posted on Aug, 10 2011 @ 07:16 PM
reply to post by Lighterside
My grandmothers family owned a large plantation in Kentucky during and after the Civil war. They had between three and four hundred "slaves". They
paid for them to come to America and live.They did not abduct them they wanted to come here! They did pick cotton and tobacco.they also took care of
the Kentucky Derby winners, in the stalls of the barn. They worked hard and my family kept a tally of the work they did.
When they had worked off their "ocean passage" and living costs they were put on salary. Granted a very small salary. They had housing, and food.
Yes, I admit I have record of my family giving their cast off clothing to the slaves.Also any food that was left after the "Big Wigs" were fed.
They were not allowed to time off during harvest. But treated very well. The only beating was for some lazy ass that got a 14 year old pregnant. He
was horse whipped but his fellow blacks were not so lenient and they boiled him in a large pot.
After Lincoln "freed" the slaves, over three hundred of the blacks asked to speak to the owner of the plantation and were met on the front lawn of
the plantation house. They asked if they could please stay on the plantation because they could not have the kind of live they were used to if they
were set free.My great grandfather welcomed them and continued to feed and cloth them. He refered to them as his workers not slaves. They had paid
their dues!
When he died they carried him to the cemetary and cried because they had to live on their own now.
My grandmother got letters from alot of the former slaves until 1942. Some fought in WW2 and sent her messages that they were doing what they did for
the plantation.
Our family never mistreated our helpers and the family Bible records the births and deaths of the "slaves" as well as the family themselves.