hat was a full blooded
Indian and a Voodoo doctor. He got me to help him with his Voodoo work.
A lot of people both white and black sent for the Indian when they were
sick. I told him I would do the best I could, if it would help sick
people to get well. A woman was sick with rhumatism and he was going to
see her. He sent me into the woods to dig up poke roots to boil. He then
took the brew to the house where the sick woman lived. Had her to put
both feet in a tub filled with warm water, into which he had placed the
poke root brew. He told the woman she had lizards in her body and he was
going to bring them out of her. He covered the woman with a heavy
blanket and made her sit for a long time, possibly an hour, with her
feet in the tub of poke root brew and water. He had me slip a good many
lizards into the tub and when the woman removed her feet, there were the
lizards. She was soon well and believed the lizards had come out of her
legs. I was disgusted and would not practice with my cousin again."

"So you didn't fight in the Civil War," was asked Uncle Joe.

"Of course I did, when I got old enough I entered the service and
barbacued meat until the war closed." Barbacueing had been Uncle Joe's
specialty during slavery days and he followed the same profession during
his service with the federal army. He was freed by the emancuapation
proclamation, and soon met and married Sadie Scott, former Slave of Mr.
Scott, a Tennessee planter. Sadie only lived a short time after her
marriage. He later married Amy Doolins. Her father was named Carmuel. He
was a blacksmith and after he was free, the countrymen were after him to
take his life. He was shot nine times and finally killed himself to
prevent meeting death at the hands of the clansmen.

Joseph William Carter is a cripple. In 1933 he fell and broke his right
thigh-bone and since that time he has walked with a crutch. He stays up
quite a lot and is always glad to welcome visitors. He possesses a noble
character and is admired by his friends and neighbors. Tall, straight,
lean of body, his nose is aquiline; these physical characteristics he
inherited from his Indian ancesters. His gentle nature, wit, and good
humor are characteristics handed to him by his mother and fostered by
the gentle rearing of his southern mistress.

When Uncle Joe Carter celebrated the 100dth aniversary of his birth a
large cake was presented to him, decorated with 100 candles. The party
was attende