Georgia: Chattooga County: Biography: Slave Narrative of Mrs. Melissa (Lowe) Barden ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store this file permanently for free access. This file was contributed by: Carol Vinsh Bnjsma2@cs.com ==================================================================== SOURCE: Federal Writer's Project, United States Work Projects Administration (USWPA); Manuscript Division, Library of Congress These interviews were conducted between 1936 and 1938. In 1941 the narratives were assembled and microfilmed as the seventeen-volume "Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves." WPA Slave Narrative Project, Ohio Narratives, Volume 12 Interviewer: Frank M. Smith 340002 Story and Photo by 240 Ex-slaves Frank M. Smith Mahoning County - Dist. #5 Youngstown, Ohio The story of Mrs. Melissa (Lowe) Barden. Youngstown, Ohio Mrs. Melissa (Lowe) Barden of 1671 Jacobs Road, was "bred and born" on the plantation of David Lowe, near Summersville, Georgia, Chattooga County, and when asked how old she was said "I's way up yonder somewheres maybe 80 or 90 years." Melissa assummed her master's name Lowe, and says he was very good to her and that she loved him. Only once did she feel ill towards him and that was when he sold her mother. She and her sister were left alone. Later he gave her sister and several other slaves to his newly married daughter as a wedding present. This sister was sold and re-sold and when the slaves were given their freedom her mother came to claim her children, but Melissa was the only one of the four she could find. Her mother took her to a plantation in Newton County, where they worked until coming north. The mother died here and Melissa married a man named Barden. Melissa says she was very happy on the plantation where they danced and sang folk songs of the south, such as "Sho'Fly Go 'Way From Me", and others after theirdays work was done. When asked if she objected to having her picture taken she said, "all right, but don't you-all poke fun at me because I am just as God made me." Melissa lives with her daughter, Nanie Hardie, in a neat bungalow on the Sharon Line, a negro district. Melissa's health is good with the exception of cataracts over her eyes which have caused her to be totally blind.