From the WPA Slave
Narratives:
William H. McCarty -Age 100
A visit was made to the home of Wm H. McCarty July 22, 1936 to discuss the
Civil War and other interesting happenings of the early eighties. In the
Northern part of Beat Four in Panola County there lives in his one hundredth
year of mortal existence a very fine, intelligent, old colored preacher, Uncle
William who is very energetic and spry for his age, was happy to tell of his
life, and to have someone interested in his past history.
He is small in statute, five feet in height and weighing one hundred and
twenty pounds. Although his head is as white as snow, and toothless, he didn't
look a day over seventy-five years; his eyesight is so good that he seldom
ever uses glasses. Besides a few rheumatic pains, his health is exceptionally
good. A trip in a car to Batesville or Sardis or to Church never bothers him.
Uncle William was born December 12, 1835 in Hancock County, Mississippi near
Gainsville. His mother Clara McCarty was of the Cancousal race; his father was
Elondus Serellas a Portugeese. Uncle William retained the name McCarty from
his mother.
He spent the first ten years of his life with his mother. Then his mother let
D.C. Stanley, the Sheriff of Hancock County have him. Several years was spent
running errands and doing the chores in the Stanley home. From here he went to
T. R. Portivants, and worked several months and then he spent the rest of his
young life with W. J. Portivant, his Guardian. During this time he was body
servant for the Portivant family.
Uncle William was schooled around the Portivant fireside with the Portivant
children, Mrs. Ellen Wesson and Dr. Wright's wifes mother of Sardis, Also
received their earlier education at the same time Mrs. Buckingham lived in the
home and taught them. The books consisted of a Elementary Webester Speller,
and a Wilson's First Reader. Uncle William was very studious and learned
rapidly. Later he went to Strait University, the Theological School in New
Orleans. At that time Professor Hoyt, of New England was the President of the
University.
Uncle William has been married seventy-seven years, and is now living with his
fifth wife, who is thirty nine years old. He has had four children of whom all
are dead; his six grand-children are living. His present wife is a Panola
Countian; she is a very kind, gentle and devoted wife. Her son lives with
them. A brother and two Aunts is his only living relatives, they reside in
Pearl River County, Mississippi. All three are very old, one Aunt is far past
the Century mark.
"One of my most vivid memories is that of my Steamboat life. Mr. W. J.
Portivant, his guardian, was a very wealthy man. He was engaged in farming and
mercantile business, and owned five large stores. There were seventy five
slaves who worked his plantation. He also owned three large steamboats. When
not busy around the home Uncle Wm. spent much of his time with Mr. Portivant
on his steamboats. In 1848 he went to sea, staying there thirteen long years.
With a smile and a twinkle of his eye he readilly recalled some of the boats
that he worked on. They were: Virginia Pearl, Ruby, Madison, J.J. Warren,
Belle Lee, Rover, Womac, Natchez and others.
"Nothing was more picturesque on the old time Steamboats in the golden years
of steamboating than the negro workmen." Seldom did they make a trip without
composing a song for the Steamer. If they liked or disliked a boat their song
expressed their feelings. As the steamboats with black smoke curling up from
her tall stacks, her boilers sizzing, cast of lines and swing out into the
Mississippi, her gang gathered on the forward deck and sang these old songs.
"De Dandy Womac am a backin' boat:
An every boat we meets en route
Mus' take de bank else bees pass'
Ez sho' ez y' 're bo'n."
Dis am de boat dat none can pass:
We allus in de lead:
What evah am ahead we allus pass,
Ez we goes by with our speed".
"De Pearl; she am de fines' boat.
Treats niggahs bes' when she am float,
An she hef a white man's crew
Who knows niggahs an' sees dem frew.
"The Chorus"
De Cap'n am a white man,
De mate he treat us right
De Cook he feeds a plenty,
Dat why we works day and night"
Hopping Mad'son backs out on time
An leaves big Injun here behin'
Good bye niggahs, good bye all,
See yo' at de nex' big ball
Robert E. Lee got Railroad time-
Her crew am all de super-fine-
Who'a Gals, Whoa:
Ah Cuss dat Steamboat Roves,
Ah Cuss him all de way:
Ah Cuss and Cuss de Thompson Dean,
Beckase she tuck my Lula 'way.
While Steamboating he was Cabin boy, pastry cook and steward. With a visionary
expression in his twinkling eye he said, "It would take many days for me to
tell even a part of the interesting things that I remember on sea and land."
Many interesting happenings were summed up as Icebergs, Storms on Sea, Sea
gulls and Sharks.
During the thirteen years on the sea, he sailed on the Mississippi, Lake
Pontchartrain, Lake Borgue, Pearl River, Alabama, Red River, Tombigbee, the
Gulf and many others. He was very happy to tell about the trips from New
Orleans up the Mississippi to Saint Paul, Minn.
These trips were made in eighteen to twenty three days, only sixteen days was
required on the return trip. The boats were heavily loaded with fruits, grain,
cotton and other merchandise. He laughed and said, "Steamboating was Happy
Days".
His mind wanders back to the City of New Orleans. "This city is the one I
love." He distinctly remembers when New Orleans was seven and one fourth miles
long and three and three fourths miles wide.
Uncle William volunteered and entered the Civil War at an early age. He spent
eight years, one month and twenty-one days in the Bloody War. Even in the war
he was faithful, obedient, and trustworthy. He served as 1st sergent for four
years, Adjutant General two years, and as flag bearer two years.
He served under the following Generals: General Dwight, Whitsell, Morrow, Ben
Butler Banks, McLellan, Forest Grant and Lee. Many times he saw General Lee,
shook hands and talked with him in New Orleans. It was there that he read
General Lee's pass. All the Generals were very kind and good to the soldiers,
except General Banks, he was very mean and overbearing.
During the eight years that he spent in service he fought in thirty six
battles, and was wounded seven times. To-day you can see a bullet scar over
his right eye, where a bullet went through his head. He was carried to the
First Aid Tent many times, but was never carried to a hospital from bad
wounds.
He fought in battles near Baton Rogue, Port Hudson, Vicksburg, Wolf River,
Fort Williams, Pocahontoa, Memphis, Corinth, Spanish Fort Alabama, and at
Mobile.
After the war was over he went back to his home near Gainsville, Miss. and did
public work and preached. Since a small boy, he has been a member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. After his ordanation he spent a great deal of his
life along the Gulf and around New Orleans preaching.
He was received into the Masonic Lodge in 1876, as a member of the old lodge
Chapeter near his home town. In 1896, when he moved to Panola County, he
transferred his membership to the Sardis Lodge, and has served therein as an
officer for a lengthly number of years. Having completed his thirty two
degrees, he is now a Shriner, and also a Honorary Member.
In 1889 the Methodist Conference sent him from Marshall County to Panola to
take charge of several churches in this district. After preaching for 66 years
he retired in 1903. Since coming to Panola County he has preached at St.
Peter, Spring Hill, Mt Gideon, Walton Chapel, St. Paul, Sardis and many other
colored churches. He laid the corner stone for St. Peter and Walton Chapel
Churches in this County. He also taught school two years here.
Since retiring, he has spent his life about six miles south east of Sardis,
near the Cold Springs community, on his own farm. His foster son farms the
land.
About two years ago their home was burned while they were attending Church,
many antiques, souveniers, a Bible which was about 200 years old, his army
overcoat, over $500.00 worth of Ministerial Books, his Masonic regalia, and
other valuable property was burned. Since then he has had a nice five room
bungalow erected on the same site. He is now receiving $100.00 pension from
the Government a month. Uncle Wm. is nicely fixed and doesn't own anyone.
Wm. McCarty is the oldest and best negro in this section. He is highly
respected by white people for the work he has done for the betterment of his
race. He has worked continually for the past 40 years in this country for the
progress of the negroes and has been instrumental in having negroes to stress
a live at home program. Not only does he want them to be better farmers, but
he is continually urging them to be Christians and to live for the betterment
of the kingdom. He is highly respected and liked by the white people as well
as the colored race.
Despite his physical strenght, signs of weariness were shown after he had
talked so long, so the interview was terminated to be resumed at a later date
for sea stories and Ghost tales.
Interviewed by: Josephine Horton and Janie Mae Andrews
Transcribed by Ann Allen Geoghegan
Mississippi Narratives
Prepared by
The Federal Writer’s Project of
The Works Progress Administration
For the State of Mississippi
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