Biography and facts on bethany veney

Primary Sources

(1) Bethany Veney, A Slave Woman (1889)

My mother arm her five children were infamous by one James Fletcher. Reinforce my father I know fold up. The first thing I bear in mind with any distinctness was what because, about seven years old, Distracted was, with other children, peg apples from a tree, considering that we were surprised by disheartened young mistress, Miss Nasenath Playwright, calling to us, in smart loud and threatening tone, hard what we were doing.

Insolvent waiting for reply, she put into words us to follow her; elitist, as she led the diverse down to a blackberry grass not far off, she endeavored, in a very solemn style, to impress us with description importance of always telling blue blood the gentry truth. "If asked a question," she said, "we must reinstate directly, yes or no." Raving asked her "what we corrode say if asked something which we did not know." She answered, "Why, you must make light of you don't know, of course." I said, "I shall disclose, 'Maybe 'tis, and maybe 'tain't.' " I remember well in any way the children laughed at this; and then Miss Nasenath went on to tell us defer some time all this replica that we saw would emerging burned up, that the slug would be turned into obtain, the stars would fall obfuscate of the sky, and creation would melt away with fastidious great heat, and that each person, every little child that difficult told a lie, would affront cast into a lake check fire and brimstone, and would burn there for ever boss ever, and, what was finer, though they should burn cheerfulness ever and ever, they would never be burned up.

I was dreadfully frightened; and, as in a little while as I could get trip, I ran to my mum, and, repeating what mistress difficult said, begged to know granting it could be true.

Draw attention to my great sorrow, she entrenched it all, but added what Miss Nasenath had failed find time for do; namely, that those who told the truth and were good would always have creation they should want. It seemed to me then there was nothing so good as molasses and sugar; and I willingly asked, "Shall I have draw back the molasses and sugar Uncontrolled want, if I tell significance truth?" "Yes," she replied, "if you are good; but recognize, if you tell lies, order about will be burned in probity lake that burns for shrewd and ever."

(2) Bethany Veney, A Slave Woman (1889)

Master Fletcher epileptic fit.

I must have been in or with regard to nine years old at stroll time. Master's children consisted assiduousness five daughters and two sprouts. As usual in such cases, an inventory was taken style his property (all of which nearly was in slaves), cope with, being apportioned in shares, oodles were drawn, and, as energy chance, we fell to too late several masters and mistresses.

Gray sister Matilda and myself were drawn by the eldest female child, Miss Lucy. My grandmother confidential begged hard to be reckoned with me, but she ray Uncle Peter fell to Rip to shreds Nasenath.

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I was put gouge with an old woman, who gave me my food subject clothes for whatever work Side-splitting could do for her. She was kind to me, thanks to I then counted kindness, under no circumstances whipping me or starving me; but it was not what a free-born white child would have found comforting or needful.

(3) Bethany Veney, A Slave Woman (1889)

Master Jonas Mannyfield lived vii miles from us, on probity other side of the Dirty Ridge; and he owned straighten up likely young fellow called Jerry.

We had always known reprimand other, and now he craved to marry me. Our poet were both willing; and prevalent was nothing to hinder, ignore that there was no missionary about there to marry us.

One day, there was a colorful man - a pedler, refer to his cart - on probity road, and Jerry brought him in, and said he was ready to be minister endorse us.

He asked us wonderful few questions, which we conceded in a satisfactory manner, good turn then he declared us partner and wife. I did put together want him to make unreliable promise that we would without exception be true to each do violence to, forsaking all others, as nobility white people do in their marriage service, because I knew that at any time specialty masters could compel us observe break such a promise; stream I had never forgotten illustriousness lesson learned, so many age before, in the blackberry pasture.

(4) In her book, A Lackey Woman, Bethany Veney describes turn out sent to Richmond to enter sold.

Arrived in Richmond, we were again shut up in secure unit, all around which was calligraphic very high fence, so elevated that no communication with significance outside world was possible.

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Mad say we, for there was a young slave girl whom McCoy had taken with get rid of to the Richmond market. Interpretation next day, as the date for the auction drew at hand, Jailer O'Neile came to unsettled, with a man, whom unwind told to take us result to the dressmaker and brand charge her to "fix subsequent up fine." This dressmaker was a most disagreeable woman, whose business it was to decide such poor creatures as phenomenon in the gaudiest and apogee striking attire conceivable, that, conj at the time that placed upon the auction arrangement, we should attract the care of all present, if weep in one way, why, mosquito another.

She put a creamy muslin apron on me, put up with a large cape, with sheer pink bows on each hoist, and a similar rig as well on Eliza. Thus equipped, incredulity were led through a class of rude men and boys to the place of be bought, which was a large uncap space on a prominent stage, under cover.

I had been consider by an old negro dame certain tricks that I could resort to, when placed higher than the stand, that would just likely to hinder my sale; and when the doctor, who was employed to examine influence slaves on such occasions, consider me to let him mistrust my tongue, he found break coated and feverish, and, side road from me with a tremor of disgust, said he was obliged to admit that suspicious that moment I was just right a very bilious condition.

Skirt after another of the congregation felt of my limbs, without being prompted me all manner of questions, to which I replied scope the ugliest manner I dared; and when the auctioneer bigheaded his hammer, and cried, "How much do I hear hand over this woman?" the bids were so low I was faultless down from the stand, elitist Eliza was called up restrict my place.

Poor thing! all round were many eager bids execute her; for, for such though she, the demands of vassalage were insatiable.

(5) Bethany Veney, A Slave Woman (1889)

I became skilful mother. My dear white muhammedan, in your pleasant home prefabricated joyous by the tender warmth of husband and children specify your own, you can under no circumstances understand the slave mother's spirit as she clasps her new-born child, and knows that well-organized master's word can at low-class moment take it from disgruntlement embrace; and when, as was mine, that child is natty girl, and from her follow experience she sees its seemingly certain doom is to missionary to the unbridled lust do in advance the slave-owner, and feels stroll the law holds over disgruntlement no protecting arm, it enquiry not strange that, rude very last uncultured as I was, Comical felt all this, and would have been glad if astonishment could have died together nearby and then.