Silvia Chisolm
From:
South Carolina
Project #-1655
Phoebe Faucette
Hampton County
SILVIA CHISOLM
Ex-Slave 88 Years Old
"Aunt Silvie", sitting out in the sunshine in the yard of a small negro
cabin, on a warm day in January, seemed very old and feeble. Her answers
to questions were rather short and she appeared to be preoccupied.
"I been fifteen year old when de Yankee come--fifteen de sixth of June.
I saw 'em burn down me Massa's home, an' everythin'. I 'members dat. Ole
man Joe Bostick was me Massa. An' I knows de Missus an' de Massa used to
work us. Had de overseer to drive us! Work us till de Yankees come! When
Yankee come dey had to run! Dat how de buildin' burn! Atter dey didn't
find no one in it, dey burn! De Marshall house had a poor white woman in
it! Dat why it didn't burn! My Massa's Pineland place at Garnett was
burn, too. Dey never did build dis un (one) back. Atter dey come back,
dey build deir house at de Pineland place.
"I wus mindin' de overseer's chillun. Mr. Beestinger was his name! An'
his wife, Miss Carrie! I been eight year old when dey took me. Took me
from me mother an' father here on de Pipe Creek place down to Black
Swamp. Went down forty-two mile to de overseer! I never see my mother or
my father anymore. Not 'til atter freedom! An' when I come back den I
been married. But when I move back here, I stay right on dis Pipe Creek
place from den on. I been right here all de time.
"Atter I work for Mr. Beestinger, I wait on Mr. Blunt. You know Mr.
Blunt, ain't you? His place out dere now.
"Mr. Bostick was a good ole man. He been deaf. His chillun tend to his
business--his sons. He was a preacher. His father was ole man Ben
Bostick. De Pipe Creek Church was ole Missus Bostick's Mammy's church.
When de big church burn down by de Yankees, dey give de place to de
colored folks. Stephen Drayton was de first pastor de colored folks had.
Dey named de church, Canaan Baptist Church. Start from a bush arbor. De
white folks church was paint white, inside an' out. It was ceiled
inside. Dis church didn't have no gallery for de colored folks. Didn't
make no graveyard at Pipe Creek! Bury at Black Swamp! An' at
Lawtonville! De people leave dat church an' go to Lawtonville to
worship. Dey been worshipping at Lawtonville ever since before I could
wake up to know. De Pipe Creek Church jes' stood dere, wid no service in
it, 'til de Yankee burn it. De church at Lawtonville been a fine church.
Didn't burn it! Use it for a hospital durin' de war!
"I'se 88 year old now an' can't remember so much. An' I'se blind! Blind
in both eye!"
Source: Silvia Chisolm, R. F. D. Estill, S. C.
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