Portrait: artist's interpretation. No photograph of Susan A. Quall is known.
Susan A. Quall
Recorded in Johns Island, South Carolina, May 16, 1932
Their Story
Susan A. Quall lived on Johns Island, South Carolina, and said she did farm work. Much of the first part of her recording is hard to make out, so little else can be said about her early life.
Her clearest memory was of the night Union soldiers came through. Her father said they had to leave because they might be shot. He picked her up and ran with her on his back. When she asked him to put her down, he answered, "I ain't let them catch you. You stay on my back." The family spent the night by the side of the road with no house to shelter in, and went back in the morning once it was safe.
After freedom she returned home to Johns Island and said she had lived there ever since. She married in 1889 and lived with her husband until he died in December 1924. He was buried on December 24, the day before Christmas. Her son died on July 2, 1923. She was recorded on Johns Island in 1932 by Dr. L. Turner.
The Recordings & Transcripts
Part 1 of 2 Johns Island, South Carolina, May 16, 1932
Captions open at the bottom of the screen when you press play. Click any transcript line to jump to it.
Transcript
Susan A. QuallOld man said one night, “I come after him.” He said, “And who said I went see that man because I know a got a him to worry me every night.” He said, “ ??? your business, run there and gone in the field. And tell the old man that he want talk come and worry me.” And I say, “I when he [stole (?)] ??? my house. I went catch ??? him.” He said. After that, he said the man said, “How you know I come in your house?” He said, “I noticed you. But you can come on I going catch you. Because I know you was [in here (?)]; bothers me every night.” [Mrs. Quall clears her throat]
[Mrs. John Faulconer Ware (?)]: Which one of the old ladies ??? tobacco?
Unidentified Woman InterviewerThat's right.
Susan A. Quall??? someone said umm, I said to him, I said, “Well [can't go (?)] over there to pick tobacco.” He said ah, “Yes,” he said. Then I done give him tobacco. He said, “I can't ??? .” Said, “I sat down they wasn't there. [You won't be able (?)] to hide. So then I said, “Well no you don't ??? to tobacco.” They say, “ I ain't going give him none.” [Cause (?)] said, “I don't ??? . Nothing but a hide and ??? bothers me all the time.” [They said (?)], “I just give him everything that my hand got just [so he go on (?)].” He beg for get something from me for where I live.
[Mrs. John Faulconer Ware (?)]: ???
Susan A. Quall[long pause] ??? and all like that for the coal man, and he work [good (?)] and his medicine and ??? married to a man to make him do it.
[Archibald A. Hill (?)]: ???
Susan A. QuallYeah. How you have to make him do it. You have to talk [sweet (?)] to him. If you and ??? have a [smell and anything like that and (?)] you want a [corn (?)] for honey. ??? for that, for that honey. ??? . I know my sister had a flood in her [inside her (?)] place, you know. And [he went (?)] to him. And he hand her a ??? .
[Archibald A. Hill (?)]: What is your name ??? ?
Susan A. QuallMy full name? Susan Quall.
[Archibald A. Hill: What'd you do (?)]?
Susan A. QuallFarm work and all that.
[Archibald A. Hill (?)]: ???
Susan A. QuallHere. South Carolina. Johns, South Carolina.
END OF SIDE A
Part 2 of 2 Johns Island, South Carolina, May 16, 1932
Captions open at the bottom of the screen when you press play. Click any transcript line to jump to it.
Transcript
Susan A. QuallYes, sir. When the Yanks came through that night, and looked for us and see the fire, then the, father then said, “We have to move from this place because we might got shot.” And he picked me up on his back and he run with me. And I said to him, “Pa, papa put me down because then he must catch me.” And he said, “No. I ain't let them catch you. You stay on my back.” And he run and we came to another place until the next morning. That time there were four of us [saw the slaves (?)]. [But it was just passing all that night (?)]. And kill some of the soldiers too. Kill some. Because we saw them, little did they know. [long gap] Father carry me come on the side of the road down but we didn't have no house to go in. We just had to be right there on the side of the car, on the road. On a car road. Until morning. And then the morning, then that time, when the ??? was safe, and we went back. And they stay till we ran from.
Unidentified Woman InterviewerWhere did you run from?
Susan A. QuallRan from where they were living, out a little shack. It was up the ??? . Had no ??? in the place. And they gave that person that give them a place to shelter to have a ??? . There wasn't a ??? or chairs or anything. We had him take that and make it through because, it was uhmm,when most of them died and they lifted higher than most anybody for their freedom. And did this and knock around and carry freedom then I got to come back home. And the home is Johns Island ??? . Come right back to ??? . I've been living there ever since. Then I, when I done did move North was I ??? after me. Yes it did.
Unidentified Woman InterviewerMrs. Quall, did you get the ??? ?
Susan A. QuallI forgot to tell you, now the Yankees come [through with us (?)] ??? .
Unidentified Woman Interviewer??? home?
Susan A. QuallDo I live in North Carolina? Eighteen ??? about two years after we were free. [pause] We married in 1889. And I and my husband lived together until 1924. He died 1924, December and, December and the twenty-fourth. And December twenty-third, and they buried him December twenty-fourth, day before Christmas. My son died July the second, 1923.
END OF SIDE B
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Recorded by Dr. L. Turner, Johns Island, South Carolina (Gullah), June 27, 1932. From Voices Remembering Slavery: Freed People Tell Their Stories. Bracketed notes and question marks in the transcripts mark sounds or words that are hard to hear.