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SLAVE NARRATIVES

A Folk History of Slavery in the United States

From Interviews with Former Slaves

TYPEWRITTEN RECORDS PREPAREDLY 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

i

VOLUME XVI

TEXAS NAERATIVE5

PART 1

Prepared by

the Federal Writers* Project of

the Works Progress Administration

for the State of Texas '•

INFORMANTS

Adams, Will Adams, William Adams, William M. Allen, Sarah Anderson, Andy

1 4 9

12 14

Anderson, George Washington (Wash) 17

Anderson, Willis 21 Armstrong, Mary 25 Arnwine, Stearlin 31 Ashley, Sarah 34

Babino, Agatha 37 Barclay, Mrs. John 39 Barker, John 42 Barnes, Joe 45 Barrett, Armstead 47 Barrett, Harriet 49 Bates, John 51 Beckett, Harrison 54 Bell, Frank 59 Bell, Virginia 62 Bendy, Edgar 66 Bendy, Minerva 68 Benjamin^ Sarah 70 Bess, Jack 72 Betts, Ellen 75 Beverly, Charlotte 84 Black, Francis 87 Blanchard, Olivier 90 Blanks, Julia 93 Boles, Elvira 106 Bormer (Bonner), Betty 109 Boyd, Harrison 112 Boyd, Issabella 114 Boyd, James 117 Boykins, Jerry 121 Brackins, Monroe 124 Bradshaw, Gus 130 Brady, Wes 133 Branch, Jacob 137 Branch, William 143 Brim, Clara 147 Brooks, Sylvester 149 Broussard, Donaville 151 Brown, Fannie 154

Brown, Fred Brown, James Brown, Josie Brown, Zek Bruin, Madison Bunton, Martha Spence Butler, Ellen Buttier, Henry H. Byrd, William

Cain, Louis Calhoun, Jeff Campbell, Simp Cape, James Carruthers, Richard Carter, Cato Cauthern, Jack Chambers, Sally Banks Choice, Jeptha Clark, Amos Clark, Anne Cole, Thomas Coleman, Eli Coleman, Preely Collins, Harriet Columbus, Andrew (Smoky) Connally, Steve Coimier, Valmar Cornish, Laura Crawford, John Cumby, Green Cummins, Tempie Cunningham, Adeline

Daily, Will Daniels, Julia Francis Darling, Katie Davenport, Carey Davis, Campbell Davis, William Davison, Eli Davison, Elige Day, John Denson, Nelsen Duhon, Victor

156 160 163 166 169 174 176 179 182

185 188 191 193 197 202 212 214 217 220 223 225 236 240 242 246 249 252 254 257 260 263 266

269 273 278 281 285 289 295 298 302 305 307

ILLUSTRATIONS

Facing page

Will Adams 1

William Adams 4

Mary Armstrong 25

Sterlin Arnwine 31

Sarah Ashley 34

Edgar and Minerva Bendy ^ 66

Jack Bess1s House 72

Jack Bess 72

Charlotte Beverly 84

Francis Black 87

Betty Bormer (Bonner) 109

Issabella Boyd 114

James Boyd 117

Monroe Brackins 124

Wes Brady 133

William Branch 143

Clara Brim 147

Sylvester Brooks 149

Donaville Broussard 151

Fannie Brown 154

Fred Brown 156

James Brown 160

Josie Brown 163

Facing page

Zek Brown 166

Martha Spence Bunton 174

Ellen Butler 176

Simp Campbell 191

James Cape 193

Cato Carter 202

Amos Clark1 s Sorghum Mill 220

Amos Clark 220

Anne Clark 223

Preely Coleman 240

Steve Connally 249

Steve Connallyfs House ' 249

Valmar Cormier 252

John Crawford 257

Green Cumby 260

Tempie Cummins 263

Adeline Cunningham 266

Will Daily's House 269

Will Daily 269

Julia Francis Daniels 273

Katie Darling 278

Carey Davenport 281

Campbell Davis 285

Nelsen Denson 305

430241

EX-SLATE STORIES Page One (Texas)

WILL ADAMS was bom in 1857, a slave of Dave Gavin, in Harrison Co.f Texas* He re- mained with the Gavins until

1885, then farmed for himself. Will lives alone in Marshall, Texas, supported by a $13,00 monthly pension.

MMy folks allus belongs to the Cavins and wore their name till

after fmaacipation. Pa and ma was named Preeman and Amelia Gavin and

Massa Dava fotches them to Texas from Alabama, along with ma's mother,

what we called Maria.

The Cavins allus thank lots of their niggers and Grandma Maria

say* 'Why shouldn't they - it was their money.1 She say there was plenty

Indians here when they settled this country and they bought and traded

with them without killin' them, if they could. The Indians was poor folks,

jus1 pilfer and loaf fround all the time. The niggers was a heap sight

better off than they was, 'cause we had plenty to eat and a place to stay.

11 Young Massa Tom was my special massa and he still lives here. Old

Man Dave seemed to think more of his niggers than anybody and we thunk lots

of our white folks. My pa was leader on the farm, and there wasn't *i° over-

seer or driver. When pa whip a nigger he needn't go to Massa Dave, but pa

say, * So you way# you nigger. Freeman didn't whip you for nothin1. f

Massa Dave allus believe paf 'cause he tells the truth.

M0ne time a peddler come to our house and after supper he goes to

see 'bout his pony. Pa done feed that pony fifteen ears of corn. The

peddler tell massa his pony ain't been fed nothin1, and massa git mad

|||^ you gwine *cuee my niggers of lyin1.'

lllllil^ . • ■ ■■ ^*%^ '■■'..-■■ ■-" . '

Ex-slave Stories Page Two ^ p (Texas) *; ^

wWe had good quarters and plenty to eat, I ^members when Ifs jus*

walkin* round good pa come in from the field at night and taken me out

of bed and dress me and feed me and then play with me for hours. Him bein*

leader, hefs gone from 'fore day till after night. The old heads got out

early but us young scraps slep' till eight or nine o*clock, and don't you

think Massa Dave ain't comin' round to see we is fed, 1^'members him like

it was yest'day, comin1 to the quarters with his stick and askin' us, 'Had

your breakfas'?' We'd say, 'Yes, suh.' Then he'd ask if we had fnough or

wanted any more. It look like he taken a pleasure in seein' us eat. At

dinner, when the field hands come in, it am the same way. He was shof that

potlicker was fill as long as the niggers want to eat.

"The hands worked from sun to sun. Massa give them li'l crops and

let them work them on Saturday. Then he bought the stuff and the niggers go

to Jefferson and buy clothes and sech like. Lots saved money and bought

freedom 'fore the war was over*

"We went to churcjz and first the white preacher preached and then he

lams our cullud preachers. I seed him ordain a cullud preacher and he told

him to allus be honest. When the white preacher laid his hand on him, all

the niggers git to hollerin1 and shout in' and prs^in1 and that nigger git

scart mos' to death.

wOn Christmas we had all we could eat and drink and after that a big

party, and you ought to see them gals swingin* they partners round, Then

massa have two niggers wrestle, and our sports and dances was big sport far

ilifl white folksu They'd .sit on the gallery and watch the niggers put it oh

brown.

Ex~slave Stories Page Three g&- 3 (Texas)

"Massa didn't like his niggers to marry oix txxe place, hut sometimes

theyfd do it, and massa tell his neighbor, 'My nigger m corain' to you place*

Make him behave.1 Jftl the niggers 'haved then and they wasn't no Huntsville

and gallows and burnin's then.

"Old massa went to war with his boy, Billie. Theyfs lots of cryin1

and weepin' when they sot us free* lots of them didn't want to be free, 'cause

they knowed nothin1 and had nowhere to go. Then what had good massas stayed

right on. ^

MI 'members when that Ku KLux business starts up. Smart niggers causes

that* The carpet-baggers mint the niggers and the white men couldn't do a

thing with them, so they got up the Ku ELux and stirs up the world. Them carpet-

baggers come round larnin' niggers to sass the white folks what done fed them.

They come to pa with that talk and he told them, 'Listen, white folks, you is

gwine start a graveyard if you come round here teachin' niggers to sass white

folks.*1 Them carpet—baggers starts all the trouble at 'lections in Reconstruction*

Niggers didn't know anythin' *bout politics*

MMos' theyoung niggers ain't usin' the education they got now* I*s been

here eighty years and still has to be showed end told by white folks. These

young niggers wonft git told by whites or blacks either. They thinks they done

knowed it all and that gits them in trouble.

wl stays with the Gavins mos1 twenty years after the war. After I

leaves, I allus farms end does odd jobs round town here. I's father of ten

Chilian by one woman* I lives by myself now and they gives me $13.00 a month.

!*<!©. proud to git it If it wasn't oore'n a dollar, 'cause they ain't nothin'

****** man can do no more. *********

420055

EX~SXdtfS STCRW3 Page On© ^ 4 (Texas)

WXIAXJM ABIKS, 33, was bom in slavery, with no opportunity for an education, except three souths in a public school. He has taught hiaself to read and to write. His lifelong ambi- tion has been to become naster of the supernatural powers which be believes to exist. He is now well-known among Southwestern Hegroes for his faith in the occult•

"Yous want to know and talk about de power de people tells you

I has* Welle sit down here, right there in dat chair, befo9 we'uns

starts* I gits sose ice water and den we9uns can discuss de subject,

I wants to f splain it clearly9 so yeus can understand,

"I's born a slave, 93 years ago, eo of course I 'aeabers de

war period, Sitoe all de other slave* X has no chance for edonaca&ion.

Three months em de total time I's spent going to school* I teached

myself to read and write. I* a anxious to lant to yead so I could

study and find out about aany things, £afcf I has done,

"There am lots of folks, and edumacated ones, too, what says

we'uns heliewes in superstition. Well, its • cause dey don't under*

stand, 'Ifasber de £awd, in some of His ways9 can be aystenlous* Be

Bible says so, There em soae things de Lawd wants aLl folks to know,

sose things jus9 de chosen few to know, and sene things no one should

know, ffowf jus 1 'cause yous don't know 9bout sane of de Lawd'a laws,

9 taint superstition if some other person understands and believes in

sleh*

"There is eo&e bora to sing, some born to preach* and sane

born to know de signs* There is seme bom under de power of de devil

S*»slav* Stories Page Two 5 (fexas)

and have de power to put injury and aisery on people, and some born under

da power of de Lawd for to do good and evercoae de evil power* low* dat

produces two forces* like fire and water0 De evil forces starts de fire

and I has de water force to put de fire out*

"How I l&rnt sicht fell, I'* done lam it. It cone to ae. When

de lawd gives sich power to a person* it Jus1 cones to 9ea* It aa 40 years

ago now when I's fust fully realise9 dat I has de power, Bowever, I1* allus

int9rested in de werkinU of de signs, When V* a little piccaninny, ay

aany and ather folks used to talk about de signs. I hears den talk about

what happens to folks 9 cause a spell wae put on ^ea. Be old folks in dea

days knows more about de signs dat de lawd uses to reveal His laws dan de

folks of today. It m also true of de cullud folks in Africa, dey native

lend* Some of de folks laughs at their beliefs and says it aa superstition,

hut it as knewln1 how de Lawd reveals His laws,

"Now, let ae tell yous of something Vs seen. What am seen, can9t

he doubted. It happens when I9s a young nan and befo9 I1* realise9 dat

I9s one dat an chosen for to show de power* A aule had cut his leg so had

dat hi* aid hleedln9 to death and day couldn't stop it. An old cullud aan

live near there dat dey turns to. He coaes over and passes his hand over

de cute Befo1 long de hleedln9 stop and dat9s de power of de Lawd workln9

through dat nigger, dat*a all it m.

*I knows ahout a woaan dat had lost her mind. Be doctor say it

wai caused fkoa a tuacr in de head. Dey took an ex-ray picture, hut dere's

ne tuaor. Bey glwes up and says its a peculiar case* Bat wosun was took to

one with de power of de good spirit and he say its a peculiar case for dea

dat don9t understand* Bis aa a case of de evil spell* Two days after* de

«»3*»

Ex-el are Stories Page Three

(Texas)

wonan hare her mind hack,

"Day's lots of dose kind of cases de ord'nary person never

hear about. Tons hear of de case de doctors can't understand, nor will

dey 'spend to treatneat. Bat an * cause of de evil spell dat an on de

persons.

"Bout special persons bein' chosen for to show de power,

read yous Bible. It says in de hook of Mark, third cheater, »&nd Ee

ordained twelve, dat dey should he with Hin, dat He night send then forth

to preach and to hare de power to heal de sick and to cast out devils.*

If it wasn't no evil in people, why does de Lawd say, 'cast out sich?'

ATA in de fifth chapter of Janes, it further say, 'If any ac sick, let

hin call de elders. Let den pray over hla. De prayers of faith shall

save hin.' There His again, faith, dat an what counts.

"When I tells dat I seen nany persons given up to die, and

den a nan with de power cones and saves sich person, den its not for

people to say it an superstition to believe in de power.

"Don't forgit — de agents of de devil have de power of evil.

Dey can put nisery of every kind on people. Dey can nake trouble with

de work and with de business, with de fan'ly and with de health. So

folks SBIS' he on de watch all de tine, folks has business trouble 'cause

de evil power have control of 'en. Dey has de evil power cast out and

save de business. There an a nan in Waco dat cone to see ne 'bout dat.

He say to ne everything he try to do in de las' six nonths turned out

wrong. It starts with hla lesia' his pocketbook with $60*00 in it. He

boys a carload of hay and it catch fire and he loo' all of it. He spends

-3-

Kx-sla?® Stories Page Four , '/ (fexas)

$200.00 adwertlsln* de three~dagr sale and it begin to rain, so he >e>s§

money. It oho1 am de eril power#

"Well,1 he say, •Bat am de way It go, so I comes to you.1

111 says to him, 'Its de evil power dat have you control .ad

we*uns shall cause it to be oast out*' Its done and he has no more

trouble*

"You wants to know if persons with de power for good can be

successful In east in9 oat derlls in all eases? Well,, I answers dat$ yes

and no. Dey can in every case if de affected person liiar* de faith. If

de party not have enough faith, den it ays a failure*

•Wearin1 de coin for protection 'gainst de evil power? Dat

as simple* Lots of folks wears sich and dey uses mixtures dat am rprink-

led in de house, and sich. Dat am a question of faiths If dey has de

true faith in sich, it works. Otherwise, it won't.

*Sorae folks wonH think for a minute of golJii1 without lods~

stone or de salt and pepper mixture In de little sack, tied round d»y

neck. Some wears de silver coin tied round dey neck, ill sich am for

ana aef acc^dently lose de charm, Hey sho1 am miserable.

w£n old darky dat has faith in lodestone for de eh&ra told

me de 'sperlence he has in Atlanta once. Re carry in* de hod and d*

fust thing he does m drop some brick on he foot. Be next thing, *e

foot slip as him starts up de laAder and him and de bricks drag* to £e

ground. It am lucky for him it wasnH far* Jus1 a sprain ankle aad

de boss sends him home for de day. He am *cited and gits on de street

car and when de conductor call fer de fare, Eufas reacts for be acney

Ix-slare St tries Face Tire W Q "(Texas)

out he loe1 it or ferjlts It at hone, Be conductor say he let hia pay

nex' tlae anil aaks where he Live. Bufus tells hia and he say* 'Why,

ulgger, you is on de wrong cur.* $al cause *ufus to walk farther with

de lame foot dan if he st&rtnd wait in' la de fust place. He thinks there

aus* he soaethlag wrong with he chant, and he look for it and it gone! // /■''

Sho» »noughf it aa loo'. He think, »Iere I sits all day, and I won't y-'

aake another acre till I giti! de lacleitone. When de chillen cc«ei^§rom

school I tends den to de tirutfstore for soae of de stone and g*£ls fisted. •

"low, BOW, I*II toon w«it;lii» for dat one 'bout io black eat //'

orossia* de road, and.sho' Miough,, it eoue. Let BO ej^you one. How

dt-

aany people can youa find dab llk$s t<# hare de bl^jfc oat cross in front /

of lejiT Dat'ii right, no (me liken 1st. &et d*;» old cullud person in- Y

form youa dat it aa she' de ')ad luck ilga. It is sign ef bad luck ahead,

so turn hack. Stop what youi doin*, ■:/

"I's tellin' ye is of i'yx, of aany cases of failure to took

warnla1 from 4le black cat. I fe»':#we» a aan call* Miller. His wife and bin /

aa takln' an auto ride and d> Mack at eross de road and he cussed a ./

little and goes on. Den f/tu not long till he terns de corner and his wife

falls out of da ear duyiii' 4* turn, then he goes back and picks her upg

she an dead, /

"iioVher fallow, call' Br»wa, was a-rldia* hosabaek and a /

black eat or<r/» de path, bu1 he 4riw»-i on. fell, its not long till hit) /

hose *tR*bye a%4 throw hd.a iff. Vm Kill breaks his leg, so take a '/

wassiia'/^"** &<»'* orerlook: di> blaek eat. Bat aa a waraln', /

■-■/ .' i . ;

4«0193

XX»SLA7M ST0BI18 Pace One 9 $> ' (Jexaa)

WIKEJAM M. ADAMS, spiritualist preacher and healer, who lives at 1404 Illinois Are., Jt. Worth, Texas, was horn a slave en the James Davis plantation, in San Jaeinto Co., Texas. After the war he worked in a grocery, punched cattle, famed and preach- ed. Bo moved to It. Worth la 1902.

"I was ho*n 93 jeers ago, dat la vhut my mother says.

We didn* keep no record like folks doea today. All I know is

I been yere a long time. My mother, si* was Julia, Adawa and

my father he was James Adams. She's bo'n in Holliu Springs,

Mississippi and my father, now den, he was bo'n ill. Tier Ida*

He was a Black Creek Indian. Sere was 12 of us eMllen. When

I was 'bout seven de missus, the oome and gits me for her serv-

ant. Z lived in de hi** house till she die. Her <*nd Marster

Davis was powerful coed to ae.

"Marster Davis he was a bic lawyer and de owner of a

plantation. But all I do was wait on ole els BUS. I'd li<ht her

pipe for her and I helped her wld her knlttia' • She give me money

all de tiae. She had a little trunk who keeped noney la and lots

of times I'd have to pack it down wid ay feet a.

"I dl■•member Jus' how many slaves dere was, hut dere was

more'n 100. I saw as much ae 100 soil at a time, When day tuk a

bunch of slaves to trade, day put ohajLas on »ea.

"De other slaves lived in log cabins back of de bic house.

Dey had dirt floors and beds dat waa made out of ee'n shucks or

straw. At nits dey burned de lamps for 'bout as hour, den de ever-

•1-

S*»slave Stories Pace Two (Texas)

seers, dey come knock on de door and tell «em put de light out, lots

of overseers was mean, Sometimes dey9d whip & nigger wid & leather

strap •bout a foot wide and lone a* ?<**? •*» end wld a wooden handle

at de end*

"On Sat1 day and Sunday nltes deyfd dance and sine ell nite long.

Dey dldn9 dance like today, dey danced de roun9 dance and jig and do

de pigeon wing, and seme of den would jump up and see how many time he

could kick his feets 9fore dey hit de ground Dey had an ole fiddle

and some of 9sm would take two hones in each hand and rattle 9em, Dey

sang songs like, fDiana had a Wooden Leg,* and 'A Hand full of Sugar,9

and Cotton-eyed Joee f I disfmember how dey went*

"De Blares dldn9 have no church den, but dsy'd take a big sugai

kettle and turn it top down on de groun9 and put logs roun1 it to kill

de soun9* Dey9d pray to he free and sing and dance*

M When war cone dey come and got de slaves from all de planta-

tions and tuk 9em to build de breastworks, I S*»T? lots of soldiers*

Dey9d sing a song dat go something like dls:

H9Jeff Davis rode a big white hossf Lincoln rode a mole; Jess Davis is our President, Lincoln is a fool*9

tf I 9member when de slaves would run away, Ole John Bllllnger,

he had a bunch of dogs and he9d take after runaway niggers. Sometimes

de dogs dldn9 ketch de nigger, Ben ole Bllllnger* he'd cuss and kick

de dogs,

*Ws dldn1 have to have a pass but on other plantations dey did*

or de paddlerollers would git you and whip you, Dey was de poor white

-3-

Ex*?slave ftoriea Pa^ Three ^ j (Texas) -*■-*-

folks dat didn9 hare no slaves. We dldn1 call 9ea white folks

dem days. Ho, suh, we called dem9Buskrys.9

HJus9 fore de war, a white preacher he come to us slaves and

s&yss 9Do you wan1 to keep you homes whar you sit all to eat, and raise

your Chilian, or do ycu wan1 to he free to roam roun1 without a home,

like de wil9 animals? If you wan9 to keep you home* you better pray

for de South to win. All day wanfs to pray for de South to win, raise

the hand.1 We all raised our hands • cause we was skeered not to, hut

we sho1 dldn* wan9 de South to win*

"Dat night all de slaves had a meet in* down in de hollow.

Ole Uncle Mack, he cits up and says: 'One time over in 7irginny dere

was two ole niggers, Uncle Boh and Uncle Tom. Day was mad at one

* nut her and one day dey decided to have a dinner and bury de hatchet.

So day sat down, and when Uncle Boh wasn't look in9 Uncle Tom put some

poison in Uncle Boh9s food, hut he saw it and when Uncle Tom wasn't

lookin9. Uncle Boh he turned de tray roun9 on Uncle Tom, and he fits

de poison food. 9 Uncle Mack, he ssys: 9Dat9s what we slaves is

Swine do, jus9 turn de tray roan9 and pray for de Horth to win.*

"After de war dere was a lot of excitement fmong de niggers.

Dey was rejoicin1 and singin1. Some of 9em looked pussled, sorter

skeered like. But dey danced and had a hig jsahoree.

"Lots of 9em stayed and worked on de halves, Others hired

out* I went to work In a grocery store and he paid me $1.50 a week.

I give ny mother de dollar and keeped de half. Den I got married

and famed for awhile. Den I come to Tort forth and I heen yere since.

*********

420198

E&-SLAVE STORIES Page One • >§ Q (Texas) *~

SUUH A£LEN was bom a slave of John and Sally Goodren, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

*^ Before the Civil War, her owners ^?** came to Texas, locating near a

^ small town then called Freedom* She lire* at 3322 Trata* St,9 El Paso, Texas*

"I was birthed in time of bondage. You know, some people >

are ashamed to tell it, "but I thank God I was f 11 owed to see them

times as well as now* Itfs a pretty hard story, how cruel some of the

marsters was, "but I had the luck to he with good white people. But

some I knew were put on the block and sold. I 'member when they'd

come to John Goodren's place to buy» but he not sell any. They'd have

certain days when they*d sell off the tlock and they took chillen fway

from mothers, screamin* for dere chillen,

"I was birthed in ole Virginia in de Blue Ridge Mountains.

When de white people come to Tex^s, de cullud people come with them.

Datfs been a long time.

"Hy maw was named Charlotte, my paw Parks Adams. He's a

white man. I guessVm about eightv some years ole.

"You know, in slavery times when day had bad marsters dey'd

run away, but we didnf want to. My missus would see her people had

something good to eat every Sunday mornin1. You had to mind your missus

and marster m& you be treated well. I think I was about twelve when

dey freed us and we stayed with marster 'bout a year, then went to John

Ecols1 place and rented some Ian', We made two bales of cotton and it

was the first money we ever saw.

"Back when we lired with Marster Goodren we had big candy

Ex-slave Stories Page Two 13 ^ ('JPexas)

pullin!s. Invite everybody and play. We hstd good times. De worst

thing, we dicta* never kave no schoolin1 till after I married. Den I

went to school two weeks. My husban* was teacher, Ee never was a

slave, His father bought freedom through a blacksmith shop, some way.

"I had & nice weddin1. My dress was hite and trimmed with blue

ribbon. My second day dress was white with red dots, I had & beauti-

ful veil and a wreath and fbout two, three waiters for table dat day.

MMy mother was nearly white. Brighter than me. We lef* my

father in Virginia. I was jus1 as white as de chillen I played with.

I used to be plum bright, but here lately Vm gettin1 awful dark.

HMy husban1 was of a mixture, like you call bright ginger-cake

color, I don1 know where he got his learnin1. I feel so bad since

hefs gone to Glory.

"Now I1^ ole, de Lord has taken care of me. He put th*.t spirit

in people to look after ole folks and now my chillen look after me.

I*ve two sons, one name Jaxaes Allen, one IUM. Both live in SI Paso.

"After we go to sleep, de people will know these things, *cause

if freedom hadn1 come, it would have been so miserable.

*************

iJl^fe'^

420149 BX-SLA7X 8T0BIXS Page One ^ 14

(Texas)

AHDY AHDERSOV, 94, was bora a slave of Jack Haley, who owned a plantation In Williamson Co., Texas. During the Clril far, Andy was sold to W. T. Bouse, of Blanco County, who in less than a year sold Andy to his brother, John louse. Andy now lives with his third wife and eight of his children at 301 Amour St., fort Worth, Texas.

"My name an Andy J. Anderson, and 1*8 horn on Massa Jack Haley* s

plantation in Williamson County, Texas, and Massa Heloy owned ay folks and

'bout twelve other families of niggers, I*s horn in 1843 and that Bakes ae

94 year old and 18 year when do war starts. I's had *aperlenees duria' dat

time.

"Massa Haley an kind to his cullud folks, and Mat am kind to every-

body, and all do folks likes him. De other unite folks called we'uns do pet-

ted niggers. There aa 'hout 30 old and young niggers and 'tout 20 piccaninnies

too little too work, and de BUSS cares for den while day Beanies works.

"I's gwino ••plain how it aa aaaaged on Massa Haley's plantation.

It aa sort of like de saall town, ■ cause everything we uses aa aade right there.

There aa da shoemaker sad ho is de tanner and Bake de leather from da hides.

Dvn aassa has 'boat a thousand sheep and he gits de wool, and de niggers cards

and spins and weaves it, and dat makes all de clothes. Ian aassa have cattle

and slch purvide da milk and de butter and beef meat for eat in'. San massa

have de turkeys and chickens and de hawga and de hoes. With all that, us never

was hongry*

"So plantation aa planted la cotton, mostly, with de com and da

wheat a little, »cause aassa don't need much of dem. He never sell nothia*

Kifet de> cotton. ■ ■ '

Bx-alare Stories Page Two 15 (fexas)

"De llTla* for de cullud folks an good. De quarters an built froa logs

like dey's all in dea days* Be floor aa de dirt but we has de baches and

what is aade on de place. And we has de big fireplace for to cook and we

has plenty to cook in dat fireplace, ' cause aassa allus 'lows plenty good

rations, hut he watch close for de wast in' of de food,

"De war Breaks and dat Bake de Dig change on de aassa1 s place. He

jines de aray and hires a nan call* Delbridge for orerseer. After dat, de

hell start to pop, 'cause de first thing Delbridge do is cut de rations.

He weighs oat de neat, three pound for de week, and he aeasure a peck of

seal* And 'twarn't enough. He half starre us niggers and he want ao' work

and he start de whippia's. I guesses he starts to eduaacate *ea. I guess

dat Delbridge go to hell when he died, but I don't see how de debbil could

stand hia,

"ffe'uns aa not use* to sich and soae runs off. then day an cotched

there an a whlppla' at de stake. But dat Delbridge, he sold ae to Massa

House, in Blanco County. I's sho' glad when I's sold, but it an short glad-

ness, 'cause here ss another Ban what hell aa too good for. He gives ae

de whippia' and de seers a* still on ay arms and ay back, too. I'll cariy

dea to ay gravev He sends ae for firewood and when I gits it loaded, de wheel

hits a stuap and de teaa jerks and dat breaks de whlppletree. So he ties ae

to de stake and every half hour for four hours, dey lays ta lashes on ay back,

lor da first couple hears da pain aa awful. I'e newer forgot it. Dea I'c

stood so auch pain I not feel so auch and when dey takes ae loose, I's jus'

•bout half dead. I lays in de bunk two days, gittia* over dat nalppla', gittia*

orer it ia da body bat not de heart. Ho, sun, I has dat in de heart till die

ip£<;-■■>...■ ■ BSSSv:;.:"-. ,.: • ~«^

Ex-slave Stories Page fhree (fexas) 10

"After dat whippin1 I doesn't have de heart to work for de massa.

If I seed de cattle in de cornfield, I turns de back, 8stead of chasin1

•em out* I guess dat de reason de nassa sold me to his brother, Massa

John* And he am good like my first massa, he never whipped me.

"Ben surrender an *nounced and massa tells us wefs free* When dat

takes place, it am *bout one hour by sun. I says to myself, * I won't be

here long,1 But 1's not realise what I9s in for till after Ifs started,

but I couldn't turn back, for dat means de whippin* or danger from de

patter rollers. Dere I was and I kepf on gwine. Ho nigger am sposed to

be off de massa1 s place without de pass, so I travels at night and hides

dnrin' de daylight. I stays in de bresh and gits water from de creeks,

but not much to eat. Twice Ifs sfao* dem patter rollers am pasain1 while

Ifs hiding

MI*a 21 year old den, but it am de first tine I*s gone any place,

•cept to de neighbors,so I's worried 'bout de right way to Massa Haley's

place. But de mornin' of de third day I comes to he place and I*s so hongry

and tired and scairt for fear Massa Haley not home from de army yit. So I

finds my pfppy and he hides me in he cabin till a week and den luck comes to

me when Massa Haley cone home. Hie come at night and de next mornin1 dat Del-

bridge am shunt off de place, 'cause Massa Haley seed he niggers was all gaunt

and lots am run off and de fields am not plowed rightf and only half de sheep

and everything left. So massa say to dat Delbridge, 'Dere em no words can

'splain what yeas done. 0it off ay place 'fore I smashes you.f

"Den I kin come out from ay pappy1 s cabin and de old massa was glad

to see me, and he let me stay till freedom am ordered. Bat's de happies'

time in my life, when 1 gits back to Massa Haley*

-3-

420317 • 17

Dibble, Fred, P.l., Beehler. Rheba, P.18., Beaumont, Jefferson, Dist. #3.

A frail sick man, neatly clad in white pajamas lying patiently in a clean bed awaiting the end which dees net seem far away. Although we pretested against his talking, because ef his weakness, he teld a brief stery of his life in a whisper, his breath very shert and every word was speken with great., effort. His light skin and his features denete n© characteristic ©f his race, has a bald head with a bit ®f gray hair around the crown and a slight growth ©f gray whisk- ers about his face, is medium in height and build. WASH AHDERSON, although b©rn in Charleston, S. C., has spent practically all ©f his life in Texas ( '/^^^^-vX, t/^-*■<•-

1 folks call me Wash Anderson, but dey uster

eall me George. My whole name* George Washington Anderson.

I was b©'n in Charleston, Sou'f Ca'lina in 1855. Bill An-

derson was my olf marster. Dey was tw© boy' and tw© gal1

in his family. We all lef' Charleston and c©me t© Orange,

Texas, bef©' freedom come. I was f©' year' ©1' when dey

mek dat trip."

ttI d®n! 'member auttin' 'b®ut Charlest©n. Y©u see

where I was bo'n was 'bout tw© mile' from de city. I went

back ©no time in 1917, but I didn' stay dere long."

"My pa was Irvln' Anderson and my mommer was name'

Eliza. '01» marster was pretty reugh ©a his niggers. Dey

18

Dibble, Fred, P.W., Beehler, Rheba, P.l,, Beaumont, Jefferson, Dist, #3.

tell me he had my gran'daddy beat to death. Dey never

did beat me."

"Dey made de trip from Charleston 'cross de country

and settle1 in Duncan's Wood' down here In Orange county.

Dey had a big plantation dere. I dunn© if el' marster

had money back In Charleston, but I t'lnk he must have. He

had 'bout 25 or 30 slaves on de place."

"01' man Anderson he had a big two-story house. It

was bull' out of logs but it was a big fine house. De

•laves jis' had little log huts. Dere wam't no flo's to

'em, nuthin' but de greun'. Dem little huts jis' had one

room in 'em. Dey was one family to de house, 'oep'n' some-

time dey put two or free family' to a house. Dey jis'

herd de slaves in dere like a bunch of pigs."

"Dey uster raise cotton, and co'a, and sugar cane, and

«ich like, but dey didn' uster raise no rice. Dey uster

sen' stuff to ferry on a railroad to aen1 it to market.

Sometime dey hitch up dey teams and sen' it to Orange and

Beaumont in wagons. De ©1' marster he had a boat, toe, and

sometime he sen' a boatload of his stuff to Beaumont."

"My work was to drive de surrey for de family and look

atter da mosses and de harness and sich. I jis' have de

bes' bosses on de place to see attar."

19

Dibble, Fred, P.W., Beehler. Rheba, P.W., Beaumont, Jefferson, Dist. #3.

"I saw lets ef sojers durin' de war. I fee 'em

marenin1 by, goln' te SabIn© Pass 'beut de time of dat

battle."

"Back in slavery tiae dey uster have a white prea-

cher to come 'roun' and preach te de cullud felks. But

I don't 'member much 'bout de songs what dey uster sing."

ttI play 'reun1 right smart when I was little. Dey

uster have lets of fun playin' 'hide and seek,' and 'hide

de switch.' We uster ride stick hesses and play 'reun'

at all dem t'imgs what chillun play at."

"Dey had plenty of hesses and mules and cews en de

el' plantation. I had te leek atter seme ef de hesses,

but dem what I hatter leek atter was s'pose te be de bes'

hesses in de bunch. Like I say, I drive de surrey and

dey allus have de bes' hesses to pull dat surrey. Dey had

a leg stable. Dey kep' de harness in dere, te©. Eb'ry-

t'ing what de st®ck eat dey raise on de plantatien, all

de ce'a and fodder and slch like."

"Atter freedom come I went 'reun' dein1 dif'rent kind

of work. 1 uster work on steamboats, and en de railroad

and at sawmillln'. 1 was a sawyer for a long, long time.

I work 'reun' in Lou'sana and Arkansas, and Oklahoma, as

Dibble, Fred, P.W,, deehler, Rheba, P.W., Beaumont, Jefferson, Dist. #3.

well as in Texas. When I wasn't dein1 dem kinds ef work,

I uster werk 'reun1 at anyt'ing what ceme t© han*. I

'member ene time I was werkin' for de Burr Lumber Cempany

at Pert Tewnsend up dere in Arkansas."

"When I was 'bout 36 year1 el' I git marry. I been

married twice. My fus' wife was name' Hannah and Rever-

end Geerge Childress was de preacher dat marry us. He

was a cullud preacher. Atter Hannah been dead seme time

I marry my secen' wife. Her name was Tempie Perkins.

Later en, us separate. Us sep'rate ©n 'count ef meney

matters."

"I t>'longs te de Baptis' Chu'ch. Semetime1 de prea-

cher ceme 'roun' and see me. He was here a few days age

dis week."

20

TEXAS

"UNCLE WILLIS AKPBRSON"

rairas

A. Coronrdofs Children—KJ. Prank Dobie, Fub. 1929, Austin, Tex,

3* Leon County News—-Centervilie, Texas— Thursday May 31, 1936.

C. Consultant—Tfacle Willis Anderson, resident of Centerville, Tex,

horn Jipril 15, 1844,

An interesting character at Centerville, Texas, is ,rUncle Willis"

Anderson, an ex-slavet born April 15, 1844, 6 miles west of Centerville on the

old McDaniels plantation near what is now known as Hopewell Settlement. It

is generally said that ^Uncle Willis" is one of the oldest living citizens in

the Couaty, "boack or white. He is referred to generally for information con-

cerning days gone by and for the history of thr*t County, especially in the im-

mediate vicinity of Centerville#

wUacle Willis" is an interesting figure. He may he found sitting

on the porches of the stores facing Federal Highway ITo. 75, nodding or con-

versing with small groups of white or colored people that gather around him

telling of the days gone by. He also likes to watch the busses and automobiles

that pass through the small town musirg and commenting on the swiftness of thing

today. Uncle Willis still cultivates a smallpatch five miles out from the town.

*Unele Willis* is a tall dark, brown-skinned man having a large

heed covered with mixed gray wotS.ly hair. He has lost rery few teeth considering

his age. When sitting on the porches of the stores the soles of his farm-shoes

may be seen tied together with pieces of wire. He supports himself with a

cane made from the Elm tree. At present he wears a tall white Texas Ce&»

tennial hat which makes him appear more unique than ever*

"Uncle Willis1 " memory is vivid. He is familiar with the older fig-

ures in the history of the County, He tells tales of having travelled by

oxen to West Texas for flour and being gone for six months at a time. He re-

members the Keechi and the Kickapoo Indians and also claims that he can point

out a tree where the Americans hung an Indian Chief. He says that he has

plowed pp arrows, pots and flints on the Reubens Bains place and on the Mc

Daniel farm** He can tell of the early lawlessness in the County. His face

lights up when he recalls how the Yankee soldiers came through Centerville

telling the slave owners to free their slaves. He also talks very low when

he mentions the name of Jeff Davis because he says, "fha* man eavesdrop!

the niggers houses in slavery time and if yer1 sed1 that Jeff Davis was a good

$an, they barbecued a hog for yout but if yer 1 sed1 that Abe Lincoln was a

good man, jtiugc yer1 had to fight or go to the woods,"

Among the most interesting tales told by "Uncle Willis" is the

tale of the "Lead mine," "Uncle Willis" says that some where along Boggy

Creek near a large hickory tree and a red oak tree, near Patrick*s Lake, he

and his master, Auss McDaniels, would dig lead out of the ground whicji they

used to make pistol and rifle balls for the old Mississippi rifles during

slavery time, tftxcle Willis claims that they woulcfiig slags of lead out of the

ground some 13 and 15 inches long, and others as large as a man's fist, They

would carry this ore back to the big house and melt it down to get the trash

out of it, then they would pour it into molds and make rifle balls and pistol

i<So

balls from it. In this way they kept plenty of amuaition on hand. In recent

years the land has changed ownership, and the present owners live in Dallas,

Learning of the tale of the "lead mine" on their property they went to

Centerville in an attempt to locate it and were deferred to "Uncle Willis."

Uncle Willis says they offered him two hundred dollars if he could locate

the mine. Being so sure that he knew its exact location, said that the $200

was his meat. However, Uncle Willis was unable to locate the spot where they

dug the lead and the mine remains a mystery. (c)

Recently a group of citizens of Leon County including W. D. Lacey,

Joe McDaniel, Debbe Brown, W. E* Hill and Judge Lacey cross questioned Uncle

Willis about the lead mine. Judge Lacey did the questioning while thea others

formed an audience. The conversation went as follows:

"Which way would you go when you went to the mine? Judge Lacey

asked.

"Out tow*hd Hormangee".

"How long would it take you to get there?"

"Two or three hours. "

"Was it on a creek?"

"Yessuh,"

"But you cant go to it mow?"

"Nosuh I just canft recollect exactly where »tis. (B)

J. Prank Dobie mentions ma&y tales of lost lead mines throughout Texas

in Coronado's Ohildren, a publication of the Texas Folk-Lore Society,

24

Lead in the early days of the Republic and the State was very valuable,

as it was the source of protection from the Indians and also the means of sup-

plying food* (A)

420056 SX-SLAVI STORIES

(f«xas) Pag* One 25

MARY iEMSTRQNO, 91, lives at 3326 Pierce Ave## Hous- ton, Texas. She was horn on a fan near St* Louis, Missouri, a slave of Wil- liam Cleveland. Her father, Sam Adams* belonged to a "nigger trader,91 who had a farm adjoining the Cleve- land place*

"I1* Aunt Mary, all right, hut you all has to House me if I

don't talk so good, 'cause I's heen feel in* poorly for a spell and I

ain't so young no more. Law me, when I think hack what I used to do,

and now itfs all I can do to hobble 'round a little* Why, Miss Olivia,

my mistress* used to put a glass plumb full of water on my head and

then have me waltz 'round the room, and I'd dance so smoothlike, I

don't spill nary drap.

"That was in St, Louis, where I's horn. You see, my mamma belong

to old WlUlam Cleveland and old Polly Cleveland, and they was the mean-

est two white folks what ever lived, 'cause they was allus heat in9 on

their slaves. 1 know, 'cause mamma told mt and I lears about it other

places, and besides, old Pollyt she was a Polly devil if there ever was

one, and she whipped my little sister what was only nine months old and

jes1 a baby to death* She come and took the diaper of fen my little sis-

ter and whipped till the blood jes' ran — jes' 'cause she cry like all

babies do* and it kilt my sister* I never forgot that, but I sot some

even with that old Polly devil and it's this-a-way*

-1-

.Ex-slave Stories Page Two 2G (Texas)

"You see, I9s fbout 10 year old and I belongs to Miss Olivia,

what was that old Pollyfs daughter, and one day old Polly devil comes

to where Miss Olivia lives after she marries, and txys to give me a

lick out in the yard, and I picks up a rock fbout as big as half your

fist and hits her right in the eye and busted the eyeball, and tells

her that1 s for wfaippin1 my baby sister to death. Tou could hear her

holler for five miles, but Miss Olivia, when I tells her, says, "tell,

I guess mamma has larnt her lesson at last,1 But that old Pllly was

mean like her husban9, old Cleveland, till she die, and I hopes they

is burnin1 in torment now.

MI don't • member 9bout the start of things so much, ecept what

Miss Olivia and my mamma, her name was Siby, tells me. Course, itfs

powerful cold in winter times and the farms was lots different from down

here. Thy calls 'cm plantations down here but up at St# Louis they was

jes9 called farms, and that's what they was, 'cause we raises wheat and

barley and rye and oats and corn and fruit»

"The houses was builded with brick and heavy wood, too, 'cause

it18 cold up there, and we has to wear the warm clothes and they9s wove

on the place, and we works at it in the even in1 s, \

"Old Cleveland takes a lot of his slaves what was in f custom9

and brings 'em to Texas to sell* Tou know, he wasn't sposed to do that,

•cause when youfs ia •custom1, thatfs 'cause he borrowed money on you,

and you1 s not sposed to leave the place till he paid up. Course, old

Cleveland jes9 tells the one he owed the money to, you had run off, or

squirmed out some way, he was that mean.

~3~

J5x«*slave Stories Page Three 3*7* (Texas)

"liamma say «ihe was in one hunch and me in f not her. Mamma had heen

put 'fore this with my papaf Sam Adams, but thnt makes no difference to Old

Cleveland. He's so mean he naver would sell the man and woman and chillen to

the same one. He'd sell the man here and the woman there and if they9s chillen,

he'd sell them some place else. Oh, old Satan in torment couldn't be no mean-

er thsn what he and Old Polly was to they slaves. He'd chain a nigger up to

whip 'em and rub salt and pepper on himf like he saidf Ho season him up.'

And when he'd sell a slave, hefd grease their mouth all up to make it look

like they'd been fed good and was strong and healthy.

"Well* mamma say they hadn't no more'n got to Shreveport 'fore some

law man cotch old Cleveland and takes 'an all back to St. Louis* Then my

little sister's bornf the one old Polly devil kilt, and I*s 'bout four year

old then.

"Miss Olivia takes a likin* to me and, though her papa and mama

so mean, she's kind to everyone, and they jes' love her. She marries to Mr.

Will Adams what was a fine man, and has 'bout five farms and 500 slaves, and he

buys m$ for her from old Cleveland and paytsfhim $2*500.00, and gives him George

Henry, a nigger, to boot. Lawsy- I's sho1 happy to be with Miss Olivia and

away from old Cleveland and Old Polly, 'cause they kilt my little sister.

*ffe lives in St. Louis, on Chinquapin Hill, and I's housegirl, and

wben the babies starts to come I Busses 'em and spins thread for clothes on

the loom. I spins six cuts of thread a week, but I has plenty of time for my-

self and that's where I lams to dance so good. Law, I sho' jes' crazy fbout

dancia'. If I's sett in1 eat in' my victuals and hears a fiddle play, I gets up

and dances. ^

-3-

Ex-slave Stories Page Four Of} (Texas)

MMr, Will and Miss Olivia sho* is good to me, and I never calls

Mr, Will fmassaf neither, but when they*s company I calls him Mr, Will and

1 round the house by ourselves I calls them fpappy1 and fmammy1, 'cause they

raises me up from the little girl. I hears old Cleveland done took my mammp

to Texas fgain but I couldn't do nothin1, !cause Miss Olivia wouldn't have

much truck with her folks. Once in a while old Polly comes ov^r9 but Miss

Olivia tells her not to touch me or the others. Old Polly trys to buy me

back from Miss Olivia, **d if they had they'd kilt me sho1* But Miss Olivia

say, 'Ifd wade in blood as deep as Hell *fore Ifd let you have Mary,1 That's

jes' the very words she told fe®.

"Then I hears my papa is sold some place I don't know where,, 'Course,

I didn't know him so well, jes1 what mamms done told me, so that didnft worry

me like mamma being took so far away*

"One day Mr, Will say, *Mary, you want to go to the river and aee

the boat race?* Law me, I nerer won't forget that. Where we live it ain't fax

to the Miss'sippi River &nA pretty soon here they cosies, the Hatches and the

Eclipse, with smoke and fire jes1 pourin' out of they smokestacks* Thfct old

captain on the fGlipse starts puttin1 in bacon meat in the boiler and the

grease jes9 comes out a-blasin' and it beat the Natchez to pieces,

"I stays with Miss Olivia till »63 when Mr, Will set us all free, I was

'bout 17 year old then or more, I way I goin1 find my masama* Mr. Will fixes

»e up two papers, one fbout a yard long and the other some smaller, but both

has big, gold seals what he says is the seal of the State of Missouri* He

gives me money and buys ay fare ticket to Texas and tells me they is still

gx-*lave Stories Page five QQ (Jexas) '^

slave times down here and to put the papers in my bosom but to do whatever the

white folks tells me, even if they wants to sell me. But he say, fyore you gets

off the block, jes1 pull out the papers, but jesf hold f em up to let folks see and

dosft let *em cut of your hands, and when they sees them they has to let you alone* *

"Miss Olivia cry and carry on and say be careful of myself fcause it she1

| rough in Texas. She give me a big basket what had so much to eat in it I couldn't

1 hardly heft it and faother with clothes in it. They puts me In the back end at I | the boat where the big, old wheel what run the boat was and I goes to New Orleans, % I \ and the captain puts me on 'no the r boat and I comes to Gal vest on, and that captain

| puts me on Mother boat and I comes up this here Buffalo Bayou to Houston,

H looks •round Houston, but not long. It sho' was a dumpy little place

then and I gets the stagecoach to Austin* It takes us two days to get there and I

thinks my back busted sho1 'nough, it was sich rough riding Then I has trouble

ahof, A man asks me where I goin1 and says to come 'long and he takes me to a

Mr, Charley Crosby* They takes me to the block what they sells slaves on* X

gets right up like they tells me, *cause I •lects what Mr. Will done told me to

do, and they starts biddin1 on me. And when they cried off and this Mr. Crosby

come \ap to get me, I jesf pulled out my papers and helt 'em up high and when he

sees *em, he say, 'Let me see them.9 But I says, 'You jesf look at it up here,1

and he squints up and say, 'This gal am free and has papers,! >>ja& tells me he

a legislature man and takes me and lets me stay with his slaves. He is a good

Ban,

nHe tells me there fs a slave refugee casip in Wharton County but I

didn*t have no money left, but he pays me some for wcikin* and when the war's

over I starts to bunt mamma 'gain, and finds her in Wharton County near where

"karton is. Law me, talk fbout cryin* and singin* and cryin1 some moref we

wre done it. I stays with mamma till I gets married in 1871 10 John Armstrong,

-5-

Ex-slave Stories Page Six ' 30 (Texas)

and then we all cones to Houston*

111 gets me a job nusein1 for Dr* Eellaford and was all through

the yellow fever epidemic* I "lects in f75 people die jesf like sheep

with the rots* I9s seen folks with the fever jump from their "bed with

death on *em and grab other folks. The doctor saved lots of folksf

white and black, * cause he sweat it out of 'em* He mixed up hot water

and vinegar and mustard and some else in it*

"But, law me, so much is gone out of my mind, •cause 1*8 91

year old now and my mind jes1 like my legs, jes1 kinda hobble 'round

a bit.

*************

420085

BMLA7E STORMS Page Oae Q* (fexas) OX

S2SABLIN AENWINE, 34, was born a slave to Albertus Arnwine, near Jacksonville. Texasf who died

^ when St earlin was seven or eight. v He was bought by Joha Moseley,

of Busk, Texas, who made Stearlin a houseboy, and was very kind to him. He now lives about six miles west of Jacksonville.

*I \iras bofa ff6re de war, in 1853, right near this here

tomat, on Gtaa Creek. My maaaay belonged to Mass a Albertus Arnwine,

and he wasn* ever married. He owned four woae^ ay mammy, Aanf ay r

grandaother, &racief and my Aunt Winnie and Aunt Mary. He didn 1

own say nigger men, fcept the chillea of these women. Orandioa

lived ia de house with Mass a Arnwiae sad the rest of us lived ia .

cabins ia de ya'd. My mammy come from Merqphis but I don1 know

whar ay pappy come froa# He was Ike lane. I has three half brothers,

and their names is Joe and Will and Joha Schot, and two sisters

called Polly and Bosie,

"Massa Arawine died 'fore de war and he made a will and

it gave all he owned to the women he owned, and Jedge Jowell promised

massa on his deathbed he would take us to de free country, but he

dida1. He took us to his place to work for him for *bout two years

and the women never did get that 900 acres of land Massa Arawine willed

io*em# I don 1 kaow who got it, but they didn1, I knows I still has a

share ia that land, but it takes moaey to git it ia cou9t»

"When war broke I fell into the hen's of Massa Joha Moseley

at Busk, They brought the dogs to roua1 us up from the fiel*s whar we

was workia** I was the oaDLy one of ay fam'ly to go to Massa Joha.

Ex-slave Stories Page Two 33 • (Texas)

"I never did wo«k in the flel's at Massa Johnfs place. He said

I mus1 be his houseboy and houseboy I was. Uassa was sho1 good to me

and I did love to be with him and follow him *rount,

*fThe kitchen was oat in de yafd and I had to carry the victuals

to the big dinin^room. When dinner was over, Massa John tuk a nap and

I had to fan him, and lawsy me, ltd git so sleepy. I kin hear him now,

for he*d wake up and say, 'Oo get me a drink outta the northeast corner

of de well.1

11 We had. straw and grass beds, we put it in sacks on de groun1 and

slepf on de sacks* I don1 'member how much land Uassa Job* h&& "but it

was a big place axtd he had lots of slaves* We chillun had supper early

in deerenia1 and mostly corabread and hawg meat and milk. We all ate

from a big pot. I larned to spin and weave and knit and made lots of

socks.

"Massa John had two step-daughters, Kiss Mollie and Miss Laura,

and they wen1 to school at Husk. It was my job to take *em thsr evfxy

Monday mornin1 on horses and go back after fem Friday afternoon.

HI never earat no money ffore freedom come, but once my brother-

ia-law give me five dollars. I was so proud of it I showed it to de

ladies aad one of 'em saidf fYou don1 need datt* and she give me two

sticks of candy and tuk df> money. But I didn1 know aay better then.

*1 seed slaves for sale on de auction block. They sol1 fera

•cordia' to strengt1 and muscles. They was stripped to de wais1.

I seed the women and little chillun cryia* and beggin1 not to be sep-

arated, but it didn9 do no good. They had to go.

Es~*lave Stories Page Three 33 (Texas)

KThe only chu'ch I knowed fbout was when wefd git together in de

night and hare prayer meetin1 and singin.f We use1 to go way oat in de

woods so de white folks woaldn* hear nothing Sometimes we*d stay nearly

all night on Saturday, ^caase we didn1 have to work Sunder.

1,1 Bout the only thing we could play ras stick hosses/ I made

miles and miles on the stick hosses. After the War liassa John have

his chillun a big roll of Confederate money and they give us some of it

to trade and buy stick hosses \fithv

*When Massa John tol* us we was free, he didn1 seem to minff but

Miss Em, she bawled and squalled, say her prepay taken fway from her.

After dat, my mammy gathers us togedder and tuk us to the Dr. Middleton

placet out from Jacksonville, Prom thar to de Bagsdale place whar I's

been ever since.

nl wore my first pants when I was fourteenyears olef and they stung

'till I was aia*ble. The cloth was store bought bat mammy made the pants

at home. It was what we called dog-hair cloth. Mammy tfade w first shoes,

we called fem *red rippers ••

**************

420075

EUSULVB STORMS Page One (*exas) * 34

8ARAH ASHLEY, 93, was born la Mississippi• She recalls her esperiences when sold on the btock In Hew Orleans, and on a cotton plantation In Texas, She now lives at Ooodrich, Texas.

111 ainft able to do nothin' no more. Ifs Jus1 pluarb give

oat and I stays here by myself. My daughter. Georgia ftrime, she

used to live with ne bat shefs been dead fear year*

*I was born in Mlss'ippi and Massa Henry Thomas buy us

and bring us here* He a spectator and buys up lots of niggers

and sells 'en* Us fanily was separated* My two sisters and ay

papa was sold to a nan in Georgia. Den dey put me on a block and

Md ne off a Dat in lew Orleans and I scairt and cry. but dey put

me up dere anyway. first dey takes me to Georgia and dey didn't

sell ne for a long spell* Massa Thomas he travel round and buy and

sell niggers* Us stay in de speculators drove de long time*

*Af ter 'i&ile Massa Mose Davis come froa Cold Spring, in

Texas, and buys us. He was buyin1 up little chillen for he Chilian.

Dat fbout four year befo* de first war* I was 19 year old whan de

burst of free&oa come in June and I git turn loose #

*I was worldn8 in de field den* Jus* befo* dat de old aassa

he go off and buy acre niggers* He go east* He on a boat what git stove

up and he die and never come back no sore* Us never see hia no mar*.

•1-

Sx~slave Stories Page Jwo ~r (Texas) OO

"X used to have to pifc cotton and sometime I pick 300 pound

and tot* it a nile to de cottoe house. Sam pick 300 to 800 pound

cotton and have to tote da bag da whole a lie to da gin. Iffen day

didn9t do day work day git whip till day have blister on 9ea. Ban

iffen day didn't do it, de man on a hose goes down da rows and whip

with a paddle aake with holes in it and hue9 da blisters, I never

git whip, f causa X allus git my 300 pound. Us have to go early to do

d&t, when da horn goes early, befo9 daylight. Us have to tates da

victuals in da bucket to de field.

"Maesa have de log house and ue live in little houses9

strewed In long rows* Dere wasn't no aeetln9s * lowed in de quarters

and iffen day have prayer aeetin9 de boss man whip dan. Soaetiae ua

run off at night and go to caap aeetin*. I takes de white Chilian

to church soaetiae. but day couldn't l&rn ne to sing no songs 9cause

I didn* have no spirit,

MUs never got 'nough to eat, so us keeps steal In9 stuff.

Us has to. fiey give ue da peck of seal to last da week and two. three

pound bacon In chunk. Ua n^r&r have flour or sugar9 jus 1 cornaesl and

de meat and Haters, De niggers has da big box under de fireplace, where

day kep9 all de pig and chickens what day steal, down in salt.

"X seed a aan run away and de white Jien got da dogs and day

ketch hla and put hla in de front rooa and ha juap through de big window

and break de glass all up. Say she1 whips hla whan day ketches hia.

"De way day whip da niggers was to sttlp 9ea off naked and whip

§ea till day aate blisters and bus9 da blisters* Dsn day take de salt

t2k_

gx~slawe Sterlea ?age fhroo (fexas)

and rod pepper and put la do wounds, if tor doy wash and grease don and put

tomethim1 on dea, to keep dean from blood to death*

"When do bos* nan told us freedom was coma ho didn't like ltf hut

ho give all us do halo of cotton and some corn. Ho ask us to stay and he'p

with do crop hut wefuns so glad to git *way d&t nobody stays* - I got fb<rat

fifty dollars for do cotton and don I lends It to a nigger what newer pays

as hack yit# Ben I got no place to go, so I cooks for a white mas name*

Sick Cole* Ho sposem give mo $5»00 do month hut he never paid me no money*

Befd giro me eats and clothes, 'cause ho has do little store.

"low, I9s all alone and thinks of dom old times what was so had,

and Pi ready for do Lawd to call me**

**********+***e

420280 E3U3LAVE STOBIBS Page One «>^

(Texas) • ° *

AGATHA 3ABIN0, bom a slave of Ogis Guidry, near Carenco* Louis- iana, now lives in a cottage on the property of the Blessed Sac- rament Church, in Beaumont, Texas, She says she is at least eighty- seven and probably much older.

"Old Marse was Ogis &uidry. Old Miss was Laurentine, Dey had

four chillen, Placid, Alphonse and Mary and Alexandrine, and live in a

big, one-story house with a gallery and brick pillrrs. Dey had a big

place. I ' spect a mile fcross it, and fifty slaves.

"My m^jma nans was Clarice Richard. She come from South Carolina.

Papa was Dick Richard. He come from North Carolina. He was slave of old

Placid Guilbeau. He live near Old Marse. My brothers was Joe and Nicholas

and Oui and Albert and Maurice, and sisters was Maud and Cfelestine and

Pauline.

"Us slaves lived in shabby houses. Dey builded of logs and have dirt

floor, We have a four foot bench. We pull it to a table nnd. set on it,

De bed a platform with planks and moss.

MWe had Sunday off. Christmas was off, too. Dey give us chicken and

flour den. But most holidays de white folks has company. Dat mean more work

for us.

"Old Marse bad. He beat us till we bleed. He rub salt and pepper

in. One time I sweep de yard, Young miss come home from college. She slap

my face. She want to beat me. Mama say to beat her, so dey did. She took

de beat in1 for me.

MMy aunt run off 'cause dey beat her so much. Dey brung her back and

beat her some more.

Sr-slflve Stories page Two 3g (Texas)

11 We have dance outdoors sometime. Somebody play fiddle and banjo.

We dance de reel and quadrille and buck dance. De men dance dat. If we go

to dance on *nother plantation we have to have pass. De patterrollers come

and make us show de slip. If dey ain't no slip, we git beat.

MI see plenty sojers, Dey fight at Pines PJ\A we hear ball gs f zing—zing.'

Younr marse have blue coat. He put it on and climb a tree to see. De sojers

come and think he a Yankee* Dey take his gun. Dey turn him loose when dey

find out he ainft no Yankee,

"When de real Yankees come dey take corn and gooses and hosses. Dey

don't ask for nothin', Dey take what dey wants*

MSome masters have chillen by slaves. Some sold dere own chillen.

Some sot dem free.

f,When freedom come we have to sign up to work for money for a year.

We couldn't go work for nobody else. After de year some stays, but not long.

HDe Ku Klux kill niggers,, Dey come to take my uncle. He open d© door.

Dey don't take him but tell him to vote Democrat next day or dey will. Dey

kilt some niggers what wouldn't vote Democrat.

"Dey kill my old uncle Davis. He won't vote Democrat. Dey shoot him. Den

dey stand him up and let him fall down. Dey tie him by de feet, Dey drag him

through de bresh. Dey dare his wife to cry.

HWhen I thirty I marry Tesisfor Sabino. Pere Abadie marry us at Grand

Coteau. We have dinner with wine. Den come big dance. We have twelve chillen.

We works in de field in Opelousas. We come here twenty-five year ago. He die

io 1917* Dey let's me live here. It nice to be near de church. I csm go to

prayers when I wants to,

430164 ix>r 3x-slave volume page one'

EX-SLATS STORIES (Texas)

'&

% ?-» -vgg" . ,;i''3& ... £g

.3^-f, " *>3* i>*

:?D **r

EX-SLAVE AUTOBIOGRAPHY

MRS. JOHH BARCLAY (nee sarah Sanders) Brownwood, Texas was born in Komo, Mississippi, September 1, 1853* she was born a slave at the north slades* place. Mr* and urs. ITorth slade were the only owners she ever had. she served as nurse-maid for her marsterTs children and did general housework. She, with her mother and father and fami- ly stayed with the slades until the end of the year after the civil war. They then moved to themselves, hiring out to "White Folks**

"My marster and mistress was good to all de slaves dat

worked for dem. But our over-seer, jimmy shearer, was sho1

mean. One day he done git mad at me for some little some-

thin* and when I take de ashes to de garden he catches me

and churns me up and down on de groun1. One day he got mad

page two 40

at my brother and kicked him end over end, jes' like a stick

ox wood. He-would whip us 'til we was raw and then put pep-

per and salt in de sores. If he thought we was too slow .in

doinT anything he would kick us off de 3r°un' and churn us

up and down. Our punishment depended on de mood of de over-

seer. I never did see no slaves sold, When we was sick de^

give us medicine out of drug stores, De over-seer would git

some coarse ootton cloth to make our work clothejout of and

den he would make dem so narrow we couldn' hardly walk,

"There was 1800 acres in Marster slade's plantation, we

got up at 5:00 o'clock in de mornin' and de field workers would

quit after sun-down, We didn' have no jails for slaves. Me

went to church with de white folks and there was a place in de

back of de church for us to sit,

"I was jesf a child den and us chilluns would gather in

de back yard and sing songs and play games and dance jigs.

Song I 'member most is '1'he Day is past and Gone,'

"One time marster found out the over-seer was so mean to

me, so he discharged him and released me from duty for awhile,

"We never did wear shoes through de week but on Sunday we

would dress up in our white cotton dresses and put on shoes.

"We wasn't taught to read or Y<?rite^$yi <our owner didn't

think anything about it, We had to work if there was work to be

done, when we got caught up den vie could have time off. If any

of us got sick our mistress would 'tend to us herself. If she

thought we was aiok enough she would call de white doctor*

"When de marster done told us we was free we jumped up and

Page three 41

down and slapped our hands and shouted 'Glory to Godj' lord,

child dat was one happy bunch of niggers* Awhile after dat

some of de slaves told marster dey v/anteo to stay on with him

like dey had been but he told 'em no dey oouldn't, 'oause dey

was free. lie said he could use some of 'em but dey would have

to buy what dey got and he would have to pay Tem like mejcu

"When I was 'bout 18 years old I married John Barclay.

I's had ten ohillun and four gran'-chillun and no?? I lives by

myself,n

#420128 Ex-Slave Stories (Tl&AS)

JOHN BAflKER, age 84, Houston.

5 photographs marked Green Cumby have been assigned to this manuscript - the ?Green Cumbyf photos are attached to the proper manu- script and the five referred to above are prob- ably pictures of John Barker.

&!&•■•'

420128

bt - ' O ]BUflWB STORIES Page One «o £? j c (fexas) 4*5

JOHN BABKEE, age 84, was horn near Cincinnati, Ohio, the property of the Barker family, who moved to Missouri and later to Texas, He and his wife live in a neat cottage in Houston, Texas.

MI was horn a,slave. I*m a Malagasser(Madagascar) nigger.

I fmember all fbout dem times, even up in Ohio, though de^ Barkers

brought me to Texas later on* My mother and father was call Good-

man, hut dey died when I was little and Missy Barker raised me

on de plantation down near Houston. Dqy was plenty of work and

plenty of room.

»I * member my grandma and grandpa. In dem days de horned

toads runs over de world and my grandpa would gather fem and lay

fem in de fireplace till d.ey dried and roll 'em with bottles till

dey like ashes and den rub it on de shoe bottoms. You see, when dey

wants to run away, dat stuff don't stick all on de shoes, it stick to

de track. Den dey carries some of dat powder and throws it as far as

dey could jump and den jump over it, and do dat again till dey use all

de powder. Dat throwed de common hounds off de trail altogether. But

dey have de bloodhounds, hell hounds, we calls femf and dey could pick

up dat trail. Dey run my grandpa over 100 mile and three or four days

and nights and found htm under a bridge0 What dey put on him was

enough! I seen fem whip runaway niggers till de blood run down dere

backs and den put salt in de places.

HI *speet dere was fbout 40 or 50 aeres in de plantation. D$y

worked and worked and didnft have no dances or church. Dances nothin!

-2~

Ex-Slave Stories Page Two (Texas) 43

nUy massa and missus house was nice, "but it was a log house.

They had big fireplaees uhat took great big chunks of wood and kep* fire

all night. We lives in de back in a little bitty house like a chicken

house. We makes beds out of posts and slats across 'em and fills tow

sacks with shucks in 'em for mattress and pillows, ^

111 seed slaves sold and they was yoked like steers arid sold by

pairs sometimes, Dey wasn't flowed to marry, 'cause they could be sold

and it wasn't no use, but you could live with 'em,

**We used to eat possums and dese old-fashioned coons and ducks.

Sometimes we'd eat goats, too. We has plenty cornmeal and 'lasses and

we gets milk sometimes, but we has no fine" food, fcept on Christmas, we

gits some cake, maybe,

nUy grandma says one day dat we all is free, but we stayed

with Massa Barker quite a while, Dey pays us for workin' "but it ain't

mch pay, 'cause de war done took dere money and all. But they was good

to us, so we stayed,

HI was 'bout 20 when I marries de fust time. It was a big blow-

•at and I was seared de whole time, Pirst time I ever tackled marrying

Dey had a big paper sack of rice and throwed it all over her and I, enough

rice to last three or four days, throwed away jus' for nothin1, I had on

a black, alpaca suit with frock tail coat BM9 if I ain*t mistaken, a right

%ite shirt. My wife have a great train on her dress and one dem things

3F«* eall a wreath. I wore de loudest shoes we could find, what you call

p|l.fnt leather.

|£vi "Dis kere my third wife. We Barries in lafile Pass and comes up

§|*;Seminsle Reserratiea and w.rks for 4e arajr till we «©e» t® work for

i^y■'■ ,■'■■ .'.-•■"■■■ - -3-..

SiSslaye Stories Pa5e Three JA

de Pattersons, and we "been here 23 years now.

"Ghosties? I was takin' care of a white man when he died and

I seed something 'bout three feet high and black. I reckon I must have

fainted "cause they has de doctor for me. And on dark nights I seed

ghosties what has no head. ' Dey looks like dey wild and dey is all in dif-

ferent performance. When I goin' down de road and feel a, hot steam and look

over my shoulder I can see 'em plain as you standin' dere. I seed 'em when

my wife was with me, but she can't see 'em, 'cause some people ain't gifted

to see 'em.

*************

420133 EX-SLAVE STORIES Page One

(Texas)

JOE BABKES, 89, was bora ia 3*yier Co.f Texas, on Jim Sapp's plaatation. He is very feeble, but keeps his great grandchildren in line while their mother works. They live in Beaumont. Joe is tall, slight, and has gray hair and a stubby gray mustache. Ia his kind, gentle voice he relates his experiences ia slavery days.

"Dey calls me Paul Barnes, but my name ain't Paul, it am Joe.

My massa was Jim Sapp, up here ia Tyler County, and missus1 name was

Ann. De Sapp place was bit and dey raise1 a sight of cotton and corn.

Old massa Jim he have fbout 25 or 30 slaves•

MMy mammy's name was Artimisi, but dey call her Emily, and

pafs name Jerry. Wootaa , 'cause he live on de Wooten place* My steppa

named Barnes and I taken dat name. My pareatsf dey have de broom-

stick weddla'.

"When I*s a chile us play marbles and run rabbits and ride

de stick hoss and de like. When I gits more bigger, us play ball, sort

of like baseball* Oae time my brudder go git de hosses and dey lots

of rala aad de creek swoll up high. De water so fast it wash him off he

hoss and I aiart seed him since. Dey never find de body. Hefs 'bout

tea year old den«

w Massa live ia de big box house and de quarters am in a row

in de back. Some of dera box aad some of dem log* Dey have two rooms.

Every day df big, old cowhora blow for dinner aad us have de little tin

<nip what us git potlicker ia aad meat aad corabread and salt bacoa. Us

fits greeas* too* De chimneys fbout fo^sr feet wideaad dey cooks evexy-

ia de fireplace. Dey have pots aad ovens and put fire below and

45

Ex-slave Stories PageTwo (lexas) 46

MI used to wear what I calls a one-button cutaway. It was jis1

a shirt make out of homespun with pleats down front. Dey make dey own

cloth dem time,

MMassa marry de folks in de broomstick style. Us don* have de

party but sometime us sing and play games, like de round dance*

"Dey give de little ones bacon to suck and tie de string to de

bacon amd de other round dey wrists, so dey wanft swallow or lose de

bacon. For de little bits of ones dey rings de bell for dey mommers

to come from de field and nuss fem.

"After freedom come us stay a year and den move to Beaumont

and us work in de sawmill for Mr. Jim Long* De fust money I git I give

to lay mammy. Me amd mammy and stepdaddy stays in Beaumont two years

den moves to Tyler and plants de crop. But de next year us *nove back

to Beaumont on de Langham place and mammy work for de longs till she die.

"When I git marry I mariy Dicey Allen and she die and I never

marry no more, I worked in sawmillia1 and on dilog pond and allus gits

fcy pretty good, I ainU done no work much de last ten year, Ifs too old.

WI sort a looks after my gramdchillen and I sho1 loves dem. I

sits frouad and hurts all de time. It am rheumatism in de feets, I reckon,

j got six graadchilien amd three great -gramdchillen amd dat one you hears

cryia1, dat de baby I*s raisin1 in dere.

lfIfs feared I didn't tell you so much *bout things wsy back, but

||&-truth am, 1 can't fmember like I used to.

il^v?! • .■"••■.■....•

^If-V'■•':•:•' ********

r * 420166

EX-SLJLVE STOHISS Page One ^ (Texas) 4 *

9

ABMSTEAD BAHRETT, bom in 1847f was a slave of Stafford Barrett, who lived in Huntsville, Texas. He is the husband of Harriett Barrett. Armstead has a very poor memory and ran tell little

- ahout early d8ys. He and Harriet re- £$y ceive old pge pensions.

HIfs really owned "by liassa Stafford Barrett, but my maiomy 'longed

to iinsaa Ben Walker and was flowed to keep me with her. So after we'uns

sot free, I lives with x^y daddy end mejumy and goes by de name of Barrett.

Daddy1 s name was Henry Barrett and he!s brung to Texas from Richmond, in

Yirginny,and mammy come from Kentxioky. Us all lived in Huntsville. I

waited on Miss Ann^and mammy was cook.

"Old massa have doctor for us when us sick. We's too val^le. Jus1

like to de fat beef, massa am good to us. Massa goHo other states and git

men and women and chile slaves and bring dem b^ck to sell, !cause he spectator.

He make dem wash up good and den sell dem.

,f14osf time we*uns went naked. Jus1 have on one shirt or no shirt

artall*

WI know when peace ! clared dey all shout in'.One woman hollerin1 and

a white man with de high-steppin1 hoss ride clost to her and I see him git

out &ad opten he knife and cut her wide * cross de stomach. Den he put he hat

inside he shirt and rid off like lightnin*. De woman put in wagon and I never

heered no more 'bout her*

WI didnU git nothin* when us freed. Only some cast-off clothes.

|&mg time after I rents de place on halves and farms most ay life. Now Ifs

!%£:#.' |p0 old to work and gits a pension to li^on.

JX-SUVB STORIES Page ?wo Q (Jexaa) 4o

111 seems to think us have more freedom when us slaves, 'cause we have

no 'sponsibility for sickness den. We have to take care all dat now and

de white man, he "beats de nigger -out what he makes. Back in de old days,

de white men am hones'. All the nigger knowed was hard work. I think de

cullud folks ought to be flowed more privileges in votin* nowf ^cause dey

have de same *sponsibility as white men and dey more and more educated and

"brighter and "brighter.

HI think our young folks pretty sorry. They wont do right, but I

*lieve • if fen dey could git fair wages dey*d do better. Dey git beat out of

what 6.ey does, anyway*

MI fmember a owner had some slaves and de overseer had it in for

two of dem* - Eefd whip dem near every day and dey does all could be did to

please him. So one day he come to de field and calls one dem slaves and

dat slave draps he hoe and goes over and grabs dat overseer. Den de other

slave cut dat overseer's head right slap off and throwed it down, one of de

rows* De owner he fools fround- and sells dem two slaves for $800*00 each

and d&t all de punishment de® two slaves ever got*

******

420167

EX-SLATE STQEIES Page One (Texas) 49

A

HARRIET BABHSTT, 86, was torn in Walker C0., Texas, in 1851, a slave

*§~v of Steve Glass. She now lives in fy Palestine, Texas. A

"Massa Steve Glass, he own my pappy and mammy and me, until the

war freed us. Pappy1 s homed in Ifricy and mammy in Virginy, and brung

to Texas *fore de warf and I fs horned in 5exas in 1851. Irs heered my

grandpa was wild and dey didnft know fbout marryin1 in Africy. My

brother name Steve Glass and I dunno iffen I had sisters or not*

HBey put me to cookin' when I*s a li'l kid and people says now dat

Aunt Harriet am de hesf cook in Madisonvilie. Massa have great big" garden

and plenty to eat* I*s cook big skillet plumb full cora at de time and us

all have plenty meat, Massa, he step out mid kill big deer and put in de

great big pot and cook it, Then us have cornbread and syrup*

MUs have log quarters with stick posts for bed and deerskin stretch

over it. Den us |Wll moss and throw over dat. I have de good massa, bless

he soul. Missy, she plumb good. She sick all de time and dey never have

white chillen. Dey live in big, log house, four rooms in it and de great

hall both ways through it.

1lMassa, he have big bunch slaves and work dem long as ^ej could see

and &.en lock fem up inde quarters at night to keep fem from runnin1 off,

De patterrollers come and go through de quarters to see if all de niggers

dere. Dey walk right over us when us sleeps*

•Some slave run off, gwine to de north., and massa he cotch him and give

|,;-3' Him thirty-nine lislcs with rawhide and lock dem up at night, too, and keep

§h ■'.'■•'-•-■■« ' •' ■ ..».'> m\i^iii!-:@»,Mm. in daytime*

EX-SLAVE STORIES Page Two r (Texas) *° ' OU

111 have de good massa, bless he soul, and missy she plumb good,

I 1*11 never forgit dem. IWssa 'low us have holiday Saturday night and

go to nigger dance if it on fnother plantation. Boyt oh boy, de tin

pa* beat in1 and de banjo pickin1 and de dance all night long.

"When de war start, white missy die, and massa have de preacher.

She was white angel. Den massa marry Missy Alice Long rjid she de bad

woman with us niggers. She hard on us, not like old missy.

,fI larned lots of remedies for sick people. Charcoal and onions

and honey for de li'l booby an good, and cauphor for de chills and fever

and teeth cut tin1. Ifs boil red oak bark and make tea for fever and make

cactus weed root tea for fever and chills and colic. De best remedy for

chills and fever am to git rabbit foot tie on string fround de neck.

J,Massat he carry me to war with him, 'cause I*s de good cook. In

dat New Orleans battle he wounded and guns roarin1 everywhere* Dey brung

massa in and Ifs jus* as white as he am den. Dem Yankees done shoot de roof

off de house, I nuss de sick and wounded clean through de war and seed dem

dyin1 on eveiy side of me.

MIfs most scared to death when de war end. Us still in New Orleans

and all de shout in1 dat took place 'cause us free! Dey crowds on de streets

4 and was in a stir jus! as thick as flies on de dog, Massa say I*s free as

;j&iwf but iffen I wants to cook for him and missy I gits $2.50 de month, so

§|lfepoks for him till I marries Armstead Barrett, and then uff faro for de

Jl^in1* Us have big church weddin1 and I has white loyal dress and black

*8^»an shoes. TJs been married 51 years notf* it """

*******

aOiBO

-V

ENSLAVE STORIES (Texas)

Page One

JOHN BATES, 84, was bora in Little Rock, Arkansas, a slave of Mock Bateraaja. Wheat still very young, John moved with his mother, a slave of Harry Hogan, to Limestone Co.,Texas. John now lives in Corsicana, supported by his children and an old age pension*

K 51

"My pqppy was Ike Bateman, 'cause his massa1s name am

Moekbateman, and mammy1 s nnm^ was Francis. They come from Tennessee

and I had four brothers and six sisters, tfe jes1 left de last part

of de name off and call it Bates and dat*s how I got ny name. Manny

1 longed to Massa-Harry Hogaa and while Ifs- small us move to Texas, to

Limestone County, and I don'T Member much fbout pap-.y, !cause I ain't

never seed him since.

"Massa Hogan was a pu^ty good sort of fellow, but us went

hongry de fust winter in Texas. He lived in de big log house with de

hallway clean through and a gallery clean fcross de front. De chimney

was big 'nough to burn logs in and it she1 throwed out de heat. It was

a good, big place and young massa come out early and holler for us to

git up and be in de field.

"Missy Eogaa was de good woman and try her dead level best to

teach me to read and write, but my head jes* too thick, I jes1 couldn't

lara. My Uaele Bea he could read de Bible and he allus tell us some day

us be free and Massa Harry laugh, haw, haw, haw, and he say, 'Hell, no,

yous aever be free, yous aiaft got sense faough to make de livia* if ^ous

was free.1 Dea he takes de Bible fway from Uaele Bea and say it put

de bad ideas ia he head, but Uaele gits Mother Bible aad hides it aad

massa aever finds it out*

~1-

Ex-slave Stories Page Two £vO (Texas)

,fWefuns gees to de big baptisin1 one time and itfs at de big

sawmill tank and 50 is baptise1 and Ifs in dat bunch myself. But dey

didn't have no funerals for de slaves, but jes1 bury dero like a cow or

a boss, jes1 dig de hole and roll *em in it and cover *em up.

"War come and durin1 dem times jes1 like today nearly everybody

knows what gwine on, news travels purty fast, and if fen de slaves couldnft

git it with de pass dey slips out after dark and go in another plantation

by de back wgy. Course, if fen don patterrollers cotch dem it JBS1 too

bad and dey gits whip.

"When de news comes in dat us free, Massa Harry never call us

up like everybody else did the slaves, us has to go up and ask him fbout it.

He come out on de front gallery and says we is free and turns f round and

goes in de house without f not her word. We all shof feels sorry for him

the way he acts and hates to leave him, but we waats to go. We^cnowed he

wasnft able to give us mothin1 so begins to scatter ajtd fbout ten or fifteen

days Mass a Harry dies. I think he jes1 grieve himself to death, all he

trouble coanin1 on him to once,

"Us worked on diff*rent farms till I marries a»d my fust wife

am Emma Williams a#d a cullud preacher marries us at her house. Us picked

cotton after dat and den I rents a place on de halvers for five year and

after sevfral years I buys eighty acres of land. Finfly us done paid dat

out and done some repairs and den us sepfrate after livin* twenty-three

year together. So I gives dat place to her and de six chillen ?>nd I walks

out ready to start all over fgaia*

«*3«"

Ex-slave Stories Page Three £>G (Te:\as)

"Then I meets Sarah Jones and us marries, but she gives me de

divorcement. All dis time I works on a farm ^or de day wages, den I

rents *nother farm on de halvers on de black land and stays dere sevfral

year, Pin'ly I gits de job workia1 at de cotton oil mill in Corsicana

and stays at dat job till dey gays Ifs too old* I done buy dis li'l home

here and now has a place to live, Sarah done come back to rae and us has

seven chillen. One of de boys works at de cotton oil mill and two works

at de compress right here in Corsicana and one works at de beer place in

Dal las ♦

MUs raises a lifl on dese tw lots and de chillen brings some

from de farm, I mean my fust wife's chillen, and with de pension check

us manage to live a li'l longer. Us boys pays dejt&xes and de insurance

for us#

******

420306

N?

EX-SLAVS STOEIES Page One KAt (Texas) ***■

HARRISON BECKETT, born a slave of I. D. Thomas of San Augustine, Texas, now lives in Beaumont. A great- grandson climbed into Har- rison^ lap during the inter- view, and his genial face lit up with a smile. He chuckled as he told of his own boyhood days, and

appeared to enjoy reminis- cing. At times he uses big words, some of his own coining.

"I's 'mong de culls now, like a hoss what m too old. Ifs purty

small yit when 'mancipation comes and didn't have no hard work. Old Massa

have me and de othfcr li!l jtiggers keep de stock out de fields. Us li'l

boogers have to run and keep de cows out de corn and de cotton patch. Dat

ought to been fnough to keep us out of debbilment.

11 It cone to pass my mammy work in de field. Her name Cynthia Thomas

and daddy's name Isaac Thomas. But after freedom he goes back to Florida and

find .out he people end git he real name, and dat am Beckett. Dat 'bout ten

years after 'mancipation he go back to he old home in Florida. Mammy1 s people

was de Folkses, in Georgia M»mmy come in from de field at nine or ten

ofclock at night and she be all wore out and too tired to cook lots of times.

But she have to git some food for us. We all had a tin pan and git round de

table and dat like a feast. But lots of times shefs so tired she go to bed

without eatin' nothin1 herself♦

f,My sisters was Elian and Sani and &eorgy~Ann and Cindy and Sidi-Ann.

D^y's all hig 'nough to work in de field. My brudders name Matthew and Ed and

Henry and Harryt what am me, and de oldes* one am General Thomas.

"Dey ©orefn a hundred head of black folks on Massa Thomas' two farms,

and 'bout a hundred fifty acres in each faim* One de farms in iron ore, what

Ex-slave Stories P^ge Two £j£i (Texas)

am red land, and. de other in fray land, half sand an^ half "black dirt,

"Us slaves live in pole houses a^id some in split log houses,

with two rooms, one for to sleep in and one for to cook in. Day ain't no

glass windows, jus1 holes in de walls* Bare was jack "beds to sleep on,

made out of poles. Dey has four legs and ain't nail to de wplls,

"Old Massa he care for he hands purty well, consider in1 everything.

In ginnin1 time he 'low de women to pick up cotton from de ground and make

mattresses and quilts. He make some cloth and ."buy some, A woman weave all

de time and when de shickle jump out on de floor I picks it up* I used to

could knit socks and I was jesf a lifl hoy then, hut I keep everything in

fmemb ranee,

"Dey have some school and de chillen larnt readin' and writin', and

manners and "behaviour, too. Sometime dey git de broke-down white man to he

teacher. But us didn,t know much and it taken ten years or more after freedom

to git de hlack men de qualification way he could handle things*

"One' time us boys git some watenaillions out in de bresh and hit 5em

or drap !em to break fem open. Dere come massa and cotch us not workin', but

eatin* he watenaillions. He tell my daddy to whip me. But lots of times when

us sposed to mind de calves, us am out eatin1 wa,termillions in de bresh. Den

de calves git out and massa see Asm run and cotch us,

"Old massa was kind and good, though. He have partiality 'bout him,

and wouldnft whip nobody without de cause. He whip with de long, keen switch

and it didn't bruise de back, but sho1 did sting. When he git real mad, he

pull up you shirt and whip on de bare hide* One time he whippin1 me and I

*«3*

Ex~slave Stories Page Three txc\ (Texas) Ot>

busts de button off my shirt what he holdin1 on to, and runs away* I tries

to outrun him, and dat tickle him. I sho* give de ground fits with my feets.

But dem whippin*s done me good. Dey break me up from thievin1 and make de mpn

cf me*

HDe wgjr dey dress us li'l nigger bo~s den, dey give us a shirt what

come way down 'tween de knees and ankles. When de weather am too coldf dey

sometimes give us pants*

"De white preachers come round and preach, Dey have de tabernacle

like a arbor and cullud folks come from all round to hear de Gospel 'spounded.

Most every farat have de cullud man larnin1 to preach. I used to 'long to de

Methodist8 but now I 'longs to de Church of Christ.

"Massa Thomas, he de wholesale merchant and git kilt in New Orleans.

A big box of freight goods fall on him, a box 'bout a yard square on de end

and six yards long. He's carryin* back some good for to make exchangement

and dey pullin* up de box with pulley and rope and it fall on him. De New

Orleans folks say it am de ace identment, but de rest say de rope am cut.

One of massa's old friends was Lawyer Brooks. He used to firmanlze de word.

"Ilassa have two boys, Mr. Jimmie and Li'l Ide and dey both goes fex> de

war, Li'l Ide, he go up in Arkansas and dey say when dat first cannon busts

at Li'l Rock* he starts runnin' and never stops till he gits back home, I

don't see how he could do dat, 'cause Lifl Hock am way far off, but dat what

dey say. Dsn de men comes to git barters and dey gits Li'l Ide and takes him

back» Mr. Jimmie, he didn't break de ranks* He stood he ground.

'•ifeamy and dem tell me when war am over de boss and he wifef dey calls

Ex-slave Stories Page Four *'' K>V (Texas) °'

de slaves up in de bunch and tells fem, *Youfs free as I is. Keep on or quit,

if you wants. You don't have to stay no further, you*s free today*1 Dat near

June 19th, end all of *em stays. Massa say, !Go fhead and finish-de crop and

I feed you and pay you.1 Dey all knowed when he kilt de hawgs us git plenty

of meat, Dat young massa say all datf *cause old massa done git kilt.

11 It1 s at Panola County where I first hears of de Klux. Dey call

dem White Gaps den, Dey move over in Panola County and ranges at de place call

Big Creek IServal, "by McFaddin Creek, Dey's purty rough. De landowners tell

dey niggers not to kill de White Caps hat to scare dem fwqjr* At night dey

come knock and if you don't open it dey pry it open and run you out in de field.

Dey run de niggers from Merryville round Longview. Dey some good men in de

Klux and some had men. But us work hard and go home and dey ainft "bother us

none*

MDey used to he a nigger round dere, call Bandy Joe. He git kilt

at Nacogdoches finfly„ He could turn into anything. De jedge of he parish

was Massa Lee and he say dey ought let Bandy Joe livet so dey could larn he art.

Dey done try cotch him de long timef and mayhe he hoi din 1 him and first thing

they know he gone and dey left holdin1 he coat. Dey shoot at him and not hurt

him. He tell he wife dey ain*t no kind "bullet can hurt him hut de silver hullet.

,fDat Bandy Joef he say he a spirit and a human hoth. If fen he didn ft

want you to see him you jus* couldn't see him* Lots of folks liked him. De

je&ge sey he wish he could1 a heen hrung to town, so he could *zamine him fhout

he gifts. 1>e jedgs knowed Bandy Joe could dis»pear jus1 like nothin1, and he

■$|^ he git out he *liu I'd like to know dat myself.

fryt&^k^a^^iiM&^^

Ex-*slave Stories Page Jive ro (Texas) ^O

f,I fmagines I seed ghosties two, three times. I used to range round at

nighttime, I rides through a old slavery field and de folks tell me, 'Harry,

you better be careJfttl gwine 'cross dat old field, They's things dere what makes

mules run fway. One night it am late end my mule ran fway. 1 make my mind I

go back and see what he run from and some thin1 am by de fence like de bear stand

up straight* It stpnd dere fbout fifteen minutes while I draws my best 'pinion

of it. I didn't S** &W nearer dan to see itt A man down de road tell me

de place am hanted and he dunno how many wagons and mul^s git pull by dat thing

at dat place „

wOne time I5s livin1 'nother place and it am 'twixt sundown and dusk.

I had a li'l boy !hind me and I seed a big sow with no head comin* over de

fence. My maf she allus say what I see aight be Pagination and to turn my

head and look 'gain and I does dat. But it still dere. Den I seed a hoss ,

go in1 down de road and he drag a chain, and cross de bridge and turn down de

side road. But when I git to de side road I ain't seed no hoss or nothin1.

I didnft say nothin1 to de li'l boy fhind me on de mule till I gits most home,

den asks him did he see anythin1. He say no. I wouldnft tell him ffore dat,

1 cause I *fraid he light out and outrun me and I didn't want to be hy myself

with dem things. Whan I gits home and tell everybody, dey sqjr dat a man name

McCoy, what was kilt dere and I seed he spirit.

*Ifs fbout twenty-one when I marries Mandy &reen. Us has twelve chillen,

and a world of grandchillen. I travels all over Louisiana and Texas in my time,

and come here three year ago* My son he work in de box factfry here, and he

git a bodily injurement while he workin1 and die, and I come here to de burial

and I been here ever since.

*******

4?«M>9

lUUSLAVS STORIES Page One > rn (Texas) ?'•• OtJ

FRANK BELL, 86, was a slave of Johnson Bell, who ran a saloon in New Orleans• Frank lives in Madisonville, Texas*

"I was owned by Johnson Bell and horn in New Orleans, -in Louis-

iana. 'Cordin1 to the hill of sale, Vm eighty-six years old, and my master

was a Frenchman and was real mean to me. He run saloon and kept had women.

I donft know nothing 'bout my folks, if I even had anyt fcept mama. They

done tell me she was a bad woman and a French Creole.

HI worked fround master's saloon, kep1 everything cleaned up after

theyfd have all night drinkin1 parties, men and women. I earned nickels

to tip off where to go, sofs they could sow wild oats. I buried the nickels

under rocks. If master done cotch me with money, he'd take it and beat me

nearly to death. All I had to eat was old stuff those people left, all

scraps what was left.

"One time some bad men come to master9 s and gits in a shoo tin1

scrape and they was two men kilt. I sho1 did run. But master cotch me and

make me take them men to the river and tie a weight on them, so they'd sink

and the law wouldn't git him.

"The clothes I wore was some master's old ones. They allus had holes

in them. Master he stay drunk nearly all time and was raean to his slave. I'm

the only one he had, and didn't cost him nothing. He have bill of sale made,

'cause the law say he done stole me when If» small child. Master kept me in

chains sometimes. He shot several men.

-1~

Ex-slave Stories Page Two r^n (Texas) ou

"I didn*t have no quarters but stays 'round the place and throw old

sack down and lay there and sleep. I'm 'fraid to run, 'cause master say he'd

hunt me and kill nigger.

"When IfJE 'bout seventeen I marries a gal while master: on drunk spell.

Master he run her off, and I slips off at night to see her, but he finds it out.

He takes a big, long knife and cuts her head plumb off, and ties a great, heavy

weight to her and makes rae throw her in the river. Then he puts me in chains

and every night he come give me a whippin1, for long time*

"When war come, master swear he not gwine fight, but the Yankees they

captures New Orleans and throws master in a pen and guards him. He gets a

chance and 'scapes.

"When war am over he won't free me, says If3i valuable to him in his

trade. He say, 'Nigger, you's suppose to be free but I'll pay vou a dollar

a week and iff en you runs off I'll kill you,' So he makes me do like befo'

the war, but give me 'bout a dollar a month, 'stead week.

"He say I cost more'n Ifm worth, but he won't let me go. Times I don't

know why I didn't die befo1 Ifm growed, sleep in' on the ground, winter and

summer, rain and snow. But not much snow there.

"Master helt me long years after the war. If anybody git after him, he

told them I stay 'cause I wants to stay, but told me if I left he'd kill him

•nother nigger, I stayed till he gits in a drunk brawl one night with men

and women and they gits to shootin* and some kilt. Master got kilt. Then I'm

left to live or die, so I wanders from place to place. I nearly starved to

death befo1 I'd leave New Orleans, 'cause I couldn't think master am dead and

I*a 'fraid. Finally I gits up nerve to leave town, and stays the first night

-2-

Bx-slave Stories Page Three f\4 (Texas)

in white man's barn. I never slap1, Evsry time I hears something, I jumps up

and master be standin1 there, lookin' at me, hut soonf8 I git up he'd leave.

Next night I slep1 out in a hay field, and master he git right top of a tree

and start holler in3 at me. I never stays in that place, I gits gone from that

place. I gits hack to town fast as my legs carry me*

••Then I gits locked up in jail, I donft know what for, never did know.

One the men says to me to come with him and takes me to the woods and gives me

an ax, I. cuts rails till I nearly falls, all with chain locked fround feet, so

I couldnft run off. He turns me loose and I wanders 'gain. Never had a home.

Works for men long 'nough to git fifty, sixty cents, then starts roamin1 'gain,

like a stray dog like.

11 After long time I marries Feline Graham. Then I has a home and we has

a white preacher marry us. We has one hoy and he farms and I lives with him,

I worked at sawmill and farms all my life, but never could make much money.

11 You know, the nigger was wild till the white man made what he has out

of the nigger. He done ed'cate them real smart*

*****

4-20i(.)3

BX-SLAVS Si'OfiISS (.Texas)

Aunt Virginia Bell, 1205 Buthven St., Houston, was born a slave near Ope- lousae, Louisiana, on the plantation of Thomas Lewis. Although sue rentes-* bars being told she was born on Christ- mas Day, sne does not know tne year, but says she guesses she is about 83 years old.

Page One

*Wellt sun, the fus f question you ask mef 'bout how old

I is, I don1 know fzactly. You see it ain't like things is to-

day* The young folks can tell you their 'zact agfi and everything,

but in tnose days we didn1 pay much f tent ion to such things. But

I knows I was bo'n in slavery times and my pappy tol1 xae I was bo'n

on a Christmas Bay, out ditto* 'member jus1 what year*

"We was owned by Hassa Lewis. Thomas Lewis was his name, and

he was a United States lawyer. I ain't gwineter talk 'gainst my

w*ite folks like some cullud folks do, 'cause Mass a Lewis was a

mighty fine man and so was Miss Mary, and they treated us mighty

good.

"Maesa had a big plantation near Opelousa* and I was bo'n

there. I 'memoer tne neignoor folks used to bring tneir cotton to

the gin on his farm for ginnin1 and baling My mother's name was

Delia* fhat was allt jus' Delia. My pappy'e name was Jim Bleir.

Botn of them was from Tirginny, but from diff*rent places, eind was

brougnt to Louisiana by nigger traders and sold to Massa Lewis. I

know my pappy was lots older than my motner and he nad a wife and

five Chilian back in Tirginny and nad oeen sold away irom tnem ou*

here*

-1-

Bx~slave Stories Page Two (Texas) 13

Then ne and my mother started a family out here, I don* know what

become of his family back in Yirginny, f cause when we was freed ne

stayed with us.

MWhan I got old enough I was housegirl and used t<r carry

notes for Miss Mary to the neighbors and bring back answers. Miss

Mary would say, fHowf Tirgixuiy* you take this note to sech and sech

place and be sure and be back In sech and sech time,1 and I alias

was,

"Massa Lewis had four or fire families of us slaves, but we

used to have some fun after work and us young folks would skip rope

and play ring games* Durln9 week days the field hands would work

till the sun was jus1 goin* down and then tne overseer would holler

•all right1 and that was the signal to quit, All hands knocked off

Sat1 day noon,

*We didn11 have no schoolin1 or preachin1. Only tne white

folks had them, but sometimes on Sundays we9d go up to the house and

listen to the white folks singin9,

MIffen any of the slave hands wanted to git married, Massa

Lewis would git them up to the house after supper time, have tn* man

and woman jine hands and then read to them out en a book. I guess it

was the Scriptures* Then he'd tell 'em they was married but to be

ready for work in tne morn in1. Massa Lewis married us 'cordln1 to

Gospel*

"Massa used to feed us good, too, and we had plenty clothes*

-2-

Ex-slave Storl.s Page Three (lA ^J"

If fen we got took sickf we uad doctor treatment, too. If fen a hand

took ©idc in the field with a misery, they was carried to their

quarters and Massa or Miss Mary would give than a dose of opecac and

make them vomit and would sen1 for the doctor* They woulcto* fool

none iffen one of us took sick, hut would clean us out and take care

of us till we was wall,

"There was mighty little whippin1 go in1 on at our place t 'cause

Massa Lewis and Miss Mary treated us good. They wasn't no overseer

go in1 to whip, f cause Massa wouldn1 flow him to. lie's see, I don9

ree'lec' more than two wnippin's I see anyone git from Massa* and that

has been so long ago I don' ree'lec1 what they was for.

"When the War done come 'long it shof changad things, and we

heerd this and that, hut we didn* know mucn what it was about* Then

one day Massa Lewis had all the wagons loaded with food and cnairs and

beds and other things from the house and our quarters, and I heerd him

say we was aovin1 to Polk County. w«f over in Texas. I know it took

us a long time to git there, and when we did I never see so much woods.

It she1 was difffrent from the plantation.

ttI had to work in the fields, same as the res', and we stayed

there three years and made three crops of cotton, but not so much as

en our old place, 'cause there wasn't so such clear in1* Then one day

Massa Lewis teol* us we was free, jas' as free as he was - Jus' like

you take the bridle of fen a hoss and turn him loose. We Jus* looked

4-

Ex~slov* Stories Page Four

froun as if fen we hadn1 good sense. We dicta1 have nothin1 nor no-

where to go, and Massa Lewis say iifen we finisn making de crop, he

would take us hack to Opelousas and give us a place to stay and feed

us* So after plckin1 we goes hack and when we git there we sees

where those rascal Yankees 'strqred everything - houses burned, sugar

kettles broke up. It looked mighty had*

"Massa Lewis hadn1 no money* but he fixed us up a place to

stay and give us what he could to eat. hut things was mighty nard for

a while* I know pappy used to catch rabbits and take them to town

and sell them or trade them for some thin1 to eat, and you know that

wasn't such, 'cause you can't git much for a little ol' rabbit*

"Then the Prove1 Marshal, that was his name, give us a order

for tnings to put in a crop with and to live till we made the crop*

'Course, I guess we wasn1 as bad off as some, fcause white folks

knew we was Ma^sa Lewis' folks and didn9 bother us none*

Then I got married to John Bell, and it was a scripture

weddin9, too* He died 28 years ago, but I has stayed married to him

ever since. We had thirteen Chilian, but they is all dead now fcept

four, but they was raised up rignt and they is mighty good to they

oV

^**«**********£

420114

IX-SUSE STQRIXS Page One 66 (Texas)

BD&AR BBHOT, 90 odd years, was tha slave of Henry Bendy, of Yoodvllle* Tsxas, has to aake an effort to reaaaber and Is forced to seek aid frcn his wife, Minerva* at cartain points In his story« Bdgar has lived in loodville all his life*

* I1 s a good size1 hoy when de war gwine on and I seed de soldiers

case right hara in Woodville* A big bunch of dem ccate through and day

have cannons with den* )fy aarster he didn't go to war9 * causa ha too old,

I guess*

ttIfs horn right hara and dona live hereabouts every since* 03d

man Henry Bendy* ha my aarster and ha ran de store hare in Woodville and

have de farm, too* I didnH do nothin9 fcapt BUBS hafcies. I jes' juatp

dan up and down and da old aarster hire ae o^t to nusa other white folks

Chilian* fci^f and little*

^My daddy name1 Jade Craws and ay aansy was Winnie, Both of

de» worked on da fara and I never aaed dan auch* I didn't have no house

of ay own, * cause de aarster* ha give aa de rooa in ha house# Is have

lots of slaves and *hout 100 acres in cult1 vat ion* Ha gave dan plenty

to eat and good homespun clothes to wear* Ha was nighty good*

"Marster have da plarik housa and all da things in it was hoae~

aake* Da cook was a old eullud woman and I eat at de kitchen table and

have de saae what da white folks eats* Us has lota of meat, dear aeat

and possua and coon and sich> and us sets traps for birds*

-1«

Kx-slaT* Stories Page Two (V~; (fexa.) °*

*Bey ainft nothin1 batter dat go in de wood dan da big, fat

possua. Day git fat on black haws and acorns and chinquapin and sich*

Chinquapin is good for people to eat and to roast• I used to be

pluab give up to be de best banter in Tyler and in de whole country.

I kilt aore deer dan any other man in de county and I been guide for

all da big nan what cosies hare to hunt. My wife9 Minenra, she used te

go taint in1 with no*

"X kep9 on huntin* and bant in* till de Jack-&~ay~l&nterns git

after ae* Bat a light you sees all 'round you. Bey follow all f long

and dey atop you still* Ben one time it git all over ae. Cone like

de wind, blow. blow9 and case jes 9 like fire all on my ars and ay

clothes and things* When dat git after ma I quit taunt in9 at nlghttiae

and ala9t been huntin9 since*

"One time I f ishia* on de creek and I ain't got no gon9 and

I look up and dere a blgt wild cat, He nerer pay me no aindf no aore

dan nothin1, but dat adn9t make no difference to ae. I jes9 flew in

dat oreekl

"I used to belong to de lodge but when I git so old I couldn9t

pay ay jews. I git unfinancial and X ain't a aeaber no aore*

eeeeeeeee

' ^ 4:20174

^y SX-SLATB 8D0BXBS Page One rn ~ (fesas) >• ^

MXKERTJL BENBT, 83, was bom a slave to Lasarus Soolsby, Henry Co* Alabama* who brought her to $exas when she was five. They settled near Woodvillaf where Minerva still lives.

l,My earlles* *membrasce was de big# white sandy road what

lead *way from de house* It was clean and white and us chillen love

to walk in de soft, hot sand* Bat in Henxy County. Alabama* where

X*s born and sy old marster was Lazarus doolsby and he have de big

plantation with lots of nigger folks* X fmember jus' as good as

yesterday wlgglln' my toes in dat sandy road and runnin' fway to de

grits ©ill where dey grind de meal* Bat have debig water wheel dat

sing and squeak as it go *reund#

"Aunt Mary, she sake all us little chillen sleep in de

heat of de day under de big, spreadin* oak tree in de yard* My

Kama have 17 chillen* Her name Bollie and my daddy name Herd*

SX's Jus9 a little chile In de» days and I *tsy in de

house with de white folks. Bey raise me a pet in de family* Missus

Soolsby, she have two gals and dey give »e to de oldest* Wteen she die

dey put me in de bed with her but iffen I knowed she dyinf dey wouldnH

been able to cotch me* She rub my head and tell her papa and mama, *I9&

gwine *way but I wants you promise you ainft never whip my little nigger*1

Bey never did*

*Xfa jus1 fbout five year old when us make de trip to Texas.

Us come right near ffoodville and make de plantation. Xt a big piece

and dey raise corn and cotton and cane* We makes our own mxgox and has

\ \ -1-

£x»slave Stories Page Two <r:Q (Texas) ^J

many aa six kettle cm da furnace at erne tine* Dey raise day tobacco, too.

I's sictc and a old nan ha say ha nake ne tobacco nedicine and dey dry da

leafs and neke dec sweet like sugar and feed ma like candy,,

w I 'aeaber old narster say war broke out and Capt* Collier1 s nan

was a-drillia* right dera south of Woo drill*, ill da wives and Chilian

watch dan drill* Bay was lots of den9 hut I couldn't count* De whole

shebang frcn de town go watch den,

"Jour of da Goolsby boys goes to dat war and dey call John and

Ziby and Zafcud and *£dlson* Za&ud* he git wounded, no ha git kilt, and

Addlsoa he git wounded* I worry den, * cause I ain't see no reason for

den to have to die*

"After us free dey turn us loose in de woods and dat de bad time*

'cause nost us didn't know where to turn. I wasn't raise to do not bin'

and I didn't know how* Dey didn't even give us a hoecake or a slice of

bacon*

"I's a June bride 59 year ago when I git narried* Be old white

Baptist preacher nane Blacksheer put ne and dat nigger over dare, Sdgar

Bendy* togadder and us been togeddar ever since* Us neret have chick or

chile* I's such a good nuss I guess de Lawd didn't want ne to have

none of ay own* so'a I could nuss all de others and I 'spect I's nussed

nost de white chillsn and cuilud* too* hare in foodvllle.

eeee

. 4;aoi?7 , >^ EX-SLAVS STORIES page One f^~

b>v* (Texas) f\)

SAfiAH BENJAMIN, 82, was born a slave of the Gilbert family, in Clavin Parish, iouisiana. In 1867 she married Cal Benj- amin and they settled in Cars- icana, Texas, where Sarah now lives*

WI is SaFah Benjamin and is 82 year old, 'cause my mammy told

me I!s horn in 1855 in Clavin Parish in liouisiana. Her name was

IPannie and my pappy1» n^me was Jack Callahaa* There was jus1

three of us chillen and Ifs de oldest.

MMarse Gilbert was tol'able good to we*unsf and give us plenty

to eat. He had a smokehouse "big as a church and it was full, and in

d© big kitchen we all et, chillen and all. De grown folks et first

and den de chillen* Did we have plenty of possums and fish by de

barrels full! All dis was eoeked in de racks over do fireplace and

it were good,

11 Our clothes was all homespun and de shoes mada "by de shoemaker.

Old marse wanted all us to go to church and if dey didnft have shoes

dey have something like de moccasin,

*I donft know how mary slaves there was, but it was a lot, maybe

60 or 70. Dey worked hard every day fcept Sunday, If fen they was bad

they might git whappinfs, bit not too hard, not to de blocs.. Iffen

dey was still bad, dey puts chains on dem and puts dem in de stocks,

■ca&se there wasnH no jail there,

*©nee when Ifa little * marse stripped me stark modern naked and

puts me on do bloek, but he wouldnft sell me, fca&se he was bid only

$350,00 and ho say no, 'cause I was good and fat,

-1-

Ex^slave Stories Pa^e Two vy\ (Texas) iX

11 Dey didnft larn us nothin1 ami if fen you did larn to writs,

you "better keep it to yourseff, ^sease some slaves £Ot de thumb or finger

cut off for larnin* to write,, When de slaves come in from de fields dty

didn't larn nothin1, they ju:if go to "bed, flessen de moonshine nights come

and dey eould work in ie tobacco patch. Do marsfcer give each one de little

tobacco patch ar^d iffen he raised merefn he could use he could sell it.

"Cn Christmas we all has de week vacation and maybe de dance.

7fe allus have de £ranf dinner on dat day, and no whuppin's. But dey couldn't

leave ie plantation without de pass, even on - Christmas.

"De women had to run de gin in de daytime and de &an at night.

Dey fe& ie old gin from baskets and my nammy fed from cose baskets sll day

with de high faver and died dat night. She woul&nH tell de marster she sick,

for fear she have to take de quinine.

HDe day we was freed, de slaves jus1 scattered, ! cepting me.

Missy Gilbert says I wasn't no slave no more but I had to stay arA he'p her

for ny board !till I's grown, j stayed 'till I v?as 'bout 16, den I runs

away and marries Cal Benjamin, and we comes to Texas. Cal and ^ has six

chillen, but he died 'fore dey was £rovm,

****«*$*

420023

For Bx-Slave Volume Page one *yp

00T 21937

EX-SLAVS STORIES (Texas)

7

EX-SLAVE AUTOBIOGRAPHY

36CK BBSS was born near Go 11 ad, Texas in 1854, a slave of Steve Bess who was a rancher♦ He worked with stock as a very young boy and this was bis duty during and after the Civil War, as be remained with bis boss for three years after emancipation* He then came to old Ben Fioklin four miles south of the present San Angelo, Texas, when it was the oounty seat of Tom Green County and before there was a. San Ang- elo* He continued his work on ranches here and has never done any other kind of work* For the past several years he has been very feeble and has made his home with a daughter in San Angelo, Texas*

Jaok who was assisted out of bed and dressed by bis

grandson, hobbled in on bis cane and said, *I was jes' a

small boy workln* on de ranch when I hear talk 'bout con-

Page two ^3

scriptin' da men for de war what was agoin' to set de slaves

free* We didn' know hardly what day was a talkin' *bout 'cause

wa knowed dat would be too good to be true* I jes' keeps on

workin' wid my hosaes and my cattla (dare wasn't no sheep den)

jea' like dare wasn't no war, 'cause dat was all I aver knowed

how to do*

•Our ole marster, he wasn't so very mean to us, course

he whips us onca and awhile but dat wasn't like de slays

holders what had dem colored drivers* Dey sho' was rough on

de slaves. I's bean told lots 'bout da chains and de diffe'nt

punishments but our treatment wasn't so bad* Our beds was

pratty good when we uses dem* Lots of de time we jes' sleeps

on da groun', 'specially in summer*

"Our log huts was comfortable and wa had some kind of

floors in all of dem* Some was plank and some was poles but

but dat was better dan de dirt floors some cabins have*

"De eats we have was jes' good eats, lots of meats and

vegetables and de like; 'possum and coon and beef and pSjojk

all oooked good* Our clothes was jes' home spun like all de

others*

"Wa didn' have such a big ranch and not many slaves

but wa all gits along* We laarns a little 'bout readln*

and writin**

*I don't 'member any camp meetin's 'til after de war*

Wa had a few das and on Christmas times we jes' tears up

de country* Lawdyf LawdJ Dat fiddlin' want on all night.

and wa danoe awhile dan lay down and sleeps* den gits up and

dances some mo'e* We would have big cakes and everything

Page three I-^J

good to eat*

"When we gits sick dey jes* gives us some kind of tea,

mostly made from weeds* Mos* of de time we gits well*

nWhen de news comes dat we was free our boss, he say,

*You free now.* Course we was glad but we didn* know nothin*

$0 do but jes* stay on dere•and we did *bout three years and

de boss pays us a little by de month for our work,

**I*s lef * dere den and comes to old Ben Fickl-in to

work on a ranch, Dat was before dere was any San Angelo,Tex»

as* I*s been here ever since, jes* a workin* from one ranch

to another long as I was able. Now I's jes* stayin* *round

wid my ohillun and dey takes good care of me."

420170 EX-SLAVE STORIES Page One

(Texas)

ELLEN BETTS, 118 H. Live Oak St.* Houston, Texas, is 84.

, ^ \ All of her people and their 9 v masters came fron Virginia

^A and settled in Louisiana about 1853. Her grandparents belonged to the Green family and her parents, Charity and William Green, "belonged to Tolas Parsons* Ellen lives with friends $iio support her. Her sole belonging is an old trunk and she carries the key on a string around her neck*

"I got borned on de Bayou Teche, clost to Opelousas* Dat in

St. Maryfs Parish, in Louisiana, end I belonged to Tolas Parsons, what

had fbout 500 slaves, count in1 de big ones and de little ones, snd

he had God know what else* When my eyes jes' barely fresh open, Marse

Tolas die and will de hull lot of us to he brother. William Tolas. And

I tells you dat Marse Willie© am de greates1 man what ever walk dis

earth* Datfs de truth. I can't lie on him when de pore man's in he

grave*

HWhen a whuppin1 got to be done, old Marse do it heself* He

don't 'low no overseer to throw he gals down and pull up dere dress and

whup on dere bottoms like I hear tell some of 'em do. Was he still

Hvin1 I fspect one part of he hands be with him today* I knows I would.

"When us niggers go down de road folks say, * Bern's Parson's niggers.

D0B !t hit one dem niggers for God's sake, or Parsons sho' eat your jacket

up.1

"Aunt Rachel what cook in de big house for Miss Cornelia had four

youngfuns and dem chillen fat and slick as I ever seen. All de niggers

have to stoop to Annt Rachel jes1 like dey curtsy to Missy* I mind de

75

Ex-slave Stories Page Two * *& (Texas)

time her husband, Uncle Jiraf git mad and hit her over de head with de poker.

k "big knot raise tip on Aunt Rachel's head and when Marse 'quire 'bout it, she

say she done Trump de he^d. She dassn't tell on Uncle Jim or Marse sho1 heat

him. liarse sho' proud dera black, slick chillen of Rachels. You couldn't

find a yaller chile on he pl^cc. He sho' got no use for mixin1 black and

white.

"Marse William h^ve de pretties1 place up and down dat bayou, with de

fine house aw fine trees and sech. From where we live it's five mile to

Centerville one way and five mile to Patterson t'other. Dey hauls de lumber

from one place or t'other to make wood houses for d.e slaves. Sometime Marse

buy de furniture and sometime de carpenter make it.

; "Miss Sidney was Marse1 s first wife and he had six boys by her. Den

he marry de widow Cornelius #nd she give him four boys, With ten chillen

springin' up quick like dat and all oe cullud chillen comin' 'lonp fast as

pig litters, I don't do nothin1 all my days, but nuss, nuss, nuss. I nuss

so many chillen it don* went ard stunted my growth and dat's why I ain't

nothin' but bones to dis day.

"When de cullud women has to cut cajie all day till midnight come and r ; after, I has to nuss de babies for dem and tend de white chillen, too. Some oem

babies so fat and big I had to tote de feet while 'nother gal tote de head.

I was sech a li'l one, 'bout seven or eight year old. De bifr folks leave

some toddy for colic and cryin* and sech and I done drink de toddy and let de

chillen have de milk. I don't know no better. Lawsy me, it a wonder I ain't

de bigges1 drunker in dis here country, count in1 all de toddy I done put in

my young bell^i

Ex-slave Stories Page Thsee % 7*7 (Texas)

f,When late of night come, if fen dem babies wake up and bawl, I set

up a screech and out-screech dem till dey shut dere mouth. De louder day

bawl de louder I bawl. Sometime when Marse hear de babies cryf he"come down

and say, fW:l$r de chillen cry like dat, Ellen?1 I say, 'Marse* I git so hongiy

and tired I done drink de milk up.1 When I talk sassy like dat, Marse jes'

shake he finger at me, 'cause he knowed I's a good one and don't let no little

mite starve.

"Nobody ever nit me a lick. Marse allus say bein1 mean to de youngfuns

make dem mean when dey grows up and nobody gwineter buy a mean nigger. Marse

donft even let de chillen go to de big cane patch. He plant little bitty patches

close to de house and each li'l nigger have a patch and he work it till it got

growed. Marse have de house girls make popcorn for fem and candy.

MI nuss de sick folks too. Sometime I dose with Blue Mass pills and

sometime Dr. Fawcett leave rhubarb and ipicac and calomel &n<& castor oil and

sech. Two year after de war„ I git marry and git chillen of my own and den I

turn into de wet nuss.. I wet nuss de white chillen and black chillen, like dey

all de same color. S0metime I have a white'un pullin 1 de one side anda black

one de other.

"I wanted to git de papers for midwifin1 butf law, I don't nerer have

no time for larnin1 in slave time. If Marse cotch e paper in you hand he sho1

whop jrou. He don't 'low no bright niggers •round, he sell fem quick. He allus

say, 'Book larnin1 donft raise no good sugar cane.1 De only larnin1 he flow was

when dey laxn de cullud chillen de Methodist catechism. De only writin1 a nig-

ger ever gitt am when he git born or marry or diet den Marse put cte name in de

big book# -&»

Ex-slave Stories Page Four ?' ^8 (Texas)

,n,Law, I 'lect de time Marse marry Miss Cornelia. He went on de

mail "boat ana brung her tram New Orleans. Sne ae pretties1 women in ae world

almost, 'ceptin1 sne nave ae bigges4 raou&u I nearly ever seed. He brung her

up to ae house BXICL *11 de niggers and boys and girls ana cats end dogs and sech

come an& salute her, Dere she stand on de gallery, with a purty white dress on

with red stripes runnin' up and down. Marse say to her, 'Honey, see all de

black folks, &ej 'longs to you now.1 She wave to us and smile on us and nexf

day she give her weddin' dress to my ma. Dat de fines' dress I ever seen. It

was purple and green silk and nil de nigger gals wear dat dress when dey git

marry. My sister Sidney wore it and Sary and Mary.

MMiss Cori&ia was de fines' woman in de world. Come Sunday mornin' she

done put a bucket of dimes on de front gallery and stand dere and ttirow dimes to

de nigger chillen jesf like feeain' chickens. I sho' rignt here to test'fy,

•cause I's right dere help in1 grab. Sometime she done put de wasiitub of butter-

milk on de back gallery and us chillen bring us gourds and dip up dat good, old

buttermilk till it all git drunk up. Sometime she fotch bread and butter to

de back gallery and pass it out when it don't even come mealtime.

"Miss Cornelia set my ma to cut tin' patterns and sewin1 right away. She

give all de women a bolt of linsey to make clothes and ma cut de pattern. Us all

have de fine drawers down to de ankle, buttoned with pretty white buttons on de

bottom. Lawsy, ma sho' cut a mite of drawers, with sewin' for her eleven gals

and four boys, too. In de summertime we all git a bolt of blue cloth and white

tape for trimmin1, to make Sunday dresses. ?or de field, all de niggers git

homespun what you make junipers out of. I 'lect how Marse say, 'Don't go into de

field dirty Monday mornin1. Scrub youself and put on de clean jumper.'

—4—

Ex-slave Stories Page Five ;. ^Q (Texas) *• *^

"Marse sho1 good to dem gals md bucks what cut tin1 de cane. When

d*7 git done makin' sugar, he give a drink call 'Peach 'n Honey1 to de women

folk and whiskey and brandy to, de men. And of all de dancin1 ant caperin'

you ever seenl My pa was fiddler and we'd cut de pigeon wing and cut de "buck

and every otner kind of dance. Sometime pa git tired and say he ain't gwinetcr

play no more and us gals git busy r^nd pop him corn md make candy, so to 'tice

him to play more.

"Marse sho1 turn over in he grave did he know fbout- some dat flasses.

Dem black boys don't" care. I seen 'em pull rats out de sugar barrel and dey

taste de sugar and say, 'Ain't nothin' wrong with dat sugar. It still sweet.1

One day a pert one pull a dead scorpion out de syrup kettle and he jas1 laugh

and say, 'Ma^se don't want waste non^ dis syrup,' and he lick de syrup right

off dat scorpion's body and legs.

,fLawsy me, I seen thousands and thousands sugar barrels and kettles of

syrup in my day. Lawd knows how much cane old Marse have. To dem cuttin' de

cane it don't seem Jo much, but to dem what work hour in, hour out, dem sugar

cane fields sho' stretch from one end de earth to de other. Marse ship hogs

and hogs of sugar down vie bayou. I seen de river boats go ^own with big signs

what say, 'Buy dis here "lasses' on de side. And lie raise a world of rice snd

'taters and corn and peanuts, too.

"When de work slight, us black folks sno have de balls and dinners and

sech. We git all day to barbecue meat down on de bayou p,nd de white folks come

down and eat long side de cullud.

"When a blacfc gal marry, Marse marry her hisself in de bi-: house.

He marry !em Saturday, so dey git Sunday off, too. One time de river boat come

-5-

Ex~slave Stories Page Six 80 (Texas)

bearin1 drf license for niggers to git marry with. Marse chase fem off and

say, 'Don't you come truckin' no no-count papers roun1 my niggers. When I

marry fem, dey marry as good as if de Lawd G-od hisself marry fem and it don!t

take no paper to bind de tie.1 Marse don't stand no messin' 'r-ound, neither.

A gal have to be of sge and ask her pa and ma and Marse 8nd Missy, and if dey

*gree, day go ahead and git marry. Marse have de marry book to put de name

down.

"One time Marse take me 'long to help tote some chillen. He done

write up to Virginny for to buy fresh hands, Dey a old man dat hobble 'long de

road and de chillen start to throw rocks and de old man tu-n 'round to one

prissy one and say, 'Go on, young'un, you'll be where dogs can't bark at you

tomorrow. Nex' mornin' us cookin' in de kitchen and all a sudden dat li'l boy

js' cruiaple up dead on de floor. Law, we's scairt. Nobody ever bother dat

old msn no more, for he sho' lay de evil finger on vou.

"" "Marse's brother, Conrad, what was a widdyraan, cone to live on de

plantation and he had a lifl gal 'bout eight year old. On* day she in de plum

orchard pi ay in1 with a rattlesnake and Marse Conrad have de fit. De li'l gal

wonft let nobody hurt dat snake and she play with him. He won't bite her.

She keeps him 'bout three year, and she'd rub and grease him. One day he get

sick and dey give him some brandy, but he die and old Doc pickle him in de

bottle of brandy. Dat gal git so full of grief dey take her to de infirm'ry

in New Orleans and den one day she up and die.

"Dat snake ain't all what Doc Jewcett pickle. A slave woman give

birth to a baby gal what have two faces witn a strip of hair runnin' 'tween.

Old Doc Fawcett pickle it in de jar of brandy. Old doc start to court Miss

Ex-slave Stories Page Seven Q* (Texas)

Cornelia when Marse die, bu^. she donft have none of him and he done ^ent

straight !way and kill hisself.

HOne day a li'l man come ridin1 by on a lifl dun boss so fast you

couldn't see dat hoss tail a-switchinf. He whoopin1 ajid hollerin1. Us nig-

gers fgun whoop and holler, too, T)en first thing ^ou know de Tanks and de

Democrats fgun to fight right dere. Dey a high old mountain front Marse1 s

house and de Ya,nks fgun pepper cannon ball down from de top dat hill. Da

war met right dere and dera Yanks and Democrats fit for twenty-four hours

straight runnin1.

"When da bullets starts rainin1 down, Marse call us and slip us way

back into de woods, where it so black and deep. Next day, when de fight over,

Marse come out with great big wagons piles full of mess-poke for us to eat.

Dat what us call hog meat. Us sho1 glad to 'scape from de Yankees.

"Whan us driv back to de plantation, sech a sight I never seen. Law,

de things I can tell. Dem Yanks have kilt men and women. I seed babies pick

up from de road with dere brains bust right out. One old loan am drawin1 water

and a cannon ball shoots him ri^ht in de well, Dey draws him up with de fish in1

line. Dey's a old sugar boat out on de bayou-with blood and sugar runnin1 long

side de busted barrels, Masses run in de bayou and blood run in de ditches.

Marse have de great big orcnard on de road and it wipe clean as de whistle.

Bullets wipe up everythin1 and bust dat sugar cane all to pieces. De house sot

far back and f scape de bullets, but, law, de time dey have!

wDeyfs awful, awful times after dat. A old cotton dress cost five dol-

lars and a pound of coffee cost five dollars and a pint cup flour cost six bits.

-7~

Ex-slave Stories Page Eight oS (Texas)

De Yanks fround all de time and one dry thev comes right in de house where

Miss Cornelia eatin1 her dinner. Dey marcn 'round de table, jes1 scoopin'

up meat and Haters and grabbin' cornpone right and left. Miss Cornelia

don!t s«y a word, jes' smile sweet as honey-cake. T reckon dem sobers might

a took de silver and seen only she charm 'em by bein1 so quiet and ladylike.

First thing you know dem sojers curtsy to Missy and take dereself right out

de door and don't come "back.

HDen it seem liice Marse have all de trouble in de world. He boy,

Ned, die in de war and William, what name for he pa, drink bad all de tine.

And after de war dem Ku Kluxers what wear de false faces try to tinker with

Marse*s niggers. One day Uncle Dave start to town and a Kluxer ask him where

am he pass. Dat Kluxer clout him but Uncle Dave outrun him in de cane, Marse

grab de JIORS and go 'rest dat man and Marse a jedge and he make dat man pay

de fine for hittin1 Uncle "Dave. After day hears of dat, dem old poky faces

sho' scairt of old Marse and dey git out from Opelousas a,nd stays out. When

me and my husband, John, come to Texas de folks say dat Louisiana masters de

raeanes1 in de world and I say right beck at fem dat dey is good and mean in

every spot of de earth. What more, de Louisiana masters free dere niggers

a year befo' any Texas nigger git free.

"When Mancipation come, Ma^se git on * e big block and say,

'You all is as free as I is, standin' right here. Does ^ou want to stay

with me, you can, and Ifll pay you for de work.' All de niggers cheer and

say day want to stay, but Marse die not long after and all us niggers scatter.

WI sho1 ?,iect dat day old Marse die. He won't die till ma gits

there. He keep sayin', "flhere1* Charity, tell Charity to come.* Dey fotch.

Ex-slave Stories Page Nine (Texas) 83

ma from de cane patch and she hold Marse's hand till h** die. Us niggers

went to de graveyard and us sho1 cry over old Msrse.

"Marsefs brother, Goldhta, carries all he hands back to de free

country to turn fem loose. He say de free country am de ones what's ye11in*

fbout slave times, so dey could jesf take care of de niggers. Marse Goldiiam

so big dat when he stand in de door you co Idn't git by him, 'thout he stand

sideways,

"Law, times ainft like dey was in slave days. All my ten chillen

is dead and ay old nan gone, and now I reckon my time 'bout 'rive. All I got

to do now am pray de La.wd to keep me straight, den when de great da^ come,

I can march ae road to glory.

***********

420125 EX-SLAVE STOKIBS Page One

(Texas)

CHABLOTTE BEVERLY was born a slave to Captain Pankey^ wife, in Montgomery County, Texas. She has lived most of her life within a radius of 60 miles from Houston, and now lives with one of h«r children in a little house on the highway bet we between Cleveland and Shepherd, Texas. S>he does not know her age, but appears to be about ninety•

"I1 a born in Montgomery County and Ifs tne reudder of eleven

chillen, four gals and seven boys. My grandma come from Alabama

and my daddy was Strawder Green and he belong to Col. Hughes. My

maw named Phyllis and she belong to Capt. Pmkey.

HThere was fbout forty niggers, big and little, on the

plantation. Lawd, they was good to us. Us didn1 know nothin1 fbout

bad times and cutting ani whipping and slashing. I had to woxk in

the house and I fraember one thing I has to do was scrub Mistus1 gol1

snuffbox twict a week. She kep1 sweet, Scotch snuff and sometimes

I take6 a pinch out.

HWe used to go to the white folks church and if us couldn1 git

in wefd stand round by the door and sing. Mistus wouldn* *low us

dance on the place but they give us pass to go to dance on nest1 plantation,

where my daddy live.

wBvery year they have bit Christmas dinner and ham &n& turkey

and allus feed us good. Us have Christmas party and sing songs. That

was sweet music*

"Marster have a lovely nouse, all ceiled and plastered. It was

a log house but it was make aitl ueautiful inside with mirrors and on

the board was lots of silver and china and silver spoons with the gol1

ll»iafs and part of my job vas to keep •em sparkling

Ex-slave Stories Page Two Q^ (Texas)

"Folks in them times cooks in the fireplace and my auntie, she cook.

She make fsimmon "oread and Hater pone and the like. She mash up •simmons

with butter and pour sweet milk and flour in it. That make good Simmon

bread. We has skillets what was flat and deep and set on three legs,

"The slaves lived, in little log houses and sleep on wood "beds. The

beds was make three-legged. They make augur hole in side of the house and

put in pieces of wood to make the ted frnme, and they put straw and cotton

mattress on them bed.

n01d aarster used to let he slaves have a extry cotton patch to they-

selves and they work it by the moonlight. They could sell that cotton and

have the money for theyselves#

"My white mistus was a Christian and she'd own her &od anywhere. She

used to shout, jus1 sit and clap her hands and say, 'Hallalujsh.* Once I

seed her shout in church and I tninks; something ail her and I ran down the

aisle and goes to fannin1 her.

MOne of tne slaves was a sort-a preacher and sometimes marster f lowed

him to preach to tne niggers, but he have to preacn with a tub over nis

tie&&% 'cause he git so happy he talk too loud. Somebody froa tne big

nouse liable to come down and make him quit f cause he makin1 fsturbanc*.

"I brings water from the well and they have what they call piggins ,

and they was little tubs with two handles. Mistus wouldn1 flow me to

do aj^sr heavy work,

"I see sojers and knits socks for »em by moonshine. Me and my busban*

was married by a Yankee sojer. I was dress ia white Tarleyton weddin1

dress and I didn1 wear no hoop skirt. I had a pretty wreath of little

white flowerst little bitty, little dainty ones, the pretties 1 little

~3-

Ex-slave Stories Page Two (3exas)

things. When I marry, ay sister marry too and our husban's was brudders.

My hasban1 dress in suit of white linen. He sho1 look handsome. He

give me a gol1 ring and a cup and saucer for weddin1 gif. We git married

in Huntsville and us didn* go no weddin1 journey trip. We was so poor we

couldn1 go round the house J I's '"bout twenty some year when I marries, but

I don1 know jus1 how old. We has a big dance that night and the white folks

come, 'cause they likes to see the niggers dance.

"The white folks had iateres' in they cullud people where I live. Some-

times they1 s as many as fifty cradle with little nigger babies in fem and

the mistust she look after them and take care of them, toe. She turn them

and dry them herself. She had a little gal git water and help. She never

had no chillen of her own. I'd blow the horn for the mudders of the little

babies to come in from tne fields and nurse 'em, in mornin' and afternoon.

Mistus feed them what was old enough to eat victuals. Sometimes, they

mammies take than to the field and fix pallet on ground for them to lay

on.

"The las' word my old Mistus Pankey say when she die was, 'You take

care of Charlette.1

***********

4802349 IX»SLJLVE STOHIES Page One . QHN

(Texas) 'Of

FBUTCIS BLACK was horn at Grand Bluff, Mississippi, about 1850, on the Jim Carlton plan- tation. When five years old, she was stolen and taken to the slave market in New Orleans# failing to sell her there, the slave traders took her to Jef- ferson, Texas, md. sold her to Bill<!ftimlin. Jrancis stayed with him five years after she was freed, then martied and moved to Gass County, Texas. She became blind a year ago, and now lives at the Bagland Old Polks Home, 313 Elm St., Texarkana, Texas.

"My name am Francis Black, end I donft know jes? how old I is,

hut ^members lots fbout them slave days* I was a hig gal, washin1 and

ironin*, when they sot the darkies free. From that, I cal'late Ifm in

my eighties.

111 was horn in Grand Bluff, in Mississippi, on Old ManCarltonTs

plantation, and I was stole from, my folks when I was a lifl gal and

never seed thep no more. Us kids played in the big road there in Mis-

sissippi, and one day me and Another gal is playin1 up and down the

road and three white men come flong in a wagon. They grabs us up and

puts us. in the wagon and covers us with quilts. I hollars and yells and

one the men say, fSliet up, you nigger, or 1*11 kill you.1 I told him,

fXill me if you wants to - you stole me from my folks.1

"Them men took us to Hew Orleans to the big slave market. I had

loiig h^ it off like a boy and tried to sell me, but I

told the© men what looks at me, the men cut my hair off and stole me. 1 F

Th» aan''ta*t cut ^r hair off cursed at arid said if I didn't hush he*d

kill me, "but he couldnH sell us at Kiw Orleans aad took us to Jeffers-on.

Ex-slave Stories Page rjjw0 (ftaas) ^ , gg

WI never knowed what they done with the other gal, but they sold me to

Maarse Bill Tumlin, what run a big livery stable in Jefferson, and I Tlonged

to him till surrender. I lived in the house with them, *cause they had a boy

and gal and I did for them. They bought me clothes and took good care of me -

but I never seed no money till surrender. 1 et what they et, after they got

through. Missy say she didnU flieve in fesdin* the darkies scraps, like

some folks*

MI played with them two chillen all day, then sot the table, I was so

small I'd git in a chair to reach the dishes out of the safe. I had to pull

a long flybrush over the tanle whilst the white folks et.

wMarse Tumlin had a farm fbout four mile from town, and a overseer,

and I seed him buckle the niggers crost a log and whip them. Marse lived

in Jefferson, heself, and when hefd go to the farm he allus took his boy

with him. Wefd be playin* in the barn and Marse call from the house,

•Come on, Jimmie, we*re gwine to the farm.1 Jimmie allus say to me, *Come

on, nigger, let*s ride round the farm,f I'd say, *I ainft no nigger.1

He'd say, 'Yes, you is, my pa paid $200 for you. He bought you for to play

with me* *

"Jefferson was a good town till it burned up. I fmembers the big

fire what looked like the whole town gwineter burn up. Mars© Bill lost

his livery stable in the fire.

"The Yankee soldiers, all dressed in blue, come to run the town

after the war* Marse Tumlin done told me Vm free, but I stays on till

1% moat growed. Then I works round town and marries Dave Black, and we

Ex-slave Stories Page Three (Texas) 89

moved to Cass County. I raises six chillun but my old man done git so triflin' and mean I quit him and worked for myself. I come to Texarkana to work, and allus could earn my own livin' till 'bout a year ago I lost my seein', and Albert Ragland done took me in his home for the old folks. They gives me a $10 a month pension now. They is good to me here and feeds us good.

420142 Ki-SLAVE STORIES Page One CJ()

(Texas)

0LI7IER BLANCHJIRD, 95 years old, was a slave of Clairville La San, / who owned a large plantation in Martimville Parish, Louisiana* His father was a Frenchman and Olivier speaks rather haltingly, as though it is difficult for him to express his thoughts in English, for he has talked a species of French all his life. He live8 in Beaumont, Tezas*

NI was plowing and hoeing "before the freedom and I talk more

of the French 'cause I comes from St. MartlnTllle Parish. I was horn

there in Louisiana and my mama was Angelina Jean Pierre and she was

slave born. Uy papa was Olivier Blanchard and he white man carpenter

on old plantation* We belong to Clairville LaSan and all live on

that place. My papa just plain carpenter tut could draw patterns for

houses. I don't know where he lam that work.

"I sas count free born and still have one white half sister

alive. When freedom come my mama and papa split up and mama get marry.

tf I pick cotton and mama cook* She make koosh-koosh and cyayah-

that last plain clabber. Mama cook lots of gaspergou and carp and

the poisson ami fish* with the long snout —what they call gar now.

I think it eel fish they strip the skin off and wrap round the hair

and make it curly*

wThe Bayou Teche, it run close by and the women do all the

clothes with a big paddle with holes in It to clean them In the bayou.

They paddle them clean on the rocks and then wash them in the water*

-1~

Ex-slave Stories Page Two 91 (Texas)

"One time one big "bayou 'gator cose up and bite a woman1*

arm otto She ay sister in law. But they keep on washing the clothes

in the bayou just the sane,

*We haTe plenty to eat and peaches and Muscadines and pecans,

9 cause there right smart woods and swaa&p there* We play in the woods

and most time in the bayou on boats with planks what would float* We

had the good time and had a little pet cson* You know, the coon like

sweet things and he steal our syrup and when we chase him with the

switch he hide under the bed*

"My old missus was good Catholic and she have us christened

and make the first communion* That not registered, 'cause it before the

freedom* but it were in old St* Martin's church* same old church what

stand now* There was a stsfcue of Pare Jean, the old priest, in front

the church and one of St* Martin, too*

"Plenty men from St* Martinville go to the war and Archie

DeBlieu, he go to Virginia and fight* The first one to pass our place

was John Well Banks and he was a Yankee going up the Red River*

"The yellow fever came durin1 that war and kill lots. All

the big plantation have the graveyard for the cullud people* That fever

so bad they get the coffin ready before they dead and they so scared

that some weren't dead but they think they are and busy them* There was

a white girl call Colene foamier what was to marry Sundqr and she take

sick Friday before* She say not to bury her in the ground but they put

her there while they got the tomb ready. When they open the ground grave

te pat her in the tomb they find she burled alive and she eat all her own

shoulder and hand away. Her sweetheart, Gart Berrild, he see that corpse,

Bx&slave Stories Pagelhree ($3 (Texas)

and he go home and get took: with yellow fever and die.

"They was the old lady what die. She was a terrible soul. One

tine after she die I go to get water out of her rain barrel and I had

a lavp *& one hand. That old ladyfs ghost hi owed oat the leap and slap-

pad the pitcher out ay hand. After she first die her husband put black

dress on her and tie up the jaw with a rag and ay girl look in the rooa

and there that old lady, Liza Lee9 eittin 1 by the fire. My girl tell

her aaaa and after three day she go back, and Liza I*ee buried but ay

wife see her sittin1 by the fire. Then she sorry she whip the chile for

say in1 she saw Liza Lee« That old lady, Lisa Lee9 was a tart and she

stay a tart for a long time,

WI aarry 72 year ago in the Catholic Church in St, Martinville,

My wife call Adeline Chretien and she dead 37 year. We hare seven

children but four live now* frank ay only boy live no*, in Iowa, in

Louisiana and my two girls live, Enzieie Be Qjtierive and Rose Baptists*

***********

420199

4

ZJUSIAVS STORMS Page One 93 (Texas)

JUIIA BUNKS was born of a Blare mother and a three-quarter Indian father, In San Antonio, in the second year of tue Civil War. Her mother, part Trench and part Hegro, was owned by Mrs, Joan G. Wilcox, formerly a Miss Donaldson, wno had

. llTed at tne White House, and who $Jp gave Julia to her daughter, After

the slaves were freed, Julia contin- ued to lire with her mother in San Antonio until, at fifteen, she mar- ried Henry Hall. 71TO years later her second marriage took place, at Leon Springs, Texas, where she lived until aoring to the Adams ranch, on the Trie River. Here she raised her family. After leaving the Adams ranch, Julia and Henry bought two sections of state land, out after four years they let it go hack because of Henry's ill health, and mowed to Uvalde.

"I was horn in San Antonio, in 1862. My mother's name

was Bachael Miller, I don't know if she was born in Tennessee

or Mississippi, I heard her talk of both places. I don't know

nothing about my father, because ne run off when I was about

three months old. He was three-quarter Cherokee Indian. They

were lots of Indians then, and ay husband's people come from

Savannah, Georgia, and he said they was lots of Indians there,

I had two sisters and one brother and the sisters are dead but

my brother lives somewhere in Arizona, My mother's master's

name was John C. Wilcox.

"When we was small chill en, they hired my sisters out, but

not ae. My grandfather bought ay grandmother's tiae and they run

a laundry house. They hired ay aether out, toe.

"Ton see, ay grandmother was free "bora, hut they stole her

and sold her to Mies Swaldsea. She was half f ranch. She looked

BX-slave Autobiographies — Julia Blanks Page Two (Texas)

jes* like a French woman. She wasn't a slave, but she and her

brother were stolen and sold. She said the stage coach, used to

pass her aunt's house, and one day she and her brother went down

to town to buy some buns, and when they were comin' back, the

stage stopped and asked *em to ride. She wanted to ride, but her

brother didn't. But they kep' coaxin' 'em till they got 'em in.

Shey set her down between the two women that was in there and

set her brother between two men, and when they got close to the

house, they threw cloaks over their heads and told the driver to

drive as fast as he could, and he sure drove, ©ley taken 'em to

Wash in'ton, to the White House, and made her a present to Mary

Uleox (Miss Donaldson) and her brother to somebody else. Then

this woman married John C. Wilcox and they come to Texas.

"She saw a cousin of hers when they got to Vashin'ton, and

she knew, after that, he had some thin' to do with her and her

brother bein» stolen. One day she found a piece of yellow money

and took it to her cousin and he told her it wasn't no good and

gave her a dime to go get her some candy. After that, she saw

gold money and knew what it was.

"She said she had a good time, though, when she was growing

tip. 1!hey were pretty good to her, but after they came to San

Antonio, Mrs. Uleox began bain» mean. She kep» my mother hired

out all the time and gave me to her daughter and my sister to

hex son. My mother was kep' hired out all the time, cooking;

and after freedom, she just took to wash in' and ironin'. My

grandfather bought his time and my grandmother's time out* They

didn't stay with her.

-a- ■•■-.■

Ex-slave Autobiographies — Julia Blanks Page Shr$« (T«ia»)

"I've heard my mother talk about coffee. They roasted beans

and made coffee, she says, out on the plantation, they would

take bran and put it in a tub and have *em stir it up with water

in it and let all the white go to the bottom and dip it off and

strain it and make starch. I have made starch out of flour over

and often, myself. I had four or five little girls; and I had .

to keep *em like pins. In them days they wore little calico

dresses, wide and full and standin* out, and a bonnet to match

every dress. nI used to. hear my grandmother tell about the good times

they used to have. They would go from one plantation to another

and have guilt iA !s and corn huskin*s. And they would dance. They

didn't have dances then like they do now. The white people would

give them things to eat. They would have to hoof it five or sir

miles and didn»t mind it.

"They had what they called patros, and if you didnft have

a pass they would whip you and put you in jail. Old Man Burns

was hired at the courthouse, and if the marsters had slaves that

they didn't want to whip, they would send them to the courthouse

to be whipped. Some of the marsters was good and some wasn't.

There was a woman, oh, she was the meanest thing: I don't know

if she had a husband — I never did hear anything about him.

When she would get mad at one of her slave women, she would make

the men tie her down, and she had what they called ^cat-c-nine-

tails, and after she got the blood to come, she would dip it in

salt and pepper and whip her again. Oh, she was ims.nl My

>5

EX-slave Autobiographies — Julia Blanks Page j&r 96 (Tsxas)

mother's marster was good; he wouldn't whip any of his slaves.

But his wife wasn't good. If she got mad at the women, when he

would come home she would say: 'John, I want you to uhip Liza. •

Or Martha. And he would say, fThem are your slaves, You whip

them.' He was good and she was mean.

"When my aunt would go to clean home, she (Mrs. ¥ilcox)

would turn all the pictures in the house but one, the meanest

looking one — you know how it always looks like a picture is

watching you every where you go — and she would tell her if

she touched a thing or left a bit of dirt or if she didn't do

it good, this, picture would tell. And she believed it.

"My grandmother told a tale one time. You know in slave

time they had an old loman to cook for the ehillen. One day

they were going to have company. ©iis woman that was the boss

of the place where the ehillen was kept told the old cullud

woman to take a piece of bacon and grease the mouths of all the

ehillen. Hhen she told a boy to bring them up to these people,

and the woman, said: »0h, you must feed these ehillen good, just

look at their mouthsi' And the woman said, 'Oh, that's the way

they eat,' They didn't get meat often. That was just to make

them believe they had lots to eat.

»No. They were out off from education. O&e way my step-

father got his learning was a cullud blacksmith would teach

school at night, and us ehillen taught our mother. She didn't

know how to spell or read or nothin'. She didn't know B from

builds foot. Some of them were allowed to have church and some

didaH. Mighty few read the Bible 'cause they eouldn't read. As

EX-slave Autobiographies — Julia Blanks Page $IY« 9T (Texas)

my mother used to say, they were raised up as green as cucumbers.

That old blacksmith was the onlyist man that knew how to read

and write in slavery time that I knew of. My grandmother or none

of them knew how to read; they could count, but that was all.

That's what makes me mad. I tell my grandchillen they ought to

learn all they can 'cause the old people nearer had a chance. My

husband never did have any schooling, but he sure could figger.

Now, if you want me to get tangled up, just give me a pencil and

paper and I don't know nothing.n She tapped her skull. "I

figger in my head! The chillen, today, ought to appreciate an

education.

*0h, yea, they were good to the slaves when they were sick.

They would have the doctor come out and wait on them. Most

plantations had what they called an old granny cullu^d woman that

treated the chillen with herbs and such things.

"Games? I don't know. We used to play rap jacket. We

would get switches and Ttiip one another. You know, after you was

hit several times it didn't hurt much. I've played a many time.

m slave time the men used to go huntin* aft night, and hunt

'possums and 'coons. r4hey would have a dog or two along. They

used to go six or seven miles afoot to corn buskin's and quiltin's.

And those off the other plantations would come over and join in

the work. And they would nearly always have a good dinner.

Sometimes sons of the owners would giva 'em a hog or some thin'

nice to eat, but some of 'em didn't.

"No'm, I don't know if they run off to the North, but

4, Ex-slave Autobiographies — «Tulia Blanks Page Sii 9§ (T«zas)

some of them runned off and stayed in the swamps, and they was

mean. They called them runaways. If they saw you,they would

tell you to bring them something to eat. And if you didn't do

it, if they ever got you they sure would fix you.

"I don't know when my mother was set free. My husband's

marster's name was King. He was from Savannah, Georgia, but at

the time was living close to Boerne. My husband's father was

killed in the war. When my husband was about ten years old, his

marster hadn't told them they was free. You know some of them

didn't tell the slaves they was free until they had to. After

freedom was declared, lots of people didn't tell the slaves they

were free. One morning, my husband said, he happended to look

out and he saw a big bunch of men coming down the road, and he

thought he never saw such pretty men in his life on them horses.

!Ehey had so many brass buttons on their clothes it looked like

gold. So he run and told his mama, and she looked and saw it

was soldiers, and some of 'em told the boss, and he looked and

saw them soldiers comin' in the big gate and he called 'em in

quick, and told them they were free. So when the soldiers come,

they asked him if he had told his slaves they were free, and he

said yes. ©ley asked the Neg|o^es if they lived there, and they

said yes. One said, /'He just told us we was free.'/ 'i'he soldiers

asked him why he had just told them, and he said they wasn't all

there and he was waiting for them all to be there.

«My husband said he thought them was the prettiest bunch

of men he ever saw, and the prettiest horses. Of course, he

-6-

Ex-slave Autobiographies — Julia .Blanks Page Sevea QQ

hadn't never saw any soldiers before. I know it looked pretty

to me when I used to see the soldiers at the barracks and hear

the band playin' and see them drillin* and ever*thing. You see,

we lived on a little cross-street right back of St. Mary*s Church

in San Antonio, i don't know how that place is now. where the

post office is now, there used to be a blacksmith shop and my

father worked there. 1 went back to San Antonio about fifteen

years ago and jes» took it afoot and looked at the changes. nI was fifteen years old the first time I married. It was

almost a run-a-way marriage. I was married in San Antonio. My

first husband's name was Kenry Hall. My first wedding dress was

as wide as a wagon sheet. It was white lawn, full of tucks, and

had a big ruffle at the bottom, I had a wreath and a veil, too.

The veil had lace all around it. We danced and had a supper.

We danced all the dances they danced then; the waltz, square,

quadrille, polka, and the gallopade — and that's what it was,

all right; you shore galloped. You»d start from one end of the

hall and run clear to the other end. In those days, the women

with all them long trains — the men would hold it over his arm.

Ho, Lord! Honeymoons wasn't thought of then. No'm, I never

worked out a day in my life." Jokingly, -*I guess they thought

I was too good looking. I was about twenty years old when I

married the second time. I was married in Leon Springs the

second time.

"Before we come out to this country from Leon Springs,

they was wild grapes, dewberries, plums and agaritas, black haws,

Ex-slave Autobiographies — JUlia Blanks Page li^ht^O (Sight)

red haws. M-m-m! Them dewberries, I dearly love »em! I never

did see wild cherries out here. I didn't like the cherries much,

but they make fine wine. ¥e used to gather mustang grapes end

make a barrel of wine.

"After I married the second time, we lived on the Adams

ranch on the i'rio and stayed on that ranch fifteen years. We

raised all our chillen right on that ranch. I am taken for a

Mexkin very often. I jes' talk Mexkin back to 'em. I learned

to talk it on the ranch. As long as I have lived at this place,

I have never had a cross word about the chillen. All my neighbors

here is Mexkins. They used to laugh at me when I tried to talk

to the hands on the ranch, but I learned to talk like 'em.

"We used to have big round-ups out on the Adams ranch.

They had fences then. The neighbors wuld all come over and get

out and gather the cattle and bring »em in. Up at Leon Springs

at that time they didn»t have any fences, and they would have

big round-ups there. But after we come out here, it was differ-

ent. He would notify his neighbors they were go in' to gather

cattle on a certain day. The ohuck wagon was right there at the

ranch, that is, I was the chuck wagon. But if they were goin*

to take the cattle off, they would have a chuck wagon. They

would round up a pasture at a time and come in to the ranch for

their meals. Now on the Wallace ranch, they would always take

a chuck wagon. Ihen they were gettin' ready to start brandin'

at the ranch, my husband always keg* his brand in' irons all in

the house, hangin» up right where he could get his hands on »em.

-8-

Ex-slave Autobirgraphies — Julia Blanks Page VintlOl (Texas)

Whenever they would go off to other ranches to gather cattle,

you would see ever* man with his beddin* tied up behind him on

his horse. He*d have jes» a small roll. They would always have

a slicker if nothin* else. That slicker answered for ever*thing

sometimes. My husband slep* many a night with his saddle under

his head.

"He used to carry mail from San Antonio to Dog Town, horse-

back. That was the town they used to call Lodi (Lodo), but I

don't know how to spell it, and don*t know what it means. It

was a pretty tough torn. The jail house was made out of »dobe

and pickets. They had a big picket fence all around it. They

had a ferry that went right across the San Antonio River from

Floresville to Dog Town. I know he told me he come to a place

and they had a big sign fchat said, 'Nigga, don't let the sun go

down on you here.* They was awful bad down in there. He would

leave Dog Town in the evenin* and he would get to a certain place

up toward San Antonio to camp, and once he stopped before he got

to the place he always camped at. He said he didn't know what

made *im stop there that time, but he stopped and took the sad-

dle off his horse and let *im graze while he lay down. After a

while, he saw two cigarette fires in the dark right up the road

a little piece, and he heard a Mexkin say, *I don't see why he's

so late tonight. He always gets here before night and camps right

there.* He knew they was waylayin* »im, so he picked his saddle

up right easy and carried it fu'ther back down the road in the

brush and then come got his horse and took him out there and

sfddled fim up and went away * round them Mexkins. He went on in

-9-

Ex-slave Autobigraphies — JXilia Blanks Page Tea 1.02 (IIXM)

to San Antonio and didn't go back any more. A white man took the

mail to carry then and the first trip he made, he never come back.

He went down with the mail and they found the mail scattered

somewhere on the road, but they never found the man, or the horse,

either.

n0n the Adams ranch, in the early days, we used to have to

pack water up the bank. You might not believe it, but one of

these sixty-pound lard cans full of water, I've a-carried it on

my head many a time. We had steps cut into the bank, and it was

a good ways down to the water, and I'd pack that can up to the

first level and go back and get a .couple a buckets of water, and

carry a bucket in each hand and the can on my head up the next

little slantin' hill before I got to level ground. I carried

water that way till my chillen got big enough to carry water,

then they took it up. When I was carryin' water in them big cans

my head would sound like new leather — you know how it squeaks,

and that was the way it sounded in my head. But, it never did

hurt me. You see, the Mexkins carry loads on their heads, but

they fix a rag around their heads some way to help balance it.

But I never did. I jes» set it up on my head and carried it

that way. Oh, we used to carry wateri My goodnessi My mother

said it was the Indian in me — the way I could carry water.

"linen we were first married and moved to the Adams ranch,

we used to come here to Uvalde to dances. "Ehey had square dances

then, ©ley hadn't commenced all these frolicky dances they have

now. Biey would have a supper, but they had it to sell. Every

fellow would have to treat his girl he danced with,

-10-

Ex-slave Autobiographies — Julia Blanks Page iifcren 103 (T«xas)

nI can remember \<hen my grandfather lived in a house with

a dirt floor, and they had a fireplace. And I can remember just

as well how he used to bake hoecakes for us kids. He would rake

back the coals and ashes real smooth and put a wet paper down on

that and then lay his hoecake down on the paper and put another

paper on top of that and the ashes on top. I used ..to think that

was the best bread I ever ate, I tried it a few times, but I

made such a mess I didn»t try it any more. One thing I have seen

»em make, especially on the ranch. You take and clean a stick

and you put on a piece of meat and piece of fat till you take and

use up the heart and liver and sweetbread and other meat and put

it on the stick and wrap it around with leaf fat and then put the

milk gut, or marrow gut, around the whole thing. fhey call that

macho (mule), and I tell you, it*s good, 'ihey make it out of a

goat and sheep, mostly.

"Another thing, we used to have big round-ups, and I have

cooked great pans of steak and mountain orshters. Generally, at

the brandin* and markin', I cooked up ssany a big pan of mountain

orsbters. I wish I had a nickel for ever* one I've cooked, and

ate too: People from up North have come down there, and, when

they were brandin* and cut-tin* calves there, they sure did eat

and enjoy that dinner,

*fhe men used to go up to the lake, fishin', and catch big

trout, or bass, they call 'em now; and we»d take big buckets of

butter — we didn't take a saucer of butter or a pound; we taken

butter up there in buckets, tor we sure had plenty of it — and

-11-

EX-slave Autobiographies — Julia Blanks Page *w»ivel()4 (Texas)

we'd take lard too, and cook our fish up there, and had corn

bread or hoe cakes and plenty of butter for ever*thing, and it

sure was good. I tell you — like my husband used to say — we

was livin' ten days in the week, then.

"When we killed hogs, the meat from last winter was hung out-

side and then new meat, salted down and then smoked, put in there,

and we would cook the old bacon for the dogs. We always kep* some

good dogs there, and anybody*2&1 tell you they was always fat. ?fe

had lots of wild turkeys and i raised turkeys, too, till I got

sick of cGokin* turkeys. Don't talk about deeri You know, it

wasn't then like it is now. You could go kill venis^on any time

you wanted to. But I don't blame 'em for passin' that law, for

people used to go kill ♦em and jes' take out the hams and tender-

loin and leave the other layin' there. I have saved many a sack

of dried meat to keep it from spoilin'.

"We would raise watermelons, too. We had a big field three

mile from the house and a ninety-acre field right in the house.

We used to go get loads of melons for the hogs and they got to

where they didn't eat anything but the heart. ttI used to leave my babies at the house with the older

girl and go out horseback with my husband. My oldest girl used

to take the place of a cowboy, and put her hair up in her hat.

And ride! My goodness, she loved to ridel They thought she was

a boy. She wore pants and leggin's. And maybe you think she

couldn't ride!

"After we left that ranch, we took up some state land. I

couldn't tell you how big that place was. We had 640 in one place

-12-

Ex-slave Autobiographies — Julia Blanks Page TfcirteenlG5 (Texas)

and 640 in another place; it was a good big place. After my

husband got sick, we had to let it go back. We couidn^t pay it

out. We only lived on it about four years.

"My husband has been dead about nineteen years. I had a pen

full and a half of chillen. I have four livin' chillen, two girls

and two boys. I have a girl, Carrie, in California, workin' in

the fruit all the time; one boy, u-eorge, in Arizona, v/orkiu* in

the mines; and a girl in Arizona, Lavinia, washes and irons and

cooks and ever'thing else she can get at. And I have one boy here.

I have ten grandchillen and I've got five great grandchillen.

"I belong to the Methodist Church. 1 joined about twenty-

five years ago. i*iy husband joined with me. But here, of late

years, when I go to church, it makes me mad to see how the people

do-~the preacher up there trying to do all the good he can do and

them settin' back there laughin* and talkin'. I was baptized.

There was about five or six of us baptized in the Leona down here.

"People tell that I've got plenty and don't need help. iiTen

the Mexkins here and ever'body say I've got money. Jesf because

we &ad that farm down there they think I come out vdth money. But

what in the world would I want with money if l didn't use it? I

can't take it with me when I die and I could be gettin* the use of

it now while I need it. I could have what I want to eat, anyway,

I'm gettin' a little pension, but it ain't near enough to keep us,

I've got these two grandchillen here, and things is so high, too,

so I don't have enough of anything without skimpin' all the time.

- 30 -

420312

EX-SLA.VE STORIES (Texas)

Pr^e One 106

ELVIRA BOLES, 94, has outlived nine of her ten children. She lives at 3109 Manzana St., El Paso, Texas, with her daughter, Minnie. She was horn a slave of the Lev! Rav family near Lexington, Mississippi, and was sold as a child to Elihn Boles, a neighboring plantation owner. During* the last year of the Civil War she was "brought to Texas, with other ref- ugee slaves.

,fI jus1 'raemb^r my first raarster and missus, 'cause she don'

want me there. I'se a child of the mnjrster. Dey didn' tell me

how old I was when dey sold me to Boles. My missus sold me to

Boles. Dey tuk us to where dere was a heap of white folks down

"by the court house and we'd be there in lots and den de whites

'ud hid for us. I don' know how old I was, but I washed dishes

and den dey put me to work in de fields. We don' git a nickel in

slavery.

"Marster Boles didn' have many slaves on de farm, but lots

in brickyard. I toted brick back and put 'em down where dey had

to be. Six bricks each load all day. That's de reason I ain't

no 'count, I'se worked to death. I fired de furnace for three

years* Stan1 in' front wid hot fire on my face. Hard work, but

God was wid me, We'd work •till dark, quit awhile after sundown.

Marster was good to slaves, didn' believe in jus' lashin1 fem. He'd

not be brutal but he'd kill 'em dead right on the spot. Overseers

'ud git after 'era and whop 'em down.

Mft^MM

Ex-slave Stories Page Two JL(/? (Tex*?.s)

HIfse seventeen, maybe, when I married to slave of Boles,

Mrrried on Saturday night, Dey give me a dress ^nd ^e:j hpd things to eat,

let me have something like what you c.->ll a party. Me just had common

clothes on. And then I h.?d to work every day, I'd leave my b^.by cryin1

in de yard and he'd be cryin1, but I couldn1 st*y. Done everything but

split rails. I We cut timber and ploughed. Done everything a. man could

do. I couldn1 notice de time, but I'd be glp.d to git back to my baby.

"Log cabins h;~d dirt floor, sometimes plankin1 down. I

worked late and mrde pretty quilts. Sometimes dey»& let us have a party,

Saturday nights, de white people give us meat and stuff. Give us syrup

and we'd make candy, oat in de yard* We'd ask our frien's and dance all

night. Den go to work next day. We'd, clean off de yard and dance out

dere. Christm&s corae, dey give us a big eggnog add give us cake. Our

white folks did. White folks chillen had bought ca^idy. We didn1 git any,

but dey let us play wid de white chillen. We'd play smut. Whoever beat

wid de cards, he'd git to smut you. Take de smut from fireplace snd rub

on your face,

"Doctor take care of us if fen we sick, sofs git us well to

git us to work.

"Iffen dey had a pretty girl &&y would take *emf and I fse one

of 'em, and my oldest child, he boy by Boles, almost white,

r' "We had to steal away at night to have church on de ditch bank,

/ and crawl home on de belly. Once overseers heered us pray in15 give us

one day each 100 lashes.

-a-

Ex-slave stories Page Three i08 (Texas)

"Den when de Yankees come through, dey fud be good to de slaves,

to keep lem from tellin1 on *em. Pre* doe* was give Jpn. 1, 18651 "but de «*gr

slaves didn1 know it Hill June 19. We'se refugees. Boles, our mereter,

sent us out rjid we come from Holmes County to Cherokee County in a wagon.

We was a dodgin* in and out, runnin1 from de Yankees. Marster said dey

was runnin1 us from de Yankees to keep us, but we was free and didn* know

it. I lost my baby, its buried somewhere on dat road. Died at Red River

and we left it« De white folks go out and huy food 'long de road ?nd hide

us. Dey say wefd never be free if fen day could git to Texas wid us, but

de people in Texas to!1 us we*s free. Den marster turn us loose in de

world, without a penny. Oh, dey was awful tiroest We jus 1 worked from

place to place after freedom.

"When we started from Mississippi, dey tolf us de Yankees !u&

kill us iff en dey foun1 us, and dey say,1 You ainH got no time to take

nothin1 to whar you goin1. Take your little bundle and leave all you has

in your house*1 So when we got to Texas I jus1 had one dress, what I had

on* Dat*s de way all de cullud people was 3ter freedom, never had nothin1

but what had on de back. Some of dern had right smart in dere cabins, but

they was skeered and dey lef * everything. Bed clothes and all you had was

lef1. We didn1 know any "better den, ,f

************

4:20102

SX.SLAV2 STORIKS Page One t()9 (Texas)

BETTY BCKMER, 80, was born a slave to Col* M.T. Johnson, who farmed at John- son Station in T&rrant County. He owned Betty's parents, five sisters and four brothers, in addition to about 75 other slaves. After the family was freed, they moved with the other slaves to a piece of land Col. Johnson allowed them the use of until his death. Betty lives in a negro settlement at Stop Six, a sub- urb of fort Worth.

HIfse bo'n ipril 4thf in 1857, at Johnson Station, It was

named after my marster. He had a big farm, I'se don1 know how

many acres. He had seven chillen; three boys, Ben, torn and Mart,

and four girls, Elizabeth, Sally, Roddy and faanna.

"Marster Johnson was good to us cullud folks and he feeds us

£00#T He kep? lots of hawgs, dat makes de meat. In de smokehouse

am hung up meat enough for to feed de army, it looks like. We'uns

have all de clothes we need and dey was made on de place. My mammy

am de sewing woman and my pappy am de shoemaker. My work, for to

nuss de small chillen of de marster.

w0n Sat1 day we*s let off work and lots de time some of us come

to Fort Worth wid de marster and he gives us a nickel or a dime for

to buy candy.

"Dey whips de niggers sometimes, but 'twarn't hard. Tcu know,

de nigger gits de devilment in de head, like folks do, sometimes, and

de marster have to larn •em better. He done dat hisself and he have

no overseer. No nigger tried run away, 'cause each family have a cabin

-1-

Sx=slare Stories ¥a&e Two (Texas)

110

wld bunks for to sleep on and we'uns all live in de quarters. Sich

nigger as wants to larn read and writet de marster 1 s girls and boys

larns 'em, De girls lamed my auntie how to play de piano.

lfDere am lots of music on dat place; fiddlet banjo and de

piano. Singin,' we had lots of dat, songs like Ole Black Joe and

'llgious songs and sich. Often de marster have we'uns come in his

house and clears de dinin' room for de dance. Dat am big time, on

special occasion. Day not calls it 'dance1 dem daysf dey calls it de

•ball*•

"5ho't we funs goes to church and de preacher's name, it was

Jack Ditto.

wDurin* de war, I notices de vittles am 'bout de same. De

soldiers come dere and dey driv* off over de hill some of de cattle

for to kill for to eat. Once dey took some bosses and I hears marster

sey dem was de Qjaaatrell mens. Dey comes several times and de marster

don* like it, but he eain't help it.

"When freedom come marster tells all us to come to front of de

house. He am standin1 on de porch. Him 'splains fbout freedom and

says, •You is now free and can go whar you pleases.1 Den he tells us

he have lamed us not to steal and to be good and we'uns should 'member

dat and if wefuns gets in trouble to come to hia and he will help us,

He sho' do dat, too, 'cause de niggers goes to him lots of times and

he always helps*

MMarster says dat he needs help on de place and sich dat stays,

he'd pay f^m for de work. Lots of dem stayed, but some left. To dem

~2-

Ex-slave Stories Page Three 11X (Texas)

dat leaves* marster giv&s a mule, or cow and sich for de at art. To

my folks, marster gives some land. He doesnH give us de deed, but

de right to stay till he dies.

"Sho*, I seen de ELux after de war but I has no *sperience

wid *ea. My uncle, he gits whipped by fem, what for I don1 know

•zactly, but I think it was !bout a boss. Marster sho1 rave *bout dat,

•cause my uncle werenH to blame.

"When de KLux come de no • count nigger sho make de scatter-

ment. Some climb up de chimney or jump out de winder and hide in de

dugout and sich.

MDe marster dies fbout seven years after freedom and every-

body sorry den. I never seen such a fun*ral and lots of big men from

Austin comes. He was de blessed man!

"I married de second year after de T.P. railroad come to

Port Worth, to Sam Jones and he work on de Burk Burnett stock ranch.

Ifse dlvoreeted from him aftar five years and den after 12 more years

I marries Bubbin Felps. My las1 fausban1 s name- Joe Bonier, but Ifse

never married to the father of my only chile. His name am George Pace.

"I allus gits long fair, fcause after freedom I keeps on workin1

doin* de nussln9. How Ifse gittin1 'leven dollars from de state for

pension, and gits it every month so now Ifse sho1 of somethin* to eat

and dat makes me happy.

**************

420289

EX-SLAVE STORIES Page One ULS (Texas)

HARBISOK BOTD, 87, was born in Busk County9 Texas, a slave of Wash Trammel. Boydremained with his master for four years after emancipation, then moved to Harrison County, where he now lives. His memory is poor, but he managed to recall a few incidents.

MI was fifteen years when they says we'r« free. That's~the age my

Old Missy done give me when the war stopped. She had all us niggers1 ages

in a book, and told me I was bora near Henderson. My Old Marse was Wash

Trammel and he brunged me and my mama and papa from Alabama. Mama was

named Juliet and papa,Amos. Marse Trammel owned my grandpa and grandma,

too, and they was named Jeanette and Josh.

MThe plantation Awas two made into one, and plenty big, and morefn

a hundred slaves to work it. Marse lived in a hewed log house, weather-

boarded out and in, and the quarters was good, log houses with bed railin's

hewed out of logs* We raised everything we et, ' cept sugar, end Marse

bought that in big hogsheads. We got our week!s rations every Sunday, and

when we went to eat, everybody's part was pux out to them on a tin plate.

MMarse Trammel give a big cornshucking every fall. He had two bottom

fields in corn. First we'd gather peas and cushaws and pumpkins out the

corn field, then get the corn and pile it front the cribs/They was two

big cribs for the corn we kep1 to use and five big cribs for sale cor&.

My uncle stayed round the sale corn cribs all spring, till ginnin1 time,

•cause folks come for miles after corn. Marse had five wheat cribs and

one rye crib. We went ten mile to Tatura to git our meal and flour ground.

"The patterrollers darun't come 'bout our place or bother us niggers.

Marse Wash allus say, 'I'll patterroller my own place.1 Marse was good to

-1-

Ex-slave Stories Page Two 1 i Q (Texas) XAO

us and oaly once a overseer heat a woman up a trifle, and Marse Trammel fired

him that same day,

"The sojers 'fiscated lots of corn from Marse and some more owners

in Rusk County piled corn up in a big heap and made me go mind it till the

rest the sojers got there. I was sett in1 top that corn pile, me and my big

bulldog, and the General rode up. My dog growled and I made him hush. The

General man say to me, 'Boy, you is 'soused now, go on homeo* I got to a fence

and looked back, and that General was hewim*. him a hoss trough out a log. The

sojers come in droves and set up they camp. I sot on a stump and watched them

pass. They stayed three, four days till the corn was all fed up.

"While they's camped there they'd cotch chickens. They had a fishia'

pole and line and hook. They'd put a grain of corn on the hook and ride on

they hoss and pitch the hook out 'mong the chickens. When a chicken swallowed

the corn they'd jerk up the line with that chicken and ride off.

"Marse had six hundred bales cotton in the Shreveport warehouse when wa*

was over. He got word them Yankees done take it on a boat. He got his brother

to take him to Shreveport and say, 'I'll follow that cotton to Hell and back.'

He followed his cotton to Alabama and got it back, but he died and was buried

there in Alabama 'fore Old Missy kaowed it.

MI stayed with her four years after surrender and then went to farmin1

with my folks, for $10.00 a month. After a year or two I went to railroadin',

helping cut the right-of-way for the T. & P. Bsilroad, from Marshall to Long-

view. They paid us $1.50 the day and thre? drinks of whiskey a day.

' ... *I marries four tines out had only one child,bu t I never done nothin'

♦citin1. I lives hy myself now, and gits $11.00 pension to eat on. ******

# 420074

2X-SLXTO STORIES page One J |> (Soxaa)

ISSABSLIti BOIP wa* born a •lare of Gus Wood, la Rich- mond, Y&«, who aorod to foxas by boat boforo the Civil War, Ieabella still Urea in Baan- nont.

.*

H Learns see, I come from Richmond, Yirginy, to Texas* 14 ass a

Gus food was my owner and I kin recollect ay white folks. I1 a born

in dat country and day brought ma over to Richmond and ay papa and

mama, too* I was jus9 'bout big '&ough to begin to 'member*

MI come fro© Richmond yera on de boat, sometime da steamboat*

sometime da big boat* When wa laft Haw Orleans dat even in* we struck

a big storm* Us git on dat boat in Richmond and want float in1 down

to da big boat dat mornin1* Looks like it Jus* ton for us, but every

time we look back and think fbout home it make us sad*

*I had a dear, good mistus and ay boss man, he furnish a house

for ha servants* a purty good house. And day had a place for da Sunday

School* Dam was good times* Da mistus cook dinner and send it down

for da old folks and ohllen to have plenty*

"Ky mlstua kep1 me right in da house, right by her, sewing.

I could sew so fast I git my task over 'fore de others git started

good*

"Lots of times when da gals wants to go to de dance I he'p

make da dresses* I 'member de pretties9 one like yesterday* It

have tucks from de waist to da ham and had diamonds cut all in da

skirt*

•1-

JSx^elave Storiea Page Two $ /* r (Texas) ^1*3

•Our boss Ban was 'ticular ftoout us helng tended to and we

was well took care of. He brung us to Beaumont when It was de pluah

oud hole, and he settle down and try to build up and make It a go.

"Massa Wood he allus takes de paper and one night they set

up de long time and do day readin1. lext aomia' de old cook woman,

she say* 'fell, dey hare de hig war* and lots of den wounded*9 Befe'

long us has to take care of same den wounded soldiers, and dey has de

caap plaoe near us. Dey all caap * round dere and X don't know which

was de Yankees and de 'federates*

"When we all gits tr**, dey's de long tiae let tin1 us know*

Dey wants to git thr© gh with de corn and de cotton Befo' dey let's

de hands loose* Dey wee people from other plantations sayf 'liggers%

you1© free and yere you woxkin'*' Us say, fEe, de gov'aent tell us whan

we** free*1 fe wozkln' one day when soaebody froa ttassa Grlssoa plt&e

coae hy and tell us we1* free, and us stop working Dey tell us to go

on workln1 and de hoes man he come up and he say he gwine knock us off

de fence if we don't go to work. Mlstus cone out and say, f Ain't you

gwine make dea niggers go to work?' He send her hack in de house and

he call for de carriage and say he gcin' to town for to see what de

ger'aaat go in' do* Hex' day he coae hack and say, 'Well* yen's jus1

as tr^B as X Is*1

"He say to si I could stay and cook for dea9 and he give me

five dollar a month and a house to stay in and all X kin eat* X stays

de aonth to do dere work*

-3-

Sa^elave Stories Page Three ^ .% i* (fexas) ^xu

11 After dat I wishes some times dat old times is hack 'gain*

I likes to be free9 hut I wasn't used to it and it was hard to know how

to do# I 'nemhers de dances we has in de old times* when we makes de

music with banjo and other things* Some de good massas flowed de niggers

dance in de hack yard and if we goes over dere without de pass de patter*

roles gits us maybe* One time «gr papa he runnin9 from dem patterroles and

he run slap into de yoking massa and he say, '0ht you ain 9t no nigger> X

kin tell by de smell*•

"Bat mind me of de ghost story dey used to tell 9bout de ghosties

what live in de big bridge down in de hollow* De niggers day say dat

ghostie make too ouch noise, with all he hollerin9 and he rattlin9 dem

chain* So dat night one us niggers what dey call Charlief he say he ain ft

9fraid and he gwineter git him a ghost ie* she9 'nough* Us didn't believe

him but purty soon us hears right smart wrastlin1 with de chains and boi-

ler in9 down by de bridge and after 9while he come and say he git de best

of dat ghost it, 9C£iise he ain9t got strength like de man*

"Me and my old man us have twelve Chilians altogedder. My

husban9 he come from South Carolina whar dey eats cottonseed* I used to

joke him 'bout it. I allus say Tirginny de best, fcanse I come from dere*

*****

420039 E3USLAVE STORIES Page One 11/7

(Texas)

JAMES BOYD was born in Phantom Valley, Indian Territory, in nn Indian hut, A man named Sanford V/ooldrige stole him and "brought him to Texas, somewhere near Waco. James does not know his age, but thinks he is a hundred years or more old. He now lives in Itasca,', Texas.

,fIfs torn in dat Phantom Yalley, in de Indian Territory, what

am now call Oklahoma. Us live in a Indian hut. My pappy Blue Bull Bird

and mammy Nancy Will, She come to de Indian Territory with Santa Anna,

from Mississippi, and pappy raise in de Territory. I donf 'member much

'"bout my folks, 'cause I stole from dem when I a real li'l feller. I's

a-fishin' in de Cherokee River and a man name Sanford Wooldrige come "by.

You see, de white folks and de Indians have de fight 'hout dat day. Ifs

on de river and I heared yellin1 and shoot in1 and folkses runnin1 and I

slips into son-* "bresh right near. Den come de white man and he say,

•Everybody kilt, nigger, and dem Indians gwine kill you iffen day cotch

you. Come with me and I ain't 'low dem hurt you.1 So I goes with him.

MHe brung me to Texas, "but I don't know jus1 where, 'cause I

didn't know nothin' '"bout dat place, Massa Sanford good to us, "but look

out for he missus, she sho1 tough on niggers. Dere 'bout 1,600 acres

in de plantation and de "big house am nice. When de niggers wouldn't

work dey whup fem. Us work all week and sometime Sunday, iffen de crops

in a rush. Massa not much on presents or money hut us have warm clothes

and plenty to eat and de dry place to live, and dat more'n lots of

niggers has now,

-1-

Ex-slave Stories Page Two (Texas)

"Sometime us have de com huskin1 and dere a dollar for de one

what shuck de mos' corn. Us have de big dance 'bout twict a year, on

Christmas and sometime in de summer. When de white folks have dere big

balls us niggers cook and watch dem dance. Us have fun den.

HI likes to think of dem times when as fish all de hot day or hunts

or jus1 lazed 'round when de crops am laid "by. I likes to shet de eyes

and "be back in old times and hear 'em sing, MSwing, low, Sweet Chariot.1

I can't sing, now you knows canft no old man sing what ain't got no teef

or hair. I used to like to swin>s dat 'Ginia Reel and I's spry and young

den.

"Dere's lots I can't 'member, 'cause my mem'ry done gone weak like

de res' of me, but I 'member when us free us throw de hats in de air and

holler. Old massa sayt 'How you gwine eat and git clothes and sech?'

Den us sho' scairt and stays with us white folks long as us can. But 'boat

a year after dat I gits de job punchin' catfe on a ranch in South Texas.

I drav cattle into Kansas, over what de white folks calls de Chissum Trail.

I worked lots of cattle and is what dey call a top hand. I's workin' for

Massa Boyd den, and he gits me to drive some cattle to Mexico. He say

he ainft well no more and for me to sell de cattle and send him de money

and git de job down dere. I goes on down to Mexico and do what he say.

I marries a gal name Martina in 1869f down in Matajnoras. Us have four

chillen and she die. Dat break me up and I drifts back to Huntsville.

"I done change my name from Scott Bird, what it am up in de Territory,

and make it Jaaes Boydf * cause I done work for Massa Boyd. I's gwine be

*bout 108 year old in next January, if fen de Lawd spare me dat long.

-2-

Ex-slaveStories page Three 4Jn (Texas) 119

"After I been in Euntsville awhile, I marries Emma Smith "but us

only stay together 'bout a year and a half. Wasn't no chillen. Den I

drifts to Port Bend County and dere I marries Mary McDowd and us have

two chillen. She die with de yellow fever and off I goes for^Burleson

County. Dere I marries Sally McDave and she quits rae after us have three

chillen. Down in old Washington County I marries Stances Williams and

us lived together till 1900. Dere am no chillen dere. Den 1 goes to

Austin after she die and marries Eliza Bunton in 1903. Us have eight

chillen and she die in 1911. Den I comes to Hill County and marries

Mittie Cahee in 1916. She quit me. In 1924 I marries Hegsr Price clost

to Milford. Us live together now, in Itasca. Us didnft have no chillen,

hut dat donft matter, !cause Ifs de daddy of *hout twenty already.

111 raos1 allus wore de black suit when I marries. Jes1 seemed

more dressed up like. Some my wives wear white and some colors, didn't

make much diff'rence, so dey a likely lookin1 gal for me. Sometime it

am a preacher and sometime it am Jestice of Peace, but de.fust time it

am Catholic and priest and all.

"Talkin1 fbout all dis marryin1, I mos1 forgit to show you my

scar. I fit in dat freedom war *long side Massa Sanford and got shot.

Dat bullet go through de breast and out de back and keep me six months

in de bed. De fust battle X's in am at Halifax, in North Carflina.

Us git de news of freedom when us at Vic^sburg, in Mississippi. Mos1

us niggers *fraid say much. De new niggers fspect de ;ovfxaent give

dem de span of mules and dey be rich and not work. But dey done larn

-3-

Ex-slave Stories \ Page Four -ft OC\ (Texas) X^U

a lot dese past years. Us am sho' slaves now to hard work, and lucky if fen

us git work. Lots dem nigge.^s figgers dey!d git dere massa'3 land, "but

d^y didn't. Dey oughta of knowed dey wouldn't, Warnft no plantation ever

divided I knowed of, "but some de massas give de oldest slaves a li1! piece

land.

"After de cattle days done gone, I farms in Hill County. I works

twelve year for Massa Claude Wakefield, right near Milford, too. De old

man ain't due to live nowhere long and Ifs git tin1 'bout ready to cross

de river. Ifs seed a heap of dis here earth and de people in it, but I

tells you it am sho1 hard time now. Us is old and cripple1 and if fen

de white folks don't holp us I don't know what us gwine do.

HSome d^se young niggers gone plumb wild with dere cigars and

cars and truckin1 <*nd jazzin' and sech. Some go to school and larn like

white folks and teach and be real helpful. But talk 'bout workin1 in

slave time — 'twarn't so hard as now. Den ^rou fuss 'cauae dere's work,

now you fuss fca22.se dere ain't no work. But den us have somethin* to

eat and wear and a place to sleep, and now us don't know one day what

gwine fill us tomorrow, or nothin'.

"I'd sho' like to shake Massa Boyd's hand again and hear him

cQme singin* down de lane. Us hear Jaim sing or whistle long 'fore he

git dere and it mighty good to see him. De slaves allus say, 'I's gwine

•way tomorrow,' and I guess I's gwine 'way pretty soon tomorrow.

*******

1:30195

ENSLAVE STORIXS Page One .f O-f (Texas) "^J

A JEHRY BOYKIHS, spiy and jolly at ^ the age of 92, live* with his afied

wife in their own cabin at 1015 Plum St«t Abilene, Texas, He was born a slave to John Thomas Boykin, (Troupe Co., Georgia, 80 miles frost Lagrange, Gteu His master was a very wealthy plantation owner, working 19000 slaves*

WI been well taken care of durin1 ay life. When I was

young I lived right in de big house with my marster. I was houseboy.

My mother's name was Betsy Ann Boykin and she was cook for Old Missus.

My grandpa was blacksmith, I slept on a pallet in dekitehen and in A

winter time on cold nights I fmembers how cold I would get. Ifd wake

up and slip in by marsters bed and den I'd say, fMarster John, X's

about to freeze.8 Hefd say, 'Tou ought to freeze, you little black

devil. What you standin1 dere for?1 I!d say, fPlease, marster John,

jes1 let me crawl in \*y your feet.1 He*d say, 'Well, I will dis one

time,1 and dat's de way I'd do every cold night.

"X was full of mischief and I'd tufn de mules out of de lot,

jus8 to see de stableboy git a llckln'. One time X wanted a fiddle a

white man named Cocoanut Harper kep9 try in1 to sell me for $7.50, X

didba' never have any money, *cept a little the missie give me, so I top1

teasin9 her to buy de fiddle for me. She was allus on my side, so she

to!1 me to take some co'n from de crib and trade in for de fiddle. In

de night I slips out and hitch up de mules and fetched de co'n to old

Harper's house and traded for dat fiddle. Den I hides out and play it,

so's marster wouldn1 fin1 out, but he did and he whip all de daylight

a»J^«»

Ex-Slave Stories Page Two -4 OO (Texas) JL/3^

outta me. When de missie try to whip me. I jes1 wrop up in her "big

skirts and she never could hurt me MUCH.

"I allus ate my meals in de house at de white folks tablef after

dey done et. If fen I couldn* sit in de marster's chair. Ifd swell up

like a toad,

wDe marster done all de whipping 'cause dey had been two over-

seers killed on de plantation for whippin1 slaves till de "blood run out

dey body,

f,W&s I hovered with haints and spooks? I been meet in1 up with fem

all my life, Ihm I was younger I was such an old scratch I'd meet 'em

right in de road, some without heads, I!d take to my heels and then I'd

8top and look 'round and they'd he gone,

111 wore home-weaved shirts till I was grown, then I had some pants

and dey was homemade, too, The women gathered womack leaves to dye de

goods "black,

*I well rec'lects when my marster went to war. He called all us in

de kitenen and tolled us ne nad to go over dare and wnip tnose sons-oi-

Ditcues and would be hack 'fore breakfast. He didn* return for two years,

I seers, 'Marster. we sno1 would have waited breakfast on you a long time.1

He said, lTes; days de hardes* sons-of-hitches to whip I ever had dealins1

witn.'

rtfnen war was over, he called us together and tol» us we were free.

He said, 'low. I'm go in1 to give you a big day and after that you can stay

and work for pay or you can go.f So he rolled out two barrels of whiskey

and killed hogs and spread a big day.

-»•

Ex-Sl&ve Stories (Texas)

Page 'fnree

NI wants to tell you •'boat now we killed nogs in my day.

We digged a deep pit in de groan1 and heated big rocks red hot and

filled up de pit with water and dropped dem not rocks in and got de

water not; den we stuck de hogs and rolled fem in dat pit.

"Soon after X's free a man come for me from Louisville

to nire me as foreman in nis cotton mule oarn* So I went tne re and

I worked in Kentucky for 18 year. Piity-one years ago I married my

ol* woman, Rachel Taylor, at Corslcana* Texas, and I tniuk shefs Jos'

as fine as tne day I married her. We has six chlllen and all works

hard for a llvin1 and we got one 1111 grandbaby 10 years ol*» She

lives here at our house and we're educatin* her#

"I knows I*s goin1 to live to to over 100 years ol*f •canse

my marster done tol1 me so."

******************

420073

EX-SLAVE STORIES Page One. (Texas)

MQHROB HRACKINS, born in Monroe Co#l Mississippi, in 1853f was the prop- erty of George Reedes. He was brought to Medina County, Texas, when two ye^rs old. Monroe learned to snare *nd break- must angs pnd became » cowpuncher. He lives in Hondo* Texps. He has an air of pride and self-respect, and explained that he used little dialect because he learned to talk from the "white folks* as he was growing up.

MI was bo'n in Mississippi, Monroe County. Ifm 84 years old.

My master, George Reedes, brought me, sijr father and mother

and my two sisters to Texas when I was two years old. My father

was Nelson Brackins and my mother was Rosanna.

*My master settled here at a place called Malone, on the Hondo

River. He went into the stock business. Our house there was

a little, old picket house with a grass roof over it out of the

sage grass. The bed was ra<->de with a tick of shucks and the

children slept on the floor. The boss had just a little lumber

house. Later on he taken us about 20 miles fuHher down on the

Hondo, the Old Adams Ranch, snd he had a rock house.

I was about six years old then. I had some shoes, to keep the

thorns out a my feet, and I had rawhide leggin's. We just had

such clothes as we could get, old patched-up clothes. They just

had that jeans clothf homemade clothes.

"I was with George Reedes 10 or 12 years. It was my first

trainin* learnin9 the stock business and horse tore*in.1 He was

tollable good to us, to be slaves as we was. His brother had a

~1~

124

Ex-slave Stories page Two X/w5 (Texas)

hired man that whipped me once, with a quirt, I've heard my father

and mother tell how they shipped 'em. They*d tie ■era down on a log

or up to a post and whip 'era till the blisters rose, then take a pad-

dle and open 'en up rmd pour salt in 'em. Yes!mf they whipped the

women* The most I remember about that, my father sjnd sister was in

the barn shuckin' co'n and the master cone in there md whipped my

sister with a cowhide whip. My father caught a lick in the face and

he told the master to k^ep his whip of fen him* So the master started

on my father and he run away, 7/hen he finally come in he was so wild

his master, had to call him to get orders for work, red finally the

boss shot at him, but they didn't whip him any more. Of course, some

of 'em whipped with more mercy. They had a whippin* post crA when

they strapped 'am down on a log they called it a fstroppin* log.1

"I remember they tasked the cotton pickers in Mississippi. They had

to bring in so many pounds in the evenin' and if they didn't they

got ^ whippin1 for it. My sister there, she hpd to bring in 900 pounds Ir

a dgy. Well, cotton was heavier there. Most pny of 'em could pick

900 pounds. It was heavier and fluffier. We left the cotton country

in Mississippi, but nobody knew anything about cotton out here that I

knew of.

"I've heard my parents say too, them men that had plantations and a

great lot of slaves, they would speculate with 'em and would have a

chain that run from the front ones to the back ones. Sometimes they

would have 15 or 20 miles to make to get them to the sale place* but

they wouldn't make a break. Where they expected to make a sale, they

-a*

Enslave Stories Pa^e Three ^OfS (Texas) X^°

kept fem in corrals and they had a block there to put 'em up on and hid

fem off. The averageprice was about $500, hut -ome that had good practice,

like a blacksmith, brought a good price, as high as $1,500.

WI heard my mother and father say they would go 15 or 20 miles to a dance,\J

walking and get back before daylight, before the fpadderollers5 got fenu

The slaves would go off when they had no permission »nd them that would

ketch *em and whip !em was the *p adder oilers. * Sometimes they would have

an awful race,

wIf they happened to be a slave on the plantation that could jes1 read a

little print, they would get rid of him right now. He would ruin the nig-

gers, they would get too smart. The1 was no such thing as school here for

culluds in early deys. The white folks we was raised up with had pretty

good education. That's why I donft t*lk like most cullud folks. I was

about grown and the1 was an English family settled close, about half a mile,

I guess. They had a little boy, his name was Arthur S&erle, and he come

over and learned me how to spell *catf and •dog1 rnd 'hen1 and such like.

I was right around about 20 years old. I couldnH sign my name when I was

18 years old.

111 can remember one time when I was young, I saw something I couldn't

fmagine what it was, like a billy goat reared up on a tree, But I knew

the1 wasn't a billygoat round there near, nor no other kinds of goats.

It was in the daytime and I was out in a horsepasture, I was jes1 walkin'

along, hunt in1, when I saw that sight. I guess I got within 50 steps of

it, then I turned around and got away. I never did think much about a

ghost, but I think it could be possible.

****>■*

Ex-slave Stories Page Four ^n^ (Texas) -^'

"I donft remember scarcely anything about the w/ir because I was so little

and times was so different; the country wasn*t settled up and everything

was wild, no people, hardly. Of course, Bay life w&s in the woods, you

might say, didn!t hardly know when Sunday come.

"The northern soldiers never did get down in here that I know of. I know

once, when they was enlisting men to go to battle a ifcole lot of 'era didnft

want to fight and would run away and dodge out, and they would follow 'em

snd try to make *em fight, They had a battle up here on the Nueces once

and killed some of 'em. I know my boss was in the hunch that followed %m

and he got scared for fear this old case would be brought up after the war.

The company that followed these men was called Old Duff Coarpany. I think

somewhere around 40 was in the bunch that they followed, but I don't know

how msny was killed. They was a big bluff and a big water hole and they

said they was throwed in that big water hole.

"We had possums and fcoons to eat sometimes. My father, he gen1 rally cooked

the fcoons, he would dress fem snd stew 'em and then bake fem# Lly mother

wouldn't eat then. There was plenty of rabhitts, too. Sometimes when they

had potatoes they cooked *ea with fem. I remember one time they had just

a little patch of blackhead sugar cane. .After the freedom, my mother had

a kind of garden and she planted snap beans and wctemelons pretty much

every year.

"The master fed us tolfbly well. Everything was wild, beef was free, just

had to bring one in and kill it. Once in awhile, cf a Sunday mornin1, we'd get

biscuit flour bread to e& It w&s a treat to us. They measured the flour out

and it had to pan out just like they measured. He give us a little somethin1

'Ex-slave Stories Page Five ^ 0o (Texas) A^O

ever1 Chrlstmr.s and soraethin1 good to eat. I heard my people say coffee was

high, at times, ^nd I know we didn't get no flour, only Sunday mornin'. We

lived on co'nbread, mostly, and "beef ond gpme outta the woods. That was durin*

the war and after the war, too.

"I was around about 6 or' 7 years old when we was freed, We worked for George

Eeedes awhile, then drifted on down to the Brio river ?nd stayed there about a

year, then we come to Medina County and settled here close to where I was raised.

We didn't think it hard times at all right after the war. The country was wild

rnd unsettled, with ranches 15 or 20 niles apart. You never did see mybody

and we didn't know really what was goin1 on in the rest of the country. Some-

times soraething could happen in 5 miles of us and we didn't know it for a month.

"I was on the Adams Ranch on the Hondo when ray master come out and told us we

were ns free as he was. He said we could stay on and work or could go if we

wanted to. He gpve ray mother pjad father 50 cents apiece oxid 2~ cents for the

children. We stayed awhile ajid then went west to the Frio.

111 used to be along with old mm Big-foot Wallace in my early days. He was fit

mighty fine man. I worked for the people that w&s gathering stock together

there. Big Foot raised nice horses, old reg'lar Texas horses, smd they was bet-

ter than the regflar old Spanish bronco. I used to ^o to his camp down on the

San Miguel. He lived in one part cyid his chickens in the rest of his house.

His friends liked to hear him talk about his travels. He used to run stock

horses and had a figger 7 on theleft shoulder for his brand and the tip of each

ear split was his earmark.

wTto last man I broke horses for was Wilson Bailey. I was there about 12 years.

He raised just cavi-y*rd - we celled it a cavi-yard of horses, just the sgxae

thing as a reamda. W© called 'em that later, but we got that from the Spanish.

~5~

3x-slave Stories Page Six. 129 (Texas)

We would get up in a tree with our loop till the horse comeuader ??nd drop

it down on him. V/hen they were so spoiltf we got 'em in a sort of cavi-

yard and drove 'em under trees and caught 'em in a snare. We had lots of

wild horses, just this side of Fearsail* 'Bout the only way I'd get throwed

was to get careless. We'd ketch 'im upf hpckcjaore flm up, saddle l im up

and get on Hm snd let fia go. Sometimes he'd he too wild to pitch, he'd

break and run pud you hnd to let 'im run himself down. I used to rather

ketch up a wild horse and break f im thai to eat "breakfast.

"When I first started farrain' I taken up some state land, about 30 acres,

down on Black Creek, in Medina County. I stayed there ten or twelve years.

Cotton hadn't got in this country snd I* raised some corn, sugar cane and

watermelons. I commenced with horses, but 'long 'way down the line I used

oxen some, too. I used one of those old walking plows.

?II sold that place and noved to a place on the Tywajukney Oreek(Tozikawa).

I come up to church and met my wife then. Her name was Ida Bradley and I

was 38 years old. #e lived down on the Tywaukney right about 23 years and

raised our children there, Vie jes' had a little, home weddin'. I wore a

suit, dark suit. V/e got narried about 8 o'clock in the evenin1 and we had

barbecue, cake end ice cream. You see, in them times I wasn't taught any-

thing about yeard sm& dates, but I judge it was about 25 years after the

war before I settled on the Tywaukney.w

♦0*0*0*0*

420310

EX-SLAVE STORIES Page One * on (Texas) AtiU

GUS BRADSHAW was born about 1845, .at Keechqye, Alabama, a slave of David Cavin. He recalls being brought to Texas in the 1850*s, when the Gavin family settled near old Port Caddo. Gus remained with his master for ten years after emancipation. He now lives alone on a fifty acre farm seven miles northeast of Mar- shall, which he bought in 1877. Gus receives an $11.00 per month pension.

w I was born at Keecheye, Alabama, and belonged to old man David

Cavin. The only statement I can wake fbout my age is I knows I was *bout

twenty year* old when us slaves was freed. I never knowed my daddy, but

my mammy was Amelia Cavin. Ifs heard her say she's born in Alabama rsore

times than I got fingers and toes. Our old master brung us to Texas when

I1 s a good sized kid. I Members liks it am yesterday, how we camped more'n

a week in New Orleans. I seed •era sell niggers off the block there jus1 like

they was cattle. Then we came to old Port Caddo on Caddo Lake and master

settles a big fana close to where the boats run. Port Caddo was a big ship-

ping place then, and Dud and John Perry run the first store there. The

folks hauled cotton there from miles awsy.

"Manny's folks was named Maria and Joe Gioster and they come to Texas

with the Cavins. My grandma say to me, fGus, don't run you mouth too much

and allus have manners to whites and blacks*1 Chillen was r^ise right then,

but now they come up any way. 1 seed young niggers turn the dipper up and

drink *fore old folks. I wouldn't dare do that when Ifs comin1 up.

MMaria say to me one day, fSon, Ifs here when the stars fell.1

She tell m they fell like a sheet and spread over the ground. Ike Hood, the

«•!••

Ex-slave Stories Page Two (Texas) 181

old blacksmith on our place, he told me, too. I says, 'Ike, how old was you when

the stars fell?' He say, »I*s thirty-two.'

HMas8a David had "big quarters for us niggers, with chimneys and firijplaces.

They use to go round and pick up old hawg or cow bones to "bile-with greens and cab-

bage. They was plenty of wild game, and deer and wolves howlin1 right through this

country,"but ycai can't even find the track of one now.

"The first work I done was pickin' cotton. Every fellow was out at day-

light pickin' cotton or hoein' or plOwin'. They was one overseer and two nigger

drivers. But at night you could hear us laughin' and talkin' and singin1 and

prayin', and hear them fiddles and things playin'. It look like darkies git 'long

more better then than now. Some folks says niggers oughtn't to-be slaves, but I

says they ought, 'cause they jus1 won't do right onless they is made to do it.

"Massa David allus give us eggnog and plenty good whiskey at Christmas.

We had all day to eat and drink and sing and dance. We didn't git no presents,

but we hat? „ good time,

MI don't know mx<h 'bout the war, only llassa Bob Perry come over one day

and say to Grandma Maria, 'They is surrender, Maria, you is free.1 She say to

him, 'I don't care, I gwine stay with my white folks.1

"The Klu ELux done lots of cut tin1 up round there. Two of 'em come to

Dr. Taylor's house. He had two niggers what run off from the ELux and they want

to whip fem, but Dr. Taylor wouldn't 'lowl'era. I knowed old Col. Alford, one of

the KLux leaders, and he was a sight. He told me once, 'Qus, they done send me

;> to the pen for KLuxing.1 I say, 'Massa Alford, didn't they make a gentleman of

|f you?1 He say, 'Hell, noj »

Ex-slave Stories Page Three 4 oo (Texas) X°^

111 knowed old Col, Eaggerdy, too. He marries a widow of a rich old Indian

chief, name Mclntosh. He "broke a treaty with his people and had to hide out in

a cave a long time, and his wife brung food to him. One time when she went to the

cave he was gons. She knowed then the Indians done git him and kilt him for

vi'latin1 the treaty. So she marries old Col. Haggerdy.

"The only time I votes was against whiskey, I voted for it. Some white

folks done say they'd whip me if I voted fomtr hut Mr. Joe Strickland done told

me they jus1 tryin1 scare me, so I voted for it. I donft think niggers ought to

vote. If some niggers had things in hand 'stead of white folks, I couldn't stay

here. These eddicated niggers aza causin1 the devilment. The young niggers ain't

got no 'spect for old age.

"I "bought and paid for fifty acres land here in Harrison County and I has

lived on it sixty years. I lived with ujy wife fifty years 'fore she died and

done raise two chillen, These young niggers donft stay married fifty days, some-

tisss, I don't mess with femf hut if I needs help I goes to the white folks.

If you 'have youself, they allus help you if you needs it.

********

420:240

B3USLAVE STOEIES Page One 1'1^ (Texas) °

WES BRADTt88f was born a slave of John Jeems, who had a farm five miles north of Marshall. Wes has farmed in Harrison County all his life. He now lives with friends on the Longfs Camp Road, and draws a $11.00 monthly pension.

"I was bora and raised in Harrison County, and I was eighty-

eight years old this July past and has wore myself out here in this county,

I was born on Massa John Jeem's place, on the old Jefferson Koad, and my

father was Peter C&llowsy, and he was born in Alabama and his whole famfly

brought to Texas by nigger traders. My mother was Harriet Ellis and I

had two brothers named George and Andrew, and four sisters, Lula and Judy

and Mary and Sallie. My old Grandpa Phil told me how he helped run the

Indians off the land, '

H Grandpa Phil told rne 'bout meetin' his massa. Massa Jeems had

three or four places and grandpa hadn't seed him and hi went to one of the

other farms and meets a man goin* down the road. The man say, 'Who you

belong to?1 Grandpa Phil say, 'Massa Jeems,* The man say, 'Is he a mean

man?1 Grandpa say, 'I donft knar him, but they say hefs purty tight,f It

was Massa Jeems talkin1 and he laughs and gives Grandpa Phil five dollars*

♦♦We niggers lived in log houses and slep* on hay mattress with

lowell covers, and et fat pork and cornbread and 'lasses and all kinds

garden stuff. If we et flour bread, our women folks had to slip the flour

sifting from missy's kitchen and darsnH let the white folks know it.

We wore one riggin* lowell clothes a year and I never had shoes on till

after surrender come. I run all over the place till I was a big chap

-1-

Ex-slave Stories Page Two «| o/i (Texas) Ao*±

in jes' a long shirt with a string tied round the bottom for a belt.

I went with my young massa that way when he hunted in the woods, and toted

squirrels for him.

"Some white folksmight want to put me back in slavery if I tells he*

we was used in slavery time, but you asks me for the truth. The overseer was

'straddle his big horse at three ofclock in the morninff roustin* the hands

off to the ^field. He got them all lined itp and then come back to the house

for breakfas1. The rows was a mile long and no matter how much grass was in

themf if you leaves one sprig on your row they beats you nearly to death.

Lots of times they weighed cotton by candlelight. All the hands took dinner

to the field in buckets and the overseer give them fifteen minutes to git

dinner. He'd start cuff in1 some4 of them over the head when it was time to

stop eat in1 and go back to work. He'd go to the house and eat his dinner

and then he'd come back and look in all the buckets and if a piece 'of any-

thing that was there when he left was et, he'd say you was losin1 time and

had to be whipped. He'd drive four stakes in the ground and tie a nigger

down and beat him till he's raw. Then he'd take a brick and grind it up in

a powder and mix it with lard and put it all over him and roll him in a sheet,

It'd be two days cr more 'fore that nigger could work 'gain. I seed one nigger

done that way for stealin' a meat bone from the meathouse. That nigger got

fifteen hundred lashes» The li'l chaps would pick up egg shells and play with

them and if the overseer seed them he'd say you was stealin' eggs and give you

a beatin1* I seed long lines of slaves chained together driv by a white man

on a hossf down the Jefferson road.

-3-

Ex-slave Stories Page Three ^ «?^ (Texas) luO

"The first work I done was drappin1 corn, and then cow-pen boy

and sheep herder. All us house chaps had to shell a half bushel corn every

night for to feed the sheep. Many times I has walked through the quarters

when I was a little chap, crvin1 for my mother. We mosfly only saw her on

Sunday. Us chillen was in bed when the folks went to the field .*cnd come back.

I •members wakin1 up at ni^ht lots of times and seein1 her mske a little

mush on the coals in the fireplace> bit she allus made sho 1 that overseer

was asleep 'fore she done that.

"One time the stock got in the field and the overseer fcuses a

old man and jumps on him and breaks his neck. >?hen he seed the old man dead,

he run off to the woods, b\it massa sent some nigger after him and say for

him to come back, the old mm jus1 got overhet and died.

MWe went to church on the place and you ought to heared that

preachin1. Obey your massa and missy, don't steal chickens and eggs and

meat, but nary a word 'bout havin1 a soul to save.

MWe had parties Saturday nights and massa come out and showed us

new steps. He allus had a extra job for us on Sundayt but he gave us Christmas

Day end all the meat we wanted. But if you had money youfd better hide itf

1 cause hefd git it.

MThe fightinf was did off from us. My father went to war to wait on

Josh Calloway. My father never come back, Massa Jeems cussed and 'bused us

niggers more'n everf but he took sick and died and stepped off to Hell fbout

six months 'fore we got free. When we was free, the# beat drums in Marshall.

I stayed on tbout seven months and then ray mother ane me went to farmin1 for

~3-

Ex~slave Stories Page Jour JL36 (Texas)

ourselves.

WI wore myself out right in thi3 county and now Ifm too old to work.

These folks I lives with takes good care of rae and the gov*ment gives me

$11.00 a month what I is proud to git.

*********

420165

EX-SLAVE STORIES Page (fee 137

JACOB BRANCH, about 86, was a slave of the Van Loos family, in Louisiana, who sold him when a baby to Elisha Stevenson, of Double Bayou, Texas. Jacob helps his son, Enrichs, faun,

•^yr a^d is unusually agile for his age. . % They live in the Double Bayou set-

Cv^ tlement, near Beaumont, Texas.

1111 s bought and fotched here to Double Bayou when Ifs jes1

three year old. I and ray half-brother, Eleck, he de baby, was both

born in Louisiana on de Van Loos place, but I go by de name of Branch,

•cause my daddy name Branch. My majaa naiae Senee. Dey split up us

family and Elisha Stevenson buy my mama and de two chillen. I ain't

never see my daddy no more and donft •member him at all.

"Old fLisha Stevenson he a great one for to raise pigs. He sell

sometime 500 hawgs at one time. He take he dogs and drive dem hawgs 'cross

de Heches River all by hisself, to sell dem. Dat how he git money to buy

de niggers, sellin1 hnwgs and cowhides.

"Old massa he sho* a good old man, but de old missy, she a tornado.1

Her najae Miss !Liza. She could be te rible mean. But sometime she take

her old morrel - dat a sack make for to carry things in - and go out

and come back with plenty joints of sugar cane. She take a knife and

sit on de gallary and peel dat cane and give a joint to every one de

li*l chillen.

"Mama, she work up in de big house, doin1 cookin1 and washin1.

Old massa go buy a cullud man name Uncle Charley Fenner. He a good

old cullud man. Massa brung him to de quarters and say, fRenee, here

you husband,1 and den he turn to Uncle and say, 'Charley, dis you woman.*

-1-

Ex-slave Stories Page Two -8 '7Q \xexas)

Den dey consider marry. Dat de way dey marry den, by de massa1 s word. Uncle

Charley, he good step-pa to us.

uDe white folks have de good house with a brick chimney. Us quar-

ters de good, snug lifl house with flue and oven. Bey didn't bother to hsve

much furn'chure,'cause us in dere only to sleep. Us have homemake bench

and 'Georgia Hoss' bed with hay mattress. All us cookin1 and eat in' done in

de kitchen de big house. Us have plenty to eat, too. De smokehouse allus

full white 'taters and cracklin's hangin' on de wall. Us git dem mos* any

zime us want, jes' so long us didn't waste nothin1. Dey have big jar with

buttermilk and 'low us drink all us want.

M01d lady 'Liza, she have three women to spin when she git ready

make de clothes for everybody. Dey spin and weave and make all us clothes.

Us all wear shirt tail till us fbout twelve or fourteen, boys and gals, too.

You couldn't tell us apart.

MUs chillen start to work soon's us could toddle. First us gather

firewood. If fen it freezin' or hot us have to go to tougjaen us up. When us

git li!l bigger us tend de cattle and feed hosses and hawgs. By time us good

sprouts us pickin1 cotton and pull in' cane. Us ain't never idle. Sometime

us git far out in de field and lay down in de corn row and nap. But, Lawdy,

if fen dey cotch you, dey sho' wore you out! Sunday de onliest rest day and

den de white folks 'low,us play.

"Massa never whup Uncle Charley, »cause he good nigger and work hard.

It make missy mad and one time when massa gone she go down in de field. Uncle

Charley hoein* corn jes' like massa done told him, jes* singin' and happy.

Old missy she say, •Nigger, I»s sho gwineter whup you.1 Ee say, fWhat for you

-2-

Ex-slave Stories Page Three -fl on (fexas) xo^

whap me, I doin' eve-y bit what old massa done tell me.1 But missy think:

he gittin1 it too good, fcause he ain't never "been whupped. She dumb over

de fence and start down de row with de cowhide. Uncle Charley, he ainft

even raise he voice„ but he cut de las1 weed outen dat corn and commence

to wave he hoe in de air, and he say, 'Missy, I ain't 'vise you come any

step closeter.f Dat sho1 make her madp but she 'fraid to do nothin'.

uOne tine she have 'nother nigger name Charlie, Massa go on de trip

and she tell dis Charley if fen he ain't finish grindin1 all de cornmeal

by Monday she gwineter give him a t'ousand lashes. He try, but he ain't

able make dat much meal,, so come Monday he runned off in de bayou. Dat

night come de big freeze and he down dere with water up to he knees and

when massa come home and go git him, he so froze he couldn't walk. Dey

brung him in de kitchen and old missy cuss him out. Soon's he thaw out,

he done die right dere on de spot,

"My pore mama! Svexy washday old missy give her de beat in1. She

couldn't keep de flies from speckin1 de clothes overnight. Old missy git up

soon in de mornin*, 'fore mama have time git dem specks off. She snort and

sayf $Eenee, I's gwineter teach you how to wash.1 Den she beat mama with

de cowhide. Book like she cut my mama in two. Many's de time I edges up

and tries take some dem licks off my mama.

11 Slavery,one to 'nother, was purty rough. Every plantation have

f$ answer for itself.

£./-vV\::y*r^ but I don't know many now. Spiritual

ipfljp^^ ^ can make 'dem better

Sx-slave Stories p^e Four J|^Q vlexas/

dan white folks. I knowed one song what start out —

" fDe Jews done kill pore Jesus, And "bury him in de sepulchur; De grave wouldn't hold him, Dey place guards all 'round him, But de angels move de stone, De Jews done kill pore Jesus, But de grave it wouldn't hold him.1

11 Dey 'nother song what say —

,f'Runf sinner, run, Gawd is a-callin' you. Run, sinner, run, De fire'11 overtake -ou.'

M\7hen I '"bout ten dey sets me ginnin' cotton. Old ra^ssa he done make

de cotton with de hand crank. It "built on a bench like. I gin de cotton by

turnin' dat crank. When I gits a lapful I puts it in de tow sack and dey

take it to Miss Susan to make de twine with it. I warm and dpmp de cotton

'fore de fireplace 'fore I start ginnin* it.

uDere school for de white chillen in Double Bayou and I used to go meet

de chillen comin1 home and dey stop longside de' way and teach me my ABC. Dey

done carry me as far as Baker in de book when old missy find it out and moke

dem stop. De war comin' on den and us darsn't even pick up a piece of paper.

De white folks didn't want us to lam to read for fear us find out things.

r'Us livin' down by de Welborn's den and I seed dem haul de logs out of

Pine Island to make dat Welborn house. Old man Hams hire and old man Remington

builded dat V/elbom house. It 'cross de bayou, left hand side Smith's ferry.

Dat house still standin1 in p&rts.

Jl0ne mornin' Eleck amd me git up at crack of dawn to milk. All at once

come a shock what shake de earth. De big fish jump clean out de bay and turtles

~4—

Ex-slave Stories Page Five <j| A A (Texas) X^J-

and alligators run out dere ponds. Dey plumb ruint Gal vest onl Us runned in

de house and all de dishes and things done jump out de shelf, Dat de first

bombardment of Galveston. De sojers put powder under people's houses and

blowin1 -up Galveston.

tTounief massa Shake Stevenson he vol'teer and git kilt somewheres in

Virginny. Young massa Tucker Stevenson, he ain't 'lieve in war and he say

he never gwine fight. He hide in de woods so de conscrip1 men can t find

him. Old man LaCour come 'round and say he have orders for find Tucker

and bring him in dead or 'live. But 'cause he old massa1 s friend, he say,

'Why don't you buy de boy's services off?' So old massa take de boat, 'Cat-

rig,' us calls it, and loads it with corn and sich and us pole it down to

Galveston. De people need dat food so much, dat load supplies done buy

off Massa Tucker from fight in'.

"After war starts lots of slaves runned off to git to de Yankees.

All dem in dis part heads for de Rio Grande river* De Mexicans rig up flat-

boats out in de middle de river, tied to stakes with rope, ^'hen de cullud

people gits to de rope dey can pull deyself 'cross de rest de way on dem

boats. De white folks rid de 'Merican side dat river all de time, but plenty

slaves git through, anyway.

nl wait on lots of sojers. I have to get smartweed and bile it in

salt water to bath dem in. Dat help de rheumatism. Dem sojers have rheu-

matism so bad for sta&din1 day aoid night in de water,

"Us sho* in good health dem days. If fen a cullud man weak dey move

de mscles in he arms, bleed him and give him plenty bacon and cornbread,

|^..';|i*;:gi't so strong he e<%ld lift a log. j^y didn't go in for cuttin1,

Ex-slave Stories Page Six 142 (lexas)

likk dey do now. Dey git herbs out de woods, blue mass and quinine and calomel,

I think people jes* die under pills , now. Old lady Pield she m^ke medicine

with snake root and larkspur and marahroot and redroot.

"After war &t 'over Massa Tucker brung de freedom papers and read dera.

He say us all am free as Hell. Old man Charley so happy he Jes1 roll on de

floor like a hoss and kick he heels. De nex' mornin1 mama start do somethin1

and missy cuss her out. I runned to missy and say, 'TJs free as de bird.1 She sho1

whup me for dat, but no more, 'cause she so mean us all leave.

"Dat ftinny. Old man LaFour, what de heed de patterrollers and so mean,

he de first to help us niggers after freedom. He loan us he ox team and pay

Uncle Charley a dollar de day for work and a dollar every time my mama wash for

he wife.

"Old massa and missy split up. She so bad she ain't &ive &iH1 n0 better

show dan she done us. Old massa gittin1 sone peaches one day and she come after

him with de buggy whip. He git on he hoss and say, !Lizf you's gittin 1 broad

as de beef. You too big for me.1 She so mad she spit fire. Lightenin1 done i '

I kill her, she upstairs and de big streak hits her. It knock her under de bed. \ \ "De first freedom work I done &m pullin1 up potato hills at two bits

a hunnerd. 'Bout two bits de most us could make in one dap. I work two days

to buy mama de turkey hen for Christmrs. Anything mama want I think she got to

have. I's growed 'fore I gits much as four bits a day. I's done earn as much

as $1.50 in my time, though.

II "When I's 25 year old I marries Betty Baker bat she dead now. De Hev.

|f fatterson he marry us. Us has four chillen living 5furah and Eenee, dat my gals,

|:I0$.;%richs-and Milton, dat my boys. Milton work in Houston and Enrich help me

■-;^fM^Wi^^/20 yeaar. De lodge split up now, but it answer*

430069 STOBISS OF EX-SLAVES pg^e One ,.„

(Texaa) 14 O

MAY 841937 William Branch, horn 1850, 322 Utah St.t San Antonio, xexas. Eyesight is so poor someone must lead him to the store or to church. William kneels at his bedside each evening at five and says his prayers. In this ceremony he spends a half hour or more chanting one Negro spiritual after another.

"Yahsur, I was a slave. I was bo1 n May 13f 1850, on

the place of Lawyer Woodson in Lunenburg County, Virginia, It

was *bout 75 miles southwest of Richmond, They was two big plan-

tations 0 one on one side the road, yother the yother. My marster

owned 75 slaves. He raised tobacco and cotton. I wukked tobacco

sometime, sometime cotton. Dere wasnft no whippin1 or switchin*.

We had to wuk hard. Marster Woodson was a rich man. He live in a

great big house, a lumber house painted white. And it had a great

big garden.

"De slaves lives in a long string of log houses. Dey had dirt

floors and shingle roofs. Marster Woodson's house was shingle roof

too* We had home cured bacon and veg1 tables, dried cofn, string

beans and dey give us hoe calces baked in hot ashes. Dere always was

lots of fresh milk.

MHow'd us slaves git de clothes? We carded de cotton, den de

women spin it on a spinnin* wheel. After dat day sew de gahment

togeddah on a sewin* machine. Yahsurt we fs got sewin* machine, wid

a big* wheel and a handle. One woman tu*n de handle and de yuther

woman do de sewin1.

Ex~slave Stories Page Two 144 Texas

f,Datfs how we git de clothes for de 75 slaves. Marster's clothes?

We makes dem for de whole fam^y. De missis send de pattren and de slaves

makes de clothes. Over nigh Richmond a fren* of Marster Woodson has 300

slaves. Day makes all de clothes for dem*

11 I was with Marster tvsrel de Yankees coine down to Virginia in 1861,

De sergeant of de Yankees takes me up on his hoss and I goes to Washington

wid de Yankees. I got to stay dere 'cause I'd run away from my marster.

MI stay at de house of Maxse Frank Oayler. He's an ole time hack

driver. I was his houseboy. I stay dere twel de year 1870, den I goes to

Baltimore and jines de United States Army. Wefs sent to Texas »count of de

Indians be in1 so bad. Dey put us on a boat at Baltimore and we landed at

Galveston.

,fDen we marches from (Jalveston to Fort Duncan. It was up, up, de

whole time. We ties our bedclothes and rolls dem in a bundle wid a strap.

We walks wid our guns and bedclothes on our backs, and de wagons wid de

rations follows us. Dey is pulled by mules. We goes 15 miles ev'ry day.

We got no tents, night come, we unrolls de blankets and sleeps under de

trees, sometime under de brush*

"For rations we got canned beans, milk and hardtack. De hard tacks

is 3 or 4 in a box, we wets fem in water and cooks 'em in a skillet. We gits

meat purty often, ?/hen we camps for de night de captain say, 'You1 all kin

go huntin1.1 Before we git to de mountains dere!s deer and rabbits and dey

ainft no fences. Often in de dark we sees a big animal, and we shoots. When

we bring »im to campt de captain say, 'Iffen de cow got iron burns de rancher

gwineter shoot hisself a nigger scout f But de cow ainft got no iron, itfs —

what de name of de §gy what ain't feel de iron? Mavrick, yahsur. We eats lots

Stories of ex-slaves Page three Texas 145

of dem Uavricks. We's goin1 'long de river "bottom, and before we comes to

Port Duncan we sees de cactus and rauskeet. Dere ainft much cattle, "but one

colored scout shoots hisself a bear. Den we eats high. Port Duncan were

made of slab lumber and de roof was gravel and grass.

"Den we's ordered to Fort Davis and we's in de mountains now. Climb,

climb all day, and de Indians give us a fit ev'ry day. We kills some Indians,

dey kills a few soldiers. We was at Port Clark a while. At Port Davis I jines

de colored Indian Scouts, I was in Capt. fteorge L. Andrew's Co. K.

"We's told de northern Cheyennes is on a rarapus and we's goin1 to Port

Sill in Indian Territory. Before we gits to Port Concho(San Angelo) de Comanches

and de ipaches give us a fit. We fitten1 'em all de time and when we gits away

from de Comanches and Apaches we fitten de Cheyennes. Dey's seven feet tall,

Dey couldn't eome through that door.

"When we gits to Port Sill, Gen. Davidson say de Cheyennes is off de reserv-

ation, and he say, 'You boys is got to git dem back. If fen you kill 'em, dey

can't git back to de reservation.1 Den we goes scout in'for de Cheyennes and

dey is scoutin1 for us. Dey gits us first, on de Wichita Siver was 500 of 'em,

and we got 75 colored Indian Scouts. Den Bed Poot, de Chief of de Cheyennes,

he come to see Capt# Lawson and say he want rations for his Indians. De captain

say he cain't give no rations to Indians off de reservation. Red Poot say he

donft care fbout no reservation and he say he take what we got. Capt. Lawson

'low we gotter git reinforcements. We got a guide in de scout troop, he call

hisself Jack Kilmartin. De captain sayt 'Jack, I fse in trouble, how kin I git

a dispatch to Gen. Davidson?' Jack say, fI kin git it through.1 And Jackf he

crawl on his belly and through de brush and he lead a pony, and when he gits

Ex-slave stories

Texas Page four ^g

clear he rides de pony "bareback twel he git to Port Sill. Den Gen. Davidson,

he soun1 de gin'ral alarm and he send two companies of cavalry to reinforce us.

But de Cheyennes give fem a fit all de way, deyfs gotter cut dere way through

de Cheyennes.

"And Col. Shafter comes up, and goes out in de hills in his shirt sleeves

jus1 like youfs sittin1 dere. Deyfs snow on de groun1 find de wind's cole, hut

de colonel donU care, *md he say, lWhutfs dis order Gen. Davidson give? Don1

kill de Cheyennes? You kill fera all from de cradle to de Cross.1

rtAnd den we starts de attack. De Cheyennes got Winchesters and rifles

and repeaters from de government. Tahsur, de government give *eia de guns dey

used to shoot us. We got de ole fashion muzzle loaders. You puts one hall in

de muzzle and shove de powder down wid de ramrod. Den we went in and fit femf

and 'twas like fightin' a wasp's nest. Dey kills a lot of our hoys and we nearly

wipes fem out. Den we disarms de Cheyennes we captures, and turns dere guns in

to de regiment,

MI come to San Antonio after Ifse mustered out and goes to work for de

Bell Jewelry Company and stays dere twel I cain't work no more. Did I like de

army? Yahsur, Id rut huh be in de army dan a plantation slave.11

**************

420230 EX-SLAVE STORIES

(Texas)

CLARA BHIMt slave of William Lyons of Branch, Louisiana, now lives in Beaumont, Texas. The town of Branch was known in slave days as Plaquemine Bouley. Clara estimates her age to be 100 or 102f and from various facts known to her and her family, this would seem to be correct.

M01d massa's name was William Lyons. I didnft have no old missus,

•cause he was a bachelor. He had a big plantation. I don't know how bit

but dey somethin1 like twenty fam1 lies of slaves and some dera fam*lies

had plenty in dera. My ma was Becky Brim and pa, he najne Louis Brim. She

come from Old Virginny. Dey work in de field. I had two sister name Cass

and Donnie and a brudder name Washington. He went off to da war. When it

break out dey come and take him off to work in de army. He lost in dat war.

He didn't come back. Nobody ever know what happen to hira.

wSome de houses log house and some plank, but dey all good. Dey

well built and had brick chimneys. Dey houses what de wind didnH blow in.

Us had beds, too, not dee built in de wall. Us sho1 treat good in slavery

times, yes, suh. Old massa give us plenty clothes to keep us good and

warm. He sho1 did.

"Old massa, he wafin't marry and eat de same things de slaves eat.

He didn't work dem in de heat of de day. fBout eleven o'clock, when dat

sun git hot, he call dem out de field. He give dem till it git kind of

cool befo1 he make dem go back in de field. He didnft have no overseer.

He seed 'bout de plantation hisself. He raise cotton and corn and sweet

Haters and peas and cane, didn't fool with rice. He didnH go in for

oats, neither.

-1-

14?

Ex-slave Stories Page Two i 3ft (Texas) A'*a

*When Sunday come Old Mass a ask who want to go to church. Dem what wants

could ride hoss-back or walk. Us go to de white folks church. Dey sot in front

and us sot in hack. Us had prayer meet in11 too, reg flar every week. One old

cullud man a sort of preacher. He de leader in •ligion.

wWhen de slaves go to work he give dem de task. Dat so much workf so

many rows cotton to chop or corn to hoe. When dey git through dey can do what

dey waat. He task dem on Monday. Some dem git through Thursday night. Den

dey can hire out to somebody and git pay for itc

H01d Mass a even git de preacher for oarryin1 de slaves. And when a slave

die, he git de preacher and have Bible readin1 and prayin1. Mostest de massas

didnft do dat-a-way.

MI as big in war time as I is now. I used to do anything in de field what

de men done. I plow end pull fodder and pick cotton. But de hardes' work I

ever done am since I free. Old liassa, he didn't work us hard, noway.

"He allus give us de pass, so dem patterrollers not cotch us. Dey 'bout

six men on hoss-back, ridin1 de roads to cotch niggers what out without de pass.

If fen dey cotch him it am de whippin*. But de niggers on us place was good and

civ!lized folks. Dey didn't have no fuss. Old Massa allus let dem have de garden

and dey can raise things to eat and sell. Sometime dey have some pig and cHickens.

MI been marry his1 one time and he been dead 'bout forty-one years^now. I stay

with Old Mass a long time after freedom. In 1913 I come live with my youngest girl

here in Beaumont. You see, I can't fmember so much. I has lived so long my

•memberance ainft so good now.

**

420248 EX-SLAVE STORIES Page One -Jjm

(Texas)

SYLVESTER BROOKS, 87f was "born in Green County, Alabama, a slave of Josiah Collier. The old Negro's memory is poor, but he managed to recall a few indidents of slave dayso He lives in Mart, Texas.

"I's born 'bout de year 1850, near de Tom Bigbee river in Alabama, on

a plantation own by Marse Josiah Collier. My folks was Henderson and Martha

Brooks and Ifs de only child den.

"Marse Collier owned seventy famflies of slaves and dey all lived in

dey quarters 'bout a mile from de big house. When freedom come Marse Collier

sent for all de slaves and lines us up in a row, two deep, and helt up he

hands and say, fBoysf you is free as I is. All of you what wants to can go,

and all of you what wants to can work for me on wages dis year. Next year

Ifll give you a crop or work for wages.f Dey all stays but two, and one of

dem two my daddy, and he leff mammy and six chillen and never come back.

"Us stays on till Marse Collier and Missus both dies, and den stays

with he oldes1 gal, and didn't go 'way till wefs growed and has famflies of

our own.

HI 'mmbers best de Fourth of July. De white folks have lots to eat

for dem and us and we plays games and goes swimmin1.

"Next thing I 'members is de patterrollers, 'cause dey whip me every time

dey cotches me without my pass. Dat de way dey make us stay home at night,

and it made good niggers out of us, 'cause we couldn't chase round and git in

no meanness.

"Old Marse often told me 'bout de stars fallin1. It was 'long 'bout sundown

and growed dark all a sudden and de chickens goes to roost. Den some stars with

-1-

Ex-slave Stories Page Two -% r\c\ (Texas) XJU

long tails 'gins to shoot, dan it look like all de stars had come oat of Heaven,

and did dey fall! De stars not all what fall, De white folks and de niggers

fell on dere knees, prayin1 to Gawd to save dem iffen de world comin1 to a end,

and de women folks all run down in de cellar and stayad till mornin'. Old Marse

say tt was in 1833, and he say dam stars fall ajwhile and quit awhile, like da

showers when it rains,

"'Bout a year after freedom Old Marsa give us a piece of land for a church

and dis was de school, too, De preacher's name was Christmas Crawford, and dat

de reason I •members it, it so funny to us. De nigger teacher named Nimron.

De niggers has de "blueback spellers and larns lrithmetic, too.

wQn Thanksgivin' Day de niggers goes round to de white folks houses and.

gives a ser'nade, like dis:

H,De old bea make de honeycomb, De young bee make de honey - De nigger make de cotton and corn, And de white folks git da money,

11 'De raccoon he a curious man, He never works till dark; No thin1 ever fsturbs he mind, Till he hear old Towser bark.1

wDen de white folks asks us in and help ourselves to de cake or wine

or whatever dey has, and we does dis on Christmas, too.

wWe had a song we!d sing when wefs thinkin1 of comin1 to Texas?

Htfefll put for de South, for seven-up and loo, Chime in, niggers, won't you come 'long, too? Ho use talkin1 when da nigger wants to go, Where de corn top blossoms and canebrakes grow. Coma 'long, Cuba, and dance de polka juba, Way down South, where de corn tops grow.'

"I'd like to be in old Alabama to die, but Old Marse and Missus gone,and

it ain't no use goin1 dere no more* *#*

4200J4

S2USL4VE STOBIES PegeQne 151 (Texas)

DONAVILLS BROtJSSiKD, a polished gentleman of his race, was the son of a mulatto slave of Emilier Cera- raouche. He was born in 1850, but appears vigorous. Light skinned, with blue eyes and a genial expres- sion, he gave the story of his life in the French patois spoken by Louis- iana French Negroesf which has been translated into English.

f,My mania was daughter of one of the Carmouche boys* One of

Mfsieur Francois1 sons. She call herself Armance Carmouche. She

was house servant for the family and I worked around the house. I

remember my Madame brought me the little basket and it had a strap

on it. I put the strap over the shoulder and went round with the

sharp stick and picked up the leaves on the ground with the stick.

"It was a great house with trees and flowers. Madame liked

all clean and pretty. I never worked hard. The Indies and my mama,

too, petted me as if I was the white child*

"M'sieur had a widow sister. She made us learn the prayers.

We were glad to go where she was for she always had something good

in her bag for us. I never saw the baptizing. In those days all

the slaves had the religion of the master and the Catholics didn!t

have no baptizing. They didn't have to half-drowa itien they got

their religion. The church was 15 or 20 miles off. The priest came

and held Mass for the white folks sometimes.

HI remember one wedding. My aarnt got married. Mfsieur

Caramouche killed a big pig. The white folks ate in the house. The

-1-

Ex-slave Stories Page Two 4 KQ (Texas) X°^

slaves sat under the trees and ate in the ^ard. At four o1 clock the

justice of the peace came. He was the friend of I^sieur Caraciouche.

He made my aunt and the man hold hands #nd jump over the broom handle.

When the priest came he made Lrfsieur sign some papers.

,fA slave always had to ask Mfsieur to many. He always let

the women slaves marry who they wanted. He didnft loose "by that. He was

so good the nan would come to his plantation.

"We all wore the long chemise. Made out of heavy cloth. They

made the cloth on the place and the women sewed it up. We didnft wesr

the shoes. We didn't like them when we had them.

HSach slave could have the little garden. They raised vege-

tables and had a couple of "beehives for the honey.

"When the Yankees came they told us we co^ld "be free, bat I

don*t know of any slaves that left. Old Mfsieur died of the fever in

the second year of the war. His wife died "before he did. No children.

They sold us, the house and everything* Mfsieur Cyprien Arceneaux of

Lafayette bought me and Madame Arvillien Bernard of St. Pierre bought

the mama. They used to call it St. Pierre. They call it Carenero now.

When war was finished I left M'sieur Arceneaux and lived with mama.

nA year and a half after that the inraa married a "black man

and us three farmed the little farm. My steppapa didn't like me. I was

light. He and me couldn't get along. So when I had 20 years I left

there and hired myself out. I saved till I hought a little piece of

land for myself. Then I married and raised the family. Me and my wife

aad the children farmed that place up to ten years ago and then she died.

My 8oa farms the place now and I came to Beaumont. I live with my girl.

Sx-slave Stories Page Three JL53 (Texas)

"I remember me in time of war we danced. Round dances. We sang

and danced La Boulaagere in time of war. De song go:

11 *La Boulaagere ait ta victoire Et aous, qui sont en guerre, Yoici le jotij? que je dois partir.

11 fMon cher ami, tu pars, Tu me laisses un enfant daas les bras

et prend tes armes. Et moif je vais dans le moment

verser des larmes. 2

* ^ LAS c^^^t- H,Quiand je serai en le guerre, [ ^^-~—j~~^ Tu serais de garaison, i Et tu m'oublirais moi, Qui serai en les haillons.

11 fJlemtends le tfi&mbour qu^fl^appelle jl les points de jour.

Mon cher Armando, si tu m'aimes Tu peaserais a moi, quand tu serais,

Dans tes plaisir. Moi —- que serai au bout du fusill f

HI got oae real scare. I was with Mfsieur Arceaeaux in Lafayette.

There was the battle. Lots of fighting. Lots of killing. The Taakees came

right inside the house. I stayed hid.

"I doaH kaow whether itfs been better since the war. At all times

oae has his miseries. We maaaged to get along on the farm. But now I have

nothing. Oh, I don't mean slavery was better than to be free. I mean times

were better.

MThe reasoa Ifm so light is, my mama was half-white. Up papa was

Neville Broussard and he was all white.

******

EX-SLAVE STORKS Page One >q n/t (Texas) Jfc-°*

JAMHB BEOffN; aged Negre ef Waee, Texas9 dees net knew her age. She was bora near Richmond, Virginia, a slave of the Koonce family. They sold her to Mrs. Margaret Taylorf of Belt on 9 Texas f when Ifennie was only five years oldt and she never saw her mother again.

*I was horned near Richmond, over in Virginy, hut Massa Koonce

sold me. When I was five year old he brung me to Bel ton and sold me to

Missy Margaret Taylor, and she kep9 me till she died. I was growed den

and sold to Massa Jim Fletcher and dere I stayed till I was freed.

HDere no spring near Massa Fletcher1 s place and us have to git

water out de well, what dey call de sweep well. Dey cut down a young

saplln9 and weight it on one end with rocks and tie de bucket on a rope

on de other end and brace de pole over de well.

"While de big house bein1 built dey slep9 in a big wagon and

cook over a fireplace make out of rock what us niggers pick up in de

woods. Us cook lots of good eat in' out on dat fireplace, dem wild

turkeys and wild meat sho* tasted good»

HMassa trades ten yards of red calico and two hatchets to

de Indians for some skins and take de skins to Austin and traced dem

for de spinnin1 wheel and loom, and hauls dem to Belton in de ox carts.

wMy missy larnt me to spin and weave and did dls child git many

a whpppin1 'fore I could do it good. Den she larnt me to cook and start

me cookin1 two or three days ffore company come. Dat when us have de

good old pound cake. De ll91 ehillen stand round when I bake, so as to

git to lick de spoons and pans, and how dey pop dere lips when dey

lickin9 dat good dougni

to-slave Stories Page Two 4 -^ (Texas) AJJ

"Massa have garden seed he brang to Texas, but he didn't think it

would grow, so he kep9 it several months, but den he plants it and up it come,

jus9 like in de old states* Us used dem tomatoes for flowers, • cause us

thank dem pretty red things would kill us or put de spell on us. But de

white folks et dem si3a& us lam to.

"I was growed and have chillen 'fore de freedom war, I never did

hare no special husban9 9fore de war* I marries after de war.

"My, how dem niggers could play de fiddle back in de good old

days. On de moonlight nights, us dance by de light of de moon under a big

oak tree, till most time to go to work next mornin9. 19De fus1 barb wire us ever seen, us acairt of it* Us tbunk

lightnin* be she9 to strike it. It sho1 keep de stock in, though.

"I seed men rid in1 bosses with dead men tied f cross dey boss,

endurin9 de freedom war. But I can't tell much •bout dat war, * cause

I couldn't read and I never git aqsr place 9cept home at my work* I love

dem day* better dan I do dese times now, but I'm too old to 'member much*

*********

420086

iSJUSLAYE SiOBIZS Page One 156 (Texas)

FEED BROWBT, 84, 1414 Jones St., Pert Worth, Texas, was "born a slave to Mr. John Brown, who owned a plantation along tiie Mississippi River, in Baton Rouge Parish, Louisi- ana. Jred was eight years old when the Civil War started.

>$>? During the War, he and a number of other slaves were taken to

<. *° Kaufman Co., Texas, as refugees, ^p7 by Henry Bidder, an overseer* * He werieed five years as a lab-

orer after he was freed, then worked as a cook until 1933*

c&

%

wShof, I has time to talk to you fbout my life, f cause

I caaft work any more and I has nothin1 hut time. It am de rhumatis1

in de leg, it ketch me dat way, from de hip to de knee, - zip - dat

pain goesj

HPs bofn in ole Louisiana, in Baton Rouge Parish, on de

16th of November, in 1853. I knows, 'cause massa give dis nigger a

statement. You see, dey donf larn de niggers to read in dem days,

nor figger, hat I can read figgsrs. See dem on dat car? Dat am vl3f

Dat am bad figgers, I never has any truck with sich numbers as de 7

or de 13.

"Massa have quite pert a plantation in Louisiana, dis side

de Mississippi River. De slaves him own am from 40 to 50 sometimes.

In our family am pappy, mammy and three brudders and one sister, Julia,

and six cousins. Dat am 13 and dat1 a why massa had so much trouble

with niggers runnin* 9way2

"Everyone have dere certain wefk and duties for to do. Mammy

am d© family cook and she hefp at do loom, makin1 de clothe My daddy

-1-

,Ex-slave Stories Pa*e Two 4 xj*i (Texas) ±0'

am de blackmmith and shoemaker and de tanner* I fspains how he do tennin.1

He puts de hides in de water with black-oak baxk and purty sow de hair come

off and den he rolls and peunfs de hides for to make dam soft.

f,When Ifs »bout 8 years old, or sicht day starts me to he'pin 1 in

de yard and as I grows older I hefps in de fields. Massa, hia raises cane

and cefn mostly, no cotton.

MDe buildings en de place am de resident of de mass a and de quart-

ers for de niggers, Dey am built from logs and. de quarters has no floors

and no windows, jus* square holes whar de windows ought to be. Dey have

bunks for sleepin1 and a table and benches, and cooks in de fireplace.

wWe allus have plenty for to eat, plenty ce,nmeal, •lasses and

heavy, brown sugar. We gits flour bread once de week, but lots of butter

and milk. For de coffee, we roasts meal bran and for de tea, de sassafras.

Den we has reg1 tables and fruit dat am raised on de place* De meat mostly

am de wil' game, deer and de turkey, but sometimes hawg meat.

"Massa have overseer and overlooker, De overseer am in charge of

wefk and de overlooker am in charge of de cullud women, De overseer give

all de whippln's. Sometimes when de nigger gits late, * stead of comin1

home aid takin1 de whippin1 him goes to de caves of de river and stays

and jus1 comes in night time for food. When dey do dat, de dawgs is put

after de® and den it am de fight ftween de nigger and de dawg. Jus1 once

a nigger kills de dawg with de knife, dat was close to freedom and it come

•fore dey ketches him. When dey whips for runnin1 off, de nigger am tied

down over a barrel and whipped hafd, till dey draws blood, sometimes.

wDem fool niggers what sneak off without do pass, have two things

for to watch, one is not to be ketched by de overseer and de other am

-2~

u£smM* Page »— 158

de patter-rollers, De nigger she1 am skeert of de patters* One time my

pappy and zay mammy gees out without de pass and de patters takes after dem.

Ifse home, 'cause VB too young te "be pester in1 roun1 • I sees dem com in,1

and you ceuldn1 catched dem with a jackraVbit. One time anoudder nigger am

runnin1 from de patters and hides under de house, Dey fin1 him and make him

come out, Toufs seen de dawg quaver when himfs col1? Well, dat nigger

hare de nuaverment jus1 like dat, De patters hits him five or six licks

and lets him ge. Dat nigger have lets of power - him gits t© de quarters

ahead of his shadow,

wSTowt I tell fbout seme good times. We is flowed te have parties

and de dance and we has for music, sich as de han$© and de Jew's harp and ■■ - V

a fcordian, Dey dance de promenade and de jog, Sometimes day have de

jiggin1 contest and two niggers puts a glass of water on dere heads and

den see i&e can dance do lenges1 without spillin1 any water. Den we has

leg-rellln1, Dere was twe teams, fhout three te de team, and dey see

which can roll de log de fastes9. Den sometimes a couple am • lowed to

git married and dere am extry fixed for supper. De couple steps over de

broom laid en de floor, dey's married den.

"Sometimes de overlooker don1 let dem git married. I fspi&ins

it dis way. He am used for to father de chillun. Him picks de pertly, r

and de healthy women dat an te reai de portly chill en • De overlooker,

he am portly man.; Dem dat him picks he overlooks, and not flew dem to

marry er te ge reund'with ether nigger men. If dey de, its whippin* sho.1

De massa raises some fine9 portly chillen, and dey sol 9 some, after dey's

half-grown, for $500 and sometimes mere.

J&m

Ex-slave Stories page SUP^ H i ^Q

wDe war didn* make no difffruncet dat I notices, fcept massa and

one overseer Jines de army. Massa come back, bat de overseer am captured

by de Yankees, so massa says, and we never hears 'bout him after dat. De

soldiers passes by lots of timeet both de ffsderates and de *blue bellies1,

but we»s never bothered with dem. Do fight in1 was net close enough to

make trouble. Jus1 ffore freedom come, de now overseer am fctructed to

take us to Texas and takes us to Kaufman County and we is refugees dare.

De Yankee mans tells us we am free and can do sich as we pleases. Dat lef«

us in charge of no one and we'uns, jus1 like cattle, wen' wanderin*.

"Pappy, him goes back to Lousiana to massa1 s place, Dat am de las1

we hears from him. Mammy and I gees to Henderson and I works at dis and

dat and cares for my mammy ton years, till she dies. Den I gits jobs as

cook in Dallas and Houston and lots of ether places,

WI gits married in 1901 to Ellen Tilles and I cooks till •bout four

years age, till I gits de rhumatis1. Datfs all I can tell you *beut de

ole days.

*********

120096

fflUSLATO STOHMS Page One 160 (fexas)

JiMBS BH0WH, 84p Mind for the last 12 years and now living alone in a shack at 408 W. Bel- knap, fort forth, 3Pexas, was horn a slave of Mr, Barney in Bell Co*, Texas, in 1853. While still m

AX infant9 he and his mother were y sold to Mr* John Blairf who farmed

four miles south of Wacof Texas, o JJUffiS has no known living rela-

^ tives and a pension of $14.00 a ^ month is his sole support.

*My fust Marater was named Marater Berney. Ifse don*

•member hims fust name nor nothin8 *bout him. Ifse don1 know

nothin9 'bout my pappy, hut Marster Blair told me hlms name

waa John Brown.

"Marster Blair have hima farm four miles south of Waco.

We9uns lived in de cabins and have de fiddle and de banjoes.

We^uns sins and have music on Sundays. Marster never whups

wefi»8 and him was allus good to us* Him gives us plenty to

eat, and meat, too. Hims keeps •bout 20 hawgs dere all de time.

De women makes de clothes and we'uns have all we need.

"De fust work I does is drivin1 de Marster to town.

Marster have fine bosses. Marster have hims office in Waco and

we drive dere every day* I'se stays all day ready to dtive him

home. Mos* every day hims give me five cents or maybe de dime.

Hlms was a big law man and went to de legislature down in Austin.

His picture am in Austin, f cause I'se down dere years ago and seen

his picture in a case wid Gov»ner Boss* picture.

"Jbmdder thing dat Marater does powe'ful good am trade

-1-

Ex-slaw Stories Page Two '%{*\

de niggers. He boys and sells 'en all de time. Tou see, dere was

traders dat traveled from place to place dem days and dey takes some-

times as much as 100 niggers for to trade. Dere was sheds outside of

town, whar dey keeps de niggers when dey comes to town,

"De Marster and de trader talks dls away: fEow you trade?9

fI98e give you even taade.9 9Ko, I9se wants $25*00 for de diff9runce.f

i I5 86 gives you $5*00.* Dat'a de way dey talks on and on. Maybe dey

makes de trade and maybe dey don1,

*Dey have auction sometime and Marster allus tend 'em. At

de auction Ifse seen dem sell a family. Maybe one man buy de mammy,

anudder buy de pappy and anudder buy all de chlllens or maybe Jus1

onet like dat. I fse see dem cry like dey at de funeral when dey am

parted. Dey has to drsg fem away.

"When de motion begin, he says? 'Dls nigger is so and so

ole9 he never fbusedf he soun

9 as a dollar* Jus1 look at de muscle

and de big shoulders* He's worth a thousan9 of any man*© money. How

much m I offered?1 Den de biddinf starts. It goes like dis* f$200

I9se hear, does I*se hear $250, does I hear $300.* Den de nigger

takes hims clothes - $&y have one extry suit - and goes wid de man dat

buys him,

wDe day befo1 Marster gives we'uns freedom, he says to we9unsf

9I9se wants all yoa niggers to cense to de front of de house Sunday

mornint9 We'uns was derm and he was stand in* on de gallery, hold in1 a

paper in hims han9 and readin1. Dere was tears in hims eyes and some

drap on ds paper. I9se haw tears In my eyes, too? mos1 of 9ea have.

When hims done readin9f hims says* 9Tou darkies is as free as Ifse is.

«3*»

Ex-slave Stories Page Three fno (Texas) i0<5

You can 40 or you can stay Riose dat stay till de crops laid hyt

Ifse will give $5.00 a month*f

»Den he takes de little niggers and aaye, fDe little fellows

who I'se hare sold dere marries will stay wld me till dey am 21 years

ole. Tou little fellowsf I fs© know you*s age and I*se give yous de

statement .f

"Mos1 of de niggers stays wld him, but dey lef9 fust one and

den tudder, I1 se stays on wld hi* for many years and works as coach-

man* When I lef1 de Marater, *twas to wort: for a farmer for one year,

den I*ae comes to Tort Worth* I*se works in lumberyafd for long time*

"Por de las1 12 years Pse been blin*. I'se had hard time after

dat till de las9 year but Ifse gits de pension each month, dat am a heap

of help. Die nigger am thankftil for what de Lawd have blessed me wid.

**********

EX-SLAVE STOEIES Page Ov 163 (Texas)

JOSIE BROWN was born about 1859, in 7ictoriaf Texas. She belonged to George Heard • Her mother was born free, a member of the Choctaw Nation,

* but she was stolen and sold ^y as a slave. Josie now lives / in Woodville, Texas.

^

"Its bo!n on Christmas day, in Victoria* Got h^re jus1 in

time for de eggnogi Dat fbout 1859, * cause I*s six year ole de

Christinas ffore freedom. My mudder was a free bofn Injjun woman.

Jus1 like any ole,demmed Choctaw down in de woods. She was stole

and sol1 by a spectator's gang. Us move to Tyler when I one mont1

ole.

HWe lib on a big farm and my madder suckle her thirteen

chillun and ole mistus seven. Bob, ray brudder, he go to Mansfiel1

and we never hear of him no more. He wen1 with young marster,

Wesley Heard. I Member de mornin1 dey lef■, dey had to wait for

him, fcanse hefd been out seein' his gal.

l?De marster hab a big log house close to de road. De quarters

was lcordinf to de family what live dare. De stage line through

Woodville pass close by. I Member sittin1 on de rail fence to see

de stage go by. Dat was a fine sight! De stage was big, rough

carriage and dey was four or five hosses on de line. De bugle blow

when dey so by, with de dus1 behin* dem. Dey was comin1 from

Jasper, in louisian1, and everywhere.

MWhea us little dey hab to keep us in dehouse fcause de

bald eagle pick up chillen Jus1 like de hawk pick up chicken. Dey

was lots of catamoua* aad biitrs and deer in de woods. Us never

«»1*»

Page Two 164 Ex~slave Stories (Texas)

fllowed play 'lone in de woods.

HI didn1 do nothin1 fcep» eat and sleep and foiler ole mistus

•round. She giv me good clothes 'cause my mudder was de weaver. De

clothes jus1 cut out straight down and dyed with all kirf^s of hark.

I hab to keep de head comb and grease with lard. De lil1 white chillun

play with me hut not de udder nigger chilluns much. Us pull de long,

leaf grass and plait it and us make rag doll and playhouse and grapevine

swing. Dere's plenty grapes, scudlong, sour blue grape and sweet, white

grape, Dey make jelly and wine outta dem. Dey squeeze de grapes and put

de juice in a j iiami j ohn( deai j ohn) to fo^en*.

HMy mudder name was £eyia. Dat Injun. Daddy1 s name was Eeuben.

I fmember when Ifs lil1 us goes visit my uncle, Me,1or Scott* He lib in

Polk County and he wore earring in he ears and beads and everytfing. Hefs

a Injun. He dead now, many year.

HMy daddy work in de fiel1. He sow de rice and raise tfbaccy. Dey

have fisPs of it. Dey put it in de crack of de fence to press, dien dey

dxy it on de bam roof, Dat was smokin* t1 baccy! For de chewin* tfbaccy,

dey soak it in sugar and honey. Us never see snuff den.

"On Sunday us didn' work. ?fe has chufch meetin1. But dey has to

have it in de ya'd, so de white folks could see de kin1 of religion *spounded.

"I seed some bad sight in slavery, but ain* never been'bused nyself.

I seed chillun too lil1 to walk from dey mammies sol1 right off de olock

in toodville. Dey was sol1 jus1 like calf*. I seed niggers in han1 locks,

w After freedom dey wuk a whole year and den Major Sangers, he

finally come and make de white folks tvJn in loose. I stay on for years,

•till ole mistus die. She lara me to knit and spin and sich like*

Ex-slave Stories Page Three A05 (Texas)

wIn de early day, us hab to be keerful. Dey say witches ride

dey hosses on de da!k nigjhts. Us allus put hossshoes over de door

to keep de witcli out. If fen us go out at night, us go rounT de house

three time so de witch not come in while us gone*

"I* a fifteen year ole when I marry. Grills Paul was from de

Wes1. He was de fus1 husban1. Us hab a real weddin1 with a bride

veil. My weddin* dress hang fway back on de floff and shine like

silver. Dey hab big dance and eat supper.

"tfy second husban1 name* Robert Brown and I1* raudder of ten

chillun. fSides dat, I raises six or seven day I pick up on de street

1 cause dey orfums and hab nobody to care for dem. Some dem chillun

drif fbout now and I wouldn1 know feia if I seed *ml

*************

mo2ii

E3USLA71 STORIES Page One 1.66 (Texas)

ZEK SHOWN, 80, was horn a slave of Green Brown, owner of six slave families, in Warren County, Tennessee. Zek came to Texas in 1868, with Sam Bragg.Zek now lives at 407 W. Bluff St.t in Fort Worth, Texas.

wMy name am Zek Brown and Massa Green Brown owned me. He have

a plantation in Tennessee and own all my folks f what was my pappy and mammy

and two sisters* I never seed any of dem since I ran fway from there, when

I1 s ten years old*

,fI sometimes wishes I*s hack on de plantation. lfs took good care

of dere and massa em awful good. gach famfly have dere own cahin and it

warnH so much for niceness hut we lives comfOrfble and has plenty to eat

and wear. My mammy work de loom, makin1 cloth, and us chillen wears linsey

cloth shirts till dey gives us pants* Massa "buy he famfly nice clothes hut

dey wears linsey clothes everyday. Same with shoes, dey am made on de

plantation and de first store shoes I has am after surrender. My mammy

huys me a pair with brass tips on de toe, and am I dress up de&f

MDe food am hester dan what Ifs had since dem deys. Dey raises it

all hut de salt and sich. You wouldnft flieve how us et den. It am ham

and bacon, 'cause dey raises all de hnwgs. It am cornmeel and some white

flour and fruit and honey and f lasses and brown sugar. De f lasses am black

as I is and dat am some black* I wishes I was dere and mammy call me, and

I can smell dat ham fry in1 rigfrt now.

^Sofc once does I know of de massa whipping and him don't talk rough

even. tTu&V so do worite am done we does ad we pleases, long as us reasfble.

J^^ and singin** De music am de banjo and de fiddle.

P^0=^:§W'':^--':1^.'V.'S'---":.<■■■■■'' .■:

Ex-slave Stories Pgge Two JLu ff (Texas)

>>*^

111 don't Member when de war start "but I Member ^4ien it stop and

massa call all us together pnd tell us we's no more slaves. Him talk lots

'bout what it mean and how it am difffrent and we'uns have to make our own

way and can't 'pend on him like. He say if us stay dere'11 be wages or

we can share crop and everybody stay. My folks stays one year and den moves

to 'nother he farms. Pappy keep de farm and mammy teach school. Her missie

done larnt her to read and sich from time she a voung'un, so she have eddication

so good dey puts her to teaching

MDe way I leaves home am dis. One day maaaay teach in1 school and

me and my sister am home, and I fcides she ne*d de haircut. She want itf too*

So I gits de shears and goes to work and after I works a while de job don't

look so good, so I cuts some more and den it look worse and I tries to fix it

and first thing I knows dere ainft no hair left to cut. When mami^r come home

she pays me for de work with de rawhide whip and dat hurts my feel in's so bad

I fcides to git even by runnin1 fway a few days. It am 'bout sundown and I

starts to go and coxaes to Massa San Bragg1 s place, I's tired den and not so

strong fbout de idea and •aides to rest. I walks into he yard and dere am

a covered wagon standin' and loaded with lots of stuff and de front end open,

I finds de soft place in de b&ck and goes to sleep, and when I wakes up it am

jus1 gittin* daylight and dat wagon am a-movin'. '

MI don't say nothin1. Ifs skeert and waits for dat wagon to stop,

so's I can crawl out, I jus1 sits and sits and when it stop I crawls out and

Massa Bragg say, 'Good gosh, look what am crpwlin1 out de wsgoni He look at

me a while and den he sgy, 'You's too far from home for me to take you back

**3»*

Ex-slave Stories Page Three (Texas) 1G8

and you'll git lost if you tries to walk home. I guesses Ifll have to take you

with me.1 I thinks him am goin' some place and comin' back, hut it am to Texas

him come and stop at Birdyille. Dat am how dis nigger come to Texas,

MIfs often wish my man my done whip me so hard I couldn't walk off de

place, 'cause from den on I has mighty hard times. I stays with tfassa 3ragg

four years and then I hunts for a job where I can git some wages. I gits it

with Massa Joe Henderson, workin' on he farm and I's been round these parts

ever since and farmed most my life,

HI gits into a picklement once years ago* I's frested on de street.

■I's not done a thing, jus1 walkin1 'long de street with 'nother fellow and dey

claim he stole something I didn't know nothin' 'bout since, Did dey turn me

a-loose? Dey turn me loose after six months on de chain gang. I works on de

road three months with a ball and chain on de legs. After dat trouble, I sho*

picks my comp'ny.

"I marries onct, 'bout forty years ago, and after four years she drops

dead with de heart xnis'ry. Us have no chillen so I's alone in de world. It vm

all right long as I could work, but five years ago dis right arm gits to shakin'

so bad I canf| work no more, for a year now dey pays me $9.00 pension. It am

hard to live on dat for a whole month, but Ifs glad to git it.

****

430139

SX-SLAVE STORIES Page One ±QC) (Texas)

MADISON BRUIN, 92, spent his early days as a slave on the Curtis farm in the blue grass region of Kentucky, where he had seme experience with some of the fine horses far which the state is famous. Here, too, he had certain con- tacts with soldiers of John Morgan, of Confederate frsne. His eyes are keen and his voice mellow Qni low. His years have not token a heavy toll ©f his vitality.

wIfs a old Kentucky man. Vs b$rn in Fayette County, roout

five miles from Lexington, right where dere lots of fine hosses. My old

massa was name Jack Curtis and de old.missus was Miss .iddie. My mother

nme Mary and she die in 1863 and never did see freedom, I don't 'member

my daddy a-tall.

"De place was jis* a farm, 'cause dey didn't know nothin1

f"bout plantations up dere in Kentucky. Dey raise com and wheat and garlic

and fast hosses, Dey used to have big hoss races and dey had big tracks

and Ifs stood in de middle of dat "big track in Lexington slid watch dem

ex'cise de hosses. Sometimes I got to help dem groom some dem grand hosses

and dat was de big day for me. I don!t 'memher dem hosses names, no, suh,

"but I knowed one Dig bay hoss what won de race nearly every time,

"I had two sisters nme Jeanette and Fanny and a brother, Henry,

end. after my daddy dief my mother marries a man name Paris and I had one

half-brother call Alfred Paris.

"Old maSsa was good to us and give us plenty food. He never

beat us hard. He had a son what jis1 one month older1 n me and we run 'round

and play lots. Old massa, he whip me and he own son jis1 de same when we

-i~

Ex-slaveStories Page Two -i^n (Texas) X 'U

bad. He didn't whip us no more'n he ought to, though. Dey was good masses

and some mean ones,«r& some worthless cullud folks, too.

MDurinf de uar de cholera "broke out fmongst de people and everybody

scairt dey gwine cotch it. Dey say it start with de hurtin1 in de stomach

and every time us hurt in de stomach, missus make us come quick to de big

house, Dat suit us jis1 right and when dey sends Will and rae to hoe or do

somethin1 us didnft want to do, pretty soon I say, •Willie, I think ay

stomach 'ginnin to hurt. I think dis misfry a sign I gittin1 de cholera.1

Den hiia say, 'Us "better go to de "big house like ma say,1 and with dat, us

quit workin1. Us git out lots of work dat way, hut us ain't ever took de

cholera yit.

"Darin* de war John Morgan's men come and took all de hosses. Dey

left two and Willie and me took dem to hide in de plum thicket, hut us jis1

git out de gate when de sojers come fgain and dey head us off and tpke de

last two hosses.

"My mother she wore de Yankee flag under her dress like a petticoat

when de 'federates come r&idin1. Other times she wore it top de dress.

When dey hears de 'federates comin' de white folks makes us hury all de

gold and de silver spoons out in de garden. Old massa, he in de Yankee

army, 'cause dey 'script him, but he sons, John and Joe, dey volunteers,

"Old massa he never sold none of he slaves. I used to hear him

aad missus fussin1 'bout de niggers, 'cause some 'long to her and some to

him and dey have de time keepin1 dem straighten' out.

Us hoys have good time playin'. Us draw de line and some git on

one side and some de other. Den one sing out

-3~

Ex-slave Stories Page Three JLT1 (Texas)

11 fChickaraafChickamaf cr&ney crowf Went to de well to wash my toe; When I git back ray chicken was gone,

What time, old witch?1

HDen somebattr holler out, !One o^lock' or 'Two o'clock1 or any time,

and dem on one side try to cotch dera on de other side.

"When Ifs young I didn't mind plowin', but I didn't like to ride at

fust, but dey make me lara anyhow, bourse, dat white boy and me, us like

most anything what not too much work. Us go down to de watermelon patch

and plug dem melons, d.en us run hide in de woods and eat watermelon. Course,

dey lots of time dey 'low us to play jis' by ourselves. Us plr»y one game

where us choose sides and den sing:

11'Can, can, candio, Old men Dandio, How many men you got? More'n you're able to cotch.1

^Endurin1 de war us git whip mfmy a'time for playin1 with shells

what us find in de woods. TJs heered de cannons shoot in1 in Lexington end

lots of dem shells drap in de woods.

"What did I think when I seed all dem sojers? I wants to be one,

too. I didn't care what side, I jis'. wants a gun end a hoss and be a sojer.

John Morgan, he used to own de hemp factory in Lexington. When young massa

jine foolford's 11th Kentucky Cavalry, dey come to de piece and hKLt befo' de

big house in de turnpike. Day have shotguns and blind bridles on dere hosses,

not open bridle like on de race hosses. Dey jis1 in reg'lar clothes but next

time dey come through dey in blue uniforms, ill my white folks come back

from de war and didn't git kilt. Nobody ever telt me Ils free. I's happy

dere and never left dem till 1872. All de others gone befo1 dat, but I

-3-

Enslave Stories Page P0ur -fl^O (Texas) &-(<>

git s all I wants and I didst11 need no money. I didnH know what paper money

was and one time m&ssa's son give roe a paper dime to git some squab and I

dida!t know what money was and I "burned it up.

wDeyfs jis1 one thing I like to do most and dat's eat, Dey allus

had plenty of everything and dey had a "big, wooden tray, or^trough and dey

put potlicker and cornbread in dat trough and set it under de big locust

tree and all uslifl niggers jis1 set 'round and eat and eat. Jis1 eat all

us wants. Den when us git full us fall over and go to sleep. Us jis1 git

fat and lazy. When us see dat "bowl comin1, dat howl call us jis1 like hawgs

runnin1 to de trough.

MDey was great on gingerbread and us go for dat. Dey couldn't

leave it in de kitchen or de pantry so old missus git a big tin box and hide

de gingerbread under her bed and kept de switch on us to keep us fway from it.

But sometime us sneak up in de bedroom and git some, even den.

wflhen I fbout 17 I left Kentuclcy and goes to Indiana and white folks

sends me to school to larn readin1 and writin1, but I got tired of dat and

run off and jine de anny. Dat in 1876 and dey sends me to Arizona* After

dat Ifs at Port Sill in what used to be Indian Territory and den at Tort

Clark and Port Davis, dat in Garfield's Ministration, den in Port Quitman

on de Sio Grande. Ifs in skirmishes with de Indians on Devilfs River and

in de Brazos Canyon, and in de Rattlesnake lange and in de Guadalupe Mouatains.

De troops was de Eighth Cavalry and de Tenth Infantiy. De white and de cullud

folks was altogether and I have three hosses in de cavalry. De fust one plays

out* de next one shot down on caiapaign and one was coadema. On dat campaign

us have de White Mountain fpaches with us for scouts.

Bx-slave Stories Page Five JLYO (T^xas)

"When I git discharge1 from de j^rmy I come to Texas and work oa

de S.P. Eailroad and I been in Texas ever since, and when Ifs in Dallas

I got 'flicted and got de pension 'cause I been in de army. I ainft done

much work in ten year.

ffI gits married in San Antonio on December 14, 1883 and I marries

Dolly Gross and dat her right dere. TJs have de nice weddin1, plenty to eat

and drink. Us have only one chile, a gal, and she dead, hut us *dopt sevfral

chillen.

"Us come to Beaumont in 1903 and I works f round Spindletqp and

I works for de gas people and de waterworks people. Ifs been a carpenter

and done lots of common work wherever I could find it.

"It's been long time since slavery and Ifs old, but me and iny

old lady's in go<£ health and us manage to git flong fairly well. Dat!s

•bout all I can 'member fbout de old times.

*****

420236

EX-SLAVE STORIES Page One JL*74 (Texas)

1/

MABTEA 3>ENCE BUHTON, 81f was born a slave, Jan. lt 1856, on the John Bell plantation, in Murphfreesboro, Tennessee, Mr. Bell sold Martha, her mother and four sisters to Joseph Spence. who brought them to Texas. Martha married Andy Bunt on in 1880, and they had nine children. Martha now lives with her sister, Susan, on twelve acres of land which their father bought for $25*00 an acre, The fara is pictu^ resquely located on a thickly wooded hill about six miles east of Austin, Texas.

"I was born on New Year's Day. Yes, suh, in 1856, on Massa

Bell1 s plantation over in Tennessee. De name of de town was Murphreesboro,

and my mammy and my four sisters and me all 'longed to Massa John Bellf

but he done sold us to Massa Joseph Spence, and dat how I come by my name.

HI 'members how Massa Spence brung us to Texas in wagons, and the

way we knowed when we hit Texas am 'cause massa 'gin to talk 'bout a

norther. When dat norther done strike, all de weeds and leaves jus'

starts rollin1. Us poor, ig'rant niggers thunk at first dey wets rabbits,

'cause we'd never seed a rabbit den. Massa Spence rid his hoss and Missie

Spence come 'long in d# richer way, in a coach* De chillen walked momin's

and de older folks walked afternoons.

"Massa Spence come to Montopolis, right nigh to Austin, and settled

down. I helped carry dinner pails to de field workers, and dey was full of

meat and cabbage and biscuit. Pappy wasn't dere then, 'cause he was own

by Massa Burrows, over in Tennessee. Bat when his massa died, my massa

bought pappy and he come out to Texas. Befo' I's a sizeable child, mammy

took sick with diphtheria and died and pappy had to be mammy and pappy to us,

-1-

Ex-slave Stories Page Two JL*75 (Texas)

Pappy was a big-bodied man and on Sunday mornin1 he'd git out of bed and maice

a big fire and say, 'Jiminy cripes! Tou chillen stay in you beds and I111 make

de biscuits.1 He would, too. I laughs when I thinks fbout dem big, rye bis-

cuits, what was so big we called dem 'Nigger heels.1 Dey sho' was big biscuits,

but dey was good. We never did git no butter, thou^ki, and sometimes we'd ask

the white chillen to give us a piece of biscuit with butter on it. We got plenty

other eats - sliced meat and roast in' ears and sweet milk,

"After freedom pappy sent us to school to de white teacher, and dat's why

I can read and write. I went to de sixth grade and quit. Pappy was drinkin' a

lot then. He'd take alcohol and mix it with 'lasses and water. But he was good

to us. Sometimes a Texas norther come up and we'd be on the way home and we'd

see something cosain' what look like a elephant and it was pappy, with a bundle

of coats.

"I was twenty-four years old when I married Andy Bunt on and he jes' rented

farms here and yonder, fe had a big weddin1 and pork and turkey and cake* Aunt

Lucy ftxbbard, what weighed three hundred pounds, done de cookin' dat day. We had

such a good time nobody knowed when one de guests stole a whole turkey.

"I was mother of nine chillen and three of dem is livin' now. Andy madea

purty good livin till he had a paral'sis stroke. Poor old feller! In de end, I

took care of him and had to work like I was yo ng again. I cut wood and carried

water and washed and cooked. I had to feed him.

"I owns my place here. It am twelve acres and pqppy bought it long ago for

$25.00 de acre. My sister lives here too, and my son, Howard, comes home sometimes,

but he's got eight houn1 dogs he can't feed, I sho' can't feed dem on dat $11.00

pension what I gits.

****

420080

EX-SLAVE STORMS Page One V'7" (Texas) 1/b

SLLE3 BUTLER was horn a slave to Richmond Butler, near Ihiska Chittot in the northern part of Calcaeieu Farish(now a part of Basw>- regard Parish), in Louisiana, Ellen is about 78 years old. She now lives in Beaumont, Texas,

•My old saasa was naae Richmond Butler and he used to have a

hig plantation over on Wbiska Chit to, in Louisiana, and that's where

X was horn. They used to call the place Bagdad, I was hie slave till

I six year old and then freedom come*

111 don't 'member ay daddy, but ay mammy was name Dicey Ann But-

ler, I have seven sister and three brudder, and they was Anderson and

Charlie and Vlllle, and the girls was Ltaxra and Rosa and Rachel and Fan-

nie and Adeline and Sottie and Nora,

"Us used to live in a 11*1 log house with one room. The floor was

dirt and the house was sake jus9 like they used to make Hater house,

Thqy was a little window in the back* When I was a baby they wrop me

up in cot ten and put me in a coffee pot - that how li'l I was. But I

grows to be more sizable,

"The plantation were a good, big place and th^y have fbout 200

head of nigger*. When I gets big enough they start me to totin* water

to the field* I gits the water out the spring and totes it in gourds.

They cut the gourds so that a strip was left round and cross the top

and that the handle. They was about a foot • cross and a foot deep.

Us used to have one good gourd us ksp' lard in and li'l gourds to

drink out of.

-1-

Ex-slaw Stories Page Two ^^ (Texas) JL//

HMassa never 'lowed us slaves go to church hut they have big

holes in the fields thqy gits down in and prays. They done that way

fcause the white folks didn't want them to pray* They used to pray

for free don.

"then the white folks go off they writes on the steal and flour

with they fingers. That the way they know if us steal meal. Sometime

they take a stick and write in front of the door so if anybody go out

they step on that writin1 and the massa know. That the way us lam how

to write.

• Old m&ssa didn't give 'em such to eat. When they comes in cut

of the field they goes work for other folks for something to eat.

"They jus1 have a old frame with planks to sleep on and no mat-

tress or not h in*. In winter they have to keep the fire go in1 all night

to keep from freesin'. They put a old quilt down on the floor for the

li'l folks. They have a ll'l trough us used to eat out of with a li'l

woodea paddle. Us didn't know nothin' fbout knives and forks*

"I never did git nothin1 much to eat. My sister she de cook and

sometime when the white folks gone us go up to the big house and she give

us something But she make us wash the mouth after us finish eat in V, so

they won't he no crumbs ±n our mouth.

"Massa used to beat *m all the time. My brudder tell eld massa

sometime he git hongry and gwine have to come ask de niggers for somethin9

to eat. He say he never do that, but he did, 'cause after freedom he go

to West Texas and some niggers with him and he los' everything and, sho9

'nough, old massa have to go to my brudder and ask him for food and a

shelter to sleep under. Then he say if he had it to do over, he wouldn't

-3-

Bx-slare Stories ?a&> Three I/O (Texas)

treat the hands so bad,

H0ne time my brudder slip off de plantation and they almost

beat him to death* He told fem he hod to do somethin* to git somethin1

to eat. They used to put *m 'cross a log or barrel to beat fem# My

mammy had a strop fbout eight inch wide they used to beat 'em with,

"Most clothes what we git is from the lies, what was rieh

folks and lives close by. They folks lives in DeRidder, in Louisiana,

I hears, Thay treated the slaves like white folks.

"On Christmas time they give us a meal* I 'member that.

I don't 'member no other holidays•

wWhen us git sick us go to the woods and git herbs and

roots and make tea and medicine. We used to git Blackhaw root and

cherry bark and dogwood and chinquapin bark, what make good tonic.

Black snake root and swamproot make good medicine, too.

ttMy mammy told us we was free and we starts right off and

walks to Sugartown, 'bout 8 mile away. I 'member my brudder wades 'cross

a pool tot in9 me«

"I used to nuss Dr. Irasier. He used to be the high sheriff

in DeRidder.

********

.420182 '

OS ^-SBAVE STOBIES Page One 179 ^ (Texas)

§ HENRY H. SUTTEES, 87 , venerable graduate of Washburn College, Tqpeka, Kansas, and ex-school teacher, was born a slave to Mr. George Sullivan on his 300 acre plantation in Far- quier Co., Virginia. Henry and a number of other slaves were trans- ported to Arkansas in 1863, and Heniy escaped and joined the Union Army. He now lives at 1308 E. Bessie St., Port Worth, Texas.

*My name is Henry H. But tier and I am past 87 years of age.

That figure may not be accurate, but you must realize that there were

no authentic records made of slave births. I estimate my age on the

work I was doing at the commencement of the Civil War and tne fact

that I was large enough to be accepted as a soldier in the Union Ajmy,

in tne year of 1864.

WI waspora on tne plantation of George Sullivan, in Farquier Co.,

Yirginia. Thaplantation was situated in the valley at the base of Bull

Mountain, and presented a beaatiful picture. The plantation consisted

of about 30 acres, with about 30 slaves, though this number varied and

sometimes reached 50. Mr. Sullivan owned my mother and her children,

but ay father was owned by Mr. John Hector, *hose place was adjacent to

ours*

wThe slave quarters consisted of a group of one-room log cabins,

with no flooring, and very crude furnishings. There were bunks and

benches and a table and the fireplace provided the means for cooking

and heating.

*The food was wholesome and of sufficient quantity. In that period

about all the food was produced and processed on the plantation, which

eliminated any reason for failure to provide ample food. The meat

Ex-slave Stories Page Two JLOU (Texas)

was home cured and tne ham and "bacon nad r superior flavor,

M0n tne Sullivpn place there existed consideration for human feelings

"but on tne Rector place neither the master nor tne overseer seemed to under-

stand th«?t slaves were human beings. One old slave called Jim, on tne Hector

plgce, disobeyed some rule and early one morning they ordered him to strip.

They tied him to tne whipping post and from morning until noon, at inoervals,

tne lash was applied to nis back. I, myself, saw and hesrd many of tne lr»snes

and his cries for mercy.

"One morning a number of slaves were ordered to lay a fence row on the

Rector plp.ce. The overseer said, fThis row must be l*id to the Branch and

left in time to roll those logs out in tne back woods.1 It was sundown when

we laid the last rail but tne overseer put us to rolling logs without any

supper and it was eleven when we completed the task. Old Pete, tne ox driver,

became so exhausted that he fell asleep without unyoking the oxen. For that,

he was given 100 lashes,

"The slaves were allowed to marry but were compelled to first obtain

permission from trie master. The main factor involved in securing tne master1 s

consent was his desire to rear negroes with perfect physiques. On neither

plantation was there 9i\y thought or compassion when a sale or trade was in

question. I have seen tne separation of husband and wife, child and mother,

rnd the extreme grief of those involved, and the lash administered to a grieving

slave for neglecting tneir work. All this npde the marriages a farce.

HIn 1863 Mr. Sullivan transported about 40 of us slaves to Arkansas,

locating us on a farm near Pine HLufff so we would not be taken by the Federal

soldiers. The general faithfulness of tne slave was noticeable then, as they

had a chance to desert and go to free states. But I think I was tne only one

~3-

Ex-slave Stories Page Three jj g| (Texas)

r;ho deserted Mr. Sulliyan. I went to Federal Headquarters at Fort Smith,

Arkansas, and was received into the army. We campaigned in Arkansas and

nearly territory. Tne major battle I fought in ^BJ& that oi Pine Bluff,

which lasted one day and part of one night.

n4fter I was mistered out of the array, I set out to get an educa-

tion and entered a grade scnool at Pine Bluif. I worked after school at

any job I could secure and. managed to enter Washburn C0ll«g«, in Topeka,

Kansas. After I graduated I followed steam engineering for four years,

but later I went to Fort Worth and spent 22 years in educatioaaL work

gunong my people. I exerted my best efforts to advance my race.

I married Lucia Brown in IsbO and we nad tnree children, all of

whoa are dead. There is just ray wife and me left oi tne family, and we

have a $75,00 per month Union soldierfs pension.

**********#*4r **+

430283 B3USULVE STORIES Page One £g2

(Texas)

WXLLIiU BIRD, 97f was horn a slave of Sam Byrd, near Mad- isonvillef Texas* William was with his master during the Civil War. The old Negro is very feeble, hut enjoyed talking about old times. He lives in Medisonville.

HI has a hill of sale what say Ifs horn in 1840f so^ I knows I's

ninety-seven years old» and !*s owned by Marse Sam Byrd, My mother's

name was Fannie and I dunno pappy1 s name, * cause my mother stilus say

she found me a stray in the woods. I allus flieves my master was my

P&PJP7* but I never did know for sho1.

"Our quarters was log and the bed built with poles stuck in the

cracks and cowhide stretched over, and we'd gather moss !bout once a

month and make it soft* When it was real cold wefd git close together

and I donft care how <cld it got, we'd sleep jes1 as warm as these here

feather beds*

MI split rails and chopped cotton and plowed with a wooden plow and y

druv Marse Byrd lots, !cause he was a trader, slave trade most the time.

He was good to us and give us lots to eat. He had a big garden and plenty

sugar canet and brown sugar♦ We'd press the juice out the cane §tween two

logs and cook it in the big washpot*

"We had sheepskin clothes in cold weather, with the fur part insidef

no shoes less'n we wropped our feet in fur hides. But them clothes was

warmer than these here cotton overalls. They1re plumb coldi

Marse Sam was full of life and Missus Josie was real goo4. They had

a nice home of that d$yf made out split logs and four rooms and a hall

tw<? ways through it«

~1-

Ex-slave Stories Page Two 183 (Texas)

"That great iron piece hung jes1 outside the door and Marse Sam hit it

at 3:30 every mornin11. If we didnft muster out he come round with that c&t-O-

nine-tails and let us have it, and we knowed what that bell was for nex1 mornin1.

Sometimes when Uarze Sam was gone, we'd have a overseer, Eejd let us go swiromin1

in the creek when the work was done# MIf a nigger was mean Marse Sam give him fifty licks over a log the first

time and seventy-five licks the second time and fbout that time he most gen* rally

had a good nigger* If they was real mean and he couldn^ do nothin' with *% he

put them in the jail with a chain on the feets for three days, and fed fem through

a crack in the wall*

M0n Christmas Marse Sam had a great big eggnog and kilt a big beef and had

fireworks, and the nigger, he know Christmas was come* We had plenty to eat and

eggnog and did *bout what we pleased that day and New Year's, The white folks

allus said what we*d do on them days wefd do all year* That's all foolishment,

but some still believes in it*

wThey give a big dance and all night supper when war started. Then Marse

Ssa, he carries me for waterboy and cook and to tend his bosses. He had two,

©nd rid one this &$y end the other nex1 day. He was ffraid one git kilt and

then he wouldnft "be slam aKfoot*

"When them big guns went to poppin', I jes' couldn't stand it without gittin'

in a brush top. Then marse gOBs and gits shot and I has to be his nuss. But,

Lawd-a-ae* one them Taakee gals, she falls in love with marse whilst he lays

:^©a^y dead, and she uayy •filliao, he's mine, so you got to take good care of

Ex-slave Stories Page Three "tiRd. (Texas) AVJ±

"When Marse Sam git well, he say he's go in1 to f not her pl#ce to fight.

He was with General Lee when that old war was over end., that there Yankee General

Grant takes General ]>e.prisoner, and Marse Sam won't leave his general, and he say

to met 'William, you got to go home alone.'

WI lights out a-foot to Texas and it's most a year befo' I gits home.

I travels day and night at first. I buys some things to eat but every time I

goes by a farmhouse I steiils a chicken. Sometimes I sho1 gits hongry. When I

git to the house, Missus Josie faints, 'cause she thunk Marse Sam ain't with me

and he mus' be dead. I tells her he's in prison and she say she'll give me $2,00

a month to stay till he gits back* I*s plumb crazy *bout a little gal called

lCricket,' 'cause she so pert and full of live, so I stays, ff.e gits us a cabin

and that's all to our weddin*. We stays a year befo' Marse Sam comes back.

MHe was the plumb awfulest sight you ever done seed! His clothes is tore

of fen his body and he ain't shaved in three months and he's mos' starved to death.

Missus Josie she don't even rec*nize him and wouldn't 'low him in till I tells

her dat am Marse Sam, all right. He stays sick a whole year*

MI thinks if them Yankees didn't 'tend to fix some way for us pore niggers,

dey ought&H turn us a~loose« Iff en de white folks in de South hadn't been jes*

what they laf us niggers been lots worser off than we was. In slavery time when

the nigger am sick, his master pqr de bills, but when nigger sick now, that's his

own lookout*

"I never done ho thin' but farm and odd jobs. I been married five times, but

only my las1 wife am livin' now* Jjy four boys and two gals is all farmin' right

^¥# iii the o&i^ty $&& they helps us out* fe gits by somehow.

420277

ENSLAVE STQBIES Page One * UK (Texas) XQO

LOUIS CAIN, 88, was born in North Carolina, a slave of Samel Cain. After Louis was freed, he caxae to Texas, and has farmed near Madison- ville over sixty years.

"I knows I's birthed in 1849, 'cause I had a hill of sale. It say

that. My master traded me to Massa Joe Cutt for a hundred acres of land.

That's in 1861, and I ^members it well. My daddy was Sam Cain, name after

old Massa Cain, and mammy was J<>sie Jones, • cause she owned by fnother master.

Maiamy was birthed in North Carolina, but daddy allus say he come from Africy*

He say they didn't work hard over there, 'cause all they et come out the

jangle, and they had all the wives they wanted. That was the 'ligion over

t here.

wQur quarters was made of logs, in a long shed six rooms long, like

cowsheds or chicken houses, and one door to each room. The bed was a hole

dug in a corner and poles around and shucks and straw. We'd sleep warn all

night long, but it wouldn't do in this country in summertime.

"Massa give us plenty to eat. Our c ombre ad was what you calls water pone

bread and cooked in the ashes. We didn't have no stove. Massa was a great

hunter and allus had venison and game. They was plenty fish, too.

"Massa Cain was purty good to his slaves and mean to them if they didn't

behave. Missy was a good woman. They lived in a two-sto^y rock house with

plenty trees all 'round.

wfe worked long as we could see, from four o'clock in the morn in', and

thexa milked twenty cows and fed the work stock. They was fifty acres and

not 'nough niggers to work it easy*

-1-

Ex-slave Stories Page Two 186 (Texas)

"If soraeiiggers was mean they'd git it. Massa tied they hands to they

feet and tied them to a tree and hit fbout twenty-five or fifty licks with

a rawhide belt. Hide and blood flew then. Next mornin1 he'd turn them loose

and they'd have to work all day without nothin1 to eat. He-had a cabin called

jail for the nigger women, $n<L chain them in with cornbread and one glass of

water.

"One nigger nan to the woods to be a /jungle nigger, but massa cotched him

with the dogs and took a hot iron and brands him. Then he put a bell on him,

in a wooden frame what slip over the shoulders and under the arms. He made

that nigger wear the bell a year and took it off on Christmas for a present to

him. It sho1 did make a good ftigger out of him*

wIn the summer time they had camp m^etin1 and baptised in the creek, white

folks first while the old nigger mammies shouts, and then the niggers.

MQn Saturday mornin1 us men grated corn for bre^d the next week and the

women washed massa1 s clothes and our'n. On Saturday night we!d have a dance

all night long, end Sunday the men went to see they wives or sweethearts and

us young^ns went swimmin1 in the creek, Every night but Saturday we had to

go to bed at nine o*clock. Massa hit the big steel piece and we knowed it

was time to put out the torches and pile in.

H0n Christmas I*d stand by the gate, to open it for the company, and

theyfd throw nuts and candy to me. That night all the slaves what could

brung they banjoes and fiddles and played for the white folks to dance all

night. Them great old days are done gone. Most the men be full that good,

old eggnog.

~2~

Ex-slave Stories Page Tk*?«e JL8T (Texas)

"After war come they ainft no more dances ;m& fun, and not much to eat or

nothin*. Massa git kilt in a big battle and missy took four slaves and brung

him hoiae and buried him under a big shade tree in the yard. That the saddes1

Dime I ever seen, nobody there to do anythin' but missy and neighbor women

and some real young niggers like me. She was cryin1 and all us slaves takin1

on. ITfs a wonder we ever did git massa buried. We carried him on our backs

to the grave.

MAfter that we had to carry missy to the mountains and hide her, 'cause

everything, house and sheds and all, was burnt, and all her stock kilt by

sojers and outlaws. When she come out -of hidin1 she didn't have a thing, not

even a bed,

rt3ut she was a brave woman, and said, 'Louis, we111 fix some kind of

quarters for you.1 She went to work to rebuild the place. She said, 'You

niggers is free, but I need you and I'll pay you $2.00 a month.1 She did, too.

She cut some logs and builded her one room and then we all build us a room

and that wa3 the best we could do, I 'lieve the Lpwd blessed that woman.

After freedom, that's how I lived the first year, j^nd she paid me every cent

she promised. I stayed with her three years.

"Then I heared of a railroad job in Texas, and married Josie Sewel in a

big weddin1 and we had a great time. I gits a job on that railroad for fifty

cents a day and it never lasted more'n a year, so I goes to farming

11 We had fourteen chillun, four dead now, and the rest farmin1 all over

Texas* I has morefn a hundred grandchillun. Josie* she done die twenty years

ago.

Ex-slave Stories Page Pour (Texas)

"I don!t know .as I !spected massa's land to be fvided and give us,

but they was plenty of land for everybody, and missy allus treated us right.

Wages was terrible small for a long time after I married and sometimes tney

wouldx^t pay us, and we had to ^oeg or steal. I!s went a whole two days with-

out noshin1 to esfc . If it hadn't been for them there Klu Klux, sometimes

the niggers would have went on the warpath for starving But the Klu Kluxers

wouldnlt 1st fem roam none, if they tried they stretch them out over a log

and hit; them with rawhide* but never say a word, Tnat was got the niggers -

they was so silent, not a sound out of them, and the nigger he canft stand

that*

MI gits a pension and works when I can and gits by. Some tlie young

niggers is purty sorry, theyfs had so much and don!t 1preciate none of it.

I's glad for what I can gitf * cause I 'members them old times after the

war when it vras worse1 n now.

**********

420178

EX-SLAVE STORIES page One ^^g (Texas)

fJM CALHOUN, about 98, was born a slave of the Calhoun family, in Alton, Alabama, After his master died, a son- in-law, Jim Robinson, brought Jeff and 200 other slaves to Austin, Texas, Jeff was 22 when the Civil War began. He stayed with his old master, who had moved to Stewart Mills Texas, after he was freed, -and raised 23 children. He says, "I 'spect I hps near a thous-^ children, grandchildren-and great grandchildren." He makes his home among them, drifting over five states when and as he wishes.

"My name am Jeff Calhoun and I was born in Alton, in Alabama,

about 1838, 'cause I's told "by my rnassa. Dat makes me 'bout 98 year

old now. My father was Henry Robinson and my mammy, she Mary Eobinson, j

She was born in Maryland, in Virginia, but didn't know much 'bout her

folks, 'cause she was sold off young. Dere was four of us brothers

and ten sisters, but oey all dead now but me.

"We makes our beds out of forked saplings drove in the ground,

'cause de floors was dirt, we sets de pole in dat ground and it run

to de top of de cabin and we makes one bed down low and one bed above.

De big folks sleeps in de low beds and de chillun above, 'cause dey

can climb.

MMy massa had 15 chillun and my mamma suckled eveiy one of

dem, 'cause his wife was no good to give milk.

"We allus had lots to eat, but for meat we has to go to de

woods and git deer and turkey and buffalo and some bear. I have eat

* • ". hoss an<L skunk and crow and hawk. \

-i- * Y

Ex-slave Stories Page Two * u<\ (Texas) lo9

"We has a big fire to cook on, and to make de com cakes

we put one leaf down and put Matter on dat and put another leaf over

it and cover with hot ashes and by noon it was done. Same thing for

supper, fe never have biscuits ' cept on Sunday or Christinas.

"My mrroa was de spinner so I has plenty shirts and some

britches, and we raises indigo on de place and makes dye of it.

We never wore no shoes in de summer and some winters neither* We has

a good pair of p<mts and shirt we wears Sundays and holidays and was

married in.

"De way dey done a.t weddings dem days, you picks out a girl

and tell your boss* If she was firom another plpjatation you had to

git her bosses 'mission and den dey tells you to come up dat night and

git hitched up. They says to de £irlf fToufs love dis man?1 Dey says

t© de man, 'You. loves die girl?1 If you say you donft know, it*s all

off, but if you say yes, dey brings in de broom and holds it fbout a

foot off de floor and say to you to jump over. Den he says you's married.

If either of you stumps you toe on de broom, dat mean you got trouble

com in1 'tween you, so you shof jumps high.

"My massa was good to us. He lived in a log house with a floor

and was all fixed up with pretty furniture and mirrors and silver on

de t^ble* De missus was little and frail, but she was good to us and

r " so was de massa. He wasn't no hand to whip like some of he neighbors.

Dey would tied de slaves'hands to a pole 3n& whip de blood out of them.

Dey was whipped for runnin1 away.

-2-

Ex-slave Stories Page Three (Texas) 190

WI knowed a slave call Ben Bradley and he was sold on de

auction "block and his massa chained him hand and foot and started for

Texas. Dey got to de Bed Biver and was crossin1 and de chains helt him

down and he never came up. And I have a uncle what run off and dey took

a pack of grounds - a pack were twelve - and dey got on his trail and I

heared dem runnin1 him. Dey run him three days and nights and took a

gun loaded with buck shot hut was sposed not to shoot above de legs.

Dey come hack and said he got away, hut some hoys was out hunt in1 and

finds him and he been shot four times with buck shot.

*Be oriLy time we got to rest was Sunday and de fourth of July

and Christmas, and one day Thanksgiving. We got de big dinners on hol-

idays. After supper was have corn shuckings, or on rainy days, and some-

times we shucks 500 bushels. We allus picked de cotton in big baskets,

and when we gits it all picked we spreads on big and has a celebration.

"I was in Texas when de war broke out and I hauls corn lots of

times to de gin where was de soldier camp, and I helped cook awhile and

f would have .been in de battle of Yicks^urg only d.ey takes another man

fstead of me and he gits kilt. I1* glad I's a sorry cook, or I'd got

,kilt fstead of him.

420262 UX-SLATOl STOEIES Page One

(Texas)

SIMP CAMPBELL was born January 1860, in Harrison County,Texas, He belonged to W. L, Sloan and stayed with him until 1883, when Siiap married and moved to Marshall. He and his wife live in Gregg Ad- dition, Marshall, Texas, and Simp works as porter for a loan company.

191

MHy name is Simpson Campbell, bat everybody, white and black, calls

me Simp* V& born right here in Harrison County, on Bill Sioan's place,

nine miles northwest of Marshall, I got in on the last five years of slavery,

"Pappy was Lewis Campbell, and he was sold by the Horida Campbells

to Marse Sloan and fotched to Texast but he aLlus kep* the Campbell name,

Mamay was Mariah and the Sloans brung her out of South Carolina. She raised

a passel of chillen. Besides me there w*s T3int, Albert and Clinton of the

boys, and - let me count - Dinah» Clandy, Mary, Lula, Liza, Hannah, Matilda

and Millie of the girls.

"The Sloans lived in a big house, but it wasn!t no shanty. They was

fixed fbout as good as anybody in the county "and driv as good hosses and rigs

as anybody. They wasn't a mean streak in the whole Sloan family,

MThe slave quarters sot, in rows right down in the field from the big

house. They had beds made to the wall, and all the cookin1 was on the fire-

place. We raised all our meat and corn and garden truck right there on the

place and Morse Sloan brung wheat and other rations from Shreveport. The

nigger women spinned all the cloth and pappy made shoes by hand, when they

kilt a beef. The beef was dried and jetted* and hung in the smokehouse.

f,Marse!s place civered a thousand acres and he had over a hunderd

slaves, with a ove£?seertJoJmBon f and a nigger driver. Us niggers was

treated well but the overseer had order to whip us for fight in1. If the

^/;^ . ^ . ; -1*

Ex-slave .Stories Page Two 1.9/3 (Texas)

nigger driver hit too many licks, the overseer sold him off the place,

"We worked from four till six and done a task after that, and sot

round and talked till nine and then had to go to bed. On Saturday night

youfd hear them fiddles and banjoes playin1 and the niggers singin1. All

them music gadgets was homemade. The banjoes was made of round pieces of

wood, civered with sheepskin and strung with catgut strings.

MThey wasnft no school but llarse Bill larnt some his niggers readin*

and writ in* so we could use them bookin1 cotton in the field and sich like.

They was a church on the Sloan place and white preachers done most the fxhorting.

Mammy allus say the cullud preachers had to preach what they's told - obey you

master and missus.

«I seed Yankee sojers and wagons comin* home from Mansfield. Marse Tom .

sot us free right after surrender, but my folks stayed on with him till he died,

in 1906. I lef1 when I*s twenty-three and marries and made a livin1 from public

work in Marshall all my life. I worked as day laborer and raised two boys and

two girls and the boys is farmin1 right here in the county and doin1 well.

"fhen Ifs eighteen they got up a 'mandaent to the Constitution and got out i

a Hpeople's Party Ticket.*1 It was a Democratic ticked and control by Southerners.

They told us niggers if we*d vote that ticket we'd be recfnized as white folks,

but I didnft *lieve a word of it. Old Man Sloan told all his niggers that and

they all voted that ticket but two « that was Charley Tang and Simp Campbell.

WI •lieve the young race of our people is progress in * fine. If they had

priv'lege to uae they educations* they'd make more progress, but the color line

I holds them back* §K '■■■■- ^,, ■-. .

4:20106

EX-SLAVE STORIES PageOne >S no (Texas) X^°

JAMES OAFB, centenarian, now liv- ing in a dilapidated little shack in the rear of the stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas, was born a slave to Mr. Bob Houston, who owned a

James1 parents came direct from ^y large ranch in southeast Texas.

3 Africa into slavery,, James spent >/ his youth as a cowboy, fought in i the Confederate army, was wounded

and has an ugly shoulder scar* After the war, James unknowingly took a job with the outlaw, Jesse James, for whom he worked three years, in Missouri. He then came - back to Texas, and worked in the stockyards until 1928* Documentary proof of James1 age is lacking, but various facts told him by his parents and others lead him to think he must be over 100 years old.

"I*s bo'n in yonder southeast Texas and I don1 know what

month or de year for shoft but ftwas more dan 100 years ago. My

mammy and pappy was bofn in Africa, dats what dey*s tol1 me. Dey

was owned by Marster Bob Houston and him had de ranch down dere,

whar dey .have cattle and bosses*

MWhen I*s old fnough to set on de hoss, dey larned me to

ride, tend inf hosses. f Cause I's good hoss rider, dey uses me all

de time gwine after hosses. I goes with dem to Mexico. We crosses

de river lots of times. I 'members once when we was a drivin1 rbout

200 hosses north*ards. Bey was a bad hail storm comes into de face

of de herd and dat herd turns and starts de other way. Dere was five

of us riders and we had to keep dem hosses from scatterment. I was

de leader and do you know what happens to dis nigger if my hoss stumbles?

Eight dare * s whar Ifd still bej Marster give me a new saddle for savin1

de hosses.

-1-

Ex-slave Stories Page Two 4QJL (Texas) x^

wOne day Uarster Bob comes to me and says. f Jim, how you

like to Jine de army?* Tou see, de war had started. I says to him,

•What does I have to do?1 And he says, fTend hosses and ride *ea.f

X was young den and thought it would he lots of fun, so I says Ifd go.

So de first thing I knows, I*s in de army away off east from here,

somewhar dis side of St. Louis and in Tennessee and Arkansas and other

places, I goes in de army 9 stead of Dr. Carroll.

11 After I gits in de aray, it wasn9 so much fun, * cause tendin9

bosses and ridin1 wasn9 all I does. No, sart I has to do shoot in 1 and

git s hooted at I One time we stops de train, takes Yankee money and lots

of other things off dat train. Dat was way up de other side of Tennessee.

"You1 s heard of de battle of Independence? Dat's whar we fights for

three days and nights. 1*8 not tendin1 hosses dat time. Day gives me a

rifle and sends me up front figfrtin'.when we wasn1 runnin1.. fe does a

heap ef runnin* and dat suits dis nigger. I could do dat hetter*n advance.

When de order comes to 9treat. I's all ready.

"I gits shot in de shoulder in dat figkt and lots of our soldiers

gits killed and we loses our supply, Jus9 leaves it and runs. 'Hother time

we fights two days and nights and de Yankees was had dat time, too, and we

had to run through de river. I sho1 thought Ifs gwine git drowned den.

Dat1 s de time we tries to git in St* louis, hut de Yankee mans stop us.

*I9s free after de war and goes hack to Texas,to Oonzales County,

and gits a job doin9 cowboy work for Marster Ross herd in' cattle. And

right derm9 s whar I9s lucky for not gittin9 in jail or hanged. It was dis

-3~

SxHtslare Stories Page Three JL95 {Texas)

ways Ifs in town and dat man, Boss9 says to me, 'I unnerstan* you's a

good cowhand,1 and ne hires me and takes me way out. Ho house for miles

•fore we comes to de ranch with cattle and I goes to work* After Ifs

workin' a while, I wonders how come dey brings in sich fine steers so

often and I says to myself, 'Marster Boss aius9 have heaps of money for

to buy all dem steers.1 Day pays no Hention to de raisin1 of cattle,

jus1 tarings fam in and Or ires dem 'way. 16One time Marster Ross and six mens was gone a week and when dey

comes back, one of *m was miss in'# Dey had no steers dat time and dey

talks 'bout git tin1 frusterated and how one man gits shot. I says to

myself, 'What for was dey chased and shot at?' Den I 'members Marster

Bob Houston done tol' me 'bout rustlers and how day's hanged when dey's

caught, and I knows den dat's how come all dem fine steers is drlv in

and out all de time. Bat how to git 'way, dare's de puzzlement. I not

know which way to go and dare's no houses anywhere near. I keeps gittin1

scarier, and ever1 time somebody comes, I thinks its de law, But Marster

Boss drives de cattle north and I says to him, 'I's good hand at de

drive. Kin I go with you nex' tl* you goes north?' And not long after

dat we starts and we gits to Kansas City. After Marster Ross gets shut of

de critters, he says, 'We'll res1 for couple days, den starts back.1 I

8ays to me, 'Hot die nigger.'

H speaks {way and was sett in' on a bench when 'long comes a white

man and he's tall, had dark hair and was fine look in'. He says to me, 'Is

you a cowhand?1 So I tells him X is, and he says he wants a hand on his

farm in Missouri and he says, 'Gome with me.' He tells me his name was

E*-slaYO Stories Page Four 19G (foxas)

James and takes me to his farm whar I tends cattle and hosses for

throe years and he pays mo well* He gives me more'n I earns. After

three years I leaves, hut not 9cause I lamed he was outlaw, 'cause

I lamed dat long time afterwards. I's lonesome for Texas and dat's

how I comes to Fort Worth and here's whar I9s stayed ever9 since*

nI's married '"bout 40 years ago to a woman dat had eight Chilians.

We sep'rated 'cause dem Chilians cause arg'ments, I can fight one9

hut not de army*

K4> 420180

EX-SLAVE STORIES pase One 197 (Texas)

RICHARD CARHOTHEES, 100 year old ex-slave, was "born in Memphis, Tennessee. Mr. Billy Coats "bought him and his mother and "brought them to Bastrop Co., Texas, He came to Houston 20 years ago and lives in a negro settlement known as Acres Home, ahout 8 miles northeast of Houston, It is a wooded section, with a clearing here and there for a Hegro shack and plots of ground for growing "victuals and co'n."

,!I wants to tell the Gtospel truf. My mammy's name was

Melia Carruthers and my papa's name was Max. tiy papa's papa's

name was Carruthers, too. My brothers names was Charlie and Prank

and Willie and John and Tom and Adam.

nfihen I was still little Mr, Billy Coats "bought my mama

and us and with about 500 of his slaves we set out to come to Texas.

We goes to Bastrop County and starts to work. My old missy — her

name was Missy Myra — was 99 year old and her head w^s "bald as a

egg and had wens on it as big as eggs, too.

"In them days the boss men had good houses but the niggers

had log cabins and they burned down oftentimes. The chimney would

cotch fire, 'cause it was made out of sticks and clay and moss. Many

the time we have to git up at midnight and push the chimney 'way frcxn

the house to keep the house from hurnin' up.

"The chairs was mostly chunks of cordwood put on end, or slabs,

jmst rough, and the beds was built like ssaffoldin*. ie made a sort

of mattress out of corn shucks or moss.

My missy, she was good, but the overseer, he rough. His temper

hem of the detail, himse'f. His name was Tom Hill, but us called him

'Detail Eill.'

Ex-slave Stories Page Two 198 (Texas)

Old Debbil Hill, he used to whup me and the other niggers if we don't

jump quick enough when he hollef and he stake us out like you stake oat

a hide and whup till we "bleed. Many the time I set down and made a eight-

plait whup, so he could whup from the heels to the back of the head 'til

he figger he get th* proper ret'ibution. Sometime he take salt and rub

on the nigger so he smart and burn proper and suffer misery. They was

a caliboose right on the plantation, what look like a ice-house, and it

was sh©1 bad to git locked up in it.

MUs got provisions 'lowaneed to us every Saturday night. If

you had two in the family, they 'lowaneed you one-half gallon 'lasses

and 12 to 15 pounds bacon and a peck of meal. We have to take the meal

and parch it and make coffee out of it. We had our flours. One of them

we called biscuit flour and we called it 'shorts.1 We had rye and wheat

and buck grain.

HIf they didn't provision you 'nough, you jus1 had to slip fround

and git a chicken. The,t easy 'nough, but grabbin' a pig a sh©1 'nough

problem. Tou have to cotch him by the snoot so he won't squeal, and clomp

him tight while you knife him. That ain't steal in1, is it? You has to keep

right on workin' in the field, if you ain't 'lowaneed 'nough, and no nig-

ger like to work with his belly groania'*

"When the white preacher come he preach and pick up his Bible and

claim he gittin the text right out from the good Book and he preach: 'The

Lord say, don't you niggers steal chickens from your missus. Don't you steal

TOUR MARSTER'S h&wgs.' That would be all he preach*

-2-

3x-slave Stories Pa^e Three iQQ (Texas) X^^

,!Us niggers used to have a pray in' ground down in the hollow and

sometime we come out of the field, between 11 and 12 at night, scorchin'

and burnin1 up with nothin1 to eat, and we wants to ask the good Lawd to

have mercy. We puts grea,se in a snuff pan or bottle and make a lamp. We

takes a pine torch, too, *nd goes down in the hollow to pray. Some gits

so joyous they starts to holler loud and we has t© stop up they mouth. I

see niggers git so full of the lawd and so happy they draps unconscious.

MI kep1 a eye on the niggers down in the cotton patch. Sometime they

lazy 'round and if I see the overseer corain* from the big house I sings a

song to warn * em, so they not git whupped, and it go like this:

" fEold up, hold up, American Spirit! Hold up, hold up, H-0~0-0-0-O-0~0!

MWe used to go huntin1 and they was lots of game, bears and panthers

and coons. We have bear dawgs, fox dawg and rabbit dawg that mostly jus1

go by the name of houn1 dawg. Then they have a dawg to run niggers.

,M,I never tried the conjure, but they would take hair and brass nails

r^xd thimbles and needles and mix them up in a conjure bag. Bat I knows one

thing. They was a old gin between ffilbarger and Colorado and it was hanted

with spirits of kilt niggers. Us used t© hear that old mill hummin1 when

dark come and we slip up easy, but it stop, then when you slip away it start

up.

Hi * member when the stars ^ell# We runs and prays, 'cause we thinks

it jedgment day. It sure dumb old Debbil Hillf them stars was over his

power.

"On Sundays we put shoes on our feet and they was brass toed. They

-3-

Ex-slave Stories Page Four QAA (Texas) ~UU

extxy to eat. All them women sho1 knowed how to cook! I often tell my wife how glad I wa wife how glad I was one mernin' when my missy give me a hot, batter biscuit.

I goes down and shows it to all the other boys. We didnft git them hot,

butter biscuits in them days,

"I used to dance the pigeon wing and swing ay partners 'round.

Was them womenfolks knock-kneed? You she1 couldn't tell, even when you

swung •em 'round, 'cause they dresses was so long.

"I's been all 'round the mountain and up on top of it in my day*

Durin1 slave time I been so cold I mos1 turn white and they sot me 1fore

the fire and poultice me with sliced turnips. Corae a norther and it

blow with snow and sleet and I didn't have 'nomgh clothes to keep me warm.

"When a nigg r marry, he slick up his lowers and put on his

brass-toed shoes, then the preacher marry him out of the Bible. My ps^py

have a pass to visit my mammy and if he don't have one, the paddle roller

conk him on the head. My grandma and grandpa come here in a steamboat.

The man come to Africa and say, 'Man and woman, does you want a job?1 So

they gits on the boat and then he has the 'vantage.

"Then I was 21 and some moref I don't know jus' how oldf I was a

free man. That the day I shouted. We niggers scattered like partridges.

I had a fiddle and I'd play for the white folks wherever I went, when they

has the balls. I marries after 'while, but I don't know what yearf 'cause

we n^rer done paid no 'tention to years. My first wife died after a long

-4-

Ex-slave Stories Page Pive 20J (Texas)

time, I think f"bout 34 year and I married another and she died this

very year. Jus1 three months later I marries iay housekeeper, named

Luvena Dixon, cause I allus lived a upright life and I knowed the

Lawd wouldn't like it if I went on livin1 in the same house with Luvena

without we was married. She is 52 year oldf and we is happy.

*******

EX-SLAVE STOBISS Page One 2{)2 (Texas)

CATO CAHPffit was born in 1836 or 1837, near Pineapple f Wil- cox County, Alabama, a slave of the Carter family. He and his wife live at 3429 Booth St., Dallas, Texas.

*Vm home today 'cause my 11*1, old dog is lost and I has to stay

•round to hunt for him. I been goin1 every dy on the truck to the cotton

patches. I don't pick no more, 'count my hands git too tired and begin to

cramp on me. But I go and set in the field and watch the lunches for the

other hands.

MI am a hunerd one years old, fcause Ifs twenty-eight, goin' on

twenty-nine, a man growned, when the breakin1 up come. I'm purty old, but

my folks live that way. My old, black mammy, Zenie Carter, lived to be

a hunerd twenty-five, and Oil Carter, my white massa - which was the brother

of my daddy - lived to be a hunerd four. He ain't been so long died. Al

Carter, my own daddy, lived to be very ageable, but I don't know when he

died.

"Back in Alabama, Missie Adeline Carter took me when I was past my

creepin' days to live in the big house with the white folks. I had a room

built on the big house, where I stayed, and they was allus good to me, 'cause

I1 B one of their blood. They never hit me a lick or slapped rae once, and told

me they'd never sell me away from them. They was the bes' quality white folks

and lived in a big, two-story house with a big hall what run all the way

through the house. They wasn't rough as some white folks on their niggers.

ttMy mammy lived in a hewn-oak log cabin in the quarters. There was

a long row of cabins, some bigger than t'others, • count of fam'ly size. My

massa had over eighty head of slaves. Them li'l, old cabins was cozy, *cause

-1-

Ex-slave Stories Page Two nno (Texas) ^M

we chinked fem witn mud and they had stick chimneys daubed with mud, mixed

with hawg-hair.

HThe fixin's was jus1 plain things. The beds was draw-beds - wooden

bedsteads helt together with ropes drawed tight, to hold them. We scalded

moss and buried it awhile and stuffed it into tickln1 to make mattresses.

Them beds slep1 good, betterfn the ones nowadays.

"There was a good fireplace for cookin* and Sundays the Missie give

us niggers a pint of flour and a chicken, for to cook a mess of victuals.

Then there was plenty game to find. Many a time I fve kilt seventy-five or

eighty squirrels out of one big beech. There was lots of deer and bears and

quails and every other kind of game, but when they ran the Indians out of

the country, the game jus1 followed the Indiana. Ifve seed the bigges1 herds

of deer followin1 the way the Indians drifted. Whenever the Indians lef%, the

game all lef1 with them, for some reason I dunno.

"Tallin* 'bout victuals, our satin1 was good. Canft say the same for

all places. Some of the plantations half starved their niggers and *lowanced

out their eat in1 till they wasnft fit tin1 for work. They had to slip about

to niggers on other places to piece out their meals. They had field calls and

other kinds of whoops and hollers, what had a mean in* to fem.

"Our place was fifteen hunerd acres in one block, and • sides the crops

of cotton and corn and rice and ribbon cane we raised in the bottoms, we had

veg*tables and sheep and beef. We dried the beef on scaffolds we built and I

used to tend it. But bes1 of anythin1 to eat, I liked a big, fat coon, and I

allus liked honey. Some the niggers fead 11 fl garden patches they tended for

themts elves.

Ex-slave Stories Page Three 204 (Texas)

"Sverythin1 I tel* you am the truth, but theyfs plenty I canft tell

you* I heard plenty things from my mammy and grandpappy. He was a fine diver

and used to dive in the Alabama river for things what was wrecked out of boats,

and the white folks would git him to go down for things they wanted* Theyfd

let him down by a rope to find things on the bottom of the-riverbed. He used

to git a piece of monsy for doin1 it.

wMy grandmamay was a juksie, 'cause her mammy was a nigger and her daddy

a Choctaw India That's what makes me so mixed up with Indian and African and

white blood. Sometimes it mattered to me, sometimes it didnft. It don't no

moref 'cause I ,m not too far from the end of my days.

MI had one brother and one sister I helped raise. They was mostly nigger.

The Carters told me never to worry 'bout them, though, f cause my mammy was of

their blood and all of us in our famfly would never be sold, and sometime they'd

make free man and women of us. My brother and sister lived with the niggers,

though.

WI was trained for a houseboy and to tend the cows. The bears was so bad

then, a Uponsible pusson who could carry a gun had to look after them.

nify massa used to give me a li'l money flongf to buy what I wanted. I allus

bought fine clothes. In the stumaer when I was a lifl one, I wore lowerinfs, like

the rest of the niggers. That was things made from cotton sackin*. Most the

boys wore shirttails till they was big yearlinfs. When they bought me red russets

from the town, I cried and cried. I didn't want to wear no rawhide shoes. So

they took 'em back. They had a weakness for my cryin'. I did have plenty fine

clothes, good woolen suits they splnned on the place, and doeskins and fine

-3-

Ex-slave Stories Page Pour Q/ ur (Texas) ^°u

linens. I druv in the carfage with the white folks and was 'bout the mos1 dudish niggers in them dudish nigger in than parts,

"I used to tend the nurslin* thread. The reason they called it that

was when the mamides was confined with babies havin' to suck, they had to spin.

Ifd take them the thread and bring it back to the house when it was spinned.

If they didn't spin seven or eight cuts a dayf they'd git^ a whuppin 1. It was

consid*ble hard on a woman when she had a fret tin1 baby. But every raornin1

them babies had to be took to the big house, so the white folks could see

if they's dressed right. They was money tied up in lifl nigger youngfuns.

"They whupped the women and they whopped the mens. I used to work

some in the tanfry and we made the whips. They'd tie them down to a stob,

and give 'em the whuppin1. Soas niggers, it taken four men to viiup "em,

but they got it. The nigger driver was meaner than the white folks. They'd

better not leave a blade of grass in the rows. I seed fem beat a nigger

half a day to make him 'fess up to steal in1 a sheep or a shoat. Or they'd

whup fem for runnin1 awsgr, but not so hard if they come back of their own

•cordance when they got hungry and sick in the swamps. But when they had

to run 'em down with the nigger dogs, they'd git in bad trouble.

"The Carters never did have any real 'corrigible niggers, but I heard

of f«n plenty on other places. When they was real 'corrigible, the white

folks said they was like mad dogs and didn't mind to kill them so ouch as

killin' a sheep. They'd take »em to the graveyard and shoot 'em down and

bury •em face downward, with their shoes on. I never seed it done, but they

made some the niggers go for a lesson to them that they could git the same.

"But I didn't even have to cariy a pass to leave my own place, like

the other niggers. I had a cap with a sign on it: ♦DonH bother this nigger,

-4-

Ex-slave Stories page Five 206 (Texas)

or there will be Hell to pay.1 I went after the mailf in the town. It come

in coaches and they put on fresh hosses at Pineapple, The coachman run the

bosses into Pineapple with a "big to-do and blowin1 the bugle to git the fresh

hosses ready, I got the mail, 1 was a trusty all my days and never been

1 rested by the law to this day,

rtI never had no complaints for my treatment, but some the niggers hated

syrup maki^1 time, 'cause when they had to work till midnight makin' syrup,

its four o^clock up, jus1 the same. Sun-up to sundown was for fiel' niggers.

"Corn shuckin1 was fun. Them days no corn was put in the cribs with shucks

on it. They shucked it in the fiel1 and shocked the fodder. They did it by

sides and all hands out, A beef was kilt and they'd have a reg'lar picnic

feastin1. They was plenty whiskey for the niggers, jus1 like Christmas.

HChristmas was the big day at the Carter's. Presents for every body, and

the bakin1 and preparin1 went on for days. The lifl ones and the big ones

were glad, 'specially the nigger mens, 'count of plenty good whiskey, Mr.

Oil Carter got the bes1 whiskey for his niggers.

HWe used to have frolics, too. Some niggers had fiddles and played the

reels, and niggers love to dance and sing and eat,

"Course niggers had their ser'ous side, too. They loved to go to church

and had a li«i log chapel for worship. But I went to the white folks church.

In the chapel some nigger mens preached from the Bible, bat couldnft read a

line no more than a sheep could. The Carters didnft miad their niggers prayin1

and singin1 hymns, but some places wouldn't 'low them to worship a-tallf and

they had to put their heads in pots to sing or pray.

"Mos1 the niggers I know, who had their mar1 age put in the book, did it

after the breakin1 upf plenty after they had growned chillen. When they got

-5-

Sxfflslare Stories Page Six (Texas) 2(3?

married on the places, mostly they jus1 jumped over a broom and that made 'em

married. Sometimes one the white folks read a lifl out of the Scriptures to

•em and they felt more married*

"Take me, I was never one for sickness. But the slaves used to git

sick. There was jaundice in them bottoms. First off they'd give some castor oil,

and if that didnft cure they'd give blue mass. Then if he was still sick they'd

git a doctor.

"They used to cry the niggers off jus' like so much cattle, and we

didnft think no difff rent of it. I seed them put them on the block and brag on

them some thin' big. Everybody liked to hear them cry off niggers. The cryer was

a clown and made funny talk and kep' everybody laughin'.

"When massa and the other mens on the place went off to war, he called

me and said, 'Cato, you's allus been a 'sponsible man, and I leave you to look

after the women and the place. If I don't come back, I want you to allus stay by

Missie Adeline] I said, 'Fore Gawd, I will, Massa Oil,1 He said, 'Then I can

go away peaceable.1

"We thought for a long time the sojers had the Federals whupped to pieces,

but there was plenty bad times to go through. I carried a gun and guarded the

place at nighttime. The paddyrollers was bad. I cotched one and took him to the

house more'n once. They wore black caps and put black rags over their faces and

was allus skullduggerying 'round at night. We didn't use torches any more vkten

we went 'round at night, 'cause we was afeared. We put out all the fires 'round

the house at nighttime.

"The young mens in grey uniforms used to pass so gay and singin', in the

big road. Their clothes was good and we used to feed them the best we had on the

£ Bx-slave Stories Page Seven Ont^ (Texas) w&

; place. Missie Adeline would say, 'Cato, they is our hoys and give them the best this

| place f fords* f We taken out the hams and the wine and kilt chickens for them. That

; was at first•

"Then the boys and mens in blue got to comin1 that way, and they was fine

lookin men, too* Missie Adeline would cry and say, fCatof they is Just mens and

boys and we got to feed them, too.1 Wo had a pavilion built 4n the ;Jrardf like they

bad at picnics, and we fed the Fedfrals in that. Missie Adeline set in to cryin'

and says to the Yankees, 'Don't take Cato. He is the only nigger man I got by me now.

If you take Cato, I Just don't know what 1*11 do.1 I tells them sojers I got to stay

by Missie Adeline so long as I live. The Yankee mens say to her, 'Don't 'sturb you-

self, we ain't gwine to take Cato or harm nothin1 of yours. • The reason they's all

right by us, was 'cause we prepared for them, but with some folks they was rough

somethin' ter'ble. They taken off their hosses and corn.

"I seed the trees bend low and shake all over and heard the roar and poppin1

of cannon balls. There was springs not too far from our place and the sojers used

to camp there and build a fire and cook a mule, 'cause they'd got down to starvation.

When some of the guerillas seed the fire they'd aim to it, and many a time they

spoiled that dinner for them sojers. The Yankees did it and our boys did it, toot

There was killin' goin' on so ter'ble, like people was dogs.

"Massa Oil come back and he was all wore out and ragged. He soon caLled all

the niggers to the front yard and saysf 'Mens and womens, you are today as free as

I am. You are free to do as you like, 'cause the damned Yankees done 'creed you are.

They ainft a nigger on my place what was born here or ever lived here who can't stay

here and work and eat to the end of his days, as long as this old place will raise

peas and goobers. Go if you wants, and stay if you wants.1

-7-

Ex-slaveStories Page Eight PHQ (Texas) ^u^

Some of the niggers stayed and some went, and some what had ran away to the North

come hack. They allus called, real humble like, at the hack gate to Missie Adeline,

and she allus fixed it up with Massa Oil they could have a place.

MNear the close of the war I seed some folks leavin' for Texas. They said

if the Federals won the war they'd have to live in Texas to keep slaves. So plenty

started drift in1 their slaves to the west. They'd pass with the womens ridin1 in

the wagons and the mans on foot. Some took slaves to Texas after the Ped'rals

I done 'creed the breakin' up.

"Long as I lived I minded what my white folks told me, 'cept one time. I | They was a nigger workin1 in the fiel1 and he kept jerkin1 the mules and Massa I I Oil got mad, and he give me a gun and said, 'Go out there and kill that maa.1

I | I said, 'Massa Oil, please don't tell me that. I ain't never kilt nobody and I | I don't want to^' He said, 'Cato, you do what I tell you. • He meant it. I I | went out to the nigger and said, 'You has got to leave this minute, and I is, too, I 1 'cause I is 'spose to kill you, only I ain't and Massa Oil will kill me.' He I | drops the hanes and we run and crawled through the fence and ran away.

«I hated to go, 'cause things was so bad, >nd flour sold for $25.00 a I f barrel, and pickled pork for $15.00 a barrel. You couldn't bu y nothin' lessen

I with gold. I had plenty of 'federate money, only it wouldn't buy nothin1.

wBut today I is a old man and my hands ain't stained with no blood.

| I is allus been glad I didn't kill that man.

MMule8 run to a ter'bie price then. A right puny pair of mules sold

I for $500.00. But the Yankees give me a mule and I farmed a year for a white man 1 f and watched a herd of mules, too. I stayed with them mules till four o'clock

I even Sundays. So many scoundrels was go in1 fboutf stealin

1 mules,

-8-

Sx-slave Stories Page Nine O>0 f\ (Texas) ^lq;

"That year I was boon1 out by 'greement with the white maaf and I made

$360.00. The bureau come by that year lookin1 at nigger's contractsf to see

they didnft git skunt out their rightful wages. Missie Adeline and Massa Oil

didn't stay mad at me and every Sunday they come by to see me, and brung me

li'l del1 cate things to eat,

"The Garters said a hunerd times they regretted they never lamed me to

read or write, and they said my daddy done put up $500.00 for me to go to the

New Allison school for cullud folks. Miss Benson, a Yankee, was the teacher.

I was twenty-nine years old and jus' start in1 in the blueback speller. I

went to school a while, but one mornin1 at ten o1 clock my poor old mammy come

by and called me out. She told me she got put out, 'cause she too old to work

in the fiel'. I told her not to worry, that I'm the family man n<w, and she

didn't never need to git any more three-quarter hand wages no more.

"So I left school and turnt my hand to anything I could find for years.

I never had no trouble findin1 work, f cause all the white folks knowed Cato was

a good nigger, I lef' my mammy with some fine white folks and she raised a whole

family of chillen for them. Their name was Biyan and they lived on a lifl bayou.

Them youngfuns was crazy 'bout mammy and theyfd send me word not to worry about

her, fcause shefd have the bes' of care and when she died they'd tend to her

bury inv.

"Finally I come to Texas, 'cause I thought there was money for the takin1

out here. I got a job split tin' rails for two years and from then on I farmed,

mostly. I married a woman and lived with her forty-seven years, rain or shine.

We had thirteen chillen and eight of them is livin' today.

~9~

Ex-slave Stories Page Ten (Texas) 211

"Endurin1 the big war I got worried 'bout my lifl black m$pm? and I

wanted to go back home and see her and the oiai places. I went, and she was

shriveled up to not much of anything, That's the last time I saw her. But

for forty-four years I didnft forget to send her things I thought she'd want,

I saw Massa Oil and he done married after I left and raised a family of chillen.

I saw Missie Adeline and she was a old women. We went out and looked at the

tombstones and the rock markers in the graveyard on the old place, and some of

them done near melted away. I looked good at lots of things, 'cause I knowed

I wouldn't be that way fgain. So many had gone on since Ifd been there befo'.

"After my first wife died I married fgain and my wife is a good woman

but she1 s old and done lost her voice, and has to be in Terrell most the time.

But I git 'long all right, fcept my hands cramps some.

wYou go in8 take my picture? I lived through plenty and I lived a long

time, but this is the first time I ever had my picture took. If I'd knowed

you wanted to do that, I'd have tidied up and put on my best.

♦***

420£76 EX-SLAVS STORIES Page One 21P

(Texas) 'w

JACK CAUTHEHN, 85, was born near Austin, Texas. Dick Townes owned Jack and his parents. After they were freed, the fam- ily stayed on the plantation, but Jack went to San Angelo, because "times was too dull in Travis County."

"My master was Dick Townes and my folks come with him from Alabama.

Ee wqned a big plantation fifteen miles from Austin and worked lots of

slaves. We had the best master in the whole county, and everybody called

us 'Townes' free niggers," he was so good to us, and we worked hard for

him, raisin1 cotton and corn and wheat and oats.

"Most the slaves lived in two-room log cabins with dirt floors, over

in the quarters, but I lived in master's yard. That's where I was born.

There was a tall fence 'tween the yard and the quarters and the other

nigger boys was so jealous of me they wouldn't let me cross that fence

into the quarters. They told me I thinked I was white, jes1 for livin1 in

master's yard.

"Me and young master had the good times. He was nigh my age and we'd

steal chickens from Old Miss and go down in the orchard and barbecue 'em. One

time she cotched us and sho' wore us outi She'd send us to pick peas, but

f 6w peas we picked I

"Old Miss was good to her cullud folks. When she'd hear a baby cry in'

in the night she'd put on boots and take her lantern and go see about it.

If we needed a doctor she'd send for old Dr. Rector and when I had the

measles he give me some pills big as the end of my finger.

n*

Ex-slave Stories Page Two C\A Q (Texas) ^lo

wWe **ent to church all the time. Young Miss come over Sunday raomin1

and fetched all us chillen to the house and read the Bible to us. She was kind

of a old maid and that was her pleasure. We h*»d baptisinfs, too. One old cullud

man was a preacher. Lawd, Lawd, we had shoutin1 at them camp meetin's!

!,I guess we was glad to be free. Old master done die and Old Miss was

managin* the plantation. She had the whole bunch in the yard and read the freedom

paper. The old slaves knowed what it meant, but us young ones didnH. She told

everybody they could stay and work on shares and most of lem did, but some went

back to they old homes in Alabama^

MI stayed a while and marriedf and came to San Angelo. The reason I come,

times was dull in Travis County and I done hear so much talk 'bout this town I

said I was comin1 and see for myself. That was in 1900 and it was jes1 a forest

here then. I worked eighteen years in McCloskeyfs saloon, and he gave me ten

dollars every Christmas 'sides my pay and a suit every year. I wish he was

livin' now. My wife and I was together fifty-two years and then she died.

After a long time I married again, and my wife is out pickin, cotton now.

MIt seem mighty hard to me now by side of old times, but I don't know if

it was ar$r better in slavery days* It seems mighty hard though, since I'm old

and canft work,

***

4,20154 EX-SUtVE STOPJES Page One 214

(Texas)

„ SALLY BANKS CHAMBERS, wife of x(?* Ben Chaabers of Liberty, does

Cjf: not know her age. She was born ■A a slave of Jim Moore, in Oakland, *kj Louisiana. Sally has been mar-

ried three tini^s and has had seven children, about 54 grand- children and 13 great-grand- children. Heavy gold earrings hang from her ears and she dres- ses, even in midsummer, in a long- sleeved calico shirt, heavy socks and shoes, and a sweeping skirt many yards wide.

,fBefo' I marry de first time my name am Sally Banks, and Ifs

borned in de old states, over in Louisiana, round Oakland. I ain't 'member

nothin' 'bout dat place, 'cause I's so small when dey brung me to Texas.

"Old massa name Jim Moore. He a fair old gen'man, wish a big bald

place on he head, and he am good to de slaves. Not even as stric1 as old

missus, what was de big, stout woman. She am terrible stric' , but she whip

de li'l white chillen too, so dey be good.

MMy daddy nnne John Moore and mama nme Car'line, and. dey borned in

Louisiana. My grandpa was Lewis Moore and grandma name Polly, but &ej wasn't

reg'lar Africy people. My grandma, she have right smart good blood in her.

"When old massa come to Texas he brung us ever first by wagon, a

mule wagon with a cover over de top, and he rent de house clost to Liberty.

But de nex' year he find a place on de rive- bottom nenr Grand Gane and it

jes1 suit him for de slaves he have, so he brung all de rest over from Lou-

is iana*

"My mama have four chillen when us come to Texas, but she have

eleven more after freedom. When war broke out she have six, but she multiply

after dat. She de milker and washwoman and spinner, and make de good, strong

clothes.

-1~

Ex-slave Stories page jw0 2JL5 (Texas)

"Day have li'l seperate houses make outten logs for us slaves- De white

folks house was one dese big, old double-pen house, with de hall down de uiddle.

Dey have right nice things in it.

"De white folks flowance out de food eveiy Saturday night and dat spose

last de week. All de cullud folks cook for deyself fceptfn de single men«f and

dey eats up in de big kitchen. Us have syrup and corribread and lots of sweet

Haters and homecure1 meat what dey salt down and hang in de smokehouse.

MDe old missus, she ain't flow no dancin1 or huzzawin1 round dat place,

1 cause she Christian, Dey flow us Saturday and Sunday off, and de women c;o dey

own washin den1, De menfolks tend to de gardens round dey own house. Dey raise

some cotton BIIA. sell it to massa and git lifl money dat way. Us donft never

have no presents, but dey give eatments mostly.

NDe young massas both go to war. Dey John Calhoun Moore and Williem.

De oldes* goes crazy, kind of shellshock like. As far a& 1 knowed, he ain't

never git no more better. Young William and de old man comes back without no

scratch, but dey ainft serve long. All dey three 'lists by deyselfsf fcause

dey didn't have no truck with dem conscrip'ers. One my uncles, Levy Moor*,

he go to war to wait pn de massas, and he struck with de fever at Sabine Pass

and die right dare.

"After freedom ris up, old massa come home. Den he call all de growei

folks and tell dem dey's free. A heap left, dey jes' broke ranks and left

My daddy and mama both stay. Dey de favfrites. Old missus make present to

my mama of a heap of things she need. But de white folks was jus1 rentin1

and when dey have no slaves no more dey give it up and move to Tarkington

Piairie. Us lost track of dem and ain't never seed daa no more. Mlfy daddy come back to Liberty den and work in de woodyard. Mama, she

Ex-slave Stories Psge Three 2JLG (!Pexas)

lam me to work and cook and sich and hire me out to nuss a white baby,

I ain't knored how much dey pay, 'cause mama she collec' de money.

uIfs 19 year old when I marry de first time. You know I got two

dead men, dat Dick Owens and Nero Williams, both of Liberty. . I has two

gals, Alice and Airy,for Dick, and five chillen for Nero. Dey all de#d

out Adlqwyer and Mamie, <?nd dey lives right here. I been marry some thirty

odd year to Ben Chambers but us ain!t never have no chillen.

"Goodness, I dunno how many grandchillen I has. I jedge fbout

i54 in all and 13 great ones.

"I loves to work and I ain't gwineter beg, though I's got too

old to do much. I can't take it but a li'l at a time, but I gits by somehow.

*********

420179 EX~SiAVE STORIES Page 0» 217

(Texas)

JEPTHA CHOICE, 1117 Brashear St#> Houston, Texas, was born inslavery, on the plantation of Jezro Choice, about 6 miles south of Henderson, Texas, Jeptha was sent to school with the white children, and after he was freed, he was sent to school for several years, and became a teacher. He moved to Houston in 1888 and opened a barber shop. Jeptha claims to have been born on Oct. 17, 1835, which would make him 101 years old. He has the appearance of extreme age, but has a retentive memory, and his manner of speak- ing varies from fairly good Eng- lish to typical Negro dialect and idiom.

111111 be 102 years old, come fall/cause my mother told me I was

born on Oct. 17, 1835, and besides, I was about 30 years old at the end

of the Civil War. We belonged to the Choices and I was born on their

plantation. My mother1 s name was Martha and she had been brought here

froa Serbia. My fatherfs name was John and he was from the East Indies.

They was brought to this country in a slave boat owned by Captain Adair

and sold to someone at New Orleans "before Master Jez:o Choice bought

them. I had five sisters and one brother but they are all dead, fcepting

one brother who lives near Henderson,

"Master Jezro was right kind. He had 50 or 60 slaves and a grist

mill and tannery besides the plantation. My white folks sort of picked

me out and I went to school with the white children, I went to the

fields when I was about SO, but I didnft do much field woriqi fcause they

was keepin1 me good and they didnft want to strain me.

"Qa Sunday we just put an old Prince Albert coat on some good nigger

and made a preacher out of him. We niggers had our bandf too, and I was

-1-

Ex-slave Stories Page Two 218 (Texas)

one of the players.

"The master was mighty careful about raisin1 healthy nigger fam-

ilies and used us strong, healthy young bucks to stand the healthy nigger

gals. When I was young they took care not to strain me and I was as hand-

some as a speckledpup and was in demand for breedin'. Later on we niggers

was 'lowed to marry and the master and missus would fi*c the nigger and gal

up and have the doin's in the big house. The white folks would gather

round in a circle with the nigger and gal in the center and then master

laid a "broom on the floor and they held hands and jumped over it. That

married fem for good.

"When "babies was born old nigger grannies handled them cases, but

until they was about three years old they wasn't 'lowed round the quarters,

out was wet nursed by women who didn't work in the field and kept in sep-

arate quarters and in the evenin' their mammies were let to see 'em.

"Vie was fed good and had lots of beef and hawg meat and wild r.-ame.

Possum and sweet yams is mighty good. You parboil the possum about half done

and put him in a skewer pan and put him in a hot oven and just 'fore he is

done you puts the yams in the pan and sugar on 'era. That's a feast.

"Sometimes when they's short of bread the old missus would say, 'How

'bout some ash cakes?' Then they'd mix cornraeal and water and sweep ashes

out of the open hearth and bake the ash cakes.

"The master and his boys was all kilt in the war and after freedom

I stayed all summer. It was pretty tough on us niggers for a while, 'cause

the womenfolks what was left after the war didnt have money. But Colonel

Jones, the master's son-in-law, took rae to live in Henderson and paid twenty-

five cents a week for more sehoolin' for me and I learned through fractions.

-2-

Ex-slave Stories Page Three 219 (Texas)

Then I got me a job teachin' school about six months a year and in off

times Ifd farm. I did lots of different kinds of work, on the narrow

guhge railroad out of Lon^jview and I learned to be a barber, too. But

I had to give it up a few years back 'cause I can't stand up so long any

mo e and now I'm tryin1 to help my people by divine iiealing.

***********

4kOJ^43 EX-SLAVS STORIES Page One 220 (Texas)

AMOS CLABK, 96, was born a slave of Robert Clark, in Washington County, Texas. After Amos was freed, he farmed near Bel ton, Texas f Amos now lives in Waco.

WI was "borned on the second of April, in 1841. Mammy say dat

de year, 'cause Marse Bob's brother, Tom, done go tradin1 and has a

lot of trouble with de Indians, and comeback with scars all over he

arms. It warnft all dey fault, fcause Marse Tom allus gittin* in

trouble with somebody.

11 When I was still half-growed, Marse Bob traded me to Marse Ed

Rosel&orough, and we come to Belton to live. Us piled ox wagons high

with beddin1 and clothes and sich, and Old Marse had he books in a

special horsehair trunk, jrhat de hide still had hair on. It had brass

tacks all trimmin1 it up, and it was sho1 a fine trunk, and he say,

•Amost you black rascal, keep you eye on dat trunk, and don't git it

wet crossis1 de water and don't let no Indian git it.1 Us had a sizeable

drove of cattle and soaie sheep and pigs and chickens and ducks.

"Marse and Missis finds where dey wants de house and us gits dem

axes out and in a few days dere am a nice log house with two big rooms

and a hall Hween dem, mos1 as big as de rooms. Us been on de road

•bout six weeks and Missis sho1 proud of her new house. Den us makes

logs into houses for us and a big kitchen close to de big house. Den

us builds a office for Old Marse and makes chairs and beds and tables

for everybody. Old Miss brung her bed and a spindly, li'l table, and

us make all de rest.

-1-

Ex-slave Stories page Two /2&i. (Page Two) (Texas)

'•For eat in1 de good shooters and scouters gits birds and rabbits

and wild turkeys and sometimes a lot of wild eggs or honey, when dey chops a

bee tree down. A old Indian come to holp us hunt. He'd work a week if Marse

Ed give him some red calico or a hatchet* Old Miss done bring a dozen hens and

a bag of seeds, and folks come ridin1 twenty miles to swap-things.

"Dere warn*t no mill to grind corn, so de boss carpenter, he hollows

out a log and gits some smooth, hard rocks and us grind de corn like it was a

morter. Old Man Stubblefield builded a waterraill on de creek 'bout eight miles

fro© us, and den us tooken de corn dere# MDere was three hundred acres and more'n fifty slaves, and lots of

work, clearin1 and buildin1 and plant in1. S0me de cabins didn't git no floor

for two years. Jes1 quick as dey could, de men gits out clapboards for de

walls and split puncheon slabs for floors and palin's for fences.

wMiasis, she takes two de likelies1 young slaves and makes a garden,

come spring. Somehow she git herself roses and posies and vegetables.

MDere warnft no overseer. Marse Ed, he jes1 ride round on he big hoss

and see to things. Us didnft know nothin 'bout de war much, 'cause none us could

read or write*

MDere was two fiddlers 'mongst us, Jim Roseborough and Tom. Deyfd have

de big barbecue for folks come from miles round, and coffee and chicken and turkey

and dancin1 and fiddlin1 all night. Come daybreak, dey Jes1 goin1 good. Us niggers

dance back de quarters, and call

H,A11 eight balance and all eight swing, ill left allemond and right hand grand, Meet your partner and pran'nade, eight, Den march till you come straight.

•*2*°

3x-slave Stories Page Three 2£53 (Texas)

MtFirst lady out to couple on de right, Swing Mr. Adam and swin^ Miss Eve, Swing Old Adam befo' you leave, Don't forgit your own --now you're home.1

f'Two, three years after dat I marries Liza Smith. *Us has four chillen

and all dead fcept John, and he lives out west,

,:After freedom Old Marse say kill a yearlin1 and have de big dinner and

dance, De young ones he told to scatter out and hunt work, not to steal and

work hard. Some de oldes' ones he give a cabin aid a patch of land. He say

de niggers what want to stay on and work for him can, if fen he make enough to

feed dem. I stays with Marse Ed, hut he give me a patch of twenty acres and a

sorghum mill to make a livin1 on , Dat how I gits on my way after freedom.

WI gits dat sor^iura mill to workin' good and works de Roseborough land

and my patch, and raises corn and cotton and wheat. I was plumb good at fanain'

I allus had a piece or two of mone*r in my pocket since I can fmember, hut now

de old man'8 too old. De govfment gives me seven or eight dollars a month and

I has a few chickens and gits by, and de good white folks nigh by sees dat dis

old boy donft git cold.

*****

c

430059

B3US1AVE STORIES fage One 223 (Texas)

MOTHER AKHE CLARK, 112 years old, lives at 3602 Alameda Are., 11 Paso, Texas. She is too crippled to walk, but a smile lights up the tired old eyes that still see to sew without glasses. One tooth of a third set is in her upper gum. She is deaf, but can hear if you speak close to her ear. She says, "lemme git my ears open, bofe of fem," wets her finger, then pulls so hard on the ear lobes it seems' they would be injured.

"lUl be 112 years old, come first day of June(l937).

Bofn in Mississippi. I had two marsters, but Ifve been free

nearly 80 years. I was freed in Memphis.

"My marster was a Yankee. He took me to Louisiana and

made a slave outta me. But he had to go to war. He got in

a quarrel one day and grabbed two six-shooters, but a old

white man got him down and nearly kilt him. Our men got him

and gave him to the Yankees.

"Capt. Clark, my second marster, took a shot at him and

he couldn1 come south no more. You don1 know what a time I

seen! I don1 wanna see no more war. Why, we made the United

States rich but the Yankees come and tuk it. They buried money

and when you bury money it goes fuHher down.down, down, and

then you cainft fin1 it,

*You know, the white folks hated to give us up worse thing

in the world. I ploughed, hoed, split rails. I donejthe hardest

work ever a man ever did, I was so strong,Jl£fl*njto^^

1*4 pull theben down so ilm-mun^mT cou»d. h^nd/mffj^ea^

.i£^I&s&ii^

Ex-slave Stories Page Two /2£54 Texas

Theyfd whop us with a bullwhip. We got up pt 3 o'clock, at 4 we done

et and hitched up the mules and went to the fiel's. V7e worked all day

pullin1 fodder and choppin1 cotton. Marster'd say, 'I wan1 you to lead

dat fiel1 todayt and if you don' do it I'll put vou in de stocks.' Then

he'd whop me if fen I didn* know he was talkin1 to me,

"My poppa was strong. He never had a lick in his life. He

helped the raarster, but one day the marster says, fSit you got to have a

whoppin'f'and ray poppa says, *I never hs>d a whoppin' and you c&in't whop

me,' An' the raarster says, 'But I kin kill you,' an' he shot ray poppa

down. My mpme tuk hira in the cabin and put hira on a .pallets He died*

{rUy msjaa did the wash in1 for the big house. She tuk a big tub

on her head and a bucket of water in her hand. My mams* had two white

chillen by iaarster and they were sold as slaves, I had two chillen, too.

I never married. They allus said we'd steal, but I didn' take a thing.

Why, they'd put me on a boss with mane:? to take into town ?nd I'd take

it to the store in town, and when I'd git back, iaarster'd say, 'Annef

you didn* take a thing.'

"When women was with child they'd dig a hole in the groun' and put

their stomach in the hole, pnd then beat 'em. They'd allus whop us#"

"Don' gring me anything fine to werr for my birthday. I jus'

wan' some candy. I'm lookin1 for Him to take me away from here.*'

***********

^r^U*'^**"

EX-SLATE STOBIES P?ge One 225 (Texas)

THCUAS COLE was bom in Jack- son Co., Alabama, on the 8th of August, 1845, a slave of Bobert Cole. He ran away in 1861 to join the Union Aray. He fought at Chickamauga, under Gen, Hosecran and at Chattanooga, Look Oxt Mt. and Orchard Knob, under Gen, Thomas. After the war he worked as switchman in Chattanooga until his health failed due to old age. He then 6ame to Texas and lives with his daughter, in Corsicana. Thomas is blind.

"I might as well begin far back as I remember and tell you all

about myself, I was born over in Jackson County, in Alabama, on August

8f 1845. My mother was Elizabeth Cole, her bein' a slave of Robert Cole,

and my father was Alex Gerrand, 'cause he was John Gerrand's slave, I

was sposed to take my father's name, but be was sech a bad, ornery, no-

count sech a human. I jes1 taken my old massa1 s name. }£y mother was

brung from Virginny by Massa Dr. Cole, and she nussed all his six chillen.

My sister's name was Sarah and my brother's name was Ben and w* lived in

one room of the big housef and allus had a good bed to sleep in and good

things to eat at the saxae table, after de white folks gits through.

"I played with Massa Cole's chillen all de time, and when I got

older he started me workin1 by tot in1 wood and sech odd jobs, and feed in'

de hawgs. Us chillen had to pick cotton every fall. De big baskets weigh

about seventy-five to a hundred pounds, but us chillen put our pickinfs

in some growed slave1 s basket. De growed slaves was jes' like a mule.

He work for grub and clothes, and some of dem didn't have as easier a time

as a mule, for mules was fed good and slaves was sometimes half starved.

•1-

Ex-slave Stories Page Two OOP (Texas) *"^>

But Uassa Cole was a smart man and a good man with it. He had »spect for

the slaves1 feelin's and didn»t treat dem like dumb "brutes, and ' lowed dem

more privileges dan any other slaveholder round dere. He WHS one of de

best men I ever knows in ray whole life and his vvife was jes1 li>:e him. Dey

had a "bit, four-room log house with a big hall down the center up P.JI& down.

De logs was all peeled and de chinkin1 a diff'rent color fron de logs and

covered with beads. De kitchen am a one-room house behin1 de big house with

de big chimney to cook on. '-at where all de meals cooked and carry to de house,

MIn winter massa allus kill from three to four hundred hawgs, de

two killing he done in November and January. Some kill and stick, some scald

and scrapef and some dress dem and cut dem up and render de lard. Dey haul

plenty hickfry wood to de smokehouse and de men works in shifts to keep de

smo^e fire goin1 sev'ral days, den hangs de meat in de meat house. First us eat

all de chitlinfsf den massa begin issuin 1 cut-back bones to each fara'ly, and

den 'long come de spareribsf den de middlin 1 or a shoulder, and by dat time

he kill de second time-and dis was to go all over 'gain. Each family git de

same kind of meat each week. Iff en one git a ham, dey all git a ham. All de

e^rs and feet was pickle and we eats dem, too. If de meat run out 'fore killin1

time, us git wild turkeys or kill a beef or a goat, or git a deer,

MMassa let us plant pumpkins and have a acre or two for watermelons,

iffen us work dem on Saturday eveninfs, Dere a orchard of 'bout fiwe or six

acres peaches and apples and he flow as to have biscuits once a week. Yes, we

had good eatin1 and plenty of it den,

fMassa had one big, stout, healthy lookin? slave 'bout six foot, four

inches tall, what he pay $3,000 for* He bought six slaves I knows of and give

-2-

Ex~slave Stories page Three 00-*J (Texas)

from $400 up for dem. He never sold a slave fless he git onruly.

"Massa allus give us cotton clothes for sumner and wool for winter,

1 c??use he raised cotton and sheep. Den each fam!ly have some chickens and

sell dem and de eggs and maybe go huntin1 rnd sell de hides and git some

money. Den us buy wh^t am Sunday clothes with dat moneyf sech as hats and

pants and shoes and dresses.

Htfefd git up early every day in de year, rain or shine, hot or

cold, A slave blowed de horn and dere no danger of you not wakin1 up when dat

blowed long and loud. He climb up on a platform fbout ten feet tall to blow

dat bugle. Wefd work till noon and eat in de shade and rest !bout a hour or

a little more iff en it hot, but only a hour if it cold. You is d. lus tired

when you makes de day like dat on de plantation and you can't play all night

like de young folks does now. But us lucky, fcause Massa Cole don't whip us.

De man what have a place next ours, he sho1 whip he slaves. He have de cat-

o-nine tails of rawhide leather platted round a piece of wood for a handle.

De wood fbout ten inches long and de leather braided on past de stock quite

a piece, and fbout a foot from dat all de strips tied in a knot and sprangle

out, and makes de tassle. Dis am call de cracker and it am what split de hide.

Some folks call dem bullwhips, fstead of cat-o~nine tails. De first thing dat

man do when he buy a slave, am give him de whippin1. He call it puttin1 de

fear of Gawd in him.

wMassa Cole flow us read de Bible. He awful good fbout dat. Most

de slaveowners wouldn't flow no sech. Uncle Dan he read to us and on Sunday

we could go to church, De preacher baptize de slaves in de river. Dat de

-3~

Bx-slave Stories Page Four Ooo (fans) ***°

good, old-time fligion,and us all go to shoutin1 and has a good time. Dis

genfration too dig'fied to have de old-time 'ligion.

"When baptizin1 comes off, it almost like goin1 to de circus.

P*ople come from all over and dey all singin1 songs and everybody take dere

lunch and have de good time. Massa Cole went one time and den he git sick,

and next summer he die. Missy Cole, she moves to Huntsville, in Alabama.

But she leave me on de plantation, f cause I*m big and stout den. She takes

my mother to cook and dat de last time I ever seed my mother. Missy Colo

buys de fine house in Huntsville my mother tells me to be good and do all

de overseer tells me. I told her goodbye and she never did git to come back

to see me, and I never seed her and my brother and sister 'gain. I don!t

know whether dqy am sold or not.

WI thinks to myself, dat Mr. Anderson, de overseer, he1!! give me

dat cat-o~nine tails de first chance he #its, but makes up my mind he won't

git de chancef 'cause I's gwine run off de first chance I gits. I didn't

know how to git out of dere, but Ifs gwine north where dere ainft no slaveowners,

In a year or so dere am 'nother overseer, Mr. Sandson, and he give me de log

house and de gal to do my cookin1 and sich. Dere am war talk and we 'gins

gwine to de field earlier and stayin1 later. Corn am haul off, cotton am haul

off, hawgs and cattle am rounded up and haul off and things 'gins lookin' bad.

De war am on, but us donft see none of it. But 'stead of eatin1 cornbread,

us eats bread out of kaffir corn and maize. *e raises lots of okra and dey

say it gwine be parch and grind to make coffee for white folks. Dat didn't

look good either. Dat winter, *atead of kill in1 three or four hundred hawgs

Ex-slave Stories Page Five J2£59 \Uexas)

like we allus done befol f we only done one killin* of a hundred seventy-five, and

dey not aLl "big ones, neither. When de meat supply runs low, Mr. Sandson sends some

slaves to kill a deer or wild hawgs or jesf any kind of game. He never sends me

in any dem hunches but I hoped he would and one day he calls me to go and says not

to go off de plantation too far, hut he shof bring home some meat. Dis de chance

I been wantin*, so when we gits to de hunt in1 ground deieader says to scatter out, /

and I tells him me and 'nother man goes north and make de circle round de river

and meet •bout sundown. I crosses de river and goes north, I's gwine to de free

country, where dey ainft no slaves, I travels all dat day and night up de river

and follows de north star. Sevfral times I thunk de blood houn's am trailin1 me

and I gits in de big hurry. Ifs so tired I couldnft hardly move, but I gits in a

trot,

1111 s hop in1 and prayin' all de time I meets up with dat Harriet Tubman woman.

She de cullud women what takes slaves to Canada. She allus travels de underground

railroad, dey calls it, travels at night and hides out in de day. She sho* sneaks

dem out de South and I thinks she's de brave woman*

HI eats all de nuts and kills a few swasp rabbits and cotches a few fish*

I builds de fire mi goes off fbout half a mile and hides in de thicket till it

burns down to de coals, den bakes me some fish and rabbit, Ifs shakin1 all de time,

•fraid Ifd git cotched, but 1*^ newly starve to death. I puts de rest de fish in

W cap and travels cm dat night by de north star and hides in a big thicket de nex1

% day and; along <*vening I hears guns shootin*, I sho1 m scart dis time, sho1 'nough.

H0m ^OB^ ^ c<^m in and scart to go out, and while Ifs standin1 dere, I hears two

■"l^jljj&lji^ Ihat yoit d<5inf' I'says, 'TJh~uh-uh,, I dunno.

E**slaveStories Page Six 230 {Texas)

You ainft gwine take me hack to de plantation, is you?1 Dey says, !No, Does

you want to fight for de North?1 I says I will, 'cause dey talks like northern

men. Us walk night and day and gits in Gen. Eosecran^ cf?mp and dey thunk I*s

de spy from de South. Dey asks rae all sorts of questions and says dey1!! whip me

if I didn't tell dem what I*s spyin1 thout. Fin'ly dey flieves me and puts me to

work helpin1 with de cannons, I feels fportant den, hut I didnft know what was

in front of me, or I 'spects I*d run off fgain,

HI helps sot dem cannons on dis Chickamauga Mountain, in hidin* places. I has

to go with a man and wait on him end dat cannon, First thing I knows, hang, bang,

"boon, things has started, and guns am. shootin1 faster dan you can think, and I looks

round for de way to run* But dem guns am shootin1 down de hill in front of me and

shootin1 at me, and over me and on hotn sides of me. I tries to dig me a hole and

git in it. All dis hajpen right now, and first tning I knows, de man am kickin1 me

and wantin1 ©e to holp him keep dat cannon loaded. Manf I didnU want no cannon,

"but I has to help anywgy. We fit till dark and de Bebels got more men dan us, so

Sen* Boseeran sends de message to Gen, Woods to come help us oat. When de messenger

slips off, I sho1 wish it em me slippin* off, hut I didnft want to see no Gen, Woods.

I jes1 wants to git hack to dat old plantation and pick more cotton* Ifd "been wHlin*

to do mos* mything to git out that mess, hut I done told Gen. Eosecran I wants to

fight de Behels and he shof was let tin1 me do it. He wasn»t jas1 lettin* me do itt

4 he was makin 1 me do it. I done got in dere and he wouldnft 1st me out.

HWhite folks, dere was men layin1 wantin1 helpf wantin 1 water, with hlood

':l:''Ttadasitk%\ out dem and de top or sides dere heads gone, great hig holes in dem, I

$:/:.^m^^^mlMBB' de good Lawd if he jes* let me git out dat mess, I wouldn't run off

j|f|^^ den he wasm1^ gwine let me out with jes1 dat "battle.

WB$^-:'■■■>. W&^c '."'■:'-- •'-''.'■' '• £

Sx«*slave Stories Page Seven OQ-4 (Texas) Wl

He gwine give me plenty more, but dat battle ainft over yet, for ney' mornin' de

Rebels fgins shootin* and killin1 lots of our men, and (Jen. foods ain't come,

so Gen. Rosecran orders us to 'treat, and didn*t have to tell me what he said,

neither. De Rebels comes after us, shootin1, and we runs off and leaves dat

cannon what I was with settin* on de hill, and I didn't want dat thing nohow.

"We kep' hotfootin* till we gits to Chattanooga and dere is where we

stops. Here comes one dem Rebel generals with de big bunch of men and gits right

on top of Look Out Mountain, right clost to Chattanooga, and wouldn't let us out.

I don't know jes' how long, but a long time. Lots our bosses and mules starves

to death and we eats some de hosses.. We all like to starve to death ourselves.

Chattanooga is in de- beni de Tennessee River and on Look Out Mountain, on de east,

am dem Rebels and could keep up with everything we done. After a long time a Gen.

Thomas gits in some way. He finds de rough trail or wegon road round de mountain

'long de river and supplies and men com-s by boat up de river to dis place and

comes on into Chattajnooga. More Union men kep1 corain1 and I guess maybe six or

eight generals and dey gits ready to fight. It am long latein Pall or early winter.

HDey starts cUmbin' dis steep mountain and when us gits three-fourths de

way up it am foggy and you couldnft see no place* Everything wet and de rocks em

slick and dey fgins f ightin1. I fspect some shoots dere own men, fcause you couldn't

see nothin1, jes1 men runnin1 and de guns roarin1. Fin'ly dem Rebels fled and we

gits on Look Out Mountain and takes it.

Dere a long range of hills leadin' fway frcm Look Out Mountain, nearly

to Missionary Mdge. Dis ridge flongside de Chickamauga River, what m de Indian

:^lifef ;:'aetoin>v^iv0r" of Death, Dey flights de Rebels on Orchard Knob hill and I

Jp|f^Sn'»% in■■•daiifc.vV'btft^I^ in de Missionary Ridge battle* We has to come out de timber

S^^^^^^-ir^o;:-.-^;-.-i:-.-.r^.-:"■:;■!:.' r:-\- v, ...... -.'..,s...'...-, ';..'■ -.■ .. ■ ■ -i :■'!'■ \*#fo'. «m&&£i>

3**slaveStories Page Nine ^

and run 'cross a strip or openin1 up de hill. Dey sho1 kilt lots our men when we

runs 'cross dat openin'. We runs for all we's worth and uses guns or aqything we

could. De Rebels turns and runs off and our soldiers turns de cannons round what

we's capture, and kilt some de Hebels with dere own guns.

"I never did git to where I wasn't scaxt when we goes into de battle.

Dis de lpst one I's in and I's sho' glad, for I never seed de like of dead and

wounded men. We picks dera up, de Rebels like de Unions, and doctors defc de bes'

we could. When I seed all dat suffering I hopes I never lives to see 'nother

war. Dey say de World War m worse but I's too old to 30.

MI sho' wishes lots of times I never run off from de plantation. I begs

de General not to send me on any more battles, ami he says I's de coward and

sympathizes with de South. But I tells him I jes1 couldn't stand to see all dem

men layin' dere dyin' pnd hollerin1 and beggin' for help and a drink of water, and

blood everywhere you looks. Killin' hawgs back on deplantation didn't bother me

none, but dis am diff'rent,

nfin'ly de General tells me I can ^o back to Chattanooga and guard de sup-

plies in camp dere and take care de wounded soldiers and prisoners. A bunch of men

is with me and we has all we can do. We gits de orders to send supplies to some

general md it my job to help load de wagons or box cars or boats. X train of wagons

leaves sometimes. We gits all dem supplies by boat, and Chattanooga am de 'stributing

center. When winter comes, everybody rests awhile and waits for Spring to open.

Be Union general sends in some more cullud soldiers. Cere ain't been many cullud

aeh but de las1 year de war dere am lots. De North and de South am takin' anything

|^^:.oan git to windde war.

llfT ' ' iiP *»9««

Bx-slaveStories Poge Ten 0«>*> tlexas) a&&

rtWhen Spring breaks and all de snow am gone, and de trees fgins puttin1

out and everything 'gins to look purty and peaceable-like, makin1 you think you ought

to be plowin1 and plantin1 a crop, dat when de fightin* starts all over fgain, killin1

men and barn in1 homes 'and steal in1 stock end food. Den dey sends me out to help

clear roads and build tenpfrary bridges. We walks miles on muddy ground, •cross

rivers, wadin1 water up to our chins. We builds rafts and pole bridges to git de

mules and hosses and cannons 'cross,and up and down hills,and cuts roads through

timber.

MBut when dey wants to battle Gen. Thomas allus leaves me in C^TO to tend

de supplies. He calls me a coward, ->nd I she1 glad he thunk I was. I wasnrt no

coward, I jes1 couldnH stand to see all dem people tore to pieces. I hears 'bout

de battle in a thick forest and de trees big qs my body jesf shot down* I seed

dat in de Missionary Ridge battle, too.

MI shifts from one camp to *nother and fin'ly gits back to Chattanooga. I

bet durin1 my time I handles •nough ammunition to kill everybody in de whole United

States* I seed mos* de mainest generals in de Union Army and some in de Hebel Army.

MAfter de war am over wefs turned loose, nowhere to go and nobody to help us.

I couldn't go South, for dey calls me de traitor and sho1 kill me iffen dey knows I

fit for de North. I does sny little job I can git for fbout a year and fin'ly gits

work on de railroad, in Stevenson, in Alabama* I gits transfer to Chattanooga •X

and works layin1 new tracks and turn tables and sich*

HIn fbout two weeks I had saw a gal next door, but Ifs bashful. But after

:$0®W I dresses up and takes her to a dance. We sparks fbout two months and den

-i^^|ptrrl6A: at her uncles. Her name am Hancy. We buys a piece of land and I

^^ird'f^room house built on it. We has two chillen and Vs livin' with de baby

ll|fell^;V-s -~1Q*^

Ex-slave Stories Page Eleven OO/J (Texas) a&&

"I 'lieve de slaves I knoed as a whole was happier and better off

after 'mancipation dim b^fo'. Of course, de first few years it was awful

hard to git f justed to de new life. All de slaves knowed how to do hard work,

end dat de old slaves life, but dey didn't know nothin' -•bout how to 'pend

on demselves for de livin1. My first year as hard, but dere was plenty

wild game in dem days. De south was buoke and I didnft hear of no slaves

gittin' anything but to crop on de halves. Dey too glad to be free and didn't

want nothin'.

MTi;inga 'gin to git bad for me in Chattanooga as de white men finds

out I run off from de South and jined de North. Some de brakemen try to git

my job. I fin'ly quits when one of dem opens a switch I jus' closed. I seed

him and goes back and fixes de switch, but I quits de job. I goes up north

but dey ain't int1 rested, so I comes back and sells my hoi?,e and buys me a

team and wagon. I loads it with my wife and chlllen and a few things and starts

for Texas* We's on de road 'bout six weeks or two months. Yfe fishes and hunts

every day and de trip didn't cost much. I buys ninety acres in timber in Cass

County and cuts logs for a house and builds a two-room house and log crib, &y

wife built a stomp lot for de team and cow and a rail fence.

NWe got 'nough land cleared for de small crop, 'bout thirty acres, and

builds de barn and sheds outselves. We lived there till de chillen am growed.

My wife died of chills and fever and den my boy and I built a four-room house

of planks from our timber. Den I gits lonesome, 'cause d e chillen gone, and

sells de place. I bougjat it for fifty cents de acre and sold it for $12.00 de acre.

-11-

Ex-slave Stories Page Twelve 23*3 (Texas)

WI hoys sixty acres in Henderson County for $15.00 a acre and mar-

ries de second time. I didnft care for her like Nancy. All she think ,hout

am raisin1-de devil and never wants to work or save anything. She like to

have broke rae down befo1 I gits rid of her. I stayed and farmed sev*ral years.

wMy son-in-law rents land in Chambers Creek bottom, and he usually

gits he crop ffore de flood gits it# We haa some hawgs to kill ev'ry winter

and we has our eorauaeal and milk and eggs and. chickens, so de fpression ainft

starved us yit. We all got might1 nigh naked durin1 de fpression. I feeds

de hawgs and chickens night and mornin1. I canft see dem, but I likes to listen

to deia eat in1 and cackle. People donft know how dey*s blessed with good eyes,

till dey loses dem. Everybody ought to be more thankful dan they is,

HI ainft never voted in my life. I leans to de •publicans. I donft

know much fbout politics, though.

"Today I is broke, fcause I spent all ray money for med*cine and

doctors, but I gits a small pension and I spends it moa1 care Ail,

*****

420270 EX-SLAVS STOBIES Page One 230

(Texas)

ELI COLEMAK, 91, was horn a slave of George Brady, in Kentucky, Elifs memory is poor and his story is some- what sketchy. He now lives in Madisonvilie, Texas.

rtI has a old bill of sale, end it shows I!B "born in 1S46 and

my iaassa m George Brady. I know my pap-oy1 s nsrae was sane as mine,

and msimny was Ella, and I hod one brother n&aed Samf and my sisters

was Sadie and Bosa and Viola. They's all dead now#

••Peppy was owned "by Massa Coleraan, what was brother to Massa

Brady. Pappy could only see mammy once a week when he's courtin* ^or

her. I heard papny tell fbout his pappjr, over in Africy, and he had

near a hundred wives &nd over three hundred chillen.

"Pappy neyer did work. All ha ever did was trade. He'd make one

thing and 'nother and trade it for something to eat. He could get lots of

fruit and game out of the woods then daysf and there was lots of fish.

u0ur log house was built of logs, trimmed, and had six rooms. It was

long, like a cowbarn or chicken house, and my room was third, we had one

door to each room, covered over with hides. We dug out one corner for the

bed and fenced it up rnd gathered straw and moss and tore-up corn shucks,

nnd put in the corner to sleep on. Whst I mean, it was a warm bed.

t,T7e did all kinds of work, choppin* cotton nnd split rails pnd cut

rockf and work in the tobacco field, ffe fd cut that tobpeco pnd hang it in

the shed to dry. It had to be hanged by the stubble end.

"We had plenty to eat, sech PS corn pones. The corn was grated by

hand and cooked in ashes, and no salt or soda or fancy things like they put

in bread now*

-1-

$x~slave Stories Page Two nn^ (Texas) ^'

flThere was possum and rabbit and we cooked them different to now*

A great bigf old pot hung over the old rock fireplace* Pood cooked that way

still eats good. Massa Brady allus give us lots out of the garden. He fed

us regflar on goodf fstantial food, jus1 like youfd tend to you hoes, if you

had a real good one,

wMassa Brady, he was one these jolly fellows and a real good man, illus

good to his black folks. Missy, she was plumb angel. They lived in a old stone

house with four big rooms. It was the best house in the whole county and lots

of shade trees by it.

wWe had *bout a hundred acres in our plantation and started to the field

1 fore daylight and worked long as we could see, and fed ane stock and got to

bed fbout nine o1 clock. Massa whopped a slave if he got stubborn or lazy. He

whopped one so hard that slave said hefd kill him. So Massa done put a chain

roandi his legs, so he jus1 hardly walk, and he has to work in the field that

way. At night he put Mother chain round his neck and fastened it to a tree.

After three weeks massa tumt him loose and that the proudes1 nigger in the

world, and the hardes1 workin1 nigger massa had after that.

M0n Saturday night we could git a pass or have a party on our own place.

Through the week we'd fall into our quarters and them patterrollers come walk

all over us, and we14 be plumb still, but after they done gone sorae niggers

gits up and out.

'■•'6ft Christmas Day massa make a great big eggQriogi and let us have ail we

[*&&* with a big dnner. He kilt a yearlin1 and made plenty barbecue for us.

r!~-.-<--':'''-'i'''-y\l'..--'y-'- ■.'fPyOiP^

Ex-slave Stories Page Three O'lQ (Texas) ^*°

"Massa 'vas z colonel in the war and took me along to car* for his hoss

and gun. Them guns, you couldn't hear no thin1 for them poppin'. Us niggers

had to go all over and pick up then what got kilt. Them what was hurt we car-

ried back. Them what was too bad hurt we had to carrv to the burying place

and the white mam'd finish killin1 them, «o we could roll thSra in the hole.

"When massa say we're free, we nil 'gun to take on. We didn't have

no place to go «nd asked mass* could we stay, but he sqy no. But he did let

some stay and furnished teams and something to eat p.n&. work on the halves.

I stayed and was sharecropper, and that was when slavery start, for when we

got our cop made it done take everv bit of it to pay our debts and we had

nothing left to buy winter clothes or pay doctor bills.

"'Bout a year after the war I marries Nora Brady, jus' a home weddin1.

I asks her to come live wtth me as my wife and she *greed and she jus' moved

her clothes to my room and we lived together a. long time. One room in1 Nora

jus' died, and there warn't no chillenf so I sets out for Texas* I done hear

the railroad is buildin1 in Texas and they hires lots of niggers. I gits a hoss

from massa and rolls up a few aothes and gits my gun.

"I never got very far 'fore the Indians takes my hoss away from me.

It was 'bout fifty mile to a train and I didn't have no money, but I found a

white man what wants wood cut *=nd I works near a month for him and gits $?t00.

I gits on a train and ccsnes a hundred mile from where that railroad was goin'

rcross the country, and I has to walk near all that hundred miles. Once and

now a white man com in1 or goin1 lets me ride. But I got there and the job pays

me sixty cents a day. That was lots of money them days. Near as I 'member, it

-3~

Enslave Stories Page four 239 (Texas)

was 186? or 1868 wfaea, I comes to Texas•

HThen I marries Agnes Frazer, and we has a big weddin1 and a preacher

and a big supper for two or three weeks. Her pqspy kilt game and we et barbecue

all the time* fe had eleven chillenf one a year for a long-time, five boys and

six gals. One made a school teacher and I ain't seen her nearly forty-five

years, * cause she done took a notion to go north and they won't let her back in

Texas 'cause she married a white mm in lew York. I don't like that. She don't

have no sense or she wouldn't done that, no, sir.

"Since the nigger been free it been Hell on the poor old nigger. He has

advance some waysf but he's still a servant and will bef long as Gawd's curse still

stay on the Negro race. We was tumt loose without nothin' and done been under

the white man rule so long we couldnH hold no job but labor, I worked most two

years on that railroad and the rest my life I farms. Now I gits a little pension

from the gov'ment and them white folks am sho' good to give it to me, 'cause I

ain't good for work no more.

*********

4£0003

23USLA7E STORIES Pa*e One 240 (Texas)

FEEBLY OQ&SMAH was bom ia 1852 on the Souba farm, near New Berry, South Carolina, hut he and his mother were sold and brought to Texas when Freely was a month oh, They settled near Alto, Texas. Freely now lives in Tyler.

;

f,I*a Freely Coleman and I never gits tired of talking. Yes,

Bia*amf it am Juneteenth, but I*m home, ecause Ifm too old now to

go on them eelerabrations. Where was I born? I knows that fzactly,

• cause my mammy tells me that a thousand times* I was born down on

the old Souba place, in South Carolina, 'bout ten mile from Hew Berry*

My mammy belonged to the Souba family, but its a fact one of the Souba

boys was my pappy and so the Scubas sells my mammy to Bob and Dan Lewis

and they brung us to Texas 'long with a big bunch of other slaves.

Mammy tells me it was a ffcill month *fore they gits to Alto, their new

home.

••When I was a chile I has a purty good time, * cause there was

plenty chillen on the plantation. We had the big races. Durin1 the war

the sojers stops by on the way to Mansfield, in Louisiana, to git some-

thin* to eat and stay all night, and thenfs when we had the races. There

was a mulberry tree we'd run to and we'd line up and the sojers would

say, fNow the first one to slap that tree gits a quarter,1 and I nearly

allus gits there first. I made plenty Quarters slsppin1 that old mul-

berry tree!

MSo the chillen gits into their heads to fix me, fcause I wins

all the quarters. They throws a rope over my head and started draggin-

me down the road, and down the hill, and I was nigh 'bout choked to

-1-

Ex-slave Stories Pag, 1*0 241 (Texas)

/ I

death. My only friend was Billy and he was a-fightia', try in» to git ms

loose. They was goin« to throw me in the big spring at the foot of that

hill, but we neets Capt. Berrymaa, a white nan, and he took his knife and

cut the rope from ay neck and took me by the heels and soused ae up and

down in the spring till Z come to. They never tries to kill me any mere.

* My mammy done married John Salman on the way- to Texas, no

cere*aoay, you knows, but with her massa's consent. How our masters, the

Lewises, they loses their place and then the Selaan's buy me and maamy.

I They pays $1,500 for ay mammy and I was throwed in.

MMassa Selman has five cabins in ha backyard and they1 a builfr

like half circle* I grows big 'nough to hof and den to plow. We has to

be ready for the field by daylight and the conk was blowed, and massa

call out, ,ill hands ready for the field,• At 11:30 he blows the conk,

what am the mussel shell, you knows, 'gain and we eats dinner, and at

12:30 we has to be back at work* But massa wouldn't 'low no kind of work

on Sunday*

"Massa Tom made us wear the shoes, ' cause they's so many snags

and stuaps our feets gits sore, and they was red russet shoes. I'll nermr

forgit •em, they was so stiff at first we could hardly stand 'em. Nut

Massa Tom was a good man, though he did lore he drsmu He kep' the bottle

in the center of the dining table all the time and every meal he'd have

the toddy. Us slaves et out under the trees in summer and in the kitchen

in winter and most gen'rally we has bread in pot liquor or milk, but some-

times homey,

"I well 'members when freedom come. We was in the field and massa

comes up and say, 'Tou all is free as I ia.f There was shoutim' and aingin'

and 'fore night us was all 'way to freedom, eeeeee*e*e

E3USLAVE STORIES Page One 242 (Texas)

HAEHIBT COLLINS was bom in Houston, Texas, in 1870♦ Her family had been slaves of Eichard Coke, and remained with him many years after they were freed. Harriet recalls some incidents of fie construction days, and believes in the supersti- tions handed down to her from slave days*

wMy birthday done come in January, on de tenth. I!s birthed in

Houston, in 1870f and &ov* Richard Coke allus had owned my daddy and

mammy* and dey stayed with him after freedom. Mammy, what was Julia

Collins, didn't die till 1910, and she was most a hundred year old#

"She done told me many a time 'bout how folkses git all worked up

over Uarse Cokefs Section. Mammy took lunch to de Capitol House to

Marse Eichard, and dere he am on de top floor with all he congressmen

and dat Davis man and he men on de bottom floor, tryin' to say Marse

Eichard ain't got no right to be governor dis here State. Old Miss

and de folkses didnH sleep a wink dat night, 'cause dey thunk it sho*

be a fight* Bat in 1873, mammy allus say*

ttDe old place at Houston was like most all old places. Dere was

little, small dormer windows, dey call fem, in upstairs, and big porches

everywhere* Dere was 'hogeny furniture and rosewood bedsteads, and big,

black waliiut dressers with big mirrors and little ones down de side* Old

JKiss allus have us keep de drapes white as drifted snow, and polish de

< vf^^ Dere was sofies with dem claw foots, and lots

of ^t|r cbiayaad »iltert

^i-J^:- h^:^*#a?.Kd*^fpm j.oa*--^3B!os■ --*t>im.: 4#re.. w«t0 de log house, with quarters and

3*wslave Stories Page Two 243 (Texas)

de smokehouse and washhouse and "big barns and carriage house, De quarters

was little, whitewashed, log houses, one for de family, and a fence of de

split palinfs round most of deow

MDe white and cullud chillen played together, all over de place. Dey

went fishin1 and rode de plough hosses and run de calves and colts and sech

devilment. De little white gqils all had to wear sunbonnets, and Old Miss, she

sew dem bonnets on every daxr, so dey not git sunburnt* Us niggers weared de

long, duckin* shirts till us git 'bout growed, pnd den us weared long, dark

blue dresses. Dey hsd spinnin1 r»nd weavin1 rooms, where de cullud women makes

de clothes.

"Old Miss, she-sho1 a powerful manager. She knowed jes1 how much med

and meat and sorghum it gwine take to run de plantation a year. She know jes1

how much thread it take for spinnin', and she bossed de sett in1 hens and turkeys

and fixin1 of 'serves and soap. She was sho' good to you if fen you work and do

like she tell you* Many a night she go round to see dat all was right. She a

powerful good miss, too, and so was mammy.

"De white folks had good times. Dey'd go hossback ridin* and on picnics,

and fish in1 and have big dinners and balls. Come Christmas, dey have us slaves

cut a big lot of wood and keep fires all night for a week or two. De house be

lit with candles from top to toe, and lots of company come. For dinner us have

turkey and beef roast and a Mg fginny ham and big bowls of eggnog and a pitcher

of apple cider and apple toddy # All us git somethin 1 on Christmas and plenty

eggnog, but no gittin1 drunk.

MI can jes1 see Marse Dick, tall and kinder stooped like, with de big

|P$ig> hat and longtail coat and atlus carryin1 a bigt old walkin 1 stick* He

Ex-slave Stories Page Three ^44* (Texas)

was sho1 a brave man and de big men say dey likes dat flop hat, 'cause dey

done follow it on de battlefield. He head a. big voice and dey do tell how, in

de war, he'd holler, 'Come on, boys,1 and de bullets be like hail and men

faUin' all round, but dat don't stop Marse Dick* He'd take off dat flop hat

and plunge right on and dey'd foiler he bald head where de fight was hottes1.

He was sho1 a man]

I'When I gits married it was eight folkses dere. I jus1 walks off and

goes to housekeepin1. I had a cal ico dress and a Baptist preacher marries us.

HDere been some queer things white folks canft understand, Dere am folkses

can see de spirits, but I can't. My mammy lamed me a lots of doctorin1, what

she lamt from old folkses from Africy, and some de Indians lamt hes If you has

rheumatism, jes' take white sassafras root and bile it and drink de tea. You

makes lin'ment by bilin' mullein flowers and poke roots and aluin and salt*

Put red pepper in you shoe® and keep de chills off* or string briars round de

neck* Make red or black snakeroot tea to cure fever and malaria, but git de

roots in de spring when de sap am high*

ttWhen cbillen teethin1 put rattlesnake rattles round de neck, and alligator

teeth am good, too. Show de new moon money and you'll have money all month. Throw

her five kisses and show her money and make five wishes and you111 git dem. Eat

black-eyed peas on Hew Year and have luck all dat year:

H,Dose black-eyed peas is lucky, When et on Hew Year's Day; You'll allun have sweet Haters And possum come you way*1

••Ifhen anybody git cut I allus burns woolen rags and smokes de wound or

|||y^ae a piece fat pine and drops tar from it on scorched wool g^id bind it on de

^H«||&d» for headache pat a horseradish poultice on de head, or wear a nutmeg on

Enslave Stories Page Pour 245 (Texas)

a string round you neck.

11 If you kills de first snake you sees inspring, you enemies ain't gwine git

de best of you dat year, for a sprain, git a dirt dauber's nest and put de clay

with vinegar and bind round de sprain. De dime on de string round my ankle keeps

cr$aps out my leg, and tea from red coon-root good, too. All dese doctorin1

things come clear from Africy, and dey allus woriced for mmmy and for me, too.

******

420187

SX-SLAVS STOBXBS Page One (Texas)

^b

AHDHBf t Smoky) COLUUBUS was horn c\ in lb59 on tne John J. Ellington ^ plantation9 one mile south of

Linden, Texas. He continued in <x/" &ue service 01 tne Ellingtons

' ^ until aoout 1878% when he moved to Jefferson, Texas. He carried meals to Abe Hothchild, who was in j stilt charged with the murder of Diamond Bessie Moore* Andrew was 37 years a servant of Hon. Ton Aralstead, and was a porter in tne Capital at Austin when Armistead was a senator. Andrew now lives in Marshall, Texas.

wI was oe*a a slave of Master John Ellington, who lived

in Davis County(now Case Co.), Texas. Master John had a hig nouse

and close by was a long, double row ox slave quarters. It looked

like a town. There was four boys and two girls in Master's fan'ly

and one daughter, Miss I*ula, married Ion Morris, that run the Ion

Morris Scnool.

"Master £ohn was one white man that sno1 took care of his

niggers. He give us plenty warm clothes and good shoes, and come

see us and had Br. Bime doctor us when we was sick. The niggers et

ham and mlddlia1 and good eats as anybody. Master Joan's place

joined tne Haggard place9 where they was lots of wild turkey and

the slaves could go hunt in1 and ilsnin1 when tney wanted.

"We nad a church and a school for the slaves and the white

folks helped us git hook learning Mos9 of the niggers allus went

to preaeuln* on Sunday.

"The hands didn't work Saturday afternoons. That's when we'd

wash our clothes and clean up for Sunday. There was parties and

-1-

246

Bx-*Bave Stories Page Two 24^

dances on Saturday night for them as wanted them. But there wasn't

no whiskey drinkin1 and fightin1 at tne parties. Manny didnH go to

them. She was religious and didn*t believe in dancin1 and sech like.

On Christmas Master John allus give the slaves a big dinner and it

didn9t seam like slavery time. The niggers had a sight better time

than they do now.

"Master John did all the bos sin1 hisself. Hone of his niggers

ever run off fcause he was too good for them to do that. I only got

one *hippinf from him and it was for stealin1 eggs from a henfs nest.

My pappy was carriage driver for Master. I didnH do much of the woric

wnen I was a boyt jes f stayed round the house.

"Master Jonn raised lots of cotton and after it was baled he

hauled it to Jefferson on ox wagons. Ifd allus go with him, ridin1 on

top of the bales. I'll never forgit how scared I was when wefd cross

Black Cypress on Roger*s Ferryboat and it§d begin to rock.

WI don't remember much about the War. When it was over Master

John calls all his slaves together and saysf 9Toa'se free now and you

can go or stay.1 He told the men who wanted to leave thqy could have

a wagon and team, but most of tiiem stayed. Peppy took a wagon and team

and left but aaray and us children stayed and lived with Master Elling-

ton fbout 15 years after the war was over.

"When I left Master John I moved to Jefferson and married Cora

Benton and we had three boys and two girls. While I was in Jefferson

Sheriff Tine goes to Cincinnati after Abe Hothchlld, for kill in* •Dia-

mond Bessie.1 Abe shot hisself in the forehead when he he are d Sheriff

—2—

Ex-slave Stories Page Three £M8 (Texas)

Tine was after him, "but it didn't kill him. There was sho1 some

stirrin' about when the sheriff fotch Abe back to Jefferson.

MMr. Sam Brown was the jailer. Abe wouldn't eat the jail

food and hired me to bring his meals to him from the hotel. His

cell was fixed up like a hotel room, with a fine bras sals rug and

nice tables and chairs. He kep1 plenty of whiskey and beer to drink.

He'd allus give me a drink when I took his meals.

"I worked 3/ years for Mr. Tom Amistead, who helped I.T.

Crawford and his brother defend Eothchild. Mr. Bppenstadt, he was

mayor of Jefferson then and acted as a go-between man in the case.

"Master Tom Armistead never married and I kep1 house and cooked

for him. He give me lots of fine clothes. I bet I owned more fine

shirts than any nigger in Texas. He got me a job as porter in the

Capitol at Austin while he was senator. I was workin1 there when they

moved in the new Capitol In 1888. They was gonna put on a big party

and say all the porters had to wear cutaway suits. I didn't hare one.

so the day ffore the party I goea ever to Mr. Tomfs room at the Bris-

tol Hotel and git one of his. I didn't know then it was a right new

one he had made for the party. When I goes back to the Capitol all

dressed up in that cutaway suit, I meets Mr. Temple ton Houston and he

recognises the suit and saya. 'You sho' look fine in Mr. Tom's new suit.1

9bout that time Mr. Tom walks up and, you know9 he give me that suit

and had him another one made for the party! I wooldnH live where there

wasn't no good white folk©.

m»S"m

420218

EX-SLAVE STORIES Page One 249 (Texas)

S3HTO CQHIULLY, 90, was horn a slave of Tom Connally, grand- father of United States Senator Tom Connally, from Texas* The family then lived in Georgia, and Steve's master was a mm her of. the Georgia Legislature,

HI was horn in Murray County, Georgia, and was a slave of Massa

Tom Connally, hut they called him Massa "Cushiw Connelly. He was a member

of de Georgia Legislature.I stayed with Missy Mary Connally till I was

sixtyeseven snd Massa Cushi died when I was sixty-nine,

wMy mother, Mandy, weighed two hundred pounds and she was de Connally

cook. When I was "born, she took de fever and couldnH raise me, so Missy

Mary took and kep* me in a lifl cot hy her bed. After dsfc , Ifm with her

nearly all de time and follows her. When she go to de garden I catches her

dresstail and when she go to de doctor, 'hout eighty miles away, I goes with

her*

HI aus1 tell you why everybody call Massa Connally Cushi* Dere am

allus so many Tom Connallys in de fam'ly, dey have to have de nickname to

tell one from de other.

"Back dere in Georgia, us have lots andlots of fruit, Come time, de

women folks preserves and cans till it ain't no use. My mammy take de prise

any day with her jelly and sech, and her cakes jes' nachelly walk off and

leave de whole county. Missy Maiy sho' de ©aster hand hersef at de fine

hakin1 and I'd slip roand and be handy to lick out de pans.

-Dey didnH have no ffrigerator» den, hut dey huilt log houses without

a fj^or over de good, cold spring, and put flat rocks dere to keep de milk

#£«*isand .tetter cold. Or dey dig out de place so de crock be down in

Sx-slave Stories Page Two 250 (Texas)

de wet dirt. Dey sho1 have to make de latch up hight so de had chillen

couldn't open dat doorj

f,De plantation in Georgia was de whopper. I don't know 'zactly how

many acres, hut it a "big one. Us make everything and tan hides and make

shoes, jes1 like all de big places did. De big house and de weavin' house

and de tannin1 yard and de sugar mill and slave quarters made a li'l town.

Dere used to be some mighty big doinfs dere. De Connally men and womaa am

allus good lookers and mighty pop'lar, and folkses come from far and near

to visit desa. All de fportant men come and all de sassiety belles jes1

drift to our place. Dere sho1 lots of big balls and dinners and de house

fix mighty fine dem times. De wo®en wore de hoop skirts and de ribbons

and laces. My missy was de besf lookin1 from far and near* and all de

gem1 mans want to dance with her. She sho1 look like de queen you see in

de picture books and she have mighty high ways with folksf but she's mighty

good to dis here li1! black boy.

ttI goes in de buggy with Massa Cushif up to Tennesseef to git his sons

*hat been kilt or wounded. Massa Ned, he dead, and Massa Charles, he shot

in de hipf and die after he git brung home. Massa Dick hurt, too, but he

didnH die.

*Bight after de Civil War, when Ifm 'bout nineteen, I comes to Texas

with de Connallys, all what didnft git kilt in de war. I stays with Missy

Mary till she die in Georgia. Her son, Jones Connallyf come to Brazos County,

near Bryan, and after dat removes to Eddy, I works for him two years and

has lived round Eddy ever since. De Connallys give me a house and lot in Eddy.

Some de fool niggers 'spected a lot, but I wasnH worryin' none. All I wanted

Ei-elave Stories Page Three Qf^-3 (lexas) MJ

was to stay near de Connellys. Mosf gen*ly all de slaves what I knowed

was found places for and holp git a start at jobs and places to live. All

dc Connally slaves loved dem. Some de timber land give to Mrs. Rose Staten

and when she go up rlere a old nigger woman name Lucy sees her, She so

happy to see one dem Connally chillen she laugh and cry.

"Massa Jones Connally have de twin galsf nme Ola and Slla. 011a

born with de lef! ana off at de elbow and she allus follow me round. When

I go to milk I puts her in de trough. I saved her life lots of times. One

time she's on de conb of de two-story house, when she's !bout two years old.

I eases up and knocks de window out slid coaxes her to come to me. !Hother

time, I's diggin' de well and some clods falls down and I looks up and dere

m dat Missy Ola leanirJ over, raos1 tumblin' in de well on her head. I gives

de loud yell and her "brother-in-law come runnin1 and grabs her legs,

11 Senator T,om Connally, what am a son of Jones Connally, often says hefd

like to visit his grandpa's old home in Georgia. I'd like mighty well to go

with him and take him all over de old home place and out to de old cemetary.

*****

420079

C\f" fflUS&A,TO SWJBIIS Page One g5^

TASMAR CQBMKE was bom a slave to IXaplissent Bugat, a snail slave- holder of lafayette* leulsiana* He tells his story in a mixture of Eng- lish and french. As far as he knows , he is nearly 90 years old* He now lives with his sister§ Mary Hoses, in the Pear Orchard Settlement, In Beaumont, fexas*

MI 9 member de day my old marster go to de war; I kin fmember

dat jes9 like yesterday* He used to like to play de fiddle and sake

me dance when I was li'l, hat he went to de war and got kilt. He n«e

Xhxplissent Dugat* Mary, ay sister, she don't lmamber de old aarster#

"Be slaves did de work on d* farm. Bey was two growed»ups9

ay mama, Colaste§ and ay uncle, and dere was us two chillen* My father

was a white men, a white Creole man* I never carry he name till after

freedom• HMareter was jes9 a poor man and he have jes1 a ordinary house.

De slave house was jes* a old plank house fbout twelve feet by twenty

feet and have dirt floor. Us cook in de big fireplace and taki a Iqg

'bout four foot long and have a big iron pot with a iron lid* Dey put

red hot coals under de pot and on top de lid and dey have a big iron

poker with a hook on it what dey took de lid off with,

"Ssfo* dey have coal oil lemp dey used to use homemake candles.

Dey*d kill de brutes and keep and save all de tallow and one day was

set off to make de candle®. All de neighbors come and dey have kind

of party and eat and things» Sometime dey make three, four hnnnerd

candles in one day and lay dem in a big box, so dey won9t git break*

*XTs make soap on d^plant&tlea, too. Dey melt de tallow and

cractelin1* and git lye out de fireplace ash* "e have cotton and corn

•1*»

E*»elave Stories Page fwo 253 (fexas)

*and potatoes growing so we has plenty to eat. Us hare

coosh«eooshf dat c ombre ad and aeat9 and soas fish to eat* Snails

us jes9 go through de woods and pick dea 19 and eat de® jes* like dat.

Us eat plenty crawfish. De chillen git string and old piece fat meat

and tie on de end9 and us go to de hog and drap de string down &at

crawfish hole* When de old aan grab de neat with he pincher, den us

jerk us up a crawflsh9 and bile his in hot water, or sake de guaho,

*Us drink French coffee fcefo* de war9 hut endurin* de war

us eouldnH git de good kind. Den us aake coffee out of coffee weed.

Dey parch dat weed in de iron oven, grind it and put it in de iron pot.

* I seed de sojers and I run wider de house9 I was so seared*

Maryf she hide under de hed in de house. De Yankees cose take de

cattle and went fway with dea. I kin aho* rec9lect when dose sojers

come and de road was ftill goim9 day and night • De Yankees find a lot

of Confederate sojers close to Bus on t de other side of Beyne and Aey

captures lots and hrung dea hack hy dere»

* After while it all over and dgy told us we free» hut ay

aaaa kep9 woridlng for old Missus after freedea, 9cause old aarster,

he kilt in dat war, Den old aissus die and left three li9l chillen,

hut I donrt know what happen to them, •cause us go to another place

and I plow and Mary she he'p pick cotton.

"I git aarry at 20 and ay first wlf* de Trench gal. We

Barry hy de priest in de church. Us hare so aany chillen us have to

keep a aap to account for all dea9 dere was 19 in all* We stays in

Louisiana long tlae, den come to Texas*

420296

SX.SLAVE STORIES Page One 254 (Texas)

LAUBA COBNISH was born on the plantation of Isaiah Day, near Dayton, Texas, She "reckons I's 'bout twelve or maybe thirteen years old when all de cullud folks was made free.11 Laura1 s memory is poor, but she made an effort to re- call slave days. She lives at 2915 Nance St., Houston, Texas.

MLawd have mercy 'pon me, when you calls me Aunt Laura it seems

jes' like yoa must be some of ray white folks, fcause dat what dey calls

me. I mean Papa Day's chillen and dere younguns, when dey comes to see

me. But it been de long time since any of dem come to see old Aunt Laura,

and I reckon dey most all gone now.

HYou know where Dayton is at? Well, dat's where Papa Dayfs planta-

tion was at and where I's borned. I don't know when dat am, f2actly, but

when all de cullud folks was made free, I reckons Ifs fbout twelve or thir-

teen years old.

"Mama's name was Maria IXmlap and daddy1 s name was Saul. Mamma was

de seamstress and don't do nothin1 but weave cloth on de spinnin' wheel

and make clothes* Daddy from Lake Providence, I beared him ssy, but I donH

know where at dat is. He do all de carpenter work. I has five sisters and

two brothers, but dey heaps ofcder dan me and I don't know much 'bout dem.

"We 'lOngs to Papa Day, his name Isaiah, but us all call him Papa Day,

'cause he won't 'low none he cullud folks to call him master. He say us

is born free as he is, only de other white folks won't tell us so, and our

souls is jes1 as white, and de reason us am darker on de outside is 'cause

us is sunburnt* I don't reckon dere am anybody as good to dere cullud folks

as he was,

-1-

Bx-slave Stories Page Two orr (Texas) &OO

"Miss Martha, he wife, was mighty good, too. Does any us chillen git

hurt or scratched, she fix us up and give us a hug. I knows dey has two boys and

a gal, and dey coiaes to see me long time after Ifs free and brings dere own chillen.

But my mem'ry am sort of foggy-like and I canft finember dere names now.

MDe only work Papa Day 'lows us chillen do am pick de boles close to da

ground, and dat mostly fun, and us ride to de house on de wagon what takes de

pickin1 at night. Papa Day don't make he cullud folks work Saturdays and Sundays

and dey can visit round on other plantations, and he say nobody better bother us

none, either.

"One time us chillen playin1. out in de woods and seed two old men what

look like wild men, sho1 'nough. Dey haslong hair all over de face and dere shirts

all bloody. Us run ?>nd tell Papa Day and he makes us take him dere and he goes in

de briar patch where dem men hidin'. Day takes him round de knees and begs him do he

not tell dere massa where dey at, f sause dey maybe git kilt. Dey soy dey am old

Lodge and Baldo and dey run 'way 'cause dere massa whips dem, !cause day so old dey

can't work good no more. Papa Day has tears comin1 in he eyes. Dey canft hardly

walk, so he sends dem to de house and has Aunt Mandy, de cook, fix up somethin' to

eat quick. I never seed sech eatin1, dey so hongry. He puts dem in a house and

tells us not to say nothin1. Den he rides off on he hoss and goes to dere massa

and tells him 'bout it, and jes1 dares him to come git dem. He pays de man some

money and Lodge and Baldo stays with Papa Day and I guess day thunk dey in Heaven.

"One mornin1 Papa Day calls all us to de house and reads de freedom

papers and say, 'De gov'ment don't need to tell you you is free, 'cause you been

free all you days. If you wants to stay you can mt if you wants to go, you can.

But if you go, lots of white folks ain't gwine treat you like I does.1

-2-

Ex-slave Stories Page Three One* (Texas;

"For de longest time, maybe two years, dey wasn't none of Papa Day's

cullud folks what left, but den first one fam'ly dm fnother gits some land to

Bake a crop onf and den daddy gits some land and us leaves, too. Maybe he gits

de lend from Papa Day, fcause it AH far from his plantation. Us shof work

hard on dat piece, but I beared mama say lots of times she wishes we stay on

Pspa Day's place*

MI 'member one year us don-?t make no crop hardly and daddy say he gwine

git out 'fore us starves to death, and he moves to Houston* He gits a job doin*

carpenter work and hires me out for de housegirl. But mama dies and daddy takes

sick and dies, too, Lawd have mercy, dat sho1 de hard time for me when I loses

my mama and daddy, and I has to go to Dayton and stay with ay sister, Rachel.

Both my husbands what I marries done been dead a long time now, and de only child

I ever had died when he jes1 a baby. Now I1 a J©8! alone, sittin1 and waitin1 for

de Lawd to call me#N

*****

4^0260

E3USLAVE STORIES Page One 237 (Texas)

JOHN CRAWFORD, 81, was horn a slave on Judge Thompson Rector*s plantation at Manor, Texas. After emancipation, . John was a share-cropper. He has always lived in Travis County and is now cared fcr hy a daughter at Austin,

wJohn Crawford am me* It am eighty-one years since I!s horned

and datfs on de old Rector plantation where Manor a# now* It wasnft

dere den, I knowed the man it was named after*

HMafs name was Viney Rector and the old jedge hrung her from

Alabama. She milked all the cows- two times a day and I had to turn out

all de calves. Sometimes dey'd git purty rough and go right to dere

mammies*

"Pap's name was Tom Townes, f cause he tlonged on de Townes place.

He was my step*pap and when Ifs growed I tooken my own papfs name* what

was Crawford* I never seed him, though, and didn't know nothin1 much

fhout him* He's sold away 'fore I*s horned*

"Pap Townes could make most everything He made turnin* plows and

hossahot nails and a good lot of furniture. He was purty good to me,

'siderin1 he wasn*t my own pap. I didnft have no hard time, noway. I

had plenty hacon and side-meat and Masses* very Sunday mornin1 the

j«4ge give us our rations for de week* He wasn't short with demf neither*

"Many was de time Injuns come to Jedge Rector1 s place. Dem Injuns

"beg for somethin* and the jedge allus give dem something They wasnrt

mean Injuns, jes1 allus heggin1*

Ex-slav, Stori,s Pag* <Pwo S^lfi ^Tex&S/

"I can't read and write to this day* Nobody ever larnt me my

A 3 0*3 and I didnU git no chance at school,

H0n Christmas mornin1 Massa Hector come out and give each man and

woman a big, red pocket handkerchief and a hot tie of liquor* He huyed dat

liquor by de barrel and liked it hisself. Day why he allus had it on de

place,

M0ne mornin1 the jedge done send word down by de cook for nobody

to go to de fields dat day. We all went up to de big house and de jedge

git up to make de speech, but am too choke up to talk* He hated to lose

he slaves, I reckon* So his son-in-law has to say, fTou folks am now free

and can go where you wants to go. You can stay here and pick cotton and git

fifty cents de bunerd,' But only two families stayed, De rest pulled out.

MAfter freedom we rented land on de halves. Some niggers soon got

ahead and rented on de third or fourth. When you rent that-a-way you git

three bales and de boss git one. But you has to buy you own teams and

seed and all on dat plan.

MIts a fac1 we was told wefd git forty acres and a mule, Dat de talk

den, but we never did git it,

11 De Wa. TOLVLT made a lot of devilment round-about dat county, Dey allus

chasin* some nigger and beatin1 him up. But some dem niggers shof fserve

it* Alien dey gits free, dey gits wild, Dty won't work or do nothin* and

thinks dsy donH have to. We didnH have no trouble, * cause we stays

on ie farm and works and don't have no truck with dem wild niggers*

H»mHHH»K^^^^iJ^'?'v'--'i>; .«*3*»

Ex-slav. Stories pag« ^hr.e 259 (Texas)

"In 1877 I marries Jannie Black at de town of Sprinkle. It wasn't

sech a town, &•** a li'l place. Me and her stayed married fifty-two years and

four months. She died and left me eight year ago, We had seven chillen

and they is all livin'. Pour is here in Austin and two in California snd one

in Ohio.

"I gits a li'l pension, $9.00 de month, and my gal, Susie, takes

care of me. I ain't got long to go now 'fore de Lawd gwine call m*.

******

420076

i SX-SLAVE STORIES Page One 260

(Texas)

GREEN CIMBY, 86, was "born a slave of the Robert H. Oamby family, in Henderson, Texas. He was ahout 14 at the close of the Civil War* He stayed with'iiis old master four years after he was freed, then mar*- ried and settled in Tyler, Texas, where he worked for the compress 30 years. He lives with his daughter at 749 Mesquite St., Abilene, Texas,

"Darin1 slavery I had purty rough times. My grandfather,

Tater Cumby, was cullud overseer for forty slaves and he called us

at four in de mornin' and we worked from sun to sun. Most of de

time we worked on Sunday, too.

MDe white, overseers wbupped us with straps when we didn't do

right. I seed niggers in chains lots of times, 'cause there wasn't

no jails and thsy jus1 chained fem to trees.

"Spec'lators on hosses drove big bunches of slaves past our

place from one plaee to another, to auction 'em at de market places.

De women would be carryin1 l'il ones in dere arms and at night dey

bed •em down jus1 like cattle right on de ground 'side of de road,

lots of l'il ehillun was sold 'way from de mammy when dey seven or

eight, or even smaller. Dat's why us cullud folks donft know our

kinfolks to dis day.

"De best times was when de corn shuekin* was at hand. Den you

didn't have to bother with no pass to leave de plantation, and de

patter rolls didn't bother you. If de patter rolls cotch you with-

out de pass any other time, you better wish you dead, 'cause you

would have yourself some trouble.

S^^5fe>i'":- >'■ '■■■■■■■ ***!••

Ex-slave Stories Page Two £5(31 (Texas)

"But de corn shuckin*, dat was de gran* times. All de marsters

and de-e black boys from plantations from miles 'round wo:ld be der--.

Den when we got de corn pile high as dis house, de table was spread

out under de shade. All de boys dat 'long to old raarster would take

him on de packsaddle 'round de house, den dey bring him to de table and

sit by he side; den all de boys dat 'long to Marster Bevan from another

plantation take him on de packsaddle fround and 'round de house, allus

singin' and dancin', den dey puts him at de other side de table, snd

dey all do de same till everybody at de table, den dey have de feast•

11 To sae de runaway slaves in de woods scared me to death.

They'd try to snatch you -nd hold ^ou, so "rou coul-n't go tell. Some-

times dey cotched dem runaway niggers and d~:y be like wild animals and

have to be tamed over 'gain. Dere was a white man call Henderson had

60 bloodhounds and rents 'em out to run slaves, I well ree'lect de

hounds run thro gh our place one night, chasin1 de slave what kilt his

wife by runnin' de harness needle through her heart. Bey cotch him and

de patter rolls took him to Henderson and hangs him.

HDe patter rolls dey chases me plenty times, but I's lucky,

*cause dey never cotched me# I slips off to see de gal on de nex'

plantation and I has no pass an& they chases me and was I scairt.1 You

should have seed me run through dat bresh, 'cause I didn't dare go out

on de road or de path. It near tore de clothes off me, but I goes on

and gits home and slides under de houst. But I'd go to see dat gal

every time, patter rolls or no patter rolls, and I gits trains so's

I could run •most as fast as a rabbit.

~2-

Sx-slave Stories Page Three /26S Page Three (Texas)

wDe white chillun larned us to read and write at night, but

I never paid much ftentionf hut I kin read de testament now. Other times

at night de slaves gathers round de cahins in little bunches and talks

till "bedtime. Sometimes we'd dance snd someone wo .Id knock out time for us

by snappln' de fingers and slaopin' de knee, fe didn't h-ve nothin1 to

make de music on.

11 We mos'ly lived on corn pone and salt bacon de m&rster give us.

We didn't h ve no gardens cutselves, 'cause we wouldn't have time to work

in dem. We worked all day in de fields and den was so tired we couldn't

dojrxothin1 more,

«My maimny doctored us when we was feelin1 bad and she'd take dog-

fenley, a yaller leokin' weed, and brew tea, and it driv de chills and

de fever out of us. Sometimes she put horse mint on de pallet with us to

make us sweat and driv de fever 'way. For breakfast she'd make us sass*

fras tea, to clear our blood.

wMy marster axA his two step-sons goes to de war. De marster was

a big genfral on de southern side. I didn't know what dey fight in1 'bout

for a long time, den I beared it 'bout freedom and I felt like it be Heaven

here on earth to git freedom, 'spite de fac' I allus had de good marster.

Be she1 was good to us, but you knows dat ain't de same as be in' free.

************

" ' SHSS

# 420124

V 2X-SLAVE STOHXXS Page On* 263 T < (Texas)

TEMPIB CDMMINS was born at Brookeland, Texas, sometime before the Oivil War,but does not know her exact age. William Neyland owned Terapie and her parents. She now lives alone in a small, weather- beaten shack in the South Quar- ters, a section of Jasper, Tex.

f,They call me Temple Cummins and I was born at Brookeland

but I don1 know jus1 the *xact date. My father1 s name was Jim

Starkins and my mother's nscae was Charlotte Brooks and both of fem

come from Alabama* I had jus1 one brudderf Bill, and four sisters

named Margaret and Hannah and Hairy and 'Liza. Life was good when

I was with them and us play round. Miss Fannie Neyland, she Mis1

Phil Scarborough now, she raise me, fcause I was give to them when

I was eight year old.

MI slept on a pallet on the floor. They give me a home-

spun dress onct a year at Christmas time. When company coroe I had

to run and slip on that dress* At other time I wore white chillens'

cast-off clothes so wore they was ready to throw away. I had to pin

them up with red horse thorns to hide my nakedness. My dress was

usually split from hem to neck and I had to wear them till they was

strings. Weht barefoot summer and winter till the feets crack open,

111 never seed my grandparents fcause my mother she sold

in Alabama when shefs 17 and they brung her to Texas and treat her

rough. At mealtime they hand me a piece of coxnbread and tell me

~1~

Ex-slave Stories Page Two #264 (Texas)

•Run •long,1 Sometime I git little piece of meat and biscuit, *bout

onct a month. I gathered up scraps the white chillens leff .

"Marster was rou^i. He take two beech switches and twist them

together and whip *em to a-stub. Uany's the time I?s bled from them

whippin's. Our old mistus, she try to be good to usf I reckon, but she

was turrible lazy. She had two of us to wait on her and then she didn1

treat us good,

"Marster had 30 or 40 acres and he raise cotton, and corn and

Uatoes, He used to raise 12 bales cotton a year and then drink it all

up. We work from daylight till dark, and after. Marster pianish them

what didn1 work hard enough.

"The white chillen tries teach me to read and write but I

didn1 lam much, fcause I allus workin1. Mother was workin1 in the

houset and she cooked too. She say she used to hide in the chimney

corner and listen to what the white folks s^. When freedom was

fclaredf marster wouldn 1 tell *emd but mother she hear him tell in

1

mistus that the slaves was free but they didn1 know it and he's not

gwineter tell fem till he makes another crop or two. When mother

hear that she sajr she slip out the chimney corner and crack her

heels together four times end shouts, U's free, Ifs free.1 Then

she runs to the field, 'gainst aarsterfs will and tol1 all the other

slaves and they quit work. Then she run away and in the night she

slip into a big ravine near the nouse and have them bring me to her,

Marster, he come out with his gun and shot at mother but'she run down

the ravine and gits away with me,

-2~

ExGslave Stories Page Three 265 (Texas)

MI seed lots of gnostics when I*s young. I couldn1 sleep

for them. Ifs kind of outgrowed them now* But one time me and my

younges1 chile was corain1 over to churcn ana rignt near tne dippin1

vat is two big gates aoid wh*n we git to them, out come a big old white

ox, with long legs and horns ana when he git 'bout halfwayt he turns

into a man with a Panama hat on. ne tollers us to Sandy Creek bridge.

Sometimes at night I sees that same spirit sittin1 on that bridge now.

^My old man say, in slavery time, when he's 21, he had to

pass a place whsre patterroles whipped slaves and had kilt some. He

was sittin1 on a load of fodaer and tnere come a big light wavin1 down

tne road and scarin1 tne team and the bosses drag him and near kilt him.

*****

420070 Page One 266

STORIES OF EX-SLAVES (Texas)

ADELINE OTMINGHAJ4, 1210 Florida St.f born 1852, was a slave in Lavaca County,

QA \ffi ^ miles n. e. of Hallettsville. She ^^f ** was a slave of Washington Greenlee Poley

and his grandson, John Woods. The Foley plantation consisted of several square leagues, each league containing 4,428.4 acres. Adeline is tall, spare and primly erect, with fiery brown eyes, which akttr snap^ ^^MNMIWH^lwhen she recalls the

somewhat pretentious and well furnished. The day was hot and the granddaughter ^pre- pared ice water for her grandmother and the interviewer. House and porch were very clean.

"I was bo*n on ole man Foleyfs plantation in Lavaca County. Hefs

got more«n 100 slaves. He always buy slaves and he never sell. How many

acres of Ian1 he got? Lawdf dat man ain ft got acres, he got leagues. Dey

raises cotton and co1n, and cattle and hawgs. Ole man Foley1 s plantation

run over Lavaca and Colorado county, he got 1600 acres in one block and

some of it on de Navidad River. Ole man Foley live in a big log house wid

two doable rooms and a hall, and he build a weavin1 house agin his own house

and dey!s anudder house wid de spinnin1 wheels. And ole man Foley run his

own cotton gin and his own grindin' mill where dey grinds de co'n and dey

got a big potato patch.

MDey was rough people and dey treat evfry body rough. We lives in

de quarter; de houses all jine close togedder but you kin walk *tween fem.

All de cabins has one room and mostly two fam'lies bunks togedder in de one

room wid dirt floors. De slaves builds de cabins, de slaves got no money,

dey got no land,.

*No suh, we never goes to charch. Times we sneaks in de woods and

prays de Lawd to make u© free and times one of de slaves got happy and made

a noise dat dey Leered at de big house and den de overseer come and whip us

Ex-slave stories Pa€e TwQ

i

7

•cause we prayed de Lawd to set us free.

"You know what a stockman is? He is a man dat "buys and sells

cattle, Ev'ry year de stockman comes to ole man Foley's and he lines us up

in de yard and de stockman got a lotta slaves tied togedder pnd ole man ?oley

he "buys some slaves but he won't sell none. Yassuh, de stockman "buys and sells

de slaves jes' de same as cattle.

11 Dey feeds us well sometimes, if dey warn't mad at us. Dey has a

"big trough jesf like de trough for de pigs and dey has a hit gourd and dey

totes de gourd full of milk and dey "breaks de "bread in de milk. Den my mammy

takes a gourd and fills it and gives it to us chillun. How's we eat it? fte

had oyster shells for spoons and de" slaves comes in from de fields and dey hands

is all dirty, and dey is hungry. Dey dips de dirty hands right in de trough and

we can't eat none of it. De women wuks in de fields until dey has chillun and

when de chillun1 s ole enough to wok in de fields den de mother goes to ole man

Foley's house. Dere she's ahouse servant and wuks at spinnin' and weavin1 de

cotton. Dey makes all de clothes for ole man Poley and his fam'ly and for de

slaves.

"No suh, we ain't got no holidays. Sundays we grinds co'n and de

/ men split rails and hoes wid de grubbin' hoe. Ole man Foley has a blaeksmif [

shop and a slave does de blaeksmif fin. De slaves builds cabins wid split logs

and dey makes de roof tight wid co'n shucks and grass. One time a month, times

| one time in two months, dey takes us to de white folks church.

wDey's four or five preachers and de slaves. If fen days a marriage

da preacher has a book. He's gotter keep it hid, 'cause day's afraid if fen de

slaves learns to read dey leexns how to run away. One of de slaves runs away

and dey ketches him and puts his eyes out. Dey catches anudder slave dat run

Stories of ex-slaves Page Three O/JQ (Texas) *^

away and dey hanged him up by de arm. Yassuh, I see dat wid my own eyes;

dey holds de slave up by one armf dey puts a iron on his knee and a iron on

his feet and drag ' im down but his feet cainH reach de groun1.

M01e man Foley ain't bad, but de overseers is mean. No suh, we never

gits no money and we never gits no Ian1. Ole man foley,he wants to give us

sumpin for gardens but Mr. John Woods,his gran'son, is agin it.

"Was I glad when dat was over? 7/ouldn1 you be? It's long after we's

free dat I gits married. Yassuh, and I live in San Antonio 'bout 20 years*

************** *******

*** *

For Ex-Slav© Volume Page one 269

SX-SLAVE 3T0HI3S (Texas)

EX-SLAVK AUTOBIOGRAPHY

WILL DAILY, was born in 1858 in Missouri, near the city of St* Louis* Se was a slave of the John Dally family and served as chore hoy around the house, carried the breakfast to the field and always drove up the horses on the planta- tion* The latter duty developed a fondness for horses which led to a career as a race horse rider and trainer* He remained with his white folks several years after freedom and in Missouri many years longer in this work* Be came to San Angelo, Texas in It££ and took up hotel work which he followed until his health broke, only a few years ago* He now lives in his small home in the colored district of the city and depends on his old age pension for a livelihood*

"Hah.* That you say, did you say somethin* *bout de

ole age pension?*1, questioned Till when approached on the

slavery question, but he answered readily, "Sho.* shov I

Page two o-*«n

was a slave an* I aint ashamed to admit dat I was*

Some of dese here fellers thinks dey sounds ole when

dey says dey was slaves and dey denies it hut I's

proud enough of de good treatment I's got, to allus

tell about it* My marster had a driver but he say

his niggers was human, wid human feelin's, so he makes

dat driver reports to him fer what little thrashing

we gits* Course we had to do de right thing but jes*

some how did. mos* of de time 'cause he was good to us*

Soon as I was big enough, about four or five years ole,

ole miss, she starts trainin* me fer a house boy* I*s

a doin' all sorts of chores by de time I was six years

old* Den ole marster he starts sendin* me out on de

plantation to drive up de bosses. I sho* likes dat job

•cause aint nothin* I loves any better den bosses* Den

when I was bigger he starts me tc oarryin* de breakfast

to de field whar de grown niggers had been out workin'

since way 'fore day* Dey all done dat* Dey say de days

wasn't long enough to put in enough time so dey works

part of de night*

nWe had good grub 'cause we raised all de co'n

and de hogs and de cows and chickens and plenty of every

thing* Mos* times we have biscuits and bacon and syrup

for breakfast and butter too If we wants it but mos'

niggers dey likes dat fat bacon de bes'*

"Our log cabins was good and comfortable* Dey was

all along in a row and built out of de same kind of,logs

what our marsters house was.

Page three g-y

"We had good beds and day was clean.

"I nev*r had no money when I was a slave *cause I

was jes' a small boy when de slaves was set free*

"We had lots of fish and rabbits, more den we had

'possum but we sho* likes dat 'possum when we could git

it.

"My marstex had about three hundred slaves and a

big plantation*

"I seen some slaves sold off dat big auction block

and de little Chilian sho* would be a cryinf when dey

takes dere mothers away from dem*

"We didn* have no jail * cause my marster didn* be-

lieve dat way, but I*s seen other slaves in dem chains and

thinge*

"We didn* know nothin* *bout no learnin5 nor no

ehureh neither and when de slaves die dsy was jes* buried

without no singin9 or nothin**

"When de war started, my father, he goes and once I

remember he comes home on a furlough and we was all so

glad, den when he goes back he gits killed and we nev*r

see him no mo*«

"Ye had de doctor and good care when we was sick*

I*s don't remember much 'bout what kinds of medicine we

took but I*s know it was mostly home-made*

"We all wears dat asafoetida on a string * round our

necks and sometimes we carry a rabbit's foot in cur

pockets fer good luck*

Page four 070

"When de war vas ended and de slaves was free

old Uncle pete, our oldest slave, comes a-walkin* up

from de woods whar he always go to keeps from bein*

bothered, to read his Bible, and he had dat Bible under

his arm an* he say, *I's know some thin*, me an* de Lawd

knows somethin', and den he tells us. He say, 'You all

la free people now, you can go when you please and come

when you pleases and you can stay here or go some other

place'• Yell I had to stay *cause my mother stayed and

I*s jes* keeps on ridln* dem race hosses 'til long after

my marster was dead, den I*s gits me some bosses of my

own and train other men's hosses too*

"1*8 worked at dat racln* business 'til I'e come

to Texas and when I went to work In hotels dat killed

me up* I*s done ev*r thing from makin* soap fer de

scrubbing to oookin' de bes* meals fer de bes* hotels*

I aint been no good since, though, and I had to quit

several years ago*

wDe first time I was married was to Phillis Reed

in Missouri and we jes* jumps over de broom, and after

Phillis die and I comes to Texas I's gits married again

to Susie, here in San Angelo; we jes' jumps ov*r de

broom too# I's nev*r had no chillun of my own so I's

jes* a settin* here a-livin* off de ole age pension."

420029 */

EX-SLAVE STORIES (Texas)

Page One 273

JULIA mNCIS DANIELS, horn in 1848, in Georgia, a slave of the Denman family* who moved to Texas "before the Civil War* Julia's memory fails her when she tries to recall names and dates. She still tries to trke part in church activities ?nd has recently started to learn reading and writing. She lives with a daughter pt i£23 Spring St. Dallas, Texas.

They's lots I disremembers and they's lots I remembers, like the

year the war's over and the fight in1 all done with, 'cause that the year

I lerned to plow and that th*1 time I got married. That's the very year

they lamed me to plow. I larnt all right, 'cause I wasn't on* slow to

larn anything. Afore to that time, they ain't never had no hoe in the

field for me a-tall. I jes' toted water for the ones in the field.

f,I had plenty brothers and sisters, 'bout ten of »emt but I

disremembers some they names. There was Tom and G-eorge and Marthy and

Mandy, and they's all name' Denman, 'cause my mammy and da^dy was Lottie

and Boyd Denman and they come from Georgia to Cherokee County and then

to Houston County, n^ar by to Crockett, with Old Man Denman. He was the

one owned all us till he 'vided some with Miss Liszie when she marries

Mr. Cramer.

HMy daddy worked in the fields with Uncle Lot and my brothers,

and my Uncle Joe, he's driver. But Briscoe am overseer and he a white man,

He can't never whup the growed mens like he wants, 'cause they don't let

him unless he ask Old Man Denman. I seed him whup 'em, though. He make

'em take off the shirt and whup with the strap.

-1-

Ex-slave Stories Page Two 27*4 (Texas)

"Now, my mammy was cook in the Deronan house and for our family

and Uncle Joe's family. She didn't haveimich time for aythin1 "but cookin'

all the time. But she's the bestes1 cook. Us had fine greens and hangs

and "beef, Us et collard greens and pork till us got skittish of it and

fihen they quit the pork and kilt a "beef. When they done that, they's jus'

pourin1 water on our wheels, 'cause us liked best of anythin' the beef, and

I do to this day, only I can't never git it,

M01& Man Denman had a boy what kilt squirrels and throwed fem

in the kitchen. The white folks et them. You ain't never seen no white

folks then would eat rabbit. * had a brother who hunted, Mostly on Sundays.

He'd leave for the swamps 'fore daybreak and we'd know when we'd hear him

callin', f0 - - o -o~o~o-da-*da-ske-e~e~e-t, • he had something That jus1 a

make-up of he own, but we knowed they's rabbits for the pot.

HA11 the mens donH hunt on Sunday, fcause Uncle Joe helt meetin'

in front he house. Us look out the door and seed Uncle Joe set tin' the

benches straight and settin1 he table out under the trees and sweepin' clean

the leaves and us know they's gwine be meetin', They's the loveliest days

that ever they was. Night times, too, they'd make it 'tween %m whether it'd

be at our house or Uncle Joefs. We'd ask niggers from other farms and I used

to say, 'I likes meetin' jus' as good as I likes a party.1

wHhen crops is laid by us have the most parties and dence and sing

and have play games. The reels is what I used to like but I done quit that

foolishness J&any a year ago. I used to cut a step or two. I remembers one

^^^)e^b;--tiM 'Devil^s Dream.1 It's a fast song

W$0^$0>^^'itf^~'?::■'•"'■■ ■■■■■' ' '•--' • ^^mfp^^^i^:^;y^' ;"•■'"

«.2~

Ex-slave Stories Page Three Ofs^* (Texas)

" fGh, de Devil drenpt a dream, He drempt it on a IPriday - He drempt he cotch a sinner.f

u01d Man Denman am the great one for 'viding he property and when

Miss Lizzie marries with Mr. Create Cramer, which am her dead sister's

husband, Old Man Denman give me and two my sisters to Miss Lizzie and

he gives two more my sisters to he son* Us goes with Miss Lizzie to the

Cramer place and lives in the hack yard in a little room by the back door,

"Everything fine and nice there till one day Miss Lizzie say to

me, 'Julia, go down to the well and fetch m* some water,! and I goes and

I seed in the road a heap of m*n all in gray and ridin' hoss^s, cDmin1 our

way. I runs "back to the house and calls Miss Lizzie. She say, 'What you

scairt for?' I tells her 'bout them men and she say they ain't gwine hurt

me none, they jus' wants some water. I goes back to the well and heered 'em

talk 'bout a fight. I goes back to the house and some of the mens comes to

the gate and says to Mr. Cramer, 'How're you, Creame?1 He say, ' I's

all right in my health but I ain't so good in my mind.1 They says, 'What

the matter, Creame?" He say, 'I want to be in the fight so bad.1

"When they goes I asks Miss Lizzie what they fight in' *bout and she

say it am fhout money. That all I knows. Right after that Mr. Cramer goes

and we don't never see him no more. Word come back from the fight in1 he

makes some the big, high mens mad and they puts chains 'round he ankles

and make him dig a stump in the hot sun. He ain't used to that and it give

him fever to the brain and he dies.

Ex-slave Stories Page Pour '2>7G (Texas)

"When Mr. Cramer goes 'way, Miss Li-zie takes us all and goes

back to Old Man Denman's. The sojers used to pass and all the whoopin' and

hollerin1 and carry-in1 ont you ain ft never he*red the likes! They hollers,

fWho~o~o-o, Old Man Denman, how1 s your chickens?1 And they chunks and

throws at 'em till they cripples fera up and puts •em in they bags, for

cookin'. Old Man Denman cusses at 'em somethin* powerful,

MMy sister Mandy and me am down in the woods a good, fur piece

from the house and us keeps heerin' a noise. My "brother comes down and

finds me and say, 'Come git your dinner.1 When I gits there dinner am top

the gate post and he say theyfs sojers in the woods and they has "been

persecutin1 a old womm on a mule. She was a nigger woman. I gits so

scairt I can't eat my dinner. I ainft got no heart for victuals. My brothe-

say, 'Wait for pa, he comin1 with the mule and h<*'ll hide you out.1 I gits

on the mule front of pa and us pass through the sojers and they grabs at us

9nd says, 'Gimme the gal> gimme the gal.f Pa say I faints plumb 'way.

HUs heered guns shootin1 round and 'bout all the time. Seems like

they fit every time they git a chance. Old Man Denman's boy gits kilt and

two my sisters he property and they don't know what to dof 'cause they has

to be somebody's prpperty and they ain't no one to 'heritance fem. They

has to go to the auction "but Old Man Denman say not to fret. At the auction

the man ssy, '(Join1 high, goin' low, goin' mighty slow, a little while to go.

Bid 'en inf bid 'em in. The sun am high, the sun am hot, us got to git home

tonight.' An old friend of Old Man Denman's hollers out he buys for William

Bl&ckstone. Us all comehome and my sisters too and Old Man Denman lau$a big

and say, 'My name allus been William Blackstone Deman. • -4-

Ex-slave Stories Page Jive 2?*? (Texas)

HI*s a woman growed wh^n the war was to a end. I had my first

baby when Ifs fourteen. One day my siste^ call me and say, 'They's fit out,

and they's been surrenderin1 and ainft gwine fight no more.1 That dusk Old

Man Denman call all us niggers together and stand on ne steps and make he

speech, 'Hens and womans, you is free as I am. You is free to go where you

wants "but I is beggin1 yous to stay by me till us git the crops laid by.1

Then he say, * Study it over ffore you gives me you answer. I is always try

as my duty to be fair to rrou,f

"The mens talks it over a-twixt they selves and includes to stay.

They says us might as well stay there as go somewhere else, and us got no

money and no place to go,

HTnen Miss Lizzie marries with Mr. Joe McMahon and I goes with

her to he house near by and he say he lam me to plow. Miss Lizzie say,

'Now, Julia, ~rou knows- how to plow and don't make no fool of yourself pjid

act like you ainft never seed no plow afore.' Us make a corn crop and goes

on 'bout same as afore.

"I gits married that very year and has a little fixin1 for the

weddin1, bakes some caks and I have a dress with buttons and a preacher

marries me. I ain't used to wearin* nothin1 but loring(a simple one piece

garment made from sacking). Unnerwear? I ain't never wore no unnerwear then.

nMy husband renos a little piece of land and us raise a corn crop

and that's the way us do* Us raises our own victuals. I has lv chillen

through the year and they dona scatter to the four win as. Some of them is

dead, I ain»t what I used to be for workin'. I jus 1 set fround. I done plenty

&$$&."-■*»: my primer days*

420015 EX-SLAVE STORIES Page Oae 278

(Texas)

KATIE DABLIUG, about 88, was "bora a slave oa the plaatati oa of William McCarty, on the Ely- sian Fields Road, aine miles south of Marshall, Texas. Katie was a aurse and housegirl in the HcCarty household until five years after the end of the Civil Wax. She the a moved to Marshall and married. Her husband and her three childrea are dead and she is supported by Griffin Williams, a boy she found homeless and reared. They live in a neat three-room shack in Sunny South addition of Marshall, Texas.

"You is talkin1 now to a nigger what mussed seven white chill en

itt them bullwhip days. Miss Stella, my young missy, got all our ages

down ia she Bible, and it say I's born in 1849. Massa Bill McCarty

my massa and he live east and south of Marshall, clost to the Louisiana

line. Me and my three brudders, Peter and Adam end Willis, all lives

to be growed and married, but ms^nmy die in slavery and pappy run fway

while he and Massa Bill oa they way to the battle of Maasfield, Massa

say whea he come back from the war, That triflin' nigger run 'way and

jines up with them daron Yankees.1

,fMassa have six chillen when war come on and I nussed all of 'em.

I stays in the house with 'em and slep1 oa a pallet on the floor, and soon

I'a big •nough to tote thetailk pail they puts me to milkin', too. Massa

have morefn 10O cows and most the time me and Violet do all the milkin'.

We better be im that cowpen by five o'clock. One raornin1 massa cotched

me lettin' one the calves do sorae milkin1 and he let me off without whippin'

that time, but that don't mean he allus good, 'cause them cows have more

feelin1 for than massa tad missy,,

~1~

Ex-slave Stories Page Two 27^) (Texas)

MWe et pe^s and greens and collprds wd middlin's, Niggers

had better let that ham alone?. We have meaL coffee. They parch meal

in the oven and bile it and drink the liquor. Sometime we gits some

of the Lincoln coffee what was leff from the nex1 plantation.

"When the niggers done aaythiag massa bullwhip them, but

didn't skin them up Y^ry of tea. He'd whip the man for half, doia1 the

plowia' or hoeija' but if they done it right he'd find something else to

whip them for. At night the mea had to shuck corn and the women card

and spin. Us got two pieces of clothes for winter and two for summer,

but us have no shoes. We had to work Saturday all day and if that grass

was in the field we dida't git no Sunday, either.

"They have dances and parties for the white folks' chillen, but

missy say, 'Niggers was made to work for white folks,1 and on Christmas

Miss Ir*ne bakes two caices for the nigger families but she darsn't let

missy know 'bout it.

"When a slave die, massa make the coffin hisself and send a

couple niggers to bury the body and say, 'Don't be long,' ajad no siagin'

or prayia' 'lowed, jus* put them in the ground ana cover 'em up and hurry

on back to that field.

"Niggers dida't cou't then likethey do now, massa pick out a

pt'tly man ?nd a poUly gal and jist put 'em together. What he want am

the stock.

HI 'member that fight at Mansfield like it yes'dpy. Massa's

field am all tore up with cannon holes and ever' time a caanoa fire, missy

go eff la a r^ge. Oae time whea a cannon fire, she say t© me, 'You lifl

-2-

Ex-slave Stories page Three SQ{) (Texas)

black wench, you niggers ainft gwine be free. Youfs made to work for white

folks,f 'Bout that time she look up and see a Yankee sojer st^ndin* in the

door with a pistol. She say, 'K&tie, I didn't say anythin', did IT1 I

say, 'I ainft tellin1 no lie, you ssy niggers ainft gwine git free.1

"That day you couldn't git 'round the place for the Yankees and they

stays for weeks at a time,

1fWhen massa come home from the ws*r he wants let us loose, but missy

wouldn't do it. I stays on and works for them six years after the war and

missy whip me after the war jist like she/did 'fore. She has a han'erd

lashes laid up for me now, and this how/it am* My brudders done lef'

massa after the war and move nex1 door to the Ware place, and one Saturday

some niggers come and tell rae my brudder Peter am comin1 to git me 'way

from old missy Sunday night. Thst night the cows and calves got together

and missy say it my fault. She say, 'I*m gwine give vou" one hun'erd lushes

in the mornin1, now go pen them calves,1

"I don't know whether them calves was ever penned or not, 'cause

Peter was waitin1 for me at the lot and takes me %6 live with him on the / , -

Ware place. I's so happy to git away from tha£ old devil missy, I don't

know what to do, stfid I stsays there sev'r^Kyears and works out here and

there for money. Then I marries ap^moves here and me and my man farms

and nothin' fcitinf done happened.

420046

EX-SLAVE STORIES Page One 281 (Texas)

v CAREY DAVENPOKF, retired Methodist minister of Anahuac, Texast appears sturdy despite his 83 years. He was reared a slave of Capt. John Mann, in Walker Co,V Texas. His wife, who has been his devoted companion for 60 years, was born in slavery just before emancipation, Carey is very fond of fishing and spends much time with hook and line. He is fairly well educated and is influential among his fellow Negroes*

"If I live till the 13th of August I'll be 82 years old.

I was born in 1855 up in Walker County but since then they split the

county and the place I was born is just across the line in San Jacinto

County now. Jim and Janey Davenport w*s my father and mother and they

come from Richmond, Virginia. I had two sisters, Betty and Harriet,

and a half brother, William.

"Our old master1 a name was John Mann but they called him Capt.

Mann. Old missus1 name was Sarah. I'd say old master treated us slaves

bad and there was one thing I couldnft understand, • cause he was fligious

and every Sunday mornin1 everybody had to git ready and go for prayer.

I never could understand his *ligion, f cause sometimes he git up off his

knees and befo1 we git out the house he cussrus out.

11 All my life I been a Methodist and I been a regular preacher 43

years. Since I quit I been livin1 here at Anahuac and seems like I do

•bout as much preachin1 now as I ever done.

"I donft •member no cullud preachers in slavery times. The

nhite Methodist circuit riders come round on horseback and preaxsh.

Ihere was a big box house for a church house and the cullud folks sit

°** in <g>ne corner of the church.

-1-

Ex-slave Stories Pa^e Two £82 (Texas)

"Sometimes the cullud folks go down in dugouts and hollows and

hold they own service and they used to sing songs what come a-gushinf up

from the heart.

"They was •'bout 40 slaves on the place, hut I-never seed no

slaves bought or sold and I never was sold, "but I seen •em beat — 0f Lawd,

yes. I seen *em make a man put his head through the crack of the rail

fence and then they beat him till he was bloody* Thqy give some of fem

300 or 400 licks,

H01d man Jimf he run away lots and sometimes they git the dogs

after him. He run away one time and it was so cold his legs git frozen

and they have to cut his legs off. Sometimes they put chains on runaway

slaves and chained 'em to the house, I never knowed of fem puttin1 bells

on the slaves on our place, but over next to us they did. They had a

piece what go round they shoulders and round they necks with pieces up

over they heads and hong up the bell on the piece over they head.

HI was a sheep minder them days. The wolves was bad but they

never tackled mef • cause they fd ruther git the sheep. They like sheep

meat better*n man meat. Old daptain wanted me to train he boy to herd

sheep and one day young master see a sow with nine pigs and want me to

catch them and I wouldn't do it* He tried to beat me up and when we git

to the lot we have to go round to the big gate and he had a pine knot,

and he catch me in the g&te and hit me with that knot. Old Captain sit tin1

oa the gallery and he seed it all. When he heerad the story he whipped

young master and the old lady, she ainH like it*

•3»

Ex-slave Stories Page Three OQO (Texas) °

"One tiae after that she sittin1 in the yard knittin1 and she

throwed her knittin1 needle off and call me to come git it. I done forgot

she wanter whip m and when I bring the needle she grab me and I pull away but

she hold on my shirt. I run round snd round and she call her mother and they

catch and whip me. My shirt just bad one button on it and I was pullin1

and gnawin1 on that button and directly it come off and the whole shirt pull

off and I didn't have nothin1 on but my skin. I run and climb up on the pole

at the gate and sot there till master come. He say* f Carey, why you sittin1

up there?1 Then I tell him the whole transaction. I say, fi^issusf she

whip me f cause young marse John git whip that time and not me.1 He make me

git down and git up on his horse behin1 him and ride up to the big house.

Old missus, she done went to the house and go to bed with her leg, fcause

when she whippin' me she stJck my head Hween her knees and when she do that

I bit her.

M01d master1 s house was two-story with galleries. My mother, she

work in the big house and she have a purty good house to live in. It was

a plank house, too, but all the other houses was make out of hewed logs*

Then my father was a carpenter and old master let him have lumber and he make

he own furniture out of dressed lumber and make a box to put clothes in. We

never did have morefn two changes of clothes.

"My father used to make them old Carey plows and was good at makin1

the mould board out of hardwood. He make the best Carey plows in that part

of the country and he make horseshoes and nsAls and everything out of iron.

And he used to make spinning wheels and parts of looms. He wa,s a very val-

uable man and he make wheels and the hub and put the spokes in.

Sx-slaveStories Page Pour S84 (Texas)

"Old master had a big farm and he riised cotton and corn and Haters

and peanuts and sorghum cane end some ribbon cane. The "bilges' crops was

cotton and corn.

wMy father told us when freedom come. Hefd been a free man, •cause

he was bodyguard to the old, old master and when he died he give my father

he freedom. That was over in Richmond, Virginia. But young master steal

him into slaveiy again. So he was glad when freedom come and he was free

again. Old master made arrangement for us to stay with him till after the

harvest and then we go to the old Rawls house what 'long to Mr. Chiv RPWIS*

He and my father and mother rim the place and it was a big farm.

111 git marry when I was 'bout 22 years old and that's her right there

now. Wefs been married morefn 60 yeaTB and she was 17 years old then. She

was raised in Grant1 s colony and her father was a blacksmith*

Mfe had it all f ranged and we stop the preacher one Sunday morn in1

when he was on the way to preachin1 and he come there to her pa1 s house and

marry us. We's had 11 children and aLl has deceased but three.

WI was educated since freedom, fcause they wasn't no schools in

slavery daysf but after I was freed I went to public schools. Most my

learnin' I got from a German man what was principal of a college and he

teach me the biggest part of my education.

"When I was 14 a desperado 4illed my father and then I had my

mother and her eight children to take care of. I worked two months and

*ent to school one month and that way I made money to take care of 'em.

*******

~t rm*{h«*X O

EX-SLAVE STORIES Page One 235 (Texas)

CAMPBELL DAVIS, 85, was born in Harrison Co.f Texas, a slave of Henry Hood. He re- mained on the Hood place about three years after he was freed, then farmed in Louisiana. In 1873 he married and moved "bock to Harrison f!o., where he farmed until old age forced him to stop. He now lives with his nephew, Billie Jenkins, near Karnack. Campbell receives a $33.00 per month old age pension.

"I*s big 'nough in slavery time to hear dera tell de darkies to

get up and go in the morn in vf and to hear the whistlin 1 o^ dem whips and

howlin1 of de dogs, Ifs birthed up in the northeast part of this county

right on the line of Louisiana and Texas, and flonged to old man Heniy

Hood* My mammy and daddy was Campbell snd Judy Davis and dey both come

from Alabama, and was brung here by de traders and sold to Massa Hood*

They was nine of us chill en, na-e Ellis and Hildaman and Henderson and

Henrietta and Georgia and Harriet and Patsy*

"Massa Henry didn't ha.ve de fine house but it a big one. Us quarters

sot off 'cross de field in de edge of a skit of woods. Dey have dirt floors

and a fireplace and old pole and plank bunks nail to de walls*

ttDey fed us beef and. vegetables —• any kind, jus1 name it — and 'low

us sop bread in potlicker till de world look level. Dat good eatin1 and

all my life I ainft have no better.

HMassa didn!t Uow no <ierseer on he place. One my uncles de driver,

and massa blow de old conk shell long ffore day, and if de darkies didn't

git goin1 youfd hear dam whips crackin1.

-1-

gx~slave Stories Page Two 286 (Texas)

"I seed one ray sisters whip * cause she didn't spin *nough. Dey pull

de clothes down to her waist and laid her down on de stomach and lash her

with de rawhide quirt. I's in de field when dey whips ray Uncle Lewis for

not pickin1 fnough cotton. De driver pull he clothes down and make him lay

on de groun1. He wasn't tied down, "but he say he scart to move.

MDe women am off Friday afternoon to wash clothes and all de hands

git Saturday afternoon and mosf de man go hunt in1 or fishin1. Sometimes

dey have parties Saturday night and couples git on de floor and have music

of de fiddle and banjo. I only fmembers one ring play:

"Hop light, li»l lady, The cakes all dough, Donft mind de weather, Jus1 so de wind don't blow.

'♦Be bigges1 day to blocks and whites was fourth of July. De hands

was off all day and massa give de big dinner out under de trees. He allus

barbecue de sheep or beef and have cakes and pies and fancy cookin1. He's

one de bes1 bosses round dat country. He *lieve in makin1 dem work and when

dqy need whippin1 he done itf but when it come to feedin 1 he done dat right,

too. And on Christmas he give us clothes and shoes and nuts and things and

'nother big dinnert and on Christmas nigjfcit de darkies sing songs for de white

folks.

ttUs git some book larnin1 'mongst ourselves, round de quarters, end

have our own preacher. Mos! de time us chillen play, makin1 frog holes in

de sand and mud people and things.

";Mi;:.d@ne/he^ lots of talk *bout ghosts and hants and think I seed

Ex-slave Stories Pa£e Three 28"? (Texas)

one onct« Ifs comin1 home from de neighbors at night, in de moonlight, ,?xid

'rectly I seed something white by side de ro*»d. De closer I gits de bigger

it gits. Ifs scart but I walks up to it and it nothin' but de big spiderweb

on de bush. Den I says to myself, fDere ain't nothin1 to dis ghost business.1

MMassa have one son go to war and he token a old cullud man with

him. I seed soldiers on hosses comin1 and goin' de big road, and lots of

dem come to Port Caddo in boats, De pretties1 sight I ever seed am a soldier

band all dress in de uniforms with brass buttons* rthen de soldiers come back

from de war dey throwed cannon balls 'long de road and us chillen play with

dem.

91 When de war am over, massa call us all and say wefs free, but can

stay on and work for de victuals and clothes. A bunch leaves and go to de

Progoe Marshal at Shreveport and ask him what to do. He tell dem to go back

and wait till dey find work some place. My mammy and me stays at de Hood

place fbout three years, *hen Ifs twenty-one I marries and come back to

Harrison County. Mammy and me done farm in Louisiana up to dat. My wife and

me marries under de big oat tree front of de Leigh Church. Us jus1 common

folks and doesnH have no infair or big to-do when us marry.

ttIls voted but our people won*t pull together. I votes de publican

ticket de long time, but last time I pulls over and votes de Democrat ticket.

I •cides I jus1 as well go with de braves as stay with de scart.

HIf de young genfr&tion would study dey could make something out

deyselves, but dey wont do it. Dey am too wild. Jus1 last week, I hears de

young cullud preacher at Karnack say, 'Bruddars and sisters, style and brightness

•3-

Sx-slave Stories Page F0ur 288 (Texas)

?rn what we needs today.1 I looks at him and says to rayselff 'Thank de Lawd

I knows better'n dat.' When Ifs comin1 up it Bin dark, but I knows better

things am ahead for us people and us trusts in de Lawd and was hones' with

oar white folks and profits by what dey tells us. Dey wasn*t no niggers

sent to jail when Ifs oomin1 up. It dis istvle nnd brightness1 what gits de

young niggers in trouble. Dey got de dark way ■head of demf less dey stops

and studies and make somethin1 out tfeyselves.

******************

420294

EX-SLAVS STORIES Page One 289 (Texas)

WILLIAM DAVIS was brn near Kingston, Tennessee, on the first of April, 1845. His family were the only slaves owned by Jonathan Draper, Baptist minister. In 1869 William joined the army and was stationed at Fort Stock- ton, Texas. He has lived in Houston since 1870. William is active and takes a long, daily walk.

"Well, suh, jes1 sit down in de chair yonder and Ifll tell you what

I can 'bout times back yonder* Let's see, now. I was born on de first

day of April in 1845. De reason I knows was 'cause Miss Lizzie, our missy,

told me so when we was sot free. Mammy done told me I was born den, on de

Tennessee river, near Kingston. I beared her say de turnpike *faat run past

Massa John's house dere goes over de mountain to Bristol, over in Virginny.

Mammy and pappy and all us chil]en 'long to de drapers, Ka*sa Jonathan what

us call Massa John, and he wife, Miss Lizzie, and we is de only cullud folks

whay dey owns*

H Massa John am de Baptist preacher, and while I*m sho' glad fco see my

folks sot free, Ifll tell de truth and say Massa John and Miss Lizzie was

mighty good to us. Dey have four chillen; Massa Milton, what am oldes' and

kill in de first battle; Massa Bob and Massa George and Massa Canero. Oh,

yes, dey have one gal, Missy Ann.

HCeurse us didn't have no last names like now. Mammy named Sopbrie and

pappy named Billy. Sometimes de owners give de slaves last names •cordin'

to what dey dof like pappy was meat cook and mammy cook pies and cakes and

bread, so dey might have Cook for de last name.

-1-

Ex-slave Stories Page Tw 200 {Texas)

MWe has a bigger family dan Massa John, f cause dey eight of us

chillen* I ainft seen none of dem since I lef Yirginny in 1869# but I

•member all de names. Dere was Jane and Lucy and Ellen and Bob and Solomon

and Albert and John, and I'm de younges' de whole lot.

MI heared Miss Liszie tell some white folks dat my mammy and pappy

give to her by her pappy in Alabama when she get married. Dat de custom with

rich folks den, and mammy 'long to de Ames, wh/it was Miss Lizzie's name 'fore

she marry. I heared her say when de stars falls f I think she say in 1832f she

was 'bout eighteenf and dey think de world am endin'.

MPappy was a Indian, I knows dat. He coxae from Co^go, over in

Africaf and I heared him say a big storm druv de ship somewhere on de Ca'lina

coast, I 'member he mighty •spectful to Massa and Missy, but he proudf too,

and walk straighterfn anybody I ever seen. He had scars on de right side he

head and cheek what he say am tribe marks, but what dey means I don't know.

•' 'Bout de first I 'members real good am where we am in Virginny an^

Massa John runs de Washington College, in Washington County, I 'member all

de pupils eats at massa's house and dat de first job I ever had. 'Scuse me

for laughin', but I don't redcon I thunk of dat since de Lawd know when.

Dat my first job. Dey has a string fasten to de wall on one side de room, with

pea fowl tail feathers strung 'long itf and it runs most de length de room,

above de dinin* table, and round a pulley-like piece in de ceilin' with one end

de string hangin' down, When mealtime come, I am put where de string hang down

and I pulls it easy like, and de feathers swishes back and forth sideways, and

keeps de flies from light in1 while folks am eat in'. 'Ceptin1 dat, all I does

2Q1 Ex-slave Stories Page Three ^^x (Texas)

is play round with Massa George and Missy Ann,

wDey ainft no whappin1 on our place and on Sunday us all go to church,

and liassa J<>htt do de preachin1. Dey rides in de buggy and us follow in de

wagon. De white folks sets in front de church and us in back,

,fI canft tell you how long us stay at de college, •zaetly, but us moves

to Warm Springs to take de baths and drink de water, in Scott County. Dat

two, three years nefo1 de war, and Massa John run de hotel and preach on Sunday.

I think dere am three springs, one sulphur water and one lime water and one a

warm spring, I does a little bit of everything round de hotel, helps folks

off de stage when it druv up, wait on table and sich. When I hears de horn

blow —you know, de stage driver blow it when dey top de hill fbout two miles

'way, to let vou know dey comin1 ~ I sho1 hustle round and git ready to meet

it, 'cmise most times folks what I totes de grips for gives me something. Dat

de first money I ever seed. Some de folks gives me de picayune - dat what us

call a nickel, now, and some gives me two shilling, what same as two-bits now.

A penny was big den, jes1 like a two-bit piece, now,

wBut when war begin *tween de Yankees and de South, it sho1 change every-

thing up, fcause folks quit comin1 to de Springs and de soldiers trices over de

place. Massa Milton go to jine de South Army and gits kill. Morgan and he men

make de Springs headquarters most de war, till de Yankees come marchin1 through

toward de last part. I know pappy say dem Yankees gwine win, fcause dey allus

aarchin1 to de South, but none de South soldiers marches to de North. He didn*t

Sfijjr dat to de white folks, but he sho1 say it to ue# When de Yankees come

aarchin1 through, de Morgan soldiers jes1 hide out till dey gone. Dey never done

&o fightin* round Waric Springs. Lots of times dey goes way for couple weeks and

-3-

Ex-slave Stories Page Four 292 (Texas)

den comes back and rests atfiile,

MDen one mornin' — I Members it jes1 like it yestiddy, it de fourth

of July in 1865 — Miss Lizzie say to me, ' William t I wants you to git you papa

and de rest de faaily and have dem come to de porch right away,1 I scurries

i*und quick like and tells dean and she came3 out of de house and sayst fNow, de

Yankees done sot yeu free and you can do what you wants, but you gwineter see

more carpet baggers and liars dan you ever has seed, and you111 be worse off

den you everhas been, if you has anythin' to do with dem. Den she ©pens de book

and tells us all when us born and how ok us an, so us have some record 'bout

ourselves, She tells me I'm jes1 nineteen and one fourth years old when I'm sot

free,

"She tell pappy Massa John want to see him in de house and when he comes

out he tells us Massa John done told him to take a couple wagons and de family

and go to de farm 'bout ten miles 'way on Possum Creek and work it and stay long

as he wants. Massa has us load up one wagon with ' vis ions. Pappy made de first

crop with jes1 hoes, 'cause us didn't h-we no hosses or mules to plow with. Us

raise jes1 corn and some wheat, but dey am fruit trees, peaches and apples and

pears and cherries. Massa John pay pappy $120 de year, 'sides us 'visions,

and us stays dere till pappy dies in 1868.

"Den I beared *bout de railroad what dey buildin' at Knoxville anc* I

leaves de folks and gits me de job totin' water. Dey asks my name and I says

William Davis, 'cause I knows Mr. Jefferson Davis am President of de aouth durin1

to war, and I figgers it a good name. In 1369 I goes to Nashville and 'lists in

de army. I'ia in de 24th Infantry, Company G, and us sent to Fort Stockton to

guard de line of T*xa&, but all us do am build fdobe houses. Col. Wade wa3 de

—4~*

IrAlff* Stories Page Five 2(3$ (lexas)

commander de fort and Capfn Johnson was captain of &t Co, Out dere I votes for

decfirst time, for Gen, Grant* when Greeley and him run for president. But I

gits sick at de Port and am muster out in 1870 and comes to Houston.

"I gits me de deckhand job on de Dinah, de steamboat what haul freight

and passengers Hween Gelveston and Houston* Den I works ►on de Lizzie, what am

a bigger boat. Course, Houston jes» a little bit of place to what it am now—

day wasnft no git buildin's like dey is now, find mud, I tell you de streets was

jes' like de swamp when it rain.

wX*ong 'bout 1875 I gits marry to Mary Jones, but she died in 1883 and I

gits marry 'gain in 1885 to Arabelk Wilson and has four skirls and one boy from

her. She died 'bcut ten years back. Course, us cullud folks marry jes' like

white folks do now, but I seen cullud folks marry 'fore de war and massa marry

dem dis ways dey goes in de parlor and each carry de broom. Dey lays de brooms

on de floor and de woman puther broom front de man and he put he broom front de

woman, Dey face one 'nother and step 'cross de brooms at de same time to each

other and tarc^s hold of hands and dat marry dem. Dat's de way dey donef she 1,

'cause I seed my own sister marry dat way.

MI has wished lots of times to go back and see my folksf but I never has

been back and never seed dem since I left, and I guess day am all gone 'long 'fore

now. I has jobbed at first one thing and 'nother and like pappy tell met

I has jobbed at first one tiling and 'nother, and like pappy tells me, I has

trials and tribulations and I has good chillen what ain't never got in no trouble

and what all helps take care dere old pappy so I guess I ainft got no cemplainin*

'bout things.

Page Six 29^£ Ex-slave Stories (Texas)

I jj rtI dreams sometimes fbout de peach trees and de pear trees and

I de cherry trees and I*d give lots to see de mountains fgain, fcause ifcen de

1 frost come, fbout now, d© leaves on de trees put on pretty colors and de persimmons

I and nuts is ready for pickin' and a little later on us kill de hawgs and put by

l I de meat for de winter.

| MDe Lawd forgive me for dis foolishness, 'cause I got a good home,

I and has all I need, hut I gits to thinkin* 'bout Virginny soaetimes and my folks

| what I ainft seed since I left, and it sho1 make me want to see it once more * fore

I die.

+0++++

4&0&81

EX~SLAVE STORIES p8g0 One 295 (Texas)

ELI DAVISOH was born in Dunbar, Vfest Virginia, a slave of Will Davison, Eli has a Mil of sale that states he was "born in 1844. His master moved to Texas in 1858, and settled in Madison County« Eli lives in Madisonville, with one of his sons.

"My first Old Marse was Will Davison. My father1s name was

Everett Lee and mema was Susan, and he come to see her twict a month,

1 cause he was owned by !nother master.

"Marse Davison had a good home in West Virginia, where Ifs "born,

in Dunbar, but most of it 'longed to he wife and she was the boss of him.

He had a great many slaves, and one mornin1 he got up and fvided all he

hsd and told his wife she could have half the slaves. Then we loaded two

wagons and he turned to his oldest son and the next son and said, fToufs

gwine with me. Crawl on.1 Then he said to he wif<% 'Elsie, you can have

everything here, but I'm takin* Eli and Alex and these here two chillen.l

The other two gals and two boys he left, and pulled out for Texas. It

taken us aos1 two years to git here, and Marse Will never sot eyes on the redt

of his family no more, long as he lived.

"Marse never married any more. He!d say> fThey ainH 'nother woman

under the sun I*d let wear my name.1 He never said his wifefs name no more,

but was alias talkin* of them chillun he done left behind.

wWe gits here and starts to bAild a on* room log house for Marse Will

and his two boys* My quarters was one them covered wagons, till he trades me

off. He cried like a baby, but he said, *I hate to do this, but its the only

^ii.i^'I^l'liiaTt anything to leave for my two boys.1 Looks like everything done

|§1^ come to Texas,, and he took sick and died. The boys

i^^Slft0"i^;"'•■'•.■^;, ■ ■■•■■' ■' -' ■ N

^^mmy:: ■■v. *!*•/-. . /

Ex~slave Stories Page Two £290 (Texas)

put him away nice and loaded up and went back to Virginia, but the home

was nailed up and farm lying out, ?md it took them mos1 a year to find they

folks. The mother and one gal was dead, so they come back and lived and died

here in Texas.

"Marse Will was one more good man back in Virginia. He never got mad

or whipped a slave. He allus had plenty to eat, with 1,200 acres, but after

we come here all we had to eat was what we kilt In the woods and cornbread.

He planted seven acres in corn, but all he did was hunt deer and squirrels.

They was never a nigger what tried to run off in Texas, * cause this was a

good country, plenty to eat by hunt in1 and not so cold like in Virginia*

MAftey I was traded off, my new master wasn*t so good to me. He thunk

all the time the South would win that war and he treated us mean. His name

was Thomas Greer. He kept tellin1 us a black nigger never would be free.

When it come, he said to us, fWelIf you black ~ , you are just as free as

I am.f He tumt us loose with nothin1 to eat and mos1 no clothesf He said if

he got up nexf mornin* and found a nigger on his place, he'd horsewhip him.

ttI donH know what Ifd done, but one my old.Marse Will!s chillun done

settle close by and they let me work for them* end built me a log house

*&d I farmed on halves. They stood good for all the groceries I buyed that

year. It took all I made that year to pay my debts and thatfs the way its

/been ever since*

^1 married Sarah Keys* We had a home weddin1 and 'greed to live together

W^tU^-'^ *ifs* I J^»f g°*s ^y her home one day and captures her like. tifcr m my saddle behind me and tells her she's my wife then*

Ex-slave Stories Page Three £9*7 (Texas)

That's all they was to my weddin1. We had six chillun and they's all farminf

round here, Sarah, she dies seventeen years ago and I jus1 lives round with

my chillen, *cause Ifs too old to do any work,

"All I ever done was to farm. That's all this here nigger knew what to

do# 0, I's seed the time when I never had nothin J to eat and my "big hunch

of chillun cryin' for "bread. I could go to the woods then, hut you-can't git

wild game no more* In them days it was five or ten mile to your nearest

neighbor, hut now they's so close you can stand in your yard and talk to them.

MI never done no votin', f cause them KLu Kluxers was allus at the votin1

places for a long time after the niggers was freed. The niggers has got on

since them old days. They has gone from nothin1 to a fair educated folks.

We has been kind of slow, 'cause we was turnt loose without nothin1, and

couldn't read and write.

111*8 worked for fifteen and thirty cents a day, hut Lawd, blessed to

our president, we gits a li'l pension now and that's kep1 me from plumb

starvin' to death. Times is hard and folks had to do away with everything

when they had that Hoover for president, but they will be straightened out

by and by if theyfll listen to the president now. 'Course, some wants to

kill him, * cause he holps the poor, but it do look like we ought to have

* 11*1 bread and salt bacon without up set tin' 'emf when they has so much.

******

ffP7 420162 13US1ATO STORIES Page One 298

(Texas)

ELIGE DiJISON was "born in Richmond, Virginia, a slave <£ Seorge Davison*

,cWi Elige worked in the field for some ^ time before he was freed, but does

j& not know his age. He lives with one $ of his grandsons, in Madisonville,

Texas*

MMy "birth was in Richmond, Thatfs over in old Virginny, and

George Davison owned me and my pappy and mammy* I fmember one sister,

na&ed Felina Tucker.

"Massa and Missus were very good white folks and was good

to the black folks* They had a great big rock house with pretty trees all

round it, but the plantation was small, not xnorefn a hunerd acres, Massa

growed tobaccy on 'bout 30 of them acres, and he had a big bunch of hawgs.

He waked us up *bout four in the morain1 to milk the cows and feed them

ha^gs,

M0ur quarters was good, builded out of pine logs with a bed in

one corner, no floors and windows # Us wore old loyal dothes and our shirt,

it open all down the front. In winter mas?a gave us woolen clothes to wear.

Us didn't know what shoes was, though.

w&assa, he look after us slaves when us sick, 'cause us worth

too mach money to let die jus1 like you do a mule. He git doctor or nigger

mammy. She make tea out of weeds, betterfn quinine. She put string round

oar neck far chills and fever, with camphor on it. That sho* keep off diseases,

*Us work all-day till jus1 ffore dark. Sometimes us got whipping.

We 4&4&H mind so much* Boss, you know hoir stubborn a male am, he have to be

whipped* That the way slaves is.

ENSLAVE STORIES Page Two 299 (Texas)

"fhen you gather a hunch of cattle to sell they calves, how the calves