Henry Ryan
From:
South Carolina
=Project 1885 -1-=
=District #4=
=Spartanburg, S.C.=
=May 31, 1937=
=Edited by:=
=Martha Ritter=
=FOLK-LORE: EX-SLAVES=
"I was born in Edgefield county, S.C., about 1854. I was the son of
Larkin and Cheny Ryan who was the slaves of Judge Pickens Butler who
lived at Edgefield Courthouse. I has some brothers and sisters, but
don't remember them all. We lived in a log house with but one room. We
had good beds to sleep in, and always had plenty to eat. Old Judge
Butler was a good man. I was 10 years old when he died. Before then I
worked in and around the house, and freedom come I stayed with the
Butler family two years, then went to Dr. Maxwell's.
"In slavery time we had extra patches of ground to work for ourselves
which we sometimes worked on Saturday afternoons as we had dat time off.
Judge Butler used to give us a little money, too, before freedom come,
for our work. We bought clothes and things we had to have. We had a big
plantation garden dat the overseers planted for all on de place to eat
out of.
"We used to hunt 'possums, rabbits, squirrels, wild turkeys, doves,
partridges, and set traps for partridges and set box gums for rabbits.
We had good food then, plenty peas, cornbread, and wild game. When
winter time come we put on wool clothes and heavy shoes.
"Old Marse Butler and his mistress was good, de best folks in de
country. They lived in a big house, had a girl and a boy, and over 1000
or maybe 2,000 acres of land, on several farms. One was on Saluda River.
His overseers some was no good, but master wouldn't let them treat
slaves cruel, just light whipping.
"We used to have to wake up at sun-up and work till sundown. We didn't
learn to read and write; but we had a prayer house on de plantation
where we could go to sometimes, until freedom come, then we went on to
it just the same. Old man Bennefield, a nigger preacher, talked to us
there. I can 'member one of de favorite songs we sung:
'Show pity, O Lord, forgive,
Let e'er repentant sinner live;
Are not thy mercies large and free,
May not a sinner trust in Thee.'
'My crimes are great, and can't surpass,
---------------------------------------'
"None of Major Pickens Butler's slaves ever went away from him, but some
in de neighborhood did run away, and day never heard of dem again.
"The paderrollers would catch a nigger if he didn't have a pass. Some
would pass and re-pass in the road, and maybe get catched and such
scuffling would go on!
"We worked on Saturday afternoons unless boss give time off to work our
own little patches or do some other work we had to do. But some would
frolic then and wash up for Sunday, or set around. On Sunday we went to
church and talked to neighbors. On Christmas we celebrated by having a
big dinner which the master give us. We had three days holiday or
sometimes a week. We had New Year's Day as a special day for working,
'cause it was a sign if we worked good dat day, we would work good all
de year. The white folks had corn-shuckings and cotton pickings in
slavery and after freedom, too. Den would have big supper. Some
neighbors walk ten miles, like walking to church or to school. Didn't
think anything of walking dat far.
"Some of de games played by children were marbles, jump-rope.
"Once an old man had his dog trained to say his prayers. The dog was fed
but wouldn't be allowed to eat until he put his paws in front and bow
his head on dem; de old man say to him, 'No, no, you die and go to hell
if you don't say your prayers.'
"Once another fellow, a nigger, said he was going to his wife's house to
see her; but he had to pass his old partner's place on de way, who was
dead. When he got opposite the partner's place something, maybe a ghost,
came to him and wrestled with him and wouldn't let him go on to see his
wife, so he come back to his master's house and stayed.
"When the slaves got sick they had doctors, and used old herbs.
'Jerusalem Ore' was a kind of herb for children, to build them up, and
there was field grass roots and herb roots which was boiled and tea
drunk for fevers. And 'Primer-rhine' tea which was drunk, too. Sometimes
they would hang garlic around small boys and girls necks to keep away
any kind of sickness.
"We didn't have schools; started them the second year after freedom. Old
General Butler give us old slaves a home each and a small patch to work.
"I married when I was 21 years old, the first time in Edgefield County,
now called Saluda County. I have six children, nine grand-children, and
four great-grand-children.
"I think Abe Lincoln was good man and he was Providential arrangement. I
think Jeff Davis was good man, same. Booker T. Washington is good man,
done lots for young niggers. I rather like it now, and not slavery time.
I joined church when I was 18 to turn from evil ways and to live a
better life."
SOURCE: Henry Ryan (83), Newberry, S.C.; by G. Leland Summer, Newberry,
S.C.
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