|
|
Aunt Mariah Heywood, born in 1855, was 'Allston labor' on Waccamaw Neck. Given as a bridal present to 'Miss Susan Waton' by her father, Mr. Duncan Waton of Midway Plantation Waccamaw, Aunt Mariah has for the last fifty years lived much in the past when 'I was raise on the cream of the earth' and her head is just a little higher and her backbone just a little stiffer than that of the average colored person because of pride - family pride - in her people - her white people. And as one can readily see from her testimony, her chief cause for her pardonable snobbery seems to be that her Massa was the last man to surrender and "swear gainst his swear."
Her sons, one of whom is a preacher in the Methodist Conference and 'one a zorter - a locust' and her youngest son John (who got all the credrick) have built her a comfortable house (painted a bilious yaller) which she keeps clean and sweet with flowers in the front yard - two treasured plants having been sent by her brother (born after mancipations) clean from Pittsburgh.
The fact that she was raised by aristocrats shows plainly in her dealing with both races and she is a leader in church activities and her opinion valued when a vote is taken about school matters.
Being the oldest 'communion steward' she is affectionately spoken of as 'THE MOTHER OF HEAVEN'S GATE' -the
Methodist church founded in Murrells Inlet community by colored leaders shortly after Mancipation.
"Aunt Mariah, you home?"
"Missus, what you brought me?"
"-----------------
"I too thank you."
(Soon she began to reminesce)
"You could hear 'em over there slamming and banging. The Yankee tear up the Dr. Flagg house but they didn't come Sunnyside. Bright day too! Old man Thomas Stuart lead 'em to Hermitage. Had team they take from Mr. Betts and team they take from Dr. Arthur to Woodland. Free everywhere else and we wasn't free Sunnyside till June third or second. Sunday we got our Freedom. Bright day too. Our colored people fare just like the white; wearing, cating, drinking. I was raise on the cream of earth.
"They was glad. Sign a contract for your boss you would work the same and get pay the end of the year - and tend you when you sick all the same." (The same medical attention to be given that was given before 'Freedom') "Big guns shooting! House jar to Sunnyside and one day water shake out the glass! Miss Susan take her spyglass and stand behind one them big posses (posts) and spy them big boats shooting! And boss say, 'Don't get in front of them posses - they might shoot you!'
"Yankee come to Mrs. Belin and Parson Betts. And they tell Mrs. Belin, they want her to know no more slave holding and she thank 'em and she say, HE people was always free! Grandma Harriet, (Harriet Mortor was her title but that time they always gone by they Master title). Joe Heywood was Joe Belin - he was Parson Belin man - he take the Heywood title after mancipation. Poinsette (Uncle Fred) ALWAYS carry that title. That day, all the right hand servant always take they Massa title.) When the big gun shooting, old people in the yard, 'Tank God! Massa, HE COMING!' (Referring to 'Freedom') 'HE COMING!' (Guns gone just like thunders roll now!) Chillun say, "What coming? What coming? What coming, Grandma?'
'You all will know! You all will know!'
"Massa live 'Wee ha kum' for years. We are fifty-five (55) chillun. Mary Rutledge Allston and I one year chillun." (She and Mary R. Allston born same year.) "My Missus have four chillun - Mary Rutledge, Susan Bethune, Marsa Pink and Marse Fanuel. (Benjamine Nathaniel!)
"Four years of the war been hold prayer-meeting." (Praying for 'freedom'). Lock me up in house. Me, I been present to Miss Minna - 'Miss Mary! We, us lock up! My brother and I listen! (Two brother mancipation chillun. Smart Robert Brockington and Harrison Franklin Brockington in Pittsburgh. I
nuss (nurse) him - jess like you hold that book.) Old people used to go to Richmond Hill, Laurel Hill and machesaw have whose little prayer-meeting. All bout in people house. Hold the four year of the war. Great many time the chicken crow for day. Near the key. We say 'Yeddy!' Change clothes. Gone on in the house. Get that eight, seven o'clock breakfast.
"Parson Glennie (Nector All Saints, Waverly lived at Rectory there and did wonderful work teaching and preaching to slaves as well as whites - preaching at beautiful St. Mary's chapel, built by Plowden Weston at Hegley for the slaves of materials from England - baptismal font from this chapel now in Camden Episcopal church and stained glass also removed before chapel burned some few years ago.) At this period - prior to mancipation Waccamaw slaves were usually educated in the faith of their masters - the Episcopal.) Parson Glennie come once a month to Sunnyside. Parson Glennie read, sing, pray. Tell us obey Miss Minna. (I was little highest.) Two of us 55 chillun! We'd fight. She knock me. I knock back! Wouldn't take a knock! She say, 'I tell Parson Glennie! Lord won't bless you! You bad.' I say, 'You knock me, I knock you!'
"Have a play-house. Charlie buy from Mott. Used to summer it at Magnolia. Row from Bull Creek once a month to
Chapel. (10 miles or more) Put them All Saints eleven o'clock service. Four best men his rowsmen. Fuss (first) year war we tuh Bull Creek. Nobody go (to All Saints) but Missus and Massa and the four rowsmen.
"Flat going from Midway to Cheraw. Beat rice on flat. (Couldn't grind corn) Kill chicken. Gone to protect from Yankees - to hide! When they come (to Cheraw). Sherman coming from MONDAY till SATDY! Come on RAIL! Said 'twas a shocking sight! When Sherman army enter Cheraw, town full of sojers. Take way from white people and give horses colored people! Didn't kill none the horses. (On Sunnyside on Waccamaw) Cheraw Yankee kill horses! (Indeed - YES! It is history in Marlboro, near Cheraw they were killed and thrown in the wells to pollute the water.)
"Mr. Charley horse, couldn't nobody ride but him! Father-in-law (Mr. Duncan to Midway) had a pair of grey -BUCK and SMILER. Driver, Tom Carr. Come in carriage every month to Sunnyside. Get the family. Go and spend ten days - Midway! Family was MYSELF, MISS MINNA, and the three and the Massa and Miss Susan. Mary Huger one my Missus sister. One marry a Huger to Charleston.
"Major Charles say he'd die in Sunnyside yard fore he'd go there (Georgetown) and take off his hat and 'swear gainst my swear.' He'd die in Sunnyside yard. My Massa, Major Charles Alston, was the last one to gone to Georgetown and gone under that flag! He was Charles Jr., but after Confederick was he was Major Charles! Major Charles the last man off Waccamaw gone under the flag! At Georgetown. Went down in row-boat. My fadder gone and tell old man Tom Nesbitt to have his boat and four of his best mens. Got to go off a piece! Pa gone. Have boat ready. Ma got up. Cook a traveling lunch for 'em. Fore day! Blue uniform. Yellow streak down side - just like this streak in my dress. Yellow bar!" (Most of 'em had to rob dead yankees or go naked) "LAST GENTLEMAN GONE UNDER THE FLAG!
"Walking up and down the piazza! Say, Can I go to town and swear gainst my slave?" Can I? Up and down!
"I hear bout them slave try to run way. Aunt Tella Kinloch eye shot out. Marsh (baby) cry! Mother say take her apron and stuff the child mouth. Blockade (patrollers) was hiding. Shot in range of that sound. Row! Row! Row! Put everything in jail! All in jail! Mr. McCuskey tell us! He was one of the men help lynch. I got married 1873. They was talking bout the time (war) "Mr. McCuskey told us Nemo Ralston was one. Say he never see a fatter man. Fat in there in shield! Like a fattening hog! (They running way from Oregon - Dr. McGill place). Say they put four horses to him - one to every limb. Stretch 'em. And cut horses and each horse carry a piece! Mr. McCuskey was one help lynch Nemo.
"Uncle William Heywood didn't birth till after mancipation. Not a thing to do with slavery time! But I know when the big gun shooting to free me! Yankee come and free Waccamaw! No slave hold. Whole neck free but us! Last people free on 'Neck.' MY MAJOR last one to went under flag to Georgetown! Old man Moses Gibson and Peter Brockington build Sunnyside kitchen.
"I was birth November 5th, 1855. Mr. Buck say, 'Aunt Mariah, know your birth?'
"'Yes, sir!'
'Aunt Mariah, you too old to work! You born 1800, go on home raise your chicken!'
Aunt Mariah Heywood
Age - 82
Murrells Inlet, S. C.
(Project 1885-1, FOLK LORE, Spartanburg, S. C., 10 May 1937, Edited by: Elmer Turnage)
