Aspects of Slavery and Freedom Seeking in North Carolina
Earth-Life-Elderly Slave
A light discussion on elderly slaves—a rare topic that is covered brilliantly by Stacy Close, a historian—will be highlighted in this section. Treatment of the old that is, those over 40 years of age (30 years of age and over in certain regions of the South), varied in many ways, but one thing is very consistent. After their services were complete, they were often left to care for the slave community.
As one man who was dying of cancer on a North Carolina plantation noted, "The people (the enslaved) [was] very kind to me, they often steal time to run and see me and fetch me something to eat; if they did not, I might starve." Many enslaved people had several problems with their bodies because of strenuous labor, accumulated injuries, and/or lack of nutrient-rich diets, which they faced for years.
It was common for old slaves to live a few yards off the main spaces of the plantation in small huts alone. About his very old and blind mother, Moses Grandy noted how she lived in a little hut alone, which, he noted, was "after the usual manner of old worn-out slaves."
The way of life for the enslaved people did give space to the elderly within the community, and young adult enslaved persons had to shoulder the expected duty and responsibility of the community to care for the aged. But the aged had duties too. For the most part, the chief duty of the enslaved old men and women was caring for the children of the slave community while parents were off to work. In another way, they ran the daycare for the slave families. "By feeding, caring for, signing for, and playing with quarter children six days a week, many elderly became the effective grandparent of many more children than just their biological descendants."
William Singleton recalling his first memories, he remembered being watched by an older woman.
He said, "The first thing I remember is playing on the plantation with my little brothers and with the other slave children. While the men and women slaves were in the cotton, corn and potato fields working during the day, we children were taken care of by an old slave lady at a central house. She had grown too old to work and so acted as a kind of nurse for the slave children during the day."
Elders, especially older men, served as storytellers, historians, and philosophers. Uncle Abram was remember by Solomon Northup as one of the leaders among the enslaved people on the plantation he was forced upon. He wrote, "Old Abram was a kind-hearted being—a sort of patriarch among us, fond of entertaining his younger brethren with grave and serious discourse. He was deeply versed in such philosophy as is taught in the cabin of the slave."
As storytellers, aged men helped those that came off from the fields to decompress after long days of labor. They heard many stories, such as that of Brer Rabbit, which reminded enslaved people that the slaveholders could be outsmarted and even the strongest institutions had weaknesses and limits
Some older people helped family members and neighbors whenever they could. Some helped to supplement diets and aid with general health. If available, the aged helped look after the gardens. The elderly, particularly the women, collected different items for medicine. They fished and taught younger slaves to fish. Some hunted if they could.
Harriet Jacobs relied a lot on the food her grandmother provided. She noted, "On my various errands I passed my grandmother's house, where there was always something to spare for me. I was frequently threatened with punishment if I stopped there; and my grandmother, to avoid detaining me, often stood at the gate with something for my breakfast or dinner. I was indebted to her for all my comforts, spiritual or temporal."
Older women were more likely to be midwives or doctors. Historian Close noted, "The status of old slave women within their community seemed to increase with age as a consequence of children, nursing, and midwife duties, whereas for many men. On the other hand, this period was marked by a feeling of decreased status because they no longer could endure the physically demanding duties of younger men, which resulted in some psychological disappointment."
In some cases, elder people aided in the escape of enslaved people. For example, Harriet Jacob's grandmother was not only monumental to her successful flight, but she also cared for Harriet's children while she hid away for several years.
Some older slaves were not let out of service. Those that remained often served the slaveholding family as domestic staff members and secretaries. Slaveholders often depended on older slaves for emotional security and historical knowledge of the plantation.
Nonetheless, slave owners nearly always showed preference toward the youth and, in turn, "slave owners saw old slaves as a detriment to the plantation...bedridden old slaves caused economic and psychological distress."
Some slaveholders did provide care for the elderly, but the elderly mostly relied on the slave community; that is, "usually their children or near relatives took turns attending sick old slaves at night. In addition, they brought food from their allowances to older ones, and also performed any chores that the aged required."
Some older slaves had to take care of themselves. In the worst cases, when released from service, some older slaves wandered until they died from "exposure, starvation, or a bullet." For some older slaves, manumission was not welcomed, as it was not what it always appeared to be. Sometimes, emancipation for "meritorious service" could translate to "no longer needed and not caring to take care of them any longer." In other words, manumission was sometimes used to do away with older or injured slaves.
Some enslaved people took note of the old conditions, and "Some emancipated elderly slaves lived cautiously during slavery without breaking down their bodies. They would trick their owners into believing they were injured permanently, and if manumitted, they were all better when they had to work their own land." However, sometimes this trick did not work because older slaves, thought diminished in market value, could be sold with others old or very young for slaveholders to gain a teenage slave.
Elderly slaves over 50 could be an uncommon sighting. Depending on the location, the average life expectancy of an enslaved person was short. However, in places such as North Carolina that did not have the most dangerous forms of labor, such as cultivating and harvesting sugarcane, there is a good chance that North Carolina's enslaved people may have had a slightly longer life expectancy than other slave populations in North America.
The term "Old" did not always mean worn out without the spark of life and the desire for freedom. Many older slaves participated in various resistance activities such as freedom-seeking.
William robinson recalled being aid by an elderly woman as he sought out a maroon community.
He said, "The first words the old lady said were, "Son, you is a runaway, aint you? I told her that I was, and she told me "the overseer haven't been around yet cause they aint done milking yet, but you take this path (as she pointed to a path) and follow it till you come to a log across de creek, with a fish box upon it; you sit there until you hear me singing this song… God has delivered Daniel, and why not deliver me?"
Although younger slaves were most likely to run away, some elderly slaves also took flight. See examples below:
5 DOLLARS REWARD. RAN AWAY from the subscriber, on the 10th of July last, a negro woman named Elce; she is about 52 years of age, about five feet high, of ordinary size for her height, yellow complexion, and was formerly the property of Allen Patrick, of Pitt County. It is probable that they are lurking about Newbern, where they have relations or else in the neighbourhood of Allen Patrick, in Pitt county. The above reward will be paid for the apprehension and delivery of both of them to the subscriber, or for securing them in jail; five dollars for Elce. WM. [William] LAUGHINGHOUSE. Pitt county, 10th Aug. 1841
TWO NEGROES, a Fellow and Wench, the Fellow named Jacob, about 60 years old, about six feet high, black Complexion, both his Ears are cropped, and he generally wears a Cap. They both had on when they went away, homespun Cloaths. It is supposed they will make for Edenton, as they were raised there, and it is expected they will pass for free. Any person apprehending said Negroes, and confining them in Gaol, or delivering them to the Subscriber, shall be entitled to the above Reward, and all reasonable Expenses. JOHN SMITH. July 13, 1805.
RAN AWAY from the subscriber, on Saturday last, a mulatto man, by the name of BOB WOODS, about sixty years of age has a film over one of his eyes often passes himself as a free man country born 5 feet 8 or 9 inches high rather thick made. Any person who will apprehend the above-mentioned mulatto and negro, or give information of the same, or deliver them to William Barry Grove, Esq. or Mr. Peter Tarbe, in Fayetteville, or myself at Bladen, shall receive, exclusive of all expenses, a generous reward. LALLERSTEDT. October 5, 1789.