Cornelia Winfield
From:
Georgia
[HW: Dist 1-2
Ex-Slave #116]
EX-SLAVE INTERVIEW
CORNELIA WINFIELD, Age 82
Richmond County
1341 Ninth Street
Augusta, Georgia
BY: (Mrs.) Margaret Johnson--Editor
Federal Writers' Project
Augusta, Georgia
[Date Stamp: MAY 8 1937]
Cornelia Winfield, 1341 Ninth Street, was born in Crawford, Oglethorpe
County, Georgia March 10, 1855. Her father, being the same age as her
master, was given to him as a little boy. They grew up together, playing
games, and becoming devoted to each other. When her master was married
her father went to his home with him and became the overseer of all the
slaves on the plantation. "My father and mother wuz house servants. My
marster served my father's plate from his own table and sent it to him,
every meal. He had charge of the work shop, and when marster was away he
always stayed at the Big House, to take care of my Missis and the
children. My mother was a seamstress and had three younger seamsters
under her, that she taught to sew. We made the clothes for all the house
servants and fiel' hans. My mother made some of the clothes for my
marster and missis. My mother was a midwife too, and useter go to all
the birthings on our place. She had a bag she always carried and when
she went to other plantations she had a horse and buggy to go in.
"All the slaves on our place wuz treated well. I never heard of any of
'em bein' whipped. I was ten years old when freedom come, and I always
knowed I wuz to belong to one of marster's daughters. After freedom my
father and mother worked on just the same for marster. When my father
died, marster's fam'ly wanted him buried in the fam'ly lot but I wanted
him to lie by my mother."
Cornelia's husband was a Methodist preacher, and she lived with him to
celebrate their Golden Wedding. During the last years of his life they
lived in Augusta. For sixteen years she washed all the blankets for the
Fire Department, and did some of the washing for the firemen. Cornelia
is now 82 years of age, but her memory is good and her mind active; and
she is extremely loquacious. She is quite heavy, and crippled, having to
use a crutch when she walks. Her room was clean, but over-crowded with
furniture, every piece of which has recently been painted. Of the
wardrobe in her room Cornelia told the following story. "All the planks
eny of our family was laid out on, my father kep'. When he came to
Augusta he brought all these planks and made this here wardrobe. When
the fire burnt me out, this here wardrobe was the only thing in my house
that was saved."
During the past summer she put up quantities of preserves, pickles and
canned fruits. These she sells in a little shop-room adjoining her
house, and when the weather permits, on the steps of the Post Office.
Cornelia can read, and spends much of time reading the Bible but she
learned to read after "Freedom." She is greatly interested to tell of
the "best families" she has worked for and the gifts she has received
from them.
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George Womble
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Uncle Willis
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