George Ann Butler
From:
South Carolina
Project #-1655
Phoebe Faucette
Hampton County
Folklore
GEORGE ANN BUTLER
Ex-Slave 75 Years
West of the paved highway at Garnett one may reach, after several miles,
the old Augusta Road that follows along the Savannah River from Augusta
to a landing point a little south of Garnett. Miles from the busy
highway, it passes, in quiet majesty, between fields and woods, made
rich by the river's overflow and heavy dews. Nature has done her best in
producing beautiful evergreen trees of immense size and much luxuriant
shrubbery of many kinds. Live oaks, magnolias, yellow slash pines,
hollies, and many evergreen shrubs keep the woods even in winter, a
fascinating wilderness to hunters and nature lovers. On this road George
Ann Butler lives, and has lived for the seventy-five years of her life.
"I was born an' raised on de Greenwood place. It belonged to ole man Joe
Bostick. He owned all dese places 'long dese here road. He own de
Bostick place back yonder; den he own de Pipe Creek place next dat; den
Oaklawn; den joinin' dat was Greenwood. De Colcock's Elmwood was next.
My Husband was birth right here on de Pipe Creek, an' been here ever
since. He kin tell you more'n I kin. I was George Anne Curry before I
marry.
"I can't remember so much 'bout slavery time. I was crawlin' over de
floor when slavery time--dey tell me. But atter de war, I 'members.
Couldn't find no corn seed! Couldn't find no cotton seed! Couldn't find
no salt! You knows it was hard times when dere wasn't no salt to season
de vegetables. Had to go down to de salt water an' get de water an'
boil it for salt. Dat been a long way from here. Must be fifty or sixty
mile! An' dey couldn't go so fast in dem days. Sufferin' been in de
neighborhood atter de war pass!
"Cotton was de thing 'way back yonder. An' right 'long dis road dey'd
haul it. Haul it to Cohen's Bluff! Haul it to Matthews Bluff! Haul it to
Parichucla! Don't haul it dis way no more! Send de cotton to de
railroad! But in dem days it was de ships dat carried it to Savannah.
Cotton seem to be play out now--dey plant so much.
"I hear 'em tell 'bout de war, an' havin' to drill an' step when dey say
step, an' throw up dey hands, when dey say throw up de hand. Everything
had to be done jes' so! De war was sure a terrible thing."
Source: George Anne Butler, R. F. D. Garnett, S. C.
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Isaiah Butler
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C B Burton
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