Ted: Sharecropper Overseer

This story although written as fiction is based on a true story that is a part of my family history. I decided to write it as fiction as to not upset any of my relatives and be able to use it in other ways. All the names and locations have been changed.

Ted was born about 1873 in Red County, AL he had eight brothers and sisters. His parents John and Henrietta were born into slavery and remained enslaved until freed in 1865. They somehow were either given the land they lived on or acquired some of the land that their former slaveholder Mr. Smith owned. John and Henrietta were born on the land they worked as enslaved people until freed. This put them in a much better position than other black people in the county. Usually, they could make enough money farming to live through the winter.

Ted was what they called high yellow (could pass for white) he also had wavy hair (no kinks). This was a plus because colorism was a huge thing back in the late 1800s. If you were Negro (that is what black people were called by polite society) and had light skin plus straight or wavy hair (no kinks) this made you closer to white people. You had some status even if you were dumb as a rock. Being black (no matter what your skin tone) was not good because the attitudes that most white people had about black people (Negroes) were extremely negative. The prevailing attitudes against black people and the Jim Crow laws reinforced the unjust societal structure of that day.

Black people back then had to stay in a designated part of the town. No roaming around freely unless you were working for some white person and had reason as well as permission to be where you were. Do not dare be caught after dark in the designated white part of town this meant arrest (if you were lucky), a beating if you were not so lucky. Don’t be accused of any wrongdoing you may find yourself hanging from the end of a rope. Hanging black people (men and women) for almost any infraction of the law was commonplace during the 1800s.

Ted had a few privileges being very light with wavy hair and could speak well (he did not sound like a Negro). He imitated how the white men he was around the general store spoke. He even practiced when he was by himself. As overseer of sharecroppers, he had several families that he supervised for Thaddeus Smith the grandson of old man Smith who formerly owned Ted’s parents. He was responsible for picking up all the supplies needed by each family and making sure they signed the book for them. Sharecropping became very popular after the end of the Civil War. Many of the farms had been abandon because many of the men who went to war did not return. A huge number of women and children who were left behind were forced to go and live with relatives. A few women whose land was paid for remarried quickly and kept their property. Some who had sons were able to survive by farming.

Many of the widows left behind sold their land for pennies on the dollar. Some remained on the land they once owned and worked it or took on sharecroppers black and white. Many of the formerly enslaved stayed on the land they worked as slaves and became sharecroppers. Everyone prayed for favorable weather and for a good crop. The sharecroppers worked the land sunup to sundown six days per week. It was not unusual for many sharecroppers to work all summer and when the crops were harvested in the fall, they did not earn enough to make a living. All or most of the money went back to the landowner to pay for the tools and seeds. Some landowners would allow sharecroppers to keep some of the harvest so they could eat at least a few weeks after the harvest. The only benefit many received from sharecropping was having a place to live. Most had to find other work in town, some of the women sewed, made garments, pillow shams and quilts to sell to get through the winter. Some of the men worked at the stables and did other menial work. Many of them worked as domestics as their parents had when they were enslaved before the war.

Ted had 25 families he had to supervise, keep track of what they owed Mr. Smith and keep in line. No one could sass Mr. Smith, or they would be hurt, dead or if he was in a good mood just thrown off the property. What he did was just barely above what the overseers did during slavery. He never had to whip anyone because the folks were happy to have a roof over their heads and Mr. Smith did not come around much during the growing season. He usually showed up right at the time the harvest was almost over to get a report about his money from Ted. He would pay Ted 10% of the crop and $3.00 a week for the 90 days he supervised the families and watched over Mr. Smith’s property.

Ted rode a beautiful white horse from farm to farm. He was a very smart dresser and the ladies all swooned over him. He was said to be very handsome. Although he was only 5’4’’ that did not seem to bother the ladies. Many did all they could to get his attention and did not care if he was married. Ted took full advantage of his position in the community. There weren’t many fair looking single ladies or barely legal girls he did not attempt to sleep with in the county. Now Ted really liked the darker skinned ladies with the thick cotton candy textured bushy hair. Now he would not turn down a high yellow gal if she was very willing to lift her skirt. All he wanted was the sweet cakes. Then he was gone!

Although Ted was married it was an open secret that he had many outside children. As it was called back then. This meant children by women other than his wife. This was also common during this time. Many men who cheated on their wives would name the children by the other women the same names as the children by their wives. I guess this kept them from having slips of the tongue or if they did well, they could rebound easier and quicker. Ted had one medium brown petite girl he took a liking to named Emma. She was Mr. Slade’s girl, so he had to be very careful. She had five brothers; her dad and her mom all were known for chasing men away from her. Plus, she was a church girl and not known to lift her skirt. She presented a challenge and made him really work to get her attention.

Emma’s father Mr. Slade had been maimed when he was enslaved. He tried to run away from old mean master Bob and got caught. Old master Bob as all the enslaved people called him was as mean as a hungry goat all the time. He hated enslaved people, and it showed in his face. Every time he would look at one of his slaves you could just see evil in his eyes. Slade and a few others tried to escape and were unfortunately caught by the Slave Patrol. These were usually poor white men who went after escaped slaves. They got paid for everyone they brought back alive or could prove they had to kill. When Slade was returned to Mr. Bob’s place that old mean slaveholder took an axe and cut off part of Slade’s foot. Did it in front of all the other enslaved people he owned. This stopped anyone else from running away.

Slade walked with a stick this plus his old age stopped him from doing much in the fields. Although he would try hard to help his son’s. Most of the time the boys would have their father count the bags and do most of all the weighing. Emma had to help her mom with a lot of the work inside the house as well as work a few hours a week with her brothers in the fields. She was petite barely 5’ barely weighed 100 lbs. however she was strong and could hold her own in the fields with the boys. By Emma being one of two girls and her sister was still a baby she was all the help her mom had for the household chores.

Ted would see Emma hanging out clothes on the line and just stare at her. He thought she was so pretty. Her bushy dark hair moving with the wind her slender frame with just enough bust and hips to get a man’s attention excited him. When she would look at him, he would turn his head as if he was not looking at her and ride off. This went on for weeks. Finally, one day Emma yelled at him, “I see you.” Ted rode by as if he did not hear her. Her mother heard Emma yelling and came out to see what was going on. Emma tells her mom, “That old overseer comes by here a lot and just stares at me. When I turn to look at him, he rides off.” Her mom raises her voice and yells at her, “Girl, keep acting like you don’t see him he will go away! I hear he is married and has babies by other women all over the place. No good at all Emma no good at all."

It was getting close to harvest time and the boys needed Emma to help with the harvest. She would go with them on Saturdays and pick cotton from just before sunrise to just before sunset. One of her brothers yelled as they were approaching the house from the fields, “Mom, Emma picked 200 pounds today we are going to make some money this harvest! We need her in the fields more.” Their mother waited until they made it to the porch to respond. “No, Emma is only going to the fields once a week. I do not want her hands looking like mine when she gets older. She is a young lady like not a work mule.”

Ted noticed Emma working in the fields with her brothers one Saturday afternoon and was surprised at how she was strong enough to keep up. Emma’s small frame was sturdy enough to handle the load and she still looked feminine and very attractive. He started plotting how to get to know her better. Ted was a lusty sort and loved new conquest. One Saturday when she was in the fields with her brothers Ted dropped an extra water bag near her feet and rode off. One of her brothers James noticed and rushed to grab the bag. He told her, “Girl, that man is no good! Do not be fooled by his niceness. He wants something (pointing to her private parts) and that is you. There are many babies he has fathered in this county. Their mothers are now too ashamed to show their faces around here much. His wife pretends like she does not know what is being said about him. On Sunday mornings she is the loudest shouting woman in church. I guess she gets that pain he causes her out that way.”

Well asked Emma, “Are you sharing the water or not?” After she drank from the pouch, she passed it on to her other brother Fred and he passed it on down the line. Ted took her ignoring him as a challenge and he was always ready for a battle. Emma did not know she was headed for a lot of heartache and problems if she tangled with Ted, he was a sly thirsty wolf.

Emma did not see Ted for the rest of the season. He shows up just before time to collect all the information for his report to Mr. Smith. He doubled checked all the harvest weights and the tools. He did not look at her one time. She wondered what was wrong with him. Her mother noticed her looking at him. “Girl, I told you he was trouble good thing he is not paying you any more attention. God has spared you girl.” Be grateful and wait for a decent man to show your affection. Emma was engaged before the next growing season and married just after the first planting. She moved to Harris County with her new husband a preacher.