|
|
(Eufala, Barbour County, AL. Gertha Courie)
"Aunt" Georgia, about ninety years old, owned by Americus Mitchell. Was born at "Elmoreland" near Glennville. Lives now at Eufaula, AL, Orange Street. I asked her, "Aunt" Georgia, do you remember your mother?" "No, honey, my mother died when I was born and my Mistis Mary Mitchell raised me in de "big house" (and it is a big house. It is one of the finest examples of antebellum homes in Elmoreland, Alabama.) I was named atta her sister, Miss Georgia Mitchell. I slept in her room, I was a "house nigger", neber went to a nigger church till I was grown and married, didn't 'sociate with niggers, cause I was a nurse maid, and I nursed her last baby, Molly, I stayed right on after freedom, I neber left my Mistis. Stayed there til old Marster died and my Mistis moved to Eufaula to live with her son, "Marse Merry".
I asked Aunt Georgia if she remembered much about the war. She said, "Honey, dey say'de Yankees is coming, de Yankees is coming', us sho was scared. (It was the Federal General Grieson marching from Mobile to Eufaula.) All de cows and horses and hogs we drive to de swamp down on de north creek, (Chewalla) and dey took de feather beds down there too and hid em under "brash and leaves". (These swamps were good hiding places). My Mistis tied her trinkets (jewels) in sacks and put dem in "outlandish" places, in de top of de hay loft, and hen house, I disrember now she put in sich funny places."
"Aunt Georgia, where did they hide their silver?" Her answer, "Honey, dey planted it in de fields."
Aunt Georgia's hair is white and her face is sweet.
