Black Genealogy

Slave Narrative of Aunt Mollie Moss

Person Interviewed: Mollie Moss Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Age: 82-83 Place of Residence: # 88 Auburn Street, Knoxville, Tennessee There is no street sign or a number on any of the ramshackled frame cottages that seemingly lean with the breezes, first one direction, then another, along the alley that wind’s through the city’s northernmost boundary and stops its meanderings at the doorstep of “Uncle Andrew Moss” and his wife, “Aunt Mollie.” The City Directory of Knoxville, Tennessee officially lists the Moss residence as # 88 Auburn Street. It rests upon its foundations more substantially, and is in better kept condition than … Read more

Slave Narrative of Julia Casey

Person Interviewed: Julia Casey Location: Nashville, Tennessee Place of Birth: Tennessee Place of Residence: 811 9th Avenue, So., Nashville, Tennessee I wuz bawn in West Tennessee en wuz six y’ars ole w’en war broke out. Mah Missis wuz Miss Jennie McCullough en she ma’ried Eldridge Casey. Mah Missis’s mammy wuz a widder en she gib me, mah mammy, man sistah Violet, mah two br’ers Andrew en Alfred ter Miss Jennie fer a wed’un gif’. Missis Jennie en Marster Eldridge brung us ter Nashville ‘fore de war sta’ted. Mah Missis wuz good ter us. I’se bin w’ll tuk keer ob, plenty … Read more

Slave Narrative of Rev. John Moore

Person Interviewed: Rev. John Moore Location: Nashville, Tennessee Place of Birth: Georgia Place of Residence: 809 7th Avenue So., Nashville, Tennessee “I wuz bawn in Georgia (exact time not known) en mah mammy wuz half Indian en mah daddy a slave. Both ob dem owned by William Moore. Sum time atter dat Marster Moore sold mah daddy en den de Moore Sistuhs looked atter me en wuz allus good ter me. “Lawdy, dey wuz good white folks.” “Durin’ slavery times de slaves would hab ter git fum dere marster a pas’ ‘fore dey could visit dere own people on de … Read more

Slave Narrative of Ann Matthews

Person Interviewed: Ann Matthews Location: Nashville, Tennessee Place of Birth: Murfreesboro, Tennessee Place of Residence: 719 9th Ave. South, Nashville, Tennessee “I wuz bawn in Murfreesboro on Stones River. I dunno how ole I ez en hit meks me ‘shamed ter tell peeple dat, but mah mammy would hit me in de mouth w’en I’d ax how ole I wuz. She say I wuz jes’ tryin’ ter be grown.” “Mah mammy’s name wuz Frankie en mah daddy wuz Henry Ken Kannon. Don’ member much ’bout mah mammy ‘cept she wuz a sho’t fat Indian ‘oman wid a turrible tempah. She … Read more

Slave Narrative of Andrew Moss

Person Interviewed: Andrew Moss Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Place of Birth: Wilkes County, Georgia Date of Birth: 1852 “One ting dat’s all wrong wid dis world today,” according to Andrew Moss, aged negro, as he sits through the winter days before an open grate fire in his cabin, with his long, lean fingers clasped over his crossed knees, “is dat dey ain no ‘prayer grounds’. Down in Georgia whar I was born,-dat was ‘way back in 1852,-us colored folks had prayer grounds. My Mammy’s was a ole twisted thick-rooted muscadine bush. She’d go in dar and pray for deliverance of de … Read more

Slave Narrative of Wiley Childress

Person Interviewed: Wiley Childress Location: Nashville, Tennessee Age: 83 Place of Birth: 808 Gay St., Nashville, Tennessee “I’se 83 Y’ars ole en wuz bawn a slave. Mah mammy b’longed ter de Bosley’s en mah daddy b’longed ter de Scales.” “W’en Miss Jane Boxley ma’ried Marster Jerry Scales, me en mah mammy, br’er en sistah wuz gib ter Miss Jane.” “Durin’ de war mah Missis tuk mah mammy en us chilluns wid her ter de mount’ins ’till de war wuz gon’. Did’nt see no soldiers. Don’t member now nuthin’ ’bout dem Klu Klux men en don’t member de ole songs er … Read more

Slave Narrative of Joseph Leonidas Star

Person Interviewed: Joseph Leonidas Star Location: 133 Quebec Place, Knoxville, Tennessee Place of Birth: Knoxville, Tennessee Age: 81? Occupation: Shoemaker, Poet If the poetic strain in the Dunbar Negroes of the south is an inheritance and not “just a gift from On High,” Knoxville, Tennessee’s aged Negro Poet,-born Joseph Leonidas Star,-but prominently known in the community as “Lee” Star, Poet, Politician and Lodge Man,-thinks that Georgia’s poetic genius Paul Lawrence Dunbar, “maybe took his writin’ spells” from him. “My grandfather and Paul Lawrence Dunbar’s grandfather was cousins. He were a much younger man than I am, for I was eighty-one … Read more

Slave Narrative of Patsy Hyde

Person Interviewed: Patsy Hyde Location: Nashville, Tennessee Place of Residence: 504 9th Avenue N., Nashville, Tennessee “Dunno how ole I ez. I wuz bawn in slavery en b’longs ter de Brown family. Mah Missis wuz Missis Jean R. Brown en she wuz kin ter Abraham Lincoln en I useter y’ar dem talkin’ ’bout ‘im livin’ in a log cabin en w’en he d’ed she had her house draped in black. Marster Brown wuz also good ter his slaves. De Missis promus Marster Brown on his de’th bed nebber ter let us be whup’d en she kep her wud. Sum ob … Read more

Slave Narrative of Frances Batson

Person Interviewed: Frances Batson Location: Nashville, Tennessee Place of Birth: Nashville, Tennessee Place of Residence: 1213 Scovel St., Nashville, Tennessee Age: 90+ “I dunno jes how ole I ez. I wuz baw’n ‘yer in Nashville, durin’ slabery. I must be way pas’ 90 fer I member de Yankee soldiers well. De chilluns called dem de ‘blue mans.’ Mah white folks wuz named Crockett. Dr. Crockett wuz our marster but I don’t member ‘im mahse’f. He d’ed w’en I wuz small. Mah marster wuz mean ter mah mammy w’en her oler chilluns would run ‘way. Mah oler br’er went ter war … Read more

Slave Narrative of Millie Simpkins

Person Interviewed: Millie Simpkins Location: Nashville, Tennessee Age: 109 Place of Residence: 1004 10th Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee “Black Mamie” I claims I’s 109 ye’ars ole en wuz bawn neah Winchester, Tennessee. Mah marster wuz Boyd Sims en mah missis wuz Sarah Ann Ewing Sims. Mah mammy wus named Judy Ewing en mah daddy wuz Moses Stephens en he wus “free bawn.” He wuz de marster’s stable boy en followed de races. He run ‘way en nebber kum back. Mah fust missis wuz very rich. She had two slave ‘omen ter dress her eve’y mawnin’ en I brought her breakfust ter … Read more

Slave Narrative of Measy Hudson

Person Interviewed: Measy Hudson Location: Nashville, Tennessee Place of Birth: North Carolina Age: 79-80 Place of Residence: 1209 Jefferson St., Nashville, Tennessee “Wuz bawn’ in North Carolina en I’se 90 y’ars ole in November. W’en war broke out we kum ter Tennessee en hab bin ‘yer eber since. Wuz ‘yer w’en old Hood fi’rd de cannons. He said he wuz kum’n ‘yer ter Christmas dinnah, but he didn’t do hit.” “Mah white folks wuz named Harshaw. Marster Aaron Harshaw d’ed en we wuz willed ter his chilluns en dat we wuz not ter be whup’d er ‘bused in anyway. We … Read more

Slave Narrative of Naisy Reece

Person Interviewed: Naisy Reece Location: Nashville, Tennessee Place of Birth: Williamson County TN Age: 80 “I wuz bawn in slavery, in Williamson County, guess I’se ’bout 80 y’ars ole. Think I wuz fou’ w’en de wah started.” “Mah mammy en daddy wuz Mary en Ennock Brown.” “Mah missis en marster wuz Polly en Randall Brown.” “Dunno ob any ob our fam’ly bein’ sold. W’en freedum wuz declar’ we wuz tu’n loose wid nothin’. Mah daddy tuk us down in de kuntry, raised crops en made us wuk in de fiel’.” “I’se cooked a leetle fer urther peeple, but mos’ ob … Read more

Slave Narrative of Fanny Smith Hodges

Interviewer: Mrs. W. F. Holmes Person Interviewed: Fanny Smith Hodges Location: Berglundtown, Mississippi Fanny Smith Hodges lives in Berglundtown, in the northern part of town, in the only Negro settlement within the corporate limits of McComb. “My name’s Fanny Hodges. I was Fanny Smith befo’ I was mar’ied. My mammy was Jane Weathersby, an’ she b’long ter old man Weathersby in Amite County. He was de meanes’ man what ever lived. My pappy was sol’ befo’ I was born. I doan know nothin’ ’bout him. I had one sister—her name was Clara—and one brudder—his name was Jack. Dey said my … Read more

Slave Narrative of Wayne Holliday

Interviewer: Mrs. Richard KolbPerson Interviewed: Wayne HollidayLocation: Aberdeen, MississippiPlace of Birth: Aberdeen, MississippiDate of Birth: 1853Age: 84 “I was born an’ raised in Aberdeen an’ I’se been a railroad nigger fo’ mos’ of my days. I’se retired now ’cause dey say I too old to work any longer, but shucks, I ain’t half dead yet. I was born in 1853 right here close to whar I live now. My folks b’longed to de Hollidays—you know de grand folks of Miss Maria Evans? An’ we stayed right dere in de lot whar de white folks lived. “My pa an’ my ma … Read more

Slave Narrative of James Lucas

Person Interviewed: James Lucas Location: Natchez Mississippi Place of Residence: Natchez, Adams County MS Date of Birth: October 11, 1833 James Lucas, ex-slave of Jefferson Davis, lives at Natchez, Adams County. Uncle Jim is small, wrinkled, and slightly stooped. His woolly hair is white, and his eyes very bright. He wears a small grizzled mustache. He is always clean and neatly dressed. “Miss, you can count up for yo’se’f. I was born on October 11, 1833. My young Marster give me my age when he heired de prope’ty of his uncle, Marse W.B. Withers. He was a-goin’ through de papers … Read more

Slave Narrative of Henry Ryan

Interviewer: G. Leland Summer Person Interviewed: Henry Ryan Date of Interview: August 18, 1937 Location: Newberry, South Carolina Place of Birth: Edgefield County SC Date of Birth: (about) 1854 “I was born in Edgefield county, S.C., about 1854. I was the son of Larkin and Cheny Ryan who was the slaves of Judge Pickens Butler who lived at Edgefield Courthouse. I has some brothers and sisters, but don’t remember them all. We lived in a log house with but one room. We had good beds to sleep in, and always had plenty to eat. Old Judge Butler was a good … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mary Veals

Interviewer: G. Leland Summer Person Interviewed: Mary Veals Date of Interview: May 20, 1937 Location: Newberry, South Carolina Place of Birth: Newberry South Carolina “I was born in the town of Newberry, S.C. I do not remember slavery time, but I have heard my father and mother talk about it. They were Washington and Polly Holloway, and belonged to Judge J.B. O’Neall. They lived about 3 miles west of town, near Bush River. An old colored man lived nearby. His name was Harry O’Neall, and everybody said he was a miser and saved up his money and buried it near … Read more

Slave Narrative of Emoline Wilson

Interviewer: G. Leland Summer Person Interviewed: Emoline Wilson Date of Interview: May 21, 1937 Location: Newberry, South Carolina “I was a Garmany before I married Calvin Wilson. My father was Henry Garmany, and my mother Sidney Boozer. My husband was in the Confederate army with his master. Dey was near Charleston on de coast. I was slave of Lemuel Lane, of de Dutch Fork. He was killed after de war, some say by some of his young slaves, but we’uns did not know naything about who killed him. We had a good house to live in on Marse Lane’s plantation. … Read more

Slave Narrative of Emoline Wilson

Interviewer: G. Leland Summer Person Interviewed: Emoline Wilson Date of Interview: August 10, 1937 Location: Newberry, South Carolina Place of Birth: Newberry County SC “I was born in Newberry County near Cannon’s Creek section in the Dutch Fork. I was a slave of Lemuel Lane. He was killed by some slaves just after freedom. They killed him for his money but didn’t find any, it was said. When freedom come, my mistress give me some things to eat when we left. “I can’t work much any more; I am old and I can’t get about. I live with my son … Read more

Slave Narrative of Julia Woodberry

Interviewer: Annie Ruth Davis Person Interviewed: Julia Woodberry Date of Interview: November 1937 Location: Marion, South Carolina “Come in, child. Dis ain’ nobody talkin to you from behind dat door, but Julia Woodberry. De door unlatch, just turn de handle en come right in here whe’ you can warm yourself by de stove. I tell my daughter for her to take de sick child en walk over dere en make Aun’ Liney a visit, while I wipe round bout dis stove a little speck. Cose I ain’ able to scour none much, but seems like dis old stove does keep … Read more