Laurence Gary
From:
South Carolina
Project 1885
District #4
Spartanburg, S.C.
June 1, 1937
Edited by:
Martha Ritter
FOLKLORE: EX-SLAVES
"I was born in 1861, at Gary's Lane, in Newberry County, S.C. My father
and mother and me were slaves of Dr. John Gary who lived in a big fine
house there. They had lots of slaves, and a large plantation. After
freedom come he told them they could go where they wanted to, but they
stayed on with Doc Gary. He was a good master; he never allowed any
paderollers around his place; he always give the slave a pass when he
went off. When de Ku Klux went up and down the road on horses, all
covered with white sheets, old Doc wouldn't allow them on his place.
"We was allowed to hunt, and we hunted rabbits, 'possums, a few foxes in
the neighborhood, partridges, squirrels, and doves.
"We went to school after freedom come; we had a school for niggers and
had a church for niggers, too.
"Doc Gary had a big piano in his house, and most everybody else had a
fiddle or Jews harp. He had a wide fireplace in his kitchen where he
cooked over it, in skillets.
"I think Abe Lincoln was a fine man and Jeff Davis was all right. Booker
Washington is a smart fellow."
=Source:= Laurence Gary (76), Newberry, S.C. (Helena)
Interviewer: G. Leland Summer, 1707 Lindsey St,
Newberry, S.C.
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