N.C. District No. 2
Reference: Tanner Spikes
Worker: Mary Hicks
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Spikes, Tanner
An interview with Tanner Spikes, 77 years of age, of 43 tragg Street, Raleigh, North Carolina.
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Spikes, Tanner
"My mammy had fifteen chilluns which wus all borned on Doctor Fab Haywood's plantation here
in Wake County. My mammy 'longed ter him, but my daddy 'longed ter a Mr. Wiggins in
Pasquotank County. I think that Dr. Haywood bought him just 'fore de war. Anyhow, we took
de name of Wiggins.
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Spikes, Tanner
"Mammy's name wus Lucinda an' pappy's name wus Osburn. I doan 'member seein' many
Yankees on Dr. Haywood's place. I doan reckon many comed dar. Anyhow, we had a gyard.
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Spikes, Tanner
"I 'members a corn shuckin' what happened 'fore de war wus over, an' what a time dem
niggers did have. Dey kisses when dey fin' a red year an' atter dat dey pops some popcorn
an' dey dances ter de music of de banjo which Uncle Jed am a-playin'; Dey dances all night
de best I can 'member.
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Spikes, Tanner
"I seed a few Yankees, but dey wus just lookin' fer something ter eat. We ain't knowed
nothin' 'bout freedom, but de Yankees tol' us dat we ort ter be free, dey also said dat we
ort ter have meat an' stuff in de smokehouse. My mammy sez dat dey ain't got good sense
an' she tells marse what dey said.
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Spikes, Tanner
"De Yankees has done tuck all de rations so dar ain't nothin' let' fer de niggers ter take but
mammy tells Marse Haywood what dey sez anyhow. Marse haywood sez dat iffen he ketch a
ny niggers in his smokehouse dat he'll skin 'em alive. He also sez dat we ain't free an' dat we
ain't never gwine ter be free.
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Spikes, Tanner
"De nex' year, atter de war, wus a hard year. We ain't had nothin' ter eat but hard tack an'
'lasses an' sometimes not half enough of dat. My pappy still formed fer Marse Maywood, but
hit ain't as good as it is in slavery days.
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Spikes, Tanner
"Seberal years atter dat, while we wus livin' on Davie Street, I met Frank Spikes an' I married him.
I can't tell yo' much 'bout our love-makin' case hit warn't much, but he always called me honey
gal an' he axed me ter marry him in de kitchen while I wus washin' dishes. He jist puts his arms
'round me an' he sez, 'I wants ter marry yo', honey gal.'
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Spikes, Tanner
"Well we gits married by de Baptist preacher in Raleigh fifty odd years ago an' we lives tergether
till dis past March, when he dies.
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Spikes, Tanner
"Other boys comed ter see me but I ain't loved none of dem but Frank. He ain't never whupped
me but onct an' dat wus fer sassin' him, an' I reckin dat I needed dat.
State: North Carolina Interviewee: Spikes, Tanner
"We had five chilluns an' I'se stayin' wid my daughter since he died, but I misses him, yes mam,
I misses him purty awful."