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Phoebe was born into slavery about 1830. Her daughter, Alice Baugh, living in Cary, North Carolina was interviewed (when she was 58) in 1937 by the Federal Writers' Project for their Slave Narrative Project. The narratives are in the Library of Congress, and considered to be in the Public Domain. [1] [2]
In her interview, she recalls what her mother told her of life before freedom.
Narrative Excerpt: My mammy Ferbie, an' her brother Darson belonged ter David Hinnant in Edgecombe County till young Marster Charlie got married. Den dey wuz drawed an' sent wid him down hyar ter Wendell. De ole Hinnant home am still standin* dar ter dis day. Marster Charlie anr Missus Mary wuz good ter de hundred slaves what belonged ter 'em. Dey gib 'em good houses,' good feed, good clothes anr plenty uv fun. Dey had dere co'n shuckin's, dere barn dances, prayer meetin's an' sich like all de year, an' from Christmas till de second day o* January dey had a holiday wid roast oxes, pigs, turkey an* all de rest or de fixin's. From Saturday till Monday de slaves wuz off an' dey had dere Sunday clothes, which wuz nice.’'
Her name from the narrative is Ferbie, but her name is also listed as Ferree and Phoebe in a variety of documents. Note also that the name of the enslaving family in the narrative is listed as Hinnant, but names, locations, and other details match the historical record for the large North Carolina Hinton family, both Black and white. See Timeline.
David Hinton
She passed away at 106 years of age in 1936.[3]
In 1870, a few short years after emancipation, we find Phoebe(30) in St. Matthews Township with her husband Isaac(51), and her children Austin(15), Jimmy(13), Louisa(10), Ivey(9) Rhoda(7), Charity(1/12). Isaac and Austin are farm laborers and Phoebe is keeping house.
Isaac and Phoebe are living next to their former enslaver David who lists others in their household as James D. Royster a Farm Superintendent, Clara B. Hart a school teacher, Dolly Hinton, Lucy Lewis, and Snow(no last name) are domestic servants.
There are over 25 Black Hinton households listed in the preceding and following census pages that have names similar to those found in the estate records of David Hinton and Charles Lewis Hinton listing many enslaved by name.[4]