Henry Wright
From:
Georgia
[HW: Dist. 5
Ex. Slave #118
E. Driskell]
SLAVERY AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF
HENRY WRIGHT--EX-SLAVE, Age 99
In Atlanta among that ever decreasing group of persons known as
ex-slaves there is an old Negro man named Henry Wright. Although Mr.
Wright is 99 years of age his appearance is that of a much younger man.
He is about 5 feet in height; his dark skin is almost free of wrinkles
and his head is thickly covered with gray hair. His speech and thought
indicate that he is very intelligent and there is no doubt that he still
possesses a clear and active mind.
As he noisily puffed on a battered old pipe he related the following
tale of his experiences in slavery and of conditions in general as he
saw them at that time.
Mr. Wright was born on the plantation of Mr. Phil House. This plantation
was located near the present site of Buckhead, Ga. His parents were
Henry Wright and Margaret House. In those days it was customary for
slaves to carry the name of their owners. His father was owned by Mr.
Spencer Wright and his mother was owned by Mr. Phil House. Both of these
slave owners lived in the same district. His grandparents, Kittie and
Anite House also belonged to Mr. Phil House and it was they who told him
how they had been sold like cattle while in Virginia to a speculator
(slave dealer) and brought to Decatur, Ga. where they were sold to Mr.
House.
Mr. Wright lived with his mother on the House plantation for several
years then he was given to Mr. George House, the brother of Phil House,
as a wedding present. However, he saw his parents often as they were all
allowed "passes" so that they might visit one another.
According to Mr. Wright, his master was a very rich man and a very
intelligent one. His plantation consisted of about three or four hundred
acres of land on which he raised cotton, cane, corn, vegetables and live
stock. Although he was not very mean to his slaves or "servants" as he
called them, neither did his kindness reach the gushing or overflowing
stage.
On this plantation there were a large number of slaves, some of whom
worked in "Old Marster's" (as Mr. House was called) house and some of
whom worked in the fields.
As a youngster Mr. Wright had to pick up chips around the yard, make
fires and keep the house supplied with water which he got from the well.
When he was ten years of age he was sent to the field as a plow-boy. He
remembers that his mother and father also worked in the fields. In
relating his experience as a field hand Mr. Wright says that he and his
fellow slaves were roused each morning about 3 o'clock by the blowing of
a horn. This horn was usually blown by the white overseer or by the
Negro foreman who was known among the slaves as the "Nigger Driver." At
the sounding of the horn they had to get up and feed the stock. Shortly
after the horn was blown a bell was rung and at this signal they all
started for the fields to begin work for the day. They were in the field
long before the sun was up. Their working hours were described as being
from "sun to sun." When the time came to pick the cotton each slave was
required to pick at least 200 lbs. of cotton per day. For this purpose
each was given a bag and a large basket. The bag was hung around the
neck and the basket was placed at the end of the row. At the close of
the day the overseer met all hands at the scales with the lamp, the
slate and the whip. If any slave failed to pick the required 200 lbs. he
was soundly whipped by the overseer. Sometimes they were able to escape
this whipping by giving illness as an excuse. Another form of strategy
adopted by the slaves was to dampen the cotton or conceal stones in the
baskets, either of which would make the cotton weigh more.
Sometimes after leaving the fields at dark they had to work at
night--shucking corn, ginning cotton or weaving. Everyday except Sunday
was considered a work day. The only form of work on Sunday was the
feeding of the live stock, etc.
When Mr. Wright was asked about the treatment that was given the house
slaves in comparison to that given the field slaves, he replied with a
broad grin that "Old Marster" treated them much the same as he would a
horse and a mule. That is, the horse was given the kind of treatment
that would make him show off in appearance, while the mule was given
only enough care to keep him well and fit for work. "You see," continued
Mr. Wright, "in those days a plantation owner was partially judged by
the appearance of his house servants." And so in addition to receiving
the discarded clothes of "Old Marster" and his wife, better clothing was
bought for the house slaves.
The working hours of the house slave and the field slave were
practically the same. In some cases the house slaves had to work at
night due to the fact that the master was entertaining his friends or he
was invited out and so someone had to remain up to attend to all the
necessary details.
On the plantation of Mr. House the house slaves thought themselves
better than the field slaves because of the fact that they received
better treatment. On the other hand those slaves who worked in the
fields said that they would rather work in the fields than work in the
house because they had a chance to earn spending money in their spare or
leisure time. House servants had no such opportunity.
In bad weather they were not required to go to the fields--instead they
cut hedges or did other small jobs around the house. The master did not
want them to work in bad weather because there was too much danger of
illness which meant a loss of time and money in the end.
Mr. House wanted his slaves to learn a trade such as masonry or
carpentry, etc., not because it would benefit the slave, says Mr.
Wright, but because it would make the slave sell for more in case he had
"to get shet (rid) of him." The slaves who were allowed to work with
these white mechanics, from whom they eventually learned the trade, were
eager because they would be permitted to hire themselves out. The money
they earned could be used to help buy their freedom, that is, what money
remained after the master had taken his share. On the other hand the
white mechanic had no particular objection to the slaves being there to
help him, even though they were learning the trade, because he was able
to place all the hard work on the slave which made his job easier. Mr.
Wright remembers how his grandfather used to hire his time out doing
carpentry work, making caskets and doing some masonry. He himself can
plaster, although he never hired out during slavery.
Clothing was issued once per year usually around September. An issue
consisted mostly of the following: 1 pair of heavy shoes called "Negro
Brogans." Several homespun shirts, woolen socks and two or three pairs
of jeans pants. The women were either given dresses and underskirts that
were already made or just the plain cloth to make these garments from.
Some of their clothing was bought and some was made on the plantation.
The wool socks were knitted on the plantation along with the homespun
which was woven there. The homespun was dyed by placing it in a boiling
mixture of green walnut leaves or walnut hulls. In the event that plaid
material was to be made the threads were dyed the desired color before
being woven. Another kind of dye was made from the use of a type of red
or blue berry, or by boiling red dirt in water (probably madder). The
house slaves wore calico dresses or sometimes dresses made from woolen
material.
Often this clothing was insufficient to meet the individual needs. With
a broad smile and an almost imperceptible shake of his old gray head Mr.
Wright told how he had worked in the field without shoes when it was so
cold until the skin cracked and the blood flowed from these wounds. He
also told how he used to save his shoes by placing them under his arm
and walking barefooted when he had a long distance to go. In order to
polish these shoes a mixture of soot and syrup was used.
The young slave children wore a one-piece garment with holes cut for the
head and arms to go through. In appearance it resembled a slightly long
shirt. As Mr. House did not give blankets, the slaves were required to
make the necessary cover by piecing together left over goods. After this
process was completed, it was padded with cotton and then dyed in much
the same way as homespun. After the dyeing was completed the slave was
the owner of a new quilt.
The food that the slaves ate [**TR: was] all raised on the plantation. At
the end of each week each slave was given 3 lbs. of meat (usually pork),
1 peck of meal and some syrup. Breakfast and dinner usually consisted of
fried meat, corn bread and syrup. Vegetables were usually given at
dinner time. Sometimes milk was given at supper. It was necessary to
send the meals to the field slaves as they were usually too far away
from the house to make the trip themselves. For this purpose there was a
woman who did all the cooking for the field hands in a cook house
located among the slave cabins.
Mr. House permitted his slaves to have a garden and chickens of their
own. In fact, he gave each of them land, a small plot of ground for this
purpose. The benefit of this was twofold as far as the slave was
concerned. In the first place he could vary his diet. In the second
place he was able to earn money by selling his produce either in town or
to "Old Marster." Sometimes Old Marster took the produce to town and
sold it for them. When he returned from town the money for the sale of
this produce was given to the slave. Mr. Wright says that he and all the
other slaves felt that they were being cheated when the master sold
their goods. Mr. House also permitted his slaves to hunt and fish both
of which were done at night for the most part.
Coffee was made by parching meal and then placing it in boiling water.
To sweeten this coffee, syrup was used. One delicacy that he and the
other slaves used to have on Sunday was biscuit bread which they called
"cake bread."
All children who were too young to work in the field were cared for by
some old slave woman who was too old to go to the field. She did all of
their cooking, etc. The diet of these children usually consisted of pot
liquor, milk, vegetables and in rare cases, meat. Mr. Wright laughed
here as he stated that these children were given long handled spoons and
were seated on a long bench before a trough out of which they all ate
like little pigs. Not a slave ever suffered the pangs of hunger on the
plantation of Mr. George House.
The houses or cabins of the slaves were located a short distance in the
rear of "Old Marster's" house. These houses were usually made from
logs--the chinks being closed with mud. In some cases boards were used
on the inside of the cabin to keep the weather out, but according to Mr.
Wright, mud was always the more effective. The floor was usually covered
with boards and there were two or three windows to each cabin, shutters
being used in place of glass. The chimney and fireplace were made of
mud, sticks and stones. All cooking was done on the fireplace in iron
utensils, which Mr. Wright declares were a lot better than those used
today. For boiling, the pots hung from a long hook directly above the
fire. Such furniture as each cabin contained was all made by the slaves.
This furniture usually consisted of a wooden bench, instead of a chair,
and a crude bed made from heavy wood. Slats were used in the place of
springs. The mattress was made stuffing a large bag with wheat straw.
"This slept as good as any feather bed" says Mr. Wright. Candles were
used to furnish light at night.
On this plantation each family did not have an individual cabin.
Sometimes as many as three families shared a cabin, which of course was
rather a large one. In this case it was partitioned off by the use of
curtains.
Besides having to take care of the young children, these older slaves
were required to care for those slaves who were ill. Mr. House employed
a doctor to attend his slaves when their cases seemed to warrant it. If
the illness was of a minor nature he gave them castor oil, salts or
pills himself. Then, too, the slaves had their own home remedies. Among
these were different tonics made from "yarbs" (herbs), plasters made
from mustard, and whisky, etc. Most illnesses were caused by colds and
fevers. Mr. Wright says that his two brothers and his sister, all of
whom were younger than he, died as a result of typhoid fever.
Even with all the hardships that the slaves had to suffer they still had
time to have fun and to enjoy themselves, Mr. Wright continued. At
various times Mr. House permitted them to have a frolic. These frolics
usually took place on such holidays as 4th of July, Christmas or
"laying-by time", after the cultivating of the crops was finished and
before gathering time. During the day the master provided a big barbecue
and at night the singing and dancing started. Music was furnished by
slaves who were able to play the banjo or the fiddle. The slaves usually
bought these instruments themselves and in some cases the master bought
them. "In my case," declared Mr. Wright, "I made a fiddle out of a large
sized gourd--a long wooden handle was used as a neck, and the hair from
a horse's tail was used for the bow. The strings were made of cat-gut.
After I learned to play this I bought a better violin." Sometimes the
slaves slipped away to the woods to indulge in a frolic. As a means of
protection they tied ropes across the paths where they would be less
likely to be seen. These ropes were placed at such a height as to knock
a man from his horse if he came riding up at a great speed. In this way
the master or the overseer was stopped temporarily, thereby giving the
slaves time to scamper to safety. In addition to the presents given at
Christmas (candy and clothing) the master also gave each family half a
gallon of whisky. This made the parties more lively. One of the songs
that the slaves on the House plantation used to sing at their parties
runs as follows:
"Oh, I wouldn't have a poor girl,
(another version says, "old maid")
And I'll tell you the reason why,
Her neck's so long and stringy,
I'm afraid she'd never die."
On Sundays Mr. House required all of his slaves to attend church. All
attended a white church where they sat in the back or in the balcony.
After preaching to the white audience, the white pastor turned his
attention to the slaves. His sermon usually ran: "Obey your master and
your mistress and the Lord will love you." Sometimes a colored preacher
was allowed to preach from the same rostrum after the white pastor had
finished. His sermon was along similar lines because that is what he had
been instructed to say. None of the slaves believed in the sermons but
they pretended to do so.
Marriages were usually performed by the colored preacher although in
most cases it was only necessary for the man to approach "Old Marster"
and tell him that he wanted a certain woman for his wife. "Old Marster"
then called the woman in question and if she agreed they were pronounced
man and wife. If the woman was a prolific breeder and if the man was a
strong, healthy-looking individual she was forced to take him as a
husband whether she wanted to or not.
When Mr. Wright was asked if he had ever been arrested and placed in
jail for any offense while he was a slave he replied that in those days
few laws, if any, applied to slaves. He knows that it was against the
law for anyone to teach a slave to write because on one occasion his
father who had learned to do this with the help of his master's son was
told by the master to keep it to himself, because if the men of the
community found out that he could write they would cut his fingers or
his hand off. Horse stealing or house burning was another serious crime.
On the House plantation was a mulato slave who was to have been given
his freedom when he reached the age of 21. When this time came Mr. House
refused to free him and so an attempt was made to burn the House
mansion. Mr. Wright remembers seeing the sheriff come from town and take
this slave. Later they heard on the plantation that said slave had been
hanged.
For the most part punishment consisted of severe whipping sometimes
administered by the slaves' master and sometimes by the white men of the
community known as the Patrol. To the slaves this Patrol was known as
the "Paddle" or "Paddie-Rollers." Mr. Wright says that he has been
whipped numerous times by his master for running away. When he was
caught after an attempted escape he was placed on the ground where he
was "spread-eagled," that is, his arms and feet were stretched out and
tied to stakes driven in the ground. After a severe beating, brine water
or turpentine was poured over the wounds. This kept the flies away, he
says. Mr. House did not like to whip his slaves as a scarred slave
brought very little money when placed on the auction block. A slave who
had a scarred back was considered as being unruly. Whenever a slave
attempted to escape the hounds were put on his trail. Mr. Wright was
caught and treed by hounds several times. He later found a way to elude
them. This was done by rubbing his feet in the refuse material of the
barnyard or the pasture, then he covered his legs with pine tar. On one
occasion he managed to stay away from the plantation for 6 months before
he returned of his own accord. He ran away after striking his master who
had attempted to whip him. When he returned of his own accord his master
did nothing to him because he was glad that he was not forever lost in
which case a large sum of money would have been lost. Mr. Wright says
that slave owners advertised in the newspapers for lost slaves, giving
their description, etc. If a slave was found after his master had
stopped his advertisements he was placed on the block and sold as a
"stray." While a fugitive he slept in the woods, eating wild berries,
etc. Sometimes he slipped to the plantation of his mother or that of his
father where he was able to secure food.
He took a deep puff on his pipe and a look of satisfaction crossed his
face as he told how he had escaped from the "Paddle Rollers." It was the
"Paddle-Rollers" duty to patrol the roads and the streets and to see
that no slave was out unless he had a "pass" from his master. Further,
he was not supposed to be any great distance away from the place he had
been permitted to go. If a slave was caught visiting without a "pass" or
if at any time he was off his plantation without said "pass" and had the
misfortune to be caught by the "Paddle-Rollers" he was given a sound
whipping and returned to his master.
When the Civil War began all the slaves on the House plantation grew
hopeful and glad of the prospect of being set free. Mr. House was heard
by some of the slaves to say that he hoped to be dead the day Negroes
were set free. Although the slaves prayed for their freedom they were
afraid to even sing any type of spiritual for fear of being punished.
When the Yankee troops came through near the House plantation they asked
the slaves if their master was mean to them. As the answer was "no" the
soldiers marched on after taking all the livestock that they could find.
At the adjoining plantation where the master was mean, all property was
burned. Mr. House was not present for when he heard of the approach of
Sherman he took his family, a few valuables and some slaves and fled to
Augusta. He later joined the army but was not wounded. However, his
brother, Phil House, lost a leg while in action.
Mr. Wrights says that he witnessed one battle which was fought just a
few miles beyond his plantation near Nancy's Creek. Although he did not
officially join the Yankee army he cooked for them while they were
camped in his vicinity.
When freedom was declared he says that he was a very happy man. Freedom
to him did not mean that he could quit work but that he could work for
himself as he saw fit to. After he was freed he continued working for
his master who was considerably poorer than he had ever been before.
After the war things were in such a state that even common table salt
was not available. He remembers going to the smokehouse and taking the
dirt from the floor which he later boiled. After the boiling process of
this water which was now salty was used as a result of the dripping from
the meats which had been hung there to be smoked in the "good old days."
After seven years of share-cropping with his former master Mr. Wright
decided to come to Atlanta where he has been since. He attributes his
ripe old age to sane and careful living. In any case he says that he
would rather be free than be a slave but--and as he paused he shook his
head sadly--"In those days a man did not have to worry about anything to
eat as there was always a plenty. It's a lot different now."
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Mammy Dink
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George Womble
