Gordon Bluford
From:
South Carolina
Spartanburg, S. C.
June 7, 1937
FOLKLORE: EX-SLAVES
"I was born in Laurens County, S. C., at the 'brick house', which is
close to Newberry County line, and my master was Dr. Felix Calmes. The
old brick house is still there. My daddy was Joe Grazier and my mammy,
Nellie Grazier.
"We had a pretty good house to live in in slavery time, and some fair
things to eat, but never was paid any money. We had plenty to eat like
fat meat, turnips, cabbages, cornbread, milk and pot-liquor. Master sent
his corn and apples, and his peaches to old man Scruggs at Helena, near
Newberry, to have him make his whiskey, brandy, and wine for him. Old
man Scruggs was good at that business. The men hunted some, squirrels,
rabbits, possums, and birds.
"In the winter time I didn't have much clothes, and no shoes. At nights
I carded and spinned on the mistress's wheels, helping my mammy. Then we
got old woman Wilson to weave for us.
"Master had a big plantation of several farms, near about 1,000 acres or
more. It was said he had once 250 slaves on his places, counting
children and all. His overseers had to whip the slaves, master told them
to, and told them to whip them hard. Master Calmes was most always mean
to us. He got mad spells and whip like the mischief. He all the time
whipping me 'cause I wouldn't work like he wanted. I worked in the big
house, washed, ironed, cleaned up, and was nurse in the house when war
was going on.
"We didn't have a chance to learn to read and write, and master said if
he caught any of his slaves trying to learn he would 'skin them alive'.
"There was a church in the neighborhood on Dr. Blackburn's place, but we
didn't get to go to it much. I was 17 years old when I joined the
church. I joined because the rest of the girls joined. I think everybody
ought to join the church.
"On Saturday afternoons the slaves had to work, and all day Sunday, too,
if master wanted them. On Christmas Day we was give liquor to get drunk
on, but didn't have no dinner.
"When I was sick old Dr. P. B. Ruff attended me. Old Dr. Calmes, I
'member, traveled on a horse, with saddle-bag behind him, and made his
own medicines. He made pills from cornbread.
"I saw many slaves sold on the block--saw mammy with little infant taken
away from her baby and sent away. I saw families separated from each
other, some going to one white master and some to another.
"I married at 14 years old to Arthur Bluford. We had 10 children. I now
have about 8 grandchildren and about 7 or 8 great-grandchildren. I was
married in the town of Newberry at the white folk's Methodist church, by
a colored preacher named Rev. Geo. De Walt.
"When freedom come, they left and hired out to other people, but I
stayed and was hired out to a man who tried to whip me, but I ran away.
Dat was after I married and had little baby. I told my mammy to look
after my little baby 'cause I was gone. I stayed away two years 'till
after Dr. Calmes and his family moved to Mississippi."
Source: Gordon Bluford (92), Newberry, S. C.
Interviewer: G. Leland Summer, 1707 Lindsey St.,
Newberry, S. C.
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Maggie Black
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