On the plantation, the doctor was not nearly as popular as the “granny” or midwife, who brewed medicines for every ailment.  Each plantation had its own “granny” who also served the mistress during confinement.  Some of her remedies follows: 

For colds:  Horehound tea, pinetop tea, lightwood drippings on sugar.  For fever:  A tea made of pomegranate seeds and crushed mint.  For whooping cough:  A tea made of sheep shandy (manure); catnip tea.  For spasms:  garlic; burning a garment next to the skin of the patient having the fit.

Shortly before the war, Rebecca was married to Solomon, her husband.  This ceremony consisted of simply jumping over a broom and having some one read a few words from a book, which may or may not have been the Bible.  After the war, many couples were remarried because of this irregularity.

Rebecca had learned of the war long before it ended and knew its import.  She had confided this information to other slaves who could read and write.  She read the small newspaper that her master received at irregular intervals.  The two sons of William Lowe had gone to fight with the Confederate soldiers (One never returned) and everywhere was felt the tension caused by wild speculation as to the outcome of the war.

Certain commodities were very scarce Rebecca remembers drinking coffee made of okra seed, that had been dried and parched.  There was no silk, except that secured by “running the blockade,” and this was very expensive.  The smokehouse floors were carefully scraped for any morsel of salt that might be gotten.  Salt had to be evaporated from sea water and this was a slow process.

There were no disorders in that section as far as Rebecca remembers, but she thinks that the slaves were kept on the Lowe plantation a long time after they had been freed.  It was only when rumors came that Union soldiers were patrolling the countryside for such offenders, that they were hastily told of their freedom.  Their former master predicted that they would fare much worse as freemen, and so many of them were afraid to venture into the world for themselves, remaining in virtual slavery for many years afterward.

Rebecca and her husband were among those who left the plantation.  They share-cropped on various plantations until they came to Florida, which is more than fifty years ago.  Rebecca’s husband died several years ago and she now lives with two daughters, who are very proud of her.

REFERENCE

Personal interview with Rebecca Hooks, 1604 North Marion Street, Lake City, Florida.

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

Samuel Johnson
September 11, 1937

REV.  SQUIRES JACKSON

Lying comfortably in a bed encased with white sheets, Rev. Squires Jackson, former slave and minister of the gospel living at 706 Third Street cheerfully related the story of his life.