The Van Buren press., 1904-11-19
WEDDINGS AMONG SLAVES.
Chapter on Courtship and Marriags
Of Plantation Negroes Be
fore the War.

vile AZ ubiut. ne NoNAu e'l''h vhF W.
a plantation adjoining often going
from one to six miles TO suit his fancy.
He would marry In family where the
owners were regarded as equal with his
master He was very particular about
the good name OF the white people with
whose servant he would form a matri-
monial alliance II was common for
the negro to take pattern after his white
masters and mlstresses In matrimonial
affairs as well as in other things that
pertained to his life, says the Charlotte
Observer
A courtship was conducted with great
gallantry Some would terminate in
month, while others would continue for
a whole year or more. The engagement,
after permission was granted to the
marriage by the owners OF both the man
and the woman, was generally not lon
ger than few weeks. Generally slack
time In working the crop was selected
that they might have a larger holiday,
but otherwise their nuptials were cele-
brated almost any Saturday evening.
and have Sunday for the regular recep-
tion day, attend church and show out"
The first Sunday after marriage. the
white people, as well as the black, would
invariably show out" Many persons
who were not In the habit OF going TO
church would attend on show out" day.
1t was customary 20 give all the me-
groes on the plantation where the girl
lived a holiday, They spent II In clean
ing mp and preparing the supper. and
having everything In readiness for the
momentous occasion. Late In the after
noon the bride was dressed In her finest
apparel and sat waiting the coming OF
her expected husband When he arrived
already dressed-he was ushered into
the presence Of his intended, and there
awaited the coming OF the priest II was
not quite dark; blocks sawed OF about
three feet long, stood on their ends. held
the pine torches that gave bright light
over the yard The wedding supper was
already arranged on the table-and here
Jet me say that II would rank with what
was often seen In the houses Of the white
folk Presently commotIon was noticed
by the crowd, the officiating priest had
come. and Immediately the waiting cou-
pie marched out Of the humble cabin
into the hallway of the big house"
Here the marriage ceremony would be
performed with all the dignity and
Solemnity the occasion called for Ths
vanity OF the officiating parson always
induced him TO prolong the ceremony.
and II was bedecked with some rare
flowers of rhetoric that never failed to
provoke smile among the sable au-
dlence.
After congratulations the next move
was supper The supper was given by
the master. pig. or mutton, with few
fat hens. constituted the meats, with
bread and pies and cakes In profusion.
and coffee. No wine or liquors OF any
kind would be tolerated When the
feast was over they would repair TO a
room prepared for dancing. The fiddle
and the banjo were the only instruments
the negro loved, and such dancing as
followed would put to shame the rouni
dances Of the present The Irish jlg was
fayorite with the boys. and was In
dugod In To show the activity Of the
dancer When the small hours OF the
night were come the party would dis
band for the night The morrow being
Sunday, and great day for the show
on" at church, negroes from consld.
TO the wedding party and to crafty their
curiosity
II was seldom that a man was per-
mitlcd 10 take n wife more than nye
miles from his home, when he was given
permit "A pass to visit her every Sat
urday night TIL Monday morning. aud 4,
n from sickness, or any other reason.
he was given a special permit to Visit
her frequently The children were
trained by their parents TO be respect
ful and obcdIent to their parents AM
their owners,
The master had TO much al stake not
70 take oversight that they were kept IN
healthy condition, The value OF new
born healthy child was considered 10 b.
800 Negro babies were seldom sick
and but few died Where the mother
worked out In the crop, the cradle was
placed under the supervision OF som,
one who remained at the house or as
| have often seen them left, In the care
Of the mistress While slavery contIn.
ned never heard OF tho legality " mar.
flage questioned ! have known them
married by eminent ministers " the
various denominations, but most zen.
! orally by respectable man of their
own color, who was member of the
church They had no authority by law
20 celebrate marriage but common
consent gave Il legality All the churches
recognized the validity Of such mar.
rIaRcs, and am sure that Il was never
thought Of in any other light
II was an almost unhcard.of thing for
n negro 10 ask for divorce. In settling
up estates sDmetlmea-th though rarely
negroes had TO be- sold but then an ef.
fort would be- made TO buy the husband
and wife, 30 as not a. separate the cou-
pic The parties were always consulted
when one of them was sold whether n.
other party wished 10 be sold and 30 of
together The master tried 10 accom-
modate them In rare instances they
appeared 10 be perfectly Indifferent. |
nm speaking OF the great body OF slaves
aud Shareholders In Mecklenburg coun-
~, and take II this Is a fair average,
and am sure that 30 per cent Of them
were closey attached TO each other on
account Of the relationship esatIng be-