|
|
Present Residence: 1301 - 23rd Avenue, Columbus, Georgia Interviewed: August 6, 1936
Ed Marshal, the son of a free man, was born a slave in Muscogee County, near Upatoie, Georgia, February 28, 1848.
Prior to 1865, he and his mother were owned by Mr. James H. Jones, whom "Uncle Ed" speaks of as a very conservative Christian gentleman, a man whose slaves were always well cared for, never over-worked or lashed, and fared better under their master's humane treatment and tutelary indulgence than they ever fared after freedom.
Though unable to either read or write, "Uncle Ed" is a very intelligent man, a man who possesses a remarkable vocabulary. Me says that if it were within his power, he would curse every superstitious, ignorant Negro that subscribes to the fetish of conjurism.
When asked how he had acquired such a command of English, "Uncle Ed" replied: "My master taught me a great deal; to him I owe everything. Neither I nor any child or grandchild of mine has ever been arrested or accused of a dishonest act, all of which is due to our proper training by good white people.
In 1866, when only eighteen years old, "Uncle Ed" married Polly Rich, the former chattel of Mr. Emanuel Rich - a Chattahoochie County planter. Their first child was born in 1868.
"Aunt Polly" relates, "Me and Ed has lived together for seventy years and ain't never had a fight or a cross word."
As a little girl, "Aunt Polly" "played dolls" with several of her owner's small daughters. And these little rich girls used to put the little Negress in a tub and scrub her by the hour trying "to make Polly white!" "Yes, sah, they usta almos scrub de hide off'n me, tryin' to make me white."
This old couple are the parents of twelve children. They also have about fifty grandchildren and a grand total of seventy-five descendants.
No ex-slaves ever loved their former owners and owner's people better than "Uncle Ed" and "Aunt Polly" loved their white folks.
Neither has any respect for ghosts and superstitions, thus reflecting their early environment and superior training. "Aunt Polly", however, is not the master of English that her husband is, though she is a woman of above average mentality.
