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Fanny was born in slavery and was "a great big girl" when the slaves were freed but does not know her exact age, however, she thinks that she was "at least twelve when the war broke out." According to this method of estimating her age, Fanny is about eighty-seven.
The old woman's parents were John Arnold and Rosetta Green, who were married 'away befo de wah' by steppin' over the broom' in the presence of "old Marse," and a lot of colored friends.
Fanny does not know where her parents were born, but thinks that they were born in Upson County near Thomaston, Georgia, and knows that she and her two brothers and other sister were.
Fanny and her family were owned by Judge Jim Green. Judge Green had a hundred or so acres of land Fanny 'reckon', and between twenty-five and seventy-five slaves.
"The Marster was just as good as he could be to all the slaves, and especially to the little chillun." "The Judge did not 'whup' much-and used a peach tree limb and done it hisself.
There wuzn't no strop at Marse Green's big house."
Rosetta Green, the mother of Fanny, "cooked and washed for Judge Green for "yeahs and yeahs." Fanny "found her mammy a cookin' at the big house the fust thing she knowed."
As Fanny grew up, she was trained by "ole Miss" to be a house girl, and did "sech wuk" as churning, minding the flies "offen de table when de white folks et, gwine backards and forads to de smoke-house for my mammy."
She recalls that when she minded the flies often the table she allus got plenty of biscuits and scraps o' fried chicken the white folks left on their plates, "But. Fanny added with a satisfied smile. "Marse Green's darkies never wanted for sumpin t'eat, case he give 'em a plenty, even molasses all dey wanted. Fanny and her mammy always ate in "de Missis kitchen."
"Yes, said Fanny, I remembers when de Yankees come through, it tickled us chillun and skeered us too!" Dey was mo'n a hundred, Miss, riding mighty po' ole wore out hosses. All de men wanted was sumpin' t'eat and some good hosses. De men poured into de smokehouse and de kitchen (here Fanny had to laugh again) an how den Yankee mens did cut and hack "Ole Marse's best hame! After dey at all dey could hol' dey saddled up "ole Marse's fine hosses an' away dey rid!"
When asked why the white folks did not hide the horses out in the swamps or woods, Fanny replied, "case, dey didn't have time. Dem Yankees pounced down like hawks after chickens!" "Ole Marse jest did have time to'scape to de woods hisself." The Judge was too old to go to the war.
John Arnold, Fanny's daddy, was owned by Mr. John Arnold on an adjoining plantation to Judge Greene, and when he and Fanny's mother were married, John was allowed to visit Rosetta each week-end. Of course he had to carry a pass from his "Marster."
John and Rosetta "never lived together year in and year out." according to Fanny's statement, "till long after freedom."
Fanny relates that Judge Green's slaves all went to "meetin" every Sunday in the white folks church. The darkies going in the after-noon and the white people going in the forenoon.
The white preacher ministered to both the white and colored people.
If the Negroes were sick and needed mo den, "old Marse" knowed what to give em, he "sont the white folk's doctor." "You see, Miss, said old Fanny with pride, I was owned by big white folks"
She tells that Judge Green had two young sons (not old enough to fight) and three daughters, 'jest little shavers, so high', (here Fanny indicated from three, to four or five foot at intervals, to indicate small children's height,) then added, We allus said, 'Little Miss Peggy', 'Little Miss Nancy', and 'Little MisszJane', and 'Young Marse Jim' and 'Little Marster Bob". "Did you ever forget to speak to the children in that way?" the interviewer asked. "No, Miss, we sho didn't, we knowed better dan to fergit!"
Fanny is very feeble in everyway, voice is weak and her step most uncertain, but she is straight of figure, and was ripping up smoking tobacco sacks with which her daughter is to make 'a purty bed apread'. Fanny and her husband, another ex-slave, live with Fanny's daughter. The daughter supports her mother.
(DIST. 6., 270 Ex. Slave. Mary A. Crawford, Re-Search Worker)
