BEVERAGES & FOOD.

Bread was made from flour and wheat.  The meat used was pork, beef, mutton and goat.  For preservation it was smoked and kept in the smokehouse.  Coffee was used as a beverage and when this ran out as oft’ times happened, parched peanuts were used for the purpose.

Mary and family arose before daybreak and prepared breakfast for the master and his family, after which they ate in the same dining room.  When this was over the dishes were washed by Mary, her brother and sister.  The children then played about until meals were served again.

Washing and soap.

Washing was done in home-made wooden tubs, and boiling in iron pots similar to those of today.  Soap was made from fat and lye.

AMUSEMENTS.

The only amusement to be had was a big candy pulling, or hog killing and chicken cooking.  The slaves from the surrounding plantations were allowed to come together on these occasions.  A big time was had.

CHURCH.

The slaves went to the “white folks” church on Sundays.  They were seated in the rear of the church.  The white minister would arise and exhort the slaves to ‘mind your masters, you owe them your respect.’  An old Christian slave who perceived things differently could sometimes be heard to mumble, “Yeah, wese jest as good as deys is only deys white and we’s black, huh.”  She dare not let the whites hear this.  At times meetin’s were held in a slave cabin where some “inspired” slave led the services.

In the course of years Mr. Jamison married again.  His second wife was a veritable terror.  She was always ready and anxious to whip a slave for the least misdemeanor.  The master told Mary and her mother that before he would take the chance of them running away on account of her meanness he would leave her.  As soon as he would leave the house this was a signal for his wife to start on a slave.  One day, with a kettle of hot water in her hand, she chased Mary, who ran to another plantation and hid there until the good master returned.  She then poured out her troubles to him.  He was very indignant and remonstrated with his wife for being so cruel.  She met her fate in later years; her son-in-law becoming angry at some of her doings in regard to him shot her, which resulted in her death.  Instead of mourning, everybody seemed to rejoice, for the menace to well being had been removed.  Twice a year Mary’s father and master went to Cedar Keys, Florida to get salt.  Ocean water was obtained and boiled, salt resulting.  They always returned with about three barrels of salt.