The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-03-05
AGAINST AN UNFAIR
Industrial Life on . North ta,.,ip.
Plantation Before the
War.

Ny grandrather's homo, Swan
Ponds. is one of many u~npretcntiouS
90 brlck houses still left III III. west
ern part Of North Carolina. Its two
unornamcnted, ob!one stories. with
It's lons. straight front piazza and it's
tour plain white pillars, have little
IN common with the magnificent
summer "palaceS' Of twentieth cen
Jury mulli-nillionaires; but in its day
II might, by comparison, have justly
been referred TO AS q stately man
SION. And even now such old South
ern homes have a charm and dignity
all their oWn-at least to those to the
southern manner born. For when as
q child ] visited my 9randfather's
old homestead, even though the swan
ponds from which the place took its
name had long been dry. and the.
& cabins on the Hill had long been
deserted. and the barns. stables, and
shops had long been in ashes, yet
on rainy days Aunt l%ustina" made
the past live again with her stories
Of The big parties. the fox hunts, and
the Christmas celebrations. 1t Is no,
my purpose, however, To present the
more romentic side Of Southern life
before the war. but rather TO give
a brief account OF the little Industrial
community presided over w my
grandparents.
During one Of my recent visits TO
Swan Ponds. my aunt, while looking
over some papers n Gay, found an
old memorandum book recording the
James and ages Of taxable slaves
from 1865 TO 1860. This started her
Oh 2 rather disconnected reniniScenco
Of the more practical side Of the life
OF hey CirlhOod days.
We'll, we'll" she exclaimed, taking
off her glasses. come look ut this.
Your Observation-Disclosures began
this record n few years after he set
made the last entry, January, 1860.
the month before he died. Father
kept busy till the Very last. When
l recall the active life my father
and mother led, ! pity the Ignorance
Of Northern people who talk about
lazy Southerners. Why, father got
up at i o'clock every morning and
planned with his negro foreman the
WORK for the day. At 8 O'Clock he
started to his law Office i'll town. and
on his return late III the afternoon.
he listened to the reports of those
in charge of the different departments
+ OF labor.
"Inclt' Jacob hoseed the tield
hands and s1perintandtd the meas
uring II the crops, the threShinS OF
| the wheat. and the filling of the harms
and cribs. Uncle Jerry had charge
OF the stables with their fifty horses
and mules; under him there Were
Z special drivers who were responsible
; for each team. and also q hos,ler t.
, look after the pleasure horses. Uncle
!. Stcphen managed the blacksmith
| shop. ar,i Uncle Alex The shop foI
: Woodwork. our Own rams furnished
. the hides which Uncle Nose tanned
!. and Uncle Abe and Uncle Julius
made III the shoes for our famlly %
oyer y hundred and fifty.
W were very independent in thos,
: DAYS: We produced everything 81
home except our lighter groceries. II
: certainly required much system &c
keep things going: but mother. VIII,
; was AS good x manager Us father
!, had trained women III charge OF .acF
department OF domestic work
'Granny' CcIy. after receiving moth
er's directions for tho day. reiSnc.
supreme III the Kitchen aud dining
room. She made only IL" cakes an,
pastries herself. as Aunt Slcky mad.
: al the bread. and Aunt Nancy pre-
pared the 81 meats and Vegetables
n Susanna superintendent the drying
g uickIing. and preserving Of the fruit
is the making Of the q Erout. anf
Il lard. and the curing C the hams
n Thcss. cooks had q boy IL draw Ihci
,. water ;+~i to make their ilres. an
5, they always oohcd down on 1il.i
q less fnttrltn sisters Who were no
t. So closets associated WIKI the House.
II AUNT jimmy, The mistress uf tn
q dairy. with two assistants. illlh.d III,
Is COWS. to the churnin4. N
L saw that each cabin received its dail,
2 supply Of milk. Aioth"I directed tn,
: SPINNING, weaving. ANA uye312 of til
IS cotton and wool herself. She KEEP
~ Two OF three suDcrannr4t.a 'auntics
"a Ls;*y knitting stockings ana socks 70
10 Tho servants: and snc Il train.
IS = ,-.Eo -,1 ,.-3lr
u Garments for the older slaves, IN
~ I. make an the mems clothes.
!, "EverytninG W.nt like elockWoG
on the p!antation. Vet oar Slaves ucT
y t,Tu,rEo OF Each f.lrjI,- ~