T. Pat Matthews
No. Words: 924
Subject: JOHN SMITH
Person Interviewed: John Smith
Editor: G.L. Andrews

JOHN SMITH

10 Pettigrew St., Raleigh, N.C. Age 77.

"My mother was named Charlotte Smith and father was named Richmond
Sanders. You know niggers were sold an' traded an' given away just like
stock, horses, mules an' de like in slavery time.

"My mother belonged to John Smith and father belonged to Richmond
Sanders. I belonged first to John Smith, but was give away when I was a
child to Solomon Gardner. John Smith's plantation was in Johnston
County near Smithfield. Solomon Gardner's place was in Wake County. All
these people are dead an' gone. My uncle, Ben Thomas, died 'bout one
month ago in Johnston County. He was the last of the old gang. Mother
and father said we got reasonably good food and clothes. The houses
were small and poorly furnished but were warm and they got on very
well. There was 'bout twenty-five slaves on the place and they worked
long hours under overseers.

"The rules were strict about books, goin' visiting an' having meetings
of any kind. No slave was allowed to carry guns or hunt without some
white man with him unless his marster give him a pass. Dey caught
rabbits in gums, birds in traps an' hunted possums wid dogs at night.
Dere was not much time for fishin' cept at lay-by time and at de Fourth
of July. Den slaves an' whites sometime went fishin' in de Neuse River
together. At Christmas de holidays was give slaves and den dey had
plenty to eat, shoes, etc.

"Slaves were sold at Smithfield on a auction block but a lot were
carried to Richmond, Va. and to Fayetteville, N.C. Children were not
made to work till dey got 12 or 14 years old unless it was some light
work around de house, mindin' de table, fannin' flies, an' pickin' up
chips to start a fire, scratchin' marster's head so he could sleep in
de evenings an' washin' missus feet at night 'fore she went to bed.
Some of de missus had nigger servants to bathe 'em, wash dere feet an'
fix dere hair. When one nigger would wash de missus feet dare would be
another slave standin' dere wid a towel to dry 'em for her. Some of
dese missus atter de war died poor. Before dey died dey went from place
to place livin' on de charity of dere friends.

"I was born 2nd Sunday in May 1860. I remember seein' de Yankees but I
know very little 'bout 'em. Guess mos' all dem Yankees are dead now. De
ones