That was 15 years ago. Yes, I was born
on a farm. From what I know, I'm over ninety. I was around 20 when the
war ceaseted.
The man what owned us was named Ed Johnson. Yes, ma'am he had lots of
folks. Was he good to us? Well, he was and he wasn't. He was good
himself, wouldn't never have whipped us--but he had a mean wife. She'd
dog him, and dog him until he'd tie us down and whip us for the least
little thing. Then they put overseers over us. They was most generally
mean. They'd run us out way fore day--even in the sleet--run us out to
the field.
Was the life hard--well it was and it wasn't. No, ma'am, I didn't get
much learning. Some folks wouldn't let their black folks learn at all.
Then there was some which would let their children teach the colored
children what they learned at school. We never learned very much.
You see, Master didn't live on the place. He lived bout as far as from
here to town" (fully two miles) "The overseer looked after us mostly.
No, ma'am I don't remember much about the war. You see, they was afraid
that the fighting was going to get down there so they run us off to
Texas. We settled down and made a crop there. How'd we get the land?
Master rented it.
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