Wallace Quarterman, Age 87
“And he call me and told me to run down in the field and tell Peter to turn the people loose, that the Yankee coming. And so I run down in the field and, and whooped and holler, they done, he done told them Mr. [Gaeggles (?)] said turn the people loose because the Yankee coming.”
[seems to be quoting from a religious text]
Jesus Is A Rock In A Weary Land
My God is a rock in a weary land.
Shelter in a time of storm.
He is the lily of the valley.
And he is the prince of peace.
When they put old John in the island Patmos ???
Jesus proved he is born in peace.
My God is the rock in this weary land.
Weary land.
In the weary land.
My God is the rock in the weary land.
Shelter in the time of storm.
Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of one.
The Lord God’s work has just begun.
Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of two.
The Lord God’s written his Bible too.
Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of three.
My god died on Calvary.
Then I know he is a rock in this weary land.
Weary land.
In a weary land.
My god is a rock in this weary land.
Shelter in this time of storm.
He is the maker of little lambs of God.
He is the prince of peace.
When they put old John in the ??? Jesus proved that born in peace.
My god is the rock in this weary land.
Weary land.
In the weary land.
My god is the rock in this weary land.
Shelter in this time of storm.
Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of four.
The Lord God’s busy don’t amount to four.
Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of five.
The Lord God’s brought us so stand alive.
Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of six.
He ready Jerusalem and healed the sick.
Then I know he’s a rock in a weary land.
Weary land.
In a weary land.
My God is a rock in this weary land.
Shelter in a time of storm.
Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of seven.
The Lord God’s risen and he went to heaven.
Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of eight.
I seen him standing at the Golden Gate.
Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of nine.
The Lord God’s turning that water to wine.
Stop and let me tell you about the chapel of ten.
John said he’s coming in the world again.
Then I know he’s a rock in this weary land.
Weary land.
In this weary land.
[groove damage]
I know he’s a rock in this weary land.
Shelter in a time of storm.
He’s the lily of the valley.
He’s the brightest morning star.
When they put old Daniel in the lion’s den, Jesus locked the lion’s jaws.
And I know he’s a rock in this weary land.
Weary land.
In the weary land.
And I know he is a rock in a weary land.
Shelter in a time of storm.
Wallace Quarterman: [seems to quote religious text] The Lord gave the whole earth my grace with thee.
Unidentified Woman Interviewer: Uh huh.
Wallace Quarterman: For them that do [loud dog bark] and trust my word he shall be saved. [barking] [unintelligible]. But he that won’t believest [shall go to hell (?)] [four barks].
Unidentified Woman Interviewer: Uh huh.
Wallace Quarterman: I make him great [loud barking] commission. Know that he is preach my gospel truth by all the work that him can do, that all the wonder I will do.
Unidentified Woman Interviewer: Uh huh.
Wallace Quarterman: You must teach all nation my command, I am with you until the world shall end. Well I think that’s enough [I had enough (?)]. [barking and yelping]
Unidentified Woman Interviewer: Uh humm. Okay.
Wallace Quarterman: Okay
[short pause before Wallace Quarterman sings]
I Surrender
Oh, let me come on i-in.
I surrender, and open the door.
Let me come in open up.
Yeah, let me come i-inn.
Oh, let me come i-i-i-innn.
I surrender, yes open the door, and let me come in.
I said baby don’t you cry, mothers and father are born to die.
I surrender [recording gets stuck].
Oh, let me come i-inn.
I surrender and open the door and let me come in.
Wallace Quarterman: [heavy cough, singing stops] I can’t sing much.
Unidentified Woman Interviewer: Humm. [brief pause in recording]
Wallace Quarterman: Born in 1844.
Unidentified Woman Interviewer: What’s your name sir?
Wallace Quarterman: Huh?
Mary Elizabeth Barnicle: What’s your name?
Wallace Quarterman: My name is Wallace Quarterman in and through the state of Georgia. [brief pause in the recording– interview resumes in the middle of conversation] Morning I was toting in breakfast in the house.
Unidentified Woman Interviewer: Yeah.
Wallace Quarterman: And the, the, the big gun shot–
Unidentified Woman Interviewer: Uh huh.
Wallace Quarterman: –suppose to have.
Unidentified Woman Interviewer: Yes.
Wallace Quarterman: The big gun shot so I buy a ??? take back within the house. The overseer ask me: “What is that, if that is thunder?” I tell him I don’t know. I know what the Yankees. [background noise] I’m sorry.
Alan Lomax: That’s all right.
Wallace Quarterman: Three time and he commence to shoot until the plate commence to rattle on the table. And he call me and told me to run down in the field and tell Peter to turn the people loose, that the Yankee coming. And so I run down in the field and, and whooped and holler, they done, he done told them Mr. [Gaeggles (?)] said turn the people loose because the Yankee coming.
Alan Lomax: And who was Peter?
Wallace Quarterman: The driver. And so he said that, uh, Wallace is lying if he, he said so, then he said so, then the Yankee [beat to the landing the drum (?)]. You understand? [starts to recite] Way Down South getting mighty poor. Say they, used to drink coffee but now they drinking rye. They said, left [music Union Band (?)] make the rebel understand. To leave our land for the sake of Uncle Sam. Way down South getting might poor. Shot at the wildcat and see the Rebel run. I ain’t going [anywhere them see me (?)] again. I’ve been to war already I–
Unidentified Woman Interviewer: ???
Wallace Quarterman: Yeah, yeah. And that, the people then throws away their hoe then. They throwed away they hoe, and, and they call we all up, you know and, and give we all freedom because we are just as much as free as them. Now you understand. But the Yankees saying we must go back to the South they’ll help we. Well they didn’t. Of course there was so much doubt, and [it seems to me (?)] I, they would have done more, but it so much doubt in the way. They couldn’t because the colored people sure [been (?)] poor, and some white people sure [went (?)] poor too. You understand and they rather help them than, uh, help we. I satisfied so far, for the Lord has done for me, I come through, through all the, been up and downs through the ??? .
Unidentified Woman Interviewer: Well tell me about how they went to Hawkinsville and drove the sword down in the ground?
Wallace Quarterman: They told them, said now you–
Alan Lomax: ??? . [conversation trails off]
[Alan Lomax (?)]: [brief pause here and scratching throughout recording] All right now!
Zora Neale Hurston: After they said you can go free, then what did you do? Did you run on off the plantation that day? Did you leave the plantation that day after they told you to go free?
Wallace Quarterman: That day master promised so, to give we forty dollars a month in pay. The [lot (?)] said the boys said they ain’t want it. They rather go free you know.
Zora Neale Hurston: Uhmm.
Wallace Quarterman: Well, of course, why I have them pay us, you understand? I get along with them you know. He brought out the big pot, you know. [loud thump]
Zora Neale Hurston: Yeah.
Wallace Quarterman: And ah, after they, after this place closed down, sword down they just make them, sword down, and they just lay down their sword, and squash them down. You go in Hawkinsville and you see all the swords down now–
Zora Neale Hurston: [Yeah (?)].
Wallace Quarterman: –in the ground. And after the sword was down the tension, in the South tension. And after the South tension then they play. Yeah. Play they. [he thumbs a washtub base and sings]
Kingdom Coming
One foot one way.
One foot the other way.
One foot all around.
Jumping.
Standing.
Couldn’t cut a figure.
And he couldn’t go halfway around.
Old master run aw-a-a-a-a-y.
And set them darkies free.
For you must be think thy kingdom a coming in the hour of jubilee.
Wallace Quarterman: So we had a big breaking up right there, you know, after it. That’s right.
[Alan Lomax (?)]: [says something inaudible] What about afterwards? You know when the, when the colored people had the jailer and everything? Tell us about that.
Wallace Quarterman: Yes, we, everything been in we hand. But they couldn’t control the colored people. [thumbs washtub] They do so much mischief until we have to go on back and to the white people we had education. You know when a man ain’t got no education he ain’t got nothing. All we tried to show them they wouldn’t they just kill one another and going on. So we had to nominate democrat over they head. They didn’t like it the many got killed by nominate the democrat but we couldn’t help it, to stop them so much killing. You understand?
Zora Neale Hurston: Uhmm.
Wallace Quarterman: So we nominate the democrat, [washtub] and we had a big time from that till now.
Zora Neale Hurston: Uhmm.
Wallace Quarterman: The time ain’t bad no because we been then.
Zora Neale Hurston: Uhmm.
Wallace Quarterman: Because a man think nothing killing a man and taking a drink of water.
Zora Neale Hurston: Uhmm.
Wallace Quarterman: But since we nominate the democrat we have more assurance. You understand.
Zora Neale Hurston: Yes.
Wallace Quarterman: The law come in protecting them, you know they wouldn’t [yell (?)] at the colored people.
Zora Neale Hurston: Yeah.
Wallace Quarterman: At all ma’am, at all.
Zora Neale Hurston: Mhmm.
Wallace Quarterman: Yes. And that’s the way they come in protect them. But we had we own lawyers, judge and everything, well they just would, run everything in the dust, you know.
Zora Neale Hurston: Yes.
Wallace Quarterman: Kill everything. Couldn’t stand it. No, no–
Zora Neale Hurston: Well, did you ever have a office? Did you, would you ever, did you ever hold a office?
Wallace Quarterman: I wouldn’t want an office.
Zora Neale Hurston: Oh, yeah?
Wallace Quarterman: No ma’am. I’m a man. I wouldn’t want an office. An office ??? kind of thing.
Zora Neale Hurston: Uhmm.
Wallace Quarterman: You understand. You got to go and please the, the fellow you know.
Zora Neale Hurston: Yes.
Wallace Quarterman: You got to stop do what God said. You don’t go please that fellow.
Zora Neale Hurston: Yes.
Wallace Quarterman: And they’re right there where you left out.
Zora Neale Hurston: But what become of your old master?
Wallace Quarterman: Old master? He died in the yellow fever.
Zora Neale Hurston: Uhmm.
Wallace Quarterman: He was a nice man to me.
Zora Neale Hurston: Yes.
Wallace Quarterman: I wouldn’t take anything from him.
Zora Neale Hurston: What was his name?
Wallace Quarterman: Colonel [Fedwary (?)].
Zora Neale Hurston: [Fedwary (?)].
Wallace Quarterman: Yes. And he was a colonel.
Zora Neale Hurston: Mhmm.
Wallace Quarterman: I wouldn’t take anything, why me and he was just like one, you know.
Zora Neale Hurston: Yes.
Wallace Quarterman: Yes, ma’am.
Zora Neale Hurston: Well, where was his plantation?
Wallace Quarterman: His plantation on, on Savannah River. You know, Skidaway Island?
Zora Neale Hurston: Uhmm.
Wallace Quarterman: And he had another one Chattum County, you know. Savannah.
Zora Neale Hurston: Yeah.
Wallace Quarterman: Skidaway Island.
Zora Neale Hurston: Uhmm.
Wallace Quarterman: [And umh, yes, sir (?)], I wouldn’t take nothing from him.
Alan Lomax: Well, did the white folks like it when you all were in power?
Wallace Quarterman: Oh, they liked me. They would like me all the way, because I protect them, you know.
Zora Neale Hurston: Yes.
Wallace Quarterman: I protect them I told them, I told them the Yankee myself and they didn’t feel sorry them you know. You see I just would understand how they think, you know.
Zora Neale Hurston: Yes.
Wallace Quarterman: Tell me things you know.
Zora Neale Hurston: Ahha.
Wallace Quarterman: I see a man going a do a wrong thing I should stop it though. I stop him. Why–
Zora Neale Hurston: Well, did the white people, did your master and all them, like to see the Negroes be the judge and the jailer and everything?
Wallace Quarterman: Whooo! You see according to law you know, they don’t mind you be that, I mean, if you know what you doing.
Zora Neale Hurston: Uhmm.
Wallace Quarterman: Don’t you see?
Zora Neale Hurston: Yes.
Wallace Quarterman: Yeah. We, we, you see, they, they don’t know what they doing.
Zora Neale Hurston: Yeah.
Wallace Quarterman: And they prove that they don’t know.
Zora Neale Hurston: Mhmm.