“Some folks reads de Bible backwards to keep witches fum ridin em, but dat doan do me no good, cause I kaint read.  But flaxseed work so good I doan be studyin night-ridin witches no more.”

FEDERAL WRITERS’ PROJECT American Guide, (Negro Writers’ Unit)

Rachel A. Austin, Field Worker
John A. Simms, Editor
Jacksonville, Florida
October 27, 1936

SAMUEL SIMEON ANDREWS

For almost 30 years Edward Waters College, an African Methodist Episcopal School, located on the north side of Kings Road in the western section of Jacksonville, has employed as watchman, Samuel Simeon Andrews (affectionately called “Parson"), a former slave of A.J.  Lane of Georgia, Lewis Ripley of Beaufort, South Carolina, Ed Tillman of Dallas, Texas, and John Troy of Union Springs, Alabama.

“Parson” was born November 18, 1850 in Macon, Georgia, at a place called Tatum Square, where slaves were held, housed and sold.  “Speculators” (persons who traveled from place to place with slaves for sale) had housed 84 slaves there—­many of whom were pregnant women.  Besides “Parson,” two other slave-children, Ed Jones who now lives in Sparta, Georgia, and George Bailey were born in Tatum Square that night.  The morning after their births, a woman was sent from the nearby A.J.  Lane plantation to take care of the three mothers; this nurse proved to be “Parson’s” grandmother.  His mother told him afterwards that the meeting of mother and daughter was very jubilant, but silent and pathetic, because neither could with safety show her pleasure in finding the other.  At the auction which was held a few days later, his mother, Rachel, and her two sons, Solomon Augustus and her infant who was later to be known as “Parson,” were purchased by A.J.  Lane who had previously bought “Parson’s” father, Willis, from a man named Dolphus of Albany, Georgia; thus were husband and wife re-united.  They were taken to Lane’s plantation three miles out of Sparta, Georgia, in Hancock County.  Mr. Lane owned 85 slaves and was known to be very kind and considerate.

“Parson” lived on the Lane plantation until he was eight years old, when he was sold to Lewis Ripley of Beaufort, South Carolina, with whom he lived for two years; he was then sold to Ed Tillman of Dallas, Texas; he stayed on the Tillman plantation for about a year and until he was purchased by John Troy of Union Springs, Alabama—­the richest slave-holder in Union Springs, Alabama; he remained with him until Emancipation.  He recalls that during one of these sales about $800.00 was paid for him.

He describes A.J.  Lane as being a kind slave-holder who fed his slaves well and whipped them but little.  All of his other masters, he states, were nice to children, but lashed and whipped the grown-ups.