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Old Slaves Stories...Pulaski County
Caroline Malloy, one of the ex-slaves in Pulaski County, was born in Sumter County. Her mother, Lizzie Tillman, and her father, John Lewis, were also born there, the mother belonging to people by the name of Tillman and the father to the Lewis's. As Caroline is now ninety-six years of age, her memory is somewhat vague on some subjects, though remarkably clear on topics that she loves.
She remembers nothing at all of her mother, since her father's "white folks" took her when a very small child and gave her to their married daughter. She was told that she was second to the oldest of a family of fifteen, but she has no recollection of any members of her family.
Her master was named Fed Brown and when she was first given to his wife, he owned a plantation in Sumter County. From the time that she was four years old until she was practically grown Caroline lived in the house with her master and mistress. The first work that she remembers doing was to light a pipe for her mistress. Then, as she grew older, she began helping with the house work and doing any little jobs that her mistress required of her.
Caroline was still quite small when her "white folks" moved to Hawkinsville, taking her with them. There they lived in town and though her master had plots of land around the house for corn and potato patches and garden, there was no large plantation to tend. Mr. Brown was a lawyer and a very highly educated man. He owned about thirty slaves who were kept busy with washing, ironing, cooking and tending the patches and garden. There was always a great deal of company, as Mr. Brown and his wife had a host of friends not only in town but in the adjoining counties. For this reason there was a continual flow of guests and, though the master was not a man of great wealth, he had plenty to make his family and guests comfortable.
When Caroline was asked if she had ever been whipped, she answered that her master or any other white man had never touched her. When she displeased her mistress, Caroline chuckled, Mrs. Brown always promised her a "paddling" but this threat was never carried out. When the other slaves were disobedient, the master whipped them. That was the only law that she seemed conscious of ---the law of her master.
After supper, when the dishes had been cleared away, was the time when the darkies gathered together and amused themselves. Even from a tiny tot, Caroline's mistress would dress her in a fresh white dress and send her to participate in their good times. Sometimes, they gathered in the back yard and some one strummed on a banjo while the others danced. Then there were candy pullings that every one enjoyed. The syrup for the candy was furnished by the mistress. A quilting party was another enjoyable event. For this, the mistress always sent over a delicious supper which consisted of chicken, and cakes and other dainties.
There were few days when the slaves were given a holiday. At Christmas time and on the Fourth of July there were great celebrations for the blacks as well as the whites. On these days one of the favorite games was "Frog in the Mill Pond Can't Jump Joseph." This was played in a circle, one person being in the center, and trying to get out while the others marched around him singing. Then they danced the cotillion and sang any number of their favorite songs. In the middle of the day, a feast was prepared by the white people and spread under the shade trees for the Negroes to enjoy.
There was one day when the slaves were allowed to rest and this was called "fast day" for the white people. On this day both races attended church and prayed and fasted.
On Sundays the slaves attended church with their white people. Caroline's master and mistress were members of the Baptist Church, so she and the other slaves attended the Baptist Church with them. There was a gallery in the church especially built for the slaves and every Sunday found each place filled. Caroline does not remember any colored churches in those days, as there was always a place in the white churches for the Negro slaves.
Mrs. Brown's mother moved to Louisiana and carried two of Caroline's sisters with her. The other members of her family were given to Mrs. Brown's sisters and brothers, but Caroline lost all trace of them. Her father, she said, came to see her soon after the War, but she saw nothing of him again after that.
To leave the plantation all slaves had to have passes from the master. If they were caught outside the boundaries of the plantation without this pass or ticket, the "patteroll" or white men in the community punished them. The master had no authority over them then.
When Caroline was about fifteen years of age, the young negro boys started coming to see her. She got permission from her mistress and, every Sunday night, received "company". Her mistress kept a watchful eye over her and she was not allowed to go outside the boundaries of the plantation. Her future husband had been coming to see her twice a week for about two years before he "popped the question." Wednesday and Saturday nights were kept for him. There was no giving of presents in those days; there was no money with which to buy gifts. There seemed to be no trouble in Caroline's getting the man of her choice. After he had asked her to be his wife and she had consented, he then went to her mistress to ask for Caroline's hand.
Her mistress then called her to ask if this was the man of her choice and when she answered that he was, they were considered married. No wedding ceremony or big feast was prepared for them.
Spending money during those days seemed to be unheard of, as well as unnecessary so far as Caroline was concerned. With a good home, plenty of food, and clothing, what use had any one for spending money?
When a slave was taken ill they were cared for as if they were their own. A doctor was called if he was needed.
When a slave baby was born, a name was chosen for it by their master and mistress.
The white people furnished food for slaves. Every Monday night, meat and meal, according to the size of the family, was given them and they were told that it had to last until the following Monday. Unmarried slaves were given allowances to be cooked by themselves, just as the families did their cooking.
As Caroline lived in the house with her "white folks", she fared better than the ordinary slave. However, she said that an every day dinner for a slave consisted of side meat, corn bread and greens. On Sundays the slaves were given flour with which to make white bread. On holidays, a beef was killed and barbecued and ginger cakes were made in abundance. Chicken, ham, cake, pies, pickles and all the other delectables that the white people enjoyed were served to the slaves on the occasions.
All the food was raised on the plantation. The slaves were not allowed to hunt and fish. Only the "waiting boy" who drove the horses and helped about the house was allowed to go to help his master on hunting and fishing trips.
The clothes which the slaves wore were made by some of the colored women on the place, supervised by the mistress. Before the War, cheap white cloth was bought from nearby towns and carried to the plantations to be made into clothes. But, during the War, the cloth had to be spun at home. This was done by the negro women. The dresses were made to slip over the head with straight seams up both sides.
Caroline admitted that she was superstitious. She believed that the screeching of an owl was the sign of death but did not believe that sneezing while eating or the howling of a dog meant death. However, she said that if there was a death in the house the clock was immediately stopped and a white cloth hung over the mirrors.
She laughed as she told of the signs in which she believes. If a dish cloth falls to the floor while she is washing dishes she believes that some one is coming hungry, or if the new moon is first seen through the trees it is a sign of bad luck, or if a rooster crows in the door it is a sign of the coming of a stranger, or if the bottom of her foot itches she believes she is going to walk on strange land.
Caroline seemed to know little of the talk of the Negroes or the Whites concerning the War. She said the darkies only knew that there was going to be a war, but they did not have the slightest idea of the cause. Her master died of some illness during the first year of the War, so none of her "white folks" was active in war preparations. She told of a big celebration given for the Confederate soldiers, and although it was not held at the home of her mistress, it was nearby, so that they all participated in it. She told of how the Yankee soldiers came to Hawkinsville and how terrified all the darkies were by their presence.
After her master's death, Caroline's mistress hired her to a Mr. Mitchell. This man, according to Caroline, was in Hawkinsville looking after the "rations" for the Confederate soldiers. She was still working for him when peace was declared.
There were no battles fought either on her master's place or in the vicinity.
It was during the time that Caroline was working for Mr. Mitchell that her mistress came to her and told her that she was free and had to work for no one unless she was paid for it. She left Mr. Mitchell then and began working for her former master's brother.
After the War, Caroline's former mistress married again and moved to Louisiana; so, she lost all trace of her.
At the present time Caroline is living in Hawkinsville with her husband's nephew. Almost blind and barely able to walk, she who has served so many now has to be served herself. When asked why she supposed her life had been spared for so many long years, she replied that she knew that the reason was because she had served God and was true and earnest.
Ed and Polly Marshal Ex-Slaves District # 6 (By J. R. Jones)
