By this time many of the white people began to return to their homes which had been abandoned and in which slaves found shelter.  In many instances the whites had to make monetary or other concessions in order to get their homes back.  It was said that colored people had taken possession of one of the large white churches of the day, located on Logon street, between Ashley and Church streets.  Claude relates that all this was when Jacksonville was a mere village, with cow and hog pens in what was considered as downtown.  The principal streets were:  Pine (now Main), Market and Forsyth.  The leading stores were Wilson’s and Clark’s.  These stores handled groceries, dry goods and whisky.

As a means of transportation two-wheeled drays were used, mule or horse-drawn cars, which was to come into use later were not operating at that time.  To cross the Saint Johns River one had to go in a row boat, which was the only ferry and was operated by the ex-governor Reid of Florida.  It docked on the north side of the river at the foot of Ocean Street, and on the south side at the foot of old Kings Road.  It ran between these two points, carrying passengers to and fro.

The leading white families living in Jacksonville at that time were the Hartridges, Bostwicks, Doggetts, Bayels and L’Engles.

Claude Augusta Wilson, a man along in years has lived to see many changes take place among his people since The Emancipation which he is proud of.  A peaceful old gentleman he is, still alert mentally and physically despite his 79 years.  His youthful appearance belies his age.

REFERENCE

1.  Personal interview with Claude Augusta Wilson, Sunbeam, Florida

FEDERAL WRITERS’ PROJECT
Jacksonville, Florida
June 30, 1938

DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA EX-SLAVE STORIES

CHARLEY ROBERTS: 

Charley Roberts of Perrine, Florida, was born on the Hogg plantation near Allendale, S.C.

“Yes, sah, I’ members de vary day when we first heard that we was free.  I was mindin’ the little calf, keepin’ it away from the cow while my mother was milkin’.

“We have to milk the cows and carry the milk to the Confederate soldiers quartered near us.

“At that time, I can ‘member of the soldiers comin’ ’cross the Savannah River.  They would go to the plantations and take all the cows, hogs, sheep, or horses they wanted and “stack” their guns and stay around some places and kill some of the stock, or use the milk and eat corn and all the food they wanted as they needed it.  They’d take quilts and just anything they needed.

“I don’t know why, but I remember we didn’t have salt given to us, so we went to the smoke house where there were clean boards on the floor where the salt and grease drippings would fall from the smoked hams hanging from the rafters.  The boards would be soft and soaked with salt and grease.  Well, we took those boards and cooked the salt and fat out of them, cooked the boards right in the bean soup.  That way we got salt and the soup was good.