Mr. Samuel Polite: I was the [last soul (?)] ??? and after ??? the old man dead. We were shared: one to Tom Fits, one to Billy Fits, one to Johnny Fits. ??? out my son ??? forward to Johnny Fits. So Johnny Fits had all of his people and gone over on the old Giddy Main, of Mr. Webs place, we brought there. And we was there [recording glitch] before the war. Then after the war he run from there, helped the people from there. Run gone to a place he called ??? . Then he been there a while and the Yankees come across on the old Giddy Main. They tell us to run away up in Bonrad. And we been up in Bonrad, Weepers Bridge and Savannah and ??? and, you see I was a traveling boy then. Been up and down with them and they [did (?)] the same. Them ??? the same. I was so ??? . And then from there a fighter come up from behind me and brought her from there come back over on the Main on [Savannah (?)]. And I know everything was over. Slavery and ??? everything that slaves do I are doing the same thing today for myself.
Dr. Lorenzo Turner: ??? in slavery times?
Mr. Samuel Polite: Huhh? ??? Well, in slavery time after we went up to the country, we had an overseer he called, Brunswick. He took my mother and sent her in to plow. To plow. And we didn’t know how to plow and had me to lead the horse though he was the plowman. I have to fit him in the plow. Fit him inside. And I hold the handles allowing him to plow. And he was a plowman up to his death.
Unidentified Woman: How’d he treat you?
Mr. Samuel Polite: Huhh?
Unidentified Woman: How did he treat you?
Mr.Samuel Polite: Treat you? Well, I believe [with uhmm (?)] the only somebody that is, that is that man. That is the devil. That is the only one died is him.
Unidentified Woman: What did he do?
Mr. Samuel Polite: Huhh?
Unidentified Woman: What did he do?
Mr. Samuel Polite: Well, he would get up in the morning, run his hands in his pockets. Into his pockets and tell you, you know ??? work. And came right out and ??? and rub that horse and pull them up in the sun and then he tell you ??? get yourself dirty from rubbing that horse, he would go down, down on your knees. And he would whip, whip you and [just fist you had a gash (?)] on you. And so the way I been through from a boy up to a man today ain’t nothing better for tell me today about slavery. Ain’t nothing better to tell me about ??? .
Mr. Samuel Polite: I come to the manure. I ah fit seven load of ??? back in the barn. Then I get three cord of [mashed corn (?)]. Then I fit a load of [dry corn (?)] on them again. Some of [dry corn (?)] on them again. Then I fit about [loud distortion] [eight loads of (?)] ??? broadcast ??? from ??? from ??? mud. And I keep on with that, and keep on with that until you see how mine shine there now. I keep on with that and, when this wind done and this rain done with that manure. I just ??? something and broadcast. I sow, sow mine this way, you know. I sow one corner that way and I’ll sow one this way. And when I went plant the corn, I drop the corn right in there and took that cultivator and put right on, you know. After them put right on with that cultivator, then I hauled the manure and broadcast them in there. And then let out corn come up through that manure. You see? And as long as that corn coming up, as long as that manure will be on the corn root, the corn root can’t come out of, over on it. And that manure will stay on that corn roots there and we would see crops. But guano, I wouldn’t be on ten cents got all the bags they can bring to me. And she wanted to [smooth (?)] that manure you would [say (?)], that manure you haul you from there and carry me you trust my, [hide your (?)] and chop down in there, chop down in the age of that manure ??? manure. She done manure ??? .
Dr. Lorenzo Turner: What did you do to ??? after ??? ?
Mr. Samuel Polite: I took my plow and went in there. Now I show her I don’t choke.
Unidentified Woman: Choking.
Mr. Samuel Polite: Hmm? I throw it out, sow one furrow that way and I sow one this way. [Crops make (?)] good now. Now that, is there a row there or a plantation? Now I wanted to plant the corn. I come there and I drop the corn [disc scratch] [seed (?)]. [knocking] I go on. See, I done that way. Then I done that row. I turn the [sweepers (?)] right in that row, with the cultivator now, took up the back teeth and led these two front teeth go this way. And them two front teeth go that way. And cover up that corn from the [sweepers (?)]. Then when I done cover that corn I load up the [shaft (?), you know. And I get my fork and my ??? [bag (?)] for my manure ??? in that thing. And then that corn come out there, and that corn come up, it, it got to come through that manure and it, and that manure it steady, it steady lay on that corn [and weeds (?)]. And the more the corn grow the blacker it gets.
Dr. Lorenzo Turner: What was that [plant (?)]?
Mr. Samuel Polite: Hmm?
Dr. Lorenzo Turner: What did you [plant (?)]?
Mr. Samuel Polite: Well, ah the leaf will fall off the tree, you know. And the tree–
Dr. Lorenzo Turner: What kind? What kind of tree was it?
Mr. Samuel Polite: Pine tree. Oak tree. Gum tree. Any kind of tree that had been in the woods, you know. We raked that same stuff. That bring your house. That make me a man. And slave [disc scratch] and slave and sla, and sla make me work, make me work your a man.