Posted on 01/04/2007 8:45:30 AM PST by mtbopfuyn
I need to settle a debate. How likely would it be that a slave, during the American Civil War era, who had been executed for witchcraft be given what appears to be a Christian burial, including a headstone, in the Baptist master's family plot?
How about some more info?
HIGHLY doubtful that a slave would be in a white cemetery...that someone executed for witchcraft would be anywhere near a Christian cemetery.....
That's about it. Local legend has it a slave was executed for witcraft and buried in the white owner's family plot. It's said to be haunted and kids go out there every Halloween.
The other thing is, whites understood slaves to be full of African superstions and given to occult practices - take a look at Huck Finn - and a slave owner wouldn't execute a valuable slave (worth tens of thousands of dollars or more, in today's money) over something like that - there would have to be real significant harm attributed to the witchcraft, real malice seen - and then the slave wouldn't be buried in the owner's family plot, in a Christian grave.
Unless the owner believed the slave to be innocent, and the execution was against the owner's wishes?
Finally, executions of slaves were supposed to be legal, official and after a trial, however unfair. That doesn't mean, of course, that a white man would be prosecuted for unofficially killing his slave.
Your hunch that the lengend rings false sounds right to me.
Mrs VS
Does it really matter? It's a legend.
That's my take as well, but that's how the story goes. I've seen the grave and people leave money around it (what's that about???). I wish I knew more about the person but couldn't find much other than the legend on the internet. I couldn't find the 1860 Slave Census and didn't find a likely white person in the 1860 US Census. Oddly, there's only a handful of folk in the cemetery and that name is glaringly absent from the published list. I may have to head out to the library this afternoon to check out the county history book.
I'm under the impression it was in the heat of the moment without benefit of trial. But I agree, slaves were very valuable that a mere African cultural thing or casting of stones wouldn't be cause enough. But if it were something so shocking and terrifying the body would be carted far away and destroyed, not buried in the family's plot.
Sounds like Voodoo to me. I wouldn’t be surprised if you found evidence of whiskey or wine being poured on the greave as well. They are offerings to the sprit of the dead.
I was just going to post the same thing. Whiskey or rum and perhaps fruit and produce.
Hmm, there were some beer bottles behind the grave which, although I thought was a bit odd, I put down as litter from stupid kids. The thing is, I've NEVER heard of any voodoo around here and I've lived here all my life. You're not telling me there might actually be something to this legend?
Rum is probably more correct. If they are really trying to get something from the dead their would be chicken blood and feathers as well. (Maybe some salt if they are trying to confine the sprit. But that does not appear to be the case here.)
What county/town?
Most legends have some truth at their root....see for instance the legend of the Bell Witch - not far from here in TN
No, I didn't see any evidence of that. The cemetery is kept neat which is why the beer bottles seemed out of place.
No. But as long as the right people believe this kind of thing will go on.
Last survey I saw had Voodoo in every major city in the country. They do not make it a habit of revealing themselves unless they are trying to make money selling to the amateurs. If they think there is a powerful spirit somewhere they will travel.
I would say the beer bottles are from kids or "wannabes" and if you're anywhere near the south -- there's been voodoo.
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