Robert Henry
From:
Georgia Narratives, Part 2
SUBJECT: [HW: Robert Henry]--EX-SLAVE
DISTRICT: W.P.A. NO. 1
RESEARCH WORKER: JOSEPH E. JAFFEE
EDITOR: JOHN N. BOOTH
SUPERVISOR: JOSEPH E. JAFFFEE (ASST.)
PLANTATION LIFE, AS VIEWED BY AN EX-SLAVE
Uncle Robert Henry, an active 82, now lives with his daughter on Billups
Street in Athens. At the time of our visit he was immaculate in dark
trousers, a tweed sack coat, and a gayly striped tie. Naturally the
question came to mind as to whether he found life more pleasant in his
daughter's neat little cottage, with its well kept yards, or in the
quarters on "Ole Marster's plantation." He seemed delighted to have an
opportunity to talk about "slave'y days"; and although he could not have
been more than 11 years old at the time, he has a very vivid
recollection of the "year de war broke and freedom came."
His parents, Robert and Martha Henry, were born in Oglethorpe County and
were later purchased by P.W. Sayles, who owned a 1,000-acre plantation
about 18 miles from Washington, in Wilkes County. Ga. "Marster
didn't have many niggers, not more'n 70," he stated.
Uncle Robert was the oldest of 8 children, 5 boys and 3 girls. "Pa wuz
de butler at de big house," he declared with pride in his voice; and he
went on to tell how his mother had been the head seamstress on the
plantation and how, at the tender age of 8, his father had begun
training him to "wait on Marster's table".
The picture of "Old Marster's" household, as the old man unfolds it to
his listeners, is one of almost idyllic beauty. There was the
white-pillared "big house" in a grove of white oaks on the brow of a
hill with a commanding view of the whole countryside. A gravelled
driveway led down to the dusty public road where an occasional
stagecoach rattled by and which later echoed with the hoofbeats of
Confederate Cavalry.
The master's house contained twelve rooms, each about 16 x 16 feet. The
kitchen was in the back yard and food was carried to the dining room in
the high basement to the big house by means of an underground passage.
Two servants stood guard over the table with huge fans made of peacock
feathers which they kept in continuous motion during meals to "shoo de
flies away."
The slave quarters were on the banks of a creek down the hill behind the
big house. Nearby were the overseer's cottage, the stables, and the
carriage houses.
In the family were: "Marster, Mistis, Mis' Fannie, Mis' Sally, Mars'
Thomas, Mars' Hickey, and Mars' Wyatt. Dey all 'tended a school on de
plantation." Two of the boys went to the war but only one of them came
back.
After the war the "Yanks" came by and took nearly all the stock that the
servants hadn't hidden in the swamps and all the silver that "Ole
Mistis" hadn't buried under the currant bushes.
Yes, in spite of the hard work required, life was very pleasant on the
plantations. The field hands were at work at sun-up and were not allowed
to quit until dark. Each slave had an acre or two of land which he was
allowed to farm for himself. He used Saturday morning to cultivate his
own crop and on Saturday afternoon he lolled around or went fishing or
visiting. Saturday nights were always the time for dancing and
frolicking. The master sometimes let them use a barn loft for a big
square dance. The musical instruments consisted of fiddles; buckets,
which were beaten with the hands; and reeds, called "blowing quills,"
which were used in the manner of a flute.
There were two churches on the plantation, "one for de white folks and
one fer de niggers." The same preacher held forth in both congregations.
When there were services in the white church there was no negro
meetings; but negroes were allowed to sit in the gallery of the "white
folk'" church.
The master regarded his slaves as [HW: deleted: a] valuable [HW:
deleted: piece of] property and they received treatment as such. When
they were ill the doctor would be sent for or "Old Mistis" would come to
the cabins bringing her basket of oil, pills, and linament.
Food was always given out to the slaves from the commissary and the
smokehouse. There was flour and corn meal, dried beans and other
vegetables, and cured pork and beef in the winter. In season the
servants had access to the master's vegetable garden and they were
always given as much milk as they could use.
Life [HW: deleted: had indeed been; added: was] was very pleasant in
those times; but Uncle Robert, at ease in a comfortable rocker, would
not agree that it was more to his liking than this present-day
existence.
When the subject of signs and omens was broached he waxed voluble in
denying that he believed in any such "foolishment." However, he agreed
that many believed that a rooster crowing in front of the door meant
that a stranger was coming and that an owl screeching was a sign of
death. He suggested that a successful means of combatting the latter
omen is to tie knots in the bed sheets or to heat a poker in the fire.
In case of death, Uncle Robert says, to be on the safe side and prevent
another death in the family, it is wise to stop the clock and turn its
face to the wall and to cover all the mirrors in the house with white
cloths. Uncle Robert's highly educated daughter smiled indulgently on
him while he was giving voice to these opinions and we left him
threatening her with dire punishment if she should ever fail to carry
out his instructions in matters of this nature.
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John L Peters
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Jefferson Franklin Henry
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