
 TO SELL YOU TO TEXAS.  HAD A REGULAR VANGER RANGE IN NEW ORLEANS.  PLACE THEY K
EEP THE SLAVES AND AUCTION THEM OFF.  MAN BY THE NAME OF PERRY ANN MARSHALL.  HE
 WAS SOLD OUT THERE.  HE TOLD MY FATHER HE'D BE OUT IN THE FIELD IN THE MORNING-
HOE IN HAND.  HAD TO GET OUT THERE  FORE IT WAS LIGHT, HOE IN HAND.  BOSS MAN TH
ERE WITH WHIP.  WHEN LIGHT ENOUGH TO HOE, GIVE ORDER, HEADS UP]  THEN LOTS OF WO
MEN FELL DEAD OVER THE HOE.  GOVE ORDER, HEADS UP] YOU CHOP]  BREAKFAST BRING TO
 yOU rN THE6FInLD. 2SET-RIGHT THnRE BY yOU qOE jND EAT rLL HE SAY, HEADS UP]  W
HEN WOMEN FELL DEAD, LIE RIGHT THERE TILL NIGHT WHERE THE BODY DROP--TILL YOU KN
OCK OFF.  THAT'S TEXAS]  I CALL TEXAS HELL.  EVEN TODAY BLACK MAN CAN'T GET NO F
IRST CLASS TICKET TEXAS]
    6 HnN  OU&lOME-RIGHT mOWN TO THE tRUTH, WE ALWAYS GOT UP FORE DAY MOST OF TI
ME.  YOU COULD GO VISITING OTHER PLANTATION, BUT MUST HAVE YOU A TICKET.  PATROL
 CATCH YOU THEY WHIP YOU.