Albert Carolina
From:
South Carolina
Project No. 1885-(1)
Prepared by Mrs. Genevieve Chandler
Place, Murrells Inlet, S. C.
Date, March 25, 1937
Typed by M. C., N. Y. A.
No Words ----
Reduced from Words ----
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[~HW: Georgetown Co~]
[~HW: HEAVEN'S GATE CHURCH~]
(Verbatim conversation by Uncle Albert Carolina.):
When asked about the founding of Heaven's Gate colored Methodist
church Rev. Albert Carolina answered:
"In the beginning of Freedom they separate us from whites.
'Sixty one the war begun;
Sixty four the war was o'er."
"Rev. Zacharias Duncan wuz the man. He the one built Heaven Gate church.
Brother Henry Smith and Brother David Kidd and old man Jackson Heywood
wuz the old ones built it. Some more been there. Can't think of them.
Old man Jim Beaty wuz one. Can't remember no more. He wuz Allston man.
(That means he was a slave owned by the Allstons) Uncle Dave Kidd, he
owned a tract of land in the Savannah.
"Brought us up in Sabbus (Sabbath) school. Sunrise prayer-meeting. Ten
o'clock Sunday school. Leven o'clock the service. Three o'clock service
again. Eight at night--service again. Raise us taughen (taught) in the
church. Steal off Slavery time in they own house and have class meeting.
Driver come find'em, whip'em. Th' patrolls come riding down th' road.
Four plait whip. Two big black dog. White pat-roller. Ketch without
pass, they whip me. Crawling. (I was crawling). But I walk then and walk
every since! Bo-cart. Dat's what they call it--'Bo-cart'. (Crude home
made baby walker.) Bout seventy seven years since I start. Remember
nother thing going on in them time. Mausser gin (give) the women a task.
Didn't done it. Next day didn't done it. Saturday come, task time out!
Driver! I tell yuh th' truth, you could hear those people, 'Murder!
Murder!'
"Judge Kershaw was a fine man. His boy William--I and William born the
same day.
"We never has met th' bed yet, without family prayer--and never get up
without it. Didn't low them with a book in they hand. The Driver learn
you at night if he like you. Try to out-wage (educate) you at night.
Didn't have any school.
"Mother's father Indian. Brighter than, who? Who round here bright as my
Grand-father? Hannah! Hair was long. Wouldn't stay home. Lives in th'
swamp. Wouldn't stay out. Grandmother wuz African. She had a little bowl
make out of clay."
Uncle Albert Carolina, age 87 (colored)
Murrells Inlet, S. C.
March 8th, 1937.
(A description followed of how his grand-parents built a kiln of clay
pots and baked them.)
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