Viola Muse Project Samples

Introduction

This page presents two sample documents edited as part of the Viola Muse Digital Edition, a project based at the University of North Florida (UNF).

This preliminary introduction, prepared to explain the two samples presented here, will be developed further to become the "About the Edition" section of the introduction to the edition as a whole.

About this Edition

This edition presents each document in three views: a diplomatic transcription, a regularized reading text, and an intermediate view that reveals all editorial interventions. In the sections that follow, we discuss these views, as well our approach to encoding and annotating these sample documents.

Transcription

The transcription preserves all line breaks, spelling, punctuation and use of capital/lower-case letters. Text about which uncertainty exists appears in red. As the text consists of often fragmentary notes that do not represent continuous prose, each block of information is considered to be a separate paragraph. We include in this view, as a standardized 10-character series of underscores, the horizontal lines that Muse employs in her notes to mark the end of a section dealing with a particular topic or idea. We also include the handwritten page numbers at the top of the individual pages, as well as images that show the backs of some pages, which sometimes do not contain writing by Muse but are nonetheless of interest due to the nature of the documents she was repurposing as scratch paper when taking her notes. All markings that mean "and" have been transcribed as &. All struck or overwritten text appears as strikethrough in this view. Unreadable gaps in the text are rendered as [...].

Reading Text

The reading text collapses line breaks within paragraphs and regularizes spelling, punctuation and capitalization. For clarity and consistency, we add periods at the ends of at most units of thought, even when they do not comprise complete sentences. We remove in this view the horizontal lines mentioned above, as well as the handwritten page numbers and the images of the backs of pages when they do not contain writing by Muse. We expand most abbreviations, including &, and correct apparent errors in spelling. We do not make changes that would alter the sound of the text if read aloud, except in instances where we deem non-standard or unexpected forms of words to represent a type of shorthand employed in the notetaking process. In such cases, we expand the shortened form (such as Rembers to Remembers on page 3). Struck or overwritten text does not appear in this view.

Intermediate View

The intermediate view makes visible the decisions made in transforming the diplomatic transcription into the reading version. The original and modified readings encoded in each <choice> element are made visible, and a system of symbols and color coding, explained in a key provided in that view, is used to explain the types of emendations made.

Encoding and Interface

The documents have been encoded in XML following the P5 Guidelines of the Textual Encoding Initiative (TEI). The diplomatic transcription and reading versions have been layered together using the <choice> element. We display the files in an adaptation of the open-source platform TEI Boilerplate. The interface allows the user to toggle between the diplomatic transcription and the reading view, as well as the intermediate view. The annotations and page breaks (including the thumbnail document images) can be displayed or hidden in any of the three views.

Annotations

Published summaries of the Charles and Irene Coates interviews are found on pages 65-73 and 74-79, respectively of vol. III ("Florida Narratives") of Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration for the State of Florida, Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves, Washington, 1941 (the interviews both contain internal pagination, but all notes below refer to the pagination of the enclosing volume itself, stamped in the upper-right-hand corner of each page). In our annotations, we correlate and compare the information in Muse's notes to those published summaries. In the case of the Irene Coates interview notes, we also attempt to help the reader understand the geography of Jacksonville that she describes. In the notes to both interviews, we also address lexical items that may not be familiar to today's reader.

Documents and Images

Muse's notes of the Charles and Irene Coates interviews are held at the Jacksonville Historical Society, where they are located in the "Slavery" folder of the Viola Muse Collection (1958.18). They currently do not bear any further identifiers, but will be catalogued as part of this project, along with the remainder of the Viola Muse Collection.

All images are used with the permission of the Jacksonville Historical Society.

Abbreviations

The following abbreviations are employed in the sample documents:

SN: Works Progress Administration Federal Writers’ Project, Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, 17 vols. Library of Congress, 1941.

WRUD: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary. Edited by Noah Porter. C. & G. Merriam Co., 1913.

Acknowledgements

The Viola Muse Project is made possible through partnerships with the UNF Africana Studies Program, the UNF Digital Humanities Institute, the UNF Center for Instruction and Research Technology, and the Jacksonville Historical Society.

Charles Coates Interview Notes

This document contains the notes that Viola Musa made during her interview with Charles Coates, aged 108, a former slave and long-time resident of Jacksonville, Florida. The interview was conducted on December 3, 1936, at the home of Coates and his wife Irene, also interviewed by Muse on that same occasion. The notes in this document were used in the creation of the published summary of the Charles Coates interview, found on pages 65-73 of SN, vol. III (available online from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/mesn030/>)..

Much of the information in this document does not appear in the summary of the Charles Coates interview, however, but rather in the summary of the interview with Irene Coates, found on pages 74-79 of SN, vol. III.

Most notably, the anecdotes about a slave woman's killing of an overseer and Mrs. Lincoln's reaction to a slave being beaten, found on pages 15-18 of this document, appear on pages 75-76 of the published summary of the Irene Coates interview. Although Charles appears to be the source, the two stores are presented as having been related to Muse by Irene:

"Although Irene was just about six years old when the Civil War ended, she has vivid recollection of happenings during slavery. Some of the incidents which happened were told her by her slave associates after slavery ended and some of them she remembers herself.

"Two incidents which she considers caused respect for slaves by their masters and finally the Emancipation by Abraham Lincoln she tells in this order.

"The first event tells of a young, strong healthy Negro woman who knew her work and did it well. 'She would grab up two bags of guana (fertiliser) and tote 'em at one time,' said Irene, and was never found shirking her work. The overseer on the plantation, was very hard on the slaves and practiced striking them across the baok with a whip when he wanted to spur them on to do more work.

"Irene says, one day a crowd of women were hoeing in the field and the overseer rode along and struck one of the women across the back with the whip, and the one nearest her spoke and said that if he ever struck her like that, it would be the day he or she should die. The overseer heard the remark and the first opportunity he got, he rode by the woman and struck her with the whip and started to ride on. The woman was hoeing at the time, she whirled around, struck the overseer on his head with the hoe, knocking him from his horse, she then pounced upon him and chopped his head off. She went mad for a few seconds and proceeded to chop and mutilate his body; that done to her satisfaction, she then killed his horse. She then calmly went to tell the master of the murder, saying 'I've done killed de overseer.' the master replied-'Do you mean to say you've killed the overseer?' she answered yes, and that she had killed the horse also. Without hesitating, the master pointing to one of his small cabins on the plantation said- "You see that house over there?" she answered yes- at the same time looking- 'Well said he, take all your belongings and move into that house and you are free from this day and if the mistress wants you to do anything for her, do it if you want to.' Irene related with much warmth the effect that incident had upon the future treatment of the slaves.

"The other incident ocoured in Virginia. It was upon an occasion when Mrs. Abraham Lincoln was visiting in Richmond. A woman slaveowner had one of her slaves whipped in the presence of Mrs. Lincoln. It was easily noticed that the woman was an expectant mother. Mrs. Lincoln was horrified at the situation and expressed herself as being so, saying that she was going to tell the President as soon as she returned to the White House. Whether this incident had any bearing upon Mr. Lincoln's actions or not, those slaves who were present and Irene says that they all believed it to be the beginning of the President's activities to end slavery" (SN, vol. III, 75-77).

In addition, the summary of the Irene Coates interview appears to include information that Charles gives on page 13 about Sunday clothes being made of ausenbur cloth and the role of elderly women in making that cloth:

"Besides these incidents, Irene remembers that women who were not strong and robust were given such work as sewing, weaving and minding babies. The cloth from which the Sunday clothes of the slaves was made was called ausenburg and the slave women were very proud of this. The older women were required to do most of the weaving of cloth and making shirts for the male slaves" (77).

The summary of the Irene Coates interview also echoes a detail that Charles Coates recounts on page 8 of these notes: "Irene recalls the practice of blowing a horn whenever a sudden rain came. The overseer had a certain Negro to blow three times and if shelter could be found, the slaves were expected to seek it until the rain ceased" (77). The Irene Coates summary adds information not found in the Charles Coates interview notes, however: "The master had sheds built at intervals on the plantation. These accomodated a goodly number; if no shed was available the slaves stood under trees. If neither was handy and the slaves got wet, they could not go to the cabins to change clothes for fear of losing time from work. This was often the case; she says that slaves were more neglected than the cattle" (78).

Lastly, the Irene Coates summary also appears to repeat details from page 12 of the Charles Coates interview notes: "Another custom which impressed the child-mind of Irene was the tieing [sic] of slaves by their thtombs to a tree limb and whipping them. Women and young girls were treated the same as were men" (78).

Father Charles Coates

2015 Windle St.

Born 108 yrs.years ago.

Richmond, Va.Virginia"Father Charles Coates, as he is called by all who know him, was born a slave, 108 years ago in Richmond, Virginina, on the plantation of a man named L'Angle" (65). Coates would have been born in 1828, and would have been 37 years old at the time of gaining his freedom in 1865.

Master had overseer. The cruelty of Hall's overseer is noted several times in these notes on page 2 and in the published summary on pages 67-68.

Was put up twisetwice to be sold, but master asked too much for him.

PlOwners wanted to buy on time, but master wouldn't sell him on time."[He] had been put upon the block twice to be sold after belonging to Mr. Hall. Each time he was offered for sale, his master wanted so much for him, and refusing to sell him on time payments, he was always left on his master's hands. His master said 'being tall, healthy and robust, he was well worth much money'" (69-70). The missing word in this sentence of the notes is perhaps Planters.

135 grown people owned by his master, W.B. Hall. In the summary, Hall moves to Georgia with "135 grown slaves and many children" (65).

First master was L'Angle in Virginia.

Master left and went to FlaFlorida several yrs.years before war. __________

(Tie you up by fingers, chain run up through block. &and toes just tapped the floor,. MastersMaster's overseer would beat slaves with sticks.) This appears to refer to a mechanism described in greater detail in the summary: "On the Hall plantation there was a contraption, similar to a gallows, where the slaves were suspended and whipped. At the top of this device were blocks of wood with chains run through holes and high enough that a slave when tied to the chains by his fingers would barely touch the ground with his toes. This was done so that the slave could not shout or twist his body while being whipped. The whipping was prolinged [sic] until the body of the slave was covered with whelps and blood trickled down his naked body" (66). In the summary, whelps, the word used in a related discussion on page 12 of the notes, is crossed out and replaced by hand with welts. __________

L'Angle sold to W.B. Hall in Washington Co.County, GaGeorgia, about 6-8 miles to Sandersville, Ga.Georgia. "When Charles was still a yong man Mr. L'Angle sold him on time payment to W.B. Hall; who several years before the Civil War moved from Richmond to Washington County, Georgia, carrying 135 grown slaves and many children. Mr. Hall made Charles his carriage driver, which kept him from hard labor" (65). __________

Freedom came. heHe was Mr. Hall's carriage driver for years before. Was 3 boy when L'Angle sold him.

"Charles was still a carriage driver when freedom came" (69).

L'Angles were good.The summary notes that "Charles Coates remembers vividly the cruelties practiced on the Hall Plantation" and that Hall treated his slaves in a "very different way from that of the master he had before, as Mr. L'Angle was much better to his slaves" (66). DidntDidn't work boys until they were grown. Had them mind sheep, goats until large enough."His early boyhood days was spent on the L'Angle place filled with duties such as minding hogs, cows, brining in wood and such light work" (65). Didn't have boys split rails.The summary appears to utilize this last statement about the L'Angle plantation to affirm the opposite regarding the Hall plantation. While Coates avoided by hard labor through his role as carriage driver, "[o]ther slaves on the plantation performed such duties as rail splitting, digging up trees by the roots and other hard work" (65-66). __________

"If buyer dontdon't treat you right, run off and come back to me, for he aintain't paid for you no how." This appears to be L'Angle speaking, as Hall had purchased Coates "on time." __________

RembersRemembers when soldiers came through &and told 4 him they were free. White man Hall carried money away &and buried it. As carriage driver, Coates "had opportunity to see and hear many things about the master's private life. When the news of the advance of the Union Army came, Mr. Hall carried his money to a secluded spot and buried it in an iron pot so that the soldiers who were confiscating all the property and money they could, would not get his money" (69).

soldiersSoldiers came in &and took horses, cows. __________

Told negroes to take cows, hogs &and land, but soon as soldiers left, whites took them back. Some slaves took them, but as soon as Yankee had gone, the Whiteswhites bullied them &and took them back. "The Union soldiers took much of the slave owners' property and gave to the slaves telling them that if the owners' [sic] took the property back to write and tell them about it; the owners only laughed because they knew the slaves could not read nor write. After the soliders had gone the timid and scared slaves gave up most of the land; some few however, fenced in a bit of land while the soldiers remained in the vicinity and they managed to keep a little of the land" (69).

His mother &and father, namenamed Henrietta &and Spencer Coates. 3 children. Not sold apart. His master, Mr. Hall, had his son Sherrard to go around and tell slaves they were free. "The slave owners were required to notify the slaves that they were free so Mr. Hall sent his son Sherard to the cabins to notify all the slaves to come into his presence and there he had his son to tell them that they were free" (69). The son's name is spelled Sherrard here in the notes, but Sherard in the summary and also on page 15 of this document.His family went to Savannah, walked &and rode within 30 miles of Savannah. Wagon picked them up &and took them to Savannah.

In the summary, this description of a move to Savannah takes place not upon gaining his freedom, but rather some years later, after his first wife died: "After the death of his wife, Charles left with his mother and father, Henrietta and Spencer Coates and went to Savannah, Georgia. He said they were so glad to go, that they walked to within 30 miles of Savannah, when they saw a man driving a horse and wagon who picked them up and carried them into Savannah" (71). This was presumably in the 1870s, as the narrative continues as follows: "It was in that city that he met his present wife, Irene, and they were married about 1876" (71).

The summary seems to imply that Charles had stayed in the area where he had been a slave after being freed: "Many of the slaves remained with the owners. There they worked for small monthly wages and took whatever was left of cast off clothing and food and whatever the 'old missus' gave them" (69). The summary assumes that, after his wife's death, he still lives near, or with, his parents, as they all travel to Savannah together, as in the notes.

After work, go home &and lay down &and rest. Could not fish unless the master gave them a pass. If slaves go off plantation then other Whiteswhites would catch them &and whip them. Couldn't cross road unless had pass. The summary mentions this last point in a section about punishments: "Another offense which brought forth severe punishment was that of crossing the road to another plantation. A whipping was given and very often a slave was put on starvation for a few days" (67).

Flour bread was scarce, only had it on Sundays. Shorts was made of wheat husk &and bread was made of it.shorts 'the bran and course part of a meal' (An American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828) When 7 Yankees came through, they asked children if they had enough to eat.

Mr. Jernigan had place closed up, &and Yankees tore it open &and gave it to slaves, but when Yankees werentweren't by, he took it back., &and told slaves to put it back. Mr. Jernigan is perhaps the overseer. He is not mentioned in the summary. "youYou cantcan't ~~cant~~ have my stuff." Soldiers told slaves, "ifIf he takes it back, you write &and 8 tell us," but slaves could not write &and were afraid to try. For the way the summary generalizes this anecdote, see note on page 4 of this document.

If it rained, the bell rung for slaves to go in shed &and stay in til'till rain stop.

~~Bell~~

Father Coates blew horn or bugle for slaves 3 years.

Blew at 5:30 for slaves to rise. Blew at twelve for dinner. Blow 2 long 9 blows for, "goGo., Taketake your food &and eat as you work."

The published summary explains that "[h]is duty was to see that all the slaves reported to work on time. The bell was rung at 5:30 a.m. by one of the slaves. Charles had the ringing of the bell for three years; this was in addition to the carriage driving. He tells with laughter how the slaves would 'grab a piece of meat and bread and run to the field' as no time was allowed to sit and eat breakfast" (66).

The summary of the Irene Coates interview appears to echo some of this information, along with other material from Charles's interview. See the headnote to this document.

Pretty good food on Sundays.

Church was held for Whiteswhites on inside &and slaves on outside under oakes or wash shed &and listen to preaching. Some would allow Negroes to shout &and praise the Lord., &and others wouldn'twouldn't let you say a word. The preacher would say, 10 "DontDon't steal, dontdon't lie, dontdon't kill, but Whenwhen you go to the field, pull up all grass &and weeds out of the corn, &and the master will think ~~you~~a heap of you." "One priviledge given slaves on the plantation was appreciated by all and that was the opportunity to hear the word of God. The white people gathered in log and sometimes frame churches and the slaves were permitted to sit about the church yard on wagons and on the ground and listen to the preaching. When the slaves wanted to hold church they had to get special permission from the master, and at that time a slave hut was used. A white preacher was called in and he would preach to them not to steal, lie or run away and 'be sure and git all dem weeds outen dat corn in de field and your master will think a heap of you.' Charles does not remember anything else the preacher told them about God. They learned more about God when they sat outside the church waiting to drive their masters and family back home" (67-68). Some of them would never go out into field to see, because they knew the niggers had done their work well.

Punish them by putting them in room two or 3 days without food. 11 or water.

"The treatment given by the overseer was very terrifying. He relates how a slave was put in a room and locked up for two and three days at a time without water or food, because the overseer thought he hadn't done enough work in a given time" (67).

Slave named Sambo said he could build a thing so slaves could not hollow so when they were whipped.hollow 'shout' (An American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828) soSo he built a stock to put head in &and fit tight around neck, Laylay body across barrel, whip him. Sambo was first to be put in it, &and when he was removed from it, he 12 was dead.

"Charles relates an incident of a slave named Sambo who thought himself very smart and who courted the favor of the master. The neighboring slaves screamed so loudly while being whipped that Sambo told his master that he knew how to make a contraption which, if a slave was put into while being whipped would prevent him from making a noise. The device was made of two blocks of wood cut to fit the head and could be fastened around the neck tightly. When the head was put in the upper and lower parts were clamped together around the neck so that the slave could not scream. The same effect as choking. The stomach of the victim was placed over a barrel which allowed freedom of movement. When the lash was administreed and the slave wiggled, the barrel moved.

"Now it so happened that Sambo was the first to be put into his own invention for whipping. The overseer applied the lash rather heavily and Sambo was compelled to wiggle his body to relieve his feelings. In wiggling the barrel under his stomach rolled a bit straining Sambo's neck and breaking it. After Sambo died from his neck being broken the master discontinued the use of the device, as he saw the loss of property in the death of slaves" (68).

Had whips made of leather with holes in it, ~~& every time a lick was~~ every lick a whelp was made. Cat-a-nine-tales were used, &and every lick made nine whelps.

"The whippping was done with sticks and a whip called the 'cat o' nine tails,' meaning every lick meant nine. The 'cat o' nine tails' was a whip of nine straps attached to a stick; the straps were perforated so that everywhere the hold in the strap fell on the flesh a blister was left" (67).

The term whelp here is replaced with welt in the summary. See note on page 2 of this document.

Women in family way were whipped same as other people. Stripped naked, hung up by thumbs &and whipped like a dog.

"Women were treated in the same manner, and a pregnant woman received no more leniency than did a man" (67).

The information here is echoed on page 78 of the published summary of the Irene Coates interview. See the headnote to this document.

13 Sunday clothes were ausenbur cloth.

ausenber cloth is a reference to osnaburg, a "species of coarse linen, originally made in Osnaburg, Germany" (WRUD). The same term, with nearly identical spelling as in the Muse notes, appears in the interview that Sadie B. Hornsby conducted with ex-slave Easter Huff, published in SN, vol. 4 ("Georgia Narratives"), part 2: "In de winter us had good warm clothes, made out of coarse ausenburg (osnaburg) cloth" (247).

Like much of the material on the following pages, this information does not appear in the published summary of this interview, but rather in that of Irene Coates (SN, vol. 3, 77). Although Charles appears to be the source, the material is presented as having been recounted to Muse by Irene. See the headnote to this document for more information.

Long shirts on men &and boys, &and that all they had on.See the published summary of this interview: "His wearing apparel consisted of one garment, a shirt made to reach below the knees and with three quarter sleeves" (SN, vol. 3, 65).

Cloth was woven on place, ginned cotton &and weaved cloth. Old women were made to do this work. 18 yrsyears old before he ever wore pants.

The published summary of this interview offers a similar statement, but in reference to a different garment and age: "He wore no shoes until he was a man past 20 years of age" (SN, vol. 3, 65).

14 Winter time wore same thing, &and was "kept movinmovin' so fast you didn't have time to get cold" (laugh). See the published summary of this interview: "The single garment was ~~work~~worn summer and winter alike and the change in the weather did not cause an extra amount of clothes to be furnished for the slaves. They were required to move about so fast at work that the heat from the body was sufficient to keep them warm" (SN, vol. 3, 65). __________

Master's son went to Army, &and fought &and got killed.

MastersMaster's (Mrs. Jones) mother, Miss Gussie, Miss Lizzie, Sherard. Hall. This appears to be a list of members of Hall's family. Mrs. Jones is added above the line. A carot in the text marks its insertion before that word mother, though it might appear more logical for it to follow that word. We have added parentheses for clarity, but have not altered the word order. __________

Julius was son who went to war &and was killed.

Mr. Coates was in the Homehome Househouse. Home house likely refers to a residence where Hall lived away from the plantation, and where Coates may have resided at times in his role as carriage driver. See, for instance, the use of the term in the following passage from F.W. Foster, Successful Colored People, The American Missionary, vol. XLVII, no. 6, 1893, 187-189: “While still a boy, the ‘old mistress,’ the aunt already mentioned, promised him that ‘if he would be smart and do right, he should never be put on the plantation,’ which promise was most faithfully kept. He held a place of considerable trust, though but a boy, taking messages to distant families, and making journeys from the ‘home house’ to the plantation, eighty-five miles distant, to carry letters, medicine for the hands, and the like […]” (188).

15 There was a slave woman who was strong &and knew her work &and did it. She could grab up a big bag of guana.

guana here appears to be guano. See WRUD: "a substance found in great abundance on some coasts or islands frequented by sea fowls, and comprised chiefly of their excrement. It is rich in phosphates and ammonia and is used as a powerful fertilizer."

She could tote two at a time. Was much of a woman. She saw overseer whip a nigger &and said, "theThe day he ever hits me, he or I will die." One day the overseer who heard her say this hit her 16 with a whip. She was hoeing in the field, &and took her hoe &and struck him,. heHe fell off horse, &and she chopped his head off, chopped him up, killed his horse, &and went to master &and told him, "I've killed the overseer,." Master said, "what.What?" "Yes, I've killed the overseer." He said, "youYou see that house over there, you go take it. 17 youYou are free, &and if the old missus asks you to do anything for her you, do it if you want to."

This anecdote does not appear in the published summary of the Charles Coates interview, but rather in that of Irene Coates (SN, vol. 3, 75-76). See the headnote to this document for more information.

A woman in Petersburg, Va.Virginia, owned slaves &and thought she was doing something smart, so she whipped a slave woman in the presence of Pres.President Abe LincolnsLincoln's wife. Mrs. Lincoln was disgusted, &and went back home &and 18 told Mr. Lincoln, &and soon after, the war began.

Like the preceding anecdote, this one also does not appear in the published summary of the Charles Coates interview, but rather in that of Irene Coates (SN, vol. 3, 75-76). See the headnote to this document for more information.

__________

Married 3 years after freedom. At first big meeting, a boy told him about his sister, &and had his type made, &and sent it to his sister, &and brought sister's picture in exchange.

The first big meeting is presumably a revival meeting.

type appears to be a photographic image of some sort. This may be a shortened version of daguerreotype, though other processes resulting in objects called "types" existed. See the contemporary article How Pictures Are Made: A Very Interesting Sketch of the Birth and Progress of Photography, The Photographic Times, vol. VIII, no. 88, April 1878, pp. 77-81.

He after married her. He fell in love at once. &and coated about 3 months. coated apparently in place of courted Only lived 4 days after. 19 She had consumption, &and he didn't know it. The summary tells this story with some variations: "The first sight of a certain young woman caused him to fall in love. He says the love was mututal [sic] and after a courtship of three weeks they were married. The girl's mother told Charles that she had always been very frail, but he did not know that she had consumption. Within three days after they were married she died and her death caused much grief for Charles" (70). Note the numerical discrepancies: the courtship in the notes was three months, but three weeks in the interview summary; and the wife died four days after the wedding in the notes, but three days after in the summary. In addition, the deliberate process of matchmaking recounted in the notes becomes in the summary a story of "love at first sight." He had her body put up in alcohol., &and buried her like that.

A doctor &and school teacher told him how to put her away in alcohol.

"He was reluctant to bury her and wanted to continue to stand and look at her face. A white doctor and a school teacher whose names he does not remember, told him to put his wife's body in alcohol to preserve it and he could look at it all the time. At that time white people who had plenty of money and wanted to see the faces of their deceased used this method."

Cost him $160.00.

"Although the process of preserving the body in alcohol cost $160, Charles did not regret the expense saying, 'I had plenty of money at that time'" (71).

Regarding his spending power as a free man, the interview summary notes that "[a]fter slavery, Charles was rated as a good worker. He at once began working and saving his money and in a short time he had accumulated 'around $200'" (70).

She was in glass coffin, &and another coffin on outside, &and he used to go every other day to look at her. Vault was dug &and built in

1936 - 68 = 76

1876 - 1865 = 11 + 6 = 17

1936 - 1830 = 106

1936 - 108 = 1828 + 71 = 9

1865 - 1828 = 37

1936 - 1865 = 71 + 39 = 110

1865 + 39 = 04

20 ground with a part above ground, &and a glass window left open so you could see. dead, &and after he like to have gone crazy, they cremated it up.

Many of the details provided here appear in the summary, but the final anectdote about Coates inability to continue looking into the coffin, and the subsequent cremation, is omitted: "A glass casket was used and the dressed body of the deceased was placed in alcohol inside the casket. Another casket made of wood held the glass casket and the whole was placed in a vault made of stone or brick. The walls of the vault were left about four feet above the ground and a window and ledge were placed in front, so when the casket was placed inside of the vault the bereaved could lean upon the ledge and look in at the face of the deceased. The wooden casket was provided with a glass top part of the way so that the face could easily be seen" (70-71).

Married present wife about 60 years. If they were married in approximately 1876, as indicated in the summary (71), Charles and Irene would had been married for approximately 60 years at the time of the interview in 1936.

At the bottom of this page we find notes that appear to correspond to the Irene Coates interview. We transcribe them on page 10 of that interview, not here.

Irene Coates Interview Notes

This document contains the notes that Viola Musa made during her interview with Viola Muse, aged 76, a former slave and long-time resident of Jacksonville, Florida. The interview was conducted on December 3, 1936, at the home of Irene Coates and her husband Charles Coates, also interviewed by Muse on that same occasion. The notes in this document were used in the creation of the published summary of the Irene Coates interview, found on pages 74-79 of SN, vol. III (available online from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/mesn030/>)..

The Irene Coates interview notes deal primarily with the geography of Jacksonville and how the city had changed since she relocated there as a young girl. The city, as she describes it, is largely represented on the following maps, cited throughout the annotations to this document: Augustus Koch, Bird's-Eye View of Jacksonville, 1876, Alvord, Kellogg and Campbell, [1876], available from the State Library of Florida, Florida Map Collection on the Florida Memory website, <floridamemory.com/items/show/323082>; and J. Francis Le Baron, Map of City of Jacksonville, 1887, Board of Trade of Jacksonville, Fla., 1887, available from the State Library of Florida, Florida Map Collection on the Florida Memory website, <floridamemory.com/items/show/323112>.

The published summary of the Irene Coates interview only acknowledges in passing the geographical focus of the Irene Coates interview, noting the following: "Irene and Charles Coates have lived in Jacksonville since that time. She relates many tales of happenings during the time that this city grew from a town of about four acres to its present status." Instead, much of the material in the summary of the Irene Coates interview actually appears to be drawn from the notes of the Charles Coates interview. See the headnote to that document.

1 Mrs. Irene Coates came here when Bay StStreet was water.

Where Clark &and Peters is was a grits mill ground by water. This grits mill is likely a grist mill. Two are represented on the Koch map from 1876, but neither appears to be in the location that Coates describes here. One R.R.railroad coming into Jax.Jax is a shorthand for Jacksonville that continues to be used commonly in the present. One from Fernandina. It ran down Broad St.Street Betweenbetween Broad &and Jeff.Jefferson was R.R.railroad from FernFernandina to Jax, turn down Bay StStreet to Hogan. &and Depotdepot was on Corcorner of Hogan &and Bay.

2 Where Stanton school is was blackBlack jackJack oaksOaks place, where she used to take baby &and plattplat wild grass &and play in creek.

plat 'weave' (An American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828)

Stanton School is Stanton Normal Institute, located a few blocks from where Coates lived with the Bedell's at the intersection of Adams and Bridge Streets. See the Koch map from 1876.

Creek came out Allall broadBroad from Stanton.Broad here may refer to Broad Street (referred to several times simply as Broad throughout these notes), or may be an adjective describing the creek. We have interpreted it as the former. Pratts, Holmes undertaker are was water. Saw men throw nets &and drive in millet, Fromfrom Broad to Clay &and Adams to Ward.

3 Came here from Camden Co.County, St. Mary's, GaGeorgia, with white woman, named Lue Bedell, &and Jimmie Bedell, to nurse the baby. They raised her. Came on boat down Centilla River, Ginlatt River, ~~& finally St. Johns,~~ Savannah River, Amelia River, &and then St. Johns (Barbar). Landed where at foot of Bridge St.Street. Lived on Bridge &and Adam. The intersection of Bridge Street and Adams Street, and the place where Bridge met the water, can be seen in the lower left-hand corner of the Koch map from 1876. Mrs. Patterson's home, Nat 4 PattersonsPatterson's home.

The published summary of the Irene Coates interview employs her childhood with the Bedell family as a frame, locating Irene's employment in their home in the context of a crisis in domestic labor in the South after the Civil War:

"Immediately after slavery in the United States, the southern white people found themselves without servants, women who were accustomed to having a nurse, maid, cook and laundress found themselves without sufficient money to pay wages to all these. There was a great amount of work to be done and the great problem confronting married women who had not been taught to work and who thought it beneath their standing to soil their hands, found it very difficult.

"There were on the other hand many Negro women who needed work and young girls who needed guidance and training.

"The home and guidance or the aristocratic white people offered the best opportunity for the dependent un-schooled freed women; and it was in this kind of home that the ex-slave child of this story was reared."

"Irene Coates of 3015 Windle Street, Jacksonville, Florida, was born in Georgia about 1859. She was close to six years of age when freedom was declared.

"She was one among the many Negro children who had the advantage of living under the direct supervision of kind whites and receiving the care which could only be excelled by an educated mother, Jimmie and Lou Bedell were the names of the man and wife who saw the need of having a Negro girl come into their home as one in the family and at the same time be assured of a good and efficient servant in years to come. When Irene was old enough, she became the nurse of the Bedell baby and when the family left Savannah, Georgia to come to Jacksonville, they brought Irene with them" (74-75).

Property on Bridge. runningRunning to Clay &and Adams to Ward was place where orange trees, grape vines. No fine houses in Jax, only 6 California style houses. Jax took up about 4 acres in all,. __________ Stanton school was Wherewhere Cohen's is, was woods,. Mt. Zion churchChurch was oak grove &and colored people 5 held church in log cabin. Acrossacross the creek.

One Depotdepot in Jax on Corcorner Hogan &and Bay, only from Fernandina. __________ Where Uncle Neal Pawn Shop is now, Boatsboats landed, &and the man she nursed for bought his little boat from there. Main StStreet was Pine St.Street, &and colored people had houses on it. Pine Street (still called Main Street today) can be seen on the Koch map from 1876.

6 Where Union Depot is was fish pond. ~~Where~~ onlyOnly one hotel here, called St. James hotelHotel, where Cohen is now.

Cohen appears thus in the manuscript, but should likely be read as Cohen's, as on page 4.

The location of the St. James Hotel is represented, and the building is identified in the key, on both the Koch map from 1876 and the Le Baron map from 1887.

White brick hotel--, 2 or 3 story. Where Knights of Phythion Hall, Odd Fellow Hall is was water. All flowed down to Hogan Creek.

Where Oak &and Peters is she looked at them We appear to be missing the front side of this sheet. grind grittsgrits. Only few colored people here.

La Villa was across the creek,. creekCreek came down from Brooklyn, bridge between Broad &and Jefferson, all way out to Hogan StStreet Wherewhere Masonic Temple, and all had large stones bulkhead Brought freight trains for/of GaGeorgia, send to fill in Jax.In the original we read Brookly, which must refer to the Jacksonville neighborhood of Brooklyn. The creek referenced here is likely McCoy's Creek, mentioned by name on page 7, which passed through Brooklyn on its way to meet the St. Johns River after passing under a bridge at end of Bridge Street. See the lower left-hand side of the Koch map from 1876. Car after car came in.

Sporting women could be told from other women. woreWore beaver hats with feather in it &and short hair. Rooster (black) feather. Men knew them. They dressed diff.differently from other women. We have interpreted the abbreviation diff. as differently, but different (used as an adverb) is also a possible reading. __________

Burbridge Cemetery was being used. __________ McCoy creekCreek was all way to Bay StStreet.

Remember when first Coast Line train came in here. Was here before any Coast lineLine was herhere.

Went to StSt. Aug.Augustine on boat. rodeRode in Surreysurrey from boat into St. Aug.Augustine. No. R.R.railroad to St. Aug.Augustine. Married in Camden Co.County, Ga.Georgia. Came back here the year of earth quakeearthquake. According to the published summary, the Bedells returned to Camden, County, Georgia, with Irene: "After the Bedells took Irene to live in their home they traveled a deal. After bringing her to Jacksonville, when Jacksonville was only a small port, they then went to Camden County, Georgia" (78). Irene returned to Jacksonville after her wedding: "Irene married while in Georgia and came back to Jacksonville with her husband Charles, the year of the earthquake at Charleston, South Carolina, about 1888" (78).

Father &and mother of 5 children, 3 living, 9 grand 7 8 or 9 great-grands. 76 yrsyears old. Born, 6 yrsyears after, freedom.

1936 - 76 = 1860 Muse appears here to calculate Irene Coates's approximate birthdate. The summary states that she was born about 1859 and that she was "close to six years of age when freedom was declared" (74).

This page continues the handwritten pagination of the Charles Coates interview, but belongs to that of Irene Coates.

21 Came to Hilliards, Fla.Florida, Nassua CoCounty, year of earth quakeearthquake, from Hilliards to Duval Co.County.

Been here since before mule cars came into use here. On Bay StStreet where Station A is now. Very spot where it is. All that part of city river. Boats on river, row boats.

1936 - 108 = 1826 A calculation of Charles Coates's approximate birthday.

1865 - 1826 = 39 Apparently a calculation of Charles Coates's age when he attained freedom.

1865 - 6 Another calculation of Irene Coates's approximate birthday, based on her statement that she was around six at time of gaining freedom. See page 8 of this document.

1936 - 1867 = 69 This calculation appears to correspond to the observation about someone dying "two years before Grant" on page 10 of these notes. Grant became president in 1869.

20 ground with a part above ground, &and a glass window left open so you could see. dead, &and after he like to have gone crazy, they cremated it up.

Many of the details provided here appear in the summary, but the final anectdote about Coate's inability to continue looking into the coffin, and the subsequent cremation, is omitted: "A glass casket was used and the dressed body of the deceased was placed in alcohol inside the casket. Another casket made of wood held the glass casket and the whole was placed in a vault made of stone or brick. The walls of the vault were left about four feet above the ground and a window and ledge were placed in front, so when the casket was placed inside of the vault the breaved could lean upon the ledge and look in at the face of the deceased. The wooden casket was provided with a glass top part of the way so that the face could easily be seen" (70-71).

This is the final page of the notes from the Charles Coates interview (see page 20 of that document), which contains material at the bottom that appears to correspond to the end of the Irene Coates interview. We transcribe here only that material. 2 years before Grant he died ~~your~~. sheShe married. When Garfield was Pres.President, her oldest child was baby. Garfield was president in 1881, being inaurated and assassinated that same year.