Slave Interview		Page 4
Alfred Farrell	FEC
Live Oak, F1orid~. ~
	~	~‚	H






	Born in Benton County, Mississippi nearly eighty years ago, Sarah iB the daughter of Harriet Elmore and. William Donaldson, her white owner, Donaldson was a very crue 1 in~an and. fr e quent ly beat Sarah ‚ s nio ther because she would not have sexual relation~ with the overseer, a colored man by the name of Randall. Sarah relates that the slaves did not marry, but were forced— in many cases against their will— to live together as man and wife. It was ~t until after slavery that they learned about the holy bonde of matrimony, and many of theni actually married.

	Cotton, corn, and rice were the dhief products grown on the Donaldson plantation. Okra also was grown, and from this product coffee was made. The slaves arose with the sun to begin their tasks in the fields and. worked until dusk. They were beaten by the overseer if they dared to rest themselves. No kind of punishment was too cruel or severe to be inflicted upon these souls in bondage. Frequently the thighs of the male slaves were gashed with a saw and salt put in the wound as a means of punielmient for some misdemeanor. The female slaves often had their hair cut off, especially those who had long beautiful hair. If a female slave ~a pregnant and had tobe punished, she was