F SLAVERY

BY ISAIAH GREEN--EX SLAVE

Submitted by Minnie B. Ross

Typed by
J.C. Russell
1-25-37

An opinion of Slavery
By
Isaiah Green--Ex-Slave

AN EX-SLAVES OPINION OF SLAVERY

Isaiah Green, an ex-slave, still has a clear, agile mind and an
intelligent manner. With his reddish brown complexion, straight hair,
and high cheek bones, he reminds you of an old Indian Chief, and he
verifies the impression by telling you that his grandfather was a full
blooded Indian.

Isaiah Green was born in 1856 at Greensboro, Ga. Cleary Mallory Willis
and Bob Henderson were his parents, but he did not grow up knowing the
love and care of a father, for his father was sold from his mother when
he was only two years. Years later, his mother lost track of his father
and married again. There were eleven children and Isaiah was next to the
youngest.

His master was Colonel Dick Willis, who with his wife "Miss Sally"
managed a plantation of 3,000 acres of land and 150 slaves. Col. Willis
had seven children, all by a previous marriage. Throughout the State he
was known for his wealth and culture. His plantation extended up and
down the Oconee River.

His slave quarters were made up of rows of 2-room log cabins with a
different family occupying each room. The fireplaces were built three
and four feet in length purposely for cooking. The furniture, consisting
of a bed, table, and chair, was made from pine wood and kept clean by
scouring with sand. New mattresses and pillows were made each spring
from wheat straw.

Old Uncle Peter, one of the Willis slaves, was a skilled carpenter and
would go about building homes for other plantation owners. Sometimes he
was gone as long as four or five months.

Every two weeks, rations of meal, molasses and bacon were given each
slave family in sufficient quantity. The slaves prepared their own
meals, but were not allowed to leave the fields until noon. A nursing
mother, however, could leave between times.

Large families were the aim and pride of a slave owner, and he quickly
learned which of the slave women were breeders and which were not. A
slave trader could always sell a breeding woman for twice the usual
amount. A greedy owner got rid of those who didn't breed. First,
however, he would wait until he had accumulated a number of
undesirables, including the aged and unruly.

There was an old slave trader in Louisiana by the name of Riley who
always bought this