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diff --git a/35380-0.txt b/35380-0.txt index 19189c9..d1ee0b7 100644 --- a/35380-0.txt +++ b/35380-0.txt @@ -1,30 +1,4 @@ - Slave Narratives - - Volume XVI: Texas Narratives—Part 3 - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost -no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Title: Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States -From Interviews with Former Slaves: Volume XVI, Texas Narratives, Part 3 - -Author: Work Projects Administration - -Release Date: February 23, 2011 [EBook #35380] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SLAVE NARRATIVES: A FOLK -HISTORY OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES FROM INTERVIEWS WITH FORMER -SLAVES: VOLUME XVI, TEXAS NARRATIVES, PART 3 *** - - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 35380 *** Produced by the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. @@ -8277,377 +8251,4 @@ piece of wood, such as a stake" (American Heritage Dictionary).—The Works Progress Administration was renamed during 1939 as the Work Projects Administration (WPA). - - - - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SLAVE NARRATIVES: A FOLK HISTORY -OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES FROM INTERVIEWS WITH FORMER SLAVES: -VOLUME XVI, TEXAS NARRATIVES, PART 3 *** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35380 - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one -owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and -you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission -and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Title: Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States -From Interviews with Former Slaves: Volume XVI, Texas Narratives, Part 3 - -Author: Work Projects Administration - -Release Date: February 23, 2011 [EBook #35380] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SLAVE NARRATIVES: A FOLK -HISTORY OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES FROM INTERVIEWS WITH FORMER -SLAVES: VOLUME XVI, TEXAS NARRATIVES, PART 3 *** - - - - -Produced by the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net. - -SLAVE NARRATIVES - - -_A Folk History of Slavery in the United States_ - -_From Interviews with Former Slaves_ - - -TYPEWRITTEN RECORDS PREPARED BY - -THE FEDERAL WRITERS' PROJECT - -1936-1938 - -ASSEMBLED BY - -THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PROJECT - -WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION - -FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - -SPONSORED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS - - -_Illustrated with Photographs_ - -WASHINGTON 1941 - - -VOLUME XVI - -TEXAS NARRATIVES--PART 3 - -Prepared by the Federal Writers' Project of - -the Works Progress Administration - -for the State of Texas - -[HW:] Handwritten note - -[TR:] Transcriber's note - - - - -INFORMANTS - - - - Cinto Lewis - - Hagar Lewis - - Henry Lewis - - Lucy Lewis - - Amos Lincoln - - Annie Little - - Abe Livingston - - John Love - - Louis Love - - John McCoy - - Hap McQueen - - Bill McRay - - C.B. McRay - - Julia Malone - - Adeline Marshall - - Isaac Martin - - James Martin - - Louise Mathews - - William Mathews - - Hiram Mayes - - Susan Merritt - - Josh Miles - - Anna Miller - - Mintie Maria Miller - - Tom Mills - - La San Mire - - Charley Mitchell - - Peter Mitchell - - Andrew Moody and wife Tildy - - A.M. Moore - - Jerry Moore - - John Moore - - Van Moore - - William Moore - - Mandy Morrow - - Patsy Moses - - Andy Nelson - - Virginia Newman - - Margrett Nillin - - John Ogee - - Annie Osborne - - Horace Overstreet - - Mary Overton - - George Owens - - Mary Anne Patterson - - Martha Patton - - Ellen Payne - - Henderson Perkins - - Daniel Phillips - - Lee Pierce - - Ellen Polk - - Betty Powers - - Tillie R. Powers - - Allen Price - - John Price and wife Mirandy - - Reverend Lafayette Price - - Henry Probasco - - Jenny Proctor - - A.C. Pruitt - - Harre Quarls - - Eda Rains - - Millie Randall - - Laura Redmoun - - Elsie Reece - - Mary Reynolds - - Walter Rimm - - Mariah Robinson - - Susan Ross - - Annie Row - - Gill Ruffin - - Martin Ruffin - - Florence Ruffins - - Aaron Russel - - Peter Ryas - - Josephine Ryles - -*ILLUSTRATIONS* - -Hagar Lewis -Annie Little -Abe Livingston -Hap McQueen -Bill McRay -C.B. McRay -James Martin -Louise Mathews -Susan Merritt -Josh Miles -La San Mire -Charley Mitchell -Andrew Moody and wife Tildy -A.M. Moore -Jerry Moore -Van Moore -William Moore -Patsy Moses -Virginia Newman -Margrett Nillin -John Ogee -Horace Overstreet -Mary Anne Patterson -Ellen Payne -Henderson Perkins -Daniel Phillips -Ellen Polk -Betty Powers -Tillie R. Powers -John Price and wife Mirandy -Jenny Proctor -Eda Rains -Millie Randall -Laura Redmoun -Elsie Reece -Mary Reynolds -Walter Rimm -Gill Ruffin -Martin Ruffin -Aaron Russel - - - - - - - -Cinto Lewis - - -*Uncle Cinto Lewis, ex-slave, claims to be 111 years old. He lived in a -brick cabin with his wife, Aunt Lucy, on the Huntington Plantation, in -Brazoria Co., Texas. Miss Kate Huntington says the cabin occupied by the -old couple is part of the old slave quarters built by J. Greenville -McNeel, who owned the plantation before Marion Huntington. Miss Kate's -father bought it. Although Uncle Cinto claims to be 111, he says he was -named San Jacinto because he was born during the "San Jacinto War", -which would make his age 101.* - -"Yes, suh, I's Cinto. That's Lucy over there, she my wife and I calls -her Red Heifer, 'cause her papa's name was Juan and he was a Mexican. -She and me marry right after 'mancipation. We come long way and we goin' -to die together. - -"They named me San Jacinto 'cause I's born durin' de San Jacinto war, -but they calls me Cinto. I's born in Fort Bend County, up near Richmond, -and my old marster was Marse Dave Randon, and his wife, Miss Nancy, was -my missus. She was sister to Marse John McNeel, what with his brothers -owned all de land hereabouts. - -"I 'members once I slips away come dark from de plantation, with some -others. We is slippin' 'long quiet like and a paddle roller jump out -from behin' a bush and say, 'Let's see your pass.' We didn't have none -but I has a piece of paper and I gives it to him and he walks to where -it am more light, and then we run, right through old burdock bushes with -briars stickin' us and everything. Iffen he cotched us we sho' gits a -hidin'. - -"I fust went to de field when I 'bout 15 year old, but they larned us to -work when we was chaps, we would he'p our mammas in de rows. My mamma's -name Maria Simmons and my papa, Lewis. They rared me up right. - -"Marse Dave wasn't mean like some. Sometimes de slaves run away to de -woods and iffen they don't cotch 'em fust they finally gits hongry and -comes home, and then they gits a hidin'. Some niggers jus' come from -Africa and old Marse has to watch 'em close, 'cause they is de ones what -mostly runs away to de woods. - -"We had better houses then, good plank houses, and de big house was sho' -big and nice. 'Course they didn't larn us read and write, and didn't -'low no church, but us steal off and have it sometimes, and iffen old -Marse cotch us he give us a whalin'. We didn't have no funerals like -now, they jus' dig a hole and make you a box, and throw you in and cover -you up. But de white folks fed us good and give us good clothes. We wore -red russet shoes and good homespun clothes, and we done better'n now. - -"Come Christmas time old marse sometimes give us two-bits and lots of -extra eats. Iffen it come Monday, we has de week off. But we has to -watch the eats, 'cause niggers what they marsters don't give 'em no -Christmas sneak over and eat it all up. Sometimes we have dances, and -I'd play de fiddle for white folks and cullud folks both. I'd play, -'Young Girl, Old Girl', 'High Heel Shoes,' and 'Calico Stockings.' - -"When we was freed we was all glad, but I stayed 'round and worked for -Marse Dave and he pays me a little. Finally Lucy and me gits married out -of de Book and comes down here to Marse McNeel's. They puts us in debt -and makes us work so many years to pay for it. They gives us our own -ground and sometimes we makes two bales of cotton on it. 'Course, we -works for them, too, and they pays us a little and when Christmas comes -we can buy our own things. I used to haul sugar and 'lasses for Papa -John up to Brazoria and sometimes to Columbia. - -"Yes, suh, I been here a long time, long time. All my own stuff is dead -now, I guess. I got grandchillen in Galveston, I think, but all my own -stuff is dead." - - - - -Hagar Lewis - - -*Hagar Lewis, tall and erect at 82 years of age, lives at 4313 Rosa St., -El Paso, Texas. She was born a slave of the Martin family and was given -with her mother and family to Mary Martin, when she married John M. -McFarland. They lived near Tyler, Smith Co., Texas. When freed she -remained with the McFarlands until she married A. Lewis and moved to San -Antonio, Texas. Widowed early, she raised two sons. One, chief -electrical engineer with the U.S. government, lives in New York City. He -provides for his aged mother.* - -[HW: Illegible] - -"I was born Jan. 12th, 1855. My first owners was the Martins, and when -their daughter, Mary, married, I was give to her. My mama lived to 112 -years old. She had sixteen children. I was the baby. - -"Missus Mary McFarland, my mother's missus and mine, taught us children -with her own; learned us how to read and write. She treated us just like -we were her children. We had very strict leaders, my mother and Missus -Mary. She'd say, 'Mammy Lize (my mother), 'you'll have to come and whop -Oscar and Hagar, they's fightin!' Mammy Lize would say, 'No, I won't -whop 'em, I'll just punish 'em.' And we'd have to stand with our backs -to each other. My missus never did much whoppin'. - -"We lived in cabins made of logs and chinked with mud mortar. We had -beds that had only one leg; they fit in each corner of the walls. They -was strong, stout. We could jump on 'em and have lots of fun. We didn' -stay in quarters much. The cabins was near a creek where willows grew -and we'd make stick horses out of 'em. We called it our horse lot. On -the farm was a spring that threw water high, and we'd go fishing in a -big lake on one corner of the farm. Marster owned half a league, maybe -more. - -"I was 12 years old when freed. I can remember the way my marster come -home from the war. The oldest son, Oscar, and I was out in the yard, and -I saw marster first, comin' down the road, and I hollered and screamed, -'O, Oscar, Marse John's a-comin! Marse John's a-comin' home!' We stayed -on with them 'till they all died off but Oscar. - -"We never changed our name 'till after the Civil War. Then Marse John -said, 'Mammy Lize, you gotta choose a name.' He carried us into Tyler to -a bureau or something. Mammy Lize say, 'I'm going to keep the name -McFarland. I ain't got no other name.' - -"My father was a slave from another farm. My mother was the cook. She -cooked it all in the same place for white folks and us. We ate the same, -when the white folks was finished. They's a big light bread oven in the -yard of the big house and in front of the quarters, under a big tree. -That one baked the pies. The cabins had a big fireplace wider than that -piano there. They'd hang meat and sausage and dry them in the fireplace. -Cut holes in ham and hang them there. Had big hogsheads filled up with -flour, corn and wheat. - -"Some pore niggers were half starved. They belonged to other people. -Missus Mary would call them in to feed 'em, see 'em outside the fence -pickin' up scraps. They'd call out at night, 'Marse John, Marse John.' -They's afraid to come in daytime. Marse John'd say, 'What's the matter -now?' They'd say, 'I'se hongry.' He'd say, 'Come in and git it.' He'd -cure lots of meat, for we'd hear 'em hollerin' at night when they'd beat -the pore niggers for beggin' or stealin', or some crime. - -"Marse John would saddle up Old Charlie and go see. He had a big shot -gun across his lap. We'd hear that ole bull whip just a poppin'. They'd -turn 'em loose when Marse John got after 'em. He prosecuted some -marsters for beatin' the slaves. He knew they was half feedin' 'em. One -time he let us go see where they'd drug two niggers to death with oxen. -For stealin' or somethin'. I can't say we were treated bad, 'cause I'd -tell a story. I've always been treated good by whites, but many of the -niggers was killed. They'd say bad words to the bosses and they'd shoot -'em. We'd ask Miss Mary why did they kill old Uncle so and so, and Miss -Mary would say, 'I don't know. It's not right to say when you don't -know.' I'm glad to see slavery over. - -"When I was turned loose Miss Mary was training me and sister to do -handwork, knittin' and such. Mama wouldn't let us dance, didn't want any -rough children. Miss Mary'd say, when I'd get sleepy, 'Owl eyes, ain't -you sleepy?' I'd say, 'No, ma'am, anything you want us to do?' I cried -to sleep in the big house with Miss Mary and the children, 'cause my -sister Belle did. Said she's goin' to turn white 'cause she stayed with -the white folks, and I wanted to turn white, too. - -"Miss Mary'd make our Sunday dresses. My mother put colored thread in -woven material and they was pretty. We had plenty of clothes. Miss Mary -saw to that. They paid my mother for every child she had that was big -enough to work, and Marse John saw that others did the same. - -"Some whites had a dark hole in the ground, a 'dungeon,' they called it, -to put their slaves in. They'd carry 'em bread and water once a day. -I'se afraid of the hole, they'd tell me the devil was in that hole. - - -[Illustration: _Hagar Lewis_] - - -"We set traps for 'possum, coons and squirrels. We used to have big -sport ridin' goats. One near busted me wide open. Miss Mary's brother -put me on it, and they punished him good for it. He didn't get to play -for a long time. And we had an old buck sheep. He'd keep Oscar and I up -on the oak patch fence all the time. - -"We'd watch the doodle bugs build their houses. We'd sing, 'Doodle, -Doodle, your house burned down.' Those things would come up out of their -holes just a-shakin'. - -"One game I remember was, 'Skip frog, Skip frog, Answer your Mother, -she's callin' you, you, you.' We'd stand in a circle and one would be -skip frog. We'd slap our hands and skip frog would be hoppin' just like -frogs do. Oh, I wish I could call them times back again. I'd go back -tomorrow. But I'm tryin' to live so I can meet 'em once again." - - - - -Henry Lewis - - -*Henry Lewis was born in 1835, at Pine Island, in Jefferson Co., Texas. -He was owned by Bob Cade. Henry's voice is low and somewhat indistinct -and it was evidently a strain on his vocal chords and also on his -memory, to tell the story of his life. He lives with one of his -daughters, in Beaumont, who supports him, with the aid of his pension.* - -"Old Bob Cade, he my massa, and Annie Cade, she my missus. Dey had a big -plantation over in Louisiana and 'nother in Jefferson County, out at -Pine Island. I's born a hunnerd and one year ago, on Christmas Day, out -at Pine Island. If I lives to see next Christmas day 'gain, I'll be a -hunerd two year old. - -"My mammy she come from Mis'sippi and she name' Judy Lewis. Washington -Lewis, one de slaves on Massa Bob's Louisiana plantation, he my daddy. I -can't 'member nobody else 'cept my greatgramma, Patsy. She's 130 when -she die. She look awful, but den she my folks. My own dear mammy was 112 -year old when she die. She have ten chillen and de bigges' portion dem -born in slavery time. Dey two sister older'n me, Mandy and Louise. I -name' after my daddy brudder, Henry Lewis. - -"My white folks have a plantation in Louisiana, at Caginly, and stay -over dere mos' de time. I 'member when old Massa Bob used to come to -Pine Island to stay a month or two, all us li'l chillen gather round him -and he used to throw out two bitses and big one cent pieces 'mongst us, -jis' to see us scrammel for dem. When Christmas time come round dey give -us Christmas gift and a whole week for holiday. - -"I never been no nearer east dan Lake Charles and dat been lately, so I -ain't never see de old plantation. At Pine Island us have de big woods -place with a hunerd workin' hands, without de underlin's (children). All -he niggers say Cade de good man. He hire he overseers and say, 'You can -correct dem for dey own good and make dem work right, but you ain't -better cut dey hide or draw no blood.' He git a-holt some mean overseers -but dey don't tarry long. He find out dey beatin' he niggers and den he -beat dem and say, 'How dat suit you?' - -"Old massa he a big, stocky Irishman with sandy hair and he ain't had no -beard or mustache. When he grow old he have de gout and he put de long -mattress out on de gallery and lay down on it. He say, 'Come here, my -li'l niggers,' and den he make us rub he foots so he kin git to sleep. - -"Dey used to have old slavery-day jedge and jury of white folks and dey -hear de case and 'cide how many lashes to give de darky. Dey put de lash -on dem, but dey never put no jail on dem. I seed some slaves in chains -and I heared of one massa what had de place in de fence with de hole cut -out for de nigger's neck. Dey hist up de board and de nigger put he head -through de hole and den dey beat him with a lash with holes bored in it -and every hole raise de blister. Den he bus' dem blisters with de -handsaw and dey put salt and pepper in de bucket water and 'noint dem -blisters with de mop dip in de water. Dey do dat when dey in 'ticular -bad humor, iffen de nigger ain't chop 'nough cotton or corn. Sometime a -overseer kilt a nigger, and dey don't do nothin' to him 'cept make him -pay for de nigger. But our massa good. - -"Old massa 'low us praise Gawd but lots of massas didn't 'low dem to git -on de knees. Us have church-house and de white folks go in de mornin' -and us go after dinner. Us used to sing: - - "'My knee bones achin', - My body's rackin' with pain, - I calls myself de chile of Gawd, - Heaven am my aim. - If you don't 'lieve I's a chile of Gawd, - Jis' meet me on dat other shore, - Heaven is my home. - I calls myself a chile of Gawd, - I's a long time on my way, - But Heaven am my home.' - -"Old massa have de house make out hand-sawed planks in slavery time. It -put together with home-made nails, dem spike, square nails dey make -deyselfs. It have de long gallery on it. De slaves have li'l log cabin -house with mud-cat chimney on de side and de furn'ture mostly Georgia -hosses for beds and mattress make out tow sacks. Dey no floor in dem -house, 'cept what Gawd put in dem. - -"When I six or seven year old dey 'cides I's big 'nough to start ridin' -hosses. Dey have de big cattle ranch and I ride all over dis territory. -I's too li'l to git on de hoss and dey lift me up, and dey have de real -saddle for me, too. I couldn't git up, but I sho' could stay up when I -git dere, I's jis' like a hoss-fly. - -"Beaumont was jis' a briarpatch in dem time. Jis' one li'l store and one -blacksmith shop, and Massa John Herring he own dat. Dat de way I first -see my wife, ridin' de range. De Cade brand was a lazy RC [TR: letters R -and C turned 90 degrees] dat done register 'fore I's born. Us brand from -de first of March to de 15th of December. - -"Old massa have de big field 'vided in trac's and each slave could have -a part and raise what he want, and old massa buy de crop from de slave. -He's purty good to he slaves, and us have good clothes, too, wool for -winter and cotton for summer. Us have six suit de year, unnerwear and -all. Dey a trunk like in de cabin for Sunday clothes and de res' hang on -a peg. - -"Us have plenty good food to eat, too. Beef and hawgs and bacon and -syrup and sugar and flour was plenty. All de possums and rabbits and -fish and sich was jis' dat much more. He give us de barrel whiskey every -year, too. - -"Dey 'low de li'l chillen lots of playtime and no hard task. Us play -stick hoss and seven-up marble game with marbles us make and de 'well -game.' De gal or boy sot in de chair and lean way back and 'tend like -dey in de well. Dey say dey so many feet down and say, 'Who you want -pull you out?' And de one you want pull you out, dey sposed to kiss you. - -"Dey used to be nigger traders what come through de country with de herd -of niggers, jis' like cattlemen with de herd of cattle. Dey fix camp and -de pen on de ridge of town and people what want to buy more slaves go -dere. Dey have a block and make de slaves git up on dat. Maybe one man -say, 'I give you, $200.00,' and when dey's through de slave sold to de -highes' bidder. Old massa warn us look out and not let de trader cotch -us, 'cause a trader jis' soon steal a nigger and sell him. - -"De patterrollers come round befo' de war to see iffen de massas treat -dere slaves good. My wife's gramma say dey come round to her massa's -place, but befo' dey git dere he take a meat skin and make dem rub it -round dey mouth and git dey face all greasy so it look like dey have -plenty to eat and he tell dem dey better tell de patterrollers dey -gittin' plenty to eat. But dere one big nigger and he say, 'Hell, no, he -ain't give us 'nough to eat.' Den dat nigger say, 'Please take me with -you, 'cause if you don't massa gwineter kill me when you git gone.' - -"Old massa he die befo' de war and den he son, John Cade, take over de -place, and he brudders help. Dey name' Overton and Taylor and Bob, -Junior. Us all want to git free and talk 'bout it in de quarters 'mongst -ourselfs, but we ain't say nothin' where de white folks heared us. - -"When war come on I seed sojers every day. Dey have de camp in Liberty -and I watches dem. I heared de guns, too, maybe at Sabine Pass, but I -didn't see no actual fightin'. Dat a long year to wait, de las' year de -war. Dey sont de papers down on March 5th, I done heared, but dey didn't -turn us loose den. Dis de last state to turn de slaves free. When dey -didn't let dem go in March, de Yankee sojers come in June and make dem -let us go. Next mornin' after de sojers come, de overseer reads de -papers out and say we's free as he is and we can go. Some stay on de old -place a long time and some go off. You know dey jis' slaves and wasn't -civilize'. Some ain't never git civilize' jet. Old massa never give us -nothin', but he told us we would stay on iffen we want, but I left. - -"I goes down close to Anahuac and builds a li'l log cabin at Monroe -City, and dat's where dey puttin' in oil wells now. Washington Lewis, -dat my daddy, he have 129 acres dere. De white folks say to sign de -paper to let dem put de well on it and dey give us $50.00 and us sign -dat paper and dey have de land. - -"I marries in slavery time, when I's 'bout 22 year old. My first wife -name' Rachel an she live on Double Bayou. She belong to de Mayes place. -I see her when I ridin' de range for Massa Bob. I tells massa I wants to -git marry and he make ma ask Massa Mayes and us have de big weddin'. She -dress all in white. I have de nice hat and suit of black clothes and -daddy a shoemaker and make me de good pair of shoes to git marry in. Us -stand front Massa Mayes and he read out de Bible. Us had a real big -supper and some de white folks give us money. - -"De first money I makes am workin' for de gov'ment in Galveston. After -de war de gov'ment hire folks to clean up de trash what de fightin' make -and I am hired. Dey lots of wood and stones and brick and trees and sich -dem big guns knock down. - -"I goes back to ridin' de prairie and rides till I's 94 year old. I -stops de same year Mr. Joe Hebert dies. When I quits I's out workin', -tendin' Mr. Langham's chickens and I forgits it Christmas and my -birthday till Mr. Langham comes ridin' out with my money. Dat's de last -work I done and dat in 1931 and I's 94 year old, like I say. I bet dese -nineteen hunerd niggers ain't gwine live dat long. - -"I didn't had no chillen by my first wife and she been dead 'bout 70 -year now. My last wife name' Charlotte and she been dead 22 year and us -have 16 chillen. Dey six gals and ten boys and ten am livin' now. Mos' -of dem am too old to work now. I stays with Ada, here, and she got a -gif'. She know what kind of herb am good for medicine for diff'rent -ailments. She born with a veil over de face and am wise to dem things. -Dey's de fever weed and de debil's shoestring, and fleaweed cures -neuralgy and toothache. Spanish mulberry root, dat good for kidneys. -When anybody git swolled feets give dem wild grapevine. Prickly ash bark -good for dat, too. Red oak bark good for women's troubles and pumpkin -head for de heart. Camphor and asafoetida in de bag round de neck good -for de heart. When de chile git convulsion make dem drink li'l bluin'. -Dat good for growed-up folks, too. It good for burns, too." - - - - -Lucy Lewis - - -*Lucy Lewis, wife of Cinto Lewis, does not know her age, but is very -aged in appearance, about four feet tall and weighs around 65 or 70 -pounds. She was born on the McNeel plantation at Pleasant Grove, land -now occupied by No. 2 Camp of the Clemens Prison Farm. Her master was -Johnny McNeel, brother of J. Greenville McNeel. His sister married Dave -Randon, Cinto's master. Cinto and Lucy's cabin is furnished with an -enormous four-poster bed and some chairs. Pots, pans, kettles and jugs -hang on the walls. The fireplace has a skillet and beanpot in the ashes. -The old people are almost blind.* - -"You all white folks jus' set a bit while I eats me a little breakfast. -I got me a little flap jack and some clabber here. Dem old flies gobble -it up for me, don't I git to it fust. Me and Cinto 'bout starve, old -hard time 'bout git us. I sure wishes I could find some of Marse John -Dickinson's folks, I sho' go to them. - -"Me and Cinto got nine head grandchillen down in Galveston, but dey -don't write or nothin'. All our own children are dead. Dey was Lottie -and Louisa and Alice. Dey was John, too, but he was so little and -scrawny he die when he a month old. We call him after Marse John, which -we all love so much. - -"My mama's name was Lottie Hamilton and she was born at de Cranby Camp -for Johnny McNeel. My papa was a Mexican and went by name of Juan. - -"I don't hardly recollec' when we git married. I hardly turn fifteen and -dey was fat on dese here old bones den, and I had me a purty white -calico dress to git married in. It was low in de neck with ruffles and -de sleeves come to my elbow purty like. We sho' had de finest kind of a -time when Cinto and me gits married, we-all fishes down on de bayou all -day long. Marse John marry us right out of de Bible. - -"I were bred and born in No. 2 Camp over thar, but it called McNeel -Plantation at Pleasant Grove in them days. It was Greenville McNeel's -brother and his sister, Nancy, marry Dave Randon. When my marster and -wife separate, de wife took part de slaves and de marster took some -others and us and we come down here. - -"I had five brothers and one sister and I jus' 'member, Cinto' s -step-pappy try cross de ribber on a log in high water and a old -alligator swaller him right up. - -"My marster and his missy were mighty good to us, mighty good. We used -to wear good clothes--real purty clothes--most as good as dat Houston -cloth you-all wearin'. And, sho' 'nough, I had some purty red russet -shoes. When we-all real good, Marse John used to give us small money to -buy with. I spent mos' of mine to buy clothes. We used to go barefoot -and only when I go to church and dances I wore my shoes. - -"We sho' had some good dances in my young days, when I was spry. We used -to cut all kind of steps, de cotillion and de waltz and de shotty -(schottische) and all de rest de dances of dat time. My preacher used to -whup me did he hear I go to dances, but I was a right smart dancin' gal. -I was little and sprite and all dem young bucks want to dance with me. - -"Cinto didn't know how to do no step, but he could fiddle. Dere was a -old song which come back to me, 'High heels and Calico Stockin's.' - - "'Fare you well, Miss Nancy Hawkins, - High heel shoes and calico stockin's.' - -"I can't sing now from de time I lost my teeth with de Black John fever. -When I git dat fever, my missy told me not to drink a mite of water -'cepting she told me to. I git so hot I jus' can't stand it and done -drink a two-pint bucket of water, and my teeth drop right out. - -"Missy sho' good to me. Dey 'bout 20 slaves but I stay in de house all -de time. Our house have two big rooms and a kitchen and de boys and men -have rooms apart like little bitty houses on de outside. When we don't -have to green up, I gits up 'bout sun-up to make coffee, but when we has -to green up de house for company I gits up earlier. - -"Missy Nancy used to whup me if I done told a lie, but I didn't git -whupped often. She used to whup me with a cattle whup made out of -cowhide. - -"Some of de slaves wore charms round dey necks, little bags of -asfeddity. Me, I got me three vaccinations--dat all I need. - -"We used to git lots to eat, greens and suet, fish from de ribber, -cornmeal and plenty of sugar, even in de war time. Soldiers was around -here as thick as weeds. We had to give 'em a tithe of corn and we makes -clothes for 'em, and bandages and light jackets. We made de heavy leaded -jackets, with lead in de skirts of de coat to hold it down. De lead -looked like a marble and we cut it in long strips and hammer it down. - -"One of dem Yank gunboats come up de river and shell around here. Right -here. Dem shells come whistlin' through de trees and lop de limbs right -off. Dem were sho' scare times. - -"I didn't want to be free, I was too happy with missy. But I had to be -free, jus' like de others." - - - - -Amos Lincoln - - -*Amos Lincoln, 85, was born a slave of Elshay Guidry, whose plantation -was in the lower delta country of Louisiana, about fifty miles south of -New Orleans. His memories of slave days are somewhat vague. He has lived -in Beaumont fifty-two years.* - -"My tongue's right smart I think. I's ten year old when they blew up -that fort. I mean Fort Jackson. Grandpa was cookin'. They wouldn't let -him fight. The fort was in New Orleans. They kilt lots of people. They -bore holes in the ground and blow it up. A square hole, you know, a -machine went in there. A man could crawl in the hole, yes, yes, sho'. -The fort was long side the river. They bore holes from the river bank. -They had a white paper, a order for 'em not to come to New Orleans. They -drag cannon in the hole and shoot up the fort. - -"Soon's freedom come my pa and ma was squatters on gov'ment land. It was -good land and high land. My pa had 'bout 100 acres. One night somebody -come shoot him. Shoot him in the back. Ma took the chillen to Shady -Bayou to grandpa. - -"My grandpa come from Africy. I never see my other people 'cause dey -'longs to other masters. My grandpa die when he 115 year old. - -"Elisha Guidry he my master in slavery. He had lots of slaves. He whip -my pa lots of times. He was unwillin' to work. He whip my ma, too. One -time he cut her with the whip and cut one her big toes right off. Ma -come up on the gallery and wrap it up in a piece of rag. - -"Us have a dirt house. The chimney made with mud. It's a good house. It -hot in summer. The beds made with moss and shucks and the big old ticks -made at the big house. Us didn't have no chairs. Jes' benches. In the -room's a big trough. Us sit 'round the trough and eat clabber and bread -with big, wood spoon. I eat many a meal that way myself. - -"Dem's moral times. A gal's 21 'fore she marry. They didn't go wanderin' -'round all hours. They mammies knowed where they was. Folks nowadays is -wild and weak. The gals dress up come Sunday. All week they wear they -hair all roll up with cotton they unfold from the cotton boll. Sunday -come they comb the hair out fine. No grease on it. They want it natural -curly. - -"Us have good food most time. Steel and log traps fo' big game. Pit -traps in the woods 'bout so long and so deep, and kivered with bresh and -leaves. That cotch possum and coon and other things what come 'long in -the night. Us lace willow twigs and strings and put a cross piece on top -and bottom, and little piece of wood on top edge. The trap 'bout two -feet off the ground to cotch the birds. Doves, blackbirds, any kind -birds you can eat. Us clean them li'l birds good and rub 'em down in -lard. After they set awhile us broil 'em with plenty black pepper and -salt. Us shoot plenty ducks with musket, too. - -"Greens was good, too. Us eat parsley greens and shuglar weed. That big, -two foot plant what have red flower on it. Us git lots of 'em in Wade's -Bayou. Us put li'l bit flour in ashes and make ashcake. Us cook pumpkin -in ashes, too. - -"After slavery I hoe cotton. No money at first, jes' work on halves. The -trouble that there no equal halves. The white folks pay jes' like they -wants. A man couldn't work that way no time. I had to come over to Texas -'cause a man what want my land say I stoled a barrel from he house. He -try arres' my old woman 'cause she say she find the barrel. Now, I never -have the case in lawsuit and I 'spect to die that way. But I has to stay -'way from Mauriceville for three year 'cause that man say I thiefed he -barrel. - -"Things was bad after us come to Texas for a time. That Lizal Scizche, -he sho' rough man. Us cropped on the share and he take the crop and the -money and lef' fast. Us didn't have a mess of nothin' left. - -"I manages to live by croppin'. I been here 52 year now. My first wife -name Massanne Florshann, that the French. My wife what I got now name -Annie. Massanne she give me six chillen and Annie four." - - - - -Annie Little - - -*Annie Little, 81, was born a slave of Bill Gooden, in Springfield, -Missouri. Her master owned a plantation in Mississippi, and sent Annie's -family there while she was a baby. Annie now lives in Mart, Texas.* - -"I's first a baby in Springfield. Dat in Missouri and dere am where I's -birthed in January, 1856. My daddy and mammy was Howard and Annie and -dey 'longed to Massa Bill Gooden. He have de plantation in Missipp' and -send us dere while I's still de li'l baby. Dat am what dey call de Delta -now, and de cotton so high I clumb up in de trees to reach de top of de -stalks, and de corn so high a man on he mule only have de top he hat -showin'. - -"If us mind massa and missus, dey good to us, but if de hands lazy and -not work den de overseer whop dem. When dey run 'way he sot de -bloodhounds on dem and dey clumb de tree. I's heared dem hounds bayin' -de nigger up a tree jes' lots of times. Massa never sold none my family -and we stays with him till he wife die and he die, too. - -"In de cold days de women spin and weave de cloth on looms. I stands by -and pick up de shuttle when dey fall. Us niggers all wore de clothes -make on de spinnin' wheel, but de white folks wore dresses from de -store. Dey have to pay fifty and seventy-five cents de yard for calico -den. - - -[Illustration: _Annie Little_] - - -"Den de war come. I 'member how massa come home on de furlough and when -word come he on de way, us all git ready for de big cel'bration. Dey -kill the yearlin' or hawg and all us niggers cook for de big feast. -Sometimes iffen he stay a week, we jes' do nothin' but eat and cook. - -"Dem de good old days, but dey didn't last, for de war am over to sot de -slaves free and old massa ask if we'll stay or go. My folks jes' stays -till I's a growed gal and gits married and has a home of my own. Den my -old man tell me how de Yankees stoled him from de fields. Dey some -cavalry sojers and dey make him take care of de hosses. He's 'bout twict -as old as me, and he say he was in de Bull Run Battle. He's capture in -one battle and run 'way and 'scape by de holp of a Southern regiment and -fin'ly come back to Mississip'. He like de war songs like 'Marchin' -Through Georgia,' but bes' of all he like dis song: - - "'I ain't gwine study war no more, - i gwine lay down my burden, - down by de river side, - down by de river side. - - "'Gwine lay down my sword and shield - Down by de riverside, - Down by de riverside. - - "'I ain't gwine study war no more, - Gwine try on my starry crown, - Down by de river side, - Down by de river side.' - -"Well, he done lay he burden down and quit dis world in 1916. - -"Do I 'member any hant stories? Well, we'd sit round de fire in de -wintertime and tell ghos' stories till us chillen 'fraid to go to bed at -night. Iffen I can 'lect, I'll tell you one. Dis story am 'bout a old, -haunted house, a big, old house with two front rooms down and two front -rooms up and a hall runnin' from back to front. In back am de li'l house -where Alex, massa's boy kep' he hoss, stay. - -"Dis big house face de river. Old Massa go to war and never come back no -more. Old missy jes' wait and wait, till fin'ly dey all say she am weak -in de head. Every day she tell de niggers to kill de pig, dat massa be -home today. Every day she fix up in de Sunday best and wait for him. It -go on like dat for years and years, till old miss am gone to be with old -massa, and de niggers all left and dere am jes' de old house left. - -"One day long time after freedom Alex come back, and he hair turned -white. He go up de river to de old plantation to tell Old Miss dat Old -Massa gone to he Heavenly Home, and won't be back to de old place. He -come up to de old house and de front gate am offen de hinges and de -grass high as he head, and de blinds all hangin' sideways and rattle -with de wind. Dey ain't no lightnin' bug and no crickets on de -fireplace, jes' de old house and de wind a-blowin' through de window -blinds and moanin' through de trees. - -"Old Alex so broke up he jes' sot down on de steps and 'fore he knowed -it he's asleep. He saw Old Massa and hisself gwine to war and Old Massa -am on he white hoss and he new gray uniform what de women make for him, -and de band am playin' Dixie. Old Alex seed hisself ridin' he li'l roan -pony by Old Massa's side. Den he dream o' after de battle when he look -for Old Massa and finds him and he hoss lyin' side by side, done gone to -where dere ain't no more war. He buries him, and--den de thunder and -lightnin' make Alex wake up and he look in Old Miss' room and dere she -am, jes' sittin' in her chair, waitin' for Old Massa. Old Alex go to -talk with her and she fade 'way. Alex stay in he li'l old cabin waitin' -to tell Old Miss, and every time it come rain and lightnin' she allus -sot in her chair and go 'way 'fore he git in her room. So Old Alex -fin'ly goes to sleep forever, but he never left he place of watchin' for -Old Miss. - -"De white folks and niggers what live in dem days wouldn't live in dat -big, old house, so it am call de 'hanted house by de river.' It stands -all 'lone for years and years, till de new folks from up North come and -tore it down." (See pictures of house at end of story.) - -"I well 'lect my old man sayin' how de steamboat come whistlin' up de -river and all de darkies go to singin', 'Steamboat Comin' Round da -Bend.' Dis am in de cotton patch jes' 'yond da hanted house and de -steamboat whistle mean time to go to dinner. Dat am de Little Red River -up in Arkansas, where my old man, Dolphus Little, am birthed, right near -de hanted house. - -"Dolphus and me marries in Missipp' but come to Texas and lives at -Hillsboro on Massa John Willoughby's farm. We has ten chillen and I'm -livin' with my baby boy right now. I'll tell you de song I gits all dem -chillen to sleep with: - - "Mammy went 'way--she tell me to stay, - And take good care of de baby. - She tell me to stay and sing disaway, - O, go to sleepy, li'l baby, - - "O, shut you eye and don't you cry, - Go to sleepy, li'l baby. - 'Cause mammy's boun' to come bime-by, - O, go to sleepy, li'l baby. - - "We'll stop up de cracks and sew up de seams, - De booger man never shall cotch you. - O, go to sleep and dream sweet dreams, - De booger man never shall cotch you. - - "De river run wide, de river run deep, - O, bye-o, sweet li'l baby. - Dat boat rock slow, she'll rock you to sleep, - O, bye-o, sweet li'l baby. - - Chorus - - "O, go to sleepy, sleepy, li'l baby, - 'Cause when you wake, you'll git some cake, - And ride a li'l white hossy. - O, de li'l butterfly, he stole some pie, - Go to sleepy, li'l baby. - And flew so high till he put out his eye, - O, go to sleepy, li'l baby." - - - - - - - -Abe Livingston - - -*Abe Livingston, 83 years old, was born a slave to Mr. Luke Hadnot, -Jasper Co., Texas, the owner of about 70 slaves. He now lives in -Beaumont, Texas.* - -"I done well in slavery, 'cause I belonged to Massa Luke Hadnot and he -had some boys and they and me grew up together. When my daddy beat me -I'd go up to the big house and stay there with the boys and we'd git -something to eat from the kitchen. When de white folks has et, we gits -what lef'. Massa Luke done well by his niggers, he done better'n mos' of -'em. - -"Us boys, white boys and me, had lots of fun when us growin' up. I -'member the games us play and we'd sing this: - - "'Marly Bright, Marly Bright, - Three score and ten; - Kin you git up by candlelight? - Yes, iffen your legs - Are long and limber and light.' - -"Sometimes us boys, not the white ones 'cause they couldn', would go in -the woods and stay all night. We builds campfires and watches for -witches and hants. I seen some but what they was I don' know. By the -waterhole, one tall white hant used to come nearly every night. I -couldn' say much how it looked, 'cause I was too scart to git close. - - -[Illustration: _Abe Livingston_] - - -"I was jus' about big enough to handle the mule when the war bust out. -My daddy was a servant in the army and he helped dig the breastwork -round Mansfield for the battle. - -"News of the freedom come 'bout 9 or 10 o'clock on a Tuesday morning. -Mos' us goes home and stays there till nex' Monday. Then Yankees come -and told us we's free. About 80 of 'em come and they sho' laughed a lot, -like they's glad war is through. Seem like they's more for eatin' than -anything else and dey steal the good hosses. They take everything to -eat, and 40 big gobblers and they eat the hawgs and beeves, too. How -them Yankees could eat! I never seen nothin' like it. - -"I come to Jefferson County after freedom and got me a job. It was -spikin' on the railroad. Freedom didn' mean much to me, 'cause I didn' -know the difference. I done well anyhow." - - - - -John Love - - -*John Love, 76, was born near Crockett, Texas, a slave of John Smelley. -John tells of the days of Reconstruction, and life in the river bottoms. -He now lives in Marlin, Texas.* - -"I's born on de Neches River and spends all my earlies' life right down -in de river bottoms, 'cause I done live in de Brazos bottom, too. Mammy -and pappy 'longed to John Smelley and was Rose and John. - -"It was wild down in de Neches bottom den, plenty bears and panthers and -deers and wolves and catamounts, and all kind birds and wild turkeys. -Jes' a li'l huntin' most allus fill de pot dem days. De Indians traps de -wild animals and trade de hides for supplies. We was right near to de -Cherokee and Creek res'vation. I knowed lots of Indians, and some what -was Alabama Indians and done come over here. Dey said de white people -was wrong when dey thinks Alabama mean 'here we rest.' It don't mean dat -a-tall. It mean "people what gathers mulberries.' You see, dem Alabama -Indians right crazy 'bout mulberries and has a day for a feast when de -mulberries gits ripe. Dat where de tribe git its name and de town named -after de tribe. - -"Massa Smelley fit in de Mexico War and in de Freedom War, but I don't -know nothin' 'bout de battles. De bigges' thing I 'members am when de -soldiers come back, 'cause dey finds all dey cattle stoled or dead. De -soldiers, both kinds, de 'Federates and Yankees, done took what dey -want. De plantations all growed up in weeds and all de young slaves -gone, and de ones what stayed was de oldes' and faithfulles'. - -"Times was hard and no money, and if dere wasn't plenty wild animals -everybody done starve. But after 'while, new folks come in, and has some -money and things picks up a li'l more'n more. - -"We has de sugar cane and makes sorghum, and has our own mill. Us all, -mammy and pappy and us chillun, done stay with Massa Smelley long time -after freedom, 'cause we ain't got nowhere to go or nothin'. I'd holp in -de 'lasses mill, and when we grinds dat cane to cook into syrup, dis am -de song: - - "'Ain't no more cane on de Neches, - Ain't no more cane on de land; - Oh---- ooooo---- ooooo---- oO! - Done grind it all in 'lasses, - Oh---- ooooo---- ooooo---- oO! - -"After I's 'bout growed, I moves to de Brazos bottom and works for a -stockman, den I works for de man what driv de first post on de Houston & -Texas Central right-of-way. I holped build dat railroad from Houston to -Waco, and build de fences and lay de cross-tires. Den I broke wild -hosses for Mr. Curry. He give me my groceries and twenty-five cents a -day. I was sho' proud of de job. - -"After dis, I carries de mail from Marlin to Eddy, on hossback. De roads -went through de Brazos bottom. Dey was jes' cowtrails, 'stead of roads. -Dere was a road through dat bottom so bad de white man wouldn't carry -dat mail, so dey gives it to me and I ain't got no better sense dan to -try it. Dat six miles through de bottom was all mudholes and when de -river git out de banks dat was bad. But I helt out for eight years, till -de mail sent by train. - -"I knows why dat boll-weevil done come. Dey say he come from Mexico, but -I think he allus been here. Away back yonder a spider live in de -country, 'specially in de bottoms. He live on de cotton leaves and -stalks, but he don't hurt it. Dese spiders kep' de insects eat up. Dey -don't plow deep den, and plants cotton in February, so it made 'fore de -insects git bad. - -"Den dey gits to plowin' deep, and it am colder 'cause de trees all cut, -and dey plows up all de spiders and de cold kill dem. Dey plants later, -and dere ain't no spiders left to eat up de boll-weevil. - -"I knows an old boll-weevil song, what us sing in de fields: - - "De bollweevil is a li'l bug, from Mexico, dey say, - He come try dis Texas soil, and think he better stay, - A-lookin' for a home--jes' lookin' for a home. - - "De farmer took de bollweevil and put him in de sand. - Boll weevil said to farmer, 'I'll stand it like a man, - For it's jes' my home--it's jes' my home.' - - "First time I seed de weevil, he on de eastern train, - Nex' time I seed dat weevil, he on de Memphis train, - A-lookin' for a home--jes' lookin' for a home. - - "If anybody axes you who writ dis li'l song, - It's jes' a dark-skin nigger, with old blue duckin's on." - - - - -Louis Love - - -*Louis Love, 91, was born in Franklin, Louisiana, a slave of Donaltron -Cafrey, whom Louis describes as a "leadin' lawyer and once United States -Senator." At the start of the Civil War, Louis was sent to Texas with -about 300 other slaves to escape the "Yankee invaders." Louis now lives -in Orange, Texas, and says he spends most of his time sitting on the -gallery. One hand shakes constantly and his reedy voice is tremulous.* - -"Well, I guess I's 'bout 91 year old. I 'member when freedom come. I -goes up to reg'stration de year I gits free. I walks up to old Doc Young -and say, 'I come reg'ster for de vote.' He say, 'You too young to vote. -You ask your missus.' Missus git de big book 'bout six inch thick where -she got all de births and deaths on dat place since she been missus and -she give me a letter sayin' I nineteen year old. I kep' dat letter till -not so long ago and burns it by mistake, 'cause I can't read. - -"Dave Love he was my daddy and Tildy Love was my mama. My grandmama -raise me, though. My massa's name Donaltron Cafrey and he statue stand -in de court house square now. He was a leadin' lawyer and a United -States senator. When Senator Gibson die massa he serve out he term. -Young massa name Donaltron Cafrey, junior, and he keep de big bank in -New Orleans now. - -"I never was sold to nobody. I heared folks say my folks come from -Kentucky, but my mama born on Massa Cafrey's place. He have de big -house, fine old house with galleries all 'round and big lawns. It's far -back from de road, pushin' clost to a mile, I guess. He have seven sugar -plantation and after freedom come dey rents it out at $3.00 a acre to -raise 'taters in. - -"Us live in shacks 'bout like dese 'round here. Dese times am better'n -slavery times, 'cause den you couldn't go nowheres 'thout de pass or de -patterrollers git you. Dat mean 25 lashes and more when you gits home. - -"My missus took us chillen to de Baptis' church and de white preacher he -preach. De cullud folks could have church demselves iffen dey have de -manager of 'ligion to kinder preach. Course he couldn't read, he jus' -talk what he done heared de white preachers say. - -"I git ship one time. Dat time de overseer give me de breakin'. Dey have -stocks dey put a man in. Dey put de man leg through de holes and shut it -down. De man jus' lay dere and bawl. - -"De clothes us wore was shirts and us didn't git no britches till us -big. I's wearin' britches a good many year 'fore freedom, though. Dey -give us two suit de year and us have beefhide shoes what us call -moc'sins. - -"Dey wasn't no better people dan my white folks. Dey didn't 'low us to -be brutalize', but dey didn't 'low us to be sassy, neither. I holp my -grandma milk de cows. - -"When de Yankees come to New Orleans dey go on to Port Hudson and have -de big fight dere. Massa order everybody be ready to travel nex' -mornin'. Dey 'bout 300 peoples in dat travel wagon and dey camps dat -night at Camp Fusilier, where de 'federates have de camp. Dey make only -five mile dat day. Dey stops one night at Pin Hook, in Vermilionville. -My brudder die dere. Dey kep' on dat way till dey come to Trinity River. -I stay dere five year. - -"De overseer on de new plantation name Smoot. I wait on de table and -grandma she cook for Smoot. Dey raise sugar cane and corn and peas and -sich like. Dey have lots of pork meat. Dey have stock and one time a -calf git eat by a panther. Massa hunt dat panther and shoot him in a -tree. - -"One day Smoot tell me to bring all de hands to de house when dey blows -de horn at noon. When dey gits dere old massa say dey's free as he was. -If dey stays he say he give 'em half de crop, but didn't one stay. Six -or seven what wants go back to de old home massa done give teams to and -it take dem 'bout six week comin' home. I's glad to git dere. I couldn't -see free meant no better. Missus plantation seem mighty pleasant. - -"I been marry twict. Fust time a gal name Celeste, but she 'fuse to come -to Texas with me and dat 'solve de marriage. I marry dis wife, Sarah, -'bout a few year ago. Us been marry 'bout 22 year." - - - - -John McCoy - - -*John McCoy, ex-slave, who lives in a small shack in the rear of 2310 -State St., Houston, Texas, claims to have been born Jan. 1, 1838. -Although his memory is hazy, John is certain that "folks had a heap more -sense in slave times den dey has now."* - -"Well, suh, my white folks done larn me to start de cotton row right and -point for de stake at de far end of de field, and dat way a nigger don't -git off de line and go dis-a-way and dat-a-way. He start right and end -right, yes, suh! Dat de way to live--you start right and go de straight -way to de end and you comes out all right. - -"I's been here a mighty long time, I sho has, and done forgit a heap, -'cause my head ain't so good no more, but when I first knowed myself I -'longs to old Marse John McCoy. Old Miss Mary was he wife and dey de -only white folks what I ever 'longs to. Dat how come I's a McCoy, 'cause -all de niggers what old marse have goes by his name. - -"My pappy's name was Hector and mammy's name Ann, and dey dies when I's -jes' a young buck and dat been a long time 'fore freedom. Ain't got no -brudders and sisters what I knows 'bout. All a slave have to go by am -what de white folks tells him 'bout his kinfolks. - -"Old Marse John have a big place round Houston and raises cotton and -corn and hawgs and cows. Dere was lots of wilderness den, full of -varmints and wildcats and bears. Old Marse done larn me 'bedience and -not to lie or steal, and he larn me with de whip. Dat all de larnin' we -gits. Does he cotch you with de book or paper, he whip you hand down. He -don't whip de old folks none, jes' de young bucks, 'cause dey wild and -mean and dat de onlies' way dey larns right from wrong. - -"I tells you jes' like I tells everyone--folks had heap more sense in -slave times dan dey has now. Long as a nigger do right, old marse -pertect him. Old Marse feed he niggers good, too, and we has plenty -clothes. Course, dey home-made on de spinnin' wheel, but dey good. De -shoes jes' like pen'tentiary shoes, only not fix up so good. Old Marse -kill a cow for meat and take de hide to de tanner and Uncle Jim make dat -hide into shoes. Dey hard and heavy and hurt de feets, but dey wear like -you has iron shoes. - -"Old Marse don't work de niggers Sunday like some white folks do. Dat de -day we has church meetin' under trees. De spirit jes' come down out de -sky and you forgits all you troubles. - -"Slave times was de best, 'cause cullud folks am ig'rant and ain't got -no sense and in slave times white folks show dem de right way. Now dey -is free, dey gits uppity and sassy. Some dese young bucks ought to git -dere heads whipped down. Dat larn dem manners. - -"Freedom wasn't no diff'rence I knows of. I works for Marse John jes' de -same for a long time. He say one mornin, 'John, you can go out in de -field iffen you wants to, or you can git out iffen you wants to, 'cause -de gov'ment say you is free. If you wants to work I'll feed you and give -you clothes but can't pay you no money. I ain't got none.' Humph, I -didn't know nothin' what money was, nohow, but I knows I'll git plenty -victuals to eat so I stays till old marse die and old miss git shet of -de place. Den I gits me a job farmin' and when I gits too old for dat I -does dis and dat for white folks, like fixin' yards. - -"I's black and jes' a poor, old nigger, but I rev'rence my white folks -'cause dey rared me up in de right way. If cullud folk pay 'tention and -listen to what de white folks tell dem, de world be a heap better off. -Us old niggers knows dat's de truth, too, 'cause we larns respec' and -manners from our white folks and on de great day of jedgment my white -folks is gwineter meet me and shake hands with me and be glad to see me. -Yes, suh, dat's de truth!" - - - - -Hap McQueen - - -*Hap McQueen, 80, was born in Tennessee, a slave of the McQueen family, -who later brought Hap to Texas. He now lives in Beaumont.* - -"I's born in Tennessee but dey brings me 'way from dere when I's a -little chile, what my mammy say is eight year gwine on nine. My daddy -name' Bill McQueen and my mammy name Neelie. - -"We come from Tennessee in de fall in de wagons and it takes us a long -time, 'cause we camps on de way. But we gits dere and starts to work on -de new place. - -"Massa have three cook women and two was my grandma and my mammy. De -dinin' room was right by de kitchen and we has plenty to eat. He was a -good massa and I wouldn't knowed it been slavery iffen dey hadn't told -me so, I was treat so good. - -"Dey have a big house to take care de chillen when dey mammies workin' -in de fields, and old missus sho good to dose chillen. She comes in -herse'f every day to see dem and sometime play with dem. - -"Massa son John was de overseer but de old massa wouldn't 'low him to -whip de slaves. Iffen it got to be done, old massa do it, but he never -draw blood like on de plantations 'round us. Some of dem on dose -plantations say dey ain't want Massa McQueen's niggers 'round de place, -'cause dey's free, dey fed too good and all, and dey afraid it make dere -slaves unsatisfy. - -"Dey allus stop workin' Saturday afternoons and Sunday and gits pass to -go fishin' or huntin'. Sometime dey has preachin' under de arbor. Den at -dinner time dey blow de horn and de cullud folks eats at de same time as -de white folks, right where massa kin watch 'em, and if dey not enough -to eat, he say, 'How come? What de matter with de cooks?' - -"He live in a two-story house builded out of lumber and all 'round in de -yard was de quarters. Dey make out of logs and most has a little patch -de massa 'lows 'em, and what dey raise dey own. My daddy raise cotton -each year and he raise sweet 'taters and bank 'em. - -"Dey has Georgia hosses in de quarters. Dey was dem bed places what de -niggers slep' on. Dey bores holes in de wall of de house and makes de -frame of de bed and puts cotton mattress and quilt on dem. De white -folks have house make bedsteads, too. De first bought bed I see was a -plumb 'stonishment to me. It have big posties to hang 'skeeter bar over. -De chairs was homemake too, with de white oak splits for de bottoms. - -"Massa he didn't go to de war, but he sent he oldest boy, call John. He -takes my daddy 'long to feed de stock and like dat. I goes to de camp -once to see my daddy and stays a good while. Dey fixin' to fight de -Yankee and dey rest and eat and talk. Dey shoot at de rifle ring and dey -make dem practise all dey got to know to be good soldier. - -"When freedom come 'long, massa line us all up by de gallery and say, -'You is you own women and men. You is free. Iffen you wants to stay, I -gives you land and a team and groceries.' My daddy stays. - - -[Illustration: _Hap McQueen_] - - -"I marry long time after freedom and raise' two batch of chillen. My -first wife have eight and my second wife have nine. - -"I 'members de story 'bout de man what owned de monkey. Dat monkey, he -watch and try do everything a man do. One time a nigger make up he mind -scare 'nother nigger and when night time come, he put a white sheet over -him and sot out for de place dat nigger pass. De monkey he seed dat -nigger with de sheet and he grab de nice, white tablecloth and throw it -over him and he follow de nigger. Dat nigger, he hear something behin' -him and look 'round and see somethin' white followin' him and he think -it a real ghostie. Den he took out and run fitten to kill hissel'f. De -monkey he took out after dat nigger and when he fall 'zausted in he -doorway he find out dat a monkey chasin' him, and he want to kill dat -monkey, but he can't do dat, 'cause de monkey de massa's pet. - -"So one day dat nigger shavin' and de monkey watchin' him. He know right -den de monkey try de same thing, so when he gits through shavin' he turn -de razor quick in he hand, so de monkey ain't seein' him and draw de -back of de razor quick 'cross he throat. Sho' 'nough, when he gone, de -monkey git de bresh and rub de lather all over he face and de nigger he -watchin' through de crack. When dat monkey through shavin' he drew de -razor quick 'cross he throat, but he ain't know for to turn it, and he -cut he own throat and kill hissel'f. Dat what de nigger want him to do -and he feel satisfy dat de monkey done dead and he have he revengence." - - - - -Bill McRay - - -*Bill McRay was born in Milam, fifteen miles north of San Augustine, -Texas, in 1851. He is a brother of C.B. McRay. Col. McRay was his owner -(the name may have been spelled McCray, Bill says). Bill now lives in -Jasper, Texas. He is said to be an expert cook, having cooked for -hotels, boats and military camps 40 years.* - -"I was born in Milam in 1851 and dat makes me 86 year ole. My mother and -father was slaves and dey brung me to Jasper in 1854. Colonel McRay, he -was our marster and dis' our boss. He have 40 head of niggers, but he -never hit one of 'em a lick in his life. He own a big farm and have a -foreman named Bill Cummins. I stay with de Colonel till after I's free. - -"Us have good marster, but some of de neighbors treat dere slaves rough. -Ole Dr. Neyland of Jasper, he have 75 or 80 slaves and he was rich and -hard on de slaves. One day two run away, Tom and Ike, and Dr. Neyland -takes de bloodhoun's and ketch dose two niggers and brung 'em in. One of -de niggers takes a club and knock one of de houn's in de head and kilt -him. Dey cook dat dog and make dem niggers eat part of him. Den dey give -both of 'em a beatin'. - -"De ole log jail in Jasper, it useter stan' whar de Fish Store is now. -Dey have a place t'other side de jail whar dey whip niggers. De whippin' -pos' was a big log. Dey make de niggers lie down on it and strap 'em to -it. I was a lil' boy den and me and two white boys, Coley McRay and -Henry Munn, we useter slip 'round and watch 'em. Coley and Henry both -grow up and go to war but neither one come back. - - -[Illustration: _Bill McRay_] - - -"Sam Swan, he was sheriff, and he ketch two run-away niggers one day. -Dey was brudders and dey was name Rufe and John Grant. Well, he takes -'em and puts dem in jail and some of de men gits 'em out and takes 'em -down to de whippin' pos' and den strap 'em down and give 'em one -terrible lashin' and den throw salt in dere wounds and you could hear -dem niggers holler for a mile. Den dey took 'em back to de farm to wo'k. - -"Dey hanged good many niggers 'round Jasper. In slavery times dey hangs -a nigger name Jim Henderson, at Mayhew Pond. Us boys wen' dere and mark -de tree. Two cullud men, Tom Jefferson and Sam Powell, dey kill anudder -nigger and dey hang dem to de ole white oak tree what is south of Jasper -Court House. - -"After I's free I cooks for Cap'n Kelly in his mil'tary camps for 21 -year. Den I cook for boats what run up and down de Neches and Angelina -rivers. I wants to say, too, dat I wo'ks for every sheriff in Jasper -County 'ceptin' de las' one. Guess I's too young to wo'k for him!" - - - - -C.B. McRay - - -*C.B. McRay was born in Jasper, Texas, in 1861, a slave to John H. -McRay, a slave trader. C.B. is rather unapproachable, and has a -secretive manner, as though he believes the human race will bear a -little watching. He told of only one wife, but his present wife -explained, confidentially, that he has had six. He lives in Jasper.* - -"My name is C.B. McRay, better knowed as 'Co'nstalk', 'cause I's long -and thin. Also knowed as 'Racer', 'cause I useter be fleet on the feet. -When I's ten year ole I often caught a rabbit what jump 'fore me, jus' -by runnin' him down. Don' see why my boys can't do the same. - -"I's bo'n in Jasper, on Main street, right where Lanier's Store stan's, -on the 12th of April, in 1861. My father's name was Calvin Bell McRay, -de same as mine, and mother's name was Harriet McRay. Father was bo'n in -Virginny and mother in Sabine County, in Texas. My brudders' names was -Bill McRay and Robert and Duckin Dacus. Father and mother was slaves -right here in Jasper, and so was my gran'parents, who was bo'n in -Africy. - -"John McRay was us marster. He was call a 'nigger trader', and was sich -a easy marster dat other people call he slaves, 'McRay's free niggers'. -He make trips to New Orleans to buy slaves and brung 'em back and sol' -'em to de farmers. Missus was de bestes' white woman to cullud folks dat -ever live. - -"I's too lil' to wo'k much but I 'member lotsa things. Us have a big -dinin'-room with a big, long table for de cullud folks and us git jus' -the same kin' of food dat the white folks have on dere table. Iffen a -nigger sass marster and he couldn' control him, he was de fus' one to be -sol' and git rid of. He sol' my uncle dat way. But marster was good to -us when we done right. - -"The nigger women spinned and weaved cloth. I 'spec' dat's the onlies' -place in Jasper whar you could go any time of day and see a parlor full -of nigger women, sittin' up dere fat as dey could be and with lil' to -do. Marster have no plantation for de men to wo'k but he rented lan' for -them to cult'vate. - -"Marster's niggers all got Sunday clothes and shoes. Every one of dem -have to dress and come to the parlor so he could look dem over 'fore dey -goes to church. - -"Us have a foreman, name Charlie. It was his duty to keep de place -stock' with wood. He take slaves and wo'k de wood patches when it -needed, but onct marster come home from New Orleans and foun' dem all -sufferin' for want of fire. He call ole Charlie and ask him why he not -git up plenty wood. 'Well,' old Charlie say, 'wood was short and 'fore I -could git more dis col' spell come and it too awful col' to git wood.' -Marster say, 'You keep plenty wood or I gwinter sell you to a mean -marster.' Charlie git better for a while, then he let wood git low -again. So he was sol' to Ballard Adams, who had the name of bein' hard -on his slaves. Charlie couldn' do enough wo'k to suit Marster Adams, so -he put him in what's knowed as the 'Louisiana shirt.' Dat was a barrel -with a hole cut in the bottom jus' big enough for Charlie to slip he -head through. Dey pull dis on to him every mornin' and then he couldn' -sit down or use he arms, coul' jus' walk 'roun' all day, de brunt of -other slaves' jokes. At night dey took it off and chain him to he bed. -After he have wo'n dis Louisiana shirt a month de marster task he again. -He fail and run off to the woods. So Marster Adams, he come to Marster -McRay and want to sell Charlie back again, but he couldn', 'cause -freedom jus' come and they couldn' sell slaves no more, but Marster -McRay say Charlie coul' come back and stay on he place if he wanted to. - - -[Illustration: _C.B. McRay_] - - -"Dey didn' try to teach us readin' and writin', but Miss Mary read de -Bible to us every Sunday. Iffen us git sick dey git ol Dr. Haynes or Dr. -Perkins. - -"When us chillun, we plays 'Town Ball' and marbles. Mother's fav'rite -lullaby was Bye-o Baby Buntin'. - -"I never seed any sojers till after de War close, den I seed dem camp on -Court House Square right here in Jasper. When freedom was 'clared, Miss -Mary call us niggers into the parlor and den Marster McRay come and tol' -us we's free. He 'vise 'em to wo'k 'round Jasper, whar they knows -people, and says iffen any wan's to stay with him to please rise up. -Every person riz up. So dey all stay with him for a time. After 'while -he 'gin to rent and cult'vate differen' plantation, and dere treatment -not so good, so dey 'gin to be dissatisy and pull loose." - - - - -Julia Malone - - -*Julia Malone, 79, was born a slave of Judge Ellison, who owned a -thousand acre plantation near Lockhart, Texas. Julia's mother was killed -by another slave. Julia stayed with the Ellison family several years -after she was freed. She lives at 305 Percy St., Fort Worth, Texas.* - -"Jedge Ellison owned 'bout a tousand acres land near Lockhart, a few -miles up de Clear Fork river. Right dere I is borned, and it were a big -place and so many goin' and comin' it look like de beehive. De buildin's -and sheds look like de li'l town. - -"I 'member bein' left in de nursery whilst my mammy work in de fields. -One night she go to de river for to wash clothes. She has to wash after -dark and so she am washin' and a nigger slave sneak up on her and hit -her on de neck, and it am de death of her. So de woman what mammy allus -live with takes care of me den and when freedom came she moves to town, -but massa won't let her took me. I stays on with him and runs errands, -while I is not fannin' de new baby. Dey has six while I'm dere. I fans -dem till I drops asleep, and dat call for de whippin'. - -"My foster mammy comes out and asks massa to let her have me, but he -won't do dat. But she puts one over on him fin'ly and gits me anyway. He -am gone and missus am gone and I has to stay home alone with de last -baby, and a man and woman what was slaves on de place 'fore surrender, -comes by in a wagon and tells me to jump in. Dey takes me to my foster -mammy and she moves and won't 'low me outside, so massa can't ever find -me. - -"She 'splains lots of things to me. I done see de women stick dere heads -in de washpot and talk out loud, while us in slavery. She tells me day -prayin' for de Lawd to take dem out from bondage. Dey think it right to -pray out loud so de Lawd can hear but dey mustn't let de massa hear dem. - -"I asks her 'bout my father and she says him on de place but die 'fore -I's borned. He was make de husband to lots of women on de place, 'cause -he de big man. - -"She am good to me and care for me till I meets de boy I likes. Us lives -together for fifteen years and den him dies. My chillen is all dead. He -name am William Emerson and I waits nine years 'fore I marries 'gain. -Den I marries Albert Malone and I's lucky 'gain. He's de good man. One -day he am fixin' de sills under de house and de whole house moves over -and falls on him. I feels so grievous over dat I never marries 'gain. -Dat thirty-four year ago, and I lives alone all de time. It ain't 'cause -I doesn't have de chance, 'cause lots of bucks wants me, 'cause I's de -hard worker. - -"I washes for de livin' and washes old massa's daughter's clothes. Massa -am de powerful man durin' slavery and have de money and fine clothes and -drives de fine teams and acts like de cock of de walk. All dat changes -after freedom. I seed him layin' in de sun like de dog. I offers to wash -he clothes and he jus' grunt. He done turned stone deaf, and de white -folks say it 'cause he done treat he slaves so bad. - -"I done live here in Fort Worth 'bout fifteen years with my daughter, -Beulah Watkins. I's mighty happy here, and has de $10.00 pension and -thanks de Lawd fer dat." - - - - -Adeline Marshall - - -*Adeline Marshall, 3514 Bastrop St., Houston, Texas, was born a slave -somewhere in South Carolina. She was bought by Capt. Brevard and brought -to Texas while still a baby, so she remembers nothing about her family -and has no record of her age. Adeline is evidently very old.* - -"Yes, suh, Adeline Marshall am my name, all right, but folks 'round here -jes' calls me 'Grandma.' - -"Lawd have mercy, I's been in dis here land too long, too long, and jes' -ain't no 'count no more for nothin'. I got mis'ries in my bones and jes' -look at what I's got on my feet! Dem's jes' rags, dat's all, rags. Can't -wear nothin' else on 'em, dey hurts so. Dat's what de red russet shoes -what we wears in slave times done--jes' pizen de feets. - -"Lawd, Lawd, dat sho' bad times--black folks jes' raise up like cattle -in de stable, only Cap'n Brevard, he what own me, treats he hosses and -cattle better'n he do he niggers. - -"Don't know nothin' 'bout myself, 'cept on Cap'n Brevard's place down on -Oyster Creek. He has de plantation dere, what de only place I knows till -I's freedomed. He says I's a South Carolina nigger what he bought back -dere and brung to Texas when I jes' a baby. I reckon it de truth, 'cause -I ain't never knowed no mama or papa, neither one. - -"Cap'n he a bad man, and he drivers hard, too, all de time whippin' and -stroppin' de niggers to make dem work harder. Didn't make no difference -to Cap'n how little you is, you goes out to de field mos' soon's you can -walk. De drivers don't use de bullwhip on de little niggers, but dey -plays de switch on us what sting de hide plenty. Sometimes dey puts a -nigger in de stocks and leaves dem two or three days, don't give dem -nothin' to eat or a drink of water, jes' leaves dem till dey mos' dead. -Does dey die, jes' put dem in a box and dig a hole out back of de hoss -lot and dump dem in and cover up. Ain't no preachin' service or nothin', -but de poor nigger out he mis'ry, dat's all. - -"Old Cap'n jes' hard on he niggers and I 'member one time dey strops old -Beans what's so old he can't work good no more, and in de mornin' dey -finds him hangin' from a tree back of de quarters. He done hang himself -to 'scape he mis'ry! - -"We works every day 'cept Sunday and has to do our washin' den. Does -anybody git sick week days, he has to work Sunday to make it up. When we -comes in at night we has to go right to bed. Dey don't 'low no light in -de quarters and you better be in bed if you don't want a whippin'. - -"We gits a plain cotton slip with a string 'round de neck, de stuff dey -makes pickin' sacks of. Summer or winter, dat all we gits to wear. - -"Old Cap'n have a big house but I jes' see it from de quarters, 'cause -we wasn't 'lowed to go up in de yard. I hear say he don't have no wife, -but a black woman what stays at de house. Dat de reason so many 'No -Nation' niggers 'round. Some calls dem 'Bright' niggers, but I calls dem -'No Nation' 'cause dat what dey is, ain't all black or all white, but -mix. Dat come from slave times. - -"I knows I's good size when Old Cap'n calls us in and say we's free, but -nobody tell me how old I is and I never found out. I knows some of us -stays and works for somethin' to eat, 'cause we didn't know no one and -didn't hab nowheres to go. - -"Den one day, Cap'n come out in de field with 'nother man and pick me -and four more what's workin' and say we's good workers. Dat was Mr. Jack -Adams, what have a place clost to Stafford's Run. He say if we wants to -work on his place he feed us and give quarters and pay us for workin', -and dat how come I leaves old Cap'n, and I ain't never see him or dat -place where I's raise sence, but I reckon he so mean de debbil done got -him in torment long time ago. - -"I works in de field for Mr. Jack and dat where Wes Marshall, what I -marries, works, too. After we gits married we gits a piece of ground and -stays on de same place till Mr. Jack die and we come to Houston. Dat -'fore de 1900 storm. - -"I tells folks when dat storm comin'. I ain't 'lieve in no witch doin's, -but some way I knows when dat storm comin'. Dey laughs at dis old -nigger, but it come and dey loses hosses and cattle and chickens and -houses. - -"I tells de truth jes' like it am, and I's had a hard time in de land. -Why, in dis sinful town, dey don't do like de Good Book say. No, suh, -dey don't. It say, 'Love thy neighbor,' and folks don't love nobody but -theyselves! - -"Jes' look at me! I's old with mis'ry and 'lone in de world. My husband -and chillen done die long ago and leave me here, and I jes' go from -house to house, tryin' to find a place to stay. Dat why I prays Gawd to -take me to his bosom, 'cause He de onlies' one I got to call on." - - - - -Isaac Martin - - -*Quite black, with close-cut hair and stubby gray whiskers, Isaac Martin -is contentedly spending the evening of his life. But two or three -darkened teeth show between his thick lips as he talks. He was enjoying -the friendly shade of the old tree in his backyard from his comfortable -seat in an old rocker. His feet were bare and his once striped trousers -were rolled up above his knees to keep him cool in the hot midsummer -weather. Beside the chair was a pair of brogan shoes with gaping splits -across the toes to avoid cramping his feet. He told the story of by-gone -days with evident enjoyment.* - -"Dis ol' man jes' layin' 'roun'. Ain't nuttin' to him no mo'. I done wo' -out. I jes' waitin' for de Good Marster to call po' ol' Isaac home to -Glory. - -"When dey read de proclamation to my mammy and daddy dey mek 'em give -eb'rybody' age in de fam'ly. I was twelve year' ol' den. - -"I was bo'n up here in Montgomery county 'bout t'ree mile from Willis -upon de I&GN Railroad. I holp to buil' dat I&GN Railroad. - -"Ol' Major Wood he my daddy' marster, and 'course he mine too. He was -well fixed. He had 'bout seb'nty or eighty wukkin' slaves and I dunno -how many li'l niggers. I didn' know nuttin' 'bout ol' Missus, Mrs. Wood. -I jis' 'member she a big fat woman. Dey didn' 'low no li'l nigger -chillun up in de yard 'roun' de big house 'cep'n' to clean up de yard, -and dem what done dat, dey hatter be jis' like dat yard, clean as -peckerwoods. - -"Ol' marster he warn't mean. He nebber whip' 'em jis' so iffen anybody -say de slave orter be whip. Dey hafter see him and tell him what dey -done befo' he give de order to de overseer to whip. Iffen he don' t'ink -dey orter be whip, he say don' whip 'em and dey don' git whip. - -"I had to mind de cows and de sheep. I had a mule to ride 'roun' on. It -was dis way, I hafter mind de cows. Ol' marster he plant dif'rent fiel's -in co'n, fifty or sixty or a hundred acres. When dey harvestin' de co'n, -when dey git one fiel' done dey tu'n de cows in so dey kin eat on de -stalks and nubbins what lef' in dat fiel'. I got to ride 'roun' and see -de cows don' bus' over from one fiel' what dey done harves' into de -other fiel' where dey wukkin', or what ain't been harves' yet. I jis' -like dat, ridin' dat mule 'roun' de fiel' and keepin' de cows in. - -"Den dere was five or six of us boys to keep de dogs out de sheep. You -know iffen de dogs git in de sheep dey ap' to kill 'em. - -"Us go huntin' wid de dogs lots of time, and lots of time us ketch -rabbits. Dey was six dogs, and de rabbits we kotch was so much vittles -for us. I 'member one night us went out huntin' and ketch fo' or five -rabbits. Us tek 'em home and clean and dress 'em, and put 'em in de pot -to have big rabbit supper. I was puttin' some red pepper in de pot to -season 'em, and den I rub my eyes wid my han' and git dat pepper in my -eyes and it sho' burn. You know how red pepper burn when it git in your -eyes, I nebber will forgit 'bout dat red pepper. De ol' folks uster show -us how to fix de t'ings we ketch huntin', and cook 'em. - -"Ol' marster sho' t'ought mo' of his li'l nigger chillen. He uster ride -in de quarters 'cause he like to see 'em come runnin'. De cook, she was -a ol' woman name' Forney, and she had to see atter feedin' de chillen. -She had a way of callin' 'em up. She holler, 'Tee, tee, t-e-e;' and all -us li'l niggers jis' come runnin'. Ol' marster he ride up and say, -'Forney, call up dem li'l pickaninnies,' and ol' Forney she lif' up her -voice and holler, 'Tee, t-e-e, t-e-e,' and ol' marster jis' set up on de -hoss and laugh and laugh a lot to see us come runnin' up. He like to -count how many li'l niggers he did have. Dat was fun for us too. I -'member dat jes' like yestiddy. - -"Nuttin' went hard wid me. Fur's I know 'bout slav'ry dem was good -times. - -"Dey had 'bout t'ree or fo' hundred of sheep. My father hafter kill a -mutton eb'ry Friday for de house. Dey bring up de sheep and somebody -hol' de head 'cross a block and my father cut de head off wid a hatchet. -Sheeps is de pitifullest t'ings to kill. Day jis' give up. And dey -cries, too. But a goat, he don' give up, naw suh, he talk' back to you -to de las'. - -"I 'member one time dey gwine to give a school feas', and dey gwine kill -a goat. Dey hang dat goat up to a tree by he hind legs so de blood dreen -good. Dey cut he t'roat, dat's de way dey gwine kill 'im. Dat goat seem -like he kep' on talkin' and sayin' 'Please, God, don' kill me' to de -las', but dat ain't done no good. Dat goat jis' beg to de las'. - -"My ol' marster he live in a big house. Oh, it was a palace. It had -eight or nine rooms. It was buil' outer logs, and moss and clay was -stuff' twixt de logs. Dere was boards on de outside and it was all coil' -nice on de inside. He lived in a mansion. - -"Dey was plenty rich. Ol' marster he had a ol' waitin' man all dress up -nice and clean. Now if you wanter talk to ol' marster you hafter call -for dat ol' waitin' man. He come and you tell him what you want and den -he go and tell ol' marster and den he say, 'Bring him in,' and den you -go in and see de ol' marster and talk your business, but you had to be -nice and hol' your hat under your arm. - -"Dey's big rich people. Sometime' dey have parties what las' a week. Dey -was havin' dere fun in dere way. Dey come in kerridges and hacks. - -"My father was de hostler and he hafter keep de hosses and see 'bout -feedin' 'em. Dey had a sep'rate li'l house for de saddles. Ol' marster -he kep' good hosses. He warn't mean. - -"He had a great big pasture and lots of times people go camp in it. You -see it was dis-away, de Yankees dey got rushin' de American people, dat -de Confed'rates, dey kep' comin' furder and furder wes', 'till dey come -to Texas and den dey can't go much furder. De Yankees kep' crowdin' 'em -and dey kep' on comin'. When dey camp in ol' marster' pasture, he give -'em co'n. I see 'em dribe a whole wagon load of co'n and dump it on de -groun' for dey hosses. De Yankees nebber come 'till de war close. Den -dey come all through dat country. Dat was destruction, it seem to me -like. Dey take what dey want. - -"When freedom come and de proclamation was read and de ol' marster tol' -'em dey was free and didn' have no ol' marster no mo' some of de slaves -cried. He tell 'em, 'I don't want none of you to leave. I'll give you -$8.00 a mont'.' All de ol' folks stay and help gadder dat crop. It sho' -griebe ol' marster and he didn' live long atter dey tek his slaves 'way -from him. Well, it jis' kill' him, dat's all. I 'members de Yankees on -dat day dey sot to read de proclamation. Dey was gwine 'roun' in dey -blue uniform' and a big long sword hangin' at dey side. Dat was -cur'osity to dem niggers. - -"When ol' marster want to go out, he call he li'l nigger serbent to go -tell my father what was de hostler, to saddle up de hoss and bring him -'roun'. Den ol marster git on him. He had t'ree steps, so he could jis' -go up dem steps and den his foot be right at de stirrup. My daddy hol' -de stirrup for him to put he other foot in it. - -"I was big 'nuff to run after him and ax him to gimme a dime. He laugh -and sometime he gimme de dime. Sometime he pitch it to me and I run and -grab it up and say, 'T'ankee, marster,' and he laugh and laugh. - -"Ol' mistus she had a reg'lar cook. Dat was my mudder's mudder. -Eb'ryt'ing had to be jis' so, and eb'ryt'ing nice and clean. - -"Dey didn' do no reg'lar wuk on Sunday. Eb'ry Sunday one of de other -wimmins hafter tek de place of de cook so she could git off. All of 'em -what could would git off and go to de chu'ch for de preachin'. Dem what -turn didn' come one Sunday, would go anudder 'till dey all got 'roun' to -go. - -"Marster had two or t'ree hundred head of cattle. My gran'father, -Guilford, had a mule and hoss of he own. Uncle Hank was his brudder, and -he had de sheep department to look attar. Sometime de niggers git a hoss -or a sheep over, den de marster buy 'im. Some of de niggers had a li'l -patch 'roun' dey cabin' and dey raise veg'table. Ol' marster he buy de -veg'table sometime. I didn' know what freedom was. I didn' know wedder I -needed it or not. Seem to me like it was better den dan now, 'cause I -gotter look out for myself now. - -"Us uster be on de watch-out for ol' marster. De fus' one see him comin' -lit out and open de gate for him to ride froo and ol' marster toss him a -nickle. - -"When it was time to eat, de ol' cook she holler out, 'T-e-e, t-e-e, -t-e-e-e' and all us li'l niggers come runnin'. She have a big tray and -each of us have a wessel and a spoon. She fill' us wessel and us go eat -and den us go back for mo'. Us git all us want. Dey give us supper befo' -de han's come in from de fiel' and what wid playin' 'roun' all day and -eatin' all us could hol' in de afternoon, twarn't long befo' us li'l -niggers ready to go to sleep. - -"One t'ing, ol' marster didn' want his niggers to run about. Sometime -dey want to go over to anudder plantation on Sunday. Den he give 'em a -pass iffen he willin' for 'em to go. Dey had patterrollers to ride from -plantation to see iffen dey was any strange niggers dere. - -"When dey wanter marry, de man he repo't to ol' marster. He want his -niggers to marry on his own plantation. He give 'em a nice li'l supper -and a big dance. Dey had some sort of license but ol' marster tek care -of dat. He had two sons what had farms and slaves of dere own. Ol' -marster didn' care if his slaves marry on his sons' farms. If any of de -slaves do mean, he mak 'em work on Sunday. He didn' b'leeb in beatin' -'em. - -"So many of 'em as could, usually go to de white folks chu'ch on Sunday -and hear de white preacher. Dey sit off to deyse'fs in de back of de -chu'ch. Dem what stay at home have a cullud preacher. Dey try to raise -'em up social. - -"Dey had a ol' woman to look after de babies when dey mammies was out in -de fiel'. Dey have a time sot for de mammies te come in and nuss de -babies. De ol' woman she had helpers. Dey had a big house and cradle' -for dem babies where de nuss tek care of 'em. - -"When anybody die dey have a fun'rel. All de han's knock off work to -'tend de fun'rel. Dey bury de dead in a ho'made coffin. - -"I nebber pay no 'tenshun to talk 'bout ghos'es. I nebber b'leeb in 'em. -But one time comin' from chu'ch my uncle' wife say, 'Ike, you eber see a -ghos'? Want to see one?' and I tell her 'I don't give a cent, yes I want -to see one.' She say, 'I show you a man dress' all in white what ain't -got no head, and you gwine feel a warm breeze.' After a while down de -hill by de graveyard she say, 'Dere he go.' I look' but I neber see -nuttin', but I feel de warm breeze. - -"I uster go to see a gal and I uster hafter pass right by a ol' -graveyard. It was all wall' up wid brick but one place dey had steps up -over de wall so when dey hafter bury a body two men kin walk up dem -steps side by side, and dat de way dey tek de corpse over. Well, when I -git to dem steps I hear sump'n'. Den I stop and I ain't hear nuttin'. -When I start walkin' ag'in I hear de noise ag'in. I look 'roun' and den -I see sump'n' white come up right dere where de steps go over de wall. I -had a stick in my han' and nex' time it come up I mek a rush at it and -hit it. It was jis' a great big ol' billy goat what got inside de wall -and was tryin' to git out. He get out jis' when I hit him and he lit out -froo de woods. Dat's de only ghos' I eber see and I's glad dat warn't no -ghos'. - -"Ol' marster he had twenty head of cows. Dey give plenty milk. Dey uster -git a cedar tub big as dat dere one full of milk. De milkers dey pack it -en dey head to de house. Us cow-pen boys had to go drive up de caffs. -Cow-pen boys? Cow-pen boys, dem de boys what keep away de caffs when dey -do de milkin'. Co'se, lots of times when dey froo milkin' us jump on 'em -and ride 'em. Wheneber dey ketch us doin' dat dey sho' wear us out. Dat -warn't yestiddy. - -"Fur as I's concern we had a plum good time in slav'ry. Many a year my -grampa raise a bale of cotton and marster buy it. Dat was encouragin' us -to be smart. - -"My daddy name' Edmond Wood and my ma name' Maria. I had a brudder and a -sister; dey name' Cass and Ann. I been a farmer all my life. I kep' on -farmin' 'till de boll weevil hit dese parts and den I quit de farm and -went to public work. I work in de woods and cut logs. I buy dis house. I -been here 'roun' Voth 'bout twenty-five year'. - -"I been marry twict. De fus' time I marry--I git so stinkin' ol' I can't -'member when it were, but it been a long ways back. My fus' wife, Mary -Johnson. She die' and den I marry dis yere woman I got yere now. Her -name been Rhoda McGowan when I marry her but she been marry befo'. Befo' -of us ol', ain't fit fer nuttin'. Us git pension' and dat what us live -on now, 'cause I too ol' to do any work no mo'. - -"Me and my fus' wife we had ten chillun. Dey's all dead but fo' and I -ain't sho' dey's all livin'. Las' I heerd of 'em one was in Houston, and -one in Chicago, and one in Kansas City, and one live here. I see him dis -mawnin'. - -"I heerd tell of de Klu Klux but I ain't neber seed 'em. I neber did go -to school needer. - -"I's a member of de C.M.E. Meth'dis' Chu'ch. When I uster could git -about I uster be a steward in de chu'ch. Den I was de treasurer of de -chu'ch here at Voth for some seben year'. I uster b'long to de U.B.F. -Lodge, too. - -"Back in slav'ry dey allus had a ol' darky to train de young ones and -teach 'em right from wrong. And dey'd whip you for doin' wrong. Dey'd -repo't to de overseer. Some of 'em was mean and repo't somebody dey -ain't like jis' to git 'em in trouble. De overseer he had to 'vestigate -'bout it and if it was so, somebody git a whippin'. Sometimes some folks -repo't sump'n' when it warn't true. - -"Ol' marster he was plum ind'pendant. His plantation was off from de -town. He uster had his mail brung to him. Fur's I kin 'member I didn' -had to look out for nuttin'. Dey had a time to call all de slaves up and -give 'em hats, and anudder time dey give 'em shoes, and anudder time dey -give 'em clo's. Dey see dat eb'rybody was fit. Ol' marster allus give -'em all some kinder present at Crismus. I dunno what all he give de ol' -folks but he give de chillun candy and de like. - -"I was allus tickle' to see ol' marster come 'roun'--Oh, good gracious, -yes. And it allus tickle' him to come 'roun' and see all his li'l -niggers. - -"One time Cap'n Fisher was 'sociated wid ol' marster, and him and -anudder man come 'long wid ol' marster up de road what run froo de -quarters. Dey wanter see de li'l niggers. Ol' marster call 'em up and -frow out a han'ful of dimes. It sho' tickle' 'em te see de li'l niggers -scramble for dem dimes, and us look' for dimes 'roun' dat place for a -week. Dat was enjoyment to de white folks dem days. - -"Marster was good to his niggers and none of 'em eber run away. My -mudder she raise ol' mistus' baby chile. She uster suckle him jis' like -he her own baby and he allus t'ink lots of her. After he a growed up man -he uster bring her presents lots of times. He call her 'mammy' all de -time. - -"He went off to de war. He los' he hearin' and got deef. Muster been de -noise from dem big cannons what done it. He got his big toe shot off in -de war, too. After de war was over he come home and git married. - -"Dat 'bout all dat I kin 'member 'cep'n' dat I vote' in de state and -other 'lections when I's twenty-one year' ol'." - - - - -James Martin - - -*James Martin, 311 Dawson St., San Antonio, Texas, is 90 years old. His -parents were Preston and Lizzie Martin and he was born in Alexandria, -Va. Uses little dialect.* - -"I was born in Virginia in 1847. My mother was a slave and my -grandfather was one of the early settlers in Virginia. He was born in -Jamaica and his master took him to England. When the English came to -Virginia, they brought us along as servants, but when they got here, -everybody had slaves, so we was slaves, too. My mother was born in the -West Indies. - -"A man named Martin brought my grandfather here and we took his name. -And when marster was ready to die, he made a will and it said the -youngest child in the slaves must be made free, so that was my father -and he was made free when he was 16. That left me and my brothers and -sisters all free, but all the rest of the family was slaves. - -"My mother was born a slave near Alexandria. The marster's daughter, -Miss Liza, read to my mother, so she got some learning. When my mother's -owner died he left her to Miss Liza, and then my father met my mother -and told her they should get married. My mother said to Miss Liza: 'I'd -like fine to marry Preston Martin.' Miss Liza says, 'You can't do that, -'cause he's a free nigger and your children would be free. You gotta -marry one of the slaves.' Then Miss Liza lines up 10 or 15 of the slave -men for my mother to pick from, but mother says she don' like any of -'em, she wants to marry Preston Martin. Miss Liza argues but my mother -is just stubborn, so Miss Liza says, 'I'll talk to the marster.' He -says, 'I can't lose property like that, and if you can raise $1,200 you -can buy yourse'f free.' So my mother and my father saves money and it -takes a long time, but one day they goes to the marster and lays down -the money, and they gits married. Marster don' like it, but he's -promised and he can't back out. - -"So me and my brothers and sisters is free. And we sees others sol' on -the auction block. They're put in stalls like pens for cattle and -there's a curtain, sometimes just a sheet in front of them, so the -bidders can't see the stock too soon. The overseer's standin' just -outside with a big black snake whip and a pepper box pistol in his hand. -Then they pulls the curtain up and the bidders crowds 'round. The -overseer tells the age of the slaves and what they can do. One bidder -takes a pair of white gloves they have and rubs his fingers over a man's -teeth, and he says, 'You say this buck's 20 years old, but there's cups -worn to his teeth. He's 40 years if he's a day. So they knock that buck -down for $1,000, 'cause they calls the men 'bucks' and the women -'wenches.' Then the overseer makes 'em walk across the platform, he -makes 'em hop, he makes 'em trot, he makes 'em jump. - -"When I'm old enough, I'm taught to be a saddler and when I'm 17 or 18 I -enlist in the Confed'rate Army. - -"Did they whip the slaves? Well, they jus' about half killed 'em. When -it was too rough, they slipped into Canada. - -"A marriage was a event. The bride and groom had to jump over a broom -handle. The boss man had a white preacher, sometimes, and there was -plenty good beef cornbread. But if the boss didn't care much, he jus' -lined 'em up and said, 'Mandy, that's your husband and, Rufus, that's -your wife.' - - -[Illustration: _James Martin_] - - -"After the war we were sent to Texas, the 9th U.S. Cavalry, under Capt. -Francis F. Dodge. I was at Fort Sill, Fort Davis, Fort Stockton and Fort -Clark. I was in two battles with Indians in the Guadalupe Mountains. I -served under Col. Shafter in 1871 and I got my discharge under Gen. -Merritt in 1872. Then I come to San Antonio. - -"I helped bring the first railroad here. The S.P. in them days only ran -near Seguin and I was a spiker and worked the whole distance. Then I -helped build the old railroad from Indianola to Cuero and then from -Cuero to Corpus, and Schleister, I think, and Cunningham were the -contractors. That was in 1873 and 1874. - -"I drove cattle for big outfits, and drove 2,000 or 3,000 head from -South Texas sometimes clean up to Dakota. I drove for John Lytle, -Brockhaus, Kieran and Bill Sutton. There wasn't no trails and no fences. -The Indians would come ask for meat and we knew if we didn't give it to -'em they'd stampede the cattle. - -"If I wasn't so old, I'd travel 'round again. I don't believe any man -can be educated who ain't traveled some." - - - - -Louise Mathews - - -*Louise Mathews, 83, is a sister of Scott Hooper. Her owner was the Rev. -Robert Turner. Louise married Henry Daggett when she was twenty, Jim -Byers when she was thirty-one and Bill Mathews when she was -thirty-three. She lives alone at 2718 Ennis Ave., Fort Worth, about a -block from Scott.* - -"Sho', I 'members dem slavery times, 'cause I's eleven when de break-up -come. Everybody call my massa Jedge Turner, but him am a Baptist -preacher and have de small farm and gen'ral store. My pappy and mammy -don't live together, 'cause pappy am own by Massa Jack Hooper. Massa -Turner done marry dem. Mostest de cullud folks jus' lives together by -'greement den, but massa have de cer'mony. - -"Us live in log cabins with de dirt floor and no windows, and sleep on -straw ticks. All de cookin' done in de eatin' shed but when pappy come -over twict de week, mammy cooks him de meal den. - -"Let me tell yous how de young'uns cared for. Massa give dem special -care, with de food and lots of clabber and milk and pot-liquor, and dey -all fat and healthy. - -"Massa am a preacher and a farmer and a saloonkeeper. He makes de -medicine with whiskey and cherry bark and rust offen nails. It mus' be -good, 'cause us all fat and sassy. Gosh for 'mighty. How I hates to take -dat medicine! He say to me, 'Take good care de young'uns, 'cause de old -ones gwine play out sometime, and I wants de young'uns to grow strong.' - -"Massa Turner wants de good day's work and us all give it to him. Every -Saturday night us git de pass if us wants to go to de party. Us have -parties and dancin' de quadrille and fiddles and banjoes. - -"On Sunday massa preach to us, 'cause he de preacher heself. He preach -to de white folks, too. - -"I 'member dat surrender day. He call us round him. I can see him now, -like I watches him come to de yard, with he hands clasp 'hind him and he -head bowed. I know what he says, 'I likes every one of you. You been -faithful but I has to give you up. I hates to do it, not 'cause I don't -want to free you, but 'cause I don't want to lose you all.' Us see de -tears in he eyes. - - -[Illustration: _Louise Mathews_] - - -"Mos' everybody leaves, and us go to pappy's place, den comes here in -1872, right here where us live now. My sister, Scott, she lives up de -street. It warn't no houses here den. - -"I gits married in 1874 to Henry Daggett and he dies in 1884. Den I -marries Jim Byers in 1885 and he am lazy and no 'count. He leaves on -Christmas Day in de mornin', and don't come back. Dat de only present he -ever give me! He am what you calls de buck passer. I does de washin' and -ironin' and he passes de bucks I makes. I marries Bill Mathews and he my -las' husband. He dies on May 15th, dis year. I has seven chillen and -four of dem am right in dis town. - -"I never votes but once, 'bout four years ago. I jus' don't care 'bout -it. Too much fustin' round for me. My husband allus voted de Lincoln -ticket. - -"I gits 'round and it won't be long 'fore I goes to de Lawd's restin' -place. My sister am 81 and I's 83, and she lives in de next block yonder -way. Us am de cons'lation to each other." - - - - -William Mathews - - -*William Mathews, 89, was born a slave on the Adams plantation, in -Franklin Parish, Louisiana. He was driver of the family carriage. After -William was freed he supported himself by hiring out as a field hand and -by making and selling baskets. Since 1931 he has lived with his -daughter, Sarah Colburn, at 812- 41st St., Galveston, Texas.* - -"Course I can 'lect 'bout slavery. I is old and my eyesight am gone, but -I can still 'lect. I ain't never forgit it. - -"My massa, old Buck Adams, could out-mean de debbil heself. He sho' -hard--hard and sneaky as slippery ellum. Old Mary Adams, he wife, was -'most as hard as he was. Sometimes I used to wonder how dere chillen -ever stood 'em. Old Buck Adams brung my mammy and daddy from South -Car'lina to work in de fields and my daddy's name was Economy Mathews -and my mammy's name Phoebe. Simmons was her name 'fore she marry. I is -born on old Buck's place, on December 25th, in 1848. Dat plantation was -in Franklin Parish, somewhere round Monroe, in Louisiana. - -"Me and Bill Adams raised together. When he shoot a deer I run home like -greased lightnin' and git de hoss. Sometimes he'd shoot a big hawg and -I'd skin him. - -"When I got big 'nough I'd drive dere carriage. I was what dey calls de -'waitin' boy.' I sot in dat buggy and wait till dey come out of where -dey was, and den driv 'em off. I wasn't 'lowed to git out and visit -round with de other slaves. No, suh, I had to set dere and wait. - -"De slaves git out in de fields 'fore sun-up and work till black dark. -Den dey come home and have to feel dere way in de house, with no light. -My mammy and daddy field hands. My grandma was cook, and have to git in -de cook pot 'bout four o'clock to git breakfas' by daylight. Dey et by -candles or pine torches. One de black boys stand behin' 'em and hold it -while dey et. - -"De clothes we wore was made out of dyed 'lows.' Dat de stuff dey makes -sackin' out of. Summer time us go barefoot but winter time come, dey -give you shoes with heels on 'em big as biscuits. - -"De quarters is back of de big house and didn't have no floors. Dey sot -plumb on de ground and build like a hawg pen. Dey cut down timber and -stake it up at de corners and fill it in with timber with de bark on it. -Dere was split log houses and round log houses and all sech like dat. -Dey have only fifty slaves on dat place, and it a big place, big 'nough -for a hundred. But what dey do? Dey take de good slaves and sell 'em. -Dat what dey do. Den dey make de ones what am left do all de work. Sell, -sell, all de time, and never buy nobody. Dat was dem. - -"Every Sat'day evenin' us go to de pitcher poke. Dat what dey calls it -when dey issues de rations. You go to de smokehouse and dey weigh out -some big, thick rounds of white pork meat and give it to you. De syrup -weighed out. De meal weighed out. Dey never give us no sugar or coffee. -You want coffee, you put de skillet on de fire and put de meal in it and -parch it till it most black, and put water on it. Mammy make salt water -bread out of a li'l flour and salt and water. - -"Sometimes, dey make de slaves go to church. De white folks sot up fine -in dere carriage and drive up to de door and git de slaves out of one -cabin, den git de slaves out of de nex' cabin, and keep it up till dey -gits dem all. Den all de slaves walks front de carriage till dey gits to -church. De slaves sit outside under de shade trees. If de preacher talk -real loud, you can hear him out de window. - -"If a cullud man take de notion to preach, he couldn't preach 'bout de -Gospel. Dey didn't 'low him do dat. All he could preach 'bout was obey -de massa, obey de overseer, obey dis, obey dat. Dey didn't make no -passel of fuss 'bout prayin' den. Sometimes dey have prayin' meetin' in -a cabin at night. Each one bring de pot and put dere head in it to keep -de echoes from gittin' back. Den dey pray in de pot. Dat de Gawd's -truth! - -"Like I done said, massa sol' de good slaves in Monroe. Nobody marry in -dem days. A gal go out and take de notion for some buck and dey make de -'greement to live together. Course, if a unhealthy buck take up with a -portly gal, de white folks sep'rate 'em. If a man a big, stout man, good -breed, dey gives him four, five women. - -"Sometimes dey run 'way. It ain't done dem no good, for de dawgs am put -on dey trail. If you climb de tree, dem dogs hold you dere till de white -folks comes, and den dey let de dogs git you. Sometimes de dogs tore all -dey clothes off, and dey ain't got nary a rag on 'em when dey git home. -If dey run in de stream of water, de dogs gits after 'em and drowns 'em. -Den Nick, de overseer, he whop 'em. He drive down four stakes for de -feets and hands and tie 'em up. Den he whop 'em from head to feets. De -whip make out a hide, cut in strips, with holes punch in 'em. When dey -hits de skin it make blisters. - -"All kind of war talk floatin' round 'fore de Yankees come. Some say de -Yankees fight for freedom and some say dey'll kill all de slaves. Seems -like it must have been in de middle of de war dat de Yankees come by. We -hears somebody holler for us to come out one night and seed de place on -fire. Time we git out dere, de Yankees gone. We fit de fire but we had -to tote water in buckets, and de fire burn up de gin house full of -cotton and de cotton house, too, and de corn crib. - -"De Yankees allus come through at night and done what dey gwine to do, -and den wait for more night 'fore dey go 'bout dere business. Only one -time dey come in daylight, and some de slaves jine dem and go to war. - -"All de talk 'bout freedom git so bad on de plantation de massa make me -put de men in a big wagon and drive 'em to Winfield. He say in Texas -dere never be no freedom. I driv 'em fast till night and it take 'bout -two days. But dey come back home, but massa say if he cotch any of 'em -he gwine shoot 'em. Dey hang round de woods and dodge round and round -till de freedom man come by. - -"We went right on workin' after freedom. Old Buck Adams wouldn't let us -go. It was way after freedom dat de freedom man come and read de paper, -and tell us not to work no more 'less us git pay for it. When he gone, -old Mary Adams, she come out. I 'lect what she say as if I jes' hear her -say it. She say, 'Ten years from today I'll have you all back 'gain.' -Dat ten years been over a mighty long time and she ain't git us back yit -and she dead and gone. - -"Dey makes us git right off de place, jes' like you take a old hoss and -turn it loose. Dat how us was. No money, no nothin'. I git a job workin' -for a white man on he farm, but he couldn't pay much. He didn't have -nothin'. He give me jes' 'nough to git a peck or two of meal and a li'l -syrup. - -"I allus works in de fields and makes baskets, big old cotton baskets -and bow baskets make out of white oak. I work down de oak to make de -splits and make de bow basket to tote de lunch. Den I make trays and mix -bowls. I go out and cut down de big poplar and bust off de big block and -sit down 'straddle, and holler it out big as I wants it, and make de -bread tray. I make collars for hosses and ox whops and quirts out of -beef hide. But I looses my eyesight a couple years back and I can't do -nothin' no more. My gal takes care of me. - -"I come here in 1931. Dat de first time I'm out of Franklin Parish. I -allus git along some way till I'm blind. My gal am good to me, but de -days am passin' and soon I'll be gone, too." - - - - -Hiram Mayes - - -*Hiram Mayes thinks he was born in 1862, a slave of Tom Edgar, who owned -a plantation in Double Bayou, Texas. Hiram lives with two daughters in a -rambling farmhouse near Beaumont, less than three miles from his -birthplace on the old Edgar homestead near the Iron Bridge. For thirty -years Hiram has served as Worshipful Master of the Masonic Lodge (Negro) -in the vicinity. Native intelligence gleams in his deep-set eyes, but -his speech shows that he received little schooling.* - -"De fust thing I 'members back in slavery time was gittin' in de -master's strawberry patch. He's right proud of dat patch and git after -us plenty. Dey was li'l Tim Edgar, dat de white boy, and me. Tim, he -still livin' down in Wallisville. Old master he cut us both a couple -times for thiefin' he strawberries, jes' give us a bresh or two to skeer -us. Dat de onlies' time he ever did whip me and you couldn' hardly call -that a whippin'. - -"Old man Tom Edgar was my master and de old Edgar place was down below -where Jackson's store is and 'bout two mile from where I lives now. Some -de brick from dat house still standin' dere in de woods. - -"My mama name Mary and Dolf Mayes my papa, and I's borned 'bout 1862, I -guess, 'cause I wasn't very big when freedom come. I did most my playin' -with young master, Tim, him and me 'bout de same age. - -"Old master was sho' good to he slaves and dey ain't never have no cruel -overseer nor no lot of whippin' like some masters did. Mama work in de -white folks' house and done de cookin' in de big kitchen. De big house -was a big, low place with galleries 'round it. Mama tie me to a chair -leg on de gallery to keep me from runnin' off to de bayou. Dey 'fraid of -alligators. Dem 'gators never did eat no cullud chillen 'round us place, -but dey allus 'fraid day would. Dey sich big snakes in de woods, too, -dey skeered of dem. - -"De cullud folks all have li'l brick cabin quarters and dey have a -brickyard right near de place what a white man own and he make de bricks -what dey calls Cedar Bayou brick 'count of de mud being diff'rent. I's -born in one dem li'l brick houses. I don't 'member none my grandfolks -'cept my papa's mama, call Martha Godfry. She come from Virginny, and -'long to de Mayes where my papa born. - -"I never did bother with Sunday School much, me. Dey one on de bayou and -a white lady, Miss Joseph, am de teacher. Dey wasn't no school but after -I git free I go to school on de edge of de woods. Dey have teacher name -Runnells and a old blue-back speller to larn out of. - -"After us freed my papa move up de prairie a ways and hire out to ride -de range. Dey done larn me to ride when I 'bout five, six year old and I -rid with de old man. Dat ridin' business was jes' my job. My daddy never -did like to settle down and farm, but druther ride de range for four -bits or six bits de day. De old master done give us nothin', jes' turn -us adrift, but he didn't have much and everybody jes' have to shift for -demselves dem days. Us git 'long all right makin' money with de -cattlemen. - -"De prairie lands a good place to git things to eat and us see plenty -deers, sometime eight or ten in de bunch. Dey lots of wolves roamin' -'round lookin' for stray cows. Dat when de whip come in handy, to knock -dem on de head. Never hear tell of but one bear, and us cotch him on Gum -Island and kill him. You know dem funny lookin', horny things dey calls -armadillos? Dey been immigrate here 'bout ten year ago. Dey come from -somewhere but us ain't knowed why. Dey never was none here in slavery -time but plenty horny frogs and 'gators. - -"I marry 51 year ago to Wilina Day and I's still marry to her. Us marry -in her brudder's house with jes' homefolks. Dey's nine chillen and eight -still livin' and most dem farmers, 'cept two boys in de reg'lar army. -Dey am Dolf and Robert. Oscar runs de fillin' station at Double Bayou. -Oscar was in France in de World War. I has two my gals with me here and -two grandchillen. - -"I rode de range till 'bout 20 year ago and den I start gittin' purty -old, so I settles down to farmin'. Dey charter a Masonic lodge here in -1906, I 'lieve it were number naught six, and dey put me up for -Worshipful Master of de bunch. After dey vouch for me I git de chair and -I been sittin' in de east for 30 year." - - - - -Susan Merritt - - -*Susan Merritt, 87, was born in Rusk Co., Texas, a slave of Andrew Watt. -A year after she was freed, Susan moved with her parents to Harrison -Co., and stayed on their farm until she married Will Merritt. They -reared fifteen children. Susan has little to say of her life from 1865 -to the present, stating that they got along on the farm they worked on -shares. Since her husband's death Susan lives with a son, Willie, west -of Marshall, Texas, on the Hynson Springs Road.* - -"I couldn't tell how old I is, but does you think I'd ever forgit them -slave days? I 'lieve I's 'bout 87 or more, 'cause I's a good size gal -spinnin all the thread for the white folks when they lets us loose after -surrender. - -"I's born right down in Rusk County, not a long way from Henderson, and -Massa Andrew Watt am my owner. My pappy, Bob Rollins, he come from North -Carolina and belonged to Dave Blakely and mammy come from Mississippi. -Mammy have eleven of us chillen but four dies when they babies, but -Albert, Hob, John, Emma, Anna, Lula and me lives to be growed and -married. - -"Massa Watt lived in a big log house what sot on a hill so you could see -it 'round for miles, and us lived over in the field in little log huts, -all huddled along together. They have home-made beds nailed to the wall -and baling sack mattresses, and us call them bunks. Us never had no -money but plenty clothes and grub and wear the same clothes all the year -'round. Massa Watt made our shoes for winter hisself and he made -furniture and saddles and harness and run a grist mill and a whiskey -still there on the place. That man had ev'ything. - -"The hands was woke with the big bell and when massa pulls that bell -rope the niggers falls out them bunks like rain fallin'. They was in -that field 'fore day and stay till dusk dark. They work slap up till -Saturday night and then washes their clothes, and sometimes they gits -through and has time for the party and plays ring plays. I 'member part -the words to one play and that, 'Rolling river, roll on, the old cow die -in cold water ... now we's got to drink bad water 'cause old cow die in -cold water,' but I can't 'member more'n that. It's too long ago. - -"When the hands come in from the field at dusk dark, they has to tote -water from the spring and cook and eat and be in bed when that old bell -rings at nine o'clock. 'Bout dusk they calls the chillen and gives 'em a -piece of corn pone 'bout size my hand and a tin cup milk and puts them -to bed, but the growed folks et fat pork and greens and beans and sich -like and have plenty milk. Ev'ry Sunday massa give 'em some flour and -butter and a chicken. Lots of niggers caught a good cowhiding for -slippin' 'round and stealin' a chicken 'fore Sunday. - -"Massa Watt didn't have no overseer, but he have a nigger driver what am -jus' as bad. He carry a long whip 'round the neck and I's seed him tie -niggers to a tree and cowhide 'em till the blood run down onto the -ground. Sometimes the women gits slothful and not able to do their part -but they makes 'em do it anyway. They digs a hole, 'bout body deep, and -makes them women lie face down in it and beats 'em nearly to death. That -nigger driver beat the chillen for not keepin' their cotton row up with -the lead man. Sometimes he made niggers drag long chains while they -works in the field and some of 'em run off, but they oughtn't to have -done it, 'cause they chase 'em with hounds and nearly kilt 'em. - -"Lots of times Massa Watt give us a pass to go over to George Petro's -place or Dick Gregg's place. Massa Petro run a slave market and he have -big, high scaffold with steps where he sells slaves. They was stripped -off to the waist to show their strengt'. - -"Our white folks have a church and a place for us in the back. Sometimes -at night us gather 'round the fireplace and pray and sing and cry, but -us daren't 'low our white folks know it. Thank the Lawd us can worship -where us wants nowadays. I 'member one song we allus sing: - - "'I heard the voice of Jesus callin' - Come unto me and live - Lie, lie down, weepin' one - Res' they head on my breast. - - "'I come to Jesus as I was - Weary and lone and tired and sad, - I finds in him a restin' place, - And he has made me glad.' - -"Us have two white doctors call Dr. Dan and Dr. Gill Shaw, what wait on -us when we real sick. Us wore asafoetida bags 'round the neck and it -kep' off sickness. - -"I stay mos' the time in the big house and massa good but missy am the -devil. I couldn't tell you how I treated. Lots of times she tie me to a -stob in the yard and cowhide me till she give out, then she go and rest -and come back and beat me some more. You see, I's massa nigger and she -have her own niggers what come on her side and she never did like me. -She stomp and beat me nearly to death and they have to grease my back -where she cowhide me and I's sick with fever for a week. If I have a -dollar for ev'ry cowhidin' I git, I'd never have to work no more. - - -[Illustration: _Susan Merritt_] - - -"Young missy Betty like me and try larn me readin' and writin' and she -slip to my room and have me doin' right good. I larn the alphabet. But -one day Missy Jane cotch her schoolin' me and she say, 'Niggers don't -need to know anything,' and she lams me over the head with the butt of a -cowhide whip. That white woman so rough, one day us makin' soap and some -little chickens gits in the fire 'round the pot and she say I let 'em do -it and make me walk barefoot through that bed of coals sev'ral times. - -"I hears 'bout freedom in September and they's pickin' cotton and a -white man rides up to massa's house on a big, white hoss and the -houseboy tell massa a man want see him and he hollers, 'Light, -stranger.' It a gov'ment man and he have the big book and a bunch papers -and say why ain't massa turn the niggers loose. Massa say he tryin' git -the crop out and he tell massa have the slaves in. Uncle Steven blows -the cow horn what they use to call to eat and all the niggers come -runnin', 'cause that horn mean, 'Come to the big house, quick.' That man -reads the paper tellin' us we's free, but massa make us work sev'ral -months after that. He say we git 20 acres land and a mule but we didn't -git it. - -"Lots of niggers was kilt after freedom, 'cause the slaves in Harrison -County turn loose right at freedom and them in Rusk County wasn't. But -they hears 'bout it and runs away to freedom in Harrison County and they -owners have 'em bushwhacked, that shot down. You could see lots of -niggers hangin' to trees in Sabine bottom right after freedom, 'cause -they catch 'em swimmin' 'cross Sabine River and shoot 'em. They sho' am -goin' be lots of soul cry 'gainst 'em in Judgment!" - - - - -Josh Miles - - -*Josh Miles, 78, was born in Richmond, Virginia, a slave of the Miles -family. In 1862 Mr. Miles brought his family and slaves to Franklin, -Texas. After he was freed, Josh worked for the railroad until he was -laid off because of old age. He lives in Mart, Texas.* - -"I was born in Richmond, in Virginny, back in 1859, and my mammy and -pappy was slaves to a man named Miles, what lived in Richmond but owned -three plantations out a few miles, and 'bout fifteen hundred niggers. -Pappy was de fam'ly coachman and druv de li'l surrey when Massa gwine -see he plantations. On Sunday he druv de big coach to church. De Old -Massa wear de big stove-pipe hat and de long-skirt coat and he big -boots. Pappy, he wear de tall hat with de blue uniform with brass -buttons, and black, shiny boots. He have de long horsewhip to crack at -dem hosses--he drive four or six hosses, 'cause dat coach am big and -heavy and de roads am often muddy. - -"Massa allus went to de big fairs in Louisville and Richmond, where de -big hoss races am. Dey name de hosses for Abe Lincoln and Steve Douglas, -in 1860. De bettin' song what dey sings am like dis: - - "'Dere's a old plow hoss, whose name am Doug, doo, dah, - doo-dah-- - He's short and thick, a reg'lar plug, oh, doo, dah, doo-dah, - doo-- - We're born to work all night, we're born to work all day, - I'll bet my money on de Lincoln hoss, who bets on Steven A?' - -"Well, dat de way us lives jes' befo' de war. When de presidents calls -for volunteers, Virginny goes for de Rebels, and dey moves de capitol to -Richmond. So Old Massa sees he'll be right in de thick of de war and he -'cides to come to Texas. He gits he slaves and he folks and hosses and -cattle and he household things in de covered wagon and starts. Course, -de hosses and cattle walks, and so does us niggers. But massa take he -time and stops wherever he wants. It takes two years to make de trip. He -stay de whole winter one place, and stops in Nashville and Memphis and -Vicksburg. All dese places he trade de hosses and mules and oxen and -niggers and everything else he have. But he wouldn't trade he pers'nal -slaves. Dey have de big warehouse in places like Memphis, and take de -nigger de day befo' de sale and give him plenty to eat to make him look -in good humor. Dey chain him up de night befo' de sale, and iffen he am -de fightin' nigger, dey handcuffs him. De auctioneer say, 'Dis nigger am -eighteen year old, sound as de dollar, can pick 300 pounds of cotton a -day, good disposition, easy to manage, come up 'xamine him.' Dey strips -him to de waist and everybody look him over and de good ones brung -$1,500 sometimes. I seed de old mammy and her two boys and gals sold. -One man buys de boys and old mammy cry, but it don't do no good. 'Nother -man bids de two gals and mammy throw such a fit her old massa throws her -in, 'cause she too old to be much 'count. - -"De siege of Vicksburg 'gins jus' after old massa done left there, on he -way to Texas. He friends tell him all 'bout it. Coffee was $4.00 de -pound, tea $18.00, butter to $2.00 de pound, corn $15.00 de bar'l, -calico $1.75 de yard and muslin 'bout $7.00 de yard. De Rebels holds de -city long as they could. De bluff over de city have de caves in it and -dey's rented for high rent. Flour am $10.00 de pound and bacon $5.00. -Dey eats mule meat, and dey give it de French name, 'Mule tongue cold, a -la bray.' - -"We keep's up with what happen and after de war dey tells us 'bout -Richmond. De lab'tory am blowed up Friday, and de Stuart home burnt. -Befo' Richmond am taken, dey sings dis song: - - "Would you like to hear my song? - I'm 'fraid its rather long-- - Of de 'On to Richmond,' double trouble, - Of de half a dozen trips - And de half a dozen slips, - And de latest bustin' of de bubble. - - "'Pull off you coat and roll up you sleeve, - For Richmond am a hard road to travel-- - Then pull off you coat and roll up you sleeve. - For Richmond am a hard road to travel.' - -"Dey sung dat song to de old tune call 'Old Rosin de Beau.' - - -[Illustration: _Josh Miles_] - - -"De war ends and in de few months old massa sot he slaves free. He give -my pappy some money and he starts out for heself. He goes to Milligan -and rents land and raises he fam'ly. Old Massa never goes back to -Richmond. De Yanks gits what he left so dey no use gwine back dere. He -lives in Franklin till 1914. It ain't like Old Virginny, but dey's -plenty wild game and hawgs and he raises a bale of cotton to de acre, so -he have money once more. - -"Dey's folks comin' to Texas all de time from de old states. It am de -new world and dey likes it. Dey has de Juneteenth cel'brations after -'while, and de white folks gives us beeves and hawgs to barbecue, so -Texas am de good place to stay. - -"When I's 'bout growed, I starts workin' on de I. & G.N. railroad and -helps build it from Houston into Waco. I works for it for years and -years, and allus lives near de Brazos River. I's lived here in Mart -forty years. - -"I doesn't have de bitter mem'ries like some de niggers. 'Cause Old -Massa allus good to us. I's had de good life and am 'bout ready to go to -Hebben, and hopes I can see Old Massa dere." - - - - -Anna Miller - - -*Anna Miller, 85, lives with her daughter, Lucy Watkins, at 407 W. Bluff -St., Ft. Worth, Texas. She was born a slave in Kentucky, and was sold, -with her parents, to Mark Loyed, a farmer in Missouri. He later sold -Anna's mother, before Anna was old enough to remember her. When Anna was -8, her owner moved to Palo Pinto, Texas.* - -"I'se now 'bout 85 years ole, dat's what de white folks tells me. I'se -bo'n in Kentuck'. My mammy, pappy and I'se sold by our fust marster to -Marster Mark Loyed, who lived in Missouri. He takes us to him's farm. -When I'se 'bout eight years ole, Marster Loyed sold him's farm and comes -to Texas in covered wagons and oxen. He's brung all de slaves wid him. -I'se don' 'member much 'bout de trip, cause I'se sick wid de fever. I'se -so bad, de marster thinks I'se goin' to die. One mornin' he comes and -looks at me and says, 'Dis nigger am too val'able to die. We'd better -doctor her.' We camps for six days. - -"We comes to Palo Pinto and dat's wild country den. Plenty of Indians, -but dey never trouble we'uns. My work, 'twas helpin' wid de chores and -pick up de brush whar my pappy was a-clearin' de land. When I gits -bigger, I'se plowed, hoed, and done all de goin' to de mill. I'se helps -card, spins and cuts de thread. We'uns makes all de cloth for to makes -de clothes, but we don' git 'em. In de winter we mos' freeze to death. -De weavin' was de night work, after workin' all de day in de fiel'. - -"Dey sho whups us. I'se gits whupped lots a times. Marster whups de men -and missus whups de women. Sometimes she whups wid de nettleweed. When -she uses dat, de licks ain't so bad, but de stingin' and de burnin' -after am sho' misery. Dat jus' plum runs me crazy. De mens use de rope -when dey whups. - -"'Bout eatin', we keeps full on what we gits, such as beans, co'nmeal -and 'lasses. We seldom gits meat. White flour, we don' know what dat -taste like. Jus' know what it looks like. We gits 'bout all de milk we -wants, 'cause dey puts it in de trough and we helps ourselves. Dere was -a trough for de niggers and one for de hawgs. - -"Jus' 'bout a month befo' freedom, my sis and nigger Horace runs off. -Dey don' go far, and stays in de dugout. Ev'ry night dey'd sneak in and -git 'lasses and milk and what food dey could. My sis had a baby and she -nuss it ev'ry night when she comes. Dey runs off to keep from gettin' a -whuppin'. De marster was mad 'cause dey lets a mule cut hisself wid de -plow. Sis says de bee stung de mule and he gits unruly and tangle in de -plow. Marster says, 'Dey can' go far and will come back when dey gits -hongry.' - -"I'se don' know much 'bout de war. De white folks don' talk to us 'bout -de war and we'uns don' go to preachin' or nothin', so we can't larn -much. When freedom comes, marster says to us niggers, 'All dat wants to -go, git now. You has nothin'.' And he turns dem away, nothin' on 'cept -ole rags. 'Twarn't enough to cover dere body. No hat, no shoes, no -unnerwear. - -"My pappy and mos' de niggers goes, but I'se have to stay till my pappy -finds a place for me. He tells me dat he'll come for me. I'se have to -wait over two years. De marster gets worser in de disposition and goes -'roun' sort of talkin' to hisse'f and den he gits to cussin' ev'rybody. - -"In 'bout a year after freedom, Marster Loyed moves from Palo Pinto to -Fort Worth. He says he don' want to live in a country whar de niggers am -free. He kills hisse'f 'bout a year after dey moves. After dat, I'se -sho' glad when pappy comes for me. He had settled at Azle on a rented -farm and I'se lives wid him for 'bout ten years. Den I'se goes and stays -wid my brudder on Ash Creek. De three of us rents land and us runs dat -farm. - -"I'se git married 'bout four years after I'se goes to Ash Creek, to Bell -Johnson. We had four chillen. He works for white folks. 'Bout nine years -after we married my husban' gits drowned and den I works for white folks -and cares for my chillen for fo'teen years. Then I'se gits married -again. I'se married Fred Miller, a cook, and we lived in Fort Worth. In -1915 he goes 'way to cook for de road 'struction camp and dats de las' -I'se hears of dat no 'count nigger! - -"Lots of difference when freedom comes. Mos' de time after, I'se have -what I wants to eat. Sometime 'twas a little hard to git, but we gits -on. I'se goes to preachin' and has music and visit wid de folks I'se -like. But Marster Loyed makes us work from daylight to dark in de fiel's -and make cloth at night." - - - - -Mintie Maria Miller - - -*Mintie Maria Miller, 1404 39th St., Galveston, Texas, was born in -Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in 1852. She has forgotten her first master's name, -but was sold while very young to Dr. Massie, of Lynchburg, Texas. The -journey to Texas took three months by ox-cart. After the Civil War -Mintie went to Houston and stayed with an old colored woman whose former -master had given her a house. Later she went to Galveston, where she has -worked for one family 24 years.* - -"I was born in Alabama in 1852, in Tuscaloosa and my mammy's name was -Hannah, but I don't know my pappy's name. When I was still pretty little -my brother and uncle and aunt and mother was sold and me with 'em. - -"Dr. Massie brung us to Texas in an ox-cart but my sister had to stay -with the old mistress and that the last I ever seen my sister. She was -four year old then. - -"After we reaches Texas we lives on a great big place, somewhere 'round -Lynchburg and Dr. Massie have two girls and I sleeps on the foot of they -bed. They nice to me, they spoil me, in fac'. I plays with the white -gals and they feeds me from they tables and in the evenin' my mammy -takes me down to de bayou and wash my face and put me on a clean dress. - -"My mammy cook for the white folks and they treats us both fine, but one -gal I knowed was 'bout 8 or 9 and she run away from her master and swim -de Trinity River and it was winter and her feets freezes. He cotches dis -gal and puts her feets in the fire to thaw 'em, and burnt 'em. The law -say you could take slaves 'way from sich a man, so Dr. Frost takes her -away from that man and gives her to Miss Nancy what was de mistress at -Dr. Massie's place. - -"Then they says they gwine sell me, 'cause Miss Nancy's father-in-law -dies and they got rid of some of us. She didn't want to sell me so she -tell me to be sassy and no one would buy me. They takes me to Houston -and to the market and a man call George Fraser sells the slaves. The -market was a open house, more like a shed. We all stands to one side -till our turn comes. They wasn't nothin' else you could do. - -"They stands me up on a block of wood and a man bid me in. I felt mad. -You see I was young then, too young to know better. I don't know what -they sold me for, but the man what bought me made me open my mouth while -he looks at my teeth. They done all us that-a-way, sells us like you -sell a hoss. Then my old master bids me goodby and tries to give me a -dog, but I 'members what Miss Nancy done say and I sassed him and -slapped the dog out of his hand. So the man what bought me say, 'When -one o'clock come you got to sell her 'gain, she's sassy. If she done me -that way I'd kill her.' So they sells me twice the same day. They was -two sellin's that day. - -"My new master, Tom Johnson, lives in Lynchburg and owns the river boat -there, and has a little place, 'bout one acre, on the bayou. Then the -war comes and jes' 'fore war come to Galveston they took all the -steamships in the Buffalo Bayou and took the cabins off and made ships. -They put cotton bales 'round them and builded 'em up high with the -cotton, to cotch the cannonballs. Two of 'em was the Island City, and -the Neptune. - -"Then freedom cries and the master say we all free and I goes to Houston -with my mammy. We stays with a old colored woman what has a house her -old master done give her and I finishes growin' there and works some. -But then I comes to Galveston and hired out here and I been workin' for -these white folks 24 year now." - - - - -Tom Mills - - -*Tom Mills was born in Fayette Co., Alabama, in 1858, a slave of George -Patterson, who owned Tom's father and mother. In 1862 George Patterson -moved to Texas, bringing Tom and his mother, but not his father. After -they were freed, it was difficult for Tom's mother to earn a living and -they had a hard time for several years, until Tom was old enough to go -to work on a ranch, as a cow-hand. In 1892 Tom undertook stock farming, -finally settling in Uvalde in 1919. He now lives in a four-room house he -built himself. A peach orchard and a grape arbor shade the west side of -the house and well-fed cows are in the little pasture. Tom is contented -and optimistic and says he can "do a lot of work yet."* - -"I was born in Alabama, in Fayette Co., in 1858. My mother was named -Emaline Riley and my father was named Thad Mills. My sisters were named -Ella and Ann and Lou and Maggie and Matildy, and the youngest one was -Easter. I had two brothers, Richard and Ben. Bob Lebruc was my -great-uncle and for a long while he ran a freight wagon from Salt Lakes -to this country. That was the only way of getting salt to Texas, this -part of Texas, I mean, because Salt Lakes is down east of Corpus, close -to the bay. My uncle was finally killed by the Indians in Frio County. - -"In Alabama we lived on Patterson's place. The grandmother of all these -Pattersons was Betsy Patterson and we lived on her estate. My mother -wove the cloth. It kep' her pretty busy, but she was stout and active. -My uncle was blacksmith and made all the plows, too. - -"We had a picket house, one room, and two beds built in corners. - -"My mother done the cookin' up at the house because she was workin' up -there all the time, weavin' cloth, and of course we ate up there. The -rest of 'em didn't like it much because we ate up there, but her work -was there. I guess you never did see a loom? It used to keep me pretty -busy fillin' quills. She made this cloth--this four-dollar-a-yard, -four-leaf jean cloth, all wool, of course. - -"I was too little to work durin' the war; of course we packed a little -water and got a little wood. I was goin' to tell you about this scar on -my finger. I was holdin' a stick for another little fellow to cut wood -and he nearly cut my finger off. That sure woke me up. - -"They had field work on the place, but a family by the name of Knowles -did the farm work. I worked stock nearly all my life. It used to be all -the work there was. I think my mother was allowed to make a little money -on this cloth business. That is, cloth she made on the outside. And she -was the only one of the slaves that could read. I don't know that they -cared anything about her readin', but they didn't want her to read it to -the rest of 'em. I never earned no money; I was too little. - -"We called Old Man Patterson 'master' and we called Mrs. Patterson -'mistuss'. - -"I don't know what the other slaves had to eat--they cooked for -themselves, but we had jes' what the Pattersons had to eat. On Sunday -mornin' we had flour bread. Always glad to see Sunday mornin' come. We -made the co'n meal right on the place on these old hand mills that you -turn with both hands like this. When the co'n jes' fust began to get -ha'd, they would grate that; but when it got ha'd, they would grind it. -We always had meat the year 'round. We called hogshead cheese 'souse'. -But we never did make sausage then. It was a long time before we had a -sausage mill. Oh, sho' we made 'chittlin's' (chitterlings). We make them -even now. Why mama always takes the paunch and fixes it up ever' time we -kill hogs. We dried beef, strung it out, and put it on the line. When we -got ready to cook it, we'd take it and beat it and make hash and fry it -or boil it. We had lots of deer and turkeys, quail and 'possums, but -they never did do much eatin' rabbits. I didn't eat no 'possums and I -didn't eat no honey; there was sever'l things I didn't like. I like -straight beef, turkeys, quail and squirrel is mighty fine eatin'. I set -traps and would ketch quail. Armadillos are pretty good meat, but we -didn't eat 'em then. Why, I was grown before I ever saw an armadillo. I -don't know where they immigrated from. Yes'm, I think they come from -Mexico; they must surely have because they wasn't any here when I was a -young boy. We used to see 'em in shows before they ever got to be around -here. - -"I wore a shirt that hit me down about my knees. When my mother made my -pants, she made 'em all in one piece, sleeves 'n all. The fust shoes I -ever had, my uncle tanned the leather and made 'em. I guess I was about -six years old. He made the pegs, tanned the leather, and made the shoes. -It taken 18 months to tan the leather. Bark tanned. Huh, I c'n smell -that old tannin' vat now. People nowadays, they're livin' too easy. -'Fraid to let a drop of water fall on 'em. - -"Ever' day was Sunday with me then. After we got up any size, they put -us to work, but we didn't work on Sunday. After I got to be a cowboy, of -course, they didn't have no Sunday then. - -"I was twenty-two when I fust married. It was in Medina County. Her name -was Ada Coston. She had on a white dress, draggin' the groun' in the -back, what you used to call these trains. I remember when they wore -these hoops, too. We married about 7 o'clock in the evenin'. I had on -one of these frock-tail coats, black broadcloth suit. I had on good -shop-made shoes. We had better shoes then than we ever have now. We had -a supper and then danced. Had a big weddin' cake--great big white one, -had a hole in the center, all iced all over. I think my auntie made that -cake, or my cousin. We had coffee, but I never did drink whiskey in my -life. I think they had chickens--if I remember right, chicken and -dressin'. Had a whole lot better to eat then than I can get now. We -danced all night. I was at a weddin' where they danced three days and -nights, and I tell you where it was. Have you been down to Old Bill -Thomas'? You have? Well, that was where it took place. Bill and Ellen -married when I was about twelve years old, and I think they danced three -days and nights, and maybe longer. Now, if they didn't tell you that, I -could'a told you if I had been there. We danced these old square dances, -what you call the Virginia Reel, and the round dances like the -Schottische, Polka, waltzes, and all them. I was a dancin' fool, wanted -to dance all the time. I inherited that from my mother. She was a -terrible dancer. - -"Old Man George Patterson was a very tall and a dark complected man. He -was a kind old man. He was good to my mother and all those that come -from Alabama. The old mistuss would whip me, but he didn't. The -grandchillun and I could fight all over the house; he would jes' get out -of the way. But she would get on us once in awhile. The worst whippin' -she ever give me was about some sheep. They had a cane patch down close -to the sheep pen and I went down there and got me some cane and stripped -it off and I was runnin' 'round down there whippin' the sheep with that -stalk of cane and she found me down there and took me to the house and -learned me better. They never did whip my mother. I know they whipped -two others. Two was all I ever knew of 'em whippin'. Dillard, he married -the oldest Patterson girl, and my uncle, he borrowed an auger from Mr. -Dillard to make a frame. When dinner time came, he laid it down and went -to his dinner. When he got back, this bit was broken and he went and -tells him (Dillard) and they came down to make a search about who had -used it. They found that another colored man got it and used it to bore -some holes with and broke it, so he took it back and laid it down and -never said nothin'. Them days, a thing like that steel bit was awful -high. They laid 'im over a log and whipped 'im and whipped his wife for -not tellin' it when they asked her. They had a boy countin' the licks, -but I don't know how many he got. They had me down there too, and I was -ready to get away from there. I think they had us down there to show -what we would get if we didn't do right. - -"The old lady, the mistuss, she was pretty high-tempered--her head kind -of bounced, like that--when she got mad. She was slender and tall. I -think they lived in a log house; I don't remember much what kind of -house it was. I know my mother weaved cloth in one part of it. - -"I don't think the field was very large on that place. I often wanted to -go back and see it. It was right on the Sabinal, right opposite Knowlton -Creek. - -"I have heard my mother tell about slaves bein' sold. It was kinda like -a fair they have now. They would go there, and some of 'em sold for a -thousand dollars. They said somethin' about puttin' 'em on a block; the -highest bidder, you know, would buy 'em. I don't know how they got 'em -there, for they wasn't much of a way for 'em to go 'cept by oxen, you -know. It was back in Alabama where she saw all that. Of course, there -was more of that down in Mississippi than Alabama, but she didn't know -nothin' about that. - -"I remember the cotton they raised on the Patterson place. They picked -the seeds out with their fingers and made cloth out of it. They would -take coarse wool--not merino wool, for that was too fine--and use the -coarse wool for a filler. That was what they would make me do, pick the -seed out of that cotton to keep me out of mischief. I remember that -pretty well. Kep' me tied down, and I would beg the old man to let me -go, and when he did, if I got into anything, I was back there pickin' -seeds pretty quick. - -"We would get up about daybreak. They might have got up before I knew -anything about it, but sometimes I got up with my mother. - -"What little school I went to was German, at D'Hanis and Castroville. I -went to the priest at D'Hanis and to the sisters at Castroville. No -education to amount to anything. That was after we were freed. I went to -school at the same time that Johnny Ney and his sister, Mary, went to -school. I would like to see Johnny and talk to him now. Your grandmother -and her sisters and brothers went to that school and I remember all of -'em well. One of them boys, George, was killed and scalped by the -Indians, and that was caused by them boys playin' and scarin' each other -all the time. He was with them Rothe boys, and they always had an Indian -scare up someway to have fun with each other, especially to scare -George. So when they did discover the Indians and hollered to George, he -wouldn't run, because they had fooled 'im so much. So the Indians -slipped up on him and killed 'im. - -"Yes, I knew all the Millers better than I did nearly any of the rest of -the old settlers up there. Aunt Dorcas, that was George's mother, she -nursed me through the measles. I was awful sick, and when my mother -heard it and come up after me, she told my mother to leave me there, she -would take care of me. I tell you she took good care of me too. - -"But that was after freedom. You see, my mother didn't want to come to -Texas. She laid out nearly two years before they got hold of her and got -her to come to Texas. Alabama wasn't thickly settled then. There was -bottoms of trees and wild fruit she could eat. She stayed out by -herself, and would come and get something to eat and leave again. But -Patterson told her if she would come to Texas she would be treated right -and not be whipped or nothin' like that. And so far as I know, she never -was whipped. He kep' his word with her. She was useful and they needed -her. She wove the cloth and was such a good worker. - -"The first cow we ever owned, we cut cockleburrs out of a field of about -seven or eight acres. Mr. John Ware gave her a cow to cut the burrs out. - -"After the war, my uncle carried my mother and his wife and chillen -away, and when they started with Margaret--she was his niece and my -cousin--they overtook 'em and took Margaret back. She was house girl, -she didn't do nothin' but work in the house. I don't know whether they -ever paid her anything or not. They needed her to wait on the old lady. - -"I don't know how that come about when they told 'em they was free. I -don't know whether mother read it in the paper or he come and told 'em. -We went on, and came right on up the same creek to a place where a man -had a ranch by the name of Roney. It was an old abonded (abandoned) -place, and we didn't have anything to eat. My uncle got out and rustled -around to get some bread stuff and got some co'n, but while he was gone -was when we suffered for something to eat. We didn't have anything to -kill wild game with. We would fish a little. When he left he went up in -the Davenport settlement, up there about where your grandfather lived. -We got milk and careless weeds, but that was all we had, and we were -awful glad to see the co'n come. And that was my first taste of javelin -(javelina). It evidently was an old male javelin, for I couldn't eat it. -I don't think my uncle ever stole anything in his life. I was with him -all the time and I know he didn't. My mother, she went over to -Davenports' and my uncle got out and rustled to see where he could get -something to do. So they moved up in the Sabinal Canyon and he got on -Old Man Joel Fenley's place. - -"Old Man 'Parson' Monk, I think, was the first person I ever heard -preach. That was down here in the Patterson settlement (formerly a -settlement six miles south of the present town of Sabinal). The -preachin' was right there on the place. I joined the church after I was -grown, but that was the cullud church, then. My mother she joined the -white church. She joined the Hardshell Baptist. She never did live in -any colony and the cullud church was too far. They had lots of camp -meetin's. I never was at but one camp meetin' that I know of. They would -preach and shout and have a good time and have plenty to eat. That was -what most of 'em went for. But the churches then seemed to be more -serious than they are now. They preached the 'altar.' You know, like -anyone wanted to join the church, they was a mourner, you see, seekin' -for religion. And they would sing and pray with 'em till they professed -the religion. I had a sister that never went to a meetin' that she -didn't get to shoutin' and shout to the end of the sermon. I always -tried to get out of the way before I joined because if she got to me, -she would beat on me and talk to me. We always tried to get to her, if -she had her baby in her arms, because she would jes' throw that baby -away when the Spirit moved her. - -"Did you ever know of Monroe Brackins over at Hondo City? Well, I and -him was both jes' boys and was with Jess Campbell, Joe Dean and a man -named McLemore. They was white men. We went down on the Frio River, and -there was some pens down there on the Johnson place. They was three -brothers of them Johnsons. We had a little bunch of cattle, goin' down -there. This Jess Campbell and Joe Dean was full of devilment and they -knew Monroe was awful scarey. When we penned the cattle that evenin' it -was late and Monroe noticed a pile of brush at the side of the gate. He -asked 'em what you reckin that was there, and they told him they was a -man killed and buried there. That night after dark they was fixin' to -get supper ready and told Monroe to go get some water down at the river, -but he wouldn't do it. Well, I never was afraid of the dark in my life, -so I had to go get the water. Well, we made a fire and fixed supper and -then these men put a rope on Monroe and took him off a little piece and -wrapped the rope around a tree and never even tied the rope fast. The -other man, McLemore, he went around the camp and came up on the other -side. He had an old dried cow hide with the tail still on it. The old -tail was all bent, crimped up. Here he come from down the creek, from -where they told Monroe that fellow was buried, and right toward Monroe -with that hide on. Tail first and in the dark it looked pretty bad, and, -I tell you, Monroe got to screamin'. I believe he would have died if -they hadn't let him loose. I never laughed so much in my life. When he -would get scared, he would squeal like a hog. He sure was scarey. - -"Sometimes, I know, we would be woke up in the night and they would be -cookin' chicken and dumplin's, or havin' somethin' like that. I'd like -for 'em to come ever' night and wake me up. I don't know where it come -from, but they would always wake the chillen up and let 'em have some of -it. (This is an early recollection of his childhood during slavery.) - -"My mother's daddy, if he was here, he could tell plenty of things. He -could remember all about them days, and sing them songs too. I've heard -him tell some mighty bad things, and he told somethin' pretty bad on -hisself. He said they captured some Indian chillen and he was carryin -one and it got to cryin' and he jes' took his saber and held it up by -its feet and cut its head off. Couldn't stan' to hear it cry. He got -punished for it, but he said he was a soldier and not supposed to carry -Indian babies. Usually when Indians captured little fellows like that, -they carried 'em off. Like when they carried off Frank Buckilew, a white -boy. And a cullud boy that got away up close to Utopia. They kep' the -Buckilew boy a long time, long enough that he got to where he understood -the language. It was a long time that the Indians didn't kill a darky, -though. But after the war, when they brought these cullud soldiers in -here to drive 'em back, that started the war with the cullud people -then. - -"After freedom, I remember one weddin' the white folks had. That was -when John Kanedy (Kennedy) married Melinda Johnson. He was a man that -lived there on the river and was there up to the time he died. I wasn't -at the weddin', but I was at the infair. They were married east of Hondo -City. They had the infair then and it was a kind of celebration after -the weddin'. Ever'body met there and had a big dance and supper and had -a big time. They danced all night after the supper and then had a big -breakfast the next mornin'. I was little, but I remember the supper and -breakfast, for I was enjoyin' that myself. They was lots to eat, and -they had it too. After freedom, I remember these quiltin's where they -would have big dinners. They would have me there, threadin' needles for -'em. We always had a big time Christmas. They had dances and dinners for -a week. Yes'm, the cullud people did. They would celebrate the holidays -out. That was all free too, and they all had plenty to eat. They would -meet at one place one night and have a dance and supper and, the next -night, meet over at another place and have the same thing. - -"When I got to workin' for myself, it was cow work. I done horseback -work for fifty years. Many a year passed that I never missed a day bein' -in the saddle. I stayed thirteen years on one ranch. The first place was -right below Hondo City. His name was Tally Burnett and I was gettin' -$7.50 a month. Went to work for that and stayed about three or four -months and he raised my wages to what the others was gettin' and that -was $12.50. He said I was as good as they were. Then I went to Frio -City. I done the same kind of work, but I went with the people that -nearly raised me, the Rutledges. - -"That's where I was give twice in the census. My mother gave me in and -he gave me in. That was one time they had one man too many. - -"I married when I was with them and I worked for him after that. That -was when we would work away down on the Rio Grande, when Demp Fenley and -Lee Langford and Tom Roland and the two Lease boys and one or two more -was deliverin' cattle to the Gold Franks' ranch. He wanted 8,000 -two-year-old heifers. He had 150,000 acres of land and wanted cattle to -stock it. Some taken a contract to deliver so many and some taken a -contract to deliver so many, so these men I was with went down below -Laredo and down in there. We wound that up in '85. In '86, I went to -Kerr County and taken a ranch out there on the head of the Guadalupe -River. I stayed there two years and a half, till they sold out. This man -I was workin' for was from Boston, and he leased the ranch and turned it -over to me and I done all the hirin' and payin' off and buyin' and -ever'thing. When he sold out, I left and went on the Horton ranch about -thirteen months. - -"My first wife died in 1892, but we had been separated about five or six -years. I married again in Bandera and quit ranchin' and went to stock -farmin' for Albert Miller, then leased a place from Charley Montague two -years, then went over into Hondo Canyon and leased a place there in '98. -We stayed there till 1906, then came to Uvalde. I leased a place out -here, about two hundred acres, four miles from town, and had odd jobs -around here too. Then, about 1907, we went to Zavala County and stayed -till 1919. I leased a place here, then, and finally settled at this -place I'm on now and have been here ever since. - -"I've got 11 chillen livin'. One boy, Alfred, is in Lousiana and I don't -know what he's doin', but he's been married about five times. I have a -boy workin' in the post office in San Antonio named Mack, and the rest -of the chillen are here. There's Sarah, Riley, Frank, James, Banetta, -John, Theodore, Tommy, Annie Laurie. They all live here and work at -different places. - -"I know when we used to camp out in the winter time we would have these -old-time freezes, when ever'thing was covered in ice. We would have a -big, fat cow hangin' up and we could slice that meat off and have the -best meals. And when we was on the cow hunts we would start out with -meal, salt and coffee and carry the beddin' for six or eight men on two -horses and carry our rations on another horse. I guess it would scare -people now to hear 'em comin' with all them pots and pans and makin' all -that racket. - -"When we camped and killed a yearlin' the leaf fat and liver was one of -the first things we would cook. When they would start in to gather -cattle to send to Kansas, they would ride out in the herd and pick out a -fat calf, and they would get the 'fleece' and liver and broil the ribs. -The meat that was cut off the ribs was called the fleece. It was a -terr'ble waste, for many a time, the hams wasn't even cut out of the -hide, jes' left there. Old Man Alec Rutledge used to say, when they -would throw out bread and meat, he would say, 'I'll tell you, Tom, he -will have to walk alone sometimes because this willful waste will make -woeful wants.' He was talkin' about his brother--they was two of 'em and -sure 'nough, his brother finally lost all his cattle, quit the business, -and never had nothin' left. There would be an awful lot of good meat -wasted, and now we are payin' for it. - -"The first fence I ever seen wasn't any larger then this addition here, -and it was put up out of pickets. The Mexicans used to build lots of -fences and we got the idea from them, mostly on these old-timey -stake-and-rider fences. It was an awful pasture when they had eight mile -of fence. The way they made the field fences was nothin' but brush. I -remember when I was a little fellow at John Kanady's (Kennedy's), George -Johnson would come over and stay with his sister, Mrs. Kanady, and he -would keep the cattle out of the field. One day, he came there and put -me on his horse. He had loosened up his girt, and I got out there a -little ways and one of the cows turned back. The horse was a regular old -cow pony and when that cow turned back, the old horse turned just as -quick and the saddle slipped and I stayed there. - -"Oh, pshaw! they turn so quick you have to be on the lookout. You have -to watch the horse as well as the cow. Some of them horses get pretty -smart. One time they were cuttin' cattle and a fellow brought a cow to -the edge of the herd and the cow turned back and when she did, the horse -cut back too and left him there. When he went from under him, that -fellow's spurs left a mark clear across the saddle as he went over. It -was my saddle he was ridin' and that mark never did leave it, where the -spurs cut across it. - -"We've done some ridin' even after my wife, here, and I were married. -She's seen 'em breakin' horses and all that pitchin' and bawlin'. But, I -never was no hand to show off. If I kep' my seat, that was all I wanted. -You see lots of fellows ridin' just to show off, but I never was for -anything like that. - -"No, I never did go up on the trail. I've helped prepare the herd to -take. Usually, there would be one owner takin' his cattle up on the -trail. They had no place to hold the cattle, only under herd. Usually, -they would start with a thousand or fifteen hundred head, but they -didn't put 'em all together till they got away out on the divide. They -would have 'em shaped up as they gathered 'em and jes' hold what they -wanted to send. It didn't take so many men, either, because they all -understood their business. - -"I was jes' thinkin' about when Mr. Demp Fenley and Rutledge was here. -They had about nine hundred head of cattle. We brought 'em right in -below Pearsall, right about the Shiner ranch, and delivered 'em there. -But before we got there at a little creek they called _Pato_, they was -hardly any place to bed the cattle because they was so much pear[TR: -cactus]. Mr. Rutledge and I always bedded the cattle down, and then I -would go on the last relief, usually about the time to get up, anyway. -He used me all the time when they would get ready to go to camp in the -evenin', and we'd spread 'em out and let 'em graze before beddin' 'em -down. Sometimes he would give me a motion to come over there, and I knew -that meant an animal to throw. He always got me to do the ropin' if one -broke out. Well, we was comin on with those cattle and they was a steer -that gave us trouble all the time. As soon as you got away, he would -walk out of the herd. Well, we got the cattle all bedded down and they -were quiet, but that steer walked out. I was ridin' Mr. Fenley's dun -horse, and Mr. Rutledge says to me, 'I tell you what we'll do. We'll -ketch that steer out here and give 'im a good whippin'.' I says, 'We'll -get into trouble, too.' Well, he was to hold 'im away from the herd and -I was to rope 'im, but the steer run in front of him and out-run 'im. If -he would have run in behind him, I would 'a caught 'im, but that steer -beat 'im to the herd and run right into the middle of 'em. And did he -stampede 'em! Those cattle run right into the camp, and the boys all -scramblin' into the wagon and gettin' on their horses without their -boots on. One steer fell and rolled right under the chuck wagon. You -know, we run those cattle all night, tryin' to hold 'em. It was a pear -flat there, and next mornin' that pear was all beat down flat on the -ground. They sure did run, and all because of that foolishness. Mr. -Rutledge got to me and told me not to tell it, and I don't reckin to -this day anybody knows what done that. - -"I never told you about the panther about to get on to me, did I? Well, -we was out on the Rio Grande, about thirty-one or thirty-two miles -beyond Carrizo. It was at the _Las islas_ (The Islands) Crossin'. I was -about three days behind the outfit when they went out there. That was in -July, and they was a law passed that we had to quit wearin' our guns the -first day of July and hang 'em on the ho'n of our saddle. When I got to -the outfit, the boys was gettin' pretty tired herdin'. They had to bring -'em out about six miles to grass and to this little creek. We would put -'em in the pen at night and feed 'em hay. We were waitin' there for them -to deliver some cattle out of Mexico. The Mexican told me they was -somethin' out there where they were herdin' sheep that was scarin' the -sheep out of the pen at night. I had seen some bobcats, but I laid down -under one of these huisache trees and went to sleep. I had my pistol on -and was layin' there and about two o'clock, I woke up. I turned over and -rested myself on my elbow and looked off there about 12 feet from me and -there stood a big old female panther. She was kind of squattin' and -lookin' right at me. I reached right easy and got my Winchester that was -layin' beside me and I shot her right between the eyes. Why, I had one -of her claws here for a long time. She had some young ones somewhere. I -imagined, though, she was goin' to jump right on me. It wasn't no good -feelin', I know. She was an awful large one. - -"Oh, my goodness! I have seen lobos, eight or ten in a bunch. They're -sure mean. I've seen 'em have cattle rounded up like a bunch of cow -hands. If you heard a cow or yearlin' beller at night, you could go next -mornin' and sure find where they had killed her. They would go right -into the cow or calf and eat its kidney fat first thing. I tell you, one -sure did scare me one time. I was out ridin', usually ropin' and -brandin' calves, and I came across a den in the ground. I heard -something whinin' down there in that hole. It was a curiosity to me and -I wanted to get one of those little wolf pups. That was what I thought -it was. I got down there and reached in there and got one of those -little fellows. They was lovos (lobos). They are usually gray, but he -was still black. They are black at first, then they turn gray. He was a -little bit of a fellow. Well, I got him out and the old lovo wolf run -right at me, snappin' her teeth, and my horse jerked back and came near -gettin' away. But I hung to my wolf and got to my horse and got on and -left there. I didn't have nothin' to kill her with. I was jes' a boy, -then. I took that pup and give it to Mrs. Jim Reedes, down on the Hondo, -and she kep' it till it began eatin' chickens. - -"I had a bear scare, too. That was in '87, about fifty years ago. Well, -Ira Wheat was sheriff at Leakey in Edwards County, then. I went down -there, and I was ridin' a horse I broke for a sheriff in Kerr County. I -came to Leakey to see Wheat--you see they was burnin' cattle (running -the brands) all over that country then. As I was ridin' along, I seen -some buzzards and I rode out there. Somethin' had killed a hog and eat -on it. I knowed it was a bear afterwards, but then I went on down to -Leakey and started back, I got up on the divide, at the head of a little -canyon and I seen those buzzards again. I seen two black things and I -jes' thought to myself them buzzards was comin' back and eatin' on that -dead hog. I rode up and seen that it was two bears and I made a lunge at -'em and the old bear run off and the little cub ran up a tree. I -thought, 'I'll ketch you, you little rascal.' So I tied my horse and I -went up the tree after the cub and when I was near 'im, he squalled jes' -like a child. I tell you, when it squalled that way, here came that old -bear and begin snuffin' around the tree. My horse was jes' rearin' and -tryin' to break loose out there. I tell you, when I _did_ get down there -and get to him, I had to lead him about two hundred yards before I could -ever get on him. He sure was scared. Like it was when I was a boy down -on the Hondo one time and I could hear horses comin' and thought it was -Indians and after awhile, I couldn't hear nothin' but my heart beatin'." - - ---- - -Uncle Tom Mills is one of the most contented old darkies surviving the -good old days when range was open and a livelihood was the easiest thing -in the world to get. He lives in the western part of Uvalde, in a -four-room house that he built himself. A peach orchard and a grape arbor -shade the west side of the house. It is here that Uncle Tom spends many -hours cultivating his little garden patch. Contented and well-fed milk -cows lie in the shade of the oak trees in a little pasture east of the -house, and he proudly calls attention to their full udders and sleek -bodies. His wife, Hattie, laughs and joins him in conversation, helping -to prod his memory on minor events. He smiles a lot and seems optimistic -about most things. I did not hear him speak grudgingly toward anyone, or -make a complaint about the old-age pension he gets. He is always busy -about the place and claims that he can do a lot of work yet. - - - - -La San Mire - - -*La San Mire, 86, aged French Negro of the Pear Orchard Settlement, near -Beaumont, Texas, is alert and intelligent, and his long, well-formed -hands gesture while he talks. He was born in Abbeville Parish, -Louisiana, a slave of Prosper Broussard. His father was a Spaniard, his -mother spoke French, and his master was a Creole. La San's patois is -superior to that of the average French Negro. His story has been -translated.* - -"The old war? No, I don't remember so much about it, because I was so -young. I was ten years old at the beginning of the war. I was born the -13th of May, but I do not know of what year, in the Parish of Abbeville, -on M'sieu Prosper's plantation between Abbeville and Crowley. My parents -were slaves. My father a Spaniard, who spoke Spanish and French. My -mother spoke French, the old master too, all Creoles. I, as all the -other slaves, spoke French. - -"During the war all the children had fear. I drove an old ox-cart in -which I helped pick up the dead soldiers and buried them. A battle took -place about 40 miles from the plantation on a bluff near a large -ditch--not near the bayou, no. We were freed on July 4th. After the war -I remained with my old master. I worked in the house, cooked in the -kitchen. Early each morning, I made coffee and served it to my master -and his family while they were in the bed. - -"The old master was mean--made slaves lie on the ground and whipped -them. I never saw him whip my father. He often whipped my mother. I'd -hide to keep from seeing this. I was afraid. Why did he whip them? I do -not remember. He did not have a prison, just 'coups de fault' -(beatings). But not one slave from our plantation tried to escape to the -north that I can remember. - -"The slaves lived in little cabins. All alike, but good. One or two -beds. Rooms small as a kitchen. Chimneys of dirt. Good floors. We had -plenty to eat. Cornbread and grits, beef, 'chahintes'(coons), des rat -bois (possum), le couche-couche, and Irish and sweet potatoes. - -"Everyone raised cotton. In the evenings the slave women and girls -seeded the cotton, carded it, made thread of it on the spinning wheel. -They made it into cotton for dresses and suits. No shoes or socks. In -winter the men might wear them in winter. Never the women or children. - -"How many slaves? I do not recall. There were so many the yard was full. -They worked from sun-up to sundown, with one hour for dinner. School? I -hoed cotton and drove the oxen to plow the field. - -"I never went to Mass before I was twenty years old. Yes, there were -churches and the others went, but I did not want to go. There were -benches especially for the slaves. Yes, I was baptized a Catholic in -Abbeville, when I was big. - -"Sunday the Negro slaves had round dances. Formed a circle--the boys and -the girls--and changed partners. They sang and danced at the same time. -Rarely on Saturday they had the dances. They sang and whistled in the -fields. - -"The marriages of the slaves were little affairs. Before the witnesses -they'd 'sauter le balais'--the two--and they were married. No -celebration, but always the little cakes. - -"We had no doctor. We used 'vingaire' (an herb) for the fever; la -'chaspare' (sarsaparilla); la 'pedecha (an herb), sometimes called -L'absinthe amer, in a drink of whiskey or gin, for the fever. Des -regulateurs (patent medicines). On nearly all plantations there were -'traiteurs', (a charm-doctor, always a Negro). - -"Noel we had the little cakes and special things to eat, but no -presents. - - -[Illustration: _Le San Mire_] - - -"I was married by the judge first, and after the marriage was blessed by -the priest. I was 21 years old. I wore a new suit, because I had some -money. I worked in the house during the day and at night I caught wild -horses and sold them. I remember my wedding day. It was the Saturday -before Mardi Gras. My wife came from Grand Chenier (Cameron) to -Abbeville when she was small. We had 16 children, 11 boys and five -girls. Three girls and two boys died when they were small. - -"One year after my marriage I left the big house and made a home of my -own. For an enclosure I made a levee of earth around. I planted cotton. -I worked the place for a half or a third. - -"I came to Beaumont 12 years ago, so my children could work, because I -was sick. I could no longer work." - - - - -Charley Mitchell - - -*Charley Mitchell, farmer in Panola Co., Texas, was born in 1852, a -slave of Nat Terry, an itinerant Baptist preacher of Lynchburg, -Virginia. Charley left the Terrys one year after he was freed. He worked -in a tobacco factory, then as a waiter, until 1887, when he moved to -Panola Co. For fifty years he has farmed in the Sabine River bottom, -about twenty-five miles southeast of Marshall, Texas.* - -"I's born in Virginia, over in Lynchburg, and it was in 1852, and I -'longed to Parson Terry and Missy Julia. I don't 'member my pappy, -'cause he's sold when I's a baby, but my mammy was willed to the Terrys -and allus lived with them till freedom. She worked for them and they -hired her out there in town for cook and house servant. - -"They hired me out most times as nuss for white folks chillen, and I -nussed Tom Thurman's chillen. He run the bakery there in Lynchburg and -come from the north, and when war broke they made him and 'nother -northener take a iron clad oath they wouldn't help the north. Durin' the -war I worked in Massa Thurman's bakery, helping make hard tack and -doughnuts for the 'federate sojers. He give me plenty to eat and wear -and treated me as well as I could hope for. - -"Course, I didn't git no schoolin'. The white folks allus said niggers -don't need no larnin'. Some niggers larnt to write their initials on the -barn door with charcoal, then they try to find out who done that, the -white folks, I mean, and say they cut his fingers off iffen they jus' -find out who done it. - -"Lynchburg was good sized when war come on and Woodruff's nigger tradin' -yard was 'bout the bigges' thing there. It was all fenced in and had a -big stand in middle of where they sold the slaves. They got a big price -for 'em and handcuffed and chained 'em together and led 'em off like -convicts. That yard was full of Louisiana and Texas slave buyers mos' -all the time. None of the niggers wanted to be sold to Louisiana, 'cause -that's where they beat 'em till the hide was raw, and salted 'em and -beat 'em some more. - -"Course us slaves of white folks what lived in town wasn't treated like -they was on most plantations. Massa Nat and Missy Julia was good to us -and most the folks we was hired out to was good to us. Lynchburg was -full of pattyrollers, jus' like the country, though, and they had a -fenced in whippin' post there in town and the pattyrollers sho' put it -on a nigger iffen they cotch him without a pass. - -"After war broke, Lee, you know General Lee himself, come to Lynchburg -and had a campground there and it look like 'nother town. The 'federates -had a scrimmage with the Yankees 'bout two miles out from Lynchburg, and -after surrender General Wilcox and a big company of Yankees come there. -De camp was clost to a big college there in Lynchburg and they throwed -up a big breastworks out the other side the college. I never seed it -till after surrender, 'cause us wasn't 'lowed to go out there. Gen. -Shumaker was commander of the 'Federate artillery and kilt the first -Yankee that come to Lynchburg. They drilled the college boys, too, there -in town. I didn't know till after surrender what they drilled them for, -'cause the white folks didn't talk the war 'mongst us. - -"Bout a year after the Yankees come to Lynchburg they moved the cullud -free school out to Lee's Camp and met in one of the barracks and had -four white teachers from the north, and that school run sev'ral years -after surrender. - -"Lots of 'Federate sojers passed through Lynchburg goin' to Petersburg. -Once some Yankee sojers come through clost by and there was a scrimmage -'tween the two armies, but it didn't last long. Gen. Wilcox had a -standin' army in Lynchburg after the war, when the Yankees took things -over, but everything was peaceful and quiet then. - -"After surrender a man calls a meetin' of all the slaves in the -fairgrounds and tells us we's free. We wasn't promised anything. We jus' -had to do the best we could. But I heared lots of slaves what lived on -farms say they's promised forty acres and a mule but they never did git -it. We had to go to work for whatever they'd pay us, and we didn't have -nothing and no place to go when we was turned loose, but down the street -and road. When I left the Terry's I worked in a tobacco factory for a -dollar a week and that was big money to me. Mammy worked too and we -managed somehow to live. - -"After I married I started farmin', but since I got too old I live round -with my chillen. I has two sons and a boy what I raised. One boy lives -clost to Jacksonville and the other in the Sabine bottom and the boy -what I raised lives at Henderson. I been gittin' $10.00 pension since -January this year. (1937) - -"I never fool round with politics much. I's voted a few times, but most -the time I don't. I leaves that for folks what knows politics. I says -this, the young niggers ain't bein' raised like we was. Most of them -don't have no manners or no moral self-respect. - - -[Illustration: _Charley Mitchell_] - - -"I don't 'lieve much in hants but I's heared my wife call my name. She's -been dead four years. If you crave to see your dead folks, you'll never -see them, but if you don't think 'bout them they'll come back sometime. - -"Two nigger women died in this house and both of them allus smoked a -pipe. My boy and me used to smell the pipes at night, since they died, -and one mornin' I seed one of them. I jus' happened to look out the -window and saw one of them goin' to the cow-pen. I knowed her by her -bonnet. - -"They's a nigger church and cemetery up the road away from my house -where the dead folks come out by twos at night and go in the church and -hold service. Me and the preacher what preaches there done seed and -heared them. - -"They's a way of keepin' off hants. That's done by tackin' an old shoe -by the side the door, or a horseshoe over the door, or pullin' off part -of the planks of your house and puttin' on some new boards." - - - - -Peter Mitchell - - -*Peter Mitchell, in the late seventies, was born in Jasper, Texas, a -slave of Thad Lanier. He has lived in or near Jasper all his life.* - -"Yes'm, I's Peter Mitchell and I was born right near here and my father -and mother wasn't lawful married. De niggers wasn't in dem days. My -pappy's name was Richard Lanier and my mammy's was Martha Mitchell, but -us all taken mammy's name. She taken her name from de Mitchells, what -owned her befo' de Laniers git her. My brothers named Lewis Johnson and -Dennis Fisher, and William and Mose and Peter Mitchell. My sisters was -Sukie and Louisa and Effie. - -"Mammy was de house gal. She say de Mitchells done treat her hard but -Massa Lanier purty good to us. In summer she kep' us chillen near de big -house in de yard, but we couldn't go in de house. In winter we stays -round de shack where we lives while mammy work. - -"We gits plenty cornbread and soup and peas. On Sunday dey gives us jus' -one biscuit apiece and we totes it round in de pocket half de day and -shows it to de others, and says, 'See what we has for breakfast.' - -"We wears duckin' dyed with indigo, and hickory shirts, and we has no -shoes till we gits old 'nough to work. Den dey brogans with de brass -toe. Mammy knitted de socks at night and weaves coats in winter. Many a -night I sits up and spins and cards for mammy. - -"Massa Lanier live in de fine, big house and have hundreds of acres in -de plantation and has twenty-five houses for de slaves and dere -families. He kep' jus' 'nough of de niggers to work de land and de extry -he sells like hosses. - -"Missy larned mammy to read and dey have de cullud preacher, named Sam -Lundy. Dey have de big bayou in de field where dey baptises. De white -people has de big pool 'bout 50 yard from de house, where dey baptise. - -"Sometimes dey runs 'way but didn't git far, 'cause de patter rollers -watches night and day. Some de men slaves makes hoe handles and cotton -sacks at night and de women slaves washes and irons and sews and knits. -We had to work so many hours every night, and no holidays but Christmas. - -"Us plantation so big, dey kep' de doctor right on de place, and taken -purty good care of de sick niggers, 'cause dey worth money. We was not -so bad off, but we never has de fun, we jus' works and sleeps. - -"When freedom come dey turn us loose and say to look out for ourselves. -Mos' of de slaves jus' works round for de white folks den and gits pay -in food and de clothes, but after while de slaves larns to take care -demselves. I marries and was dress up in black and my wife wore de -purple dress. De Rev. Sam Hadnot marry us. - -"I farms all my life and it ain't been so bad. I's too old to work much -now, but I makes a little here and there on de odd jobs." - - - - -Andrew Moody and wife Tildy - - -*Andrew Moody was born in 1855, in Orange, Texas, a slave to Colonel -Fountain Floyd, who owned a plantation of about 250 acres on Lacey's -River. Andrew is said to be the oldest ex-slave in Orange County.* - -"I was ten year old when freedom come and I'm the oldest slave what was -born in Orange County still livin' there. They called Orange, Green -Bluff at the first, then they call it Madison, and then they call it -Orange. I used to live on Colonel Fountain Floyd's plantation on Lacey's -River, 'bout 17 miles from here. They had 'bout forty hands big enough -to pick cotton. - -"My grandmother was with me, but not my mother, and my father, Ball, he -belong to Locke and Thomas. We lived in houses with home-made furniture. -Yes, they had rawhide chairs and whenever they kilt a beef they kep' the -skin offen the head to make seat for chairs. - -"Colonel Floyd he treat us good, as if he's us father or mother. No, we -didn' suffer no 'buse, 'cause he didn' 'low it and he didn' do it -hisself. - -"Parson Pipkin, he come 'round and preach to the white folks and -sometimes he preach extry to the cullud quarters. Some of the cullud -folks could read the hymns. Young missus, she larn 'em. They sing, - - "Jerdon ribber so still and col', - Let's go down to Jerdon. - Go down, go down, - Let's go down to Jerdon. - -"Every man had a book what carried his own niggers' names. The niggers' -names was on the white folks' church book with the white folks' names -and them books was like tax books. The tax collector, he come 'round and -say, 'How many li'l darkies you got?' and then he put it down in the -'sessment book. - - -[Illustration: _Andrew Moody and wife Tildy_] - - -"Folks had good times Christmas. Dancin' and big dinner. They give 'em -two or three day holiday then. They give Christmas gif', maybe a pair -stockin's or sugar candy. The white folks kill turkey and set table for -the slaves with everything like they have, bread and biscuit and cake -and po'k and baked turkey and chicken and sich. They cook in a skillet -and spider. The cullud folks make hoe cake and ash cake and cracklin' -bread and they used to sing, 'My baby love shortenin' bread.' - -"When a hand die they all stop work the nex' day after he die and they -blow the horn and old Uncle Bob, he pray and sing songs. They have a -wake the night he die and come from all 'round and set up with the -corpse all night. They make the coffin on the place and have two hands -dig a grave. - -"The way they done when 'mancipation come, they call up at twelve -o'clock in June, 1865, right out there in Duncan Wood, 'twixt the old -field and Beaumont. They call my mother, who done come to live there. -They say, 'Now, listen, you and your chillen don' 'long to me now. You -kin stay till Christmas if you wants.' So mother she stay but at -Christmas her husban' come and they all go but me. I was the las' nigger -to stay after freedom come, and the marster and I'd would go huntin and -fishin' in the Naches River. We ate raccoon then and rabbit and keep the -rabbit foot for luck, jus' the first joint. The 'Toby' what we call it, -and if we didn' have no 'Toby' we couldn' git no rabbit nex' time we -goes huntin'." - - - - -A.M. Moore - - -*A.M. Moore, aged preacher and school teacher of Harrison Co., Texas, -was born in 1846, a slave of W.R. Sherrad who, in the 1830's, settled a -large plantation eight miles northeast of Marshall. Moore worked as a -farmhand for several years after he left home, but later attended Bishop -and Wiley Colleges, in Marshall, and obtained a teacher's certificate. -He taught and preached until age forced him to retire to his farm, which -is on land that was once a part of his master's plantation.* - -"My name is Almont M. Moore and I was born right here in Harrison -County, in 1846, and belonged to Master W.R. Sherrad. My master was one -of the first settlers in these parts and owned a big plantation, eight -miles northeast of Marshall. My father was Jiles D. Moore and he was -born in Alabama, and my mother, Anna, was born in Mississippi. They came -to Texas as slaves. My grandmother on my mother's side was Cherry and -she belonged to the Sherrads, too. She said the Indians gave them a hot -time when they first came to Texas. Finally they became friendly to the -white people. - -"My mistress was Lucinda Sherrad and she had a world of children. They -lived in a big, log house, but you wouldn't know it was a log house -unless you went up in the attic where it wasn't ceiled. The slaves -helped master build the house. The quarters looked like a little town, -with the houses all in lines. - -"They had rules for the slaves to be governed by and they were whipped -when they disobeyed. Master didn't have to whip his slaves much, because -he was fair to them, more than most of the slaveowners. Lots of masters -wouldn't let the slaves have anything and wouldn't let them read or even -look at a book. I've known courts in this county to fine slaveowners for -not clothing and feeding their slaves right. I thought that was right, -because lots of them were too stingy to treat the slaves right unless -they made them do it. - -"Corn shucking was a big sport for the Negroes and whites, too, in -slavery time. Sometimes they gave a big dance when they finished -shucking, but my master's folks always had a religious service. I went -to a Methodist church and it had too floors, one for the slaves and one -for the whites. Just before the war they began to let the Negroes preach -and have some books, a hymn book and a Bible. - -"After the war they treated the slaves fine in this part of the country. -The industrious ones could work and save money. Down in Louisiana lots -of owners divided syrup, meat and other things with the slaves. My -brother and I saved enough to buy five hundred acres of land. Lots of -white men took one or more slaves to wait on them when they joined the -army, but my master left me at home to help there. - -"Some owners didn't free their slaves and they soon put soldiers at -Marshall and Shreveport and arrested the ones who refused to let the -slaves go. My father died during the war and my mother stayed with -Master Sherrad three years after surrender. I stayed with her till I was -big enough and then hired out on a farm. They paid farmhands $10.00 to -$15.00 a month then. - - -[Illustration: _A.M. Moore_] - - -"Then I went to school at Wiley and Bishop Colleges here for four years -and I hold a county teacher's certificate. I have taught school in -Harrison and Gregg Counties and in Caddo Parish, in Louisiana. I started -preaching in 1880 and for several years was District Missionary for the -Texas-Louisiana Missionary Baptist Association. I have preached in and -organized churches all over East Texas. - -"We raised six children and two boys and two girls are still living. The -girls live in Longview and one boy farms. The other boy is a preacher -here in Harrison County. - -"I have voted in county and other elections. I think they should -instruct the Negroes so they can vote like white folks. The young -Negroes now have a better chance than most of us had. They have their -schools and churches, but I don't think they try as hard as we did. We -learned lots from the white folks and their teaching was genuine and had -a great effect on us. I attribute the Christian beliefs of our people to -the earnest, faithful teaching of white people, and today we have many -educated Negro teachers and preachers and leaders that we are not -ashamed of." - - - - -Jerry Moore - - -*Jerry Moore, a native of Harrison County, Texas, was born May 28, 1848, -a slave of Mrs. Isaac Van Zandt, who was a pioneer civic leader of the -county. Jerry has always lived in Marshall. For fifty years after he was -freed he worked as a brick mason. He now lives alone on the Port Caddo -road, and is supported by a $15.OO per month pension from the -government.* - -"My name is J.M. Moore, but all the white and cullud folks calls me -Uncle Jerry, 'cause I has lived here mos' since Marshall started. I was -born on the 28th of May, in 1848, up on the hill where the College of -Marshall is now, and I belonged to the Van Zandts. That was their old -home place. - -"I never did see Col. Isaac Van Zandt, my mistresses' husband, but has -heared her and the older folks talk lots o' him. They say he was the one -who helped set up Marshall and name it. They say he run for Governor and -had a good chance, but was never honorated as Governor, 'cause he died -'fore election. - -"My mistress was named Fanny and was one sweet soul. She had five -children and they lived here in town but have a purty big farm east of -town. My mother sewed for Mistress Fanny, so we lived in town. There -were lots of niggers on the farm and everybody round these parts called -us 'Van Zandt's free niggers,' 'cause our white folks shared with their -darkies and larned 'em all to read and write. The other owners wouldn't -have none of Van Zandt's niggers. - -"My mother was Amy Van Zandt Moore and was a Tennessian. My father was -Henry Moore and he belonged to a old bachelor named Moore, in Alabama. -Moore freed all his niggers 'fore 'mancipation except three. They was to -pay a debt and my father was Moore's choice man and was one of the -three. He bought hisself. He had saved up some money and when they went -to sell him he bid $800.00. The auctioneer cries 'round to git a raise, -but wouldn't nobody bid on my father 'cause he was one of Moore's 'free -niggers'. My father done say after the war he could have buyed hisself -for $1.50. So he was a free man 'fore the 'mancipation and he couldn't -live 'mong the slaves and he had to have a guardian who was 'sponsible -for his conduct till after surrender. They was lots of niggers here from -the free states 'fore the war, but they wasn't 'lowed to mix with the -slaves. - -"Mistress Fanny allus give the children a candy pullin' on Saturday -night and the big folks danced and had parties. She allus gave the -children twenty-five cents apiece when the circus come to town. The -patterrollers wasn't 'lowed 'bout our place and her darkies went mos' -anywhere and wasn't ever bothered. I never seed a slave whipped on our -place. She give her darkies money along for doin' odd jobs and they -could spend it for what they wanted. She was a Christian woman and read -the Bible mos' all the time. She give my mother two acres of land at -'mancipation. - -"The first thing I seed of the war was them musterin' and drillin' -sojers here in Marshall, back in Buchanan's time. Politics was hot in -'59 and '60. I 'member 'em havin' a big dinner and barbecue and speakin' -on our place. They had a railroad to Swanson's Landing on Caddo Lake and -the train crew brung news from boats from Shreveport and New Orleans. -Soon as the train pulled into town it signaled. Three long, mournful -whistles meant bad news. Three short, quick whistles meant good news. I -went to town for the mail with my sister durin' the war. She'd say to -me, 'Jerry, the sooner the war is over, the sooner we'll be free. All -the Van Zandt Negroes wanted to be free.' They didn't understand how -well they was bein' treated till after they had to make their own -livin'. - -"I rec'lect the time the cullud folks registered here after the war. -They outnumbered the whites a long way. Davis was governor and all the -white folks had to take the Iron Clad oath to vote. Carpetbaggers and -Negroes run the government. In the early days they held the election -four days. They didn't vote in precints but at the court house. The -Democratic Party had no chance to 'timidate the darkies. The 'publican -party had a 'Loyal League' for to protect the cullud folks. First the -Negroes went to the league house to get 'structions and ballots and then -marched to the court house, double file, to vote. My father was a member -of the 11th and 12th legislature from this county. He was 'lected just -after the Constitutional Convention, when Davis was elected governor. -Two darkies, Mitch Kennel and Wiley Johnson, was 'lected from this -county to be members of that Convention. - -"Durin' the Reconstruction the Negroes gathered in Harrison County. The -Yankee sojers and 'Progoe' law made thousands of darkies flock here for -protection. The Ku Klux wasn't as strong here and this place was -headquarters for the 'Freedman'. What the 'Progoe' Marshal said was -Gospel. They broke up all that business in Governor Hogg's time. They -divided the county into precints and the devilment was done in the -precints, just like it is now. - - -[Illustration: _Jerry Moore_] - - -"My father told me about old Col. Alford and his Kluxers takin' Anderson -Wright out to the bayou. They told him, 'You'd better pray.' Wright got -down on his knees and acted like he was prayin' till he crawled to the -bank and jumped off in the bayou. The Klux shot at him fifty or sixty -times, but he got away. The Loyal League give him money to leave on and -he stayed away a long time. He came back to appear against Alford at his -trial and when the jury gave Alford ninety-nine years, Anderson was -glad, of course. - -"I left the Van Zandts two years after I was freed and worked in hotels -and on the railroad and saved up money and went in business, helping -people ship cotton. I've seen a thousand cotton wagons in town at one -time. I stayed in business till I was burnt out. I came back to Marshall -and took up the brick mason trade and worked at it till I got too old to -hold out. - -"I've sat on the jury in the county, justice and federal courts. I know -enough to vote or set on a jury but I think the restriction on colored -folks votin' is all right in this State. The white folks has a good -government system. Our leaders ain't hard-hearted people and the cullud -folks is well off or better as if they voted. I've lived here in -Marshall most all the time since I was born and ain't had no trouble. As -long as the Negroes treat the white folks right, the white folks will -treat them right." - - - - -John Moore - - -*John Moore, 84, was born a slave to Duncan Gregg, in Vermillionville, -La., where he lived until he was freed. In 1876 he came to Texas and now -lives in Beaumont.* - -"I was twelve year old when freedom broke up. I lives 'tween -Vermillionville and Lafayette in Louisiana and my massa's name Duncan -Greggs and he have purty big farm and lots of cullud people. His house -was two, three hun'erd yard from de nigger quarters. De old grammas, dey -took care of de chillen when dere mothers was in de fields and took dem -up to de big house so de white folks could see 'em play. - -"We chillens was dress in a shirt and we was barefoot. Sometime dey make -what dey call moccasin out of rawhide. Shoes was skeerce. - -"Dey raise de food and have grits ground in de grits mill. Dey raise -hawgs and make syrup and farm and raise chickens. Marster didn' 'low de -niggers to have big garden patch but sometime he 'low 'em have place -raise watermillion. - -"Marster have purty good house, a box-house, and have good furniture in -it. De cullud folks have house with chimbly in de middle of two rooms -and one fambly live on one side de chimbly and 'nother fambly on de -other side de chimbly. De chillen have pallets on de floor. - -"After freedom my daddy die with cholera. I don' know how many chillen -in us fambly. My daddy's name Valmore Moore and mamma's name Silliman. - -"Dey have niggers in de fields in different squads, a hoe squad and a -plow squad, and de overseer was pretty rapid. Iffen dey don' do de work -dey buck dem down and whip dem. Dey tie dey hands and feet togedder and -make 'em put de hands 'tween de knees, and put a long stick 'tween de -hands to dey can't pull 'em out, and den dey whip dem in good fashion. - -"When war starts, dey have a fight at Penock Bridge, not far from a -place dey call La'fette. Dey burn de bridge and keep de Yankees from -takin' de town. But de Yankees gits floatin' bridges and gits 'cross de -bayou dat way. De Yankees comes to our place and dey go to de sugarhouse -and takes barrels of sugar and syrup, and corn and meat and de white -folks hides de chickens under de bed, but de old rooster crow and den de -Yankees hear dem. - -"Young marster say he gwine to war to kill a Yankee and bring he head -back and he take a servant 'long. He didn' bring no Yankee head back but -he brung a shot up arm, but dat purty soon git well. - -"Iffen us sick dey make med'cine out of weeds, mos' bitter weed, boneset -dey calls it. Dey bile Jerusalem oak and give it to us. - -"We has dances sometimes and sings - - 'Run, nigger, run, - De patterroles git you; - Run, nigger run, - It almos' day.' - -Or we sings - - 'My old missus promise me - Shoo a la a day, - When she die she set me free - Shoo a la a day. - She live so long her head git bald, - Shoo a la a day. - She give up de idea of dyin' a-tall - Shoo a la a day.' - -"Sometimes we hollers de corn hollers. One was somethin' like this: -'Rabbit gittin' up in a holler for niggers kotch for breakfast.' -Sometimes my mudder jump up in de air and sing, - - 'Sugar in de gourd, - Sugar in de gourd, - Iffen you wanter git - De sugar out-- - R-o-o-l-l de gourd over.' - -"And all de time she shoutin' dat, she jumpin' right straight up in de -air. - -"I heered lots about de Klu Klux. Sometimes dey want a nigger's place -and dey put up notice he better sell out and leave. Iffen he go see a -lawyer, de lawyer wouldn' take de case, 'cause mos' dem in with de Klux. -He tell de nigger he better sell. - -"I come to Texas in '76 and been here ever since. I's had 13 chillen. I -owns eight acres in dis place now and I got de purties' corn in de -country but de insecks give it de blues." - - - - -Van Moore - - -*Van Moore, now living at 2119 St. Charles St., Houston, Tex., was born -on a plantation owned by the Cunningham family, near Lynchburg, -Virginia. While Van was still a baby, his owner moved to a plantation -near Crosby, Tex. Van is about 80 years old.* - -"Like I say, I's born on de first day of September, near Lynchburg, in -Virginy, but I's reared up here in Texas. My mammy's name was Mary Moore -and my pappy's name was Tom Moore. Mammy 'longed to de Cunninghams but -Pappy 'longed to de McKinneys, what was Missy Cunningham's sister and -her husban'. That's how my mammy and pappy come together. In dem days a -slave man see a slave gal what he wants and he asks his old massa, kin -he see her. Iffen she owned by someone else, de massa ask de gal's massa -iffen it all right to put 'em together, and iffen he say so, dey jus' -did. Twa'nt no Bible weddin', like now. - -"Mammy had 19 chillen, 10 boys and 9 gals, but all of 'em dead 'cept me. -Dey was call' Matthew and Joe and Harris and Horace and Charley and Sam -and Dave and Millie and Viney and Mary and Phyllis, and I forgit de -others. - -"While I jus' a baby Massa Cunningham and he family and he slaves, and -Massa McKinney and he slaves comes to Texas. I never did 'member old -Massa Cunningham, 'cause dey tells me he kilt by a rarin' beef, right -after we gits to Texas. Dey say he didn't take up 'nough slack on dat -rope when he tryin' brand de beef and de critter rared over and broke -massa's back. - -"But I 'members Missy Mary Ellen Cunningham, he wife, from de time I's a -little feller till she die. She sho' was de good woman and treated de -slaves good. - -"Mammy told me it dis-a-way how come de Cunninghams and de McKinneys to -come to Texas. When war begin most folks back in Virginny what owns -slaves moved further south, and lots to Louisiana and Texas, 'cause dey -say de Yankees won't never git dat far and dey won't have to free de -slaves iffen dey come way over here. 'Sides, dey so many slaves runnin' -'way to de north, back dere. Mammy say when dey starts for here in de -wagons, de white folks tells de po' niggers, what was so ig'rant dey -'lieve all de white folks tell 'em, dat where dey is goin' de lakes full -of syrup and covered with batter cakes, and dey won't have to work so -hard. Dey tells 'em dis so dey don't run away. - -"Well, mammy say dey comes to de lake what has round things on top de -water. Course, dey jus' leaves, but de niggers thinks here is de lake -with de syrup and one runs to de edge and takes de big swallow, and -spits it out, and say 'Whuf!' I reckon he thinks dat funny syrup. - -"De plantation at Crosby was a great big place, and after old Massa -Cunningham kilt by dat beef Missy Cunningham couldn't keep it up and we -goes to Galveston. Dere she has de great big house with de beautiful -things in it, de mirrors and de silk chairs and de rugs what soft 'nough -to sleep on. Missy Cunningham mighty good to us niggers and on Sunday -she'd fill up de big wood tray with flour and grease and hawg meat, so -we could have de biscuit and white bread. Mammy say back in Virginny dey -called biscuits 'knots' and white bread 'tangle-dough.' - -"Iffen old Missy Cunningham ain't in heaven right now, den dere ain't -none, 'cause she so good to us we all loved her. She never took de whip -to us, but I heered my mammy say she knowed a slave woman what owned by -Massa Rickets, and she workin' in de field, and she heavy with de chile -what not born yet, and she has to set down in de row to rest. She was -havin' de misery and couldn't work good, and de boss man had a nigger -dig a pit where her stomach fit in, and lay her down and tie her so she -can't squirm 'round none, and flog her till she lose her mind. Yes, suh, -dat de truf, my mammy say she knowed dat woman a long time after dat, -and she never right in de head 'gain. - -"When de war broke, de Union soldiers has a camp not so far from we'uns -and I slips down dere when old missy not lookin', 'cause de soldiers -give me black coffee and sugar what I takes to my mammy. I had to walk -in de sand up to de knees to git to dat camp. Lots more chillen went, -too, but I never seed no cruelness by de soldiers. Dey gives you de -sugar in de big bucket and when you puts de hand in it you could pinch -de water out it, 'cause it not refined sugar like you gits now, but it -sure tasted good. - -"Mammy wrops me in both de Yankee and de 'federate flags when I goes to -dat camp, and de soldiers takes off de 'federate flag, but I allus wears -it 'round de house, cause old missy tell me to. - -"When freedom come, old missy tell my mammy, 'You is free now, and you -all jus' have to do de best you kin.' But mammy she never been 'way from -old missy in her life, and she didn't want no more freedom dan what she -had, so we jus' stays with old missy till she moved back to Crosby. - - -[Illustration: _Van Moore_] - - -"When pappy's set free by Massa Albert McKinney, he didn't have -nothin'--not even a shirt, so Massa Albert 'lowed him stay and work -'round de plantation. One day 'fore we goes back to Crosby, pappy come -down to Galveston to see mammy and us chillen, 'cause he wants to take -us back with him. He rid all de way on a mule, carryin' a wallet what -was thrown over de back of de mule like de pack saddle, and he gives it -to mammy. You know what was in dat wallet? He brung a coon and possum -and some corn dodger, 'cause he thinks we don't have 'nough to eat down -there. Mammy she give one look at de stuff and say, 'You, Tom, I's -stayin' right here with old Missy Cunningham, and we has white folks -eats,' and she throw de whole mess 'way. I sho' 'member dat happenin'. - -"But old missy gittin' poorly and, like I told you, we move back to -Crosby and mammy and pappy lives together 'gain. I gits me some small -work here and there till I grows up, and I's worked hard all my life. - -"All de old folks is gone now. Old missy, she die in Crosby, and mammy -and pappy die, too, and is buried there. Doctor say I got dis and dat -wrong and can't work no more, so I guess I go, too, 'fore long. But I -still has love for my old missy, 'cause she loved us and sho' was good -to us, and it make me feel kinda good to talk 'bout her and de old -times." - - - - -William Moore - - -*William Moore was born a slave of the Waller family, in Selma, Alabama, -about 1855. His master moved to Mexia, Texas, during the Civil War. -William now lives at 1016-1/2 Good Street, Dallas, Texas.* - -"My mammy done told me the reason her and my paw's name am Moore was -'cause afore they 'longed to Marse Tom Waller they 'longed to Marse -Moore, but he done sold them off. - -"Marse Tom heared they gwine 'mancipate the slaves in Selma, so he got -his things and niggers together and come to Texas. My mammy said they -come in covered wagons but I wasn't old 'nough to 'member nothin' 'bout -it. The first 'lections I got is down in Limestone County. - -"Marse Tom had a fine, big house painted white and a big prairie field -front his house and two, three farms and orchards. He had five hundred -head of sheep, and I spent mos' my time bein' a shepherd boy. I starts -out when I'm li'l and larns right fast to keep good 'count of the -sheeps. - -"Mammy's name was Jane and paw's was Ray, and I had a brother, Ed, and -four sisters, Rachel and Mandy and Harriet and Ellen. We had a purty -hard time to make out and was hongry lots of times. Marse Tom didn't -feel called on to feed his hands any too much. I 'members I had a -cravin' for victuals all the time. My mammy used to say, 'My belly -craves somethin' and it craves meat.' I'd take lunches to the field -hands and they'd say, 'Lawd Gawd, it ain't 'nough to stop the gripe in -you belly.' We made out on things from the fields and rabbits cooked in -li'l fires. - -"We had li'l bitty cabins out of logs with puncheon beds and a bench and -fireplace in it. We chillun made out to sleep on pallets on the floor. - -"Some Sundays we went to church some place. We allus liked to go any -place. A white preacher allus told us to 'bey our masters and work hard -and sing and when we die we go to Heaven. Marse Tom didn't mind us -singin' in our cabins at night, but we better not let him cotch us -prayin'. - -"Seems like niggers jus' got to pray. Half they life am in prayin'. Some -nigger take turn 'bout to watch and see if Marse Tom anyways 'bout, then -they circle theyselves on the floor in the cabin and pray. They git to -moanin' low and gentle, 'Some day, some day, some day, this yoke gwine -be lifted offen our shoulders.' - -"Marse Tom been dead long time now. I 'lieve he's in hell. Seem like -that where he 'long. He was a terrible mean man and had a indiff'ent, -mean wife. But he had the fines', sweetes' chillun the Lawd ever let -live and breathe on this earth. They's so kind and sorrowin' over us -slaves. - -"Some them chillun used to read us li'l things out of papers and books. -We'd look at them papers and books like they somethin' mighty curious, -but we better not let Marse Tom or his wife know it! - -"Marse Tom was a fitty man for meanness. He jus' 'bout had to beat -somebody every day to satisfy his cravin'. He had a big bullwhip and he -stake a nigger on the ground and make 'nother nigger hold his head down -with his mouth in the dirt and whip the nigger till the blood run out -and red up the ground. We li'l niggers stand round and see it done. Then -he tell us, 'Run to the kitchen and git some salt from Jane.' That my -mammy, she was cook. He'd sprinkle salt in the cut, open places and the -skin jerk and quiver and the man slobber and puke. Then his shirt stick -to his back for a week or more. - -"My mammy had a terrible bad back once. I seen her tryin' to git the -clothes off her back and a woman say, 'What's the matter with you back?' -It was raw and bloody and she say Marse Tom done beat her with a handsaw -with the teeth to her back. She died with the marks on her, the teeth -holes goin' crosswise her back. When I's growed I asks her 'bout it and -she say Marse Tom got mad at the cookin' and grabs her by the hair and -drug her out the house and grabs the saw off the tool bench and whips -her. - -"My paw is the first picture I got in my mind. I was settin' on maw's -lap and paw come in and say Marse Tom loaned him out to work on a dam -they's buildin' in Houston and he has to go. One day word come he was -haulin' a load of rocks through the swamps and a low-hangin' grapevine -cotched him under the neck and jerked him off the seat and the wagon -rolled over him and kilt him dead. They buried him down there -somewheres. - -"One day I'm down in the hawg pen and hears a loud agony screamin' up to -the house. When I git up close I see Marse Tom got mammy tied to a tree -with her clothes pulled down and he's layin' it on her with the -bullwhip, and the blood am runnin' down her eyes and off her back. I -goes crazy. I say, 'Stop, Marse Tom,' and he swings the whip and don't -reach me good, but it cuts jus' the same. I sees Miss Mary standin' in -the cookhouse door. I runs round crazy like and sees a big rock, and I -takes it and throws it and it cotches Marse Tom in the skull and he goes -down like a poled ox. Miss Mary comes out and lifts her paw and helps -him in the house and then comes and helps me undo mammy. Mammy and me -takes to the woods for two, three months, I guess. My sisters meets us -and grease mammy's back and brings us victuals. Purty soon they say it -am safe for us to come in the cabin to eat at night and they watch for -Marse Tom. - -"One day Marse Tom's wife am in the yard and she calls me and say she -got somethin' for me. She keeps her hand under her apron. She keeps -beggin' me to come up to her. She say, 'Gimme you hand.' I reaches out -my hand and she grabs it and slips a slip knot rope over it. I sees then -that's what she had under her apron and the other end tied to a li'l -bush. I tries to get loose and runs round and I trips her up and she -falls and breaks her arm. I gits the rope off my arm and runs. - -"Mammy and me stays hid in the bresh then. We sees Sam and Billie and -they tell us they am fightin over us niggers. Then they done told us the -niggers 'clared to Marse Tom they ain't gwine be no more beatin's and we -could come up and stay in our cabin and they'd see Marse Tom didn't do -nothin'. And that's what mammy and me did. Sam and Billie was two the -biggest niggers on the place and they done got the shotguns out the -house some way or 'tother. One day Marse Tom am in a rocker on the porch -and Sam and Billie am standin' by with the guns. We all seen five white -men ridin' up. When they gits near Sam say to Marse Tom, 'First white -man sets hisself inside that rail fence gits it from the gun.' Marse Tom -waves the white men to go back but they gallops right up to the fence -and swings off they hosses. - -"Marse Tom say, 'Stay outside, gen'man, please do, I done change my -mind.' They say, 'What's the matter here? We come to whip you niggers -like you done hire us to.' - -"Marse Tom say, 'I done change my mind, but if you stay outside I'll -bring you the money.' - -"They argues to come in but Marse Tom outtalk them and they say they'll -go if he brings them they three dollars apiece. He takes them the money -and they goes 'way. - -"Marse Tom cuss and rare, but the niggers jus' stay in the woods and -fool 'way they time. They say it ain't no use to work for nothin' all -them days. - -"One day I'm in a 'simmon tree in middle a li'l pond, eatin' 'simmons, -and my sister, Mandy, come runnin'. She say, 'Us niggers am free.' I -looks over to the house and seen the niggers pilin' they li'l bunch of -clothes and things outside they cabins. Then mammy come runnin' with -some other niggers and mammy was head runner. I clumb down out that tree -and run to meet her. She say Marse Tom done told her he gwine keep me -and pay her for it. She's a-scared I'll stay if I wants to or not and -she begs me not to. - -"We gits up to the house and all the niggers standin' there with they -li'l bundles on they head and they all say, 'Where we goin'?' - -"Mammy said, 'I don't know where you all gwine but me, myself, am gwine -to go to Miss Mary.' So all the niggers gits in the cart with mammy and -we goes to Miss Mary. She meets us by the back door and say, 'Come in, -Jane, and all you chillen and all the rest of you. You can see my door -am open and my smokehouse door am open to you and I'll bed you down till -we figurates a way for you.' - -"We all cries and sings and prays and was so 'cited we didn't eat no -supper, though mammy stirs up some victuals. - - -[Illustration: _William Moore_] - - -"It warn't long afore we found places to work. Miss Mary found us a -place with a fine white man and we works on sharance and drifts round to -some other places and lives in Corsicana for awhile and buys mammy a -li'l house and she died there. - -"I got married and had three chillen, cute, fetchin' li'l chillen, and -they went to school. Wasn't no trouble 'bout school then, but was when -'mancipation come. My brother Ed was in school then and the Ku Klux come -and drove the Yankee lady and gen'man out and closed the school. - -"My chillen growed up and my wife died and I spent mos' my days workin' -hard on farms. Now I'm old and throwed 'way. But I'm thankful to Gawd -and praiseful for the pension what lets me have a li'l somethin' to eat -and a place to stay." - - - - -Mandy Morrow - - -*Mandy Morrow, 80, was born a slave of Ben Baker, near Georgetown, -Texas. Mr. Baker owned Mandy's grandparents, parents, three brothers and -one sister. After she was freed, Mandy was Gov. Stephen Hogg's cook -while he occupied the Governor's Mansion in Austin. She married several -times and gave birth to eight children. Two of her sons were in the -World War and one was killed in action. She now receives a $11.00 Old -Age Pension check each month, and lives at 3411 Prairie Ave., Fort -Worth, Texas.* - -"Massa, I don' know 'zactly how old I is, 'cause I never gits de -statement from my massa. My daddy keep dat record in he Bible and I -don't know who has it. But I's old 'nough for to 'member de war 'cause I -carries uncle's lunch to him and sees de 'federate sojers practicin'. - -"One day I stops a li'l while and watch de sojers and dey am practicin' -shootin', and I seed one sojer drap after de shot. Den dere lots of -'citement, and sho' 'nough, dat sojer dead. Dey says it's a accident. - -"I's born in Burnet County on Massa's farm, and I has three brothers -call Lewis and Monroe and Hale, and one sister, Mollie. Most de time -Massa am in de town, 'cause he have blacksmith shop dere. From what I's -larnt by talk with other slaves, we's lucky slaves, 'cause dere no sich -thing as whippin' on our farm. Sho', dere's spankin's, and I's de one -what gits dem from my mammy, 'cause I's de pestin' chile, into something -all de time. I gits in de devilment. - -"Massa smoked and I 'cides to try it, so I gits one old pipe and some -home-cured tobaccy and goes to de barn and covers up with de hay. Mammy -miss me, 'cause everything am quiet 'round. She look for me and come to -de barn and hears de crinklin' of de hay. She pulls me out of dat and -den dere am plenty of fire put on my rear and I sees lots of smoke. I -sho' 'members dat 'sperience! - -"We all lives in one big family, 'cept us have dinin' room for de cullud -folks. Grandpappy am de carpenter and 'cause of dat us quarters fixed -fine and has reg'lar windows and handmade chairs and a real wood floor. - -"Mammy and my grandma am cooks and powerful good and dey's larnt me and -dat how I come to be a cook. Like everybody dem times, us raise -everything and makes preserves and cure de meats. De hams and bacons am -smoked. Dere am no hickory wood 'round but we uses de corncobs and dey -makes de fine flavor in de meat. Many's de day I watches de fire in dat -smokehouse and keeps it low, to git de smoke flavor. I follows de -cookin' when I gits big and goes for myself and I never wants for de -job. - -"When surrender breaks all us stay with Massa for good, long spell. When -pappy am ready to go for hisself, Massa gives him de team of mules and -de team of oxen and some hawgs and one cow and some chickens. Dat give -him de good start. - -"My uncle gits de blacksmith shop from de Massa and den him and pappy -goes together and does de blacksmithin' and de haulin'. I stays in -Georgetown 'bout 20 year and den I goes to Austin and dere I works for -de big folks. After I been dere 'bout five year, Gov'nor James Stephen -Hogg sends for me to be cook in de Mansion and dat de best cook job I's -ever had. De gov'nor am mighty fine man and so am he wife. She am not of -de good health and allus have de misery, and befo' long she say to me, -'Mandy, I's gwineter 'pend on you without my watchin'.' Massa Hogg allus -say I does wonders with dat food and him proud fer to have him friends -eat it. - -"Yes, suh, de Gov'nor am de good man. You knows, when he old nigger -mammy die in Temple, him drap all he work and goes to de fun'ral and dat -show him don't forgit de kindness. - -"No, suh, I don't know de names of de people what comes to de Mansion to -eat. I hears dem talk but how you 'spose dis igno'mus nigger unnerstand -what dey talks 'bout. Lawd A-mighty! Dey talks and talks and one thing -make 'pression on my mind. De Gov'nor talk lots 'bout railroads. - -"I works for de Gov'nor till he wife die and den I's quit, 'cause I -don't want bossin' by de housekeeper what don't know much 'bout cookin' -and am allus fustin' 'round. - -"I cooks here and yonder and den gits mixed up with dat marriage. De -fust hitch lasts 'bout one year and de nex' hitch lasts 'bout two year -and 'bout four years later I tries it 'gain and dat time it lasts till I -has two chillen. Three year dat hitch lasts. After 'while I marries Sam -Morrow and dat hitch sticks till Sam dies in 1917. I has six chillen by -him. - -"My two oldes' boys jines de army and goes to France and de young one -gits kilt and de other comes home. All my chillen scattered now and I -don't know where they's at. In 1920 I's married de last time and dat -hitch lasts ten years and us sep'rate in 1930, 'cause dat man am no -good. What for I wants a man what ain't of de service to me? If I wants -de pet, den I gits de dawg or de cat. Shucks! It didn't take me long. -When dey don't satisfy dis nigger, I transports dem. - -"De last five and six year I does li'l work, 'cause I don't have no -substance to me no more. I's jus' 'bout wore out. I gits dat pension -from de state every month and with dat $11.00 I has to git on." - - - - -Patsy Moses - - -*Patsy Moses, 74, was born in Fort Bend Co., Texas, a slave of the -Armstrong family. She tells of charms and "conjure," many learned from -ex-slaves. Patsy lives at Mart, Texas.* - -"I was born in Fort Bend County, about de year 1863. My daddy's old -master by name of Armstrong brung my folks from Tennessee. My own daddy -and mammy was named Preston and Lucy Armstrong. Mammy's grand-dad was -Uncle Ned Butler, and he 'longed to Col. Butler, in Knoxville, in -Tennessee. Old master sold he plantation and come to Texas jes' befo' -freedom, 'cause nobody thunk dey'd have to free de slaves in Texas. - -"My great grand-dad fit in de Rev'lutionary War and my own daddy fit in -de war for freedom, with he master, for bodyguard. He had some fingers -shot off in de battle and was tooken pris'ner by dem Yankees, but he run -'way and come back to he master and he master was wounded and come home. -Den he moved to Texas befo' I's born. - -"My old grand-dad done told me all 'bout conjure and voodoo and luck -charms and signs. To dream of clear water lets you know you is on de -right side of Gawd. De old voodoo doctors was dem what had de most -power, it seem, over de nigger befo' and after de war. Dey has meetin' -places in secret and a voodoo kettle and nobody know what am put in it, -maybe snakes and spiders and human blood, no tellin' what. Folks all -come in de dark of de moon, old doctor wave he arms and de folks crowd -up close. Dem what in de voodoo strips to de waist and commence to dance -while de drums beats. Dey dances faster and faster and chant and pray -till dey falls down in a heap. - -"De armour bearers hold de candles high and when dey sways and chants -dey seize with power what sends dem leapin' and whirlin'. Den de time -dat old doctor work he spell on dem he wants to conjure. Many am de -spell he casts dem days. Iffen he couldn't work it one way, he work it -'nother, and when he die, do he stay buried? No, sir! He walks de street -and many seed he ghost wavin' he arms. - -"De conjure doctor, old Dr. Jones, walk 'bout in de black coat like a -preacher, and wear sideburns and used roots and sich for he medicine. He -larnt 'bout dem in de piney woods from he old granny. He didn't cast -spells like de voodoo doctor, but uses roots for smallpox, and rind of -bacon for mumps and sheep-wool tea for whoopin' cough and for snake bite -he used alum and saltpeter and bluestone mix with brandy or whiskey. - -"He could break conjure spells with broth. He take he kettle and put in -splinters of pine or hickory, jes' so dey has bark on dem, covers dem -with water and puts in de conjure salt. - -"A good charm bag am make of red flannel with frog bones and a piece of -snakeskin and some horse hairs and a spoonful of ashes. Dat bag pertect -you from you enemy. Iffen dat bag left by de doorstep it make all kind -misfortune and sicknesses and blindness and fits. - -"De big, black nigger in de corn field mos' allus had three charms round -he neck, to make him fort'nate in love, and to keep him well and one for -Lady Luck at dice to be with him. Den if you has indigestion, wear a -penny round de neck. - -"De power of de rabbit foot am great. One nigger used it to run away -with. His old granny done told him to try it and he did. He conjures -hisself by takin' a good, soapy bath so de dogs can't smell him and den -say a hoodoo over he rabbit foot, and go to de creek and git a start by -wadin'. Dey didn't miss him till he clear gone and dat show what de -rabbit foot done for him. - - "'O, Molly Cottontail, - Be sho' not to fail, - Give me you right hind foot, - My luck won't be for sale.' - -"De graveyard rabbit am de best, kilt by a cross-eyed pusson. De niggers -all 'lieved Gen. Lee carried a rabbit foot with him. To keep de rabbit -foot's luck workin', it good to pour some whiskey on it once in a while. - - -[Illustration: _Patsy Moses_] - - -"If you has a horseshoe over you door, be sho' it from de left, hind -foot of a white hoss, but a gray hoss am better'n none. - -"Conjures am sot with de dark or light of de moon, to make things waste -or grow. Iffen a hen crow, it best to wring her neck and bake her with -cranberry sauce and gravy and forgit 'bout her crowin'. Everybody know -dat. - -"I larnt all dem spells from my daddy and mammy and de old folks, and -most of dem things works iffen you tries dem." - - - - -Andy Nelson - - -*Andy Nelson, 76, is leader of a small rural settlement of negroes known -as Moser Valley, ten miles east of Fort Worth on State Highway #15. He -was born a slave to J. Wolf, on a Denton County farm, and his mother -belonged to Dr. John Barkswell, who owned an adjoining farm. At the -death of his father he was sold to Dr. Barkswell. When freed, he and his -mother came to Birdville and later moved to Moser Valley, which derives -it name from Telley Moses, who gave his farm to his slaves, and sold -parcels to other negroes.* - -"I don' 'member much 'bout de war, but I was bo'n in slavery near de -line of Tarrant County, in 1861. My master was named Wolf, but 'bout de -end of de war he sells me to Dr. Barkswell, who owns my mammy. - -"When de war is over we gits out and comes to Birdville and after three -years Master Moser gives my mammy 17 acres of lan'. He owned lots of -slaves and gives 'em all some land for a home. - -"For ten, twelve years after de war, de Klux gits after de niggers who -is gittin' into devilment. De cullud folks sho' quavered when they -thought de Klan was after them. One nigger crawls up de chimney of de -fireplace and that nigger soon gits powerful hot and has to come out. -You should of seen that nigger. He warn't human lookin'. He is all soot, -fussed up, choked and skeered. Dey warn't after him but wants to ask him -if he knows whar other niggers is hidin'. I was too young to git in no -picklement with de Klux. - -"Years after dat, I'se married and have four, five chillens, and I'se -comin' home. I'se stopped by seven men on hosses and dey all has rifles -and pistols. I says to myself, 'De Klux sho' have come back and dey is -gwine to git me. It sho' looks like troublement.' - -"One of dem weighs 'bout 135 pounds and has dark hair and complexiun, -and he says to me, 'Nigger, whar's de lower Dalton crossin'? Dere was -two crossin's of de Trinity River, de upper and de lower. I says, 'De -upper crossin' is back yonder.' - -"He says, 'I knows whar de upper crossin' is, I'se askin' you whar de -lower one is. Don' fool with us, nigger.' - -"Dere was a big fellow, 'bout 250, settin' in de saddle and sorta ant -goglin', with his gun pointin' at me. De hole in de end of dat gun -looked big as a cannon. He was mean lookin' and chewin' a quid of -terbaccy. He says, 'You is goin' with us to de crossin'. Lead de way.' -Den I gits de quaverment powerful bad. I knows I'se a gone nigger. - -"I says to dem, 'I done nothin',' and de big fellow raises his gun and -says, 'Git goin', nigger, to dat lower crossin', or you'll be a dead -nigger.' - -"On de way I never says a word, but I'se prayin' de good Lawd to save -dis nigger. When we reached de crossin' I says to myself, 'Dis am de -end.' - -"De little fellow says, 'Do you know who I is?' I says, 'No.' - -"He says, 'I'se Sam Bass.' - -"I'se heered of Sam Bass, everybody had in dem days. He was leader of a -band. - -"He says, 'We don' want nobody to know we been here. Which you ruther -be, a dead nigger befo' or after tellin'?' - -"De big fellow says, 'Make a sno' job. A dead nigger cain't talk,' and -den starts raisin' de gun. - -"I wants to talk, but I'se so skeered I can' say one word. - -"Den Sam Bass says, 'No, no! Let him go,' and den I knows de Lawd has -heered dis nigger's prayers. - -"Dey tells me dey's comin' back if I tells and I promised not to tell. -I'se skeered for a week after dat. - -"In a few weeks, I hears dat Sam Bass is killed at Round Rock. Den I -tells. - -"Dat's de las' troublement I'se been in. Since dat I'se been busy -earnin' vittles for de family. I'se been married 40 years and we'uns has -14 chillen and 10 of 'em are livin'. If it warn't for dis farm and de -work white folks give me, I don' know how I could of got on. We gits a -pension of $21 every month from de state and dat helps a heap. - -"I'se never had no schoolin'. Dey used to think us cullud folks has no -use for edumacation. I thinks diff'rent and sends my chillen to school. -Dey reads to me from de papers and sich." - - - - -Virginia Newman - - -*Virginia Newman was freeborn, the daughter of a Negro boat captain and -a part Negro, part Indian mother. When a young girl, Virginia -apprenticed herself, and says she was nursegirl in the family of Gov. -Foster, of Louisiana. She does not know her age, but says she saw the -"Stars fall" in 1833. She has the appearance of extreme old age, and is -generally conceded to be 100 years old or more. She now lives in -Beaumont, Texas.* - -"When de stars fall I's 'bout six year old. They didn' fall on de grou'. -They cross de sky like a millions of firebugs. - -"My fus' name Georgia Turner, 'cause my pappy's name George Turner, and -he a freeborn nigger man. He's captain of a boat, but they call 'em -vessels them days. It have livin' quarters in it and go back and forth -'tween dis place and dat and go back to Africy, too. - -"My grandmudder, she an Africy woman. They brung her freeborn from -Africy and some people what knowed things one time tol' us we too proud -but us had reason to be proud. My grandmudder's fambly in Africy was a -African prince of de rulin' people. My udder grandmudder was a pure bred -Indian woman and she raise all my mudder's chillen. My mudder name Eli -Chivers. - -"When I's small I live with my grandmudder in a old log cabin on the -ribber, 'way out in de bresh jus' like de udder Indians live. I's born -on my fadder's big boat, 'way below Grades Island, close by Franklin, in -Louisiana. They tells me he carry cargo of cotton in de hull of de boat, -and when I's still li'l they puts out to sea, and grandmudder, Sarah -Turner her name, tuk us and kep' us with her in de cabin. - -"Us didn' have stick of furniture in de house, no bed, no chair, no -nothin'. Us cut saplings boughs for bed, with green moss over 'em. Us -was happy, though. Us climb trees and play. It was hard sometime to git -things to eat so far in de woods and us eat mos' everything what run or -crawl or fly outdoors. Us eat many rattlesnake and them's fine eatin'. -We shoot de snake and skin him and cut him in li'l dices. Den us stew -him slow with lots of brown gravy. - -"They allus askin' me now make hoe-cake like we et. Jus' take de -cornmeal and salt and water and make patties with de hands and wrop de -sof' patties in cabbage leafs, stir out de ashes and put de patties in -de hot ashes. Dat was good. - -"One my grandfadders a old Mexican man call Old Man Caesar. All de -grandfolks was freeborn and raise de chillen de same, but when us gits -big they tell us do what we wants. Us could stay in de woods and be free -or go up to live with de white folks. I's a purty big gal when I goes up -to de big house and 'prentice myself to work for de Fosters. Dey have -big plantation at Franklin and lots of slaves. One time de Governor -cripple in de leg and I do nothin' but nuss him. - -"I's been so long in de woods and don' see nobody much dat I love it up -with de white folks. Dey 'lowed us have dances and when dat old 'cordian -starts to play, iffen I ain't git my hair comb yit, it don't git comb. -De boss man like to see de niggers 'joy demselves. Us dance de -quadrille. - -"Us have 'ceptional marsters. My fadder sick on Marster Lewis' -plantation and can't walk and de marster brung him a 'spensive reclinin' -chair. Old Judge Lewis was his marster. - -"I git marry from de plantation and my husban' he name Beverly Newman -and he from de Lewis plantation in Opelousas. They read out'n de Book -and after de readin' us have lots of white folks to come and watch us -have big dance. - -"When a nigger do wrong den, they didn' send him to de pen. They put him -'cross a barrel and strop him behin'. - -"When fightin' 'gin, all our white folks and us slaves have to go 'way -from Louisiana. Opelousas and them place was free long time 'fore de -udders. Us strike out for Texas and it took mos' a year to walk from de -Bayou la Fouche to de Brazos bottoms. I have to tote my two li'l boys, -dat was Jonah and Simon. They couldn' neither walk yit. Us have de -luggage in de ox cart and us have to walk. Dey was some mo' cullud -people and white and de mud drag de feetses and stick up de wheels so -dey couldn' even move. Us all walk barefeets and our feets break and run -they so sore, and blister for months. It cold and hot sometime and rain -and us got no house or no tent. - -"De white folks settles in Jasper county, on a plantation dere. After -while freedom come to Texas, too, but mos' de slaves stay round de old -marsters. I's de only one what go back to Louisiana. After de war my -fambly git broke up and my three oldes' chillen never see de li'l ones. -Dose later chillen, dey's eight livin' now out'n nine what was born -since slavery and my fourth chile die seven year ago when she 75 year -old. - - -[Illustration: _Virginia Newman_] - - -"When I git back to Louisiana I come to be a midwife and I brung so many -babies here I can't count. De old priest say I ought to have a big book -with all their names to 'member by. - -"It were 'bout dis time I have my fur' bought dress and it was blue -guinea with yaller spots. It were long at de ankle and make with a body -wais'. Us wore lots of unnerwear and I ain't take 'em off yit. - -"I never been sick, I's jus' weak. I almos' go blin' some time back but -now I git my secon' sight and I sees well 'nough to sew." - - - - -Margrett Nillin - - -*Margrett Nillin, 90, was born a slave to Charles Corneallus, at -Palestine, Texas. After they were freed, Margrett and her mother moved -to Chamber's Creek, Texas. She now lives with one of her children at -1013 W. Peach St., Fort Worth, Texas.* - -"Yas, sar, I's de old slave, and 'bout my age, I am young woman when de -War started. Mus' be 90 for sure and maybe more. My marster's name was -Charles Corneallus and hims owned a small farm near Palestine and him -had jus' four slaves, my mammy, my sister and my cousin and me. I don' -know 'bout my pappy, for reason he's sold 'fore I's born and I ain' -never seed him. - -"I tell you 'bout de place. Dere was a cabin with bunks for to sleep on -and fireplace for to cook in. No window was in dat cabin, jus' a hole -with a swingin' door and dat lets flies in durin' de summer and col' in -durin' de winter. But if you shut's dat window dat shut out de light. - -"De marster ain' de boss of dis nigger, 'cause I 'longs to Missy -Corneallus and she don' 'low any other person boss me. My work was in de -big house, sich as sewing, knitting and 'tending Missy. I keeps de flies -off her with de fan and I does de fetching for her, sich as water and de -snack for to eat, and de likes. When she goes to fix for sleep I combs -her hair and rubs her feet. I can't 'member dat she speak any cross -words to dis nigger. - -"Our marster, he good to us and take we'uns to church. And whuppin', not -on him place. De worst am scoldin'. Not many have sich a good home, -'cause lots gits 'bused powerful bad. Marster's neighbor, he's mean to -his niggers and whups 'em awful. De devil sho' have dat man now! - -"My mammy git de p'sentment lots of times. Often in de mornin' she say -to me, 'Chile, dere am gwine be someone die, I seed de angels last night -and dat am sho' sign.' Sho' 'nough, 'fore long we heered someone has -died. Some says de haunts brings p'sentment to mammy. - -"Fore de War I hears de white folks talking 'bout it. I 'members hearin' -'bout someone fires on de fort and den de mens starts jinin' de army. De -marster didn' go and his boy too young. We didn' hear lots 'bout de War -and de only way we knows it goin' on, sometimes we'uns couldn' git -'nough to eat. - - -[Illustration: _Margrett Nillin_] - - -"After freedom we'uns see de Klux and dey is round our place but dey not -come after us. Dey comes across de way 'bout a nigger call Johnson, and -him crawls under him house, but dey makes him come out and gives him -some licks and what de bellow come from dat nigger! Him had git -foolishment in him head and dey come to him for dat. - -"After de war mammy and me goes to Chamber's Creek and takes de sewin' -for make de livin'. We gits 'long all right after awhile, and den I -marries Ben Nillin. He dies 'bout fifteen year ago and now I lives with -my son, Tom, and don' work 'cause I's too old. - -"What I likes bes, to be slave or free? Well, it's dis way. In slavery I -owns nothin' and never owns nothin'. In freedom I's own de home and -raise de family. All dat cause me worryment and in slavery I has no -worryment, but I takes de freedom." - - - - -John Ogee - - -*John Ogee, 96 years old, was born in Morgan City, La., in 1841, the -property of Alfred Williams. John ran away to join the Union Army and -served three years. He recalls Sherman's march through Georgia and South -Carolina and the siege of Vicksburg. He came to Jefferson County in -1870, and has lived there since.* - -"I was born near Morgan City, Louisiana in a old log cabin with a dirt -floor, one big room was all, suh. My mother and father and four chillen -lived in that room. - -"The marster, he live in a big, old house near us. I 'member it was a -big house and my mudder done the cleanin' and work for them. I jus' -played round when I's growin' and the fus' work I done, they start me to -plowin'. - -"I haven't got 'lection like I used to, but I 'members when I's in the -army. Long 'bout '63 I go to the army and there was four of us who run -away from home, me and my father and 'nother man named Emanuel Young and -'nother man, but I disremember his name now. The Yankees comed 'bout a -mile from us and they took every ear of corn, kilt every head of stock -and thirteen hawgs and 'bout fifteen beeves, and feed their teams and -themselves. They pay the old lady in Confed'rate money, but it weren't -long 'fore that was no money at all. When we think of all that good food -the Yankees done got, we jus' up and jine up with them. We figger we git -lots to eat and the res' we jus' didn't figger. When they lef' we lef'. -My father got kilt from an ambush, in Miss'ippi--I think it was Jackson. - -"We went to Miss'ippi, then to South Carolina. I went through Georgia -and South Carolina with Sherman's army. The fus' battle lasts two days -and nights and they was 'bout 800 men kilt, near's I kin 'member. Some -of 'em you could find the head and not the body. That was the battle of -Vicksburg. After the battle it took three days to bury them what got -kilt and they had eight mule throw big furrows back this way, and put -'em in and cover 'em up. In that town was a well 'bout 75 or 80 feet -deep and they put 19 dead bodies in that well and fill her up. - -"After the war we went through to Atlanta, in Georgia and stay 'bout -three weeks. Finally we come back to Miss'ippi when surrender come. The -nigger troops was mix with the others but they wasn't no nigger -officers. - -"After the war I come home and the old marster he didn' fuss at me about -going to war and for long time I work on the old plantation for wages. I -'member then the Klu Klux come and when that happen I come to Texas. -They never did git me but some they got and kilt. I knowed several men -they whip purty bad. I know Narcisse Young, they tell him they was -comin'. He hid in the woods, in the trees and he open fire and kilt -seven of them. They was a cullud man with them and after they goes, he -comes back and asks can he git them dead bodies. Narcisse let him and -then Narcisse he lef' and goes to New Orleans. - - -[Illustration: _John Ogee_] - - -"I thinks it great to be with the Yankees, but I wishes I hadn't after I -got there. When you see 1,000 guns point at you I knows you wishes you'd -stayed in the woods. - -"The way they did was put 100 men in front and they git shoot and fall -down, and then 100 men behin' git up and shoot over 'em and that the way -they goes forward. They wasn't no goin' back, 'cause them men behin' you -would shoot you. I seed 'em fightin' close 'nough to knock one 'nother -with a bay'net. I didn' see no breech loaders guns, they was all -muskets, muzzle loaders, and they shoot a ball 'bout big as your finger, -what you calls a minnie-ball. - -"I come to Taylor's Bayou in '70 and rid stock long time for Mister -Arceneaux and Mister Moise Broussard and farms some too. Then I comes to -Beaumont when I's too old to work no more, and lives with one of my -girls." - - - - -Annie Osborne - - -*Annie Osborne, 81, was born in Atlanta, Georgia, a slave of Tom Bias. -She was 'refugeed' to Louisiana by the Bias family, before the Civil -War, and remained there with them for two years after she was freed. She -has lived in Marshall, Texas, since 1869.* - -"Yes, suh, I's a Georgia nigger. I 'longed to Massa Tom Bias, and he -lived in Atlanta. I couldn't state jus' how old I is, but I knows I was -eleven years old when we come to Marshall, and that's in 1869. - -"Mammy was Lizzie and born in Atlanta, and I's heared her say she was -give to Tom Bias to settle a dept her owner owed. I don't know nothin' -'bout my daddy, 'cept he am named Tom Bias, and that am massa's name. So -I guess he's my daddy. But I had two brothers, Frank and James, and I -don't know if Massa Bias was they daddy or not. - -"Massa Bias refugees me and my mammy to Mansfield, in Louisiana when I's -jus' a baby. They come in wagons and was two months on the way, and the -big boys and men rode hossback, but all the niggers big 'nough had to -walk. Massa Bias opens a farm twelve mile from Mansfield. My mammy -plowed and hoed and chopped and picked cotton and jus' as good as the -menfolks. I allus worked in the house, nussin' the white chillen and -spinnin' and housework. Me and my brother, Frank, slep' in Missy Bias -house on a pallet. No matter how cold it was we slep on that pallet -without no cover, in front the fireplace. - -"Old man Tom never give us no money and half 'nough clothes. I had one -dress the year round, two lengths of cloth sewed together, and I didn't -know nothin' 'bout playin' neither. If I made too much fuss they put me -under the bed. My white folks didn't teach us nothin' 'cept how they -could put the whip on us. I had to put on a knittin' of stockin's in the -mornin' and if I didn't git it out by night, Missy put the lash on me. - -"My mammy was sceered of old Tom Bias as if he was a bear. She worked in -the field all day and come in at night and help with the stock. After -supper they made her spin cloth. Massa fed well 'nough, but made us wear -our old lowel clothes till they most fell off us. We was treated jus' -like animals, but some owners treated they stock better'n old Tom Bias -handled my folks. I still got a scar over my right eye where he put me -in the dark two months. We had a young cow and when she had her first -calf they sent me to milk her, and she kicked me and run me round a li'l -pine tree, fightin' and tryin' to hook me. Massa and missy standin' in -the gate all the time, hollerin' to me to make the cow stand still. I -got clost to her and she kicked me off the stool and I run to the gate, -and massa grab me and hit me 'cross the eye with a leather strap and I -couldn't see out my right eye for two months. He am dead now, but I's -gwine tell the truth 'bout the way we was treated. - -"I could hear the guns shootin' in the war. It sound like a thunder -storm when them cannons boomin'. Didn't nary one our menfolks go to war. -I know my brother say, 'Annie, when them cannons stops boomin' we's -gwine be all freed from old Massa Tom's beatin's. - -"But massa wouldn't let us go after surrender. My mammy pretends to go -to town and takes Frank and goes to Mansfield and asks the Progoe -Marshal what to do. He say we's free as old man Tom and didn't have to -stay no more. Frank stays in town and mammy brings a paper from the -progoe, but she's sceered to give it to Massa Tom. Me and James out in -the yard makin' soap. I's totin' water from the spring and James -fetchin' firewood to put round the pot. Mammy tells James to keep goin' -next time he goes after wood and her and me come round 'nother way and -meets him down the road. That how we got 'way from old man Bias. Me and -mammy walks off and leaves a pot of soap bilin' in the backyard. We sot -our pails down at the spring and cuts through the field and meets James -down the big road. We left 'bout ten o'clock that mornin' and walks all -day till it starts to git dark. - -"Then we comes to a white man's house and asks could we stay all night. -He give us a good supper and let us sleep in his barn and breakfast next -mornin' and his wife fixes up some victuals in a box and we starts to -Mansfield. We was sceered most to death when we come to that man's -house, fear he'd take us back to old man Bias. But we had to have -somethin' to eat from somewheres. When mammy tells him how we left old -man Bias, he says, 'That damn rascal ought to be Ku Kluxed.' He told us -not to be 'fraid. - -"We come to Mansfield and finds Frank and mammy hires me and James out -to a white widow lady in Mansfield, and she sho' a good, sweet soul. She -told mammy to come on and stay there with us till she git a job. We -stayed with her two years. - -"Then old man Charlie Stewart brung us to Marshall, and when I's -eighteen I marries and lives with him twenty-six years. He worked on the -railroad and helped move the shops from Hallsville to Marshall. He -laughed and said the first engine they run from here to Jefferson had a -flour barrel for a smokestack. He died and I married Tom Osborne, but -he's dead eight years. - -"I raises a whole passel chillen and got a passel grandchillen. They -allus brings me a hen or somethin'. My boy is cripple and lives with me, -and my gal's husband works for Wiley College. Old man Bias' son got in -jail and sent for me. He say, 'Annie, you is my sister, and help me git -out of jail.' I told him I didn't help him in and wouldn't help him out. -I washed and ironed and now gits $9.00 pension. My boy got his leg cut -off by the railroad. He can't do much." - - - - -Horace Overstreet - - -*Horace Overstreet was born in Harrison Co., Texas, in 1856, a slave of -M.J. Hall. He was brought to Beaumont when a youth and still lives -there.* - -"I born near Marshall what was de county seat and my master was call' -Hall. My mother name Jennie and my father's name Josh. He come back from -de 'federate War and never got over it. He in de army with he young -massa. - -"Dat old plantation must have been 'bout 200 acres or even mo', and -'bout 500 head of slaves to work it. Massa Hall, he big lawyer and -bought more niggers every year. He kep' a overseer what was white and a -nigger driver. Sometime dey whip de slaves for what dey call -dis'bedjonce. Dey tie 'em down and whip 'em. But I was raise' 'round de -house, 'cause I a fav'rite nigger. - -"De niggers didn't have no furniture much in dere houses, maybe de -bedstead nail up to de side de house, and some old seats and benches. De -rations was meat and meal and syrup 'lasses. Dey give 'em de shirt to -wear, made out of lowers. Dat what dey make de cotton sack out of. De -growed people has shoes, but de chillen has no need. - -"Christmas time and Fourth July dey have de dance, jus' a reg'lar old -breakdown dance. Some was dancin' Swing de Corner, and some in de middle -de floor cuttin' de chicken wing. Dey has banjo pickers. Seem like my -folks was happy when dey starts dancin'. Iffen dey start without de -permit, de patterroles run up on dem and it 150 lashes. Law, dem niggers -sho' scatter when de patterroles comes. Jus' let a nigger git de start -and de patterrole sho' got to git a move on hisse'f to git dat nigger, -'cause dat nigger sho' move 'way from dat place! - -"When de war comes, I seed plenty soldiers and if dey have de uniform I -could tell it jus' in spots, for dey so dirty. Dey was Yankee soldiers -and some stops in Marshall and takes charge of de court martial. - - -[Illustration: _Horace Overstreet_] - - -"Fore long time come to go up and hear de freedom. We has to go up and -hear dat we's free. Massa Hall, he say we kin stay and he pay us for de -work. We didn' have nothin' so most of us stays, gatherin' de crop. Some -of dem gits de patch of land from massa and raises a bale of cotton. -Massa buy dat cotton and den he sell it. - -"After 'while they slips away, some of 'em works for de white folks and -some of 'em goes to farmin' on what they calls de shares. I works nearly -everywhere for de white folks and makes 'nough to eat and git de -clothes. It was harder'n bein' de slave at first, but I likes it better, -'cause I kin go whar I wants and git what I wants. - -"Dey was conjure men and women in slavery days and dey make out dey kin -do things. One of 'em give a old lady de bag of sand and told her it -keep her massa from shippin' her. Dat same day she git too uppity and -sass de masaa, 'cause she feel safe. Dat massa, he whip dat nigger so -hard he cut dat bag of sand plumb in two. Dat ruint de conjure man -business." - - - - -Mary Overton - - -*Mary Overton, 117 W. Heard St., Cleburne, Texas, was born in Tennessee, -but moved when very young to Carroll Co., Arkansas, where her parents -belonged to Mr. Kennard. Mary does not know her age.* - -"I'se born in Tennessee but I don' 'member where, and I don' know how -ole I is. I don' 'member what de marster's name was dere. My mother's -name was Liza and my father's name was Dick. When I was 'bout four year -ole, my marster and mistis give me to dere daughter, who married a Dr. -James Cox and dey come to Texas and brought me with 'em. The marster in -Arkansas, which give me to his daughter, was named Kennard. I never seed -him but one time. Dat when he was sick and he had all his little niggers -dressed up and brought in to see him. - -"Dr. Cox and his wife and me come to Fort Graham, in Hill County, Texas, -from Arkansas. We was 'bout two weeks comin'. Fort Graham wasn' no -reg'lar fort. Dere was jus' some soldiers campin' dere and dere was a -little town. Lots of Indians come in to trade. Den de doctor got a farm -on Nolan river, not far from whar Cleburne is now, and we went there. - -"While we was on de farm, I got married. My husban' was Isaac Wright. I -had seven chillen by him. My second husban' was Sam Overton. Him and me -had two chillen. I wasn't married to Isaac by a preacher. De slaves -wasn' jin'rally married dat way. Dey jus' told dey marsters dey wanted -to be husban' and wife and if dey agreed, dat was all dere was to it, -dey was said to be married. I heered some white folks had weddin's for -dere niggers, but I never did see none. - -"My marster had 'bout four slaves. He sold and bought slaves sev'ral -times, but he couldn' sell me, 'cause I belonged to de mistis, and she -wouldn' let him sell me. I cooked and washed and ironed and looked after -de chillen, mostly. Dey had three chillen, but de mistis died when the -least one was 'bout six months ole and I raised de two older ones. Dey -was two boys, and dey was 'bout grown when I lef' after freedom. - -"We slaves had good 'nuf houses to live in. We didn' have no garden. I -wore cotton dresses in summer and linsey dresses and a shawl in de -winter. I had shoes most of de time. My white folks was pretty good to -keep me in clothes. I gen'rally went to church wid mistis. - -"Didn' have no special clothes when I got married. I slep' in de kitchen -gen'rally, and had a wooden bed, sometimes with a cotton mattress and -sometimes it was a shuck mattress. - -"My mistis teached me to read and write, but I wouldn' learn. I never -went to school neither. She would read de Bible to us. - -"I didn' know no songs when I was in slavery. I didn' know 'bout no -baptizin'. I didn' play no certain games, jus' played roun' de yard. - -"I wasn' at no sale of slaves, but saw some bein' tuk by in chains once, -when we lived at Reutersville. Dey was said to be 'bout 50 in de bunch. -Dey was chained together, a chain bein' run 'tween 'em somehow, and dey -was all man and women, no chillen. Dey was on foot. Two white men was -ridin' hosses and drivin' de niggers like dey was a herd of cattle. - -"Lots of slaves run away, but I don' know how dey got word 'round 'mong -de niggers. - -"I don' 'member much 'bout de war. Dere wasn' no fightin' whar we was, -on de farm on Nolan river. On de day we was made free, de marster come -and called us out one at a time and tol' us we was free. He said to me, -'Mary, you is free by de law. You don' belong to me no more. You can go -wherever you wan' to. I ain't got no more to say 'bout you.' He tol' us -if we'd stay awhile he'd treat us good and maybe we'd better stay, as de -people was pretty much worked up. De rest of 'em stayed 'bout a week, -den dey went off, and never come back, 'cept Isaac. I didn' go, but I -stayed a long time after we was made free. I didn' care nothin' 'bout -bein' free. I didn' have no place to go and didn' know nothin' to do. -Dere I had plenty to eat and a place to stay and dat was all I knowed -'bout. - -"When I lef' I hired out as cook. I got ten dollars a month and all my -food and clothes and a place to sleep. I didn' spend but one dime of my -pay for eight months. I bought candy wid dat dime, like a walkin' stick. - -"I sure wish I knew how old I is, but I ain' sure. I don' even know my -birthday!" (According to some white persons who have known Mary for a -long time, calculated from information Mary had given them as to her -younger days, when her memory was better than it is now, she is probably -more than one hundred years old.) - - - - -George Owens - - -*George Owens, medium in height and weight, seated comfortably under the -shade of an old oak tree, was clad in a blue shirt and overalls, and -brogan shoes with a few slits cut in them to prevent hurting his feet. -He has kinky gray hair, a bit of gray hair on his chin and a nicely -trimmed mustache on his upper lip. George's right eye is completely -closed from an injury which he received while in railroad service. Born -near Marshall, Texas, the slave of Dave Owens, he told his story with -great interest and enjoyed the opportunity to tell about the old days.* - -"I was bo'n right close to de ol' powder mill up in Marshall, Texas, -where dey uster mek powder. Understan'? Dey call it Mills Quarters. I -was a right sizeable boy twel' year' ol' when freedom come." - -"Dave Owens, dat was my ol' marster' name, and dat was my daddy' name -too. My name' George William David Owen. I use dat William 'cause one of -dem other Owens uster git my mail." - -"Ol' marster he had a big farm plantation. Dey uster raise cotton, and -co'n and 'taters and sich like. My daddy was de shoemaker for de -plantation." - -"One day me and my daddy was talkin'. Dat was de fus' Crismus atter -freedom. He say to me, 'Son, does you know how ol' you is?' I say, 'No, -suh.' He say, 'Well, you is 12 year' ol'.' I 'member dat and dat was de -fus' Crismus atter freedom." - -"Williams was my fus' marster but he sel' us to Owens. He live in -Marshall, but he hab a plantation 'bout t'ree or fo' mile' out. Atter -dat Owens he buy out Mills Quarters from Williams." - -"My wuk was jis' de odds and en's 'roun' de yard. When ol' mistus call -me and tell me to pick up chips, or pull up weeds or bring in weed and -sich, I hafter do it. You knew how wimmen is, allus havin' you do fus' -one t'ing and den anudder. I neber did wuk in de fiel'." - -"It was a big plantation. Dey was in de neighborhood of 25 or 30 slaves -on de place. Us had a good marster and I 'speck us was pretty lucky. Ol' -marster see to it dat us have plenty to eat. Dey feed us milk and -'taters and peas, and bread and meat. No sir, we didn' sit down at no -trough for to eat. Dey had tables in de slaves' houses. Us sit down to -us meals like human bein's. My mammy was de cook on de place. Her name -was Sarah Owens." - -"Dey give de little ones what couldn' come to de table, a pan and spoon -for dem to have at meal time. Dem what so little dey can't eat outer a -pan, dey have suck bottles for dem." - -"Dey milk 'bout 12 or 14 head of cow' on de place. Dey had plenty of -milk and butter. Dey had a big safe what dey put de milk and butter in -to keep it fresh. Dere was a trough wid water in it and dey set de milk -and butter in it in de summer time. Dey had a peg of wood in a hole at -de en', and when dey want to change de water dey pull out de peg and -dreen de water out and put some cool fresh water in." - -"When I was a boy us uster play wid spools, and puppies and stick -hosses. Us uster have bows and arrers. Sometime us go out in de wood -huntin' wid de bows and arrers. Us shoot at birds and sich, but us neber -did had no luck at it." - -"De grown up folks uster go huntin' at night and kill deers and -'possums. Dey had to have a permit transfer iffen dey go huntin' or go -from one plantation to annuder. Iffen dey didn' have a permit de -patterrollers would git 'em." - -"De patterrollers neber git me. I see 'em chase slaves. When dey ketch -'em dey whip 'em, and tell 'em nex' time be sho' to have a pass from ol' -marster." - -"I neber see ol' marster beat nobody. What whippin' he done he done it -wid his mout'. He mighty keen speakin' den, but when he speak rough to a -nigger he need it." - -"De kind of chu'ch dey have in dem days on dat place was fence-corner -chu'ch. Dey go off down in de fence corner and sing and pray. Dey feerd -for anybody to see 'em." - -"Dey was some cullud preacher' 'roun' but dey warn't on us plantation. I -jine' de Baptis' Chu'ch but dat was way atter slavery. I uster be pro -tem deacon." - -"De fus' money I earn' was wukkin' on the T&P Railroad. I jis' blow it -in, you know like boys do. I los' dis eye railroadin'. I was spikin' on -a col' frosty mornin'. I hit dat spike and it broke up in t'ree piece' -and de middle piece hit me in de eye and put it out." - -"Seems like I 'members de sojers. I couldn' specify wedder dey was -Yankees or not. You know dat ol' battle fo't (fort) was dere at -Marshall, two or t'ree mile' from Mills Quarters." - -"Dem sojers had on long blue overcoats wid brass buttons on 'em. Dey was -a eagle on dem button. De way I 'member dat, I find one in de road like -it was tore off and I pick it up and make me a play toy outer it." - -"Dey uster keep two cannons at de co't house and dey shoot dem cannon -eb'ry Friday. I 'member dey uster stick a rod in 'em and el'vate 'em. -Dey had a U.S. flag on de mas'-pole and dey shoot de cannon when dey tek -down de flag." - -"I dunno nuthin' 'bout conjur' men. I see people sick or cripple' and -dey say conjure' man done it, but I dunno. I ain't neber see no ghos' -needer. People try to show 'em to me but I ain't see 'em. One time I see -sumpin' white in de wood and I go up to see what it was and it warn't -nuthin' 'cep'n' a pillow what somebody lef' in a swing 'tween two tree'. -Iffen I hadn' had a li'l "coffee" in me I don' guess I'd been brave -'nuff to go see what it was." - -"I allus pronounced de patterrollers and de Klu Kluxers 'bout de same. -Fur as seein' 'em, I ain't. I t'ink dey done good to de country. Dey -didn' bodder nobody 'cep'n' dem what was out of dere place. Iffen dey -had some now it mought do good." - -"If you all keep on you gwineter hab a book outer my testimony." - -"Dey had a gin on de plantation and dey mek de clo's on a spinnin' wheel -and loom. I see my mammy mek many a bolt of clo'f on a loom befo' she -die." - -"It mighter slip' my 'membrance how dey tol' us we free, but I 'members -my daddy say we free. Us stay on ol' marster's place a while den he buy -a li'l place de other side of Marshall. He do odd jobs 'roun', too." - -"Fus' time I marry Mary Harper at Gilmer. Dey was two darters, Gettys -and Alice Owens. I lef' her and I marry my secon' wife, Betty Cheatham -in 1913. I been 'roun' dese parts 'bout 46 or 47 year' and I been in -Kountze 25 year'." - -"I don't t'ink I commit to mem'ry anyt'ing else. I ain't gwine to tell -no mo' 'cause I ain't to make statement and testify 'bout sumpin' I -ain't know 'bout." - - - - -Mary Anne Patterson - - -*Mary Anne Patterson, who now lives with her daughter, Elizabeth Lee, in -Austin, Texas, was born in Louisiana, but she does not know exactly -where. She is between 97 and 102 years old. Mary and her mother belonged -to Col. Aaron Burleson of Rogers' Hill, Travis County, Texas.* - -"Way back yonder my name was Mary Anne Burleson and I's born in -Louisiana somewhere. I knows I's told dey brung me and my mammy to Texas -when I's eighteen months old, and dat Massa Turner what brung us, sold -us to Col. Aaron Burleson. Massa Burleson buy both of us, 'cause he a -good man and didn't 'lieve in separatin' a chile from de mammy. I do -think dat man gone to Heaven. - -"When I growed up it was my job to wet nuss Rufe Burleson, 'cause he -mammy didn't have 'nough milk for him. Beside dat, I helped in de loom -room and have to spin five cuts de day, but I's fast 'nough to make -eight cuts. - -"Durin' cotton pickin' time I larns to count a little, 'cause I picks de -cotton, brung it to de wagon and listen to 'em countin' on dem scales. -Purty soon I could of counted my own cotton. - -"Massa Burleson good to we'uns and when a woman have a chile and no -husband to take care of her, he make a man go out and chop wood for her, -and dat slave had better act like he wants to. Massa so good to us he -have lumber hauled clear from de Bastrop pineries and builds us good -wood dwellin's. He have de plantation on Rogers' Hill what am east of -Austin. - -"Now, let me tell you 'bout de cooks. Massa Burleson have de cook for de -big house and de cook for de slaves. Dere a kitchen in de big house for -de white folks and dere a kitchen with a long table for de hands. We had -purty good victuals and I 'member we have so much hawg meat we'd throw -de hog's head and feet 'way. Massa raised he own hawgs and everythin' he -et, we had it, too. Sometimes we et deer meat and dere times we had bear -meat and honey, 'cause Massa Burleson have he own bees, too. - -"I 'member how at sweet 'tater time my mammy'd sneak out to de patch and -scratch up some sweet 'taters. When Massa Burleson finds de 'taters -gone, he jes' say, 'Now, I know nobody done dis but de Lawd!' - -"I seed many a Injun and seed 'em in droves. Dem Injuns never bothered -us. A old Injun call Placedo and he son come on down to massa's place -and he give 'em plenty food. When de Injuns come near de cattle'd bellow -and cut up, 'cause dey knowed it was Injuns 'round. - - -[Illustration: _Mary Anne Patterson_] - - -"When I's 'bout 20 years old I marries Alex Patterson and he was brung -from Tennessee to Texas and owned by Massa Joshua Patterson. After -freedom we rents land from Massa Patterson and lives dere and farms -'bout seven years. - -"Me and Alex has 15 chillen and six of dem is still livin'. Dere is two -here in Texas and two in California and one in Oklahoma and one in -Kansas. My husband am dead now and I's alone. - -"I owns a little farm of 36 acres out near Rogers' Hill and I gits sixty -dollars de year for de rentin' of dat land and now de folks wants me to -sell it. But my husband bought dat place and I wants to keep it. I don't -git no pension. I know dis much, I's worked harder since after freedom -den I ever worked befo' freedom." - - - - -Martha Patton - - -*Martha Patton was born 91 years ago in Alabama, slave to the Lott -family, who came to Texas about 1847 and settled near Goliad. After -marrying and bearing two children, surviving a famine and scarcity of -water, she was freed. She, her husband and others of her family leased -farm land on the San Antonio River near La Bahia Mission, at Goliad.* - -"Yes'm, I was bo'n befo' de war. Best I kin remember, I'll be 91 years -old come June 15, 1937. I was bo'n in Alabama, but was brought to Texas -when I was nine months old. My folks stopped at Goliad, on de creek near -to Goliad. - -"I 'member seein' de soldiers, but t'weren't no fightin' 'round us no -closer den Corpus Christi. One day one of my uncles went to Corpus -Christi. He say, 'Dey done tol' all de women and chillen to git outta -town.' We done heard 'em shootin' bombs. De smoke was so thick it looked -like it were cloudy. De soldiers come through and took anything dey -wanted outta de stores. Pretty soon nothin' was left in de stores and -dey couldn' git no more. - -"My mother was a cook. We chillen brought in wood and water. My uncles -had cotton patches. My master sol' dere cotton for dem and dey had money -to buy shoes or anything dey needed. We picked cotton and picked peas. -We had a spinnin' wheel and a weave(loom). We made cloth, blankets and -our own stockin's. We made dye outta live oak bark, mesquite bark, pecan -leaves. They made a dark brown and it dyed the cloth and blankets -pretty. - -"I never saw any slaves whipped, nor any with chains on. Our white -people were very good to us. Their name was Lott, Jim Lott, yes'm, me -and Jim Lott was chillen together. He sure was a good boy. He died over -at Goliad las' yea'. - -"We made cotton and wool cloth both, yes'm, we made both. We raised -cotton. The sheep were so po' they would die. We would go through de -woods and find de dead sheep and pick de wool offen 'em. Then we would -wash de wool and spin it into thread and weave it into cloth to make -wool clothes. - -"My man, he worked in de tan ya'd. He fixed de hides to make us all de -shoes we had, and dey made harness and saddles fo' de gov'nment--fo' de -soldiers. To make de lime to take de hair off of de hides, dey would -burn limestone rocks. Then dey would hew out troughs and soak de hides -in lime water till all the hair come off. Den dey would take 'ooze' made -from red oak bark and rub the hides till dey were soft and dry. - -"Dey sho was hard times after de war, and durin' de war too. Our white -folk was good to us, but we had a time to get pervisions. Sometimes we -had co'n meal and sometimes we would have flour. We would pa'ch co'n -meal and make coffee. When we could git 'em we used pertater peelings, -pa'ched, for coffee. Sometimes we drank wild sage tea. - -"When we could, we would go over on de Brazos to de molasses mills and -get molasses and brown sugar; when we couldn't, we had to do widout de -sweetenin'. - -"Water sho was sca'ce. We had to tote it about half a mile from de hole. -De creeks just dried up, only 'long in holes. De wells was all dried up. -There would be dead cows lyin' on t'other side of de hole and -grasshoppers thick on de water, but we jist skimmed de water off and -went on. Didn't make us sick, lady, 'twas all we had and de good Lo'd -took ca'e of us. - -"De grasshoppers sho was bad 'long 'bout fo' or five in de ebenin'; dey -would be so thick de sun would be cloudy lookin'. Dey was a little -speckled grasshopper. Yes'm, red and speckled. De chickens and hawgs et -'em. Dey et so many grasshoppers de meat was bright red. You couldn't -eat it. - -"Twa'n't no use to send fo' a docta, no'm, 'cause dey didn't have no -medicine. My grandmother got out in de woods and got 'erbs. She made -sage ba'm (balm). One thing I recomember, she would take co'n shucks--de -butt end of de shucks--and boil 'em and make tea. 'Twould break de -chills and fever. De Lo'd fixed a way. We used roots for medicine too. - -"Dey was salt lakes. De men would get a wagonbed full of salt and take -it to town and trade it for flour. De men would take de old ox wagons -and go down to Mexico towa'ds Brownsville to git pervisions. -Coffee--real coffee--was a dollar a poun'. De men what used terbaccer -had to pay a dollar a plug. Cotton cloth was fifty and sixty cents a -ya'd. - -"Durin' de war de white people had church in their homes. Dey would have -church in de mornin' and in de afternoon dey would preach to de slaves. - -"After de war, we all leased land on de ribbah fum de white folks--my -uncles, my brothers and alls. We leased de land fo' six years. At de end -of dat time most of us bought places. - -"When de war was over and we moved, de men put up a picket house. Dr. -McBride, a soldier, taught school. When de crops was laid by, all de men -and women went to school. De chillen went all de time. We had log seats -and a dirt flo'. We would have meetin's in de school house. Twasn't -fine, but we had good times. - -"We lived clost to de old mission, built during Santa Anna's war, I -think it were. - -"I has ten chillen; seven of them are living. I have fifteen or nineteen -grandchillen, but I don't know where dey all are or what dey are doing." - - - - -Ellen Payne - - -*Ellen Payne, 88, was born a slave of Dr. Evans, pioneer physician of -Marshall, Texas, and father-in-law of former Governor Clark. She married -Nelson Payne when she was twenty-five, and they farmed in Marshall for -fifty-two years. Since Nelson's death eleven years ago, Ellen has -operated the farm herself and has always made a crop. She lives alone on -the Port Caddo Road.* - -"My name is Ellen Payne now, but in slave times it was Ellen Evans, and -I was born on the old Mauldin place right here at Marshall and belonged -to old Dr. Evans. Dr. Evans loans the Bible what had all our ages in it -and never got it back, so when he freed us they guessed our ages. My -mistress say I was 'bout sixteen years old when surrender come, and my -daddy and mammy was Isom and Becky Lewis. Mammy come from Tennessee and -they was seventeen of us chillen. - -"Master Evans lived in a big brick house on the north side of Marshall -and run his farm four miles from town, and I stayed on the farm, but -come in town some with my mammy to work for Mistress Nancy. The niggers -on other farms had to sleep on 'Damn-it-to Hell' beds, but we didn't -have that kind. We had good wood beds and hay mattresses with lowell -covers. - -"I mostly minded the calves and chickens and turkeys. Master Evans had a -overseer but he didn't 'low him to cut and slash his niggers and we -didn't have no hard taskmaster. They was 'bout thirty slaves on the -farm, but I is the only one livin' now. I loved all my white folks and -they was sweet to us. - -"The hands worked from sun to sun and had a task at night. Some spinned -or made baskets or chair bottoms or knit socks. Some the young'uns -courted and some jest rambled round most all night. On Saturday was the -prayer meetin' in one house and a dance in another. On Sunday some went -to church and visitin', but not far, 'cause that was in patterroller -times. - -"They was allus plenty to eat and one nigger didn't do nothin' but raise -gardens. They hunted coon and possum and rabbits with dogs and the white -folks kilt deer and big game like that. My daddy allus had some money, -'cause he made baskets and chair bottoms and sold them, and Master Evans -give every slave a patch to work and they could sell it and keep the -money. - -"We didn't know nothin' but what went on at the place. Us slaves didn't -carry news 'cause they wasn't none to carry and if the white folks want -to send news anywhere, they put a boy on a mule to take it. - -"Master Evans had a old woman what tended to us when we was sick, and he -give us quinine and calomel and castor oil and boneset tea. That tea was -'nough to kill a mule, but it done us good. Some wore esfidity bags -round they necks to keep off sickness. - -"My young mistress married Master Clark and they lived close, and my -mammy and me used to spent part the time workin' for her. Master Clark -got to be governor 'bout time war started and moved to Austin. I still -got the Bible he give me. - - -[Illustration: _Ellen Payne_] - - -"I 'member the white southern men folks run off to the bottoms to git -'way from war, but I never seed nothin' of the war. When we was freed my -old master calls us up and say, 'You is free, and I'm mighty glad, but -I'm mighty sad.' We stays on till Christmas, then mammy and me leaves -and hires out. I stays workin' with her till I'm twenty-five and then I -marries Nelson Payne. - -"My young mistress sends me a blue worsted dress to marry in, and we's -married at mammy's house and she give us a nice supper. He was a farmer -and we kep' on livin' on the farm fifty-two years, till he died. We -loved farm life. I raised four boys but none of them is livin' now. When -Nelson died first one then 'nother holps me and I has made a crop every -year till now. I'm too old now, but I still raises some corn and peas -and garden stuff. They gives me a $15.00 month pension, but I likes to -be doin' somethin'. - -"I still shouts at meetin's. I don't have nothin' to do with it. It hits -me jes' like a streak of lightning, and there ain't no holdin' it. I -goes now to camp meetin's clost to Karnack and tries to 'have, but when -I gits the spirit, I jest can't hold that shoutin' back. The young folks -makes fun of me, but I don't mind. Style am crowded all the grace out of -'ligion, today." - - - - -Henderson Perkins - - -*Henderson Perkins, about 85, was born a slave to John Pruitt, near -Nashville, Tenn., who owned Henderson's mother and about 20 other -slaves. Prior to the Civil War, Mr. Pruitt moved to Centerville, Leon -Co., Texas, and sold Henderson and his mother to Tom Garner, of -Centerville. When the war began, Henderson was old enough to be trusted -with taking grain to the mill and other duties. After they were freed, -Henderson and his mother worked in Mr. Garner's tavern until he sold it. -He then placed the two on a piece of land and gave them tools to work -it. Henderson later married and moved to Waco, where he reared 14 -children. After they were grown he moved to Fort Worth and now lives at -610 Penn St.* - -"I'se tells you de truth 'bout my age, I'se too ol' for any good, but -from what de white folks says, I'se bo'n 'bout 1839 in Ten'see, near -Nashville. In dem days, 'twarn't so partic'lar 'bout gettin' married, -and my mammy warn't before I'se bo'n, so I'se don' know my father. Dat's -one on dis nigger. - -"After I'se ol' enough to tote water, pick up kindlin' and sich, Marster -Pruitt moves to Texas, near Centerville and sol' me and my mammy to -Marster Garner. My mammy gits married seven times after we comes to -Texas. - -"Marster Garner runs a tavern, dey calls 'em hotels now. My mammy was -cook for de tavern. De other nigger's named Gib, and I'se to do de work -'roun de place and take grist to de water mill for to grin'. Marster -have de farm, too, and have seven niggers on dat place and sometimes I -goes dere for to he'p. - -"Well, 'bout treatment, you can say Marster Garner am de bestest man -ever lived. I'se jus' says he am O. K. I'se never hears him say one -cross word to my mammy. Back in Tennessee, Marster Pruitt was good, too. -Hims have him's own still and gives de toddy to we'uns lots of times. -I'se gits a few whuppin's, but 'twas my fault. I'se cause de devilment. -I tells you 'bout some. I drives de oxen and de two-wheel cart for to go -to de water mill and sich. In dem days, it was great insult to say, -'You'uns has bread and rotten egg for supper.' I'se gwine to de mill one -day, past de school and I say's dat to de chillens. I thinks de teacher -won't let 'em come out, but I makes a mistake, for it am like yellow -jackets pourin' outta de hive. Dey throws sticks and stones at we'uns -and dat 'sprise de ox and he runs. De road am rough and dat cart have no -springs and de co'n made scatterment on de road. Marster whups us for -dat. Not hard, just a couple licks. - -"Did you's ever drive de ox? Dey's de devil sometimes and de angel -sometimes. When dey's gwine home, you can go to sleep and dey takes you -dere. If dey's dry and you comes near water, de devil can't stop 'em, -dey goes in de water wid de cart and all dat's in it. - -"When de war starts Marster's girl gits married to Charles Taylor, and -dey have big weddin'. Befo' de war am over, we'uns have hard time. De -soldiers comes and takes all de co'n, all de meat, every chicken and all -de t'baccy. You couldn' buy t'baccy for a dollar a pound. But we makes -it. We takes de leaves and cures dem, den place dem on de board and put -honey 'tween 'em. We place a log on top and leave it 'bout a month. -White man, dat am t'baccy! - -"After de army took de food, it am scarce for awhile. Short time after -de army come, de pigeons goes north. If you's never see dat, it am hard -to believe. Dey am so thick and so many dey cuts off de sun like de -cloud. We'uns gits lots of 'em and dat helps with de food. I'se sho' -glad de army don' come any more, once was 'nuff. I'se seen squirrels -travelin' on de groun' so thick it look like de carpet. Dey was all -runnin' 'way from de army. - - -[Illustration: _Henderson Perkins_] - - -"When freedom comes, some mans--dey says Grant's mans--lines we'uns up -side de house and says, 'Yous am now free,' and we'uns is free. I -wouldn' leave de Marster, him am sich a gran' man, so I stays with him -till he quits runnin' de tavern. - -"It am a long time after dat I gits married. We'uns have weddin' supper -and sho' am happy den. Den we moves to Waco and has 14 chillen. - -"We'uns had good times in slavery, but I likes my freedom. De Marster -allus give us a pass on Sunday and some nights when we has dance and -sich. But iffen you went out without a pass, den de patterollers--'fore -de War--or de Klux--after de War--would come lookin' for you. Dem -niggers without de pass sho' makes de scatterment, out de window or up -de chimney. But when we'uns is free, we'uns goes anywhere we wants to." - - - - -Daniel Phillips - - -*Daniel Phillips, Sr., 704 Virginia Street, San Antonio, Texas. Born -1854 at Stringtown, five miles south of San Marcos, Texas. Big framed, -good natured. Never has worn glasses.* - -"I was a slave to Dr. Dailey and his son, Dr. Thomas Dailey. They -brought my mother and father from Georgia and I was born in Stringtown -just after they arrived, in 1854. I calls him Mr. Tommy. Dey has a -plantation at Stringtown and a ranch on de Blanco River. We come from -Georgia in wagons. - -"Marse Dailey raised cotton and co'n on de plantation. On de ranch dey -ketches wild horses and I herds dem. When I'm on de ranch I has to drive -de wild horses into de pen. De men cotches de wild horses and I has to -drive 'em so's dey won't git wild agin. - -"Lots of dem wild horses got colts and I has to brand dem. Marse Dailey -he helps to cotch de wild horses but I has to drive 'em. In de mornin' I -drives dem out and in de evenin' I drives dem back. Dere's sure a lot of -dem wild horses. - -"Marse Dailey brings twenty-five slaves from Georgia but he sells some -after we comes to San Marcos. No suh, we niver gits paid. We lives in -log houses built on de side of a hill. De houses has one room. My mother -has a wooden bed with a cotton mattress. My sister Maria was housewoman. -My younger sister married a man named Scott. - -"We feeds good. Dere's cornbread and beef. Plenty milk, 'cause Marse -Dailey's got plenty cows. Dere's gardens with peas, cabbage, beans and -beets. We makes de clothes ourself. My father is handy man. He builds a -loom and a spinnin' wheel. No suh, we didn't do no huntin'. Marse Dailey -didn' let us have guns. - -"We's treated all right. My uncle is overseer. When de war's over I -didn't know about it. Marse Tommy comes to de ranch when I's herdin' de -wild horses. He says, 'Dan, you'se free now.' I say, 'Wha' dat mean, -Marse Tommy?' He say, 'Dat mean you can live with you mammy and you -pappy, and what you makes you kin keep.' - -"And I leaves de wild horses and comes to de plantation. Yas suh, we -goes to church. We walks fo' mile to de church. De w'ite folks sits in -front and de cullud folks sits back by de do'. - -"Yassuh, we's glad de slav'ry is over. My mother would go to milk cows -and I was sent to kill a calf. And dere was my mother in de corner of de -fence and she was prayin', 'O, Lawd, set us free!' - - -[Illustration: _Daniel Phillips_] - - -"I was too young for de army. My brother was a cook in de Confederate -Army, and de Yankees run dem 60 miles in one night. And my brother is -ridin' one horse and front of him is a pack horse, and he cut de traces -of de pack horse and dat horse run so he didn't see him again. Yassuh, -my brother was 108 years ole. He died two years ago. - -"We gits along better after we's free. Often de Yankees comes down to -San Marcos. Dey wants to buy milk. - -"One time on de plantation a cullud preacher wants to hold a service. De -marster say 'all right'. De preacher must tell how much he collects. Dat -so de marster fin' out if we's got any money." - - - - -Lee Pierce - - -*Lee Pierce, 87, was born a slave of Evans Spencer, in Marshall, Texas. -Lee was sold to a trader in 1861, and bought by Henry Fowler, of Sulphur -Springs, Texas. Lee remained with his master until 1866, then returned -to Marshall. When he became too old to work, he went to live with a son, -in Jefferson, Tex.* - -"My name am Lee Anderson Pierce, borned on the fifteenth of May, in -1850, up in Marshall, and 'longin' to Marse Evans Spencer, what was a -surveyor. I never knowed my pappy. He died 'fore I was borned. Mammy was -Winnie Spencer and Old Marse's folks fetched her to Texas from -Greenwood, what am over in Mississippi. - -"When I was 'bout eleven year old, Marse Spencer done got in debt so bad -he had to sell me off from mammy. He sold me to a spec'lator named -Buckley, and he taken me to Jefferson and drapped me down there with a -man called Sutton. I had a hard time there, had to sleep on the floor on -hot ashes, to keep warm, in wintertime. I nussed Marse Sutton's kids -'bout a year, den Buckley done got me 'gain and taken me to de nigger -trader yard in Marshall. I was put on de block and sold jes' like a cow -or horse, to Marse Henry Fowler, what taken me to Sulphur Springs. I -lived with him till after surrender. - -"Marse Fowler worked 'bout a hundred and fifty acres of land and had -sev'ral cullud families. He done overseeing hisself, but had a black man -for foreman. I seed plenty niggers whopped for not doin' dey tasks. He'd -whop 'em for not pickin' so many hundreds of cotton a day, buckle 'em -down hawg fashion and whop 'em with a strap. Us never stopped work no -day, lessen Sunday, and not then iffen grass in the field or crops -sufferin'. - -"Most time we et bacon and cornbread and greens. Sometimes we'd git deer -meat to eat, 'cause a old man named Buck Thomas am clost friend to Marse -Fowler and a big hunter. We got our own fish when we wasn't workin'. - -"The first work I done was herdin' sheep. I never done much field work, -but I was kep' busy with them sheep and other jobs round the place. The -cullud folks had big breakdowns Saturday night and a good time then and -on Christmas, but all the res' the time us jus' worked. - -"On Christmas we never got nothin but white shorts. Them was for -biscuits and they was jus' like cake to the niggers in slavery time. -Marse Fowler didn't have too much regard for he black folks. Two -families of them was stolen niggers. A spec'lator done stole them in -Arkansas and fotch them to Texas. - -"I didn't know much 'bout the war, 'cause I'm only ten year old when it -starts, and the white folks didn't talk it with us cullud folks. Long -'bout the end of the war a big Yankee camp was at Jefferson right where -the courthouse is now, but I wasn't 'lowed to go there and never did -know nothin' 'bout it. - -"I stayed with Marse Fowler till the Ku Klux got to ragin'. The Yankees -run it out of business. That Ku Klux business started from men tryin' to -run the niggers back to they farms. They near all left they masters and -didn't have nothin' or nowheres to go. The cullud folks was skeered of -them Kluxers. They come round the house and had some kind of riggin' -so's they could drink sev'ral buckets of water. - -"A cullud man at Jefferson, named Dick Walker, got up a cullud militia -to keep the Klux off the niggers. The militia met here in the old -African Methodist Church. Marse Fowler done git up a bunch of thirty men -to break up that cullud militia, and he org'ized his bunch at our place. -I holped saddle the hosses the night they went to take the church. Ben -Biggerstaff, he was one the main white leaders. They kilt sev'ral of the -militia and wounded lots more. That's after the Yankees done leave. - -"I hired out to Col. King, a Yankee officer in Sulphur Springs, and -works for him one year. I was makin' $25.00 a month. Land was sellin' -for twenty-five cents an acre but I wouldn't buy none. That same land am -worth a fortune now. But I left and come back to Jefferson. - -"I never found my mammy until 1870. She was workin' in a cafe in -Terrell. Judge Estes of Jefferson and some white men done been to Dallas -and stopped where she was workin'. She asked 'em if they knowed Lee -Pierce and the Judge said he did. When she done tell him how long it am -since she seed me, he put her on the train and sent her to Jefferson. - -"I was here when Jay Gould tried to git them to let him put his railroad -through this town and they told him they didn't need a railroad. Then -they done somethin' on Red River what done take all the water out of Big -Cypress and the town went down to nothin'. Cullud folks run this town -'bout them times. Paul Matthews, a cullud man, was county judge, and -Bill Wisham was sheriff. - -"I think the younger race of our folks has more 'vantages for prosper'ty -than what we had. Most of them am makin' good use of it. Some ain't got -no principle or ambition, but lots of them are 'spectable people." - - - - -Ellen Polk - - -*Ellen Polk, born in Gonzales County, Texas. Age, 83. Lives at 724 -Virginia Blvd., San Antonio, Texas. Her hair is only slightly grey at -the temples and forehead and her eyesight is good.* - -"I was a slave to Jim and Hannah Nations, Gonzales County, Texas. Marse -Jim was a fine looker, a heavy set man. He and Missis lived in a big -lumber house with a shingle roof. Dere was a nice yard with lots of -pecan trees and de plantation fields had rail fences aroun' dem. Dere -were fields of cotton and co'n and a purty river and all kind of wild -flowers. - -"Marse Jim sho was good to his slaves, but his foremens twern't. He -bought my mudder and some other slaves in Mississippi and dey walked -frum Mississippi to de Nations plantation in Gonzales. - -"Marse Jim had nigh a hundred slaves. De quarters was built of logs and -de roofs was river bottom boards. Some of de houses was built of logs -like de columns on dis house. - -"It was a fine, big plantation. De young women slaves wukked in de -fields and de ole women slaves made de cloth on de spinnin' wheels and -de looms. Den de women would go in de woods and take de bark frum de -trees and pursley frum de groun' and mix dem wid copperas and put it all -in a big iron pot and boil it. Den dey would strain de water off and dye -de cloth. De color was brown and, O Lawd, all de slaves wore de same -color clothes. Dey even made our socks on de plantation. - -"Ole Missy Hannah was sho good to me. I had to feed de children while -dere mudders was in de fields. Missy Hannah would have de cooks fix de -grub in a big pan and I would take it to de cullud quarters and feed -'em. - -"De plantation was on de Guadalupe River and when dere was no meat de -slaves went to de river and killed wild hogs and turkeys and ketched -fish. We groun' de co'n for cornbread and made hominy. And, O Lawd, de -sugar cane, and what good 'lasses we used to make. De slaves had purty -good times and de ole boss was awful good to 'em. We drank well water. -In dry times we toted de water frum de river for washin'. - - -[Illustration: _Ellen Polk_] - - -"De houses was log cabins. De men slaves built 'em. Dey goes into de -woods and chops down de big trees and den dey make 'em square. Did dey -have tools? Sho, dey had a ax and a hatchet. Dey splits de trees in two -and dat makes de sides of de house and de roun' side is outside. How dey -make dem logs tight? Jus' wid mud. Den dey puts de boards over de mud so -it cain't fall out. When dey makes de boards dey splits de end of de log -and puts de hatchet in de place and it makes a nice, smooth board. - -"Dey makes de beds like dat too. Dey takes four sticks and lays poles in -de crotches, den dey puts branches crossways. No suh, dey never had no -springs. For a mattress dey had hay and straw, sometimes corn shucks or -cobs. Dey slep' good, too. - -"After de war we lived on de plantation a long time, den we moved to San -Marcos, den back to de plantation. I was married on de plantation and -moved here 24 years ago. I liked de slavery days de best." - - - - -Betty Powers - - -*Betty Powers, 80, was born a slave of Dr. Howard Perry, who owned -Betty's family, several hundred other slaves and a large plantation in -Harrison Co., Texas. Betty married Boss Powers when she was only -thirteen. She now lives at 5237 Fletcher St., Fort Worth, Texas.* - -"What for you wants dis old nigger's story 'bout de old slavery days? -'Tain't worth anythin'. I's jus' a hard workin' person all my life and -raised de fam'ly and done right by 'em as best I knowed. To tell the -truf 'bout my age, I don't know 'zactly. I 'members de war time and de -surrender time. I's old 'nough to fan flies off de white folks and de -tables when surrender come. If you come 'bout five year ago, I could -telt you lots more, but I's had de head mis'ry. - -"I's born in Harrison County, 'bout twenty-five miles from Marshall. -Mass's name am Dr. Howard Perry and next he house am a li'l buildin' for -he office. De plantation an awful big one, and miles long, and more'n -two hundred slaves was dere. Each cabin have one family and dere am -three rows of cabins 'bout half a mile long. - -"Mammy and pappy and us twelve chillen lives in one cabin, so mammy has -to cook for fourteen people, 'sides her field work. She am up way befo' -daylight fixin' breakfast and supper after dark, with de pine knot torch -to make de light. She cook on de fireplace in winter and in de yard in -summer. All de rations measure out Sunday mornin' and it have to do for -de week. It am not 'nough for heavy eaters and we has to be real careful -or we goes hongry. We has meat and cornmeal and 'lasses and 'taters and -peas and beans and milk. Dem short rations causes plenty trouble, 'cause -de niggers has to steal food and it am de whippin' if dey gits cotched. -Dey am in a fix if dey can't work for bein' hongry, 'cause it am de -whippin' den, sho', so dey has to steal, and most of 'em did and takes -de whippin'. Dey has de full stomach, anyway. - -"De babies has plenty food, so dey grow up into strong, portly men and -women. Dey stays in de nursery whilst dey mammies works in de fields, -and has plenty milk with cornbread crumble up in it, and pot-licker, -too, and honey and 'lasses on bread. - -"De massa and he wife am fine, but de overseer am tough, and he wife, -too. Dat woman have no mercy. You see dem long ears I has? Dat's from de -pullin' dey gits from her. De field hands works early and late and often -all night. Pappy makes de shoes and mammy weaves, and you could hear de -bump, bump of dat loom at night, when she done work in de field all day. - -"Missy know everything what go on, 'cause she have de spies 'mongst de -slaves. She purty good, though. Sometimes de overseer tie de nigger to a -log and lash him with de whip. If de lash cut de skin, dey puts salt on -it. We ain't 'low to go to church and has 'bout two parties a year, so -dere ain't much fun. Lawd, Lawd, most dem slaves too tired to have fun -noway. When all dat work am finish, dey's glad to git in de bed and -sleep. - -"Did we'uns have weddin's? White man, you knows better'n dat. Dem times, -cullud folks am jus' put together. De massa say, 'Jim and Nancy, you go -live together,' and when dat order give, it better be done. Dey thinks -nothin' on de plantation 'bout de feelin's of de women and dere ain't no -'spect for dem. De overseer and white mens took 'vantage of de women -like dey wants to. De woman better not make no fuss 'bout sich. If she -do, it am de whippin' for her. I sho' thanks de Lawd surrender done come -befo' I's old 'nough to have to stand for sich. Yes, sar, surrender -saves dis nigger from sich. - -"When de war am over, thousands of sojers passes our place. Some camps -nearby, and massa doctors dem. When massa call us to say we's free, dere -am a yardful of niggers. He give every nigger de age statement and say -dey could work on halves or for wages. He 'vises dem to stay till dey -git de foothold and larn how to do. Lots stays and lots goes. My folks -stays 'bout four years and works on shares. Den pappy buys de piece of -land 'bout five miles from dere. - - -[Illustration: _Betty Powers_] - - -"De land ain't clear, so we'uns all pitches in and clears it and builds -de cabin. Was we'uns proud? There 'twas, our place to do as we pleases, -after bein' slaves. Dat sho' am de good feelin'. We works like beavers -puttin' de crop in, and my folks stays dere till dey dies. I leaves to -git married de next year and I's only thirteen years old, and marries -Boss Powers. - -"We'uns lives on rent land nearby for six years and has three chillen -and den he dies. After two years I marries Henry Ruffins and has three -more chillen, and he dies in 1911. I's livin' with two of dem now. I -never took de name of Ruffins, 'cause I's dearly love Powers and can't -stand to give up he name. Powers done make de will and wrote on de -paper, 'To my beloved wife, I gives all I has.' Wasn't dat sweet of him? - -"I comes to Fort Worth after Ruffins dies and does housework till I's -too old. Now I gits de $12.00 pension every month and dat help me git -by." - - - - -Tillie R. Powers - - -*Tillie R. Powers was born free in Oklahoma, near the Washita River. Her -mother had been kidnapped by a band of raiding Indians, one of whom was -her father. Her mother, desiring to prevent her from living among the -Indians, wrapped her in a buffalo robe and laid her on the road near the -Washita, where she was found by Joseph Powers, an army officer, who took -her to his plantation in Edgecombe Co., North Carolina. She lives at -1302 E. 11th St. Fort Worth, Texas.* - -"I don' 'member my mammy or pappy, and all I knows 'bout my early life -was tol' me by Marster Powers. He says him and he wife takin' soldiers -back to some fort and dey sees a bundle side de road near de Washita -River, wropped in a buffalo robe. He gits off his hoss and picks de -bundle up and in dat bundle am de piccaniny, dis nigger. Dat 77 year -ago. Dey took me to Edgecombe Co., over in North Car'lina, whar him owns -a plantation and 'bout 50 slaves. Dere I's 'dopted. - -"Dey raises de cotton and tobaccy and corn and sich. Den dere am hawgs -and chickens and sheep, and sich a orchard with peaches and pears and -sich. Mos' de work I done in slavery was eat de food, 'cause I's only -six year old when de war am over. But I 'members 'bout de plantation. - -"De treatment am good and bad. If de nigger gits onruly, him gits a -whippin', but de marster's orders is for not to draw de blood like I -heered dey do on other places. De food is plenty, 'cept for de shortage -cause by de War. When de food gits short, some of de niggers am sent -a-hustlin' for game, sich as de turkey and de squirrel, but we'uns allus -has plenty cornmeal and 'lasses and fruit. - -"Did we'uns see sojers? Lawd-a-massy! Towards de las', jus' 'fore -surrender and after, we'uns see dem by thousands, de Yanks and de -'federates, dey's passin' and repassin'. When de War am over, de marster -come home and he calls all us cullud folks to de house and him reads a -paper and says, 'All yous niggers am free, and you can go whar you -wants, but I 'vises yous not to go till yous has a place for work and -make de livin'. All de niggers stay at fust, den leave one after -'nother. - - -[Illustration: _Tillie R. Powers_] - - -"I jus' de chile and de orphan, so I has to stay and it was bes' for me. -Marster pays me when I big enough to work, and gives me $5.00 a month, -and I works for him till I's 18 years old. Den de missy die and I -leaves. Dat was de break-up of de place. I cries now when I thinks of de -missy, 'cause she allus good to me and I feels for her. - -"After dat, I works 'round a while and gits married to John Daniels in -1880. Dis nigger was better off in slavery dan with dat nigger. Why, him -won't work and whips me if I complains. I stood dat for six year and den -I's transported him. Dat in Roberts County. Marster Race Robinson -brought dat no good nigger and me, with 'bout 50 other niggers, here to -Texas. We 'uns share cropped for him till I transported dat ornery -husban'. - -"I makes a livin' workin' for white folks till 'bout three years ago and -now I gits $15.00 every month from de State to live on, 'cause I has -high blood now and I can't work no more." - - - - -Allen Price - - -*Allen Price was born in a covered wagon in Fannin Co., Texas, in 1862. -His master was John Price. Allen remembers many incidents of pioneer -days, and stories of the Civil War told him by the Price family. Allen -now lives in Mart, Texas.* - -"De way I comes to be born in Texas am my pappy and mammy is in de -covered wagon, comin' to Texas with dere master, what am John Price, -what was a Virginny man. Dey stops in Fannin County awhile and dere I'm -born. Dat in 1862, dey tells me. - -"De Price and Blair families was first ones to come to Texas. Dey had to -use ox teams and ford creeks and rivers and watch for Indians. I done -hear dem talk 'bout all dis, 'cause course I can't 'member it. Once de -Indians done 'tack dem and dey druv 'em off, and every night near dey -hears de howl of de wolves and other wild animals. Some folks went by -boat and dey had river boat songs, one like dis: - - "I'm drinkin' of rum and chawin' tobaccy, - Hi! Oh! The rollin' river! - I'm drinkin' of rum and chawin' tobaccy, - I'm boun' for the wide Missouri." - -"Dese things am handed down to me by de Price family and my granddaddy. -De Price family done fight for de Confed'racy all de way down de line of -de family, to my own pappy, who went with he master when dey calls for -volunteers to stop de blockade of Galveston. - -"My master think he gwine 'scape de worst of de war when he come to -Texas and dey am livin' peaceable de year I'm born, raisin' cotton. Dey -had a gin what my pappy worked in, and makes dey own clothes, too, when -de Yankees has de Texas ports blockade so de ships can't git in. When -dey blockades Galveston, our old master done take my pappy for bodyguard -and volunteers to help. Fin'ly Gen. Magruder takes Galveston from de -Yankees with two old cotton steamers what have cotton bales on de decks -for breastworks. - -"De last battle Master Price and my pappy was in, was de battle of -Sabine Pass, and de Yankee general, Banks, done send 'bout five thousand -troops on transports with gunboats, to force a landin'. Capt. Dick -Dowling had forty-seven men to 'fend dat Pass and my pappy helped build -breastworks when dem Yankees firin'. Capt. Dowling done run dem Yankees -off and takes de steamer Clinton and 'bout three hundred and fifty -prisoners. My pappy told me some de Captain's men didn't have real guns, -dey have wood guns, what dey call cam'flage nowadays. - -"My pappy helped at de hospital after dat battle, and dey has it in a -hotel and makes bandages out of sheets and pillow cases and underwear, -and uses de rugs and carpets for quilts. - -"I 'member dis song, what dey sing all de time after de war: - - "O, I'm a good old Rebel, and dat's jus' what I am, - And for dis land of freedom, I do not give a damn; - I'm glad we fought again 'em, and only wish we'd won, - And I ain't asked no pardon for anything I've done. - - "I won't be reconstructed, I'm better dan dey am, - And for a carpetbagger I do not give a damn. - So I'm off to de frontier, soon as I can go-- - I'll fix me up a weapon and start for Mexico! - - "I can't get my musket and fight dem now no more, - But I'm not goin' to love dem, dat am certain sho'-- - I don't want no pardon for what I was or am, - I won't be reconstructed, and I don't give a damn. - -"I has mighty little to say 'bout myself. I's only a poor Baptist -preacher. De her'tage handed down to me am de proudes' thing I knows. De -Prices was brave and no matter what side, dey done fight for dey 'lief -in de right." - - - - -John Price and wife Mirandy - - -*John Price, nearing 80, was born a slave of Charles Bryan, in Morgan -City, Louisiana. The Bryans brought him to Texas about 1861, and he now -lives in Liberty. Mirandy, his wife, was also a slave, but has had a -paralytic stroke and speaks with such difficulty that she cannot tell -the story of her life. Their little home and yard are well cared for.* - -"I's five year old when de Lincoln war broke up and my papa was name -George Bryan in slavery time and he come from St. Louis, what am in -Missouri. After freedom de old boss he call up de hands and say, 'Iffen -you wants to wear my name you can, but take 'nother one iffen you wants -to.' So my daddy he change he name to George Price and dat why my name -John Price. - -"My old massa name George Bryan and he wife name Felice. Dey buy my papa -when he 18 year old boy and dey take him and raise him and put all dey -trust in him and he run de place when de old man gone. Dat in Morgan -City, in Louisiana on de Berwick side. - -"De year I's one year old us come to Texas and settle in Liberty. I wes -a-layin' in my mammy's arms and her name Lizette but dey call her -Lisbeth. She mos'ly French. I got three sister, Sally Hughes and Liza -Jonas and Celina, and two brothers, Pat Whitehouse and Jim Price. - -"De white folks have a tol'able fair house one mile down south of -Raywood and it were a long, frame house and a pretty good farm. Us -quarters was log houses built out of li'l pine poles pile one top de -other. Dey have nail up log, country beds and home-made tables and -rawhide bottom chairs and benches. Dem chair have de better weight dan -de chair today. Iffen you rare back now, de chair gone, but de rawhide -stay with you. - -"De old massa pretty fair to us all. Iffen my papa whip me I slips out -de house and runs to de big house and crawls under de old massa's bed. -Sometime he wake up in de middle de night and say, 'Boy,' and I not -answer. Den he say 'gain, 'Boy, I know you under dat bed. You done been -afoul your papa 'gain,' and he act awful mad. Den he throw he old sojer -coat under de bed for to make me a pallet and I sleep dere all night. - -"Us chillen have lots of time to play and not much time to work. Us -allus ridin' old stick hosses and tie a rope to de stick and call it a -martingale. Us make marbles out of clay and dry 'em and play with 'em. -De old boss wouldn't 'low us have no knife, for fear us cut each other. -Us never sick much dem days, but us have de toothache. Dey take white -tree bark what taste like peppermint and stew it up with honey and cure -de toothache. - -"Us never go to church. Some my wife's people say dey used to have a -church in de hollow and dey have runners for to watch for de old boss -man and tell 'em de massa comin'. - -"Us old massa say Christmas Day am he day to treat and he tell us 'bout -Santy Claus. Us taken us socks up to he house and hang dem 'round de big -fireplace and den in de mornin' us find candy and cake and fruit and -have de big time. New Year Day was old missy time. She fix de big dinner -on dat day and nobody have to work. - -"When de war is breakin' old massa come by ship to Galveston up de -Trinity River to Liberty by boat to try to save he niggers, but it -wasn't no use. Us see lots of tents out by Liberty and dey say it -sojers. I tag long with de big boys, dey sneaks out de spades and digs -holes in de prairie in de knolls. Us plannin' to live in dem holes in de -knolls. When dey say de Yankees is comin' I sho' is 'fraid and I hear de -cannon say, 'Boom, boom,' from Galveston to Louisiana. De young white -missy, she allus sing de song dat go: - - "We are a band of brothers, native to de soil, - Fightin' for our liberty with treasure, blood and toil, - And when us rights was threaten', de cry rise far and near, - Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag what bears a single star. - -"After freedom my papa move away but de old massa come after him and -worry him till he 'most have to come back. When my li'l sister have de -whoopin' cough, old massa come down in a hurry and say, 'You gwineter -kill dem chillen,' and he puts my sister and brother on de hoss in front -of him and takes 'em home and cures 'em hisself. It were years after dat -'fore my papa leave him 'gain. - -"Dey driv beefs and have two rivers to cross to git dere, de Sabine and -de Neches. Dey 'liver 'em by so many head and iffen dey ain't have -'nough, other mens on de prairie help 'em fill out de number what dey -needs. I's rid many a wild hoss in my day and dat's where I make my -first money for myself. - - -[Illustration: _John Price and wife Mirandy_] - - -"I's workin' in Hyatt when I 'cide to git marry and I marry dis gal, -Mirandy, 'bout 52 year ago and us still been together. Us marry in Moss -Bluff and Sam Harris, he a cullud man, he de preacher what marry us. I -have on pretty fair suit of clothes but one thing I 'member, de gal I -marry, she have $5.00 pair of shoes on her feet what I buys for her. - -"Us done have five sons and three daughters and I been a pretty -'fluential man 'round Liberty. One time dey a man name Ed Pickett what -was runnin' for Clerk of de Court in Liberty County and he come 'round -my place 'lectioneering, 'cause he say whatever way I votes, dey votes. - -"Did you ever hear a old coon dog? Old coon dog, he got a big, deep -voice what go, 'A-woo-o-o, a-woo-o-o.' You can hear him a mile. Well, -dat Ed Pickett he say to me, 'John Price, you know what I wants you to -do? I wants you put dat other feller up a tree. I wants you put him so -fur up a tree he can't even hear dat coon dog beller.' And I does it, -'cause I's pretty 'fluential 'round here." - - - - -Reverend Lafayette Price - - -*Reverend Lafayette Price, ancient and venerable minister of a small, -dilapidated church on the outskirts of Beaumont, received his education -under his old master, a plantation owner of the South. He was born a -slave of the Higginbotham family, in Wilcox County, Alabama, but after -the death of his original master, he became known as "orphan children -property" and went to Louisiana to live with Robert and Jim Carroll, -brothers-in-law of Sam Higginbotham. During the Civil War, LaFayette, -then about 12 years old (he does not know his exact age) served as water -boy for young Robert Carroll at the battle of Mansfield. When the slaves -were freed he came to Texas and has been a minister since that time. He -lives with his one daughter in a small, ramshackle house near the church -and conducts Baptist services each Sunday. LaFayette is small and very -dark, and with his crop of almost white hair and his Van Dyke beard, he -has facial characteristics much like those of the patriarch who played -the part of "De Lawd" in the "Green Pastures" picture. His conversation -is that of a devout person, well informed in the Scriptures.* - -"I had a statement when I was bo'n, but I don' 'member jus' now. When de -war fus' start I was water toter for my marster. Well, now den, I wan' -to say dat my marster whar I was bo'n in Wilcox County, Alabama, his -name was Higginbotham. When Mr. Higginbotham die, his son, Mr. Sam -Higginbotham, was my young marster. When he married, he marry in de -Carroll family. My father and mother belong to Mr. Higginbotham. Mr. -Sam, he move to Louisiana. When he went back to Alabama, he tuk sick wid -de cholera and die dere. Mr. Sam, he marry Miss Ca'line Carroll. Later -on after Mr. Sam die Miss Ca'line marry Mr. Winn. I become orphan -chillen property. Mr. Winn was de overseer. When I was a small boy I had -playtime. I allus had good owners. When I get bigger I had some time off -after work in de evenin's and on Sundays. Den I want to say I was hired -out an' dey claimed dey was goin' to be a war. The north and de south -was goin' to split apart. In 1861 war commence and my mistress die. I -was den stayin' wid de Carroll family. De Carrolls were brothers of my -owner. Mr. Jim and Mr. Robert was soldiers in de war. Mr. Robert was in -de infantry and Mr. Jim they took him along to drive. When dey was goin' -to Barn Chest (evidently the name of a place) Mr. Robert he say to me, -'Fay, you go back home and tell ma she need not be oneasy 'bout me, -'cause de Yankees is retreatin' to Nachitoches.' So I driv back but I -didn' put up de team. When I was tellin' her, it was 'bout three mile -over to Mosses Fiel' (Mosses' Field was the local name for the tract of -land on which the battle of Mansfield was fought, in part). When I was -tellin' her, a big cannon shot overhead--'Boom'. She jus' shook and say, -'Oh, Fay, git some co'n and throw it to de hogs and go to Chicet.' I got -some co'n and start to git out de crib. Dey shot another cannon. She say -to me, 'Go back and give de co'n to de pigs.' When I put my feets -through de crib do', dey shoot another shot, and I pull my feets back. -She tell me to go back and feed de pigs, but I don' know if I ever did -git de co'n to de pigs. - -"Mr. Carroll say dat at Mansfiel' where dey was shootin' de big guns de -ladies was cryin'. He told 'em dey needn' to cry now, when dey was -shootin' de big guns dey wasn't killin' men, but when dey hear de little -guns shoot, den dey could start cryin', 'cause dat mean dat men was -gittin' kill. I dunno if you ever parch popco'n. Dat de way de little -guns soun'. He say dat den dey could begin cryin'. Our w'ite people (the -Confederates) was comin' from Shreveport to meet de Yankees from -Nachitoches, aimin' to go to Shreveport. If anything was a wunnerful -consideration it was den. Mr. Robert Carroll was stood up by a big tree -there at Mansfiel' and de captain, he said, "Is anybody here dat know de -neighborhood?" Here's de ting dey want to know: When de soldiers start -out dey didn' want 'em to launch out and git mix up. Dey sent for Mr. -Carroll, 'cause he live 'bout a mile away. He was order to stan' by de -tree and de captain went by wavin' a sword, and purty soon de captain -was kill. Dey kep' on fightin' and after awhile a soldier come by and ax -what he doin' there. He said he had orders to stan' dere. De soldier say -dat de captain was kill and for him to go and help wid de wounded -soldiers. When de big General come from Shreveport and holler, 'Charge,' -de Yankees git in de corner of a rail fence. Dey broke right through dat -fiel' o' prairie and 60 men git kill dead befo' dey git across. Nex' -day, comin' home, I want to tell you de hosses didn' lay on dis side nor -on dat side, dey jus' squat down, dey was dead. I think it was a -wunnerful consideration to bring up in mem'ry. - -"One night right w'ere de battle was fought we had to camp. It was -rainin' and sleetin' and snowin! I said, 'What you goin' to do tonight?' -Mr. James Carroll said, 'We jus' hafta stan' w'ere we camp. Jus' stack -de guns and put out what you call de watchman.' I said, 'Sentinel,' and -he said, 'Yes.' Dey had what you call de relief. Dey wasn't in bed, dey -was out under a tree in de col'. Ev'ry hour dey'd walk 'em out 'long a -runway to walk guard. It was a wunnerful distressin' time. De soldiers -had a little song dey sung: - - "'Eat when you're hungry, - Drink when you're dry, - Iffen a tree don' kill you, - You'll live 'til you die.' - -"Dis was 'cause dey had to stan' under trees and when de Yankees shoot -cannon dey'd knock off limbs and tops of trees and them under de trees -might git kill from de fallin' branches. Another song was: - - "'Hit was on de eighth of April, - Dey all 'member well, - When fifes and drums were beatin' - For us all to march away.' - -"In slavery times de slaves went to church wid dere w'ite folks and -heard de w'ite preacher. I never knew of cullud baptisms. Dey'd have -camp meetin' and when cullud people wanted to jine de church dey'd take -'em in den. I didn' quite git through 'bout de Mansfiel' battle. Dem 60 -men dat was kill, dey jus' dig a big hole and put 'em in and threw dirt -on 'em. I went back after two or three days and de bodies done swell and -crack de groun'. Marster's plantation comin' from Shreveport was on de -eas' side of Mosses Fiel'. We was 'bout one and a half or two mile' from -Mosses Fiel'. I wasn't acquaint' wid many w'ites 'cause I was wid de -Carrolls and dey was allus kind. I heard dey was people dis way and dat, -but I don' know 'bout dat. My w'ite folks see dat I was not abused. When -news of de surrender come lots of cullud folks seem to be rejoicin' and -sing, "I's free, I's free as a frog" 'cause a frog had freedom to git on -a log and jump off when he please. Some jus' stayed on wid dere w'ite -folks. One time dey say dey sen' all de niggers back to Africa. I say -dey never git me. I bin yere, and my w'ite folks bin yere, and yere I -goin' to stay. My young marster say he want me for a nigger driver, so -he teach me how to read and spell so I could ten' to business. In time -of de war Miss Ca'line say de soldiers been dere and take de bes' hoss. -Dey sent me off wid Ball, a little hoss. When I come back I meet some -soldiers. Dey say dey goin' take de hoss, if dey don' de Yankees come -take 'em. I tell 'em dey done got Marster Carroll other hoss, to leave -dis one. Dey say, "Git down, I goin' give you a few licks anyhow." I -fall down but dey never hit me and dey say, "Maybe dat Mr. Carroll whose -hoss we tuk, let dis boy go on wid de hoss." Miss Ca'line say she wish -she'd let me take Dandy, dey was de bes' hoss. - -"I wan' to tell you one story 'bout de rabbit. De rabbit and de tortus -had a race. De tortus git a lot of tortuses and put 'em long de way. -Ever now and den a tortus crawl 'long de way, and de rabbit say, "How -you now, Br'er Tortus?" And he say, "Slo' and sho', but my legs very -short." When dey git tired, de tortus win 'cause he dere, but he never -run de race, 'cause he had tortuses strawed out all 'long de way. De -tortus had other tortuses help him." - - - - -Henry Probasco - - -*Henry Probasco, 79, was born a slave of Andrew McGowen, who owned a -plantation and 50 slaves in Walker County, Texas. Henry lived with his -family, in Waco, until 1875, when he became a stock hand on Judge -Weakly's ranch in Ellis County. In 1902 he came to Fort Worth and worked -in packing plants until 1932. Since that time he has supported himself -by any little work he could find and now has an $8.00 per month pension. -He lives at 2917 Cliff St., Fort Worth, Texas.* - -"I's born on Massa McGowen's plantation. He name was Andrew McGowen and -us lived near Huntsville, down in Walker County. All my folks and -grandfolks was dere. Grandpap am carpenter, grandma am nuss for cullud -chillen, and pappy and mammy does de shoemakin' and de cookin'. - -"In de days I's a boy even de plows was made on de place. De blacksmith -do de iron work and de wood work am done by pappy, and de plows am -mostly wood. Jus' de point and de shear am iron. My grandpap made de -mouldboards out of wood. No, sar, 'twarnt no steel mouldboards den. I's -watch grandpap take de hard wood block and with de ax and de drawshave -and de plane and saw and rule, him cut and fit de mouldboard to de -turnin' plow. De mouldboard las' 'bout one year. - -"Now, with de shoes it am dif'rent and dem last more'n twict de time as -store shoes. Gosh for 'mighty! We'uns can't wear dem out. De leather am -from cattle raise on de place and tan right dere. It am real oak tan, -and strong as steel. We'uns grease de shoes with mutton tallow and dat -make dem waterproof shoes. - -"Cotton am main crop and corn for feed. De corn feed both de critters -and de niggers, 'cause de main food for de niggers am de corn and de -cornbread and de corn mush. Course, us have other victuals, plenty meat -and veg'tables. De hawgs allus run in de woods and find dere own food, -sich as nuts and acorns. Dey allus fat and when massa want meat he hitch -de mules to de wagon and go to de woods. Dere him catch de hawg with -massa's mark on it and fotch it in. - -"De quarters am not mansions, dey am log cabins with dirt floors, but -good 'nough. Dey am fixed tight for de winter. If you am used to -sleepin' in de bunks with straw ticks, it's jus' good as de spring bed. -De fust time I sleeps on de spring bed, I's 'wake most all night. - -"When surrender come, massa told we'uns dat all us am free folks and he -reads from de paper. 'Now,' him say, yous am free and dem what wants to -go, let me know. I'll 'range for de pay or to work de land on shares.' - -"Some goes but all my folks stays, but in 'bout a year pappy moves to -Waco and run a shoe shop. I stays with him till I 17 year old, den I -goes to Ellis County and works on de cattle ranch of Judge Weakly. His -brand am 111 and him place clost to Files Valley. I's larnt to ride some -on de plantation and soon I's de good rider and I likes dat work best. - -"We has lots of fun when we goes to town, not much drinkin', like some -people says, but its mostest mischievious de boys am. We gits de joke on -de preacher once. Him tellin' 'bout harm of drink and one of us say, -'Read from de Bible, Proverbs 31, 6 and 7. Him reads and it am like dis: - -'Give de strong drink to dem dat am ready to perish and wine to dem what -am heavy of heart.' Dat de last time him talk to us 'bout drink. - -"We'uns holds de Kangaroo Court. If we'uns been on de party and someone -do something what ain't right, den charges am file 'gainst you. If dem -charges file, it's sho' you's found guilty, 'cause de fine am a drink -for de bunch. If you don't buy de drink it's a lickin' with a pair of -leggin's. If you 'low de hoss to throw you, dat am cause for charges. - -"De last round-up I works am at Oak Grove, near Fort Worth and dat 'bout -40 year ago. After dat, I goes to Mulesfoot and works for T.D. Myers for -'bout five year, den I's done a little farmin' on de plains for awhile. - -"I'll tell you 'bout my married life. I marries de fust time when I's 24 -year old to Bertha Ellers and we'uns live togedder 20 year and -sep'rates. We'uns have 11 chillen. Couple year after dat I goes to de -cotton patch for de short spell and meets a woman. We'uns right off -married and dat hitch lasts till de pickin' season am over. Den, 'bout -two year after dat cotton pickin' hitch I marries Mary Little and we'uns -lives togedder two year and dat am two year too many. Dat de last of de -marriage business. - -"Now I jus' fools de time away and I has no one to fuss at me 'bout -where I goes and sich. Sich am my joyment now." - - - - -Jenny Proctor - - -*Jenny Proctor was born in Alabama in 1850. She was a slave of the -Proctor family and began her duties about the house when a very young -girl. As soon as she was considered old enough to do field labor she was -driven with the other slaves from early morning until late at night. The -driver was cruel and administered severe beatings at the slightest -provocations. Jenny remained with her owners after the close of the -Civil War, not from choice but because they had been kept in such dense -ignorance they had no knowledge of how to make their own living. After -the death of her master several years later, she and her husband, John -Proctor, came to Texas in a mule drawn covered wagon and settled in Leon -County near the old town of Buffalo. There they worked as share croppers -until the death of her husband. She then came to San Angelo, Texas with -her son, with whom she has made her home for many years.* - -Jenny, who was ill at the time she was interviewed, shook her old white -head and said, - -"I's hear tell of dem good slave days but I ain't nev'r seen no good -times den. My mother's name was Lisa and when I was a very small chile I -hear dat driver goin' from cabin to cabin as early as 3 o'clock in de -mornin' and when he comes to our cabin he say, 'Lisa, Lisa, git up from -dere and git dat breakfast.' My mother, she was cook and I don't -recollect nothin' 'bout my father. If I had any brothers and sisters I -didn' know it. We had ole ragged huts made out of poles and some of de -cracks chinked up wid mud and moss and some of dem wasn't. We didn' have -no good beds, jes' scaffolds nailed up to de wall out of poles and de -ole ragged beddin' throwed on dem. Dat sho' was hard sleepin' but even -dat feel good to our weary bones after dem long hard days work in de -field. I 'tended to de chillun when I was a little gal and tried to -clean de house jes' like ole miss tells me to. Den soon as I was 10 -years ole, ole marster, he say, 'Git dis yere nigger to dat cotton -patch.' I recollects once when I was tryin' to clean de house like ole -miss tell me, I finds a biscuit and I's so hungry I et it, 'cause we -nev'r see sich a thing as a biscuit only some times on Sunday mornin'. -We jes' have co'n braid and syrup and some times fat bacon, but when I -et dat biscuit and she comes in and say, 'Whar dat biscuit?' - -"I say, 'Miss, I et it 'cause I's so hungry.' Den she grab dat broom and -start to beatin' me over de head wid it and callin' me low down nigger -and I guess I jes' clean lost my head 'cause I know'd better den to -fight her if I knowed anything 'tall, but I start to fight her and de -driver, he comes in and he grabs me and starts beatin' me wid dat -cat-o'-nine-tails,[1] and he beats me 'til I fall to de floor nearly -dead. He cut my back all to pieces, den dey rubs salt in de cuts for mo' -punishment. Lawd, Lawd, honey! Dem was awful days. When ole marster come -to de house he say, 'What you beat dat nigger like dat for?' And de -driver tells him why, and he say, 'She can't work now for a week, she -pay for several biscuits in dat time.' He sho' was mad and he tell ole -miss she start de whole mess. I still got dem scars on my ole back right -now, jes' like my grandmother have when she die and I's a-carryin' mine -right on to de grave jes' like she did. - - [1] A big leather whip, branching into nine tails. - -"Our marster, he wouldn' 'low us to go fishing, he say dat too easy on a -nigger and wouldn' 'low us to hunt none either, but some time we slips -off at night and ketch 'possums and when ole marster smells dem 'possums -cookin' way in de night he wraps up in a white sheet and gits in de -chimney corner and scratch on de wall and when de man in de cabin goes -to de door and say, 'Who's dat?' He say, 'It's me, what's ye cookin' in -dere?' and de man say, 'I's cookin' 'possum.' He say, 'Cook him and -bring me de hind quarters and you and de wife and de chillun eat de -rest.' We nev'r had no chance ter git any rabbits 'cept when we was -a-clearin' and grubbin' de new grounds, den we ketch some rabbits and if -dey looks good to de white folks dey takes dem and if dey no good de -niggers git dem. We nev'r had no gardens. Some times de slaves git -vegetables from de white folks' garden and sometimes dey didn'. - -"Money? Umph um! We nev'r seen no money. Guess we'd a bought sumpin' to -eat wid it if we ev'r seen any. Fact is, we wouldn' a knowed hardly how -to bought anything, 'cause we didn' know nothin' 'bout goin' to town. - -"Dey spinned de cloth what our clothes was made of and we had straight -dresses or slips made of lowel. Sometimes dey dye 'em wid sumac berries -or sweet gum bark and sometimes dey didn'. On Sunday dey make all de -chillun change, and what we wears 'til we gits our clothes washed was -gunny sacks wid holes cut for our head and arms. We didn' have no shoes -'ceptin' some home made moccasins and we didn' have dem 'til we was big -chillun. De little chillun dey goes naked 'til dey was big enough to -work. Dey was soon big enough though, 'cordin' to our marster. We had -red flannel for winter under clothes. Ole miss she say a sick nigger -cost more den de flannel. - -"Weddin's? Ugh um! We jes' steps over de broom and we's married. Ha! Ha! -Ha! - -"Ole marster he had a good house. De logs was all hewed off smooth like -and de cracks all fixed wid nice chinkin', plum 'spectable lookin' even -to de plank floors, dat was sumpin'. He didn' have no big plantation but -he keeps 'bout 300 slaves in dem little huts wid dirt floors. I thinks -he calls it four farms what he had. - -"Sometimes he would sell some of de slaves off of dat big auction block -to de highest bidder when he could git enough fer one. - -"When he go to sell a slave he feed dat one good for a few days, den -when he goes to put 'em up on de auction block he takes a meat skin and -greases all 'round dat nigger's mouth and makes 'em look like dey been -eatin' plenty meat and sich like and was good and strong and able to -work. Sometimes he sell de babes from de breas' and den again he sell de -mothers from de babes and de husbands and de wives, and so on. He -wouldn' let 'em holler much when de folks be sold away. He say, 'I have -you whooped if you don't hush.' Dey sho' loved dere six chillun though. -Dey wouldn' want no body buyin' dem. - -"We might a done very well if de ole driver hadn' been so mean, but de -least little thing we do he beat us for it, and put big chains 'round -our ankles and make us work wid dem on 'til de blood be cut out all -around our ankles. Some of de marsters have what dey call stockades and -puts dere heads and feet and arms through holes in a big board out in de -hot sun, but our old driver he had a bull pen, dats only thing like a -jail he had. When a slave do anything he didn' like he takes 'em in dat -bull pen and chains 'em down, face up to de sun and leaves 'em dere 'til -dey nearly dies. - -"None of us was 'lowed to see a book or try to learn. Dey say we git -smarter den dey was if we learn anything, but we slips around and gits -hold of dat Webster's old blue back speller and we hides it 'til way in -de night and den we lights a little pine torch[2], and studies dat -spellin' book. We learn it too. I can read some now and write a little -too. - - [2] Several long splinters of rich pine, of a lasting quality and - making a bright light. - -"Dey wasn't no church for de slaves but we goes to de white folks' arbor -on Sunday evenin' and a white man he gits up dere to preach to de -niggers. He say, 'Now I takes my text, which is, nigger obey your -marster and your mistress, 'cause what you git from dem here in dis -world am all you ev'r goin' to git, 'cause you jes' like de hogs and de -other animals, when you dies you ain't no more, after you been throwed -in dat hole.' I guess we believed dat for a while 'cause we didn' have -no way findin' out different. We didn' see no Bibles. - -"Sometimes a slave would run away and jes' live wild in de woods but -most times dey ketch'em and beats 'em, den chains 'em down in de sun -'til dey nearly die. De only way any slaves on our farm ev'r goes -anywhere was when de boss sends him to carry some news to another -plantation or when we slips off way in de night. Sometimes after all de -work was done a bunch would have it made up to slip out down to de creek -and dance. We sho' have fun when we do dat, most times on Sat'day night. - -"All de Christmas we had was ole marster would kill a hog and give us a -piece of pork. We thought dat was sumpin' and de way Christmas lasted -was 'cordin' to de big sweet gum back log what de slaves would cut and -put in de fireplace. When dat burned out, de Christmas was over. So you -know we all keeps a lookin' de whole year 'round for de biggest sweet -gum we could find. When we jes' couldn' find de sweet gum we git oak, -but it wouldn' last long enough, 'bout three days on average, when we -didn' have to work. Ole marster he sho' pile on dem pine knots, gittin' -dat Christmas over so we could git back to work. - -"We had a few little games we play, like Peep Squirrel Peep, You Can't -Catch Me, and sich like. We didn' know nothin' 'bout no New Year's Day -or holidays 'cept Christmas. - -"We had some co'n shuckin's sometimes but de white folks gits de fun and -de nigger gits de work. We didn' have no kind of cotton pickin's 'cept -jes' pick our own cotton. I's can hear dem darkies now, goin' to de -cotton patch way 'fore day a singin': - -"'Peggy, does you love me now?' - -"One ole man he sing: - - "'Sat'day night and Sunday too - Young gals on my mind, - Monday mornin' way 'fore day - Ole marster got me gwine. - - Chorus: - - Peggy, does you love me now?' - -"Den he whoops a sort of nigger holler, what nobody can do jes' like dem -ole time darkies, den on he goes, - - "'Possum up a 'simmon tree, - Rabbit on de ground - Lawd, Lawd, 'possum, - Shake dem 'simmons down. - Peggy, does you love me now? - _Holler_ - Rabbit up a gum stump - 'Possum up a holler - Git him out little boy - And I gives you half a dollar. - Peggy, does you love me now?' - - -[Illustration: _Jenny Proctor_] - - -"We didn' have much lookin' after when we git sick. We had to take de -worst stuff in de world fer medicine, jes' so it was cheap. Dat ole blue -mass and bitter apple would keep us out all night. Sometimes he have de -doctor when he thinks we goin' to die, 'cause he say he ain't got any -one to lose, den dat calomel what dat doctor would give us would purty -nigh kill us. Den dey keeps all kinds of lead bullets and asafoetida -balls 'round our necks and some carried a rabbit foot wid dem all de -time to keep off evil of any kind. - -"Lawd, Lawd, honey! It seems impossible dat any of us ev'r lived to see -dat day of freedom, but thank God we did. - -"When ole marster comes down in de cotton patch to tells us 'bout bein' -free, he say, 'I hates to tell you but I knows I's got to, you is free, -jes' as free as me or anybody else what's white.' We didn' hardly know -what he means. We jes' sort of huddle 'round together like scared -rabbits, but after we knowed what he mean, didn' many of us go, 'cause -we didn' know where to of went. Ole marster he say he give us de woods -land and half of what we make on it, and we could clear it and work it -or starve. Well, we didn' know hardly what to do 'cause he jes' gives us -some ole dull hoes an' axes to work with but we all went to work and as -we cut down de trees and de poles he tells us to build de fence 'round -de field and we did, and when we plants de co'n and de cotton we jes' -plant all de fence corners full too, and I never seen so much stuff grow -in all my born days, several ears of co'n to de stalk and dem big cotton -stalks was a layin' over on de ground. Some of de ole slaves dey say dey -believe de Lawd knew sumpin' 'bout niggers after all. He lets us put -co'n in his crib and den we builds cribs and didn' take long 'fore we -could buy some hosses and some mules and some good hogs. Dem mangy hogs -what our marster give us de first year was plum good hogs after we -grease dem and scrub dem wid lye soap. He jes' give us de ones he -thought was sho' to die but we was a gittin' goin' now and 'fore long we -was a buildin' better houses and feelin' kind of happy like. After ole -marster dies we keeps hearin' talk of Texas and me an' my ole man, I's -done been married several years den and had one little boy, well we gits -in our covered wagon wid our little mules hitched to it and we comes to -Texas. We worked as share croppers around Buffalo, Texas 'til my ole man -he died. My boy was nearly grown den so he wants to come to San Angelo -and work, so here we is. He done been married long time now and got six -chillun. Some of dem work at hotels, and cafes and fillin' stations and -in homes." - - - - -A.C. Pruitt - - -*A.C. Pruitt was born about 1861, a slave of the Magill family, in St. -Martinville, La. He lives in a settlement of Negroes, on the road -leading from Monroe City to Anahuac, in a shanty made of flattened tin -cans, odd pieces of corrugated iron and scrap lumber, held together with -rope, nails and tar paper. Pruitt migrated from Beaumont to Monroe City -when the oil boom came and ekes out an existence doing odd jobs in the -fields. He is a small, muscular man, dressed in faded work clothes and -heavy brogans, laced with string.* - -"I really does live in Beaumont, but when dey start dat talk 'bout -makin' sich good money in de oil fields I done move out here to git some -of dat. It ain't work so good, though, and I been tearin' down part my -house dis week and plannin' to move back. - -"I ain't 'lect much 'bout slavery time, 'cause I jes' too li'l but I can -tell some things my mama and grannma done told me. - -"I's born in St. Martinville, over in Louisiana. I done go back to de -old plantation onct but it start to change den. Dave Magill he was de -old massa and Miss Frances de missy. My mama name Rachel Smith and she -born and raise right dere, and my daddy I ain't never seed, but mama say -he name Bruford Pruitt. Dey brudders and sisters but only one livin' and -dat Clementine James in Beaumont. - -"Jes' 'fore freedom us done move to Snowball, Texas, what was somewheres -clost to Cold Springs. Dey told us dey tryin' keep us slaves 'way from -de Yankees. Dey everywhere, jes' like dem li'l black ants what gits in -de sugar, only dey blue. I's jes' de li'l chile den, runnin' 'round in -my split shirt tail. Dem was sho' fancy shirt tails dey make us wore in -dem days. Dey make 'em on de loom, jes' in two pieces, with a hole to -put de head through and 'nother hole at de bottom to put de legs -through. Den dey split 'em up de side, so's us could run and play -without dem tyin' us 'round de knees and throw us down. Even at dat, dey -sho' wasn't no good to do no tree climbin', less'n you pull dem mos' up -over you head. - -"Us chillen run down to de rail gate when us see dus' clouds comin' and -watch de sojers ridin' and marchin' by. Dey ain't never do no fightin' -'round us, but dey's gunboats down de bayous a ways and us could hear de -big guns from de other fights. Us li'l niggers sho' like to wave to dem -sojers, and when de men on hosses go by, dey seem like dey more enjoyin' -deyselves dan de others. - -"I have de old gramma what come from Virginny. Her name Mandy Brown. Dey -'low her hire her own time out. She wasn't freeborn but dey give her dat -much freedom. She could go git her a job anywhere jes' as long as she -brung de old missy half what she done make. Iffen she make $5.00, she -give Miss Frances $2.50 and like dat. - -"De old massa he plumb good to he slaves. He have a good many but I -ain't knowed of but one dem mens what he ever whip. He have a church -right on de place and cullud preachers. Dey old Peter Green and every -evenin' us chillen have to go to he cabin and he teach us prayers. He -teach us to count, too. He de shoemaker on de plantation. - -"My mama done told me 'bout de dances dey have in de quarters. Dey take -de big sugar hogshead and stretch rawhide over de top. Den de man -straddle de barrel and beat on de top for de drum. Dat de onlies' music -dey have. - -"Us allus have good things to eat, cabbage greens and cornbread and -bacon. Jes' good, plain food. Dey have a sugarhouse and a old man call -de sugar boiler. He give us de cane juice out de kittles and 'low us -tote off lots dem cane jints to eat. Dat in June. - -"De field hands stay up in de big barn and shuck corn on rainy days. Dey -shuck corn and sing. Us chillen keep de yard clean and tie weeds -together to make brooms for de sweepin'. Us sep'rate de seed from de -cotton and a old woman do de cardin'. Dey have 'nother old woman what do -nothin' on de scene but weave on de loom. - -"One old, old lady what am mos' too old to git 'round, she take care de -chillen and cook dere food sep'rate. She take big, black iron washpots -and cook dem plumb full of victuals. Come five in de evenin' us have de -bigges' meal, dat sho' seem long time 'cause dey ain't feed us but two -meal a day, not countin' de eatin' us do durin' de day. - -"After freedom come us leave Snowball and go back to Louisiana. Old -massa ain't give us nothin'. I marry purty soon. I never go to school -but one month in my life and dat in New Iberia. I can sign my name and -read it, but dat all. - -"I works fust for Mr. William Weeks as de yardboy and he pay me $7.00 de -month. De fust money I gits I's so glad I runned and take it to my mama. -I have de step-pa and he nearly die of de yellow fever. I's hardly able -wait till I's 21 and can vote. Dat my idea of somethin', mos' as good as -de fust time I wears pants. - -"I tries farmin awhile but dat ain't suit me so good. Den I gits me de -job firin' a steamboat on de Miss'sip River, de steamer Mattie. She go -from New Orleans through Morgan City. I fire in de sawmills, too. - -"My fust wife name Liny and us marry and live together 43 year and den -she die. In 1932 I marry a gal call Zellee what live in Beaumont and she -still dere. I ain't never have no chile in dis world. - -"I larns all dese things 'bout slavery from my mama and gramma, 'cause I -allus ask questions and dey talks to me lots. Dat's 'cause dey's nobody -but me and I allus under dey feets." - - - - -Harre Quarls - - -*Harre Quarls, 96, was born in Flardice, Missouri, a slave of John W. -Quarls, who sold him to Charley Guniot. The latter owner moved to Texas, -where Harre lived at the time of emancipation. Harre now lives in -Madisonville, Texas. His memory is very poor, but he managed to recall a -few incidents of early days.* - -"Massa Quarls he live in Missouri. Place call Flardice. He done give me -to he son, Ben, and he sold me to Massa Charley Guniot. Massa Charley -come to Texas but I don't know when. It's befo' de freedom war, dat all -I knows. - -"My daddy name Dan and mammy Hannah. She was blind. I 'member us have -small room in back of dere house, with de bed make from poles and -cowhide or deerhide. Our massa good to us. - -"I must be purty big when us come to Texas, 'cause I plows and is -stockman back in Missouri. I don't know 'xactly how old I is, but it am -prob'bly 'bout 96. I think dat 'bout right. - -"Sir, us got one day a week and Christmas Day, was all de holiday us -ever heered of, and us couldn't go anywhere 'cept us have pass from our -massa to 'nother. If us slips off dem patterrollers gits us. -Patterroller hits 39 licks with de rawhide with de nine tails. -Patterroller gits 50 cents for hittin' us 39 licks. Captain, here am de -words to de patterroller song: - - "'Run, nigger, run, patterroller cotch you, - How kin I run, he got me in de woods - And all through de pasture? - White man run, but nigger run faster.' - -"Sir, us have everything to eat what's good, but here in Texas everybody -eat beef and bread and it am cooked in oven in de fireplace and in -washpot out in de open. Sir, de great day am when massa brung in de -great, fat coon and possum. - -"Captain, us has no weddin' dem days 'mong de slaves. I'd ask massa -could I have a gal, if she 'long to 'nother massa, and she ask her massa -could I come see her. If dey says yes, I goes see her once de week with -pass. Boss, say, I had three wives. When I's sot free dey wouldn't let -me live with but one. Captain, that ain't right, 'cause I wants all -three. - -"My missus larned me readin' and writin'. After freedom I taught de -first nigger school. Dat in Madison and Leon Counties. I's de only -nigger what can read and write in two settlements. They was thousands -couldn't read and write. - -"I 'lieve it's 1861 when us come to Texas. Us camps at Neasho in -Arkansas and then come through the Indian Nation. Massa was purty good. -He treated us jus' 'bout like you would a good mule. - -"Us wore horseshoes and rabbit feet for good luck. Then us have de -hoodoism to keep massa from bein' mean. Us git de stick and notch so -many notches on it and slip up to massa's front steps, without him -seein' us, and put this stick under his doorsteps. Every night us go -back to de stick and drive it down one notch. By time de last notch down -in de ground, it make massa good to us. Dat called hoodoism. - -"Massa tells us we's free on June 'teenth. I leaves. I made a fiddle out -of a gourd 'fore freedom and larns to play it. I played for dances after -I's free. - -"I marries Emily Unions and us have de home weddin' but not any -preacher. Us jus' 'greed live together as man and wife and that all they -was to it. Us have one gal and one boy. - -"Emily leaves and I marries Lucindy Williams. Preacher marries us. Us -have three boys and two gals. Dey all farms' now. I has some sixty odd -grand and great grandchillen. - -"Say, boss, I wants to sing you 'nother song 'fore you goes: - - "Walkin' in de parlor, - Lightnin' is a yaller gal. - She live up in de clouds. - - "Thunder he is black man, - He can holler loud, - When he kisses lightnin'. - - "She dart up in wonder, - He jump up and grate de clouds; - That what make it thunder." - - - - -Eda Rains - - -*Aunt Eda Rains, 94, was born a slave in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1853. -In 1860 Eda, her brothers and mother, were bought by a Mr. Carter and -brought to Texas. She now lives in Douglasville, Texas.* - -"I don't 'member my first marster, 'cause my mammy and Jim and John who -was my brothers, and me was sold when I was seven and brought to -Douglass, in Texas, to hire out. Befo' we lef' Little Rock, whar I was -born, we was vaccinated for smallpox. We came through in a wagon to -Texas and camped out at night and we slep' on the groun'. - -"When I's hired out to the Tomlins at Douglass I sho' got lonesome for -I's jus' a little girl, you know, and wanted to see my mother. They put -me to work parchin' coffee and my arm was still sore, and I'd pa'ch and -cry, and pa'ch and cry. Finally Missus Tomlin say, 'You can quit now.' -She looked at my arm and then put me to tendin' chillen. I was fannin' -the baby with a turkey wing fan and I fell to sleep and when the missus -saw me she snatched the fan and struck me in the face with it. This scar -on my forehead is from that quill stuck in my head. - -"I slep' on a pallet in the missus' room and she bought me some clothes. -She had nine chillen, two boys and seven girls. But after awhile she -sol' me to Marster Roack, and he bought my mother and my brothers, so we -was togedder again. We had our own cabin and two beds. Every day at four -they called us to the big house and give us milk and mush. The white -chillen had to eat it, too. It was one of marster's ideas and he said -he's raised that-away. - -"Now, I mus' tell you all 'bout Christmas. Our bigges' time was at -Christmas. Marster'd give us maybe fo'-bits to spend as we wanted and -maybe we'd buy a string of beads or some sech notion. On Christmas Eve -we played games, 'Young Gal Loves Candy,' or 'Hide and Whoop.' Didn' -know nothin' 'bout Santa Claus, never was larned that. But we allus -knowed what we'd git on Christmas mornin'. Old Marster allus call us -togedder and give us new clothes, shoes too. He allus wen' to town on -the Eve and brung back our things in a cotton sack. That ole sack'd be -crammed full of things and we knewed it was clothes and shoes, 'cause -Marster didn' 'lieve in no foolishness. We got one pair shoes a year, at -Christmas. Most times they was red and I'd allus paint mine black. I's -one nigger didn' like red. I'd skim grease off dishwater, mix it with -soot from the chimney and paint my shoes. In winter we wore woolen -clothes and got 'em at Christmas, too. - -"We was woke up in the mornin' by blowing of the conk. It was a big -shell. It called us to dinner and if anything happened 'special, the -conk allus blew. - - -[Illustration: _Eda Rains_] - - -"I seed run-away slaves and marster kep' any he caught in a room, and he -chained 'em till he coul' reach their marsters. - -"We didn' get larned to read and write but they took care of us iffen we -was sick, and we made medicine outta black willow and outta black snake -root and boneset. It broke fevers on us, but, Lawsy, it was a dose. - -"After freedom they tol' us we could go or stay. I stayed a while but I -married Claiborne Rains and lived at Jacksonville. We had ten chillen. -The Lawd's been right good to me, even if I'm blind. Nearly all my ole -white folks and my chillen has gone to Judgment, but I know the Lawd -won't leave me here too long 'fore I 'jines em." - - - - -Millie Randall - - -*Millie Randall, was born in Mississippi, but spent most of her slavery -days on the Dan McMillan farm, near Big Cane, Louisiana. She is about 80 -years old, though her estimate of her actual age is vague. She now lives -in Beaumont, Texas.* - -"I was jes' 'bout six year old when peace was 'clared and I done been -born in Mississippi, but us move to Bayou Jacques, tother side of Big -Cane, in Louisiana. I mus' be purty old now. - -"My name' Millie Randall and my mammy, she call' Rose, but I don't know -nothin' 'bout my paw. My old massa name' Dan McMillan and he wife she -name' Laura. It were a old wood country where my white folks was and us -live way out. Dey raise de corn and de cotton and when dey wasn't -workin' in de field, dey diggin' out stumps and movin' logs and clearin' -up new ground. Dey have lots of goats and sheep, too, and raises dey own -rice. - -"Dey give us cullud folks de ration in a sack right reg'lar. It have -jes' plain food in it, but plenty for everybody. - -"Missy have de big plank house and us have de little log house. Us have -jes' old plank beds and no furniture. Us clothes make out good, strong -cloth, but dey was plain make. - -"All us white folks was mean, I tells you de truf. Yes, Lawd, I seed dem -beat and almost kilt on us own place. What dey beat dem for? 'Cause dey -couldn't he'p demselves, I guess. De white folks have de niggers like -dey want dem and dey treat dem bad. It were de old, bully, mean -overseers what was doin' de beatin' up with de niggers and I guess dey -would have kilt me, but I's too little to beat much. - -"I heered 'bout dem Yankees drivin' dey hosses in de white folks' house -and makin' dem let dem eat offen de table. Another time, dey come to de -plantation and all de niggers locked in de barn. Dose soldiers go in de -house and find de white boss man hidin' in 'tween de mattresses and dey -stick swords through de mattress and kilt him. - - -[Illustration: _Millie Randall_] - - -"Some de white folks hides dey silver and other things that worth lots -of money and hang dem down in de well, so de Yankees not find dem. But -dey find dem anyway. Dey breaks open a store what was lock up and told -de niggers to git all dey wants. De women ketches up de bottom of dey -skirt round de waist and fill dem up with everything dey wants. - -"After freedom old massa not 'low my mammy have us chillen. He takes me -and my brother, Benny, in de wagon and druv us round and round so dey -couldn't find us. My mammy has to git de Jestice of de Peace to go make -him turn us a-loose. He brung us to our mammy and was we glad to see -her. - -"I don't 'member 'xactly when I git marry. It was at Big Cane and when I -git marry I jes' git marry, dat's all. Dey was three chillen but dey all -dead now and so my husban'." - - - - -Laura Redmoun - - -*Laura Redmoun was born about 1855, a slave of the Robertson family, in -Jonestown (now absorbed by Memphis) Tennessee. Laura is a quaint, rotund -figure of a woman, a living picture of a comic opera mammy. She lives at -3809 Mayo St., Dallas, Texas.* - -"The funny thing 'bout me is, I's a present to the white folks, right -off. They's lookin' for my mammy to have a baby and, Gawd bless, I's -borned twins, a boy and a girl. When I's six months old, Miss Gusta, my -old missy's daughter, marries Mr. Scruggs, and I's give to her for a -weddin' present. - -"Miss Gusta am proud of me and I slep' right on the foot of her bed. We -lived at 144 Third Exchange Street in Memphis. She didn't have but two -slaves, me and Lucy, the cook. Law, I didn't know I was no slave. I -thunk I's white and plumb indiff'ent from the niggers. I's right -s'prised when I finds out I's nigger, jus' like the other black faces! - -"I had good times and jes' played round and got in devilment. Sometimes -Mr. Scruggs say, 'I's gwine whip dat brat,' but Miss Gusta allus say, -'No you ain't gwine lay you hands on her and iffen you does I'm gwine -quit you.' Miss Gusta was indiff'ent to Mr. Scruggs in quality. He -fooled her to marry him, lettin' on he got a lot of things he ain't. - -"I seen sojers all toggered up in uniforms and marchin' and wavin'. -Plenty times they waves at me, but I didn't know what it's all 'bout. - -"Miss Gusta allus took me to church and most times I went to sleep by -her feet. But when I's 'bout eight the Lawd gits to workin' right inside -me and I perks up and listens. Purty soon the glory of Gawd 'scended -right down on me and I didn't know nothin' else. I run away up into the -ridges and crosses a creek on a foot log. I stays up 'round them caves -in tall cane and grass where panthers and bears is for three days 'fore -they finds me. They done hear me praisin' Gawd and shoutin', 'I got -Jesus.' When they finds me I done slap the sides out my dress, jes' -slappin' my hands down and praisin' the Lawd. That was a good dress, -too. I heared tell of some niggers wearin' cotton but not me--I weared -percale. - -"They done take me home and Miss Gusta say, 'You ain't in no fittin' -condition to jine a church right now. You got to calm down 'siderable -first.' But when I's nine year old she takes me to the Trevesant St. -Baptist church and lets me jine and I's baptised in the Mississippi -river right there at Memphis. - -"Bout that time the Fed'rals come into Memphis and scared the daylights -out of folks. Miss Gusta calls me and wrops my hair in front and puts -her jewelry in under the plaits and pulls them back and pins them down -so you couldn't see nothin'. She got silverware and give it to me and I -run in the garden and buries it. I hid it plenty good, 'cause we like to -never found it after the Fed'rals was gone. They come right up to our -house and Mr. Scruggs run out the back door and tried to leap the rail -fence in the backyard. He cotched the seat of his pants on the top rail -and jes' hung there a-danglin' till the Fed'rals pulls him down. He hurt -his leg and it was a bad place for a long time. When I seed him hangin' -there I cut a dido and kep' screamin', 'Miss Gusta, he's a-dyin',' and -them Fed'rals got plumb tickled at me. - -"They went in the smokehouse and got all the sugar and rice and strowed -it up and down the streets and not carin' at all that victuals was -scarcer than hen's teeth in them parts! - -"Then Miss Gusta done tell me I wasn't no slave no more, but, shucks, -that don't mean nothin' to me, 'cause I ain't never knowed I was one. - -"In them times the Ku Klux got to skullduggerin' round and done take Mr. -Scruggs and give him a whippin' but I never heared what it had to do -about. He don't like them none, noways, and shets hisself up in the -house. He a curious kind of man, it 'pear to me, iffen I's to tell the -plain out truth. I don't think he was much but kind of trashy. - -"When I's seventeen Miss Gusta sickened and suffered in her bed in -terrible fashion. She begs the doctors to tell her if she's a-dyin' so -she could clear up business 'fore she passed away. She took three days -and fixed things up and told me she didn't want to leave me friendless -and lone. She wanted me to git married. I had a man I thunk I'd think -well of marryin' and Miss Gusta give me away on her bed at the weddin' -in her room. She told my husband not to cuff me none, 'cause I never -been 'bused in my life, and to this day I ain't never been hit a lick in -my life. - - -[Illustration: _Laura Redmoun_] - - -"My first baby was born the year of the big yellow fever in New Orleans. -I had six chillen but they all died when they's little from creepin' -spasms. I advertises round in the papers and finds my mammy and she come -and lived with me. She's in a pitiful shape. 'Fore the ceasin' of war -her master done sold her and the man what bought her wasn't so light on -his niggers. She said he made her wear breeches and tote big, heavy logs -and plow with oxes. One of the men knocked her on back of the head with -a club and from that day she allus shook her head from side to side all -the time, like she couldn't git her mind straight. She told me my paw -fell off a bluff in Memphis and stuck a sharp rock right through his -head. They wrapped him in a blanket and buried him. That's all I ever -knowed 'bout him. - -"My husband was a good man and a good worker. We farmed and I worked for -white folks. We took a notion to come to Texas and I been in these parts -ever since. - -"I don't have no complaint to make. I seen some hard times, but I's able -to do a little work and keep goin'. They is so many mean folks in the -world and so many good ones, and I'm mighty proud to say my white folks -was good ones." - - - - -Elsie Reece - - -*Elsie Reece, 90, was born a slave of John Mueldrew, in Grimes County, -Texas. Elsie came to Fort Worth in 1926 to live with her only remaining -child, Mrs. Luffin Baker, who supports Elsie with the aid of her $7.00 -monthly old age pension.* - -"I's borned in Grimes County, ninety years ago. Dat am long time, child. -It am heap of change since den. We couldn't see dem airplanes flyin' in -de air and hear folks sing and talk a thousand miles away. When I's de -young'un de fartheres' you could hear anybody am 'bout a quarter mile -and den dey has to holler like a stuck hawg. - -"My massa's name am John Mueldrew and he have a small plantation near -Navasota, and 'bout twenty cullud folks, mos' of 'em 'lated to each -other. There was seven chillen in mammy's family and I's de baby. Pappy -dies when I's a year old, so I don't 'member him. - -"Dey larnt me to weave cloth and sew, and my brudder am de shoemaker. My -mammy tend de cows and Uncle John am de carpenter. De Lawd bless us with -de good massa. Massa John die befo' de war and Missie Mary marries Massa -Mike Hendricks, and he good, too. But him die and young Massa Jim -Mueldrow take charge, and him jus' as kind as he pappy. - -"Nother thing am change a heap. Dat buyin' all us wears and eats. Gosh -'mighty, when I's de gall, it am awful li'l us buys. Us raise nearly all -to eat and wear, and has good home-raised meat and all de milk and -butter us wants, and fruit and 'lasses and eggs and tea and coffee onct -a week. Now I has to live on $7.00 a month and what place am I bes' off? -Sho', on de massa's place. - -"We'uns has Sundays off and goes to church. Old man Buffington preaches -to us after dinner. Dere am allus de party on Saturday night on our -place or some other place nearby. We gits de pass and it say what time -to be home. It de rule, twelve o'clock. We dances de quadrille and sings -and sich. De music am fiddles. - -"But de big time and de happy time for all us cullud folks am Christmas. -De white folks has de tree in de big house and somethin' for all us. -When Missie Mary holler, 'Santa Claus 'bout due,' us all gathers at de -door and purty soon Santa 'pears with de red coat and long, white -whiskers, in de room all lit with candles. He gives us each de sack of -candy and a pair of shoes from de store. Massa never calls for work from -Christmas to New Year's, 'cept chores. Dat whole week am for -cel'bration. So you sees how good massa am. - -"Young Massa Jim and Sam jines de army and I helps make dere army -clothes. I's 'bout fourteen den. Lots of young men goes and lots never -comes back. Sam gits his right leg shot off and dies after he come home, -but Jim lives. Den surrender come and Massa Jim read de long paper. He -say, 'I 'splain to yous. It de order from de gov'ment what make it -'gainst de law to keep yous slaves.' You should seed dem cullud folks. -Dey jus' plumb shock. Dere faces long as dere arm, and so pester dey -don't know what to say or do. - -"Massa never say 'nother word and walks away. De cullud folks say, -'Where we'uns gwine live? What we'uns gwine do?' Dey frets all night. -Nex' mornin' massa say, 'What you'uns gwine do?' Uncle John say, 'When -does we have to go?' Den massa laughs hearty and say dey can stay for -wages or work on halves. - - -[Illustration: _Elsie Reece_] - - -"Well, sir, dere a bunch of happy cullud folks after dey larnt dey could -stay and work, and my folks stays nearly two years after 'mancipation. -Den us all move to Navasota and hires out as cooks. I cooks till I's -eighteen and den marries John Love. He am de carpenter and right off -builds a house on land he buy from Dr. Terrell, he old massa. I has four -chillen, and dey all dead now. He died in 1881, 'way from home. He's on -his way to Austin and draps dead from some heart mis'ry. Dat am big -sorrow in my life. There I is, with chillen to support, so I goes to -cookin' 'gain and we has some purty close times, but I does it and sends -dem to school. I don't want dem to be like dey mammy, a unknowledge -person. - -"After eight years I marries Dave Reece and has two chillen. He am de -Baptis' preacher and have a good church till he died, in 1923. Den soon -after I gits de letter from old Missie Mary, and she am awful sick. She -done write and visit me all dem years since I lef' de old plantation. I -draps everything and goes to her and she am awful glad to see me. She -begs me not to go back home, and one day she dies sudden-like with a -heart mis'ry. She de bes' friend I ever has. - -"I comes to Fort Worth in 1926 and lives with my daughter. I's paralyze -in de right side and can't work no more, and it am fine I has de good -daughter." - - - - -Mary Reynolds - - -*Mary Reynolds claims to be more than a hundred years old. She was born -in slavery to the Kilpatrick family, in Black River, Louisiana. Mary now -lives at the Dallas County Convalescent Home. She has been blind for -five years and is very feeble.* - -"My paw's name was Tom Vaughn and he was from the north, born free man -and lived and died free to the end of his days. He wasn't no eddicated -man, but he was what he calls himself a piano man. He told me once he -lived in New York and Chicago and he built the insides of pianos and -knew how to make them play in tune. He said some white folks from the -south told he if he'd come with them to the south he'd find a lot of -work to do with pianos in them parts, and he come off with them. - -"He saw my maw on the Kilpatrick place and her man was dead. He told Dr. -Kilpatrick, my massa, he'd buy my maw and her three chillun with all the -money he had, iffen he'd sell her. But Dr. Kilpatrick was never one to -sell any but the old niggers who was past workin' in the fields and past -their breedin' times. So my paw marries my maw and works the fields, -same as any other nigger. They had six gals: Martha and Pamela and -Josephine and Ellen and Katherine and me. - -"I was born same time as Miss Sara Kilpatrick. Dr. Kilpatrick's first -wife and my maw come to their time right together. Miss Sara's maw died -and they brung Miss Sara to suck with me. It's a thing we ain't never -forgot. My maw's name was Sallie and Miss Sara allus looked with -kindness on my maw. We sucked till we was a fair size and played -together, which wasn't no common thing. None the other li'l niggers -played with the white chillun. But Miss Sara loved me so good. - -"I was jus' 'bout big 'nough to start playin' with a broom to go 'bout -sweepin' up and not even half doin' it when Dr. Kilpatrick sold me. They -was a old white man in Trinity and his wife died and he didn't have -chick or child or slave or nothin'. Massa sold me cheap, 'cause he -didn't want Miss Sara to play with no nigger young'un. That old man -bought me a big doll and went off and left me all day, with the door -open. I jus' sot on the floor and played with that doll. I used to cry. -He'd come home and give me somethin' to eat and then go to bed, and I -slep' on the foot of the bed with him. I was scart all the time in the -dark. He never did close the door. - -"Miss Sara pined and sickened. Massa done what he could, but they wasn't -no pertness in her. She got sicker and sicker, and massa brung 'nother -doctor. He say, 'You li'l gal is grievin' the life out her body and she -sho' gwine die iffen you don't do somethin' 'bout it.' Miss Sara says -over and over, 'I wants Mary.' Massa say to the doctor, 'That a li'l -nigger young'un I done sold.' The doctor tells him he better git me back -iffen he wants to save the life of his child. Dr. Kilpatrick has to give -a big plenty more to git me back than what he sold me for, but Miss Sara -plumps up right off and grows into fine health. - -"Then massa marries a rich lady from Mississippi and they has chillun -for company to Miss Sara and seem like for a time she forgits me. - -"Massa Kilpatrick wasn't no piddlin' man. He was a man of plenty. He had -a big house with no more style to it than a crib, but it could room -plenty people. He was a medicine doctor and they was rooms in the second -story for sick folks what come to lay in. It would take two days to go -all over the land he owned. He had cattle and stock and sheep and more'n -a hundred slaves and more besides. He bought the bes' of niggers near -every time the spec'lators come that way. He'd make a swap of the old -ones and give money for young ones what could work. - -"He raised corn and cotton and cane and 'taters and goobers, 'sides the -peas and other feedin' for the niggers. I 'member I helt a hoe handle -mighty onsteady when they put a old woman to larn me and some other -chillun to scrape the fields. That old woman would be in a frantic. -She'd show me and then turn 'bout to show some other li'l nigger, and -I'd have the young corn cut clean as the grass. She say, 'For the love -of Gawd, you better larn it right, or Solomon will beat the breath out -you body.' Old man Solomon was the nigger driver. - -"Slavery was the worst days was ever seed in the world. They was things -past tellin', but I got the scars on my old body to show to this day. I -seed worse than what happened to me. I seed them put the men and women -in the stock with they hands screwed down through holes in the board and -they feets tied together and they naked behinds to the world. Solomon -the overseer beat them with a big whip and massa look on. The niggers -better not stop in the fields when they hear them yellin'. They cut the -flesh most to the bones and some they was when they taken them out of -stock and put them on the beds, they never got up again. - -"When a nigger died they let his folks come out the fields to see him -afore he died. They buried him the same day, take a big plank and bust -it with a ax in the middle 'nough to bend it back, and put the dead -nigger in betwixt it. They'd cart them down to the graveyard on the -place and not bury them deep 'nough that buzzards wouldn't come circlin' -round. Niggers mourns now, but in them days they wasn't no time for -mournin'. - -"The conch shell blowed afore daylight and all hands better git out for -roll call or Solomon bust the door down and git them out. It was work -hard, git beatin's and half fed. They brung the victuals and water to -the fields on a slide pulled by a old mule. Plenty times they was only a -half barrel water and it stale and hot, for all us niggers on the -hottes' days. Mostly we ate pickled pork and corn bread and peas and -beans and 'taters. They never was as much as we needed. - -"The times I hated most was pickin' cotton when the frost was on the -bolls. My hands git sore and crack open and bleed. We'd have a li'l fire -in the fields and iffen the ones with tender hands couldn't stand it no -longer, we'd run and warm our hands a li'l bit. When I could steal a -'tater, I used to slip it in the ashes and when I'd run to the fire I'd -take it out and eat it on the sly. - -"In the cabins it was nice and warm. They was built of pine boardin' and -they was one long row of them up the hill back of the big house. Near -one side of the cabins was a fireplace. They'd bring in two, three big -logs and put on the fire and they'd last near a week. The beds was made -out of puncheons fitted in holes bored in the wall, and planks laid -'cross them poles. We had tickin' mattresses filled with corn shucks. -Sometimes the men build chairs at night. We didn't know much 'bout -havin' nothin', though. - -"Sometimes massa let niggers have a li'l patch. They'd raise 'taters or -goobers. They liked to have them to help fill out on the victuals. -'Taters roasted in the ashes was the best tastin' eatin' I ever had. I -could die better satisfied to have jus' one more 'tater roasted in hot -ashes. The niggers had to work the patches at night and dig the 'taters -and goobers at night. Then if they wanted to sell any in town they'd -have to git a pass to go. They had to go at night, 'cause they couldn't -ever spare a hand from the fields. - -"Once in a while they'd give us a li'l piece of Sat'day evenin' to wash -out clothes in the branch. We hanged them on the ground in the woods to -dry. They was a place to wash clothes from the well, but they was so -many niggers all couldn't git round to it on Sundays. When they'd git -through with the clothes on Sat'day evenin's the niggers which sold they -goobers and 'taters brung fiddles and guitars and come out and play. The -others clap they hands and stomp they feet and we young'uns cut a step -round. I was plenty biggity and liked to cut a step. - -"We was scart of Solomon and his whip, though, and he didn't like -frolickin'. He didn't like for us niggers to pray, either. We never -heared of no church, but us have prayin' in the cabins. We'd set on the -floor and pray with our heads down low and sing low, but if Solomon -heared he'd come and beat on the wall with the stock of his whip. He'd -say, 'I'll come in there and tear the hide off you backs.' But some the -old niggers tell us we got to pray to Gawd that he don't think different -of the blacks and the whites. I know that Solomon is burnin' in hell -today, and it pleasures me to know it. - -"Once my maw and paw taken me and Katherine after night to slip to -'nother place to a prayin' and singin'. A nigger man with white beard -told us a day am comin' when niggers only be slaves of Gawd. We prays -for the end of Trib'lation and the end of beatin's and for shoes that -fit our feet. We prayed that us niggers could have all we wanted to eat -and special for fresh meat. Some the old ones say we have to bear all, -'cause that all we can do. Some say they was glad to the time they's -dead, 'cause they'd rather rot in the ground than have the beatin's. -What I hated most was when they'd beat me and I didn't know what they -beat me for, and I hated them strippin' me naked as the day I was born. - -"When we's comin' back from that prayin', I thunk I heared the nigger -dogs and somebody on horseback. I say, 'Maw, its them nigger hounds and -they'll eat us up.' You could hear them old hounds and sluts abayin'. -Maw listens and say, 'Sho 'nough, them dogs am runnin' and Gawd help -us!' Then she and paw talk and they take us to a fence corner and stands -us up 'gainst the rails and say don't move and if anyone comes near, -don't breathe loud. They went to the woods, so the hounds chase them and -not git us. Me and Katherine stand there, holdin' hands, shakin' so we -can hardly stand. We hears the hounds come nearer, but we don't move. -They goes after paw and maw, but they circles round to the cabins and -gits in. Maw say its the power of Gawd. - -"In them days I weared shirts, like all the young'uns. They had collars -and come below the knees and was split up the sides. That's all we -weared in hot weather. The men weared jeans and the women gingham. Shoes -was the worstes' trouble. We weared rough russets when it got cold, and -it seem powerful strange they'd never git them to fit. Once when I was a -young gal, they got me a new pair and all brass studs in the toes. They -was too li'l for me, but I had to wear them. The brass trimmin's cut -into my ankles and them places got mis'ble bad. I rubs tallow in them -sore places and wrops rags round them and my sores got worser and -worser. The scars are there to this day. - -"I wasn't sick much, though. Some the niggers had chills and fever a -lot, but they hadn't discovered so many diseases then as now. Dr. -Kilpatrick give sick niggers ipecac and asafoetida and oil and -turpentine and black fever pills. - -"They was a cabin called the spinnin' house and two looms and two -spinnin' wheels goin' all the time, and two nigger women sewing all the -time. It took plenty sewin' to make all the things for a place so big. -Once massa goes to Baton Rouge and brung back a yaller gal dressed in -fine style. She was a seamster nigger. He builds her a house 'way from -the quarters and she done fine sewin' for the whites. Us niggers knowed -the doctor took a black woman quick as he did a white and took any on -his place he wanted, and he took them often. But mostly the chillun born -on the place looked like niggers. Aunt Cheyney allus say four of hers -was massa's, but he didn't give them no mind. But this yaller gal breeds -so fast and gits a mess of white young'uns. She larnt them fine manners -and combs out they hair. - -"Onct two of them goes down the hill to the doll house where the -Kilpatrick chillun am playin'. They wants to go in the doll house and -one the Kilpatrick boys say, 'That's for white chillun.' They say, 'We -ain't no niggers, 'cause we got the same daddy you has, and he comes to -see us near every day and fetches us clothes and things from town.' They -is fussin' and Missy Kilpatrick is listenin' out her chamber window. She -heard them white niggers say, 'He is our daddy and we call him daddy -when he comes to our house to see our mama.' - -"When massa come home that evenin' his wife hardly say nothin' to him, -and he ask her what the matter and she tells him, 'Since you asks me, -I'm studyin' in my mind 'bout them white young'uns of that yaller nigger -wench from Baton Rouge.' He say, 'Now, honey, I fotches that gal jus' -for you, 'cause she a fine seamster.' She say, 'It look kind of funny -they got the same kind of hair and eyes as my chillun and they got a -nose looks like yours.' He say, 'Honey, you jus' payin' 'tention to talk -of li'l chillun that ain't got no mind to what they say.' She say, 'Over -in Mississippi I got a home and plenty with my daddy and I got that in -my mind.' - -"Well, she didn't never leave and massa bought her a fine, new span of -surrey hosses. But she don't never have no more chillun and she ain't so -cordial with the massa. Margaret, that yallow gal, has more white -young'uns, but they don't never go down the hill no more to the big -house. - -"Aunt Cheyney was jus' out of bed with a sucklin' baby one time, and she -run away. Some say that was 'nother baby of massa's breedin'. She don't -come to the house to nurse her baby, so they misses her and old Solomon -gits the nigger hounds and takes her trail. They gits near her and she -grabs a limb and tries to hist herself in a tree, but them dogs grab her -and pull her down. The men hollers them onto her, and the dogs tore her -naked and et the breasts plumb off her body. She got well and lived to -be a old woman, but 'nother woman has to suck her baby and she ain't got -no sign of breasts no more. - -"They give all the niggers fresh meat on Christmas and a plug tobacco -all round. The highes' cotton picker gits a suit of clothes and all the -women what had twins that year gits a outfittin' of clothes for the -twins and a double, warm blanket. - -"Seems like after I got bigger, I 'member more'n more niggers run away. -They's most allus cotched. Massa used to hire out his niggers for wage -hands. One time he hired me and a nigger boy, Turner, to work for some -ornery white trash name of Kidd. One day Turner goes off and don't come -back. Old man Kidd say I knowed 'bout it, and he tied my wrists together -and stripped me. He hanged me by the wrists from a limb on a tree and -spraddled my legs round the trunk and tied my feet together. Then he -beat me. He beat me worser than I ever been beat before and I faints -dead away. When I come to I'm in bed. I didn't care so much iffen I -died. - -"I didn't know 'bout the passin' of time, but Miss Sara come to me. Some -white folks done git word to her. Mr. Kidd tries to talk hisself out of -it, but Miss Sara fotches me home when I'm well 'nough to move. She took -me in a cart and my maw takes care of me. Massa looks me over good and -says I'll git well, but I'm ruint for breedin' chillun. - -"After while I taken a notion to marry and massa and missy marries us -same as all the niggers. They stands inside the house with a broom held -crosswise of the door and we stands outside. Missy puts a li'l wreath on -my head they kept there and we steps over the broom into the house. Now, -that's all they was to the marryin'. After freedom I gits married and -has it put in the book by a preacher. - -"One day we was workin' in the fields and hears the conch shell blow, so -we all goes to the back gate of the big house. Massa am there. He say, -'Call the roll for every nigger big 'nough to walk, and I wants them to -go to the river and wait there. They's gwine be a show and I wants you -to see it.' They was a big boat down there, done built up on the sides -with boards and holes in the boards and a big gun barrel stickin' -through every hole. We ain't never seed nothin' like that. Massa goes up -the plank onto the boat and comes out on the boat porch. He say, 'This -am a Yankee boat.' He goes inside and the water wheels starts movin' and -that boat goes movin' up the river and they says it goes to Natches. - -"The boat wasn't more'n out of sight when a big drove of sojers comes -into town. They say they's Fed'rals. More'n half the niggers goes off -with them sojers, but I goes on back home 'cause of my old mammy. - -"Next day them Yankees is swarmin' the place. Some the niggers wants to -show them somethin'. I follows to the woods. The niggers shows them -sojers a big pit in the ground, bigger'n a big house. It is got wooden -doors that lifts up, but the top am sodded and grass growin' on it, so -you couldn't tell it. In that pit is stock, hosses and cows and mules -and money and chinaware and silver and a mess of stuff them sojers -takes. - -"We jus' sot on the place doin' nothin' till the white folks comes home. -Miss Sara come out to the cabin and say she wants to read a letter to my -mammy. It come from Louis Carter, which is brother to my mammy, and he -done follow the Fed'rals to Galveston. A white man done write the letter -for him. It am tored in half and massa done that. The letter say Louis -am workin' in Galveston and wants mammy to come with us, and he'll pay -our way. Miss Sara say massa swear, 'Damn Louis Carter. I ain't gwine -tell Sallie nothin',' and he starts to tear the letter up. But she won't -let him, and she reads it to mammy. - - -[Illustration: _Mary Reynolds_] - - -"After a time massa takes all his niggers what wants to Texas with him -and mammy gits to Galveston and dies there. I goes with massa to the -Tennessee Colony and then to Navasota. Miss Sara marries Mr. T. Coleman -and goes to El Paso. She wrote and told me to come to her and I allus -meant to go. - -"My husband and me farmed round for times, and then I done housework and -cookin' for many years. I come to Dallas and cooked seven year for one -white family. My husband died years ago. I guess Miss Sara been dead -these long years. I allus kep' my years by Miss Sara's years, 'count we -is born so close. - -"I been blind and mos' helpless for five year. I'm gittin' mighty -enfeeblin' and I ain't walked outside the door for a long time back. I -sets and 'members the times in the world. I 'members now clear as -yesterday things I forgot for a long time. I 'members 'bout the days of -slavery and I don't 'lieve they ever gwine have slaves no more on this -earth. I think Gawd done took that burden offen his black chillun and -I'm aimin' to praise him for it to his face in the days of Glory what -ain't so far off." - - - - -Walter Rimm - - -*Walter Rimm, 80, was born a slave of Captain Hatch, in San Patricio -County, Texas. After Walter was freed, he helped his father farm for -several years, then worked as a cook for fifteen years on the King -Ranch. He moved to Fort Worth and cooked for Mrs. Arthur Goetz for -twenty-five years. He lives at 913 E. Second St., Fort Worth.* - -"You wants to know 'bout slavery? Well, I's had a deal happen 'sides -dat, but I's born on Captain Hatch's plantation, 'cross de bay from -Corpus Christi. He had somewheres near fifty slaves, and mammy told me -he buyed her in Tennessee and pappy in South Carolina. Massa Hatch buys -and sells niggers some dem days, but he ain't a nigger trader. - -"Dem sales am one thing what make de 'pression on me. I hears de old -folks whisper 'bout gwine have de sale and 'bout noon dere am a crowd of -white folks in de front yard and a nigger trader with he slaves. Dey -sets up a platform in middle de yard and one white man gits on dat and -'nother white man comes up and has a white woman with him. She 'pears to -be 'bout fifteen years old and has long, black hair down her back. Dey -puts her on de platform and den I hears a scream, and a woman what look -like de gal, cries out, 'I'll cut my throat if my daughter am sold.' De -white man goes and talks to her, and fin'ly 'lows her to take de young -gal away with her. Dat sho' stirs up some 'motion 'mongst de white -folks, but dey say dat gal have jus' a li'l nigger blood and can be sold -for a slave, but she look white as anybody I ever seed. - -"I pulls weeds and runs errands while I's a child. We has some good eats -but has to steal de best things from de white folks. Dey never give us -none of them. We has roastin' ears better'n dey cooks dem now. We puts -dem, shucks and all, in de hot ashes. Mammy makes good ashcake, with -salt and corn meal and bacon grease and flats it out with de hands. - -"Massa and missus took dey goodness by spells like. Sometimes dey was -hard to git 'long with and sometimes dey was easy to git 'long with. I -don't know de cause, but it am so. De mostest trouble am 'bout de work. -Dey wants you to work if you can or can't. My pappy have de back mis'ry -and many de time I seed him crawl to de grist mill. Him am buyed 'cause -him am de good millhand. He tells us his pappy am white, and dat one -reason he am de run-awayer. I's scairt all de time, 'cause he run away. -I seed him git one whippin' and nothin' I can do 'cept stand dere and -cry. Dey gits whippin's every time massa feels cross. One slave name Bob -Love, when massa start to whip him he cuts his throat and dives into de -river. He am dat scairt of a whippin' dat he kilt himself. - -"My pappy wasn't 'fraid of nothin'. He am light cullud from de white -blood, and he runs away sev'ral times. Dere am big woods all round and -we sees lots of run-awayers. One old fellow name John been a run-awayer -for four years and de patterrollers tries all dey tricks, but dey can't -cotch him. Dey wants him bad, 'cause it 'spire other slaves to run away -if he stays a-loose. Dey sots de trap for him. Dey knows he like good -eats, so dey 'ranges for a quiltin' and gives chitlin's and lye hominey. -John comes and am inside when de patterrollers rides up to de door. -Everybody gits quiet and John stands near de door, and when dey starts -to come in he grabs de shovel full of hot ashes and throws dem into de -patterrollers' faces. He gits through and runs off, hollerin', 'Bird in -de air!' - -"One woman name Rhodie runs off for long spell. De hounds won't hunt -her. She steals hot light bread when dey puts it in de window to cool, -and lives on dat. She told my mammy how to keep de hounds from followin' -you is to take black pepper and put it in you socks and run without you -shoes. It make de hounds sneeze. - -"One day I's in de woods and meets de nigger run-awayer. He comes to de -cabin and mammy makes him a bacon and egg sandwich and we never seed him -again. Maybe he done got clear to Mexico, where a lot of de slaves runs -to. - -"De first we knows 'bout war am when some Union ships comes into de Bay -and shoots at Corpus Christi. When dat shootin' start, all de folks -round us takes to de woods and sev'ral am still gone. Dey am shakin' all -over. - -"'Bout de third year of de war massa moves up to Clinton, but he moves -back, 'cause he can't make no money dere. Den he have all de quarters -move up close to de big house, so if we tries to make de run for it in -de night he can cotch us. Dat no use, 'cause de ones what am still with -him won't run anyway. - -"One day I seed massa settin' on de gal'ry and him face all screw up. He -says, 'Go git you mammy and everybody.' I goes a-flyin'. My shirt tail -don't hit my back till I tells everybody. Massa am cryin' and he reads -de paper and says, 'You is free as I is. What you gwine do?' Mammy says, -'We am stayin' right here.' But next mornin' pappy borrows a ox-team to -tote our stuff away. We goes 'bout sixty miles and stays 'bout six -months, den takes a place where we can make a crop. Den massa tells us -we can live on de old place without de rent and have what we can make. -So we moves back and stays two years. - -"Den we moves sev'ral places and sometimes old missus comes to see us -and say, 'Ain't you shame? De Yankees is feedin' you.' But dey wasn't, -'cause we was makin' a crop. - -"When I gits up big 'nough to hire out, I works for old man King on some -drives, 'fore pappy and mammy dies of de fever. Den I marries Minnie -Bennett, a light cullud gal, what am knowed as High Yaller. Her mammy am -a white woman. She was kidnapped in Kentucky by some white men and dey -dyed her hair and skin and brung her to Texas with some slaves for sale. -Massa Means, in Corpus, buyed her. She was so small all she 'membered -was her real name was Mary Schlous and her parents am white and she -lived in Kentucky. Massa Means comes in de next mornin' and busts out -cussin', for dere am black dye all over de pillow and his slave am -gettin' blonde, but dem slave traders am gone, so he can't do nothin'. - -"He 'cides to keep her and she grows up with de slaves jus' like she am -a nigger. She gits used to bein' with dem and marries one. She has one -child 'fore freedom, what am Minnie. She has to run away to git freedom, -'cause Massa Means won't let her have freedom. Lots of slaves has to do -dat. - -"Well, after I marries Minnie, we goes to de famous King Ranch. It was -only in two sections den and I hires as cook on de San Gertrudis -section, but am sent to de other section, de Fuerta Agua Dulce, and -works dere fifteen years. - -"Old man King has plenty trouble in dem days. One time some Mexicans -comes to Brownsville and takes everything as dey goes. Old man King had -two cannons and when dey has battle dey finishes with one cowboy dead -and one Mexican dead. No cannons was fired, though. He has more troubles -with rustlers and fellows who don't like de way he's gittin' all de -land. Dey tries to kill him lots of times, but he fools dem and dies in -bed. - - -[Illustration: _Walter Rimm_] - - -"I comes to Fort Worth and cooks. Minnie dies 'fore long of de stomach -mis'ry. I works for a Missus Goetz and marries Agnes Skelton, what works -dere, too. We has five chillen and I works dere for twenty-five years, -till I goes blind. I's allus de big, stout fellow, helpin' somebody, and -after I's blind I has to 'pend on other people to help me. De white -folks sho' been good to me since I been in dis shape, and de state sends -me $13.00 a month to pay de bills with. Dat a big help, but I's 'bout -three, four weeks 'hind now. - -"One old man King's daughters am here and looks me up, and leaves me a -couple dollars. I gits 'long some way. - -"I sets here and thinks 'bout old times. One song we use to sing was -'Throw de Smokehouse Keys Down de Well.' Dat 'cause dere so many thieves -in de country everybody have big locks on de smokehouse if dey 'spects -to keep dey meat." - - - - -Mariah Robinson - - -*Mariah Robinson, born in Monroe, Georgia, does not know her age, but -from certain facts and her appearance, is probably 90 or over. Her -master was Judge Hill. He gave Mariah to his son-in-law, Bob Young, who -brought her to Texas. She now lives in Meridian, Texas.* - -"I's borned over in Georgia, in dat place call Monroe, and mammy was -Lizzie Hill, 'cause her massa Jedge Hill. I's hones', I don't know de -'zact date I's borned. Missy Joe, my missy, put de record of all ages in -de court house for safe keepin', to keep de Indians from burnin' dem up, -and dey's burnt up when de court house burns. All I knows is my younges' -sister, what live in Georgia, writ me 'bout a year ago and say, 'Last -Thursday I's 81 year old.' Dere is five chillen 'twixt my and her age -and dere is six chillen younger'n me. Dat de best I can give of my age. - -"Jedge Hill's daughter, Miss Josephine, married Dr. Young's son, what -lived in Cartersville, in Georgia, but had done moved to Texas. Den my -missy give me to Miss Josephine to come to Texas with her to keep her -from de lonely hours and bein' sad so far 'way from home. We come by -rail from Monroe to Social Circle and dere boards de boat 'Sweet Home'. -Dere was jus' two boats on de line, de 'Sweet Home' and de 'Katie -Darling.' - -"Us sails down de Atlantic Ocean to New Orleans, myself and my aunt -Lonnie and uncle Johns, all with Miss Josephine. When us gits to New -Orleans us 'rested and put in de trader's office. Us slaves, I mean. Dis -de way of dat. Our massa, Massa Bob Young, he a cotton buyer and he done -left Georgia without payin' a cotton debt and dey holds us for dat. - -"Miss Josephine wires back to Georgia to Dr. Young and he come and git -us out. He come walkin' down de street with he goldheaded walkin' cane. -Us upstairs in de trader's office. I seed him comin' and cries out, 'O, -yonder comes Massa Young.' He looks up and shooked he goldheaded walkin' -stick at me and says, 'Never mind, old boss have you out in a few -minutes.' Den he gits de hack soon as us out and sends us to de port, -for to cotch de boat. Us gits on dat boat and leaves dat evenin'. Comin' -down de Mississippi 'cross de Gulf us seed no land for days and days and -us go through de Gulf of Mexico and lands at de port, Galveston, and us -come to Waco on de stagecoach. - -"Us lives four year on Austin St., in Waco, dat four years 'fore de war -of 1861. Us boarded with Dr. Tinsley and he and Gen'ral Ross was good -friends. I worked in a sewin' room doin' work sich as whippin' on laces -and rufflin' and tuckin'. Den us come to Bosque County right near -Meridian, 'cause Massa Bob have de ranch dere and de time of de freedom -war us lives dere. - -"Us be in de house at night, peepin' out de window or pigeon hole and -see Indians comin'. De chief lead in front. Dey wild Comanches. Sometime -dere 50 or 60 in a bunch and dey did raidin' at night. But I's purty -brave and goes three mile to Walnut Spring every day to git veg'tables. -I rid de donkey. Miss Josephine boards all de Bosque County school -chillen and us have to git de food. I seed droves of wild turkey and -buffaloes and antelopes and deers. I seed wild cats and coons and -bunches of wolves and heered de panthers scream like de woman. - -"Us lived in a log cabin with two chimneys and a long shed-room and -cooked in de kitchen fireplace in de skillet, over it de pot racks. Us -made meal on de steel mill and hominy and cheese. I got de prize for -spinnin' and weavin'. I knitted de stockin's but Miss Joe had to drap de -stitch for me to turn de heels and toes. - -"Durin' de freedom war Massa Gen'ral Bob Young git kilt at de last -battle. Dat de Bull Run battle and he fit under Gen'ral Lee. Dat left my -missy de war widow and she mammy come live with her and she teached in -de school. I stays with dem four year after freedom and I's one of de -family for de board and de clothes. They's good to me and likes to make -me de best lookin' and neatest slave in dat place. I had sich as purty -starched dresses and dey holp me fix de hair nice. - -"Us used de soft, dim candlelight and I make de candle sticks. Us have -gourd dippers and oak buckets to dip water out de well and us make -wooden tubs out of stumps and battlin' sticks to clean de clothes. - -"I done already met up with Peter Robinson. He's de slave of Massa -Ridley Robinson what was gwine to California from Alabama, with all he -slaves. Massa Robinson git kilt by de Mexican and a white man name Gibb -Smith gits to own Peter. He hires him out to a farmer clost by us ranch -and I gits to meet him and us have de courtship and gits married. Dat -'fore freedom. Us marries by Ceasar Berry, de slave of Massa Buck Berry. -Ceasar am de cullud preacher. Pete was 'telligent and 'liable and de -good man. He played de fiddle all over de country and I rid horseback -with him miles and miles to dem dances. - -"Peter could write de plain hand and he gits to haul lumber from Waco to -make de Bosque County court house. He larns more and gits to be de -county's fust cullud trustee and de fust cullud teacher. He gits 'pinted -to see after de widows in time of war and in de 'construction days. -Fin'ly he is sent to Austin, de capital of Texas, to be rep'sentive. - -"Pete and me begot ten chillen. My fust chile am borned two months 'fore -freedom. After us slaves is freed us hired out for one year to git means -to go free on. Us held by de committee call 'Free Committee Men.' De -wages is ten dollars de month to de family. After us ready to go for -ourselves, my missy am de poor widow and she have only three cows and -three calves, but she give one of each of dem to Pete and me. - -"After leavin' Miss Joe us move here and yonder till I gits tired of -sich. By den us have sev'ral chillen and I changes from de frivol'ty of -life to de sincereness, to shape de dest'ny of de chillins' life. I -tells Pete when he comes back from fiddlin' one night, to buy me de home -or hitch up and carry me back to Missy Joe. Dat lead him to buy a strip -of land in Meridian. He pays ten dollar de acre. We has a team of oxen, -call Broad and Buck, and we done our farmin' with dem. Pete builds me a -house, hauls de lumber from Waco. Twict us gits burnt out, but builds it -'gain. Us makes de orchard and sells de fruit. Us raises bees and sells -de honey and gits cows and chickens and turkeys. Pete works good and I -puts on my bonnet and walks behind him and draps de corn. - -"He gits in organizin' de fust cullud church in Meridian, de cullud -Cumberland Pres'terian Church. Us has ever lived de useful life. I works -at cookin' and washin' and ironin'. I helps de doctors with de babies. - -"But de dis'bility of age have to come and now I is 'most disabled and -feels stunted and pov'ty stricken. I'd like to work now, but I isn't -able." - - - - -Susan Ross - - -*Susan Ross was born at Magnolia Springs, Texas, about 1862, a slave of -Chester Horn. Her features and the color of her skin, together with a -secretive manner, would point to Indian blood. She lives with a daughter -in the east part of North Quarters, a Negro settlement in Jasper, Texas, -and is still active enough to help her daughter in their little cafe.* - -"Susan Ross my name and I's born at Magnolia Springs durin' de war, -sometime befo' freedom come, I guess 'bout 1862. Pappy's name Bob Horn -and he come from Georgia, and mammy name Hallie Horn, and she think she -part Indian, but she ain't sho'. Chester Horn our massa and he have big -plantation at Magnolia Springs, and he kep' one big family connection of -slaves. Sometime he sold some of dem and he sold my brother, Jack, and -my aunt, too. My other brother name Jim and Sam and Aaron and Bill Horn, -and my sisters name Mandy and Sarah and Emily. - -"Massa have li'l houses all over de plantation for he slaves. Massa and -he folks punish dey slaves awful hard, and he used to tie 'em up and -whip 'em, too. Once he told my mammy do somethin' and she didn't and he -tie and whip her, and I skeert and cry. Mammy cook and work in de field. - -"I jes' 'member I used to see sojers dress in blue uniforms walkin' all -over de country watchin' how things goin'. Massa want one my brothers go -to war, but he wouldn't, so I seed him buckle my brother down on a log -and whip him with whips, den with hand saws, till when he turn him loose -you couldn't tell what he look like. My brother lef' but I don't know -whether he went to war or not. - -"I 'members when de men was goin' to war, somebody allus come git 'em. -Lots of 'em didn't want to go, but dey has to. - -"Me go to school after us free. When my oldes' brother hear us is free -he give a whoop, run and jump a high fence, and told mammy goodbye. Den -he grab me up and hug and kiss me and say, 'Brother gone, don't 'spect -you ever see me no more.' I don't know where he go, but I never did see -him 'gain. - -"After freedom, pappy and mammy moves off to deyselfs and farms. I marry -when I's fourteen and de Rev. George Hammonds, he perform de ceremony. -We marry quiet at home and I wore blue dress and my husband gran' black -suit. I have four chillen and five gran'chillen. My husban, he work here -and yonder, on de farm and what he kin git. - -"I's de widow now and gits $11.00 pension, but have only git it four -times. I lives here with my daughter and us make a li'l in dis yere -rest'ran'. - -"I never did see but one ghost, but I sho' see one. I cookin' at de -hotel in town and have to git up and go down de railroad track to my -work befo' it git light. One mornin' a great, tall somethin', tall and -slender as a porch post, come walkin' 'long. He step to one side, but he -didn't have no feets. I reckon he have a head, but I couldn't see it. As -I pass him I didn't say nothin' and he didn't either. He didn't have -time to, befo' I broke and run for my life. Dat's de onliest ghost I -ever see, but I often feel de spirits close by me." - - - - -Annie Row - - -*Annie Row, 86, was born a slave to Mr. Charles Finnely, who owned a -plantation in Nacogdoches Co., near Rusk, Texas. She has lived at 920 -Frank St., Fort Worth, since 1933.* - -"I was sho' born in slavery and as near as I knows, I mus' be 'bout 86 -year old, from what my mammy tells me. I figgers that, 'cause I was old -enough to clean de wool when de War starts and dey didn't generally put -de chilluns to work 'fore they's ten year old. - -"Marster Charley owned my mammy and my four sisters and two brothers but -my pappy was owned by Marster John Kluck, and his place was 'bout five -mile from Marster Charley's plantation. My pappy was 'lowed a pass every -two weeks for to come and see him's family, but him sees us more often -than that, 'cause him sneak off every time him have de chance. - -"Allus cullud folks lived in de cullud quarters. De cabins was built -with logs and dey have no floor. Dey have bunks for to sleep on and de -fireplace. In de summer time mos' de cullud folks sleeps outside, and -we'uns had to fight mosquitoes in de night and flies in de day. They was -flies and then some more flies, with all dere relations, in them cabins. - -"De food am mostly cornmeal and 'lasses and meat that am weighed out and -has to last you de week. De truth am, lots of time we'uns goes hungry. -Everything dat am worn and eat was raised on de place, 'cept salt and -pepper and stuff like that. Dey raise de cotton and de wheat, and de -corn and de cane, 'sides de fruit and sich, and de chickens and de sheep -and de cows and de hawgs. - -"De marster has two overseers what tends to de work and 'signs each -nigger to do de certain work and keep de order. Shoes was made by a -shoemaker what am also de tanner. Cloth for de clothes was made by de -spinners and weavers and that what they larned me to do. My first work -was teasin' de wool. I bets you don't know what teasin' de wool am. It -am pickin' de burrs and trash and sich out of de wool for to git it -ready for de cardin'. - -"Now for de treatment, does yous want to know 'bout that? Well, 'twarnt -good. When dis nigger am five year old, de marster give me to him's son, -Marster Billy. That am luck for me, 'cause Marster Billy am real good to -me, but Marster Charley am powerful cruel to hims slaves. At de work, -him have de overseers drive 'em from daylight 'til dark, and whups 'em -for every little thing what goes wrong. When dey whups dey ties de -nigger over de barrel and gives so many licks with de rawhide whup. I -seed slaves what couldn't git up after de whuppin's. Some near died -'cause of de punishment. - -"Dey never give de cullud folks de pass for to go a-visitin', nor 'lows -parties on de place. As fer to go to church, shunt that from yous head. -Why, we'uns wasn' even 'lowed to pray. Once my mammy slips off to de -woods near de house to pray and she prays powerful loud and she am -heard, and when she come back, she whupped. - -"My mammy and me not have it so hard, 'cause she de cook and I 'longs to -Marster Billy. Him won't let 'em whump me iffen he knows 'bout it. But -one time, when I's 'bout six year, I stumbles and breaks a plate and de -missy whups me for that. Here am de scar on my arm from that whuppin! - -"After dey has argument dey never whups me when Marster Billy 'round. -Lots of time him say, 'Come here, Bunch,'--dey calls me Bunch, 'cause -I's portly--and him have something good for me to eat. - -"After that, it wasn't long 'fore de War starts and de marster's two -boys, Billy and John, jines de army. I's powerful grieved and cries two -days and all de time Marster Billy gone I worries 'bout him gittin' -shoot. De soldiers comes and goes in de crib and takes all de corn, and -makes my mammy cook a meal. Marster Charley cuss everything and -everybody and us watch out and keep out of his way. After two years him -gits a letter from Marster Billy and him say him be home soon and that -John be kilt. Missy starts cryin' and de Marster jumps up and starts -cussin' de War and him picks up de hot poker and say, 'Free de nigger, -will dey? I free dem.' And he hit my mammy on de neck and she starts -moanin' and cryin' and draps to de floor. Dere 'twas, de Missy -a-mournin', my mammy a-mournin' and de marster a-cussin' loud as him -can. Him takes de gun offen de rack and starts for de field whar de -niggers be a-workin'. My sister and I sees that and we'uns starts -runnin' and screamin', 'cause we'uns has brothers and sisters in de -field. But de good Lawd took a hand in that mess and de marster ain't -gone far in de field when him draps all of a sudden. De death sets on de -marster and de niggers comes runnin' to him. Him can't talk or move and -dey tote him in de house. De doctor comes and de nex' day de marster -dies. - -"Den Marster Billy comes home and de break up took place with freedom -for de niggers. Mos' of 'em left as soon's dey could. - -"De missy gits very con'scending after freedom. De women was in de -spinnin' house and we'uns 'spects another whuppin' or scoldin', 'cause -that de usual doin's when she comes. She comes in and says, 'Good -mornin', womens,' and she never said sich 'fore. She say she pay wages -to all what stays and how good she treat 'em. But my pappy comes and -takes us over to de Widow Perry's land to work for share. - -"After that, de missy found Marster Billy in de shed, dead, with him -throat cut and de razor side him. Dere a piece of paper say he not care -for to live, 'cause de nigger free and dey's all broke up. - -"After five years I marries George Summers and we lives in Rusk. We'uns -has seven chilluns. He goes and I marries Rufus Jackson and on Saturday -we marries and on Monday we walks down de street and Rufus accident'ly -steps on a white man's foot and de white man kills him with a pistol. - -"I marries 'gain after two years to Charles Row. Dat nigger, I plum -quits after one year, 'cause him was too rough. Him jealous and tote de -razor with him all de time and sleep with it under him pillow. Shucks, -him says he carry on dat way 'cause him likes me. I don't want any -nigger to shew his 'fection for me dat way, so I transports myself from -him. - -"I makes a livin' workin' for de white folks 'til four year ago and now -I lives with my daughter, Minnie Row. Guess I'll live here de balance of -my life--'twont be long." - - - - -Gill Ruffin - - -*Gill Ruffin, an ex-slave, was born in 1837 on the Hugh Perry -plantation, in Harrison County, Texas. He and his mother were sold to -Charley Butler, in Houston County, and about a year before the Civil War -they were bought by Henry Hargrove, who had purchased Gill's father from -Hugh Perry; thus the family was reunited. Gill now lives two miles -southwest of Karnack, on State highway No. 42.* - -"I was bo'n on the Hugh Perry plantation over near Lee. My papa was name -Ruben Ruffin and mama's name was Isabella. We was sold several times, -but allus kep' the name of Ruffin. I was jus' a nussin' babe when -Marster Perry sold mammy to Marster Butler and he carried us to Houston -County. Papa was left at the Perry's but Marster Hargrove bought him and -then he bought mammy and me. That's the first time I 'member seein' my -papa, but my mama had told me 'bout him. - -"De first marster I remember, marster Butler, lived in a big, two-story -log house with a gallery. The slaves lived a short piece away in little -log cabins. Marster Butler owned lots of land and niggers and he sho' -believed in makin' 'em work. There wasn' no loafin' roun' dat white man. -Missus name was Sarah and she made me a houseboy when I was small. I -allus took de co'n to mill and went after things Missus would borrow -from de neighbors. She allus made me ride a mule, 'cause de country was -full of wild prairie cattle and varmints. Missus had a good saddle pony, -and I allus rode behin' her when she went visitin'. - -"When I growed up Marster Butler took me outta de house and put me to -work in de field. We had an overseer dat sho' made us step. We was used -rough durin' slavery time. We lived in log houses with wooden bunks -nailed to de walls and home-made plank tables and benches. They give us -one garment at a time and that had to be slap wore out 'fore we got -another. All us niggers went barefoot. I never sees a nigger with shoes -on till after de surrender. - -"We didn' have no gardens and all we et come from de white folks. They -fed us turnips, greens, and meats and cornbread and plenty of milk. We -worked every day 'cept Sunday and didn' know any more 'bout a holiday -den climbin' up a tree back'ard. They never give us money, and we hit de -field by sun-up and stayed dere till sundown. The niggers was whipped -with a ridin' quirt. - -"The woods was full of run-aways and I heered them houn's a runnin' 'em -like deer many a time, and heered dat whip when they's caught. He'd tie -'em to a tree with a line and nearly kill 'em. On rainy days we was in -de crib shuckin' corn, and he never let us have parties. Sometimes we -went fishin' or huntin' on Sat'day afternoon, but that wasn' often. - -"Marster Butler was shot. He run a store on the place and one day a -white boy was pilferin' roun' and he slap him. De boy goes home and tell -his pappy and his pappy kill Marster Butler. So me and my mammy was sold -to Marster Hargrove, who owned my pappy. That was freedom to me, 'cause -Marster Henry didn' cuff his niggers roun'. I worked roun' de house -mostly, and fixin' harness and buggies and wagons. - -"I never knew but one nigger to run away from Marster Hargrave. He slip -off and goes to Shreveport. That was Peter Going. Marster missed him and -he goes to fin' him. When he fin's him in Shreveport, he say, 'Come on, -Peter, you knowed what you was doin' and you's goin' to pay for it.' -Marster tied him behin' de buggy and trots de hosses all way back home. -Then he ties Peter to a tree and makes him stay dere all night with -nothin' to eat. Peter, nor none of the res' of the niggers didn' ever -try to run off after that. - - -[Illustration: _Gill Ruffin_] - - -"I don' 'member much 'bout de war. I see the infantry one time over thar -close to where Karnack is. I was sittin' on a mule when they pass. All -they say is, 'Better git on home, nigger.' - -"Marster lef' for de war but didn' stay long. He wouldn' tell us niggers -we was free after surrender and we worked on the plantation more'n a -year after that. - -"After I lef' the Hargroves I lived with my pappy and mammy till I -married Lucinda Greer and we raised two boys and two girls to be grown -and married. They all dead now, and since my wife died, about 8 years -ago, I live here with Will Jones, my grandson." - - - - -Martin Ruffin - - -*Martin Ruffin, 83, was born a slave of Josh Perry, near old Port Cadde, -on Cadde Lake. He stayed with his master until 1876, then lived with his -parents on the farm until 1880. He then moved to Marshall, Texas, where -he cooked for hotels and cafes until 1932. Since he has been unable to -work, the Red Cross has helped him, and he draws a $12.00 monthly old -age pension.* - -"I's born right here in Harrison County, on Josh Perry's plantation, -what was right near Port Cadde, on the lake. I was only eleven year old -when the niggers was freed. - -"Will Ruffin was my daddy and he come from North Car'lina. Mammy was -Cynthia and was born in Texas. I wasn't big enough to tote water to the -field when war started, but I driv up the cows and calves and helped -tend massa's chillen. - -"Massa Perry had more'n a thousand acres in his place and so many -niggers it looked like a little town. The niggers lived in rough houses, -'cause they so many he had to make 'em live most anyway. - -"The growed slaves et cornbread and bacon and 'lasses and milk, but all -the chillen got was milk and bread and a little 'lasses. Massa have -fifteen or twenty women carding and weaving and spinning most all the -time. Each nigger had his task and the chillen gathered berries in the -weeds to make dyes for clothes. Us wore only white lowell clothes, -though. They was sho' thick and heavy. - -"The overseer was named Charley and there was one driver to see everyone -done his task. If he didn't, they fixed him up. Them what fed the stock -got up at three and the overseer would tap a bell so many times to make -'em git up. The rest got up at four and worked till good dark. They'd -give us a hundred lashes for not doing our task. The overseer put five -men on you; one on each hand, one on each foot, and one to hold your -head down to the ground. You couldn't do anything but wiggle. The blood -would fly 'fore they was through with you. - -"When I's a li'l fellow, I seed niggers whipped in the field. Sometimes -they'd take 'em behind the big corn crib and fix 'em up. - -"Slaves sold for $250 to $1,500. Sometimes they swapped 'em and had to -give 'boot.' The 'boot' was allus cash. - -"Sam Jones preached to us and read the Bible. He told us how to do and -preached Hell-fire and jedgment like the white preachers. Us had service -at our church when one of us died and was buried in our own graveyard. - -"The niggers sung songs in the field when they was feeling good and -wasn't scart of old massa. Sometime they'd slack up on that hoe and old -massa holler, 'I's watchin' yous.' The hands say, 'Yas, suh, us sees -you, too.' Then they brightened up on that hoe. - -"Corn shuckings was a big occasion them days and massa give all the -hands a quart whiskey apiece. They'd drink whiskey, get happy and make -more noise than a little, but better not git drunk. We'd dance all night -when the corn shuckin' was over. - -"I heared the cannons rumbling at Mansfield all through the night during -the war. It was dark and smoky all round our place from the war. I stood -there on Massa Perry's place and seed soldiers carry 'way fodder, and -meat and barrels of flour to take to war. - - -[Illustration: _Martin Ruffin_] - - -"Massa didn't tell us we was free for three or four days after freedom. -Then he said, 'You is free; don't leave, I'll pay you.' The niggers -didn't know what he meant at first, then someone say, 'We is free--no -more whippings and beatings.' You ought to see 'em jump and clap their -hands and pop them heels. - -"My daddy and mammy left and went to a farm to work for theyselves, but -I stayed till I was near 'bout growed. Then I stayed with daddy and -mammy and then came to Marshall. Weeds was mostly here then. I cooked -all round town for 'bout fifty years. I didn't marry till I's forty-two. -I was working at the Capitol Hotel for $15.00 a week. Rube Witt, a -cullud Baptist preacher, married me and Lula Downs and us raises five -chillen. - -"My wife is dead and I ain't been able to work for five years. The -relief and the Red Cross carried me till I got my pension and I's sho' -thankful to git that $12.00 a month." - - - - -Florence Ruffins - - -*Florence Ruffins was born of ex-slave parents in DeKalb, Texas. She -talks of spirits, ghosts and spells, reciting incidents told her by her -father and mother, who were supposed to have the "power and the spirit." -She lives with a daughter at 1020 W. Weatherford St., Fort Worth, -Texas.* - -"Does I believe in de ghosties? I shos does and I tells yous why I knows -dere am ghosties. First, I's hear and see dem and lots of other folks -I's talked to has. Den my pappy and my mammy both could see dem, and dey -has special powers, but dey was good powers. Dey has no use for de evil -spells all all sich. - -"In de old days 'fore surrender de cullud folks talks 'bout ghosties and -haunts, but since education am for de cullud folks, some of dem larns to -say spirit, 'stead of ghost. Now dey has de church dat say de preacher -kin bring de ghost--but dey calls it de spirit--to de meetin' and talk -with 'em. Dat am de spiritualist-tism church. - -"I's tellin' you de things I hears my mammy and pappy tell, and some I's -seed for myself. What I seed, I kin be de witness for and what my mammy -and pappy says, I kin be de witness for dat, 'cause I's not gwine lie -'bout what de dead people says. - -"Dere am only one way to best de ghost and it am call de Lawd and he -will banish 'em. Some folks don't know how to best 'em, so dey gits -tan'lized bad. Dere a man call' Everson, and he been de slave. De ghost -come and tell him to go dig in de graveyard for de pot of gold, and to -go by himself. But he am 'fraid of de graveyard and didn't go. So de -ghost 'pears 'gain, but dat man don't go till de ghost come de third -time. So he goes, but he takes two other men with him. - -"Everson digs 'bout five foot, where de ghost tolt him to, and he spade -hit de iron box. He prises de cover off and dat box am full of de gold -coins, fives and tens and twenties, gold money, a whole bushel in dat -box. He hollers to de two men and dey comes runnin', but by de time dey -gits dere, de box am sunk and all they can see is de hole where it go -down. Dey digs and digs, but it ain't no use. If him hadn't taken de men -with him, him be rich, but de ghost didn't want dem other men dere. - -"In dat dere same country, dere am a farm what sho' am hanted. Many -famlies tries to live in dat house, but am forced to move. It am sposed -de niggers what de cruel Massa on dat farm kilt in slave times, comes -back to tan'lize. De ghosties comes in de night and walks back and forth -'cross de yard, and dey can see 'em as plain as day. Dere am nobody what -will stay on dat farm. - -"My pappy am comin' home on de hoss one night and he feel like someone -on dat hoss behin' him. He turn and kin see something. He say, 'What for -you gits on my hoss?', but dere am no answer. He tries to touch dat -thing, but he pass his hand right through it and he knew it a ghost, and -pappy hops off dat hoss and am on de ground runnin' quicker dan greased -lightning. Pappy sees dat hoss, with de hant on him, gwine through de -woods like de deer. - -"Right here in dis house, a person die and dey spirit tan'lize at night. -It come after we goes to bed and patters on de floor with de bare feet -and rattles de paper. Dat sho' git me all a-quiverment. I has to get de -Bible and call de Lawd to banish dem. But I seed de shadow of dat ghost -often and it am a man ghost and it look sad." - - - - -Aaron Russel - - -*Aaron Russel, 82, was born a slave of William Patrick, who owned -Aaron's parents, a hundred other slaves, and a large plantation in -Ouachita Parish, near Monroe, Louisiana. Aaron remained with the Patrick -family until he was 26, then moved to Texas. He farmed all his life, -until old age forced him to stop work. He then moved to a suburb of Fort -Worth, to be near his children.* - -"Massa William Patrick give my mammy de statement. It say I's borned in -1855 and dat make me 82 year old. Massa Patrick, he own de big -plantation clost to Monroe, over in Louisiana. Dat de big place, with -over a hunerd niggers. - -"When de war start I's 'bout six year old, but I has de good mem'ry of -dem times. Massa have no chillen so nobody goes from dat place, but lots -de neighbor boys us knows goes to de army. - -"At first everything go good after war start, but de last end am not so -good. De trouble am de Yanks come and takes de rations from massa. Dey -takes corn and meat and kilt several hawgs and takes two yearlin's. Dey -sho' makes massa mad. Him git so mad him cry. If massa hadn't 'spect -sich and hide de rations, us sho' suffer, but back of de cotton field -massa done have us dig de pit. In de pit us put de hay and lay de -rations in dere, sich as corn and smoke' meat and 'taters. De Yanks -don't find dat stuff. But what de sojers takes make it nip and tuck to -git by. - -"All us niggers 'cited when de sojers takes de rations. De older ones -wants to fight dem Yanks. Dere'd been trouble iffen massa didn't say to -dem to keep 'way. All us like massa, him treat us fine, and us willin' -fight for him. - -"De sojers come back after dat and use one massa's buildin's for -headquarters, for long time. Dat befo' de battle at Vicksburg. At first -us young'uns scart of dem, but after while us play with them. After de -Vicksburg battle dey goes off and us sorry, 'cause dey treat us with -candy and things. But massa glad git shet of dem. - -"Us young'uns have de fun with de old niggers. Massa know and sho' have -de good laugh. I'll tell you 'bout it: - -"'Twas dis-away. De old niggers scart of hants. Us young'uns takes de -long rawhide string and makes de tick-tack on de cabin roof where Tom -and Mandy 'livin'. I climbs de tree 'bout 50 foot high back de cabin and -holds de string. It go thump on de roof, 'bout darktime. Tom and Mandy -settin' in dere, talkin' with some folks. Us keep thumpin' de tick-tack. -Tom say, 'What dat on de roof?' Dey stops talkin'. I thumps it 'gain. -Mandy say, 'Gosh for mighty! What am it?' One nigger say, 'De hants, it -de hants,' and dem cullud folks come 'way from dere right now. I hears -de massa laugh for to split de sides. And Tom and Mandy, dey wouldn't -stay in de cabin dat night, no, sir, dey sleeps in de yard. - -"De bell ring 'fore daylight and de work start. When de cullud folks -starts out in de mornin' it like de army. Some goes to de fields, some -to de spinnin', some to de shoeshop, and so on. De hours am long, but -massa am good. No overseer, but de leader for each crew. - -"I 'member when Massa call us and say, 'You's free.' Us didn't 'lieve -him at first. He say he put each fam'ly on de piece of land and us work -it on shares. Him have lots of married couples on he place. I knows most -plantations de cullud folks treated like cattle, but massa different. -Him have de reg'lations. If dey wants to marry dey asks him and dey has -de cer'mony, what am step over de broom laid on de floor. - - -[Illustration: _Aaron Russel_] - - -"My pappy stay with massa and farm on shares. I stays till I's 26 year -old and den gits de piece of land for myself. Us gits 'long good, 'cause -us stay on massa's place and he 'structs us what to do. He say to stay -out of de mess and keep workin'. For long time us never leave de place, -after de war, 'cause of trouble gwine on. Dere am times it wasn't safe -for no cullud person to go off de plantation. Some foolish niggers what -listen to some foolish white folks gits de wrong 'structions. Dey comes -to think dey can run de white folks. Now, when dey starts sich, 'course -de white folks don't 'low sich. Some of dem stubborn niggers has to be -edumacated by de Ku Klux Klan. Dat am de tough edumacation and some dem -niggers never gits over de lesson. Dem dat do never forgit it! - -"I never hears dat any cullud folks gits de land offen dere massa. I -heared some old cullud folks say dey told it to be sich. Sho', de -igno'mus fools think de gov'ment gwine take land from de massas and give -it to dem! Massa Patrick tell us all 'bout sich. Like niggers votin'. -I's been asked to vote but I knows it wasn't for de good. What does I -know 'bout votin'? So I follows massa's 'structions and stays 'way from -sich. If de cullud folks can do de readin' and knows what dey do, maybe -it all right for dem to vote. De way 'twas after surrender, 'twas -foolishment for niggers to try votin' and run de gov'ment. I wants to go -some other place iffen dey do. De young'uns now gittin' edumacated and -iffen dey larn de right way, den dey have right to vote. I Jus' farms -and makes de livin' for my family. My first wife dies in 1896 and I -marries in 1907 to Elsie Johnson. She here with me. - -"My life after freedom ain't so bad, 'cept de last few years. Times -lately I's wish I's back with de massa, 'cause I has plenty rations -dere. It hard to be hongry and dat I's been many times lately. I's old -now and can't work much, so dere 'tis. I has to 'pend on my chillen and -dey have de hard time, too. I don't know what wrong, I guess de Lawd -punish de folks for somethin'. I jus' have trust till he call me to -Jedgment." - - - - -Peter Ryas - - -*Peter Ryas, about 77 years old, was born a slave of Volsant Fournet, in -St. Martinville Parish, Louisiana. He speaks a French patois more -fluently than English. Peter worked at the refineries in Port Arthur for -sixteen years but ill health forced him to stop work and he lives on -what odd jobs he and his wife can pick up.* - -"I's borned 'bout 1860, I guess, in a li'l cypress timber house in de -quarters section of de Fournet Plantation. Dat in St. Martinville -Parish, over in Louisiana. Dem li'l houses good and tight, with two big -rooms. Two families live in one house. Dey 'bout ten houses. - -"M'sieu Volsant Fournet, he my old massa and he wife name Missus Porine. -Dey have eight chillen and de baby boy name Brian. Him and me, us grow -up togedder. Us allus play togedder. He been dead three year now and -here I is still. - -"All dem in my family am field workers. I too li'l to work. My mama name -Annie and papa name Alfred. I have oldes' brudder, dat Gabriel, and -'nother brudder name Marice, and two sisters, Harriet and Amy. - -"Old massa's house have big six or eight room. Galleries front and back. -Us cullud chillen never go in de big house much. - -"Old massa he done feed good. Coosh-coosh with 'lasses. Dat my favorite -dem day. Dat make with meal and water and salt. Dey stir it in big pot. -Sometime dey kill beef. Us have beef head and neck and guts cook with -gravy and spread on top coosh-coosh. Dat good food. - -"Down on Vermilion Bayou am alligators. Dey fish and snakes, too. Us eat -alligator tail steak. Taste like fish. Jes' skin hide off alligator -tail. Slice it into steak. Fry it in meal and hawg fat. Dat like gar -fish. Sometime git lamper eel. Dey hard to cotch. Perches and catfish -and mud-cat easy to cotch. Water bird, too. Duck and crane. Crane like -fish. Us take boat, go 'long bayou, find nesties in sedge grass. - -"Old massa allus good. He 'low papa and some to have li'l patch round -dey door. Dey eat what dey raise. Some sells it. Papa raise pumpkin and -watermelon. He have plenty bee-gum with bees. After freedom he make -money awhile. He sell de honey from dem bees. - -"Dat plantation full cotton and corn. Us chillen sleep in de -cotton-house. It be so soft. In de quarters houses chillen didn't have -no bed. Dey slept on tow sack on de floor. Dat why dem cotton piles felt -so soft. - -"Massa have special place in woods where he have meanes' niggers whip. -He never whip much, but wartime comin' on. Some de growed ones runs away -to dem Yankees. He have to whip some den. He have stocks to put dey neck -in when he whip dem. Massa never chain he slaves. I seed talkin' -parrots. Massa didn't have one, but other massas did. Dat parrot talk. -He tell when de nigger run away or when he not work. - -"Us white folks all Catholic. Us not go to church, but all chillen -christen. Dat in St. Martinville Catholic Church. All us christen dere. -After freedom I start go to church reg'lar. I still does. - -"Dey ain't give us pants till us ten year old. In winter or summer us -wore long, split tail shirt. Us never even think of shoes. After I's -twelve papa buy my first pair shoes. Dey have diamond brass piece on -toe. I so 'fraid dey wear out I won't wear dem. - -"De war goin' on. Us see sojers all de time. Us hide in bresh and play -snipe at dem. All de white folks in town gang up. Dey send dere slaves -out on Cypress Island. Dey do dat try keep Yankee sojers from find dem. -It ain't no use. Dem Yankee find dat bridge what lead from mainland to -island. Dey come 'cross dat bridge. Dey find us all. Dem white folks -call deyselves hidin' us but dey ain't do so good. Dey guard dat bridge. -But some de niggers dey slip off de Island. Dey jine de Yankees. - -"Dey plenty alligators in dat bayou. Sometime I wonder if dem niggers -what try go through swamp ever git to Yankees. Dem alligators brutal. I -'member black gal call Ellen, she washin' clothes in bayou. Dey wash -clothes with big rocks den. Dey have wooden paddle with hole and beat -clothes on rocks. Dis gal down in de draw by herself. She washin' -clothes. Big alligator had dug hole in side de bank. He come out and -snap her arm off jes' 'bove elbow. She scream. Men folks run down and -killed alligator. Us chillen wouldn't watch out for alligator. Us play -in li'l flat, bateaux and swing on wild grapevine over water. I done see -snakes. Dey look big 'nough swallow two li'l niggers one bite. Dey -alligator turtles, too. If dey snap you, you can't git loose less you -cut dey neck slap off. I kill lots dem. - -"Dey old mens on plantation what they think witch mens. Dey say could -put bad mouth on you. You dry up and die 'fore you time. Dey take your -strengt'. Make you walk on knees and hands. Some folks carry silver -money 'round neck. Keep off dat bad mouth. - -"Old massa oldes' son, Gabriel, he Colonel in war. He and old massa both -Colonels. Lots sojers pass our place. Dey go to fight. Dem with green -caps was white folks. Dem with blue caps was Yankees. Us hear guns from -boats and cannons. - -"After war over massa come home. Dey no law dem time. Things tore up. -Dey put marshal in to make laws. Some folks call him Progo(provost) -Marshal. He come 'round. See how us doin'. Make white folks 'low niggers -go free. But us stay with massa a year. Dey finish crop so everybody -have to eat. - -"Den us papa move to Edmond LeBlanc farm. Work on shares. Second move to -Cade place, run by Edgar DeBlieu. Jes' railroad station, no town. I -shave cane for money. - -"In 1867 or 1877 yellow fever strike. People die like dem flies. Dat -fever pay no 'tention to skin color. White folks go. Black folks go. Dey -die so fast dey pile dem in wagons. Dey pay mens $10.00 to go inside -house and carry dem out to wagon. Lots niggers makes $10.00. Dat fever -strike quick. Man come see me one mornin! He all right. Dat man dead -'fore dark. It bad sickness. It sev'ral years after dat dey have -smallpox sickness. It bad, too. - -"All us stay 'round farm till I's 22 year. I never go to school. In 1882 -I marry Viney Ballieo. She Baptist. I marry in Baptist church. Cullud -preacher. Never white preachers 'round dere. Allus white priests. Viney -die and all us four chillen dead now. I marry Edna LeBlanc in 1917. - -"I git dissatisfy with farmin' in 1911. I come to Lake Charles. To Port -Arthur nex' year. I work at refinery sixteen year. I too old now. Us git -what work us can. Jes' from dere to here." - - - - -Josephine Ryles - - -*Josephine Ryles, known to the colored people as "Mama Honey", was born -a slave of James Sultry, Galveston insurance agent. She does not know -her age. She lives in Galveston, Texas.* - -"Sho, I'm Josephine Ryles, only everyone 'round here calls me 'Mama -Honey' and I 'most forgot my name till you says it right den. Honey, -I'll be glad to tell you all I 'member 'bout slavery, but it ain't much, -for my mind ain't so good no more. Sometimes I can't 'member nothin' -a-tall. I'm too old. I don't know how old, but me and dat Gulf got here -'bout de same time, I reckon. - -"I'm borned in Galveston and James Sultry owns my mother and she de only -slave what he have. He have a kind of big house on Church St and my -mother done de housework and cookin' till she sold in de country. I -wishes you could've talked to her, she knowed all 'bout slavery, and she -come from Nashville to Mobile and den to Texas. Her name Mary Alexander -and my daddy's name Matt Williams and Mr. Schwoebel own him. - -"Den us sold to Mr. Snow what live in Polk county. Us gits sold right -here in Galveston without gwine no place, my mother and me and my li'l -brother. My daddy couldn't go with us and I ain't never seed him 'gain. -Mr. Snow live out in de country and have a big place and a lot of field -hands and us live in cabins. - -"My mother was de cook for de white folks and my li'l brother, Charlie -Evans, was de water toter in de fields. He brung water in de bucket and -give de hands a drink. - -"Plenty times de niggers run 'way, 'cause dey have to work awful hard -and de sun awful hot. Dey hides in de woods and Mr. Snow keep nigger -dogs to hunt 'em with. Dem dogs have big ears and dey so bad I never -fools 'round dem. Mr. Snow take off dere chains to git de scent of de -nigger and dey kep' on till dey finds him, and sometimes dey hurt him. I -knows dey tore de meat off one dem field hands. - -"My mother used to send me and my brother out in de woods for de -blackberry roots and she make medicine out of dem. You jes' take de few -draps at de time. Den she take de cornmeal and brown it and make coffee -out of it. - -"I didn't pay much 'tention to dat war till Mr. Snow says us free and -den us go to Galveston and she git work cookin' and I stays with her. - -"I can't tell you much. My mind jes' ain't no more good no more." - - - - -Transcriber's Note - - -Original spelling has been maintained; e.g. "_stob_--a short straight -piece of wood, such as a stake" (American Heritage Dictionary).--The -Works Progress Administration was renamed during 1939 as the Work -Projects Administration (WPA). - - - - - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SLAVE NARRATIVES: A FOLK HISTORY -OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES FROM INTERVIEWS WITH FORMER SLAVES: -VOLUME XVI, TEXAS NARRATIVES, PART 3 *** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35380 - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one -owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and -you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission -and without paying copyright royalties. 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-
-.. meta::
- :PG.Id: 35380
- :PG.Title: Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves: Volume XVI, Texas Narratives, Part 3
- :PG.Released: 2011-02-23
- :PG.Rights: Public Domain
- :PG.Producer: the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
- :DC.Creator: Work Projects Administration
- :DC.Title: Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves: Volume XVI, Texas Narratives, Part 3
- :DC.Language: en
- :DC.Created: 1941
-
-=======================================
-Slave Narratives
-=======================================
-
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-Volume XVI: Texas Narratives—Part 3
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-
-.. _pg-header:
-
-.. container::
- :class: pgheader
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-
- This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
- almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
- re-use it under the terms of the `Project Gutenberg License`_
- included with this eBook or online at
- http://www.gutenberg.org/license.
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- |
-
- .. _pg-machine-header:
-
- .. container::
-
- Title: Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves: Volume XVI, Texas Narratives, Part 3
-
- Author: Work Projects Administration
-
- Release Date: February 23, 2011 [EBook #35380]
-
- Language: English
-
- Character set encoding: UTF-8
-
- |
-
- .. _pg-start-line:
-
- \*\*\* START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SLAVE NARRATIVES: A FOLK HISTORY OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES FROM INTERVIEWS WITH FORMER SLAVES: VOLUME XVI, TEXAS NARRATIVES, PART 3 \*\*\*
-
- |
- |
- |
- |
-
- .. _pg-produced-by:
-
- .. container::
-
- Produced by the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net.
-
- |
-
-
-
-
-.. class:: center larger
-
- SLAVE NARRATIVES
-
- |
- |
-
-.. class:: center
-
- *A Folk History of Slavery in the United States*
-
- *From Interviews with Former Slaves*
-
- |
- |
-
-.. class:: center smaller
-
- TYPEWRITTEN RECORDS PREPARED BY
-
- THE FEDERAL WRITERS' PROJECT
-
- 1936-1938
-
- ASSEMBLED BY
-
- THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PROJECT
-
- WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION
-
- FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
-
- SPONSORED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
-
- |
- |
-
-.. class:: center
-
- *Illustrated with Photographs*
-
- WASHINGTON 1941
-
- |
- |
-
-.. class:: center larger
-
- VOLUME XVI
-
- TEXAS NARRATIVES—PART 3
-
-.. class:: center smaller
-
- Prepared by the Federal Writers' Project of
-
- the Works Progress Administration
-
- for the State of Texas
-
- [HW:] Handwritten note
-
- [TR:] Transcriber's note
-
- |
- |
-
-.. contents:: INFORMANTS
- :backlinks: entry
- :depth: 1
-
-.. class:: larger
-
- **ILLUSTRATIONS**
-
- | `Hagar Lewis`_
- | `Annie Little`_
- | `Abe Livingston`_
- | `Hap McQueen`_
- | `Bill McRay`_
- | `C.B. McRay`_
- | `James Martin`_
- | `Louise Mathews`_
- | `Susan Merritt`_
- | `Josh Miles`_
- | `La San Mire`_
- | `Charley Mitchell`_
- | `Andrew Moody and wife Tildy`_
- | `A.M. Moore`_
- | `Jerry Moore`_
- | `Van Moore`_
- | `William Moore`_
- | `Patsy Moses`_
- | `Virginia Newman`_
- | `Margrett Nillin`_
- | `John Ogee`_
- | `Horace Overstreet`_
- | `Mary Anne Patterson`_
- | `Ellen Payne`_
- | `Henderson Perkins`_
- | `Daniel Phillips`_
- | `Ellen Polk`_
- | `Betty Powers`_
- | `Tillie R. Powers`_
- | `John Price and wife Mirandy`_
- | `Jenny Proctor`_
- | `Eda Rains`_
- | `Millie Randall`_
- | `Laura Redmoun`_
- | `Elsie Reece`_
- | `Mary Reynolds`_
- | `Walter Rimm`_
- | `Gill Ruffin`_
- | `Martin Ruffin`_
- | `Aaron Russel`_
- |
- |
- |
-
-Cinto Lewis
-===========
-
-**Uncle Cinto Lewis, ex-slave, claims to be 111 years old. He lived in a
-brick cabin with his wife, Aunt Lucy, on the Huntington Plantation, in
-Brazoria Co., Texas. Miss Kate Huntington says the cabin occupied by the
-old couple is part of the old slave quarters built by J. Greenville
-McNeel, who owned the plantation before Marion Huntington. Miss Kate's
-father bought it. Although Uncle Cinto claims to be 111, he says he was
-named San Jacinto because he was born during the "San Jacinto War",
-which would make his age 101.**
-
-"Yes, suh, I's Cinto. That's Lucy over there, she my wife and I calls
-her Red Heifer, 'cause her papa's name was Juan and he was a Mexican.
-She and me marry right after 'mancipation. We come long way and we goin'
-to die together.
-
-"They named me San Jacinto 'cause I's born durin' de San Jacinto war,
-but they calls me Cinto. I's born in Fort Bend County, up near Richmond,
-and my old marster was Marse Dave Randon, and his wife, Miss Nancy, was
-my missus. She was sister to Marse John McNeel, what with his brothers
-owned all de land hereabouts.
-
-"I 'members once I slips away come dark from de plantation, with some
-others. We is slippin' 'long quiet like and a paddle roller jump out
-from behin' a bush and say, 'Let's see your pass.' We didn't have none
-but I has a piece of paper and I gives it to him and he walks to where
-it am more light, and then we run, right through old burdock bushes with
-briars stickin' us and everything. Iffen he cotched us we sho' gits a
-hidin'.
-
-"I fust went to de field when I 'bout 15 year old, but they larned us to
-work when we was chaps, we would he'p our mammas in de rows. My mamma's
-name Maria Simmons and my papa, Lewis. They rared me up right.
-
-"Marse Dave wasn't mean like some. Sometimes de slaves run away to de
-woods and iffen they don't cotch 'em fust they finally gits hongry and
-comes home, and then they gits a hidin'. Some niggers jus' come from
-Africa and old Marse has to watch 'em close, 'cause they is de ones what
-mostly runs away to de woods.
-
-"We had better houses then, good plank houses, and de big house was sho'
-big and nice. 'Course they didn't larn us read and write, and didn't
-'low no church, but us steal off and have it sometimes, and iffen old
-Marse cotch us he give us a whalin'. We didn't have no funerals like
-now, they jus' dig a hole and make you a box, and throw you in and cover
-you up. But de white folks fed us good and give us good clothes. We wore
-red russet shoes and good homespun clothes, and we done better'n now.
-
-"Come Christmas time old marse sometimes give us two-bits and lots of
-extra eats. Iffen it come Monday, we has de week off. But we has to
-watch the eats, 'cause niggers what they marsters don't give 'em no
-Christmas sneak over and eat it all up. Sometimes we have dances, and
-I'd play de fiddle for white folks and cullud folks both. I'd play,
-'Young Girl, Old Girl', 'High Heel Shoes,' and 'Calico Stockings.'
-
-"When we was freed we was all glad, but I stayed 'round and worked for
-Marse Dave and he pays me a little. Finally Lucy and me gits married out
-of de Book and comes down here to Marse McNeel's. They puts us in debt
-and makes us work so many years to pay for it. They gives us our own
-ground and sometimes we makes two bales of cotton on it. 'Course, we
-works for them, too, and they pays us a little and when Christmas comes
-we can buy our own things. I used to haul sugar and 'lasses for Papa
-John up to Brazoria and sometimes to Columbia.
-
-"Yes, suh, I been here a long time, long time. All my own stuff is dead
-now, I guess. I got grandchillen in Galveston, I think, but all my own
-stuff is dead."
-
-Hagar Lewis
-===========
-
-**Hagar Lewis, tall and erect at 82 years of age, lives at 4313 Rosa
-St., El Paso, Texas. She was born a slave of the Martin family and was
-given with her mother and family to Mary Martin, when she married John
-M. McFarland. They lived near Tyler, Smith Co., Texas. When freed she
-remained with the McFarlands until she married A. Lewis and moved to San
-Antonio, Texas. Widowed early, she raised two sons. One, chief
-electrical engineer with the U.S. government, lives in New York City. He
-provides for his aged mother.**
-
-[HW: Illegible]
-
-"I was born Jan. 12th, 1855. My first owners was the Martins, and when
-their daughter, Mary, married, I was give to her. My mama lived to 112
-years old. She had sixteen children. I was the baby.
-
-"Missus Mary McFarland, my mother's missus and mine, taught us children
-with her own; learned us how to read and write. She treated us just like
-we were her children. We had very strict leaders, my mother and Missus
-Mary. She'd say, 'Mammy Lize (my mother), 'you'll have to come and whop
-Oscar and Hagar, they's fightin!' Mammy Lize would say, 'No, I won't
-whop 'em, I'll just punish 'em.' And we'd have to stand with our backs
-to each other. My missus never did much whoppin'.
-
-"We lived in cabins made of logs and chinked with mud mortar. We had
-beds that had only one leg; they fit in each corner of the walls. They
-was strong, stout. We could jump on 'em and have lots of fun. We didn'
-stay in quarters much. The cabins was near a creek where willows grew
-and we'd make stick horses out of 'em. We called it our horse lot. On
-the farm was a spring that threw water high, and we'd go fishing in a
-big lake on one corner of the farm. Marster owned half a league, maybe
-more.
-
-"I was 12 years old when freed. I can remember the way my marster come
-home from the war. The oldest son, Oscar, and I was out in the yard, and
-I saw marster first, comin' down the road, and I hollered and screamed,
-'O, Oscar, Marse John's a-comin! Marse John's a-comin' home!' We stayed
-on with them 'till they all died off but Oscar.
-
-"We never changed our name 'till after the Civil War. Then Marse John
-said, 'Mammy Lize, you gotta choose a name.' He carried us into Tyler to
-a bureau or something. Mammy Lize say, 'I'm going to keep the name
-McFarland. I ain't got no other name.'
-
-"My father was a slave from another farm. My mother was the cook. She
-cooked it all in the same place for white folks and us. We ate the same,
-when the white folks was finished. They's a big light bread oven in the
-yard of the big house and in front of the quarters, under a big tree.
-That one baked the pies. The cabins had a big fireplace wider than that
-piano there. They'd hang meat and sausage and dry them in the fireplace.
-Cut holes in ham and hang them there. Had big hogsheads filled up with
-flour, corn and wheat.
-
-"Some pore niggers were half starved. They belonged to other people.
-Missus Mary would call them in to feed 'em, see 'em outside the fence
-pickin' up scraps. They'd call out at night, 'Marse John, Marse John.'
-They's afraid to come in daytime. Marse John'd say, 'What's the matter
-now?' They'd say, 'I'se hongry.' He'd say, 'Come in and git it.' He'd
-cure lots of meat, for we'd hear 'em hollerin' at night when they'd
-beat the pore niggers for beggin' or stealin', or some crime.
-
-"Marse John would saddle up Old Charlie and go see. He had a big shot
-gun across his lap. We'd hear that ole bull whip just a poppin'. They'd
-turn 'em loose when Marse John got after 'em. He prosecuted some
-marsters for beatin' the slaves. He knew they was half feedin' 'em. One
-time he let us go see where they'd drug two niggers to death with oxen.
-For stealin' or somethin'. I can't say we were treated bad, 'cause I'd
-tell a story. I've always been treated good by whites, but many of the
-niggers was killed. They'd say bad words to the bosses and they'd shoot
-'em. We'd ask Miss Mary why did they kill old Uncle so and so, and Miss
-Mary would say, 'I don't know. It's not right to say when you don't
-know.' I'm glad to see slavery over.
-
-"When I was turned loose Miss Mary was training me and sister to do
-handwork, knittin' and such. Mama wouldn't let us dance, didn't want any
-rough children. Miss Mary'd say, when I'd get sleepy, 'Owl eyes, ain't
-you sleepy?' I'd say, 'No, ma'am, anything you want us to do?' I cried
-to sleep in the big house with Miss Mary and the children, 'cause my
-sister Belle did. Said she's goin' to turn white 'cause she stayed with
-the white folks, and I wanted to turn white, too.
-
-"Miss Mary'd make our Sunday dresses. My mother put colored thread in
-woven material and they was pretty. We had plenty of clothes. Miss Mary
-saw to that. They paid my mother for every child she had that was big
-enough to work, and Marse John saw that others did the same.
-
-"Some whites had a dark hole in the ground, a 'dungeon,' they called it,
-to put their slaves in. They'd carry 'em bread and water once a day.
-I'se afraid of the hole, they'd tell me the devil was in that hole.
-
-.. _`Hagar Lewis`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image04hagar.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Hagar Lewis
-
- Hagar Lewis
-
-"We set traps for 'possum, coons and squirrels. We used to have big
-sport ridin' goats. One near busted me wide open. Miss Mary's brother
-put me on it, and they punished him good for it. He didn't get to play
-for a long time. And we had an old buck sheep. He'd keep Oscar and I up
-on the oak patch fence all the time.
-
-"We'd watch the doodle bugs build their houses. We'd sing, 'Doodle,
-Doodle, your house burned down.' Those things would come up out of their
-holes just a-shakin'.
-
-"One game I remember was, 'Skip frog, Skip frog, Answer your Mother,
-she's callin' you, you, you.' We'd stand in a circle and one would be
-skip frog. We'd slap our hands and skip frog would be hoppin' just like
-frogs do. Oh, I wish I could call them times back again. I'd go back
-tomorrow. But I'm tryin' to live so I can meet 'em once again."
-
-Henry Lewis
-===========
-
-**Henry Lewis was born in 1835, at Pine Island, in Jefferson Co., Texas.
-He was owned by Bob Cade. Henry's voice is low and somewhat indistinct
-and it was evidently a strain on his vocal chords and also on his
-memory, to tell the story of his life. He lives with one of his
-daughters, in Beaumont, who supports him, with the aid of his pension.**
-
-"Old Bob Cade, he my massa, and Annie Cade, she my missus. Dey had a big
-plantation over in Louisiana and 'nother in Jefferson County, out at
-Pine Island. I's born a hunnerd and one year ago, on Christmas Day, out
-at Pine Island. If I lives to see next Christmas day 'gain, I'll be a
-hunerd two year old.
-
-"My mammy she come from Mis'sippi and she name' Judy Lewis. Washington
-Lewis, one de slaves on Massa Bob's Louisiana plantation, he my daddy. I
-can't 'member nobody else 'cept my greatgramma, Patsy. She's 130 when
-she die. She look awful, but den she my folks. My own dear mammy was 112
-year old when she die. She have ten chillen and de bigges' portion dem
-born in slavery time. Dey two sister older'n me, Mandy and Louise. I
-name' after my daddy brudder, Henry Lewis.
-
-"My white folks have a plantation in Louisiana, at Caginly, and stay
-over dere mos' de time. I 'member when old Massa Bob used to come to
-Pine Island to stay a month or two, all us li'l chillen gather round him
-and he used to throw out two bitses and big one cent pieces 'mongst us,
-jis' to see us scrammel for dem. When Christmas time come round dey give
-us Christmas gift and a whole week for holiday.
-
-"I never been no nearer east dan Lake Charles and dat been lately, so I
-ain't never see de old plantation. At Pine Island us have de big woods
-place with a hunerd workin' hands, without de underlin's (children). All
-he niggers say Cade de good man. He hire he overseers and say, 'You can
-correct dem for dey own good and make dem work right, but you ain't
-better cut dey hide or draw no blood.' He git a-holt some mean overseers
-but dey don't tarry long. He find out dey beatin' he niggers and den he
-beat dem and say, 'How dat suit you?'
-
-"Old massa he a big, stocky Irishman with sandy hair and he ain't had no
-beard or mustache. When he grow old he have de gout and he put de long
-mattress out on de gallery and lay down on it. He say, 'Come here, my
-li'l niggers,' and den he make us rub he foots so he kin git to sleep.
-
-"Dey used to have old slavery-day jedge and jury of white folks and dey
-hear de case and 'cide how many lashes to give de darky. Dey put de lash
-on dem, but dey never put no jail on dem. I seed some slaves in chains
-and I heared of one massa what had de place in de fence with de hole cut
-out for de nigger's neck. Dey hist up de board and de nigger put he head
-through de hole and den dey beat him with a lash with holes bored in it
-and every hole raise de blister. Den he bus' dem blisters with de
-handsaw and dey put salt and pepper in de bucket water and 'noint dem
-blisters with de mop dip in de water. Dey do dat when dey in 'ticular
-bad humor, iffen de nigger ain't chop 'nough cotton or corn. Sometime a
-overseer kilt a nigger, and dey don't do nothin' to him 'cept make him
-pay for de nigger. But our massa good.
-
-"Old massa 'low us praise Gawd but lots of massas didn't 'low dem to git
-on de knees. Us have church-house and de white folks go in de mornin'
-and us go after dinner. Us used to sing:
-
- | "'My knee bones achin',
- | My body's rackin' with pain,
- | I calls myself de chile of Gawd,
- | Heaven am my aim.
- | If you don't 'lieve I's a chile of Gawd,
- | Jis' meet me on dat other shore,
- | Heaven is my home.
- | I calls myself a chile of Gawd,
- | I's a long time on my way,
- | But Heaven am my home.'
-
-"Old massa have de house make out hand-sawed planks in slavery time. It
-put together with home-made nails, dem spike, square nails dey make
-deyselfs. It have de long gallery on it. De slaves have li'l log cabin
-house with mud-cat chimney on de side and de furn'ture mostly Georgia
-hosses for beds and mattress make out tow sacks. Dey no floor in dem
-house, 'cept what Gawd put in dem.
-
-"When I six or seven year old dey 'cides I's big 'nough to start ridin'
-hosses. Dey have de big cattle ranch and I ride all over dis territory.
-I's too li'l to git on de hoss and dey lift me up, and dey have de real
-saddle for me, too. I couldn't git up, but I sho' could stay up when I
-git dere, I's jis' like a hoss-fly.
-
-"Beaumont was jis' a briarpatch in dem time. Jis' one li'l store and one
-blacksmith shop, and Massa John Herring he own dat. Dat de way I first
-see my wife, ridin' de range. De Cade brand was a lazy RC [TR: letters R
-and C turned 90 degrees] dat done register 'fore I's born. Us brand from
-de first of March to de 15th of December.
-
-"Old massa have de big field 'vided in trac's and each slave could have
-a part and raise what he want, and old massa buy de crop from de slave.
-He's purty good to he slaves, and us have good clothes, too, wool for
-winter and cotton for summer. Us have six suit de year, unnerwear and
-all. Dey a trunk like in de cabin for Sunday clothes and de res' hang on
-a peg.
-
-"Us have plenty good food to eat, too. Beef and hawgs and bacon and
-syrup and sugar and flour was plenty. All de possums and rabbits and
-fish and sich was jis' dat much more. He give us de barrel whiskey every
-year, too.
-
-"Dey 'low de li'l chillen lots of playtime and no hard task. Us play
-stick hoss and seven-up marble game with marbles us make and de 'well
-game.' De gal or boy sot in de chair and lean way back and 'tend like
-dey in de well. Dey say dey so many feet down and say, 'Who you want
-pull you out?' And de one you want pull you out, dey sposed to kiss you.
-
-"Dey used to be nigger traders what come through de country with de herd
-of niggers, jis' like cattlemen with de herd of cattle. Dey fix camp and
-de pen on de ridge of town and people what want to buy more slaves go
-dere. Dey have a block and make de slaves git up on dat. Maybe one man
-say, 'I give you, $200.00,' and when dey's through de slave sold to de
-highes' bidder. Old massa warn us look out and not let de trader cotch
-us, 'cause a trader jis' soon steal a nigger and sell him.
-
-"De patterrollers come round befo' de war to see iffen de massas treat
-dere slaves good. My wife's gramma say dey come round to her massa's
-place, but befo' dey git dere he take a meat skin and make dem rub it
-round dey mouth and git dey face all greasy so it look like dey have
-plenty to eat and he tell dem dey better tell de patterrollers dey
-gittin' plenty to eat. But dere one big nigger and he say, 'Hell, no, he
-ain't give us 'nough to eat.' Den dat nigger say, 'Please take me with
-you, 'cause if you don't massa gwineter kill me when you git gone.'
-
-"Old massa he die befo' de war and den he son, John Cade, take over de
-place, and he brudders help. Dey name' Overton and Taylor and Bob,
-Junior. Us all want to git free and talk 'bout it in de quarters 'mongst
-ourselfs, but we ain't say nothin' where de white folks heared us.
-
-"When war come on I seed sojers every day. Dey have de camp in Liberty
-and I watches dem. I heared de guns, too, maybe at Sabine Pass, but I
-didn't see no actual fightin'. Dat a long year to wait, de las' year de
-war. Dey sont de papers down on March 5th, I done heared, but dey didn't
-turn us loose den. Dis de last state to turn de slaves free. When dey
-didn't let dem go in March, de Yankee sojers come in June and make dem
-let us go. Next mornin' after de sojers come, de overseer reads de
-papers out and say we's free as he is and we can go. Some stay on de old
-place a long time and some go off. You know dey jis' slaves and wasn't
-civilize'. Some ain't never git civilize' jet. Old massa never give us
-nothin', but he told us we would stay on iffen we want, but I left.
-
-"I goes down close to Anahuac and builds a li'l log cabin at Monroe
-City, and dat's where dey puttin' in oil wells now. Washington Lewis,
-dat my daddy, he have 129 acres dere. De white folks say to sign de
-paper to let dem put de well on it and dey give us $50.00 and us sign
-dat paper and dey have de land.
-
-"I marries in slavery time, when I's 'bout 22 year old. My first wife
-name' Rachel an she live on Double Bayou. She belong to de Mayes place.
-I see her when I ridin' de range for Massa Bob. I tells massa I wants to
-git marry and he make ma ask Massa Mayes and us have de big weddin'. She
-dress all in white. I have de nice hat and suit of black clothes and
-daddy a shoemaker and make me de good pair of shoes to git marry in. Us
-stand front Massa Mayes and he read out de Bible. Us had a real big
-supper and some de white folks give us money.
-
-"De first money I makes am workin' for de gov'ment in Galveston. After
-de war de gov'ment hire folks to clean up de trash what de fightin' make
-and I am hired. Dey lots of wood and stones and brick and trees and
-sich dem big guns knock down.
-
-"I goes back to ridin' de prairie and rides till I's 94 year old. I
-stops de same year Mr. Joe Hebert dies. When I quits I's out workin',
-tendin' Mr. Langham's chickens and I forgits it Christmas and my
-birthday till Mr. Langham comes ridin' out with my money. Dat's de last
-work I done and dat in 1931 and I's 94 year old, like I say. I bet dese
-nineteen hunerd niggers ain't gwine live dat long.
-
-"I didn't had no chillen by my first wife and she been dead 'bout 70
-year now. My last wife name' Charlotte and she been dead 22 year and us
-have 16 chillen. Dey six gals and ten boys and ten am livin' now. Mos'
-of dem am too old to work now. I stays with Ada, here, and she got a
-gif'. She know what kind of herb am good for medicine for diff'rent
-ailments. She born with a veil over de face and am wise to dem things.
-Dey's de fever weed and de debil's shoestring, and fleaweed cures
-neuralgy and toothache. Spanish mulberry root, dat good for kidneys.
-When anybody git swolled feets give dem wild grapevine. Prickly ash bark
-good for dat, too. Red oak bark good for women's troubles and pumpkin
-head for de heart. Camphor and asafoetida in de bag round de neck good
-for de heart. When de chile git convulsion make dem drink li'l bluin'.
-Dat good for growed-up folks, too. It good for burns, too."
-
-Lucy Lewis
-==========
-
-**Lucy Lewis, wife of Cinto Lewis, does not know her age, but is very
-aged in appearance, about four feet tall and weighs around 65 or 70
-pounds. She was born on the McNeel plantation at Pleasant Grove, land
-now occupied by No. 2 Camp of the Clemens Prison Farm. Her master was
-Johnny McNeel, brother of J. Greenville McNeel. His sister married Dave
-Randon, Cinto's master. Cinto and Lucy's cabin is furnished with an
-enormous four-poster bed and some chairs. Pots, pans, kettles and jugs
-hang on the walls. The fireplace has a skillet and beanpot in the ashes.
-The old people are almost blind.**
-
-"You all white folks jus' set a bit while I eats me a little breakfast.
-I got me a little flap jack and some clabber here. Dem old flies gobble
-it up for me, don't I git to it fust. Me and Cinto 'bout starve, old
-hard time 'bout git us. I sure wishes I could find some of Marse John
-Dickinson's folks, I sho' go to them.
-
-"Me and Cinto got nine head grandchillen down in Galveston, but dey
-don't write or nothin'. All our own children are dead. Dey was Lottie
-and Louisa and Alice. Dey was John, too, but he was so little and
-scrawny he die when he a month old. We call him after Marse John, which
-we all love so much.
-
-"My mama's name was Lottie Hamilton and she was born at de Cranby Camp
-for Johnny McNeel. My papa was a Mexican and went by name of Juan.
-
-"I don't hardly recollec' when we git married. I hardly turn fifteen and
-dey was fat on dese here old bones den, and I had me a purty white
-calico dress to git married in. It was low in de neck with ruffles and
-de sleeves come to my elbow purty like. We sho' had de finest kind of a
-time when Cinto and me gits married, we-all fishes down on de bayou all
-day long. Marse John marry us right out of de Bible.
-
-"I were bred and born in No. 2 Camp over thar, but it called McNeel
-Plantation at Pleasant Grove in them days. It was Greenville McNeel's
-brother and his sister, Nancy, marry Dave Randon. When my marster and
-wife separate, de wife took part de slaves and de marster took some
-others and us and we come down here.
-
-"I had five brothers and one sister and I jus' 'member, Cinto' s
-step-pappy try cross de ribber on a log in high water and a old
-alligator swaller him right up.
-
-"My marster and his missy were mighty good to us, mighty good. We used
-to wear good clothes--real purty clothes--most as good as dat Houston
-cloth you-all wearin'. And, sho' 'nough, I had some purty red russet
-shoes. When we-all real good, Marse John used to give us small money to
-buy with. I spent mos' of mine to buy clothes. We used to go barefoot
-and only when I go to church and dances I wore my shoes.
-
-"We sho' had some good dances in my young days, when I was spry. We used
-to cut all kind of steps, de cotillion and de waltz and de shotty
-(schottische) and all de rest de dances of dat time. My preacher used to
-whup me did he hear I go to dances, but I was a right smart dancin' gal.
-I was little and sprite and all dem young bucks want to dance with me.
-
-"Cinto didn't know how to do no step, but he could fiddle. Dere was a
-old song which come back to me, 'High heels and Calico Stockin's.'
-
- | "'Fare you well, Miss Nancy Hawkins,
- | High heel shoes and calico stockin's.'
-
-"I can't sing now from de time I lost my teeth with de Black John fever.
-When I git dat fever, my missy told me not to drink a mite of water
-'cepting she told me to. I git so hot I jus' can't stand it and done
-drink a two-pint bucket of water, and my teeth drop right out.
-
-"Missy sho' good to me. Dey 'bout 20 slaves but I stay in de house all
-de time. Our house have two big rooms and a kitchen and de boys and men
-have rooms apart like little bitty houses on de outside. When we don't
-have to green up, I gits up 'bout sun-up to make coffee, but when we has
-to green up de house for company I gits up earlier.
-
-"Missy Nancy used to whup me if I done told a lie, but I didn't git
-whupped often. She used to whup me with a cattle whup made out of
-cowhide.
-
-"Some of de slaves wore charms round dey necks, little bags of
-asfeddity. Me, I got me three vaccinations--dat all I need.
-
-"We used to git lots to eat, greens and suet, fish from de ribber,
-cornmeal and plenty of sugar, even in de war time. Soldiers was around
-here as thick as weeds. We had to give 'em a tithe of corn and we makes
-clothes for 'em, and bandages and light jackets. We made de heavy leaded
-jackets, with lead in de skirts of de coat to hold it down. De lead
-looked like a marble and we cut it in long strips and hammer it down.
-
-"One of dem Yank gunboats come up de river and shell around here. Right
-here. Dem shells come whistlin' through de trees and lop de limbs right
-off. Dem were sho' scare times.
-
-"I didn't want to be free, I was too happy with missy. But I had to be
-free, jus' like de others."
-
-Amos Lincoln
-============
-
-**Amos Lincoln, 85, was born a slave of Elshay Guidry, whose plantation
-was in the lower delta country of Louisiana, about fifty miles south of
-New Orleans. His memories of slave days are somewhat vague. He has lived
-in Beaumont fifty-two years.**
-
-"My tongue's right smart I think. I's ten year old when they blew up that
-fort. I mean Fort Jackson. Grandpa was cookin'. They wouldn't let him
-fight. The fort was in New Orleans. They kilt lots of people. They bore
-holes in the ground and blow it up. A square hole, you know, a machine
-went in there. A man could crawl in the hole, yes, yes, sho'. The fort
-was long side the river. They bore holes from the river bank. They had a
-white paper, a order for 'em not to come to New Orleans. They drag
-cannon in the hole and shoot up the fort.
-
-"Soon's freedom come my pa and ma was squatters on gov'ment land. It was
-good land and high land. My pa had 'bout 100 acres. One night somebody
-come shoot him. Shoot him in the back. Ma took the chillen to Shady
-Bayou to grandpa.
-
-"My grandpa come from Africy. I never see my other people 'cause dey
-'longs to other masters. My grandpa die when he 115 year old.
-
-"Elisha Guidry he my master in slavery. He had lots of slaves. He whip
-my pa lots of times. He was unwillin' to work. He whip my ma, too. One
-time he cut her with the whip and cut one her big toes right off. Ma
-come up on the gallery and wrap it up in a piece of rag.
-
-"Us have a dirt house. The chimney made with mud. It's a good house. It
-hot in summer. The beds made with moss and shucks and the big old ticks
-made at the big house. Us didn't have no chairs. Jes' benches. In the
-room's a big trough. Us sit 'round the trough and eat clabber and bread
-with big, wood spoon. I eat many a meal that way myself.
-
-"Dem's moral times. A gal's 21 'fore she marry. They didn't go wanderin'
-'round all hours. They mammies knowed where they was. Folks nowadays is
-wild and weak. The gals dress up come Sunday. All week they wear they
-hair all roll up with cotton they unfold from the cotton boll. Sunday
-come they comb the hair out fine. No grease on it. They want it natural
-curly.
-
-"Us have good food most time. Steel and log traps fo' big game. Pit
-traps in the woods 'bout so long and so deep, and kivered with bresh and
-leaves. That cotch possum and coon and other things what come 'long in
-the night. Us lace willow twigs and strings and put a cross piece on top
-and bottom, and little piece of wood on top edge. The trap 'bout two
-feet off the ground to cotch the birds. Doves, blackbirds, any kind
-birds you can eat. Us clean them li'l birds good and rub 'em down in
-lard. After they set awhile us broil 'em with plenty black pepper and
-salt. Us shoot plenty ducks with musket, too.
-
-"Greens was good, too. Us eat parsley greens and shuglar weed. That big,
-two foot plant what have red flower on it. Us git lots of 'em in Wade's
-Bayou. Us put li'l bit flour in ashes and make ashcake. Us cook pumpkin
-in ashes, too.
-
-"After slavery I hoe cotton. No money at first, jes' work on halves. The
-trouble that there no equal halves. The white folks pay jes' like they
-wants. A man couldn't work that way no time. I had to come over to
-Texas 'cause a man what want my land say I stoled a barrel from he
-house. He try arres' my old woman 'cause she say she find the barrel.
-Now, I never have the case in lawsuit and I 'spect to die that way. But
-I has to stay 'way from Mauriceville for three year 'cause that man say
-I thiefed he barrel.
-
-"Things was bad after us come to Texas for a time. That Lizal Scizche,
-he sho' rough man. Us cropped on the share and he take the crop and the
-money and lef' fast. Us didn't have a mess of nothin' left.
-
-"I manages to live by croppin'. I been here 52 year now. My first wife
-name Massanne Florshann, that the French. My wife what I got now name
-Annie. Massanne she give me six chillen and Annie four."
-
-Annie Little
-============
-
-**Annie Little, 81, was born a slave of Bill Gooden, in Springfield,
-Missouri. Her master owned a plantation in Mississippi, and sent Annie's
-family there while she was a baby. Annie now lives in Mart, Texas.**
-
-"I's first a baby in Springfield. Dat in Missouri and dere am where I's
-birthed in January, 1856. My daddy and mammy was Howard and Annie and
-dey 'longed to Massa Bill Gooden. He have de plantation in Missipp' and
-send us dere while I's still de li'l baby. Dat am what dey call de Delta
-now, and de cotton so high I clumb up in de trees to reach de top of de
-stalks, and de corn so high a man on he mule only have de top he hat
-showin'.
-
-"If us mind massa and missus, dey good to us, but if de hands lazy and
-not work den de overseer whop dem. When dey run 'way he sot de
-bloodhounds on dem and dey clumb de tree. I's heared dem hounds bayin'
-de nigger up a tree jes' lots of times. Massa never sold none my family
-and we stays with him till he wife die and he die, too.
-
-"In de cold days de women spin and weave de cloth on looms. I stands by
-and pick up de shuttle when dey fall. Us niggers all wore de clothes
-make on de spinnin' wheel, but de white folks wore dresses from de
-store. Dey have to pay fifty and seventy-five cents de yard for calico
-den.
-
-.. _`Annie Little`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image20annie.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Annie Little
-
- Annie Little
-
-"Den de war come. I 'member how massa come home on de furlough and when
-word come he on de way, us all git ready for de big cel'bration. Dey
-kill the yearlin' or hawg and all us niggers cook for de big feast.
-Sometimes iffen he stay a week, we jes' do nothin' but eat and cook.
-
-"Dem de good old days, but dey didn't last, for de war am over to sot de
-slaves free and old massa ask if we'll stay or go. My folks jes' stays
-till I's a growed gal and gits married and has a home of my own. Den my
-old man tell me how de Yankees stoled him from de fields. Dey some
-cavalry sojers and dey make him take care of de hosses. He's 'bout twict
-as old as me, and he say he was in de Bull Run Battle. He's capture in
-one battle and run 'way and 'scape by de holp of a Southern regiment and
-fin'ly come back to Mississip'. He like de war songs like 'Marchin'
-Through Georgia,' but bes' of all he like dis song:
-
- | "'I ain't gwine study war no more,
- | i gwine lay down my burden,
- | down by de river side,
- | down by de river side.
- |
- | "'Gwine lay down my sword and shield
- | Down by de riverside,
- | Down by de riverside.
- |
- | "'I ain't gwine study war no more,
- | Gwine try on my starry crown,
- | Down by de river side,
- | Down by de river side.'
-
-"Well, he done lay he burden down and quit dis world in 1916.
-
-"Do I 'member any hant stories? Well, we'd sit round de fire in de
-wintertime and tell ghos' stories till us chillen 'fraid to go to bed at
-night. Iffen I can 'lect, I'll tell you one. Dis story am 'bout a old,
-haunted house, a big, old house with two front rooms down and two front
-rooms up and a hall runnin' from back to front. In back am de li'l house
-where Alex, massa's boy kep' he hoss, stay.
-
-"Dis big house face de river. Old Massa go to war and never come back
-no more. Old missy jes' wait and wait, till fin'ly dey all say she am
-weak in de head. Every day she tell de niggers to kill de pig, dat massa
-be home today. Every day she fix up in de Sunday best and wait for him.
-It go on like dat for years and years, till old miss am gone to be with
-old massa, and de niggers all left and dere am jes' de old house left.
-
-"One day long time after freedom Alex come back, and he hair turned
-white. He go up de river to de old plantation to tell Old Miss dat Old
-Massa gone to he Heavenly Home, and won't be back to de old place. He
-come up to de old house and de front gate am offen de hinges and de
-grass high as he head, and de blinds all hangin' sideways and rattle
-with de wind. Dey ain't no lightnin' bug and no crickets on de
-fireplace, jes' de old house and de wind a-blowin' through de window
-blinds and moanin' through de trees.
-
-"Old Alex so broke up he jes' sot down on de steps and 'fore he knowed
-it he's asleep. He saw Old Massa and hisself gwine to war and Old Massa
-am on he white hoss and he new gray uniform what de women make for him,
-and de band am playin' Dixie. Old Alex seed hisself ridin' he li'l roan
-pony by Old Massa's side. Den he dream o' after de battle when he look
-for Old Massa and finds him and he hoss lyin' side by side, done gone to
-where dere ain't no more war. He buries him, and--den de thunder and
-lightnin' make Alex wake up and he look in Old Miss' room and dere she
-am, jes' sittin' in her chair, waitin' for Old Massa. Old Alex go to
-talk with her and she fade 'way. Alex stay in he li'l old cabin waitin'
-to tell Old Miss, and every time it come rain and lightnin' she allus
-sot in her chair and go 'way 'fore he git in her room. So Old Alex
-fin'ly goes to sleep forever, but he never left he place of watchin' for
-Old Miss.
-
-"De white folks and niggers what live in dem days wouldn't live in dat
-big, old house, so it am call de 'hanted house by de river.' It stands
-all 'lone for years and years, till de new folks from up North come and
-tore it down." (See pictures of house at end of story.)
-
-"I well 'lect my old man sayin' how de steamboat come whistlin' up de
-river and all de darkies go to singin', 'Steamboat Comin' Round da
-Bend.' Dis am in de cotton patch jes' 'yond da hanted house and de
-steamboat whistle mean time to go to dinner. Dat am de Little Red River
-up in Arkansas, where my old man, Dolphus Little, am birthed, right near
-de hanted house.
-
-"Dolphus and me marries in Missipp' but come to Texas and lives at
-Hillsboro on Massa John Willoughby's farm. We has ten chillen and I'm
-livin' with my baby boy right now. I'll tell you de song I gits all dem
-chillen to sleep with:
-
- | "Mammy went 'way--she tell me to stay,
- | And take good care of de baby.
- | She tell me to stay and sing disaway,
- | O, go to sleepy, li'l baby,
- |
- | "O, shut you eye and don't you cry,
- | Go to sleepy, li'l baby.
- | 'Cause mammy's boun' to come bime-by,
- | O, go to sleepy, li'l baby.
- |
- | "We'll stop up de cracks and sew up de seams,
- | De booger man never shall cotch you.
- | O, go to sleep and dream sweet dreams,
- | De booger man never shall cotch you.
- |
- | "De river run wide, de river run deep,
- | O, bye-o, sweet li'l baby.
- | Dat boat rock slow, she'll rock you to sleep,
- | O, bye-o, sweet li'l baby.
- |
- | Chorus
- |
- | "O, go to sleepy, sleepy, li'l baby,
- | 'Cause when you wake, you'll git some cake,
- | And ride a li'l white hossy.
- | O, de li'l butterfly, he stole some pie,
- | Go to sleepy, li'l baby.
- | And flew so high till he put out his eye,
- | O, go to sleepy, li'l baby."
- |
- |
- |
-
-Abe Livingston
-==============
-
-**Abe Livingston, 83 years old, was born a slave to Mr. Luke Hadnot,
-Jasper Co., Texas, the owner of about 70 slaves. He now lives in
-Beaumont, Texas.**
-
-"\I done well in slavery, 'cause I belonged to Massa Luke Hadnot and he
-had some boys and they and me grew up together. When my daddy beat me
-I'd go up to the big house and stay there with the boys and we'd git
-something to eat from the kitchen. When de white folks has et, we gits
-what lef'. Massa Luke done well by his niggers, he done better'n mos' of
-'em.
-
-"Us boys, white boys and me, had lots of fun when us growin' up. I
-'member the games us play and we'd sing this:
-
- | "'Marly Bright, Marly Bright,
- | Three score and ten;
- | Kin you git up by candlelight?
- | Yes, iffen your legs
- | Are long and limber and light.'
-
-"Sometimes us boys, not the white ones 'cause they couldn', would go in
-the woods and stay all night. We builds campfires and watches for
-witches and hants. I seen some but what they was I don' know. By the
-waterhole, one tall white hant used to come nearly every night. I
-couldn' say much how it looked, 'cause I was too scart to git close.
-
-.. _`Abe Livingston`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image24abe.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Abe Livingston
-
- Abe Livingston
-
-\"I was jus' about big enough to handle the mule when the war bust out.
-My daddy was a servant in the army and he helped dig the breastwork
-round Mansfield for the battle.
-
-"News of the freedom come 'bout 9 or 10 o'clock on a Tuesday morning.
-Mos' us goes home and stays there till nex' Monday. Then Yankees come
-and told us we's free. About 80 of 'em come and they sho' laughed a lot,
-like they's glad war is through. Seem like they's more for eatin' than
-anything else and dey steal the good hosses. They take everything to
-eat, and 40 big gobblers and they eat the hawgs and beeves, too. How
-them Yankees could eat! I never seen nothin' like it.
-
-"I come to Jefferson County after freedom and got me a job. It was
-spikin' on the railroad. Freedom didn' mean much to me, 'cause I didn'
-know the difference. I done well anyhow."
-
-John Love
-=========
-
-**John Love, 76, was born near Crockett, Texas, a slave of John Smelley.
-John tells of the days of Reconstruction, and life in the river bottoms.
-He now lives in Marlin, Texas.**
-
-"I's born on de Neches River and spends all my earlies' life right down
-in de river bottoms, 'cause I done live in de Brazos bottom, too. Mammy
-and pappy 'longed to John Smelley and was Rose and John.
-
-"It was wild down in de Neches bottom den, plenty bears and panthers and
-deers and wolves and catamounts, and all kind birds and wild turkeys.
-Jes' a li'l huntin' most allus fill de pot dem days. De Indians traps de
-wild animals and trade de hides for supplies. We was right near to de
-Cherokee and Creek res'vation. I knowed lots of Indians, and some what
-was Alabama Indians and done come over here. Dey said de white people
-was wrong when dey thinks Alabama mean 'here we rest.' It don't mean dat
-a-tall. It mean "people what gathers mulberries.' You see, dem Alabama
-Indians right crazy 'bout mulberries and has a day for a feast when de
-mulberries gits ripe. Dat where de tribe git its name and de town named
-after de tribe.
-
-"Massa Smelley fit in de Mexico War and in de Freedom War, but I don't
-know nothin' 'bout de battles. De bigges' thing I 'members am when de
-soldiers come back, 'cause dey finds all dey cattle stoled or dead. De
-soldiers, both kinds, de 'Federates and Yankees, done took what dey
-want. De plantations all growed up in weeds and all de young slaves
-gone, and de ones what stayed was de oldes' and faithfulles'.
-
-"Times was hard and no money, and if dere wasn't plenty wild animals
-everybody done starve. But after 'while, new folks come in, and has some
-money and things picks up a li'l more'n more.
-
-"We has de sugar cane and makes sorghum, and has our own mill. Us all,
-mammy and pappy and us chillun, done stay with Massa Smelley long time
-after freedom, 'cause we ain't got nowhere to go or nothin'. I'd holp in
-de 'lasses mill, and when we grinds dat cane to cook into syrup, dis am
-de song:
-
- | "'Ain't no more cane on de Neches,
- | Ain't no more cane on de land;
- | Oh---- ooooo---- ooooo---- oO!
- | Done grind it all in 'lasses,
- | Oh---- ooooo---- ooooo---- oO!
-
-"After I's 'bout growed, I moves to de Brazos bottom and works for a
-stockman, den I works for de man what driv de first post on de Houston &
-Texas Central right-of-way. I holped build dat railroad from Houston to
-Waco, and build de fences and lay de cross-tires. Den I broke wild
-hosses for Mr. Curry. He give me my groceries and twenty-five cents a
-day. I was sho' proud of de job.
-
-"After dis, I carries de mail from Marlin to Eddy, on hossback. De roads
-went through de Brazos bottom. Dey was jes' cowtrails, 'stead of roads.
-Dere was a road through dat bottom so bad de white man wouldn't carry
-dat mail, so dey gives it to me and I ain't got no better sense dan to
-try it. Dat six miles through de bottom was all mudholes and when de
-river git out de banks dat was bad. But I helt out for eight years, till
-de mail sent by train.
-
-"I knows why dat boll-weevil done come. Dey say he come from Mexico, but
-I think he allus been here. Away back yonder a spider live in de
-country, 'specially in de bottoms. He live on de cotton leaves and
-stalks, but he don't hurt it. Dese spiders kep' de insects eat up. Dey
-don't plow deep den, and plants cotton in February, so it made 'fore de
-insects git bad.
-
-"Den dey gits to plowin' deep, and it am colder 'cause de trees all cut,
-and dey plows up all de spiders and de cold kill dem. Dey plants later,
-and dere ain't no spiders left to eat up de boll-weevil.
-
-"I knows an old boll-weevil song, what us sing in de fields:
-
- | "De bollweevil is a li'l bug, from Mexico, dey say,
- | He come try dis Texas soil, and think he better stay,
- | A-lookin' for a home--jes' lookin' for a home.
- |
- | "De farmer took de bollweevil and put him in de sand.
- | Boll weevil said to farmer, 'I'll stand it like a man,
- | For it's jes' my home--it's jes' my home.'
- |
- | "First time I seed de weevil, he on de eastern train,
- | Nex' time I seed dat weevil, he on de Memphis train,
- | A-lookin' for a home--jes' lookin' for a home.
- |
- | "If anybody axes you who writ dis li'l song,
- | It's jes' a dark-skin nigger, with old blue duckin's on."
-
-Louis Love
-==========
-
-**Louis Love, 91, was born in Franklin, Louisiana, a slave of Donaltron
-Cafrey, whom Louis describes as a "leadin' lawyer and once United States
-Senator." At the start of the Civil War, Louis was sent to Texas with
-about 300 other slaves to escape the "Yankee invaders." Louis now lives
-in Orange, Texas, and says he spends most of his time sitting on the
-gallery. One hand shakes constantly and his reedy voice is tremulous.**
-
-"Well, I guess I's 'bout 91 year old. I 'member when freedom come. I
-goes up to reg'stration de year I gits free. I walks up to old Doc Young
-and say, 'I come reg'ster for de vote.' He say, 'You too young to vote.
-You ask your missus.' Missus git de big book 'bout six inch thick where
-she got all de births and deaths on dat place since she been missus and
-she give me a letter sayin' I nineteen year old. I kep' dat letter till
-not so long ago and burns it by mistake, 'cause I can't read.
-
-"Dave Love he was my daddy and Tildy Love was my mama. My grandmama
-raise me, though. My massa's name Donaltron Cafrey and he statue stand
-in de court house square now. He was a leadin' lawyer and a United
-States senator. When Senator Gibson die massa he serve out he term.
-Young massa name Donaltron Cafrey, junior, and he keep de big bank in
-New Orleans now.
-
-"I never was sold to nobody. I heared folks say my folks come from
-Kentucky, but my mama born on Massa Cafrey's place. He have de big
-house, fine old house with galleries all 'round and big lawns. It's far
-back from de road, pushin' clost to a mile, I guess. He have seven sugar
-plantation and after freedom come dey rents it out at $3.00 a acre to
-raise 'taters in.
-
-"Us live in shacks 'bout like dese 'round here. Dese times am better'n
-slavery times, 'cause den you couldn't go nowheres 'thout de pass or de
-patterrollers git you. Dat mean 25 lashes and more when you gits home.
-
-"My missus took us chillen to de Baptis' church and de white preacher he
-preach. De cullud folks could have church demselves iffen dey have de
-manager of 'ligion to kinder preach. Course he couldn't read, he jus'
-talk what he done heared de white preachers say.
-
-"I git ship one time. Dat time de overseer give me de breakin'. Dey have
-stocks dey put a man in. Dey put de man leg through de holes and shut it
-down. De man jus' lay dere and bawl.
-
-"De clothes us wore was shirts and us didn't git no britches till us
-big. I's wearin' britches a good many year 'fore freedom, though. Dey
-give us two suit de year and us have beefhide shoes what us call
-moc'sins.
-
-"Dey wasn't no better people dan my white folks. Dey didn't 'low us to
-be brutalize', but dey didn't 'low us to be sassy, neither. I holp my
-grandma milk de cows.
-
-"When de Yankees come to New Orleans dey go on to Port Hudson and have
-de big fight dere. Massa order everybody be ready to travel nex'
-mornin'. Dey 'bout 300 peoples in dat travel wagon and dey camps dat
-night at Camp Fusilier, where de 'federates have de camp. Dey make only
-five mile dat day. Dey stops one night at Pin Hook, in Vermilionville.
-My brudder die dere. Dey kep' on dat way till dey come to Trinity River.
-I stay dere five year.
-
-"De overseer on de new plantation name Smoot. I wait on de table and
-grandma she cook for Smoot. Dey raise sugar cane and corn and peas and
-sich like. Dey have lots of pork meat. Dey have stock and one time a
-calf git eat by a panther. Massa hunt dat panther and shoot him in a
-tree.
-
-"One day Smoot tell me to bring all de hands to de house when dey blows
-de horn at noon. When dey gits dere old massa say dey's free as he was.
-If dey stays he say he give 'em half de crop, but didn't one stay. Six
-or seven what wants go back to de old home massa done give teams to and
-it take dem 'bout six week comin' home. I's glad to git dere. I couldn't
-see free meant no better. Missus plantation seem mighty pleasant.
-
-"I been marry twict. Fust time a gal name Celeste, but she 'fuse to come
-to Texas with me and dat 'solve de marriage. I marry dis wife, Sarah,
-'bout a few year ago. Us been marry 'bout 22 year."
-
-John McCoy
-==========
-
-**John McCoy, ex-slave, who lives in a small shack in the rear of 2310
-State St., Houston, Texas, claims to have been born Jan. 1, 1838.
-Although his memory is hazy, John is certain that "folks had a heap more
-sense in slave times den dey has now."**
-
-"Well, suh, my white folks done larn me to start de cotton row right and
-point for de stake at de far end of de field, and dat way a nigger don't
-git off de line and go dis-a-way and dat-a-way. He start right and end
-right, yes, suh! Dat de way to live--you start right and go de straight
-way to de end and you comes out all right.
-
-"I's been here a mighty long time, I sho has, and done forgit a heap,
-'cause my head ain't so good no more, but when I first knowed myself I
-'longs to old Marse John McCoy. Old Miss Mary was he wife and dey de
-only white folks what I ever 'longs to. Dat how come I's a McCoy, 'cause
-all de niggers what old marse have goes by his name.
-
-"My pappy's name was Hector and mammy's name Ann, and dey dies when I's
-jes' a young buck and dat been a long time 'fore freedom. Ain't got no
-brudders and sisters what I knows 'bout. All a slave have to go by am
-what de white folks tells him 'bout his kinfolks.
-
-"Old Marse John have a big place round Houston and raises cotton and
-corn and hawgs and cows. Dere was lots of wilderness den, full of
-varmints and wildcats and bears. Old Marse done larn me 'bedience and
-not to lie or steal, and he larn me with de whip. Dat all de larnin' we
-gits. Does he cotch you with de book or paper, he whip you hand down. He
-don't whip de old folks none, jes' de young bucks, 'cause dey wild and
-mean and dat de onlies' way dey larns right from wrong.
-
-"I tells you jes' like I tells everyone--folks had heap more sense in
-slave times dan dey has now. Long as a nigger do right, old marse
-pertect him. Old Marse feed he niggers good, too, and we has plenty
-clothes. Course, dey home-made on de spinnin' wheel, but dey good. De
-shoes jes' like pen'tentiary shoes, only not fix up so good. Old Marse
-kill a cow for meat and take de hide to de tanner and Uncle Jim make dat
-hide into shoes. Dey hard and heavy and hurt de feets, but dey wear like
-you has iron shoes.
-
-"Old Marse don't work de niggers Sunday like some white folks do. Dat de
-day we has church meetin' under trees. De spirit jes' come down out de
-sky and you forgits all you troubles.
-
-"Slave times was de best, 'cause cullud folks am ig'rant and ain't got
-no sense and in slave times white folks show dem de right way. Now dey
-is free, dey gits uppity and sassy. Some dese young bucks ought to git
-dere heads whipped down. Dat larn dem manners.
-
-"Freedom wasn't no diff'rence I knows of. I works for Marse John jes' de
-same for a long time. He say one mornin, 'John, you can go out in de
-field iffen you wants to, or you can git out iffen you wants to, 'cause
-de gov'ment say you is free. If you wants to work I'll feed you and give
-you clothes but can't pay you no money. I ain't got none.' Humph, I
-didn't know nothin' what money was, nohow, but I knows I'll git plenty
-victuals to eat so I stays till old marse die and old miss git shet of
-de place. Den I gits me a job farmin' and when I gits too old for dat I
-does dis and dat for white folks, like fixin' yards.
-
-"I's black and jes' a poor, old nigger, but I rev'rence my white folks
-'cause dey rared me up in de right way. If cullud folk pay 'tention and
-listen to what de white folks tell dem, de world be a heap better off.
-Us old niggers knows dat's de truth, too, 'cause we larns respec' and
-manners from our white folks and on de great day of jedgment my white
-folks is gwineter meet me and shake hands with me and be glad to see me.
-Yes, suh, dat's de truth!"
-
-Hap McQueen
-============
-
-**Hap McQueen, 80, was born in Tennessee, a slave of the McQueen family,
-who later brought Hap to Texas. He now lives in Beaumont.**
-
-"I's born in Tennessee but dey brings me 'way from dere when I's a
-little chile, what my mammy say is eight year gwine on nine. My daddy
-name' Bill McQueen and my mammy name Neelie.
-
-"We come from Tennessee in de fall in de wagons and it takes us a long
-time, 'cause we camps on de way. But we gits dere and starts to work on
-de new place.
-
-"Massa have three cook women and two was my grandma and my mammy. De
-dinin' room was right by de kitchen and we has plenty to eat. He was a
-good massa and I wouldn't knowed it been slavery iffen dey hadn't told
-me so, I was treat so good.
-
-"Dey have a big house to take care de chillen when dey mammies workin'
-in de fields, and old missus sho good to dose chillen. She comes in
-herse'f every day to see dem and sometime play with dem.
-
-"Massa son John was de overseer but de old massa wouldn't 'low him to
-whip de slaves. Iffen it got to be done, old massa do it, but he never
-draw blood like on de plantations 'round us. Some of dem on dose
-plantations say dey ain't want Massa McQueen's niggers 'round de place,
-'cause dey's free, dey fed too good and all, and dey afraid it make dere
-slaves unsatisfy.
-
-"Dey allus stop workin' Saturday afternoons and Sunday and gits pass to
-go fishin' or huntin'. Sometime dey has preachin' under de arbor. Den at
-dinner time dey blow de horn and de cullud folks eats at de same time
-as de white folks, right where massa kin watch 'em, and if dey not
-enough to eat, he say, 'How come? What de matter with de cooks?'
-
-"He live in a two-story house builded out of lumber and all 'round in de
-yard was de quarters. Dey make out of logs and most has a little patch
-de massa 'lows 'em, and what dey raise dey own. My daddy raise cotton
-each year and he raise sweet 'taters and bank 'em.
-
-"Dey has Georgia hosses in de quarters. Dey was dem bed places what de
-niggers slep' on. Dey bores holes in de wall of de house and makes de
-frame of de bed and puts cotton mattress and quilt on dem. De white
-folks have house make bedsteads, too. De first bought bed I see was a
-plumb 'stonishment to me. It have big posties to hang 'skeeter bar over.
-De chairs was homemake too, with de white oak splits for de bottoms.
-
-"Massa he didn't go to de war, but he sent he oldest boy, call John. He
-takes my daddy 'long to feed de stock and like dat. I goes to de camp
-once to see my daddy and stays a good while. Dey fixin' to fight de
-Yankee and dey rest and eat and talk. Dey shoot at de rifle ring and dey
-make dem practise all dey got to know to be good soldier.
-
-"When freedom come 'long, massa line us all up by de gallery and say,
-'You is you own women and men. You is free. Iffen you wants to stay, I
-gives you land and a team and groceries.' My daddy stays.
-
-.. _`Hap McQueen`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image35hap.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Hap McQueen
-
- Hap McQueen
-
-"I marry long time after freedom and raise' two batch of chillen. My
-first wife have eight and my second wife have nine.
-
-"I 'members de story 'bout de man what owned de monkey. Dat monkey, he
-watch and try do everything a man do. One time a nigger make up he mind
-scare 'nother nigger and when night time come, he put a white sheet over
-him and sot out for de place dat nigger pass. De monkey he seed dat
-nigger with de sheet and he grab de nice, white tablecloth and throw it
-over him and he follow de nigger. Dat nigger, he hear something behin'
-him and look 'round and see somethin' white followin' him and he think
-it a real ghostie. Den he took out and run fitten to kill hissel'f. De
-monkey he took out after dat nigger and when he fall 'zausted in he
-doorway he find out dat a monkey chasin' him, and he want to kill dat
-monkey, but he can't do dat, 'cause de monkey de massa's pet.
-
-"So one day dat nigger shavin' and de monkey watchin' him. He know right
-den de monkey try de same thing, so when he gits through shavin' he turn
-de razor quick in he hand, so de monkey ain't seein' him and draw de
-back of de razor quick 'cross he throat. Sho' 'nough, when he gone, de
-monkey git de bresh and rub de lather all over he face and de nigger he
-watchin' through de crack. When dat monkey through shavin' he drew de
-razor quick 'cross he throat, but he ain't know for to turn it, and he
-cut he own throat and kill hissel'f. Dat what de nigger want him to do
-and he feel satisfy dat de monkey done dead and he have he revengence."
-
-Bill McRay
-==========
-
-**Bill McRay was born in Milam, fifteen miles north of San Augustine,
-Texas, in 1851. He is a brother of C.B. McRay. Col. McRay was his owner
-(the name may have been spelled McCray, Bill says). Bill now lives in
-Jasper, Texas. He is said to be an expert cook, having cooked for
-hotels, boats and military camps 40 years.**
-
-"I was born in Milam in 1851 and dat makes me 86 year ole. My mother and
-father was slaves and dey brung me to Jasper in 1854. Colonel McRay, he
-was our marster and dis' our boss. He have 40 head of niggers, but he
-never hit one of 'em a lick in his life. He own a big farm and have a
-foreman named Bill Cummins. I stay with de Colonel till after I's free.
-
-"Us have good marster, but some of de neighbors treat dere slaves rough.
-Ole Dr. Neyland of Jasper, he have 75 or 80 slaves and he was rich and
-hard on de slaves. One day two run away, Tom and Ike, and Dr. Neyland
-takes de bloodhoun's and ketch dose two niggers and brung 'em in. One of
-de niggers takes a club and knock one of de houn's in de head and kilt
-him. Dey cook dat dog and make dem niggers eat part of him. Den dey give
-both of 'em a beatin'.
-
-"De ole log jail in Jasper, it useter stan' whar de Fish Store is now.
-Dey have a place t'other side de jail whar dey whip niggers. De whippin'
-pos' was a big log. Dey make de niggers lie down on it and strap 'em to
-it. I was a lil' boy den and me and two white boys, Coley McRay and
-Henry Munn, we useter slip 'round and watch 'em. Coley and Henry both
-grow up and go to war but neither one come back.
-
-.. _`Bill McRay`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image38bill.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Bill McRay
-
- Bill McRay
-
-"Sam Swan, he was sheriff, and he ketch two run-away niggers one day.
-Dey was brudders and dey was name Rufe and John Grant. Well, he takes
-'em and puts dem in jail and some of de men gits 'em out and takes 'em
-down to de whippin' pos' and den strap 'em down and give 'em one
-terrible lashin' and den throw salt in dere wounds and you could hear
-dem niggers holler for a mile. Den dey took 'em back to de farm to wo'k.
-
-"Dey hanged good many niggers 'round Jasper. In slavery times dey hangs
-a nigger name Jim Henderson, at Mayhew Pond. Us boys wen' dere and mark
-de tree. Two cullud men, Tom Jefferson and Sam Powell, dey kill anudder
-nigger and dey hang dem to de ole white oak tree what is south of Jasper
-Court House.
-
-"After I's free I cooks for Cap'n Kelly in his mil'tary camps for 21
-year. Den I cook for boats what run up and down de Neches and Angelina
-rivers. I wants to say, too, dat I wo'ks for every sheriff in Jasper
-County 'ceptin' de las' one. Guess I's too young to wo'k for him!"
-
-C.B. McRay
-==========
-
-**C.B. McRay was born in Jasper, Texas, in 1861, a slave to John H.
-McRay, a slave trader. C.B. is rather unapproachable, and has a
-secretive manner, as though he believes the human race will bear a
-little watching. He told of only one wife, but his present wife
-explained, confidentially, that he has had six. He lives in Jasper.**
-
-"My name is C.B. McRay, better knowed as 'Co'nstalk', 'cause I's long
-and thin. Also knowed as 'Racer', 'cause I useter be fleet on the feet.
-When I's ten year ole I often caught a rabbit what jump 'fore me, jus'
-by runnin' him down. Don' see why my boys can't do the same.
-
-"I's bo'n in Jasper, on Main street, right where Lanier's Store stan's,
-on the 12th of April, in 1861. My father's name was Calvin Bell McRay,
-de same as mine, and mother's name was Harriet McRay. Father was bo'n in
-Virginny and mother in Sabine County, in Texas. My brudders' names was
-Bill McRay and Robert and Duckin Dacus. Father and mother was slaves
-right here in Jasper, and so was my gran'parents, who was bo'n in
-Africy.
-
-"John McRay was us marster. He was call a 'nigger trader', and was sich
-a easy marster dat other people call he slaves, 'McRay's free niggers'.
-He make trips to New Orleans to buy slaves and brung 'em back and sol'
-'em to de farmers. Missus was de bestes' white woman to cullud folks dat
-ever live.
-
-"I's too lil' to wo'k much but I 'member lotsa things. Us have a big
-dinin'-room with a big, long table for de cullud folks and us git jus'
-the same kin' of food dat the white folks have on dere table. Iffen a
-nigger sass marster and he couldn' control him, he was de fus' one to be
-sol' and git rid of. He sol' my uncle dat way. But marster was good to
-us when we done right.
-
-"The nigger women spinned and weaved cloth. I 'spec' dat's the onlies'
-place in Jasper whar you could go any time of day and see a parlor full
-of nigger women, sittin' up dere fat as dey could be and with lil' to
-do. Marster have no plantation for de men to wo'k but he rented lan' for
-them to cult'vate.
-
-"Marster's niggers all got Sunday clothes and shoes. Every one of dem
-have to dress and come to the parlor so he could look dem over 'fore dey
-goes to church.
-
-"Us have a foreman, name Charlie. It was his duty to keep de place
-stock' with wood. He take slaves and wo'k de wood patches when it
-needed, but onct marster come home from New Orleans and foun' dem all
-sufferin' for want of fire. He call ole Charlie and ask him why he not
-git up plenty wood. 'Well,' old Charlie say, 'wood was short and 'fore I
-could git more dis col' spell come and it too awful col' to git wood.'
-Marster say, 'You keep plenty wood or I gwinter sell you to a mean
-marster.' Charlie git better for a while, then he let wood git low
-again. So he was sol' to Ballard Adams, who had the name of bein' hard
-on his slaves. Charlie couldn' do enough wo'k to suit Marster Adams, so
-he put him in what's knowed as the 'Louisiana shirt.' Dat was a barrel
-with a hole cut in the bottom jus' big enough for Charlie to slip he
-head through. Dey pull dis on to him every mornin' and then he couldn'
-sit down or use he arms, coul' jus' walk 'roun' all day, de brunt of
-other slaves' jokes. At night dey took it off and chain him to he bed.
-After he have wo'n dis Louisiana shirt a month de marster task he again.
-He fail and run off to the woods. So Marster Adams, he come to Marster
-McRay and want to sell Charlie back again, but he couldn', 'cause
-freedom jus' come and they couldn' sell slaves no more, but Marster
-McRay say Charlie coul' come back and stay on he place if he wanted to.
-
-.. _`C.B. McRay`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image40cb.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: C.B. McRay
-
- C.B. McRay
-
-"Dey didn' try to teach us readin' and writin', but Miss Mary read de
-Bible to us every Sunday. Iffen us git sick dey git ol Dr. Haynes or Dr.
-Perkins.
-
-"When us chillun, we plays 'Town Ball' and marbles. Mother's fav'rite
-lullaby was Bye-o Baby Buntin'.
-
-"I never seed any sojers till after de War close, den I seed dem camp on
-Court House Square right here in Jasper. When freedom was 'clared, Miss
-Mary call us niggers into the parlor and den Marster McRay come and tol'
-us we's free. He 'vise 'em to wo'k 'round Jasper, whar they knows
-people, and says iffen any wan's to stay with him to please rise up.
-Every person riz up. So dey all stay with him for a time. After 'while
-he 'gin to rent and cult'vate differen' plantation, and dere treatment
-not so good, so dey 'gin to be dissatisy and pull loose."
-
-Julia Malone
-============
-
-**Julia Malone, 79, was born a slave of Judge Ellison, who owned a
-thousand acre plantation near Lockhart, Texas. Julia's mother was killed
-by another slave. Julia stayed with the Ellison family several years
-after she was freed. She lives at 305 Percy St., Fort Worth, Texas.**
-
-"Jedge Ellison owned 'bout a tousand acres land near Lockhart, a few
-miles up de Clear Fork river. Right dere I is borned, and it were a big
-place and so many goin' and comin' it look like de beehive. De buildin's
-and sheds look like de li'l town.
-
-"I 'member bein' left in de nursery whilst my mammy work in de fields.
-One night she go to de river for to wash clothes. She has to wash after
-dark and so she am washin' and a nigger slave sneak up on her and hit
-her on de neck, and it am de death of her. So de woman what mammy allus
-live with takes care of me den and when freedom came she moves to town,
-but massa won't let her took me. I stays on with him and runs errands,
-while I is not fannin' de new baby. Dey has six while I'm dere. I fans
-dem till I drops asleep, and dat call for de whippin'.
-
-"My foster mammy comes out and asks massa to let her have me, but he
-won't do dat. But she puts one over on him fin'ly and gits me anyway. He
-am gone and missus am gone and I has to stay home alone with de last
-baby, and a man and woman what was slaves on de place 'fore surrender,
-comes by in a wagon and tells me to jump in. Dey takes me to my foster
-mammy and she moves and won't 'low me outside, so massa can't ever find
-me.
-
-"She 'splains lots of things to me. I done see de women stick dere heads
-in de washpot and talk out loud, while us in slavery. She tells me day
-prayin' for de Lawd to take dem out from bondage. Dey think it right to
-pray out loud so de Lawd can hear but dey mustn't let de massa hear dem.
-
-"I asks her 'bout my father and she says him on de place but die 'fore
-I's borned. He was make de husband to lots of women on de place, 'cause
-he de big man.
-
-"She am good to me and care for me till I meets de boy I likes. Us lives
-together for fifteen years and den him dies. My chillen is all dead. He
-name am William Emerson and I waits nine years 'fore I marries 'gain.
-Den I marries Albert Malone and I's lucky 'gain. He's de good man. One
-day he am fixin' de sills under de house and de whole house moves over
-and falls on him. I feels so grievous over dat I never marries 'gain.
-Dat thirty-four year ago, and I lives alone all de time. It ain't 'cause
-I doesn't have de chance, 'cause lots of bucks wants me, 'cause I's de
-hard worker.
-
-"I washes for de livin' and washes old massa's daughter's clothes. Massa
-am de powerful man durin' slavery and have de money and fine clothes and
-drives de fine teams and acts like de cock of de walk. All dat changes
-after freedom. I seed him layin' in de sun like de dog. I offers to wash
-he clothes and he jus' grunt. He done turned stone deaf, and de white
-folks say it 'cause he done treat he slaves so bad.
-
-"I done live here in Fort Worth 'bout fifteen years with my daughter,
-Beulah Watkins. I's mighty happy here, and has de $10.00 pension and
-thanks de Lawd fer dat."
-
-Adeline Marshall
-================
-
-**Adeline Marshall, 3514 Bastrop St., Houston, Texas, was born a slave
-somewhere in South Carolina. She was bought by Capt. Brevard and brought
-to Texas while still a baby, so she remembers nothing about her family
-and has no record of her age. Adeline is evidently very old.**
-
-"Yes, suh, Adeline Marshall am my name, all right, but folks 'round here
-jes' calls me 'Grandma.'
-
-"Lawd have mercy, I's been in dis here land too long, too long, and jes'
-ain't no 'count no more for nothin'. I got mis'ries in my bones and jes'
-look at what I's got on my feet! Dem's jes' rags, dat's all, rags. Can't
-wear nothin' else on 'em, dey hurts so. Dat's what de red russet shoes
-what we wears in slave times done--jes' pizen de feets.
-
-"Lawd, Lawd, dat sho' bad times--black folks jes' raise up like cattle
-in de stable, only Cap'n Brevard, he what own me, treats he hosses and
-cattle better'n he do he niggers.
-
-"Don't know nothin' 'bout myself, 'cept on Cap'n Brevard's place down on
-Oyster Creek. He has de plantation dere, what de only place I knows till
-I's freedomed. He says I's a South Carolina nigger what he bought back
-dere and brung to Texas when I jes' a baby. I reckon it de truth, 'cause
-I ain't never knowed no mama or papa, neither one.
-
-"Cap'n he a bad man, and he drivers hard, too, all de time whippin' and
-stroppin' de niggers to make dem work harder. Didn't make no difference
-to Cap'n how little you is, you goes out to de field mos' soon's you can
-walk. De drivers don't use de bullwhip on de little niggers, but dey
-plays de switch on us what sting de hide plenty. Sometimes dey puts a
-nigger in de stocks and leaves dem two or three days, don't give dem
-nothin' to eat or a drink of water, jes' leaves dem till dey mos' dead.
-Does dey die, jes' put dem in a box and dig a hole out back of de hoss
-lot and dump dem in and cover up. Ain't no preachin' service or nothin',
-but de poor nigger out he mis'ry, dat's all.
-
-"Old Cap'n jes' hard on he niggers and I 'member one time dey strops old
-Beans what's so old he can't work good no more, and in de mornin' dey
-finds him hangin' from a tree back of de quarters. He done hang himself
-to 'scape he mis'ry!
-
-"We works every day 'cept Sunday and has to do our washin' den. Does
-anybody git sick week days, he has to work Sunday to make it up. When we
-comes in at night we has to go right to bed. Dey don't 'low no light in
-de quarters and you better be in bed if you don't want a whippin'.
-
-"We gits a plain cotton slip with a string 'round de neck, de stuff dey
-makes pickin' sacks of. Summer or winter, dat all we gits to wear.
-
-"Old Cap'n have a big house but I jes' see it from de quarters, 'cause
-we wasn't 'lowed to go up in de yard. I hear say he don't have no wife,
-but a black woman what stays at de house. Dat de reason so many 'No
-Nation' niggers 'round. Some calls dem 'Bright' niggers, but I calls dem
-'No Nation' 'cause dat what dey is, ain't all black or all white, but
-mix. Dat come from slave times.
-
-"I knows I's good size when Old Cap'n calls us in and say we's free, but
-nobody tell me how old I is and I never found out. I knows some of us
-stays and works for somethin' to eat, 'cause we didn't know no one and
-didn't hab nowheres to go.
-
-"Den one day, Cap'n come out in de field with 'nother man and pick me
-and four more what's workin' and say we's good workers. Dat was Mr. Jack
-Adams, what have a place clost to Stafford's Run. He say if we wants to
-work on his place he feed us and give quarters and pay us for workin',
-and dat how come I leaves old Cap'n, and I ain't never see him or dat
-place where I's raise sence, but I reckon he so mean de debbil done got
-him in torment long time ago.
-
-"I works in de field for Mr. Jack and dat where Wes Marshall, what I
-marries, works, too. After we gits married we gits a piece of ground and
-stays on de same place till Mr. Jack die and we come to Houston. Dat
-'fore de 1900 storm.
-
-"I tells folks when dat storm comin'. I ain't 'lieve in no witch doin's,
-but some way I knows when dat storm comin'. Dey laughs at dis old
-nigger, but it come and dey loses hosses and cattle and chickens and
-houses.
-
-"I tells de truth jes' like it am, and I's had a hard time in de land.
-Why, in dis sinful town, dey don't do like de Good Book say. No, suh,
-dey don't. It say, 'Love thy neighbor,' and folks don't love nobody but
-theyselves!
-
-"Jes' look at me! I's old with mis'ry and 'lone in de world. My husband
-and chillen done die long ago and leave me here, and I jes' go from
-house to house, tryin' to find a place to stay. Dat why I prays Gawd to
-take me to his bosom, 'cause He de onlies' one I got to call on."
-
-Isaac Martin
-============
-
-**Quite black, with close-cut hair and stubby gray whiskers, Isaac
-Martin is contentedly spending the evening of his life. But two or three
-darkened teeth show between his thick lips as he talks. He was enjoying
-the friendly shade of the old tree in his backyard from his comfortable
-seat in an old rocker. His feet were bare and his once striped trousers
-were rolled up above his knees to keep him cool in the hot midsummer
-weather. Beside the chair was a pair of brogan shoes with gaping splits
-across the toes to avoid cramping his feet. He told the story of by-gone
-days with evident enjoyment.**
-
-"Dis ol' man jes' layin' 'roun'. Ain't nuttin' to him no mo'. I done wo'
-out. I jes' waitin' for de Good Marster to call po' ol' Isaac home to
-Glory.
-
-"When dey read de proclamation to my mammy and daddy dey mek 'em give
-eb'rybody' age in de fam'ly. I was twelve year' ol' den.
-
-"I was bo'n up here in Montgomery county 'bout t'ree mile from Willis
-upon de I&GN Railroad. I holp to buil' dat I&GN Railroad.
-
-"Ol' Major Wood he my daddy' marster, and 'course he mine too. He was
-well fixed. He had 'bout seb'nty or eighty wukkin' slaves and I dunno
-how many li'l niggers. I didn' know nuttin' 'bout ol' Missus, Mrs. Wood.
-I jis' 'member she a big fat woman. Dey didn' 'low no li'l nigger
-chillun up in de yard 'roun' de big house 'cep'n' to clean up de yard,
-and dem what done dat, dey hatter be jis' like dat yard, clean as
-peckerwoods.
-
-"Ol' marster he warn't mean. He nebber whip' 'em jis' so iffen anybody
-say de slave orter be whip. Dey hafter see him and tell him what dey
-done befo' he give de order to de overseer to whip. Iffen he don' t'ink
-dey orter be whip, he say don' whip 'em and dey don' git whip.
-
-"I had to mind de cows and de sheep. I had a mule to ride 'roun' on. It
-was dis way, I hafter mind de cows. Ol' marster he plant dif'rent fiel's
-in co'n, fifty or sixty or a hundred acres. When dey harvestin' de co'n,
-when dey git one fiel' done dey tu'n de cows in so dey kin eat on de
-stalks and nubbins what lef' in dat fiel'. I got to ride 'roun' and see
-de cows don' bus' over from one fiel' what dey done harves' into de
-other fiel' where dey wukkin', or what ain't been harves' yet. I jis'
-like dat, ridin' dat mule 'roun' de fiel' and keepin' de cows in.
-
-"Den dere was five or six of us boys to keep de dogs out de sheep. You
-know iffen de dogs git in de sheep dey ap' to kill 'em.
-
-"Us go huntin' wid de dogs lots of time, and lots of time us ketch
-rabbits. Dey was six dogs, and de rabbits we kotch was so much vittles
-for us. I 'member one night us went out huntin' and ketch fo' or five
-rabbits. Us tek 'em home and clean and dress 'em, and put 'em in de pot
-to have big rabbit supper. I was puttin' some red pepper in de pot to
-season 'em, and den I rub my eyes wid my han' and git dat pepper in my
-eyes and it sho' burn. You know how red pepper burn when it git in your
-eyes, I nebber will forgit 'bout dat red pepper. De ol' folks uster show
-us how to fix de t'ings we ketch huntin', and cook 'em.
-
-"Ol' marster sho' t'ought mo' of his li'l nigger chillen. He uster ride
-in de quarters 'cause he like to see 'em come runnin'. De cook, she was
-a ol' woman name' Forney, and she had to see atter feedin' de chillen.
-She had a way of callin' 'em up. She holler, 'Tee, tee, t-e-e;' and all
-us li'l niggers jis' come runnin'. Ol' marster he ride up and say,
-'Forney, call up dem li'l pickaninnies,' and ol' Forney she lif' up her
-voice and holler, 'Tee, t-e-e, t-e-e,' and ol' marster jis' set up on
-de hoss and laugh and laugh a lot to see us come runnin' up. He like to
-count how many li'l niggers he did have. Dat was fun for us too. I
-'member dat jes' like yestiddy.
-
-"Nuttin' went hard wid me. Fur's I know 'bout slav'ry dem was good
-times.
-
-"Dey had 'bout t'ree or fo' hundred of sheep. My father hafter kill a
-mutton eb'ry Friday for de house. Dey bring up de sheep and somebody
-hol' de head 'cross a block and my father cut de head off wid a hatchet.
-Sheeps is de pitifullest t'ings to kill. Day jis' give up. And dey
-cries, too. But a goat, he don' give up, naw suh, he talk' back to you
-to de las'.
-
-"I 'member one time dey gwine to give a school feas', and dey gwine kill
-a goat. Dey hang dat goat up to a tree by he hind legs so de blood dreen
-good. Dey cut he t'roat, dat's de way dey gwine kill 'im. Dat goat seem
-like he kep' on talkin' and sayin' 'Please, God, don' kill me' to de
-las', but dat ain't done no good. Dat goat jis' beg to de las'.
-
-"My ol' marster he live in a big house. Oh, it was a palace. It had
-eight or nine rooms. It was buil' outer logs, and moss and clay was
-stuff' twixt de logs. Dere was boards on de outside and it was all coil'
-nice on de inside. He lived in a mansion.
-
-"Dey was plenty rich. Ol' marster he had a ol' waitin' man all dress up
-nice and clean. Now if you wanter talk to ol' marster you hafter call
-for dat ol' waitin' man. He come and you tell him what you want and den
-he go and tell ol' marster and den he say, 'Bring him in,' and den you
-go in and see de ol' marster and talk your business, but you had to be
-nice and hol' your hat under your arm.
-
-"Dey's big rich people. Sometime' dey have parties what las' a week. Dey
-was havin' dere fun in dere way. Dey come in kerridges and hacks.
-
-"My father was de hostler and he hafter keep de hosses and see 'bout
-feedin' 'em. Dey had a sep'rate li'l house for de saddles. Ol' marster
-he kep' good hosses. He warn't mean.
-
-"He had a great big pasture and lots of times people go camp in it. You
-see it was dis-away, de Yankees dey got rushin' de American people, dat
-de Confed'rates, dey kep' comin' furder and furder wes', 'till dey come
-to Texas and den dey can't go much furder. De Yankees kep' crowdin' 'em
-and dey kep' on comin'. When dey camp in ol' marster' pasture, he give
-'em co'n. I see 'em dribe a whole wagon load of co'n and dump it on de
-groun' for dey hosses. De Yankees nebber come 'till de war close. Den
-dey come all through dat country. Dat was destruction, it seem to me
-like. Dey take what dey want.
-
-"When freedom come and de proclamation was read and de ol' marster tol'
-'em dey was free and didn' have no ol' marster no mo' some of de slaves
-cried. He tell 'em, 'I don't want none of you to leave. I'll give you
-$8.00 a mont'.' All de ol' folks stay and help gadder dat crop. It sho'
-griebe ol' marster and he didn' live long atter dey tek his slaves 'way
-from him. Well, it jis' kill' him, dat's all. I 'members de Yankees on
-dat day dey sot to read de proclamation. Dey was gwine 'roun' in dey
-blue uniform' and a big long sword hangin' at dey side. Dat was
-cur'osity to dem niggers.
-
-"When ol' marster want to go out, he call he li'l nigger serbent to go
-tell my father what was de hostler, to saddle up de hoss and bring him
-'roun'. Den ol marster git on him. He had t'ree steps, so he could jis'
-go up dem steps and den his foot be right at de stirrup. My daddy hol'
-de stirrup for him to put he other foot in it.
-
-"I was big 'nuff to run after him and ax him to gimme a dime. He laugh
-and sometime he gimme de dime. Sometime he pitch it to me and I run and
-grab it up and say, 'T'ankee, marster,' and he laugh and laugh.
-
-"Ol' mistus she had a reg'lar cook. Dat was my mudder's mudder.
-Eb'ryt'ing had to be jis' so, and eb'ryt'ing nice and clean.
-
-"Dey didn' do no reg'lar wuk on Sunday. Eb'ry Sunday one of de other
-wimmins hafter tek de place of de cook so she could git off. All of 'em
-what could would git off and go to de chu'ch for de preachin'. Dem what
-turn didn' come one Sunday, would go anudder 'till dey all got 'roun' to
-go.
-
-"Marster had two or t'ree hundred head of cattle. My gran'father,
-Guilford, had a mule and hoss of he own. Uncle Hank was his brudder, and
-he had de sheep department to look attar. Sometime de niggers git a hoss
-or a sheep over, den de marster buy 'im. Some of de niggers had a li'l
-patch 'roun' dey cabin' and dey raise veg'table. Ol' marster he buy de
-veg'table sometime. I didn' know what freedom was. I didn' know wedder
-I needed it or not. Seem to me like it was better den dan now, 'cause I
-gotter look out for myself now.
-
-"Us uster be on de watch-out for ol' marster. De fus' one see him comin'
-lit out and open de gate for him to ride froo and ol' marster toss him a
-nickle.
-
-"When it was time to eat, de ol' cook she holler out, 'T-e-e, t-e-e,
-t-e-e-e' and all us li'l niggers come runnin'. She have a big tray and
-each of us have a wessel and a spoon. She fill' us wessel and us go eat
-and den us go back for mo'. Us git all us want. Dey give us supper befo'
-de han's come in from de fiel' and what wid playin' 'roun' all day and
-eatin' all us could hol' in de afternoon, twarn't long befo' us li'l
-niggers ready to go to sleep.
-
-"One t'ing, ol' marster didn' want his niggers to run about. Sometime
-dey want to go over to anudder plantation on Sunday. Den he give 'em a
-pass iffen he willin' for 'em to go. Dey had patterrollers to ride from
-plantation to see iffen dey was any strange niggers dere.
-
-"When dey wanter marry, de man he repo't to ol' marster. He want his
-niggers to marry on his own plantation. He give 'em a nice li'l supper
-and a big dance. Dey had some sort of license but ol' marster tek care
-of dat. He had two sons what had farms and slaves of dere own. Ol'
-marster didn' care if his slaves marry on his sons' farms. If any of de
-slaves do mean, he mak 'em work on Sunday. He didn' b'leeb in beatin'
-'em.
-
-"So many of 'em as could, usually go to de white folks chu'ch on Sunday
-and hear de white preacher. Dey sit off to deyse'fs in de back of de
-chu'ch. Dem what stay at home have a cullud preacher. Dey try to raise
-'em up social.
-
-"Dey had a ol' woman to look after de babies when dey mammies was out in
-de fiel'. Dey have a time sot for de mammies te come in and nuss de
-babies. De ol' woman she had helpers. Dey had a big house and cradle'
-for dem babies where de nuss tek care of 'em.
-
-"When anybody die dey have a fun'rel. All de han's knock off work to
-'tend de fun'rel. Dey bury de dead in a ho'made coffin.
-
-"I nebber pay no 'tenshun to talk 'bout ghos'es. I nebber b'leeb in 'em.
-But one time comin' from chu'ch my uncle' wife say, 'Ike, you eber see a
-ghos'? Want to see one?' and I tell her 'I don't give a cent, yes I want
-to see one.' She say, 'I show you a man dress' all in white what ain't
-got no head, and you gwine feel a warm breeze.' After a while down de
-hill by de graveyard she say, 'Dere he go.' I look' but I neber see
-nuttin', but I feel de warm breeze.
-
-"I uster go to see a gal and I uster hafter pass right by a ol'
-graveyard. It was all wall' up wid brick but one place dey had steps up
-over de wall so when dey hafter bury a body two men kin walk up dem
-steps side by side, and dat de way dey tek de corpse over. Well, when I
-git to dem steps I hear sump'n'. Den I stop and I ain't hear nuttin'.
-When I start walkin' ag'in I hear de noise ag'in. I look 'roun' and den
-I see sump'n' white come up right dere where de steps go over de wall. I
-had a stick in my han' and nex' time it come up I mek a rush at it and
-hit it. It was jis' a great big ol' billy goat what got inside de wall
-and was tryin' to git out. He get out jis' when I hit him and he lit out
-froo de woods. Dat's de only ghos' I eber see and I's glad dat warn't no
-ghos'.
-
-"Ol' marster he had twenty head of cows. Dey give plenty milk. Dey uster
-git a cedar tub big as dat dere one full of milk. De milkers dey pack it
-en dey head to de house. Us cow-pen boys had to go drive up de caffs.
-Cow-pen boys? Cow-pen boys, dem de boys what keep away de caffs when dey
-do de milkin'. Co'se, lots of times when dey froo milkin' us jump on 'em
-and ride 'em. Wheneber dey ketch us doin' dat dey sho' wear us out. Dat
-warn't yestiddy.
-
-"Fur as I's concern we had a plum good time in slav'ry. Many a year my
-grampa raise a bale of cotton and marster buy it. Dat was encouragin' us
-to be smart.
-
-"My daddy name' Edmond Wood and my ma name' Maria. I had a brudder and a
-sister; dey name' Cass and Ann. I been a farmer all my life. I kep' on
-farmin' 'till de boll weevil hit dese parts and den I quit de farm and
-went to public work. I work in de woods and cut logs. I buy dis house. I
-been here 'roun' Voth 'bout twenty-five year'.
-
-"I been marry twict. De fus' time I marry--I git so stinkin' ol' I can't
-'member when it were, but it been a long ways back. My fus' wife, Mary
-Johnson. She die' and den I marry dis yere woman I got yere now. Her
-name been Rhoda McGowan when I marry her but she been marry befo'. Befo'
-of us ol', ain't fit fer nuttin'. Us git pension' and dat what us live
-on now, 'cause I too ol' to do any work no mo'.
-
-"Me and my fus' wife we had ten chillun. Dey's all dead but fo' and I
-ain't sho' dey's all livin'. Las' I heerd of 'em one was in Houston, and
-one in Chicago, and one in Kansas City, and one live here. I see him dis
-mawnin'.
-
-"I heerd tell of de Klu Klux but I ain't neber seed 'em. I neber did go
-to school needer.
-
-"I's a member of de C.M.E. Meth'dis' Chu'ch. When I uster could git
-about I uster be a steward in de chu'ch. Den I was de treasurer of de
-chu'ch here at Voth for some seben year'. I uster b'long to de U.B.F.
-Lodge, too.
-
-"Back in slav'ry dey allus had a ol' darky to train de young ones and
-teach 'em right from wrong. And dey'd whip you for doin' wrong. Dey'd
-repo't to de overseer. Some of 'em was mean and repo't somebody dey
-ain't like jis' to git 'em in trouble. De overseer he had to 'vestigate
-'bout it and if it was so, somebody git a whippin'. Sometimes some folks
-repo't sump'n' when it warn't true.
-
-"Ol' marster he was plum ind'pendant. His plantation was off from de
-town. He uster had his mail brung to him. Fur's I kin 'member I didn'
-had to look out for nuttin'. Dey had a time to call all de slaves up and
-give 'em hats, and anudder time dey give 'em shoes, and anudder time dey
-give 'em clo's. Dey see dat eb'rybody was fit. Ol' marster allus give
-'em all some kinder present at Crismus. I dunno what all he give de ol'
-folks but he give de chillun candy and de like.
-
-"I was allus tickle' to see ol' marster come 'roun'--Oh, good gracious,
-yes. And it allus tickle' him to come 'roun' and see all his li'l
-niggers.
-
-"One time Cap'n Fisher was 'sociated wid ol' marster, and him and
-anudder man come 'long wid ol' marster up de road what run froo de
-quarters. Dey wanter see de li'l niggers. Ol' marster call 'em up and
-frow out a han'ful of dimes. It sho' tickle' 'em te see de li'l niggers
-scramble for dem dimes, and us look' for dimes 'roun' dat place for a
-week. Dat was enjoyment to de white folks dem days.
-
-"Marster was good to his niggers and none of 'em eber run away. My
-mudder she raise ol' mistus' baby chile. She uster suckle him jis' like
-he her own baby and he allus t'ink lots of her. After he a growed up man
-he uster bring her presents lots of times. He call her 'mammy' all de
-time.
-
-"He went off to de war. He los' he hearin' and got deef. Muster been de
-noise from dem big cannons what done it. He got his big toe shot off in
-de war, too. After de war was over he come home and git married.
-
-"Dat 'bout all dat I kin 'member 'cep'n' dat I vote' in de state and
-other 'lections when I's twenty-one year' ol'."
-
-James Martin
-============
-
-**James Martin, 311 Dawson St., San Antonio, Texas, is 90 years old. His
-parents were Preston and Lizzie Martin and he was born in Alexandria,
-Va. Uses little dialect.**
-
-"I was born in Virginia in 1847. My mother was a slave and my
-grandfather was one of the early settlers in Virginia. He was born in
-Jamaica and his master took him to England. When the English came to
-Virginia, they brought us along as servants, but when they got here,
-everybody had slaves, so we was slaves, too. My mother was born in the
-West Indies.
-
-"A man named Martin brought my grandfather here and we took his name.
-And when marster was ready to die, he made a will and it said the
-youngest child in the slaves must be made free, so that was my father
-and he was made free when he was 16. That left me and my brothers and
-sisters all free, but all the rest of the family was slaves.
-
-"My mother was born a slave near Alexandria. The marster's daughter,
-Miss Liza, read to my mother, so she got some learning. When my mother's
-owner died he left her to Miss Liza, and then my father met my mother
-and told her they should get married. My mother said to Miss Liza: 'I'd
-like fine to marry Preston Martin.' Miss Liza says, 'You can't do that,
-'cause he's a free nigger and your children would be free. You gotta
-marry one of the slaves.' Then Miss Liza lines up 10 or 15 of the slave
-men for my mother to pick from, but mother says she don' like any of
-'em, she wants to marry Preston Martin. Miss Liza argues but my mother
-is just stubborn, so Miss Liza says, 'I'll talk to the marster.' He
-says, 'I can't lose property like that, and if you can raise $1,200 you
-can buy yourse'f free.' So my mother and my father saves money and it
-takes a long time, but one day they goes to the marster and lays down
-the money, and they gits married. Marster don' like it, but he's
-promised and he can't back out.
-
-"So me and my brothers and sisters is free. And we sees others sol' on
-the auction block. They're put in stalls like pens for cattle and
-there's a curtain, sometimes just a sheet in front of them, so the
-bidders can't see the stock too soon. The overseer's standin' just
-outside with a big black snake whip and a pepper box pistol in his hand.
-Then they pulls the curtain up and the bidders crowds 'round. The
-overseer tells the age of the slaves and what they can do. One bidder
-takes a pair of white gloves they have and rubs his fingers over a man's
-teeth, and he says, 'You say this buck's 20 years old, but there's cups
-worn to his teeth. He's 40 years if he's a day. So they knock that buck
-down for $1,000, 'cause they calls the men 'bucks' and the women
-'wenches.' Then the overseer makes 'em walk across the platform, he
-makes 'em hop, he makes 'em trot, he makes 'em jump.
-
-"When I'm old enough, I'm taught to be a saddler and when I'm 17 or 18 I
-enlist in the Confed'rate Army.
-
-"Did they whip the slaves? Well, they jus' about half killed 'em. When
-it was too rough, they slipped into Canada.
-
-"A marriage was a event. The bride and groom had to jump over a broom
-handle. The boss man had a white preacher, sometimes, and there was
-plenty good beef cornbread. But if the boss didn't care much, he jus'
-lined 'em up and said, 'Mandy, that's your husband and, Rufus, that's
-your wife.'
-
-.. _`James Martin`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image62james.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: James Martin
-
- James Martin
-
-"After the war we were sent to Texas, the 9th U.S. Cavalry, under Capt.
-Francis F. Dodge. I was at Fort Sill, Fort Davis, Fort Stockton and Fort
-Clark. I was in two battles with Indians in the Guadalupe Mountains. I
-served under Col. Shafter in 1871 and I got my discharge under Gen.
-Merritt in 1872. Then I come to San Antonio.
-
-"I helped bring the first railroad here. The S.P. in them days only ran
-near Seguin and I was a spiker and worked the whole distance. Then I
-helped build the old railroad from Indianola to Cuero and then from
-Cuero to Corpus, and Schleister, I think, and Cunningham were the
-contractors. That was in 1873 and 1874.
-
-"I drove cattle for big outfits, and drove 2,000 or 3,000 head from
-South Texas sometimes clean up to Dakota. I drove for John Lytle,
-Brockhaus, Kieran and Bill Sutton. There wasn't no trails and no fences.
-The Indians would come ask for meat and we knew if we didn't give it to
-'em they'd stampede the cattle.
-
-"If I wasn't so old, I'd travel 'round again. I don't believe any man
-can be educated who ain't traveled some."
-
-Louise Mathews
-==============
-
-**Louise Mathews, 83, is a sister of Scott Hooper. Her owner was the
-Rev. Robert Turner. Louise married Henry Daggett when she was twenty,
-Jim Byers when she was thirty-one and Bill Mathews when she was
-thirty-three. She lives alone at 2718 Ennis Ave., Fort Worth, about a
-block from Scott.**
-
-"Sho', I 'members dem slavery times, 'cause I's eleven when de break-up
-come. Everybody call my massa Jedge Turner, but him am a Baptist
-preacher and have de small farm and gen'ral store. My pappy and mammy
-don't live together, 'cause pappy am own by Massa Jack Hooper. Massa
-Turner done marry dem. Mostest de cullud folks jus' lives together by
-'greement den, but massa have de cer'mony.
-
-"Us live in log cabins with de dirt floor and no windows, and sleep on
-straw ticks. All de cookin' done in de eatin' shed but when pappy come
-over twict de week, mammy cooks him de meal den.
-
-"Let me tell yous how de young'uns cared for. Massa give dem special
-care, with de food and lots of clabber and milk and pot-liquor, and dey
-all fat and healthy.
-
-"Massa am a preacher and a farmer and a saloonkeeper. He makes de
-medicine with whiskey and cherry bark and rust offen nails. It mus' be
-good, 'cause us all fat and sassy. Gosh for 'mighty. How I hates to take
-dat medicine! He say to me, 'Take good care de young'uns, 'cause de old
-ones gwine play out sometime, and I wants de young'uns to grow strong.'
-
-"Massa Turner wants de good day's work and us all give it to him. Every
-Saturday night us git de pass if us wants to go to de party. Us have
-parties and dancin' de quadrille and fiddles and banjoes.
-
-"On Sunday massa preach to us, 'cause he de preacher heself. He preach
-to de white folks, too.
-
-"I 'member dat surrender day. He call us round him. I can see him now,
-like I watches him come to de yard, with he hands clasp 'hind him and he
-head bowed. I know what he says, 'I likes every one of you. You been
-faithful but I has to give you up. I hates to do it, not 'cause I don't
-want to free you, but 'cause I don't want to lose you all.' Us see de
-tears in he eyes.
-
-.. _`Louise Mathews`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image65louise.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Louise Mathews
-
- Louise Mathews
-
-"Mos' everybody leaves, and us go to pappy's place, den comes here in
-1872, right here where us live now. My sister, Scott, she lives up de
-street. It warn't no houses here den.
-
-"I gits married in 1874 to Henry Daggett and he dies in 1884. Den I
-marries Jim Byers in 1885 and he am lazy and no 'count. He leaves on
-Christmas Day in de mornin', and don't come back. Dat de only present he
-ever give me! He am what you calls de buck passer. I does de washin' and
-ironin' and he passes de bucks I makes. I marries Bill Mathews and he my
-las' husband. He dies on May 15th, dis year. I has seven chillen and
-four of dem am right in dis town.
-
-"I never votes but once, 'bout four years ago. I jus' don't care 'bout
-it. Too much fustin' round for me. My husband allus voted de Lincoln
-ticket.
-
-"I gits 'round and it won't be long 'fore I goes to de Lawd's restin'
-place. My sister am 81 and I's 83, and she lives in de next block yonder
-way. Us am de cons'lation to each other."
-
-William Mathews
-===============
-
-**William Mathews, 89, was born a slave on the Adams plantation, in
-Franklin Parish, Louisiana. He was driver of the family carriage. After
-William was freed he supported himself by hiring out as a field hand and
-by making and selling baskets. Since 1931 he has lived with his
-daughter, Sarah Colburn, at 812-½ 41st St., Galveston, Texas.**
-
-"Course I can 'lect 'bout slavery. I is old and my eyesight am gone, but
-I can still 'lect. I ain't never forgit it.
-
-"My massa, old Buck Adams, could out-mean de debbil heself. He sho'
-hard--hard and sneaky as slippery ellum. Old Mary Adams, he wife, was
-'most as hard as he was. Sometimes I used to wonder how dere chillen
-ever stood 'em. Old Buck Adams brung my mammy and daddy from South
-Car'lina to work in de fields and my daddy's name was Economy Mathews
-and my mammy's name Phoebe. Simmons was her name 'fore she marry. I is
-born on old Buck's place, on December 25th, in 1848. Dat plantation was
-in Franklin Parish, somewhere round Monroe, in Louisiana.
-
-"Me and Bill Adams raised together. When he shoot a deer I run home like
-greased lightnin' and git de hoss. Sometimes he'd shoot a big hawg and
-I'd skin him.
-
-"When I got big 'nough I'd drive dere carriage. I was what dey calls de
-'waitin' boy.' I sot in dat buggy and wait till dey come out of where
-dey was, and den driv 'em off. I wasn't 'lowed to git out and visit
-round with de other slaves. No, suh, I had to set dere and wait.
-
-"De slaves git out in de fields 'fore sun-up and work till black dark.
-Den dey come home and have to feel dere way in de house, with no light.
-My mammy and daddy field hands. My grandma was cook, and have to git in
-de cook pot 'bout four o'clock to git breakfas' by daylight. Dey et by
-candles or pine torches. One de black boys stand behin' 'em and hold it
-while dey et.
-
-"De clothes we wore was made out of dyed 'lows.' Dat de stuff dey makes
-sackin' out of. Summer time us go barefoot but winter time come, dey
-give you shoes with heels on 'em big as biscuits.
-
-"De quarters is back of de big house and didn't have no floors. Dey sot
-plumb on de ground and build like a hawg pen. Dey cut down timber and
-stake it up at de corners and fill it in with timber with de bark on it.
-Dere was split log houses and round log houses and all sech like dat.
-Dey have only fifty slaves on dat place, and it a big place, big 'nough
-for a hundred. But what dey do? Dey take de good slaves and sell 'em.
-Dat what dey do. Den dey make de ones what am left do all de work. Sell,
-sell, all de time, and never buy nobody. Dat was dem.
-
-"Every Sat'day evenin' us go to de pitcher poke. Dat what dey calls it
-when dey issues de rations. You go to de smokehouse and dey weigh out
-some big, thick rounds of white pork meat and give it to you. De syrup
-weighed out. De meal weighed out. Dey never give us no sugar or coffee.
-You want coffee, you put de skillet on de fire and put de meal in it and
-parch it till it most black, and put water on it. Mammy make salt water
-bread out of a li'l flour and salt and water.
-
-"Sometimes, dey make de slaves go to church. De white folks sot up fine
-in dere carriage and drive up to de door and git de slaves out of one
-cabin, den git de slaves out of de nex' cabin, and keep it up till dey
-gits dem all. Den all de slaves walks front de carriage till dey gits to
-church. De slaves sit outside under de shade trees. If de preacher talk
-real loud, you can hear him out de window.
-
-"If a cullud man take de notion to preach, he couldn't preach 'bout de
-Gospel. Dey didn't 'low him do dat. All he could preach 'bout was obey
-de massa, obey de overseer, obey dis, obey dat. Dey didn't make no
-passel of fuss 'bout prayin' den. Sometimes dey have prayin' meetin' in
-a cabin at night. Each one bring de pot and put dere head in it to keep
-de echoes from gittin' back. Den dey pray in de pot. Dat de Gawd's
-truth!
-
-"Like I done said, massa sol' de good slaves in Monroe. Nobody marry in
-dem days. A gal go out and take de notion for some buck and dey make de
-'greement to live together. Course, if a unhealthy buck take up with a
-portly gal, de white folks sep'rate 'em. If a man a big, stout man, good
-breed, dey gives him four, five women.
-
-"Sometimes dey run 'way. It ain't done dem no good, for de dawgs am put
-on dey trail. If you climb de tree, dem dogs hold you dere till de white
-folks comes, and den dey let de dogs git you. Sometimes de dogs tore all
-dey clothes off, and dey ain't got nary a rag on 'em when dey git home.
-If dey run in de stream of water, de dogs gits after 'em and drowns 'em.
-Den Nick, de overseer, he whop 'em. He drive down four stakes for de
-feets and hands and tie 'em up. Den he whop 'em from head to feets. De
-whip make out a hide, cut in strips, with holes punch in 'em. When dey
-hits de skin it make blisters.
-
-"All kind of war talk floatin' round 'fore de Yankees come. Some say de
-Yankees fight for freedom and some say dey'll kill all de slaves. Seems
-like it must have been in de middle of de war dat de Yankees come by. We
-hears somebody holler for us to come out one night and seed de place on
-fire. Time we git out dere, de Yankees gone. We fit de fire but we had
-to tote water in buckets, and de fire burn up de gin house full of
-cotton and de cotton house, too, and de corn crib.
-
-"De Yankees allus come through at night and done what dey gwine to do,
-and den wait for more night 'fore dey go 'bout dere business. Only one
-time dey come in daylight, and some de slaves jine dem and go to war.
-
-"All de talk 'bout freedom git so bad on de plantation de massa make me
-put de men in a big wagon and drive 'em to Winfield. He say in Texas
-dere never be no freedom. I driv 'em fast till night and it take 'bout
-two days. But dey come back home, but massa say if he cotch any of 'em
-he gwine shoot 'em. Dey hang round de woods and dodge round and round
-till de freedom man come by.
-
-"We went right on workin' after freedom. Old Buck Adams wouldn't let us
-go. It was way after freedom dat de freedom man come and read de paper,
-and tell us not to work no more 'less us git pay for it. When he gone,
-old Mary Adams, she come out. I 'lect what she say as if I jes' hear her
-say it. She say, 'Ten years from today I'll have you all back 'gain.'
-Dat ten years been over a mighty long time and she ain't git us back yit
-and she dead and gone.
-
-"Dey makes us git right off de place, jes' like you take a old hoss and
-turn it loose. Dat how us was. No money, no nothin'. I git a job workin'
-for a white man on he farm, but he couldn't pay much. He didn't have
-nothin'. He give me jes' 'nough to git a peck or two of meal and a li'l
-syrup.
-
-"I allus works in de fields and makes baskets, big old cotton baskets
-and bow baskets make out of white oak. I work down de oak to make de
-splits and make de bow basket to tote de lunch. Den I make trays and mix
-bowls. I go out and cut down de big poplar and bust off de big block and
-sit down 'straddle, and holler it out big as I wants it, and make de
-bread tray. I make collars for hosses and ox whops and quirts out of
-beef hide. But I looses my eyesight a couple years back and I can't do
-nothin' no more. My gal takes care of me.
-
-"I come here in 1931. Dat de first time I'm out of Franklin Parish. I
-allus git along some way till I'm blind. My gal am good to me, but de
-days am passin' and soon I'll be gone, too."
-
-Hiram Mayes
-===========
-
-**Hiram Mayes thinks he was born in 1862, a slave of Tom Edgar, who
-owned a plantation in Double Bayou, Texas. Hiram lives with two
-daughters in a rambling farmhouse near Beaumont, less than three miles
-from his birthplace on the old Edgar homestead near the Iron Bridge. For
-thirty years Hiram has served as Worshipful Master of the Masonic Lodge
-(Negro) in the vicinity. Native intelligence gleams in his deep-set
-eyes, but his speech shows that he received little schooling.**
-
-"De fust thing I 'members back in slavery time was gittin' in de
-master's strawberry patch. He's right proud of dat patch and git after
-us plenty. Dey was li'l Tim Edgar, dat de white boy, and me. Tim, he
-still livin' down in Wallisville. Old master he cut us both a couple
-times for thiefin' he strawberries, jes' give us a bresh or two to skeer
-us. Dat de onlies' time he ever did whip me and you couldn' hardly call
-that a whippin'.
-
-"Old man Tom Edgar was my master and de old Edgar place was down below
-where Jackson's store is and 'bout two mile from where I lives now. Some
-de brick from dat house still standin' dere in de woods.
-
-"My mama name Mary and Dolf Mayes my papa, and I's borned 'bout 1862, I
-guess, 'cause I wasn't very big when freedom come. I did most my playin'
-with young master, Tim, him and me 'bout de same age.
-
-"Old master was sho' good to he slaves and dey ain't never have no cruel
-overseer nor no lot of whippin' like some masters did. Mama work in de
-white folks' house and done de cookin' in de big kitchen. De big house
-was a big, low place with galleries 'round it. Mama tie me to a chair
-leg on de gallery to keep me from runnin' off to de bayou. Dey 'fraid
-of alligators. Dem 'gators never did eat no cullud chillen 'round us
-place, but dey allus 'fraid day would. Dey sich big snakes in de woods,
-too, dey skeered of dem.
-
-"De cullud folks all have li'l brick cabin quarters and dey have a
-brickyard right near de place what a white man own and he make de bricks
-what dey calls Cedar Bayou brick 'count of de mud being diff'rent. I's
-born in one dem li'l brick houses. I don't 'member none my grandfolks
-'cept my papa's mama, call Martha Godfry. She come from Virginny, and
-'long to de Mayes where my papa born.
-
-"I never did bother with Sunday School much, me. Dey one on de bayou and
-a white lady, Miss Joseph, am de teacher. Dey wasn't no school but after
-I git free I go to school on de edge of de woods. Dey have teacher name
-Runnells and a old blue-back speller to larn out of.
-
-"After us freed my papa move up de prairie a ways and hire out to ride
-de range. Dey done larn me to ride when I 'bout five, six year old and I
-rid with de old man. Dat ridin' business was jes' my job. My daddy never
-did like to settle down and farm, but druther ride de range for four
-bits or six bits de day. De old master done give us nothin', jes' turn
-us adrift, but he didn't have much and everybody jes' have to shift for
-demselves dem days. Us git 'long all right makin' money with de
-cattlemen.
-
-"De prairie lands a good place to git things to eat and us see plenty
-deers, sometime eight or ten in de bunch. Dey lots of wolves roamin'
-'round lookin' for stray cows. Dat when de whip come in handy, to knock
-dem on de head. Never hear tell of but one bear, and us cotch him on Gum
-Island and kill him. You know dem funny lookin', horny things dey calls
-armadillos? Dey been immigrate here 'bout ten year ago. Dey come from
-somewhere but us ain't knowed why. Dey never was none here in slavery
-time but plenty horny frogs and 'gators.
-
-"I marry 51 year ago to Wilina Day and I's still marry to her. Us marry
-in her brudder's house with jes' homefolks. Dey's nine chillen and eight
-still livin' and most dem farmers, 'cept two boys in de reg'lar army.
-Dey am Dolf and Robert. Oscar runs de fillin' station at Double Bayou.
-Oscar was in France in de World War. I has two my gals with me here and
-two grandchillen.
-
-"I rode de range till 'bout 20 year ago and den I start gittin' purty
-old, so I settles down to farmin'. Dey charter a Masonic lodge here in
-1906, I 'lieve it were number naught six, and dey put me up for
-Worshipful Master of de bunch. After dey vouch for me I git de chair and
-I been sittin' in de east for 30 year."
-
-Susan Merritt
-=============
-
-**Susan Merritt, 87, was born in Rusk Co., Texas, a slave of Andrew
-Watt. A year after she was freed, Susan moved with her parents to
-Harrison Co., and stayed on their farm until she married Will Merritt.
-They reared fifteen children. Susan has little to say of her life from
-1865 to the present, stating that they got along on the farm they worked
-on shares. Since her husband's death Susan lives with a son, Willie,
-west of Marshall, Texas, on the Hynson Springs Road.**
-
-"I couldn't tell how old I is, but does you think I'd ever forgit them
-slave days? I 'lieve I's 'bout 87 or more, 'cause I's a good size gal
-spinnin all the thread for the white folks when they lets us loose after
-surrender.
-
-"I's born right down in Rusk County, not a long way from Henderson, and
-Massa Andrew Watt am my owner. My pappy, Bob Rollins, he come from North
-Carolina and belonged to Dave Blakely and mammy come from Mississippi.
-Mammy have eleven of us chillen but four dies when they babies, but
-Albert, Hob, John, Emma, Anna, Lula and me lives to be growed and
-married.
-
-"Massa Watt lived in a big log house what sot on a hill so you could see
-it 'round for miles, and us lived over in the field in little log huts,
-all huddled along together. They have home-made beds nailed to the wall
-and baling sack mattresses, and us call them bunks. Us never had no
-money but plenty clothes and grub and wear the same clothes all the year
-'round. Massa Watt made our shoes for winter hisself and he made
-furniture and saddles and harness and run a grist mill and a whiskey
-still there on the place. That man had ev'ything.
-
-"The hands was woke with the big bell and when massa pulls that bell
-rope the niggers falls out them bunks like rain fallin'. They was in
-that field 'fore day and stay till dusk dark. They work slap up till
-Saturday night and then washes their clothes, and sometimes they gits
-through and has time for the party and plays ring plays. I 'member part
-the words to one play and that, 'Rolling river, roll on, the old cow die
-in cold water ... now we's got to drink bad water 'cause old cow die in
-cold water,' but I can't 'member more'n that. It's too long ago.
-
-"When the hands come in from the field at dusk dark, they has to tote
-water from the spring and cook and eat and be in bed when that old bell
-rings at nine o'clock. 'Bout dusk they calls the chillen and gives 'em a
-piece of corn pone 'bout size my hand and a tin cup milk and puts them
-to bed, but the growed folks et fat pork and greens and beans and sich
-like and have plenty milk. Ev'ry Sunday massa give 'em some flour and
-butter and a chicken. Lots of niggers caught a good cowhiding for
-slippin' 'round and stealin' a chicken 'fore Sunday.
-
-"Massa Watt didn't have no overseer, but he have a nigger driver what am
-jus' as bad. He carry a long whip 'round the neck and I's seed him tie
-niggers to a tree and cowhide 'em till the blood run down onto the
-ground. Sometimes the women gits slothful and not able to do their part
-but they makes 'em do it anyway. They digs a hole, 'bout body deep, and
-makes them women lie face down in it and beats 'em nearly to death. That
-nigger driver beat the chillen for not keepin' their cotton row up with
-the lead man. Sometimes he made niggers drag long chains while they
-works in the field and some of 'em run off, but they oughtn't to have
-done it, 'cause they chase 'em with hounds and nearly kilt 'em.
-
-"Lots of times Massa Watt give us a pass to go over to George Petro's
-place or Dick Gregg's place. Massa Petro run a slave market and he have
-big, high scaffold with steps where he sells slaves. They was stripped
-off to the waist to show their strengt'.
-
-"Our white folks have a church and a place for us in the back. Sometimes
-at night us gather 'round the fireplace and pray and sing and cry, but
-us daren't 'low our white folks know it. Thank the Lawd us can worship
-where us wants nowadays. I 'member one song we allus sing:
-
- | "'I heard the voice of Jesus callin'
- | Come unto me and live
- | Lie, lie down, weepin' one
- | Res' they head on my breast.
- |
- | "'I come to Jesus as I was
- | Weary and lone and tired and sad,
- | I finds in him a restin' place,
- | And he has made me glad.'
-
-"Us have two white doctors call Dr. Dan and Dr. Gill Shaw, what wait on
-us when we real sick. Us wore asafoetida bags 'round the neck and it
-kep' off sickness.
-
-"I stay mos' the time in the big house and massa good but missy am the
-devil. I couldn't tell you how I treated. Lots of times she tie me to a
-stob in the yard and cowhide me till she give out, then she go and rest
-and come back and beat me some more. You see, I's massa nigger and she
-have her own niggers what come on her side and she never did like me.
-She stomp and beat me nearly to death and they have to grease my back
-where she cowhide me and I's sick with fever for a week. If I have a
-dollar for ev'ry cowhidin' I git, I'd never have to work no more.
-
-.. _`Susan Merritt`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image75susan.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Susan Merritt
-
- Susan Merritt
-
-"Young missy Betty like me and try larn me readin' and writin' and she
-slip to my room and have me doin' right good. I larn the alphabet. But
-one day Missy Jane cotch her schoolin' me and she say, 'Niggers don't
-need to know anything,' and she lams me over the head with the butt of a
-cowhide whip. That white woman so rough, one day us makin' soap and some
-little chickens gits in the fire 'round the pot and she say I let 'em do
-it and make me walk barefoot through that bed of coals sev'ral times.
-
-"I hears 'bout freedom in September and they's pickin' cotton and a
-white man rides up to massa's house on a big, white hoss and the
-houseboy tell massa a man want see him and he hollers, 'Light,
-stranger.' It a gov'ment man and he have the big book and a bunch papers
-and say why ain't massa turn the niggers loose. Massa say he tryin' git
-the crop out and he tell massa have the slaves in. Uncle Steven blows
-the cow horn what they use to call to eat and all the niggers come
-runnin', 'cause that horn mean, 'Come to the big house, quick.' That man
-reads the paper tellin' us we's free, but massa make us work sev'ral
-months after that. He say we git 20 acres land and a mule but we didn't
-git it.
-
-"Lots of niggers was kilt after freedom, 'cause the slaves in Harrison
-County turn loose right at freedom and them in Rusk County wasn't. But
-they hears 'bout it and runs away to freedom in Harrison County and they
-owners have 'em bushwhacked, that shot down. You could see lots of
-niggers hangin' to trees in Sabine bottom right after freedom, 'cause
-they catch 'em swimmin' 'cross Sabine River and shoot 'em. They sho' am
-goin' be lots of soul cry 'gainst 'em in Judgment!"
-
-Josh Miles
-==========
-
-**Josh Miles, 78, was born in Richmond, Virginia, a slave of the Miles
-family. In 1862 Mr. Miles brought his family and slaves to Franklin,
-Texas. After he was freed, Josh worked for the railroad until he was
-laid off because of old age. He lives in Mart, Texas.**
-
-\"I was born in Richmond, in Virginny, back in 1859, and my mammy and
-pappy was slaves to a man named Miles, what lived in Richmond but owned
-three plantations out a few miles, and 'bout fifteen hundred niggers.
-Pappy was de fam'ly coachman and druv de li'l surrey when Massa gwine
-see he plantations. On Sunday he druv de big coach to church. De Old
-Massa wear de big stove-pipe hat and de long-skirt coat and he big
-boots. Pappy, he wear de tall hat with de blue uniform with brass
-buttons, and black, shiny boots. He have de long horsewhip to crack at
-dem hosses--he drive four or six hosses, 'cause dat coach am big and
-heavy and de roads am often muddy.
-
-"Massa allus went to de big fairs in Louisville and Richmond, where de
-big hoss races am. Dey name de hosses for Abe Lincoln and Steve Douglas,
-in 1860. De bettin' song what dey sings am like dis:
-
- | "'Dere's a old plow hoss, whose name am Doug, doo, dah, doo-dah--
- | He's short and thick, a reg'lar plug, oh, doo, dah, doo-dah, doo--
- | We're born to work all night, we're born to work all day,
- | I'll bet my money on de Lincoln hoss, who bets on Steven A?'
-
-"Well, dat de way us lives jes' befo' de war. When de presidents calls
-for volunteers, Virginny goes for de Rebels, and dey moves de capitol to
-Richmond. So Old Massa sees he'll be right in de thick of de war and he
-'cides to come to Texas. He gits he slaves and he folks and hosses and
-cattle and he household things in de covered wagon and starts. Course,
-de hosses and cattle walks, and so does us niggers. But massa take he
-time and stops wherever he wants. It takes two years to make de trip.
-He stay de whole winter one place, and stops in Nashville and Memphis
-and Vicksburg. All dese places he trade de hosses and mules and oxen and
-niggers and everything else he have. But he wouldn't trade he pers'nal
-slaves. Dey have de big warehouse in places like Memphis, and take de
-nigger de day befo' de sale and give him plenty to eat to make him look
-in good humor. Dey chain him up de night befo' de sale, and iffen he am
-de fightin' nigger, dey handcuffs him. De auctioneer say, 'Dis nigger am
-eighteen year old, sound as de dollar, can pick 300 pounds of cotton a
-day, good disposition, easy to manage, come up 'xamine him.' Dey strips
-him to de waist and everybody look him over and de good ones brung
-$1,500 sometimes. I seed de old mammy and her two boys and gals sold.
-One man buys de boys and old mammy cry, but it don't do no good. 'Nother
-man bids de two gals and mammy throw such a fit her old massa throws her
-in, 'cause she too old to be much 'count.
-
-"De siege of Vicksburg 'gins jus' after old massa done left there, on he
-way to Texas. He friends tell him all 'bout it. Coffee was $4.00 de
-pound, tea $18.00, butter to $2.00 de pound, corn $15.00 de bar'l,
-calico $1.75 de yard and muslin 'bout $7.00 de yard. De Rebels holds de
-city long as they could. De bluff over de city have de caves in it and
-dey's rented for high rent. Flour am $10.00 de pound and bacon $5.00.
-Dey eats mule meat, and dey give it de French name, 'Mule tongue cold, a
-la bray.'
-
-"We keep's up with what happen and after de war dey tells us 'bout
-Richmond. De lab'tory am blowed up Friday, and de Stuart home burnt.
-Befo' Richmond am taken, dey sings dis song:
-
- | "Would you like to hear my song?
- | I'm 'fraid its rather long--
- | Of de 'On to Richmond,' double trouble,
- | Of de half a dozen trips
- | And de half a dozen slips,
- | And de latest bustin' of de bubble.
- |
- | "'Pull off you coat and roll up you sleeve,
- | For Richmond am a hard road to travel--
- | Then pull off you coat and roll up you sleeve.
- | For Richmond am a hard road to travel.'
-
-"Dey sung dat song to de old tune call 'Old Rosin de Beau.'
-
-.. _`Josh Miles`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image79josh.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Josh Miles
-
- Josh Miles
-
-"De war ends and in de few months old massa sot he slaves free. He give
-my pappy some money and he starts out for heself. He goes to Milligan
-and rents land and raises he fam'ly. Old Massa never goes back to
-Richmond. De Yanks gits what he left so dey no use gwine back dere. He
-lives in Franklin till 1914. It ain't like Old Virginny, but dey's
-plenty wild game and hawgs and he raises a bale of cotton to de acre, so
-he have money once more.
-
-"Dey's folks comin' to Texas all de time from de old states. It am de
-new world and dey likes it. Dey has de Juneteenth cel'brations after
-'while, and de white folks gives us beeves and hawgs to barbecue, so
-Texas am de good place to stay.
-
-"When I's 'bout growed, I starts workin' on de I. & G.N. railroad and
-helps build it from Houston into Waco. I works for it for years and
-years, and allus lives near de Brazos River. I's lived here in Mart
-forty years.
-
-"I doesn't have de bitter mem'ries like some de niggers. 'Cause Old
-Massa allus good to us. I's had de good life and am 'bout ready to go to
-Hebben, and hopes I can see Old Massa dere."
-
-Anna Miller
-===========
-
-**Anna Miller, 85, lives with her daughter, Lucy Watkins, at 407 W.
-Bluff St., Ft. Worth, Texas. She was born a slave in Kentucky, and was
-sold, with her parents, to Mark Loyed, a farmer in Missouri. He later
-sold Anna's mother, before Anna was old enough to remember her. When
-Anna was 8, her owner moved to Palo Pinto, Texas.**
-
-"I'se now 'bout 85 years ole, dat's what de white folks tells me. I'se
-bo'n in Kentuck'. My mammy, pappy and I'se sold by our fust marster to
-Marster Mark Loyed, who lived in Missouri. He takes us to him's farm.
-When I'se 'bout eight years ole, Marster Loyed sold him's farm and comes
-to Texas in covered wagons and oxen. He's brung all de slaves wid him.
-I'se don' 'member much 'bout de trip, cause I'se sick wid de fever. I'se
-so bad, de marster thinks I'se goin' to die. One mornin' he comes and
-looks at me and says, 'Dis nigger am too val'able to die. We'd better
-doctor her.' We camps for six days.
-
-"We comes to Palo Pinto and dat's wild country den. Plenty of Indians,
-but dey never trouble we'uns. My work, 'twas helpin' wid de chores and
-pick up de brush whar my pappy was a-clearin' de land. When I gits
-bigger, I'se plowed, hoed, and done all de goin' to de mill. I'se helps
-card, spins and cuts de thread. We'uns makes all de cloth for to makes
-de clothes, but we don' git 'em. In de winter we mos' freeze to death.
-De weavin' was de night work, after workin' all de day in de fiel'.
-
-"Dey sho whups us. I'se gits whupped lots a times. Marster whups de men
-and missus whups de women. Sometimes she whups wid de nettleweed. When
-she uses dat, de licks ain't so bad, but de stingin' and de burnin'
-after am sho' misery. Dat jus' plum runs me crazy. De mens use de rope
-when dey whups.
-
-"'Bout eatin', we keeps full on what we gits, such as beans, co'nmeal
-and 'lasses. We seldom gits meat. White flour, we don' know what dat
-taste like. Jus' know what it looks like. We gits 'bout all de milk we
-wants, 'cause dey puts it in de trough and we helps ourselves. Dere was
-a trough for de niggers and one for de hawgs.
-
-"Jus' 'bout a month befo' freedom, my sis and nigger Horace runs off.
-Dey don' go far, and stays in de dugout. Ev'ry night dey'd sneak in and
-git 'lasses and milk and what food dey could. My sis had a baby and she
-nuss it ev'ry night when she comes. Dey runs off to keep from gettin' a
-whuppin'. De marster was mad 'cause dey lets a mule cut hisself wid de
-plow. Sis says de bee stung de mule and he gits unruly and tangle in de
-plow. Marster says, 'Dey can' go far and will come back when dey gits
-hongry.'
-
-"I'se don' know much 'bout de war. De white folks don' talk to us 'bout
-de war and we'uns don' go to preachin' or nothin', so we can't larn
-much. When freedom comes, marster says to us niggers, 'All dat wants to
-go, git now. You has nothin'.' And he turns dem away, nothin' on 'cept
-ole rags. 'Twarn't enough to cover dere body. No hat, no shoes, no
-unnerwear.
-
-"My pappy and mos' de niggers goes, but I'se have to stay till my pappy
-finds a place for me. He tells me dat he'll come for me. I'se have to
-wait over two years. De marster gets worser in de disposition and goes
-'roun' sort of talkin' to hisse'f and den he gits to cussin' ev'rybody.
-
-
-"In 'bout a year after freedom, Marster Loyed moves from Palo Pinto to
-Fort Worth. He says he don' want to live in a country whar de niggers am
-free. He kills hisse'f 'bout a year after dey moves. After dat, I'se
-sho' glad when pappy comes for me. He had settled at Azle on a rented
-farm and I'se lives wid him for 'bout ten years. Den I'se goes and stays
-wid my brudder on Ash Creek. De three of us rents land and us runs dat
-farm.
-
-"I'se git married 'bout four years after I'se goes to Ash Creek, to Bell
-Johnson. We had four chillen. He works for white folks. 'Bout nine years
-after we married my husban' gits drowned and den I works for white folks
-and cares for my chillen for fo'teen years. Then I'se gits married
-again. I'se married Fred Miller, a cook, and we lived in Fort Worth. In
-1915 he goes 'way to cook for de road 'struction camp and dats de las'
-I'se hears of dat no 'count nigger!
-
-"Lots of difference when freedom comes. Mos' de time after, I'se have
-what I wants to eat. Sometime 'twas a little hard to git, but we gits
-on. I'se goes to preachin' and has music and visit wid de folks I'se
-like. But Marster Loyed makes us work from daylight to dark in de fiel's
-and make cloth at night."
-
-Mintie Maria Miller
-===================
-
-**Mintie Maria Miller, 1404 39th St., Galveston, Texas, was born in
-Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in 1852. She has forgotten her first master's name,
-but was sold while very young to Dr. Massie, of Lynchburg, Texas. The
-journey to Texas took three months by ox-cart. After the Civil War
-Mintie went to Houston and stayed with an old colored woman whose former
-master had given her a house. Later she went to Galveston, where she has
-worked for one family 24 years.**
-
-"I was born in Alabama in 1852, in Tuscaloosa and my mammy's name was
-Hannah, but I don't know my pappy's name. When I was still pretty little
-my brother and uncle and aunt and mother was sold and me with 'em.
-
-"Dr. Massie brung us to Texas in an ox-cart but my sister had to stay
-with the old mistress and that the last I ever seen my sister. She was
-four year old then.
-
-"After we reaches Texas we lives on a great big place, somewhere 'round
-Lynchburg and Dr. Massie have two girls and I sleeps on the foot of they
-bed. They nice to me, they spoil me, in fac'. I plays with the white
-gals and they feeds me from they tables and in the evenin' my mammy
-takes me down to de bayou and wash my face and put me on a clean dress.
-
-"My mammy cook for the white folks and they treats us both fine, but one
-gal I knowed was 'bout 8 or 9 and she run away from her master and swim
-de Trinity River and it was winter and her feets freezes. He cotches dis
-gal and puts her feets in the fire to thaw 'em, and burnt 'em. The law
-say you could take slaves 'way from sich a man, so Dr. Frost takes her
-away from that man and gives her to Miss Nancy what was de mistress at
-Dr. Massie's place.
-
-"Then they says they gwine sell me, 'cause Miss Nancy's father-in-law
-dies and they got rid of some of us. She didn't want to sell me so she
-tell me to be sassy and no one would buy me. They takes me to Houston
-and to the market and a man call George Fraser sells the slaves. The
-market was a open house, more like a shed. We all stands to one side
-till our turn comes. They wasn't nothin' else you could do.
-
-"They stands me up on a block of wood and a man bid me in. I felt mad.
-You see I was young then, too young to know better. I don't know what
-they sold me for, but the man what bought me made me open my mouth while
-he looks at my teeth. They done all us that-a-way, sells us like you
-sell a hoss. Then my old master bids me goodby and tries to give me a
-dog, but I 'members what Miss Nancy done say and I sassed him and
-slapped the dog out of his hand. So the man what bought me say, 'When
-one o'clock come you got to sell her 'gain, she's sassy. If she done me
-that way I'd kill her.' So they sells me twice the same day. They was
-two sellin's that day.
-
-"My new master, Tom Johnson, lives in Lynchburg and owns the river boat
-there, and has a little place, 'bout one acre, on the bayou. Then the
-war comes and jes' 'fore war come to Galveston they took all the
-steamships in the Buffalo Bayou and took the cabins off and made ships.
-They put cotton bales 'round them and builded 'em up high with the
-cotton, to cotch the cannonballs. Two of 'em was the Island City, and
-the Neptune.
-
-"Then freedom cries and the master say we all free and I goes to Houston
-with my mammy. We stays with a old colored woman what has a house her
-old master done give her and I finishes growin' there and works some.
-But then I comes to Galveston and hired out here and I been workin' for
-these white folks 24 year now."
-
-Tom Mills
-=========
-
-**Tom Mills was born in Fayette Co., Alabama, in 1858, a slave of George
-Patterson, who owned Tom's father and mother. In 1862 George Patterson
-moved to Texas, bringing Tom and his mother, but not his father. After
-they were freed, it was difficult for Tom's mother to earn a living and
-they had a hard time for several years, until Tom was old enough to go
-to work on a ranch, as a cow-hand. In 1892 Tom undertook stock farming,
-finally settling in Uvalde in 1919. He now lives in a four-room house he
-built himself. A peach orchard and a grape arbor shade the west side of
-the house and well-fed cows are in the little pasture. Tom is contented
-and optimistic and says he can "do a lot of work yet."**
-
-"I was born in Alabama, in Fayette Co., in 1858. My mother was named
-Emaline Riley and my father was named Thad Mills. My sisters were named
-Ella and Ann and Lou and Maggie and Matildy, and the youngest one was
-Easter. I had two brothers, Richard and Ben. Bob Lebruc was my
-great-uncle and for a long while he ran a freight wagon from Salt Lakes
-to this country. That was the only way of getting salt to Texas, this
-part of Texas, I mean, because Salt Lakes is down east of Corpus, close
-to the bay. My uncle was finally killed by the Indians in Frio County.
-
-"In Alabama we lived on Patterson's place. The grandmother of all these
-Pattersons was Betsy Patterson and we lived on her estate. My mother
-wove the cloth. It kep' her pretty busy, but she was stout and active.
-My uncle was blacksmith and made all the plows, too.
-
-"We had a picket house, one room, and two beds built in corners.
-
-"My mother done the cookin' up at the house because she was workin' up
-there all the time, weavin' cloth, and of course we ate up there. The
-rest of 'em didn't like it much because we ate up there, but her work
-was there. I guess you never did see a loom? It used to keep me pretty
-busy fillin' quills. She made this cloth--this four-dollar-a-yard,
-four-leaf jean cloth, all wool, of course.
-
-"I was too little to work durin' the war; of course we packed a little
-water and got a little wood. I was goin' to tell you about this scar on
-my finger. I was holdin' a stick for another little fellow to cut wood
-and he nearly cut my finger off. That sure woke me up.
-
-"They had field work on the place, but a family by the name of Knowles
-did the farm work. I worked stock nearly all my life. It used to be all
-the work there was. I think my mother was allowed to make a little money
-on this cloth business. That is, cloth she made on the outside. And she
-was the only one of the slaves that could read. I don't know that they
-cared anything about her readin', but they didn't want her to read it to
-the rest of 'em. I never earned no money; I was too little.
-
-"We called Old Man Patterson 'master' and we called Mrs. Patterson
-'mistuss'.
-
-"I don't know what the other slaves had to eat--they cooked for
-themselves, but we had jes' what the Pattersons had to eat. On Sunday
-mornin' we had flour bread. Always glad to see Sunday mornin' come. We
-made the co'n meal right on the place on these old hand mills that you
-turn with both hands like this. When the co'n jes' fust began to get
-ha'd, they would grate that; but when it got ha'd, they would grind it.
-We always had meat the year 'round. We called hogshead cheese 'souse'.
-But we never did make sausage then. It was a long time before we had a
-sausage mill. Oh, sho' we made 'chittlin's' (chitterlings). We make them
-even now. Why mama always takes the paunch and fixes it up ever' time we
-kill hogs. We dried beef, strung it out, and put it on the line. When we
-got ready to cook it, we'd take it and beat it and make hash and fry it
-or boil it. We had lots of deer and turkeys, quail and 'possums, but
-they never did do much eatin' rabbits. I didn't eat no 'possums and I
-didn't eat no honey; there was sever'l things I didn't like. I like
-straight beef, turkeys, quail and squirrel is mighty fine eatin'. I set
-traps and would ketch quail. Armadillos are pretty good meat, but we
-didn't eat 'em then. Why, I was grown before I ever saw an armadillo. I
-don't know where they immigrated from. Yes'm, I think they come from
-Mexico; they must surely have because they wasn't any here when I was a
-young boy. We used to see 'em in shows before they ever got to be around
-here.
-
-"I wore a shirt that hit me down about my knees. When my mother made my
-pants, she made 'em all in one piece, sleeves 'n all. The fust shoes I
-ever had, my uncle tanned the leather and made 'em. I guess I was about
-six years old. He made the pegs, tanned the leather, and made the shoes.
-It taken 18 months to tan the leather. Bark tanned. Huh, I c'n smell
-that old tannin' vat now. People nowadays, they're livin' too easy.
-'Fraid to let a drop of water fall on 'em.
-
-"Ever' day was Sunday with me then. After we got up any size, they put
-us to work, but we didn't work on Sunday. After I got to be a cowboy,
-of course, they didn't have no Sunday then.
-
-"I was twenty-two when I fust married. It was in Medina County. Her name
-was Ada Coston. She had on a white dress, draggin' the groun' in the
-back, what you used to call these trains. I remember when they wore
-these hoops, too. We married about 7 o'clock in the evenin'. I had on
-one of these frock-tail coats, black broadcloth suit. I had on good
-shop-made shoes. We had better shoes then than we ever have now. We had
-a supper and then danced. Had a big weddin' cake--great big white one,
-had a hole in the center, all iced all over. I think my auntie made that
-cake, or my cousin. We had coffee, but I never did drink whiskey in my
-life. I think they had chickens--if I remember right, chicken and
-dressin'. Had a whole lot better to eat then than I can get now. We
-danced all night. I was at a weddin' where they danced three days and
-nights, and I tell you where it was. Have you been down to Old Bill
-Thomas'? You have? Well, that was where it took place. Bill and Ellen
-married when I was about twelve years old, and I think they danced three
-days and nights, and maybe longer. Now, if they didn't tell you that, I
-could'a told you if I had been there. We danced these old square dances,
-what you call the Virginia Reel, and the round dances like the
-Schottische, Polka, waltzes, and all them. I was a dancin' fool, wanted
-to dance all the time. I inherited that from my mother. She was a
-terrible dancer.
-
-"Old Man George Patterson was a very tall and a dark complected man. He
-was a kind old man. He was good to my mother and all those that come
-from Alabama. The old mistuss would whip me, but he didn't. The
-grandchillun and I could fight all over the house; he would jes' get
-out of the way. But she would get on us once in awhile. The worst
-whippin' she ever give me was about some sheep. They had a cane patch
-down close to the sheep pen and I went down there and got me some cane
-and stripped it off and I was runnin' 'round down there whippin' the
-sheep with that stalk of cane and she found me down there and took me to
-the house and learned me better. They never did whip my mother. I know
-they whipped two others. Two was all I ever knew of 'em whippin'.
-Dillard, he married the oldest Patterson girl, and my uncle, he borrowed
-an auger from Mr. Dillard to make a frame. When dinner time came, he
-laid it down and went to his dinner. When he got back, this bit was
-broken and he went and tells him (Dillard) and they came down to make a
-search about who had used it. They found that another colored man got it
-and used it to bore some holes with and broke it, so he took it back and
-laid it down and never said nothin'. Them days, a thing like that steel
-bit was awful high. They laid 'im over a log and whipped 'im and whipped
-his wife for not tellin' it when they asked her. They had a boy countin'
-the licks, but I don't know how many he got. They had me down there too,
-and I was ready to get away from there. I think they had us down there
-to show what we would get if we didn't do right.
-
-"The old lady, the mistuss, she was pretty high-tempered--her head kind
-of bounced, like that--when she got mad. She was slender and tall. I
-think they lived in a log house; I don't remember much what kind of
-house it was. I know my mother weaved cloth in one part of it.
-
-"I don't think the field was very large on that place. I often wanted to
-go back and see it. It was right on the Sabinal, right opposite
-Knowlton Creek.
-
-"I have heard my mother tell about slaves bein' sold. It was kinda like
-a fair they have now. They would go there, and some of 'em sold for a
-thousand dollars. They said somethin' about puttin' 'em on a block; the
-highest bidder, you know, would buy 'em. I don't know how they got 'em
-there, for they wasn't much of a way for 'em to go 'cept by oxen, you
-know. It was back in Alabama where she saw all that. Of course, there
-was more of that down in Mississippi than Alabama, but she didn't know
-nothin' about that.
-
-"I remember the cotton they raised on the Patterson place. They picked
-the seeds out with their fingers and made cloth out of it. They would
-take coarse wool--not merino wool, for that was too fine--and use the
-coarse wool for a filler. That was what they would make me do, pick the
-seed out of that cotton to keep me out of mischief. I remember that
-pretty well. Kep' me tied down, and I would beg the old man to let me
-go, and when he did, if I got into anything, I was back there pickin'
-seeds pretty quick.
-
-"We would get up about daybreak. They might have got up before I knew
-anything about it, but sometimes I got up with my mother.
-
-"What little school I went to was German, at D'Hanis and Castroville. I
-went to the priest at D'Hanis and to the sisters at Castroville. No
-education to amount to anything. That was after we were freed. I went to
-school at the same time that Johnny Ney and his sister, Mary, went to
-school. I would like to see Johnny and talk to him now. Your grandmother
-and her sisters and brothers went to that school and I remember all of
-'em well. One of them boys, George, was killed and scalped by the
-Indians, and that was caused by them boys playin' and scarin' each other
-all the time. He was with them Rothe boys, and they always had an Indian
-scare up someway to have fun with each other, especially to scare
-George. So when they did discover the Indians and hollered to George, he
-wouldn't run, because they had fooled 'im so much. So the Indians
-slipped up on him and killed 'im.
-
-"Yes, I knew all the Millers better than I did nearly any of the rest of
-the old settlers up there. Aunt Dorcas, that was George's mother, she
-nursed me through the measles. I was awful sick, and when my mother
-heard it and come up after me, she told my mother to leave me there, she
-would take care of me. I tell you she took good care of me too.
-
-"But that was after freedom. You see, my mother didn't want to come to
-Texas. She laid out nearly two years before they got hold of her and got
-her to come to Texas. Alabama wasn't thickly settled then. There was
-bottoms of trees and wild fruit she could eat. She stayed out by
-herself, and would come and get something to eat and leave again. But
-Patterson told her if she would come to Texas she would be treated right
-and not be whipped or nothin' like that. And so far as I know, she never
-was whipped. He kep' his word with her. She was useful and they needed
-her. She wove the cloth and was such a good worker.
-
-"The first cow we ever owned, we cut cockleburrs out of a field of about
-seven or eight acres. Mr. John Ware gave her a cow to cut the burrs out.
-
-"After the war, my uncle carried my mother and his wife and chillen
-away, and when they started with Margaret--she was his niece and my
-cousin--they overtook 'em and took Margaret back. She was house girl,
-she didn't do nothin' but work in the house. I don't know whether they
-ever paid her anything or not. They needed her to wait on the old lady.
-
-"I don't know how that come about when they told 'em they was free. I
-don't know whether mother read it in the paper or he come and told 'em.
-We went on, and came right on up the same creek to a place where a man
-had a ranch by the name of Roney. It was an old abonded (abandoned)
-place, and we didn't have anything to eat. My uncle got out and rustled
-around to get some bread stuff and got some co'n, but while he was gone
-was when we suffered for something to eat. We didn't have anything to
-kill wild game with. We would fish a little. When he left he went up in
-the Davenport settlement, up there about where your grandfather lived.
-We got milk and careless weeds, but that was all we had, and we were
-awful glad to see the co'n come. And that was my first taste of javelin
-(javelina). It evidently was an old male javelin, for I couldn't eat it.
-I don't think my uncle ever stole anything in his life. I was with him
-all the time and I know he didn't. My mother, she went over to
-Davenports' and my uncle got out and rustled to see where he could get
-something to do. So they moved up in the Sabinal Canyon and he got on
-Old Man Joel Fenley's place.
-
-"Old Man 'Parson' Monk, I think, was the first person I ever heard
-preach. That was down here in the Patterson settlement (formerly a
-settlement six miles south of the present town of Sabinal). The
-preachin' was right there on the place. I joined the church after I was
-grown, but that was the cullud church, then. My mother she joined the
-white church. She joined the Hardshell Baptist. She never did live in
-any colony and the cullud church was too far. They had lots of camp
-meetin's. I never was at but one camp meetin' that I know of. They would
-preach and shout and have a good time and have plenty to eat. That was
-what most of 'em went for. But the churches then seemed to be more
-serious than they are now. They preached the 'altar.' You know, like
-anyone wanted to join the church, they was a mourner, you see, seekin'
-for religion. And they would sing and pray with 'em till they professed
-the religion. I had a sister that never went to a meetin' that she
-didn't get to shoutin' and shout to the end of the sermon. I always
-tried to get out of the way before I joined because if she got to me,
-she would beat on me and talk to me. We always tried to get to her, if
-she had her baby in her arms, because she would jes' throw that baby
-away when the Spirit moved her.
-
-"Did you ever know of Monroe Brackins over at Hondo City? Well, I and
-him was both jes' boys and was with Jess Campbell, Joe Dean and a man
-named McLemore. They was white men. We went down on the Frio River, and
-there was some pens down there on the Johnson place. They was three
-brothers of them Johnsons. We had a little bunch of cattle, goin' down
-there. This Jess Campbell and Joe Dean was full of devilment and they
-knew Monroe was awful scarey. When we penned the cattle that evenin' it
-was late and Monroe noticed a pile of brush at the side of the gate. He
-asked 'em what you reckin that was there, and they told him they was a
-man killed and buried there. That night after dark they was fixin' to
-get supper ready and told Monroe to go get some water down at the river,
-but he wouldn't do it. Well, I never was afraid of the dark in my life,
-so I had to go get the water. Well, we made a fire and fixed supper and
-then these men put a rope on Monroe and took him off a little piece and
-wrapped the rope around a tree and never even tied the rope fast. The
-other man, McLemore, he went around the camp and came up on the other
-side. He had an old dried cow hide with the tail still on it. The old
-tail was all bent, crimped up. Here he come from down the creek, from
-where they told Monroe that fellow was buried, and right toward Monroe
-with that hide on. Tail first and in the dark it looked pretty bad, and,
-I tell you, Monroe got to screamin'. I believe he would have died if
-they hadn't let him loose. I never laughed so much in my life. When he
-would get scared, he would squeal like a hog. He sure was scarey.
-
-"Sometimes, I know, we would be woke up in the night and they would be
-cookin' chicken and dumplin's, or havin' somethin' like that. I'd like
-for 'em to come ever' night and wake me up. I don't know where it come
-from, but they would always wake the chillen up and let 'em have some of
-it. (This is an early recollection of his childhood during slavery.)
-
-"My mother's daddy, if he was here, he could tell plenty of things. He
-could remember all about them days, and sing them songs too. I've heard
-him tell some mighty bad things, and he told somethin' pretty bad on
-hisself. He said they captured some Indian chillen and he was carryin
-one and it got to cryin' and he jes' took his saber and held it up by
-its feet and cut its head off. Couldn't stan' to hear it cry. He got
-punished for it, but he said he was a soldier and not supposed to carry
-Indian babies. Usually when Indians captured little fellows like that,
-they carried 'em off. Like when they carried off Frank Buckilew, a white
-boy. And a cullud boy that got away up close to Utopia. They kep' the
-Buckilew boy a long time, long enough that he got to where he understood
-the language. It was a long time that the Indians didn't kill a darky,
-though. But after the war, when they brought these cullud soldiers in
-here to drive 'em back, that started the war with the cullud people
-then.
-
-"After freedom, I remember one weddin' the white folks had. That was
-when John Kanedy (Kennedy) married Melinda Johnson. He was a man that
-lived there on the river and was there up to the time he died. I wasn't
-at the weddin', but I was at the infair. They were married east of Hondo
-City. They had the infair then and it was a kind of celebration after
-the weddin'. Ever'body met there and had a big dance and supper and had
-a big time. They danced all night after the supper and then had a big
-breakfast the next mornin'. I was little, but I remember the supper and
-breakfast, for I was enjoyin' that myself. They was lots to eat, and
-they had it too. After freedom, I remember these quiltin's where they
-would have big dinners. They would have me there, threadin' needles for
-'em. We always had a big time Christmas. They had dances and dinners for
-a week. Yes'm, the cullud people did. They would celebrate the holidays
-out. That was all free too, and they all had plenty to eat. They would
-meet at one place one night and have a dance and supper and, the next
-night, meet over at another place and have the same thing.
-
-"When I got to workin' for myself, it was cow work. I done horseback
-work for fifty years. Many a year passed that I never missed a day bein'
-in the saddle. I stayed thirteen years on one ranch. The first place was
-right below Hondo City. His name was Tally Burnett and I was gettin'
-$7.50 a month. Went to work for that and stayed about three or four
-months and he raised my wages to what the others was gettin' and that
-was $12.50. He said I was as good as they were. Then I went to Frio
-City. I done the same kind of work, but I went with the people that
-nearly raised me, the Rutledges.
-
-"That's where I was give twice in the census. My mother gave me in and
-he gave me in. That was one time they had one man too many.
-
-"I married when I was with them and I worked for him after that. That
-was when we would work away down on the Rio Grande, when Demp Fenley and
-Lee Langford and Tom Roland and the two Lease boys and one or two more
-was deliverin' cattle to the Gold Franks' ranch. He wanted 8,000
-two-year-old heifers. He had 150,000 acres of land and wanted cattle to
-stock it. Some taken a contract to deliver so many and some taken a
-contract to deliver so many, so these men I was with went down below
-Laredo and down in there. We wound that up in '85. In '86, I went to
-Kerr County and taken a ranch out there on the head of the Guadalupe
-River. I stayed there two years and a half, till they sold out. This man
-I was workin' for was from Boston, and he leased the ranch and turned it
-over to me and I done all the hirin' and payin' off and buyin' and
-ever'thing. When he sold out, I left and went on the Horton ranch about
-thirteen months.
-
-"My first wife died in 1892, but we had been separated about five or six
-years. I married again in Bandera and quit ranchin' and went to stock
-farmin' for Albert Miller, then leased a place from Charley Montague two
-years, then went over into Hondo Canyon and leased a place there in '98.
-We stayed there till 1906, then came to Uvalde. I leased a place out
-here, about two hundred acres, four miles from town, and had odd jobs
-around here too. Then, about 1907, we went to Zavala County and stayed
-till 1919. I leased a place here, then, and finally settled at this
-place I'm on now and have been here ever since.
-
-"I've got 11 chillen livin'. One boy, Alfred, is in Lousiana and I don't
-know what he's doin', but he's been married about five times. I have a
-boy workin' in the post office in San Antonio named Mack, and the rest
-of the chillen are here. There's Sarah, Riley, Frank, James, Banetta,
-John, Theodore, Tommy, Annie Laurie. They all live here and work at
-different places.
-
-"I know when we used to camp out in the winter time we would have these
-old-time freezes, when ever'thing was covered in ice. We would have a
-big, fat cow hangin' up and we could slice that meat off and have the
-best meals. And when we was on the cow hunts we would start out with
-meal, salt and coffee and carry the beddin' for six or eight men on two
-horses and carry our rations on another horse. I guess it would scare
-people now to hear 'em comin' with all them pots and pans and makin' all
-that racket.
-
-"When we camped and killed a yearlin' the leaf fat and liver was one of
-the first things we would cook. When they would start in to gather
-cattle to send to Kansas, they would ride out in the herd and pick out
-a fat calf, and they would get the 'fleece' and liver and broil the
-ribs. The meat that was cut off the ribs was called the fleece. It was a
-terr'ble waste, for many a time, the hams wasn't even cut out of the
-hide, jes' left there. Old Man Alec Rutledge used to say, when they
-would throw out bread and meat, he would say, 'I'll tell you, Tom, he
-will have to walk alone sometimes because this willful waste will make
-woeful wants.' He was talkin' about his brother--they was two of 'em and
-sure 'nough, his brother finally lost all his cattle, quit the business,
-and never had nothin' left. There would be an awful lot of good meat
-wasted, and now we are payin' for it.
-
-"The first fence I ever seen wasn't any larger then this addition here,
-and it was put up out of pickets. The Mexicans used to build lots of
-fences and we got the idea from them, mostly on these old-timey
-stake-and-rider fences. It was an awful pasture when they had eight mile
-of fence. The way they made the field fences was nothin' but brush. I
-remember when I was a little fellow at John Kanady's (Kennedy's), George
-Johnson would come over and stay with his sister, Mrs. Kanady, and he
-would keep the cattle out of the field. One day, he came there and put
-me on his horse. He had loosened up his girt, and I got out there a
-little ways and one of the cows turned back. The horse was a regular old
-cow pony and when that cow turned back, the old horse turned just as
-quick and the saddle slipped and I stayed there.
-
-"Oh, pshaw! they turn so quick you have to be on the lookout. You have
-to watch the horse as well as the cow. Some of them horses get pretty
-smart. One time they were cuttin' cattle and a fellow brought a cow to
-the edge of the herd and the cow turned back and when she did, the horse
-cut back too and left him there. When he went from under him, that
-fellow's spurs left a mark clear across the saddle as he went over. It
-was my saddle he was ridin' and that mark never did leave it, where the
-spurs cut across it.
-
-"We've done some ridin' even after my wife, here, and I were married.
-She's seen 'em breakin' horses and all that pitchin' and bawlin'. But, I
-never was no hand to show off. If I kep' my seat, that was all I wanted.
-You see lots of fellows ridin' just to show off, but I never was for
-anything like that.
-
-"No, I never did go up on the trail. I've helped prepare the herd to
-take. Usually, there would be one owner takin' his cattle up on the
-trail. They had no place to hold the cattle, only under herd. Usually,
-they would start with a thousand or fifteen hundred head, but they
-didn't put 'em all together till they got away out on the divide. They
-would have 'em shaped up as they gathered 'em and jes' hold what they
-wanted to send. It didn't take so many men, either, because they all
-understood their business.
-
-"I was jes' thinkin' about when Mr. Demp Fenley and Rutledge was here.
-They had about nine hundred head of cattle. We brought 'em right in
-below Pearsall, right about the Shiner ranch, and delivered 'em there.
-But before we got there at a little creek they called *Pato*, they was
-hardly any place to bed the cattle because they was so much pear[TR:
-cactus]. Mr. Rutledge and I always bedded the cattle down, and then I
-would go on the last relief, usually about the time to get up, anyway.
-He used me all the time when they would get ready to go to camp in the
-evenin', and we'd spread 'em out and let 'em graze before beddin' 'em
-down. Sometimes he would give me a motion to come over there, and I knew
-that meant an animal to throw. He always got me to do the ropin' if one
-broke out. Well, we was comin on with those cattle and they was a steer
-that gave us trouble all the time. As soon as you got away, he would
-walk out of the herd. Well, we got the cattle all bedded down and they
-were quiet, but that steer walked out. I was ridin' Mr. Fenley's dun
-horse, and Mr. Rutledge says to me, 'I tell you what we'll do. We'll
-ketch that steer out here and give 'im a good whippin'.' I says, 'We'll
-get into trouble, too.' Well, he was to hold 'im away from the herd and
-I was to rope 'im, but the steer run in front of him and out-run 'im. If
-he would have run in behind him, I would 'a caught 'im, but that steer
-beat 'im to the herd and run right into the middle of 'em. And did he
-stampede 'em! Those cattle run right into the camp, and the boys all
-scramblin' into the wagon and gettin' on their horses without their
-boots on. One steer fell and rolled right under the chuck wagon. You
-know, we run those cattle all night, tryin' to hold 'em. It was a pear
-flat there, and next mornin' that pear was all beat down flat on the
-ground. They sure did run, and all because of that foolishness. Mr.
-Rutledge got to me and told me not to tell it, and I don't reckin to
-this day anybody knows what done that.
-
-"I never told you about the panther about to get on to me, did I? Well,
-we was out on the Rio Grande, about thirty-one or thirty-two miles
-beyond Carrizo. It was at the *Las islas* (The Islands) Crossin'. I was
-about three days behind the outfit when they went out there. That was in
-July, and they was a law passed that we had to quit wearin' our guns the
-first day of July and hang 'em on the ho'n of our saddle. When I got to
-the outfit, the boys was gettin' pretty tired herdin'. They had to bring
-'em out about six miles to grass and to this little creek. We would put
-'em in the pen at night and feed 'em hay. We were waitin' there for them
-to deliver some cattle out of Mexico. The Mexican told me they was
-somethin' out there where they were herdin' sheep that was scarin' the
-sheep out of the pen at night. I had seen some bobcats, but I laid down
-under one of these huisache trees and went to sleep. I had my pistol on
-and was layin' there and about two o'clock, I woke up. I turned over and
-rested myself on my elbow and looked off there about 12 feet from me and
-there stood a big old female panther. She was kind of squattin' and
-lookin' right at me. I reached right easy and got my Winchester that was
-layin' beside me and I shot her right between the eyes. Why, I had one
-of her claws here for a long time. She had some young ones somewhere. I
-imagined, though, she was goin' to jump right on me. It wasn't no good
-feelin', I know. She was an awful large one.
-
-"Oh, my goodness! I have seen lobos, eight or ten in a bunch. They're
-sure mean. I've seen 'em have cattle rounded up like a bunch of cow
-hands. If you heard a cow or yearlin' beller at night, you could go next
-mornin' and sure find where they had killed her. They would go right
-into the cow or calf and eat its kidney fat first thing. I tell you, one
-sure did scare me one time. I was out ridin', usually ropin' and
-brandin' calves, and I came across a den in the ground. I heard
-something whinin' down there in that hole. It was a curiosity to me and
-I wanted to get one of those little wolf pups. That was what I thought
-it was. I got down there and reached in there and got one of those
-little fellows. They was lovos (lobos). They are usually gray, but he
-was still black. They are black at first, then they turn gray. He was a
-little bit of a fellow. Well, I got him out and the old lovo wolf run
-right at me, snappin' her teeth, and my horse jerked back and came near
-gettin' away. But I hung to my wolf and got to my horse and got on and
-left there. I didn't have nothin' to kill her with. I was jes' a boy,
-then. I took that pup and give it to Mrs. Jim Reedes, down on the Hondo,
-and she kep' it till it began eatin' chickens.
-
-"I had a bear scare, too. That was in '87, about fifty years ago. Well,
-Ira Wheat was sheriff at Leakey in Edwards County, then. I went down
-there, and I was ridin' a horse I broke for a sheriff in Kerr County. I
-came to Leakey to see Wheat--you see they was burnin' cattle (running
-the brands) all over that country then. As I was ridin' along, I seen
-some buzzards and I rode out there. Somethin' had killed a hog and eat
-on it. I knowed it was a bear afterwards, but then I went on down to
-Leakey and started back, I got up on the divide, at the head of a little
-canyon and I seen those buzzards again. I seen two black things and I
-jes' thought to myself them buzzards was comin' back and eatin' on that
-dead hog. I rode up and seen that it was two bears and I made a lunge at
-'em and the old bear run off and the little cub ran up a tree. I
-thought, 'I'll ketch you, you little rascal.' So I tied my horse and I
-went up the tree after the cub and when I was near 'im, he squalled jes'
-like a child. I tell you, when it squalled that way, here came that old
-bear and begin snuffin' around the tree. My horse was jes' rearin' and
-tryin' to break loose out there. I tell you, when I *did* get down there
-and get to him, I had to lead him about two hundred yards before I
-could ever get on him. He sure was scared. Like it was when I was a boy
-down on the Hondo one time and I could hear horses comin' and thought it
-was Indians and after awhile, I couldn't hear nothin' but my heart
-beatin'."
-
------
-
-Uncle Tom Mills is one of the most contented old darkies surviving the
-good old days when range was open and a livelihood was the easiest thing
-in the world to get. He lives in the western part of Uvalde, in a
-four-room house that he built himself. A peach orchard and a grape arbor
-shade the west side of the house. It is here that Uncle Tom spends many
-hours cultivating his little garden patch. Contented and well-fed milk
-cows lie in the shade of the oak trees in a little pasture east of the
-house, and he proudly calls attention to their full udders and sleek
-bodies. His wife, Hattie, laughs and joins him in conversation, helping
-to prod his memory on minor events. He smiles a lot and seems optimistic
-about most things. I did not hear him speak grudgingly toward anyone, or
-make a complaint about the old-age pension he gets. He is always busy
-about the place and claims that he can do a lot of work yet.
-
-La San Mire
-===========
-
-**La San Mire, 86, aged French Negro of the Pear Orchard Settlement,
-near Beaumont, Texas, is alert and intelligent, and his long,
-well-formed hands gesture while he talks. He was born in Abbeville
-Parish, Louisiana, a slave of Prosper Broussard. His father was a
-Spaniard, his mother spoke French, and his master was a Creole. La San's
-patois is superior to that of the average French Negro. His story has
-been translated.**
-
-"The old war? No, I don't remember so much about it, because I was so
-young. I was ten years old at the beginning of the war. I was born the
-13th of May, but I do not know of what year, in the Parish of Abbeville,
-on M'sieu Prosper's plantation between Abbeville and Crowley. My parents
-were slaves. My father a Spaniard, who spoke Spanish and French. My
-mother spoke French, the old master too, all Creoles. I, as all the
-other slaves, spoke French.
-
-"During the war all the children had fear. I drove an old ox-cart in
-which I helped pick up the dead soldiers and buried them. A battle took
-place about 40 miles from the plantation on a bluff near a large
-ditch--not near the bayou, no. We were freed on July 4th. After the war
-I remained with my old master. I worked in the house, cooked in the
-kitchen. Early each morning, I made coffee and served it to my master
-and his family while they were in the bed.
-
-"The old master was mean--made slaves lie on the ground and whipped
-them. I never saw him whip my father. He often whipped my mother. I'd
-hide to keep from seeing this. I was afraid. Why did he whip them? I do
-not remember. He did not have a prison, just 'coups de fault'
-(beatings). But not one slave from our plantation tried to escape to the
-north that I can remember.
-
-"The slaves lived in little cabins. All alike, but good. One or two
-beds. Rooms small as a kitchen. Chimneys of dirt. Good floors. We had
-plenty to eat. Cornbread and grits, beef, 'chahintes'(coons), des rat
-bois (possum), le couche-couche, and Irish and sweet potatoes.
-
-"Everyone raised cotton. In the evenings the slave women and girls
-seeded the cotton, carded it, made thread of it on the spinning wheel.
-They made it into cotton for dresses and suits. No shoes or socks. In
-winter the men might wear them in winter. Never the women or children.
-
-"How many slaves? I do not recall. There were so many the yard was full.
-They worked from sun-up to sundown, with one hour for dinner. School? I
-hoed cotton and drove the oxen to plow the field.
-
-"I never went to Mass before I was twenty years old. Yes, there were
-churches and the others went, but I did not want to go. There were
-benches especially for the slaves. Yes, I was baptized a Catholic in
-Abbeville, when I was big.
-
-"Sunday the Negro slaves had round dances. Formed a circle--the boys and
-the girls--and changed partners. They sang and danced at the same time.
-Rarely on Saturday they had the dances. They sang and whistled in the
-fields.
-
-"The marriages of the slaves were little affairs. Before the witnesses
-they'd 'sauter le balais'--the two--and they were married. No
-celebration, but always the little cakes.
-
-"We had no doctor. We used 'vingaire' (an herb) for the fever; la
-'chaspare' (sarsaparilla); la 'pedecha (an herb), sometimes called
-L'absinthe amer, in a drink of whiskey or gin, for the fever. Des
-regulateurs (patent medicines). On nearly all plantations there were
-'traiteurs', (a charm-doctor, always a Negro).
-
-"Noel we had the little cakes and special things to eat, but no
-presents.
-
-.. _`Le San Mire`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image107lesan.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Le San Mire
-
- Le San Mire
-
-"I was married by the judge first, and after the marriage was blessed by
-the priest. I was 21 years old. I wore a new suit, because I had some
-money. I worked in the house during the day and at night I caught wild
-horses and sold them. I remember my wedding day. It was the Saturday
-before Mardi Gras. My wife came from Grand Chenier (Cameron) to
-Abbeville when she was small. We had 16 children, 11 boys and five
-girls. Three girls and two boys died when they were small.
-
-"One year after my marriage I left the big house and made a home of my
-own. For an enclosure I made a levee of earth around. I planted cotton.
-I worked the place for a half or a third.
-
-"I came to Beaumont 12 years ago, so my children could work, because I
-was sick. I could no longer work."
-
-Charley Mitchell
-================
-
-**Charley Mitchell, farmer in Panola Co., Texas, was born in 1852, a
-slave of Nat Terry, an itinerant Baptist preacher of Lynchburg,
-Virginia. Charley left the Terrys one year after he was freed. He worked
-in a tobacco factory, then as a waiter, until 1887, when he moved to
-Panola Co. For fifty years he has farmed in the Sabine River bottom,
-about twenty-five miles southeast of Marshall, Texas.**
-
-"I's born in Virginia, over in Lynchburg, and it was in 1852, and I
-'longed to Parson Terry and Missy Julia. I don't 'member my pappy,
-'cause he's sold when I's a baby, but my mammy was willed to the Terrys
-and allus lived with them till freedom. She worked for them and they
-hired her out there in town for cook and house servant.
-
-"They hired me out most times as nuss for white folks chillen, and I
-nussed Tom Thurman's chillen. He run the bakery there in Lynchburg and
-come from the north, and when war broke they made him and 'nother
-northener take a iron clad oath they wouldn't help the north. Durin' the
-war I worked in Massa Thurman's bakery, helping make hard tack and
-doughnuts for the 'federate sojers. He give me plenty to eat and wear
-and treated me as well as I could hope for.
-
-"Course, I didn't git no schoolin'. The white folks allus said niggers
-don't need no larnin'. Some niggers larnt to write their initials on the
-barn door with charcoal, then they try to find out who done that, the
-white folks, I mean, and say they cut his fingers off iffen they jus'
-find out who done it.
-
-"Lynchburg was good sized when war come on and Woodruff's nigger tradin'
-yard was 'bout the bigges' thing there. It was all fenced in and had a
-big stand in middle of where they sold the slaves. They got a big price
-for 'em and handcuffed and chained 'em together and led 'em off like
-convicts. That yard was full of Louisiana and Texas slave buyers mos'
-all the time. None of the niggers wanted to be sold to Louisiana, 'cause
-that's where they beat 'em till the hide was raw, and salted 'em and
-beat 'em some more.
-
-"Course us slaves of white folks what lived in town wasn't treated like
-they was on most plantations. Massa Nat and Missy Julia was good to us
-and most the folks we was hired out to was good to us. Lynchburg was
-full of pattyrollers, jus' like the country, though, and they had a
-fenced in whippin' post there in town and the pattyrollers sho' put it
-on a nigger iffen they cotch him without a pass.
-
-"After war broke, Lee, you know General Lee himself, come to Lynchburg
-and had a campground there and it look like 'nother town. The 'federates
-had a scrimmage with the Yankees 'bout two miles out from Lynchburg, and
-after surrender General Wilcox and a big company of Yankees come there.
-De camp was clost to a big college there in Lynchburg and they throwed
-up a big breastworks out the other side the college. I never seed it
-till after surrender, 'cause us wasn't 'lowed to go out there. Gen.
-Shumaker was commander of the 'Federate artillery and kilt the first
-Yankee that come to Lynchburg. They drilled the college boys, too, there
-in town. I didn't know till after surrender what they drilled them for,
-'cause the white folks didn't talk the war 'mongst us.
-
-"Bout a year after the Yankees come to Lynchburg they moved the cullud
-free school out to Lee's Camp and met in one of the barracks and had
-four white teachers from the north, and that school run sev'ral years
-after surrender.
-
-"Lots of 'Federate sojers passed through Lynchburg goin' to Petersburg.
-Once some Yankee sojers come through clost by and there was a scrimmage
-'tween the two armies, but it didn't last long. Gen. Wilcox had a
-standin' army in Lynchburg after the war, when the Yankees took things
-over, but everything was peaceful and quiet then.
-
-"After surrender a man calls a meetin' of all the slaves in the
-fairgrounds and tells us we's free. We wasn't promised anything. We jus'
-had to do the best we could. But I heared lots of slaves what lived on
-farms say they's promised forty acres and a mule but they never did git
-it. We had to go to work for whatever they'd pay us, and we didn't have
-nothing and no place to go when we was turned loose, but down the street
-and road. When I left the Terry's I worked in a tobacco factory for a
-dollar a week and that was big money to me. Mammy worked too and we
-managed somehow to live.
-
-"After I married I started farmin', but since I got too old I live round
-with my chillen. I has two sons and a boy what I raised. One boy lives
-clost to Jacksonville and the other in the Sabine bottom and the boy
-what I raised lives at Henderson. I been gittin' $10.00 pension since
-January this year. (1937)
-
-"I never fool round with politics much. I's voted a few times, but most
-the time I don't. I leaves that for folks what knows politics. I says
-this, the young niggers ain't bein' raised like we was. Most of them
-don't have no manners or no moral self-respect.
-
-.. _`Charley Mitchell`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image110charley.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Charley Mitchell
-
- Charley Mitchell
-
-"I don't 'lieve much in hants but I's heared my wife call my name. She's
-been dead four years. If you crave to see your dead folks, you'll never
-see them, but if you don't think 'bout them they'll come back sometime.
-
-"Two nigger women died in this house and both of them allus smoked a
-pipe. My boy and me used to smell the pipes at night, since they died,
-and one mornin' I seed one of them. I jus' happened to look out the
-window and saw one of them goin' to the cow-pen. I knowed her by her
-bonnet.
-
-"They's a nigger church and cemetery up the road away from my house
-where the dead folks come out by twos at night and go in the church and
-hold service. Me and the preacher what preaches there done seed and
-heared them.
-
-"They's a way of keepin' off hants. That's done by tackin' an old shoe
-by the side the door, or a horseshoe over the door, or pullin' off part
-of the planks of your house and puttin' on some new boards."
-
-Peter Mitchell
-==============
-
-**Peter Mitchell, in the late seventies, was born in Jasper, Texas, a
-slave of Thad Lanier. He has lived in or near Jasper all his life.**
-
-"Yes'm, I's Peter Mitchell and I was born right near here and my father
-and mother wasn't lawful married. De niggers wasn't in dem days. My
-pappy's name was Richard Lanier and my mammy's was Martha Mitchell, but
-us all taken mammy's name. She taken her name from de Mitchells, what
-owned her befo' de Laniers git her. My brothers named Lewis Johnson and
-Dennis Fisher, and William and Mose and Peter Mitchell. My sisters was
-Sukie and Louisa and Effie.
-
-"Mammy was de house gal. She say de Mitchells done treat her hard but
-Massa Lanier purty good to us. In summer she kep' us chillen near de big
-house in de yard, but we couldn't go in de house. In winter we stays
-round de shack where we lives while mammy work.
-
-"We gits plenty cornbread and soup and peas. On Sunday dey gives us jus'
-one biscuit apiece and we totes it round in de pocket half de day and
-shows it to de others, and says, 'See what we has for breakfast.'
-
-"We wears duckin' dyed with indigo, and hickory shirts, and we has no
-shoes till we gits old 'nough to work. Den dey brogans with de brass
-toe. Mammy knitted de socks at night and weaves coats in winter. Many a
-night I sits up and spins and cards for mammy.
-
-"Massa Lanier live in de fine, big house and have hundreds of acres in
-de plantation and has twenty-five houses for de slaves and dere
-families. He kep' jus' 'nough of de niggers to work de land and de
-extry he sells like hosses.
-
-"Missy larned mammy to read and dey have de cullud preacher, named Sam
-Lundy. Dey have de big bayou in de field where dey baptises. De white
-people has de big pool 'bout 50 yard from de house, where dey baptise.
-
-"Sometimes dey runs 'way but didn't git far, 'cause de patter rollers
-watches night and day. Some de men slaves makes hoe handles and cotton
-sacks at night and de women slaves washes and irons and sews and knits.
-We had to work so many hours every night, and no holidays but Christmas.
-
-"Us plantation so big, dey kep' de doctor right on de place, and taken
-purty good care of de sick niggers, 'cause dey worth money. We was not
-so bad off, but we never has de fun, we jus' works and sleeps.
-
-"When freedom come dey turn us loose and say to look out for ourselves.
-Mos' of de slaves jus' works round for de white folks den and gits pay
-in food and de clothes, but after while de slaves larns to take care
-demselves. I marries and was dress up in black and my wife wore de
-purple dress. De Rev. Sam Hadnot marry us.
-
-"I farms all my life and it ain't been so bad. I's too old to work much
-now, but I makes a little here and there on de odd jobs."
-
-Andrew Moody and wife Tildy
-===========================
-
-**Andrew Moody was born in 1855, in Orange, Texas, a slave to Colonel
-Fountain Floyd, who owned a plantation of about 250 acres on Lacey's
-River. Andrew is said to be the oldest ex-slave in Orange County.**
-
-"I was ten year old when freedom come and I'm the oldest slave what was
-born in Orange County still livin' there. They called Orange, Green
-Bluff at the first, then they call it Madison, and then they call it
-Orange. I used to live on Colonel Fountain Floyd's plantation on Lacey's
-River, 'bout 17 miles from here. They had 'bout forty hands big enough
-to pick cotton.
-
-"My grandmother was with me, but not my mother, and my father, Ball, he
-belong to Locke and Thomas. We lived in houses with home-made furniture.
-Yes, they had rawhide chairs and whenever they kilt a beef they kep' the
-skin offen the head to make seat for chairs.
-
-"Colonel Floyd he treat us good, as if he's us father or mother. No, we
-didn' suffer no 'buse, 'cause he didn' 'low it and he didn' do it
-hisself.
-
-"Parson Pipkin, he come 'round and preach to the white folks and
-sometimes he preach extry to the cullud quarters. Some of the cullud
-folks could read the hymns. Young missus, she larn 'em. They sing,
-
- | "Jerdon ribber so still and col',
- | Let's go down to Jerdon.
- | Go down, go down,
- | Let's go down to Jerdon.
-
-"Every man had a book what carried his own niggers' names. The niggers'
-names was on the white folks' church book with the white folks' names
-and them books was like tax books. The tax collector, he come 'round and
-say, 'How many li'l darkies you got?' and then he put it down in the
-'sessment book.
-
-.. _`Andrew Moody and wife Tildy`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image116andrewtildy.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Andrew Moody and wife Tildy
-
- Andrew Moody and wife Tildy
-
-"Folks had good times Christmas. Dancin' and big dinner. They give 'em
-two or three day holiday then. They give Christmas gif', maybe a pair
-stockin's or sugar candy. The white folks kill turkey and set table for
-the slaves with everything like they have, bread and biscuit and cake
-and po'k and baked turkey and chicken and sich. They cook in a skillet
-and spider. The cullud folks make hoe cake and ash cake and cracklin'
-bread and they used to sing, 'My baby love shortenin' bread.'
-
-"When a hand die they all stop work the nex' day after he die and they
-blow the horn and old Uncle Bob, he pray and sing songs. They have a
-wake the night he die and come from all 'round and set up with the
-corpse all night. They make the coffin on the place and have two hands
-dig a grave.
-
-"The way they done when 'mancipation come, they call up at twelve
-o'clock in June, 1865, right out there in Duncan Wood, 'twixt the old
-field and Beaumont. They call my mother, who done come to live there.
-They say, 'Now, listen, you and your chillen don' 'long to me now. You
-kin stay till Christmas if you wants.' So mother she stay but at
-Christmas her husban' come and they all go but me. I was the las' nigger
-to stay after freedom come, and the marster and I'd would go huntin and
-fishin' in the Naches River. We ate raccoon then and rabbit and keep the
-rabbit foot for luck, jus' the first joint. The 'Toby' what we call it,
-and if we didn' have no 'Toby' we couldn' git no rabbit nex' time we
-goes huntin'."
-
-A.M. Moore
-==========
-
-**A.M. Moore, aged preacher and school teacher of Harrison Co., Texas,
-was born in 1846, a slave of W.R. Sherrad who, in the 1830's, settled a
-large plantation eight miles northeast of Marshall. Moore worked as a
-farmhand for several years after he left home, but later attended Bishop
-and Wiley Colleges, in Marshall, and obtained a teacher's certificate.
-He taught and preached until age forced him to retire to his farm, which
-is on land that was once a part of his master's plantation.**
-
-"My name is Almont M. Moore and I was born right here in Harrison
-County, in 1846, and belonged to Master W.R. Sherrad. My master was one
-of the first settlers in these parts and owned a big plantation, eight
-miles northeast of Marshall. My father was Jiles D. Moore and he was
-born in Alabama, and my mother, Anna, was born in Mississippi. They came
-to Texas as slaves. My grandmother on my mother's side was Cherry and
-she belonged to the Sherrads, too. She said the Indians gave them a hot
-time when they first came to Texas. Finally they became friendly to the
-white people.
-
-"My mistress was Lucinda Sherrad and she had a world of children. They
-lived in a big, log house, but you wouldn't know it was a log house
-unless you went up in the attic where it wasn't ceiled. The slaves
-helped master build the house. The quarters looked like a little town,
-with the houses all in lines.
-
-"They had rules for the slaves to be governed by and they were whipped
-when they disobeyed. Master didn't have to whip his slaves much, because
-he was fair to them, more than most of the slaveowners. Lots of masters
-wouldn't let the slaves have anything and wouldn't let them read or even
-look at a book. I've known courts in this county to fine slaveowners for
-not clothing and feeding their slaves right. I thought that was right,
-because lots of them were too stingy to treat the slaves right unless
-they made them do it.
-
-"Corn shucking was a big sport for the Negroes and whites, too, in
-slavery time. Sometimes they gave a big dance when they finished
-shucking, but my master's folks always had a religious service. I went
-to a Methodist church and it had too floors, one for the slaves and one
-for the whites. Just before the war they began to let the Negroes preach
-and have some books, a hymn book and a Bible.
-
-"After the war they treated the slaves fine in this part of the country.
-The industrious ones could work and save money. Down in Louisiana lots
-of owners divided syrup, meat and other things with the slaves. My
-brother and I saved enough to buy five hundred acres of land. Lots of
-white men took one or more slaves to wait on them when they joined the
-army, but my master left me at home to help there.
-
-"Some owners didn't free their slaves and they soon put soldiers at
-Marshall and Shreveport and arrested the ones who refused to let the
-slaves go. My father died during the war and my mother stayed with
-Master Sherrad three years after surrender. I stayed with her till I was
-big enough and then hired out on a farm. They paid farmhands $10.00 to
-$15.00 a month then.
-
-.. _`A.M. Moore`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image118am.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: A.M. Moore
-
- A.M. Moore
-
-"Then I went to school at Wiley and Bishop Colleges here for four years
-and I hold a county teacher's certificate. I have taught school in
-Harrison and Gregg Counties and in Caddo Parish, in Louisiana. I
-started preaching in 1880 and for several years was District Missionary
-for the Texas-Louisiana Missionary Baptist Association. I have preached
-in and organized churches all over East Texas.
-
-"We raised six children and two boys and two girls are still living. The
-girls live in Longview and one boy farms. The other boy is a preacher
-here in Harrison County.
-
-"I have voted in county and other elections. I think they should
-instruct the Negroes so they can vote like white folks. The young
-Negroes now have a better chance than most of us had. They have their
-schools and churches, but I don't think they try as hard as we did. We
-learned lots from the white folks and their teaching was genuine and had
-a great effect on us. I attribute the Christian beliefs of our people to
-the earnest, faithful teaching of white people, and today we have many
-educated Negro teachers and preachers and leaders that we are not
-ashamed of."
-
-Jerry Moore
-===========
-
-**Jerry Moore, a native of Harrison County, Texas, was born May 28,
-1848, a slave of Mrs. Isaac Van Zandt, who was a pioneer civic leader of
-the county. Jerry has always lived in Marshall. For fifty years after he
-was freed he worked as a brick mason. He now lives alone on the Port
-Caddo road, and is supported by a $15.OO per month pension from the
-government.**
-
-"My name is J.M. Moore, but all the white and cullud folks calls me
-Uncle Jerry, 'cause I has lived here mos' since Marshall started. I was
-born on the 28th of May, in 1848, up on the hill where the College of
-Marshall is now, and I belonged to the Van Zandts. That was their old
-home place.
-
-"I never did see Col. Isaac Van Zandt, my mistresses' husband, but has
-heared her and the older folks talk lots o' him. They say he was the one
-who helped set up Marshall and name it. They say he run for Governor and
-had a good chance, but was never honorated as Governor, 'cause he died
-'fore election.
-
-"My mistress was named Fanny and was one sweet soul. She had five
-children and they lived here in town but have a purty big farm east of
-town. My mother sewed for Mistress Fanny, so we lived in town. There
-were lots of niggers on the farm and everybody round these parts called
-us 'Van Zandt's free niggers,' 'cause our white folks shared with their
-darkies and larned 'em all to read and write. The other owners wouldn't
-have none of Van Zandt's niggers.
-
-"My mother was Amy Van Zandt Moore and was a Tennessian. My father was
-Henry Moore and he belonged to a old bachelor named Moore, in Alabama.
-Moore freed all his niggers 'fore 'mancipation except three. They was
-to pay a debt and my father was Moore's choice man and was one of the
-three. He bought hisself. He had saved up some money and when they went
-to sell him he bid $800.00. The auctioneer cries 'round to git a raise,
-but wouldn't nobody bid on my father 'cause he was one of Moore's 'free
-niggers'. My father done say after the war he could have buyed hisself
-for $1.50. So he was a free man 'fore the 'mancipation and he couldn't
-live 'mong the slaves and he had to have a guardian who was 'sponsible
-for his conduct till after surrender. They was lots of niggers here from
-the free states 'fore the war, but they wasn't 'lowed to mix with the
-slaves.
-
-"Mistress Fanny allus give the children a candy pullin' on Saturday
-night and the big folks danced and had parties. She allus gave the
-children twenty-five cents apiece when the circus come to town. The
-patterrollers wasn't 'lowed 'bout our place and her darkies went mos'
-anywhere and wasn't ever bothered. I never seed a slave whipped on our
-place. She give her darkies money along for doin' odd jobs and they
-could spend it for what they wanted. She was a Christian woman and read
-the Bible mos' all the time. She give my mother two acres of land at
-'mancipation.
-
-"The first thing I seed of the war was them musterin' and drillin'
-sojers here in Marshall, back in Buchanan's time. Politics was hot in
-'59 and '60. I 'member 'em havin' a big dinner and barbecue and speakin'
-on our place. They had a railroad to Swanson's Landing on Caddo Lake and
-the train crew brung news from boats from Shreveport and New Orleans.
-Soon as the train pulled into town it signaled. Three long, mournful
-whistles meant bad news. Three short, quick whistles meant good news. I
-went to town for the mail with my sister durin' the war. She'd say to
-me, 'Jerry, the sooner the war is over, the sooner we'll be free. All
-the Van Zandt Negroes wanted to be free.' They didn't understand how
-well they was bein' treated till after they had to make their own
-livin'.
-
-"I rec'lect the time the cullud folks registered here after the war.
-They outnumbered the whites a long way. Davis was governor and all the
-white folks had to take the Iron Clad oath to vote. Carpetbaggers and
-Negroes run the government. In the early days they held the election
-four days. They didn't vote in precints but at the court house. The
-Democratic Party had no chance to 'timidate the darkies. The 'publican
-party had a 'Loyal League' for to protect the cullud folks. First the
-Negroes went to the league house to get 'structions and ballots and then
-marched to the court house, double file, to vote. My father was a member
-of the 11th and 12th legislature from this county. He was 'lected just
-after the Constitutional Convention, when Davis was elected governor.
-Two darkies, Mitch Kennel and Wiley Johnson, was 'lected from this
-county to be members of that Convention.
-
-"Durin' the Reconstruction the Negroes gathered in Harrison County. The
-Yankee sojers and 'Progoe' law made thousands of darkies flock here for
-protection. The Ku Klux wasn't as strong here and this place was
-headquarters for the 'Freedman'. What the 'Progoe' Marshal said was
-Gospel. They broke up all that business in Governor Hogg's time. They
-divided the county into precints and the devilment was done in the
-precints, just like it is now.
-
-.. _`Jerry Moore`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image121jerry.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Jerry Moore
-
- Jerry Moore
-
-"My father told me about old Col. Alford and his Kluxers takin' Anderson
-Wright out to the bayou. They told him, 'You'd better pray.' Wright got
-down on his knees and acted like he was prayin' till he crawled to the
-bank and jumped off in the bayou. The Klux shot at him fifty or sixty
-times, but he got away. The Loyal League give him money to leave on and
-he stayed away a long time. He came back to appear against Alford at his
-trial and when the jury gave Alford ninety-nine years, Anderson was
-glad, of course.
-
-"I left the Van Zandts two years after I was freed and worked in hotels
-and on the railroad and saved up money and went in business, helping
-people ship cotton. I've seen a thousand cotton wagons in town at one
-time. I stayed in business till I was burnt out. I came back to Marshall
-and took up the brick mason trade and worked at it till I got too old to
-hold out.
-
-"I've sat on the jury in the county, justice and federal courts. I know
-enough to vote or set on a jury but I think the restriction on colored
-folks votin' is all right in this State. The white folks has a good
-government system. Our leaders ain't hard-hearted people and the cullud
-folks is well off or better as if they voted. I've lived here in
-Marshall most all the time since I was born and ain't had no trouble. As
-long as the Negroes treat the white folks right, the white folks will
-treat them right."
-
-John Moore
-==========
-
-**John Moore, 84, was born a slave to Duncan Gregg, in Vermillionville,
-La., where he lived until he was freed. In 1876 he came to Texas and now
-lives in Beaumont.**
-
-"I was twelve year old when freedom broke up. I lives 'tween
-Vermillionville and Lafayette in Louisiana and my massa's name Duncan
-Greggs and he have purty big farm and lots of cullud people. His house
-was two, three hun'erd yard from de nigger quarters. De old grammas, dey
-took care of de chillen when dere mothers was in de fields and took dem
-up to de big house so de white folks could see 'em play.
-
-"We chillens was dress in a shirt and we was barefoot. Sometime dey make
-what dey call moccasin out of rawhide. Shoes was skeerce.
-
-"Dey raise de food and have grits ground in de grits mill. Dey raise
-hawgs and make syrup and farm and raise chickens. Marster didn' 'low de
-niggers to have big garden patch but sometime he 'low 'em have place
-raise watermillion.
-
-"Marster have purty good house, a box-house, and have good furniture in
-it. De cullud folks have house with chimbly in de middle of two rooms
-and one fambly live on one side de chimbly and 'nother fambly on de
-other side de chimbly. De chillen have pallets on de floor.
-
-"After freedom my daddy die with cholera. I don' know how many chillen
-in us fambly. My daddy's name Valmore Moore and mamma's name Silliman.
-
-"Dey have niggers in de fields in different squads, a hoe squad and a
-plow squad, and de overseer was pretty rapid. Iffen dey don' do de work
-dey buck dem down and whip dem. Dey tie dey hands and feet togedder and
-make 'em put de hands 'tween de knees, and put a long stick 'tween de
-hands to dey can't pull 'em out, and den dey whip dem in good fashion.
-
-"When war starts, dey have a fight at Penock Bridge, not far from a
-place dey call La'fette. Dey burn de bridge and keep de Yankees from
-takin' de town. But de Yankees gits floatin' bridges and gits 'cross de
-bayou dat way. De Yankees comes to our place and dey go to de sugarhouse
-and takes barrels of sugar and syrup, and corn and meat and de white
-folks hides de chickens under de bed, but de old rooster crow and den de
-Yankees hear dem.
-
-"Young marster say he gwine to war to kill a Yankee and bring he head
-back and he take a servant 'long. He didn' bring no Yankee head back but
-he brung a shot up arm, but dat purty soon git well.
-
-"Iffen us sick dey make med'cine out of weeds, mos' bitter weed, boneset
-dey calls it. Dey bile Jerusalem oak and give it to us.
-
-"We has dances sometimes and sings
-
- | 'Run, nigger, run,
- | De patterroles git you;
- | Run, nigger run,
- | It almos' day.'
-
-Or we sings
-
- | 'My old missus promise me
- | Shoo a la a day,
- | When she die she set me free
- | Shoo a la a day.
- | She live so long her head git bald,
- | Shoo a la a day.
- | She give up de idea of dyin' a-tall
- | Shoo a la a day.'
-
-"Sometimes we hollers de corn hollers. One was somethin' like this:
-'Rabbit gittin' up in a holler for niggers kotch for breakfast.'
-Sometimes my mudder jump up in de air and sing,
-
- | 'Sugar in de gourd,
- | Sugar in de gourd,
- | Iffen you wanter git
- | De sugar out--
- | R-o-o-l-l de gourd over.'
-
-"And all de time she shoutin' dat, she jumpin' right straight up in de
-air.
-
-"I heered lots about de Klu Klux. Sometimes dey want a nigger's place
-and dey put up notice he better sell out and leave. Iffen he go see a
-lawyer, de lawyer wouldn' take de case, 'cause mos' dem in with de Klux.
-He tell de nigger he better sell.
-
-"I come to Texas in '76 and been here ever since. I's had 13 chillen. I
-owns eight acres in dis place now and I got de purties' corn in de
-country but de insecks give it de blues."
-
-Van Moore
-=========
-
-**Van Moore, now living at 2119 St. Charles St., Houston, Tex., was born
-on a plantation owned by the Cunningham family, near Lynchburg,
-Virginia. While Van was still a baby, his owner moved to a plantation
-near Crosby, Tex. Van is about 80 years old.**
-
-"Like I say, I's born on de first day of September, near Lynchburg, in
-Virginy, but I's reared up here in Texas. My mammy's name was Mary Moore
-and my pappy's name was Tom Moore. Mammy 'longed to de Cunninghams but
-Pappy 'longed to de McKinneys, what was Missy Cunningham's sister and
-her husban'. That's how my mammy and pappy come together. In dem days a
-slave man see a slave gal what he wants and he asks his old massa, kin
-he see her. Iffen she owned by someone else, de massa ask de gal's massa
-iffen it all right to put 'em together, and iffen he say so, dey jus'
-did. Twa'nt no Bible weddin', like now.
-
-"Mammy had 19 chillen, 10 boys and 9 gals, but all of 'em dead 'cept me.
-Dey was call' Matthew and Joe and Harris and Horace and Charley and Sam
-and Dave and Millie and Viney and Mary and Phyllis, and I forgit de
-others.
-
-"While I jus' a baby Massa Cunningham and he family and he slaves, and
-Massa McKinney and he slaves comes to Texas. I never did 'member old
-Massa Cunningham, 'cause dey tells me he kilt by a rarin' beef, right
-after we gits to Texas. Dey say he didn't take up 'nough slack on dat
-rope when he tryin' brand de beef and de critter rared over and broke
-massa's back.
-
-"But I 'members Missy Mary Ellen Cunningham, he wife, from de time I's a
-little feller till she die. She sho' was de good woman and treated de
-slaves good.
-
-"Mammy told me it dis-a-way how come de Cunninghams and de McKinneys to
-come to Texas. When war begin most folks back in Virginny what owns
-slaves moved further south, and lots to Louisiana and Texas, 'cause dey
-say de Yankees won't never git dat far and dey won't have to free de
-slaves iffen dey come way over here. 'Sides, dey so many slaves runnin'
-'way to de north, back dere. Mammy say when dey starts for here in de
-wagons, de white folks tells de po' niggers, what was so ig'rant dey
-'lieve all de white folks tell 'em, dat where dey is goin' de lakes full
-of syrup and covered with batter cakes, and dey won't have to work so
-hard. Dey tells 'em dis so dey don't run away.
-
-"Well, mammy say dey comes to de lake what has round things on top de
-water. Course, dey jus' leaves, but de niggers thinks here is de lake
-with de syrup and one runs to de edge and takes de big swallow, and
-spits it out, and say 'Whuf!' I reckon he thinks dat funny syrup.
-
-"De plantation at Crosby was a great big place, and after old Massa
-Cunningham kilt by dat beef Missy Cunningham couldn't keep it up and we
-goes to Galveston. Dere she has de great big house with de beautiful
-things in it, de mirrors and de silk chairs and de rugs what soft 'nough
-to sleep on. Missy Cunningham mighty good to us niggers and on Sunday
-she'd fill up de big wood tray with flour and grease and hawg meat, so
-we could have de biscuit and white bread. Mammy say back in Virginny dey
-called biscuits 'knots' and white bread 'tangle-dough.'
-
-"Iffen old Missy Cunningham ain't in heaven right now, den dere ain't
-none, 'cause she so good to us we all loved her. She never took de whip
-to us, but I heered my mammy say she knowed a slave woman what owned by
-Massa Rickets, and she workin' in de field, and she heavy with de chile
-what not born yet, and she has to set down in de row to rest. She was
-havin' de misery and couldn't work good, and de boss man had a nigger
-dig a pit where her stomach fit in, and lay her down and tie her so she
-can't squirm 'round none, and flog her till she lose her mind. Yes, suh,
-dat de truf, my mammy say she knowed dat woman a long time after dat,
-and she never right in de head 'gain.
-
-"When de war broke, de Union soldiers has a camp not so far from we'uns
-and I slips down dere when old missy not lookin', 'cause de soldiers
-give me black coffee and sugar what I takes to my mammy. I had to walk
-in de sand up to de knees to git to dat camp. Lots more chillen went,
-too, but I never seed no cruelness by de soldiers. Dey gives you de
-sugar in de big bucket and when you puts de hand in it you could pinch
-de water out it, 'cause it not refined sugar like you gits now, but it
-sure tasted good.
-
-"Mammy wrops me in both de Yankee and de 'federate flags when I goes to
-dat camp, and de soldiers takes off de 'federate flag, but I allus wears
-it 'round de house, cause old missy tell me to.
-
-"When freedom come, old missy tell my mammy, 'You is free now, and you
-all jus' have to do de best you kin.' But mammy she never been 'way from
-old missy in her life, and she didn't want no more freedom dan what she
-had, so we jus' stays with old missy till she moved back to Crosby.
-
-.. _`Van Moore`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image128van.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Van Moore
-
- Van Moore
-
-"When pappy's set free by Massa Albert McKinney, he didn't have
-nothin'--not even a shirt, so Massa Albert 'lowed him stay and work
-'round de plantation. One day 'fore we goes back to Crosby, pappy come
-down to Galveston to see mammy and us chillen, 'cause he wants to take
-us back with him. He rid all de way on a mule, carryin' a wallet what
-was thrown over de back of de mule like de pack saddle, and he gives it
-to mammy. You know what was in dat wallet? He brung a coon and possum
-and some corn dodger, 'cause he thinks we don't have 'nough to eat down
-there. Mammy she give one look at de stuff and say, 'You, Tom, I's
-stayin' right here with old Missy Cunningham, and we has white folks
-eats,' and she throw de whole mess 'way. I sho' 'member dat happenin'.
-
-"But old missy gittin' poorly and, like I told you, we move back to
-Crosby and mammy and pappy lives together 'gain. I gits me some small
-work here and there till I grows up, and I's worked hard all my life.
-
-"All de old folks is gone now. Old missy, she die in Crosby, and mammy
-and pappy die, too, and is buried there. Doctor say I got dis and dat
-wrong and can't work no more, so I guess I go, too, 'fore long. But I
-still has love for my old missy, 'cause she loved us and sho' was good
-to us, and it make me feel kinda good to talk 'bout her and de old
-times."
-
-William Moore
-=============
-
-**William Moore was born a slave of the Waller family, in Selma,
-Alabama, about 1855. His master moved to Mexia, Texas, during the Civil
-War. William now lives at 1016-1/2 Good Street, Dallas, Texas.**
-
-"My mammy done told me the reason her and my paw's name am Moore was
-'cause afore they 'longed to Marse Tom Waller they 'longed to Marse
-Moore, but he done sold them off.
-
-"Marse Tom heared they gwine 'mancipate the slaves in Selma, so he got
-his things and niggers together and come to Texas. My mammy said they
-come in covered wagons but I wasn't old 'nough to 'member nothin' 'bout
-it. The first 'lections I got is down in Limestone County.
-
-"Marse Tom had a fine, big house painted white and a big prairie field
-front his house and two, three farms and orchards. He had five hundred
-head of sheep, and I spent mos' my time bein' a shepherd boy. I starts
-out when I'm li'l and larns right fast to keep good 'count of the
-sheeps.
-
-"Mammy's name was Jane and paw's was Ray, and I had a brother, Ed, and
-four sisters, Rachel and Mandy and Harriet and Ellen. We had a purty
-hard time to make out and was hongry lots of times. Marse Tom didn't
-feel called on to feed his hands any too much. I 'members I had a
-cravin' for victuals all the time. My mammy used to say, 'My belly
-craves somethin' and it craves meat.' I'd take lunches to the field
-hands and they'd say, 'Lawd Gawd, it ain't 'nough to stop the gripe in
-you belly.' We made out on things from the fields and rabbits cooked in
-li'l fires.
-
-"We had li'l bitty cabins out of logs with puncheon beds and a bench and
-fireplace in it. We chillun made out to sleep on pallets on the floor.
-
-"Some Sundays we went to church some place. We allus liked to go any
-place. A white preacher allus told us to 'bey our masters and work hard
-and sing and when we die we go to Heaven. Marse Tom didn't mind us
-singin' in our cabins at night, but we better not let him cotch us
-prayin'.
-
-"Seems like niggers jus' got to pray. Half they life am in prayin'. Some
-nigger take turn 'bout to watch and see if Marse Tom anyways 'bout, then
-they circle theyselves on the floor in the cabin and pray. They git to
-moanin' low and gentle, 'Some day, some day, some day, this yoke gwine
-be lifted offen our shoulders.'
-
-"Marse Tom been dead long time now. I 'lieve he's in hell. Seem like
-that where he 'long. He was a terrible mean man and had a indiff'ent,
-mean wife. But he had the fines', sweetes' chillun the Lawd ever let
-live and breathe on this earth. They's so kind and sorrowin' over us
-slaves.
-
-"Some them chillun used to read us li'l things out of papers and books.
-We'd look at them papers and books like they somethin' mighty curious,
-but we better not let Marse Tom or his wife know it!
-
-"Marse Tom was a fitty man for meanness. He jus' 'bout had to beat
-somebody every day to satisfy his cravin'. He had a big bullwhip and he
-stake a nigger on the ground and make 'nother nigger hold his head down
-with his mouth in the dirt and whip the nigger till the blood run out
-and red up the ground. We li'l niggers stand round and see it done.
-Then he tell us, 'Run to the kitchen and git some salt from Jane.' That
-my mammy, she was cook. He'd sprinkle salt in the cut, open places and
-the skin jerk and quiver and the man slobber and puke. Then his shirt
-stick to his back for a week or more.
-
-"My mammy had a terrible bad back once. I seen her tryin' to git the
-clothes off her back and a woman say, 'What's the matter with you back?'
-It was raw and bloody and she say Marse Tom done beat her with a handsaw
-with the teeth to her back. She died with the marks on her, the teeth
-holes goin' crosswise her back. When I's growed I asks her 'bout it and
-she say Marse Tom got mad at the cookin' and grabs her by the hair and
-drug her out the house and grabs the saw off the tool bench and whips
-her.
-
-"My paw is the first picture I got in my mind. I was settin' on maw's
-lap and paw come in and say Marse Tom loaned him out to work on a dam
-they's buildin' in Houston and he has to go. One day word come he was
-haulin' a load of rocks through the swamps and a low-hangin' grapevine
-cotched him under the neck and jerked him off the seat and the wagon
-rolled over him and kilt him dead. They buried him down there
-somewheres.
-
-"One day I'm down in the hawg pen and hears a loud agony screamin' up to
-the house. When I git up close I see Marse Tom got mammy tied to a tree
-with her clothes pulled down and he's layin' it on her with the
-bullwhip, and the blood am runnin' down her eyes and off her back. I
-goes crazy. I say, 'Stop, Marse Tom,' and he swings the whip and don't
-reach me good, but it cuts jus' the same. I sees Miss Mary standin' in
-the cookhouse door. I runs round crazy like and sees a big rock, and I
-takes it and throws it and it cotches Marse Tom in the skull and he goes
-down like a poled ox. Miss Mary comes out and lifts her paw and helps
-him in the house and then comes and helps me undo mammy. Mammy and me
-takes to the woods for two, three months, I guess. My sisters meets us
-and grease mammy's back and brings us victuals. Purty soon they say it
-am safe for us to come in the cabin to eat at night and they watch for
-Marse Tom.
-
-"One day Marse Tom's wife am in the yard and she calls me and say she
-got somethin' for me. She keeps her hand under her apron. She keeps
-beggin' me to come up to her. She say, 'Gimme you hand.' I reaches out
-my hand and she grabs it and slips a slip knot rope over it. I sees then
-that's what she had under her apron and the other end tied to a li'l
-bush. I tries to get loose and runs round and I trips her up and she
-falls and breaks her arm. I gits the rope off my arm and runs.
-
-"Mammy and me stays hid in the bresh then. We sees Sam and Billie and
-they tell us they am fightin over us niggers. Then they done told us the
-niggers 'clared to Marse Tom they ain't gwine be no more beatin's and we
-could come up and stay in our cabin and they'd see Marse Tom didn't do
-nothin'. And that's what mammy and me did. Sam and Billie was two the
-biggest niggers on the place and they done got the shotguns out the
-house some way or 'tother. One day Marse Tom am in a rocker on the porch
-and Sam and Billie am standin' by with the guns. We all seen five white
-men ridin' up. When they gits near Sam say to Marse Tom, 'First white
-man sets hisself inside that rail fence gits it from the gun.' Marse Tom
-waves the white men to go back but they gallops right up to the fence
-and swings off they hosses.
-
-"Marse Tom say, 'Stay outside, gen'man, please do, I done change my
-mind.' They say, 'What's the matter here? We come to whip you niggers
-like you done hire us to.'
-
-"Marse Tom say, 'I done change my mind, but if you stay outside I'll
-bring you the money.'
-
-"They argues to come in but Marse Tom outtalk them and they say they'll
-go if he brings them they three dollars apiece. He takes them the money
-and they goes 'way.
-
-"Marse Tom cuss and rare, but the niggers jus' stay in the woods and
-fool 'way they time. They say it ain't no use to work for nothin' all
-them days.
-
-"One day I'm in a 'simmon tree in middle a li'l pond, eatin' 'simmons,
-and my sister, Mandy, come runnin'. She say, 'Us niggers am free.' I
-looks over to the house and seen the niggers pilin' they li'l bunch of
-clothes and things outside they cabins. Then mammy come runnin' with
-some other niggers and mammy was head runner. I clumb down out that tree
-and run to meet her. She say Marse Tom done told her he gwine keep me
-and pay her for it. She's a-scared I'll stay if I wants to or not and
-she begs me not to.
-
-"We gits up to the house and all the niggers standin' there with they
-li'l bundles on they head and they all say, 'Where we goin'?'
-
-"Mammy said, 'I don't know where you all gwine but me, myself, am gwine
-to go to Miss Mary.' So all the niggers gits in the cart with mammy and
-we goes to Miss Mary. She meets us by the back door and say, 'Come in,
-Jane, and all you chillen and all the rest of you. You can see my door
-am open and my smokehouse door am open to you and I'll bed you down till
-we figurates a way for you.'
-
-"We all cries and sings and prays and was so 'cited we didn't eat no
-supper, though mammy stirs up some victuals.
-
-.. _`William Moore`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image132william.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: William Moore
-
- William Moore
-
-"It warn't long afore we found places to work. Miss Mary found us a
-place with a fine white man and we works on sharance and drifts round to
-some other places and lives in Corsicana for awhile and buys mammy a
-li'l house and she died there.
-
-"I got married and had three chillen, cute, fetchin' li'l chillen, and
-they went to school. Wasn't no trouble 'bout school then, but was when
-'mancipation come. My brother Ed was in school then and the Ku Klux come
-and drove the Yankee lady and gen'man out and closed the school.
-
-"My chillen growed up and my wife died and I spent mos' my days workin'
-hard on farms. Now I'm old and throwed 'way. But I'm thankful to Gawd
-and praiseful for the pension what lets me have a li'l somethin' to eat
-and a place to stay."
-
-Mandy Morrow
-============
-
-**Mandy Morrow, 80, was born a slave of Ben Baker, near Georgetown,
-Texas. Mr. Baker owned Mandy's grandparents, parents, three brothers and
-one sister. After she was freed, Mandy was Gov. Stephen Hogg's cook
-while he occupied the Governor's Mansion in Austin. She married several
-times and gave birth to eight children. Two of her sons were in the
-World War and one was killed in action. She now receives a $11.00 Old
-Age Pension check each month, and lives at 3411 Prairie Ave., Fort
-Worth, Texas.**
-
-"Massa, I don' know 'zactly how old I is, 'cause I never gits de
-statement from my massa. My daddy keep dat record in he Bible and I
-don't know who has it. But I's old 'nough for to 'member de war 'cause I
-carries uncle's lunch to him and sees de 'federate sojers practicin'.
-
-"One day I stops a li'l while and watch de sojers and dey am practicin'
-shootin', and I seed one sojer drap after de shot. Den dere lots of
-'citement, and sho' 'nough, dat sojer dead. Dey says it's a accident.
-
-"I's born in Burnet County on Massa's farm, and I has three brothers
-call Lewis and Monroe and Hale, and one sister, Mollie. Most de time
-Massa am in de town, 'cause he have blacksmith shop dere. From what I's
-larnt by talk with other slaves, we's lucky slaves, 'cause dere no sich
-thing as whippin' on our farm. Sho', dere's spankin's, and I's de one
-what gits dem from my mammy, 'cause I's de pestin' chile, into something
-all de time. I gits in de devilment.
-
-"Massa smoked and I 'cides to try it, so I gits one old pipe and some
-home-cured tobaccy and goes to de barn and covers up with de hay. Mammy
-miss me, 'cause everything am quiet 'round. She look for me and come to
-de barn and hears de crinklin' of de hay. She pulls me out of dat and
-den dere am plenty of fire put on my rear and I sees lots of smoke. I
-sho' 'members dat 'sperience!
-
-"We all lives in one big family, 'cept us have dinin' room for de cullud
-folks. Grandpappy am de carpenter and 'cause of dat us quarters fixed
-fine and has reg'lar windows and handmade chairs and a real wood floor.
-
-"Mammy and my grandma am cooks and powerful good and dey's larnt me and
-dat how I come to be a cook. Like everybody dem times, us raise
-everything and makes preserves and cure de meats. De hams and bacons am
-smoked. Dere am no hickory wood 'round but we uses de corncobs and dey
-makes de fine flavor in de meat. Many's de day I watches de fire in dat
-smokehouse and keeps it low, to git de smoke flavor. I follows de
-cookin' when I gits big and goes for myself and I never wants for de
-job.
-
-"When surrender breaks all us stay with Massa for good, long spell. When
-pappy am ready to go for hisself, Massa gives him de team of mules and
-de team of oxen and some hawgs and one cow and some chickens. Dat give
-him de good start.
-
-"My uncle gits de blacksmith shop from de Massa and den him and pappy
-goes together and does de blacksmithin' and de haulin'. I stays in
-Georgetown 'bout 20 year and den I goes to Austin and dere I works for
-de big folks. After I been dere 'bout five year, Gov'nor James Stephen
-Hogg sends for me to be cook in de Mansion and dat de best cook job I's
-ever had. De gov'nor am mighty fine man and so am he wife. She am not of
-de good health and allus have de misery, and befo' long she say to me,
-'Mandy, I's gwineter 'pend on you without my watchin'.' Massa Hogg allus
-say I does wonders with dat food and him proud fer to have him friends
-eat it.
-
-"Yes, suh, de Gov'nor am de good man. You knows, when he old nigger
-mammy die in Temple, him drap all he work and goes to de fun'ral and dat
-show him don't forgit de kindness.
-
-"No, suh, I don't know de names of de people what comes to de Mansion to
-eat. I hears dem talk but how you 'spose dis igno'mus nigger unnerstand
-what dey talks 'bout. Lawd A-mighty! Dey talks and talks and one thing
-make 'pression on my mind. De Gov'nor talk lots 'bout railroads.
-
-"I works for de Gov'nor till he wife die and den I's quit, 'cause I
-don't want bossin' by de housekeeper what don't know much 'bout cookin'
-and am allus fustin' 'round.
-
-"I cooks here and yonder and den gits mixed up with dat marriage. De
-fust hitch lasts 'bout one year and de nex' hitch lasts 'bout two year
-and 'bout four years later I tries it 'gain and dat time it lasts till I
-has two chillen. Three year dat hitch lasts. After 'while I marries Sam
-Morrow and dat hitch sticks till Sam dies in 1917. I has six chillen by
-him.
-
-"My two oldes' boys jines de army and goes to France and de young one
-gits kilt and de other comes home. All my chillen scattered now and I
-don't know where they's at. In 1920 I's married de last time and dat
-hitch lasts ten years and us sep'rate in 1930, 'cause dat man am no
-good. What for I wants a man what ain't of de service to me? If I wants
-de pet, den I gits de dawg or de cat. Shucks! It didn't take me long.
-When dey don't satisfy dis nigger, I transports dem.
-
-"De last five and six year I does li'l work, 'cause I don't have no
-substance to me no more. I's jus' 'bout wore out. I gits dat pension
-from de state every month and with dat $11.00 I has to git on."
-
-Patsy Moses
-===========
-
-**Patsy Moses, 74, was born in Fort Bend Co., Texas, a slave of the
-Armstrong family. She tells of charms and "conjure," many learned from
-ex-slaves. Patsy lives at Mart, Texas.**
-
-"I was born in Fort Bend County, about de year 1863. My daddy's old
-master by name of Armstrong brung my folks from Tennessee. My own daddy
-and mammy was named Preston and Lucy Armstrong. Mammy's grand-dad was
-Uncle Ned Butler, and he 'longed to Col. Butler, in Knoxville, in
-Tennessee. Old master sold he plantation and come to Texas jes' befo'
-freedom, 'cause nobody thunk dey'd have to free de slaves in Texas.
-
-"My great grand-dad fit in de Rev'lutionary War and my own daddy fit in
-de war for freedom, with he master, for bodyguard. He had some fingers
-shot off in de battle and was tooken pris'ner by dem Yankees, but he run
-'way and come back to he master and he master was wounded and come home.
-Den he moved to Texas befo' I's born.
-
-"My old grand-dad done told me all 'bout conjure and voodoo and luck
-charms and signs. To dream of clear water lets you know you is on de
-right side of Gawd. De old voodoo doctors was dem what had de most
-power, it seem, over de nigger befo' and after de war. Dey has meetin'
-places in secret and a voodoo kettle and nobody know what am put in it,
-maybe snakes and spiders and human blood, no tellin' what. Folks all
-come in de dark of de moon, old doctor wave he arms and de folks crowd
-up close. Dem what in de voodoo strips to de waist and commence to dance
-while de drums beats. Dey dances faster and faster and chant and pray
-till dey falls down in a heap.
-
-"De armour bearers hold de candles high and when dey sways and chants
-dey seize with power what sends dem leapin' and whirlin'. Den de time
-dat old doctor work he spell on dem he wants to conjure. Many am de
-spell he casts dem days. Iffen he couldn't work it one way, he work it
-'nother, and when he die, do he stay buried? No, sir! He walks de street
-and many seed he ghost wavin' he arms.
-
-"De conjure doctor, old Dr. Jones, walk 'bout in de black coat like a
-preacher, and wear sideburns and used roots and sich for he medicine. He
-larnt 'bout dem in de piney woods from he old granny. He didn't cast
-spells like de voodoo doctor, but uses roots for smallpox, and rind of
-bacon for mumps and sheep-wool tea for whoopin' cough and for snake bite
-he used alum and saltpeter and bluestone mix with brandy or whiskey.
-
-"He could break conjure spells with broth. He take he kettle and put in
-splinters of pine or hickory, jes' so dey has bark on dem, covers dem
-with water and puts in de conjure salt.
-
-"A good charm bag am make of red flannel with frog bones and a piece of
-snakeskin and some horse hairs and a spoonful of ashes. Dat bag pertect
-you from you enemy. Iffen dat bag left by de doorstep it make all kind
-misfortune and sicknesses and blindness and fits.
-
-"De big, black nigger in de corn field mos' allus had three charms round
-he neck, to make him fort'nate in love, and to keep him well and one for
-Lady Luck at dice to be with him. Den if you has indigestion, wear a
-penny round de neck.
-
-"De power of de rabbit foot am great. One nigger used it to run away
-with. His old granny done told him to try it and he did. He conjures
-hisself by takin' a good, soapy bath so de dogs can't smell him and den
-say a hoodoo over he rabbit foot, and go to de creek and git a start by
-wadin'. Dey didn't miss him till he clear gone and dat show what de
-rabbit foot done for him.
-
- | "'O, Molly Cottontail,
- | Be sho' not to fail,
- | Give me you right hind foot,
- | My luck won't be for sale.'
-
-"De graveyard rabbit am de best, kilt by a cross-eyed pusson. De niggers
-all 'lieved Gen. Lee carried a rabbit foot with him. To keep de rabbit
-foot's luck workin', it good to pour some whiskey on it once in a while.
-
-.. _`Patsy Moses`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image142patsy.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Patsy Moses
-
- Patsy Moses
-
-"If you has a horseshoe over you door, be sho' it from de left, hind
-foot of a white hoss, but a gray hoss am better'n none.
-
-"Conjures am sot with de dark or light of de moon, to make things waste
-or grow. Iffen a hen crow, it best to wring her neck and bake her with
-cranberry sauce and gravy and forgit 'bout her crowin'. Everybody know
-dat.
-
-"I larnt all dem spells from my daddy and mammy and de old folks, and
-most of dem things works iffen you tries dem."
-
-Andy Nelson
-===========
-
-**Andy Nelson, 76, is leader of a small rural settlement of negroes
-known as Moser Valley, ten miles east of Fort Worth on State Highway
-#15. He was born a slave to J. Wolf, on a Denton County farm, and his
-mother belonged to Dr. John Barkswell, who owned an adjoining farm. At
-the death of his father he was sold to Dr. Barkswell. When freed, he and
-his mother came to Birdville and later moved to Moser Valley, which
-derives it name from Telley Moses, who gave his farm to his slaves, and
-sold parcels to other negroes.**
-
-"I don' 'member much 'bout de war, but I was bo'n in slavery near de
-line of Tarrant County, in 1861. My master was named Wolf, but 'bout de
-end of de war he sells me to Dr. Barkswell, who owns my mammy.
-
-"When de war is over we gits out and comes to Birdville and after three
-years Master Moser gives my mammy 17 acres of lan'. He owned lots of
-slaves and gives 'em all some land for a home.
-
-"For ten, twelve years after de war, de Klux gits after de niggers who
-is gittin' into devilment. De cullud folks sho' quavered when they
-thought de Klan was after them. One nigger crawls up de chimney of de
-fireplace and that nigger soon gits powerful hot and has to come out.
-You should of seen that nigger. He warn't human lookin'. He is all soot,
-fussed up, choked and skeered. Dey warn't after him but wants to ask him
-if he knows whar other niggers is hidin'. I was too young to git in no
-picklement with de Klux.
-
-"Years after dat, I'se married and have four, five chillens, and I'se
-comin' home. I'se stopped by seven men on hosses and dey all has rifles
-and pistols. I says to myself, 'De Klux sho' have come back and dey is
-gwine to git me. It sho' looks like troublement.'
-
-"One of dem weighs 'bout 135 pounds and has dark hair and complexiun,
-and he says to me, 'Nigger, whar's de lower Dalton crossin'? Dere was
-two crossin's of de Trinity River, de upper and de lower. I says, 'De
-upper crossin' is back yonder.'
-
-"He says, 'I knows whar de upper crossin' is, I'se askin' you whar de
-lower one is. Don' fool with us, nigger.'
-
-"Dere was a big fellow, 'bout 250, settin' in de saddle and sorta ant
-goglin', with his gun pointin' at me. De hole in de end of dat gun
-looked big as a cannon. He was mean lookin' and chewin' a quid of
-terbaccy. He says, 'You is goin' with us to de crossin'. Lead de way.'
-Den I gits de quaverment powerful bad. I knows I'se a gone nigger.
-
-"I says to dem, 'I done nothin',' and de big fellow raises his gun and
-says, 'Git goin', nigger, to dat lower crossin', or you'll be a dead
-nigger.'
-
-"On de way I never says a word, but I'se prayin' de good Lawd to save
-dis nigger. When we reached de crossin' I says to myself, 'Dis am de
-end.'
-
-"De little fellow says, 'Do you know who I is?' I says, 'No.'
-
-"He says, 'I'se Sam Bass.'
-
-"I'se heered of Sam Bass, everybody had in dem days. He was leader of a
-band.
-
-"He says, 'We don' want nobody to know we been here. Which you ruther
-be, a dead nigger befo' or after tellin'?'
-
-"De big fellow says, 'Make a sno' job. A dead nigger cain't talk,' and
-den starts raisin' de gun.
-
-"I wants to talk, but I'se so skeered I can' say one word.
-
-"Den Sam Bass says, 'No, no! Let him go,' and den I knows de Lawd has
-heered dis nigger's prayers.
-
-"Dey tells me dey's comin' back if I tells and I promised not to tell.
-I'se skeered for a week after dat.
-
-"In a few weeks, I hears dat Sam Bass is killed at Round Rock. Den I
-tells.
-
-"Dat's de las' troublement I'se been in. Since dat I'se been busy
-earnin' vittles for de family. I'se been married 40 years and we'uns has
-14 chillen and 10 of 'em are livin'. If it warn't for dis farm and de
-work white folks give me, I don' know how I could of got on. We gits a
-pension of $21 every month from de state and dat helps a heap.
-
-"I'se never had no schoolin'. Dey used to think us cullud folks has no
-use for edumacation. I thinks diff'rent and sends my chillen to school.
-Dey reads to me from de papers and sich."
-
-Virginia Newman
-===============
-
-**Virginia Newman was freeborn, the daughter of a Negro boat captain and
-a part Negro, part Indian mother. When a young girl, Virginia
-apprenticed herself, and says she was nursegirl in the family of Gov.
-Foster, of Louisiana. She does not know her age, but says she saw the
-"Stars fall" in 1833. She has the appearance of extreme old age, and is
-generally conceded to be 100 years old or more. She now lives in
-Beaumont, Texas.**
-
-"When de stars fall I's 'bout six year old. They didn' fall on de grou'.
-They cross de sky like a millions of firebugs.
-
-"My fus' name Georgia Turner, 'cause my pappy's name George Turner, and
-he a freeborn nigger man. He's captain of a boat, but they call 'em
-vessels them days. It have livin' quarters in it and go back and forth
-'tween dis place and dat and go back to Africy, too.
-
-"My grandmudder, she an Africy woman. They brung her freeborn from
-Africy and some people what knowed things one time tol' us we too proud
-but us had reason to be proud. My grandmudder's fambly in Africy was a
-African prince of de rulin' people. My udder grandmudder was a pure bred
-Indian woman and she raise all my mudder's chillen. My mudder name Eli
-Chivers.
-
-"When I's small I live with my grandmudder in a old log cabin on the
-ribber, 'way out in de bresh jus' like de udder Indians live. I's born
-on my fadder's big boat, 'way below Grades Island, close by Franklin, in
-Louisiana. They tells me he carry cargo of cotton in de hull of de boat,
-and when I's still li'l they puts out to sea, and grandmudder, Sarah
-Turner her name, tuk us and kep' us with her in de cabin.
-
-"Us didn' have stick of furniture in de house, no bed, no chair, no
-nothin'. Us cut saplings boughs for bed, with green moss over 'em. Us
-was happy, though. Us climb trees and play. It was hard sometime to git
-things to eat so far in de woods and us eat mos' everything what run or
-crawl or fly outdoors. Us eat many rattlesnake and them's fine eatin'.
-We shoot de snake and skin him and cut him in li'l dices. Den us stew
-him slow with lots of brown gravy.
-
-"They allus askin' me now make hoe-cake like we et. Jus' take de
-cornmeal and salt and water and make patties with de hands and wrop de
-sof' patties in cabbage leafs, stir out de ashes and put de patties in
-de hot ashes. Dat was good.
-
-"One my grandfadders a old Mexican man call Old Man Caesar. All de
-grandfolks was freeborn and raise de chillen de same, but when us gits
-big they tell us do what we wants. Us could stay in de woods and be free
-or go up to live with de white folks. I's a purty big gal when I goes up
-to de big house and 'prentice myself to work for de Fosters. Dey have
-big plantation at Franklin and lots of slaves. One time de Governor
-cripple in de leg and I do nothin' but nuss him.
-
-"I's been so long in de woods and don' see nobody much dat I love it up
-with de white folks. Dey 'lowed us have dances and when dat old 'cordian
-starts to play, iffen I ain't git my hair comb yit, it don't git comb.
-De boss man like to see de niggers 'joy demselves. Us dance de
-quadrille.
-
-"Us have 'ceptional marsters. My fadder sick on Marster Lewis'
-plantation and can't walk and de marster brung him a 'spensive reclinin'
-chair. Old Judge Lewis was his marster.
-
-"I git marry from de plantation and my husban' he name Beverly Newman
-and he from de Lewis plantation in Opelousas. They read out'n de Book
-and after de readin' us have lots of white folks to come and watch us
-have big dance.
-
-"When a nigger do wrong den, they didn' send him to de pen. They put him
-'cross a barrel and strop him behin'.
-
-"When fightin' 'gin, all our white folks and us slaves have to go 'way
-from Louisiana. Opelousas and them place was free long time 'fore de
-udders. Us strike out for Texas and it took mos' a year to walk from de
-Bayou la Fouche to de Brazos bottoms. I have to tote my two li'l boys,
-dat was Jonah and Simon. They couldn' neither walk yit. Us have de
-luggage in de ox cart and us have to walk. Dey was some mo' cullud
-people and white and de mud drag de feetses and stick up de wheels so
-dey couldn' even move. Us all walk barefeets and our feets break and run
-they so sore, and blister for months. It cold and hot sometime and rain
-and us got no house or no tent.
-
-"De white folks settles in Jasper county, on a plantation dere. After
-while freedom come to Texas, too, but mos' de slaves stay round de old
-marsters. I's de only one what go back to Louisiana. After de war my
-fambly git broke up and my three oldes' chillen never see de li'l ones.
-Dose later chillen, dey's eight livin' now out'n nine what was born
-since slavery and my fourth chile die seven year ago when she 75 year
-old.
-
-.. _`Virginia Newman`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image148virginia.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Virginia Newman
-
- Virginia Newman
-
-"When I git back to Louisiana I come to be a midwife and I brung so many
-babies here I can't count. De old priest say I ought to have a big book
-with all their names to 'member by.
-
-"It were 'bout dis time I have my fur' bought dress and it was blue
-guinea with yaller spots. It were long at de ankle and make with a body
-wais'. Us wore lots of unnerwear and I ain't take 'em off yit.
-
-"I never been sick, I's jus' weak. I almos' go blin' some time back but
-now I git my secon' sight and I sees well 'nough to sew."
-
-Margrett Nillin
-===============
-
-**Margrett Nillin, 90, was born a slave to Charles Corneallus, at
-Palestine, Texas. After they were freed, Margrett and her mother moved
-to Chamber's Creek, Texas. She now lives with one of her children at
-1013 W. Peach St., Fort Worth, Texas.**
-
-"Yas, sar, I's de old slave, and 'bout my age, I am young woman when de
-War started. Mus' be 90 for sure and maybe more. My marster's name was
-Charles Corneallus and hims owned a small farm near Palestine and him
-had jus' four slaves, my mammy, my sister and my cousin and me. I don'
-know 'bout my pappy, for reason he's sold 'fore I's born and I ain'
-never seed him.
-
-"I tell you 'bout de place. Dere was a cabin with bunks for to sleep on
-and fireplace for to cook in. No window was in dat cabin, jus' a hole
-with a swingin' door and dat lets flies in durin' de summer and col' in
-durin' de winter. But if you shut's dat window dat shut out de light.
-
-"De marster ain' de boss of dis nigger, 'cause I 'longs to Missy
-Corneallus and she don' 'low any other person boss me. My work was in de
-big house, sich as sewing, knitting and 'tending Missy. I keeps de flies
-off her with de fan and I does de fetching for her, sich as water and de
-snack for to eat, and de likes. When she goes to fix for sleep I combs
-her hair and rubs her feet. I can't 'member dat she speak any cross
-words to dis nigger.
-
-"Our marster, he good to us and take we'uns to church. And whuppin', not
-on him place. De worst am scoldin'. Not many have sich a good home,
-'cause lots gits 'bused powerful bad. Marster's neighbor, he's mean to
-his niggers and whups 'em awful. De devil sho' have dat man now!
-
-"My mammy git de p'sentment lots of times. Often in de mornin' she say
-to me, 'Chile, dere am gwine be someone die, I seed de angels last night
-and dat am sho' sign.' Sho' 'nough, 'fore long we heered someone has
-died. Some says de haunts brings p'sentment to mammy.
-
-"Fore de War I hears de white folks talking 'bout it. I 'members hearin'
-'bout someone fires on de fort and den de mens starts jinin' de army. De
-marster didn' go and his boy too young. We didn' hear lots 'bout de War
-and de only way we knows it goin' on, sometimes we'uns couldn' git
-'nough to eat.
-
-.. _`Margrett Nillin`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image152margrett.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Margrett Nillin
-
- Margrett Nillin
-
-"After freedom we'uns see de Klux and dey is round our place but dey not
-come after us. Dey comes across de way 'bout a nigger call Johnson, and
-him crawls under him house, but dey makes him come out and gives him
-some licks and what de bellow come from dat nigger! Him had git
-foolishment in him head and dey come to him for dat.
-
-"After de war mammy and me goes to Chamber's Creek and takes de sewin'
-for make de livin'. We gits 'long all right after awhile, and den I
-marries Ben Nillin. He dies 'bout fifteen year ago and now I lives with
-my son, Tom, and don' work 'cause I's too old.
-
-"What I likes bes, to be slave or free? Well, it's dis way. In slavery I
-owns nothin' and never owns nothin'. In freedom I's own de home and
-raise de family. All dat cause me worryment and in slavery I has no
-worryment, but I takes de freedom."
-
-John Ogee
-=========
-
-**John Ogee, 96 years old, was born in Morgan City, La., in 1841, the
-property of Alfred Williams. John ran away to join the Union Army and
-served three years. He recalls Sherman's march through Georgia and South
-Carolina and the siege of Vicksburg. He came to Jefferson County in
-1870, and has lived there since.**
-
-"I was born near Morgan City, Louisiana in a old log cabin with a dirt
-floor, one big room was all, suh. My mother and father and four chillen
-lived in that room.
-
-"The marster, he live in a big, old house near us. I 'member it was a
-big house and my mudder done the cleanin' and work for them. I jus'
-played round when I's growin' and the fus' work I done, they start me to
-plowin'.
-
-"I haven't got 'lection like I used to, but I 'members when I's in the
-army. Long 'bout '63 I go to the army and there was four of us who run
-away from home, me and my father and 'nother man named Emanuel Young and
-'nother man, but I disremember his name now. The Yankees comed 'bout a
-mile from us and they took every ear of corn, kilt every head of stock
-and thirteen hawgs and 'bout fifteen beeves, and feed their teams and
-themselves. They pay the old lady in Confed'rate money, but it weren't
-long 'fore that was no money at all. When we think of all that good food
-the Yankees done got, we jus' up and jine up with them. We figger we git
-lots to eat and the res' we jus' didn't figger. When they lef' we lef'.
-My father got kilt from an ambush, in Miss'ippi--I think it was Jackson.
-
-"We went to Miss'ippi, then to South Carolina. I went through Georgia
-and South Carolina with Sherman's army. The fus' battle lasts two days
-and nights and they was 'bout 800 men kilt, near's I kin 'member. Some
-of 'em you could find the head and not the body. That was the battle of
-Vicksburg. After the battle it took three days to bury them what got
-kilt and they had eight mule throw big furrows back this way, and put
-'em in and cover 'em up. In that town was a well 'bout 75 or 80 feet
-deep and they put 19 dead bodies in that well and fill her up.
-
-"After the war we went through to Atlanta, in Georgia and stay 'bout
-three weeks. Finally we come back to Miss'ippi when surrender come. The
-nigger troops was mix with the others but they wasn't no nigger
-officers.
-
-"After the war I come home and the old marster he didn' fuss at me about
-going to war and for long time I work on the old plantation for wages. I
-'member then the Klu Klux come and when that happen I come to Texas.
-They never did git me but some they got and kilt. I knowed several men
-they whip purty bad. I know Narcisse Young, they tell him they was
-comin'. He hid in the woods, in the trees and he open fire and kilt
-seven of them. They was a cullud man with them and after they goes, he
-comes back and asks can he git them dead bodies. Narcisse let him and
-then Narcisse he lef' and goes to New Orleans.
-
-.. _`John Ogee`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image154john.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: John Ogee
-
- John Ogee
-
-"I thinks it great to be with the Yankees, but I wishes I hadn't after I
-got there. When you see 1,000 guns point at you I knows you wishes you'd
-stayed in the woods.
-
-"The way they did was put 100 men in front and they git shoot and fall
-down, and then 100 men behin' git up and shoot over 'em and that the way
-they goes forward. They wasn't no goin' back, 'cause them men behin' you
-would shoot you. I seed 'em fightin' close 'nough to knock one 'nother
-with a bay'net. I didn' see no breech loaders guns, they was all
-muskets, muzzle loaders, and they shoot a ball 'bout big as your finger,
-what you calls a minnie-ball.
-
-"I come to Taylor's Bayou in '70 and rid stock long time for Mister
-Arceneaux and Mister Moise Broussard and farms some too. Then I comes to
-Beaumont when I's too old to work no more, and lives with one of my
-girls."
-
-Annie Osborne
-=============
-
-**Annie Osborne, 81, was born in Atlanta, Georgia, a slave of Tom Bias.
-She was 'refugeed' to Louisiana by the Bias family, before the Civil
-War, and remained there with them for two years after she was freed. She
-has lived in Marshall, Texas, since 1869.**
-
-"Yes, suh, I's a Georgia nigger. I 'longed to Massa Tom Bias, and he
-lived in Atlanta. I couldn't state jus' how old I is, but I knows I was
-eleven years old when we come to Marshall, and that's in 1869.
-
-"Mammy was Lizzie and born in Atlanta, and I's heared her say she was
-give to Tom Bias to settle a dept her owner owed. I don't know nothin'
-'bout my daddy, 'cept he am named Tom Bias, and that am massa's name. So
-I guess he's my daddy. But I had two brothers, Frank and James, and I
-don't know if Massa Bias was they daddy or not.
-
-"Massa Bias refugees me and my mammy to Mansfield, in Louisiana when I's
-jus' a baby. They come in wagons and was two months on the way, and the
-big boys and men rode hossback, but all the niggers big 'nough had to
-walk. Massa Bias opens a farm twelve mile from Mansfield. My mammy
-plowed and hoed and chopped and picked cotton and jus' as good as the
-menfolks. I allus worked in the house, nussin' the white chillen and
-spinnin' and housework. Me and my brother, Frank, slep' in Missy Bias
-house on a pallet. No matter how cold it was we slep on that pallet
-without no cover, in front the fireplace.
-
-"Old man Tom never give us no money and half 'nough clothes. I had one
-dress the year round, two lengths of cloth sewed together, and I didn't
-know nothin' 'bout playin' neither. If I made too much fuss they put me
-under the bed. My white folks didn't teach us nothin' 'cept how they
-could put the whip on us. I had to put on a knittin' of stockin's in
-the mornin' and if I didn't git it out by night, Missy put the lash on
-me.
-
-"My mammy was sceered of old Tom Bias as if he was a bear. She worked in
-the field all day and come in at night and help with the stock. After
-supper they made her spin cloth. Massa fed well 'nough, but made us wear
-our old lowel clothes till they most fell off us. We was treated jus'
-like animals, but some owners treated they stock better'n old Tom Bias
-handled my folks. I still got a scar over my right eye where he put me
-in the dark two months. We had a young cow and when she had her first
-calf they sent me to milk her, and she kicked me and run me round a li'l
-pine tree, fightin' and tryin' to hook me. Massa and missy standin' in
-the gate all the time, hollerin' to me to make the cow stand still. I
-got clost to her and she kicked me off the stool and I run to the gate,
-and massa grab me and hit me 'cross the eye with a leather strap and I
-couldn't see out my right eye for two months. He am dead now, but I's
-gwine tell the truth 'bout the way we was treated.
-
-"I could hear the guns shootin' in the war. It sound like a thunder
-storm when them cannons boomin'. Didn't nary one our menfolks go to war.
-I know my brother say, 'Annie, when them cannons stops boomin' we's
-gwine be all freed from old Massa Tom's beatin's.
-
-"But massa wouldn't let us go after surrender. My mammy pretends to go
-to town and takes Frank and goes to Mansfield and asks the Progoe
-Marshal what to do. He say we's free as old man Tom and didn't have to
-stay no more. Frank stays in town and mammy brings a paper from the
-progoe, but she's sceered to give it to Massa Tom. Me and James out in
-the yard makin' soap. I's totin' water from the spring and James
-fetchin' firewood to put round the pot. Mammy tells James to keep goin'
-next time he goes after wood and her and me come round 'nother way and
-meets him down the road. That how we got 'way from old man Bias. Me and
-mammy walks off and leaves a pot of soap bilin' in the backyard. We sot
-our pails down at the spring and cuts through the field and meets James
-down the big road. We left 'bout ten o'clock that mornin' and walks all
-day till it starts to git dark.
-
-"Then we comes to a white man's house and asks could we stay all night.
-He give us a good supper and let us sleep in his barn and breakfast next
-mornin' and his wife fixes up some victuals in a box and we starts to
-Mansfield. We was sceered most to death when we come to that man's
-house, fear he'd take us back to old man Bias. But we had to have
-somethin' to eat from somewheres. When mammy tells him how we left old
-man Bias, he says, 'That damn rascal ought to be Ku Kluxed.' He told us
-not to be 'fraid.
-
-"We come to Mansfield and finds Frank and mammy hires me and James out
-to a white widow lady in Mansfield, and she sho' a good, sweet soul. She
-told mammy to come on and stay there with us till she git a job. We
-stayed with her two years.
-
-"Then old man Charlie Stewart brung us to Marshall, and when I's
-eighteen I marries and lives with him twenty-six years. He worked on the
-railroad and helped move the shops from Hallsville to Marshall. He
-laughed and said the first engine they run from here to Jefferson had a
-flour barrel for a smokestack. He died and I married Tom Osborne, but
-he's dead eight years.
-
-"I raises a whole passel chillen and got a passel grandchillen. They
-allus brings me a hen or somethin'. My boy is cripple and lives with me,
-and my gal's husband works for Wiley College. Old man Bias' son got in
-jail and sent for me. He say, 'Annie, you is my sister, and help me git
-out of jail.' I told him I didn't help him in and wouldn't help him out.
-I washed and ironed and now gits $9.00 pension. My boy got his leg cut
-off by the railroad. He can't do much."
-
-Horace Overstreet
-=================
-
-**Horace Overstreet was born in Harrison Co., Texas, in 1856, a slave of
-M.J. Hall. He was brought to Beaumont when a youth and still lives
-there.**
-
-"I born near Marshall what was de county seat and my master was call'
-Hall. My mother name Jennie and my father's name Josh. He come back from
-de 'federate War and never got over it. He in de army with he young
-massa.
-
-"Dat old plantation must have been 'bout 200 acres or even mo', and
-'bout 500 head of slaves to work it. Massa Hall, he big lawyer and
-bought more niggers every year. He kep' a overseer what was white and a
-nigger driver. Sometime dey whip de slaves for what dey call
-dis'bedjonce. Dey tie 'em down and whip 'em. But I was raise' 'round de
-house, 'cause I a fav'rite nigger.
-
-"De niggers didn't have no furniture much in dere houses, maybe de
-bedstead nail up to de side de house, and some old seats and benches. De
-rations was meat and meal and syrup 'lasses. Dey give 'em de shirt to
-wear, made out of lowers. Dat what dey make de cotton sack out of. De
-growed people has shoes, but de chillen has no need.
-
-"Christmas time and Fourth July dey have de dance, jus' a reg'lar old
-breakdown dance. Some was dancin' Swing de Corner, and some in de middle
-de floor cuttin' de chicken wing. Dey has banjo pickers. Seem like my
-folks was happy when dey starts dancin'. Iffen dey start without de
-permit, de patterroles run up on dem and it 150 lashes. Law, dem niggers
-sho' scatter when de patterroles comes. Jus' let a nigger git de start
-and de patterrole sho' got to git a move on hisse'f to git dat nigger,
-'cause dat nigger sho' move 'way from dat place!
-
-"When de war comes, I seed plenty soldiers and if dey have de uniform I
-could tell it jus' in spots, for dey so dirty. Dey was Yankee soldiers
-and some stops in Marshall and takes charge of de court martial.
-
-.. _`Horace Overstreet`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image160horace.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Horace Overstreet
-
- Horace Overstreet
-
-"Fore long time come to go up and hear de freedom. We has to go up and
-hear dat we's free. Massa Hall, he say we kin stay and he pay us for de
-work. We didn' have nothin' so most of us stays, gatherin' de crop. Some
-of dem gits de patch of land from massa and raises a bale of cotton.
-Massa buy dat cotton and den he sell it.
-
-"After 'while they slips away, some of 'em works for de white folks and
-some of 'em goes to farmin' on what they calls de shares. I works nearly
-everywhere for de white folks and makes 'nough to eat and git de
-clothes. It was harder'n bein' de slave at first, but I likes it better,
-'cause I kin go whar I wants and git what I wants.
-
-"Dey was conjure men and women in slavery days and dey make out dey kin
-do things. One of 'em give a old lady de bag of sand and told her it
-keep her massa from shippin' her. Dat same day she git too uppity and
-sass de masaa, 'cause she feel safe. Dat massa, he whip dat nigger so
-hard he cut dat bag of sand plumb in two. Dat ruint de conjure man
-business."
-
-Mary Overton
-============
-
-**Mary Overton, 117 W. Heard St., Cleburne, Texas, was born in
-Tennessee, but moved when very young to Carroll Co., Arkansas, where her
-parents belonged to Mr. Kennard. Mary does not know her age.**
-
-"I'se born in Tennessee but I don' 'member where, and I don' know how
-ole I is. I don' 'member what de marster's name was dere. My mother's
-name was Liza and my father's name was Dick. When I was 'bout four year
-ole, my marster and mistis give me to dere daughter, who married a Dr.
-James Cox and dey come to Texas and brought me with 'em. The marster in
-Arkansas, which give me to his daughter, was named Kennard. I never seed
-him but one time. Dat when he was sick and he had all his little niggers
-dressed up and brought in to see him.
-
-"Dr. Cox and his wife and me come to Fort Graham, in Hill County, Texas,
-from Arkansas. We was 'bout two weeks comin'. Fort Graham wasn' no
-reg'lar fort. Dere was jus' some soldiers campin' dere and dere was a
-little town. Lots of Indians come in to trade. Den de doctor got a farm
-on Nolan river, not far from whar Cleburne is now, and we went there.
-
-"While we was on de farm, I got married. My husban' was Isaac Wright. I
-had seven chillen by him. My second husban' was Sam Overton. Him and me
-had two chillen. I wasn't married to Isaac by a preacher. De slaves
-wasn' jin'rally married dat way. Dey jus' told dey marsters dey wanted
-to be husban' and wife and if dey agreed, dat was all dere was to it,
-dey was said to be married. I heered some white folks had weddin's for
-dere niggers, but I never did see none.
-
-"My marster had 'bout four slaves. He sold and bought slaves sev'ral
-times, but he couldn' sell me, 'cause I belonged to de mistis, and she
-wouldn' let him sell me. I cooked and washed and ironed and looked after
-de chillen, mostly. Dey had three chillen, but de mistis died when the
-least one was 'bout six months ole and I raised de two older ones. Dey
-was two boys, and dey was 'bout grown when I lef' after freedom.
-
-"We slaves had good 'nuf houses to live in. We didn' have no garden. I
-wore cotton dresses in summer and linsey dresses and a shawl in de
-winter. I had shoes most of de time. My white folks was pretty good to
-keep me in clothes. I gen'rally went to church wid mistis.
-
-"Didn' have no special clothes when I got married. I slep' in de kitchen
-gen'rally, and had a wooden bed, sometimes with a cotton mattress and
-sometimes it was a shuck mattress.
-
-"My mistis teached me to read and write, but I wouldn' learn. I never
-went to school neither. She would read de Bible to us.
-
-"I didn' know no songs when I was in slavery. I didn' know 'bout no
-baptizin'. I didn' play no certain games, jus' played roun' de yard.
-
-"I wasn' at no sale of slaves, but saw some bein' tuk by in chains once,
-when we lived at Reutersville. Dey was said to be 'bout 50 in de bunch.
-Dey was chained together, a chain bein' run 'tween 'em somehow, and dey
-was all man and women, no chillen. Dey was on foot. Two white men was
-ridin' hosses and drivin' de niggers like dey was a herd of cattle.
-
-"Lots of slaves run away, but I don' know how dey got word 'round 'mong
-de niggers.
-
-"I don' 'member much 'bout de war. Dere wasn' no fightin' whar we was,
-on de farm on Nolan river. On de day we was made free, de marster come
-and called us out one at a time and tol' us we was free. He said to me,
-'Mary, you is free by de law. You don' belong to me no more. You can go
-wherever you wan' to. I ain't got no more to say 'bout you.' He tol' us
-if we'd stay awhile he'd treat us good and maybe we'd better stay, as de
-people was pretty much worked up. De rest of 'em stayed 'bout a week,
-den dey went off, and never come back, 'cept Isaac. I didn' go, but I
-stayed a long time after we was made free. I didn' care nothin' 'bout
-bein' free. I didn' have no place to go and didn' know nothin' to do.
-Dere I had plenty to eat and a place to stay and dat was all I knowed
-'bout.
-
-"When I lef' I hired out as cook. I got ten dollars a month and all my
-food and clothes and a place to sleep. I didn' spend but one dime of my
-pay for eight months. I bought candy wid dat dime, like a walkin' stick.
-
-"I sure wish I knew how old I is, but I ain' sure. I don' even know my
-birthday!" (According to some white persons who have known Mary for a
-long time, calculated from information Mary had given them as to her
-younger days, when her memory was better than it is now, she is probably
-more than one hundred years old.)
-
-George Owens
-============
-
-**George Owens, medium in height and weight, seated comfortably under
-the shade of an old oak tree, was clad in a blue shirt and overalls, and
-brogan shoes with a few slits cut in them to prevent hurting his feet.
-He has kinky gray hair, a bit of gray hair on his chin and a nicely
-trimmed mustache on his upper lip. George's right eye is completely
-closed from an injury which he received while in railroad service. Born
-near Marshall, Texas, the slave of Dave Owens, he told his story with
-great interest and enjoyed the opportunity to tell about the old days.**
-
-"I was bo'n right close to de ol' powder mill up in Marshall, Texas,
-where dey uster mek powder. Understan'? Dey call it Mills Quarters. I
-was a right sizeable boy twel' year' ol' when freedom come."
-
-"Dave Owens, dat was my ol' marster' name, and dat was my daddy' name
-too. My name' George William David Owen. I use dat William 'cause one of
-dem other Owens uster git my mail."
-
-"Ol' marster he had a big farm plantation. Dey uster raise cotton, and
-co'n and 'taters and sich like. My daddy was de shoemaker for de
-plantation."
-
-"One day me and my daddy was talkin'. Dat was de fus' Crismus atter
-freedom. He say to me, 'Son, does you know how ol' you is?' I say, 'No,
-suh.' He say, 'Well, you is 12 year' ol'.' I 'member dat and dat was de
-fus' Crismus atter freedom."
-
-"Williams was my fus' marster but he sel' us to Owens. He live in
-Marshall, but he hab a plantation 'bout t'ree or fo' mile' out. Atter
-dat Owens he buy out Mills Quarters from Williams."
-
-"My wuk was jis' de odds and en's 'roun' de yard. When ol' mistus call
-me and tell me to pick up chips, or pull up weeds or bring in weed and
-sich, I hafter do it. You knew how wimmen is, allus havin' you do fus'
-one t'ing and den anudder. I neber did wuk in de fiel'."
-
-"It was a big plantation. Dey was in de neighborhood of 25 or 30 slaves
-on de place. Us had a good marster and I 'speck us was pretty lucky. Ol'
-marster see to it dat us have plenty to eat. Dey feed us milk and
-'taters and peas, and bread and meat. No sir, we didn' sit down at no
-trough for to eat. Dey had tables in de slaves' houses. Us sit down to
-us meals like human bein's. My mammy was de cook on de place. Her name
-was Sarah Owens."
-
-"Dey give de little ones what couldn' come to de table, a pan and spoon
-for dem to have at meal time. Dem what so little dey can't eat outer a
-pan, dey have suck bottles for dem."
-
-"Dey milk 'bout 12 or 14 head of cow' on de place. Dey had plenty of
-milk and butter. Dey had a big safe what dey put de milk and butter in
-to keep it fresh. Dere was a trough wid water in it and dey set de milk
-and butter in it in de summer time. Dey had a peg of wood in a hole at
-de en', and when dey want to change de water dey pull out de peg and
-dreen de water out and put some cool fresh water in."
-
-"When I was a boy us uster play wid spools, and puppies and stick
-hosses. Us uster have bows and arrers. Sometime us go out in de wood
-huntin' wid de bows and arrers. Us shoot at birds and sich, but us neber
-did had no luck at it."
-
-"De grown up folks uster go huntin' at night and kill deers and
-'possums. Dey had to have a permit transfer iffen dey go huntin' or go
-from one plantation to annuder. Iffen dey didn' have a permit de
-patterrollers would git 'em."
-
-"De patterrollers neber git me. I see 'em chase slaves. When dey ketch
-'em dey whip 'em, and tell 'em nex' time be sho' to have a pass from ol'
-marster."
-
-"I neber see ol' marster beat nobody. What whippin' he done he done it
-wid his mout'. He mighty keen speakin' den, but when he speak rough to a
-nigger he need it."
-
-"De kind of chu'ch dey have in dem days on dat place was fence-corner
-chu'ch. Dey go off down in de fence corner and sing and pray. Dey feerd
-for anybody to see 'em."
-
-"Dey was some cullud preacher' 'roun' but dey warn't on us plantation. I
-jine' de Baptis' Chu'ch but dat was way atter slavery. I uster be pro
-tem deacon."
-
-"De fus' money I earn' was wukkin' on the T&P Railroad. I jis' blow it
-in, you know like boys do. I los' dis eye railroadin'. I was spikin' on
-a col' frosty mornin'. I hit dat spike and it broke up in t'ree piece'
-and de middle piece hit me in de eye and put it out."
-
-"Seems like I 'members de sojers. I couldn' specify wedder dey was
-Yankees or not. You know dat ol' battle fo't (fort) was dere at
-Marshall, two or t'ree mile' from Mills Quarters."
-
-"Dem sojers had on long blue overcoats wid brass buttons on 'em. Dey was
-a eagle on dem button. De way I 'member dat, I find one in de road like
-it was tore off and I pick it up and make me a play toy outer it."
-
-"Dey uster keep two cannons at de co't house and dey shoot dem cannon
-eb'ry Friday. I 'member dey uster stick a rod in 'em and el'vate 'em.
-Dey had a U.S. flag on de mas'-pole and dey shoot de cannon when dey tek
-down de flag."
-
-"I dunno nuthin' 'bout conjur' men. I see people sick or cripple' and
-dey say conjure' man done it, but I dunno. I ain't neber see no ghos'
-needer. People try to show 'em to me but I ain't see 'em. One time I see
-sumpin' white in de wood and I go up to see what it was and it warn't
-nuthin' 'cep'n' a pillow what somebody lef' in a swing 'tween two tree'.
-Iffen I hadn' had a li'l "coffee" in me I don' guess I'd been brave
-'nuff to go see what it was."
-
-"I allus pronounced de patterrollers and de Klu Kluxers 'bout de same.
-Fur as seein' 'em, I ain't. I t'ink dey done good to de country. Dey
-didn' bodder nobody 'cep'n' dem what was out of dere place. Iffen dey
-had some now it mought do good."
-
-"If you all keep on you gwineter hab a book outer my testimony."
-
-"Dey had a gin on de plantation and dey mek de clo's on a spinnin' wheel
-and loom. I see my mammy mek many a bolt of clo'f on a loom befo' she
-die."
-
-"It mighter slip' my 'membrance how dey tol' us we free, but I 'members
-my daddy say we free. Us stay on ol' marster's place a while den he buy
-a li'l place de other side of Marshall. He do odd jobs 'roun', too."
-
-"Fus' time I marry Mary Harper at Gilmer. Dey was two darters, Gettys
-and Alice Owens. I lef' her and I marry my secon' wife, Betty Cheatham
-in 1913. I been 'roun' dese parts 'bout 46 or 47 year' and I been in
-Kountze 25 year'."
-
-"I don't t'ink I commit to mem'ry anyt'ing else. I ain't gwine to tell
-no mo' 'cause I ain't to make statement and testify 'bout sumpin' I
-ain't know 'bout."
-
-Mary Anne Patterson
-===================
-
-**Mary Anne Patterson, who now lives with her daughter, Elizabeth Lee,
-in Austin, Texas, was born in Louisiana, but she does not know exactly
-where. She is between 97 and 102 years old. Mary and her mother belonged
-to Col. Aaron Burleson of Rogers' Hill, Travis County, Texas.**
-
-"Way back yonder my name was Mary Anne Burleson and I's born in
-Louisiana somewhere. I knows I's told dey brung me and my mammy to Texas
-when I's eighteen months old, and dat Massa Turner what brung us, sold
-us to Col. Aaron Burleson. Massa Burleson buy both of us, 'cause he a
-good man and didn't 'lieve in separatin' a chile from de mammy. I do
-think dat man gone to Heaven.
-
-"When I growed up it was my job to wet nuss Rufe Burleson, 'cause he
-mammy didn't have 'nough milk for him. Beside dat, I helped in de loom
-room and have to spin five cuts de day, but I's fast 'nough to make
-eight cuts.
-
-"Durin' cotton pickin' time I larns to count a little, 'cause I picks de
-cotton, brung it to de wagon and listen to 'em countin' on dem scales.
-Purty soon I could of counted my own cotton.
-
-"Massa Burleson good to we'uns and when a woman have a chile and no
-husband to take care of her, he make a man go out and chop wood for her,
-and dat slave had better act like he wants to. Massa so good to us he
-have lumber hauled clear from de Bastrop pineries and builds us good
-wood dwellin's. He have de plantation on Rogers' Hill what am east of
-Austin.
-
-"Now, let me tell you 'bout de cooks. Massa Burleson have de cook for de
-big house and de cook for de slaves. Dere a kitchen in de big house for
-de white folks and dere a kitchen with a long table for de hands. We had
-purty good victuals and I 'member we have so much hawg meat we'd throw
-de hog's head and feet 'way. Massa raised he own hawgs and everythin' he
-et, we had it, too. Sometimes we et deer meat and dere times we had bear
-meat and honey, 'cause Massa Burleson have he own bees, too.
-
-"I 'member how at sweet 'tater time my mammy'd sneak out to de patch and
-scratch up some sweet 'taters. When Massa Burleson finds de 'taters
-gone, he jes' say, 'Now, I know nobody done dis but de Lawd!'
-
-"I seed many a Injun and seed 'em in droves. Dem Injuns never bothered
-us. A old Injun call Placedo and he son come on down to massa's place
-and he give 'em plenty food. When de Injuns come near de cattle'd bellow
-and cut up, 'cause dey knowed it was Injuns 'round.
-
-.. _`Mary Anne Patterson`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image171mary.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Mary Anne Patterson
-
- Mary Anne Patterson
-
-"When I's 'bout 20 years old I marries Alex Patterson and he was brung
-from Tennessee to Texas and owned by Massa Joshua Patterson. After
-freedom we rents land from Massa Patterson and lives dere and farms
-'bout seven years.
-
-"Me and Alex has 15 chillen and six of dem is still livin'. Dere is two
-here in Texas and two in California and one in Oklahoma and one in
-Kansas. My husband am dead now and I's alone.
-
-"I owns a little farm of 36 acres out near Rogers' Hill and I gits sixty
-dollars de year for de rentin' of dat land and now de folks wants me to
-sell it. But my husband bought dat place and I wants to keep it. I don't
-git no pension. I know dis much, I's worked harder since after freedom
-den I ever worked befo' freedom."
-
-Martha Patton
-=============
-
-**Martha Patton was born 91 years ago in Alabama, slave to the Lott
-family, who came to Texas about 1847 and settled near Goliad. After
-marrying and bearing two children, surviving a famine and scarcity of
-water, she was freed. She, her husband and others of her family leased
-farm land on the San Antonio River near La Bahia Mission, at Goliad.**
-
-"Yes'm, I was bo'n befo' de war. Best I kin remember, I'll be 91 years
-old come June 15, 1937. I was bo'n in Alabama, but was brought to Texas
-when I was nine months old. My folks stopped at Goliad, on de creek near
-to Goliad.
-
-"I 'member seein' de soldiers, but t'weren't no fightin' 'round us no
-closer den Corpus Christi. One day one of my uncles went to Corpus
-Christi. He say, 'Dey done tol' all de women and chillen to git outta
-town.' We done heard 'em shootin' bombs. De smoke was so thick it looked
-like it were cloudy. De soldiers come through and took anything dey
-wanted outta de stores. Pretty soon nothin' was left in de stores and
-dey couldn' git no more.
-
-"My mother was a cook. We chillen brought in wood and water. My uncles
-had cotton patches. My master sol' dere cotton for dem and dey had money
-to buy shoes or anything dey needed. We picked cotton and picked peas.
-We had a spinnin' wheel and a weave(loom). We made cloth, blankets and
-our own stockin's. We made dye outta live oak bark, mesquite bark, pecan
-leaves. They made a dark brown and it dyed the cloth and blankets
-pretty.
-
-"I never saw any slaves whipped, nor any with chains on. Our white
-people were very good to us. Their name was Lott, Jim Lott, yes'm, me
-and Jim Lott was chillen together. He sure was a good boy. He died over
-at Goliad las' yea'.
-
-"We made cotton and wool cloth both, yes'm, we made both. We raised
-cotton. The sheep were so po' they would die. We would go through de
-woods and find de dead sheep and pick de wool offen 'em. Then we would
-wash de wool and spin it into thread and weave it into cloth to make
-wool clothes.
-
-"My man, he worked in de tan ya'd. He fixed de hides to make us all de
-shoes we had, and dey made harness and saddles fo' de gov'nment--fo' de
-soldiers. To make de lime to take de hair off of de hides, dey would
-burn limestone rocks. Then dey would hew out troughs and soak de hides
-in lime water till all the hair come off. Den dey would take 'ooze' made
-from red oak bark and rub the hides till dey were soft and dry.
-
-"Dey sho was hard times after de war, and durin' de war too. Our white
-folk was good to us, but we had a time to get pervisions. Sometimes we
-had co'n meal and sometimes we would have flour. We would pa'ch co'n
-meal and make coffee. When we could git 'em we used pertater peelings,
-pa'ched, for coffee. Sometimes we drank wild sage tea.
-
-"When we could, we would go over on de Brazos to de molasses mills and
-get molasses and brown sugar; when we couldn't, we had to do widout de
-sweetenin'.
-
-"Water sho was sca'ce. We had to tote it about half a mile from de
-hole. De creeks just dried up, only 'long in holes. De wells was all
-dried up. There would be dead cows lyin' on t'other side of de hole and
-grasshoppers thick on de water, but we jist skimmed de water off and
-went on. Didn't make us sick, lady, 'twas all we had and de good Lo'd
-took ca'e of us.
-
-"De grasshoppers sho was bad 'long 'bout fo' or five in de ebenin'; dey
-would be so thick de sun would be cloudy lookin'. Dey was a little
-speckled grasshopper. Yes'm, red and speckled. De chickens and hawgs et
-'em. Dey et so many grasshoppers de meat was bright red. You couldn't
-eat it.
-
-"Twa'n't no use to send fo' a docta, no'm, 'cause dey didn't have no
-medicine. My grandmother got out in de woods and got 'erbs. She made
-sage ba'm (balm). One thing I recomember, she would take co'n shucks--de
-butt end of de shucks--and boil 'em and make tea. 'Twould break de
-chills and fever. De Lo'd fixed a way. We used roots for medicine too.
-
-"Dey was salt lakes. De men would get a wagonbed full of salt and take
-it to town and trade it for flour. De men would take de old ox wagons
-and go down to Mexico towa'ds Brownsville to git pervisions.
-Coffee--real coffee--was a dollar a poun'. De men what used terbaccer
-had to pay a dollar a plug. Cotton cloth was fifty and sixty cents a
-ya'd.
-
-"Durin' de war de white people had church in their homes. Dey would have
-church in de mornin' and in de afternoon dey would preach to de slaves.
-
-"After de war, we all leased land on de ribbah fum de white folks--my
-uncles, my brothers and alls. We leased de land fo' six years. At de
-end of dat time most of us bought places.
-
-"When de war was over and we moved, de men put up a picket house. Dr.
-McBride, a soldier, taught school. When de crops was laid by, all de men
-and women went to school. De chillen went all de time. We had log seats
-and a dirt flo'. We would have meetin's in de school house. Twasn't
-fine, but we had good times.
-
-"We lived clost to de old mission, built during Santa Anna's war, I
-think it were.
-
-"I has ten chillen; seven of them are living. I have fifteen or nineteen
-grandchillen, but I don't know where dey all are or what dey are doing."
-
-Ellen Payne
-===========
-
-**Ellen Payne, 88, was born a slave of Dr. Evans, pioneer physician of
-Marshall, Texas, and father-in-law of former Governor Clark. She married
-Nelson Payne when she was twenty-five, and they farmed in Marshall for
-fifty-two years. Since Nelson's death eleven years ago, Ellen has
-operated the farm herself and has always made a crop. She lives alone on
-the Port Caddo Road.**
-
-"My name is Ellen Payne now, but in slave times it was Ellen Evans, and
-I was born on the old Mauldin place right here at Marshall and belonged
-to old Dr. Evans. Dr. Evans loans the Bible what had all our ages in it
-and never got it back, so when he freed us they guessed our ages. My
-mistress say I was 'bout sixteen years old when surrender come, and my
-daddy and mammy was Isom and Becky Lewis. Mammy come from Tennessee and
-they was seventeen of us chillen.
-
-"Master Evans lived in a big brick house on the north side of Marshall
-and run his farm four miles from town, and I stayed on the farm, but
-come in town some with my mammy to work for Mistress Nancy. The niggers
-on other farms had to sleep on 'Damn-it-to Hell' beds, but we didn't
-have that kind. We had good wood beds and hay mattresses with lowell
-covers.
-
-"I mostly minded the calves and chickens and turkeys. Master Evans had a
-overseer but he didn't 'low him to cut and slash his niggers and we
-didn't have no hard taskmaster. They was 'bout thirty slaves on the
-farm, but I is the only one livin' now. I loved all my white folks and
-they was sweet to us.
-
-"The hands worked from sun to sun and had a task at night. Some spinned
-or made baskets or chair bottoms or knit socks. Some the young'uns
-courted and some jest rambled round most all night. On Saturday was the
-prayer meetin' in one house and a dance in another. On Sunday some went
-to church and visitin', but not far, 'cause that was in patterroller
-times.
-
-"They was allus plenty to eat and one nigger didn't do nothin' but raise
-gardens. They hunted coon and possum and rabbits with dogs and the white
-folks kilt deer and big game like that. My daddy allus had some money,
-'cause he made baskets and chair bottoms and sold them, and Master Evans
-give every slave a patch to work and they could sell it and keep the
-money.
-
-"We didn't know nothin' but what went on at the place. Us slaves didn't
-carry news 'cause they wasn't none to carry and if the white folks want
-to send news anywhere, they put a boy on a mule to take it.
-
-"Master Evans had a old woman what tended to us when we was sick, and he
-give us quinine and calomel and castor oil and boneset tea. That tea was
-'nough to kill a mule, but it done us good. Some wore esfidity bags
-round they necks to keep off sickness.
-
-"My young mistress married Master Clark and they lived close, and my
-mammy and me used to spent part the time workin' for her. Master Clark
-got to be governor 'bout time war started and moved to Austin. I still
-got the Bible he give me.
-
-.. _`Ellen Payne`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image177ellen.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Ellen Payne
-
- Ellen Payne
-
-"I 'member the white southern men folks run off to the bottoms to git
-'way from war, but I never seed nothin' of the war. When we was freed my
-old master calls us up and say, 'You is free, and I'm mighty glad, but
-I'm mighty sad.' We stays on till Christmas, then mammy and me leaves
-and hires out. I stays workin' with her till I'm twenty-five and then I
-marries Nelson Payne.
-
-"My young mistress sends me a blue worsted dress to marry in, and we's
-married at mammy's house and she give us a nice supper. He was a farmer
-and we kep' on livin' on the farm fifty-two years, till he died. We
-loved farm life. I raised four boys but none of them is livin' now. When
-Nelson died first one then 'nother holps me and I has made a crop every
-year till now. I'm too old now, but I still raises some corn and peas
-and garden stuff. They gives me a $15.00 month pension, but I likes to
-be doin' somethin'.
-
-"I still shouts at meetin's. I don't have nothin' to do with it. It hits
-me jes' like a streak of lightning, and there ain't no holdin' it. I
-goes now to camp meetin's clost to Karnack and tries to 'have, but when
-I gits the spirit, I jest can't hold that shoutin' back. The young folks
-makes fun of me, but I don't mind. Style am crowded all the grace out of
-'ligion, today."
-
-Henderson Perkins
-=================
-
-**Henderson Perkins, about 85, was born a slave to John Pruitt, near
-Nashville, Tenn., who owned Henderson's mother and about 20 other
-slaves. Prior to the Civil War, Mr. Pruitt moved to Centerville, Leon
-Co., Texas, and sold Henderson and his mother to Tom Garner, of
-Centerville. When the war began, Henderson was old enough to be trusted
-with taking grain to the mill and other duties. After they were freed,
-Henderson and his mother worked in Mr. Garner's tavern until he sold it.
-He then placed the two on a piece of land and gave them tools to work
-it. Henderson later married and moved to Waco, where he reared 14
-children. After they were grown he moved to Fort Worth and now lives at
-610 Penn St.**
-
-"I'se tells you de truth 'bout my age, I'se too ol' for any good, but
-from what de white folks says, I'se bo'n 'bout 1839 in Ten'see, near
-Nashville. In dem days, 'twarn't so partic'lar 'bout gettin' married,
-and my mammy warn't before I'se bo'n, so I'se don' know my father. Dat's
-one on dis nigger.
-
-"After I'se ol' enough to tote water, pick up kindlin' and sich, Marster
-Pruitt moves to Texas, near Centerville and sol' me and my mammy to
-Marster Garner. My mammy gits married seven times after we comes to
-Texas.
-
-"Marster Garner runs a tavern, dey calls 'em hotels now. My mammy was
-cook for de tavern. De other nigger's named Gib, and I'se to do de work
-'roun de place and take grist to de water mill for to grin'. Marster
-have de farm, too, and have seven niggers on dat place and sometimes I
-goes dere for to he'p.
-
-"Well, 'bout treatment, you can say Marster Garner am de bestest man
-ever lived. I'se jus' says he am O. K. I'se never hears him say one
-cross word to my mammy. Back in Tennessee, Marster Pruitt was good, too.
-Hims have him's own still and gives de toddy to we'uns lots of times.
-I'se gits a few whuppin's, but 'twas my fault. I'se cause de devilment.
-I tells you 'bout some. I drives de oxen and de two-wheel cart for to go
-to de water mill and sich. In dem days, it was great insult to say,
-'You'uns has bread and rotten egg for supper.' I'se gwine to de mill one
-day, past de school and I say's dat to de chillens. I thinks de teacher
-won't let 'em come out, but I makes a mistake, for it am like yellow
-jackets pourin' outta de hive. Dey throws sticks and stones at we'uns
-and dat 'sprise de ox and he runs. De road am rough and dat cart have no
-springs and de co'n made scatterment on de road. Marster whups us for
-dat. Not hard, just a couple licks.
-
-"Did you's ever drive de ox? Dey's de devil sometimes and de angel
-sometimes. When dey's gwine home, you can go to sleep and dey takes you
-dere. If dey's dry and you comes near water, de devil can't stop 'em,
-dey goes in de water wid de cart and all dat's in it.
-
-"When de war starts Marster's girl gits married to Charles Taylor, and
-dey have big weddin'. Befo' de war am over, we'uns have hard time. De
-soldiers comes and takes all de co'n, all de meat, every chicken and all
-de t'baccy. You couldn' buy t'baccy for a dollar a pound. But we makes
-it. We takes de leaves and cures dem, den place dem on de board and put
-honey 'tween 'em. We place a log on top and leave it 'bout a month.
-White man, dat am t'baccy!
-
-"After de army took de food, it am scarce for awhile. Short time after
-de army come, de pigeons goes north. If you's never see dat, it am hard
-to believe. Dey am so thick and so many dey cuts off de sun like de
-cloud. We'uns gits lots of 'em and dat helps with de food. I'se sho'
-glad de army don' come any more, once was 'nuff. I'se seen squirrels
-travelin' on de groun' so thick it look like de carpet. Dey was all
-runnin' 'way from de army.
-
-.. _`Henderson Perkins`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image180henderson.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Henderson Perkins
-
- Henderson Perkins
-
-"When freedom comes, some mans--dey says Grant's mans--lines we'uns up
-side de house and says, 'Yous am now free,' and we'uns is free. I
-wouldn' leave de Marster, him am sich a gran' man, so I stays with him
-till he quits runnin' de tavern.
-
-"It am a long time after dat I gits married. We'uns have weddin' supper
-and sho' am happy den. Den we moves to Waco and has 14 chillen.
-
-"We'uns had good times in slavery, but I likes my freedom. De Marster
-allus give us a pass on Sunday and some nights when we has dance and
-sich. But iffen you went out without a pass, den de patterollers--'fore
-de War--or de Klux--after de War--would come lookin' for you. Dem
-niggers without de pass sho' makes de scatterment, out de window or up
-de chimney. But when we'uns is free, we'uns goes anywhere we wants to."
-
-Daniel Phillips
-===============
-
-**Daniel Phillips, Sr., 704 Virginia Street, San Antonio, Texas. Born
-1854 at Stringtown, five miles south of San Marcos, Texas. Big framed,
-good natured. Never has worn glasses.**
-
-"I was a slave to Dr. Dailey and his son, Dr. Thomas Dailey. They
-brought my mother and father from Georgia and I was born in Stringtown
-just after they arrived, in 1854. I calls him Mr. Tommy. Dey has a
-plantation at Stringtown and a ranch on de Blanco River. We come from
-Georgia in wagons.
-
-"Marse Dailey raised cotton and co'n on de plantation. On de ranch dey
-ketches wild horses and I herds dem. When I'm on de ranch I has to drive
-de wild horses into de pen. De men cotches de wild horses and I has to
-drive 'em so's dey won't git wild agin.
-
-"Lots of dem wild horses got colts and I has to brand dem. Marse Dailey
-he helps to cotch de wild horses but I has to drive 'em. In de mornin' I
-drives dem out and in de evenin' I drives dem back. Dere's sure a lot of
-dem wild horses.
-
-"Marse Dailey brings twenty-five slaves from Georgia but he sells some
-after we comes to San Marcos. No suh, we niver gits paid. We lives in
-log houses built on de side of a hill. De houses has one room. My mother
-has a wooden bed with a cotton mattress. My sister Maria was housewoman.
-My younger sister married a man named Scott.
-
-"We feeds good. Dere's cornbread and beef. Plenty milk, 'cause Marse
-Dailey's got plenty cows. Dere's gardens with peas, cabbage, beans and
-beets. We makes de clothes ourself. My father is handy man. He builds a
-loom and a spinnin' wheel. No suh, we didn't do no huntin'. Marse Dailey
-didn' let us have guns.
-
-"We's treated all right. My uncle is overseer. When de war's over I
-didn't know about it. Marse Tommy comes to de ranch when I's herdin' de
-wild horses. He says, 'Dan, you'se free now.' I say, 'Wha' dat mean,
-Marse Tommy?' He say, 'Dat mean you can live with you mammy and you
-pappy, and what you makes you kin keep.'
-
-"And I leaves de wild horses and comes to de plantation. Yas suh, we
-goes to church. We walks fo' mile to de church. De w'ite folks sits in
-front and de cullud folks sits back by de do'.
-
-"Yassuh, we's glad de slav'ry is over. My mother would go to milk cows
-and I was sent to kill a calf. And dere was my mother in de corner of de
-fence and she was prayin', 'O, Lawd, set us free!'
-
-.. _`Daniel Phillips`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image183daniel.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Daniel Phillips
-
- Daniel Phillips
-
-"I was too young for de army. My brother was a cook in de Confederate
-Army, and de Yankees run dem 60 miles in one night. And my brother is
-ridin' one horse and front of him is a pack horse, and he cut de traces
-of de pack horse and dat horse run so he didn't see him again. Yassuh,
-my brother was 108 years ole. He died two years ago.
-
-"We gits along better after we's free. Often de Yankees comes down to
-San Marcos. Dey wants to buy milk.
-
-"One time on de plantation a cullud preacher wants to hold a service. De
-marster say 'all right'. De preacher must tell how much he collects. Dat
-so de marster fin' out if we's got any money."
-
-Lee Pierce
-==========
-
-**Lee Pierce, 87, was born a slave of Evans Spencer, in Marshall, Texas.
-Lee was sold to a trader in 1861, and bought by Henry Fowler, of Sulphur
-Springs, Texas. Lee remained with his master until 1866, then returned
-to Marshall. When he became too old to work, he went to live with a son,
-in Jefferson, Tex.**
-
-"My name am Lee Anderson Pierce, borned on the fifteenth of May, in
-1850, up in Marshall, and 'longin' to Marse Evans Spencer, what was a
-surveyor. I never knowed my pappy. He died 'fore I was borned. Mammy was
-Winnie Spencer and Old Marse's folks fetched her to Texas from
-Greenwood, what am over in Mississippi.
-
-"When I was 'bout eleven year old, Marse Spencer done got in debt so bad
-he had to sell me off from mammy. He sold me to a spec'lator named
-Buckley, and he taken me to Jefferson and drapped me down there with a
-man called Sutton. I had a hard time there, had to sleep on the floor on
-hot ashes, to keep warm, in wintertime. I nussed Marse Sutton's kids
-'bout a year, den Buckley done got me 'gain and taken me to de nigger
-trader yard in Marshall. I was put on de block and sold jes' like a cow
-or horse, to Marse Henry Fowler, what taken me to Sulphur Springs. I
-lived with him till after surrender.
-
-"Marse Fowler worked 'bout a hundred and fifty acres of land and had
-sev'ral cullud families. He done overseeing hisself, but had a black man
-for foreman. I seed plenty niggers whopped for not doin' dey tasks. He'd
-whop 'em for not pickin' so many hundreds of cotton a day, buckle 'em
-down hawg fashion and whop 'em with a strap. Us never stopped work no
-day, lessen Sunday, and not then iffen grass in the field or crops
-sufferin'.
-
-"Most time we et bacon and cornbread and greens. Sometimes we'd git
-deer meat to eat, 'cause a old man named Buck Thomas am clost friend to
-Marse Fowler and a big hunter. We got our own fish when we wasn't
-workin'.
-
-"The first work I done was herdin' sheep. I never done much field work,
-but I was kep' busy with them sheep and other jobs round the place. The
-cullud folks had big breakdowns Saturday night and a good time then and
-on Christmas, but all the res' the time us jus' worked.
-
-"On Christmas we never got nothin but white shorts. Them was for
-biscuits and they was jus' like cake to the niggers in slavery time.
-Marse Fowler didn't have too much regard for he black folks. Two
-families of them was stolen niggers. A spec'lator done stole them in
-Arkansas and fotch them to Texas.
-
-"I didn't know much 'bout the war, 'cause I'm only ten year old when it
-starts, and the white folks didn't talk it with us cullud folks. Long
-'bout the end of the war a big Yankee camp was at Jefferson right where
-the courthouse is now, but I wasn't 'lowed to go there and never did
-know nothin' 'bout it.
-
-"I stayed with Marse Fowler till the Ku Klux got to ragin'. The Yankees
-run it out of business. That Ku Klux business started from men tryin' to
-run the niggers back to they farms. They near all left they masters and
-didn't have nothin' or nowheres to go. The cullud folks was skeered of
-them Kluxers. They come round the house and had some kind of riggin'
-so's they could drink sev'ral buckets of water.
-
-"A cullud man at Jefferson, named Dick Walker, got up a cullud militia
-to keep the Klux off the niggers. The militia met here in the old
-African Methodist Church. Marse Fowler done git up a bunch of thirty men
-to break up that cullud militia, and he org'ized his bunch at our place.
-I holped saddle the hosses the night they went to take the church. Ben
-Biggerstaff, he was one the main white leaders. They kilt sev'ral of the
-militia and wounded lots more. That's after the Yankees done leave.
-
-"I hired out to Col. King, a Yankee officer in Sulphur Springs, and
-works for him one year. I was makin' $25.00 a month. Land was sellin'
-for twenty-five cents an acre but I wouldn't buy none. That same land am
-worth a fortune now. But I left and come back to Jefferson.
-
-"I never found my mammy until 1870. She was workin' in a cafe in
-Terrell. Judge Estes of Jefferson and some white men done been to Dallas
-and stopped where she was workin'. She asked 'em if they knowed Lee
-Pierce and the Judge said he did. When she done tell him how long it am
-since she seed me, he put her on the train and sent her to Jefferson.
-
-"I was here when Jay Gould tried to git them to let him put his railroad
-through this town and they told him they didn't need a railroad. Then
-they done somethin' on Red River what done take all the water out of Big
-Cypress and the town went down to nothin'. Cullud folks run this town
-'bout them times. Paul Matthews, a cullud man, was county judge, and
-Bill Wisham was sheriff.
-
-"I think the younger race of our folks has more 'vantages for prosper'ty
-than what we had. Most of them am makin' good use of it. Some ain't got
-no principle or ambition, but lots of them are 'spectable people."
-
-Ellen Polk
-==========
-
-**Ellen Polk, born in Gonzales County, Texas. Age, 83. Lives at 724
-Virginia Blvd., San Antonio, Texas. Her hair is only slightly grey at
-the temples and forehead and her eyesight is good.**
-
-"I was a slave to Jim and Hannah Nations, Gonzales County, Texas. Marse
-Jim was a fine looker, a heavy set man. He and Missis lived in a big
-lumber house with a shingle roof. Dere was a nice yard with lots of
-pecan trees and de plantation fields had rail fences aroun' dem. Dere
-were fields of cotton and co'n and a purty river and all kind of wild
-flowers.
-
-"Marse Jim sho was good to his slaves, but his foremens twern't. He
-bought my mudder and some other slaves in Mississippi and dey walked
-frum Mississippi to de Nations plantation in Gonzales.
-
-"Marse Jim had nigh a hundred slaves. De quarters was built of logs and
-de roofs was river bottom boards. Some of de houses was built of logs
-like de columns on dis house.
-
-"It was a fine, big plantation. De young women slaves wukked in de
-fields and de ole women slaves made de cloth on de spinnin' wheels and
-de looms. Den de women would go in de woods and take de bark frum de
-trees and pursley frum de groun' and mix dem wid copperas and put it all
-in a big iron pot and boil it. Den dey would strain de water off and dye
-de cloth. De color was brown and, O Lawd, all de slaves wore de same
-color clothes. Dey even made our socks on de plantation.
-
-"Ole Missy Hannah was sho good to me. I had to feed de children while
-dere mudders was in de fields. Missy Hannah would have de cooks fix de
-grub in a big pan and I would take it to de cullud quarters and feed
-'em.
-
-"De plantation was on de Guadalupe River and when dere was no meat de
-slaves went to de river and killed wild hogs and turkeys and ketched
-fish. We groun' de co'n for cornbread and made hominy. And, O Lawd, de
-sugar cane, and what good 'lasses we used to make. De slaves had purty
-good times and de ole boss was awful good to 'em. We drank well water.
-In dry times we toted de water frum de river for washin'.
-
-.. _`Ellen Polk`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image188ellen.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Ellen Polk
-
- Ellen Polk
-
-"De houses was log cabins. De men slaves built 'em. Dey goes into de
-woods and chops down de big trees and den dey make 'em square. Did dey
-have tools? Sho, dey had a ax and a hatchet. Dey splits de trees in two
-and dat makes de sides of de house and de roun' side is outside. How dey
-make dem logs tight? Jus' wid mud. Den dey puts de boards over de mud so
-it cain't fall out. When dey makes de boards dey splits de end of de log
-and puts de hatchet in de place and it makes a nice, smooth board.
-
-"Dey makes de beds like dat too. Dey takes four sticks and lays poles in
-de crotches, den dey puts branches crossways. No suh, dey never had no
-springs. For a mattress dey had hay and straw, sometimes corn shucks or
-cobs. Dey slep' good, too.
-
-"After de war we lived on de plantation a long time, den we moved to San
-Marcos, den back to de plantation. I was married on de plantation and
-moved here 24 years ago. I liked de slavery days de best."
-
-Betty Powers
-============
-
-**Betty Powers, 80, was born a slave of Dr. Howard Perry, who owned
-Betty's family, several hundred other slaves and a large plantation in
-Harrison Co., Texas. Betty married Boss Powers when she was only
-thirteen. She now lives at 5237 Fletcher St., Fort Worth, Texas.**
-
-"What for you wants dis old nigger's story 'bout de old slavery days?
-'Tain't worth anythin'. I's jus' a hard workin' person all my life and
-raised de fam'ly and done right by 'em as best I knowed. To tell the
-truf 'bout my age, I don't know 'zactly. I 'members de war time and de
-surrender time. I's old 'nough to fan flies off de white folks and de
-tables when surrender come. If you come 'bout five year ago, I could
-telt you lots more, but I's had de head mis'ry.
-
-"I's born in Harrison County, 'bout twenty-five miles from Marshall.
-Mass's name am Dr. Howard Perry and next he house am a li'l buildin' for
-he office. De plantation an awful big one, and miles long, and more'n
-two hundred slaves was dere. Each cabin have one family and dere am
-three rows of cabins 'bout half a mile long.
-
-"Mammy and pappy and us twelve chillen lives in one cabin, so mammy has
-to cook for fourteen people, 'sides her field work. She am up way befo'
-daylight fixin' breakfast and supper after dark, with de pine knot torch
-to make de light. She cook on de fireplace in winter and in de yard in
-summer. All de rations measure out Sunday mornin' and it have to do for
-de week. It am not 'nough for heavy eaters and we has to be real careful
-or we goes hongry. We has meat and cornmeal and 'lasses and 'taters and
-peas and beans and milk. Dem short rations causes plenty trouble,
-'cause de niggers has to steal food and it am de whippin' if dey gits
-cotched. Dey am in a fix if dey can't work for bein' hongry, 'cause it
-am de whippin' den, sho', so dey has to steal, and most of 'em did and
-takes de whippin'. Dey has de full stomach, anyway.
-
-"De babies has plenty food, so dey grow up into strong, portly men and
-women. Dey stays in de nursery whilst dey mammies works in de fields,
-and has plenty milk with cornbread crumble up in it, and pot-licker,
-too, and honey and 'lasses on bread.
-
-"De massa and he wife am fine, but de overseer am tough, and he wife,
-too. Dat woman have no mercy. You see dem long ears I has? Dat's from de
-pullin' dey gits from her. De field hands works early and late and often
-all night. Pappy makes de shoes and mammy weaves, and you could hear de
-bump, bump of dat loom at night, when she done work in de field all day.
-
-"Missy know everything what go on, 'cause she have de spies 'mongst de
-slaves. She purty good, though. Sometimes de overseer tie de nigger to a
-log and lash him with de whip. If de lash cut de skin, dey puts salt on
-it. We ain't 'low to go to church and has 'bout two parties a year, so
-dere ain't much fun. Lawd, Lawd, most dem slaves too tired to have fun
-noway. When all dat work am finish, dey's glad to git in de bed and
-sleep.
-
-"Did we'uns have weddin's? White man, you knows better'n dat. Dem times,
-cullud folks am jus' put together. De massa say, 'Jim and Nancy, you go
-live together,' and when dat order give, it better be done. Dey thinks
-nothin' on de plantation 'bout de feelin's of de women and dere ain't no
-'spect for dem. De overseer and white mens took 'vantage of de women
-like dey wants to. De woman better not make no fuss 'bout sich. If she
-do, it am de whippin' for her. I sho' thanks de Lawd surrender done come
-befo' I's old 'nough to have to stand for sich. Yes, sar, surrender
-saves dis nigger from sich.
-
-"When de war am over, thousands of sojers passes our place. Some camps
-nearby, and massa doctors dem. When massa call us to say we's free, dere
-am a yardful of niggers. He give every nigger de age statement and say
-dey could work on halves or for wages. He 'vises dem to stay till dey
-git de foothold and larn how to do. Lots stays and lots goes. My folks
-stays 'bout four years and works on shares. Den pappy buys de piece of
-land 'bout five miles from dere.
-
-.. _`Betty Powers`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image190betty.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Betty Powers
-
- Betty Powers
-
-"De land ain't clear, so we'uns all pitches in and clears it and builds
-de cabin. Was we'uns proud? There 'twas, our place to do as we pleases,
-after bein' slaves. Dat sho' am de good feelin'. We works like beavers
-puttin' de crop in, and my folks stays dere till dey dies. I leaves to
-git married de next year and I's only thirteen years old, and marries
-Boss Powers.
-
-"We'uns lives on rent land nearby for six years and has three chillen
-and den he dies. After two years I marries Henry Ruffins and has three
-more chillen, and he dies in 1911. I's livin' with two of dem now. I
-never took de name of Ruffins, 'cause I's dearly love Powers and can't
-stand to give up he name. Powers done make de will and wrote on de
-paper, 'To my beloved wife, I gives all I has.' Wasn't dat sweet of him?
-
-"I comes to Fort Worth after Ruffins dies and does housework till I's
-too old. Now I gits de $12.00 pension every month and dat help me git
-by."
-
-Tillie R. Powers
-================
-
-**Tillie R. Powers was born free in Oklahoma, near the Washita River.
-Her mother had been kidnapped by a band of raiding Indians, one of whom
-was her father. Her mother, desiring to prevent her from living among
-the Indians, wrapped her in a buffalo robe and laid her on the road near
-the Washita, where she was found by Joseph Powers, an army officer, who
-took her to his plantation in Edgecombe Co., North Carolina. She lives
-at 1302 E. 11th St. Fort Worth, Texas.**
-
-"I don' 'member my mammy or pappy, and all I knows 'bout my early life
-was tol' me by Marster Powers. He says him and he wife takin' soldiers
-back to some fort and dey sees a bundle side de road near de Washita
-River, wropped in a buffalo robe. He gits off his hoss and picks de
-bundle up and in dat bundle am de piccaniny, dis nigger. Dat 77 year
-ago. Dey took me to Edgecombe Co., over in North Car'lina, whar him owns
-a plantation and 'bout 50 slaves. Dere I's 'dopted.
-
-"Dey raises de cotton and tobaccy and corn and sich. Den dere am hawgs
-and chickens and sheep, and sich a orchard with peaches and pears and
-sich. Mos' de work I done in slavery was eat de food, 'cause I's only
-six year old when de war am over. But I 'members 'bout de plantation.
-
-"De treatment am good and bad. If de nigger gits onruly, him gits a
-whippin', but de marster's orders is for not to draw de blood like I
-heered dey do on other places. De food is plenty, 'cept for de shortage
-cause by de War. When de food gits short, some of de niggers am sent
-a-hustlin' for game, sich as de turkey and de squirrel, but we'uns
-allus has plenty cornmeal and 'lasses and fruit.
-
-"Did we'uns see sojers? Lawd-a-massy! Towards de las', jus' 'fore
-surrender and after, we'uns see dem by thousands, de Yanks and de
-'federates, dey's passin' and repassin'. When de War am over, de marster
-come home and he calls all us cullud folks to de house and him reads a
-paper and says, 'All yous niggers am free, and you can go whar you
-wants, but I 'vises yous not to go till yous has a place for work and
-make de livin'. All de niggers stay at fust, den leave one after
-'nother.
-
-.. _`Tillie R. Powers`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image193tillie.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Tillie R. Powers
-
- Tillie R. Powers
-
-"I jus' de chile and de orphan, so I has to stay and it was bes' for me.
-Marster pays me when I big enough to work, and gives me $5.00 a month,
-and I works for him till I's 18 years old. Den de missy die and I
-leaves. Dat was de break-up of de place. I cries now when I thinks of de
-missy, 'cause she allus good to me and I feels for her.
-
-"After dat, I works 'round a while and gits married to John Daniels in
-1880. Dis nigger was better off in slavery dan with dat nigger. Why, him
-won't work and whips me if I complains. I stood dat for six year and den
-I's transported him. Dat in Roberts County. Marster Race Robinson
-brought dat no good nigger and me, with 'bout 50 other niggers, here to
-Texas. We 'uns share cropped for him till I transported dat ornery
-husban'.
-
-"I makes a livin' workin' for white folks till 'bout three years ago and
-now I gits $15.00 every month from de State to live on, 'cause I has
-high blood now and I can't work no more."
-
-Allen Price
-===========
-
-**Allen Price was born in a covered wagon in Fannin Co., Texas, in 1862.
-His master was John Price. Allen remembers many incidents of pioneer
-days, and stories of the Civil War told him by the Price family. Allen
-now lives in Mart, Texas.**
-
-"De way I comes to be born in Texas am my pappy and mammy is in de
-covered wagon, comin' to Texas with dere master, what am John Price,
-what was a Virginny man. Dey stops in Fannin County awhile and dere I'm
-born. Dat in 1862, dey tells me.
-
-"De Price and Blair families was first ones to come to Texas. Dey had to
-use ox teams and ford creeks and rivers and watch for Indians. I done
-hear dem talk 'bout all dis, 'cause course I can't 'member it. Once de
-Indians done 'tack dem and dey druv 'em off, and every night near dey
-hears de howl of de wolves and other wild animals. Some folks went by
-boat and dey had river boat songs, one like dis:
-
- | "I'm drinkin' of rum and chawin' tobaccy,
- | Hi! Oh! The rollin' river!
- | I'm drinkin' of rum and chawin' tobaccy,
- | I'm boun' for the wide Missouri."
-
-"Dese things am handed down to me by de Price family and my granddaddy.
-De Price family done fight for de Confed'racy all de way down de line of
-de family, to my own pappy, who went with he master when dey calls for
-volunteers to stop de blockade of Galveston.
-
-"My master think he gwine 'scape de worst of de war when he come to
-Texas and dey am livin' peaceable de year I'm born, raisin' cotton. Dey
-had a gin what my pappy worked in, and makes dey own clothes, too, when
-de Yankees has de Texas ports blockade so de ships can't git in. When
-dey blockades Galveston, our old master done take my pappy for bodyguard
-and volunteers to help. Fin'ly Gen. Magruder takes Galveston from de
-Yankees with two old cotton steamers what have cotton bales on de decks
-for breastworks.
-
-"De last battle Master Price and my pappy was in, was de battle of
-Sabine Pass, and de Yankee general, Banks, done send 'bout five thousand
-troops on transports with gunboats, to force a landin'. Capt. Dick
-Dowling had forty-seven men to 'fend dat Pass and my pappy helped build
-breastworks when dem Yankees firin'. Capt. Dowling done run dem Yankees
-off and takes de steamer Clinton and 'bout three hundred and fifty
-prisoners. My pappy told me some de Captain's men didn't have real guns,
-dey have wood guns, what dey call cam'flage nowadays.
-
-"My pappy helped at de hospital after dat battle, and dey has it in a
-hotel and makes bandages out of sheets and pillow cases and underwear,
-and uses de rugs and carpets for quilts.
-
-"I 'member dis song, what dey sing all de time after de war:
-
- | "O, I'm a good old Rebel, and dat's jus' what I am,
- | And for dis land of freedom, I do not give a damn;
- | I'm glad we fought again 'em, and only wish we'd won,
- | And I ain't asked no pardon for anything I've done.
- |
- | "I won't be reconstructed, I'm better dan dey am,
- | And for a carpetbagger I do not give a damn.
- | So I'm off to de frontier, soon as I can go--
- | I'll fix me up a weapon and start for Mexico!
- |
- | "I can't get my musket and fight dem now no more,
- | But I'm not goin' to love dem, dat am certain sho'--
- | I don't want no pardon for what I was or am,
- | I won't be reconstructed, and I don't give a damn.
-
-"I has mighty little to say 'bout myself. I's only a poor Baptist
-preacher. De her'tage handed down to me am de proudes' thing I knows. De
-Prices was brave and no matter what side, dey done fight for dey 'lief
-in de right."
-
-John Price and wife Mirandy
-===========================
-
-**John Price, nearing 80, was born a slave of Charles Bryan, in Morgan
-City, Louisiana. The Bryans brought him to Texas about 1861, and he now
-lives in Liberty. Mirandy, his wife, was also a slave, but has had a
-paralytic stroke and speaks with such difficulty that she cannot tell
-the story of her life. Their little home and yard are well cared for.**
-
-"I's five year old when de Lincoln war broke up and my papa was name
-George Bryan in slavery time and he come from St. Louis, what am in
-Missouri. After freedom de old boss he call up de hands and say, 'Iffen
-you wants to wear my name you can, but take 'nother one iffen you wants
-to.' So my daddy he change he name to George Price and dat why my name
-John Price.
-
-"My old massa name George Bryan and he wife name Felice. Dey buy my papa
-when he 18 year old boy and dey take him and raise him and put all dey
-trust in him and he run de place when de old man gone. Dat in Morgan
-City, in Louisiana on de Berwick side.
-
-"De year I's one year old us come to Texas and settle in Liberty. I wes
-a-layin' in my mammy's arms and her name Lizette but dey call her
-Lisbeth. She mos'ly French. I got three sister, Sally Hughes and Liza
-Jonas and Celina, and two brothers, Pat Whitehouse and Jim Price.
-
-"De white folks have a tol'able fair house one mile down south of
-Raywood and it were a long, frame house and a pretty good farm. Us
-quarters was log houses built out of li'l pine poles pile one top de
-other. Dey have nail up log, country beds and home-made tables and
-rawhide bottom chairs and benches. Dem chair have de better weight dan
-de chair today. Iffen you rare back now, de chair gone, but de rawhide
-stay with you.
-
-"De old massa pretty fair to us all. Iffen my papa whip me I slips out
-de house and runs to de big house and crawls under de old massa's bed.
-Sometime he wake up in de middle de night and say, 'Boy,' and I not
-answer. Den he say 'gain, 'Boy, I know you under dat bed. You done been
-afoul your papa 'gain,' and he act awful mad. Den he throw he old sojer
-coat under de bed for to make me a pallet and I sleep dere all night.
-
-"Us chillen have lots of time to play and not much time to work. Us
-allus ridin' old stick hosses and tie a rope to de stick and call it a
-martingale. Us make marbles out of clay and dry 'em and play with 'em.
-De old boss wouldn't 'low us have no knife, for fear us cut each other.
-Us never sick much dem days, but us have de toothache. Dey take white
-tree bark what taste like peppermint and stew it up with honey and cure
-de toothache.
-
-"Us never go to church. Some my wife's people say dey used to have a
-church in de hollow and dey have runners for to watch for de old boss
-man and tell 'em de massa comin'.
-
-"Us old massa say Christmas Day am he day to treat and he tell us 'bout
-Santy Claus. Us taken us socks up to he house and hang dem 'round de big
-fireplace and den in de mornin' us find candy and cake and fruit and
-have de big time. New Year Day was old missy time. She fix de big dinner
-on dat day and nobody have to work.
-
-"When de war is breakin' old massa come by ship to Galveston up de
-Trinity River to Liberty by boat to try to save he niggers, but it
-wasn't no use. Us see lots of tents out by Liberty and dey say it
-sojers. I tag long with de big boys, dey sneaks out de spades and digs
-holes in de prairie in de knolls. Us plannin' to live in dem holes in de
-knolls. When dey say de Yankees is comin' I sho' is 'fraid and I hear de
-cannon say, 'Boom, boom,' from Galveston to Louisiana. De young white
-missy, she allus sing de song dat go:
-
- | "We are a band of brothers, native to de soil,
- | Fightin' for our liberty with treasure, blood and toil,
- | And when us rights was threaten', de cry rise far and near,
- | Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag what bears a single star.
-
-"After freedom my papa move away but de old massa come after him and
-worry him till he 'most have to come back. When my li'l sister have de
-whoopin' cough, old massa come down in a hurry and say, 'You gwineter
-kill dem chillen,' and he puts my sister and brother on de hoss in front
-of him and takes 'em home and cures 'em hisself. It were years after dat
-'fore my papa leave him 'gain.
-
-"Dey driv beefs and have two rivers to cross to git dere, de Sabine and
-de Neches. Dey 'liver 'em by so many head and iffen dey ain't have
-'nough, other mens on de prairie help 'em fill out de number what dey
-needs. I's rid many a wild hoss in my day and dat's where I make my
-first money for myself.
-
-.. _`John Price and wife Mirandy`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image197johnmirandy.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: John Price and wife Mirandy
-
- John Price and wife Mirandy
-
-"I's workin' in Hyatt when I 'cide to git marry and I marry dis gal,
-Mirandy, 'bout 52 year ago and us still been together. Us marry in Moss
-Bluff and Sam Harris, he a cullud man, he de preacher what marry us. I
-have on pretty fair suit of clothes but one thing I 'member, de gal I
-marry, she have $5.00 pair of shoes on her feet what I buys for her.
-
-"Us done have five sons and three daughters and I been a pretty
-'fluential man 'round Liberty. One time dey a man name Ed Pickett what
-was runnin' for Clerk of de Court in Liberty County and he come 'round
-my place 'lectioneering, 'cause he say whatever way I votes, dey votes.
-
-"Did you ever hear a old coon dog? Old coon dog, he got a big, deep
-voice what go, 'A-woo-o-o, a-woo-o-o.' You can hear him a mile. Well,
-dat Ed Pickett he say to me, 'John Price, you know what I wants you to
-do? I wants you put dat other feller up a tree. I wants you put him so
-fur up a tree he can't even hear dat coon dog beller.' And I does it,
-'cause I's pretty 'fluential 'round here."
-
-Reverend Lafayette Price
-========================
-
-**Reverend Lafayette Price, ancient and venerable minister of a small,
-dilapidated church on the outskirts of Beaumont, received his education
-under his old master, a plantation owner of the South. He was born a
-slave of the Higginbotham family, in Wilcox County, Alabama, but after
-the death of his original master, he became known as "orphan children
-property" and went to Louisiana to live with Robert and Jim Carroll,
-brothers-in-law of Sam Higginbotham. During the Civil War, LaFayette,
-then about 12 years old (he does not know his exact age) served as water
-boy for young Robert Carroll at the battle of Mansfield. When the slaves
-were freed he came to Texas and has been a minister since that time. He
-lives with his one daughter in a small, ramshackle house near the church
-and conducts Baptist services each Sunday. LaFayette is small and very
-dark, and with his crop of almost white hair and his Van Dyke beard, he
-has facial characteristics much like those of the patriarch who played
-the part of "De Lawd" in the "Green Pastures" picture. His conversation
-is that of a devout person, well informed in the Scriptures.**
-
-"I had a statement when I was bo'n, but I don' 'member jus' now. When de
-war fus' start I was water toter for my marster. Well, now den, I wan'
-to say dat my marster whar I was bo'n in Wilcox County, Alabama, his
-name was Higginbotham. When Mr. Higginbotham die, his son, Mr. Sam
-Higginbotham, was my young marster. When he married, he marry in de
-Carroll family. My father and mother belong to Mr. Higginbotham. Mr.
-Sam, he move to Louisiana. When he went back to Alabama, he tuk sick wid
-de cholera and die dere. Mr. Sam, he marry Miss Ca'line Carroll. Later
-on after Mr. Sam die Miss Ca'line marry Mr. Winn. I become orphan
-chillen property. Mr. Winn was de overseer. When I was a small boy I had
-playtime. I allus had good owners. When I get bigger I had some time off
-after work in de evenin's and on Sundays. Den I want to say I was hired
-out an' dey claimed dey was goin' to be a war. The north and de south
-was goin' to split apart. In 1861 war commence and my mistress die. I
-was den stayin' wid de Carroll family. De Carrolls were brothers of my
-owner. Mr. Jim and Mr. Robert was soldiers in de war. Mr. Robert was in
-de infantry and Mr. Jim they took him along to drive. When dey was goin'
-to Barn Chest (evidently the name of a place) Mr. Robert he say to me,
-'Fay, you go back home and tell ma she need not be oneasy 'bout me,
-'cause de Yankees is retreatin' to Nachitoches.' So I driv back but I
-didn' put up de team. When I was tellin' her, it was 'bout three mile
-over to Mosses Fiel' (Mosses' Field was the local name for the tract of
-land on which the battle of Mansfield was fought, in part). When I was
-tellin' her, a big cannon shot overhead--'Boom'. She jus' shook and say,
-'Oh, Fay, git some co'n and throw it to de hogs and go to Chicet.' I got
-some co'n and start to git out de crib. Dey shot another cannon. She say
-to me, 'Go back and give de co'n to de pigs.' When I put my feets
-through de crib do', dey shoot another shot, and I pull my feets back.
-She tell me to go back and feed de pigs, but I don' know if I ever did
-git de co'n to de pigs.
-
-"Mr. Carroll say dat at Mansfiel' where dey was shootin' de big guns de
-ladies was cryin'. He told 'em dey needn' to cry now, when dey was
-shootin' de big guns dey wasn't killin' men, but when dey hear de little
-guns shoot, den dey could start cryin', 'cause dat mean dat men was
-gittin' kill. I dunno if you ever parch popco'n. Dat de way de little
-guns soun'. He say dat den dey could begin cryin'. Our w'ite people (the
-Confederates) was comin' from Shreveport to meet de Yankees from
-Nachitoches, aimin' to go to Shreveport. If anything was a wunnerful
-consideration it was den. Mr. Robert Carroll was stood up by a big tree
-there at Mansfiel' and de captain, he said, "Is anybody here dat know de
-neighborhood?" Here's de ting dey want to know: When de soldiers start
-out dey didn' want 'em to launch out and git mix up. Dey sent for Mr.
-Carroll, 'cause he live 'bout a mile away. He was order to stan' by de
-tree and de captain went by wavin' a sword, and purty soon de captain
-was kill. Dey kep' on fightin' and after awhile a soldier come by and ax
-what he doin' there. He said he had orders to stan' dere. De soldier say
-dat de captain was kill and for him to go and help wid de wounded
-soldiers. When de big General come from Shreveport and holler, 'Charge,'
-de Yankees git in de corner of a rail fence. Dey broke right through dat
-fiel' o' prairie and 60 men git kill dead befo' dey git across. Nex'
-day, comin' home, I want to tell you de hosses didn' lay on dis side nor
-on dat side, dey jus' squat down, dey was dead. I think it was a
-wunnerful consideration to bring up in mem'ry.
-
-"One night right w'ere de battle was fought we had to camp. It was
-rainin' and sleetin' and snowin! I said, 'What you goin' to do tonight?'
-Mr. James Carroll said, 'We jus' hafta stan' w'ere we camp. Jus' stack
-de guns and put out what you call de watchman.' I said, 'Sentinel,' and
-he said, 'Yes.' Dey had what you call de relief. Dey wasn't in bed, dey
-was out under a tree in de col'. Ev'ry hour dey'd walk 'em out 'long a
-runway to walk guard. It was a wunnerful distressin' time. De soldiers
-had a little song dey sung:
-
- | "'Eat when you're hungry,
- | Drink when you're dry,
- | Iffen a tree don' kill you,
- | You'll live 'til you die.'
-
-"Dis was 'cause dey had to stan' under trees and when de Yankees shoot
-cannon dey'd knock off limbs and tops of trees and them under de trees
-might git kill from de fallin' branches. Another song was:
-
- | "'Hit was on de eighth of April,
- | Dey all 'member well,
- | When fifes and drums were beatin'
- | For us all to march away.'
-
-"In slavery times de slaves went to church wid dere w'ite folks and
-heard de w'ite preacher. I never knew of cullud baptisms. Dey'd have
-camp meetin' and when cullud people wanted to jine de church dey'd take
-'em in den. I didn' quite git through 'bout de Mansfiel' battle. Dem 60
-men dat was kill, dey jus' dig a big hole and put 'em in and threw dirt
-on 'em. I went back after two or three days and de bodies done swell and
-crack de groun'. Marster's plantation comin' from Shreveport was on de
-eas' side of Mosses Fiel'. We was 'bout one and a half or two mile' from
-Mosses Fiel'. I wasn't acquaint' wid many w'ites 'cause I was wid de
-Carrolls and dey was allus kind. I heard dey was people dis way and dat,
-but I don' know 'bout dat. My w'ite folks see dat I was not abused. When
-news of de surrender come lots of cullud folks seem to be rejoicin' and
-sing, "I's free, I's free as a frog" 'cause a frog had freedom to git on
-a log and jump off when he please. Some jus' stayed on wid dere w'ite
-folks. One time dey say dey sen' all de niggers back to Africa. I say
-dey never git me. I bin yere, and my w'ite folks bin yere, and yere I
-goin' to stay. My young marster say he want me for a nigger driver, so
-he teach me how to read and spell so I could ten' to business. In time
-of de war Miss Ca'line say de soldiers been dere and take de bes' hoss.
-Dey sent me off wid Ball, a little hoss. When I come back I meet some
-soldiers. Dey say dey goin' take de hoss, if dey don' de Yankees come
-take 'em. I tell 'em dey done got Marster Carroll other hoss, to leave
-dis one. Dey say, "Git down, I goin' give you a few licks anyhow." I
-fall down but dey never hit me and dey say, "Maybe dat Mr. Carroll whose
-hoss we tuk, let dis boy go on wid de hoss." Miss Ca'line say she wish
-she'd let me take Dandy, dey was de bes' hoss.
-
-"I wan' to tell you one story 'bout de rabbit. De rabbit and de tortus
-had a race. De tortus git a lot of tortuses and put 'em long de way.
-Ever now and den a tortus crawl 'long de way, and de rabbit say, "How
-you now, Br'er Tortus?" And he say, "Slo' and sho', but my legs very
-short." When dey git tired, de tortus win 'cause he dere, but he never
-run de race, 'cause he had tortuses strawed out all 'long de way. De
-tortus had other tortuses help him."
-
-Henry Probasco
-==============
-
-**Henry Probasco, 79, was born a slave of Andrew McGowen, who owned a
-plantation and 50 slaves in Walker County, Texas. Henry lived with his
-family, in Waco, until 1875, when he became a stock hand on Judge
-Weakly's ranch in Ellis County. In 1902 he came to Fort Worth and worked
-in packing plants until 1932. Since that time he has supported himself
-by any little work he could find and now has an $8.00 per month pension.
-He lives at 2917 Cliff St., Fort Worth, Texas.**
-
-"I's born on Massa McGowen's plantation. He name was Andrew McGowen and
-us lived near Huntsville, down in Walker County. All my folks and
-grandfolks was dere. Grandpap am carpenter, grandma am nuss for cullud
-chillen, and pappy and mammy does de shoemakin' and de cookin'.
-
-"In de days I's a boy even de plows was made on de place. De blacksmith
-do de iron work and de wood work am done by pappy, and de plows am
-mostly wood. Jus' de point and de shear am iron. My grandpap made de
-mouldboards out of wood. No, sar, 'twarnt no steel mouldboards den. I's
-watch grandpap take de hard wood block and with de ax and de drawshave
-and de plane and saw and rule, him cut and fit de mouldboard to de
-turnin' plow. De mouldboard las' 'bout one year.
-
-"Now, with de shoes it am dif'rent and dem last more'n twict de time as
-store shoes. Gosh for 'mighty! We'uns can't wear dem out. De leather am
-from cattle raise on de place and tan right dere. It am real oak tan,
-and strong as steel. We'uns grease de shoes with mutton tallow and dat
-make dem waterproof shoes.
-
-"Cotton am main crop and corn for feed. De corn feed both de critters
-and de niggers, 'cause de main food for de niggers am de corn and de
-cornbread and de corn mush. Course, us have other victuals, plenty meat
-and veg'tables. De hawgs allus run in de woods and find dere own food,
-sich as nuts and acorns. Dey allus fat and when massa want meat he hitch
-de mules to de wagon and go to de woods. Dere him catch de hawg with
-massa's mark on it and fotch it in.
-
-"De quarters am not mansions, dey am log cabins with dirt floors, but
-good 'nough. Dey am fixed tight for de winter. If you am used to
-sleepin' in de bunks with straw ticks, it's jus' good as de spring bed.
-De fust time I sleeps on de spring bed, I's 'wake most all night.
-
-"When surrender come, massa told we'uns dat all us am free folks and he
-reads from de paper. 'Now,' him say, yous am free and dem what wants to
-go, let me know. I'll 'range for de pay or to work de land on shares.'
-
-"Some goes but all my folks stays, but in 'bout a year pappy moves to
-Waco and run a shoe shop. I stays with him till I 17 year old, den I
-goes to Ellis County and works on de cattle ranch of Judge Weakly. His
-brand am 111 and him place clost to Files Valley. I's larnt to ride some
-on de plantation and soon I's de good rider and I likes dat work best.
-
-"We has lots of fun when we goes to town, not much drinkin', like some
-people says, but its mostest mischievious de boys am. We gits de joke on
-de preacher once. Him tellin' 'bout harm of drink and one of us say,
-'Read from de Bible, Proverbs 31, 6 and 7. Him reads and it am like dis:
-
-'Give de strong drink to dem dat am ready to perish and wine to dem
-what am heavy of heart.' Dat de last time him talk to us 'bout drink.
-
-"We'uns holds de Kangaroo Court. If we'uns been on de party and someone
-do something what ain't right, den charges am file 'gainst you. If dem
-charges file, it's sho' you's found guilty, 'cause de fine am a drink
-for de bunch. If you don't buy de drink it's a lickin' with a pair of
-leggin's. If you 'low de hoss to throw you, dat am cause for charges.
-
-"De last round-up I works am at Oak Grove, near Fort Worth and dat 'bout
-40 year ago. After dat, I goes to Mulesfoot and works for T.D. Myers for
-'bout five year, den I's done a little farmin' on de plains for awhile.
-
-"I'll tell you 'bout my married life. I marries de fust time when I's 24
-year old to Bertha Ellers and we'uns live togedder 20 year and
-sep'rates. We'uns have 11 chillen. Couple year after dat I goes to de
-cotton patch for de short spell and meets a woman. We'uns right off
-married and dat hitch lasts till de pickin' season am over. Den, 'bout
-two year after dat cotton pickin' hitch I marries Mary Little and we'uns
-lives togedder two year and dat am two year too many. Dat de last of de
-marriage business.
-
-"Now I jus' fools de time away and I has no one to fuss at me 'bout
-where I goes and sich. Sich am my joyment now."
-
-Jenny Proctor
-=============
-
-**Jenny Proctor was born in Alabama in 1850. She was a slave of the
-Proctor family and began her duties about the house when a very young
-girl. As soon as she was considered old enough to do field labor she was
-driven with the other slaves from early morning until late at night. The
-driver was cruel and administered severe beatings at the slightest
-provocations. Jenny remained with her owners after the close of the
-Civil War, not from choice but because they had been kept in such dense
-ignorance they had no knowledge of how to make their own living. After
-the death of her master several years later, she and her husband, John
-Proctor, came to Texas in a mule drawn covered wagon and settled in Leon
-County near the old town of Buffalo. There they worked as share croppers
-until the death of her husband. She then came to San Angelo, Texas with
-her son, with whom she has made her home for many years.**
-
-Jenny, who was ill at the time she was interviewed, shook her old white
-head and said,
-
-"I's hear tell of dem good slave days but I ain't nev'r seen no good
-times den. My mother's name was Lisa and when I was a very small chile I
-hear dat driver goin' from cabin to cabin as early as 3 o'clock in de
-mornin' and when he comes to our cabin he say, 'Lisa, Lisa, git up from
-dere and git dat breakfast.' My mother, she was cook and I don't
-recollect nothin' 'bout my father. If I had any brothers and sisters I
-didn' know it. We had ole ragged huts made out of poles and some of de
-cracks chinked up wid mud and moss and some of dem wasn't. We didn' have
-no good beds, jes' scaffolds nailed up to de wall out of poles and de
-ole ragged beddin' throwed on dem. Dat sho' was hard sleepin' but even
-dat feel good to our weary bones after dem long hard days work in de
-field. I 'tended to de chillun when I was a little gal and tried to
-clean de house jes' like ole miss tells me to. Den soon as I was 10
-years ole, ole marster, he say, 'Git dis yere nigger to dat cotton
-patch.' I recollects once when I was tryin' to clean de house like ole
-miss tell me, I finds a biscuit and I's so hungry I et it, 'cause we
-nev'r see sich a thing as a biscuit only some times on Sunday mornin'.
-We jes' have co'n braid and syrup and some times fat bacon, but when I
-et dat biscuit and she comes in and say, 'Whar dat biscuit?'
-
-"I say, 'Miss, I et it 'cause I's so hungry.' Den she grab dat broom and
-start to beatin' me over de head wid it and callin' me low down nigger
-and I guess I jes' clean lost my head 'cause I know'd better den to
-fight her if I knowed anything 'tall, but I start to fight her and de
-driver, he comes in and he grabs me and starts beatin' me wid dat
-cat-o'-nine-tails, [1]_ and he beats me 'til I fall to de floor nearly
-dead. He cut my back all to pieces, den dey rubs salt in de cuts for mo'
-punishment. Lawd, Lawd, honey! Dem was awful days. When ole marster come
-to de house he say, 'What you beat dat nigger like dat for?' And de
-driver tells him why, and he say, 'She can't work now for a week, she
-pay for several biscuits in dat time.' He sho' was mad and he tell ole
-miss she start de whole mess. I still got dem scars on my ole back right
-now, jes' like my grandmother have when she die and I's a-carryin' mine
-right on to de grave jes' like she did.
-
-.. [1] A big leather whip, branching into nine tails.
-
-"Our marster, he wouldn' 'low us to go fishing, he say dat too easy on a
-nigger and wouldn' 'low us to hunt none either, but some time we slips
-off at night and ketch 'possums and when ole marster smells dem 'possums
-cookin' way in de night he wraps up in a white sheet and gits in de
-chimney corner and scratch on de wall and when de man in de cabin goes
-to de door and say, 'Who's dat?' He say, 'It's me, what's ye cookin' in
-dere?' and de man say, 'I's cookin' 'possum.' He say, 'Cook him and
-bring me de hind quarters and you and de wife and de chillun eat de
-rest.' We nev'r had no chance ter git any rabbits 'cept when we was
-a-clearin' and grubbin' de new grounds, den we ketch some rabbits and if
-dey looks good to de white folks dey takes dem and if dey no good de
-niggers git dem. We nev'r had no gardens. Some times de slaves git
-vegetables from de white folks' garden and sometimes dey didn'.
-
-"Money? Umph um! We nev'r seen no money. Guess we'd a bought sumpin' to
-eat wid it if we ev'r seen any. Fact is, we wouldn' a knowed hardly how
-to bought anything, 'cause we didn' know nothin' 'bout goin' to town.
-
-"Dey spinned de cloth what our clothes was made of and we had straight
-dresses or slips made of lowel. Sometimes dey dye 'em wid sumac berries
-or sweet gum bark and sometimes dey didn'. On Sunday dey make all de
-chillun change, and what we wears 'til we gits our clothes washed was
-gunny sacks wid holes cut for our head and arms. We didn' have no shoes
-'ceptin' some home made moccasins and we didn' have dem 'til we was big
-chillun. De little chillun dey goes naked 'til dey was big enough to
-work. Dey was soon big enough though, 'cordin' to our marster. We had
-red flannel for winter under clothes. Ole miss she say a sick nigger
-cost more den de flannel.
-
-"Weddin's? Ugh um! We jes' steps over de broom and we's married. Ha! Ha!
-Ha!
-
-"Ole marster he had a good house. De logs was all hewed off smooth like
-and de cracks all fixed wid nice chinkin', plum 'spectable lookin' even
-to de plank floors, dat was sumpin'. He didn' have no big plantation but
-he keeps 'bout 300 slaves in dem little huts wid dirt floors. I thinks
-he calls it four farms what he had.
-
-"Sometimes he would sell some of de slaves off of dat big auction block
-to de highest bidder when he could git enough fer one.
-
-"When he go to sell a slave he feed dat one good for a few days, den
-when he goes to put 'em up on de auction block he takes a meat skin and
-greases all 'round dat nigger's mouth and makes 'em look like dey been
-eatin' plenty meat and sich like and was good and strong and able to
-work. Sometimes he sell de babes from de breas' and den again he sell de
-mothers from de babes and de husbands and de wives, and so on. He
-wouldn' let 'em holler much when de folks be sold away. He say, 'I have
-you whooped if you don't hush.' Dey sho' loved dere six chillun though.
-Dey wouldn' want no body buyin' dem.
-
-"We might a done very well if de ole driver hadn' been so mean, but de
-least little thing we do he beat us for it, and put big chains 'round
-our ankles and make us work wid dem on 'til de blood be cut out all
-around our ankles. Some of de marsters have what dey call stockades and
-puts dere heads and feet and arms through holes in a big board out in de
-hot sun, but our old driver he had a bull pen, dats only thing like a
-jail he had. When a slave do anything he didn' like he takes 'em in dat
-bull pen and chains 'em down, face up to de sun and leaves 'em dere 'til
-dey nearly dies.
-
-"None of us was 'lowed to see a book or try to learn. Dey say we git
-smarter den dey was if we learn anything, but we slips around and gits
-hold of dat Webster's old blue back speller and we hides it 'til way in
-de night and den we lights a little pine torch [2]_, and studies dat
-spellin' book. We learn it too. I can read some now and write a little
-too.
-
-.. [2] Several long splinters of rich pine, of a lasting quality
- and making a bright light.
-
-"Dey wasn't no church for de slaves but we goes to de white folks' arbor
-on Sunday evenin' and a white man he gits up dere to preach to de
-niggers. He say, 'Now I takes my text, which is, nigger obey your
-marster and your mistress, 'cause what you git from dem here in dis
-world am all you ev'r goin' to git, 'cause you jes' like de hogs and de
-other animals, when you dies you ain't no more, after you been throwed
-in dat hole.' I guess we believed dat for a while 'cause we didn' have
-no way findin' out different. We didn' see no Bibles.
-
-"Sometimes a slave would run away and jes' live wild in de woods but
-most times dey ketch'em and beats 'em, den chains 'em down in de sun
-'til dey nearly die. De only way any slaves on our farm ev'r goes
-anywhere was when de boss sends him to carry some news to another
-plantation or when we slips off way in de night. Sometimes after all de
-work was done a bunch would have it made up to slip out down to de creek
-and dance. We sho' have fun when we do dat, most times on Sat'day night.
-
-"All de Christmas we had was ole marster would kill a hog and give us a
-piece of pork. We thought dat was sumpin' and de way Christmas lasted
-was 'cordin' to de big sweet gum back log what de slaves would cut and
-put in de fireplace. When dat burned out, de Christmas was over. So you
-know we all keeps a lookin' de whole year 'round for de biggest sweet
-gum we could find. When we jes' couldn' find de sweet gum we git oak,
-but it wouldn' last long enough, 'bout three days on average, when we
-didn' have to work. Ole marster he sho' pile on dem pine knots, gittin'
-dat Christmas over so we could git back to work.
-
-"We had a few little games we play, like Peep Squirrel Peep, You Can't
-Catch Me, and sich like. We didn' know nothin' 'bout no New Year's Day
-or holidays 'cept Christmas.
-
-"We had some co'n shuckin's sometimes but de white folks gits de fun and
-de nigger gits de work. We didn' have no kind of cotton pickin's 'cept
-jes' pick our own cotton. I's can hear dem darkies now, goin' to de
-cotton patch way 'fore day a singin':
-
-"'Peggy, does you love me now?'
-
-"One ole man he sing:
-
- | "'Sat'day night and Sunday too
- | Young gals on my mind,
- | Monday mornin' way 'fore day
- | Ole marster got me gwine.
- |
- | Chorus:
- |
- | Peggy, does you love me now?'
-
-"Den he whoops a sort of nigger holler, what nobody can do jes' like dem
-ole time darkies, den on he goes,
-
- | "'Possum up a 'simmon tree,
- | Rabbit on de ground
- | Lawd, Lawd, 'possum,
- | Shake dem 'simmons down.
- | Peggy, does you love me now?
- | *Holler*
- | Rabbit up a gum stump
- | 'Possum up a holler
- | Git him out little boy
- | And I gives you half a dollar.
- | Peggy, does you love me now?'
-
-.. _`Jenny Proctor`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image208jenny.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Jenny Proctor
-
- Jenny Proctor
-
-"We didn' have much lookin' after when we git sick. We had to take de
-worst stuff in de world fer medicine, jes' so it was cheap. Dat ole blue
-mass and bitter apple would keep us out all night. Sometimes he have de
-doctor when he thinks we goin' to die, 'cause he say he ain't got any
-one to lose, den dat calomel what dat doctor would give us would purty
-nigh kill us. Den dey keeps all kinds of lead bullets and asafoetida
-balls 'round our necks and some carried a rabbit foot wid dem all de
-time to keep off evil of any kind.
-
-"Lawd, Lawd, honey! It seems impossible dat any of us ev'r lived to see
-dat day of freedom, but thank God we did.
-
-"When ole marster comes down in de cotton patch to tells us 'bout bein'
-free, he say, 'I hates to tell you but I knows I's got to, you is free,
-jes' as free as me or anybody else what's white.' We didn' hardly know
-what he means. We jes' sort of huddle 'round together like scared
-rabbits, but after we knowed what he mean, didn' many of us go, 'cause
-we didn' know where to of went. Ole marster he say he give us de woods
-land and half of what we make on it, and we could clear it and work it
-or starve. Well, we didn' know hardly what to do 'cause he jes' gives us
-some ole dull hoes an' axes to work with but we all went to work and as
-we cut down de trees and de poles he tells us to build de fence 'round
-de field and we did, and when we plants de co'n and de cotton we jes'
-plant all de fence corners full too, and I never seen so much stuff grow
-in all my born days, several ears of co'n to de stalk and dem big cotton
-stalks was a layin' over on de ground. Some of de ole slaves dey say dey
-believe de Lawd knew sumpin' 'bout niggers after all. He lets us put
-co'n in his crib and den we builds cribs and didn' take long 'fore we
-could buy some hosses and some mules and some good hogs. Dem mangy hogs
-what our marster give us de first year was plum good hogs after we
-grease dem and scrub dem wid lye soap. He jes' give us de ones he
-thought was sho' to die but we was a gittin' goin' now and 'fore long we
-was a buildin' better houses and feelin' kind of happy like. After ole
-marster dies we keeps hearin' talk of Texas and me an' my ole man, I's
-done been married several years den and had one little boy, well we gits
-in our covered wagon wid our little mules hitched to it and we comes to
-Texas. We worked as share croppers around Buffalo, Texas 'til my ole man
-he died. My boy was nearly grown den so he wants to come to San Angelo
-and work, so here we is. He done been married long time now and got six
-chillun. Some of dem work at hotels, and cafes and fillin' stations and
-in homes."
-
-A.C. Pruitt
-===========
-
-**A.C. Pruitt was born about 1861, a slave of the Magill family, in St.
-Martinville, La. He lives in a settlement of Negroes, on the road
-leading from Monroe City to Anahuac, in a shanty made of flattened tin
-cans, odd pieces of corrugated iron and scrap lumber, held together with
-rope, nails and tar paper. Pruitt migrated from Beaumont to Monroe City
-when the oil boom came and ekes out an existence doing odd jobs in the
-fields. He is a small, muscular man, dressed in faded work clothes and
-heavy brogans, laced with string.**
-
-"I really does live in Beaumont, but when dey start dat talk 'bout
-makin' sich good money in de oil fields I done move out here to git some
-of dat. It ain't work so good, though, and I been tearin' down part my
-house dis week and plannin' to move back.
-
-"I ain't 'lect much 'bout slavery time, 'cause I jes' too li'l but I can
-tell some things my mama and grannma done told me.
-
-"I's born in St. Martinville, over in Louisiana. I done go back to de
-old plantation onct but it start to change den. Dave Magill he was de
-old massa and Miss Frances de missy. My mama name Rachel Smith and she
-born and raise right dere, and my daddy I ain't never seed, but mama say
-he name Bruford Pruitt. Dey brudders and sisters but only one livin' and
-dat Clementine James in Beaumont.
-
-"Jes' 'fore freedom us done move to Snowball, Texas, what was somewheres
-clost to Cold Springs. Dey told us dey tryin' keep us slaves 'way from
-de Yankees. Dey everywhere, jes' like dem li'l black ants what gits in
-de sugar, only dey blue. I's jes' de li'l chile den, runnin' 'round in
-my split shirt tail. Dem was sho' fancy shirt tails dey make us wore in
-dem days. Dey make 'em on de loom, jes' in two pieces, with a hole to
-put de head through and 'nother hole at de bottom to put de legs
-through. Den dey split 'em up de side, so's us could run and play
-without dem tyin' us 'round de knees and throw us down. Even at dat, dey
-sho' wasn't no good to do no tree climbin', less'n you pull dem mos' up
-over you head.
-
-"Us chillen run down to de rail gate when us see dus' clouds comin' and
-watch de sojers ridin' and marchin' by. Dey ain't never do no fightin'
-'round us, but dey's gunboats down de bayous a ways and us could hear de
-big guns from de other fights. Us li'l niggers sho' like to wave to dem
-sojers, and when de men on hosses go by, dey seem like dey more enjoyin'
-deyselves dan de others.
-
-"I have de old gramma what come from Virginny. Her name Mandy Brown. Dey
-'low her hire her own time out. She wasn't freeborn but dey give her dat
-much freedom. She could go git her a job anywhere jes' as long as she
-brung de old missy half what she done make. Iffen she make $5.00, she
-give Miss Frances $2.50 and like dat.
-
-"De old massa he plumb good to he slaves. He have a good many but I
-ain't knowed of but one dem mens what he ever whip. He have a church
-right on de place and cullud preachers. Dey old Peter Green and every
-evenin' us chillen have to go to he cabin and he teach us prayers. He
-teach us to count, too. He de shoemaker on de plantation.
-
-"My mama done told me 'bout de dances dey have in de quarters. Dey take
-de big sugar hogshead and stretch rawhide over de top. Den de man
-straddle de barrel and beat on de top for de drum. Dat de onlies' music
-dey have.
-
-"Us allus have good things to eat, cabbage greens and cornbread and
-bacon. Jes' good, plain food. Dey have a sugarhouse and a old man call
-de sugar boiler. He give us de cane juice out de kittles and 'low us
-tote off lots dem cane jints to eat. Dat in June.
-
-"De field hands stay up in de big barn and shuck corn on rainy days. Dey
-shuck corn and sing. Us chillen keep de yard clean and tie weeds
-together to make brooms for de sweepin'. Us sep'rate de seed from de
-cotton and a old woman do de cardin'. Dey have 'nother old woman what do
-nothin' on de scene but weave on de loom.
-
-"One old, old lady what am mos' too old to git 'round, she take care de
-chillen and cook dere food sep'rate. She take big, black iron washpots
-and cook dem plumb full of victuals. Come five in de evenin' us have de
-bigges' meal, dat sho' seem long time 'cause dey ain't feed us but two
-meal a day, not countin' de eatin' us do durin' de day.
-
-"After freedom come us leave Snowball and go back to Louisiana. Old
-massa ain't give us nothin'. I marry purty soon. I never go to school
-but one month in my life and dat in New Iberia. I can sign my name and
-read it, but dat all.
-
-"I works fust for Mr. William Weeks as de yardboy and he pay me $7.00 de
-month. De fust money I gits I's so glad I runned and take it to my mama.
-I have de step-pa and he nearly die of de yellow fever. I's hardly able
-wait till I's 21 and can vote. Dat my idea of somethin', mos' as good as
-de fust time I wears pants.
-
-"I tries farmin awhile but dat ain't suit me so good. Den I gits me de
-job firin' a steamboat on de Miss'sip River, de steamer Mattie. She go
-from New Orleans through Morgan City. I fire in de sawmills, too.
-
-"My fust wife name Liny and us marry and live together 43 year and den
-she die. In 1932 I marry a gal call Zellee what live in Beaumont and she
-still dere. I ain't never have no chile in dis world.
-
-"I larns all dese things 'bout slavery from my mama and gramma, 'cause I
-allus ask questions and dey talks to me lots. Dat's 'cause dey's nobody
-but me and I allus under dey feets."
-
-Harre Quarls
-============
-
-**Harre Quarls, 96, was born in Flardice, Missouri, a slave of John W.
-Quarls, who sold him to Charley Guniot. The latter owner moved to Texas,
-where Harre lived at the time of emancipation. Harre now lives in
-Madisonville, Texas. His memory is very poor, but he managed to recall a
-few incidents of early days.**
-
-"Massa Quarls he live in Missouri. Place call Flardice. He done give me
-to he son, Ben, and he sold me to Massa Charley Guniot. Massa Charley
-come to Texas but I don't know when. It's befo' de freedom war, dat all
-I knows.
-
-"My daddy name Dan and mammy Hannah. She was blind. I 'member us have
-small room in back of dere house, with de bed make from poles and
-cowhide or deerhide. Our massa good to us.
-
-"I must be purty big when us come to Texas, 'cause I plows and is
-stockman back in Missouri. I don't know 'xactly how old I is, but it am
-prob'bly 'bout 96. I think dat 'bout right.
-
-"Sir, us got one day a week and Christmas Day, was all de holiday us
-ever heered of, and us couldn't go anywhere 'cept us have pass from our
-massa to 'nother. If us slips off dem patterrollers gits us.
-Patterroller hits 39 licks with de rawhide with de nine tails.
-Patterroller gits 50 cents for hittin' us 39 licks. Captain, here am de
-words to de patterroller song:
-
- | "'Run, nigger, run, patterroller cotch you,
- | How kin I run, he got me in de woods
- | And all through de pasture?
- | White man run, but nigger run faster.'
-
-"Sir, us have everything to eat what's good, but here in Texas everybody
-eat beef and bread and it am cooked in oven in de fireplace and in
-washpot out in de open. Sir, de great day am when massa brung in de
-great, fat coon and possum.
-
-"Captain, us has no weddin' dem days 'mong de slaves. I'd ask massa
-could I have a gal, if she 'long to 'nother massa, and she ask her massa
-could I come see her. If dey says yes, I goes see her once de week with
-pass. Boss, say, I had three wives. When I's sot free dey wouldn't let
-me live with but one. Captain, that ain't right, 'cause I wants all
-three.
-
-"My missus larned me readin' and writin'. After freedom I taught de
-first nigger school. Dat in Madison and Leon Counties. I's de only
-nigger what can read and write in two settlements. They was thousands
-couldn't read and write.
-
-"I 'lieve it's 1861 when us come to Texas. Us camps at Neasho in
-Arkansas and then come through the Indian Nation. Massa was purty good.
-He treated us jus' 'bout like you would a good mule.
-
-"Us wore horseshoes and rabbit feet for good luck. Then us have de
-hoodoism to keep massa from bein' mean. Us git de stick and notch so
-many notches on it and slip up to massa's front steps, without him
-seein' us, and put this stick under his doorsteps. Every night us go
-back to de stick and drive it down one notch. By time de last notch down
-in de ground, it make massa good to us. Dat called hoodoism.
-
-"Massa tells us we's free on June 'teenth. I leaves. I made a fiddle out
-of a gourd 'fore freedom and larns to play it. I played for dances after
-I's free.
-
-"I marries Emily Unions and us have de home weddin' but not any
-preacher. Us jus' 'greed live together as man and wife and that all they
-was to it. Us have one gal and one boy.
-
-"Emily leaves and I marries Lucindy Williams. Preacher marries us. Us
-have three boys and two gals. Dey all farms' now. I has some sixty odd
-grand and great grandchillen.
-
-"Say, boss, I wants to sing you 'nother song 'fore you goes:
-
- | "Walkin' in de parlor,
- | Lightnin' is a yaller gal.
- | She live up in de clouds.
- |
- | "Thunder he is black man,
- | He can holler loud,
- | When he kisses lightnin'.
- |
- | "She dart up in wonder,
- | He jump up and grate de clouds;
- | That what make it thunder."
-
-Eda Rains
-=========
-
-**Aunt Eda Rains, 94, was born a slave in Little Rock, Arkansas, in
-1853. In 1860 Eda, her brothers and mother, were bought by a Mr. Carter
-and brought to Texas. She now lives in Douglasville, Texas.**
-
-"I don't 'member my first marster, 'cause my mammy and Jim and John who
-was my brothers, and me was sold when I was seven and brought to
-Douglass, in Texas, to hire out. Befo' we lef' Little Rock, whar I was
-born, we was vaccinated for smallpox. We came through in a wagon to
-Texas and camped out at night and we slep' on the groun'.
-
-"When I's hired out to the Tomlins at Douglass I sho' got lonesome for
-I's jus' a little girl, you know, and wanted to see my mother. They put
-me to work parchin' coffee and my arm was still sore, and I'd pa'ch and
-cry, and pa'ch and cry. Finally Missus Tomlin say, 'You can quit now.'
-She looked at my arm and then put me to tendin' chillen. I was fannin'
-the baby with a turkey wing fan and I fell to sleep and when the missus
-saw me she snatched the fan and struck me in the face with it. This scar
-on my forehead is from that quill stuck in my head.
-
-"I slep' on a pallet in the missus' room and she bought me some clothes.
-She had nine chillen, two boys and seven girls. But after awhile she
-sol' me to Marster Roack, and he bought my mother and my brothers, so we
-was togedder again. We had our own cabin and two beds. Every day at four
-they called us to the big house and give us milk and mush. The white
-chillen had to eat it, too. It was one of marster's ideas and he said
-he's raised that-away.
-
-"Now, I mus' tell you all 'bout Christmas. Our bigges' time was at
-Christmas. Marster'd give us maybe fo'-bits to spend as we wanted and
-maybe we'd buy a string of beads or some sech notion. On Christmas Eve
-we played games, 'Young Gal Loves Candy,' or 'Hide and Whoop.' Didn'
-know nothin' 'bout Santa Claus, never was larned that. But we allus
-knowed what we'd git on Christmas mornin'. Old Marster allus call us
-togedder and give us new clothes, shoes too. He allus wen' to town on
-the Eve and brung back our things in a cotton sack. That ole sack'd be
-crammed full of things and we knewed it was clothes and shoes, 'cause
-Marster didn' 'lieve in no foolishness. We got one pair shoes a year, at
-Christmas. Most times they was red and I'd allus paint mine black. I's
-one nigger didn' like red. I'd skim grease off dishwater, mix it with
-soot from the chimney and paint my shoes. In winter we wore woolen
-clothes and got 'em at Christmas, too.
-
-"We was woke up in the mornin' by blowing of the conk. It was a big
-shell. It called us to dinner and if anything happened 'special, the
-conk allus blew.
-
-.. _`Eda Rains`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image225eda.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Eda Rains
-
- Eda Rains
-
-"I seed run-away slaves and marster kep' any he caught in a room, and he
-chained 'em till he coul' reach their marsters.
-
-"We didn' get larned to read and write but they took care of us iffen we
-was sick, and we made medicine outta black willow and outta black snake
-root and boneset. It broke fevers on us, but, Lawsy, it was a dose.
-
-"After freedom they tol' us we could go or stay. I stayed a while but I
-married Claiborne Rains and lived at Jacksonville. We had ten chillen.
-The Lawd's been right good to me, even if I'm blind. Nearly all my ole
-white folks and my chillen has gone to Judgment, but I know the Lawd
-won't leave me here too long 'fore I 'jines em."
-
-Millie Randall
-==============
-
-**Millie Randall, was born in Mississippi, but spent most of her slavery
-days on the Dan McMillan farm, near Big Cane, Louisiana. She is about 80
-years old, though her estimate of her actual age is vague. She now lives
-in Beaumont, Texas.**
-
-"I was jes' 'bout six year old when peace was 'clared and I done been
-born in Mississippi, but us move to Bayou Jacques, tother side of Big
-Cane, in Louisiana. I mus' be purty old now.
-
-"My name' Millie Randall and my mammy, she call' Rose, but I don't know
-nothin' 'bout my paw. My old massa name' Dan McMillan and he wife she
-name' Laura. It were a old wood country where my white folks was and us
-live way out. Dey raise de corn and de cotton and when dey wasn't
-workin' in de field, dey diggin' out stumps and movin' logs and clearin'
-up new ground. Dey have lots of goats and sheep, too, and raises dey own
-rice.
-
-"Dey give us cullud folks de ration in a sack right reg'lar. It have
-jes' plain food in it, but plenty for everybody.
-
-"Missy have de big plank house and us have de little log house. Us have
-jes' old plank beds and no furniture. Us clothes make out good, strong
-cloth, but dey was plain make.
-
-"All us white folks was mean, I tells you de truf. Yes, Lawd, I seed dem
-beat and almost kilt on us own place. What dey beat dem for? 'Cause dey
-couldn't he'p demselves, I guess. De white folks have de niggers like
-dey want dem and dey treat dem bad. It were de old, bully, mean
-overseers what was doin' de beatin' up with de niggers and I guess dey
-would have kilt me, but I's too little to beat much.
-
-"I heered 'bout dem Yankees drivin' dey hosses in de white folks' house
-and makin' dem let dem eat offen de table. Another time, dey come to de
-plantation and all de niggers locked in de barn. Dose soldiers go in de
-house and find de white boss man hidin' in 'tween de mattresses and dey
-stick swords through de mattress and kilt him.
-
-.. _`Millie Randall`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image227millie.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Millie Randall
-
- Millie Randall
-
-"Some de white folks hides dey silver and other things that worth lots
-of money and hang dem down in de well, so de Yankees not find dem. But
-dey find dem anyway. Dey breaks open a store what was lock up and told
-de niggers to git all dey wants. De women ketches up de bottom of dey
-skirt round de waist and fill dem up with everything dey wants.
-
-"After freedom old massa not 'low my mammy have us chillen. He takes me
-and my brother, Benny, in de wagon and druv us round and round so dey
-couldn't find us. My mammy has to git de Jestice of de Peace to go make
-him turn us a-loose. He brung us to our mammy and was we glad to see
-her.
-
-"I don't 'member 'xactly when I git marry. It was at Big Cane and when I
-git marry I jes' git marry, dat's all. Dey was three chillen but dey all
-dead now and so my husban'."
-
-Laura Redmoun
-=============
-
-**Laura Redmoun was born about 1855, a slave of the Robertson family, in
-Jonestown (now absorbed by Memphis) Tennessee. Laura is a quaint, rotund
-figure of a woman, a living picture of a comic opera mammy. She lives at
-3809 Mayo St., Dallas, Texas.**
-
-"The funny thing 'bout me is, I's a present to the white folks, right
-off. They's lookin' for my mammy to have a baby and, Gawd bless, I's
-borned twins, a boy and a girl. When I's six months old, Miss Gusta, my
-old missy's daughter, marries Mr. Scruggs, and I's give to her for a
-weddin' present.
-
-"Miss Gusta am proud of me and I slep' right on the foot of her bed. We
-lived at 144 Third Exchange Street in Memphis. She didn't have but two
-slaves, me and Lucy, the cook. Law, I didn't know I was no slave. I
-thunk I's white and plumb indiff'ent from the niggers. I's right
-s'prised when I finds out I's nigger, jus' like the other black faces!
-
-"I had good times and jes' played round and got in devilment. Sometimes
-Mr. Scruggs say, 'I's gwine whip dat brat,' but Miss Gusta allus say,
-'No you ain't gwine lay you hands on her and iffen you does I'm gwine
-quit you.' Miss Gusta was indiff'ent to Mr. Scruggs in quality. He
-fooled her to marry him, lettin' on he got a lot of things he ain't.
-
-"I seen sojers all toggered up in uniforms and marchin' and wavin'.
-Plenty times they waves at me, but I didn't know what it's all 'bout.
-
-"Miss Gusta allus took me to church and most times I went to sleep by
-her feet. But when I's 'bout eight the Lawd gits to workin' right inside
-me and I perks up and listens. Purty soon the glory of Gawd 'scended
-right down on me and I didn't know nothin' else. I run away up into the
-ridges and crosses a creek on a foot log. I stays up 'round them caves
-in tall cane and grass where panthers and bears is for three days 'fore
-they finds me. They done hear me praisin' Gawd and shoutin', 'I got
-Jesus.' When they finds me I done slap the sides out my dress, jes'
-slappin' my hands down and praisin' the Lawd. That was a good dress,
-too. I heared tell of some niggers wearin' cotton but not me--I weared
-percale.
-
-"They done take me home and Miss Gusta say, 'You ain't in no fittin'
-condition to jine a church right now. You got to calm down 'siderable
-first.' But when I's nine year old she takes me to the Trevesant St.
-Baptist church and lets me jine and I's baptised in the Mississippi
-river right there at Memphis.
-
-"Bout that time the Fed'rals come into Memphis and scared the daylights
-out of folks. Miss Gusta calls me and wrops my hair in front and puts
-her jewelry in under the plaits and pulls them back and pins them down
-so you couldn't see nothin'. She got silverware and give it to me and I
-run in the garden and buries it. I hid it plenty good, 'cause we like to
-never found it after the Fed'rals was gone. They come right up to our
-house and Mr. Scruggs run out the back door and tried to leap the rail
-fence in the backyard. He cotched the seat of his pants on the top rail
-and jes' hung there a-danglin' till the Fed'rals pulls him down. He hurt
-his leg and it was a bad place for a long time. When I seed him hangin'
-there I cut a dido and kep' screamin', 'Miss Gusta, he's a-dyin',' and
-them Fed'rals got plumb tickled at me.
-
-"They went in the smokehouse and got all the sugar and rice and strowed
-it up and down the streets and not carin' at all that victuals was
-scarcer than hen's teeth in them parts!
-
-"Then Miss Gusta done tell me I wasn't no slave no more, but, shucks,
-that don't mean nothin' to me, 'cause I ain't never knowed I was one.
-
-"In them times the Ku Klux got to skullduggerin' round and done take Mr.
-Scruggs and give him a whippin' but I never heared what it had to do
-about. He don't like them none, noways, and shets hisself up in the
-house. He a curious kind of man, it 'pear to me, iffen I's to tell the
-plain out truth. I don't think he was much but kind of trashy.
-
-"When I's seventeen Miss Gusta sickened and suffered in her bed in
-terrible fashion. She begs the doctors to tell her if she's a-dyin' so
-she could clear up business 'fore she passed away. She took three days
-and fixed things up and told me she didn't want to leave me friendless
-and lone. She wanted me to git married. I had a man I thunk I'd think
-well of marryin' and Miss Gusta give me away on her bed at the weddin'
-in her room. She told my husband not to cuff me none, 'cause I never
-been 'bused in my life, and to this day I ain't never been hit a lick in
-my life.
-
-.. _`Laura Redmoun`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image229laura.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Laura Redmoun
-
- Laura Redmoun
-
-"My first baby was born the year of the big yellow fever in New Orleans.
-I had six chillen but they all died when they's little from creepin'
-spasms. I advertises round in the papers and finds my mammy and she come
-and lived with me. She's in a pitiful shape. 'Fore the ceasin' of war
-her master done sold her and the man what bought her wasn't so light on
-his niggers. She said he made her wear breeches and tote big, heavy logs
-and plow with oxes. One of the men knocked her on back of the head with a
-club and from that day she allus shook her head from side to side all
-the time, like she couldn't git her mind straight. She told me my paw
-fell off a bluff in Memphis and stuck a sharp rock right through his
-head. They wrapped him in a blanket and buried him. That's all I ever
-knowed 'bout him.
-
-"My husband was a good man and a good worker. We farmed and I worked for
-white folks. We took a notion to come to Texas and I been in these parts
-ever since.
-
-"I don't have no complaint to make. I seen some hard times, but I's able
-to do a little work and keep goin'. They is so many mean folks in the
-world and so many good ones, and I'm mighty proud to say my white folks
-was good ones."
-
-Elsie Reece
-===========
-
-**Elsie Reece, 90, was born a slave of John Mueldrew, in Grimes County,
-Texas. Elsie came to Fort Worth in 1926 to live with her only remaining
-child, Mrs. Luffin Baker, who supports Elsie with the aid of her $7.00
-monthly old age pension.**
-
-"I's borned in Grimes County, ninety years ago. Dat am long time, child.
-It am heap of change since den. We couldn't see dem airplanes flyin' in
-de air and hear folks sing and talk a thousand miles away. When I's de
-young'un de fartheres' you could hear anybody am 'bout a quarter mile
-and den dey has to holler like a stuck hawg.
-
-"My massa's name am John Mueldrew and he have a small plantation near
-Navasota, and 'bout twenty cullud folks, mos' of 'em 'lated to each
-other. There was seven chillen in mammy's family and I's de baby. Pappy
-dies when I's a year old, so I don't 'member him.
-
-"Dey larnt me to weave cloth and sew, and my brudder am de shoemaker. My
-mammy tend de cows and Uncle John am de carpenter. De Lawd bless us with
-de good massa. Massa John die befo' de war and Missie Mary marries Massa
-Mike Hendricks, and he good, too. But him die and young Massa Jim
-Mueldrow take charge, and him jus' as kind as he pappy.
-
-"Nother thing am change a heap. Dat buyin' all us wears and eats. Gosh
-'mighty, when I's de gall, it am awful li'l us buys. Us raise nearly all
-to eat and wear, and has good home-raised meat and all de milk and
-butter us wants, and fruit and 'lasses and eggs and tea and coffee onct
-a week. Now I has to live on $7.00 a month and what place am I bes' off?
-Sho', on de massa's place.
-
-"We'uns has Sundays off and goes to church. Old man Buffington preaches
-to us after dinner. Dere am allus de party on Saturday night on our
-place or some other place nearby. We gits de pass and it say what time
-to be home. It de rule, twelve o'clock. We dances de quadrille and sings
-and sich. De music am fiddles.
-
-"But de big time and de happy time for all us cullud folks am Christmas.
-De white folks has de tree in de big house and somethin' for all us.
-When Missie Mary holler, 'Santa Claus 'bout due,' us all gathers at de
-door and purty soon Santa 'pears with de red coat and long, white
-whiskers, in de room all lit with candles. He gives us each de sack of
-candy and a pair of shoes from de store. Massa never calls for work from
-Christmas to New Year's, 'cept chores. Dat whole week am for
-cel'bration. So you sees how good massa am.
-
-"Young Massa Jim and Sam jines de army and I helps make dere army
-clothes. I's 'bout fourteen den. Lots of young men goes and lots never
-comes back. Sam gits his right leg shot off and dies after he come home,
-but Jim lives. Den surrender come and Massa Jim read de long paper. He
-say, 'I 'splain to yous. It de order from de gov'ment what make it
-'gainst de law to keep yous slaves.' You should seed dem cullud folks.
-Dey jus' plumb shock. Dere faces long as dere arm, and so pester dey
-don't know what to say or do.
-
-"Massa never say 'nother word and walks away. De cullud folks say,
-'Where we'uns gwine live? What we'uns gwine do?' Dey frets all night.
-Nex' mornin' massa say, 'What you'uns gwine do?' Uncle John say, 'When
-does we have to go?' Den massa laughs hearty and say dey can stay for
-wages or work on halves.
-
-.. _`Elsie Reece`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image233elsie.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Elsie Reece
-
- Elsie Reece
-
-"Well, sir, dere a bunch of happy cullud folks after dey larnt dey could
-stay and work, and my folks stays nearly two years after 'mancipation.
-Den us all move to Navasota and hires out as cooks. I cooks till I's
-eighteen and den marries John Love. He am de carpenter and right off
-builds a house on land he buy from Dr. Terrell, he old massa. I has four
-chillen, and dey all dead now. He died in 1881, 'way from home. He's on
-his way to Austin and draps dead from some heart mis'ry. Dat am big
-sorrow in my life. There I is, with chillen to support, so I goes to
-cookin' 'gain and we has some purty close times, but I does it and sends
-dem to school. I don't want dem to be like dey mammy, a unknowledge
-person.
-
-"After eight years I marries Dave Reece and has two chillen. He am de
-Baptis' preacher and have a good church till he died, in 1923. Den soon
-after I gits de letter from old Missie Mary, and she am awful sick. She
-done write and visit me all dem years since I lef' de old plantation. I
-draps everything and goes to her and she am awful glad to see me. She
-begs me not to go back home, and one day she dies sudden-like with a
-heart mis'ry. She de bes' friend I ever has.
-
-"I comes to Fort Worth in 1926 and lives with my daughter. I's paralyze
-in de right side and can't work no more, and it am fine I has de good
-daughter."
-
-Mary Reynolds
-=============
-
-**Mary Reynolds claims to be more than a hundred years old. She was born
-in slavery to the Kilpatrick family, in Black River, Louisiana. Mary now
-lives at the Dallas County Convalescent Home. She has been blind for
-five years and is very feeble.**
-
-"My paw's name was Tom Vaughn and he was from the north, born free man
-and lived and died free to the end of his days. He wasn't no eddicated
-man, but he was what he calls himself a piano man. He told me once he
-lived in New York and Chicago and he built the insides of pianos and
-knew how to make them play in tune. He said some white folks from the
-south told he if he'd come with them to the south he'd find a lot of
-work to do with pianos in them parts, and he come off with them.
-
-"He saw my maw on the Kilpatrick place and her man was dead. He told Dr.
-Kilpatrick, my massa, he'd buy my maw and her three chillun with all the
-money he had, iffen he'd sell her. But Dr. Kilpatrick was never one to
-sell any but the old niggers who was past workin' in the fields and past
-their breedin' times. So my paw marries my maw and works the fields,
-same as any other nigger. They had six gals: Martha and Pamela and
-Josephine and Ellen and Katherine and me.
-
-"I was born same time as Miss Sara Kilpatrick. Dr. Kilpatrick's first
-wife and my maw come to their time right together. Miss Sara's maw died
-and they brung Miss Sara to suck with me. It's a thing we ain't never
-forgot. My maw's name was Sallie and Miss Sara allus looked with
-kindness on my maw. We sucked till we was a fair size and played
-together, which wasn't no common thing. None the other li'l niggers
-played with the white chillun. But Miss Sara loved me so good.
-
-"I was jus' 'bout big 'nough to start playin' with a broom to go 'bout
-sweepin' up and not even half doin' it when Dr. Kilpatrick sold me. They
-was a old white man in Trinity and his wife died and he didn't have
-chick or child or slave or nothin'. Massa sold me cheap, 'cause he
-didn't want Miss Sara to play with no nigger young'un. That old man
-bought me a big doll and went off and left me all day, with the door
-open. I jus' sot on the floor and played with that doll. I used to cry.
-He'd come home and give me somethin' to eat and then go to bed, and I
-slep' on the foot of the bed with him. I was scart all the time in the
-dark. He never did close the door.
-
-"Miss Sara pined and sickened. Massa done what he could, but they wasn't
-no pertness in her. She got sicker and sicker, and massa brung 'nother
-doctor. He say, 'You li'l gal is grievin' the life out her body and she
-sho' gwine die iffen you don't do somethin' 'bout it.' Miss Sara says
-over and over, 'I wants Mary.' Massa say to the doctor, 'That a li'l
-nigger young'un I done sold.' The doctor tells him he better git me back
-iffen he wants to save the life of his child. Dr. Kilpatrick has to give
-a big plenty more to git me back than what he sold me for, but Miss Sara
-plumps up right off and grows into fine health.
-
-"Then massa marries a rich lady from Mississippi and they has chillun
-for company to Miss Sara and seem like for a time she forgits me.
-
-"Massa Kilpatrick wasn't no piddlin' man. He was a man of plenty. He had
-a big house with no more style to it than a crib, but it could room
-plenty people. He was a medicine doctor and they was rooms in the second
-story for sick folks what come to lay in. It would take two days to go
-all over the land he owned. He had cattle and stock and sheep and more'n
-a hundred slaves and more besides. He bought the bes' of niggers near
-every time the spec'lators come that way. He'd make a swap of the old
-ones and give money for young ones what could work.
-
-"He raised corn and cotton and cane and 'taters and goobers, 'sides the
-peas and other feedin' for the niggers. I 'member I helt a hoe handle
-mighty onsteady when they put a old woman to larn me and some other
-chillun to scrape the fields. That old woman would be in a frantic.
-She'd show me and then turn 'bout to show some other li'l nigger, and
-I'd have the young corn cut clean as the grass. She say, 'For the love
-of Gawd, you better larn it right, or Solomon will beat the breath out
-you body.' Old man Solomon was the nigger driver.
-
-"Slavery was the worst days was ever seed in the world. They was things
-past tellin', but I got the scars on my old body to show to this day. I
-seed worse than what happened to me. I seed them put the men and women
-in the stock with they hands screwed down through holes in the board and
-they feets tied together and they naked behinds to the world. Solomon
-the overseer beat them with a big whip and massa look on. The niggers
-better not stop in the fields when they hear them yellin'. They cut the
-flesh most to the bones and some they was when they taken them out of
-stock and put them on the beds, they never got up again.
-
-"When a nigger died they let his folks come out the fields to see him
-afore he died. They buried him the same day, take a big plank and bust
-it with a ax in the middle 'nough to bend it back, and put the dead
-nigger in betwixt it. They'd cart them down to the graveyard on the
-place and not bury them deep 'nough that buzzards wouldn't come circlin'
-round. Niggers mourns now, but in them days they wasn't no time for
-mournin'.
-
-"The conch shell blowed afore daylight and all hands better git out for
-roll call or Solomon bust the door down and git them out. It was work
-hard, git beatin's and half fed. They brung the victuals and water to
-the fields on a slide pulled by a old mule. Plenty times they was only a
-half barrel water and it stale and hot, for all us niggers on the
-hottes' days. Mostly we ate pickled pork and corn bread and peas and
-beans and 'taters. They never was as much as we needed.
-
-"The times I hated most was pickin' cotton when the frost was on the
-bolls. My hands git sore and crack open and bleed. We'd have a li'l fire
-in the fields and iffen the ones with tender hands couldn't stand it no
-longer, we'd run and warm our hands a li'l bit. When I could steal a
-'tater, I used to slip it in the ashes and when I'd run to the fire I'd
-take it out and eat it on the sly.
-
-"In the cabins it was nice and warm. They was built of pine boardin' and
-they was one long row of them up the hill back of the big house. Near
-one side of the cabins was a fireplace. They'd bring in two, three big
-logs and put on the fire and they'd last near a week. The beds was made
-out of puncheons fitted in holes bored in the wall, and planks laid
-'cross them poles. We had tickin' mattresses filled with corn shucks.
-Sometimes the men build chairs at night. We didn't know much 'bout
-havin' nothin', though.
-
-"Sometimes massa let niggers have a li'l patch. They'd raise 'taters or
-goobers. They liked to have them to help fill out on the victuals.
-'Taters roasted in the ashes was the best tastin' eatin' I ever had. I
-could die better satisfied to have jus' one more 'tater roasted in hot
-ashes. The niggers had to work the patches at night and dig the 'taters
-and goobers at night. Then if they wanted to sell any in town they'd
-have to git a pass to go. They had to go at night, 'cause they couldn't
-ever spare a hand from the fields.
-
-"Once in a while they'd give us a li'l piece of Sat'day evenin' to wash
-out clothes in the branch. We hanged them on the ground in the woods to
-dry. They was a place to wash clothes from the well, but they was so
-many niggers all couldn't git round to it on Sundays. When they'd git
-through with the clothes on Sat'day evenin's the niggers which sold they
-goobers and 'taters brung fiddles and guitars and come out and play. The
-others clap they hands and stomp they feet and we young'uns cut a step
-round. I was plenty biggity and liked to cut a step.
-
-"We was scart of Solomon and his whip, though, and he didn't like
-frolickin'. He didn't like for us niggers to pray, either. We never
-heared of no church, but us have prayin' in the cabins. We'd set on the
-floor and pray with our heads down low and sing low, but if Solomon
-heared he'd come and beat on the wall with the stock of his whip. He'd
-say, 'I'll come in there and tear the hide off you backs.' But some the
-old niggers tell us we got to pray to Gawd that he don't think different
-of the blacks and the whites. I know that Solomon is burnin' in hell
-today, and it pleasures me to know it.
-
-"Once my maw and paw taken me and Katherine after night to slip to
-'nother place to a prayin' and singin'. A nigger man with white beard
-told us a day am comin' when niggers only be slaves of Gawd. We prays
-for the end of Trib'lation and the end of beatin's and for shoes that
-fit our feet. We prayed that us niggers could have all we wanted to eat
-and special for fresh meat. Some the old ones say we have to bear all,
-'cause that all we can do. Some say they was glad to the time they's
-dead, 'cause they'd rather rot in the ground than have the beatin's.
-What I hated most was when they'd beat me and I didn't know what they
-beat me for, and I hated them strippin' me naked as the day I was born.
-
-"When we's comin' back from that prayin', I thunk I heared the nigger
-dogs and somebody on horseback. I say, 'Maw, its them nigger hounds and
-they'll eat us up.' You could hear them old hounds and sluts abayin'.
-Maw listens and say, 'Sho 'nough, them dogs am runnin' and Gawd help
-us!' Then she and paw talk and they take us to a fence corner and stands
-us up 'gainst the rails and say don't move and if anyone comes near,
-don't breathe loud. They went to the woods, so the hounds chase them and
-not git us. Me and Katherine stand there, holdin' hands, shakin' so we
-can hardly stand. We hears the hounds come nearer, but we don't move.
-They goes after paw and maw, but they circles round to the cabins and
-gits in. Maw say its the power of Gawd.
-
-"In them days I weared shirts, like all the young'uns. They had collars
-and come below the knees and was split up the sides. That's all we
-weared in hot weather. The men weared jeans and the women gingham. Shoes
-was the worstes' trouble. We weared rough russets when it got cold, and
-it seem powerful strange they'd never git them to fit. Once when I was a
-young gal, they got me a new pair and all brass studs in the toes. They
-was too li'l for me, but I had to wear them. The brass trimmin's cut
-into my ankles and them places got mis'ble bad. I rubs tallow in them
-sore places and wrops rags round them and my sores got worser and
-worser. The scars are there to this day.
-
-"I wasn't sick much, though. Some the niggers had chills and fever a
-lot, but they hadn't discovered so many diseases then as now. Dr.
-Kilpatrick give sick niggers ipecac and asafoetida and oil and
-turpentine and black fever pills.
-
-"They was a cabin called the spinnin' house and two looms and two
-spinnin' wheels goin' all the time, and two nigger women sewing all the
-time. It took plenty sewin' to make all the things for a place so big.
-Once massa goes to Baton Rouge and brung back a yaller gal dressed in
-fine style. She was a seamster nigger. He builds her a house 'way from
-the quarters and she done fine sewin' for the whites. Us niggers knowed
-the doctor took a black woman quick as he did a white and took any on
-his place he wanted, and he took them often. But mostly the chillun born
-on the place looked like niggers. Aunt Cheyney allus say four of hers
-was massa's, but he didn't give them no mind. But this yaller gal breeds
-so fast and gits a mess of white young'uns. She larnt them fine manners
-and combs out they hair.
-
-"Onct two of them goes down the hill to the doll house where the
-Kilpatrick chillun am playin'. They wants to go in the doll house and
-one the Kilpatrick boys say, 'That's for white chillun.' They say, 'We
-ain't no niggers, 'cause we got the same daddy you has, and he comes to
-see us near every day and fetches us clothes and things from town.' They
-is fussin' and Missy Kilpatrick is listenin' out her chamber window. She
-heard them white niggers say, 'He is our daddy and we call him daddy
-when he comes to our house to see our mama.'
-
-"When massa come home that evenin' his wife hardly say nothin' to him,
-and he ask her what the matter and she tells him, 'Since you asks me,
-I'm studyin' in my mind 'bout them white young'uns of that yaller nigger
-wench from Baton Rouge.' He say, 'Now, honey, I fotches that gal jus'
-for you, 'cause she a fine seamster.' She say, 'It look kind of funny
-they got the same kind of hair and eyes as my chillun and they got a
-nose looks like yours.' He say, 'Honey, you jus' payin' 'tention to talk
-of li'l chillun that ain't got no mind to what they say.' She say, 'Over
-in Mississippi I got a home and plenty with my daddy and I got that in
-my mind.'
-
-"Well, she didn't never leave and massa bought her a fine, new span of
-surrey hosses. But she don't never have no more chillun and she ain't so
-cordial with the massa. Margaret, that yallow gal, has more white
-young'uns, but they don't never go down the hill no more to the big
-house.
-
-"Aunt Cheyney was jus' out of bed with a sucklin' baby one time, and she
-run away. Some say that was 'nother baby of massa's breedin'. She don't
-come to the house to nurse her baby, so they misses her and old Solomon
-gits the nigger hounds and takes her trail. They gits near her and she
-grabs a limb and tries to hist herself in a tree, but them dogs grab her
-and pull her down. The men hollers them onto her, and the dogs tore her
-naked and et the breasts plumb off her body. She got well and lived to
-be a old woman, but 'nother woman has to suck her baby and she ain't got
-no sign of breasts no more.
-
-"They give all the niggers fresh meat on Christmas and a plug tobacco
-all round. The highes' cotton picker gits a suit of clothes and all the
-women what had twins that year gits a outfittin' of clothes for the
-twins and a double, warm blanket.
-
-"Seems like after I got bigger, I 'member more'n more niggers run away.
-They's most allus cotched. Massa used to hire out his niggers for wage
-hands. One time he hired me and a nigger boy, Turner, to work for some
-ornery white trash name of Kidd. One day Turner goes off and don't come
-back. Old man Kidd say I knowed 'bout it, and he tied my wrists together
-and stripped me. He hanged me by the wrists from a limb on a tree and
-spraddled my legs round the trunk and tied my feet together. Then he
-beat me. He beat me worser than I ever been beat before and I faints
-dead away. When I come to I'm in bed. I didn't care so much iffen I
-died.
-
-"I didn't know 'bout the passin' of time, but Miss Sara come to me. Some
-white folks done git word to her. Mr. Kidd tries to talk hisself out of
-it, but Miss Sara fotches me home when I'm well 'nough to move. She took
-me in a cart and my maw takes care of me. Massa looks me over good and
-says I'll git well, but I'm ruint for breedin' chillun.
-
-"After while I taken a notion to marry and massa and missy marries us
-same as all the niggers. They stands inside the house with a broom held
-crosswise of the door and we stands outside. Missy puts a li'l wreath on
-my head they kept there and we steps over the broom into the house. Now,
-that's all they was to the marryin'. After freedom I gits married and
-has it put in the book by a preacher.
-
-"One day we was workin' in the fields and hears the conch shell blow, so
-we all goes to the back gate of the big house. Massa am there. He say,
-'Call the roll for every nigger big 'nough to walk, and I wants them to
-go to the river and wait there. They's gwine be a show and I wants you
-to see it.' They was a big boat down there, done built up on the sides
-with boards and holes in the boards and a big gun barrel stickin'
-through every hole. We ain't never seed nothin' like that. Massa goes up
-the plank onto the boat and comes out on the boat porch. He say, 'This
-am a Yankee boat.' He goes inside and the water wheels starts movin' and
-that boat goes movin' up the river and they says it goes to Natches.
-
-"The boat wasn't more'n out of sight when a big drove of sojers comes
-into town. They say they's Fed'rals. More'n half the niggers goes off
-with them sojers, but I goes on back home 'cause of my old mammy.
-
-"Next day them Yankees is swarmin' the place. Some the niggers wants to
-show them somethin'. I follows to the woods. The niggers shows them
-sojers a big pit in the ground, bigger'n a big house. It is got wooden
-doors that lifts up, but the top am sodded and grass growin' on it, so
-you couldn't tell it. In that pit is stock, hosses and cows and mules
-and money and chinaware and silver and a mess of stuff them sojers
-takes.
-
-"We jus' sot on the place doin' nothin' till the white folks comes home.
-Miss Sara come out to the cabin and say she wants to read a letter to my
-mammy. It come from Louis Carter, which is brother to my mammy, and he
-done follow the Fed'rals to Galveston. A white man done write the letter
-for him. It am tored in half and massa done that. The letter say Louis
-am workin' in Galveston and wants mammy to come with us, and he'll pay
-our way. Miss Sara say massa swear, 'Damn Louis Carter. I ain't gwine
-tell Sallie nothin',' and he starts to tear the letter up. But she won't
-let him, and she reads it to mammy.
-
-.. _`Mary Reynolds`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image236mary.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Mary Reynolds
-
- Mary Reynolds
-
-"After a time massa takes all his niggers what wants to Texas with him
-and mammy gits to Galveston and dies there. I goes with massa to the
-Tennessee Colony and then to Navasota. Miss Sara marries Mr. T. Coleman
-and goes to El Paso. She wrote and told me to come to her and I allus
-meant to go.
-
-"My husband and me farmed round for times, and then I done housework and
-cookin' for many years. I come to Dallas and cooked seven year for one
-white family. My husband died years ago. I guess Miss Sara been dead
-these long years. I allus kep' my years by Miss Sara's years, 'count we
-is born so close.
-
-"I been blind and mos' helpless for five year. I'm gittin' mighty
-enfeeblin' and I ain't walked outside the door for a long time back. I
-sets and 'members the times in the world. I 'members now clear as
-yesterday things I forgot for a long time. I 'members 'bout the days of
-slavery and I don't 'lieve they ever gwine have slaves no more on this
-earth. I think Gawd done took that burden offen his black chillun and
-I'm aimin' to praise him for it to his face in the days of Glory what
-ain't so far off."
-
-Walter Rimm
-===========
-
-**Walter Rimm, 80, was born a slave of Captain Hatch, in San Patricio
-County, Texas. After Walter was freed, he helped his father farm for
-several years, then worked as a cook for fifteen years on the King
-Ranch. He moved to Fort Worth and cooked for Mrs. Arthur Goetz for
-twenty-five years. He lives at 913 E. Second St., Fort Worth.**
-
-"You wants to know 'bout slavery? Well, I's had a deal happen 'sides
-dat, but I's born on Captain Hatch's plantation, 'cross de bay from
-Corpus Christi. He had somewheres near fifty slaves, and mammy told me
-he buyed her in Tennessee and pappy in South Carolina. Massa Hatch buys
-and sells niggers some dem days, but he ain't a nigger trader.
-
-"Dem sales am one thing what make de 'pression on me. I hears de old
-folks whisper 'bout gwine have de sale and 'bout noon dere am a crowd of
-white folks in de front yard and a nigger trader with he slaves. Dey
-sets up a platform in middle de yard and one white man gits on dat and
-'nother white man comes up and has a white woman with him. She 'pears to
-be 'bout fifteen years old and has long, black hair down her back. Dey
-puts her on de platform and den I hears a scream, and a woman what look
-like de gal, cries out, 'I'll cut my throat if my daughter am sold.' De
-white man goes and talks to her, and fin'ly 'lows her to take de young
-gal away with her. Dat sho' stirs up some 'motion 'mongst de white
-folks, but dey say dat gal have jus' a li'l nigger blood and can be sold
-for a slave, but she look white as anybody I ever seed.
-
-"I pulls weeds and runs errands while I's a child. We has some good eats
-but has to steal de best things from de white folks. Dey never give us
-none of them. We has roastin' ears better'n dey cooks dem now. We puts
-dem, shucks and all, in de hot ashes. Mammy makes good ashcake, with
-salt and corn meal and bacon grease and flats it out with de hands.
-
-"Massa and missus took dey goodness by spells like. Sometimes dey was
-hard to git 'long with and sometimes dey was easy to git 'long with. I
-don't know de cause, but it am so. De mostest trouble am 'bout de work.
-Dey wants you to work if you can or can't. My pappy have de back mis'ry
-and many de time I seed him crawl to de grist mill. Him am buyed 'cause
-him am de good millhand. He tells us his pappy am white, and dat one
-reason he am de run-awayer. I's scairt all de time, 'cause he run away.
-I seed him git one whippin' and nothin' I can do 'cept stand dere and
-cry. Dey gits whippin's every time massa feels cross. One slave name Bob
-Love, when massa start to whip him he cuts his throat and dives into de
-river. He am dat scairt of a whippin' dat he kilt himself.
-
-"My pappy wasn't 'fraid of nothin'. He am light cullud from de white
-blood, and he runs away sev'ral times. Dere am big woods all round and
-we sees lots of run-awayers. One old fellow name John been a run-awayer
-for four years and de patterrollers tries all dey tricks, but dey can't
-cotch him. Dey wants him bad, 'cause it 'spire other slaves to run away
-if he stays a-loose. Dey sots de trap for him. Dey knows he like good
-eats, so dey 'ranges for a quiltin' and gives chitlin's and lye hominey.
-John comes and am inside when de patterrollers rides up to de door.
-Everybody gits quiet and John stands near de door, and when dey starts
-to come in he grabs de shovel full of hot ashes and throws dem into de
-patterrollers' faces. He gits through and runs off, hollerin', 'Bird in
-de air!'
-
-"One woman name Rhodie runs off for long spell. De hounds won't hunt
-her. She steals hot light bread when dey puts it in de window to cool,
-and lives on dat. She told my mammy how to keep de hounds from followin'
-you is to take black pepper and put it in you socks and run without you
-shoes. It make de hounds sneeze.
-
-"One day I's in de woods and meets de nigger run-awayer. He comes to de
-cabin and mammy makes him a bacon and egg sandwich and we never seed him
-again. Maybe he done got clear to Mexico, where a lot of de slaves runs
-to.
-
-"De first we knows 'bout war am when some Union ships comes into de Bay
-and shoots at Corpus Christi. When dat shootin' start, all de folks
-round us takes to de woods and sev'ral am still gone. Dey am shakin' all
-over.
-
-"'Bout de third year of de war massa moves up to Clinton, but he moves
-back, 'cause he can't make no money dere. Den he have all de quarters
-move up close to de big house, so if we tries to make de run for it in
-de night he can cotch us. Dat no use, 'cause de ones what am still with
-him won't run anyway.
-
-"One day I seed massa settin' on de gal'ry and him face all screw up. He
-says, 'Go git you mammy and everybody.' I goes a-flyin'. My shirt tail
-don't hit my back till I tells everybody. Massa am cryin' and he reads
-de paper and says, 'You is free as I is. What you gwine do?' Mammy says,
-'We am stayin' right here.' But next mornin' pappy borrows a ox-team to
-tote our stuff away. We goes 'bout sixty miles and stays 'bout six
-months, den takes a place where we can make a crop. Den massa tells us
-we can live on de old place without de rent and have what we can make.
-So we moves back and stays two years.
-
-"Den we moves sev'ral places and sometimes old missus comes to see us
-and say, 'Ain't you shame? De Yankees is feedin' you.' But dey wasn't,
-'cause we was makin' a crop.
-
-"When I gits up big 'nough to hire out, I works for old man King on some
-drives, 'fore pappy and mammy dies of de fever. Den I marries Minnie
-Bennett, a light cullud gal, what am knowed as High Yaller. Her mammy am
-a white woman. She was kidnapped in Kentucky by some white men and dey
-dyed her hair and skin and brung her to Texas with some slaves for sale.
-Massa Means, in Corpus, buyed her. She was so small all she 'membered
-was her real name was Mary Schlous and her parents am white and she
-lived in Kentucky. Massa Means comes in de next mornin' and busts out
-cussin', for dere am black dye all over de pillow and his slave am
-gettin' blonde, but dem slave traders am gone, so he can't do nothin'.
-
-"He 'cides to keep her and she grows up with de slaves jus' like she am
-a nigger. She gits used to bein' with dem and marries one. She has one
-child 'fore freedom, what am Minnie. She has to run away to git freedom,
-'cause Massa Means won't let her have freedom. Lots of slaves has to do
-dat.
-
-"Well, after I marries Minnie, we goes to de famous King Ranch. It was
-only in two sections den and I hires as cook on de San Gertrudis
-section, but am sent to de other section, de Fuerta Agua Dulce, and
-works dere fifteen years.
-
-"Old man King has plenty trouble in dem days. One time some Mexicans
-comes to Brownsville and takes everything as dey goes. Old man King had
-two cannons and when dey has battle dey finishes with one cowboy dead
-and one Mexican dead. No cannons was fired, though. He has more troubles
-with rustlers and fellows who don't like de way he's gittin' all de
-land. Dey tries to kill him lots of times, but he fools dem and dies in
-bed.
-
-.. _`Walter Rimm`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image247walter.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Walter Rimm
-
- Walter Rimm
-
-"I comes to Fort Worth and cooks. Minnie dies 'fore long of de stomach
-mis'ry. I works for a Missus Goetz and marries Agnes Skelton, what works
-dere, too. We has five chillen and I works dere for twenty-five years,
-till I goes blind. I's allus de big, stout fellow, helpin' somebody, and
-after I's blind I has to 'pend on other people to help me. De white
-folks sho' been good to me since I been in dis shape, and de state sends
-me $13.00 a month to pay de bills with. Dat a big help, but I's 'bout
-three, four weeks 'hind now.
-
-"One old man King's daughters am here and looks me up, and leaves me a
-couple dollars. I gits 'long some way.
-
-"I sets here and thinks 'bout old times. One song we use to sing was
-'Throw de Smokehouse Keys Down de Well.' Dat 'cause dere so many thieves
-in de country everybody have big locks on de smokehouse if dey 'spects
-to keep dey meat."
-
-Mariah Robinson
-===============
-
-**Mariah Robinson, born in Monroe, Georgia, does not know her age, but
-from certain facts and her appearance, is probably 90 or over. Her
-master was Judge Hill. He gave Mariah to his son-in-law, Bob Young, who
-brought her to Texas. She now lives in Meridian, Texas.**
-
-"I's borned over in Georgia, in dat place call Monroe, and mammy was
-Lizzie Hill, 'cause her massa Jedge Hill. I's hones', I don't know de
-'zact date I's borned. Missy Joe, my missy, put de record of all ages in
-de court house for safe keepin', to keep de Indians from burnin' dem up,
-and dey's burnt up when de court house burns. All I knows is my younges'
-sister, what live in Georgia, writ me 'bout a year ago and say, 'Last
-Thursday I's 81 year old.' Dere is five chillen 'twixt my and her age
-and dere is six chillen younger'n me. Dat de best I can give of my age.
-
-"Jedge Hill's daughter, Miss Josephine, married Dr. Young's son, what
-lived in Cartersville, in Georgia, but had done moved to Texas. Den my
-missy give me to Miss Josephine to come to Texas with her to keep her
-from de lonely hours and bein' sad so far 'way from home. We come by
-rail from Monroe to Social Circle and dere boards de boat 'Sweet Home'.
-Dere was jus' two boats on de line, de 'Sweet Home' and de 'Katie
-Darling.'
-
-"Us sails down de Atlantic Ocean to New Orleans, myself and my aunt
-Lonnie and uncle Johns, all with Miss Josephine. When us gits to New
-Orleans us 'rested and put in de trader's office. Us slaves, I mean. Dis
-de way of dat. Our massa, Massa Bob Young, he a cotton buyer and he done
-left Georgia without payin' a cotton debt and dey holds us for dat.
-
-"Miss Josephine wires back to Georgia to Dr. Young and he come and git
-us out. He come walkin' down de street with he goldheaded walkin' cane.
-Us upstairs in de trader's office. I seed him comin' and cries out, 'O,
-yonder comes Massa Young.' He looks up and shooked he goldheaded walkin'
-stick at me and says, 'Never mind, old boss have you out in a few
-minutes.' Den he gits de hack soon as us out and sends us to de port,
-for to cotch de boat. Us gits on dat boat and leaves dat evenin'. Comin'
-down de Mississippi 'cross de Gulf us seed no land for days and days and
-us go through de Gulf of Mexico and lands at de port, Galveston, and us
-come to Waco on de stagecoach.
-
-"Us lives four year on Austin St., in Waco, dat four years 'fore de war
-of 1861. Us boarded with Dr. Tinsley and he and Gen'ral Ross was good
-friends. I worked in a sewin' room doin' work sich as whippin' on laces
-and rufflin' and tuckin'. Den us come to Bosque County right near
-Meridian, 'cause Massa Bob have de ranch dere and de time of de freedom
-war us lives dere.
-
-"Us be in de house at night, peepin' out de window or pigeon hole and
-see Indians comin'. De chief lead in front. Dey wild Comanches. Sometime
-dere 50 or 60 in a bunch and dey did raidin' at night. But I's purty
-brave and goes three mile to Walnut Spring every day to git veg'tables.
-I rid de donkey. Miss Josephine boards all de Bosque County school
-chillen and us have to git de food. I seed droves of wild turkey and
-buffaloes and antelopes and deers. I seed wild cats and coons and
-bunches of wolves and heered de panthers scream like de woman.
-
-"Us lived in a log cabin with two chimneys and a long shed-room and
-cooked in de kitchen fireplace in de skillet, over it de pot racks. Us
-made meal on de steel mill and hominy and cheese. I got de prize for
-spinnin' and weavin'. I knitted de stockin's but Miss Joe had to drap
-de stitch for me to turn de heels and toes.
-
-"Durin' de freedom war Massa Gen'ral Bob Young git kilt at de last
-battle. Dat de Bull Run battle and he fit under Gen'ral Lee. Dat left my
-missy de war widow and she mammy come live with her and she teached in
-de school. I stays with dem four year after freedom and I's one of de
-family for de board and de clothes. They's good to me and likes to make
-me de best lookin' and neatest slave in dat place. I had sich as purty
-starched dresses and dey holp me fix de hair nice.
-
-"Us used de soft, dim candlelight and I make de candle sticks. Us have
-gourd dippers and oak buckets to dip water out de well and us make
-wooden tubs out of stumps and battlin' sticks to clean de clothes.
-
-"I done already met up with Peter Robinson. He's de slave of Massa
-Ridley Robinson what was gwine to California from Alabama, with all he
-slaves. Massa Robinson git kilt by de Mexican and a white man name Gibb
-Smith gits to own Peter. He hires him out to a farmer clost by us ranch
-and I gits to meet him and us have de courtship and gits married. Dat
-'fore freedom. Us marries by Ceasar Berry, de slave of Massa Buck Berry.
-Ceasar am de cullud preacher. Pete was 'telligent and 'liable and de
-good man. He played de fiddle all over de country and I rid horseback
-with him miles and miles to dem dances.
-
-"Peter could write de plain hand and he gits to haul lumber from Waco to
-make de Bosque County court house. He larns more and gits to be de
-county's fust cullud trustee and de fust cullud teacher. He gits 'pinted
-to see after de widows in time of war and in de 'construction days.
-Fin'ly he is sent to Austin, de capital of Texas, to be rep'sentive.
-
-"Pete and me begot ten chillen. My fust chile am borned two months 'fore
-freedom. After us slaves is freed us hired out for one year to git means
-to go free on. Us held by de committee call 'Free Committee Men.' De
-wages is ten dollars de month to de family. After us ready to go for
-ourselves, my missy am de poor widow and she have only three cows and
-three calves, but she give one of each of dem to Pete and me.
-
-"After leavin' Miss Joe us move here and yonder till I gits tired of
-sich. By den us have sev'ral chillen and I changes from de frivol'ty of
-life to de sincereness, to shape de dest'ny of de chillins' life. I
-tells Pete when he comes back from fiddlin' one night, to buy me de home
-or hitch up and carry me back to Missy Joe. Dat lead him to buy a strip
-of land in Meridian. He pays ten dollar de acre. We has a team of oxen,
-call Broad and Buck, and we done our farmin' with dem. Pete builds me a
-house, hauls de lumber from Waco. Twict us gits burnt out, but builds it
-'gain. Us makes de orchard and sells de fruit. Us raises bees and sells
-de honey and gits cows and chickens and turkeys. Pete works good and I
-puts on my bonnet and walks behind him and draps de corn.
-
-"He gits in organizin' de fust cullud church in Meridian, de cullud
-Cumberland Pres'terian Church. Us has ever lived de useful life. I works
-at cookin' and washin' and ironin'. I helps de doctors with de babies.
-
-"But de dis'bility of age have to come and now I is 'most disabled and
-feels stunted and pov'ty stricken. I'd like to work now, but I isn't
-able."
-
-Susan Ross
-==========
-
-**Susan Ross was born at Magnolia Springs, Texas, about 1862, a slave of
-Chester Horn. Her features and the color of her skin, together with a
-secretive manner, would point to Indian blood. She lives with a daughter
-in the east part of North Quarters, a Negro settlement in Jasper, Texas,
-and is still active enough to help her daughter in their little cafe.**
-
-"Susan Ross my name and I's born at Magnolia Springs durin' de war,
-sometime befo' freedom come, I guess 'bout 1862. Pappy's name Bob Horn
-and he come from Georgia, and mammy name Hallie Horn, and she think she
-part Indian, but she ain't sho'. Chester Horn our massa and he have big
-plantation at Magnolia Springs, and he kep' one big family connection of
-slaves. Sometime he sold some of dem and he sold my brother, Jack, and
-my aunt, too. My other brother name Jim and Sam and Aaron and Bill Horn,
-and my sisters name Mandy and Sarah and Emily.
-
-"Massa have li'l houses all over de plantation for he slaves. Massa and
-he folks punish dey slaves awful hard, and he used to tie 'em up and
-whip 'em, too. Once he told my mammy do somethin' and she didn't and he
-tie and whip her, and I skeert and cry. Mammy cook and work in de field.
-
-"I jes' 'member I used to see sojers dress in blue uniforms walkin' all
-over de country watchin' how things goin'. Massa want one my brothers go
-to war, but he wouldn't, so I seed him buckle my brother down on a log
-and whip him with whips, den with hand saws, till when he turn him loose
-you couldn't tell what he look like. My brother lef' but I don't know
-whether he went to war or not.
-
-"I 'members when de men was goin' to war, somebody allus come git 'em.
-Lots of 'em didn't want to go, but dey has to.
-
-"Me go to school after us free. When my oldes' brother hear us is free
-he give a whoop, run and jump a high fence, and told mammy goodbye. Den
-he grab me up and hug and kiss me and say, 'Brother gone, don't 'spect
-you ever see me no more.' I don't know where he go, but I never did see
-him 'gain.
-
-"After freedom, pappy and mammy moves off to deyselfs and farms. I marry
-when I's fourteen and de Rev. George Hammonds, he perform de ceremony.
-We marry quiet at home and I wore blue dress and my husband gran' black
-suit. I have four chillen and five gran'chillen. My husban, he work here
-and yonder, on de farm and what he kin git.
-
-"I's de widow now and gits $11.00 pension, but have only git it four
-times. I lives here with my daughter and us make a li'l in dis yere
-rest'ran'.
-
-"I never did see but one ghost, but I sho' see one. I cookin' at de
-hotel in town and have to git up and go down de railroad track to my
-work befo' it git light. One mornin' a great, tall somethin', tall and
-slender as a porch post, come walkin' 'long. He step to one side, but he
-didn't have no feets. I reckon he have a head, but I couldn't see it. As
-I pass him I didn't say nothin' and he didn't either. He didn't have
-time to, befo' I broke and run for my life. Dat's de onliest ghost I
-ever see, but I often feel de spirits close by me."
-
-Annie Row
-=========
-
-**Annie Row, 86, was born a slave to Mr. Charles Finnely, who owned a
-plantation in Nacogdoches Co., near Rusk, Texas. She has lived at 920
-Frank St., Fort Worth, since 1933.**
-
-"I was sho' born in slavery and as near as I knows, I mus' be 'bout 86
-year old, from what my mammy tells me. I figgers that, 'cause I was old
-enough to clean de wool when de War starts and dey didn't generally put
-de chilluns to work 'fore they's ten year old.
-
-"Marster Charley owned my mammy and my four sisters and two brothers but
-my pappy was owned by Marster John Kluck, and his place was 'bout five
-mile from Marster Charley's plantation. My pappy was 'lowed a pass every
-two weeks for to come and see him's family, but him sees us more often
-than that, 'cause him sneak off every time him have de chance.
-
-"Allus cullud folks lived in de cullud quarters. De cabins was built
-with logs and dey have no floor. Dey have bunks for to sleep on and de
-fireplace. In de summer time mos' de cullud folks sleeps outside, and
-we'uns had to fight mosquitoes in de night and flies in de day. They was
-flies and then some more flies, with all dere relations, in them cabins.
-
-"De food am mostly cornmeal and 'lasses and meat that am weighed out and
-has to last you de week. De truth am, lots of time we'uns goes hungry.
-Everything dat am worn and eat was raised on de place, 'cept salt and
-pepper and stuff like that. Dey raise de cotton and de wheat, and de
-corn and de cane, 'sides de fruit and sich, and de chickens and de sheep
-and de cows and de hawgs.
-
-"De marster has two overseers what tends to de work and 'signs each
-nigger to do de certain work and keep de order. Shoes was made by a
-shoemaker what am also de tanner. Cloth for de clothes was made by de
-spinners and weavers and that what they larned me to do. My first work
-was teasin' de wool. I bets you don't know what teasin' de wool am. It
-am pickin' de burrs and trash and sich out of de wool for to git it
-ready for de cardin'.
-
-"Now for de treatment, does yous want to know 'bout that? Well, 'twarnt
-good. When dis nigger am five year old, de marster give me to him's son,
-Marster Billy. That am luck for me, 'cause Marster Billy am real good to
-me, but Marster Charley am powerful cruel to hims slaves. At de work,
-him have de overseers drive 'em from daylight 'til dark, and whups 'em
-for every little thing what goes wrong. When dey whups dey ties de
-nigger over de barrel and gives so many licks with de rawhide whup. I
-seed slaves what couldn't git up after de whuppin's. Some near died
-'cause of de punishment.
-
-"Dey never give de cullud folks de pass for to go a-visitin', nor 'lows
-parties on de place. As fer to go to church, shunt that from yous head.
-Why, we'uns wasn' even 'lowed to pray. Once my mammy slips off to de
-woods near de house to pray and she prays powerful loud and she am
-heard, and when she come back, she whupped.
-
-"My mammy and me not have it so hard, 'cause she de cook and I 'longs to
-Marster Billy. Him won't let 'em whump me iffen he knows 'bout it. But
-one time, when I's 'bout six year, I stumbles and breaks a plate and de
-missy whups me for that. Here am de scar on my arm from that whuppin!
-
-"After dey has argument dey never whups me when Marster Billy 'round.
-Lots of time him say, 'Come here, Bunch,'--dey calls me Bunch, 'cause
-I's portly--and him have something good for me to eat.
-
-"After that, it wasn't long 'fore de War starts and de marster's two
-boys, Billy and John, jines de army. I's powerful grieved and cries two
-days and all de time Marster Billy gone I worries 'bout him gittin'
-shoot. De soldiers comes and goes in de crib and takes all de corn, and
-makes my mammy cook a meal. Marster Charley cuss everything and
-everybody and us watch out and keep out of his way. After two years him
-gits a letter from Marster Billy and him say him be home soon and that
-John be kilt. Missy starts cryin' and de Marster jumps up and starts
-cussin' de War and him picks up de hot poker and say, 'Free de nigger,
-will dey? I free dem.' And he hit my mammy on de neck and she starts
-moanin' and cryin' and draps to de floor. Dere 'twas, de Missy
-a-mournin', my mammy a-mournin' and de marster a-cussin' loud as him
-can. Him takes de gun offen de rack and starts for de field whar de
-niggers be a-workin'. My sister and I sees that and we'uns starts
-runnin' and screamin', 'cause we'uns has brothers and sisters in de
-field. But de good Lawd took a hand in that mess and de marster ain't
-gone far in de field when him draps all of a sudden. De death sets on de
-marster and de niggers comes runnin' to him. Him can't talk or move and
-dey tote him in de house. De doctor comes and de nex' day de marster
-dies.
-
-"Den Marster Billy comes home and de break up took place with freedom
-for de niggers. Mos' of 'em left as soon's dey could.
-
-"De missy gits very con'scending after freedom. De women was in de
-spinnin' house and we'uns 'spects another whuppin' or scoldin', 'cause
-that de usual doin's when she comes. She comes in and says, 'Good
-mornin', womens,' and she never said sich 'fore. She say she pay wages
-to all what stays and how good she treat 'em. But my pappy comes and
-takes us over to de Widow Perry's land to work for share.
-
-"After that, de missy found Marster Billy in de shed, dead, with him
-throat cut and de razor side him. Dere a piece of paper say he not care
-for to live, 'cause de nigger free and dey's all broke up.
-
-"After five years I marries George Summers and we lives in Rusk. We'uns
-has seven chilluns. He goes and I marries Rufus Jackson and on Saturday
-we marries and on Monday we walks down de street and Rufus accident'ly
-steps on a white man's foot and de white man kills him with a pistol.
-
-"I marries 'gain after two years to Charles Row. Dat nigger, I plum
-quits after one year, 'cause him was too rough. Him jealous and tote de
-razor with him all de time and sleep with it under him pillow. Shucks,
-him says he carry on dat way 'cause him likes me. I don't want any
-nigger to shew his 'fection for me dat way, so I transports myself from
-him.
-
-"I makes a livin' workin' for de white folks 'til four year ago and now
-I lives with my daughter, Minnie Row. Guess I'll live here de balance of
-my life--'twont be long."
-
-Gill Ruffin
-===========
-
-**Gill Ruffin, an ex-slave, was born in 1837 on the Hugh Perry
-plantation, in Harrison County, Texas. He and his mother were sold to
-Charley Butler, in Houston County, and about a year before the Civil War
-they were bought by Henry Hargrove, who had purchased Gill's father from
-Hugh Perry; thus the family was reunited. Gill now lives two miles
-southwest of Karnack, on State highway No. 42.**
-
-"I was bo'n on the Hugh Perry plantation over near Lee. My papa was name
-Ruben Ruffin and mama's name was Isabella. We was sold several times,
-but allus kep' the name of Ruffin. I was jus' a nussin' babe when
-Marster Perry sold mammy to Marster Butler and he carried us to Houston
-County. Papa was left at the Perry's but Marster Hargrove bought him and
-then he bought mammy and me. That's the first time I 'member seein' my
-papa, but my mama had told me 'bout him.
-
-"De first marster I remember, marster Butler, lived in a big, two-story
-log house with a gallery. The slaves lived a short piece away in little
-log cabins. Marster Butler owned lots of land and niggers and he sho'
-believed in makin' 'em work. There wasn' no loafin' roun' dat white man.
-Missus name was Sarah and she made me a houseboy when I was small. I
-allus took de co'n to mill and went after things Missus would borrow
-from de neighbors. She allus made me ride a mule, 'cause de country was
-full of wild prairie cattle and varmints. Missus had a good saddle pony,
-and I allus rode behin' her when she went visitin'.
-
-"When I growed up Marster Butler took me outta de house and put me to
-work in de field. We had an overseer dat sho' made us step. We was used
-rough durin' slavery time. We lived in log houses with wooden bunks
-nailed to de walls and home-made plank tables and benches. They give us
-one garment at a time and that had to be slap wore out 'fore we got
-another. All us niggers went barefoot. I never sees a nigger with shoes
-on till after de surrender.
-
-"We didn' have no gardens and all we et come from de white folks. They
-fed us turnips, greens, and meats and cornbread and plenty of milk. We
-worked every day 'cept Sunday and didn' know any more 'bout a holiday
-den climbin' up a tree back'ard. They never give us money, and we hit de
-field by sun-up and stayed dere till sundown. The niggers was whipped
-with a ridin' quirt.
-
-"The woods was full of run-aways and I heered them houn's a runnin' 'em
-like deer many a time, and heered dat whip when they's caught. He'd tie
-'em to a tree with a line and nearly kill 'em. On rainy days we was in
-de crib shuckin' corn, and he never let us have parties. Sometimes we
-went fishin' or huntin' on Sat'day afternoon, but that wasn' often.
-
-"Marster Butler was shot. He run a store on the place and one day a
-white boy was pilferin' roun' and he slap him. De boy goes home and tell
-his pappy and his pappy kill Marster Butler. So me and my mammy was sold
-to Marster Hargrove, who owned my pappy. That was freedom to me, 'cause
-Marster Henry didn' cuff his niggers roun'. I worked roun' de house
-mostly, and fixin' harness and buggies and wagons.
-
-"I never knew but one nigger to run away from Marster Hargrave. He slip
-off and goes to Shreveport. That was Peter Going. Marster missed him and
-he goes to fin' him. When he fin's him in Shreveport, he say, 'Come on,
-Peter, you knowed what you was doin' and you's goin' to pay for it.'
-Marster tied him behin' de buggy and trots de hosses all way back home.
-Then he ties Peter to a tree and makes him stay dere all night with
-nothin' to eat. Peter, nor none of the res' of the niggers didn' ever
-try to run off after that.
-
-.. _`Gill Ruffin`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image262gill.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Gill Ruffin
-
- Gill Ruffin
-
-"I don' 'member much 'bout de war. I see the infantry one time over thar
-close to where Karnack is. I was sittin' on a mule when they pass. All
-they say is, 'Better git on home, nigger.'
-
-"Marster lef' for de war but didn' stay long. He wouldn' tell us niggers
-we was free after surrender and we worked on the plantation more'n a
-year after that.
-
-"After I lef' the Hargroves I lived with my pappy and mammy till I
-married Lucinda Greer and we raised two boys and two girls to be grown
-and married. They all dead now, and since my wife died, about 8 years
-ago, I live here with Will Jones, my grandson."
-
-Martin Ruffin
-=============
-
-**Martin Ruffin, 83, was born a slave of Josh Perry, near old Port
-Cadde, on Cadde Lake. He stayed with his master until 1876, then lived
-with his parents on the farm until 1880. He then moved to Marshall,
-Texas, where he cooked for hotels and cafes until 1932. Since he has
-been unable to work, the Red Cross has helped him, and he draws a $12.00
-monthly old age pension.**
-
-"I's born right here in Harrison County, on Josh Perry's plantation,
-what was right near Port Cadde, on the lake. I was only eleven year old
-when the niggers was freed.
-
-"Will Ruffin was my daddy and he come from North Car'lina. Mammy was
-Cynthia and was born in Texas. I wasn't big enough to tote water to the
-field when war started, but I driv up the cows and calves and helped
-tend massa's chillen.
-
-"Massa Perry had more'n a thousand acres in his place and so many
-niggers it looked like a little town. The niggers lived in rough houses,
-'cause they so many he had to make 'em live most anyway.
-
-"The growed slaves et cornbread and bacon and 'lasses and milk, but all
-the chillen got was milk and bread and a little 'lasses. Massa have
-fifteen or twenty women carding and weaving and spinning most all the
-time. Each nigger had his task and the chillen gathered berries in the
-weeds to make dyes for clothes. Us wore only white lowell clothes,
-though. They was sho' thick and heavy.
-
-"The overseer was named Charley and there was one driver to see
-everyone done his task. If he didn't, they fixed him up. Them what fed
-the stock got up at three and the overseer would tap a bell so many
-times to make 'em git up. The rest got up at four and worked till good
-dark. They'd give us a hundred lashes for not doing our task. The
-overseer put five men on you; one on each hand, one on each foot, and
-one to hold your head down to the ground. You couldn't do anything but
-wiggle. The blood would fly 'fore they was through with you.
-
-"When I's a li'l fellow, I seed niggers whipped in the field. Sometimes
-they'd take 'em behind the big corn crib and fix 'em up.
-
-"Slaves sold for $250 to $1,500. Sometimes they swapped 'em and had to
-give 'boot.' The 'boot' was allus cash.
-
-"Sam Jones preached to us and read the Bible. He told us how to do and
-preached Hell-fire and jedgment like the white preachers. Us had service
-at our church when one of us died and was buried in our own graveyard.
-
-"The niggers sung songs in the field when they was feeling good and
-wasn't scart of old massa. Sometime they'd slack up on that hoe and old
-massa holler, 'I's watchin' yous.' The hands say, 'Yas, suh, us sees
-you, too.' Then they brightened up on that hoe.
-
-"Corn shuckings was a big occasion them days and massa give all the
-hands a quart whiskey apiece. They'd drink whiskey, get happy and make
-more noise than a little, but better not git drunk. We'd dance all night
-when the corn shuckin' was over.
-
-"I heared the cannons rumbling at Mansfield all through the night during
-the war. It was dark and smoky all round our place from the war. I stood
-there on Massa Perry's place and seed soldiers carry 'way fodder, and
-meat and barrels of flour to take to war.
-
-.. _`Martin Ruffin`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image265martin.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Martin Ruffin
-
- Martin Ruffin
-
-"Massa didn't tell us we was free for three or four days after freedom.
-Then he said, 'You is free; don't leave, I'll pay you.' The niggers
-didn't know what he meant at first, then someone say, 'We is free--no
-more whippings and beatings.' You ought to see 'em jump and clap their
-hands and pop them heels.
-
-"My daddy and mammy left and went to a farm to work for theyselves, but
-I stayed till I was near 'bout growed. Then I stayed with daddy and
-mammy and then came to Marshall. Weeds was mostly here then. I cooked
-all round town for 'bout fifty years. I didn't marry till I's forty-two.
-I was working at the Capitol Hotel for $15.00 a week. Rube Witt, a
-cullud Baptist preacher, married me and Lula Downs and us raises five
-chillen.
-
-"My wife is dead and I ain't been able to work for five years. The
-relief and the Red Cross carried me till I got my pension and I's sho'
-thankful to git that $12.00 a month."
-
-Florence Ruffins
-================
-
-**Florence Ruffins was born of ex-slave parents in DeKalb, Texas. She
-talks of spirits, ghosts and spells, reciting incidents told her by her
-father and mother, who were supposed to have the "power and the spirit."
-She lives with a daughter at 1020 W. Weatherford St., Fort Worth,
-Texas.**
-
-"Does I believe in de ghosties? I shos does and I tells yous why I knows
-dere am ghosties. First, I's hear and see dem and lots of other folks
-I's talked to has. Den my pappy and my mammy both could see dem, and dey
-has special powers, but dey was good powers. Dey has no use for de evil
-spells all all sich.
-
-"In de old days 'fore surrender de cullud folks talks 'bout ghosties and
-haunts, but since education am for de cullud folks, some of dem larns to
-say spirit, 'stead of ghost. Now dey has de church dat say de preacher
-kin bring de ghost--but dey calls it de spirit--to de meetin' and talk
-with 'em. Dat am de spiritualist-tism church.
-
-"I's tellin' you de things I hears my mammy and pappy tell, and some I's
-seed for myself. What I seed, I kin be de witness for and what my mammy
-and pappy says, I kin be de witness for dat, 'cause I's not gwine lie
-'bout what de dead people says.
-
-"Dere am only one way to best de ghost and it am call de Lawd and he
-will banish 'em. Some folks don't know how to best 'em, so dey gits
-tan'lized bad. Dere a man call' Everson, and he been de slave. De ghost
-come and tell him to go dig in de graveyard for de pot of gold, and to
-go by himself. But he am 'fraid of de graveyard and didn't go. So de
-ghost 'pears 'gain, but dat man don't go till de ghost come de third
-time. So he goes, but he takes two other men with him.
-
-"Everson digs 'bout five foot, where de ghost tolt him to, and he spade
-hit de iron box. He prises de cover off and dat box am full of de gold
-coins, fives and tens and twenties, gold money, a whole bushel in dat
-box. He hollers to de two men and dey comes runnin', but by de time dey
-gits dere, de box am sunk and all they can see is de hole where it go
-down. Dey digs and digs, but it ain't no use. If him hadn't taken de men
-with him, him be rich, but de ghost didn't want dem other men dere.
-
-"In dat dere same country, dere am a farm what sho' am hanted. Many
-famlies tries to live in dat house, but am forced to move. It am sposed
-de niggers what de cruel Massa on dat farm kilt in slave times, comes
-back to tan'lize. De ghosties comes in de night and walks back and forth
-'cross de yard, and dey can see 'em as plain as day. Dere am nobody what
-will stay on dat farm.
-
-"My pappy am comin' home on de hoss one night and he feel like someone
-on dat hoss behin' him. He turn and kin see something. He say, 'What for
-you gits on my hoss?', but dere am no answer. He tries to touch dat
-thing, but he pass his hand right through it and he knew it a ghost, and
-pappy hops off dat hoss and am on de ground runnin' quicker dan greased
-lightning. Pappy sees dat hoss, with de hant on him, gwine through de
-woods like de deer.
-
-"Right here in dis house, a person die and dey spirit tan'lize at night.
-It come after we goes to bed and patters on de floor with de bare feet
-and rattles de paper. Dat sho' git me all a-quiverment. I has to get de
-Bible and call de Lawd to banish dem. But I seed de shadow of dat ghost
-often and it am a man ghost and it look sad."
-
-Aaron Russel
-============
-
-**Aaron Russel, 82, was born a slave of William Patrick, who owned
-Aaron's parents, a hundred other slaves, and a large plantation in
-Ouachita Parish, near Monroe, Louisiana. Aaron remained with the Patrick
-family until he was 26, then moved to Texas. He farmed all his life,
-until old age forced him to stop work. He then moved to a suburb of Fort
-Worth, to be near his children.**
-
-"Massa William Patrick give my mammy de statement. It say I's borned in
-1855 and dat make me 82 year old. Massa Patrick, he own de big
-plantation clost to Monroe, over in Louisiana. Dat de big place, with
-over a hunerd niggers.
-
-"When de war start I's 'bout six year old, but I has de good mem'ry of
-dem times. Massa have no chillen so nobody goes from dat place, but lots
-de neighbor boys us knows goes to de army.
-
-"At first everything go good after war start, but de last end am not so
-good. De trouble am de Yanks come and takes de rations from massa. Dey
-takes corn and meat and kilt several hawgs and takes two yearlin's. Dey
-sho' makes massa mad. Him git so mad him cry. If massa hadn't 'spect
-sich and hide de rations, us sho' suffer, but back of de cotton field
-massa done have us dig de pit. In de pit us put de hay and lay de
-rations in dere, sich as corn and smoke' meat and 'taters. De Yanks
-don't find dat stuff. But what de sojers takes make it nip and tuck to
-git by.
-
-"All us niggers 'cited when de sojers takes de rations. De older ones
-wants to fight dem Yanks. Dere'd been trouble iffen massa didn't say to
-dem to keep 'way. All us like massa, him treat us fine, and us willin'
-fight for him.
-
-"De sojers come back after dat and use one massa's buildin's for
-headquarters, for long time. Dat befo' de battle at Vicksburg. At first
-us young'uns scart of dem, but after while us play with them. After de
-Vicksburg battle dey goes off and us sorry, 'cause dey treat us with
-candy and things. But massa glad git shet of dem.
-
-"Us young'uns have de fun with de old niggers. Massa know and sho' have
-de good laugh. I'll tell you 'bout it:
-
-"'Twas dis-away. De old niggers scart of hants. Us young'uns takes de
-long rawhide string and makes de tick-tack on de cabin roof where Tom
-and Mandy 'livin'. I climbs de tree 'bout 50 foot high back de cabin and
-holds de string. It go thump on de roof, 'bout darktime. Tom and Mandy
-settin' in dere, talkin' with some folks. Us keep thumpin' de tick-tack.
-Tom say, 'What dat on de roof?' Dey stops talkin'. I thumps it 'gain.
-Mandy say, 'Gosh for mighty! What am it?' One nigger say, 'De hants, it
-de hants,' and dem cullud folks come 'way from dere right now. I hears
-de massa laugh for to split de sides. And Tom and Mandy, dey wouldn't
-stay in de cabin dat night, no, sir, dey sleeps in de yard.
-
-"De bell ring 'fore daylight and de work start. When de cullud folks
-starts out in de mornin' it like de army. Some goes to de fields, some
-to de spinnin', some to de shoeshop, and so on. De hours am long, but
-massa am good. No overseer, but de leader for each crew.
-
-"I 'member when Massa call us and say, 'You's free.' Us didn't 'lieve
-him at first. He say he put each fam'ly on de piece of land and us work
-it on shares. Him have lots of married couples on he place. I knows most
-plantations de cullud folks treated like cattle, but massa different.
-Him have de reg'lations. If dey wants to marry dey asks him and dey has
-de cer'mony, what am step over de broom laid on de floor.
-
-.. _`Aaron Russel`:
-
-.. figure:: images/image270aaron.jpg
- :align: center
- :figwidth: 75%
- :alt: Aaron Russel
-
- Aaron Russel
-
-"My pappy stay with massa and farm on shares. I stays till I's 26 year
-old and den gits de piece of land for myself. Us gits 'long good, 'cause
-us stay on massa's place and he 'structs us what to do. He say to stay
-out of de mess and keep workin'. For long time us never leave de place,
-after de war, 'cause of trouble gwine on. Dere am times it wasn't safe
-for no cullud person to go off de plantation. Some foolish niggers what
-listen to some foolish white folks gits de wrong 'structions. Dey comes
-to think dey can run de white folks. Now, when dey starts sich, 'course
-de white folks don't 'low sich. Some of dem stubborn niggers has to be
-edumacated by de Ku Klux Klan. Dat am de tough edumacation and some dem
-niggers never gits over de lesson. Dem dat do never forgit it!
-
-"I never hears dat any cullud folks gits de land offen dere massa. I
-heared some old cullud folks say dey told it to be sich. Sho', de
-igno'mus fools think de gov'ment gwine take land from de massas and give
-it to dem! Massa Patrick tell us all 'bout sich. Like niggers votin'.
-I's been asked to vote but I knows it wasn't for de good. What does I
-know 'bout votin'? So I follows massa's 'structions and stays 'way from
-sich. If de cullud folks can do de readin' and knows what dey do, maybe
-it all right for dem to vote. De way 'twas after surrender, 'twas
-foolishment for niggers to try votin' and run de gov'ment. I wants to go
-some other place iffen dey do. De young'uns now gittin' edumacated and
-iffen dey larn de right way, den dey have right to vote. I Jus' farms
-and makes de livin' for my family. My first wife dies in 1896 and I
-marries in 1907 to Elsie Johnson. She here with me.
-
-"My life after freedom ain't so bad, 'cept de last few years. Times
-lately I's wish I's back with de massa, 'cause I has plenty rations
-dere. It hard to be hongry and dat I's been many times lately. I's old
-now and can't work much, so dere 'tis. I has to 'pend on my chillen and
-dey have de hard time, too. I don't know what wrong, I guess de Lawd
-punish de folks for somethin'. I jus' have trust till he call me to
-Jedgment."
-
-Peter Ryas
-==========
-
-**Peter Ryas, about 77 years old, was born a slave of Volsant Fournet,
-in St. Martinville Parish, Louisiana. He speaks a French patois more
-fluently than English. Peter worked at the refineries in Port Arthur for
-sixteen years but ill health forced him to stop work and he lives on
-what odd jobs he and his wife can pick up.**
-
-"I's borned 'bout 1860, I guess, in a li'l cypress timber house in de
-quarters section of de Fournet Plantation. Dat in St. Martinville
-Parish, over in Louisiana. Dem li'l houses good and tight, with two big
-rooms. Two families live in one house. Dey 'bout ten houses.
-
-"M'sieu Volsant Fournet, he my old massa and he wife name Missus Porine.
-Dey have eight chillen and de baby boy name Brian. Him and me, us grow
-up togedder. Us allus play togedder. He been dead three year now and
-here I is still.
-
-"All dem in my family am field workers. I too li'l to work. My mama name
-Annie and papa name Alfred. I have oldes' brudder, dat Gabriel, and
-'nother brudder name Marice, and two sisters, Harriet and Amy.
-
-"Old massa's house have big six or eight room. Galleries front and back.
-Us cullud chillen never go in de big house much.
-
-"Old massa he done feed good. Coosh-coosh with 'lasses. Dat my favorite
-dem day. Dat make with meal and water and salt. Dey stir it in big pot.
-Sometime dey kill beef. Us have beef head and neck and guts cook with
-gravy and spread on top coosh-coosh. Dat good food.
-
-"Down on Vermilion Bayou am alligators. Dey fish and snakes, too. Us eat
-alligator tail steak. Taste like fish. Jes' skin hide off alligator
-tail. Slice it into steak. Fry it in meal and hawg fat. Dat like gar
-fish. Sometime git lamper eel. Dey hard to cotch. Perches and catfish
-and mud-cat easy to cotch. Water bird, too. Duck and crane. Crane like
-fish. Us take boat, go 'long bayou, find nesties in sedge grass.
-
-"Old massa allus good. He 'low papa and some to have li'l patch round
-dey door. Dey eat what dey raise. Some sells it. Papa raise pumpkin and
-watermelon. He have plenty bee-gum with bees. After freedom he make
-money awhile. He sell de honey from dem bees.
-
-"Dat plantation full cotton and corn. Us chillen sleep in de
-cotton-house. It be so soft. In de quarters houses chillen didn't have
-no bed. Dey slept on tow sack on de floor. Dat why dem cotton piles felt
-so soft.
-
-"Massa have special place in woods where he have meanes' niggers whip.
-He never whip much, but wartime comin' on. Some de growed ones runs away
-to dem Yankees. He have to whip some den. He have stocks to put dey neck
-in when he whip dem. Massa never chain he slaves. I seed talkin'
-parrots. Massa didn't have one, but other massas did. Dat parrot talk.
-He tell when de nigger run away or when he not work.
-
-"Us white folks all Catholic. Us not go to church, but all chillen
-christen. Dat in St. Martinville Catholic Church. All us christen dere.
-After freedom I start go to church reg'lar. I still does.
-
-"Dey ain't give us pants till us ten year old. In winter or summer us
-wore long, split tail shirt. Us never even think of shoes. After I's
-twelve papa buy my first pair shoes. Dey have diamond brass piece on
-toe. I so 'fraid dey wear out I won't wear dem.
-
-"De war goin' on. Us see sojers all de time. Us hide in bresh and play
-snipe at dem. All de white folks in town gang up. Dey send dere slaves
-out on Cypress Island. Dey do dat try keep Yankee sojers from find dem.
-It ain't no use. Dem Yankee find dat bridge what lead from mainland to
-island. Dey come 'cross dat bridge. Dey find us all. Dem white folks
-call deyselves hidin' us but dey ain't do so good. Dey guard dat bridge.
-But some de niggers dey slip off de Island. Dey jine de Yankees.
-
-"Dey plenty alligators in dat bayou. Sometime I wonder if dem niggers
-what try go through swamp ever git to Yankees. Dem alligators brutal. I
-'member black gal call Ellen, she washin' clothes in bayou. Dey wash
-clothes with big rocks den. Dey have wooden paddle with hole and beat
-clothes on rocks. Dis gal down in de draw by herself. She washin'
-clothes. Big alligator had dug hole in side de bank. He come out and
-snap her arm off jes' 'bove elbow. She scream. Men folks run down and
-killed alligator. Us chillen wouldn't watch out for alligator. Us play
-in li'l flat, bateaux and swing on wild grapevine over water. I done see
-snakes. Dey look big 'nough swallow two li'l niggers one bite. Dey
-alligator turtles, too. If dey snap you, you can't git loose less you
-cut dey neck slap off. I kill lots dem.
-
-"Dey old mens on plantation what they think witch mens. Dey say could
-put bad mouth on you. You dry up and die 'fore you time. Dey take your
-strengt'. Make you walk on knees and hands. Some folks carry silver
-money 'round neck. Keep off dat bad mouth.
-
-"Old massa oldes' son, Gabriel, he Colonel in war. He and old massa both
-Colonels. Lots sojers pass our place. Dey go to fight. Dem with green
-caps was white folks. Dem with blue caps was Yankees. Us hear guns from
-boats and cannons.
-
-"After war over massa come home. Dey no law dem time. Things tore up.
-Dey put marshal in to make laws. Some folks call him Progo(provost)
-Marshal. He come 'round. See how us doin'. Make white folks 'low niggers
-go free. But us stay with massa a year. Dey finish crop so everybody
-have to eat.
-
-"Den us papa move to Edmond LeBlanc farm. Work on shares. Second move to
-Cade place, run by Edgar DeBlieu. Jes' railroad station, no town. I
-shave cane for money.
-
-"In 1867 or 1877 yellow fever strike. People die like dem flies. Dat
-fever pay no 'tention to skin color. White folks go. Black folks go. Dey
-die so fast dey pile dem in wagons. Dey pay mens $10.00 to go inside
-house and carry dem out to wagon. Lots niggers makes $10.00. Dat fever
-strike quick. Man come see me one mornin! He all right. Dat man dead
-'fore dark. It bad sickness. It sev'ral years after dat dey have
-smallpox sickness. It bad, too.
-
-"All us stay 'round farm till I's 22 year. I never go to school. In 1882
-I marry Viney Ballieo. She Baptist. I marry in Baptist church. Cullud
-preacher. Never white preachers 'round dere. Allus white priests. Viney
-die and all us four chillen dead now. I marry Edna LeBlanc in 1917.
-
-"I git dissatisfy with farmin' in 1911. I come to Lake Charles. To Port
-Arthur nex' year. I work at refinery sixteen year. I too old now. Us git
-what work us can. Jes' from dere to here."
-
-Josephine Ryles
-===============
-
-**Josephine Ryles, known to the colored people as "Mama Honey", was born
-a slave of James Sultry, Galveston insurance agent. She does not know
-her age. She lives in Galveston, Texas.**
-
-"Sho, I'm Josephine Ryles, only everyone 'round here calls me 'Mama
-Honey' and I 'most forgot my name till you says it right den. Honey,
-I'll be glad to tell you all I 'member 'bout slavery, but it ain't much,
-for my mind ain't so good no more. Sometimes I can't 'member nothin'
-a-tall. I'm too old. I don't know how old, but me and dat Gulf got here
-'bout de same time, I reckon.
-
-"I'm borned in Galveston and James Sultry owns my mother and she de only
-slave what he have. He have a kind of big house on Church St and my
-mother done de housework and cookin' till she sold in de country. I
-wishes you could've talked to her, she knowed all 'bout slavery, and she
-come from Nashville to Mobile and den to Texas. Her name Mary Alexander
-and my daddy's name Matt Williams and Mr. Schwoebel own him.
-
-"Den us sold to Mr. Snow what live in Polk county. Us gits sold right
-here in Galveston without gwine no place, my mother and me and my li'l
-brother. My daddy couldn't go with us and I ain't never seed him 'gain.
-Mr. Snow live out in de country and have a big place and a lot of field
-hands and us live in cabins.
-
-"My mother was de cook for de white folks and my li'l brother, Charlie
-Evans, was de water toter in de fields. He brung water in de bucket and
-give de hands a drink.
-
-"Plenty times de niggers run 'way, 'cause dey have to work awful hard
-and de sun awful hot. Dey hides in de woods and Mr. Snow keep nigger
-dogs to hunt 'em with. Dem dogs have big ears and dey so bad I never
-fools 'round dem. Mr. Snow take off dere chains to git de scent of de
-nigger and dey kep' on till dey finds him, and sometimes dey hurt him. I
-knows dey tore de meat off one dem field hands.
-
-"My mother used to send me and my brother out in de woods for de
-blackberry roots and she make medicine out of dem. You jes' take de few
-draps at de time. Den she take de cornmeal and brown it and make coffee
-out of it.
-
-"I didn't pay much 'tention to dat war till Mr. Snow says us free and
-den us go to Galveston and she git work cookin' and I stays with her.
-
-"I can't tell you much. My mind jes' ain't no more good no more."
-
-.. topic:: Transcriber's Note
-
- Original spelling has been maintained; e.g. "*stob*—a short
- straight piece of wood, such as a stake" (American Heritage
- Dictionary).—The Works Progress Administration was renamed
- during 1939 as the Work Projects Administration (WPA).
-
-|
-|
-|
-|
-|
-
-.. _pg_end_line:
-
-\*\*\* END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SLAVE NARRATIVES: A FOLK HISTORY OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES FROM INTERVIEWS WITH FORMER SLAVES: VOLUME XVI, TEXAS NARRATIVES, PART 3 \*\*\*
-
-.. backmatter::
-
-.. toc-entry::
- :depth: 0
-
-.. _pg-footer:
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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Title: Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States -From Interviews with Former Slaves: Volume XVI, Texas Narratives, Part 3 - -Author: Work Projects Administration - -Release Date: February 23, 2011 [EBook #35380] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: US-ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SLAVE NARRATIVES: A FOLK -HISTORY OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES FROM INTERVIEWS WITH FORMER -SLAVES: VOLUME XVI, TEXAS NARRATIVES, PART 3 *** - - - - -Produced by the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net. - -SLAVE NARRATIVES - - -_A Folk History of Slavery in the United States_ - -_From Interviews with Former Slaves_ - - -TYPEWRITTEN RECORDS PREPARED BY - -THE FEDERAL WRITERS' PROJECT - -1936-1938 - -ASSEMBLED BY - -THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PROJECT - -WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION - -FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - -SPONSORED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS - - -_Illustrated with Photographs_ - -WASHINGTON 1941 - - -VOLUME XVI - -TEXAS NARRATIVES--PART 3 - -Prepared by the Federal Writers' Project of - -the Works Progress Administration - -for the State of Texas - -[HW:] Handwritten note - -[TR:] Transcriber's note - - - - -INFORMANTS - - - - Cinto Lewis - - Hagar Lewis - - Henry Lewis - - Lucy Lewis - - Amos Lincoln - - Annie Little - - Abe Livingston - - John Love - - Louis Love - - John McCoy - - Hap McQueen - - Bill McRay - - C.B. McRay - - Julia Malone - - Adeline Marshall - - Isaac Martin - - James Martin - - Louise Mathews - - William Mathews - - Hiram Mayes - - Susan Merritt - - Josh Miles - - Anna Miller - - Mintie Maria Miller - - Tom Mills - - La San Mire - - Charley Mitchell - - Peter Mitchell - - Andrew Moody and wife Tildy - - A.M. Moore - - Jerry Moore - - John Moore - - Van Moore - - William Moore - - Mandy Morrow - - Patsy Moses - - Andy Nelson - - Virginia Newman - - Margrett Nillin - - John Ogee - - Annie Osborne - - Horace Overstreet - - Mary Overton - - George Owens - - Mary Anne Patterson - - Martha Patton - - Ellen Payne - - Henderson Perkins - - Daniel Phillips - - Lee Pierce - - Ellen Polk - - Betty Powers - - Tillie R. Powers - - Allen Price - - John Price and wife Mirandy - - Reverend Lafayette Price - - Henry Probasco - - Jenny Proctor - - A.C. Pruitt - - Harre Quarls - - Eda Rains - - Millie Randall - - Laura Redmoun - - Elsie Reece - - Mary Reynolds - - Walter Rimm - - Mariah Robinson - - Susan Ross - - Annie Row - - Gill Ruffin - - Martin Ruffin - - Florence Ruffins - - Aaron Russel - - Peter Ryas - - Josephine Ryles - -*ILLUSTRATIONS* - -Hagar Lewis -Annie Little -Abe Livingston -Hap McQueen -Bill McRay -C.B. McRay -James Martin -Louise Mathews -Susan Merritt -Josh Miles -La San Mire -Charley Mitchell -Andrew Moody and wife Tildy -A.M. Moore -Jerry Moore -Van Moore -William Moore -Patsy Moses -Virginia Newman -Margrett Nillin -John Ogee -Horace Overstreet -Mary Anne Patterson -Ellen Payne -Henderson Perkins -Daniel Phillips -Ellen Polk -Betty Powers -Tillie R. Powers -John Price and wife Mirandy -Jenny Proctor -Eda Rains -Millie Randall -Laura Redmoun -Elsie Reece -Mary Reynolds -Walter Rimm -Gill Ruffin -Martin Ruffin -Aaron Russel - - - - - - - -Cinto Lewis - - -*Uncle Cinto Lewis, ex-slave, claims to be 111 years old. He lived in a -brick cabin with his wife, Aunt Lucy, on the Huntington Plantation, in -Brazoria Co., Texas. Miss Kate Huntington says the cabin occupied by the -old couple is part of the old slave quarters built by J. Greenville -McNeel, who owned the plantation before Marion Huntington. Miss Kate's -father bought it. Although Uncle Cinto claims to be 111, he says he was -named San Jacinto because he was born during the "San Jacinto War", -which would make his age 101.* - -"Yes, suh, I's Cinto. That's Lucy over there, she my wife and I calls -her Red Heifer, 'cause her papa's name was Juan and he was a Mexican. -She and me marry right after 'mancipation. We come long way and we goin' -to die together. - -"They named me San Jacinto 'cause I's born durin' de San Jacinto war, -but they calls me Cinto. I's born in Fort Bend County, up near Richmond, -and my old marster was Marse Dave Randon, and his wife, Miss Nancy, was -my missus. She was sister to Marse John McNeel, what with his brothers -owned all de land hereabouts. - -"I 'members once I slips away come dark from de plantation, with some -others. We is slippin' 'long quiet like and a paddle roller jump out -from behin' a bush and say, 'Let's see your pass.' We didn't have none -but I has a piece of paper and I gives it to him and he walks to where -it am more light, and then we run, right through old burdock bushes with -briars stickin' us and everything. Iffen he cotched us we sho' gits a -hidin'. - -"I fust went to de field when I 'bout 15 year old, but they larned us to -work when we was chaps, we would he'p our mammas in de rows. My mamma's -name Maria Simmons and my papa, Lewis. They rared me up right. - -"Marse Dave wasn't mean like some. Sometimes de slaves run away to de -woods and iffen they don't cotch 'em fust they finally gits hongry and -comes home, and then they gits a hidin'. Some niggers jus' come from -Africa and old Marse has to watch 'em close, 'cause they is de ones what -mostly runs away to de woods. - -"We had better houses then, good plank houses, and de big house was sho' -big and nice. 'Course they didn't larn us read and write, and didn't -'low no church, but us steal off and have it sometimes, and iffen old -Marse cotch us he give us a whalin'. We didn't have no funerals like -now, they jus' dig a hole and make you a box, and throw you in and cover -you up. But de white folks fed us good and give us good clothes. We wore -red russet shoes and good homespun clothes, and we done better'n now. - -"Come Christmas time old marse sometimes give us two-bits and lots of -extra eats. Iffen it come Monday, we has de week off. But we has to -watch the eats, 'cause niggers what they marsters don't give 'em no -Christmas sneak over and eat it all up. Sometimes we have dances, and -I'd play de fiddle for white folks and cullud folks both. I'd play, -'Young Girl, Old Girl', 'High Heel Shoes,' and 'Calico Stockings.' - -"When we was freed we was all glad, but I stayed 'round and worked for -Marse Dave and he pays me a little. Finally Lucy and me gits married out -of de Book and comes down here to Marse McNeel's. They puts us in debt -and makes us work so many years to pay for it. They gives us our own -ground and sometimes we makes two bales of cotton on it. 'Course, we -works for them, too, and they pays us a little and when Christmas comes -we can buy our own things. I used to haul sugar and 'lasses for Papa -John up to Brazoria and sometimes to Columbia. - -"Yes, suh, I been here a long time, long time. All my own stuff is dead -now, I guess. I got grandchillen in Galveston, I think, but all my own -stuff is dead." - - - - -Hagar Lewis - - -*Hagar Lewis, tall and erect at 82 years of age, lives at 4313 Rosa St., -El Paso, Texas. She was born a slave of the Martin family and was given -with her mother and family to Mary Martin, when she married John M. -McFarland. They lived near Tyler, Smith Co., Texas. When freed she -remained with the McFarlands until she married A. Lewis and moved to San -Antonio, Texas. Widowed early, she raised two sons. One, chief -electrical engineer with the U.S. government, lives in New York City. He -provides for his aged mother.* - -[HW: Illegible] - -"I was born Jan. 12th, 1855. My first owners was the Martins, and when -their daughter, Mary, married, I was give to her. My mama lived to 112 -years old. She had sixteen children. I was the baby. - -"Missus Mary McFarland, my mother's missus and mine, taught us children -with her own; learned us how to read and write. She treated us just like -we were her children. We had very strict leaders, my mother and Missus -Mary. She'd say, 'Mammy Lize (my mother), 'you'll have to come and whop -Oscar and Hagar, they's fightin!' Mammy Lize would say, 'No, I won't -whop 'em, I'll just punish 'em.' And we'd have to stand with our backs -to each other. My missus never did much whoppin'. - -"We lived in cabins made of logs and chinked with mud mortar. We had -beds that had only one leg; they fit in each corner of the walls. They -was strong, stout. We could jump on 'em and have lots of fun. We didn' -stay in quarters much. The cabins was near a creek where willows grew -and we'd make stick horses out of 'em. We called it our horse lot. On -the farm was a spring that threw water high, and we'd go fishing in a -big lake on one corner of the farm. Marster owned half a league, maybe -more. - -"I was 12 years old when freed. I can remember the way my marster come -home from the war. The oldest son, Oscar, and I was out in the yard, and -I saw marster first, comin' down the road, and I hollered and screamed, -'O, Oscar, Marse John's a-comin! Marse John's a-comin' home!' We stayed -on with them 'till they all died off but Oscar. - -"We never changed our name 'till after the Civil War. Then Marse John -said, 'Mammy Lize, you gotta choose a name.' He carried us into Tyler to -a bureau or something. Mammy Lize say, 'I'm going to keep the name -McFarland. I ain't got no other name.' - -"My father was a slave from another farm. My mother was the cook. She -cooked it all in the same place for white folks and us. We ate the same, -when the white folks was finished. They's a big light bread oven in the -yard of the big house and in front of the quarters, under a big tree. -That one baked the pies. The cabins had a big fireplace wider than that -piano there. They'd hang meat and sausage and dry them in the fireplace. -Cut holes in ham and hang them there. Had big hogsheads filled up with -flour, corn and wheat. - -"Some pore niggers were half starved. They belonged to other people. -Missus Mary would call them in to feed 'em, see 'em outside the fence -pickin' up scraps. They'd call out at night, 'Marse John, Marse John.' -They's afraid to come in daytime. Marse John'd say, 'What's the matter -now?' They'd say, 'I'se hongry.' He'd say, 'Come in and git it.' He'd -cure lots of meat, for we'd hear 'em hollerin' at night when they'd beat -the pore niggers for beggin' or stealin', or some crime. - -"Marse John would saddle up Old Charlie and go see. He had a big shot -gun across his lap. We'd hear that ole bull whip just a poppin'. They'd -turn 'em loose when Marse John got after 'em. He prosecuted some -marsters for beatin' the slaves. He knew they was half feedin' 'em. One -time he let us go see where they'd drug two niggers to death with oxen. -For stealin' or somethin'. I can't say we were treated bad, 'cause I'd -tell a story. I've always been treated good by whites, but many of the -niggers was killed. They'd say bad words to the bosses and they'd shoot -'em. We'd ask Miss Mary why did they kill old Uncle so and so, and Miss -Mary would say, 'I don't know. It's not right to say when you don't -know.' I'm glad to see slavery over. - -"When I was turned loose Miss Mary was training me and sister to do -handwork, knittin' and such. Mama wouldn't let us dance, didn't want any -rough children. Miss Mary'd say, when I'd get sleepy, 'Owl eyes, ain't -you sleepy?' I'd say, 'No, ma'am, anything you want us to do?' I cried -to sleep in the big house with Miss Mary and the children, 'cause my -sister Belle did. Said she's goin' to turn white 'cause she stayed with -the white folks, and I wanted to turn white, too. - -"Miss Mary'd make our Sunday dresses. My mother put colored thread in -woven material and they was pretty. We had plenty of clothes. Miss Mary -saw to that. They paid my mother for every child she had that was big -enough to work, and Marse John saw that others did the same. - -"Some whites had a dark hole in the ground, a 'dungeon,' they called it, -to put their slaves in. They'd carry 'em bread and water once a day. -I'se afraid of the hole, they'd tell me the devil was in that hole. - - -[Illustration: _Hagar Lewis_] - - -"We set traps for 'possum, coons and squirrels. We used to have big -sport ridin' goats. One near busted me wide open. Miss Mary's brother -put me on it, and they punished him good for it. He didn't get to play -for a long time. And we had an old buck sheep. He'd keep Oscar and I up -on the oak patch fence all the time. - -"We'd watch the doodle bugs build their houses. We'd sing, 'Doodle, -Doodle, your house burned down.' Those things would come up out of their -holes just a-shakin'. - -"One game I remember was, 'Skip frog, Skip frog, Answer your Mother, -she's callin' you, you, you.' We'd stand in a circle and one would be -skip frog. We'd slap our hands and skip frog would be hoppin' just like -frogs do. Oh, I wish I could call them times back again. I'd go back -tomorrow. But I'm tryin' to live so I can meet 'em once again." - - - - -Henry Lewis - - -*Henry Lewis was born in 1835, at Pine Island, in Jefferson Co., Texas. -He was owned by Bob Cade. Henry's voice is low and somewhat indistinct -and it was evidently a strain on his vocal chords and also on his -memory, to tell the story of his life. He lives with one of his -daughters, in Beaumont, who supports him, with the aid of his pension.* - -"Old Bob Cade, he my massa, and Annie Cade, she my missus. Dey had a big -plantation over in Louisiana and 'nother in Jefferson County, out at -Pine Island. I's born a hunnerd and one year ago, on Christmas Day, out -at Pine Island. If I lives to see next Christmas day 'gain, I'll be a -hunerd two year old. - -"My mammy she come from Mis'sippi and she name' Judy Lewis. Washington -Lewis, one de slaves on Massa Bob's Louisiana plantation, he my daddy. I -can't 'member nobody else 'cept my greatgramma, Patsy. She's 130 when -she die. She look awful, but den she my folks. My own dear mammy was 112 -year old when she die. She have ten chillen and de bigges' portion dem -born in slavery time. Dey two sister older'n me, Mandy and Louise. I -name' after my daddy brudder, Henry Lewis. - -"My white folks have a plantation in Louisiana, at Caginly, and stay -over dere mos' de time. I 'member when old Massa Bob used to come to -Pine Island to stay a month or two, all us li'l chillen gather round him -and he used to throw out two bitses and big one cent pieces 'mongst us, -jis' to see us scrammel for dem. When Christmas time come round dey give -us Christmas gift and a whole week for holiday. - -"I never been no nearer east dan Lake Charles and dat been lately, so I -ain't never see de old plantation. At Pine Island us have de big woods -place with a hunerd workin' hands, without de underlin's (children). All -he niggers say Cade de good man. He hire he overseers and say, 'You can -correct dem for dey own good and make dem work right, but you ain't -better cut dey hide or draw no blood.' He git a-holt some mean overseers -but dey don't tarry long. He find out dey beatin' he niggers and den he -beat dem and say, 'How dat suit you?' - -"Old massa he a big, stocky Irishman with sandy hair and he ain't had no -beard or mustache. When he grow old he have de gout and he put de long -mattress out on de gallery and lay down on it. He say, 'Come here, my -li'l niggers,' and den he make us rub he foots so he kin git to sleep. - -"Dey used to have old slavery-day jedge and jury of white folks and dey -hear de case and 'cide how many lashes to give de darky. Dey put de lash -on dem, but dey never put no jail on dem. I seed some slaves in chains -and I heared of one massa what had de place in de fence with de hole cut -out for de nigger's neck. Dey hist up de board and de nigger put he head -through de hole and den dey beat him with a lash with holes bored in it -and every hole raise de blister. Den he bus' dem blisters with de -handsaw and dey put salt and pepper in de bucket water and 'noint dem -blisters with de mop dip in de water. Dey do dat when dey in 'ticular -bad humor, iffen de nigger ain't chop 'nough cotton or corn. Sometime a -overseer kilt a nigger, and dey don't do nothin' to him 'cept make him -pay for de nigger. But our massa good. - -"Old massa 'low us praise Gawd but lots of massas didn't 'low dem to git -on de knees. Us have church-house and de white folks go in de mornin' -and us go after dinner. Us used to sing: - - "'My knee bones achin', - My body's rackin' with pain, - I calls myself de chile of Gawd, - Heaven am my aim. - If you don't 'lieve I's a chile of Gawd, - Jis' meet me on dat other shore, - Heaven is my home. - I calls myself a chile of Gawd, - I's a long time on my way, - But Heaven am my home.' - -"Old massa have de house make out hand-sawed planks in slavery time. It -put together with home-made nails, dem spike, square nails dey make -deyselfs. It have de long gallery on it. De slaves have li'l log cabin -house with mud-cat chimney on de side and de furn'ture mostly Georgia -hosses for beds and mattress make out tow sacks. Dey no floor in dem -house, 'cept what Gawd put in dem. - -"When I six or seven year old dey 'cides I's big 'nough to start ridin' -hosses. Dey have de big cattle ranch and I ride all over dis territory. -I's too li'l to git on de hoss and dey lift me up, and dey have de real -saddle for me, too. I couldn't git up, but I sho' could stay up when I -git dere, I's jis' like a hoss-fly. - -"Beaumont was jis' a briarpatch in dem time. Jis' one li'l store and one -blacksmith shop, and Massa John Herring he own dat. Dat de way I first -see my wife, ridin' de range. De Cade brand was a lazy RC [TR: letters R -and C turned 90 degrees] dat done register 'fore I's born. Us brand from -de first of March to de 15th of December. - -"Old massa have de big field 'vided in trac's and each slave could have -a part and raise what he want, and old massa buy de crop from de slave. -He's purty good to he slaves, and us have good clothes, too, wool for -winter and cotton for summer. Us have six suit de year, unnerwear and -all. Dey a trunk like in de cabin for Sunday clothes and de res' hang on -a peg. - -"Us have plenty good food to eat, too. Beef and hawgs and bacon and -syrup and sugar and flour was plenty. All de possums and rabbits and -fish and sich was jis' dat much more. He give us de barrel whiskey every -year, too. - -"Dey 'low de li'l chillen lots of playtime and no hard task. Us play -stick hoss and seven-up marble game with marbles us make and de 'well -game.' De gal or boy sot in de chair and lean way back and 'tend like -dey in de well. Dey say dey so many feet down and say, 'Who you want -pull you out?' And de one you want pull you out, dey sposed to kiss you. - -"Dey used to be nigger traders what come through de country with de herd -of niggers, jis' like cattlemen with de herd of cattle. Dey fix camp and -de pen on de ridge of town and people what want to buy more slaves go -dere. Dey have a block and make de slaves git up on dat. Maybe one man -say, 'I give you, $200.00,' and when dey's through de slave sold to de -highes' bidder. Old massa warn us look out and not let de trader cotch -us, 'cause a trader jis' soon steal a nigger and sell him. - -"De patterrollers come round befo' de war to see iffen de massas treat -dere slaves good. My wife's gramma say dey come round to her massa's -place, but befo' dey git dere he take a meat skin and make dem rub it -round dey mouth and git dey face all greasy so it look like dey have -plenty to eat and he tell dem dey better tell de patterrollers dey -gittin' plenty to eat. But dere one big nigger and he say, 'Hell, no, he -ain't give us 'nough to eat.' Den dat nigger say, 'Please take me with -you, 'cause if you don't massa gwineter kill me when you git gone.' - -"Old massa he die befo' de war and den he son, John Cade, take over de -place, and he brudders help. Dey name' Overton and Taylor and Bob, -Junior. Us all want to git free and talk 'bout it in de quarters 'mongst -ourselfs, but we ain't say nothin' where de white folks heared us. - -"When war come on I seed sojers every day. Dey have de camp in Liberty -and I watches dem. I heared de guns, too, maybe at Sabine Pass, but I -didn't see no actual fightin'. Dat a long year to wait, de las' year de -war. Dey sont de papers down on March 5th, I done heared, but dey didn't -turn us loose den. Dis de last state to turn de slaves free. When dey -didn't let dem go in March, de Yankee sojers come in June and make dem -let us go. Next mornin' after de sojers come, de overseer reads de -papers out and say we's free as he is and we can go. Some stay on de old -place a long time and some go off. You know dey jis' slaves and wasn't -civilize'. Some ain't never git civilize' jet. Old massa never give us -nothin', but he told us we would stay on iffen we want, but I left. - -"I goes down close to Anahuac and builds a li'l log cabin at Monroe -City, and dat's where dey puttin' in oil wells now. Washington Lewis, -dat my daddy, he have 129 acres dere. De white folks say to sign de -paper to let dem put de well on it and dey give us $50.00 and us sign -dat paper and dey have de land. - -"I marries in slavery time, when I's 'bout 22 year old. My first wife -name' Rachel an she live on Double Bayou. She belong to de Mayes place. -I see her when I ridin' de range for Massa Bob. I tells massa I wants to -git marry and he make ma ask Massa Mayes and us have de big weddin'. She -dress all in white. I have de nice hat and suit of black clothes and -daddy a shoemaker and make me de good pair of shoes to git marry in. Us -stand front Massa Mayes and he read out de Bible. Us had a real big -supper and some de white folks give us money. - -"De first money I makes am workin' for de gov'ment in Galveston. After -de war de gov'ment hire folks to clean up de trash what de fightin' make -and I am hired. Dey lots of wood and stones and brick and trees and sich -dem big guns knock down. - -"I goes back to ridin' de prairie and rides till I's 94 year old. I -stops de same year Mr. Joe Hebert dies. When I quits I's out workin', -tendin' Mr. Langham's chickens and I forgits it Christmas and my -birthday till Mr. Langham comes ridin' out with my money. Dat's de last -work I done and dat in 1931 and I's 94 year old, like I say. I bet dese -nineteen hunerd niggers ain't gwine live dat long. - -"I didn't had no chillen by my first wife and she been dead 'bout 70 -year now. My last wife name' Charlotte and she been dead 22 year and us -have 16 chillen. Dey six gals and ten boys and ten am livin' now. Mos' -of dem am too old to work now. I stays with Ada, here, and she got a -gif'. She know what kind of herb am good for medicine for diff'rent -ailments. She born with a veil over de face and am wise to dem things. -Dey's de fever weed and de debil's shoestring, and fleaweed cures -neuralgy and toothache. Spanish mulberry root, dat good for kidneys. -When anybody git swolled feets give dem wild grapevine. Prickly ash bark -good for dat, too. Red oak bark good for women's troubles and pumpkin -head for de heart. Camphor and asafoetida in de bag round de neck good -for de heart. When de chile git convulsion make dem drink li'l bluin'. -Dat good for growed-up folks, too. It good for burns, too." - - - - -Lucy Lewis - - -*Lucy Lewis, wife of Cinto Lewis, does not know her age, but is very -aged in appearance, about four feet tall and weighs around 65 or 70 -pounds. She was born on the McNeel plantation at Pleasant Grove, land -now occupied by No. 2 Camp of the Clemens Prison Farm. Her master was -Johnny McNeel, brother of J. Greenville McNeel. His sister married Dave -Randon, Cinto's master. Cinto and Lucy's cabin is furnished with an -enormous four-poster bed and some chairs. Pots, pans, kettles and jugs -hang on the walls. The fireplace has a skillet and beanpot in the ashes. -The old people are almost blind.* - -"You all white folks jus' set a bit while I eats me a little breakfast. -I got me a little flap jack and some clabber here. Dem old flies gobble -it up for me, don't I git to it fust. Me and Cinto 'bout starve, old -hard time 'bout git us. I sure wishes I could find some of Marse John -Dickinson's folks, I sho' go to them. - -"Me and Cinto got nine head grandchillen down in Galveston, but dey -don't write or nothin'. All our own children are dead. Dey was Lottie -and Louisa and Alice. Dey was John, too, but he was so little and -scrawny he die when he a month old. We call him after Marse John, which -we all love so much. - -"My mama's name was Lottie Hamilton and she was born at de Cranby Camp -for Johnny McNeel. My papa was a Mexican and went by name of Juan. - -"I don't hardly recollec' when we git married. I hardly turn fifteen and -dey was fat on dese here old bones den, and I had me a purty white -calico dress to git married in. It was low in de neck with ruffles and -de sleeves come to my elbow purty like. We sho' had de finest kind of a -time when Cinto and me gits married, we-all fishes down on de bayou all -day long. Marse John marry us right out of de Bible. - -"I were bred and born in No. 2 Camp over thar, but it called McNeel -Plantation at Pleasant Grove in them days. It was Greenville McNeel's -brother and his sister, Nancy, marry Dave Randon. When my marster and -wife separate, de wife took part de slaves and de marster took some -others and us and we come down here. - -"I had five brothers and one sister and I jus' 'member, Cinto' s -step-pappy try cross de ribber on a log in high water and a old -alligator swaller him right up. - -"My marster and his missy were mighty good to us, mighty good. We used -to wear good clothes--real purty clothes--most as good as dat Houston -cloth you-all wearin'. And, sho' 'nough, I had some purty red russet -shoes. When we-all real good, Marse John used to give us small money to -buy with. I spent mos' of mine to buy clothes. We used to go barefoot -and only when I go to church and dances I wore my shoes. - -"We sho' had some good dances in my young days, when I was spry. We used -to cut all kind of steps, de cotillion and de waltz and de shotty -(schottische) and all de rest de dances of dat time. My preacher used to -whup me did he hear I go to dances, but I was a right smart dancin' gal. -I was little and sprite and all dem young bucks want to dance with me. - -"Cinto didn't know how to do no step, but he could fiddle. Dere was a -old song which come back to me, 'High heels and Calico Stockin's.' - - "'Fare you well, Miss Nancy Hawkins, - High heel shoes and calico stockin's.' - -"I can't sing now from de time I lost my teeth with de Black John fever. -When I git dat fever, my missy told me not to drink a mite of water -'cepting she told me to. I git so hot I jus' can't stand it and done -drink a two-pint bucket of water, and my teeth drop right out. - -"Missy sho' good to me. Dey 'bout 20 slaves but I stay in de house all -de time. Our house have two big rooms and a kitchen and de boys and men -have rooms apart like little bitty houses on de outside. When we don't -have to green up, I gits up 'bout sun-up to make coffee, but when we has -to green up de house for company I gits up earlier. - -"Missy Nancy used to whup me if I done told a lie, but I didn't git -whupped often. She used to whup me with a cattle whup made out of -cowhide. - -"Some of de slaves wore charms round dey necks, little bags of -asfeddity. Me, I got me three vaccinations--dat all I need. - -"We used to git lots to eat, greens and suet, fish from de ribber, -cornmeal and plenty of sugar, even in de war time. Soldiers was around -here as thick as weeds. We had to give 'em a tithe of corn and we makes -clothes for 'em, and bandages and light jackets. We made de heavy leaded -jackets, with lead in de skirts of de coat to hold it down. De lead -looked like a marble and we cut it in long strips and hammer it down. - -"One of dem Yank gunboats come up de river and shell around here. Right -here. Dem shells come whistlin' through de trees and lop de limbs right -off. Dem were sho' scare times. - -"I didn't want to be free, I was too happy with missy. But I had to be -free, jus' like de others." - - - - -Amos Lincoln - - -*Amos Lincoln, 85, was born a slave of Elshay Guidry, whose plantation -was in the lower delta country of Louisiana, about fifty miles south of -New Orleans. His memories of slave days are somewhat vague. He has lived -in Beaumont fifty-two years.* - -"My tongue's right smart I think. I's ten year old when they blew up -that fort. I mean Fort Jackson. Grandpa was cookin'. They wouldn't let -him fight. The fort was in New Orleans. They kilt lots of people. They -bore holes in the ground and blow it up. A square hole, you know, a -machine went in there. A man could crawl in the hole, yes, yes, sho'. -The fort was long side the river. They bore holes from the river bank. -They had a white paper, a order for 'em not to come to New Orleans. They -drag cannon in the hole and shoot up the fort. - -"Soon's freedom come my pa and ma was squatters on gov'ment land. It was -good land and high land. My pa had 'bout 100 acres. One night somebody -come shoot him. Shoot him in the back. Ma took the chillen to Shady -Bayou to grandpa. - -"My grandpa come from Africy. I never see my other people 'cause dey -'longs to other masters. My grandpa die when he 115 year old. - -"Elisha Guidry he my master in slavery. He had lots of slaves. He whip -my pa lots of times. He was unwillin' to work. He whip my ma, too. One -time he cut her with the whip and cut one her big toes right off. Ma -come up on the gallery and wrap it up in a piece of rag. - -"Us have a dirt house. The chimney made with mud. It's a good house. It -hot in summer. The beds made with moss and shucks and the big old ticks -made at the big house. Us didn't have no chairs. Jes' benches. In the -room's a big trough. Us sit 'round the trough and eat clabber and bread -with big, wood spoon. I eat many a meal that way myself. - -"Dem's moral times. A gal's 21 'fore she marry. They didn't go wanderin' -'round all hours. They mammies knowed where they was. Folks nowadays is -wild and weak. The gals dress up come Sunday. All week they wear they -hair all roll up with cotton they unfold from the cotton boll. Sunday -come they comb the hair out fine. No grease on it. They want it natural -curly. - -"Us have good food most time. Steel and log traps fo' big game. Pit -traps in the woods 'bout so long and so deep, and kivered with bresh and -leaves. That cotch possum and coon and other things what come 'long in -the night. Us lace willow twigs and strings and put a cross piece on top -and bottom, and little piece of wood on top edge. The trap 'bout two -feet off the ground to cotch the birds. Doves, blackbirds, any kind -birds you can eat. Us clean them li'l birds good and rub 'em down in -lard. After they set awhile us broil 'em with plenty black pepper and -salt. Us shoot plenty ducks with musket, too. - -"Greens was good, too. Us eat parsley greens and shuglar weed. That big, -two foot plant what have red flower on it. Us git lots of 'em in Wade's -Bayou. Us put li'l bit flour in ashes and make ashcake. Us cook pumpkin -in ashes, too. - -"After slavery I hoe cotton. No money at first, jes' work on halves. The -trouble that there no equal halves. The white folks pay jes' like they -wants. A man couldn't work that way no time. I had to come over to Texas -'cause a man what want my land say I stoled a barrel from he house. He -try arres' my old woman 'cause she say she find the barrel. Now, I never -have the case in lawsuit and I 'spect to die that way. But I has to stay -'way from Mauriceville for three year 'cause that man say I thiefed he -barrel. - -"Things was bad after us come to Texas for a time. That Lizal Scizche, -he sho' rough man. Us cropped on the share and he take the crop and the -money and lef' fast. Us didn't have a mess of nothin' left. - -"I manages to live by croppin'. I been here 52 year now. My first wife -name Massanne Florshann, that the French. My wife what I got now name -Annie. Massanne she give me six chillen and Annie four." - - - - -Annie Little - - -*Annie Little, 81, was born a slave of Bill Gooden, in Springfield, -Missouri. Her master owned a plantation in Mississippi, and sent Annie's -family there while she was a baby. Annie now lives in Mart, Texas.* - -"I's first a baby in Springfield. Dat in Missouri and dere am where I's -birthed in January, 1856. My daddy and mammy was Howard and Annie and -dey 'longed to Massa Bill Gooden. He have de plantation in Missipp' and -send us dere while I's still de li'l baby. Dat am what dey call de Delta -now, and de cotton so high I clumb up in de trees to reach de top of de -stalks, and de corn so high a man on he mule only have de top he hat -showin'. - -"If us mind massa and missus, dey good to us, but if de hands lazy and -not work den de overseer whop dem. When dey run 'way he sot de -bloodhounds on dem and dey clumb de tree. I's heared dem hounds bayin' -de nigger up a tree jes' lots of times. Massa never sold none my family -and we stays with him till he wife die and he die, too. - -"In de cold days de women spin and weave de cloth on looms. I stands by -and pick up de shuttle when dey fall. Us niggers all wore de clothes -make on de spinnin' wheel, but de white folks wore dresses from de -store. Dey have to pay fifty and seventy-five cents de yard for calico -den. - - -[Illustration: _Annie Little_] - - -"Den de war come. I 'member how massa come home on de furlough and when -word come he on de way, us all git ready for de big cel'bration. Dey -kill the yearlin' or hawg and all us niggers cook for de big feast. -Sometimes iffen he stay a week, we jes' do nothin' but eat and cook. - -"Dem de good old days, but dey didn't last, for de war am over to sot de -slaves free and old massa ask if we'll stay or go. My folks jes' stays -till I's a growed gal and gits married and has a home of my own. Den my -old man tell me how de Yankees stoled him from de fields. Dey some -cavalry sojers and dey make him take care of de hosses. He's 'bout twict -as old as me, and he say he was in de Bull Run Battle. He's capture in -one battle and run 'way and 'scape by de holp of a Southern regiment and -fin'ly come back to Mississip'. He like de war songs like 'Marchin' -Through Georgia,' but bes' of all he like dis song: - - "'I ain't gwine study war no more, - i gwine lay down my burden, - down by de river side, - down by de river side. - - "'Gwine lay down my sword and shield - Down by de riverside, - Down by de riverside. - - "'I ain't gwine study war no more, - Gwine try on my starry crown, - Down by de river side, - Down by de river side.' - -"Well, he done lay he burden down and quit dis world in 1916. - -"Do I 'member any hant stories? Well, we'd sit round de fire in de -wintertime and tell ghos' stories till us chillen 'fraid to go to bed at -night. Iffen I can 'lect, I'll tell you one. Dis story am 'bout a old, -haunted house, a big, old house with two front rooms down and two front -rooms up and a hall runnin' from back to front. In back am de li'l house -where Alex, massa's boy kep' he hoss, stay. - -"Dis big house face de river. Old Massa go to war and never come back no -more. Old missy jes' wait and wait, till fin'ly dey all say she am weak -in de head. Every day she tell de niggers to kill de pig, dat massa be -home today. Every day she fix up in de Sunday best and wait for him. It -go on like dat for years and years, till old miss am gone to be with old -massa, and de niggers all left and dere am jes' de old house left. - -"One day long time after freedom Alex come back, and he hair turned -white. He go up de river to de old plantation to tell Old Miss dat Old -Massa gone to he Heavenly Home, and won't be back to de old place. He -come up to de old house and de front gate am offen de hinges and de -grass high as he head, and de blinds all hangin' sideways and rattle -with de wind. Dey ain't no lightnin' bug and no crickets on de -fireplace, jes' de old house and de wind a-blowin' through de window -blinds and moanin' through de trees. - -"Old Alex so broke up he jes' sot down on de steps and 'fore he knowed -it he's asleep. He saw Old Massa and hisself gwine to war and Old Massa -am on he white hoss and he new gray uniform what de women make for him, -and de band am playin' Dixie. Old Alex seed hisself ridin' he li'l roan -pony by Old Massa's side. Den he dream o' after de battle when he look -for Old Massa and finds him and he hoss lyin' side by side, done gone to -where dere ain't no more war. He buries him, and--den de thunder and -lightnin' make Alex wake up and he look in Old Miss' room and dere she -am, jes' sittin' in her chair, waitin' for Old Massa. Old Alex go to -talk with her and she fade 'way. Alex stay in he li'l old cabin waitin' -to tell Old Miss, and every time it come rain and lightnin' she allus -sot in her chair and go 'way 'fore he git in her room. So Old Alex -fin'ly goes to sleep forever, but he never left he place of watchin' for -Old Miss. - -"De white folks and niggers what live in dem days wouldn't live in dat -big, old house, so it am call de 'hanted house by de river.' It stands -all 'lone for years and years, till de new folks from up North come and -tore it down." (See pictures of house at end of story.) - -"I well 'lect my old man sayin' how de steamboat come whistlin' up de -river and all de darkies go to singin', 'Steamboat Comin' Round da -Bend.' Dis am in de cotton patch jes' 'yond da hanted house and de -steamboat whistle mean time to go to dinner. Dat am de Little Red River -up in Arkansas, where my old man, Dolphus Little, am birthed, right near -de hanted house. - -"Dolphus and me marries in Missipp' but come to Texas and lives at -Hillsboro on Massa John Willoughby's farm. We has ten chillen and I'm -livin' with my baby boy right now. I'll tell you de song I gits all dem -chillen to sleep with: - - "Mammy went 'way--she tell me to stay, - And take good care of de baby. - She tell me to stay and sing disaway, - O, go to sleepy, li'l baby, - - "O, shut you eye and don't you cry, - Go to sleepy, li'l baby. - 'Cause mammy's boun' to come bime-by, - O, go to sleepy, li'l baby. - - "We'll stop up de cracks and sew up de seams, - De booger man never shall cotch you. - O, go to sleep and dream sweet dreams, - De booger man never shall cotch you. - - "De river run wide, de river run deep, - O, bye-o, sweet li'l baby. - Dat boat rock slow, she'll rock you to sleep, - O, bye-o, sweet li'l baby. - - Chorus - - "O, go to sleepy, sleepy, li'l baby, - 'Cause when you wake, you'll git some cake, - And ride a li'l white hossy. - O, de li'l butterfly, he stole some pie, - Go to sleepy, li'l baby. - And flew so high till he put out his eye, - O, go to sleepy, li'l baby." - - - - - - - -Abe Livingston - - -*Abe Livingston, 83 years old, was born a slave to Mr. Luke Hadnot, -Jasper Co., Texas, the owner of about 70 slaves. He now lives in -Beaumont, Texas.* - -"I done well in slavery, 'cause I belonged to Massa Luke Hadnot and he -had some boys and they and me grew up together. When my daddy beat me -I'd go up to the big house and stay there with the boys and we'd git -something to eat from the kitchen. When de white folks has et, we gits -what lef'. Massa Luke done well by his niggers, he done better'n mos' of -'em. - -"Us boys, white boys and me, had lots of fun when us growin' up. I -'member the games us play and we'd sing this: - - "'Marly Bright, Marly Bright, - Three score and ten; - Kin you git up by candlelight? - Yes, iffen your legs - Are long and limber and light.' - -"Sometimes us boys, not the white ones 'cause they couldn', would go in -the woods and stay all night. We builds campfires and watches for -witches and hants. I seen some but what they was I don' know. By the -waterhole, one tall white hant used to come nearly every night. I -couldn' say much how it looked, 'cause I was too scart to git close. - - -[Illustration: _Abe Livingston_] - - -"I was jus' about big enough to handle the mule when the war bust out. -My daddy was a servant in the army and he helped dig the breastwork -round Mansfield for the battle. - -"News of the freedom come 'bout 9 or 10 o'clock on a Tuesday morning. -Mos' us goes home and stays there till nex' Monday. Then Yankees come -and told us we's free. About 80 of 'em come and they sho' laughed a lot, -like they's glad war is through. Seem like they's more for eatin' than -anything else and dey steal the good hosses. They take everything to -eat, and 40 big gobblers and they eat the hawgs and beeves, too. How -them Yankees could eat! I never seen nothin' like it. - -"I come to Jefferson County after freedom and got me a job. It was -spikin' on the railroad. Freedom didn' mean much to me, 'cause I didn' -know the difference. I done well anyhow." - - - - -John Love - - -*John Love, 76, was born near Crockett, Texas, a slave of John Smelley. -John tells of the days of Reconstruction, and life in the river bottoms. -He now lives in Marlin, Texas.* - -"I's born on de Neches River and spends all my earlies' life right down -in de river bottoms, 'cause I done live in de Brazos bottom, too. Mammy -and pappy 'longed to John Smelley and was Rose and John. - -"It was wild down in de Neches bottom den, plenty bears and panthers and -deers and wolves and catamounts, and all kind birds and wild turkeys. -Jes' a li'l huntin' most allus fill de pot dem days. De Indians traps de -wild animals and trade de hides for supplies. We was right near to de -Cherokee and Creek res'vation. I knowed lots of Indians, and some what -was Alabama Indians and done come over here. Dey said de white people -was wrong when dey thinks Alabama mean 'here we rest.' It don't mean dat -a-tall. It mean "people what gathers mulberries.' You see, dem Alabama -Indians right crazy 'bout mulberries and has a day for a feast when de -mulberries gits ripe. Dat where de tribe git its name and de town named -after de tribe. - -"Massa Smelley fit in de Mexico War and in de Freedom War, but I don't -know nothin' 'bout de battles. De bigges' thing I 'members am when de -soldiers come back, 'cause dey finds all dey cattle stoled or dead. De -soldiers, both kinds, de 'Federates and Yankees, done took what dey -want. De plantations all growed up in weeds and all de young slaves -gone, and de ones what stayed was de oldes' and faithfulles'. - -"Times was hard and no money, and if dere wasn't plenty wild animals -everybody done starve. But after 'while, new folks come in, and has some -money and things picks up a li'l more'n more. - -"We has de sugar cane and makes sorghum, and has our own mill. Us all, -mammy and pappy and us chillun, done stay with Massa Smelley long time -after freedom, 'cause we ain't got nowhere to go or nothin'. I'd holp in -de 'lasses mill, and when we grinds dat cane to cook into syrup, dis am -de song: - - "'Ain't no more cane on de Neches, - Ain't no more cane on de land; - Oh---- ooooo---- ooooo---- oO! - Done grind it all in 'lasses, - Oh---- ooooo---- ooooo---- oO! - -"After I's 'bout growed, I moves to de Brazos bottom and works for a -stockman, den I works for de man what driv de first post on de Houston & -Texas Central right-of-way. I holped build dat railroad from Houston to -Waco, and build de fences and lay de cross-tires. Den I broke wild -hosses for Mr. Curry. He give me my groceries and twenty-five cents a -day. I was sho' proud of de job. - -"After dis, I carries de mail from Marlin to Eddy, on hossback. De roads -went through de Brazos bottom. Dey was jes' cowtrails, 'stead of roads. -Dere was a road through dat bottom so bad de white man wouldn't carry -dat mail, so dey gives it to me and I ain't got no better sense dan to -try it. Dat six miles through de bottom was all mudholes and when de -river git out de banks dat was bad. But I helt out for eight years, till -de mail sent by train. - -"I knows why dat boll-weevil done come. Dey say he come from Mexico, but -I think he allus been here. Away back yonder a spider live in de -country, 'specially in de bottoms. He live on de cotton leaves and -stalks, but he don't hurt it. Dese spiders kep' de insects eat up. Dey -don't plow deep den, and plants cotton in February, so it made 'fore de -insects git bad. - -"Den dey gits to plowin' deep, and it am colder 'cause de trees all cut, -and dey plows up all de spiders and de cold kill dem. Dey plants later, -and dere ain't no spiders left to eat up de boll-weevil. - -"I knows an old boll-weevil song, what us sing in de fields: - - "De bollweevil is a li'l bug, from Mexico, dey say, - He come try dis Texas soil, and think he better stay, - A-lookin' for a home--jes' lookin' for a home. - - "De farmer took de bollweevil and put him in de sand. - Boll weevil said to farmer, 'I'll stand it like a man, - For it's jes' my home--it's jes' my home.' - - "First time I seed de weevil, he on de eastern train, - Nex' time I seed dat weevil, he on de Memphis train, - A-lookin' for a home--jes' lookin' for a home. - - "If anybody axes you who writ dis li'l song, - It's jes' a dark-skin nigger, with old blue duckin's on." - - - - -Louis Love - - -*Louis Love, 91, was born in Franklin, Louisiana, a slave of Donaltron -Cafrey, whom Louis describes as a "leadin' lawyer and once United States -Senator." At the start of the Civil War, Louis was sent to Texas with -about 300 other slaves to escape the "Yankee invaders." Louis now lives -in Orange, Texas, and says he spends most of his time sitting on the -gallery. One hand shakes constantly and his reedy voice is tremulous.* - -"Well, I guess I's 'bout 91 year old. I 'member when freedom come. I -goes up to reg'stration de year I gits free. I walks up to old Doc Young -and say, 'I come reg'ster for de vote.' He say, 'You too young to vote. -You ask your missus.' Missus git de big book 'bout six inch thick where -she got all de births and deaths on dat place since she been missus and -she give me a letter sayin' I nineteen year old. I kep' dat letter till -not so long ago and burns it by mistake, 'cause I can't read. - -"Dave Love he was my daddy and Tildy Love was my mama. My grandmama -raise me, though. My massa's name Donaltron Cafrey and he statue stand -in de court house square now. He was a leadin' lawyer and a United -States senator. When Senator Gibson die massa he serve out he term. -Young massa name Donaltron Cafrey, junior, and he keep de big bank in -New Orleans now. - -"I never was sold to nobody. I heared folks say my folks come from -Kentucky, but my mama born on Massa Cafrey's place. He have de big -house, fine old house with galleries all 'round and big lawns. It's far -back from de road, pushin' clost to a mile, I guess. He have seven sugar -plantation and after freedom come dey rents it out at $3.00 a acre to -raise 'taters in. - -"Us live in shacks 'bout like dese 'round here. Dese times am better'n -slavery times, 'cause den you couldn't go nowheres 'thout de pass or de -patterrollers git you. Dat mean 25 lashes and more when you gits home. - -"My missus took us chillen to de Baptis' church and de white preacher he -preach. De cullud folks could have church demselves iffen dey have de -manager of 'ligion to kinder preach. Course he couldn't read, he jus' -talk what he done heared de white preachers say. - -"I git ship one time. Dat time de overseer give me de breakin'. Dey have -stocks dey put a man in. Dey put de man leg through de holes and shut it -down. De man jus' lay dere and bawl. - -"De clothes us wore was shirts and us didn't git no britches till us -big. I's wearin' britches a good many year 'fore freedom, though. Dey -give us two suit de year and us have beefhide shoes what us call -moc'sins. - -"Dey wasn't no better people dan my white folks. Dey didn't 'low us to -be brutalize', but dey didn't 'low us to be sassy, neither. I holp my -grandma milk de cows. - -"When de Yankees come to New Orleans dey go on to Port Hudson and have -de big fight dere. Massa order everybody be ready to travel nex' -mornin'. Dey 'bout 300 peoples in dat travel wagon and dey camps dat -night at Camp Fusilier, where de 'federates have de camp. Dey make only -five mile dat day. Dey stops one night at Pin Hook, in Vermilionville. -My brudder die dere. Dey kep' on dat way till dey come to Trinity River. -I stay dere five year. - -"De overseer on de new plantation name Smoot. I wait on de table and -grandma she cook for Smoot. Dey raise sugar cane and corn and peas and -sich like. Dey have lots of pork meat. Dey have stock and one time a -calf git eat by a panther. Massa hunt dat panther and shoot him in a -tree. - -"One day Smoot tell me to bring all de hands to de house when dey blows -de horn at noon. When dey gits dere old massa say dey's free as he was. -If dey stays he say he give 'em half de crop, but didn't one stay. Six -or seven what wants go back to de old home massa done give teams to and -it take dem 'bout six week comin' home. I's glad to git dere. I couldn't -see free meant no better. Missus plantation seem mighty pleasant. - -"I been marry twict. Fust time a gal name Celeste, but she 'fuse to come -to Texas with me and dat 'solve de marriage. I marry dis wife, Sarah, -'bout a few year ago. Us been marry 'bout 22 year." - - - - -John McCoy - - -*John McCoy, ex-slave, who lives in a small shack in the rear of 2310 -State St., Houston, Texas, claims to have been born Jan. 1, 1838. -Although his memory is hazy, John is certain that "folks had a heap more -sense in slave times den dey has now."* - -"Well, suh, my white folks done larn me to start de cotton row right and -point for de stake at de far end of de field, and dat way a nigger don't -git off de line and go dis-a-way and dat-a-way. He start right and end -right, yes, suh! Dat de way to live--you start right and go de straight -way to de end and you comes out all right. - -"I's been here a mighty long time, I sho has, and done forgit a heap, -'cause my head ain't so good no more, but when I first knowed myself I -'longs to old Marse John McCoy. Old Miss Mary was he wife and dey de -only white folks what I ever 'longs to. Dat how come I's a McCoy, 'cause -all de niggers what old marse have goes by his name. - -"My pappy's name was Hector and mammy's name Ann, and dey dies when I's -jes' a young buck and dat been a long time 'fore freedom. Ain't got no -brudders and sisters what I knows 'bout. All a slave have to go by am -what de white folks tells him 'bout his kinfolks. - -"Old Marse John have a big place round Houston and raises cotton and -corn and hawgs and cows. Dere was lots of wilderness den, full of -varmints and wildcats and bears. Old Marse done larn me 'bedience and -not to lie or steal, and he larn me with de whip. Dat all de larnin' we -gits. Does he cotch you with de book or paper, he whip you hand down. He -don't whip de old folks none, jes' de young bucks, 'cause dey wild and -mean and dat de onlies' way dey larns right from wrong. - -"I tells you jes' like I tells everyone--folks had heap more sense in -slave times dan dey has now. Long as a nigger do right, old marse -pertect him. Old Marse feed he niggers good, too, and we has plenty -clothes. Course, dey home-made on de spinnin' wheel, but dey good. De -shoes jes' like pen'tentiary shoes, only not fix up so good. Old Marse -kill a cow for meat and take de hide to de tanner and Uncle Jim make dat -hide into shoes. Dey hard and heavy and hurt de feets, but dey wear like -you has iron shoes. - -"Old Marse don't work de niggers Sunday like some white folks do. Dat de -day we has church meetin' under trees. De spirit jes' come down out de -sky and you forgits all you troubles. - -"Slave times was de best, 'cause cullud folks am ig'rant and ain't got -no sense and in slave times white folks show dem de right way. Now dey -is free, dey gits uppity and sassy. Some dese young bucks ought to git -dere heads whipped down. Dat larn dem manners. - -"Freedom wasn't no diff'rence I knows of. I works for Marse John jes' de -same for a long time. He say one mornin, 'John, you can go out in de -field iffen you wants to, or you can git out iffen you wants to, 'cause -de gov'ment say you is free. If you wants to work I'll feed you and give -you clothes but can't pay you no money. I ain't got none.' Humph, I -didn't know nothin' what money was, nohow, but I knows I'll git plenty -victuals to eat so I stays till old marse die and old miss git shet of -de place. Den I gits me a job farmin' and when I gits too old for dat I -does dis and dat for white folks, like fixin' yards. - -"I's black and jes' a poor, old nigger, but I rev'rence my white folks -'cause dey rared me up in de right way. If cullud folk pay 'tention and -listen to what de white folks tell dem, de world be a heap better off. -Us old niggers knows dat's de truth, too, 'cause we larns respec' and -manners from our white folks and on de great day of jedgment my white -folks is gwineter meet me and shake hands with me and be glad to see me. -Yes, suh, dat's de truth!" - - - - -Hap McQueen - - -*Hap McQueen, 80, was born in Tennessee, a slave of the McQueen family, -who later brought Hap to Texas. He now lives in Beaumont.* - -"I's born in Tennessee but dey brings me 'way from dere when I's a -little chile, what my mammy say is eight year gwine on nine. My daddy -name' Bill McQueen and my mammy name Neelie. - -"We come from Tennessee in de fall in de wagons and it takes us a long -time, 'cause we camps on de way. But we gits dere and starts to work on -de new place. - -"Massa have three cook women and two was my grandma and my mammy. De -dinin' room was right by de kitchen and we has plenty to eat. He was a -good massa and I wouldn't knowed it been slavery iffen dey hadn't told -me so, I was treat so good. - -"Dey have a big house to take care de chillen when dey mammies workin' -in de fields, and old missus sho good to dose chillen. She comes in -herse'f every day to see dem and sometime play with dem. - -"Massa son John was de overseer but de old massa wouldn't 'low him to -whip de slaves. Iffen it got to be done, old massa do it, but he never -draw blood like on de plantations 'round us. Some of dem on dose -plantations say dey ain't want Massa McQueen's niggers 'round de place, -'cause dey's free, dey fed too good and all, and dey afraid it make dere -slaves unsatisfy. - -"Dey allus stop workin' Saturday afternoons and Sunday and gits pass to -go fishin' or huntin'. Sometime dey has preachin' under de arbor. Den at -dinner time dey blow de horn and de cullud folks eats at de same time as -de white folks, right where massa kin watch 'em, and if dey not enough -to eat, he say, 'How come? What de matter with de cooks?' - -"He live in a two-story house builded out of lumber and all 'round in de -yard was de quarters. Dey make out of logs and most has a little patch -de massa 'lows 'em, and what dey raise dey own. My daddy raise cotton -each year and he raise sweet 'taters and bank 'em. - -"Dey has Georgia hosses in de quarters. Dey was dem bed places what de -niggers slep' on. Dey bores holes in de wall of de house and makes de -frame of de bed and puts cotton mattress and quilt on dem. De white -folks have house make bedsteads, too. De first bought bed I see was a -plumb 'stonishment to me. It have big posties to hang 'skeeter bar over. -De chairs was homemake too, with de white oak splits for de bottoms. - -"Massa he didn't go to de war, but he sent he oldest boy, call John. He -takes my daddy 'long to feed de stock and like dat. I goes to de camp -once to see my daddy and stays a good while. Dey fixin' to fight de -Yankee and dey rest and eat and talk. Dey shoot at de rifle ring and dey -make dem practise all dey got to know to be good soldier. - -"When freedom come 'long, massa line us all up by de gallery and say, -'You is you own women and men. You is free. Iffen you wants to stay, I -gives you land and a team and groceries.' My daddy stays. - - -[Illustration: _Hap McQueen_] - - -"I marry long time after freedom and raise' two batch of chillen. My -first wife have eight and my second wife have nine. - -"I 'members de story 'bout de man what owned de monkey. Dat monkey, he -watch and try do everything a man do. One time a nigger make up he mind -scare 'nother nigger and when night time come, he put a white sheet over -him and sot out for de place dat nigger pass. De monkey he seed dat -nigger with de sheet and he grab de nice, white tablecloth and throw it -over him and he follow de nigger. Dat nigger, he hear something behin' -him and look 'round and see somethin' white followin' him and he think -it a real ghostie. Den he took out and run fitten to kill hissel'f. De -monkey he took out after dat nigger and when he fall 'zausted in he -doorway he find out dat a monkey chasin' him, and he want to kill dat -monkey, but he can't do dat, 'cause de monkey de massa's pet. - -"So one day dat nigger shavin' and de monkey watchin' him. He know right -den de monkey try de same thing, so when he gits through shavin' he turn -de razor quick in he hand, so de monkey ain't seein' him and draw de -back of de razor quick 'cross he throat. Sho' 'nough, when he gone, de -monkey git de bresh and rub de lather all over he face and de nigger he -watchin' through de crack. When dat monkey through shavin' he drew de -razor quick 'cross he throat, but he ain't know for to turn it, and he -cut he own throat and kill hissel'f. Dat what de nigger want him to do -and he feel satisfy dat de monkey done dead and he have he revengence." - - - - -Bill McRay - - -*Bill McRay was born in Milam, fifteen miles north of San Augustine, -Texas, in 1851. He is a brother of C.B. McRay. Col. McRay was his owner -(the name may have been spelled McCray, Bill says). Bill now lives in -Jasper, Texas. He is said to be an expert cook, having cooked for -hotels, boats and military camps 40 years.* - -"I was born in Milam in 1851 and dat makes me 86 year ole. My mother and -father was slaves and dey brung me to Jasper in 1854. Colonel McRay, he -was our marster and dis' our boss. He have 40 head of niggers, but he -never hit one of 'em a lick in his life. He own a big farm and have a -foreman named Bill Cummins. I stay with de Colonel till after I's free. - -"Us have good marster, but some of de neighbors treat dere slaves rough. -Ole Dr. Neyland of Jasper, he have 75 or 80 slaves and he was rich and -hard on de slaves. One day two run away, Tom and Ike, and Dr. Neyland -takes de bloodhoun's and ketch dose two niggers and brung 'em in. One of -de niggers takes a club and knock one of de houn's in de head and kilt -him. Dey cook dat dog and make dem niggers eat part of him. Den dey give -both of 'em a beatin'. - -"De ole log jail in Jasper, it useter stan' whar de Fish Store is now. -Dey have a place t'other side de jail whar dey whip niggers. De whippin' -pos' was a big log. Dey make de niggers lie down on it and strap 'em to -it. I was a lil' boy den and me and two white boys, Coley McRay and -Henry Munn, we useter slip 'round and watch 'em. Coley and Henry both -grow up and go to war but neither one come back. - - -[Illustration: _Bill McRay_] - - -"Sam Swan, he was sheriff, and he ketch two run-away niggers one day. -Dey was brudders and dey was name Rufe and John Grant. Well, he takes -'em and puts dem in jail and some of de men gits 'em out and takes 'em -down to de whippin' pos' and den strap 'em down and give 'em one -terrible lashin' and den throw salt in dere wounds and you could hear -dem niggers holler for a mile. Den dey took 'em back to de farm to wo'k. - -"Dey hanged good many niggers 'round Jasper. In slavery times dey hangs -a nigger name Jim Henderson, at Mayhew Pond. Us boys wen' dere and mark -de tree. Two cullud men, Tom Jefferson and Sam Powell, dey kill anudder -nigger and dey hang dem to de ole white oak tree what is south of Jasper -Court House. - -"After I's free I cooks for Cap'n Kelly in his mil'tary camps for 21 -year. Den I cook for boats what run up and down de Neches and Angelina -rivers. I wants to say, too, dat I wo'ks for every sheriff in Jasper -County 'ceptin' de las' one. Guess I's too young to wo'k for him!" - - - - -C.B. McRay - - -*C.B. McRay was born in Jasper, Texas, in 1861, a slave to John H. -McRay, a slave trader. C.B. is rather unapproachable, and has a -secretive manner, as though he believes the human race will bear a -little watching. He told of only one wife, but his present wife -explained, confidentially, that he has had six. He lives in Jasper.* - -"My name is C.B. McRay, better knowed as 'Co'nstalk', 'cause I's long -and thin. Also knowed as 'Racer', 'cause I useter be fleet on the feet. -When I's ten year ole I often caught a rabbit what jump 'fore me, jus' -by runnin' him down. Don' see why my boys can't do the same. - -"I's bo'n in Jasper, on Main street, right where Lanier's Store stan's, -on the 12th of April, in 1861. My father's name was Calvin Bell McRay, -de same as mine, and mother's name was Harriet McRay. Father was bo'n in -Virginny and mother in Sabine County, in Texas. My brudders' names was -Bill McRay and Robert and Duckin Dacus. Father and mother was slaves -right here in Jasper, and so was my gran'parents, who was bo'n in -Africy. - -"John McRay was us marster. He was call a 'nigger trader', and was sich -a easy marster dat other people call he slaves, 'McRay's free niggers'. -He make trips to New Orleans to buy slaves and brung 'em back and sol' -'em to de farmers. Missus was de bestes' white woman to cullud folks dat -ever live. - -"I's too lil' to wo'k much but I 'member lotsa things. Us have a big -dinin'-room with a big, long table for de cullud folks and us git jus' -the same kin' of food dat the white folks have on dere table. Iffen a -nigger sass marster and he couldn' control him, he was de fus' one to be -sol' and git rid of. He sol' my uncle dat way. But marster was good to -us when we done right. - -"The nigger women spinned and weaved cloth. I 'spec' dat's the onlies' -place in Jasper whar you could go any time of day and see a parlor full -of nigger women, sittin' up dere fat as dey could be and with lil' to -do. Marster have no plantation for de men to wo'k but he rented lan' for -them to cult'vate. - -"Marster's niggers all got Sunday clothes and shoes. Every one of dem -have to dress and come to the parlor so he could look dem over 'fore dey -goes to church. - -"Us have a foreman, name Charlie. It was his duty to keep de place -stock' with wood. He take slaves and wo'k de wood patches when it -needed, but onct marster come home from New Orleans and foun' dem all -sufferin' for want of fire. He call ole Charlie and ask him why he not -git up plenty wood. 'Well,' old Charlie say, 'wood was short and 'fore I -could git more dis col' spell come and it too awful col' to git wood.' -Marster say, 'You keep plenty wood or I gwinter sell you to a mean -marster.' Charlie git better for a while, then he let wood git low -again. So he was sol' to Ballard Adams, who had the name of bein' hard -on his slaves. Charlie couldn' do enough wo'k to suit Marster Adams, so -he put him in what's knowed as the 'Louisiana shirt.' Dat was a barrel -with a hole cut in the bottom jus' big enough for Charlie to slip he -head through. Dey pull dis on to him every mornin' and then he couldn' -sit down or use he arms, coul' jus' walk 'roun' all day, de brunt of -other slaves' jokes. At night dey took it off and chain him to he bed. -After he have wo'n dis Louisiana shirt a month de marster task he again. -He fail and run off to the woods. So Marster Adams, he come to Marster -McRay and want to sell Charlie back again, but he couldn', 'cause -freedom jus' come and they couldn' sell slaves no more, but Marster -McRay say Charlie coul' come back and stay on he place if he wanted to. - - -[Illustration: _C.B. McRay_] - - -"Dey didn' try to teach us readin' and writin', but Miss Mary read de -Bible to us every Sunday. Iffen us git sick dey git ol Dr. Haynes or Dr. -Perkins. - -"When us chillun, we plays 'Town Ball' and marbles. Mother's fav'rite -lullaby was Bye-o Baby Buntin'. - -"I never seed any sojers till after de War close, den I seed dem camp on -Court House Square right here in Jasper. When freedom was 'clared, Miss -Mary call us niggers into the parlor and den Marster McRay come and tol' -us we's free. He 'vise 'em to wo'k 'round Jasper, whar they knows -people, and says iffen any wan's to stay with him to please rise up. -Every person riz up. So dey all stay with him for a time. After 'while -he 'gin to rent and cult'vate differen' plantation, and dere treatment -not so good, so dey 'gin to be dissatisy and pull loose." - - - - -Julia Malone - - -*Julia Malone, 79, was born a slave of Judge Ellison, who owned a -thousand acre plantation near Lockhart, Texas. Julia's mother was killed -by another slave. Julia stayed with the Ellison family several years -after she was freed. She lives at 305 Percy St., Fort Worth, Texas.* - -"Jedge Ellison owned 'bout a tousand acres land near Lockhart, a few -miles up de Clear Fork river. Right dere I is borned, and it were a big -place and so many goin' and comin' it look like de beehive. De buildin's -and sheds look like de li'l town. - -"I 'member bein' left in de nursery whilst my mammy work in de fields. -One night she go to de river for to wash clothes. She has to wash after -dark and so she am washin' and a nigger slave sneak up on her and hit -her on de neck, and it am de death of her. So de woman what mammy allus -live with takes care of me den and when freedom came she moves to town, -but massa won't let her took me. I stays on with him and runs errands, -while I is not fannin' de new baby. Dey has six while I'm dere. I fans -dem till I drops asleep, and dat call for de whippin'. - -"My foster mammy comes out and asks massa to let her have me, but he -won't do dat. But she puts one over on him fin'ly and gits me anyway. He -am gone and missus am gone and I has to stay home alone with de last -baby, and a man and woman what was slaves on de place 'fore surrender, -comes by in a wagon and tells me to jump in. Dey takes me to my foster -mammy and she moves and won't 'low me outside, so massa can't ever find -me. - -"She 'splains lots of things to me. I done see de women stick dere heads -in de washpot and talk out loud, while us in slavery. She tells me day -prayin' for de Lawd to take dem out from bondage. Dey think it right to -pray out loud so de Lawd can hear but dey mustn't let de massa hear dem. - -"I asks her 'bout my father and she says him on de place but die 'fore -I's borned. He was make de husband to lots of women on de place, 'cause -he de big man. - -"She am good to me and care for me till I meets de boy I likes. Us lives -together for fifteen years and den him dies. My chillen is all dead. He -name am William Emerson and I waits nine years 'fore I marries 'gain. -Den I marries Albert Malone and I's lucky 'gain. He's de good man. One -day he am fixin' de sills under de house and de whole house moves over -and falls on him. I feels so grievous over dat I never marries 'gain. -Dat thirty-four year ago, and I lives alone all de time. It ain't 'cause -I doesn't have de chance, 'cause lots of bucks wants me, 'cause I's de -hard worker. - -"I washes for de livin' and washes old massa's daughter's clothes. Massa -am de powerful man durin' slavery and have de money and fine clothes and -drives de fine teams and acts like de cock of de walk. All dat changes -after freedom. I seed him layin' in de sun like de dog. I offers to wash -he clothes and he jus' grunt. He done turned stone deaf, and de white -folks say it 'cause he done treat he slaves so bad. - -"I done live here in Fort Worth 'bout fifteen years with my daughter, -Beulah Watkins. I's mighty happy here, and has de $10.00 pension and -thanks de Lawd fer dat." - - - - -Adeline Marshall - - -*Adeline Marshall, 3514 Bastrop St., Houston, Texas, was born a slave -somewhere in South Carolina. She was bought by Capt. Brevard and brought -to Texas while still a baby, so she remembers nothing about her family -and has no record of her age. Adeline is evidently very old.* - -"Yes, suh, Adeline Marshall am my name, all right, but folks 'round here -jes' calls me 'Grandma.' - -"Lawd have mercy, I's been in dis here land too long, too long, and jes' -ain't no 'count no more for nothin'. I got mis'ries in my bones and jes' -look at what I's got on my feet! Dem's jes' rags, dat's all, rags. Can't -wear nothin' else on 'em, dey hurts so. Dat's what de red russet shoes -what we wears in slave times done--jes' pizen de feets. - -"Lawd, Lawd, dat sho' bad times--black folks jes' raise up like cattle -in de stable, only Cap'n Brevard, he what own me, treats he hosses and -cattle better'n he do he niggers. - -"Don't know nothin' 'bout myself, 'cept on Cap'n Brevard's place down on -Oyster Creek. He has de plantation dere, what de only place I knows till -I's freedomed. He says I's a South Carolina nigger what he bought back -dere and brung to Texas when I jes' a baby. I reckon it de truth, 'cause -I ain't never knowed no mama or papa, neither one. - -"Cap'n he a bad man, and he drivers hard, too, all de time whippin' and -stroppin' de niggers to make dem work harder. Didn't make no difference -to Cap'n how little you is, you goes out to de field mos' soon's you can -walk. De drivers don't use de bullwhip on de little niggers, but dey -plays de switch on us what sting de hide plenty. Sometimes dey puts a -nigger in de stocks and leaves dem two or three days, don't give dem -nothin' to eat or a drink of water, jes' leaves dem till dey mos' dead. -Does dey die, jes' put dem in a box and dig a hole out back of de hoss -lot and dump dem in and cover up. Ain't no preachin' service or nothin', -but de poor nigger out he mis'ry, dat's all. - -"Old Cap'n jes' hard on he niggers and I 'member one time dey strops old -Beans what's so old he can't work good no more, and in de mornin' dey -finds him hangin' from a tree back of de quarters. He done hang himself -to 'scape he mis'ry! - -"We works every day 'cept Sunday and has to do our washin' den. Does -anybody git sick week days, he has to work Sunday to make it up. When we -comes in at night we has to go right to bed. Dey don't 'low no light in -de quarters and you better be in bed if you don't want a whippin'. - -"We gits a plain cotton slip with a string 'round de neck, de stuff dey -makes pickin' sacks of. Summer or winter, dat all we gits to wear. - -"Old Cap'n have a big house but I jes' see it from de quarters, 'cause -we wasn't 'lowed to go up in de yard. I hear say he don't have no wife, -but a black woman what stays at de house. Dat de reason so many 'No -Nation' niggers 'round. Some calls dem 'Bright' niggers, but I calls dem -'No Nation' 'cause dat what dey is, ain't all black or all white, but -mix. Dat come from slave times. - -"I knows I's good size when Old Cap'n calls us in and say we's free, but -nobody tell me how old I is and I never found out. I knows some of us -stays and works for somethin' to eat, 'cause we didn't know no one and -didn't hab nowheres to go. - -"Den one day, Cap'n come out in de field with 'nother man and pick me -and four more what's workin' and say we's good workers. Dat was Mr. Jack -Adams, what have a place clost to Stafford's Run. He say if we wants to -work on his place he feed us and give quarters and pay us for workin', -and dat how come I leaves old Cap'n, and I ain't never see him or dat -place where I's raise sence, but I reckon he so mean de debbil done got -him in torment long time ago. - -"I works in de field for Mr. Jack and dat where Wes Marshall, what I -marries, works, too. After we gits married we gits a piece of ground and -stays on de same place till Mr. Jack die and we come to Houston. Dat -'fore de 1900 storm. - -"I tells folks when dat storm comin'. I ain't 'lieve in no witch doin's, -but some way I knows when dat storm comin'. Dey laughs at dis old -nigger, but it come and dey loses hosses and cattle and chickens and -houses. - -"I tells de truth jes' like it am, and I's had a hard time in de land. -Why, in dis sinful town, dey don't do like de Good Book say. No, suh, -dey don't. It say, 'Love thy neighbor,' and folks don't love nobody but -theyselves! - -"Jes' look at me! I's old with mis'ry and 'lone in de world. My husband -and chillen done die long ago and leave me here, and I jes' go from -house to house, tryin' to find a place to stay. Dat why I prays Gawd to -take me to his bosom, 'cause He de onlies' one I got to call on." - - - - -Isaac Martin - - -*Quite black, with close-cut hair and stubby gray whiskers, Isaac Martin -is contentedly spending the evening of his life. But two or three -darkened teeth show between his thick lips as he talks. He was enjoying -the friendly shade of the old tree in his backyard from his comfortable -seat in an old rocker. His feet were bare and his once striped trousers -were rolled up above his knees to keep him cool in the hot midsummer -weather. Beside the chair was a pair of brogan shoes with gaping splits -across the toes to avoid cramping his feet. He told the story of by-gone -days with evident enjoyment.* - -"Dis ol' man jes' layin' 'roun'. Ain't nuttin' to him no mo'. I done wo' -out. I jes' waitin' for de Good Marster to call po' ol' Isaac home to -Glory. - -"When dey read de proclamation to my mammy and daddy dey mek 'em give -eb'rybody' age in de fam'ly. I was twelve year' ol' den. - -"I was bo'n up here in Montgomery county 'bout t'ree mile from Willis -upon de I&GN Railroad. I holp to buil' dat I&GN Railroad. - -"Ol' Major Wood he my daddy' marster, and 'course he mine too. He was -well fixed. He had 'bout seb'nty or eighty wukkin' slaves and I dunno -how many li'l niggers. I didn' know nuttin' 'bout ol' Missus, Mrs. Wood. -I jis' 'member she a big fat woman. Dey didn' 'low no li'l nigger -chillun up in de yard 'roun' de big house 'cep'n' to clean up de yard, -and dem what done dat, dey hatter be jis' like dat yard, clean as -peckerwoods. - -"Ol' marster he warn't mean. He nebber whip' 'em jis' so iffen anybody -say de slave orter be whip. Dey hafter see him and tell him what dey -done befo' he give de order to de overseer to whip. Iffen he don' t'ink -dey orter be whip, he say don' whip 'em and dey don' git whip. - -"I had to mind de cows and de sheep. I had a mule to ride 'roun' on. It -was dis way, I hafter mind de cows. Ol' marster he plant dif'rent fiel's -in co'n, fifty or sixty or a hundred acres. When dey harvestin' de co'n, -when dey git one fiel' done dey tu'n de cows in so dey kin eat on de -stalks and nubbins what lef' in dat fiel'. I got to ride 'roun' and see -de cows don' bus' over from one fiel' what dey done harves' into de -other fiel' where dey wukkin', or what ain't been harves' yet. I jis' -like dat, ridin' dat mule 'roun' de fiel' and keepin' de cows in. - -"Den dere was five or six of us boys to keep de dogs out de sheep. You -know iffen de dogs git in de sheep dey ap' to kill 'em. - -"Us go huntin' wid de dogs lots of time, and lots of time us ketch -rabbits. Dey was six dogs, and de rabbits we kotch was so much vittles -for us. I 'member one night us went out huntin' and ketch fo' or five -rabbits. Us tek 'em home and clean and dress 'em, and put 'em in de pot -to have big rabbit supper. I was puttin' some red pepper in de pot to -season 'em, and den I rub my eyes wid my han' and git dat pepper in my -eyes and it sho' burn. You know how red pepper burn when it git in your -eyes, I nebber will forgit 'bout dat red pepper. De ol' folks uster show -us how to fix de t'ings we ketch huntin', and cook 'em. - -"Ol' marster sho' t'ought mo' of his li'l nigger chillen. He uster ride -in de quarters 'cause he like to see 'em come runnin'. De cook, she was -a ol' woman name' Forney, and she had to see atter feedin' de chillen. -She had a way of callin' 'em up. She holler, 'Tee, tee, t-e-e;' and all -us li'l niggers jis' come runnin'. Ol' marster he ride up and say, -'Forney, call up dem li'l pickaninnies,' and ol' Forney she lif' up her -voice and holler, 'Tee, t-e-e, t-e-e,' and ol' marster jis' set up on de -hoss and laugh and laugh a lot to see us come runnin' up. He like to -count how many li'l niggers he did have. Dat was fun for us too. I -'member dat jes' like yestiddy. - -"Nuttin' went hard wid me. Fur's I know 'bout slav'ry dem was good -times. - -"Dey had 'bout t'ree or fo' hundred of sheep. My father hafter kill a -mutton eb'ry Friday for de house. Dey bring up de sheep and somebody -hol' de head 'cross a block and my father cut de head off wid a hatchet. -Sheeps is de pitifullest t'ings to kill. Day jis' give up. And dey -cries, too. But a goat, he don' give up, naw suh, he talk' back to you -to de las'. - -"I 'member one time dey gwine to give a school feas', and dey gwine kill -a goat. Dey hang dat goat up to a tree by he hind legs so de blood dreen -good. Dey cut he t'roat, dat's de way dey gwine kill 'im. Dat goat seem -like he kep' on talkin' and sayin' 'Please, God, don' kill me' to de -las', but dat ain't done no good. Dat goat jis' beg to de las'. - -"My ol' marster he live in a big house. Oh, it was a palace. It had -eight or nine rooms. It was buil' outer logs, and moss and clay was -stuff' twixt de logs. Dere was boards on de outside and it was all coil' -nice on de inside. He lived in a mansion. - -"Dey was plenty rich. Ol' marster he had a ol' waitin' man all dress up -nice and clean. Now if you wanter talk to ol' marster you hafter call -for dat ol' waitin' man. He come and you tell him what you want and den -he go and tell ol' marster and den he say, 'Bring him in,' and den you -go in and see de ol' marster and talk your business, but you had to be -nice and hol' your hat under your arm. - -"Dey's big rich people. Sometime' dey have parties what las' a week. Dey -was havin' dere fun in dere way. Dey come in kerridges and hacks. - -"My father was de hostler and he hafter keep de hosses and see 'bout -feedin' 'em. Dey had a sep'rate li'l house for de saddles. Ol' marster -he kep' good hosses. He warn't mean. - -"He had a great big pasture and lots of times people go camp in it. You -see it was dis-away, de Yankees dey got rushin' de American people, dat -de Confed'rates, dey kep' comin' furder and furder wes', 'till dey come -to Texas and den dey can't go much furder. De Yankees kep' crowdin' 'em -and dey kep' on comin'. When dey camp in ol' marster' pasture, he give -'em co'n. I see 'em dribe a whole wagon load of co'n and dump it on de -groun' for dey hosses. De Yankees nebber come 'till de war close. Den -dey come all through dat country. Dat was destruction, it seem to me -like. Dey take what dey want. - -"When freedom come and de proclamation was read and de ol' marster tol' -'em dey was free and didn' have no ol' marster no mo' some of de slaves -cried. He tell 'em, 'I don't want none of you to leave. I'll give you -$8.00 a mont'.' All de ol' folks stay and help gadder dat crop. It sho' -griebe ol' marster and he didn' live long atter dey tek his slaves 'way -from him. Well, it jis' kill' him, dat's all. I 'members de Yankees on -dat day dey sot to read de proclamation. Dey was gwine 'roun' in dey -blue uniform' and a big long sword hangin' at dey side. Dat was -cur'osity to dem niggers. - -"When ol' marster want to go out, he call he li'l nigger serbent to go -tell my father what was de hostler, to saddle up de hoss and bring him -'roun'. Den ol marster git on him. He had t'ree steps, so he could jis' -go up dem steps and den his foot be right at de stirrup. My daddy hol' -de stirrup for him to put he other foot in it. - -"I was big 'nuff to run after him and ax him to gimme a dime. He laugh -and sometime he gimme de dime. Sometime he pitch it to me and I run and -grab it up and say, 'T'ankee, marster,' and he laugh and laugh. - -"Ol' mistus she had a reg'lar cook. Dat was my mudder's mudder. -Eb'ryt'ing had to be jis' so, and eb'ryt'ing nice and clean. - -"Dey didn' do no reg'lar wuk on Sunday. Eb'ry Sunday one of de other -wimmins hafter tek de place of de cook so she could git off. All of 'em -what could would git off and go to de chu'ch for de preachin'. Dem what -turn didn' come one Sunday, would go anudder 'till dey all got 'roun' to -go. - -"Marster had two or t'ree hundred head of cattle. My gran'father, -Guilford, had a mule and hoss of he own. Uncle Hank was his brudder, and -he had de sheep department to look attar. Sometime de niggers git a hoss -or a sheep over, den de marster buy 'im. Some of de niggers had a li'l -patch 'roun' dey cabin' and dey raise veg'table. Ol' marster he buy de -veg'table sometime. I didn' know what freedom was. I didn' know wedder I -needed it or not. Seem to me like it was better den dan now, 'cause I -gotter look out for myself now. - -"Us uster be on de watch-out for ol' marster. De fus' one see him comin' -lit out and open de gate for him to ride froo and ol' marster toss him a -nickle. - -"When it was time to eat, de ol' cook she holler out, 'T-e-e, t-e-e, -t-e-e-e' and all us li'l niggers come runnin'. She have a big tray and -each of us have a wessel and a spoon. She fill' us wessel and us go eat -and den us go back for mo'. Us git all us want. Dey give us supper befo' -de han's come in from de fiel' and what wid playin' 'roun' all day and -eatin' all us could hol' in de afternoon, twarn't long befo' us li'l -niggers ready to go to sleep. - -"One t'ing, ol' marster didn' want his niggers to run about. Sometime -dey want to go over to anudder plantation on Sunday. Den he give 'em a -pass iffen he willin' for 'em to go. Dey had patterrollers to ride from -plantation to see iffen dey was any strange niggers dere. - -"When dey wanter marry, de man he repo't to ol' marster. He want his -niggers to marry on his own plantation. He give 'em a nice li'l supper -and a big dance. Dey had some sort of license but ol' marster tek care -of dat. He had two sons what had farms and slaves of dere own. Ol' -marster didn' care if his slaves marry on his sons' farms. If any of de -slaves do mean, he mak 'em work on Sunday. He didn' b'leeb in beatin' -'em. - -"So many of 'em as could, usually go to de white folks chu'ch on Sunday -and hear de white preacher. Dey sit off to deyse'fs in de back of de -chu'ch. Dem what stay at home have a cullud preacher. Dey try to raise -'em up social. - -"Dey had a ol' woman to look after de babies when dey mammies was out in -de fiel'. Dey have a time sot for de mammies te come in and nuss de -babies. De ol' woman she had helpers. Dey had a big house and cradle' -for dem babies where de nuss tek care of 'em. - -"When anybody die dey have a fun'rel. All de han's knock off work to -'tend de fun'rel. Dey bury de dead in a ho'made coffin. - -"I nebber pay no 'tenshun to talk 'bout ghos'es. I nebber b'leeb in 'em. -But one time comin' from chu'ch my uncle' wife say, 'Ike, you eber see a -ghos'? Want to see one?' and I tell her 'I don't give a cent, yes I want -to see one.' She say, 'I show you a man dress' all in white what ain't -got no head, and you gwine feel a warm breeze.' After a while down de -hill by de graveyard she say, 'Dere he go.' I look' but I neber see -nuttin', but I feel de warm breeze. - -"I uster go to see a gal and I uster hafter pass right by a ol' -graveyard. It was all wall' up wid brick but one place dey had steps up -over de wall so when dey hafter bury a body two men kin walk up dem -steps side by side, and dat de way dey tek de corpse over. Well, when I -git to dem steps I hear sump'n'. Den I stop and I ain't hear nuttin'. -When I start walkin' ag'in I hear de noise ag'in. I look 'roun' and den -I see sump'n' white come up right dere where de steps go over de wall. I -had a stick in my han' and nex' time it come up I mek a rush at it and -hit it. It was jis' a great big ol' billy goat what got inside de wall -and was tryin' to git out. He get out jis' when I hit him and he lit out -froo de woods. Dat's de only ghos' I eber see and I's glad dat warn't no -ghos'. - -"Ol' marster he had twenty head of cows. Dey give plenty milk. Dey uster -git a cedar tub big as dat dere one full of milk. De milkers dey pack it -en dey head to de house. Us cow-pen boys had to go drive up de caffs. -Cow-pen boys? Cow-pen boys, dem de boys what keep away de caffs when dey -do de milkin'. Co'se, lots of times when dey froo milkin' us jump on 'em -and ride 'em. Wheneber dey ketch us doin' dat dey sho' wear us out. Dat -warn't yestiddy. - -"Fur as I's concern we had a plum good time in slav'ry. Many a year my -grampa raise a bale of cotton and marster buy it. Dat was encouragin' us -to be smart. - -"My daddy name' Edmond Wood and my ma name' Maria. I had a brudder and a -sister; dey name' Cass and Ann. I been a farmer all my life. I kep' on -farmin' 'till de boll weevil hit dese parts and den I quit de farm and -went to public work. I work in de woods and cut logs. I buy dis house. I -been here 'roun' Voth 'bout twenty-five year'. - -"I been marry twict. De fus' time I marry--I git so stinkin' ol' I can't -'member when it were, but it been a long ways back. My fus' wife, Mary -Johnson. She die' and den I marry dis yere woman I got yere now. Her -name been Rhoda McGowan when I marry her but she been marry befo'. Befo' -of us ol', ain't fit fer nuttin'. Us git pension' and dat what us live -on now, 'cause I too ol' to do any work no mo'. - -"Me and my fus' wife we had ten chillun. Dey's all dead but fo' and I -ain't sho' dey's all livin'. Las' I heerd of 'em one was in Houston, and -one in Chicago, and one in Kansas City, and one live here. I see him dis -mawnin'. - -"I heerd tell of de Klu Klux but I ain't neber seed 'em. I neber did go -to school needer. - -"I's a member of de C.M.E. Meth'dis' Chu'ch. When I uster could git -about I uster be a steward in de chu'ch. Den I was de treasurer of de -chu'ch here at Voth for some seben year'. I uster b'long to de U.B.F. -Lodge, too. - -"Back in slav'ry dey allus had a ol' darky to train de young ones and -teach 'em right from wrong. And dey'd whip you for doin' wrong. Dey'd -repo't to de overseer. Some of 'em was mean and repo't somebody dey -ain't like jis' to git 'em in trouble. De overseer he had to 'vestigate -'bout it and if it was so, somebody git a whippin'. Sometimes some folks -repo't sump'n' when it warn't true. - -"Ol' marster he was plum ind'pendant. His plantation was off from de -town. He uster had his mail brung to him. Fur's I kin 'member I didn' -had to look out for nuttin'. Dey had a time to call all de slaves up and -give 'em hats, and anudder time dey give 'em shoes, and anudder time dey -give 'em clo's. Dey see dat eb'rybody was fit. Ol' marster allus give -'em all some kinder present at Crismus. I dunno what all he give de ol' -folks but he give de chillun candy and de like. - -"I was allus tickle' to see ol' marster come 'roun'--Oh, good gracious, -yes. And it allus tickle' him to come 'roun' and see all his li'l -niggers. - -"One time Cap'n Fisher was 'sociated wid ol' marster, and him and -anudder man come 'long wid ol' marster up de road what run froo de -quarters. Dey wanter see de li'l niggers. Ol' marster call 'em up and -frow out a han'ful of dimes. It sho' tickle' 'em te see de li'l niggers -scramble for dem dimes, and us look' for dimes 'roun' dat place for a -week. Dat was enjoyment to de white folks dem days. - -"Marster was good to his niggers and none of 'em eber run away. My -mudder she raise ol' mistus' baby chile. She uster suckle him jis' like -he her own baby and he allus t'ink lots of her. After he a growed up man -he uster bring her presents lots of times. He call her 'mammy' all de -time. - -"He went off to de war. He los' he hearin' and got deef. Muster been de -noise from dem big cannons what done it. He got his big toe shot off in -de war, too. After de war was over he come home and git married. - -"Dat 'bout all dat I kin 'member 'cep'n' dat I vote' in de state and -other 'lections when I's twenty-one year' ol'." - - - - -James Martin - - -*James Martin, 311 Dawson St., San Antonio, Texas, is 90 years old. His -parents were Preston and Lizzie Martin and he was born in Alexandria, -Va. Uses little dialect.* - -"I was born in Virginia in 1847. My mother was a slave and my -grandfather was one of the early settlers in Virginia. He was born in -Jamaica and his master took him to England. When the English came to -Virginia, they brought us along as servants, but when they got here, -everybody had slaves, so we was slaves, too. My mother was born in the -West Indies. - -"A man named Martin brought my grandfather here and we took his name. -And when marster was ready to die, he made a will and it said the -youngest child in the slaves must be made free, so that was my father -and he was made free when he was 16. That left me and my brothers and -sisters all free, but all the rest of the family was slaves. - -"My mother was born a slave near Alexandria. The marster's daughter, -Miss Liza, read to my mother, so she got some learning. When my mother's -owner died he left her to Miss Liza, and then my father met my mother -and told her they should get married. My mother said to Miss Liza: 'I'd -like fine to marry Preston Martin.' Miss Liza says, 'You can't do that, -'cause he's a free nigger and your children would be free. You gotta -marry one of the slaves.' Then Miss Liza lines up 10 or 15 of the slave -men for my mother to pick from, but mother says she don' like any of -'em, she wants to marry Preston Martin. Miss Liza argues but my mother -is just stubborn, so Miss Liza says, 'I'll talk to the marster.' He -says, 'I can't lose property like that, and if you can raise $1,200 you -can buy yourse'f free.' So my mother and my father saves money and it -takes a long time, but one day they goes to the marster and lays down -the money, and they gits married. Marster don' like it, but he's -promised and he can't back out. - -"So me and my brothers and sisters is free. And we sees others sol' on -the auction block. They're put in stalls like pens for cattle and -there's a curtain, sometimes just a sheet in front of them, so the -bidders can't see the stock too soon. The overseer's standin' just -outside with a big black snake whip and a pepper box pistol in his hand. -Then they pulls the curtain up and the bidders crowds 'round. The -overseer tells the age of the slaves and what they can do. One bidder -takes a pair of white gloves they have and rubs his fingers over a man's -teeth, and he says, 'You say this buck's 20 years old, but there's cups -worn to his teeth. He's 40 years if he's a day. So they knock that buck -down for $1,000, 'cause they calls the men 'bucks' and the women -'wenches.' Then the overseer makes 'em walk across the platform, he -makes 'em hop, he makes 'em trot, he makes 'em jump. - -"When I'm old enough, I'm taught to be a saddler and when I'm 17 or 18 I -enlist in the Confed'rate Army. - -"Did they whip the slaves? Well, they jus' about half killed 'em. When -it was too rough, they slipped into Canada. - -"A marriage was a event. The bride and groom had to jump over a broom -handle. The boss man had a white preacher, sometimes, and there was -plenty good beef cornbread. But if the boss didn't care much, he jus' -lined 'em up and said, 'Mandy, that's your husband and, Rufus, that's -your wife.' - - -[Illustration: _James Martin_] - - -"After the war we were sent to Texas, the 9th U.S. Cavalry, under Capt. -Francis F. Dodge. I was at Fort Sill, Fort Davis, Fort Stockton and Fort -Clark. I was in two battles with Indians in the Guadalupe Mountains. I -served under Col. Shafter in 1871 and I got my discharge under Gen. -Merritt in 1872. Then I come to San Antonio. - -"I helped bring the first railroad here. The S.P. in them days only ran -near Seguin and I was a spiker and worked the whole distance. Then I -helped build the old railroad from Indianola to Cuero and then from -Cuero to Corpus, and Schleister, I think, and Cunningham were the -contractors. That was in 1873 and 1874. - -"I drove cattle for big outfits, and drove 2,000 or 3,000 head from -South Texas sometimes clean up to Dakota. I drove for John Lytle, -Brockhaus, Kieran and Bill Sutton. There wasn't no trails and no fences. -The Indians would come ask for meat and we knew if we didn't give it to -'em they'd stampede the cattle. - -"If I wasn't so old, I'd travel 'round again. I don't believe any man -can be educated who ain't traveled some." - - - - -Louise Mathews - - -*Louise Mathews, 83, is a sister of Scott Hooper. Her owner was the Rev. -Robert Turner. Louise married Henry Daggett when she was twenty, Jim -Byers when she was thirty-one and Bill Mathews when she was -thirty-three. She lives alone at 2718 Ennis Ave., Fort Worth, about a -block from Scott.* - -"Sho', I 'members dem slavery times, 'cause I's eleven when de break-up -come. Everybody call my massa Jedge Turner, but him am a Baptist -preacher and have de small farm and gen'ral store. My pappy and mammy -don't live together, 'cause pappy am own by Massa Jack Hooper. Massa -Turner done marry dem. Mostest de cullud folks jus' lives together by -'greement den, but massa have de cer'mony. - -"Us live in log cabins with de dirt floor and no windows, and sleep on -straw ticks. All de cookin' done in de eatin' shed but when pappy come -over twict de week, mammy cooks him de meal den. - -"Let me tell yous how de young'uns cared for. Massa give dem special -care, with de food and lots of clabber and milk and pot-liquor, and dey -all fat and healthy. - -"Massa am a preacher and a farmer and a saloonkeeper. He makes de -medicine with whiskey and cherry bark and rust offen nails. It mus' be -good, 'cause us all fat and sassy. Gosh for 'mighty. How I hates to take -dat medicine! He say to me, 'Take good care de young'uns, 'cause de old -ones gwine play out sometime, and I wants de young'uns to grow strong.' - -"Massa Turner wants de good day's work and us all give it to him. Every -Saturday night us git de pass if us wants to go to de party. Us have -parties and dancin' de quadrille and fiddles and banjoes. - -"On Sunday massa preach to us, 'cause he de preacher heself. He preach -to de white folks, too. - -"I 'member dat surrender day. He call us round him. I can see him now, -like I watches him come to de yard, with he hands clasp 'hind him and he -head bowed. I know what he says, 'I likes every one of you. You been -faithful but I has to give you up. I hates to do it, not 'cause I don't -want to free you, but 'cause I don't want to lose you all.' Us see de -tears in he eyes. - - -[Illustration: _Louise Mathews_] - - -"Mos' everybody leaves, and us go to pappy's place, den comes here in -1872, right here where us live now. My sister, Scott, she lives up de -street. It warn't no houses here den. - -"I gits married in 1874 to Henry Daggett and he dies in 1884. Den I -marries Jim Byers in 1885 and he am lazy and no 'count. He leaves on -Christmas Day in de mornin', and don't come back. Dat de only present he -ever give me! He am what you calls de buck passer. I does de washin' and -ironin' and he passes de bucks I makes. I marries Bill Mathews and he my -las' husband. He dies on May 15th, dis year. I has seven chillen and -four of dem am right in dis town. - -"I never votes but once, 'bout four years ago. I jus' don't care 'bout -it. Too much fustin' round for me. My husband allus voted de Lincoln -ticket. - -"I gits 'round and it won't be long 'fore I goes to de Lawd's restin' -place. My sister am 81 and I's 83, and she lives in de next block yonder -way. Us am de cons'lation to each other." - - - - -William Mathews - - -*William Mathews, 89, was born a slave on the Adams plantation, in -Franklin Parish, Louisiana. He was driver of the family carriage. After -William was freed he supported himself by hiring out as a field hand and -by making and selling baskets. Since 1931 he has lived with his -daughter, Sarah Colburn, at 812-1/2 41st St., Galveston, Texas.* - -"Course I can 'lect 'bout slavery. I is old and my eyesight am gone, but -I can still 'lect. I ain't never forgit it. - -"My massa, old Buck Adams, could out-mean de debbil heself. He sho' -hard--hard and sneaky as slippery ellum. Old Mary Adams, he wife, was -'most as hard as he was. Sometimes I used to wonder how dere chillen -ever stood 'em. Old Buck Adams brung my mammy and daddy from South -Car'lina to work in de fields and my daddy's name was Economy Mathews -and my mammy's name Phoebe. Simmons was her name 'fore she marry. I is -born on old Buck's place, on December 25th, in 1848. Dat plantation was -in Franklin Parish, somewhere round Monroe, in Louisiana. - -"Me and Bill Adams raised together. When he shoot a deer I run home like -greased lightnin' and git de hoss. Sometimes he'd shoot a big hawg and -I'd skin him. - -"When I got big 'nough I'd drive dere carriage. I was what dey calls de -'waitin' boy.' I sot in dat buggy and wait till dey come out of where -dey was, and den driv 'em off. I wasn't 'lowed to git out and visit -round with de other slaves. No, suh, I had to set dere and wait. - -"De slaves git out in de fields 'fore sun-up and work till black dark. -Den dey come home and have to feel dere way in de house, with no light. -My mammy and daddy field hands. My grandma was cook, and have to git in -de cook pot 'bout four o'clock to git breakfas' by daylight. Dey et by -candles or pine torches. One de black boys stand behin' 'em and hold it -while dey et. - -"De clothes we wore was made out of dyed 'lows.' Dat de stuff dey makes -sackin' out of. Summer time us go barefoot but winter time come, dey -give you shoes with heels on 'em big as biscuits. - -"De quarters is back of de big house and didn't have no floors. Dey sot -plumb on de ground and build like a hawg pen. Dey cut down timber and -stake it up at de corners and fill it in with timber with de bark on it. -Dere was split log houses and round log houses and all sech like dat. -Dey have only fifty slaves on dat place, and it a big place, big 'nough -for a hundred. But what dey do? Dey take de good slaves and sell 'em. -Dat what dey do. Den dey make de ones what am left do all de work. Sell, -sell, all de time, and never buy nobody. Dat was dem. - -"Every Sat'day evenin' us go to de pitcher poke. Dat what dey calls it -when dey issues de rations. You go to de smokehouse and dey weigh out -some big, thick rounds of white pork meat and give it to you. De syrup -weighed out. De meal weighed out. Dey never give us no sugar or coffee. -You want coffee, you put de skillet on de fire and put de meal in it and -parch it till it most black, and put water on it. Mammy make salt water -bread out of a li'l flour and salt and water. - -"Sometimes, dey make de slaves go to church. De white folks sot up fine -in dere carriage and drive up to de door and git de slaves out of one -cabin, den git de slaves out of de nex' cabin, and keep it up till dey -gits dem all. Den all de slaves walks front de carriage till dey gits to -church. De slaves sit outside under de shade trees. If de preacher talk -real loud, you can hear him out de window. - -"If a cullud man take de notion to preach, he couldn't preach 'bout de -Gospel. Dey didn't 'low him do dat. All he could preach 'bout was obey -de massa, obey de overseer, obey dis, obey dat. Dey didn't make no -passel of fuss 'bout prayin' den. Sometimes dey have prayin' meetin' in -a cabin at night. Each one bring de pot and put dere head in it to keep -de echoes from gittin' back. Den dey pray in de pot. Dat de Gawd's -truth! - -"Like I done said, massa sol' de good slaves in Monroe. Nobody marry in -dem days. A gal go out and take de notion for some buck and dey make de -'greement to live together. Course, if a unhealthy buck take up with a -portly gal, de white folks sep'rate 'em. If a man a big, stout man, good -breed, dey gives him four, five women. - -"Sometimes dey run 'way. It ain't done dem no good, for de dawgs am put -on dey trail. If you climb de tree, dem dogs hold you dere till de white -folks comes, and den dey let de dogs git you. Sometimes de dogs tore all -dey clothes off, and dey ain't got nary a rag on 'em when dey git home. -If dey run in de stream of water, de dogs gits after 'em and drowns 'em. -Den Nick, de overseer, he whop 'em. He drive down four stakes for de -feets and hands and tie 'em up. Den he whop 'em from head to feets. De -whip make out a hide, cut in strips, with holes punch in 'em. When dey -hits de skin it make blisters. - -"All kind of war talk floatin' round 'fore de Yankees come. Some say de -Yankees fight for freedom and some say dey'll kill all de slaves. Seems -like it must have been in de middle of de war dat de Yankees come by. We -hears somebody holler for us to come out one night and seed de place on -fire. Time we git out dere, de Yankees gone. We fit de fire but we had -to tote water in buckets, and de fire burn up de gin house full of -cotton and de cotton house, too, and de corn crib. - -"De Yankees allus come through at night and done what dey gwine to do, -and den wait for more night 'fore dey go 'bout dere business. Only one -time dey come in daylight, and some de slaves jine dem and go to war. - -"All de talk 'bout freedom git so bad on de plantation de massa make me -put de men in a big wagon and drive 'em to Winfield. He say in Texas -dere never be no freedom. I driv 'em fast till night and it take 'bout -two days. But dey come back home, but massa say if he cotch any of 'em -he gwine shoot 'em. Dey hang round de woods and dodge round and round -till de freedom man come by. - -"We went right on workin' after freedom. Old Buck Adams wouldn't let us -go. It was way after freedom dat de freedom man come and read de paper, -and tell us not to work no more 'less us git pay for it. When he gone, -old Mary Adams, she come out. I 'lect what she say as if I jes' hear her -say it. She say, 'Ten years from today I'll have you all back 'gain.' -Dat ten years been over a mighty long time and she ain't git us back yit -and she dead and gone. - -"Dey makes us git right off de place, jes' like you take a old hoss and -turn it loose. Dat how us was. No money, no nothin'. I git a job workin' -for a white man on he farm, but he couldn't pay much. He didn't have -nothin'. He give me jes' 'nough to git a peck or two of meal and a li'l -syrup. - -"I allus works in de fields and makes baskets, big old cotton baskets -and bow baskets make out of white oak. I work down de oak to make de -splits and make de bow basket to tote de lunch. Den I make trays and mix -bowls. I go out and cut down de big poplar and bust off de big block and -sit down 'straddle, and holler it out big as I wants it, and make de -bread tray. I make collars for hosses and ox whops and quirts out of -beef hide. But I looses my eyesight a couple years back and I can't do -nothin' no more. My gal takes care of me. - -"I come here in 1931. Dat de first time I'm out of Franklin Parish. I -allus git along some way till I'm blind. My gal am good to me, but de -days am passin' and soon I'll be gone, too." - - - - -Hiram Mayes - - -*Hiram Mayes thinks he was born in 1862, a slave of Tom Edgar, who owned -a plantation in Double Bayou, Texas. Hiram lives with two daughters in a -rambling farmhouse near Beaumont, less than three miles from his -birthplace on the old Edgar homestead near the Iron Bridge. For thirty -years Hiram has served as Worshipful Master of the Masonic Lodge (Negro) -in the vicinity. Native intelligence gleams in his deep-set eyes, but -his speech shows that he received little schooling.* - -"De fust thing I 'members back in slavery time was gittin' in de -master's strawberry patch. He's right proud of dat patch and git after -us plenty. Dey was li'l Tim Edgar, dat de white boy, and me. Tim, he -still livin' down in Wallisville. Old master he cut us both a couple -times for thiefin' he strawberries, jes' give us a bresh or two to skeer -us. Dat de onlies' time he ever did whip me and you couldn' hardly call -that a whippin'. - -"Old man Tom Edgar was my master and de old Edgar place was down below -where Jackson's store is and 'bout two mile from where I lives now. Some -de brick from dat house still standin' dere in de woods. - -"My mama name Mary and Dolf Mayes my papa, and I's borned 'bout 1862, I -guess, 'cause I wasn't very big when freedom come. I did most my playin' -with young master, Tim, him and me 'bout de same age. - -"Old master was sho' good to he slaves and dey ain't never have no cruel -overseer nor no lot of whippin' like some masters did. Mama work in de -white folks' house and done de cookin' in de big kitchen. De big house -was a big, low place with galleries 'round it. Mama tie me to a chair -leg on de gallery to keep me from runnin' off to de bayou. Dey 'fraid of -alligators. Dem 'gators never did eat no cullud chillen 'round us place, -but dey allus 'fraid day would. Dey sich big snakes in de woods, too, -dey skeered of dem. - -"De cullud folks all have li'l brick cabin quarters and dey have a -brickyard right near de place what a white man own and he make de bricks -what dey calls Cedar Bayou brick 'count of de mud being diff'rent. I's -born in one dem li'l brick houses. I don't 'member none my grandfolks -'cept my papa's mama, call Martha Godfry. She come from Virginny, and -'long to de Mayes where my papa born. - -"I never did bother with Sunday School much, me. Dey one on de bayou and -a white lady, Miss Joseph, am de teacher. Dey wasn't no school but after -I git free I go to school on de edge of de woods. Dey have teacher name -Runnells and a old blue-back speller to larn out of. - -"After us freed my papa move up de prairie a ways and hire out to ride -de range. Dey done larn me to ride when I 'bout five, six year old and I -rid with de old man. Dat ridin' business was jes' my job. My daddy never -did like to settle down and farm, but druther ride de range for four -bits or six bits de day. De old master done give us nothin', jes' turn -us adrift, but he didn't have much and everybody jes' have to shift for -demselves dem days. Us git 'long all right makin' money with de -cattlemen. - -"De prairie lands a good place to git things to eat and us see plenty -deers, sometime eight or ten in de bunch. Dey lots of wolves roamin' -'round lookin' for stray cows. Dat when de whip come in handy, to knock -dem on de head. Never hear tell of but one bear, and us cotch him on Gum -Island and kill him. You know dem funny lookin', horny things dey calls -armadillos? Dey been immigrate here 'bout ten year ago. Dey come from -somewhere but us ain't knowed why. Dey never was none here in slavery -time but plenty horny frogs and 'gators. - -"I marry 51 year ago to Wilina Day and I's still marry to her. Us marry -in her brudder's house with jes' homefolks. Dey's nine chillen and eight -still livin' and most dem farmers, 'cept two boys in de reg'lar army. -Dey am Dolf and Robert. Oscar runs de fillin' station at Double Bayou. -Oscar was in France in de World War. I has two my gals with me here and -two grandchillen. - -"I rode de range till 'bout 20 year ago and den I start gittin' purty -old, so I settles down to farmin'. Dey charter a Masonic lodge here in -1906, I 'lieve it were number naught six, and dey put me up for -Worshipful Master of de bunch. After dey vouch for me I git de chair and -I been sittin' in de east for 30 year." - - - - -Susan Merritt - - -*Susan Merritt, 87, was born in Rusk Co., Texas, a slave of Andrew Watt. -A year after she was freed, Susan moved with her parents to Harrison -Co., and stayed on their farm until she married Will Merritt. They -reared fifteen children. Susan has little to say of her life from 1865 -to the present, stating that they got along on the farm they worked on -shares. Since her husband's death Susan lives with a son, Willie, west -of Marshall, Texas, on the Hynson Springs Road.* - -"I couldn't tell how old I is, but does you think I'd ever forgit them -slave days? I 'lieve I's 'bout 87 or more, 'cause I's a good size gal -spinnin all the thread for the white folks when they lets us loose after -surrender. - -"I's born right down in Rusk County, not a long way from Henderson, and -Massa Andrew Watt am my owner. My pappy, Bob Rollins, he come from North -Carolina and belonged to Dave Blakely and mammy come from Mississippi. -Mammy have eleven of us chillen but four dies when they babies, but -Albert, Hob, John, Emma, Anna, Lula and me lives to be growed and -married. - -"Massa Watt lived in a big log house what sot on a hill so you could see -it 'round for miles, and us lived over in the field in little log huts, -all huddled along together. They have home-made beds nailed to the wall -and baling sack mattresses, and us call them bunks. Us never had no -money but plenty clothes and grub and wear the same clothes all the year -'round. Massa Watt made our shoes for winter hisself and he made -furniture and saddles and harness and run a grist mill and a whiskey -still there on the place. That man had ev'ything. - -"The hands was woke with the big bell and when massa pulls that bell -rope the niggers falls out them bunks like rain fallin'. They was in -that field 'fore day and stay till dusk dark. They work slap up till -Saturday night and then washes their clothes, and sometimes they gits -through and has time for the party and plays ring plays. I 'member part -the words to one play and that, 'Rolling river, roll on, the old cow die -in cold water ... now we's got to drink bad water 'cause old cow die in -cold water,' but I can't 'member more'n that. It's too long ago. - -"When the hands come in from the field at dusk dark, they has to tote -water from the spring and cook and eat and be in bed when that old bell -rings at nine o'clock. 'Bout dusk they calls the chillen and gives 'em a -piece of corn pone 'bout size my hand and a tin cup milk and puts them -to bed, but the growed folks et fat pork and greens and beans and sich -like and have plenty milk. Ev'ry Sunday massa give 'em some flour and -butter and a chicken. Lots of niggers caught a good cowhiding for -slippin' 'round and stealin' a chicken 'fore Sunday. - -"Massa Watt didn't have no overseer, but he have a nigger driver what am -jus' as bad. He carry a long whip 'round the neck and I's seed him tie -niggers to a tree and cowhide 'em till the blood run down onto the -ground. Sometimes the women gits slothful and not able to do their part -but they makes 'em do it anyway. They digs a hole, 'bout body deep, and -makes them women lie face down in it and beats 'em nearly to death. That -nigger driver beat the chillen for not keepin' their cotton row up with -the lead man. Sometimes he made niggers drag long chains while they -works in the field and some of 'em run off, but they oughtn't to have -done it, 'cause they chase 'em with hounds and nearly kilt 'em. - -"Lots of times Massa Watt give us a pass to go over to George Petro's -place or Dick Gregg's place. Massa Petro run a slave market and he have -big, high scaffold with steps where he sells slaves. They was stripped -off to the waist to show their strengt'. - -"Our white folks have a church and a place for us in the back. Sometimes -at night us gather 'round the fireplace and pray and sing and cry, but -us daren't 'low our white folks know it. Thank the Lawd us can worship -where us wants nowadays. I 'member one song we allus sing: - - "'I heard the voice of Jesus callin' - Come unto me and live - Lie, lie down, weepin' one - Res' they head on my breast. - - "'I come to Jesus as I was - Weary and lone and tired and sad, - I finds in him a restin' place, - And he has made me glad.' - -"Us have two white doctors call Dr. Dan and Dr. Gill Shaw, what wait on -us when we real sick. Us wore asafoetida bags 'round the neck and it -kep' off sickness. - -"I stay mos' the time in the big house and massa good but missy am the -devil. I couldn't tell you how I treated. Lots of times she tie me to a -stob in the yard and cowhide me till she give out, then she go and rest -and come back and beat me some more. You see, I's massa nigger and she -have her own niggers what come on her side and she never did like me. -She stomp and beat me nearly to death and they have to grease my back -where she cowhide me and I's sick with fever for a week. If I have a -dollar for ev'ry cowhidin' I git, I'd never have to work no more. - - -[Illustration: _Susan Merritt_] - - -"Young missy Betty like me and try larn me readin' and writin' and she -slip to my room and have me doin' right good. I larn the alphabet. But -one day Missy Jane cotch her schoolin' me and she say, 'Niggers don't -need to know anything,' and she lams me over the head with the butt of a -cowhide whip. That white woman so rough, one day us makin' soap and some -little chickens gits in the fire 'round the pot and she say I let 'em do -it and make me walk barefoot through that bed of coals sev'ral times. - -"I hears 'bout freedom in September and they's pickin' cotton and a -white man rides up to massa's house on a big, white hoss and the -houseboy tell massa a man want see him and he hollers, 'Light, -stranger.' It a gov'ment man and he have the big book and a bunch papers -and say why ain't massa turn the niggers loose. Massa say he tryin' git -the crop out and he tell massa have the slaves in. Uncle Steven blows -the cow horn what they use to call to eat and all the niggers come -runnin', 'cause that horn mean, 'Come to the big house, quick.' That man -reads the paper tellin' us we's free, but massa make us work sev'ral -months after that. He say we git 20 acres land and a mule but we didn't -git it. - -"Lots of niggers was kilt after freedom, 'cause the slaves in Harrison -County turn loose right at freedom and them in Rusk County wasn't. But -they hears 'bout it and runs away to freedom in Harrison County and they -owners have 'em bushwhacked, that shot down. You could see lots of -niggers hangin' to trees in Sabine bottom right after freedom, 'cause -they catch 'em swimmin' 'cross Sabine River and shoot 'em. They sho' am -goin' be lots of soul cry 'gainst 'em in Judgment!" - - - - -Josh Miles - - -*Josh Miles, 78, was born in Richmond, Virginia, a slave of the Miles -family. In 1862 Mr. Miles brought his family and slaves to Franklin, -Texas. After he was freed, Josh worked for the railroad until he was -laid off because of old age. He lives in Mart, Texas.* - -"I was born in Richmond, in Virginny, back in 1859, and my mammy and -pappy was slaves to a man named Miles, what lived in Richmond but owned -three plantations out a few miles, and 'bout fifteen hundred niggers. -Pappy was de fam'ly coachman and druv de li'l surrey when Massa gwine -see he plantations. On Sunday he druv de big coach to church. De Old -Massa wear de big stove-pipe hat and de long-skirt coat and he big -boots. Pappy, he wear de tall hat with de blue uniform with brass -buttons, and black, shiny boots. He have de long horsewhip to crack at -dem hosses--he drive four or six hosses, 'cause dat coach am big and -heavy and de roads am often muddy. - -"Massa allus went to de big fairs in Louisville and Richmond, where de -big hoss races am. Dey name de hosses for Abe Lincoln and Steve Douglas, -in 1860. De bettin' song what dey sings am like dis: - - "'Dere's a old plow hoss, whose name am Doug, doo, dah, - doo-dah-- - He's short and thick, a reg'lar plug, oh, doo, dah, doo-dah, - doo-- - We're born to work all night, we're born to work all day, - I'll bet my money on de Lincoln hoss, who bets on Steven A?' - -"Well, dat de way us lives jes' befo' de war. When de presidents calls -for volunteers, Virginny goes for de Rebels, and dey moves de capitol to -Richmond. So Old Massa sees he'll be right in de thick of de war and he -'cides to come to Texas. He gits he slaves and he folks and hosses and -cattle and he household things in de covered wagon and starts. Course, -de hosses and cattle walks, and so does us niggers. But massa take he -time and stops wherever he wants. It takes two years to make de trip. He -stay de whole winter one place, and stops in Nashville and Memphis and -Vicksburg. All dese places he trade de hosses and mules and oxen and -niggers and everything else he have. But he wouldn't trade he pers'nal -slaves. Dey have de big warehouse in places like Memphis, and take de -nigger de day befo' de sale and give him plenty to eat to make him look -in good humor. Dey chain him up de night befo' de sale, and iffen he am -de fightin' nigger, dey handcuffs him. De auctioneer say, 'Dis nigger am -eighteen year old, sound as de dollar, can pick 300 pounds of cotton a -day, good disposition, easy to manage, come up 'xamine him.' Dey strips -him to de waist and everybody look him over and de good ones brung -$1,500 sometimes. I seed de old mammy and her two boys and gals sold. -One man buys de boys and old mammy cry, but it don't do no good. 'Nother -man bids de two gals and mammy throw such a fit her old massa throws her -in, 'cause she too old to be much 'count. - -"De siege of Vicksburg 'gins jus' after old massa done left there, on he -way to Texas. He friends tell him all 'bout it. Coffee was $4.00 de -pound, tea $18.00, butter to $2.00 de pound, corn $15.00 de bar'l, -calico $1.75 de yard and muslin 'bout $7.00 de yard. De Rebels holds de -city long as they could. De bluff over de city have de caves in it and -dey's rented for high rent. Flour am $10.00 de pound and bacon $5.00. -Dey eats mule meat, and dey give it de French name, 'Mule tongue cold, a -la bray.' - -"We keep's up with what happen and after de war dey tells us 'bout -Richmond. De lab'tory am blowed up Friday, and de Stuart home burnt. -Befo' Richmond am taken, dey sings dis song: - - "Would you like to hear my song? - I'm 'fraid its rather long-- - Of de 'On to Richmond,' double trouble, - Of de half a dozen trips - And de half a dozen slips, - And de latest bustin' of de bubble. - - "'Pull off you coat and roll up you sleeve, - For Richmond am a hard road to travel-- - Then pull off you coat and roll up you sleeve. - For Richmond am a hard road to travel.' - -"Dey sung dat song to de old tune call 'Old Rosin de Beau.' - - -[Illustration: _Josh Miles_] - - -"De war ends and in de few months old massa sot he slaves free. He give -my pappy some money and he starts out for heself. He goes to Milligan -and rents land and raises he fam'ly. Old Massa never goes back to -Richmond. De Yanks gits what he left so dey no use gwine back dere. He -lives in Franklin till 1914. It ain't like Old Virginny, but dey's -plenty wild game and hawgs and he raises a bale of cotton to de acre, so -he have money once more. - -"Dey's folks comin' to Texas all de time from de old states. It am de -new world and dey likes it. Dey has de Juneteenth cel'brations after -'while, and de white folks gives us beeves and hawgs to barbecue, so -Texas am de good place to stay. - -"When I's 'bout growed, I starts workin' on de I. & G.N. railroad and -helps build it from Houston into Waco. I works for it for years and -years, and allus lives near de Brazos River. I's lived here in Mart -forty years. - -"I doesn't have de bitter mem'ries like some de niggers. 'Cause Old -Massa allus good to us. I's had de good life and am 'bout ready to go to -Hebben, and hopes I can see Old Massa dere." - - - - -Anna Miller - - -*Anna Miller, 85, lives with her daughter, Lucy Watkins, at 407 W. Bluff -St., Ft. Worth, Texas. She was born a slave in Kentucky, and was sold, -with her parents, to Mark Loyed, a farmer in Missouri. He later sold -Anna's mother, before Anna was old enough to remember her. When Anna was -8, her owner moved to Palo Pinto, Texas.* - -"I'se now 'bout 85 years ole, dat's what de white folks tells me. I'se -bo'n in Kentuck'. My mammy, pappy and I'se sold by our fust marster to -Marster Mark Loyed, who lived in Missouri. He takes us to him's farm. -When I'se 'bout eight years ole, Marster Loyed sold him's farm and comes -to Texas in covered wagons and oxen. He's brung all de slaves wid him. -I'se don' 'member much 'bout de trip, cause I'se sick wid de fever. I'se -so bad, de marster thinks I'se goin' to die. One mornin' he comes and -looks at me and says, 'Dis nigger am too val'able to die. We'd better -doctor her.' We camps for six days. - -"We comes to Palo Pinto and dat's wild country den. Plenty of Indians, -but dey never trouble we'uns. My work, 'twas helpin' wid de chores and -pick up de brush whar my pappy was a-clearin' de land. When I gits -bigger, I'se plowed, hoed, and done all de goin' to de mill. I'se helps -card, spins and cuts de thread. We'uns makes all de cloth for to makes -de clothes, but we don' git 'em. In de winter we mos' freeze to death. -De weavin' was de night work, after workin' all de day in de fiel'. - -"Dey sho whups us. I'se gits whupped lots a times. Marster whups de men -and missus whups de women. Sometimes she whups wid de nettleweed. When -she uses dat, de licks ain't so bad, but de stingin' and de burnin' -after am sho' misery. Dat jus' plum runs me crazy. De mens use de rope -when dey whups. - -"'Bout eatin', we keeps full on what we gits, such as beans, co'nmeal -and 'lasses. We seldom gits meat. White flour, we don' know what dat -taste like. Jus' know what it looks like. We gits 'bout all de milk we -wants, 'cause dey puts it in de trough and we helps ourselves. Dere was -a trough for de niggers and one for de hawgs. - -"Jus' 'bout a month befo' freedom, my sis and nigger Horace runs off. -Dey don' go far, and stays in de dugout. Ev'ry night dey'd sneak in and -git 'lasses and milk and what food dey could. My sis had a baby and she -nuss it ev'ry night when she comes. Dey runs off to keep from gettin' a -whuppin'. De marster was mad 'cause dey lets a mule cut hisself wid de -plow. Sis says de bee stung de mule and he gits unruly and tangle in de -plow. Marster says, 'Dey can' go far and will come back when dey gits -hongry.' - -"I'se don' know much 'bout de war. De white folks don' talk to us 'bout -de war and we'uns don' go to preachin' or nothin', so we can't larn -much. When freedom comes, marster says to us niggers, 'All dat wants to -go, git now. You has nothin'.' And he turns dem away, nothin' on 'cept -ole rags. 'Twarn't enough to cover dere body. No hat, no shoes, no -unnerwear. - -"My pappy and mos' de niggers goes, but I'se have to stay till my pappy -finds a place for me. He tells me dat he'll come for me. I'se have to -wait over two years. De marster gets worser in de disposition and goes -'roun' sort of talkin' to hisse'f and den he gits to cussin' ev'rybody. - -"In 'bout a year after freedom, Marster Loyed moves from Palo Pinto to -Fort Worth. He says he don' want to live in a country whar de niggers am -free. He kills hisse'f 'bout a year after dey moves. After dat, I'se -sho' glad when pappy comes for me. He had settled at Azle on a rented -farm and I'se lives wid him for 'bout ten years. Den I'se goes and stays -wid my brudder on Ash Creek. De three of us rents land and us runs dat -farm. - -"I'se git married 'bout four years after I'se goes to Ash Creek, to Bell -Johnson. We had four chillen. He works for white folks. 'Bout nine years -after we married my husban' gits drowned and den I works for white folks -and cares for my chillen for fo'teen years. Then I'se gits married -again. I'se married Fred Miller, a cook, and we lived in Fort Worth. In -1915 he goes 'way to cook for de road 'struction camp and dats de las' -I'se hears of dat no 'count nigger! - -"Lots of difference when freedom comes. Mos' de time after, I'se have -what I wants to eat. Sometime 'twas a little hard to git, but we gits -on. I'se goes to preachin' and has music and visit wid de folks I'se -like. But Marster Loyed makes us work from daylight to dark in de fiel's -and make cloth at night." - - - - -Mintie Maria Miller - - -*Mintie Maria Miller, 1404 39th St., Galveston, Texas, was born in -Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in 1852. She has forgotten her first master's name, -but was sold while very young to Dr. Massie, of Lynchburg, Texas. The -journey to Texas took three months by ox-cart. After the Civil War -Mintie went to Houston and stayed with an old colored woman whose former -master had given her a house. Later she went to Galveston, where she has -worked for one family 24 years.* - -"I was born in Alabama in 1852, in Tuscaloosa and my mammy's name was -Hannah, but I don't know my pappy's name. When I was still pretty little -my brother and uncle and aunt and mother was sold and me with 'em. - -"Dr. Massie brung us to Texas in an ox-cart but my sister had to stay -with the old mistress and that the last I ever seen my sister. She was -four year old then. - -"After we reaches Texas we lives on a great big place, somewhere 'round -Lynchburg and Dr. Massie have two girls and I sleeps on the foot of they -bed. They nice to me, they spoil me, in fac'. I plays with the white -gals and they feeds me from they tables and in the evenin' my mammy -takes me down to de bayou and wash my face and put me on a clean dress. - -"My mammy cook for the white folks and they treats us both fine, but one -gal I knowed was 'bout 8 or 9 and she run away from her master and swim -de Trinity River and it was winter and her feets freezes. He cotches dis -gal and puts her feets in the fire to thaw 'em, and burnt 'em. The law -say you could take slaves 'way from sich a man, so Dr. Frost takes her -away from that man and gives her to Miss Nancy what was de mistress at -Dr. Massie's place. - -"Then they says they gwine sell me, 'cause Miss Nancy's father-in-law -dies and they got rid of some of us. She didn't want to sell me so she -tell me to be sassy and no one would buy me. They takes me to Houston -and to the market and a man call George Fraser sells the slaves. The -market was a open house, more like a shed. We all stands to one side -till our turn comes. They wasn't nothin' else you could do. - -"They stands me up on a block of wood and a man bid me in. I felt mad. -You see I was young then, too young to know better. I don't know what -they sold me for, but the man what bought me made me open my mouth while -he looks at my teeth. They done all us that-a-way, sells us like you -sell a hoss. Then my old master bids me goodby and tries to give me a -dog, but I 'members what Miss Nancy done say and I sassed him and -slapped the dog out of his hand. So the man what bought me say, 'When -one o'clock come you got to sell her 'gain, she's sassy. If she done me -that way I'd kill her.' So they sells me twice the same day. They was -two sellin's that day. - -"My new master, Tom Johnson, lives in Lynchburg and owns the river boat -there, and has a little place, 'bout one acre, on the bayou. Then the -war comes and jes' 'fore war come to Galveston they took all the -steamships in the Buffalo Bayou and took the cabins off and made ships. -They put cotton bales 'round them and builded 'em up high with the -cotton, to cotch the cannonballs. Two of 'em was the Island City, and -the Neptune. - -"Then freedom cries and the master say we all free and I goes to Houston -with my mammy. We stays with a old colored woman what has a house her -old master done give her and I finishes growin' there and works some. -But then I comes to Galveston and hired out here and I been workin' for -these white folks 24 year now." - - - - -Tom Mills - - -*Tom Mills was born in Fayette Co., Alabama, in 1858, a slave of George -Patterson, who owned Tom's father and mother. In 1862 George Patterson -moved to Texas, bringing Tom and his mother, but not his father. After -they were freed, it was difficult for Tom's mother to earn a living and -they had a hard time for several years, until Tom was old enough to go -to work on a ranch, as a cow-hand. In 1892 Tom undertook stock farming, -finally settling in Uvalde in 1919. He now lives in a four-room house he -built himself. A peach orchard and a grape arbor shade the west side of -the house and well-fed cows are in the little pasture. Tom is contented -and optimistic and says he can "do a lot of work yet."* - -"I was born in Alabama, in Fayette Co., in 1858. My mother was named -Emaline Riley and my father was named Thad Mills. My sisters were named -Ella and Ann and Lou and Maggie and Matildy, and the youngest one was -Easter. I had two brothers, Richard and Ben. Bob Lebruc was my -great-uncle and for a long while he ran a freight wagon from Salt Lakes -to this country. That was the only way of getting salt to Texas, this -part of Texas, I mean, because Salt Lakes is down east of Corpus, close -to the bay. My uncle was finally killed by the Indians in Frio County. - -"In Alabama we lived on Patterson's place. The grandmother of all these -Pattersons was Betsy Patterson and we lived on her estate. My mother -wove the cloth. It kep' her pretty busy, but she was stout and active. -My uncle was blacksmith and made all the plows, too. - -"We had a picket house, one room, and two beds built in corners. - -"My mother done the cookin' up at the house because she was workin' up -there all the time, weavin' cloth, and of course we ate up there. The -rest of 'em didn't like it much because we ate up there, but her work -was there. I guess you never did see a loom? It used to keep me pretty -busy fillin' quills. She made this cloth--this four-dollar-a-yard, -four-leaf jean cloth, all wool, of course. - -"I was too little to work durin' the war; of course we packed a little -water and got a little wood. I was goin' to tell you about this scar on -my finger. I was holdin' a stick for another little fellow to cut wood -and he nearly cut my finger off. That sure woke me up. - -"They had field work on the place, but a family by the name of Knowles -did the farm work. I worked stock nearly all my life. It used to be all -the work there was. I think my mother was allowed to make a little money -on this cloth business. That is, cloth she made on the outside. And she -was the only one of the slaves that could read. I don't know that they -cared anything about her readin', but they didn't want her to read it to -the rest of 'em. I never earned no money; I was too little. - -"We called Old Man Patterson 'master' and we called Mrs. Patterson -'mistuss'. - -"I don't know what the other slaves had to eat--they cooked for -themselves, but we had jes' what the Pattersons had to eat. On Sunday -mornin' we had flour bread. Always glad to see Sunday mornin' come. We -made the co'n meal right on the place on these old hand mills that you -turn with both hands like this. When the co'n jes' fust began to get -ha'd, they would grate that; but when it got ha'd, they would grind it. -We always had meat the year 'round. We called hogshead cheese 'souse'. -But we never did make sausage then. It was a long time before we had a -sausage mill. Oh, sho' we made 'chittlin's' (chitterlings). We make them -even now. Why mama always takes the paunch and fixes it up ever' time we -kill hogs. We dried beef, strung it out, and put it on the line. When we -got ready to cook it, we'd take it and beat it and make hash and fry it -or boil it. We had lots of deer and turkeys, quail and 'possums, but -they never did do much eatin' rabbits. I didn't eat no 'possums and I -didn't eat no honey; there was sever'l things I didn't like. I like -straight beef, turkeys, quail and squirrel is mighty fine eatin'. I set -traps and would ketch quail. Armadillos are pretty good meat, but we -didn't eat 'em then. Why, I was grown before I ever saw an armadillo. I -don't know where they immigrated from. Yes'm, I think they come from -Mexico; they must surely have because they wasn't any here when I was a -young boy. We used to see 'em in shows before they ever got to be around -here. - -"I wore a shirt that hit me down about my knees. When my mother made my -pants, she made 'em all in one piece, sleeves 'n all. The fust shoes I -ever had, my uncle tanned the leather and made 'em. I guess I was about -six years old. He made the pegs, tanned the leather, and made the shoes. -It taken 18 months to tan the leather. Bark tanned. Huh, I c'n smell -that old tannin' vat now. People nowadays, they're livin' too easy. -'Fraid to let a drop of water fall on 'em. - -"Ever' day was Sunday with me then. After we got up any size, they put -us to work, but we didn't work on Sunday. After I got to be a cowboy, of -course, they didn't have no Sunday then. - -"I was twenty-two when I fust married. It was in Medina County. Her name -was Ada Coston. She had on a white dress, draggin' the groun' in the -back, what you used to call these trains. I remember when they wore -these hoops, too. We married about 7 o'clock in the evenin'. I had on -one of these frock-tail coats, black broadcloth suit. I had on good -shop-made shoes. We had better shoes then than we ever have now. We had -a supper and then danced. Had a big weddin' cake--great big white one, -had a hole in the center, all iced all over. I think my auntie made that -cake, or my cousin. We had coffee, but I never did drink whiskey in my -life. I think they had chickens--if I remember right, chicken and -dressin'. Had a whole lot better to eat then than I can get now. We -danced all night. I was at a weddin' where they danced three days and -nights, and I tell you where it was. Have you been down to Old Bill -Thomas'? You have? Well, that was where it took place. Bill and Ellen -married when I was about twelve years old, and I think they danced three -days and nights, and maybe longer. Now, if they didn't tell you that, I -could'a told you if I had been there. We danced these old square dances, -what you call the Virginia Reel, and the round dances like the -Schottische, Polka, waltzes, and all them. I was a dancin' fool, wanted -to dance all the time. I inherited that from my mother. She was a -terrible dancer. - -"Old Man George Patterson was a very tall and a dark complected man. He -was a kind old man. He was good to my mother and all those that come -from Alabama. The old mistuss would whip me, but he didn't. The -grandchillun and I could fight all over the house; he would jes' get out -of the way. But she would get on us once in awhile. The worst whippin' -she ever give me was about some sheep. They had a cane patch down close -to the sheep pen and I went down there and got me some cane and stripped -it off and I was runnin' 'round down there whippin' the sheep with that -stalk of cane and she found me down there and took me to the house and -learned me better. They never did whip my mother. I know they whipped -two others. Two was all I ever knew of 'em whippin'. Dillard, he married -the oldest Patterson girl, and my uncle, he borrowed an auger from Mr. -Dillard to make a frame. When dinner time came, he laid it down and went -to his dinner. When he got back, this bit was broken and he went and -tells him (Dillard) and they came down to make a search about who had -used it. They found that another colored man got it and used it to bore -some holes with and broke it, so he took it back and laid it down and -never said nothin'. Them days, a thing like that steel bit was awful -high. They laid 'im over a log and whipped 'im and whipped his wife for -not tellin' it when they asked her. They had a boy countin' the licks, -but I don't know how many he got. They had me down there too, and I was -ready to get away from there. I think they had us down there to show -what we would get if we didn't do right. - -"The old lady, the mistuss, she was pretty high-tempered--her head kind -of bounced, like that--when she got mad. She was slender and tall. I -think they lived in a log house; I don't remember much what kind of -house it was. I know my mother weaved cloth in one part of it. - -"I don't think the field was very large on that place. I often wanted to -go back and see it. It was right on the Sabinal, right opposite Knowlton -Creek. - -"I have heard my mother tell about slaves bein' sold. It was kinda like -a fair they have now. They would go there, and some of 'em sold for a -thousand dollars. They said somethin' about puttin' 'em on a block; the -highest bidder, you know, would buy 'em. I don't know how they got 'em -there, for they wasn't much of a way for 'em to go 'cept by oxen, you -know. It was back in Alabama where she saw all that. Of course, there -was more of that down in Mississippi than Alabama, but she didn't know -nothin' about that. - -"I remember the cotton they raised on the Patterson place. They picked -the seeds out with their fingers and made cloth out of it. They would -take coarse wool--not merino wool, for that was too fine--and use the -coarse wool for a filler. That was what they would make me do, pick the -seed out of that cotton to keep me out of mischief. I remember that -pretty well. Kep' me tied down, and I would beg the old man to let me -go, and when he did, if I got into anything, I was back there pickin' -seeds pretty quick. - -"We would get up about daybreak. They might have got up before I knew -anything about it, but sometimes I got up with my mother. - -"What little school I went to was German, at D'Hanis and Castroville. I -went to the priest at D'Hanis and to the sisters at Castroville. No -education to amount to anything. That was after we were freed. I went to -school at the same time that Johnny Ney and his sister, Mary, went to -school. I would like to see Johnny and talk to him now. Your grandmother -and her sisters and brothers went to that school and I remember all of -'em well. One of them boys, George, was killed and scalped by the -Indians, and that was caused by them boys playin' and scarin' each other -all the time. He was with them Rothe boys, and they always had an Indian -scare up someway to have fun with each other, especially to scare -George. So when they did discover the Indians and hollered to George, he -wouldn't run, because they had fooled 'im so much. So the Indians -slipped up on him and killed 'im. - -"Yes, I knew all the Millers better than I did nearly any of the rest of -the old settlers up there. Aunt Dorcas, that was George's mother, she -nursed me through the measles. I was awful sick, and when my mother -heard it and come up after me, she told my mother to leave me there, she -would take care of me. I tell you she took good care of me too. - -"But that was after freedom. You see, my mother didn't want to come to -Texas. She laid out nearly two years before they got hold of her and got -her to come to Texas. Alabama wasn't thickly settled then. There was -bottoms of trees and wild fruit she could eat. She stayed out by -herself, and would come and get something to eat and leave again. But -Patterson told her if she would come to Texas she would be treated right -and not be whipped or nothin' like that. And so far as I know, she never -was whipped. He kep' his word with her. She was useful and they needed -her. She wove the cloth and was such a good worker. - -"The first cow we ever owned, we cut cockleburrs out of a field of about -seven or eight acres. Mr. John Ware gave her a cow to cut the burrs out. - -"After the war, my uncle carried my mother and his wife and chillen -away, and when they started with Margaret--she was his niece and my -cousin--they overtook 'em and took Margaret back. She was house girl, -she didn't do nothin' but work in the house. I don't know whether they -ever paid her anything or not. They needed her to wait on the old lady. - -"I don't know how that come about when they told 'em they was free. I -don't know whether mother read it in the paper or he come and told 'em. -We went on, and came right on up the same creek to a place where a man -had a ranch by the name of Roney. It was an old abonded (abandoned) -place, and we didn't have anything to eat. My uncle got out and rustled -around to get some bread stuff and got some co'n, but while he was gone -was when we suffered for something to eat. We didn't have anything to -kill wild game with. We would fish a little. When he left he went up in -the Davenport settlement, up there about where your grandfather lived. -We got milk and careless weeds, but that was all we had, and we were -awful glad to see the co'n come. And that was my first taste of javelin -(javelina). It evidently was an old male javelin, for I couldn't eat it. -I don't think my uncle ever stole anything in his life. I was with him -all the time and I know he didn't. My mother, she went over to -Davenports' and my uncle got out and rustled to see where he could get -something to do. So they moved up in the Sabinal Canyon and he got on -Old Man Joel Fenley's place. - -"Old Man 'Parson' Monk, I think, was the first person I ever heard -preach. That was down here in the Patterson settlement (formerly a -settlement six miles south of the present town of Sabinal). The -preachin' was right there on the place. I joined the church after I was -grown, but that was the cullud church, then. My mother she joined the -white church. She joined the Hardshell Baptist. She never did live in -any colony and the cullud church was too far. They had lots of camp -meetin's. I never was at but one camp meetin' that I know of. They would -preach and shout and have a good time and have plenty to eat. That was -what most of 'em went for. But the churches then seemed to be more -serious than they are now. They preached the 'altar.' You know, like -anyone wanted to join the church, they was a mourner, you see, seekin' -for religion. And they would sing and pray with 'em till they professed -the religion. I had a sister that never went to a meetin' that she -didn't get to shoutin' and shout to the end of the sermon. I always -tried to get out of the way before I joined because if she got to me, -she would beat on me and talk to me. We always tried to get to her, if -she had her baby in her arms, because she would jes' throw that baby -away when the Spirit moved her. - -"Did you ever know of Monroe Brackins over at Hondo City? Well, I and -him was both jes' boys and was with Jess Campbell, Joe Dean and a man -named McLemore. They was white men. We went down on the Frio River, and -there was some pens down there on the Johnson place. They was three -brothers of them Johnsons. We had a little bunch of cattle, goin' down -there. This Jess Campbell and Joe Dean was full of devilment and they -knew Monroe was awful scarey. When we penned the cattle that evenin' it -was late and Monroe noticed a pile of brush at the side of the gate. He -asked 'em what you reckin that was there, and they told him they was a -man killed and buried there. That night after dark they was fixin' to -get supper ready and told Monroe to go get some water down at the river, -but he wouldn't do it. Well, I never was afraid of the dark in my life, -so I had to go get the water. Well, we made a fire and fixed supper and -then these men put a rope on Monroe and took him off a little piece and -wrapped the rope around a tree and never even tied the rope fast. The -other man, McLemore, he went around the camp and came up on the other -side. He had an old dried cow hide with the tail still on it. The old -tail was all bent, crimped up. Here he come from down the creek, from -where they told Monroe that fellow was buried, and right toward Monroe -with that hide on. Tail first and in the dark it looked pretty bad, and, -I tell you, Monroe got to screamin'. I believe he would have died if -they hadn't let him loose. I never laughed so much in my life. When he -would get scared, he would squeal like a hog. He sure was scarey. - -"Sometimes, I know, we would be woke up in the night and they would be -cookin' chicken and dumplin's, or havin' somethin' like that. I'd like -for 'em to come ever' night and wake me up. I don't know where it come -from, but they would always wake the chillen up and let 'em have some of -it. (This is an early recollection of his childhood during slavery.) - -"My mother's daddy, if he was here, he could tell plenty of things. He -could remember all about them days, and sing them songs too. I've heard -him tell some mighty bad things, and he told somethin' pretty bad on -hisself. He said they captured some Indian chillen and he was carryin -one and it got to cryin' and he jes' took his saber and held it up by -its feet and cut its head off. Couldn't stan' to hear it cry. He got -punished for it, but he said he was a soldier and not supposed to carry -Indian babies. Usually when Indians captured little fellows like that, -they carried 'em off. Like when they carried off Frank Buckilew, a white -boy. And a cullud boy that got away up close to Utopia. They kep' the -Buckilew boy a long time, long enough that he got to where he understood -the language. It was a long time that the Indians didn't kill a darky, -though. But after the war, when they brought these cullud soldiers in -here to drive 'em back, that started the war with the cullud people -then. - -"After freedom, I remember one weddin' the white folks had. That was -when John Kanedy (Kennedy) married Melinda Johnson. He was a man that -lived there on the river and was there up to the time he died. I wasn't -at the weddin', but I was at the infair. They were married east of Hondo -City. They had the infair then and it was a kind of celebration after -the weddin'. Ever'body met there and had a big dance and supper and had -a big time. They danced all night after the supper and then had a big -breakfast the next mornin'. I was little, but I remember the supper and -breakfast, for I was enjoyin' that myself. They was lots to eat, and -they had it too. After freedom, I remember these quiltin's where they -would have big dinners. They would have me there, threadin' needles for -'em. We always had a big time Christmas. They had dances and dinners for -a week. Yes'm, the cullud people did. They would celebrate the holidays -out. That was all free too, and they all had plenty to eat. They would -meet at one place one night and have a dance and supper and, the next -night, meet over at another place and have the same thing. - -"When I got to workin' for myself, it was cow work. I done horseback -work for fifty years. Many a year passed that I never missed a day bein' -in the saddle. I stayed thirteen years on one ranch. The first place was -right below Hondo City. His name was Tally Burnett and I was gettin' -$7.50 a month. Went to work for that and stayed about three or four -months and he raised my wages to what the others was gettin' and that -was $12.50. He said I was as good as they were. Then I went to Frio -City. I done the same kind of work, but I went with the people that -nearly raised me, the Rutledges. - -"That's where I was give twice in the census. My mother gave me in and -he gave me in. That was one time they had one man too many. - -"I married when I was with them and I worked for him after that. That -was when we would work away down on the Rio Grande, when Demp Fenley and -Lee Langford and Tom Roland and the two Lease boys and one or two more -was deliverin' cattle to the Gold Franks' ranch. He wanted 8,000 -two-year-old heifers. He had 150,000 acres of land and wanted cattle to -stock it. Some taken a contract to deliver so many and some taken a -contract to deliver so many, so these men I was with went down below -Laredo and down in there. We wound that up in '85. In '86, I went to -Kerr County and taken a ranch out there on the head of the Guadalupe -River. I stayed there two years and a half, till they sold out. This man -I was workin' for was from Boston, and he leased the ranch and turned it -over to me and I done all the hirin' and payin' off and buyin' and -ever'thing. When he sold out, I left and went on the Horton ranch about -thirteen months. - -"My first wife died in 1892, but we had been separated about five or six -years. I married again in Bandera and quit ranchin' and went to stock -farmin' for Albert Miller, then leased a place from Charley Montague two -years, then went over into Hondo Canyon and leased a place there in '98. -We stayed there till 1906, then came to Uvalde. I leased a place out -here, about two hundred acres, four miles from town, and had odd jobs -around here too. Then, about 1907, we went to Zavala County and stayed -till 1919. I leased a place here, then, and finally settled at this -place I'm on now and have been here ever since. - -"I've got 11 chillen livin'. One boy, Alfred, is in Lousiana and I don't -know what he's doin', but he's been married about five times. I have a -boy workin' in the post office in San Antonio named Mack, and the rest -of the chillen are here. There's Sarah, Riley, Frank, James, Banetta, -John, Theodore, Tommy, Annie Laurie. They all live here and work at -different places. - -"I know when we used to camp out in the winter time we would have these -old-time freezes, when ever'thing was covered in ice. We would have a -big, fat cow hangin' up and we could slice that meat off and have the -best meals. And when we was on the cow hunts we would start out with -meal, salt and coffee and carry the beddin' for six or eight men on two -horses and carry our rations on another horse. I guess it would scare -people now to hear 'em comin' with all them pots and pans and makin' all -that racket. - -"When we camped and killed a yearlin' the leaf fat and liver was one of -the first things we would cook. When they would start in to gather -cattle to send to Kansas, they would ride out in the herd and pick out a -fat calf, and they would get the 'fleece' and liver and broil the ribs. -The meat that was cut off the ribs was called the fleece. It was a -terr'ble waste, for many a time, the hams wasn't even cut out of the -hide, jes' left there. Old Man Alec Rutledge used to say, when they -would throw out bread and meat, he would say, 'I'll tell you, Tom, he -will have to walk alone sometimes because this willful waste will make -woeful wants.' He was talkin' about his brother--they was two of 'em and -sure 'nough, his brother finally lost all his cattle, quit the business, -and never had nothin' left. There would be an awful lot of good meat -wasted, and now we are payin' for it. - -"The first fence I ever seen wasn't any larger then this addition here, -and it was put up out of pickets. The Mexicans used to build lots of -fences and we got the idea from them, mostly on these old-timey -stake-and-rider fences. It was an awful pasture when they had eight mile -of fence. The way they made the field fences was nothin' but brush. I -remember when I was a little fellow at John Kanady's (Kennedy's), George -Johnson would come over and stay with his sister, Mrs. Kanady, and he -would keep the cattle out of the field. One day, he came there and put -me on his horse. He had loosened up his girt, and I got out there a -little ways and one of the cows turned back. The horse was a regular old -cow pony and when that cow turned back, the old horse turned just as -quick and the saddle slipped and I stayed there. - -"Oh, pshaw! they turn so quick you have to be on the lookout. You have -to watch the horse as well as the cow. Some of them horses get pretty -smart. One time they were cuttin' cattle and a fellow brought a cow to -the edge of the herd and the cow turned back and when she did, the horse -cut back too and left him there. When he went from under him, that -fellow's spurs left a mark clear across the saddle as he went over. It -was my saddle he was ridin' and that mark never did leave it, where the -spurs cut across it. - -"We've done some ridin' even after my wife, here, and I were married. -She's seen 'em breakin' horses and all that pitchin' and bawlin'. But, I -never was no hand to show off. If I kep' my seat, that was all I wanted. -You see lots of fellows ridin' just to show off, but I never was for -anything like that. - -"No, I never did go up on the trail. I've helped prepare the herd to -take. Usually, there would be one owner takin' his cattle up on the -trail. They had no place to hold the cattle, only under herd. Usually, -they would start with a thousand or fifteen hundred head, but they -didn't put 'em all together till they got away out on the divide. They -would have 'em shaped up as they gathered 'em and jes' hold what they -wanted to send. It didn't take so many men, either, because they all -understood their business. - -"I was jes' thinkin' about when Mr. Demp Fenley and Rutledge was here. -They had about nine hundred head of cattle. We brought 'em right in -below Pearsall, right about the Shiner ranch, and delivered 'em there. -But before we got there at a little creek they called _Pato_, they was -hardly any place to bed the cattle because they was so much pear[TR: -cactus]. Mr. Rutledge and I always bedded the cattle down, and then I -would go on the last relief, usually about the time to get up, anyway. -He used me all the time when they would get ready to go to camp in the -evenin', and we'd spread 'em out and let 'em graze before beddin' 'em -down. Sometimes he would give me a motion to come over there, and I knew -that meant an animal to throw. He always got me to do the ropin' if one -broke out. Well, we was comin on with those cattle and they was a steer -that gave us trouble all the time. As soon as you got away, he would -walk out of the herd. Well, we got the cattle all bedded down and they -were quiet, but that steer walked out. I was ridin' Mr. Fenley's dun -horse, and Mr. Rutledge says to me, 'I tell you what we'll do. We'll -ketch that steer out here and give 'im a good whippin'.' I says, 'We'll -get into trouble, too.' Well, he was to hold 'im away from the herd and -I was to rope 'im, but the steer run in front of him and out-run 'im. If -he would have run in behind him, I would 'a caught 'im, but that steer -beat 'im to the herd and run right into the middle of 'em. And did he -stampede 'em! Those cattle run right into the camp, and the boys all -scramblin' into the wagon and gettin' on their horses without their -boots on. One steer fell and rolled right under the chuck wagon. You -know, we run those cattle all night, tryin' to hold 'em. It was a pear -flat there, and next mornin' that pear was all beat down flat on the -ground. They sure did run, and all because of that foolishness. Mr. -Rutledge got to me and told me not to tell it, and I don't reckin to -this day anybody knows what done that. - -"I never told you about the panther about to get on to me, did I? Well, -we was out on the Rio Grande, about thirty-one or thirty-two miles -beyond Carrizo. It was at the _Las islas_ (The Islands) Crossin'. I was -about three days behind the outfit when they went out there. That was in -July, and they was a law passed that we had to quit wearin' our guns the -first day of July and hang 'em on the ho'n of our saddle. When I got to -the outfit, the boys was gettin' pretty tired herdin'. They had to bring -'em out about six miles to grass and to this little creek. We would put -'em in the pen at night and feed 'em hay. We were waitin' there for them -to deliver some cattle out of Mexico. The Mexican told me they was -somethin' out there where they were herdin' sheep that was scarin' the -sheep out of the pen at night. I had seen some bobcats, but I laid down -under one of these huisache trees and went to sleep. I had my pistol on -and was layin' there and about two o'clock, I woke up. I turned over and -rested myself on my elbow and looked off there about 12 feet from me and -there stood a big old female panther. She was kind of squattin' and -lookin' right at me. I reached right easy and got my Winchester that was -layin' beside me and I shot her right between the eyes. Why, I had one -of her claws here for a long time. She had some young ones somewhere. I -imagined, though, she was goin' to jump right on me. It wasn't no good -feelin', I know. She was an awful large one. - -"Oh, my goodness! I have seen lobos, eight or ten in a bunch. They're -sure mean. I've seen 'em have cattle rounded up like a bunch of cow -hands. If you heard a cow or yearlin' beller at night, you could go next -mornin' and sure find where they had killed her. They would go right -into the cow or calf and eat its kidney fat first thing. I tell you, one -sure did scare me one time. I was out ridin', usually ropin' and -brandin' calves, and I came across a den in the ground. I heard -something whinin' down there in that hole. It was a curiosity to me and -I wanted to get one of those little wolf pups. That was what I thought -it was. I got down there and reached in there and got one of those -little fellows. They was lovos (lobos). They are usually gray, but he -was still black. They are black at first, then they turn gray. He was a -little bit of a fellow. Well, I got him out and the old lovo wolf run -right at me, snappin' her teeth, and my horse jerked back and came near -gettin' away. But I hung to my wolf and got to my horse and got on and -left there. I didn't have nothin' to kill her with. I was jes' a boy, -then. I took that pup and give it to Mrs. Jim Reedes, down on the Hondo, -and she kep' it till it began eatin' chickens. - -"I had a bear scare, too. That was in '87, about fifty years ago. Well, -Ira Wheat was sheriff at Leakey in Edwards County, then. I went down -there, and I was ridin' a horse I broke for a sheriff in Kerr County. I -came to Leakey to see Wheat--you see they was burnin' cattle (running -the brands) all over that country then. As I was ridin' along, I seen -some buzzards and I rode out there. Somethin' had killed a hog and eat -on it. I knowed it was a bear afterwards, but then I went on down to -Leakey and started back, I got up on the divide, at the head of a little -canyon and I seen those buzzards again. I seen two black things and I -jes' thought to myself them buzzards was comin' back and eatin' on that -dead hog. I rode up and seen that it was two bears and I made a lunge at -'em and the old bear run off and the little cub ran up a tree. I -thought, 'I'll ketch you, you little rascal.' So I tied my horse and I -went up the tree after the cub and when I was near 'im, he squalled jes' -like a child. I tell you, when it squalled that way, here came that old -bear and begin snuffin' around the tree. My horse was jes' rearin' and -tryin' to break loose out there. I tell you, when I _did_ get down there -and get to him, I had to lead him about two hundred yards before I could -ever get on him. He sure was scared. Like it was when I was a boy down -on the Hondo one time and I could hear horses comin' and thought it was -Indians and after awhile, I couldn't hear nothin' but my heart beatin'." - - ---- - -Uncle Tom Mills is one of the most contented old darkies surviving the -good old days when range was open and a livelihood was the easiest thing -in the world to get. He lives in the western part of Uvalde, in a -four-room house that he built himself. A peach orchard and a grape arbor -shade the west side of the house. It is here that Uncle Tom spends many -hours cultivating his little garden patch. Contented and well-fed milk -cows lie in the shade of the oak trees in a little pasture east of the -house, and he proudly calls attention to their full udders and sleek -bodies. His wife, Hattie, laughs and joins him in conversation, helping -to prod his memory on minor events. He smiles a lot and seems optimistic -about most things. I did not hear him speak grudgingly toward anyone, or -make a complaint about the old-age pension he gets. He is always busy -about the place and claims that he can do a lot of work yet. - - - - -La San Mire - - -*La San Mire, 86, aged French Negro of the Pear Orchard Settlement, near -Beaumont, Texas, is alert and intelligent, and his long, well-formed -hands gesture while he talks. He was born in Abbeville Parish, -Louisiana, a slave of Prosper Broussard. His father was a Spaniard, his -mother spoke French, and his master was a Creole. La San's patois is -superior to that of the average French Negro. His story has been -translated.* - -"The old war? No, I don't remember so much about it, because I was so -young. I was ten years old at the beginning of the war. I was born the -13th of May, but I do not know of what year, in the Parish of Abbeville, -on M'sieu Prosper's plantation between Abbeville and Crowley. My parents -were slaves. My father a Spaniard, who spoke Spanish and French. My -mother spoke French, the old master too, all Creoles. I, as all the -other slaves, spoke French. - -"During the war all the children had fear. I drove an old ox-cart in -which I helped pick up the dead soldiers and buried them. A battle took -place about 40 miles from the plantation on a bluff near a large -ditch--not near the bayou, no. We were freed on July 4th. After the war -I remained with my old master. I worked in the house, cooked in the -kitchen. Early each morning, I made coffee and served it to my master -and his family while they were in the bed. - -"The old master was mean--made slaves lie on the ground and whipped -them. I never saw him whip my father. He often whipped my mother. I'd -hide to keep from seeing this. I was afraid. Why did he whip them? I do -not remember. He did not have a prison, just 'coups de fault' -(beatings). But not one slave from our plantation tried to escape to the -north that I can remember. - -"The slaves lived in little cabins. All alike, but good. One or two -beds. Rooms small as a kitchen. Chimneys of dirt. Good floors. We had -plenty to eat. Cornbread and grits, beef, 'chahintes'(coons), des rat -bois (possum), le couche-couche, and Irish and sweet potatoes. - -"Everyone raised cotton. In the evenings the slave women and girls -seeded the cotton, carded it, made thread of it on the spinning wheel. -They made it into cotton for dresses and suits. No shoes or socks. In -winter the men might wear them in winter. Never the women or children. - -"How many slaves? I do not recall. There were so many the yard was full. -They worked from sun-up to sundown, with one hour for dinner. School? I -hoed cotton and drove the oxen to plow the field. - -"I never went to Mass before I was twenty years old. Yes, there were -churches and the others went, but I did not want to go. There were -benches especially for the slaves. Yes, I was baptized a Catholic in -Abbeville, when I was big. - -"Sunday the Negro slaves had round dances. Formed a circle--the boys and -the girls--and changed partners. They sang and danced at the same time. -Rarely on Saturday they had the dances. They sang and whistled in the -fields. - -"The marriages of the slaves were little affairs. Before the witnesses -they'd 'sauter le balais'--the two--and they were married. No -celebration, but always the little cakes. - -"We had no doctor. We used 'vingaire' (an herb) for the fever; la -'chaspare' (sarsaparilla); la 'pedecha (an herb), sometimes called -L'absinthe amer, in a drink of whiskey or gin, for the fever. Des -regulateurs (patent medicines). On nearly all plantations there were -'traiteurs', (a charm-doctor, always a Negro). - -"Noel we had the little cakes and special things to eat, but no -presents. - - -[Illustration: _Le San Mire_] - - -"I was married by the judge first, and after the marriage was blessed by -the priest. I was 21 years old. I wore a new suit, because I had some -money. I worked in the house during the day and at night I caught wild -horses and sold them. I remember my wedding day. It was the Saturday -before Mardi Gras. My wife came from Grand Chenier (Cameron) to -Abbeville when she was small. We had 16 children, 11 boys and five -girls. Three girls and two boys died when they were small. - -"One year after my marriage I left the big house and made a home of my -own. For an enclosure I made a levee of earth around. I planted cotton. -I worked the place for a half or a third. - -"I came to Beaumont 12 years ago, so my children could work, because I -was sick. I could no longer work." - - - - -Charley Mitchell - - -*Charley Mitchell, farmer in Panola Co., Texas, was born in 1852, a -slave of Nat Terry, an itinerant Baptist preacher of Lynchburg, -Virginia. Charley left the Terrys one year after he was freed. He worked -in a tobacco factory, then as a waiter, until 1887, when he moved to -Panola Co. For fifty years he has farmed in the Sabine River bottom, -about twenty-five miles southeast of Marshall, Texas.* - -"I's born in Virginia, over in Lynchburg, and it was in 1852, and I -'longed to Parson Terry and Missy Julia. I don't 'member my pappy, -'cause he's sold when I's a baby, but my mammy was willed to the Terrys -and allus lived with them till freedom. She worked for them and they -hired her out there in town for cook and house servant. - -"They hired me out most times as nuss for white folks chillen, and I -nussed Tom Thurman's chillen. He run the bakery there in Lynchburg and -come from the north, and when war broke they made him and 'nother -northener take a iron clad oath they wouldn't help the north. Durin' the -war I worked in Massa Thurman's bakery, helping make hard tack and -doughnuts for the 'federate sojers. He give me plenty to eat and wear -and treated me as well as I could hope for. - -"Course, I didn't git no schoolin'. The white folks allus said niggers -don't need no larnin'. Some niggers larnt to write their initials on the -barn door with charcoal, then they try to find out who done that, the -white folks, I mean, and say they cut his fingers off iffen they jus' -find out who done it. - -"Lynchburg was good sized when war come on and Woodruff's nigger tradin' -yard was 'bout the bigges' thing there. It was all fenced in and had a -big stand in middle of where they sold the slaves. They got a big price -for 'em and handcuffed and chained 'em together and led 'em off like -convicts. That yard was full of Louisiana and Texas slave buyers mos' -all the time. None of the niggers wanted to be sold to Louisiana, 'cause -that's where they beat 'em till the hide was raw, and salted 'em and -beat 'em some more. - -"Course us slaves of white folks what lived in town wasn't treated like -they was on most plantations. Massa Nat and Missy Julia was good to us -and most the folks we was hired out to was good to us. Lynchburg was -full of pattyrollers, jus' like the country, though, and they had a -fenced in whippin' post there in town and the pattyrollers sho' put it -on a nigger iffen they cotch him without a pass. - -"After war broke, Lee, you know General Lee himself, come to Lynchburg -and had a campground there and it look like 'nother town. The 'federates -had a scrimmage with the Yankees 'bout two miles out from Lynchburg, and -after surrender General Wilcox and a big company of Yankees come there. -De camp was clost to a big college there in Lynchburg and they throwed -up a big breastworks out the other side the college. I never seed it -till after surrender, 'cause us wasn't 'lowed to go out there. Gen. -Shumaker was commander of the 'Federate artillery and kilt the first -Yankee that come to Lynchburg. They drilled the college boys, too, there -in town. I didn't know till after surrender what they drilled them for, -'cause the white folks didn't talk the war 'mongst us. - -"Bout a year after the Yankees come to Lynchburg they moved the cullud -free school out to Lee's Camp and met in one of the barracks and had -four white teachers from the north, and that school run sev'ral years -after surrender. - -"Lots of 'Federate sojers passed through Lynchburg goin' to Petersburg. -Once some Yankee sojers come through clost by and there was a scrimmage -'tween the two armies, but it didn't last long. Gen. Wilcox had a -standin' army in Lynchburg after the war, when the Yankees took things -over, but everything was peaceful and quiet then. - -"After surrender a man calls a meetin' of all the slaves in the -fairgrounds and tells us we's free. We wasn't promised anything. We jus' -had to do the best we could. But I heared lots of slaves what lived on -farms say they's promised forty acres and a mule but they never did git -it. We had to go to work for whatever they'd pay us, and we didn't have -nothing and no place to go when we was turned loose, but down the street -and road. When I left the Terry's I worked in a tobacco factory for a -dollar a week and that was big money to me. Mammy worked too and we -managed somehow to live. - -"After I married I started farmin', but since I got too old I live round -with my chillen. I has two sons and a boy what I raised. One boy lives -clost to Jacksonville and the other in the Sabine bottom and the boy -what I raised lives at Henderson. I been gittin' $10.00 pension since -January this year. (1937) - -"I never fool round with politics much. I's voted a few times, but most -the time I don't. I leaves that for folks what knows politics. I says -this, the young niggers ain't bein' raised like we was. Most of them -don't have no manners or no moral self-respect. - - -[Illustration: _Charley Mitchell_] - - -"I don't 'lieve much in hants but I's heared my wife call my name. She's -been dead four years. If you crave to see your dead folks, you'll never -see them, but if you don't think 'bout them they'll come back sometime. - -"Two nigger women died in this house and both of them allus smoked a -pipe. My boy and me used to smell the pipes at night, since they died, -and one mornin' I seed one of them. I jus' happened to look out the -window and saw one of them goin' to the cow-pen. I knowed her by her -bonnet. - -"They's a nigger church and cemetery up the road away from my house -where the dead folks come out by twos at night and go in the church and -hold service. Me and the preacher what preaches there done seed and -heared them. - -"They's a way of keepin' off hants. That's done by tackin' an old shoe -by the side the door, or a horseshoe over the door, or pullin' off part -of the planks of your house and puttin' on some new boards." - - - - -Peter Mitchell - - -*Peter Mitchell, in the late seventies, was born in Jasper, Texas, a -slave of Thad Lanier. He has lived in or near Jasper all his life.* - -"Yes'm, I's Peter Mitchell and I was born right near here and my father -and mother wasn't lawful married. De niggers wasn't in dem days. My -pappy's name was Richard Lanier and my mammy's was Martha Mitchell, but -us all taken mammy's name. She taken her name from de Mitchells, what -owned her befo' de Laniers git her. My brothers named Lewis Johnson and -Dennis Fisher, and William and Mose and Peter Mitchell. My sisters was -Sukie and Louisa and Effie. - -"Mammy was de house gal. She say de Mitchells done treat her hard but -Massa Lanier purty good to us. In summer she kep' us chillen near de big -house in de yard, but we couldn't go in de house. In winter we stays -round de shack where we lives while mammy work. - -"We gits plenty cornbread and soup and peas. On Sunday dey gives us jus' -one biscuit apiece and we totes it round in de pocket half de day and -shows it to de others, and says, 'See what we has for breakfast.' - -"We wears duckin' dyed with indigo, and hickory shirts, and we has no -shoes till we gits old 'nough to work. Den dey brogans with de brass -toe. Mammy knitted de socks at night and weaves coats in winter. Many a -night I sits up and spins and cards for mammy. - -"Massa Lanier live in de fine, big house and have hundreds of acres in -de plantation and has twenty-five houses for de slaves and dere -families. He kep' jus' 'nough of de niggers to work de land and de extry -he sells like hosses. - -"Missy larned mammy to read and dey have de cullud preacher, named Sam -Lundy. Dey have de big bayou in de field where dey baptises. De white -people has de big pool 'bout 50 yard from de house, where dey baptise. - -"Sometimes dey runs 'way but didn't git far, 'cause de patter rollers -watches night and day. Some de men slaves makes hoe handles and cotton -sacks at night and de women slaves washes and irons and sews and knits. -We had to work so many hours every night, and no holidays but Christmas. - -"Us plantation so big, dey kep' de doctor right on de place, and taken -purty good care of de sick niggers, 'cause dey worth money. We was not -so bad off, but we never has de fun, we jus' works and sleeps. - -"When freedom come dey turn us loose and say to look out for ourselves. -Mos' of de slaves jus' works round for de white folks den and gits pay -in food and de clothes, but after while de slaves larns to take care -demselves. I marries and was dress up in black and my wife wore de -purple dress. De Rev. Sam Hadnot marry us. - -"I farms all my life and it ain't been so bad. I's too old to work much -now, but I makes a little here and there on de odd jobs." - - - - -Andrew Moody and wife Tildy - - -*Andrew Moody was born in 1855, in Orange, Texas, a slave to Colonel -Fountain Floyd, who owned a plantation of about 250 acres on Lacey's -River. Andrew is said to be the oldest ex-slave in Orange County.* - -"I was ten year old when freedom come and I'm the oldest slave what was -born in Orange County still livin' there. They called Orange, Green -Bluff at the first, then they call it Madison, and then they call it -Orange. I used to live on Colonel Fountain Floyd's plantation on Lacey's -River, 'bout 17 miles from here. They had 'bout forty hands big enough -to pick cotton. - -"My grandmother was with me, but not my mother, and my father, Ball, he -belong to Locke and Thomas. We lived in houses with home-made furniture. -Yes, they had rawhide chairs and whenever they kilt a beef they kep' the -skin offen the head to make seat for chairs. - -"Colonel Floyd he treat us good, as if he's us father or mother. No, we -didn' suffer no 'buse, 'cause he didn' 'low it and he didn' do it -hisself. - -"Parson Pipkin, he come 'round and preach to the white folks and -sometimes he preach extry to the cullud quarters. Some of the cullud -folks could read the hymns. Young missus, she larn 'em. They sing, - - "Jerdon ribber so still and col', - Let's go down to Jerdon. - Go down, go down, - Let's go down to Jerdon. - -"Every man had a book what carried his own niggers' names. The niggers' -names was on the white folks' church book with the white folks' names -and them books was like tax books. The tax collector, he come 'round and -say, 'How many li'l darkies you got?' and then he put it down in the -'sessment book. - - -[Illustration: _Andrew Moody and wife Tildy_] - - -"Folks had good times Christmas. Dancin' and big dinner. They give 'em -two or three day holiday then. They give Christmas gif', maybe a pair -stockin's or sugar candy. The white folks kill turkey and set table for -the slaves with everything like they have, bread and biscuit and cake -and po'k and baked turkey and chicken and sich. They cook in a skillet -and spider. The cullud folks make hoe cake and ash cake and cracklin' -bread and they used to sing, 'My baby love shortenin' bread.' - -"When a hand die they all stop work the nex' day after he die and they -blow the horn and old Uncle Bob, he pray and sing songs. They have a -wake the night he die and come from all 'round and set up with the -corpse all night. They make the coffin on the place and have two hands -dig a grave. - -"The way they done when 'mancipation come, they call up at twelve -o'clock in June, 1865, right out there in Duncan Wood, 'twixt the old -field and Beaumont. They call my mother, who done come to live there. -They say, 'Now, listen, you and your chillen don' 'long to me now. You -kin stay till Christmas if you wants.' So mother she stay but at -Christmas her husban' come and they all go but me. I was the las' nigger -to stay after freedom come, and the marster and I'd would go huntin and -fishin' in the Naches River. We ate raccoon then and rabbit and keep the -rabbit foot for luck, jus' the first joint. The 'Toby' what we call it, -and if we didn' have no 'Toby' we couldn' git no rabbit nex' time we -goes huntin'." - - - - -A.M. Moore - - -*A.M. Moore, aged preacher and school teacher of Harrison Co., Texas, -was born in 1846, a slave of W.R. Sherrad who, in the 1830's, settled a -large plantation eight miles northeast of Marshall. Moore worked as a -farmhand for several years after he left home, but later attended Bishop -and Wiley Colleges, in Marshall, and obtained a teacher's certificate. -He taught and preached until age forced him to retire to his farm, which -is on land that was once a part of his master's plantation.* - -"My name is Almont M. Moore and I was born right here in Harrison -County, in 1846, and belonged to Master W.R. Sherrad. My master was one -of the first settlers in these parts and owned a big plantation, eight -miles northeast of Marshall. My father was Jiles D. Moore and he was -born in Alabama, and my mother, Anna, was born in Mississippi. They came -to Texas as slaves. My grandmother on my mother's side was Cherry and -she belonged to the Sherrads, too. She said the Indians gave them a hot -time when they first came to Texas. Finally they became friendly to the -white people. - -"My mistress was Lucinda Sherrad and she had a world of children. They -lived in a big, log house, but you wouldn't know it was a log house -unless you went up in the attic where it wasn't ceiled. The slaves -helped master build the house. The quarters looked like a little town, -with the houses all in lines. - -"They had rules for the slaves to be governed by and they were whipped -when they disobeyed. Master didn't have to whip his slaves much, because -he was fair to them, more than most of the slaveowners. Lots of masters -wouldn't let the slaves have anything and wouldn't let them read or even -look at a book. I've known courts in this county to fine slaveowners for -not clothing and feeding their slaves right. I thought that was right, -because lots of them were too stingy to treat the slaves right unless -they made them do it. - -"Corn shucking was a big sport for the Negroes and whites, too, in -slavery time. Sometimes they gave a big dance when they finished -shucking, but my master's folks always had a religious service. I went -to a Methodist church and it had too floors, one for the slaves and one -for the whites. Just before the war they began to let the Negroes preach -and have some books, a hymn book and a Bible. - -"After the war they treated the slaves fine in this part of the country. -The industrious ones could work and save money. Down in Louisiana lots -of owners divided syrup, meat and other things with the slaves. My -brother and I saved enough to buy five hundred acres of land. Lots of -white men took one or more slaves to wait on them when they joined the -army, but my master left me at home to help there. - -"Some owners didn't free their slaves and they soon put soldiers at -Marshall and Shreveport and arrested the ones who refused to let the -slaves go. My father died during the war and my mother stayed with -Master Sherrad three years after surrender. I stayed with her till I was -big enough and then hired out on a farm. They paid farmhands $10.00 to -$15.00 a month then. - - -[Illustration: _A.M. Moore_] - - -"Then I went to school at Wiley and Bishop Colleges here for four years -and I hold a county teacher's certificate. I have taught school in -Harrison and Gregg Counties and in Caddo Parish, in Louisiana. I started -preaching in 1880 and for several years was District Missionary for the -Texas-Louisiana Missionary Baptist Association. I have preached in and -organized churches all over East Texas. - -"We raised six children and two boys and two girls are still living. The -girls live in Longview and one boy farms. The other boy is a preacher -here in Harrison County. - -"I have voted in county and other elections. I think they should -instruct the Negroes so they can vote like white folks. The young -Negroes now have a better chance than most of us had. They have their -schools and churches, but I don't think they try as hard as we did. We -learned lots from the white folks and their teaching was genuine and had -a great effect on us. I attribute the Christian beliefs of our people to -the earnest, faithful teaching of white people, and today we have many -educated Negro teachers and preachers and leaders that we are not -ashamed of." - - - - -Jerry Moore - - -*Jerry Moore, a native of Harrison County, Texas, was born May 28, 1848, -a slave of Mrs. Isaac Van Zandt, who was a pioneer civic leader of the -county. Jerry has always lived in Marshall. For fifty years after he was -freed he worked as a brick mason. He now lives alone on the Port Caddo -road, and is supported by a $15.OO per month pension from the -government.* - -"My name is J.M. Moore, but all the white and cullud folks calls me -Uncle Jerry, 'cause I has lived here mos' since Marshall started. I was -born on the 28th of May, in 1848, up on the hill where the College of -Marshall is now, and I belonged to the Van Zandts. That was their old -home place. - -"I never did see Col. Isaac Van Zandt, my mistresses' husband, but has -heared her and the older folks talk lots o' him. They say he was the one -who helped set up Marshall and name it. They say he run for Governor and -had a good chance, but was never honorated as Governor, 'cause he died -'fore election. - -"My mistress was named Fanny and was one sweet soul. She had five -children and they lived here in town but have a purty big farm east of -town. My mother sewed for Mistress Fanny, so we lived in town. There -were lots of niggers on the farm and everybody round these parts called -us 'Van Zandt's free niggers,' 'cause our white folks shared with their -darkies and larned 'em all to read and write. The other owners wouldn't -have none of Van Zandt's niggers. - -"My mother was Amy Van Zandt Moore and was a Tennessian. My father was -Henry Moore and he belonged to a old bachelor named Moore, in Alabama. -Moore freed all his niggers 'fore 'mancipation except three. They was to -pay a debt and my father was Moore's choice man and was one of the -three. He bought hisself. He had saved up some money and when they went -to sell him he bid $800.00. The auctioneer cries 'round to git a raise, -but wouldn't nobody bid on my father 'cause he was one of Moore's 'free -niggers'. My father done say after the war he could have buyed hisself -for $1.50. So he was a free man 'fore the 'mancipation and he couldn't -live 'mong the slaves and he had to have a guardian who was 'sponsible -for his conduct till after surrender. They was lots of niggers here from -the free states 'fore the war, but they wasn't 'lowed to mix with the -slaves. - -"Mistress Fanny allus give the children a candy pullin' on Saturday -night and the big folks danced and had parties. She allus gave the -children twenty-five cents apiece when the circus come to town. The -patterrollers wasn't 'lowed 'bout our place and her darkies went mos' -anywhere and wasn't ever bothered. I never seed a slave whipped on our -place. She give her darkies money along for doin' odd jobs and they -could spend it for what they wanted. She was a Christian woman and read -the Bible mos' all the time. She give my mother two acres of land at -'mancipation. - -"The first thing I seed of the war was them musterin' and drillin' -sojers here in Marshall, back in Buchanan's time. Politics was hot in -'59 and '60. I 'member 'em havin' a big dinner and barbecue and speakin' -on our place. They had a railroad to Swanson's Landing on Caddo Lake and -the train crew brung news from boats from Shreveport and New Orleans. -Soon as the train pulled into town it signaled. Three long, mournful -whistles meant bad news. Three short, quick whistles meant good news. I -went to town for the mail with my sister durin' the war. She'd say to -me, 'Jerry, the sooner the war is over, the sooner we'll be free. All -the Van Zandt Negroes wanted to be free.' They didn't understand how -well they was bein' treated till after they had to make their own -livin'. - -"I rec'lect the time the cullud folks registered here after the war. -They outnumbered the whites a long way. Davis was governor and all the -white folks had to take the Iron Clad oath to vote. Carpetbaggers and -Negroes run the government. In the early days they held the election -four days. They didn't vote in precints but at the court house. The -Democratic Party had no chance to 'timidate the darkies. The 'publican -party had a 'Loyal League' for to protect the cullud folks. First the -Negroes went to the league house to get 'structions and ballots and then -marched to the court house, double file, to vote. My father was a member -of the 11th and 12th legislature from this county. He was 'lected just -after the Constitutional Convention, when Davis was elected governor. -Two darkies, Mitch Kennel and Wiley Johnson, was 'lected from this -county to be members of that Convention. - -"Durin' the Reconstruction the Negroes gathered in Harrison County. The -Yankee sojers and 'Progoe' law made thousands of darkies flock here for -protection. The Ku Klux wasn't as strong here and this place was -headquarters for the 'Freedman'. What the 'Progoe' Marshal said was -Gospel. They broke up all that business in Governor Hogg's time. They -divided the county into precints and the devilment was done in the -precints, just like it is now. - - -[Illustration: _Jerry Moore_] - - -"My father told me about old Col. Alford and his Kluxers takin' Anderson -Wright out to the bayou. They told him, 'You'd better pray.' Wright got -down on his knees and acted like he was prayin' till he crawled to the -bank and jumped off in the bayou. The Klux shot at him fifty or sixty -times, but he got away. The Loyal League give him money to leave on and -he stayed away a long time. He came back to appear against Alford at his -trial and when the jury gave Alford ninety-nine years, Anderson was -glad, of course. - -"I left the Van Zandts two years after I was freed and worked in hotels -and on the railroad and saved up money and went in business, helping -people ship cotton. I've seen a thousand cotton wagons in town at one -time. I stayed in business till I was burnt out. I came back to Marshall -and took up the brick mason trade and worked at it till I got too old to -hold out. - -"I've sat on the jury in the county, justice and federal courts. I know -enough to vote or set on a jury but I think the restriction on colored -folks votin' is all right in this State. The white folks has a good -government system. Our leaders ain't hard-hearted people and the cullud -folks is well off or better as if they voted. I've lived here in -Marshall most all the time since I was born and ain't had no trouble. As -long as the Negroes treat the white folks right, the white folks will -treat them right." - - - - -John Moore - - -*John Moore, 84, was born a slave to Duncan Gregg, in Vermillionville, -La., where he lived until he was freed. In 1876 he came to Texas and now -lives in Beaumont.* - -"I was twelve year old when freedom broke up. I lives 'tween -Vermillionville and Lafayette in Louisiana and my massa's name Duncan -Greggs and he have purty big farm and lots of cullud people. His house -was two, three hun'erd yard from de nigger quarters. De old grammas, dey -took care of de chillen when dere mothers was in de fields and took dem -up to de big house so de white folks could see 'em play. - -"We chillens was dress in a shirt and we was barefoot. Sometime dey make -what dey call moccasin out of rawhide. Shoes was skeerce. - -"Dey raise de food and have grits ground in de grits mill. Dey raise -hawgs and make syrup and farm and raise chickens. Marster didn' 'low de -niggers to have big garden patch but sometime he 'low 'em have place -raise watermillion. - -"Marster have purty good house, a box-house, and have good furniture in -it. De cullud folks have house with chimbly in de middle of two rooms -and one fambly live on one side de chimbly and 'nother fambly on de -other side de chimbly. De chillen have pallets on de floor. - -"After freedom my daddy die with cholera. I don' know how many chillen -in us fambly. My daddy's name Valmore Moore and mamma's name Silliman. - -"Dey have niggers in de fields in different squads, a hoe squad and a -plow squad, and de overseer was pretty rapid. Iffen dey don' do de work -dey buck dem down and whip dem. Dey tie dey hands and feet togedder and -make 'em put de hands 'tween de knees, and put a long stick 'tween de -hands to dey can't pull 'em out, and den dey whip dem in good fashion. - -"When war starts, dey have a fight at Penock Bridge, not far from a -place dey call La'fette. Dey burn de bridge and keep de Yankees from -takin' de town. But de Yankees gits floatin' bridges and gits 'cross de -bayou dat way. De Yankees comes to our place and dey go to de sugarhouse -and takes barrels of sugar and syrup, and corn and meat and de white -folks hides de chickens under de bed, but de old rooster crow and den de -Yankees hear dem. - -"Young marster say he gwine to war to kill a Yankee and bring he head -back and he take a servant 'long. He didn' bring no Yankee head back but -he brung a shot up arm, but dat purty soon git well. - -"Iffen us sick dey make med'cine out of weeds, mos' bitter weed, boneset -dey calls it. Dey bile Jerusalem oak and give it to us. - -"We has dances sometimes and sings - - 'Run, nigger, run, - De patterroles git you; - Run, nigger run, - It almos' day.' - -Or we sings - - 'My old missus promise me - Shoo a la a day, - When she die she set me free - Shoo a la a day. - She live so long her head git bald, - Shoo a la a day. - She give up de idea of dyin' a-tall - Shoo a la a day.' - -"Sometimes we hollers de corn hollers. One was somethin' like this: -'Rabbit gittin' up in a holler for niggers kotch for breakfast.' -Sometimes my mudder jump up in de air and sing, - - 'Sugar in de gourd, - Sugar in de gourd, - Iffen you wanter git - De sugar out-- - R-o-o-l-l de gourd over.' - -"And all de time she shoutin' dat, she jumpin' right straight up in de -air. - -"I heered lots about de Klu Klux. Sometimes dey want a nigger's place -and dey put up notice he better sell out and leave. Iffen he go see a -lawyer, de lawyer wouldn' take de case, 'cause mos' dem in with de Klux. -He tell de nigger he better sell. - -"I come to Texas in '76 and been here ever since. I's had 13 chillen. I -owns eight acres in dis place now and I got de purties' corn in de -country but de insecks give it de blues." - - - - -Van Moore - - -*Van Moore, now living at 2119 St. Charles St., Houston, Tex., was born -on a plantation owned by the Cunningham family, near Lynchburg, -Virginia. While Van was still a baby, his owner moved to a plantation -near Crosby, Tex. Van is about 80 years old.* - -"Like I say, I's born on de first day of September, near Lynchburg, in -Virginy, but I's reared up here in Texas. My mammy's name was Mary Moore -and my pappy's name was Tom Moore. Mammy 'longed to de Cunninghams but -Pappy 'longed to de McKinneys, what was Missy Cunningham's sister and -her husban'. That's how my mammy and pappy come together. In dem days a -slave man see a slave gal what he wants and he asks his old massa, kin -he see her. Iffen she owned by someone else, de massa ask de gal's massa -iffen it all right to put 'em together, and iffen he say so, dey jus' -did. Twa'nt no Bible weddin', like now. - -"Mammy had 19 chillen, 10 boys and 9 gals, but all of 'em dead 'cept me. -Dey was call' Matthew and Joe and Harris and Horace and Charley and Sam -and Dave and Millie and Viney and Mary and Phyllis, and I forgit de -others. - -"While I jus' a baby Massa Cunningham and he family and he slaves, and -Massa McKinney and he slaves comes to Texas. I never did 'member old -Massa Cunningham, 'cause dey tells me he kilt by a rarin' beef, right -after we gits to Texas. Dey say he didn't take up 'nough slack on dat -rope when he tryin' brand de beef and de critter rared over and broke -massa's back. - -"But I 'members Missy Mary Ellen Cunningham, he wife, from de time I's a -little feller till she die. She sho' was de good woman and treated de -slaves good. - -"Mammy told me it dis-a-way how come de Cunninghams and de McKinneys to -come to Texas. When war begin most folks back in Virginny what owns -slaves moved further south, and lots to Louisiana and Texas, 'cause dey -say de Yankees won't never git dat far and dey won't have to free de -slaves iffen dey come way over here. 'Sides, dey so many slaves runnin' -'way to de north, back dere. Mammy say when dey starts for here in de -wagons, de white folks tells de po' niggers, what was so ig'rant dey -'lieve all de white folks tell 'em, dat where dey is goin' de lakes full -of syrup and covered with batter cakes, and dey won't have to work so -hard. Dey tells 'em dis so dey don't run away. - -"Well, mammy say dey comes to de lake what has round things on top de -water. Course, dey jus' leaves, but de niggers thinks here is de lake -with de syrup and one runs to de edge and takes de big swallow, and -spits it out, and say 'Whuf!' I reckon he thinks dat funny syrup. - -"De plantation at Crosby was a great big place, and after old Massa -Cunningham kilt by dat beef Missy Cunningham couldn't keep it up and we -goes to Galveston. Dere she has de great big house with de beautiful -things in it, de mirrors and de silk chairs and de rugs what soft 'nough -to sleep on. Missy Cunningham mighty good to us niggers and on Sunday -she'd fill up de big wood tray with flour and grease and hawg meat, so -we could have de biscuit and white bread. Mammy say back in Virginny dey -called biscuits 'knots' and white bread 'tangle-dough.' - -"Iffen old Missy Cunningham ain't in heaven right now, den dere ain't -none, 'cause she so good to us we all loved her. She never took de whip -to us, but I heered my mammy say she knowed a slave woman what owned by -Massa Rickets, and she workin' in de field, and she heavy with de chile -what not born yet, and she has to set down in de row to rest. She was -havin' de misery and couldn't work good, and de boss man had a nigger -dig a pit where her stomach fit in, and lay her down and tie her so she -can't squirm 'round none, and flog her till she lose her mind. Yes, suh, -dat de truf, my mammy say she knowed dat woman a long time after dat, -and she never right in de head 'gain. - -"When de war broke, de Union soldiers has a camp not so far from we'uns -and I slips down dere when old missy not lookin', 'cause de soldiers -give me black coffee and sugar what I takes to my mammy. I had to walk -in de sand up to de knees to git to dat camp. Lots more chillen went, -too, but I never seed no cruelness by de soldiers. Dey gives you de -sugar in de big bucket and when you puts de hand in it you could pinch -de water out it, 'cause it not refined sugar like you gits now, but it -sure tasted good. - -"Mammy wrops me in both de Yankee and de 'federate flags when I goes to -dat camp, and de soldiers takes off de 'federate flag, but I allus wears -it 'round de house, cause old missy tell me to. - -"When freedom come, old missy tell my mammy, 'You is free now, and you -all jus' have to do de best you kin.' But mammy she never been 'way from -old missy in her life, and she didn't want no more freedom dan what she -had, so we jus' stays with old missy till she moved back to Crosby. - - -[Illustration: _Van Moore_] - - -"When pappy's set free by Massa Albert McKinney, he didn't have -nothin'--not even a shirt, so Massa Albert 'lowed him stay and work -'round de plantation. One day 'fore we goes back to Crosby, pappy come -down to Galveston to see mammy and us chillen, 'cause he wants to take -us back with him. He rid all de way on a mule, carryin' a wallet what -was thrown over de back of de mule like de pack saddle, and he gives it -to mammy. You know what was in dat wallet? He brung a coon and possum -and some corn dodger, 'cause he thinks we don't have 'nough to eat down -there. Mammy she give one look at de stuff and say, 'You, Tom, I's -stayin' right here with old Missy Cunningham, and we has white folks -eats,' and she throw de whole mess 'way. I sho' 'member dat happenin'. - -"But old missy gittin' poorly and, like I told you, we move back to -Crosby and mammy and pappy lives together 'gain. I gits me some small -work here and there till I grows up, and I's worked hard all my life. - -"All de old folks is gone now. Old missy, she die in Crosby, and mammy -and pappy die, too, and is buried there. Doctor say I got dis and dat -wrong and can't work no more, so I guess I go, too, 'fore long. But I -still has love for my old missy, 'cause she loved us and sho' was good -to us, and it make me feel kinda good to talk 'bout her and de old -times." - - - - -William Moore - - -*William Moore was born a slave of the Waller family, in Selma, Alabama, -about 1855. His master moved to Mexia, Texas, during the Civil War. -William now lives at 1016-1/2 Good Street, Dallas, Texas.* - -"My mammy done told me the reason her and my paw's name am Moore was -'cause afore they 'longed to Marse Tom Waller they 'longed to Marse -Moore, but he done sold them off. - -"Marse Tom heared they gwine 'mancipate the slaves in Selma, so he got -his things and niggers together and come to Texas. My mammy said they -come in covered wagons but I wasn't old 'nough to 'member nothin' 'bout -it. The first 'lections I got is down in Limestone County. - -"Marse Tom had a fine, big house painted white and a big prairie field -front his house and two, three farms and orchards. He had five hundred -head of sheep, and I spent mos' my time bein' a shepherd boy. I starts -out when I'm li'l and larns right fast to keep good 'count of the -sheeps. - -"Mammy's name was Jane and paw's was Ray, and I had a brother, Ed, and -four sisters, Rachel and Mandy and Harriet and Ellen. We had a purty -hard time to make out and was hongry lots of times. Marse Tom didn't -feel called on to feed his hands any too much. I 'members I had a -cravin' for victuals all the time. My mammy used to say, 'My belly -craves somethin' and it craves meat.' I'd take lunches to the field -hands and they'd say, 'Lawd Gawd, it ain't 'nough to stop the gripe in -you belly.' We made out on things from the fields and rabbits cooked in -li'l fires. - -"We had li'l bitty cabins out of logs with puncheon beds and a bench and -fireplace in it. We chillun made out to sleep on pallets on the floor. - -"Some Sundays we went to church some place. We allus liked to go any -place. A white preacher allus told us to 'bey our masters and work hard -and sing and when we die we go to Heaven. Marse Tom didn't mind us -singin' in our cabins at night, but we better not let him cotch us -prayin'. - -"Seems like niggers jus' got to pray. Half they life am in prayin'. Some -nigger take turn 'bout to watch and see if Marse Tom anyways 'bout, then -they circle theyselves on the floor in the cabin and pray. They git to -moanin' low and gentle, 'Some day, some day, some day, this yoke gwine -be lifted offen our shoulders.' - -"Marse Tom been dead long time now. I 'lieve he's in hell. Seem like -that where he 'long. He was a terrible mean man and had a indiff'ent, -mean wife. But he had the fines', sweetes' chillun the Lawd ever let -live and breathe on this earth. They's so kind and sorrowin' over us -slaves. - -"Some them chillun used to read us li'l things out of papers and books. -We'd look at them papers and books like they somethin' mighty curious, -but we better not let Marse Tom or his wife know it! - -"Marse Tom was a fitty man for meanness. He jus' 'bout had to beat -somebody every day to satisfy his cravin'. He had a big bullwhip and he -stake a nigger on the ground and make 'nother nigger hold his head down -with his mouth in the dirt and whip the nigger till the blood run out -and red up the ground. We li'l niggers stand round and see it done. Then -he tell us, 'Run to the kitchen and git some salt from Jane.' That my -mammy, she was cook. He'd sprinkle salt in the cut, open places and the -skin jerk and quiver and the man slobber and puke. Then his shirt stick -to his back for a week or more. - -"My mammy had a terrible bad back once. I seen her tryin' to git the -clothes off her back and a woman say, 'What's the matter with you back?' -It was raw and bloody and she say Marse Tom done beat her with a handsaw -with the teeth to her back. She died with the marks on her, the teeth -holes goin' crosswise her back. When I's growed I asks her 'bout it and -she say Marse Tom got mad at the cookin' and grabs her by the hair and -drug her out the house and grabs the saw off the tool bench and whips -her. - -"My paw is the first picture I got in my mind. I was settin' on maw's -lap and paw come in and say Marse Tom loaned him out to work on a dam -they's buildin' in Houston and he has to go. One day word come he was -haulin' a load of rocks through the swamps and a low-hangin' grapevine -cotched him under the neck and jerked him off the seat and the wagon -rolled over him and kilt him dead. They buried him down there -somewheres. - -"One day I'm down in the hawg pen and hears a loud agony screamin' up to -the house. When I git up close I see Marse Tom got mammy tied to a tree -with her clothes pulled down and he's layin' it on her with the -bullwhip, and the blood am runnin' down her eyes and off her back. I -goes crazy. I say, 'Stop, Marse Tom,' and he swings the whip and don't -reach me good, but it cuts jus' the same. I sees Miss Mary standin' in -the cookhouse door. I runs round crazy like and sees a big rock, and I -takes it and throws it and it cotches Marse Tom in the skull and he goes -down like a poled ox. Miss Mary comes out and lifts her paw and helps -him in the house and then comes and helps me undo mammy. Mammy and me -takes to the woods for two, three months, I guess. My sisters meets us -and grease mammy's back and brings us victuals. Purty soon they say it -am safe for us to come in the cabin to eat at night and they watch for -Marse Tom. - -"One day Marse Tom's wife am in the yard and she calls me and say she -got somethin' for me. She keeps her hand under her apron. She keeps -beggin' me to come up to her. She say, 'Gimme you hand.' I reaches out -my hand and she grabs it and slips a slip knot rope over it. I sees then -that's what she had under her apron and the other end tied to a li'l -bush. I tries to get loose and runs round and I trips her up and she -falls and breaks her arm. I gits the rope off my arm and runs. - -"Mammy and me stays hid in the bresh then. We sees Sam and Billie and -they tell us they am fightin over us niggers. Then they done told us the -niggers 'clared to Marse Tom they ain't gwine be no more beatin's and we -could come up and stay in our cabin and they'd see Marse Tom didn't do -nothin'. And that's what mammy and me did. Sam and Billie was two the -biggest niggers on the place and they done got the shotguns out the -house some way or 'tother. One day Marse Tom am in a rocker on the porch -and Sam and Billie am standin' by with the guns. We all seen five white -men ridin' up. When they gits near Sam say to Marse Tom, 'First white -man sets hisself inside that rail fence gits it from the gun.' Marse Tom -waves the white men to go back but they gallops right up to the fence -and swings off they hosses. - -"Marse Tom say, 'Stay outside, gen'man, please do, I done change my -mind.' They say, 'What's the matter here? We come to whip you niggers -like you done hire us to.' - -"Marse Tom say, 'I done change my mind, but if you stay outside I'll -bring you the money.' - -"They argues to come in but Marse Tom outtalk them and they say they'll -go if he brings them they three dollars apiece. He takes them the money -and they goes 'way. - -"Marse Tom cuss and rare, but the niggers jus' stay in the woods and -fool 'way they time. They say it ain't no use to work for nothin' all -them days. - -"One day I'm in a 'simmon tree in middle a li'l pond, eatin' 'simmons, -and my sister, Mandy, come runnin'. She say, 'Us niggers am free.' I -looks over to the house and seen the niggers pilin' they li'l bunch of -clothes and things outside they cabins. Then mammy come runnin' with -some other niggers and mammy was head runner. I clumb down out that tree -and run to meet her. She say Marse Tom done told her he gwine keep me -and pay her for it. She's a-scared I'll stay if I wants to or not and -she begs me not to. - -"We gits up to the house and all the niggers standin' there with they -li'l bundles on they head and they all say, 'Where we goin'?' - -"Mammy said, 'I don't know where you all gwine but me, myself, am gwine -to go to Miss Mary.' So all the niggers gits in the cart with mammy and -we goes to Miss Mary. She meets us by the back door and say, 'Come in, -Jane, and all you chillen and all the rest of you. You can see my door -am open and my smokehouse door am open to you and I'll bed you down till -we figurates a way for you.' - -"We all cries and sings and prays and was so 'cited we didn't eat no -supper, though mammy stirs up some victuals. - - -[Illustration: _William Moore_] - - -"It warn't long afore we found places to work. Miss Mary found us a -place with a fine white man and we works on sharance and drifts round to -some other places and lives in Corsicana for awhile and buys mammy a -li'l house and she died there. - -"I got married and had three chillen, cute, fetchin' li'l chillen, and -they went to school. Wasn't no trouble 'bout school then, but was when -'mancipation come. My brother Ed was in school then and the Ku Klux come -and drove the Yankee lady and gen'man out and closed the school. - -"My chillen growed up and my wife died and I spent mos' my days workin' -hard on farms. Now I'm old and throwed 'way. But I'm thankful to Gawd -and praiseful for the pension what lets me have a li'l somethin' to eat -and a place to stay." - - - - -Mandy Morrow - - -*Mandy Morrow, 80, was born a slave of Ben Baker, near Georgetown, -Texas. Mr. Baker owned Mandy's grandparents, parents, three brothers and -one sister. After she was freed, Mandy was Gov. Stephen Hogg's cook -while he occupied the Governor's Mansion in Austin. She married several -times and gave birth to eight children. Two of her sons were in the -World War and one was killed in action. She now receives a $11.00 Old -Age Pension check each month, and lives at 3411 Prairie Ave., Fort -Worth, Texas.* - -"Massa, I don' know 'zactly how old I is, 'cause I never gits de -statement from my massa. My daddy keep dat record in he Bible and I -don't know who has it. But I's old 'nough for to 'member de war 'cause I -carries uncle's lunch to him and sees de 'federate sojers practicin'. - -"One day I stops a li'l while and watch de sojers and dey am practicin' -shootin', and I seed one sojer drap after de shot. Den dere lots of -'citement, and sho' 'nough, dat sojer dead. Dey says it's a accident. - -"I's born in Burnet County on Massa's farm, and I has three brothers -call Lewis and Monroe and Hale, and one sister, Mollie. Most de time -Massa am in de town, 'cause he have blacksmith shop dere. From what I's -larnt by talk with other slaves, we's lucky slaves, 'cause dere no sich -thing as whippin' on our farm. Sho', dere's spankin's, and I's de one -what gits dem from my mammy, 'cause I's de pestin' chile, into something -all de time. I gits in de devilment. - -"Massa smoked and I 'cides to try it, so I gits one old pipe and some -home-cured tobaccy and goes to de barn and covers up with de hay. Mammy -miss me, 'cause everything am quiet 'round. She look for me and come to -de barn and hears de crinklin' of de hay. She pulls me out of dat and -den dere am plenty of fire put on my rear and I sees lots of smoke. I -sho' 'members dat 'sperience! - -"We all lives in one big family, 'cept us have dinin' room for de cullud -folks. Grandpappy am de carpenter and 'cause of dat us quarters fixed -fine and has reg'lar windows and handmade chairs and a real wood floor. - -"Mammy and my grandma am cooks and powerful good and dey's larnt me and -dat how I come to be a cook. Like everybody dem times, us raise -everything and makes preserves and cure de meats. De hams and bacons am -smoked. Dere am no hickory wood 'round but we uses de corncobs and dey -makes de fine flavor in de meat. Many's de day I watches de fire in dat -smokehouse and keeps it low, to git de smoke flavor. I follows de -cookin' when I gits big and goes for myself and I never wants for de -job. - -"When surrender breaks all us stay with Massa for good, long spell. When -pappy am ready to go for hisself, Massa gives him de team of mules and -de team of oxen and some hawgs and one cow and some chickens. Dat give -him de good start. - -"My uncle gits de blacksmith shop from de Massa and den him and pappy -goes together and does de blacksmithin' and de haulin'. I stays in -Georgetown 'bout 20 year and den I goes to Austin and dere I works for -de big folks. After I been dere 'bout five year, Gov'nor James Stephen -Hogg sends for me to be cook in de Mansion and dat de best cook job I's -ever had. De gov'nor am mighty fine man and so am he wife. She am not of -de good health and allus have de misery, and befo' long she say to me, -'Mandy, I's gwineter 'pend on you without my watchin'.' Massa Hogg allus -say I does wonders with dat food and him proud fer to have him friends -eat it. - -"Yes, suh, de Gov'nor am de good man. You knows, when he old nigger -mammy die in Temple, him drap all he work and goes to de fun'ral and dat -show him don't forgit de kindness. - -"No, suh, I don't know de names of de people what comes to de Mansion to -eat. I hears dem talk but how you 'spose dis igno'mus nigger unnerstand -what dey talks 'bout. Lawd A-mighty! Dey talks and talks and one thing -make 'pression on my mind. De Gov'nor talk lots 'bout railroads. - -"I works for de Gov'nor till he wife die and den I's quit, 'cause I -don't want bossin' by de housekeeper what don't know much 'bout cookin' -and am allus fustin' 'round. - -"I cooks here and yonder and den gits mixed up with dat marriage. De -fust hitch lasts 'bout one year and de nex' hitch lasts 'bout two year -and 'bout four years later I tries it 'gain and dat time it lasts till I -has two chillen. Three year dat hitch lasts. After 'while I marries Sam -Morrow and dat hitch sticks till Sam dies in 1917. I has six chillen by -him. - -"My two oldes' boys jines de army and goes to France and de young one -gits kilt and de other comes home. All my chillen scattered now and I -don't know where they's at. In 1920 I's married de last time and dat -hitch lasts ten years and us sep'rate in 1930, 'cause dat man am no -good. What for I wants a man what ain't of de service to me? If I wants -de pet, den I gits de dawg or de cat. Shucks! It didn't take me long. -When dey don't satisfy dis nigger, I transports dem. - -"De last five and six year I does li'l work, 'cause I don't have no -substance to me no more. I's jus' 'bout wore out. I gits dat pension -from de state every month and with dat $11.00 I has to git on." - - - - -Patsy Moses - - -*Patsy Moses, 74, was born in Fort Bend Co., Texas, a slave of the -Armstrong family. She tells of charms and "conjure," many learned from -ex-slaves. Patsy lives at Mart, Texas.* - -"I was born in Fort Bend County, about de year 1863. My daddy's old -master by name of Armstrong brung my folks from Tennessee. My own daddy -and mammy was named Preston and Lucy Armstrong. Mammy's grand-dad was -Uncle Ned Butler, and he 'longed to Col. Butler, in Knoxville, in -Tennessee. Old master sold he plantation and come to Texas jes' befo' -freedom, 'cause nobody thunk dey'd have to free de slaves in Texas. - -"My great grand-dad fit in de Rev'lutionary War and my own daddy fit in -de war for freedom, with he master, for bodyguard. He had some fingers -shot off in de battle and was tooken pris'ner by dem Yankees, but he run -'way and come back to he master and he master was wounded and come home. -Den he moved to Texas befo' I's born. - -"My old grand-dad done told me all 'bout conjure and voodoo and luck -charms and signs. To dream of clear water lets you know you is on de -right side of Gawd. De old voodoo doctors was dem what had de most -power, it seem, over de nigger befo' and after de war. Dey has meetin' -places in secret and a voodoo kettle and nobody know what am put in it, -maybe snakes and spiders and human blood, no tellin' what. Folks all -come in de dark of de moon, old doctor wave he arms and de folks crowd -up close. Dem what in de voodoo strips to de waist and commence to dance -while de drums beats. Dey dances faster and faster and chant and pray -till dey falls down in a heap. - -"De armour bearers hold de candles high and when dey sways and chants -dey seize with power what sends dem leapin' and whirlin'. Den de time -dat old doctor work he spell on dem he wants to conjure. Many am de -spell he casts dem days. Iffen he couldn't work it one way, he work it -'nother, and when he die, do he stay buried? No, sir! He walks de street -and many seed he ghost wavin' he arms. - -"De conjure doctor, old Dr. Jones, walk 'bout in de black coat like a -preacher, and wear sideburns and used roots and sich for he medicine. He -larnt 'bout dem in de piney woods from he old granny. He didn't cast -spells like de voodoo doctor, but uses roots for smallpox, and rind of -bacon for mumps and sheep-wool tea for whoopin' cough and for snake bite -he used alum and saltpeter and bluestone mix with brandy or whiskey. - -"He could break conjure spells with broth. He take he kettle and put in -splinters of pine or hickory, jes' so dey has bark on dem, covers dem -with water and puts in de conjure salt. - -"A good charm bag am make of red flannel with frog bones and a piece of -snakeskin and some horse hairs and a spoonful of ashes. Dat bag pertect -you from you enemy. Iffen dat bag left by de doorstep it make all kind -misfortune and sicknesses and blindness and fits. - -"De big, black nigger in de corn field mos' allus had three charms round -he neck, to make him fort'nate in love, and to keep him well and one for -Lady Luck at dice to be with him. Den if you has indigestion, wear a -penny round de neck. - -"De power of de rabbit foot am great. One nigger used it to run away -with. His old granny done told him to try it and he did. He conjures -hisself by takin' a good, soapy bath so de dogs can't smell him and den -say a hoodoo over he rabbit foot, and go to de creek and git a start by -wadin'. Dey didn't miss him till he clear gone and dat show what de -rabbit foot done for him. - - "'O, Molly Cottontail, - Be sho' not to fail, - Give me you right hind foot, - My luck won't be for sale.' - -"De graveyard rabbit am de best, kilt by a cross-eyed pusson. De niggers -all 'lieved Gen. Lee carried a rabbit foot with him. To keep de rabbit -foot's luck workin', it good to pour some whiskey on it once in a while. - - -[Illustration: _Patsy Moses_] - - -"If you has a horseshoe over you door, be sho' it from de left, hind -foot of a white hoss, but a gray hoss am better'n none. - -"Conjures am sot with de dark or light of de moon, to make things waste -or grow. Iffen a hen crow, it best to wring her neck and bake her with -cranberry sauce and gravy and forgit 'bout her crowin'. Everybody know -dat. - -"I larnt all dem spells from my daddy and mammy and de old folks, and -most of dem things works iffen you tries dem." - - - - -Andy Nelson - - -*Andy Nelson, 76, is leader of a small rural settlement of negroes known -as Moser Valley, ten miles east of Fort Worth on State Highway #15. He -was born a slave to J. Wolf, on a Denton County farm, and his mother -belonged to Dr. John Barkswell, who owned an adjoining farm. At the -death of his father he was sold to Dr. Barkswell. When freed, he and his -mother came to Birdville and later moved to Moser Valley, which derives -it name from Telley Moses, who gave his farm to his slaves, and sold -parcels to other negroes.* - -"I don' 'member much 'bout de war, but I was bo'n in slavery near de -line of Tarrant County, in 1861. My master was named Wolf, but 'bout de -end of de war he sells me to Dr. Barkswell, who owns my mammy. - -"When de war is over we gits out and comes to Birdville and after three -years Master Moser gives my mammy 17 acres of lan'. He owned lots of -slaves and gives 'em all some land for a home. - -"For ten, twelve years after de war, de Klux gits after de niggers who -is gittin' into devilment. De cullud folks sho' quavered when they -thought de Klan was after them. One nigger crawls up de chimney of de -fireplace and that nigger soon gits powerful hot and has to come out. -You should of seen that nigger. He warn't human lookin'. He is all soot, -fussed up, choked and skeered. Dey warn't after him but wants to ask him -if he knows whar other niggers is hidin'. I was too young to git in no -picklement with de Klux. - -"Years after dat, I'se married and have four, five chillens, and I'se -comin' home. I'se stopped by seven men on hosses and dey all has rifles -and pistols. I says to myself, 'De Klux sho' have come back and dey is -gwine to git me. It sho' looks like troublement.' - -"One of dem weighs 'bout 135 pounds and has dark hair and complexiun, -and he says to me, 'Nigger, whar's de lower Dalton crossin'? Dere was -two crossin's of de Trinity River, de upper and de lower. I says, 'De -upper crossin' is back yonder.' - -"He says, 'I knows whar de upper crossin' is, I'se askin' you whar de -lower one is. Don' fool with us, nigger.' - -"Dere was a big fellow, 'bout 250, settin' in de saddle and sorta ant -goglin', with his gun pointin' at me. De hole in de end of dat gun -looked big as a cannon. He was mean lookin' and chewin' a quid of -terbaccy. He says, 'You is goin' with us to de crossin'. Lead de way.' -Den I gits de quaverment powerful bad. I knows I'se a gone nigger. - -"I says to dem, 'I done nothin',' and de big fellow raises his gun and -says, 'Git goin', nigger, to dat lower crossin', or you'll be a dead -nigger.' - -"On de way I never says a word, but I'se prayin' de good Lawd to save -dis nigger. When we reached de crossin' I says to myself, 'Dis am de -end.' - -"De little fellow says, 'Do you know who I is?' I says, 'No.' - -"He says, 'I'se Sam Bass.' - -"I'se heered of Sam Bass, everybody had in dem days. He was leader of a -band. - -"He says, 'We don' want nobody to know we been here. Which you ruther -be, a dead nigger befo' or after tellin'?' - -"De big fellow says, 'Make a sno' job. A dead nigger cain't talk,' and -den starts raisin' de gun. - -"I wants to talk, but I'se so skeered I can' say one word. - -"Den Sam Bass says, 'No, no! Let him go,' and den I knows de Lawd has -heered dis nigger's prayers. - -"Dey tells me dey's comin' back if I tells and I promised not to tell. -I'se skeered for a week after dat. - -"In a few weeks, I hears dat Sam Bass is killed at Round Rock. Den I -tells. - -"Dat's de las' troublement I'se been in. Since dat I'se been busy -earnin' vittles for de family. I'se been married 40 years and we'uns has -14 chillen and 10 of 'em are livin'. If it warn't for dis farm and de -work white folks give me, I don' know how I could of got on. We gits a -pension of $21 every month from de state and dat helps a heap. - -"I'se never had no schoolin'. Dey used to think us cullud folks has no -use for edumacation. I thinks diff'rent and sends my chillen to school. -Dey reads to me from de papers and sich." - - - - -Virginia Newman - - -*Virginia Newman was freeborn, the daughter of a Negro boat captain and -a part Negro, part Indian mother. When a young girl, Virginia -apprenticed herself, and says she was nursegirl in the family of Gov. -Foster, of Louisiana. She does not know her age, but says she saw the -"Stars fall" in 1833. She has the appearance of extreme old age, and is -generally conceded to be 100 years old or more. She now lives in -Beaumont, Texas.* - -"When de stars fall I's 'bout six year old. They didn' fall on de grou'. -They cross de sky like a millions of firebugs. - -"My fus' name Georgia Turner, 'cause my pappy's name George Turner, and -he a freeborn nigger man. He's captain of a boat, but they call 'em -vessels them days. It have livin' quarters in it and go back and forth -'tween dis place and dat and go back to Africy, too. - -"My grandmudder, she an Africy woman. They brung her freeborn from -Africy and some people what knowed things one time tol' us we too proud -but us had reason to be proud. My grandmudder's fambly in Africy was a -African prince of de rulin' people. My udder grandmudder was a pure bred -Indian woman and she raise all my mudder's chillen. My mudder name Eli -Chivers. - -"When I's small I live with my grandmudder in a old log cabin on the -ribber, 'way out in de bresh jus' like de udder Indians live. I's born -on my fadder's big boat, 'way below Grades Island, close by Franklin, in -Louisiana. They tells me he carry cargo of cotton in de hull of de boat, -and when I's still li'l they puts out to sea, and grandmudder, Sarah -Turner her name, tuk us and kep' us with her in de cabin. - -"Us didn' have stick of furniture in de house, no bed, no chair, no -nothin'. Us cut saplings boughs for bed, with green moss over 'em. Us -was happy, though. Us climb trees and play. It was hard sometime to git -things to eat so far in de woods and us eat mos' everything what run or -crawl or fly outdoors. Us eat many rattlesnake and them's fine eatin'. -We shoot de snake and skin him and cut him in li'l dices. Den us stew -him slow with lots of brown gravy. - -"They allus askin' me now make hoe-cake like we et. Jus' take de -cornmeal and salt and water and make patties with de hands and wrop de -sof' patties in cabbage leafs, stir out de ashes and put de patties in -de hot ashes. Dat was good. - -"One my grandfadders a old Mexican man call Old Man Caesar. All de -grandfolks was freeborn and raise de chillen de same, but when us gits -big they tell us do what we wants. Us could stay in de woods and be free -or go up to live with de white folks. I's a purty big gal when I goes up -to de big house and 'prentice myself to work for de Fosters. Dey have -big plantation at Franklin and lots of slaves. One time de Governor -cripple in de leg and I do nothin' but nuss him. - -"I's been so long in de woods and don' see nobody much dat I love it up -with de white folks. Dey 'lowed us have dances and when dat old 'cordian -starts to play, iffen I ain't git my hair comb yit, it don't git comb. -De boss man like to see de niggers 'joy demselves. Us dance de -quadrille. - -"Us have 'ceptional marsters. My fadder sick on Marster Lewis' -plantation and can't walk and de marster brung him a 'spensive reclinin' -chair. Old Judge Lewis was his marster. - -"I git marry from de plantation and my husban' he name Beverly Newman -and he from de Lewis plantation in Opelousas. They read out'n de Book -and after de readin' us have lots of white folks to come and watch us -have big dance. - -"When a nigger do wrong den, they didn' send him to de pen. They put him -'cross a barrel and strop him behin'. - -"When fightin' 'gin, all our white folks and us slaves have to go 'way -from Louisiana. Opelousas and them place was free long time 'fore de -udders. Us strike out for Texas and it took mos' a year to walk from de -Bayou la Fouche to de Brazos bottoms. I have to tote my two li'l boys, -dat was Jonah and Simon. They couldn' neither walk yit. Us have de -luggage in de ox cart and us have to walk. Dey was some mo' cullud -people and white and de mud drag de feetses and stick up de wheels so -dey couldn' even move. Us all walk barefeets and our feets break and run -they so sore, and blister for months. It cold and hot sometime and rain -and us got no house or no tent. - -"De white folks settles in Jasper county, on a plantation dere. After -while freedom come to Texas, too, but mos' de slaves stay round de old -marsters. I's de only one what go back to Louisiana. After de war my -fambly git broke up and my three oldes' chillen never see de li'l ones. -Dose later chillen, dey's eight livin' now out'n nine what was born -since slavery and my fourth chile die seven year ago when she 75 year -old. - - -[Illustration: _Virginia Newman_] - - -"When I git back to Louisiana I come to be a midwife and I brung so many -babies here I can't count. De old priest say I ought to have a big book -with all their names to 'member by. - -"It were 'bout dis time I have my fur' bought dress and it was blue -guinea with yaller spots. It were long at de ankle and make with a body -wais'. Us wore lots of unnerwear and I ain't take 'em off yit. - -"I never been sick, I's jus' weak. I almos' go blin' some time back but -now I git my secon' sight and I sees well 'nough to sew." - - - - -Margrett Nillin - - -*Margrett Nillin, 90, was born a slave to Charles Corneallus, at -Palestine, Texas. After they were freed, Margrett and her mother moved -to Chamber's Creek, Texas. She now lives with one of her children at -1013 W. Peach St., Fort Worth, Texas.* - -"Yas, sar, I's de old slave, and 'bout my age, I am young woman when de -War started. Mus' be 90 for sure and maybe more. My marster's name was -Charles Corneallus and hims owned a small farm near Palestine and him -had jus' four slaves, my mammy, my sister and my cousin and me. I don' -know 'bout my pappy, for reason he's sold 'fore I's born and I ain' -never seed him. - -"I tell you 'bout de place. Dere was a cabin with bunks for to sleep on -and fireplace for to cook in. No window was in dat cabin, jus' a hole -with a swingin' door and dat lets flies in durin' de summer and col' in -durin' de winter. But if you shut's dat window dat shut out de light. - -"De marster ain' de boss of dis nigger, 'cause I 'longs to Missy -Corneallus and she don' 'low any other person boss me. My work was in de -big house, sich as sewing, knitting and 'tending Missy. I keeps de flies -off her with de fan and I does de fetching for her, sich as water and de -snack for to eat, and de likes. When she goes to fix for sleep I combs -her hair and rubs her feet. I can't 'member dat she speak any cross -words to dis nigger. - -"Our marster, he good to us and take we'uns to church. And whuppin', not -on him place. De worst am scoldin'. Not many have sich a good home, -'cause lots gits 'bused powerful bad. Marster's neighbor, he's mean to -his niggers and whups 'em awful. De devil sho' have dat man now! - -"My mammy git de p'sentment lots of times. Often in de mornin' she say -to me, 'Chile, dere am gwine be someone die, I seed de angels last night -and dat am sho' sign.' Sho' 'nough, 'fore long we heered someone has -died. Some says de haunts brings p'sentment to mammy. - -"Fore de War I hears de white folks talking 'bout it. I 'members hearin' -'bout someone fires on de fort and den de mens starts jinin' de army. De -marster didn' go and his boy too young. We didn' hear lots 'bout de War -and de only way we knows it goin' on, sometimes we'uns couldn' git -'nough to eat. - - -[Illustration: _Margrett Nillin_] - - -"After freedom we'uns see de Klux and dey is round our place but dey not -come after us. Dey comes across de way 'bout a nigger call Johnson, and -him crawls under him house, but dey makes him come out and gives him -some licks and what de bellow come from dat nigger! Him had git -foolishment in him head and dey come to him for dat. - -"After de war mammy and me goes to Chamber's Creek and takes de sewin' -for make de livin'. We gits 'long all right after awhile, and den I -marries Ben Nillin. He dies 'bout fifteen year ago and now I lives with -my son, Tom, and don' work 'cause I's too old. - -"What I likes bes, to be slave or free? Well, it's dis way. In slavery I -owns nothin' and never owns nothin'. In freedom I's own de home and -raise de family. All dat cause me worryment and in slavery I has no -worryment, but I takes de freedom." - - - - -John Ogee - - -*John Ogee, 96 years old, was born in Morgan City, La., in 1841, the -property of Alfred Williams. John ran away to join the Union Army and -served three years. He recalls Sherman's march through Georgia and South -Carolina and the siege of Vicksburg. He came to Jefferson County in -1870, and has lived there since.* - -"I was born near Morgan City, Louisiana in a old log cabin with a dirt -floor, one big room was all, suh. My mother and father and four chillen -lived in that room. - -"The marster, he live in a big, old house near us. I 'member it was a -big house and my mudder done the cleanin' and work for them. I jus' -played round when I's growin' and the fus' work I done, they start me to -plowin'. - -"I haven't got 'lection like I used to, but I 'members when I's in the -army. Long 'bout '63 I go to the army and there was four of us who run -away from home, me and my father and 'nother man named Emanuel Young and -'nother man, but I disremember his name now. The Yankees comed 'bout a -mile from us and they took every ear of corn, kilt every head of stock -and thirteen hawgs and 'bout fifteen beeves, and feed their teams and -themselves. They pay the old lady in Confed'rate money, but it weren't -long 'fore that was no money at all. When we think of all that good food -the Yankees done got, we jus' up and jine up with them. We figger we git -lots to eat and the res' we jus' didn't figger. When they lef' we lef'. -My father got kilt from an ambush, in Miss'ippi--I think it was Jackson. - -"We went to Miss'ippi, then to South Carolina. I went through Georgia -and South Carolina with Sherman's army. The fus' battle lasts two days -and nights and they was 'bout 800 men kilt, near's I kin 'member. Some -of 'em you could find the head and not the body. That was the battle of -Vicksburg. After the battle it took three days to bury them what got -kilt and they had eight mule throw big furrows back this way, and put -'em in and cover 'em up. In that town was a well 'bout 75 or 80 feet -deep and they put 19 dead bodies in that well and fill her up. - -"After the war we went through to Atlanta, in Georgia and stay 'bout -three weeks. Finally we come back to Miss'ippi when surrender come. The -nigger troops was mix with the others but they wasn't no nigger -officers. - -"After the war I come home and the old marster he didn' fuss at me about -going to war and for long time I work on the old plantation for wages. I -'member then the Klu Klux come and when that happen I come to Texas. -They never did git me but some they got and kilt. I knowed several men -they whip purty bad. I know Narcisse Young, they tell him they was -comin'. He hid in the woods, in the trees and he open fire and kilt -seven of them. They was a cullud man with them and after they goes, he -comes back and asks can he git them dead bodies. Narcisse let him and -then Narcisse he lef' and goes to New Orleans. - - -[Illustration: _John Ogee_] - - -"I thinks it great to be with the Yankees, but I wishes I hadn't after I -got there. When you see 1,000 guns point at you I knows you wishes you'd -stayed in the woods. - -"The way they did was put 100 men in front and they git shoot and fall -down, and then 100 men behin' git up and shoot over 'em and that the way -they goes forward. They wasn't no goin' back, 'cause them men behin' you -would shoot you. I seed 'em fightin' close 'nough to knock one 'nother -with a bay'net. I didn' see no breech loaders guns, they was all -muskets, muzzle loaders, and they shoot a ball 'bout big as your finger, -what you calls a minnie-ball. - -"I come to Taylor's Bayou in '70 and rid stock long time for Mister -Arceneaux and Mister Moise Broussard and farms some too. Then I comes to -Beaumont when I's too old to work no more, and lives with one of my -girls." - - - - -Annie Osborne - - -*Annie Osborne, 81, was born in Atlanta, Georgia, a slave of Tom Bias. -She was 'refugeed' to Louisiana by the Bias family, before the Civil -War, and remained there with them for two years after she was freed. She -has lived in Marshall, Texas, since 1869.* - -"Yes, suh, I's a Georgia nigger. I 'longed to Massa Tom Bias, and he -lived in Atlanta. I couldn't state jus' how old I is, but I knows I was -eleven years old when we come to Marshall, and that's in 1869. - -"Mammy was Lizzie and born in Atlanta, and I's heared her say she was -give to Tom Bias to settle a dept her owner owed. I don't know nothin' -'bout my daddy, 'cept he am named Tom Bias, and that am massa's name. So -I guess he's my daddy. But I had two brothers, Frank and James, and I -don't know if Massa Bias was they daddy or not. - -"Massa Bias refugees me and my mammy to Mansfield, in Louisiana when I's -jus' a baby. They come in wagons and was two months on the way, and the -big boys and men rode hossback, but all the niggers big 'nough had to -walk. Massa Bias opens a farm twelve mile from Mansfield. My mammy -plowed and hoed and chopped and picked cotton and jus' as good as the -menfolks. I allus worked in the house, nussin' the white chillen and -spinnin' and housework. Me and my brother, Frank, slep' in Missy Bias -house on a pallet. No matter how cold it was we slep on that pallet -without no cover, in front the fireplace. - -"Old man Tom never give us no money and half 'nough clothes. I had one -dress the year round, two lengths of cloth sewed together, and I didn't -know nothin' 'bout playin' neither. If I made too much fuss they put me -under the bed. My white folks didn't teach us nothin' 'cept how they -could put the whip on us. I had to put on a knittin' of stockin's in the -mornin' and if I didn't git it out by night, Missy put the lash on me. - -"My mammy was sceered of old Tom Bias as if he was a bear. She worked in -the field all day and come in at night and help with the stock. After -supper they made her spin cloth. Massa fed well 'nough, but made us wear -our old lowel clothes till they most fell off us. We was treated jus' -like animals, but some owners treated they stock better'n old Tom Bias -handled my folks. I still got a scar over my right eye where he put me -in the dark two months. We had a young cow and when she had her first -calf they sent me to milk her, and she kicked me and run me round a li'l -pine tree, fightin' and tryin' to hook me. Massa and missy standin' in -the gate all the time, hollerin' to me to make the cow stand still. I -got clost to her and she kicked me off the stool and I run to the gate, -and massa grab me and hit me 'cross the eye with a leather strap and I -couldn't see out my right eye for two months. He am dead now, but I's -gwine tell the truth 'bout the way we was treated. - -"I could hear the guns shootin' in the war. It sound like a thunder -storm when them cannons boomin'. Didn't nary one our menfolks go to war. -I know my brother say, 'Annie, when them cannons stops boomin' we's -gwine be all freed from old Massa Tom's beatin's. - -"But massa wouldn't let us go after surrender. My mammy pretends to go -to town and takes Frank and goes to Mansfield and asks the Progoe -Marshal what to do. He say we's free as old man Tom and didn't have to -stay no more. Frank stays in town and mammy brings a paper from the -progoe, but she's sceered to give it to Massa Tom. Me and James out in -the yard makin' soap. I's totin' water from the spring and James -fetchin' firewood to put round the pot. Mammy tells James to keep goin' -next time he goes after wood and her and me come round 'nother way and -meets him down the road. That how we got 'way from old man Bias. Me and -mammy walks off and leaves a pot of soap bilin' in the backyard. We sot -our pails down at the spring and cuts through the field and meets James -down the big road. We left 'bout ten o'clock that mornin' and walks all -day till it starts to git dark. - -"Then we comes to a white man's house and asks could we stay all night. -He give us a good supper and let us sleep in his barn and breakfast next -mornin' and his wife fixes up some victuals in a box and we starts to -Mansfield. We was sceered most to death when we come to that man's -house, fear he'd take us back to old man Bias. But we had to have -somethin' to eat from somewheres. When mammy tells him how we left old -man Bias, he says, 'That damn rascal ought to be Ku Kluxed.' He told us -not to be 'fraid. - -"We come to Mansfield and finds Frank and mammy hires me and James out -to a white widow lady in Mansfield, and she sho' a good, sweet soul. She -told mammy to come on and stay there with us till she git a job. We -stayed with her two years. - -"Then old man Charlie Stewart brung us to Marshall, and when I's -eighteen I marries and lives with him twenty-six years. He worked on the -railroad and helped move the shops from Hallsville to Marshall. He -laughed and said the first engine they run from here to Jefferson had a -flour barrel for a smokestack. He died and I married Tom Osborne, but -he's dead eight years. - -"I raises a whole passel chillen and got a passel grandchillen. They -allus brings me a hen or somethin'. My boy is cripple and lives with me, -and my gal's husband works for Wiley College. Old man Bias' son got in -jail and sent for me. He say, 'Annie, you is my sister, and help me git -out of jail.' I told him I didn't help him in and wouldn't help him out. -I washed and ironed and now gits $9.00 pension. My boy got his leg cut -off by the railroad. He can't do much." - - - - -Horace Overstreet - - -*Horace Overstreet was born in Harrison Co., Texas, in 1856, a slave of -M.J. Hall. He was brought to Beaumont when a youth and still lives -there.* - -"I born near Marshall what was de county seat and my master was call' -Hall. My mother name Jennie and my father's name Josh. He come back from -de 'federate War and never got over it. He in de army with he young -massa. - -"Dat old plantation must have been 'bout 200 acres or even mo', and -'bout 500 head of slaves to work it. Massa Hall, he big lawyer and -bought more niggers every year. He kep' a overseer what was white and a -nigger driver. Sometime dey whip de slaves for what dey call -dis'bedjonce. Dey tie 'em down and whip 'em. But I was raise' 'round de -house, 'cause I a fav'rite nigger. - -"De niggers didn't have no furniture much in dere houses, maybe de -bedstead nail up to de side de house, and some old seats and benches. De -rations was meat and meal and syrup 'lasses. Dey give 'em de shirt to -wear, made out of lowers. Dat what dey make de cotton sack out of. De -growed people has shoes, but de chillen has no need. - -"Christmas time and Fourth July dey have de dance, jus' a reg'lar old -breakdown dance. Some was dancin' Swing de Corner, and some in de middle -de floor cuttin' de chicken wing. Dey has banjo pickers. Seem like my -folks was happy when dey starts dancin'. Iffen dey start without de -permit, de patterroles run up on dem and it 150 lashes. Law, dem niggers -sho' scatter when de patterroles comes. Jus' let a nigger git de start -and de patterrole sho' got to git a move on hisse'f to git dat nigger, -'cause dat nigger sho' move 'way from dat place! - -"When de war comes, I seed plenty soldiers and if dey have de uniform I -could tell it jus' in spots, for dey so dirty. Dey was Yankee soldiers -and some stops in Marshall and takes charge of de court martial. - - -[Illustration: _Horace Overstreet_] - - -"Fore long time come to go up and hear de freedom. We has to go up and -hear dat we's free. Massa Hall, he say we kin stay and he pay us for de -work. We didn' have nothin' so most of us stays, gatherin' de crop. Some -of dem gits de patch of land from massa and raises a bale of cotton. -Massa buy dat cotton and den he sell it. - -"After 'while they slips away, some of 'em works for de white folks and -some of 'em goes to farmin' on what they calls de shares. I works nearly -everywhere for de white folks and makes 'nough to eat and git de -clothes. It was harder'n bein' de slave at first, but I likes it better, -'cause I kin go whar I wants and git what I wants. - -"Dey was conjure men and women in slavery days and dey make out dey kin -do things. One of 'em give a old lady de bag of sand and told her it -keep her massa from shippin' her. Dat same day she git too uppity and -sass de masaa, 'cause she feel safe. Dat massa, he whip dat nigger so -hard he cut dat bag of sand plumb in two. Dat ruint de conjure man -business." - - - - -Mary Overton - - -*Mary Overton, 117 W. Heard St., Cleburne, Texas, was born in Tennessee, -but moved when very young to Carroll Co., Arkansas, where her parents -belonged to Mr. Kennard. Mary does not know her age.* - -"I'se born in Tennessee but I don' 'member where, and I don' know how -ole I is. I don' 'member what de marster's name was dere. My mother's -name was Liza and my father's name was Dick. When I was 'bout four year -ole, my marster and mistis give me to dere daughter, who married a Dr. -James Cox and dey come to Texas and brought me with 'em. The marster in -Arkansas, which give me to his daughter, was named Kennard. I never seed -him but one time. Dat when he was sick and he had all his little niggers -dressed up and brought in to see him. - -"Dr. Cox and his wife and me come to Fort Graham, in Hill County, Texas, -from Arkansas. We was 'bout two weeks comin'. Fort Graham wasn' no -reg'lar fort. Dere was jus' some soldiers campin' dere and dere was a -little town. Lots of Indians come in to trade. Den de doctor got a farm -on Nolan river, not far from whar Cleburne is now, and we went there. - -"While we was on de farm, I got married. My husban' was Isaac Wright. I -had seven chillen by him. My second husban' was Sam Overton. Him and me -had two chillen. I wasn't married to Isaac by a preacher. De slaves -wasn' jin'rally married dat way. Dey jus' told dey marsters dey wanted -to be husban' and wife and if dey agreed, dat was all dere was to it, -dey was said to be married. I heered some white folks had weddin's for -dere niggers, but I never did see none. - -"My marster had 'bout four slaves. He sold and bought slaves sev'ral -times, but he couldn' sell me, 'cause I belonged to de mistis, and she -wouldn' let him sell me. I cooked and washed and ironed and looked after -de chillen, mostly. Dey had three chillen, but de mistis died when the -least one was 'bout six months ole and I raised de two older ones. Dey -was two boys, and dey was 'bout grown when I lef' after freedom. - -"We slaves had good 'nuf houses to live in. We didn' have no garden. I -wore cotton dresses in summer and linsey dresses and a shawl in de -winter. I had shoes most of de time. My white folks was pretty good to -keep me in clothes. I gen'rally went to church wid mistis. - -"Didn' have no special clothes when I got married. I slep' in de kitchen -gen'rally, and had a wooden bed, sometimes with a cotton mattress and -sometimes it was a shuck mattress. - -"My mistis teached me to read and write, but I wouldn' learn. I never -went to school neither. She would read de Bible to us. - -"I didn' know no songs when I was in slavery. I didn' know 'bout no -baptizin'. I didn' play no certain games, jus' played roun' de yard. - -"I wasn' at no sale of slaves, but saw some bein' tuk by in chains once, -when we lived at Reutersville. Dey was said to be 'bout 50 in de bunch. -Dey was chained together, a chain bein' run 'tween 'em somehow, and dey -was all man and women, no chillen. Dey was on foot. Two white men was -ridin' hosses and drivin' de niggers like dey was a herd of cattle. - -"Lots of slaves run away, but I don' know how dey got word 'round 'mong -de niggers. - -"I don' 'member much 'bout de war. Dere wasn' no fightin' whar we was, -on de farm on Nolan river. On de day we was made free, de marster come -and called us out one at a time and tol' us we was free. He said to me, -'Mary, you is free by de law. You don' belong to me no more. You can go -wherever you wan' to. I ain't got no more to say 'bout you.' He tol' us -if we'd stay awhile he'd treat us good and maybe we'd better stay, as de -people was pretty much worked up. De rest of 'em stayed 'bout a week, -den dey went off, and never come back, 'cept Isaac. I didn' go, but I -stayed a long time after we was made free. I didn' care nothin' 'bout -bein' free. I didn' have no place to go and didn' know nothin' to do. -Dere I had plenty to eat and a place to stay and dat was all I knowed -'bout. - -"When I lef' I hired out as cook. I got ten dollars a month and all my -food and clothes and a place to sleep. I didn' spend but one dime of my -pay for eight months. I bought candy wid dat dime, like a walkin' stick. - -"I sure wish I knew how old I is, but I ain' sure. I don' even know my -birthday!" (According to some white persons who have known Mary for a -long time, calculated from information Mary had given them as to her -younger days, when her memory was better than it is now, she is probably -more than one hundred years old.) - - - - -George Owens - - -*George Owens, medium in height and weight, seated comfortably under the -shade of an old oak tree, was clad in a blue shirt and overalls, and -brogan shoes with a few slits cut in them to prevent hurting his feet. -He has kinky gray hair, a bit of gray hair on his chin and a nicely -trimmed mustache on his upper lip. George's right eye is completely -closed from an injury which he received while in railroad service. Born -near Marshall, Texas, the slave of Dave Owens, he told his story with -great interest and enjoyed the opportunity to tell about the old days.* - -"I was bo'n right close to de ol' powder mill up in Marshall, Texas, -where dey uster mek powder. Understan'? Dey call it Mills Quarters. I -was a right sizeable boy twel' year' ol' when freedom come." - -"Dave Owens, dat was my ol' marster' name, and dat was my daddy' name -too. My name' George William David Owen. I use dat William 'cause one of -dem other Owens uster git my mail." - -"Ol' marster he had a big farm plantation. Dey uster raise cotton, and -co'n and 'taters and sich like. My daddy was de shoemaker for de -plantation." - -"One day me and my daddy was talkin'. Dat was de fus' Crismus atter -freedom. He say to me, 'Son, does you know how ol' you is?' I say, 'No, -suh.' He say, 'Well, you is 12 year' ol'.' I 'member dat and dat was de -fus' Crismus atter freedom." - -"Williams was my fus' marster but he sel' us to Owens. He live in -Marshall, but he hab a plantation 'bout t'ree or fo' mile' out. Atter -dat Owens he buy out Mills Quarters from Williams." - -"My wuk was jis' de odds and en's 'roun' de yard. When ol' mistus call -me and tell me to pick up chips, or pull up weeds or bring in weed and -sich, I hafter do it. You knew how wimmen is, allus havin' you do fus' -one t'ing and den anudder. I neber did wuk in de fiel'." - -"It was a big plantation. Dey was in de neighborhood of 25 or 30 slaves -on de place. Us had a good marster and I 'speck us was pretty lucky. Ol' -marster see to it dat us have plenty to eat. Dey feed us milk and -'taters and peas, and bread and meat. No sir, we didn' sit down at no -trough for to eat. Dey had tables in de slaves' houses. Us sit down to -us meals like human bein's. My mammy was de cook on de place. Her name -was Sarah Owens." - -"Dey give de little ones what couldn' come to de table, a pan and spoon -for dem to have at meal time. Dem what so little dey can't eat outer a -pan, dey have suck bottles for dem." - -"Dey milk 'bout 12 or 14 head of cow' on de place. Dey had plenty of -milk and butter. Dey had a big safe what dey put de milk and butter in -to keep it fresh. Dere was a trough wid water in it and dey set de milk -and butter in it in de summer time. Dey had a peg of wood in a hole at -de en', and when dey want to change de water dey pull out de peg and -dreen de water out and put some cool fresh water in." - -"When I was a boy us uster play wid spools, and puppies and stick -hosses. Us uster have bows and arrers. Sometime us go out in de wood -huntin' wid de bows and arrers. Us shoot at birds and sich, but us neber -did had no luck at it." - -"De grown up folks uster go huntin' at night and kill deers and -'possums. Dey had to have a permit transfer iffen dey go huntin' or go -from one plantation to annuder. Iffen dey didn' have a permit de -patterrollers would git 'em." - -"De patterrollers neber git me. I see 'em chase slaves. When dey ketch -'em dey whip 'em, and tell 'em nex' time be sho' to have a pass from ol' -marster." - -"I neber see ol' marster beat nobody. What whippin' he done he done it -wid his mout'. He mighty keen speakin' den, but when he speak rough to a -nigger he need it." - -"De kind of chu'ch dey have in dem days on dat place was fence-corner -chu'ch. Dey go off down in de fence corner and sing and pray. Dey feerd -for anybody to see 'em." - -"Dey was some cullud preacher' 'roun' but dey warn't on us plantation. I -jine' de Baptis' Chu'ch but dat was way atter slavery. I uster be pro -tem deacon." - -"De fus' money I earn' was wukkin' on the T&P Railroad. I jis' blow it -in, you know like boys do. I los' dis eye railroadin'. I was spikin' on -a col' frosty mornin'. I hit dat spike and it broke up in t'ree piece' -and de middle piece hit me in de eye and put it out." - -"Seems like I 'members de sojers. I couldn' specify wedder dey was -Yankees or not. You know dat ol' battle fo't (fort) was dere at -Marshall, two or t'ree mile' from Mills Quarters." - -"Dem sojers had on long blue overcoats wid brass buttons on 'em. Dey was -a eagle on dem button. De way I 'member dat, I find one in de road like -it was tore off and I pick it up and make me a play toy outer it." - -"Dey uster keep two cannons at de co't house and dey shoot dem cannon -eb'ry Friday. I 'member dey uster stick a rod in 'em and el'vate 'em. -Dey had a U.S. flag on de mas'-pole and dey shoot de cannon when dey tek -down de flag." - -"I dunno nuthin' 'bout conjur' men. I see people sick or cripple' and -dey say conjure' man done it, but I dunno. I ain't neber see no ghos' -needer. People try to show 'em to me but I ain't see 'em. One time I see -sumpin' white in de wood and I go up to see what it was and it warn't -nuthin' 'cep'n' a pillow what somebody lef' in a swing 'tween two tree'. -Iffen I hadn' had a li'l "coffee" in me I don' guess I'd been brave -'nuff to go see what it was." - -"I allus pronounced de patterrollers and de Klu Kluxers 'bout de same. -Fur as seein' 'em, I ain't. I t'ink dey done good to de country. Dey -didn' bodder nobody 'cep'n' dem what was out of dere place. Iffen dey -had some now it mought do good." - -"If you all keep on you gwineter hab a book outer my testimony." - -"Dey had a gin on de plantation and dey mek de clo's on a spinnin' wheel -and loom. I see my mammy mek many a bolt of clo'f on a loom befo' she -die." - -"It mighter slip' my 'membrance how dey tol' us we free, but I 'members -my daddy say we free. Us stay on ol' marster's place a while den he buy -a li'l place de other side of Marshall. He do odd jobs 'roun', too." - -"Fus' time I marry Mary Harper at Gilmer. Dey was two darters, Gettys -and Alice Owens. I lef' her and I marry my secon' wife, Betty Cheatham -in 1913. I been 'roun' dese parts 'bout 46 or 47 year' and I been in -Kountze 25 year'." - -"I don't t'ink I commit to mem'ry anyt'ing else. I ain't gwine to tell -no mo' 'cause I ain't to make statement and testify 'bout sumpin' I -ain't know 'bout." - - - - -Mary Anne Patterson - - -*Mary Anne Patterson, who now lives with her daughter, Elizabeth Lee, in -Austin, Texas, was born in Louisiana, but she does not know exactly -where. She is between 97 and 102 years old. Mary and her mother belonged -to Col. Aaron Burleson of Rogers' Hill, Travis County, Texas.* - -"Way back yonder my name was Mary Anne Burleson and I's born in -Louisiana somewhere. I knows I's told dey brung me and my mammy to Texas -when I's eighteen months old, and dat Massa Turner what brung us, sold -us to Col. Aaron Burleson. Massa Burleson buy both of us, 'cause he a -good man and didn't 'lieve in separatin' a chile from de mammy. I do -think dat man gone to Heaven. - -"When I growed up it was my job to wet nuss Rufe Burleson, 'cause he -mammy didn't have 'nough milk for him. Beside dat, I helped in de loom -room and have to spin five cuts de day, but I's fast 'nough to make -eight cuts. - -"Durin' cotton pickin' time I larns to count a little, 'cause I picks de -cotton, brung it to de wagon and listen to 'em countin' on dem scales. -Purty soon I could of counted my own cotton. - -"Massa Burleson good to we'uns and when a woman have a chile and no -husband to take care of her, he make a man go out and chop wood for her, -and dat slave had better act like he wants to. Massa so good to us he -have lumber hauled clear from de Bastrop pineries and builds us good -wood dwellin's. He have de plantation on Rogers' Hill what am east of -Austin. - -"Now, let me tell you 'bout de cooks. Massa Burleson have de cook for de -big house and de cook for de slaves. Dere a kitchen in de big house for -de white folks and dere a kitchen with a long table for de hands. We had -purty good victuals and I 'member we have so much hawg meat we'd throw -de hog's head and feet 'way. Massa raised he own hawgs and everythin' he -et, we had it, too. Sometimes we et deer meat and dere times we had bear -meat and honey, 'cause Massa Burleson have he own bees, too. - -"I 'member how at sweet 'tater time my mammy'd sneak out to de patch and -scratch up some sweet 'taters. When Massa Burleson finds de 'taters -gone, he jes' say, 'Now, I know nobody done dis but de Lawd!' - -"I seed many a Injun and seed 'em in droves. Dem Injuns never bothered -us. A old Injun call Placedo and he son come on down to massa's place -and he give 'em plenty food. When de Injuns come near de cattle'd bellow -and cut up, 'cause dey knowed it was Injuns 'round. - - -[Illustration: _Mary Anne Patterson_] - - -"When I's 'bout 20 years old I marries Alex Patterson and he was brung -from Tennessee to Texas and owned by Massa Joshua Patterson. After -freedom we rents land from Massa Patterson and lives dere and farms -'bout seven years. - -"Me and Alex has 15 chillen and six of dem is still livin'. Dere is two -here in Texas and two in California and one in Oklahoma and one in -Kansas. My husband am dead now and I's alone. - -"I owns a little farm of 36 acres out near Rogers' Hill and I gits sixty -dollars de year for de rentin' of dat land and now de folks wants me to -sell it. But my husband bought dat place and I wants to keep it. I don't -git no pension. I know dis much, I's worked harder since after freedom -den I ever worked befo' freedom." - - - - -Martha Patton - - -*Martha Patton was born 91 years ago in Alabama, slave to the Lott -family, who came to Texas about 1847 and settled near Goliad. After -marrying and bearing two children, surviving a famine and scarcity of -water, she was freed. She, her husband and others of her family leased -farm land on the San Antonio River near La Bahia Mission, at Goliad.* - -"Yes'm, I was bo'n befo' de war. Best I kin remember, I'll be 91 years -old come June 15, 1937. I was bo'n in Alabama, but was brought to Texas -when I was nine months old. My folks stopped at Goliad, on de creek near -to Goliad. - -"I 'member seein' de soldiers, but t'weren't no fightin' 'round us no -closer den Corpus Christi. One day one of my uncles went to Corpus -Christi. He say, 'Dey done tol' all de women and chillen to git outta -town.' We done heard 'em shootin' bombs. De smoke was so thick it looked -like it were cloudy. De soldiers come through and took anything dey -wanted outta de stores. Pretty soon nothin' was left in de stores and -dey couldn' git no more. - -"My mother was a cook. We chillen brought in wood and water. My uncles -had cotton patches. My master sol' dere cotton for dem and dey had money -to buy shoes or anything dey needed. We picked cotton and picked peas. -We had a spinnin' wheel and a weave(loom). We made cloth, blankets and -our own stockin's. We made dye outta live oak bark, mesquite bark, pecan -leaves. They made a dark brown and it dyed the cloth and blankets -pretty. - -"I never saw any slaves whipped, nor any with chains on. Our white -people were very good to us. Their name was Lott, Jim Lott, yes'm, me -and Jim Lott was chillen together. He sure was a good boy. He died over -at Goliad las' yea'. - -"We made cotton and wool cloth both, yes'm, we made both. We raised -cotton. The sheep were so po' they would die. We would go through de -woods and find de dead sheep and pick de wool offen 'em. Then we would -wash de wool and spin it into thread and weave it into cloth to make -wool clothes. - -"My man, he worked in de tan ya'd. He fixed de hides to make us all de -shoes we had, and dey made harness and saddles fo' de gov'nment--fo' de -soldiers. To make de lime to take de hair off of de hides, dey would -burn limestone rocks. Then dey would hew out troughs and soak de hides -in lime water till all the hair come off. Den dey would take 'ooze' made -from red oak bark and rub the hides till dey were soft and dry. - -"Dey sho was hard times after de war, and durin' de war too. Our white -folk was good to us, but we had a time to get pervisions. Sometimes we -had co'n meal and sometimes we would have flour. We would pa'ch co'n -meal and make coffee. When we could git 'em we used pertater peelings, -pa'ched, for coffee. Sometimes we drank wild sage tea. - -"When we could, we would go over on de Brazos to de molasses mills and -get molasses and brown sugar; when we couldn't, we had to do widout de -sweetenin'. - -"Water sho was sca'ce. We had to tote it about half a mile from de hole. -De creeks just dried up, only 'long in holes. De wells was all dried up. -There would be dead cows lyin' on t'other side of de hole and -grasshoppers thick on de water, but we jist skimmed de water off and -went on. Didn't make us sick, lady, 'twas all we had and de good Lo'd -took ca'e of us. - -"De grasshoppers sho was bad 'long 'bout fo' or five in de ebenin'; dey -would be so thick de sun would be cloudy lookin'. Dey was a little -speckled grasshopper. Yes'm, red and speckled. De chickens and hawgs et -'em. Dey et so many grasshoppers de meat was bright red. You couldn't -eat it. - -"Twa'n't no use to send fo' a docta, no'm, 'cause dey didn't have no -medicine. My grandmother got out in de woods and got 'erbs. She made -sage ba'm (balm). One thing I recomember, she would take co'n shucks--de -butt end of de shucks--and boil 'em and make tea. 'Twould break de -chills and fever. De Lo'd fixed a way. We used roots for medicine too. - -"Dey was salt lakes. De men would get a wagonbed full of salt and take -it to town and trade it for flour. De men would take de old ox wagons -and go down to Mexico towa'ds Brownsville to git pervisions. -Coffee--real coffee--was a dollar a poun'. De men what used terbaccer -had to pay a dollar a plug. Cotton cloth was fifty and sixty cents a -ya'd. - -"Durin' de war de white people had church in their homes. Dey would have -church in de mornin' and in de afternoon dey would preach to de slaves. - -"After de war, we all leased land on de ribbah fum de white folks--my -uncles, my brothers and alls. We leased de land fo' six years. At de end -of dat time most of us bought places. - -"When de war was over and we moved, de men put up a picket house. Dr. -McBride, a soldier, taught school. When de crops was laid by, all de men -and women went to school. De chillen went all de time. We had log seats -and a dirt flo'. We would have meetin's in de school house. Twasn't -fine, but we had good times. - -"We lived clost to de old mission, built during Santa Anna's war, I -think it were. - -"I has ten chillen; seven of them are living. I have fifteen or nineteen -grandchillen, but I don't know where dey all are or what dey are doing." - - - - -Ellen Payne - - -*Ellen Payne, 88, was born a slave of Dr. Evans, pioneer physician of -Marshall, Texas, and father-in-law of former Governor Clark. She married -Nelson Payne when she was twenty-five, and they farmed in Marshall for -fifty-two years. Since Nelson's death eleven years ago, Ellen has -operated the farm herself and has always made a crop. She lives alone on -the Port Caddo Road.* - -"My name is Ellen Payne now, but in slave times it was Ellen Evans, and -I was born on the old Mauldin place right here at Marshall and belonged -to old Dr. Evans. Dr. Evans loans the Bible what had all our ages in it -and never got it back, so when he freed us they guessed our ages. My -mistress say I was 'bout sixteen years old when surrender come, and my -daddy and mammy was Isom and Becky Lewis. Mammy come from Tennessee and -they was seventeen of us chillen. - -"Master Evans lived in a big brick house on the north side of Marshall -and run his farm four miles from town, and I stayed on the farm, but -come in town some with my mammy to work for Mistress Nancy. The niggers -on other farms had to sleep on 'Damn-it-to Hell' beds, but we didn't -have that kind. We had good wood beds and hay mattresses with lowell -covers. - -"I mostly minded the calves and chickens and turkeys. Master Evans had a -overseer but he didn't 'low him to cut and slash his niggers and we -didn't have no hard taskmaster. They was 'bout thirty slaves on the -farm, but I is the only one livin' now. I loved all my white folks and -they was sweet to us. - -"The hands worked from sun to sun and had a task at night. Some spinned -or made baskets or chair bottoms or knit socks. Some the young'uns -courted and some jest rambled round most all night. On Saturday was the -prayer meetin' in one house and a dance in another. On Sunday some went -to church and visitin', but not far, 'cause that was in patterroller -times. - -"They was allus plenty to eat and one nigger didn't do nothin' but raise -gardens. They hunted coon and possum and rabbits with dogs and the white -folks kilt deer and big game like that. My daddy allus had some money, -'cause he made baskets and chair bottoms and sold them, and Master Evans -give every slave a patch to work and they could sell it and keep the -money. - -"We didn't know nothin' but what went on at the place. Us slaves didn't -carry news 'cause they wasn't none to carry and if the white folks want -to send news anywhere, they put a boy on a mule to take it. - -"Master Evans had a old woman what tended to us when we was sick, and he -give us quinine and calomel and castor oil and boneset tea. That tea was -'nough to kill a mule, but it done us good. Some wore esfidity bags -round they necks to keep off sickness. - -"My young mistress married Master Clark and they lived close, and my -mammy and me used to spent part the time workin' for her. Master Clark -got to be governor 'bout time war started and moved to Austin. I still -got the Bible he give me. - - -[Illustration: _Ellen Payne_] - - -"I 'member the white southern men folks run off to the bottoms to git -'way from war, but I never seed nothin' of the war. When we was freed my -old master calls us up and say, 'You is free, and I'm mighty glad, but -I'm mighty sad.' We stays on till Christmas, then mammy and me leaves -and hires out. I stays workin' with her till I'm twenty-five and then I -marries Nelson Payne. - -"My young mistress sends me a blue worsted dress to marry in, and we's -married at mammy's house and she give us a nice supper. He was a farmer -and we kep' on livin' on the farm fifty-two years, till he died. We -loved farm life. I raised four boys but none of them is livin' now. When -Nelson died first one then 'nother holps me and I has made a crop every -year till now. I'm too old now, but I still raises some corn and peas -and garden stuff. They gives me a $15.00 month pension, but I likes to -be doin' somethin'. - -"I still shouts at meetin's. I don't have nothin' to do with it. It hits -me jes' like a streak of lightning, and there ain't no holdin' it. I -goes now to camp meetin's clost to Karnack and tries to 'have, but when -I gits the spirit, I jest can't hold that shoutin' back. The young folks -makes fun of me, but I don't mind. Style am crowded all the grace out of -'ligion, today." - - - - -Henderson Perkins - - -*Henderson Perkins, about 85, was born a slave to John Pruitt, near -Nashville, Tenn., who owned Henderson's mother and about 20 other -slaves. Prior to the Civil War, Mr. Pruitt moved to Centerville, Leon -Co., Texas, and sold Henderson and his mother to Tom Garner, of -Centerville. When the war began, Henderson was old enough to be trusted -with taking grain to the mill and other duties. After they were freed, -Henderson and his mother worked in Mr. Garner's tavern until he sold it. -He then placed the two on a piece of land and gave them tools to work -it. Henderson later married and moved to Waco, where he reared 14 -children. After they were grown he moved to Fort Worth and now lives at -610 Penn St.* - -"I'se tells you de truth 'bout my age, I'se too ol' for any good, but -from what de white folks says, I'se bo'n 'bout 1839 in Ten'see, near -Nashville. In dem days, 'twarn't so partic'lar 'bout gettin' married, -and my mammy warn't before I'se bo'n, so I'se don' know my father. Dat's -one on dis nigger. - -"After I'se ol' enough to tote water, pick up kindlin' and sich, Marster -Pruitt moves to Texas, near Centerville and sol' me and my mammy to -Marster Garner. My mammy gits married seven times after we comes to -Texas. - -"Marster Garner runs a tavern, dey calls 'em hotels now. My mammy was -cook for de tavern. De other nigger's named Gib, and I'se to do de work -'roun de place and take grist to de water mill for to grin'. Marster -have de farm, too, and have seven niggers on dat place and sometimes I -goes dere for to he'p. - -"Well, 'bout treatment, you can say Marster Garner am de bestest man -ever lived. I'se jus' says he am O. K. I'se never hears him say one -cross word to my mammy. Back in Tennessee, Marster Pruitt was good, too. -Hims have him's own still and gives de toddy to we'uns lots of times. -I'se gits a few whuppin's, but 'twas my fault. I'se cause de devilment. -I tells you 'bout some. I drives de oxen and de two-wheel cart for to go -to de water mill and sich. In dem days, it was great insult to say, -'You'uns has bread and rotten egg for supper.' I'se gwine to de mill one -day, past de school and I say's dat to de chillens. I thinks de teacher -won't let 'em come out, but I makes a mistake, for it am like yellow -jackets pourin' outta de hive. Dey throws sticks and stones at we'uns -and dat 'sprise de ox and he runs. De road am rough and dat cart have no -springs and de co'n made scatterment on de road. Marster whups us for -dat. Not hard, just a couple licks. - -"Did you's ever drive de ox? Dey's de devil sometimes and de angel -sometimes. When dey's gwine home, you can go to sleep and dey takes you -dere. If dey's dry and you comes near water, de devil can't stop 'em, -dey goes in de water wid de cart and all dat's in it. - -"When de war starts Marster's girl gits married to Charles Taylor, and -dey have big weddin'. Befo' de war am over, we'uns have hard time. De -soldiers comes and takes all de co'n, all de meat, every chicken and all -de t'baccy. You couldn' buy t'baccy for a dollar a pound. But we makes -it. We takes de leaves and cures dem, den place dem on de board and put -honey 'tween 'em. We place a log on top and leave it 'bout a month. -White man, dat am t'baccy! - -"After de army took de food, it am scarce for awhile. Short time after -de army come, de pigeons goes north. If you's never see dat, it am hard -to believe. Dey am so thick and so many dey cuts off de sun like de -cloud. We'uns gits lots of 'em and dat helps with de food. I'se sho' -glad de army don' come any more, once was 'nuff. I'se seen squirrels -travelin' on de groun' so thick it look like de carpet. Dey was all -runnin' 'way from de army. - - -[Illustration: _Henderson Perkins_] - - -"When freedom comes, some mans--dey says Grant's mans--lines we'uns up -side de house and says, 'Yous am now free,' and we'uns is free. I -wouldn' leave de Marster, him am sich a gran' man, so I stays with him -till he quits runnin' de tavern. - -"It am a long time after dat I gits married. We'uns have weddin' supper -and sho' am happy den. Den we moves to Waco and has 14 chillen. - -"We'uns had good times in slavery, but I likes my freedom. De Marster -allus give us a pass on Sunday and some nights when we has dance and -sich. But iffen you went out without a pass, den de patterollers--'fore -de War--or de Klux--after de War--would come lookin' for you. Dem -niggers without de pass sho' makes de scatterment, out de window or up -de chimney. But when we'uns is free, we'uns goes anywhere we wants to." - - - - -Daniel Phillips - - -*Daniel Phillips, Sr., 704 Virginia Street, San Antonio, Texas. Born -1854 at Stringtown, five miles south of San Marcos, Texas. Big framed, -good natured. Never has worn glasses.* - -"I was a slave to Dr. Dailey and his son, Dr. Thomas Dailey. They -brought my mother and father from Georgia and I was born in Stringtown -just after they arrived, in 1854. I calls him Mr. Tommy. Dey has a -plantation at Stringtown and a ranch on de Blanco River. We come from -Georgia in wagons. - -"Marse Dailey raised cotton and co'n on de plantation. On de ranch dey -ketches wild horses and I herds dem. When I'm on de ranch I has to drive -de wild horses into de pen. De men cotches de wild horses and I has to -drive 'em so's dey won't git wild agin. - -"Lots of dem wild horses got colts and I has to brand dem. Marse Dailey -he helps to cotch de wild horses but I has to drive 'em. In de mornin' I -drives dem out and in de evenin' I drives dem back. Dere's sure a lot of -dem wild horses. - -"Marse Dailey brings twenty-five slaves from Georgia but he sells some -after we comes to San Marcos. No suh, we niver gits paid. We lives in -log houses built on de side of a hill. De houses has one room. My mother -has a wooden bed with a cotton mattress. My sister Maria was housewoman. -My younger sister married a man named Scott. - -"We feeds good. Dere's cornbread and beef. Plenty milk, 'cause Marse -Dailey's got plenty cows. Dere's gardens with peas, cabbage, beans and -beets. We makes de clothes ourself. My father is handy man. He builds a -loom and a spinnin' wheel. No suh, we didn't do no huntin'. Marse Dailey -didn' let us have guns. - -"We's treated all right. My uncle is overseer. When de war's over I -didn't know about it. Marse Tommy comes to de ranch when I's herdin' de -wild horses. He says, 'Dan, you'se free now.' I say, 'Wha' dat mean, -Marse Tommy?' He say, 'Dat mean you can live with you mammy and you -pappy, and what you makes you kin keep.' - -"And I leaves de wild horses and comes to de plantation. Yas suh, we -goes to church. We walks fo' mile to de church. De w'ite folks sits in -front and de cullud folks sits back by de do'. - -"Yassuh, we's glad de slav'ry is over. My mother would go to milk cows -and I was sent to kill a calf. And dere was my mother in de corner of de -fence and she was prayin', 'O, Lawd, set us free!' - - -[Illustration: _Daniel Phillips_] - - -"I was too young for de army. My brother was a cook in de Confederate -Army, and de Yankees run dem 60 miles in one night. And my brother is -ridin' one horse and front of him is a pack horse, and he cut de traces -of de pack horse and dat horse run so he didn't see him again. Yassuh, -my brother was 108 years ole. He died two years ago. - -"We gits along better after we's free. Often de Yankees comes down to -San Marcos. Dey wants to buy milk. - -"One time on de plantation a cullud preacher wants to hold a service. De -marster say 'all right'. De preacher must tell how much he collects. Dat -so de marster fin' out if we's got any money." - - - - -Lee Pierce - - -*Lee Pierce, 87, was born a slave of Evans Spencer, in Marshall, Texas. -Lee was sold to a trader in 1861, and bought by Henry Fowler, of Sulphur -Springs, Texas. Lee remained with his master until 1866, then returned -to Marshall. When he became too old to work, he went to live with a son, -in Jefferson, Tex.* - -"My name am Lee Anderson Pierce, borned on the fifteenth of May, in -1850, up in Marshall, and 'longin' to Marse Evans Spencer, what was a -surveyor. I never knowed my pappy. He died 'fore I was borned. Mammy was -Winnie Spencer and Old Marse's folks fetched her to Texas from -Greenwood, what am over in Mississippi. - -"When I was 'bout eleven year old, Marse Spencer done got in debt so bad -he had to sell me off from mammy. He sold me to a spec'lator named -Buckley, and he taken me to Jefferson and drapped me down there with a -man called Sutton. I had a hard time there, had to sleep on the floor on -hot ashes, to keep warm, in wintertime. I nussed Marse Sutton's kids -'bout a year, den Buckley done got me 'gain and taken me to de nigger -trader yard in Marshall. I was put on de block and sold jes' like a cow -or horse, to Marse Henry Fowler, what taken me to Sulphur Springs. I -lived with him till after surrender. - -"Marse Fowler worked 'bout a hundred and fifty acres of land and had -sev'ral cullud families. He done overseeing hisself, but had a black man -for foreman. I seed plenty niggers whopped for not doin' dey tasks. He'd -whop 'em for not pickin' so many hundreds of cotton a day, buckle 'em -down hawg fashion and whop 'em with a strap. Us never stopped work no -day, lessen Sunday, and not then iffen grass in the field or crops -sufferin'. - -"Most time we et bacon and cornbread and greens. Sometimes we'd git deer -meat to eat, 'cause a old man named Buck Thomas am clost friend to Marse -Fowler and a big hunter. We got our own fish when we wasn't workin'. - -"The first work I done was herdin' sheep. I never done much field work, -but I was kep' busy with them sheep and other jobs round the place. The -cullud folks had big breakdowns Saturday night and a good time then and -on Christmas, but all the res' the time us jus' worked. - -"On Christmas we never got nothin but white shorts. Them was for -biscuits and they was jus' like cake to the niggers in slavery time. -Marse Fowler didn't have too much regard for he black folks. Two -families of them was stolen niggers. A spec'lator done stole them in -Arkansas and fotch them to Texas. - -"I didn't know much 'bout the war, 'cause I'm only ten year old when it -starts, and the white folks didn't talk it with us cullud folks. Long -'bout the end of the war a big Yankee camp was at Jefferson right where -the courthouse is now, but I wasn't 'lowed to go there and never did -know nothin' 'bout it. - -"I stayed with Marse Fowler till the Ku Klux got to ragin'. The Yankees -run it out of business. That Ku Klux business started from men tryin' to -run the niggers back to they farms. They near all left they masters and -didn't have nothin' or nowheres to go. The cullud folks was skeered of -them Kluxers. They come round the house and had some kind of riggin' -so's they could drink sev'ral buckets of water. - -"A cullud man at Jefferson, named Dick Walker, got up a cullud militia -to keep the Klux off the niggers. The militia met here in the old -African Methodist Church. Marse Fowler done git up a bunch of thirty men -to break up that cullud militia, and he org'ized his bunch at our place. -I holped saddle the hosses the night they went to take the church. Ben -Biggerstaff, he was one the main white leaders. They kilt sev'ral of the -militia and wounded lots more. That's after the Yankees done leave. - -"I hired out to Col. King, a Yankee officer in Sulphur Springs, and -works for him one year. I was makin' $25.00 a month. Land was sellin' -for twenty-five cents an acre but I wouldn't buy none. That same land am -worth a fortune now. But I left and come back to Jefferson. - -"I never found my mammy until 1870. She was workin' in a cafe in -Terrell. Judge Estes of Jefferson and some white men done been to Dallas -and stopped where she was workin'. She asked 'em if they knowed Lee -Pierce and the Judge said he did. When she done tell him how long it am -since she seed me, he put her on the train and sent her to Jefferson. - -"I was here when Jay Gould tried to git them to let him put his railroad -through this town and they told him they didn't need a railroad. Then -they done somethin' on Red River what done take all the water out of Big -Cypress and the town went down to nothin'. Cullud folks run this town -'bout them times. Paul Matthews, a cullud man, was county judge, and -Bill Wisham was sheriff. - -"I think the younger race of our folks has more 'vantages for prosper'ty -than what we had. Most of them am makin' good use of it. Some ain't got -no principle or ambition, but lots of them are 'spectable people." - - - - -Ellen Polk - - -*Ellen Polk, born in Gonzales County, Texas. Age, 83. Lives at 724 -Virginia Blvd., San Antonio, Texas. Her hair is only slightly grey at -the temples and forehead and her eyesight is good.* - -"I was a slave to Jim and Hannah Nations, Gonzales County, Texas. Marse -Jim was a fine looker, a heavy set man. He and Missis lived in a big -lumber house with a shingle roof. Dere was a nice yard with lots of -pecan trees and de plantation fields had rail fences aroun' dem. Dere -were fields of cotton and co'n and a purty river and all kind of wild -flowers. - -"Marse Jim sho was good to his slaves, but his foremens twern't. He -bought my mudder and some other slaves in Mississippi and dey walked -frum Mississippi to de Nations plantation in Gonzales. - -"Marse Jim had nigh a hundred slaves. De quarters was built of logs and -de roofs was river bottom boards. Some of de houses was built of logs -like de columns on dis house. - -"It was a fine, big plantation. De young women slaves wukked in de -fields and de ole women slaves made de cloth on de spinnin' wheels and -de looms. Den de women would go in de woods and take de bark frum de -trees and pursley frum de groun' and mix dem wid copperas and put it all -in a big iron pot and boil it. Den dey would strain de water off and dye -de cloth. De color was brown and, O Lawd, all de slaves wore de same -color clothes. Dey even made our socks on de plantation. - -"Ole Missy Hannah was sho good to me. I had to feed de children while -dere mudders was in de fields. Missy Hannah would have de cooks fix de -grub in a big pan and I would take it to de cullud quarters and feed -'em. - -"De plantation was on de Guadalupe River and when dere was no meat de -slaves went to de river and killed wild hogs and turkeys and ketched -fish. We groun' de co'n for cornbread and made hominy. And, O Lawd, de -sugar cane, and what good 'lasses we used to make. De slaves had purty -good times and de ole boss was awful good to 'em. We drank well water. -In dry times we toted de water frum de river for washin'. - - -[Illustration: _Ellen Polk_] - - -"De houses was log cabins. De men slaves built 'em. Dey goes into de -woods and chops down de big trees and den dey make 'em square. Did dey -have tools? Sho, dey had a ax and a hatchet. Dey splits de trees in two -and dat makes de sides of de house and de roun' side is outside. How dey -make dem logs tight? Jus' wid mud. Den dey puts de boards over de mud so -it cain't fall out. When dey makes de boards dey splits de end of de log -and puts de hatchet in de place and it makes a nice, smooth board. - -"Dey makes de beds like dat too. Dey takes four sticks and lays poles in -de crotches, den dey puts branches crossways. No suh, dey never had no -springs. For a mattress dey had hay and straw, sometimes corn shucks or -cobs. Dey slep' good, too. - -"After de war we lived on de plantation a long time, den we moved to San -Marcos, den back to de plantation. I was married on de plantation and -moved here 24 years ago. I liked de slavery days de best." - - - - -Betty Powers - - -*Betty Powers, 80, was born a slave of Dr. Howard Perry, who owned -Betty's family, several hundred other slaves and a large plantation in -Harrison Co., Texas. Betty married Boss Powers when she was only -thirteen. She now lives at 5237 Fletcher St., Fort Worth, Texas.* - -"What for you wants dis old nigger's story 'bout de old slavery days? -'Tain't worth anythin'. I's jus' a hard workin' person all my life and -raised de fam'ly and done right by 'em as best I knowed. To tell the -truf 'bout my age, I don't know 'zactly. I 'members de war time and de -surrender time. I's old 'nough to fan flies off de white folks and de -tables when surrender come. If you come 'bout five year ago, I could -telt you lots more, but I's had de head mis'ry. - -"I's born in Harrison County, 'bout twenty-five miles from Marshall. -Mass's name am Dr. Howard Perry and next he house am a li'l buildin' for -he office. De plantation an awful big one, and miles long, and more'n -two hundred slaves was dere. Each cabin have one family and dere am -three rows of cabins 'bout half a mile long. - -"Mammy and pappy and us twelve chillen lives in one cabin, so mammy has -to cook for fourteen people, 'sides her field work. She am up way befo' -daylight fixin' breakfast and supper after dark, with de pine knot torch -to make de light. She cook on de fireplace in winter and in de yard in -summer. All de rations measure out Sunday mornin' and it have to do for -de week. It am not 'nough for heavy eaters and we has to be real careful -or we goes hongry. We has meat and cornmeal and 'lasses and 'taters and -peas and beans and milk. Dem short rations causes plenty trouble, 'cause -de niggers has to steal food and it am de whippin' if dey gits cotched. -Dey am in a fix if dey can't work for bein' hongry, 'cause it am de -whippin' den, sho', so dey has to steal, and most of 'em did and takes -de whippin'. Dey has de full stomach, anyway. - -"De babies has plenty food, so dey grow up into strong, portly men and -women. Dey stays in de nursery whilst dey mammies works in de fields, -and has plenty milk with cornbread crumble up in it, and pot-licker, -too, and honey and 'lasses on bread. - -"De massa and he wife am fine, but de overseer am tough, and he wife, -too. Dat woman have no mercy. You see dem long ears I has? Dat's from de -pullin' dey gits from her. De field hands works early and late and often -all night. Pappy makes de shoes and mammy weaves, and you could hear de -bump, bump of dat loom at night, when she done work in de field all day. - -"Missy know everything what go on, 'cause she have de spies 'mongst de -slaves. She purty good, though. Sometimes de overseer tie de nigger to a -log and lash him with de whip. If de lash cut de skin, dey puts salt on -it. We ain't 'low to go to church and has 'bout two parties a year, so -dere ain't much fun. Lawd, Lawd, most dem slaves too tired to have fun -noway. When all dat work am finish, dey's glad to git in de bed and -sleep. - -"Did we'uns have weddin's? White man, you knows better'n dat. Dem times, -cullud folks am jus' put together. De massa say, 'Jim and Nancy, you go -live together,' and when dat order give, it better be done. Dey thinks -nothin' on de plantation 'bout de feelin's of de women and dere ain't no -'spect for dem. De overseer and white mens took 'vantage of de women -like dey wants to. De woman better not make no fuss 'bout sich. If she -do, it am de whippin' for her. I sho' thanks de Lawd surrender done come -befo' I's old 'nough to have to stand for sich. Yes, sar, surrender -saves dis nigger from sich. - -"When de war am over, thousands of sojers passes our place. Some camps -nearby, and massa doctors dem. When massa call us to say we's free, dere -am a yardful of niggers. He give every nigger de age statement and say -dey could work on halves or for wages. He 'vises dem to stay till dey -git de foothold and larn how to do. Lots stays and lots goes. My folks -stays 'bout four years and works on shares. Den pappy buys de piece of -land 'bout five miles from dere. - - -[Illustration: _Betty Powers_] - - -"De land ain't clear, so we'uns all pitches in and clears it and builds -de cabin. Was we'uns proud? There 'twas, our place to do as we pleases, -after bein' slaves. Dat sho' am de good feelin'. We works like beavers -puttin' de crop in, and my folks stays dere till dey dies. I leaves to -git married de next year and I's only thirteen years old, and marries -Boss Powers. - -"We'uns lives on rent land nearby for six years and has three chillen -and den he dies. After two years I marries Henry Ruffins and has three -more chillen, and he dies in 1911. I's livin' with two of dem now. I -never took de name of Ruffins, 'cause I's dearly love Powers and can't -stand to give up he name. Powers done make de will and wrote on de -paper, 'To my beloved wife, I gives all I has.' Wasn't dat sweet of him? - -"I comes to Fort Worth after Ruffins dies and does housework till I's -too old. Now I gits de $12.00 pension every month and dat help me git -by." - - - - -Tillie R. Powers - - -*Tillie R. Powers was born free in Oklahoma, near the Washita River. Her -mother had been kidnapped by a band of raiding Indians, one of whom was -her father. Her mother, desiring to prevent her from living among the -Indians, wrapped her in a buffalo robe and laid her on the road near the -Washita, where she was found by Joseph Powers, an army officer, who took -her to his plantation in Edgecombe Co., North Carolina. She lives at -1302 E. 11th St. Fort Worth, Texas.* - -"I don' 'member my mammy or pappy, and all I knows 'bout my early life -was tol' me by Marster Powers. He says him and he wife takin' soldiers -back to some fort and dey sees a bundle side de road near de Washita -River, wropped in a buffalo robe. He gits off his hoss and picks de -bundle up and in dat bundle am de piccaniny, dis nigger. Dat 77 year -ago. Dey took me to Edgecombe Co., over in North Car'lina, whar him owns -a plantation and 'bout 50 slaves. Dere I's 'dopted. - -"Dey raises de cotton and tobaccy and corn and sich. Den dere am hawgs -and chickens and sheep, and sich a orchard with peaches and pears and -sich. Mos' de work I done in slavery was eat de food, 'cause I's only -six year old when de war am over. But I 'members 'bout de plantation. - -"De treatment am good and bad. If de nigger gits onruly, him gits a -whippin', but de marster's orders is for not to draw de blood like I -heered dey do on other places. De food is plenty, 'cept for de shortage -cause by de War. When de food gits short, some of de niggers am sent -a-hustlin' for game, sich as de turkey and de squirrel, but we'uns allus -has plenty cornmeal and 'lasses and fruit. - -"Did we'uns see sojers? Lawd-a-massy! Towards de las', jus' 'fore -surrender and after, we'uns see dem by thousands, de Yanks and de -'federates, dey's passin' and repassin'. When de War am over, de marster -come home and he calls all us cullud folks to de house and him reads a -paper and says, 'All yous niggers am free, and you can go whar you -wants, but I 'vises yous not to go till yous has a place for work and -make de livin'. All de niggers stay at fust, den leave one after -'nother. - - -[Illustration: _Tillie R. Powers_] - - -"I jus' de chile and de orphan, so I has to stay and it was bes' for me. -Marster pays me when I big enough to work, and gives me $5.00 a month, -and I works for him till I's 18 years old. Den de missy die and I -leaves. Dat was de break-up of de place. I cries now when I thinks of de -missy, 'cause she allus good to me and I feels for her. - -"After dat, I works 'round a while and gits married to John Daniels in -1880. Dis nigger was better off in slavery dan with dat nigger. Why, him -won't work and whips me if I complains. I stood dat for six year and den -I's transported him. Dat in Roberts County. Marster Race Robinson -brought dat no good nigger and me, with 'bout 50 other niggers, here to -Texas. We 'uns share cropped for him till I transported dat ornery -husban'. - -"I makes a livin' workin' for white folks till 'bout three years ago and -now I gits $15.00 every month from de State to live on, 'cause I has -high blood now and I can't work no more." - - - - -Allen Price - - -*Allen Price was born in a covered wagon in Fannin Co., Texas, in 1862. -His master was John Price. Allen remembers many incidents of pioneer -days, and stories of the Civil War told him by the Price family. Allen -now lives in Mart, Texas.* - -"De way I comes to be born in Texas am my pappy and mammy is in de -covered wagon, comin' to Texas with dere master, what am John Price, -what was a Virginny man. Dey stops in Fannin County awhile and dere I'm -born. Dat in 1862, dey tells me. - -"De Price and Blair families was first ones to come to Texas. Dey had to -use ox teams and ford creeks and rivers and watch for Indians. I done -hear dem talk 'bout all dis, 'cause course I can't 'member it. Once de -Indians done 'tack dem and dey druv 'em off, and every night near dey -hears de howl of de wolves and other wild animals. Some folks went by -boat and dey had river boat songs, one like dis: - - "I'm drinkin' of rum and chawin' tobaccy, - Hi! Oh! The rollin' river! - I'm drinkin' of rum and chawin' tobaccy, - I'm boun' for the wide Missouri." - -"Dese things am handed down to me by de Price family and my granddaddy. -De Price family done fight for de Confed'racy all de way down de line of -de family, to my own pappy, who went with he master when dey calls for -volunteers to stop de blockade of Galveston. - -"My master think he gwine 'scape de worst of de war when he come to -Texas and dey am livin' peaceable de year I'm born, raisin' cotton. Dey -had a gin what my pappy worked in, and makes dey own clothes, too, when -de Yankees has de Texas ports blockade so de ships can't git in. When -dey blockades Galveston, our old master done take my pappy for bodyguard -and volunteers to help. Fin'ly Gen. Magruder takes Galveston from de -Yankees with two old cotton steamers what have cotton bales on de decks -for breastworks. - -"De last battle Master Price and my pappy was in, was de battle of -Sabine Pass, and de Yankee general, Banks, done send 'bout five thousand -troops on transports with gunboats, to force a landin'. Capt. Dick -Dowling had forty-seven men to 'fend dat Pass and my pappy helped build -breastworks when dem Yankees firin'. Capt. Dowling done run dem Yankees -off and takes de steamer Clinton and 'bout three hundred and fifty -prisoners. My pappy told me some de Captain's men didn't have real guns, -dey have wood guns, what dey call cam'flage nowadays. - -"My pappy helped at de hospital after dat battle, and dey has it in a -hotel and makes bandages out of sheets and pillow cases and underwear, -and uses de rugs and carpets for quilts. - -"I 'member dis song, what dey sing all de time after de war: - - "O, I'm a good old Rebel, and dat's jus' what I am, - And for dis land of freedom, I do not give a damn; - I'm glad we fought again 'em, and only wish we'd won, - And I ain't asked no pardon for anything I've done. - - "I won't be reconstructed, I'm better dan dey am, - And for a carpetbagger I do not give a damn. - So I'm off to de frontier, soon as I can go-- - I'll fix me up a weapon and start for Mexico! - - "I can't get my musket and fight dem now no more, - But I'm not goin' to love dem, dat am certain sho'-- - I don't want no pardon for what I was or am, - I won't be reconstructed, and I don't give a damn. - -"I has mighty little to say 'bout myself. I's only a poor Baptist -preacher. De her'tage handed down to me am de proudes' thing I knows. De -Prices was brave and no matter what side, dey done fight for dey 'lief -in de right." - - - - -John Price and wife Mirandy - - -*John Price, nearing 80, was born a slave of Charles Bryan, in Morgan -City, Louisiana. The Bryans brought him to Texas about 1861, and he now -lives in Liberty. Mirandy, his wife, was also a slave, but has had a -paralytic stroke and speaks with such difficulty that she cannot tell -the story of her life. Their little home and yard are well cared for.* - -"I's five year old when de Lincoln war broke up and my papa was name -George Bryan in slavery time and he come from St. Louis, what am in -Missouri. After freedom de old boss he call up de hands and say, 'Iffen -you wants to wear my name you can, but take 'nother one iffen you wants -to.' So my daddy he change he name to George Price and dat why my name -John Price. - -"My old massa name George Bryan and he wife name Felice. Dey buy my papa -when he 18 year old boy and dey take him and raise him and put all dey -trust in him and he run de place when de old man gone. Dat in Morgan -City, in Louisiana on de Berwick side. - -"De year I's one year old us come to Texas and settle in Liberty. I wes -a-layin' in my mammy's arms and her name Lizette but dey call her -Lisbeth. She mos'ly French. I got three sister, Sally Hughes and Liza -Jonas and Celina, and two brothers, Pat Whitehouse and Jim Price. - -"De white folks have a tol'able fair house one mile down south of -Raywood and it were a long, frame house and a pretty good farm. Us -quarters was log houses built out of li'l pine poles pile one top de -other. Dey have nail up log, country beds and home-made tables and -rawhide bottom chairs and benches. Dem chair have de better weight dan -de chair today. Iffen you rare back now, de chair gone, but de rawhide -stay with you. - -"De old massa pretty fair to us all. Iffen my papa whip me I slips out -de house and runs to de big house and crawls under de old massa's bed. -Sometime he wake up in de middle de night and say, 'Boy,' and I not -answer. Den he say 'gain, 'Boy, I know you under dat bed. You done been -afoul your papa 'gain,' and he act awful mad. Den he throw he old sojer -coat under de bed for to make me a pallet and I sleep dere all night. - -"Us chillen have lots of time to play and not much time to work. Us -allus ridin' old stick hosses and tie a rope to de stick and call it a -martingale. Us make marbles out of clay and dry 'em and play with 'em. -De old boss wouldn't 'low us have no knife, for fear us cut each other. -Us never sick much dem days, but us have de toothache. Dey take white -tree bark what taste like peppermint and stew it up with honey and cure -de toothache. - -"Us never go to church. Some my wife's people say dey used to have a -church in de hollow and dey have runners for to watch for de old boss -man and tell 'em de massa comin'. - -"Us old massa say Christmas Day am he day to treat and he tell us 'bout -Santy Claus. Us taken us socks up to he house and hang dem 'round de big -fireplace and den in de mornin' us find candy and cake and fruit and -have de big time. New Year Day was old missy time. She fix de big dinner -on dat day and nobody have to work. - -"When de war is breakin' old massa come by ship to Galveston up de -Trinity River to Liberty by boat to try to save he niggers, but it -wasn't no use. Us see lots of tents out by Liberty and dey say it -sojers. I tag long with de big boys, dey sneaks out de spades and digs -holes in de prairie in de knolls. Us plannin' to live in dem holes in de -knolls. When dey say de Yankees is comin' I sho' is 'fraid and I hear de -cannon say, 'Boom, boom,' from Galveston to Louisiana. De young white -missy, she allus sing de song dat go: - - "We are a band of brothers, native to de soil, - Fightin' for our liberty with treasure, blood and toil, - And when us rights was threaten', de cry rise far and near, - Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag what bears a single star. - -"After freedom my papa move away but de old massa come after him and -worry him till he 'most have to come back. When my li'l sister have de -whoopin' cough, old massa come down in a hurry and say, 'You gwineter -kill dem chillen,' and he puts my sister and brother on de hoss in front -of him and takes 'em home and cures 'em hisself. It were years after dat -'fore my papa leave him 'gain. - -"Dey driv beefs and have two rivers to cross to git dere, de Sabine and -de Neches. Dey 'liver 'em by so many head and iffen dey ain't have -'nough, other mens on de prairie help 'em fill out de number what dey -needs. I's rid many a wild hoss in my day and dat's where I make my -first money for myself. - - -[Illustration: _John Price and wife Mirandy_] - - -"I's workin' in Hyatt when I 'cide to git marry and I marry dis gal, -Mirandy, 'bout 52 year ago and us still been together. Us marry in Moss -Bluff and Sam Harris, he a cullud man, he de preacher what marry us. I -have on pretty fair suit of clothes but one thing I 'member, de gal I -marry, she have $5.00 pair of shoes on her feet what I buys for her. - -"Us done have five sons and three daughters and I been a pretty -'fluential man 'round Liberty. One time dey a man name Ed Pickett what -was runnin' for Clerk of de Court in Liberty County and he come 'round -my place 'lectioneering, 'cause he say whatever way I votes, dey votes. - -"Did you ever hear a old coon dog? Old coon dog, he got a big, deep -voice what go, 'A-woo-o-o, a-woo-o-o.' You can hear him a mile. Well, -dat Ed Pickett he say to me, 'John Price, you know what I wants you to -do? I wants you put dat other feller up a tree. I wants you put him so -fur up a tree he can't even hear dat coon dog beller.' And I does it, -'cause I's pretty 'fluential 'round here." - - - - -Reverend Lafayette Price - - -*Reverend Lafayette Price, ancient and venerable minister of a small, -dilapidated church on the outskirts of Beaumont, received his education -under his old master, a plantation owner of the South. He was born a -slave of the Higginbotham family, in Wilcox County, Alabama, but after -the death of his original master, he became known as "orphan children -property" and went to Louisiana to live with Robert and Jim Carroll, -brothers-in-law of Sam Higginbotham. During the Civil War, LaFayette, -then about 12 years old (he does not know his exact age) served as water -boy for young Robert Carroll at the battle of Mansfield. When the slaves -were freed he came to Texas and has been a minister since that time. He -lives with his one daughter in a small, ramshackle house near the church -and conducts Baptist services each Sunday. LaFayette is small and very -dark, and with his crop of almost white hair and his Van Dyke beard, he -has facial characteristics much like those of the patriarch who played -the part of "De Lawd" in the "Green Pastures" picture. His conversation -is that of a devout person, well informed in the Scriptures.* - -"I had a statement when I was bo'n, but I don' 'member jus' now. When de -war fus' start I was water toter for my marster. Well, now den, I wan' -to say dat my marster whar I was bo'n in Wilcox County, Alabama, his -name was Higginbotham. When Mr. Higginbotham die, his son, Mr. Sam -Higginbotham, was my young marster. When he married, he marry in de -Carroll family. My father and mother belong to Mr. Higginbotham. Mr. -Sam, he move to Louisiana. When he went back to Alabama, he tuk sick wid -de cholera and die dere. Mr. Sam, he marry Miss Ca'line Carroll. Later -on after Mr. Sam die Miss Ca'line marry Mr. Winn. I become orphan -chillen property. Mr. Winn was de overseer. When I was a small boy I had -playtime. I allus had good owners. When I get bigger I had some time off -after work in de evenin's and on Sundays. Den I want to say I was hired -out an' dey claimed dey was goin' to be a war. The north and de south -was goin' to split apart. In 1861 war commence and my mistress die. I -was den stayin' wid de Carroll family. De Carrolls were brothers of my -owner. Mr. Jim and Mr. Robert was soldiers in de war. Mr. Robert was in -de infantry and Mr. Jim they took him along to drive. When dey was goin' -to Barn Chest (evidently the name of a place) Mr. Robert he say to me, -'Fay, you go back home and tell ma she need not be oneasy 'bout me, -'cause de Yankees is retreatin' to Nachitoches.' So I driv back but I -didn' put up de team. When I was tellin' her, it was 'bout three mile -over to Mosses Fiel' (Mosses' Field was the local name for the tract of -land on which the battle of Mansfield was fought, in part). When I was -tellin' her, a big cannon shot overhead--'Boom'. She jus' shook and say, -'Oh, Fay, git some co'n and throw it to de hogs and go to Chicet.' I got -some co'n and start to git out de crib. Dey shot another cannon. She say -to me, 'Go back and give de co'n to de pigs.' When I put my feets -through de crib do', dey shoot another shot, and I pull my feets back. -She tell me to go back and feed de pigs, but I don' know if I ever did -git de co'n to de pigs. - -"Mr. Carroll say dat at Mansfiel' where dey was shootin' de big guns de -ladies was cryin'. He told 'em dey needn' to cry now, when dey was -shootin' de big guns dey wasn't killin' men, but when dey hear de little -guns shoot, den dey could start cryin', 'cause dat mean dat men was -gittin' kill. I dunno if you ever parch popco'n. Dat de way de little -guns soun'. He say dat den dey could begin cryin'. Our w'ite people (the -Confederates) was comin' from Shreveport to meet de Yankees from -Nachitoches, aimin' to go to Shreveport. If anything was a wunnerful -consideration it was den. Mr. Robert Carroll was stood up by a big tree -there at Mansfiel' and de captain, he said, "Is anybody here dat know de -neighborhood?" Here's de ting dey want to know: When de soldiers start -out dey didn' want 'em to launch out and git mix up. Dey sent for Mr. -Carroll, 'cause he live 'bout a mile away. He was order to stan' by de -tree and de captain went by wavin' a sword, and purty soon de captain -was kill. Dey kep' on fightin' and after awhile a soldier come by and ax -what he doin' there. He said he had orders to stan' dere. De soldier say -dat de captain was kill and for him to go and help wid de wounded -soldiers. When de big General come from Shreveport and holler, 'Charge,' -de Yankees git in de corner of a rail fence. Dey broke right through dat -fiel' o' prairie and 60 men git kill dead befo' dey git across. Nex' -day, comin' home, I want to tell you de hosses didn' lay on dis side nor -on dat side, dey jus' squat down, dey was dead. I think it was a -wunnerful consideration to bring up in mem'ry. - -"One night right w'ere de battle was fought we had to camp. It was -rainin' and sleetin' and snowin! I said, 'What you goin' to do tonight?' -Mr. James Carroll said, 'We jus' hafta stan' w'ere we camp. Jus' stack -de guns and put out what you call de watchman.' I said, 'Sentinel,' and -he said, 'Yes.' Dey had what you call de relief. Dey wasn't in bed, dey -was out under a tree in de col'. Ev'ry hour dey'd walk 'em out 'long a -runway to walk guard. It was a wunnerful distressin' time. De soldiers -had a little song dey sung: - - "'Eat when you're hungry, - Drink when you're dry, - Iffen a tree don' kill you, - You'll live 'til you die.' - -"Dis was 'cause dey had to stan' under trees and when de Yankees shoot -cannon dey'd knock off limbs and tops of trees and them under de trees -might git kill from de fallin' branches. Another song was: - - "'Hit was on de eighth of April, - Dey all 'member well, - When fifes and drums were beatin' - For us all to march away.' - -"In slavery times de slaves went to church wid dere w'ite folks and -heard de w'ite preacher. I never knew of cullud baptisms. Dey'd have -camp meetin' and when cullud people wanted to jine de church dey'd take -'em in den. I didn' quite git through 'bout de Mansfiel' battle. Dem 60 -men dat was kill, dey jus' dig a big hole and put 'em in and threw dirt -on 'em. I went back after two or three days and de bodies done swell and -crack de groun'. Marster's plantation comin' from Shreveport was on de -eas' side of Mosses Fiel'. We was 'bout one and a half or two mile' from -Mosses Fiel'. I wasn't acquaint' wid many w'ites 'cause I was wid de -Carrolls and dey was allus kind. I heard dey was people dis way and dat, -but I don' know 'bout dat. My w'ite folks see dat I was not abused. When -news of de surrender come lots of cullud folks seem to be rejoicin' and -sing, "I's free, I's free as a frog" 'cause a frog had freedom to git on -a log and jump off when he please. Some jus' stayed on wid dere w'ite -folks. One time dey say dey sen' all de niggers back to Africa. I say -dey never git me. I bin yere, and my w'ite folks bin yere, and yere I -goin' to stay. My young marster say he want me for a nigger driver, so -he teach me how to read and spell so I could ten' to business. In time -of de war Miss Ca'line say de soldiers been dere and take de bes' hoss. -Dey sent me off wid Ball, a little hoss. When I come back I meet some -soldiers. Dey say dey goin' take de hoss, if dey don' de Yankees come -take 'em. I tell 'em dey done got Marster Carroll other hoss, to leave -dis one. Dey say, "Git down, I goin' give you a few licks anyhow." I -fall down but dey never hit me and dey say, "Maybe dat Mr. Carroll whose -hoss we tuk, let dis boy go on wid de hoss." Miss Ca'line say she wish -she'd let me take Dandy, dey was de bes' hoss. - -"I wan' to tell you one story 'bout de rabbit. De rabbit and de tortus -had a race. De tortus git a lot of tortuses and put 'em long de way. -Ever now and den a tortus crawl 'long de way, and de rabbit say, "How -you now, Br'er Tortus?" And he say, "Slo' and sho', but my legs very -short." When dey git tired, de tortus win 'cause he dere, but he never -run de race, 'cause he had tortuses strawed out all 'long de way. De -tortus had other tortuses help him." - - - - -Henry Probasco - - -*Henry Probasco, 79, was born a slave of Andrew McGowen, who owned a -plantation and 50 slaves in Walker County, Texas. Henry lived with his -family, in Waco, until 1875, when he became a stock hand on Judge -Weakly's ranch in Ellis County. In 1902 he came to Fort Worth and worked -in packing plants until 1932. Since that time he has supported himself -by any little work he could find and now has an $8.00 per month pension. -He lives at 2917 Cliff St., Fort Worth, Texas.* - -"I's born on Massa McGowen's plantation. He name was Andrew McGowen and -us lived near Huntsville, down in Walker County. All my folks and -grandfolks was dere. Grandpap am carpenter, grandma am nuss for cullud -chillen, and pappy and mammy does de shoemakin' and de cookin'. - -"In de days I's a boy even de plows was made on de place. De blacksmith -do de iron work and de wood work am done by pappy, and de plows am -mostly wood. Jus' de point and de shear am iron. My grandpap made de -mouldboards out of wood. No, sar, 'twarnt no steel mouldboards den. I's -watch grandpap take de hard wood block and with de ax and de drawshave -and de plane and saw and rule, him cut and fit de mouldboard to de -turnin' plow. De mouldboard las' 'bout one year. - -"Now, with de shoes it am dif'rent and dem last more'n twict de time as -store shoes. Gosh for 'mighty! We'uns can't wear dem out. De leather am -from cattle raise on de place and tan right dere. It am real oak tan, -and strong as steel. We'uns grease de shoes with mutton tallow and dat -make dem waterproof shoes. - -"Cotton am main crop and corn for feed. De corn feed both de critters -and de niggers, 'cause de main food for de niggers am de corn and de -cornbread and de corn mush. Course, us have other victuals, plenty meat -and veg'tables. De hawgs allus run in de woods and find dere own food, -sich as nuts and acorns. Dey allus fat and when massa want meat he hitch -de mules to de wagon and go to de woods. Dere him catch de hawg with -massa's mark on it and fotch it in. - -"De quarters am not mansions, dey am log cabins with dirt floors, but -good 'nough. Dey am fixed tight for de winter. If you am used to -sleepin' in de bunks with straw ticks, it's jus' good as de spring bed. -De fust time I sleeps on de spring bed, I's 'wake most all night. - -"When surrender come, massa told we'uns dat all us am free folks and he -reads from de paper. 'Now,' him say, yous am free and dem what wants to -go, let me know. I'll 'range for de pay or to work de land on shares.' - -"Some goes but all my folks stays, but in 'bout a year pappy moves to -Waco and run a shoe shop. I stays with him till I 17 year old, den I -goes to Ellis County and works on de cattle ranch of Judge Weakly. His -brand am 111 and him place clost to Files Valley. I's larnt to ride some -on de plantation and soon I's de good rider and I likes dat work best. - -"We has lots of fun when we goes to town, not much drinkin', like some -people says, but its mostest mischievious de boys am. We gits de joke on -de preacher once. Him tellin' 'bout harm of drink and one of us say, -'Read from de Bible, Proverbs 31, 6 and 7. Him reads and it am like dis: - -'Give de strong drink to dem dat am ready to perish and wine to dem what -am heavy of heart.' Dat de last time him talk to us 'bout drink. - -"We'uns holds de Kangaroo Court. If we'uns been on de party and someone -do something what ain't right, den charges am file 'gainst you. If dem -charges file, it's sho' you's found guilty, 'cause de fine am a drink -for de bunch. If you don't buy de drink it's a lickin' with a pair of -leggin's. If you 'low de hoss to throw you, dat am cause for charges. - -"De last round-up I works am at Oak Grove, near Fort Worth and dat 'bout -40 year ago. After dat, I goes to Mulesfoot and works for T.D. Myers for -'bout five year, den I's done a little farmin' on de plains for awhile. - -"I'll tell you 'bout my married life. I marries de fust time when I's 24 -year old to Bertha Ellers and we'uns live togedder 20 year and -sep'rates. We'uns have 11 chillen. Couple year after dat I goes to de -cotton patch for de short spell and meets a woman. We'uns right off -married and dat hitch lasts till de pickin' season am over. Den, 'bout -two year after dat cotton pickin' hitch I marries Mary Little and we'uns -lives togedder two year and dat am two year too many. Dat de last of de -marriage business. - -"Now I jus' fools de time away and I has no one to fuss at me 'bout -where I goes and sich. Sich am my joyment now." - - - - -Jenny Proctor - - -*Jenny Proctor was born in Alabama in 1850. She was a slave of the -Proctor family and began her duties about the house when a very young -girl. As soon as she was considered old enough to do field labor she was -driven with the other slaves from early morning until late at night. The -driver was cruel and administered severe beatings at the slightest -provocations. Jenny remained with her owners after the close of the -Civil War, not from choice but because they had been kept in such dense -ignorance they had no knowledge of how to make their own living. After -the death of her master several years later, she and her husband, John -Proctor, came to Texas in a mule drawn covered wagon and settled in Leon -County near the old town of Buffalo. There they worked as share croppers -until the death of her husband. She then came to San Angelo, Texas with -her son, with whom she has made her home for many years.* - -Jenny, who was ill at the time she was interviewed, shook her old white -head and said, - -"I's hear tell of dem good slave days but I ain't nev'r seen no good -times den. My mother's name was Lisa and when I was a very small chile I -hear dat driver goin' from cabin to cabin as early as 3 o'clock in de -mornin' and when he comes to our cabin he say, 'Lisa, Lisa, git up from -dere and git dat breakfast.' My mother, she was cook and I don't -recollect nothin' 'bout my father. If I had any brothers and sisters I -didn' know it. We had ole ragged huts made out of poles and some of de -cracks chinked up wid mud and moss and some of dem wasn't. We didn' have -no good beds, jes' scaffolds nailed up to de wall out of poles and de -ole ragged beddin' throwed on dem. Dat sho' was hard sleepin' but even -dat feel good to our weary bones after dem long hard days work in de -field. I 'tended to de chillun when I was a little gal and tried to -clean de house jes' like ole miss tells me to. Den soon as I was 10 -years ole, ole marster, he say, 'Git dis yere nigger to dat cotton -patch.' I recollects once when I was tryin' to clean de house like ole -miss tell me, I finds a biscuit and I's so hungry I et it, 'cause we -nev'r see sich a thing as a biscuit only some times on Sunday mornin'. -We jes' have co'n braid and syrup and some times fat bacon, but when I -et dat biscuit and she comes in and say, 'Whar dat biscuit?' - -"I say, 'Miss, I et it 'cause I's so hungry.' Den she grab dat broom and -start to beatin' me over de head wid it and callin' me low down nigger -and I guess I jes' clean lost my head 'cause I know'd better den to -fight her if I knowed anything 'tall, but I start to fight her and de -driver, he comes in and he grabs me and starts beatin' me wid dat -cat-o'-nine-tails,[1] and he beats me 'til I fall to de floor nearly -dead. He cut my back all to pieces, den dey rubs salt in de cuts for mo' -punishment. Lawd, Lawd, honey! Dem was awful days. When ole marster come -to de house he say, 'What you beat dat nigger like dat for?' And de -driver tells him why, and he say, 'She can't work now for a week, she -pay for several biscuits in dat time.' He sho' was mad and he tell ole -miss she start de whole mess. I still got dem scars on my ole back right -now, jes' like my grandmother have when she die and I's a-carryin' mine -right on to de grave jes' like she did. - - [1] A big leather whip, branching into nine tails. - -"Our marster, he wouldn' 'low us to go fishing, he say dat too easy on a -nigger and wouldn' 'low us to hunt none either, but some time we slips -off at night and ketch 'possums and when ole marster smells dem 'possums -cookin' way in de night he wraps up in a white sheet and gits in de -chimney corner and scratch on de wall and when de man in de cabin goes -to de door and say, 'Who's dat?' He say, 'It's me, what's ye cookin' in -dere?' and de man say, 'I's cookin' 'possum.' He say, 'Cook him and -bring me de hind quarters and you and de wife and de chillun eat de -rest.' We nev'r had no chance ter git any rabbits 'cept when we was -a-clearin' and grubbin' de new grounds, den we ketch some rabbits and if -dey looks good to de white folks dey takes dem and if dey no good de -niggers git dem. We nev'r had no gardens. Some times de slaves git -vegetables from de white folks' garden and sometimes dey didn'. - -"Money? Umph um! We nev'r seen no money. Guess we'd a bought sumpin' to -eat wid it if we ev'r seen any. Fact is, we wouldn' a knowed hardly how -to bought anything, 'cause we didn' know nothin' 'bout goin' to town. - -"Dey spinned de cloth what our clothes was made of and we had straight -dresses or slips made of lowel. Sometimes dey dye 'em wid sumac berries -or sweet gum bark and sometimes dey didn'. On Sunday dey make all de -chillun change, and what we wears 'til we gits our clothes washed was -gunny sacks wid holes cut for our head and arms. We didn' have no shoes -'ceptin' some home made moccasins and we didn' have dem 'til we was big -chillun. De little chillun dey goes naked 'til dey was big enough to -work. Dey was soon big enough though, 'cordin' to our marster. We had -red flannel for winter under clothes. Ole miss she say a sick nigger -cost more den de flannel. - -"Weddin's? Ugh um! We jes' steps over de broom and we's married. Ha! Ha! -Ha! - -"Ole marster he had a good house. De logs was all hewed off smooth like -and de cracks all fixed wid nice chinkin', plum 'spectable lookin' even -to de plank floors, dat was sumpin'. He didn' have no big plantation but -he keeps 'bout 300 slaves in dem little huts wid dirt floors. I thinks -he calls it four farms what he had. - -"Sometimes he would sell some of de slaves off of dat big auction block -to de highest bidder when he could git enough fer one. - -"When he go to sell a slave he feed dat one good for a few days, den -when he goes to put 'em up on de auction block he takes a meat skin and -greases all 'round dat nigger's mouth and makes 'em look like dey been -eatin' plenty meat and sich like and was good and strong and able to -work. Sometimes he sell de babes from de breas' and den again he sell de -mothers from de babes and de husbands and de wives, and so on. He -wouldn' let 'em holler much when de folks be sold away. He say, 'I have -you whooped if you don't hush.' Dey sho' loved dere six chillun though. -Dey wouldn' want no body buyin' dem. - -"We might a done very well if de ole driver hadn' been so mean, but de -least little thing we do he beat us for it, and put big chains 'round -our ankles and make us work wid dem on 'til de blood be cut out all -around our ankles. Some of de marsters have what dey call stockades and -puts dere heads and feet and arms through holes in a big board out in de -hot sun, but our old driver he had a bull pen, dats only thing like a -jail he had. When a slave do anything he didn' like he takes 'em in dat -bull pen and chains 'em down, face up to de sun and leaves 'em dere 'til -dey nearly dies. - -"None of us was 'lowed to see a book or try to learn. Dey say we git -smarter den dey was if we learn anything, but we slips around and gits -hold of dat Webster's old blue back speller and we hides it 'til way in -de night and den we lights a little pine torch[2], and studies dat -spellin' book. We learn it too. I can read some now and write a little -too. - - [2] Several long splinters of rich pine, of a lasting quality and - making a bright light. - -"Dey wasn't no church for de slaves but we goes to de white folks' arbor -on Sunday evenin' and a white man he gits up dere to preach to de -niggers. He say, 'Now I takes my text, which is, nigger obey your -marster and your mistress, 'cause what you git from dem here in dis -world am all you ev'r goin' to git, 'cause you jes' like de hogs and de -other animals, when you dies you ain't no more, after you been throwed -in dat hole.' I guess we believed dat for a while 'cause we didn' have -no way findin' out different. We didn' see no Bibles. - -"Sometimes a slave would run away and jes' live wild in de woods but -most times dey ketch'em and beats 'em, den chains 'em down in de sun -'til dey nearly die. De only way any slaves on our farm ev'r goes -anywhere was when de boss sends him to carry some news to another -plantation or when we slips off way in de night. Sometimes after all de -work was done a bunch would have it made up to slip out down to de creek -and dance. We sho' have fun when we do dat, most times on Sat'day night. - -"All de Christmas we had was ole marster would kill a hog and give us a -piece of pork. We thought dat was sumpin' and de way Christmas lasted -was 'cordin' to de big sweet gum back log what de slaves would cut and -put in de fireplace. When dat burned out, de Christmas was over. So you -know we all keeps a lookin' de whole year 'round for de biggest sweet -gum we could find. When we jes' couldn' find de sweet gum we git oak, -but it wouldn' last long enough, 'bout three days on average, when we -didn' have to work. Ole marster he sho' pile on dem pine knots, gittin' -dat Christmas over so we could git back to work. - -"We had a few little games we play, like Peep Squirrel Peep, You Can't -Catch Me, and sich like. We didn' know nothin' 'bout no New Year's Day -or holidays 'cept Christmas. - -"We had some co'n shuckin's sometimes but de white folks gits de fun and -de nigger gits de work. We didn' have no kind of cotton pickin's 'cept -jes' pick our own cotton. I's can hear dem darkies now, goin' to de -cotton patch way 'fore day a singin': - -"'Peggy, does you love me now?' - -"One ole man he sing: - - "'Sat'day night and Sunday too - Young gals on my mind, - Monday mornin' way 'fore day - Ole marster got me gwine. - - Chorus: - - Peggy, does you love me now?' - -"Den he whoops a sort of nigger holler, what nobody can do jes' like dem -ole time darkies, den on he goes, - - "'Possum up a 'simmon tree, - Rabbit on de ground - Lawd, Lawd, 'possum, - Shake dem 'simmons down. - Peggy, does you love me now? - _Holler_ - Rabbit up a gum stump - 'Possum up a holler - Git him out little boy - And I gives you half a dollar. - Peggy, does you love me now?' - - -[Illustration: _Jenny Proctor_] - - -"We didn' have much lookin' after when we git sick. We had to take de -worst stuff in de world fer medicine, jes' so it was cheap. Dat ole blue -mass and bitter apple would keep us out all night. Sometimes he have de -doctor when he thinks we goin' to die, 'cause he say he ain't got any -one to lose, den dat calomel what dat doctor would give us would purty -nigh kill us. Den dey keeps all kinds of lead bullets and asafoetida -balls 'round our necks and some carried a rabbit foot wid dem all de -time to keep off evil of any kind. - -"Lawd, Lawd, honey! It seems impossible dat any of us ev'r lived to see -dat day of freedom, but thank God we did. - -"When ole marster comes down in de cotton patch to tells us 'bout bein' -free, he say, 'I hates to tell you but I knows I's got to, you is free, -jes' as free as me or anybody else what's white.' We didn' hardly know -what he means. We jes' sort of huddle 'round together like scared -rabbits, but after we knowed what he mean, didn' many of us go, 'cause -we didn' know where to of went. Ole marster he say he give us de woods -land and half of what we make on it, and we could clear it and work it -or starve. Well, we didn' know hardly what to do 'cause he jes' gives us -some ole dull hoes an' axes to work with but we all went to work and as -we cut down de trees and de poles he tells us to build de fence 'round -de field and we did, and when we plants de co'n and de cotton we jes' -plant all de fence corners full too, and I never seen so much stuff grow -in all my born days, several ears of co'n to de stalk and dem big cotton -stalks was a layin' over on de ground. Some of de ole slaves dey say dey -believe de Lawd knew sumpin' 'bout niggers after all. He lets us put -co'n in his crib and den we builds cribs and didn' take long 'fore we -could buy some hosses and some mules and some good hogs. Dem mangy hogs -what our marster give us de first year was plum good hogs after we -grease dem and scrub dem wid lye soap. He jes' give us de ones he -thought was sho' to die but we was a gittin' goin' now and 'fore long we -was a buildin' better houses and feelin' kind of happy like. After ole -marster dies we keeps hearin' talk of Texas and me an' my ole man, I's -done been married several years den and had one little boy, well we gits -in our covered wagon wid our little mules hitched to it and we comes to -Texas. We worked as share croppers around Buffalo, Texas 'til my ole man -he died. My boy was nearly grown den so he wants to come to San Angelo -and work, so here we is. He done been married long time now and got six -chillun. Some of dem work at hotels, and cafes and fillin' stations and -in homes." - - - - -A.C. Pruitt - - -*A.C. Pruitt was born about 1861, a slave of the Magill family, in St. -Martinville, La. He lives in a settlement of Negroes, on the road -leading from Monroe City to Anahuac, in a shanty made of flattened tin -cans, odd pieces of corrugated iron and scrap lumber, held together with -rope, nails and tar paper. Pruitt migrated from Beaumont to Monroe City -when the oil boom came and ekes out an existence doing odd jobs in the -fields. He is a small, muscular man, dressed in faded work clothes and -heavy brogans, laced with string.* - -"I really does live in Beaumont, but when dey start dat talk 'bout -makin' sich good money in de oil fields I done move out here to git some -of dat. It ain't work so good, though, and I been tearin' down part my -house dis week and plannin' to move back. - -"I ain't 'lect much 'bout slavery time, 'cause I jes' too li'l but I can -tell some things my mama and grannma done told me. - -"I's born in St. Martinville, over in Louisiana. I done go back to de -old plantation onct but it start to change den. Dave Magill he was de -old massa and Miss Frances de missy. My mama name Rachel Smith and she -born and raise right dere, and my daddy I ain't never seed, but mama say -he name Bruford Pruitt. Dey brudders and sisters but only one livin' and -dat Clementine James in Beaumont. - -"Jes' 'fore freedom us done move to Snowball, Texas, what was somewheres -clost to Cold Springs. Dey told us dey tryin' keep us slaves 'way from -de Yankees. Dey everywhere, jes' like dem li'l black ants what gits in -de sugar, only dey blue. I's jes' de li'l chile den, runnin' 'round in -my split shirt tail. Dem was sho' fancy shirt tails dey make us wore in -dem days. Dey make 'em on de loom, jes' in two pieces, with a hole to -put de head through and 'nother hole at de bottom to put de legs -through. Den dey split 'em up de side, so's us could run and play -without dem tyin' us 'round de knees and throw us down. Even at dat, dey -sho' wasn't no good to do no tree climbin', less'n you pull dem mos' up -over you head. - -"Us chillen run down to de rail gate when us see dus' clouds comin' and -watch de sojers ridin' and marchin' by. Dey ain't never do no fightin' -'round us, but dey's gunboats down de bayous a ways and us could hear de -big guns from de other fights. Us li'l niggers sho' like to wave to dem -sojers, and when de men on hosses go by, dey seem like dey more enjoyin' -deyselves dan de others. - -"I have de old gramma what come from Virginny. Her name Mandy Brown. Dey -'low her hire her own time out. She wasn't freeborn but dey give her dat -much freedom. She could go git her a job anywhere jes' as long as she -brung de old missy half what she done make. Iffen she make $5.00, she -give Miss Frances $2.50 and like dat. - -"De old massa he plumb good to he slaves. He have a good many but I -ain't knowed of but one dem mens what he ever whip. He have a church -right on de place and cullud preachers. Dey old Peter Green and every -evenin' us chillen have to go to he cabin and he teach us prayers. He -teach us to count, too. He de shoemaker on de plantation. - -"My mama done told me 'bout de dances dey have in de quarters. Dey take -de big sugar hogshead and stretch rawhide over de top. Den de man -straddle de barrel and beat on de top for de drum. Dat de onlies' music -dey have. - -"Us allus have good things to eat, cabbage greens and cornbread and -bacon. Jes' good, plain food. Dey have a sugarhouse and a old man call -de sugar boiler. He give us de cane juice out de kittles and 'low us -tote off lots dem cane jints to eat. Dat in June. - -"De field hands stay up in de big barn and shuck corn on rainy days. Dey -shuck corn and sing. Us chillen keep de yard clean and tie weeds -together to make brooms for de sweepin'. Us sep'rate de seed from de -cotton and a old woman do de cardin'. Dey have 'nother old woman what do -nothin' on de scene but weave on de loom. - -"One old, old lady what am mos' too old to git 'round, she take care de -chillen and cook dere food sep'rate. She take big, black iron washpots -and cook dem plumb full of victuals. Come five in de evenin' us have de -bigges' meal, dat sho' seem long time 'cause dey ain't feed us but two -meal a day, not countin' de eatin' us do durin' de day. - -"After freedom come us leave Snowball and go back to Louisiana. Old -massa ain't give us nothin'. I marry purty soon. I never go to school -but one month in my life and dat in New Iberia. I can sign my name and -read it, but dat all. - -"I works fust for Mr. William Weeks as de yardboy and he pay me $7.00 de -month. De fust money I gits I's so glad I runned and take it to my mama. -I have de step-pa and he nearly die of de yellow fever. I's hardly able -wait till I's 21 and can vote. Dat my idea of somethin', mos' as good as -de fust time I wears pants. - -"I tries farmin awhile but dat ain't suit me so good. Den I gits me de -job firin' a steamboat on de Miss'sip River, de steamer Mattie. She go -from New Orleans through Morgan City. I fire in de sawmills, too. - -"My fust wife name Liny and us marry and live together 43 year and den -she die. In 1932 I marry a gal call Zellee what live in Beaumont and she -still dere. I ain't never have no chile in dis world. - -"I larns all dese things 'bout slavery from my mama and gramma, 'cause I -allus ask questions and dey talks to me lots. Dat's 'cause dey's nobody -but me and I allus under dey feets." - - - - -Harre Quarls - - -*Harre Quarls, 96, was born in Flardice, Missouri, a slave of John W. -Quarls, who sold him to Charley Guniot. The latter owner moved to Texas, -where Harre lived at the time of emancipation. Harre now lives in -Madisonville, Texas. His memory is very poor, but he managed to recall a -few incidents of early days.* - -"Massa Quarls he live in Missouri. Place call Flardice. He done give me -to he son, Ben, and he sold me to Massa Charley Guniot. Massa Charley -come to Texas but I don't know when. It's befo' de freedom war, dat all -I knows. - -"My daddy name Dan and mammy Hannah. She was blind. I 'member us have -small room in back of dere house, with de bed make from poles and -cowhide or deerhide. Our massa good to us. - -"I must be purty big when us come to Texas, 'cause I plows and is -stockman back in Missouri. I don't know 'xactly how old I is, but it am -prob'bly 'bout 96. I think dat 'bout right. - -"Sir, us got one day a week and Christmas Day, was all de holiday us -ever heered of, and us couldn't go anywhere 'cept us have pass from our -massa to 'nother. If us slips off dem patterrollers gits us. -Patterroller hits 39 licks with de rawhide with de nine tails. -Patterroller gits 50 cents for hittin' us 39 licks. Captain, here am de -words to de patterroller song: - - "'Run, nigger, run, patterroller cotch you, - How kin I run, he got me in de woods - And all through de pasture? - White man run, but nigger run faster.' - -"Sir, us have everything to eat what's good, but here in Texas everybody -eat beef and bread and it am cooked in oven in de fireplace and in -washpot out in de open. Sir, de great day am when massa brung in de -great, fat coon and possum. - -"Captain, us has no weddin' dem days 'mong de slaves. I'd ask massa -could I have a gal, if she 'long to 'nother massa, and she ask her massa -could I come see her. If dey says yes, I goes see her once de week with -pass. Boss, say, I had three wives. When I's sot free dey wouldn't let -me live with but one. Captain, that ain't right, 'cause I wants all -three. - -"My missus larned me readin' and writin'. After freedom I taught de -first nigger school. Dat in Madison and Leon Counties. I's de only -nigger what can read and write in two settlements. They was thousands -couldn't read and write. - -"I 'lieve it's 1861 when us come to Texas. Us camps at Neasho in -Arkansas and then come through the Indian Nation. Massa was purty good. -He treated us jus' 'bout like you would a good mule. - -"Us wore horseshoes and rabbit feet for good luck. Then us have de -hoodoism to keep massa from bein' mean. Us git de stick and notch so -many notches on it and slip up to massa's front steps, without him -seein' us, and put this stick under his doorsteps. Every night us go -back to de stick and drive it down one notch. By time de last notch down -in de ground, it make massa good to us. Dat called hoodoism. - -"Massa tells us we's free on June 'teenth. I leaves. I made a fiddle out -of a gourd 'fore freedom and larns to play it. I played for dances after -I's free. - -"I marries Emily Unions and us have de home weddin' but not any -preacher. Us jus' 'greed live together as man and wife and that all they -was to it. Us have one gal and one boy. - -"Emily leaves and I marries Lucindy Williams. Preacher marries us. Us -have three boys and two gals. Dey all farms' now. I has some sixty odd -grand and great grandchillen. - -"Say, boss, I wants to sing you 'nother song 'fore you goes: - - "Walkin' in de parlor, - Lightnin' is a yaller gal. - She live up in de clouds. - - "Thunder he is black man, - He can holler loud, - When he kisses lightnin'. - - "She dart up in wonder, - He jump up and grate de clouds; - That what make it thunder." - - - - -Eda Rains - - -*Aunt Eda Rains, 94, was born a slave in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1853. -In 1860 Eda, her brothers and mother, were bought by a Mr. Carter and -brought to Texas. She now lives in Douglasville, Texas.* - -"I don't 'member my first marster, 'cause my mammy and Jim and John who -was my brothers, and me was sold when I was seven and brought to -Douglass, in Texas, to hire out. Befo' we lef' Little Rock, whar I was -born, we was vaccinated for smallpox. We came through in a wagon to -Texas and camped out at night and we slep' on the groun'. - -"When I's hired out to the Tomlins at Douglass I sho' got lonesome for -I's jus' a little girl, you know, and wanted to see my mother. They put -me to work parchin' coffee and my arm was still sore, and I'd pa'ch and -cry, and pa'ch and cry. Finally Missus Tomlin say, 'You can quit now.' -She looked at my arm and then put me to tendin' chillen. I was fannin' -the baby with a turkey wing fan and I fell to sleep and when the missus -saw me she snatched the fan and struck me in the face with it. This scar -on my forehead is from that quill stuck in my head. - -"I slep' on a pallet in the missus' room and she bought me some clothes. -She had nine chillen, two boys and seven girls. But after awhile she -sol' me to Marster Roack, and he bought my mother and my brothers, so we -was togedder again. We had our own cabin and two beds. Every day at four -they called us to the big house and give us milk and mush. The white -chillen had to eat it, too. It was one of marster's ideas and he said -he's raised that-away. - -"Now, I mus' tell you all 'bout Christmas. Our bigges' time was at -Christmas. Marster'd give us maybe fo'-bits to spend as we wanted and -maybe we'd buy a string of beads or some sech notion. On Christmas Eve -we played games, 'Young Gal Loves Candy,' or 'Hide and Whoop.' Didn' -know nothin' 'bout Santa Claus, never was larned that. But we allus -knowed what we'd git on Christmas mornin'. Old Marster allus call us -togedder and give us new clothes, shoes too. He allus wen' to town on -the Eve and brung back our things in a cotton sack. That ole sack'd be -crammed full of things and we knewed it was clothes and shoes, 'cause -Marster didn' 'lieve in no foolishness. We got one pair shoes a year, at -Christmas. Most times they was red and I'd allus paint mine black. I's -one nigger didn' like red. I'd skim grease off dishwater, mix it with -soot from the chimney and paint my shoes. In winter we wore woolen -clothes and got 'em at Christmas, too. - -"We was woke up in the mornin' by blowing of the conk. It was a big -shell. It called us to dinner and if anything happened 'special, the -conk allus blew. - - -[Illustration: _Eda Rains_] - - -"I seed run-away slaves and marster kep' any he caught in a room, and he -chained 'em till he coul' reach their marsters. - -"We didn' get larned to read and write but they took care of us iffen we -was sick, and we made medicine outta black willow and outta black snake -root and boneset. It broke fevers on us, but, Lawsy, it was a dose. - -"After freedom they tol' us we could go or stay. I stayed a while but I -married Claiborne Rains and lived at Jacksonville. We had ten chillen. -The Lawd's been right good to me, even if I'm blind. Nearly all my ole -white folks and my chillen has gone to Judgment, but I know the Lawd -won't leave me here too long 'fore I 'jines em." - - - - -Millie Randall - - -*Millie Randall, was born in Mississippi, but spent most of her slavery -days on the Dan McMillan farm, near Big Cane, Louisiana. She is about 80 -years old, though her estimate of her actual age is vague. She now lives -in Beaumont, Texas.* - -"I was jes' 'bout six year old when peace was 'clared and I done been -born in Mississippi, but us move to Bayou Jacques, tother side of Big -Cane, in Louisiana. I mus' be purty old now. - -"My name' Millie Randall and my mammy, she call' Rose, but I don't know -nothin' 'bout my paw. My old massa name' Dan McMillan and he wife she -name' Laura. It were a old wood country where my white folks was and us -live way out. Dey raise de corn and de cotton and when dey wasn't -workin' in de field, dey diggin' out stumps and movin' logs and clearin' -up new ground. Dey have lots of goats and sheep, too, and raises dey own -rice. - -"Dey give us cullud folks de ration in a sack right reg'lar. It have -jes' plain food in it, but plenty for everybody. - -"Missy have de big plank house and us have de little log house. Us have -jes' old plank beds and no furniture. Us clothes make out good, strong -cloth, but dey was plain make. - -"All us white folks was mean, I tells you de truf. Yes, Lawd, I seed dem -beat and almost kilt on us own place. What dey beat dem for? 'Cause dey -couldn't he'p demselves, I guess. De white folks have de niggers like -dey want dem and dey treat dem bad. It were de old, bully, mean -overseers what was doin' de beatin' up with de niggers and I guess dey -would have kilt me, but I's too little to beat much. - -"I heered 'bout dem Yankees drivin' dey hosses in de white folks' house -and makin' dem let dem eat offen de table. Another time, dey come to de -plantation and all de niggers locked in de barn. Dose soldiers go in de -house and find de white boss man hidin' in 'tween de mattresses and dey -stick swords through de mattress and kilt him. - - -[Illustration: _Millie Randall_] - - -"Some de white folks hides dey silver and other things that worth lots -of money and hang dem down in de well, so de Yankees not find dem. But -dey find dem anyway. Dey breaks open a store what was lock up and told -de niggers to git all dey wants. De women ketches up de bottom of dey -skirt round de waist and fill dem up with everything dey wants. - -"After freedom old massa not 'low my mammy have us chillen. He takes me -and my brother, Benny, in de wagon and druv us round and round so dey -couldn't find us. My mammy has to git de Jestice of de Peace to go make -him turn us a-loose. He brung us to our mammy and was we glad to see -her. - -"I don't 'member 'xactly when I git marry. It was at Big Cane and when I -git marry I jes' git marry, dat's all. Dey was three chillen but dey all -dead now and so my husban'." - - - - -Laura Redmoun - - -*Laura Redmoun was born about 1855, a slave of the Robertson family, in -Jonestown (now absorbed by Memphis) Tennessee. Laura is a quaint, rotund -figure of a woman, a living picture of a comic opera mammy. She lives at -3809 Mayo St., Dallas, Texas.* - -"The funny thing 'bout me is, I's a present to the white folks, right -off. They's lookin' for my mammy to have a baby and, Gawd bless, I's -borned twins, a boy and a girl. When I's six months old, Miss Gusta, my -old missy's daughter, marries Mr. Scruggs, and I's give to her for a -weddin' present. - -"Miss Gusta am proud of me and I slep' right on the foot of her bed. We -lived at 144 Third Exchange Street in Memphis. She didn't have but two -slaves, me and Lucy, the cook. Law, I didn't know I was no slave. I -thunk I's white and plumb indiff'ent from the niggers. I's right -s'prised when I finds out I's nigger, jus' like the other black faces! - -"I had good times and jes' played round and got in devilment. Sometimes -Mr. Scruggs say, 'I's gwine whip dat brat,' but Miss Gusta allus say, -'No you ain't gwine lay you hands on her and iffen you does I'm gwine -quit you.' Miss Gusta was indiff'ent to Mr. Scruggs in quality. He -fooled her to marry him, lettin' on he got a lot of things he ain't. - -"I seen sojers all toggered up in uniforms and marchin' and wavin'. -Plenty times they waves at me, but I didn't know what it's all 'bout. - -"Miss Gusta allus took me to church and most times I went to sleep by -her feet. But when I's 'bout eight the Lawd gits to workin' right inside -me and I perks up and listens. Purty soon the glory of Gawd 'scended -right down on me and I didn't know nothin' else. I run away up into the -ridges and crosses a creek on a foot log. I stays up 'round them caves -in tall cane and grass where panthers and bears is for three days 'fore -they finds me. They done hear me praisin' Gawd and shoutin', 'I got -Jesus.' When they finds me I done slap the sides out my dress, jes' -slappin' my hands down and praisin' the Lawd. That was a good dress, -too. I heared tell of some niggers wearin' cotton but not me--I weared -percale. - -"They done take me home and Miss Gusta say, 'You ain't in no fittin' -condition to jine a church right now. You got to calm down 'siderable -first.' But when I's nine year old she takes me to the Trevesant St. -Baptist church and lets me jine and I's baptised in the Mississippi -river right there at Memphis. - -"Bout that time the Fed'rals come into Memphis and scared the daylights -out of folks. Miss Gusta calls me and wrops my hair in front and puts -her jewelry in under the plaits and pulls them back and pins them down -so you couldn't see nothin'. She got silverware and give it to me and I -run in the garden and buries it. I hid it plenty good, 'cause we like to -never found it after the Fed'rals was gone. They come right up to our -house and Mr. Scruggs run out the back door and tried to leap the rail -fence in the backyard. He cotched the seat of his pants on the top rail -and jes' hung there a-danglin' till the Fed'rals pulls him down. He hurt -his leg and it was a bad place for a long time. When I seed him hangin' -there I cut a dido and kep' screamin', 'Miss Gusta, he's a-dyin',' and -them Fed'rals got plumb tickled at me. - -"They went in the smokehouse and got all the sugar and rice and strowed -it up and down the streets and not carin' at all that victuals was -scarcer than hen's teeth in them parts! - -"Then Miss Gusta done tell me I wasn't no slave no more, but, shucks, -that don't mean nothin' to me, 'cause I ain't never knowed I was one. - -"In them times the Ku Klux got to skullduggerin' round and done take Mr. -Scruggs and give him a whippin' but I never heared what it had to do -about. He don't like them none, noways, and shets hisself up in the -house. He a curious kind of man, it 'pear to me, iffen I's to tell the -plain out truth. I don't think he was much but kind of trashy. - -"When I's seventeen Miss Gusta sickened and suffered in her bed in -terrible fashion. She begs the doctors to tell her if she's a-dyin' so -she could clear up business 'fore she passed away. She took three days -and fixed things up and told me she didn't want to leave me friendless -and lone. She wanted me to git married. I had a man I thunk I'd think -well of marryin' and Miss Gusta give me away on her bed at the weddin' -in her room. She told my husband not to cuff me none, 'cause I never -been 'bused in my life, and to this day I ain't never been hit a lick in -my life. - - -[Illustration: _Laura Redmoun_] - - -"My first baby was born the year of the big yellow fever in New Orleans. -I had six chillen but they all died when they's little from creepin' -spasms. I advertises round in the papers and finds my mammy and she come -and lived with me. She's in a pitiful shape. 'Fore the ceasin' of war -her master done sold her and the man what bought her wasn't so light on -his niggers. She said he made her wear breeches and tote big, heavy logs -and plow with oxes. One of the men knocked her on back of the head with -a club and from that day she allus shook her head from side to side all -the time, like she couldn't git her mind straight. She told me my paw -fell off a bluff in Memphis and stuck a sharp rock right through his -head. They wrapped him in a blanket and buried him. That's all I ever -knowed 'bout him. - -"My husband was a good man and a good worker. We farmed and I worked for -white folks. We took a notion to come to Texas and I been in these parts -ever since. - -"I don't have no complaint to make. I seen some hard times, but I's able -to do a little work and keep goin'. They is so many mean folks in the -world and so many good ones, and I'm mighty proud to say my white folks -was good ones." - - - - -Elsie Reece - - -*Elsie Reece, 90, was born a slave of John Mueldrew, in Grimes County, -Texas. Elsie came to Fort Worth in 1926 to live with her only remaining -child, Mrs. Luffin Baker, who supports Elsie with the aid of her $7.00 -monthly old age pension.* - -"I's borned in Grimes County, ninety years ago. Dat am long time, child. -It am heap of change since den. We couldn't see dem airplanes flyin' in -de air and hear folks sing and talk a thousand miles away. When I's de -young'un de fartheres' you could hear anybody am 'bout a quarter mile -and den dey has to holler like a stuck hawg. - -"My massa's name am John Mueldrew and he have a small plantation near -Navasota, and 'bout twenty cullud folks, mos' of 'em 'lated to each -other. There was seven chillen in mammy's family and I's de baby. Pappy -dies when I's a year old, so I don't 'member him. - -"Dey larnt me to weave cloth and sew, and my brudder am de shoemaker. My -mammy tend de cows and Uncle John am de carpenter. De Lawd bless us with -de good massa. Massa John die befo' de war and Missie Mary marries Massa -Mike Hendricks, and he good, too. But him die and young Massa Jim -Mueldrow take charge, and him jus' as kind as he pappy. - -"Nother thing am change a heap. Dat buyin' all us wears and eats. Gosh -'mighty, when I's de gall, it am awful li'l us buys. Us raise nearly all -to eat and wear, and has good home-raised meat and all de milk and -butter us wants, and fruit and 'lasses and eggs and tea and coffee onct -a week. Now I has to live on $7.00 a month and what place am I bes' off? -Sho', on de massa's place. - -"We'uns has Sundays off and goes to church. Old man Buffington preaches -to us after dinner. Dere am allus de party on Saturday night on our -place or some other place nearby. We gits de pass and it say what time -to be home. It de rule, twelve o'clock. We dances de quadrille and sings -and sich. De music am fiddles. - -"But de big time and de happy time for all us cullud folks am Christmas. -De white folks has de tree in de big house and somethin' for all us. -When Missie Mary holler, 'Santa Claus 'bout due,' us all gathers at de -door and purty soon Santa 'pears with de red coat and long, white -whiskers, in de room all lit with candles. He gives us each de sack of -candy and a pair of shoes from de store. Massa never calls for work from -Christmas to New Year's, 'cept chores. Dat whole week am for -cel'bration. So you sees how good massa am. - -"Young Massa Jim and Sam jines de army and I helps make dere army -clothes. I's 'bout fourteen den. Lots of young men goes and lots never -comes back. Sam gits his right leg shot off and dies after he come home, -but Jim lives. Den surrender come and Massa Jim read de long paper. He -say, 'I 'splain to yous. It de order from de gov'ment what make it -'gainst de law to keep yous slaves.' You should seed dem cullud folks. -Dey jus' plumb shock. Dere faces long as dere arm, and so pester dey -don't know what to say or do. - -"Massa never say 'nother word and walks away. De cullud folks say, -'Where we'uns gwine live? What we'uns gwine do?' Dey frets all night. -Nex' mornin' massa say, 'What you'uns gwine do?' Uncle John say, 'When -does we have to go?' Den massa laughs hearty and say dey can stay for -wages or work on halves. - - -[Illustration: _Elsie Reece_] - - -"Well, sir, dere a bunch of happy cullud folks after dey larnt dey could -stay and work, and my folks stays nearly two years after 'mancipation. -Den us all move to Navasota and hires out as cooks. I cooks till I's -eighteen and den marries John Love. He am de carpenter and right off -builds a house on land he buy from Dr. Terrell, he old massa. I has four -chillen, and dey all dead now. He died in 1881, 'way from home. He's on -his way to Austin and draps dead from some heart mis'ry. Dat am big -sorrow in my life. There I is, with chillen to support, so I goes to -cookin' 'gain and we has some purty close times, but I does it and sends -dem to school. I don't want dem to be like dey mammy, a unknowledge -person. - -"After eight years I marries Dave Reece and has two chillen. He am de -Baptis' preacher and have a good church till he died, in 1923. Den soon -after I gits de letter from old Missie Mary, and she am awful sick. She -done write and visit me all dem years since I lef' de old plantation. I -draps everything and goes to her and she am awful glad to see me. She -begs me not to go back home, and one day she dies sudden-like with a -heart mis'ry. She de bes' friend I ever has. - -"I comes to Fort Worth in 1926 and lives with my daughter. I's paralyze -in de right side and can't work no more, and it am fine I has de good -daughter." - - - - -Mary Reynolds - - -*Mary Reynolds claims to be more than a hundred years old. She was born -in slavery to the Kilpatrick family, in Black River, Louisiana. Mary now -lives at the Dallas County Convalescent Home. She has been blind for -five years and is very feeble.* - -"My paw's name was Tom Vaughn and he was from the north, born free man -and lived and died free to the end of his days. He wasn't no eddicated -man, but he was what he calls himself a piano man. He told me once he -lived in New York and Chicago and he built the insides of pianos and -knew how to make them play in tune. He said some white folks from the -south told he if he'd come with them to the south he'd find a lot of -work to do with pianos in them parts, and he come off with them. - -"He saw my maw on the Kilpatrick place and her man was dead. He told Dr. -Kilpatrick, my massa, he'd buy my maw and her three chillun with all the -money he had, iffen he'd sell her. But Dr. Kilpatrick was never one to -sell any but the old niggers who was past workin' in the fields and past -their breedin' times. So my paw marries my maw and works the fields, -same as any other nigger. They had six gals: Martha and Pamela and -Josephine and Ellen and Katherine and me. - -"I was born same time as Miss Sara Kilpatrick. Dr. Kilpatrick's first -wife and my maw come to their time right together. Miss Sara's maw died -and they brung Miss Sara to suck with me. It's a thing we ain't never -forgot. My maw's name was Sallie and Miss Sara allus looked with -kindness on my maw. We sucked till we was a fair size and played -together, which wasn't no common thing. None the other li'l niggers -played with the white chillun. But Miss Sara loved me so good. - -"I was jus' 'bout big 'nough to start playin' with a broom to go 'bout -sweepin' up and not even half doin' it when Dr. Kilpatrick sold me. They -was a old white man in Trinity and his wife died and he didn't have -chick or child or slave or nothin'. Massa sold me cheap, 'cause he -didn't want Miss Sara to play with no nigger young'un. That old man -bought me a big doll and went off and left me all day, with the door -open. I jus' sot on the floor and played with that doll. I used to cry. -He'd come home and give me somethin' to eat and then go to bed, and I -slep' on the foot of the bed with him. I was scart all the time in the -dark. He never did close the door. - -"Miss Sara pined and sickened. Massa done what he could, but they wasn't -no pertness in her. She got sicker and sicker, and massa brung 'nother -doctor. He say, 'You li'l gal is grievin' the life out her body and she -sho' gwine die iffen you don't do somethin' 'bout it.' Miss Sara says -over and over, 'I wants Mary.' Massa say to the doctor, 'That a li'l -nigger young'un I done sold.' The doctor tells him he better git me back -iffen he wants to save the life of his child. Dr. Kilpatrick has to give -a big plenty more to git me back than what he sold me for, but Miss Sara -plumps up right off and grows into fine health. - -"Then massa marries a rich lady from Mississippi and they has chillun -for company to Miss Sara and seem like for a time she forgits me. - -"Massa Kilpatrick wasn't no piddlin' man. He was a man of plenty. He had -a big house with no more style to it than a crib, but it could room -plenty people. He was a medicine doctor and they was rooms in the second -story for sick folks what come to lay in. It would take two days to go -all over the land he owned. He had cattle and stock and sheep and more'n -a hundred slaves and more besides. He bought the bes' of niggers near -every time the spec'lators come that way. He'd make a swap of the old -ones and give money for young ones what could work. - -"He raised corn and cotton and cane and 'taters and goobers, 'sides the -peas and other feedin' for the niggers. I 'member I helt a hoe handle -mighty onsteady when they put a old woman to larn me and some other -chillun to scrape the fields. That old woman would be in a frantic. -She'd show me and then turn 'bout to show some other li'l nigger, and -I'd have the young corn cut clean as the grass. She say, 'For the love -of Gawd, you better larn it right, or Solomon will beat the breath out -you body.' Old man Solomon was the nigger driver. - -"Slavery was the worst days was ever seed in the world. They was things -past tellin', but I got the scars on my old body to show to this day. I -seed worse than what happened to me. I seed them put the men and women -in the stock with they hands screwed down through holes in the board and -they feets tied together and they naked behinds to the world. Solomon -the overseer beat them with a big whip and massa look on. The niggers -better not stop in the fields when they hear them yellin'. They cut the -flesh most to the bones and some they was when they taken them out of -stock and put them on the beds, they never got up again. - -"When a nigger died they let his folks come out the fields to see him -afore he died. They buried him the same day, take a big plank and bust -it with a ax in the middle 'nough to bend it back, and put the dead -nigger in betwixt it. They'd cart them down to the graveyard on the -place and not bury them deep 'nough that buzzards wouldn't come circlin' -round. Niggers mourns now, but in them days they wasn't no time for -mournin'. - -"The conch shell blowed afore daylight and all hands better git out for -roll call or Solomon bust the door down and git them out. It was work -hard, git beatin's and half fed. They brung the victuals and water to -the fields on a slide pulled by a old mule. Plenty times they was only a -half barrel water and it stale and hot, for all us niggers on the -hottes' days. Mostly we ate pickled pork and corn bread and peas and -beans and 'taters. They never was as much as we needed. - -"The times I hated most was pickin' cotton when the frost was on the -bolls. My hands git sore and crack open and bleed. We'd have a li'l fire -in the fields and iffen the ones with tender hands couldn't stand it no -longer, we'd run and warm our hands a li'l bit. When I could steal a -'tater, I used to slip it in the ashes and when I'd run to the fire I'd -take it out and eat it on the sly. - -"In the cabins it was nice and warm. They was built of pine boardin' and -they was one long row of them up the hill back of the big house. Near -one side of the cabins was a fireplace. They'd bring in two, three big -logs and put on the fire and they'd last near a week. The beds was made -out of puncheons fitted in holes bored in the wall, and planks laid -'cross them poles. We had tickin' mattresses filled with corn shucks. -Sometimes the men build chairs at night. We didn't know much 'bout -havin' nothin', though. - -"Sometimes massa let niggers have a li'l patch. They'd raise 'taters or -goobers. They liked to have them to help fill out on the victuals. -'Taters roasted in the ashes was the best tastin' eatin' I ever had. I -could die better satisfied to have jus' one more 'tater roasted in hot -ashes. The niggers had to work the patches at night and dig the 'taters -and goobers at night. Then if they wanted to sell any in town they'd -have to git a pass to go. They had to go at night, 'cause they couldn't -ever spare a hand from the fields. - -"Once in a while they'd give us a li'l piece of Sat'day evenin' to wash -out clothes in the branch. We hanged them on the ground in the woods to -dry. They was a place to wash clothes from the well, but they was so -many niggers all couldn't git round to it on Sundays. When they'd git -through with the clothes on Sat'day evenin's the niggers which sold they -goobers and 'taters brung fiddles and guitars and come out and play. The -others clap they hands and stomp they feet and we young'uns cut a step -round. I was plenty biggity and liked to cut a step. - -"We was scart of Solomon and his whip, though, and he didn't like -frolickin'. He didn't like for us niggers to pray, either. We never -heared of no church, but us have prayin' in the cabins. We'd set on the -floor and pray with our heads down low and sing low, but if Solomon -heared he'd come and beat on the wall with the stock of his whip. He'd -say, 'I'll come in there and tear the hide off you backs.' But some the -old niggers tell us we got to pray to Gawd that he don't think different -of the blacks and the whites. I know that Solomon is burnin' in hell -today, and it pleasures me to know it. - -"Once my maw and paw taken me and Katherine after night to slip to -'nother place to a prayin' and singin'. A nigger man with white beard -told us a day am comin' when niggers only be slaves of Gawd. We prays -for the end of Trib'lation and the end of beatin's and for shoes that -fit our feet. We prayed that us niggers could have all we wanted to eat -and special for fresh meat. Some the old ones say we have to bear all, -'cause that all we can do. Some say they was glad to the time they's -dead, 'cause they'd rather rot in the ground than have the beatin's. -What I hated most was when they'd beat me and I didn't know what they -beat me for, and I hated them strippin' me naked as the day I was born. - -"When we's comin' back from that prayin', I thunk I heared the nigger -dogs and somebody on horseback. I say, 'Maw, its them nigger hounds and -they'll eat us up.' You could hear them old hounds and sluts abayin'. -Maw listens and say, 'Sho 'nough, them dogs am runnin' and Gawd help -us!' Then she and paw talk and they take us to a fence corner and stands -us up 'gainst the rails and say don't move and if anyone comes near, -don't breathe loud. They went to the woods, so the hounds chase them and -not git us. Me and Katherine stand there, holdin' hands, shakin' so we -can hardly stand. We hears the hounds come nearer, but we don't move. -They goes after paw and maw, but they circles round to the cabins and -gits in. Maw say its the power of Gawd. - -"In them days I weared shirts, like all the young'uns. They had collars -and come below the knees and was split up the sides. That's all we -weared in hot weather. The men weared jeans and the women gingham. Shoes -was the worstes' trouble. We weared rough russets when it got cold, and -it seem powerful strange they'd never git them to fit. Once when I was a -young gal, they got me a new pair and all brass studs in the toes. They -was too li'l for me, but I had to wear them. The brass trimmin's cut -into my ankles and them places got mis'ble bad. I rubs tallow in them -sore places and wrops rags round them and my sores got worser and -worser. The scars are there to this day. - -"I wasn't sick much, though. Some the niggers had chills and fever a -lot, but they hadn't discovered so many diseases then as now. Dr. -Kilpatrick give sick niggers ipecac and asafoetida and oil and -turpentine and black fever pills. - -"They was a cabin called the spinnin' house and two looms and two -spinnin' wheels goin' all the time, and two nigger women sewing all the -time. It took plenty sewin' to make all the things for a place so big. -Once massa goes to Baton Rouge and brung back a yaller gal dressed in -fine style. She was a seamster nigger. He builds her a house 'way from -the quarters and she done fine sewin' for the whites. Us niggers knowed -the doctor took a black woman quick as he did a white and took any on -his place he wanted, and he took them often. But mostly the chillun born -on the place looked like niggers. Aunt Cheyney allus say four of hers -was massa's, but he didn't give them no mind. But this yaller gal breeds -so fast and gits a mess of white young'uns. She larnt them fine manners -and combs out they hair. - -"Onct two of them goes down the hill to the doll house where the -Kilpatrick chillun am playin'. They wants to go in the doll house and -one the Kilpatrick boys say, 'That's for white chillun.' They say, 'We -ain't no niggers, 'cause we got the same daddy you has, and he comes to -see us near every day and fetches us clothes and things from town.' They -is fussin' and Missy Kilpatrick is listenin' out her chamber window. She -heard them white niggers say, 'He is our daddy and we call him daddy -when he comes to our house to see our mama.' - -"When massa come home that evenin' his wife hardly say nothin' to him, -and he ask her what the matter and she tells him, 'Since you asks me, -I'm studyin' in my mind 'bout them white young'uns of that yaller nigger -wench from Baton Rouge.' He say, 'Now, honey, I fotches that gal jus' -for you, 'cause she a fine seamster.' She say, 'It look kind of funny -they got the same kind of hair and eyes as my chillun and they got a -nose looks like yours.' He say, 'Honey, you jus' payin' 'tention to talk -of li'l chillun that ain't got no mind to what they say.' She say, 'Over -in Mississippi I got a home and plenty with my daddy and I got that in -my mind.' - -"Well, she didn't never leave and massa bought her a fine, new span of -surrey hosses. But she don't never have no more chillun and she ain't so -cordial with the massa. Margaret, that yallow gal, has more white -young'uns, but they don't never go down the hill no more to the big -house. - -"Aunt Cheyney was jus' out of bed with a sucklin' baby one time, and she -run away. Some say that was 'nother baby of massa's breedin'. She don't -come to the house to nurse her baby, so they misses her and old Solomon -gits the nigger hounds and takes her trail. They gits near her and she -grabs a limb and tries to hist herself in a tree, but them dogs grab her -and pull her down. The men hollers them onto her, and the dogs tore her -naked and et the breasts plumb off her body. She got well and lived to -be a old woman, but 'nother woman has to suck her baby and she ain't got -no sign of breasts no more. - -"They give all the niggers fresh meat on Christmas and a plug tobacco -all round. The highes' cotton picker gits a suit of clothes and all the -women what had twins that year gits a outfittin' of clothes for the -twins and a double, warm blanket. - -"Seems like after I got bigger, I 'member more'n more niggers run away. -They's most allus cotched. Massa used to hire out his niggers for wage -hands. One time he hired me and a nigger boy, Turner, to work for some -ornery white trash name of Kidd. One day Turner goes off and don't come -back. Old man Kidd say I knowed 'bout it, and he tied my wrists together -and stripped me. He hanged me by the wrists from a limb on a tree and -spraddled my legs round the trunk and tied my feet together. Then he -beat me. He beat me worser than I ever been beat before and I faints -dead away. When I come to I'm in bed. I didn't care so much iffen I -died. - -"I didn't know 'bout the passin' of time, but Miss Sara come to me. Some -white folks done git word to her. Mr. Kidd tries to talk hisself out of -it, but Miss Sara fotches me home when I'm well 'nough to move. She took -me in a cart and my maw takes care of me. Massa looks me over good and -says I'll git well, but I'm ruint for breedin' chillun. - -"After while I taken a notion to marry and massa and missy marries us -same as all the niggers. They stands inside the house with a broom held -crosswise of the door and we stands outside. Missy puts a li'l wreath on -my head they kept there and we steps over the broom into the house. Now, -that's all they was to the marryin'. After freedom I gits married and -has it put in the book by a preacher. - -"One day we was workin' in the fields and hears the conch shell blow, so -we all goes to the back gate of the big house. Massa am there. He say, -'Call the roll for every nigger big 'nough to walk, and I wants them to -go to the river and wait there. They's gwine be a show and I wants you -to see it.' They was a big boat down there, done built up on the sides -with boards and holes in the boards and a big gun barrel stickin' -through every hole. We ain't never seed nothin' like that. Massa goes up -the plank onto the boat and comes out on the boat porch. He say, 'This -am a Yankee boat.' He goes inside and the water wheels starts movin' and -that boat goes movin' up the river and they says it goes to Natches. - -"The boat wasn't more'n out of sight when a big drove of sojers comes -into town. They say they's Fed'rals. More'n half the niggers goes off -with them sojers, but I goes on back home 'cause of my old mammy. - -"Next day them Yankees is swarmin' the place. Some the niggers wants to -show them somethin'. I follows to the woods. The niggers shows them -sojers a big pit in the ground, bigger'n a big house. It is got wooden -doors that lifts up, but the top am sodded and grass growin' on it, so -you couldn't tell it. In that pit is stock, hosses and cows and mules -and money and chinaware and silver and a mess of stuff them sojers -takes. - -"We jus' sot on the place doin' nothin' till the white folks comes home. -Miss Sara come out to the cabin and say she wants to read a letter to my -mammy. It come from Louis Carter, which is brother to my mammy, and he -done follow the Fed'rals to Galveston. A white man done write the letter -for him. It am tored in half and massa done that. The letter say Louis -am workin' in Galveston and wants mammy to come with us, and he'll pay -our way. Miss Sara say massa swear, 'Damn Louis Carter. I ain't gwine -tell Sallie nothin',' and he starts to tear the letter up. But she won't -let him, and she reads it to mammy. - - -[Illustration: _Mary Reynolds_] - - -"After a time massa takes all his niggers what wants to Texas with him -and mammy gits to Galveston and dies there. I goes with massa to the -Tennessee Colony and then to Navasota. Miss Sara marries Mr. T. Coleman -and goes to El Paso. She wrote and told me to come to her and I allus -meant to go. - -"My husband and me farmed round for times, and then I done housework and -cookin' for many years. I come to Dallas and cooked seven year for one -white family. My husband died years ago. I guess Miss Sara been dead -these long years. I allus kep' my years by Miss Sara's years, 'count we -is born so close. - -"I been blind and mos' helpless for five year. I'm gittin' mighty -enfeeblin' and I ain't walked outside the door for a long time back. I -sets and 'members the times in the world. I 'members now clear as -yesterday things I forgot for a long time. I 'members 'bout the days of -slavery and I don't 'lieve they ever gwine have slaves no more on this -earth. I think Gawd done took that burden offen his black chillun and -I'm aimin' to praise him for it to his face in the days of Glory what -ain't so far off." - - - - -Walter Rimm - - -*Walter Rimm, 80, was born a slave of Captain Hatch, in San Patricio -County, Texas. After Walter was freed, he helped his father farm for -several years, then worked as a cook for fifteen years on the King -Ranch. He moved to Fort Worth and cooked for Mrs. Arthur Goetz for -twenty-five years. He lives at 913 E. Second St., Fort Worth.* - -"You wants to know 'bout slavery? Well, I's had a deal happen 'sides -dat, but I's born on Captain Hatch's plantation, 'cross de bay from -Corpus Christi. He had somewheres near fifty slaves, and mammy told me -he buyed her in Tennessee and pappy in South Carolina. Massa Hatch buys -and sells niggers some dem days, but he ain't a nigger trader. - -"Dem sales am one thing what make de 'pression on me. I hears de old -folks whisper 'bout gwine have de sale and 'bout noon dere am a crowd of -white folks in de front yard and a nigger trader with he slaves. Dey -sets up a platform in middle de yard and one white man gits on dat and -'nother white man comes up and has a white woman with him. She 'pears to -be 'bout fifteen years old and has long, black hair down her back. Dey -puts her on de platform and den I hears a scream, and a woman what look -like de gal, cries out, 'I'll cut my throat if my daughter am sold.' De -white man goes and talks to her, and fin'ly 'lows her to take de young -gal away with her. Dat sho' stirs up some 'motion 'mongst de white -folks, but dey say dat gal have jus' a li'l nigger blood and can be sold -for a slave, but she look white as anybody I ever seed. - -"I pulls weeds and runs errands while I's a child. We has some good eats -but has to steal de best things from de white folks. Dey never give us -none of them. We has roastin' ears better'n dey cooks dem now. We puts -dem, shucks and all, in de hot ashes. Mammy makes good ashcake, with -salt and corn meal and bacon grease and flats it out with de hands. - -"Massa and missus took dey goodness by spells like. Sometimes dey was -hard to git 'long with and sometimes dey was easy to git 'long with. I -don't know de cause, but it am so. De mostest trouble am 'bout de work. -Dey wants you to work if you can or can't. My pappy have de back mis'ry -and many de time I seed him crawl to de grist mill. Him am buyed 'cause -him am de good millhand. He tells us his pappy am white, and dat one -reason he am de run-awayer. I's scairt all de time, 'cause he run away. -I seed him git one whippin' and nothin' I can do 'cept stand dere and -cry. Dey gits whippin's every time massa feels cross. One slave name Bob -Love, when massa start to whip him he cuts his throat and dives into de -river. He am dat scairt of a whippin' dat he kilt himself. - -"My pappy wasn't 'fraid of nothin'. He am light cullud from de white -blood, and he runs away sev'ral times. Dere am big woods all round and -we sees lots of run-awayers. One old fellow name John been a run-awayer -for four years and de patterrollers tries all dey tricks, but dey can't -cotch him. Dey wants him bad, 'cause it 'spire other slaves to run away -if he stays a-loose. Dey sots de trap for him. Dey knows he like good -eats, so dey 'ranges for a quiltin' and gives chitlin's and lye hominey. -John comes and am inside when de patterrollers rides up to de door. -Everybody gits quiet and John stands near de door, and when dey starts -to come in he grabs de shovel full of hot ashes and throws dem into de -patterrollers' faces. He gits through and runs off, hollerin', 'Bird in -de air!' - -"One woman name Rhodie runs off for long spell. De hounds won't hunt -her. She steals hot light bread when dey puts it in de window to cool, -and lives on dat. She told my mammy how to keep de hounds from followin' -you is to take black pepper and put it in you socks and run without you -shoes. It make de hounds sneeze. - -"One day I's in de woods and meets de nigger run-awayer. He comes to de -cabin and mammy makes him a bacon and egg sandwich and we never seed him -again. Maybe he done got clear to Mexico, where a lot of de slaves runs -to. - -"De first we knows 'bout war am when some Union ships comes into de Bay -and shoots at Corpus Christi. When dat shootin' start, all de folks -round us takes to de woods and sev'ral am still gone. Dey am shakin' all -over. - -"'Bout de third year of de war massa moves up to Clinton, but he moves -back, 'cause he can't make no money dere. Den he have all de quarters -move up close to de big house, so if we tries to make de run for it in -de night he can cotch us. Dat no use, 'cause de ones what am still with -him won't run anyway. - -"One day I seed massa settin' on de gal'ry and him face all screw up. He -says, 'Go git you mammy and everybody.' I goes a-flyin'. My shirt tail -don't hit my back till I tells everybody. Massa am cryin' and he reads -de paper and says, 'You is free as I is. What you gwine do?' Mammy says, -'We am stayin' right here.' But next mornin' pappy borrows a ox-team to -tote our stuff away. We goes 'bout sixty miles and stays 'bout six -months, den takes a place where we can make a crop. Den massa tells us -we can live on de old place without de rent and have what we can make. -So we moves back and stays two years. - -"Den we moves sev'ral places and sometimes old missus comes to see us -and say, 'Ain't you shame? De Yankees is feedin' you.' But dey wasn't, -'cause we was makin' a crop. - -"When I gits up big 'nough to hire out, I works for old man King on some -drives, 'fore pappy and mammy dies of de fever. Den I marries Minnie -Bennett, a light cullud gal, what am knowed as High Yaller. Her mammy am -a white woman. She was kidnapped in Kentucky by some white men and dey -dyed her hair and skin and brung her to Texas with some slaves for sale. -Massa Means, in Corpus, buyed her. She was so small all she 'membered -was her real name was Mary Schlous and her parents am white and she -lived in Kentucky. Massa Means comes in de next mornin' and busts out -cussin', for dere am black dye all over de pillow and his slave am -gettin' blonde, but dem slave traders am gone, so he can't do nothin'. - -"He 'cides to keep her and she grows up with de slaves jus' like she am -a nigger. She gits used to bein' with dem and marries one. She has one -child 'fore freedom, what am Minnie. She has to run away to git freedom, -'cause Massa Means won't let her have freedom. Lots of slaves has to do -dat. - -"Well, after I marries Minnie, we goes to de famous King Ranch. It was -only in two sections den and I hires as cook on de San Gertrudis -section, but am sent to de other section, de Fuerta Agua Dulce, and -works dere fifteen years. - -"Old man King has plenty trouble in dem days. One time some Mexicans -comes to Brownsville and takes everything as dey goes. Old man King had -two cannons and when dey has battle dey finishes with one cowboy dead -and one Mexican dead. No cannons was fired, though. He has more troubles -with rustlers and fellows who don't like de way he's gittin' all de -land. Dey tries to kill him lots of times, but he fools dem and dies in -bed. - - -[Illustration: _Walter Rimm_] - - -"I comes to Fort Worth and cooks. Minnie dies 'fore long of de stomach -mis'ry. I works for a Missus Goetz and marries Agnes Skelton, what works -dere, too. We has five chillen and I works dere for twenty-five years, -till I goes blind. I's allus de big, stout fellow, helpin' somebody, and -after I's blind I has to 'pend on other people to help me. De white -folks sho' been good to me since I been in dis shape, and de state sends -me $13.00 a month to pay de bills with. Dat a big help, but I's 'bout -three, four weeks 'hind now. - -"One old man King's daughters am here and looks me up, and leaves me a -couple dollars. I gits 'long some way. - -"I sets here and thinks 'bout old times. One song we use to sing was -'Throw de Smokehouse Keys Down de Well.' Dat 'cause dere so many thieves -in de country everybody have big locks on de smokehouse if dey 'spects -to keep dey meat." - - - - -Mariah Robinson - - -*Mariah Robinson, born in Monroe, Georgia, does not know her age, but -from certain facts and her appearance, is probably 90 or over. Her -master was Judge Hill. He gave Mariah to his son-in-law, Bob Young, who -brought her to Texas. She now lives in Meridian, Texas.* - -"I's borned over in Georgia, in dat place call Monroe, and mammy was -Lizzie Hill, 'cause her massa Jedge Hill. I's hones', I don't know de -'zact date I's borned. Missy Joe, my missy, put de record of all ages in -de court house for safe keepin', to keep de Indians from burnin' dem up, -and dey's burnt up when de court house burns. All I knows is my younges' -sister, what live in Georgia, writ me 'bout a year ago and say, 'Last -Thursday I's 81 year old.' Dere is five chillen 'twixt my and her age -and dere is six chillen younger'n me. Dat de best I can give of my age. - -"Jedge Hill's daughter, Miss Josephine, married Dr. Young's son, what -lived in Cartersville, in Georgia, but had done moved to Texas. Den my -missy give me to Miss Josephine to come to Texas with her to keep her -from de lonely hours and bein' sad so far 'way from home. We come by -rail from Monroe to Social Circle and dere boards de boat 'Sweet Home'. -Dere was jus' two boats on de line, de 'Sweet Home' and de 'Katie -Darling.' - -"Us sails down de Atlantic Ocean to New Orleans, myself and my aunt -Lonnie and uncle Johns, all with Miss Josephine. When us gits to New -Orleans us 'rested and put in de trader's office. Us slaves, I mean. Dis -de way of dat. Our massa, Massa Bob Young, he a cotton buyer and he done -left Georgia without payin' a cotton debt and dey holds us for dat. - -"Miss Josephine wires back to Georgia to Dr. Young and he come and git -us out. He come walkin' down de street with he goldheaded walkin' cane. -Us upstairs in de trader's office. I seed him comin' and cries out, 'O, -yonder comes Massa Young.' He looks up and shooked he goldheaded walkin' -stick at me and says, 'Never mind, old boss have you out in a few -minutes.' Den he gits de hack soon as us out and sends us to de port, -for to cotch de boat. Us gits on dat boat and leaves dat evenin'. Comin' -down de Mississippi 'cross de Gulf us seed no land for days and days and -us go through de Gulf of Mexico and lands at de port, Galveston, and us -come to Waco on de stagecoach. - -"Us lives four year on Austin St., in Waco, dat four years 'fore de war -of 1861. Us boarded with Dr. Tinsley and he and Gen'ral Ross was good -friends. I worked in a sewin' room doin' work sich as whippin' on laces -and rufflin' and tuckin'. Den us come to Bosque County right near -Meridian, 'cause Massa Bob have de ranch dere and de time of de freedom -war us lives dere. - -"Us be in de house at night, peepin' out de window or pigeon hole and -see Indians comin'. De chief lead in front. Dey wild Comanches. Sometime -dere 50 or 60 in a bunch and dey did raidin' at night. But I's purty -brave and goes three mile to Walnut Spring every day to git veg'tables. -I rid de donkey. Miss Josephine boards all de Bosque County school -chillen and us have to git de food. I seed droves of wild turkey and -buffaloes and antelopes and deers. I seed wild cats and coons and -bunches of wolves and heered de panthers scream like de woman. - -"Us lived in a log cabin with two chimneys and a long shed-room and -cooked in de kitchen fireplace in de skillet, over it de pot racks. Us -made meal on de steel mill and hominy and cheese. I got de prize for -spinnin' and weavin'. I knitted de stockin's but Miss Joe had to drap de -stitch for me to turn de heels and toes. - -"Durin' de freedom war Massa Gen'ral Bob Young git kilt at de last -battle. Dat de Bull Run battle and he fit under Gen'ral Lee. Dat left my -missy de war widow and she mammy come live with her and she teached in -de school. I stays with dem four year after freedom and I's one of de -family for de board and de clothes. They's good to me and likes to make -me de best lookin' and neatest slave in dat place. I had sich as purty -starched dresses and dey holp me fix de hair nice. - -"Us used de soft, dim candlelight and I make de candle sticks. Us have -gourd dippers and oak buckets to dip water out de well and us make -wooden tubs out of stumps and battlin' sticks to clean de clothes. - -"I done already met up with Peter Robinson. He's de slave of Massa -Ridley Robinson what was gwine to California from Alabama, with all he -slaves. Massa Robinson git kilt by de Mexican and a white man name Gibb -Smith gits to own Peter. He hires him out to a farmer clost by us ranch -and I gits to meet him and us have de courtship and gits married. Dat -'fore freedom. Us marries by Ceasar Berry, de slave of Massa Buck Berry. -Ceasar am de cullud preacher. Pete was 'telligent and 'liable and de -good man. He played de fiddle all over de country and I rid horseback -with him miles and miles to dem dances. - -"Peter could write de plain hand and he gits to haul lumber from Waco to -make de Bosque County court house. He larns more and gits to be de -county's fust cullud trustee and de fust cullud teacher. He gits 'pinted -to see after de widows in time of war and in de 'construction days. -Fin'ly he is sent to Austin, de capital of Texas, to be rep'sentive. - -"Pete and me begot ten chillen. My fust chile am borned two months 'fore -freedom. After us slaves is freed us hired out for one year to git means -to go free on. Us held by de committee call 'Free Committee Men.' De -wages is ten dollars de month to de family. After us ready to go for -ourselves, my missy am de poor widow and she have only three cows and -three calves, but she give one of each of dem to Pete and me. - -"After leavin' Miss Joe us move here and yonder till I gits tired of -sich. By den us have sev'ral chillen and I changes from de frivol'ty of -life to de sincereness, to shape de dest'ny of de chillins' life. I -tells Pete when he comes back from fiddlin' one night, to buy me de home -or hitch up and carry me back to Missy Joe. Dat lead him to buy a strip -of land in Meridian. He pays ten dollar de acre. We has a team of oxen, -call Broad and Buck, and we done our farmin' with dem. Pete builds me a -house, hauls de lumber from Waco. Twict us gits burnt out, but builds it -'gain. Us makes de orchard and sells de fruit. Us raises bees and sells -de honey and gits cows and chickens and turkeys. Pete works good and I -puts on my bonnet and walks behind him and draps de corn. - -"He gits in organizin' de fust cullud church in Meridian, de cullud -Cumberland Pres'terian Church. Us has ever lived de useful life. I works -at cookin' and washin' and ironin'. I helps de doctors with de babies. - -"But de dis'bility of age have to come and now I is 'most disabled and -feels stunted and pov'ty stricken. I'd like to work now, but I isn't -able." - - - - -Susan Ross - - -*Susan Ross was born at Magnolia Springs, Texas, about 1862, a slave of -Chester Horn. Her features and the color of her skin, together with a -secretive manner, would point to Indian blood. She lives with a daughter -in the east part of North Quarters, a Negro settlement in Jasper, Texas, -and is still active enough to help her daughter in their little cafe.* - -"Susan Ross my name and I's born at Magnolia Springs durin' de war, -sometime befo' freedom come, I guess 'bout 1862. Pappy's name Bob Horn -and he come from Georgia, and mammy name Hallie Horn, and she think she -part Indian, but she ain't sho'. Chester Horn our massa and he have big -plantation at Magnolia Springs, and he kep' one big family connection of -slaves. Sometime he sold some of dem and he sold my brother, Jack, and -my aunt, too. My other brother name Jim and Sam and Aaron and Bill Horn, -and my sisters name Mandy and Sarah and Emily. - -"Massa have li'l houses all over de plantation for he slaves. Massa and -he folks punish dey slaves awful hard, and he used to tie 'em up and -whip 'em, too. Once he told my mammy do somethin' and she didn't and he -tie and whip her, and I skeert and cry. Mammy cook and work in de field. - -"I jes' 'member I used to see sojers dress in blue uniforms walkin' all -over de country watchin' how things goin'. Massa want one my brothers go -to war, but he wouldn't, so I seed him buckle my brother down on a log -and whip him with whips, den with hand saws, till when he turn him loose -you couldn't tell what he look like. My brother lef' but I don't know -whether he went to war or not. - -"I 'members when de men was goin' to war, somebody allus come git 'em. -Lots of 'em didn't want to go, but dey has to. - -"Me go to school after us free. When my oldes' brother hear us is free -he give a whoop, run and jump a high fence, and told mammy goodbye. Den -he grab me up and hug and kiss me and say, 'Brother gone, don't 'spect -you ever see me no more.' I don't know where he go, but I never did see -him 'gain. - -"After freedom, pappy and mammy moves off to deyselfs and farms. I marry -when I's fourteen and de Rev. George Hammonds, he perform de ceremony. -We marry quiet at home and I wore blue dress and my husband gran' black -suit. I have four chillen and five gran'chillen. My husban, he work here -and yonder, on de farm and what he kin git. - -"I's de widow now and gits $11.00 pension, but have only git it four -times. I lives here with my daughter and us make a li'l in dis yere -rest'ran'. - -"I never did see but one ghost, but I sho' see one. I cookin' at de -hotel in town and have to git up and go down de railroad track to my -work befo' it git light. One mornin' a great, tall somethin', tall and -slender as a porch post, come walkin' 'long. He step to one side, but he -didn't have no feets. I reckon he have a head, but I couldn't see it. As -I pass him I didn't say nothin' and he didn't either. He didn't have -time to, befo' I broke and run for my life. Dat's de onliest ghost I -ever see, but I often feel de spirits close by me." - - - - -Annie Row - - -*Annie Row, 86, was born a slave to Mr. Charles Finnely, who owned a -plantation in Nacogdoches Co., near Rusk, Texas. She has lived at 920 -Frank St., Fort Worth, since 1933.* - -"I was sho' born in slavery and as near as I knows, I mus' be 'bout 86 -year old, from what my mammy tells me. I figgers that, 'cause I was old -enough to clean de wool when de War starts and dey didn't generally put -de chilluns to work 'fore they's ten year old. - -"Marster Charley owned my mammy and my four sisters and two brothers but -my pappy was owned by Marster John Kluck, and his place was 'bout five -mile from Marster Charley's plantation. My pappy was 'lowed a pass every -two weeks for to come and see him's family, but him sees us more often -than that, 'cause him sneak off every time him have de chance. - -"Allus cullud folks lived in de cullud quarters. De cabins was built -with logs and dey have no floor. Dey have bunks for to sleep on and de -fireplace. In de summer time mos' de cullud folks sleeps outside, and -we'uns had to fight mosquitoes in de night and flies in de day. They was -flies and then some more flies, with all dere relations, in them cabins. - -"De food am mostly cornmeal and 'lasses and meat that am weighed out and -has to last you de week. De truth am, lots of time we'uns goes hungry. -Everything dat am worn and eat was raised on de place, 'cept salt and -pepper and stuff like that. Dey raise de cotton and de wheat, and de -corn and de cane, 'sides de fruit and sich, and de chickens and de sheep -and de cows and de hawgs. - -"De marster has two overseers what tends to de work and 'signs each -nigger to do de certain work and keep de order. Shoes was made by a -shoemaker what am also de tanner. Cloth for de clothes was made by de -spinners and weavers and that what they larned me to do. My first work -was teasin' de wool. I bets you don't know what teasin' de wool am. It -am pickin' de burrs and trash and sich out of de wool for to git it -ready for de cardin'. - -"Now for de treatment, does yous want to know 'bout that? Well, 'twarnt -good. When dis nigger am five year old, de marster give me to him's son, -Marster Billy. That am luck for me, 'cause Marster Billy am real good to -me, but Marster Charley am powerful cruel to hims slaves. At de work, -him have de overseers drive 'em from daylight 'til dark, and whups 'em -for every little thing what goes wrong. When dey whups dey ties de -nigger over de barrel and gives so many licks with de rawhide whup. I -seed slaves what couldn't git up after de whuppin's. Some near died -'cause of de punishment. - -"Dey never give de cullud folks de pass for to go a-visitin', nor 'lows -parties on de place. As fer to go to church, shunt that from yous head. -Why, we'uns wasn' even 'lowed to pray. Once my mammy slips off to de -woods near de house to pray and she prays powerful loud and she am -heard, and when she come back, she whupped. - -"My mammy and me not have it so hard, 'cause she de cook and I 'longs to -Marster Billy. Him won't let 'em whump me iffen he knows 'bout it. But -one time, when I's 'bout six year, I stumbles and breaks a plate and de -missy whups me for that. Here am de scar on my arm from that whuppin! - -"After dey has argument dey never whups me when Marster Billy 'round. -Lots of time him say, 'Come here, Bunch,'--dey calls me Bunch, 'cause -I's portly--and him have something good for me to eat. - -"After that, it wasn't long 'fore de War starts and de marster's two -boys, Billy and John, jines de army. I's powerful grieved and cries two -days and all de time Marster Billy gone I worries 'bout him gittin' -shoot. De soldiers comes and goes in de crib and takes all de corn, and -makes my mammy cook a meal. Marster Charley cuss everything and -everybody and us watch out and keep out of his way. After two years him -gits a letter from Marster Billy and him say him be home soon and that -John be kilt. Missy starts cryin' and de Marster jumps up and starts -cussin' de War and him picks up de hot poker and say, 'Free de nigger, -will dey? I free dem.' And he hit my mammy on de neck and she starts -moanin' and cryin' and draps to de floor. Dere 'twas, de Missy -a-mournin', my mammy a-mournin' and de marster a-cussin' loud as him -can. Him takes de gun offen de rack and starts for de field whar de -niggers be a-workin'. My sister and I sees that and we'uns starts -runnin' and screamin', 'cause we'uns has brothers and sisters in de -field. But de good Lawd took a hand in that mess and de marster ain't -gone far in de field when him draps all of a sudden. De death sets on de -marster and de niggers comes runnin' to him. Him can't talk or move and -dey tote him in de house. De doctor comes and de nex' day de marster -dies. - -"Den Marster Billy comes home and de break up took place with freedom -for de niggers. Mos' of 'em left as soon's dey could. - -"De missy gits very con'scending after freedom. De women was in de -spinnin' house and we'uns 'spects another whuppin' or scoldin', 'cause -that de usual doin's when she comes. She comes in and says, 'Good -mornin', womens,' and she never said sich 'fore. She say she pay wages -to all what stays and how good she treat 'em. But my pappy comes and -takes us over to de Widow Perry's land to work for share. - -"After that, de missy found Marster Billy in de shed, dead, with him -throat cut and de razor side him. Dere a piece of paper say he not care -for to live, 'cause de nigger free and dey's all broke up. - -"After five years I marries George Summers and we lives in Rusk. We'uns -has seven chilluns. He goes and I marries Rufus Jackson and on Saturday -we marries and on Monday we walks down de street and Rufus accident'ly -steps on a white man's foot and de white man kills him with a pistol. - -"I marries 'gain after two years to Charles Row. Dat nigger, I plum -quits after one year, 'cause him was too rough. Him jealous and tote de -razor with him all de time and sleep with it under him pillow. Shucks, -him says he carry on dat way 'cause him likes me. I don't want any -nigger to shew his 'fection for me dat way, so I transports myself from -him. - -"I makes a livin' workin' for de white folks 'til four year ago and now -I lives with my daughter, Minnie Row. Guess I'll live here de balance of -my life--'twont be long." - - - - -Gill Ruffin - - -*Gill Ruffin, an ex-slave, was born in 1837 on the Hugh Perry -plantation, in Harrison County, Texas. He and his mother were sold to -Charley Butler, in Houston County, and about a year before the Civil War -they were bought by Henry Hargrove, who had purchased Gill's father from -Hugh Perry; thus the family was reunited. Gill now lives two miles -southwest of Karnack, on State highway No. 42.* - -"I was bo'n on the Hugh Perry plantation over near Lee. My papa was name -Ruben Ruffin and mama's name was Isabella. We was sold several times, -but allus kep' the name of Ruffin. I was jus' a nussin' babe when -Marster Perry sold mammy to Marster Butler and he carried us to Houston -County. Papa was left at the Perry's but Marster Hargrove bought him and -then he bought mammy and me. That's the first time I 'member seein' my -papa, but my mama had told me 'bout him. - -"De first marster I remember, marster Butler, lived in a big, two-story -log house with a gallery. The slaves lived a short piece away in little -log cabins. Marster Butler owned lots of land and niggers and he sho' -believed in makin' 'em work. There wasn' no loafin' roun' dat white man. -Missus name was Sarah and she made me a houseboy when I was small. I -allus took de co'n to mill and went after things Missus would borrow -from de neighbors. She allus made me ride a mule, 'cause de country was -full of wild prairie cattle and varmints. Missus had a good saddle pony, -and I allus rode behin' her when she went visitin'. - -"When I growed up Marster Butler took me outta de house and put me to -work in de field. We had an overseer dat sho' made us step. We was used -rough durin' slavery time. We lived in log houses with wooden bunks -nailed to de walls and home-made plank tables and benches. They give us -one garment at a time and that had to be slap wore out 'fore we got -another. All us niggers went barefoot. I never sees a nigger with shoes -on till after de surrender. - -"We didn' have no gardens and all we et come from de white folks. They -fed us turnips, greens, and meats and cornbread and plenty of milk. We -worked every day 'cept Sunday and didn' know any more 'bout a holiday -den climbin' up a tree back'ard. They never give us money, and we hit de -field by sun-up and stayed dere till sundown. The niggers was whipped -with a ridin' quirt. - -"The woods was full of run-aways and I heered them houn's a runnin' 'em -like deer many a time, and heered dat whip when they's caught. He'd tie -'em to a tree with a line and nearly kill 'em. On rainy days we was in -de crib shuckin' corn, and he never let us have parties. Sometimes we -went fishin' or huntin' on Sat'day afternoon, but that wasn' often. - -"Marster Butler was shot. He run a store on the place and one day a -white boy was pilferin' roun' and he slap him. De boy goes home and tell -his pappy and his pappy kill Marster Butler. So me and my mammy was sold -to Marster Hargrove, who owned my pappy. That was freedom to me, 'cause -Marster Henry didn' cuff his niggers roun'. I worked roun' de house -mostly, and fixin' harness and buggies and wagons. - -"I never knew but one nigger to run away from Marster Hargrave. He slip -off and goes to Shreveport. That was Peter Going. Marster missed him and -he goes to fin' him. When he fin's him in Shreveport, he say, 'Come on, -Peter, you knowed what you was doin' and you's goin' to pay for it.' -Marster tied him behin' de buggy and trots de hosses all way back home. -Then he ties Peter to a tree and makes him stay dere all night with -nothin' to eat. Peter, nor none of the res' of the niggers didn' ever -try to run off after that. - - -[Illustration: _Gill Ruffin_] - - -"I don' 'member much 'bout de war. I see the infantry one time over thar -close to where Karnack is. I was sittin' on a mule when they pass. All -they say is, 'Better git on home, nigger.' - -"Marster lef' for de war but didn' stay long. He wouldn' tell us niggers -we was free after surrender and we worked on the plantation more'n a -year after that. - -"After I lef' the Hargroves I lived with my pappy and mammy till I -married Lucinda Greer and we raised two boys and two girls to be grown -and married. They all dead now, and since my wife died, about 8 years -ago, I live here with Will Jones, my grandson." - - - - -Martin Ruffin - - -*Martin Ruffin, 83, was born a slave of Josh Perry, near old Port Cadde, -on Cadde Lake. He stayed with his master until 1876, then lived with his -parents on the farm until 1880. He then moved to Marshall, Texas, where -he cooked for hotels and cafes until 1932. Since he has been unable to -work, the Red Cross has helped him, and he draws a $12.00 monthly old -age pension.* - -"I's born right here in Harrison County, on Josh Perry's plantation, -what was right near Port Cadde, on the lake. I was only eleven year old -when the niggers was freed. - -"Will Ruffin was my daddy and he come from North Car'lina. Mammy was -Cynthia and was born in Texas. I wasn't big enough to tote water to the -field when war started, but I driv up the cows and calves and helped -tend massa's chillen. - -"Massa Perry had more'n a thousand acres in his place and so many -niggers it looked like a little town. The niggers lived in rough houses, -'cause they so many he had to make 'em live most anyway. - -"The growed slaves et cornbread and bacon and 'lasses and milk, but all -the chillen got was milk and bread and a little 'lasses. Massa have -fifteen or twenty women carding and weaving and spinning most all the -time. Each nigger had his task and the chillen gathered berries in the -weeds to make dyes for clothes. Us wore only white lowell clothes, -though. They was sho' thick and heavy. - -"The overseer was named Charley and there was one driver to see everyone -done his task. If he didn't, they fixed him up. Them what fed the stock -got up at three and the overseer would tap a bell so many times to make -'em git up. The rest got up at four and worked till good dark. They'd -give us a hundred lashes for not doing our task. The overseer put five -men on you; one on each hand, one on each foot, and one to hold your -head down to the ground. You couldn't do anything but wiggle. The blood -would fly 'fore they was through with you. - -"When I's a li'l fellow, I seed niggers whipped in the field. Sometimes -they'd take 'em behind the big corn crib and fix 'em up. - -"Slaves sold for $250 to $1,500. Sometimes they swapped 'em and had to -give 'boot.' The 'boot' was allus cash. - -"Sam Jones preached to us and read the Bible. He told us how to do and -preached Hell-fire and jedgment like the white preachers. Us had service -at our church when one of us died and was buried in our own graveyard. - -"The niggers sung songs in the field when they was feeling good and -wasn't scart of old massa. Sometime they'd slack up on that hoe and old -massa holler, 'I's watchin' yous.' The hands say, 'Yas, suh, us sees -you, too.' Then they brightened up on that hoe. - -"Corn shuckings was a big occasion them days and massa give all the -hands a quart whiskey apiece. They'd drink whiskey, get happy and make -more noise than a little, but better not git drunk. We'd dance all night -when the corn shuckin' was over. - -"I heared the cannons rumbling at Mansfield all through the night during -the war. It was dark and smoky all round our place from the war. I stood -there on Massa Perry's place and seed soldiers carry 'way fodder, and -meat and barrels of flour to take to war. - - -[Illustration: _Martin Ruffin_] - - -"Massa didn't tell us we was free for three or four days after freedom. -Then he said, 'You is free; don't leave, I'll pay you.' The niggers -didn't know what he meant at first, then someone say, 'We is free--no -more whippings and beatings.' You ought to see 'em jump and clap their -hands and pop them heels. - -"My daddy and mammy left and went to a farm to work for theyselves, but -I stayed till I was near 'bout growed. Then I stayed with daddy and -mammy and then came to Marshall. Weeds was mostly here then. I cooked -all round town for 'bout fifty years. I didn't marry till I's forty-two. -I was working at the Capitol Hotel for $15.00 a week. Rube Witt, a -cullud Baptist preacher, married me and Lula Downs and us raises five -chillen. - -"My wife is dead and I ain't been able to work for five years. The -relief and the Red Cross carried me till I got my pension and I's sho' -thankful to git that $12.00 a month." - - - - -Florence Ruffins - - -*Florence Ruffins was born of ex-slave parents in DeKalb, Texas. She -talks of spirits, ghosts and spells, reciting incidents told her by her -father and mother, who were supposed to have the "power and the spirit." -She lives with a daughter at 1020 W. Weatherford St., Fort Worth, -Texas.* - -"Does I believe in de ghosties? I shos does and I tells yous why I knows -dere am ghosties. First, I's hear and see dem and lots of other folks -I's talked to has. Den my pappy and my mammy both could see dem, and dey -has special powers, but dey was good powers. Dey has no use for de evil -spells all all sich. - -"In de old days 'fore surrender de cullud folks talks 'bout ghosties and -haunts, but since education am for de cullud folks, some of dem larns to -say spirit, 'stead of ghost. Now dey has de church dat say de preacher -kin bring de ghost--but dey calls it de spirit--to de meetin' and talk -with 'em. Dat am de spiritualist-tism church. - -"I's tellin' you de things I hears my mammy and pappy tell, and some I's -seed for myself. What I seed, I kin be de witness for and what my mammy -and pappy says, I kin be de witness for dat, 'cause I's not gwine lie -'bout what de dead people says. - -"Dere am only one way to best de ghost and it am call de Lawd and he -will banish 'em. Some folks don't know how to best 'em, so dey gits -tan'lized bad. Dere a man call' Everson, and he been de slave. De ghost -come and tell him to go dig in de graveyard for de pot of gold, and to -go by himself. But he am 'fraid of de graveyard and didn't go. So de -ghost 'pears 'gain, but dat man don't go till de ghost come de third -time. So he goes, but he takes two other men with him. - -"Everson digs 'bout five foot, where de ghost tolt him to, and he spade -hit de iron box. He prises de cover off and dat box am full of de gold -coins, fives and tens and twenties, gold money, a whole bushel in dat -box. He hollers to de two men and dey comes runnin', but by de time dey -gits dere, de box am sunk and all they can see is de hole where it go -down. Dey digs and digs, but it ain't no use. If him hadn't taken de men -with him, him be rich, but de ghost didn't want dem other men dere. - -"In dat dere same country, dere am a farm what sho' am hanted. Many -famlies tries to live in dat house, but am forced to move. It am sposed -de niggers what de cruel Massa on dat farm kilt in slave times, comes -back to tan'lize. De ghosties comes in de night and walks back and forth -'cross de yard, and dey can see 'em as plain as day. Dere am nobody what -will stay on dat farm. - -"My pappy am comin' home on de hoss one night and he feel like someone -on dat hoss behin' him. He turn and kin see something. He say, 'What for -you gits on my hoss?', but dere am no answer. He tries to touch dat -thing, but he pass his hand right through it and he knew it a ghost, and -pappy hops off dat hoss and am on de ground runnin' quicker dan greased -lightning. Pappy sees dat hoss, with de hant on him, gwine through de -woods like de deer. - -"Right here in dis house, a person die and dey spirit tan'lize at night. -It come after we goes to bed and patters on de floor with de bare feet -and rattles de paper. Dat sho' git me all a-quiverment. I has to get de -Bible and call de Lawd to banish dem. But I seed de shadow of dat ghost -often and it am a man ghost and it look sad." - - - - -Aaron Russel - - -*Aaron Russel, 82, was born a slave of William Patrick, who owned -Aaron's parents, a hundred other slaves, and a large plantation in -Ouachita Parish, near Monroe, Louisiana. Aaron remained with the Patrick -family until he was 26, then moved to Texas. He farmed all his life, -until old age forced him to stop work. He then moved to a suburb of Fort -Worth, to be near his children.* - -"Massa William Patrick give my mammy de statement. It say I's borned in -1855 and dat make me 82 year old. Massa Patrick, he own de big -plantation clost to Monroe, over in Louisiana. Dat de big place, with -over a hunerd niggers. - -"When de war start I's 'bout six year old, but I has de good mem'ry of -dem times. Massa have no chillen so nobody goes from dat place, but lots -de neighbor boys us knows goes to de army. - -"At first everything go good after war start, but de last end am not so -good. De trouble am de Yanks come and takes de rations from massa. Dey -takes corn and meat and kilt several hawgs and takes two yearlin's. Dey -sho' makes massa mad. Him git so mad him cry. If massa hadn't 'spect -sich and hide de rations, us sho' suffer, but back of de cotton field -massa done have us dig de pit. In de pit us put de hay and lay de -rations in dere, sich as corn and smoke' meat and 'taters. De Yanks -don't find dat stuff. But what de sojers takes make it nip and tuck to -git by. - -"All us niggers 'cited when de sojers takes de rations. De older ones -wants to fight dem Yanks. Dere'd been trouble iffen massa didn't say to -dem to keep 'way. All us like massa, him treat us fine, and us willin' -fight for him. - -"De sojers come back after dat and use one massa's buildin's for -headquarters, for long time. Dat befo' de battle at Vicksburg. At first -us young'uns scart of dem, but after while us play with them. After de -Vicksburg battle dey goes off and us sorry, 'cause dey treat us with -candy and things. But massa glad git shet of dem. - -"Us young'uns have de fun with de old niggers. Massa know and sho' have -de good laugh. I'll tell you 'bout it: - -"'Twas dis-away. De old niggers scart of hants. Us young'uns takes de -long rawhide string and makes de tick-tack on de cabin roof where Tom -and Mandy 'livin'. I climbs de tree 'bout 50 foot high back de cabin and -holds de string. It go thump on de roof, 'bout darktime. Tom and Mandy -settin' in dere, talkin' with some folks. Us keep thumpin' de tick-tack. -Tom say, 'What dat on de roof?' Dey stops talkin'. I thumps it 'gain. -Mandy say, 'Gosh for mighty! What am it?' One nigger say, 'De hants, it -de hants,' and dem cullud folks come 'way from dere right now. I hears -de massa laugh for to split de sides. And Tom and Mandy, dey wouldn't -stay in de cabin dat night, no, sir, dey sleeps in de yard. - -"De bell ring 'fore daylight and de work start. When de cullud folks -starts out in de mornin' it like de army. Some goes to de fields, some -to de spinnin', some to de shoeshop, and so on. De hours am long, but -massa am good. No overseer, but de leader for each crew. - -"I 'member when Massa call us and say, 'You's free.' Us didn't 'lieve -him at first. He say he put each fam'ly on de piece of land and us work -it on shares. Him have lots of married couples on he place. I knows most -plantations de cullud folks treated like cattle, but massa different. -Him have de reg'lations. If dey wants to marry dey asks him and dey has -de cer'mony, what am step over de broom laid on de floor. - - -[Illustration: _Aaron Russel_] - - -"My pappy stay with massa and farm on shares. I stays till I's 26 year -old and den gits de piece of land for myself. Us gits 'long good, 'cause -us stay on massa's place and he 'structs us what to do. He say to stay -out of de mess and keep workin'. For long time us never leave de place, -after de war, 'cause of trouble gwine on. Dere am times it wasn't safe -for no cullud person to go off de plantation. Some foolish niggers what -listen to some foolish white folks gits de wrong 'structions. Dey comes -to think dey can run de white folks. Now, when dey starts sich, 'course -de white folks don't 'low sich. Some of dem stubborn niggers has to be -edumacated by de Ku Klux Klan. Dat am de tough edumacation and some dem -niggers never gits over de lesson. Dem dat do never forgit it! - -"I never hears dat any cullud folks gits de land offen dere massa. I -heared some old cullud folks say dey told it to be sich. Sho', de -igno'mus fools think de gov'ment gwine take land from de massas and give -it to dem! Massa Patrick tell us all 'bout sich. Like niggers votin'. -I's been asked to vote but I knows it wasn't for de good. What does I -know 'bout votin'? So I follows massa's 'structions and stays 'way from -sich. If de cullud folks can do de readin' and knows what dey do, maybe -it all right for dem to vote. De way 'twas after surrender, 'twas -foolishment for niggers to try votin' and run de gov'ment. I wants to go -some other place iffen dey do. De young'uns now gittin' edumacated and -iffen dey larn de right way, den dey have right to vote. I Jus' farms -and makes de livin' for my family. My first wife dies in 1896 and I -marries in 1907 to Elsie Johnson. She here with me. - -"My life after freedom ain't so bad, 'cept de last few years. Times -lately I's wish I's back with de massa, 'cause I has plenty rations -dere. It hard to be hongry and dat I's been many times lately. I's old -now and can't work much, so dere 'tis. I has to 'pend on my chillen and -dey have de hard time, too. I don't know what wrong, I guess de Lawd -punish de folks for somethin'. I jus' have trust till he call me to -Jedgment." - - - - -Peter Ryas - - -*Peter Ryas, about 77 years old, was born a slave of Volsant Fournet, in -St. Martinville Parish, Louisiana. He speaks a French patois more -fluently than English. Peter worked at the refineries in Port Arthur for -sixteen years but ill health forced him to stop work and he lives on -what odd jobs he and his wife can pick up.* - -"I's borned 'bout 1860, I guess, in a li'l cypress timber house in de -quarters section of de Fournet Plantation. Dat in St. Martinville -Parish, over in Louisiana. Dem li'l houses good and tight, with two big -rooms. Two families live in one house. Dey 'bout ten houses. - -"M'sieu Volsant Fournet, he my old massa and he wife name Missus Porine. -Dey have eight chillen and de baby boy name Brian. Him and me, us grow -up togedder. Us allus play togedder. He been dead three year now and -here I is still. - -"All dem in my family am field workers. I too li'l to work. My mama name -Annie and papa name Alfred. I have oldes' brudder, dat Gabriel, and -'nother brudder name Marice, and two sisters, Harriet and Amy. - -"Old massa's house have big six or eight room. Galleries front and back. -Us cullud chillen never go in de big house much. - -"Old massa he done feed good. Coosh-coosh with 'lasses. Dat my favorite -dem day. Dat make with meal and water and salt. Dey stir it in big pot. -Sometime dey kill beef. Us have beef head and neck and guts cook with -gravy and spread on top coosh-coosh. Dat good food. - -"Down on Vermilion Bayou am alligators. Dey fish and snakes, too. Us eat -alligator tail steak. Taste like fish. Jes' skin hide off alligator -tail. Slice it into steak. Fry it in meal and hawg fat. Dat like gar -fish. Sometime git lamper eel. Dey hard to cotch. Perches and catfish -and mud-cat easy to cotch. Water bird, too. Duck and crane. Crane like -fish. Us take boat, go 'long bayou, find nesties in sedge grass. - -"Old massa allus good. He 'low papa and some to have li'l patch round -dey door. Dey eat what dey raise. Some sells it. Papa raise pumpkin and -watermelon. He have plenty bee-gum with bees. After freedom he make -money awhile. He sell de honey from dem bees. - -"Dat plantation full cotton and corn. Us chillen sleep in de -cotton-house. It be so soft. In de quarters houses chillen didn't have -no bed. Dey slept on tow sack on de floor. Dat why dem cotton piles felt -so soft. - -"Massa have special place in woods where he have meanes' niggers whip. -He never whip much, but wartime comin' on. Some de growed ones runs away -to dem Yankees. He have to whip some den. He have stocks to put dey neck -in when he whip dem. Massa never chain he slaves. I seed talkin' -parrots. Massa didn't have one, but other massas did. Dat parrot talk. -He tell when de nigger run away or when he not work. - -"Us white folks all Catholic. Us not go to church, but all chillen -christen. Dat in St. Martinville Catholic Church. All us christen dere. -After freedom I start go to church reg'lar. I still does. - -"Dey ain't give us pants till us ten year old. In winter or summer us -wore long, split tail shirt. Us never even think of shoes. After I's -twelve papa buy my first pair shoes. Dey have diamond brass piece on -toe. I so 'fraid dey wear out I won't wear dem. - -"De war goin' on. Us see sojers all de time. Us hide in bresh and play -snipe at dem. All de white folks in town gang up. Dey send dere slaves -out on Cypress Island. Dey do dat try keep Yankee sojers from find dem. -It ain't no use. Dem Yankee find dat bridge what lead from mainland to -island. Dey come 'cross dat bridge. Dey find us all. Dem white folks -call deyselves hidin' us but dey ain't do so good. Dey guard dat bridge. -But some de niggers dey slip off de Island. Dey jine de Yankees. - -"Dey plenty alligators in dat bayou. Sometime I wonder if dem niggers -what try go through swamp ever git to Yankees. Dem alligators brutal. I -'member black gal call Ellen, she washin' clothes in bayou. Dey wash -clothes with big rocks den. Dey have wooden paddle with hole and beat -clothes on rocks. Dis gal down in de draw by herself. She washin' -clothes. Big alligator had dug hole in side de bank. He come out and -snap her arm off jes' 'bove elbow. She scream. Men folks run down and -killed alligator. Us chillen wouldn't watch out for alligator. Us play -in li'l flat, bateaux and swing on wild grapevine over water. I done see -snakes. Dey look big 'nough swallow two li'l niggers one bite. Dey -alligator turtles, too. If dey snap you, you can't git loose less you -cut dey neck slap off. I kill lots dem. - -"Dey old mens on plantation what they think witch mens. Dey say could -put bad mouth on you. You dry up and die 'fore you time. Dey take your -strengt'. Make you walk on knees and hands. Some folks carry silver -money 'round neck. Keep off dat bad mouth. - -"Old massa oldes' son, Gabriel, he Colonel in war. He and old massa both -Colonels. Lots sojers pass our place. Dey go to fight. Dem with green -caps was white folks. Dem with blue caps was Yankees. Us hear guns from -boats and cannons. - -"After war over massa come home. Dey no law dem time. Things tore up. -Dey put marshal in to make laws. Some folks call him Progo(provost) -Marshal. He come 'round. See how us doin'. Make white folks 'low niggers -go free. But us stay with massa a year. Dey finish crop so everybody -have to eat. - -"Den us papa move to Edmond LeBlanc farm. Work on shares. Second move to -Cade place, run by Edgar DeBlieu. Jes' railroad station, no town. I -shave cane for money. - -"In 1867 or 1877 yellow fever strike. People die like dem flies. Dat -fever pay no 'tention to skin color. White folks go. Black folks go. Dey -die so fast dey pile dem in wagons. Dey pay mens $10.00 to go inside -house and carry dem out to wagon. Lots niggers makes $10.00. Dat fever -strike quick. Man come see me one mornin! He all right. Dat man dead -'fore dark. It bad sickness. It sev'ral years after dat dey have -smallpox sickness. It bad, too. - -"All us stay 'round farm till I's 22 year. I never go to school. In 1882 -I marry Viney Ballieo. She Baptist. I marry in Baptist church. Cullud -preacher. Never white preachers 'round dere. Allus white priests. Viney -die and all us four chillen dead now. I marry Edna LeBlanc in 1917. - -"I git dissatisfy with farmin' in 1911. I come to Lake Charles. To Port -Arthur nex' year. I work at refinery sixteen year. I too old now. Us git -what work us can. Jes' from dere to here." - - - - -Josephine Ryles - - -*Josephine Ryles, known to the colored people as "Mama Honey", was born -a slave of James Sultry, Galveston insurance agent. She does not know -her age. She lives in Galveston, Texas.* - -"Sho, I'm Josephine Ryles, only everyone 'round here calls me 'Mama -Honey' and I 'most forgot my name till you says it right den. Honey, -I'll be glad to tell you all I 'member 'bout slavery, but it ain't much, -for my mind ain't so good no more. Sometimes I can't 'member nothin' -a-tall. I'm too old. I don't know how old, but me and dat Gulf got here -'bout de same time, I reckon. - -"I'm borned in Galveston and James Sultry owns my mother and she de only -slave what he have. He have a kind of big house on Church St and my -mother done de housework and cookin' till she sold in de country. I -wishes you could've talked to her, she knowed all 'bout slavery, and she -come from Nashville to Mobile and den to Texas. Her name Mary Alexander -and my daddy's name Matt Williams and Mr. Schwoebel own him. - -"Den us sold to Mr. Snow what live in Polk county. Us gits sold right -here in Galveston without gwine no place, my mother and me and my li'l -brother. My daddy couldn't go with us and I ain't never seed him 'gain. -Mr. Snow live out in de country and have a big place and a lot of field -hands and us live in cabins. - -"My mother was de cook for de white folks and my li'l brother, Charlie -Evans, was de water toter in de fields. He brung water in de bucket and -give de hands a drink. - -"Plenty times de niggers run 'way, 'cause dey have to work awful hard -and de sun awful hot. Dey hides in de woods and Mr. Snow keep nigger -dogs to hunt 'em with. Dem dogs have big ears and dey so bad I never -fools 'round dem. Mr. Snow take off dere chains to git de scent of de -nigger and dey kep' on till dey finds him, and sometimes dey hurt him. I -knows dey tore de meat off one dem field hands. - -"My mother used to send me and my brother out in de woods for de -blackberry roots and she make medicine out of dem. You jes' take de few -draps at de time. Den she take de cornmeal and brown it and make coffee -out of it. - -"I didn't pay much 'tention to dat war till Mr. Snow says us free and -den us go to Galveston and she git work cookin' and I stays with her. - -"I can't tell you much. My mind jes' ain't no more good no more." - - - - -Transcriber's Note - - -Original spelling has been maintained; e.g. "_stob_--a short straight -piece of wood, such as a stake" (American Heritage Dictionary).--The -Works Progress Administration was renamed during 1939 as the Work -Projects Administration (WPA). - - - - - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SLAVE NARRATIVES: A FOLK HISTORY -OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES FROM INTERVIEWS WITH FORMER SLAVES: -VOLUME XVI, TEXAS NARRATIVES, PART 3 *** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35380 - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one -owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and -you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission -and without paying copyright royalties. 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