“We all had part in intertainin’ him.  Some shined his shoes, some cooked for him, an’ I waited on de table, I can’t forget that.  We had chicken hash and batter cakes and dried venison that day.  You be sure we knowed he was our friend and we catched what he had t’ say.  Now, he said this:  (I never forget that ’slong as I live) ’If they free de people, I’ll bring you back into the Union’ (To Dr. Jameson) ’If you don’t free your slaves, I’ll “whip” you back into the Union.  Before I’d allow my wife an’ children to be sold as slaves, I’ll wade in blood and water up to my neck’.

“Now he said all that, if my mother and father were living, they’d tell y’ the same thing.  That’s what Linkum said.

“He came through after Freedom and went to the ‘Sheds’ first.  I couldn’t ‘magine what was going on, but they came runnin’ to tell me and what a time we had.

“Linkum went to the smoke house and opened the door and said ’Help yourselves; take what you need; cook yourselves a good meall and we sho’ had a celebration!”

“The Dr. didn’t care; he was lib’ral.  After Freedom, when any of us got married he’d give us money and send a servant along for us.  Sometimes even he’d carry us himself to our new home.”

DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, FOLKLORE

MIAMI’S EX-SLAVES

There is a unique organization in the colored population of Miami known as the “Ex Slave Club.”  This club now claims twenty-five members, all over 65 years of age and all of whom were slaves in this country prior to the Civil War.  The members of this interesting group are shown in the accompanying photograph.  The stories of their lives as given verbatim by these aged men and women are recorded in the following stories: 

ANNIE TRIP: 

“My name’s Annie Trip.  How my name’s Trip, I married a Trip, but I was borned in Georgia in the country not so very far from Thomasville.  I’m sure you must ha’ heard of Thomasville, Georgia.  Well, that’s where I was borned, on Captain Hamlin’s plantation.

“Captain Hamlin, he was a greatest lawyer.  Henry Hamlin, you know he was the greatest lawyer what ever was, so dey tell me.  You see I was small.  My mother and father and four brothers all lived there together.  Some of the rest were too small to remember much, but dey wuz all borned dare just de samey.  Wish I wuz dare right now.  I had plenty of food then.  I didn’t need to bother about money.  Didn’t have none.  Didn’t have no debts to pay, no bother not like now.

“Now I have rheumatism and everything, but no money.  Didn’t need any money on Captain Hamlin’s plantation.”  And Annie walked away complaining about rheumatism and no money, etc. before her exact age and address could be obtained.

MILLIE SAMPSON: 

Millie Sampson, 182 W. 14th St. Miami, Florida, was born in Manning, S.C. only three years ‘bfo’ Peace”.