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Accession no.
-111051
Date received
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WPA L. C. PROJECT UNIT
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Place of origin 64 Date Oe
Project worker
Project editor
Remarks
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Project #-1655
Phoebe Faucette
Hampton CountY
MRS. LULA BOWERS 1.
Polklere
Mrs. Bowers is small and frail looking. Though very deaf,
she talks entertainingly. her memory of dates and events is
very good.
In referring to the social life the past, she said when
visited, "We had parties in our day. We call 'en Sociables
Seciables and Surprise Parties. They net in the homes. I've
been to a many a one& Played games, cards and danced. But
the ehurdh members weren't allowed to dance. If church men
hers dance, they'd tarn gem out. Didn't have any round-dans.
des in that day. The girls would begin dancing by first
dancing with their brothers and cousins. Then they'd dance
Wet/I
with everybody. I was a great dancer. And my husband a fid-
dler. My father wouldn't let me dance the round -dances. He
didn't care how much I danced the ether dances. There was a
young man come up from Savannah. he was a great dancer. He
danced all the dances. Then my son-in-law danced all the
dances. Dixie Box, Jimmy Box, Lillie Box, Nanny Box, and
Frank Warren were the biggest dancers around Estill. May Law-
ton was a great dancer and Anna Sleane.
*They'd have a big Quilting Party and dance& Didn't get
much quilting out of gen. They'd quilt all day and dance all
night. I've been to a many a mei Natalie Johnston was a
perfect belle among 'em. She was a great dancer. Dr. Cleve-
land Johnston, Coy Johnston, and Kruger Johnston were all
great dancers. I had quilted out seven quilts when I married.
My step -mother used 'em. They were the old time Nine -patch
W11051
Project #-1655
Phoebe Illaucette
leapt on County
Page 2
and the Seven Sisters. I have some of lent now. I have two quilts
that were buried during the Confederate War. My mother made them
in 1857. One is the Open Rose. The other is the Album quilt,
with the names of friends on it. They're geed nowt The Op, n ROSO
was a great quilt; and the Rose and Bud. My mother-in-law gave me
a quilt in 1878. I've got it now. It's still good. I remember
the home-made blankets, tee, made during the Confederate War. The
wool was cut eff my grandfather's sheep. My grandfather gave all
his children negroes; and when the Confederate War come up he own-
ed 75 a big slave -owner.
We had Spelling b008 in those days. I went to one up at Old
Allendale near Martyn's Station. It was held at a Campbellite
Church. I drove five in a buggy hitched to an old blind mule.
That was September 1874. It was the first Ctapbellite church I
ever went be. Old Dr. Jim Erwin was the preacher. The poorest
speller had to put a wreath en the hand of the best speller.
Clarence Erwin was the best speller and Minnie Warren was the poor-
est. She crowned him with a wreath. Charlie Peeples knows all
these people. Re can tell you all about this. He and I danced
many a dance together. My grandmother used to call it the frolic
lug church. They went to church and come back and danced till
daylight. A fire in the woods burnt the church up. Not there
now. Johnston Peoples' mother was the greatest dancer ever was
in this country Catty Johnston/ After the war when they first
began making cotton and selling it
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Project #-1655
Phoebe Paucette
Hampton County
Page 3
for a geed price, the husbanded come in and ask the wives
which they'd rather have a silk frock, er a carpet to go on
the floor. SUMO would want a silk frock, and some, a carpet.
They didn't have anything in their houses after the war.
"We had Sewing Bees, too. I've been to a many a mei
We'd sew all day and dance at night. My aunt would take me
to 'en when I was a little child. They'd make clothes for
the slaves. Make them out of homespun. My great -grand -mother
had a loom, and they'd weave cloth on it. They'd give as a
prise for the best sewer a bushel of potatoes, or sews chick-
ens, or something like that. And they'd have beer made out of
persimmons, and beer made out of sweet potatoes. They'd have
all that at them &swings and Vuiltings. They'd have inspectors
to overlook the sewing to see who'd win the prise. Generally
have three. If someone made the most garments but they weren't
made the best, the judges mould generally give the prise to
the one that did the best sewing. But both counted. Mad a
regular button -;hole worker. My old aunt worked the button -holes.
"I've seen the Yankees come and burn down the houses. I saw
two large houses burned to the ground. Whom they came to our
house, I went out and sat in the Captain's lap and begged him
not to burn our house. I was six years old. I hugged aid kiss-
ed his and begged him not to burn our house. My mother was a
widow. They didn't burn it. They came through several times.
They'd keep coming through for two or three months. After the
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Project #-1655
Phoebe Faucet to
Hampton County
Page 4
war we didn't have neat but once a day. Didn't have any meat
fer breakfast or mapper. And flour was so scarce we didn't
have biscuits but once a week. And then didn't have but one
around sometimes half a biscuit. I've had many a half -bis-
cuit. I have a gold watch that ay aunt had tied around her
waist to keep the Yankees from getting it. My mother's grand-
mother give it to her. I'm saving it for my grandmother.
That'll be five or six generations.
"They'd have candy-pullings, too. They had a lot of sor-
ghum molasses. But they didn't have any nice cane syrup. But
they had a lot of syrup and they'd have candy pullings. They'd
sometimes put peanuts in the candy; but you can't pull it when
you put nuts in it. They had a lot of cows, and plenty of
milk and butter.
"I'll tell you another great thing they done. Made lye sow
They'd pour it through the ashes.
"Ilia eleven :months younger than Charlie reeples. Xe was
eighty years old the 26th of rebruary. Ale was born in 1858.
I was born the 9th of January 1859."
Source: Mrs. Lula Bowers, Luray, S. C.