A doctor was employed regularly by Mr. Coxton to minister to the needs of the slaves in time of illness.  “We also had our own medicine,” says Mr. Bland.  At different times excursions were made to the woods where “yarbs” (herbs) were gathered.  Various kinds of teas and medicines were made by boiling these roots in water.  The usual causes of illness on this plantation were colds, fevers, and constipation.  Castor oil and salts were also used to a great extent.  If an individual was too ill to work an older slave had to nurse this person.

No effort was made by Mr. Coxton to teach his slaves anything except manual training.  A slave who could use his hands at skilled work was more valuable than the ordinary field hand.  If, however, a slave secured a book, Mr. Coxton would help him learn to read it.  Above all, religious training was not denied.  As a matter of fact, Mr. Coxton required each one of his servants to dress in his Sunday clothes and to go to church every Sunday.  Services for all were held at the white church—­the slaves sitting on one side and the masters on the other.  All preaching was done by a white pastor.

No promiscuous relationships were allowed.  If a man wanted to marry he merely pointed out the woman of his choice to the master.  He in turn called her and told her that such and such an individual wished her for a wife.  If she agreed they were pronounced man and wife and were permitted to live together.

The slaves on his plantation were great believers in roots and their values in the use of conjuring people.

Mr. Bland doesn’t remember ever seeing anyone sold by Mr. Coxton, but he heard that on other nearby plantations slaves were placed on an auction block and sold like cattle.

None of the slaves were ever whipped or beaten by Mr. Coxton or by anyone else.  If a rule was broken the offender was called before Mr. Coxton where he was talked to.  In some cases a whipping was promised and that ended the matter.  The “Paddie Rollers” whipped the slaves from other plantations when they were caught off of their premises without a “pass” but this was never the case when a slave belonging to Mr. Coxton broke this rule.  Mr. Bland remembers that once he and some of his fellow slaves were away from home without a pass when they were seen by the “Paddie Rollers” who started after them.  When they were recognized as belonging to Mr. Coxton one of them (Paddie Rollers) said:  “Don’t bother them; that’s them d——­ ’free niggers’.”  The Paddie Rollers were not allowed to come on the Coxton plantation to whip his slaves or any other owner’s slaves who happened to be visiting at the time.  Mr. Coxton required that they all be on the plantation by nightfall.

(The above seems to be rather conclusive proof of Mr. Coxton’s influence in the community.) [TR:  Parentheses added by hand.]

Whenever a slave committed a crime against the State, his master usually had to pay for the damage done or pay the slave’s fine.  It was then up to him to see that the offender was punished.