Negro Ex-Slave, Nearly 100 Years of Age,
Owns 200- Acre Plantation in Davie County.
“Uncle John” Clement Does More Work Than Many
Younger Men
________
Uneducated but Has Interesting Philosophy
________
By J. Worth Bacon
(Journal Staff Writer)
W-S Journal, June 17, 1934
|
Nearly seventy years have passed since the Negro slave was freed, but the colored folk of Ante bellum days whose
hair has now turned to silver and whose backs are bent under the weight of heavy cares are the same lovable
characters as they move along the last stretch.
Historians have graphically described for us the life and customs of the Negro slave. They have told us of the
hardships he endured. They have pictured the devotion he had for his master. They have written many volumes
on his courteous manner and his amiable disposition.
But to really appreciate the old Southern Negro--that is the Negro who was brought up in the days of slavery--you
must form his acquaintance. You must talk with him.
Although time and ideas have turned his race into a new trend of life, he still possesses those admirable traits, that
courtesy, humbleness and integrity of purpose which are outstanding characteristics of the old Southern Negro.
Good Old Soul
“Uncle John” Clement, of Davie County, is one of those good old souls. The writer spent nearly two hours with
him at his home, three miles west of Mocksville, the other day. He is approaching his 100th mile post in life, but
every day the weather permits he works in the field and can do more work in a day than many men half his age can
do in a week. He believes he is 86, but others in the community say he is nearly 100.
Born in Davie county he has spent practically his entire life there. When the War Between the States was declared
he was owned by Master Sam Frost, whose plantation was less than a mile from the 200-odd-acre farm on which
“Uncle John” now lives.
“Uncle John” was captured by the Union soldiers when they passed through Davie County.
“They started to take me with them to Salisbury and I consented to go,” he said. “When we got nearly to Salisbury I
heard so shootin’ and I asked ‘em to let me come back. They did and that’s the nearest I come to being in a fight
during the Civil War.”
When a young man “Uncle John” was employed in construction of the Southern Railway tracks between Winston-
Salem and Greensboro.
“I remember when there wasn’t but four or five building in the main part of Winston,” he declared.
Interesting Philosophy
Although “Uncle John” can neither read or write, his philosophy of life would compare favorably with that given by
many of the learned philo-sophers. He speaks as a man with plenty of good old common sense.
“I known what the knocks of life are,” he told me. “I’ve had ‘em, but I’m happy because I’ve always treated
everybody right and when I lie down on the bed to go to sleep at night I know that I have peace with God and man.
The trouble with the world today is that people don’t love one another. If you treat everybody right then they are
goin’ to teat you right. I never had a fuss with a man in my life. If I didn’t agree with ‘em I just kept my mouth shut.
That’s the only way to do.”
“Uncle John” bought one acre of land and mule. I paid the man $8 for the land,” he explained. “The folks around
here told me I was a fool that I couldn’t make a living on one acre of land. But I did. Soon after that I bought some
more acres and now I’ve got over 200 acres and it’s all paid for. And I’ve refused a $100 an acre for it. I don’t owe
a man a cent. The first thing I try to raise is something to eat. After that is done I raise a money crop--cotton.”
Advises Younger Generation
Constructive citizenship is the keynote of the advice “Uncle John” gives to the younger generation.
“The first thing he should bear in mind is to obey the law.” he said. “When I was first married I told my wife we was
to have a law in our house. I laid down the law and we told the children what it was and that they had to obey it.”
(Here he inter-spersed his story with the announcement that he had been married twice and that he has fifteen
children) “The children obeyed too. I knowed that if they obeyed the law in my house they would be willin’ to obey
the law when they left home. As a result, not one of ‘em has give us any trouble. So far as I knows they have not
been in court any-where. None of our family has ever been arrested for anything.
“The trouble is people don’t obey the laws today like they did when I was growing up. There wasn’t much
lawlessness then. People tried to do right. What people ought to learn to do is to make up their minds they are
going to obey all the laws whether they like ‘em or not.”
The old Negro was asked if he drank alcoholic beverages.
“No sir,” he shot back. “I use to drink a little when I was a young man, but I decided that whisky was something a
man could get long without. I decided it was something he didn’t need and that it was harmful to him. I cut it out and
I know I have been better off.”
“I believes I the Bible,” he continued. “The Bible tells us that His will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. It’s
up to us to have God’s will done on earth. We’ll have a heaven here on earth if we all do our part.”
“Uncle John” said he never worried. “Worry gets you nowhere.” he said. “I enjoy life every day and let tomorrow
take keer of itself. And I suppose that after all that’s why I’ve lived so long.”