xing to go to bed, and had to hitch up
my horse and go five or six miles. I had a regular saddle horse, two
pairs for cay'age. Doctor were a rich man. Richest man in Burke County.
He made his money on his farm. When summertime come, I went wid him to
Bath, wheh he had a house on Tena Hill. We driv' down in de cay'age.
Sundays we went to church when Dr. Goulding preach. De darkies went in
de side do'. I hear him preach many times."

Asked about living conditions on Rock Creek plantation, Willis replied:

"De big house was set in ahalf acre yard. 'Bout fifty yards on one side
was my house, and fifty yards on de udder side was de house of granny, a
woman that tended de chillun and had charge of de yard when we went to
Bath," Willis gestured behind him, "and back yonder was de quarters, a
half mile long; dey wuz one room 'crost, and some had shed room. When
any of 'em got sick, Marster would go round to see 'em all."

Asked about church and Bible study, Willis said:

"I belongst to Hopeful Church. Church people would have singin' and
prayin', and de wicked would have dancin' and singin'. At dat time I was
a regular dancer" Willis chuckled. "I cut de pigeon wing high enough!
Not many cullud people know de Bible in slavery time. We had dances, and
prayers and sing too," he went on, "and we sang a song, 'On Jordan's
stormy banks I stand, and cast a wishful eye.'"

"How about marriages?" he was asked.

"Colored preacher marry 'em. You had to get license and give it to the
preacher, and he marry 'em. Then de men on our plantation had wives on
udder plantations, dey call 'em broad wives."

"Did you give your wife presents when you were courting?" he was asked.

"I went to courtin' and never give her nuthin' till I marry her."

As to punishment, Willis said that slaves were whipped as they needed
it, and as a general rule the overseer did the whipping.

"When darky wouldn't take whippin' from de overseer," he said, he had to
cay'y dem to de boss; and if we needed any brushin' de marster brush
'em. Why, de darkies would whip de overseer!"

Willis was asked to describe how slaves earned money for personal use,
and replied:

"Dey made dey own money. In slavery time, if you wanted four or five
acres of land to plant anything on, marster give it to you, and whatever
dat land make, it belong to you. You could take dat money and spend it
any you wanted to. Still he give you somethin' to eat and clothe you,
but dat patch you