Father Charles Coates.
2015 Windle Street.
Born 108 years ago.
Richmond, Virginia.
Master had overseer.
Was put up twice to be sold, but master asked too much for him.
Owners wanted to buy on time, but master wouldn't sell him on time.
135 grown people owned by his master, W.B. Hall.
First master was L'Angle in Virginia.
Master left and went to Georgia several years before war.
(Tie you up by fingers, chain run up through block and toes just tipped the floor. Master'soverseer would beat slaves with sticks.)
L'Angle sold to W.B. Hall in Washington County, Georgia, about 6–8 miles to Sandersville,Georgia.
Freedom came. He was Mr. Hall's carriage driver for years before. Was boy when L'Angle soldhim. L'Angles were good. Didn't work boys until they were grown. Had them mind sheep, goats, hogs until large enough. Didn't have boys split rails.
"If buyer don't treat you right, run off and come back to me, for he ain't paid for you no how."
Rembers when soldiers came through and told him they were free. White man Hall carriedmoney away and buried it.
Soldiers came in and took horses, cows.
Told Negroes to take cows, hogs, and land, but soon as soldiers left, whites took them back.Some slaves took them, but as soon as Yankees had gone, the whites bullied them and tookthem back.
His mother and father, named Henrietta and Spencer Coates. Three children. Not sold apart.His master, Mr. Hall, had his son Sherrard to go around and tell slaves they were free. His family went to Savannah, walked and rode within thirty miles of Savannah. Wagon picked them up and took them to Savannah.
After work, go home and lay down and rest. Could not fish unless the master gave them a pass. If slaves go off plantation, then other whites would catch them and whip them. Couldn't cross road unless had pass.
Flour bread was scarce, only had it on Sundays. Shorts was made of wheat husk and breadwas made of it. When Yankees came through, they asked children if they had enough to eat.
Mr. Jernigan had place closed up, and Yankees tore it open and gave it to slaves, but whenYankees went by, he took it back, and told slaves to put it back. "You can't have my stuff."Soldiers told slaves, "If he takes it back, you write and tell us," but slaves could not write andwere afraid to try.
If it rained, the bell rung for slaves to go in shed and stay until rain stop.
Father Coates blew horn or bugle for slaves three years.
Blew at 5:30 for slaves to rise. Blew at twelve for dinner. Blow two long blows for, "Go, takeyour food and eat as you work." Pretty good food on Sundays.
Church was held for whites on inside and slaves on outside under oaks or wash shed andlisten to preaching. Some would allow Negroes to shout and praise the Lord, and others wouldn't let you say a word. The preacher would say, "Don't steal, don't lie, don't kill, but whenyou go to the field, pull up all grass and weeds out of the corn, and the master will think a heapof you."
Some of them would never go out into field to see, because they knew the niggers had done their work well.
Punish them by putting them in room two or three days without food or water.
Slave named Sambo said he could build a thing so slaves could not hollow so when they were whipped. So he built a stock to put head in and fit tight around neck, lay body across barrel,whip him. Sambo was first to be put in it, and when he was removed from it, he was dead.
Had whips made of leather with holes in it, every lick a whelp was made. Cat–a–nine–taleswere used, and every lick made nine whelps.
Women in family way were whipped same as other people. Stripped naked, hung up by thumbs, and whipped like a dog.
Sunday clothes were ausenbur cloth. Long shirts on men and boys, and that's all they had on.
Cloth was woven on place, ginned cotton and weaved cloth. Old women were made to do thiswork.
Worn this shirt until eighteen years old. Barefooted. Didn't know what shoes were. Eighteenyears old before he ever wore pants.
Winter time wore same thing, and was "kept moving so fast you didn't have time to get cold"(laugh).
Master's son went to Army, and fought and got killed.
Master's (Mrs. Jones) mother, Miss Gussie, Miss Lizzie, Sherard Hall.
Julius was son who went to war and was killed.
Mr. Coates was in the home house.
There was a slave woman who was strong and knew her work and did it. She could grab up a big bag of guana. She could tote two at a time. Was much of a woman. She saw overseer whip a nigger and said, "The day he ever hits me, he or I will die." One day the overseer who heard her say this hit her with a whip. She was hoeing in the field, and took her hoe and struckhim. He fell off horse, and she chopped his head off, chopped him up, killed his horse, andwent to master and told him, "I've killed the overseer." Master said, "What?" "Yes, I've killed theoverseer." He said, "You see that house over there, you go take it. You are free, and if the old missus asks you to do anything for her you, do it if you want to."
A woman in Petersburg, Virginia, owned slaves and thought she was doing something smart,so she whipped a slave woman in the presence of President Abe Lincoln's wife. Mrs. Lincolnwas disgusted, and went back home and told Mr. Lincoln, and soon after, the war began.
Married three years after freedom. At first big meeting, a boy told him about his sister, and had tintype made, and sent it to his sister, and brought sister's picture in exchange. He aftermarried her. He fell in love at once and coated about three months. Only lived four days after.
She had consumption, and he didn't know it. He had her body put up in alcohol, and burriedher like that.
A doctor and school teacher told him how to put her away in alcohol. Cost him $160.00. Shewas in glass coffin, and another coffin on outside, and he used to go every other day to look at her. Vault was dug and built in
ground with a part above ground, and a glass window left open so you could see head, andafter he like to have gone crazy, they cemented it up.
Married present wife about sixty years.
