Annette Mayes was born at Middleton Place about 1846, her life spanning the days of slavery, Reconstruction, and first third of the 20th century. Her name first appears on Middleton Place slave lists in 1853, where she is listed with her father July (who took the surname Wright upon emancipation), mother Dye, and sister Molly.
Annette remained with the Middleton family after emancipation and traveled with them as a cook until the South Flanker was rebuilt and could be occupied. In about 1870, Susan Middleton wrote to her husband Williams, “There are only two rooms in the outbuilding at Brown’s [Hotel, Summerville]. Annette is established in one and the other is for the kitchen.”
According to the 1880 Federal Census, by that time Annette was married to Smart May and had five children – Wesley, Ezekiel, Israel, and twins Smart and Charles. The family lived on Middleton property, occupying a small tenant farmer house on Ashley River Road for a number of years. By 1900 Annette was a widow who continued to work at Middleton Place.
Much of what is known about Annette comes from stories told by those who knew her. According to her great-granddaughter Ruth Saunders Phillips, Annette held disdain for the Yankees, whom she blamed for all the strife at Middleton Place without realizing a great war had erupted. She had lived and worked at Middleton Place and therefore thought of herself as “high class.” She had been a slave but never thought of herself in that way. She merely had a job to do: feed the Middletons.
Beginning in 1925 “Miz Annette” taught her successor, Mary Sheppard, how to prepare meals for the 20th century owners of Middleton Place, Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Pringle Smith. By this time eighty-year-old Annette had become very territorial about her kitchen. Mary recalled that she considered her a young upstart and intruder, making it clear that Mary was not to touch “her” pots and pans. For a long time she made sure that as soon as she had finished cooking one meal, immediate preparations were started for the next, effectively keeping Mary away from “her” stove.
In 1926 Annette was photographed for a National Geographic Magazine article on Middleton Place. In the article she is shown checking stoneware crocks in the spring house. And, she kept on going. On November 5, 1931, the Smith’s daughter Josephine wrote her mother, “Remember me to all the servants please — Annette is a wonder!”
No records exist detailing when Annette retired from Middleton Place. She passed away at the home of her son Ezekiel on May 2, 1940.