Each fireplace varied in length from 3 to 4 feet because they serve the purpose of stoves; and the family meals were prepared in those large fireplaces often two and three pots were suspended from a rod running across the fireplace.  Most of the log houses consisted of one room; however if the family was very large two rooms were built.  The furnishings consisted only of a home-made table, benches, and a home-made bed, the mattress of which was formed by running ropes from side to side forming a framework.  Mattresses were made by filling a tick with wheatstraw.  The straw was changed each season.  Laughing Mrs. Byrd remarked, “Yessirree, them houses wuz warmer than some are ter day.”

Doctor Byrd was rather kind and tried to help his slaves as much as possible, but according to Mrs. Byrd his wife was very mean and often punished her slaves without any cause.  She never gave them anything but the coarsest foods.  Although there of plenty of milk and butter, she only gave it to the families after it had soured.  “Many a day I have seed butter just sittin around in pans day after day till it got good and spoiled then she would call some uv us and give it ter us.  Oh she wuz a mean un,” remarked Mrs. Byrd.  Continuing Mrs. Byrd remarked “she would give us bread that had been cooked a week.”  Mr. Byrd gave his slave families good clothes.  Twice a year clothing was distributed among his families.  Every June summer clothes were given and every October winter clothes were given.  Here Mrs. Byrd remarked “I nebber knowed what it wuz not ter have a good pair uv shoes.”  Cloth for the dresses and shirts was spun on the plantation by the slaves.

The treatment of the slaves is told in Mrs. Byrd’s own words: 

“We wuz always treated nice by Master Byrd and he always tried ter save us punishment at the hands uv his wife but that ‘oman wuz somethin’ nother.  I nebber will ferget once she sent me after some brush broom and told me ter hurry back.  Well plums wuz jest gitting ripe so I just took my time and et all the plums I wanted after that I come on back ter the house.  When I got there she called me upstairs, ‘Sarah come here.’  Up the steps I went and thar she stood with that old cow hide.  She struck me three licks and I lost my balance and tumbled backward down the stairs.  I don’t know how come I didn’t hurt myself but the Lord wuz wid me and I got up and flew.  I could hear her just hollering ’Come back here! come back here!’ but I ant stop fer nothing.  That night at supper while I wuz fanning the flies from the table she sed ter the doctor.  ’Doctor what you think?  I had ter whip that little devil ter day.  I sent her after brush broom and she went off and eat plums instead of hurrying back.’  The doctor just looked at her and rolled his eyes but never sed a word.  There wuz very little whipping on Byrd’s plantation, but I have gone ter bed many a night and heard ’em gittin whipped on the plantation next ter us.  If dey runned away