Rebecca Fulton Narrative Viola Muse Transcription, encoding and edition Hunter Blake and Amelia Dixon

This document was produced as part of the Viola Muse Digital Edition (violamuse.unfdhi.org), based at the University of North Florida.

 USA Florida Jacksonville Jacksonville Historical Society Viola Muse Collection (1959-18) Folder 17, item 1 Narrative of Rebecca Fulton's experiences based on Muse's interview with subject

A brief description of the physical object (for example: Handwritten on one side of a single sheet of unruled writing paper, with damage around edges)

Document transcribed and encoded following the criteria of the Viola Muse Digital Edition (violamuse.unfdhi.org), based at the University of North Florida.

Jacksonville, Florida

Slave Interview

By Viola B. Muse

Mrs. Rebecca Mc. IntoshMcIntosh Fulton was born at Mc IntoshMcIntosh County, Georgia several years before the emancipation of the Negro. She knows her exact birth date but will not tell it.

Rebecca is the daughter of Louisa Sams and John M. Mc InMcIntosh (white). Her maternal grand parentsgrandparents were Felix and Nanny Sams. Her great grand parentsgreat-grandparents were Doctor William and Sally Sams. Rebecca did not take the name of her own father but carried her mother's name until she married Mr. Fulton.

Rebecca Fulton knows or rather has the written history of her family as far back as 1782, and dates of births and deaths which occured in the family from that date are recorded up to 1867. The old family Bible contains the record of these incidents and were transferred from a much older Bible. The older Bible became so old and ragged some member of the past generations thought it wise to transfer them to a newer book. Rebecca Fulton has this book., which was printed in 1855. In the fly leafflyleaf of this Bible are these words-: " Holy"Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments together with the Apocrypha translated out of the original tongues and with the former translations diligently compared and revised, to which is appended a concordance, The Psalms of David in metre, an index, tables and other useful matters. The text conformable to the standard of the American Bible Society at Cincinnati ( Moore(Moore, Welstach, Keys, and Overend.) 1855."

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Dr. Williams Sams, Rebecca's great-grand-fathergrandfather, was born some years before 1782, for 1782 is the birth year of his first child. It is not known how old he was when his first bornfirstborn came into the world, but it is reasonable to believe that he was a man who had attained the age where he had wisdom enough and experience enough to leave his native country, stop by Haiti and buy two woman, and proceed on to America.

According to Rebecca's grand mother'sgrandmother's story, he came from 'Cologne, South America, and landed at Lady Island, South Carolina, bringing with him two sisters, Sallie and Hannah. They both were dark comlectplexioned, looking very much like Indians. They were reputed to have come from Haiti. Hannah married a Negro man, and Dr. Sams took Sally for his wife, and sheboreshe bore him twelve children, some of which died in their infancy and others who grew to maturity. Those who lived until they became grown were Hanibal, Henry, Joseph, Lucious, Robert, Felix, Rebecca, Susan, Betty, Sally, and Mary.

"Dr. Sams moved Sally and the children from Lady Island, South Carolina to Mc IntoshMcIntosh County, Georgia at the opening of Georgia. Hanibal and Joseph were killed by a falling house on Saplo Island, Mc IntoshMcIntosh County, Georgia. Dr. Sams contracted a large debt, realized he would loose all his real estate, slaves, and his children, left Georgia, and under the Law of Georgia, on a dark night, he left the United States in a sail boat. tookTook Sally and his daughters and the youngest boy, Robert, with him and expected Lucious and Felix, the older boys, to come the next night, but debtors heard of it and seized them."

" Dr."Dr. Sams arrived at Mount Vernon, Florida, and the two boys worked out the debt." After they had worked out the debt, they were free to go wherever they wished to go, so instead of following their parents to Florida, they remained in Georgia.

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to Florida, they remained in Georgia. Now this child Felix became the grand-fathergrandfather of Rebecca FultomFulton.

Felix married Nanny Bailey, and she bore four children for him, namely, William, Joseph, Sally, Louisa. He married a second wife after her death, and her name was Elsie. Elsie bore him five children, namely, Susan, Felix, Richard, Agnes, and Benjamin. After Elsie died, he married Georgia, and to them Mary Felix was born. Now Felix daughter Louisa by the first wife became the mother of Rebecca Fulton.

The former information is recorded on two sheets of writing paper written in ink by Rebecca Fulton at the dictation of her grand-mothergrandmother. She has kept this information in the old family Bible and guards it religiously, keeping it under two locks. She was very reluctant in showing it to the interviewer;, but by quick reading enough was seen, to the satisfaction of the writer.

There is still a younger generation coming from the grand-fathergrandfather Felix Sams, for Louisa Sams had a son Joseph ( Rebecca (Rebecca Fulton's brother), and he married Isabella Gardner who bore three children ,children, Vivian, Louisa, and Gardner Sams, all of which are living. Vivian has married Nelson Spaulding, and to them one son, Nelson Junior, was born. Gardner married Louise Vanderhorst, and they have one child, Gardner Sams Junior. Louisa married also, but she has no children. Her married name is Louisa Belton.

Felix Sams ,Sams, Rebecca'sRebecca Fulton's grand-fathergrandfather, was born in 1784, April 2ndsecond. Her mother was born about 1832 or 1835, and she was the second child her mother bore. Judging from what was said concerning her mother, it is to be thought that she was around twenty-one when Rebecca was born. This would bring Rebecca Fulton's age up to about eighty-one years, which from all appearances is correct. 1

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The interesting part of Rebecca'sRebecca fultonsFulton's history is not that many children were born for generations following Doctor Sams, but that she has the record of her family or what is called her "family tree". So few Negroes, because of their previous condition in slavery and because no records were kept of Negroes at that time, can give authentic information running as far back as does Rebecca Fulton's. (2)

Then there is a record of all children born, since Doctor Sams landed at Lady Island, South Carolina, of having been free born. None of Rebecca's fore parentsforeparents were ever held in slavery. Even her grand-fathergrandfather and her grand-father'sgrandfather's brother Lucious remained in Georgia and worked out their father's debt, but when it was finished, they were free to go wherever they wished. They were held for debt but not slaves. They, according to Rebcca Fulton, were not treated as slaves, but by the Law of the State a man's children ( when(when he was not married to the woman) could be seixedseized and held for debt .debt. They could not be sold for debt, but could work the debt out, which they did.

After Felix worked out his debt, he bought property at Darian, Georgia and built a fine, large house. When the Civil War ended and the Federal soldiers were victorious, the house was burned. Felix did not despair but built a fourteen room house on the same spot. It is across the street from where the Court House at Darian stands to-daytoday. This house was the place where the firstcoloredfirst colored school was held after slavery. It afterwards burned, but another house has been built on the land, and the Sams own it today.

Of the children who came to Florida with their father Doctor William Sams , all had children, and their grand childrengrandchildren or their great-grand children are living to-daytoday. Doctor Sam's daughter Sally married a man

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by the name of Daniels and had two children, Josephus and Angeline. In the old Bible, it is recorded that Angeline died in 1859. Josephus grew to man hoodmanhood and married and had two children,Sarahchildren, Sarah and Bernie. Sarah Daniels had two children, Ada and Emma Daniels. ( it(it seems that these children took their mother's maiden name )name) Ada Daniels married Luther Walden, and they have two sons, Luther Jr. and Virgil. The family resides in Jacksonville on Kings Road two blocks west of Myrtle Avenue.

The property mentioned formerly as having been property of some of the Sams family, designated as located where the Emaculage Conception Church, Catholic, now stands, was Ada Daniels Walden's grand fathergrandfather, Josephus' property. It remained in the Sams family as long as Josephus lived, but after his death, the heirs began suit for division of the property, and it was finally lost to white people.

Rebecca Fulton related that her parents brought her here about 1879 or 1880. She remained in Jacksonville, and her mother, who was a fine seamstress, taught her the trade. From the trade, Rebecca made a good sum of money which she saved through the years, and when she had suffecientsufficient, she bought property. One piece in particular, which she bought in her early life, is that upon which she lives to-daytoday. It is located at the corner of Broad and Union Streets. The North eastNortheast corner. On the land, she built a cottage and later added a second story. The lower part now has a store in the front part, facing Union Street, and the part facing Broad Street is an apartment where her brother's children reside. The children are Vivian Sams Spaulding- Chavious, Louisa Sams Belton, and Gardner Sams. A great -great -great grand childgrandchild, Nelson Spaulding Jr., the child of Vivian Sams by a former husband, resides with his mother. This son Nelson completes six generations of decendentsdescendants of D

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rationss of decendentsdescendants of Doctor William Sams.

In the history of Doctor Sams, which Rebecca Fulton wrote after the dictation of her grand mothergrandmother, it is mentioned that after Doctor Sams moved Sally and the children from Darian, Georgia to Mt.Mount Vernon, Florida, he married. It is not known why he married her then after he and Sally had twelve children born to them, unless he feared that he would be followed, and his children and their mother would be seized. He might have done that to protect his family and keep them from being taken from him. By that act, he evidently loved Sally and the children very much, as much as any father who had stood up before a minister and had the marriage ritual read to him. (1)

Rebecca Fulton has the appearance of a Spanish woman. Her complezioncomplexion is Spanish and her hair, which is very straight anfand fine in texture, shows that there is very little, if any, Negro blood in her veins. Her features are between Indian and Scotch, and her eyes are brown. Her father was a Scotchman, John M. Mc IntoshMcIntosh. In talking to her a long time, many ways or traits which have been laid at the Scotchman's door, so to speak, are her qualities. (2)

One splendid trait of Rebecca Fulton's is the desire to keep and protect family records and family relics. She has many relics of her parents and grand parentsgranparents, among them a Confederate five ($5.00) dollar bill, an ink bottle made of pewter and wood. The ink bottle is about two inches in length and and inch in width and about three eigtheighth inches in thickness. Pewter forms the ink container, which is bound all around with a wooden frame about one quarter or more inches in wide. The top part of ink bottle has a slit coming a third of the distance from top to bottom of pewter part. The word push is on one

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side, meaning that to open bottle, that part must be pushed in. On the opposite side, the words "push from other side" are found. The bottle is so old and has been out of use for so long that it is impossible to operate it as in days gone by. It is presumed by the owner that quills were used for pens, and the bottle and a quill carried around on a person gave convenience for writing with ink wherever the person happened to be. It is noteworthy also to mention that it is an article which was patented in United States Patent Office. (1 &and 2)

A brass pin made of gold, which looks to be hand carved, is in possession of Rebecca Fulton. It is over one hundred years old. She was presented the pin by her grand mothergrandmother and wears it most of the time. The pin and catch are still in good condition.

Rebecca also has kept a braid of her grand mother'sgrandmother's hair and a braid of her great-grand mother'sgrandmother's hair. Both braids are white, so white that they resemble taffy candy. The great grand mother'sgreat-grandmother's hair is very fine and straight, but the grand mother'sgrandmother's is somewhat fluffy, showing the strain of Negro blood.

Rebecca Fulton is a person who is considered a close liver. She does not spend money unless it is absolutely necessary. By such a quality, she has been able to accumulate a deal of property. Her love for her family and all connected with their history is held sacred, so much that she is reluctant to tell too much, especially if it will seemingly relflect discredit to the ancestry of her's. She is not feeble, but her skin shows age. Her hair, which is perfectly white, fine in texture and very straight her worn bobbed, and she gives the impression of one who desires to remain young. She is pleasing to talk to, and if her confidence is gained, she will spend hours talking about her family history. All the time she talks, she guards every word less she gives

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the listener a key to her right age. She remembers when women wore hoop skirts and changed to narrow ones, yet does not remember when people cooked in fire placesfireplaces. She related that her people always cooked on a stove as early as she can remember.

From Rebecca's story of her father, grand fathergrandfather, and great -grand father ( the(the laterlatter she never saw), they all were good to their families and provided for them after their death. The name of Sams was so much cherished by all generations following Doctor William Sams, that those who should have carried their father's name did not do so but carried their mother's instead. (2) As long as the mother was a decendantdescendant of Doctor Sams the children carried her name. Of course the Sams boys who married and had children naturally gave their surname to their children (2)

Reference

1. Rebecca M. Fulton- N.E.Northeast corcorner Union &and Broad Sts.Streets, Jacksonville, Fla.Florida

2. Record in old family Bible ,Bible, in possession of Rebecca M. Fulton- N.E.Northeast corcorner Union &and Broad Sts.Streets, Jacksonville, Fla.Florida

3. Observation of field worker

4. Written record in possession of Rebecca M. Fulton- N.E.Northeast corcorner Union