Georgia:  Oglethrope County:  Charley Hurt Slave Narrative 

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Charley Hurt
Slave Narrative

WPA Slave Narrative Project, Texas Narratives, Volume 16, Part 2

Charley Hurt - age 85
Fort Worth, Texas
1937

Charley Hurt, 85, was born a slave of John Hurt, who owned a large
plantation and over 100 slaves in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. Charley
stayed with his master for five years after the Civil War. In 1899, Charley
moved to Fort Worth and now lives at 308 S. Harding Street.

"Yas Sar, I's bo'n in slavery an' am not 'shame ob it, 'cause I's can't he'p
how I's bo'n. Dere am some peoples dat wont 'mit deys bo'n in slavery,
'cause deys 'shame ob it. Well, 'taint no reason fo' to be 'shame.

"De plantation whar I's bo'n am in Oglethorpe County, Georgia, an' 'twas
neah a little place called Maxie. Dat's whar de Post Office am, an' whar I's
have to goes to fetch de mail. De Marster's name am John Hurt, an' 'twas
'bout 100 slaves dat him owns. Him also have three sons, 'twas John, James,
an' August. Dey was young mens w'en I's a boy.

"Lak most all de cullud qua'tahs in dem days, de cabins am made f'om logs
chinked wid mud. 'Twas straw an' twigs mixed wid de mud fo' to make it hold
together. De chimney am built wid small logs an' mud, an' made outside de
cabin. Deys am 'bout 10 by 20, an' most ob dem am jus' one room. 'Twas two
room cabins fo' de big fam'lies.

"Yous ask 'bout de treatment. Well, 'twas good as can be. Dere am plenty ob
good rations sich as meat, veg'tables, co'n meal, fruit, 'lasses, milk an'
buttah. De meat am mostest pork, wid some beef. De Marster raises lots ob
hawgs, an' de meat am cured by weuns. 'Tendin' de meat curin' am de fust
wo'k dat I's does. De meat am fust put in brine, an' den de hams an'
shouldahs am smoked. W'en hawg killin' time comes, I's a busy young man
watchin' de smokehouse. 'Twas a big smokehouse, an' de hams an' sich am hung
on racks 'bout six feet high f'om de fiahplace. Den 'twas my duty to keep de
fiah smolderin', an' jus' smokin'. De mo' smoke, de bettah. Aftah de meat am
smoked, den it am packed in hawgheads an' salt put over each layah. Now, dat
am some meat. I's lak to have some ob it right now. Well, weuns am given
plenty ob dat kind ob meat, an' it beats de kind weuns gits nowadays by long
ways.

"I's don't wants to fo'gits to tells 'bout de whiskey an' de brandy. Weuns
don't have all weuns wants ob sich, 'cept on Christmas. De Marster have his
own still, an' always have at least three barrels ob whiskey an' brandy on
hand. Den on Christmas day, him puts a tub ob whiskey, or brandy, in de yahd
ob de qua'tahs, an' hangs tin cups 'roun' de tub. Den de cullud fo'ks he'ps
demse'ves.

"Well, at de fust, deys all jokin' wid each tudder. Aftah while, deys stahts
to sing an' ever'body am happy. De Marster watches dem, an' w'en he sees one
ob dem am gittin' too much, de Marster sends de fellow to his cabin whar he
usually sleeps it off. Anyway, dat am one day on de Marster's place, all am
happy an' fo'gits dey am slaves.

"De last Christmas befo' surrendah, I's gits too much befo' I's realize it,
an' gits sick. Gosh a mighty! 'Twas de sickest I's ever be, an' dat am de
last time dat I's ever gits drunk. Yas Sar, dat spoiled dis nigger's taste
fo' whiskey.

"Now 'bout de whuppin's, dere am only one whuppin' dat am given. 'Twas Jerry
dat gits de whuppin'. It am dis away: Jerry am told what to does, an' him
goes an' does somethin' else. Well, de Marster am awful mad 'bout dat. He
tied Jerry down on a log, an' whups him wid de rawhide whup. De Mistez am
dere, an' she pleads fo' Jerry, but 'twarnt no use. De Marster says, Dere am
some things I's wont stand fo', an' I's must show dat I's wont". Dat am de
only whuppin's dat I's know 'bout.

"Now, 'twas once dat young Marster John slapped my mother while she am
a-wo'kin' in de cotton field. It am aftah surrendah w'en him a-pesterin'
her, an' she gits mad an' cusses him. Well, den he cuffs her 'roun'. 'Twarnt
much, but dat makes me mad, an' I's sweahs 'vengement on him. I's young an'
have de high tempah, an' 'cides to kill him fo' cuffin' my mammy. 'Twas
'bout six months aftah de cuffin' dat I's have it all 'ranged how I's gwine
to kill him wid de axe. I's told my mammy 'bout what I's gwine to does on de
next day. Him an' me am gwine to de woods. Mammy pleads wid me not to does
it, an' makes me promise not to. She says dat she will tells de Marster
'bout it if I's don't promise not to. Since dat, I's glad many times dat
mammy fo'ced me to change my mind.

"Dere am a great system on de plantation. Ever'body am put to doin' certain
wo'k, sich as de field hands, de ones dat 'tends to de stock, de blacksmith,
de shoemakah dat also makes de harness, an' den de weavahs an' clothes
makahs. Dere am also de ones dat cares fo' de stock. De wo'k stock am oxen,
mules, an' some hosses. I's a general all 'roun' wo'kah. Twice de week, I's
goes aftah de mail, an' sich errands, jus' runnin' 'roun' 'bout de place.

"Now, w'en de wah stahts, all de Marster's sons j'in de ahmy. John am de
captain, James carries de flag, an' I's guess August am jus' plain sojer.
Deys all comes home befo' de wah am over. August gits run over by de wheel
ob de cannon truck, an' cripples his leg so he can't walk good. James gits
sick wid some kind ob fever misery, an' he am sent home. Den John am shot in
de shouldah, an' it stays sore. Dat place wont heal, an' sometimes it
troubles him lots. One day, de cullud fellow dat gits whupped, Jerry, says
to de Marster, "Lets see what I's can see 'bout dat sore". John lets Jerry
look at it, an' 'twas corruption comin' out ob it. Him see somethin' dat am
stickin' out ob de sore, so he pulls it out. 'Twas a piece ob young
Marster's coat. De bullet had carried a piece ob de coat into de flesh, an'
dere it am fo' de yeahs time. De sore gits all right aftah Jerry pulls dat
piece ob cloth out ob it.

"Befo' de boys goes to fittin', deys trains neah de place whar dere am a big
field dat am used fo' to train hundreds ob tudder boys. I's goes often to
watch dem train, 'cause 'twas fun fo' me. I's lak to heah de drums go,
"ter-ump, ter-ump, ter-ump, tump, tump," an' de fifes go, "te, te, ta, te,
tat" (humming the tune of "Dixie"). One day w'en I's watchin' de young
Marster John trainin' de sojers, yous know how de captains says, "Halt,
'bout face", well, Captain John am a-walkin' backwards an' facin' de sojers
w'en he gives de o'dah, an' jus' as him says, "Halt!", down he goes, flat on
his back. Right away quick, him says, "'Bout face!", befo' him gits up. He
don't wants de sojers to laugh in his face, so he turns dem 'roun'.

"Weuns sees lots ob Confed'rate sojers at de fust ob de wah, an' lots ob
Yanks at de last. Once, weuns heahs de cannons shootin'. De battle am close
to weuns, but too fah fo' weuns to sees any fittin'.

"W'en surrendah comes, an' all de boys in de neighbahood dat am not killed
comes home, de fo'ks gives dem de big 'ception at Maxie. Dere deys have lots
ob long tables, an' de food am placed on dem befo' de train comes in. Dere
was two coaches full ob de boys. De boys don't wait fo' de dooah w'en de
train comes in, but crawls out de windahs. Well, dere am huggin', an'
kissin' ob de home fo'ks. Deys all laughin' an' cryin' at de same time,
'cause ob de joy deys feelin'. W'en de huggin', an' kissin', an' sich am
over, deys all sats down to de feast.

"Dere am some mens dere dat gives de welcome talk. De Marster am one ob dem.
How 'twas dat I's dere am dis away: De Marster don't says anything 'bout de
cullud a-gwine, but I's know dat if weuns ask him to lets weuns go, him
would says, "No." So, w'en de wagon am loaded wid de food, a whole lot ob
it, too, sich as hams, cakes, pies, an' a lot ob tudder stuff, deys puts a
canvas over de stuff. Well, dis nigger crawls undah de canvas, an' dere I's
rides to de welcome pahty.

"W'en weuns gits to Maxie, deys am talkin' 'bout how deys gwine to does dis
an' dat befo' deys unloads de food. While deys am talkin', I's crawls out.
'Twarnt long 'til de Marster sees me. Him says, "Gosh fo' hemlock! Boy, how
come yous am heah?" I's lets my face slip a little, 'bout ha'f a laugh. I's
wants to laugh 'bout how I's come wid him, but I's skeert I's gwine to git
slapped. Still, de Marster don't seem to be mad. I's says, "I's rides undah
de canvas". Den him stahts laughin', an' tells de people 'roun' him, "I's a
pat'iotic nigger". I's sho glad he aint mad, an' aftah while, de white fo'ks
am done eatin'. Dere am lots ob rations left, an' dey says to de niggers dat
deys can eat. Dere am quite a few niggers dere, sich as comes wid dere
Marsters. Allus cullud fo'ks sats down an' eats all weuns can hold. Fo'
once, I's gits plenty ob pie an' cake.

"Now, 'bout de 'joyments on de place, 'twarnt much, sich as de pahties,
'twarnt held. Weuns never have anything lak dat. Dere am de co'n huskin's.
Dat am de time dat weuns all looks fo'ward to. W'en de co'n am ready fo' de
huskin', de neighbahs all comes together, an' goes to fust one place an' den
de tudder an' husk de co'n. A whole big crowd am a-huskin', an' deys sing
while deys wo'k. It am all kinds ob songs. I's can't 'membahs much 'bout
dem, 'cause I's not much fo' singin'. I's 'membahs de words ob one, an' it
goes lak dis:

"Pull de husk, break de ear; Whoa, I's got a red ear deah."

"Yous see, w'en yous find de red ear, dat 'titles yous to de prize, lak
kissin' a gal, or de drink ob brandy, or somethin' lak dat. 'Twarnt many red
ears, not 'nough 'fo to suit weuns.

"I's 13 yeahs old w'en surrendah comes. De Marster don't call allus to him
lak de tudder Marsters done. Him jus' goes 'mong de fo'ks an' says, "Well,
fo'ks. Yous am free now. Yous am no longah my property, an' yous am 'titled
to pay fo' wo'k, an' yous can go to tudder place if yous can find wo'k to
does dere". I's 'membahs how old Jerry done w'en him says dat. Jerry sings:

"Free, free as de jay bird, free to flew lak de jay bird, Whew!"

"Some ob de cullud fo'ks stayed, an' some ob dem goes. Mostest ob dem dat
stayed, wo'ked de land on shares. I's stayed wid de Marster 'til I's 18
yeahs old. 'Twas five yeahs aftah surrendah w'en I's left. Den, I's wo'ked
fo' a fahmah fo' a while, den as a blacksmith he'pah, did some cahpentah
wo'k, an' did some railroadin'. De fact am, I's wo'ked at anything I's could
find to does. I's does dat all my life.

"'Twas good fo' me dat I's stay wid de Marster Hurt aftah surrendah, 'cause
'twas lots ob trouble in de diffe'nt places. Dere am fittin' 'twix de cullud
fo'ks an' de whites 'bout 10 miles f'om Maxie, over votin' an' sich. Dey am
tryin' to 'lect my brudder to Congress one time. He warnt 'lected 'cause de
white man dat am runnin' 'gainst him, gits a cullud preachah to run 'gainst
dem both. Dat splits de cullud votes, an' dat way, de white man am 'lected.

"I's voted lak de white man says, coupla times. I's stopped votin' aftah
dat, 'cause I's den undahstands dat 'twarnt right fo' me to vote 'less I's
know how, an' why. Latah, I's voted 'cause I's larnt to read, an' could
undahstand what I's a-doin'.

'Twas aftah de wah dat de Ku Klux Klan am o'ganized. Well, deys caused de
niggers lots ob trouble. Sometimes de cullud fo'ks have it comin' to dem,
an' lots ob times, dey am 'posed on. I's never have any trouble wid de Klux,
'cause I's stay whar I's have business, an' kep' 'way f'om whar I's have
none. Dere am some trouble wid de Klux in my neighbahood. 'Twas an old
cullud fellow named, "George". He don't trouble anybody, but one night, de
white caps, dat's what deys am called, comes to his place. Now, George knows
ob some fo'ks dat am whupped fo' no cause, so he prepared fo' dem. W'en de
Klux comes to his house, George am in de loft. Him told dem dat him have
done nothin' wrong, an' fo' dem to goes 'way, or he would kill dem. Deys
told him dat deys gwine to show him what him would git if he did somethin'
wrong. Sho, deys gwine to give him de free sample.

"Well, one ob de men stahts up de laddah to git George out ob de loft. W'en
he gits part way up, George shoots de fellow dead. Den a tudder fellow
stahts to shoot through de ceilin'. Co'se, deys can see George, an' George
can see dem through de cracks, an' he shoots a tudder fellow. Deys leave
den, an' told him dat deys would be back. George runs an' told his old
Marster as soon as dey leaves. De Marster tooks him to de law men, an' dere
am never anythin' done 'bout de old cullud fellow shootin', an' killin' dem
white caps. 'Twas larnt dat 'twas young fellows 'guised as de white caps,
an' gwine 'roun' 'busin' de niggers.

"I's comes to Texas 'bout 40 yeahs ago, an' I's gits by pretty good 'til de
'pression comes, den 'twas hahd fo' me. My age am 'gainst me, too, so many
peoples dat use to have me wo'k fo' dem, says I's too old. Many's de time
dat I's wished fo' some ob de good old ham an bacon dat I's fixed on de old
place.

"I's mai'ied to Ann Arrant de fust time, in 1898. Three chilluns am bo'n to
weuns, but deys all dead now. Weuns sep'rated in 1917, an' I's mai'ied de
second time in 1921. 'Twas Mary Durham dat I's gits dis time, an' weuns am
still livin' together. No chilluns have been bo'n to weuns.

"I's have brudders an' sistahs. My mammy have ten chilluns but I's de only
one dat am livin'. I's de youngest, so I's de last ob de fam'ly, an' dere
can't be many mo' yeahs fo' dis old cullud fellow.