District 7 A~eUa S. Dixon

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~:&-~to-4~••~ comfortable in winter. A variety of cooking utensils were given and large numbers of waffle irons ‚ etc. ‚ then considered luxuries ‚ are found here.


To co~asider only the general plan of operation, this Dlantation was no different from the average one in pre-civil war days but there was a phase of the life here ithlch made it a most unusual home . “Governor“ was so except ionally kind to his slaves that they were known as ~Gov. Towns ‚ free negroes“ to those on the ne ighboring tamis. He never separated familles, neit1~r did he strike a slave except on rare occasions. Two things which might provoke his anger to this extent ‚ were : to be told. a lie ‚ and to find that a person had allod sons one to take adTantage of him. They ~re never given passes but obtained verbal consent to go w1~re they wished and always remained as long as they chose.


Phil Towns‘ father worked in the field and. his mother did light ~rk in the house ‚ such as assist Ing in sp inning. Mothers of three or more children were not ccxnpelled to work, as the master felt that their children needed care.

Frœi early childhood boys and gii~1s were given excellent training. A boy who robbed a bird‘s nest or a girl who frol~ieked in a boisterous manner was severely reprimanded. Separate bedro~ns for the two sexes were maintained until they married. The girls passed t1~ru two stages.-- childhood, and at sixteen they becairie “gala“. Three years later they might marry if they chose but the husband had to be older-- at least 21. Courtah ips differed from those of today because there were certain hours for visiting and even though the girl might accc~npany her sweetheart away fran houe she had to be back at that hour. They had no clocks but a “titse inarkw was set by the sun. A young man