Simuel Riddick
Simuel Riddick Slave Narrative
N.C. District No. 2
Reference: Simuel Riddick
Worker: T Pat Matthews
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Riddick, Simuel
"My name is Simuel Riddick. I was born the fourth day February, 1841. My owners, my
white people, my old mistress wrote me a letter telling me my age. My mother was Nancy
Riddick; she belonged to the Riddicks in the Eastern part of the State. My father was
named Klisha Riddick. My master was named Elisha and my mistress Sarah Riddick.
They had three daughters, Sarah, Christine, and Mary, one boy named Asbury Riddick.
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Riddick, Simuel
"I was born in Perquimans County, North Carolina and I have lived in North Carolina all my
life. We had good food, for marster was a heavy farmer. There were about 200 acres cleared
on the plantation, and about 25 slaves. The great house was where marster lived and the
quarters was where we lived. They were near the great house. I saw only one slave whupped.
I had mighty fine white people, yes, mighty fine white people. They did not whup their slaves,
but their son whupped my mother pretty bad because ahe did not bala enough corn and
turnips to feed the fattening hogs.
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Riddick, Simuel
"He was a rang tang. He loved his liquor, and he loved colored woman. The ole man never
whupped anybody.
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Riddick, Simuel
Young marster married in the Marmaduke family in Gates County. He sold one man who
belonged to his wife, Mary. I never saw a slave sold,
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Riddick, Simuel
"I have seen lots o' paterollers. They were my friends. I had friends among 'em because I
had a young missus they run with. Dats why they let me alone. I went with her to cotton
pickin's at night. They came, but they didn't touch me. My young missus married Dr.
Perry from the same neighborhood in Perquimans County. Bill Simpson married her sister.
He was from the same place. Watson White married the other one. He was from Perquimans.
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Riddick, Simuel
"There were no half-white children on Marster's plantation, and no mixupa that ever came
out to be a disgrace in anyway. My white folks were fine people. I remember marster's
brother's son Tommy going off to war. Marster's brother was named Willis Riddick. He
never came back. I got a letter from my missus since I been in Raleigh. She was a fine lady.
She put fine clothes on me. I was a foreman on the plantation and looked after things in
general. I had charge of everything at the lots and in the fields. They trusted me.
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Riddick, Simuel
"When the war broke out I left my marster and went to Portsmouth, Virginia. General Miles
captured me and put me in uniform. I waited on him as a body servant, a private in the U. S.
Army. I stayed with him until General Lee surrandered. When Lee surrendered I stayed in
Washington with General Miles at the Willard Hotel and waited on him. I stayed there a long
time. I was with General Miles at Fortress Monroe and stayed with him till he was in charge
of North Carolina. He was a general, and had the 69th Irish brigade. He also had the Bluecats
and Greentorches.
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Riddick, Simuel
"I waited on him at the Abbeck House, Alexandria, Virginia after the war. I stayed with the
general a long time after the war. I didn't go with General Miles when he was ordered to the
plains of the west.
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Riddick, Simuel
"I stayed on the Bureau here in Raleigh. Dr. H. C. Wagel was in charge. After I left the Bureau
I worked at the N. C. State College several years then I worked with the city at the city parks. I
never left the state after coming here with General Miles. I had mighty good white people, was
treated all right, was made foreman and treated with every kindness. I haven't anything to say
against slavery. My old folks put my clothes on me when I was a boy. They gave me shoes
and stockings and put them on me when I was a little boy. I loved them and I can't go against
them in anything. There were things I did not like about slavery on some plantations, whuppin'
and sellin' parents and children from each other but I haven't much to say. I was treated good.
Don't know much about Abraham Lincoln, haven't much to express about Mr. Roosevelt. He is
a mighty pleasant man tho'. I learned to read and write after the war. I could not read and write
when I was a soldier."
End of Interview
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