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Gantling celebrated his 89th birthday on the 20th day of November 1936. He is very small, also very short; quite active for his age and of a very genial disposition, always smiling. Interview with Mr. Clayborn Gantling, 1950 Lee Street, Jacksonville, Florida Martin Richardson, Field Worker Eatonville, Florida
Gantling was asked to relate some incidents that he could remember of the lives of slaves, and he continued: "Well the horn would blow every morning for you to git up and go right to work; when the sun ris' if you were not in the field working, you would be whipped with whips and leather strops.
One or maybe two old women would stay in a big house and keep all de chillun while their mothers worked in de fields. "Now dey is a heap more I could tell maybe but I don't think of no more now." Mr. Gantling came to Florida to Jennings Plantation near Lake Park and stayed two years, then went to Everett's Plantation and stayed one year.
He lives with his daughter, Mrs. Minnie Holly and her husband, Mr. Dany Holly on Lee Street. Mr. Gantling cannot read or write, but is very interesting. He has been a member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church for more than fifty years. He has a very good appetite and although has lost his teeth, he has never worn a plate or had any dental work done.
Clayborn Gantling was born in Dawson, Georgia, Terrell County, January 20, 1848 on the plantation of Judge Williams. Judge Williams owned 102 heads of slaves and was known to be "tolable nice to 'em in some way and pretty rough on 'em in other ways" says Mr. Gantling.
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