Recollections from generations past- (Annie Beckett)

 

Annie Beckett (1881 - 1981)

INTERVIEWER: I’m at the home of Miss Annie D. Beckett, in Stockton, where

 I’m interviewing Miss Annie  and her daughter, Suevalue, and Miss Annie

 within just about 1 month will be celebrating her 100th birthday. The date of

 her birthday being on April 1st of this year. (1981) Now we’re in her home in

 Stockton, and we’re going to interview this remarkable lady and learn from

 her some things of her life, that were highlights of her life. Starting out, Miss

 Annie where were you born? Do you remember where you were born, what

 area?

ANNIE: I was born near Stockton. Born on the Pocomoke and city road. Just

 right over these, down to Pocomoke City.

INTERVIEWER: Okay, and that was what year, Miss Annie?

ANNIE: 1881.

INTERVIEWER: He worked with Mr. Tull, sometimes, did he?

ANNIE: All the time. After he left, after he got free from ‘em, he worked for him

 all the time.

INTERVIEWER: I see. He at one time was a slave in their family, you told us at

 the beginning of this tape, I believe.

ANNIE: Well they didn’t call it slave.

SUEVALUE: Bound boy, wasn’t it?

ANNIE: Bound boy.

INTERVIEWER: Bound boy.

ANNIE: He belonged to them, 20 years, just the same as today, just the same

 as today.

SUEVALUE: I thought he was 21.

INTERVIEWER: After the slaves were freed, then you were, you were bound to

 the owner until you were age 21, is that what you are saying?

SUEVALUE: Right, right.

ANNIE: You could go back to your age.

SUEVALUE: You see, like a regular slave, didn’t matter, but if you got 21 or

 not, you still had to be a slave.

INTERVIEWER: Right.

SUEVALUE: But the bound boy, he could get loose at 21.

ANNIE: Regular slave, had to be a slave……………

INTERVIEWER: Well this happened after the slaves had been freed, is what

 you mean by the bound boy. How did that happen? What was the difference?

SUEVALUE: I think, he had the bound boy the same time, didn’t he? Two

 different things, wasn’t it?

ANNIE: Huh?

SUEVALUE: Wasn’t it two different things, wasn’t it Mama? Bound boy was

 some, I mean some were the bound boy, and some was the slave.

ANNIE: Same thing, same thing going on, some was slaves and some was

 bound boy.

INTERVIEWER: Okay.

ANNIE: Some just call it bound boy, you know. Just took and called them

 bound boy.

INTERVIEWER: I understand.

This was one excerpt from the somewhat lengthy interview. The text of the full interview can be viewed at the following address where the audio is available as well.

https://worcesterlibrary.libguides.com/Oral_History_Folklife/Beckett

Check next Saturday for another interview in our Recollections series here at The Pocomoke Public Eye.