Florida

Slave Narrative of Henry Maxwell

Interviewer: Alfred Farrell Person Interviewed: Henry Maxwell Location: Titusville, Florida Age:  77? Occupation: Field Worker “Up from Slavery” might well be called this short biographical sketch of Henry Maxwell, who first saw the light of day on October 17, 1859 in Lownes County, Georgia. His mother Ann, was born in Virginia, and his father, Robert, […]

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Slave Narrative of Christine Mitchell

Interviewer: Martin Richardson Person Interviewed: Christine Mitchell Location: Saint Augustine, Florida Age: 84 Occupation: Field Worker An interesting description of the slave days just prior to the War Between the States is given by Christine Mitchell, of Saint Augustine. Christine was born in slavery at Saint Augustine, remaining on the plantation until she was about

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Slave Narrative of Randall Lee

Interviewer: Viola B. Muse Person Interviewed: Randall Lee Location: Palatka, Florida Randall Lee of 500 Branson Street, Palatka, Florida, was born at Camden, South Carolina about seventy-seven years ago, maybe longer. He was the son of Robert and Delhia Lee, who during slavery were Robert and Delhia Miller, taking the name of their master, as

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Slave Narrative of Rev. Squires Jackson

Interviewer: Samuel Johnson Person Interviewed: Rev. Squires Jackson Location: Jacksonville, Florida Occupation: Bricklayer, Preacher 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. Born in a weather-beaten shanty in Madison, Fla. September 14,

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Slave Narrative of Della Bess Hilyard

Interviewer: Alfred Farrell Person Interviewed: Della Bess Hilyard (“Aunt Bess”) Location: Titusville, Florida Della Bess Hilyard, or “Aunt Bess” as she is better known, was born in Darlington, South Carolina in 1858, the daughter of Resier and Zilphy Hart, slaves of Gus Hiwards. Both her parents were cotton pickers and as a little girl Della

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Slave Narrative of Sarah Ross

Interviewer: Alfred Farrell Person Interviewed: Sarah Ross Location: Live Oak, Florida Born in Benton County, Mississippi nearly eighty years ago, Sarah is the daughter of Harriet Elmore and William Donaldson, her white owner. Donaldson was a very cruel man and frequently beat Sarah’s mother because she would not have sexual relations with the overseer, a

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Slave Narrative of Charlotte Martin

Interviewer: Alfred Farrell Person Interviewed: Charlotte Martin Location: Live Oak, Florida Occupation: Farmed, made quilts, and made herb cures. Charlotte Mitchell Martin, one of twenty children born to Shepherd and Lucinda Mitchell, eighty-two years ago, was a slave of Judge Wilkerson on a large plantation in Sixteen, Florida, a little town near Madison. Shepherd Mitchell

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Slave Narrative of Harriett Gresham

Interviewer: Pearl Randolph Person Interviewed: Harriett Gresham Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 98 Occupation: Field Worker Born on December 6, 1838, Harriett Gresham can recall quite clearly the major events of her life as a slave, also the Civil War as it affected the slaves of Charleston and Barnwell, South Carolina. She was one of a

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Slave Narrative of Clayborn Gantling

Interviewer: Rachel Austin Person Interviewed: Clayborn Gantling Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 89 Clayborn Gantling was born in Dawson, Georgia, Terrell County, January 20, 1848 on the plantation of Judge Williams. Judge Williams owned 102 heads of slaves and was known to be “tolable nice to ’em in some way and pretty rough on ’em in

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Biography of Hon. Peter G. Stewart

HON. PETER G. STEWART. – Peter Grant Stewart was born on the 6th of September, 1809, in Stanford, Delaware County, New York. When eight years of age he moved to Jefferson, Scohane County, where he received a common-school education, and learned the trade of a watchmaker. He followed the occupation of watchmaker and jeweler in

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