Interviewer: Miss Irene Robertson
Person interviewed: Maria Sutton Clements, De Valls Bluff, Ark.
Age: Between 85 and 90
[TR: Also reported as Maria Sutton Clemments]
"Miss, I don't know a whole heap bout Mr. Wimbeish. I don't know no
other name that what they all call him. Some I heard say it like
Wimbush. He was a great big man, big in here [chest], big in here
[stomach]. He have hair bout color youn [light]. He have big blue eyes
jes' sparklin' round over the victuals on the table. He was a lively
man. He had a heap to tell and a heap to talk bout. He had fair skin and
rosy jaws--full round face. He laughed out loud pretty often. He looked
fine when he laughed too. They all was foolish bout him. He was a
newcommer in there. I don't know whah he stay. He come down the road
regular as Friday come, going to practice em marchin'. Looked like bout
fifty fellows. I never seed Mr. Wimbeish on a horse all time he passed
long that road. He miter jes' et round mong the people while he stayed
there. He wore red 'appletts' on his shoulders. I never seed him outer
that fresh starched white suit. It was fishtail coat and had red bands
stitched all round the edge and white breetches [britches] [TR:
'britches' is marked out by hand] with red bands down the side. He sure
was a young man. They had him bout different places eatin'. Old mistress
said, 'Fix up a good dinner today we gwiner have company.' That table
was piled full. It was fine eatin'. He say so much I couldn't forgit.
Never was a Yankee what have a heart he couldn't understand. I don't
know what he was. He was so different. He muster been a Southerner
'cause white folks would not treated him near that good. It was fo de
war. They say when the first bugle blowed fo war he was done gone an'
nebber been heard of till dis day. I heard some say last they seed him,
he was rollin' over an' over on the ground and the men run off to find
em nother captain. I don't know if they was tellin' like it took place.
I know I never seed him no more.
Slave Times
"The servants take up what they eat in bowls and pans--little wooden
bowls--and eat wid their fingers and wid spoons and they had cups. Some
had tables fixed up out under the trees. Way they make em--split a big
tree half in two and bore holes up in it and trim out legs to fit. They
cooked on the fireplaces an' hearth and outerdoors. They cooked sompin
to eat. They had plenty to eat. But they didn't have pies and cake less
they be goiner have company. They have so much milk they fatten the pigs
on it.
"The animals eat up the gardens and crops. The man kill coon and possum
if they didn't get nough meat up at the house. I say it sure is good. It
is good as pork. The men prowl all night in the winter huntin'. If you
be workin' at the field yo dinner is fetched down thar to you in a
bucket that high [2 ft.], that big er round [1-1/2 feet wide]. The hands
all come an' did they eat. That be mostly fried meat and bread and baked
taters, so they could work.
"Old mistress say she first married Mr. Abraham Chenol. Then she married
Mr. Joel Sutton and they both died. She had two sons. She had a nephew
what come there from way off. She said he was her sister's boy. Couse
they had doctors and good ones. Iffen a doctor come say one thing the
matter he better stick to it and cure one he come thar to see. Old
mistress had three boys till one died. I was brushin' flies offen him.
She come and cry and go way cryin'. He callin' her all time. He quit
callin' her then he was dead. Made a sorter gurglin' sound. That the
first person I seed die. When they say he dead I got out and off I was
gone. I was usin' a turkey wing to brush flies offen him. I don't know
what was the matter wid em. They buried him on her place whah the grave
yard was made. Both her husbands buried down there. She had a fine
marble put over his grave. It had things wrote on it. She sent way off
an' got it. They hauled it to here in a wagon. The Masons burled him. It
was the prettiest sight I ever seed.
"Her son John had some peafowls. She had geese--a big drove--turkeys,
guineas, ducks, and geese.
"She had feather beds and wheat straw mattresses, clean whoopee! They
used cotton baggin' and straw and some of the servants had a feather
bed. Old mistress get up an' go in set till they call her to breakfast.
They had a marble top table and a big square piano. That was the parlor
furniture. They made rugs outen sheep an' goat skins.
"When she want the cook go wid her she dress her up in some her fine
dresses--big white cap like missus slep in an' a white apron tied round
her waist. We wore 5¢ calico and gingham dresses for best. She'd buy
three and four bolts at Augusta [Georgia] and have it made up to work
in. We didn't spin and weave till the war come on. Some old men come
round making spinnin' wheels. They was very plain too nearly bout rough.
Rich folks had fine silk dresses--jes' rattle when they walked--to wear
to preachin'. They sho did have preachin' an' fastin' too durin' the war
but folks didn't have fine clothes when it ended like when the war
started.
Ku Klux Klan
"It started outener the bushwhackers. Some say they didn't get what was
promised em at Shiloh Battle. They didn't get their rights. I don't know
what they meant by it. The bushwhackers ketch the men in day goiner
work--ketch em this way [by the shoulders or collar]. Such hollerin' and
scramblin' then you never heard. They hide behind big pine trees till he
come up then step out behind and grab him. They first come an' call fer
water. Plenty water in the well or down at the spring. They knowed it
too. Then they waste all you had brought up and say--'Ah! First drink I
had since I come from hell.' They all knowed ain't nobody come from
hell. They had hatchets an' they burst in your house. Jes' to scare you.
They shoot under your house. They wore their wives big wide nightgowns
and caps and ugliest faces you eber seed. They looked like a gang from
hell--ugliest things you ebber _did_ see. It was cold--ground spewed up
wid ice and men folks so scared they run out in woods, stay all night.
Old mistress died at the close of de war an' her son what was a
preacher, he put on a long preacher coat and breeches (britches) [TR:
'britches' is marked out by hand] all black. He put a navy six in his
belt and carried carbeen [carbine] on his shoulder. It was a long gun
shoot sixteen times. He was a dangerous man. He made the Ku Klux let his
folks alone. He walk all night bout his place. He say, 'Forward March!'
Then they pass by. He was a dangerous man. So much takin' place all time
I was scared nearly to death all time."