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.
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