-----Original Message----- From: Douglas/Ungaro <dasha@unet.com.mk> To: NCROOTS-L@rootsweb.com <NCROOTS-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Sunday, February 13, 2000 5:22 PM Subject: [NCROOTS] Sarah GUDGER, NC - Slave Narrative - WPA, May 5 1937 >Ms. Sarah Gudger was born enslaved in Asheville, NC, in 1816. From what I >have read, she lived to be 121 years old. Her father was Smart Gudger. I >don't yet know if this Gudger family was related to mine. My oldest known >African American Gudger ancestor was NOAH Gudger, enumerated in the 1870 >Buncombe County census. > > The original, first-person slave narrative below is one of >*many* available for a few days - for free - on the ancestry.com website >below: > > Marian Douglas, Gudger descendant > > http://ancestry.com/search/rectype/biohist/slavnarr/promo.htm > > ........................... text from WPA records on the >ancestry.com website.... > > Investigation of the almost incredible claim of Aunt Sarah >Gudger, ex-slave living in Asheville, that she was born on Sept. 15, 1816, >discloses some factual information corroborating her statements. > > Aunt Sarah's father, SMART Gudger, belonged to and took his >family name from JOE Gudger, who lived near Oteen, about six miles east of >Asheville in the Swannanoa valley, prior to the War Between the States. >Family records show that Joe Gudger married a Miss McRae in 1817, and that >while in a despondent mood he ended his own life by hanging, as vividly >recounted by the former slave. > > JOHN HEMPHILL, member of the family served by Aunt Sarah until >"freedom", is recalled as being "a few y'ars younge' as me", and indeed his >birth is recorded for 1822. ALEXANDER Hemphill, mentioned by Aunt Sarah as >having left to join the Confederate army when about 25 years of age, is >authentic and his approximate age in 1861 tallies with that recalled by the >ex-slave. When Alexander went off to the war Aunt Sarah was "gettin' t' be >an ol' woman." > > Aunt Sarah lives with distant cousins in a two-story frame >house, comfortably furnished, at 8 Dalton street in South Asheville (the >Negro section lying north of Kenilworth). A distant made relative, 72 years >of age, said he has known Aunt Sarah all his life and that she was an old >woman when he was a small boy. > > (#2) > Small in stature, about five feet tall, Aunt Sarah is rathered >rounded in face and body. Her milk-chocolate face is surmounted by short, >sparse hair, almost milk white. She is somewhat deaf but understands >questions asked her, responding with animation. She walks with one crutch, >being lame in the right leg. On events of the long ago her mind is quite >clear. Recalling the Confederate "sojers, marchin', marchin'" to the drums, >she beat a tempo on the floor with her crutch. As she described how the >hands of slaves were tied before they were whipped for infractions she >crossed her wrists. > > OWEN GUDGER, Asheville postmaster (1913-21), member of the >Buncombe County Historical Association, now engaged in the real estate >business, says he has been acquainted with Aunt Sarah all his life; that he >has, on several occasions, talked to her about her age and early >associations, and that her responses concerning members of the Gudger and >Hemphill families coincide with known facts of the two families. > > Interviewed by a member of the Federal Writers' Project, Aunt >Sarah seemed eager to talk, and needed but little prompting. > > (SARAH GUDGER, (born 15 Sep 1816), Interview with Mrs. MARJORIE >JONES, 5 May, 1937) > > I wah bo'n 'bout two mile fum Ole Fo't on de Ole Mo'ganton Road. >I sho' has had a ha'd life. Jes wok, an' wok, an' wok. I nebbah know nothin' >but wok. Mah boss he wah Ole Man Andy Hemphill. He had a la'ge plantation in >de valley. Plenty ob ebbathin'. All kine ob stock: hawgs, cows, mules, an' >hosses. When Marse Andy die I go lib wif he son, William Hemphill. > > [Ms. Gudger's narrative continues on ancestry.com website] > >These WPA life histories can also be found at www.loc.gov (Library of Congress website). They are always free there. Martha > > > > > >