There were three white children in the master’s family.  Wickliff, the oldest boy and Bob was the second child in age.  The younger child, a girl, was named Sally and was about the same age as the subject of this article.  Both children, being babies about the same age, the black mother served as a wet nurse for the white child, sometimes both the black child and the white child were upon the black mammies lap which frequently was the cause of battles between the two babies.

Some of the white mistresses acted as midwife for the black mothers.

There were two graveyards on the plantation, one for the white folks and one for the blacks.  There is no knowledge of any deaths among the white folks during the time he lived on the plantation.  One of this black boys’ sisters married just before slavery was abolished.  He remembers this wedding.  In connection with the marriages of the slaves in slavery days, it is recalled that slaves seldom married among themselves on the same plantation but instead the unions were made by some negro boy from some other plantation courting a negro girl on a distant plantation.  As was the custom in slavery days the black boy would have to get the consent of three people before he was allowed to enter upon wedlock; first, he would get the consent of the negro girls’ mother, then he would get the consent of his own master as well as the black girl’s master.  This required time and diplomacy.  When all had given their consent the marriage would take place usually on Saturday night, when a great time was had with slaves coming from other plantations with a generous supply of fried chicken, hams, cakes and pies a great feast and a good time generally with music and dancing.  The new husband had to return to his own master after the wedding but it was understood by all that the new husband could visit his wife every Saturday night and stay until Monday morning.  He would return every Monday to his master and work as usual indefinitely unless by chance one or the other of the two masters would buy the husband or wife, in such event they would live together as man and wife.  Unless this purchase did occur it was the rule in slavery days that any children born to the slave wife would be the property of the girl’s master.

When the required consent could not be had from all parties concerned it sometimes caused friction and instances have occured when attempts at elopement was made causing no end of trouble.  This condition was very rare, as in most all cases of this kind the masters were quite willing for this marriage and would encourage the young couple.  It is remembered that there were no illegitimate children born on the Moorman plantation.