Ellen Renwick
From:
South Carolina
=Project 1885 -1-=
=Spartanburg, S.C.=
=District #4=
=May 31, 1937=
=Edited by:=
=Martha Ritter=
=FOLK-LORE: EX-SLAVES=
"I was born on Capt. John P. Kinard's place. My mammy and pa was Lucy
and Eph Kinard who belonged to Marse Kinard. Marse Kinard was good to
his slaves--didn't whip them much. He whipped me a little. When I was a
little girl I slept in the big house in the room with my mistress and
her husband, and waited on them. I worked when I got old enough, in the
field, and anywhere around. When I wouldn't work good, my mammy whipped
me most.
"I 'member the folks cooked in skillets over an old fireplace.
"After the war was over and freedom come we stayed on with Capt. Kinard,
'till I married and then went over to Dock Renwick's place where my
husband worked. I married Tom Renwick. We went to the church of the
colored folks after the war, and had preachings in mornings and evenings
and at night, too. We didn't have no nigger schools, and we didn't learn
to read and write.
"The white folks had corn-shuckings, cotton pickings at night, when the
mistress would fix a big dinner for all working."
SOURCE: Ellen Renwick (79), RFD, Newberry, S.C.
Interviewer: Mr. G. Leland Summer, 1707 Lindsey St.,
Newberry, S.C.
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Sam Rawls
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