Hagar Brown
From:
South Carolina
Project #-1655
Mrs. Genevieve W. Chandler
Murrells Inlet, S. C.
Georgetown County
(Some recollections of Mom Hagar Brown)
Visitor: "Mom Hagar, how old did you say you were?"
Hagar: "Don't take care of my age! Had me gang of chillun when ma die. I
had Samuel, I had Elias, I had Arthur, I had Beck. Oh, my God! Man, go
way! I had Sally! I had Sally again. I didn't want to give the name
'Sally' again. Say, 'First Sally come carry girl.' Ma say, 'Gin 'em name
'Sally!' I faid (afraid) that other one come back for him. Had to do
what Ma say. Had to please 'em. Ma name Sally. Ma chillun Catrine,
Hagar, Emmeline, Gettie. I born Columbia. Come Freedom, when we left
Columbia, ma finer till we get in Charston. Freedom come, battle till we
get 'Oaks.' (Battled till they reached the 'Oaks Plantation--.')Stay
there till people gin (begin) move bout. Come Watsaw. Gone 'Collins
Creek.' In the 'Reb Time' you know, when they sell you bout--Massa sell
you all about. Broke through them briar and branch and thing to go to
church. Them patrol get you. Church 'Old Bethel.' You don't know 'em.
Been gone!
"I yeddy ma! (heard my mother) Ma say, 'I too glad my chillun aint been
here Rebs time! Gin you task you rather drown than not done that task!
Ma say Auntie poor we weak creeter, couldn't strain. Ma had to strain to
fetch sister up with her task. Dere (there) in rice-field. Ma say they
on flat going to islant (island), see cloud, pray God send rain! When
rooster crow, say they pray God to stop 'em! Rooster crow, broke up
wedder! When rooster crow, scare 'em. Broke up rain! Ma say they drag
the pot in the river when the flat going cross. Do this to make it rain.
Massa! Don't done you task, driver wave that whip, put you over the
barrel, beat you so blood run down! I wouldn't take 'em! Ma say, 'I too
glad my chillun aint born then!'
"Any cash money? Where you gwine get 'em? Only cash the gospel! Have to
get the gospel. Give you cloth! Give you ration! Jess (just according)
many chillun you got. Ma say chillun feed all the corn to the fowl.
Chillun say,
'Papa love he fowl!
Papa love he fowl!
Three peck a day!
Three peck a day!
"Parent come to door. Not a grain of corn leave! Poor people! Come,
drop! Not a grain! Everybody on the hill help. One give this; one give
that. Handle 'em light! (Very careful with victuals). Gone you till
Saddy (Saturday.) (Will last you until Saturday when you are rationed
again.)
"When Ma get down, she say, 'I gone leave! I gone leave here now! But,
oh, Hagar! Be a mudder and fadder for Katrine!'
"I say, (I call Katrine 'Gob') I say, 'Better tell Gob to look atter
me!'
"Ma say, 'When I gone I ax the Master when he take me, to send drop o'
rain to let true believer know I gone to Glory!'
"When they lift the body to take 'em to the church, rain, 'Tit! Tit!
Tit! Tit!' on the house! At the gate, moon shine out' Going to the
church! Bury to the 'Oaks.'
"Gob say, 'Titty, all you chillun bury at Oaks. Ma to Oaks. How come you
wanter bury Watsaw?"
"I say, 'When the trumpet sound, I yeddy!' (When the trumpet sounds,
I'll hear it!)
"I marry right to Collins Creek hill. Big dance out the door! I free! I
kick up! Ma, old rebs time people!"
Mom Hagar Brown
Age--(She says 'Born first o'
Freedom' but got her age from
a contemporary and reported 77)
Murrells Inlet, S. C.
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