SLAVE

NARRATIVES

A Folk History of Slavery in the United States
From Interviews with Former Slaves

TYPEWRITTEN RECORDS PREPARED BY
THE FEDERAL WRITERS' PROJECT
1936-1938
ASSEMBLED BY
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PROJECT
WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
SPONSORED BY THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Illustrated with Photographs

WASHINGTON 1941


VOLUME VII
KENTUCKY NARRATIVES

Prepared by
The Federal Writers' Project of
The Works Progress Administration
For the State of Kentucky


PLACEHOLDER


INFORMANTS

Bogie, Dan

1

Oats, Will

18

Henderson, George

5

Robinson, Belle

21

Shirley, Edd

23

Woods, Wes

24

Mason, Harriet
Mayfield, Bert

9
13

COMBINED INTERVIEWS

Ann Gudgel
Mrs. Heyburn
George Scruggs
Harriet Mason
Rev. John R. Cox
Amelia Jones
Jenny McKee
Susan Dale Sanders
John Anderson
Joana Owens
Charlie Richmond
George Dorsey
Annie B. Boyd

28
28
29
31
32
38
41
43
45
46
48
52
57

Kate Billingsby
Nannie Eaves
Mary Wright
Sophia Word
Mandy Gibson
Scott Mitchell
Edd Shirley
Peter Bruner
Easter Sudie Campbell
Annie Morgan
Cora Torian
Mary Woodridge
Esther Hudespeth

60
60
61
66
74
76
86
88
90
103
104
106
117


m
Garrard County.

Ex-Slave Stories.

Interview" with Dan Bogie;

(Eliza Ison).(l]^
f*- M

  

)

Uncle Dan tells me "he was born May b, ld5a at the Abe Wheeler
place near Spoonsville, now known as Nina, about nine miles due east
from Lancaster. Mother, whose name was Lucinda Wheeler, belonged to
trie Wheeler- family. My father was a slave of Dan Bogie's, at Kirks- ville, in Madison County, and I was named for him. !*3y other's people
were born in Garrard County as far as I know.I had one sister, born
in la6u, who is now dead, and is buried'not far from Lancaster.
I.larse Bogie owned about 200 acrts of land in the eastern section of
one county, and as far as I can remember there were only four
slaves on the place. We lived in a one-room cabin, with a loft
above, and this cabin was an old fashioned one about hundred' yards
from the house. We lived in one room, with one bed in the cabin.
The one bed was an old fashioned, high post corded bed where my
father and mother slept. My sister and me slept in a trundle bed,
   "'"X,"-. V-

made liEe thefoig bed except the posts were made smaller and was on
rollers, so it could be rolled under the big bed. There was also a
cradle, made of a wooden box, with rockers nailed on, and my mother
told me that she rocked me in that cradle-when I was a baby. She
used to sit and sing in the evening. She carded the wool and spun
yarn on the old spinning wheel. My grandfather was a slave of Talton
Embry, whose farm joined the Wheeler farm. He made shingles with a
.steel' drlwi'hg: kn|fe;,'. that 'had."a wooden handle. He. made. -these- Shingles;;
ik-'l^iV'^l^^^ial^y' I ;dov- n$I?.;^e^^

.ahdyf';vdllart


Garrard County.

Ex-Slave Stories...

(Eliza Ison). (:<0 . >

y

siioes made .He would put my foot on the floor and mark around it
for the measure of my shoes.
Host of the cooicirig was in an oven in the yard, over the bed
of coals. 3ai:ed possum and ground hog in the oven, stewed rabbits*
fried fish and fxred bacon called nstreaked meat11 all kinds of vegetables, boiled cabbage, pone com bread, and sorgnum molasses. Old
folks would drink coffee, but ciuliun would drink milk, especially
butter mila.
Old master would cu.1 us about 4 o.!clocic, and eveiybody had to
get up and go to

n

Stirring11. Old ;Iarse had about 3o or 4u sugar trees

wiiich were capped in Fegruary. Elder spiles were stuck in the taps
for the water to drop out in trie wooden troughs, under the spiles.
   These troughs were hewed out of buckeye. This maple water was gathered up and put m a big kettle, inmg on racks, with a big rare under itj
It was then taken to the house and finished upon the stove. The skimmings af ;er it got to the syrup stage was bulled down and made into
maple sugar for the children.
T

;/e *&ore tow linen ciotnes in. summer and jeans in winter. Sister

wore imsey in winter of dixferenu colors, dyed from h^rbs, especially!
poke berries j and wore unbleached cotton m summer, ayed with yellow -i
mustard seed.
tiy grandfather, Jim Jm&ry mended siioes aha raade    farrly good ones.
- There were four slaves. 3Jfy motJier did cooxing and the meh did .
tne woric. 'Bob Wheeler a nd Arch Bogie were' our .masters .' Boxh:; were ;;.go#^;:^nd;icind- to ;'us, ..I ;iie  er saw a slave shipped,-, for jay '   KQ&&';d$&r *\


Garrard County.

Ex-Slaves.

(Eliza Ison)*(3).

o

when we acted bad ola Marse always liciced Rube three or four times
carder then lie did me because loibe was older* Tneir daughter was
named hmerican

fheeler9 Tor her motner*

-hite roliis did not teach us to read ana write. 1 learned that
after I left my wnite fclKS. There was no church for slaves, buu we
went to tne wnite relics emircn at'Mr, Freedom. "V/e sat in tne gallery.,
fne first colored preacher I ever neard. was ola man Leroy Sstill. He
preacned m the Sreedom -meeting iiouse (Baptist)* I stSod on the banks
of Paint

LICK

CreeK ana saw my mother baptized, but do not remember

the preachers name j^ any of the songs they sung.
lie did not work on Saturday afternoon, fna men would go fishing,
and the women would go to the neighbors and help eacn other p(e$ce
cwilts. \;e used to have big times at the corn snuckings. The neighbors would come and help* Ve would have camp fires and sing songs^
end usually a big dance at the barn when the corn was shucked. Some
of the slaves from other plantations would pick the banjo, then .
the dance. Miss Americe married Sam 7ard. I was too young to remember
only that thev had good things to eat*
I can remember when ;-y mothers brother died. He was buried at the
Wheeler, but I do not recall any of the songs, and they did not nave
a preacher, lly mother took his deatn so hard.
There was an old-ash hopper, made of slats, put.together at the
bottom and wide. at the top. The ashes were dumped in this end water .
poured over them. A drip, was made and lye^ caught in wooden trotjghs  .>;;:;
-..this.'.   as' then.: boiled down "and. mfeele: into;'-soa^^^

&e;"-.^'^.:.:'-'''.--:


Garrard County.

Ex-Slave Stories,
Bibliography;

Interview with Dan Bogie, Ex-Slave.

(Elifca Ison).(4)f


r-'' '

   

160008

.'.Garrard County.

:

            '   

Atlas - Ex-Slave Stories.

' Interview Hith George Henderson.
:

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. .

   

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mmmm?^Tm   ^$^?^?m

(Eliza Ison).(l).

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.....,..   .

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     .*   *

Uncle George teils me that he was born May.. 10, I860 near Ver~
.
.
.
. .
,. .

sallies, in V/oodford County, Kentucky. 7-Iis father's neme was Bradford ><
Henderson, who was a slave of Gilford Twinian who belonged to- the Cleveland family. Ee does not know where his family came from.. There-were
21 children including two or three sets of twins.-All-died while..young...
except his brothers: "Gilford, Sa., and Joe; and sisters: - Sll  * and** Betty.
.-ill the slaves lived in log cabins and there were about SO or 40 ofthem on a plantation of 400 acres. "The cabin I was boim- in had-four. rooms, two above and two below. The Booms above were-called lofte,,and>we climbed up a ladder to get to these rooas. Ve slept on tinan&ie-be^ev?
which were covered with sjtraw ticks. Our covers were made in big patches
fro:;i old cast-off clothes, "..'hen we got up in the morning we^ shovedrthe
trundle bed back under the big bed. 3ome boy would ring a great bag.*
bell, called the "farm bell11 about sunrise. Some went to the stables
to look after the horses and mules, blowing was done with^a yoke* or
oxen, The horses v^ere just used, for carriages and to- ride, My work- was pulling weeds, feeding chickens,   .nd helping to take care of the    
pigs. Karse Cleveland had a very had male hog and had to keep, him -in-a
pen about 10 feet hirfu Sometimes he v:ould "break out of the pen-and it
would take all the bulldogs in the county to get him back. I never- - did earn any money, but worked    or my food end clothes, lly daddy-used
to hunt.rabbits and possums. !    went with him and would ride on_Ms

;

back with my f&et in his pockets. He had a dog named Brutus- which wasa watch dog. My daddy would lay his hat down, anywhere in the,, woods- and,
Brutus would stay by the hat until he- would come back. VTe ate all- kinds
;*>   wild food, po&sum, and rabbit-s. baked in .a big .oven. M.innowa^ere^
fished from the creeks and fried in hot grease. We ate this with pone-


Garrard County.

Atlas - x  x-Slave Stories.

(ibliza Ison).(jg)I

Q

corn "bread. V/e had plenty of vegetables to eat. An old negro called  Cle Han Ben" called us to eat. 77e called him. the dinner bell because
he -;:ould say ^Vho-e-e, God-dam your blood and. guts11.
^

   

. .    

- * ,.

Out clothes were made of jeens and lin^sey in winter. In the sum-

mer we wore cotton clothes. They gave us shoes at Christmas tirne.-wjg
were measured with sticks. Once I was warming my shoes on a back*, log
on the big fire place, they gell over behind the logs and burnt up. I
didnft marry while on the plantation*

*

"

Ily master and mistress lived in the big brick house of 15 rooms** *
with two long porches. One below and one below. Hy mistus was Miss Lucy
'Elmore before she married. Her children were named Miss Mat, Hiss
iiimma, and Liiss Jennie.

< .    

I saw the slaves in chains after they were sold. The white, folks
did not teach us to read and write, we had church on the plantation
hut we went from one plantation to another to hear preaching, white folks preacher's name was Reuben Lee, in Versailles.- A meeting- of the
Baptist Church resulted in the first baptizing I ever saw. It was in
Mr. Chillers pond. The preacher would say 'I am baptizing you in Mr.-    
Chillers pond because I know he is an honest man* . I can't remember any
funeral.

    .

I remember one slave named Adams who ran away and when he came- Iback my old master picked up a log from the fire and hit- him over: the
jhead. We always washed up and cleaned up for Sunday. Some time the
older ones would get drunk.

; : ..:

On Chris-bnas and Hew Years day we would go up to the house and
they would give us candy and fruit and fire-crackers.-We were given _
some of all the food that the white folks had, even turkeyv Would have


iGarrard County.

Atlas - Ex-Slave Stories.

(Eliza Ison).feB).

*7

heaps of corn-shuckings, the neighbors would come in and then we!d have
big dances and old Marse would always have a "jug of licker".
If a cat crossed out path we would turn backwards for a while,
"..hen I was about 9 or 10 years old I went from the cabin to the bigkitchen to make the fire for my mammy to get the breakfast and I saw
ole man Billie Cleveland standing looking up in the sky. He had been
deaii about 3 or 4 years; but I saw him.

,;:...

The white folks looked after us when we were sick. Used dock _ ;
leaves, slippery elm for poultices. They put polk root in whiskey and
gave it to us.

.....

When the news came we were freed wvery body was glad. The slavey
cleared up the ground and cut down trees. Stayed with Marse Cleveland
ithe first year e.fter the war. Ha-ve

heard the Klu Klux Klan ride- down

the road, wearing masks. None ever bothered me or any of Marse Clevelands slaves.
I married years after I left Marse Cleveland. Married Lucy Mason
the first time and had three children, two g*irls and 1 boy. I dids^t
jhave no children by my second marriage, but the third time I had four,
[One died. I have eight grandchildren.
We had no overseer but Marse Hock mas the only boy and the oldest
ichild. We had no white trash for neighbors. I have seen old coveredIwagons pulled by oxen travelling on the road going to Indianny and us
[children was whipped.to keep us away from the road for fear they
[would steal us.

ii^assilEMMife


*

Garrard County.

Atlas - Ex-Slaves. Stories.
Bibliography;

Interview with George Henderson, Ex-slave.

*

(Eliza Ison).(  ).

8


160006

Garrard County.

^tlas-Ex-Slave Storiis.

(Eliza Ison).(l)&

9

l

Aunt Harriet Llason - Ex-Slave:

A' V-.
j

She was born one mile below Bryantsville on the Lexington Pike in
Garrard County, and was owned by 33. 1.1. Jones. She gives the date of her
birth as April 14, 1847. Aunt Harriet's father was Daniel Scott* slave
out of I.Iote Scott1 s slave family. Aunt Harriet1 s mother's name was Amy
Jones, slave of Marse Briar Jones, who came from Harrodsburg, Xy. Hie*
names of her brothers were Harrison, Daniel, :!erida, and lledj her sisters were Susie and Llaria. laiss Patsy, wiie of Ivlarse Briar gave i-iaria
to Ivlarse Sammy Welsh, brother of I;Iiss Patsy1 s and wno lived with his
lister. He taught school in Bryantsville for a long time."General Go,a~
who married Jane Welsh, adopted daughter of Marse Briar Jones, took my
sisters i.Iyra and Emma, Btother Ned and myself to Tarrant County, Texas
to a town called Lick Skillet, to live. Grape-vine wes the. name of the
v/hite folks house. It was called Grapevine because these, grapevines
twined around the house and arbors. Sister Emma was the cook and Myra
and me were nurse and house maids. Brother marri-ed Betty I still, a*
slave who cooked for the Estill family.. Mr. Sstill later bought Ued in
order to keep him on the place. I dicta1    sleep in the cabins with the
rest of the negroes; I slept in the big house and nursed the children.
I was not paid any money for my work. My food wo.s the same as what the
white folks et. In the summer time we wore cotton and tow linenj and

>;

linsey in the winter. The v/hite folks took me to church and dressed me
| well. I had good shoes ana they took me to church on Sunday. My.master
j was a preacher and a doctor and a line man. Miss Mat sho was hard to
jbeat. The house they lived in was a big white house with two long
|porches. We had no overseer or driver. We had no "Po white neighbors0.
jThere was about 300 acres of land around Lick Skillet, but we did not


Garrard County.

Atlas-Ex-Blave Stories.

(liliza Ison).(2^.

j[Q

have many slaves* 'The slaves were waked up by General Gano who rting a
big farm bell about four times in the morning. There was no jail on
the place and I never say a slave whipped or punished in any way. I
never saw a slave auctioned off. My IJistus taught all the slaves to

*

read end write, and we set on a bench in the dining room* 'Then the news IS
came that we were free Benerai Gano took us all in the dining room and 1
told us about it. I told him I wusn't going to the cabins and sleep
with them niggers and I didnft. At Christmas and ICew Years we sho aid
have big times and General Gano and Miss Hat would buy us. candy-^   Oj>-

I
I
|

I

1 corn, and firecrachers and all the good things just -.-ike the white >
\ folks     I don't remember any weddings, but do remember the funeral ox*
\ l.Ir. Llarion v/ho lived between the big house and Lick Skillet. Ke was.
} going to be buried in the cemeibery at Lick Skillet, but the horses got
ji scared and -turned the spring wagon over and the corpse fell out.^he
*
* *   

ii

|

j mourners sure had a time getting things straightened out, but they

j

\

I

I finally got him buried.

P

-hey used to keep watermelon to pass to company. Us children would %

|

\i go to the catch and bring the melons - to the big . spring and..........
pour w^ter
.
. .
. .

11
|

i

P

i over them and cool !em. "Then news came that we were free we all started I
i .

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    -

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I

back to Kentucky to Msrse Jones old place. ";/e started the journey in

|

two covered wagons and an ambulance. General Gano and Miss ".lat and the

|

two children ana me rode in the ambulance, 7/hen we got to Memphis we

  

got on a steam boat named "Old Kentucky", y/e loaded the ambulance and

|

the two wagons and horses on the boat.

,,r

hen vie lei t the boat, we got

on the train and got off at Georgetown in Gcofct County and rode from
there to General Gano  s Brother William in Scott County, on a stage

|

I

|

j

coach. When I took the children, Katy and Maurice, upstairs to wash theml


[ Garrard County.

Atlas-SxSlaves Stories.

(Eliza Ison) .(3^,

^1

I looked out the window into the driveway and saw the horses that
belonged to Karse Briar Jones. They nickered at the gate trying to get
in. The horses were named Henry Clay and Dan. "Then the children want
dovm I waved at the horses and they looked ujp at the window and nickered
again and seemed to know rae. Y/hen we were coning back from Texas, Maurice held on the plait of my hair all the way back. I didn't marry
while 1 belonged to the Gano family. I married Henry Mason after-1

-*

came to Lancaster to live about sixty years ago.I am the mother- of-nine
children, three boys and six girls. There are two living..- I have-no -.
grand-children. I joined the church when the cholera epidemic broke- eut
in Lancaster in 1873. The preacher was Brother Silas Crawford, of    the*
Methodist Church. I was baptized in- a pond on Creamery Street. I-think
people ought to be religious btcause they live better and they love
people more."

,-.,-,..:

Aunt Harriet lived at the present behind-the White-Methodist-

   ,

|

Church in Lancaster. The daughter v/ith whom she lives i-s considered one j
of the high class of colored people in Lancaster .She holds an A* B.
Degree, teaching in the colored city school) and is also a music
teacher. She stands by the teaching of her mother,    being a

n

Good    

Methodist"j giving of her time) talent, and service for her church*


Garrard County.

Atlas-ExSlaves Stories.

(Eliza Ison). (4|..

-fp

Bibliography;
interview with Aunt Harriet Mason, Lancaster, Kentucky.

MiMMiiMi&ai-Misi

m


160007
Garrard County.

Atlas - Stories from Ex-Gle.ves.

(;.liza Ison). 13

Interview with Bert Mayfields
^

Bert Mayfield was born in Garrard County, May 29, 1852, two
miles south of Bryantsville on Smith Stone's place. His father and
mother were Ped and Matilda Stone Mayfield, who were slaves of
Smith Stone who came from Virginia. His brothers were John, Harrison, Jerry, end Laurence, who died at an early age.
He lived on a large plantation with a large old farm house,
built of logs and weatherboards, painted white. There were four
rooms on the first floor, and there were also finished rooms on the
second floor. An attic contained most of the clothes needed for the
slaves."Uncle Bert" in his own language says, "On Christmas each of
us stood in line to get our clothes; we were measured with a string
which was made by a cobbler. The material had been woben by the- slaves in a plantation shop. The flax and hemp were raised on the
plantation. The younger slaves had to "swingle it" with a wooden instrument, somewhat like a sword, abouf two feet long, tnC. called a
swingler. The hemp was hackled by the older sieves. The hackle was an
instrument made of iron teeth, about four inches long, one-half inch
apart aii set ina a wooden plank onw and one-half feet long, which was
set on a heavy bench. The hemp stalks were laid on these benches and
hackled herds were then pulled through and heaped in piles and taken
to the-work shops where it was twisted and led then woven, according
to the needs. Ropes, carpets, and clothing were made from this fiber.
"Our cabins were usually one room with a loft above which we
reached by a ladder. Our beds were trundle beds with wheels on them

|
i

!

to push them under the big beds. We slept on straw ticks covered with


14    
^arrard County.

Atlas - Stories from Ex-Slaves.

(Eltea Ison).(2).

Lindsey quilts, which were made from the cast-off clfttfees, cut into
sqaares add strips."
Bert can just remember his grandparents.
He would feed pigsj pulled "pusley" our of the garden for them
"and them pigs loved it mighty well".
No money was paid for work. Bacon and "pone bread" baked in the
yard in an oven that had legs and lid on top was the chief food add
his favorite. The coals were put on top as well as under the. oven.
They drank sweet milk and butten milk, but no coffee; they also*
ate cabbage, squash, sweet and Irish potatoes, which were cooked with
skins on, greased, and put in the oven. "Possum" and coon hunts wer4
big events, they would hunt all night. The possums were baked in the
ovens and usually with sweet potatoes in their mouths. The little boys!
"~

-

-

^

-

would ff  h. bringing home their fish to be scaled by rubbing- them *

~~*

j

*

1

between their h&nds, rolled in meal and cooked in a big skillet.. "We

j
,?,

i

would eat these fish with pone corn bread and we sho' had big eatins J
"Marse Stone had a big sugar camp with 300 trees. We would be
waked up at sun-up by a big horn and called to get our buckets and

j

go to the sugar camps and bring water from the maple trees. These

j

trees had been tapped and elderwood spiles were placed in the taps- r

I

where the water dripped to the wooden troughs below. We carried this

I

water to the big poplar troughs which were about 10 feet long and

j

3 feet high. The water was then dipped out and placed in different

f

kettles to boil until it became the desired thickness for"Tree Mo-- .-

J

lasses". Old Miss Polly would always take out enough of the_water to'- j
boil down to make sugar cakes for us boys. We had great times at these j
"stirring offs" which usually took place at night.


45 >
Garrard County.

Atlas-Stories from Ex-Slaves.

(Eliza Ison).(3).

The neighbors v/ould ueaally come and bringHheir slaves. Y/e-

-

played Sheep-meat and other games. Sheep-meat was a game played with
a yarn ball and when one of the players was hit by the ball that
counted him out. One song we would always sing was "Who ting-a-long?
Who ting-a-long? Who's been here since I've been gone? A pretgy girl
with a josey on".
There was no slave jail on the Stone place, and I never saw a
slave sold or auctioned off. I was told that one of our slaves ran

*   

off and was gone for three years. Some white person wrote him to-come
home that he

WES

free. He vas me king his own way in Ohio and stopped

in Lexington, Kentucky for breakfast; while there he was asked to
show his Pass papers which he did, but they were forged so he was arrested. Investigators soon found that his owner was Mr. Stone who
did not wish to sell him and sent for him to come home. Uncle Ned'sown Tim said he "v/ould go fetch him back" but instead he sold him to
a southern slave trader. My old Mistus Mag taught me how to read from
an old national spelling book, but I did not learn to write. We hadno church, but the Bible was read to us on Sunday afternoons by- some;.
tff the white folks. The first Church I remember was the Old Pork Bap-^
tist Church about four miles from Lancaster on the Lexington Pike. The
first preacher I remember was Burdette Kemper. I heard him preach at
the old church where my Mistus and Master took me every Sunday. Thefirst Baptizin' thatc I remember

was on Dix Fiver near Flov&'s Fill.

Preacher Kemper did the Baptizin' end Ellen Stone, one of our slaves
was Baptized there v:ith a number of others - whites and blacks too-.
VTien Ellen came up out of the water Bhe

was clapping her. hends and

shouting. One of the songs I remember at this Baptizing was:


Garrard County.

Atlas.- Stories from Ex-Slaves.

(Eliza Ison).(4).

"Co&e sinners and Saints and hear me tell
The wonders of E-Man-u-el,
Who brought my soul with him to dwell
And give me heavenly union."
"The firfet funeral sermon I remember was preached by John Mo ran,
negro at the first Baptist here in Lancaster.

* *

f j

"The negroes would talk among themselves, but never carried tales
to the white folks. I never heard of any trouble between blacks and    -  j
whites. On Sunday's we would hold prayer meetings among ourselves-.-The:
neighbors would come when slaves were sick. Old Mistus looked after
us, giving us teas made of catnip and vermifuge. Poultices_of dock
leaves and slippery elm were also used when were sick* Some of the
slaves wore rabbit feet for charms and skins of snakes for a belt
as a charm.
"My first wedding was 53 years ago. The womsn was named Emma
Barren, raised by Dr. Pettus. I had no children. We went t   Mr.
Spencer Hubble to live, in Lincoln County. Ve h*xL no chil

-

I received the first news of freedom joyfully. I went to old
man Onstott's to live. I lived there two or three years. I thin&
Abe Lincoln a great man. He

did not believe in- slavery and would:;

have paid the southern people for their slaves if he had lived. All:
the slaves on Morse Stone's place were treated well.


Garrard County.

Atlas-Stories from Ex-Slaves.
Bibliography:

Interview with Bert Mayfield.

(Eliza Ison).(S). ^ ^


Mercer County.

Ex-Slave Stories.

(Hazel Cinnamon)* (l).

j^

Interview with Will Oats - Ex-Slavei
tfill Oats, 84 years of age, was horn in Wayne County, up Spring Valley in
1854. He was t^e son of Betty Oats and Will Garddard of Iforth Carolina. He has
three sisters: Lacy Wilson, Frances "hillips that live in Ohio, and Alice Branton
of Career Chu.vfcy, Kentucky. He has two brothers; Jim Coffey and Lige Coffey of
Karro-isburg.
As a chill ha lived with his mother, brothers, sisters, and grandmother.
   jheir qaarters re re in the yard of tbeir naster; and they were as comfortable as
any slaves - with plenty to sat and clothes tc keep them warm.
V/ill was just a boy at that time, and he out wood and carried it in; and
:id other chores around the house such as help to milk and feed the stook. Their
food was plentiful and they ate all kin s of vegetables, and bad plenty of
milk and butter, fat meat,and bread*
The family all wore home made clothing, cotton shirts, heavy shoes, very
heavy underwear; and if they wore out their winter shoes before the spring weather
they had to do without until the fall  
Will was owned by Lewis Oats and. his sister; they lived in a two story
"louse," built of log and weather boarded. They were very wealthy people. The fans
consisted of over 230 acres;- they owned six slaves; and they had to be up doing
their morning work before the master would wake.
"When working and the slaves would disobey their master, they were punished
in some way; but there was a   jail* They didn't know how to read or write, and
they had no church to attend. All they had to do when "not ai work was to talk
to the older folks. On Christmas morning they would usually have a little extra
to eat and maybe a stiok of candy. On New Yearfs Day thefce work went on just *
the same as on any other day*

&&&&&:..^x, $*fa s: M,% & ^ ^   , w, u, 4__ ^ ^V^SP3^-' '   "'' J ^


Mercer County.

3x-Slave Stories.

(Hazel Cinnamon). (2).

1^

V/il 11 as a boy loved to play marbles #iich was about the most interesting game
they had to play. Of course, they oouid play outside as all children do now
when thsy had spare time.
At that time there wsrre few doctors and when the slaves would get hurt or
sick, th^y wore usually looked after by the master or by their overseer.
After the war ";ad closed, Will fs grandmother walked from Uonticello to
Caiiip -lelson to get her frss papers and her children. r^hey were all zery happy,
hut they were won.1)ring what they were going to do without a home, workf or money,
3ut after Will and his mother and grandmother got their freedom, the grandmother
bought a little land and house and they all went there to "live. Of course, they
worked out for other people and raised a great deal of what they ate* Will lived
there until he grew older and went out for himself; and later moved to Mercer
Countv where he now lives*

illlilll^


Mr

Mercer County.

Ex-Slave Stories,
Bibliography:

IntorvicTr with V/ill Oats, 3x-3lave of Msrcer County*

(Hazel Cinnamon ). (3 ).

20


^sPffSpPifP

Sarrard County.

Aont Belle Robinson:

Ex^l &ve Stories *

(ELiza Ison )   &)  ,

c

^

I found Aunt Bella sitiing on the porch, dressed nice and

els an v;ith a white handkerchief pinnel on her neok. v'%en I went to her and told
her who I was and the reason for my sisit, her face beamed with smiles and she
saii

n

Lawdy, it has been so long that I have forgot nearly everything I knew*.

Further investigation scoq proved that she had not forgotten, for her stateci-snts wars very intelligent. 3he was working on a quilt and close investigation
found that the work was. well done. Aunt Belle tells mo

R

I was born <  une 3rd,

1853 in G-arrard County near Lancaster* % mother's name was Marion Blevin and
she belonged to the family of Pleas Blevin. My father's name was Arch Robinson
who livad in Madison County. Harrisog Brady bought me from Ole Miss Nancy Graham
ana whsn Mr. Brady died and his property was sold Mrs. Brady bought me back; and
she a].ways said that she paid $400 for me. I lived in that family for three
generations, uxjtil every one of them died. I was the only child and had always
lived at the big house with my mistus. I wore the same kind of clothes and ate
tha same kind of food the white psople ate. My mother and father lived at the
cabin in the yard and my mother did the cooking for the family. My father did
th3 York on the farm with the help that was hired from the neighbors. I was too
young to remember much about -the^sta^
the neighbors being p^
with h&r*r^

of any slaves of
to the Baptist Church

any '   preafi*^

songs they sang**


^   r

Oarrard County.

Ex-Slaves.

(Eli2a Ison). (2).

22

Bibliography:
Interview with Aunt 3alie Robinsonf Bx-Slava of Garrard County*

^   #H:^%.


Uonroe Co*

Folklore.

(Lenneth Jones-242).(l).

*

  3

Slaves:

I am 9? years old and am still working as janitor and support
r.y family* My father was a whfte man and my mother Wi-s a colored
lady* I was owned three different times, or rather was sold to
three different families. I was first owned by the Waldeas; then
I was sold to a man by the name of Jackson, of Glasgow, Kentucky."
Then my father, of this county, bought me.
I have had many slave experiences. Some slaves were treated good,
and some were treated awful bad by the white people; but most of them
were treated .good i-^ they would do what their master told them to
do.
I onced saw a light colored gal tied to the

rafters of a barn,

and her master whipped her until blood ran down her back and made
a large pool on the ground. And I have seen negro men tied to stakes
drove in the ground and whipped because they would not mind their
master| but most white folks were better to their slaves and treated
them better than they are now. After their work in the fields was
finished on Saturday, they would have parties and have a good time.
Some old negro man would play the banjo while the young darkies
would dance and sing. The white folks would set around and watch;
and would sometimes join in and dance and sing.
% colored grand father lived to bs 115 years old, and at that
age he was never sick in his life. One day he picked up the water
bucket to go to the spring, and as he was on his way back he dropped

Uncle Edd Shir ley * ^^

~

%

lt

   * i

15 "3Mw^||M  ille Bruqa^^wl
iiiiil^i^^

&  s^Vi&^?A#Pi1}'^


^^f^^^^^^^^^t^^i^^i

fWjpWp ->'-;-: rp^  fT <;{.,      ;:

P^^F''?????^^

P

l^arrard Cotinty.

Ex-Slaves.

(Eliza .Ison)   (1)

: Interview with Ex-Zlave^^ncle ";/es Woods:
...y* urst visit to uncle Y/es Y/'ood$' and his v;ixe Aunt Lizzie
VrQodj fouiiu then in aneir own coux'ortabie little dome m Buncantown^
a nice ur&an section or the tov/n} vmere nost ox* trie innaoitants are
of the iDeoter class of colored people. A small yard with a picket
fence ana gate Surround tne yard? v/nieh nad tall nollyxiocks^ rearma tneix* .leads :*i'.., aDove the xsnce.
~    nnoen on xne Pront uuor orou^nt tne coraia! invitation uto
cx.^ m!i   ip'on' enter xnp^ i v/as invitee to nave a cnair anc

u

rest xiy

Pat"     . ..--ten seatirr'"_; xxyselx* ana xxxicinp mcp^xry as to aneix*. neaitxij 1
"00-^'-- tuen tne ooject ox xiy visit5 ana tnexx: xaces oeaineci vnien 1
I'S-xe-hOerea

aci'^v-

i-:W w       JS-A

W-'- A v*

01 oeans sne was preparing xor uneir rxeai. ana sam v/itn a caasa 01
xi   X; nazicis ^

i

usw.sey^ . nnepp ' what. 1 cio xcnow

VQUJLQ.

nil a nook1 *

viiCj.t ;iCiJ^ -!>:   :o o^an a- s' siiCit   m" -4.0i.' Eleven . u*o*i.ohs.) c^i.nt v  as i^i.

beo.} bat was oneerxul and origin* v/ian an intelligent nemoryj rare~
in xbuiia. in     one nis asce*.unc^e v*as tens aie tnat ne wa>~ ooxn ^,.ay
f:2x9     ldo4 m, Garraru, Pu-unty* zzear     Cartersvilie> ana- y/as first a
islave- of Mrs. lliza nexmedyv. wino later married.John Leakey   .of. that
x'sectian ..of    xae county    .     nHy- fetaer* s nane n/as Een Woods 5. my .hotner^s .
vpnie vyaS:V^s^.e.Vvoo'cis, uiraxj.. 0.0 not loiow what xarfiily .she belonged to.'
fezce^-t; tne^Yfo^^

i||p;:.P^,^

acres,,


S&rrara County.

(S3k^'--:"lstt'n)' . (2) Y

fho-Slaves.

with a ladder. There waa one big bed, with a .frundle bed, which was
on v;ooden rollers and was shoved under the big bed in the dayti^ieV;
fhe oldest boys sle^t in a big. wooden bed in the loft. "The cabinswere built of logs and chinked with rock and mud. The ceiling was of
joists, and my mother used to hang the seed whet we gathered iii the
fall, to dry from these joists., -ome of ahe chimneys were made' With
sticks end chinked with mud, and would sometimes catch on fire. Later'
people learned to "build chimneys of rock with big'wide fire flaces  
and a hearth of stone, which wade them safer from fire.
Second li;^i^/iew: '
11

1 chowaed com and uullea weeds ana the other woik hands would

let we -ride .behind them beck to the big. house,
PWUZ

Mvi how hUhghw T

and how we did eit. be would nave beans, cooked .in a big ktettlfe       wf

.in the "back yard> cahbege ana potatoes./ with corn pone breads bfiltid
-in a Dip: oven in the yard and. wlent

of good outteimiik to drinkh         

.

gpy young bosses, ;:'wnen I lived in the hemedy family woulartakfe. .    ;the-: dogs ; and     let me    .-go-.:- coon     imntxng at .night with . tnem, and- wiaat: big>>;V,;::
   ;:times:v^eA' had. -The ^ possums ,were .skin$^

a-, big :kittle;:;::;:.p

-:-lung:':over the -fire,'. then- .taken. out"and-'imt:.:i^:-m""big -'oven-'^
pl:   piece; of' streciked-meat;^was; put in and-a \smailg0a of red .^e;p^er'^^
:;::|iy - ^liy-what- b&ti&:lm^

: :;

.

.PPPPPP;: '*: P

Ipf^:--

fpi^^

ie:^

flllPPPpp:;.,PgWW . :pPp' WW'y \'r, pPpPPPP^Pf "WpPP'-\WP -P         PpPpPPPP^:Vp:VpWP-; W':p\ -"'P .'/

P\.. '"       Pv':    .   :   "- ;Vp PPPPpPP^SiK


riarrard County..'

Enslaves..

(Eliza I son),. (3).

fish, and sne would say, "Wes, vou had good luck today*'} and I would
st.-- "Yes YistuS, I dia!!, but never aid I tell ner wne.u I caught tne

y first wife was Lou Burasides and we had five cnildren| Sli&a,
ITannie* George, Julia, cjid Jennie. All of them are dead but two. 1
lu,ve no children by my present v;ife,
1 never saw a slave whipped or in cnains. Yy boss did not believe
in that kind of punishment. If the children needed whipping-, it was
done like all other children are whipped when they need it.
The first colored preacher I recall

was named

John Reed, a

Baptist preacher at Taint Lick. I joined the church at Lowell, not
very far from here. The preachers name was Leroy Sstill, a "Predestinerian".
Ilarse Woods had five children, two boys and three girls,: none
of them are living.
we were glad when the news came that we were free, but hone of
us left for a long time, not until the Woods family was broken up.
My .father hired me out to work for my vituals and clothes, and t; got
$25.00 at the end of the-year. 1 do not remember of any wedding* or
death in my old masters house.
I'believe in heart-felt religion and prayer. The' Gdod Bfok '
teaches u  vwe:;:Biust be prepared for another world a^er; this.-2 '
:;^^n-b.;-^:;\;;j^'/;.^^.;;';j^m^^ri;.v.'  &i&   T;di% ahd^I.: try to   ^ve-.;i^^^^ip[%^**   /'   ;;


Garrard County.

Ex-Slc.ve.

(Eliza Ison). (4)#.

Bibliography:
interview with V,res Woods, Ex-Slave of Garrard County.

gff


160001
Customs:
Slavery:

By Counties

OQ

Local History and Dialect*

'

ANDERSON CO. (Mildred Roberts)
Story of Ann Gud^el, (age unknowrn}.
ft

I doesn't know how old I am, but I was a little girl when dat man

LincTxm freed us niggahs.

My mammy netoer tole us our age,but I knows Ifse

plenty old, cause I fsols like it.
"Yftien I was a liddle girl all of us was owned by Master Ball.r When
Lincum freed us neggahs, we went on and libbed with Master Ball till us
ohilluxis was bout grovved up.

None of us was eber sold, cause we belonged to

the Balls for always back as far as we could think.
n

Marmay worked up at the big house, but us chilluns had to stay at de

cabin.

But I didn't irerry much care, oause ole Miss had a liddle child

jest bout my age, and us played together.
^The onliest time ole Miss eber beat me was when I caused Miss Nancy
\
to get et up wit de bees.

A

steal de honey.1

I

I tole her

f

Miss Nancy, de bees am sleep, lets

Soon as she tetched it, day flew all ober us, and it took

Mammy bout a day to get the stingers outen our haids.
I

Ole Miss jest ixatually

beat me up bout dat.
!,

*^

0rte day they vaccinated all de slaves but mine neber took atall.

I

nebber tole noboddy, but I jest set fight down by de fireplace and rubbed
wood ashes and juice that spewed outen de wood real hard ober de scratch.
All de others was real sick and had the awfullest anas, but mine neber did
eben hurt.11
UNION 00. (Ruby Garten)
(These two stories were told by Sirs. Heyburn as she remembered them from
her grandmother).
""When the War was going on between the States and the Confederate
(


29
soldiers had gone south, the Yankee soldiers came through*

There was a little

negro slave boy living on the farm and he had heard quite a bit about the
y

y

I Yankees, so one day they happened to pass through where he could see them and
he rushed into the house and said, "Miss Lulu, I saw a Yankee, and he was a
I man."
I. '

"I remember the slaves on my grandfather's farm.

After they were freed

they asked him to keep them because they didn't want to leave.

He rtold them

they could stay and one of the daughters of the slaves was married in the
kitchen of my grandfatherfs house.
them*

After the wedding they set supper for

Some of the slave owners were very good to their slaves; but some

whipped them until they made gashes in their backs and would put salt in the
gashes.
CALLOITAY CO. (L. Cherry)
Story of Uncle Beor^o ScruggsA a colored slave*
I wuz a slave befo de wa.
Man Vol Scruggs.

My boss, de man dat I bflong to, wuz Ole

He wuz a race hoss man.

dem days and a white man faw evy hoss, too.
My boss carrid me away frum here.
heap uv me.

He had a colod boy faw evy hoss
I wuz bawn rite here in ferry.

I thought a heap uv him and he though a

Ifd rub de logs uv dem hosses and rode dem round to gib em excise.

I wuz jes a small boy when my boss aarri/^d me away from Murry.
me to Lexinton.
long.

I staid wid Ole Man Scruggs a long time.

My boss carried

I jes don no how

My boss carrid me to his brother, Ole Man Finch Scruggs.

He run a sto

and I had to sweep de flo uv de sto, wash dishes and clean nives anf falks evy
day#

Ole Man Finch Scruggs carrid my uncle up thar wen Ole Vol carrid me.

Ole Man Finch Scruggs livT& at a little t own called Clintinvil on tuther side
uv Lexinton*

Wen Ole man Vcl Scruggs marid, he take me away from Old Man

Finch Scruggs and carrid me to liv wid him.

I wuz den wid my ole boss again.


3

*

30

He den hired me to wuk faw a docta in Lexinton*

My job wuz to clean up his

of is and wen he went out en de cuntry, he took me long to open de gates.
had to skowa nives and fawke and ole brass canel stix*
ago, Ize tellin you, white man*

I

Dats been a ling time

While I wuz sweepin de doctas ofis one day

I saw droves uv colud folks gwine by wid two white men ridin in front, two
ridin in de midel, and two ridin behind*
down town to be sold*

De colud folks wuz walkin, gwrine

When I fust seen em comin I got scared an started to

run but de white man said, "stop, boy, we is not gwine a hurt you*"'

I staid

wid dat boss docta sumpin like a yer, an den went back to my Ole Boss*
a been up thar wid im yet but he kep telin me I wuz free*
whut he mean by sich talk*

ITd

But I diden no

Wen my Ole Boss sole out up thar, he brung me wid

him on to Paducah*
He had a neffu in de vriiolesale grocy bisness in Paducah*
carrid me to his neffu and lcf me thar*

Dat wuz de las time I eva saw my

good Ole Boss caus he went on to Missouri*
white man*

I sho do luv im yet*

My Old Boss

My Old Boss wuz sho good to me,

Wy, he neva wood low me to go barfooted,

caus he wuz afraid Ifd stick thorns in my feet, an if he eva caut me barfooted,
he sho wod make my back tell it.

Wen he lef me in Paducah, his neffu took me

over to my ant, Rose Scruggs to stay all nite wid her*

Nex day I walked wid

my cousin to Mayfield, carryin two toe sacks uv does dat my Good Ole Boss
give me wen he lef me in Paducah*

De cloze wuz faw me an my muther*

Wen we

got to Mayfield, we went strate to Judge Williams caus he marrid my Ole Boss1
sister and I wuz. sho we could stay wid dem*
play-children together*

My Ole Boss an my muther wuz

My mutherfs name wuz Patsy Malone*

Mr* Maline's wife

wuz my Ole Boss1 sister and my muther fell to her as a ilave*
come to Murry whar my muther lived wid Miss Emily Malone#

Next day I

I wuz

gone a long

time caus my Ole Boss took me way from Murry wen I wuz a small boy*
wid my muther til she died*
bawzu

I staid

I now live in one mile uv de house whar I wuz

Mr* Hugh Wear s@z I is 100 years old*


4*

31
GAJRHARD CO*

(Sue Higgins)

Story of Aunt Harriet Mason, age 100 - a dLave girl*
"TShen I was seven years old my missis took me to Bourbon County, when
we got to Lexington I tried to run off and go back to Bryantsville to see
my mammy.

idas'r Gano told me if I didnft came the sheriff would git me*

I never liked to go to Lexington since,
M

0ne Sunday we was going to a big meetin* we heared som'in rattling in

the weeds*

It was a big snake, it made a track in the dust*

home missis asked me if I killed any snakes   

When we got

I said to missis, snake like

to got me and Gilbert, too*
"They used to hare dances at Mrs* Dickersonfs, a neighbor of General
Gano (a preaoher in the Christian
"Padaroes" come to the dances*

Church)*

Mrs* Dickerson wouldn*t let the

If they did come, whe would get her pistol and

make them leave*
"Tfifhen General Gano went from Texas to Kentucky, he brought 650 head of
horses*

He sold all of them but Old Black*

"Mas'r Gano went back to Texas to take up a child he had buried there*
The boat blowed up, and he came nigh jittin* drowned*
"One time I wus out in Masfrs wheat field*
and make ohewin1 wax*
my mammy*

I would get the ntfieat heads

I told missis I want to go up to Bryantsville to see

Masfr took me in about a week*

"Up at Miss Jennie Westfs house they had an ole icehouse*

Some boys &&I

made out like they had a bear up there to scare every body away*
tt

I saw a flock of wild geese fly over one evenint late*

f
\

saw them and one boy shot the leader*
s

Some boys

The rest of the flook wound round and

i round, they didnft know where to go*
^"^

"One time when I was aotin1 nurse for missis, there was another nigger

gal thare and we was playin1 horse-shoes*

Celia hit me in the head*

It got


\

5.
blood all over the baby!s dress.

32

Missis came out, she say, "I'll hit you

niggers if you donft stop playing with horse-shoes."
head yet whar Celia hit me.

I ainft played since*

The scar is on my
Do you blame me?

"Missis told her brother Sam one day to whoop me.
me, I'd hit him.

I wanft feared then*

Every time he hit

I didn't know no better.

Look

like white folks goin' to have their way and niggers goin1 to have theirs.
"I used to say I wish Ifd died when I was little.

But now I thank

De Lord I'm here and I want to stay here as long as Lilly (my daughter)
lives.
"Missis wanted all of us little niggers to call Kate, Missis1 little
daughter, Miss Kato.

But missis say, "They will call me old missis then".

"Kate had red hair*

A little nigger boy say,

f

Looki Harriet, the town's

on fire1, I say git away from here nigger, I ain't goin1 to have you makin'
fun of my chil'en.
"Me and missis was goin' to a neighbor's house one day in a sleigh.
The baby was wrapped up in a comfort (it had a hole in it).
out.

The baby slipped

I say, 'Lor' missis, you've lost that baby.'
"No, I haven't, Missis say.

was gone.

We stopped and shook the comfort and John

'Ain't that awful, Miss Mat?'

We went back and found him a mile

behind."
*********

I asked Aunt Harriet to sing.

She sadd, "I have to wait for the speret

to move me". (S. HigginsJ
********************

BOYD CO. (Carl F. Hall)
It is probable that slave labor was more expensive to the white masters
than free labor would have been.

Beside having cost quite a sum a two-year

old negro child brought about #1,500 in the slave market, an adult negro, sound
and strong, cost from #5,000 up to as high as #25,000, or more.

The master


33
had to furnish the servant his living*

Rire free employee is paid only

while working; when sick, disabled or when too old to work, his employer
j

i is no longer responsible*
i

-"""

A slave owner, in Y/est Virginia, bought a thirteen year old black girl

at an auction*

When this girl was taken to his home she escaped, and after

searching every where, without finding her, he decided that she had been helped
to escape and gave her up as lost*

About two years after that a neighbor,

on a closely farm, was in the woods feeding his cattle, he saw what he first
thought was a bear, running into the thicket from among his cows*

Getting

help, he rounded up the cattle and searching the thick woodland, finally found
that what he had supposed was a wild animal, was the long lost fugitive black
girl*

She had lived all this time in caves, feeding on nuts, berries, wild

apples and milk from cows, that she could catch and milk*

Returned to her

master she was sold to a Mr* Morgan Whittaker who lived near where Prestonsburg, Kentucky now is*
A Dr* David Cox, physician from Scott County, Virginia, who treated Mr*
Whittaker for a caneer, saw this slave girl, who had become a strong healthy
young woman, and Mr# Whitaker unable to otherwise pay his doctor bill, let
Dr# Davis have her for the debt*
At this time the slave girl was about twenty-one years of age, and Dr*
Davis took her home to Scott County, Virginia where he married her to his only
other slave, George Cox, by the ceremony of laying a broom on the floor and
having the two young negroes step ovdr the broom stick*
Among the children of George Cox and his wife was Rev* John R* Cox, Col*
who now lives in Catlettsburg, Kentucky, and is probably the only living exslave in this county*
After the Emancipation Proclamation, by President Lincoln, in 1865,
John managed to get four years of schooling where he learned to read and write


7.

34
and become very proficient in arithmetic*
He says that had he had the opportunity to study that we have today
he could have been the smartest man in the United States*

He also says, that

before freedom, the negroes in his neighborhood were allowed no books, if
found looking at a book a slave was whipped unmercifully*
John's master, in allowing his slaves to marry, was much more liberal
than most other slave owners, who allowed their slaves no such liberty*
As a rule negro men were not allowed to marry at all, any attempt to
mate with the negro women brought swift, sure horrible punishment and the specfes
were propogated by selected male negroes, who were kept for that purpose, the
owners of this provileged negro, charged a fee of one out of every four of
his offspring for his services*
The employing class of Kentuckians, many of them descendents of slave
owners, are prone to be reactionary in their attitude towards those who toil,
this is reflected in low wages and inferior working conditions, a condition
which affects both white and black labor alike, in many sections of the
state*

(Bibliography:

Rev* John R* Cox (colored) Catlettsburg, Kentucky*

Born 1852 (does not know day and month), Minister A*M#E# Church*
truant officer Catlettsburg, Kentucky*

First

Interviewed Dec* 23, 1936*

WAYMB CO. (Gertrude Vogler)
"After the War was over mammie^ old man did not want us with them, so
he threatened to kill us*

Ihen my old mammie fixed us a little bundle of what

few clothes we had and started us two children out to go back to the Campbell
family in Albany*
and varmints*

The road was just a wilderness and full of wild animals

Mammie gave us some powder and some matches, telling us to

put a little down in the road every little while and set fire to it*

This

would scare the wild animals away from ms#
"We got to the.river a   almost dark and some old woman set us across tlie


35
river in a canoe.
f

She let us stay all night with her, and we went on to

Grandpap Campbells1

the others did.)

f

(We always called him grandpap instead of master, as

When he saw us comin1 he said fLawd havo mercy here comes

them poor little chillun1.
"I stayed with them that time until I was big engugh to be a house girl.
Then I went to live with the Harrison family in Albany* and lived with them
till I married old Sam Duncan

and come to Wayne County to live.

I've raised

a family of nine children and have thirty-sven grand children and twenty great
grand children.
"Every one of my children wears a silver dime on a string around their
leg, to keep orf the witches spell.

One time, before my daughter Delia got

to wearing it, she was going down the road, not far from our house, when all
at once her leg gave way and she could not walk.
was.

Of course I knowed what it

So I went after Linda Woods, the witch doctor.

She come with a bottle

of something, all striped with all colors, but when you shake it up it was all
the same color.

She rubbed her leg with it and told me to get all the life

everlasting (a weed you know) that I could carry in my arm, and brew it for
tea to bathe her leg in*
cover it up.

Then pour it in a hole in the ground, but not to

Then not to go down the same road for nine days*

"We did all she said, and her leg got all right as soon as we bathed it.
But she did not wait nine days, and started down the road the next day.
The very same thing happened to her again.

Her leg give way under her and

she could not walk a step.
M

I went after Linda Woods again.

This time she said 'D-m her, I told

her not to go over that road for nine days.1

But she came with the striped

bottle and destroyed the witch spell again, telling her thin time if she went
over the road again for nine days that she would remain a cripple all her life,
for she would not cure her again.


9.

36

"Delia stayed off that road for nine days, this time, and all the family
have worn the silver dime around their legs ever since.
tf

Another time my old man Sam got down in his back.

Henry Coulter (he was another witch doortor).
a glass pistol, and cured him.
pistol, but it cured him.

Well, he went to

He just shot in the back with

Of course there was not any bullet in the

He could draw a picture of a chicken on a paper and

shoot it, and a chicken would fall dead in the yard, yes sir.
do it.

Old Henry is dead now though.

Irve seefl him

"When he died he had a whole trunk full

of the queerest looking thins you ever seed.

And they took it all and buried

A

it.

Nobody would touch it for anything.
"1 always keep a horse shoe over my door to keep the spirits roray.

We

live very close to the graveyard, and my boy Ed said he had been seeing his
brother Charley in his room every night.
be seeing Charlie every night.

If he was livinf right he would not

Charlie never bothers me.

He was my boy that

died and is buried in this graveyard above our house.
DAVIES CO.

(Cecelia Laswell)

The following is a very old Negro sermon I found in an old scrap book
dated 1839, belonging to Mrs. Elizabeth Alexander, Prederica St.

She says she

has heard her family refer to parts of it at different time in her early life
and supposed that the negro preacher belonged to her people.
deerly fren:

Quote:

Mine

Ub darfs wun ting wot de Lord abominerates worser nor anudder;

it is a wicked niggerl

A wicked wite man!s bad snuff, dur Lord nosej

but

day so dam wite, an so kussed earcy, day doun no no better, so dar's some
appolleragee fur

T

em; but I gin yer for th noe as how, a wicked nigger can

nibber scape frum de vengence ob de Lord-day's no use playin possum any
more dan day was ob Joner coorin it into de walefs bellyl
congregation)

(Glory from the

Let um go to de Norf Pole, or to de Souf Pole, to de West Pole,

or to de East Pole,, or de Poles in any ob de words; he ant a bit safer den


10.

_

he would be in a cellar at 5 pints, wid ole Hays arter himi
niggersi
trufel

I tink I see you look round*
Gorda mityfs trufel

Yerfs better!

Merrily I say unter yerl

(groans) OhI

Fer wot I tells yerfs
Wen de court ob seshions

ob de las day cum, ye111 reckerlect wot I say at dis timesJ

Wen yer hab de

Lord fer Recorder, an a jury ob angles, an Gabriel ter report der trial fer
de hebbenly "Herald" (deep groans)
eyesi

YasJ den yer111 turn up de wite ob yer

(Sighs) den ter111 call fer de rock ter cubber yerl

top oT yer*

No yer don't*

An de hill ter fall

Kase, in de fus place day woodnft do it; an in de

libenth place, ub day would it would be no better dan ridin in a cart in de
big city or gettin under de butcherfs stall in de fly market; fer de Lord can
move more mount ins in wun minite, dan de biggest nigger in dis congregation
could shake a stick at twixt now an next fort ob July (clapping of hands, sighs,
groans and grunts) Tink, yer black sinners ob de bottomless pit, deeper dan
de hole Holt bored fer water*

Ohi

yer?ll wish yo cood bore fer wat-r darl

but day's no water dar, an de deeper yer go, Oh, my bredren, de deeper it gitl
den de smell!

Yerf 11 gib yer soul uv yer had any left, jist* fur wun smell

ob a rotten eggl

Oh, my deelee frens some ob yer hold yer nose wen yer go by

AJX

de gas works   

How der yer spose yer'l feel dare yer smell notin but brimstone

an nashin ob teeth!
cum ter worst yit#

(deep groans) Oh, I hear yer groans, but I ant begin to
Ohi

my toenail afmost shake off in ma stockin wen I tink

ob dat heat ob infernal reginsi

Den yer tink melted led cold as de young gemman

at de big houses tink a miny julip is now, an besides my brederen it keeps a
burnin nite on day to de end ob eberlastin; yer needn't tink bimeby yer go from
dare to hebben like de Rummin Catlick    No, in de fust place yer donftj an
in de second if yer cood, yer'd git yer def of cole goin frum one place to
tudder#

An now, mu belobbed brederen, lets in terwestigate how ter git bale;

how to avoid de Sing Sing ob de world wot's got to oume*
wont do it  

Piddlin an dancin

Yer'll.neber git ter hebben by loajfin, pitchin cents, an dancin


11

JubaS

   

38

De onlt way is ter support de preacher, gib yer money ter me, and I'll *

take yer sins on my shoulder.

An now I beseech yer not ter leebe dis here

holy place an go round er corner, round er corner and fergit de words yer
have heered dis night.

Next Wednesday ebenin dar will be a sarbice in his

place de Lord willin, but next Thrusday ebenin vreffer or no.

An now we will

sing inti de 40-olebent him de particlarest meter   
Old Ebe he was de second man fur Adam was de fust-A black man's made ob ebony, a white man's made o'dust.
Methuselah was the oldest man, but Sampson was the strongestCats, rats, and puppies all hab tails, but monkies is der longest.
(While they were singing the 11th verse, I took my departure.   B#L.)
IAURBL CO.

(Perry Larkey)

Concerining slaves of this section of the country, I will quote experiences
and observation of an old negro lady who was a slave, Mrs. Amelia Jones, living
in North London, Kentucky.

tf

Aunt Amelia" as she is known around here is

eighty-eight years of age, being sixteen years of age at the close of the
Civil War.
Mrs. Jones says,

ft

I will tell as bsst I can remember, I was born eighty**

eight years ago in Manchester* Ky# under a master by the name of Daw White*
he was southern republican and was elected J^m22^^ssma,n by "tka* $arty
from Manchester, Ky#
of Whitesberg, Ky.

He was the son of Hugh "White, the original founder
Master Tflhite was good to the slaves, he fed us well and

had good places for us to sleep, and didn't whip us only when it was necessary,
but didn't hesitate to sell any of his slaves, he said, ^You all belong to
me and if you don't like it, I'll put you in my pooketn meaning of course that
he would sell that slave and put the money in his pocket.
The day he was to sell the children from their mother he would tell that
v. \ mother to go to some other place to do some work and in her absence he would
sell the children.

It was the same when he would sell a man's wife, he also


12,

39

sent him to another job and when he returned his wife would be gone*
master only said

The

,f

donft worry you oan get another one11*

Mrs* Jones has a sister ninety-two years of age living with her now,
who was sold from the auction block in Manchester*

Her sister was only

twelve years of age when sold and her master received $1,220*00 for her,
then she was taken south to some plantation*

A&so her father was sold at that

place at an auction of slaves at a high price, handcuffed and taken south*
She never saw her father again*

She says the day her father was sold there

v/as a long line of slaves to be sold and after they were sold and a good
price paid for each they were handcuffed and marched away to the South, her
father was among the number*
The Auction block at Manchester was built in the open, from rough-made
lu&ber, a few steps and a platfor^on top of that .the slave sold*

He would

look at the crowd as the auctioner would give a general description of the
ability and physical standing of the man*

He heard the bids as they came in

wondering what his master would be like*
Mrs* Jones claims she had no privileges, but had as before stated
plenty to eat and wear, and a good place to sleep; but most masters treated
them cruel and beat them most of the time.

They were also underfed at most

places, but since they had such a good master they did not want for a thing*

Cemetery Hill as it is known to us herf, being in London, Ky* was a
hill on which a Civil War battle was fought*

The trenches are still here*

The hill was given to the north to bury their dead by Jarvis Jackson, a
great grand father of the Jarvis Jackson who is now city police of London,
today*

By some reason, the s oldiers were taken up "and moved to a different

place only a few years ago*

Mrs* Hoage says11 the first daisies that were

,


40

brought to this contry v/ere put on that hill and she can remember when the
entire hill was covered with them*
The southern side had tranches on the east side of the Dixie Highway
on and surrounding the site where the Pennigjiton Hospital is now standing,
which are very vivid today*

The London City School being in the path bears

a hole today from a cannon ball*

Shot no doubt from the Southern forces*

The new addition to the school hides the hole, but until recent years it could
be seen being about ten inches in diameter*
Zollie Coffer a southern general had camped at Wild Cat. Ky* but was
forced to retreat when general Garrad and Lucas and Stratton two captains under
him, all from Clay county, with a large crowd came in*

He, on his retreat

came through London and had a battle with an army of Ohioians camped on
Cemetery Hill,

Quoted a poem by Mrs. Hodge, which she remembered from those

days:
{"'"

"Just raise your eyes to yon grassy hill.
View the bold Ohioians working with skill,
Their bombs lying around them to spew fiery flames,
Among the seceders, till they want own their names*

\
\
i

I

Mrs* Hodge quotes another poem from memory about Ben* Coffer's retreat

ff-om Wild Cat:
i

|

f
f
I
j
!
I

"Our tigers and bullpups to Wild Cat did go,
to fight our brave boys, tho our force they did not know,
When they came in gun shot distance, Schelf told them to halt,
We're not Murphey's honey, nor Alex Whites salt.

l
\

His orders to his men, was "go thru" or "go to hell"
But our Indiana hoosier bous, heard them too well,
In less than thirty minutes, they gave them many balls,
Wild Cat had had kittins, Oh; donft you hear them squall*
They did not stay long, before they did
Went on double quick and left all their
As they went back through Barbourville,
I've lost fifteen hundred killed or run

retreat,
meat,
they say Zollie did say
away.

Away back in Mississippi, we're forced to go
As for our loss you'll never knowSlipped back when the union fell asleep
Hauled off our dead and buried them deep.


"   

?   

41

To fight agsiinst Garrad, it never will do,
Stratton and\Luoas is hard to out do,
They conquered our tigers and bull pups too,
In spite of our force and all we could do.
Coffer was killed by Colonel Frye at Mill Springs   

A statue is

erected to Zollie Coffer at Somerset, Kentucky.
Both sides were cruel during the Civil War*

Mrs. McDaniel who lives

here tells a story of how her father was killed in Clay County, whaJLe
eating dinner one day.

Some federal soldiers drove up and asked -what side

he was on and upon saying the confederate side, they too   him outside and
shot him with a gun in his own yard.
Mrs* Jenny McKee, of color, who lives just North of London can tell
many interesting things of her life.
"Aunt Jenny" a# she is called, is about eighty-five years of age,
and says she thinks she is older them that as she can remember many things
of the slave days.

She tells of the old "masters" home and the negro shacks

all in a row behind the home.

She has a scar on her forehead received when

she was pushed by ine of the other little slaves, upon a marble mantle plaoe
and received a deep wound in her head.
The old negro lady slaves would sit in the door way of their little
shacks and play with pieces of string, not knowing what else to do to pass
off the time.

They were never restless for they knew no other life than

slavery*
Aunt Jenny McKee was born in Texas though she doesn't know what town she
was born inf

She rememebers when her mother was sold into the hands of another

slave owner, the name of the piaoe was TOiite Ranch Louisana.

Her mother married

again and this time she went by the name of Redman, her mother fs second husband was named John Redman, and Aunt Jenny altho her real name was Jenny Garden,
carried the name of Redman until she was married to McKee.


15.

a

42

During the War her mother died with cholera, and after the war her
step-father sold or gave her away to an old Negro lady by the name of
Tillet, her Husband was a captain from the 116th regiment from Manchester*
They had no children and so Aunt Jenny waa given or sold to Martha
Tillet*

Aunt Jenny still has the paper that was written with her adoption

by Mrs* Martha Tillet and John Redman, the paper was exactly as written
below:
"White Ranch
September 10, 1866
To Whom it may concern, I, John Redman has this day given my consent
that Mrs* Martha Tillet can have my child Jenny Redman to raise and own
as her child, that I shall not claim and take her away at any time in
the future*
his
John (x) Redman
mark
She has a picture in her possession of Captain Tillet in war costume
and with his old rifle*

After the war the Tillets were sent back to Manchester

where he was mustered out*

Aunt Jenny being with them*,fI stayed with them11

Aunt Jenny said, "until I was married Deo* 14, 1876, to David MoKee another
soldier of the 116th regiment"*

She draws a pension now from his services*

David McKee was a slave under John MoKee, father of the late John MoKee
of this pl&oe*

He was finally sold to a man by the name of Meriah Jackson*

Davids masters were good to him11 said Jenny

w

he learned to be a black smith

under them11*
Aunt Jenny has the history of the 116th regiment, TJ#S*C* Infantry*
Tillet was captain in this regiment and David MoKde a soldier then was a
lot of soldiers in this regiment from here*
who died a few years ago*

Tom Griffin being one, a slave

The history was printed in 18#6 and this particular

copy was presented to Captain Tillet, and bears his signature    


43
16.
The first d,eed to be put on record in the Laurel County court'was
between Media Bledsoe of Garrad County of the first part and Dajziel Garrard
of Clay County of the second part*

3eing 4300 acres of land lying in

Knox County on Laurel River and being that part of 16000 acres of land patented
in the name of John Yfatts*

One thousand dollars was the sum paid for this

TIiis is on record in Deed Book tTAT,# page 1#

land.

Date of September 30, 1824.

JEFFERSON CO. (Byers York)
The following is a story of Mrs* Susan Dale Sanders, fl Dupree Alley,
between Breckinridge and Lampton Sts*, Louisville, an old Negro Slave mammy,
and of her life, as she related it*
W

I lived near Taylorsville, Kentucky, in Spencer County, nearly all

my life, *cept the last fo1 or five yea's Ifse been livin1 here  

I was

bo*n there in a log cabin, it was made of logs, and it was chinked with
clay and rock*

My Mammy, was raised from a baby by her master, Rueben Dale*

He was a good ole Master, and was alwayTs good to my Mammy*

Master Dale

owned a big farm and had big fields of coTn an1 tobacco, and we raised
everything we had to eat*

Ole master Dale was a good ole baptist, kad lots

of good ole time relig'n*

Ruben Dale had lots of slaves, and every family

had its own cabin*

As he raised my Mammy as a slave from a baby, she thought

there was none livin1 bettfr than her master Dale*
The next fafm close to the Masters, was owned by a man* Colonel Jack
Allen, and he had a big fafm and owned lots of slaves*

And Mammy was allowed

to marry one of the Allen slaves, and my father's name was Will Allen*
see the slaves had the same name as the Master's, as he owned 'em*
had seven children and we all grow'd up on our Master Dales fafm*

You

My Mammy
My father

had to stay at his master7s* Col* Jack Allen1 s and wofk in the fields all day,
but at night he would come to my mammyfs cabin and stay all night, and go back


44

17.
to his master's, Col. Allen's fields the next mon'in.
slavery times.

Yes, I grow'd up in

I used to carry tubs of clothes down to the old spring house,

there was plenty of water, and I'se washed all the clothes there.
my sisters used to wash and sing; and we had a good time.

Lie s.nd

I can't remember

much of the ole s.ongis its boon so long ago.
I had two brothers, and they jined the war and fought in the array.
was named Harry and 'tother Peter.

One

Mammy v/o'ked hard, done all the cookin1

but ole Liaster Dale was so good to all of us children we did't mind it. I'se
c
was a mischevious gal when I was grow'in up. I'se would get a likin1 most
every-day.

I'se alway's like to fight the ot'er children, and I would say,

Clammy she hit me!t, but I was bad and I'se got my whipp'n.

On my masters

fa'm we killed a lot of hogs for our meat, had a big trough, that we cut the
meat up in, and put the hams and shoulders together, and the middles together,
then put 'em dawn in salt for about six weeks, and then hang them up in the
smake-house and sraoke 'em with hickory chips.
we used 'em up.
best apples.

And leave them all the time till

We had a apple house we used to fill every fall with the

The ole master sho' had a apple fa'm.

Inside of the house there

was a big hole in the ground, dug deep, and we use to fill it full of apples,
then covor it over with a straw, and 0 Lawd, we would have apples all wint'r
when the snow lies deep on the ground; sure I wish them old days back.
Some of the other old Masters, who had lots of slaves on fa'ms close by,
was so mean to the slaves they owned.

They wo'ked the women and men both in

the fields and the children too, and when the ole Master thought they was'n't
do'n' 'nuf wo'k, he would take his men and strip off their shirts, and lash
them with caw-hide whips until you could see the blood run da  /ra them poor
niggers backs.
The Nigger traders would come through raid buy up a lot of men, and women


*

45

18.
slaves, and get a big drove of them and take them further south to work in
the fields, leavin their babies*

I knowfd some mean

I'se never can forget*

ole masters1
Our ole master Dale that raised my Mammy and her family never teas hard
or mean like that.

He would let us go to church, have parties and dances*

One of the ole salves would come to our cabin with his fiddle and wefd dance.
After Ifse growfd up, I!se wofked for Mrs. Susan Lovell, that was the
ole masters married daughter.
was good to me I

She lived down the road from his fafm*

You see I was named after Susan Lovell.

was wofkin1 fof her when the war ended*
war was over.

She

It was while I

She told me I was free after the

I got happy and sung but I didnft know for a long time, what to

be free was, so after the war she hired me and I stayed on doin1 all the
cookin1 and washin1 and all the work, and I was hired to her for four dollars
a month*

After the war was over my fathef died.

And it wasn't long after

that , I Married Tflm* Sanders and we had six children*

I got a Government

pension, as my husband was in the army during the Civil War and he was wounded
in the body, but he lived a long time after th8 war was ended.
In the ole days we used to sing and go to church, sing the ole time
religion, and when we danced we sung:

tf

l!?hofs been here since Ifse been gone,

Ah9 that gal with the blue dress on*!t
Ifse still believes in lots of good and bad luck signs, but forget most
of fem, "But if you drap a knife, on the floor someone is sure to come to
see you, and if you dream of money that is good luck.n

tf

To sneeze at the

table is bad luck, to sneeze when away from the table good luck.*1

n

If you

dream of the stars is bad luck*"
*******

A story resulting from an interview with John Anderson, an old Negro slave:


46

19.
"I was born in Pennsylvania, on Shiptown road, Clinton County, close
to Mercersberg*

When I was growing up my mammy always believed in making

her own medicine, and doctored the whole family with the roots she dug
herself.

She use to bile down the roots from may-apple, snake root and

blood root, and make her medicine*

This was good for the blood and keep us

from gettin1 sick*
While the wah was goinT on, the soldiers were campin1 all about~us
and when they heerfd the Gray's was comin* they got ready for battle, and
when they did come they fit1 em back, and they made their stand at Harpers
Ferry, Va*, and had a hard battle there*

My mammy was scared of the Grayfs

and when she heerfd they was comin*, would hide us three boys in some white
folks cellar until they was gone*

They would take all the young niggahs with

them they could get hold of, and soon as theyfd gene, we would go back home*
When the wah was over, me and some boys went over to the battlefield
and foun1 a calvary gun which I had for years*

We lived in a log cabin on

a farm and worked for a farmer in the fields while my mammy worked in the
house for the white folks*

We had lots of things that is good and bad luck."
n   %* ^f 'v* *fi T^

The following is the life and traditions of Joana Owens, 520 E* Breckinridge
St*, Louisville, Kontucky, an old negro mammy who was born during slavery*
tt

My mother and father was slaves, and there was two children born to

thegi, my sister and me*
Ohio River   

We used to live at Hawesville, Kentucky, on the

My peoples name was Barr, and their masters name was Nolan Barr*

You know they all had to take their masters name in slave days*
I will never forget how mean old Master Nolan Barr was to us*
about fourteen years old and my sister was a little younger*
an old log cabin*

The cracks was filled with mud*

housework for Master Barr's house*

I was

We lived in

My Mother done the

My father and sister and me had to work


47
20    
in the fields*

He had a big farm, and owned lots of slaves, and when the

old master got mad at his slaves for not working hard enqugh he would tie
them up by their thumbs and whip the male slaves till they begged for mercy*
He sure was a mean old man*

I will never forget him as long as I live*

donft know exactly how old I is, but I am close to ninety now*

I

After I

growed up and married a man named Owens, we come here to Louisville to live.
That was a short while after the slaves was freed >

I can remember how me

and my sister used to go down to the river and watch the red hospital boats
come in, bringing the wounded soldiers in to be cared for, and me and sister
would go long singing - Nigger - Higger - never die, if you want a chicken
pie*
5|"r <      *F 'K *fi

In an interview with Mrs* Martha J. Jones, she reminisced cf the old
Civil War days as follows:
,!

I was born in Buckingham County, Virginia, and later during the Civil

War, I lived in Gilmar County,       Va*

My fathers name was Robert R* Turner;

he was born in 1818 and my mother *s name was Susan; she was bora in 1821*
My parents had six children and we lived on a big farm*
My father was in the legislature in W# Va*
three brother in the Southern Army*

During the Civil War, I had

One of them died of fever, one was shot

and killed in action, and the other William Wert Turner, came out of the
army after the close of the war and became a lawyer*

Later he went to New

Castle, Kentucky, and became a prominent lawyer, where he remained until his
death in 1932 *
I married Johgfi R* Jones, a lieutenant in the Union Army, at Gilmer, W*
Va#, when I was about twenty years old, shortly after the war*
to Hew, Castle, Kentucky, Henry Counby  

We then moved

We had four children born to us, and

I, apr h$x$ three, living children* later on in years we moved to Louisville#


48
21.
During the days of the Civil War my father owned three slave, one was an old
darkey named Alex., and the nigger mammies, were Diana and Mary Ann.

My

parents were always good to their slaves, and never graded or sold them*
They were good workers and my father never kept many.
My Uncle, John C. Turner, had farms close to my fatherfs in West Va.,
and he had fifty-two slaves when the war ended.
them all the time.

He would buy, sell and trade

The slaves were judged by the Masters .

If they were big

and strong theyv\ould bring a good price, as they would be better workers for
the fields, andthejt, I would watch my uncle swap and buy slaves, just the
same as he was buying any other stock for his farm.

I am getting nowf and

my memory is not so good no more, and it is hard to remember the things of
so long ago*

You see, I will be ninety years old, next Feb. 23rd.

I was

born in 1847."
FLOYD CO. (John I. Sturgill)
We are unable to interview ex-slaves in Floyd County,so far as anyone
we are able to contact knows, there are no living ex-slaves in the County*
There are several colored people,

^he majority of them reside at Tram,

^etrtucky, Floyd County, in, a kind of colored colony, having been placed there
just after the Civil War.

A small number of colored people live in the

vicinity of Wayland# Kentucky, the original being the remains of a wealthy
farmer of Civil War day, by name of Martin.

The colored people were identified

as ^Martin's Niggers**
Ihe last ex-slave of Floyd County, says Mr. W.S. Wallen of Prestonsburg,
Kentuciy, was "Uncle* Charlie Richmond, of Prestonsburg*

Uncle Charlie was

brought to the county by old Judge Richmond, father of I. Richmond of the
Richmond Bept. Sto^

about the time of the Civil War.
at Richmond fs for hire and lived

%
  1^$;;
:fatffift$rf?;# \fW- i(:

on a JPrestonsburg newspaper, Mr#


  

49

22.
T/allen interviewed this old ex-slave and worked him into a feature story
for his paper*

These old paper files were destroyed by fire about 1928*

Mr. Wallen remembers that

n

Unclefl Charlie Richmond*, as the old ex-slave

was called, died in 1910, was buried in Prestonsburg, and that he, W.3.
Wallen, wrote up the old Darkey1 s death and funeral for his newspaper.

This

is the same paper who_fs files were destroyed by fire and which papers does
not now exist   
Old Judge Richmond brought this old slave, from Virginia about 1862,
along with a number of other slaves.

"Uncle11 Charlies v/as the only slave that

remained in the family as a servant after the Bniancipation Proclamation*
Mr. Wallen is a lawyer in Prestonsburg, Kentucky, a member of the James
and Wallen Law Firm, located in the Lane Bldg., on Court St.
Groodlovr* Kentucky in Floyd County, March 15, 1866.

He was born at

He taught school in Floyd

County thirteen years* took his L*L.B. at Law School in Valpariso, Ind#, in
1910, and later served as representative ot the Kentucky General Assembly
from the 93rd District, the 1922-24 and 26 Sessions*
The List of People who owned Slaves in Floyd County include:
Sophia Lane, Lanesville#
Jim Lane, Lanesville
Gilbert Higgins, Wilsonrs Creek
George May, Jfetytown
Hi Morgan, Prestonsburg
Penny J# Si&emore, Prestonsburg
Samuel P# Davidson# Prestonsburg
I# Richmond* Prestonsburg

V^ent^


**

  3*

50

Morgan Clark, John's Creek
Daniel Hager, Hager Shoals near whatis Auxier, Ky*
Adam Gayheart, Prestonsburg
John P* Martin, Prestonsburg
Jacob Mayo, Sr#, Prestonsburg
Wm* Mayo, Jr*, Prestonsburg
Johnny Martin, Wayland, Kentucky
Thomas Johns, Dwale, Ky#
Isom Slone, Beaver Creek
John Bud Harris, Emma, Kentucky
Billy Slone, Caney Fork, Right Beaver, Kentucky*
This list is as remembered by the oldest citizens, and one T#J   "Uncle"
Jeff Sizemore, 94 years old Civil War Veteran and citizen of Prestonsburg,
Kentucky, dictated then to the writer in just this order.
The nearest auction blocks were Mt* Sterling, Kentucky and Gladdville,
Virginia*

Most slaves from the present Floyd County Territory were bought and

sold through auction in southwest Virginia*

Qbher auction blocks were at

Abington and Bristol, Virginia*
The negro dialect of this county is a combination of the dialect white
folk use plus that of the negro of the South*

$he colored population is

continually moving back and forth from Alabama, Georgia and North and South
Carolinas*
Ohio*

They visit a lot*

Colored teachers so far have all been from

Most visiting colored preachers come from Alabama and the Carolinas*

The negroes leave out their R's use anft hanft gwin, su* for sir, yea for
yes, dah for there and such expressions as,

!l f

I s Ye?"

The wealthiest families or white folk still retain colored servants*


51

24.

In Prsstonsburg, Kentucky one may see on the streets neat looking colored
gals leading or wheeling young white children along.

Folk say this is why

so many southerners leave out their Rfs and hold on to the old superstitions,
they've had a colored mama for a nurse-maid.
Adam Gearhoart was a sportsman and used negro Jockeys.
Dennis, was sold to Morg. Clark, Johnfs Creek.

His best jockey,

The old race track took in

part of the east end of the presont Pre s tons burg     from Gearheartfs home
East in Mayo's bottom one mile to Kelse Hollow    - Jimmie Davidson nor/ lives
at the beginning of the old track, near i'iaple Street.

Mike Tarter of Tennessee,

Gearheaxrfc fs son-in-law brought horses from Tennessee and ran them here.
was a promoter and book-maker also.
other sportsmen.

Tarter

Penny J. Sizemore and Morg. Clark were

This was as early as 1840 up to the Civil Yfar.

Slaves were traded, bought and sold between owners just as domestic
animals are today.

"Where one owned only a few servants with no families they

lived in the big house     otherwise in Slave quarters, little cabins nearby.
Billy Slone just had two female servants, he bought them in Virginia
15 years old, for I1,000.00 sound.
Many folk went over to Mt. Sterling or Lexington to auctions for trading
servants.

(The same manner is used trading stock today).

Slave traders came into the county to buy up slaves for the Southern
plantations, and cotton or sugar fields     Slave families were very frequently
separated, some members mean, theiving, or running away niggers were sold
(first) down the river.

Sometimes good servants were sold for the price, the

master being in a financial strait or dire need of money.

Traders handcuffed

their servants purchased, and took them by boat or horse-back down the river
or over in Virginia and Carolina tobacco fields*
Good servants were usually well t reated and not over-worked.
contrary servants were whipped, or punished in other ways.
hunted ~ dogs being used to track them at times.

Mean or

Run-aways were


25.

    

OlTiHS CO* (3ohn Forsee)
Although this article is presented in narrative form and has but few
characters, the writer believes it to be an excellent example of life in
Owen County sixty or more years ago.

With the exception of the grey eagle

episode, similar events to these described were happening all over the
county.
article.

There is no reason to doubt the authenticity of any part of the
r

fhe narrator (George Dorsey, age 76 (negro) Owentown, Kentucky,

born in slavery and raised by a white family)bears a good reputation and is
intelligent enough to react favorably and intelligently to questions concerning the past.

Further interviews concerning more general subjects are

planned.
tt

I was born on the 16th day of June, 1860 on the ole poor house farm

f

bout two miles from Owentown.

My mother yousta tell me Ifd be a sleepy head.

I didn*t know what she meant by that so finally one day, after I got to be a
great big boy, I asked her what she meant.
"Well, she says, Chickens that is hatched in June jess stand *round in
the hot sun an* sleep themselves to death.

So, as you was born in June, you111

jess be a sleepy head."
tt

My mother belonged to Sammy Duvall, the father o1 little Sam Euvall who

died not long ago.

Little Sam usta be town marshall here and a guard at the

pen over at Frankfort.

I was born a slave an1 stayed one till the niggers was

freed.
tt

Bout the time the war was over I seen my first soldier,

passed along in front of our house was a dirt road.
to watch her milk a young cow late one night,

^he road that

Ifd gone with mother

f

bout dark I guess, when I

heard somebody hollerin* and yellin1 an1 I looked down the road an1 seen
,

em coniin1    

I was 'bout five years old then an1 it looked to me like all the


53
army was comin1 up the road,

^he captain was on a hawse an1 the men afoot

an1 the dust from the dirt road a f lyin*    
see the muskets shinin1 in the moonlight.
seen fem it scared me so I started to run.

There was a moon shinin1 sin* you codld
I was settin* on a fence an1 when I
When I jumped off I fell an1 cut

a hole in my for1 head right over this left eye.
in the house and hid.

The scarfs there yet.

I run

Mr. Sammy Duvall had to get on a hawse an* go to New

Liberty an* fetch a doctor to plug up the hole in my head.

I seen lots of

soldiers after that an1 I always run under the bed or hid in a cleset or somewheres.

They stayed fround here for a long time.

and the soldiers tockto stealing.

Finally provender got low

We called it stealin1, but I reckon it

warnft for they come and got the stuff like meat out of the smoke house in
broad open daylight.

Mr. Duvall had a chestnut earl stallion he called

Drennon an1 they come, or somebody did, an1 got him one night.

One day,

!

bout

two or three weeks later, Will Duvall, a son o1 Mr. Sammy DUvall, heard that
the hawse was over in Henry County where the soldiers had a camp.

So he wenft

over there and found the Captain an1 told him he*d come after old Drennon.
The Captain said to describe him an1 Will said, "Captain, hefs a chestnut
earl named Drennon.

If *n I whistl" a certain way he1 nicker an1 answer me.,f

^ell, they went down to the stable where they had a lot of stalls like,
under tents,

in1 when t&ey got there, Will, he whistled, an1 sure

old Drennon nickered.

f

nough,

So the Captain, he said, That!s your hawse all right. "

Go in an* get hii an1 take him on home.
Will brought the hawse home an* took him down in the woods on the creek
where the water* d washed all the dirt offen a big, flat rock and we kep him
hid for three or four weeks.

We didn*t want to loose him again.

When I was fbout six years old   e moved of fen the oreek to a new road up
on the ridge.

It was on the same farm but to another house.

I had a great


27.
big, ole grey cat I called "Tom."

*

54

I wanted to move him so I put him in a

pillow slip sofs he couldnft see where we wus takin' him so he couldn't fin'
the way back*

He stayed fround his new home for a few days an1 then he went

back to his ole home.

Mr. Duvall went and got him again for me.

white men would do that for a little nigger boy.

Not many

He musta told Tom somethin1

for he never run off no more.
He most alfays

Mr. Duvall usta ride a blazed-face, sari mare named Kit.
taken me up behind him, 'specially if he was goin' to town.

Kit was trained

to hunt dear. . I can't remember any deer in the country but Mr. Duvall yousta
tell me 'bout 'em ' an 'bout the way they had their hawses trained.

He said

there wus a place down on Panther Lick Creek, belowp&here we lived, that was a
deer lick,

The deer would oome there and lick the ground close to the creek

because there was salt left there by the high waters.

He'd put a strap with

a littel bell on 'round ole Kit's neck an' tie her to a tree not far from this
lick.

Then he'd hide behin' 'nother tree close to Kit.

IJhen the deer come

ole Kit'd shake her head an1 the deer would raise their heads to see what the
noise made by the bell was an' where it was comin' from.
deer in the head.

Then he'd shoot the

He showed me the place where he killed the biggest buck he

ever seen* right here jess out o! town a little ways.
I remember seein' 'em in the attic at his house.

He kept the horns An'

He had em ole riffle he

called "Ole Betsy" that'd been his deer rille.
After I got to be a big boy, huntin' and f ishin1 was good.
got to do any uv it except on Saturdays and Sundays.

I never

Everbody had a brush

fence 'round the house to keep the stock in out of the yard and one day I
seen a big bird sail down on the fence and run under it*

Mother was out in

the back yard so I said to myself, Ifll get the gun and kill that hawk.
taken good aim at its head and banged away.
het*rd such a flutteria* in my life.

I

At the oraok o' the gun I never

Mother come runnin' to see what was the


*"

28*
matter and when she seen it, she said, Son, that's a pheasant*
you'll be a good hunter*

55

Soae day

An' guess I was for I killed lots o' pheasants,

quail, squir'ls an' rabbits.
Little Samny Duvall had a pointer he called "Quail"   

She was the

smartest dog I ever seen, but everybody had smart dogs them days.

Quail'd

trail birds when they was runnin' till she got clost and then circle 'round
f

em an1 make her stand*
Hefd nearly always get

Be careful there, Quail, Mr* Sammy would say*

eight or ten out uv a covey an1 sometimes the whole covey*
along jess to see him shoot*

He hardly ever missed*

I yousta go

There was s o many

quail that nobody ever thought to leave any uv a covey if he wanted that
many an' they didn't get so scattered that he couldn't fin' em*
After the deer was all killed out, people trained their deer hounds
to chase foxes, coons and such like*

The white boys from town yousta come

and get Will and young Sammy to go coon huntin1*
twelve dogs*

They al'ays had ten or

They al'ays taken me along an' treated me jest the same as if

I was aas white as they was*

If I got behind or out o' sight somebody was

sure to say, '"Where's George'?
One night we treed three coans in a big hollow oak*

They started to

cut down the trees an' put me at the butt with a fire bran'*

"fiihen the tree

fe$l the coons'd come out an' I was supposed to drive 'em back with the fire,
jest lettin' out one at a time so's the dogs could kill 'em*

I was about

half scared uv 'em and when one big feller come out I backed up an' he got by
I throwed the fire at him an' it lit on his back an1 burnt him*
a coon run so fast*

I never seen

But the dogs soon treed him again an' we got him*

Then

we come back an' the dogs picked up the trail uv another one an' we catched
him.
   B

I never seed a bigger one*
o^r

OXIB

got ssray*

He was as long as this umbrella (3g ft*)

Goon huttfcin' was a great sport with the boys an' men


29.

*

56

in those days*
I catched the only grey eagle that was ever seen fround here,

^hey

was a bunoh of us boys out rabbit huntin* one day one fall,

^ho dogs got

after a rabbit anT chased it across a holler out oT range.

I had the only

gun in the crowd anf was right after that rabbit   

The dogs run over the track

an1 could see 'em over on the hillside jess settin1 still.

Ail at once I seen

a big bird - I taken it to be a hawk, fold its wings like a man'd fold his arms
f

round his body, and drop straight down on the rabbit.

But the rabbit saw

it too for when the eagle got there he was ten feet up the hillside.
bird hit, "boom", jest like that.

The

But the rabbit was goin' over the hill an1

the eagle musta saw him for he riz an1 flew in that direction.
'You boys stay back, I'll kill that hawk.
ever seen, ' I told them.
in the top uv a big tree.

Thatfs the biggest hawk I

TOien I got to the top of the ridge I seen him settin*
The boys stayed where I told them and I slipped

along till I got cost enough to shoot him.

He was either watchin' the rabbit

or didn't think I was watchin1 him for I got pritty close before he started
to fly.

Jess as he opened his wings I let him have it with my old muzzle laader

shotgun.
made.

Down he come makin' as much noise as a whole flock o1 hawks oughta

He was alive when I got to him an1 made right at me, strikin1 with his

claws an1 bill.

The dogs come when the heard the shot an1 he whipped fem off.

Every time he struok one of 'em he (the dog) would holler like hefd been speared.
I&e other boys wanted to kill it but I gotta a long pole an1 got it on him
so1 sit held him dow&*
by my shot*
house.

We'd found out by this time that one wing was broke

So we jess hold of the tips of his wings an1 led him to the

His wing spread was fbout six or eight feet.

"When I got him to the

house I told fem I had the biggest hawk they ever seen*

A ole man by the

tt
name df William said, ^H$1X, that ain't no hawk* that's a grejc eagle.1


57

30.

A ole colored fiddler, named Fred Roberts, sent word hefd buy it from
me.

He even got so fraid he wouldn't get it that he come for it.
f

Whatfll you take for him1, he asked me, and before I could say anything

he says,1I111 give a dollar for him1.
That was a lot of money for me an1 boy like I sold him then and there.
I Coulda got two or maybe three dollars for him.
fed him live hens and raw meat.

On court days or when there was a cfawd in

town he showed him for ten cents a look.

I bet he made $50.00 on him.

yousta to come for miles to see that eaglo.
Fishin1 was good too*
thread for lines.

People

He finally died.

We cut our poles in the woods an1 used to flax

Where people built water-gaps in fences that crossed the

creeks the waterfd fill in till it made a dam.
it.

Fred taken him to town an1

Then the creek spread behind

Them water holes was full o1 perch an1 cat fish.

They didn*t get much

bigger than your hand but they bit fast and we had lots o1 fun catchin1

f

em.

CHRISTIAN CO. (Mamie Hanberry)
Annie 3# Bbyd, born August 22nd 1851, resides at corner of Liberty and
First Street, Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

Born a slave belonging to Charles

Cammack near Gordonsville, Kentucky in Christiar County.

tf

My mother and me

war put on de block in front of de Courthouse in Hopkinsville and sold to
Mr. Newt. Catlett and we brung #500.00.

Marse Catlett lived on the corner

of Seventh and Clay Streets, Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
white folks had me foh to nurse dar chilluns.

Wen I was older the

I noes wen demr broke out

marse had a store and den marsa took me to his wifefs kinfolks down in de
country till freedom war declared den my stepfather come an1 got me.

Of

course I hed ter work and den I went ter nurse foh Dr* Fairleigh and nussed
his daughter Madge.

De white folfcks wont good to me.

man but my missus wont no good woman*

My marster was a good

She uster box my e&rs, stick pins in


  

58

31.
me and tie me ter de cedar chest and whoop me as long as she wanter.

Oh,

how I did hate dat woman.
"Yes, once in my life I seed a ghost.

We was goin1 thru de woods to a

neighbors ter a-prayer meeting en a man stepped out in de woad without no
head wid all his clothes on en I had jes wropped my head dat day and wen
I seed him all my hair strings en all jes stood straight up.

I got hot den

Ifse got cold axtd he jest stepped ter de side of de road en I went by running.
Yes, we got ter de prayer meeting en den we went back home de same way en did
us niggers run?
"I was nurse in slave time en I carried de chilluns all ober de house en
one day I had de chilluns upstars en my missus called me en I went ter seo whar
she wont and while I*se war gone de baby got hodter Indian Turnip an hed bit it
by de time I git back dar en I called my missus en she come en made me eat de
rest of de turnip en my face enall swolled up en my eyes war closed foh days.
After nussing de baby en tending ter de uther chilluns all de day ar night
wen I put de baby ter bed I hed ter knit two round ebery night en would be sleepy
en my missus would reach ober en jab a pin in me to keep me awake.

Now dat is

^ what I calls a mean woman.
!I

I kin read en write at first of freedom I sent ter school some en learned

ter read and write.
ft

I sho do believe in dreams.

I had one once I laid down on de bed ter take

er nap en den I dreamed dat somethin w%s a chokin me en I pulled at my dress
en a big snake dropped out of my boesom rolled down on de bed.

Den on de floor

en when I woke up sho nuff dar war a snake on de floor by de bed en I killed
it en den I knowed dat I hed an enemy sho nuff in a few days a woman I thot was
my friand ImrB&d gai# me.

By killing de snake I knpwed dat I would conquer dat


59
,f

I noos wishes cen come tru seems t er me I hev but my mamory aint so good but

still I believes hit*
"Wen de smoke flies low hit sho is goin ter snow*"
"Spilling salt or ter waste salt is bad luck.

I always wen I makes

my bread put de salt in de bread den I puts some of de salt in de fire ter
bring me good luck*
"Sometime de moon affects people wen it changes hit makes some folks
crazy en ^.ey is hard to git alon wid*"
"If you plant Irish pertatoes on d e light of de moon you hev nuthin but
top* "Whatever ter be made underneath de ground like turnips, potatoes, onions
is ter be planted by de dark of de moon*

Beans, peas, corn in de light of de

moon.
"Yes, spit will cure, cause I had ringworms once en in de morning wen
I woke up afore I spoke ter enyone Ifd take spit en put on my face en hit sho *
cured de ringworms*"
(Signs)
"If you nail a horse shoe ober de door hits a good luck ter you*
"I thin "13" is an unlucky number I'se heard so much talk of hit till I
believes hit*

Breaking a mirror is sho bad luck if you break one you will

hev seben years bad luck*"
(

"Blue gu med niggers is shon bad luck wen I seos one gits as far away

j
{

as I kin foh if one bites you you is a ded nigger foh dey is pizen as er

j

diamond back**?
"De white folks jes made niggers carry on like brutes*

One white man

uster say ter nuther white man, "My nigger man Sam wanter marry yer nigger
gal Lucy what does yer say en if he said hit war all right why dat couple
war supposed to be married*

Den Sam would work foh his marster in de daytime

en den would spend de night at Lucy's house on de next plantation*"


c

S3.

60

Kate Billingsby, Ex-slave, according to a record in a Bible the Buckners
gave her when she married was born in 1828    
Buckner*
ville*

She was owned by Frank and Sarah

Born in this County and has spent her life in and around HopkinsShe lives on what is known as the Gates Mill Road about one half mile

east of US 41E and owns her own home*
Aunt Kate as she is generally called is a small black negro and in going
into her home you will find it furnished in lovely antique furniture in a
disreputable state of repair*

She met me with a dignity and grace that would

be a credit to any one of the white race to copy, illiterate though she may be*
Her culture and training goes back to the old Buckner family, at one time one
of the most cultured families in Christian County*
negro*

She is not a superstitious

Being born a Buckner slave, she was never sold and her manners and ways

proclaim that she surely must have been raised in "De white folks housen as she
claims, being a maid when old enough, to one of Prank Bucknerfs daughters*

She

stated, "Dese Buckners war sho good to me, eben now dey ohilluns comes to see
me and always bring me something*
widout somting to eat,*
College *

Dey don let my taxes lapse an Ifse neber

My man and I was married by Mr* Alexander at MoClain

I was de cook an he was the janitor*

de Secess War*

My man followed his Massa in

If he was a livin* now he would be 110 years old, he bin ded

f

round fifteen year*11
No I'se done believe in no ghosts hants or anything pf that kind my white

folks being "quality"    
nigger".

I!se been raised by "quality11*

Why Ifse "quality

"Wen any of my folks git sick or eny of my white folks de doctor

would always bee sent foh*

(Her address is:

R*R*# 2, Hopkinsville, Ky.)

Nannie Eaws, age 91, born in IfeLain County, Ky* being a i.ave of William
Eaves, never sold, address now R*R*#2, Hopkinsville, Kentucky*
ir

I guess I was about twenty one years old wen I w$s freed*"

I'se was neber


i

34.
once

treated as a slave cause my Massa was my very own Daddy.

61

Ben Eaves my

husband was a slave en chile of George Eaves my Massa1 s brother.

He ran away

ihrom his Massa en his Daddy en jine the U.S. Army during the Secess War en
Ifse now drawing a pension from Uncle Sam.

I*se sho glad dat he had sense

nuff ter go dis way or Ifd be jes like dese old nig ;ers dat is now on de
Government.
"Course I nefrer sweep de trash out de house after sun down jest sweep
hit in de corner of de room cause hit is bad luck ter sweep out de door after
dark.

Lawd yes squeech owls en dogs howling under de house shi God means dar

is going ter be a death in de family.

Wen 1 hears one Ifse git trembly all

ober, hit makes me hot en den cold both de same time."
"Ho I haint neber seed a ghost or hant but| I sho don wanter see one
neither.

Ifse always fraid I will seed one.

war not good to dem wen dey is livin*.

Sho de dead can hant you if

Signs en sech things is going out

of style now but Lor wen I was a chile why seems like things war better cause
of dem.11
Nannie is a tall bright negro holding herself very straight, with real
white long hair.

Her hair is very fine and wavy.

Her cabin home was immaculate,

furnished very neatly in the now prevailing style.

Slave Trades:

"We had two slave traders in this town.

Houston and his son-in-law, Dr. Brady.

They were Judge

They gathered up all the slaves that

were unrully or that people wanted to trade and housed them in an old barn
until they had enough to take to New Orleans on a boat.

They traded them down

there for work in the cotton fields.

Mary Wright, 204 W# Fourth St., Born August 1, 1865.
"I was born at Graoey, Kentucky on Mr. James Colemans far, in a log cabin


F1'

35

   

b

62

wid a dirt floor en a stick chimney*
"Folks ustej* weat wat dey calls a "Polanaise".

Hid wat kinder like a

wrapper made of calico made wid tight in de waist en wide in de bottom*

Den

I've remembers de basque waist on de over skirts dese war made real tight
waists wid a point in de back en ober de stomach*

De skirt wer real full dem

a skirt ober dis ter de knees wid a big pucker on de hips*"
"My Mammy bound me out to Miss Puss Graham ter learn ter work, f oh my
vittals en does*
\

I made so happy, Ifse neber fohgot dese shoes*
-^^

f

Miss Puss gave me a pair of red morocco shoes en I was

ft

I heard my Mammy talk of "De Nigger Risin"*

De Klu Klux uster stick

de niggers head on er stake alongside de Cadiz road en dar de buzzards would
eat them till nuthin' was left but de bones*
said "Look out Nigger You are next".
dat cabin*

Ifse tells you dat is so*

Dar war a sign on dis stake dat.

Us chilluns would not go far way from
I jes knowed dat dis Ku Klux would do

dat to us sho if weuns had been catched*
^

"I remember wen Hopkinsville had jest a few stores en ole jew by name

of Shyer bought bones an iron en rags*

Once us chilluns found some bones on

de creek bank en took dem things and wanted ter sell dem to Mr* Shyer en he
said "take dem things way dey stink, dey aint cured up yet*
den bring dem back to me.

t

Bury dem things

Us Chilluns hed a hard time gittin home cause we stunk

so bad*
"I remember wen we uster her big time quilting on dem days we sho hed a
big time fore we start in de morning wid a qater melon feast, den weums quilt
erwhile den a big dinner war spread out den after dinner we'd quilt* in the
evening den supper and a big dance dat night, wid de banjo a humming en us
niggers a dancing, "Oh, Lawdy wat good days dem war*"
"Wen we were young we uster hev parties called "Dideoos", de banjo


i

   

63

36.
would play en den de girls would line up on one side of de cabin en de
boys on de tother side while the folks war a clappin en er playing why de
boys en girls wuld choose dar parrners den weuns sing:
,f

01e Brer Rabbit,
Shake it, shake it,
How I love you,
Shake it, shake it.

I!d ruther play dat game dan to eat*11
"We uster tap maple trees en hev big gathering f oh ter make maple
sugar dat war while I lived at Gracey.
"De stage coach day war big days, wen de stage coach war a comin
thru why us little niggers would try tet keep up wid de horses en run
erlong side de coach en sometimes a man or woman would drop us a penny den
dar wax sho a scramble  
"I remember wen we uster wash does wid a paddle .

You wet dese does

en putsoft soap in dem, the soap war made outer ash lye en grease den dese
cioes war spread on a smooth stump an beat wid paddles till dey war clean.
Den come de wooden wash board, hit war jes a piece of wood wid rough places
or ridges chiseled in hit*

Wen we uster wash quilts we uster cyt a nikasses

varrek ubter eb dat made de tub deb my Mammy would put water in dese tubs den
soft soap de quilts den us chilluns would git in de tubs in our bare foots en
tromp de dirt out."
"We uster use grease lamps, dese war made outer iron, wid a piece of
cotton rope down in de grease on dis jes send out a puny smelly light   

Dem

de brass lamp came erlong Hit war a little lamp wid a wich wid a handle in
er stem, no burner or nuthin hit burned coaloil but had no chimney*"
"Hee, Hee, Hee, I remember arbout a story Mary Beard told rer me erbout
& slaTQ woman dat war foolish*

Her Massa couldn't git no body ter buy her,


*

37.

64

hee, hee, hee, so he dresses her up nice en buys her a thimble en gives her
a piece of cloth ter sew on.

It war right here in Hopkinsville in front of

de court house dat de block war en he sold dis woman as a *sewing slave",
en her war foolish en couldn't take er right stitch en she sho brought a good
]

price en wen her new Mass a found out she war foolish he sho war mad.

He

tried ter sell her but pshaw he bought something he couldn't git rid of,
1

Hee, Hee."
!l

Dese ole nigger slave traders uster so my Mammy said, steal de niggers

from one Massa and dey would leave at night en stay in "Campbells Cave" den
dey would take dese niggers wid a promise of freedom to Clarksville, Tenn., sell
dem again on "Mr. Dunk Morr's" slave market.

Sometimes dese niggors if dey

got a new Massa dat war mean would run erway en come back tar dar ole Massas.
"Yes I believe you can be hauted, I aint neb*r seed one tho but I'se heard
dem en I jest git creepy en I no's dey is around."
"Cos dreams come tru, I dont remember one now but if I'se had one ergin
I will try ter remember en tells you."
"No I aint neber seed a ghost.

I feels dem sometimes en I jis shet my

eyes en pray de "Good Lawd" ter- send dat ghost away."
"If youse find a horse shoe er put eber de door you will sho has good luck.
"Thirteen has always been my lucky number.
teen is unlucky.

Seben is lucky ter me ter.

Dats follishter thing "Thir-

I alvmys win when I think of a

seben.
"Of cos now if youse b rea&s a mirror you cant keep from having bad luck.
Nythin you do will keep you from hit.
   Sho is bad luck ter meet a cross-eyed pusson er blue gummed niggers is
Y pizen cause if one bites you youse will sho ter die."
***

"My Mammy sho did hev a big wedding my Pappys Massa ask my Mammy Massa foh
her en den my Mammy Massa give her a big infair dat cftst him |200#00 wid de
ridal supper en all   **


k

38.
lf

Dey uster do niggers pretty bad erbout dat funerals*

65

Wen a niggar

did die why de rest of de niggers hed ter work en one nigger made de box whiler
ernother nigger dug de grave en the nigger war jes civered up en den on de
Fourth Sunday in August ebery year all de colored folks would take a basket
dinner ter de church en each family dat had buried a nigger would pay de
preacher ter preach the sermon foh dat darkie dat died.

We ate dinner en

supper at de church en sometimes the funeral foh some fo de darkies wouldnft
git preached till next August.

We went to dis funeral why we had big time talk-

ing wid our neighbors en of de dead.

tf

tfDogs howling meand bad luck if he howls under de house why someone is
goin ter die.
!f

If er owl come around de house on holler a death will happen inde family

fore de next day.
. "I remembers I wat a sitting in de house en er peckerwood war a pecking
on de' house

lf

Pure bad luck#ft

tfI was working once foh Mrs. Shelton wen a little wren kept trying ter
git in de house an I kep a shosin hit arway wen he got in somehow jes as soon
as hit did Mrs. Shelton called me en I had a telegram from Chicago my neice
war dead.

She by dat I nos dat am bad luck.

I dont like wrens any how.

^enn a covr loses hits cud, jed giv hit an old dirty dish rag en den
de cow will ding her cud again.
"Sometimes a cow gits sich en lay down en if you will fell her tail on
de end it is all soft,

f

Dat cow hot holler tail, en less you split dat tail

en fill de holler wid salt den bind hit up dat cow will sholy die.11
WI asked Mary if she was superstitious and she said fnof, cos niggers
are edicatted ftese days en dey don believe in all dat tom-f oolery.

Dey neber

would hemx so foolish if de white folks did not tell us all dai rot.11

Mary


.

39.

66

neither reads or writes and is not superstitious according to her admission*
What do you think of it*

I am afraid that I do not agree with* M#D*H*)
Clay Go# (Pearl House)

The following sstory of slave days is the exact words of one who had the
bitter experience of slavery   
age, born February 2* 1837*
years and nine months*

Sophia Word, who is now ninety-nine years of
She tells me she was in bondage for nineteen

I shall repeat just as she t old the story*

tt

I wuz here in time of Mexican War and seed *em get up volunteers to go*

They wuz dressed in btown and band played 'Our Hunting Shirts are Fringed
with Doe and away We march to Mexico"*
"My grandmother came straight from Africa and wuz auctioned off and
bought by William Reide Father*
mother*

TJhen he died William Reides inherited my

Mother married a Bates and had ten of us children.

"Our Master didn't auction off his slaves as the other masters would for
he was a better master than most of them.

When he started to sale one of us

he would go out and talk to the old slave trader like he wuz gfwine to sale
a cow or sometin and then he would come back to git the slave he wanted*
wuz the way my mothers1 brother and sister wuz sold*

This

When the other masters

at other places sold a slave they put the slave on the auction block and the
slave trader had a long whop that he hit them 4W with to see if they could
jump around and wuz strong*

The largest and brought the money.

tt

I wuz a slave nineteen yeahs and nine months but somehow or nuther

I didnft belong to a real mean pet of people*
meanest nigger that ever wuz*

One day my Mistress Lyndia called fer me to

eoiae in the house* but no* I wouldn't go*
G6wine make me go*

The white folks said I was the

She walks out and says she is

So she takes and drags me in the house *

Then I grabs

that white woman* when she turned her back* and shook her until she begged
for mercy*

Wien the master comes in* I wt|   given a terrible beating with a


67

40.
whip but I dift'nt

care fer I give the mistress a good'un too.

!t

We lived off to the back of the masters house in a little log cabin,

that had one winder in the side.

We lived tobly well and didn't starve fer we

had enough to eat but we didn't have as good as the master and mistress had.
V/e would slip in the house after the master and mistress wuz sleeping and cook
to suit ourselves and cook what we wanted*
"The Mi stress had an old parrot and one day I wuz in the kitchen making
cookies, and I decided I wanted some of them so I tooks me out some and put
them on a chair and when I did this the mistress entered the door, I picks up
a cushion and throws over the pile of cookies on the chair and mistress cane near
the chair and the old parrot cries out, Mistress burn , Mistress burn, then the
mistress looks under the cushion and she had me whupped but the next day I killed
the parrot, and she often wondered who or what killed the bird.
n

I've seen whole pigs roasted before open fire place and when it wuz done

vfe would put a nice red apple in its mouth and the big white folks company that
come would eat of this delicious dish.

Sometimes we had to bake pies for a week

to supply the company that wuz invited to our masters and mistresses house#
They served elaborate dinners and hundreds of guest were invited.
"My master wuzn't as mean as most masters.

Hugh "White wuz so mean to his

slaves that I know of two gals that killt themselfs.
wuz found across the bed with a pen knife in her hand.

One nigger gal sudie
He whipped another

nigger dal most to death fer fergiting to put onions in the steif.

The next

day she went down to the river and fer nine days they searched fer her and her
body finally washed upon the shore.

The master could never line in that house

again as when he would go to sleep he would see the nigger standing over his
bed#

Then he moved to Richmond and there he stayed until a little later when

he hung himself.


41.
ft

fr'

Our clothes wuz made from cotton and linsey*

suToner and linsey fer the winter*

68

Cotton wuz used in the

Sometimes our clothes wuz yeller checked

and most time red*

Our stockings wuz made flf coarse yarn fer winter to wear

with coarse shoes*

We had high topped shoes fer Sunday*

"I've seed ten thousand of the Union Soldiers and a great many of the
rebel soldiers*

The Rebel soldiers would take everything they could get their

hands on but I never did know of the Union Soldier taking anything*

^he rebel s

have stole my masters cows and horses and. we would have to hide the meat in
a box and bury* it in the ground*11
BOYD CO. (Carl P. Hall)
The Commonwealth of Kentucky, having for a northern boundary the Ohio
River   the dividing line between the northern free states and the southern
slave states has always been regarded as a southern state*

As in the other

states of the old south, slavery was an institution until the Thirteenth
Ammendment to the Constitution of the United States gave the negro freedom
in 1865*
Kentucky did not, as other southern states, secede from the Union, but
attempted to be neutral during the Civil War*

The people, however, were

divided in their allegience, furnishing recruits for both the Federal and
Confederate armies*

The president of the Union, Abraham Lincoln, and the

president of the Confederaoy, Jefferson Davis, both were born in this state*
Boyd County was formed in 1860 from parts of Lawrence, Greenup and
Carter Counties, and we are unable to find any records, in Boyd County,
as to slave holders and their slaves, though it is known that many well to
do families the Catletts, Davis* Poages, Willisias and dthers were slave holders*


fc

69

42.
Slaves were not regarded as persons, had no civil rights and were owned
just as any other chattel property, were bought and sold like horses and cattle,
and knew no law but the will of their white masters and like other domestic
animals could be, and were, acquired and disposed of without regard to family
ties or other consideration.
Usually, as each slave represented a large investment of money, they were
well oared for, being adequately fed, clothed and sheltered, having medical
attention when sick*
As, along the border in Kentucky, there were no large plantations where
field workers could be used, most of the slaves in this region were house
servants, who were housed in wings of the master's house, vrhere the plantations
were large enought to need many slaves, they were furnished one, or two, rooms
cabins close by the mansion on the master's estate*
As educated people are apt to be able to figure out ways to improve their
lot, learning among the negroes was not encouraged, in fact it was illegal to
teach them*

In some instances an enlighted and humane master would teach a

servant, and often they could find some one who would teach them secretly*
As a race, however, they were, at the time they were set free, without any
education at all*
Tales are told of cruel masters who overworked, flogged and otherwise
mistreated their helpers and slaves; these masters, however, seem to have been
an exception to the rule and considering that they were generally well provided for, many slaves were better off economically that the laborer of today
who is a victim of misfortunes such as sickness, disability and old age*
One reason why slaves were better treated here than further south, was
that Kentucky was a border state, and throughout Ohio and other northern states,
was an organization known as the "Underground Railroad*11

This was a sort of


70
43.
secret society whose members were sworn to assist escaped slaves to run away
to Canada where they would be free.

When a run-away slave crossed the Ohio

Rivdr he would be met by some one of this organization and taken where he could
remain in hiding by day, then by traveling by night, could reach another place
of concealment by morning, where he would be fed and hidden until darkness permitted him to reach the next haven*

By this means many were successful in reaching

freedom, though they were hunted by officers, armed with guns, and assisted
by fierce dogs especially trained for this work*
Negroes who were unruly, or were caught attempting to escape, were usually
sold to planters in the far south where they could not hope to escape, and were
forced to end their days in unremitting toil in the cfctton and cane fileds,
forever separated from relatives and friends*
It was the barbarism practiced by cruel masters, so vividly portrayed
in such books as "Uncle Tom's Cabin11 and songs like "Nellie Gray," that
awakened the nation's conscience and brought about the bloody "Civil War"
which resulted in the race being set free.
/

Just before the war, George Davis, a mulatto, son of his master and a
black servant girl, was in Cincinnati and was accosted by two white men who
offered to use the good offices of the "Underground Railroad" to help him to
get away to Canada.

Being well treated, as a trusted servant of his white

father and master, he did not avail himself of this opportunity to escape
and stayed on as a slave until Freed by the war, after which he went to Ohio
and settled and prospered until his death.
Another slave, Asberry Parker, did escape, and traveling by night hiding
by day, reached safety in Canada where he worked and saved until he became
wealthy.

After the war, when he could safely return to the United States,

he moved to Ironton, Ohio, where he made his home for the rest of his life.


44 .
j

He belonged in his days of slavery, to a Williams family, in Carter
County, Kentucky.
Another slave, George MoVodie, belonging to the Poage family, of Boyd
Co., escaped and went to Canada, no as to whether he ever came back later.
A sister of George Davis was sold to a planter in Louisana where she
lived until 1877, when she returned to Boyd County as a free women.
As negroes, in slavery days, were regarded as beasts of burden not
much interest was taken in the welfare of their souls*

Some kind hearted

masters would allow them the privilege of meeting in religious service, where
some one of their race in spite of the conditions of the times, could read and
explain the Bible, would preach.
done.

Other masters would not allow this to be

A negro would become, in character much like the family who owned him,

i.e*, an honest, moral and kindly master would have slaves of like qualities, Kr
while a cruel, dishonest master would usually affect his slaves so that they
would be tricky and unreliable.
Where the master did not personally supervise his slaves and left them
to the mercies of a hired "over-seer," their lot was usually much worse, as
these task-masters were almost always tyranical and were not restrained by
a sense of ownership from abusing the helpless creatures under their authority
as were the master's, whose money was invested in them.
*

On one ocaasioa, a young negro saw his own sister stripped naked and
unmercifully whipped by one of these over-seers    

He gathered up all of his

small belongings and tied them in a bundle and securing a club of wood, laid
in wait for the cruel 'boss1 until darfc, when he killed him with the club.

He

then escaped, via the "Underground Railroad."
One thing he was careful to do, was to avoid all telegraph poles, as that
he thought the wire   could detect and betray him, the telegraph was a mystery


I
I
\/

to his ingnorant mind*

He succeeded in making his way to Canada and freedom

where he stayed until after the war, when it was safe to return*
The slave trade of importing slaves into the United States, being forbidden after about 1820, out off the supply to such an extent that strong,
healthy negroes became very high in price*

i/Iany Kentucky slave owners raised

slaves for this market just as we today raise live stock on our farms*
Only the strong healthy slave women were allowed to have children, and
often were not allowed to mate with their own husbands*, but were bred like live
stock to some male negro who was kept for that purpose because of his strong
phisique, which the master wished to reproduce, in order to get a good price
for his progent, just liko horses, cattle, dogs and other animals are managed
today in order to Improve the stock*

Often the father of a comely black

woman's child, would b e the master himself, whovjould heartlessly sell his
own offspring to some other master, without regard for his welfare*
Many of the aristocratic women of the master class, to keep from the
burdensome task of caring for their own children, and to assure themselves a
life of leisure would delegate to one of the negro slave women the care of
their own children*
Many of the upper class white children were cared for by these faithful
black "Mammies" fed by the milk from their breasts*

Countless stories are

told of the love and devotion of the black "Mammy" for the white child who
was brought to their

!

grown up1 years by her care*

A marriage between negroes, before freedom, had no legal standing; a
negro couple, wishing to marry, had to get a permit from each master and were
united in marriage by a ceremony with a preacher of their own race officiating*
After the war, when they were made citizens with civil rights, many former slaves
who had been married in this way, hastened to legalize their union by obtaining


>

46.

73

licenses and having a lega ceremony performed*
"While the four years of Civil War, between the North and South resulted
in the freedom of the slaves, the negro is yet restricted in many ways in
the south*

In many states, separate schools are maintained, the negro churches

are separate, social equality is not recognized*
In,Kentucky, intermarriages between the races are not allowed*

Separate

coaches are provided on railway trains, hotels, restanranbs, theaters and oth^r
places of amusement, which cater to white customers, do not permit negro patrons*
Many towns and cities have zoning ordinances forbidding negroes to live in
white localities*

In many southern states the negroes is prevented from voting

by local regulations, the in Boyd County colored people go to the polls and
vote just like anyone else*
Negroes make good house servants, and are extensively used for that
purpose today*

Tf  hite families employ them as chauffeurs, butlers, house boys,

child nurses, maids and cooks, preferring them to white servants who are not
so adaptable to such subordinate positions in life*
Colored men work in barber shops, in restaurants as waiters, and are largely
employed as porters in hotels and on railway coaches*

Colored women work in

hotels as cooks, chamber maids, and are commonly employed as elevator operator
in hotels and office buildings*
Not many negroes are in business locally, as race prejudice prevents
white folks from trading at colored stores, and the local colored population
is too small to provide many customers of their own race*

Many ambitious

colored folks have left here and gone to the large cities of the north, and
made conspioious successes in business#

SLome have succeeded in the professions

as doctors, lawyers, actors, and writers and other vocations*
411 in all* the race has progressed to an astonishing degree since being
set free a generation ago#


f

47    
Politics:

^

Formerly, the negro, attributing his freedom to the efforts

of Abraham Lincoln in his behalf, voted almost solidly for the Republican
Party.

Now, however, the Domoeitats have, by remembering the race when passing

out jobs, gained recruits among the colored people, and some negro Democrats
are found here.

The negro has b een accused of voting for money, but it is

doubtful if as a race , he is any more prone to this practice than his white
fellow citizens among whom this abuse seems to be growing.
BELL CO. (Nelle Shumate)
There were auction-blocks near the court houses where the slaves were
sold to the highest bidders.

A slave would be placed on a platform and his

merits as a speciman of human power and ability to work was enomerated the
bidding began.

Young slave girls brought high prices because the more slave

children that were born on one13 plantation the richer he would be in the
future.

Some slaves were kept just for this purpose, the same as prize

thorough-bred stock is kept.

In many instances slaves were treated like brutes

and their places to sleep were like barn sheds with only a little straw, on
which to sleep.

Mrs. Neikirk's mother said that she distinctly remembered that

the slaves she knew of had only the roughest of food such as:
molasses, and scraps from their ownerfs table.

corn bread

Their clothing was such as

their owners saw fit to give them and the cheapest.
An old negro woman, Aunt Handy Gibson by name, died last month, Sep.
in Middlesboro and I have heard her tell about coming here from Alabama
when the town of middlesboro was first founded.

Tflhen asked about her old home

people-she "would go to great lenghts to explain about her people having been
slaves, but she would always add that they did not mind slavery as they at that
time knew nothing of the outdoor life and therefore desired nothing better.

She

also said that the family that owned her was a Kind nature and was feood to slaws   


*

48.

75

Some of the citizens of Middlesboro today can reaall stories that
their parents told them about the days when slaves were bought and sold
in the United States*

Among these is one Mrs* Martha Neikirk, a daughter

of an old Union soldier now deceased*
/

mother said that:

Mrs* Rhuben Gilbert, Mrs* NeikirkTs

,f

Once my mother and I were out in the woods picking huckle-ber-

ries and heard a noise as of someone moaning in pain*
the s ound and fainally came to a little brook*

We kept going toward

Near the water was a negro

woman with her h^ad bent over to the ground and weeping as if her heart was
broken*

Upon asking her what had caused her agany she finally managed

to control her emotions enought to sob out her story*

The negro woman said

then that her master had just sold her to a man that was to take her far away
from her present owner and incidently her children*

She said this couldnft

be helped but she could ask the good Lord to let her die and get out of the
misery she was in*
rv

It seems that such incidents were common in those days*

Mrs* Sarah

Sloan, now residing in Middlesboro tells the stories her mother has told
her and she remembers one story in particular about old Aunt Suzy, an old
negro slave who, after the close of the Civil War lived near Mrs* Sloan*s
mother.

Aunt Suzy was the property of the Southern plantation owner and had

lived on this plantation until she had raised a large family*

One day a

northern buyer came there and said he wanted to buy some slaves as cheap
as possible so, aunt Suzy was getting old and not able to work as she once
had, her owner n&turally thought that while he had the chance he should
sell her but he wanted to keep her children as they were young and able to
do hard work*
taken ETorfch*

So poor old Aunt Suzy was sold along with some others and
Here she was bought by another trader and sold to a new master*

It seems this new master was kind to her and felt sympathy for her in her


   

76

49.
distress*

She told him how she had lived on the old plantation so long

and how she had never thought that when she became old and lonely that
she would forever be separated from her children so the new said he would
See what he could do, if anything.

He made a trip to her former home and

had a talk with the owner of the plantation*

The plantation owner said that

he had a bad crop year and heavy losses and much as he needed all the help
possible to put in more crops he could not afford to buy more slaves, much
less one that was unable to work*

At this, Aunt Suzyfs new owner being a

generous, kind-hearted man, decided to give the old lady back to him.

He

knew he could not get much money for her if he did sell her, for no one
wanted an old slave that was unable to work*

Aunt Suzy after all her traveling

got to return to her old plantation and \vhen the slaves were freed she lived
ivith one of her children until her death*
BR^ATHITT CO. (Margaret Bishop)
As told by Scott Mitchell, a former slave:
Scott Mitchell, claims his age as somewhere in the 70*s but his wool
is white on the top of his head.

Negroes don*t whiten near as quickly as

white people, evidently he is nearly 90, or there-a-bouts*
w

Yes*in I fmembers the Civil Wah,

f

cause I wuz a-livinf in Christian

County whah I wuz bohn, right wif my masteh and mistress*
and his wife.

I wuz raised on a fahm right wif the, then I lef there.

n

Yes# Cap'n Hester traded my mother an my sister,

sent em tuh Mississippi*
bot em back*

Captin Hester .

"When they wuz

Yes, he wuz good tuh us*

f

Twuz in 1861, he

f

way from him !bouy two years he

I wuz my mistess* boy*

I looked

afteh her* en she made all uv my does, en she knit my socks, 'cause I
wuz her niggah*


so.

?

"Yes, I wuz twenty yeahs old when I wuz married.
I wuz a boy when they had thet Civil 7/ah.

I members when

I members theah wuz a brick

office wheah they took en hung colohed folks.
down.

77

Yes, the blood wuz a-streamin'

Sumtimes theah hung them by theah feet, sometimes they hung them by

theah thumbs.
I cum tu Kentucky coal mines when I wuz
et Jenkins.

r

bout twenty years old.

I worked

I worked right here et the Davis, the R.T. Davis coal mine, en

at the Bailey mine; that was a-fore Mi stall Bailey died.
When I worked for Mistah Davis he provided a house in the Cutt-Qff$
that's ovah wheath the mine's at.
til 6 'clock at night.

We woaked frum 7 o'clock in the mawnin'

Yes, I sure liked tuh woak for Mistah Davis.

tended fuahnaces some, too.

I

I sure wuz sorry wen Mistah Davis died."
UNION CO. (Ruby J. Garten)

A Bill of Sale:
This indenture, made and entered into this 5th day of June 1850, by
and between Joseph W. Cromwell and Martha Cromwell, his wife, of the first
part, and Vfo. C# Hamner of the second part, all of the County of Union and
State of Kentucky,

Witnesseth:

That the said Joseph W# Cromwell and Mafctha

his wife, for, and in consideration of the sum of $550.00, in hand paid, the
receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, have given, granted, bargained and
sold and by these present to grant bargain, sell and deliver unto the said
Kfci C# Hamner a certain negro woman called Mill^y, about 29 years old, and
her child, called James, about 18 months old which negroes together with
their increase, and the said Joseph W* Cromwell and Martha Cromwell for
themselves, their heirs and assigns, will, warrant, and defend unto the
said TIII5n# C. Hamner, his heirs and assigns forever, against the claims of
themselves, their heirs, and against the claims of all and every person or


51*
persons whatever.

78

Said Cromarell and wife further warrant said negro

woman, Hilly, to be sound and healthy, and slaves for life.

In testimony

whereof, the said Joseph W. Cromwell and Martha Cromwell, his wife, have
hereunto set the hands and affixed their seals, the day and date first
written.
Joseph '<i. Cromwell
Martha L# Cromwell
(Recorded in Deed Book on Page 155 at Morganfield, Kentucky*
YfILL
In the name of God, Amen.

I, Nancy Austin of sound mind dnd disposing

memory, but weak in body, do make and publish this as my last will and
Testament.
In the first place I give to my Grandsons, Fielding Jones and Isaac
Vanmeter Jones, a negro girl of the name of Margaritte, and negro boy by
the name of Solomon to be equally divided between them when the arrive
at the age of 21 years or without lawful issuo, then and in that case my
will and desire is that the survivor have the aforesaid negroes with their
increase and should both die without lawful issue, then and that case
my will and desire is that the aforesaid negroes and their increase go
to my three children and their lawful heirs.
Secondly, I give to my daughter, Harriet Lapham, a negro girl of the
name of Mahala* and a boy of the name of Washington, and girl of the name
Julian*
Thirdly, I give to my son, Daniel Vanmeter, a negro boy of the name
of Alexander, and a negro woman of the nsiae of Teresa, and the horses he
claims being 3 in number, and 3 steers, and the hogs he claims9 and one
bed and furniture.


79

52.
Fourthly:

I give to my daughter, Helen Jones, a negro girl of the

name of Sarah, and a boy of the name of John, and a girl of the name of
Amanda, and two of the choice of r.y cows, and one bed oc furniture*
Fifthly:

My will and desire is that the house and lot I now live on

be sold on a 12 months credit with my personal property not heretofore
disposed of by my Executor hereafter named or such of them as may qualify*
and such as qualify are hereby authorized to convey said house and lot whenover the purchase money is paid to the prchaser of said house and lot. ^.
Sixthly:

My will and desire is that all my just debts be paid and then

the balance of the money arising from tho sale to be equally divided between
my three children and my 2 grandsons, Fielding and Iaaac, they taking one
fourth of the money between them.
*

Seventhly:

My will and desire is that my faithful servants, Amanda, be

free at my death and if she should not be able to support herself then out of
the hire or services of the negroes I have given to them.

Lastly, I appoint

Samuel Casey, Gibson 3. Taylor and Vfilliam Orundy executors of this my last
will and Testament as witness my hand this 26th day of may, 1837.
Nancy Austin
Witness:

Nathaniel Ashby, C.C. Jones, Tabitha Wilson.

(Will Book B#, P. 9, at Morganfield, Kentucky.)
Rockcastle Co  

(Robert Mullins)

The years 1843 to 1845 worked the development of the systematic enticing
away, or stealing of slaves from Kentucky slave owners, and the passing them to
Canada by a cordon of posts, or relays, which came to be known as the "Underground Railroad".

A number were stolen and carried away on horses.

The abduc-

tors traveled with the slaves at night and concealed them during the day.

The

old McFerron house in Mt. Vernon, Kentucky was used as a relay post to hide slaves
enroute to Ohio, Michigan and Canada.

The slaves in these parts were locked


80

53.

in the old MoPerron cellar which was situated under the ground, and they were
concealed under the cover until night, when they would travel again.
There were never at any time any slaves sold from auction blocks in this
county.

It is reported that the life of the slave in Rockoastle County was

a happy lot.

Their masters built them cabins to li*ve in, furnished with bunks,

tables, stoves, and other necessities.

Their masters gave them chickens, cows

and other stock and gave them plenty to eat.
There are no slaves living in Rockcastle at this time.
CMRK CO. (Ma^mie Nunnelley)
The first records of Slaves in Clark County was given by a descendant
of one of the members of the little band of resolute Revolutionary soldiers
who had been comrades and mess mates throughout the long bloody war.

These

fifteen familiesf some from Virginia and others from Maryland, started westward in the early spring of 1783 for Kentucky.

They bought with them some

horses, a few cattle, thirty or forty slaves and a few necessary household
articles.
After many hardships and trials, borne heroically by both men and women,
they halted on the banks of the Big Stoner, in what is now the eastern part of
Clark County.

Two years later another group of families with their slaves came

to join this little settlement.
In some cases the owners were good to their slaves had comfortable quarters
for them at a reasonable distance from the main house.
them as they needed it.

Their clothing was given

In most instances the clothing was made on the plantation

Material woven, and shoes made*
if the families were large.

The cabins were one and two rooms, maybe more

The slaves ate their meals in the kitchen of the

main house    
A cruel and inhuman master was ostrazied and taught by the silent contempt


81

54.
of his neighbors a lesson which he seldom failed to learn*

In 1789

the general assembly passed an act in which good treatment was enjoined
upon master and all contracts between master and slaves were forbidden.
The execution of this law was within the jurisdiction of the county courts
which were directed to admonish the master of any ill treatment of his slave.
If presisted in the court had option and power to declare free the abused
slave.
Pew traders came to Clark County as the slaves were not sold unless
they were unruly.

There was no underground railroads through this area.

Among some of the old wills compiled by Dr. George F. Doyle of
Winchester, we find wills as follows:
"John Briston in his will dated April 27, 1840 frees his negroes,
the executor to go to Todd County and buy land and divide it between the
negfcoes and they were given a cow, three horses and he expressed a desire
for them to go to Liberia.

They were to be given a certain amount to

defray their moving expenses, and buy them provisions and each negro was given
his blanket.11
"Henry Calces, in his will dated 1831, divides his slaves among his
wife and children." (B7-p654)
"John Christy in his will 1848 says at the death of his wife all his
land and slaves are to be sold and the proceeds divided among his children."
(B ll-p.346).
"In some old wills enough slaves are to be sold said all outstanding
debts paid and those left to be divided among his heirs."
"A will dated 1837 says at the expiration of eight years after his
death all negroes above those bequeated are to be offered to the Colonization
Society, if they are of age, to be transported to Libe^a -and those not of age


82

55.

to continue to serve the persons to whom, they are allotted until they come of
age, boys 21 and the girls at 18 when they are to be offered to the Colonization
Society to be transported to Liberia.

None of them are to be forced to go.

Those that do not go to Liberia are to continue to serve the persons to whom
they are allotted until they are willing to go.

Three persons by name to be

hired out the seventh year after the death and the money arising from said
hire to be given to those that first go to Liberia, $10.00 a piece if there
should be so much and the balance given to the next ones to go."
"In the will of Robert Lewis, February 20, 1799, he sets three of his
slaves free and gives them the use of 200 acres of the northwest of the Ohio,
their life time.

There were to be five hired out until their hire amounts

to 120 pounds each, then they were to be freed.

As the other younger slaves

become of age, they are to be freed."
From the following will dated June 22, 1840 it shows the slaves were
able to accumalate an estate*
"Allan, Charles
tf

A free man of color.

as follows:

June 22, 1840

Oot 26, 1840

Estate to be sold and the proceeds distributed

To Ester Graves, a woman of color belonging to the heirs of

Rice Arnold, $100.00; balance of money to be divided equally between the
children fI claim to be mine1.

Jerrett, Charles, Ester, Carolina, Granvill

and Emile^ all children of aforesaid.

Charlotte Arnold and all belonging to

the heirs of Rice Arnold and also Sally, Alfred, Mary, Lucy, Hulda, Catharine,
and Maud, children of Ester Graves aforesaid, slaves of Bengamine Graves; also
two children of Mary Allan, a slave belonging to Patsey Allan names Lesa and
Carolina, the sixteen children to receive an equal share of the money arising
from the sale of his estate.
Clark County did not have an auction block or slave market but every


8

3

New Years day in front o? the Courthouse owners would bring their slaves
to be hired.

It was told by one of the old citizens a few years ago, (died

two years ago) that he walked nine miles one bitter cold day to hire some
slaves*

These could be hired for a definite time or until they brought

certain amounts of money*
In 1812-1814 Winchester, the County Seat of Clark County boasted of
a weekly newspaper, issued every Saturday*

From the advertisement column

of this paper we learned that Dillard Collins was willing to pay $10#fK) to
get his run away slave, Reuben, and a similar regard was offered for one
"Scipio" who had taken French leave from his master, (donned) in his master's
new clothes   

Another ad in this paper ways one Walter Karrick offered to

trade a negro woman for "whiskey", cyder and flour.
lf

A story is told of a slave "Monk Estill" who helped or rather belonged

to Col* James Estill of Madison County*

In 1782 in a battle known as Estillfs

defeat, which occured on the grounds where Mt* Sterling now stands in
Montgomery County* Col* Estill and twenty-five men attacked a party of
Yfyandotte Indians by whom the slave was taken prisoner*
n

In the thickest of the fight, Monk called out in a loud voice;

!,

Donft

give way* Marse Jim, there fs only twenty-five Indians and you can whip all
of them.n
"Col* Estill was killed and the men retreated*

Monk escaped from his

captors and after many hardships joined the white comrades*
"IDn his shoulder he carried a wounded soldier twenty-five miles to
Estill Station*

His young master gave him his freedom in recognition for

his bravery and supported him in comfort the rest of his life*"
In Clark County are many small negroe settlements formed by the old
freed slaves after the war*

Some had aocumalated a little and brought a

small piece of land and others had homes given to them by their owners   


84
57.
Mr* Archilles Eubank wastho largest slave holder of his day, Mr* Colby
Quisenberry was second, in Clarks County   
"The story is told that at the time of General Morgan1s last raid
on Winchester, an old faithful slave of Dr. Hubbard Taylor, (a noted Physician
all over this portion of Kentucky at this time) who was always careful of
his master!s interests, and without the consent of his master, saved hisTOry
fine riding horse,
Confederates.

M

Black Prince" from being pressed into service of the

Ab (the slaves name) learned that Morganfs men were good judges

of horse flesh and had taken several horses just as the Federals did when
they needed them and he determined to conceal prince, whose groom he was*
Ha put him there in the smoke house along with the meat, but Prince pawed and
made disturbances until he took him out and took him to the cellar persuading
him to descend the steps and left him there.

He came up to hear that several

horses had been t aken from the cellars of the men, then he hastened back to
get Black Prince#

He brought him out of the cellar and took him to the

Laundry room and sat there with him conversing him to keep him quite until
all danger passed.

When Prince became restless and wanted to paw his way out,

old Ab would say, "Now Prince, you quit dat you*s in danger of being taken
by the bad soldiers.n

Old Prince would stop instantly and listen to his

groom. *
MONTGOMERY CO. (Gladys Robertson)
In this eo .munity most of the slaves were kept on farms and each family
was given a well constructed log house*

They were fed by provisions given

them by their white masters and they were plentiful*
their masters*

They were clothed by

These clothes were made by the colored wdaen under the dir-

ection and supervision of their mistress, the white woman $ut the clothes
for both men and women, and the colored women did the sewing of the garments*


85

58.

The men did the manual labor on the farm and the women the domestic*
Each white woman and girl had a special servant for bar own use and care
and each white man had his colored man or valet*
There are no records of a big slave trade in this county*

When a

slave was sold it was usually to a friend or neighbor and most masters were
very considerate and would not sell unless a family could go together*

For

instance from the diary of Mrs* Wliza Magowan 1853-1871, we read this:
w

Lina and t wo children Scott and Dulcina sold to J* Wilkerson".

Also _

ft

another item:

Violet married to Dennie" showing that care was taken that

marriages were made among the negroes*
The darkies had suppers in their own quarters and had much merrymaking
and laughter*
Illnfcss among the darkies were cared from among themselves but under
the watohful eye of the master and mistress*
The darkies were deeply religious and learned much of the Bible from
devout mistresses who felt it their holy duty to teach these ignorant people
the word of God*

ka extract from Mrs* Magowan1 s diary on July 25, 1856:

n

Old Aunt Becky was baptised on the 20th j she being upwards of 70 years of

age.

A considerable interest on the subject of religion is manifest among

the negroes, several have joined may they be kept by the power of God unto
Salvation.

\r

The redemption of the soul is precious11    

This is quoted to

show that the Negro was considered as a human being and treated as such*
Also taken f rcm Mrs. Magowan1 s diary:
0 slavery* thou art a bitter draught!

w

Dove sold to Mr. Van Thompson*

thof thousands have tasted of thee,

thou art none the less bitter*11
The Underground Railroad did not mm through this county.
were carried atmy on a^fsuoh thing.

No slaves

Th# older people interviewed about


8G

59.
this say they do not believe such a railroad ever existed as it would
"be a feat of engineering even in this day and time*
The rosters of the Independent company which Ge# John S# Williams
organized in this county and led to Mexico is in the possession of his
grandson Mr. John S#W. Hollaway, Winchester, Kentucky*
Mrs. Allie R. Robertson has in her possession the suit worn home
from the war, by her fr, ;her Joe Arrasmith.
Morgan1s men.

He was in the company of

It is made of coarse cotton and was in a most deplorable

condition when he came home.
MONROE CO* (Lenneth Jones)
I am 97 years 'and my name is Uncle Edd Shirley and I am still working
as janitor and support my family.
was a colored lady.

My father was a white man and my mother

I was owned three different times, or rather was sold

to three different families*

I was first owned by the Waldens; then I was

sold to a man by the name of Jackson, of Glasgow, Kentucky*

Then my father,

of this county, bought me.
I have had many slave experiences.

Some slaves were treated good,

and some were treated awful bad by the white people; but most of them were
treated good if they would do what their master told them to do.
I onced saw a light colored gal tied to the rafters of a barn, and
her master whipped her until blood ran down her toaok and made a large pool
on the ground*

And I have seen negro men tied to stakes drove in the

ground and whipped because they would not mind their master; but most
white folks were better to their slaves and treated them better than they
are now*

After their work in the fields was finished on Saturday, they

would have parties and have a good time*

Some old negro man would play

the banjo while the young darkies would danoe and sing#

The white folks

w*uld set arotmd and watch; and would sometimes join in and dance and'sing*


60    

87

   

My colored grandfather lived to be 115 years old, and at that
age he was never sick in his life.

One day he picked up the water

bucket to go to the spring, and as he was on his way back he dropped
dead.
The Story of Mrs. C Hood:
Onco upon a time during the Civil 7far my grandmother was alone
with just one old faithful servant.

The Union troops had just about taken

everything she had, except three prize saddle horses and one coal black
mare which she rode all the time.
it very much#

She was very fond of the mare and valued

One night my grandmother heard a noise, and called old Joe

to go to the barn and see what was the matter.

As he was nearing the barn

someone yelled tfHaltff; and Joe being a black man and a servant, stopped
just where he was.

My grandmother, who had also heard the command, paid no

attention whatsoever; she went straight through the dozen or more Union
soldiers who were stealing her stock to the one who appeared to be the
leader.

He was holding her mare; she jerked the briddle from his hand, led

her mare back to the kitchen door, where she held her the remainder of the
night.
A Story:
When my mother was a girl she was staying with some kinfolks for one
month.

These people owned several slaves and among them was one old man-

servant who was very old and had served out his usefulness.
and food-was scarce even for the white folks.

It was war time

The younger and stronger slaves

got most of the food, and old Tom was always hungry.

My mother finding this

out, and feeling sorry for him would slip him bread and other food through
a hole in the kitchen floor*
moved to a home of her own*

A short time after this, my mother married and
Old Tom never forgot her kindness; and finally

persuaded Ms master to giv   him to my nioth&r, who kept him until his death*


si.
ESTILL CO.

88
(Evelyn IJIcLemore)

Story,of Peter Bruner* a former slave*:
Peter Bruner, was bora in Winchester, Kentucky, Clark Co*, in 1845   
His master was John Boll Bruner, who at that time treated him fairly well*
11/hen Peter was 10 years of age his master brought him and his sister to
Irvine,

After arriving in Irvine, Peter!s master was very oreml to him*

They got only cornbread, fat meat and water to oat*

If his masterfs hunger

was not satisfied, he would even take this little froin them.

The were tables

to eat from*
Once Peter, was taicon into his master's house to nurse the children and
was made to sleep on the floor with aonly a ragged quilt to lie on and one
thin one over him*

i

Often he was y&hipped because his mistress said the washing was not
clean, when it was#

On one occasion when he was beaten his master took

a piece of sole leather about 1 foot long and 2 inches wide, out if full of
holes and dipped it in water that was brined*

He then took the leather and

lashed the poor slave's back*
Joe Bruner, was a better master to his slaves than John*

Once when

Peter stole some sugar and flour, that he and his sister might have a pound
cake, Joe caught him*

He did not whip him however, because he knew that

Peter did not often have enought to eat*
Peter, endured torture as long as he could and finally decided to escape*
He went to fiiohmond, Kentucky on to Lexington* On his way he made a contract
with a man to drive his horses to Orleans, but was caught while in Lexington*
On his way they caught him and took him to jail and he remained until his
master came for him*

This did not down him, for just as soon as he could

he escaped again, and this time got as far as Xenia, Ohio, but was again
caught and brought back.

This time he was severely beaten for three houmr*


89
62.
TNhen 17 years old, Peter was hired out to Jimmy Benton, who was more
cruel than John Bruner, but was again brought back*
again to escape*

It was then that he tried

This time he went through -Madison Co. near Sugar Creek.

This was about the year 1861, when the war had begun.
taken back, but this time by Joe Bruner.
could seem to get anywhere.

Again he was caught and

He escaped several times, but never

Once when he and another slave, Phil, escaped they

were caught and made to walk the entire distance barefoot.
was chained each night to a chair.

l

After this Peter,

One morning while eating his breakfast

he heard a knock at the door and on opening it he found a troop of Union
Home Guards.

Jim Benton and John Bruner were taken to prison*

After this

Peter went to Millerfs Creek and worked at odd jobs for atahile.
When John Bruner was taken from Prison, he was much better to Peter.
Soon after John was released from Prison, Peter escaped again.
he had joined a regiment in the war.

This time

He went through hardships, cold,
)

hunger and illness.
Often when they were awaken in the morning they would find their
blankets frozen to the ground* He was sick several times.

His feet frozen

and other things would go wrong such as having fever and once he had Variloid.
After serving for awhile he was mustered out and returned to Winchester, where
his mother lived*

He stayed a short time and then went to Oxford, Ohio*

Here

he went to school, but soon decided he was not learning anything so decided to
get married.

In the spring he was married to Nannie Proctor.

Again he made a

mistake and during this time suffered hardships trying to keep a roof over
their heads and food enought to eat*

He worked at odd jobs, but could not

find much to do and got very much in debt*

He ten went to Hamilton, Ohio

and asked Mir* John Frye to loan him some money*
for some and he would not loan it*

He had asked Mr* Roberts

However, John Frye did loan him the

Ijl


63. tfL

90

money and Peter paid himself out o? debt and bought a stone quarry from
his mother-in-law*

He sold a lot of stone from it, but finally sold this

and took a 30b as engineer at Oxford, College*
that time*

Dr. Walker was president at

It was here that Peter celebrated his 25th weeding anniversary*

The teacher, faculty and seniors made this a happy day for him*
job as janitor under Dr* Thompson at Miami University*
13 years under President Taft*
has been for over 50 years.

He got a

He worked here for

He is a member of Bethel JUM.E* Church and

In 1918 he and his wife celebrated his golden

anniversary*
Peter Bruner is still living (1936) but his eyesight is impaired.
.1&.31 years cf agQ*

1^C5ll

....   

   ..,

.

CHRISTIAN CO. (Mamie Hanbery)

He

i.--.,,.^^^^

^4^3

~ ^^

Story of Easter Sudie Campbell, (ap;e about 72, Vfebber St*, Hopkinsville, Ky*:)
Born In Princeton, Caldwell Co*,Kentucky, her parents were slaves, the
property of Will and Mairtha Grooms of Princeton*
Aunt Easter as she is called has followed the profession of a mid-wife
for forty years*

She is still active and works at present among the negroes

of Hopkinsville*
"Yes, sho, I make my own medicines, humph, dat aint no trouble*

I cans

cure scrofula wid burdock root and one half spoon of citrate of potash*
make a tea of burdock root en add the citrate of potash to hit*
good foh de stomach en cleans yer out good*

Jes

Sasafras is

Ifse uses yeller percoon root

foh de sore eyes.
,f

Wen I stayed wid Mrs* Porter her chaps would break*-out mighty bad wid

sores in de fall of de year and Ifse told Mrs* Porter Ifse could core dat
so Ifse got me some elder berries en made pies out of hit en made her chaps
eat hit on dey war soon cored*
M

If twont foh de white folks I sho would hev a hard time*

My man he jes


91
wen erway en I haint neber seed him ergin en Ifse had five chilluns en de
white folks hev heped me all dese years   
dey own kind of folks.

Dese trifling niggers dey wont hepe

If youse got de tooth ache I makes a poultice of

scrape irish pertatoes en puts hit on de jaw on de side de tooth is aching
en dat sho takes de fever out of de tooth.

I'se blows terbacco smake in de

ear en dat stops de ear ache.
tf

Wen I goes on er baby case I jest let nature hev hits way.

I'se alays

teas de baby de first thing I does is ter blow my breath in d e baby's ffiuff en
I spanks it jes a little so hit will cry den I gives hit warm catnip tea so
if hit is gwine ter lev de hives dey will break out on hit*

I alays hev my

own catnip en sheep balls foh sum cases need one kind of tea en sum ernother.
I give sink field tea ter foh de colic.

Hit is jes good fuh young baby's stomach.

Ivse been granning foh nigh unter forty year en I'se only lost two babies,
dat war born erlive.

One of dese war de white man's fault, dis bably war born

wid de jaundice en I.tolds dis white man ter go ter de store en git me sum
calomel en he says,

f

whoeber heard of givin a baby sech truck*, an so dat

baby died.
"Of course youse can ted wheder the baby is gwine t er be a boy er girl
fore tis born.

If de mother carries dat child more on de left en high up

dat babjr will be a boy en if she carries hit more ter de middle dat will be
a girl.

Mothers oughter be more careful -while carrying dar chilluns not ter

git soared of enthing foh dey will sho mark dar babies wid turrible ugly
.things*

I knows once a young wooman war expecting en she goes black-berry

hunting en er bull cow wid long horns got after her en she was so scairt
dat she threw her hands ober her head en wen dat baby boy war born he hed
to nufcs on his head jes like horns beginning ter grow so Ifse hed her call
her doctor en dey outs dem off*

One white wocaaan 1*60 waited on like hot
:;iv ,:."$:;


92
choc late en she alays wanted more she neber hed nuff of dat stu  f en one day
she spills sum on her laig en it jes splotched en burned her en wen dat gal
war born she hed a big brown spot on her laig jes like her Mammy's scar frum
de burn*

Now you see I noes yer ken mark de babies *

ft

Dar war a colored woonian once Ifse waited on dat hed to help de white

folks kill hogs en she neber did like hog liver but de white folks told her
ter take one home en fix hit foh her supper*

Well she picked dat thing up

en stairted off wid hit en hit made her feel creepy all ober en dat night her
baby war born a gal child en de print of er big Biog-liver war standing out
all ober one side of her face*
en jes the shape of a liver*

Dat side of her face is all blue er purplish
En hits still dar#

"I'se grannied bber three hundred chilluns en I noes wat Ifse talking
about*
^Heei Heel Heel

One day dar war a circus in Hopkinsville en er black

wopman I se war ergoing ter wait on war on de street to watch foh de parade
on wid de bands er playing en de wild varmits en things dis woman give birth
ter dat girl chile on de corner of Webber and Seventh St*
er funny name ^s-pe-ou-liar1    

Dat gal sho got

(I did not get the drift of the story so I

asked her wkat was so funny about the name*

Of course it is a name I have

never heard before so the following is what the girls Mother said about it
to Aunt Easter*

!UD*Hanbery)

^Well the gals Mammy thought hit war jes peculiar dat, dat happened wen
she war er looking at the parade*

(So this woman Especuliar is still in

Hopkinsville and her story is known in quite a few of the older circles.)
ft

lahJ Yah!

I sho remember how de ole folks uster dress *

hop skirts en de men wore tight breeches  

De women wore

De night gowns war made on er yoke

aufull full en big long sleeves wid a cuff at de hand en a deep hem at de


93

bottom of de gown, dese gowns war made of domestic en wen dey war washed
en starched en ironed dey wwr be so stiff dey could stand erlone*ft
de women both wore night caps*

De men en

If de gown war a dress up gown why dey war

home made knit en rcochet lace in de front en lots en lots of tucks some of
dem had deep ruffles on dem at the bottom.
!l

Wen my Pappy kum home from de war, he war on de "G-ovmint" side he brung

a pistol back wid him dat shot a ball dey hed caps on hit en used dese in de
war*

De Ku Klux jum after him one night en he got three of dem wid dis pistol,

nobody eber knowed who got dose Kluxes*
"Ghostsrt

Sho dar is ghosts*

One night es I war going home from work de tallest

man I eber seed followed me wid de prettiest shite shirt on en den he passed
mef en waired at de corner I war a feeling creepy en wanter run but jes couldn't
git my laigs tef move en wen I*se git ter de corner war he war I said *Good
Sbening1 en I seed him plain es day en de aid not speak en jes disappeared
right fore my eyes*
tt

Den ergin I went ter de fish pond one day fishing en cotched two or

three big fish wen I went home thot IM go Torack dat night en I begun to dig
sum., fishing worms en my boss he saw me en axed, *Wot I doing1*
war er going ter de pond ter fish dat night*

I told him I

He said *don you go ter dat pond

ternight Easter foh if you does something will run you empty**. I jes laughed
at him en dat night I en my boy wese goes ter de pond en as w^ war er standing
in dar quiet like we heared something squeeohing like er new saddle en er horses
er tfotting*

We listened en waited wen something wen inter dat pond right twixt

us liker er ball er fire*

Weums sho did leave dar an de next morning my boss

axed me if we cotched enthing en we told him wot we saw en he said he knowed
weums would be run erway foh he war run erway his self *


94

67.
"Course dar is hainted houses dese haints in dese places jes wont
leave you erlone*

Wen Ifse war er living

in Princeton, Uncle Lige my

ilammyfs brother en I*se moved in er cabin one Christmas day en war ergoing
ter stay dar en dat night we war er setting bore de fire en de fire light
Y/ar es bright as day, wen I looks up at de wall foh I hears er scratching noise
en dar war er

r

ig white cat on de wall wid all hefs hair standing on dat cat

jes jumps from wall ter de nother en Uncle Lige en me jes open dat cabin door
en started ter de tother cabins on de place en we deed dat thing dat v/  r bigger
don eny cat I eber seed jes come thru dat door in de air en hit de front gate,
dis gate hed er iron weight on hit so hit would stay shot en dis thing hit at
de top den wen erway#
en banged all night  

Ho I nefrer seed what hit went#

Dis gate jes banged

We could heat from de tother cabin  

Uncle Lige en me

moved enaray next day en other people moved in dis cabin en day saw de same
thing en nobody would stay dar#

Dem some time after dis diz cabin war torn

down#
tf

Once I hed a dream I knowed I ner bout saw hit.

I alays did cook ebery

night er pot er beans on de fire foh de chilluns ter eat next day while I war
at work en Lizzie my daughter ustef git up in de night en git her some beans
en eat dem en dis dream war so real dat I couldnft tell if hit war Lizzie er
no but dis wooman jes glided by my bed en went afore de fire en stood dar den
she jes went twixt my bed en went by de wall   

I jes knowed wen I woke up dat

my child was sick dat lived erway from home en wanted my son ter take me ter
see her#

He said he would go hisself en see so he wen en wen he come back he

hed a headache en fore morning dat nigger war dead*
of de dream*

So you see dat war de sign

I war jes warned in de dream en didn't hey sense nuff ter know

hit**
Story of Uncle Pick*
Uncle Diek* a negro servant of one of the Hendersons, was the fiddler


95

68 .
if t&e neighborhood at weddings, husking parties and dances*
was essential.

Dickfs presence

Uncle Dick was fully aware of his own importance, and in

consequence assumed a great deal of dignity in his bearing.
out he always drossed himself with the greatest nicety.

Before setting

At the appointed time

he was at the place with all the weight of his dignity upon him.

Woe to the

*darkiest! who violated any of tie laws of etiquette in his presence.
On a certain evening there was to be a grand wedding festival among the
colored gentry on a farm a bout 6 miles from Uncle Dick s residence. 3ie was,
of course called upon to officiate as master of ceremonies.

He donned his

long-tailed blue coat, having carefully polished the glittering gilt buttons;
then riised his immense shirt collar, which he considered essential to his
dignity, and, fiddle in hand, sallied forth alone.
out sometime before; but Uncle Diofc

was not

The younger folk had set

to be hurried out of his dignity.

The narrow path led, for the greater part of the way, through a dense
forest, which was as wild as when roamed by the Indians.

A heavy snow lay on

the ground, on which the moonbeams were shining whenever they could force a
passage through the trees.
The dreary solitude of the way made no impression on the mind of Uncle
Dick.

He was anxiously hurrying on to reach the scene of operation, having

spent a little too much tiaae in polishing his gilt buttons.
On he dashed, heedless of the black shadows and hideous night cries
of the deep forest.

Yfolves were howling around him; but he paid no attention

to sounds so common, thinking only of the feet that were waiting his arrival
to be set in motion.
Soon, however, the howling began to approach n#arer than was agreeable.
%a wolves contined to become more and more noisy, till, to his. indescribable
horror* b& heard them on each Side of the crackling bushes.
Tery soon the woods seemed to the old man to be aliva with tJwt yelling

,^I


   

pack.

96

Wolves are cautious about attacking human beings; they usually

require some little time to work themselves up to the point.
Every few moments a dark object would brueh past poor old Dick's legs with
a snapping sound like that of a steel trap, while the yelling and crackling
increased with terrible rapidity.
Dick new that to run would mean instant death, as the cowardly padk
would all rush on him the moment he showed fear.
consisted in preserving the utmost coolness.

His only chance of safety

A ahort distance before~him

lay some open ground; and he hoped that on reaching this they would leave him,
as they do not like to make an attack in such a place.
He remembered, too, that in the middle of the open space there stood
an old cabin, in which he might be able to find refuge   

But now the wolves

rushed at him more and more boldly, snapping in closer and closer proximity
to his legs*
Snapi .. Snapi
at them.

Nearer and nearer.

Instinctively he thrust out his fiddle

The jarring of the strings made thorn leap back.

drew his hand violently across the strings -- twang, twangi

Hope returned.

He

Instantly the

wolves sprang back as if he had fired a gun among them.
He was now at the edge of the open space.
wolves recoiled.

He twanged his fiddle - the

Dick rushed toward the hut with all his speed, raking the

strings more violently at every jump, till they rang again.
The astonished wolves paused for a moment on the edge of the open ground,
with tails between their legs.
savage instincts.
speed.

But the sight of his flying form renewed their

With a loud burst of yells they darted sifter him at full

He reached the hut just as the jaws of the foremost wolf opened to

seize him.
He rushed in, and the closing door dashed against the nose of the


97

70    
nearest beast*

The door was too rickety to keep the enemy out; but Dick

had time to push himself through the broken roof and get on top of the cabin*
The wolves were now furious*

Rushing into the hut, they jumped and snapped

at him, so that Dick almost felt their teeth*

It required the greatest

activity to keep his legs out of their reach*
Notwithstanding his agonizing terror, he still clung to his fiffie*

Now,

in desperation, as he was kicking his foet in the air to avoid their steel
like fangs, he drew his bow shrieking across the strings*
ceased.

The yells"instantly

Dick continued to make the most frightful spasms of sound, but the

wolves could not long endure bad fiddling*

As soon as the first surprise was

over the attack was renewed more furiously than ever*
A monstrous head nas now thrust up between the boards of the roof,
.only a few inches from Dick*

He gave himself up for lost*

But the excess

of terror seemed to stimulate him, so that almost of their own accord his
fingers began to play "Yankee-Doodle."

Instantly there was complete silence*

The s ilence continued as long as he continued to play; but the moment he ceased
the listeners again became furious$ and rushed on with increased ferocity*
Uncle ^iok^ pride as a fiddler was flattered*
completely into the spirit of the thing*
an audience so fond of music*

But never before had he played to

They permitted no pause*

to give way to cold and fatigue*
What was to be done?

He entered for akhile

Sis enthusiasm began

He was tired to death and almost frozen*

There sat the listeners with tongues lolling and

ears pricked up, allowing not a moments pause, but demanding an uninterrupted
stream of music.

Several weary houss passed, and Uncle Dick was almost

exhausted*
But all this while the wedding company had been anxiously expecting
their musician*

Becoming at last impatient or alarmed, s<jme of them set out

i% se^aroli for hdm*

3feey f ou&   &im on top of the huk, still sawing away for


iF

71.
for life.

98

The wolves were driven away and Uncle Dick was relieved from

his unwilling efforts to charm listeners v/ho got more music than they
paid for.

_..._.       ^

Last Wolf:

^

v

^|&

l  ^ /T

"^   -._v__^

On January 20, 1910, a famous gray wolf was seen in Christian County
and killed by a man named Tyler.
in this County.

This wolf seemed to be the last wolf seen

It had terrorized the farmers in the Sinking Fork neighbor-

hood, and a party organized by Charles L# Dade formed to hunt and kill this
wolf which was done on the a" ove date.

The wolf measured 48 inches from tip

to tip and stood 24 inches high.
Ne^ro Holiness Meetings:
Once a year a group of 200 or 300 negroes give a religious Camp fee ting
in a field on the Canton Pike about one mile southeast of Hopkinsville.

There

is quite a settlement of negroes call themselves or their church the Holiness
Church.

They claim to be sanctified and cannot sin#

A few nights ago I was

invited to attend one of these meetings, the negroes reserve some, benches under
the tent for white people.
The night that I attended there were two preachers and it seems as though
it is the duty of these preachers to bring their disco\xrse to such a point
as to play on the emotions of their congregation.
with a hymn by the choir.

The order of service begun

The music for this consisted of a piano, banjo

guitar and num&rous tambourines.

The negroes being naturally feorn with a

great sense of rhythm the songs were not in the same tempo as the songs of the
whites but were of a jaz2 tempo and with the banjo and tambourines it makes
one think of the stories of the African jungles*

The services start around

7*50 P  M# and usually break up around midnight.
f&,e negroes i^/^tH^P^^oxir after the services start being to testify
offers a prayer then by this ti&e someone

|||B|^
fei'S&^ix^

fa

<

^

......

..........

......... . .

. . . . .... ........

3  J
r _IlMfii


99

72.

in the congregation will be worked up to the pitch of shouting "Glory
Halleluiah"   

"When this shout starts the tambourine players will begin

shaking the tambourines and shortly the majority of the congregation would
be shouting, moaning or praying*
to the music*

The tambourines players bounce around in time

There were some excellent untrained voices* in the choir and

the congregation*

The mourners bench was always full of mourners and when one

of the Mourners would begin to shout tho "Workers" would than let the congregatior
know that this brother or sister had repented by saying
or Sister _______ for he or she had "Come Through"   

!,

Lets pray for Bro#

The congregation would

begin clapping their hands while this prayer was in progress and general
moanings with one or both of the preachers praying at the same time why this
brother or sister is taken in to the flock to sin no more*
While the above is in progress there are other workers talking and singing
to the rest of the mourners and when two or three "Come Through" at once there
is great shouting rejoicing* clapping of hands and the tambourines continue to
clang and the choir members danne and this process continues for hours or until
the preachers become so exausted with their enhorattions and contortions that
the meeting is adjourned*
Superstitions of the Hegro Race:
In interviewing the different negroes in this community I have not found
a single negro that could admit if I asked the direct question that they are the
least bit superstitious*

The following story happened in my experience with this

race about ten years ago*
Fifteen years ago I purchased a farm from the estate of a gentleman that
had committed suicide*

It seems as though the gentleman took his gun and told

the fai^ty that he was going to the tob&eeo *ba.r to shoot rats*

This barn was


100
other side of this barn were three negro tenant houses*
My first trouble with negroes superstition was to get a tenant to
inhabit the house nearest the barn*

This cabin was in better repair and

larger than the other two cabins and the hardest thing to do was to get a
tsnant or nogro cropper to take this cabin*
They would give every excuse imaginable but the direct answer until
finally one man I was trying to make a trade with admitted that
killed himself in*M

war ter clos tef de barn Mr* &

tf

De cabin

Finally I prevailed

on this man to move in by giving him a different garden spot, hog -pen said
cowpen as these were still nearer the barn*

In fact I moved those buildings

thinking I would have an easier time get tin:; a tenant the next year*
Everything went along beautifully until time came to House the tobacco
and not a negro cropper would use this barn for his tobacco*
individual crop housed in this barn*

So I had my

As the type of tobacco mostly grown at

that time was bark fired someone had to stay at the barn night and day to
attend the fires and watch that a stick of tobacco did not drop in the blaze arid
burn the barn and contents*

As long as my husband or myself stayed in or

around the barn we did not have trouble with these darkies but sometimes it
to attend to other matters on this farm and had to leave a hired negro in
charge and as soon as we would get out of sight of the barn the negro would
desert his post*

It became evident that one or the other of us stay at this

barn night and day until firing season was over.
when the stripping season began*
storm blew this barn down*

The same thing happened

These conditions continued until a wind

Still I hoard

some of the negroes express their

thoughts *
Sfo% d

sho had no tention of dab barn standing*

I had the tenants

separate this lumber for different uses on the fam and the scrap lumber was


101
to be taken to the cabin or the main dwelling to be used as kindling and
not a negroe would use this kindling*

One negro a tall black man around

seventy years old said,**!!   dat wood wont turn11*
"Mr* G  
burn."

I asked, "Why**?

He said,

would sho hant me if I teched a single piece of dat wood ter
So n- turally the main dwelling had a bountiful supply of kindling*

This farm was watered by a big spring and branch that ran along behind
the stables and near this particular barn and this branch run into a big sink
hole and then through a small crevice underground*

Once cold and disagreeable

winter something blocked this crevice and the waters soon overflowed the sink
hole and extended all over the lowlands near*

The winter was severely cold add

this water began to moderate and a light drizzle of rain was falling and most
of the tenants on the farm had retired for the night when suddenly this ice on
the stream broke up and in some manner the crevice had been opened and the
sound from this water going in its course underground was terrific*
as well as myself were very much frightened*

My family

Ho one can imagine the commotion

that existed at the cabins on the tenant row near the stream*

Hegroes poured

from the cabins in all planners of dress or undress even the cold weather did
not tempt them to take tijae to don shoes and hose but came to the back door of
my house some crying and moaning and praying, and if there is such a thing as a
pale negro these darkies were certainly pale* eyes rolling and the majority
of them wanting to leave the farm beforo daybreak or by that time anyway or else
staying in our home all night*

Fires were made in the kitchen and they congre-

gated there and most of them remained there all night*
acted as spokesman for the crowd*
Mr* G

One old negro said or

n

Dat all this crowd of niggers need dat

was afer dem and meant foh dem to move or git*tf

Ify husband tooj: one or two of the older men with lanterns and made an
investigation*

Wcien they reached the b ranch the overflow was gone and there


102

75,

was no evidence that there had been any water over these fields except for
the large blocks of ice that was lying in the field*
With much persuading and cajoling the majoiity of these negroes went
to their cabins that night and the most skeptical stayed in my kitchen all
the rest of the night  

But peace and quiet reigned once more and from that

day as long as these tenants remained with me I did not have any trouble with
them being superstitious but each time the tenants were changed the same
superstitions had to be met with and their fears had to be quieted*
Negro Folk Songs: (Contributed by William ffarfield, Col*)
These songs more comiDonly called plantation melodies, originated with
the negroes of the South during the days of slavery*

They habe been s omewhat

collected and written about*
These songs have for the Negro the same value that the folk songs of any
people have for that people*

In the days of slavery they furnished an outlet

for aching hearts and anguished souls*
and t o remind the race of the

Today they help to foster race pride

,f

rock from which it was hewn,f*

Some of these

folk son;s represented the lighter side of the slavefs life, as for example,
,f

Heave away! Heave awayi
Ifd rudder coft a yallar gal
Dan work f oh Henry Clay
Heave away, yaller gal, I want to go*

or*
w

0le
And
Dat
An1
Oh,

%ssa take dat new brown coat,
hang it on de wall;
darkey take dat same old coat,
wear it to de ball,
don't you hoar my tru lub sing?*1

It was in their religious song, however that they poured out their souls*
Three things are especially emphasized in these song*
of sorrow or trouble:
^Nobody knows da truble I sees,

First this life if full


103
Second, religion is the best thing in the world. It enables you, though
a slave, to have joy of the soul, to endure the trials. Future life is happy
and eternal:
"We'll walk dem golden streets,
We'll walk dem golden streets,
We'll pleasure nebber dies.
or:
Oh!
I'se a-gwine to lib always,
Oh!
I'se a-gwine to lib always,
Oh!
I'se a-gwine to lib always,
Wen I git in de kingdom.
Story of Annie Morgan: (age 65, 207 W. 2nd St., Hopkinsville, Ky. Annie was
born of slave parents. Her mother and father were slaves of the Payne family.
Ques: Annie can you give me or rather tell me of some of your earlier life
with your parents, or what your mother and father has told you of things before
and after the Civil War.
Ans: Wal, wal, I do declare it has ben so long I'se jes don't remember. I'se
seem to remember de big days we uster hav on Proclamation Day wen we used ter
go to Grandmums who lived in Trigg County. Foh days befur weuns would git
redy ter go in a wagon and as dar was a heap of chilluns it tuk quite a time
an weuns would start by day break and dem wen we got dar why all de rest of the
daughters en sons of dar chilluns was alredy that, den weun's hev a big time
wid watermullins and ebything good to eat. Some times Uncle Ben brother hid bajo
and us chilluns would dance.
Ques: Annie did you ever have a dream to come true? Or do you believe in
dreams?
Ans: Sho does, sho does, why chile all my dream come true. I recollect
One wen my son was sick, I felt he wont gwine to git well. I asked him,
"Was he right with God", he says, "Dar is nuthin between me and de Lawd".


iM

n*
$#0023^ rfdigioaa %$ tfaf b*#t tfci#g iaa -t&f ww%&*
& 0^w# to h&w jjoy $f ths $ml, to   aadw*f tfae trifcis^

  t #mb%#$ J9^0 Vmm0
Pu*vjrf liff if &A  $y

  k&d ot#ii&&l  

lie # 11   &&k &$m goid^a ftr#ft#.
Iff* 11 .Wfulk {Lftt go24f   etr^t*^
lhar p;Lf#f#rf   i4#o#r 4ife#
or*
%| J^ff
Ohi l*m
<Ah| J-fs#
W## 1 git

^-^fi^os to lie *,lwf,yej
&*$$*%%& to lit f-lwayf ^
^prla&e to lit fjtafyf;
iaa -cU? ki&^om#

Story -of 4&ftif j^r.jj%^: (&gf 66 ,   0? '  > 2&c   t#^ EopJrixi* yilXf^ Ky#
%<*rn of elf.vf p^?.&t<  #
IffffifEf

.iier mother

IUKJ

jltmis w$M

fstthor wt>jr# gi&  $   -of' the ?f#  f f<aadiLy#

J^i^ o## yoy giw m# or rfsthfr tell J&f of &&&$ .of vour f.*urlifjr Zi  f

.  ^4/h yow 5$ur&4$f , w wh  & your BOtimr    $>&    ffet*w i*$ told :/w -?f   &l#^f -fcffo^
#  # fkiiftf>r $&f ^vi^il %*>
|j|||  

l&l^ wp^ f 4e &#  r|$^ it h&s &$$ f o io  yj J*ff $.ff do&Jt rm#ff8wrj

I^f#

*e#ijsi to r-ffliipi^p <$   &ig $#y# :*f u#t#r &&T <sa Pr^lf*jM^# $f# wf JB -^f Wf4 t#  *
  9 to %ftip^p)||ff #&p Ziwt    $# '$*%& %u*aty>

i*sofc. -fif#f b#f   * y^y^f #ov54 .$&&

r#4y tor $o 4* * i*  $0& &$ ## -4wr *  f # kmf #v ^il&vw* it $pk fvdt    # t|ip#
$# pf  JU    pPOWM #t*T* .$>/ 4#/ W&Mf   #      &*& Pf#      &^ ^yr ffhy &Ji 4# .#f#t of t&#
4#u^tf,rt fhXtfpaof of 4^r ^SaiJlwof iww *JLarf  y th#t# 4ftt ir-fW^f i*fv f big ti  #
id^ w^t#i  ptiai  f   w3 fVytr4^ good to #^t#

&m# %$m* ^wif Bf^a ^rot k$& lm.p

<m&   f <*tillw# yo^M 4f  ff#
4w^f ^i^ yo1? *w l^ff *

4J^MM

to o^  f trwrf Or 4^p yo^ <>flifw i#


104

77.
Den afterwards, I begin to worry gin about dis boy, I prays "De Lawd"

and ax him ter let me drem a drem bout him an nite time I did, I could see
dis boy jist as plaincrossing "Judgment Stream" and I says to him in my
drem, I say, "You come my son, he's crossin Judgment Stream, I says ter
ole man go in and hep him" and my son says to me,"I'm crossing Judgment
Stream, Mammy, and I gotto cross it myself".
now".

I says "I no you are cold

I dreamed I spread a rug round him den he disappeared, inter de

building, by dat time I woko up so happy*
Heben.

Oh, Lawd, ter no my boy was in

I am sho I would not dremad dat drem unless "De Lawd" tended me

ter no my boy was saved.

I sho nos dis boy is in Heben.

"Wen me an my man was married all de colored folks in tha neighborhood come to ma's and weums my husband and me jumped o'er the broom stick an
we was been married, ebery since.

In dese days hit were too fer ter go git

a preacher an most colored folks married dat way."
Story of Cora Torian:

(217 W   2nd St., Hopkinsville, Ky.-Age 71.)

Bell Childress, Ccrafs Mother, was a slave of Andrew Owen.

He purchased

Belle Childress in the Purchase and brought her to Christian County.

Cora

was born in Christian County on Mr. Owen's farm and considered herself three
years old at the end of the Oivil Viar.

She told me as follows:

"I has dreamed of fish and dat is a sure sign dat I would git a piece
of money, an I always did*

Dreamed of buggy and horse an it was a sign of

death in family and I no's hits tru.

Dream of de ded hit always rains.

My Mistus and Marster fed and clothed us good and we lived in a little log
cabin of one toom and cooked on an open fire.

Some Marsters wud whoop ther

slaves til the blood would run down daw backs dese slaves would run away
sometimes den sum would come to loe Marse and would have to send dem back to
dar own marsters and how my ole marster hated to see dem go.


105
ft

I hang horse shoes oer my door to keep the Evil Spirits away*

My

Mammy always wore and ole petticoat full gather at de waist band wid long
pockets in dem and den to keep peace in de house she would turn de pocket
wrong side out jes as she would go to somebodys elses house.
t!

I sho do no dar is ghosts, I seed one oncet hit was a man wid no head

on standin in my house and pullin the csatnmin out of de house and putt in hit
on de table.
f

Oooh I no's dat is so cause I seed hit wid my own eyes^

"My Marmay had a woman dat lived wid us and she died, and sometimes afterwards, she called me and I looked in de room and dis woman was sitting on de
side of de bed and wen I spoke to her she slowly ris up and went thru a crack
about two inches wide*

How dats a faki

"Humph, no Ifse not gwine ter go near no hainted house, much less stay
J* in one.

I'fde scairt.

ft

I

Hee, hee, sho you can find things by spitting in yer han and de way

the spit goes if youse will go dar you will be sho to find hit.
f,

Aint got no time for fortune tellers, don believe in dem, dey donft

do nuthin*
"Wen de moon changes if youse see hit thru de bresh you sho will have
bad luck, but if youse sees hit and nuthin to hinder youse from lookin at hit
straight and make a wish it who will come true.

Ifse no1 s cause my son was

way down South an I woant to seed him and I looks at de moon .and hit was
changing and I wished de would come home and looked up de road and ftLawd
daw he were.
"Youse plants de pertatoes by de moon*

Irish pertatoes planted on de

light of de moon will go ter vine and der neber will be a tater on de vine*
If youse plant dem by de dark of de moon yourallfs pertatoes will be plentiful.


] X

"If youse maks soap it must be made by de light of de moon or de
soap will will all turn to grease.
,f

If youse sneeze wen you eats you will shorely die.

"If youse see a blue gummed negro be shore one don bite you foh dey are
shore pizenous.
w

If youse have yer year to ring, sho sing of death.

"Move on Friday, "Good Lav/d No", youse would sho have bad luck#
"One tru sign of death, if a dog howls at midnight, you will sho'~to die.
If you dreams of you teeth falling out is a tru sign of death and if fcouse
dreams of a marriage is nuther tru sign of death   
"If I dream of a naked purs on Ifse is sho to die.

No cat mus come in

wen dar is a ded body for de cat will sho eat de body.
"If a cat crosses youse path to de left some kind of bad luck is sho
to overtake on yer journey.
"If a peckerwood pecks on de roof of youse house you will sho lose some
"

member of youse family, .Dey is pizen*
"No ITse jes ter scairt ter go whar day call up Spirits*"
^ "fale of Mary Wooldridge: (Clarksville Pike ~ Age about 103*

j^/

<"~

tt

Mary and her twin sister were slaves born in Washington County* .Kentucky,

near Lexington, belonging to Bob Eaglin*

When Mary was about fourteen years

old she and her sister was brought to the Lexington slave market and sold and a
Mr. Lewis Burns of the same County purchased her*
of her sister    

Mary doesn't know what became

Five or six years later she was again put on the block and

sold to a Hegro Trader but Mary does not remember this traders name.

While

here she Iras kept ina stockade and it was several years before she again was
bought l>y a iwhite m6m
re^^in^d hi
?:

"' :    "    J|^i|^

Lexington bought her and she
Mary looks her age*

She is a

inah long and very kinky, and


1W

still she dresses as the older slave woman dre sed in the past days*

She

wears an old bodice with a very full skirt that comes to her ankles and this
skirt has very long d ep pockets and when I asked her why she had such pockets
in her skirt her answer was,

n

Wal you sees honey I jes am used tor dis dress

and thar is no way foh youse to had me git shud of hit, dese pockets is
powerful venient foh weh I goes inter some ones house why I turns dese pockets
wrong side out and dat always brings me good luck*
Mary contends that she always wears three petticoats*
"Marse Thamos lived in a big log house wid a big plantation all around
hit.

He had three hundred slaves on de two plantations.

was good ter us niggers*

Marse Thames sho

No nigger mus whoop his stock wid a switch.

heared him say many time donft youse niggers whoop dese miles.
would you like to have me whoop you dat way?Tt
dem niggers if he cotohed dem.
here all dis time.

t! f

I se

Hew would you

And he sho would whoop dem

Lawd have mercy who whould he*r thot Ifd be

Ifd thot Ifd be ded and gone.

All dese ole niggers try

to be so uppity by jes bein raised in de house and cause dey was "why dey think
is Quality*

Some of dese nigger gals was raised in de house but most of dem

was made work ebery whar on de plantation.

My Massa has his nigger gals to

lay fence worms, mak fences, shuck corn, hoe corn en terbacoo, wash, iron, and
de missus try to teach de nigger gals to sew and knit.
aint got no sense nuf ter do fancy things*

But shucks niggers

Sometimes I tended de chilluns.

"Yah, yah, I sho do member Abraham Lincoln*
like Mr* Lincoln, but pshaw, all de niggers did.

My Missus and Massa did not
I member him, I seed him

o&oe, soon after I was freed*
n

Pshaw, dey was hard times durin de war, my Missus and sum of de nigger

gals and de chilluns hae to stay in the woods several days ter keep way from
de soldiers*

Day eat all de chickens and kilt the cows and tuk de horses and

vm sho so&irt out dar wid dem varmints roving r  un*


108
81.
"Nigger aint got no business being sot free, niggers still oughter
be slaves.

Us niggers did not hev to bother bout do victuals sor nuthin.

ft

Wen my Missis called us niggers gether and told us we was free I was

as happy as a skinned frog but you seed I didn!t have any sense.
i

are fools.

All niggers

Now she says, she did, you can all stay here en work en we will

pay you foh your work, er you can work foh some body else, but I hev raised
i

I

you hones, and donTt you steal, and work foh nuf money so you wont hev to
steal it if youse gits hongry and haint got no money to buy vittals jus you ask

]

de white folks foh hit and dey will giv hit to youse.
and Massa so much.

Oh how I miss my Missis

Wish I hed dem now.

"Shucks on dese niggers and dar ways now.

I lef de plantation my old

Missus and Massa home and got on a steam boat on de Ohio Ribber and nursed de
chiilun foh de Captain and hefs wife on dat boat foh about two year.

An den

He,He,He, a nigger don got much sense, Miss Fannie an Mr. Harry Campbell whot
paid me foh my work onde ;-oat gives Five Dollars foh de work en Ifse didn*t
hev sense nuf ter know what ter do wid dis money.
buys me a cedar tub and filled hit wid candy.

So I goes ter de store en

Miss Fannie gave me back de

money foh de tub an den I ate nuf candy ter git sick and den Miss Fannie took
- de candy back to de store and she got my money back, she did.
n

But shucks, I did not no whot ter do wid de money.

Wen I lef Miss

Fannie I rode to Henderson on a log raft en wen I got dar dey was a big cirous
and sum one was sayin, "de perade be here directly, He,He,He, I didn*t no whot
dey meant, big ignorant fool dat I was and still is, en wen I seed de elephants
and de uther varmints I ran like a big pop-eyed fool nigger cause I never deed
such things.

Dat day on de road in town I met my ole Missus MoElroy en she had

me ter help her wid de chilluns and tuk me ter de circus and wen I got in de
tent and saw all de cages and things I was sho scairt of ebery thing till I
seed dem babboons dem I felt all right and at home cause I jes knowed dey was


8Z.
my first cousins.

109

I stayed in Henderson foh sometime working foh furst one

and tother en den Mr. lenry Shackleford hired me en brung me to Christian
County.

Not long fore I was married ter Albert Wooldridge we sho had a big

wedding

Zack Major a nigger preacher of de Baptist faith did de ceremony

right here in Hopkinsvi11e#
n

Yes, sho I has ben a mid-wife or granny   

All dese high falutin things

day is doin now in child birth is tommy-rot dey oughter hev jes grannies now.
I livered more babies den most doctors sometimes de white folks had doctors
but I don't take no stock in dese doctors.

De furst thing you does wen a new

baby is born is ter let hit lay twenty minutes den cut de cord and dan grease
a scortched rag wid lard jes hog lard on don put de belly band on den grease
de baby all over.

Neb or wash de baby till tis over a week ole.

V/en de babies

had colic I'd take dirt dobber nest and make a tea, den giv did ter de baby.
Sometimes if I couldn't fin no dirt dobber nes I would git a spider web and
make a tea den giv dis or else jes shake de baby by de heels.

If folks would

tend ter babies like dey us ter why dese people now wouldn't hev heapt trouble.
M

Sho I seed a ghost once, I seed Miss Annie Wooldridge after she died up

here on Main St.

I was jes settin on de back porch steps jes a lookin while

de white folks was er eatin supper.
her dat day.

Miss Annie allways got de eggs en I seed

She jes come thru de hen house . door en hit was locked en den

thru de pantry door and hit was locked en I jes called her daughter and I knowed
I seed her,, sho, I did, it who was Miss Annie.
"Of course dar is hanted houses.

De ole Sharp house were dat er way

and all de Sharps were ded but dis house were empty.

You neber did see anything

but I sho had heared de doors slam en de silver rattle en at night in my
cabin near to hit I'd sees lights bob up en down.

Any body in dis town can tell

you dats so foh dey tore dis house down ter run de hants eraway.


83.
"People don

  w

110

other bout de moon much now but if dey would lissen ter

de ole niggers day would always hev good crops*

Now if you plant pertatoes

by de dark of de moon you will always hev good crops en if you plant dem on
de light of de moon den you hes all vine*
den you has a goodorop*

Corn planted on de light de moon

Ifse oiows cause I ken member fore de niggers were

freed you could jes plant by de moon and plant anything in God's ground en by
de moon en de crops would grow*

Now dey jes buther up God's ground en put

ole stinky messy fertilizer on hit en de crops jes burn up* "Nobody oughter
mess wid God's ground*
"I'se a Publican who ever heared of a Democrat nigger*

Nigger neber

did own enything so dey cant be Democrats en if dey vote a Democrat ticket dey
is jes votin a lie*

Cause no nigger neber did own slaves only the old nigger

slave t raders and dey werent nuthin but varmints anyway.

Ye jes has to hev

owned slaves to vote a Demoonat ticket en den no nigger eber did own slaves
er had nothing-"
^   -Mtft-

(24iry lives in Clarksville, Pike R.R* #1, Hopkinsville, Kentucky) C^ %
1 6(^)09
Coal Mine Slaves:

^ \^

CALDWiSLL CO* (Mary E# O'Malley)

In 1836 large numbers of slaves were brought into Caldwell

and worked by the owners of the ore mines, which necessitated extra patrols,
interfered with local workmen, and so on*

The taxpayers complained to the

Legislature and an extra tax was allowed to be levied for the benefit of the
county.

In other books we find that the owners of the slaves who worked in

these mines was President Andrew Jackson who brought his slaves from Nashville
to the iron and lead mines in Caldwell and Crittenden counties; he is said
to have made several trips himself to these mines.
The Missing; Man:
tf

In 1860 Mr* Jess Stevens owned a negro slave, and his wife.

Jess

Williams, who lived in the north end of the county, bought the old slave,


84.

HI

"but did not ouy his wife.
"One day one of Jess William's boys went to Edward

Stevens and an

argument followed, causing Mr* Stevens to shoot him in the aria.

Later Jess

Williams took the old negro and went to the field where Edward Stevens
and the boy were planting corn.

They hid behind a tree and the negro was

givefi the gun and was told to shoot when Stevens came down the road by them.
tf

He came by slowly covering corn but the negro did not shoot.

Williams

said, "Why didn't you shoot?" and the negro replied, "Massie, I just^ didn't
have de heart*11
shoot you.11

Williams aaid, "If you don't shoot next time, I!m going to

When Stevens started by the negro shoe and killed him, tearing

his hoe handle into splinters   
One day a salesman , who rode a fine horse and had a beaiitiful saddle
came to Princeton and later went to the Williams home.

Several days later

his people got anxious about him, and after checking up they found that he
was last seen going into the Williams home.

Several days later his people

found his hat floating upon a pond near the house, and a few weeks later one
of the Williams boys came to town riding the saddle that the salesman had
ridden a few months before    
The old negro slave went to Mr# Stevens to visit his wife, and while
he and Mr* Stevens were in the field a spy was hidden in the ambush listening to the conversationd)out the salesman*

When the old slave returned home

he was t ied to the tail of a young mule, which was turned loose in a new
ground and was dragged, bruised and almost killed*

Edward Williams, son of

Jess Williams, found the old slave and cut him loose*

His father and brother

found it out and started out to hunt him, intending to kill him, but he
managed to dodge them.
Mr. Jess Stevens was walking along a path the next morning and heard
a mournful groan, and after looking for awhile found the old slave*

The


wn

T

.88.

US

worms had eaten his face and he was almost dead.

The people brought him to

the courthouse and began ringing the bell to let the people know that some
injustic had been done.

When one became tired another took his place.

The

bell rang both night and day until most of the citizens of the county came to
see what was wrong.

A number of men went in daytime, without mask or disquise,

to the Williams home and hung Jess Williams.

They intended to hang the two

boys but they got away*
., gK%/  *..,   --  :'i!.^'    '  *'- -

.,)'

BALLARD Co. (J.R. Wilkerson)

\L >. H

During the period ofj slavery in the Purchase Region, buying and selling slaves was carried ondb irregular intervals.
place at the home of the slave owner.

The trading usually took

The prices paid for slaves was

dependent upon certain conditions. In case of a full grown, robust negro
boy the price was sometimes as much as one thousand dollars. The prices
paid was varied according to the age, the general health and other conditions
of the individual.
At times pathetic scenes prevailed in the selling of slaves; namely,
the separation of mother and child.
taken away from his or her mother.

Often, a boy or girl would be sold and
In many cases the parting would be perman-

ent and the child and its mother would never see each other again.
The slave owner maintained separate housing quarters for his slaves.

In

some cases the living quarters of slaves was comfortable and agreeable; in
other cases, living conditions of slaves was anything but agreeable*

Some

masters were reasonably gentle to their slaves, while othercr were cruel*
One of the sadddest, darkest and most pathetic conditions that existed
during the period of slavery was the intimate mingling of slave owners, in
fact maaay white men* with negro women.

It has become known that very often

a slave was sold who was the direct offspring of his or her owner*

This

practice prevailed to some extent in the Purchase Region* but was not universal*


113
86.
VJhen the emancipation proclamation becano effective and the slaves were
given freedom, some of them prefered to remain with their mastersf while
others started out into the world for themselves  

Very often, some of

tho slaves, who had anticipated that liberty meant more to them than
anything else, and who went out into the cold world of indifference, soon
returned to their old masters.

They found that their former home was a

much better place to abode than anything outside of it.
Recreations of slaves:
The following is an old fashion ballad that was sung during tho period
of slavery and which was very common throughout tho Purchase Region:

"Jeff

Davis rode a big white horse, but Lincoln rode a mule     Jeff Davis was a
fine, smart man, arid Lincoln wt\s a fool.

Jeff Davis had a fine white; Lincoln

only had a mule -- Jeff Dvris was a wonderful man and Lincoln was a fool".
Ring dancing was largely practiced during the slavery period.
was this participated in throughout the Purchase Region.

Especially

T^is was a rather

primative kind of dancing and was performed mostly by negro children.

The

general procedure was to draw a ring on the ground, ranging from 15 to 30
feet in diameter*

The size of the ring to be used was determined by the

number of persons who vfore engaged in tho dancing ring.

Hie youngsters

would congregate within the ring and dance to the rhythmic hand clapping
and rhytm of the tambourine, v/hich vfas performed by the white people in the
community.
Sometimes large congregations witnessed these primitive affairs, and
they became a great Saturday evening entertainment for the community at large.
During the peridds of intermission* the youngsters, who had engaged in the
dancingwould be given a kind of feast on barbecued meat and cider drinking*
M the conclusion of this brief festivity, they would continue in their


114
87.
dancing, and very often this hilarity would be carried on well into the
evening*
Another kind of entertainment, which was practiced during the period
of slavery, was the singing of negro folk songs and spirituals*

The darkies

would hold gatherings of this kind at the homes of individuals or members,
and engage in singing their favorite songs.

These singings were generally

held during the evenings, especially on Saturdays and Sundays, and not only
a 'forded a favorite pass time for the darkies; but also for white people.
Most always, the singings were attended by R large audience of white people,
men, women and children.

Those gatherings grew with increasing popularity,

until they becanio one of tho most favorite classes of amusement.
Also, the darkies were very fond of sports, such as were common to. the
period, and many of them were very doxtorous in the loading sports o? the
day.

One of the most com-on of these was hurdle racing.

Here, the con-

testants would leap over hurdles that were placed at regular intervals apart.
At time, numerous participants would engage in these races, and the sport would
extend over the entire day.
hurtling.

There was a kind of jumping too, which was called

In the snort, the contestants made use of a hurtling pole, which

was a small rigid-pole about 12 feet in length.

The jumper would take a

long running start, which would enable him to take on additional momentum;
and with the assistance of the hurtling pole, would leap over a hurdle that
was placed a considerable elevation above the ground.
this kind of jumping was leaping over a high hurdle.

The chief object in
The contestant, who

made the highest leap, was awarded the highest honors of the contest*

A

second, third and fourth honors were awarded too*
Another kind of contest was called

n

A free for all".

Here a ring was

drawn on the ground which ranged from about 15 ft. to 30 ft. in diameter depending on the number of contestants who engaged in the combat.

Each participant


115
88.
was given a kind of bag that was stuffed with cotton and rags into a very
compact mass.

Ylhen so stuffed, the bags would weigh on an average of 10

pounds, and was used by the contestants in striking their antagonist*

Each

combatant picked whichever opponent he desired and attempted to subdue him
by pounding him over the head with the bag, which he used as his weapon of
defense*

And which was used as an offending weapon*

The contest was con-

tinued in this manner till every combatant was counted out, and a hero of the
contest proclaimed.

Some times two contestants were adjudged heroes, and it

was necessary to run a contest between the two combatants before a final hero
could be proclaimed.

Then tho two antagonist v/ould stage a battle royal and

would continue in the conflict till one was proclaimed victorious.
Sometimes these Free-For-All battles were carried on with a kind of
improvised boxing gloves, and the contests were carried on in the same manner
as previously described.

Very often, as many as 30 darkies of the most

husky type were engaged in these battles, and the contests were generally
attended by large audiences.

Being staged during the period of facorable

v/eatber, and mostly on Saturday afternoon; these physical exhibitions were
the seenes of much controversial conflict, gambling, excessive inebriation
and hilarity.
Banjo and guitar playing were practiced by the many darkies of the
slavery period also.

These were on the order of concerts; and many darkies

although they had no scientific training, became rather accomplished musicians
in this respect.

Melodious music might be heard at these old fashion contests,

as most darkies, who acquired knowledge in the playing of these instruments
were familiar with nearly all the melodies and folks songs that were common to
the period*
(The foregoing is copied verbatim from conversation with Tinie Force,


89.
and Elvira Lewis, LaCenter, Ky*

^G

These 2 negro women are very familiar with

the slavery period, as they were both slaves, and many of the facts common
to that time were witnessed by them* )
LMmiCE GO* (Edna Lane Carter)
Extract from the Civil War diary kept by Elphas P. Hylton, a Lawrence
Co* volunteer in the Union Army:

"On 17th of July (1864) I was detailed for

picket duty and saw three thousand negro soldiers on a grand review, a black
cloud to see*

On the 18th I was relieved of duty*

as a soldier on account of the negro,negro,negro*

Here I became dissatisfied
On the 23rd we began to

get ready to leave this negro hole and on the 24th, to our great joy and
gladness, we were sent into camp near Danville*11
Leslie Co*

(Viola Bowling)

Mclntosh was a very progressive farmer and had a large supply of food,
being a Rebel of the Rebel Army camped at the mouth of this creek near his
home where they could secure food*
who was drafted into the Union Army*

He had a slave called "Henry Mclntosh*1
He did not want to go but his master

told him* "Well Honry you will have to go, do not steal, nor lie and be good
and when you get out come on back."

He did come back and stayed here until

he died, he later married and was the father of "Ben Mclntosh (colored) who
later lived in Hyden for years*

Mclntosh did not have any help on his farm

after this slave was taken away from him*

So he let the youth of 16 years

Mr* Wooton, come to his home and help him get wood and work about the place*
Mclntosh had another slave but gave him to his son-in-law John Hyden, who
then lived one mile up Cutshin from the Mouth of Mclntosh*

He had a small

store which was the first store in that community*
Garrard Co* (Sue Higgins)
Myth: Nations about nature when the stars fell in 1833.
Afc the-014 Thomas Keim^dy farm (Uncle Tcmfs Cabin), young Tom and some


117
90    
more boys were playing cards in one of the negro cabins*
wwnt to the cabin door and called loudly,-"Mas? r TomI
heavens is falling."

He continued to call*

old negro wepats".

raining down.

Come quiok, the whole

After much persuasion and

repeated calls from the old negro, young Tom said,
the D

One of the slaves

rt l

I ll go and see what,

Young Tom went to the door and saw the stars

He ran to the big house and jumped on a feather bed, and

prayed loudly for help*
Mrs* Jennie Slavin*
When she was a child, Mrs* Slavin was our nearest neighbor.
her father used to tell her these tales*

She said

William Kavanaugh was her father*

Webster Co   (j* Dunbar.)
Slaves were brought and sold in Clay at one time*
negro woman in good health sold for $300 to $500   
man sold for #1,000*

A large, stout

A large stout negro

Children were sold for $150 to #200.

Mr# Tom

Johnson, who is living now, states his father was a slave trader and was the
chief sheriff of Webster Co*
part of the country.

The runaway slaves were usually caught in this

The reward was usually $100*00*
CALDVffiILL CO. (Mary E# O'Malley)

The following story was given by a oolored woman, Esther Hudespeth, who
was once sold as a slave*
u

It was told to her by her slave mother in 1840*

A long time ago there lived a rabbit and a coon*

together*

They lived so close

One morning Mr* Coon came by after Mr* Rabbit, and wanted him to

go over to see some girls with him*

So Mr* Rabbit agreed and went with Mr*

Coon*

Mir* Coon and the girls had some fun making fun of Mir* Rabbit's short

tail*

Mr* Rabbit was very glad when the time came for him to go home, be-

cause he was tired of being talked about*
water, and Mr*

Mr. Coon had to go get a drizik of

Rabbit told the girls that Mr* Coon was his riding horse and

he would ride him when he came back*

By the time he got thru telling the


11

8

91.
girls, Mr. Coon called to Mr. Rabbit that ho was ready to go.

Mr. Coon

had enjoyed himself so much, while Mr. Rabbit had not.
The no;:t day Mr. Coon came by for Mr. Rabbit to go with him to see the girls.
Mr. Rabbit played sick.

I am too sick to wulk ovor there, he said.

said, I will carry you on my back if you want to ride.
I cant ride on your back.

Mr. Coon

No, said Mr. Rabbit,

I will fall off.

Mr. Rabbit said, If you will let me put this saddle and bridle on you,
I will go.
on Mr. Coon.

So Mr. Coon agreed to let Mr. Rabbit put the saddle and bridle
So they went along thru the woods.

Tflhen they got in sight of the

House, Mr. Coon told Mr. Rabbit to get off   that he did not want the girls to
see him on his back.

Mr. Rabbit pulled out a whip and began to whip Mr* Coon,

hollowing so the girls would see him, and made Mr. Coon go up to the hitching
rack.

There Mr. Rabbit hitched Mr. Ccon and went in the house and enjoyed him*

self with the girls, while Mr. Coon pawed the ground.

Mr. Rabbit bad   the girls

goodbye, and never did Mr. Coon come after Mr. Rabbit to go to see the girls
with him.
Anderson Co. (Mildred Roberts)
Many of the f ollowing stories were related by Mr. W.B. Morgan who at
one time owned and operated a livery barn.

He hired several negroes to look

after the horses and hacks, and remembers many funny tales about them and
others:
I

"Kie Coleman, one of my employees, was standing without the livery stable
smoking a two-fer cigar that some one had given him.

Another negro walked up

to chat with him, and he reared baok and said"Get away nigger, nothing but the
rich can endure life."
!t

I was hauling grain for the distillery.

One morning I came down to the

barn, and Kie was too drunk to take his team out.

I gave him a good going

over about wasting his money that way instead of saving it for a deoent


119
92.
funeral.

This is one of the best ways to appeal to a darkey because if there

is any thing they like it is a big funeral.
"He just kinda staggered up to me and said "Boss, I donft worry a bit
about dat.

"White folks donft like to smell a live nigger and I!se knows good

1
and well da hainft gwine to lebe no dead nigger laying on top of de groun     ."
^ %    ?P -t; H* -T*    V

,!

I furnished the horses for the hearse, and one night I tole the boys

to leave it in the stable because we were going to have another funeral the
next' day.
"Each night one of the boys had to sleep in the office, and this particular
night it was Billfs turn.
tious.

Bill was an old, One -legged negro and very

supersti-

He said,:

"Boss, this is my night to stay here, and you know, boss, 1 sho likes to
work for you, but I jest tells you now there jest hainft room in this here
house fer me and that black wagon at night."

I moved the hearse."

KIJOX CO. (Stewart Carey)
Some slaves ware owned in Knox Co., most of them being in Barbourville
where they served as house-servants.

The negro men worked around the house

and garden, while the women were cooks and maids.

The slaves usually lived

in small one-room houses at the rear of their masters home, and were generally
well fed and clothed.

*

There was some trading of slaves among the Barbourville and Knox County
owners, and few were sold at Public Auction.    These public sales were held on
Courthouse Square, and some few slaves were bought and sold by "Negro Traders"
who made a business of the traffic in blaoks.

Occassionally a negro man would

be sold away from his family and sent away, never to see his people again.
CIARK CO. (Mayme Kunnelley)
Most Kentucky superstitions are common to all classes of people because


120
93*
the negroes originally obtained most of their superstitions from the white
and because the superstitions of most part of Kentucky are in almost all cases
not recent invention but old survivals from a time when they were generally
accepted by all germanic peoples and by all Indo^Europeans.
The only class of original contributions made by the negroes to our
stook of superstitions is that of the hoodoo or voodoo signs which are brought
from Africa by the ancestors of the present colored people of America*

On the

arrival of the negro in America, his child like mind was readily receptive
to the white manfs superstitions.
The Black slave and servants in Kentucky and elsewhere in the South have
frequently been the agents through which the minds of white children have been
sown with these supernatural beliefs, some of which have remained permanently
with them.
negroes*

Nearly all classes of superstitions find acceptance among the
The most widely prevalent are beliefs concerning haunted houses,

weather signs, bad luck and good luck signs, charm curse and cures and hoodoo
signs.

Their beliefs that the date of the planting of vegetables should be

determined by the phases of the moon is unshaken*
Casey Co.

(R#L. Nesbitt)

"While slavery existed in Casey Co., as in other conties of the State,
before the Civil War, there are no negroes living the tft cmmty today who
were born into slavery; and very few white people who can remember customs,
incidents, or stories of the old slavery days.

It is known that the first

slaves in the county were those brought here from Virginia by the early white
settlers of the county; and that until they were given their freedom, the
slaves were well cared for and kindly treated.

They lived in comfortable

cabins on the lands of their owners, well fed and clothed, given the rudiments of spiritual and educational training, necessary medical attention in
sickness; and it was not unusmai for some slave owners to give a slave his or


121
her freedom as a reqard for faithful or unusual services*

If there was any

of the so-called "Underground Railway11 method used to get slaves out of the
state, as was the case in many c unties, there are no current stories or legends
relative to such to "bo heard in the county today*

It is thought that the

slaves of Casey Sounty were so well cared for and so faithful and loyal to
their masters that very few of them cared to teave and go to non-slavery states
in the North*

So there was little, if any, call for any secret methods to

provide for their escape*

Even after they were given their freedom, many slaves

refused to leave their masters and spent the remainder of their lives in the
service and as charges of thair former owners*

The present generation of course

knows nothing of slavery, and even the older people know only what was told
them by the forebears, and no especially interesting stories or legends are
current in the county today relative to slaves, or the customs of the old
slavery days before the War between the States*
CHRISTIAN CO. (Mamie Hanbery)
HCO-DCOISM
A snake head an1 er lizard tail, Hoo-doo;
Not close den a mile of jail, Hoo-doo;
De snake mus1 be er rattlin1 one,
Mus1 be killed at set uv sun,
But never while hefs on de run, Hoo-doo*
Before you get de lizard cot, Hoo-doo;
You mus1 kill it on de spot, Hoo-doo;
Take de tail an1 hang it up,
Ketch de blood in a copper cup#
An* be sure itfs uv a pup, Hoo-doo*
Wait until sum stormy weather, Hoo-doo;
Put do head an1 feet together, Hoo-doo;
In a dry olf terrapin shell,
Let fem stay fer a good long spell,
But don't you ever try to sell, Hoo-doo*
De rattlers mus* be jus1 seben* Hoo-doo;
But mus1 not be ober teben, Hoo-doo;
He mus* be curl'd up fix*d to fight,
But see dat you don1 let him bite,
Den you hit wfen de time is right, Hoo-doo#


122
Ef you do, itfs piver is dead, Hoo-doo;
1
Cause it is all right in de head, Hoo-doo;
Save de head and do buttons, too,
Per de work you'll have ter do,
You will need fem till youfre thru, Hoo-doo#
Ketch a live scorpen wid you han1, Hoo-doo;
Drown in aarefs milk in a pan, Hoo-ddo;
Den dry it on a pure lime rock,
Ninety-nine minutes by do clock, Hoo-dco*
Den git a hand which is a bag, Hoo-doo;
Made uv any sort uv rag, Hoo-doo;

An1 let de top be color'd blue,

Den git de hair frum out de shoe, Hoo-doo*
Now wern you find de folks ainft well, Hoo-doo;
An1 dey wants yu to move de spell, Hoo-doo;
Git your gredients together,
Ster dem up wid a goose foather,
In sum dark anT cloudy weather, Hoo-doo   
Den put fem in de hoo-doo bag, Hoo-doo;
In dat little blue top rag, Hoo-doo;
Den slip fem in between de ticks,
Ef you wnat de conjure fixed,
Is de way you do de tricks, Hoo-doo   
Ef dey wants you to git Jem well, Hoo-doo;
Dat is de han* dat moves de spell, Hoo-doo;
Take it out before der eyes,
An* you rnus1 be awful sTprised.
And dey will think dat you is wise, Hoo-doo   
Den lay right down on your back, Hoo-doo;
Ef you hear de timbers crack, Hoo-doo;
Den yer knofs yer trick has won,
Den you111 ast er-bout de mon,
For you knofs yer work is done, Hoo-ddo*
Now ef you wants de conjure fixt, Hoo-doo;
All you do is to turn de tricks, Hoo-doo;
Jes git dat bottle what you had,
An? to make your patient glad,
Is but to make de conjurer mad, Hoo-doo*
HOPKINS CO.(Iff. Hanberry)
In this county practically no one owned m%re than one or two slaves as
as this was never a county of large plantations and large homes*

These slaves

were v/ell housed, in cabins, well clothed and well fed, not overworked and
seldom sold, were in closer touch with the "white folks'1 and therefore more


133

I

96.

I

i

intelligent than farther south where slaves lived in quarters and seldom came
in contact with their masters or the masters families,

j

When a gentleman

wished a slave he usually went to Hopkinsville and bought slaves there.
Occasionally one slave owner would buy one from another.

,f

If there was ever a

slave market in Madisonville or Hopkins County I do not remember it or ever heard
of itfw says J. M# Adams, book-keeper of Harlen Coal Company, age 84, ^adisonville, Ky.
MARTIN CO. (Cullen Jude)
In the year 1864, during the conflict between the North and South, a
new citizen was added to the town of Warfield*
a colored man.

His name was Alfred Richardson,

Heretofore the people would not permit negroes to live in

Warfield.
Richardson was in a skirmish at Warfield and was listed among the
northern people ws missing.
condition.

|
\

His leg was injured and he was in a serious

The good people living at Warfield had their sympathies dbirred

j
\

up by his condition and took him in and gave him food and medical attention
until he was able to work.

j

At first the people thought they had done a Samaritan Act, but as soon
as Alf had a chance to prove himself, he was considered a blessing and not a
curse.

He became the paper hanger for the town*

j

Then someone wanted to have

his hair cut and Alf proved to be an excellent barber.
He rented a sh$p and went into the barber business and made a success*
He oinaed considerable land, and other property when he died*

He lived and

died at Warfield* Kyv, and was considered one of its most up to date citizens*

  &hfi*cfe  ftfei&!    -.