Document text
Federal .4ritersf Project
Paul Diggi,
Lakeland Florida
March
Bor.., John and hebecca
b27 kissouri Avenue
Florida
JOHN REBECCA IJOYD„.1 DIGEi.';JL
In the City of Lakeland,located in the heart ui. the Citrus
deveo.,..ent-of the State of Florida, thire livus a legro faally
ho has sen Lakel:md grow to Ws presont stage of -evelopwellte
They hLve maintained tilltr real;ectAbility froui their ionring
period to the present time. The .-lembers'of the fa4iiiy coLsist of,
Jcliti and his wife Rebecca, their son Bryant, and J-hnts two
sisters miary an -,iiattie is the first Viegro b,.by to be
born in LoakeinO41Florida.
John is tall api rawbonea. lie walks a little -bent over,
he is uark in complexion, with La4.,ny gray hEars ih hi he&d#
.iJas born in Carlo, Georg' 0 having i,,ased his sixty fifth bil.tht..•
day, his parents w,.:Te Wilis J. ,Joid GabrelEs Boyd.
Rebecca is very sitiali in size, four feet ni five inches
in height, dark brown in c-a,lexion0 with grays ntirs in her head.
They were very c-ngenial iimd above the average in inellic,enceo
Hiebeeca sAd„ u I will do the best I can to tell you about
ui ezA-..ty life, 1-ki uhLt.I fotze.. when I same to L l. xi in 1692.
I :am here from Thomasville, Georgia, where 1 born, y parents
Bryant and Chery anders„ were lves. ,!nen I Was s11 1 useu
her the. talk about slavery time. They- sa _ thlk,r u4ster
4.11, Aitch, They p iather sad, ene huwtre.:i nd fifty
s1L.vs on the iaantation, Hu ws C-nsidL:red
LA.4640
F:ther cued February luolb, 5 at the age of Le onty rs
q mother (lieu in 1... Our son Ery zit 16,s born in !.c,6q, ,41„:
I was burn October 9,4b70,
25996
I married John while he was working in ircauia, Florida,
December U„190,0; ey parents rented l_mod to.frilt on Ail Th..L Llt/lles
Georgia; They once ha,, on hundred and fifty acres, and calleU it
.a three bows.? farm. There were fifteen children in our family,
all of them are decease exae,t myself',"
-.;iihen we came to Lakeland we settled ne;i-i• the ti,ntic Coast
Line Railroads near 1,..4ke Veir, At that time, nearly all the colored
pe,ple lived in that section, There was about one tioruirt:d colored
people living in LaelLnd at that time, bow I hear them say that
we hav6.narly,four thousand colored 1.eukie in La;.ielauci,
jum„in up some, They came here from every place;*
iattie W61; busy ironing. in the back hallways, Lebecca called
her, 1,.: cello) in :n sat do:n,* Now mattie can tell you kt,-out her-
seif, attie sLid," it is true ihc.t i am considered the first
lieg.c child t be born in liakeland, 4 parents were 'Allis
and Gabrella Boyd, ilis die; January 11 l9Ob, age 54. Gabrella
died July 7,1i301, age 45, I w,,s born My 1,18b6, I mememt,ered the
second colored child that was born in Leland, Lubenny
(*Mae bib.e record. ;.as seen) was born June 14,1t616, be is .now
living in Andladelphia, arriee. nd is known as Mrs .Liviugtom4
ale has throe grown ch.,adren, I kno,:: well the fir:A _bite child
born inha.keland, she now iives in Tamka, Florida, Ais:d.ora Lee
Bouaker, who is WV M., -s helm, Clagress..aan Jranels son
Urcian was born the same ,Ionth that Aiss Dora Lee ..as born.*
.:here we iivc w. s a wildrueLso i,..ne_street was near the
de,ot. t th-t Ane, street, and 1 mtuckey „Nettle
were the maiu streets, ,..ost of thc business was located on Jain
stre,t, I was barn near dJake.eir along the railroad, Ike? sand
trl wLth de-„ ruts in them, ur to your knees were the may paths
ana roaaways. Th.; big wheels of th, ox -carts cut t, -.em 1ik this.
This ,4-s the Alai:ode of travel then, I use to riae them many
cLys, ow riding to shat we h....ve now. But we thought were
g tting there:fraSt.“
In l8 I Skiik SOLACI'Lho cae aroun;:, Lake ir„ Lke
;Lorton, ad f,ake Hunter. They were on their way to the os:Lnish
;4ir in Cub-, You remember the sixth of .„-iay when the
batteshi Jiaiuexc.,s sunk in 1898, The soldiers began touring
in the it of A,ril, :Axi it was the lest of ugust before they
all left. Those wel.c, some exciting times around L kelLna.
remember the colored Tenth Caltalry The Illinois.., The 1st
fr,ai Ohio s and the rth-of Hew York. Al]. of the,e were
white solciers This slce w -s the -backing 11,0 plee from Tampa.
fast as -tse ships wouio take them to Cub they woulk, leave ovt
of Lakeind. Some never did get to go to Cuba becuse the
Tenth C-valry.had whis4ea t em out under Colonel, hosseVelt. These
were some cL4s. Talking ,:bout hard tires* that was no name for it.'
o I attenat-d Elementary schools may going as far as the sixth
grade. At that time they di,1 not Wire any ore grades, until
krof.tV.A. Rochelle brought the School us, tp the, eighth grades
1 left Lakeiand anh.finished my schooling in Ocala at the imerson
school, going through he High school course,"
n The first colored school located -in -Wye-land w -s .t iorida
Avenue and street where the ite-,41e. Is .-and Building pow
stands. ,libeL they moved it fr,:)-41,theres they heid School in the
aetholist church one sea on, and in the Bae;tist churchanothers
moVing sometimes to the Mas,..mic Hail. Thia was kekt uk-uhtil
the fl.rst school was located in Aprehead at Or:,.nge Ali Ohio
Avenue in 19(44 I taught in this school seven years, holding a
tiiird grade certificate. I have been worried, but I ,...ivorceu
husb,A2d, Be is alive sAmewhore.*
u iiebecca said, gattie as sowething to b., ,reud of being
the first ck)lored child born in Lakelimi arm still living to tell
about it,"
10 I -went to .school myself. I attended the BawlitAa school
Thowasville, Georgia. I went as far as the seivnth.grade. The,
sch,Jol building was built out of logs with only one large roa.a•
We had two teo:hers, and. about One hundred and fift; ch_luroL.
At that time we only hog three woLths sch oling, wLy iong be.
fore the last they gave us six wohtbs. This was not long -fter
freeuum, Wo would klay jumking the roke, and se etiwes base.
ball the. girls klayed on one side an the boys ox 4 the other.
Back there they didtrit ixuk with th. boys."
u When I caws to Laic,land„ I elected the Firt kresident
of the karent leachers Association. We starte'..i with tv;enty wember*
which grew- to fifty luewbers when I gave it uk. I thihk ethacation
is the greatest thing in the world today. I don't think there
is enough association of ,arents with teachers. i:jince
hochelle gav, -up the krincipleshik As have not ilL-A the u)oad feilom
ship with teachers. Things ,ire dil'kerent. We didlht have so .1..faly
waywara.giris during our tiweseff
u hen I first caw‘e here I rewewered :mly eight &..k.
tists, twenty five,A M E and five Ai ethodists•
I didInt know anything'aboUt Primitive baktists at that tie.
That kart of the Baktists kokked .uk later. I haVe been a member
of the Barmany,Bektist Chureh thirty one years. J hut does not
belong to any *Wrens When I ws. active in church, I was er-si-
dont of the B Y P Up teacher of he flrst Bible Classy treasurer
of the &unuay benc,1 head of the Deaconess Boi,rd• and Pr_sident0
once* of the 'Women(ls home Missionary Society, I triEd to give my
soul to my church work, I think ttlat the saving of s-Juis has
retarded in the last few years. I think the cause of the con-
dition is slackness on the kart of .the churches today. Years ago
they were better, .The Old f lks don't ha's any tower ov,r the
young folas 0 because they set w.cong kind of 0les
I had to give uk all work when I had this stroke in 1065,,
the stroke on my left side, No you see I am able to
walk anti USe 4, hands I ha._, _.t.1 of my teeth kulled out. You
know bad teeth ean'koison your whole liystem, ,Befole I was swekted
off of my feet* I weighed .one hundred -xi_ thirty ko,u,s, I suffer
mosL.14 from m High Bl eu ressixe N I hav,. to watch my eating
very carefuliyion
Skeaking of food- I reme.ubered right after fr,.edom 11,AF
cheak things worse Around 1676 you c-uld get 4 larie nog for
:1,5(); butter l50 a ko nd; bushel of kotatoes 20#g busnel of
corn 25;eggs s id two dozen for 3.40 and you bid to carry them
0
eight and ten m_les to the next t-wn to sell them, A big change
mow, With this trouble I am &vino it cost we a great deal for
skecial food that I haVe to eat. I Only et fish, 1,_mbil grits,
butter, whole wheat broad, and corn bread when it is cooked well,
Before I had .Llis stroke I co.ad eat anything, John and the rest
.of the family eat most any things o
I vnrry a great deal at times because i am not able to work
like I use to, When I was on thi, farm in Georgia I was strong
and worked hard, I hoed and picke,l, cotton n my fathers farm,
only received. 4t4 a hundred L bwired pound waL. a kole iot
of cotton to pick back there. They didint hiAre the cultivati_n
Ii -e they. hk,ve now. If you nede tl.trty five cents a „kay you
wouid do betimr than tiAU56 who worked in domestic service, be
cue they only mae 1,G0 per week, 6o -e places they ould
oniy maks 1,G0 a month doing the'housewrk x4 cooktrig, You
sometime bad to cf..00k for eight or ten in t_e Zanily, I had -my
fami_y to feed and look out for. The way the:mistre did, was
to tell yo w to put a _oak of potatoes in the stove, ..ben Order,.
ed to go to the smoke house, you were told to get the clus and
ends ot the meat to cook with the gre,4150 Ihat,was left you could
give to your child -I -en, ThL-.t's the way they wade Uk for their low
pay, .44, that's the way th an came about, I mean servants
carrying pans home when they finished work. Carrying pans home
is no Lew thing, 14 child would stares it I didint carry a pan
home at night, Mistress would give us all the old clothes and
shoes. Alter -rsent Grover Cleveland and Harrison" Amos
ckmgcu and things begz,n to rick up, zometimes we yr:ALIAd get from
.4, to 2050 a week, Things began to get better still after
president W1lliau cKinley's and Theou,re Roosevelt's time, When
we came to Florida we four lt wages better than we got in Georgia.
I havInt worked out veal. much. I worked up .6 good lauhdry business
here at home, I would ,verge from 4,L(' to s,15.60 a week
when times were good, I thought onee that this stroke I kkve
came :rola washing a great deal, I was taught when I marriea John
to care for him. A women's klace at home. I thought try duty
w,y back there A4A, to cook, wend clothes, end keep a good clean
house for him. 4. knew L. l,was away I cu.LU not do that. I am
ti' w the o•ki schwol. Things are different now. Everybody goes,
anu hoe takes cure of itself,tv
It
John followed work, jr a the' khoskhate Aines from l00
to IW7 with the niger Bay khoskhate Comkare they are out of
business now. Be :A.so railroaded some, working here in the
Coast -Line railroau yard until l94'5. On this job be would average
oeties 1O0.00 a month. John is a good well digger. Be makes
itom 5;0 up to 100.00 kutting in weA.s and winkle systole
in the greves. He had a call this morning to Come out to Colonial
.trive to cle,441 out a Aall. John farms. on our twenty acre farm
located in the-S.Aith..Viest section of 14aeland. It is were Old
Pa Di.. Wired. You rewelaber the old man who wa over a hundred
years old when he 'filet's the klace. The shack .is right an
our land, let a wan stay in there now. John has It done so 'well
with the farm this yearon
0Bryant works on reilef. 1attie and Mary stay at how° a.nd
helk Ath the laundry work. Mattis m4,kes around five dollars
every week. ':Jork is not so Aentiful now, lot of fks do their
own work at hoe. I fond of .undry work. What John
wYself accumulated: aa=kie krtly from qy .1unry w_Ask, Al would
kut our little bits together $o We could have some thing. tnee
we owne foulot-on houses on this street. Vie lost thew during the.
deLression, All we saved was ,Lur hklas lace and the twenty acres*
owe times? I begin to think that is too ouch SAncA:. have been
unable to work. Bryant balks me out a lot. He is one son who has
stuck to his mother. It *t_lok lots of money to get we back in
shake. If it v4(are not for help froi. this relief work. AtO
c -id not have ku.Lled trough. It been lots of bele, to us.,
I hioore tried to get n <AU age, i,ebsioh, but I ikYInt been -le to
1,rove my age. bout Lnis laundry work liouisa this town, I recall
_hen colored wen did ne:_rly of it, 14o-i they ik-.ve big places
to uo the laundry -ark, 4-.nd that cuts us down 2.2tao., L few f.lks
like It the old way 001
U If I were Amick to vote -_gain I would vote for the democrats.
I irve voted since they ailowed women to vote. John votes too.
W lever had hy trcuble votng. We felt like we hao a right to
vote i,ayng so Auch taxes evry year."
o Since I hi..d this stroke I can't walk very far I try to
ak to the stores on P_Lorida Avenue .:1-Jvd back again to give we
exercise, „Juts ido of that I keeif busy with 1.Aiht work around the
house.iy bi6gust fun is working -round the flowers nu Attending
to Ay chic:ions. John usuaJly 46:and the noUse aha yard
when he is how*. Sowe tie: be ,;;aAis u, tht:,- street an,, sits on the
'inights o. hytbian's stel,s on Florida ixenue, 4111 go is with
some of his old .or:oloso.. Then Eryant finishes work he ILies to
dre:2,s and waIR dclyn the street, go to the auv es. He likes
woving lictures. Yu can see for yourself/t.. attie ani ar7
z -,re just klai.n bowe fols, they go to church on ',-.unaayls,.. and
th.t's, bout Till. I don't go ,-ruun.1 like I used top, I :-.1.1],a .doing
the li.ctle things for foAs in the cowmunity, *iibAin.I was active
I tried to .do my best as long as I could. I iikeu it tooi to
help others. I believe that is the reason'tbe Lord has blt,ssed
me in wy afflictions so faro w
1109•10
To the deaight of Rebecca, John caae home, She said I
an glad you came home whileukrofasaoruis here V Us Sbo-k bands
and expressed his aaareciation ili my calliag, be shunned his
overalls, and washed his face ,and hand ,4nd rivairnad in a 1. ash
overaii and joinea in the Interview-,
u John statea.that if yau ar taaking aboat o1 ti,ts I
can tell you ate_ th 14, if Lebecca bat toIa you our st,ry
wouia be about tha ame, You kaow a waits aan by the name of
klaY,La Steahenson, the laves at '4)7 W5th street, he usec to
live in a liatle house on 7th &timer the Washingt n eark,
Now he was the .fist man to soil me h lot in this town.
-Be was one of Joe first waits men to Nettie here in la82 some
years before I came* I halm heard him aay that i;akeland. was
nalaL by Draindrews, be auaht to now becaus he was in the
meeting when it was named. Right after than they layad the
to a off In ibbal and l884a They call him Juage now, ha still
owns lots of proaerty in the white and coloaed section, The
colored aark he deeded it to the City to be usea for a Negro
aark, I have uorked .brd trying to have someahing. I have
ueeraade anything easy in .41f late, Frau the looks of 40 it
look like I have been a good man in my days, Siace soma of the
folas have gone back to trackina and farming I have b_an kept
busy gigging wells and putting in sarinkling systeaa,1 guess
Rebecca told yau about it. I Alizv hard times has
run thew back
to the soil., This h. s slowed me down with my work on 7 little
farm. I don't have time to look after it like I aught too, You
have a hard time to get some one to help you farm here in this
town, kost of the colored man don't have farming in their bones,
thatis funny most of tam same here off of the farm and it is
her,i to. got tj t. it, It
I b_ve .t.rtLy uod off it It nJtkiing more,
it 144 **0 out ut t.skiler e‘ot Irwin wigs
wt ...4ost I is corn, 010 er$
ont;$ syu..,sn$ c arct 4.1[_ L.4,6A..t1.* A. try Ay
)441. triiwLLrric.s, n.cuitiv.Akt4 it is
hi,..vo Ati .fri.:11.1 w 4r4g Xi RS OUt ther.**.
n ilLVe s,ots, it tkkes tui..1 fur .-,4th-rticlonia•-
I di, :most pinnuing ;.dy tat.; mvon, 1 ,,ulitt
411.
aotikod 4 xr4. I t $.aWt out' 0
Qi r4; It a_.Ly urks on
11 -ell ..A.Ate, it oo,Ims Lutlimil46 W6116 I W4 c nsi.!,Jrt,: to
ti bat in chis itkt bragging n .•/An,01.f. Lut the
'41Alte s,y so* Alsr,;, Luta to ..1i0W• I bkliNi f,_10wi.;%! it tor
yo /*so I I ilikr14-t It VoL110 ”kr1 6. r LOU tau klIU&pil,'
,_11#4.4s Lao to sliait a.. tgot tUT d 1 rk.cuith t.146- t
CiFt,• CeIL USI.411.1y to,l Oy unding 0*re to tin. Aki.,tek. .4.1.1
L_vo.i to dois tLi liCtw ule an. I mak soon tb,1 ,4.1 if there is
goo AiAsr tilers, I LkIrdly miss, ...wits 0.1.Lic* I 4..its to uig
th-ti oi.asrSoixi tosst scilsie dug Lnirty t*.cot or u sr. lou
of tiik goo 1.1A-1/4 thic. 1,%,nc:th ,Ls
su.it'. es rut: oit in
evry so feet, :50,-.* say
•,;..it*r will 4,-ae y,u slcJ,.n ts btsc_ue it i not aug
un xsorie ur u teiraish*ti, wefl w tort so,ge
unoir 411,i'440. 1001;.) to Ol,se wX1 tas 0.41441, -S 1101; Uktg.ie
1z4.4..:1413.• Tliat S. trsie ro,s 1.1 4.4 -a 14,Nvis tu 0111 ovsry
LAY:;tLZ taut, end.slainCut tibi oints, You hgAvio soon Lass, Tlw.rs is
is %Au ends oui it guts cloggs‘:, tie, seise time,
"Cid •age is about to get,ae no, lam not as active as I
once 'oars. I have lost lots of money fooling with prerty,
worries, big doetx bills, and all that works on fel.i.ow pretty
buy, You have to be a goo. craft horse topull the load.
n You know conditions are not like they use to be, I have
seei,. big changes arourl:. here. I honestly think the Goverment is
doing all it can t, help ,e(4,1e and business, But the 0“„le
must :leip themselves some too. Many pe,ple re stuck in these
towns. With all of this open country they could get out and
grow L:mathing. That would help to thin them out. I
About ,ay religiono I bet Rebecca has been te_iing y6u
about it. I speck I oughter get some kind of religion by this
time. You will have to bring in a new flock of yreachers to save
me now. If I didint see so ouch maybe I would do a little better.
I give ay share to the church even if I don't go. When t;iem
big railies come off, hey see my money, but they don't see me.
I live my liie. 44o far think it has been a pretty good one.
One thing I am not fed u p on lots of false beliefs."
N Mien I had a good Cam I used to enjoy mUseir riding around
looking at farms. If I have a good walk now I an bakil.,"John was
called by p. white man wid, knocked at the.door ecord this concluue
eis interview. Rebecca,said,' I n so glad you iv,d a chance to
tel._ to him, they don't let him stay home long, 10
The boas of ZA4In anki Rebecca is .located on e very LAndy.
Avenue, It is a large ten:rola weather- boarded &Ape. Very well
con3tructed and the.exterior is painted white. There is a large
4:
rcrch extending across the front lower and upper, with large cement
pillars. Vines are growing an trellises on both sides of the
porch. Ferns in airgit pots sit iR each side of the entrances*
DAOre are Lou'ch.,1 oi.U. t.4. A urche The
,rcht s or /WAWA L. A
Lo_oci leixos-,th
r dr LAU er..Ls fat.; r ai ge iOZ ti. O a to, lulAr.m., Two
fern., were L. tux- aLtrczetis L3%1
Vv.,. 3 Let air y,
;x1
1.14. Agit :),,t
1111k.Frtl. :-••=106
big irm t i1. the i1 t ry
w.L1 tu.:4 b iLzg Citi ts cti•
(AA the s_AAtil.
tct wts r thciact.A3. y.rti W4k;
"i A. Vt..i; ilk ALS e '4.- 7. 2 tif ;;Vv.1"4-„ti. tAArt
LAteririg t iiOt ti iiIt
.1.-L ay
Thovr*, W‘E h4 ,tt-LA Zi Le cortwr 1Ji. t bt3 tat.a.LLAW c&L,D,
with AL -14 iskt itt stty 4,ea.rty
t 14i bit i v.; is.p..10AAL_, s Cii. the l'...oLrAp To the
.Lk et, ot. 1..IL fl;lbb bit:1;144, 11C. -Wang
ir this, ?Loss s L thi. tiluk., A. 4-1.1.7.14
,z,b4t/t ;LC ektLe,4.c, Lc.t tc le
ti uib z I it C "I'LL r riLL bruwn ot. the
.Lutz 'a* 14.1.•
:IAA; I tv: t it %AL.'S L -b f L.4i,„:„.b
uf u..A. Le beLs
r Were
V.1 4Ak: 00A44ar, ,t,u the ok.,x.
h _t crow* rug, ;c:.,)5,I.4; tiirgh att
4 y aLotr b, r JW L Ok'LL latX1 IA* bed
wLcs:. Zs 1.4.o
Aati, t1A0, cuv‘x 11‘isst grekaA g- rUgir The
xi,. pm ad.jo,311.14 this un: *al* a boa roo,,.. with a 1/4A-_uble bud. a Sot,
several obpirs an a wc.'!'n gras4i rug. AMMES fibula this bed room
was a iall kitchen that containA an odd wood stoves id a
c-o6et in which there were d_shes and'kitchel. utensils. There
W4S LO ng on the .floor. In the back hallways ,.41ry was
busi at her .ironln
he steks leading to the seconh floor were 1 -cated in
the Lac. ballvvy. The rooms Al the second floor were given over
to bed rootass ail neatly furnished and clean. Ail of the'
winos had good curtains and shades to them. The house was celled,
sotaa of the rooms on the lower flocas needed .rekeinting. Electric
lights w.s in ail of the rooms.
'John returned from 14s mission and said, N ii. I didint
have g.:AA.i white friends I unit know whibt woul(i ha, en to me.
I have always got along swell with them. All of my work is for
them. I. think we have a iretty good town. .I know all of the old
se-Gtiers 4.nd they will de Aost Lnything for ue, it is how yeu
treat yt.larse.,1. I always mind my own business, and know how far
tO go. It is a blebsing to live to see how things has changed.
We d dint ii ye ii the good “hings th,se chltiren have
ay
bate to.s4 it in siAte of it all they donit take e:dvantege of
their o„ortunities. re ha,i. to get and git back yonder. Again
be bad a caller, and in bidding the fcily uod ,5re he 6aid be
waLau like for AB tO see him drill'a well some time. 4attle and
hebecc as all siles„ and le,sed over 1-kv...tig their life's
ha _ening written uk.