Indiana

Slave Narrative of Alex & Elizabeth Smith

Interviewer: Henrietta Karwowski Person Interviewed: Mr. and Mrs. Alex Smith Location: South Bend, Indiana Age: 83 Place of Residence: 127 North Lake Street, South Bend, Indiana Henrietta Karwowski, Field Worker Federal Writers’ Project St. Joseph County-District #1 South Bend, Indiana EX-SLAVES MR. AND MRS. ALEX SMITH 127 North Lake Street South Bend, Indiana Mr. and Mrs. Alex Smith, an eighty-three year old negro couple were slaves in Kentucky near Paris, Tennessee, as children. They now reside at 127 North Lake Street, on the western limits of South Bend. This couple lives in a little shack patched up with tar paper, … Read more

Slave Narrative of America Morgan

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: America Morgan Location: Indiana Place of Birth: Ballard County, Kentucky Date of Birth: 1852 Place of Residence: 816 Camp Street Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue FOLKLORE MRS. AMERICA MORGAN-EX-SLAVE 816 Camp Street America Morgan was born in a log house, daubed with dirt, in Ballard County, Kentucky, in 1852, the daughter of Manda and Jordon Rudd. She remembers very clearly the happenings of her early life. Her mother, Manda Rudd, was owned by Clark Rudd, and the “devil has sure got him.” Her father was … Read more

Slave Narrative of Edna Boysaw

Interviewer: Walter R. Harris Person Interviewed: Edna Boysaw Location: Brazil, Indiana Age: (about) 87 Special Assignment Walter R. Harris District #3 Clay County LIFE STORY OF EX-SLAVE MRS. EDNA BOYSAW Mrs. Boysaw has been a citizen of this community about sixty-five years. She resides on a small farm, two miles east of Brazil on what is known as the Pinkley Street Road. This has been her home for the past forty years. Her youngest son and the son of one of her daughters lives with her. She is still very active, doing her housework and other chores about the farm. … Read more

Slave Narrative of Richard Miller

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: Richard Miller Location: Indiana Place of Birth: Danville, Kentucky Date of Birth: January 12, 1843 Place of Residence: 1109 North West Street Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue FOLKLORE RICHARD MILLER-AN OLD SOLDIER 1109 North West Street Richard Miller was born January 12, 1843 in Danville, Kentucky. His mother was an English subject, born in Bombay, India and was brought into America by a group of people who did not want to be under the English government. They landed in Canada, came on to Detroit, stayed … Read more

Slave Narrative of John Rudd

Interviewer: Lauana Creel Person Interviewed: John Rudd Location: Evansville, Indiana Place of Birth: Springfield, Kentucky Date of Birth: December 25, 1854 Age: 83 Ex-Slave Stories District #5 Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel TOLD BY JOHN RUDD, AN EX-SLAVE “Yes, I was a slave,” said John Rudd, “And I’ll say this to the whole world, Slavery was the worst curse ever visited on the people of the United States.” John Rudd is a negro, dark and swarthy as to complexion but his nose is straight and aqualine, for his mother-was half Indian. The memory of his mother, Liza Rudd, is sacred to … Read more

Slave Narrative of Robert McKinley

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: Robert McKinley Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Place of Birth: Stanley County, N.C. Date of Birth: 1849 Place of Residence: 1664 Columbia Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana Occupation: “herb doctor” Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana FOLKLORE ROBERT MCKINLEY-EX-SLAVE 1664 Columbia Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana Robert McKinley was born in Stanley County, N.C., in 1849, a slave of Arnold Parker. His master was a very cruel man, but was always kind to him, because he had given him (Bob) as a present to his favorite daughter, Jane Alice, and … Read more

Slave Narrative of Adeline R. Lennox

Interviewer: Albert Strope Person Interviewed: Adeline Rose Lennox Location: Elkhart, Indiana Place of Birth: Middle / Paris, Tennessee Date of Birth: October 25, 1849 Place of Residence: 1400 South Sixth Street, Elkhart, Indiana Albert Strope, Field Worker Federal Writers’ Project St. Joseph County-District #1 Mishawaka, Indiana ADELINE ROSE LENNOX-EX-SLAVE 1400 South Sixth Street, Elkhart, Indiana Adeline Rose Lennox was born of slave parents at Middle-sometimes known as Paris-Tennessee, October 25, 1849. She lived with her parents in slave quarters on the plantation of a Mr. Rose for whom her parents worked. These quarters were log houses, a distance from the … Read more

Slave Narrative of Candus Richardson

Interviewer: Harry Jackson Person Interviewed: Candus Richardson Location: Indiana Place of Residence: 2710 Boulevard Place Age: 90 Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Harry Jackson EX SLAVE STORY MRS. CANDUS RICHARDSON [HW: Personal Interview] Mrs. Candus Richardson, of 2710 Boulevard Place, was 18 years of age when the Civil War was over. She was borned a slave on Jim Scott’s plantation on the “Homer Chitter river” in Franklin county, Mississippi. Scott was the heir of “Old Jake Scott”. “Old Jim Scott” had about fifty slaves, who raised crops, cotton, tobacco, and hogs. Candus cooked for Scott … Read more

Slave Narrative of H. H. Edmunds

Interviewer: Albert Strope Person Interviewed: Rev. H. H. Edmunds Location: Elkhart, Indiana Place of Birth: Lynchburg, Virginia Date of Birth: 1859 Place of Residence: 403 West Hickory Street Elkhart, Indiana Albert Strope, Field Worker Federal Writers’ Project St. Joseph County-District #1 Mishawaka, Indiana EX-SLAVE REV. H.H. EDMUNDS 403 West Hickory Street Elkhart, Indiana Rev. H.H. Edmunds has resided at 403 West Hickory Street in Elkhart for the past ten years. Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1859, he lived there for several years. Later he was taken to Mississippi by his master, and finally to Nashville, Tennessee, where he lived until … Read more

Slave Narrative of Katie Sutton

Interviewer: Lauana Creel Person Interviewed: Katie Sutton Location: Evansville, Indiana Folklore District #5 Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel “A TRADITION FROM PRE-CIVIL WAR DAYS” KATIE SUTTON, AGED EX-SLAVE Oak street, Evansville, Ind. “White folks ‘jes naturally different from darkies,” said Aunt Katie Sutton, ex-slave, as she tightened her bonnet strings under her wrinkled chin. “We’s different in color, in talk and in ligion and beliefs. We’s different in every way and can never be spected to think oe [TR: or?] to live alike.” “When I was a little gal I lived with my mother in an old log cabin. My mammy … Read more

Slave Narrative of Thomas Lewis

Interviewer: Estella R. Dodson Person Interviewed: Thomas Lewis Location: North Summit Street, Bloomington, Indiana Place of Birth: Spencer County, Kentucky Date of Birth: 1857 Submitted by: Estella R. Dodson District #11 Monroe County Bloomington, Ind. October 4, 1937 INTERVIEW WITH THOMAS LEWIS, COLORED North Summit Street, Bloomington, Ind. I was born in Spencer County, Kentucky, in 1857. I was born a slave. There was slavery all around on all the adjoining places. I was seven years old when I was set free. My father was killed in the Northern army. My mother, step-father and my mother’s four living children came … Read more

Slave Narrative of Betty Jones

Interviewer: Lauana Creel Person Interviewed: Elizabeth Jones Location: 429 Oak Street, Evansville, Indiana Ex-Slave Stories District No. 5 Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel THE STORY OF BETTY JONES 429 Oak Street, Evansville, Ind. From an Interview with Elizabeth Jones at 429 Oak Street, Evansville, Ind. “Yes Honey, I was a slave, I was born at Henderson, Kentucky and my mother was born there. We belonged to old Mars John Alvis. Our home was on Alvis’s Hill and a long plank walk had been built from the bank of the Ohio river to the Alvis home. We all liked the long plank … Read more

Slave Narrative of Amy E. Patterson

Interviewer: Lauana Creel Person Interviewed: Amy Elizabeth Patterson Location: Evansville, Indiana Place of Birth: Cardiz, Trigg County, Kentucky Date of Birth: July 12, 1850 Place of Residence: 512 Linwood Avenue, Evansville, Indiana Age: 87 Ex-Slave Stories District #5 Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel MEMORIES OF SLAVERY AND THE LIFE STORY OF AMY ELIZABETH PATTERSON The slave mart, separation from a dearly beloved mother and little sisters are among the earliest memories recalled by Amy Elizabeth Patterson, a resident of Evansville, Indiana. Amy Elizabeth, now known as “Grandmother Patterson” resides with her daughter Lula B. Morton at 512 Linwood Avenue near Cherry … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mandy Cooper

Interviewer: Wm R. Mays Person Interviewed: Frank Cooper Narrative of: Mandy Cooper Location: 715 Ott St., Franklin, Indiana Died at Age: 115 Wm. R. Mays Dist. 4 Johnson County, Ind. July 29, 1937 SLAVERY DAYS OF MANDY COOPER OF LINCOLN COUNTY, KENTUCKY FRANK COOPER 715 Ott St., Franklin, Ind. Frank Cooper, an aged colored man of Franklin, relates some very interesting conditions that existed in slavery days as handed down to him by his mother. Mandy Cooper, the mother of Frank Cooper, was 115 years old when she died; she was owned by three different families: the Good’s, the Burton’s, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Lizzie Johnson

Interviewer: Irene Robertson Person Interviewed: Lizzie Johnson Location: Biscoe, Arkansas Place of Birth: Holly Springs, Mississippi Age: 65 Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue FOLKLORE MRS. LIZZIE JOHNSON 706 North Senate Avenue, Apt. 1 Mrs. Johnson’s father, Arthur Locklear, was born in Wilmington, N.C. in 1822. He lived in the South and endured many hardships until 1852. He was very fortunate in having a white man befriend him in many ways. This man taught him to read and write. Many nights after a hard days work, he would lie on the … Read more

Slave Narrative of Henrietta Jackson

Interviewer: Virginia Tulley Person Interviewed: Henrietta Jackson Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana Virginia Tulley District #2 Fort Wayne, Indiana EX-SLAVE OF ALLEN COUNTY [MRS. HENRIETTA JACKSON] References: A. Ft. Wayne News Sentinel November 21, 1931 B. Personal interview [TR: There are no ‘A’ and ‘B’ annotations in the interview.] Mrs. Henrietta Jackson, Fort Wayne resident, is distinguished for two reasons; she is a centennarian and an ex-slave. Residing with her daughter, Mrs. Jackson is very active and helps her daughter, who operates a restaurant, do some of the lighter work. At the time I called, an August afternoon of over 90 … Read more

Slave Narrative of Anderson Whitted

Interviewer: Emily Hobson Person Interviewed: Anderson Whitted Location: Rockville, Indiana Place of Birth: Orange County, North Carolina Age: 88 Special Assignment Emily Hobson Dist. #3 Parke County INTERVIEW WITH ANDERSON WHITTED, COLORED EX-SLAVE, OF ROCKVILLE, INDIANA Mr. Whitted will be 89 years old next month October 1937. He was born in Orange County, North Carolina. His mother took care of the white children so her nine children were very well treated. The master was a Doctor. The family were Hickory Quakers and did not believe in mistreating their slaves, always providing them with plenty to eat, and clothing to wear … Read more

Slave Narrative of Matthew Hume

Interviewer: Grace Monroe Person Interviewed: Matthew Hume Location: Indiana Grace Monroe Dist. 4 Jefferson County SLAVE STORY MR. MATTHEW HUME, A FORMER SLAVE Mr. Hume had many interesting experiences to tell concerning the part slavery had played in his family. On the whole they were fortunate in having a good master who would not keep an overseer who whipped his “blacks”. His father, Luke Hume, lived in Trimble County Kentucky and was allowed to raise for himself one acre of tobacco, one acre of corn, garden stuff, chickens and have the milk and butter from one cow. He was advised … Read more

Slave Narrative of Samuel Watson

Interviewer: Lauana Creel Person Interviewed: Samuel Watson Location: Evansville, Indiana Place of Birth: Webster County, Kentucky Date of Birth: February 14, 1862 Ex-Slave Stories 5th District Vanderburgh County Lauana Creel 1415 S. Barker Avenue, Evansville, Indiana THE BIOGRAPHY OF A CHILD BORN IN SLAVERY SAMUEL WATSON [HW: Personal Interview] Samuel Watson, a citizen of Evansville, Indiana, was born in Webster County, Kentucky, February 14, 1862. His master’s home was located two and one half miles from Clay, Kentucky on Craborchard Creek. “Uncle Sammy” as the negro children living near his home on South East Fifth Street call the old man, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Robert Howard

Interviewer: Anna Pritchett Person Interviewed: Robert Howard Location: Indiana Place of Birth: Clara County, Kentucky Date of Birth: 1852 Place of Residence: 1840 Boulevard Place Federal Writers’ Project of the W.P.A. District #6 Marion County Anna Pritchett 1200 Kentucky Avenue FOLKLORE ROBERT HOWARD-EX-SLAVE 1840 Boulevard Place Robert Howard, an ex-slave, was born in 1852, in Clara County, Kentucky. His master, Chelton Howard, was very kind to him. The mother, with her five children, lived on the Howard farm in peace and harmony. His father, Beverly Howard, was owned by Bill Anderson, who kept a saloon on the river front. Beverly was … Read more