Jane Hollins
From:
South Carolina
Project #-1655
Martha S. Pinckney
Charleston, S.C.
FOLKLORE
JANE HOLLINS
AGE 97
Jane was found in the sunshine on her piazza, busily occupied, as she
always would be. With her full cotton skirt she brushed off the
hard-wood bench, and asked the writer to have a seat; this being
declined, she said,
"Then I'll sit, because I'm old and get tired.
"Now what you want with old Jane? From old Mausa time you can get my
age--you can 'pute it up. (compute) I was 95 June before this last June
gone. I got a son 70 what lives in the country--he pay my rent. I dunno
how many children I had; my son July Ladson lives here with me--he gone
out now. One son is gone off somewhere in the world; he's married and
has a family--I dunno where he is--somewhere in the world!"--spreading,
out her arms.
"I come from Eutawville and Belvidere and Belmont. My Master?--Charles
Sinkler, Belvidere Plantation, (a few miles from Eutawville) Mausa went
to Eutaw for Miss--I remember all two place, Belvidere and Eutaw. We
live at Belvidere. My master house been beautiful--'e dey yet! (in her
deep feeling and excitement she lapsed into Gullah). That was the
plantation where we lived--and, the beautiful steps went up at the back
to the 'pantry and to the side was the smoke house', she jumped up and
illustrated--'the smoke come up from here, and the meat was hangin' all
here', she showed vital interest in everything she told, and was
absorbed in her subject, as when we relate experiences which we have
loved.
"You know what 'Daily Gift'?--I was Daily Gift--Mausa give me to Miss
Margaret, his daughter, when she was married to Mr. Gaillard--I give to
Miss Margaret--=I never was sold=." She repeated twice, and was very proud
of it that she was a "Free Gift". "I never was sold, =and my Mama never
was sold=." (Faithful servants remained for generations in one family,
inherited and willed like other valued property)
"What I do?--I milk cows", and she illustrated. "I do outside work wid
de hoe--plant corn, potato, peas, rice!" She beamed with pride and
pleasure as she told of each thing she could do--"Help fix the hogs, you
know, make lard and cracklings to put in bread. When dinner time they
blow the big conk and everybody come for dinner. I not the cook. The
cook, Delia, stout round, (illustrated) she do cook! We jus' make out
now with dese vittles.
"We went to church all de time--an' I sing an' shout in de Heavenly
land! De church been on de plantation. Mausa had a white minister for
us. His name Mr. Quinbey. I believe in God. Heaven a restin'
place--there we is all one spirit--the spirit go about jus' how we go
about here."
"Do they come back? Did you ever see one?" she was asked.
"I hear 'bout dat," she frowned, "but I never see um. My mama, Eve, died
after freedom. My mama gone--she never come back--my children never come
back to me any time. I dont know how many of my children dead. My
daughters, dey lookin' to themselves."
"I come to Charleston long after Freedom. I remember all two
place--Belvidere and Eutawville. Belmont I cant forget--de name Gaillard
I cant forget, cause I was 'Free Gift.' Dese time aint like de times way
back dere."
"I been a mid-wife here 60 years. My name writ right down dere and you
can find it. No longer than this mornin' I burn up some papers. I aint
have any remembrance any more." Here she went in to the house and got
some sheets of paper.--"I want to be truthful to you, dese was my
nursery book."
"I'm too old to sing.--I did know spirituals but cant remember them--I
tell you dese things, then they go out of my remembering."
"My sister been seamstress in de house--her name Rachel--I do de
pointing I can work at anything--after supper, before dark come, do
cutting out for next days work."
"I cut out a suit for my master," she said proudly--"pants, and a
waistcoat--you know?" Then she remembered suddenly that she could
spin--card the cotton and spin it into yarn--"'I glad I can remember
things I do in those days--.'"
Her farewell benediction was: ="I trust de Lord will carry you whereever
you want to go!"=
=Source:= Jane Hollins, age 97, the Lane at 50 Ashe St, Charleston, S.C.
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