Augusta County: "Mrs. Mary E. --WSEY (b. ?)," by Byrd, Susie R. C., Unknown date

Summary: Brief passage from interview of Staunton ex-slave; discusses selling of family members

MRS. MARY E.-WSEY (b. ?)
674 E. Beverly St., Staunton, Va.
Interviewer: Susie R. C. Byrd
Date of interview: Unknown
Source: Pencil copy, Lewis papers

My mother belong to William H. and Susan Marshall. She was born 1835. Mary Grason she was-

While I was out at the home place where my mother belonged on the plantation I was looking in the book case and came across that book and I wouldn't take anything for finding it.

Just think when they died (white folks) they didn't have dresses on back. Son in law gave them clothes.

Yes, they were good when you could work but when you got sick they sold you.

I had an aunt took fever in war time-left her feeble minded. She wandered off sometimes. They sold her. They knew at big house traders was coming-kept it from her. Answer was, when they broke news to her she said, she just as soon belong to one white man as another. Tole us all good by like she was going on a visit. We never saw her no more.

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Bibliographic Information: Source copy consulted: Weevils in the Wheat: Interviews with Virginia Ex-Slaves, Edited by Charles L. Perdue, Jr., et al., p. 346