Mr. Coxton, who was the owner of Mr. Bland and his family, was described as being very rich and influential man in the community where he lived.  Says Mr. Bland, “His only fault was that of drinking too much of the whisky that he distilled on the plantation.”  Unlike some of the other slave owners in that section, Mr. Coxton was very kind to his slaves.  His plantation was a large one and on it was raised cotton, corn, cane[TR:?], vegetables, and live stock.  More cotton was grown than anything else.

From the time he was 1 year and 6 months of age until he was 9 years old he lived in the “big house” with his mother.  At night he slept on the floor there.  In spite of this, his and his mother’s treatment was considerably better than that received by those slaves who worked in the fields.  While their food consisted of the same things as did that of the field slaves, sometimes choice morsels came back to the kitchen from the Master’s table.  He says that his mother’s clothes were of better quality than the other slave women (those who were not employed in the house).

As a child his first job was to cut wood for the stove, pick up chips, and to drive the cows to and from the pasture.  When 9 years old he was sent to the field as a plow boy.  Here he worked with a large number of other slaves (he does not know the exact number) who were divided into two groups, the plow group and the hoe group.  His father happened to be the foreman of the hoe gang.  His brothers and sisters also worked here in the fields being required to hoe as well as plow.  When picking time came, everyone was required to pick.  The usual amount of cotton each person was required to pick was 200 lbs. per day.  However, when this amount was not picked by some they were not punished by the overseer, as was the case on neighboring plantations, because Mr. Coxton realized that some could do more work than others.  Mr. Coxton often told his overseer that he had not been hired to whip the slaves, but to teach them how to work.

Says Mr. Bland:  “Our working hours were the same as on any other plantation.  We had to get up every morning before sun-up and when it was good and light we were in the field.  A bugle was blown to wake us.”  All the slaves stayed in the field until dark.  After leaving the field they were never required to do any work but could spend their time as they saw fit to.  No work was required on Saturday or Sunday with the exception that the stock had to be cared for.  Besides those days when no work was required, there was the 4th of July and Christmas on which the slaves were permitted to do as they pleased.  These two latter dates were usually spent in true holiday spirit as the master usually gave a big feast in the form of a barbecue and allowed them to invite their friends.

When darkness came they sang and danced and this was what they called a “frolic.”  As a general rule this same thing was permitted after the crops had been gathered.  Music for these occasions was furnished by violin, banjo and a clapping of hands.  Mr. Bland says that he used to help furnish this music as Mr. Coxton had bought him a violin.