longed to de Outz family, but changed his name to
Downing--his master was Downing Outz. I was born about 1857. My mother
had 16 children, some died young.

I was a little chap when the war was here, but I remember de soldiers
coming home from de war. De Yankees went through here and stole all the
cattle and all the eats. De Ku Klux marched down de road dressed in
white sheets. Freedom come and most of the slaves went away, but I
stayed on wid Marse De Walt. Daddy worked wid Downing Outz for wages.
When I was 15 years old I worked in de fields like grown folks. I never
learned to read and write. We had no schools then for colored people. De
only church we had after freedom come was a small "brush arbor" church.

"We hunted rabbits, 'possums, squirrels, wild turkeys, doves and
partridges there.

"I joined de church when I was 20 years old, 'cause I thought times
would be better for me then. Of course, I kind of back-slided little
afterwards, but always tried to do right.

Source: Laurence Downing (80), Newberry, S. C.
Interviewer: G. Leland Sumer, Newberry, S. C.

Project 1885-(1)
Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis
Place, Marion, S. C.
Date, Jane 23, 1937

WASHINGTON DOZIER
Ex-Slave, 90 years

"Dis heah sho' Washington Dozier. Dat is wha' de hard time left uv him.
I born en raise dere in Florence County de 18th uv December, 1847. Don'
know 'xactly wha' my father name, but my mudder tell me he wuz name
Dozier. My mudder wuz Becky en she b'long to ole man Wiles Gregg dere on
de Charleston road. I hab two sisters en one brother, but not uv one
father. I s'ppose brother Henry wuz me whole brother en Fannie en
Ca'oline wuz jes me half sister."

"Well, dey ne'er hab so mucha sumptin, but I recollect dey make dey own
produce den. Oh, dey lib very well. We call it good libin' at dat time.
Coase de bedding de colored peoples hab wasn't much cause dey jes hab
some kind uv home-made stuff den. We raise in a t'ree room house wha'
hab floor on two uv de room. Hab house right dere on de Gregg
plantation. Family went from age to age in dat day en time wid dey own
Massa name. I 'member my gra'mudder was name Fannie Gregg. Now, I tell
yuh how I 'count fa me hab de name Dozier, I jes s'ppose dat come from
me father."

"Hadder do some sorta work in dem days lak hoe corn en replant en so on
lak dat, but ne'er didn't do no man work. Wuz jes uh half hand, dat is
'bout so. Dey gi'e us plenty sumptin to ea